I've been watching people die. A lot.But don't worry, it's only in videos.I've been thinking of getting a license to carry a concealed weapon. I'm not planning on packing heat any time soon, but it seems like the sort of thing where, if the need ever arises, I'll want to be ready. The State of Illinois training requirements are oriented around legal and safety issues, … [Read more...] about Watching People Die – Part 1: Incidents
America’s Rifle
I've been able to shoot an AR-15 a few times, and it was fun every time. I never bought one, in part because I lived in Chicago, which has strict gun laws, but ever since I moved out to the suburbs a few years ago, I've been thinking about getting back into shooting as a hobby, and last fall I started researching what kind of AR-15s were available. My plan was to get a … [Read more...] about America’s Rifle
Meet the New Cuteness
Some of you may know that our cat Ivy passed away a couple of months ago. We both needed some time for our grief to settle, but sooner or later, were getting another cat. We've learned that two cats is not enough for our household. We really need three cats, because then there's always something going on.Actually, now that we live in a house instead of a condo, we've been … [Read more...] about Meet the New Cuteness
Jane Notz is Fibbing
Yesterday, Illinois Solicitor General Jane Elinor Notz filed a brief with the Supreme Court, defending the Illinois assault weapons ban. Much of the brief is about law and procedure, which I'm not knowledgeable enough to address. But think I can shed some light on one tiny piece of Notz's brief:The instruments regulated by the Act are best suited for offensive combat: … [Read more...] about Jane Notz is Fibbing
Smarter Gun Control?
A recent Tweet pointed me to an opinion piece that Nicholas Kristof wrote a few months ago for the New York Times on the subject of reducing gun deaths through what he calls a "harm reduction" approach, similar to what we've done with alcohol, tobacco, and cars. It's a few weeks old, but it sparked an urge to respond. For someone who is sort of anti-gun, he takes an interesting … [Read more...] about Smarter Gun Control?