The Blastorama went well. There were only four of us this week, but we still had a good time. After last week, I needed some practice to make myself a little confident again. Let it be said that the .22 rifle I used at Ivan's was not my cup of tea. My little bolt-action, however, works wonderfully.
But I thought I would again share some items that I read, from a variety of different places.
Wretchard from the Belmont Club has a letter from a Chaplain in Fallujah, with his own worthy commentary.
Cold Fury has links to a bunch of damn good posts - my favorites are The Degeneration of the Democratic Party, a missive written by a sane Democrat (possibly soon-to-be former Democrat). The characterization that the writer puts forth made me chuckle for a bit, and then I realized that A) the writer isn't joking, and B) it's not really funny -
In a way, what the Democratic party is now is somewhat like a first wife thought about at a safe distance from the divorce. You know you loved her at some point but you can't really remember why. You know she was beautiful to you then, but now you can only see the ruins of that beauty, and you are glad you got the best years. You know that, yes, you must have been happy with her and had a lot of good times. But now you can't remember where or when. In fact, when you think about her now you can't really believe you wasted all those declining years with here just because you believed that somehow, some time, she would grow sane, beautiful, and young again.
Life and politics though don't run backwards. One the hardest things to learn in life is when to leave, that's why we're always leaving late. It's not that the Republicans are running the most decent game in town. It is only that lately they seem to be the only game in town, at least the only one that puts America first. That's why I'm getting on their train. At least to the next stop.
Mile also links to a righteous bitch-slapping, delivered by Michele Malkin. Hot, smart, sane conservative women! Argh, argh, argh......
Curmudgeonly and Skeptical brings us some good news about a terrorist leader who's off to be Satan's BDSM slave in hell. He also links to a National Post article which re-affirms my belief that outside of Quebec and Ottowa, the rest of Canada is rather sane. The title of the piece?
America must find its national purpose to beat the terrorists
It will need to reconsider decades of ultra-liberalism
Yow... And the Grouchy Old Cripple has given us a (not safe for work) post that inspired me to write a little ditty....
Voluptuous vixens with rifles and shotguns.
You'll be hard pressed to decide who's the hot one.
Women all bouncy with birds on a string,
These are a few of my favorite things!
I did mention that they're NOT SAFE FOR WORK, didn't I? Good.
That's all for today. I'll see you all later.
Saturday, April 17, 2004
If you're in the Seattle area
....then what the hell are you doing here? Why are you reading this? You should be at the Blastorama, dammit!
Yeah, what he said.....
AK has a few things to say regarding the influx of Californians to the Pacific Northwest. It's been going on for years, but this time it's crossed the line. You see, the granola state sent one of it's best and finest up here, a man by the name of Edward Stokes.
People like Edward Stokes are the reason that I think child molesters should be shot on sight. Stokes had been arrested at least five times in Washington and Oregon on sex charges dating from 1974. In July 1995 he completed a three-year sentence in Oregon for sex abuse and sodomy. And yet each time, THE KEEP LETTING THIS RANCID FUCKER OUT OF JAIL! And he CONTINUES MOLESTING LITTLE BOYS!
Folks, it's time to kill this man, as far as I'm concerned. This bastard has admitted to 212 victims... to his therapist.
His last victim was so depressed and distraught that he committed suicide before the trial. Guess what? Stokes got off because his victim couldn't be cross examined. So this asshole who has admitted to molesting over two hundred boys is walking around Washington.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr................... I'm off to the Blogger Blastorama. You should be practicing as well.
People like Edward Stokes are the reason that I think child molesters should be shot on sight. Stokes had been arrested at least five times in Washington and Oregon on sex charges dating from 1974. In July 1995 he completed a three-year sentence in Oregon for sex abuse and sodomy. And yet each time, THE KEEP LETTING THIS RANCID FUCKER OUT OF JAIL! And he CONTINUES MOLESTING LITTLE BOYS!
Folks, it's time to kill this man, as far as I'm concerned. This bastard has admitted to 212 victims... to his therapist.
