We Are 'Synthetic Children' And We Agree With Dolce & Gabbana

We Are 'Synthetic Children' And We Agree With Dolce & Gabbana:



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How Click Fraud Could Swallow the Internet

Wired

Pay-per-click advertising is big, big, big business. So are bogus hits on Internet ads. It's search giants against scam artists in an arms race that could crash the entire online economy.
By Charles C. Mann

Stuart Cauff launched a charter-jet service in Miami Beach back in 2002. Being a 21st-century business, JetNetwork advertised on the Internet, especially on search engines. Anyone who Googled, say, "air charter Miami" would be greeted with the familiar list of search results and, in a separate place, a plain box of text with a blue hyperlink to JetNetwork's Web site.

Search ads were perfect for Cauff's business. His potential customers - a diverse group of celebrities, photojournalists, medical evacuees, and people who just needed to get away from or to Miami in a hurry - were scattered across the country. To reach this audience with traditional advertising, he would have had to buy time on scores of television and radio stations and space in just as many newspapers and magazines, something that only wealthy, established companies could afford. Even if Cauff could pay for the ads, the vast majority of people exposed to them wouldn't care about charter jets, so most of his money would be wasted. But with search-based ads, JetNetwork's name would appear, at least in theory, only before people who were actually interested in Miami charter flights.

Still, the ads were expensive. This kind of advertising is known as pay-per-click, because advertisers shell out money to a search engine every time a surfer clicks on their links. The price and placement depend mainly on how much the advertiser wants to bid for the search term - also known as the keyword in ad jargon. As other charter-air companies began PPC advertising, the cost of a click on a top-ranked ad rose to about $10 - in some cases as high as $30 - and there could be hundreds of clicks a month.

Which is why Cauff was infuriated when he discovered that up to "40 percent, maybe more" of the clicks on his keyword ads apparently came not from potential customers around the nation but from a single Internet address, one that belonged to a rival based in New York City. "If we get clicked fraudulently, it uses up our ad budget," he says. Advertisers usually set limits on how much they will spend, and search engines drop ads once they hit that limit. As a result, fraudulent clicking "literally pushes us off the page," Cauff explains. "And then our competition buys in at a lower price when we're not there."

Cauff was a victim of "click fraud," the illicit manipulation of keyword-based advertising. In this case, the scam appeared straightforward - one company clicked on a rival's search engine ads to drive up its costs. More complex is a second type of bogus ad click that exploits a second form of PPC advertising: ads fed to Web sites - anything from personal blogs to the sites of major corporations - by search providers like Google, Yahoo!, LookSmart, and, soon, MSN. The search engine indexes the content of the Web site and matches it with a group of relevant ads. (The most familiar form is Google's AdSense program - the sets of links labeled ads by goooooogle that show up on pages across the Internet. The advertisements that appear on Google itself are part of a separate but related program called AdWords.) Thus, bloggers who write about their air-travel experiences and choose to host such ads may find links on their . . .

Christian Icons of Propaganda - Sabeel and Desmond Tutu

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The troublesome truth, however, is that there is no apartheid in Israel. Black South African Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, founder and president of the African Christian Democratic Party and member of the South African parliament since 1994, indicates that under apartheid South Africa, blacks could not vote or hold high government positions; the races were strictly segregated at sports arenas, schools, hospitals, public transportation, public washrooms, benches in waiting rooms; and blacks had inferior medical care, hospitals, and education; they were forced to live in separate residential enclaves. Blacks also carried IDs to show their place of residence at all times, or they faced the penalty of being beaten or thrown in jail. In other words, blacks were criminalized for being black and severely restricted by state laws. Further, marriage was also outlawed between different races.

To brand Israel as an apartheid state, when none of these restrictions exist, is not only defamatory propaganda, but, according to Meshoe, trivializes the real suffering of blacks under apartheid. Meshoe has visited Israel many times, and says that he has never seen any evidence of apartheid. In his reference to the purely defensive so-called "apartheid" wall, Meshoe accurately calls it the "security" barrier. "It is the responsibility of every government to assure the safety of its citizens," he says.

