DC Blinks: The D.C. Council approved emergency legislation Tuesday that would legalize semi-automatic handguns in the District and ease storage requirements for gun owners, while the Democrat-led Congress took steps to trump the city's home-rule authority and set its own terms for relaxed gun ownership in the nation's capital. The race to comply with the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that struck down the District's handgun ban proceeded on parallel tracks, driven in part by election-year desires by congressional lawmakers from both parties to show they support gun rights. The council passed its bill by unanimous voice vote just minutes before Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District's congressional representative, testified in the House against a federal law that would further relax gun control in the District and limit city officials' ability to regulate guns... http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/sep/17/dc-passes-gun-law-but-house-looms/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/16/AR2008091602223.html --- A Bit More History: ...Politicians like Barack Obama and Joe Biden don't believe in protecting our firearms industry from lawsuits. In fact, they've both made it clear that they would target our nation's firearms manufacturers. Biden voted against the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, and Obama praised the junk lawsuits filed by anti-gun mayors on behalf of the Brady Campaign. Obama went even further, calling for a 500 percent increase in taxes on firearms and ammunition, which would kill off the firearms industry in this country... http://www.nranews.com/blogarticle.aspx?blogPostId=448 --- The Plot Thickens in Ohio Open-Carry Incident: ...After scouring the Ohio Revised Code, I can find no mention of an 85% rule that delineates between what is openly carrying and what is concealed carrying. However, were I to find such a standard of measure, would that mean that the chief is admitting to causing this incident over the fact that Mr. Farbrother was carrying a concealed firearm (which he does have a license to do)? Or, does the fact that the chief saw 15% of the firearm mean that it was, in fact, openly carried and that he will now admit they were at fault? http://www.ohioccw.org/content/view/4060/53/ --- Howard Nemerov, RKBA Advocate: ...It was actually one of his patients who slowly started to change Nemerov's mind when it came to gun control. Nemerov said that he had the utmost respect for his patient, who was a police officer and a former member of the Special Forces. The patient and Nemerov would often discuss politics during their sessions and the patient was often vocal about his pro-gun stance. Nemerov felt that if someone that he respected had a totally different view on gun control, then there must be more to the issue and decided to research it. To conduct his research, Nemerov decided to only use statistics from Healthcare organizations, government sources, and gun control organizations. For his initial study, he decided to purposely discard any data that came directly from pro-gun organizations such as the Second Amendment Foundation, the Gun Owners of America, and the National Rifle Association... http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/5984 --- New Hampshire Pistol/Revolver License: ...From what bit of research I had done in the past, I decided to check out the New Hampshire Non-Resident Pistol/Revolver license, as it is only 20 bucks for a four-year term, and would give me carrying rights in Alabama, as well as other states which I would really not need immediately... (New Hampshire does require that you have a permit from your home state in order to issue you a non-resident permit.) http://www.ohioccw.org/content/view/4061/53/ --- New Sniper Scope Sees Through Mirages: ...Heat haze ordinarily throws off snipers. But SRVS changes heat haze from an obstruction into a means of enhancing the view. An effect called " turbulence-induced micro-lensing" means that every instant the heated air acts as a series of lenses; at a given moment you may be able to look right through them and see a magnified view of the scene beyond. The trick is to use digital technology to identify the "lucky regions" or "lucky frames" when a clear view appears and assemble them into a complete picture. The end result is a portable device 35 centimeters long and weighing two kilogram with an unprecedented capability. This sniper scope can beat the 'diffraction limit,' which defines the best that any other optical device can do - in conditions of severe heat haze, no less... http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/09/super-sniper-sc.html --- Deep-Cover Holsters: I'm not eager to post this, but an airline pilot friend of mine told me that my AD changed his mind about how he carries on duty, and maybe my story will change someone elses' mind as well...One big problem with the CZ 82 is finding a holster. I had looked at a lot of holsters and was intrigued with the Smart Carry holster for deep concealment. Reno had a big gun show at the end of August, and I had hoped to find the folks from Smart Carry there so I could look at their holsters 'up close'. Instead, I found someone selling a nylon version of this holster. He claimed that this holster was thinner and the nylon was tougher than the Smart Carry material, so the holster would last longer. At $30 the price was right, and the CZ snuggled into the pocket like it was made for it...I walked for three or four hundred yards along the river, as usual. Coming back there is a point at which I have to stop and pull the stickers out of my little Schnauzers fur. I squatted down to pull the stickers, and the weapon discharged one round into my groin... http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=393304 --- From The Firearms Coalition: Sarah Brady is not happy about Sarah Palin so she's using her as a fundraising issue. Frankly, if Sarah Brady doesn't like Sarah Palin, that's just one more reason for me to like Sarah Palin. On the other side of that coin, a few days ago Brady sent out another letter praising Barack Obama's choice of Joe Biden as his VP running mate. Again, Sarah Brady's endorsement is just more reason to be concerned about Obama and Biden. Below is an "Urgent Alert" sent out by the Brady Campaign Against Guns: Close Down the Gun Lobby's Office in the White House! Sarah Palin makes me nervous. The NRA gave her its highest rating during her run for Governor. In a candidate questionnaire for Governor, she equated gun control as being as much of a threat to families as drugs and gangs! With the Republican nomination of lifetime NRA member Sarah Palin for Vice President, the NRA has just what it's looking for to keep its White House office open. You remember, don't you? Before the 2000 election, an NRA Vice President gloated to his members that with George W. Bush as President, "We'll have . . . a president where we work out of their office!" The Brady Campaign needs your support to close down the gun lobby's "office" in the White House. The election is just weeks away. I need your help now to defeat those who will do the gun lobby's bidding and elect those candidates who support sensible gun laws that protect you, your family and your community. Please contribute to the Brady Campaign (Firearms Coalition) today. Thank you. Best regards, Sarah Brady, Chair Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence -- The Brady's have been asking supporters to sign up for automatic credit card contributions of $5 to $20 dollars or more every month. This is really a good idea and we at The Firearms Coalition would be happy to accept such commitments. Having automatic contributions makes it much easier for us to plan and budget and it makes your life easier too. If you would like to have a contribution of $5 or more automatically billed to your credit card, you can drop a note with your credit card information and the amount and frequency (monthly or quarterly) to: The Firearms Coalition P.O. Box 3313 Manassas, VA 20108 or give us a call at area code 703, number 753-0424 and let us know what you'd like to do. We're even offering some small premiums to thank supporters who contribute in this way. Please help if you can. Yours for the Second Amendment, Jeff Knox Director, The Firearms Coalition P.S. I hope to see many of you at the Gun Rights Policy Conference in Phoenix September 26, 27, and 28. It is a free event with tons of free books and information and is a great opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow activists and leaders of the gun rights movement. Plan to attend if you can. -JAK -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .