The radio news had me howling with laughter. They set aside a brazillion dollars to bail out the auto industry, and who'd'a thunk it, the Cash for Clunkers program has run out of money.
Holy [deleted] update: Bloomberg reports they ran through the money in SIX DAYS. Huh. You give away thousands of dollars of other peoples' money and get a big response? Unprecedented!
Update! In response to "overwhelming" consumer demand (to steal MY tax dollars) Congress is going to take from the left pocket and put $2 Billion into the CARS program. Auto industry executives reportedly overjoyed.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tired And It's Only Morning.
#3 has a heat rash. Up at 05:00. That, after we turned in around midnight last night. So tired. Also hungry. Hwy, would you do me a favor and make me some scrambled eggs with a side of sleep?
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Screaming Boos For President Obama!
On the way to the adoring crowds inside last night, the President mentioned, there were some people with signs outside.
He didn't mention that the signs had the communist hammer and sickle on them, and the soundtrack for his drive through town was a higher-quality set of BOOs than any professionally-produced boo track ever. Laura Ingraham played the sound, and she had to turn the volume down so it could keep playing for several minutes, while she went on with her show. Literally the whole motorcade's progress was met with hordes of people SCREAMING boos at the president.
Wow. Give him a few more years and he'll have them airbrushed out of the footage.
Yes I went there. Let's hope I'm wrong.
He didn't mention that the signs had the communist hammer and sickle on them, and the soundtrack for his drive through town was a higher-quality set of BOOs than any professionally-produced boo track ever. Laura Ingraham played the sound, and she had to turn the volume down so it could keep playing for several minutes, while she went on with her show. Literally the whole motorcade's progress was met with hordes of people SCREAMING boos at the president.
Wow. Give him a few more years and he'll have them airbrushed out of the footage.
Yes I went there. Let's hope I'm wrong.
Joke Of The Day
What did the rapper-turned-allergy doctor say when writing a prescription?
One less itch you gotta worry about.
One less itch you gotta worry about.
Seven Women for One Man? Why?
Isaiah 4:1 "And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach."
********
This verse has bothered me for quite a few years. Why would SEVEN women try to latch on to ONE man? Surely there are more than 1/7th the male population by the end of days who are worth being connected to!
Turns out, not so much. In case you didn't notice, between the lack of Jesus in society in general, the lack of parenting for several generations in a row, and the lack of education in government-run "schools," the quality of males out there has declined rather badly. Listening to the Dr. Laura Schlessinger radio program some days I have to wonder what the hell is wrong with these women, picking absolute Losers for husbands.
Extend the trendline out for a few more years, and it's not hard to imagine that there will be two classes of men, and the better will be so much better than the lower, it will be dramatically obvious. Women will be so desperate for a man that isn't a complete loser, to take away the reproach of being a single mother, they'll look for the opposite type of male from the one that knocked them up, and try to at least have the appearance of respectability. They might be "family" or they might be "married" (note: polygamists are hot on the heels of queers for marriage rights, even as we speak) but the man will not be burdened with the additional costs of paying for the extra 14+ mouths to feed. They're saying, in essence, 'let me be part of your respectable family, and I'll support my children and myself.'
Sad, sad commentary.
********
This verse has bothered me for quite a few years. Why would SEVEN women try to latch on to ONE man? Surely there are more than 1/7th the male population by the end of days who are worth being connected to!
Turns out, not so much. In case you didn't notice, between the lack of Jesus in society in general, the lack of parenting for several generations in a row, and the lack of education in government-run "schools," the quality of males out there has declined rather badly. Listening to the Dr. Laura Schlessinger radio program some days I have to wonder what the hell is wrong with these women, picking absolute Losers for husbands.
Extend the trendline out for a few more years, and it's not hard to imagine that there will be two classes of men, and the better will be so much better than the lower, it will be dramatically obvious. Women will be so desperate for a man that isn't a complete loser, to take away the reproach of being a single mother, they'll look for the opposite type of male from the one that knocked them up, and try to at least have the appearance of respectability. They might be "family" or they might be "married" (note: polygamists are hot on the heels of queers for marriage rights, even as we speak) but the man will not be burdened with the additional costs of paying for the extra 14+ mouths to feed. They're saying, in essence, 'let me be part of your respectable family, and I'll support my children and myself.'
Sad, sad commentary.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
MUSLIMS In Nigeria Being Faithful To The Sunna
From Yahoo! News
"The radical sect behind the latest violence is known by several different names, including Al-Sunna wal Jamma, or "Followers of Mohammed's Teachings" in Arabic, and "Boko Haram," which means "Western education is sin" in the local Hausa dialect."
That's the important part of the article. The Cliff's Notes version of the whole thing is this: Nigeria: 1/2 Christian, 1/2 muslim. In 1999, Nigeria stopped being ruled by oppressive military regimes, and 10,000 people have died in "sectarian" violence since then. Not knowing the particulars in this case but knowing islam, I feel safe in saying those 10,000 people are because the muslim half of Nigeria doesn't want evil things like western education and liberty for themselves or the Christian half.
Islam: Not Playing Well With Others since the 8th century A.D.
"The radical sect behind the latest violence is known by several different names, including Al-Sunna wal Jamma, or "Followers of Mohammed's Teachings" in Arabic, and "Boko Haram," which means "Western education is sin" in the local Hausa dialect."
That's the important part of the article. The Cliff's Notes version of the whole thing is this: Nigeria: 1/2 Christian, 1/2 muslim. In 1999, Nigeria stopped being ruled by oppressive military regimes, and 10,000 people have died in "sectarian" violence since then. Not knowing the particulars in this case but knowing islam, I feel safe in saying those 10,000 people are because the muslim half of Nigeria doesn't want evil things like western education and liberty for themselves or the Christian half.
Islam: Not Playing Well With Others since the 8th century A.D.
STATES' Rights? Man, They Hate INDIVIDUAL Rights!
From Yahoo! News
"The federal government ought to pass a law banning this dangerous and growing practice to protect the millions of Americans on our nation's roads. It is a matter of public safety," said Sen. Charles Schumer,
No, Senator Schumer, it is a matter of supremacy. Georgia for how long now has given her pickup truck drivers the ability to drive around without seatbelts. I wish more states would have said "no" to the Highway Funding teat when Congress first took off our collective brassiere.
Because you have continued to re-elect simpering fools to high office, you now are faced with people in D.C. who know better telling you one more thing you cannot do Because We Say.
Nevermind that they could have just leaned on the cell phone industry -you know, the ones actually engaging in interstate commerce here? Yeah, with existing technology the phone companies could prevent you texting while driving. No no, my friends they are coming after YOU, PERSONALLY!
"What are you in for?"
"I printed 3 Million dollars in fake money, you?"
"Texting while driving."
"Dang, dawg, you're a stone cold CRIMINAL!"
"The federal government ought to pass a law banning this dangerous and growing practice to protect the millions of Americans on our nation's roads. It is a matter of public safety," said Sen. Charles Schumer,
No, Senator Schumer, it is a matter of supremacy. Georgia for how long now has given her pickup truck drivers the ability to drive around without seatbelts. I wish more states would have said "no" to the Highway Funding teat when Congress first took off our collective brassiere.
Because you have continued to re-elect simpering fools to high office, you now are faced with people in D.C. who know better telling you one more thing you cannot do Because We Say.
Nevermind that they could have just leaned on the cell phone industry -you know, the ones actually engaging in interstate commerce here? Yeah, with existing technology the phone companies could prevent you texting while driving. No no, my friends they are coming after YOU, PERSONALLY!
"What are you in for?"
"I printed 3 Million dollars in fake money, you?"
"Texting while driving."
"Dang, dawg, you're a stone cold CRIMINAL!"
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Madness @ Work
As I was coming back to my work area from the warehouse, I made an interesting observation:
The way the human body was designed (by God, on purpose) to remain stable and upright (as well as remaining under the control of the person inhabiting the body) when moving at varying speeds, at various lean angles as a 2 or 3 wheeled vehicle is ridden and propelled by the same feet simultaneously holding the body up, is amazing.* The amounts of power and grace required for normal operation of man-powered vehicles is "just wow."
. . . never mind that one of the vehicles being ridden was a Razor scooter and one was a pallet jack.
*Yes it is a huge run-on sentence. Deal with it.
The way the human body was designed (by God, on purpose) to remain stable and upright (as well as remaining under the control of the person inhabiting the body) when moving at varying speeds, at various lean angles as a 2 or 3 wheeled vehicle is ridden and propelled by the same feet simultaneously holding the body up, is amazing.* The amounts of power and grace required for normal operation of man-powered vehicles is "just wow."
. . . never mind that one of the vehicles being ridden was a Razor scooter and one was a pallet jack.
*Yes it is a huge run-on sentence. Deal with it.
How To Not Sound Dumb: It's Moot, Not Mute.
It is not the preferred use of the term, but saying something is "a moot point" as a smarty-sounding way of saying it's "beside the point" is considered proper. But please, please, please: if you are going to try to use big words, say them properly.
Click these links, then click on the little speaker icons on the dictionary.com pages that come up, to hear the proper pronunciation.
Moot: debatable, or (as above) irrelevant.
Mute: Not what you meant to say, but what you did say, that made you sound like a government school graduate.
You're welcome.
Click these links, then click on the little speaker icons on the dictionary.com pages that come up, to hear the proper pronunciation.
Moot: debatable, or (as above) irrelevant.
Mute: Not what you meant to say, but what you did say, that made you sound like a government school graduate.
You're welcome.
Hell Yeah, I'm A Skeptic!
Laura Ingraham is putting hers in as the latest voice mocking the "truthers" for being concerned that the President of the United States might be an illegal alien from Kenya. She goes right along with the FactCheck "evidence" apparently blissfully unaware of the highly partisan (pro-Obama) editorializing at FactCheck. Factcheck is every bit as reliable as Wikipedia. If you don't know what that means, I feel sorry for you, but still . . .
I am offended.
I am being laughed at because I don't want to take falsified evidence as proof that something is so. Oh yeah, right, there are all these anonymous eyewitnesses who have laid eyes on the actual farted-by-unicorns birth certificate with the raised seal stamped by God Himself. All you fools who doubt and wish to see it yourselves must be hard-core Obama-haters.
How about I come up with a fake bill of sale and show up at the local tax office, and walk away with the deed to your house. Will you get all upset that I used false documentation to steal something important to you, then? No? Okay, well then he's the President and we should all just shut up about it.
I am offended.
I am being laughed at because I don't want to take falsified evidence as proof that something is so. Oh yeah, right, there are all these anonymous eyewitnesses who have laid eyes on the actual farted-by-unicorns birth certificate with the raised seal stamped by God Himself. All you fools who doubt and wish to see it yourselves must be hard-core Obama-haters.
How about I come up with a fake bill of sale and show up at the local tax office, and walk away with the deed to your house. Will you get all upset that I used false documentation to steal something important to you, then? No? Okay, well then he's the President and we should all just shut up about it.
Monday, July 27, 2009
You. Yes, You, Personally. Are Stupid. Or Bad. Or BOTH.
I recently had my impression of these men (almost always men) reinforced by the actions of one driver on the road the other day. . . .
If you have a truck lifted and equipped for mudding and you take it to the mud hole, that's fine. That's one thing. When you drive it to work and back by yourself every day, and wear out your $300 (each) tires on the pavement, and drive like an asshole besides, that makes you STUPID.
If you have a thyroid problem, have had recent surgery, or just had a baby, that's one thing. When you are morbidly obese for most other reasons, it is a pretty strong indicator that you are personally deficient in one or more of a dozen different ways.
That is all.
If you have a truck lifted and equipped for mudding and you take it to the mud hole, that's fine. That's one thing. When you drive it to work and back by yourself every day, and wear out your $300 (each) tires on the pavement, and drive like an asshole besides, that makes you STUPID.
If you have a thyroid problem, have had recent surgery, or just had a baby, that's one thing. When you are morbidly obese for most other reasons, it is a pretty strong indicator that you are personally deficient in one or more of a dozen different ways.
That is all.
Am I The Only One Who Thinks About These Things?
Twice, on the way to work today, I had the same thought. I roll with a reliable pistol and a spare magazine, I don't go to the wrong side of the tracks, and I keep my eyes open. The odds this will become a problem for me are statistically nil, but . . .
You are stopped at a traffic light in the city. You have a car fore and aft, and maybe to each side. You are boxed-in, and going nowhere in a hurry. The approaches are open from approximately 360ยบ around your car.
This is a security nightmare.
I'd go bald (faster) if I worked professional security. NOTHING is secure in America.
You are stopped at a traffic light in the city. You have a car fore and aft, and maybe to each side. You are boxed-in, and going nowhere in a hurry. The approaches are open from approximately 360ยบ around your car.
This is a security nightmare.
I'd go bald (faster) if I worked professional security. NOTHING is secure in America.
After-Action Report: 26 July 2009
Night Hunting
Once again, I took out the Daisy with a handheld torch zip-tied to it. Once again it was almost like cheating, it was so easy. During the dusk and early evening hours, the birds are not really settled in, and any little disturbance sends them flying off. At night, they are either asleep or even stupider than usual. Just sit there while their buddies drop like the oversized flies they are.
My hunt was suddenly interrupted by my neighbors coming out to see their daughter's lateststud boyfriend off. She actually brought one home, which is an improvement. The husband is part of the Large Hadron Collider project, and he said that his friends can't destroy the universe just yet, because they found more Helium (coolant) leaks. They have to warm the stupid thing up and fix it, then cool it down again. Make that two MORE months' delay.
Anyhow, here's the deal with me vs. these birds:
Last week, it rained cats & dogs and my car was washed clean, thank God. The next day, I come out and find this:
That would be, at least 50 poops on my car, overnight. Now are you starting to understand why I feel no compunction about killing these birds? My neighbors also complained about them during our conversation last night.
I found and shot the first one, and it went ker-THUNK on the ground. Not a single flap. The second flew away in worse shape than it was when it picked my tree to sleep in. The third flapped a little on the way down, but it didn't flap for long. You may note a common theme when it comes to the fatal shots on these birds:
Fortunately, this lot included a female. When you kill a female flying rat replicator, she is unable to make more eggs. The males, well there's always another one out there. . . .
Once again, I took out the Daisy with a handheld torch zip-tied to it. Once again it was almost like cheating, it was so easy. During the dusk and early evening hours, the birds are not really settled in, and any little disturbance sends them flying off. At night, they are either asleep or even stupider than usual. Just sit there while their buddies drop like the oversized flies they are.
My hunt was suddenly interrupted by my neighbors coming out to see their daughter's latest
Anyhow, here's the deal with me vs. these birds:
Last week, it rained cats & dogs and my car was washed clean, thank God. The next day, I come out and find this:
That would be, at least 50 poops on my car, overnight. Now are you starting to understand why I feel no compunction about killing these birds? My neighbors also complained about them during our conversation last night.