While Sabeel states as its mission support of the "oppressed" Palestinians of the "indigenous Church," it never highlights the oppression and abuses of Palestinians by their own leadership, or the leadership of other countries hosting them such as Jordan or Lebanon. Tutu also disregards the abuses by Hamas, which uses its Palestinian citizens as human shields in its wars to obliterate Israel.

As the patron of Sabeel Center, Tutu also disregards the countless Christians being slaughtered in Muslim states; that black slaves are still being...

JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaulle decided to pull out of NATO. 

DeGaulle said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible.

Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?"

DeGaulle did not respond.

You could have heard a pin drop.

==================

When in England, at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of  'empire building' by George Bush. 

 

He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of 

its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

You could have heard a pin drop

==========================

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American.  During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?" 

 

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"

You could have heard a pin drop.

==================================

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included 

Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. 

Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.  He then asked, "Why is it that 

we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?" 

 

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the 

Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."

You could have heard a pin drop.

=================================

Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.

At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. 

 

"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically. 

 

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. 

 

"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready." 

 

The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it." 

 

"Impossible.  Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France !" 

 

Police-State by Commission to Corporations

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Playing Red Light, Green Light With Citizens

1, March 16, 2015 by jonathanturley

Below is today’s column in USA Today. The column was actually written after I went to Chicago for Christmas and experienced firsthand the speed traps created by the city to trap drivers. My home town is a case study of the twisted logic that goes into fleecing citizens. Chicagoans are paying the highest cost for parking in the nation after outgoing mayor Richard Daley Jr. signed away a 99-year-lease to all city meters (and later accepted a job with the firm that negotiated the deal).

Illinois also has the second highest property tax rates in the country; the highest cell phone taxes in the country; and the highest restaurant taxes of any major city. Even if you try to flee the city taxes, you are hit with the nation’s highest airport parking fees in the country.
To put it simply, citizens are tapped out. Instead of raising taxes further, the city decided to find a way to generate revenue and actually blame the citizens. It installed a system of cameras that would make Kim Jong-Un blush combined with the shortest yellow lights in the nation.

Now Emanuel has backed down after years of his Administration dismissing complaints from citizens. His close reelection rather than decency appears the motivation. In the past, his government has defended the patchwork system of lights. Chicago officials insisted that other cities are also using the three-second light, including Boston and New York City. However, in New York, no red light camera tickets are issued until 0.3 seconds into the red light and Boston does not have red light cameras at all (and use the three-second yellows only downtown). However, Chicago is not alone in this perverse revenue grab.

The column is below:

It appears that politicians can see a yellow light when they need to. Facing a close runoff election and a ticked off electorate, Mayor Rahm Emanuel finally relented recently and promised to remove 50 red light cameras that made Chicago the country’s largest speed trap. While citizens have complained for years, Emanuel only saw the light when polls showed he could lose re-election to a relative unknown. However, other (less endangered) politicians are still seeing rigged traffic lights as an easy revenue source.

Emanuel first gave Chicago the highest number of traffic cameras of any city, and then in February 2014 he allowed for tickets to be issued under yellow lights that lasted 2.9 seconds. After the practice was exposed by the Chicago Tribune, the mayor returned in September to the three-second minimum, which is set by federal law. But many drivers still complain it is not enough time at 30 miles per hour to get through intersections.

I experienced that fact firsthand when I returned to my hometown for Christmas and faced the patchwork of slow zones all over the city. At three seconds, the light turns red unless you speed to get across an intersection. Thus, if you try to cross the intersection, you can get nailed for both running the light and speeding.

Braking on yellow

I found myself hitting the brakes as soon as a yellow light appeared. I am not alone.

