Free Republic

DES MOINES, Iowa – A fairly well-known anti-gun sheriff seems to have shot himself in the hand on Wednesday night while cleaning his firearm. Des Moines County Sheriff Mike Johnstone negligently discharged a round into his left hand, and was subsequently transported to the hospitals emergency room. His injury has been described by medical personnel as non-life threatening, but a hand surgeon was called in to assist. According to the Iowa Firearms Coalition, Johnstone has advocated for more and more gun-free zones. But perhaps Johnstone is most well-known for his statement from 5 years ago. When Iowa’s concealed carry law...

In 1965, the aircraft carrier USS Midway was bombing Vietnam. VA-25, an attack aviation unit of the Navy, operated from the Midway. In October, one of the toilets on the ship cracked. The crew planned to dispose of it. Commander Bill Stoddard, the executive officer of VA-25, came up with a novel way to get rid of the toilet. To celebrate the six millionth pound of ordnance dropped by his unit, Cdr. Stoddard had the toilet painted with the "Fist of the Fleet" emblem of his unit. It was then loaded onto his Skyraider. Cdr. Stoddard dropped it on a...

That's what some defeated House candidates from 2012 are hoping, at least. Several failed candidates who ran strong campaigns, but fell just short last year, are back for a rematch this election cycle. Whether they can use lessons learned in their losing campaign to change next year's results will go a long way in determining which party gains seats in the House.

Despite his belief that most journalists are unwitting upholders of western imperialism, Noam Chomsky, the radical's radical, agrees to see me at his office in Boston. He works here as a professor of linguistics, a sort of Clark Kent alter ego to his activist Superman, in a nubbly old jumper, big white trainers and a grandad jacket with pockets designed to accomodate a Thermos. There is a half-finished packet of fig rolls on the desk. Such is the effect of an hour spent with Chomsky that, writing this, I wonder: is it wrong to mention the fig rolls when there is undocumented suffering going...