Category: Current Events

Joe Horn, who last year shot two burglars that had broken into his neighbor’s home in Pasadena, TX has been cleared by a grand jury.  It would seem that “because he needed shooting” is still an affirmative defense in the great state of Texas.

UPDATE: A time honored tradition, apparently.  The lesson here would appear to be: don’t break into houses in Texas.

UPDATE: A commenter adds:

… The law is not that you can just go and protect your neighbor’s house if you feel like it, the law is that you can protect your neighbor’s house if they have asked you to look after it for them. Also, the grand jury failed to indict not because of this particular law but because he shot the suspects in his own yard, proving to the grand jury that the suspects were then a danger to him, NOT simply a threat to his neighbor’s property…

That’s pretty much my understanding of the case here as well.  His argument was that the burglars came onto his property and threatened him.

Also from GunPundit, Taser loses a 6.2 million dollar lawsuit because one of their devices killed a guy.  All less-than-lethal weapons can be lethal under the right (or wrong?) circumstances.

Thanks to reader Wai for sending this along.  This would not be good for gun rights, as A-B is a big contributor to shooting and outdoor related activities, and there’s a good chance that if they are acquired by a new Belgian master, they might not look too kindly on supporting gun rights.

This is why fighting gun control internationally is going to become more and more important.

The Philly media seem to act surprised that people are taking high gas prices in stride:

Twenty-nine years ago, service-station owner Steven Lankin watched as a summer-night Levittown crowd seething over gas rationing, two-hour lines at the pumps, and a then-stunning hike to $1 a gallon turn violent.

What began as a truckers’ gas-crisis protest lasted two nights, June 23 and 24, 1979. It drew thousands of people and left 100 people injured, nearly 200 arrested, and one Shell station shattered in the first gasoline revolt in American history.

When inflation is considered, today’s drivers are paying more for gas; $4 in 2008 is equivalent to $1.35 in 1979 terms. Even so, the gas-buying crowd remains civil, though unhappy, at Levittown’s Five Points intersection, where the riots broke out in front of the Getty station Lankin has run since 1964.

I think you’d find people were more pissed off at the fact that there was no gas, and people had to wait in line, because government price controls created shortages which forced the government to ration gasoline.  The price may be higher today than it was then, but because the government has, for the most part, not gotten involved with manipulating the free market price of oil, there are no shortages or lines, and we don’t need rationing.

Of course, the funny thing about the gas riots of the 70s, was you had people vandalizing gas stations over the fact that there were lines for gas, and chronic shortages, only to realize later that meant there were fewer stations that were able to sell gas.   Sounds like the kind of collective stupidity South Park likes to parody, only this time it was real.

… some sharp objects to be allowed back on planes.  Some experts agree with the move, arguing they should be concentrating on finding explosives.  Like coffee creamer?

Apparently 11 billion miles less in March this year than last year.  We’re also producing less carbon emissions.  Funny how the free market works like that.  I’m anxiously awaiting advanced in battery technology, which appears to be close to fruition, that will allow me to forgo gasoline entirely, and plug my car in at the end of the day.  Take that Saudi Arabia!

You can read about the history of memorial day here.  Wyatt has his thoughts, and highlights a World War I veteran, which Marshall Manson thinks our society doesn’t pay enough attention to.  Brent Greer joined a local boy scout troop to plant flags on the graves of veterans.  Tam’s reminder is simple, but powerful.  Jeff has pictures from Arlington National Cemetary.  Murdoc has a fantastic shot of a 21 gun salute.

In other news, Google pretty clearly doesn’t appreciate the sacrifices made by others so they could make their fortune, but Yahoo! does.  I mean, you can do an earth day logo, but not one for memorial day?

A comment to Bitter’s post yesterday about the problem in Burma:

Each recovery package contains rice, a water filter, an SKS, 100 rounds of ammo, and a map with directions to the capital.

Sounds good to me.  Also very much worth reading on the Burma issue, is a post at The Belmont Club.  As always with that blog, the comments are often as good as the post.

Happy May Day to all you damned communists out there.

Everyone should go read Wretchard’s thoughts over at The Belmont Club.  I get few opportunities to link The Belmont Club, since this is a gun blog, but it is one of my favorite blogs on all of Al Gore’s Internets.