Trajectory

Smelly Water

2012-01-31T17:34:00.000-08:00

The new and smaller house was actually move in ready when we bought it. But since our present residence has not sold, and probably will not sell for some time, we decided to make the desired modifications prior to moving. The Boss has stripped all the wallpaper and painted. I have installed a filtered drinking water system to the kitchen, ran plumbing and installed a utility sink in the basement laundry area, and partially set up my reloading and armory room. Carpet has now been ordered. Hard wood flooring sounds like living in a gymnasium.

The well water there is actually good for this general area. There is almost no sediment coming from the well and the iron content is what I consider unusually low, though a water softener is required. The problem is the terrible smell from the hot water, but not the cold. I did some research and found 2 possible solutions to this.

One theory is that the smell is from a harmless bacteria in the water. The waste from the bacteria smells bad when heated with a reaction from the anode in the electric heater. The simple, and less expensive, solution is to remove the anode from the heater. My son helped me do that Sunday. I wouldn't have guessed that would be such a hard thing to do. I then put chlorine bleach in the tank and refilled to kill anything left. Unfortunately, this old Brain forgot that when removing a part of the heater a plug is needed to replace it. Last night I put the plug in and ran chlorinated water through all the hot water supply pipes. This evening I flushed all that out and and turned the heater back on. I'll find out this weekend if that solved the problem.

The other theory is the presence of manganese in the water which would need to be filtered. There are back wash filters on the market designed to get rid of manganese, iron and sulfur. I hope the first trial works, because those filter systems are a bit pricey. With my maximum flow rate one unit will cost $950.

Smelly

2012-01-31T17:31:00.000-08:00

I just read a short story on one o the news sites where, reportedly, Sacramento has hundreds of skunks wandering around looking for mates. Seems to me the furry critters would find plenty of candidates if they migrated to DC.

Damn Good Woman, The Boss

2012-01-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

You would think that the Boss would only be concerned with colors, carpet, decorating and kitchen stuff at the "little house". And in fact that's where most of her attention lies when we go there to make it ready for our future move.

The surprise is that one of the things she first mentioned was to prepare an area for gun storage, ammo storage and reloading. My present area in the "big house" consists of a walk in closet, old kitchen wall cabinets, safe, and built to the wall loading bench. Being less ambitious this time around I have to date purchased a 6 foot 2 door steel cabinet, steel framed work bench, 3 drawer rolling cabinet, and 3 wall cabinets, also of steel. The safe will be moved.

It's cool that she hasn't complained about the expense or the time being spent to set it all up. I must admit that she was the one insisting I keep a minimum of 1,000 rounds each for the 3 battle rifles. All total I have about 5,000 rounds of ammo stored. Happy to comply lover.

Shallow Threat

2012-01-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

Iran recently threatened consequences if the departing US aircraft carrier is replaced. Basically the US navy was told to stay away. The threat was apparently quite shallow. The USS Abraham Lincoln, and support vessels sailed through the straight without challenge. Looks like Iran was afraid to get its ass kicked. About time we acted like a super-power.

Remember grade school bullies? Generally cowards all. Stand up and fight back. Bullies usually back down.

Hoop Snake

2012-01-23T17:42:00.000-08:00

Alabama crafts an ILLEGAL immigration law and their unemployment drops from 9.8% to 8.1% in just 3 months. So why won't the Fed. enforce our federal laws? High unemployment means more people sucking on the big government teat, and big government backers, mostly Democrats, get votes from the teat suckers. That then means big government is justified(?) in stealing more and more from people like me who actually work for a living.

Ever seen the symbol of the snake eating it's own tail? That's what we're doing right now. Eventually the snake disappears, because it ate itself to death.

Good Quote

2012-01-18T19:36:00.001-08:00

Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old anyway and it doesn't take much to piss us off.

Fitting In

2012-01-18T19:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I stopped at the "little house" during lunch and found a township Cop there checking out the place. Since it's not presently occupied, it gets checked at least once every shift. I didn't know they were doing that. Nice to know.

We chatted a little bit. I told her that unless coming from work I'm usually armed. This didn't bother the Cop in the least. She acted as if this is a common occurrence in the area. Also nice to know.

I told the Cop of my interest in the 4 acres behind our new place, assuming the "big house" sells when the acreage is still on the market. I told the Cop that if that happens I'd consider creating a personal gun range there. Again the response was ho-hum as long as there was a good bullet stop. And again, nice to know.

So far, sounds like we'd fit right in that neighborhood.

Feeling Older

2012-01-18T19:12:00.000-08:00

This evening we had dinner with the eldest son, wife and 2 children, at my expense. Today is my sons birthday. I turned 61 a few days ago, which should make me feel old, but not this year. My son turned 40. Now that has the capacity to make me feel old.

M&P 9 For His Wife

2012-01-17T17:14:00.000-08:00

A co-worker told me he purchased a new Smith M&P 9mm for his wife. Being a certified instructor in multiple disciplines, the choice was his wife's as it should be. He didn't particularly like the pistol because of the lack of a manual safety. The hinged trigger was not at all satisfactory in his mind. He thinks a manual safety is an absolute necessity on an auto pistol.

Did I mention he's a fan of the 1911?

I am too, but not to that extent. I own a Kahr PM9 and a Keltec P3AT as my second and third choice for concealed carry. First choice is my aluminum framed, 3 inch 1911, but at times it's a bit too large.

Premature ?

2012-01-12T16:43:00.000-08:00

However in this bill was an insidious piece of verbiage that for all intents and purposes destroys the foundation of everything we believe in and took an oath to uphold. To me the possibility of those citizens and others under my protection being spirited off in the middle of the night by agents of the military, then being summarily incarcerated without access to judge or jury are insufferable and intolerable acts.

This section of the NDAA attempts to remove those rights which are enumerated and given to us by our creator, and places them in the hands of the office of the President of the United States to be disregarded at his whim.

When that time comes I will do exactly as I have sworn to do, I will serve and protect those under my care, so help me God.

Some time ago, when the un-patriot act was passed, I said we had lost the terrorist war.
Maybe I premature in my thinking.

Just Get Over It

2012-01-11T17:38:00.000-08:00

I just saw a commercial about an all electric car and how there is zero pollution. Does electricity just appear from some magic well? With the exception of nuclear and wind, today's electric power comes from fossil fuels. And those that don't effect the environment in other ways. You can't produce, transport and use consumable energy without effecting our environment, so get over it.

A Must Read

2012-01-10T17:43:00.000-08:00

One of the best posts I've read in quite a while.

