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Stuck Mojo: I'm American
Here’s a great new video from metal-rap band Stuck Mojo, “I’m American.”

Oscar Knows

Kitty knows when your number's up
Article from:
July 27, 2007 12:00am

OSCAR the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours.

His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.

"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," said Dr David Dosa.

He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"Many family members take some solace from it," said Dr Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.

"They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one."

The two-year-old feline grew up in a dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre.

It treats people with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.

After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses.

He would sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would end up dying in a few hours.

Dr Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof.

"This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.

Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr Joan Teno of Brown

University, who treats patients at the nursing home.

She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call.

While observing one patient, Dr Teno said she noticed the woman was not eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.

Oscar would not stay inside the room though, so Dr Teno thought his streak was broken.
Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was about 10 hours too early.

Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Dr Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.

AP

Spare Time Training

Airmen train Iraqi firefighters at international airport

25 July 07

by Tech. Sgt. Russell Wicke

447th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs

NEW AL-MUTHANA AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- Firefighters from the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron are spending their spare time training firefighters from the Iraqi air force to make them an autonomous unit at New Al-Muthana Air Base.

Airmen spend about one day a week running Iraqis through drills and training procedures. During training earlier this month, Master Sgt. Craig Milton, the 447th ECES assistant fire chief, put together a live building fire. During this scenario the firefighters from the U.S and Iraqi air forces had to work together to extinguish the fire and rescue a 200-pound dummy from a burning room.

Other training involved a simulated burning aircraft where Iraqis had to shut down jet engines and remove an unconscious pilot. Airmen have been training Iraqis regularly for about two months, said Master Sgt. Steven Carver, the 447th ECES deputy fire chief.

The most pressing obstacle is the Iraqi's equipment deficit. Sergeant Carver said they just cannot obtain good equipment easily and could use up-to-date rescue trucks and more breathing tanks. However, other areas involve a mindset, and not the pocketbook.

Inexperience is a speed bump since none of the Iraqis here were firefighters before April 2003, said Hassan Shimary, the Iraqi air force fire chief. "In the United States, (firefighters) have learned from many mistakes, like rushing into a building without first making observations," Sergeant Carver said.

"People die if you don't consider the environment, and that's what we're trying to teach them."An entire U.S. Air Force squadron is here to provide guidance and to council the members of the Iraqi air force.

The 370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron works closely with Iraqi airmen from multiple professions daily. But Col. Mark Schmitz, the 370th AEAS commander, said he has no firefighter advisers in his squadron, and he depends on the firefighters from the 447th ECES to volunteer help.

"I'm lucky enough to be based next to Sather where there are experienced firefighters," the colonel said. "The Iraqis have equipment, manning and training shortfalls, but I think their firefighters are improving because of the Sather firefighters help."

With the right training, the Iraqis will get the experience they need to be independent in a couple years, Sergeant Milton said. And during that time, the Iraqis said they hope to continue to build working relationships with Americans.

"We enjoy the experience to train with Americans," said Chief Shimary through a translator. "We are glad to have the Americans for friends; they give us confidence in what we're doing."

Photo - Master Sgt. Craig Milton observes firefighters from the Iraqi air force remove Staff Sgt. Vance Vansteel from an Iraqi C-130 flight deck July 9 at New Al-Muthana Air Base, Iraq. Sergeant Vansteel represented an unconscious pilot during a simulated aircraft fire. The exercise trained Iraqis to respond to an aircraft fire by shutting down engines and removing an unconscious pilot. U.S. Airmen set up the scenario and guided them through the process. Sergeants Milton and Vansteel are firefighters with the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron. Photo Tech. Sgt. Russell

UK ch 4

Video: Taliban Terrorist Mansour Dadullah


link & comments:
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/

Air-Scout/Sniper Marines

Marines take to skies to hunt insurgents

25 July 07

By Lance Cpl. Joseph D. Day

2nd Marine Division (FWD)

Ramadi, Iraq -- The scout-sniper platoon from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, left the ground behind as they took to the skies to hunt for weapon caches and insurgents. As part of the aeroscout mission, the Marines travel by helicopter to areas not normally checked because of their remote locations.

“The average size group for this type of mission is usually two platoons. We’re doing it with about half,” said 1st Lt. Jordan D. Reese, the executive officer for Weapons Company, 3/7. “We train constantly, so that we are comfortable with each other. The Marines know what type of air power they have behind them. We believe there is no objective we can’t handle.

”Marines from the scout-sniper platoon conducted aeroscout operations south of Ramadi, in the desolate lands of the Razazah plains July 22.

The Marines loaded onto the helicopters at 9 a.m. They carried with them a full combat load, and packs of food, blankets and water to pass out to the people they encounter on the mission.

“The food drops are our way to show that we are on their side,” the Rockford Ill. native said. “In the city this might not be a big deal, but this food could mean life or death to these people. There is nothing out there in the far desert. Maybe it will keep them happy enough to have them stay working with us, and not the terrorists.

”During the flight, Reese observed different sites looking for anything suspicious. After flying around for about 15 minutes, he spotted a tent with vehicles around it and people walking around. He decided to insert the team to take a closer look.

The two CH-53 Sea Stallions landed and the two scout-sniper teams moved fast out the door of the helicopter and began to provide security for the landing zone.

“With a unit this small conducting the operation, it is real easy to maneuver,” Reese said. “We can get in, hit the objective, and get out in about 20 minutes.

”Once the helicopters lifted the scouts went to work, moving fast, but cautiously toward the tent. Between the two teams, one team held security while the other team searched the people and the structure.

After a quick, but thorough search the Marines decided there weren’t any suspicious items or information, so they called in the helicopters for extraction.

“These missions give us a presence in an area which hasn’t had any coalition forces in it for years or even ever,” Reese said. “This will keep the bad guys on their toes and that is really what we’re going for. Keep them guessing so we can catch up to them and get them.

