Duct tape and the digital age

I have known for a long time that I needed a new digital camera. The problem is the old the old one still takes really good pictures. When the tab that held the battery cover closed broke I, with a certain amount of redneck pride, broke out the duct tape and gave new life to that camera.

Really it was no big deal. there was room in the camera bag for the tape and it only took a few extra seconds to slice off a strip of tape and rescure the cover. There is only so much that even duct tape can do though. Warm weather and perspiration at times would allow the tape to slip just enough to interupt the flow of DC energy unless the photographer could find a creative way to hold the cover closed. Yea a person looked a bit funny trying to take pictures with it and eventually I was the only one that could make it work or was not embarrassed to be seen using it. But, hey did I tell you it still takes really good pictures? Really it wasn't that bad until the hinge side of the baterry cover began to go south. Even as good as it is even duct tape couldn't hold the cover tight enough to maintain a DC circuit when both sides of the cover are FUBAR.

Enter this weekend.

Yesterday, "She Who Must be Obeyed", reminded me that we are hosting a suoire this weekend and all of the kids and grandkids will be in attendance and we need a new camera. She further avered that I needed to get one TODAY. Her reasoning was that it would take a minimum of two full days for my redneck mind to figure out how to take pictures with it. She reminded me that all I had to do was learn to take the pictures in two days, once that was done I could then take the week or so that would be needed to learn how to transfer them to the computer and print them out.

"Honey all you have to do is be able to take pictures with it by Saturday".

Smart woman she is, but did I tell you the old one still takes good pictures when I can get it to work? So with me reluctantly in tow we head off to the neighborhood Wal-Mart. "She Who Must be Obeyed" was doing most of the looking and comparing while I was hanging out in the sporting goods section. After a time she tracked me down and told me she found what she thought was a good one and it was less than $200.00.

I followed her back to the camera department and checked out her choice. It was a good 4 mega-pixel camera, but something kept tugging at the periphery of my vision. No longer able to ignore it, I turned and picked up the item of distraction. It too was a 4 mega-pixel camera and just seemed to more astetically pleasing and fit my hand a bit better than the one she was leaning toward. It was also priced about $70.00 higher.

It did not take much explaining that even though this one had more features, the control buttons were bigger and easier for me to operate with ten thumbs.

$260.00 later we are on our way home with a new camera and the trepidation of trying to figure out another new-fangled electronic device.


Aww it's a Kodak Moment

Wow! I suprized even my self. I actually understood the User's Guide and within a few minutes of opening the box and installing the baterries I was; A) Change the settings B) able to take pictures, C) Able to take video D) Hook it up to the television slide show the pictures and play the video.

As soon as I post this missive I am going to install the software on the computer and hopefully by the end of the day I will be able to upload the pics and even print them out.

It really is scary how much of a high-tech redneck I am becoming.

Criminals run rampant on the streets of Lincoln

But they do so at their own peril. I have no doubt that these offenders will be in custody before too much more time passes.

Recent History
In the past 9 or 10 days local media outlets have reported a string on violent crimes in the Capitol City.

It started last Sunday morning with an armed home invasion that that I wrote about here. There was another reported home invasion reported the following morning (Monday). In both instances the perpetrators seemed interested in robbing the occupants of their firearms.

Sometime last night there was an other apparent home invasion, this one cumulating with the shooting death of the occupant. At the time of this writing all that is known of this latest tragic incident is reported here.

In addition to these home invasions there has been at least three armed robberies of fast food Mexican restaurants. Police chief Tom Casady told the Journal Star;

The way the suspects carried out the armed robbery at Amigos, 2063 S. 16th St., was similar to 10 to 15 other robberies, Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady said Monday. Investigators have found similarities in the cases, although they can’t say with certainty the same suspects pulled all of them.

Last December
All of these restaurant robberies are reminicent of the Taco Bell robbery/shooting that took place last December on North 27th street. The three perpetrators in that crime were caught when one of them was identified as a former employee. Yes it is rare for an armed robbery in Lincoln to end with a shooting as Chief Tom Casady stated at that time;

Of the 1,536 robberies — armed and unarmed — that occurred here between 1994 and 2003, only one person was shot, Casady said. That robbery occurred in April 1998 at the Gas ‘N Shop, 5560 S. 48th St. The robber shot the victim twice, but she survived.

I know the Chief has a lot on is mind and is maybe getting old, but surely he hasn't forgotten the tragedy that occurred at Acher Arms on January 28th, 2000. After all it was one of the crimes highlighted in the Departments annual report for that year. (link is to a pdf file)

Related Robberies
Of the 10-15 cases of armed robbery so far this year the Police Department thinks several are related as is reflected in the in the Crimes Stoppers report that has been issued;

The Lincoln Police Department is investigating an series of ARMED ROBBERIES (7) that have occurred at Restaurants in the City of Lincoln between May 8th and August 24th. Because of the method of the robberies and the similar descriptions of the suspects, it is believed they are related.

Having a working knowledge of how the Lincoln Police Department works, I am sure it will be only a matter of time before the miscreant youth identified for these crimes are brought before the Judge.

Many times I have expressed my differences with Chief Tom Casady, but there is one thing I will say;

Chief Casady genuinely cares about Lincoln and it's citizens and he knows how to get the job done.

Since becoming Chief Casady has kept the Lincoln Police Department on the cutting edge of crime solving techniques. Chief Casady has done more with less than most cities of comparable size or larger. So much so that he has repeatedly been invited to other U.S. cities and foriegn countries to speak on the methods that he has implimented here. In fact Chief Casady recently returned from a trip to London, England where he was invited to share his experiences. Several other cities, including foriegn cities have sent emmessaries to the Capitol City to study the way things are done here in order to build that knowledge in their home jurisdiction crime fighting abilities.

At Chief Casady's direction the Lincoln Police Department was one of the first departments in the country to develop computer programing to track criminal trends and patterns. The results of this foresight was most evident in the aprehension of a local bank robber that had committed a dozen or more bank robberies in the last several years.

It was no accident that the man was caught as he was about to commit another one. Based on data provided by the departments computer programming, Investigators were able to pin point almost to the hour when and where the suspect would strike again.

By entering all of the known data into the computer the police were able to determine that the dates of subsequant robberies were based on the amount taken from the previous bank robbery. The program also showed that the suspect had a penchant for banks that were away from high traffic areas. In essence the police had it narrowed down to about four banks they thought he would hit and a four day window in which he would commit the robbery. Within the first few hours of the very first morning of that window the suspect, not being one to dissappoint, appeared in the parking lot of one of the four banks and was apprehended after a brief foot chase.

In another case computer programming allowed officers to solve an ongoing series of indecent exposure crimes that most probably would not have been linked had it not been for the computer programming.

