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Critics of Professor Schaff and myself have been making a rather amazing argument: that a college professor can be forced to choose between his job and the free expression of his political opinions, should his colleagues or the administration conclude...

Brazilians Reject Proposed Gun Ban

Brazilians soundly rejected a proposal to ban the sale of guns in a national referendum Sunday, striking down the bid to stem one of the world's highest firearm murder rates following a campaign that drew parallels to the U.S. gun control debate.

With more than 92 percent of the votes counted, 64 percent of Brazilians were opposed to the ban, while 36 percent backed it, said election officials, giving the 'no' position an insurmountable lead. The proposal would have prohibited the sale of firearms and ammunition except for police, the military, some security guards, gun collectors and sports shooters.

There are a number of interesting ramifications and issues associated with this - aside from the primary fact that the Brazilians were not willing to cede full responsibility for personal protection to an all too ineffectual governmental system.

Some Brazilians said they resented the referendum because they feel the government is ducking its responsibility to keep the peace. "It's immoral for the government to have this vote," said Pedro Ricardo, an army officer in Sao Paulo. "They're putting the responsibility on us, but ... the way to cut down on violence is to combat the drug trade and patrol our borders."

Hmmmm. Sounds sort of familiar doesn't it!? Enforce borders? What a concept!

About 39,000 people in Brazil are killed by guns each year, compared to about 30,000 people in the United States, although the U.S. population is about 100 million more than Brazil's, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hello? Come again? Does anybody know what the US Centers for Disease Control is doing collecting data on gun deaths in Brazil? One shudders to learn the answer.

ABC News:Dr./Leader/Sen. Bill Frist is expected to tout his work on judges when he speaks at the Reagan dinner in Iowa. Here is an advance look at what he'll say according to remarks prepared for delivery obtained by ABC News:...

Joe Knippenberg parses an analysis of the Democratic Party's ailments as penned by two scholarly Democrats, William Galston and Elaine Kamarck. As usual Prof. Knippenberg seems to get it largely right. Some highlights from Knippenberg's piece: In sum, Galston and...

eBay Nation and the Golden Goose

Let's all have a rousing rendition of the old Beatles song TAXMAN!

Okay, not long ago I wrote a column noting that eBay was catching up to WalMart as America's largest employer. I guess that was the kiss of death. At least, now I learn that North Dakota may require people who sell on eBay or other online "auction" sites to get an auctioneer's license.

What a piece of crapola! Read the whole article. Even if it's from the Alliance designated enemy Glenn, it's well worth checking out, since experience teaches that any method one politician figurees out toe increase the take, will rapidly act like a virulent virus and spread to lots of others always on the lookout for an excuse to take a more of our money.

If North Dakota swallows this, it's sure evidence that the weather up there has caused massive brain freeze in the state governmen up there.

Piggy backing on Jason's post regarding what's in Karl Rove's garage, I'd like to note a few things I found in Ken Blanchard's garage the other day: a hammer a measuring tape Jimmy Hoffa an oil stain Zuzu's petals a...

The AP has an incredible story about the televised Saddam trial in Iraq. It's striking the different ways people choose to remember Hussein:The moment Saddam Hussein appeared, a Shiite housewife spat on the screen and then sat gnawing her fingers,...

Body chipped from glacier likely a WWII airman

The only problem the Chief has with this is NOT the factual circumstances of the story itself, but rather with the journalistic caution.

"...Likely a WWII Airman."

Well now. This is hard. Human remains were found in a cake of ice. 13000 ft up the mountainside. Wearing WWII Army uniform, flight suit, and parachute. Had obviously been up there for some period of time. NOW - what are the possibilities. WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet-nam era, or Civilian?

Hmmmmmm? (Think, think!) A WWII outfit? Well now, we can say he was
"...Likely a WWII Airman." Phew! Anything to avoid coming to a simple conclusion based on clear factual evidence, which might set a bad journalistic precedent for the rest of the media.

In fairness, the DC Times is generally a cut above the rest of the MSM - but this is NOT one of their higher moments - maybe that's why it struck my attention.

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