Author Archives: Joel

The ones you hear about, anyway… Police Supt. Jody Weis knows that he will ultimately find himself on the hotseat for the surge. But, he’s got a new defense. He’s creating a new category of “indoor” homicides — and downplaying … Continue reading →

I don’t spend a lot of time with Lew Rockwell. Nothing bad, but the site lost my interest year before last with its “All-Ron-Paul-All-The-Time” editorial policy and just never got me back. But I do enjoy me some Gary North … Continue reading →

Via Claire, here’s a great article on the sad psychology of politicians: They’re just really (really, really) rotten kids who never grew up. In understanding the foibles of politicians, I’ve always found it is a benefit to have spent large … Continue reading →

Oh, my. What Jovian wisdom doth come with the office of School Principal: QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — A kindergartner was suspended for “intent” — finding a knife and thinking about taking it to school, even though he decided not to. … Continue reading →

Okay, I’ve been staring at this big plastic jug of honey, half-full, which long since crystallized. It’s still perfectly good, but very difficult to use in its current form. I’ve got most of a pound of butter that’s going to … Continue reading →

…That try as I might, I just can’t grasp the point. Okay, the subject is SnapScouts, which purports to be an Android app kids can download (How many little kids carry Androids?) for the purpose of … …earn[ing] tons of … Continue reading →

Poor guy. He writes this HuffPo piece crowing over the decline in sales numbers for ARs (and it’s about damn time – maybe ammo prices will come down a little) and what does he get? Multiple pages of comments about … Continue reading →

Who would want to live in Chicago? I just don’t get it. Mayor Daley loves to bag on the local media, and given my recent line of inquiry into his politics and policies, I’ve never expected to be greeted with … Continue reading →

Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea reported yesterday that four of the nine Hutaree “terrorists” have now been released pending trial. So…what happened to “weapons of mass destruction?” Vicious plots against police officers? Domestic terrorism of the worst possible sort? Is … Continue reading →

If I’m going to do these piecework jobs, I’ve got to get better at negotiating prices. Five hours swinging a pick in the sun, and I’m only about 2/3 done with the neighbors’ water trench. Almost no rocks; he was … Continue reading →

Whine, whine, whine. I’m sitting here over my coffee, for once dreading a day. That feels weird. Oh, it’s a familiar feeling, don’t get me wrong. It used to be my default attitude at the beginning of any day at … Continue reading →

Well, as you may have heard, the EPA’s “Rulemaking Matters!” video contest deadline passed yesterday. I’ve no idea what undiscovered Spielberg or Lucas might snatch up the big $2500 grand prize, nor do I care. But here’s one of Reason.com’s … Continue reading →

I’m not a huge Tom Lehrer fan, but people who know me best know that I’m even more not a fan of Wernher Von Braun. A couple of guys were sitting around a few weekends ago discussing the relative merits … Continue reading →

I said it for years before leaving Socal – I don’t know where I’ll end up but wherever it is, I’ll never stop bitching about the weather. Weather was the one thing I liked about Socal. So after days of … Continue reading →

I got ready to run the generator late this morning to fill the water cistern, and then thought, “Screw it. I want to just plug the well pump into the wall and see what happens.” What always used to happen … Continue reading →

In an attempt to make it up to the boys for all the big-time walkies they haven’t been getting, after chores this morning we went way back on the plateau before hooking up with a long canyon I’ve wanted to … Continue reading →

I wish I could still believe this crap. I did when I was a kid. Somebody with too much time on his hands writes a “Symphony In Science,” re-mixing none other than that great showman, Carl Sagan:

Anybody remember Michael Bellesiles? I’ll bet all the shooters here do, and with no pleasure. In the year 2000 Bellesiles released a much ballyhooed book called Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture. To say this book caused … Continue reading →

Doesn’t this sound weird now? An Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy stopped the man, Ricardo Chamblis, 58, after he turned out of a Kroger parking lot Monday at Wyoming and Eight Mile Road. Police said Chamblis was driving on a suspended … Continue reading →

A while back, I self-righteously declaimed, “You either love liberty for everybody, or you don’t love liberty.” I, of course, am without sin in that regard and can feel free to throw as many stones as I like. Or maybe, … Continue reading →