Saturday, May 17, 2008

How the hell do some of you live in the Seattle area

when this crap is considered 'good thought' by the papers?
The narrative we're given about Munich is entirely in hindsight. We know what kind of man Hitler was, and that he started World War II in Europe. But in 1938 people knew a lot less. What Hitler was demanding at Munich was not unreasonable as a national claim (though he was making it in a last-minute, unreasonable way.) Germany's claim was that the areas of Europe that spoke German and thought of themselves as German be under German authority. In September 1938 the principal remaining area was the Sudetenland.
Ok, I can see you could think that. If you ignore all the people who were waving warning flags and screaming about what was about to happen. And so forth.

But who else is a Hitler? If you paste that label on somebody it means they are cast out. You can't talk to them any more. And it has gotten pasted on quite a few national leaders over the years: Milosevic, Hussein, Ahmadinejad, et. al. In particular, to apply that label to the elected leaders of the Palestinians is to say that you aren't going to listen to their claims to a homeland. I think they do have a claim. So do the Israelis. In order to get anywhere, each side has to listen to the other. To continually bring up Hitler, the Nazis, the Munich Conference and “appeasement,” is to try to prolong the stalemate.
Awright, dumbass, here's a hint: when someone is speaking of wiping an entire people out of existence, that makes them a Hitler. You might consider that in the future before you write crap like this.

If I had a young daughter today,

there'd be a bunch of rules she'd probably hate. And I wouldn't care.
1: Mom and I will choose your clothes. We don't care what's 'popular' or what some idiot celebritute wears and wants to sell to you. Period.
2: If we had cable, there would be a whole bunch of channels blocked from the kids. Including
Nickelodeon. You are NOT watching that crap. Period.

That's what's immediately on my mind. I do have friends with young kids, and I worry about them. So, among other things, I'm going to help the dads work out something effective and quiet to deal with idiots who think acting like a gang-banger, a pimp or dressing like a prison bitch around their kids is cool.

Let's see, best way to dispose of bodies.....

Here's why I generally detest 'true believers'

in politicians:
...Come on! He's lying! Don't lie! I mean, I know you've been having an unimaginably powerful experience with millions of people buying the things you say, but don't get cocky. We do still have our lie detectors, and we can reactivate them if we get in the mood to. Don't push us. Keep the magic alive.(bold mine)
Which means that if he keeps them in the right mood, they won't 'reactivate' their lie detectors. Because if they do it'll end the 'magic'.

Geez, people, this is the kind of thing you hear from religious zealots about their deity. Or about the Anointed One of the deity. Which, considering a lot of what's happened around Obama, pretty much covers it. And someone who feeds that- and feeds off of it- I do NOT want in the Oval Office.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Speaking of 'least repulsive Democrat',

Sebastian brings us this from McCain's speech:
4:35: McCain says he supports the banning private sales, and campaign finance reform

4:37: McCain says he doesn’t support regulating sales between people within the same family.

4:40: McCain says his support of regulating private sales doesn’t detract from his support of the second amendment. Can’t say I agree with that one.

4:42: McCain reminds everyone that Obama wouldn’t sign onto the brief urging the Supreme Court to overturn the DC gun ban in Heller.

4:42: The theme seems to be “I suck a little, but my opponents suck more.”

This is so encouraging, I may have to puke. And THIS is what the StupidRepublican has managed to produce. And tells us is a 'GREAT candidate!" And who many Stupid Party(why pretend otherwise?) politicians expect to 'save them' in November.

Did I mention puking?

I forgot to add Microlon to the sidebar

after the Great Bloggered-Up Template Change.

They're there now. I've had very good results from the Gun Juice, and the engine treatment seems to be holding up well on the bike(truck to be treated soon, I hope). And they support the troops.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

In light of past comments, there's word for Fire from Security Staff:

.................................................Watch it, lady.............................

