Yep

That's Governor Perry driving a LaRue rifle.... details found here.

Gettin' out

Enough of all of the BS surrounding the attention whores that are running our government.

I've been out on the road the last few weeks, trying to get my lard ass into shape on my bike. Once upon a time, I was a pretty serious bike racer, although you'd never know it looking at me today.... It's been nice getting reaquainted with my bike, something that once upon a time I'd put 400-500 miles a week on.

Today was an easy day, trying to get rid of the lactic acid from yesterday's ride, and I took advantage of the easy level and took a little camera with me as I spun around on a short little ride.



If you're so inclined, stop by my SmugMug site here and take a look at the rest of the set.

The fellas are just a little over their limit....

And out of their league.

Or at least, that's the impression I got after reading this story.

The most telling quote in the whole piece was this one:

"Chinese assets are very safe," Geithner said in response to a question after a speech at Peking University, where he studied Chinese as a student in the 1980s.

His answer drew loud laughter from his student audience, reflecting skepticism in China about the wisdom of a developing country accumulating a vast stockpile of foreign reserves instead of spending the money to raise living standards at home.

I flashed back to my college days long ago. What this reminds me of more than anything else, really, is all of the credit card companies passing out *free* credit cards to the idiots on campus who'd take them up on it.

And what Geithner and the O-messiah strike me the most are that they are like a couple of frat boys, flush with their new found popularity on campus and overspent on those *free* credit cards. And that the ongoing discussions with the ChiComs are exactly like those discussions way back when with the frat boy's parents....

"Yes, I know I went over the limit, but it will never happen again!"

"Promise!"

"If you just help me pay this one off I'll watch my spending next semester...."

Yeah, right.

Texas in the springtime

One thing you can count on here in north Texas in the spring, and that's turbulent weather. Snapped this shot right after work last week.



Feel free to head on over to my SmugMug page and check out the rest of the shots I got from this storm, as well as other stuff I've been uploading lately....

Irony

an outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected.

American capitalism gone with a whimper Yes, dear readers... we get to learn just how messed up we are from, of all places, PRAVDA!

First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their "right" to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our "democracy". Pride blind the foolish.

These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?

So it should be no surprise, that the American president has followed this up with a "bold" move of declaring that he and another group of unelected, chosen stooges will now redesign the entire automotive industry and will even be the guarantee of automobile policies. I am sure that if given the chance, they would happily try and redesign it for the whole of the world, too. Prime Minister Putin, less then two months ago, warned Obama and UK's Blair, not to follow the path to Marxism, it only leads to disaster. Apparently, even though we suffered 70 years of this Western sponsored horror show, we know nothing, as foolish, drunken Russians, so let our "wise" Anglo-Saxon fools find out the folly of their own pride.

Now that's some hope and change, all right.

Lest we forget

the reason for our long holiday weekend.... Take some time out in the midst of your parties, barbecues and socializing to stop and think of the folks that have made it all possible for the rest of us.



Edited to add:

"Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of
men."

--Pericles

More government intervention

As if the government dictating who is in charge of an American company (as in GM... the new Government Motors),wasn't enough, the messiah, with a stroke of the pen has now killed off the rest of the car companies as well - and in the process will kill a lot of us as well.

Long story short:

The cars of the future will cost more, haul less, drive slower and most importantly, will be more dangerous. In the name of bogus global warming, we're getting ready to kill a helluva lot more Americans as they drive their minuscule (but friendly to the environmnet!) cars to and from work and wherever it is you go.

Buy those big trucks before 2010, fellas, because it's looking like those days are long over.

Get Your CHL

This is one of my rare editorial blog posts, and I'd like to take this time to exhort all Texans: go get a Concealed Handgun License (CHL). I don't care if you don't even own a firearm, or if you never intend to purchase one. Take the course anyway. I will personally loan you a firearm for the shooting portion of the class, and provide you with free instruction beforehand.

Why the generosity? Because I strongly believe that knowledge is power, and ignorance is anything but bliss.

In the last few days, I've been asked questions regarding Texas firearm laws that surprised me. I'm not calling names, or being derisive, mind you. It's just that some misinformation has been repeated enough times that people assume it must be the truth. For example, it's perfectly legal for you to have a concealed handgun in your vehicle in the state of Texas, without a CHL. That surprises a lot of people. There is no waiting period for purchasing a firearm in Texas, did you know that? Some would have you believe there is. Yes, Virginia, you can legally carry your gun in church, provided your church hasn't posted the proper signage to the contrary. Speaking of signage, what are the 2 signs that would prohibit a CHLicensee from carrying in an establishment? When are you authorized to use deadly force, CHL or not?

In my humble estimation, it's worth your time and money to find the answer to these questions firsthand from a qualified CHL instructor. Heck, if nothing else, having your CHL just makes it easier to purchase that handgun that you'll decide you DO need, after all.