I found and shot the first one, and it went ker-THUNK on the ground. Not a single flap. The second flew away in worse shape than it was when it picked my tree to sleep in. The third flapped a little on the way down, but it didn't flap for long. You may note a common theme when it comes to the fatal shots on these birds:
Fortunately, this lot included a female. When you kill a female flying rat replicator, she is unable to make more eggs. The males, well there's always another one out there. . . .
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Kill The Drug Dealers*
On the road between the main drag through the city (my the city) and one particular subdivision, there is an apartment complex. Driving down that road earlier today, I saw someone with a prison and rap video-inspired culturally significant wardrobe pacing the sidewalk in front of the complex. He was probably doing something perfectly innocuous, but I had still had one of those flash-thoughts that lasts a fraction of a second but conveys an impression of a complete concept.
Say this guy is a crack dealer. I mean, not "allegedly" a crack dealer, this dude IS a crack dealer. You have seen with your own eye, him exchange cash for stones, repeatedly. You have called the police repeatedly, and he always disappears when they come around.
There is a street full of houses with fenced back yards, beginning a couple hundred yards away from where this guy was walking. Whoever lives there, it's a guarantee that they are not home 100% of the time when your buddy the crack dealer is "working."
All it would take is 150 grain of copper-jacketed lead, and this cat is no longer a crack dealer. The police show up, and he is either holding a pocket-full each of crack and cash, or his pockets have been turned out. Drug related shooting. Unsolved murder. Everybody in the local 5-0 shrugs his shoulders and says "good riddance to bad rubbish." His momma and sisters wail about how he was "a good boy" and "my baby ain't no druuug diller!"
I know you don't have to pass an IQ test to sell drugs, but surely if a few low-level pushers shuffled off their mortal coils in the same spot, they would stop selling in that spot, no?
********
*I do not condone, advocate, or recommend, the killing of anybody without due process of law. This was just a thought that flashed through my mind as I was driving down the road today. Also, a tree falling in the woods makes no noise if no one heard it.
Say this guy is a crack dealer. I mean, not "allegedly" a crack dealer, this dude IS a crack dealer. You have seen with your own eye, him exchange cash for stones, repeatedly. You have called the police repeatedly, and he always disappears when they come around.
There is a street full of houses with fenced back yards, beginning a couple hundred yards away from where this guy was walking. Whoever lives there, it's a guarantee that they are not home 100% of the time when your buddy the crack dealer is "working."
All it would take is 150 grain of copper-jacketed lead, and this cat is no longer a crack dealer. The police show up, and he is either holding a pocket-full each of crack and cash, or his pockets have been turned out. Drug related shooting. Unsolved murder. Everybody in the local 5-0 shrugs his shoulders and says "good riddance to bad rubbish." His momma and sisters wail about how he was "a good boy" and "my baby ain't no druuug diller!"
I know you don't have to pass an IQ test to sell drugs, but surely if a few low-level pushers shuffled off their mortal coils in the same spot, they would stop selling in that spot, no?
********
*I do not condone, advocate, or recommend, the killing of anybody without due process of law. This was just a thought that flashed through my mind as I was driving down the road today. Also, a tree falling in the woods makes no noise if no one heard it.
Government-Run Healthcare! Government-Run Healthcare!
Government-Run Healthcare! Government-Run Healthcare! Government-Run Healthcare! Government-Run Healthcare!
Because it is accurate, and accurate portrayals of the President's ideas lead to people rejecting his ideas, your Elected Heroes are verboten to speak the term "Government-run healthcare." No, they must use the Democrat-approved language, or pay out of pocket. Oh well, it's not like freedom of speech is a basic tenet of our political doctrine in America or anything.
Also not important: negotiating in good faith. No, just tell the Blue Dogs whatever they want to hear, so they will shut up and sign the stupid bill already! After all, that's what the People The Same Skin Color As The President Caucus wants.
Move along, citizen. Nothing to see here!
Because it is accurate, and accurate portrayals of the President's ideas lead to people rejecting his ideas, your Elected Heroes are verboten to speak the term "Government-run healthcare." No, they must use the Democrat-approved language, or pay out of pocket. Oh well, it's not like freedom of speech is a basic tenet of our political doctrine in America or anything.
Also not important: negotiating in good faith. No, just tell the Blue Dogs whatever they want to hear, so they will shut up and sign the stupid bill already! After all, that's what the People The Same Skin Color As The President Caucus wants.
Move along, citizen. Nothing to see here!
. . . Are YOU Going To Tell Him?
My Darling Wife had me fill the little baby washing bathtub with warm water while she set out the (ridiculously inadequately-sized) plastic sheet she puts under it. I brought back the tub and set #3 standing up in it. About 4 seconds after his feet were immersed in the warm water, he pissed into it.
A half-hour later, I hear bububububuubbbbbbububububb as #3 is blowing bubbles into a toy cup half full of water. #2 joins in the fun, occasionally draining the water into his mouth and spitting it on his baby brother. #3 thinks spitting on brothers is also good great fun. So right now they are spitting water on each other which is ever-so-slightly tainted with urine.
. . . I don't think #3 really needs to know about the pee, do you?
A half-hour later, I hear bububububuubbbbbbububububb as #3 is blowing bubbles into a toy cup half full of water. #2 joins in the fun, occasionally draining the water into his mouth and spitting it on his baby brother. #3 thinks spitting on brothers is also good great fun. So right now they are spitting water on each other which is ever-so-slightly tainted with urine.
. . . I don't think #3 really needs to know about the pee, do you?
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tacoma Parents: Dumb.
That's how the headline for this article should read.
I was disgusted two paragraphs in. People, the problem with your childrens' schooling is not a lack of teachers or computers or class sizes or (as in this case) a lack of funding. It is YOU refusing to take the time to rear your own children. But I repeat myself.
I was disgusted two paragraphs in. People, the problem with your childrens' schooling is not a lack of teachers or computers or class sizes or (as in this case) a lack of funding. It is YOU refusing to take the time to rear your own children. But I repeat myself.
Why Not Do JUST This?
The Democrats working on the health care system destruction reform bill have apparently worked out a deal to make Medicare worse reform Medicare the same way they want to reform the rest of the system.
You know, the system Obama wants COMPLETELY overhauled NOW NOW NOW? Yeah, this proposal really gets the ball rolling immediately. Action would be taken no sooner than 2012.
If this is such a great idea, and since they already have controlling majorities in both houses, why not pass just this idea into a law? I mean, why not at least TRY piecemeal reforms?
Perhaps they are taking a cue from President Obama himself, who voted against every single health care reform bill during hisone year vast experience as a Senator.
You know, the system Obama wants COMPLETELY overhauled NOW NOW NOW? Yeah, this proposal really gets the ball rolling immediately. Action would be taken no sooner than 2012.
If this is such a great idea, and since they already have controlling majorities in both houses, why not pass just this idea into a law? I mean, why not at least TRY piecemeal reforms?
Perhaps they are taking a cue from President Obama himself, who voted against every single health care reform bill during his
A Teachable Moment. Ha!
Obama wants us, instead of "pumping up the volume" on the Gates fiasco, to turn it into a "teachable moment."
Note to PresBO: The President of the United States mentioning something on primetime TV, when the story was starting to die down already, calling people stupid racists, is turning up the volume.
For those who didn't catch the take-away lesson in this teachable moment yet, Tam has an excellent summary for you.
Note to PresBO: The President of the United States mentioning something on primetime TV, when the story was starting to die down already, calling people stupid racists, is turning up the volume.
For those who didn't catch the take-away lesson in this teachable moment yet, Tam has an excellent summary for you.
Col. Cooper on Education of Children
Mark me down in complete agreement with everything in the following comment.
In his Commentaries, Colonel Cooper wrote:
In the May issue of Guns & Ammo, we see reproduced an illuminating message from a Friscan - that being a correspondent who signs himself from San Francisco. Friscans, as a group, may be addressed with some salinity, since the inhabitants of the Bay Region do indeed run to type. We see this as evident from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. This correspondent takes me to task with asperity as "having gone over the edge." He feels that my attitudes about the proper education of a young man are unreasonable and that I expect too much of youth. He feels that people today have no time to supervise the education of their young. Just what they do have time for is unclear. We note that Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, among others, somehow did find the time to do their homework, and they did a fine job in covering the generalized background. The writer feels that it is too much to expect of a young person to acquire basic skills and abilities such as geography, zoology, history, and literature. He goes on to say that today's parent should not devote unnecessary attention to the elementary education of his children. In my view, the supervision of one's child's education is what parents are for. Making money is nice, and I think everybody should have some, but what is more important is a properly grounded offspring.
The man goes on to ask what degree of competence I feel is necessary. When I say, "manage a motorcycle," I do not mean motorcross, but rather the ability to get from point A to point B with safety on a two-wheeler. When I say "comfortable in a foreign language," I mean the ability to make one's way on the street in an environment in which English is not the primary tongue. When I call for the ability to manage an airplane, I mean the ability to take off and land in a propellor-driven airplane with some degree of security.
The point is that a young man of 21 should be able to cope with the world around him in a general fashion. One of the measures of his ability to cope should be his ability to educate his son. What does that mean to a Friscan or the inhabitants of the Bay Region (and I suppose the megalopolis of the Eastern seaboard)? These march to a somewhat limited drum, or so it seems to me.
The Friscans are not necessarily confined to the Bay Region, but such a location may serve well as a starter. The correspondent feels strongly that I expect the impossible. My own experience and acquaintance indicates otherwise. High goals are not necessarily impossible, or even relatively so. I recall a high school student back in my teaching days asking if the goals set forth by Kipling in the mighty poem "If" were not impossible. The response was not whether they were impossible but whether they are striven for. To set one's goals high is not an unreasonable position. That is what parents are for. It seems to me that the important thing in life is the production of outstanding people - whether we can do it not. It is the attempt that makes the struggle worthwhile
In his Commentaries, Colonel Cooper wrote:
In the May issue of Guns & Ammo, we see reproduced an illuminating message from a Friscan - that being a correspondent who signs himself from San Francisco. Friscans, as a group, may be addressed with some salinity, since the inhabitants of the Bay Region do indeed run to type. We see this as evident from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. This correspondent takes me to task with asperity as "having gone over the edge." He feels that my attitudes about the proper education of a young man are unreasonable and that I expect too much of youth. He feels that people today have no time to supervise the education of their young. Just what they do have time for is unclear. We note that Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, among others, somehow did find the time to do their homework, and they did a fine job in covering the generalized background. The writer feels that it is too much to expect of a young person to acquire basic skills and abilities such as geography, zoology, history, and literature. He goes on to say that today's parent should not devote unnecessary attention to the elementary education of his children. In my view, the supervision of one's child's education is what parents are for. Making money is nice, and I think everybody should have some, but what is more important is a properly grounded offspring.
The man goes on to ask what degree of competence I feel is necessary. When I say, "manage a motorcycle," I do not mean motorcross, but rather the ability to get from point A to point B with safety on a two-wheeler. When I say "comfortable in a foreign language," I mean the ability to make one's way on the street in an environment in which English is not the primary tongue. When I call for the ability to manage an airplane, I mean the ability to take off and land in a propellor-driven airplane with some degree of security.
The point is that a young man of 21 should be able to cope with the world around him in a general fashion. One of the measures of his ability to cope should be his ability to educate his son. What does that mean to a Friscan or the inhabitants of the Bay Region (and I suppose the megalopolis of the Eastern seaboard)? These march to a somewhat limited drum, or so it seems to me.
The Friscans are not necessarily confined to the Bay Region, but such a location may serve well as a starter. The correspondent feels strongly that I expect the impossible. My own experience and acquaintance indicates otherwise. High goals are not necessarily impossible, or even relatively so. I recall a high school student back in my teaching days asking if the goals set forth by Kipling in the mighty poem "If" were not impossible. The response was not whether they were impossible but whether they are striven for. To set one's goals high is not an unreasonable position. That is what parents are for. It seems to me that the important thing in life is the production of outstanding people - whether we can do it not. It is the attempt that makes the struggle worthwhile
As If That Had Anything To Do With Anything!
The radio news is saying Senator Cornyn has announced he will be voting against Justice Sotomayor . . . even though she would be the first latina on the court and there are a lot of Mexicans in Texas.
Dr. King said we should judge the content of her character, which is "evil" as far as I can tell. So, vote against her.
So she's Mexican. And?
Oh, and by the way, she would be the first "latina" but he second "latino" on the court. Try getting THAT from CNN.
Dr. King said we should judge the content of her character, which is "evil" as far as I can tell. So, vote against her.
So she's Mexican. And?
Oh, and by the way, she would be the first "latina" but he second "latino" on the court. Try getting THAT from CNN.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Night Hunting After-Action Report 07/23/2009
Colonel Cooper always wondered why so few people seem to enjoy stalking and hunting at night by spotlight. The Leopard Light he specified for the Steyr (now Mannlicher) Scout was for spotlighting leopards specifically. I can only imagine how much of a thrill that hunt would be.
The first part of this week, I noted the accumulation of SCORES of bird droppings on my car's hood. Per. DAY. A couple of days ago it rained pretty hard and the car was washed clean. The next day, scores of bird turds, again! This, of course, means war.
Tonight I strapped my second-brightest LED flashlight to the axis of my Daisy's telescope sight and loaded up, then stepped out. The light grey of the local doves stands out in stark contrast to the green and medium dark gray of the foliage of my trees, in the light from this torch. I went over by my car and shone the light (on the loaded rifle) up to the tree. Spotted. Sighted. Shot. Hit. Loud hit. Solid on hard feathers. Fly away. Dangit. Load up again, stalk for maybe half a minute. Spotted. Sighted. Shot. Hit. Fly away. Dangit. Stalk again. Spotted in profile, target angle almost 90ยบ. Sighted. Shot. Hit. Fluttering. Flapped down across the street.
Make that two to lightly winged and one probably dead by the time I write this. The local cats will be getting fat soon, I hope. I had been letting the birds be, because they only come around at dusk and I'm usually inside putting the children down at that time. Now that I know I can spot them, I'll be keeping my car's AO clear.
The first part of this week, I noted the accumulation of SCORES of bird droppings on my car's hood. Per. DAY. A couple of days ago it rained pretty hard and the car was washed clean. The next day, scores of bird turds, again! This, of course, means war.
Tonight I strapped my second-brightest LED flashlight to the axis of my Daisy's telescope sight and loaded up, then stepped out. The light grey of the local doves stands out in stark contrast to the green and medium dark gray of the foliage of my trees, in the light from this torch. I went over by my car and shone the light (on the loaded rifle) up to the tree. Spotted. Sighted. Shot. Hit. Loud hit. Solid on hard feathers. Fly away. Dangit. Load up again, stalk for maybe half a minute. Spotted. Sighted. Shot. Hit. Fly away. Dangit. Stalk again. Spotted in profile, target angle almost 90ยบ. Sighted. Shot. Hit. Fluttering. Flapped down across the street.
