Watercooler 8/3 Open Thread: Hypocrisy, History, Primaries and Peculiarities

#NeverTrumpNeverHillary #NotInMYNameWelcome back to another installment of the Watercooler, RedState’s daily Open Thread! Today, we’ve got…

“Rules For Thee But Not Me,” Oregon Gun Grabber Edition

Consider the case of Lake Oswego, Oregon, preacher and Bloomberger Jeremy Lucas. Seems Mr. Lucas saw a girls’ softball team raffling off a rifle, and he and a local artist decided this evil weapon of death had to be destroyed. So, Lucas used congregation money to buy out most of the raffle tickets… then he lied on the 4473 claiming the rifle was for himself when intent was to transfer from square one. (This is what we call a Straw Purchase, and it is a MAJOR Federal Felony that draws the goose-steppers and kitten-stompers from BATFEces in force.) But that’snot even the fun part. Seems this guy was an enthusiastic supporter of the Bloomberg “Universal Backdoor Registration” known in Oregon as SB941… and his transfer to the artist did not have a background check performed as required by law. Oregon State Police have an investigation underway… but the Usual Suspects in their Legislature including mini-Pelosi Ginny Burdick are already trying to say “that’s not what we meant, now that it’s one of our own getting busted.” On a related note, re Friday’s Executive Order jihad against small-time gunsmiths and homebuilders, I’m arranging interviews with several smiths of diverse experience to explore what can and can’t be done legally without ITAR horsehockey involved. Watch the Diaries here for it…

Washington State Primary Preliminary Results

Take this with a grain, as the big urban counties of the Giant Toilet Bowl including my own haven’t even counted as much as 20% of yesterday’s ballots yet, but… Also, do note we have a “top-two” primary where there’s no real point in parties because if two Dems get 1st and 2nd that race gets no alternate voice in November.

US Senate: General Election appears to be Patty Murray vs Chris Vance, Murray pulling over half the ballots counted so far. It’s a longshot… she’ll probably be another Senator-for-Life.
Congressionals: Pretty much no change here, most incumbents are over 50% so far.
Statewide Offices: Good news, barring a massive reversal by Puget Sound we’ll probably be in sane hands with either of the two Republicans currently leading this race. Bad news, Dumber Than Bob Ferguson had a blowout in keeping his seat as AG. This was a race with no GOP challenger, and sadly the Libertarian couldn’t even make 30%. Public Lands is awkward… our side has the leading candidate, but there are so many Blue Teamers in the race they’ll probably close ranks and flatten him in the General. Hunters and outdoor folk, hold on to yer butts… Incumbent Kommie Komrade Kreidler looks like he’ll probably get to continue raping the insurance industry as Insurance Commissioner. Guy’s been there since I was a kid, and has only gotten nastier with age… and the anti-gun Supreme Court justice who had enough challengers to warrant a primary gets to move on to the general with a 64% blowout. Hold On To Yer Butts, indeed…

Not much to call on State Legislature tea-leaves… and this is sure an election for reshuffling the decks and costing people friends, as one from my college days took Bloomberg’s blood-money to run for office.

Quick Hits from the Weird Files

Your business is approaching the end of its first year in business. How to celebrate? If you’re the owners of Dirigo’s Public House in Yarmouth, ME, with a hundred-pound burger. I’m salivating just thinking about it…
Consider Amorphophallus titanum, the so-called “corpse plant,” so dubbed for the stench when it blooms, which thankfully only lasts a day to a day and a half. The question is, what genius got the idea to plant one in New York City?
Of all the weird gear a police department could buy… Seriously, an ICE-CREAM TRUCK? What are they gonna do, go undercover as the Good Humor man to lure perps out?

This Week In History

Sunday, Jul 31: First US patent (Hopkins’s potash), 1790; The Shadow radio serial debuts, 1930; Hoffa vanishes, 1975
Monday, Aug 1: Colorado statehood, 1876; Tidal Wave disaster over Ploesti oilfields, 1943; first Six Flags park opens, 1961
Tuesday, Aug 2: First US Census, 1790; first San Francisco cable car, 1873; PT-109 sinking, 1943; Saddam invades Kuwait, 1990
Wednesday, Aug 3: Firestone founded, 1900; Hiss outed as Commie and spy, 1948; USS Nautilus passes under North Pole, 1958
Thursday, Aug 4: Revenue Cutter Service (now US Coast Guard) formed, 1790; Saturday Evening Post debuts, 1821; Tonkin Gulf Incident, 1964
Friday, Aug 5: First Federal income tax, 1861; first electric stoplight, 1914; American Bandstand premieres, 1957; Reagan fires PATCO, 1981
Saturday, Aug 6: Constitution proof-sheets delivered, 1787; first fry with Old Sparky, 1890; Hiroshima nuked, 1945; Berners-Lee releases WWW concept, 1991

Today’s Birthdays: Elevator maker Elisha Otis, 1811; soldier-journalist Ernie Pyle, 1900; singer Tony Bennett, 1926

This Week In History is compiled with assistance from History.com and Wikipedia. Something interesting not listed here? Please share in the Comments section–this is an Audience Participation Encouraged featurette.

Gratuitous Gun Giveaways

American Handgunner magazine, for a Heritage Rough Rider revolver or HK VP40 pistol: http://americanhandgunner.com/giveaway/
Guns Magazine, for an EAA polymer 1911 or a Sig-Sauer P320 pistol: http://gunsmagazine.com/giveaway/
Davidson’s Gallery of Guns, for a Beretta A350 Xtreama 12-gauge shotgun or Beretta Pico .380 pocket-pistol: https://ggg.galleryofguns.com/

Quote of the Day

Progress was all right. Only it went on too long.–James Thurber

As always, the Watercooler is an Open Thread. If you’ve ggot some juicy bit of gossip to share with the rest of the class, this is the place… And as always, if there’s something you’d like to see more of, or less of, in the Watercooler please drop a line in Comments and I’ll do my best to oblige.

#NoQuarter #TheParty’sOver