Professor Hoplophobe

Iowa State Professor, Warren J. Blumenfeld, laments the fact that businesses engage in firearm promotions to generate sales. Reiterating the tired CDC gun death numbers while ignoring firearms used for protection, he wishes for a utopian society where guns are no more.

With a traditional gratuitous swipe at Sara Palin (Ha Ha), he reminds us that grizzly bears protect their young without firearms.

What he doesn't realize is that firearms protect us from grizzlys.

Who's Warren Blumenfeld? He's an Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Iowa State University.

In this paper, he equates traditional Christian denominations that believe that homosexuality a sin, with the infamous Fred Phelps. By the same token, I should equate his embracing of the homosexual "lifestyle" with the freak-show parades of San Fransisco.

Same logic applies.

He seems to think that protecting our borders is racism while calling La Raza a civil rights organization. Being a "well educated" major university professor, you think he would catch the irony there.

And he's a big supporter of the Weather Underground terrorist, Bill Ayers, as he and many others in academia (I assume) think the poor man was vilified during Obama's campaign in 2008. I guess trying to blow up the Pentagon or murdering police officers was a career stepping stone, not criminal actions.

Hmmm.

At least I'm not alone in my thoughts of the good professor, as Don Paulin gives his opinion in the LeMars paper after Blumenfeld issued his support of the "occupy" protestors in Des Moines.

I almost feel sorry for him except that my tax money goes to paying his salary at one of Iowa's public universities.

Here's a thought... If the taxpayers of Iowa start "occupying" the public universities in an effort to bring fiscal and logical sanity to higher education, do you think the good professor would give his support?

I doubt it.

The end to Badger Guns

The final chapter is unfolding for Badger Guns as the current owner is giving up his license. It appears that he's run into difficulty with the ATF in renewing it.

The Journal Sentinel gets a few more pokes with a stick mentioning that the owner can sell his personal firearm collection at a gun show without a background check. Just like anyone else is able to. The paper harps on any gun law they don't agree with as being a "loophole". They also speculate on who the next owner would be (if any) at the store location. Maybe they'll just pack up and leave as the paper and Milwaukee politicians hope for.

But in a second article the JS reports that Badger Guns' license was revoked while again complaining about the laws in place.

A spokesman with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made clear the license held by Adam Allan is not being surrendered.

"The federal firearms license issued to Badger Guns Inc. was revoked by ATF for a willful violation of the Gun Control Act," Robert Schmidt said late Wednesday.

Congress has passed special laws that prohibit the ATF from releasing much information about revocations.

And not to miss out on another dig, the paper implies of the wrongdoing.

But according to an ATF document, "Violations commonly cited in revocation cases include failure to account for firearms, failure to verify and document purchaser eligibility, failure to maintain records requisite for successful firearms tracing, and failure to report multiple sales of handguns."

No evidence, only speculation.

Badger Guns was never prosecuted for violating any of the current gun laws, but the store was cited as the source of guns that were used to shoot two Milwaukee police officers (current lawsuit pending). The guns were purchased legally and then obtained by the criminal(s) involved in the shooting. I've written since day one, that if the store was complicit in allowing criminals to obtain firearms, they should be prosecuted. If true, the owners should be in jail.

After reviewing the whole "Fast and Furious" debacle, it would seem the ATF doesn't care for the competition. See David Codrea and Mike Vanderboegh for more information.

Deer season

It's open season at Camp Stranded to prevent more of this:



I spit a curse on them all...

Happy Thanksgiving

An obligatory holiday wishes to you all. I hope everyone travels safely if they are on the road or in the air and have a safe return from whence you came.

Thanksgiving is traditionally spend with family and friends.

I will be enjoying the traditional family gathering full of insults, putdowns and humiliations.

Good times.

And thank you to all of my readers for stopping by once in a while.

Mauser Medic

From pure neglect on my part for not noticing sooner, Mausers, Medicine, & Motorcycles added a link back to this humble location.

As a member of Iowa's National Guard, MauserMedic has served most recently in the Afghan theater and I thank him for his service and welcome home.

Sometimes irreverent and always entertaining, his postings of Ugly Gun Sundays depict the kluge creations and downright butchery that some people come up with.

Your site is added to the Iowa blog list, sir.

Face the Nation?

Face the Ass.

Bob Schieffer makes a complete ass of himself when he argues with Congressman Ron Paul on his "Face the Nation" program. Watch the video.

I rarely watch these programs, but I did this time for some reason. What should have been an interview turned into an argument when Schieffer didn't like the answers. Argue and then say, "Let's move on."

Fine job, Bob.

Out of steam - Dust Settling Edition

My tractor wouldn't start today because this guy declared a jihad on electricity a while back. It was out of juice.

Since mid October I've been engaged in an upgrade process for our main records system. From the user's perspective, it's a few hours of interruption, but from my end, it's days of preparation, planning and testing, culminating in a marathon (25+ hours) upgrade process that rarely goes well. I've not had one upgrade with this system that went smooth.

All that prep work and the vendor doesn't inform us of several changed requirements for our environment, nor a systematic change in their folder structure. This results in our scrambling to figure out the problem and then correct it.

"It's a fun experience," he said with dripping sarcasm.

I've had little time for politics, news, Camp Stranded. It's a bit frustrating.

But...



Just as this small flower sprouted from the clay on the pond, it reminds me that life sometimes gives another chance. The next couple of weeks are going to be "interesting" from the Stranded perspective.

But not less busy.

Hiatus reflections

If readers think I was wallowing in self pity during my previous post, please understand... that's my schtick.

I'm known as the Rodney Dangerfield of IT.

When things break or when something's wrong and they need it figured out, I get the call. I have a knack for identifying what's not running right (debugging) and although I may not have the tools, resources or permissions within a vendor's code, I have been able to steer the vendors in the right direction.

And with the work ethic instilled in me by my father, I'm also known to keep at a problem until a solution is found and keep at a project until it is finished. I've put in more than one 24 hour stretch over the past two years. In fact, way more than the Mrs. cares.

These two traits, while highly valued, aren't always rewarded by my current employer. With my belief in the Laws of Reciprocity, that can be frustrating to say the least.

But then I get a short query asking where I've been and if I and the clan are okay. It took me awhile to realize that that person is going through a battle of their own. My problems seem petty compared to someone who recently went under the knife and recovered, and currently going through repeated visits to hospital to continue the battle. And I'm certain will win these upcoming rounds as well.

Here's to Bea and her speedy recovery. A tough spirit can bend but never break.

Iowa gun shows for November, 2011

Nov 4-6 Des Moines, Adventureland Park

Nov 11-13 Cedar Rapids, Hawkeye Downs

Nov 12-13 Storm Lake, National Guard Armory

Nov 18-20 Ottumwa, Bridgeview Center

Nov 25-27 Des Moines, Iowa State Fairgrounds

*** I get this list from the link below and other searches and I can't guarantee the accuracy of the list. If anyone notices a show that needs to be corrected or added, please let me know in the comments.

For more details go to Iowa Gun Shows