If one takes stock in statistics, the Lincoln Police Department, as compared to other cities of the same size, is definately under manned and under bugeted. This has not stopped the fine officers, led by Chief Casady, from amassing an enviable record of solving crime. They have done so by thinking and acting "outside of the box".

As long as there are bad people there will always be crime, that will never stop. Yes there have been a recent spate of violent crimes in Lincoln. Will there be more? Of course there will, be that is just the nature of some that have been unjustly labled as human beings instead of the vicious predators that they are.

The good citizens should know, however that their Police Department is internationaly recognized in criminal investigation and that Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady and the fine Officers under his command are working very hard to catch those responsible for this recent rash of violent crimes.

Don't come any closer, I am contagious

It is official I have been self diagnosed with the highly contagious Buysgunitchitis.

Although Buyagunitchitis can strike at anytime I first began noticing the symptoms shortly after seeing a bright orange billboard with black lettering announcing an upcoming gun show.

For those that are likewise afflicted the gun show will be held the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of September at the Lancaster County Event Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.

There are two phases of Buyagunitchitis; The first is when you know specifically what kind and caliber of firearm your looking for, the other is the worst and most dreaded form of this affliction in that you really haven't been wanting or needing a particular firearm, but since it has been awhile since your last aquisition you have the urge to buy one just because you can.

It is this second form of Buyagunitchitis that I am afflicted with at this time and there are only two known cures for recovery.

The simplist way to overcome Buyagunitchitis, as in the case of knowning what you want, is simply go to the show or a local dealer and make the best deal you can. Purchasing a firearm results in a miraculously instantanious cure for Buyagunitchitis.

That is okay when you know exactly what you want and can afford it. Beyond that things can get a bit complicated.

What if you don't know what you want? What if your local dealer doesn't have what your looking for? What if you can't afford it right now?

My problem is I don't know what I want/need. Its true! I have bought a few firearms in the last year or so and really haven't spent as much time with them as I would like, so I really have not given any thought to buying anymore any time soon. So why then am I so struck with this affliction that I need to buy another gun? Granted there are any number of accesories that I am planning to spend money on at the show, it is not the same as buying a firearm though and it is certainly not a cure for Buyagunitchitis. It doesn't even temporarally relieve any of the symptoms.

I know, I know, I can as I have in the past, just let Buyagunitchitis run its course and move on. Yea right! Anybody that has opted for this type of cure will tell you it is not a pleasant experience. In case anyone is partaking of food as they read this I won't go into the horrid details of what a person goes through when they decide not to buy a gun and let Buyagunitchitis run its course. Just know that one is never completely cured going cold turkey. The next bout with it will be worse than the last until the afflicted finally breaks down and buys something.

I am not as strong as I used to be and readily admit it, I could get through this one, but the increased effects of the next one just might do me in.

I have spent the last three days wanting to buy another firearm and nearly every waking moment has been in consideration as to what firearm it will be. Of course I could just go to the show without a specific firearm in mind and just buy something that catches my eye. That is not a good plan in my experience as I have made some of my worst buys when I was buying a gun just to buy a gun. The biggest problem with that is you usually end up with something that you paid to much for or wasn't what you thought it would be and then Buyagunitchitis sets in all over again.

I really think I need to review a post I made back in January on how to shop a gun show and commit myself to following my own rules. In the mean time I will try to keep thinking of something to set my sights on (pun intended) and maybe by show time I can effect a cure that I can live with for a number of years to come.

Yea I got it bad, I told yuh to keep your distance I am contagious.

Well there it is, the first step toward recovery; admitting that you have a problem.

Hi I am Gunscribe and I suffer from Buyagunitchitis.

Hagelisms are begining to abound

Sub Titled: Haggling with one G

Hagelisms !!! I hope I just coined a new word.

Now that the elections of 2004 are behind us, some of the more self-appointed prominent politicians are jockeying to take up residence it the Peoples digs at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. We all new Hillary would. We suspect that Kerry will again as well. Add to that Joe Biden and a few others, namely Chuck Hagel (Rhino - Ne.).

When our Military first made their precence know in Iraq last year Hagel was at the fore front calling for more troops on the ground and "Let's get this thing done". Later in the year however when Chuck Hagel was stumping the state as the Nebraska Chair of the Re-elect President Bush Campaign, Hagel never missed an opportunity to distance himself from the President. Now Hagel is clearing standing in opposition to the President on the war in Iraq and several other issues. What changed his mind is anybody's guess, but I surmise it has everything to do with his ambitions for the Whitehouse.

In the changing winds of political opinion Hagel is proving that he can waffle with the best of them.

What was once said of John Kerry; "This political race for President is defined as having clear and concise opinions and ideas from all sides of the political spectrum ..... and that is just John Kerry's positions" can be applied to Chuck Hagel.

I was on to Hagel last year and wrote about it here on these pages.

8/13/2k4 Chuckie takes a Bride

8/15/2k4 Chuckie goes to the Whitehouse

12/03/2k4 Another question to ponder

12/21/2k4 What party will Hagel represent in 2008

Now that Hagel has become the Republican "go to guy" for the Sunday propaganda shows more and more people are starting to realize what Chuck Hagel really is. Does Chuck Hagel believe in something? Yes. He believes in Chuck Hagel. Does Chuck Hagel stand for something? Yes. Chuck Hagel stands for Chuck Hagel and what ever it will take to get him elected to the highest office in the land.

This Country needs a leader with backbone, not someone who will waffle on any issue in a deceitful attempt to get elected. We have had to many of them already; Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Ted Kennedy ... ad infinitem.

Chuck Hagel isn't just holding a wetted finger in the air (like Bill Clinton always did) to decide which side of an issue he needs to be on today, Hagel is flapping in the breeze like Gramma's drawers on the clothes line. It seems by all outward appearances that Hagel is actually to the left of Hillary on issues dealing with Iraq.

For some really good analysis of what Chuck Hagel is about lately read what the fellow Nebraska Bloggers are saying about our esteemed Senator;

From Ryne McClaren - Preview: 2008

From PTG @ The Plains Feeder - Senator Chuck Hagel's sad Viet-Nam fixation

Chuck Hagel is not the "over night and out of the blue salvation" that the Republican Party needs to keep a presence in the Whitehouse beyond 2008. Chuck Hagel has been carefully crafting and molding himself into a viable candidate for President for a very long time. Time will tell what other issues Hagel will waffle or change his mind on.

Most of us are familiar with the word "Borked" and it's origins, by the end of 2008 the word of the day could very well be "Hageled". (You saw it coined here first folks)

Armed thugs invade home and take loaded gun/s

I was hesitant about posting this because I could not find any references in the online version of the local fish wrapper to link to it. How ever after listening to it ad infinitem every hour all day Sunday on AM 1400 KLIN I decided to write about it.