I know that some rankle at the thought of any type of licensing and registration, and I certainly appreciate that position. However, the law is the law, and there are most certainly trade-offs for getting a CHL. You'll be held to a higher standard, but at the same time, you'll get proper recognition for that, particularly from law enforcement (for the most part). I've had LEOs cut me slack on the rare occasion where I might have exceeded the speed limit, solely by virtue of the fact that I've made the effort to be a law-abiding CHLicensee. They (for the most part) know you're the good guy.

More than anything else, it's learning the laws of this state, and of other states, that will benefit you most. If nothing else, you'll be the life of the party.

Just do me one favor: don't assume that having a CHL means you know how to shoot. Go learn how to shoot from a qualified instructor, learn basic gun safety, and practice. You'll be much more comfortable with that CHL once you do.

That is all.

Wanna go green?

Then live in a slum! After all, the eco-freaks at National Geographic have deemed India to be the greenest of all countries in the world!!

Indian consumers also topped the goods sub-index score. Their top status is due in part to having lower-than-average rates of ownership of large appliances and electronics. Also, the rate of those buying used goods, avoiding environmentally unfriendly products and excessive packaging, and buying environmentally friendly products is the highest.

So, give up those plasma TVs, microwaves and airconditioner units!

Indian consumers continue to rank third on the transportation sub-index, based on the fact that they are second-most likely to live close to their usual destinations and second-least likely to own a car or truck (54%). Among those who drive, Indians tend to have lower-than-average annual mileage rates. Besides, they are the most likely to own and use motorcycles or scooters and second most likely to drive a compact car, after the Mexicans. In addition, walking or riding a bike is up seven points from the past year (to 57%).

Yes, friends, give up those evil polluting cars and especially those trucks and SUVs!

As regards housing, Indians rank second only to Brazilians. Factors contributing to their high ranking include a low incidence of having home heating (41%) and hot running water (38%) and a high incidence of using on-demand electric water heating (45% among those with hot running water), and using solar energy to heat water (15%).

Yes, you read this right, dear readers! Give up heating your home when it gets cold, forget about taking hot showers (who needs 'em, anyways!!) OK - fine!!

Or, you could spend $900,000 on a whopping EIGHT HUNDRED SQUARE FT. house here in the US, and then hope your pipes don't freeze over when it gets cold. Think about it, folks. To make this ridiculous outlay of expense worthwhile, you'd have to live in the house 3,625 months, or about 320 years. (To come up with that figure, I took the avg house cost of 175,000 and subtracted that from the 900,000 cost, divided that by an avg monthly electric/gas bill of $200 and viola...)

Absolute sheer lunacy, dear readers, absolute lunacy. Eco nazis flat out crack me up.

Obama Says U.S. Long-Term Debt Load ‘Unsustainable’

I think this is called talking out of both sides of your mouth.

On one hand, you help to create (as President, and as a Senator who voted for it) the massive, record deficits our government has created.

On the other, you say that

“We can’t keep on just borrowing from China,” Obama said at a town-hall meeting in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, outside Albuquerque. “We have to pay interest on that debt, and that means we are mortgaging our children’s future with more and more debt.”

WTF??

The lies continue from the same speech:

In his New Mexico appearance, the president pledged to work with Congress to shore up entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He also said he was confident that the House and Senate would pass health-care overhaul bills by August.
“Most of what is driving us into debt is health care, so we have to drive down costs,” he said.

Considering that the Government does not YET run the health care system, would anyone like to explain to me how the cost of health care is running the government into debt? Ummmmmm, NO, Mr. President. Health care cost is not what is driving us into debt. What is driving us into debt is out of control government spending on worthless entitlement programs and pet projects like the famous bridge to nowhere. What's driving us into debt is a budget that is "free from earmarks" - that is, if you don't want to count the over 8,000 earmarks in the budget his highness signed into law.

This is lying on a scale that would make Goebbels or any member of the Soviet Politburo proud.

Guns at college,

who needs 'em, right?

A group of college students said they are lucky to be alive and they’re thanking the quick-thinking of one of their own. Police said a fellow student shot and killed one of two masked me who burst into an apartment.

Read it all, folks...

AmEx

Don't leave home without it.

Market Hall Gun Show - Price Gouging at its Worst

Catfish and I stood in line almost 25 minutes to get inside the Market Hall Gun Show this Saturday, in a winding line that traversed the parking lot.

My first treat was that the cost of the show had increased. It's now $8/person.

We made our way back to the left side of the hall, to a table that appeared to have a fair amount of ammo. The dealer's name is Gerry C. Haight, and I think he's out of Arlington, TX.

When I asked the pretty blonde girl the price on the box of .40 American Eagle, she looked on her sheet, then told me, "47.50." I just blinked. I asked her to check again, because that couldn't possibly be right for 50 rounds (a single box). She looked again, then consulted the guy who (presumably) was the dealer - Gerry C. Haight. He looked me straight in the eye, and said that was correct. I asked if he realized that was almost ONE DOLLAR PER ROUND. He affirmed that he did.

