Sunday, March 18, 2012
Congratulations, Chrysler, you've just made sure I'll never
buy one of your cars.
Friend is a mechanic. Earlier today told me that, beginning in 2013, Chrysler automatic transmissions will have the software that operates them embedded in a module in the transmission itself. And if you disconnect the battery, or it dies on you, you can reconnect it or put in a new one and the engine will start; but until you get it to a Chrysler dealer to have the module reprogrammed, you're not going anywhere.
Just think of all the levels of 'Fail' involved in this.
Friend is a mechanic. Earlier today told me that, beginning in 2013, Chrysler automatic transmissions will have the software that operates them embedded in a module in the transmission itself. And if you disconnect the battery, or it dies on you, you can reconnect it or put in a new one and the engine will start; but until you get it to a Chrysler dealer to have the module reprogrammed, you're not going anywhere.
Just think of all the levels of 'Fail' involved in this.
A little piece of history
about our time in the Philippines.
Captain Cloman tracked down the killers and arrested them.
The American military did not want to enter into a full scale war with the Moro and exercised military restraint, however:
Captain Cloman tracked down the killers and arrested them.
All night Cloman interviewed the suspects in order to answer the most important question: Why? He obtained no satisfactory answer. The Moros’ explanation [he wrote in his diary] “always came down to the fact that the soldiers were in their power and could be killed, so therefore they were.”...
The American military did not want to enter into a full scale war with the Moro and exercised military restraint, however:
The Moros saw American restraint as weakness. The Moro understanding of Mohammed’s life story taught that a party engaged in diplomacy merely to buy time to recover from setback. Thus… return to diplomacy reinforced the Moro perception of American weakness.Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Amazingly, I actually got off my ass and out of the house
this evening and caught these folks performing; a good show, it was. There'll be more in the future.
Oh, and Harp from a can sucks; Harp on tap is pretty good.
Remember that stuff a few months back about Texas putting together some gunboats for those lakes along the border? They're going to the Rio and Gulf, too.
Texas unveiled the second of six new ‘interceptor’ gunboats on Thursday, similar to Navy swift boats that plied the rivers of Vietnam during the Vietnam War, to patrol the waterways of the Mexico border.
The Texas Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Texas Highway Patrol and the Texas Rangers, said the 34-foot shallow water crafts would be deployed on the Rio Grande and the Intercoastal Waterway, which separates the Texas mainland from Padre Island.
I'd say folks in TX are getting pretty tired of waiting for the feds to do something about the problems.
Oh, and Harp from a can sucks; Harp on tap is pretty good.
Remember that stuff a few months back about Texas putting together some gunboats for those lakes along the border? They're going to the Rio and Gulf, too.
Texas unveiled the second of six new ‘interceptor’ gunboats on Thursday, similar to Navy swift boats that plied the rivers of Vietnam during the Vietnam War, to patrol the waterways of the Mexico border.
The Texas Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Texas Highway Patrol and the Texas Rangers, said the 34-foot shallow water crafts would be deployed on the Rio Grande and the Intercoastal Waterway, which separates the Texas mainland from Padre Island.
I'd say folks in TX are getting pretty tired of waiting for the feds to do something about the problems.
Friday, March 16, 2012
God damn
Info just coming out that a 22-year-old Marine was murdered on 01 Feb, about 6 weeks ago, in another insider attack. The military covered it up as if it were combat operations. Lance Cpl. Edward J. Dycus of Greenville, Mississippi was shot in the back of the head by an Afghan soldier. Our people immediately turned over the murderer to the Afghans.
That's a huge Red Flag on numerous levels. How many other "combat deaths" have been caused by insider attacks, and how often has our military covered it up? How many murderers have been turned over to Afghans? What happens when we turn over a killer to Afghans?
That's a huge Red Flag on numerous levels. How many other "combat deaths" have been caused by insider attacks, and how often has our military covered it up? How many murderers have been turned over to Afghans? What happens when we turn over a killer to Afghans?
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Among other things,
changed the clutch and brake fluid in the bike today. Fairly straightforward process(especially if you change a couple of things from the 'official' method) but I still get hinky working on the 'make it stop' stuff.
And nitrile gloves are one of the greatest things around: until one tore getting at one of the effing bleed valves on the rear caliper they kept all the grease and fluid off my hands. And only got a little bit then.
On a less-successful action, the bloody tiller doesn't want to run. I think one of the fuel lines is leaking and sucking air in, so if the knee I ran into something this afternoon will let me walk tomorrow I'll pick up a set of new ones and see if that does it.
One of the things brought back from Tacoma is sons' carry piece, on which he installed a set of these XS Big Dot sights. Took it to the range a couple of days ago and tried them out; I like them. Very fast and show up very well in dim light, and glow in the dark. I may have to check these out in the future for my piece.
And nitrile gloves are one of the greatest things around: until one tore getting at one of the effing bleed valves on the rear caliper they kept all the grease and fluid off my hands. And only got a little bit then.
On a less-successful action, the bloody tiller doesn't want to run. I think one of the fuel lines is leaking and sucking air in, so if the knee I ran into something this afternoon will let me walk tomorrow I'll pick up a set of new ones and see if that does it.
One of the things brought back from Tacoma is sons' carry piece, on which he installed a set of these XS Big Dot sights. Took it to the range a couple of days ago and tried them out; I like them. Very fast and show up very well in dim light, and glow in the dark. I may have to check these out in the future for my piece.
So, if Australia does create their Ministry of Truth
to police what people say, will foreigners be turned back for having said something the politicians don't like?
Finkelstein’s ideological position is not hard to find. It’s in paragraph 4.10 of his report. He thinks a council should control speech in Australia because most people are too dumb or ignorant to decide for themselves about what they see and hear and read in the media.
In response to the claim from News Ltd’s John Hartigan that ultimately readers “were capable of making up their own minds” about bias in the media, Finkelstein writes, “often, however, readers are not in a position to make an appropriately informed judgment”.
This is intellectual arrogance at its most breathtaking. And it’s a great argument against democracy. If, as Finkelstein claims, people aren’t smart enough to decide for themselves the merits of what they see in the media then they’re certainly not smart enough to decide who to vote for.
This is the totalitarian fallacy: don’t let the people decide (because the people are too stupid), let judges and academics decide for them.
Note this from WUWT on similar threats to speech here:
The same totalitarian ambitions are at work in America too. They face greater legal obstacles here, but key actors are powerfully placed. Obama’s “regulatory czar” Cass Sunstein wants to use the system of “notice and takedown” from copyright law to shut down “conspiracy theories.” As an example, he wants to suppress claims that:
Finkelstein’s ideological position is not hard to find. It’s in paragraph 4.10 of his report. He thinks a council should control speech in Australia because most people are too dumb or ignorant to decide for themselves about what they see and hear and read in the media.
In response to the claim from News Ltd’s John Hartigan that ultimately readers “were capable of making up their own minds” about bias in the media, Finkelstein writes, “often, however, readers are not in a position to make an appropriately informed judgment”.
This is intellectual arrogance at its most breathtaking. And it’s a great argument against democracy. If, as Finkelstein claims, people aren’t smart enough to decide for themselves the merits of what they see in the media then they’re certainly not smart enough to decide who to vote for.
This is the totalitarian fallacy: don’t let the people decide (because the people are too stupid), let judges and academics decide for them.
Note this from WUWT on similar threats to speech here:
The same totalitarian ambitions are at work in America too. They face greater legal obstacles here, but key actors are powerfully placed. Obama’s “regulatory czar” Cass Sunstein wants to use the system of “notice and takedown” from copyright law to shut down “conspiracy theories.” As an example, he wants to suppress claims that:
the theory of global warming is a deliberate fraud.
If SOPA had passed then all of the necessary machinery would have been in place, ready to expand from copyright infringement to the suppression of conspiracy theories at the drop of a one-line rider on any bill. At that point our freedom to speak our minds would lie in the hands of Sunstein booster Elena Kagan (who brought Sunstein to Harvard, calling him “the preeminent legal scholar of our time”); the racist Sonya Sotomayor (a long-time member of La Raza, or “the race“); and a borderline Court-majority of similar un-worthies.
Firing Boehner does seem like a good idea, doesn't it?
Operation Fast and Furious was a gun-walking plot dependent on guns being “walked” over the border to the Sinaloa drug cartel. In particular, the plot was entirely dependent on these walked guns being used in violent crimes, and then traced. It is predicated on the cartel’s standard operating procedure of treating firearms as disposable commodities, discarding weapons after they have been used in murders at or near the scene of the crime,so that the weapon could not be tied back to any given shooter in a string of killings."
Let’s be very explicit about this, so that no context can be lost: Operation Fast and Furious was conceived, authorized, and executed knowing that Mexican citizens would be violently murdered as a necessary part of the plot. This is beyond dispute, and admitted to in sworn congressional testimony by BATFE agents.
...
As Speaker of the House, it is John Boehner’s duty to protect and defend the Constitution, especially since he is the de facto leader of the “loyal opposition” within the federal government.
He, more than anyone, has the moral responsibility to hold this Administration in compliance with the laws and treaties of this nation. Boehner, more than anyone, has a responsibility to the American people to demand that DOJ IG Schendar release her findings in a timely manner.
Schnedar has had more than enough time to complete her investigation. Boehner has refused to call for the IG’s report. Even worse, insiders with sources inside the DOJ claim Boehner is actively involved in trying to muzzle the House Oversight Committee’s investigation.
Let’s be very explicit about this, so that no context can be lost: Operation Fast and Furious was conceived, authorized, and executed knowing that Mexican citizens would be violently murdered as a necessary part of the plot. This is beyond dispute, and admitted to in sworn congressional testimony by BATFE agents.
...
As Speaker of the House, it is John Boehner’s duty to protect and defend the Constitution, especially since he is the de facto leader of the “loyal opposition” within the federal government.
He, more than anyone, has the moral responsibility to hold this Administration in compliance with the laws and treaties of this nation. Boehner, more than anyone, has a responsibility to the American people to demand that DOJ IG Schendar release her findings in a timely manner.
Schnedar has had more than enough time to complete her investigation. Boehner has refused to call for the IG’s report. Even worse, insiders with sources inside the DOJ claim Boehner is actively involved in trying to muzzle the House Oversight Committee’s investigation.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
I don't think this'll make my list of 'active volcanoes
I'd like to see', as there's a serious shortage of places to run to if it seriously blows
Oh, Pistole & Co. must be feeling the love right now (updated)
One of America’s busiest airports, Orlando Sanford International, has announced it will opt out of using TSA workers to screen passengers, a move which threatens the highly unpopular federal agency’s role in other airports across the nation.
...
The agency has been slow to reissue the guidelines on the the rule change, prompting Republican Representatives John Mica of Florida, Darrell Issa of California and Jason Chaffetz of Utah to press TSA head John Pistole to implement the mandate.
Gee, I wonder why... OH:
The TSA has been keen to downplay the opportunity for airports to dispense with their screeners, fearing a mass exodus that could undermine the justification for the agency’s continued existence, especially given the fact that its reputation has been repeatedly savaged by a number of scandals.
Add "And some screeners wondering when some molested woman/humiliated med patient/parent was going to beat the crap out of them."
Oh, and as to the "We see you naked" machines,
The most recent controversy involved a viral You Tube video created by engineer Jon Corbett which demonstrated how the TSA’s body scanners were virtually useless because they are unable to detect objects carried on the side of the body carried in a pocket.
The TSA responded by threatening the media not to cover the issue while putting out a blog statement that completely failed to rebut the claims made by Corbett.
I imagine they really didn't like having to deal with that.
Here's a link to the video;
As a side matter, I wonder if theirSnake In The GrassVIPR teams have been taking bets as to how long before some pissed-off/molested motorist runs them over when they screw with traffic on a public road?
...
The agency has been slow to reissue the guidelines on the the rule change, prompting Republican Representatives John Mica of Florida, Darrell Issa of California and Jason Chaffetz of Utah to press TSA head John Pistole to implement the mandate.
Gee, I wonder why... OH:
The TSA has been keen to downplay the opportunity for airports to dispense with their screeners, fearing a mass exodus that could undermine the justification for the agency’s continued existence, especially given the fact that its reputation has been repeatedly savaged by a number of scandals.
Add "And some screeners wondering when some molested woman/humiliated med patient/parent was going to beat the crap out of them."
Oh, and as to the "We see you naked" machines,
The most recent controversy involved a viral You Tube video created by engineer Jon Corbett which demonstrated how the TSA’s body scanners were virtually useless because they are unable to detect objects carried on the side of the body carried in a pocket.
The TSA responded by threatening the media not to cover the issue while putting out a blog statement that completely failed to rebut the claims made by Corbett.
I imagine they really didn't like having to deal with that.
Here's a link to the video;
As a side matter, I wonder if their
So Panetta says Congress doesn't really count anymore
and doesn't trust the troops to be armed when around his sorry ass; isn't that interesting?
“In a sign of the nervousness surrounding Mr. Panetta’s trip, the Marines and other troops who were waiting in a tent for the defense secretary to speak were abruptly asked by their commander to get up, place their weapons — M-16 and M-4 automatic rifles and 9-mm pistols — outside the tent and then return unarmed. The commander, Sgt. Maj. Brandon Hall, told reporters he was acting on orders from superiors.
“All I know is, I was told to get the weapons out,” he said. Asked why, he replied, “Somebody got itchy, that’s all I’ve got to say. Somebody got itchy; we just adjust.”
“In a sign of the nervousness surrounding Mr. Panetta’s trip, the Marines and other troops who were waiting in a tent for the defense secretary to speak were abruptly asked by their commander to get up, place their weapons — M-16 and M-4 automatic rifles and 9-mm pistols — outside the tent and then return unarmed. The commander, Sgt. Maj. Brandon Hall, told reporters he was acting on orders from superiors.
“All I know is, I was told to get the weapons out,” he said. Asked why, he replied, “Somebody got itchy, that’s all I’ve got to say. Somebody got itchy; we just adjust.”
Hey, Chris, I think the line I once heard was 'Farging corksuckers' or something, and
it seems to fit you real well.
I especially like this part:
“Chris Rock shouted, ‘You want to throw down? Let’s throw down right now!’ Of course, he was standing safely behind two bodyguards when he said it.”
I especially like this part:
“Chris Rock shouted, ‘You want to throw down? Let’s throw down right now!’ Of course, he was standing safely behind two bodyguards when he said it.”
In the 'Self-Defenders' category, you need to read this
now, or soon as you can. And this. Good information.
An excerpt which conflicts with a lot of the usual advice:
When to draw
Despite warnings I often see on the Net I have yet to encounter an instance in which a hold up man called the police to report his intended victim threatened to shoot him. Thugs do not want to come into contact with the police. They may already be wanted or realize chances are good they have been identified in a recent robbery. Or what ever. They are not going to call the police if you draw on them.
Supposed two guys are approaching you in a parking lot and do the classic fan out maneuver. You indicate you have a weapon by clearing your gun hand and fanning your jacket at them. They are not discouraged. DRAW!
I am not saying you should pull your gun out, assume a Weaver stance, and scream "That's close enough motherfuckers!" What I am saying is draw your gun and hold it beside your leg as you start to move to cover. I am very fond of telephone poles. Anything will do though. They will see this. They will remember they have to be somewhere else. They will not call the police.
Then you can just put your gun back in the holster and go back to whatever you were doing like nothing happened. Why? Because nothing did happen. A happening is when shots are fired.
Do not hesitate to draw. If you are somewhere you are supposed to be and someone appears who is not supposed to be there like a closed business show him the end of your gun. Could it be Mother Teresa looking for her lost cat behind your closed business? No it is some motherfucker up to no good. He won't call the police to report he was prowling a location when a guy ran him off.
Thanks to Tam for pointing to them.
An excerpt which conflicts with a lot of the usual advice:
When to draw
Despite warnings I often see on the Net I have yet to encounter an instance in which a hold up man called the police to report his intended victim threatened to shoot him. Thugs do not want to come into contact with the police. They may already be wanted or realize chances are good they have been identified in a recent robbery. Or what ever. They are not going to call the police if you draw on them.
Supposed two guys are approaching you in a parking lot and do the classic fan out maneuver. You indicate you have a weapon by clearing your gun hand and fanning your jacket at them. They are not discouraged. DRAW!
I am not saying you should pull your gun out, assume a Weaver stance, and scream "That's close enough motherfuckers!" What I am saying is draw your gun and hold it beside your leg as you start to move to cover. I am very fond of telephone poles. Anything will do though. They will see this. They will remember they have to be somewhere else. They will not call the police.
Then you can just put your gun back in the holster and go back to whatever you were doing like nothing happened. Why? Because nothing did happen. A happening is when shots are fired.
Do not hesitate to draw. If you are somewhere you are supposed to be and someone appears who is not supposed to be there like a closed business show him the end of your gun. Could it be Mother Teresa looking for her lost cat behind your closed business? No it is some motherfucker up to no good. He won't call the police to report he was prowling a location when a guy ran him off.
Thanks to Tam for pointing to them.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Travelogue, the Finale
Got an early start from Flagstaff, back onto I40 heading east, and a while later(through lots more beautiful country, enough to make you think of moving) reached New Mexico. Which shortly led to a decision:
The NM Dept of Transportation sucks.
Specifically, a few miles into the state was a big overhead sign: "I40 eastbound lanes closed at Coors, seek alternate route". Ok, pull out the map, Coors, Coor... "There's no Coors on the map?" So with no more information, we continued on. Through more volcanic countryside, including the malpais, which I'd first read of loooong ago in a Louis L'amour book. Lots more places which, with more time, we'd have taken off to see. Past places from Joe Leaphorn books, Shiprock and the Big Rez.
And then just west of Albuquerque is a traffic backup, and when we get up to the block, yeah, I40 is blocked, a big sign repeating the earlier message and two deputies impatiently waving people to an exit. Why am I saying DOT sucks?
No 'detour this way' or anything signs, just 'get off and go some other way'.
NOTHING between the first sign and this one, and- the big one-
Coors is AN EFFING STREET. Not something you find on a state map, which means unless you happen to be getting the right radio station(and our radio wasn't working) or know the area, the effing signs DON'T TELL YOU WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.
Ahem.
Lost some time getting around this, and then the cherry on top appeared: it didn't just cloud up, it started snowing. Light, then heavier, then light, and then damn hard. As in 'Hard to see cars very far in the other lanes' heavy at times. We'd thought of maybe stopping in eastern NM or Amarillo for the night, but not knowing what the weather might do we were concerned that, if we stopped, we might wake up to being stuck for a day; so on we went.
It continued doing this almost to the Texas line, then both stopped snowing and the temperature was rising. But it was only about 200-250 miles left at that point, so we decided to finish the drive. Which we did a few hours later at the parents' home.
I mentioned the dog was travelling very well, but he was, if anything, more sick of driving than we. He'd been here before, when son was on leave, and he walked into the house, took a big sniff and said "This isn't a motel! I know this place!" Mom petted him and sat down, he spotted a ball the cats play with and pounced on it, then flopped on the rug on Moms' feet and stretched ALL the way out.
I will note further that, after a break, we opened the door and set him loose in the yard: not only was he cool with having his personal dog park, but "NOBODY else has peed on these trees! Cool!"
That ended the critter end of the trip. After some sleep, and a big bowl of stew accompanied by a large wedge of fresh cornbread, I headed home the next day. Dog was too busy exploring, peeing, drinking from the bird bath, scattering his toys and so on to care. When I got home my dogs proceeded to tell me how much they missed me by, when I opened the gate, zipping right past me to check the front yard pee-mail they hadn't covered for days("Gee, I missed you too, you little bastards.")
Thus ends the tale. I'm sure I'm skipping over things that ought to be noted, but I really don't care; as I said, not a trip I want to repeat anytime soon.
The NM Dept of Transportation sucks.
Specifically, a few miles into the state was a big overhead sign: "I40 eastbound lanes closed at Coors, seek alternate route". Ok, pull out the map, Coors, Coor... "There's no Coors on the map?" So with no more information, we continued on. Through more volcanic countryside, including the malpais, which I'd first read of loooong ago in a Louis L'amour book. Lots more places which, with more time, we'd have taken off to see. Past places from Joe Leaphorn books, Shiprock and the Big Rez.
And then just west of Albuquerque is a traffic backup, and when we get up to the block, yeah, I40 is blocked, a big sign repeating the earlier message and two deputies impatiently waving people to an exit. Why am I saying DOT sucks?
No 'detour this way' or anything signs, just 'get off and go some other way'.
NOTHING between the first sign and this one, and- the big one-
Coors is AN EFFING STREET. Not something you find on a state map, which means unless you happen to be getting the right radio station(and our radio wasn't working) or know the area, the effing signs DON'T TELL YOU WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.
Ahem.
Lost some time getting around this, and then the cherry on top appeared: it didn't just cloud up, it started snowing. Light, then heavier, then light, and then damn hard. As in 'Hard to see cars very far in the other lanes' heavy at times. We'd thought of maybe stopping in eastern NM or Amarillo for the night, but not knowing what the weather might do we were concerned that, if we stopped, we might wake up to being stuck for a day; so on we went.
It continued doing this almost to the Texas line, then both stopped snowing and the temperature was rising. But it was only about 200-250 miles left at that point, so we decided to finish the drive. Which we did a few hours later at the parents' home.
I mentioned the dog was travelling very well, but he was, if anything, more sick of driving than we. He'd been here before, when son was on leave, and he walked into the house, took a big sniff and said "This isn't a motel! I know this place!" Mom petted him and sat down, he spotted a ball the cats play with and pounced on it, then flopped on the rug on Moms' feet and stretched ALL the way out.
I will note further that, after a break, we opened the door and set him loose in the yard: not only was he cool with having his personal dog park, but "NOBODY else has peed on these trees! Cool!"
That ended the critter end of the trip. After some sleep, and a big bowl of stew accompanied by a large wedge of fresh cornbread, I headed home the next day. Dog was too busy exploring, peeing, drinking from the bird bath, scattering his toys and so on to care. When I got home my dogs proceeded to tell me how much they missed me by, when I opened the gate, zipping right past me to check the front yard pee-mail they hadn't covered for days("Gee, I missed you too, you little bastards.")
Thus ends the tale. I'm sure I'm skipping over things that ought to be noted, but I really don't care; as I said, not a trip I want to repeat anytime soon.
You will be pleased to know that Sheriff Joe Biden(D-Moronia)
has your back:
Biden made the remarks at the Georgetown home of Senator John Kerry, where some 87 guests paid a minimum of $10,000 per couple to dine on char-grilled grass-fed New York strip steaks and white truffle mashed potatoes beneath a tent basked in soft pink lighting. Biden told attendees that he is confident about Obama's reelection because Republicans are being open about their intent to cut programs important to a large swatch of the electorate -- the middle class.
“These guys don’t have a sense of the average folks out there,” he said. “They don’t know what it means to be middle class.”
Seems one of the things I missed while disconnected from the 'net was that video of Obama's college days involving a black racist pushing a 'evil white people' line that Obama approved of; hilarity ensued, with various journalists and other clowns screaming "That doesn't mean anything!". And one of them in particular doesn't like blowback from being a 'cover for Obama' jerk.
Admitted terrorist(connected to at least one murder he doesn't want to own) and Friend of Obama Bill Ayers accuses someone else of 'calling for violence'.
That's it for now: it's been two weeks and I'm in withdrawal, I'm heading to the range to enlarge my carbon footprint.
By the way,WindyGerry, if you read this: on that Paco .22 tool, do you just whack it with a mallet or drop a weight on it, or what?
Biden made the remarks at the Georgetown home of Senator John Kerry, where some 87 guests paid a minimum of $10,000 per couple to dine on char-grilled grass-fed New York strip steaks and white truffle mashed potatoes beneath a tent basked in soft pink lighting. Biden told attendees that he is confident about Obama's reelection because Republicans are being open about their intent to cut programs important to a large swatch of the electorate -- the middle class.
“These guys don’t have a sense of the average folks out there,” he said. “They don’t know what it means to be middle class.”
Seems one of the things I missed while disconnected from the 'net was that video of Obama's college days involving a black racist pushing a 'evil white people' line that Obama approved of; hilarity ensued, with various journalists and other clowns screaming "That doesn't mean anything!". And one of them in particular doesn't like blowback from being a 'cover for Obama' jerk.
Admitted terrorist(connected to at least one murder he doesn't want to own) and Friend of Obama Bill Ayers accuses someone else of 'calling for violence'.
That's it for now: it's been two weeks and I'm in withdrawal, I'm heading to the range to enlarge my carbon footprint.
By the way,
Monday, March 12, 2012
I don't care of it's malicious (link fixed)
or just damned lazy, the ones responsible should be fired.
Few years back a bedroom community called Forest Park on the east edge of Okla. City got in trouble over something similar: they were hell on '2mph over the limit'-type speeding tickets, and a guy not only fought the ticket, his attorney demanded the records on the maintenance and calibration of the speedgun.
Oops.
Turned out they hadn't bothered to check it for more than two years, and when it was checked for the court it was off by 5-7mph(as I recall; it was a significant amount). They wound up refunding the fines from hundreds of tickets, notifying the state so points could be taken off peoples' driving records, and other such fun activities. I can't remember if anyone was held personally responsible for not taking care of the maintenance on the thing.
Few years back a bedroom community called Forest Park on the east edge of Okla. City got in trouble over something similar: they were hell on '2mph over the limit'-type speeding tickets, and a guy not only fought the ticket, his attorney demanded the records on the maintenance and calibration of the speedgun.
Oops.
Turned out they hadn't bothered to check it for more than two years, and when it was checked for the court it was off by 5-7mph(as I recall; it was a significant amount). They wound up refunding the fines from hundreds of tickets, notifying the state so points could be taken off peoples' driving records, and other such fun activities. I can't remember if anyone was held personally responsible for not taking care of the maintenance on the thing.
Travelogue, Part III
On south from Medford, more mountains. And signs along the lines of "If this light is blinking, chains are required", which is just so encouraging as you head into the Siskiyou Mountains, and one serious mountain pass; even with clear roads I'd hate to try driving that with strong winds. And you'd better be damn sure your brakes are good.
Same goes for some of this range in northern Californicated.
Can't remember too much of this, too busy concentrating on the road and trying to get my ears to clear. Then down out of the mountains and you run by Mount Shasta; one seriously impressive pile of rock. Nearby you have Black Butte; both are something to see as you approach, I promise. Between the others and these two, half of one of my wishes has been fulfilled: I've seen volcanoes, but none had the manners to burp or roll over in bed while we were in the vicinity, so an erupting/active one is still on the list.
After that, just lots and lots of driving on I5. Gas was now in the upper $4 range. And further south... remember some of those 'Congress created dust bowl' signs? Kind of jarring: fields of grown or new-planted trees, then stretches where every tree was dead. Not an encouraging sight.
Somewhere in there we spent the night in a motel, but right now I can't remember the city it was in; kind of depressing to lose a detail like that.
Shortly after that, take a state highway 58 to go from I5 to I40.
Last real thing to note on that stretch: near Tehachapi were two hillsides bloody covered with windmills: bleeploads of small ones, a smaller number of medium, and a few huge ones. Renewable power, right? Except I couldn't help noticing that a good half of them were not running. I'd heard of this, seeing it really brings it home.
One last note about Californicated: they don't recognize OK carry permits. We had sons' carry piece with us, and since Dad has the retired LE nationwide permit he wore it through the state. I was still a bit worried, as CA authorities have a reputation for being assholes on such matters. But neither of us wanted to go through without having something handy, just in case.
On into Arizona, where the gas was upper $4 range, with a few places at $4.99. We managed to miss the worst of those. Lots more signs of past volcanic activity, more pretty country. Dry country; crossing it on horseback or foot would be interesting.
Spent the night in Flagstaff, and being sick of food on buns tried Sizzler; beat hell out of burgers. Then an early start the next morning.
Same goes for some of this range in northern Californicated.
Can't remember too much of this, too busy concentrating on the road and trying to get my ears to clear. Then down out of the mountains and you run by Mount Shasta; one seriously impressive pile of rock. Nearby you have Black Butte; both are something to see as you approach, I promise. Between the others and these two, half of one of my wishes has been fulfilled: I've seen volcanoes, but none had the manners to burp or roll over in bed while we were in the vicinity, so an erupting/active one is still on the list.
After that, just lots and lots of driving on I5. Gas was now in the upper $4 range. And further south... remember some of those 'Congress created dust bowl' signs? Kind of jarring: fields of grown or new-planted trees, then stretches where every tree was dead. Not an encouraging sight.
Somewhere in there we spent the night in a motel, but right now I can't remember the city it was in; kind of depressing to lose a detail like that.
Shortly after that, take a state highway 58 to go from I5 to I40.
Last real thing to note on that stretch: near Tehachapi were two hillsides bloody covered with windmills: bleeploads of small ones, a smaller number of medium, and a few huge ones. Renewable power, right? Except I couldn't help noticing that a good half of them were not running. I'd heard of this, seeing it really brings it home.
One last note about Californicated: they don't recognize OK carry permits. We had sons' carry piece with us, and since Dad has the retired LE nationwide permit he wore it through the state. I was still a bit worried, as CA authorities have a reputation for being assholes on such matters. But neither of us wanted to go through without having something handy, just in case.
On into Arizona, where the gas was upper $4 range, with a few places at $4.99. We managed to miss the worst of those. Lots more signs of past volcanic activity, more pretty country. Dry country; crossing it on horseback or foot would be interesting.
Spent the night in Flagstaff, and being sick of food on buns tried Sizzler; beat hell out of burgers. Then an early start the next morning.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Travelogue, Part II
After seeing the troll, and getting badly needed food and drink, the next, oh, 1.4 days was spent helping son get his place cleaned out and stuff in storage, all the usual. Not much time to sightsee, some things he wanted to take us to we just couldn't do this trip. The sky actually cleared for a short time Monday, and we got a lovely view of Mt. Ranier; and it had a beautiful lenticular cloud surrounding it a little below the summit. We were on our way to our motel room, and I thought "Maybe five minutes, and if I get on the second floor of the motel I can get a pretty good picture of this." Which means that three minutes later the clouds moved back in and covered the whole top of the volcano.
I won't go through details of "Now they're saying 'X' days, maybe"; let us draw a curtain over that not-exactly entertaining drama. Tuesday morning I woke up and Dad said "Look outside" in a disgusted voice. Yeah, it snowed. Happily it warmed enough that the roads went to wet only in a few hours. Between that and the Army stuff, we got a later start than planned(Surprise!).
South on I5, out of Washington and through Oregon. Pretty country, what we could see of it; mountain roads like I've only driven once before, and these went on a lot further. And, just to add to the joy, it sprinkled rain. Then it snowed. Then it snowed and sleeted. Lather, rinse, repeat, with short breaks between, and a grand total of maybe a half-hour of actual sunlight all day. Again, beautiful country, but I think I'd mildew if I lived there.
A ways south of Tacoma, before we reached the mountains, saw a railroad siding with flatcars for hauling freight containers. Miles of them, and they'd been there for weeks at the least, probably months; there were branches and blowdowns from winter draped over them in a number of places. I have to wonder if that many idle that long is because of lack of shipping.
By the way, gas in WA ranged in the $3.79-4 range.
Somewhere along here saw a couple of extinct volcanoes, the remnants at least: the basalt cores where magma had cooled in the throats and the softer outside rock had worn way, so you had slopes with a flat-topped column sticking up from the center. Lots of other signs of such activity, these were the first "Wow!" type sighting. There were others, but I admit not remembering exactly where along that route: I did most of the driving through that area, and those roads plus weather meant I was paying more attention to that than the scenery. I want to get back up to that area when I can have a few days to just look around; Ranier, St. Helens at least. To give you an idea of what there is to see on this subject, look here; you can click on the individual peaks for more data.
Stopped in Medford for the night; be it noted that Motel 6 has no problem with dogs, and the critter was very glad to get out of the truck for the night. One blessing, he travels very well.
I'll take up California tomorrow.
I won't go through details of "Now they're saying 'X' days, maybe"; let us draw a curtain over that not-exactly entertaining drama. Tuesday morning I woke up and Dad said "Look outside" in a disgusted voice. Yeah, it snowed. Happily it warmed enough that the roads went to wet only in a few hours. Between that and the Army stuff, we got a later start than planned(Surprise!).
South on I5, out of Washington and through Oregon. Pretty country, what we could see of it; mountain roads like I've only driven once before, and these went on a lot further. And, just to add to the joy, it sprinkled rain. Then it snowed. Then it snowed and sleeted. Lather, rinse, repeat, with short breaks between, and a grand total of maybe a half-hour of actual sunlight all day. Again, beautiful country, but I think I'd mildew if I lived there.
A ways south of Tacoma, before we reached the mountains, saw a railroad siding with flatcars for hauling freight containers. Miles of them, and they'd been there for weeks at the least, probably months; there were branches and blowdowns from winter draped over them in a number of places. I have to wonder if that many idle that long is because of lack of shipping.
By the way, gas in WA ranged in the $3.79-4 range.
Somewhere along here saw a couple of extinct volcanoes, the remnants at least: the basalt cores where magma had cooled in the throats and the softer outside rock had worn way, so you had slopes with a flat-topped column sticking up from the center. Lots of other signs of such activity, these were the first "Wow!" type sighting. There were others, but I admit not remembering exactly where along that route: I did most of the driving through that area, and those roads plus weather meant I was paying more attention to that than the scenery. I want to get back up to that area when I can have a few days to just look around; Ranier, St. Helens at least. To give you an idea of what there is to see on this subject, look here; you can click on the individual peaks for more data.
Stopped in Medford for the night; be it noted that Motel 6 has no problem with dogs, and the critter was very glad to get out of the truck for the night. One blessing, he travels very well.
I'll take up California tomorrow.
A Travelogue
of sorts. Or, Where I've Been The Last Week.
This starts with sons' unit going to A'stan. Which wouldn't really have meant all this, except
They only got four months official "You are going" notice.
Then the Army changed the date. Moved up about two weeks.
Then they were advised "Well, there's some training on new equipment we were supposed to have done, but since we didn't do it when we should have, you guys don't get any pre-deployment leave because we're short on time." You can imagine how that went over.
His plan had been to use his leave to drive home, leave his truck and some personal stuff here when the leave was done and fly back. So now the plan became I would fly up there, visit a couple of days, then drive back. Dad decided to go along(a good thing) so we could trade off driving.
Except the unit wouldn't give an actual "You are leaving this date"; which makes travel plans kind of difficult. FINALLY he was told "Between this date and this date, you're going", so I bought tickets.
Oh yeah, you did guess what happens next!
A week later he calls, "You're going to love this." They moved the date up. So change things around for new tickets, change dates, etc. And spend the next ten days worried the morons in charge are going to change things again. Which added one more concern: sons' dog.
As in "If they change this again and we can't get there before, where can we put the truck and dog till we get there?" Which is where I say "Thank you, again" to Sondra; she lives up in that area and when contacted, despite a, ah, 'hectic' situation said 'If it happens, we'll figure out a way'. Took a lot of pressure off.
Now we come to the flight. First,
Fuck the TSA.
No, we had no real problems getting through. Fuck 'em first, for causing the "What that I need to take might cause a problem because of them?" worries. Like deciding to leave my usual jacket behind because it's been worn at the range and might freak them out if they test it; that kind of PITA. Oklahoma City now has two of the "We get to see you naked" scanners, but I was spared deciding whether to be irradiated or to tell them "No, I'm not walking through a possible unsafe scanner, you'll have to feel me up", we weren't 'chosen for special treatment'. But I did get a fine demonstration of why 'security theater' is the description for this: they did decide that Dad and I both needed to have our shaving stuff checked for explosive residue. So we had to stand there trying to put our shoes back on and watching("You're supposed to watch while I do this") as they selected a bottle from each and ran a swab around the lid. That's it. That's 'keeping us safe in the air, for which we have badges and can screw your life around if we get annoyed. Or just want to order someone around, 'cause we have badges we don't deserve.' Speaking of which.
So we get through screening and fly out. First leg, no problem. Second leg, well, due to lack of choices at short date we had a total
of 30 minutes to change planes, and since they didn't get the door open on the first until almost ten minutes into that, it meant walking fast/trotting all the way; if it'd been any further we wouldn't have made it. Barely did, which had been my real worry after having to change tickets.
But we made it.
Did you know Seattle has a troll under a bridge?
This starts with sons' unit going to A'stan. Which wouldn't really have meant all this, except
They only got four months official "You are going" notice.
Then the Army changed the date. Moved up about two weeks.
Then they were advised "Well, there's some training on new equipment we were supposed to have done, but since we didn't do it when we should have, you guys don't get any pre-deployment leave because we're short on time." You can imagine how that went over.
His plan had been to use his leave to drive home, leave his truck and some personal stuff here when the leave was done and fly back. So now the plan became I would fly up there, visit a couple of days, then drive back. Dad decided to go along(a good thing) so we could trade off driving.
Except the unit wouldn't give an actual "You are leaving this date"; which makes travel plans kind of difficult. FINALLY he was told "Between this date and this date, you're going", so I bought tickets.
Oh yeah, you did guess what happens next!
A week later he calls, "You're going to love this." They moved the date up. So change things around for new tickets, change dates, etc. And spend the next ten days worried the morons in charge are going to change things again. Which added one more concern: sons' dog.
As in "If they change this again and we can't get there before, where can we put the truck and dog till we get there?" Which is where I say "Thank you, again" to Sondra; she lives up in that area and when contacted, despite a, ah, 'hectic' situation said 'If it happens, we'll figure out a way'. Took a lot of pressure off.Now we come to the flight. First,
Fuck the TSA.
No, we had no real problems getting through. Fuck 'em first, for causing the "What that I need to take might cause a problem because of them?" worries. Like deciding to leave my usual jacket behind because it's been worn at the range and might freak them out if they test it; that kind of PITA. Oklahoma City now has two of the "We get to see you naked" scanners, but I was spared deciding whether to be irradiated or to tell them "No, I'm not walking through a possible unsafe scanner, you'll have to feel me up", we weren't 'chosen for special treatment'. But I did get a fine demonstration of why 'security theater' is the description for this: they did decide that Dad and I both needed to have our shaving stuff checked for explosive residue. So we had to stand there trying to put our shoes back on and watching("You're supposed to watch while I do this") as they selected a bottle from each and ran a swab around the lid. That's it. That's 'keeping us safe in the air, for which we have badges and can screw your life around if we get annoyed. Or just want to order someone around, 'cause we have badges we don't deserve.' Speaking of which.
So we get through screening and fly out. First leg, no problem. Second leg, well, due to lack of choices at short date we had a total
of 30 minutes to change planes, and since they didn't get the door open on the first until almost ten minutes into that, it meant walking fast/trotting all the way; if it'd been any further we wouldn't have made it. Barely did, which had been my real worry after having to change tickets.But we made it.
Did you know Seattle has a troll under a bridge?
Saturday, March 10, 2012
I see the innertubes survived without me
Short version: a trip I do NOT want to repeat under the conditions.
Long version: over the next couple of days; just in a couple of hours ago, and I'm tired.
Long version: over the next couple of days; just in a couple of hours ago, and I'm tired.
Saturday, March 03, 2012
There are so many dots connected already
that a spider could get lost in all the lines.
And yeah, an awful lot of people have been at that "You don't disagree with me, you're EVILLLEEE!" level for a while now.
And yeah, an awful lot of people have been at that "You don't disagree with me, you're EVILLLEEE!" level for a while now.
Friday, March 02, 2012
The anthropologists have something to argue about
Or are back to this argument. Which will again involve name-calling and hair-pulling and various people being told "I don't want you in my club anymore!"
I don't know if you remember a lot of the screaming over Kennewick Man being found to have some caucasoid features; it was loud and nasty. This ought to add to it nicely.
I don't know if you remember a lot of the screaming over Kennewick Man being found to have some caucasoid features; it was loud and nasty. This ought to add to it nicely.
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Two quick things:
First, you've probably heard Breitbart died; the 'progressives' are behaving about like you'd expect. 'Respectful dialogue' my ass.
Second,
“Many officers are also uncomfortable that their activities might be displayed on the Internet and otherwise widely distributed,” says Portland, Ore., lawyer Bert P. Krages, who specializes in the area. “Some also have the impression that photography presents a security risk and are acting according to a post-9/11 mentality.”
Adds Krages: “Law enforcement personnel are still grappling with the idea that ordinary citizens have the right to take images, whereas previously such photographs and videos were taken by professionals employed by traditional media companies.”
Well, some more "No, you DON"T have qualified immunity for this" rulings and the subsequent lawsuits would probably help get the idea across.
It would also help if they started reminding cops, from the academy on, of that
Constitution thingy that has a place in their oath; and a good course on Peel's Principles would probably help, too.
Second,
“Many officers are also uncomfortable that their activities might be displayed on the Internet and otherwise widely distributed,” says Portland, Ore., lawyer Bert P. Krages, who specializes in the area. “Some also have the impression that photography presents a security risk and are acting according to a post-9/11 mentality.”
Adds Krages: “Law enforcement personnel are still grappling with the idea that ordinary citizens have the right to take images, whereas previously such photographs and videos were taken by professionals employed by traditional media companies.”
Well, some more "No, you DON"T have qualified immunity for this" rulings and the subsequent lawsuits would probably help get the idea across.
It would also help if they started reminding cops, from the academy on, of that
Constitution thingy that has a place in their oath; and a good course on Peel's Principles would probably help, too.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Having some time, I want to start this morning with Dax Shepard,
a actor who thought he had a great observation. Till people told him what they think of his observation and his brainpower in general.
McQ says Shepard couldn't hold a SEALs jockstrap; I'd put it 'Couldn't carry a troops' jockstrap', period.
Various Democrats are saying "Take oil from the strategic reserve and release it to quiet the peasants!" Except when they're called on it, then they say it's not a good idea. You'll notice that not one of these clowns says "Let companies start drilling." Oh no, because
A: It would actually work, and
B: It would actually work.
And they don't want that.
The plot is not Hitchcockian: Some bad guys are going to try and do bad things to America. A bunch of SEALs are attempting to stop them, mostly by shooting them in the face. They don't sit around and anguish over the deep meaning of shooting terrorists in the face, either; they make like a Nike commercial and Just Do It.
Time allows, if it's still in theaters, I'm going to have to see this.
"Some of us are having so much sex we can't afford it, so YOU should pay for our birth control!" No, I'm not kidding.
Obama's Energy Secretary says "Screw you people, I WANT gas prices higher."
And from Keith, another gun bigot who's also a liar:
It was among the most emotional speeches at last year’s Labour Party Conference.
A young anti-crime campaigner, Narraser Gordon, was given a standing ovation from MPs including Tessa Jowell and Yvette Cooper when she movingly told how eight members of her family had been murdered.
But now it has emerged that most of the ‘victims’ the campaigner claimed had died are in fact alive and well.
McQ says Shepard couldn't hold a SEALs jockstrap; I'd put it 'Couldn't carry a troops' jockstrap', period.
Various Democrats are saying "Take oil from the strategic reserve and release it to quiet the peasants!" Except when they're called on it, then they say it's not a good idea. You'll notice that not one of these clowns says "Let companies start drilling." Oh no, because
A: It would actually work, and
B: It would actually work.
And they don't want that.
The plot is not Hitchcockian: Some bad guys are going to try and do bad things to America. A bunch of SEALs are attempting to stop them, mostly by shooting them in the face. They don't sit around and anguish over the deep meaning of shooting terrorists in the face, either; they make like a Nike commercial and Just Do It.
Time allows, if it's still in theaters, I'm going to have to see this.
"Some of us are having so much sex we can't afford it, so YOU should pay for our birth control!" No, I'm not kidding.
Obama's Energy Secretary says "Screw you people, I WANT gas prices higher."
And from Keith, another gun bigot who's also a liar:
It was among the most emotional speeches at last year’s Labour Party Conference.
A young anti-crime campaigner, Narraser Gordon, was given a standing ovation from MPs including Tessa Jowell and Yvette Cooper when she movingly told how eight members of her family had been murdered.
But now it has emerged that most of the ‘victims’ the campaigner claimed had died are in fact alive and well.
Monday, February 27, 2012
So the Afghans want to put our troops on trial,
and they claim NATO officials have agreed to it:
3. NATO officials promised to meet Afghan nation’s demand of bringing to justice, through an open trial, those responsible for the incident and it was agreed that the perpetrators of the crime be brought to justice as soon as possible.
I really don't have time for this, but heard of this and looked it up, and this crap has to be yelled about. Bad enough son's about to go to that craphole; finding out that NATO- and the US officials involved- may be willing to screw our troops this way... let's say that 'calm reflection' does not describe my mood right now.
3. NATO officials promised to meet Afghan nation’s demand of bringing to justice, through an open trial, those responsible for the incident and it was agreed that the perpetrators of the crime be brought to justice as soon as possible.
I really don't have time for this, but heard of this and looked it up, and this crap has to be yelled about. Bad enough son's about to go to that craphole; finding out that NATO- and the US officials involved- may be willing to screw our troops this way... let's say that 'calm reflection' does not describe my mood right now.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Over the next couple of weeks Life will intrude,
so may or may not be much/any blogging. Do have a couple of things:
I've mentioned Catmatyx before: if you'd tried putting this stuff on him, you'd be lucky not to bleed out from the attempt.
This is just freakin' cool: a camp stove that produces the power needed to run the fan. And can charge things that have a USB plug.
I'm at the point of 'Screw the Afghans; let them stew in the pot they choose.' I'm sick of them demanding we serve them, pay them, grovel to them, and murdering our troops. Fuck the place
They've got him: Afghan officer.
Unlike Tam, my thought was "We have lots of clean electric delivery trucks(but let's not talk about making the batteries or the power plants to charge the things)!"
Of course, the truth may be why they have no problem whacking the singing frogs and the pixies.
Bye
I've mentioned Catmatyx before: if you'd tried putting this stuff on him, you'd be lucky not to bleed out from the attempt.
This is just freakin' cool: a camp stove that produces the power needed to run the fan. And can charge things that have a USB plug.
I'm at the point of 'Screw the Afghans; let them stew in the pot they choose.' I'm sick of them demanding we serve them, pay them, grovel to them, and murdering our troops. Fuck the place
They've got him: Afghan officer.
Unlike Tam, my thought was "We have lots of clean electric delivery trucks(but let's not talk about making the batteries or the power plants to charge the things)!"
Of course, the truth may be why they have no problem whacking the singing frogs and the pixies.
Bye
It seems some bozos running a place called 'Smoke and Thunder'
are doing it wrong. And badly.
I doubt I'm famous/annoying/whatever enough to be targeted by these people, but just in case, I'll borrow from Lawdog:
1) I will not be joining this site "Smoke and Thunder", so if you see my name there, it isn't me.
2) Nor do I give the site "Smoke and Thunder" any permission what-so-ever to use anything written by me on this site, or by me on any Internet forum or medium, beyond the minimum amount permissible under the "Fair Use Doctrine".
3) Furthermore, I deny the site "Smoke and Thunder" permission to use any of my intellectual property, wholly or in part, for financial gain.
I doubt I'm famous/annoying/whatever enough to be targeted by these people, but just in case, I'll borrow from Lawdog:
1) I will not be joining this site "Smoke and Thunder", so if you see my name there, it isn't me.
2) Nor do I give the site "Smoke and Thunder" any permission what-so-ever to use anything written by me on this site, or by me on any Internet forum or medium, beyond the minimum amount permissible under the "Fair Use Doctrine".
3) Furthermore, I deny the site "Smoke and Thunder" permission to use any of my intellectual property, wholly or in part, for financial gain.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
More and more, I think she's right:
them Crazy Years, they be here. Though some things are so fitting of the theme, you'd swear someone made them up:
Verizon will drop the Muslim cable channel Bridges TV on March 14, almost a year to the day after the channel's owner was sentenced to life in prison for beheading his wife, who was also the station's general manager
Verizon will drop the Muslim cable channel Bridges TV on March 14, almost a year to the day after the channel's owner was sentenced to life in prison for beheading his wife, who was also the station's general manager
Friday, February 24, 2012
What? They're worried about the WMDs the Syrians have?
Gee, I wonder why...
Third, the State Department wanted Syria's neighbors to know that should the Assad regime fall, the security of its WMD stockpile -- as well as its control over conventional weapons like MANPADS (shoulder-fired rocket launchers) -- could come into question and could pose a serious threat to regional security.
Ya think MAYBE?
And part of the problem is a lot of people over there would consider that a feature, not a bug
Third, the State Department wanted Syria's neighbors to know that should the Assad regime fall, the security of its WMD stockpile -- as well as its control over conventional weapons like MANPADS (shoulder-fired rocket launchers) -- could come into question and could pose a serious threat to regional security.
Ya think MAYBE?
And part of the problem is a lot of people over there would consider that a feature, not a bug
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
My own small experience with earthquakes indicates
that this really sucks.
Detailed analyses of the way the Earth warped along the Japanese coast suggest that shaking from a Cascadia megaquake could be stronger than expected along the coasts of Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, researchers reported Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
"The Cascadia subduction zone can be seen as a mirror image of the Tohoku area," said John Anderson, of the University of Nevada.
Detailed analyses of the way the Earth warped along the Japanese coast suggest that shaking from a Cascadia megaquake could be stronger than expected along the coasts of Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, researchers reported Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
"The Cascadia subduction zone can be seen as a mirror image of the Tohoku area," said John Anderson, of the University of Nevada.
Makes you think someone doesn't want this being heard of,
doesn't it?
Prosecutors recently sentenced a Texas man, Manuel Barba, for trafficking a weapon connected to the murder of Immigration and Customs (ICE) Agent Jaime Zapata. Nobody was more astonished to learn of the case than Zapata's parents, who didn't know that Barba had been arrested or linked to their son's murder.
"The family was obviously surprised to learn that there was a case involving a weapon linked to the Zapata incident," attorney Trey Martinez told CBS News. Martinez represents Zapata's parents and the surviving ICE agent in the assault, Victor Avila. "They were surprised they had never been contacted in the capacity as victims so they could give a response or some kind of reaction at the time of sentencing."
If the Zapata family thinks the clowns in charge of all this want them to know ANYTHING, they're far more trusting of these people than I am.
Oh, and as to the "We never let guns walk!" lie,
In a related development, CBS News has obtained documents showing that Barba was under ATF surveillance for at least six months before a rifle he trafficked was used in Zapata's murder. Zapata's government vehicle was ambushed by suspected cartel thugs in Mexico Feb. 15, 2011.
Documents indicate ATF opened its case against Barba, entitled "Baytown Crew," in June of 2010. During the investigation, court records state Barba recruited straw purchasers and "facilitated the purchase and exportation of at least 44 firearms" including assault rifles. On August 20, 2010 Barba took delivery of the WASR-10 semi-automatic rifle later used in Zapata's murder, obliterated its serial number, and sent it to Mexico with nine others just like it. Nearly two months later, on Oct. 8, 2010, ATF agents recorded a phone call in which Barba "spoke about the final disposition of ... firearms to Mexico and also about the obliterating of the serial numbers before they were trafficked." Barba told straw purchasers the guns were destined for the Zeta drug cartel.
A warrant wasn't issued for Barba's arrest until four months later; coincidentally, the day before a rifle he trafficked was used against Zapata.
Once again: they deliberately planned and carried out an operation that DEPENDED on people being killed. Including Americans.
Prosecutors recently sentenced a Texas man, Manuel Barba, for trafficking a weapon connected to the murder of Immigration and Customs (ICE) Agent Jaime Zapata. Nobody was more astonished to learn of the case than Zapata's parents, who didn't know that Barba had been arrested or linked to their son's murder.
"The family was obviously surprised to learn that there was a case involving a weapon linked to the Zapata incident," attorney Trey Martinez told CBS News. Martinez represents Zapata's parents and the surviving ICE agent in the assault, Victor Avila. "They were surprised they had never been contacted in the capacity as victims so they could give a response or some kind of reaction at the time of sentencing."
If the Zapata family thinks the clowns in charge of all this want them to know ANYTHING, they're far more trusting of these people than I am.
Oh, and as to the "We never let guns walk!" lie,
In a related development, CBS News has obtained documents showing that Barba was under ATF surveillance for at least six months before a rifle he trafficked was used in Zapata's murder. Zapata's government vehicle was ambushed by suspected cartel thugs in Mexico Feb. 15, 2011.
Documents indicate ATF opened its case against Barba, entitled "Baytown Crew," in June of 2010. During the investigation, court records state Barba recruited straw purchasers and "facilitated the purchase and exportation of at least 44 firearms" including assault rifles. On August 20, 2010 Barba took delivery of the WASR-10 semi-automatic rifle later used in Zapata's murder, obliterated its serial number, and sent it to Mexico with nine others just like it. Nearly two months later, on Oct. 8, 2010, ATF agents recorded a phone call in which Barba "spoke about the final disposition of ... firearms to Mexico and also about the obliterating of the serial numbers before they were trafficked." Barba told straw purchasers the guns were destined for the Zeta drug cartel.
A warrant wasn't issued for Barba's arrest until four months later; coincidentally, the day before a rifle he trafficked was used against Zapata.
Once again: they deliberately planned and carried out an operation that DEPENDED on people being killed. Including Americans.
So, if you think Santorum counts as a conservative,
This whole idea of personal autonomy, well I don’t think most conservatives hold that point of view. Some do. They have this idea that people should be left alone, be able to do whatever they want to do, government should keep our taxes down and keep our regulations low, keep our regulations low, that we shouldn’t get involved in the bedroom, we shouldn’t get involved in cultural issues.
That is not how traditional conservatives view the world. There is no such society that I’m aware of, where we’ve had radical individualism and that it succeeds as a culture.”
That is not how traditional conservatives view the world. There is no such society that I’m aware of, where we’ve had radical individualism and that it succeeds as a culture.”
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
"To protect you from meth, we're going to screw with your life
even more than we already have."
Yes, in order to save us from meth, they want you to have to go to the doctor and get a prescription before you can buy a bloody DECONGESTANT.
Let's see...
Take time off from work.
Pay your copay or whatever for the appointment.
Take up the docs' time for seeing people with injuries/illness.
And it's just the next step in "It didn't work before, so we'll do it again, only HARDER!"
Of course, it's the evil pharmaceutical lobby that doesn't want this; never mind that
The Oklahoma State Medical Association, the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association and the Oklahoma Academy of Family Physicians all are opposed to requiring prescriptions for pseudoephedrine. In part because they say it will increase the number of doctor visits and keep a safe medicine out of some people's hands.
Which, obviously, cannot be allowed to prevent us being screwed some more in the name of our own safety
Yes, in order to save us from meth, they want you to have to go to the doctor and get a prescription before you can buy a bloody DECONGESTANT.
Let's see...
Take time off from work.
Pay your copay or whatever for the appointment.
Take up the docs' time for seeing people with injuries/illness.
And it's just the next step in "It didn't work before, so we'll do it again, only HARDER!"
Of course, it's the evil pharmaceutical lobby that doesn't want this; never mind that
The Oklahoma State Medical Association, the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association and the Oklahoma Academy of Family Physicians all are opposed to requiring prescriptions for pseudoephedrine. In part because they say it will increase the number of doctor visits and keep a safe medicine out of some people's hands.
Which, obviously, cannot be allowed to prevent us being screwed some more in the name of our own safety
I repeat #473: 'zero tolerance' policies are not about safety,
they're about control and preventing school officials from having to use what brain cells they have.
Let's see, when Obama came into office gas was
$1.80-1.90/gallon; and that was proof that BOOOOOSH!! didn't care, etc. Now it's $3.29/gallon here and he says that's 'proof the economy is recovering'. I wish I knew how to say 'Bullshit!' in several languages.
How unsurprising that the Clintonian "It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is” deception has now been reanimated to apply to the word “consensus.” And how revealing of the character of those behind the move.
He's talking about the UN Arms Trade Treaty, and the games being played to screw us over.
In a followon to Climaquiddick, heard of the Heartland documents? Someone got hold of information from a place called Heartland which has had the temerity to actually argue about the 'settled science' of AGW, and then faked a document to try and damage them.
The present situation is rich with irony. The provenance of the Climategate dossier remains unknown. According to evidence of the Information Commission’s Office to Muir Russell (not included in their report), its exclusion of personal information “could be indicative of a whistleblower”. Nonetheless, it was unambiguously reported by the Guardian and other media as being “hacked” or “stolen”. The provenance of the Heartland documents is relatively clear. Someone pretending to be a director of Heartland tricked a secretary at Heartland into sending documents from a recent board meeting to an email address purporting to be that of a Heartland director but, in fact, belonging to someone else. The document with the most damaging quotes was then fabricated. Nonetheless, the dossier was unambiguously described by the Guardian and other media as being “leaked” by an “insider” at Heartland.
Many other ironies have been observed in respect to both Heartland and Climategate. However, the fact that the most damaging Heartland quotes were fabricated and contained only in the fake memo inevitably limits the parallels and raises a host of legal issues that did not arise in Climategate.
Lots of details and a timeline at Climate Audit, ending with
The ramifications of these events are unfolding.
In legal terms, there are a number of important distinctions from Climategate. First and most importantly, the key document is fake. Over and above that, there is strong reason to believe that Heartland can show that the actual (and much less damaging) documents were obtained by a form of identity theft. We’ll see whether “Heartland Insider” covered his tracks as well as FOIA. Thirdly, whereas FOIA had, for the most part, removed personal information, the actual Heartland documents include a great deal of personal information.
Heartland has sent out legal demands to a number of blogs, which, thus far, have either been ignored or rejected.
As a few commenters wisely observed, it’s time to get out the popcorn.
The CSGV is playing with history again; Miguel whacks them with the full quote, and some other things, and some nice quotes in the comments.
And there are actual things , other than the innertubes, to take care of, so I'm gone.
“Ted R. Bromund, Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, alerted the public to the very real possibility that ATT proponents are changing the meaning of the term ‘consensus’ and to the political ramifications for the US if ATT proponents prevail,” they warn. “Until now, ‘consensus’ has been understood by the US and others to mean 100-percent agreement with all the provisions of the ATT.”
In other words, through redefinition and procedural manipulation, those bent on global gun control can transmute 100% to two-thirds to game the results:
...In plain English, this means that the Treaty will be the all-inclusive version —and wish-list— of everything the weapon-prohibitionists wanted from the start.
How unsurprising that the Clintonian "It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is” deception has now been reanimated to apply to the word “consensus.” And how revealing of the character of those behind the move.
He's talking about the UN Arms Trade Treaty, and the games being played to screw us over.
In a followon to Climaquiddick, heard of the Heartland documents? Someone got hold of information from a place called Heartland which has had the temerity to actually argue about the 'settled science' of AGW, and then faked a document to try and damage them.
The present situation is rich with irony. The provenance of the Climategate dossier remains unknown. According to evidence of the Information Commission’s Office to Muir Russell (not included in their report), its exclusion of personal information “could be indicative of a whistleblower”. Nonetheless, it was unambiguously reported by the Guardian and other media as being “hacked” or “stolen”. The provenance of the Heartland documents is relatively clear. Someone pretending to be a director of Heartland tricked a secretary at Heartland into sending documents from a recent board meeting to an email address purporting to be that of a Heartland director but, in fact, belonging to someone else. The document with the most damaging quotes was then fabricated. Nonetheless, the dossier was unambiguously described by the Guardian and other media as being “leaked” by an “insider” at Heartland.
Many other ironies have been observed in respect to both Heartland and Climategate. However, the fact that the most damaging Heartland quotes were fabricated and contained only in the fake memo inevitably limits the parallels and raises a host of legal issues that did not arise in Climategate.
Lots of details and a timeline at Climate Audit, ending with
The ramifications of these events are unfolding.
In legal terms, there are a number of important distinctions from Climategate. First and most importantly, the key document is fake. Over and above that, there is strong reason to believe that Heartland can show that the actual (and much less damaging) documents were obtained by a form of identity theft. We’ll see whether “Heartland Insider” covered his tracks as well as FOIA. Thirdly, whereas FOIA had, for the most part, removed personal information, the actual Heartland documents include a great deal of personal information.
Heartland has sent out legal demands to a number of blogs, which, thus far, have either been ignored or rejected.
As a few commenters wisely observed, it’s time to get out the popcorn.
The CSGV is playing with history again; Miguel whacks them with the full quote, and some other things, and some nice quotes in the comments.
And there are actual things , other than the innertubes, to take care of, so I'm gone.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Open-Carry law being pushed in OK
A proposed law change filed in the House would remove the requirement that Oklahomans with a handgun license keep their weapons concealed at all times.
House Bill 3114, filed by House Speaker Pro Tempore Jeff Hickman, removes the concealed requirement from Oklahoma statutes regarding handgun licenses. The existing system of background checks and training, which is part of Oklahoma’s successful concealed carry law, would remain in effect.
Overall, I'd prefer to carry concealed, but there are times being able to open carry would be very nice. Especially in summer.
House Bill 3114, filed by House Speaker Pro Tempore Jeff Hickman, removes the concealed requirement from Oklahoma statutes regarding handgun licenses. The existing system of background checks and training, which is part of Oklahoma’s successful concealed carry law, would remain in effect.
Overall, I'd prefer to carry concealed, but there are times being able to open carry would be very nice. Especially in summer.
Something I might do if I had a pile of free cash
Couple of years back went to a motorcycle swap meet at the fairgrounds, and a guy who did custom paint had some tanks, helmets and such set out to display his work. And he had a tank... the thing was painted in layers in flames, and as you moved it actually looked like the flame was rippling back on the surface. Flat bleeping beautiful.
The tank alone would be expensive, if you tried to do the fairing panels as well it'd be awful. But the tank, something complimentary on the fairings... oh, that'd be lovely
The tank alone would be expensive, if you tried to do the fairing panels as well it'd be awful. But the tank, something complimentary on the fairings... oh, that'd be lovely
Want to annoy the AG and other gun bigots?
Go here, and hit the poll.
And yes, I know the wording isn't right; for USA Today it's the best you'll get.
And yes, I know the wording isn't right; for USA Today it's the best you'll get.
I have to wonder, do these econonic geniuses actually think that $3/gallon
gas doesn't affect the economy? What people spend on every-bloody-thing?
Key bit that pissed me off:
The price of unleaded gasoline in the U.S. will likely hit a nationwide average of $4 by this summer, said Dan Dicker, oil trader and author of “Oil’s Endless Bid.” The last time prices topped $4 was 2008 and Dicker said there’s a one in three chance that gas could reach $5 a gallon.
If gas prices do head to those lofty levels, that could put a crimp in the economic recovery as consumers will likely cut down on spending if they have to pay more to fill up their cars.
Bold mine. Because I wanted to emphasize that word.
What the FUCK do you mean COULD? EVERYTHING costs more because of energy costs, people spend less on everything so they can keep the house warm and get to work already! And you say $4 and $5/gallon COULD make it worse? Really? How much hard thought was required to come to that conclusion?
Found over at Ace
Key bit that pissed me off:
The price of unleaded gasoline in the U.S. will likely hit a nationwide average of $4 by this summer, said Dan Dicker, oil trader and author of “Oil’s Endless Bid.” The last time prices topped $4 was 2008 and Dicker said there’s a one in three chance that gas could reach $5 a gallon.
If gas prices do head to those lofty levels, that could put a crimp in the economic recovery as consumers will likely cut down on spending if they have to pay more to fill up their cars.
Bold mine. Because I wanted to emphasize that word.
What the FUCK do you mean COULD? EVERYTHING costs more because of energy costs, people spend less on everything so they can keep the house warm and get to work already! And you say $4 and $5/gallon COULD make it worse? Really? How much hard thought was required to come to that conclusion?
Found over at Ace
Gangster Government: Part 83
And a suggestion:
A modern cop car is filled with all sorts of distracting electronic equipment including interactive computer screens. I’m fine with Ray LaHood disabling my nav system as long as he disables Johnny Law’s LEIN screen, at least when he’s behind the wheel. If it’s dangerous for regular folks to use cellphones, radios and computers behind the wheel, it’s just as dangerous for cops to do it.
Some information on Vitamin D
found over here. Bunch of stuff I hadn't known. Daughter got interested in the subject a while back and has been researching it; this includes some stuff she hadn't found as yet. Short version: you probably need more than you're getting, and being out in the sun isn't the horror that's been pushed for quite a while now.
Which especially caught my eye because last physical the doc advised me that I should ALWAYS use sunscreen, year-round. I started wondering if sunscreen affected the good you get from sunlight; seems it does.
The Ten New Commandments, from Hanson.
Y'know, this kind of thing might make some people nervous
(thanks to Sondra for this one)
In September of 2010, a federal district court ruled that Zaccari ignored “clearly established” law when he punished Barnes without notice or a hearing. Because of that, he could not claim the “qualified immunity” defense — which meant that he could be found personally liable for damages to Barnes. Zaccari appealed, and last week, the Eleventh Circuit upheld that removal of qualified immunity.
This finding sends a clear message to university presidents and administrators: if you violate a student’s constitutional rights, you could well pay damages out of your own pocket.
Now we need this applied to a lot of prosecutors and cops
6 painful things nobody tells you about fighting
I remember the story when Mike Tyson was swung at by a drunk one night; he decked the guy with one punch, which
Was declared proper self-defense, and
Broke a bone in his hand, causing a title match to be delayed by several weeks.
I think the line from a Drake book was "You shouldn't hit someone with your bare hand unless you're stark naked in an empty room."
During the range trip a couple of days ago I kept my eyes out for usable brass and such. I did find two Garand clips someone left behind, and a few brass; but on rifle cartridges most of what's left behind anymore is either Berdan primed or something- like .223- that a lot of people don't want to bother with reloading.
Which especially caught my eye because last physical the doc advised me that I should ALWAYS use sunscreen, year-round. I started wondering if sunscreen affected the good you get from sunlight; seems it does.
The Ten New Commandments, from Hanson.
Y'know, this kind of thing might make some people nervous
(thanks to Sondra for this one)
In September of 2010, a federal district court ruled that Zaccari ignored “clearly established” law when he punished Barnes without notice or a hearing. Because of that, he could not claim the “qualified immunity” defense — which meant that he could be found personally liable for damages to Barnes. Zaccari appealed, and last week, the Eleventh Circuit upheld that removal of qualified immunity.