The gist of the story;

Some time in the dark wee hours of the morning a man and his girlfriend are rousted from sleep by a loud knocking at their door. Upon answering the door the residents are assaulted by at least two people, one of which is armed with a handgun. The late night intruders demand the firearms owned by the man and depart with a loaded (as reported by the radio station) "assault weapon" and a shotgun.

I am having a hard time understanding the dynamics of this particular crime and fail to understand how a suitably armed person could allow this to happen.

Why would anyone open their door to loud knocking at that hour of the morning without knowing who it was first? How could anyone with an apparently loaded firearm not have it ready for IMMEDIATE use when someone is knocking on their door at that unGodly hour of the morning? Why wasn't at least one of the residents secluded in another room ready to or in the process of calling 911? Where was this loaded firearm when the residents were opening their door to persons unknown in the dark of night? Why wasn't someone ready and prepared to use it when armed thugs with illicet intentions forced themselves across the threshold in the dark hours of the day?

There are lots more questions I have concerning this, but the bottom line is that I fail to understand how someone can just open their door to anyone in the wee hours of the morning and allow themselves to be robbed of a loaded firearm. If you are not prepared to use it don't own it and most certainly don't leave it laying around the house loaded.

With "Home Invasions" becoming an ever increasing reality, even in rural America, when someone knocks on your door at that time of day certain precautions must be taken until you can verify that the interloper is a friend or foe. When in doubt call 911 and for God's sake DO NOT open the door. If you do open the door to person or persons unknown in the middle of the night be prepared; To respond to their actions accordingly or suffer the consequence of your folly.

There are now two more guns on the street because somebody either, failed to take the neccesary precautions to ensure their own safety or they were not fully prepared to use the tools at their disposal to protect themselves from harm.

The Mossberg SSI-One

For years I have been intrigued with single shot rifles and wanted at least one for my collection. I had been able to shoot several of the different makes in the past including the Ruger Number 1 and the Thompson Center Contender/Encore. Personally I like the idea of just changing barrels to change calibers but I have never cared for the style of TC's firearm. The Ruger is a fine looking rifle and it fits me well, but if you want one in another caliber you have to buy a whole new rifle.



Mossberg SSI-One

Enter the Mossberg SSI-One. This single shot firearm has been around since the late 90's, has the streamlined looks of the Ruger and like the Encore it is available in several calibers. To me this firearm shoulders and fits well, has the lines of a fine rifle and holds steady. I have heard it refered to as "The Poorman's Ruger #1". I wanted one. I was looking for one in .270 and finally bought one in 30-06 caliber earlier this year. It was just to good of a deal to pass up and I will be just as happy with the 06 anyway. Besides I can always get a 270 barrel for it. When I took posession of it I made a list of other barrels I would like to have for it. These "extra barrels" come with its own forend and a weaver scope base. First among the other barrels I wanted was the 12 gauge rifled slug barrel and the possibly the .243 or 22-250.

The SSI does not come in as wide a selection of calibers as the Encore, but the choice is respectable; The .223 barrels come in both standard and heavy variations, as does the 22-250. Other calibers include the .243, and .308. There is also a "very tight choked" smoothbore 12 gauge barrel for turkey hunting.

It should also be noted that the SSI-One does not appear in Mossbergs current line up of firearms on their website. I have heard through the grapvine that they have quit making it for at least the rest of this year. Whether production will resume next year or not is not known at this time. There are however a number of new unfired and used gun and barrel combinations in the hands of dealers and the general public.



Simmons 44 Mag 3-10 Scope

As for the 30-06, I topped it with a Simmons 44 Mag 3-10 scope that I have had for years. It is still a very accurate scope and gave me good service when it was mounted on a Remington 788 in 308 caliber that I have had since the mid 70's. The first time at the range with the ought six we only had time to shoot a box or so of ammo at 25 yrds. I used some standard Remington Express 150 grain PSP Core-lokts and some Remington Reduced Recoil 125gr PSP Core-Lokts. After sighting it in at 25 yards we did pop a few water filled Mountain Dew bottles at 100 yards just for fun.

Note: For the ballistically challenged the line of sight is a flat line from the eye to the target. Since gravity effects all things with mass the flight path of a bullet must be an arc or it will never impact the line of sight. The bullet starts out below the line of sight with the rear of the barrel father below the line of sight than the front of the barrel. Because of the arc the fired bullet will "rise" above the line of sight at a given distance from the barrel, reach the apex of its arc at a given point downrange and then as the effects of gravity take over it will "fall" below the line of sight at a given distance from the barrel. A knowledgeable shooter can save ammo by knowing where these line of sight intersections take place with certain ammo and use the closer distance to "sight" the rifle in. After doing so one should always shoot at the farther distance to verify the sight and possibly make any fine adjustments.



Remington 30-06 ammo

In the case of the 150 grain load I used and the length of the barrel the bullet will first cross the line of sight at about 37 yrds and cross it again at 250 yards and be aproximately 2 1/2 inches high at 100 yards. In our short session we did not find the recoil of the 150 grain loads objectionable, but after shooting the 125 grain Reduced Recoil loads and then shooting the 150's again the difference, to say the least, was very noticable. The Reduced Recoil loads in the 30-06 are supposed to have more power than the 30-30 and have a range of 200 plus yards for deer size game. It was also our experience that, as Remington advertisies, they do shoot to the same point of impact as normal 30-06 150 grain loads.




Bushnell Banner Shotgun Scope

Recently I was able to aquire an unfired NIB 12 gauge rifled slug barrel for my SSI. It was still warm from the box UPS delivered it in when I mounted a Bushnell Banner 1.5 - 4.5 shotgun scope on it. From my perspective the one drawback is that the slug barrel is ported. I realize it probaly helps manage the recoil some and I shouldn't complain, but I have just not settled into the idea of holes in my barrels yet and it is just one more thing that needs to be cleaned.



Mossberg SSI- One Shotgun Barrel

Setting up on the range to sight the shotgun barrel we placed the target at 25 yards. At that range it initially shot about 3 inches to the right and 2 inches low with Remington Premier Copper Solid one ounce 2 3/4 inch Sabot slugs. A bit of a sight adjustment and we moved the target stand out to 50 yards.




Remington Slugs

Aside: When sighting in a 12 gauge shotgun it should be done at 50 yards. Because of slug velocity and wind speed if a shotgun is sighted in at 100 yards it is technically only sighted in for that days wind and will not impact the same sighting on successive days. At 50 yards the slug is still super sonic and uneffected by the wind. Sighting in a 12 gauge slug gun to impact 2 1/2 - 3 inches high at 50 yards will have that firearm dead on at 100 yards on a windfree day. Practice is required to learn the compensation for wind drift at 100 yards after the gun has been "zeroed" 3 inches high at 50 yards.

Shooting at 50 yards showed that the slugs were still printing a bit to the right. I over adjusted and had the next two printing left. a final adjustment was made and the last two were essentially about 2 inches high and center. (see accompanying target)



50 Yard Target

Shooting 10 rounds (about 20 dollars worth of ammunition) I was was very impressed with the way the SSI handled and shot. Recoil was far from objectionable, probably due to the ported barrel I'm sure. It will take a few more boxes of ammo before I will be ready to hunt with this gun with the 12 gauge barrel installed, but I think that it will do what I want it to and I am already tasting the venison I hope to take on a trip to Ohio this deer season.

Even with the very little shooting I have done with this firearm using either barrel I am impressed with it and look forward to using it in the field in the near future and years to come. It handles very well, fits me and is showing itself to be a very accurate gun.

As a final note I would like to impart two observations that I have formulated in a lot of years of shooting slugs from shotgun barrels. The first is that slug barrels of the rifled variety require the use of sabot rounds. I don't know if the Foster type slugs will "lead up" a rifled barrel or not, but I do believe that the sabot makes for a more accurate clean shooting round in the rifled barrels. The second is the the grooves that are swaged into the soft lead of the Foster type slugs are not ment to make the slug spin in the barrel of a smooth bore shotgun. They do however give stability and possibly some spin to the flight of a slug once it has departed the barrel, much the same way dimples effect the flight of a golf ball.

It's been a year and then some

I can't believe it has been more than a month since my last post. During that time this Blog turned one year old. I wrote my first post on July 21st of 2004. I had known a blogger or two and was reading several prior to scribing my own posts, but it was Publicola that really inspired me to begin my own. I had some things I wanted to say and he was willing to post them on his Blog when he suggested that I consider starting my own. I thought about it for a few weeks and with some encouragement from others I began publishing "From the Heartland".

I previously noted I had been reading blogs for some time and the one thing I did not want to publish was a clearing house for what other Bloggers were doing. You know what I mean; Nothing but notes and links to other peoples work. To me those types of Blogs get old real quick, as there is not much original thought just a bunch of "click on over to ____ and check the story on ....."

Having said that I have and will continue to link to other Bloggers when the occassion warrants and I hope they continue to return the favor. Linking is an important atribute of blogging in that if I am doing research for a post and run across a blog that has already covered the topic it is important to note that Blog with a link, or if it is a really great piece that just needs to be spread around. I just did not and still don't want "From the Heartland" to be a series of links to someone elses work. I have attempted and will continue to write posts that are of interest to me from my point of view and offer some salient points that may not have been noted elsewhere.

It has been a really good year at Casa De Gunsribe cumulating with the celebration of a newborn grandson last month and Mrs Gunscribe and my 29th wedding anniverary this past Sunday (the 14th).

To say that I have been seriously busy around the homestead is an understatement. It is apple picking time and though we only have a few trees they have been coming in all at once and we have had an exceptional crop this year. Between all of the outside work and some woodworking chores that Mrs Gunscribe has had me on (Building a new entertainment center and deck chairs) I have barely found time to attend any shooting competitions let alone practice. I'm not sure I should be complaining about that though even without the practice I have placed 3rd in the last two bowling pin shoots I entered.

Again I realize it has been more than a month since I posted and I am sincerely greatfull to all of you that have hung in there with me. I have managed in the past week to get out to the range twice. The first time the wife and I took our bows out for a few hours and a good friend and I got to the rifle range to sight in my Mossberg SSI-One that I have written about in the past. This time I left the 30-06 barrel at home and concentrated on the 12 gauge rifled slug barrel that is topped with a Bushnell shotgun scope. Hopefully I can get to a post about it in the next day or so.

Thank you all that have been reading my Blog this past year. Thank you Bloggers that have thought enough of my work to link my posts and add me to your Blogrolls. And I especially thank each and everyone of you that took the time to leave comments on posts that interested you whether you agreed with me or not.

It is just not the FiveseveN they want to Ban

H.R. 1136 and its companion bill SB. 527 in the Senate does far more than just ban the much aligned FiveseveN Pistol along with the SS190 and SS192 ammunition that it uses.

The purpose for these bills is expressed in the preamble of each;

To protect the Nation's law enforcement officers by banning the Five-seveN Pistol and 5.7 x 28mm SS190 and SS192 cartridges, testing handguns and ammunition for capability to penetrate body armor, and prohibiting the manufacture, importation, sale, or purchase of such handguns or ammunition by civilians.

That seemingly inocuous statement gives the impression that the sole target of this legislation is one firearm and the two types of ammunition that is currently available for it (depending on what country your in).

Reading farther into the bill though one realizes that it is not just the FiveseveN that is the target.

In Section 2 Findings and Purpose paragraph (a) is FiveseveN specific, while paragraph (b) gets to the real and intended purpose of H.R. 1136 and SB. 527;

(b) Purpose- The purpose of this Act is to protect the Nation's law enforcement officers by--

(1) testing handguns and ammunition for capability to penetrate body armor; and

(2) prohibiting the manufacture, importation, sale, or purchase by civilians of the Five-seveN Pistol, ammunition for such pistol, or any other handgun that uses ammunition found to be capable of penetrating body armor.

Both SB 527 and H.R. 1136 seek to have all handguns tested and any that are found to use ammunition that is capable of penetrating body armor will be banned.

Without listing the entire liteny of handguns that use ammunition that is capable of penetrating body armor, just consider the few that are relatively benign for the purposes of personal protection and self defense.

The first that comes to mind is the single shot Thompson Center Contender and any of its clones. This particular handgun comes in a variety of rifle calibers including the .223, 243, 7mm-08, 30-30 and 45-70.

Because of their ballistics any or all of these cartridges will penetrate body armor worn by Police Officers and the Contender and its clones would be banned under this law.

There are also any number of single or multiple shot bolt action handguns used exclusively for hunting that would be banned by this law and we haven't even addressed the most common firearms that are used by millions of citizens everyday to protect themselves.

Section 3 Armor Piercing Ammunition, calls for an expansion of the definition of armor piercing ammunition to include;

(iii) a projectile that--

(I) may be used in a handgun; and

(II) the Attorney General determines, pursuant to section 926(d), to be capable of penetrating body armor.'.

(b) Determination of Capability of Projectiles to Penetrate Body Armor- Section 926 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

"May be used in a handgun". How is that for a catch phrase? It doesn't even have to have been chambered in a handgun at any time. Under this bill if the Attorney General "determines that a cartridge may be used in a handgun" and is capable of penetrating "body armor "exemplar" it will be rated as armor penetrating. Well there goes the 30-30, 30-06 308 and 270, not to mention the 300, 7mm or any of the other magnums. Further reading of this section gets to the very core of what is meant to be accomplished with this legislation;

(d)(1) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Attorney General shall promulgate standards for the uniform testing of projectiles against Body Armor Exemplar.

