Thanks to the kindness of a friend (who I'm not certain wants to be named, necessarily...) TheBoy and I will be attending tomorrow's "Winter Classic" at Fenway Park. This is the third year that the Winter Classic (an NHL game played in a MLB stadium) will be played; and the first time it's being held at Fenway Park. Given the storied background of Fenway, and repeated rumors of a new baseball park, this may very well be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Now, I may be too hungover to fully appreciate it, but I'll be there... :)
That is all.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
MMIX -> MMX
So tonight we lose an I... At the stroke of midnight, we lose the hellacious year that was 2009 to the sands of time and usher in a new decade (and yes, purists, I know that technically the "new" decade starts on Jan. 1 2011. Bet y'all were a pill and a half at the turn of the millenium, too). A new year stretches before us, a veritable blank canvas upon which to paint the picture of our year.
Good, bad, indifferent; 2010 will be, for the most part, what we make of it. Politically, we'll start the new year with a special election here in MA where the Democrats will inevitably win by a large margin; we'll hope that victory will be one of a very few they celebrate this year. Not because I want to see the Republicans win, mind you - that's the downside - but because it is my fervent hope that 2010 is the year we VOTE THE BASTARDS OUT. All of them. Every last politician with "incumbent" next to his or her name should be shown the door in 2010.
And no matter what else happens, 2009 will forever be remembered as the year that Ted Kennedy was no longer my Senator...
That is all.
Good, bad, indifferent; 2010 will be, for the most part, what we make of it. Politically, we'll start the new year with a special election here in MA where the Democrats will inevitably win by a large margin; we'll hope that victory will be one of a very few they celebrate this year. Not because I want to see the Republicans win, mind you - that's the downside - but because it is my fervent hope that 2010 is the year we VOTE THE BASTARDS OUT. All of them. Every last politician with "incumbent" next to his or her name should be shown the door in 2010.
And no matter what else happens, 2009 will forever be remembered as the year that Ted Kennedy was no longer my Senator...
That is all.
You're Kidding Me...
White House forcefully responds to Cheney
[Eyes widen]
That, right there, is some Grade A, full-on BALLS, people. The administration that has done nothing for the past year but blame its predecessor for every ill facing the nation from the economy to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the inability to convert lead to gold is complaining about criticism. If irony were dynamite, all of DC would be leveled right now. For the 0bama administration to talk about someone criticizing them is just beyond-the-pale projection.
Pointing fingers??? You mean like claiming that it was Bush administration procedures that failed in the Underoo Bomber fiasco? Like ignoring the past year you've been in power? You've spent the past year touring the world, apologizing for America, bowing deeply to every tinpot dictator in a funny hat who would have you; you've talked about closing Guatanamo Bay and bringing the worst of the worst terrorists to American soil; in short, you have done everything humanly possible to give off the impression that you do not view terrorism as a pressing issue.
And when proven wrong, when some bomb-happy jihadi shows up over a major American city with semtex in his skivvies and a father who contacted the damned American embassy about it, your first response was to blame the guy in office before you. And suddenly THEY'RE the ones playing "business as usual"? Look in the mirror, sunshine. Your side spent the past eight years bashing the Bush administration for everything from "Mission Accomplished" to plastic turkeys to inventing memos out of thin air. Don't be all butt-hurt when folks start calling you on your many failings.
Hubris, thy name is the 0bama administration.
That is all.
(CNN) - The White House is responding forcefully to former Vice President Dick Cheney's comments Wednesday that are sharply critical of President Obama's response to the botched terror attack on Christmas Day.
"It is telling that Vice President Cheney and others seem to be more focused on criticizing the Administration than condemning the attackers," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer wrote on the White House's official blog. "Unfortunately too many are engaged in the typical Washington game of pointing fingers and making political hay, instead of working together to find solutions to make our country safer."
[Eyes widen]
That, right there, is some Grade A, full-on BALLS, people. The administration that has done nothing for the past year but blame its predecessor for every ill facing the nation from the economy to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the inability to convert lead to gold is complaining about criticism. If irony were dynamite, all of DC would be leveled right now. For the 0bama administration to talk about someone criticizing them is just beyond-the-pale projection.
Pointing fingers??? You mean like claiming that it was Bush administration procedures that failed in the Underoo Bomber fiasco? Like ignoring the past year you've been in power? You've spent the past year touring the world, apologizing for America, bowing deeply to every tinpot dictator in a funny hat who would have you; you've talked about closing Guatanamo Bay and bringing the worst of the worst terrorists to American soil; in short, you have done everything humanly possible to give off the impression that you do not view terrorism as a pressing issue.
And when proven wrong, when some bomb-happy jihadi shows up over a major American city with semtex in his skivvies and a father who contacted the damned American embassy about it, your first response was to blame the guy in office before you. And suddenly THEY'RE the ones playing "business as usual"? Look in the mirror, sunshine. Your side spent the past eight years bashing the Bush administration for everything from "Mission Accomplished" to plastic turkeys to inventing memos out of thin air. Don't be all butt-hurt when folks start calling you on your many failings.
Hubris, thy name is the 0bama administration.
That is all.
Parenting Can Be A Minefield.
During our trip to Boston on Tuesday, we had an incident involving BabyGirl G. She wanted to go into a particular store; we said no; she pitched a fit. Now, ordinarily, we'd just bring her out to the car and wait until she was done; however the car was many miles away. Given that it was in the teens and quite chilly with the wind blowing, letting her thrash about on the cobblestones wasn't an option either.
So I picked her up, tossed her over my shoulder, and started walking.
She's yelling, screaming, hitting me, etc. All the while, I'm looking for a place that's a) indoors and b) outside of the normal foot traffic where I can set her down until she stops crying. I carried her a total of maybe 50 feet, when a woman commented "My God, can't you see she doesn't like that? She has tears dripping down her face."
Choking back the "fuck off, you meddling douchebag", I calmly replied that it was her choice to be carried, as she had refused to walk and could not be left out in the cold or in the middle of where people were walking - both places she had chosen to stop and pitch a fit. The woman walked off in a huff, muttering what was no doubt a condemnation of the uncouth, shaved-head biker American (she had an English accent) who was brutalizing his poor little girl.
And it struck me, the hell that we parents face when we dare bring our progeny out in public.
How many times has someone complained of a dinner ruined by a screaming child? How many times do you hear the horror story of a movie spoiled by a bratty kid, or a plane flight turned into the three hour voyage to hell because of some unruly toddler? It's become a stock stereotype; the screaming kid, the parent either oblivious to it, a sniveling craven begging their pint-sized demon spawn to stop, or the appeaser promising all that and a bag of chips if the child will stop?
And yes, stereotypes exist for a reason, I understand that.
But not all of us are like that. Some of us hear that woman's reproachful tone every time we think about disciplining our kids in public. Some of us remember the horror of having the police called because we dared to swat our three year old son on the butt for kicking his sister (yes, really). We're damned if we do, damned if we don't - reprimand your child and some do-gooder wants to turn you in for child abuse; try to ride it out and some thin-skinned jackanape will cluck their tongue and complain about parents who don't control their kids.
I'll be damned if I'm going to stay home until both kids are 18 years old. If they're acting up in public, give me the benefit of the doubt for a moment. If you're going to butt in, make sure you have all the facts; otherwise, keep your piehole shut - don't assume that, because I'm a large white male with a shaved head and a goatee, that I'm automatically the posterboy for child abuse. I hate spanking my kids; it puts a knot in my back and a pit in my stomach that lingers for hours. But you see me and your oh-so-superior, can't-we-all-just-get-along mindset automatically places me in a box based on how I look.
How utterly... unenlightened of you.
Look, I'll be the first to admit that there are plenty of bad parents out there. I've had to deal with spoiled little brats who could do no wrong; I've buffed scratches out of my truck put there by the troglodytic spawn of a mouthbreather who thought an afternoon's entertainment would be throwing rocks at the other vehicles in the campground; I've walked out of restaurants because of screaming kids. But I've also been that parent, the dad utterly exhausted at the end of a long day who would love to give his smart-assed kid a whack upside the head if not for the three or four do-gooders with CPS on speed-dial who would dime him out without a second thought.
Cut us some slack, wouldja? Don't automatically pigeonhole the parents ignoring the screaming little girl - it's quite possible this is her fourth tantrum this hour, and they've simply decided to ignore her and continue on with their dinner. Don't immediately jump to the conclusion that the burly man loudly telling his kid to keep his mouth closed is some inbred child abuser - it may be that talking loudly is the only way to break the kid out of the video game trance long enough to get through to him.
What's really funny, in an odd sort of way, is that the woman who made the comment that started all this rolling had to have garnered enough clues to know I wasn't really a threat. She was a slip of a thing, with a school-aged child of her own - had she really believed I was some uncaring brute who would willingly torture a six year old girl for fun, I doubt she'd have opened her mouth. Much like the do-gooders who called the cops on me for spanking my son - if they really thought I was beating him (they admitted to the cops that they saw me spank him on the behind with an open hand), calling the police would only escalate the situation. In other words, they're not really trying to help the children; rather, they're exerting power over someone else.
No wonder the Democrats are in power now.
That is all.
So I picked her up, tossed her over my shoulder, and started walking.
She's yelling, screaming, hitting me, etc. All the while, I'm looking for a place that's a) indoors and b) outside of the normal foot traffic where I can set her down until she stops crying. I carried her a total of maybe 50 feet, when a woman commented "My God, can't you see she doesn't like that? She has tears dripping down her face."
Choking back the "fuck off, you meddling douchebag", I calmly replied that it was her choice to be carried, as she had refused to walk and could not be left out in the cold or in the middle of where people were walking - both places she had chosen to stop and pitch a fit. The woman walked off in a huff, muttering what was no doubt a condemnation of the uncouth, shaved-head biker American (she had an English accent) who was brutalizing his poor little girl.
And it struck me, the hell that we parents face when we dare bring our progeny out in public.
How many times has someone complained of a dinner ruined by a screaming child? How many times do you hear the horror story of a movie spoiled by a bratty kid, or a plane flight turned into the three hour voyage to hell because of some unruly toddler? It's become a stock stereotype; the screaming kid, the parent either oblivious to it, a sniveling craven begging their pint-sized demon spawn to stop, or the appeaser promising all that and a bag of chips if the child will stop?
And yes, stereotypes exist for a reason, I understand that.
But not all of us are like that. Some of us hear that woman's reproachful tone every time we think about disciplining our kids in public. Some of us remember the horror of having the police called because we dared to swat our three year old son on the butt for kicking his sister (yes, really). We're damned if we do, damned if we don't - reprimand your child and some do-gooder wants to turn you in for child abuse; try to ride it out and some thin-skinned jackanape will cluck their tongue and complain about parents who don't control their kids.
I'll be damned if I'm going to stay home until both kids are 18 years old. If they're acting up in public, give me the benefit of the doubt for a moment. If you're going to butt in, make sure you have all the facts; otherwise, keep your piehole shut - don't assume that, because I'm a large white male with a shaved head and a goatee, that I'm automatically the posterboy for child abuse. I hate spanking my kids; it puts a knot in my back and a pit in my stomach that lingers for hours. But you see me and your oh-so-superior, can't-we-all-just-get-along mindset automatically places me in a box based on how I look.
How utterly... unenlightened of you.
Look, I'll be the first to admit that there are plenty of bad parents out there. I've had to deal with spoiled little brats who could do no wrong; I've buffed scratches out of my truck put there by the troglodytic spawn of a mouthbreather who thought an afternoon's entertainment would be throwing rocks at the other vehicles in the campground; I've walked out of restaurants because of screaming kids. But I've also been that parent, the dad utterly exhausted at the end of a long day who would love to give his smart-assed kid a whack upside the head if not for the three or four do-gooders with CPS on speed-dial who would dime him out without a second thought.
Cut us some slack, wouldja? Don't automatically pigeonhole the parents ignoring the screaming little girl - it's quite possible this is her fourth tantrum this hour, and they've simply decided to ignore her and continue on with their dinner. Don't immediately jump to the conclusion that the burly man loudly telling his kid to keep his mouth closed is some inbred child abuser - it may be that talking loudly is the only way to break the kid out of the video game trance long enough to get through to him.
What's really funny, in an odd sort of way, is that the woman who made the comment that started all this rolling had to have garnered enough clues to know I wasn't really a threat. She was a slip of a thing, with a school-aged child of her own - had she really believed I was some uncaring brute who would willingly torture a six year old girl for fun, I doubt she'd have opened her mouth. Much like the do-gooders who called the cops on me for spanking my son - if they really thought I was beating him (they admitted to the cops that they saw me spank him on the behind with an open hand), calling the police would only escalate the situation. In other words, they're not really trying to help the children; rather, they're exerting power over someone else.
No wonder the Democrats are in power now.
That is all.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Northeast Blogger Dinner Update #4
Okay folks, it's the home stretch. New Year's Eve is tomorrow night; that means our dinner soirée is only three days away! Figured I'd put up one final update with all info. squared away for last minute fence-sitters and stragglers...
What? Northeast Blogger Winter Gathering.
Who? Any and all bloggers, commenters, readers, lurkers, etc. in the Northeast area, or those passing through, or anyone crazy enough to show up.
When? January 2nd, 2010. Dinner (appetizers) starting around 6 and leave when they kick us out...
Where? Jillian's Billiards in Manchester, NH.
