Defense Articles

It is a sad week in America this week when news broke out about a college student who opened fire upon his fellow students leaving 32 people dead and subsequently taking is own life in the end in a small town college campus in Blacksburg, VA.

Seung Hui Cho, a 23-year-old South Korean national and U.S. legal resident, was found dead on the campus of Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007 after going on a shooting spree that reduced the population of this college by 33 students.

Many gun and anti-gun advocates would agree that such a crime should not have happened. Some question how the assailant was able to obtain a firearm if he is not legal to vote in a country that gave him only a green card, a status signifying a halfway point between illegal status and full-fledged American.

Immigrants who are walking on the road to U.S. citizenship are awarded some privileges as they seek to become naturalized citizens. Some of those privileges include getting financial aid to attend college, getting a social security number, being allowed to work a regular job, and buying a firearm. Buying a firearm??

Yet these same individuals are not allowed to vote in the U.S. Voting is a right allowed for all Americans as well as buying and keeping a firearm. How is it that federal law bars Mr. Cho from voting for the next president but allows him to purchase a deadly weapon in order to go on a shooting rampage? Something is not right here.

Given his previous history of mental compromise, he should not have been able to walk into a gun shop and take home two semi-automatic pistols. The application to buy a firearm should read “You must be a U.S. citizen” instead of “You must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.”

It is my humble opinion that only Americans should be allowed to purchase firearms for the protection of themselves and their families. Legal residents are still learning the laws required to take the U.S. citizenship exam. I do not think those laws cover firearms as of yet.

Again, the question is why is Mr. Cho allowed to buy a firearm? What would be going on in peoples’ minds if Iraqi citizens with U.S. legal residency walked into a gun shop and bought thirty AK-47 assault rifles? There should be cause for concern there. This definitely would raise red flags on my part. What would they be doing with these weapons?

Being an advocate for immigrants’ right to seek U.S. citizenship, I think there are more important things that immigrants should be concerned about than buying firearms. I think that their quest for U.S. citizenship should be foremost on immigrants’ minds than buying a gun especially in Cho’s case.

Whenever a firearm is discharged, the primer and the powder detonate inside the cartridge, violently pushing the bullet down the barrel. Most if not all of the explosive gases and particles created by the explosion follow in the bullet’s wake. Some of these particles pass through an opening in the firearm. This is very true for revolvers, which has a tendency to leak more gases than semiautomatic firearms.

The combination of chemicals and particles of these gases are collectively known as gunshot residue (GSR). Gunshot residue sticks to the firearm user’s hand, arm, clothing, hair, and face. They also stick to nearby walls, curtains, or future and on the victim’s clothing and skin in close-up shootings.

Weather such as wind and rain can alter the pattern of or reduce the spread of the cloud of GSR. In effect, the forensic firearms expert may find GSR in places he would least expect. On white clothing, GSR patterns are easily identifiable as smudges or smears, but on dark, multicolored, or blood-soaked clothing, the patterns are not too evident.

GSR residues can be identified by infrared photography under substandard circumstances. The Griess test may also identify the pattern. This test involves the use of filter paper soaked in vinegar that when pressed over the area in question and then immersed in a reagent that interacts with the nitrogen containing compounds found in GSR yields a GSR pattern. Photographic paper can also be used in place of filter paper to reveal evidence of a GSR pattern.

Many people come to the internet looking for information on how to get ATF Agents job. Some of them become discouraged after they find out what is required to get this job. Unbeknownst to them is that there are many other jobs offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). In this article, I am going to highlight some of those other ATF jobs and what it takes to secure these jobs.

It must be pointed out that not all ATF jobs are open to the general public. This is another misconception. Some ATF jobs are only open to current federal government employees. I will not cover those jobs in this article. The article will only focus on the jobs that are open to the general public.

In no particular order of importance, some other Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives jobs are:

1. Fingerprint Specialist:
The ATF fingerprint specialist analyses fingerprint evidence from criminal investigations of firearms violations, bombing, and or arsons. The person basically becomes expert in the examination and comparison of fingerprints. The job may require you to testify in court against criminals based on your expert knowledge and analysis.

A fingerprint specialist must also be knowledgeable in forensic science and be able to improve fingerprinting methodologies and analytical procedures. He or she must be able to direct and supervise fingerprint technicians.

The good news is that this job does not require college education. Though not required, having some fingerprinting experience will surely help. You are also required to meet or have the following:

a. Two Forms of Identification
b. Pass Drug Screening and Be Subject to Random Drug Tests
c. Pass a Background Check
d. Get Top Secret Clearance
e. Be Registered with Selective Service if Born After 1959
f. Be a United States Citizen

2. Electrical Engineer:
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also needs electrical engineers. These electrical engineers work as technical experts for products, equipment, and components having electrical and electronic components. Sometimes arson can be caused by people tampering with the above components. It is the job of the electrical engineer to make this determination.

