MORON POLICE CHIEF

Another cash-checking business in Monterey was robbed Friday morning. But this time, the victim, a woman, fought back, firing a gun at the robber, who was armed with two handguns, police said. However, the bullet fired by the business owner apparently did not strike the robber, who got away and was still being sought by law officers this morning.

It happened just before 9 a.m. Friday at the Hair Depot on W. Commercial Ave., the main street in Monterey. The hair salon also includes a cash-checking business which is used by many Perdue Farms employees, police said. Two women, the owner and her sister, were working in the business at the time, and a Hispanic man who is a regular customer was in the store getting his check cashed when a masked man with a pistol in each hand entered and demanded money, according to Putnam Sheriff's Detective Shane Higgenbotham.

The owner of the business was counting out the customer's cash and had just placed $404 on the counter when the robber walked in and shouted, "This is a robbery, this is a robbery," according to Higgenbotham, who interviewed the victims on Friday. The owner said the robber pointed one of his guns at her and one at her customer, and when she shoved the money on the counter toward him, he shouted, "I mean all the money," the detective's report says. The owner then reached down to a drawer under the counter as if to get more cash, but instead, pulled out her own pistol and pointed it at the robber, telling him, "Something is going to happen to one of us," the report says.

The robber, who did not appear to be afraid, told her, "Shoot me." But he did start backing up in the direction of the front door, while keeping his guns pointed at her. As he reached the front door, the owner fired her pistol "and then ducked down in case he returned fire," Higgenbotham said. And though she felt she had fired "right at the robber," the bullet apparently did not strike him, she told Detective Higgenbotham. "After she shot at him, she believes he stopped and she thought he was going to fall, but instead, he grabbed the door handle and exited the store," the report says.....

Leads and suspects have been developed in the current case, and Monterey Police patrol of the city's businesses has been stepped up, Police Chief Bruce Breedlove told the Herald-Citizen this morning. "This is the second robbery of a check cashing business within a month, and we are working on both cases and hope to make arrests," Chief Breedlove said. "We are also putting more patrol attention to all businesses."

He also noted that it is "not a good idea for victims to resist armed robbers." "I know that victims sometimes want to fight back, but it is much safer not to resist," Chief Breedlove said. [Yeah! Just let yourself get shot!]

More here




SOUND GUN USED

The crew of a luxury cruise ship used a sonic weapon that blasts earsplitting noise in a directed beam while being attacked by a gang of pirates off Africa this weekend, the cruise line said Monday. The Seabourn Spirit had a Long Range Acoustic Device, or LRAD, installed as a part of its defense systems, said Bruce Good, a spokesman for Miami-based Seabourn Cruise Line. The Spirit was about 100 miles off Somalia when pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns as they tried to get onboard.

The subsidiary of Carnival Corp. was investigating whether the weapon was successful in warding off the pirates, he said. The ship's captain also changed its course, shifted into high speed and headed out into the open sea to elude the pirates, who were in two small boats, he said. He had no further details.

Device maker American Technology Corp. said earsplitting "bangs" were directed by trained security personnel toward the pirates. That, combined with ship maneuvers, caused the attackers to leave the area, the company said. The LRAD is a so-called "non-lethal weapon" developed for the U.S. military after the 2000 attack on the USS Cole off Yemen as a way to keep operators of small boats from approaching U.S. warships.

The military version is a 45-pound, dish-shaped device that can direct a high-pitched, piercing tone with a tight beam. Neither the LRAD's operators or others in the immediate area are affected. American Technology, based in San Diego, compares its shrill tone to that of smoke detectors, only much louder. It can be as loud as about 150 decibels, while smoke alarms are about 80 to 90 decibels. The devices have been deployed on commercial and naval vessels worldwide since summer 2003, the company said.

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Ship outruns guns: "Pirates armed with grenade launchers and machine guns tried to hijack a luxury cruise liner off the east African coast Saturday, but the ship outran them, officials said. Two boats full of pirates approached the Seabourn Spirit about 100 miles off the Somali coast and opened fire while the heavily armed bandits tried to get onboard, said Bruce Good, spokesman for the Miami-based Seabourn Cruise Line, a subsidiary of Carnival. The crew enabled the ship to escape by shifting to high speed and changing course. The 161-member crew gathered the passengers into a central lounge away from windows and decks during the attack, Good said. Norman Fisher, 55, a passenger, said the captain tried to ram one of the pirate boats in an attempt to capsize it and stop the pirates from getting aboard.... The attackers never got close enough to board the Spirit, but one crew member was injured by shrapnel, cruise line President Deborah Natansohn said.... The vessel's 151 passengers, mostly Americans with some Australians and Europeans, were unhurt. The Press Association, a British news agency, said passengers awoke to the sound of gunfire as two 25-foot inflatable boats approached.... "There were at least three rocket-propelled grenades that hit the ship, one in a stateroom," Laird wrote. "We had no idea that this ship could move as fast as it did and [the captain] did his best to run down the pirates.""


Georgia: Homeowner will not be charged in shooting: "Police will not charge a Macon man who shot a burglary suspect in the arm Friday night on Houston Avenue, Macon police said. Hubert O'Neal, 39, was shot twice in the arm and charged with burglary, according to a police report. He told police he was shot during a drive-by shooting, the report stated. The shooter, Robert Nichols, 60, told police that he saw a man in his fenced-in yard shortly before midnight Friday, the report said. Nichols told police that he followed the man to the side of the house and the man came at him, the report stated. Nichols said he shot six bullets at the man, who jumped the fence and ran away."

Alabama: 80-year-old goes down fighting: "'Brutal' and 'gruesome' are the adjectives Athens Police Chief Wayne Harper is using to describe the shooting and stabbing death of an 80-year-old Athens man who apparently fought with and shot his assailant. Police plan to get an arrest warrant charging a suspect, who is in serious condition at Huntsville Hospital, with capital murder. ... The victim, Charlie Newman of 611 North Hine St., was a retired contractor and builder who lived alone in his multi-story brick home. Neighbors said he was quiet and kept to himself. Someone encroached on Newman's solitude Halloween night, shot him once in the chest and stabbed him numerous times, Harper said. The chief did not know the number of stab wounds but said a preliminary autopsy indicates Newman died of massive blood loss. 'I would never in my life have thought Charlie would go down without a fight, so there is some consolation in that he shot the person who did this to him, which probably helped police find a suspect,' said Newman's minister, The Rev. Patrick Lawrence of Berea Baptist Church."


Louisiana: Homeowner shoots burglar: "Police said a couple arrived at their home about 6 a.m. today and found their home burglarized. They were in the house about two hours later when another burglary attempt occurred. 'They fired shots at this individual,' Police Department spokeswoman Kacee Hargrave said. 'We believe the suspect was shot. We have a blood trail that's leading from the house.'"

Oklahoma: Intruder shot and killed : "The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says one of two men who allegedly broke into an Okmulgee home was shot and killed by someone inside the home. It happened late Sunday night. Investigators say the two men, who have not been identified, came through the front door and that shots were exchanged between them and 26-year-old Brian Currin, who was inside. One of the suspects was struck several times by the gunfire and died at the scene. The second suspect ran from the home and has not been arrested."

Ohio: Man, 83, discusses shooting at home: "Walter Swita used a German Luger 9 mm pistol he brought home from World War II to shoot an intruder he suspects robbed him a few weeks ago. The intruder, Benjamin Brooks, 44, of East Philadelphia Avenue, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Health Center. Swita shot him in the head and chest around 10:30 p.m. Friday. Brooks, whose record included robbery and breaking and entering, lived around the corner from Swita. 'Watch out for the blood on the rug,' Swita, 83, said as he welcomed a reporter into the living room of his South Avenue home Monday. 'That's his blood. I hit my head on the TV stand when we fell.'"

South Carolina: Police investigating shooting death : "An Anderson man was shot and killed early Sunday morning, authorities said. Vernon Honeycutt died around 2 a.m., roughly two hours after being shot on Sayre Street, said police. Honeycutt died at Anderson Area Medical Center. Police said a woman shot Honeycutt to stop him from beating her daughter."


Keep the canary alive : "Congress finally did something right, and we should all applaud. The Senate and the House passed a law that shields gun manufacturers from politically-motivated lawsuits. ... Machiavelli once remarked that the Swiss were the 'most armed and most free' people in Europe. When the day comes that your government tells you it is forbidden for you to own and keep a firearm, you will no longer be living in a free country. A government that is afraid of its own citizens is undemocratic and authoritarian. The Second Amendment is the canary that monitors our freedom. When it dies, freedom dies. Even if you don't wish to own a firearm, you should join the National Rifle Association and defend the Second Amendment against those who want the government to have a monopoly on force."



'Land of the Free' or Land of the Goons?: "It was something we never believed we would see in the United States: Armed police and National Guardsmen taking firearms from law-abiding citizens -- at gunpoint. This happened in New Orleans, beginning about 11 days after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city and other Gulf Coast areas. Not only did it happen, but the officers and soldiers weren't very gentle about it. For whatever reason, local officials decided that even lightly hit residential areas had to be evacuated, forcefully if necessary. Police entered the home of elderly Patricia Konie, who told them she did not want to leave her home and ordered them out of her house. She said she could protect her home and possessions with her gun, which police asked to see. Konie displayed a small pistol in her open palm and a big cop body-slammed her into a wall, took her gun and dragged her outside to be forcefully evacuated. This happened in America, 'Land of the Free.'"

Florida: Man dies after breaking into home : "A 44-year-old man who broke into a Mulberry Street house Sunday night, fought with its two residents and collapsed as police led him out in handcuffs died later at Halifax Medical Center, authorities said. Paul and Shelly Laughman were in their house on the 600 block of Mulberry Street about 6:30 p.m. when a man punched their front door. Shelly ran to lock it, but the man kicked in a plastic window and clawed his way into her home. 'He had a crazy look in his eyes,' Shelly said, 'and he mumbled something that sounded like I'm not here to hurt you.' Shelly, 36, screamed for her husband, who was sleeping in the other room. He dashed over and wrestled with the man in their living room. While the men were wrestling, Shelley called police and grabbed a shotgun from a closet. Paul, 52, pinned the man on the floor and Shelly aimed the shotgun at him, she said. Paul let the man up slowly and said to him, 'We've called the police. We've got a gun. Just go.' The man stared at them for a moment; the shotgun still aimed at him. The man then rushed at Paul again, the couple said. Shelly aimed the shotgun and pulled the trigger, but the safety was still on and the gun never fired. Eventually, Paul would need the help of a neighbor to subdue the man again."


New Hampshire: No license needed to openly carry gun: "'The streets are not running red with blood out here,' said Elbert I. Bicknell, who was in Arizona last week. He said he can walk into a store with his holstered gun on his hip and 'nobody even takes a second look at me.' Bicknell is from Northwood, a Republican state representative, a retired state trooper and president of Gun Owners of New Hampshire. ... New Hampshire allows most people -- convicted felons are excluded -- to carry a loaded pistol in plain sight in public or a concealed unloaded weapon. No license is required. Under law that dates back to 1923, a pistol license issued by local authorities in the community of residence is necessary only if the individual intends to carry the weapon concealed and loaded, or loaded in a motor vehicle."


Florida: Bill seeks to limit gun confiscation: "Police shouldn't be allowed to confiscate guns from hurricane victims as they reportedly did in New Orleans, said a state lawmaker who has introduced legislation to make sure that doesn't happen in Florida. The National Rifle Association supports the bill from state Rep. Mitch Needleman, R-Melbourne, but Gov. Jeb Bush questioned it Friday. ... The bill (HB 285) would amend a law that permits the governor to suspend the sale, dispensing or transportation of firearms. It would add that nothing in the law 'shall be construed to authorize the seizure, taking or confiscation of firearms that are lawfully possessed.' 'We have an opportunity to reassert the right to bear arms and avoid the clear violation that occurred in Louisiana,' Needleman said in a prepared statement."

Woman appointed as shotgun coach: "In late September, Leslie York was among a handful of women at the Tennessee Clay Target Complex in Nashville to become an NRA/USAS/CMP Appointed Shotgun Coaches. She became the state's first female Appointed Shotgun Coach. York, from White Pigeon, is a staunch advocate of women in the shooting sports and the Michigan State Coordinator of the Second Amendment sisters, a national women's advocacy group. She is also a Hunter Safety Instructor for the State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources as well as a Shotgun Instructor in Women in the Outdoors events and 4-H Shotgun Instructor. In what has been a male-dominated sport for generations, women are making steps forward in sport shooting and proving themselves to be competitive and proficient in all aspects of the sports. These women have now pushed ahead into the professional realm of competitive shotgun shooting - Coaching".


Dreamers cannot admit it when they get it wrong: "Consider for example the firearms laws in Washington DC. While there are doubtless some politicians there who maintain that no one be permitted the means to self defense purely to acquire and assert their own power, I'd be willing to bet that the majority who favor such stringent gun control actually think they're doing the right thing. Their reasons are unassailable: They want to protect citizens, particularly children. Their methodology, however, will only work in a fantasy land where criminals obey laws. Since there is no such place, gun control in Washington (as well as New York City and Chicago) has succeeded only in disarming the law abiding and creating a haven for armed bad guys. The firearms laws in Washington (and anywhere else) that are causing the problem could be repealed tomorrow. But for that to happen, those who consistently vote for even more draconian gun control are going to have to admit that what they're doing isn't working, and that it never will. Unfortunately, instead of taking a look at the facts, their good intentions often override all else with thoughts of still more laws instead - which only stimulates a freedom-stealing monster that feeds on itself when those laws don't work any better than the existing laws do.


Australia: Lucky this guy was good with a sword: "A householder has fought back against two armed intruders, killing one with a sword he seized from his attackers, police said. A second intruder fled with cuts to his hands and legs after the attempted armed burglary in Melbourne's south-east early today. Police said two intruders armed with weapons including a gun and a sword, tied up and assaulted the two occupants of a home in Noble Park about 12.30am (AEDT), and demanded money. But one of the occupants, a man in his 30s known as Johnny, broke free and fought back, grabbing one of his attackers' weapons, police said. "While the intruders were in the house the man was able to get hold of a sword it is believed one of the intruders brought with them," a spokesman said. "One intruder was killed by the man at the house and the other intruder injured. Police are still seeking the second intruder."

Nevada: Man shoots would-be robber : "A 38-year-old man with a permit to carry a concealed firearm shot one of two men accused of trying to rob him at a car wash late Monday, Reno police said. Luis Alfredo Aguirre, 18, of Reno was booked into the Washoe County Jail on suspicion of attempted armed robbery. His cousin, Jorge Aguilar, 21, of Reno, was treated Tuesday at Washoe Medical Center for a bullet wound in his liver .... Police said the the cousins are known gang members."


Knife does the job: "The day after three hurricane evacuees were charged with capital murder in the death of an elderly Pasadena woman, a New Orleans evacuee was killed in Houston on Sunday by the owner of a pickup he tried to steal, police said. Stacy Joseph Johnson, 38, was fatally stabbed about 12:30 a.m. in a struggle that erupted during the carjacking in the 8100 block of Rockhill, police said. Police said the owner, 18, apparently stabbed Johnson when he tried to steal the pickup at knifepoint. After the confrontation, the owner ran to a nearby apartment complex where he called for help, police said. The pickup's owner and a friend were wounded in the altercation and treated at area hospitals".


Nutty Australian bureaucracy: "Western Queensland gun owners will face a safety audit to ensure their weapons are being stored correctly. The six-month state-wide audit will see police make appointments with randomly selected licenced weapon holders to inspect their storage facilities. Weapons licencing branch Inspector Mike Crowley says the move is all about positive re-inforcement. 'The legislation is very clear on how firearms are to be stored, and this is purely put in place to act as a safety guideline, for not only the individual but the community at large,' he said. 'It's very important that people who have firearms secure them so they do not fall into the hands of inappropriate people or those people not authorised to possess them.'"

Employers' new worry: Guns at work: "Employers are grappling with an emerging liability issue that combines workplace safety and employee rights: guns in the workplace. A bill recently introduced in Florida would allow employees to bring handguns to work, as long as the guns remain locked inside their vehicles. With 10 sponsors, the proposal is gaining momentum and should be decided in the next legislative session, which begins in March 2006. Utah introduced a bill last term that would challenge employers' rights to restrict guns on their property. It is expected to reappear in the upcoming term in January. These latest initiatives follow laws passed in 2004 in Oklahoma and Kentucky that go even further in prohibiting employers from outlawing guns in the workplace."


Legislation weakens gun rights: "Legislation providing relief from predatory lawsuits is long overdue. The same protection should be extended to all products, but firearms are the only ones singled out by lawsuits intended to bankrupt an entire industry. At least two companies have already gone under. ... Senate Bill 397 contained a provision that will require retail gun sellers to provide a gun lock of some kind with every handgun. The effect of this provision is to encourage handgun owners to lock up their safety -- something that criminals will never do. To prevent guns from being stolen, safes should be used. Otherwise, a gun intended for self-defense should not be encumbered by some device that only locks up one's safety."

Thailand: Queen urges self defense for locals : "Her Majesty the Queen has suggested that self-defence training be provided for local residents living around a Buddhist temple in Pattani where an elderly monk and two temple boys were brutally murdered on October 16. Gen Napol Boonthap, the deputy aide-de-camp, has been asked to coordinate with the army to provide the training in self-defence to locals living near Wat Phromprasit in Panare district. ... The applicants, including 10 women, were aged from 16-66. They will undergo training for six days, said Lt-Col Pakorn. Afterwards, the trainees would be responsible for guarding their communities. Around 15 shotguns would be handed out to the villagers. 'Her Majesty the Queen wants locals to be trained so they can use weapons in self-defence and to protect their villages and temple,' Lt-Col Pakorn said."


Two Texans shoot two intruders in two days : "Some homeowners have taken the law into their own hands. In the last couple of days, two people have shot burglars they said were trying to get into their homes. The first incident happened Saturday morning in Grand Prairie. A homeowner shot and killed a suspected burglar in the 2800 block of Lake Park Drive. It happened again Sunday night in Dallas when Clyde Buchanan said he shot an intruder in the 2800 block of Arizona Avenue."


We will not remain defenseless: "What were they thinking? Of course, I am referring to the illegal and wrongful seizure of firearms in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit. The National Guard and Police were supposed to be helping people get needed supplies like food and water, not confiscating firearms inside the personal household of victims. ... San Francisco is now proposing Proposition H which would ban ALL handguns from the city. Both New Orleans and San Francisco official have always been notoriously anti-gun and perhaps they saw this disaster as the golden opportunity to ban guns from law abiding citizens that only want to defend themselves."

