Speaking of Vermin

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Perhaps I already mentioned Bernie Madoff, the former Naz chairman and investing genius accused of somehow managing to make $50 Billion disappear in a Ponzi scheme.

Turns out Bernie was active in politics, too, lavishing some of that $50 Billion on politicians and and K Street bandits. Among them:

"One of the largest recipients of Madoff largess was Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who received $39,000 from the family for his two Senate races." (AP) 

Senator Schumer is the virtuous fellow who keeps writing bills to make sure no one has any firearms except the military, the police, and the criminal class.

The Libertarian Travis McGee

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In his heart of hearts, McGee wanted to round up all the Florida land developers, hustling politicians,  and associated vermin and pen them up with hungry alligators. As a rational man he knew the impossibility, and so he offers us a libertarian solution -- carving the best one personally can out of a world growing uglier: 

" ...There would would be a time again when I would canoe down the Withlacoochee, adrift in a slow current,  seeing the morning mist rising at the base of the limestone buttes. seeing the sudden heart-stopping dip and wheel of a flight of birds of incredible whiteness."

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It's in "Cinnamon Skin," which you shouldn't read first. The way to get acquainted with McGee and Meyer is to start at the beginning "The Deep Blue Goodbye" and enjoy your way through to  the last one, "The Lonely Silver Rain."

No Obama Kid Left Behind

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The wires inform us this morning that Obama's daughters will attend private schools. Nothing wrong with that, but as our new president caterwauls about the glory of public education and the need to escalate money-bombing the NEA-run schools (and he will), it's an interesting fact to keep in mind.

Jeff Cooper and the Europeans

A recent gun show had the usual scads of foreign minor-caliber semi-autos on display. That suggested  another round of browsing for  Jeff Cooper stuff:

"...Europeans retain their preoccupation with the 9mm Parabellum cartridge. This is due primarily to the fact that the Europeans as a group are not interested in stopping power. As one Frenchman once told me, if in Europe you shoot a criminal, he sits down on the curb and bursts into tears. In America he will shoot back and kill you if he can."