Some short goodies from Ol' Remus

Florida's violent crime rate, which fell by 12 percent in the five years before the "stand your ground" law was enacted, fell by 23 percent in the five years afterward. Since 1987, when Florida adopted a nondiscretionary carry permit law that the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence blames for "year after year of carnage," the state's violent crime rate has been cut nearly in half.
--Jacob Sullum at reason.com  

Traditional conservatives and the progressive revolution - You are the enemy because, as long as you, and your children, and your grandchildren live, the victory of the Revolution is not assured. Your question presupposes that your adversaries are playing the same game, by the same rules, that you are—and that if you can gain some understanding, and create some mutuality, that there can be peace. I might almost say about you, that "You have a dream."
--James N., comment at amnation.com/vfr

If you see something, say something - Despite their all-seeing, all-knowing reputation, compared to other police departments neither the Gestapo nor the SD was ever numerically great. Post-war research has revealed that in the typical German city of Krefeld, between 1937-41 there were no more than 12-13 Gestapo officers for 170,000 inhabitants, a ratio of one officer for every 10,000–15,000 citizens. Outside of major conurbations there were often no Gestapo personnel at all. In such localities, the Gendarmerie or the Schutzpolizei conducted the police work performed by the Gestapo in the cities. The SD were even fewer in number. Both organisations relied upon a network of agents and informers to maintain their terrifying character. To a large extent, therefore, it could be said that the German population policed itself.
--The Police State, deathcamps.org

 New Zealand's Health Ministry has reportedly considered boosting the price of a pack of cigarettes as high as $100 ($81 U.S.) in a bid to make the country smoke free by 2025.
--Daniel Macht at nbcnewyork.com 

 Ol' Remus