hunt

Personally, if a nut starts shooting people in an office or on a subway train, I'd prefer it if someone else could put a stop to it right then, not put in a call to 911 and hope the nutcase runs out of ammo before he gets everyone.

There's also been a major debate about whether to trust airline pilots with guns so they can protect themselves, the passengers, and their aircraft. Hmm, let's look at this logically. We already trust these guys with total control over flying bombs that can, as we all know by now, easily take down one of the world's largest skyscrapers, but we're concerned they might go nuts and shoot someone? Last time I checked, a lot of them were ex-military anyway.

As far as I know, the only intentional crashing of a large airplane in this country most likely took place because no one in the flight crew DID have a gun. But let's recall that this is being debated by the same idiots who never realized that it might be a good idea to put a lock on the control cabin door.

But gun control laws can be really useful. When I was based in Washington, D.C., it seemed as if only about 10 percent of the people there had guns so, since the law is very strict there, it's easy to identify the criminals. Aside from the police, they're the ones with the guns. Except, of course, for the politicians; they pillage and rob us daily with no sharper weapons than their wagging tongues and whatever mush passes for brains in people who delay passing a Homeland Security bill, NOT in a fight to protect our personal privacy, but simply so they can lard it up with pork.

DUI laws should be stricter also; far too many people are killed by drunks who didn't have their cars impounded.

But not all Congressmen have drivers so I don't anticipate any big changes in those laws.

Now I'm not saying that all Congressmen are drunks. But have you ever read some of the laws they pass? It takes a 51% majority to pass those laws so you do the math. On the other hand, if I were responsible for some of the things they do it would sure drive me to drink.

Note to editors and publishers, my column, "The View From Highland Ranch," is available for syndication.

The View from Highland Ranch

By John McCormick

Strong Fences

Well, it's hunting season again or, as I sometimes refer to it, "Good Neighbor Week."

If, as the old New England saying goes, strong fences make good neighbors, then just think what walking around with a scoped rifle can do. I've been in Texas where virtually everyone can carry a gun and most people do. Texans are generally very polite. People are a lot more polite around here than they are in New York City too. It's probably just a coincidence.

As for hunting season, I don't hunt and certainly don't want any strangers shooting near my animals.

I also don't want to be the first person in Pennsylvania to discover that chronic wasting disease can be transmitted to humans by eating poorly cooked venison, but I'm entirely in favor of hunting season, mostly to keep down the vermin. It helps reduce the deer population also. I just wish we could do it without all the city hunters who don't know a cow from a rabbit.

Perhaps we could prevail upon the various gun dealers in the area to sell blanks to outsiders most of them wouldn't know the difference anyway.

I'm strongly in favor of gun control. I have especially strong feelings about handgun control, i.e., use both hands; come down on the target; verify what's behind the target; and SQUEEZE the trigger.

I hear that in some cities the politicians feel it's best if only the criminals carry guns; that way none of them get hurt by accidentally running across an armed citizen during the course of their criminal activities.



				Personally, if a nut starts shooting people in an office or on a subway train, I'd prefer it if someone else could put a stop to it right then, not put in a call to 911 and hope the nutcase runs out of ammo before he gets everyone. There's also been a major debate about whether to trust airline pilots with guns so they can protect themselves, the passengers, and their aircraft. Hmm, let's look at this logically. We already trust these guys with total control over flying bombs that can, as we all know by now, easily take down one of the world's largest skyscrapers, but we're concerned they might go nuts and shoot someone? Last time I checked, a lot of them were ex-military anyway. As far as I know, the only intentional crashing of a large airplane in this country most likely took place because no one in the flight crew DID have a gun. But let's recall that this is being debated by the same idiots who never realized that it might be a good idea to put a lock on the control cabin door. But gun control laws can be really useful. When I was based in Washington, D.C., it seemed as if only about 10 percent of the people there had guns so, since the law is very strict there, it's easy to identify the criminals. Aside from the police, they're the ones with the guns. Except, of course, for the politicians; they pillage and rob us daily with no sharper weapons than their wagging tongues and whatever mush passes for brains in people who delay passing a Homeland Security bill, NOT in a fight to protect our personal privacy, but simply so they can lard it up with pork. DUI laws should be stricter also; far too many people are killed by drunks who didn't have their cars impounded. But not all Congressmen have drivers so I don't anticipate any big changes in those laws. Now I'm not saying that all Congressmen are drunks. But have you ever read some of the laws they pass? It takes a 51% majority to pass those laws so you do the math. On the other hand, if I were responsible for some of the things they do it would sure drive me to drink. Copyright 2002, John A. McCormick, Inc. Note to editors and publishers, my column, "The View From Highland Ranch," is available for syndication.
		The View from Highland Ranch By John McCormick Strong Fences Well, it's hunting season again or, as I sometimes refer to it, "Good Neighbor Week." If, as the old New England saying goes, strong fences make good neighbors, then just think what walking around with a scoped rifle can do. I've been in Texas where virtually everyone can carry a gun and most people do. Texans are generally very polite. People are a lot more polite around here than they are in New York City too. It's probably just a coincidence. As for hunting season, I don't hunt and certainly don't want any strangers shooting near my animals. I also don't want to be the first person in Pennsylvania to discover that chronic wasting disease can be transmitted to humans by eating poorly cooked venison, but I'm entirely in favor of hunting season, mostly to keep down the vermin. It helps reduce the deer population also. I just wish we could do it without all the city hunters who don't know a cow from a rabbit. Perhaps we could prevail upon the various gun dealers in the area to sell blanks to outsiders most of them wouldn't know the difference anyway. I'm strongly in favor of gun control. I have especially strong feelings about handgun control, i.e., use both hands; come down on the target; verify what's behind the target; and SQUEEZE the trigger. I hear that in some cities the politicians feel it's best if only the criminals carry guns; that way none of them get hurt by accidentally running across an armed citizen during the course of their criminal activities.