Top Ten Cloves: Things Said Between Pope and Kim Davis

News Item:  Why Pope Francis’ Meeting With Kim Davis Is Such a Disaster

10.  Pope asked Davis if she could arrange meeting with Ronda Rousey for him

9.  Pope wanted to know how the food was in jail

8.  Argued about Deflategate (Davis saying Brady Cheated, Pope saying no he didn't)

7.  Compromise - Kim Davis told Pope she's willing to sign Alabama Driver's Licenses

6.  Pope curious if he's mentioned in any of Hillary Clinton's emails

5.  Pope to Davis: Who are you and how'd you get in here?

4.  Pope asked her how she got 4 marriage licenses

3.  True Detective - both agreed new season sucks

2.  Pope asked if any gay priests applied for marriage licenses

1.  Kim Davis offered Pope cake from anti-gay Oregon bakers

Her Lips Are Moving

If we were playing 'Jeopardy' today, the correct response to the title of this post, would be the question "How can you tell when Carli Fiorina is lying?"

Arguing during the Sept. 16 GOP debate to defund Planned Parenthood, Ms. Fiorina offered this description of a disturbing scene that was supposedly captured on controversial undercover videos of the organization: “Watch a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking while someone says we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.” No such scene exists, as even some of her defenders have had to admit. Ms. Fiorina was challenged by Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace to acknowledge “what every fact checker has found”: that the scene was only described by someone who claimed to have witnessed it but was not shown in the video.

[snip]

Instead she insisted: “No, I don’t accept that at all. I’ve seen the footage.” She went on the attack against the mainstream media, and her supporters concocted a video that splices video and audio from different places in an effort to buttress her claims. Most deceptive in the CARLY for America video is use of an image (also used in the videos produced by the Center for Medical Progress) of a fetus born prematurely, not aborted, at 19 weeks of development. The premature birth by a Pennsylvania woman had no connection to Planned Parenthood or to abortion. That, though, didn’t stop Ms. Fiorina’s supporters from using it — with the voice-over and caption of “Here’s a stomach, heart, kidney, and adrenal” — to support specious allegations of Planned Parenthood selling fetal tissue for profit.

She's been doubling down on this so much for a few weeks now, she could probably campaign walking on HP printers stretched from coast-to-coast, and, yesterday, on 'Meet The Lapdog' she must be entering into Pi on how often she sputters this garbage.

Why Isn't Ted Cruz Arrested For Threatening To Kill A World Leader?

Simply astonishing.

If elected (bet on the snowball in hell beating him) the Joe-McCarthy-look-alike-Teabagger Wingnut Senator Ted Cruz will be stepping into arrestable grounds.

From Juan Cole, and the always-excellent site, 'Informed Comment';

Ted Cruz said Friday at the Value Voters Summit conference in Washington, D.C., “If you vote for me, under no circumstances will Iran be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. And if the ayatollah doesn’t understand that, we may have to help introduce him to his 72 virgins.”

We'll skip the irony of this gathering of PartyofNoicans being labeled "Value Voters".

It would appear the rabble-rousing Senator is ignorant of the 1978 law, banning political assassinations.

Executive Order 11905

Executive Order 11905 is a United States Presidential Executive Order signed on February 18, 1976, by President Gerald R. Ford as an attempt to reform the United States Intelligence Community, improve oversight on foreign intelligence activities, and ban political assassination.[1][2] Much of this EO would be changed or strengthened by Jimmy Carter's Executive Order 12036 in 1978.

This came about from the post-Watergate mop up of National Criminal President Richard M. Nixon's enterprise, led by the Church Committee, of Senator Frank Church (D-ID), or the  United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities.

If the Idiot Senator was only joking ...

Well, considering the United States' history of assassinating World Leaders, and the need of Executive Order 11905 (which was reaffirmed by both Presidents, Carter and Reagan), it's not something to boast about as your qualifications for the Office of President.

Best advise I can offer to the threatened Ayatollah Khamenei is to Google Senator Ted Cruz, and have yourself a good laugh.

