It was 25 years ago today that the Macintosh was introduced as a commercial product. A quarter century later, I’m still using one to type this post. It’s interesting in the videos shown in the link above to see much younger versions of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Also interesting that in their Macintosh promotional video, they felt the need to explain how a mouse works. They were a completely unknown technology to most people at the time.
Month: January 2009
General Ross Would Be Proud1
I think it’s not too much to ask of the Obama Administration, that it make burning down the White House, at best, a second term project, rather than something for the first 100 days.
Home Defense
When most of us think home defense, we think pistols and shotguns. We don’t usually imagine hands. I’m guessing this guy will not have difficulties with home invaders from this point forward. All he really has to do is say “I strangled the last guy who broke into my house with my bare hands. Do you really want to be number two?”
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t mess with a guy who killed a man with his bare hands.
Well, He Did Say He’d Invade Pakistan
Looks like the first major military action of the Obama Administration is a missile strike on Pakistan. I wonder how all the peacenik hippies who backed his election thinking he’d forever bring an end to human strife feel about this one. I’m happy to see President Obama taking Afghanistan seriously.
York Tables Lost & Stolen
The City of York, Pennsylvania has tabled its “Lost & Stolen” bill because the city soliticer’s opinion is that it violates state law.  Apparently some politicians are pissed because they didn’t pass it anyway. Rule of law, bah! Who needs that?
John Moses Browning Day
Today is the Birthdate of John Moses Browning. Tam lists the list of commercially successful firearms he designed, many of which are still in use today. I would note that even for the Glock fans, the Glock still uses the tilting barrel recoil system that Browning designed. It’s not identical, but it uses the same concepts. Browning’s 1911 is still wildly popular a century after it was designed, and the military has yet to replace the M2 machine gun with any better modern alternative.
Montana Gun Bill Being Debated
Montana may be poised to adopt Alaska style carry with a bill that will:
- Allow people to carry a concealed weapon without a permit;
- Greatly strengthen self-defense protections in the state;
- Allow people to display their gun to deter an attack;
- Allow people to use a gun whenever at risk of physical harm;
- And, in shooting incidents in which the person who fired the gun claimed self defense, require the state to prove that it was not.
I don’t know the specifics of the bill, and some of the points here don’t make a lot of sense. Like number five. Isn’t that how proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt already works? I would have concerns about 3 and 4. Define physical harm? What constitutes an attack? If a kid throws a snowball at me, am I justified in shooting him? If another driver shouts out his windows, “I’m goign to kick your ass,” is that a lethal force scenario? I’d have to see specifics to really understand, because I doubt the journalists really do. But I definitely whole heartedly support points 1 and 2. There are circumstances I would support 3 and 4 as well, but the law probaby already accounts for force disparity. Nontheless, I don’t think a person should have to risk concussion making their head a punching bag for some drunken lout before defending themselves.
Gillibrand Pissing off the Right People
One way I often judge people is by the people they piss off. So far Kirsten Gillibrand is pissing of the right person:
“I’ve spent 15 years trying to prevent gun violence in this country, and if he does pick her and if no one goes and primaries her, I will primary her,” McCarthy said. “I will do that. I’m not going to give up on this. I’m not going to let New York State get represented by someone who gets a 100 percent rating from the NRA.”
Even Charles Schumer, who is no friend of ours, is telling McCarthy to shut the hell up and mind her party:
Sen. Charles Schumer, who like McCarthy is a strong proponent of gun control, asked the Mineola Democrat to refrain from protesting Gillibrand’s selection, McCarthy said.
“He said, ‘Why don’t you give her a chance?’ ” McCarthy said. “I said, ‘I’ve talked to her on the floor, I’m sorry, I can’t.’ “
McCarthy even has local party people covering for her. In politics, what she’s doing is very bad manners at best. I suspect there’s no way the Democratic powers that be in New York are going to give a nod to a primary challenge by McCarthy. It looks like NRA EVCs in New York State are going to have something to do in 2010, though. Given how Republicans can be in The Empire State, she just might be the best you can hope for. Let’s hope she stands with us in the Senate as she has in the House.
UPDATE: It gets even better.
Explaining the FID Delays in New Jersey
Technically, the law for New Jersey says that the police have 30 days to issue an FID or Pistol Purchase Permit unless they have good cause to deny it. In theory, they are supposed to be shall issue. In practice, they are no such thing, because the courts refuse to enforce the law. Only in New Jersey would the courts rule that 30 days doesn’t mean 30 days. It can take more than a year to get an FID card in New Jersey in some jurisdictions.
Good News for Gun Owners
Hillary Clinton is being replaced by a pro-gun Congresswoman from upstate New York. Kirsten Gillibrand. That’s one more vote for us, and one less vote for them. I’m also glad that upstate New York will have one of its own in the Senate, which it’s lacked since the 1970s. I do hope Ms. Gillibrand won’t disappoint.