(2) The standards promulgated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall take into account, among other factors, variations in performance that are related to the type of handgun used, the length of the barrel of the handgun, the amount and kind of powder used to propel the projectile, and the design of the projectile.

(3) As used in paragraph (1), the term `Body Armor Exemplar' means body armor that the Attorney General determines meets minimum standards for the protection of law enforcement officers.

Paragraph (3) is the crux of the bill, as it allows the Attorney General to determine what body armor will be used for the tests. It is commonly know that most Police Officers are equipped with Threat level IIIA or higher body armor. In his/her infinate wisdom an Attorney General could very well "determine" that Threat Level IA is the media to which all tests will conducted.

In fact Section 2 paragraph (3) specifically refers to Threat level IIA body armor;

(3) The Five-seveN Pistol and 5.7 x 28mm SS192 cartridges are capable of penetrating level IIA armor. The manufacturer advertises that ammunition fired from the Five-seveN will perforate 48 layers of Kevlar up to 200 meters and that the ammunition travels at 2100 feet per second.

Should that happen there is very few handgun calibers that will be available for the private citizen to have for personal protection or HUNTING for that matter.

Section 4 Armor Piercing Handguns and Amunition addresses certain word changes to the applicable section of USC Title 18, but the most glaring change found in that section is;

(1) IN GENERAL- It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, import, market, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer, or receive-- (C) any other handgun that uses armor piercing ammunition.

H.R. 1136 and SB. 527 go way beyond just banning the Fiveseven and its ammunition. This legislation is an outright assault on any and all of the calibers common or not so common to any and all of the shooting sports and self defense.

The bottom line is that even if you don't own a handgun or have never even contemplated owning one and you are content with your deer rifle and shotgun, these bills may very well ban the ammunition for that rifle because it was at one time, currently is, or "may be determined" by the Attorney General as "capable of being" chambered in a Handgun.

INS building in Lincoln, Nebraska Evacuated

After a suspicious powder was found in the mailroom of the Immigration and Naturalization Service Building authorities evacuated and cordoned off the area.

As of mid afternoon authorities said tests on the unknown substance are consistant with the chemical make up of deoderant.

What ever it is it was apparently inhaled by some of the INS employees and all were decontaminated and sent to a local Hospital.

The lincoln Jopurnal Star has this report on the incident.

More on the smoking ban as the dollars minus down

I have covered this issue several times in the past and the more time that passes the more it is proving out that Lincoln is and will continue to loose an awful lot of money because of the ban.

Mary Harris Rauner, Manager of of BC's Bar in Lincoln has a very inciteful opinion that has was recently published in the Lincoln Journal Star.

Ms. Rauners figures are as current as has been released and she makes makes a point that I alluded to in a previous post;


One of the areas that can be positively identified with the effects of the smoking ban are the Keno figures from the City of Lincoln. Even with a massive (and very expensive) promotion in the month of February, keno revenue is down $943,250 for the City of Lincoln through the first quarter of 2005. The small towns surrounding Lincoln however, are up almost that amount, with Waverly, Crete, Denton, Raymond and Sprague up $755,310 for the same period, according to the state department of revenue. The initial April and May figures reflect a greater loss for the city of Lincoln.

Ms. Rauner, as the manager of BC's, is in a postion to see first hand the effects of the ban;

I am trying to rebuild a viable and profitable business among the ashes of this ban. The work involved in revising our business plan to accommodate new clientele is essential for survival. We intend to stay in compliance with the ban, but I cannot be silent simply because Dart and his advocates do not agree with my stance on what I believe to be an issue of civil liberty.

Yes like she said it is a done deal and now it remains for those businesses that are most affected by the ban to either rise from the ashes or fall by the way side.

It seems there are a lot of spitefully happy people, whether they know it or not, that are walking around town without a nose on their face.

Firearms update

I don't know if I mentioned this in past postings or not, but a few months ago I aquired a Mossberg SSI- One in 30-06 caliber. I mounted a Simmons 44 Mag scope on it before taking it to the range. Regretfully all I had time for was to get the thing on paper. We set up the target and put a box of shells through it at 25 yards. Shooting three shot groups all of the shots in each group were touching or practically in the same hole. Yea I know it was only 25 yards but they look good on paper and the wife hung one of the targets on the refridgerator when I got home. After that we spent a half a box of shells shooting at 20 ounce Mountain Dew bottles filled with water and set at 100 yrds. Not serious shooting I know but it was fun.

The one thing, besides the apparent accuracy, that I like about the gun is the interchangable barrels. The firearm has the lines of a Ruger Number 1 but breaks open like the Thompson Center Encore. Barrels are available in 30-06, 308, 270, 243, 22-250, 233, and 12 gauge. The 22 caliber barrels can be had in either standard barrel or bull barrel configuration. I may end up with one of the 22 caliber barrels one day.

There are two barrels available in 12 gauge; One is described as a Turkey barrel, in that it has an extra tight choke and is specifically made to hunt thanksgiving dinner. The other one is a rifled barrel for those that choose to or by law have to hunt their Big Game with a Shotgun. I have also aquired a 12 gauge rifled barrel and it is now installed on the SSi receiver and topped with a Bushnell 1.5 - 4 power Shotgun scope. I am really looking forward to getting out and shooting that barrel. Since, as it turns out, I don't have a handgun that is legal to hunt deer with in the State of Ohio this will most likely be the firearm I use for a planned hunt there this fall.

Hopefully I will be able to get out and do some shooting with the SSI and the 12 gauge barrel soon. When I do I will have a full report on it.

Life outside the internet

I have been so derelict in not posting for the last week or so, but spring/summer is really upon us and I have been enjoying some much needed time with the family.

The wife and I have been doing some fishing and competing in a few pistol matches.

Because of Doctors orders I am no longer able to play golf, but that hasn't stopped me from going to the golf course with my oldest son and helping him improve his game. At one time I fashioned myself a pretty decent player and had asperitions of trying out for the Senior Tour when I reached the age of fifty. I wasn't taking lessons, but two of the people I played with on a regular basis were and still are club pros. Just the act and pressure of playing with guys like that will bring your game to a whole new level and just for the record I was playing a minimum of three times a week and had my average down to 78.

I have also been having a lot of fun with the two Grandkids that still live in the area. Our Oldest Granddaughter just finished her first year of school (Kindergarten) last week and is rather rambunctious about the summer now. Her brother is 4 years old and has really been getting into fishing this year. Their Mom (my Daughter-in-law) is expecting our sixth grandchild in August.