”Though the Marines had finished with the objective, they were not done. While observing a different area, Reese noticed some additional suspicious activities. They went back to work.

“The Marines showed the ethos of being a professional warrior today,” said Capt. Miguel A. Pena, a forward air controller for the battalion. “They showed the people we’re here to provide help to them.”

As the Marines sprinted toward their second objective, men came out with their hands up as the Marines approached their vehicles.“We are able to reach far into the desert winds and help some people who we had no contact with before,” Pena said.

“We are conducting these missions in a nonstandard way. Before they were ground driven, now we bring the air element to the fight.”The Marines questioned the men through the interpreter. They asked them about, where they were from, why they were there, and if anything suspicious happened recently. The Marines gave the group of men the one of their packs of food for co-operating with them.

The Marines then set up landing zone security again, while Pena called for the birds to come pick them up.“These missions provide us with the opportunity to hit the enemy before they hit us,” Reese said.

“We will continue to do it because of all the positive effects it has on the people and on our mission here in Ramadi.”

Photo - Lance Cpl. Adam A. Ramirez, squad automatic weapon gunner for the scout snipers, runs off the CH-53 Sea Stallion toward the objective. The Marines only have a short time on the ground so they move fast to ensure they can get everything they need done at each site.

From Centcom:

Airmen prep battlefield dropping 120,000 leaflets.aspx
Posted: 25 Jul 2007 05:52 AM CDT
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- Airmen of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing dropped 120,000 leaflets over the Helmand Province in Afghanistan July 22 to help prevent civilian casualties while prepping the battlefield for future operations.

Soldier Chefs Keep Units Fueled at Remote Outpost.aspx
Posted: 25 Jul 2007 05:44 AM CDT
COMBAT OUTPOST CLEARY, Iraq - It has been said that an Army runs on its stomach, and most Soldiers would agree.

Iraqi Army Takes Security Lead.aspx
Posted: 24 Jul 2007 12:25 PM CDT
RAMADI, Iraq— As the evening sun started to set, the Iraqi army geared up. After looking over each other’s equipment thoroughly, they prepared to step off.

Total Metallica - part 1

Metallica- Sanitarium

Metallica - Master of Puppets (S&M)

Metallica - For Whom the Bell Tolls

Excalibur Precision

Excalibur Precision Guided Munitions
Under contract to the U.S. Army, Raytheon is developing the Excalibur — the world’s first artillery projectile to be guided by a global positioning system (GPS). Excalibur is a 155 mm artillery round with the accuracy to destroy targets in first-round fire from ranges up to 30 miles.

This is one of the many ADS systems applied for Battlefield Electronics and Smart Munitions

PRECISION-GUIDED MUNITIONS KILLS TOP AL QAEDA LEADER
7/17/2007

BAGHDAD — The top target for al Qaeda in Iraq south of Baghdad was killed July 14 in Arab Jabour by precision-guided munitions, the Excalibur.

Shortly after 12 p.m., 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, received a call that Abu Jurah and 14 anti-Iraqi forces were meeting at a house in Arab Jabour.

Abu Jurah was an AQI cell leader and was responsible for improvised explosive devices, vehicle-borne IED and indirect fire attacks on Coalition Forces in Arab Jabour.

At approximately 1:12 p.m., the house was positively identified allowing 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment to fire two Excalibur rounds destroying the meeting house.

An unmanned aerial vehicle observed persons leaving the house, loading injured individuals into a sedan and fleeing the scene.

An AH-64 Apache helicopter engaged the sedan destroying it. Three people were observed running from the meeting house to a nearby house.

A U.S. Air Force F16 Fighting Falcon dropped two 500-pound GPS-guided bombs on the second house.

FOR QUERIES, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION – CENTER PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT MND-CENTER_PAO@IRAQ.CENTCOM.MIL OR BY PHONE AT DSN 318-822-7482 OR COMMERCIAL 912-767-4114.

More from Centcom:

INSURGENTS FAIL AGAIN IN AMBUSH OF ANA, COALITION FORCES
Posted: 24 Jul 2007 08:33 AM GMT-06:00

Fardh Al-Qanoon Update: MND-B general sees change, progress
Posted: 24 Jul 2007 12:51 PM GMT-06:00

20 SUSPECTED AL-QAEDA TERRORISTS DETAINED
Posted: 24 Jul 2007 08:31 AM GMT-06:00

INSURGENTS SUFFER HEAVY LOSSES IN HELMAND PROVINCE
Posted: 24 Jul 2007 08:28 AM GMT-06:00

Dry Bones

United in Hate

Aussie Muslims unite against Israel

Richard Kerbaj June 25, 2007

AUSTRALIA'S Sunni Muslims have pushed aside ideological differences with their Shia counterparts to form a united front against Israel and declare their support for the Iranian-backed terrorist network Hezbollah.

The unity among the two Muslim sects, which have been at war with each other for centuries, comes as the nation's Jewish community accuses top Shia spiritual leader Kamal Mousselmani of creating hatred towards Jews by calling Israel a "terrorist" state and expressing his allegiance to Hezbollah militants.

The Howard Government yesterday also accused Sheik Mousselmani of sending the wrong message to his followers through his adverse views on Israel.

Sunni Muslim leader and community spokesman Keysar Trad yesterday said his sect largely championed Sheik Mousselmani's support for Hezbollah (Party of God), which was revealed by The Weekend Australian.

"Sunnis outside of Lebanon, yes, they still have a great deal of respect for Hezbollah," he said.
But Mr Trad, who does not believe the Lebanese-based Hezbollah is a terrorist group, said Sunni Muslims in Lebanon were less inclined to back the terrorist organisation because of political differences with the Shi'ites.

"I don't believe that Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation," he said. "I agree with (Mousselmani) that the state of Israel has ... consistently engaged in acts of terror which have brought a great deal of pain to the poor Palestinian population and the Lebanese population."

The new mufti of Australia, Sunni spiritual leader Fehmi Naji el-Imam, last year called Hezbollah militants "freedom fighters" during an anti-war rally in Melbourne. Sheik Fehmi's spokesman said yesterday the cleric could not be reached.

Sunni Muslim spiritual leaders contacted by The Australian, including several who formerly served on John Howard's Islamic advisory council, yesterday refused to put their support for Hezbollah on the record for fear of upsetting the federal Government and jeopardising future community funding.

A senior Sydney-based cleric who refused to be named said "you won't see any Muslim standing with Israel against Hezbollah even if they hate Hezbollah's politics".

The Australia-Israel and Jewish Affairs Council executive director, Colin Rubenstein, said Sheik Mousselmani was an embarrassment to his community whose views brought into sharp focus the Shia extremism on which Hezbollah was founded.

"One would think that the sheik should be telling his followers to obey Australian law rather than being so supportive of such an organisation with such an appalling track record," he said.

Hezbollah's military arm, the External Security Organisation, is a proscribed terrorist organisation in Australia, and supporting Hezbollah's political and military wings is illegal under UN counter-terrorist financing declarations.

Dr Rubenstein said Hezbollah was committed to the destruction of Israel and espoused "genocidal intentions for Jews everywhere".

This follows The Weekend Australian's revelations in which Sheik Mousselmani attacked the Howard Government's support for Israel against Arabs and said Hezbollah was a resistance group, not a terrorist network.

It was also revealed that national security authorities have stepped up their investigations into the nation's Shia community, whose members were not as closely monitored as Sunni Muslims.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock yesterday said Israel was entitled to exist and the federal Government's foreign policy was against any terrorist group that threatened Israel's sovereignty.

"Those who threaten its sovereignty do so, in our view, in breach of international law and we've always counselled not only Hezbollah but Hamas and Fatah to recognise the right of Israel to exist," he said.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21961296-2702,00.html

H/T: J Tex

Drums of War

Enter the JERRV

New Vehicles Support Mission in Anbar

23 July 07

By Sgt. Stephen M. DeBoard

Regimental Combat Team 6

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq— Marines with Regimental Combat Team 6 recently got their hands on the Marine Corps’ newest counter to attacks by terrorist forces in Anbar Province.

The Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Rapid Response Vehicle, or JERRV, is the latest melding of technology and combat firepower to find its way onto the battlefield in Iraq. Like any new weapon fielded to Marines, instructors are needed to certify potential operators in its use.

One of the JERRV operator instructors for the regiment is Cpl. Miarco T. McMillian, a motor transportation operator with Headquarters Company. He is one of a handful of instructors responsible for training the Marines who will be driving the trucks on combat and logistics patrols throughout Al Anbar Province.

The JERRV is one type of vehicle in the category of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs. It’s the usual alphabet soup of military acronyms that all boils down to one thing: protecting Marines in combat. Unlike the Humvee, the current workhorse of the American vehicle fleet, the JERRV chassis was designed with heavy bomb-proof armor in mind.

“There’s a higher sense of security with brand new vehicles. They’re designed to carry the weight of the armor,” said McMillian, a Las Vegas native and 1998 graduate of Meadows High School. “(The JERRVs) are 40,000 pounds but they can go up to 52,000 pounds with extra modifications. Being surrounded by all that armor makes you feel safe.”

Gunnery Sgt. Matthew A. Larson, the motor transportation maintenance chief for RCT-6, echoed McMillian’s sentiment.

“They're like no other vehicle I have ever driven,” Larson said. “They are like riding in a bank-vault with wheels. You can't help but feel safer in the JERRV than in an armored Humvee. These vehicles will definitely save lives.”

Larson said the process of training Marines on the JERRV will be a “continuous process.” “The intent is for RCT-6 instructors to train instructors in all of the subordinate units, while simultaneously teaching all potential operators in the RCT headquarters,” said Larson, a Hubert, N.C., native. “When all is said and done, we should have in the ball park of 700 or so Marines trained to operate the MRAPs.”

RCT-6 will need every one of those operators to man the fleet of vehicles it is slated to receive. Around 500 MRAPs, including the JERRV and other variants, will make an immediate impact on the mission in Anbar Province, according to Capt. Russell W. Wilson, the motor transportation officer for RCT-6.

“The MRAP will go a long way in the IED force protection of our Marines, sailors and soldiers; however, this added protection comes with a price. The price is reduced visibility, maneuverability, off road capability … and (experienced operators),” he said. “That is where training becomes critical to the success of the vehicle and the adaptation to accomplish the mission.”

McMillian said his first experience with the JERRV was something any civilian can identify with.
“It smells like a brand new car. It’s got that nice, plastic, clean car smell,” said McMillian.

“There’s nothing else like it in the world.”

More important than the smell, McMillian said, is how the 20-ton, six-wheeled behemoth handles.

“Surprisingly, it handles very well. It’s a lot more nimble than you would expect from a 20-ton vehicle. Its turning radius is amazing, and its versatility and terrain capability is way up there,” he said.

A versatile vehicle requires a versatile operator. This is the value in having Marines like McMillian in the instructor seat, said Wilson.

“The Marine Corps is one of the only places in the world where a corporal, with relatively minimal training, teaching, and public speaking experience, can get out there and teach all ranks and grades with confidence and professionalism,” he said.

“With the training of Cpl. McMillian and the cadre of instructors like him, we aim to safely and rapidly field the MRAP for convoy security and give Marines a better fighting chance against the tactics of the enemy.”

Photo - Marine Cpl. Miarco T. McMillian is a certification instructor for the new Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Rapid Response Vehicle, or JERRV, with Regimental Combat Team 6. The JERRV, pictured behind McMillian, is the newest addition to the Corps' arsenal to combat the threat from roadside bombs. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Stephen M. DeBoard.

