Really nice job on the carving…

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) intends to purchase twenty-seven (27) REMINGTON BRAND MODEL 870 POLICE 12/14P MOD GRWC XS4 KXCS SF. RAMAC #24587 GAUGE: 12 BARREL: 14″ – PARKERIZED CHOKE: MODIFIED SIGHTS: GHOST RING REAR WILSON COMBAT; FRONT – XS CONTOUR BEAD SIGHT STOCK: KNOXX REDUCE RECOIL ADJUSTABLE STOCK FORE-END: SPEEDFEED SPORT-SOLID – 14″ LOP are designated as the only shotguns authorized for ED based on compatibility with ED existing shotgun inventory, certified armor and combat training and protocol, maintenance, and parts.
The required date of delivery is March 22, 2010.

Place of Delivery:
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Inspector General
c/o: Gary Pawlak, Special Agent
500 West Madison Street – Suite 1414
Chicago, IL 60661

Source – HERE

Whaaaaaaaaaat?

Damn I guess the schools in Chicago are rougher then I thought.

Why 27?  Are all the faculty members going to learn how to use them?

The police model they want is the cream of the Remington 870 crop… Pretty nice aftermarket parts on there too!

Hat Tip: Hsoi and SayUncle

As you can probably tell, I have a lot of fun doing photoshops

This software is designed to automatically detect, track and anticipate moving targets so that a robotic turret, powered by off-the-shelf hobby servos, can accurately engage them. The turret can be bought or built to aim a paintball gun, second video/still image camera, airsoft gun, water gun, nerf gun, laser, etc…

Source – The Sentry Project

Check out the video:

Very cool idea, and setup.  Seems like the software and hardware could use a bit of work when it comes to stability, speed, and accurate targeting… judging by the company’s website, the programmer is hard at work on software upgrades.

The total cost for this rig (minus the laptop and gun) is $250

My only question is, how long until someone pops a real gun into that rig and causes some major damage?

Seems like a huge liability considering the way you fire a toy gun and a real gun is pretty much identical.  The only thing that would likely need to be upgraded is the strength of the turret, because of the increased recoil it would need to withstand.

If you buy one of these please don’t hook it up to a computer labeled “HAL 9000″

Hat Tip: SayUncle

Added a new picture to the bottom of the original post:

http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/2009/12/06/exploding-glock-humor/

I have about 6 more pictures, but its not as fun if I post them all at once

Following up on the prior article I wrote today, Utah Valley University – Open Carry Incident, I decided to email Nick Moyes.  He got back to me with the following:

Trolley Square, Utah, Virginia Tech, Columbine, Northern Illinois University, University of Alabama, University of South Florida, Dawson College: Montreal, Canada, Fort Hood, and Ohio State University just yesterday.

For some reason, mass shootings like to occur on college campuses and other “Gun Free Zones”. Perhaps it is because bad people go to where they know they will have the least resistance in carrying out their diabolical plans. I believe this to hold true from a petty thief all the way up to a fascist dictator.

I did not break any laws nor did I disrupt school activities as is evident from the videos I recorded. A student called in to campus police and asked if I was legally allowed to carry a gun. The student did not call in panic or to report a crime, it was simply a question, and I believe it should have been handled as such.

When the officers approached me and I realized that it was not going to be a simple check to see if I had a Concealed Firearm Permit, and I when I realized that it was going to be my word and Utah law against the opinions of two law enforcement officers, I pulled out my iPhone and pressed record. I did so, not to make the officers look unintelligent but to have a personal record of the incident. My reasoning to press the matter beyond that is explained in great detail throughout dozens of posts on the following website: http://www.utahconcealedcarry.com/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=7775&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

I have been open carrying for a long time, well before I had a CFP, as it was and is allowed in the State of Utah. I do not believe that the gun laws of Utah and the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution are no longer applicable to me while attending my accounting classes. I refuse to be a victim. There is not a uniformed officer outside of each of my classrooms, nor do I expect there to be. It is not their duty legally or otherwise to protect me, I am the only one responsible for me.

