PA: A viable alternative to a gun? "Somerset County District Attorney Jerry Spangler will not charge a man who fatally shot another man with a bow and arrow, saying today that changes in the state's Castle Doctrine factored into his decision. Mr. Spangler said the unidentified 38-year-old Center City man who confessed to shooting Tony L. Bittinger on Oct. 10 claimed he did so in self-defense. Mr. Bittinger was found shot through the chest with an arrow near the front steps to the man's house. Trooper Joseph Drzal said Mr. Bittinger, who had been romantically involved with the man's wife, made several threatening phone calls to the man before driving up to his home to confront him. There, he threatened the man with a heavy wooden club. The man told him to leave repeatedly. When Mr. Bittinger attempted to come up the stairs, the man shot him in the chest with an arrow. He died before first responders arrived." [Might be useful in NYC]


Loony British gun control: "A taxi driver shot dead three women on New Year’s Day after being allowed to keep six guns – even though he had previously threatened to kill himself. Michael Atherton, 42, was licensed to own the small arsenal despite being investigated three years earlier when officers were tipped off about his mood swings. On Sunday night, he opened fire at will, killing partner Susan McGoldrick and two of her female relatives before turning the gun on himself. Atherton, who is believed to have been recently suffering from depression, also wounded stepdaughter Laura McGoldrick, 19, in the late-night rampage inside the family home. She witnessed the bloodbath and survived only by escaping through a first-floor window and jumping to safety. The bloodsoaked teenager then raised the alarm. Relatives were yesterday devastated by the ‘senseless’ murders and questions were being asked about why Atherton was still a lawful holder of the guns."


In Smith and Wesson We Trust (and It Looks Like Santa Does Too): "It seems that a lot of adults now go to bed on Christmas Eve dreaming of what Santa might bring them as well: especially when the number one thing on their list is a Walther .380 or a Glock model 27 or a Springfield XD subcompact 9mm, all of which are splendid guns for concealed carry permit holders. As a matter of fact, judging from sales receipts and FBI reports regarding sales for December 2011, it seems that Santa delivered at least 1.5 million firearms for Christmas. Not only is this news in light of the fact that it required the FBI to do a record setting number of background checks in a month – 1.5 million in December alone – but also because it continues to highlight what has been a growing trend among people of all walks of life: namely, folks are less and less trustful of government’s ability to keep them safe."