Drippings From The Drool Cup

Last night, the PartyofNoicans parked their clown car in the Ronald Reagan Drool Cup Shrine, and more than a few of the candidates channeled the former Union-busting President, rather awkwardly.

But the #GOPDebate, despite the calls to do so, didn't wipe the grease paint of Numero Uno clown, Donald Chump.

He's still standing, and holding down the three-rings, waiting to crack his whip at the next pail of confetti thrown at him.

Rather than wade into the nauseating details, we'll just offer some observational riffs.

Somebody in the Jeb! Bush! crew needs to sit the boy down and advise him to get as far away from his War Criminal brother as possible, rather then continuing to embrace and defend him.

In the back-and-forth over the Middle East, going into Iraq, Jeb! strenuously and vehemently shot back at The Donald, who was dissing his War Criminal brother that "He kept us safe ..."

Really?

Anyone can go to the Internets and find the War Criminal Brother ignoring the PDB about possible attacks, and on the day of attack, he was giving the most famous reading of "My Pet Goat".

But Jeb! wasn't the only one trying to milk Sept. 11th, Portly Chris Christie continued his exploitation of it, in a fighting-stance reply that he was a "tough Federal Prosecutor".

And Dr. Ben didn't do himself any favors by (rightly) defending the practice of Vaccines, and that they don't cause Autism, since the red-meat-eating, teabagging wing of the PartyofNoicans (who Dr. Ben ordinarily plays to) have that misfact carved in stone.

Ted Cruz should be disqualified from both the debates, and public office in general, just for the fact that he too-eerily resembles former pig-headed Senator Joe McCarthy, in looks and in policies.

Aside from Donald Chump, I suspect, as the day wears on, the ink barrels will be drained, declaring Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio as gaining points last evening.

Carly, to be fair, likely got off the best single line of the night, taking a swipe at The Donald's riff about her falling off the Ugly Tree and hitting every branch, but, she's pissing up a rope if she's going to try to counter her business experience is better than his.

During her tenure, HP stood for "Help, Please", and the only one who got rich during that time was herself - for getting fired.

And Marco Rubio's family immigration story is beginning to resemble TBS on Christmas Day, and, if he happens to be the last clown in the car, and actually gets elected, he'll make Keyser Sozo look like a piker.

Winners of the Thanks For Coming/Bronzed Reagan Drool Cup go to Mike Huckabee (Onward Christian Soldiers, where do we sign up for the Crusades, Mike?), Scott Walker (the loser asshole Frat President who thinks everyone thinks he's cool and smart), Rand Paul ("Hey, over here ... Me. Me, ... I had my hand raised!") and John Kasich ("Can't we all just get along?")

The PartyofNoican Clown Car now heads to Colorado, three days before Halloween, and, about the only way it could be more fun, is if the candidates indulge themselves in some of that legal Colorado marijuana.

Wrong Battle, Nitwits!

This is been said by many over the past few days, and, I'm confident there are thousand-and-thousand of scores of people out there that understand it as well.

Gods' Rebel Kim Davis is not in jail over her "Religious Freedom".

Religous Freedom is not under attack here.

No one is telling her she can't believe in what she believes ... No one is telling her what to believe in ... No one is forcing their "Religious Beliefs" on her.

If any of us, in whatever jobs we held, whatever beliefs we had, took the similar action (being, refusing to do our job, the job we accepted) we would surely be reprimanded, or disciplined, perhaps suspended or, even terminated.

She has a particular job that carrys with it certain tasks, duties and policies.

She chose - refused - to perform those tasks and duties, and the consequences she faces now are of her own doing, no one else.

What happened to the monolithic Conservative principle of "Personal Responsiblity"?

The Rowan County Board, or Supervisors, whoever oversees the employees of Rown County have some explaining to do ...

What happens if others in civic and/or government jobs took the same action as God's Rebel?

Does a fireman's "Religious Beliefs" allow him/her to stand there and watch a gay couple's (or pick the target of your "Religious Beliefs") house to burn down?

Does a policeman's "Religious Beliefs" allow him to stand by and watch a group of thugs beat up a gay couple?

