Change we can believe in!

The tide is turning.  I am calling the top of the bubble:  The canine supremacy movement has shot it's wad and is now in decline.  As usual, YMMV.

First, some bad news:  Andrew Nason and Julie Custer, owners of the dogs that killed Klonda Richey, face NO CHARGES.  Apparently, murder by dog in Dayton remains legal (for now).   The prosecutor in that case MUST be a foaming at the mouth, dog worshiping fanatic.  The DA OWNS the grand jury... there is NO WAY they walked out without charges unless THAT was the pre-determined outcome. 

Better news:

- Owner of the dogs that chewed the hands and feet off a pedestrian in Detroit has been arrested.
- Craig Sytsma's murderers are charged with 2nd degree murder.
- Alex Donald Jackson gets 15 years for murder of Pamela Devitt.

And, so it goes.   The universe of the the pit nut, AR fanatic and raving dog cultist just got a little smaller.  Maybe a LOT smaller!  Indeed, it turns out that your noble status just got taken down a BIG notch.  Just think, today they ban murder and maiming by dog... what will those commie's think of next?  Perhaps you won't be allowed to blow out the eardrums of everyone on your block with Fido's exclamations?   Your heart must just break knowing that, soon, your next door neighbors front yard is NOT your dog's toilet!   Yikes, you are now BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE.  O the dogmanity!

Awesome news!  Craig Emory was NOT (yet) charged for stabbing "Clara" the pit bull!   As I have written in the past, I am not a huge fan of people who bring small pets to PetSmart.  That said, the guy had a right to kill the dog that was attacking his dog.  Hey, Craig?   Consider one of these next time.   That, or stay the hell out of Petsmart!!

See, the rest of us were not willing to sacrifice our lives to accommodate your furry god.  Indeed, we have a right to PEACE and SAFETY in our own homes and public places.  We will use 2nd amendment protections where appropriate, and kill your dogs and throw your ass in jail when you get out of line.

Don't like it?  Tough shit, that is the way the cookie crumbles.   YOU get to kiss OUR asses for a change.  You are god damned lucky you get to even OWN a dog in this city.   YOU follow OUR rules to the LETTER or you are DONE. 

Finally, a solution....

I'll bet that title got your attention!

I went out target shooting with my hunting rifle earlier today.  Yes, Mabel, this is another Gun P0rn essay!  The following video is my rifle, and all targets are mine.

Moar, er, more on the Remington 700 SPS:

The above video says more than I ever could.  Its a literal MOVIE on the Rem 700 so make some popcorn, kick back and enjoy!


EDIT:  The scope on the Remington is a Leupold VX1, NOT a Mark 1 as I had indicated in the video. 

Trainwreck Ed. 1.6: Juxtapose

A new update on our pal "Mickey" who ripped the face off a 4 year old earlier this year.  It looks like Mickey is doing just great!

Hell, Mickey should have ripped the face off a 4 year old SOONER!  Now, he has a new BONE!

Of course, that dastardly devil that put POOR OL MICKEY in SUCH a bad situation, AIN'T doing so well.  Consider:

Lets check the scorecard:

Mickey:  74,099 supporters.
Kevin:  967 Supporters.

That's 75 Mickey supporters for every Kevin supporter!   Remember, according to new math, the Mickey supporters support BOTH the dog and the kid!

More on Mickey and Kevin:

Vol 1
Vol 2
Vol 3
Vol 4
Vol 5
Vol 6

Aren't you all just GLAD at how well Mickey is doing?   To all you dog lovers:  That 60 year social engineering project you've been working on... you know, the one where everyone must be convinced that ALL dogs are absolutely perfect, and that NO dog or dog owner can do wrong, ever?   That the life of an individual dog is worth infinitely more than every other living thing on earth?  Well, it has paid off in spades.... look above, these are the fruits of your labor.  YOU own this one and every other situation like it. 

Moar gun P0rn

It seems as though life itself has let us down.  Is there anything to be happy for, anymore?

The answer is - YES INDEEDY!  Yes, Mabel you CAN take your neighborhood back - and here is how you do it!

A little video I put together today.  All photos are mine.

Click here for info from the Ruger website.

A decent review video:

I'd encourage you to "YouTube" Ruger LC380.