Patton's New Speech

George S Patton's New Speech-Iraq & modern world

hehe

A Period of Consequences

IN THE 1930S, WINSTON CHURCHILL, WROTE OF LEADERS WHO REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER:

"The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close.

In its place we are entering a period of consequences."

h/t: http://uppompeii1.uppompeii.com/

UK- BNP leader talks

Exclusive-Nick Griffin talks to the BBC

Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP (British National Party) Talks to the BBC about the failed multiracial experiment, immigration and radicalized Islam.

Recognizing Evil

Those Cuddly, Fuzzy Terrorists

July 20, 2007

What is it about American academics and their inability to recognize evil?

More

Magnetic Liquid

Black liquid magnetic sculpture

Magnetic Liquid is Crazy

Waterfalls

Gun Think Tank

Many links on gun control politics & news from Mr Dave Kopel.

Sign up for the free newsletter, this is about 80% of the latest one.

Dave Kopel's Second Amendment Newsletter
July 20, 2007

Dave Kopel's Second Amendment Project is based at the Independence Institute,a free-market think tank in Golden, Colorado.http://www.independenceinstitute.org

The Independence Institute publishes several newsletters on other topics, plus a weekly newsletter containing our most recent op-eds and news of our activities.

E-mail subscription to any of these newsletters is free.

Delivery of this newsletter comes courtesy of the Second Amendment Foundation, in Bellevue, Washington.http://www.saf.org

Please visit Dave Kopel's website, containing articles on the Second Amendment and other freedom topics.http://www.davekopel.org

To subscribe to this free e-mail newsletter, please send a request to: kopelnewsletter@liberty.seanet.com

Table of Contents

New By Kopel: "Gold Standard of Gun Control," Asian Religions and Self-Defense; D.C. Gun Ban Appeal; Publishing CCW Permit Holders

New by Kopel, Interview: "In Search of the Second Amendment" segments available for live viewing on YouTube

New by Kopel, Translations: German version of the V-Tech article, Italian publication of "What if We had Taken Columbine Seriously?"

New From the Independence Institute: International RKBA and a Critique of a British Home Office Study on Firearms Crime

International: Australia; Canada; The E.U.; Japan; Mexico; U.K.

Politics: Giuliani's Reverse; Tiahrt Amendment; Salt Lake Firearms Violations

Culture/Media: Moore Movie; Ohio Newspaper Controversy; Gun Rights and Homeschooling; Children's BB Gun Range; Rebirth of the 'Truth Squad'; Virginia Raffle Imbroglio; Shooting and Hunting Sports Management Degree Program; Personal Defense TV re-aired; Priest Calls for Murder of Gun Shop Owner

Self-Defense: We've Forgotten How to Fight; University allows CCW; No Dorm Ban; Students want Concealed Carry; Texas Governor wants CCW Liberalized; Two State Legislators and Crime

Federal: OSHA Regs; Tiahrt Amendment; Shelby Corollary; ATFE Blanket Checks at Gunshows
The States: California; Colorado; Illinois; Missouri; Texas; Virginia

Law: D.C. Gun Ban; McCain-Feingold Decision; Individual RKBA
Research: 'Microstamping' Ineffective; BATFE on Firearms Trace Data; Armed Students; Reception of Kopel; CHL Percentages by State

New by Kopel

Articles

"The Gold Standard of Gun Control"
With Paul Gallant & Joanne D. EisenJournal of Law, Economics & Policy, Vol 417, Issue 2

In PDF Format:In HTML Format:2006

http://www.davekopel.com/2A/Foreign/gold-standard-of-gun-control.pdf

PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar software. http://www.davekopel.com/2A/Foreign/The-Gold-Standard-of-Gun-Control.htm

This is a book review of Joyce Malcolm's "Guns and Violence: The English Experience." In PDF. In HTML. The review has just been published in a special symposium issue on self-defense.
Self-defense in Asian Religions

Liberty Law Review, Volume 2

2007, Forthcoming

http://www.davekopel.com/Religion/Self-defense-in-Asian-religions.pdf

PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar software.

The Article first examines the Chinese religions of Confucianism and Taoism. Next, Hinduism (including Mohandas Gandhi), Jainism, and Sikhism are treated relatively briefly. Buddhism and its development in various East Asian nations are examined in depth. The Article suggests that--regarding the right and duty of personal defense and community defense--the classical religious philosophy of the Far East has many important similarities to Western religious philosophy, although the two traditions developed independently of each other.

Armed Resistance to the Holocaust
Journal on Firearms & Public Policy 19 (Forthcoming)

2007

http://www.davekopel.com/2A/Foreign/Armed-resistance-to-the-holocaust.pdf

PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar software.

Contrary to myth of Jewish passivity, many Jews did fight back during the Holocaust. They shut down the extermination camp at Sobibor, rose up in the Warsaw Ghetto, and fought in the woods and swamps all over Eastern Europe. Indeed, Jews resisted at a higher rate than did any other population under Nazi rule. The experience of the Holocaust shows why Jews, and all people of good will, should support the right of potential genocide victims to possess defensive arms, and refutes the notion that violence is necessarily immoral.

DC's Gun Ban, Round 2.

America's First Freedom

July, 2007

http://www.davekopel.org/2A/Mags/DC-Lawsuit.pdf

PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar software.

Here is Kopel's analysis of the D.C. Circuit Court's denial of the city's petition for rehearing en banc.

Why Reveal Who's Concealed?
Paul Gallant, with David B. Kopel and Joanne D. Eisen

America's 1st Freedom

May, 2007
What possible motive could some arrogant anti-gun newspapers have for publishing the names of Right-to-Carry permit holders?

Interviews

In Search of the Second Amendment
David HardyYouTube

July 9, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/davidthardy
YouTube excerpts from Hardy's excellent new movie, including some footage of an interview with Kopel.

