9mm Luger (there is also Makarov, but probably not what you are referring to is somewhat different) is .355 inches. All of the reloading manuals I've worked with (American) have the numbers in inches. Length of cases, cartridge overall length are both in inches. In addition weights are all done in grains (1/7000th of a pound).

You picked a single round you've heard of which has a metric sound, since it is called a 9mm. All of the SAAMI specs are in inches for the 9mm (and I am guessing all rounds). http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/index.cfm (review page 21 of the ANSI/SAAMI Centerfire Pistol & Revolver pdf).

In addition, .357, .38, .44, .45, .50 are all calibers named after their diameter measured in inches.

More realistically, it come out of your sleeping time.

See the signature.

A little more seriously, I think Newt might be a decent option. The media will paint him as toxic, but I think he's learned from the early nineties. Had 2010 been a presidential year I think he could have ridden his success from the '90s into the whitehouse.

I wonder how many ObamaCare supporters would support this piece of legislation in South Dakota?

http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2011/Bill.aspx?File=HB1237P.htm

It would of course be better to have had this piece of legislation submitted at the federal level to make the point.

I'd be excited to hear this start being pushed across the country. Somehow I doubt some of the states which need this most will get it. Ill and CA will never see this sort of thing pass.

On a side note, MI has a bill in our house and senate which is looking to remove gun free zones (schools, hospitals, stadiums, >50% alcohol sales) for CPL holders. Sounds like it gets tossed around two years ago, before I was paying attention. But this year the political landscape is looking more promising.

Gay marriage and/or equal rights?

Currently gay folks have the right to marry someone of the opposite gender, just like the rest of us. A non-issue. Though, I personally would rather make all unions recognized by the state "civil unions" and let churches choose who gets married. For that matter if I wanted I could get married in a church, live with my spouse, and totally skip the step of telling the government if I wanted.

Prayer in school? Teaching of Creationism in science class?

Forced prayer, perhaps not. However, a class on the Bible or class on religious texts, or whatnot is not forbidden. Nor should it be forbidden for a teacher to have a Bible on his desk, nor for him to read it during lunch hour, nor for the teacher to have informal or extra curricular Bible studies any more so than a teacher running a glee club. As far as teaching Creationism in the class, that should be up to the state/school district. There is no allowance for the federal government to set educational standards or curriculum. Only the First Amendment's prohibition of establishing a religion.

The whole creation of the TSA and Patriot Acts under Republican leadership in the White House?

Patriot Act: US House - (Yeas: 357; Nays: 66) US Senate - (Yeas: 98; Nays: 1) It has also reauthorized since 2010 during a Democrat administration. I would also argue that the Republicans suffered major defeats in 2006 and 2008 for with "little less big government than the Democrats" behavior. If 2010 was a lesson in anything, it was that the Republican party relearned (at least to say) that the populace wants less government.

As to the TSA, I'd much rather see a firearm with fragmenting bullets handed out with each ticket. Or at least give the option if the free market would sustain it. I'm sure some more clever ideas could be offered up by other enterprising folks on how to handle air safety without giving over to a government sponsored frisking (virtual or otherwise).

Hmmm, I have not been happy with the buyout of my company a few years back. We went from a small company to up to about 50. Then bought out and we (of the original company) down to about 10. We've had rounds of layoffs and now we are starting to bring in outsourced help (which are woefully inadequate). Prior to the buyout we had a industry leading product with great client satisfaction and since the buyout we have had a huge drop in customer satisfaction. It is very sad.

I hope yours goes better.

Or an car?

Handgun rounds are not always deadly, they often lack penetrating power traveling at a fraction of the speed of a rifle round. The famous 1986 FBI Miami shootout has the agents putting multiple rounds (6 in one, 12 in another). Shot placement is probably the number one important factor in single kills. Though even that doesn't assure a single shot kill. For instance, from news reports at this point it sounds like Representative Giffords will survive while even being shot in the head.

So, your argument is wrong, even in the case of a single assailant. If you are in a situation where there are two or more attackers a single shot will be wholly ineffective.

Grow your beard out in November and cut it off at the end of February (or whatever your winter months happen to be). It's the only way to fly. Or something.

Granted even my clean shaven is the beard trimmer without any attachments, so it is still like 2 days growth anyways.

I've noticed that over the last couple years hair length has steadily increased in the young men coming out of high school and college.

I'm gonna be so cool again some day, once fashion catches up. Long curly hair tied back in a ponytail. Scruffy beard. I have that rugged outdoors man look going for me. When I was back working retail jobs in highschool and college I had the chicks just fawning all over me and my hair. And by chicks I mean old ladies 60 years my senior. It was a traumatic time of my life. But as you can see from the family photo, it is more of an indulgence to inevitability.

Actually, there was one valuable resource which was in high demand. The trees in the new world were particularly unique compared to the majority of trees in Europe at the time, which was height. Trees from the new world which had not been harvested prior to European settlement were much taller and more useful as masts.

I've been registered Republican since I started voting. Nor am I likely to change that unless another conservative party comes forward. Strategically it allows me to vote in the Republican primaries and help support the more conservative candidate.

However, in the last election cycle I voted for 1 Republican. The rest were Libertarian and US Tax Payers (Michigan Constitution Party) since they represent my views more closely.

I agree with you on the nuclear option. On the gang of fourteen issue, I would have liked to see the filibuster actually forced. Instead of a threat, I want to see a real filibuster happen. I want to see sleeping bags and hear the phone book read. Instead, because of concern of what it would look like in the media, the gang of fourteen effectively ceded ground.