The Chicago Tribune found that these slow zones and yellow lights have resulted in 22% more rear-end crashes that caused injuries. (The study also found that the cameras reduced injury-causing “T-bone” crashes, or right-angle hits, by 15%.)

Nevertheless, cities strapped for cash are turning to speed traps that were once ridiculed as a tactic of rural, small towns. About 500 towns and cities have installed red-light cameras, often through lucrative deals with private contractors. It is an irresistible temptation for many cities and their contractors (who receive a generous cut from fines) to rig the system to generate more revenue by posting speed reductions or shortening yellow lights, or both.

In 2013, Florida quietly reduced the timing of its yellow lights and generated more than $100 million in extra revenue. Likewise, a study of New Jersey intersections found that the contractor had shortened virtually every yellow light below the minimum timing to generate tickets.

The increased accidents in Chicago are consistent with academic studies. One study found that increasing yellow times by just half a second resulted in a decrease in accidents of up to 25%.

Most cities have yellow lights timed at 3.5 seconds. Maryland actually passed a law requiring at least 3.5 seconds; in Baltimore it is 3.6 seconds. Los Angeles and San Diego set their lights at 3.7 seconds and 3.9 seconds respectively. Philadelphia set its lights at four seconds to reduce the type of collisions now common in Chicago.

Devastating to families

This new revenue for cities can be devastating for families. A recent study showed that one in three Chicagoans has less than $250 in the bank every pay day. Yet Emanuel is handing out $35 tickets for six to 10 miles over the limit. If you go 11 mph over the limit, you are hit with a $100 ticket.

In Beverly Hills, one infamous speed trap hits drivers traveling downhill on Wilshire Boulevard with a short yellow light. The city just films car after car getting nailed and sends off a demand for payment. That yellow light, however, is still longer than Chicago’s at 3.3 seconds vs. three seconds.

Ironically, standard contracts in some states give contractors a percentage of the fines — creating “perverse incentives.”

Yet, these traps only succeed as windfalls for so long. In Chicago, while rear-end collisions are up, drivers are now avoiding intersections with red light cameras, and revenue from fines has dropped $50 million. New York City faced a similar shortfall.

That is, until these cities can come up with another way to trap their own citizens.

Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, is a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors.

March 16, 2015

The Institute for Justice

The Institute for Justice: "The Irrationalities of Occupational Licensing
 
The licensing of lower-income occupations is both widespread and onerous—but the data in this report also show that it is, in many cases, irrational and arbitrary.
On July 21, 2011, a federal court in Louisiana, a Tier 1 state, struck down a requirement that casket sellers be licensed as funeral directors.  The court recognized that the state had “no rational basis” for imposing the burden of a funeral director’s license—which includes apprenticing at a licensed funeral home, mastering irrelevant skills and passing a funeral industry test—on those who merely sell empty boxes (i.e., caskets).  
As the court declared, “The licensing scheme is not rationally related to public health and safety concerns….[I]t is detrimental to the welfare of the consumers and does not protect the health and safety of the public.”14  Instead, the court found, “The provisions simply protect a well-organized industry that seeks to maintain a strict hold on this business.”15  The court’s conclusion could be said of numerous occupations in this report."



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"Classic Hillary"

Watergate-era Judiciary chief of staff:

Hillary Clinton fired for lies, unethical behavior

Published by: Dan Calabrese on Wednesday January 23rd, 2013link

"...  Polk recalls Zeifman sharing with him at the time that he believed Hillary’s primary role was to report back to Burke Marshall any time the investigation was taking a turn that was not to the liking of the Kennedys.

'Jerry used to give the chapter and verse as to how Hillary was the mole into the committee works as to how things were going,' Polk said. 'And she’d be feeding information back to Burke Marshall, who, at least according to Jerry, was talking to the Kennedys. And when something was off track in the view of the Kennedys, Burke Marshall would call John Doar or something, and there would be a reconsideration of what they were talking about. Jerry used to tell me that this was Hillary’s primary function.'