Australian firearms legislation has failed, says a top Australian crime statistician: "Gun ownership is rising and there is no definitive evidence that a decade of restrictive firearms laws has done anything to reduce weapon-related crime, according to NSW's top criminal statistician. The latest figures show a renaissance in firearm ownership in the state - a 25 per cent increase in three years. And the head of the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Don Weatherburn, said falls in armed robberies and abductions in NSW in the past few years had more to do with the heroin drought and good policing than firearms legislation. Even falls in the homicide rate, which have been steady, began long before the gun law debate provoked by the Port Arthur massacre in 1996. Nationwide, the proportion of robberies involving weapons is the same as it was in 1996, while the proportion of abductions involving weapons is higher, the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics fiures reveal. They show a mixed result in firearms-related offences since the mid-1990s. There has been a fall in firearms murders (from 32 to 13 per cent) but a rise (19 to 23 per cent) in attempted murders involving guns. "I would need to see more convincing evidence than there is to be able to say that gun laws have had any effect," Dr Weatherburn said."


S.397 - Victory or Failure?: "Senate Bill 397 -- a bill that grants legal immunity to firearm dealers and manufacturers in the event of wrongful misuse of their products by a third party -- passed the House and the Senate and is expected to be signed into law by President Bush. The anti-gun clauses that were added to the bill have left many in the gun rights community debating about the true benefits of this legislation, particularly since a similar bill -- H.R. 800 -- was also introduced but contained no anti-gun aspects."


Arkansas: Police investigate home invasion : "Shots rang out in a Fort Smith neighborhood Thursday, part of what police now say was an attempted home invasion. According to police, a man who just got out of jail tried to get back into a home where he once lived. About 1 p.m. Thursday, police said Marvin Wilson, 42, showed up at a home on the corner of 46th and Kinkead. Wilson's brother and another woman who lived inside would not let him in the home. That's when, police said, he got angry, which caused Alonzo Wilson -- Marvin's brother -- to use force to keep him out. Officials said they believe he fired one shot at Marvin Wilson, who was not hit. Marvin Wilson reportedly took off in his car but did not get far."

HYPOCRITICAL HOLLYWOOD

But they have always been such models of good character, of course

PISTOL-packing Joe Mantegna is blasting a chink in the politically correct armor of some Hollywood heavyweights - he says they love to own and shoot guns. The "Joan of Arcadia" star says that such left-leaning showbiz types as Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and playwright David Mamet are all avid shooters. "Lots of guys in Hollywood love to shoot," Mantegna, a longtime gun sportsman, tells Fade In magazine. "But they ain't gonna talk to you."

"Apocalypse Now" screenwriter John Milius agrees. "It's fascinating that Hollywood is so hypocritical," he says. "Many people own [guns], but consistently vote against them and never talk about them. I used to shoot with Spielberg and [Robert] Zemeckis and Robert Stack. But no one else would admit they had any."

Producer/manager Jay Bernstein, who shepherded Farrah Fawcett and Linda Evans to fame, carries a gun in public and is prone to flashing it at Hollywood parties. But even he won't confirm that he has a Carry Concealed Weapons permit. "It's one of the most uncomfortable subjects," Bernstein says, "because 'anti-gun' is more popular than 'gun' in Los Angeles."

As if to illustrate Bernstein's point, well-known gun enthusiasts Ben Affleck, Charlie Sheen, Tom Selleck and Steven Seagal wanted nothing to do with Fade In's story. Even gung-ho action director Richard Donner ("Lethal Weapon"), who has a concealed weapon permit, was reluctant to talk. "I am anything but a gun enthusiast," he said in a terse statement. "The only reason I would ever own a gun is for the protection of my home, my environment or my family under the circumstances in which I am forced to live."

Fade In says Seagal, Sylvester Stallone, music mogul Tommy Mottola and billionaire Kirk Kerkorian are among a mere 500 people licensed to carry a gun in public in Los Angeles County (pop. 9.8 million).

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Canada: Feds target gun firms for frivolous suits: "The Canadian government is looking into ways to sue U.S. gun manufacturers for the spread of illegal weapons into this country, the Toronto Star reported yesterday. The action is just one part of a multi-faceted crackdown on gun crime due to be unveiled by the end of November. The package will follow months of unusual violence in Toronto. Of the 61 homicides so far in the city this year, 41 have involved firearms. The policy will also be seen as another shot by the federal government across the bow of Canada-U.S. relations."


Anti-gun groups call for ban on crown molding: "An arrest was made today in the tragic death of the wife of famed attorney, Daniel Horowitz. A sixteen-year-old boy was arrested, and it was disclosed that the boy used crown molding to beat Horowitz's wife to death. Anti-gun groups and Democrat politicians immediately pointed to the extreme dangers of crown molding and called upon President Bush to ban all crown molding. 'This clearly shows that the president has been asleep at the wheel by allowing crown molding to proliferate around the country and cause countless tragic deaths,' said Hillary Clinton. 'No state currently requires background checks or has an age limitation for the purchase of crown molding. There is no valid reason why anyone would have a need to own crown molding. Other countries don't use crown molding. We're barbaric and backwards here in America when it comes to crown molding.'"

