I’ve been against the wall with a few assignments lately, and I’ve not really posted a whole lot about what I saw at the Remington New Products Seminar a couple of weeks ago. I’m not quite caught up yet, but one thing I really should mention is the new EOTAC line of tactical and discreet clothing.

EOTAC Operator Grade Apparel

I spent a some time chatting with EOTAC president Fernando Coelho, and while he recognizes that they’re up against some stiff competition out there, he’s also extremely confident in their products. I’m going to get a chance to check some of the new line out first-hand, and I’ll be posting more once I have an opportunity to get ‘em dirty.

The Firearms Blog points out a recall on Ruger’s new Lightweight Compact Pistol.

A research team from the Psychology Department at New York University, headed by Professor Yaacov Trope and supported by the National Science Foundation, is investigating the cognitive causes of voting behavior, political preferences, and candidate evaluations throughout the course of the 2008 U.S. Presidential election. This stage of the study focuses on the information people use to inform evaluations during the last few weeks before the election. They seek respondents of all political leanings from all over the country (and from the rest of the world) to complete a 15-minute questionnaire, the responses to which will be completely anonymous.

If interested in taking the survey, click here.

Dr. William Petit, whose wife and two daughters were killed by two career criminals in Cheshire, CT, last year, has become an activist for the “Three Strike Law.” The law would five a mandatory life sentence on anyone convicted for the third time for a violent felony.

Petit’s wife and youngest daughter were raped. The mother was strangled to death and the two girls were tied in their beds and left to die when the two invaders set the house on fire.

ABC’s Good Morning America brought on a home defense “expert” who suggested that wind chimes and cactus on the windowsill would deter invaders.

UPDATE: From a commenter:

If cactus was actually effective at stopping malefactors, CT and MA would’ve required a license to buy, sell, and transport it long ago.

Sebastian:

Dan has been asked by the board to resign from the company he himself founded. It’s sad that it has to come to things like this, but he’s supporting a candidate who would disarm us all if he could find a way.

No word yet on Cooper’s response.

The big Hudson nephew story prompted the makers of The Back-Up, a bedside shotgun rack, to issue this press release:

COULD A BEDSIDE SHOTGUN RACK HAVE SAVED JENNIFER HUDSON’S FAMILY FROM TRAGIC DEATH?

Chicago, IL (MMD Newswire) October 28, 2008 — Tragedy strikes in a Chicago home leaving 3 people dead and an Oscar winner forced to identify the bodies of her family.

Jennifer Hudson’s mother and brother were gunned down in their home Friday. Could an invaluable device have saved their lives? It’s called The BackUp and it is a bedside shotgun rack.

More than a bit crass, in my opinion, because they use the names and specifics of a high-profile incident. If they had simply released a presser about how their shotgun rack could help homeowners defend themselves and supplied a few statistics about home invasions, I would have no problem with the timing.

While this advertising is more than a bit over the top, the reaction from critics is laughable. Here’s a selection:

• Worst Person of the Day
  Who would be disgusting enough to try and capitalize on a triple homicide, especially when one of the victims was only 7 years old?
• Company using Hudson deaths for promotion
• Jennifer Hudson family slayings used to tout gun-rack product in ad
  This one is funny because of the links below the headline:
  
  Apparently, it’s okay for the Chicago Tribune to capitalize, even while criticizing someone else for trying to capitalize.
• Sensitive Company Exploits Jennifer Hudson’s Tragedy in 24 Hours Flat

If using tragedies, especially those involving children and those getting nationwide news exposure, to promote a product is outlawed, the Brady Bunch and every gun control group in the country would be out of business in ten seconds.

So let’s do it.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department press release:

Mountain lion incident in Madera Canyon offers lessons for public
Animal killed in popular recreation area after aggressively stalking hiker

TUCSON, ARIZONA – An unusual-acting mountain lion that had been stalking a hiker and his dog on Saturday in Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains was located and killed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department on Sunday, Oct. 26.

“This strange-acting mountain lion posed a clear public safety threat,” said Leonard Ordway, the Tucson regional supervisor for the Game and Fish Department.

The mountain lion not only stalked the hiker and his dog, but it continued to act aggressively toward the hiker even when the person tried to scare it away.

Ordway said that the hiker did the things he was supposed to – he shouted and tried to make himself look bigger by waving his arms, he picked his dog up off the ground, but the mountain lion continued to approach. The hiker then used his pistol to fire two warning shots, and the mountain lion continued to approach, at which time the hiker shot directly at the lion and the animal finally ran away.

Authorities tracked it down and killed it, presumable with a firearm of some sort.

Worst Case Scenario?

The press release then lists a total of 13 “safety tips for anyone who encounters a mountain lion or other large predator.” Interestingly, not one of the 13 says anything about a gun.

A story in which the hiker “did the things he was supposed to” but only ended the threat when he shot at the animal doesn’t even mention using a gun to protect yourself.

Only one tip says anything about defending yourself:

Fight back if attacked: Many potential victims have fought back successfully with rocks, sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools and their bare hands. Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the attacking animal.

As I wrote in 2004 in response to a California statement which reads suspiciously similar to this Arizona statement:

That’s not fighting back, that’s a desperate last-ditch attempt to continue living.

Pulling a gun and blowing the damn thing away is fighting back.

Maybe not as clear-cut as first reported.

Dan Cooper claims that he donated to the Obama campaign in order to defeat Hillary, and has since donated even more to the McCain campaign. That would really change the narrative.

Sebastian, however, can’t find any evidence that the claims of donations to McCain are true.

UPDATE: More at Rob Allen.

Joe’s Crabby Shack points out Another Unpossible.

Why is it that criminals keep bringing weapons into gun-free zones? Aren’t the signs large enough?

I meant to post on this incident yesterday but didn’t get to it. An 8-year-old boy at a machine gun shoot event shot himself and died of his wounds. Obviously tragic, it isn’t clear to me how both the father (who was right there) and the range safety officer could have let this happen.

I’ve not been to one of these public-type machine gun events, but I guess I wouldn’t think they’d let little kids shoot them. And a little light weapon like an Uzi, with less mass to absorb the kick and a shorter barrel to more quickly point in a bad direction seems like it would probably be even more dangerous for a little shooter than a larger weapon.

Regardless, the father blew it big. I’m sure he knows it, too. I can’t imagine that.

Meanwhile: DA: criminal charges possible in boy’s Uzi death

Hampden County District Attorney William Bennett said Tuesday he hasn’t been able to find any law that would authorize a child to possess or fire a machine gun.

I thought laws were limits, as in: Shouldn’t he be looking for laws precluding a child to possess or fire a machine gun?

Of course, there’s this:

In response to this tragedy, Freedom States Alliance (FSA), a national coalition of gun violence prevention groups along with the New England Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence (NECPGV), are calling for legislation to be passed immediately that would require that no child under the age of 18-years-old be allowed to use or operate any fully automatic machine gun, or semi-automatic assault weapon under any circumstances including at a “machine gun shoot,” shooting competition or firearm demonstration.

Maybe I missed something. Was there any gun violence involved? If not, what are they doing getting in the mix?

More info and discussion at Alphecca.