This finding sends a clear message to university presidents and administrators: if you violate a student’s constitutional rights, you could well pay damages out of your own pocket.
Now we need this applied to a lot of prosecutors and cops
6 painful things nobody tells you about fighting
I remember the story when Mike Tyson was swung at by a drunk one night; he decked the guy with one punch, which
Was declared proper self-defense, and
Broke a bone in his hand, causing a title match to be delayed by several weeks.
I think the line from a Drake book was "You shouldn't hit someone with your bare hand unless you're stark naked in an empty room."
During the range trip a couple of days ago I kept my eyes out for usable brass and such. I did find two Garand clips someone left behind, and a few brass; but on rifle cartridges most of what's left behind anymore is either Berdan primed or something- like .223- that a lot of people don't want to bother with reloading.
...(DHS) is still giving local law enforcement agencies military vehicles.
According to a report in The Huffington Post, a small town in New Hampshire was set to receive an armored personnel vehicle before one local resident launched a petition drive to block the acquisition.
...
A Lenco spokesman criticized some of the citizens who spoke out against his firm's vehicle, calling them "crazy" and saying, "When a Lenco Bearcat shows up at a crime scene where a suicidal killer is holding hostages, it doesn't show up with a cannon. It shows up with a negotiator. Our trucks save lives," according to the article.
Because a negotiator isn't safe traveling the public streets unless he's in an armored vehicle, probably with some cops playing 'The Infantry Squad In The Assault'.
And I wonder if they're planning on more OPM from DHS to pay for maintenance and so forth?
...
A Lenco spokesman criticized some of the citizens who spoke out against his firm's vehicle, calling them "crazy" and saying, "When a Lenco Bearcat shows up at a crime scene where a suicidal killer is holding hostages, it doesn't show up with a cannon. It shows up with a negotiator. Our trucks save lives," according to the article.
Because a negotiator isn't safe traveling the public streets unless he's in an armored vehicle, probably with some cops playing 'The Infantry Squad In The Assault'.
And I wonder if they're planning on more OPM from DHS to pay for maintenance and so forth?
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Well, that will put the warmenists panties in a bunch
Had PBS on for background noise, a Nova episode about exploring blue holes in the Bahamas. Which led into climate change; NATURAL climate change.
Short version: dust found in a layer traced to the Sahara; the dust layers corresponded to layers in a stalagmite indicating big, fast-occurring warming, in some cases big temperature and sea-level rises in as little as 50 years. And theorizing that the droughts in Africa over the last few decades, and the dust storms, could be indication of a warming cycle about to kick off.
So my brain started spinning with some questions and thoughts:
I wonder how the past warming periods they're seeing signs of correspond to sunspot activity?
Wonder if any way to determine how long the droughts preceded the beginning of the warming period, if the theory is correct?
And, the big one,
If the theory is correct, it would be further proof that the warming of the recent past was primarily, if not completely, natural cycle, thereby shoving a stake in the heart of AGW.
Interesting thoughts
Short version: dust found in a layer traced to the Sahara; the dust layers corresponded to layers in a stalagmite indicating big, fast-occurring warming, in some cases big temperature and sea-level rises in as little as 50 years. And theorizing that the droughts in Africa over the last few decades, and the dust storms, could be indication of a warming cycle about to kick off.
So my brain started spinning with some questions and thoughts:
I wonder how the past warming periods they're seeing signs of correspond to sunspot activity?
Wonder if any way to determine how long the droughts preceded the beginning of the warming period, if the theory is correct?
And, the big one,
If the theory is correct, it would be further proof that the warming of the recent past was primarily, if not completely, natural cycle, thereby shoving a stake in the heart of AGW.
Interesting thoughts
One of the same things I've learned this week:
No. Instead, I stated that the “millions of American women” phrase was hyperbole, because there are only tens of thousands of women who work for churches, but not “millions”.
I was immediately set up by her for “attacking the messenger”, something explicitly prohibited in the forum rules. She didn’t even attempt to say that maybe she had been misinformed or that she had some sort of evidence to prove her numbers.
Other things:
If you point out the hearing the Democrats tried to take over wasn't about contraception, it was about the 1st Amendment problems raised by Obama's diktat, you're a misogynist. And part of the 'boys club' that wants women to do what they're told.
And if you dare to ask "Why should the government be paying for anyones' birth control?"(don't have to mention abortion unless you really want to see people crap their pants) you will be informed that you don't want women to have health care. Yes, it has magically occurred that 'birth control' automatically means ALL health care. At least for women. Question anything about that and you hate womyn,etc.
In the past, I once told someone I'd formerly thought a reasonable sort that "If someone wants to have an abortion, I'm not stopping them; but they can damn well pay for it themselves and stop demanding I do so." I pretty much walked into their place of worship and peed on the altar; it seems that 'abortion and contraception are available' only counts if they can make someone else pay for it.
Oh, and let's not forget that no man has any interest in contraception, oh no, this is purely an interest of women...
I mentioned this before, but this level of either desperation or stupidity needs to be repeated:
Using cash for small purchases like a cup of coffee, gum and other items is a good indication that a person is trying to pass for normal without leaving the kind of paper trail created using a debit or credit card for small purchases.
Makes me think of some KGB dirtbag asking a peasan- er, 'Soviet citizen' "Why do you use cash, comrade? Why do you not make our job of monitoring your life easier? What are you up to?"
Speaking of stupidity,
Elliott Dearlove had asked a five-year-old boy in the playground whether he was ‘brown because he was from Africa’.
His mother, Hayley White, 29, said she received a phone call last month to say her son had been at the centre of a ‘racist incident’.
She was then summoned to a meeting with Elliott, his teacher and the deputy head of Griffin Primary School in Hull.
...
Ms White claimed she was asked at the meeting to read a copy of the school rules and in particular its zero-tolerance policy on racism.
‘I was told I would have to sign a form acknowledging my son had made a racist remark which would be submitted to the local education authority for further investigation,’ she said.
Also on stupidity, and general socialist bullshit, home schooling is the enemy of being progressive:
This overheated hostility toward public schools runs throughout the new literature on liberal homeschooling, and reveals what is so fundamentally illiberal about the trend: It is rooted in distrust of the public sphere, in class privilege, and in the dated presumption that children hail from two-parent families, in which at least one parent can afford (and wants) to take significant time away from paid work in order to manage a process—education—that most parents entrust to the community at-large.
So: if you're politically liberal and take your kids out of some crappy state school and teach them at home, you're an ESPECIALLY bad Enemy of the Progressive State. As opposed to conservatives or libertarians who're just plain evil anyway.
Something on "Treat kids like everybody used to, and you're a criminal."
Withdrawal symptoms: they can be a problem
Also from the Doc, and I'm stealing the whole thing:
As my readers know, I'm running for President this year.
Now, admittedly, my entire campaign thus far is based on one issue, but yesterday while attending a 9-year-old girl's birthday party with my kids, I came up with a second point.
While I strongly support freedom of expression, I also believe some times are better than others to express your beliefs.
So, if elected President, I promise you this:
Any father who shows up at his 9-year daughter's birthday party wearing a T-shirt that says "IT AIN'T GONNA SUCK ITSELF" with an arrow pointing downwards, will be immediately castrated by specially trained fashion police.
Vote Grumpy, 2012!
I was immediately set up by her for “attacking the messenger”, something explicitly prohibited in the forum rules. She didn’t even attempt to say that maybe she had been misinformed or that she had some sort of evidence to prove her numbers.
Other things:
If you point out the hearing the Democrats tried to take over wasn't about contraception, it was about the 1st Amendment problems raised by Obama's diktat, you're a misogynist. And part of the 'boys club' that wants women to do what they're told.
And if you dare to ask "Why should the government be paying for anyones' birth control?"(don't have to mention abortion unless you really want to see people crap their pants) you will be informed that you don't want women to have health care. Yes, it has magically occurred that 'birth control' automatically means ALL health care. At least for women. Question anything about that and you hate womyn,etc.
In the past, I once told someone I'd formerly thought a reasonable sort that "If someone wants to have an abortion, I'm not stopping them; but they can damn well pay for it themselves and stop demanding I do so." I pretty much walked into their place of worship and peed on the altar; it seems that 'abortion and contraception are available' only counts if they can make someone else pay for it.
Oh, and let's not forget that no man has any interest in contraception, oh no, this is purely an interest of women...
I mentioned this before, but this level of either desperation or stupidity needs to be repeated:
Using cash for small purchases like a cup of coffee, gum and other items is a good indication that a person is trying to pass for normal without leaving the kind of paper trail created using a debit or credit card for small purchases.
Makes me think of some KGB dirtbag asking a peasan- er, 'Soviet citizen' "Why do you use cash, comrade? Why do you not make our job of monitoring your life easier? What are you up to?"
Speaking of stupidity,
Elliott Dearlove had asked a five-year-old boy in the playground whether he was ‘brown because he was from Africa’.
His mother, Hayley White, 29, said she received a phone call last month to say her son had been at the centre of a ‘racist incident’.
She was then summoned to a meeting with Elliott, his teacher and the deputy head of Griffin Primary School in Hull.
...
Ms White claimed she was asked at the meeting to read a copy of the school rules and in particular its zero-tolerance policy on racism.
‘I was told I would have to sign a form acknowledging my son had made a racist remark which would be submitted to the local education authority for further investigation,’ she said.
Also on stupidity, and general socialist bullshit, home schooling is the enemy of being progressive:
This overheated hostility toward public schools runs throughout the new literature on liberal homeschooling, and reveals what is so fundamentally illiberal about the trend: It is rooted in distrust of the public sphere, in class privilege, and in the dated presumption that children hail from two-parent families, in which at least one parent can afford (and wants) to take significant time away from paid work in order to manage a process—education—that most parents entrust to the community at-large.
So: if you're politically liberal and take your kids out of some crappy state school and teach them at home, you're an ESPECIALLY bad Enemy of the Progressive State. As opposed to conservatives or libertarians who're just plain evil anyway.
Something on "Treat kids like everybody used to, and you're a criminal."
Withdrawal symptoms: they can be a problem
Also from the Doc, and I'm stealing the whole thing:
As my readers know, I'm running for President this year.
Now, admittedly, my entire campaign thus far is based on one issue, but yesterday while attending a 9-year-old girl's birthday party with my kids, I came up with a second point.
While I strongly support freedom of expression, I also believe some times are better than others to express your beliefs.
So, if elected President, I promise you this:
Any father who shows up at his 9-year daughter's birthday party wearing a T-shirt that says "IT AIN'T GONNA SUCK ITSELF" with an arrow pointing downwards, will be immediately castrated by specially trained fashion police.
Vote Grumpy, 2012!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
9-1-1- is a notification service,
not a crime stopping service.
Boss, life is trouble; only death is not! To be alive is to undo your belt and look for trouble!
(from Zorba the Greek)
Just a couple of quotes I like.
And I need to work on that second one
Boss, life is trouble; only death is not! To be alive is to undo your belt and look for trouble!
(from Zorba the Greek)
Just a couple of quotes I like.
And I need to work on that second one
Assuming it actually happened as the weenies say,
the obvious question comes up: What caliber for drone?
Friday, February 17, 2012
I poke something with a fruit logo
and enough computing power to run the entire 1960's NASA program with an index finger.
"Do you have a smart phone that's been sitting in the corner and eating paint chips?"
Go. Now.
"Do you have a smart phone that's been sitting in the corner and eating paint chips?"
Go. Now.
Ultimak Garand mount, second test
A while back I mentioned getting a Ultimak mount for my M1; first tryout here. It being a fine day for the range*, today it got a tryout on the 50 and 100-yard ranges. Total of 48 rounds of cast-bullet loads at 50(accuracy test) and 32 rounds of Korean PS ball split between 50 and 100.
I like this mount. Didn't shift, move, squiggle, nothing, just sat there solidly in place, the way it's supposed to. It's an overcast, cool day, and the mount got a touch warm; I can see how firing a bunch on a hot day could get it hot, but unless you're actually touching it with your forward hand, shouldn't be any big deal. And that aluminum cools down fast.
I'd have to say 'Recommend'. Solid, nice-looking. And having an optic takes some of the guesswork out of testing loads. I do need to find some lower rings, I'd like a better cheek weld on the stock, but if you had a scope with a large bell you'd need a bit higher rings; you could always make/buy a cheekrest if need be. Or if you're not worried about a original stock or something, put a wood one on top of the comb like that used on the #4 Enfield snipers.
Speaking of loads, I had three variations of cast-bullet loads and none of them will set the world on fire. Great for the indoor range, but not good for 100 yards or beyond.
Also took something I hadn't fired in a long time, my muzzleloader. It's a Lyman Plains Rifle, .54 caliber; I'd forgotten the fun of working with it. And with some of the stuff available now, cleaning up after is a lot less mess.
Noticed a guy with a S&W 15-22 and a red-dot sight and asked about it: it's this one from Primary Arms. He said he's had it about four months with zero problems.
I shall now get stuff out of the truck before it rains, and get ready: my goddaughter has the same birthday, and I'm going to her party tonight.
*Defined as "I'm not at work, it's not raining, and the clouds prevent glare"
I like this mount. Didn't shift, move, squiggle, nothing, just sat there solidly in place, the way it's supposed to. It's an overcast, cool day, and the mount got a touch warm; I can see how firing a bunch on a hot day could get it hot, but unless you're actually touching it with your forward hand, shouldn't be any big deal. And that aluminum cools down fast.
