Good day and good holiday. And … next week I’m off all week … 

1. For which this seems very apropos.
2. Talking free will.
3. Obamacare and medical bankruptcy.
4. Vows taken.
5. Hmmm. 
6. Link this site (RSS) for news of Belorus and political oppression. Google translate usually kicks in, for me at any rate.
7. Needing a clue.
8. Talking about politics more generically.
9. Xmas in the Balkans … and just East of there as well.
10. Not-Quite Bike re-purposed.
11. Stepping around a problem with climate science.
12. Flee.
13. Mr Krugman and the “science” of economics.
14. Change of the inevitable sort.

Good morning.

1. Finance and government … another view.
2. Alcohol was involved.
3. Feet on the holocaust denial ladder … I wonder if my minor disgruntlement about how the 6 million Jews killed masks the 12 million total killed and causes us to forget the other groups.
4. Death, harm, and the musings of the philosphe.
5. All those birds.
6. Command and authority.
7. Video games intrude into stranger spaces.
8. Charity and a authority of government. (the link worked this morning, but not when I created this post … which in and of itself might be troubling).
9. Physics and theology.
10. Demon rodents?

Good morning.

1. Limits on government.
2. Some history of Advent.
3. Cinema.
4. A faretheewell
5. Cloud formation and climate.
6. Heh.
7. A US Map
8. A Christian novelist.
9. Education.
10. What isn’t tolerance, so why do they call it tolerance?
11. Maths as stem cell.

Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room! From a news report headline, Gunman opens fire at school board meeting.

A gunman held the Bay District School Board hostage Tuesday in a videotaped drama, ultimately opening fire on them before being shot and disabled by Mike Jones, the district’s chief of safety, security and police. After being shot several times, Clay Duke, 56, turned his pistol on himself in front of the stunned group, ending his life with a shot to the head, Panama City Police officials said.

The chilling video, if you desire to watch, was aired on CNN.

How could this have happened? After all, the school board meeting was being held in a GUN-FREE SCHOOL ZONE. Per David Codrea,

In accordance with the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, employees of the District, parents of students, and visitors (with the exception of law enforcement officers) shall not possess, discharge or attempt to discharge a weapon as described in School Board Policy 7.203 on any facilities or real or personal property owned by the School Board.

Unfortunately, a “gun-free zone” mentality usually equates with a “reality-denying” state of mind.

###

You just point, and shoot… right? If you watch the video referenced above, you may be asking yourself, “How could he miss at such a close range?”.

That’s a good question.

Let’s discount the fact that there is a possibility that the gunman intentionally missed (it doesn’t, after all, seem to fit in with his other actions). To better understand how the gunman missed I think one should first understand the dynamics of what happens when shooting a handgun.

1. Physics is involved. There is a cartridge chambered in a gun barrel and, when fired, propels a projectile (the bullet) through and out of the barrel. Obviously wherever the barrel is pointed is the direction the bullet will travel.
2. This then brings us to the human element – that of pointing, or aiming, the weapon in the direction of the intended target. Semiautomatic handguns typically have two sights on top of the slide: a front sight, and a rear sight. To achieve proper sighting, there is a thing known as a “sight picture”, which is the lining up of the target, the front sight, the rear sight, and the shooter’s eyes. This is not an insignificant point, as even the slightest variation in alignment will result in the bullet going somewhere not intended. This problem is only exacerbated with shorter barrels, which give a shorter distance between the front and rear sights.
3. Congruent with sight alignment is the shooter’s stance. When a handgun is fired there is a recoil from the force generated by the gases coming out of the barrel. To best control the effects of recoil on the shooter’s arms and body, the shooter should essentially stand leaning forward a bit, so as to use their weight to help absorb the recoil forces.
4. Another aspect of shooting properly is that of the shooter’s grip on the handgun. A proper grip, with two hands, also helps control the effects of recoil, thereby allowing the shooter to reacquire the target in his sights.
5. Lastly, shooting accuracy is also determined by the shooter’s proficiency at “trigger control“. Any errant movement on the handgun at the time the bullet is fired will affect the sight alignment, thereby sending the bullet off course. If the shooter “anticipates” the recoil of the handgun, he will inadvertently shoot high and to the right (if he’s right handed). If the shooter “yanks” the trigger, instead of gently squeezing it, he will shoot low and to the left.

In viewing the video of the school board shooting, it appears the shooter’s stance was leaning back, he had no sight alignment (the gun was not at eye level), he shot one handed, and he exaggerated the recoil effects not only on the upward swing but in returning to acquire his “sight picture”. While it seems unlikely for him to miss at such close range, in my opinion, none of his actions contributed towards him shooting his intended victims (which is very lucky for them).

###

Let everyone sing (except, perhaps, those feeling closed in?) For the introverts out there who may be apprehensive at this most extroverted time of the year, here are some tips to help alleviate the stress:

• Hide in plain sight: On a group excursion to a mall or shopping district, while everyone else is distracted by shiny things, you can wander off… for some alone time.
• Sit in a dark room: Take the kids… to a movie.
• Make a “sacrifice”: Volunteer for supermarket duty. …you can stroll up and down the aisles, sing along with the piped-in music (Christmas carols, I presume), commune with nothing more demanding than Brussels sprouts and canned pumpkin.
• Have a project: I’m a fan of jigsaw puzzles during long stretches of house time with others. Set it up on a table and there it sits, for days, where anyone can work it when the mood strikes.

###

Death and taxes, together forever When asked about the enormous estate tax, despite the deceased individual having paid taxes their entire life, the response, “You won’t be paying anything because you will be dead,” seems to me to expose the liberal mindset for what it is.

Well, that was a tactical goof. The net was really dog slow at the hotel here last night, and this morning I decided to use the faster internet at the job site … which unbeknownst to me, had effective net/blocks up against “web communications” sites, i.e., blog driven software. Anyhow, better late than never, I hope.

1. Props for propaganda (HT: Mike).
2. More books books books.
3. Here’s another one.
4. Atheist non-sequitur.
5. Talking about the word faith and should it be removed from the common lexicon of the believers (and why).
6. Talking pay/go. 
7. Obamacare and liberal weak arguments.
8. The first digital camera.
9. An old Jewish saying.
10. Keynesian flavors, of which “cherry” is apparently not an option.
11. One of the predictions of global warming is increased storms, alas.
12. The rich imitate … Madonna?
13. An rfid application missed?
14. Where is the outrage? 

Fiiinally. Sorry about that.

1. Talk about Gitmo.
2. An office pool to steer clear of.
3. Faith and children.
4. A blogiversary of note noted.
5. The Marxist/Leninist left not impressed by the man in the white house.
6. An odd moral.
7. 20 below? Wow. Oh, cold weather and cycling links here. Years ago I took a 50 minute ride to work when it was 2 (F). The coldest I’ve ever been on a bike was riding home from work, I thought it was 26 and was dressed for that. It was 12 with a 30+ mph headwind. That was cold.
8. Cartoonist of the Holy Mountain imagined.
9. Five suggestions for the right on immigration … from the right.
10. Nobody take it seriously as a legal argument from the left.
11. A book noted.
12. Lego does it right.
13. Bad for women? Probably bad for kids and men too. Geesh.
14. On the other hand … Incest + polygamy is the big unshakeable loophole around the inheritance tax. 
15. More on that here.
16. Wealth and not-wealth.
17. Wooohooo. Books books books.

OK then. Carry on.

1. Sound.

The deficit commission that President Obama convened agrees that most of ObamaCare should be kept.  Unfortunately, they believe in order to keep it fiscally sustainable is for it to include Death Panels.  They laughed at Sarah Palin for predicting this.  I don’t hear anyone laughing now.

Speaking of Sarah Palin, Richard Cohen (no conservative, he) just can stop reading about (and apparently, can’t stop writing about) the former Alaska governor.  And in writing about her and her beliefs, he includes this bit of honesty:

The left just doesn’t get America. I say this as a fellow-traveler of liberalism and as one who recognizes that many liberals fear the heartland. They see it as a dark place of primitive religions and too many guns. For such a person, Palin is the perfect personification of the unknown and feared Ugly American who will emerge from the heartland to seize Washington, turning off all the lights and casting America into darkness. The left does not merely disagree with the right; it fears it.

Hospitals closing or ridden with crime.  Doctors quitting the medical practice or leaving the country to find greener pastures in which to practice.  Shortages of medical supplies.  While these are predictions of what will come with ObamaCare, we have yet another example of where socialized medicine is failing.  Mr. Obama, call Mr. Chavez to find out how well it’s working in Venezuela.  (Hint:  It’s not.)

The Christmas song “Silver Bells” was inspired by the sound of Salvation Army bell-ringers outside department stores.  But apparently familiarity breeds contempt.

The character of Aslan in the Narnia series of books, as well established in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, is an allegory for Jesus Christ.  That was C. S. Lewis’ purpose.  But Liam Neeson, who provides the voice for Aslan in the movie series, has apparently been infected with the political correctness syndrome that pervades Hollywood.

Ahead of the release of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader next Thursday, Neeson said: ‘Aslan symbolises a Christ-like figure but he also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries.

‘That’s who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids – that’s what he means for me.’

Mohammed and Buddha died for your sins?  Really?

Does Romans chapter 1 condemn homosexuality?  Some interpret it in such a way that it doesn’t, in spite of the words chosen.  John Stott takes apart such interpretations.

Bryan Longworth had an interesting tweet the other day.  “Comprehensive sex ed has been taught in schools 4 over 40 years. The results? Epedemic #STIs. How’s perversion working 4 U?”  Not so well, judging by the results.

And finally, Chuck Asay has some words for Democrats who are ostensibly fighting for the workers.  (Click for a larger version.)

Good morning.

Education.

