12 September 2009

So.....

It's Saturday. We're supposed to be shooting. But it's raining like hell. So what's a fella to do??






Not too bad of a day after all, no siree.

11 September 2009

Lest we forget



Despite what Chairman Obama will have us believe, 9/11 is NOT a day to think about community service.

Obama issued a proclamation earlier this week urging Americans to mark the anniversary of the attacks with community service. After leaving the Pentagon, the president and first lady toured a Habitat for Humanity housing development in Washington and pitched in by painting a living room.
It is, and should remain, a day to remember the victims of terrorist scumbags and the brave firefighters, police, and passengers on Flight 93 who gave their lives to protect this country.

If, as President, you want to say we should all have a sense of community and be willing to help out, by all means, OK.

But not on this day.

New site for info

Found a new source for online news.... Big Government dot com.... Several VERY interesting articles in there, and the site's just getting kicked off.

For starters, here's a nice little bit of news amongst all the bad stuff we've been hearing lately with the new boss, same as the old boss running the show:

Census Bureau severs ties with ACORN in 2010 count

September 11, 2009

Ms. Maude Hurd

President

ACORN

739 8th St SE

Washington, DC 20003

Dear Ms. Hurd:

The goal of the U.S. Census Bureau’s partnership program is to combine the strengths of state, local, and tribal governments, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, schools, media, businesses and others to ensure an accurate 2010 Census. While not (sic) Census bureau employees, partners are advocates for census cooperation and participation. They serve a trusted voices within their communities and are critical to our strategy to count everyone once, only once, and in the right place.

The Census Bureau has established criteria for partnerships, which are listed on our Web site at , and reserves the right to decline partnership or to terminate an existing partnership agreement with any group that 1) may create a negative connotation for the Census Bureau; 2) could distract from the Census Bureau’s mission; or, 3) may make people fearful of participating in the census.

To that end, and in keeping with the standards we shared with your organization and others who volunteered to partner with the Census Bureau to help promote the 2010 Census, we are today terminating our Partnership Agreement with ACORN.

Over the last several months, through ongoing communication with our regional offices, it is clear that ACORN’s affiliation with the 2010 Census promotion has caused sufficient concern in the general public, has indeed become a distraction from our mission, and may even become a discouragement to public cooperation, negatively impacting 2010 Census efforts.

While not decisive factors in this decision, recent events concerning several local offices of ACORN have added to the worsening negative perceptions of ACORN and its affiliation with our partnership efforts.
Read the rest of the letter here.

Wow.

07 September 2009

Where do they find these people?

I fully realize and understand that there is about a third of the American electorate who continue to believe that he's the nation, if not the world's savior. That leaves an ever dwindling number of people in the middle third who think that perhaps maybe the chose one isn't so wonderful after all and an ever growing number in the final third who think he's the worst president of all time.

However, wanna guess who the AP only saw fit to include in this lovely cheer-leading article?

Typical of the quotes from "average Americans" you'll find are:

"No one is feeling satisfied with the state of the country," Derek Duffee says from behind his coffee bar's counter in Pennsylvania's Washington. "I don't know if what he's doing will work, but he's trying," says Miyoshi Braxton, an Obama fan smoking on a park bench outside her downtown apartment building in Steubenville, Ohio.
or:
"This is really a whole new chapter in the state of America, and there's nothing we can do but keep doing what we're doing and hope it gets better," says Phil Axworthy, 58, a software developer taking a coffee break in Pittsburgh's Market Square.
About the only voice of "dissent", if you can call it that comes here:
They seethe about the expansion of government. But they also shrug that the country got what it elected — a Democrat whose Senate voting record tilted to the left.

"The socialist approach of government solving all the problems and controlling industry and controlling finance, that's not the way to continued greatness," Peter Marx, 57, at his used bookstore in Steubenville. That said, Marx added: "He won."
But don't worry, remember we are all just little lost lambs looking for some guidance from above:
Facing the possibility of American decline, people may simply be at a loss for what to do — and looking, as so often before, to their president to guide them.
Whatever.

06 September 2009

Mikey Moore is an idiot

I fully realize that for our readers here on the Tattler, that is stating the obvious. But still, it must be said.

Mikey states:

"Capitalism is an evil, and you cannot regulate evil," the two-hour movie concludes.

"You have to eliminate it and replace it with something that is good for all people and that something is democracy."
So. Are we to assume that there will not be a charge to watch this movie and that Mikey wasn't paid one cent for the movie?

See, Mikey wants to be part of the apparatchik; where he and his chums have the money and power and the rest of us are left begging for leftovers.

Sorry, lard ass. I'm not buying what you're trying to sell.

04 September 2009

Our friends, the AP

Couple stories on tonight's news digest have really set me off.

First up, the AP states: Palin resignation costs Alaska at least $40,000 I don't know how much it cost for her to resign. Who cares? Where's the story on how much it cost Illinois and the US Senate for Barrack Obama to resign? How 'bout the story on how much it cost Delaware and the US Senate for Joe Biden to resign? Or even a story on how much it cost New York and the US Senate for Hillary Clinton to resign? And if you really want to get into it, how much did the death of Ted "the swimmer" Kennedy cost Massachusetts and the US Senate?

Based on the continuous snipe hunts, I'd say that the media is rather afraid of Mrs. Palin. I've no idea if I'd vote for her again; it would depend on who else is running. But the fact that she obviously scares the hell out of the leftists is nothing but good if you were to ask me.

The next AP story is even more revolting. The same asshats who refused to publish cartoons of mohamed because they didn't want to insult or offend muslims around the world have seen fit to publish a photo of a dying Marine against the wishes of his family.

The reporterette who snapped the picture tried to justify the image by stating that:
she showed members of his squad all the images taken that day and the Marines flipped through them on her computer one by one.

