Errors made by license plate readers

With millions of license plate numbers being collected everyday, TechDirt has some examples of errors available here.

Shocking: the Obama administration's tries to personally destroy reputations of soldiers who served with Bergdahl

Megyn Kelly has a great segment over at Fox (available here).  After the Obama administration referred to Bergdahl as a hero who had served with distinction, six soldiers who served with Bergdahl, some who had been his friends, spoke out to correct the record.  The Obama administration's response: accuse them of not knowing what they were talking about, of "swift boating" Bergdahl, and finally describing them as psychopaths.  Doesn't everyone think that this goes too far when the Obama administration engages in the politics of personal destruction against soldiers who did risk their lives and served honorably in Afghanistan?  As someone whose son did serve in Afghanistan in the army, I find this attack by the Obama administration of our service men one of the most troubling things that I have ever seen by them.  No political attack seems out of bounds for the Obama administration.

Another discussion of the Obama administration "slimming" those soldiers who served with Bergdahl is available here.  Here is a discussion of a woman who lost her son when he was searching for Bergdahl.

More information on recent information that Bergdahl declared jihad in 2010 is available here.

2014 is shaping up as yet another election where gun control advocates massively outspend those who support self defense rights

Politico has the list of races that they are targeting here.  When you add Gifford's $20 million to the $50 million that Bloomberg plans to spend this year and the money that other gun control groups are putting up, this is going to be yet another election where gun control advocates massively outspend those who support self defense rights.  From Politico:

The group said they have raised $14.5 million in donations so far and is on track to meeting its fundraising goal of $20 million by the end of the election cycle. . . . 

“The NRA typically spends about $20 million an election cycle,” added Kelly.”We’ve had great success in the amount of money we’ve raised. … [T]his debate is not going to be out of balance anymore.” . . . 

Democratic Rep. Ron Barber in Arizona . . .; Democratic Sen. Mark Udall in Colorado; Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley, running for Senate in Iowa, Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu in Louisiana; Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine; Democratic Sen. Al Franken in Minnesota; Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Reps. Carol Shea-Porter and Ann McLane Kuster, all Democrats, in New Hampshire; Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan in North Carolina; and GOP Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick in Pennsylvania.

Newest Fox News piece: Media feeding frenzy over open carry guns in restaurants much ado about nothing

My newest piece at Fox News starts this way:

The NRA’s strong statement reprimanding a few people for carrying long guns into restaurants was bound to get media attention. Bloomberg’s Moms Demand Action and much of the media quickly jumped in and described various restaurants as “asking customers to leave their guns at home.” But their assertions couldn’t be more misleading. 

The headline at USA Today saying “No Guns Inside” or at MSNBC and Huffington Post saying “No-Gun Policies” are simply wrong. 

A big deal has been made of Starbucks, Jack in the Box, Chipotle, Wendy's, Applebee's, Chili’s and Sonic’s supposed bans on guns, with Bloomberg’s groups declaring “victory.” 

Yet, Starbucks “respectfully requesting” customers no longer bring in openly carried guns is not a ban on guns. 

Jack in the Box’s statement “we would prefer that guests not bring their guns inside our restaurant” refers to open carry.  Neither restaurant forbids customers from carrying concealed handguns and comments like “request” or “prefer” are a long ways from bans. 

Calls to all these restaurants revealed that none of them have changed their policy about posting any signs banning either generally banning guns or permitted concealed handguns. 

With 11 million concealed handgun permits in the United States, it is understandable why none of these businesses want to risk losing that many customers. 

From a general crime-deterrence perspective point of view, . . .

The rest of the piece is available here.

So Obama may have given Hillary a heads up on Bowe Bergdahl's swap but not Congress?

So did Obama have time to set up a lunch with Hillary Clinton to discuss the swap of five high profile terrorists for Bowe Bergdahl?  How can Obama then argue that he had to move too quickly to inform congress?

. . . President Obama met with his former secretary of State for lunch on Thursday, two days before it was announced that Bowe Bergdahl had been released from captivity in exchange for five high-profile Taliban prisoners.
They are also suspicious that Obama may have informed Clinton, the likely Democratic frontrunner for the White House in 2016.Republicans are furious that they were not told of the deal in advance, and argue that this broke U.S. law.The White House has said it will not give a read out of Obama’s lunch with Clinton, calling it a private event.
But that has only made Republicans more curious about the timing between the lunch, and the controversial prisoner swap.
“If Mrs. Clinton remains politically active, people will want to know what her advice was on the subject,” said Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.), a senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said questions about the meeting are fair game. . . .

Huffington Post on the claim that "there is absolutely no evidence" of net benefits of guns

From Mike Weisser at the Huffington Post:

The self-satisfied folks who really believe that 'guns don't kill people, people kill people,' simply refuse to accept the fact that if you pick up a gun, point it at someone else and pull the trigger, that the result is going to be very serious injuries or loss of life. There Is no other way, including running over someone with a car, that has such a devastating effect. The NRA gets around that problem by promoting, with an almost mystical reverence, the notion of using guns for self defense. John Lott's nonsense to the contrary, there is absolutely no evidence which proves that guns save more lives than they destroy. . . .

"Absolutely no evidence which [sic] proves guns save more lives than they destroy"?  Seriously?  There are four more refereed studies that have since showed that guns on net save lives, but this is a start (see the list available here).  Why is it that people want to ignore the academic work of so many other scholars?

At least six soldiers were killed in searches for Bergdahl after he deserted

From CNN:

The sense of pride expressed by officials of the Obama administration at the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is not shared by many of those who served with him -- veterans and soldiers who call him a deserter whose "selfish act" ended up costing the lives of better men.
"I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on," said former Sgt. Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl's platoon when he went missing on June 30, 2009. "Bowe Bergdahldeserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him."
Vierkant said Bergdahl needs to not only acknowledge his actions publicly but face a military trial for desertion under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

White House won't disavow Susan Rice's comment that Bergdahl Served "With Honor And Distinction"

Detroit Police Chief James Craig reiterates his support for citizens using guns for protection, even open carry in sensitive areas

The quotes here from the Detroit police chief are actually quite good.  From the Detroit News:

Police Chief James Craig on Monday reiterated his support for the Second Amendment in the wake of a National Rifle Association magazine cover story that featured the chief advocating for gun rights. 

During a one-on-one interview with The Detroit News, and a press conference outside police headquarters later Monday, Craig said he not only supports the right to bear arms, but Michigan’s Open Carry law, which allows licensed gun owners to carry their firearms in non-restricted areas, as long as they’re not concealed. 

“It’s the law, and I support the law,” he said. “The Second Amendment was written more than 200 years ago. It’s not a James Craig law. “ 

“We’ve heard instances of accidental discharges; or guns getting into the hands of children,” Craig said. “That’s terrible. But we’re talking about law-abiding, responsible citizens. ‘Responsible’ is the key word here.” . . .  

Craig said he doesn’t understand why anyone would have a problem with a police chief saying he supports the Constitution. 

“I’m pro-life,” he said. “I’m pro-safety. I support law-abiding citizens’ right to protect themselves against imminent danger.” 

Craig said responsible gun ownership was analogous to responsible driving. 

“The majority of people on the roads drive responsibly,” he said. “So if a few people drive irresponsibly, what’s the solution? Do we take away all cars?” . . .  

“Privately, I’m sure some (chiefs) will agree with me,” Craig said. “There was a study done where 15,000 line officers were polled, and they overwhelmingly supported the right to carry.” . . .

Mass public shooting in Belgium, four dead at Brussels Jewish Museum

Muslim terrorist kills four people at the Jewish Museum in Brussels.  Despite a five year prison term for a violent crime, somehow the killer was able to obtain what is claimed to be a machine gun.  From the BBC:

Police found Mr Nemmouche had in his possession a Kalashnikov rifle and a handgun believed to have been used in the attack, the Paris prosecutor told a news conference on Sunday. . . .At the time of his arrest, authorities say he had a machine gun wrapped in the flag of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) . . .The 29-year-old was in prison for five years in France for robbery and released in December 2012, Mr Molins said. . . . .

Brown University recognizes that Emma Watson was safer with an armed bodyguard at graduation

From Fox News:

A Brown University rep says he is unable to answer questions about why Emma Watson had an undercover armed guard with her during graduation ceremonies.
The 24-year-old British actress best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" movies graduated from the Ivy League university in Providence on Sunday.
She was photographed sitting and walking next to a woman who was wearing a cap and gown. Other photographs showed the same woman without a cap and gown, with a holstered weapon and a badge.
Providence Police Chief Steven Pare says the woman is not a Providence officer. . . .

In the Santa Barbara killings, the media tries to avoid discussing murders committed with anything other than guns

On February 23, 2001, David Attias, a University of California-Santa Barbara freshman, "plowed his turbo-charged Saab into a group of young adults in the same Isla Vista neighborhood of the coastal community, killing four and permanently injuring another before climbing atop the car and declaring himself 'the Angel of Death.' Charged with murder, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to a state mental institution. He was released in 2012, having been locked away for slightly more than two years for each of his dead victims. 'He’s out because he got treatment and he finally learned what he needed to say,' said Sally Divis, whose son, Christopher, was just 20 when he was run down by Attias. 'Do I actually think he’s safe? Not really.'"

Given that both Elliot Rodger and Attias used cars to hurt people and that they occurred in the same place, you might think that the media would bring up comparisons.  But while a Google news search comes up with 156 news stories on "Elliot Rodger," there were only two news stories on "David Attias" and "Elliot Rodger."  (Click on screen shots to make them bigger.)

Google is pretty abysmal these days for any useful search.  Bing does a better job.  There are only 9 news stories that mention both names and if you limit yourself to real news services, there are four such stories.

Britain's National Ballistics Intelligence Service/BBC claims anyone attempting to fire a 3D printed plastic gun would probably maim or even kill themselves,misleading

This BBC story is quite misleading.  Note that it is only at the very end of their video that they concede that it is indeed possible to use a 3D printed plastic gun.  From the BBC:

Police are warning technology enthusiasts not to attempt to use 3D printers to make plastic guns, because each time they have been tested the weapons have exploded.
Relatively cheap plastic printed guns have been fired successfully in the United States.
Scientists in the UK say without additional expertise and the right type of ammunition, anyone attempting to fire one would probably maim or even kill themselves.
They also point out that to do so would be illegal. . . .