Pure Fiction

As I sit here an old show, "Air Force One" is on the TV. At least I think that's the name of it. Anyway, the plane is hijacked and the President, Harrison Ford, stays on board to personally fight the bad guys. Can you imagine any of our politicians taking this action of a "real man"? I sure can't, especially the guy now residing in the White House.

Say What !!

One of my co-workers is a member of a German Baptist church. He's a good worker, pleasant, and an honorable man. We agree on a lot of things about how a person should live his life, but there's a huge difference. The other day he told me he doesn't believe in self-defense. I was utterly speechless.

Self-defense and the defense of family and others in my mind is not only morally acceptable, it's a moral obligation. I can't imagine how someone could think otherwise.

Why SO Long?

I find it interesting that some of the oldest existing civilizations are so stuck in the past. In spite of their national wealth and today's technology, as a people, they're way behind a lot of the world. In the middle east the people apparently are just now attempting to shed their bonds and are demanding freedom. They are just now awakening, and demanding the rights that were born here in the US in 1776. Why has it taken them so damn long?

In my opinion it has a lot to do with their Muslim religion. A religion that demands top down obedience and results in depressing the thinking mind. Unfortunately history shows that these people, if successful, generally trade one false God-like ruler for another that is just as bad or even worse. I feel sorry for them and their closed minds. I feel sorry for the havoc that it brings them.

Out it Goes

The Boss and I have decided to shed many of the things we've accumulated over the last 10 years or so. About 13 years ago we moved from a 900 Sqr Ft house to one more than twice the size with our 2 boys. At the time the new dwelling was practically empty. The boys are now married and living in their own places, and our house, with just the 2 of us, is full. Every nook and cranny has been loaded with . . . stuff.

We're going through everything, boxing some for a garage sale and trashing some. What doesn't sell will be given away. We're both pack rats, so it's not all that easy of a chore. It's taking a huge percentage of our free time, hence a lack of posting.

BTW, she's not to touch my gun stuff.

Terrorist ??

The Boss this morning claimed that she is a potential terrorist, at least according to our federal government. She's a Christian, owns guns and believes in The Constitution as written and initially intended.

Then to make matters worse she submitted this form condemning the action of the administration.

Happy Valentines Day

I know this is a fabricated event for the purpose of selling cards and gifts to men for their women. That doesn't matter one lick. I'm in deep, deep trouble if I don't bring the Boss a little something. Yesterday I bought her some roses on the way home from the range.

That big smile was worth every penny.

New Shooter

While at the range (see below) I was able to observe several new shooters trying various rented handguns under the watchful eye of the range instructor. When packing up to leave I mentioned to a woman that she did a good job for a brand new shooter. She shot a Bersa 380, a Glock 9mm and a 1911 45. She liked the big 1911 the best. I was kinda surprised at this. She liked the 45? She was around 5 feet tall and couldn't have weighed more than 100 pounds soaking wet. Most women dislike any 45 auto because of the heavier recoil.

I really like watching the grin on the faces of new shooters.

What The Heck ??

Yesterday I wanted to go to the outdoor range for some very long over due 200 yard enjoyment. I decided to forgo sloshing through the mud and spent an hour at the nearby indoor range instead. They have a rule against shooting self made reloads for liability reasons so as usual I ran through several boxes of 22LR using the Browning Buckmark.

This was only my second time on the trigger since surgery last September, the last being a month ago. The last year or so I've been trying to improve my weak hand and strong hand only shooting skills. He who carries may at some time need said skill to save a life.

In any case I was very surprised to see that I shot with more accuracy using my weak hand. What the hell? Being very right handed that shouldn't have happened. The targets (half sized silhouette) were at 50 feet with my left on the left and right on the right. After considering this for a while I concluded that I was concentrating more and shooting more slowly with my left hand.

One of my fellow workers is a NRA certified instructor in several disciplines, so I asked his opinion today. His immediate reaction was "thumbing". That's when short fingered folks like myself cheat around the grip to reach the trigger, resulting in recoil going more into the thumb and less into the web of the hand. He was absolutely correct. I remember the trigger reach as being longer with my left hand.

That's the kind of thing that rears it's ugly head when regular practice is omitted, even if it happens because of surgery.

Employment Update

About 5 years ago I lost the job I held for 16 years. During that time my responsibilities changed several times and I was maxed out as far as pay was concerned. Loosing that job was actually a good thing because of the major family issues that came to be within a couple of months.

When thing cooled down I accepted a job doing simple mechanical design for a small company. The pay was a lot less, but it payed the bills, no stress and I could go home for lunch visiting the Boss and our grandson. After a year I accepted a promotion and became the head of the engineering department supervising 3 EEs, and 1 programmer. I was the only ME. That lasted 2 years until the mother corporation decided to move the entire operation out of state.

For the last year I've been working through/for an agency as a mehanical engineer, mostly doing design once again. Again very low stress and paying the bills but farther from home. Last Friday I was assigned the lead of a design project that I estimate will last 4 months. Sound similar? If you're good at what you do, somebody will notice.

Freedom Born

Looks like the people of Egypt got what they wanted. The military has taken control with promises of free elctions in 6 months. And so now we'll just have to see what the people do with their new freedom.

Screwed Again

The local rag has an article claiming we have a shortage of corn that predicts a significant increase in food prices within the next few months. Economics says that high demand and low supply results in high prices. The Boss says she's been seeing a steady increase the last several months as it is.

The Fed Gov't has been subsidizing ethanol production as a fuel source. The only reason I can think of for this is that it's not economic viable and/or that in somebodies utopian world, fossil fuels are no longer used. Either way we're screwed again.

Whenever politicians mess with the natural order, they always mess it up. Whether intentional or unintended the long term always, always results in the citizens taking it in the ass. The least they could do is buy us dinner before we get screwed.

And I've been asked why the sign on the back of my truck.
"FIRE THE FED GOV'T"

And another thing.

Tonight I read an article, with damn good evidence, the our wonderful Gov't has been cooking the books regards the national unemployment rate. I had thought so, but I didn't know it was this bad. The recently reported drop in unemployment is a lie. It hasn't dropped at all. And the real rate is not just under 10%, but more like a little over 20%.

Not only do politicians lie whenever their lips move, but so do the agencies.

Just Wondering

The protests over the last couple of weeks demanding more freedom/democracy have made me wonder . I wonder if the transformation in Iraq had anything to do with. Could the US freedom fighting in Iraq, and the subsequent elections be the spark that started a slow burning wick?

Let us hope that more freedom, democracy and the change coming in Egypt does not take on the form of Iran.

Black Gold

The political unrest in Egypt appears to be spreading to other countries in that region, and could easily lead to record high oil prices, according to the talking heads on FoxNews today. And then we have political leaders promising to get us less dependant on foreign oil, while at the same time stopping us from using the oil we have inside our own borders or off our coastline. Now that my friends is bullshit!

With today's technology we have the capability and natural resources to supply all our own needs for decades to come. In fact we could actually start exporting oil. We still pump from the old sources, have barely scratched what's under Alaska, and have primarily ignored the source near the Canadian border.

Who's responsible for this lifestyle and economy killing policy?