NRA "Alternative" Formed: There seems to be no end to the groups that take potshots at the National Rifle Association. It goes with the territory, I guess, when an organization is as successful, determined, and as radical in its stance as the NRA. Every once in a while, the shots aren't fired by anti-gun folks, but rather by a fledgling rival of the NRA -- a group looking to grab some the massive political turf the NRA has cultivated over its 125-plus years of protecting the sanctity of the Second Amendment. http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070809/SPORTS/708090342 NRA Testimony On National Firearms Act Of 1934: While I'm sure that the folks in the above article are up to no good, I don't think it's accurate to portray the NRA as a 125-plus years protector of the sanctity of the Second Amendment. http://www.keepandbeararms.com/NRA/NFA.asp --- Nevada Teachers Could Draw Bonus For Being Armed: A proposal that Nevada teachers be allowed to carry concealed weapons garnered a lot of notoriety but little traction among state lawmakers this year. Now comes this idea: Give bonus pay to teachers - from kindergarten to college - who would be trained and armed as reserve school police officers. http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2007/aug/08/566681889.html --- Kennesaw Likely To Toss Park Gun Ban: Attorneys for the city of Kennesaw, where residents are required by law to own and maintain a firearm, said Thursday they are asking local officials to throw out an ordinance that bans people from toting guns in city parks. The gun-in-parks ordinance violates state law, which preempts the Kennesaw ordinance, said Stuart Sims, an attorney for the city of Kennesaw. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2007/08/09/guns_0810.html --- Illinois County Opposes State RKBA Infringement: The Champaign County Board will be debating the wisdom of state gun control legislation, despite the misgivings even of some of those who voted to do so. The board's policy committee voted 5-3 Wednesday night to forward a resolution against gun control bills in the Illinois Senate, after a debate in which several members argued that state legislation was generally not county government business. http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2007/08/09/resolution_on_gun_bills_sent_to_board --- FBI Probes CCW Policy In California County: The FBI is looking into concealed-gun permits issued by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, according to documents filed in a lawsuit that alleges former Sheriff Lou Blanas issued permits as political favors. Documents filed Friday in the federal civil rights suit say FBI investigators have requested gun permit documents from the department, which include a permit Blanas issued to Sacramento businessman Edwin G. Gerber. Gerber gave $3,500 to Blanas' election campaign, election records show, and bought a vacation home with Blanas in Reno in the fall of 2005, according to property records. http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/316453.html --- California City Passes Firearm Ordinances: Amid concerns of growing gun violence, the Sacramento City Council Thursday night approved new laws aimed at thwarting a firearms black market that police say allows illegal weapons to proliferate... One ordinance would give gun owners 48 hours to report a lost or stolen firearm or be charged with a misdemeanor, while an accompanying ordinance would require firearms dealers to thumb-print and electronically report the names and addresses of those who buy ammunition. http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/318501.html Related Commentary: http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/aug/10/why-pass-an-ineffective-law-on-guns/ --- Jesse Jackson Coverage Slammed: Once again the Associated Press give us more of its prosaic brand of "unfair and unbalanced" news with a Jesse Jackson anti-gun story that doesn't offer a single word to counter his propaganda, their report doesn't present even a hint that there is any "side" but the anti-gun position. We aren't shocked at this, of course, but it needs to be pointed out for the record nonetheless. http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/08/revised_temp_data_reduces_glob.html --- Surprise From Marie Claire: A woman's magazine provides an article by a Texas woman explaining her history of firearm ownership and the empowerment it provides her. http://lifestyle.msn.com/mindbodyandsoul/womenintheworld/articlemc.aspx?cp-documentid=4799146>1=10323 --- Ammunition Prices Continue To Rise: The price increases began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, then were compounded by a double whammy: the war in Iraq, which pushed up overall demand, and growing industrial powers such as China, which bid up the cost of needed raw materials. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/080907dnmetammo.37f6a54.html --- Rule Five Reminder: A robber in New York set down his shotgun in order to stuff the money from the register into his pockets. The store clerk was able to grab the shotgun and turn it on the robber, who then ran out of the store. (While the attorneys who promulgated Rule Five, maintain control of your firearm, did so in response to concerns of civil liability, it also has tactical implications.) http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=612530&category=REGION&newsdate=8/8/2007 http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/nationworld/59715.php --- Firearm Laws In The Western States: High Country News provides a high-speed overview of some of the salient firearm laws in the western United States. http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=17146# -- Stephen P. Wenger Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .