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Rod Walker
Rod Walker's Journal
Rod Walker's Journal
June 27, 2013
With mere days left before new Colorado gun-control legislation goes into effect, a company will protest one more time by handing out 1,500 30-round magazines for free. Erie-based Magpul Industries announced the giveaway on the company Facebook page Wednesday.
The ammunition magazine manufacturer will take part in the "A Farewell to Arms" festival in Infinity Park in Glendale on Saturday.
On July 1, the law — which limits bans gun magazines to hold no more than 15 rounds and was signed by Gov. John Hickenlooper in March — goes into effect.
The first 1,500 attendees who are at least 18 years old will get a magazine, the companys Web page said. The event is hosted by the nonprofit Free Colorado, which advocates for the rights of gun owners, according to its website.
Colorado's Magpul to give away 1,500 AR-15 30-round magazines in last protest
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23547501/colorados-magpul-give-away-1-500-30-roundWith mere days left before new Colorado gun-control legislation goes into effect, a company will protest one more time by handing out 1,500 30-round magazines for free. Erie-based Magpul Industries announced the giveaway on the company Facebook page Wednesday.
The ammunition magazine manufacturer will take part in the "A Farewell to Arms" festival in Infinity Park in Glendale on Saturday.
On July 1, the law — which limits bans gun magazines to hold no more than 15 rounds and was signed by Gov. John Hickenlooper in March — goes into effect.
The first 1,500 attendees who are at least 18 years old will get a magazine, the companys Web page said. The event is hosted by the nonprofit Free Colorado, which advocates for the rights of gun owners, according to its website.
June 27, 2013
The victim, Dorothy Booth:
Texas carries out 500th execution with Kimberly McCarthy
Source: CBS News
Texas marked a solemn moment in criminal justice Wednesday evening, executing its 500th inmate since it resumed carrying out capital punishment in 1982. Kimberly McCarthy, who was put to death for the murder of her 71-year-old neighbor, was also the first woman executed in the U.S. in nearly three years.
McCarthy, 52, was executed for the 1997 robbery, beating and fatal stabbing of retired college psychology professor Dorothy Booth. Booth had agreed to give McCarthy a cup of sugar before she was attacked with a butcher knife and candelabra at her home in Lancaster, about 15 miles south of Dallas. Authorities say McCarthy cut off Booth's finger to remove her wedding ring.
It was among three slayings linked to McCarthy, a former nursing home therapist who became addicted to crack cocaine.
She was pronounced dead at 6:37 p.m. CDT, 20 minutes after Texas prison officials began administering a single lethal dose of pentobarbital.
Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57591241/texas-carries-out-500th-execution-with-kimberly-mccarthy/
The victim, Dorothy Booth:
June 26, 2013
As a teacher turned inventor, David Kotkin has always been more superhero than villain. When a cancer survivor and fellow entrepreneur struggled with an idea for a hands-free voice box, Kotkin helped him out. For a student at G. Holmes Braddock Senior High whose hereditary condition made playing video games near impossible, he invented an adaptor called the Avenger that made controllers more accessible. But his latest invention has sent potential partners and public relations firms —not to mention aliens and Nazi zombies — running for cover.
From the living room of his Country Walk home, Kotkin, 47, is putting the final touches on the Delta Six, a lifelike gaming gun modeled after a GSG assault rifle. Used in play, the gun moves the game view with the direction of its muzzle, zooms in when a gamer peeks in the scope and recoils with the fire of each bullet. To bludgeon an enemy, a gamer sideswipes the rifle’s butt. “It really gets your heart going,” Kotkin said. Or your blood boiling, depending on whom you talk to.
Tech bloggers have called Kotkin’s creation “the most realistic gaming gun ever,” and there’s probably a reason for the lack of competition: Most in the retail and gaming industry want to remain as far as possible from the debate over the role video games play in America’s culture of violence. “While everyone else is slowly backing away from the powder keg labeled ‘media controversy,’ this guy is dancing right next to it with a lit torch,” gaming website GamesBeat said last month. For the $16 billion gaming industry, violence has long been a touchy subject. First-person shooter games like Halo and Call of Duty are annually among the bestsellers. But the games are also highly criticized by parents and politicians, and are studied by scholars — many of whom conclude that violent games make players more aggressive.