Here is another video:

Some background - I'd rented a Ruger LCP, which is even smaller.  My hands are above average in size and I just could not articulate the LCP.  The LC380 is "just right".   I have fired hundreds of rounds through this gun with not a single problem.   As usual, Ruger's quality and dollar value are exceptional.

Ruger also makes the LC9, which is a nearly identical piece chambered in 9mm.  I estimate this would kick a lot more, but would have a lot more stopping power.

A good review of the LC9:

Have a great weekend!

Dress for success at Pet Stupid

Pursuant to my pre-essay on Pet Unintelligent, welcome to the 3rd Animal Uncontrol POLL!

Here is the deal... you MUST head to Pet Stupid Smart.  For some reason (make it up, it doesn't matter), this chore is unavoidable.  However, they are having an XXL Super Pit Bull adoption day that day.   Additionally, they have ALL been rescued by Best Friends Animal shelter and the ALL have a history of attacking humans and other animals.  What to do?

Choices for successful dress at Pet Stupid.  Consider all of your options and make your choice carefully!  Poll is on the upper right.

Option 1:  SWAT.   With this fashionable full body Kevlar outfit, all decked out with select fire assault rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and full face protection, how can you go wrong at Pet Smart?  Note, I would stay in the parakeet section if I were you!

Option 2:  Medieval Knight.  Guns ain't your thang?  No worries!  It would take Fido hours to chew through one of these full body beauties!  That broadsword will make sushi out of that supermauler in no time!

Option 3:  Serial Killer.  As per option (2), a good option in Communist countries such as New Jersey.  The hockey mask will protect your face PLUS that McColluch will slice up that supermauler like warm butter!

Option 4:  Exo skeleton.  Hey, if it will work on a monster alien, it should work on that neighborhood supermauler!  Right?  (OK, see option #1).

Option 5:  Cyborg.  Most pit bull victims (the one's that live, anyway) wind up without arms and legs, anyway, so why not go all in and replace nearly everything with computer parts?   Try to take a bite of out of THIS guy Fido!  

Hoist at Pet Stupid

So, another god pet owner is hoist by their own petard at PETSMART. What type of lunatic frequents one of those places, anyway? Personally, I won't go within a mile of one. Showing up at one of those places with a SMALL PET merely adds to the stupid points. Here is a better idea... douse yourself in blood and jump into the shark tank at the aquarium... THAT WOULD BE SAFER.

Look, Pet Unintelligent holds regular adoptions for Pit Bulls and other dangerous dogs.  Supermaulers are as welcome THERE as a new set of golf clubs at the Obama White House.  WHY can't you buy dog food and chewy toys at the regular grocery or off the internet? Why the inclination to head to Pet Stupid Smart? Are you insane? Are you looking for a good excuse to kill a Pit Bull? Consider this example from the archives:

Note what Mr. Kersey is doing... he is putting himself in harms way and then killing anyone who tries do kill him. Doesn't he know he has no right to ride the subway after 9pm?  He has the same right to safety on the subway (essentially, none) as you do at Pet Stupid Smart.  Am I getting through to you now?

In any case, I figure if you are going to head to Pet Stupid Smart you may as well show up prepared. Hell, anything worth doing, even if it is the wrong thing, is worth doing right! Right? 

More BSL musings

I posted a comment on Craven Desires today, and I thought it was worthy of its own blog post.  This is the link to Craven's blog article.

(Not so) interestingly, the article generated many comments, several of them from Pit Bull aficionados defending the breed.  The usual laundry list of "Retorts" from this crowd spewed forth, such as:

- What dog bite epidemic?  If 800,000 people sought medical attention for any other affliction, it would be considered an epidemic.
- You can't identify a Pit Bull!   OK, genius YOU tell me what kind of dog you have!
- My Pit Bull never bit anybody!  If a pit bull cannot be identified, how do you know your dog is a Pit Bull?
- Stronger laws holding owners responsible is what is needed.  I agree with this, though it does not invalidate the pro-BSL position.   What policy positions are they putting forth (other than blame-the victim)?
- I do not have the time to read all this nonsense.   Possibly, but you certainly have time to write plenty of it!

So, anyway, here is what I wrote, I have made a few updates indicated in bold.


To FFYR and the other Pit Bull lovers commenting on this article:

We have a dog bite epidemic not only in this country, but the world. These "Bites" (attacks), levered against humans and other animals, are increasing in number AND severity and there is no end in sight. A disproportionate amount of this carnage can be traced back to various "power" dog breeds such as Pit Bulls. This is a real problem that needs to be solved.

Now, BSL may not be a perfect solution. I have written extensively on my blog about the shortcomings, inconsistencies, and other issues these laws may raise.

With that said, at least the BSL crowd is coming to the table with a solution. An imperfect solution, perhaps, but the world is not a perfect place.

So, the question I posit to you Pit Bull, power dog, and even dog lovers in general is this - what policy proposal would you put forward to ameliorate this problem?

If you were smart, rather than slamming the BSL folks, you would posit an alternate solution that might reduce the number and severity of dog attacks. Do you have such a policy position?

Now, if I were you, I would posit the following: Rather than ban or severely restrict the breeds, I would put forth a policy where ANY dog that mauls and kills is summarily destroyed, and the owner jailed, fully liable for enhanced civil penalties, with the following minimum sentencing guidelines:

- Maim or permanently disfigure a human being, 10 year minimum prison sentence.

- Kill a human being, 20 year minimum sentence.

- Kill another domestic animal, one year in prison.

- Any off property attack on human or other animal resulting in ANY injury, 2 years probation.  Any animal code violations within the probationary period result in 1 year in prison.

- Strengthening of self defense laws.   Dog attacks, including off leash "charging" by any dog over 40 lbs to be considered a projection of lethal force.  Castle Doctrine and Stand your ground in full force.   Self defense using any legal article, including firearm, completely legal.

- Update civil codes so statutory civil penalties are in force.  Dog owner 100% liable for all medical, veterinary, and property damage caused by their animals.   Dog owner shall also be liable for a minimum 200% punitive damage in all cases.  Civil damages may not be discharged in bankruptcy.  i.e. if there is a $5000 vet bill incurred as a result of the attack, the owner of the attacking animal is 100% liable for $15000 in damages that may never be discharged in bankruptcy.  

- All of the above result in loss of pet privileges for life.  Violators to receive an additional 10 years in prison for any violations.  

All sentences above to be served CONSECUTIVELY in the case of multiple attacks, i.e. if your dog kills 5 sheep then that is 5 years in prison with no possibility of parole.

However, I doubt you [pit bull owners] are going to promote or even tolerate a regime like that since many of your ilk not only defend the breed, you give overwhelming support to *individual animals* that maul and kill (i.e. "Mickey"). I almost never hear a call to jail the owner of one of these known maulers from your camp.

Therefore, if you are going to circle the wagons and defend the absolute worst among you as a *group*, then you will be treated as a *group*: If you keep standing as one, you will go down as one. Either throw the worst among you (human AND canine) under the bus or you will ALL burn together.

Regards,

BUMP - Monsters among us

Hey, there has been an update in the Lenton Case!   Read about that here.


Consider my comments in BOLD.


"March 19, 2014 at 12:56 PM
PELL CITY, Alabama - A Leeds couple was sentenced today after pleading guilty to charges in the 2012 death of an 83-year-old man, who was killed by two of their Rottweilers.


[Yes, 2 of approximately 35 Rottweilers!   Anybody have a problem with 35 Rottweilers in a suburban backyard, where barnyard animals are probably banned completely?!?]

Jacqueline Lenton, 57, and Jerry Lenton, 57, were sentenced by St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Bill Weathington during a hearing at the St. Clair County Courthouse in Pell City. The pleas and sentences were part of agreements worked out in consultation with the victim's family.


[If I were in the victims family, I would have been pushing for life for murder.  Probably settled for 20 years.   Hey, if a DUI killer can get 25, why not 20 for canine homicide?]

Jerry Lenton pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to a split 10-year sentence, with one year and a day to serve in prison. He is to report to the St. Clair County Jail, where he will serve his sentence, on May 12. The judge also ordered Jerry Lenton placed on five years of probation, the first two years under supervision, after his release.


[ A year and a day for the murdering dogger!  Well, that's 366 days more than most of them get!]

The family declined to comment after the hearing, but Chief Assistant St. Clair County District Attorney Lamar Williamson read a message from the family that "we believe justice was served."


[ In March 2015, Lenton gets to go back to breeding Rottenweilers.... its a win-win!]

Williamson said that the plea agreements were worked out in consultation with the family.


[Too bad they didn't consult with me]

"It's just a very tragic situation. Good people on both sides," said Don Colee, attorney for Jacqueline Lenton."

I would argue assholes on both sides, including the victim's family... they want to turn Lenton loose to wreak more canine havoc?   He's probably been "banned" from owning dogs for life but that has about as much stick as Teflon.... forget it, this guy will be back to breeding more killer dogs the nanosecond he gets out.  Count on it!   I would have pushed for the max at every opportunity.  Absent, an even aside from, a ban on these monsters we need to put the screws to the HUMAN element (which is ultimately responsible) AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. 

Something like this happens to you, YOU have an OBLIGATION to screw them into the ground!  Turn them into ground up shit!  The rest of us need to relentlessly bash these people, outgroup them, and humiliate them at every opportunity.   THAT will ameliorate this problem.  You let stuff like this slide then YOU are part of the problem.  Get with it!

Also, read the comments on the original article - one of Lenton's fan club has been stalking me.  I find it quite complementary, actually!!   Keep it up, pal - it increases my site hits and gives me another opportunity for a snarkfest!

Another killing

A dog takes another human life.   So, who cares?  Dog willed that this person not live another day!  Hell, they might have grown up to be another Hitler!

Dogsbite.org has the details.

I left a comment on the article.... I hope Coleen posts it.  It is NOT complementary to dog lovers (to say the least).

In any case, you have this dog, known to be a complete nuisance and probable threat to safety... kept locked in a back bedroom?  "but family members told police the dog had shown aggressive behavior in the past".   Are we surprised that Dog rips human toddler to pieces?

Now, if it is KNOWN that the dog is dangerous, why is the kid even near it?  Is this some advanced form of mental retardation I am not aware of???

It is one thing to discriminate against a dog based on its looks or breed history, but if the crotch-sniffer is a KNOWN PROBLEM, then why keep the damn thing around?

On the plus side, Fido was given a well-deserved dirt nap.   How about the 2 legged miscreants that facilitated this entire fiasco?  "as early as Friday, police said that no charges are expected to be filed in the case. Authorities are calling yet another child's horrific death by a family pit bull a "tragic accident." 

Thank Dog for that!  They are now FREE to adopt more Pit Bulls (or whatever canine killer is off the current blacklist), so LATHER, RINSE AND REPEAT.

More foul, useless, noxious BARKING

So, here I am on my last day of my epic, 2-week, 6-state road trip.  I was going to land back at home last night but I got tired and decided to overnight in South Carolina.

I don't have much time to write, so I will keep this short...

Guess what woke my ass up this morning?  Anybody?  Was is meowing cats?  Squeaky hamster wheels?   Mooing cows?   Birds chirping?   None of the above?

Correct answer would be "none of the above" given that my rig is built well enough to block out those type of noises.

Indeed, there is NO rig built well enough to block out the type of shrill, screeching, explosively loud yelps that woke my ass up on a SUNDAY MORNING.

Indeed, the noise in question is SO incredibly loud, and has SUCH a nasty penetrating nature that using ANYTHING to block it out is like using a police issue bulletproof vest to stop the shock wave from a 2,000 lb bomb   If you are in the vicinity you ARE going to be disrupted.

Now, not that I SHOULD have to block it out.  I have a RIGHT to peaceful use of my personal space.  Indeed, it is the DOG OWNER that should control their "emissions".

And, you know what, if they refuse to control those emissions, we should do what we do with ANY other polluter - shut down the source of the pollution.   If individual shut-downs to not prove productive, then an en-mass solution must be implemented.

Oh, and the little shit carried on for at least a half hour - longer than most "consecutive disruption" laws.

.

Barkmageddon!

For the sake of all that is holy (and unholy) SHUT THE HELL UP!

Time to get back to why I started this blog in the first place:   Incessant, useless, unnatural, infuriating, undogly, ungodly BARKING!

So, I take my little RV to a state park (OUT of my state, I may add) for some time off.  Sunday evening rolls around, and you would NORMALLY expect it to be quiet, as everyone else leaves for the weekend?  Ha!  Guess again, Sherlock!  Some numbnuts pulls in right next to me (even though the place was almost empty).  Nope, he decided to ignore ALL that empty space and park RIGHT NEXT TO ME.

This jackass had one of the most obnoxious robo-barkers I have ever encountered.  It’s some useless little mop-dog, and it shrieked and yelped almost incessantly FOR TWO HOURS.  It emitted this excruciating, piercing yelp that could penetrate clear through a bank vault.  I complained to the park host who said… guess what… “there is nothing we can do”.  DING DING DING we have a winner!

There was no way I could put up with that, so I moved to the other end of the park.  I can STILL hear the little shit barking its head off but at least it’s not intrusive.   Indeed, I have NOT died and gone to Hell.  Well, not yet anyway.

On a slightly better note, the site I now have is a little nicer than the one I had HOWEVER it would have been convenient to NOT have to pack everything up, move the camper, and set back up again on another site.  I had to do ALL of that because… Dog Forbid ANY dog owner be asked to limit their behavior in ANY WAY.   Nope, HE does not have to lift a finger, and I get hours taken out of my evening BOTH to enduring the endless shrieking AND having to relocate all my equipment.  NOPE, they would not even TALK to him about his god dog.

You see, Dog Wills that all of us modify OUR behavior!  We must accommodate Dog at all costs!  Dog bestows special privileges on His High Priests (dog owners)!   OF COURSE nothing can be done… how can mere puny MORTALS interfere in the affairs of Dog?   Why, human civilization is like an anthill next to the Almighty Dog!

We are unworthy!  We have sinned against Dog!  Bring on the BarkMageddon!

More off leash Lunacy

Alternate title “My new buddy!”.

Alternate title #2: “Mother Nature is a Bitch”.

So, here is a fresh photo of my new buddy “Frank”:

Why is Frank such a great gator? Well, Frank is representative of his kind and he presents a great reason why ONLY MORONS LET THEIR DOGS OFF LEASH.

Here is my past essay on this issue.

Repeat: If you let your dog off leash you are a douchebag, an idiot and a criminal. You are a shithead with absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. You are a worthless bag of meat that is not fit for society and I would not feed you to my dog (if I had one). I would say go to hell, but that would be too nice a place for you. I would compost you, but I expect your worthless carcass would grow nothing but Poison Ivy. You deserve to be burned to ash, your remains stuffed into a lead barrel and sealed up in the nuclear waste storage facility at Yucca mountain for all eternity. Got all that? Good.

In any case, I had a nice little trip to Hillsborough River State Park this past weekend. Nice place. I stayed overnight in my little travel trailer. First, I did have some problems overnight with some useless dog barking. Know what, anyone that lets their dog bark at 3am within earshot of anyone else should be thrown head first into a woodchipper, but I digress.

So, I get back from a tour of one of the historic sites on Sunday and I am chatting up one of the park rangers, as I often do. I am no longer a state hike leader, but I still keep up with the various goings on in the park system.

Anyways, I told the ranger lady about my run in with “Frank” and she told me that there was a bad dog-alligator altercation fairly recently. REALLY? Yes, apparently some rocket scientist decided it would be a great idea to let his Labrador off leash (in violation of park rules) to splash around in the river. A resident alligator then proceeded to rip Fido to shreds right in front of the entire extended family and several other park guests!  Hey genius: Your god dog is NOT part of nature. He does NOT understand the risks. KEEP YOUR DOG LEASHED AND ON THE TRAIL.

Surprisingly, the owner took responsibility for the incident. Typically, the dog owner tries to sue the park, even though THEY were breaking the rules.

I don't know what happened to the gator in question (it was not Frank).  It probably had to be destroyed (unfortunately) even though the dog WAS the instigator. Ah, well.   Its bad enough the dog had to die that way due to it's owners douchy incompetence, but its ALSO bad PR for the parks, which have enough problems already.  Note there was no news item on this as far as I could determine.

REMEMBER: NOBODY wants your dog in their space or in their face! Not alligators NOR fellow human beings. YOU dog owners need to respect the rights of others or your dog (and maybe you too) will become lunch.  RuleZ of Nature BitchEZ!

Another worthless Shit Bull

Takes a human life.  Dogsbite.org has the details.  OK, maybe not a shitbull, but some sort of worthless fighting craphound.  Why do we put up with this nonsense?

In any case, I always get the bad news out of the way first.

On a better front, I have some new good gun P0rn!  What is at the end of the rainbow?  Golly Gee, its a Smith and Wesson .357 magnum!   Not just ANY .357 mag, but my very own!  So, if shotguns ain't your thang you might want to consider one of these.  Enjoy!

Some good gun P0rn

I had the day off work today, so I entertained myself with some SHOOTING (both firearm and camera) and developing my home movie editing skills.

1st installment, me shooting my Winchester SXP 12 gauge pump shotgun.  These retail for under $400.00 and are legal just about everywhere (in the US, anyway).

Best use for a dead Pit Bull?

There are 1 million (1,000,000) or so Pit Bulls destroyed in the USA every year. Most are PTS, some are put down by other “means” (evil chuckle).

Now, there has to be SOME good use for all of those carcasses! What do YOU think we should do with them? Land-Filling them is just plain wasteful!

Now, on to the 2^nd poll – best uses for a dead Pit Bull! Read all the options and choose your answers carefully!

Option 1: Barbeque. Invite all the neighbors and put all that protein to good use! Now, all you need is honey baked beans and cole slaw and you are all set for the Fourth of July!

Option 2: Fish Bait. Get your fishing license and bait your hook with a chunk of “Killer”! Let something bite on THEM for a change! Reel in some tasty Grouper or Mackerel with a hunk of your neighborhood nuisance!

Option 3: Compost. Vegetarian? No worries... no need to miss out on all those good mauler-bred nutrients! Your veggies will grow to competition size with some nicely aged and fermented Pit Bull in your back garden! Note: Recommend feeding the carcass through a wood chipper prior to composting. Remember to turn your compost regularly!

Option 4: Bio-diesel. Rid your neighborhood of maulers AND reduce our dependence on foreign oil in one shot! Now, you can thunder down the avenue in your Mercedes guilt free, and with a dose of smugness! Happy Motoring!

Option 5: Shooting Target. So, your .357 mag hollowpoint DID drop that mauler? Let me ask you something... was that the LAST mauler in existence? Unlikely. THEY are breeding them faster than you can shoot and YOU need to exercise that trigger finger.

Only the POOR should pay TAXEZ!

OK, this post is a troll... gotcha!


Hey, you live by the sword you will die by it.


What does that mean?  IT MEANZ you troll and you will get TROLLED.


Lulz.

Massive cranial burst

DO pet owners qualify for public assistance?  Should the rest of us be forced to fund a lifestyle choice that is often toxic to the interests of others?   This raises the blood pressure of most folks thusly:

Some folks brought up the fact that dogs may indeed REDUCE the blood pressure of certain individuals.  I will not argue this, as the blood pressure of some people such as Roy McSweeney and Klonda Richey is now ZERO.  Look, it can't get any lower than THAT.

I will leave you all with this for now:

One common argument I hear from the owners of biters and yard barkers is this:  "Get your GUBBMINT out of my life you DAMN COMMIE!   Take your LAWS and SHOVE IT!".

I heard this from the puppy miller across the street.  I heard this from toxic hikers in my state trail association.  I see it endlessly in blogs, comments, and from many who are asked to control their DOGS.

I don't know about you, but personally I am glad to get government out of their lives.  Hell, government forces me to pay their benefits, how about that SAME "gubbmit" FORCE them to control their mutts?   I have to control MY behavior (and that includes paying a third of my income in taxes), how about them?  No?   Well, then let them Eat Cake!

In any case, how bad is it to give them what they want?   They don't want to be part of the social contract , they agree to NO limits on their behavior for any reason EVER!  They want "gubbmint" completely out of their lives!  SO, I say let them just exist in their own little islands of anarchy where there are no police, no courts and NO WELFARE. It will be every dog owning man, woman and child for themselves.   They are hard core rugged individualists, they will PROSPER!

Hoist by your own petards, bitcheZ.

Pets on public assistance?

There has been a lot of debate flying around regarding pets and public assistance.  Should people with pets, particularly multiple, large pets be eligible for public assistance?  I.E. Welfare, food stamps, WIC, Section 8 housing, Medicaid, etc...

I guess it depends on A) Where you stand politically, and B) Is owning a dog a core necessity?   Pursuant to (B) should dog owners be eligible for public assistance?

Some folks  indicate that the poverty stricken should not have to give up everything.  I agree with this sentiment in a very limited sense.  However, dog ownership is nothing more than a lifestyle choice and a luxury for most people.  The majority of the population does not own a dog and get by just fine.

Let me expand into allegory.  Would/should I be eligible for public assistance if I:
- Own an expensive, fuel inefficient car?
- Own a large home in an expensive neighborhood?
- Continue to pursue expensive hobbies such as scuba diving, flying airplanes, or golfing?
- Make sufficient income to meet my core needs?

I'm sure the vast majority would say NO to public assistance for any of the above.  Should I be collecting welfare/food stamps/section 8/etc... so I can keep my Mercedes/beach house/and country club membership?   You need to keep in mind that everyone paying taxes is not some Scrooge McDuck with a silo full of money.

Again, I personally don't think that anyone should be allowed to starve, die from exposure, or lack basic/emergent health care.  However, if you continue to pursue expensive lifestyle choices, you should not be asking for a handout.  Why should I be forced to give money to someone who has something I don't have?   I should not be on the hook for someone else's frivolities.

Demolish counter-argument #1:  Crony capitalists and other types of government fraud/waste are a red herring and irrelevant to the conversation.  For example, the fact that Haliburton raped the taxpayer during the Iraq war was a travesty that should not have happened and should not happen again BUT completely irrelevant to this discussion.  The point is, whether or not I, or anyone else, should be forced to subsidize (directly or indirectly) pet ownership in others.

Demolish counter-argument #2:  What about kids?  Should I be forced to support someone else's children, especially if I don't have any?  A couple of things... 1)  Dogs are not kids, and 2) again, not really relevant to the discussion.

Demolish counter argument #3:  To dog lovers (and perhaps others) on the left half of the political spectrum, ponder this:  When pet owners receive transfer payments, you need to consider where those tax dollars ultimately wind up - let me give you a hint - that tax money winds up in the pockets of breeders, pet food manufacturers, big retailers, veterinarians, and various other top 1%-ers.  (ok, maybe only top 20% in some cases).

Owning a dog (or 10) means one has voluntarily assumed the following liabilities:
- Food
- Additional housing space
- Veterinary bills
- Licensing fees.
- Misc

Now, if one were to surrender those liabilities (or had not taken them on in the first place) they might not NEED public assistance.  I.E. if they weren't on the hook to feed 10 dogs, they may then have ample funds to cover their own nutritional needs.  That, or their need for public assistance would be lessened.

Demolish counter-argument #4:   To some of those still not getting it (and I have seen this argument bounced around a lot), any household budget is basically a pot.  The funds are fungible.  By subsidizing one thing, you are indirectly subsidizing everything.  So, if you say "but, I pay for my dog's needs with my OWN MONEY, public assistance pays for MY needs!".  OK, now substitute "Dog" with "Swimming Pool" or "RV" and you now finally get the point.  When you pay for someone's food, housing, medical care, etc.... you may be freeing up funds for that individual's frivolous extras.

Personally, I think that disqualifying pet owners from public assistance is a capital idea for a multitude of reasons.  Pets consume a lot of resources and create a lot of pollution.  The government should not be enabling pet ownership of any kind.  Pet ownership is NOT a public good, such as infrastructure or law enforcement.   Owning a pet is a PRIVILEGE not a core civil right or a basic necessity.  Government enablement of pet ownership via transfer payments lowers the quality of life and standard of living of all.

Am I a mean bastard?  Of course I am.  Nice guys finish last, and nice people do not solve problems.  In any case, everyone needs to realize that things suck all over and hearing a sob story from someone with a lot of "wealth" stored in pets does not gain a lot of traction with me, nor should it anyone else. 

MOAR stopping power

Great Video on the effectiveness of the .357 magnum handgun cartridge:  125 grain semi-jacketed hollowpoints to be precise.  Note that "grain" indicates the weight of the projectile.  A grain is about 64.8 milligrams, so 125 grain projectile weighs about 8.1 grams, or about  1/3 of an ounce.

Here is a glossary of bullet type abbreviations (i.e. FMJ, JHP, etc...)

Note video looks good on full screen.

Stopping Power

There was an article on Craven Desires the other day involving the use of a firearm to stop a dog attack. The attack in question could be an attack on yourself, another person, or another animal. I concur that a “proper” use of such a device in the scenarios indicated may stop the attack. While not a perfect solution, certainly, it definitel gives the victim an advantage.

Lethality VS. Stopping Power.

When you attend self defense training classes (totally recommended), they instruct you that you use your weapon to STOP, or neutralize a threat to your safety. You are not necessarily trying to kill your attacker. The attack ends when the attacker STOPS attacking you (or someone or something else), not necessarily with the attacker dying. So, while killing something will definitely stop it from attacking you, you don't need to kill your attacker dead in its tracks to stop the attack. Therefore, incapacitation of the attacker stops the attack.