I'd have to say 'Recommend'. Solid, nice-looking. And having an optic takes some of the guesswork out of testing loads. I do need to find some lower rings, I'd like a better cheek weld on the stock, but if you had a scope with a large bell you'd need a bit higher rings; you could always make/buy a cheekrest if need be. Or if you're not worried about a original stock or something, put a wood one on top of the comb like that used on the #4 Enfield snipers.
Speaking of loads, I had three variations of cast-bullet loads and none of them will set the world on fire. Great for the indoor range, but not good for 100 yards or beyond.
Also took something I hadn't fired in a long time, my muzzleloader. It's a Lyman Plains Rifle, .54 caliber; I'd forgotten the fun of working with it. And with some of the stuff available now, cleaning up after is a lot less mess.
Noticed a guy with a S&W 15-22 and a red-dot sight and asked about it: it's this one from Primary Arms. He said he's had it about four months with zero problems.
I shall now get stuff out of the truck before it rains, and get ready: my goddaughter has the same birthday, and I'm going to her party tonight.
*Defined as "I'm not at work, it's not raining, and the clouds prevent glare"
A civil rights victory in Canada
as Insty put it:
OTTAWA — The Harper government’s controversial bill to end the long-gun registry has passed the House of Commons, marking the end of a long political battle over one of the most controversial law enforcement measures in recent memory.
The bill passed easily, by a margin of 159 to 130, as the Conservatives used their majority in the House secure passage of the bill, which now goes to the Senate where the Conservatives also have a majority.
With the usual suspects whining and calling names, etc.
And here, the kind of fargin' idiot we have in Congress:
Birth control “is not a male issue, it’s a female issue. I’ve never met a man that had the need for birth control.”
I will leave the dissection of that flat stupid statement to you.
Obama likes high gas prices? What was your first clue?
And Chu should be in line for a special dose of tar and feathers.
Yes, I double-checked the calendar: this actually IS the 'another year' day
There are museums and such in NYEffingCity I'd love to see; but not while this kind of crap is still going on. A: you can't carry, B: I just don't want to put money in the pockets of that government.
Bigoted and cowardly fools running schools; they'd never have allowed some Christian song, if a Jewish cantor had wanted to sing I very much doubt they'd have allowed him; but a song praising Allah? No problem!
And now, I think I shall mark the day with a trip to the range.
OTTAWA — The Harper government’s controversial bill to end the long-gun registry has passed the House of Commons, marking the end of a long political battle over one of the most controversial law enforcement measures in recent memory.
The bill passed easily, by a margin of 159 to 130, as the Conservatives used their majority in the House secure passage of the bill, which now goes to the Senate where the Conservatives also have a majority.
With the usual suspects whining and calling names, etc.
And here, the kind of fargin' idiot we have in Congress:
Birth control “is not a male issue, it’s a female issue. I’ve never met a man that had the need for birth control.”
I will leave the dissection of that flat stupid statement to you.
Obama likes high gas prices? What was your first clue?
And Chu should be in line for a special dose of tar and feathers.
Yes, I double-checked the calendar: this actually IS the 'another year' day
There are museums and such in NYEffingCity I'd love to see; but not while this kind of crap is still going on. A: you can't carry, B: I just don't want to put money in the pockets of that government.
Bigoted and cowardly fools running schools; they'd never have allowed some Christian song, if a Jewish cantor had wanted to sing I very much doubt they'd have allowed him; but a song praising Allah? No problem!
And now, I think I shall mark the day with a trip to the range.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
I have to note an interesting thing:
Had to go by Wally World for something(couldn't find it elsewhere) and in the pharmacy area found packages of Quikclot.
This discovery will shortly be followed by a DHS warning that people buying this may be militia/terrorist suspects. Except if they pay with cash, then they ARE suspects.
Power tools and gun cleaning is a combination that tends to freak people out(with good reason), but one way you can use them:
my K-22 has some of the problem Tam has mentioned: combine match chambers with lots of .22 ammo, and you get sticky ejection and loading. Had some stubborn spots in a couple of chambers, so got a brush that would be snug in the chamber, chucked it into the power driver, added a little solvent and- spinning it SLOWLY- worked it into the chamber, then back & forth a few times. Next chamber, repeat. Let it sit a few minutes and wiped them out: not a trace of fouling left.
Did the same thing on the .32 Hand Ejector; saves a lot of back & forth scrubbing.
So, CNN ran another piece about the Administration's proposal for a single internet identity for everybody, to circumvent all those pesky passwords and logins you have to remember right now.
This may be the stupidest idea to come out of Washington since the creation of the TSA.
And at least equally ripe for abuse.
By the way, the dollar stores around here carry a 'LA'a Totally Awesome' Cleaner/Degreaser', dilute as needed and so forth. I tried it straight on where chain lube had fouled the chain guards on the bike; this stuff works pretty damn well. Masked the chain with plastic, sprayed, hardly had to brush it dissolved the stuff so well, then rinsed right off.
And now, I shall do some of the cleaning I've been putting off.
This discovery will shortly be followed by a DHS warning that people buying this may be militia/terrorist suspects. Except if they pay with cash, then they ARE suspects.
Power tools and gun cleaning is a combination that tends to freak people out(with good reason), but one way you can use them:
my K-22 has some of the problem Tam has mentioned: combine match chambers with lots of .22 ammo, and you get sticky ejection and loading. Had some stubborn spots in a couple of chambers, so got a brush that would be snug in the chamber, chucked it into the power driver, added a little solvent and- spinning it SLOWLY- worked it into the chamber, then back & forth a few times. Next chamber, repeat. Let it sit a few minutes and wiped them out: not a trace of fouling left.
Did the same thing on the .32 Hand Ejector; saves a lot of back & forth scrubbing.
So, CNN ran another piece about the Administration's proposal for a single internet identity for everybody, to circumvent all those pesky passwords and logins you have to remember right now.
This may be the stupidest idea to come out of Washington since the creation of the TSA.
And at least equally ripe for abuse.
By the way, the dollar stores around here carry a 'LA'a Totally Awesome' Cleaner/Degreaser', dilute as needed and so forth. I tried it straight on where chain lube had fouled the chain guards on the bike; this stuff works pretty damn well. Masked the chain with plastic, sprayed, hardly had to brush it dissolved the stuff so well, then rinsed right off.
And now, I shall do some of the cleaning I've been putting off.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Another year older,
but at least no more in debt than I was before.
Added: I can't even keep days straight, I'm one ahead. Damn
Added: I can't even keep days straight, I'm one ahead. Damn
Among the reasons I dislike politics and often despise
politicians: unless you know the guy personally, you can't tell if they're actually working toward something, or gaming with other politicians. Case in point:
On Tuesday Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House committee on Oversight and Government Reform, took a major step toward holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for his failure to provide subpoenaed documents and other information about Operation Fast and Furious.
In a Jan. 31 letter, Issa had threatened Holder with such a move if he failed to provide all the subpoenaed documents relating to the Fast and Furious gunwalking scandal by Feb. 9. That deadline has come and gone, and Holder’s Department of Justice still hasn’t provided most of those documents. Issa’s subpoena dates back to Oct. 12, 2011.
On Tuesday in a seven-page letter, Issa revealed that Deputy Attorney General James Cole begged Congress to extend the Feb. 9 deadline. Issa wrote that the request was “ironic” and “ignores the reality that the Department has unreasonably delayed producing these documents to the Committee.”
“On its face, the requested extension demonstrates a lack of good faith,” Issa wrote to Holder.(Really? What was the tip-off?) “With one exception, the Department has only produced documents responsive to the subpoena on the eve of congressional hearings in which senior Department officials testified. The Department appears to be more concerned with protecting its image through spin control than actually cooperating with Congress.”
Few days ago I was yelling about this story that Issa had given them the extension; now we get this. Problems: the subpoena was issued last October; the deadline was(supposedly) last Thursday; and they're 'taking a major step' by sending another letter now? Why wasn't the contempt proceeding started the day after the deadline? Interference from Boehner? The FBI playing games like it did under Hoover? We don't know.
I really don't like jumping on top of people and yelling over things like this when I don't know- CAN'T know- if they're actually bending over, but if you don't yell at them when it appears so, you'll never yell at all. Which I think greatly increases the chances of a lot of them bending and making deals.
I hate this crap because
You really can't know who to trust(if anyone),
We're seeing a contempt for the law and for life from the people supposedly in charge of protecting them.
We've been seeing politicians actively trying to protect the bad guys in government from being held responsible for what they did, and it's purely for political reasons: "Screw the law, screw who's dead, we need to protect these people because if they fall it damages my party, and damages the gun-control stuff I like." If you had any remaining respect for these clowns, that kills it.
And you have that dread that, once again, the people responsible for this will not suffer any real punishment; that they'll walk away from it.
I've been using that line from Jaws more and more: it's enough to piss off the Good Humor man.
On Tuesday Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House committee on Oversight and Government Reform, took a major step toward holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for his failure to provide subpoenaed documents and other information about Operation Fast and Furious.
In a Jan. 31 letter, Issa had threatened Holder with such a move if he failed to provide all the subpoenaed documents relating to the Fast and Furious gunwalking scandal by Feb. 9. That deadline has come and gone, and Holder’s Department of Justice still hasn’t provided most of those documents. Issa’s subpoena dates back to Oct. 12, 2011.
On Tuesday in a seven-page letter, Issa revealed that Deputy Attorney General James Cole begged Congress to extend the Feb. 9 deadline. Issa wrote that the request was “ironic” and “ignores the reality that the Department has unreasonably delayed producing these documents to the Committee.”
“On its face, the requested extension demonstrates a lack of good faith,” Issa wrote to Holder.(Really? What was the tip-off?) “With one exception, the Department has only produced documents responsive to the subpoena on the eve of congressional hearings in which senior Department officials testified. The Department appears to be more concerned with protecting its image through spin control than actually cooperating with Congress.”
Few days ago I was yelling about this story that Issa had given them the extension; now we get this. Problems: the subpoena was issued last October; the deadline was(supposedly) last Thursday; and they're 'taking a major step' by sending another letter now? Why wasn't the contempt proceeding started the day after the deadline? Interference from Boehner? The FBI playing games like it did under Hoover? We don't know.
I really don't like jumping on top of people and yelling over things like this when I don't know- CAN'T know- if they're actually bending over, but if you don't yell at them when it appears so, you'll never yell at all. Which I think greatly increases the chances of a lot of them bending and making deals.
I hate this crap because
You really can't know who to trust(if anyone),
We're seeing a contempt for the law and for life from the people supposedly in charge of protecting them.
We've been seeing politicians actively trying to protect the bad guys in government from being held responsible for what they did, and it's purely for political reasons: "Screw the law, screw who's dead, we need to protect these people because if they fall it damages my party, and damages the gun-control stuff I like." If you had any remaining respect for these clowns, that kills it.
And you have that dread that, once again, the people responsible for this will not suffer any real punishment; that they'll walk away from it.
I've been using that line from Jaws more and more: it's enough to piss off the Good Humor man.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Good God, what the hell is WRONG with these people?
A veteran Orange County sheriff’s deputy feared for the safety of two young girls sitting in a parked car when he shot and killed a Marine sergeant in a dark parking lot near San Clemente High School, authorities said Friday.
Sgt. Manuel Loggins Jr. was shot early Tuesday as he started to get into the SUV where his two daughters -- 9 and 14 -- were sitting, authorities said. Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the department, said the deputy was fearful that Loggins -- who he said appeared to be acting irrationally -- was about to drive off with the girls.
There'd better be a damned good something beyond "I didn't like the way he was acting." Especially with this:
A former commanding officer said Loggins routinely went to the school with his daughters during the early-morning hours to walk the track and read the Bible.
Amormino said Loggins was not armed and that it doesn’t appear the incident was alcohol- or drug-related.
Added: Loggins wife is pregnant.
Sgt. Manuel Loggins Jr. was shot early Tuesday as he started to get into the SUV where his two daughters -- 9 and 14 -- were sitting, authorities said. Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the department, said the deputy was fearful that Loggins -- who he said appeared to be acting irrationally -- was about to drive off with the girls.
There'd better be a damned good something beyond "I didn't like the way he was acting." Especially with this:
A former commanding officer said Loggins routinely went to the school with his daughters during the early-morning hours to walk the track and read the Bible.
Amormino said Loggins was not armed and that it doesn’t appear the incident was alcohol- or drug-related.
Added: Loggins wife is pregnant.
Speaking of 'hypocritical progressive dirtbags', Anita Dunn
has reared back into the public eye:
After attacking hedge funds and their managers during her tenure in the Obama administration, Anita Dunn is now working as a public relations consultant to improve the industry’s image, according to a secret proposal obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
Dunn, formerly the interim White House communications director for the Obama administration and currently a managing director at the Democratic consulting firm SKDKnickerbocker (SKDK), is being promoted by the public relations firm McLean/Clark LLC as a director of “paid media” for a pro-hedge-fund campaign. The project is described by promotional material as a “comprehensive public affairs operation” to “raise awareness about the positive role hedge funds play in the American economy” and to “eliminate the need for politicians to take aim at hedge funds.”
...