I have never open carried to make a point, to be “cool”, or because I have some sort of “Napoleon complex”. Those that know me, know that this has never been the case. I choose to open carry because I am legally able to do so and because it simply works better for me.

A right unexercised is a right lost. Opencarry.org

I ALWAYS go about open carrying in a quiet, dignified, and polite manner. I am always respectful of those around me who have never seen a gun before, by being approachable to have a conversation about Utah gun laws, to talk about why I choose to carry, and talk about the responsibility that goes along with carrying. People that know me and attend classes with me repeatedly thank me for carrying in their classrooms and for being willing and able to carry a gun at my side. It just sits there, it does not move. I do not remove it from its holster; I do not touch it. It is just an object that sits discreetly by my side.

And that is where my gun stays; unless I am, or God forbid my fellow classmates, are ever in danger of losing our lives at the hand of another who wishes to take our lives before law enforcement can arrive. I will refer you back to the growing list of colleges that have to deal with this kind of tragedy. I am not paranoid, simply aware of my responsibility, and mine only, to protect myself. I carry a gun as a safety precaution, just like wearing a seat belt in a moving car. Please think about all of the parallels that are applicable to that analogy.

Thank you to those that have an open mind and understand this logical approach. I am not an activist nor did I intend for this to go public beyond my campus or utahconcealedcarry.com.

This has not been easy to handle and I sincerely thank those who are supporting me and thank you to all of those who also carry legally and quietly everyday. God bless you.

———

Thanks Nick!

I think it is great that Nick was able to get his iPhone out and record the video so we could actually see what happened, rather than just hearing about it 2nd hand.  I think everyone that carries, both openly or concealed, should have some sort of recording device on them (preferebly both video and audio) in order to document any incidents that occur.

Anyone have any comments? Or a similar story to share?

P.S. – The photoshop I did is a play on words with UVU’s motto “Success Starts Here”

Mean looking little guy!

OREM, Utah – A Utah Valley University student says he is within his rights openly displaying a gun while carrying a concealed gun permit, even while on campus. And that is what student Nick Moyes did Friday morning when he was stopped by the campus police and was told to put the gun away. As president of UVU’s Republican Club, Moyes was hanging posters for an event when he was detained.

Full Story – Here

So the law says he can open carry, but some campus cops don’t like it?  Wow.. great…

If you are questioning how Nick handled the situation, you can see the entire video of the confrontation below in 2 parts:

I honestly don’t think Nick could have handled himself better.  He was polite, he knew the law, asked intelligent questions, and stuck to his beliefs.

It’s stories like this that I find really irritating.  If open carry on campus in Utah is legal according to the law, then why did this incident ever happen?  I don’t care if some of the students, or the police, don’t feel comfortable that someone without a uniform has a gun.  Nick Moyes was doing nothing wrong and should not have been harassed.  If you go to a university in Utah and you don’t like Utah state law, then I suggest looking into attending university in one of 49 of our other states.  As far as I am concerned, same goes if you are a police officer in Utah.  If you aren’t interested in enforcing the law AS WRITTEN, then that is not the job for you.

I say this again and again, but there NEEDS to be some accountability in law enforcement when it comes to situations like this.  A police officer should not be able to harass someone for doing something within the limits of the law.

At the Academy Awards (Oscars) last night, The Hurt Locker took home the following 6 awards:

• Best Picture
• Directing
• Film Editing
• Sound Editing
• Sound Mixing
• Writing (Original Screenplay)

I didn’t want to set aside 15 hours of my time yesterday to watch it, but judging by the winners list, The Hurt Locker really swept the show.

I have not seen the movie yet, but I plan on watching it very soon.  I avoided it up until now because I heard from a lot of people that it was annoyingly inaccurate.  I seem to enjoy other inaccurate movies anyway, so I’m not sure why I chose to listen to people and avoid this one up until now.

There are a few different versions of the movie poster.  I found the one I inserted in this article especially chilling.

Any of you guys that have seen this movie, have an opinion on it?

Freedom Firearms in Battle Creek, MI have an awesome new mailbox:

Fabricated by Steve’s Welding here in Battle Creek Michigan. He said the project took about 4 months in his spare time. It’s all steel and wood. there is 4 feet of concrete in the ground and an internal post through the grip frame. The hammer is checkered, and the back of the grip is evenly ribbed.