The more rational out there need to prevent the Religious Conservatives, the Jesus Freaks, and the PartyofNoicans from hijacking this incident into making it a Cause it is not.

God's Rebel Kim Davis is in jail because she chose to defy a Court Order pertaining to her performing her tasks and duties.

That's what this is about.

No one is telling God's Rebel she can't believe in what she believes ... No one is telling her what to believe in ... No one is forcing God's Rebel their "Religious Beliefs" on her.

She chose not to perform her job, as she accepted when she was elected, and, following a court order to do so.

Let's turn the page on this quickly, before it gets to the point we have to call out:

"Help Me, Mister Wizard!"

Bonus Riffs

Attorneys For Kim Davis: Marriage Licenses Issued Friday Are 'Void'

Kim Davis: Married To Bad Reasoning

Kim Davis Is Not a Christian Martyr: The Kentucky Court Clerk Deserves to Be in the Clink

#GodHatesAdultery: Westboro Baptist church turns on Kim Davis for causing ‘F*g marriage’

To Fox News, KY Clerk Kim Davis Is A Bigger Martyr Than Martin Luther King.

Opinion: Why 'God's authority' can't keep Kim Davis out of jail

Kim Davis' Lawyer Says She's Just Like A Jew Living In Nazi Germany

KENTUCKY: Hundreds Rally Outside Jail Holding Kim Davis, ‘Satan Is Using Judge Bunning’

Top Ten Cloves: Things Roger Goodell Did After Losing Case To Tom Brady

News Item:  This Is Roger Goodell's Defining Defeat, And The One He Deserves

10.  Called Adrian Peterson, asking him to take that tree branch to Judge Berman's behind

9.  Emailed Netanyahu, trying to lump Brady into all this Iran Deal hoopla

8.  Starting Hastag movement: #NFLComissionersPowerMatters

7.  Hoping to get Donald Trump to toss a few insults at Tom Brady

6.  Looking closely at that woman in Kentucky, maybe can win appeal on "Religious Freedom" grounds

5.  Offer to New Orleans Saints: No penalties if they put bounty on Brady

4.  Called Ray Lewis, see if he and his crew were up for some work

3.  Ripped Ted Wells for not fabricating more evidence

2.  Went into deep funk - Lied about NFL Concussion problem so good, how'd he lose this one?

1.  Called Ray Rice, asked him to get Judge Berman in an elevator

Top Ten Cloves: Things You Have Time To Do During A Ronda Rousey Fight

News Item: UFC 190: Ronda Rousey knocks out Bethe Correia in 34 seconds

10.  Only enough time to reach into the popcorn bowl

 9.  Name about a third of the Presidents

 8.  Take but one, or two, swigs of your beer

 7.  Maybe enough time to think about judging a book by it's cover

 6.  Time to paint only one or two nails

 5.  Sit back, and if your are quick, get your feet up

 4.  Sing only half of the Alphabet Song

 3.  Put on one shoe

  

 2.  Spell Ronda Rousey

 1.  Write half of a Tweet

This Is Why You Should Buy Antique Furniture!

It's been a grumble among Antique Dealers that the younger generation today doesn't like, doesn't appreciate Antique Furniture, for various reasons beyond price - they have small apartments, they move around frequently, they want to change their decor every few years ...

The reasons go on-and-on ...

Here at 13909 Antiques, we've been fortunate that a score, or two, of young people have indicated they prefer Antique Furniture over Ikea Furniture, or other modern furniture found in the big box stores.

Along with the craftsmanship, the beauty, Antique Furniture isn't going to fall apart in a year, or two, or, the first time you move (we know of at least one Moving Company that will not insure Ikea Furniture when moving it).

Well, sadly, here's another reason;

IKEA Offers Free Wall Anchoring Repair Kit for Chests and Dressers Due to Tip-over Hazard After Two Children Died

"WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with IKEA North America, of Conshohocken, Pa, is announcing a repair program that includes a free wall anchoring kit, for their MALM 3- and 4-drawer chests and two styles of MALM 6- drawer chests, and other chests and dressers.  The chests and dressers can pose a tip-over hazard if not securely anchored to the wall.