I'm pretty sure my face got red at that point, and I stuck my finger in his face. I told him that was gouging, and that it was "f*cking wrong." I told him that I'd personally make sure that every shooter on every forum knew his name, and that they all remember him as the so-called "shooter" who was taking advantage of other shooters.

I don't mind someone turning an honest buck, and I certainly don't begrudge the occasional price hike to help offset costs. But when I could literally turn around and buy the exact same ammo for $20/box (still too high, btw) at another table, it's just a little too much for me to take. He had CASES of this stuff, and he was out to squeeze as much out of you and me as he possibly could.

Remember this guy's name, and the others who are taking advantage of you and me.

And the first one of you that tries to chastise me for dogging on other "shooters," let's be perfectly clear: I DIDN'T START IT. I'm not trying to steal money from you and keep you from enjoying your sport.

I'm pissed off, and I'm not going to stand around idly while predators try to take advantage of me. If you've encountered gouging, please let us know about it. We're keeping a list of these creeps, and we'll be using it, even after the prices normalize again. I don't plan on forgetting those who took advantage of us. I also plan to talk about those dealers who aren't gouging, because they deserve your business.

Stop buying from people like Gerry Haight. Run these carpet-baggers off, and let's set things straight again.

Some gun pRon

I mentioned way back when, in January, that I had purchased a new Springer XDM, in 40SW.

Well, I finally got around to upgrading it into a full on Limited pistol, suitable for USPSA competition and I must say that I really like it. I added a Dawson fiber optic front sight (which was a royal bitch to install; and don't even get me started on how hard the original front sight was to remove...), a pistol gear magwell, some new trigger springs (and removed some of the worthless gizmos inside the gun that added to the trigger pull) and some basepads on my mags.



I've been very pleased with the platform - I'm still getting used to the trigger a little bit and that will come with time. As you can see in the vid, the gun can be run very, very hard - this was the 4th or 5th drill we ran like this in a row and the gun was smoking hot to the touch. But it ran without a hiccup... and I only threw 2 C's - both on the first shot in transition to the next target.



Liked the platform enough that I fought the Market Hall gun show crowds yesterday with JR and picked up another XDM - to act as a backup gun for the first and an IDPA gun as well, since the existing magwell is too fat to sit properly in the infamous IDPA box....

Wow

And she didn't use a telepromter, either.

NO excuse now

The NRA is offering free one year memberships. Haven't joined?? Like your gun rights? Sign up now, it's free.

I can't wait for summer

Fear and Greed Have Sales of Guns and Ammo Shooting Up - WSJ.com

Wanna know why we can't find primers and bullets?

Bubba Sanders, owner of Bullseye Supply LLC, in Brandon, Miss., said he has 'a number of doctor clients whose financial advisers have told them to invest in ammunition. Beats the hell out of money markets and CDs. You can double your investment in ammunition in a year.'

That's right - guns and ammo are now considered blue-chip investments. Worse than that, good old-fashioned American Capitalism is alive and well:

As gun-ban worries have made inventory scarce, Joshua Works, president of Mission Essential Inc., a large gun store in Hinesville, Ga., has flipped some of his own stock for a profit. Last year, he says, he sold a variant of an AK-47 for $400. He bought it back from the owner in January for $550, then quickly sold the same gun again for $750. AKs are a particularly good investment, he says. His company's sales have risen about 30% since the election, he says.
Mr. Works ran ads on local television highlighting fears of a weapon ban before and after the November election and says he's planning a new spot that promotes guns as a good investment. "You can buy gold or silver, but they go up and down," he says.

Evidently, so is good old-fashioned fear-mongering.
This, boys and girls, is why those of us who actually shoot guns are a little put out. We can't find supplies because guys like this are investing in a commodity. Nevermind that it's an artificially inflated commodity like, oh, I don't know - certain stocks in certain financial institutions. The bottom WILL fall out.

That the bubble could burst doesn't appear to be fazing buyers. "Right now even used semiautomatic rifles are selling like crazy," says Lawrence Keane, senior vice president and general counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which represents manufacturers and retailers.

Meanwhile, anybody got some small rifle primers they want to sell? I actually want to use them...

Perry Says Texas Can Secede

Perry called his supporters patriots. Later, answering news reporters' questions, Perry suggested Texans might at some point get so fed up they would want to secede from the union, though he said he sees no reason why Texas should do that.

I'm down with that, and I can see plenty of reasons.

Uh-oh. I bet I'm one of those right-wing nutjobs, huh?

Top Nerf Dart Guns, Crossbows and Nerf Ball Guns

Where was the Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 when I was a kid?

The biggest, best, most powerful Nerf gun ever. The battery-powered Vulcan is basically a fully-automatic foam-spewing machine gun, complete with a 25-dart clip that it can unload in less than 10 seconds. And if the batteries die, you can still pump and shoot the old-fashioned way. Some drawbacks: Chasing down all those darts for reloading is far from fun, and some of our commenters have noted that the belt jams easily.