Not That Brigid Doesn't Get Enough Hits

... of all kinds, I'm sure. 

But, really, it's a classic.

Los Angeles Man-hunt

California is another world.  I haven't seen much on the LA cops shooting the wrong people in the news.

The motivation seems to be that Dorner failed as a police recruit, may have tried to preemptively railroad his training officer, and plotted revenge for five years. 

A lot of his "manifesto" sounds reasonable enough.  The Los Angeles police department has a long and storied history of corruption and could probably give Chicago's finest a run for their money in that regard.

Denninger has some interesting thoughts on the matter.

There is no excuse for shooting up civilians.  I understand the cops are edgy because Dorner appears to know his business.  The intention seems to be to take as many cops as he can with him when he goes down.  He has been methodical to this point.  Still, the officers' job is to protect the citizens' lives and property first.  This is a failure.

It is hard to sort the spin on this one.  The female training officer presents the story as it being a matter of Dorner not measuring up to the standards and perhaps not being able to handle the pressure.  Dorner's version -- which, given what I know personally about the fraternal nature of law enforcement, does not seem too farfetched -- is that he was targeted and discharged because he reported excessive force on the part of the training officer.  The Board of Review found against Dorner, and, right or wrong, the decision ended Dorner's career plans.  He thus feels justified in striking out at a "corrupt" organization.

His manifesto does exhibit some bizarre thinking and not just in his tirade against the NRA and LaPierre.  He addresses Tim Tebow, Charlie Sheen, and a host of other celebrities and political figures.  It reminds me of some of O.J.'s pronouncements.

I'm glad, once again, I don't live in LA. 

One addendum:  Guy Benson at Townhall recounts the shooter's affection for Obama, but points out that the actions of a madman are hardly an indictment of an ideology.  Proof once again that not only are those on the right correct more of the time, we are also more fair and reasonable with regard to those who oppose us.  

More on the Deaths of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield

CNN has additional information that gives us a more complete picture of the murderer, Routh. 

Routh was having some serious mental problems -- possibly from PTSD.  However, I think there may have been some underlying issues that had nothing to do with his service -- schizophrenia comes to mind. 

Gaines Blevins said his brother-in-law said "he'd traded his soul for a new truck and that he murdered two people," the affidavit says. "He said they were out shooting target practice and he couldn't trust them so he killed them before they could kill him. He said he couldn't trust anyone anymore; everyone was out to get him."  (Emphasis added)

That would indicate psychosis, a loss of contact with reality, and something more than freaking out from the stress of combat. 

Kyle was obviously a person who cared about his fellow veterans.

This was, Bryant said, after Routh's mother "may have reached out to" one of the victims -- Chris Kyle, author of the best-selling book "American Sniper" -- "to try and help her son."

The suspect is "a troubled veteran whom they were trying to help," said Craft International, a company founded by Kyle, who had tried to help veterans with PTSD since he retired from the Navy in 2009.

Fellow SEAL Marcus Luttrell had been in contact with his friend Chris Kyle and said that Kyle was trying to help Routh "blow off some steam". 

This was a case where Kyle, knowing that Routh had some mental instability, took a chance and, once more, put his life on the line to help a brother-in-arms.  Both Kyle and Littlefield died as heroes and deserve our respect.  Routh, it appears, deserves a measure of pity and understanding, but he still has to pay for what he has done.

I almost feel like this happened in my backyard.  Midlothian, where Routh's sister lives, is a place I know well.  My wife has gotten a total of one traffic ticket in her life (it helps to be cute) -- she got it in Midlothian, on her way from Waxahachie to Alvarado.  I used to drive up and down Highway 67 every work day on my way from out there in Johnson County up to North Dallas.  I have been out to Glen Rose on numerous occasions and knew several people who worked on building the Comanche Peak nuclear plant.    

This is so sad.  But, contrary the conclusion of the authorities, I'd say the motive is pretty clear.  Routh is truly not in his right mind.

The Perils of Productivity

Initial claims this week were at 366k – dropping by 5,000 from last week but only because last week’s 368,000 number was revised upward to 371,000.  This week’s numbers will probably be revised upward by next Thursday.  So it goes.

The problem we are facing now is decreasing productivity, as Denninger explains in detail here.

For a long time in the 1980s through maybe 2005, productivity grew largely as a result of technical innovations – desktop computers, laptops, cell phones, internet speed and accessibility.  We were able to do much more in the same amount of time with roughly the same resources.  Information technology expansions in business helped boost the GDP.  At this point, though, the internet has about run its course as far as offering us improvements in how much we can get done.  Obama’s ignorant lament about ATMs replacing bank cashiers has a tiny grain of truth to it.  Innovation in computer technology and robotics has replaced a lot of marginally skilled workers.  Dozens of stockers and cashiers in a brick-and-mortar store can be replaced by a website. 

I don’t think this is necessarily a problem.  I think the free market would figure out a way to deal with it.  I don’t think the government can fix it – which is one of the really stupid things government and unions are trying to do.  Their answer is to employ more government workers to provide more unnecessary, unwanted, wasteful and inefficient government “service”.  If government were inefficient enough, according to their thinking, the state could employ everybody.  Remind me again how that worked out for the Soviets, how it’s working out in Greece and most of Europe now, and how it will work out for us and the Chinese in the future. 

I know there are plenty of people running around telling everyone not to listen to the gloom-and-doomers.  Fine.  If people want to believe that happy days are here again, more power to them.  Such folks might want to keep a good supply of Xanax and/or vodka on hand.  I don’t mind at all if they turn out to be right.  But they are not. 

My advice is that people get anything they think they need to survive a collapse now – certainly before the end of the summer, preferably sooner.  At the very least, get a barrel and fill it with water.  The price of canned food has shot up over the last few months, but make sure you have some.  Pick up some junk silver coins.  Save your nickels and the pennies minted before 1982.  Get a couple of packs of butane lighters and extra batteries.  If you see .22LR ammunition anywhere, buy it.  Get some non-hybrid beans and grow some food.  It’s minor stuff, but it’s something.        

Sandy Hook DA Doesn't Want Warrants Unsealed

Wait.  What?

Via Digital Journal:  Connecticut State's Attorney Stephen Sedensky has argued that unsealing warrants in the Sandy Hook case might "seriously jeopardize" the investigation by disclosing information known only to other "potential suspects."


I have to think this is some sort of standard procedure involving boilerplate legal-ese, because it makes no sense at all to me.

... neither Vance nor the CT Attorney General's office have ever ruled out the possible presence of other suspects. The New Haven Register reports Vance as having said: "Whenever you conduct an investigation you don’t speculate as to where it’s going to take you, as I said, we’re going to look at every single thing, every piece of material and we’ll take it from there." 

Must just be a slow time of year for the AG up there in Connecticut.

There was initially a lot of conflicting information before the politicians -- specifically the Feckless Leader -- started making the whole thing about "assault rifles".  There was talk of a second shooter, possibly.  There is a video of the local police chief saying that the punk had used only handguns -- either two or four.  Then the focus changed and all we heard about was the Bushmaster.

I don't know.  Actually I do know.  I don't trust anything the media reports or that the government says or does.  It's the mental nuclear option -- the only way to be sure. 

And one more thought while I'm at it, as much as I think the AG is probably just taking his time with a very high-profile case, I still wonder about what kinds of drugs the punk might have been using -- prescription or otherwise.  

Zimmerman Denied Delay in Trial

Via the Central Florida News 13 site, the judge in the case denied the motion for the trial date to be moved from June to November. 

The defense is fighting against the reluctance of the prosecution to provide full disclosure.  The prosecution basically has no case other than the phone call that was going on between Martin and his "girlfriend" the night of his attack on Zimmerman.  Initially, this was thought to be a 16-year-old minor.  Another "Dee-Dee" was identified as being 18 at the time.  It's all very confusing, and it has not been helped by the "family attorneys" who keep getting mixed up in the case.  It has always baffled me as to why Martin's parents would need an attorney, and now they apparently have two.  It has been from the first a criminal case, if it was a case at all.

The first "family attorney", Ben Crump, was the one who provided information and a media-feeding interview with the alleged "girlfriend".  Crump himself "lawyered up" in an attempt to avoid being deposed by the Zimmerman defense team.  

Nelson also granted a motion to keep information about "Witness 8" confidential. "Witness 8" is believed to be Trayvon's girlfriend who, according to recorded interviews, was on the phone with Martin the night Zimmerman shot and killed him.

"We want to state very clearly that the recording is an accurate and complete recording of the interview, of everything that we have we gave over," said Ben Crump, attorney for Martin family.

Crump even brought his own attorney to court, to fight a request by the defense to depose the Martin family attorney. Judge Nelson delayed a decision on that.

The implication is that Crump provided at least some information that he knew was false, possibly regarding the identity of the witness.  The prosecution, in order to effectively railroad Zimmerman, has to somehow establish that Martin was frightened and fought back only when pursued and cornered.  They need the "witness" on the phone to be credible in making that assertion. 

All the other evidence indicates that it was Martin who first evaded then ambushed Zimmerman.

The other sickening aspect was the "peace rally" against "gun violence" that took place on what would have been Trayvon's 18th birthday.  How tragic.  I'm surprised the Obamas didn't show up for the rally.  

You know gun violence is so much worse than concrete sidewalk violence.  Having your skull bashed in is practically a spa treatment compared to being shot. 

Those who gathered to celebrate Trayvon's life said there is no better legacy than to play a part in making Sanford, and other communities across the country, safer.