"They did stop when they came to that moment," she said. "But none of them complained or grew angry about it. They understood that it was what it was. They understand, despite that he was their friend, it was the reality of things.
No, you dumbass. They showed tremendous restraint and they probably had no idea whatsoever that you would be brazen enough to publish the photo.

In publishing the photo, on top of insulting the family of the fallen Marine, AP has provided our enemies with a propaganda coup. Isn't that sweet?

The AP continues to prove that it is not worth the paper it's printed on. Disgusting.

02 September 2009

TV

Usually, other than sports and the History Channel, I've pretty much given up on watching TV. It's largely worthless and serves only as background noise...

However, after watching Spike TV's Surviving Disaster first episode, I just might have a new show to watch.

The first episode was on "how to survive a hijacking" and it was, at the very least, entertaining TV. The host is yet another Navy SEAL making the jump to prime time, and he's nowhere near as over-dramatic (or annoying) as the Future Weapons host Mac.

Perhaps it's because there's a complete and total lack of, dare I say, masculine TV (other than sports) but the first episode was good enough that I'll check out the next one.

Regardless, it beats the hell out of Lifetime TV, Oprah and Dr. Phil.....

01 September 2009

Did I win?



Obviously, this guy was not a product of our feminized school system!

29 August 2009

Some people are more equal than others

Now, if any of us normal, working people neglected to pay taxes on millions of dollars in income how long would it take the IRS to throw us in jail and confiscate everything we own?

Granted, we are operating on the assumption that none of us work for the Obama administration, in which case we would get a free ride.

Apparently, that blanket of invincibility extends to powerful Democrat Congressmen as well.

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Charles Rangel failed to report as much as $1.3 million in outside income -- including up to $1 million for a Harlem building sale -- on financial-disclosure forms he filed between 2002 and 2006, according to newly amended records.

The documents also show the embattled chairman of the Ways and Means Committee -- who is being probed by the House Ethics Committee -- failed to reveal a staggering $3 million in various business transactions over the same period.


Two stories out today here and here detail some of the financial disclosures.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The Democrats who are running our country into the ground are setting up a Soviet style of government, where there are two distinct classes. There will be the bulk of us in the proletariat and then there will be the nomenklatura - people like Charlie Rangle, Team Obama, etc to whom the rules do not apply. It's already happening now - and all you have to do to see it is look at how many of Obama's Team have various legal issues that somehow or other managed to get overlooked.

27 August 2009

Bias? What bias?

Title says it all:

ABC, NBC Won't Air Ad Critical of Obama's Health Care Plan
The refusal by ABC and NBC to run a national ad critical of President Obama's health care reform plan is raising questions from the group behind the spot -- particularly in light of ABC's health care special aired in prime time last June hosted at the White House

26 August 2009

This changes everything!

Ohmygosh! It turns out that American interrogators CLEARLY stepped over the line with nasty, hideous and unauthorized interrogation techniques.

Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri, according to the 9-11 commission report, was the mastermind of the Oct. 12, 2000, attack on the U.S.S. Cole that killed 17 U.S. sailors.

Nashiri was also the target of an "unauthorized" CIA interrogation technique (that had not been legally vetted by the Justice Department) that is described in a May 7, 2004, CIA inspector general's report that was partially declassified by the Obama administration this week.

CIA officers blew smoke in Nashiri's face, according to the report, and they used cigars.
Now, if they wasted a perfectly good Cuban cigar on this piece of shit, then yep, that's pretty bad. If it was a cheap cruddy King Edward or the like, then that's ok. But I'll be damned if I think it would be worth it to waste a good Cohiba or Romeo and Julietta on some terrorist asshole.

25 August 2009

Take a peek

at my new blog.... As long as JR will have me here at the Tattler, I plan to keep on posting!!

However, not wanting to be a blog hog and wanting to branch out a bit with my photography, I've started a new blog titled My Sight Picture.

If you've liked the occasional photo I've published here, feel free to drop by and visit!!

Carry on!

24 August 2009

A little help, please

Can any of ya'll identify the big bird on the left? It's a raptor of some kind, but I don't recognize it. Some kind of falcon perhaps?? You'll note the dove on the right of the pic for size comparison....




ETA, it looks like it's a Mississippi Kite, boys and girls.

The feminization of America continues

Just to show you how far we've fallen, take a look at what counts for torture in Obamaworld:
Abd al-Nashiri, the man accused of being behind the 2000 USS Cole bombing, was hooded, handcuffed and threatened with an unloaded gun and a power drill. The unidentified interrogator also threatened al-Nashiri's mother and family, implying they would be sexually abused in front of him, according to the report.
You read that right, dear reader - threatened with an unloaded gun and drill. And then threatened his family.
Another interrogator told alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, "if anything else happens in the United States, 'We're going to kill your children,'" one veteran officer said in the report.
Oooooh. More threats.
In another instance, an interrogator choked off the carotid artery of a detainee until he started to pass out, then shook him awake. He did this three times.
Oh boy! Now we're getting serious!! Anyone who hasn't done this to their siblings growing up had a pretty dull life.
The report describes at least one mock execution, which would also violate U.S. anti-torture laws. To terrify one detainee, interrogators pretended to execute the prisoner in a nearby room.
Oh boy, next thing you know, Halloween haunted houses are going to be illegal too.

Need I remind you, my friends, that these so called atrocities (spit) are not even in the same universe as the actual atrocities committed by the scumbags our guys were interviewing. You know, actual rape rooms. Actual executions (with dull knives, caught on film). Actually using power drills on helpless captives.

The pantywaists running our government would have us believe that there is a moral equivalency between the acts committed by our side with the acts of terrorism committed by those we fight. All in a disgusting attempt to divert attention from plummeting poll numbers, raucous town halls, and a health care plan that is dying a slow, lingering death.

