LongLine

Also consider whether your rigg'rs are removable or the permanent type. Tom B. (LongLine)

That’s absolutely true Skipper. Only the issues of people shooting people with guns will go away.How many would have died had Lanza had a cleaver? Armed with a cleaver probably would have killed a lot less. JFK might have lived a little longer had Oswald thrown books out of the book depository. His rifle was a single action bolt weapon. ie pull the bolt back for each round and pull the triger. All “gun violent eventsâ€, whether the shooter was a nut-case or not; whether he had a license or not; whether he got the gun legally or illegally; whether he bought it or stole it from some law abiding gun owner; whether he had a drug history or not; whether he was a member of the NRA or not; whether he was young or old; whether he mentally â€â€˜snapped†or not; whether it was in a school, in a crowded theater; a college; a parking lot (as in Belair Tn) or along the shores of Lake Ontario - all have 2 things in common. Let me spell it out for you – T-r-a-g-e-d-y & G-U-N. “Weird†how all the rights given in the Constitution are limited. I.e Freedom of speech – but can’t yell fire in a crowded theater. Freedom of the press – but can’t slander. Freedom of religion – but can’t have more than one spouse & no ritual sacrifices. Right to public assembly – try that downtown without a permit. Freedom to redress of grievances – just walk in on Congress or the White House & tell your issue…right! Freedom to vote - but must be 18 & registered. Prohibition was repealed – but you can’t drink and drive and lord forbid you give it to a minor. All these limititations were established by the courts with the reasoning of being in “the greater good†for our society. Yet any limitation what-so-ever on the 2nd amendment has gun owners “up in arms.†I pray for a speedy & complete recovery for the survivors today and my heartfelt condolences go out to the family of those that didn't survive. They are all true heroes and our community owes them a lot. Tom B. (LongLine)

Pete - I had no issue with armed air marshalls on planes. I did have a big problem with the "ordinary" guy sitting next to me carrying ccw though. At least I knew the marshalls underwent some form of periodic training and testing. So if armed marshall's on the planes solved the problem, how come we have so many TSA agents at every airport screening passengers for dangerous stuff today?????? That's why there's fewer armed hijackings. Seems to me that some prevention is the better way to go. At least I know a person won't shoot another if he doesn't have a gun. What's that guy say: "Doctor, Doctor, it hurts when I do this". Doctor's reply: "Don't do that." BTW - If Kennedy initiated the program - How'd he & the govener make out? Also remember that the entire Secret Service & the president were forewarned of a high probablity of violence happening. Single bolt action, high powered rifle? Hundreds of Police & Secret service around. Wouldn't have happened if Oswald didn't have the gun. Tom B. (LongLine)

Horrible!!!!! Tom B. (LongLine)

Whether or not they had "big guns"....two firefighters are dead and two in guarded condition according to the Webster Police chief press conference a few minutes ago. My prayers go out to the families and I hope the two in intensive care pull through it. Tom B. (LongLine)

Merry Christmas to you too Glen. Peace on Earth! Tom B. (LongLine)

I wonder what the robbers were after…probably the guns in the house. Turn on your TV – Breaking news at the mouth of I-Bay. Two houses burning! Two firefighters has been taken to Strong Memorial with gunshot wounds. Police are looking for the shooter who is still at large. Probably will be worse if the shooters have automatic weapons or 60 round magazines.

The motto of the US dept of Education is "Education for all." Most Police forces use some form of the motto: "To serve & protect." I'd vote that the schools contract the job to police officers. I would not hire "cop wan'nabees." Renters do pay school taxes thru their rent, albeit considerably less than the individual home owner. In fact people who don't have kids in school but own houses have to pay school taxes. I saw the "meet the press" interview with the VP of NRA this morning. If I was a member of the nra, I'd resign & demand my membership dues back. At Columbine, a Jefferson County Police Officer had been assigned to the school. His name was Gardner and he had held the job for the past 2 years of his 15 yrs on the force. The shooters killed 15 kids & wounded 23 others. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/columb ... S_TEXT.htm

Hiring officers for each school has some merit… NYS has 5,001 Public & 2,567 Private schools, not including PreK sites per the Dept of Ed. (Rochester has 59 schools + 60 preK sites) The average city police officer is paid 42K/yr (accepted as near lowest in state). We can figure in 30% for “fringe benefits, so it’s closer to $54.6K/yr. In rough numbers we’d have to hire 7,568 officers at a cost of $413,212,000. (Ignoring the $400 pistol each, psycho evaluation, training; any other “perks/feesâ€; and definitely ignoring administrative payroll) There are 7,200,000 households in NYS according to the last census, so the average cost to each household would be approx $57. Not too bad I guess. Unless you’re on a fixed income (14% of New Yorkers) or unemployed (approx 8.5%) or voted for the politicians that you believed wouldn’t increase taxes. Well it’s going to be a raise in taxes someplace. All these cops nationwide are going to cost something. Hmmmm…in order to protect society from 2nd hand smoke, taxes on tobacco went sky high. To protect society from flying terrorists, they instituted an aviation excise tax to pay TSA so I guess it’s just logical to protect society from gun violence that they increase the excise tax on guns. (???) But that’s not right as guns don’t kill people. I think we all agree on that. Besides excise tax would only be on new guns. Actually, it’s the bullets that do the mass damage. How about a major increase on ammunition & powder excise taxes?

So what is the background check all about? What are the criteria whether you can own a gun or not? http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/g ... fact-sheet Looks to me like you’re only disqualified if you have a bad court record; are an alien or were dishonorably discharged. Even the “nut cases†had to have been “adjudicated.†i think we all agree that "nut cases" shouldn't have guns. I didn’t hear if the shooter had been adjudicated or did he qualify for approval by the criteria above? Anyone know?

Yep – totally fruitless. http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/06/23/ ... n-turn-in/ http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/203757 ... ds-of-guns http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/1 ... 15105.html http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-1 ... -gift-card http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-new ... source=rss Even Dallas did it a couple years ago: http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Dallas ... earms.html I feel so much safer & happier knowing that so many middle age & older citizen households have guns and are ready and able to defend our country against the US government and its standing army. You know, these older people who had their backgrounds checked years & years ago and in the last few years have experienced stresses such as job losses, housing foreclosures, lost kin, divorces, changes in health, etc. If you feel so much more secure with guns in your household, more power to you – God bless you. Hopefully you have them stored properly so your kids don't mess with them. http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/Self- ... -1993.aspx I wonder how many actually served in the “shooting†military. Gun owners I know never had a deer shoot back at them. But hey, everybody’s a quarterback on Sunday and knows what play to call, although only a few know what it’s like to be caught in the pocket by a 280Lb tackler. BTW the automatic weapon ban expired in 2004 & hasn’t been re-enacted. Well here’s some breaking news – NRA calls for armed security at all schools. Hey what about shopping malls? Theatres? Festivals? How big of a gun do we give them – they’ll probably always be out gunned & claiming they don’t have enough firepower. (like the Police did) Hopefully he'll be wired so he can call for backup. How does one security officer cover all entrances/exits? Even putting metal detectors in schools was controversial.

Is that why the Police Dept runs a gun "turn in" program every year? Or why if an officer stops your vehicle and you have a gun (even in the trunk) that you must inform him? Google "gun turn in programs" & look at all the places that have them - Chicago, Philly, Tampa, Jacksonville, NY, LA........... the list goes on. Tom B. (LongLine)

Sorry to hear the bad news. Sincerest condolences to you & your family. Tom B. (LongLine)

Being invaded today by another country’s armed troops is a real stretch. Look at your geography. Kind of hard for any flotilla not being detected well in advance. Ever hear of satellites, submarines, missiles, fighter airplanes, drones…? That army would have to come through an awful lot before it’d invade your town. I guess that leaves Canada and Mexico. Mexico would have to come through Texas so I guess that only leaves Canada. (And maybe aliens) Interestingly, I looked up the history of ratification. Here’s what I found: (Article II is also known as the second amendment.) http://constitution.laws.com/2nd-amendment . Funny that the states where the major portion of the Revolutionary War fighting occurred rejected the 2nd. (Vermont being the exception) Not listed were Mass & Conn. (They did ratify it) However Mass is generally recognized as having the toughest gun laws today followed by California & NJ. Yes it is true that our ancestors were very concerned with defense of the nation. Most people didn’t trust standing armies (such as the British had) and certainly didn’t want another standing army formed under the new government. However you also had to realize where the Continental Army and the state militias got their guns. Volunteers had to bring their own. Remembering 8th grade American history, the government didn’t have money to supply them. The government also didn’t supply uniforms and in many cases even food, much less the boats for George to cross that river in. Tom B. (LongLine)

Gallery is fine AS LONG AS you don't put my 15 Lb'r next to Gambler's 25 Lb'r. (just playing) Tom B. (LongLine) How about a "Trophy Gallery" for 25 Lbs & up? or a "Take the Kids Fishing Gallery" ?