They may be right now that I think about it.  Surely we can all agree that it is only common sense that we rip up all the concrete sidewalks in the country.  For far too long in America, children have been injured by concrete sidewalks.  It's time to step up and demand change.  I mean, if it saves even one child's life, isn't it worth it?

LaserLyte™ Trainer Cartridge and Target System Review

I ordered the LaserLyte Cartridge and Target System from Midway recently, and I have been using the system for a couple of weeks.  The way it works is that the cartridge is inserted into the chamber.  When the firing pin hits the back of the cartridge a laser pulse lasting 100 milliseconds is initiated.  The laser striking the target screen registers in sensors below the surface.  Firing the laser at the Display sensor on the bottom of the target causes the strikes to be shown on the screen.  Firing into the Reset sensor clears the screen.  (See this link.)

I have been using this at a distance of 21 feet.  That isn’t too challenging.  What is does show dramatically are faults in trigger discipline.  I’m not a bad shot with a single-action revolver – my long-time favorite handgun.  I am a horrible shot with my Springfield XDM.  The LaserLyte™ system has done a couple of things for me.  First, of course, it brazenly and inarguably shows my errors in bright, indisputable red.  Second, it helps me correct those faults.  This is a good system.  Whether it is worth the investment or not is another question, which we will address.

There’s no way to blame bad ammunition.  I can’t get around the fact that either my sight alignment or the movement of my trigger finger (the main culprit) caused me not to hit on center.  Below are a couple of typical spreads showing my unsettling tendency to pull to the right on firing. 

These are both in excess of 10-shot groups, so hitting the same spot registers only once.  It is neat and obvious.  (I would like, at this range, to have all ten or however many shots in one single dot.  I'll let you know if that happens.  Do not hold your breath.)  The delayed feedback with the Display/Reset sensors is good for me, too.  

The second target shows some improvement as a result of changing my grip backstrap.  The XDM package came with three backstraps – small, medium and large.  The medium strap was on when I got it, and since I am remarkably average, I figured that would be the one to use.  After playing with the LaserLyte setup for a few days, I decided to try the large.  After a few more sessions, I began to see some improvement, partially a result of getting some of my fat finger off the trigger, and partially a result of improving technique. 

The LaserLyte™ is dry-firing on steroids, and, like steroids, there is a price to pay, specifically, from Midway $79.99 for the cartridge and $139.99 for the target.  Or there abouts.  Is  it worth it?  For not much more, one could buy a .22 handgun, or, for Glocks, Sig-Sauers, and 1911s, a .22LR conversion kit.  That’s not an option for the Springfield – at least, I’ve never found a conversion for it.  It’s very cheap practice after the initial investment.  As long as the LaserLyte units hold up, all you have to do is buy batteries.  Hundreds of shots have had no impact on the batteries so far. 

Whether it is worth the cost or not depends on one's situation.  If I could have gotten a .22LR conversion, I would have done that instead.  I want to train with this specific handgun, so, as much fun as a Ruger or S&W .22LR pistol is, that does not serve my purpose so well.  As long as the system continues to function properly, I will be fairly satisfied with my investment. 

A couple of things about the actual functioning of the LaserLyte, for example, after you pull the trigger on a double-action auto like the XD, you have to rack the slide to cock it again.  The LaserLyte cartridge is rimless; therefore, there is no problem with ejecting and reseating the cartridge in each cycle.  That raises the question of how one extracts the laser device from the chamber.  I have a special tool.

This one was courtesy of the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home.  I’m sure they would be happy to know it is being put to such a noble and worthy use. 

The device itself is a tight fit in the chamber.  Let me say this again, it is tight.  It was so tight that when I tried it initially, I ended up calling the LaserLyte customer service number to see if something was wrong.  It’s not.  It’s just very tight.  It’s OK to put a little lubricant, a small amount of gun oil or petroleum jelly (use gun oil, Vaseline is just wrong) on the cartridge to help it seat.  I have to let the slide slam down pretty hard.  The LaserLyte™ folks, who seem nice and helpful, insist that the cartridge is built for just such usage.  It does seem pretty tough. 

I do not know the maximum distance at which this system works.  The range on the target says "50 yards".  I have a 21-foot lane here in my office, and that’s where I’ve used it.  It seems perfect.  I did try it outside at about 25 yards, and it seems OK.  In my case, it doesn’t matter because I’m working on isolating only certain aspects of my shooting.  With this system, you are obviously not dealing with recoil and muzzle blast.  What I am working on is speed, target acquisition, and trigger control.  Twenty-one feet works fine.

There are other cartridge sizes available in addition to the .40 S&W.  For someone in a situation similar to mine, this approach and the initial expense is reasonable.  The only question I have myself is durability – something only time and use will reveal.  Otherwise, I can recommend the LaserLyte™ system as being well-designed and beneficial.   

Read my follow-up here.