The electrical engineer participates in crime scene investigation on electrical failure scenarios and analysis. This may mean the electrical engineer testifying in court proceedings about his findings and analysis.

The ATF electrical engineer must be able to research and develop new testing for electrical and electronic components that will assist in forensic fire investigation. This may involve new methods or approaches to address new trends or problems the ATF may be seeing.

Getting this job requires that you have at least a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited college. You will also be required to meet or have the following:

a. Pass Security Clearance
b. Pass Drug Screening and Be Subject to Random Drug Tests
c. Two Forms of Identification
d. Be a US Citizen

As you can see, ATF has many jobs other than ATF agent job one can apply for. There are many more than I can possibly address in this short article. This is just to show you should not give up your dream of working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives just because you can’t become an agent.

Airsoft guns are sometimes classified as “toy guns,” because they are not real and are 1:1 replicas of actual firearms, usually made of plastic or metal that propel plastic pellets known as BBs using compressed air. A BB may be a 5-8 mm round or spherical pellet weighing 110-600 milligrams. Though an airsoft gun may not be real, its design and functional mechanism can be very similar to its actual counterpart.

The history of “airsoft” originated in Japan during the mid-1970s, mainly because it was illegal to own firearms by private individuals. The popular sport spread quickly to China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines chiefly because of firearm restrictions in these countries. The popularity of airsoft guns in the United States and Europe began in the mid-1990s.

There are three main types of airsoft guns – spring-powered, gas-powered, and electric powered (or automatic electric guns). In spring-powered guns, the spring is cocked by pulling back the slide or bolt before firing each shot. Pressurized gases like propane and HFC134a refrigerant are used to propel BBs by gas-powered guns. Automatic electric gun uses electrical power from an onboard battery to operate.

Airsoft gun pellets come in different shapes, sizes and weights. Most airsoft pellets are normally 6mm spherical plastics. There are also starch-based biodegradable, metal coated, graphite coated, and steel pellets. Airsoft pellets typically weigh from 0.12 to 0.43 g. Airsoft pellets may not damage the skin but are extremely dangerous to the eyes. Goggles or other protective gear must be worn all the time while playing this sport.

A gun broker is a licensed gun seller and buyer that has met federal and state laws that pertain the distribution of firearms. Gun brokers can be a great resource for finding special guns or for selling guns that you have. They can also be a great resource for completing interstate firearms transactions.

The first thing that you can use a gun broker for is to find a special gun. They have access to sellers from all over the country and they can help you to find the gun that you are interested in. They can also help to import the gun from another state for you.

Another service that gun brokers sometimes offer is gun appraisals. Appraisals of guns, especially antique guns can be difficult to do on your own. A gun broker most likely will have an extensive library of reference material that they can use to date and price your items accurately. Pricing accuracy is important if you want to sell your antique at auction, or if you are interested in insuring your gun collection.

The third service that a gun broker can provide to you is to help you complete gun auction transactions. Most states require gun transactions to be completed by licensed dealers like gun brokers. Because of this it is illegal for non-licensed residents to sell guns to people in other states, to buy guns from people in other states, and in some cases to buy and sell guns in their own states. You can get around this problem by enlisting the help of a gun broker. Since they are licensed gun dealers they can mediate the gun transaction as a third party and help you to close your deal.

Low Price Radar Detectors

First I’d like to show you this small chart below:

Nevada (Speeding Fine Max. - $1,000)

Georgia (Speeding Fine Max. - $1,000)

North Carolina (Speeding Fine Max. - $1,000)

Illinois (Speeding Fine Max. - $1,000)

New Hampshire (Speeding Fine Max. - $1,000)

Utah (Speeding Fine Max. - $750)

Oregon (Speeding Fine Max. - $600)

Kansas (Speeding Fine Max. - $500)

Maryland (Speeding Fine Max. - $500)

Indiana (Speeding Fine Max. - $500)

Source: National Motorists Association

Most of us get caught speeding. My advice - Don’t speed. Reach 10 minutes late, at least you get there in one piece and without having to encounter any tickets. Which brings me to give you this necessary piece of data above is because you shall find a lot of low-end radar detectors in the market today. Most radar detectors fail to provide a sufficient amount of warning when detecting police radar. The POP radar and the KA band fall under this category and yes – you will be caught if speeding.

This is why you would see me recommending mostly high-end radar detectors. In due course of time you will notice that a low priced radar detector would end up in you receiving a ticket for speeding and thus increasing your expenditure many-fold than if you had purchased even the best radar detector in the first place.

