Guns, Cars, and Tech

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  • Go update Java. Now. Seriously.

    I know most of my readers probably don’t follow this kind of stuff, but basically earlier this week a pair of serious java exploits were released and then very quickly incorporated into some very easy-to-use and widely known hacker tools.

    The flaws affect Windows, Linux, and MacOS. None are safe.

    Via Krebs, Oracle has released a patch:

    Windows users can grab the update by visiting the Windows Control Panel and clicking the Java icon (or searching for “Java”). From there, select the Update tab and the Update Now button. Note that the updater may auto-select a toolbar like the “Ask Toolbar;” if you don’t want that as well, de-select it before proceeding. Mac and Linux users can get Java 7 Update 7 from this link.

    Krebs actually recommends you completely disable java since it’s full of holes, but like me many of you probably have to have it running because of web applications you use in your day jobs.

  • Embody loses again

    Leonard Embody has lost yet another appeal regarding his detainment in a Nashville park. As it turns out, if you intentionally act suspicious in order to get the police called on you, you don’t get to complain that the police are called.

    There was a new tidbit I hadn’t heard before:

    A good part of the detention, moreover, came at the beck and call of Embody, who asked to speak to the police supervisor, even after being told it would delay his release.

    They held him for two and a half hours. I’ve personally heard him complain that two and a half hours is an excessive amount of time if all they need to do is check to make sure the pistol is a pistol. I agree.

    He neglected to mention that he intentionally prolonged the stop.

    Stay classy, Leonard.

    You can read the opinion here.

    For his troubles, Embody has done something rare: He has taken a position on the Second and Fourth Amendment that unites the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and the Second Amendment Foundation. Both organizations think that the park ranger permissibly disarmed and detained Leonard Embody that day, notwithstanding his rights to possess the gun. So do we.

  • Free App of the Day: Army Survival Guide

    Today’s free Amazon app is Army Survival Guide. Just letting you know.

    I’m not sure of the utility of a survival manual that requires an internet connection (Amazon Apps require authentication to Amazon when you start the app) and battery power, but hey it’s free and it might come in handy.

    I also have the dead tree edition which is probably more useful.

  • Are there people who don’t order this?

    image

    That’s a bacon-wrapped sirloin topped with bacon. Yes, it’s as awesome as it sounds. Longhorn Steakhouse. Apparently, the answer to the question in the title is “no.” We asked the manager and she said fully 25% of their customers ordered this in the last week.

  • Capital Bank thinks a bank robber’s life is worth more than yours

    Back in June I mentioned that the company that bought the local bank I had been using has a corporate policy of posting “No Permit Holders Guns Allowed.”

    When I informed the local branch manager that I would be closing all of our accounts, I got this email in response:

    Capital Bank’s decision to not allow guns in the branches is to protect the customer as well as the staff in the event of an altercation/misunderstanding. Please know that we’re not banning people but the weapon.

    It took 5 days to get that response, which to me means my email got sent up the chain and this was the language that came back down. It’s horrifying when you think about it–they are literally more concerned with someone defending themselves than they are with customers and tellers getting killed by a guy who is in the process of committing multiple violent felonies.

    And, by the way, ignoring their sign. This apparently makes sense to someone.

    When my wife went to close the accounts last week (it takes time to switch over all the direct deposit and bank draft stuff), the same branch manager asked the reason we were closing our accounts. When my wife told her, the response was something along the lines of “We consider a successful robbery one where everyone goes home” and “We’re trying to prevent what’s known as ‘a shootout.’”

    Are you freaking kidding me? I guess corporate policy is to not call the cops or trigger an alarm until well after the bad guy is gone. They don’t have armed security at these branches, presumably for the same reason.

    That’s two separate instances where we were told they’d rather no one defend themselves. With no security and no other means to protect their customers and employees, you have to consider that they just don’t care about your safety.

  • Prediction

    If Tropical Storm Isaac turns into a Cat 3 Hurricane and hits New Orleans, it’ll be George Bush’s fault.

  • Quick movie review

    Saw Expendables 2 on Friday.
    People were shot.
    Things were blown up.
    I thought it was awesome.
    Naienko was apparently expecting a coherent plot.
    Silly Naienko.

  • hehehe

    I just informed Naienko of the existence of tennis ball launchers for AK-47 pattern rifles and golf ball launchers for AR-15s.

    I have hurt her brain meats.

  • And these are the only ones with sufficient training?!

    By now, you’ve probably heard of the shooting at the Empire State Building this morning.  Some may call this a mass shooting (hey, there were 11 shot, 2 of which died), but that’s not the real story.  The real story is that the NYPD desperately needs to bump up their firearms training.

    Per the article, the attacker was out to shoot an ex-coworker.  He very much succeeded in this task.  Using a .45 caliber pistol with an 8 round magazine (probably a 1911), he shot 5 rounds into the former coworker, which killed him.  When two of New York’s finest responded to the gun fire, the attacker reportedly pulled the gun on the cops and may or may not have fired a single round at them.  The two cops then pulled their pistols and fired a combined 16 round at the attacker.  This trade happened at approximately 8 feet.  9 bystanders were injured and both the initial victim and the attacker were dead at the scene.

    First, let me make this clear, the situation as described in the article is absolutely a recipe for a righteous shooting by the officers.  I’m glad that they’re alive and the attacker is dead, rather than the other way around.  That’s not my issue.

    My issue is a case of shots fired vs shots hit.  The attacker fired 6 rounds (there were 2 rounds left in the 8 round magazine.  He may have fired 7 if he topped off).  5 of those rounds hit the intended victim, and, I assume, failed to harm anyone else.  That means that, by the official report, there was only 1 stray round that could have struck a bystander.  There were 9 other folks injured at the scene.  Even giving the police the benefit of the doubt, that means that a large majority of those stray rounds came from a cop’s gun.

    I realize that shooting a moving target that’s possibly slinging lead back at you from 8 feet on a busy sidewalk is not the same as hitting a target that’s standing still at the range, but dear lord!  Get this cops back to training, and make sure they can hit what they’re aiming at!  Especially if you’re going to say that those that wear the shiny little badge are better trained and will handle situations better than a carry permit holder could.

  • 23 Years

    That’s the sentence handed down to Hank Wise for the murder of Ben Goeser, the late husband of my friend Nikki Goeser. You can read her story through those links.

    23 years doesn’t seem long enough, but I’m glad she no longer has this hanging over her head. The wait is always excruciating.