Read the rest of this entry »

Getting kicked and pushed around to simulate actual conditions?

Also, that would be so irritating having someone fire blanks (I’m assuming they are blanks) off right near your head.

If you were actually getting treated that way in real life, I think it would be safe to say that it would be from the enemy (not your own guys), and you would be disarmed.

Anyone have more info on training like this?  Is it widely practiced?

Thanks to JP for the video!

I was thinking some more about that recent ATF airsoft seizure and came up with the following…

For your information, per provisions of the Gun Control Act (GCA) of 1968, 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44, an unlicensed individual may make a “firearm” as defined in the GCA for his own personal use, but not for sale or distribution.

The GCA, 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3), defines the term “firearm” to include the following:

… (A) any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may be readily converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive: (B) the frame or receiver of any such weapon; (C) any firearm muffler or silencer; or (D) any destructive device. Such term does not include an antique firearm.

Source – ATF.gov

Another paragraph of interest…

Individuals manufacturing sporting-type firearms for their own use need not hold Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs). However, we suggest that the manufacturer at least identify the firearm with a serial number as a safeguard in the event that the firearm is lost or stolen. Also, the firearm should be identified as required in 27 CFR 478.92 if it is sold or otherwise lawfully transferred in the future.

Source – ATF.gov

So… According to the ATF’s citations of the Gun Control Act and U.S. Code, you can make your own firearm and you do not need a FFL.

The ATF does not specify what material you have to use, and it does not put any restriction on making a firearm out of an object that previously had another use.  Hell, if you wanted to make a firearm out of a toaster, from what I understand you definitely could.

By that rationale, if you buy an airsoft gun that “Needs Machining” to complete its transformation to fit an AR-15 lower parts kit, is it not only considered a firearm once you complete it?

If you cannot drop a lower parts kit in those airsoft receivers without any machining then I think that is a VERY good argument that they are not firearms, and should never have been confiscated.

You’ve seen it in movies such as:

Taxi Driver:

Desperado:

Alien Resurrection:

And many more…

I should have known that people would build their own!

Read the rest of this entry »

I guess Batman must have special New York City (Gotham City) weapon privileges because he is a celebrity.

Lots More pictures of Batman with various guns over at Silver Age Comics

Also If you haven’t seen The Dark Knight by now.. you’re slackin.  Buy it HERE for Cheap

Cirque Du Spetsnaz or “Systema” as they like to call it.

Here is my proposed logo:

Pistol Acrobatics:

Rifle Acrobatics:

If you are seriously ever in a 360° battle zone, id suggest finding cover ASAP. Spinning around on the ground only works in movies.

Muzzle Sweeping Las Vegas by storm in 2011!

Hat Tip: Raph84 for finding the videos

With some obviously fabricated information, and it was accepted:

Clicked Submit and…

Makes you wonder if there any checks and balances in place to ultimately discard my signature? What’s to stop some Brady goons from signing their own petition with made up names, or even more cleverly using address information out of the phone book or readily available online.  With minimal web programming skills a program could easily scrape the internet for valid addresses and automatically submit them to their little web application.  At the very minimum I find it surprising there was no zip code validation in the form;  55555 isn’t even an Arkansas zip.

I am now even less impressed by the 28,000 28,001 signatures they claim.

UPDATE: CREDO action, the company that is handling the Starbucks petition actually has zip code validation on their own site where people can sign the petition ( http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/starbucks_guns/ ).  There still isn’t any other validation.

James from HellInAHandBasket points out an awesome article in the Associated Press about today’s challenge to Chicago’s 28 year old handgun ban:

CHICAGO – A couple worries that burglars who tried to break in when the wife was home alone will return. A retiree fears the drug dealers and junkies just outside his window will attempt — again — to steal what he spent a lifetime earning. And a businessman wants to protect himself as he could when he was a police officer.

On Tuesday, the four will take their seats inside the U.S. Supreme Court as their attorneys argue a lawsuit that bears their names: David and Colleen Lawson, Otis McDonald and Adam Orlov.