Make that two to lightly winged and one probably dead by the time I write this. The local cats will be getting fat soon, I hope. I had been letting the birds be, because they only come around at dusk and I'm usually inside putting the children down at that time. Now that I know I can spot them, I'll be keeping my car's AO clear.
Contents Of The Health Care Reform Bill
If you are wondering why some people want the President's healthcare reform agenda to fail, this will help you to understand. It is a brief list of some of the points in the 1100+ page bill.
From the I.B.A.
Read that short article, read some of the highlights, and then consider:
President Obama wanted to get this signed into law two weeks after it was introduced. Is that enough time for you to have understood it all, and contacted your doctor and Congressman? Is that enough time to talk to your parents about it?
Again, I have to ask, what is the hurry?
From the I.B.A.
Read that short article, read some of the highlights, and then consider:
President Obama wanted to get this signed into law two weeks after it was introduced. Is that enough time for you to have understood it all, and contacted your doctor and Congressman? Is that enough time to talk to your parents about it?
Again, I have to ask, what is the hurry?
47 Million Unisured "People" Now.
President Obama last night added a million people to the list of those without any health insurance coverage. Last major speech he had, it was 46 million people (not Americans, just people), now it's 47. Whichever you choose, it's a lie on somebody's part. The POTUS should not be spouting numbers like this. Blame him or his handlers, but you are being LIED TO.
Investor's Business Daily has a story that puts the number at 45.6 million, MINUS:
21% are NOT CITIZENS so we're down to 35.9 million uninsured Americans
These people are the main reason our hospitals are closing, bankrupt. Also they are an example of what happens in America when health care becomes "free"
17 Million in households making more than $50,000/year (7 million of those making $75k or more) so we're down to 18.9 million that can (or should be able to) afford their own insurance and/or office visits (we pay cash four our kids and make somewhere in there)
40% of the remainder are young and healthy and see no need for insurance, so we're down to around 11.3 million
To rephrase the above: out of 300 Million AMERICANS without health care insurance, approximately 11.3 million or LESS THAN 2% genuinely cannot afford health care insurance.
AND
"about" 290 million Americans have, or could get, health care insurance on their own dime.
Howard Dean admitted to Esquire Magazine that 117 million people would be foisted off onto the government plan.
Oh, and by the way it will be about a TRILLION DOLLARS more expensive than we can afford, based on estimates that are reportedly on the low side of cost and high side of what we can afford.
Oh, and by the way, it would lead to a drastically lower standard of care than we are used to, and waiting lines for health care, and rationing of care, and more people dying from preventable causes.
SO why is it required to NOW NOW NOW get this health care payment reform system passed into law? Especially seeing as the President himself has not even familiarized himself with (much less actually read) the proposed legislation!
Because of Laura Ingraham's Quote of The Day: "No one wants to tell the speaker that she's moving too fast and they damn sure don't want to tell the President." -Rep. Charlie Rangel
Investor's Business Daily has a story that puts the number at 45.6 million, MINUS:
These people are the main reason our hospitals are closing, bankrupt. Also they are an example of what happens in America when health care becomes "free"
To rephrase the above: out of 300 Million AMERICANS without health care insurance, approximately 11.3 million or LESS THAN 2% genuinely cannot afford health care insurance.
AND
"about" 290 million Americans have, or could get, health care insurance on their own dime.
Howard Dean admitted to Esquire Magazine that 117 million people would be foisted off onto the government plan.
Oh, and by the way it will be about a TRILLION DOLLARS more expensive than we can afford, based on estimates that are reportedly on the low side of cost and high side of what we can afford.
Oh, and by the way, it would lead to a drastically lower standard of care than we are used to, and waiting lines for health care, and rationing of care, and more people dying from preventable causes.
SO why is it required to NOW NOW NOW get this health care payment reform system passed into law? Especially seeing as the President himself has not even familiarized himself with (much less actually read) the proposed legislation!
Because of Laura Ingraham's Quote of The Day: "No one wants to tell the speaker that she's moving too fast and they damn sure don't want to tell the President." -Rep. Charlie Rangel
President Obama Owes A Pair of Apologies
Neighbors see two men breaking into a house which was previously burgled in a recent string of break-ins. Neighbors call police. Police arrive and find a man in the house, and ask him to step outside. Man refuses. When police ask for ID he produces a card from his workplace that does NOT have his home address on it. Police call security at the man's workplace for confirmation. Man demands the chief of police be summoned, and tells the Police they don't know who they are "fucking with."
Man is so argumentative that passers-by stop to watch the spectacle, and Police end up arresting him for disorderly conduct.
Because the man is a personal friend of President Obama, the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES arranges a STAGED set-up question during a nationally televised press conference about the incident, and makes a direct inference that the arresting officer is racist and the whole Police Department is Stupid.
ONLY because the officer is "white" and the arrestee is (half) "black!"
President Obama, you owe Sergeant James Crowley and the entire Cambridge Police Department a public apology.
Man is so argumentative that passers-by stop to watch the spectacle, and Police end up arresting him for disorderly conduct.
Because the man is a personal friend of President Obama, the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES arranges a STAGED set-up question during a nationally televised press conference about the incident, and makes a direct inference that the arresting officer is racist and the whole Police Department is Stupid.
ONLY because the officer is "white" and the arrestee is (half) "black!"
President Obama, you owe Sergeant James Crowley and the entire Cambridge Police Department a public apology.
OOoooooohhh. Preeetyyyy . . . Xavier's Clark Meltdown
Xavier got his Colt Commander back from Clark.
Man that's a beauty.
I lifted his pictures, rotated and resized one, then smooshed them together. These are the same gun, before and after. It was nickel, now it's chrome and buttery smooth.
Do want.
Man that's a beauty.
I lifted his pictures, rotated and resized one, then smooshed them together. These are the same gun, before and after. It was nickel, now it's chrome and buttery smooth.
Do want.
Dvorak: Maybe Not.
I switched my keyboard map to the DVORAK layout, to see if it could help me type faster. After a day, I was (slowly) touch-typing without too many mistakes. I could feel my brain making fresh neurons already.
Then I realized my barcode scanner didn't get the message about using the new map. Scanning serial numbers is a big part of the job sometimes. I am not going to be typing in 20, 20-digit alphanumeric serial numbers. Also, data entry errors that went away when we all got barcode scanners are not going to be cropping up from JUST my station if I can help it.
So. Back to QWERTY. Oh well.
Then I realized my barcode scanner didn't get the message about using the new map. Scanning serial numbers is a big part of the job sometimes. I am not going to be typing in 20, 20-digit alphanumeric serial numbers. Also, data entry errors that went away when we all got barcode scanners are not going to be cropping up from JUST my station if I can help it.
So. Back to QWERTY. Oh well.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
No blogging.
I spent hours last night wrestling with a 3/8" Mini-Rooter in the kitchen drain. End result is 7 hours of boiling water went down with great big whirlpools on each side of the sink, and a sucking sound when the last of the water went down the pipe. Thank God.
Then #3 wouldn't stay asleep for 3 hours at a stretch.
The coffee, not working.
No blog for you!
Then #3 wouldn't stay asleep for 3 hours at a stretch.
The coffee, not working.
No blog for you!
What The . . . ?
The other day, on the way to work, a cherry picker truck passed me.
It had United States Postal Service markings.
Why does the USPS need a cherry picker?
It had United States Postal Service markings.
Why does the USPS need a cherry picker?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Madness @ Work
One of the guys at work (let's call him Dave) was listening to Neal Boortz on the internet radio feed.
He also had some wicked bad gas
A man on the other side of the room (50 feet away) said:
"Dave, I can hear that asshole from all the way over here!"
Quelle double entendre!
He also had some wicked bad gas
A man on the other side of the room (50 feet away) said:
"Dave, I can hear that asshole from all the way over here!"
Quelle double entendre!
Col. Cooper On Machismo
In his September 2006 Cooper's Commentaries, the Colonel wrote:
We have mentioned it before but we say again that the Spanish term "macho" is not a derogation. To be macho, at least in my day in Latin America, was to be spirited and manly. A previous president of Bolivia, by the name of Barientos, made his point one day when he flaunted his command of the situation by playing with a parachute to the dismay of the political opposition. When President George Bush landed himself on the carrier on the way in from the war zone, he was being macho - to the dismay of the congressional left. He was manifesting machismo, and more power to him. Our notably macho presidents have been George Washington, Andrew Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. We can use as much of that as we have lying around.
We have mentioned it before but we say again that the Spanish term "macho" is not a derogation. To be macho, at least in my day in Latin America, was to be spirited and manly. A previous president of Bolivia, by the name of Barientos, made his point one day when he flaunted his command of the situation by playing with a parachute to the dismay of the political opposition. When President George Bush landed himself on the carrier on the way in from the war zone, he was being macho - to the dismay of the congressional left. He was manifesting machismo, and more power to him. Our notably macho presidents have been George Washington, Andrew Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. We can use as much of that as we have lying around.
Global Cooling for 11 Years!
Going over my notes, I saw that I failed to point this out when it was breaking news:
EPA suppresses report that we have had global COOLING for 11 years!
It's short, read the whole article. Two highest-of-the-highlights:
The global temperate has dropped for 11 years, even though CO2 concentration has increased, instead of rising, making a mockery of the IPCC graphs.
New studies suggest water vapor and solar activity have significant impact (with solar being up to 68% of warming).
Why suppress the report?
It
Doesn't
Fit
The
ADGENDA!
EPA suppresses report that we have had global COOLING for 11 years!
It's short, read the whole article. Two highest-of-the-highlights:
Why suppress the report?
It
Doesn't
Fit
The
ADGENDA!
Obama Calls To Bloggers for Help
His healthcare system destruction bill is floundering. The masses are not bowing before him as grass bending to the wind, like he wants them to.
So the obvious solution is to be louder.
You want help from bloggers? Okay, I'm for healthcare payment reform. It should encompass the following changes:
Eliminate federal requirements for insrance coverages. If I *could* get a policy without substance abuse & mental counseling coverages, it would be cheaper, no?
Cap medical malpractice punitive damages awards to a lifetime's expected wages or some other non-half-billion dollar amount
Encourage private charitable caregivers with favorable regulatory and taxation legislation
Remove the federal requirement that hospitals see anyone with any complaint presenting to an Emergency Room
Then wait.
Specifically, don't compel (at gunpoint) healthy people to spend more than they can afford, on coverage for care they will not receive.
Also don't compel people (at gunpoint) to sign on to a more-expensive, lesser-quality government system.
He says this fundamental change to the way we spend 17% of all the money in our country MUST BE DONE NOW NOW NOW THIS MONTH!!!1!
Why? What's the big hurry?
********
I can't help but recall the LAST TIME I said that about a major policy initiative that just HAD TO BE DONE NOW!!!1!
Hint: the problem was made worse than if they left it alone and we are now collectively on the hook for almost twenty three TRILLION dollars of what should have been private losses.
So the obvious solution is to be louder.
You want help from bloggers? Okay, I'm for healthcare payment reform. It should encompass the following changes:
He says this fundamental change to the way we spend 17% of all the money in our country MUST BE DONE NOW NOW NOW THIS MONTH!!!1!
Why? What's the big hurry?
********
I can't help but recall the LAST TIME I said that about a major policy initiative that just HAD TO BE DONE NOW!!!1!
Hint: the problem was made worse than if they left it alone and we are now collectively on the hook for almost twenty three TRILLION dollars of what should have been private losses.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Hey Buddy, You Got A Spare $23 Trillion?
Neil Barofsky, special inspector general for the Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program says U.S. Rescue May Reach $23.7 Trillion if everything we promised to back up, falls apart.
That would be, more than we paid for all the wars the United States has ever fought.
NOTICE:
They are trying to delay publishing the budget until after August (that would be, later than usual). Because by then they hope to have crammed the socialized medicine bill down your throat, which would be harder to do when you realize they are trying to work on a TWO TRILLION dollar deficit next year.
More from Mish
That would be, more than we paid for all the wars the United States has ever fought.
NOTICE:
They are trying to delay publishing the budget until after August (that would be, later than usual). Because by then they hope to have crammed the socialized medicine bill down your throat, which would be harder to do when you realize they are trying to work on a TWO TRILLION dollar deficit next year.
More from Mish
This Day In History
6 months ago today, the worst President the USA has ever had took the oath of office.
But take heart!
That means he is an eighth of the way through his entire first term, and a quarter of the way to the results of the 2010 elections coming to D.C. If YOU do your part getting people to vote for None of the Above, the rampant socialist agenda propagation can stop in another 18 months.
But take heart!
That means he is an eighth of the way through his entire first term, and a quarter of the way to the results of the 2010 elections coming to D.C. If YOU do your part getting people to vote for None of the Above, the rampant socialist agenda propagation can stop in another 18 months.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
They also know how to make fire.
This was going to be a comment on Uncle's post about a 10 year-old shooting a home invader in the face, but it got too long, so here it is.
Teach your children responsibility and respect for dangerous things, and they'll be safer than otherwise.
Also they'll be more useful.
Because of this story, I made sure #2 knows which is the SKS and how to get the ammunition for it, in case I ever need to tell him to go & fetch for me.
. . . he already knows how to lay hands on the Glock, but he's too weak to cycle the action . . .
. . . and he knows that, whenever he wants, he can fondle any of the guns he wants, for as long as he wants, as long as he asks first.
. . . and he knows that, if he ever touches any of the guns without asking first, he will be turned inside-out and be unable to sit for a week. My children have faith in me. Faith that I will make them regret doing a Very Bad Thing, more than they would enjoy doing it. This is as it should be. They are, therefore, extraordinarily well-behaved children.
Because things are dangerous is no reason to keep them from your children. It is your responsibility as a parent to mitigate the dangers. If the boy wants to ride a motorcycle, he'll do it after he knows that he could be, and how to avoid being, turned into a bloody smear on the concrete. He first used the dremel tool this year (5 years old) to help me cut down the barrel shroud of a rifle, after his instructor (me) made sure he knew what was happening and what could happen. Like me, he will be able to drive before WAY before he is legally old enough to.
A couple of months ago, I was single-digits of feet from a man who had never fired a battle rifle before, while he ran action drills on a hot range with me. I made sure the risks both he and I took were minimized to the point of acceptability.
Danger: up to a point, it makes life worth living. Past that point, up to another point, it makes life scary as [deleted]. Past that point, you're dead*.
Let your children do dangerous things. They will become more-complete people for it. Just make sure you do your job first.
(besides which, you never know when some politically incorrect knowledge might come in handy. Like if you need driven to the hospital from the middle of nowhere. Or if someone kicks the door in and you're not there.)