Old School Dem Has No Clue

2012-01-10T17:17:00.000-08:00

Tonight the father-in-law was surprised at the cost of food and other things these days. When I said he could thank our wonderful Fed government for that, he just stared at me. You see he's one of those old school Democrats that believes in a strong controlling government that looks out for the working man. Anyway I don't think he believes me when I talked about policy that causes inflation, promotes high fuel prices, and high unemployment. Here's just one example. Don't know why I even bother.

Safety Between the Ears

2012-01-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

I was carrying my 3" Kimber all weekend. Last night a bed time I pulled it out of the holster and discovered the thumb safety was disengaged. I don't know why, or even remember if I engaged it when holstering the first time Saturday morning. Oh well, no harm done. The holster covers the trigger and besides, safety is the user not the mechanical device. It's a good thing too, else Glocks, XDs and Kahrs would be going-off by themselves.

Deeper and Deeper

2012-01-09T17:20:00.000-08:00

I heard on the TV this evening that our national debt is larger than our gross domestic product. We are fast approaching the situation in Greece. If compared to a family that doesn't sound all that bad. After all when I bought my first house, the mortgage was about 120% of my yearly gross income.

The difference is that I never got any deeper in debt, and over the years my debt decreased until I now owe nothing. I never once even considered borrowing to increase my spending. Our government just keeps digging in deeper and deeper.

Is It Time?

2012-01-06T17:34:00.000-08:00

Some time today the father-in-law was taken to the hospital. He'll be 91 next month and has heart issues. In fact he had a pig valve installed something like 15 years ago. Based on the way he's been feeling lately, the docs may recommend a pacemaker. He's been wondering if he'll last long enough to make the move to the 'little house' with us. Personally I think that's wishful thinking. He's been wanting to go ever since he became a widower.

I Miss The Deer

2012-01-06T17:27:00.000-08:00

The other day, near the 'little house', I saw a sign advertising deer processing. I suddenly missed hunting when I saw it. Because of various health issues it has been about 5 years since doing any hunting. I dusted off my bow and pulled back the string. Damn! That was a lot harder than it used to be. After we get moved I need to sling some arrows for strength, as well as accuracy.

Next year I'm doing some deer hunting. There's nothing like spending time in the woods.

How Sad

2012-01-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

I read in the local rag, and on the 'net that something like 10 million guns were sold in 2011. Could it be that a revolt is coming? Could the government now have some fear of the citizens? I think the answer is no on both.

I think there's little chance that even 2% of the population has the spine to stand up for our rights. And because of that, citizens fear the government. We've become an easy target for tyranny. Tyranny is surely on it's way.

Shame on Them All

2012-01-05T18:45:00.000-08:00

Part of the "un-patriot act" signed by Bush was a section that gave Big Daddy the authority to hold and indefinitely detain, without charge, U.S. citizens suspected of terrorist activities. Recently Obama signed the extension of that evil law.

The terrorists won the war, or at least a huge battle, with the enactment of that law. Shame on Bush, Obama and all who voted yes. That may be the most anti-American thing any U.S. government has ever done.

Great Quote

2012-01-03T18:09:00.000-08:00

"This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient and the world will follow our lead into the future!" Adolf Hitler, 1935

Stolen from Huey.

New Record

2012-01-02T21:42:00.000-08:00

I read in today's local rag that Ohio is credited with over 400,000 instant background checks this past year. That means Ohioans potentially purchased that number of guns from dealers. That's a new record for this state.

I think we should celebrate our willingness to protect ourselves from the bad guys, whether they be civilian or government paid.

Mass Control

2012-01-01T18:05:00.000-08:00

In all, nearly 40,000 laws were enacted in 2011, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Some take effect New Year's Day.

Maybe the sign on the back of my truck should read FIRE ALL GOVERNMENT, instead of FIRE THE FED GOVERNMENT.

One of the ways to make it easier to control the population is to have so many laws that honest citizens break the law no matter what they do.

Sign of the Beast

2012-01-01T17:36:00.000-08:00

As I write this, a child on the TV show was found to have a RFID chip implanted by her adopting parents. Welcome to our future. Complete government tracking. (Sign of the beast?) We already have internment camps built 'in case of natural or terrorist disaster'.

It's completely understandable that the firearm industry is very healthy when so many others are struggling.

Being paranoid doesn't mean somebody isn't after you.

Keep your powder dry.

Another One About to Bite The Dust

2011-12-29T17:56:00.000-08:00

Apparently there will soon be a law that says American citizens suspected of terrorist activities can be held indefinately without charge or trial. It's supported by both political parties.

Another civil liberty about to die. No wonder guns sales have hit record levels.

We should fire the entire federal government.

Keep your powder dry.

Interesting

2011-12-22T20:19:00.000-08:00

Saiga bullpup

I have been thinking about a shotgun for a tactical shotgun class this summer.

or maybe the KSG or Mossberg pump or auto

I Am The Gun Lobby

2011-12-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

Well said.

Whenever you talk about the Gun Lobby, you are talking about me. All those groups and entities work for me, but they are not me, and they do not necessarily speak for me. My power does not derive from my personal wealth nor financial support from the industry that serves me. My power comes from the fact that I am one of tens of millions who understand that individuals have the right and the obligation to protect themselves from criminal assault, and that no one — not the government, not the media nor anyone else, has the right to decide what, when, where, or how I responsibly exercise that right and obligation. We – each of us – are the Gun Lobby, and we're not going away, we're not backing down, and we're not giving in – not one little bit.

Infinite Debt Hole

2011-12-22T19:42:00.000-08:00

According to this report, the country now owes every cent of the gross domestic product to creditors.

During my young decades when I was supporting a wife and 2 children, I owed many time my annual pay to a creditor. It was called a mortgage. My personal situation wasn't unusual or of any major concern, because I was paying the interest and the principal. In addition I wasn't allowing myself to get any deeper in debt.

Now I presently have 2 homes. The more expensive is paid off, and the lesser has a mortgage. The big house is for sale because we're in the process of downsizing. And if I chose, I could tap into my investments and pay off that mortgage.

So the only real concern is that the government just digging the debt hole deeper, and deeper and deeper. There's not a chance in hell of getting out of that hole.

Recent Political Humor From E-Mail

2011-12-21T22:21:00.000-08:00

An elderly man had a massive heart attack and the family drove him to the emergency room.

After a while the ER doctor appeared wearing a long face.

"I'm afraid Grandpa is brain-dead, but his heart is still beating."