New Translations of Kopel
Zur Tragödie von Virginia Tech
Wall Street Journal18. April 2007

http://www.davekopel.org/Deutsch/Zur-Tragodie-von-Virginia-Tech.htm
German translation of Kopel's Wall Street Journal article on Virginia Tech and the dangers of "gun-free" zones.

E se avessimo preso la Columbine seriamente?
Io sparo che me la cavo: i Libri di Enclave2007http://tinyurl.com/2ncrce

Here is a new e-book version of an Italian book on the right to arms. Includes an Italian version of Kopel's article "What if we had taken Columbine seriously?"

New from the Independence Institute
"An International Human Right to Keep and Bear Arms"
Christopher J. SchmidtWilliam and Mary Bill of Rights Journal, Vol. 15, J. 983February, 2007

http://www.davekopel.org/2A/OthWr/AN-INTERNATIONAL-HUMAN-RIGHT-TO-KEEP-AND-BEAR-ARMS.htm

"This ground-breaking article argues that international law can and should be read to support a right to arms.

A Critique of Home Office Research Study 298 of 2006: Gun Crime: The market in and use of Illegal Firearms

Colin Greenwood

The Second Amendment Project of the Shooting Sports Trust and the Independence Institute

April, 2007

http://www.davekopel.org/2A/Foreign/Critique-of-Home-Office-Research-Study-298.htm

A careful dissection of a deeply flawed British government study promoting more repressive laws against gun owners, notwithstanding the failures of previous laws.

International

Australia

Gun Crime Explodes
Marnie O'Neill

The Sunday Telegraph (AU)

May 06, 2007

http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,22049,21678380-5006009,00.html

"Sydney is in the grip of a wave of gun crime, with a weapon fired or used to menace innocent residents six days in every seven."

Canada

Hubris in the North: The Canadian Firearms Registry
Gary Mauser

The Fraser Institute

July 5, 2007

http://tinyurl.com/2djbve
"This paper is a timely effort to evaluate the effectiveness of the 1995 firearm legislation."

Deadly School Shooting
Iain Marlow, San Grewal, and Thulasi Srikanthan

Toronto Star (Canada)

May 24, 2007

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/217248

"In a grim first for Toronto, a boy is gunned down inside his school."

Tighter Gun Control Resisted
Tonda MacCharles

Toronto Star (Canada)

July 2, 2007

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/231587

"A federally commissioned poll of "stakeholders" selected by the government to comment on potential changes to gun control found more opposition than support for tighter restrictions."

Shooting Violence in Canadian Schools 1975-2007
Canadian Press

Toronto Star (Canada)

May 23, 2007

http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/217023
Here is a list of firearms-related violence in Canada's schools over that time period.

Panel Loaded with Gun Buffs
Susan Delacourt

The Toronto Star (Canada)

May 28, 2007

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/218332
This story reads very much like an opinion column, with a 'fright' photograph for illustration as it questions the make-up of the Tory government's panel evaluating the success of Canada's multi-billion dollar gun registry in preventing crime.

European Union

MEPs Tighten EU Rules on Gun Ownership

Press ReleaseThe European Parliament

June 27, 2007

http://tinyurl.com/2m6cwg

"New measures to tighten up gun controls, including restricting their sale over the web, were demanded by the Internal Market Committee on 27 June. In a co-decision report, MEPs call for information on guns, including imports from third countries, to be stored in national databases for 20 years, and shared among Member States. Member States would be expected to report back to Parliament, as well as the Commission, on measures giving effect to this law."

Japan

Govt to Introduce Tougher Gun Control Measures
The Yomiuri Shimbun

June 26, 2007

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070626TDY02008.htm

"Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered relevant government offices to tighten gun control in May, in light of a number of incidents such as the fatal shooting of Nagasaki Mayor Itcho Ito in April."

Mexico

Mexico's Gun Laws are as Draconian as they are Ineffective
Bart SkeltonGuns & Ammo

June, 2007

http://www.gunsandammomag.com/gun_columns/border/0706/

"Gun ownership in Mexico is an exclusive club. You must be either wealthy or a criminal, or both. Permits for firearms can be obtained, however, after much bureaucratic nonsense that can only be avoided by those with connections or a monetary favor, a.k.a., mordida."

United Kingdom

Minister Urges Teenagers to Take Up Shooting to Improve Behaviour
Jonathan Wynne Jones

The Sunday Telegraph (UK)

May 27, 2007

http://tinyurl.com/259jp6

"Anti-gun campaigners have accused the Government of making a U-turn on firearms after a minister urged teenagers to take up shooting to improve their behaviour."

The British Way of Murder
"Theodore Dalrymple"

City Journal

April 9, 2007

http://www.city-journal.org/html/eon2007-04-09td.html

"Britain is experiencing a spate of murders that suggests a population increasingly unable, or unwilling, to control itself."

More on Gun Violence in Britain

The Guardian

July 7, 2007

http://www.guardian.co.uk/gun/0,,178412,00.html

This page is an ongoing complilation of crime stories involving firearms in the United Kingdom.

Government Figures 'Missing' Two Million Violent Crimes
David Barrett

The Independent (UK)

June 26, 2007

"An extra two million violent crimes a year are committed in Britain than previously thought because of a bizarre distortion in the Government's flagship crime figures, it was claimed yesterday."

Politics

Rudy Flips Gun Stance
Craig GordonNewsday

May 23, 2007

http://tinyurl.com/2b9q82

"Giuliani's days as a crusading anti-gun mayor are behind him now that he's running for president, and Wednesday he staked out a simple test for concealed-carry permits, which are tightly controlled in New York..."