The debate is old, but often most intense and political following incidents of mass murder, like the Columbine High School attack in 1999 and most recently, the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in Newtown, Conn. Following both tragedies, media reports focused on video games played by the shooters. In January, President Barack Obama called on Congress to fund research “into the effects that violent video games have on young minds.” Amid continuous scrutiny, retailers and gaming giants have been reluctant to embrace realistic gun peripherals, opting instead for fake firearms that resemble dime-store pistols more than military grade weapons. The use of real-life models in the games themselves has also been controversial. And Kotkin says that has left a void in the market. “Everyone’s afraid to touch making a good gaming gun. So that’s the one area I can go into where no one’s there,” he said.
Kotkin, whose success with the Avenger allowed him to retire from teaching in 2011 and pursue inventing full time, got to work nearly a year ago. He bored out an airsoft BB gun and meticulously souped-up the gun-metal black rifle to be responsive to the touch and kick just the right amount with the pull of the trigger. He used an infrared sensor to zoom in game play when a player looks in the scope. To reload, players push in the cartridge. Kotkin’s aim was to create as realistic a gaming experience as possible, even if it meant encouraging critics. On Kickstarter, a website for crowd funding, Kotkin did almost $200,000 in pre-sales. A manufacturer in China is poised to mass-produce the gun.
The gun is so realistic, two defense contractors who produce virtual training systems contacted Kotkin through Kickstarter. On the other hand, Kotkin believes concerns about controversy have scared away some potential partners, like programmer Arduino and a public relations firm whose owner cited “moral reservations.” “There’s a red line in the sand, but there’s another extreme where you cut off creativity and get into censorship,” he said. “I’d say this is pushing it a little bit. But I don’t think this is going too far.”
Some disagree, and strongly. “This is so over the top, so extreme, you’ll probably see legislation at the state or federal level to outlaw this kind of thing for sale to civilians,” said Jack Thompson, a disbarred Coral Gables attorney who is among the country’s foremost critics of violent video games. Even Kotkin’s wife, Melissa, is uncomfortable. She has refused to let their sons, Matthew, 11, and Ethan, 8, play with it. “I’m proud of him for all the accomplishments of his creativity,” said Melissa. “But when it comes to the gaming gun, you look at all the violence that’s occurred and it’s really difficult for me to say this is a great idea.”
(complete article at link)
Retired teacher makes video game gun so realistic some want to ban it.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/22/v-fullstory/3465967/retired-miami-dade-teacher-stirs.htmlAs a teacher turned inventor, David Kotkin has always been more superhero than villain. When a cancer survivor and fellow entrepreneur struggled with an idea for a hands-free voice box, Kotkin helped him out. For a student at G. Holmes Braddock Senior High whose hereditary condition made playing video games near impossible, he invented an adaptor called the Avenger that made controllers more accessible. But his latest invention has sent potential partners and public relations firms —not to mention aliens and Nazi zombies — running for cover.
From the living room of his Country Walk home, Kotkin, 47, is putting the final touches on the Delta Six, a lifelike gaming gun modeled after a GSG assault rifle. Used in play, the gun moves the game view with the direction of its muzzle, zooms in when a gamer peeks in the scope and recoils with the fire of each bullet. To bludgeon an enemy, a gamer sideswipes the rifle’s butt. “It really gets your heart going,” Kotkin said. Or your blood boiling, depending on whom you talk to.
Tech bloggers have called Kotkin’s creation “the most realistic gaming gun ever,” and there’s probably a reason for the lack of competition: Most in the retail and gaming industry want to remain as far as possible from the debate over the role video games play in America’s culture of violence. “While everyone else is slowly backing away from the powder keg labeled ‘media controversy,’ this guy is dancing right next to it with a lit torch,” gaming website GamesBeat said last month. For the $16 billion gaming industry, violence has long been a touchy subject. First-person shooter games like Halo and Call of Duty are annually among the bestsellers. But the games are also highly criticized by parents and politicians, and are studied by scholars — many of whom conclude that violent games make players more aggressive.
The debate is old, but often most intense and political following incidents of mass murder, like the Columbine High School attack in 1999 and most recently, the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in Newtown, Conn. Following both tragedies, media reports focused on video games played by the shooters. In January, President Barack Obama called on Congress to fund research “into the effects that violent video games have on young minds.” Amid continuous scrutiny, retailers and gaming giants have been reluctant to embrace realistic gun peripherals, opting instead for fake firearms that resemble dime-store pistols more than military grade weapons. The use of real-life models in the games themselves has also been controversial. And Kotkin says that has left a void in the market. “Everyone’s afraid to touch making a good gaming gun. So that’s the one area I can go into where no one’s there,” he said.
