Connectivity Issue: My ability to connect tot he internet was mysteriously lost yesterday evening, hence the lack of a mailing this morning. --- DC Rebuffed In Parker Appeal: A federal appeals court yesterday denied a petition by D.C. officials to reconsider a March ruling that overturned the District's 30-year-old gun ban. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled 6-4 to deny the District's request that the entire court review a previous ruling in which a three-judge panel found some of the District's gun restrictions to be unconstitutional. The one-page order contained no explanation for the court's decision. The decision not to rehear the case means city officials must appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court if they hope to preserve what had been considered among the most-stringent gun laws in the nation. http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20070508-115457-4155r.htm Commentary: http://www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=225 http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MDI0N2JkMDRiNzliNjQ2NmYxOWJjOTQzNGJjYjcxODU= --- Don Kates vs. The New York Times: Attorney Don Kates, once a more prominent RKBA scholar and advocate than he is now, responds to the article in The New York Times article that attributed the Parker decision to the writings of three liberal academicians. http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2007/05/don-kates-responds-to.html --- Stand-Your-Ground Bill Stalls In Missouri Senate: An effort to expand gun rights in Missouri has run into strong opposition in the Senate from lawmakers who say its too extreme and would let too many people escape responsibility for unnecessary violence. The Senate originally passed the Castle doctrine, strengthening the rights of people in their homes or vehicles to use violent force if they assume their lives are endangered. The House changed it to a "Stand Your Ground" law, which extends those rights to anywhere. http://www.missourinet.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=6E9BF9B5-EFCE-1E33-C136887684C1DA72 --- Georgia Homeowner Thankful For Stand-Your-Ground Law: 23-year-old Lakashia Walker was shot while breaking into a home on Grand Boulevard this morning at around 3 o'clock...Georgia's law allows you to defend yourself as soon as you feel threatened. And that seems to be what the 84-year-old homeowner did when he says the intruder broke into his garage... http://www.wrdw.com/crimeteam12/headlines/7343636.html --- BATFE Prevails In Wyoming Suit: The federal agency that tracks gun purchases was correct in rejecting a Wyoming law that sought to allow people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence charges to regain their right to own guns through the state courts, a federal judge has ruled. http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/05/08/news/wyoming/27-hundguns.txt --- Time Bemoans Insufficient BATFE Enforcement Against Dealers: ...The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is not meeting its own goal for monitoring licensed firearms dealers. At the current rate of inspections, says an ATF spokeswoman, it would take 17 years to inspect all existing license holders. ATF's stated goal is to complete a routine inspection every three years. "At our current staffing levels we are unable to meet that goal," ATF's chief public affairs officer, Sheree Mixell, told TIME... http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1618392,00.html --- Microstamping Technology Flawed: As California prepares to mandate microstamping of make, model and serial number on fired primers by firing pins of autoloading firearms, a study from the University of California at Davis proved that the patented technology is "flawed" and "does not work well for all guns and ammunition." http://www.nssf.org/news/PR_idx.cfm?PRloc=common/PR/&PR=050407.cfm --- Oops, Wrong Car: ...Jennings began to kick the door and beat the windows of Ferguson's vehicle. He was able to get inside and attack Ferguson, at which point the senior citizen shot Jennings in the abdomen, according to police... http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9001263 --- Meanwhile, At the General Assembly: Legislation to give people more leeway in defending themselves when faced with a violent threat has passed both houses of the General Assembly. Passage of the measures has been hailed by gun-rights advocates, including the National Rifle Association. But others say the new law takes Tennessee in the wrong direction. Currently, Tennesseans can use deadly force when faced with the threat of death or serious injury in their own home... http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070508/NEWS0201/705080372 Tennesseans who have handgun permits could carry their weapons into state parks legally under a bill on the move in the legislature, and its chances of passing are greater in light of the Virginia Tech massacre, one of its sponsors said. http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070508/NEWS0201/705080371 --- Florida Prosecutor Investigated For Brandishing Handgun: What started as an argument at a red light in Daytona Beach, escalated into something much more serious. A Deltona man said a lawyer, with the Florida Attorney General's Office, threatened him with a gun while driving down International Speedway Boulevard. http://www.wftv.com/news/13280789/detail.html --- Arizona Governor Vetoes State Militia: Arizona won't join the nearly two-dozen states with volunteer militias designed to respond in cases of emergency. Gov. Janet Napolitano on Tuesday vetoed Senate Bill 1132, which would have authorized a "Homeland Security Force." http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0509vetoes0509.html --- US Snipers In Action: http://www.vidmax.com/index.php/videos/view/674 --- Few Comply With New Belgian Gun Law: It has been a year since the new weapon law was introduced and only 10 percent of the guns in Belgium have surfaced. In addition provincial services that grant permits are busier than ever with applications. http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=24&story_id=39589 -- Stephen P. Wenger Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info