Hope and change my ass.

22 August 2009

Double Tap

Fun little match at the Double Tap Ranch today. 6 stages, done by about 12:30 and for August in Wichita Falls, it was dang cool and comfortable. Haven't been able to shoot as much as I'd like this year thanks to primer issues, press issues, and just flat out TIME issues... but it sure is fun to pull the trigger.


20 August 2009

Pretty brazen, really

Hey, the vast, right-wing conspiracy is BACK! The messiah said so himself!

To a group of supporters today, the chosen one stated:

Is Obamacare a government takeover? Will immigrants get free health checkups? Will the government be funding abortions? Will there be death panels -- as the president said -- "pulling the plug on Grandma?"

"Now," Mr. Obama said, pausing for several seconds for effect: "C'mon." The packed room cheered.

"Look, we know where these lies are coming from. If you just flick channels and then just stop on -- certain ones -- then you'll see, you know, you'll see who's propagating this stuff," the president said, drawing laughter with a clear allusion to Fox News.
Let's look at these charges, and see who's lyin' to who, shall we?

- "Is Obamacare a government takeover?"
Page 16 of the House bill states:

CONDITIONS.—Subject to paragraph (3) and except as required by law, the issuer does not change any of its terms or conditions, including benefits and cost-sharing, from those in effect as of the day before the first day of Y1.
So. If the insurance company doesn't change its terms or conditions from those that were in effect before the bill becomes law, then you can keep your private insurance. Someone please tell me when a year went by that something didn't change in your insurance policy. If and when something changes, dear readers, then guess what? You get to go to the government policy. Yes, Obamacare is a government takeover. Also see page 72, 84, 145.

- Will immigrants get free health checkups? Page 50 of the House bill states:

SEC. 152. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION IN HEALTH CARE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise explicitly permitted by this Act and by subsequent regulations consistent with this Act, all health care and related services(including insurance coverage and public health activities) covered by this Act shall be provided without regard to personal characteristics extraneous to the provision of high quality health care or related services.
You know, personal characteristics like if you are in the country legally or not. Sure, it doesn't come out and say "illegal immigrants get free health care". But seriously, how long do you think it will be before some slip and fall lawyer sues because his illegal immigrant client's "personal characteristics" were trod upon? Yep, immigrants to this country, regardless of their status,will get the public option. Also see page 91, 170.

- Will the government be funding abortions?
Page 768 states:

(1) Improving maternal or child health and pregnancy outcomes or increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.
The topic that this paragraph refers to deals with home visits by nurses to help make pregnant mothers make proper choices. For the life of me, I can't come up with just how they are going to tell a pregnant woman how she's going to increase the interval between pregnancies unless they are going to abort the child she's currently pregnant with. So, yeah, it does look like the government will be funding abortions.

- Will there be death panels?
Page 430 states:

(B) The level of treatment indicated under subparagraph (A)(ii) may range from an indication for full treatment to an indication to limit some or all or specified interventions. Such indicated levels of treatment may include indications respecting, among other items—
(i) the intensity of medical intervention if the patient is pulse less, apneic, or has serious cardiac or pulmonary problems;
(ii) the individual’s desire regarding transfer to a hospital or remaining at the current care setting;
(iii) the use of antibiotics; and
(iv) the use of artificially administered nutrition and hydration.’’
That's right, dear readers. The government has already decided within the context of this bill, what treatments you will have available to you at the end of life. Yes, folks, read that again. The decision as to what (if any) treatment you get is going to be left up to someone that may or may not include your physician. So, yes, there are death panels in place to decide what treatment you get - or don't get. If you consider who's advising the White House on end of life treatment - Dr. Ezekiel Emmanuel (brother of the White House Chief of Staff bully boy Rahm) - who's argued that only the folks in the 15-40 age group should get the complete benefit of the health care system as the people on either end of that demographic have lost or not yet achieved their productivity; then surely you could understand why people believe that Obamacare is going to limit care to the elderly and "non-productive" and make decisions based on value to society rather than personal need.

So, Mr. President. C'mon.

If only...

I were king for a day. This turd would not live to enjoy one single breath of fresh air. This is one of those "red phone ringing at 2 in the morning" moments, and once again, the messiah has dropped the ball.

He apparently spoke quite forcefully against the release of this scumbag but frankly, Mr. President, there's a time for nice words and a time to pull the trigger.

This, dear reader, was one of those times to pull the trigger. Obama is learning that all of his niceties, all of his compassion for the rest of the world, all of his eloquence (when the teleprompter is working), and all of his 'diplomacy' don't account for a pile of beans in the real world.

Obama is making it quite clear that he is not willing to act to protect American lives around the world, and the American people are likely to pay a very dear price for it.

Radio free Texas, signing off.

It must be Awesome Mugshot Day today!

"He was kicking his arms and flailing around a lot. The police officers warned him that they'd Taser him if he didn't calm down. Of course he didn't. When they hit him [with the Taser] he just went 'poof,'" recalled Ellis. That "poof" was a fire that ignited on 31-year-old Daniel Wood's chest.

At least he didn't get his bacon licked

Baby Stabbed in Biscuit Brawl

18 August 2009

The sky! It must be falling!

MIAMI (Reuters) - Hurricane Bill, the first of the 2009 Atlantic season, strengthened into a Category 3 storm on Tuesday with top winds near 125 miles per hour (205 km per hour), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
Oh my goodness! Run! Global warming! Catastrophe! End of the world!

Not so fast, compadre:
Bill was moving through the Atlantic on a curving path that would take it west of Bermuda by the weekend. It looked likely to miss the U.S. East Coast and posed no threat to oil-producing areas in the Gulf of Mexico.
The eco-freaks are so hungry for a major storm that they are now reporting on "major storms" which are no threat to the US. Remember what we were told after Katrina? Let me refresh your memories.

From the mouth of Al Gore himself:
Now, the scientific community is warning us that the average hurricane will continue to get stronger because of global warming. A scientist at MIT has published a study well before this tragedy showing that since the 1970s, hurricanes in both the Atlantic and the Pacific have increased in duration, and in intensity, by about 50 %. The newscasters told us after Hurricane Katrina went over the southern tip of Florida that there was a particular danger for the Gulf Coast of the hurricanes becoming much stronger because it was passing over unusually warm waters in the gulf. The waters in the gulf have been unusually warm. The oceans generally have been getting warmer. And the pattern is exactly consistent with what scientists have predicted for twenty years. Two thousand scientists, in a hundred countries, engaged in the most elaborate, well organized scientific collaboration in the history of humankind, have produced long-since a consensus that we will face a string of terrible catastrophes unless we act to prepare ourselves and deal with the underlying causes of global warming. [applause] It is important to learn the lessons of what happens when scientific evidence and clear authoritative warnings are ignored in order to induce our leaders not to do it again and not to ignore the scientists again and not to leave us unprotected in the face of those threats that are facing us right now.
That's right, dear readers. Al Gore was quite emphatic in this speech that would be the case. Several years later, we still haven't seen the doom and gloom promised by the grand druid of the eco nazis. As this year has been pretty mild so far as summer's go and with record low temps across the country, I really wouldn't expect a massive outbreak of major hurricanes either.

So, keep that in mind, friends, when the media stirs you up with "major" storms that most likely won't even hit the United States.

Radio free Texas, signing off.

16 August 2009

Tax dodgers scramble to come clean amid crackdown

I wonder how many in the Obama administration will have to "come clean" with this "crackdown"?

Oh, wait, I forgot, the rules don't apply to *them*.

15 August 2009

Man bites dog....

And the dog doesn't like it. I can't imagine how many protests and shakedowns that the community organizer in chief organized when he was out earning his street cred.

Now isn't it funny that the community organizer doesn't want the rest of us organizing against his monolithic health care production?

"I know there's been a lot of attention paid to some of the town hall meetings that are going on around the country, especially when tempers flare," Obama said, at his own event with 1,300 people in an airport hangar.

"TV loves a ruckus," said Obama and then joked: "you've got to be careful about those cable networks."
Yeah, that's it. The cable channels (all or most of which are solidly in the tank for the dear leader) are doing the rabble rousing because we are just too damn stupid for our own good. It's not that we're all reading this abomination of a bill put out by the House and strongly dislike what we see.

But the president argued that away from television's glare, people were holding "civil, honest" conversations about change, at a time when some 46 million Americans have no health care insurance whatsoever.

Recalling a placid event he held in New Hampshire on Tuesday, the president said: "that reflects America a lot more than what we've seen covered on television for the last few days."
Hmmmm... the "placid" event in New Hampshire on Tuesday was so rigged to provide Obama with a friendly crowd that even some of the news networks (like ABC radio) were reporting it as such after it happened. As reported by Michelle Malkin - and I know you'll be shocked, SHOCKED, to hear this - the questions and questioners were rigged. Little Julia, who asked about all those meanies out there with signs, has a mommy who
was an early Obama supporter in Massachusetts during the presidential election, so she had previously met First Lady Michelle Obama, the Obama daughters Sasha and Malia, and Vice President Joe Biden.
Mommy and mommy's law firm have also donated several thousand dollars to the messiah.... so I'm sure that this was just yet another harmless coincidence in a long string of coincidences when it comes to asking the dear leader a question.

And speaking of asking the dear leader a question it would appear that Senator Cornyn was spot on in saying the White House is keeping a "list" on those of us who dare to disagree with the chosen one. Take a look at this video clip from Goebbels, I mean, Gibbs.



Frankly, I'm kinda pissed. I snitched on myself to the "fishy" email list at the White House and I have yet to get one of these emails. Maybe I'll have to snitch again??

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program. Radio free Texas, signing off.....

12 August 2009

The Next American Revolution

I suppose I'll end up on some government list for this, but here goes:

Americans don't take well to dictators, dictatorial leaders, or even dictated thought and/or policy.

We're a revolting bunch, we Colonists. We up and revolted against a king in another land across the Atlantic who thought it'd be fine to have us fund his whimsy.

Now a man who would be king would hope to foist his folly upon us, and have us fund his whimsy.

Then people act surprised when we up and rebel. Best bust out a history book, my short-sighted friends. We don't much take to being trod upon.

Stop it. Seriously. Don't.

10 August 2009

A shootin' barrel! Who'd of thunk it?


IMG_0928, originally uploaded by DB1911.

Hey, how'd that barrel learn to shoot??

Neat picture of fellow blogger Darin, as he rounds the corner engaging one more target.

For the rest of the set, feel free to head on over to my flickr site....

07 August 2009

Can you hear me now?



In Tampa.

Near Houston, in the Woodlands.

In Michigan.

In Missouri.

In Denver.

And here in Dallas.

Can you hear me now?
Or does the Democrat Party need more?

Gun Pr0n

It was high time to retire the old grip on my faithful Infinity blaster, and thanks to the boys at SVI, I now have a brand-new grip, new bushings, new mainspring housing, and a 1.5lb trigger job. I'll be putting it through the paces tomorrow at the Greenville match. Purty, ain't she?

06 August 2009

Had enough yet?

A group of old folks (Nazis, obviously) gave speakers at an AARP meeting here in Dallas a couple of days ago some serious grief.



Must be more of the swastika carrying crowd that's giving the libs a dose of their own medicine, or maybe it's the guy wearing an Atlas Shrugged T-shirt that's got 'em all scared?

05 August 2009

Round up

Some interesting stuff out there today in the news...

For starters, the esteemed Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, has stated for the record, that people like you and me are not voicing our own opinions but are instead paid hacks. And oh, by the way, that the protesters who are out there speaking out against Obamacare are, get this.... carrying "swastikas and things like that to a town hall meeting..." Tell a lie often enough and loud enough, right?

Next up, the statists running the Country (into the ground, I might add...) have ordered 3 brand spanking new top of the line executive jets for them to travel around the world in. And what makes it worse, they took the money out of the Defense Department's budget to the tune of nearly $200 million.

Let's think about that for a moment, shall we? The same people who criticized auto execs flying corporate jets to Washington are the same arrogant bastards who are spending almost $200 million of OUR money to ferry their pompous asses around the world. First off, I could care less what some corporate CEO (or anyone else for that matter) does with their own money. If they want to fly on their own aircraft, drive their own car, or hitchhike across the country, I don't give a damn.

Congress, however, isn't spending their own money (or their own company's money). They are spending OUR money. And frankly, I believe if they had to take a Greyhound bus home to visit their constituents instead of jet setting across the globe, we'd all be a lot better off. Apparently, however, Speaker Pelosi and her statist colleagues believe what Napoleon the pig so eloquently stated: “All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal."

And finally, some better news. Senator Cornyn has been on fire the past few days, taking the attack to the statist thugs running our country. On Monday, he released a statement criticizing the so called "Great Lakes Gitmo".

“The terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay were sent there for a reason; they hate America and dream of killing innocent Americans. Needlessly spending millions of taxpayer dollars on a ‘Great Lakes GITMO’ makes no sense and serves no purpose, other than to pander to the most extreme within the President’s party. We are a compassionate and civilized nation, but it is the duty of those in public office to ensure the safety and security of our citizens, first and foremost. That is why these dangerous individuals belong at GITMO and not on U.S. soil.
“I implore the President to keep that in mind and immediately stop throwing good taxpayer dollars after bad policy ideas. If he is looking for a creative way to spend money, I respectfully suggest leaving GITMO open and using the millions of dollars in ‘savings’ to pay down the monumental deficit he has racked up since taking office in January.”
And then today, in response to the White House's request to turn in your friends and neighbors if one suspects something... fishy (and *they* have the gall to call US Nazis?) Senator Cornyn stated:

“I am not aware of any precedent for a President asking American citizens to report their fellow citizens to the White House for pure political speech that is deemed ‘fishy’ or otherwise inimical to the White House’s political interests,”
“I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward emails critical of his policies to the White House. I suspect that you would have been leading the charge in condemning such a program -- and I would have been at your side denouncing such heavy-handed government action.”

04 August 2009

Wanna have some fun?

Send a love note to flag@whitehouse.gov. They are asking for us to help them identify "fishy" online rumors and innuendos about the health care fiasco because you see, there's lots of misinformation out there.

Feel free to copy use my note as a template, and have some fun with it!

I tell you what, I think the whole thing is fishy. I've searched and searched my copy of the Constitution and can't find a single mention of giving the government ANY power (great or small) over my personal health care choices. Odd, huh?

Speaking of fishy, have you seen this? http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/04/health-care-czars-office-calls-for-internet-snitch-brigade/ I'd be most interested to see your reply.

Thanks!!

How's that ole saying go??

Turnabout's fair play?

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying listening to the Democrats whine and complain that the protesters raiding town hall meetings are not spontaneous and are bused in, paid for by some megalithic corporation or whatever the excuse of the day is.

In Austin, Texas, Rep. Lloyd Doggett was drowned out by a group of noisy, sign-waving demonstrators who shouted, “Just say no” as he tried to talk about health care reform... In an e-mail to POLITICO Monday, Doggett called the group a “mob, sent by the local Republican and Libertarian parties” that “came not just to be heard but to deny others the right to be heard.”
As I posted way back when, in 2005 when I snuck behind enemy lines (sorry, that made me laugh) and inspected good ole Cindee Sheehan's protest camp at the Bush Crawford residence. The hippies I ran into were running a smooth, professional operation with porta potties, shuttle buses and professionally made posters and banners. All of which cost money, time and effort.

While the state run media is always happy to point out that a leftist demonstration is always spontaneous, they are not giving the same story about conservative demonstrations - if the state run media covers it at all. And as an aside, I could care less if the Republicans bused demonstrators in. As I pointed out at Camp Sheehan, conservatives could (and should) learn a thing or two from the hippies. After all, they have a 4 decade head start on protesting and it's about time they had a taste of their own medicine.

03 August 2009

2 Obama officials: No guarantee taxes won't go up - Yahoo! Finance

BOHICA, kids. The Fearless Leader continues to demonstrate his hatred of Americans.
President Barack Obama's treasury secretary said Sunday he cannot rule out higher taxes to help tame an exploding budget deficit, and his chief economic adviser would not dismiss raising them on middle-class Americans as part of a health care overhaul.
TEA party, my ass. This is about to create some real protest in this country, mark my words.

02 August 2009

Coming Home

After 18 long years, one of our own is finally coming home.

The remains of the first American lost in the Gulf War have been found in Iraq, the military said Sunday, a sorrowful resolution of a nearly two-decade old question about the fate of Navy Capt. Michael "Scott" Speicher.
Rest in Peace, Captain.

01 August 2009

This is what happens

when you get a weak person as Commander in Chief.

It would appear that 3 Americans hikers on vacation have been captured by the Iranians after crossing into Iranian territory. (secondary question - who in their right mind would go on vacation in Iraq at this point in time??)

Instead of telling the punks running Iran that they have 12 hours to return the hostages before we bomb their ass back to the stone age, this is what we get:

State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Saturday that Washington had asked the Swiss, who represent U.S. interests in Tehran, "to confirm these reports with Iranian authorities and, if true, to seek consular access" to the detained Americans.
Man, I can see the mullahs shaking in their sheets over that one, yessiree!

I hope these poor bastards don't languish in Iran as long as the American hostages did back when Carter was running the show.

23 July 2009

Go on

and take a look! After all, the Democrat thugs who are controlling Congress don't want you to see it.

Take a look, print it out, and send it to all your friends.

Democrats are preventing Republican House Members from sending their constituents a mailing that is critical of the majority’s health care reform plan, blocking the mailing by alleging that it is inaccurate.
So, show a little civil disobedience and pass this on. The messiah and his disciples must be defeated.

19 July 2009

To the moon! Commemorate Apollo 11's 40th anniversary | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Travel | Dallas Morning News

I was 11 years old when Apollo 11 went to the moon. I watched live TV that night, 40 years ago, on a 5-inch Sony black-and-white TV in my bunk-bed, as Neil Armstrong exited the Eagle. Everyone else had already gone to bed, but it was inconceivable that I'd miss this moment in human history. I grew up on the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs, and had consumed enough Tang and Space Food Sticks to get to the moon and back.

I watched the tiny, blurry image as Neil Armstrong climbed down the ladder, and waited for the big moment. The delay in the audio was agonizing, and the TV picture was not great, but I shared that moment in history, and I'll never forget it.

Some years later, in high school, I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting and greeting Jim Irwin, Apollo 15 astronaut, and the 8th person to walk on the moon. He was an amazing and inspirational man, and he had actually walked on another planet, and I got to spend the better part of a day with him.

I hear talk about us going back to the moon, and I wonder if I'll get to see that...

18 July 2009

We

can all relax now, folks! The worst is over! The messiah's economic plans are coming to fruition! Yes, you in the back... you have a question?

How do I know it's all over and happy days are here again?

Why, because the liar in chief's top economic adviser (the guy who got kicked out of Harvard because he pissed off the feminazis, by the way, Larry Summers - tells us so!

The number of people searching for the term “economic depression” on Google is down to normal levels, Summers said.
Searches for the term were up four-fold when the recession deepened in the earlier part of the year, and the recent shift goes to show consumer confidence is higher, Summers told the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Say what you will about these turds in power, at the very least they have very creative imaginations!

Cronkite and his legacy

The news media will do their usual gloat and celebration when one of their own dies, so I'm sure we'll have wall to wall coverage of how great the man was.

Good riddance, I say. Cronkite changed the face of the media after proclaiming the Vietnam War was lost after the Tet Offensive. Any objective reporter would look at the facts of the battle and realize that it WAS a slaughter - but it was the American forces doing the bulk of the killing, and not the other way around.

With his holier than thou opinion of the battle, and by pushing his own views into a news story, Cronkite changed the face of the media - a change that exists today.

Opinion is treated as fact. Opinion is treated as news. And we find ourselves mired in a situation where up is down and down is up with a news media incapable of reporting objectively and honestly. Forget informed debate. What's more important is ad hominem attacks, ridicule of anyone who doesn't share an inside the beltway view and chastising of anyone who dares to question the news media's grip on the power of information. Cronkite started the trend, and it continues unabated today.

He will not be missed.

16 July 2009

Oh my

I think Mr. Alford deserves a medal. It's nice to see race baiters get called on it.



And a follow up interview with Mr. Alford here.

"And the general emailed me today and said 'go get 'em'."
Make sure to listen and see what he's talking about.

I don't know a damn thing about this guy but I like him already.

And oh yeah, Boxer is an idiot.

15 July 2009

But....

I thought the messiah said he did not want to run car companies?
"I don't want to run auto companies, and I don't want to run banks," Mr. Obama said. "I've got two wars I've got to run already--I've got more than enough to do."
Or at least that's what the chosen one said back in April.

However, as we've seen, you can't trust a single thing that comes out of his mouth. Because today, the TOTUS (Teleprompter of the United States) made POTUS say that he:
“strongly opposes” an effort in Congress to require General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC to restore relationships shed during bankruptcy proceedings, while stopping short of a veto threat.
So, are you telling me that the car companies, 61% owned by the government are going to go against Obama's wishes? Yeah, right.

Like I said. Not a day goes by that I wonder what planet I'm living on.

In

yet another sign of the times, it would appear we should all just bend over and kiss our collective asses goodbye.

I mean, after all - it appears that it's a major "scandal" that the CIA was looking at setting up hit teams to go after terrorist scumbags.

I cannot tell you how many times I look at the news and wonder what happened to the America I used to know.

I've mentioned this to my friends on several occasions, but my only hope now is that whenever the turds hit us again thanks to the disgusting weakness of our government that no one I care about is hurt. Because mark my words folks, with the people we have running things now, it's just a matter of time.

14 July 2009

So it's come to this

If you are a Republican, then you're obviously white, from the south and a racist.

Sessions is the personification of a party with an overwhelmingly white, Southern, religious membership.
Some observers considered racial bias too sensitive a topic for Sessions and the panel's six other Republicans - all white men - to confront.
Right. We have a liberal activist judge who has been overturned by the Supreme Court more than half the time her cases have wound up before the court. We have a liberal activist judge who has stated on multiple occasions that a hispanic woman can make better decisions than a white man.

But to question her legal mind, or her past statements makes you a racist. Ain't that grand?

I wish they would just end the farce that these hearings have become and vote the woman on the court. Stop insulting my intelligence by telling me that 2+2 = 5, and for me to say it equals 4 only makes ME the idiot. Stop insulting my intelligence by trying to make me believe the Senate will act in any impartial manner when it comes to putting this woman on the Supreme Court. Stop insulting my intelligence by making me watch the joke that our government has become and just put her on the court and be done with it.