"Oh, Dear God," cried his wife,

"We've never had a liberal in the family before!"

Ho-Hum

2011-12-18T11:57:00.000-08:00

For the first time, I watched most of the GOP "debate" last night. Up until then I hadn't seen any of them. For me personally there isn't a clear choice in the bunch. They all have their strengths and weaknesses in my mind. I suppose it'll wind up who is actually on the primary ballot when it's my turn to vote. Looks like I'll need to make a guess as to who has the best shot at kicking "the enemy of the state" out of office in the fall.

Allow Natural Selection Work

2011-12-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

Today on the news I heard that there's a push to ban the use of cell phones while driving. And then I head about a cop that literally ran his cruiser up a pole while looking for a pencil ( or maybe pen ) when driving.

Maybe pencils should be banned.

Or better yet just ban idiots. And while we're at it, let's repeal helmet laws, seat belt laws and all speed limits.

Wouldn't the world, at least this country anyway, be better if we didn't take care of the lazy and those that continually make stupid decisions? Just let natural selection decide who survives.

Screwed by Technology

2011-12-14T18:12:00.000-08:00

Last night after work I stopped at the new house to do a water volume test that is required to discuss methods of treating the well water. After testing I stopped the truck in the drive on the way out to cross the road and get the mail. I left the engine running, the lights on and shut the door. When I got back to the truck all the doors were locked with my keys inside.

I tried to call the Boss at home and on her cell phone with no luck. She was off somewhere with a bunch of women. I waited an hour and tried again with no luck. So I called one of my sons who went to the house and brought me all the keys hanging on the key storage hooks. One of those should've been a spare for my truck. Unfortunately that key wasn't there, so he drove me home.

The Boss had the only spare key with her, so by the time we retrieved my truck it was 10 PM.

I don't remember hitting the lock, and I'm beginning to be convinced that I did not. Today I heard 3 stories of vehicles with automatic door locks, locking themselves when the door is shut with the engine running. That's 3 people having the same issue with 3 different brands of vehicles.

The key to the truck has a chip in it, so I just can't go anywhere to get another spare made. The local dealer wants $60 to cut and program a key for me. I've been told that's actually inexpensive.

Since I don't like automatic door locks anyway I asked if that feature could be disabled. The guy at the dealership said no.

There are times when I hate today's technology.

From China

2011-12-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

One of my recent hire co-workers comes from China (2002) by way of Rochester. Late today we talked a little about the differences in our countries.

They don't have elections or more than 1 political party, so all the political strife is relatively new to him.

Every evening starting at 7 PM is the news on TV. The first 20 minutes are about where their government leaders went and what they did. The next 20 covers good news from within China. There is never any bad news broadcast about China. Then the last 20 minutes covers bad news from elsewhere in the world, especially the USA. There is never any good news broadcast about other parts of the world. And all channels are the same news because TV is government controlled.

He said he came here for the education with a scholarship. He avoided the question as to why he stayed. I suspect he didn't want to say anything bad about his homeland, or anything particularly good about the USA. It takes time, if ever, to un-learn what has been drilled into your mind all your life.

Poor Leadership Continues

2011-12-06T18:26:00.000-08:00

Fact or fiction, this comes to me by e-mail.

“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America 's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America 's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, "the buck stops here.' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”
~ Senator Barack H. Obama, March 2006

Socialism Truths

2011-12-06T18:13:00.000-08:00

What country, what type of society do you want to live in. The next elections are crucial. We've been heading to our own ruin at our own hands for decades. We've slid farther into socialism with the passing of each year. Will we stop the slide next fall?

Before you head into the polls, consider these truths.

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the
wealthy out of prosperity.

2. What one person receives without working for, another person
must work for without receiving.

3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the
government does not first take from somebody else.

4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!

5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to
work because the other half is going to take care of them, and
when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work
because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is
the beginning of the end of any nation.

6. And all is well until you run out of other people's money.

Stubborn

2011-12-02T18:09:00.000-08:00

The Boss went to the hospital today around 10AM as moral support for son and wife. The Docs were to induce labor to coax their second child into the world. I went to work as usual. At about 5PM when I was about ready to leave she called me at work with news that grandchild #2 was still hanging in there. I'm writing this post at 9:15PM and still no word. Stubborn little parasite there. I wonder who he/she gets it from.

UPDATE
As of 11:03 this evening, we welcomed into this family an 8lb-3oz baby boy. I'm again a grandfather.

Congrats ??

2011-12-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I'm supposed to be a grandfather . . . . again. Mom needed a c-section the first time, and may need it again. The first didn't want to come into this world, and they anticipate this again. They're supposed to try inducing labor. We'll just have to wait and see if the kid comes into the world by being squeezed out or cut out.

So why are the grandparents congratulated?

Leave DC

2011-12-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

I think I've seen this before, but it's worth re-reading.
By way of e-mail:

An interesting letter in the Australian Shooter Magazine this week:

"If you consider that there has been an average of 160,000 troops in the Iraq Theater of operations during the past 22 months, and a total of 2112 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000 soldiers.

The firearm death rate in Washington, DC is 80.6 per 100,000 for the same period. That means you are about 33 per cent more likely to be shot and killed in the US capital, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the U.S., than you are in Iraq.

Conclusion: The U.S. should pull out of Washington.

That Figures

2011-11-28T17:33:00.000-08:00

There seems to be no shortage of government types that spout becoming energy independent. Then when there's a project to, relatively, quickly make it happen the tree huggers join the bureaucrats to put a stop to it. If they all had their way, we'd be regressing back to the pre-industrial days.

I suppose what they actually mean by energy independence, is anything but oil and coal. You know, the energy sources that we have in abundance.

Various

2011-11-27T16:18:00.000-08:00

This last week I managed to load 50 experimental rounds for the little 44 Bulldog, all with 210 grain lead SWC bullets. Now if I could just make some time to try them out.

Also this last week, the first time in several years, I walked out of a meeting at work. Two of the engineers were having a pissing contest regards communication and engineer independence. All the engineers are talented, but 'mine' is a real big issue. Team work is non-existent. I've never seen such a dysfunctional group in my 36 years experience. As it turns out the engineering director agrees. He told me so.

Did anybody actually expect the not-so-super committee to actually come to an agreement? In all the years I've paid attention, this country has been moving left in most areas. We now have some that are digging in their heels to stop the migration, and they're not about to cave. If they do, they'd be voted out of office. The last election was notice.