Kotkin, whose success with the Avenger allowed him to retire from teaching in 2011 and pursue inventing full time, got to work nearly a year ago. He bored out an airsoft BB gun and meticulously souped-up the gun-metal black rifle to be responsive to the touch and kick just the right amount with the pull of the trigger. He used an infrared sensor to zoom in game play when a player looks in the scope. To reload, players push in the cartridge. Kotkin’s aim was to create as realistic a gaming experience as possible, even if it meant encouraging critics. On Kickstarter, a website for crowd funding, Kotkin did almost $200,000 in pre-sales. A manufacturer in China is poised to mass-produce the gun.
The gun is so realistic, two defense contractors who produce virtual training systems contacted Kotkin through Kickstarter. On the other hand, Kotkin believes concerns about controversy have scared away some potential partners, like programmer Arduino and a public relations firm whose owner cited “moral reservations.” “There’s a red line in the sand, but there’s another extreme where you cut off creativity and get into censorship,” he said. “I’d say this is pushing it a little bit. But I don’t think this is going too far.”
Some disagree, and strongly. “This is so over the top, so extreme, you’ll probably see legislation at the state or federal level to outlaw this kind of thing for sale to civilians,” said Jack Thompson, a disbarred Coral Gables attorney who is among the country’s foremost critics of violent video games. Even Kotkin’s wife, Melissa, is uncomfortable. She has refused to let their sons, Matthew, 11, and Ethan, 8, play with it. “I’m proud of him for all the accomplishments of his creativity,” said Melissa. “But when it comes to the gaming gun, you look at all the violence that’s occurred and it’s really difficult for me to say this is a great idea.”
(complete article at link)
June 21, 2013
Everything we thought we knew about Cap'n Crunch has been a lie.
Upon closer examination, the three stripes on his coat indicate he's a lower-ranked commander, not a captain.
An attentive Reddit user was the first to make the discovery, but the story has now been picked up on popular food blogs.
With the Napoleon-style hat, you might question whether the stripes on the coat are more emblematic of the French Navy. The French version of Frigate Captain has three stripes, but that translates to 'commander' in English.
Either way, Cap'n Crunch is either a fraud or he's French.
Cap'n Crunch: Not really a captain, may be French
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/capn-crunch-fraud-or-french/nYNfH/Everything we thought we knew about Cap'n Crunch has been a lie.
Upon closer examination, the three stripes on his coat indicate he's a lower-ranked commander, not a captain.
An attentive Reddit user was the first to make the discovery, but the story has now been picked up on popular food blogs.
With the Napoleon-style hat, you might question whether the stripes on the coat are more emblematic of the French Navy. The French version of Frigate Captain has three stripes, but that translates to 'commander' in English.
Either way, Cap'n Crunch is either a fraud or he's French.
June 20, 2013
Boy Scouts: Fire away.
Three months ago, local Scout leaders thought a shortage of bullets might force them to teach about 1,000 campers how to shoot and handle firearms with air guns instead of .22 caliber rifles. So they asked for donations, aimed at bagging 24,000 rounds by the time Camp Cornhusker started. Gun owners bombarded them with a fusillade -- more than 65,000 bullets from donors as far away as Florida. An Iowa man gave more than 10,000 rounds, said Jerad Reimers, Cornhusker Council district director.
The Cornhusker Council not only ended its Great Bullet Drought of 2013; administrators have enough rounds to teach safe shooting for the next three years, he said. “We were just happy to see people still believe scouting is relevant,” Reimers said, adding that learning to handle a gun right is “an absolute necessity.” William Cover, the council's program director for camps, agrees. “We in America have a culture that does involve firearms. We want to make sure our young people are instructed in their proper and safe usage,” Cover said.
Practicing with BB guns just isn't the same, even if they look like the real McCoy, Reimers said. A Scout won't treat the shooting experience the same way, because it's not. “It's not quite gonna be the same to him,” said Eric Hayward, 16, who's an assistant at Camp Cornhusker's shotgun and rifle range. “It's gonna be more to the camper if he gets an actual chance to shoot a gun as opposed to a training aid that just looks nice.” In late March, local Boy Scouts had a quarter of the rounds they needed to make it through their summer camps, and less than 10 percent of what they have now. Reimers said he tried to order 15,000 rounds early this year through typical channels -- wholesalers such as Scheels or Cabela's -- but struck out again and again.