Speaking of disgusting news and politicians-

which generally go together- we have the following:
Kim speaks to the Republican Party weenies who are panicking and hoping for McCain to save them. The latter is also proof of either clinical-level delusion or just flat-ass stupidity.

On McCain, I heard some parts of his speech in which he basically promised to do whatever it takes to make the Evil Party happy, and screw you if you don't like it. Isn't there a way to spray for life forms like this?

The Ontario 'Human Rights Tribunal' is full of shit. And should be hauled out and shot. Along with the greedy little bastard who brought the suit.

Sondra points out that Schwarzenegger is a moron. Of course, that fits him in well with the CA state government:
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today defended his plans to borrow against future profits from the state lottery to help close a $15.2 billion budget deficit, arguing that the state’s fiscal crisis is so deep that cutting spending alone is not a viable option.
It's a viable option if you actually cut fat and bullshit, but the term 'fat chance' comes to mind.

She also takes note of the kind of rhinos that are behind people telling the Stupid Party to kiss their ass. AND have such a large level of disgust for the Evil Party:
By a vote of 149-141, the Democrat-controlled House rejected a measure that would have given the Pentagon $162.5 billion to keep the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan running through next summer, slightly below President George W. Bush’s request.

A large group of anti-war House Democrats voted against the funds. That, coupled with 132 Republicans voting “present,” meaning neither “yes” nor “no,” killed the measure for now.
This is known as 'too chickenshit to vote against', you miserable cowards.

Further evidence that Obama is a thin-skinned lightweight. Along with a lot of the other members of the Evil Party.

Blech. In the words of Quint, it's enough to piss off the Good Humor man.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

And if you want another reason why people don't want to cooperate

with the authorities- especially feds- read this:
Essentially, ATF is saying to Adventure Outdoors (and all FFLs in general) that our time is more important that your livelihood. Because that’s what we’re talking about here - the method that the owners and employees of this gun shop use to put food on the table is at stake, but ATF thinks that the cost of losing two special agents for a day “outweighs any benefit to Adventure Outdoors”.

Read the whole thing. After, as Kim says, putting breakables out of reach.

When seconds count, the police are a

long damn time away. And some of the people involved don't care if you die.
"You're emotional, you're desperate and you call for help. Then what happened?" asked Phil.

"Nothing," Sheila said.

In fact, Sheila's 911 ordeal dragged on for almost three hours - through call after call.

Sheila: "They just keep on saying they en route, they en route, but they ain't came. It's been a long time. And he keeps calling me, threatening me."
911: "Alright, I see where you've called, and I'm gonna update them and let them know what all you've told me. OK?
Sheila: "Yes, ma'am."

Back when I was a dispatcher, I knew of times there was simply no one available, everybody was tied up. But I also knew of times when some 911 operator didn't really get excited about disturbing some officer with, you know, an actual hazard situation. And sometimes, like this one, you've got an operator who really doesn't care. In any of these cases, you're on your own.

About that lion-country walking stick,

The blade is about 6", the whole thing was forged from a piece of 5160 coil spring stock. You can't see, but there's a hole drilled through and a brass pin through to lock things together.

Used to have a bigger one(longer and wider, more triangular in shape) but it went to a new home. It was a lot more refined looking, more polished, this one I left with a dark finish.

McCain..... Damn

Kevin was right when he said “McCain is the least offensiverepulsive Democrat running for President”; but damn.

Was listening to Rush yesterday and he had some bits from a couple of speeches McCain made. Pure enviroweenie pandering(carbon credits, etc.) and, in one, the most excited I think I’ve heard him sound, came from crapping on Bush. It’s a pretty bad sign that the Republican candidate has more emotion for dumping on a Republican President, and more willingness to go after him, than after the Democrats.