CANADA HAS BANNED GUNS AND GOT A CRIME-WAVE IN RESPONSE. NOW THEY ARE BANNING CEREMONIAL DAGGERS. I WONDER WHERE THAT LOGIC LEADS US?

And note that Sikhs are NOT Moslems. It is a different religion altogether

A Sikh man is considering taking Via Rail to the Ontario Human Rights Commission because the Crown corporation won't let him wear his ceremonial dagger on its trains. On Friday, Balpreet Singh was ordered off a Via train as he was about to travel home to Toronto. Another passenger had complained about his kirpan. "To be led off a train that's filled ... [is] absolutely humiliating," said the first-year law student at the University of Ottawa. Singh, 24, says he wears the kirpan for religious reasons. He says he is never without it, even while attending class. "This is essentially one of the signs of the Sikh faith," he said. "It's absolutely required. I'm never apart from this, whether I'm sleeping or whatever. It's basically considered part of my body. "I consider that one of my fundamental freedoms ... [and my] freedom of religion is being infringed."

Via has a policy of not allowing anything that could be considered a weapon on its trains, even if that weapon is only used for ceremonial purposes. News of Singh's situation dismayed the prime minister's parliamentary secretary, Navdeep Bains. The Toronto-area member of Parliament, who is also a Sikh, says he's never had a problem wearing a kirpan in the House of Commons. He says he's disappointed that a Crown corporation would try to ban them. Bains said he plans to take the issue up with the federal transport minister and with Via's board of directors.

In Canada, the debate over whether to allow Sikhs to wear kirpans in public places has been going on for more than a decade. As well as Via trains, the daggers are banned from airplanes, Greyhound buses and some schools.

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Nevada: New policy affects gun buyers: "The federal government is worried about how guns are sold in Nevada. So now the Sheriff's Association and the state are changing the process. The federal government says a lack of uniform policies in Nevada regarding background checks is a concern for them and could become a public safety issue. So starting Sunday, the process of buying a gun, for some, will change. A federal audit shows some Nevada sheriffs are not conducting yearly checks on concealed weapon's permit holders. As a result, the state is changing its policy and now mandating permit holders, go through federal or Brady background checks when buying a new gun. 'My understanding is a sheriff, or two, in Northern Nevada were doing sloppy background checks, issuing the permits because they knew the individuals,' said Bob Irwin, the Gun Store."


Gun possession now OK at FEMA temporary housing: "Following complaints from gun-rights groups, FEMA said Monday it is lifting a ban on firearms at emergency housing parks built in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Under the new federal policy, residents can possess and store firearms. Use of weapons is still prohibited in the parks, said Butch Kinerny, a spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Gun rights groups had sought the change, saying the original policy violated Second Amendment protections for gun ownership."

UK: Police get new shoot-to-kill powers: "Scotland Yard's 'shoot to kill' strategy has been widened to include other offences such as kidnapping, stalking and domestic violence, The Independent has learned. However, the decision to shoot a suspect in the head without the marksman giving a warning would only be used under exceptional circumstances, one of the country's most senior police chiefs said yesterday. The Operation Kratos shoot-to-kill policy was adopted to deal with suicide bombers but a review has identified other types of crimes in which a firearms officer could shoot to kill without issuing any challenge."



Anti-gun U.N.: "The United Nations is trying to ban guns again. The latest "small-arms treaty" seeks to abolish the right of any citizens to own virtually any kind of firearm. In the United States, such an effort would strike at the heart of the Constitution�s Second Amendment. Recently appointed U.S. diplomat John Bolton has already stated his view on this activity, as quoted by NRA Executive Wayne LaPierre in The American Rifleman, �The United States will not join consensus on a final document that contains measures contrary to our constitutional right to keep and bear arms.�"



NRA's new leader shoots holes in stereotypes: "As a Jewish woman and Harvard-educated lawyer who practiced law in Los Angeles, Sandra Froman admits that, at least on paper, she doesn't seem a natural choice to lead the National Rifle Association (NRA). But the Second Amendment, she says, is all about empowerment. 'I've never met a gun I didn't like,' says Froman, 55, a California native who moved to Tucson in 1985. "I shoot pistols, rifles, black-powder rifles." Froman became the newest president of the almost four million-strong NRA in April, immediately presenting a different face for an organization whose vibe has been almost reflexively white and male. Jewish, female, lawyerly and Left Coast is about as unstereotypical as it gets for an NRA leader. But when it comes to gun politics, Froman is as NRA as they come. 'Firearms in America today represent freedom,' Froman says. 'They represent the ability to defend yourself individually, and they represent the ability to defend yourself as a country.'"

Groups Protest Redskins Shooting Event

Gun-control groups and other organizations are putting pressure on the Washington Redskins to cancel an upcoming benefit event at a shooting range in Prince George's County.

The team has been planning to put on the first Redskins Sporting Clays Challenge on Tuesday in Glenn Dale, but the sponsor of the event - NRA Sports - is part of the National Rifle Association, which wants Congress to repeal the District's gun laws.