An industry outsider who was pitched on Dunn’s proposal told the Washington Free Beacon that he was surprised to see the former Obama official involved in the effort. “First we see Dunn attack us on television,” he said, “and then she tells us to hire her to head off the exact attacks that she herself is hurling at us. The entire thing begins to stink like a protection racket.”
You expect integrity from someone who considers one of the worst mass-murderers of the last century to be one of her favorite philosophers?
After attacking hedge funds and their managers during her tenure in the Obama administration, Anita Dunn is now working as a public relations consultant to improve the industry’s image, according to a secret proposal obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
Dunn, formerly the interim White House communications director for the Obama administration and currently a managing director at the Democratic consulting firm SKDKnickerbocker (SKDK), is being promoted by the public relations firm McLean/Clark LLC as a director of “paid media” for a pro-hedge-fund campaign. The project is described by promotional material as a “comprehensive public affairs operation” to “raise awareness about the positive role hedge funds play in the American economy” and to “eliminate the need for politicians to take aim at hedge funds.”
...
An industry outsider who was pitched on Dunn’s proposal told the Washington Free Beacon that he was surprised to see the former Obama official involved in the effort. “First we see Dunn attack us on television,” he said, “and then she tells us to hire her to head off the exact attacks that she herself is hurling at us. The entire thing begins to stink like a protection racket.”
You expect integrity from someone who considers one of the worst mass-murderers of the last century to be one of her favorite philosophers?
Ah, the dancing-in-the-blood 'faith community', the NGVAC
Tam notes their boycott of Starbucks is Epic-Level Failtm; and points to one of their "SEE WHAT ALMOST HAPPENED?!?" talking points:
This past December, a 17-year-old dropped her purse in a Cheyenne (Wyoming) Starbucks and the gun inside went off, the bullet missing a customer’s head by twelve inches. Will it take a death to convince Starbucks to ban guns?
Let's see... a minor who can't legally buy OR carry a handgun... this is their "See why you should ban them!" point? Really?
And you get slapped once again with their version of reality: it's only 'gun violence' victims that truly count. Bunch of- well, I was going to say 'effing weasels', but I have nothing against weasels; how about 'nanny-state gun-bigot fools'?
This past December, a 17-year-old dropped her purse in a Cheyenne (Wyoming) Starbucks and the gun inside went off, the bullet missing a customer’s head by twelve inches. Will it take a death to convince Starbucks to ban guns?
Let's see... a minor who can't legally buy OR carry a handgun... this is their "See why you should ban them!" point? Really?
And you get slapped once again with their version of reality: it's only 'gun violence' victims that truly count. Bunch of- well, I was going to say 'effing weasels', but I have nothing against weasels; how about 'nanny-state gun-bigot fools'?
As my part in the Starbucks buycott,
I find that they serve a mug of very good Earl Grey.
Bite me, CSGV
Bite me, CSGV
Jeff Rosen's a fine example of what a 'journalist' is nowadays:
slant and lie to push a political viewpoint, and screw truth.
Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime has used chemical warfare in order to ease its entrance into Homs, said Awad Al-Razak, an officer who defected from the Syrian armed forces.
Al-Razak, who served in the chemical warfare department of the Syrian military, told the Al-Arabiya network that the government used nerve gas under the supervision of Russian and Iranian scientists, and intends to do so again in other parts of the country.
Gee, I wonder where he might have obtained some of that stuff...
'Course, if the Iranians and Russians are involved, they may have given them the stuff; but I do have to wonder if some of it is, ah, 'previously obtained'.
As the threat of invasion loomed and the terror of Nazi bombs continued, Yale University sent a letter to both Oxford and Cambridge universities, offering children of their fellows and dons evacuation refuge in the U.S.
Calling itself the Yale Faculty Committee for Receiving Oxford and Cambridge University Children, 125 Oxford children and 35 mothers took up the offer, boarding the SS Antonia from Liverpool to New Haven, Connecticut on 8 July 1940.
...
Dr John Fulton of Yale Medical School was a driving force behind the rescue and said the committee 'hoped to save some of the children of intellectuals before the storm breaks.'
So we have either 'Let's try to save some children of proper type', or 'Screw the general populace, us university types have to stick together.'
Back to leftist media 'journalists', Daily Caller has a whole string of reports on what has come out about Media Matters coordinating with the Obama administration, trying to destroy Fox News and so forth. And it includes
Brock, the head of the liberal nonprofit Media Matters for America, had told friends and co-workers that he feared he was in imminent danger from right-wing assassins and needed a security team to keep him safe.
The threat he faced while smoking on his roof? “Snipers,” a former co-worker recalled.
“He had more security than a Third World dictator,” one employee said, explaining that Brock’s bodyguards would rarely leave his side, even accompanying him to his home in an affluent Washington neighborhood each night where they “stood post” to protect him. “What movement leader has a detail?” asked someone who saw it.
Well, that would include, under that old saw 'people tend to think other people think the same way', movement leaders trying to destroy other people probably think their targets might act the way the 'movement leader' does.
But Eric Holder knew NOTHING about it. Right....
Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime has used chemical warfare in order to ease its entrance into Homs, said Awad Al-Razak, an officer who defected from the Syrian armed forces.
Al-Razak, who served in the chemical warfare department of the Syrian military, told the Al-Arabiya network that the government used nerve gas under the supervision of Russian and Iranian scientists, and intends to do so again in other parts of the country.
Gee, I wonder where he might have obtained some of that stuff...
'Course, if the Iranians and Russians are involved, they may have given them the stuff; but I do have to wonder if some of it is, ah, 'previously obtained'.
As the threat of invasion loomed and the terror of Nazi bombs continued, Yale University sent a letter to both Oxford and Cambridge universities, offering children of their fellows and dons evacuation refuge in the U.S.
Calling itself the Yale Faculty Committee for Receiving Oxford and Cambridge University Children, 125 Oxford children and 35 mothers took up the offer, boarding the SS Antonia from Liverpool to New Haven, Connecticut on 8 July 1940.
...
Dr John Fulton of Yale Medical School was a driving force behind the rescue and said the committee 'hoped to save some of the children of intellectuals before the storm breaks.'
So we have either 'Let's try to save some children of proper type', or 'Screw the general populace, us university types have to stick together.'
Back to leftist media 'journalists', Daily Caller has a whole string of reports on what has come out about Media Matters coordinating with the Obama administration, trying to destroy Fox News and so forth. And it includes
Brock, the head of the liberal nonprofit Media Matters for America, had told friends and co-workers that he feared he was in imminent danger from right-wing assassins and needed a security team to keep him safe.
The threat he faced while smoking on his roof? “Snipers,” a former co-worker recalled.
“He had more security than a Third World dictator,” one employee said, explaining that Brock’s bodyguards would rarely leave his side, even accompanying him to his home in an affluent Washington neighborhood each night where they “stood post” to protect him. “What movement leader has a detail?” asked someone who saw it.
Well, that would include, under that old saw 'people tend to think other people think the same way', movement leaders trying to destroy other people probably think their targets might act the way the 'movement leader' does.
But Eric Holder knew NOTHING about it. Right....
Next time someone I know starts whining about Faux News
and bitching about 'fairness', I'm going to send them some links about Media Matters & Co.
Reminds me of all the bitching about 'nasty conservatives/Republicans and their hate speech, we need more civil discourse!', right up until someone called for Walker to be killed. Or attacked one of the Palin kids; THAT was 'free speech', etc.
Reminds me of all the bitching about 'nasty conservatives/Republicans and their hate speech, we need more civil discourse!', right up until someone called for Walker to be killed. Or attacked one of the Palin kids; THAT was 'free speech', etc.
Monday, February 13, 2012
An experiment Updated
Couple of days ago was over at James' place reading this post on the Walther PP, PPK and the .32acp cartridge. One of the commenters left this link on loads for the .32acp to make it better for small game(light carry pistol when hiking/hunting) and self-defense. Which got me to thinking...
I've got a Lee mold to cast 93-grain roundnose bullets for my .32 Hand Ejector; they work quite well(they come out closer to 95 with the mongrel lead I use). The Lee mold for a .32 semi-wadcutter has a fairly narrow nose; the Saeco and RCBS molds for that style have a much wider nose, but I don't really want to lay out that much to try the idea out. So, came the experiment:
Take a drill press vise, and some lubed bullets. Hold the vise vertically, place a bullet on the lower jaw, turn the screw down until it just touches, and from there crank it down. A little experimentation showed that a half-turn just flattened the nose a touch, 1.5 turns squished the bullet too much, and one turn gave a nice, wide flat nose without expanding the body too much.
Take those bullets to the Lee sizer
Lee makes these in a lot of diameters: the sizing die screws into the press, the ram fits into the shellholder slot, and the tub goes on top to catch the bullets; place the bullet on the ram and stroke the lever, you get a nicely sized bullet. It'll also seat gas checks. This one is .311", I use it for .303 cast bullets, and since .311" is also the nominal diameter of the .32 bore, I ran these bullets through. They'd been upset enough that the mouth of the die actually shaved a tiny bit off the sides. After they were all sized they were dosed with Lee Liquid Alox and left overnight. Here's an original on the left, reformed on the right
The tiny ring the die shaved off is TINY; the as-cast and lubed bullets run between 94.5 and 94.8 grains, the reformed 94.3 to 94.7 by my little electronic scale. I know they'll work in the .32S&W; I'm going to load some in .32acp and try them in friends' Pocket Hammerless for function, and when the weather allows try them from both on water jugs for penetration.
I've been thinking: if you wanted to reform bullets like this while eliminating the sizing die step, you could take a steel slug, bore a hole and polish it to .311 or .312 with a nice finish, and turn a ram for a proper fit. Drop in a bullet, set it on the vise jaw, drop the ram in and form. It would come out the proper diameter, needing only a second dose of lube*.
Or, yeah, you could find suitable cast bullets somewhere and buy them. I'll see how these work before taking such a drastic step.
*Lee specifies to lube bullets before pressing them through the die, otherwise you will get lead fouling on the walls that you'll have to clean out. I also took the precaution of treating my die with Microlon, and so far no fouling problems at all.
Update:
Windy in comments was right; just to try them out I loaded two bullets into cases and tried them in that .32; the slide will barely go into battery as the ogive engages the rifling enough to nicely engrave the bullet. And not knowing what that might do to pressure, not to mention others possibly not letting it get quite there, more thought is called for. First thing that comes to mind would be the die and punch idea above, but turn the end of the punch so it gives the nose a semi-wadcutter shape with that wide, flat nose. If I can get a problem with my little lathe figured out, I'm going to have to try that.
On the other hand, I loaded twelve into .32 S&W Long cases and tried them in the Hand Ejector: worked perfectly, and cut nice, clean holes in the target.
I've got a Lee mold to cast 93-grain roundnose bullets for my .32 Hand Ejector; they work quite well(they come out closer to 95 with the mongrel lead I use). The Lee mold for a .32 semi-wadcutter has a fairly narrow nose; the Saeco and RCBS molds for that style have a much wider nose, but I don't really want to lay out that much to try the idea out. So, came the experiment:
Take a drill press vise, and some lubed bullets. Hold the vise vertically, place a bullet on the lower jaw, turn the screw down until it just touches, and from there crank it down. A little experimentation showed that a half-turn just flattened the nose a touch, 1.5 turns squished the bullet too much, and one turn gave a nice, wide flat nose without expanding the body too much.
Take those bullets to the Lee sizer
Lee makes these in a lot of diameters: the sizing die screws into the press, the ram fits into the shellholder slot, and the tub goes on top to catch the bullets; place the bullet on the ram and stroke the lever, you get a nicely sized bullet. It'll also seat gas checks. This one is .311", I use it for .303 cast bullets, and since .311" is also the nominal diameter of the .32 bore, I ran these bullets through. They'd been upset enough that the mouth of the die actually shaved a tiny bit off the sides. After they were all sized they were dosed with Lee Liquid Alox and left overnight. Here's an original on the left, reformed on the right
The tiny ring the die shaved off is TINY; the as-cast and lubed bullets run between 94.5 and 94.8 grains, the reformed 94.3 to 94.7 by my little electronic scale. I know they'll work in the .32S&W; I'm going to load some in .32acp and try them in friends' Pocket Hammerless for function, and when the weather allows try them from both on water jugs for penetration.I've been thinking: if you wanted to reform bullets like this while eliminating the sizing die step, you could take a steel slug, bore a hole and polish it to .311 or .312 with a nice finish, and turn a ram for a proper fit. Drop in a bullet, set it on the vise jaw, drop the ram in and form. It would come out the proper diameter, needing only a second dose of lube*.
Or, yeah, you could find suitable cast bullets somewhere and buy them. I'll see how these work before taking such a drastic step.
*Lee specifies to lube bullets before pressing them through the die, otherwise you will get lead fouling on the walls that you'll have to clean out. I also took the precaution of treating my die with Microlon, and so far no fouling problems at all.
Update:
Windy in comments was right; just to try them out I loaded two bullets into cases and tried them in that .32; the slide will barely go into battery as the ogive engages the rifling enough to nicely engrave the bullet. And not knowing what that might do to pressure, not to mention others possibly not letting it get quite there, more thought is called for. First thing that comes to mind would be the die and punch idea above, but turn the end of the punch so it gives the nose a semi-wadcutter shape with that wide, flat nose. If I can get a problem with my little lathe figured out, I'm going to have to try that.
On the other hand, I loaded twelve into .32 S&W Long cases and tried them in the Hand Ejector: worked perfectly, and cut nice, clean holes in the target.
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