********
* can you be the source of your own Quote of the Day?
Teach your children responsibility and respect for dangerous things, and they'll be safer than otherwise.
Also they'll be more useful.
Because of this story, I made sure #2 knows which is the SKS and how to get the ammunition for it, in case I ever need to tell him to go & fetch for me.
. . . he already knows how to lay hands on the Glock, but he's too weak to cycle the action . . .
. . . and he knows that, whenever he wants, he can fondle any of the guns he wants, for as long as he wants, as long as he asks first.
. . . and he knows that, if he ever touches any of the guns without asking first, he will be turned inside-out and be unable to sit for a week. My children have faith in me. Faith that I will make them regret doing a Very Bad Thing, more than they would enjoy doing it. This is as it should be. They are, therefore, extraordinarily well-behaved children.
Because things are dangerous is no reason to keep them from your children. It is your responsibility as a parent to mitigate the dangers. If the boy wants to ride a motorcycle, he'll do it after he knows that he could be, and how to avoid being, turned into a bloody smear on the concrete. He first used the dremel tool this year (5 years old) to help me cut down the barrel shroud of a rifle, after his instructor (me) made sure he knew what was happening and what could happen. Like me, he will be able to drive before WAY before he is legally old enough to.
A couple of months ago, I was single-digits of feet from a man who had never fired a battle rifle before, while he ran action drills on a hot range with me. I made sure the risks both he and I took were minimized to the point of acceptability.
Danger: up to a point, it makes life worth living. Past that point, up to another point, it makes life scary as [deleted]. Past that point, you're dead*.
Let your children do dangerous things. They will become more-complete people for it. Just make sure you do your job first.
(besides which, you never know when some politically incorrect knowledge might come in handy. Like if you need driven to the hospital from the middle of nowhere. Or if someone kicks the door in and you're not there.)
********
* can you be the source of your own Quote of the Day?
Saturday, July 18, 2009
1023 1024 Posts (and Counting)!
Wow. If you'd told me two years ago I would have surpassed the 1k posts mark on my own blog, not even halfway between by first and second blogaversaries, I'd have laughed.
If you had convinced me to bet on it, you would have won*.
********
*except that I would have intentionally avoided losing, causing a space-time paradox. Or something.
If you had convinced me to bet on it, you would have won*.
********
*except that I would have intentionally avoided losing, causing a space-time paradox. Or something.
DIY: Indoor-Safe Subsonic .22LR Reloading
If that title doesn't grab you, the rest of this article probably also will not.
Problem: .22LR ammunition is just too powerful! and noisy!
Laugh all you want. Mylong range sniper deer rifle is chambered in .30-06, so I am familiar with the noise, recoil, and fun associated with a full-power rifle, mmm-kay?
Solution: Do-it-yourself reloaded .22 Long Rifle cartridges no louder than the action of your weapon, that will not penetrate both sides of a plain cardboard box, if done properly. And it's cheap.
Disclaimer: in the United Kingdom, they chop off a hand and a foot on opposite sides of your body for even thinking about doing this, it is so dangerous! Or something. The Internet very commonly reports that more people are killed by the puny .22LR each year than any other cartridge. It is, small and amusing though it be, deadly dangerous, right out of the box. It is also, again according to The Internet, loaded to 25% higher pressures than .45ACP. This little guy may be little, but he's no joke, okay? If you fail to ensure not only your safety, but the safety of everyone within a mile downrange, someone could catch a nasty case of Rigor Mortis by accident. Don't be "that guy." This information is presented for educational purposes only; the reader bears all responsibility for any property damage, personal injury, or death, incurred by doing anything expressed or implied on this page.
This started as a solution to a local pigeon problem but (for legal reasons) I am sticking to pellets for city birds. That said, it could possibly be great for nuisance bird and rodent control around the house. It is great for plinking at short range, in areas where the range and power, as well as the noise of standard .22 ammunition is unacceptable. This is also a good way to get more-realistic weapons training on your favorite .22LR platform.
Q: Come on, VFD! This is too much! Haven't you ever heard of CB caps?
A: Yes, of course I have. In fact, part of the motivation for this project was the relatively extreme expense, as well as the high power and noise of Aguila's Super Colibri round. According to my research, they are less powerful and slightly quieter than CCI's CB caps. CBs and Super Colibris are intended to be lethal on birds and squirrels out to ranges this DIY ammunition probably wouldn't even reach. Don't belive it? It says so right on the Aguila's case head!
The factory-loaded low power .22 bullets can easily penetrate a 1/2" thick wooden board. They are safer than full-power .22 rounds, but still far too powerful for use inside without a pretty significant bullet trap. Further, the low-power factory loads are generally too weak to cycle the action of a semi-auto weapon, so the fact that this DIY ammo is also too weak to cycle the action of your weapon should be of no great concern. One unfortunate thing about the Aguilas is that they are short enough (due to their light bullet) that special care is required for loading them in my Marlin rifle's firing chamber. These DIY rounds are of normal size, so they load with no difficulty.
CB caps and Super Colibris have no gunpowder in them. What they do have is a whole heckuva lot of priming compound. I am pretty sure the reason the bottom of this casing is green, is because that green stuff is all primer.
Also, the layer of primer is probably thicker, inside what looks like a slightly thicker rim on the Aguila casing.
Standard high-velocity .22 rounds have about 1 grain of powder, each. My first idea was to simply dump out that grain of powder and fire the standard cartridges with just the primer for a propellant.
Q: How did it go?
A: Let me tell you, it was squibtastic!
During the process of working up loads that work for you, be prepared to clear several squib rounds. Failure to remove a bullet that is lodged in the barrel of your gun can quite literally kill you and/or destroy your weapon. I was happy to find out that clearing a squib in my rifle usually takes less than 20 seconds (if it's really stuck), not counting the time spent grumbling about it. Get used to the idea of squibs, because you will have them if you do this the "safer" way. The "less safe" way is to skip ahead and just do what I ended up doing.
So I said, okay, let's put a couple of granules of powder in the casing, reseat the bullet, and go for it. I remembered the possibly-an-urban-legend phenomenon of underloaded ammunition causing exploded rifles, so I started this thread at The Firing Line. The answers I got were . . . somewhat less than conclusive. I thought about it some more and decided the risks were acceptable, and to just take the chance.
At first I tried 6 granules of powder. The bullet got the same 2" down the bore as with the primer only, and lodged there. I got the same result with 12 granules. The report with 12 pieces of powder was about exactly as loud as my marlin's action firing, plus one gnat's fart. My notes say: "notable pip." 50 granules of powder got 4" of bullet travel and a noise about like firing a 10-pump pellet gun with only one pump of air in it. If you are loading cartridges for a short barreled pistol, then you might only need this very small amount of gunpowder. The bullet's trajectory is likely to be, as airgunners say, "bloopy." With 80 granules I heard a "pingpoof" and the bullet only went 3".
Next, I put in 130 granules and the bullet actually left the other end of the barrel! The noise was an odd combination of the Marlin's action recoiling a very small amount, not nearly enough to eject the empty casing, and then the noise of the bullet penetrating a cardboard box I was using for a target. The report of the gunshot was drowned out by the noise from the gun itself, and then I heard the bullet bouncing around inside the box. It was recovered largely undeformed aside from the rifling marks. I also noted from examining the spent casing that the rifle was running DIRTY. This is a product of two things: 1) I was experimenting with some nasty dirty-burning Remington ammunition that I got for free, and 2) Low pressure loads have a tendency not to burn all their powder cleanly, leaving residues behind. I loaded the next shell with 110 granules and that gave me a ping from the striker, then a strange suction cup-slurping noise. The bullet made it to 6" from the end of the barrel and stuck there. Next I tried 120 granules. PINGthhpp! again, and again 6" shy of exiting the barrel. Okay, let's try 150. The bullet was not very tightly sealed in the case, and the rifle was dirty as sin by now, so once again, we came up 6" shy of actually firing a bullet out the other end of the barrel. The suction sound I heard, I am pretty sure was the noise of the expanding hot gases, cooling and shrinking again, and drawing air in to the gun's action.
I started to wonder how close I was getting to full-charge loads at this point, so I pulled another bullet, dumped the powder, and counted it. The casing held around 670 granules of powder.
I figured I had a decent chance of getting a bullet to fire reliably from my rifle with about a third of that amount, so I divided the powder three ways and loaded three more cartridges with it. All three sent the bullets into the cardboard box with some authority, and caused that very slow not-quite cycling of the Marlin's semi-auto action. For grins I fired another Super Colibri and it was MUCH (2-3x) louder, with MUCH more smoke, and (judging from the interval between firing and the bullet striking the target) it was going way, WAY faster then my handloads. With my DIY rounds, there is a pronounced pause between firing and impact, and that's at a range of about 10 feet! The hardest of the hard core shooters will recognize the need for a good trigger pull follow-through here. Then I fired a Remington casing with no powder or bullet, just for grins. It gave a PING and a little poof and a tiny whiff of smoke came out the end of the barrel.
Pulling the bullets: I don't have a set of pulling dies for .22LR. What I do have is ingenuity, thank God. I made up a bullet puller of my own design, inspired by this centerfire-only Quinetics Kinetic Bullet Puller. I thought about the potential for setting off the primer of a rimfire round using this method, but in the end I figured the impact forces would be low enough with ME operating the machine to not worry about it. I made this high-tech bullet puller and it works great:
That's a piece of scrap "1x2" lumber, with a hole just slightly larger than the diameter of a .22LR cartridge. I was holding the exactly-right size bit by hand when the hole was made, so it ended up with both ends of the hole slightly oversize and the center a loose slip-fit on the body of the casing. The hole was drilled all the way through, so that loose bullets could come out the other end or be pushed back out, instead of clogging up the puller.
Blue painting prep tape is a good cover for both ends of the hole because it doesn't stick too hard, and it can be re-used repeatedly.
The stick is long enough to impart a good whack to the cartridge, but short enough to be handy. The rim around the hole where the cartridge goes in was shaved flat, perpendicular to the axis of the bore to avoid damaging the cartridge rim (or firing it!).
Insert a cartridge, tape it down, and give a few whacks (with the bullet end striking the whacking-target, duh! ) against something harder than your couch cushions. I mostly hit a mallet, like this:
I also had success hitting the puller against another piece of wood, and the concrete garage floor as well. Initially I was not sure if this method of pulling a rimfire bullet would set off the primer, so I used a Super Colibri to test it instead of a high-velocity round. Result: no discharge. During the course of pulling a couple dozen bullets or so, I noted a tendency for the bullets to sometimes begin to come out at an angle.
If the crookedness of the bullet bothers you, it doesn't seem to hurt to smoosh it straight, or push it back into the case to try again. If they are far enough out of the casing to have an angle to 'em, a hard tug with bare fingers may be enough to get the bullet the rest of the way out. Just be sure to hold the cartridge bullet-end up, or you will end up with gunpowder everywhere. Also remember not to whack too hard with your bullet puller, or the bullet may release, penetrate the tape, and go flying across the room. Then you get the powder mess and a lost bullet.
I also tried a different setup for pulling bullets, resulting in technical success but practical failure. I used a hard plastic cylinder with a just-right inside diameter, and with a lid that secured the cartridge from flying away, but the lid was loose enough it allowed the cartridge to rattle around inside the puller. The jostling the cartridges received was enough to shatter the priming compound right out of the rim of the case without firing it. My goal was not obtaining priming compound, though, so fail. With no primer, the casing will reload into a dud round.
I attribute the success I have had with my DIY kinetic bullet puller to a combination of a very slightly oversize hole (thousandths of an inch, I mean) along with the softness of the wood. The cartridge can rattle a little, but not smash hard enough into the puller to break the primer.
Once the bullet is free, dump the powder into a small, sealable container, or divide the charge however you are going to do for reloading. Load as much powder as you are going to into the waiting empty casing, and then push the bullet back in. A very firm push with both hands is usually enough for me, but I have a pretty strong set of pincers. I found a small "C" clamp works also, but tends to mar the nose of the bullet. People with a seating die could use that.
I noted on a few bullets, especially those with score marks from hitting the case neck at an angle on the way out, a little bit of lead squeezed off the base of the bullet and stuck around the opening of the case:
This is easily removed with a fingernail. Due to inconsistencies in this pulling and reloading process, the quality of the bullet-to-case neck seal is greatly variable. I imagine accuracy would be likewise spotty. For casual plinking, this is not a concern, but for rodent control or accuracy lovers, it is something to consider.
So there it is. With a little experimentation, you can have a custom-downloaded .22LR cartridge that is "safe" to shoot indoors, quiet enough (by a LOT) to use without ear protection, and without the 10x cost associated with Super Colibri or match-grade ammunition (match ammunition is almost all subsonic). You want cheap indoor trigger time at home? Here you go. You're welcome.
Q: What about recoil?
A: Seriously? There is none. You, pulling the trigger on your weapon, induce more rearward motion than the recoil from firing one of these rounds.
If any of my readers has a bullet chronograph, I'll be happy to update this page with your speed testing results if you "try this at home."
WARNING: If you think you are going to get cute and put more gunpowder in your .22LR cartridges, you may find out that the doctors and nurses at the local Emergency Department think the resulting explosion is a lot funnier than you think it is.
Final note: I KNOW reloading is frikken dangerous. We are talking about an unknown powder, even! But we are talking very, very small amounts of powder here, in a small casing, so relax. DO NOT try this procedure with higher powered handgun or rifle rounds. You just might get killed dead by your own exploding weapon. Don't. Also, rules 2 & 4 still apply, even with this wimpy stuff.
Problem: .22LR ammunition is just too powerful! and noisy!
Laugh all you want. My
Solution: Do-it-yourself reloaded .22 Long Rifle cartridges no louder than the action of your weapon, that will not penetrate both sides of a plain cardboard box, if done properly. And it's cheap.
Disclaimer: in the United Kingdom, they chop off a hand and a foot on opposite sides of your body for even thinking about doing this, it is so dangerous! Or something. The Internet very commonly reports that more people are killed by the puny .22LR each year than any other cartridge. It is, small and amusing though it be, deadly dangerous, right out of the box. It is also, again according to The Internet, loaded to 25% higher pressures than .45ACP. This little guy may be little, but he's no joke, okay? If you fail to ensure not only your safety, but the safety of everyone within a mile downrange, someone could catch a nasty case of Rigor Mortis by accident. Don't be "that guy." This information is presented for educational purposes only; the reader bears all responsibility for any property damage, personal injury, or death, incurred by doing anything expressed or implied on this page.
This started as a solution to a local pigeon problem but (for legal reasons) I am sticking to pellets for city birds. That said, it could possibly be great for nuisance bird and rodent control around the house. It is great for plinking at short range, in areas where the range and power, as well as the noise of standard .22 ammunition is unacceptable. This is also a good way to get more-realistic weapons training on your favorite .22LR platform.