In all 50 states radar units are used by policing agencies for enforcing speed of traffic. Did you know a staggering 30,000,000 speeding tickets are accounted for each year? Have you been a part of that huge number? I have – until I got me a cool radar detector. Face it – you get caught because of so many radar guns that in place for monitoring your speed and also since you don’t expect them to be around. A high-end radar detector would save you money in the long run and the trouble of haggling.

Radar detectors have become an extremely popular piece of technology for drivers. With quality detectors running several hundred dollars, the perceived high cost of these devices has the potential to drive away consumers. In reality, consumers can purchase wholesale radar detectors through many venues, especially online.

One source for wholesale radar detectors are those online stores that specialize in this equipment alone. An online radar detector distributor will often have more information than a general electronics store and will be able to provide the buyer with a wider selection and more in-depth analyses of the products.

Wholesale electronic distributors, on the other hand, may be able to offer radar detectors at a slightly lower cost. Further, there are more wholesale general electronic stores online than those that specialize in detectors.

As with any online purchase, consumers should beware of scams. Shoppers should always investigate the credibility of the site before buying anything, and they should never give their credit card information through an un-secure website.

Radar detector use is very common these days, for many people, speeding is a normal part of daily life. This law-bending is so prevalent and commonly accepted that there is even specialized electronic equipment to help drivers get away with it. Since its introduction in 1970s, the radar detector has become a must-have accessory for would-be Andrettis everywhere, keep on reading our radar detector review and find out the details.

More money buys more features

Shelling out some extra bucks for a Radar Detector does have some tangible benefits. Look at it from this perspective : aside from the ticket and court costs , years of insurance premiums can easily set you back a couple of grand. More money buys more features, enhancing the utility and convenience of the detector. Better yet, it pays an even greater dividend : improved sensitivity (longer detection Range) and better selectivity, the ability to reject non-police signals that cause false alarms.

A Radar Detector for your car or truck are a great investment. they are available at a cheap or discount price online. Chose from a selection that includes cordless radar detector or laser jammer from Bel, Cobra, Escort, Rocky Mountain, and Phantom. Usually online merchants have great customer service policies as well as great deals on radar detectors.

Radar detector buying guides can help you in a lot of ways. Here are some of those ways:

1) Function – a radar detector buying guide can help you by letting you know how the gadget works. Through a radar detector buying guide, you will learn just how buying a radar detector can help you avoid the speed traps set by the police.

Learning about the function of a radar detector is crucial in deciding whether or not to get one. This is because learning how a certain product or gadget works is always a requirement of deciding to buy that gadget. People who do not take the time to learn about at least the basics of certain products often end up disappointed with what they buy. Thus a radar detector buying guide can very much help people find a product that satisfies them.

2) Pricing – one of the most useful pieces of information you can get from a radar detector buying guide is the price of each product. A radar detector buying guide would help you chose which product to buy by showing you which items fit in your budget.

By making use of a radar detector buying guide, you would be able to save a lot of cash. You would be able to choose a radar detector that fits into your budget and delivers the quality that you need. Choosing products by looking at the prices is actually more common than you think. We all need money right?

3) Quality – a radar detector buying guide can help you by allowing you to glimpse the quality of a certain product. Through a radar detector buying guide, you will be able to tell whether a product is actually worth your money of not. This means that you can avoid wasting your resources on a product that doesn’t really deliver in terms of quality.

You can save yourself a lot of frustration and effort just by reading a radar detector buying guide.

4) Tips – what’s the use of buying the perfect product if you have no idea how to use it. Radar detector buying guides are not just about buying; they also contain very helpful information about what to do with the product that you buy. This means that a person can learn much about maximizing his or her investment from a radar detector buying guide.

A radar detector buying guide can help you find the best type of radar detector for you. Whether you are looking for quality or price, a radar detector buying guide can point you in the right direction.

With all the satellite radio users out there and all the radio waves coming in perhaps we should use this as a background pattern like a radar grid. Thus if there is a disruption passing thru like an airliner, well we have a back up system in case our radar systems go down.

If there is an unidentified flying object, which shows up as a disruption anomaly with this field in an area, which is not a known flight path trajectory for airlines or military then we should start tracking it; because it could indeed be a threat to our national security.

Additionally using anomalies from several sources such as data coming back from high-tech weather satellites, Department of Defense radar systems and commercial satellite assets. No sense in launching an ICBM anti-missile at a meteorite coming in and burning up in the atmosphere or a piece of space junk falling out of low-orbit.

We need to have multiple data sets to determine exactly what something is, exactly how fast it is traveling and exactly what threat it could potentially be. By having more data, along with our top of the line super computers, we also can increase our kill rate chances of shooting down any potential threat. So I hope you will consider all this in 2006.