The Ultimate Answer to Kings: Anybody who says pictures can't lie...

They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means "The Ultimate Argument of Kings," and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. "We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it's about: You'll do as I say or I'll send my goons to kill you."

I thought about that for a long time. If there's an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I've got bullets - he's got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that's not going to happen. So if there's an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain't bullets.

It finally came to me - and that's when I left the city, abandoned a goodly percentage of my goods, and gave all that was behind me a good, stiff Randian Shrug.

The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Anybody who says pictures can't lie...

...hasn't seen a professional news editor at work.

Let's play "Spot the Lies."

Are all Chicago newsies this dishonest? Are all Chicago viewers this stupid?

H/T to Black Sunday.

6 comments:

Kevin Wilmeth said...: mmm...Gummi Venus de Milo...; June 24, 2011 at 1:07 PM
Joel said...: Landlady will get that reference without even having to look it up. Which I definitely had to do.; June 24, 2011 at 1:14 PM
Anonymous said...: Were it so easy to get one with the giggle switch.
Oh, and the money to buy the ammo to feed it too.

Buck.; June 24, 2011 at 2:00 PM
Carl "Bear" Bussjaeger said...: I see a little potential for fun here. Traver is, after all, the clown the Administration wants to install as the new BATFE Director. Those inclined might want to send a letter like the following to thei senatorial scumsuckers. I probably will; not because I have any faith that they'd do the right thing -- it being Cop-sucker Ayotte and Socialist Shaheen in my case -- but because it's just fun watching them twist and squirm.

Senators,

Traver is being suggested as the new BATFE Director. I think that appointement would be a grave mistake. Please review the linked news video for a demonstration of Mr. Traver's... firearms _expertise_.

http://media.nbcchicago.com/assets/video/NBCU_LM_Prod_-_WMAQ/240/682/10PASSAULTSTREET_3588161.flv

Note that Mr. Traver is unable to differentiate between a full automatic firearm and semiautomatic fire (something rather clear to any kid who watches war movies). He is unable to distinguish between a full-auto AK-47 assault rifle (note that there is a formal definition of "assault rifle" that only includes full-auto weaponry) and semi-automatic rifles such as a common WASR-10.

His range demonstration of firearms is frightening. He gives a reporter a rifle and tells her it is an "assault weapon" (by definition as semiautomatic weapon), when it actually fully automatic. As a result, the reporter loses control of the rifle and randomly sprays bullets around the range. Traver failed to even show the poor woman how to hold a rifle. Traver's incompetence resulted in multiple violations of basic firearms safety rules which could have killed someone.

Traver's demonstrated "knowledge" of ballistics, as portrayed in this news report, is considerably less than one would expect in an experienced field agent being considered as the head of an agency that specializes in ballistics. He espresses dismay that a ballistic vest specifically rated for protection against small pistol fire is defeated by rifle fire, clearly unaware of the difference in power levels. He refers to the 7.62x39 round as high power, when it is in fact rather low powered for a rifle being very similar in ballistics to the venerable .30-30 Winchester deer rifle round.

Surely a man who has learned so little in all his reputed years of experience is not suitable for an important role like the Director of the BATFE. Surely a man with such poor judgement, as demonstrated in this recorded video on the range, should not be in a decision making position in the Bureau. One might even wonder if a man with no knowledge or regard for firearms safety should be carrying a gun and badge at all.

Sincerely,

(your name here); June 24, 2011 at 2:00 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm confused.
The first part of the vid has an BATFE agent making nice tight little groups.
Then the lady reporter said that these guns were impossible to control while using the poorest shooting form I've ever seen.
Whats real?
Who can we trust?; June 26, 2011 at 3:50 AM
Joel said...: Who can we trust?

Well, not either of these folks. At least we know that much.; June 27, 2011 at 1:59 PM