Redskins spokesman Karl Swanson tells The Washington Post that the team doesn't support repealing the city's gun laws, isn't involved in the NRA's political activities, and that the team plans to go on with the fund-raiser. Swanson says the event is a simple fund-raiser and calls the event "valuable."

Antigun groups plan to go to Redskins headquarters on Monday to protest the event and to deliver a letter to Redskins owner Dan Snyder. If that doesn't work, they plan to protest at Tuesday's event.

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Georgia: Firearms ordinance on table: "After distributing more than a hundred fliers at local hunting and fishing shops, Walton Wood said he hopes residents will turn out in droves to tonight's Houston County Commission meeting. That's when commissioners will likely decide whether to ban the firing of guns within 300 feet of a building. 'If a bunch of folks show up that are opposed to it, we got a chance of shouting it down,' said Wood, who delivered letters to county commissioners Monday morning outlining opposition to the proposal. 'If nobody shows up, then of course, they're going to pass it.'"

THE BRAZILIAN REFERENDUM WAS A WINNER FOR SELF-DEFENCE

A proposal to ban the sale of guns in Brazil has been defeated by a clear majority in a referendum. Sixty-four percent of those who voted rejected the proposed ban, which was backed by the government, the Catholic Church and the United Nations. The gun ownership lobby successfully argued that guns were needed for personal security.

Guns kill one person in Brazil every 15 minutes, giving it the world's highest death toll from firearms. Last year, there were 36,000 shooting deaths. The UN says guns are the biggest cause of death among young people in Brazil.

The immediate consequence of the referendum is that gun shops will remain open. The BBC's Steve Kingstone in Sao Paulo says that the result may surprise outsiders, given the horrific scale of gun violence in Brazil.

The defeated "Yes" campaign had enjoyed an early lead in the opinion polls, but it was quickly outmanoeuvred. The "No" campaign convinced voters that the proposed ban would have no effect on criminals, on the grounds that criminals do not buy guns legally in shops.

It also argued that a gun ban would be a breach of civil rights. Beni Barbosa, the "No" campaign spokesman, said: "We managed to get our message across that Brazilians have individual rights which the state cannot take away." "Here, people were not choosing whether to have a gun or not. They were voting for their rights to choose."

Anti-gun campaigners said the swing away from a "Yes" vote was the result of people's desire to protest against the government's security policy. "We didn't lose because Brazilians like guns. We lost because people don't have confidence in the government or the police," said Denis Mizne, of anti-violence group Sou da Paz. "The 'No' campaign was much more effective. They are talking about a right to have a gun - it is a totally American debate."

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Ban baseball bats!: "The baseball bat has become the weapon of choice for a growing number of criminals in New Hampshire. Consider: In May, Mayor Bob Baines witnessed a fight involving a baseball bat outside a downtown nightclub. On Aug. 11 Stephen Raymond was brutally struck down by an assailant swinging a red baseball bat. On Sept. 4, men armed with baseball bats and an ax beat a McDonald's custodian in Meredith. ... All this makes us wonder, will anti-gun types soon begin calling for the registration and regulation of ball bats? Will Louisville Slugger adopt the slogan, 'Baseball bats don't kill people, people do?'"

GOOD OLD GUN-FREE BRITAIN AGAIN

Gun crime is spreading rapidly from city to suburb, one of Britain's most senior policemen warned yesterday. Tarique Ghaffur, the assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said: "Guns used to be confined to London areas such as Hackney, Lambeth and Brent. Now they are spreading to suburbs such as Wandsworth and Putney." It is a trend seen all over Britain. Nottingham, Manchester and Birmingham are notorious for shootings. Last year there were 59 recorded firearm incidents in Nottingham alone, four of them fatal.

Mr Ghaffur believes there is "an arms race going on", as ethnic groups copy the gun-use of Afro-Caribbean gangs. "Gun crime in Islington [north London] increased by 148 per cent last year," he said in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph. "It's up by 50 per cent or more in several other London boroughs. The reality is that the use of guns is ceasing to be an inner-city phenomenon. It's moving into the suburbs and the countryside."

Last week's crime figures showed violent crime rose by six per cent over the year 2004-2005, domestic burglary fell by 11 per cent - and overall, the total amount of crime was down by two per cent. "Murders in London would have been slightly down this year had it not been for the suicide terrorists killing more than 50 people on July 7," said Mr Ghaffur. "But what concerns me is the increasing willingness of criminals to use guns to kill people."

He does not think the trend can be reversed simply by more convictions. "What we're dealing with here is a generation of kids who grow up with a culture of violent crime," he said. "By the time they end up being sent to prison, it is too late." They start shoplifting at the age of 10, graduate to street robbery and drug dealing in their teens, and use guns for extortion and getting rid of rival drug dealers in their early twenties. "By the time these guys are 30 they are either dead, serving a long prison sentence - or are very successful criminals," he added.