Why? Folks getting together to enjoy good food, great beer, and superlative company. Bring your appetite, a whistle for wetting, and your best stories to tell.
Attendees:
Borepatch & Mrs. Borepatch
Mopar & Mrs. Mopar
JD & Mrs. JD
Scotaku
sci-fi
MedicMatthew
Wally
TOTWTYTR
libertyman
The Big Guy
Marko
Bruce
weer'd beard
Andrew
zeeke42
doubletrouble & Mrs. doubletrouble
Possible Attendees:
Lissa
Ross
Twenty one definites and a couple "maybes". Take a good look at that list of attendees, folks. We may very well exceed the maximum allowable quantity of snark in once place...
Hope to see you in three!
That is all.
What? Northeast Blogger Winter Gathering.
Who? Any and all bloggers, commenters, readers, lurkers, etc. in the Northeast area, or those passing through, or anyone crazy enough to show up.
When? January 2nd, 2010. Dinner (appetizers) starting around 6 and leave when they kick us out...
Where? Jillian's Billiards in Manchester, NH.
Why? Folks getting together to enjoy good food, great beer, and superlative company. Bring your appetite, a whistle for wetting, and your best stories to tell.
Attendees:
Borepatch & Mrs. Borepatch
Mopar & Mrs. Mopar
JD & Mrs. JD
Scotaku
sci-fi
MedicMatthew
Wally
TOTWTYTR
libertyman
The Big Guy
Marko
Bruce
weer'd beard
Andrew
zeeke42
doubletrouble & Mrs. doubletrouble
Possible Attendees:
Lissa
Ross
Twenty one definites and a couple "maybes". Take a good look at that list of attendees, folks. We may very well exceed the maximum allowable quantity of snark in once place...
Hope to see you in three!
That is all.
Buck Stopping? Surely You Jest!
Obama: Human, systemic failure to blame in terror attempt
Okay, that's certainly better than Napolitano's comment about the system working. However, as usual, 0bama has to go one step further in the blame game:
It's a very subtle dig, to be sure, but 0bama is clearly trying to blame Bush for the recent Nigerian underoo bomber. He intimates that it's the system that was put in place after 9/11 that failed, not his administration's year-long ostrich act of jamming our collective heads in the sand and pretending that terrorism does not exist. What's telling is that the same partisan hacks that will carry this water for the big "0" are the same ones claiming that Bush was solely responsible for the 9/11 attacks...
Remember the advice from Hopper: First rule of leadership: Everything is your fault.
That is all.
(CNN) -- Moments after President Obama said a "mix of human and systemic failures" allowed a man to try to bomb a passenger jet on Christmas Day, federal agencies said they had done all they could.
"A systemic failure has occurred, and I consider that totally unacceptable," Obama told reporters Tuesday during his vacation in Hawaii, referring to what authorities allege was Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab's failed attempt to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane preparing to land in Detroit, Michigan.
Okay, that's certainly better than Napolitano's comment about the system working. However, as usual, 0bama has to go one step further in the blame game:
The airport security system created after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States was "not sufficiently up to date to take full advantage of the information we collect and knowledge we have," Obama said.
It's a very subtle dig, to be sure, but 0bama is clearly trying to blame Bush for the recent Nigerian underoo bomber. He intimates that it's the system that was put in place after 9/11 that failed, not his administration's year-long ostrich act of jamming our collective heads in the sand and pretending that terrorism does not exist. What's telling is that the same partisan hacks that will carry this water for the big "0" are the same ones claiming that Bush was solely responsible for the 9/11 attacks...
Remember the advice from Hopper: First rule of leadership: Everything is your fault.
That is all.
Incongruous
in⋅con⋅gru⋅ous /ɪnˈkɒŋgruəs/ [in-kong-groo-uhs]
1. out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming: an incongruous effect; incongruous behavior.
2. not harmonious in character; inconsonant; lacking harmony of parts: an incongruous mixture of architectural styles.
3. inconsistent: actions that were incongruous with their professed principles.
4. This:
1. out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming: an incongruous effect; incongruous behavior.
2. not harmonious in character; inconsonant; lacking harmony of parts: an incongruous mixture of architectural styles.
3. inconsistent: actions that were incongruous with their professed principles.
4. This:
Faneuil Hall, Boston MA
Yes, that is a Gadsden flag for sale at Faneuil Hall in Boston. The irony, she is thick here, no?
That is all.
Never Again...
Godwin.
I'm invoking it right now, in my own post. I'm going to talk about Nazis. Honest-to-G-d Nazis. Evil personified. I visited the Holocaust Memorial in Boston yesterday. From the New England Holocaust memorial website:
I'm invoking it right now, in my own post. I'm going to talk about Nazis. Honest-to-G-d Nazis. Evil personified. I visited the Holocaust Memorial in Boston yesterday. From the New England Holocaust memorial website:
The New England Holocaust Memorial was built to foster memory of and reflection on one of the great tragedies of our time, the Holocaust (Shoah). The effort was begun by a group of survivors of Nazi concentration camps who have found new homes and new lives in the Boston area. Dedicated in October, 1995, over 3000 individuals and organizations from across the community joined in sponsoring the project.
New England Holocaust Memorial
Also from the NE Holocaust Memorial site is the description of the Memorial:
The design utilizes uniquely powerful symbols of the Holocaust. The Memorial features six luminous glass towers, each 54 feet high. The towers are lit internally to gleam at night. They are set on a black granite path, each one over a dark chamber which carries the name of one of the principal Nazi death camps. Smoke rises from charred embers at the bottom of these chambers. Six million numbers are etched in glass in an orderly pattern, suggesting the infamous tattooed numbers and ghostly ledgers of the Nazi bureaucracy. Evocative and rich in metaphor, the six towers recall the six main death camps, the six million Jews who died, or a menorah of memorial candles.Here are the numbers, literally:
Six million numbers
Each tower represents one of the concentration camps:
Evil Incarnate
Evil. Pure, unadulterated evil, perpetuated by man against his fellow man. An entire religion, targeted by a megalomaniac for extinction, herded into cattle cars and led to slaughter.
NEVER. AGAIN.
This is why we have the Second Amendment, folks. Not for hunting. Not for "sporting purposes". Not for any of the bullshit reasons mealymouthed politicians give for "supporting" firearms or gun rights. We have the Second Amendment as the last safeguard against the cattle cars, against the SS, against the stormtroopers that kick in the doors and slaughter our fellow man based on which deity they worship, which end of an egg they break first, or which side of their face is painted black or white.
I have my rifle, as do countless millions of my fellow Americans. The day some authoritarian nutcase comes to power and declares that certain Americans are to be liquidated is the day that rifle will be needed. "Assault weapons aren't made for hunting". Truer words were never spoken. So-called "assault weapons" are made for personal protection: Owning these rifles by the millions is the best insurance we have that the government will not decide to impose genocide upon portions of our society.
As Pastor Martin Niemoeller stated:
Speak Up
When the time comes, the Second Amendment insures that my rifle can do my talking for me.
That is all.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
More Gunnie Christmas Thoughts...
You know you're a gun nut when you get a pair of pants for Christmas, see that they're a size too large, and you're happy. The thought running through your head, of course?
And yes, this did happen to me Christmas morning...
That is all.
Oh cool! Carry pants!
And yes, this did happen to me Christmas morning...
That is all.
Pathetic
GOP lets Scott Brown fend for himself
This is why they're the stupid party. The GOP has a chance to send a real message here - strike early, strike deep in the heart of the liberal beast - and they are once again painting a bullseye squarely on their shoes. Even if Brown doesn't defeat Coakley (and I'll be honest, this is David slaying Goliath territory here), if the GOP makes it a close race and keeps the heat on, it will energize the base for 2010. They have the chance to take a strong stand, support someone deep behind enemy lines, and, in a long shot, change the makeup of the Senate before 2010.
Instead, they're sitting back and letting Brown sink, just like they did for Chase in '06 against Kennedy and Beatty in '08. They've written off MA as a lost cause (much like the NRA) and seem unwilling to review this assessment even in light of recent public sentiment against the Democratic party. They're going to pass up a golden opportunity to reach out to the anti-incumbent sentiment and instead hand the Democrats an easy victory. Once Coakley gets in, she's not leaving - this is our only chance to re-take the seat until Kerry gets appointed to a Cabinet or keels over. The time to strike is now, has never been better, yet the GOP seems content to sit back and continue business as usual.
I hate a Roman named Status quo...
That is all.
GOP U.S. Senate candidate Scott Brown has been all but abandoned by the same national Republican committees that pumped hundreds of thousands in campaign cash to former governors Mitt Romney and William Weld during their long-shot bids for U.S. Senate.
The snub has outraged local Republicans who say national conservatives should be jumping at the chance to nab the first open Senate seat in decades despite Brown’s tough odds in the Jan. 19 special election.
This is why they're the stupid party. The GOP has a chance to send a real message here - strike early, strike deep in the heart of the liberal beast - and they are once again painting a bullseye squarely on their shoes. Even if Brown doesn't defeat Coakley (and I'll be honest, this is David slaying Goliath territory here), if the GOP makes it a close race and keeps the heat on, it will energize the base for 2010. They have the chance to take a strong stand, support someone deep behind enemy lines, and, in a long shot, change the makeup of the Senate before 2010.
Instead, they're sitting back and letting Brown sink, just like they did for Chase in '06 against Kennedy and Beatty in '08. They've written off MA as a lost cause (much like the NRA) and seem unwilling to review this assessment even in light of recent public sentiment against the Democratic party. They're going to pass up a golden opportunity to reach out to the anti-incumbent sentiment and instead hand the Democrats an easy victory. Once Coakley gets in, she's not leaving - this is our only chance to re-take the seat until Kerry gets appointed to a Cabinet or keels over. The time to strike is now, has never been better, yet the GOP seems content to sit back and continue business as usual.
I hate a Roman named Status quo...
That is all.
From the Mouths of Babes...
So, yesterday I brought the Gaia-hatin' Ram in for its 30,000 mile service. We get a loaner car as part of the package, and the perky just-outta-college dude from the rental place rolls up in a shiny new Hyundai Accent. It's a bare-bones "economy" rental, but it's free and it means I don't have to wait four hours for the truck to be done, so I pile myself and TheBoy into the Hyundai and off we go.
Yes, TheBoy was fascinated with manual windows. This isn't the first car he's been in that doesn't have power windows, but the most recent and the one he noticed. I started thinking about it, and I haven't had a car with crank windows since the Toyota van I owned in 1997... It's really funny, though - he thought it was a special option that only that car had; $20 says he goes into school next Monday bragging to his friends about the really cool car his dad rented...
Hey, who am I to knock down his elementary school bragging rights, right?
That is all.
PS: Mrs. G. looked at me after TheBoy came out with this one and said "You're gonna blog this, aren't you?"
Yes, dear, I certainly did...
"Dad. Hey Dad!" I hear from the back seat.
"Yeah buddy, what's up?"
"You gotta see this - it's really cool! You open the windows all by yourself!"
Yes, TheBoy was fascinated with manual windows. This isn't the first car he's been in that doesn't have power windows, but the most recent and the one he noticed. I started thinking about it, and I haven't had a car with crank windows since the Toyota van I owned in 1997... It's really funny, though - he thought it was a special option that only that car had; $20 says he goes into school next Monday bragging to his friends about the really cool car his dad rented...
Hey, who am I to knock down his elementary school bragging rights, right?
That is all.
PS: Mrs. G. looked at me after TheBoy came out with this one and said "You're gonna blog this, aren't you?"
Yes, dear, I certainly did...
MArooned Product Review: LaserLyte LT-PRO
Every once in a while, a product comes along that seems almost too good to be true. "Cleans while you sleep!" "Eat all you want and lose weight!" "Regrow your own hair". The old saw "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" is true for a reason; TANSTAAFL. However, sometimes a product comes along that really does what it alleges and does it well.
The LaserLyte LT-PRO Pistol Laser Trainer is such a product.
I had a chance to put an LT-PRO to the test last night, and I liked how it performed. The installation could not be simpler - thread the screw into the LT-PRO body, tighten until it fits the caliber you wish to shoot, then place in muzzle. Fire weapon, see laser dot on target. I hung an NRA B-3 on either end of the house and fired a variety of different handguns with the LT-PRO system - Glock G30, Colt 1991A1 compact, Smith & Wesson model 13, and SigSauer P226.
The revolver showed one of the minor weaknesses of the LT-PRO - since it is sound actuated, the sound of the cylinder rotating causes infrequent activation of the laser dot as the gun is brought into battery. It is also imperative to be certain that the LT-PRO unit is firmly inserted all the way into the barrel or the unit will not activate, which leads to some interesting manners of removal (I found that a clean cloth and the judicious - albeit very careful - application of a pair of pliers was sufficient).
The plusses far outweigh the minuses, though: I fired several hundred "rounds" last night in the comfort of my kitchen. I dry-fired four pistols and received useful, immediate feedback without having to go to the range, expend precious ammo, or replace targets. I practiced off-hand shooting. I practiced shooting from a draw. Heck, I even practiced point-shooting. The LT-PRO allowed me to develop skills that I don't normally get to work on at the range; for that alone it's an invaluable tool.