Our other three Grandkids (two girls and a boy) live in another state and they suprised us with a three day visit.

I apologize for not being around much lately, but life calls and I do enjoy the family.

State (Vermont) V. Rosenthal V. Nebraska

In previous dissertations I have noted that Nebraska Constitutions CI-1 was meant to and does establish in Nebraska the same type of recognition for concealed carry that exists in Vermont. In this narrative I will point out the similarities between the two states and establish beyond a doubt that these similarities are intended and not a matter of coincidence.

In 1902 Andrew Rosenthal was arrested in Rutland, Vermont for carrying a concealed weapon in violation of City ordinance. His subsequent appeal and the resulting Vermont Supreme Court Decision in May of 1903 established what has been to this day the Concealed Carry Law in that state.

The Cliffs Notes version of the Vermont law is that; any person of legal age and not disabled by law from possessing a firearm may carry a concealed loaded firearm in the State of Vermont.

In 1988 at General Election a majority of the citizens of Nebraska voted in favor of Ballot Initiative No. 403. This purpose of this Initiative, as regarded by those I have spoken to that were involved in the process, was to create in Nebraska the same type of law for concealed carry that has existed in Vermont since the turn of the last Century.

The law in Vermont does not state the exact phrase used in the Cliff Notes version given above but there are several points in Vermont Law that result in the decision reached by the Supreme Court of the State of Vermont. These parts will be noted and compared to the appropriate section of Nebraska Law. The similarities are not a coincidence, they were INTENDED by those that drafted and shaped Ballot Initiative No. 403.

The first point is Article 1. of the Vermont state Constitution;

"That all persons are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent, and unalienable rights, amongst which are the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety; therefore no person born in this country, or brought from over sea, ought to be holden by law, to serve any person as a servant, slave or apprentice, after arriving to the age of twenty-one years, unless bound by the person's own consent, after arriving to such age, or bound by law for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like."

Article CI-1 of the Nebraska state Constitution reads;

All persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use, and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. To secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments are instituted among people, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Note that the first article of the Nebraska Constitution is even more specific in regards to firearms than Vermont.

Article 16. of the Vermont Constitution reads;


"That the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the State -- and as standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military should be kept under strict subordination to and governed by the civil power."

That the framers of what is known as CI-1 (Nebraska Ballot initiative No. 403) incorporated Articles 1 and 16 of the Vermont Constitution should be obvious at this point.


The Vermont Court also cited several of Vermont’s Statutes in its decision. The gist of some of these statutes relate to making it crime to carry a weapon with the intent to do crime (4922), Carrying on school grounds (4923), unjustly pointing a firearm (4924) and 4925 creates a punishment for injuring someone with a firearm.

Further the Court noted that under Vermont law municipalities are forbidden from enacting ordinances that are; "repugnant to the Constitution or laws of this state."

Power to make the ordinance in question was not expressly given the council, and they had no power to make it, beyond what is given under the general clause above quoted. The people of the state have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the state. Const. c. 1, art. 16."

In an examination of Nebraska’s Constitution one finds further similarities found in Vermont’s Constitution and laws;

Nebraska Constitution Article CXI-5 in establishing the concept of home rule says the same thing; local ordinances may; "be changed or amended as provided in Section 4 of this article, subject to the Constitution and laws of the state."

Nebraska Statutes also define what power Municipalities have in relation to the Constitution.

State statutes that provide for metropolitan (14-102.1) and primary class (15-101) cities also state respectively;

"Metropolitan- A city of the metropolitan class may make all such ordinances, bylaws, rules, regulations, and resolutions not inconsistent with the general laws of the state"

"Primary- A city may put into its home rule charter any provisions that it deems proper so long as they do not run contrary to the Constitution or to any general statute."

Article CI-26 of the Nebraska Constitution states;

"This enumeration of rights shall not be construed to impair or deny others, retained by the people, and all powers not herein delegated, remain with the people."

The gist of this is any power not given to the state remains with the people, meaning if the constitution doesn't say they can then they specifically CANNOT enact a law in an area they have not been given power over.

It really should be obvious to this point that Constitutional amendment CI-1 was specifically modeled after the Constitutional Articles 1 and 16 of the Vermont Constitution. In addition there are too many other similarities between the Statutes of the two respective states to be a coincidence. The reasonable conclusion that must be drawn from this; is that the Framers of Initiative Measure No. 403 researched Vermonts Constituion and specifically the Court decision State V. Rosenthal before carefully crafting the petition language that a majority of the citizens of Nebraska voted for in 1988.

Journal Star shooting blanks ... again

Recently the Lincoln Journal Star ran an Editorial condemning the concealed carry legislation that is being sponsored by Senator Jeanne Combs.

The Editorial accurately staes that only the most stalwart of citizens will be eligable for a license, but goes on to say that even these elite residents of the Cornhusker State cannot or should not be trusted with the ability to defend themselves.

Since the debate began for this years legislative session the media elite has elevated Nebraska City police Chief William Muldoon to poster boy for defeat of LB 454. In testimony before the Judiciary Committee Chief Muldoon, speaking on behalf of "all Police Chiefs" in the state, made several assertions concerning firearms that did not have any relevance to concealed carry.

"So many people see this as the right to defend themselves and don't see the dangers of having more guns in people's houses," Nebraska City Police Chief William Muldoon told the Journal Star last week.

Muldoon claims that the Nebraska Police Chiefs concern is the increased number of firearms in the homes. Somebody really needs to tell the Chief that the firearms he is concerned about are for the most part already in the homes, people just want the recogized right to keep a firearm with them as they go about their daily business.

The Editorial Staff is closes with a statement that either illustrates a complete disregard or utter ignorance of the 46 other states that have some type of concealed carry law.

It's hard to imagine that someone bent on committing a street crime would be deterred by the thought that the possible victim is carrying a gun. There's little use for concealed weapons, beyond the comforting feeling it might give to those who decide to arm themselves. Combs' bill would create more problems than it solves.

Like all of the rest of the "Doom & Gloomers" the Journal Star alludes to problems that have never ever manifested themselves in any of the other states that have enacted concealed carry.

It would be nice if the Journal Star and any other CCW detracter could specifically state what is so different about Nebraskans that they will ingage in the "Shootouts over parking spaces", "Gun fights over fender benders" and incidences of road rage that have not manifested themselves in 46 other states.

In other words Nebraskans your representitives, your publice servants and your news media has no faith in your ability to conduct yourselves as mature adults. Their view is that you are incapable of being entrusted with the tools to protect yourself and your family.

Their supposition is that despite you being a very law abiding citizen, that is capable of passing a Federal background check, "If we let you have a firearm you will just go out and get in trouble with it".