Q: Come on, VFD! This is too much! Haven't you ever heard of CB caps?
A: Yes, of course I have. In fact, part of the motivation for this project was the relatively extreme expense, as well as the high power and noise of Aguila's Super Colibri round. According to my research, they are less powerful and slightly quieter than CCI's CB caps. CBs and Super Colibris are intended to be lethal on birds and squirrels out to ranges this DIY ammunition probably wouldn't even reach. Don't belive it? It says so right on the Aguila's case head!
The factory-loaded low power .22 bullets can easily penetrate a 1/2" thick wooden board. They are safer than full-power .22 rounds, but still far too powerful for use inside without a pretty significant bullet trap. Further, the low-power factory loads are generally too weak to cycle the action of a semi-auto weapon, so the fact that this DIY ammo is also too weak to cycle the action of your weapon should be of no great concern. One unfortunate thing about the Aguilas is that they are short enough (due to their light bullet) that special care is required for loading them in my Marlin rifle's firing chamber. These DIY rounds are of normal size, so they load with no difficulty.
CB caps and Super Colibris have no gunpowder in them. What they do have is a whole heckuva lot of priming compound. I am pretty sure the reason the bottom of this casing is green, is because that green stuff is all primer.
Also, the layer of primer is probably thicker, inside what looks like a slightly thicker rim on the Aguila casing.
Standard high-velocity .22 rounds have about 1 grain of powder, each. My first idea was to simply dump out that grain of powder and fire the standard cartridges with just the primer for a propellant.
Q: How did it go?
A: Let me tell you, it was squibtastic!
During the process of working up loads that work for you, be prepared to clear several squib rounds. Failure to remove a bullet that is lodged in the barrel of your gun can quite literally kill you and/or destroy your weapon. I was happy to find out that clearing a squib in my rifle usually takes less than 20 seconds (if it's really stuck), not counting the time spent grumbling about it. Get used to the idea of squibs, because you will have them if you do this the "safer" way. The "less safe" way is to skip ahead and just do what I ended up doing.
So I said, okay, let's put a couple of granules of powder in the casing, reseat the bullet, and go for it. I remembered the possibly-an-urban-legend phenomenon of underloaded ammunition causing exploded rifles, so I started this thread at The Firing Line. The answers I got were . . . somewhat less than conclusive. I thought about it some more and decided the risks were acceptable, and to just take the chance.
At first I tried 6 granules of powder. The bullet got the same 2" down the bore as with the primer only, and lodged there. I got the same result with 12 granules. The report with 12 pieces of powder was about exactly as loud as my marlin's action firing, plus one gnat's fart. My notes say: "notable pip." 50 granules of powder got 4" of bullet travel and a noise about like firing a 10-pump pellet gun with only one pump of air in it. If you are loading cartridges for a short barreled pistol, then you might only need this very small amount of gunpowder. The bullet's trajectory is likely to be, as airgunners say, "bloopy." With 80 granules I heard a "pingpoof" and the bullet only went 3".
Next, I put in 130 granules and the bullet actually left the other end of the barrel! The noise was an odd combination of the Marlin's action recoiling a very small amount, not nearly enough to eject the empty casing, and then the noise of the bullet penetrating a cardboard box I was using for a target. The report of the gunshot was drowned out by the noise from the gun itself, and then I heard the bullet bouncing around inside the box. It was recovered largely undeformed aside from the rifling marks. I also noted from examining the spent casing that the rifle was running DIRTY. This is a product of two things: 1) I was experimenting with some nasty dirty-burning Remington ammunition that I got for free, and 2) Low pressure loads have a tendency not to burn all their powder cleanly, leaving residues behind. I loaded the next shell with 110 granules and that gave me a ping from the striker, then a strange suction cup-slurping noise. The bullet made it to 6" from the end of the barrel and stuck there. Next I tried 120 granules. PINGthhpp! again, and again 6" shy of exiting the barrel. Okay, let's try 150. The bullet was not very tightly sealed in the case, and the rifle was dirty as sin by now, so once again, we came up 6" shy of actually firing a bullet out the other end of the barrel. The suction sound I heard, I am pretty sure was the noise of the expanding hot gases, cooling and shrinking again, and drawing air in to the gun's action.
I started to wonder how close I was getting to full-charge loads at this point, so I pulled another bullet, dumped the powder, and counted it. The casing held around 670 granules of powder.
I figured I had a decent chance of getting a bullet to fire reliably from my rifle with about a third of that amount, so I divided the powder three ways and loaded three more cartridges with it. All three sent the bullets into the cardboard box with some authority, and caused that very slow not-quite cycling of the Marlin's semi-auto action. For grins I fired another Super Colibri and it was MUCH (2-3x) louder, with MUCH more smoke, and (judging from the interval between firing and the bullet striking the target) it was going way, WAY faster then my handloads. With my DIY rounds, there is a pronounced pause between firing and impact, and that's at a range of about 10 feet! The hardest of the hard core shooters will recognize the need for a good trigger pull follow-through here. Then I fired a Remington casing with no powder or bullet, just for grins. It gave a PING and a little poof and a tiny whiff of smoke came out the end of the barrel.
Pulling the bullets: I don't have a set of pulling dies for .22LR. What I do have is ingenuity, thank God. I made up a bullet puller of my own design, inspired by this centerfire-only Quinetics Kinetic Bullet Puller. I thought about the potential for setting off the primer of a rimfire round using this method, but in the end I figured the impact forces would be low enough with ME operating the machine to not worry about it. I made this high-tech bullet puller and it works great:
That's a piece of scrap "1x2" lumber, with a hole just slightly larger than the diameter of a .22LR cartridge. I was holding the exactly-right size bit by hand when the hole was made, so it ended up with both ends of the hole slightly oversize and the center a loose slip-fit on the body of the casing. The hole was drilled all the way through, so that loose bullets could come out the other end or be pushed back out, instead of clogging up the puller.
Blue painting prep tape is a good cover for both ends of the hole because it doesn't stick too hard, and it can be re-used repeatedly.
The stick is long enough to impart a good whack to the cartridge, but short enough to be handy. The rim around the hole where the cartridge goes in was shaved flat, perpendicular to the axis of the bore to avoid damaging the cartridge rim (or firing it!).
Insert a cartridge, tape it down, and give a few whacks (with the bullet end striking the whacking-target, duh! ) against something harder than your couch cushions. I mostly hit a mallet, like this:
I also had success hitting the puller against another piece of wood, and the concrete garage floor as well. Initially I was not sure if this method of pulling a rimfire bullet would set off the primer, so I used a Super Colibri to test it instead of a high-velocity round. Result: no discharge. During the course of pulling a couple dozen bullets or so, I noted a tendency for the bullets to sometimes begin to come out at an angle.
If the crookedness of the bullet bothers you, it doesn't seem to hurt to smoosh it straight, or push it back into the case to try again. If they are far enough out of the casing to have an angle to 'em, a hard tug with bare fingers may be enough to get the bullet the rest of the way out. Just be sure to hold the cartridge bullet-end up, or you will end up with gunpowder everywhere. Also remember not to whack too hard with your bullet puller, or the bullet may release, penetrate the tape, and go flying across the room. Then you get the powder mess and a lost bullet.
I also tried a different setup for pulling bullets, resulting in technical success but practical failure. I used a hard plastic cylinder with a just-right inside diameter, and with a lid that secured the cartridge from flying away, but the lid was loose enough it allowed the cartridge to rattle around inside the puller. The jostling the cartridges received was enough to shatter the priming compound right out of the rim of the case without firing it. My goal was not obtaining priming compound, though, so fail. With no primer, the casing will reload into a dud round.
I attribute the success I have had with my DIY kinetic bullet puller to a combination of a very slightly oversize hole (thousandths of an inch, I mean) along with the softness of the wood. The cartridge can rattle a little, but not smash hard enough into the puller to break the primer.
Once the bullet is free, dump the powder into a small, sealable container, or divide the charge however you are going to do for reloading. Load as much powder as you are going to into the waiting empty casing, and then push the bullet back in. A very firm push with both hands is usually enough for me, but I have a pretty strong set of pincers. I found a small "C" clamp works also, but tends to mar the nose of the bullet. People with a seating die could use that.
I noted on a few bullets, especially those with score marks from hitting the case neck at an angle on the way out, a little bit of lead squeezed off the base of the bullet and stuck around the opening of the case:
This is easily removed with a fingernail. Due to inconsistencies in this pulling and reloading process, the quality of the bullet-to-case neck seal is greatly variable. I imagine accuracy would be likewise spotty. For casual plinking, this is not a concern, but for rodent control or accuracy lovers, it is something to consider.
So there it is. With a little experimentation, you can have a custom-downloaded .22LR cartridge that is "safe" to shoot indoors, quiet enough (by a LOT) to use without ear protection, and without the 10x cost associated with Super Colibri or match-grade ammunition (match ammunition is almost all subsonic). You want cheap indoor trigger time at home? Here you go. You're welcome.
Q: What about recoil?
A: Seriously? There is none. You, pulling the trigger on your weapon, induce more rearward motion than the recoil from firing one of these rounds.
If any of my readers has a bullet chronograph, I'll be happy to update this page with your speed testing results if you "try this at home."
WARNING: If you think you are going to get cute and put more gunpowder in your .22LR cartridges, you may find out that the doctors and nurses at the local Emergency Department think the resulting explosion is a lot funnier than you think it is.
Final note: I KNOW reloading is frikken dangerous. We are talking about an unknown powder, even! But we are talking very, very small amounts of powder here, in a small casing, so relax. DO NOT try this procedure with higher powered handgun or rifle rounds. You just might get killed dead by your own exploding weapon. Don't. Also, rules 2 & 4 still apply, even with this wimpy stuff.
There Are No Memoirs
In the 1920s, Germany was a nation struggling to regain its place and identity in the world. The people of Germany, however, were struggling like the people in all countries, to feed their families. They did not know, and had no way of knowing, what was about to happen.
Our imaginary friend, Hans, had lived through the War To End All Wars. He didn't like the state of affairs on the international political scene, but he was just a bit player. All he really wanted out of life was to go to the factory each day, collect his wages, and play with his little daughter, Jo, when he got off work.
We have no record of his increasing apprehension at the rise to power of a charismatic new political leader. We don't know how he began having trouble sleeping at night when dissenters began to be beaten by the new leader's cohorts. We don't know how he wept and maybe prayed for his beloved Fatherland as the juden were rounded up into ghettos, then herded into box cars, then never heard of again. We don't know what letters of protest and dissent he wrote to the new leader. We don't know how his righteous indignation, and then armed resistance, developed from the heart of that peace-loving husband and father.
Because he was killed, fighting for what he saw as tyranny from his own nation's leader.
There are no memoirs.
Our imaginary friend, Hans, had lived through the War To End All Wars. He didn't like the state of affairs on the international political scene, but he was just a bit player. All he really wanted out of life was to go to the factory each day, collect his wages, and play with his little daughter, Jo, when he got off work.
We have no record of his increasing apprehension at the rise to power of a charismatic new political leader. We don't know how he began having trouble sleeping at night when dissenters began to be beaten by the new leader's cohorts. We don't know how he wept and maybe prayed for his beloved Fatherland as the juden were rounded up into ghettos, then herded into box cars, then never heard of again. We don't know what letters of protest and dissent he wrote to the new leader. We don't know how his righteous indignation, and then armed resistance, developed from the heart of that peace-loving husband and father.
Because he was killed, fighting for what he saw as tyranny from his own nation's leader.
There are no memoirs.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Let Me Take You Shooting
IF you are, or are going to be, in the Central Texas region (within driving distance of Austin)
AND
If you are afraid of guns, even a little bit, or
If you have never shot a real gun before, or
If you can't remember the last time you went shooting, but you probably couldn't do it now if you had to, or
If you don't know why so many people are into guns, but want to find out for yourself,
PLEASE
Email me at the address all the way at the bottom of this page. I can explain things in a way you can understand. I can show you, hands-on if you want, how to work a gun in a safe environment. I can take you to a professional climate-controlled shooting range, or an unregulated outdoor setting, and we can do as much or as little shooting as you are comfortable with. We can use itty-bitty guns, or great big ones, or both if you like.
Don't be shy, and don't be afraid of guns. Shooting is really a lot of fun!
Unfortunately is is a little expensive, so you will have to pay for your own ammunition (until the New Shooter Fund fills up).
If you are looking for someone making this offer elsewhere in the country, please click here.
********
Update May 2010: This offer was taken up by 8 hardy souls so far!
AND
If you are afraid of guns, even a little bit, or
If you have never shot a real gun before, or
If you can't remember the last time you went shooting, but you probably couldn't do it now if you had to, or
If you don't know why so many people are into guns, but want to find out for yourself,
PLEASE
Email me at the address all the way at the bottom of this page. I can explain things in a way you can understand. I can show you, hands-on if you want, how to work a gun in a safe environment. I can take you to a professional climate-controlled shooting range, or an unregulated outdoor setting, and we can do as much or as little shooting as you are comfortable with. We can use itty-bitty guns, or great big ones, or both if you like.
Don't be shy, and don't be afraid of guns. Shooting is really a lot of fun!
Unfortunately is is a little expensive, so you will have to pay for your own ammunition (until the New Shooter Fund fills up).
If you are looking for someone making this offer elsewhere in the country, please click here.
********
Update May 2010: This offer was taken up by 8 hardy souls so far!
New Shooter Fund Contributions
At right, you will find a button marked "Donate."
If you want to contribute to the cause of getting new shooters on the range, click that button and make any size donation.
A couple of days after a new shooters' introductory class, one of my students called me "an excellent teacher." During that class we burned up about a hundred dollars' worth of ammunition. I can't do that very often without some help. Not everyone can offer quality firearms safety/ operation/ marksmanship/ tactics training without having to take money from students, but I do.
I hate to have my students' introduction to guns be a case of sticker shock, but lately I have been forced by my family budget to ask them to buy their own ammo. Funds donated for the cause will be used only for ammunition and/or range fees for new shooters.
Also: If you are in the Central Texas region and have never (or never in a really long time) shot a real gun before, email me at the address on the bottom of this page and let's fix that for you.
If you want to contribute to the cause of getting new shooters on the range, click that button and make any size donation.
A couple of days after a new shooters' introductory class, one of my students called me "an excellent teacher." During that class we burned up about a hundred dollars' worth of ammunition. I can't do that very often without some help. Not everyone can offer quality firearms safety/ operation/ marksmanship/ tactics training without having to take money from students, but I do.
I hate to have my students' introduction to guns be a case of sticker shock, but lately I have been forced by my family budget to ask them to buy their own ammo. Funds donated for the cause will be used only for ammunition and/or range fees for new shooters.
Also: If you are in the Central Texas region and have never (or never in a really long time) shot a real gun before, email me at the address on the bottom of this page and let's fix that for you.
