Australia: Violence accused get gun licences back: "Men who have previously been the subject of apprehended violence orders will be given the right to have the orders revoked so they can regain gun licences. The deal was cut by the Shooters Party with the Government and Opposition on the last parliamentary sitting day of the year. Under NSW law, anyone who was the subject of an apprehended violence order lost the right to a gun licence for 10 years. But under an amendment successfully moved by the Shooters MP Roy Smith to the Domestic Violence Act on Thursday, it will now be possible for those who have been subject of an apprehended violence order that has expired to have the order revoked. The deal is the latest the Government has done with Shooters Party MPs and follows a deal in June that saw a private member's bill from Mr Smith wind back some post-Port Arthur massacre laws. On that occasion Mr Smith won the right for people renewing their gun licences to forgo the 28-day waiting period and to forgo the similar waiting period when buying more firearms of a type they already possess."


MO: Alderman says residents should arm themselves : "A St. Louis alderman who said he is frustrated with police response to crime in his neighborhood is calling on residents to arm themselves to protect their lives and property. Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe said yesterday he is telling his north St. Louis constituents to acquire guns and learn how to use them. He said that "God-fearing, law-abiding citizens and homeowners" are being preyed upon by criminals and that police are ineffective, outnumbered or don't care. Troupe, 72, and a former state representative, said many people don't realize they have a constitutional right to bear arms that they can use to fend off an intruder. He supports Missouri's "conceal and carry" weapons law and is recruiting residents to take the required weapons safety course. Troupe said the wrong people own guns".


TX: Grassroots group petitions to allow open carry : "A grass-roots website is seeking to make Texas an `open carry' state, allowing citizens to wear unconcealed handguns. Texas is among only five states in the nation . that does not permit the unconcealed carrying of a handgun. The site, Opencarry.org, has similar petitions in every state but New York. Mike Stollenwerk, co-founder of the website, said it may come as a shock that a state as `pro-gun' as Texas has such restrictive laws on unconcealed handguns. `In most states, you don't need a permit,' he said. `Those outlying states, Texas is one of them, which is odd because it is so pro-gun. Certainly, there is some room for reform. We would like to go all the way.'"




Wacky: "Palm Pistol" aimed at elderly, disabled : "You've heard of the Palm Pilot? Well, here's the Palm Pistol. Constitution Arms, a small arms manufacturer based in Maplewood, N.J., is taking deposits for what it touts as the world's first ergonomically designed firearm. Intended for use by the elderly and disabled, the single-shot 9-mm weapon looks like a giant bean grasped in the palm of the hand. The barrel points out between the user's fingers. You `pull' the trigger by pressing on a thumbed button at the top. `Point and shoot couldn't be easier,' states the blurb on the product's Website. Even better, Constitution Arms says it's had it certified by the FDA as a `Class I Medical Device.' That means doctors could prescribe the handgun to qualified patients, who would then have some or all of the cost reimbursed by Medicare or private insurance."