Houston, Suburbs Spared From Rita's Wrath

From where I'm sitting in North Central Texas, Rita was (mercifully) not as bad as everyone in the media predicted. I'm not saying it wasn't bad for some, because it was. I'm saying it could've been many times worse. In spite of all the traffic, the gas shortages, panic runs on gas stations, etc., things weren't quite so bad.

So let's talk about how people acted during the pre-storm evacuation. Runs on gasoline, water, and groceries. Not panic, but definitely trepidation.

What if it had been a real emergency? How comfortable are you with the way your neighbors acted in this situation? How prepared were you? Are you more or less likely to own a gun now?

Thoughts, please.

Battle robots could join dogs on S. Korea border

Maybe so, but I bet battle robots aren't nearly as good with a little lemon grass and Sriracha pepper sauce.

Sentry Gun

Take a young computer science student with too much spare time, an automatic airsoft gun, some mechanical and software skills, a stupid little brother, and what do you get? The perfect brother-shooting sentry gun.

Watch the video at the bottom of the page. Priceless.

StormTrack: Rita

I stopped by the local Kroger tonight for supplies (beer). The place was very busy, and about half the water was gone. Thank goodness the beer supplies were well-stocked.

I'm thinking that even up here in North Central Texas, we're liable to see some action from this storm, which is apparently becoming a monster. The 3rd lowest recorded barometric pressure for an Atlantic storm, and the possibility of 185mph sustained winds? Mercy. This is gonna suck for the Texas Gulf Coast.

Heck, it won't be a picnic for us up here. Keep your fingers crossed.

Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Rita (aka George W. Bush) is on track for the southern Gulf Coast of Texas. She was heard to be muttering, "I hate Texicans."

I'd like to ask America help us now. Please send $2000 ATM cards to tattlers@gmail.com. I promise we'll be responsible, and only use the money for guns and ammo.

This whole global warming thing is kinda stinky, too. I think we should blame...um...PETA! If it weren't for all the cows generating methane, we wouldn't have greenhouse...um...stuff. And the bird flu. And stuff.

Seriously. Al Sharpton says so.

Emotional Rather blasts 'new journalism order'

Anyone have any doubts Rather is an idiot? Let's see, first he says that the new journalism order is horrid. THEN he goes on to say that the coverage of Katrina was "one of television news' finest moments...."

Wait, the same coverage that accepted as fact, without any research or fact checking that 10,000 people died in NOLA alone? The same coverage that gave Louie Farraquack the coverage to say that the levy was blown up so that only the black parts of town flooded? The same news coverage that somehow can't find any fault in anything that the dimwit politicians in Louisiana were responsible for, but somehow everything was Bush's fault?

Dan's an idiot.

Monumental surrender - Michelle Malkin

I remind you of all this because the official Flight 93 memorial unveiled last week is now embroiled in overdue public controversy. Funded with a mix of public money and private cash (including a $500,000 grant from Teresa Heinz's far-left Heinz Endowments), the winning design, titled the 'Crescent of Embrace,' features a grove of maple trees ringing the crash site in the shape of an unmistakable red crescent. The crescent, New York University Middle East Studies professor Bernard Haykel told the Johnstown, Pa., Tribune-Democrat, 'is the symbol of ritual and religious life for Muslims.'

Red crescent, my ass.
Healing, my ass.

Michelle's on the money here. Why don't we all join hands and sing 'Kumbaya?' I know why - it might offend Muslims. We sure wouldn't want to offend them. After all, they're the ones we have to thank for putting this swell "memorial" together.

This makes me want to vomit. If you can stomach this, then let me know. I'd like to punch you in your teeth.

International Talk Like A Pirate Day

Avast and ahoy, me buckos. 'Tis Talk Like a Pirate Day. ARRRRRR.

On Shooting

Largely because I'm tired of listening to the latest liberal diatribes and don't feel like giving them any space here today, I decided I'd like to talk to you about something fun.

Let's talk shooting!

For starters class, if you are still shooting Weaver, it's time to step into the 21st century. Yes, Weaver was a great advancement over shooting one handed. But that was decades ago. If you attend a class by a tactical trainer and he/she is teaching you to shoot Weaver, walk out and demand a refund.

What, little Johnny? You have a question? Why is Weaver so bad? Well, I'm glad you asked.

