On Arms And The Law: Pro-RKBA attorney David Hardy, with the assistance of colleagues David Kopel and Stephen Halbrook and a grant from the NRA, has started a blog on legal aspects of the RKBA. http://www.armsandthelaw.com/ --- Arizona Gun-Safety Courses Face Hurdles: Opposition from the usual sources and the need to develop a curriculum suggest that it may be a while before the recently approved firearm-safety elective courses make their appearance in Arizona high schools. http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/metro/76297.php Video Available: Fox News video clip from Los Angeles includes a segment with Alan Korwin, RKBA activist and publisher, who was the driving force behind the legislation. (Note that the segments of youngsters shooting are from earlier programs - the new courses are not yet available.) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,157261,00.html --- From John Farnam: 17 May 05 Uncle Mike's has been compelled to recall several thousand Kydex Glock external/duty holsters with retention straps. Fobus had the same problem not long ago, and they too had to recall holsters. Uncle Mike's current problem is identical to Fobus'. A retention strap, integral with the holster, somehow gets inside the trigger guard as the pistol is holstered. In some cases, it exerts enough pressure on the trigger to cause a discharge as the gun is shoved into the holster. Like Fobus, Uncle Mikes has been compelled to redesign the strap in order to preclude this eventuality. Only time will tell if this fix permanently addresses this problem. I'm not sure if any of this is "foreseeable" before the fact, but the best duty holsters have now dispensed with retention straps altogether and instead rely on internal clamping devices that secure the trigger guard. The era of holster retention straps may indeed be over, particularly with kydex holsters. You'll not find any on holsters I use regularly for serious carry. /John (More details on both holsters available at http://www.thegunzone.com/glock/holster_recalls.html.) 20 May 05 On the importance of pistol skills, from a friend and student, currently in Iraq: "John, I'm working in Iraq at the moment, and I was interested to see you published in an article in SOF magazine about war and pistols. From personal experience, I agree entirely with you about pistol skills being of paramount importance. Yes, of course, it is not our primary weapon, but when you have to use it, the situation is bad and getting worse by the second, and your pistol is all you've got, so you'd better know how to use it quickly, accurately, and with deadly effect. Unfortunately, I have found pistol skills are not a priority for most. Furthermore, skill levels of most operators is deplorable. If you want to carry a pistol, then be competent with, it or it's just additional weight with no purpose. I hope more people will start sharing our sentiments about the importance of pistols, but I fear, from what I've seen here, it will come about only through learning the hard way for most." Lesson: We have lots of weapons, but pistols are the most important, because they are the most personal. Generals, politicians, and historians worry about the grand movement of world history. Each of us needs to worry about our own, personal welfare at the critical moment. If your individual defensive pistols skills are not up to par, shame on you! /John -- Stephen P. Wenger Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .