Random thoughts from flyover country

Thursday, December 24

The Christmas Rifle and the Christmas Blizzard of 2009 - Update

My lovely wife bought me a Christmas Rifle, a Ruger Mini 14 in .223 Rem/5.56x45mm NATO, at Walmart when she was picking up Christmas presents for the grandchildren and groceries. Then, today around 1:00 pm the rain turned to sleet, making good on the Winter Storm Warning. However, it didn't stop there; the weatherguessers then changed the Winter Storm Warning to a Blizzard Warning. The wind kicked up to a steady 35 kts, the sleet accumulated and turned into snow. I had to pick my wife up from work, leaving her car there, and stop numerous times to clear the windshield wipers of an accumulation of ice. My younger daughter swore she could get home, but I ended up serving as her GPS over her cell phone to get her to my mom's house.

So, here we are, home alone and exhausted. My older daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren are home since they couldn't get here. My younger daughter is at grandma's. We're all supposed to go to grandma's for Christmas tomorrow, and we will if the roads get plowed in time. So here I am with a nifty Christmas Rifle, and, unless the weather moderates, nobody will get to see it.

It seems to me that someone should have warned us that Algore was going to be in the state this week. Next person tells me "Global Warming" is real is gonna get punched. (Exaggeration for effect.)

Update: We all got to my Mom's house after a few shuttle runs, and we had a wonderful Christmas dinner. There were 19 of us including my younger niece's brand new baby boy. The weather is still cold, cold enough that we still have the snow and ice. I have to go back to work this afternoon, so it will be at least two weeks before I can get to the range. For some reason, my wife doesn't want to spend part of our 36th Wedding Anniversary weekend shooting. Go figure.

ECS

Thursday, September 17

O Canada, kiss my...

...posterior.

Draft dodgers ran away to Canada during Vietnam. They must have mixed with the Canadian gene pool and made them stupid.

Canada introduces bill supporting war deserters

TORONTO (AP) — A Canadian member of Parliament has introduced a bill that would allow U.S. and other war resisters to stay in Canada.
The bill, introduced Thursday by the Liberal Party's Gerard Kennedy, would allow other countries' military deserters to stay in Canada if their refusal to serve is based on sincere moral, political or religious objections.

Parliament has already voted twice to support war resisters, but those were non-binding motions.

Kennedy's bill would be binding because it would amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

At least two war resisters seeking asylum in Canada have already been deported to the U.S.


"...other countries' military deserters..." I guess they're getting a ton of Pakistani, Russian, Uruguayan, and Australian deserters up there, eh? Apparently the author was too cowardly to say, "We're going to let American deserters stay in Canada as long as they say they have '...sincere moral, political(!!), or religious obections.'" Well, isn't that just peachy?

As far as I'm concerned, the little cowardly bastards missed the boat on "...sincere moral,...or religious objections..." when they raised their right hands and took the oath of enlistment. The fact that the idiot Kennedy thinks ...political...objections... are sufficient to desert sworn duty dishonors any American soldier who understands that their duty is to their country, not a bunch of stinking politicians!

If this passes the Canadian Parliament, the United States should end all military co-operation with Canada, refuse entry into the United States of any and all Canadians unless they can claim that they are "political refugees," and require all American companies to divest themselves of any properties, including assembly plants. Further, any products originating in or passing through Canada should have a 100% tariff placed on them. Of course, since our current administration has no cojones, nothing will happen if our closest neighbor decides to shield a bunch of sniveling cowards.

ECS

Saturday, September 12

Governor Perry sends Texas Rangers and National Guard to "hot spots"

Accusing the Federal government of dragging it's feet on border security, Governor Rick Perry of Texas has ordered special "Ranger Recon" teams supported by National Guard troops to "high traffic, high crime" areas along the Texas-Mexico border to support local law enforcement, especially in rural areas where local law enforcement and sheriffs' departments can be overwhelmed.

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's spokesman attacked the Governor's actions as "yet another empty election-year promise." Of course, she's running against him in the next Republican primary.

Governor Perry's response was about the hypocrisy of pointing at his efforts when Senator Hutchison's efforts in Washington to help Texas protect it's border have been on the order of ineffective. The Governor asked Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for 1,000 National Guard troops to help police the border earlier this year and renewed his request in a letter to President Obama last week. The response? Crickets.

I salute Governor Rick Perry for his actions.

ECS

Friday, September 11

Global "Warmification" must be at fault here!

Cry for the "Milwaukee Rain Forest."

It turns out that this summer has been the coolest in the last decade, and, in some areas, the coolest on record. Here in Oklahoma, it didn't look good since we had some real heat (over 100 degrees) in June, but since then the weather has been at or below norms.

ECS

Thursday, September 10

President Obama wants my help

I just got this from our President.

Elm Creek --

I just finished laying out my plan for health reform at a joint session of Congress. Now, I'm writing directly to you because what happens next is critical -- and I need your help.

Change this big will not happen because I ask for it. It can only come when the nation demands it. Congress knows where I stand. Now they need to hear from you.

Add your voice: Ask your representatives to support my plan for real health reform in 2009.

The heart of my plan is simple: bring stability and security to Americans who already have health insurance, guarantee affordable coverage for those who don't, and rein in the cost of health care.

Tonight, I offered a specific plan for how to make it happen. I incorporated the best ideas from Democrats and Republicans to create a plan that's bold, practical, and represents the broad consensus of the American people.

We've come closer to real health reform in the last few months than we have in the last 60 years. But those who profit from the status quo -- and those who put partisan advantage above all else -- will fight us every inch of the way.

We do not seek that fight, but we will not shrink from it. The stakes are too high to let scare tactics cloud the debate, or to allow partisan bickering to block the path. Your voice, right now, is essential.

See my full plan and call on your representatives to support it:

http://my.barackobama.com/SupportReform

Ours is not the first generation to understand the dire need for health reform. And I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama


I guess I'm who he's talking about with the reference to "scare tactics" and "partisan bickering." You see, I don't believe that he can fund his plan without increasing the deficit or raising taxes, and I have people who understand that the numbers don't add up.

I also don't have any faith that any government-run plan can be "self-sustaining" given the mess that Social Security and Medicare are. The United States Postal Service can't even deliver the mail without constantly asking for rate increases AND cutting services.

The President asks me to contact my representatives to urge them to support his "plan" which is short on details. I'm going to contact them, all right, but it won't be with the message President Obama wants me to send.

ECS

Wednesday, August 26

Ted's Dead

My personal feeling on the subject is, "Good." Maybe now the Kopechne family will have some little peace.

However, not everyone is as unforgiving or maybe they just don't care that the Democratic Party took to it's heart someone who should have been charged with multiple crimes in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. For example, I just got this from the President:

Elm Creek -- Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me. In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy. I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom. His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives. For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family. Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still. Sincerely, President Barack Obama


Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.


Sorry, Mister President, but Teddy was the loser son of a Nazi-sympathizing rum-runner who was thrust into an imaginary leadership role by the untimely deaths of his smarter, better brothers. He helped the Congress abrogate our treaty responsibilities to South Vietnam. He conspired against his political enemies and our national leaders with the KGB for political gain. He was never an inspiration, example, or a defender for me and mine.

I also don't think we have to worry about Mary Jo Kopechne running into ol' Ted inside the Pearly Gates. Somehow, I don't think Saint Peter will open those Gates for him. Kennedy money won't mean much up there.

ECS

Monday, August 17

Tom Coburn doesn't hide from his constituents

Tom Coburn's town hall in Muskogee, OK, had to be moved from an auditorium to a lobby where Senator Coburn climbed to a landing overlooking the room to be seen and heard by the crowd. He thoroughly debunked the Obamacare plan and the idea that the Canadian plan was better than what we had.

This is quite a change from what the media calls "mobs" who ask the hard questions of Democrats who run and hide in union offices or don't show up at all.

Senator Coburn is a practicing doctor.

ECS

Sunday, August 9

Another WW II veteran's last muster

Jenny Jones Rinn passed muster on August 3, 2009. She served in the Army Nurse Corps in WW2, leaving the service as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1953. She will be laid to rest at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 0930 on August 10, 2009.

That is all.

ECS

Wednesday, August 5

"Healthcare Reform" Czar wants us to report "disinformation" about "healthcare reform"

I just sent my email to flag@whitehouse.gov:

I found this on the Internet, and I feel that the serious disinformation about “healtcare reform” in this letter needs to be addressed.

There’s been a lot of media coverage about organized mobs intimidating lawmakers, disrupting town halls, and silencing real discussion about the need for real health insurance reform.

The truth is, it’s a sham. These “grassroots protests” are being organized and largely paid for by Washington special interests and insurance companies who are desperate to block reform. They’re trying to use lies and fear to break the President and his agenda for change.


The “grassroots protests” in which I’ve participated were organized by local people who did it on their own dime and were not funded by anyone.

Health insurance reform is about our lives, our jobs, and our families — we can’t let distortions and intimidation get in the way. We need to expose these outrageous tactics, and we’re counting on you to help. Can you read these “5 facts about the anti-reform mobs,” then pass them along to your friends and family.

5 facts about the anti-reform mobs


First off, “mobs” would be carrying torches, rails, tar and feathers. So far, none of the actions of concerned citizens have reached that point.

1. These disruptions are being funded and organized by out-of-district special-interest groups and insurance companies who fear that health insurance reform could help Americans, but hurt their bottom line. A group run by the same folks who made the “Swiftboat” ads against John Kerry is compiling a list of congressional events in August to disrupt. An insurance company coalition has stationed employees in 30 states to track where local lawmakers hold town-hall meetings.


Since when is asking the hard questions about how “healthcare reform” will be funded and why the President, his staff, and the Congress won’t be put under the same system “disrupt[ive]?”

2. People are scared because they are being fed frightening lies. These crowds are being riled up by anti-reform lies being spread by industry front groups that invent smears to tarnish the President’s plan and scare voters. But as the President has repeatedly said, health insurance reform will create more health care choices for the American people, not reduce them. If you like your insurance or your doctor, you can keep them, and there is no “government takeover” in any part of any plan supported by the President or Congress.


Ri-i-i-ight. Did you notice the change from “healthcare reform” to “health insurance reform?” If you don’t like the result of your polling on the subject you reformulate the question.

3. Their actions are getting more extreme. Texas protesters brought signs displaying a tombstone for Rep. Lloyd Doggett and using the “SS” symbol to compare President Obama’s policies to Nazism. Maryland Rep. Frank Kratovil was hanged in effigy outside his district office. Rep. Tim Bishop of New York had to be escorted to his car by police after an angry few disrupted his town hall meeting — and more examples like this come in every day. And they have gone beyond just trying to derail the President’s health insurance reform plans, they are trying to “break” the President himself and ruin his Presidency.


You can’t blame the failure of President Obama’s Presidency on us. He’s done it in concert with Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Harry Reid, not to mention Rahm Emmanuel.

4. Their goal is to disrupt and shut down legitimate conversation. Protesters have routinely shouted down representatives trying to engage in constructive dialogue with voters, and done everything they can to intimidate and silence regular people who just want more information. One attack group has even published a manual instructing protesters to “stand up and shout” and try to “rattle” lawmakers to prevent them from talking peacefully with their constituents.


The President himself told people to talk to their families, friends, and neighbors, and to “get in their faces.” Supporters of the President do this sort of thing all the time to people who disagree with the President. “Sauce for the goose.”

5. Republican leadership is irresponsibly cheering on the thuggish crowds. Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner issued a statement applauding and promoting a video of the disruptions and looking forward to “a long, hot August for Democrats in Congress.”