Correct Response

2011-11-27T16:06:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning the Boss and I went to one of the local home improvement stores to get a few more things for the new smaller home. When leaving, the cashier said 'happy holidays'. The Boss replied 'merry Christmas'. That IS the correct response.

Political correctness is one of the things that is destroying this country.

Nature of the Beast

2011-11-23T03:23:00.000-08:00

Recently the lack of verbalized sympathy from the Dems toward the "occupiers" has been deafening by the silence. Since the true nature of the beast has emerged, the potential for political gain has diminished. Violence and such doesn't do much, but tarnish the Democrat machine, despite the obvious similarity in goals being handouts for some at the expense of others. That's the only transparent thing about the Democratic party.

The whole situation does remind me of the issues in Greece. That's exactly what their street riots were/are all about. Government hand-outs became so large and to so many that it became the norm. That is until they ran out of money earned by the productive. Now the babies are crying over the lack of free milk.

Isn't it interesting that there's so many people who play the blame game of pointing fingers at those who managed to be successful? They should be looking in the morror.

A Decent Sunday

2011-11-20T17:36:00.000-08:00

Ever since buying the new place, I've spent every day of every weekend working on the modifications we want to make. And then when not doing that, I've been helping the Boss eliminate clutter around the present place of residence. Some is marked for garage sale and others boxed for the eventual move, but all gets stored in the garage.

Yesterday was spent modifying plumbing in the new place, but not today. Today I decided to spend some time doing trajectory things, but unfortunately it rained all day. So I split the day between straightening up the man cave, watching football and prepping 44 special brass. All in all it's been one of my better weekends of late.

Should Be 100%

2011-11-17T18:39:00.000-08:00

According to this study, something like 47% of American homes has at least one gun.

Being the USA, shouldn't that number be a lot closer to 100%?

National Reciprocity

2011-11-17T18:32:00.000-08:00

The bill that creates national reciprocity for concealed carry has passed the house. Even if it makes it through the Dem controlled senate, I have no doubt ant-gun Obama will veto it. Naturally, being anti-gun won't be his verbalized reason. He'll probably say something about states rights. The same rights his big government agenda tries to trample.

No Glock For Me

2011-11-16T19:36:00.000-08:00

This guy gives us 4 reasons why he carries a Glock.

Well I can give you one very good reason that I don't own a Glock. I have small hands, and when gripped correctly I can't get my finger in front of the trigger. I refuse to carry any weapon that I can't shoot one handed with either hand.

My carry guns are in order of preference, depending on the circumstance;
3" alloy frame 1911
Kahr PM9
Keltec P3AT

Some will say that I shouldn't mix types of carry guns. At least for me this is not a problem despite my preference for single action pistols. When I grab one of those pistols I don't even think about the differences. My hand automatically switches from long trigger travel and no safety to short trigger travel and safety, and back again. Having said that, there's no doubt my marksmanship is better with a 1911.

Oh, and a double stack pistol is definitely more difficult to conceal on my 5'6", 200 pound body than any of the 3 listed above.

Vote For Elmer

2011-11-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

In a new poll, Newt is statistically even with Obama. I find it amazing that half of the citizens of this country wouldn't choose just about anybody over Obama. What do folks see in this socialist? Hell, Elmer Fudd would be a better president.

A Little Smile

2011-11-16T18:42:00.000-08:00

There was this bar with a robot bartender.
A man walks in.
Robot: What'll you have?
Man: Whiskey
The robot brings his drink and asks.
Robot: what's your IQ?
Man: 160
Then the robot starts talking about physics and stuff.
The amn leaves, but gets curious and goes back inside.
Robot: What'll you have?
Man: Whiskey
The robot brings his drink and asks.
Robot: what's your IQ?
Man: About 100
Then the Robot starts talking about NASCAR and football.
The man leaves, but decides to try this again.
Robot: What'll you have?
Man: Whiskey
The robot brings his drink and asks.
Robot: what's your IQ?
Man: About 60
The robot leans close and asks,
Robot: Are you people still happy with Obama?

In The Year 2525

2011-11-15T18:53:00.000-08:00

On the way home this evening the radio played the old song that starts 'in the year 2525'. Part of the lyrics says that every thing you do, think and say is in the pill you took today. I actually enjoy this song and have heard it many, many times. Today it finally dawned on me that they were singing about a liberal utopia.

Still Waiting For "Blood in The Streets" to Show

2011-11-14T18:18:00.000-08:00

According to the attorney general, we now have 250,000+ people in Ohio licensed to carry concealed, from a population of about 11.5 million. The stats say that Less than one-half of one percent of all CHLs have ever been revoked for any reason, including death or moving out of state. We sure are a blood thirsty, out of control group.

OOps !!

2011-11-14T17:53:00.000-08:00

The first day we spent at the new, little, house we were visited by our one and only neighbor. A very nice widow lady came and introduced herself, interrupting our vine removal work. And then a local police cruiser pulled up. There were 2 cops in the car, just sitting there staring.

So I walked over and introduced myself. They recorded my name and the name of the previous owner, then left. This last weekend, while I was working in the basement, the Boss had police visitors both days. All total, in 3 separate days, we met 5 cops all from the same township police force. And non of them knew ahead of time that the vacant house had new owners. They certainly have very poor reporting practices. At least they were keeping an eye on the place.

After I talked to the first 2, and they left, I remembered that I was carrying. It's easy to forget about the 45 under my shirt when it's been there all day. In Ohio we're required by law to inform any LEO we encounter that we have a license and whether or not we have a weapon. I forgot. OOps!

Mixed Results

2011-11-09T17:30:00.000-08:00

Once the new Ohio law reducing the collective bargaining rights of public workers got on the ballot, it was doomed. This state is overflowing with old/ex union workers primarily from the automotive industry. These people support unions, no matter what happens.

I was encouraged to see that the state constitutional amendment was approved. It says that no citizen of the state can be compelled to buy health insurance. That was a state slap on the face of Obamacare. I wish we would strike down the state mandated auto insurance, wearing seat belts and motorcycle helmets. Government, at any level, needs to get out of our lives.

Not Sure I Even Care

2011-11-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have no idea whether Cain has been guilty of sexual harassment or not. frankly it wouldn't surprise me if at least some of it isn't true. In today's politically correct world it's hard not to offend somebody, at least some time. I also wouldn't be at all surprised if the competition, donkey people, didn't put somebody up to making false claims. After all, some of them are guilty of voter fraud.

And besides, why should this even bother most people? So far he isn't guilty of having sex in the white house with somebody other than his wife.