Another area in which the LT-PRO will be very useful is in training new shooters. It allows the new shooter to go through every step of firing a handgun without the flinch-inducing [BANG] or the need for cumbersome hearing protection that makes the instructor's advice hard to hear. A quick dry-fire exercise, complete with target and laser dot, can be incorporated as part of the safety instruction which will free up more time actually on the range doing the actual shooting. This will have two immediate and dramatic benefits - not only will the new shooter be more confident when it comes time to pull the trigger on a live round, but there will be fewer round expended just getting them used to the gun.
As for cost, the MSRP on the LT-PRO is just shy of $100; real-world pricing comes up between $75-$85. Considering that just what I shot last night (100 rounds .45 ACP, 50 rounds 9mm, and 100 rounds .38 special) would have cost me almost that much in factory ammo, that's a steal. Throw in the obvious value as a training tool for new shooters, and it's a bargain at twice the price (just kidding guys, don't go raising the prices... *g*). It does what it's intended to do in a no-nonsense fashion - it just plain works.
The LaserLyte LT-PRO Pistol Laser Trainer gets an unabashed two thumbs up, way up.
That is all.
Obligatory FTC disclaimer: LaserLyte provided the LT-PRO Pistol Laser Trainer for review as well as numerous other items in their shipment to the writer of this review.
The LaserLyte LT-PRO Pistol Laser Trainer is such a product.
I had a chance to put an LT-PRO to the test last night, and I liked how it performed. The installation could not be simpler - thread the screw into the LT-PRO body, tighten until it fits the caliber you wish to shoot, then place in muzzle. Fire weapon, see laser dot on target. I hung an NRA B-3 on either end of the house and fired a variety of different handguns with the LT-PRO system - Glock G30, Colt 1991A1 compact, Smith & Wesson model 13, and SigSauer P226.
The revolver showed one of the minor weaknesses of the LT-PRO - since it is sound actuated, the sound of the cylinder rotating causes infrequent activation of the laser dot as the gun is brought into battery. It is also imperative to be certain that the LT-PRO unit is firmly inserted all the way into the barrel or the unit will not activate, which leads to some interesting manners of removal (I found that a clean cloth and the judicious - albeit very careful - application of a pair of pliers was sufficient).
The plusses far outweigh the minuses, though: I fired several hundred "rounds" last night in the comfort of my kitchen. I dry-fired four pistols and received useful, immediate feedback without having to go to the range, expend precious ammo, or replace targets. I practiced off-hand shooting. I practiced shooting from a draw. Heck, I even practiced point-shooting. The LT-PRO allowed me to develop skills that I don't normally get to work on at the range; for that alone it's an invaluable tool.
Another area in which the LT-PRO will be very useful is in training new shooters. It allows the new shooter to go through every step of firing a handgun without the flinch-inducing [BANG] or the need for cumbersome hearing protection that makes the instructor's advice hard to hear. A quick dry-fire exercise, complete with target and laser dot, can be incorporated as part of the safety instruction which will free up more time actually on the range doing the actual shooting. This will have two immediate and dramatic benefits - not only will the new shooter be more confident when it comes time to pull the trigger on a live round, but there will be fewer round expended just getting them used to the gun.
As for cost, the MSRP on the LT-PRO is just shy of $100; real-world pricing comes up between $75-$85. Considering that just what I shot last night (100 rounds .45 ACP, 50 rounds 9mm, and 100 rounds .38 special) would have cost me almost that much in factory ammo, that's a steal. Throw in the obvious value as a training tool for new shooters, and it's a bargain at twice the price (just kidding guys, don't go raising the prices... *g*). It does what it's intended to do in a no-nonsense fashion - it just plain works.
The LaserLyte LT-PRO Pistol Laser Trainer gets an unabashed two thumbs up, way up.
That is all.
Obligatory FTC disclaimer: LaserLyte provided the LT-PRO Pistol Laser Trainer for review as well as numerous other items in their shipment to the writer of this review.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Even More Massachusetts Miracles...
Corruption case against DiMasi detailed
Imagine that. In a state dominated by Democrats, corruption is rampant. Now, that's not to say that this wouldn't/couldn't happen in a state dominated by Republicans, but the difference in MA is that the corrupt Democrat will be replaced by another Democrat without any thought whatsoever. As long as the candidate has a "D" next to their name, they're a shoo-in. This is now the third MA Speaker in a row to be indicted; as it stands, the evidence is pretty damning but that doesn't necessarily equate conviction (let alone in MA where the rich/powerful/connected won't be prosecuted anyways; one need look no further than Finneran's radio show for proof of that...)
Wonder what special perks DiMasi will get for "punishment"?
That is all.
Federal prosecutors, in a series of recent court filings, have painted their most detailed portrait to date of the elaborate schemes they say former House speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi and three associates cooked up to profit from his speakership.
The allegations, which come six months after DiMasi and his associates were indicted on corruption charges, depict how DiMasi could have taken bribes from a software firm in return for helping the company win multimillion-dollar state contracts. Using phrases like “quid pro quo bribe,’’ and “concealed conflict of interest,’’ prosecutors call the case “a classic scheme’’ to defraud the public and enrich the defendants.
Imagine that. In a state dominated by Democrats, corruption is rampant. Now, that's not to say that this wouldn't/couldn't happen in a state dominated by Republicans, but the difference in MA is that the corrupt Democrat will be replaced by another Democrat without any thought whatsoever. As long as the candidate has a "D" next to their name, they're a shoo-in. This is now the third MA Speaker in a row to be indicted; as it stands, the evidence is pretty damning but that doesn't necessarily equate conviction (let alone in MA where the rich/powerful/connected won't be prosecuted anyways; one need look no further than Finneran's radio show for proof of that...)
Wonder what special perks DiMasi will get for "punishment"?
That is all.
Good Thoughts Please...
By the time this post is up, I'll be heading into the doctor's office to have a biopsy done on the lump in my mouth. Everything the doctor has said leads me to believe it's either a cyst or something benign (his exact words were "cancer doesn't look like that"), but if you could spare a few good thoughts, I'll be more than happy to take 'em.
Kids, no matter how cool you think it makes you, don't smoke - that's your handy MArooned Tip of the Day...
That is all.
Kids, no matter how cool you think it makes you, don't smoke - that's your handy MArooned Tip of the Day...
That is all.
Part of the Problem...
Terror suspect out of hospital, held at undisclosed location
(emphasis mine)
See, that part ought to read "is still listed in critical condition, and doctors are not sure if he will survive the night from the massive blood loss. Pieces of his rib cage are lost and presumed flushed out the airline plumbing system." Try to bomb a plane I happen to be on, I'm going to do my level best to reduce your stupid terrorist ass to individual blood molecules.
They need to be taking these attempted terrorists off the plane in baggies, not custody.
That is all.
(CNN) -- Investigators combed through Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's history Sunday in hopes of learning how the British-educated son of a Nigerian bank executive ended up carrying what authorities said was a bomb onto a Michigan-bound jetliner.
Abdulmutallab was released from a hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Sunday after being treated for burns, according to Gina Balaya, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Detroit, Michigan. The 23-year-old is charged with attempting to set off an explosive device aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from the Netherlands shortly before its landing in Detroit on Christmas Day, and was being held in an undisclosed location, Balaya told CNN.
(emphasis mine)
See, that part ought to read "is still listed in critical condition, and doctors are not sure if he will survive the night from the massive blood loss. Pieces of his rib cage are lost and presumed flushed out the airline plumbing system." Try to bomb a plane I happen to be on, I'm going to do my level best to reduce your stupid terrorist ass to individual blood molecules.
They need to be taking these attempted terrorists off the plane in baggies, not custody.
That is all.
One Last Gunnie Present...
Last week, in the middle of the Christmas madness, I came home to find an unexpected box on my front porch. Owing to the season, I didn't think much of it and grabbed it and brought it in. Thinking it might be a last minute present for someone, I checked who it was for, and was surprised to see LaserMax as the return address. They had sent a couple new items for me to check out:
Merry Gunnie Xmas
(Sorry about the poor picture quality. Our good camera was inadvertantly left at my in-laws over the weekend, and I borrowed TheBoy's new digital camera, which as you can imagine has lower resolution...)
There's a Uni-Green rail-mounted sight and a CGL foregrip laser, which is hot-off-the-presses addition laser sight and light for carbines. Add to that a 2010 desk calendar with a personal note (thanks guys!) and one of the most appreciated gifts of all at this time of year - more batteries. Now I need to get a decent forend for my Bushmaster so I can attach this grip and try it out!
Looks like I need to make a decision on which forend rail farm to pick up, eh?
That is all.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
ugh...
Christmas with my family? Check.
Day after Christmas with the in-laws? Check.
Holiday party for Mrs. G.'s work? Pending.
Northeast Blogger Dinner in T-minus six days? Oh yeah...
That is all.
Day after Christmas with the in-laws? Check.
Holiday party for Mrs. G.'s work? Pending.
Northeast Blogger Dinner in T-minus six days? Oh yeah...
That is all.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
You Might Be A Gun Nut If...
...you get presents like this for Christmas:
Acceptable Variant: Using Two Hands
...from your MOM.
That is all.
Holy Crap...
Digging out... House looks like a Toys R Us exploded inside it. Have Xmas with the inlaws this afternoon, and Mrs. G.'s work Holiday Party here tomorrow afternoon. "Busy" doesn't even begin to cover it.
I'm going to need a vacation to recover from my vacation...
That is all.
I'm going to need a vacation to recover from my vacation...
That is all.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas!
This is all there is for today, folks. Enjoy today with your families and friends. The internet will be here tomorrow...
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7).Merry Christmas to one and all today from the G. household to yours. Remember the true reason for the season as we drink eggnog, open presents, and try to avoid committing acts of mayhem and mischief upon our familial units.
The G. Tree
Here's hoping Santa leaves lots of Cabela's gift cards, primers, holsters, and other assorted gunnie goodness under your tree!
That is all.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Global Warming Protest
Heh. Sent to me by a bunch of folks, here's a picture of a recent protest held against Global warming:
HELL NO WE WANT SNOW
Won't someone think of the snowmen (and women)?
That is all.
Just Realized Something...
As of tomorrow, Ted Kennedy will have been sober for three months.
I'm going to hell for that bit, BTW...
That is all.
Tip 'o' the keyboard to reader Tanner for sending me a reminder in e-mail...
I'm going to hell for that bit, BTW...
That is all.
Tip 'o' the keyboard to reader Tanner for sending me a reminder in e-mail...
New Blogs! New Blogs!
Whoa. Found a bunch of new blogs to add to the blogroll today (once again, continuing the "move the Friday stuff to Thursday because of Christmas" theme).
Please welcome the following new blogs:
1. The Evil Monster Duck. I think this is someone I know from the local gun boards; in any case I love the name and the proprietor, Rogue, is a local. Think it might even be a fellow MAhole.
2. Coordinated Illumination. Starts off with one of my favorite quotes from Ronald Reagan in the header; explains the name in the first linked post; and goes by "sofa".
3. Wood, steel, and a single action .45. Mudruck is one of the Gunblogger Conspiracy regulars that I just found out had a blog. I'm trying to link all my GBC homies, so if you're one of the regulars and not on the 'roll, shoot me a note.
4. Just Another Missouri Rebel. JRebel is another GBC regular who has taken up thepen keyboard.
And once again, I'll reiterate my blogroll policy. I run a more-or-less reciprocal blogroll here at MArooned (I do have standards, believe it or not). If you've got me linked at your blog, drop me a line and let me know.
Now go read these new folks!
That is all.
Please welcome the following new blogs:
1. The Evil Monster Duck. I think this is someone I know from the local gun boards; in any case I love the name and the proprietor, Rogue, is a local. Think it might even be a fellow MAhole.
2. Coordinated Illumination. Starts off with one of my favorite quotes from Ronald Reagan in the header; explains the name in the first linked post; and goes by "sofa".
3. Wood, steel, and a single action .45. Mudruck is one of the Gunblogger Conspiracy regulars that I just found out had a blog. I'm trying to link all my GBC homies, so if you're one of the regulars and not on the 'roll, shoot me a note.
4. Just Another Missouri Rebel. JRebel is another GBC regular who has taken up the
And once again, I'll reiterate my blogroll policy. I run a more-or-less reciprocal blogroll here at MArooned (I do have standards, believe it or not). If you've got me linked at your blog, drop me a line and let me know.
Now go read these new folks!
That is all.
Fait Accompli
Senate approves health care reform bill
Yeah, because we wouldn't want to actually discuss the largest expansion of government power since the 1960s "War" on Poverty (how's that working out again?). I mean, heaven forfend we sit down and read the bill and discuss its merits - or lack thereof. Even the bullet points reveal a litany of shiny happy unicorn thoughts - "subsidize insurance for a family of four making up to roughly $88,000 annually, or 400 percent of the federal poverty level." - yet nowhere in the article is a link to the actual bill.
I'll reiterate: This will be the federal version of the Big Dig. It will cost at least ten times what they're projecting; it will be implemented using the highest amount of graft, nepotism, and incompetence possible; and in the end it won't do a damned thing to actually reform health care - but will expand the government's intrusive role in our lives quite a bit. Just stop for a second and think about how many areas of our lives the government can try to control under the guise of improving our health.
And good luck sleeping tonight.
That is all.
Washington (CNN) -- The Senate has passed an $871 billion health care reform bill.
Senators voted 60-39 shortly after 7 a.m. to pass the bill, the centerpiece of President Obama's domestic agenda. Every member of the Democratic caucus backed the measure; every Republican opposed it.
The bill now moves to a conference committee to reconcile differences with the version passed by the House of Representatives.
The Senate health care bill cleared a third and final procedural hurdle Wednesday as Democrats successfully limited remaining debate time on the $871 billion measure.
Yeah, because we wouldn't want to actually discuss the largest expansion of government power since the 1960s "War" on Poverty (how's that working out again?). I mean, heaven forfend we sit down and read the bill and discuss its merits - or lack thereof. Even the bullet points reveal a litany of shiny happy unicorn thoughts - "subsidize insurance for a family of four making up to roughly $88,000 annually, or 400 percent of the federal poverty level." - yet nowhere in the article is a link to the actual bill.
I'll reiterate: This will be the federal version of the Big Dig. It will cost at least ten times what they're projecting; it will be implemented using the highest amount of graft, nepotism, and incompetence possible; and in the end it won't do a damned thing to actually reform health care - but will expand the government's intrusive role in our lives quite a bit. Just stop for a second and think about how many areas of our lives the government can try to control under the guise of improving our health.
And good luck sleeping tonight.
That is all.
(Almost) Friday Fun Thread: Big Block Bruisers
Once again, I'm bumping up the Friday Fun thread top ten list to today because of Christmas tomorrow. I was all set to wrap up my Top Ten from the Big Three with my personal favorite, when my blogson sent me this story:
Plant bids farewell to big block
I think that's a fabulous idea. So here goes. Here's the Top Ten GM cars powered by the L18 big block V8:
1. 1970 Pontiac GTO. 455HO. 360 claimed horsepower, 10 less than the Ram IV small block 400. However, the 455 ran much smoother and provided power in a wider range of RPMs than the tempermental 400.
2. 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle 454SS LS6. When GM lifted their ban on large displacement engines in mid-sized cars, they wasted no time in stuffing 454 cubic inches of big block goodness into the Chevelle SS. The LS6 option was rated at 450 horsepower and could propel the Chevelle from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds.
3. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette. 427 cubic inch motor putting out an "official" 430 horsepower, the 427 was much closer to 500 or more actual horsepower. This optio was significantly less abundant than the 454 big block which would go into later Stingrays.
4. 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS. 427 cubic inches of V8 goodness offering up 425 ponies. What's not to love about that? The Super Sport option on the Impala was available in any engine from the inline 6 cylinder 235 ci through the Turbo-Jet 427, meaning that when you pulled up next to one at the stoplight, just about anything was possible...
5. 1969 Hurst/Olds. Oldsmobile was able to get around GM's edict that no car smaller than the Corvette could have a big block engine by claiming that the motors were Hursts. That's how they were able to get a 455 cubic inch plant in a mid-sized car when everyone else was running hot 400s.
6. 1976 Pontiac Trans Am. The '76 T/A was the last to feature the 455 ci big block, but by that time the motors were rapidly having the life choked out of them by emissions and such that the more commonly known 400 (the 6.6L emblazoned on the hood in the middle of the phoenix) was just about faster.
7. 1970 Buick Gran Sport. Might as well throw the GS on the list, as it also had a 455 ci motor under the hood. The GS completes the GM quadruplets (442/Chevelle/GTO), the mid-sized, insanely overpowered muscle cars competing against the Torinos and Chargers.
8. 1971 Cadillac El Dorado. The biggest of the big blocks, the El Dorado had a 500 cubic inch monster under the hood. The 500 made only 400 ponies, but was rated for up to 500 hp... Mated to a front-wheel drive car that was several blocks long, it made for interesting performance specs to say the least.
9. 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado. The '66 and '67 Toronados had to make do with a mere 425 cubic inch engine; it wasn't until the redesign in 1968 that the 455 motor was available. Either offering made more than enough power for the personal luxury land yacht.
10. 1968 Pontiac Bonneville. The '68 Bonnie had a 390 horsepower 428 ci motor available as an option, however the triple Rochester carbs were no longer available. Interestingly enough, the 428 put out more power than the larger 455 ci motor.
How did that expression go? Passes everything but a gas station? That pretty much sums up this list. These were cars built for a different time period; days when gas was pennies for a gallon, roads were wide open and not clogged tight with road warriors; when adventure was to be had on the open road, and the journey itself was as much fun as the destination.
One thing's for certain - no one's going to write a song about the Prius...
That is all.
Plant bids farewell to big block
Amid whistles and applause from onlookers, Willie Ray Jr. hoisted the final L18 made at General Motors’ Town of Tonawanda engine plant off the production line and onto a metal cart.Borepatch had a great idea:
The moment was filled with meaning for the plant’s past, present and possibly its future.
It was the last of the “big block” V-8 engines made by the plant, a legacy dating to
1958 and a local connection under the hood of some renowned GM cars.
Maybe a Friday Fun thread of cars that used this engine?
I think that's a fabulous idea. So here goes. Here's the Top Ten GM cars powered by the L18 big block V8:
1. 1970 Pontiac GTO. 455HO. 360 claimed horsepower, 10 less than the Ram IV small block 400. However, the 455 ran much smoother and provided power in a wider range of RPMs than the tempermental 400.
2. 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle 454SS LS6. When GM lifted their ban on large displacement engines in mid-sized cars, they wasted no time in stuffing 454 cubic inches of big block goodness into the Chevelle SS. The LS6 option was rated at 450 horsepower and could propel the Chevelle from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds.
3. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette. 427 cubic inch motor putting out an "official" 430 horsepower, the 427 was much closer to 500 or more actual horsepower. This optio was significantly less abundant than the 454 big block which would go into later Stingrays.
4. 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS. 427 cubic inches of V8 goodness offering up 425 ponies. What's not to love about that? The Super Sport option on the Impala was available in any engine from the inline 6 cylinder 235 ci through the Turbo-Jet 427, meaning that when you pulled up next to one at the stoplight, just about anything was possible...
5. 1969 Hurst/Olds. Oldsmobile was able to get around GM's edict that no car smaller than the Corvette could have a big block engine by claiming that the motors were Hursts. That's how they were able to get a 455 cubic inch plant in a mid-sized car when everyone else was running hot 400s.
6. 1976 Pontiac Trans Am. The '76 T/A was the last to feature the 455 ci big block, but by that time the motors were rapidly having the life choked out of them by emissions and such that the more commonly known 400 (the 6.6L emblazoned on the hood in the middle of the phoenix) was just about faster.
7. 1970 Buick Gran Sport. Might as well throw the GS on the list, as it also had a 455 ci motor under the hood. The GS completes the GM quadruplets (442/Chevelle/GTO), the mid-sized, insanely overpowered muscle cars competing against the Torinos and Chargers.
8. 1971 Cadillac El Dorado. The biggest of the big blocks, the El Dorado had a 500 cubic inch monster under the hood. The 500 made only 400 ponies, but was rated for up to 500 hp... Mated to a front-wheel drive car that was several blocks long, it made for interesting performance specs to say the least.
9. 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado. The '66 and '67 Toronados had to make do with a mere 425 cubic inch engine; it wasn't until the redesign in 1968 that the 455 motor was available. Either offering made more than enough power for the personal luxury land yacht.
10. 1968 Pontiac Bonneville. The '68 Bonnie had a 390 horsepower 428 ci motor available as an option, however the triple Rochester carbs were no longer available. Interestingly enough, the 428 put out more power than the larger 455 ci motor.
How did that expression go? Passes everything but a gas station? That pretty much sums up this list. These were cars built for a different time period; days when gas was pennies for a gallon, roads were wide open and not clogged tight with road warriors; when adventure was to be had on the open road, and the journey itself was as much fun as the destination.
One thing's for certain - no one's going to write a song about the Prius...
That is all.
(Almost) Friday Gun Pr0n #143
Since Friday happens to be Christmas Day, and I don't plan on being anywhere near my computer, I figured I'd post my Friday Gun Pr0n a day early. I was racking my brain trying to think of a suitable picture; I wanted something that tied in with the holiday, and was coming up blank for a gun that I could relate to Christmas. I thought about posting a picture of a firearm I'd like to get for Christmas, when out of the blue I thought of the perfect thing:
Red Ryder .177 Caliber Carbine
Yes, that is an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle you see under our Christmas tree (although to be truthful I bought it for TheBoy a while back). I couldn't think of a more fitting gun to have under the tree for the Friday gun picture for Christmas (Eve) Day.
Just don't shoot your eye out, kid.
That is all.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
And Yes, Even More Vicious Circle!
In what has got to be the longest VC so far, alan, TD, Breda, aepilotjim, Stingray & LabRat and I discuss the health care "reform" debacle, various and sundry websites not safe for human consumption, the crass utilization of "sex sells" in the 2A marketing pieces, and numerous other subjects over the course of a rollicking three+ hours. It's Vicious Circle #32, the "Ass Gap" episode.
Sorry kids, but no J-j-j-j-j-j-j-jay Headroom this time.
That is all.
Sorry kids, but no J-j-j-j-j-j-j-jay Headroom this time.
That is all.
Terrible Threes...
Holy smokes. The inimitable Ambulance Driver celebrates his third blogiversary today. Three years. That's an awfully long time to be providing high quality free ice cream like AD does. Go mosey on over and leave congrats for doin' what he does...
Even if he did saddle me with the appellation of "minute-of-berm"... ;)
That is all.
Even if he did saddle me with the appellation of "minute-of-berm"... ;)
That is all.
Veddy Interestink...
Top 10 Bad Things That Are Good For You
Just call me Lazarus Long...
That is all.
Link found courtesy of SayUncle.
10. Beer
9. Anger
8. Coffee
Just call me Lazarus Long...
That is all.
Link found courtesy of SayUncle.
Only In Massachusetts
Sen. Anthony Galluccio headed back to court
This mook has been given chance after chance after chance. He's been given rides home from bars by the Cambridge PD (now THAT is acting stupidly); he's been given probation when the rest of us would have been looking at serious jail time for OUI and leaving the scene of an accident; he's been handed break after break owing to, let's be realistic, his elite status of representative. The fact that he's been prosecuted at all is testimony to how deep his problem runs - it got so out of hand it could no longer be swept under the rug.
Then again, maybe they're just waiting for him to kill someone while driving drunk so he can run for the Senate...
That is all.
UPDATE: I should have known Bruce would be all over this, too...
Disgraced state Sen. Anthony D. Galluccio is facing another brush with jail time today after he failed several Breathalyzer tests while under house arrest, blaming the high readings on his toothpaste.What's this guy brushing his teeth with, Teddy's leftover Chivas?
The Cambridge Democrat is being hauled back into court to determine if he should be locked up to serve out his one-year sentence after pleading guilty last week to a hit-and-run crash.
This mook has been given chance after chance after chance. He's been given rides home from bars by the Cambridge PD (now THAT is acting stupidly); he's been given probation when the rest of us would have been looking at serious jail time for OUI and leaving the scene of an accident; he's been handed break after break owing to, let's be realistic, his elite status of representative. The fact that he's been prosecuted at all is testimony to how deep his problem runs - it got so out of hand it could no longer be swept under the rug.
Then again, maybe they're just waiting for him to kill someone while driving drunk so he can run for the Senate...
That is all.
UPDATE: I should have known Bruce would be all over this, too...
YA THINK?
Patrick expects ‘fear mongering’ by foes
Besides, do we really want another four years of this???
Firing an early salvo in the 2010 gubernatorial race, Governor Deval L. Patrick predicted yesterday that his opponents in next year’s election would use “fear mongering’’ and seek to prey on voters’ apprehension about their economic security.Got that? Pointing out your opponent's abysmal record of jacking up fees and taxes; hiring cronies and other state hacks at an alarming rate while the rest of the state faces record unemployment; and generally being completely and utterly clueless as to how to govern a state can't possibly be the reason. It's got to be fear mongering. I guess it's a step in the right direction that he didn't automatically cry racism, but I suspect that will wait until the race really heats up.
Speaking with reporters at a year-end press briefing, Patrick said that with state and national economic conditions the way they are, his challengers will try to exploit the public’s concerns in trying to persuade voters not to reelect him.
Besides, do we really want another four years of this???
Cadillac Deval
Something tells me that the fear is justified, Governor.
That is all.
Starting Over...
I forget exactly how it came up, but the question was raised recently about building an armory from scratch. It may have been a returning shooter; it may have been a new shooter; it may have been the proverbial friend-of-a-friend. Anyhoo, it got me to thinking: How would I rebuild my armory should the need arise? (Assume a natural disaster or something of that nature). The exercise is conducted thusly - as opposed to a new shooter - to presume that the armory-builder in question is an experienced gunnie and knows their way around firearms.
That said, here's how I would rebuild my armory. I'll start with the first firearm I would acquire and add on to the list; assume I'm simply adding as I go along. In the interest of having a list that's little more than "Buy one of each of everything made by S&W, Ruger, Colt, Kimber, Springfield Armory, etc.", we'll limit this exercise to the first ten firearms I would purchase.
In that vein, here's the Top Ten:
1. 4" barreled .357 Magnum revolver. S&W model 686 or Ruger GP100.
2. 12 gauge pump-action shotgun. Mossberg 590 or Remington 870.
3. Semi-automatic rimfire rifle. Ruger 10/22 or Marlin model 60.
4. Concealable handgun. S&W J-frame or Kel-Tec P3AT.
5. Semi-automatic centerfire rifle. AR-15 or AK-47 clone.
6. Rimfire revolver. S&W model 617 or Ruger Single Six.
7. Semi-automatic centerfire handgun. Glock 17/19 or Sig P226.
8. Bolt-action centerfire rifle. Remington 700.
9. Semi-automatic rimfire handgun. Ruger Mark III or Browning Buckmark.
10. Semi-automatic battle rifle. M1 Garand or M1A.
What's on your Top Ten list of "must have" firearms?
