Environmental buttheadry

Why is it that acts of violence, maybe even terrorism if one wants to be real strict about it since these acts are meant to terrorize the targets into changing behavior, from certain quarters are simply tut-tutted and not given the full anger they deserve? Why isn’t Southern Command sending ships down into the region to deal with this? I know, I know, nobody has enough boats to do everything they should.

Simply put: these folks should be arrested and put in prison for a few years.
(more below the fold)

Virginia Tech.

Brian Ross and Dana Hughes of ABC News are witless tools of the Brady Bunch.

The damn things are magazines, not clips, but I've been losing that fight for years. The 94 AWB banned the manufacture of new hi-cap magazines, but didn't stop the transfer of the hundreds of thousands of existing ones. 5 10-round mags (legal to make under the 94 AWB) carry more rounds than three 15 round (banned) magazines, you just swap mags twice more. The guns didn't pull their own trigger. I own over 150 firearms that didn't jump off the wall or out of the case and commit a crime yesterday. Unlike the article referenced by Ry, which *is* a crime against journalism, and is simply an agenda-driven op-ed masquerading as reporting. Just sayin'.

The shooter killed those people.

Just like the old guy who can't drive anymore kills the people, the not the car he was driving. And you can take away his license, but you rely then that he'll obey the law and not drive anymore. Take away the guns (hint: you *can't* get them all) and only those prone to obey the law are going to comply. And, as the Brit and Australian experience shows, you can try that and it doesn't affect your gun violence nearly as much as you'd think - and other forms of violence can increase, in terms of home invasion burglary, etc.

Then there's the Appalachian Law School incident, where two former cops took down the shooter. From Wikipedia:

On January 16, 2002, the Dean, Anthony Sutin, Professor Thomas Blackwell, and student Angela Dales were shot and killed by disgruntled student Peter Odighizuwa, 43, of Nigeria. Three other students were shot but survived. After he ran out of ammunition, Odighizuwa was subdued by two ASL students who were former police officers. One of the students who helped capture Odighizuwa retrieved his service revolver from his vehicle after hearing shots being fired in the law school. The students held Odighizuwa until the police arrived.

Just who has taught everybody to go passive in the face of a gun? In truth, in a one-on-one mugging scenario, that might be an appropriate response - though I admit, if the guy is dumb enough to step inside my reach, he may well find himself in a fight over the gun if I get the wrong vibe from him.

But in a group, where the shooter just starts *executing* people?

Where's the Todd Beamers? Where's the passengers of Flight 93? A lone gunman? Move to the sound of the gun. If you're going to die, why do it cringing and crying, when you can do it raging and gouging.

I know it's not always that clear - but it sounds in this case, in the classroom there towards the end, it probably was that clear.

And sadly, seemingly not a sheepdog among 'em (not true - see post above this one), to take down the wolf. And of course, being a gun free zone (That worked well for them, didn't it? Though I understand the reasoning behind the law, I just don't think it works) even if there had been someone with a weapon in the area, he'd of had to go get it (assuming no legal CCW carrier would have one *on* him in a GFZ) and risk being taken down by the cops as the potential shooter, and charged for having the gun on campus.

Just as I, were I to grab the V10 from the wall and walk across the street to stop something over at the local high school, could find myself facing charges, even if I took the bad guy down. Admittedly, I suspect the local law would opt to no bill, but who knows what the Feds would do.

I admit, it would just make me pause, it wouldn't stop me from going over there to try and stop something like what happened yesterday, especially if the Police weren't there. If they police were on-scene... hey, I then become a part of the problem, not the solution.

I'm not blaming the victims - I just wonder what it is that makes the difference between a sheepdog, and a sheep, so to speak.

Of course, I know the DU answer to this event. It's Bush's fault - the recruiting for his illegal war has siphoned off all the Sheepdogs to Iraq or Afghanistan.

That snark aside, I wonder if there were any vets in among the victims, and if the crime scene analysis/survivor interviews will indicate that any students *did* fight back. [Update - we don't know as of this posting if any students fought back - but we know that at least on faculty member did - the Armorer]

I hope so. I'd like to think the shooter was at least inconvenienced before he killed himself.

Turns out there was at least one sheepdog present. I originally had that info here - but Professor Librescu deserves his own post, un-marred by my screeding.

New (to me) Nigerian 411 scam. Your mileage may vary.

Another one purportedly a soldier out of Iraq. Annoying thing is - there really *is* a SFC Daniel Vaness in the Army, and there *is* a SSG Kenneth Buff, USA, retired.. I hope they've not been too bebothered and confusticated by this scam.

DEAR FRIEND,

HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY? HOPE ALL IS WELL? [Well, my mother just died, thanks for asking.] MY NAME IS (SGT 1ST CLASS) DANIEL VANESS.I AM AN AMERICAN SOLDIER, [Really? Then wouldn't you have done that as SFC?] SERVING IN THE MILITARY WITH THE ARMY 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION IN IRAQ WITH A VERY DESPERATE NEED FOR ASSISTANCE, I HAVE SUMMED UP COURAGE TO CONTACT YOU.I FOUND YOUR CONTACT PARTICULARS IN AN ADDRESS JOURNAL. I AM SEEKING YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE TO MOVE THE SUM OF ($18 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS) EIGHTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS TO YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY,[hey, I thought it was *our* country, Sergeant?] AS FAR AS I CAN BE ASSURED THAT MY SHARE WILL BE SAFE IN YOUR CARE UNTIL I COMPLETE MY SERVICE HERE IN IRAQ. [You've been talking to Fuzzybear again, haven't you?]