IKEA received reports of two children who died after MALM chests tipped over and fell on them.  Consumers should immediately stop using all IKEA children’s chests and dressers taller than 23 ½ inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29 ½ inches, unless they are securely anchored to the wall.  The free wall anchoring kit should be used to secure MALM and other IKEA chests and dressers to the wall ..."

Very sad, tragic news indeed.

But to this point, unless your child happened to be born on the planet Krypton, he or she isn't going to pull down an Early Century Oak Hutch, or a 1930's Mahogany Dresser.

In fact, it's very likely, with such a piece, your children's grandchildren will be able to pass down that  Early Century Oak Hutch, or a 1930's Mahogany Dresser, to their grandchilden, thanks to the craftsmanship, that it is solidly built.

So, next time you need such a piece of furniture, skip the box stores and malls, and visit 13909 Antiques, or, depending where you are reading this from, your local Antique Dealer.


13909 Antiques
290 Moody Street
Waltham MA 02453
http://13909antiques.blogspot.com/

Summer Business Hours (June-July-August)

Monday:  ​ Off - By Appointment
Tuesday:  Off - By Appointment
Wednesday:  11AM - 7PM
Thursday:​    11AM​ - ​8PM​
Friday: 10AM - 6PM
Saturday:  9AM - 5PM
Sunday: 11AM - 4PM

Come by, 13909 Antiques ... Everywhere you look, you'll find a gem, a unique item, or that long-sought piece you were lookling for ... Some say we remind them of their Grandparents house ... We have a bevy of Antique and Vintage furnishing, lamps, knic knacs, costume jewlery, old magazines ​, Vintage Glass and​  much, much more​ ... If you like to rummage, 13909 Antiques is the place for you ...​ Open until 8PM on Thursdays, and we now offer Gift Certificates! 

Store Policy - Don't be shy ... You won't insult us by making an offer, we, graciously ​,​​ listen to all offers

(Cross-posted from 13909 Antiques)

#JeSuisCharlie

Retro Garlic: Governor Gaucho Riding Off Into The Sunset

"Oh woe is me ..."

That about sums up the lenghty outpouring today of the former Governor Gaucho, the Appalachian-Hiking, Secret-Brazilian-Lover Mark Sanford of South Carolina.

He took to Facebook to annouce calling off his pending wedding to that Secret Brazilian Lover, fiancée María Belén Chapur, and rambles through the Fields of Elysia, giving a H/T to God in airing the dirty laundry of his divorce proceedings.

A snippet from his Appalachian-long Facebook post;

"...She wanted full control of their custodial accounts which were very significant in size, I gave it. I did these things for two reasons. One, because my good friend Cubby Culbertson had reminded me that it was all God's - and if he wanted you to have more, you would…and if he wanted you to have less, you would have less. He accordingly strongly advised against spending money and time and controversy fighting over things that God ultimately controlled ... "

To which the kids over on Gawker have some advise for Sanford;

"Lawyers, alas, may actually be more powerful than God."

He tells of his ex-wife putting demands on him, like drug and alcohol testing and this;

" ...Finally, Jenny and her lawyer also go on to ask me to undertake an array of programs and evaluations, each one more riveting than the next ..."

Without using the actual word, acting as a martyred Eddie Haskell, our former Governor Gaucho is actually calling his ex-wife a bitch

With a woe-is-me-smile, and heavy heart.

And, he seems to disengage himself, that all these troubles he's blaming on God, are actually the result of him lying, taking on a Secret Brazilian Lover, and putting on he was hiking the Appalachian Trail, when, in fact, he was flying down, to Rio.


Typical corrupt Republican - it's always someone else's fault.

You can read more about it;

TPM:  Mark Sanford Unloads Custody Battle Details In Agonizing Facebook Post About Breaking Up With His Fiancée

Wonkette:  Mark Sanford Leaves The Appalachian Trail; Also, That Chick He Was Banging   The end of the affair

Oh, the Retro Part;

Governor Gaucho!

