Good News

After the Idaho Statesman published a recent piece, someone claimed that I wasn't still teaching at College of Western Idaho.  To prove otherwise, I tried to login and found my account was gone.  I spoke to my department chair today; Obamacare strikes again.  To avoid being forced to provide health insurance for us, CWI removed all the accounts of adjuncts not currently teaching.  I am still on their list.

North Korea Threatens China

I used to think of North Korea as a Mafia pretending to be a Marxist/Leninist state.  But when I see them threatening the closest thing they have to an ally with nuclear weapons, I conclude their government is just insane.

Pick and Pluck Foam

Not sure who invented this but I hope they retired on the royalties. I just reconfigured my Pelican case to hold:

1. Pentax K10D with kit lens.

2. Tamron 80-200mm.

3. Pentax 100-300mm.

4. Phoenix 500mm.

5. Many different UV filters.

Awesome!

Heart

My cardiologist ordered an echocardiogram for next week.  This at least is comfortable, rather like an ultrasound looking at the heart instead of a baby.  I hope never to have another transesophagal ultrasound in which you swallow a huge probe under limited local anesthesia.

Those Missing Years of Pictures After My Hard Disk Crashed

I had forgotten, that most wre on the antique HP that my wife is now using, so I was able to restore most years including these:

Can't Claim I Am Surprised

3/30/16 The Guardian:

Revealed: how Associated Press cooperated with the Nazis

German historian shows how news agency retained access in 1930s by promising not to undermine strength of Hitler regime

 No surprise.  Walter Duranty actively lied to help cover up Soviet genocide.  I presume there are similar activities today by Democratic Party activists with bylines.

Wonder Why I Haven't Been Blogging Much?

I am the featured luncheon speaker at a Texas Bar Association CLE in Austin in September.  (Look under Firearms Law in that list.)  I was asked to write a paper to go with the presentation on Stand Your Ground Laws, and I have been doing that.  Contrary to what the media would like you to believe SYG laws are largely an outgrowth of attempts to protect women domestic violence.  I will put the paper up on SSRN in a day or two for your comments and entertainment.  Memorable lines:

John the Merchant takes offense, and soon voices have been raised, colorful expletives are exchanged, and fingers have been poked in each other’s chest, with increasing aggression.

When he entered the dwelling, making threats, Mrs. Livesay fired a warning shot into the wall.  This was apparently a bit too subtle of a hint to Mr. Livesay, at which point he shoved her against a wall and Mrs. Livesay either by accident (her claim) or on purpose (the prosecutor’s claim) shot and killed him. 

(Contrary to what might at first be assumed, “dangerous weapon” in the legal sense of that phrase does not necessarily include firearms, but can include pottery.

The second circumstance is death by “chance-medley” which sounds like someone randomly hitting buttons on a jukebox, but isn’t.