SOURCE OF MONEY: SOME MONEY IN VARIOUS CURRENCIES WERE DISCOVERED IN BARRELS AT A FARMHOUSE NEAR ONE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S OLD PALACES IN TIKRIT-IRAQ DURING A RESCUE OPERATION, AND IT WAS AGREED BY STAFF SGT KENNETH BUFF [Hey, SSG Buff is retired, what's he doing, working over there as a contractor? But he can probably use that 18 mil!] AND I THAT SOME PART OF THIS MONEY BE SHARED AMONG BOTH OF US BEFORE INFORMING ANYBODY ABOUT IT SINCE BOTH OF US SAW THE MONEY FIRST. THIS WAS QUITE AN ILLEGAL THING TO DO, [So, you run to a commissioned officer with a blog to get help... I'm sorry you think I'm like that - what kind of officers do you work for, Sergeant?] BUT I TELL YOU WHAT? NO COMPENSATION CAN MAKE UP FOR THE RISK WE HAVE TAKEN WITH OUR LIVES IN THIS HELL HOLE OF WHICH MY BROTHER IN-LAW WAS KILLED BY A ROAD SIDE BOMB LAST TIME.YOU WILL FIND THE STORY OF THIS MONEY ON THE WEB ADDRESS BELOW;

THE ABOVE FIGURE WAS GIVEN TO ME AS MY SHARE, AND TO CONCEAL THIS KIND OF MONEY BECAME A PROBLEM FOR ME, SO WITH THE HELP OF A BRITHISH [Sorry about that lisp - pretty episodic, huh? Or is the brit the guy with the lisp and that's where you learned how to pronounce "brithish?"] CONTACT WORKING HERE, AND HIS OFFICE ENJOY SOME IMMUNITY, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE PACKAGE OUT TO A SAFE LOCATION ENTIRELY OUT OF TROUBLE SPOT. HE DOES NOT KNOW THE REAL CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE, AND BELIEVES THAT IT BELONGS TO A BRITHISH/AMERICAN MEDICAL DOCTOR WHO DIED IN A RAID HERE IN IRAQ, AND BEFORE GIVING UP,TRUSTED ME TO HAND OVER THE PACKAGE TO HIS FAMILY IN UNITED STATES.

I HAVE NOW FOUND A VERY SECURED WAY OF GETTING THE PACKAGE OUT OF IRAQ TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR YOU TO PICK UP, AND I WILL DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU WHEN I AM SURE THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO ASSIST ME, AND I BELIEVE THAT MY MONEY WILL BE WELL SECURED IN YOUR HAND BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE FEAR OF GOD. I WANT YOU TO TELL ME HOW MUCH YOU WILL TAKE FROM THIS MONEY FOR THE ASSISTANCE YOU WILL GIVE TO ME. ONE PASSIONATE APPEAL I WILL MAKE TO YOU IS NOT TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER WITH ANYBODY [Ooops! Too late!], SHOULD YOU HAVE REASONS TO REJECT THIS OFFER.PLEASE AND PLEASE DESTROY THIS MESSAGE AS ANY LEAKAGE OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE TOO BAD FOR US SOLDIER HERE IN IRAQ. I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG WE WILL REMAIN HERE,AND I HAVE BEEN SHOT, WOUNDED AND SURVIVED TWO SUICIDE BOMB ATTACKS BY THE SPECIAL GRACE OF GOD. [No doubt.] THIS AND OTHER REASONS I WILL MENTION LATER HAS PROMPTED ME TO REACH OUT FOR HELP.

I HONESTLY WANT THIS MATTER TO BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY.PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITH THIS E- MAIL ADDRESS WHICH IS MY ONLY WAY OF
COMMUNICATION. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. [And you and yours, Sergeant. At least the *real* SFC Vaness.]

REGARDS,

DANIEL VANESS.

I think rather than destroy the message, as asked, I'll publish it, instead. More fun that way.

SFC Vaness, SSG Buff, I'm sure you aren't involved in anything like this. If you were, you'd have Fort Leavenworth addresses... rather than the units listed in AKO.

Public Service Announcement

I just got off the phone. It was a new (to me) scam.

Phone rings, so I pick it up. Unknown caller.

Okay, what the heck, I'm bored. "Hello?"

Pre-recorded message (paraphrased) "Hello! This is Credit Card Service Center! You are eligible for 6.9% interest on all your credit cards! But your eligibility is running out. This is your final chance! If you would like to be transferred to a Live Operator, press 9 now."

Hard to hear over all the warning klaxons, but, what the heck, let's play this out.

Press 9. (insert tone for 9 here)

Pre-recorded voice (different from the first PRV-chick) says "Transferring you to a live operator now!"

Click. Click, clickety-click. (Heh. How many cut-outs did we just go through?)

Male voice, live. "Hello, are you ready to lower your interest rates on your credit cards?"

Armorer (also live). "Sure, which ones?"

Male voice, "Mastercard and Visa".

Armorer "Yeah, got that - but issued by whom?"

Click-click. Dial tone.

Bummer. He hung up. I must have offended him or something. Apparently by not being gullible.

Anyway - beware the phone scam for lowering your interest rates!

This message brought to you because I care. Yep. That's right.

Taking time out from hanging around public lavatories...

...looking to score - George Michael is soliciting me for investment help!

Happy New Year my dear,

I know that you will be surprise reading from unknown person but all I will like you to understand is that, God have already bless you and your entire family in this 2007 through this proposal. In a brief introduction, my name is George Michael. My intention of contacting you is to help me handle the investment of 12.6 million usd that I inherited from my late father, which he deposited in the bank before his sudden death. Urgently confirm your willingness to help me handle the investment of this money with honesty, without betraying my trust in you.

I will be waiting for your reply as you finish reading this message with your direct telephone number to enable me call you immediately and furnish you with more details, upon my confirmation of your willingness to assist me.

Best Regards,
George Michael

Maggie - I gave him your number... 8^P