Stiff & Sore

2011-11-07T18:30:00.000-08:00

Saturday I helped the eldest son install some in ground drain pipe, move locations of 2 down spouts and set some posts for a privacy fence.

Then Sunday we were at the new & smaller house pulling vines off the brickwork, the adopted grandson and me. The entire end of the attached garage was covered from ground to roof, and partway around the corners. The Boss spent the afternoon demolishing 6 foot weeds from flower beds.

It seems that most of my spare time, for quite a while will be spent fighting empty house neglect and doing some modifications.

Finally

2011-11-04T18:39:00.000-07:00

We closed on our new home this afternoon, finally. The realtor actually said that ours was actually one of the easier ones. It only took 5 weeks. If I was the one handling things from our end, I would've thrown in the towel 2 weeks ago. The Boss is an angel, or at least more interested in the new place than I am.

So now, for a while anyway, we have 2 homes. The larger one is paid for, and the smaller one with a mortgage. Eventually, probably in the spring and after another garage sale, we'll be moving into the smaller house.

After the larger place sells, we'll have a tax issue. How to avoid a spike in income due to the extra money.

------

Tomorrow instead of playing paintball, I'll be helping the eldest erect some privacy fence. Then Sunday to the new place. There are some things that home owners insurance insists we do, and then do some preparation work for some things that we want to do before moving.

Be Warned

2011-10-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

If you plan on buying a home any time in the near future, be warned that the process takes a whole lot longer than you would think is reasonable. The lenders, and the insurance companies are very finicky and require a lot more paperwork than in the past. And then there's the inevitable government BS as it sticks it's nose into every aspect of our lives.

It's been 4 weeks since the offer was made, and closing will not happen before Friday, if then.

Too Much Accumulation

2011-10-30T17:19:00.000-07:00

The weather was great today, but I didn't go to the range or play paintball. Instead I was in my man cave sorting through gun related items. I filled a cardboard box with an assortment of stuff that will be put in the spring garage sale. I also filled a kitchen sized trash can 4 times and dumped the contents. It's amazing how much stuff is accumulated when there is room to store it. There won't be this kind of room in the new place.

As a bonus I found a red dot that I forgot I had. It was purchased to mount on my old pump action 30-30.

In The End Romney

2011-10-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

The latest GOP front runner is now Cain. Ho-hum. When it's all said and done the presidential candidate will end up being Romney. He isn't conservative enough for me, but then again I can't remember a presidential candidate that has ever been.

On The Home Front

2011-10-27T16:59:00.000-07:00

It's going to be close, but if all the various paperwork gets done we'll be closing on the new residence Monday. Then the work really begins.

It's a good thing the Boss is handling everything from our end, or it would never happen. I don't have the patience to put up with all the bull that seems to be required these days. The last time we bought and sold a house was 13 years ago. It sure was a whole lot easier back then.

There are a few things we want to do to the new place that are a lot easier to do prior to occupancy.
Cable and phone lines to move/install
Electrical service upgrade
Vinyl tile to re-glue in the basement
Get fireplaces fixed and re-roofed, (at seller expense)
Replace baseboard for carpet installation over the hard wood floor
Install a dishwasher
Make room for our larger refrigerator in the kitchen
Replace wood molding, with something else, under the shower entrance in the basement bath
Remove glass shower doors from tub in main bath.
Install grab bars around tub (90 year old father-in-law is moving with us)
Install hand rail at steps to back yard, front door and into attached garage
Install wash tub in basement laundry area

And then the place we're now in needs re-roofed and chimneys repaired. Oh joy.

Stress Relief

2011-10-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

Yep, I made it to the range for some trigger time. Spent time with the 22 Buckmark, Kimber 45, 44 Bulldog and AR15. I spent most of my time with the Buckmark re-introducing my trigger fingers to a trigger. I shot it 2 handed, right handed and left handed.

I ran some hand loads through the Bulldog, which is no longer a virgin. Didn't do too bad for an out of practice guy handling an inexpensive gun. I got to do something about that stainless steel front sight. Very hard for these old eyes to see.

The AR has a Bushnell Holo-Site that works rather well for me. I'm a big fan of red dot sights. The only problem with the Bushnell is that it seems to devour batteries. I don't know if it never actually turns off or what. Every time I take that rifle out the batteries are dead. I don't have that problem with my other red dot sights. I can see a replacement coming in the future.

A Good Idea

2011-10-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a couple of months now since I've been able to get to the range for trigger time.

Today when I was running the Boss around doing errands she said " Tomorrow get your little butt to the range and do some shooting" or similar words. Great idea there. I can certainly use some stress relief time.

Negligent Discharge #2

2011-10-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

Other than the one mentioned below I've had 2 negligent discharges.

The second happened at a shooting range and involved my 50 caliber cap and ball rifle. When shooting a muzzle loader it's necessary to clean out the bore after a few shots, especially when using actual black powder. There is enough residue build up in the barrel to make seating the bullet difficult. The cleaning involves swabbing the bore from the muzzle, which tends to push residue into and over the hole between the chamber and the cap. So after cleaning the bore it is a good idea to fire a cap, without powder or bullet in place, to clear the passage.

One day I was shooting this rifle, and had cleaned it and then reloaded it when a neighbor asked me a question. The question became a conversation. When it was time to resume shooting I placed a cap on the nipple, pointed the muzzle toward the ground in front of the firing line and squeezed the trigger. Instead of the escaping gasses moving some blades of grass indicating that the passage was not obstructed, I launched a projectile into the ground. I forgot that I had actually loaded the rifle.

Once again muzzle direction kept anyone from getting hurt.

Negligent Discharge

2011-10-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

The Boss bought me a paperback book called "Hunting Blunders and The One That Got Away" It's a little humorous, which I enjoy. It also has some Christian propaganda, which I generally skip over.

This book brought to mind several of my own blunders. The first was when I was a youngster in the squirrel woods.

I was on a relatives farm in Iowa, sneaking along a cattle trail that paralleled a small wooded river. I was carrying my grandfathers Winchester red letter 410 single shot. There jumping through the trees was a fat fox squirrel. Thinking a shot opportunity was imminent, I cocked the hammer. The bushy tail wasn't cooperating and disappeared in the leaves. It was now time to un-cock the little scatter gun. Thumb on hammer, squeeze trigger and lower the hammer . . . boom!

Those Winchesters have a very low profile hammer, that slipped out from under my thumb. The gun safety rules prevailed. All I did was blow a hole in the ground about 4 feet in front of me.