Saxby Chambliss Caves?
He placed a hold on Cass Sunstein's nomination to head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at OMB. Because Sunstein is a BARKING MOONBAT who believes animal rights are as important as and equal to human rights.
He had a meeting with Sunstein a couple of days ago, and was (initially) apparently unconvinced that he is no longer a crazy, crazy, crazy person. Either Chambliss thinks Sunstein will not be approved, or he's been bought off in the last couple of days because the hold is reportedly being lifted.
Senator Chambliss has apparently not been getting enough "campaign contributions" from the People With Dam' Sense special interest lobbyists.
He had a meeting with Sunstein a couple of days ago, and was (initially) apparently unconvinced that he is no longer a crazy, crazy, crazy person. Either Chambliss thinks Sunstein will not be approved, or he's been bought off in the last couple of days because the hold is reportedly being lifted.
Senator Chambliss has apparently not been getting enough "campaign contributions" from the People With Dam' Sense special interest lobbyists.
Quote of the Day
"Be particular whose insults you take to heart"
-Michael Savage
Okay, so it was a week or (mumble) ago. And he didn't come up with it himself, but I heard it first from him and it sums up one of my habits quite nicely. It also explains a few more.
;)
-Michael Savage
Okay, so it was a week or (mumble) ago. And he didn't come up with it himself, but I heard it first from him and it sums up one of my habits quite nicely. It also explains a few more.
;)
TXDOT Misses The Boat Again
The radio news informs me that TXDOT is lowering the fees they charge when somebody runs a toll booth without paying. They think lowering the dollar amount people have to pay is going to encourage more violators to pay up. The current fee is like $2 until you ignore their repeated "pay up" letters.
FAIL.
People don't pay tolls because they feel entitled to use the roads free. Lowering the fees isn't going to change much. Duh?
Oh well, at least all the denizens of the Republic can thank me for changing the law for their benefit.
FAIL.
People don't pay tolls because they feel entitled to use the roads free. Lowering the fees isn't going to change much. Duh?
Oh well, at least all the denizens of the Republic can thank me for changing the law for their benefit.
Madness @ Work!
Note to the manager who likes to give a ration of sh*t with every instruction and play the occasional practical joke:
When somebody opens a greeting card that plays the hamsterdance song or something like it, do NOT say it gives you a headache.
You may just find that, no matter where you go in the building, someone is playing it on their computer. Also telling the other Loki in the company not to tell people to play the song for you, is probably a bad idea.
Success was declared after an hour or so, when his final comment on the matter seems to have been: "You guys need to [deleted]ing grow up."
Great success.
Update: IT Guy programmed WM's permissions so that whenever he logs in to our internal system, he gets hit with that song. Listing Buddy described WM's reaction when he finally logged in as "super-mad." :D
When somebody opens a greeting card that plays the hamsterdance song or something like it, do NOT say it gives you a headache.
You may just find that, no matter where you go in the building, someone is playing it on their computer. Also telling the other Loki in the company not to tell people to play the song for you, is probably a bad idea.
Success was declared after an hour or so, when his final comment on the matter seems to have been: "You guys need to [deleted]ing grow up."
Great success.
Update: IT Guy programmed WM's permissions so that whenever he logs in to our internal system, he gets hit with that song. Listing Buddy described WM's reaction when he finally logged in as "super-mad." :D
Congratulations, You Are Now A Federal Hate Criminal.
The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act I warned you about has passed, overcoming a Senate filibuster.
If I suddenly stop posting all of a sudden, it will be because I caught a 9mm from my servants in the Federal government because I called somebody a queer. Seriously people, this is HUGEly bad news.
Stand by for the "freedom of speech on 1st Amendment grounds" lawsuits. I hope we get a good plaintiff and maybe the Thomas Moore Law Center or some other good firm on it, because the republic literally rises or falls on this one.
Is this the change you were hoping for?
If I suddenly stop posting all of a sudden, it will be because I caught a 9mm from my servants in the Federal government because I called somebody a queer. Seriously people, this is HUGEly bad news.
Stand by for the "freedom of speech on 1st Amendment grounds" lawsuits. I hope we get a good plaintiff and maybe the Thomas Moore Law Center or some other good firm on it, because the republic literally rises or falls on this one.
Is this the change you were hoping for?
Long Range Sniper Rifle for CHILDREN!!!!!1! EVERYBODY PANIC!!!
The Firearm Blog alerts us that the new Thompson/Center Venture rifle is now shipping. Make that a guaranteed 3-shot sub-MOA rifle for LESS than $500.
As Michael Shedlock often points out, depression of prices is a natural result of improved technology and efficiencies in production. But still, wow. For those wanting a deer/medium game rifle that can improve their chances by not throwing the bullets wild, here is another one you might be able to save up for before the next (or maybe the next-next for some of us) hunting season starts.
Stand by for objections from the antis replete with handwringing about how the gangsters are going to be snapping these up to kill babies (or something) with. Personally, as you may have guessed by now, I am a big fan of making quality arms available at entry-level prices. You with the $200,000 double rifle, pipe down about quality.
As Michael Shedlock often points out, depression of prices is a natural result of improved technology and efficiencies in production. But still, wow. For those wanting a deer/medium game rifle that can improve their chances by not throwing the bullets wild, here is another one you might be able to save up for before the next (or maybe the next-next for some of us) hunting season starts.
Stand by for objections from the antis replete with handwringing about how the gangsters are going to be snapping these up to kill babies (or something) with. Personally, as you may have guessed by now, I am a big fan of making quality arms available at entry-level prices. You with the $200,000 double rifle, pipe down about quality.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
DIY: Video Card Repair!
One of the video cards in my work computer was crapping out, with jittery edges on everything because it couldn't cope, at ANY resolution or refresh rate. The display on a CRT was just a little jumpy, but an LCD screen was nearly unusable with this condition. I pulled the card and had a look, and it seemed to me that this little guy
was not looking too healty. For those who do not know, the top of that capacitor should be flat, and well below the level of the plastic coating on top of the case.
This cap. was hanging out with some power supply-looking components. I placed a bet that it was a power supply filtering capacitor. As you can see, it's rated 470ยตF 16V. The size of it is about right for a 1 slot-wide video card that doesn't impinge on the next card slot in the PCI bus. Knowing a little something about power supply filters and capacitors in general, I decided to take a chance. I removed the old capacitor. I found the closest capacitor I could from our spares here (1,000ยตF 16V), and bent the leads to fit the smaller footprint. Then I soldered it to the pads where the old capacitor was. The fitment is . . . questionable
but the effect is not. The video output from the card is now rock-solid.
WIN!
was not looking too healty. For those who do not know, the top of that capacitor should be flat, and well below the level of the plastic coating on top of the case.
This cap. was hanging out with some power supply-looking components. I placed a bet that it was a power supply filtering capacitor. As you can see, it's rated 470ยตF 16V. The size of it is about right for a 1 slot-wide video card that doesn't impinge on the next card slot in the PCI bus. Knowing a little something about power supply filters and capacitors in general, I decided to take a chance. I removed the old capacitor. I found the closest capacitor I could from our spares here (1,000ยตF 16V), and bent the leads to fit the smaller footprint. Then I soldered it to the pads where the old capacitor was. The fitment is . . . questionable
but the effect is not. The video output from the card is now rock-solid.
WIN!
Sonya Sotomayor: Ignoramus
Senator Coburn got Judge Sotomayor to slam herself. He asked her if there is a constitutional right to self-defense. Crickets. Silence for ~WAY~ longer than it takes to merely formulate a coherent sentence. And then she can't recall a case where the SCOTUS addressed the issue. Heller? Bueller? Hello?
Appealing history: Check
Experience: Check
Well-Qualified rating: Check
Knowing anything besides brown=good, white=bad: well . . .
Appealing history: Check
Experience: Check
Well-Qualified rating: Check
Knowing anything besides brown=good, white=bad: well . . .
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Good News On The Healthcare Reform Bill!
The Health Care System Destruction Act of 2009 healthcare reform bill has passed a major hurdle today! President Obama has said he likes BOTH the Senate and the House versions. So all that's left is for the Democrats and RINOs to decide who gets what pork, and we can get down to the serious business of establishing service rationing and denial of service on arbitrary grounds!
You think I'm kidding? I wish I were.
In the words of your boy:
"At least we can let doctors know — and your mom know — that you know what, maybe this isn’t going to help. Maybe you’re better off, uhh, not having the surgery, but, uhh, taking the painkiller.”
On the bright side, it is looking increasingly likely that Obama will have destroyed the USA before the majority of us have a chance to spit curses on Obama's grave in our old age when we can't get a hip replacement surgery thanks to him.
You think I'm kidding? I wish I were.
In the words of your boy:
"At least we can let doctors know — and your mom know — that you know what, maybe this isn’t going to help. Maybe you’re better off, uhh, not having the surgery, but, uhh, taking the painkiller.”
On the bright side, it is looking increasingly likely that Obama will have destroyed the USA before the majority of us have a chance to spit curses on Obama's grave in our old age when we can't get a hip replacement surgery thanks to him.
McCain Caught Heck For Saying What Obama Just Said . . .
. . . Obama, of course, being The One, will not.
It was "foreboding" when McCain said that auto industry jobs were never coming back. They said he was talking down the economy, that he was wrong, that he buggers pigs . . . well, maybe not that last bit.
Now Obama says the same thing but it's part of a positive attitude (your sandwich only partially tastes like poo) so he gets a pass?
Make no mistake: McCain was CORRECT when he said it. Now Obama is in the process of destroying the economy and is also CORRECT when he says " . . . the jobs that have been lost in the auto industry and elsewhere won't be coming back . . ."
On the positive side, he also is now willing to take credit for destroying the economy, according to the linked yahoo article.
Note on jobs training programs: If you are a GM welder retrained to program computers, nobody will hire you when you are competing with a 20-year veteran of the computer programming industry who will do the same job for the same pay. The job retraining idea is a proven boondoggle.
Have a nice day.
It was "foreboding" when McCain said that auto industry jobs were never coming back. They said he was talking down the economy, that he was wrong, that he buggers pigs . . . well, maybe not that last bit.
Now Obama says the same thing but it's part of a positive attitude (your sandwich only partially tastes like poo) so he gets a pass?
Make no mistake: McCain was CORRECT when he said it. Now Obama is in the process of destroying the economy and is also CORRECT when he says " . . . the jobs that have been lost in the auto industry and elsewhere won't be coming back . . ."
On the positive side, he also is now willing to take credit for destroying the economy, according to the linked yahoo article.
Note on jobs training programs: If you are a GM welder retrained to program computers, nobody will hire you when you are competing with a 20-year veteran of the computer programming industry who will do the same job for the same pay. The job retraining idea is a proven boondoggle.
Have a nice day.
Senate Health Committee Passes Healthcare Reform
It's time to melt the Senate switchboard people. This is not optional. Blow it up w/ incoming calls. Your health care depends on it.
Good luck. You might have to call their local offices to get through, I can tell you the DC offices of both Texas Senators are slammed & it's impossible to get through. Make your voice heard before it's too late.
Good luck. You might have to call their local offices to get through, I can tell you the DC offices of both Texas Senators are slammed & it's impossible to get through. Make your voice heard before it's too late.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Iranian Woman Raped to Death.
Who's on American Idol? Hmm? Oh, something about Iran, you know, just politics.
Federal Protection For Child Molesters!
I just e-mailed and plan to call tomorrow, to oppose S. 909, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This bill gives legal protection to people based on what they choose to do, including raping children. You get flashed by an exhibitionist and slap him for it? You just committed a federal hate crime, babe. Welcome to prison.
The proponents of this bill make it a civil rights issue. They equate a man's desire to wear women's underwear in public with skin color. They equate sodomy with sex (read: gender, for the government-educated). If you don't know why this is bad, you are an evil person for voting for Barack Obama. The downfall of America is your fault.
Go to www.senate.gov and tell your Senators you oppose this bill. Below is what I just sent to mine:
********
Dear (insert your Elected Hero name here)
I oppose, and all justice-loving Americans should oppose, S. 909. This bill gives a higher status under the law to some people based on **behavior** rather than intrinsic characteristics (race, sex, etc.).
This is tyranny of the minority. Please try to convince your Democrat colleagues in the Senate to remove themselves from the list of co-sponsors on this horrible legislation.
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s909/show
Respectfully,
Your Name Here
********
This is not the change you were looking for
The proponents of this bill make it a civil rights issue. They equate a man's desire to wear women's underwear in public with skin color. They equate sodomy with sex (read: gender, for the government-educated). If you don't know why this is bad, you are an evil person for voting for Barack Obama. The downfall of America is your fault.
Go to www.senate.gov and tell your Senators you oppose this bill. Below is what I just sent to mine:
********
Dear (insert your Elected Hero name here)
I oppose, and all justice-loving Americans should oppose, S. 909. This bill gives a higher status under the law to some people based on **behavior** rather than intrinsic characteristics (race, sex, etc.).
This is tyranny of the minority. Please try to convince your Democrat colleagues in the Senate to remove themselves from the list of co-sponsors on this horrible legislation.
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s909/show
Respectfully,
Your Name Here
********
This is not the change you were looking for
Monday, July 13, 2009
Political Dissent = Public Hangings In Iran.
Did you know that, a full month later, the "revolution" in Iran has a bit of a revolution of its own to deal with, still?
No, because instead of reading independent news sources like this you are either not paying attention, or you are reading state-controlled media, with a liberty-hater as the controller.
Prime example: not one mention of (old news) Iran on the front page at CNN.com. I wonder why they are losing ratings? Well, let's see . . . what are the WORLD NEWS reporters talking about tonight?
Banner headline: 4th suspect arrested in 'methodical' slayings (local news)
Jet makes landing with football-sized hole (sensationalism)
NASA scrubs Endeavour launch 5th time (more important than revolution over stolen election)
2 in Minnesota indicted in Somali recruiting (not terrorism)
Ex-officials: Cheney getting 'bum rap' in CIA flap (Connotations of Bush=Bad, still)
Sotomayor's philosophy: 'Fidelity to the law' (Not "we all know the courts make law" like she said in speeches)
Ticker: Obama process 'ridiculous,' Clinton says (puff piece)
Anderson Cooper interviews Obama in castle (puff piece)
Ousted Honduran president gives ultimatum (hint: Obama on Communist Dictator's side here)
CNNMoney: Best small towns in U.S. (more important than revolution over stolen election)
Man sorry kin made boy, 6, work (local news)
Sears Tower offers wow moment from way up (puff piece)
SI: Fielder nabs Home Run Derby crown (more important than revolution over stolen election)
New speculation about 'Jon & Date' (more important than revolution over stolen election)
Seacrest signs major deal for 'Idol' (more important than revolution over stolen election)
LaToya Jackson makes stark allegations (puff piece)
Where is Jackson's brain? Was nose fake? (sensationalism)
50,000 bees check into luxury hotel (sensationalism)
3-legged sheep scoots on new wheels (more important than revolution over stolen election)
Texting teen falls into manhole Video (local news)
iReport.com: Bottoms up for mass mooning (puff piece)
CNN Wire: Reports: Death-penalty trial of... (you get the idea)
I used to scoff at The National Enquirer for having front pages like this. Now more than ever, though, the saying rings true: "It's not news, it's CNN.com!"