Zeifman says he had another staff member get him Hillary’s phone records, which showed that she was calling Burke Marshall at least once a day, and often several times a day.

A final note about all this: I wrote my first column on this subject because, in the aftermath of Hillary being caught in her Bosnia fib, I came in contact with Jerry Zeifman and found his story compelling. Zeifman has been trying to tell his story for many years, and the mainstream media have ignored him. I thought it deserved an airing as a demonstration of how early in her career Hillary began engaging in self-serving, disingenuous conduct.

Disingenuously arguing a position? Vanishing documents? Selling out members of her own party to advance a personal agenda? Classic Hillary. Neither my first column on the subject nor this one were designed to show that Hillary is dishonest. I don’t really think that’s in dispute. Rather, they were designed to show that she has been this way for a very long time – a fact worth considering for anyone contemplating voting for her for president of the United States."

What Went Wrong?

setting circuit breakers

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step one

max loss per day  x acct size

10,000 x 5%  = 500
x 2%  =  200/day

2,500  x  2%  =  50


2,500 x .05 = 125

max loss per trade
2%

step two

how many losses will you allow in a trading day?

Shawn for instance has 3 losses per 10.
He accounts for 9 losing trades per day, so devide into max loss per day.

$500/9 = $55

Yeah, right.

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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fctry/hillary-clinton-action-figure

FBI — Bettie Page Part 1 of 1

FBI — Bettie Page Part 1 of 1:



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So Sue Me, Sue.

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Me vs. Me

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 2015

In a bizarre twist, Utah has become the first state in the nation to recognize that its citizens have the right to sue themselves. Earlier this month, the Utah Court of Appeals ruled in the case of Bagley v. Bagley that Utah law allows a decedent's heir and the personal representative of his estate to sue the driver who allegedly caused the accident that killed him -- in this case, those are all the same people. According to news reports, Barbara Bagley is her husband's heir and personal representative of his estate and thereby the named plaintiff in the case against herself as the defendant-driver whose negligence allegedly caused the accident. In summary, Ms. Bagley, acting in different capacities, appears on both sides of the case.  As the defendant, Ms. Bagley is represented by her insurance company. Utah's wrongful-death statute says a person's heir or representative can sue whoever caused the person's death when the death "is caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another." The district court ruled, and the appellate court agreed, that another refers to someone other than the decedent him/herself and that an heir can sue as long as the decedent didn't kill him/herself. —Source:  loweringthebar.net

Colt Python

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Why is the Colt Python So Popular?

Around Rock Island Auction Company, collector firearms are a way of life.  Whether it's guns from the Old West, Class III machine guns, or the firearms used in any number of wars and conflicts, they tend to enjoy a perpetual popularity.  Their place in history is significant if not downright important, and people will always be fascinated by that.  It's rare then that a genre of firearms or a particular model would enjoy a sudden upswing in popularity.  New historic events, by their very nature, don't happen frequently.  So when a firearm or class of firearms experiences a rapid rise in popularity, collectors take notice.

This Colt Python is blue with a 4" barrel and was manufactured in 1968.  It is Lot #1
in our February 2015 Regional Firearms Auction.

Of course, saying that the Colt Python is experiencing a "rapid upswing" is a bit of an understatement.  It's been more of a rocket ship for these trusty wheelguns.  We covered some of their growth back in October 2013 in an article entitled, "Stocks, Bonds, or Barrels?"  In that story was the table below, which showed the steady increase of the gun in recent years.