That was my first negligent discharge. I'm ashamed to admit that it was not my last in 47 years of hunting and shooting.

Common Sense

2011-10-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

Last night and then this morning I saw interviews with Cain, the business guy running for president. I must admit that he impressed me with his business sense, belief in the Constitution, and general perceived competence. I hate to use the term common sense, because those without it use the term all the time. I think this guy has some.

Priorities

2011-10-16T17:13:00.001-07:00

Today was one of the nicest, weather wise, that we've had in quite a while. So instead of heading to the range, how did I spend the day? I installed a new water softener and cleaned out a file cabinet.

So how did my priorities get so messed up?

Job Security??

2011-10-14T22:39:00.000-07:00

I think I mentioned that my contract job turned into a direct hire position. Instead of doing disconnected mechanical designs I am now assigned responsibility for all mechanical systems in that part of the facility. We have about 10 machines that are used to grow silicon semiconductor crystals. All of which are being asked to perform in excess of their original intent.

These machines are rather complicated and use just about any type of engineered system you can imagine, short of nuclear. I need to work another 8 years before even thinking about retirement. I don't think I'll run out of work by then.

Some will say that's job security. Not me. Job security is ancient history, especially with the Gov always trying to fix things.

Been Busy, Busy

2011-10-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

We're in the process of buying a new place to live, that's much smaller. With our aging bodies and arthritis, our present residence is a bit more than we want. Just the 2 of us live in about 2,000 square feet with a full basement on almost 3 acres that require mowing. Additionally, the father-in-law is in the attached apartment. BTW he's now 90. The square footage is somewhere around 2400 square feet that need our attention.

The place we're buying is about 1350 square feet with a completely finished basement on about 5/8 of an acre, with a detached 2 car garage that has an artist studio above it. Less maintenance and less than half the property taxes. It also cuts my 30 minute commute to around 10 minutes.

I don't remember all the inspections and other paper work crap the last time. It's been keeping both of us busy. At least our present residence is paid for, and with luck after sell we'll have a tidy sum left over.

With all of the above going on, our water heater has sprung a small leak, the water softener has quit working properly and the roof needs work. So tomorrow is water softener and water heater shopping, then hopefully the eldest son will assist in the installations. I enjoy his company, but I think we both would prefer to spend the time at the range teasing each other when a poor shot is executed.

No Change

2011-10-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

Being home sick today, I've been switching between sleep and TV. I saw a short interview with the governor of Nebraska(?). It seems that state has a growing economy, doing the opposite of our Fed. Naturally bug Gov won't change.

Serious Doubt

2011-10-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

It took a long time, but the old media has finally paid attention to "fast and furious", better known around here as "gunwalker". Despite the congressional hearings I have serious doubt the appropriate people will pay for their crimes.

And being distrustful of all things government, it's very possible this is linked to the very top to create an excuse for removing even more freedoms from the people.

Damn Busy

2011-10-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life gets in the way of enjoying . . . life.

The weekend before last I was in Hell Michigan for our annual paintball trip. There were 10 of us this year, and as usual we had a good time.

While I was there the Boss made an offer on a downsized home for us. Surprisingly it was accepted without complaint. So ever since then she's been jumping through hoops getting all the inspections done. The locations of the well and septic tank are still unknown, and the fireplace chimneys are dangerous.

Last weekend was a 4 day affair spent in Holms County Ohio. That's an area north of Columbus with a thriving Amish community. It's a nice place to go to chill and be calm. And the food is excellent, we ate like pigs.

My sinuses started acting up just before we left. Usually a few days of decongestants makes all well again, but not this time. Last night the sinus issues spread all the way to my right eye. The cheek bone aches and the eye swelled shut. Yep, no work and a trip to the doctor today.

Several weeks ago I bought some new powder to try in the little 44 special. Still haven't had a chance to try it.

The new paintball gun was awaiting when I got back from . . . the paintball trip. I was finally able to try it tonight in the back yard. Awesome. Maybe someday I'll get a chance to shoot people with it.

The COP Carries

2011-09-26T19:17:00.000-07:00

One of our paintballers in Michigan is a COP for one of the local towns. Sitting around the campfire, I asked what he carries. A Sig 226 and an alloy S&W 357 on his ankle. He also has a Sig 223 with a folding stock. I don't remember the model.

I asked about over penetration with the 223, and he responded with something about the type of ammo used. He didn't seem to want to talk about it so I dropped the subject.

I'd bet that full power rounds out of that small revolver would be rather painful. That's certainly true for the 44 bulldog I have.

On My Way to Hell

2011-09-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

The Boss asked me to stop at the realtor and sign some papers for an upcoming possible offer on another house. We've been looking to downsize. We want a smaller and easier to maintain place. While I was gone we bought a house, to my surprise.

She said she prayed about it, and that is where God wants us to be.

Several years ago, while I was gone playing paintball, she bought a Siberian Husky. Somehow, the 2 surprises just don't compare.

Survived Another Trip

2011-09-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

To Hell . . . . Hell Survivors Paintball. Last weekend was the annual trip to Michigan to see how many people we can shoot. And yes the 1 year old man made hip served me well. Just had the typical sore muscles that old geezers like me are bound to have.

This year there were 10 of us, with all but 2 hovering around the 40 year old mark. I happen to be 60, and the youngest was 16. Staying well hydrated and a little bourbon before bed helps alleviate the soreness. Actually a few of us got stupid drunk both nights. I think there were 5 empty whiskey bottles in the trash when we left.

Saturday night after giving the young lady, Taco Bell, my order she asked if I was going to be there the next day. She said that she would bring some hair dye for my bead, that would turn it all pink. I had some red paint in my gray beard that looked pink. I actually thought about it.

There was a good time around the campfire, and we simply kicked ass on the paintball field. Great time for all.

Trail Boss

2011-09-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

About 2 weeks ago I bought some powder called Trail Boss, to try in 44 special cartridges. It's a propellant with very low density designed specifically for the cowboy action crowd using 45 colts.

I have a Charter Arms 44 special. That little revolver is very light weight. Full house 44 special loads just simply hurts the hand to shoot, so light loads are what I want. By that I mean 240 grain bullets at about 650-700 feet per second.

The trouble is, I finally got some experimental loads built, but there hasn't been the time to try them. And I thought that I'd have spare time at this time in my life. Yeah. Right.

The Cat House . . . Maybe

2011-09-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

So far in our search for a smaller place we've found the Tree House, the Septic House, the Cave House and now the Cat House. All of these would have satisfied our criteria, except for certain issues.

Tree House - A tree fell on the roof.
Septic House - The leeching field is on another property.
Cave House - The basement wall is caving in.
Cat House - Extremely strong odor of cat pee.

We passed on the first 3, but tomorrow night we're going to make an offer on the Cat House contingent on what a specialist tells us about eliminating the cat urine problem. The specialist is a company that specializes in things like eliminating mold, cleaning up bloody crime scenes, and eliminating animal odors.

500 No, 5 Maybe

2011-09-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

Fiat has sure been pushing their tiny little care, the Fiat 500, lately on the TV. While I find JLo easy on the eyes, I've seen all I want of that car. Fiat must have delusions of grandeur to saddle it with the 500 moniker. The numeral 5 seems more appropriate.

Getting Ready For Hell

2011-09-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

One week from tonight I'll once again be in Hell (Michigan) for our annual weekend of paintball at Hell Survivors. Last year there were only 4 of us, and I couldn't play. I spent the time hobbling around with a cane, just barely able to walk. I was taking Vicodin 2-3 times a day for hip pain.

A few days after that trip I was in the hospital getting a total hip replacement. The pain is gone, but the muscle tissue isn't quite all the way back. Good enough though to go shoot people. This year I expect 10-12 of us to make the trip.

As weapons I'll be bringing a Proto SLG and Promaster, both stock black in color. My plan is for the grandson to use the SLG and I'll go with the Promaster, . . . unless the new one happens to get here in time. The new one is a Dangerous Power G4. Mine will be brown with black trim.

Is It Legal

2011-09-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

On a rerun of Sons of Guns I just saw them attach a shoulder stock on a 50 Cal Desert Eagle.
Is it now a very short barreled rifle or still a hand gun?
Is it actually legal?

Be Prepared

2011-09-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

Two nights ago I was in bed reading, around midnight, when the doorbell rang, rang and then again. The father-in-law lives in an apartment that is attached via an enclosed breezeway. I thought something might be wrong with him, but there was also a chance that it was someone from the outside.

I grabbed the bedroom 45, donned a robe, and headed to the door. We have motion activated lights outside that were burning brightly. There at the door was an overweight woman that appeared to be in a little distress. Seeing no one else, and 45 at my side, I opened the door enough to talk to her.She claimed she ran out of gas, and I could see a vehicle on the side of the road with flashing lights.

Our driveway circles around the back of the house, so I instructed her to walk out back and I'd give her some fuel. I gave her a gallon or so in an old gas can, and she went on her way.

I swear she never once noticed the bright, shiny chrome plated 1911 in my hand.

Now when I was returning to the bedroom, the Boss was peeking around the corner with her gun in her hand. I was gone longer then she expected, so she got prepared. As I've said before, damn fine woman there.

A Small Smile

2011-09-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

5000 years ago, Moses said, "Pick up your shovels, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead you to the Promised Land."

When Welfare was introduced, Roosevelt said, "Lay down your shovels, sit on your asses, and light up a Camel, this is the Promised Land."

Today, the government has stolen your shovel, taxed your asses, raised the price of Camels and mortgaged the Promised Land to China.

Stolen from Outdoors Unlimited

Just a WONDERFUL Three Day Weekend

2011-09-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning, at about 2AM, we lost electricity because of storm damage. Just down the road a bunch of trees hit the ground, and wires. Which meant no nothing, but heat and sweat until Sunday night when a cold front came through. This morning I wiped off with emergency drinking water, just because I could smell myself. Wells require electricity. No juice and no water.

This has happened just too many times in the past, so today we drove to an area with juice and bought 2 generators. They only had 2 left, and the Boss said buy them. The small one is 2KW and a pull start. The larger is 8KW and battery start. If, actually when, it happens again we'll be able to power the well pump, the refrigerator, freezer, and some lights. Living without electricity sucks, and I get very stinky.
-------

Since we couldn't do much else, we went house shopping again. I think we found the right place at the right price. Today we went through it and the positives out weigh the negatives by a huge margin.

And the generators? It also has a well.
------

Oh, . . . . . just as I got the first generator running to test, the power came back on.

Which Shotgun ??

2011-09-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

The eldest and I are planning on taking the TDI tactical shotgun course next summer. I have a 20 gage pump purchased in the early 1970s for small game hunting. It has an optional 20" smooth bore slug barrel that could do for the training. But why waste a good excuse to obtain another gun? But which one should I buy.

I really like the feel of this Mossberg,and the adjustable stock for short arms, but I wonder about the tang safety with a pistol grip.

Any ideas out there?

Blessed

2011-09-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

About 5 years ago I lost the job I held for 16 years. Basically I was fired for an undisclosed reason. Within a month my personal life went to hell. My mother, living with us, was getting really bad with Alzheimer's, and then moved to a nursing home in Florida near my sister. I remodeled her place for wheel chair access and moved the Boss's parents in there. Her mother died a few months later. Not having a job was actually a good thing at that time.

When the personal life settled down, I landed an easy job doing mechanical design, then I was the engineering supervisor at the same place. When the economy crapped out, that company was merged out of state. I thought I'd be unemployed for a long time, but only missed 2 weeks of work. I worked as a temporary for 19 months, and now I'll be direct hired. When COBRA was no longer available, I now have medical coverage.

There are times when I think I'm blessed with a guardian angel, other than the Boss. She has to be angelic to tolerate my sorry ass for 40 years.

Personal Notes

2011-09-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

So far we've looked at at least a dozen houses, some just driven by and others we've been in. Of those the Boss has liked 2. The first a tree fell on the roof, and the second has the leeching field on someone else's property. The search continues.

Tuesday I'll be a direct hire where I've been a temporary for the last 18 months. The other possible position, management, is still up in the air.

Shallow Minds

2011-08-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

I guess there are those that will be swayed into believing anything if heard often enough.

Magazines are not clips. Cartridges are not bullets. Assault weapons are not available to everybody, and have been tightly restricted for decades.

And the worst is that government can create jobs. Government can't create anything, but can transfer jobs from the private sector to government. This is done by legalized theft of wealth from the private sector.

Ignorance and shallow minds abound.

Ashamed I Am

2011-08-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

Ashamed of the fact that this moon-bat represents some of the population in my home state of Ohio.

He represents one corner and the speaker of the house represents the other. Rather diverse aren't we?

Well Crap

2011-08-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

The property we saw that has the possible 50 yard range is under contract to sell. That means we're less likely to find the perfect place. Life is nothing if not continuous compromise.