No, because instead of reading independent news sources like this you are either not paying attention, or you are reading state-controlled media, with a liberty-hater as the controller.
Prime example: not one mention of (old news) Iran on the front page at CNN.com. I wonder why they are losing ratings? Well, let's see . . . what are the WORLD NEWS reporters talking about tonight?
I used to scoff at The National Enquirer for having front pages like this. Now more than ever, though, the saying rings true: "It's not news, it's CNN.com!"
Your Birthright Has Been STOLEN.
. . . and the perpetrator of the theft (or his masters) are hard at work sanitizing his trail
That is to say, "who spends $2,000,000 to prevent the release of a document which would set him back $15 in fees (plus postage), and would get millions of haters, detractors, and skeptics thronging to his side in slavish adoration (or at least support)?
Barack Hussein Obama, that's who.
The question YOU should be asking is, "Barry, WHY?"
That is to say, "who spends $2,000,000 to prevent the release of a document which would set him back $15 in fees (plus postage), and would get millions of haters, detractors, and skeptics thronging to his side in slavish adoration (or at least support)?
Barack Hussein Obama, that's who.
The question YOU should be asking is, "Barry, WHY?"
Free Money! 7 Cents off gasoline!
I mentioned before that we are using an American Express card with a cash rewards program, and incurring no interest charges by paying it off in full every month. If the cash back doesn't float your boat, how's this:
Last Friday, I filled up my car's gas tank with petrol at a rate of $2.429 per gallon*. The reward is 3% on gasoline. That works out to a discount of 7.287 cents per gallon. With gas at $2.43 everywhere, I can go anywhere and pay $2.36.
Why would you NOT sign up for something like this?
********
*That was before work. It dropped 4 cents while I was at work. Oh well. Now it's $2.36 everywhere. Maybe it's finally beginning.
Last Friday, I filled up my car's gas tank with petrol at a rate of $2.429 per gallon*. The reward is 3% on gasoline. That works out to a discount of 7.287 cents per gallon. With gas at $2.43 everywhere, I can go anywhere and pay $2.36.
Why would you NOT sign up for something like this?
********
*That was before work. It dropped 4 cents while I was at work. Oh well. Now it's $2.36 everywhere. Maybe it's finally beginning.
Oopsy!
I'm not sure why anyone would want to, but the UZI we had for sale has been converted to 9mm. Maybe that's why it never sold, since it was listed as a .45 and any smart UZI lover knows the .45 has a paper-thin barrel at the muzzle, and a 20-round magazine sticks WAY out the bottom. Oh well. To the GunBroker user who pointed this out: Thanks! To everyone else: Buy our UZI!
"They" Don't Want Your Hunting Rifle . . .
. . . yet.
See here's the problem with allowing .gov to dictate who should be allowed to have what small arms, and under what circumstances:
Sometimes "they" change their minds. In New Zealand, an arm previously defined as a sporting rifle is getting redefined.
So?
So the redefinition includes a (mandatory) tougher-to-get type of license and carries a $1000 fee with it.
for public safety, you understand. You are not against public safety, are you, comrade?
Remember: When it comes to gun registration legislation, noncompliance is the patriotic duty of every citizen. Non-compliance is also the route to self-preservation.
See here's the problem with allowing .gov to dictate who should be allowed to have what small arms, and under what circumstances:
Sometimes "they" change their minds. In New Zealand, an arm previously defined as a sporting rifle is getting redefined.
So?
So the redefinition includes a (mandatory) tougher-to-get type of license and carries a $1000 fee with it.
for public safety, you understand. You are not against public safety, are you, comrade?
Remember: When it comes to gun registration legislation, noncompliance is the patriotic duty of every citizen. Non-compliance is also the route to self-preservation.
Stupid Commercial.
I just realized that the commercial Georgia's Dept. Of Public Safety is running during the Neal Boortz show is dumb. They go on about how it's dangerous to drive dumb around and tailgate behind 18 wheel trucks. Then the upshot is to avoid a ticket for driving like a fool.
How about, don't catch a bad case of dead by not driving like a fool around trucks?
::sigh::
Oh well.
How about, don't catch a bad case of dead by not driving like a fool around trucks?
::sigh::
Oh well.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Do Not Eat The Little Red Things On The Floor!
My Darling Wife and I were making a salsa roja today with chili piquin. The first step is grinding the dried chilis in my stone mortar & pestle, and adding garlic and grinding some more until it is a paste. Sometimes a small fleck of the chili skin flips out of the mortar.
Evidently, the skin of a whole chili got knocked out of there without us noticing it. After the salsa was made, #1 braved a taste and required a quick dose of milk to put out the mouth fire it caused. It was fortunate that the cup of milk was still on standby, because #3 came around with some "I don't want this in my mouth at all" expression on his face and he spit the whole chili skin out before I could finish telling him to.
Cliffs: #3 was grazing on the floor and ate the dried skin of a whole, tiny, red, very hot chili. He keeps reinforcing for himself what the concept of "spicy" means. He's got more respect for spicy than hot at this point. You might guess why.
Evidently, the skin of a whole chili got knocked out of there without us noticing it. After the salsa was made, #1 braved a taste and required a quick dose of milk to put out the mouth fire it caused. It was fortunate that the cup of milk was still on standby, because #3 came around with some "I don't want this in my mouth at all" expression on his face and he spit the whole chili skin out before I could finish telling him to.
Cliffs: #3 was grazing on the floor and ate the dried skin of a whole, tiny, red, very hot chili. He keeps reinforcing for himself what the concept of "spicy" means. He's got more respect for spicy than hot at this point. You might guess why.
Friday, July 10, 2009
After-Action Report: 10 July 2009
My Darling Wife took #1 out bike riding and #3 in the jogging stroller, to keep her company on a jog through the area. I took #2 swimming at the neighborhood pool. We got home first, fortunately, because she forgot to take any keys with her. When they got home, we let them in the garage (to stow the stroller & bicycle). I noticed, as I was going about the business of putting things away for the night, that there was a pair of pigeons in the tree just off to the side of my driveway. Everyone had already gone inside, so I was able to stalk the birds without an undue amount of noise.
I loaded and pumped up the pellet rifle quickly, and I immediately was glad to find (again) that the 4x40 glass I mounted on the Daisy is almost as good at gathering light as my eyeball. Shot. Plop. Reload quickly, go check the bird from a couple yards away: dead still. I backed up a little so's not to spook the other bird. She was apparently unperturbed by the sudden disappearance of her sitting buddy. This shot was taken in rapidly-fading light, and with the old Tasco 4x15 scope, it would have been impossible; as it was, I had to look twice to find her in the branches. Shot. Plop. Twitch. Twitch.
Then something most unexpected happened. It has happened only once before, and that was half a year ago, done by a now-dead cat. The neighbors' grey tom was on the driveway next door, and saw the slowly-twitching pigeon. It did a bit of unnecessary stalking of its own, and pounced. It was a good strike, right on the bird's neck.
I went to snap a photo of the cat having his supper, and another local flying nuisance tried to make supper of me! Make that 3 confirmed kills for the night:
Then I got off one shot at the cat before my memory card was full. Still hadn't unpacked the images from Independence Day. When there is not enough ambient light for the autofocus to focus, this is what you get:
As it turns out, the first bird was a male, and the second was a female. The first was easy enough to tell, just go over and look. The second, I didn't want to scare the cat away from while he was eating. I inched closer and the cat started meowing, but I only hung out long enough to have a look at the coloration on the bird. Then I grabbed the male by a toe and took him to the backyard, and slung him over the fence to feed whatever it is that cleans up back there.
I was starting to feel bad about all the misses I was getting with the birds on the wire when the scope was not sighted in yet. Two one-shot kills can get you feeling better about bad shooting in a hurry!
I loaded and pumped up the pellet rifle quickly, and I immediately was glad to find (again) that the 4x40 glass I mounted on the Daisy is almost as good at gathering light as my eyeball. Shot. Plop. Reload quickly, go check the bird from a couple yards away: dead still. I backed up a little so's not to spook the other bird. She was apparently unperturbed by the sudden disappearance of her sitting buddy. This shot was taken in rapidly-fading light, and with the old Tasco 4x15 scope, it would have been impossible; as it was, I had to look twice to find her in the branches. Shot. Plop. Twitch. Twitch.
Then something most unexpected happened. It has happened only once before, and that was half a year ago, done by a now-dead cat. The neighbors' grey tom was on the driveway next door, and saw the slowly-twitching pigeon. It did a bit of unnecessary stalking of its own, and pounced. It was a good strike, right on the bird's neck.
I went to snap a photo of the cat having his supper, and another local flying nuisance tried to make supper of me! Make that 3 confirmed kills for the night:
Then I got off one shot at the cat before my memory card was full. Still hadn't unpacked the images from Independence Day. When there is not enough ambient light for the autofocus to focus, this is what you get:
As it turns out, the first bird was a male, and the second was a female. The first was easy enough to tell, just go over and look. The second, I didn't want to scare the cat away from while he was eating. I inched closer and the cat started meowing, but I only hung out long enough to have a look at the coloration on the bird. Then I grabbed the male by a toe and took him to the backyard, and slung him over the fence to feed whatever it is that cleans up back there.
I was starting to feel bad about all the misses I was getting with the birds on the wire when the scope was not sighted in yet. Two one-shot kills can get you feeling better about bad shooting in a hurry!
Oh, that's alright then.
You may all rest assured.
Your government says a disastrous economic meltdown has been averted.
Nevermind the fact that half the world's wealth went *poof* and disappeared in a few months.
The new head of GM, fresh out of bankruptcy, says his company plans to make money.
Well boy howdy, that's a good plan!
So you see, everything is fine! Go watch The Biggest Loser. There's nothing interesting on CSPAN anyhow. Nevermind what we're doing up here in D.C.
pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!!!
Your government says a disastrous economic meltdown has been averted.
Nevermind the fact that half the world's wealth went *poof* and disappeared in a few months.
The new head of GM, fresh out of bankruptcy, says his company plans to make money.
Well boy howdy, that's a good plan!
So you see, everything is fine! Go watch The Biggest Loser. There's nothing interesting on CSPAN anyhow. Nevermind what we're doing up here in D.C.
pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!!!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Ethics vs. Lethal Force
For those who are confused on the matter, Oleg Volk has a simple illustration to demonstrate the ethics of using weapons.
Hat tip to Uncle
Hat tip to Uncle
Don't Get Your Hopes Up There, Sparky.
I have been listening to the talking heads on conservative radio getting all happy in their pants about President Obama's -5 point approval index. They are all patting us on the back for heading toward the right as a country.
My take on it:
Hold on there.
Some of the new "strongly disapprove" numbers are from people who disapprove because he is not going far enough to the LEFT. An example is a relative of mine who voted for him, and was recently very unhappy with the President because they didn't get a SECOND round of stimulus checks.
As the man said: "Let's not all start sucking each other's [deleted]s just yet."
My take on it:
Hold on there.
Some of the new "strongly disapprove" numbers are from people who disapprove because he is not going far enough to the LEFT. An example is a relative of mine who voted for him, and was recently very unhappy with the President because they didn't get a SECOND round of stimulus checks.
As the man said: "Let's not all start sucking each other's [deleted]s just yet."
Feeling Better Now, Thanks
Super busy at work today. Light blogging.
I would have posted a couple of highly interesting stories at lunch, but I was feeling sick to my stomach. I prayed for myself & ate, then took a walk. Thank God I'm feeling much better now.
To make up for my lack of blogging, I'll give you the latest image headline from drudgereport.com:
You . . . YOU! . . . MEN!!!
I would have posted a couple of highly interesting stories at lunch, but I was feeling sick to my stomach. I prayed for myself & ate, then took a walk. Thank God I'm feeling much better now.
To make up for my lack of blogging, I'll give you the latest image headline from drudgereport.com:
You . . . YOU! . . . MEN!!!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
I, For One, Welcome Our New Robot Overlords . . . .
These people need to go watch Terminator. Seriously.
I mean sure it's neat and all, but do you really want to start us down a path of robots powered by eating flesh? Really?
On the other hand, how cool would it be if this were scaled up into a power plant? Send in the roadkill the Department of Transportation collects, power a city! Win! Or Something!
I mean sure it's neat and all, but do you really want to start us down a path of robots powered by eating flesh? Really?
On the other hand, how cool would it be if this were scaled up into a power plant? Send in the roadkill the Department of Transportation collects, power a city! Win! Or Something!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Overheard @ My House
VFD: #1, #2, Socks & Shoes, Let's Go!
#1 (still standing there): Where are we going?
VFD: Obedience Land! Socks & Shoes!
#1: Okay (goes to get socks & shoes on)
#1 (still standing there): Where are we going?
VFD: Obedience Land! Socks & Shoes!
#1: Okay (goes to get socks & shoes on)
Gas At $1 Coming Soon?
"That is the largest and longest continuous glut of supply that I have seen in 30 years of following energy prices . . . It's a huge surplus. There has never been anything like it."
-Philip Verlerger, expert on energy markets at the University of Calgary
There is now serious talk of $20 and $30 oil coming our way because of huge excess oil inventories stored around the world. One of the commenters at Naked Capitalism points out that China is (wisely) taking an opposite tack to what the fools in D.C. are doing, and buying oil while the buying is cheap. Every nation in the world should be trying to increase their strategic petroleum reserves, not talking about selling them off in a misguided attempt to relieve momentary price spikes!
Gee, I wish somebody, anybody, could have seen the low oil prices coming. Oh, wait.
By the way, according to my rule of thumb, oil in the $20 to $30 range will get us gasoline at ONE DOLLAR per gallon. At that price point, federal and state taxes start making my rule break down a little, but it's still "close enough for horse shoes and hand grenades."
Keen observers will note that falling fuel prices will probably spur economic development just as the "stimulus" package spending really kicks off. These two factors will combine to form an illusory 'recovery' in the economy. Don't worry, pessimists. When the work (NOT jobs) created by the stimulus package dries up, the economy will dry up again as well, and then we're STILL left with huge overcapacity in every sector of the international economy except energy, and there will follow a possibly-very-nasty Double Dip. MIchael Shedlock already made the call for a triple-dip in 2010 or 2011. We'll see.