The four plaintiffs are not stereotypical gun rights advocates. They don’t represent the agenda of any national group or organize rallies. Instead they represent average Chicagoans — the kind of people that opponents of the city’s ban say should be allowed to protect themselves from gun violence.

Full Story – HERE

CNN Showing both sides of the story here:

Full CNN article – HERE

I applaud the kindness of Diane Latiker with her “Kids off the Block” program, I think that is great that those kids have a place to go to escape gun violence.  She supports the handgun ban because she “would rather something be in place then nothing be in place”.  I’d be willing to bet that all those 200+ people that are represented in her memorial did not did at the hands of law abiding citizens.  This is one of those criminals do not care about the law type things, where it’s easy to see that banning handguns in Chicago does not make them any harder for criminals to get.  It is the regular person that needs to protect themselves from the criminals.

Although I don’t live in Chicago, I anxiously await the outcome of McDonald v. Chicago (08-1521).

A repeal of the ban would be a huge Second Amendment victory.

Looks like that might actually work!  If I had a Wii i’d definitely try it.

Source AR15.com – HERE

Hat Tip: SayUncle

FRANKFORT, Kentucky –Northern Kentucky University has been awarded $10,660 from the state Law Enforcement Protection Program (LEPP) to purchase patrol rifles, Gov. Steve Beshear announced Thursday.

Hmmm… Coincidentally the ATF had $10000 worth of “easily convertible” airsoft m4’s fall into their lap.   Agency to agency transfer anyone?

Also, awesome use of “Patrol Rifles”…. It’s refreshing to not see them demonized as “Assault rifle” killing machines.  I guess it has always been this way though; In the hands of police they are “tools”, but in the hands of citizens the same view largely isn’t held by the general public.

Under the LEPP, administered by the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security (KOHS), appropriate agencies can seek financial help for certain defensive items essential in the course of their duties.

“These funds will help ensure that our law enforcement will not be out-gunned and increase security on campus,” state Sen. Katie Kratz Stine, of Southgate, said.

Damn, I’ve only been out of University a couple of years now, but it must be getting pretty rough.  All jokes aside, if this keeps the students safe from psychos then I’m all for it.  I still think allowing students to carry on campus would be a zero cost better alternative though. $10660 isn’t going to buy that many patrol rifles, especially since they will all likely be fitted with some fairly pricey optics.  I say this because I can’t see open sights being a good choice for a possible shootout around hoards of innocent students running in every direction.

In conjunction with the Kentucky State Police (KSP), KOHS derives income from sales of confiscated weapons.

Oh that’s nice! *sarcasm*   I thought confiscated weapons were either destroyed or else given back to the original owner (if they were found to be stolen).  Or does this policy vary by state and department?  My first thought is that confiscating weapons to fund department purchases doesn’t seem very ethical.

Source: KYPost – HERE

Hat Tip: SayUncle

I find I go through PeopleOfWalmart for a couple minutes every few months.  Was doing some browsing there today and came across this:

Sometimes you have to go deep undercover. How do you think the queen of all homemakers Martha Stewart got caught?

Location: Texas

ENHANCE…

This off duty Texas police officer is rocking what appears to be the full set of Bianchi basket weave Leather.  I am making the assumption she is an off duty police officer because as some of you may or may not know, open carry of handguns is highly restricted in Texas, meaning that unless you are are law enforcement, no dice.

What’s Awesome:

• Her choice of sidearm is a Glock
• She is a open carrying
• She is a woman exercising her rights

What could use work:

• I’m not feeling the outfit as a whole
• Open carry rig not even attached to pants through any belt loops
• Slippers in WalMart? NASTY!.. I Hope she takes those off before she enters her home

It’s nice to see the comments on PeopleOfWalmart are actually quite positive towards open carry.  Most of the other comments on this picture are just down right hilarious!

Here are some of my favorite funny comments:

• She’s obviously not a member of the fashion police. (EAGLE EYE)
• I guess the answer to the question, “does this outfit make me look fat,” is a most definite “no!” (KINGREG)
• She should have gone with a powder blue holster, black is way too formal for sweats. (DEMIDAN)

Source: People of Walmart – HERE