Frankly, she's replacing a liberal activist judge as it is so we are not losing any votes on the court; the only thing we are losing is our self respect as a nation of laws - and that's happened a long time ago.

There are more important matters at stake, like the Obama administration rigging the next census to the point that the Democrats never lose control of the Congress. We've got two wars going on, Iran chasing the nuclear genie, North Korea building (and launching) missiles, the ongoing economic issues and instead of focusing on those issues, we are forced to suffer through these ridiculous hearings that are being ramrodded down our throats by a Democrat Party in lust with their power. We're getting a tax and cap bill that's going to further destroy our economy, but save the whales! We're going to get a medical overhaul that will do nothing to help the sick, but will also add to the destruction of our economy. And oh hey, lest I forget, we have a local north Texas Congressman who wants to fix the BCS system so that we have a clear national champion in college football! I would love to think that the Congress would do something useful for a change but I guess that's likely asking too much at this point.

Why is it that I keep getting the image of Nero fiddling away while Rome burned?

12 July 2009

Swearing Makes Pain More Tolerable

That muttered curse word that reflexively comes out when you stub your toe could actually make it easier to bear the throbbing pain, a new study suggests.
No shit!!

I could have told you that 3 decades ago and saved you some money.

11 July 2009

Classic old stuff


There's just something about a Single Action, mod 1873. This is a reproduction I picked up last week and there's just something magical about the way this wheelgun fits and sits in the hand. Classic.



I snapped this picture at the gunsmith shop in Old Salem, NC last month while I was there for a conference. I could have spent a ton more time with the two 'smiths talking guns, but there were a lot of interlopers there who didn't know the difference between a rifle and a shotgun and it would have been quite difficult to have a meaningful conversation. The 'smiths had a fantastic long rifle sitting on a table and after asking if I could pick it up, I was treated to the pleasure of a holding a piece of art that was not only beautiful to look at, but was well balanced and pointed naturally. I really wish I could have had the opportunity to put her through her paces but alas, it was not to be.

Classic. You can see a few more of these pics here if you're interested.

08 July 2009

Catching up

I realize it's hard for many of you to believe, but other things were taking place over the weekend other than the pedophile's funeral.... I'm not saying Jackson wasn't an incredibly talented artist and singer. Or that he wasn't a trend setter for nearly a generation of music. But the fact is the dude was just flat out messed up.

But I digress....

Here in Big D, there was another tea party - and this one drew approximately 37,000 people. On the news, all you could hear were crickets, particularly since the tea parties don't follow the media's templates of angry white men mad at (the first!) black president.

For example, take a look at this video of Senator Cornyn catching a LOT of grief for his vote on the stimulus package from the tea party crowd in Austin.


Say what you want about Cornyn - I disagreed with his vote then and I disagree with it now - but the good thing about Cornyn is that he is at least man enough to show up to a crowd that he had to know was going to be somewhat hostile - and take his medicine. He's not going to tell you what you want to hear just because you want to hear it. I asked one of Cornyn's staffers what his vote would be on the hinted at "2nd" stimulus package and the answer was a resounding "against". Sadly, the same can't be said for the bulk of the remaining trolls in Congress....

But the point is, the Tea Party movement has nothing to do with angry white men and everything to do with an out of control government. A government that is more and more refusing to listen to the people it governs, and that goes across party lines and you're just as likely to see a Republican official catching hell for fiscal irresponsibility as you will a Democrat.

On another front, the messiah and his family are overseas on yet another government paid vacation, giving away the farm to anyone who will take it. In the meantime, China continues to crack down on its citizens, the deposed president of Honduras is busy making all sorts of noise and chumming up with punks like Chavez, Ortega and Castro, and unemployment continues to go thru the roof.

But hey, Obama and crowd are living large on the government's dime and life is good, right?


Yeah, that's one of the Obama girls, sporting "the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament's famous symbol as her father prepared for three days of G8 talks in Italy." I can't tell you how surprised I am to see that the Obama girls would be sporting hippy t-shirts, are you?

04 July 2009

Happy 4th

Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood.


--John Adams, A Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law, 1765

03 July 2009

Man I needed this

Police: Conn. teens mishear sex screams, beat man

TORRINGTON, Conn. (AP) - Police say a Connecticut girl overheard her mother's screams during sex and thought she was being assaulted, so she rounded up some friends to attack the woman's companion.
A 16-year-old girl who lives in the same Torrington home as the 34-year-old woman overheard her and the man on June 6 and rounded up four friends to stop what they thought was an attack, police Lt. Bruce Whiteley said Thursday.

One of the five teens beat the man with a bat and others punched him, police said. The man was treated at a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, and was released that night.
And for the punchline:
"Apparently he didn't have time to explain himself...."
I admit it. I giggled.

02 July 2009

IF

this doesn't infuriate you, nothing will.

It would seem that the assholes running Congress, the same assholes who chastised the big 3's execs for flying on private planes to speak to Congress, are spending a metric ass ton of our money on fun trips across the world.



Take a look at that chart, folks - that's OUR money these people are spending - 12.5 million dollars! Up significantly since the Democrats took over congress in 2006.

Lawmakers say that the trips are a good use of government funds because they allow members of Congress and their staff members to learn more about the world, inspect U.S. assets abroad and forge better working relationships with each other.
In mid-June, Sen. Daniel Inouye (D., Hawaii) led a group of a half-dozen senators and their spouses on a four-day trip to France for the biennial Paris Air Show. An itinerary for the event shows that lawmakers flew on the Air Force's version of the Boeing 737, which costs $5,700 an hour to operate. They stayed at the Intercontinental Paris Le Grand Hotel, which advertises rooms from $460 a night.
That's right, dear readers. The rooms STARTED at $460 a night. How much do you spend on your vacations?

