I had always heard that people with guns in their homes were more likely to be killed with a gun. Now Eugene Volokh dissects one recent study from the University of Pennsylvania, only to discover that the researchers failed to control for criminal behavior. A similar study in San Francisco found that two-third of gun-homicide victims had arrest records. In other words, a criminal lifestyle - not gun possession - was the determining factor.

Donald Sensing rightly says "I told you so" regarding Bill O'Reilly's meltdown.

This Plastic thread points to a Chernobyl on O'Reilly's show this year. O'Reilly tried to blast Jeremy Glick, but got caught in the blowback. Glick's father had been killed in the WTC attacks, yet Glick was opposed to war. Whether or not you or I agree with that position, it's one that takes tremendous moral resolve. The kind of resolve that O'Reilly's typical belligerent shouting couldn't budge. O'Reilly made an ass of himself and cut the interview short:

They were talking to Glick today on the radio, and he seemed like a reasonable enough fellow. I was impressed that he didn't seem to feel intimidated or flustered whatsoever by O'Reilly's yelling. He had another little interesting "off camera" story. After O'Reilly threatened to tear him to fucking pieces, he pointed out to O'Reilly that he's essentially "Joe Millionaire in reverse" - claiming to stand-up for the working-class hero, when in fact he's a white-elitist multi-millionaire.

Sensing also mentions that his hometown of Franklin, Tennessee was named one of Money magazine's best places to retire. We're a long way from retiring, but Franklin sounds like the kind of place Melissa and I would enjoy visiting.

My hometown of Maryville, TN was named one of the best places to retire by Your Money magazine in 1999. Josh Nelson and I prominently featured that fact when we designed the web site for Green Mountain, a low-impact development in the wilds of Blount County.

There's going to be a sixth season of the Sopranos. Melissa and I are happy. We're watching the third season on DVD right now. Filming on the fifth season is wrapping up, and will be aired starting in March, 2005.

Melissa's favorite new quote: "When a man opens the car door for his wife, it's either a new car or a new wife." She found that quote from Prince Philip in a book she received at her bridal shower. She's flying to San Diego to be in her friend Ian's wedding next week. Ian asked her to read an inspirational message at the wedding. Any suggestions? If it matters, this is for a gay wedding.

SouthKnoxBubba reports on a format change in Blount County's venerable WGAP radio. I've posted my comments at Bubba's site. (BTW, is Maryville now considered South Knoxville? Judging from his recent cites, Bubba obviously gets the MAD Times (the Maryville-Alcoa Daily Times) (and I don't care if they call it the Daily Times now; it was the Maryville-Alcoa Daily Times when I was 10, so it will always be the Maryville-Alcoa Daily Times (AKA The MAD Times) (and isn't it amazing how deeply parentheses can be nested?).).) :-)

I found Off On a Tangent in my referral logs, though I'll be darned if I can find a link from his site to mine. Anyway, you should read his "walked into a bar" jokes. I've never heard any of them, and I know a lot of jokes.