That is all.
That said, here's how I would rebuild my armory. I'll start with the first firearm I would acquire and add on to the list; assume I'm simply adding as I go along. In the interest of having a list that's little more than "Buy one of each of everything made by S&W, Ruger, Colt, Kimber, Springfield Armory, etc.", we'll limit this exercise to the first ten firearms I would purchase.
In that vein, here's the Top Ten:
1. 4" barreled .357 Magnum revolver. S&W model 686 or Ruger GP100.
2. 12 gauge pump-action shotgun. Mossberg 590 or Remington 870.
3. Semi-automatic rimfire rifle. Ruger 10/22 or Marlin model 60.
4. Concealable handgun. S&W J-frame or Kel-Tec P3AT.
5. Semi-automatic centerfire rifle. AR-15 or AK-47 clone.
6. Rimfire revolver. S&W model 617 or Ruger Single Six.
7. Semi-automatic centerfire handgun. Glock 17/19 or Sig P226.
8. Bolt-action centerfire rifle. Remington 700.
9. Semi-automatic rimfire handgun. Ruger Mark III or Browning Buckmark.
10. Semi-automatic battle rifle. M1 Garand or M1A.
What's on your Top Ten list of "must have" firearms?
That is all.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Merry Christmas, Part III
ASM826 shares a special Christmas memory. Go, read.
It's really interesting how closely his Christmas experience mirrors my own. Right down to the Tonka dumptruck (mine was a few years later, but not too many). The only difference was that we had a fake tree, owing to my parents' tradition of lighting the real tree on fire on New Year's Day. The year I was born, my dad lost all the hair on his arms and face because the INSTANT he touched the match to the tree, the whole tree went up at once. With a baby in the house and two smokers, they decided that plastic was the way to go.
We spent many years trying to color-match those stupid branches...
That is all.
It's really interesting how closely his Christmas experience mirrors my own. Right down to the Tonka dumptruck (mine was a few years later, but not too many). The only difference was that we had a fake tree, owing to my parents' tradition of lighting the real tree on fire on New Year's Day. The year I was born, my dad lost all the hair on his arms and face because the INSTANT he touched the match to the tree, the whole tree went up at once. With a baby in the house and two smokers, they decided that plastic was the way to go.
We spent many years trying to color-match those stupid branches...
That is all.
Merry Christmas, Part II
It just wouldn't be Christmas in the G. house without certain things. Like this:
Fragile? Must be Italian!
It's a major award!
That is all.
WTF Washington?
Two deputies shot in same county where four cops were killed
Man, y'all have a serious problem with authority in the Evergreen state, don'tcha? I mean, it would be expected from anti-authoritarian states like Montana or Wyoming or even Alaska, states where rugged individualists hole themselves up in their cabins and take potshots at revenoors, right? Not in an urbane state with hipster centers like Seattle, the birthplace of alternative rock music, right?
See, that's the trouble with trying to pigeonhole locales based on stereotypes and urban legends. Places like Texas, where the myth is that everyone walks around with a six-shooter on their hip just looking for an excuse to shoot someone, you've got guys like Travis Neel coming to the aid of a sheriff's deputy pinned down in an ambush from violent gang members. And in bohemian Washington, where Twilight was filmed and Nirvana got their start, we have stories like the above.
We're Americans, dammit; we don't fit into neat little boxes (says the right wing gun nut living in MA...)
One last thing, though; the story has a happy ending:
Too bad they didn't kill the SOB who lured them into the house, too...
That is all.
(CNN) -- Two sheriff's deputies were shot and critically injured Monday night in the same Washington state county where four officers were killed last month, authorities said.
Two Pierce County sheriff's deputies were shot while responding to a domestic violence incident at home near the town of Eatonville, south of Seattle, said Hunter George, a spokesman for the county.
Man, y'all have a serious problem with authority in the Evergreen state, don'tcha? I mean, it would be expected from anti-authoritarian states like Montana or Wyoming or even Alaska, states where rugged individualists hole themselves up in their cabins and take potshots at revenoors, right? Not in an urbane state with hipster centers like Seattle, the birthplace of alternative rock music, right?
See, that's the trouble with trying to pigeonhole locales based on stereotypes and urban legends. Places like Texas, where the myth is that everyone walks around with a six-shooter on their hip just looking for an excuse to shoot someone, you've got guys like Travis Neel coming to the aid of a sheriff's deputy pinned down in an ambush from violent gang members. And in bohemian Washington, where Twilight was filmed and Nirvana got their start, we have stories like the above.
We're Americans, dammit; we don't fit into neat little boxes (says the right wing gun nut living in MA...)
One last thing, though; the story has a happy ending:
The deputies returned fire, killing the alleged shooter, Troyer said.
Too bad they didn't kill the SOB who lured them into the house, too...
That is all.
Second Annual Northeast Blogger Dinner Update #3
January 2nd, 2010 is next Saturday, so I wanted to post one more update before Christmas made us forget our own names... Previous updates are here and here, and original post here. I think we have all the particulars nailed down, but here's what we have so far:
What? Northeast Blogger Winter Gathering.
Who? Any and all bloggers, commenters, readers, lurkers, etc. in the Northeast area, or those passing through, or anyone crazy enough to show up.
When? January 2nd, 2010. Figure we get together around 6 and leave when they kick us out...
Where? Jillian's Billiards in Manchester, NH.
UPDATE: I just talked to the Events Manager at Jillian's. We are "penciled in" for Saturday, January 2nd at 6PM; they will reserve an area for a group of ~ 20-25 people and a couple of billiard tables for us. She recommended that we pre-order appetizers before the 2nd so that they can have things ready; we should take a look at the menu and get an order ready.
Why? Folks getting together to enjoy good food, great beer, and superlative company. Bring your appetite, a whistle for wetting, and your best stories to tell.
Attendees:
Borepatch & Mrs. Borepatch
Mopar & Mrs. Mopar
JD & Mrs. JD
Scotaku
sci-fi
MedicMatthew
Wally
TOTWTYTR
libertyman
The Big Guy
Marko
Bruce
weer'd beard
Andrew
zeeke42
doubletrouble & Mrs. doubletrouble
Possible Attendees:
Lissa
Ross
dragon
17 21 definites (including your humble host) and three maybes. We're just under a couple dozen folks,that should be easily doable for a location like Jillians. I'll call later today to make sure we don't need to do anything extra for a large group (like pay extra) and post an update if needed. UPDATE: SEE ABOVE
And lastly, as mentioned previously, Manchester Firing Line is available nearby if folks would like to meet at a range for some shootie goodness before the event. For those who are interesting, they do rent full-auto weaponry. If anyone's interested, I'll appoint my blogson Borepatch as the honorary rep for MFL, seeing as he's pretty familiar with the location...
I don't know about the rest of y'all, but after Christmas with a couple rowdy kids I could use an adult night out!
That is all.
What? Northeast Blogger Winter Gathering.
Who? Any and all bloggers, commenters, readers, lurkers, etc. in the Northeast area, or those passing through, or anyone crazy enough to show up.
When? January 2nd, 2010. Figure we get together around 6 and leave when they kick us out...
Where? Jillian's Billiards in Manchester, NH.
UPDATE: I just talked to the Events Manager at Jillian's. We are "penciled in" for Saturday, January 2nd at 6PM; they will reserve an area for a group of ~ 20-25 people and a couple of billiard tables for us. She recommended that we pre-order appetizers before the 2nd so that they can have things ready; we should take a look at the menu and get an order ready.
Why? Folks getting together to enjoy good food, great beer, and superlative company. Bring your appetite, a whistle for wetting, and your best stories to tell.
Attendees:
Borepatch & Mrs. Borepatch
Mopar & Mrs. Mopar
JD & Mrs. JD
Scotaku
sci-fi
MedicMatthew
Wally
TOTWTYTR
libertyman
The Big Guy
Marko
Bruce
weer'd beard
Andrew
zeeke42
doubletrouble & Mrs. doubletrouble
Possible Attendees:
Lissa
Ross
dragon
And lastly, as mentioned previously, Manchester Firing Line is available nearby if folks would like to meet at a range for some shootie goodness before the event. For those who are interesting, they do rent full-auto weaponry. If anyone's interested, I'll appoint my blogson Borepatch as the honorary rep for MFL, seeing as he's pretty familiar with the location...
I don't know about the rest of y'all, but after Christmas with a couple rowdy kids I could use an adult night out!
That is all.
Merry Christmas!
Thought I'd share the G. family Christmas letter with y'all.
February saw TheBoy turn eight (eight!!!) and win another trophy in the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. This year, he took third place, meaning he stayed home while Jay had all the “fun” working regionals. In March we continued Scouting firsts, as Jay officially took over as Cubmaster for the pack. April started with the Daddy/Daughter dance for Girl Scouts that saw BabyGirl G. and Jay dressed in their finest. Jay and Mrs. G. turned over another year on their calendars, and both kids participated in baseball – BabyGirl G. in T-Ball, TheBoy in AA baseball.
May saw the G. family scrambling for the most exciting thing this year - our trip to Disney World! In June TheBoy and BabyGirl G. took their first airplane ride (TheBoy likes Jet Blue because they have TVs in every seat) on our family’s first trip to Disney World. We stayed at the Pop Century resort and visited all four Disney parks – Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Studios. TheBoy’s favorite ride was the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster; Baby Girl G. preferred Epcot’s “Soaring”; Mrs. G. was partial to Toy Story Mania; and Jay liked Thunder Mountain (apparently the love of roller coasters is passed along on the Y chromosome…).
We celebrated the Fourth of July at Salisbury Beach. Watching the fireworks over the beach while covered in a blanket just seemed wrong somehow, but that’s Global Warming for you. We took our annual trip to Scusset Beach on the Cape in August, and took the ferry over to Martha’s Vineyard just days before President Obama vacationed there. September saw the kids starting school, with Baby Girl G. entering first grade and TheBoy in third grade. The new school year brought new teachers, new classmates, and new challenges for the kids.
October, of course, saw Halloween but with a twist – TheBoy contracted the dreaded H1N1 virus commonly known as “Swine Flu”. He only missed two days of school, but so many other kids in the school caught the virus that we made the local news. There were days where more than half the students were absent! (BabyGirl G. would like to point out that she didn’t miss a single day…) November saw our family celebrate Thanksgiving, with BabyGirl G. making the dinner centerpiece and TheBoy reading a list of things that he was thankful for, including Mommy driving him places and Daddy playing Wii with him. And now it’s less than two weeks before Christmas, and the kids are frantically awaiting a certain someone’s visit.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the G. Family!
I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a Joyous Festivus!
That is all.
G. Family Christmas Letter 2009
It is time again for the G. Christmas letter! We’ve had a busy year (yet again) and it’s time for our annual re-cap of the year. 2009 started with another first for our family – TheBoy stayed up to ring in the New Year. Our little baby boy is now old enough to make it to midnight, complete with a sparkling juice toast after the ball dropped. And yes, he went immediately to bed after. Also in January, BabyGirl G. joined Daisy Troops, the first step in becoming a Girl Scout.
February saw TheBoy turn eight (eight!!!) and win another trophy in the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. This year, he took third place, meaning he stayed home while Jay had all the “fun” working regionals. In March we continued Scouting firsts, as Jay officially took over as Cubmaster for the pack. April started with the Daddy/Daughter dance for Girl Scouts that saw BabyGirl G. and Jay dressed in their finest. Jay and Mrs. G. turned over another year on their calendars, and both kids participated in baseball – BabyGirl G. in T-Ball, TheBoy in AA baseball.
May saw the G. family scrambling for the most exciting thing this year - our trip to Disney World! In June TheBoy and BabyGirl G. took their first airplane ride (TheBoy likes Jet Blue because they have TVs in every seat) on our family’s first trip to Disney World. We stayed at the Pop Century resort and visited all four Disney parks – Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Studios. TheBoy’s favorite ride was the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster; Baby Girl G. preferred Epcot’s “Soaring”; Mrs. G. was partial to Toy Story Mania; and Jay liked Thunder Mountain (apparently the love of roller coasters is passed along on the Y chromosome…).
We celebrated the Fourth of July at Salisbury Beach. Watching the fireworks over the beach while covered in a blanket just seemed wrong somehow, but that’s Global Warming for you. We took our annual trip to Scusset Beach on the Cape in August, and took the ferry over to Martha’s Vineyard just days before President Obama vacationed there. September saw the kids starting school, with Baby Girl G. entering first grade and TheBoy in third grade. The new school year brought new teachers, new classmates, and new challenges for the kids.
October, of course, saw Halloween but with a twist – TheBoy contracted the dreaded H1N1 virus commonly known as “Swine Flu”. He only missed two days of school, but so many other kids in the school caught the virus that we made the local news. There were days where more than half the students were absent! (BabyGirl G. would like to point out that she didn’t miss a single day…) November saw our family celebrate Thanksgiving, with BabyGirl G. making the dinner centerpiece and TheBoy reading a list of things that he was thankful for, including Mommy driving him places and Daddy playing Wii with him. And now it’s less than two weeks before Christmas, and the kids are frantically awaiting a certain someone’s visit.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the G. Family!
I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a Joyous Festivus!
That is all.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Smell That?
I Don't Want to Be Mean, But...
If your claim to fame is starring in "Clueless" and "8-Mile", perhaps your untimely passing, sad though it may be, is not exactly front page, top-of-the-fold news. Don't get me wrong; it's tragic when someone so young passes away. It's just not as newsworthy as they're pushing it.
Why, it's almost like they're trying to hide something - like the 1AM passing of the largest government takeover of private industry in two generations!
That is all.
Why, it's almost like they're trying to hide something - like the 1AM passing of the largest government takeover of private industry in two generations!
That is all.
Welcome to the 'Hood...
Screwin' around with Google maps, I took a picture of my house:
The G. Crib
(We're the house in the center)
Kinda neat, but kinda creepy, too...
That is all.
0bamacare Cost, Part I
So they've got it rammed through. It was a nice health care system while it lasted...
Senate health care bill clears key hurdle
Remember this in 2010 and 2012. Vote them all out, every last one. If they voted for this monstrosity, they deserve to be shown the door post haste. But that's not the purpose of this post. The purpose of this post is to begin a running tally of the increase in the total cost of this bill. Right now they're claiming $871 billion over ten years. Let's highlight that:
Let's see how that number changes as they actually implement this program. The Big Dig, a localized transportation improvement project in a major US city ballooned from $2 billion to over $22 billion, not counting legal bills for shoddy workmanship. That was a single project in one city. This is the entire health care system of a major world power. $871 billion to provide health insurance coverage to "30 million" more people. Let's see how those numbers change as real life intrudes on their socialist wet dream.
Oh, and ignore that ratcheting sound you hear - I'm certain it has nothing to do with our march towards socialism.
That is all.
Senate health care bill clears key hurdle
Washington (CNN) -- Democrats won a major victory in their push for health care reform early Monday morning as the Senate voted to end debate on a package of controversial revisions to a sweeping $871 billion bill.
The 60-40 party-line vote, cast shortly after 1 a.m., kept Senate Democrats on track to pass the bill on Christmas Eve. If it passes, the measure will then have to be merged with a roughly $1 trillion plan passed by the House of Representatives in November. Shortly after the vote, the Senate went into recess until noon Monday.
Remember this in 2010 and 2012. Vote them all out, every last one. If they voted for this monstrosity, they deserve to be shown the door post haste. But that's not the purpose of this post. The purpose of this post is to begin a running tally of the increase in the total cost of this bill. Right now they're claiming $871 billion over ten years. Let's highlight that:
$871,000,000,000 over 10 years
Let's see how that number changes as they actually implement this program. The Big Dig, a localized transportation improvement project in a major US city ballooned from $2 billion to over $22 billion, not counting legal bills for shoddy workmanship. That was a single project in one city. This is the entire health care system of a major world power. $871 billion to provide health insurance coverage to "30 million" more people. Let's see how those numbers change as real life intrudes on their socialist wet dream.
Oh, and ignore that ratcheting sound you hear - I'm certain it has nothing to do with our march towards socialism.
That is all.
Scofflaw...
I probably shouldn't post this, but I had to share.
I just bought a new gun. It's got a collapsible stock, accepts magazines, and a conspicuous pistol grip. It comes with a brand new 35 round drum magazine, too. Being in violation of the Assault Weapons Ban isn't the worst part of it, though. The worst part is that I'm going to give it to my son, who is too young to receive a firearm and will most likely use it to shoot his sister.
Of course, it's a Nerf™ gun:
I just bought a new gun. It's got a collapsible stock, accepts magazines, and a conspicuous pistol grip. It comes with a brand new 35 round drum magazine, too. Being in violation of the Assault Weapons Ban isn't the worst part of it, though. The worst part is that I'm going to give it to my son, who is too young to receive a firearm and will most likely use it to shoot his sister.
Of course, it's a Nerf™ gun:
(Not So) Heavy Weaponry
And I wasn't kidding - it really does come with a 35-round magazine:
Drum Mag!
Heh. I was on my way to buy the belt-fed Nerf™ gun that Breda mentioned in this post (complete with mini-Caleb) when this one caught my eye. It's a little more portable than the belt-fed gun, so it will come in handy at Parents' Night Out at the dojo (they often have "Nerf Wars" where the kids take on the senseis).
But fear not! TheBoy's birthday is only 6 weeks away and he will be getting the EBF-25...
That is all.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Bushmaster Shopping List...
Because I know I'll forget it if I don't get it written down, here's the shopping list for the Bushmaster now that it's back together...
Railed handguard (Is Tapco decent? I didn't want to spend a fortune, and I've had good luck with Tapco products in the past)
Pistol grip (gotta match the dark earth theme)
Buffer retainer spring (DPMS or Olympic are MidwayUSA's only offerings, any difference?) X2
Buffer retainer (same caveat as spring, DPMS/Oly)
Takedown spring X2
Forend grip (wide open for suggestions here; this is one of those places where you can spend a small fortune on any number of forend grips...)
Buffer extension tube (for ACE Skeleton stock)
Armorer's wrench
Screwdriver set (any suggestions? Figured it was time to get a dedicated set of screwdrivers/drivers)
Any other small parts I should think about picking up?
That is all.
Railed handguard (Is Tapco decent? I didn't want to spend a fortune, and I've had good luck with Tapco products in the past)
Pistol grip (gotta match the dark earth theme)
Buffer retainer spring (DPMS or Olympic are MidwayUSA's only offerings, any difference?) X2
Buffer retainer (same caveat as spring, DPMS/Oly)
Takedown spring X2
Forend grip (wide open for suggestions here; this is one of those places where you can spend a small fortune on any number of forend grips...)
Buffer extension tube (for ACE Skeleton stock)
Armorer's wrench
Screwdriver set (any suggestions? Figured it was time to get a dedicated set of screwdrivers/drivers)
Any other small parts I should think about picking up?
That is all.
A Headline I Didn't Expect...
Gun permits surge in state
You've got to go read the whole article; it's surprisingly balanced considering that it's run in the Boston freakin' Globe, more commonly known as Pravda-on-the-Charles. There's the usual scare quotes from Rosenthal and the VPC; however they also quote Jim Wallace from GOAL, which is pretty surprising. The comments, naturally, are a complete and utter hotbed of PSH, with the usual "no one but cops and military should own firearms" crap being bandied about. You know, only cops like the jackass in DC waving his police issue sidearm around after his car was hit by a snowball...
And it pleases me to no end to know that I'm responsible for at least a few of those new permits...
That is all.
The number of gun permits issued in Massachusetts surged by more than 15 percent over the past two years, reversing nearly a decade of steady declines and marking a pronounced departure for a state known for its antigun sentiment.
The magnitude of the rise, evident in nearly every corner of the state, surprised law enforcement officials, and gun advocates and opponents alike.
You've got to go read the whole article; it's surprisingly balanced considering that it's run in the Boston freakin' Globe, more commonly known as Pravda-on-the-Charles. There's the usual scare quotes from Rosenthal and the VPC; however they also quote Jim Wallace from GOAL, which is pretty surprising. The comments, naturally, are a complete and utter hotbed of PSH, with the usual "no one but cops and military should own firearms" crap being bandied about. You know, only cops like the jackass in DC waving his police issue sidearm around after his car was hit by a snowball...
And it pleases me to no end to know that I'm responsible for at least a few of those new permits...
That is all.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Bushmaster Update...
Okay, sometimes I really *am* my own worst enemy... Got a few minutes this afternoon to take a look at the Bushmaster. Now, after hearing horror stories of what might have/could have happened, I was fully prepared to open it up and find little left but ground aluminum dust. I'd been advised to unscrew the buffer tube and see if that frees up the bolt.
Well, sure enough, I got the buffer tube free (sending the takedown spring into parts unknown, of course) and sure enough the buffer retainer and buffer retainer spring were not where they were supposed to be. Pull them out, the bolt slid home like it should, and the rifle came apart like it's supposed to. A quick visual inspection showed no damage to the receiver, buffer assembly, or bolt; when I get some more free time I'll pull it all apart for cleaning and take a closer look. Right now, though, it looks like I'll need to replace the buffer retainer pin (it got chewed pretty bad) and little else (I'll order up a replacement takedown pin spring and buffer retainer spring just to be on the safe side; I'll get a proper wrench, too - I suspect the buffer tube assembly wasn't completely tightened).
I'm gaining a greater appreciation for the AR-15 platform for this. I still think it's pretty damned complicated, but I thought the 1911 was too damned complicated the first time I ever tore one of those down as well. Now it's like second nature... I still have a lot to learn about the platform itself, and tearing into things I find to be the best way to learn. So far it appears that this was a minor glitch that provided a learning experience for me.
I can live with that.
That is all.
Well, sure enough, I got the buffer tube free (sending the takedown spring into parts unknown, of course) and sure enough the buffer retainer and buffer retainer spring were not where they were supposed to be. Pull them out, the bolt slid home like it should, and the rifle came apart like it's supposed to. A quick visual inspection showed no damage to the receiver, buffer assembly, or bolt; when I get some more free time I'll pull it all apart for cleaning and take a closer look. Right now, though, it looks like I'll need to replace the buffer retainer pin (it got chewed pretty bad) and little else (I'll order up a replacement takedown pin spring and buffer retainer spring just to be on the safe side; I'll get a proper wrench, too - I suspect the buffer tube assembly wasn't completely tightened).
I'm gaining a greater appreciation for the AR-15 platform for this. I still think it's pretty damned complicated, but I thought the 1911 was too damned complicated the first time I ever tore one of those down as well. Now it's like second nature... I still have a lot to learn about the platform itself, and tearing into things I find to be the best way to learn. So far it appears that this was a minor glitch that provided a learning experience for me.
I can live with that.
That is all.
Ah, the First Panic of the Season...
Storm expected to bring 20+ inches of snow to Northeast
(Sorry, couldn't help myself there)
It's winter. In New England. You'd think that, after the past, oh, 400 or so years, people would realize that when the days get short and the air gets cold, we get this frozen white crap falling from the sky. And yet it seems to catch everyone off guard the first time we have a significant snowstorm, as though the geometrically arranged water crystals magically appeared for the first time in recorded human history. The manic rush on perishable goods is as predictable as Al Gore's penchant for Twinkies, with people rushing out to buy bread, eggs, and milk.
Apparently, when trapped inside one's house due to the latest "storm of the decade", one must make french toast...
That is all.
(CNN) -- Frigid East Coast states already blanketed with snow will get pummeled again Saturday, with more than 20 inches predicted in some areas.
Blizzard and winter storm warnings were in effect Saturday for metropolitan areas including Washington; Baltimore, Maryland; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm comes at a pivotal time for Washington, an area that is expected to be walloped by as much as 22 inches of snow. The Senate is scheduled to have a vote on aglobal warmingdefense spending bill Saturday morning.
(Sorry, couldn't help myself there)
It's winter. In New England. You'd think that, after the past, oh, 400 or so years, people would realize that when the days get short and the air gets cold, we get this frozen white crap falling from the sky. And yet it seems to catch everyone off guard the first time we have a significant snowstorm, as though the geometrically arranged water crystals magically appeared for the first time in recorded human history. The manic rush on perishable goods is as predictable as Al Gore's penchant for Twinkies, with people rushing out to buy bread, eggs, and milk.
Apparently, when trapped inside one's house due to the latest "storm of the decade", one must make french toast...
That is all.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Blogroll Updates...
Whoa! More new blogs to add to the MArooned blogroll! Life is good.
1. Cranky Epistles. I'm a little slow sometimes. Crankylitprof has been one of my usual reads for a while now, but I *just* realized that she was not represented on the blogroll. Crankyprof is even more profane and biting than *me*, if you can believe that. A very good read.
2. Jigsaw's Thoughts. Now here's a new one. Julie is a female shooter - in Oz! I think this is the first Aussie on the blogroll - a definite MArooned first! She's got a take on the shooting sports in a place even worse than MA for gun laws.
3. Stuff from Hsoi. Hsoi actually took the highly unorthodox method of leaving a comment to let me know he'd added MArooned to his blogroll. He's a gun-totin' metalhead biker, so obviously we have nothing in common here...
4. Green Mountains Homesteading. A fellow New Englandah, Toaster 802 posts about life in VT and politics in general. Dependence on the government, not so much...
Welcome aboard everyone!
That is all.
1. Cranky Epistles. I'm a little slow sometimes. Crankylitprof has been one of my usual reads for a while now, but I *just* realized that she was not represented on the blogroll. Crankyprof is even more profane and biting than *me*, if you can believe that. A very good read.
2. Jigsaw's Thoughts. Now here's a new one. Julie is a female shooter - in Oz! I think this is the first Aussie on the blogroll - a definite MArooned first! She's got a take on the shooting sports in a place even worse than MA for gun laws.
3. Stuff from Hsoi. Hsoi actually took the highly unorthodox method of leaving a comment to let me know he'd added MArooned to his blogroll. He's a gun-totin' metalhead biker, so obviously we have nothing in common here...
4. Green Mountains Homesteading. A fellow New Englandah, Toaster 802 posts about life in VT and politics in general. Dependence on the government, not so much...
Welcome aboard everyone!
That is all.
Vicious Circle, the Holiday Edition
More specifically, the "what do we hate about the holidays" edition. It's Vicious Circle #31!
Alan, Unix-Jedi, Stingray & LabRat, and AEpilot jim and I talk about the Christmas season, what Christmas songs we hate, and about 500 other things that pop into our heads during the conversation. And, apparently my first time using the Eee for Skype had some unintentionally hilarious results when the battery started to run low, causing my transmission to lag and/or repeat, Max Headroom-style, until I figured out the problem and plugged it in...
Yep, that's me, just slightly behind the technology curve...
That is all.
Alan, Unix-Jedi, Stingray & LabRat, and AEpilot jim and I talk about the Christmas season, what Christmas songs we hate, and about 500 other things that pop into our heads during the conversation. And, apparently my first time using the Eee for Skype had some unintentionally hilarious results when the battery started to run low, causing my transmission to lag and/or repeat, Max Headroom-style, until I figured out the problem and plugged it in...
Yep, that's me, just slightly behind the technology curve...
That is all.
Friday Fun Thread: Dandy Dodges
Last week saw the last of the offerings from the Ford Motor Company. This week we finish off Mopar with the Dodge marque. Dodge is Chrysler's workhorse marque, offering a complete line of vehicles from four cylinder commuter cars (not so much any more) to full-size one-ton work trucks to the earth-shaking Viper. Dodge is comparable to Chevrolet for GM and Ford itself in the hierarchy of car marques, offering entry level cars at affordable prices with an option to upgrade to a more prestigious brand down the road.
With that said, here's my Top Ten favorite offerings from Dodge:
1. 1969 Dodge Charger. Yes, I'll admit it. I was hooked on the "Dukes of Hazzard" as a wee bairn. Even without that pop culture cachet, there's just something about a vehicle that was offered with either the 426 Hemi engine or a 440 ci motor with six-pack. Passes everything but a gas station...
2. 1970 Challenger R/T. The Challenger was brought late to the party to compete against the pony cars - the Ford Mustang and the Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird. It offered a wide range of engines, from the slant six 225 ci motor that came standard up to the fire-breathing, 335 horsepower 383 ci V8.
3. 1956 Coronet Custom Royal. Yet another "Chrome Roamer"; the Custom Royal was the top-of-the-line package on the top-of-the-line model for Dodge in the '50s. The Custom Royal was accentuated with custom two-toned paint, chromed tailfins, and upgraded interior trim.
4. 1978 Lil Red Express Truck. Because it was a truck and not a passenger car, the D-series pickups were exempt from the tough new emissions requirements in 1978. This meant that the 360 ci V8 motor pushed the Lil Red Express from 0 to 100 MPH faster than any other American car built in 1978...
5. 2008 Dodge Viper. The 1992 Viper would have made the list if not for the 600 horsepower 8.4L V10 engine stuffed into the fourth generation Viper. The styling is a little more subdued than the original Shelby Cobra-inspired concept-car-turned-production-model, but the performance is nothing short of blistering...
6. 1965 Polara 500. The Polara was sandwiched into the Dodge lineup somewhere between the Coronet and the Charger; this meant that they more or less left it alone while busy tweaking the high- and low- end models. It had the workhorse 383 ci motor as an upgrade from the 318, and had clean, crisp lines that changed little over the decade.
7. 1974 Dodge Monaco. Yes, as sci-fi pointed out a wee bit early in the Plymouth thread, the 1974 Dodge Monaco that was formerly a Mount Prospect police car has to make the list. "It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas." 'Nuff said?
8. 1946 Power Wagon. What the Willy's Jeep was to the SUV movement, the Power Wagon was to 4WD trucks. The Power Wagon was a take-off of a military application (like the Jeep) that saw the very start of the light-duty truck market - previous pick-ups had generally been stake bodies on car platforms.
9. 1966 Coronet. What puts the 1966 Coronet on the list as opposed to the more performance-styled 1969 or 1970? Simple. In 1966, the 426 Hemi was introduced. In 1967, the Hemi was limited to the muscle car models. But in 1966, one could order a Coronet sedan with a 426 Hemi - basically, you could have a four-door race-worthy street car. Rumors abound that there were/are Coronet station wagons out there with factory 426 Hemis...
10. 2007 Dodge Ram. Hell, it's my list, I can put my own damn truck on it, can't I? With a 5.7L Hemi motor pushing 345 horsepower (upgraded to 390 in the 2010 models BTW), it's rated for 8,500 pounds of towing capacity (which is why I bought it) and has seating for six. It's a dad-mobile that will smoke the rears with the best of 'em...
So there's my list of Top Ten Dodge. This was a lot harder to assemble than I had previously thought, but for a much different reason than previous lists. There are a LOT of really cool Dodge muscle cars out there - the Superbee, new Challenger, Demon, Daytona, Swinger... This list could have been Top Ten Dodge muscle cars. Heck, for that matter, the mid-1970s Power Wagon, Ramcharger, and C-series should have made the list in addition to the Lil Red Express and the new Ram - almost enough again for a Top Ten Dodge trucks list!
What Dodges should have made the cut in your opinion?
That is all.
With that said, here's my Top Ten favorite offerings from Dodge:
1. 1969 Dodge Charger. Yes, I'll admit it. I was hooked on the "Dukes of Hazzard" as a wee bairn. Even without that pop culture cachet, there's just something about a vehicle that was offered with either the 426 Hemi engine or a 440 ci motor with six-pack. Passes everything but a gas station...
2. 1970 Challenger R/T. The Challenger was brought late to the party to compete against the pony cars - the Ford Mustang and the Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird. It offered a wide range of engines, from the slant six 225 ci motor that came standard up to the fire-breathing, 335 horsepower 383 ci V8.
3. 1956 Coronet Custom Royal. Yet another "Chrome Roamer"; the Custom Royal was the top-of-the-line package on the top-of-the-line model for Dodge in the '50s. The Custom Royal was accentuated with custom two-toned paint, chromed tailfins, and upgraded interior trim.
4. 1978 Lil Red Express Truck. Because it was a truck and not a passenger car, the D-series pickups were exempt from the tough new emissions requirements in 1978. This meant that the 360 ci V8 motor pushed the Lil Red Express from 0 to 100 MPH faster than any other American car built in 1978...
5. 2008 Dodge Viper. The 1992 Viper would have made the list if not for the 600 horsepower 8.4L V10 engine stuffed into the fourth generation Viper. The styling is a little more subdued than the original Shelby Cobra-inspired concept-car-turned-production-model, but the performance is nothing short of blistering...
6. 1965 Polara 500. The Polara was sandwiched into the Dodge lineup somewhere between the Coronet and the Charger; this meant that they more or less left it alone while busy tweaking the high- and low- end models. It had the workhorse 383 ci motor as an upgrade from the 318, and had clean, crisp lines that changed little over the decade.
7. 1974 Dodge Monaco. Yes, as sci-fi pointed out a wee bit early in the Plymouth thread, the 1974 Dodge Monaco that was formerly a Mount Prospect police car has to make the list. "It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas." 'Nuff said?
8. 1946 Power Wagon. What the Willy's Jeep was to the SUV movement, the Power Wagon was to 4WD trucks. The Power Wagon was a take-off of a military application (like the Jeep) that saw the very start of the light-duty truck market - previous pick-ups had generally been stake bodies on car platforms.
9. 1966 Coronet. What puts the 1966 Coronet on the list as opposed to the more performance-styled 1969 or 1970? Simple. In 1966, the 426 Hemi was introduced. In 1967, the Hemi was limited to the muscle car models. But in 1966, one could order a Coronet sedan with a 426 Hemi - basically, you could have a four-door race-worthy street car. Rumors abound that there were/are Coronet station wagons out there with factory 426 Hemis...
10. 2007 Dodge Ram. Hell, it's my list, I can put my own damn truck on it, can't I? With a 5.7L Hemi motor pushing 345 horsepower (upgraded to 390 in the 2010 models BTW), it's rated for 8,500 pounds of towing capacity (which is why I bought it) and has seating for six. It's a dad-mobile that will smoke the rears with the best of 'em...
So there's my list of Top Ten Dodge. This was a lot harder to assemble than I had previously thought, but for a much different reason than previous lists. There are a LOT of really cool Dodge muscle cars out there - the Superbee, new Challenger, Demon, Daytona, Swinger... This list could have been Top Ten Dodge muscle cars. Heck, for that matter, the mid-1970s Power Wagon, Ramcharger, and C-series should have made the list in addition to the Lil Red Express and the new Ram - almost enough again for a Top Ten Dodge trucks list!
What Dodges should have made the cut in your opinion?
That is all.
Friday Gun Pr0n #142
Today's gun pr0n is inspired by recent events. I assume we've all heard of mouse guns, correct? It stands to reason that the doppleganger of the mouse gun would be an elephant gun, right? But what if you merged the two for Christmas time? You might end up with a (wait for it)...
Elf Gun
Heh heh heh...
That's a North American Arms Mini-22 revolver, which has been the subject of recent scrutiny given the availability of both laser sights and bayonets from LaserLyte. It's a five-shot, single action only revolver with a 1 1/8" barrel that needs the cylinder removed to reload. It's a novelty more than anything else, one of if not the smallest guns available today and certainly the smallest gun in the G. armory. Oh, and that is the Elf On the Shelf that has produced many nights of aimless wandering around the house looking for a place in which to stash said elf...
This is one elf who's ready for the cat...
That is all.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Finger GLUED to Pulse...
Hoo boy. I posted about Christmas coming early earlier this week, and in the comments, libertyman asked,
Uh, okay:
No bayonet for the NAA .22?to which I replied:
You watch, one will show up in the mail next week... These guys continue to surprise me!Barely 24 hours later, I get an e-mail from Aaron, my contact at LaserLyte:
I read the responses to your latest LaserLyte post.
No samples available yet but we are making a bayonet for the Mini 22lr and 22mag.
Feel free to share.
Uh, okay:
NAA Pistol Bayonet
Now if that isn't the cutest thing you've ever seen, I don't know what to tell you... That barrel is 1 5/8" long - that bayonet is maybe 2", 2¼" long. I think technically you have to refer to it as a bayonette at that length... You've just got to like a company that's not afraid to delve deep into the gunnie mind, say, "What's the oddest thing we can come up with?" and then bring it to market.
What I really want to know, though, is where can I get a set of those grips?
That is all.
What Having a CCW Means...
Brad_in_ma sent me a link to this story, which has an update on a recent "road rage" incident that took place just outside of Boston. It appears that Joseph Fasano, a local firefighter (although I'm not certain why the media feels the need to plaster that fact everywhere; it's not like he was on duty), was traveling behind Robert O'Connell, the son of a prominent developer. O'Connell was allegedly slamming on his brakes, and pulled over to the side of the road. Fasano pulled over too, and got out of his vehicle and approached O'Connell, when O'Connell pulled a gun and shot Fasano in the stomach.
Those are the admittedly shaky facts as they have been presented thus far in the media. Given the media's propensity for screwing things up six ways to Sunday (all those layers of editorial oversight, don't you know), I'm not taking anything for granted here. My personal opinion is that Fasano was tailgating, flashing lights etc. and O'Connell responded by being a major richard-head. He had enough, and pulled over to let Fasano by, and Fasano decided to "teach him a lesson".
Here's the worst part, though, for the 2A community:
That's a big honkin' black eye for law-abiding gun owners right there. It's not so much the shooting - a rich, well-connected guy approached by a significantly larger adversary who has already shown violent tendencies stands a fair chance of avoiding significant jail time. It's the running away from the scene that seals O'Connell's fate. If it was a good shoot - if it were in fact a justified shooting - then he should have called 911, reported it, and waited for the authorities. Instead, he panicked and ran.
He missed the simple fact that having a gun is no substitute for common sense.
I've been involved in exactly one road rage scenario. I was coming back from the range when I came upon an accident at a traffic light. Two cars had collided in the middle of the road, and traffic was going around one of the wrecked cars on both the left and the right. The guy I was behind as we approached the light went to the right; I went to the left because of debris on the side of the road. I made it through the intersection first. He took umbrage at my apparent "cutting" of his place in line and started flashing his lights, swearing out the window, and shaking his fist at me.
Now, mind you, I have a loaded .357 Magnum on my person. I have a gun case with a .45, another .357 Magnum, and a .40 S&W. I still have at least 50 rounds of ammo for each gun. And yet I was scared senseless. I was petrified this guy was going to approach my car and threaten me - I actually started inching out into the intersection to have a clear lane to bolt if needed. The light turned green, I went one way, he went another, end of story.
But having a firearm on me didn't turn me into a badass - it made me realize just how serious I had to take everything. I couldn't hop out of my car and tell the guy to go screw - that's escalating the situation. Even taking the MA angle out of the picture, I have ZERO desire to drop the hammer on another human being, even if they're asking for it. I would much rather run like a frightened bunny than take another's life. Any day of the week, I'll take flight over fight if it's a gun fight.
Having a permit to carry a firearm doesn't make you a tough guy. It's not a license to shoot off your mouth, nor is it permission to let your guard down and be careless because, hey, you have a gun. It's a deadly serious proposition that means you have to man up, put on the big boy pants, and let the loudmouth think he won the battle of wits. You have to be prepared to humble yourself to the jackass that wants to be the center of attention. You have to be ready to walk away, and to hell with what anyone thinks.
Having that gun doesn't make you invincible. It makes you liable. If a fight happens, your best bet is to be in a different time zone. You don't want there to be any chance you could get caught up in the excitement and have to make a life-or-death decision. You need to keep a clear head, one unsullied by drugs, alcohol, or foolish pride. You have to be the better person, no matter what that little devil on your shoulder whispers into your ear.
