“A federal court has struck down an Environmental Protection Agency rule that forces cuts in soot- and smog-forming power plant emissions that cross state lines, dealing a major blow to the White House’s air quality agenda. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule.”
Quick followup to last week’s story on the auction of three of Elvis Presley’ guns, which went under the gavel yesterday. The results (all prices include buyer’s premium):
It’s that time of year again. Texas is having it’s annual tax free weekend this weekend, August 17-19, for back-to-school goods like clothing under $100, school supplies, etc. And this year, the previously tax-free but now-tax-covered Amazon is participating as well.
In November 1994, Texas submitted a proposed amendment to its State Implementation Plan that included the Flexible Permit program. The Clean Air Act required that EPA approve or disapprove the amendment within 18 months. However, the EPA did not announce its rejection of the program and the permits issued under it until July 2010 – more than 14 years after its statutory deadline to act.
Just think: Thanks to ObamaCare, soon that same lightning-fast efficiency exhibited by the EPA will be coming to your doctor’s office.
Note: This is not the cross-state border emissions rules that was threatening to shut down power plants at the height of the summer (which, thankfully, hasn’t happened so far). Texas’ appeal on that is still pending.
This was not a random shooting, it occurred while officers were serving an eviction notice, so it’s not a classic “spree shooting” like Aurora.
It did not occur on Texas A&M campus, but rather a few blocks away (despite which, the active Twitter tag is #tamushooting).
Multiple other people have been shot; I read six, but that might not be accurate.
The shooter is in custody.
More details when they occur.
In the meantime, as Dwight has already implored CHL holders to do, “Carry your damn guns, people.” Also, here’s firearms instructor Karl Rehn on what to do when faced with an “active shooter.”
Update
We now have the name of the dead office: Brazos County Constable Brian Bachmann was killed in line of duty while attempting to serve an eviction notice.
Seeing reports of a second civilian death.
Update 2
Seeing reports that a third person has died, and also that the suspect has died. Not sure if those are one and the same. News reporting that the third person dead is the shooter.
Update 3
Sgt. Jason James, spokesman for the Bryan Police Department, confirms to The News: Three were killed during today’s shooting, including, as mentioned below, Brazos County Constable Brian Bachmann. Also killed, he says: a male civilian and the shooter.
Right now, James says, another female bystander is hospitalized at the College Station Medical Center; her condition is unknown. Also, says James: “An officer injured during the gunfight is hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.” Two more officers, he says, were injured — “but not through the initial contact” with the gunman.
Update 4
The bystander killed was Chris Northcliff, 43. Suspect killed was Thomas Caffall, approx. 35, divorced.
The election, more than ever, is about the size of government. Obama wants an ever-larger, ever more powerful federal government, while Romney-Ryan want to reign it in. Despite Romney having a reputation as a bit of a squish, the pick shows he’s serious about reigning in runaway government. And it doesn’t detract from the debate over Obama’s horrible handling of the economy: Runaway government spending (and the uncertainty it engenders) is the largest single factor holding back the economy.
As an observant Catholic, Ryan sharpens the debate on the Obama Administration’s War on Catholics. The fervor with which Democrats pursued codifying taxpayer-funded abortion (no matter how many House seats it cost them) and the unwavering refusal to allow Catholic and other pro-life entities to opt out from providing insurance coverage of abortion suggests that it was one of the central driving goals of passing ObamaCare. Increasingly it appears that yes, that is the hill liberals want to die on. We should let them, and make sure that devout Catholics know the contempt the liberal establishment holds for both them and their beliefs.
Ryan Puts Wisconsin Further in Play. Scott Walker’s budget successes, and the abysmal serial failure of the Wisconsin recall elections prove that this once solidly Democratic state has been trending increasingly purple. By naming favorite son Ryan as his VP pick, Romney has singled he’s going to put up a real fight there. Romney can win elsewhere (Nevada and Iowa, for example) and still win 270 electoral votes; I don’t see any realistic path to victory for Obama if he loses there.
I’m not particularly an Elvis Presley devotee, but this Heritage Auction’s offering of Elvis memorabilia is pretty interesting. I linked to that page because it has three of Elvis’ guns, including his .357 Magnum Colt Python double action revolver. “Elvis was well known in the area as a gun shopper. Also included is an Affidavit and Certificate of Authenticity signed by Presley’s friend Joe Esposito stating, in part: “One of Elvis Presley favorite guns to target practice in the backyard of Graceland with the ‘Old Smokehouse’ as a bullet stop was this Colt Python, 357 magnum, CTG Serial # E 13450. He liked it because the gun didn’t have a big kick.'”
All the Elvis auction lots go under the hammer Tuesday, August 14.
Time for another look at how Texas’ Red State model stacks up against California’s Blue State model, with a roundup of relevant news from the past few weeks.
Here’s a roundup of California’s dysfunction. Lots of tasty tidbits, including this gem: “California has both the highest state deficit in the country and the highest personal income tax.”
George Will on California’s high speed rail insanity. “At one point, an estimate of 44 million riders a year—subsequently revised downward, substantially—assumed gasoline costing $40 a gallon.”
While commuter rail isn’t cost effective in California, the Long Beach-to-Los Anegles Blue Line is good for one thing: killing people. (Hat Tip: Dwight.)