This Week in WTF: Early Edition

Holy Mother of God. I just read a story about a SPY hired by the NRA who infiltrated gun control groups as an activist. Her name is Mary McFate(d to to to Hell thanks to these shenanigans.)

Are you KIDDING me?

Story here.

In-depth expose from Mother Jones here.

Seriously, WTF?

Anybody: Get A Gun! The Supreme Court Says, "That's Cool. Whatev."

Phew! That was a close one. I thought for sure the right to bear arms would be in peril, but nope - anybody who's anybody has a right to own a handgun. This is clearly what was in mind when the second amendment was written, so says Fatty Boom Batty AKA JustUS Scalia.

Looky here for the full details on the Supreme Courts' 5-4 ruling today that the handgun laws in DC are against the 2nd amendment of the Constitution. I'm not really that surprised.

And now, I feel so much safer knowing that my slightly unstable neighbors who scream bloody murder at each other every night, the 18 year old angst ridden student and paranoid whackos everywhere can own a handgun, and no city can ban this "right".

Now, where did I put that NRA renewal membership notice? It's somewhere around here.

I'm off to the shooting range. See you later!

Old Post: Target Marketing and the NRA

Juxtaposition in my wallet

from Dec 2006

After I heard this story (summary below) on Marketplace back in October, I thought I'd do something to confuse everyone.

From the Marketplace website: "In all likelihood, a campaign office somewhere has an electronic file with your personal voting and spending habits as political consultants take a page from the marketing pros' handbook. Scott Tong looks at how they get all that info." Click here for the link to the story, where you can hear or read the full report. The gist is that company marketers and political marketers track all your buying trends and target you for various things, like coupons and mayoral campaigns.

So, what did I do to battle this uninvited tracking? I signed up for information and joined an organization that, according to past tracking, you would never ever think I would solicit.

Before I heard this story, my purchasing trends showed I was the classic middle class liberal: poetry book purchases on-line, coffee shop purchases daily (local and Starbucks), registered Democrat and volunteer, card-carrying member of the ACLU, blah blah blah.

How did I combat my pigeon hole? Simple.

I joined the NRA. Now, if I am accidentally killed by a gun accident, my assigned benefactor receives $10,000. This is a free benefit for all members.

I also got two bumper stickers, which will look perfect next to the one that says either "Hilary!" or "Barack!", depending on who wins the primary.

The NRA wanted me to fill out a survey about why I joined, but I looked it over and "to confuse marketing trend trackers" isn't an option, so I don't know if I'll bother.

So yeah, I pledged $10 to the NRA and now have a membership card, which is placed right next to my ACLU card for the perfect juxtaposition in my wallet.