Those figures were obtained from sale averages achieved by Rock Island Auction Company and they are a direct representation of what the market will support (because it did).  Finding the upward trend is not difficult.  What's more astonishing is what happened in 2014.  Our December 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction contained a good selection of Colt snake guns and our auction hall absolutely came alive when it was time for them to cross the auction block.  We wrote about it in a post-auction article which described the events as,

"The end of Saturday was quite a surprise to everyone in attendance. As Colt “Snake Guns” began to cross the block, the auction hall began to buzz. Every phone line was filled and online bidders began to make their presence felt as numerous collectors scrambled to own one of the popular revolvers. Bids couldn’t be taken quickly enough as the values soared and jaws dropped while the numbers reached previously unheard of heights. A feeding frenzy had begun. An R. L. Wilson special order Colt Python in lot 1789, with a high estimate of $4,500, would see a sale price of $11,500. Another Python, this time a scarce, inscribed, three-inch barrel Combat Python with its original box in lot 1792, would go even higher and sell for $12,650. These numbers were not rare! Numerous Pythons, Anacondas, Cobras, and Diamondbacks would exceed the $5,000 mark and many surpassed the $10,000 mark. It could indicate an extremely interesting trend for those who seek or collect these revolvers."


If we included 2014 on the table shown above, it would have an average sale price of $3,805.88, and that even includes an adjustment for a cased set of "Snake Eyes" Pythons to be counted as two separate guns.  So what gives?  Why has the Python, a revolver that's been around since 1955, all of a sudden seeing some pretty explosive growth in the last three years?  Let's take a look shall we?

Quality

The issue of high quality has not been an issue for the Colt Python.  If anything, there is the rumor that later quality Pythons fell away a bit from their initial high quality.  That said, there certainly wasn't any revamping of the Python that would've increased its quality and therefore popularity among collectors.  In fact, when it was introduced in 1955 it was done as a premium revolver, designed to compete with the finest double actions available.  It succeeded. A number of its design aspects such as its balance, weight, smooth trigger, and small tolerances gave the gun a refined feel, high accuracy, and reliability that few have matched.  Colt Historian R.L. Wilson has a well-cited quote, calling the Python the "Rolls-Royce of Colt revolvers" and the well-known British author and firearms expert Ian V. Hogg called it the "best revolver in the world."  High praise from reliable sources indeed, but the superior quality is hardly a recent development and cannot account for the surge in prices and popularity.

This Python, manufactured in 1956, sold in our December 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction for $11,500.

Looks

To put it simply, the Colt Python just looks like a big, powerful, classic revolver.  It's fat, simple grip, beefy snout, and swing out out cylinder make it baddest man in the room that never has to tell anyone for them to know.  There's no over-sized, unmanageable caliber.  No ostentatious advertising campaigns.  Just a simple, well-made revolver that's not a design fad.  Well, OK.  Maybe there used to be some pretty gaudy ads, but it's safe to say that those were before their meteoric rise.

Yikes.  You probably shouldn't try to take this Burmese python's Python.

Practicality

It's difficult to argue against the practicality of a well-made gun.  After all, if a firearm isn't well made and in turn doesn't perform reliably, how truly practical can it be?  Not only is the Colt Python built to do what it does very well, but it has been proven to be a practical tool in the hands of many police officers.  The Python was a fine option for law enforcement officers before the shift to semi-automatics began to grip the land.  In any case, the time the Python spent in service gave it a "field test" that many firearms do not receive.  If it had performed poorly in the field, that would not escape its history.

Also attesting to the practicality of the gun is its choice of caliber.  In its standard configuration of .357 Magnum, the gun packs plenty of power for nearly any law enforcement group, some fun range time, or even defending one's castle.  The caliber has been around since 1934, is a standard cartridge for most stores to carry, has excellent power, and shows no sign of going anywhere.