-Philip Verlerger, expert on energy markets at the University of Calgary
There is now serious talk of $20 and $30 oil coming our way because of huge excess oil inventories stored around the world. One of the commenters at Naked Capitalism points out that China is (wisely) taking an opposite tack to what the fools in D.C. are doing, and buying oil while the buying is cheap. Every nation in the world should be trying to increase their strategic petroleum reserves, not talking about selling them off in a misguided attempt to relieve momentary price spikes!
Gee, I wish somebody, anybody, could have seen the low oil prices coming. Oh, wait.
By the way, according to my rule of thumb, oil in the $20 to $30 range will get us gasoline at ONE DOLLAR per gallon. At that price point, federal and state taxes start making my rule break down a little, but it's still "close enough for horse shoes and hand grenades."
Keen observers will note that falling fuel prices will probably spur economic development just as the "stimulus" package spending really kicks off. These two factors will combine to form an illusory 'recovery' in the economy. Don't worry, pessimists. When the work (NOT jobs) created by the stimulus package dries up, the economy will dry up again as well, and then we're STILL left with huge overcapacity in every sector of the international economy except energy, and there will follow a possibly-very-nasty Double Dip. MIchael Shedlock already made the call for a triple-dip in 2010 or 2011. We'll see.
Mutually Assured Defense Initiative
Follows the transcript of an announcement I would have liked to have heard about on the news instead of this.
********
As President of the United States of America, I am pleased to announce a new strategic peace initiative. It is fitting that this announcement be made in the historic city of Moscow, on the occasion of my first visit to Russia with my lovely wife Michelle and our Daughters, during this time of peace and cooperation with our relatively recent ally, Russia.
For too long, there has existed a perpetual distrust between our two great nations. The longstanding military strategy of Mutually Assured Destruction has instilled fear into the hearts of hundreds of millions of people for too many generations. I am here today to extend an unprecedented olive branch.
I make this announcement in an open press conference here in Red Square to demonstrate to the good people of Russia the degree of honesty and commitment the people of the United States of America are ready to lend to the cause of peace, if President Medvedev will likewise publicly commit Russia to join us in this effort. Whether Russia joins us or not, we are going to press ahead, starting with our mutual allies in NATO, and I hope continuing with non-NATO countries as well.
I propose that Russia, America, and all other nations of peace and good will take part in a joint project for the sake of peace. I call it the Mutually Assured Defense Initiative.
For years, America and Russia have fought a war of words against the idea of an international ballistic missile defense shield. I call on the people of Russia for their support of a joint missile defense shield. I want full, open partnership between our nations in the development of a missile shield that would prevent any nation: Russia, America, Iran, Israel, China, Australia, or ANY other nation, from developing first-strike missile attack capabilities. I want a joint effort here. All the best engineers from all our countries working together in open collaboration, sharing designs, plans, and technology. We, the stronger nations, will likely bear most of the cost, but this has always been the price of being a super-power.
I call on all peaceful nations to join in the development of this system. I also propose an international governing body to help us all coordinate our peaceful space programs. It would obviously be counter-productive if the new Mutually Assured Defense system were to shoot down the next telecommunications satellite a phone company tries to put into orbit! (pause for laughter) Let us then, in a spirit of peace and friendship, strike out boldly on an uncharted course of peaceful use of outer space, and peaceable coexistence here on Earth.
********
Now that would have been Change we could believe in. Instead, along with some admittedly beneficial concessions on military arrangements for thewar against radical islam Overseas Contingency Operations, we get the same-old same-old about detente. What it usually amounts to is the USA reducing our arsenal while the Russians lie and stall, and end up not . . . quite . . . living up to their end of the bargain without a great deal of pressure from 'the international community.' I applaud the president for his conciliatory tone. I just wish he would, you know, try changing from the same not-amazingly-helpful stuff we've been doing all along and REALLY strike out in Hope of peace.
Am I nit-picking here?
Oh well, you can't win 'em all, but flying lethal weapons across Russian space sure helps.
Vote for ME!
********
As President of the United States of America, I am pleased to announce a new strategic peace initiative. It is fitting that this announcement be made in the historic city of Moscow, on the occasion of my first visit to Russia with my lovely wife Michelle and our Daughters, during this time of peace and cooperation with our relatively recent ally, Russia.
For too long, there has existed a perpetual distrust between our two great nations. The longstanding military strategy of Mutually Assured Destruction has instilled fear into the hearts of hundreds of millions of people for too many generations. I am here today to extend an unprecedented olive branch.
I make this announcement in an open press conference here in Red Square to demonstrate to the good people of Russia the degree of honesty and commitment the people of the United States of America are ready to lend to the cause of peace, if President Medvedev will likewise publicly commit Russia to join us in this effort. Whether Russia joins us or not, we are going to press ahead, starting with our mutual allies in NATO, and I hope continuing with non-NATO countries as well.
I propose that Russia, America, and all other nations of peace and good will take part in a joint project for the sake of peace. I call it the Mutually Assured Defense Initiative.
For years, America and Russia have fought a war of words against the idea of an international ballistic missile defense shield. I call on the people of Russia for their support of a joint missile defense shield. I want full, open partnership between our nations in the development of a missile shield that would prevent any nation: Russia, America, Iran, Israel, China, Australia, or ANY other nation, from developing first-strike missile attack capabilities. I want a joint effort here. All the best engineers from all our countries working together in open collaboration, sharing designs, plans, and technology. We, the stronger nations, will likely bear most of the cost, but this has always been the price of being a super-power.
I call on all peaceful nations to join in the development of this system. I also propose an international governing body to help us all coordinate our peaceful space programs. It would obviously be counter-productive if the new Mutually Assured Defense system were to shoot down the next telecommunications satellite a phone company tries to put into orbit! (pause for laughter) Let us then, in a spirit of peace and friendship, strike out boldly on an uncharted course of peaceful use of outer space, and peaceable coexistence here on Earth.
********
Now that would have been Change we could believe in. Instead, along with some admittedly beneficial concessions on military arrangements for the
Am I nit-picking here?
Oh well, you can't win 'em all, but flying lethal weapons across Russian space sure helps.
Vote for ME!
Code Word Alert: Stability & Peace of Mind in Health Care
The [deleted] communists in the white house are trying to sell you on government-approved health CARE via government PAYMENT for health care, by using with a catchy slogan (like "change" and "hope" were catchy). They want you to get on board because it sounds nice.
This time it's rumored to be "Stability." Expect Barry to come out with his fake mild suthern accent and say "people want stability in their health care." You also will be wanting "Peace of Mind" that you'll be able to get affordable care.
Note: the stability you will be given is not the kind you want. You will have a stable system that prevents you getting life saving care. You will get Peace of Mind in the knowledge that NOBODY will be able to get 'elective' medical services in the USA. Contact your Elected Heroes and tell them it doesn't matter what touchy-feely words they use, communism has no place in the American health care PAYMENT system.
Obama: the Benevelent Dictator de Toqueville warned you about.
This time it's rumored to be "Stability." Expect Barry to come out with his fake mild suthern accent and say "people want stability in their health care." You also will be wanting "Peace of Mind" that you'll be able to get affordable care.
Note: the stability you will be given is not the kind you want. You will have a stable system that prevents you getting life saving care. You will get Peace of Mind in the knowledge that NOBODY will be able to get 'elective' medical services in the USA. Contact your Elected Heroes and tell them it doesn't matter what touchy-feely words they use, communism has no place in the American health care PAYMENT system.
Obama: the Benevelent Dictator de Toqueville warned you about.
Benevelent Dictators on: Personal CO2 emissions
The latest scheme to steal your liberty is to take the CO2 emission limit requirements off of countries, and apply them to individual persons. YOUR CO2 output will be regulated by micro-managing everything you do. Because WE say so!
Nevermind that CO2 is not a greenhouse gas, but H2O vapor is. Can't tax the ocean, can't oppress the liberty of a cloud!
If this sort of thing goes in to effect, some liberty loving individual (probably NOT me) is going to murder some politician(s) and/or scientist(s), just wait.
Nevermind that CO2 is not a greenhouse gas, but H2O vapor is. Can't tax the ocean, can't oppress the liberty of a cloud!
If this sort of thing goes in to effect, some liberty loving individual (probably NOT me) is going to murder some politician(s) and/or scientist(s), just wait.
Monday, July 6, 2009
California's Debt Downgraded to BBB: Ouch.
No comment really, just it's another scene in the ongoing train wreck movie that is the economy of the State of California. Note that the main cause of this mess is the Demicans in the legislature will not allow the Governator to cut the leftist programs they love, even though there is far less than no money to pay for them all.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Independence Day, 2009
I am noticing a cynical trend among like-minded individuals, but the award (so far) goes to Tam for the most gratuitous use of snark in an independence day blog posting. The coverage at Sipsey Street Irregulars is in a similar spirit but quite a bit darker, as usual.
As for us, we went and visited my childrens' great-grandparents who came out from Houston for the 4th. If they hadn't been here, we'd have gone up to watch the fireworks in downtown Austin from the roof of EM's office building, close enough to hear the orchestra play. We went out to the little spot on the map just past the dot on the map that serves as the nearest "town" to where my Dad lives, and from there we headed out in a caravan to Johnston City to see the parade, followed by theporn fireworks show at the fairgrounds.
Highlights of the evening:
The winner goes to: Fireworks launching sideways. I guess somebody knocked over one of the mortar tubes or something, because one of the couple-hundred-foot-big explody type of fireworks went whiz-BOOM in the parking lot, followed by a couple of smaller pyrotechnics in the same sequence. I've done something similar on a slightly smaller scale (smaller, but much closer) and let me tell you, there were probably some choice bad words said in the arena by the guys launching the fireworks just then.
Second place goes to: Jerk taking pictures during Taps. Taps is as close to a sacrament as it gets for me. You can bet there were good reasons for the big, salty tears rolling down into my beard as I clutched my boonie hat over my heart during the playing of Taps as part of the passing of the colors. And of course sumdood took my picture. Thanks.
As for us, we went and visited my childrens' great-grandparents who came out from Houston for the 4th. If they hadn't been here, we'd have gone up to watch the fireworks in downtown Austin from the roof of EM's office building, close enough to hear the orchestra play. We went out to the little spot on the map just past the dot on the map that serves as the nearest "town" to where my Dad lives, and from there we headed out in a caravan to Johnston City to see the parade, followed by the
Highlights of the evening:
The winner goes to: Fireworks launching sideways. I guess somebody knocked over one of the mortar tubes or something, because one of the couple-hundred-foot-big explody type of fireworks went whiz-BOOM in the parking lot, followed by a couple of smaller pyrotechnics in the same sequence. I've done something similar on a slightly smaller scale (smaller, but much closer) and let me tell you, there were probably some choice bad words said in the arena by the guys launching the fireworks just then.
Second place goes to: Jerk taking pictures during Taps. Taps is as close to a sacrament as it gets for me. You can bet there were good reasons for the big, salty tears rolling down into my beard as I clutched my boonie hat over my heart during the playing of Taps as part of the passing of the colors. And of course sumdood took my picture. Thanks.
We Need Bench Warmers In Christianity.
My church just had a group of children get back from Southland, a week-long Christian summer camp. One of the girls (teenagers, we're talking here) announced she wants to be a full-time childrens' ministress in a youth program. God only knows how many souls may be saved from destruction, due to her ministry. The people who gave a little extra every month to help pay to send the children to camp will have had a part in every one of those souls' salvation.
The girl's parents went with the group of children from our church to care for the children. They were a great help to our pastor. As he was saying from the pulpit how grateful he is for their aid, I realized something interesting.
The girl has two sisters and a brother, as well as a dog and a cat. These were sent out to various church families and relations for the duration of the camp. The pastor's gratitude extends, by inference, to those families -and especially the heads of those households.
Q: So what are you driving at here, David?
A: We need bench warmers in Christianity.
If not for the support and financial aid given to the families, children, and church, not to mention the prayers of the saints, these recent Good Things could never have happened. I encourage everyone to do what they can for the Lord Jesus, don't get me wrong. But Jesus said even giving a cup of water is important when it is done with right intentions. So, don't get down on yourself if "all" you can do is attend church services as often as you can, and give of your tithes and maybe a small offering, along with your prayers. You are doing far, far more than you will ever know on this side. Even when your service seems small to you (and the greater your humility, the smaller your service will seem, regardless of how much you do), when you do it with the proper intentions, your little can be much indeed.
The girl's parents went with the group of children from our church to care for the children. They were a great help to our pastor. As he was saying from the pulpit how grateful he is for their aid, I realized something interesting.
The girl has two sisters and a brother, as well as a dog and a cat. These were sent out to various church families and relations for the duration of the camp. The pastor's gratitude extends, by inference, to those families -and especially the heads of those households.
Q: So what are you driving at here, David?
A: We need bench warmers in Christianity.
If not for the support and financial aid given to the families, children, and church, not to mention the prayers of the saints, these recent Good Things could never have happened. I encourage everyone to do what they can for the Lord Jesus, don't get me wrong. But Jesus said even giving a cup of water is important when it is done with right intentions. So, don't get down on yourself if "all" you can do is attend church services as often as you can, and give of your tithes and maybe a small offering, along with your prayers. You are doing far, far more than you will ever know on this side. Even when your service seems small to you (and the greater your humility, the smaller your service will seem, regardless of how much you do), when you do it with the proper intentions, your little can be much indeed.
Friday, July 3, 2009
There, I Fixed It.
^ That is a self-portrait of me, looking at half the pictures at There, I Fixed It.
You will click the link. You will be . . . amazed.
That Doesn't Make Any Sense To Me, Does It?
I'm about to cut an uncomfortably-large check to pay off American Express for last month's purchases. The minimum payment is about 2% of the total due.
I know the real answer to the question is "you're not," but how are you supposed to pay back a debt making 2% payments and paying out 13% interest?
And how are you going to run a Finance Committee if you have a history of defaulting on tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt? Oh, sorry, those topics are completely unrelated. Riiiight.
I know the real answer to the question is "you're not," but how are you supposed to pay back a debt making 2% payments and paying out 13% interest?
And how are you going to run a Finance Committee if you have a history of defaulting on tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt? Oh, sorry, those topics are completely unrelated. Riiiight.
A Little Hint For The Ladies:
If you don't want everyone staring at your tits, don't put on a shirt over them that's a high-visibility "neon" color with a message printed on it in 6" high letters.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Oh t3h n03s!!!1! Feds Won't Let You Sell UR House!
There is a lot of concern out there. over the Cap & Trade bill that passed last friday, that you won't be able to sell your house, unless you comply with federally mandated "green" upgrades to your house. They would know of course because FEDERAL inspectors would be inspecting your house. State code? Who needs state code? We want a FEDERAL building code!
There are, of course, dissenting opinions.
One problem with a big government: it's hart to know what is being doneto for you.
There are, of course, dissenting opinions.
One problem with a big government: it's hart to know what is being done
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