Sorry skipper: But according to the transcript of the investigation/hearing afterward only two of the cowboys were armed. Tom McLaury was killed but the nearest weapon to his body was in a horse scabbard nowhere near him. He had turned in his gun at some hotel like he had been ordered to. Ike Clanton & Billy Claiborne did run away but they were also unarmed. Frank McLaury & Billy Clanton were killed; were armed; and did all of the “cowboy†shooting. Holliday, Morgan & Virgil were all wounded. Holliday did empty his shotgun into Tom McLaury at close range but then threw it away & pulled out his revolver. (TM had one 4†diameter wound in chest.) 2 out of 3 witnesses said Holliday fired the 1st shot. Interesting fact is that Virgil was the US marshal. Wyatt & Doc were sworn in as deputies just for this incident. 1 – that .22 caliber miss won’t go thru a brick wall and kill someone on the other side of it. 2 - A hit is a he[[ of a lot different. I agree the media glorifies things way too much. We have been raised on roughly 18 movies about the OK Corral, each glamorizing the lawmen. Wouldn’t have made nearly as much money if they had told the truth. Funny how our generation has been affected by it. Tom B. (LongLine)

Chad - Thanx for all your efforts. It must be quite a task to maintain and keep everything up to date. Double thanx for keeping it in English so we can understand it. Have a good holiday. Tom B. (LongLine)

My heart also goes out to the families. Very tragic & I hope it's never repeated. Enough is enough. Wonder if our ancestors could of won the Revolutionary War in a couple months rather than in 7 years if they had had fully automatic assault rifles or Glocks that held 15 rounds rather than their single ball muskets.....There's quite a difference between an AR-15 & a barrel loader. I have no issue with hunting at all but how many rounds does a hunter need to bring down a deer? Someone once said "Mine's bigger than yours" and the reply was "such a waste, the rest of yours will never get used." Kind of like the gunfight at the OK Corral. How big of a gun would you give them? Recently Police were issued "better" guns "because crooks had more fire-power." Tom B. (LongLine)

Paint a patch on the bottom, maybe 2 ft square, with phosphorescent paint. In the middle of it paint the shadow of a small fish or two. When setting up to fish, lower an underwater flash unit to charge up the paint patch. Fish looks up; sees this big shadow; then a lit up patch with a couple small ones there; yummy! If you heard an occassional thud on the hull, you'll know it's working as the fish will be hitting the hull. Once a month check for loose rivets and/or cracked hull. Where you fish? Tom B. (LongLine)

Make sure you do as much research as possible. Don't just go for the lowest price. One thing you don't want is to buy one, then find out the factory is in the process of obsoleting them & won't support that model next year. Tom B. (LongLine)

Happy B-day S.B. Tom B. (LongLine)

Welcome to the site Andy. Check out the trib section and you may want to do a search on "kayak". Unfortunately there's some white stuff that buggers up the outlets during the winter around here. (southern shore) However some guys get there boats out on the Niagara all year. Good luck, Tom B. (LongLine)

Welcome to the site Jared. You'll be hard pressed to find a better bunch of guys than right here. Feel free to break a few Christmas lights. Make sure you turn the sound way up though....heh, heh, heh Tom B. (LongLine)

Welcome to the site David. Tell us how you catch them way out west there. Tom B. (LongLine)

Just in time for Christmas. Your kids & grandkids over 3 will love them. Solid hardwood toys, hand-made in my basement (Rochester) from Western NY hardwoods. Roller-Pull toy is approx 18†long w/ 1 1/2†wheels. Van is approx 7†long x 1 7/8†wide w/ 2†wheels. Roller-Pull toy: $21.50 ea. Van: $7.50 ea. Pair of one each: $27.50 Cash or money order only. Willing to meet up at Genny or I-Bay launches; or can ship each pair in medium Flat-rate mailer for $11.50 each box. (Pair fits in one box) PM me. Tom B. (LongLine)