Politics

Granted, a portion of the Python's rise in price and popularity is the same rise enjoyed by nearly every other type of firearm.  Talk of legislation against firearms drove sales like none other.  People want to make sure they have the guns they want in their possession should the worst occur.  Part of the Python's price may have risen due to this, but if this were the sole cause we would similar rises across the majority of firearms and not this particular model.  It was easy to see a rise in price of "black rifles" and AR platform semi-automatic rifles because those were in the most danger of having legislation passed against them.  Modern sport rifles were unquestionably targeted the hardest (despite handguns being the weapon of choice for criminals, but that's another story).  Meanwhile this solid wheelgun received almost NO attention from the media or anti-gun groups because it's not a semi-automatic, its price doesn't make it attractive to criminals and it is therefore unlikely to be used in crimes (high profile or otherwise), and it only carries six rounds, a temporarily acceptable number for anti-gunners.  The Colt Python would not have been on anyone's radar for anything other than being a handgun, so while it may have enjoyed a small bump from potential legislation, it's nothing that would push it anywhere close to its current prices.  Besides, modern sport rifles have already seen their bubble burst.  If Pythons were riding that same bubble, they would have fallen right along side them.

Media Appearances

Maybe here is where we start to get to the meat of things.  First of all, let me say that I'm well aware that the use of Colt Pythons in TV and movies extends back decades.  While popular trivia may let us know that the Colt Python was the sidearm of choice for Hutch on 1970s TV show "Starsky & Hutch," it is not well known that its use can be traced back as far as 1969 according to the Internet Movie Firearms Database. The gun's classic, tough looks allow to be an "every pistol" in a number of TV shows and movies - always looking the part for some lawman in the 60s, 70s, and even 80s.  That said, why wasn't the Python more popular than this before now if it was featured so frequently?

The Colt Python as seen on AMC's "The Walking Dead"

        1.  Movies  Several factors could be at play, any of which would require more research to confirm or refute.  The first is that more people go to the movies today than ever before.  Modern box office numbers are untouchable even when counting for inflation.  More people watching means more people see these guns being used and possibly falling in love with this big, sturdy-looking revolver.  This is likely the weakest of the hypotheses.

        2.  Streaming TV could also be a factor.  For example, the Colt Python is featured prominently in the current television series "The Walking Dead."  Wielded by lead character Sheriff Rick Grimes, the gun is being seen by record numbers of people who tune in to see this wildly popular show.  The show initially airs on AMC, a premium cable network.  However, previous seasons of the show are also available on streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Instant video for a comparatively modest price, as low as $7.99 for a single month.  Enjoying the current popularity wave of zombie culture, the success of Walking Dead, and widespread availability of both means the Python is being seen almost weekly by record numbers of people.  You can't buy that kind of advertising.

Here is how the Python appears in the video game
Call of Duty: Black Ops

        3.  Video games. I know, I know... video games get blamed for everything from bad grades, to obesity, to any number of crimes, both the benign and the violent.  However, the popularity of video games is not something to be overlooked.  Most notable of video games sparking an interest in firearms is the Call of Duty series.  Stretching back all the way to 2003, the COD series of games has featured real life weapons in nearly every single title.  Since its inception COD has over $10 BILLION in sales, each one teaching a player the appearance and gross characteristics of say, an M1 Garand, an MP5, a G36C, a BAR, a P90, a G11, a Type 99, and even what different shoulder launchers look like.  Many are quick to poo-poo the knowledge of COD players, which if based solely on gameplay would be admittedly thin, but would be hard pressed to find a more effective  tool for teaching rudimentary knowledge (appearance, action type, caliber) and spurring enthusiasm.

The Colt Python has been featured in video games where it is mostly listed as a ".357 Magnum" or "revolver," but the appearance in unmistakable.  The video game Call of Duty: Black Ops, the seventh of the series, featured the Python by name (without mentioning Colt).  It sold a total 5.6 million units in the U.S & U.K. in the first 24 hours.  That's $360 million in sales in 1 day, and $650 million in 5 days worldwide!  Even the acclaimed American Sniper movie released last week "only" landed a record $105 million opening-week box office.  Granted, video games are more expensive than movie tickets, but the numbers are still staggering.  Plus, while someone might only see a movie once in the theater, players are literally dumping days of time into these video games, playing them over and over again.  That's a lot of eyeballs learning that the Python, typically programmed in games to be more powerful than its semi-automatic counterparts, is for lack of better term, one mean mother.