Gun owners stockpiled ammunition after the Sandy Hook school shooting in December and President Barack Obama's call for new gun control laws. “It seems no matter who we contact, the answer is the same: 'We don't have any now. We don't know when we will get more. We will not sell you the amount you require, or any large quantity for that matter, and we are not taking back orders,'” the council's website said in March. Even if Reimer had found a supplier who could have hooked him up with the number of rounds the Scouts needed this summer, higher prices would have gobbled the entire program budget.
So early in March, Reimers and other council leaders called on local gun owners for help. They got 1,500 rounds in the first few weeks before their story hit the wires and appeared in newspapers across the country. Troop 256 Scoutmaster Kevin Potratz said he doesn't own any guns, so his two sons wouldn't have learned about shooting and handling them safely it if hadn't been for Scouting. “If you don't touch them and don't have experience with them, you kinda miss something,” Potratz said, adding that learning how to handle guns is a key part of the Boy Scouts experience.
“Knowing about firearms is just good citizenship.”
Boy Scouts Get Their Bullets (65,000 of them)
http://journalstar.com/news/local/boy-scouts-get-their-bullets/article_bf20e769-1acd-5ff5-b0e8-8d883af9da5a.htmlBoy Scouts: Fire away.
Three months ago, local Scout leaders thought a shortage of bullets might force them to teach about 1,000 campers how to shoot and handle firearms with air guns instead of .22 caliber rifles. So they asked for donations, aimed at bagging 24,000 rounds by the time Camp Cornhusker started. Gun owners bombarded them with a fusillade -- more than 65,000 bullets from donors as far away as Florida. An Iowa man gave more than 10,000 rounds, said Jerad Reimers, Cornhusker Council district director.
The Cornhusker Council not only ended its Great Bullet Drought of 2013; administrators have enough rounds to teach safe shooting for the next three years, he said. “We were just happy to see people still believe scouting is relevant,” Reimers said, adding that learning to handle a gun right is “an absolute necessity.” William Cover, the council's program director for camps, agrees. “We in America have a culture that does involve firearms. We want to make sure our young people are instructed in their proper and safe usage,” Cover said.
Practicing with BB guns just isn't the same, even if they look like the real McCoy, Reimers said. A Scout won't treat the shooting experience the same way, because it's not. “It's not quite gonna be the same to him,” said Eric Hayward, 16, who's an assistant at Camp Cornhusker's shotgun and rifle range. “It's gonna be more to the camper if he gets an actual chance to shoot a gun as opposed to a training aid that just looks nice.” In late March, local Boy Scouts had a quarter of the rounds they needed to make it through their summer camps, and less than 10 percent of what they have now. Reimers said he tried to order 15,000 rounds early this year through typical channels -- wholesalers such as Scheels or Cabela's -- but struck out again and again.
Gun owners stockpiled ammunition after the Sandy Hook school shooting in December and President Barack Obama's call for new gun control laws. “It seems no matter who we contact, the answer is the same: 'We don't have any now. We don't know when we will get more. We will not sell you the amount you require, or any large quantity for that matter, and we are not taking back orders,'” the council's website said in March. Even if Reimer had found a supplier who could have hooked him up with the number of rounds the Scouts needed this summer, higher prices would have gobbled the entire program budget.
So early in March, Reimers and other council leaders called on local gun owners for help. They got 1,500 rounds in the first few weeks before their story hit the wires and appeared in newspapers across the country. Troop 256 Scoutmaster Kevin Potratz said he doesn't own any guns, so his two sons wouldn't have learned about shooting and handling them safely it if hadn't been for Scouting. “If you don't touch them and don't have experience with them, you kinda miss something,” Potratz said, adding that learning how to handle guns is a key part of the Boy Scouts experience.
“Knowing about firearms is just good citizenship.”
June 19, 2013
Two formal events have sprung up online that are encouraging Colorado gun owners to engage in civil disobedience and break the law the day it goes into effect.
July 1 is the starting date for the controversial law that will ban the sale, transfer or possession of magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds.
The first of the two events dubbed “Magazine Swap at the Capital,” urges those from Colorado and surrounding areas to buy, sell and swap ammo magazines that hold more than 15 rounds to gather at the state capital. The following event is set for July 2 and encourages people to upload images and video to various social media outlets.
Although a majority of Colorado sheriffs have signed on to a lawsuit to try to overturn the new law, it’s unclear if law enforcement will make arrests during both events. Breaking this new law can result in a class 2 misdemeanor in the state.
Gun activists plan for civil disobedience to kick off Colorado magazine ban
http://www.guns.com/2013/06/18/colorado-pro-gun-activists-plan-for-civil-disobedience/Two formal events have sprung up online that are encouraging Colorado gun owners to engage in civil disobedience and break the law the day it goes into effect.
July 1 is the starting date for the controversial law that will ban the sale, transfer or possession of magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds.
The first of the two events dubbed “Magazine Swap at the Capital,” urges those from Colorado and surrounding areas to buy, sell and swap ammo magazines that hold more than 15 rounds to gather at the state capital. The following event is set for July 2 and encourages people to upload images and video to various social media outlets.
Although a majority of Colorado sheriffs have signed on to a lawsuit to try to overturn the new law, it’s unclear if law enforcement will make arrests during both events. Breaking this new law can result in a class 2 misdemeanor in the state.
June 18, 2013
SAN BERNARDINO - Exactly six months after 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., a small group from Organizing for Action stood here Friday with 26 flags and signs calling for stricter gun control.
"On Flag Day growing up, I used to always wave a flag with my grandson, and it hit me that the victims of that horrible tragedy won't ever be able to do that," said Curtis Lewis, the group's gun violence prevention coordinator. "We need people to stand up and write to Congress to say they want laws that respect the Second Amendment but also help prevent these tragedies."
Lewis said he supported HR 1565, a bill that would require background checks for sales at gun shows and online, "close the gun show and other loopholes," and create a commission to study the causes of mass violence in the United States.
The protest drew three members of Organizing for Action, a nonprofit group that supports President Barack Obama's agenda, to the National Orange Show Events Center.
"It's three people today, but it will be 23 next time, and we'll see the time after that," Lewis said.
Organizing for Action holds gun control Rally in CA. 3 people attend.
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_23464357/organizing-action-rallies-san-bernardino-gun-controlSAN BERNARDINO - Exactly six months after 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., a small group from Organizing for Action stood here Friday with 26 flags and signs calling for stricter gun control.
"On Flag Day growing up, I used to always wave a flag with my grandson, and it hit me that the victims of that horrible tragedy won't ever be able to do that," said Curtis Lewis, the group's gun violence prevention coordinator. "We need people to stand up and write to Congress to say they want laws that respect the Second Amendment but also help prevent these tragedies."
Lewis said he supported HR 1565, a bill that would require background checks for sales at gun shows and online, "close the gun show and other loopholes," and create a commission to study the causes of mass violence in the United States.
The protest drew three members of Organizing for Action, a nonprofit group that supports President Barack Obama's agenda, to the National Orange Show Events Center.
"It's three people today, but it will be 23 next time, and we'll see the time after that," Lewis said.
June 16, 2013
The conspiracy website WorldNetDaily is promoting a company in Idaho that sells bullets coated with "pork-infused paint" that are supposed to "deter Islamists from martyrdom."
The company, Jihawg Ammo, is apparently playing on the Islamic tradition of not eating pork, hatred of Muslims and love of guns
The Jihawg Ammo website uses slogans such as "Jihadist's fear being defiled by pork, especially during Jihad" and "So when you hear the radical battly cry -- 'allahu akbar!' It's Time to Put Some HAM in MoHAMed!"
For people who want to proudly wear their anti-Islamic bigotry, the website also offers apparel with captions such as: “Pigs Do Fly” and “Do 72 Virgins a Favor.”
'Jihawg Ammo' Offers Pork-Painted Bullets to Shoot Muslims
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/religion/islam/jihawg-ammo-offers-pork-painted-bullets-shoot-muslimsThe conspiracy website WorldNetDaily is promoting a company in Idaho that sells bullets coated with "pork-infused paint" that are supposed to "deter Islamists from martyrdom."
The company, Jihawg Ammo, is apparently playing on the Islamic tradition of not eating pork, hatred of Muslims and love of guns
The Jihawg Ammo website uses slogans such as "Jihadist's fear being defiled by pork, especially during Jihad" and "So when you hear the radical battly cry -- 'allahu akbar!' It's Time to Put Some HAM in MoHAMed!"
For people who want to proudly wear their anti-Islamic bigotry, the website also offers apparel with captions such as: “Pigs Do Fly” and “Do 72 Virgins a Favor.”
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