1. US and not-US.
2. Spending and results.
3. Economics. (HT: Mankiw).
4. Advice for parents.

Furren Affairs

1. Islam and fear in the US.
2. Next up for Mr Assange’s projects.
3. Killing.
4. Movement.

Theology and thoughts

1. I think “happy, friendly” are not very good adjectives in that sentence.
2. Three friends.
3. Numbers and proof.

Humor.

1. Heh.
2. Awwwww.

Good morning.

1. Examining big government in a “follow the money” sort of manner.
2. Maximally bad payroll tax cut.
3. A problem with many popular macro-economic models is they have no spatial dependence.
4. A long criticism of Keynesian stimulus. (Update: missing link added)
5. Our government stimulus in action. Or not.
6. A curious notion, that after the new class goes to Congress the GOP will have effective control … seemingly in a way that exceeds the control that that the Dems exercised they controlled both houses and the Presidency.
7. Wildlife highway.
8. A government break in … and a moral drawn. It seems to me one missing moral (not drawn) is that when you decide to own a gun and aren’t in wartime you never ever ever ever [repeat] fire at a target you can’t see and fully identify.
9. People doing stuff.
10. Liberals hoisted (yet again) by their petard. Hmm, I thought the more significant petard hoisting regarding the left is that after decades putting barriers to industrial expansion they suddenly find that there are no “shovel ready” projects for their vaunted stimulus.
11. A duel re-imagined.
12. Wikileaks and WMD.
13. Election tech.

Good morning.

1. Why was that man arrested? 
2. Unimpressed by Mr Assange.
3. The tax deal and one economist. More here.
4. Of Ms Rhee and the unions.
5. Teeching cids goodly and the effect.
6. Widely? Widely!?! I doubt it. I’d bet that better than 99% of the US and 99.99999% of the world don’t even notice.
7. Scam.
8. Marriage and church and moving demographics.
9. To have your prayer heard.
10. A parent moment.
11. Racial inequality which will go unnoticed by the left, because their notions of racism and response are already fixed.
12. Talking with a Democrat.

Good morning.

1. Sin and the church … continued here.
2. Saint Nicholas and cinema.
3. Unemployment.
4. A suggested tactic for Mr Obama.
5. State budgets.
6. Taxes on the ‘wealthy’ and one view of the left from the right.
7. A view of the left from the libertarian perspective … on property rights.
8. The tax compromise viewed from the center.
9. Logic fail.
10. Supersymmetry and India.
11. Jews and fear.
12. Jesus and Paul.
13. Ozone and the south pole.
14. Secrets and critical weaknesses.

Well, weekends are, uhm, busy these days. Links?

1. Feminism flashback.
2. The estate tax.
3. Raich and Obamacare.
4. A unicorn.
5. Just dance.
6. Cuteness.
7. Cinema.
8. Unemployment insurance.
9. Saint Sabbas and his lavra.
10. Human and enemy.
11. The EU and state debt.
12. Openness and Mr Assange.
13. Eclpise on DVD? Huh? Eclipse has been a free download for years.
14. Between the educational laws restricting my choices for my daughter and crap like this, I think the next person who talks “childhood obesity” in my presence is going to receive a free snarl. 

Good morning.

1. Faith and Math?
2. The ironic predator.
3. What goes on in Washington.
4. This struck me as at the very least linguistically odd, “the use of force is not the last resort …” Doesn’t that mean that the writer thinks that there are things at come after the use of force then? That are more extreme or final?
5. When business and the GOP administrations cross pollinate, the Dems object loudly. Just sayin’.
6. Not agreeing with Mr Greenwald.
7. Well, it’s not like the economy needs new jobs anyhow right now.
8. Forgiveness in action.
9. Bucking the dogmas. 
10. Politics and science.
11. Modders, XBox and the law.
12. How many of those rights do you think are really rights?

Good morning.

1. Remembering Aleksander.
2. Defense and health.
3. Housing price index.
4. 33 martyrs.
5. Wikileaks and gitmo.
6. Suicidal liberalism.
7. The man himself.
8. 570.
9. Fanciful thoughts on stuxnet.
10. Dodd-Frank assessed in brief.
11. Three Christmases, perhaps it would help to give them three distinguishing names, like Nativity, the Winter Holidays, and the Decembrist Greed-Wagon. … hmmm perhaps the last needs work.
12. For the Palin fans. Here’s another … and geesh, Mr Sullivan is a truly reprehensible bigot. 
13. 10-4.
14. Obamacare working fer U.

Good morning.

1. Science and religion in debate.
2. Acting in economic interest.
3. No going back, dude.
4. The EU and Ireland. Oh, and a book … I bought it.
5. Not unrelated to the above.
6. Winter, Nativity, and a song.
7. Eschaton predicted.
8. 50 Quotes.
9. Contraception and Catholicism, three posts. One. Two. Three.
10. Brrrriinnng.
11. A financial bubble noted.
12. Nork … here and here.
13. And … Obamacare.