Often, lawmakers combine trips to war zones with visits to more tranquil spots. In February, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a delegation of Democratic lawmakers to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan for a day. Before landing in Kabul, the eight lawmakers and their entourage of spouses and aides spent eight days in Italy, spending $57,697 on hotels and meals.
Think about this, folks. 8 days and nearly 60 grand of OUR money these weasels are spending! That's over 7 grand a day. How much do YOU spend on YOUR vacation?

It's not just the Democrats either, folks.

In October, Rep. Bud Cramer (R., Ala.) spent two weeks in Europe on government business. Reports show that Mr. Cramer spent $5,700 on hotels, meals and incidentals. Mr. Cramer wasn't running for re-election and left office just two months later.

"Knowing that I was leaving with my 18 years of seniority, I wanted to conclude some issues that I was working on," Mr. Cramer said. He now works for a lobbying firm in Washington.
Yeah, where I come from, Congressman, that's called bullshit.

These people get to Washington and forget they work for us. They have become our country's aristocracy, and they act like it.

01 July 2009

Our friends, the press....



What gets me is that the press is so surprised that our modern day Goebelles has been the propagandist that he is....

But I'll tell you. The look on Gibbs' face when Helen Thomas got involved was pure entertainment! I gotta give the old bat her props - I hammered her time and time again during her pestering of the Bush administration but it would appear to be she is an equal opportunity offender.

29 June 2009

Ya know....

one of the worst things about our dear leader is that he's making Bill Clinton look good.

I thought I'd never say that.

I remember when I was but a wee lad, around 10 years old, when Carter was in office. I remember how embarrassed I was to be an American - the only time in my life I could say that. I remembered how embarrassed I was by how pathetic our country had become (I was a voracious reader and read book after book about what's now called The Greatest Generation...) with Carter at the helm. I remember gas lines, and being absolutely positively petrified that the Soviets were going to bomb us into oblivion because I knew Carter wouldn't do anything about it and that everyone in the world knew he was weak. I remember hanging my head in shame every time I heard about some puny little country halfway across the globe that had stormed our embassy and held AMERICANS hostage while our government did nothing for a year.

I also remember that same piece of shit country letting our hostages go just minutes after Reagan was elected - to my 12 year old brain, I knew that Reagan wouldn't put up with that bullshit and that the rest of the world knew it. I also recall how proud I was to be an American again, that there was someone in the Oval Office who wouldn't bow to every petty dictator in the world and who was legitimately looking out for American interests rather than bending over backwards to apologize.

I'm really hoping that someone steps up and takes on the mantle of Reagan and gets the country safely out of the mess that Obama is making. But considering the dear leader is only 5 months into his term and how much damage he's already wrecked, it ain't looking good.

28 June 2009

Now that's leadership

So it would appear that the Honduran military has ousted its leftist thug President - a good buddy of the punks running Venezuela and Cuba.

In the good old days, the United States would have assisted the ousting of a leftist thug in our own hemisphere.

Well, those days are over and our dear leader today has issued a statement saying

"As the Organization of American States did on Friday, I call on all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter."
The statement said that "any existing tensions and disputes must be resolved peacefully through dialogue free from any outside interference."
Never mind the fact that the now deposed thug in chief has stated he will not abide by being term limited out of government, just like his pal Chavez has already done. You will also note that our dear leader doesn't even have the balls to stand out there on his own - he has to follow in the footsteps of the Organization of the American States.

This follows our dear leader's "condemnation", if you can call it that, of the crackdown in Iran - but only AFTER both houses of the American Congress condemned the action.

That's leadership, dear readers. Express support for leftist thugs and leave those fighting for their freedom drifting in the wind.

27 June 2009

Our media sucks

Take a look at CNN, Fox, USA Today, AP, CBS, MSNBC, ABC and you'll find the insanity that the Congress passed yesterday only on CBS, ABC and MSNBC. Other than MSNBC, you have to hunt on the front page to find it. And the reporting mostly contains the talking points from the Obama administration. Instead, it's Michael Jackson, wall to wall coverage. It's enough to make me want to vomit.

None of the reporting mentions the rush to pass this abomination - a bill that not a single member of Congress read before they passed it. I'm sure we'll see in the days and weeks ahead just how badly we have been run over. What happened to the Obama pledge that WE, The People, would get 5 days to read the bills online?

None of the reporting mentions the staggering costs that will be born by citizens of this country; they only hint that we'll only see an increase in our power bills at home - conveniently leaving out the added expense to every aspect of our lives.

None of the reporting mentioned the huge financial bonus Algore and his carbon credit companies will recieve.

It's a God damned embarrasment and frankly, I'm ready to send money to the opponents, even if they are Democrats, of the handful of Republicans that voted for this piece of shit bill.

Get on the horn to your Senators, people. This bill cannot pass in the Senate.

Fool me once ...

This is two times now in the last few months that our beloved Congress has passed a monstrosity of a bill without even bothering to read it. First we had the Messiah's stimulus bill and now the ridiculous cap and trade bill. Both times Congressional phone lines were melted down with Americans saying "NO!".

However, most folks probably didn't even know about the vote taking place yesterday, as the media was too tied up in letting us know that Michael Jackson had died.

Tell you what fellas, I've about had enough of these people.

17 June 2009

Yep



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

01 June 2009

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.

31 May 2009

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....

30 May 2009

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.

22 May 2009

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

19 May 2009

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.

17 May 2009

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.

15 May 2009

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.

14 May 2009

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.

06 May 2009

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...

26 April 2009

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....

20 April 2009

Wow



And she didn't use a telepromter, either.

NO excuse now

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