Kim had his sticker, “I love my country more than I hate McCain”, but the more this guy opens his mouth, the more I wonder just how much difference we’d wind up with between him and Obama or Clinton? Yeah, I know, syphilis vs. advanced cancer, but damn…

Have you considered that possibly the best thing that could happen to this country would be for a tornado or meteor strike to take out all three of them at a debate or something? We’d have to start over with new candidates. Which might- MIGHT- actually get us someone who we wouldn’t have to plug our noses and ears in order to vote for.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

So not only do they tick off local agencies,

they can't get along with each other.
In the five years since the FBI and ATF were merged under the Justice Department to coordinate the fight against terrorism, the rival law enforcement agencies have fought each other for control, wasting time and money and causing duplication of effort, according to law enforcement sources and internal documents.

There've been bits and pieces about this coming out over the years, including FBI having fought like hell, from what I've read, to keep ATF from being stuck in with them. According to this, local agencies get the amusement of seeing two groups of feds threatening to arrest each other at crime scenes. Sometimes while they're each busy trying to take it away from local or other federal authorities.
"If you're working with one agency, you have to walk on eggshells if you mention the other," said Jeff Kirk, former commander of the Kokomo, Ind., police bomb squad, who has written to Congress about the issue. "Frankly, after all these years, I'm really tired of this alphabet soup fight."

Damn.

Found through the Boomershoot guy.

As the gentleman asks, if it was sold at a show with no paperwork,

then how the hell is ATF claiming to have traced it?
What's more, Robbins noted that the ATF was able to trace the SKS rifle used to gun down Liczbinski to a gun show in Fayettville, N.C. He said that because it had been bought at a gun show, the owner did not have to undergo a background check - another proposal that's been blocked by the gun lobby.
Like the gentleman, I smell bullcrap.

There's a shirt that says "Yes, I have a truck. No, I won't

help you move." I think I'm going to get one that says "Yes, I have a chainsaw. No, I won't help trim your trees."

Friends had some limbs that had been damaged or killed by the ice storm on the big elm in front, one of which was right over the driveway, so yesterday hauled the pruning pole and ladder(had to go back for the rope later) over to deal with it. Most was easy, but the big one...

It was a little wider than the length of the bar, and the only way to cut it without climbing into the tree(hell NO, I wasn't gonna do that) was by cutting on one side, then going- very carefully- to the other and cutting the rest so gravity could end the matter.

Which worked right up to the point, on the other side, when the limb shifted and grabbed the bar. Hard. Which sent me home for the rope, so we could get it over the limb, then over to the truck, to pull enough tension to free the bar. Which worked. Did a bit more cutting, then while I took a break friend took the saw and asked 'want me to cut some more?'. By this point the answer was 'no', because I knew there was very little holding that limb up, and friend has very little experience with such. I don't have a lot, but I know some warning signs to watch for: and when this did fail it was going to come down fast. So I said "Let me look at it from the other side" and walked around. VERY little was left, and between the tension of the rope, gravity and the wind I couldn't understand how-
Crack
"MOVE!"
Which he did. Just the one 'crack' and then wham when it hit the ground, the butt leaving a dent about 3-4" deep in the ground. Damn.

After that just cleanup and dinner- provided by friends- and then home. I've had just about enough of trees for a while.

Animal stuff

noted by Bruce. First, I never knew there were penguins at the North Pole!

Oh, wait...

Second, advise for action if attacked by a mountain lion:
Officials have advised walkers and hikers to take precautions. They suggest people avoid taking outings alone, especially between dusk and dawn, and carry a walking stick.
I have the perfect stick for this. It's six feet long and has a steel spearhead on one end.

A few years back some friends went on a hiking trip in a national forest area along the Texas/Mexico border or TX/NM(Can't remember which), and found signs in the campground warning to watch out for the cats. They asked a ranger about it and were informed there had been several attacks over the last couple of years. Of course it was a 'no firearms' area. Got to tell you, folks, in a place with bears or big kitties, I'd have something noisy on my belt or under my jacket, orders from the Forest Service be damned.