This Python, manufactured in 1968, will also be appearing in our February 2015 Regional Firearms Auction.
It is Lot 73.

So with its popular appearances, and more media than ever being available to more people than ever, does that all translate into more sales?  Do those sales help diminish the supply and raise the price?  After all, how many kids playing these video games can legally buy a Python, let alone afford one?  That is true, and a large portion of those playing the video games will be under the legal age to purchase a handgun,  However, there are still millions playing that can buy a handgun.  Many of the children who grew up playing video games are now adults or young adults that play video games and those adults have adult sized  pocketbooks.

However, what all these mediums and popularity accomplish is to introduce a powerful, glamorized, and beautiful gun to an extremely large group of novices.  Even a small number of purchases by this newly enthusiastic group would have a large effect on the hundreds of thousands of Colt Pythons available.  This in turn, has a snowball effect.  Collectors see the supply of Pythons getting slimmer.  It's harder to find a Python for anyone that wants one.  Better snap one up before they're gone, right?  Now collectors are buying Pythons too, further depleting the available supply and also contributing to increased prices.  Casual gun buyers also find out how desirable they are and look for good deals on Pythons, further driving demand and price and it just keeps going.  Pretty soon, folks that can't get Pythons turn to Anacondas, Cobras, Vipers, Diamondbacks, and other Colt "snake guns."  Can't get a snake gun or afford one?  There are some attractive, fat-gripped Smith & Wesson revolvers that just might do the trick!  The popularity and demand for the Python is truly astounding, not only does it affect its own price and availability, but also guns similar to it.

What Does It All Mean?

But who cares right?  Why should we care about the price of a single model of revolver enjoying a bit of a renaissance?  Well, for folks who want one, it can be somewhat important, but for collectors and folks using firearms as their retirement fund, the ramifications can be even more important.  Even if you have no desire to own one, you may stumble across one at an excellent price and stand the opportunity to make some profit, but you have to know the opportunity exists in the first place.  That would potentially be a pretty quick turnaround for some profit, but the other two groups mentioned have some larger questions in mind.  For example:

• Is this another bubble like we just saw happen to the AR platform rifles?  If so, casual purchasers as well as collectors and investors could probably stand to wait for the price to come down if they still want one.    
• Is this the ground floor?  How many years can Pythons experience consistent growth?  If your experience tells you they're not slowing down anytime soon, this would be a great time to invest in multiple Pythons.  
• Will they plateau?  Instead of falling as in a bubble or rising over decades like Colt percussion revolvers or antique Winchester lever actions, could the guns simply be adjusting to a new market value where they will eventually stabilize?

There are all sorts of possibilities of what could happen to Pythons, snake guns, and the revolver market in general.  No one can say for certain what the end result will be, but two things are certain.  It's going to be a heck of a ride to find out, and I still want one in my collection.


-Written by Joel Kolander

This Python Hunter sold in our December 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction
for an impressive $4,600.

More Guns, Less Crime

TALE  OF TWO CITIES----Kippis-----Paul

A Tale of Two Cities

	Chicago, IL		Houston, TX
Population	2.7 million		2.15 million
Median HH Income	$38,600		$37,000
% African-American	38.9%		24%
% Hispanic	29.9%		44%
% Asian	5.5%		6%
% Non-Hispanic White	28.7%		26%

  Pretty similar until you compare the following:

	Chicago, IL		Houston, TX
Concealed Carry gun law	no		yes
# of Gun Stores	0		184 - Dedicated gun stores plus 1500 - legal places to buy guns- Walmart, K-mart, sporting goods, etc.
Homicides, 2012	1,806		207
Homicides per 100K	38.4		9.6
Avg. January high temperature  (F)	31		63

Democrat's Conclusion: Cold weather from global warming causes murder.