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North Carolina: Customer shoots robber : "A customer at a private club shot and killed a man who allegedly was trying to rob club patrons, police said. Brandon Brown, 18, was killed at about 1 a.m. Saturday in a private club at 1505 Holloway St., police said. Brown allegedly was trying to rob about a dozen club patrons when one of them, Michael Henderson, fatally shot him, police said. No charges have been filed in the case, which remains under investigation, police said."

South Carolina: Store owner kills man in robbery: "A young man was killed by a store owner Monday when he walked into a convenience store, brandishing a small-caliber handgun and demanding money, Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams says. ... Long-time proprietor Lacey Duncan, who is in his late 70s, was minding the store when the gun-wielding man entered. As they struggled, the gun discharged, but the bullet did not hit anyone, the sheriff said. Hearing the noise, Duncan's wife came into the store from the residence that is attached to the store. Observing the men fighting each other, she came to her husband's defense, the sheriff said. Lacey Duncan then 'discharged an unknown caliber weapon, striking the (assailant) and causing his death,' Williams said."


Georgia: Commission fails to pull trigger on gun rule: "It's still legal for Houston County residents to fire a gun on their property without their neighbor's permission -- for now. Houston County commissioners held off on approving an ordinance Tuesday that would ban residents from firing a gun within 300 feet of an occupied building. The standing-room-only crowd broke into applause when the commission unanimously decided to table the measure. 'That's politics at work -- public input,' Commissioner Larry Thomson said after the meeting. About 50 people showed up for the hearing, some speaking in favor of the ordinance and even more speaking against it."


Dumb British female soldier: "A soldier's weapon has been missing for two days after it was left in a supermarket toilet during a military exercise. An army captain put her waistband holster on top of the cistern in a disabled loo during an exercise on and then left it behind, the Sun reports. The captain, reportedly based at barracks in Chicksands, Bedfordshire, soon realised her blunder and rushed back to the Sainsbury's store in Hitchin. But the US-made Sig Sauer 9mm automatic had gone, along with 13 blanks also in the holster. Hertfordshire police said that the loaded pistol had still not been found and could cause serious injury."

Ohio: Aggressive dummo gets his deserts: "The man pounded on the front door of the home on Kimberly Circle, terrifying the couple inside. Then he smashed the front window, climbed inside and went to the living room where he met the male homeowner, who was holding a gun. '(The homeowner) told him to stay back, but he didn't listen,' Lt. John Huber said. The 62-year-old man then shot the intruder several times."


Myths about gun control: "Guns are dangerous. But myths are dangerous, too. Myths about guns are very dangerous, because they lead to bad laws. And bad laws kill people. 'Don't tell me this bill will not make a difference,' said President Clinton, who signed the Brady Bill into law. Sorry. Even the federal government can't say it has made a difference. The Centers for Disease Control did an extensive review of various types of gun control: waiting periods, registration and licensing, and bans on certain firearms. It found that the idea that gun control laws have reduced violent crime is simply a myth."


Protect lawful commerce in arms: "When a pro-gun bill is introduced in the House or Senate, you would not expect it to contain anti-gun clauses. Right? And yet, that is exactly what appears to be happening with S.397, one of two Lawful Commerce in Arms proposals. The original intent of S. 397 and H.R. 800 is to acknowledge that the Second Amendment is an individual right that shall not be infringed and to protect lawful firearm manufacturers, dealers, and importers from lawsuits resulting in the misuse of their product. Misuse of a firearm primarily includes pointing a loaded firearm at a person and pulling the trigger while not in a self defense situation. Most people would call that murder. But the anti-gun crowd has never sought to hold criminals accountable for their actions; they prefer to blame the inanimate firearm and its manufacturers."

What a lot of BS! Do they think the bad guys are going to take any notice?: "High school students in Birmingham, Jefferson County and Hoover public schools this month are participating in a national effort to reduce gun violence. The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program that encourages young people to take the lead by pledging to not carry guns to school or use guns to settle disputes, and to influence friends to do the same, said J. Brian Huff, the presiding judge at Jefferson County Family Court. Family Court Senior Trial Referee Andra Sparks, who oversees Jefferson County's juvenile gun court, urged parents to support their kids who are willing to back the pledge. 'The value of this pledge can be taught at home,' Sparks said. Huff agreed, and said parents need to pay attention if their child doesn't want to sign the pledge."



"Security is going to be provided" -- what a laugh!: "The last thing we need in Louisiana right now is Washington interest groups making trouble over practical decisions in an unprecedented national crisis. The National Rifle Association is miffed at federal and local authorities because guns were banned in the Baker travel trailer park housing hurricane evacuees. Those people need homes, and security is going to be provided. They're living in flimsy trailers. An accidental discharge of a firearm might result in a bullet going through several residences."