Like A Lover

Paging Rollo Tomasi

Oh, what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive

Even if you have been paying minor attention, over the past weeks, and months, to the know-famous NFL-Ray Rice Domestic Abuse Scandal - let's get in the vernacular - NFL-RayRicegate is what we can start calling this - Rollo Tomasi is now entering, center stage.

TMZ released a video yesterday, showing for all, the 1-2-combo punches of the now unemployed NFL running back, his then-girlfriend-now-wife, dropping like a sack of potatoes.

It's eeire and heartsicking.

And, when it happened, Rice's then-girlfriend-now-wife made statements about "mutual combat' and was at Rice's side, apparently during the interview with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and, at a press conference.

I don't know if even the most ignorant and terrible police department would interview a wife beater, with the victim in the room

Rice received, to the outrage of the world, a paltry 2-game suspension, and, actually, no discipline from the NFL team that employed him, the Baltimore Ravens (who were formerly the Cleveland Brown, who then-owner Art Modell moved them in the dead of night to Baltimore).

So, up until yesterday, the NFL, and Roger Goodell, and the Baltimore Ravens all thought they could get away with it.

But TMZ's video, which, according to hotel people where the abuse occured, the NFL never asked for it, has exposed the NFL, Roger Goodell, and the Baltimore Ravens as a gaggle of Roland Tomasi's.

They're not getting away with it.

And, now that we have an NFL-RayRicegate bubbling up, a classic Nixonian "who knew what and when", the weight of their deception is only buidling.

Charlie Pierce has a good take;

" ...The National Football League was exposed as either mendacious or shockingly unempathetic. Commissioner Roger Goodell was exposed as either a liar, or as someone who should not be allowed to count his own money. (Olbermann's right. He's got to go, but he won't, because most of the NFL owners think he's handled the whole thing splendidly.) The Ravens organization was exposed as a rat's nest of soulless, profit-driven drones. (And I hope nobody in the head offices of either the NFL or the Ravens misled the local prosecutors, who now also look like idiots on the national stage, and very likely are looking for someone to blame.) And, finally, Ray Rice is out of a job ..."

Keith Olbermann has called for a bevy of heads


Eric Wilber of Boston.Com has said "Goodell Needs to Go"


Chadd Fin of 'The Boston Globe' offers - No One Looks as Horrible as Ray Rice, but NFL, Ravens Sure Did Try.

When you look at this scandal, and, perhaps, Major League Baseball's plunging it's head in the sand over the steriod abuse, it's blatent how the greed over the billions these sports produce takes priority over the "right thing" to do.

Once in professional sports, there was a man, the first commissioner of Major League Baseball, Federal Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who was faced with a scandal, and, didn't hesitate what to do, didn't concern himself with the greed of the game, and took definitive, and swift action - For gambling, and changing outcomes of games, he banned eight Chicago White Sox players (many say Shoeless Joe Jackson didn't deserve it), for life, the infamous Chicago Black Sox Scandal.


Instead, now, we have a gaggle of Rollo Tomasi's.

Top Ten Cloves: Surprises on NFL Opening Day

News Item:  NFL 2014 KICKOFF

10.  Seattle Seahawks considering using Mercy Rule this season 

 9.  New 49ers stadium has system crash, lose all scores and stats, need to reboot and start game over

 8.  Memo leaked, President Obama authorizing use of Drones if Chicago Bears fall behind by more than  two touchhdowns this season

 7.  NFL anounces relocating championship game to Crested Butte, Colorado, for the Anheuser-Busch-sponsored “Whatever, U.S.A. Superbowl"

 6.  Wes Welker invites fans to his place for "Welker Whatever USA" party

 5.  Tim Tebow now wants to join Dallas Cowboys Practice Squad

 4.  NFL annouces giving all players concussions, that way, everyone even and on the same level

 3.  After hard hit, Ray Rice threatens to beat tacklers wife

 2.  Johnny Football to trademark name, sue NFL unless they change name to National Manziel League

 1.  In major surprise, Washington team changes logo to Sticks-and-Stones

Bonus NFL Riffs

Top Ten Cloves: Ways To Tell Your Next Door Neighbor May Be Conducting Illegal Dogfights

Retro Garlic ... How Much Is That Michael Vick In The Window ...

Top Ten Cloves: Things About Condoleezza Rice Becoming NFL Commissioner

Developing Story! Tancredo: Shut Down Super Bowl; Says Two Black Coaches "Amounts To Segregation"

Flutie Sends "Cease-and-Desist" Letter To Media Over 'Hail Mary' References Regarding Surge

Ferguson - The Oakland Raiders of Police Departments

For many years, the NFL's Oakland Raiders had the reputation of being the toughest, dirtest team in the league.

They took in rogue players, hit hard, sometimes dirty, and, during that period, permanently paralyzed one player for life.

As then owner Al Davis used to say - "Just win, baby!"

Perhaps we can say the Ferguson Police is the Oakland Raiders of Police Departments - and this doesn't included the recent gunning down and kiling of Michael Brown.

At least 6 Ferguson officers apart from Brown shooter have been named in lawsuits

In four federal lawsuits, including one that is on appeal, and more than a half-dozen investigations over the past decade, colleagues of Darren Wilson’s have separately contested a variety of allegations, including killing a mentally ill man with a Taser, pistol-whipping a child, choking and hog-tying a child and beating a man who was later charged with destroying city property because his blood spilled on officers’ clothes.

One officer has faced three internal affairs probes and two lawsuits over claims he violated civil rights and used excessive force while working at a previous police department in the mid-2000s. That department demoted him after finding credible evidence to support one of the complaints, and he subsequently was hired by the Ferguson force.

With a track record like this, we may surmise that Officer Wilson's shooting of Michael Brown wasn't an isolated case, but, rather, a pattern of systematic aggression employed by the Ferguson Police Department.

Tasering a mentally-handicapped person ... Hog-tying a 12-year-old ... Beating a prisoner, and than charging him with a crime for getting blood on their uniforms ...

Al Davis, and the old Oakland Raiders would be cheering them on ...

Just win, baby!

I don't know if there's enough Mr. Clean products to scrub the Ferguson Police of it's dirty, rogue cops.

Dropping Shoes

It begins, what we will call the Fallout from Ferguson;

Officers from St. Ann, Glendale off the job after actions during Ferguson protests

"Two police officers are no longer working at their departments due to their actions during the protests in Ferguson.

A Glendale police officer suspended last Friday after commenting on Facebook that he thought Ferguson protesters should be "put down like rabid dogs," has been fired, officials say.

Meanwhile, a St. Ann police lieutenant resigned Thursday after he pointed an assault rifle at protesters and cursed at them, officials said.  Lt. Ray Albers had worked for the department for 20 years ... "

Lt. Ray Albers, thanks to his actions, has a new monniker;

Officer Go Fuck Yourself Is Out of a Job in Missouri

An internal investigation into Albers—whose nickname stems from a memorable exchange in the video ("What's your name?" "Go fuck yourself.")—determined that the 20-year veteran of the force either be fired or resign.

[snip]

Jimenez told the Post-Dispatch Albers had three prior disciplinary incidents, including one last year in which he "used a wrong choice of words with a resident."

This is only two, however, the local Ferguson weatherman may be predicting cloudy skies, and passing showers of shoes in the immeadiate future ...

Meanwhile, up river from Ferguson, in the saintly Twin City of St. Paul, MN, police there engaged in some unnecessary racial profiling, and unnecessary use of force;

Police Tase Black Man Who Was Sitting On A Chair While Waiting To Pick Up His Kids

Let's bring in Les McCann and Eddie Harris for the soundtrack.

2nd Amendment: You Have The Right To Be Stupid, To Traumatize A Child

Absolutely, utterly, tragic!

Shooting instructor dies after being accidentally shot by girl

An instructor who was shot by a 9-year-old girl who fired an Uzi at a northwestern Arizona shooting range died Monday night at University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

[snip]

He said the girl safely and successfully fired the 9 mm weapon several times when it was set in the “single-shot” mode.

He said the weapon was put into the “fully-automatic” mode before the girl fired again with the instructor standing off to her left. The weapon recoiled and drifted left as the girl squeezed off an undetermined number of rounds as she maintained possession but lost control of the Uzi as it raised up above her head.

“The guy just dropped,” McCabe said of shooting instructor Charles Vacca, 39, of Lake Havasu City, who suffered at least one gunshot to the head.

[snip]

The Bullets and Burgers website markets a unique shooting experience for customers.

“Our guests have the opportunity to fire a wide range of fully automatic machine guns and specialty weapons,” the website states. “At our range, you can shoot FULL auto on our machine guns.

“Let ‘em Rip!”

Well, this Bullets and Burgers place certainly lived up to it's motto - it ripped, alright.

Ripped apart the instuctor, that is.

Susie Madrak, over on Crooks and Liars, pondered;

"Maybe the kid's hands were greasy from the burgers and slipped?"

Why, good God, does a 9-year-old need to learn how to shoot an Uzi? ...Are the well-armed Miltias drafting them that young?

And, sorry about the dead instructor, but, shouldn't he have known, from his training and experience, to stand behind the person - in this case, a 9-year-old firing an Uzi for the first time - shooting? Shouldn't he have been helping her to control the weapon, holding her hands or arms, not to let the recoil spray bullets all over the place?

That error in judgement cost him his life.

And, we have to speculate, ruined the life of the 9-year-old girl, who, will likely, be tramautized by this for years to come, replaying the incident over-and-over in her head ...  Having nightmares about it, hearing a car backfire, or other loud noise, flood her again with the images of squeezing the trigger of the Uzi, feeling her losing control of it, ... Seeing the bullets hit the instructor ... Seeing him dead on the ground ... Seeing the puddles of blood ...

Even if she does get the counselling, and help, and, by some miracle, gets to live a normal, productive life (and the odds are long on that, I would suspect), she will have this memory for the rest of her life, and with it the sadness, the hurt, the guilt.

Maybe, when she is older, she will begin to question why her parents allowed her to do this. Was it a gift for doing well in school? Had she been interested in learning to shoot guns and this was the next step up, an automatic weapon, a machine gun?

Some gift, some learning curve, if that be the case.

"Children need to understand the concept of safety before they are allowed to shoot, Frichette said.

Also, they must be “physically and mentally prepared” before they are allowed to shoot a fully automatic weapon. This includes a 4-foot height requirement, he said, adding that even then, they have to master other weapons such as a semi-automatic .22-caliber rifle before they’re allowed to shoot a fully automatic.

He added that a petite-looking child would likely only be allowed to shoot a semi-automatic rifle.

The Review-Journal contacted several other gun ranges in Las Vegas. One did not return a call and officials at another two declined to comment."

Parents of this now traumatized 9-year-old, even if they are responsible gun-owners, should, perhaps, be charged with Child Endangerment.. Again, why does a 9-year-old need to learn to shoot an Uzi, a machine gun?

The standard in this country, to obtain a driver's license, is 16-years-old (some states do have it lower, age 14)

And, with that, one must first obtain a Learner's Permit, and one must have training, or practice with a licensed driver.

Afterall, an automobile can be a dangerous weapon, if one doesn't know how to operate it, to be knowledgable of the rules and regulations of driving, speed limits, when to stop, etc.

They must demonstrate, at the time of their License Test, the ability to be able to handle the automobile, safely, and with the appropriate knowledge of the rules of the road.

That would appear to be a practical standard for allowing children to shoot guns.

I don't know for sure, but I hope Bullets and Burgers aren't operating a Driving School.

Related Links

Second Amendment to the United States Constitution

Ballon Juice  - You Deserve to be Dead, You Moron

TPM - Shooting Instructor Dies After Being Accidentally Shot In The Head By Student

Gawker - 9-Year-Old Girl Kills Shooting Instructor in Machine Gun Accident