Nebraskans, as demonstrated by the success of CCW legislation in over 40 other states, your Politians, Public Servants and Media Representitives do no trust you to make decisions for yourself.

CCW Lost in the Shuffle Again

As noted in the previous post, Jeane Combs has pulled her priority status on LB 454, the bill that if enacted would have created a concealed carry law in Nebraska. I do not find any fault with Senator Combs for her actions. LB 454 or any of its previous forms have not been a popular issue with many of the Senators and they have always worked behind the scenes to prevent it. Any CCW legislation in Nebraska is an uphill against the windmills battle and Jeanne Combs deserves the thanks of all safety concious Nebraskans for her efforts in trying to make LB 454 a reality.

Granted I have not been in favor of this truely restrictive bill or any other for that matter. Anyone that has been reading this Blog for any length of time knows that I have articulated rather well that under the Nebraska Constitution and Statutes CCW is already legal in as it is in Vermont and Alaska.

I am appalled however at the treatment that this bill has gotten from the members of the Unicameral. Their attitude suggests that the citizens of Nebraska are inferior to the citizens of several other states that have successfully enacted CCW with out any of the problems that it is claimed will be visited upon the Cornhusker State.

It really was inevitable that it not advance this year or in any other year for that matter. There just is not now, nor has there been the grassroots support in Nebraska needed for this law to be enacted.

My main critique of this whole situation stems from the fact that the minimum 33 votes to bring cloture were apparently there this year and House speaker Kermit Brashear is gaffing off not only Senator Combs, but the citizens of Nebraska that support LB 454.

Combs and other supporters of the idea say it is their constitutional right to carry a concealed weapon and that doing so will help thwart crime.

My question here is why should any American citizen be required to petition the Government for a license to exercise a Constitutional Right, especially when that Right is so succenctly spelled out in the Constitution?

Article CI-1 of the Nebraska state Constitution reads;

All persons are by nature free and independent,
and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are
life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep
and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and
others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use,
and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be
denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. To
secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments
are instituted among people, deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed.

Further CI-26 of the Constitution states;

This enumeration of rights shall not be construed
to impair or deny others, retained by the people, and all powers
not herein delegated, remain with the people.

No where in the Constitution has the people given power to the Legislature to regulate firearms and with Ballot Initiative No. 403 in 1988 a majority of the people told the Unicameral to keep their hands off the subject;

............ and such rights shall not be
denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof.

When a government agency creates a system of bells and whistles that have to be blown and hoops that must be jumped through they are infringing and/or denying a Right

I do with a certain amount of trepidation accept the fact the the only way this will be settled to the satisfaction of all is a specific law that addresses CCW.

Running out of time is as convenient an excuse as any. And this is not a slight to Senator Combs that she was convinced to "pull in her guns" for another year. The popular support for LB 454 and the resulting pressure that a bill like this calls for just cannot be brought to bear on the Unicameral.


"With only 14 days left in the session, I had to strongly consider this compromise," Combs said.

Combs is further quoted;

Making the time crunch even tighter, said Combs, was the imminent threat of a filibuster attempt from Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha at every turn. Votes to cease debate and force a final vote normally come after eight hours of debate; there have been only about two hours thus far on the gun bill, and those during just the first of three legislative rounds.

Combs does have assurances, for what they are worth that LB 454 will be fore front on the aganda next year;

Brashear had no obligation to save a spot for it on next year's agenda. But Combs said he agreed, in writing, to put it on the agenda within the first 21 days of next session in exchange for her "passing over" her bill for this year. "This is an iron-clad guarantee," she said.

If Brashear had no obligation then what ever he agreed to in writing is not worth the paper it is printed on.

This isn't the first time a CCW bill has been carried over;

Former Sen. Gene Tyson of Norfolk introduced such a measure in 2003. It was advanced to second-round debate but never returned to the agenda — dying last year because of a rule that gives legislation a two-year shelf-life to be passed.

Since this bill (LB 454) didn't even make it past the first round what makes anyone think things will be different next year? It would seem that there is just to much attention being paid to this bill, both locally and nationally right now and those that oppose it hope to spirit it away until next year where it can be left out to dry with out the fanfare of national attention.

One of the biggest obstacles to LB 454 is the continued lies put forth by members of the Unicameral and certain Chiefs of Police around the state.

Chief Muldoon of Nebraska city has been the media poster boy since he testified before the Judiciary Committee;

"I'm simply pleased it didn't go through because it will give people more time to think about the bill," said William Muldoon, police chief in Nebraska City, upon learning of the development.

"But with all the organized support, it's getting more difficult to reason the safety issues because so many people see this as the right to defend themselves, and don't see the dangers of having more guns in people's houses."


I question the reference to organized support that the Chief aludes to. There has been no more support than usual from the NRA or any of the other groups in regards to Lb 454. If the Chief is referring to the number of people that testified on behalf of LB 454 at the Judiciary Committee hearing, they/we do not belong to any local grassroots organization. I/We are all independant citizens of Nebraska that are concerned with our safety as we go about our LAWFULL PURPOSES.

Hey Chief it is the Right of the people to defend themselves, that is the issue of safety.

Bill get a grip; the guns your worried about are already in peoples houses. CCW is not about more guns in houses it is about guns in the hands of law abiding citizens on the streets to defend themselves against the criminal element that you can't seem to catch or that the judges refuse to keep locked up. Stop twisting the issue into something it is not.

Show us where the enactment of a CCW law in any of the other states has resulted in the doom and gloom that you prophisize Chief.

We're waiting.

Senator DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln along with a few otheres have constantly been wringing their hands, gnashing teeth, renting garments and harping that;

"I believe that it encourages what is already prevalent in our society — a more violent attitude," said Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln. "I don't think that it's healthy for our young people to grow up in an atmosphere where everybody feels like they have to have a gun in their pocket to protect themselves."

There it is the, "Oh Woe is me, if we pass this there will be blood in the streets and shootouts over parking spaces" mantra that has been proven false in every single state that has enacted a CCW law. CWW laws have been so much a non-issue that in many states many of the original restrictions have been taken out of the law.

Wake up Di that kind of cut & paste diatribe from the daily rants of the Brady Bunch and the Million Commie Mommies got old a long time ago. Blood in the streets and the other acts of violence that you claim will visit Nebraska HAVE NOT manifested themselves in any other state that has passed this legislation.

The bottom line appears to be that you DO NOT trust nor do you have any faith in the citizens that elected you to office.

Show us where the enactment of a CCW law in any of the other states has resulted in the doom and gloom that you prophisize Di.

We're waiting.

LB 454 had been receiving to much attention this year with the Judiciary testimony and national publicity. Something had to be done behind the scenes to quell the issue for a time when it can quietly go away. Senator tyson learned that two years ago and it seems that all of us are learning it now.