You also need to know the laws of your state as they pertain to the use of deadly force. You need the number of a good 2A-friendly lawyer. You need to know what to say in the event you are ever forced to use your firearm in the defense of your life (hint: "I would like to speak with my attorney". END). You need to know your rights; you need to know when it's proper to assert those rights (in court, through your attorney) and when not to (when the officer is taking your statement, which, in case I didn't mention it, should consist of nothing more than "I would like to speak with my attorney".)
Training is just as much a mental process as a physical one, and it behooves us as law-abiding gun owners and CCW permit holders to train to avoid confrontations as well as survive encounters.
That is all.
Those are the admittedly shaky facts as they have been presented thus far in the media. Given the media's propensity for screwing things up six ways to Sunday (all those layers of editorial oversight, don't you know), I'm not taking anything for granted here. My personal opinion is that Fasano was tailgating, flashing lights etc. and O'Connell responded by being a major richard-head. He had enough, and pulled over to let Fasano by, and Fasano decided to "teach him a lesson".
Here's the worst part, though, for the 2A community:
O'Connell was licensed to carry the weapons.
That's a big honkin' black eye for law-abiding gun owners right there. It's not so much the shooting - a rich, well-connected guy approached by a significantly larger adversary who has already shown violent tendencies stands a fair chance of avoiding significant jail time. It's the running away from the scene that seals O'Connell's fate. If it was a good shoot - if it were in fact a justified shooting - then he should have called 911, reported it, and waited for the authorities. Instead, he panicked and ran.
He missed the simple fact that having a gun is no substitute for common sense.
I've been involved in exactly one road rage scenario. I was coming back from the range when I came upon an accident at a traffic light. Two cars had collided in the middle of the road, and traffic was going around one of the wrecked cars on both the left and the right. The guy I was behind as we approached the light went to the right; I went to the left because of debris on the side of the road. I made it through the intersection first. He took umbrage at my apparent "cutting" of his place in line and started flashing his lights, swearing out the window, and shaking his fist at me.
Now, mind you, I have a loaded .357 Magnum on my person. I have a gun case with a .45, another .357 Magnum, and a .40 S&W. I still have at least 50 rounds of ammo for each gun. And yet I was scared senseless. I was petrified this guy was going to approach my car and threaten me - I actually started inching out into the intersection to have a clear lane to bolt if needed. The light turned green, I went one way, he went another, end of story.
But having a firearm on me didn't turn me into a badass - it made me realize just how serious I had to take everything. I couldn't hop out of my car and tell the guy to go screw - that's escalating the situation. Even taking the MA angle out of the picture, I have ZERO desire to drop the hammer on another human being, even if they're asking for it. I would much rather run like a frightened bunny than take another's life. Any day of the week, I'll take flight over fight if it's a gun fight.
Having a permit to carry a firearm doesn't make you a tough guy. It's not a license to shoot off your mouth, nor is it permission to let your guard down and be careless because, hey, you have a gun. It's a deadly serious proposition that means you have to man up, put on the big boy pants, and let the loudmouth think he won the battle of wits. You have to be prepared to humble yourself to the jackass that wants to be the center of attention. You have to be ready to walk away, and to hell with what anyone thinks.
Having that gun doesn't make you invincible. It makes you liable. If a fight happens, your best bet is to be in a different time zone. You don't want there to be any chance you could get caught up in the excitement and have to make a life-or-death decision. You need to keep a clear head, one unsullied by drugs, alcohol, or foolish pride. You have to be the better person, no matter what that little devil on your shoulder whispers into your ear.
You also need to know the laws of your state as they pertain to the use of deadly force. You need the number of a good 2A-friendly lawyer. You need to know what to say in the event you are ever forced to use your firearm in the defense of your life (hint: "I would like to speak with my attorney". END). You need to know your rights; you need to know when it's proper to assert those rights (in court, through your attorney) and when not to (when the officer is taking your statement, which, in case I didn't mention it, should consist of nothing more than "I would like to speak with my attorney".)
Training is just as much a mental process as a physical one, and it behooves us as law-abiding gun owners and CCW permit holders to train to avoid confrontations as well as survive encounters.
That is all.
And Thus, The Head Shaketh...
While installing the LaserMax unit on my Sig P226, I came across this little gem in the instructions:
Laser sight warning
Okay. Let me see if I have this straight. This is a FRIKKIN' LASER SIGHT. That I put ON MY Glock .45:
Tell me which is more dangerous
Look, if someone sees the laser dot of my Glock coming at them, getting it in their eye is the LEAST of their worries, because it means that they have been perceived as a grave threat to my being, forced me to make the decision to draw my weapon, and have been targeted by my sidearm. It means that a 230 grain jacketed hollowpoint +P round is going to be entering the general area where that dot just showed up. If there's any eye damage done, it's going to be a result of a GSW, not a class IIIa laser.
Perspective: You no haz it.
That is all.
Registration = Confiscation
Especially when there are unscrupulous police officers protecting the family of one of their own. New gunchick, fellow MAhole, and bloggershoot attendee Lissa sent me this story in an apparent attempt to raise my blood pressure to raise awareness of a fundamental unfairness.
Preferential treatment for cops' kin?
Got that? His REGISTERED firearms were CONFISCATED as a result of this bogus arrest. Because the dude who sucker-punched him was related to cops, he was put through the ringer. And because his guns were registered, they were easy pickings for an overzealous cop with an axe to grind and a badge to hide behind.
Imagine what an overzealous US Attorney General could do...
That is all.
Preferential treatment for cops' kin?
IT WAS just after midnight. Brian Westberry and a woman friend sat frozen in his bedroom, hoping the persistent pounding on the front door of his Northeast Philly home would stop. It didn't.It gets worse. A lot worse. Read the article. See what happens when the wrong people do the wrong thing for the wrong reason. Westberry was arrested. He was charged with assault. He had his firearms confiscated under a domestic violence ordinance. All because the person who attacked him was related to the police. Malfeasance on the police officers aside, this is what I wanted to comment on:
Westberry, 24, slipped his licensed .38-caliber revolver into his pants pocket and crept downstairs to open the door.
There stood Gregory Cujdik, 32, who demanded to see "Jen," his girlfriend. Westberry told him "Jen" didn't want to see him, and repeatedly ordered Cujdik to leave. When Cujdik refused, Westberry threatened to call police.
" 'Do it. My family are cops,' " Cujdik said, according to Westberry.
Eight days later, on April 13, Westberry was surprised to see Eberhart and two special agents with the state Attorney General's Gun Violence Task Force at his front door. They asked to see his guns. An avid gun collector, Westberry had 40 guns, all legal, all registered and all locked up.
"I'm thinking they just want to verify the serial numbers, verify that everything I own is legit," Westberry said.
But they confiscated his guns and said that they had a warrant for his arrest.
Got that? His REGISTERED firearms were CONFISCATED as a result of this bogus arrest. Because the dude who sucker-punched him was related to cops, he was put through the ringer. And because his guns were registered, they were easy pickings for an overzealous cop with an axe to grind and a badge to hide behind.
Imagine what an overzealous US Attorney General could do...
That is all.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Talk About A Late Fee!
I wonder if the gentleman in this story would have dared try this with the World's Most Dangerous Librarian?
99 years later, library book returned
The late fee, assessed at a penny a day and not adjusted for inflation, was calculated at $363. It was waived. When asked why he suddenly returned the book after all this time, he quipped,
"Have you seen today's librarians? They've got guns and stuff!"
That is all.
99 years later, library book returned
A 75-year-old man from Mansfield walked into the New Bedford Public Library on Monday to return a book that was due in 1910.
Stanley Dudek returned “Facts I Ought to Know about the Government of My Country’’ by William H. Bartlett, which was due on May 2, 1910. Dudek said he had found the book in his mother’s possessions after she died in 1998. He said he did not
realize it was a library book until last year.
The late fee, assessed at a penny a day and not adjusted for inflation, was calculated at $363. It was waived. When asked why he suddenly returned the book after all this time, he quipped,
"Have you seen today's librarians? They've got guns and stuff!"
That is all.
It Has Been Said...
That if you've never had a gun break on you, you're not shooting enough. Apparently, I have been shooting entirely too much lately, because I've had guns breaking on me left and right...
Just in the past week, I've had the following guns or gun accessories break:
LaserLyte laser sights for the SigSauer P226. The lights are on, but there's no laser home. I talked to my contact at LaserLyte about this, there was a very brief run in the early phase where the contacts would work their way loose. He sent out a replacement unit ASAP, and I will install and re-sight it shortly. Once again, the response was phenomenal, although I'm coming to realize that this is nothing out of the ordinary for LaserLyte - they're just this good.
Bolt lock-up on the Bushmaster XM15-E2S. Something went wrong, because the last round in the magazine wasn't fired, and when I went to extract it from the chamber, it took pretty much every ounce of strength to clear the round. I suspect that the buffer retainer pin worked loose and jammed things up, and I'm hoping I can get the rifle apart to inspect the damage. This could be anything from very minor to "oh shit, I need a new rifle". If anyone in the area has any experience with AR's I'm willing to travel to get help...
Colt 1991A1 Compact grip bushings. Yes, my new (to me) Colt needs a wee bit of help. I went to take off the ugly-as-sin-yet-pretty-damn-functional Pachmayr wrap-around grips to put on some nice wood stocks and found three out of four screws firmly anchored to the bushings. Upon closer inspection, two of the three bushings were pretty well stripped bare. The threads on the frame look fine, so new bushings and screws are on order and should be in soon.
Colt Gold Cup National Match rear sight. This one was a super easy, on-the-spot fix - the pin holding the sight on had worked itself loose, and a quick tap with the omnipresent Leatherman had it back in place in no time. It looks like it may have been working its way out over time, which may (or may not) be why I was having such a hard time hitting with it - once the sight was back on good and sturdy I was nailing the X-ring like nobody's business...
I've also still got a bolt-action SKS in the safe in the attic (more than likely needs a good thorough cleaning and more complete de-cosmolining) as well as an AK clone that needs two new rivets (hammer and trigger FWIW) - that one I can't decide if I want to pull it all apart and re-rivet everything, or simply toss a couple bolts through it and see how long it lasts. Given that it's an AK, I suspect long enough for my grandkids to laugh at my WECSOG job...
Notice the one thing all of these problems have in common? Yes - they're all semi-autos. Notice that there's no revolvers on the list, nor lever-action or pump-action rifles. I'm certain it's mere coincidence that all of my revolvers work perfectly; that my Remington 572 Fieldmaster has only failed to chamber a round once out of the many thousands I've put through it, and that was because it was simply FILTHY inside; that all of my bolt action rifles fire rounds much more potent than 7.62X39mm or .223 Rem, yet all have kept all of their inner workings in one spot...
Is it any wonder I like the old school?
That is all.
Just in the past week, I've had the following guns or gun accessories break:
LaserLyte laser sights for the SigSauer P226. The lights are on, but there's no laser home. I talked to my contact at LaserLyte about this, there was a very brief run in the early phase where the contacts would work their way loose. He sent out a replacement unit ASAP, and I will install and re-sight it shortly. Once again, the response was phenomenal, although I'm coming to realize that this is nothing out of the ordinary for LaserLyte - they're just this good.
Bolt lock-up on the Bushmaster XM15-E2S. Something went wrong, because the last round in the magazine wasn't fired, and when I went to extract it from the chamber, it took pretty much every ounce of strength to clear the round. I suspect that the buffer retainer pin worked loose and jammed things up, and I'm hoping I can get the rifle apart to inspect the damage. This could be anything from very minor to "oh shit, I need a new rifle". If anyone in the area has any experience with AR's I'm willing to travel to get help...
Colt 1991A1 Compact grip bushings. Yes, my new (to me) Colt needs a wee bit of help. I went to take off the ugly-as-sin-yet-pretty-damn-functional Pachmayr wrap-around grips to put on some nice wood stocks and found three out of four screws firmly anchored to the bushings. Upon closer inspection, two of the three bushings were pretty well stripped bare. The threads on the frame look fine, so new bushings and screws are on order and should be in soon.
Colt Gold Cup National Match rear sight. This one was a super easy, on-the-spot fix - the pin holding the sight on had worked itself loose, and a quick tap with the omnipresent Leatherman had it back in place in no time. It looks like it may have been working its way out over time, which may (or may not) be why I was having such a hard time hitting with it - once the sight was back on good and sturdy I was nailing the X-ring like nobody's business...
I've also still got a bolt-action SKS in the safe in the attic (more than likely needs a good thorough cleaning and more complete de-cosmolining) as well as an AK clone that needs two new rivets (hammer and trigger FWIW) - that one I can't decide if I want to pull it all apart and re-rivet everything, or simply toss a couple bolts through it and see how long it lasts. Given that it's an AK, I suspect long enough for my grandkids to laugh at my WECSOG job...
Notice the one thing all of these problems have in common? Yes - they're all semi-autos. Notice that there's no revolvers on the list, nor lever-action or pump-action rifles. I'm certain it's mere coincidence that all of my revolvers work perfectly; that my Remington 572 Fieldmaster has only failed to chamber a round once out of the many thousands I've put through it, and that was because it was simply FILTHY inside; that all of my bolt action rifles fire rounds much more potent than 7.62X39mm or .223 Rem, yet all have kept all of their inner workings in one spot...
Is it any wonder I like the old school?
That is all.
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