Well, what with the organization existing solely to defend First Amendment rights, Jefferson Muskets probably aren't in the cards. But I do wish there were an NRA, but not so looney (e.g. God wants us to have shoulder-fired missiles) to do that kind of thing. Though if the NRA endorses just one more Democrat for statewide office here in Virginia, I may have to become a member.

Xiguli is quite right -- Monticello has precisely the same thing. Only built 200 years ago, and designed by Jefferson.

We published an article by Allen and a series of his photographs in the Summer 2005 issue of VQR. In fact, we gave him the cover -- the same arresting image that Boing Boing led off with was the whole of the front of the issue.

Etiqueta Negra editor Daniel Alarcón wrote about this on VQR's blog last week. Interestingly, it yielded a defensive response from a Brazilian, who accused the Peruvian Alarcón of being out of touch with the necessity of BOPE's tactics.

(Alarcón is the co-editor of our latest issue of VQR, which is dedicated to all things South American.)

I call bullshit on several grounds:

1. A Gulfstream wouldn't even get off the runway with 3.7 tons of cargo to have the *chance* to crash. It tops out at 2.2 tons of cargo, and that's assuming a very, very light fuel load.

2. How in the world does a helicopter chase a Gulfstream? Helicopters only go a couple of hundred MPH, tops. A Gulfstream maxes out at 459 mph.

3. The source for this is "Mad Cow Morning News"? WTF?