Finally

2011-08-24T18:48:00.000-07:00

Well after weeks of me being a pest, my boss finally convinced his boss that I am very needed in the department. Today I received a letter offering me a direct hire position, after being a temporary for 1-1/2 years. The same pay, though salary instead of by the hour, and now I'll have health insurance. That's kinda like getting a raise.

Future Employment ?

2011-08-22T18:52:00.000-07:00

Had another talk with my boss about becoming a direct hire. He's trying his best to make a business case to keep me to the general manager, and thus to corporate. He sees a long term need for my skills.

I sure wish for a simple yes or no so we can narrow our search for a downsized home. Three acre yard and large house are getting too much, even without the large yearly property taxes.

-----
I just heard a friend lost his job. He thinks that was because he made too much money, more than his boss. I guess it's a sign of the times.

Of Interest

2011-08-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we drove by 3 properties and toured 1 by way of an open house. Only 1 was of interest. It was vacant, about the right size, appeared well taken care of, at least from the outside, and sat on 1 acre with farm land off the back yard. A quiet place in the country. One of the best features is that there's at least 50 yards from the back patio to the farm land. A decent pile of dirt and I'd have a pistol range in my back yard.

This one is now a contender.

Legalized Theft

2011-08-15T17:33:00.000-07:00

Today I owe no money for anything. House and vehicles are paid for, and we never have owed for anything else. So why does it cost me $7,000 a year to live in the house, located on property that I own? I choose to pay about $1,000 a year for insurance, and the remaining $6,000 is legally stolen from me, at the point of a gun. If I should resist paying, I will be hauled off to jail, by gun toting uniforms. Doesn't that sound like theft?

That's the biggest reason we're looking to move. I can at least reduce the amount being stolen from me.

Micro-management

2011-08-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

My present place of employment is owned by a larger corporation. Every time I've worked in a place like that in the past, the boss corporation used a hands off approach, and the smaller company made them money.

Not so where I'm at today. Micro-management, tying our hands, is alive and well from the corporate boss. We're making them money despite them.

There's nothing wrong with this country that can't be fixed

2011-08-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

Says Obama. And that's typical coming from one of the power mongers. They think they have the power, and ability to fix things. The exact opposite is the truth. The only thing government does is screw things up. If they would just get out of the way, we the people, and the capitalist system would've had things "fixed" by now.

Still Looking - Sort Of

2011-08-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

This last Sunday the Boss and I stopped and looked at a house for "short sale." The owner had moved and owed more than it was worth on today's market. It meets our criteria of downsizing. It does need some relatively minor work, but for the right price we'd go for it.

We now live in a place that is 2X the size we need. We bought this place to have room for aging parents. Now both children are grown and out, and only the 90 year old father-in-law remains. When something happens to him we plan on moving. If we should run into the right place, we'll but it now.

So why not buy the house mentioned above? Maybe it has something to do with the big tree that fell on and partially destroyed the roof. The owner nor the lender has insurance on it. Looks like we'll still be keeping an eye out.

Three Sequential

2011-08-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

I caught what I think was an old show of Son of a Guns. In my humble opinion it was part boredom and part cool. In this case the cool was 3 M16 rifles mounted together in a triangle with a single gas system. One trigger squeeze and they would fire in sequence. Yep - Could sure use that toy.

Sliding, But Just Maybe Not As Fast

2011-07-31T21:57:00.000-07:00

Well I hope everyone is feeling better now that a deal has been made between the big spenders and the huge spenders. Instead of a 10% spending increase there's going to be a 7% increase. Ever heard someone brag about saving by buying something not needed on sale with money they don't have? We've maxed out all those other credit cards, so maybe we won't max this one quite so fast. Don't hold your breath.

Let's see, we spend our little hearts out and unemployment is still officially 9%+. I suppose one could argue that without all this spending it would've been worse.

If spending is reduced to the level of 3 years ago, will unemployment get worse or better?

Regardless, we're still faced with so much debt that I doubt it matters. Every great nation eventually falls under its own weight. I suppose now is our time on the slide.

Brown Stuff

2011-07-26T17:49:00.000-07:00

Did you know that if you wait a few weeks to clean a Nagant you get brown stuff out of the barrel?

Huh. Go figure.

It's purely my own fault. I know better.

Knife Fight

2011-07-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

At the gun show last week, a knife sales guy mentioned that the folder I bought is sometimes carried as a backup to a gun. I commented that for a backup I'd carry a fixed blade instead.

Actually, if I'm ever involved in a knife fight, I want the other guy to be at least 20 feet away and I have my 45. Bring a gun to a knife fight? Hell yes.

Bad With The Good

2011-07-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

The worse part about going to the range and partaking in launching projectiles comes afterwards. I really don't like cleaning guns.

End of The Rainbow

2011-07-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

I'm somewhat amused at all the BS flying back and forth concerning the debt limit. The only way the country will default on loans if the Fed. decides to default.

As with any family, there is a decision about where to put limited revenue. In the family situation food and shelter come first, then the creditors. With a government creditors should come first followed by . . . .

In either case the amount borrowed should never exceed the amount that can be payed back. I have kept out of financial problems by not using a credit card unless we can pay it off at the end of the month. And things like mortgage and car loans are modest enough that they have never put a strain on the family. To some observers I have lived below my means, but that's not the case. They have lived above theirs.

For the last decade(s) the Fed has followed the population in living above it's means. They've been following the rainbow but not to a pot of gold. Instead they've fallen into s pile of shit, just like any rational human would've predicted.

Maybe 20 years ago I told my father-in-law that I'm planning to take care of myself in my old age, and not counting on any help from the government. That there's a good possibility that Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid will not exist. He looked at me like I was crazy. Yep he's a liberal. As recent as a year ago he said that the prediction hasn't happened yet. Looks to me like the possibility is a lot more possible today.

When you Max out a credit card, and get another to help pay the first, only disaster can be the result. That's what the Fed has been doing for a long time. As expected, the result is devastating.

My financial adviser once told me "it's not how much you make, it's how much you spend". The Fed has ignored that for a long time, and now it's dragging the rest of down with them. Those of us still working, our children and our grandchildren will be paying for their obnoxious spending. I predict a second, or even third rate country in the future.

Laser Sights

2011-07-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

At first glance the laser built into the grips of a pistol seems to be a great accessory. That's before the practical is considered. The laser is located on the right side and top of the grip. With your finger on the trigger, that's fine. But before firing the finger is above the trigger guard, tending to block the laser. So your finger is on or too near the trigger to use this device. Not a good idea to me.