Beer-stealing Pilbara pig killed; Future of War shows futuristic rifle capability; register lunatics, not guns, says NRA vice president; Greens waiting for WA recount decision; bikie gun licence revoked; criminal Indian MPs with guns.
Vale Swino, the beer nicker
The beer-stealing pig, dubbed Swino, has died after being struck by a car near the DeGrey River rest area in the Western Australia Pilbara. The pig had gained notoriety after stealing 18 cans of beer from the rest area one night then making a nuisance of itself by rummaging through rubbish before being chased around a car by a cow. The antics were enough to give the pig international media attention, but its fame was short lived with Main Roads spokesman Fionna Findley confirming the pig’s demise. “These guys went out and they could see that apparently Swino had some really distinct markings on his ears,” she said. “And just the colouring of him they were able to match up the markings from what they found to some of the photos.” It’s unclear whether alcohol was a factor in the fatal accident.
New website shows the Future of War
The company that created the Precision Guided Firearm (PGF) system we featured recently has created a microsite that showcases this and other technology. Called Future of War, the site demonstrates a system of command where PGF scopes are linked to other devices that can track and tag multiple targets meaning a bunch of rifles can be precision aimed and fired remotely. The package is obviously for military use, although the PGF system has already made an impact on the domestic market with its ability to calculate many of the variables before automatically triggering a long-range shot. The video looks more like something out of a video game, but demonstrates how small arms battles may be fought in the future.
NRA: Register lunatics, not guns
National Rifle Association Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre has called for authorities to register lunatics following the Washington Navy Yard shootings. A blog one newspaper’s website discussed LaPierre’s abhorrence of gun violence but rather than registering guns as a solution, he said there should be a database on people with violent mental health issues. “We have a mental health system in this country that has completely and totally collapsed. We have no national database of these lunatics,” he said. Those comments were further fleshed out on the NBC News website where he said, “They need to be committed is what they need to be, and if they’re committed, they’re not at the Navy Yard.” He also pointed to flaws in the background check system where those thought to be dangerous are not entered into the national instant check system for gun buyers. “So the Aurora shooter in Colorado gets checked and is cleared, the Tucson shooter gets checked and gets cleared, Aaron Alexis go through the federal and state check and gets cleared,” LaPierre said because the nation’s mental health system doesn’t detect a dangerous person such as Alexis.
Green still waiting for recount decision
Ousted WA Green senator Scott Ludlam is still waiting to see if his appeal against the Australian Electoral Commission’s decision not to recount the votes for his seat will be successful. A report on the Perth Now website says that Canberra-based electoral commissioner Ed Killesteyn is still considering the request and an AEC spokesman said a decision is expected tomorrow (Wednesday), although it could even come a day earlier. A wafer-thin 14-vote difference between micro-parties, the Shooters and Fishers Party and Australian Christians, and preference distributions handed Senator Ludlam’s Senate seat to the fledgling Palmer United Party. With such a tight result, it was important that the votes were scrutinised so human error could be ruled out, Senator Ludlam said.
Bikie member has gun licence revoked
A suspected Nomads Outlaw motorcycle gang vice president has had his gun licence revoked as NSW Police crack down on gun crime in the state. The operation, named Strike Force Raptor, was set up to target the spate of gang-related gun deaths and the NSW Firearms Registry’s revocation of the 42-year-old man’s licence is one of its recent publicised actions. He also had two semi-automatic pistols, a revolver, rifle and 247 rounds of ammunition seized from his Greystanes home.
Indian criminal-suspect MPs have guns
Not only can you get a gun if you’re under investigation for violent crime in India, but you can be a member of its parliament as well. A report in the Indian Express reveals how as many as 18 MPs, former MPs and politicians with criminal cases pending have procured guns over the past decade. Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra state president and former Rajya Sabha MP Abu Asim Azmi has seven cases pending against him; he has been charged with voluntarily causing grievous hurt, cheating and forgery. Azmi owns a 9mm Pistol, PPK and .380 bore. Dayabhai Patel, a former Congress MP from Daman and Diu, owns a .32 bore revolver. He has one case pending against him and facing charges related to cheating as well as dishonesty and cheating in delivery of property. Makes a mockery of the stringent rules we have in Australia where law-abiding firearms owners are forced to jump through hoops to obtain guns.
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