Reauthorize the Tiahrt Amendment
Lawrence G. Keane, NSSFThe Hill

May 23, 2007

"When it authorized restrictions on public access and use of gun trace data, Congress correctly understood that this sensitive information was a crime-fighting tool, always intended solely for use by law enforcement and that, in the wrong hands, it could be recklessly misused. Those legitimate concerns are still valid today. Congress should continue to put public safety and the lives of law enforcement ahead of gun control politics and reauthorize the Tiahrt Amendment."

Arrests Likely in Trolley Square Massacre Gun Probe
Russ RizzoThe Salt Lake Tribune

May 17, 2007

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5545445

"The gun originally was bought legally at a store by a man out of state and was stolen, Dyer said. Then it changed hands six or seven times among three people before reaching Talovic, Dyer said."

Culture/Media

"Shooting Michael Moore"
Kevin Leffler

A Chainsaw Productions Film2005

http://www.shootingmichaelmoore.com/

"Join Michael Moore's home town buddy, Kevin Leffler, in uncovering the depths of Moore's deceit- from committing environmental violations to owning the stock of the worlds largest drug company, Pfizer to screwing over the financially poor "stars" of his past movies. You won't believe how Moore also owned Dick Cheney's favorite stock, Halliburton!"

Ohio Newspaper Under Fire for Outing Gun Owners
Nathan Burchfiel

CNSNews.com

July 5, 2007

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200707/NAT20070705a.html

"An Ohio newspaper's decision to publish the non-public records of concealed carry permit holders drew a strong response, and one gun rights advocacy group published personal but public information about the newspaper's editor."

Man opens BB gun shooting range for children
Associated Press (OH)

July 5, 2007

http://tinyurl.com/297vre

"In an effort to bring back a tradition from his own childhood, an 84-year-old man has created a BB gun shooting range for children."

Gun rights and homeschooling parallels
Sandy Froman

World Net Daily

May 17, 2007

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55737

"There are core values in common between gun ownership and homeschooling. These commonalities are things you and I applaud, but those who think big government is the solution to every problem cannot accept it." Froman is a former president of the National Rifle Association.

At Gun Raffle, A Reminder Of Va. Tech
Fredrick Kunkle and Tim Craig

Washington Post

May 18, 2007

http://tinyurl.com/2zdmnc

At a 'Bloomberg Gun Raffle' opponents and proponents of civilian firearms ownership exchanged strong opinions about the causes and results of the Virginia Tech shootings.

Gresham Re-launches "Truth Squad" to Confront Media Inaccuracies
Tom Gresham

Press Release

May 25, 2007

http://www.golfbusinesswire.com/shooting_wire_release.html?releaseID=117032

"Radio host and television personality Tom Gresham has relaunched his 'Truth Squad' a group of his listeners who are dedicated to correcting the inaccuracies frequently passed off as fact in mainstream media. As Gresham says 'a lie left unchallenged becomes the truth.'"

Community College Adds Shooting & Hunting Sports Management Program
The Shooting Wire

May 30, 2007

http://www.shootingwire.com/shooting_wire.html?date=2007-05-30 http://www.montgomery.cc.nc.us/newsshootingsports.htm

"A new two-year associates program offered by North Carolina's Montgomery Community College will give graduates an inside track on careers in the shooting and hunting sports. The curriculum is also structured to also allow students outside North Carolina to participate in all but one portion of the program online, making it considerably more affordable to obtain that degree."

For the program itself at the College, see here. http://www.montgomery.cc.nc.us/newsshootingsports.htm

Personal Defense Television Season 1 Returns to Outdoor Channel for Another Quarter
Press Release

The Outdoor Channel

July 2, 2007

http://www.golfbusinesswire.com/shooting_wire_release.html?releaseID=118347

"Due to its popularity, Personal Defense Television Season 1 is returning to Outdoor Channel for another run. Beginning this week, you will be able to catch your favorite episodes of PDTV again. The show will air for 13 weeks on Outdoor Channel and in stunning HD on Outdoor Channel 2HD."

Self-Defense

We've Forgotten How to Fight Back
Billie Louden

The Denver Post

May 12, 2007

http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_5875002

"We have got to stop sticking our heads and our children's heads in the sand, pretending evil does not exist. Unless we recover the fight-back spirit buried inside ourselves and pass it own to our kids, we are doomed. No one can predict or stop the next horrendous act that will surely come to be. What we can do is assure that our survival instincts will lower the number of victims." 'Colorado Voices' columnist Billie Louden is a deputy sheriff in Denver and an Army veteran.

This newsletter is compiled with help from Dr. Rob S. Rice. For more on this creative, yet pragmatic individual, see here. Dr. Rice is proud and exhausted to announce the first publication of one his novels, to be found here. Your prayers and purchases are most appreciated.

Al Qaeda delenda est!

Heros of Humanity

WAKE UP EUROPE!
www.gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/ Europe's legendary Heroes are stirring as the West comes under attack from Islamic terrorism and the Third Jihad! An invitation to join others at the international Stop the Islamisation of Europe rally in Brussels on Sept 11, 2007.


Online Videos by Veoh.com

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v802558bSb8p599

Freedom Fighter Babes of July

Australia

UK

Muslim Lands

Muslim police teach an Egyptian Christian his place in Islamic society.

Looking for Diversity? You won't find any here!

Saudi Arabia - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal. Churches are illegal. Easter celebrations are illegal. It is punishable by death for a non-mulsim to enter the “holy” muslim cities of Medina and Mecca.

Yemen - Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship.

Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam.

Egypt - Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith. Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.

Algeria - The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution. The country has passed the “Regulation of Religious Practice” law, which stipulates a punishment of two to five years’ imprisonment and heavy fines for anyone convicted of urging a Muslim to change his religion.

Syria - The constitution requires the president to be a Muslim and specifies that Islamic jurisprudence is a principal source of legislation. Sharing your Christian faith is discouraged as “posing a threat to the relations among religious groups” and carries a penalty of up to life in prison. A Christian is not allowed to proselytize – ever. Churches who want to hold an extra service must get a government permit. Sermons are routinely monitored, as is church fundraising.

Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.

Sudan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death.

Pakistan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims. Christians regularly put in prison for charges of blasphemy. Islam is the state religion, and in a court of law the testimony of a Christian carries less weight than that of a Muslim. Section 295(c) of the Penal Code calls for a death sentence for anyone who defiles the name of the Prophet Muhammad and requires the testimony of four Muslims for a conviction. This fosters an environment in which Muslims can feel free to use intimidation and violence against religious minorities for personal gain. Also, if any criminal Muslim rape with any Christian female and then take plea that she has accepted Islam and marry with him. Such person is not culpable under Pakistani criminal law

Qatar - Islamic instruction is compulsory in public schools. The government regulates the publication, importation, and distribution of non-Islamic religious literature. The government continues to prohibit proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims.

Malaysia - Under Malaysian law, any convert to Christianity must apply to a shariah (Muslim law) court to legally renounce Islam. Many Christians prefer to remain silent converts rather than take their battle to the shariah courts, where apostasy or conversion out of Islam is punishable by whipping, fines, imprisonment and—in the most extreme application—death. In a country where Muslims account for more than half of the population, conversion from Islam is punished with a 5-year prison sentence and a $3,000 fine. A Malaysian Muslim who marries a non-Muslim and who converts the non-Muslim to Islam is rewarded with an apartment, a car, a one-time payment of $2,700, and a monthly stipend of $270.

The Maldives - In the island paradise visited by tens of thousands of tourists each year, Christianity is simply not tolerated. While local Christians – said to number around 300 out of a total population of 300,000 – do get together to worship, they do so at the risk of imprisonment or worse if discovered by the Muslim authorities. Bibles are banned, and tourists can be arrested for trying to bring them into the country.

H/T: http://www.theodoresworld.net/

----

Many detainees in Iraq are Saudi
Mon Jul 16, 1:17 PM ET

BAGHDAD - Nearly half of the foreign detainees held in Iraq are Saudi citizens, and lists of their names were given to Saudi officials during a recent visit by an Iraqi delegation, national security adviser Mouwaffak al-Rubaie said in remarks aired Monday.

Al-Rubaie's comments to Al-Arabiya television were made during a three-day visit last week to Saudi Arabia in which he met senior officials, including Interior Minister Prince Nayef.

"The Iraqi government says that nearly half of the foreigners in Iraqi prisoners are from Saudi Arabia. Hundreds of them are in Camp Bucca and other prisons controlled by coalition forces," al-Rubaie said. He did not give a total figure of Saudi detainees.

In Iraq, the U.S. Army is holding thousands of prisoners at Camp Cropper near Baghdad airport and in Camp Bucca in the southern desert.

"There are some Saudis who are serving sentences and we have given the brothers, Saudi officials ... lists containing the names of Saudi detainees," he said.

Last week, al-Rubaie said before leaving for Saudi Arabia that the majority of the suicide bombers and "those who drive the vehicles to blow up our innocent civilians, Iraqis, are Saudis."

Al-Rubaie, who headed the delegation, said then "we need to stop the flow of suicide bombers, we need to stop the fatwas (religious edicts) coming from Saudis to justify the killings of innocent Iraqis."

In the interview with Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya, al-Rubaie said that he raised the issue of fatwas with officials in the kingdom and "we heard very good news." He did not elaborate.

H/T:
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=26285_Nearly_Half_of_Arrested_Jihadis_Are_Saudi_Citizens

comments

The media is obviously uncomfortable reporting the fact that most of those killed in Iraq fighting the Americans are not Iraqis. The steady influx of foreign fighters supplies the brains, muscle, and the dumb-ass necessary to maintain the 'insurgency'. Admitting that the insurgents are not "Iraqi freedom fighters' but really jihadists from Syria, Iran, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Yemen, Oman, and Saudi Arabia among other places, makes the 'war on terror' look too much like a War on Terror for the media. It might even establish that the rational for the US to be fighting in Iraq makes sense. Can't have any of that!

Steve Emerson Rocks

Video: Emerson vs. Scheuer

The Worst Crime

Preventing the West from Understanding Jihad
By Walid Phares

In the years that followed 9/11, two phenomena characterized the Western public's understanding of the terrorists' ideology. The first characteristic stemmed from the statements made by the jihadists themselves. More than ever, Islamist militants and jihadi cadres didn't waste any opportunity to declare, clarify, explain, and detail the meaning of their aqida (doctrine) and their intentions to apply Jihadism by all means possible.

Unfortunately for them, though, those extremely violent means changed the international public opinion: the public now was convinced that there was an ideology of Jihadism, and that its adherents meant business worldwide. From Ayman al Zawahiri in Arabic to Azzam al Amriki in American English, via all of the videotapes made by "martyrs" in Britain, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the public obtained all the evidence necessary.

Against all the faulty academic literature of the 1990's, the statements by the jihadists themselves were very convincing. The second phenomenon of help to the public was the surfacing of a new literature produced by alternative scholars, analysts, journalists, experts, and researchers who, from different backgrounds and countries, filled in some of the gaps is "jihadi studies."

Producing books, articles, and blogs from Europe, India, the Middle East, and North America, a combination of Third World-born and Western-issued scholarship began to provide the "missing link" as to what Jihadism is all about. These factors came together to shift the debate from "Jihad is spiritual yoga" to "Why didn't we know it was something else as well?" And this triggered in response one of the last attempts to prevent jihad from being understood.

In the 1990's, apologist literature attempted to convince readers and audiences in the West that jihad was a "spiritual experience only, and not a menace." [1] That explanation has now been shattered by Bin Laden and Ahmedinijad. So in the post-9/11 age, a second strategy to delay public understanding of Jihadism and thereby gain time for its adherents to achieve their goals has evolved. It might be called the "good cop, bad cop" strategy.

