Whipped Cream Difficulties

Oh, look:

The popular “Guns 4 Groceries” program that debuted in Central Texas last year to overwhelming interest will return Saturday, officials announced today.

Yes, once again, the Greater Austin Crime Commission is “co-sponsoring” the event. Oddly, there is no mention of this “co-sponsorship” on their website or in their Twitter feed at the moment. (Edited to add 2: Since I originally posted this at 8 AM, the GACC has updated their website to mention the buyback program.)

Participants can collect $200 for each assault rifle, $100 each for handguns and rifles and $10 apiece for air guns, BB guns or replicas, sponsors said. There is a two gun limit per participant.

Yeah, wouldn’t want anyone hurting themselves by carrying more than two guns. (By the way, they gave out gift cards, not cash, last year. I’m uncertain from the Statesman article if this year’s program is gift cards or cash.)

This year, the program is allotting $25,000 to $30,000, shorter hours and plans for multiple lines rather than just one, [Cary] Robert[s (sic), of the GACC] said.

And where is this money coming from? The GACC is a 501 (c)(3). Might be interesting to get a copy of their tax filings.

Donations have been underwritten by the Jastrow Family Foundation, Roberts said. Former Temple-Inland Inc. Chairman and CEO Kenneth M. Jastrow II is a board member for the commission.

I can’t find a website for the “Jastrow Family Foundation”. I sense a need for more research on this topic.

Although it’s a “no questions asked” program, weapons are still checked to see if they have been used to commit a documented crime, Roberts said. Last year, none of the weapons turned in were connected to any crimes, he said.

Do they check to see if the weapons were reported stolen as well? The Statesman doesn’t say.

Once again, I’d be tempted to go down and offer $125 cash for each Smith and Wesson, but it looks like I’m going to be tied up all weekend.

Edited to add: Neither the “Greater Austin Crime Commission” or the “Jastrow Family Foundation” show up in Charity Navigator.

Two stories from the NYT that make for an interesting contrast.

Story #1 involves Anthony Spinelli, who owns a jewelry store on Arthur Avenue in NYC, and is the neighborhood hero of the moment. Why?

On Wednesday, Mr. Spinelli pulled one of two licensed guns in the store, and shot one of the three people suspected of trying to rob his Arthur Avenue jewelry store at gunpoint.

Yes, in NYC. Yes, a licensed gun.

However, Mr. Spinelli was given a summons on an administrative code violation related to the gun he fired; it was licensed in Westchester County, not in New York City.

Story number 2:

A Tucson firefighter refused to respond to the Jan. 8 shooting rampage that wounded Representative Gabrielle Giffords because of political differences with his crew, delaying his unit’s arrival at the scene, according to internal department records.

To be clear about this: the gentleman’s unit wasn’t part of the first response, his unit was called out after all the victims had been transported, and the gentleman in question “retired after the rampage as department officials considered disciplinary action”. Here’s a better article from the Arizona Daily Star.

Edited to add: I was kind of hoping for this, so I’ve got to link it: a take on the Arizona story from the guy what drives the ‘bolance.

I generally don’t read Stratfor articles unless someone points me to them. Nothing against Stratfor; it’s just a matter of limited time, and the sort of geopolitics Stratfor usually covers being more along the lines of other bloggers.

However, Snowflakes In Hell has a link to a solid article on the Mexican gun issue.

…the 3,480 guns positively traced to the United States equals less than 12 percent of the total arms seized in Mexico in 2008 and less than 48 percent of all those submitted by the Mexican government to the ATF for tracing. This means that almost 90 percent of the guns seized in Mexico in 2008 were not traced back to the United States.

Interesting fact:

Cartel hit men in Mexico commonly use .380 pistols equipped with sound suppressors in their assassinations. In many cases, these pistols are purchased in Mexico, the suppressors are locally manufactured and the guns are adapted to receive the suppressors by Mexican gunsmiths.

Actual HouChron headline:

Actual text of article:

The White House has rejected a request from the U.S. agency that monitors weapons sales to give them emergency authority requiring firearms dealers near the Mexican border to report multiple purchases of high-powered rifles.

I see the Journalist’s Guide to Firearms Identification is still in use.

(I’m not going to put a “Part 1” on that because this is probably the first and last time you will ever see those words together.)

Stephen Hunter, former WP movie critic and awesome thriller writer (actually, scratch the “thriller” part) writes in the WP defending normal capacity magazines.

(Hattip: Say Uncle. Actually, one of his commenters.)

(Edited to add: Better Say Uncle link here.)