Gun control and the patriot act

While listening to reports on the recent school shooting, it struck me that many people, on both sides, hold conflicting views on gun control and the patriot act.

For example, I favor the patriot act and most of the "add-ons" that follow the patriot act (e.g FISA). These limit rights by regular citizens such as myself, but I support it in the interest of national defense and because I think the limitations are reasonable.

On the contrary, I am against (generally) gun control. I don't see the value in it, and I think it unneccessarily limits a freedom guaranteed in the constitution. I worry about a government that restricts this freedom - is "big brother" out there?

I'm not trying to justify either position here, I'm just acknowledging the seeming contradiction. But as I thought about this, I thought about my less-conservative friends. Many would hold opposite views on both of these subjects, but still be seemingly contradicting.

Man shoots iHome

That's what the headlines should have read this morning. I don't know how many times that thing has gone off when my son has been somewhere else. With a sound something like a smoke alarm (but not quite as loud), it's hard to ignore.

It's also hard to figure out how to turn the stupid thing off. Lots of buttons, turn "dials", etc, they just don't seem to work. Then when I get it silenced and return to bed, I begin to drift off again only to realize that I only hit the snooze, not the off button.

I fugure a .45 slug in the top of it should manage to silence it for good. Since I bought the thing, it shouldn't break any laws. And I think it could be considered a mercy killing.