You want to select a weapon and associated ammunition type with optimum “stopping power”. “Stopping Power” being a standard euphemism indicating a weapon/ammunition's effectiveness in incapacitating an attacker.

Wiki article on “stopping power”.

Firearms are not created equally. Firearm ammunition is not created equally. Some have more stopping power than others, some have a higher degree of lethality than others. Again, stopping power and lethality are not necessarily the same thing. If you shoot your attacker, they proceed to murder you, and they die in the hospital 2 days after murdering you as a result of the gunshot, you did not stop the attack. Yes, you killed him but you failed in stopping the attack against yourself.

Here is a link to an FBI preliminary analysis of handgun effectiveness. It notes that a human being can pursue an attack for up to 15 seconds after the heart has been destroyed. However, note that many lethal pit bull attacks drag on for several minutes, so shooting your canine attacker in the heart would certainly increase your chance of survival, and reduce attendant injury. Again, not necessarily a perfect solution, but a LOT better than nothing.

Note that an attacker can be incapacitated immediately by a shot to the brain or central nervous system. The pain of the gunshot wound to any part of the body may also incapacitate them immediately.

I did some casual research on firearm effectiveness in incapacitating canine attackers. There has not been much (or any) formal research done on this issue. So, I perused YouTube for dog attack related shootings caught on video. I focused on videos because I don't necessarily trust police reports or witness testimony: In other words, I want to SEE what happened and decide for myself. This is by no means a statistically relevant list, but it may give us an idea of what to expect if a similar scenario plays out against you.

Main selection criteria:

1. Dog has to be in the act of attacking, charging, or otherwise behaving dangerously towards the shooter, another person or another animal.
2. The attack and subsequent shooting incident could actually be seen on the video.

Cop shoots attacking pit bull in Nampa. Handgun. 3 shots fired. Threat neutralized.

Cop shoots charging pit bull in New Orleans. Handgun. 2 shots fired. Target does not drop immediately. Threat neutralized.

Cop shoots pit bull attacking another animal. Handgun. One shot fired. Threat neutralized.

Cops shoot (at?) attacking pit bull in Russia. Handguns. 8 shots fired. Only one hit was obvious. Dog was able to run and elude them.

Cops shoot, kill, attacking pit bull in Russia. Handguns(?). 6 shots fired - # hits not obvious. Threat neutralized.

Cop shoots charging pit bull in New York City. Handgun. 1 shot fired. Threat neutralized.

Cop shoots attacking pit bull, unknown location. Shotgun. 1 shot fired. Threat neutralized.

Cop shoots attacking Rottweiler. Handgun. 4 shots fired. Threat neutralized. Skip to 3:10 on the vid.

Cop shoots charging dog in Sandusky. Handgun. 1 shot fired. Threat neutralized.

Cops shoot pit bull attacking another dog, location unknown. Handguns. 3 shots fired, though first 2 neutralized the threat (will count this as 2).

10 random incidents. 9 threats neutralized. Again, we are contemplating “stopping power”/incapacitation, NOT (immediate) deaths.

Averaging out the # of shots, you get 3.2 shots fired per incident. However, the 2 Russian incidents involved shooting at a dog that was running away: Something that is running away does not present an immediate threat to the safety of the shooter or the victim, so if we discount those we get 1.875 shots fired per incident.

Also noteworthy was the single shotgun incident – it literally dropped the dog like a bag of dirt.

Essentially, 3 things indicate a weapon's stopping power.

1. Weapon type / caliber.
2. Ammunition type.
3. Shot placement.

(2) is of capital importance due to the fact that a 125 grain magnum hollowpoint fired from a .357 magnum will be a LOT more effective (due to a greater wound channel) than a full metal jacket .38 special fired from the exact same gun. Now, the .38 round might stop the attack, but is less likely to do so.

(3) is of capital importance due to the fact that, it doesn't matter what you are shooting if you miss, or only score a grazing hit. A head shot is ideal, but often impractical. Center of bodymass (chest cavity) hits are usually the best bet. A well placed round of .22 is a LOT more effective than a poorly placed round (or 10) of .357 magnum.

There may be a gun video in my near future.  Stay tuned.