Over the past few years, a new story began to make inroads in Washington and the rest of the national defense apparatus. A group of academics and interest groups are circulating the idea that in reality jihad can develop in two forms: good jihad and bad jihad.

The practice of not using "Jihad" and "Jihadism" was lately defended by two academics at the National Defense University [2] who based their arguments on a study published by a Washington lobbyist, Jim Guirard.[3] On June 22, 2006, Jim Garamone, writing for the American Forces Press Service, published the study of Douglas Streusand and Harry Tunnel under the title "Loosly Interpreted Arabic terms can promote enemy ideology." Streusand told CNN that "Jihad is a term of great and positive import in Islam.

It is commonly defined as striving or struggle, and can mean an internal or external struggle for faith." [4] The article was posted under the title "Cultural Ignorance Leads to Misuse of Islamic Terms" by the US-based Islamist organization CAIR. [5] Since then the "concept" of deflecting attention away from the study of Jihadism has penetrated large segments of the defense newsletters and is omnipresent in Academia. More troubling though, is the fact that scholars who have seen the strategic threat of al Qaeda and Hezbollah have unfortunately fallen for the fallacy of the Hiraba.

Professor Michael Waller of the Institute of World Politics in Washington wrote recently that "Jihad has been hijacked" as he bases his argument on Jim Guirard's lobbying pieces.[6] Satisfied with this trend taking root in the Defense intelligentsia of America, Islamist intellectuals and activists are hurrying to support this new tactic.

The good holy war is when the right religious and political authorities declare it against the correct enemy and at the right time. The bad jihad, called also Hiraba, is the wrong war, declared by bad (and irresponsible) people against the wrong enemy (for the moment), and without an appropriate authorization by the "real" Muslim leadership. According to this thesis, those Muslims who wage a Hiraba, a wrong war, are called Mufsidoon, from the Arabic word for "spoilers."

The advocates of this ruse recommend that the United States and its allies stop calling the jihadists by that name and identifying the concept of Jihadism as the problem. In short, they argue that "jihad is good, but the Mufsidoon, the bad guys and the terrorists, spoiled the original legitimate sense."[7] When researched, it turns out that this theory was produced by clerics of the Wahabi regime in Saudi Arabia and the Muslim Brotherhood, as a plan to prevent jihad and Jihadism from being depicted by the West and the international community as an illegal and therefore sanctioned activity. It was then forwarded to American- and Western-based interest groups to be spread within the Untied States, particularly within the defense and security apparatus.

Such a deception further confuses U.S. national security perception of the enemy and plunges democracies back into the "black hole" of the 1990's. This last attempt to blur the vision of democracies can be exposed with knowledge of the jihadi terror strategies and tactics, one of which is known as Taqiya, the doctrine on deception and deflection. [8]

First, the argument of "good jihad" raises the question of how there can be a legitimate concept of religious war in the twenty-first century to start with. Jihad historically was as "good" as any other religious war over the last 2,000 years. If a "good jihad" is the one authorized by a caliph and directed under his auspices, then other world leaders also can wage a "good crusade" at will, as long as it is licensed by the proper authority. But in fact, all religious wars are proscribed by international law, period.

Second, the authors of this lobbyist-concocted theory claim that a wrong jihad is called a Hiraba. But in Arab Muslim history, a Hiraba (unauthorized warring) was when a group of warriors launched itself against the enemy without orders from the real commander. Obviously, this implies that a "genuine" war against a real enemy does exist and that these hotheaded soldiers have simply acted without orders. Hence this cunning explanation puts "spin" on jihad but leaves the core idea of jihadism completely intact.

The "spoilers" depart from the plan, attack prematurely, and cause damage to the caliphate's long-terms plans. These Mufsidoon "fail" their commanders by unleashing a war of their own, instead of waiting for orders. This scenario fits the relations of the global jihadists, who are the regimes and international groups slowly planning to gain power against the infidels and the "hotheaded" Osama bin Laden. Thus the promoters of this theory of Hiraba and Mufsidoon are representing the views of classical Wahabis and the Muslim Brotherhood in their criticism of the "great leap forward" made by bin Laden.

But by convincing Westerners that al Qaeda and its allies are not the real jihadists but some renegades, the advocates of this school would be causing the vision of Western defense to become blurred again so that more time could be gained by a larger, more powerful wave of Jihadism that is biding its time to strike when it chooses, under a coherent international leadership.

Dr Walid Phares is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a visiting scholar at the European Foundation for Democracy. This piece was adapted from his recently published book The War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy.

[1] See John Esposito, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality? 3rd edition. (New York: Oxford University Press) 1999.

[2] May 23, 2006

[3] "Hiraba Versus Jihad," the American Muslim. August 2003.

[4] See Henry Shuster, "Words in War," CNN, October 19, 2006.

[5] Quoting the American Forces Press Service on June 29, 2006.

[6] Michael Waller. "Making Jihad Work for America." The Journal for International Security Affairs. Spring 2006

[7] (7) See James Fallows, "Declaring Victory," Atlantic Monthly (September 2006).

[8] (8) According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Taqiya: "spelled Taqiyah, Arabic Taqiyah ("self-protection"), in Islam, [is] the practice of concealing one's belief and foregoing ordinary religious duties when under threat of death or injury to oneself or one's fellow Muslims. The Qu'ran allows Muslims to profess friendship with the unbelievers (3:28) and even outwardly to deny their faith (16:106), if doing so would save them from imminent danger," on the condition that their hearts remain attached to faith. Also see Larry Stirling, "On Taqiya' and ‘Fatwas,'" San Diego Source, September 25, 2006; also Walid Phares, "al-Taqiyah: The Muslim Method of Conquest," Freeman Center for Strategic Studies, December 1997.

From:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/07/preventing_the_west_from_under.html