Without all of the hoopla and fanfare of public comment the bill can be passed over for "more important issues" in the next session (the short one) much the same as it has been this year and in years passed. There will not be the attention given to it next year that it saw this year and that is a lesson from 2004.

Dead on arrival

In my last post I noted that I had a feeling that there were some things going on behind the scenes. I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part as to which direction they were going.

LB454 has been tabled until next year.

Jeanne Combs pulled the bill with assurances from Unicameral leaders that it would get the full attention it deserves NEXT year.

I'll believe that when I see it, but that is for another post, for now CCW legislation is now deceased and has been quietly placed back in it's coffin while the bands plays we'll get them next year.

LB454 Front and center

The Unicameral began to debate the merits of LB454 this morning (Friday).

Because of some problems with the signal for my service, and as luck would have it the cable company had a technician over during the time the session was being broadcast, I was unable to watch much of the debate. I caught bits and pieces of the session while my system was being unhooked, tested, rehooked and etc...

All that before the Unicameral ended their session at 2:00pm for the weekend.

From what I did see this is going to be a passionate discussion from both sides of the issue when they go back into session on Monday.

As the expression goes "The fat is in the fire now", the only thing standing between Nebraska and a CCW law is the number of votes that Jeanne Combs has in her back pocket to end a filibuster.

Does she have them???? She seems to think she does and looking at the number of co-sponsors plus the number of people that have voted for it in the past she very well could.

Matt Connely, who I have written about in the past, has stood shoulder to shoulder with Chambers in years past in opposition to CCW. This year Matt is signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. There are a few others too that seem to be siding with Combs that were not there for Gene Tyson in all of the years that he sponosered CCW.

In the past it has failed only because it lacked one or two votes from bringing cloture to a filibuster. With Connealy and a couple of others on board the votes are technically there.

One would also have to wonder in Ernie Chambers thinks that she has the votes as well. Yes he will fight it tooth and nail because he has to, even he may see the writing on the wall. He is normally much more serious in the way of amendments for a CCW bill and his recent non-sensical attempt at putting the skids to CCW might hopefully be the last act of "A four fanged Corbra".

(Ernie styles himself as the "Corba of the Unicameral" and refers to bills he really doesn't like as "four fangers". Meaning that he will use everything at his disposal to defeat the bill.)

In talking to insiders one can't help but get a sense that there are some behind the scenes happenings that will effect the outcome of LB454.

I'm trying not to go out on a limb here or make predictions because I do not have any inside information to back me up. Only a gut feeling. In listening to some though, one could get the impression that this is "a done deal".

But don't quote me on that.

Lincoln voters send Werner packing

At the time of this posting the results have not been officially certified, but Terry Werner is so far down in the numbers that even if there is a snafu he is out on his Democratic logo.
Hopefully that ass is also pulling a donkey cartload of grandiose schemes that he and the other social elite have been trying to impose on Lincolnites for the last several years.

How ironic that in the days leading up to the election that Terry Werner asked the citizens of Lincoln to give it a year for the Keno money to come back and the voters of Lincoln responded by giving Werner a mere matter of days to clean out his desk.
As it wrings out Ken Svoboda gets to keep his seat, Robin Eschliman is elected to one of the at large-seats and Dan Marvin will be seated in the other one that was up for grabs.

In Werners perfect world he would have been re-elected and Dan Marvin would have also been elected so that they could cram their liberal agenda get some important things done with Mayor Seng. That this was not done will hopefully be a constant reminder to the Mayor and Marvin when he takes his seat.

Note: As I was about to post this KLIN radio reports that the results linked above are official.

The Senators Chambers are empty

The alerts from CCRKBA are always on point and informative. This one is no different and they bring it home to Nebraska by pointing out what extremes Ernie Chambers will go to in order to defeat a bill he doesn't like.

CCRKBA SAYS 'THE SENATOR'S CHAMBERS ARE EMPTY'
For Immediate Release: Contact: Alan Gottlieb or Joe Waldron (425) 454-4911

BELLEVUE, WA – In an obvious effort to filibuster and ridicule a concealed carry bill now before the Nebraska Legislature, State Sen. Ernie Chambers has introduced a bizarre amendment that would, among other things, punish violators by having their trigger fingers shot off by a fellow lawmaker. Nebraska is only one of four states that do not allow its citizens the means of self-defense.

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) condemned the veteran Omaha lawmaker for injecting a serious debate with what amounts to "the ravings of someone who has overdosed on self-aggrandizement."

"It appears Ernie's chambers are empty," said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. "If this was intended as a joke, the senator needs a different hobby because he's no comedian."

Included in the amendment is a requirement for licensed citizens to "carry concealed the maximum number of pistols for personal protection due to paranoia and stark terror of the licensee toward the licensee's family, friends, neighbors, strangers, and possible enemy invaders."

Noting that Sen. Chambers has had help in the past to defeat pro-gun rights legislation in Nebraska, Gottlieb observed, "I cannot imagine any rational person standing in line to attach his or her name to this insulting screed. Anyone can appreciate good sarcasm, but suggesting that violators have their index fingers shot off by Sen. Jeanne Combs, the prime sponsor of the concealed carry bill, goes beyond the pale of good taste."

"Sen. Chambers has been around the Legislature a long, long, very long time," noted CCRKBA Executive Director Joe Waldron. "His Omaha constituents, who first elected him in 1970, should be ashamed that he has wasted their time and other legislative resources, on their nickel, to craft this sophomoric amendment.

"Childish behavior should be reserved for children," Waldron observed. "Perhaps Sen. Chambers is lucky there is not a ‘zero tolerance' policy in Lincoln as there is on every public school campus in the country, because after this episode, he'd be expelled."

Note to Senator Chambers;

Insulting and demeaning drivel like this does not belong in the Senate Chambers it belongs in the Chamber Pot.

You and I have always gotten along with respect and civility, but this is beneath even you Senator and it is my considered opinion that you owe not only the Honorable Senator Combs a public apology, but all Nebraskans as well.

Withdraw the amandment and apologize Senator.

New additions to the Blogroll

All of the new additions are Nebraska Bloggers who have put me on their blogrolls before I even knew who they were. After reading their Blogs I consider that an honor and have added them to my Blogroll as well.

Rather than try to write a blurb on each one, that wouldn't do them justice anyway, I'll just link to their site and you can see for yourselves.

Don't let me Stop you - What the heck; you'll do what you want anyway.

Ryne McClaren: A Weblog - Dispatches from Red State Nebraska

Plains Feeder - Views From The Feedlot

If you live in Nebraska and are interested in the issues these three Blogs should be part of your daily reading.