“[T]huggish crowds?” I haven’t seen any ACORN members at Tea Party protests or “healthcare reform” (or is it “health insurance reform?”) protests.

It’s time to expose this charade, before it gets more dangerous. Please send these facts to everyone you know. You can also post them on your website, blog, or Facebook page.

Now, more than ever, we need to stand strong together and defend the truth.

Thanks,

Jen

Jen O’Malley Dillon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee


I think this lady should probably be investigated because she is spreading lots of disinformation about this subject.

ECS

http://theturkeyfootbrand.blogspot.com/

“If the truth hurts, it should.” - Dad

Monday, July 27

Story from the South Side of Chicago exposes the idiocy of Illinois' lack of legal concealed carry.

A couple of off-duty police officers, a man and a woman, find a used car advertised on Craigslist and call the advertiser to get the location. They show up and call him as he requested. When they are led behind a building to look at the alleged car, they are attacked with one criminal grabbing the woman and putting a gun to her head and another criminal beating the man with a baseball bat. The man identifies himself as a police officer and draws his own gun. When the gun-toting criminal points his gun at the man, he shoots all three of the criminals involved.

The real story here is that the Markham police officers were armed and the bad guys didn't know it! That is the essence of concealed carry licenses that are issued in all but two states of the Union, with Illinois being one of them. Good guys with guns the bad guys don't know about.

“[The offenders] ran into the wrong police officers,” DuBois (Markham police Deputy Chief) said. “What if they were ordinary citizens? Not trained to handle those situations? It…[could have been] tragic.”


I think ol' Tony has drawn the wrong lesson from this. People who have concealed carry licenses are no different from off-duty police officers who carry concealed except for two very important points: 1. we have no duty to try to arrest anyone; and, 2. we have gone to a lot of trouble and expense to get our concealed carry licenses, including Use of Deadly Force Training and meeting marksmanship standards. The differences between the male officer and us is that we wouldn't identify ourselves as police before shooting at the bad guys and, I hate to say it, most of us are firearms enthusiasts and shoot more in practice annually than most police officers.

Before someone starts ranting about how the police officers are trained, etc., I doubt that they are better trained in close combat than former members of the Armed Forces. I have shown law enforcement officers at the Federal and local levels things that they hadn't ever thought about, and I'm not the expert that some of my acquaintances are.

Make no mistake, I think the officer did very well under the circumstances. I just don't think that it was because he was a police officer. Unfortunately, under current Illinois law, if he had been a civilian, he and his female companion would have been in big trouble.

ECS

Thursday, July 9

This is a really bad idea.

From the Christian Science Monitor we get word that the United States...us...has accepted 1,350 Palestinians to be resettled here from the refugee camps in Iraq where they have been since 1948. The problem, acknowledged by the Monitor, is this:
But some critics say the State Department is sloughing off its problems onto American cities, especially since in this case the Palestinians were sympathizers of Hussein, who was deposed by the US.

"This is politically a real hot potato," says Mark Krikorian, director of the conservative Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, adding, "[A]merica has become a dumping ground for the State Department's problems – they're tossing their problems over their head into Harrisburg, Pa., or Omaha, Neb."


These aren't just any "refugees." These are people and their descendants who left Israel in 1948 so they wouldn't have to live in a Jewish state and have been kept in refugee camps instead of being integrated into their host countries' populations. I'm pretty sure they haven't been given the "hearts and flowers" story of America and its relationship with Israel and the Arabs. They've probably learned everything they know about us from Hamas and Hezbollah. Just where are these potential Jihadis going to be dropped? You might want to keep an eye out for lots of moving trucks in your neighborhood.