1. Weaver is slow, and follow up - for you ninnys who don't shoot, that means the ability to rapidly put more rounds on target - is practically impossible.
2. Weaver does not allow for you to move quickly. Instead, the tactical church that teaches Weaver will have you do the infamous "step drag" when you're moving, because in real life, you'll magically lose your ability to walk or negotiate obstacles unless you're dragging a leg behind you. So, instead of giving you the ability to haul ass and present a more challenging target to the individual trying to put you in the ground; or negotiate a course of fire rapidly, they'll have you move slowly and present an easier target.
3. Weaver is counter-intuitive. For example, Johnny, why don't you come up to the front of the class. Act like you're going to run into me, or try to push me to the ground. You'll note, as I push you back, that I don't extend my right arm to full extension and keep my left arm bent at a 45 degree angle to your attack. You'll note that as I push back, I'm doing so equally with both my hands. Now, after you dust your ass off Johnny, you can go back to your desk. And use some deodorant tomorrow, will you?
4. Weaver does not allow you to transition from your strong hand to your weak hand without some serious attention.
5. Weaver does not allow your upper body to act as a turret - yep, turning to your weak side is easy. Try turning to your strong side, or shoot around a barricade on your strong side. Not so easy, is it?
6. Weaver does not allow you to transition to other weapon platforms, like rifles or shotguns easily. And if you thought putting your pistol in your weak hand was hard with Weaver, try doing that with a long gun.

I could go on for days, but suffice it to say class, that Weaver is outdated and inefficient.

Now, yes, Sarah you have a question? How should you be shooting if Weaver is so bad? Well, I'm glad you asked.

Let me introduce you to the modern isosceles. Take note of this picture of me taken yesterday at the monthly Waco uspsa match. The picture was taken instantly after pulling the trigger, or should I say, about .15 seconds after. You'll note that there is no muzzle flip. You'll note that an on target follow up shot is possible. If I was kneeling or sitting, nothing in this picture would be any different (only shorter). If I were moving, nothing would change (only blurry). If I were shooting left handed, nothing would change (other than holding the gun in my left hand). If I was holding a rifle or shotgun, very, very little would change.

Now, I see that you, back there hiding in the corner have a question. If this is such a great way to shoot, why do people continue to teach Weaver?

That's probably the best question of the day. There is a deeply ingrained doctrine still taught by those advocates of the tactical church. Think France. 1940. Maginot Line. Despite all sorts of evidence to the contrary, they continue to preach their outdated tactical doctrine. You can usually spot them on their rare forays to competitive shooting by the following:

- they shoot slow.

- they miss a lot, especially on that second shot of the double tap. For you ninnys not familiar with that term, a double tap is when you pull the trigger two times in rapid succession, but only take one sight picture. Yeah, I'm a historian and my math skills are usually not very good. But even I can see that's a bad, piss poor idea. Where's that second shot go? If you're up close, say within 3 yards, it's probably going to be ok, but the farther away you get from the target, the farther away that second shot gets from the first. By 10 yards, it could very likely be completely off the target. Unless you're just lucky and sadly, you can't count on luck. You CAN count on skill, and I'd rather rely on that.

- they don't usually come out to play at a match, whether it's uspsa, or idpa. (in fact, they'll practically NEVER attend a uspsa match, and you are much more likely to see them out and about at an idpa match) When you ask them why, they'll tell you because the skills you'll use in a match will get you killed in real life. Right, Johnny, shooting fast, accurately, and on the move is a bad plan.

- they'll move around and change position, albeit slowly, when they're shooting from behind cover including kneeling and going prone. Because in real life class, the sheetrock in your house and office will provide you with plenty of hard cover to hide behind. You will of course, note my sarcasm.

- they have a complete lack of ability or skill to perform even simple, routine shooting drills, like an el presidente. For those of you non-shooting pukes out there, an el prez is a drill practiced by shooters world wide. There are 3 targets, 10 yards downrange, and each of the targets is 2 yards apart. You start with your back to the targets, turn, draw and engage each target with two rounds, reload, and re-engage each target with two rounds. I have yet to see a tactical god, shooting Weaver, do anything faster than 12-13 seconds. I'm down in the high 5's, low 6's day in and day out, and I'm only getting better. My goal is to get it down in the high 4's, low 5's and that'll come with more practice. There are guys out there that are doing the drill in the low 3's, repeatable, with all their hits on paper. And guess what, they ain't shootin' Weaver style.

Now, if someone continues to shoot Weaver style, even after being presented with the facts as outlined above, that's fine. Because that's just one more person that I will crush at the match.

Let's recap, class, shall we?

If you shoot Weaver style, you'll shoot slow, move slow, and tend to miss that ever important second or third or fourth shot (because contrary to what you see in the movies, handguns are notoriously poor manstoppers). You'll not be able to easily transfer the weapon to your weak hand, and you'll not be able to easily transfer your skills to a long gun.

But hey, if you want to continue shooting old school, you go right ahead. I'll look for you at the bottom of the heap, and not the top. Your choice.

Student Arrested After Pilot Uniform Found

Hey! Maybe his girlfriend just liked that game.

Clinton launches withering attack on Bush on Iraq, Katrina, budget

Precisely what I have expected from this emasculated, withered, ne'er-do-well excuse of a former President. Had he not lobbed cruise missiles into abandoned tents in Afghanistan, this post would be meaningless.