Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead...

Albert Hofmann, father of drug LSD, dies in Switzerland

102 years old. Apparently he was pickled as well as tripping...

When asked for comment, his next-of-kin replied, "Dude, the cabbage is talking to me and the walls are moving. Are my hands huge or what?"

That is all.

Hang Up & Drive

Urge. To. Kill... Rising... Rising...

Note to the Chrysler Pacifica that I followed for several miles this morning:

You want a sure fire way to get me to lower my window and scream obscenities at you while you're "driving"?

Travel 15-20 MPH below the speed limit for starters.

Then turn on your left direction at the first road on your left. Be sure to drop your speed to 15 MPH.

Then proceed to go straight anyways. Repeat this for every single cross road along the way.

Then, when you finally *do* turn and I can finally get around the clog in the artery of traffic that is your stupidness, let me catch you yakking away on your cell phone, completely fucking oblivious to the 20-car-deep parade that your inconsiderate ass has caused.

Fuckwads. Someone really ought to yank the cell phone out of your hand and smash it into dust, as you are far too fucking stupid to be allowed to use such a sophisticated bit of technology.

Ugh. I hate people. I really do sometimes...

That is all.

Addition & A Meme

Cruising through the stats last week, I found another person crazy kind enough to link to my scribblings. Please welcome Mike W of Another Gun Blog to the MArooned 'roll.

Mike tagged me with the book meme last week }koff{}koff{ and I finally got around to participating (sorry bud...).

For those of you living under a rock unfamiliar with the meme, the rules are thusly:

1. Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. No cheating!
2. Find page 123.
3. Find the first five sentences.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

Okay... {frantically searching around office} Ah HA!

Walter gave the HBD one last view of his arm muscles, swung into the driver's seat, started the cruiser, and gunned the engine. He fired up the siren and, with a totally unnecessary squeal of the tires, roared off down Grand Avenue. After a minute, Monica said, "Walter, turn off the damn siren."

1 million bonus kewl points for anyone who can identify the book...

That is all.

{Giggle}{Snort}

'Free Tibet' flags made in China

Police in southern China have discovered a factory manufacturing Free Tibet flags, media reports say.

The factory in Guangdong had been completing overseas orders for the flag of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Workers said they thought they were just making colourful flags and did not realise their meaning.

But then some of them saw TV images of protesters holding the emblem and they alerted the authorities, according to Hong Kong's Ming Pao newspaper.

Wasn't it Stalin who opined that capitalists would sell the rope with which to hang themselves?

Just had to share...

That is all.

Congratulations Are In Order...

To the charming Breda, who has joined the ranks of the CCW club...

Now comes the fun part - finding the perfect gun for concealed carry. And then the holsters... In no time you'll have your very own "drawer of misfit holsters"... :)

Congrats!

That is all.

They Don't Call It "The Daily Grind" For Nothin'...

Sorry, folks, up to my armpits in Martians work today...

Hope to have more tonight, including a new addition to the blogroll and a meme that I've been tagged to complete...

That is all.

Momentary Panic...

Had an interesting thing happen to me this past weekend. Saturday was the opening day ceremony for Little League. All the divisions (T-ball, AA - which is where my son plays, AAA, and "Major League") march in a parade, they have speeches, hit you up for money, etc.

It's a fun time for the kids, and that's what's important. (I also forgot to wear a hat and got a sun-burned noggin... D'oh!)

So, this guy comes up to me and starts chatting away. He gets about two sentences in, then asks me "You're into guns, right?"

Now, it took me a second - living in the Volksrepublik of MA, that's a loaded question in the non-punny sense of the word. I refuse to lie or otherwise deny my avocation, but I also believe in the Clinton era military admonition to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"... I'm not about to divulge to someone I don't recognize that I participate in an activity that's viewed by the majority of citizens in my state as being on a par with leprosy...

He noticed my reticence and immediately followed up with how he knew (the proverbial friend-of-a-friend). He then asked about the gas mileage of my truck, and I realized who he was - he bought a Dodge Ram about the same time I did, and drives by me every day while I wait for the bus with the kids... So now I have yet another ally and shootin' buddy in town.

(Of course, what really had me worried was that I had my Kel-Tec in my back pocket and was momentarily panicking thinking that the back of the slide had slipped up and was visible...)

That is all.

What Was That Blur???

Oh, that was the weekend...

*sigh*

Between vehicle maintenance, baseball, karate, helping my sister-in-law move (well, my wife helped her move, I had to bring the boy to his baseball opening day parade. Heh), swimming lessons, gymnastics, Cub Scouts, and more baseball, I'm exhausted. I am - dare I say it? - glad to be back at the office...

Ugh...

That is all.

Urushiol Is Teh Suck...

Clearing brush around the G. homestead on Tuesday, I apparently blundered my way through a large bushel of poison ivy. I now have itchy blotches up and down both forearms, and am contemplating grabbing a cheese grater and removing several layers of skin.

Needless to say, this coming weekend is going to involve some very nasty chemical warfare on the flora around my house. Itchy hives deserve napalm retaliation.

That is all.

Speechless...

...in a good way, that is.

Breda has a heart-warming story of how she helped a young girl out in an uncertain time. If you can read that post and not tear up (even just a little), I don't want to know you.

Good on you, Breda!

Friday Gun Pr0n #56

Agh, Friday. Time for more gun pr0n... Here's one from the waaaaay back:

This is a Ruger Single-Six, a single action, six shot revolver chambered in the ubiquitous .22LR caliber, but also with a spare cylinder for .22 Magnum. It's got adjustable sights, a 7½" barrel, and wood grips. It's a fun little plinker, to be certain, and with the .22 Magnum chambering makes a fine varmint sidearm.

That is all.

Chickens Coming Home To... Nothing

Heh.

Gun initiative hasn’t turned up a single lead

Boston’s much-ballyhooed “safe homes” initiative hasn’t received a single call to search a home for guns in the nearly four weeks since the program was launched.

Program advocates had hoped parents of at-risk youths who suspect their children of stashing guns would be among the callers to the hotline, 1-888-GUNTIPS.

Under the program, aimed at taking the battle against gun violence into teens’ bedrooms, anyone can request a voluntary search of homes where guns are thought to be hidden.

Yeah, how's that massive display of "police work" workin' for ya? People don't want to give the authorities free rein to roam through their domiciles looking for any sort of contraband? Who knew?

Morons.

I hope this cost the city a bundle...

That is all.

(Thanks to alert reader Brad for sending me the link)

Siriusly Good Tunes...

Okay, I'm still digging the satellite radio thing. Heard on the drive into work this morning:

• "Godzilla" by Blue Oyster Cult ("History shows again and again/How nature points out the folly of men... GODZILLA!")

• "Walkin' the Dog" by Aerosmith

• "Slide it in" by Whitesnake (oh, if I had a dollar for every red plastic cup full of foamy keg beer I drank to this song, I'd be loaded...)

• "Hellbent for Leather" by Judas Priest (who I hear is back on tour...)

• "Everybody Wants Some" by Van Halen (which I still cannot hear without seeing the giant animated hamburger from "Better Off Dead"...)

Makes the drive to work a lot more bearable not to have to listen to 29 minutes of inane chatter just to hear the start of a good tune as I pull into the parking lot at work...

That is all.

Did I Miss Something?

Was there a major outbreak of stupid today?

Did I miss the memo about "All large truck deliveries must be made in the middle of busy streets for no apparent reason"

Or the news bulletin about cell phone use while driving now being mandatory?

Stop signs being repealed?

Laws of physics temporarily revoked?

Or maybe I'm just in a piss-poor mood this morning. Could be. Just coming back from four days off spent playin' with the kids and getting shit done around the house, and NOT enjoying the daily grind today...

And now I'm busier than a one legged man in a butt-kicking contest. Why oh why wasn't I born rich instead of devastatingly handsome?

(okay. y'all can stop laughing now...)

That is all.

Happy Birthday Vlad

Yes, today is the 138^th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Lenin, the first head of the USSR. Or, as some other fellow travelers call it, Earth Day.

I'll be out driving my 345 HP truck around in 4WD with the air conditioner running. Because, after all, if it annoys one hippie...

That is all.

You Might Be A Gun Nut If...

...you get more e-mails wishing you a happy birthday from gun-related forums than from family members...

That is all.

Patriot's Day...

No, we're not celebrating the football team, but rather the start of the War for Independence. Patriot's Day is celebrated in MA (and ME and apparentlyWI) on the third Monday in April, which just so happens to be the Boston Marathon.

As well as my birthday. 37 trips around the sun today. Considering the alternative, I'll take it.

That is all.

Where Would We Be Without IMDB?

Because, really, where else are you going to be able to confirm that, yes, Jackie Chan was the martial artist driving the black Subaru GL in Cannonball Run?

That is all.

Friday Gun Pr0n #55

In honor of Ahab's Buy A Gun Day project, here's what it might look like when he's done with it:

This is a Remington Model 11 semi-automatic 20 gauge shotgun. There's a fantastic write-up of this wonderful scattergun by Tam at the Arms Room; anything I could add would fall far short of her excellent review.

So, Caleb, here's one possible configuration for your BAG Day purchase. You could go for the short barrel shown in Tam's link; the trap configuration like mine; or any number of other configurations you desire. Keep us posted!

That is all.

Can't I Download It From My Brain?

That's the thought that popped into my head when I realized that the digital camera was still downstairs, when I'm in the office (2nd floor, literally the furthest point in the house possible from the kitchen where the camera is currently located).

Had some pictures I wanted to download to share (including tomorrow's gun pr0n) on the camera. When I realized that I had left said camera downstairs, the first thing that popped into my head was the post title...

Heh.

That is all.

Skippin' School...

My good buddy doubletrouble recounts his misspent youth:

I go down to the basement, still filled with the loathing & resentment of being made to do this stupid crap, grab my hat & coat, & go home (everyone walked to school in those days).

I walk into the house, "Hi Ma"!

"J! What are YOU doing here, you’re supposed to be in school!"

"It was boring".

"I’m calling you father".

Uh-oh.

Go read the whole thing. I started to comment on this post and it quickly became apparent that I had more to say than would politely fit in another blog's comments... So, true to form, I copied & pasted here:

I'm sure this will come as a surprise to you, but my experience was similar to yours. Basically, what I would do would be to grab the teacher's lesson plan first chance I got Monday morning, then spend all day Monday and maybe early Tuesday morning doing all my work for the week.

Which, naturally, meant that I had Tuesday afternoon through Friday to goof off. I'd get sent off to the library sometime after lunch on Tuesday, spend all day Wednesday and Thursday reading to my heart's content, then Friday back to the class for end-of-week frivolity.

This worked out fine until I had read every book in the school library. As a first grader. Before Christmas break.

The school's response? They had me skip second grade. Well, not completely skip. One day, around late March/early April, the principal came to our classroom. They called me out of class (I was used to the principal calling me out of class by this point) and told me that I was going to a new class. In one day, I went from being a first-grader to being a second grader.

Now, you want to completely and totally fuck with a 6 year old's head? Not only was I in a completely new class, so I was "the new kid", but I was also "the smart kid" - everyone knew that I had been moved up.

Yeah, being the smart new kid really helps with the social adjusting. Especially when you're the smallest boy in the class. Basically it meant I took a beating on a daily basis.

The folks out there who pooh-pooh homeschooling because it doesn't provide the "social interaction" of public school can kiss my hairy ass...

(On a side note, my mother takes great delight in pointing out that my son is very nearly an identical copy of me at that same age...)

That is all.

WTT: One Misbehaving 7-Year Old

*sigh*

Anyone got a well-mannered, polite, respectful 7 year old boy they want to trade for a rude, surly, disrespectful one?

No?

I'm open for other options. Up to and including simians. Sure, the poo-flinging might increase slightly, but at least the bananas we bought for breakfast won't go to waste...

(Note to DYS: This is called satire. I do not really want to trade my son for a chimpanzee. Besides, the zoo won't return my calls anyways...)

That is all.

Silver Lining...

I mentioned my tire troubles last week, and am happy to report that some good came of the whole mess. While I may have had to buy a new tire because of my own stupidity (for not stopping sooner and thus saving the old tire), I have found a trustworthy mechanic.

Jack's the father of two boys, one of whom went to pre-school with my son, and the other went to pre-school with my daughter. His older son is in Cub Scouts, and we ran into the family at the Pinewood Derby Regionals last month (his son was the Tiger Cub First Place winner).

Jack's a mechanic, and had worked for a local dealership for years when he decided to strike out on his own last year. His wife mentioned it to my wife when they were picking the kids up from pre-school, along the lines of "it's exciting but a little scary", and we had been meaning to look the garage up the next time one of the cars needed work.

Well, enter the tire. Called Jack up, he tells me to swing by the garage after work last Friday (even stayed late for me!), I drop the rim off. He tells me it'll be done Monday; I swing in after work and he apologizes profusely - he hadn't gotten the tire yet, as he found a different supplier that was $30 cheaper that would have the tire in stock Tuesday. I swing in after work yesterday, the tire's all done. He gets it back on the truck and the spare safely stowed away, and presents me with the bill.

Now... keep in mind that I priced out these tires from about 10 different sources. The cheapest price I found for a single tire (i.e. not price per tire if you buy 4) was ~ $160 from Sam's. So I'm expecting the bill to run ~ $200 - $230, figuring $160 for the tire, + markup, + $20-$30 for mounting and balancing.

Nope. $178. Mounted, balanced, and put back on the truck. That's cheap money to find a good mechanic IMHO.

Needless to say, we're bringing my wife's Honda in on Friday so that he can rebuild the suspension - after 8 years and 90K miles, it finally needs new stabilizer links/bushings. The Honda dealer brought them to our attention after the state inspection last month (it's a free-state-inspection-for-life deal when you buy a new car there). Their quoted price to repair? $504. When I showed the invoice to Jack, he laughed... More than likely, we're going to save enough on the Honda repair to make up the truck tire...

So, this cloud does have a silver lining. Still doesn't get me a 10/22, but at least we've got a local mechanic we can trust. Which is nearly as good.

That is all.

Going To Hell...

So I'm watching the news this morning, and one of the main stories is about Pope Benedict's first US trip. Obviously, they can't let more than 5 second pass without mentioning the abuse scandal, and how the Pope wasn't stopping in Boston, blah blah blah.

Then, with apparently not a second thought to the art of the segue, the newschippy bubbles that "and today is the Pope's 81st birthday. I wonder how the Pope celebrates?"

I couldn't resist. It just blurted right out of my wordhole:

I dunno. Maybe they have an altar boy jump out of a cake.

I am so totally going to hell for that bit. I'm in a souped-up Camaro with a flame job on the highway to hell...

That is all.

Just a Quick Note...

..to remind one and all that, yes, today is "Buy A Gun Day".

C'mon. Go spend that tax return before it even comes in...

Make Baby Vulcan smile.

That is all.

Show Yer Mug...

I've been tagged by Cowboy Blob to show my mug.



Coffee mug, that is...



I've got two main cups I use - one for home:

And one for on the go:

(For the non-chemists, that *is* the chemical structure of caffeine. I am such a geek...)

I'm not tagging anyone specifically, but if'n you want to play, let me know and I'll update with a link...

That is all.

UPDATE: T-Bolt shows off his mug. Interesting question there. I'm startin' to wonder aboutcha, bud... ;)

Speaking of New Guns...

Everyone knows that tomorrow is Buy A Gun Day, right?

Go out and make Baby Vulcan smile. If you can, buy an extra gun in my honor - circumstances have forced my hand to be a cut-price person in low-budget-land... (That is to say, I'm flat-busted broke...)

That is all...

New Gun!

Sadly, not for me. But my good friend tweaker has a new boomstick.

Go. Soak up the shotgun-y goodness. And tell him it's about damned time he got the pic up...

:)

That is all.

Oh Crap...

Alternate title: Range Report for Sig 226 and Colt Lawman

The "Oh Crap" title is for two distinctly different and completely separate reasons:

1. I need to get out shooting more often;

and

2. I am in grave danger of becoming a Sig fanboy...

---

The Colt shot beautifully. As I mentioned in my write-up, the weight of the gun tamed all but the hottest .357 Magnum loads (the 125 grain JSP screamers from Remington), and even those were manageable. 147 grain .38 Special +P+ JHPs were very pleasant, and the 158 grain .38 Special might as well have been .22LR... Accuracy was very good, with numerous groupings less than a couple inches at 25'. I'd love to get a set of Hogue grips for it, except that they don't exist...

The Sig shot absolutely beautifully. Once I settled in (hence the need to shoot more), I was routinely tearing out the center of the target without breaking a sweat. It's so nice that I've started thinking about picking up a 239 for CCW... I put 150 rounds through it including a couple magazines' worth of JHPs and it fed and fired everything perfectly. Well, with the notable exception of the fucking worthless Clinton-ban engendered crippled piece of shit 10 round magazines, but I do not consider that the Sig's fault...

Shooty goodness. Good for what ails ya...

(Quote of the range trip came from the dad of the father-and-son duo shooing two lanes over. I had been shooting .38 specials through the Colt and switched to the full-power .357 Magnums, which lit up the dim range as well as created a resounding "BOOM". After the first shot reverberated through the nearly empty range, I hear the dad say, "What the hell was that?".

Heh.)

That is all.

QotD...

The Quote of the Day comes from my favoritest librarian:

If you so much as try to touch my piece of pie, I will stab my fork through the back of your fucking hand - twice, if it's pumpkin.

(for more context, RTWT).

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there.

That is all.

Friday Gun Pr0n #54

In honor of a special upcoming range trip (more on this later), here's a throwback for Friday:



Here's a Model 1938 Turkish Mauser in the venerable and manly 8mm Mauser caliber (7.92X57mm). It has a five round fixed magazine that can be loaded with stripper clips (here's one of the few times when it is completely appropriate to say "clip" - note to the media...). It kicks like a mule, along the lines of a Mosin Nagant 91/30 in 7.65X54mmR or a 1903 Springfield in .30-06. Of course, that's nothing compared to what the bastard on the receiving end gets...

It's been a while since I shot the ol' girl. It's high time I corrected that egregious error...

That is all.

Guess I Picked the Wrong Day...

...to stop sniffin' glue...

What the holy hell is in the air, people? Has Spring Fever robbed my fellow motorists of what precious few brain cells they had left? Perhaps the ragweed pollen also contains lead paint chips or something. In any case, watch your six out there - stupidity levels are at an all-time high...

• Like the well-meaning but stupid person who stopped at the intersection where the road forks (in their defense, there is a stop sign there) and waited 5 seconds before proceeding - did I mention that the other road, the road that would normally have the right of way, is under construction and the entrance to that road is blocked off by jersey barriers? Had Mr. Do-Gooder run the stop sign, anyone attempting to follow the road would be plowing into several tons of concrete right after clipping their minivan.

• And Mr. Self-important Jackass Yuppie in your Lexus, here's a fucking tip: You pulled out from the side of the road into my travel lane without looking, without signaling, and without sufficient room - when I have to literally STOMP on my brakes to avoid hitting your inconsiderate ass, you cut me off. Yeah, I flashed my lights at you - you're a fucking asshole. Stopping your car in the middle of the street is a good fucking way to get that cell phone yanked away from your ear and shoved so far up your sphincter that your wife will be able to answer the phone when she blows you. Capiche?

• Once again, I have to remind people that the people in the fucking rotary have the right of way. There's no need to stop while in the middle of the rotary. Honest. If they refuse to yield, they will hit you, and they will be at fault. The corollary, naturally, is that it is not necessary to wait for the car that's several miles away from the rotary to actually get there before proceeding. Next question.

• Lastly, a reminder to the pedestrians out there: Crosswalks exist for a reason. Use them. I will be more than happy to stop for you to cross the street if you are in the crosswalk. If you just thrust your lazy fat ass out into traffic, less than 20 feet away from a perfectly good crosswalk (but not actually in it), I will not stop. I might even inch over to see if I can graze you with my towing mirrors. Giving me a dirty look because I didn't stop for someone breaking the law isn't going to endear you to me, and a 200 pound (well, more like 350...) person arguing with a 6,000 pound truck just has "bad idea" (or "traction") written all over it*.

That is all.

(*Note: Of course I don't condone or approve of randomly hitting pedestrians. Just the ones that deserve it.)

File Under "E"...

...For Even more shit I don't need...

Driving home from work last night, I apparently ran over a railroad spike, because I developed a moderate leak in the rear right tire that steadily got worse the more I drove. Unfortunately, it sounded exactly like running over a tar snake and getting rocks glued to the tire, so I shrugged it off for a couple of miles and didn't pull over immediately. It appears that the rim is intact, but the tire didn't fare so well - there's a significant groove worn in where it impacted the edge of the rim.

*sigh*

New tires for this beast, because it has the 20" rims, are $200+ each. Kill me now.

Oh, and to top if off, I get home to find out that my daughter had gotten ahold of a pair of scissors and lopped off half her hair so "Baby Momma" (one of her dolls) could have hair too...

I've got the suburban dad blues...

"Well I got out of work this evenin'
Found my tire's low on air.
Got home to my family,
to find my daughter has no hair.

I've got the bluuuuuues...
The suburban dad bluuuues..."

Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week.

That is all.

Takin' Care of Meme-ness...

The Earth-Bound Misfit (Looooooove that name, BTW) tagged me with a meme:

1. Write your own six word memoire.

2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you want.

3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere.

4. Tag at least five more blogs with links.

5. Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play....

1. Off-kilter Masshole loves kids, guns, & motorcycles. (The "&" doesn't count as a word, right?)

2. Done and not possible at present time. As soon as I get a leather mount for a Thompson on the Harley I'll get a shot with the kids... ;)

3. Link above.

4. Tag! Youse guys is it: TX Gun Nut, BillH, Pistolero, T-Bolt, and Tweaker.

5. Will do as soon as this is posted...

That is all.

UPDATE: Looks like New Jovian Thunderbolt is the first to respond!

UPDATE²: Texas Gun Nut responds.

UPDATE³: There's a post up at Free In Idaho!

Isn't It Ironic?

Dontcha think?

Also on the way to work this morning was this interesting slice of life in the traffic pattern:

Hummer H2
Honda Civic Hybrid
Dodge Ram (me)
Ford Expedition

All I kept hearing was Cookie Monster singing "One of these things is not like the other"...

That is all.

I'd Rather Pay For It...

No, not *it* like Eliot Spitzer, but Sirius Satellite Radio...

In my short ride to work, I heard the following:

• "Love Removal Machine" by The Cult
• "One" by Metallica
• "Stone Free" by Jimi
• "Yankee Rose" by David Lee Roth
• "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel

The likelihood of hearing any two of these songs in a given ride to work on standard radio is pretty slim. The likelihood of hearing 20+ minutes of inane chatter, OTOH...

That is all.

Speaking of Motorcycles...

...and my son, and new and exciting things that will give me an ulcer...

Picked up the bike from storage this past Saturday. Compared to last year, when it was 25ºF with a 10º windchill, the light drizzle and 40ºF temperature actually felt pretty good.

Dealership was having an open house - tent sale, demo rides, live band, the whole works. It's their annual "Kick Off the season" deal. Offered 15% off everything in the store (well, 'cept bikes. Probably would have come home with a Buell Blast if they had...).

We bought my son his first helmet - a Youth Size S/M fits him perfectly. It's an HJC 3/4 open face helmet - just like mine.

Put the helmet on him, then brought him out to the bike to see if he was big enough to ride. I wanted him to be able to reach the foot boards before I took him as a passenger - it will reduce (not eliminate) the amount of fidgeting he does to have him actually touching the boards as opposed to having his feet dangle.

Last year, before we put the bike in storage, I put him on the back of the bike to see how much longer before he was tall enough to ride. His feet were ~ 4" from the boards. This was November.

His feet now touch the footboards. This kid has grown 4" in 5 months. Holy smokes.

He is now big enough to ride on my Harley. He can't wait. I am simultaneously excited out of my mind and frightened beyond the capacity for rational thought (thanks Egon). We're starting small - he already sat on the bike with it running at the open house - most likely trips up and down our street until he gets used to riding as a passenger.

*sigh*

Now, of course, I need to get him a jacket. And boots. And a vest. And chaps... This is gonna get expensive, I can tell.

I also don't care. Riding time is about to at least double - it's now father/son time as well.

Life is good.

That is all.

How's That Expression Go?

...You know, the one about "shake enough trees, a few nuts are bound to fall out"?

Well, last week I shook the tree, and at least one nut fell out...

Specifically, the Texas Gun Nut. Welcome to the 'roll, Mr. Nut.

I also heard from Bill H. from Free in Idaho on my plea.

Thanks for answering the call, guys. Like I said, I run a reciprocal blogroll here, on the idea that if you're crazy kind enough to link my insane ramblings humble musings, the least I can do is not fling poo at you return the favor...

That is all...

A Moment of Silence, Please...

Charleton Heston has left us.

We have lost a light in the 2A community. Rest in Peace, Mr. Heston. Those damn dirty apes can't touch you now.

(Does it make me a bad person that my first thought was "they can take his guns now"? Bad Jay! Bad! Bad!)

RIP.

That is all.

Open Plea...

Over the past week or so, I've come across at least 2 or 3 blogs that have been kind enough to link to MArooned that are not represented on the MArooned blogroll.

Sadly, the ol' memory ain't what she used ta be, and I've forgotten the particulars of said blogs. Plus I figured I'd do better with an open plea...

Folks, if you like what you read here enough to add MArooned to your blogroll, shoot me an e-mail or leave a comment in the top-most post (I get all comments sent to my e-mail anyways). Odds are overwhelmingly in your favor that I'll add you to the blogroll - I run a more-or-less reciprocal blogroll here.

That is all.

Friday Gun Pr0n #53

For the start of my second year of Friday Gun Pr0n, I figured I'd try something different. In two previous posts, where I'd shown some of my wheelguns and the speedloaders that go with them, I've had comments about the Bianchi Speed Strips.


So, naturally, I did what any conscientious gunnie would do, I grabbed my camera, tripod, trusty Smith & Wesson, and some snap caps, and took some videos. Plus y'all get to hear the melodious tones of Jay G. Aren't you lucky?

---

Video #1:

As the narrative says, that's a Maxfire speedloader. It's a rubber compound similar to the Hogue Monogrips that holds the rounds in a staggered configuration that (theoretically) allows one to slide the loader off the positioned rounds. If you notice, I had to slide the loader off carefully, as three previous attempts at video resulted in the snap caps being flung around my kitchen...

---

Video #2:

Here's the traditional speedloader, an HKS #10. This is a standard revolver speedloader, where a clockwise twist of the silver knob one way locks the rounds, a counterwise twist releases them into the cylinder.

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Video #3:

Last up is the Bianchi Speed Strip. It takes a little more practice than either of the traditional (circular) speedloaders, but the tradeoff is a package that sits flat in the pocket as opposed to a rather obvious bulge.


(Side note: I had to re-shoot this video, as after I got it all uploaded and everything, I noticed that in my first take, my booger hook was alllll over the bang switch. Even though the gun is empty, with cylinder out, I felt it more important to show myself obeying the rules.)

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From the times of the video, there's practically no difference between the three speedloaders. I prefer the Speed Strips simply because they're easier to slip into a pocket - in some jeans, the watch pocket alone is large enough to accomodate a strip...


That is all.

Where Does The Time Go?

Only 12 more days until Buy A Gun Day. Crap. I meant to post this two days ago...

Sadly, there's a distinct lack of dough-ray-me in the Buy A Gun Fund. It's either going to be milsurps or nothin' this year.

Unless I can unload something in the next week and a half. Of course, at this point, there's nothing I want to unload...

There is one other option, though - filling a gaping hole in the armory...

That is all.

Risk Assessment and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Grab a drink. This could get longish... Well, not Kevin longish, but longish for me.

I'm getting my Harley out of storage this coming Saturday (naturally, it's going to rain all day. Last year it was 25ºF with a 10ºF wind chill, not counting the wind from riding...) I've been looking for some new riding gear, as my recent weight loss has caused all of my old gear to literally hang off me - not exactly what one wants in the way of protection from spills.

In the search for the perfect riding suit (leather vs. ballistic nylon/kevlar, one piece vs. two piece, etc.), I noticed something. There's an opinion war between those that wear leather vs. those that wear the ballistic nylon/kevlar suits akin to Ford vs. Chevy or Glock vs. 1911 (leather, neither, 1911, for those keeping score at home). Some swear by leather, pointing to its long and storied history of protected those who wear it; others point to newer materials that do a better job while being lighter and easier to keep clean (wow, it does sound like a 1911 vs. Glock thread...)

Personally, I prefer leather. It's heavier, it's there, it's a physical reminder that I need to be careful on the motorcycle. I *want* a heavy leather jacket and chaps in case the worst happens, but also to help me avoid the worst case scenarios by leaving my threat-assessment at high.

The fundamental motorcycle gear argument, though, boils down to helmets. Should you wear one? Is a half-helmet (a.k.a. "beanie") better than nothing at all? Should you drop $400+ on a high-end helmet? (Those that answer in the affirmative are fond of quoting the old saw that "A $50 helmet is good if you have a $50 head". Yeah, well, I happen to value my squash somewhere in the million-plus range, so that argument falls flat on its face).

I wear a helmet. I live in MA, where helmet use is mandatory (didn't see that coming, did you?). I ride in NH and ME, where helmet use is not mandatory. I still wear a helmet, most of the time. If I'm going to be in traffic, or traveling at low speeds, I'll take the helmet off on rare occasions. I prefer the safety and low-cost mitigation against risk.

However, I can understand those that ride without a helmet. "If you want safe, drive a cage" (car). There's a lot of truth to that adage. Sure, you can wear the space-age-iest $600 racing helmet, full-length racing leather and kevlar-reinforced suit, etc. and be safe. You can also have some mouth-breather in a 3 ton SUV make a left turn directly in your path and make all of your safety precautions for naught. If you want safe, drive a Volvo.

Personally, I wear as much safety gear as I can comfortably. I'd rather have a little less abrasion-resistance in the summer (i.e. denim jacket only) than be riding in 90ºF heat and be uncomfortable. In my opinion, I'd rather take a little more chance on getting hurt if I go down and be more comfortable while riding. Being more comfortable while riding means that I pay more attention to the road and the other "drivers" and less attention to the nagging suspicion that my lower extremities are, indeed, being roasted to Ballpark Frank style perfection in the summer heat.

(Side note: I've explained my riding philosophy to non-riders thusly - the best way to avoid accidents is to simply assume that everyone else is actively trying to kill me. And ride accordingly.)

I prefer riding in the early spring/mid fall because I can wear enough gear to adequately protect myself (IMHO) and still be comfortable. Everything else revolves around that. The more comfortable I am - actually, the less uncomfortable I am - the more attentive I'll be. And the more attentive I am to my surroundings, the safer I'll be. If I can wear a full face helmet, heavy leather jacket and chaps, and full boots and not fry, great. If it's 95ºF and the sun's baking small birds on the wing, I'll chance it in a half-helmet, denim jacket/leather vest and jeans. And if I'm stuck in traffic, the helmet's going on the rear seat. No sense protecting a brain that's getting progressively fried...

Anyhoo, that's my take on it. Fire away, my two-wheeled brethren... (And sistren, too...) ;)

That is all.

THAT Explains It!

Botox scare: Scientists say the injected anti-wrinkle toxin can spread to the brain

The anti-wrinkle treatment Botox can spread from the face to the brain, researchers have claimed.

Botox – based on a natural poison – is used by millions of women every year in the quest for smoother skin.

But scientists who injected rats with the toxin said they observed traces of it in the rodents' brain stems three days later.

Well that certainly explains Nancy Pelosi, then...

That is all.

Crisis of Faith...

Okay... Breaking new ground here and talking 'bout religion. Specifically, disinterest in the "organized" variety.

Basically, it boils down to the religious education of my children. Both my wife and I are "recovering" Catholics; she is an atheist, and I do not believe in organized religion. I firmly believe in G-d; however my belief does not extend to manmade constructs of so-called organized religion. One need look no further than the perversion of radical Islam to see how some "organized" religions can be twisted and used to manipulate human behavior.

Now, I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church. I was Baptized; went to Church every Sunday, received my First Communion, then my Confirmation. Continued religious studies through high school (a private Catholic school can do that). I've got a basic understanding how most major world religions function (although don't ask me to differentiate between Ganesh and the Flying Spaghetti Monster...), and specifically know the canon and rituals of RC pretty well.


I had been mulling over a return to the Church when the stories of sexual abuse broke; specifically how priests with troubling histories of abusing altar boys and other youths in their care were shuttled from parish to parish after discovery of their dirty little secrets. Now, granted, a certain amount of coverage stems from a natural bias against "mainstream" religion; however enough hard facts emerged to paint an unflattering picture.

Couple this with my childhood Church closing and being reassigned to a Church in a different town that I've never been to; and I've been lax in arranging for my kids to start their religious education. Specifically, my son's missed his first (couple of) year(s) of CCD (a.k.a. Sunday School). I do want them to have some religious education in their upbringing, and am most familiar with the RC faith.

However, it seems like we're drawn to the local Congregational Church - that's where the kids have done their Vacation Bible School; it's where the Cub Scouts meet; and, pathetically, it's the closest church to us. This may seem like a shallow reason for choosing a church; in my defense, however, I don't believe in any of them. I view organized religion as a thinly-veiled attempt to control men using the threat of the supernatural. Mortal men trying to explain G-d's greatness are bound to fail - we all have feet of clay.

Now, having said that... I still want my kids to grow up with some sort of religious education in their background. I want them to make an educated decision when they come of age as to religion, rather than never having any opinion because we never exposed them to it. I'd like to sit down with the priest of our new (to us) Catholic Church and explain my position; however it's not likely that I'd be well-received (and I come by this honestly; Mom G. got into a heated exchange with a priest back in the 1960s when they relaxed the restriction on eating meat on Friday. Basically, one of the other parishes had already adopted the new rules of Vatican II, and she asked why kids from this other town could eat meat on Friday, but if she ate meat on Friday she'd go to hell. As I recall, the priest's response was along the lines of "Is a little blind faith too much to ask?").

What I'm thinking is I'll arrange for a talk with the priest at the Catholic Church as well as the Congregational Church. I'll be open and honest as to my intentions, and let my decision be made for me - if both Churchs are amenable to providing religious education, I'll go with the Catholic Church as I'm most familiar. If one is more amenable, then I'll choose that one. If both are not amenable, though... Guess I'll have to find the closest Unitarian Church...

Thanks for listening. That is probably not all...

Doin' Something Right...

I must be doing something right. After a morning filled with a defiant young man who wouldn't listen to his dad no matter what the punishment, I was told, as the bus rumbled up the street:

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't wait to get to school today. It's a mini-vacation - from you.

Good. Means I'm getting through to him.

Heh.

That is all.

Pledging Support...

It's about time I did this. It's time for me to come right out and admit it.

I'm supporting Barack Obama for President. He's the only candidate with the experience, presence, and out-and-out jug ears necessary to be President.


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...and in case it wasn't 100% apparent, April Fool's!

(Of course, April Fool's Day in a house with a 5- and 7- year old running around means that I've already sat on a Whoopie Cushion 185 times, been zapped by a joy-buzzer 392 times, and been told that there was a school bus/gorilla/washing machine/cheeseburger/bee/etc. on my head several thousand times...)

That is all.