ECS

Saturday, July 4

There is more to the story in Chicago than just a little girl washing her dog

From Second City Cop:

lil george said:

"OT(sort of): I posted the other day about the fat bitch at 7121 s. Normal wishing the police harm. It was a typo. It was actually 7421 s. Normal. My typing mistake. The 9 yoa that was killed lived almost DIRECTLY behind this address. Gerald Lauderdale, who was one of the two people charged in the homicide, was hanging with these pieces of s*** that night. He kept yelling from the porch "I ain't got no job b******tches! F*** ya all." I guess payback is a b****. Not to insult the memory of an innocent 9 yoa, but this family didn't want us around because they wanted to continue their ghetto thug lifestyle. Breeding, drinking, screaming till 6am and contributing NOTHING to the world. Now, due to fear of retribution, fat mama had to turn her kid in. They HAD to turn to the police to protect this POS. Had to turn him in so that she could continue her useless life of police hating all the while while NEEDING the police to protect him from her fellow thugs who she associates with. Irony may be a word to describe this situation.

And, as a side note to this story, there was a burglary to a business at 350 W. 75th Street on 27jun at approximately 5am. Owner was in fear of his life due to threatening messages from the hood. Owner would not talk to officers onscene but sent an associate to scene to survey the damage. This business is located within a half block from where the child was killed. On scene, the associate stated that the owner used to live at 7419 s. normal, but had moved due to a threat from a certain individual on 74 and stewart who was pissed because he was feuding with the neighbors at 7421 s. Normal (sound familiar?) and since he lived next door, he must be siding with the block. These threats got so bad that the owner moved fearing for his safety and has been looted ever since. Who were the fat b**** and now-arrestee feuding with: a man named Andre Turner. Who is Andre Turner? The father of the dead child.

In summary, ghetto pieces of s*** taunt the police but then turn to said police to protect them. Andre Turner threatens the hood and businesses owners and gets shot but is a sympathetic figure to Fr. Faker and the media. War breaks out between both parties. Who pays for these adults living the ghetto life of acting like 6th world animals: an innocent 9yoa. Pathetic
6/27/2009 05:11:00 PM"

This little girl died because she was staying with her gangbanger father at her grandmother's house. Despite her grandmother's claims, the house was a haven for criminals at war with other criminals. It's a shame that her mother left her there with irresponsible adults. This tragedy had nothing to do with law-abiding citizens in Chicago.

ECS

Saturday, June 27

Gun Control "works" in Chicago

Courtesy of Second City Cop, we learn that Chicago had 108 people shot in the week of June 19-26, 2009, with 7 homicides. It seems that the Chicago handgun ban for law-abiding citizens is working very well, after all, it wouldn't do for any of the gang-bangers to run the risk of a victim shooting back at them. One thing noted in the comments section is that the CPS "honor students" doing the shooting aren't very good shots. However, most of the victims seem to be members of the same subset as the shooters and not a great loss to society. The problem is that innocents like a nine-year-old girl staying with her grandmother and her gangster father for part of summer vacation get shot and killed because the animals on the street don't really care who gets hurt.

Next time the reverends, like Jesse Jackson and Father Pfleger, get "up in arms" about CPS "honor students" and young people "just turning their lives around" dying in the streets, perhaps they should protest against the culture of casual violence, not talking to the "po-leeses," and hostility to the police in the neighborhoods like Englewood where this seems to happen most.

ECS

Thursday, June 4

The silence is broken, and I'm underwhelmed

Since I never received a response to my question asking if it was White House policy that a slain late-term abortion provider was more important than the murder of a young American soldier and wounding of another, I just left this message on the http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/ page for the President:

I am completely underwhelmed by the President’s statement concerning the murder of Private William Long and wounding of Private Quinton Ezeagwula by Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammed, a Muslim convert formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe, in Little Rock, Arkansas. While the President was “shocked and outraged” by the murder of Doctor Tiller in Wichita and characterized it as a “heinous act of violence,” the best he could do for two young soldiers was that he was “deeply saddened” by “senseless violence.” I have news for the President: Unlike the murder of Doctor Tiller, the attack on Privates Long and Ezeagwula made perfect sense to their attacker whose chosen middle name means “holy warrior” in Arabic. They were American soldiers, hated because they were soldiers, Americans, and free men. He considered them his enemies, the enemies of his “religion of peace,” as he considers all of us who refuse to accept Islam as our religion or dhimmitude subservience to Muslims.

The President’s lukewarm expression of condolence to Private William Long’s family and concern to Private Quinton Ezeagwula and his family do not impress me as credible due to the delay before he made it. Within hours of Doctor Tiller’s death, the President made his statement of outrage, and the Attorney General ordered the US Marshal’s Service into action. Within days after the murder of a young American soldier and the wounding of another, the President is “saddened,” and the Attorney General does exactly nothing.

As a retired soldier, I respect the office of the President of the United States, but I am having great difficulty in respecting the person of Barack Obama, right now.

Sincerely,

ECS
CPT, Armor
US Army (Ret.)


Hope is not a plan; not all change is good. WE are the civilian national security force! Our enemies are among us. Prepare to defend yourself and your country.

ECS

Tuesday, June 2

Murder in Little Rock; Silence in the White House (Updated)

Two young soldiers, straight out of Basic Training, are standing outside the Army-Navy recruiting center in Little Rock, Arkansas, when a vehicle pulls up and shots ring out. One soldier, William Long, 24, of Conway dies. The other, Quinton Ezeagwula, 18, of Jacksonville falls seriously wounded but able to crawl to the recruiting station door. A short time later, police stop a vehicle on the interstate and arrest Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammed, 24, formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe, a convert to Islam. He is later charged and pleads not guilty to first degree murder and fifteen (15) counts of engaging in a terrorist act.

The young soldiers had not been deployed anywhere. They were assigned as "hometown recruiters" for two weeks. Soldiers dying in a combat zone is unremarkable. Soldiers being targeted in Little Rock because they are American soldiers seems remarkable to me.

Muhammed had reportedly gone to Yemen on a Somali passport to study jihad in a religious school. Once back in the states, he apparently decided to put his training in the "religion of peace" to use. This, too, is unremarkable.

What is remarkable to me is the utter silence about these murders, this act of domestic jihad, from the White House. The same President who decried the murder of Dr. Tiller, a late-term abortion specialist in Kansas, hasn't said a word about young soldiers being murdered in Little Rock, hasn't said a word of condolence to the families, and hasn't condemned the actions of this thug acting in the name of Allah. I guess in his eyes, the soldiers and their families aren't worthy of the same concern as an abortionist.

While we haven't heard from the President or Attorney General, Daris Long, the father of the fallen soldier, a former Marine, spoke eloquently to KATV, Little Rock, of the pain his family has suffered and the goodness of others. With his father as an example, William Long should have proven to be a fine soldier.


ECS

Friday, May 15

Goodbye, Wayman Tisdale

Well, we lost a great native son today when Wayman Tisdale, an Oklahoma schoolboy and college basketball legend, an NBA veteran, a smooth jazz artist, and a remarkably humble, dedicated family man, lost his brave two-year fight with cancer at age 44. Local reaction to his passing was immediate and heartfelt. ESPN provided this look at him as a basketball player, a man, and a musician. Unlike some so-called "stars" in the NBA, Tisdale excelled without falling prey to the temptations contrary to his Christian faith. Wayman Tisdale, in everything he did, from basketball, to music, to his fight with cancer, and to his family, was a man. He'll be sorely missed.

ECS

Wednesday, May 6

Even the Canadians "get it."

This is nothing that apologists for the Obama administration will want to read, but it rings true.

ECS

Sunday, April 26

Free Roxana Saberi (updated)

This American was arrested by Iran, tried in one hour by a kangaroo court, and sentenced to prison for espionage in one of the biggest violations of human rights and justice I've noticed lately. Write or call the White House, your Senators, and your Congressman to protest the lack of action by this administration.

This is what comes of "wanting to have a dialogue" with barbarians.

ECS

----

Update - An appeals court reduced Roxana Saberi's sentence from 8 years to 2 years suspended, and she is free now. I haven't heard if she will be allowed to leave Iran, but I've been in migraine hell for about a week.

ECS

Tuesday, March 31

World's Biggest Gun Show this weekend!

This weekend, as usual, I'll be going to the Wanenmacher's Tulsa Arms Show at the QuikTrip Center (formerly the Expo Square building, formerly the International Petroleum Exposition Building) at the Tulsa State Fairgrounds. Even given the hours the show will be open, it normally takes almost two full days to really see everything. I'm going to check with my next-door-neighbor the police officer to see if he wants to go, but his weird hours may prevent it. I took Andrew to his first gun show* a month or two ago, and he was like a kid in a candy store. He might go completely nuts if I can get him to the Wanenmacher Show.

Several years ago, I rented a table at the show to liquidate a large amount of reloading supplies that my wife's late cousin left to his sister. After paying rent for the table, I was able to give his sister more than $1,000.00 in cash. I'm still looking to liquidate a bunch of rough stock blanks for the do-it-yourselfers out there.

Tips -

1. Look at the tables for "Do Not Handle Without Permission" signs before you go fingerprinting somebody's stuff. Even if you don't see a sign, it's good manners to ask before picking up the "BelchFire .78 Magnum" that you've never seen before.

2. Take some cash with you because a lot of the people with tables don't take plastic or checks.

3. Wear walking shoes or hiking boots. Eleven and a half acres of concrete are hard on the dogs. Sneakers don't provide enough support, and you'll be worn out before you get half-way done if you wear cowboy boots.

4. Take something to drink with you unless you like paying $16.00 a gallon for pop at the concession stands.

5. As a corollary to 4., take a break and go out for lunch. There are a number of fast food places nearby from McDonald's and Burger Street to McAllister's Deli. There is an all-you-can-eat Mexican restaurant named Casa Bonita which has a big rep. The best place to eat for gun-show-goers, in my opinion is Jim's Coney Island just north of 21st Street on the east side of Harvard. Coneys, yeros, baclava. It's all there; it's all good.

6. If you see something that you just have to have that might be somewhat rare, like a modified choke 28 inch vent rib barrel for a Browning Sweet Sixteen, get it. You can either carry it or take it out to the car, but if you don't buy it, it won't be there when you get back. (This is something that my brother learned the hard way.)

7. If you are buying ammunition in bulk, either take it to the car/truck right then, or ask the guy if you can leave it for later pick-up.

8. If you take guns to trade/sell/have appraised or just want to be seen hauling around a really cool gun, please watch where and how you handle them/turn with them or show them to someone else. Some of us don't want to get brained by the barrel or stock of your rifle/shotgun or have it pointed at us. We may react...badly or rudely.

9. If you hear someone behind a commercial dealer's table telling someone that "Taurus," for example, makes all the "Smith & Wesson" revolvers, don't be afraid to ask the moron what S&W builds in that nice factory in Massachusetts.

I'll see you there.

ECS

Monday, March 30

But I didn't want to buy stock in banks or auto companies!

Who else thinks the bailout of banks and automakers is a bad idea? How dare the Federal Government buy stock in banks (preferred stock at that which has no voting power) and interfere with the operation of private companies by forcing out CEOs? When will some government functionary come tell me I can't raise my voice to my grandson when he screws up for fear that I'll hurt his self-esteem?

We can't afford the "bailouts," and I'm not interested in giving our government more powers that the Constitution doesn't.

ECS

Saturday, March 28

Snow Day! (Update)


Wow! Springtime in Oklahoma! It started snowing around 10:00 am and is still snowing with the occasional flash of lightning and clap of thunder. So far we have about 5 inches of snow at my house.

Must be all that global warming.

We ended up with 6 inches of snow in Owasso. Out west at Fort Supply, Oklahoma, they had 25 inches with drifts 6-10 feet. The roads off the major highways are a sloppy mess. It's supposed to freeze tonight which will cause the roads to be icy. I'll probably have to take my daughter to work in the morning.

Bed time.

ECS

Tuesday, March 24

Range day

On Saturday my daughter, my brother, and I went shooting. My first order of business was to zero the laser in the Crimson Trace grips on my former TPD Smith & Wesson Model 681. Since this revolver is my wife's "house gun," I zeroed it at 25 yards with .38 Special +P 125 grain Remington semi-jacketed hollowpoints. Once I got it dialed in, I checked the strike of the rounds at "living room range." It's good. My wife is very happy with it now.

Then, some practice with my carry guns at 3, 5, 10, and 25 yards just to keep my hand in. I was satisfied with the palm-sized groups I shot with the Smith & Wesson Model 13 shooting .357 Magnum 125 grain Remington semi-jacketed hollowpoints and with the Taurus 85SSUL shooting .38 Special +P 135 grain Speer "Short Barrel" hollowpoints.

After that, I shot up about a box of HotShot 98 grain 7.62x38R Nagant ammunition from my 1929 Tula arsenal Model 1895. I'm amazed that the Nagant lasted so long in Russian/Soviet military service, but I think it will do nicely for small game hunting. Besides, it makes a good counterpoint to my Mosin-Nagant M38 carbine in 7.62x54R.

Finally, I shot the Mosin-Nagant over my Chrony. At 10 feet instrumental distance, 147 grain "light bullet" Bulgarian ammunition clocked an average of 2622.52 feet per second yielding 2,245.49 foot/pounds of energy. The 203 grain Barnaul soft points were slower at 2289.46 feet per second but generated 2,363.30
foot/pounds of energy. At the plinking range where we set up, I hit everything at which I shot, but the 100/200 yard benchrest range was jammed so I didn't get a chance to shoot for groups.

Take a friend shooting this weekend.

ECS

IndyMedia anti-1st Amendment trolls attack!

Well, brave Anonymous from IndyMedia has decided to defend the indefensible behavior of the cowards who attacked the Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Berkeley. Then, he/she/it decided to attack me personally because apparently, he/she/it doesn't like guns and believes that people like me need guns to "feel manly." Like the rest of the cowards on IndyMedia who remove any posts contrary to their myopic "world view," Anonymous is convinced that Berkeley is the United States when, in reality, it isn't even a pimple on the ass of California.

Just for their edification, "moral victory," "making a statement," etc., all translate as "lose." That makes them "losers."

My other anonymous friend reported that the IndyMedia "turds" deleted his comments as well. Those are the actions of cowards who will not tolerate the voicing of any opposition to their weak-minded beliefs, who will shout down people saying things they don't want to hear, and who denigrate their betters, who are those who risk their lives to defend this country and the cowards' right to be stupid.

That's the way I see it.

ECS

Friday, February 6

Stop the bailout, stop the stimulus.

Our new President insisted that he had to have the second half of the $700,000,000,000.00 TARP bailout released without strings, and now we have a tax evading Secretary of the Treasury. No accountability, no ethics, no big deal to the Democrats in Congress or apparently most of the Republicans.

Now we're in the middle of a fight over the "stimulus" package that our new President is insisting needs to be done without delay , or apparently any scrutiny. Nancy Pelosi pushed the package through the House of Representatives without a single Republican vote and had the gall to talk about "bipartisanship." Of course the only "bipartisanship" was the few Democrats who voted with the Republicans. In the Senate, the "stimulus" bill has ballooned to over $900,000,000,000.00, and Senator Harry Reid and his cohorts are trying to "pull a Pelosi." The Democratic Senate leadership is also talking about "bipartisanship" because at least two RINOs have signed on while negotiations are on-going. With any luck, the negotiations will cause some of the more hardcore leftists to abandon ship like Senator Di Feinstein who is upset about tax cuts of all things.

One good thing about all this is that it reveals our new President as an empty suit devoid of any understanding about how to get things done. "We won the election! You're supposed to do what we say!"

ECS

Thursday, January 8

Don't you just hate being sick?

Haven't been active here due to some health issues. "I shall return." - Douglas MacArthur