His last victim was so depressed and distraught that he committed suicide before the trial. Guess what? Stokes got off because his victim couldn't be cross examined. So this asshole who has admitted to molesting over two hundred boys is walking around Washington.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr................... I'm off to the Blogger Blastorama. You should be practicing as well.
Congratulations, Spats!
If you have a free moment, go congratulate Lord Spatula on his recent nuptials. Congratulations, you crusty old coot.
Friday, April 16, 2004
Shocking News: Socialism Doesn't Work
Here is an excellent article about the Socialist darling of American Liberals -- Germany.
Germany's economic woes make ours pale by comparison
By Daniel Howes / The Detroit News
FRANKFURT, Germany -- Our presidential campaign banter about how bad (or good) the U.S. economy is sounds downright trivial compared with what’s passing for one in Germany these days.
Europe’s largest economy is a mess. Growth is almost nil. New jobs aren’t being created. The CEOs of Germany’s two most powerful companies — Deutsche Bank and DaimlerChrysler AG — are mired in legal trouble, and the central bank chief is caught in an ethics scandal.
There’s more. A new report released last week says the $1.5 trillion — yes, trillion — Germany collected from West German taxpayers since 1990 to revive the former East Germany failed to achieve its goal.
One response was a government plan to establish lower wage zones in the east, where the unemployment rate runs north of 18 percent, to help create jobs and keep citizens off welfare. Germany’s powerful labor unions torpedoed the idea almost immediately, despite what is just weeks away.
On May 1, 10 more countries — most of them in Eastern Europe — will join the European Union, meaning such EU stalwarts as Germany are likely to be flooded with cheaper workers seeking comparatively higher wages in the west.
Or, alternatively, German companies burdened by high wages, restrictive labor laws, short work weeks and a tax-and-benefits regime that eats more cash per employee than salaries will rush east, as some already have.
All of this, reinforced during a 10-day return visit to Germany and France, is a cautionary tale for those American voices who see an answer to our economic woes in the cozy, controlling and romanticized ways of Western Europe.
On closer inspection, things are not so pretty.
In Germany, at least, the established alliance between Big Government, Big Business and Big Labor makes it difficult to lose jobs and economically unattractive to create them. So nothing happens, the politicians make promises they can’t keep and smart German business owners do what they need to do to survive.
One close friend, Kirsten Schoder-Steinmueller, runs a family-owned engraving business near Frankfurt. Instead of adding workers as sales more than tripled over the past decade, she invested heavily in new technology to compete for new business.
Sound familiar?
The numbers for the Christmas bonuses she paid last year are enlightening: She says more money, per employee, went to government-mandated employee costs — taxes, pensions, health-care and other payments — than to her workers.
It doesn’t take an economist to understand that a system like that is not sustainable, particularly when it creates more retirees than jobs amid strict immigration policies.
Another friend, Ingo Koenig, and his Michigan-born wife are entrepreneurs, a comparative rarity in Germany. His take: Real change won’t come until things get much worse.
My guess is they won’t have to wait long for that. Europe as we know it is poised for big change, foreign competition is pressuring German business like never before and the social welfare system is stretched to the breaking point.
Remedies for what ails our economy aren’t “Made in Germany.”
Here is an excellent article about the Socialist darling of American Liberals -- Germany.
Germany's economic woes make ours pale by comparison
By Daniel Howes / The Detroit News
FRANKFURT, Germany -- Our presidential campaign banter about how bad (or good) the U.S. economy is sounds downright trivial compared with what’s passing for one in Germany these days.
Europe’s largest economy is a mess. Growth is almost nil. New jobs aren’t being created. The CEOs of Germany’s two most powerful companies — Deutsche Bank and DaimlerChrysler AG — are mired in legal trouble, and the central bank chief is caught in an ethics scandal.
There’s more. A new report released last week says the $1.5 trillion — yes, trillion — Germany collected from West German taxpayers since 1990 to revive the former East Germany failed to achieve its goal.
One response was a government plan to establish lower wage zones in the east, where the unemployment rate runs north of 18 percent, to help create jobs and keep citizens off welfare. Germany’s powerful labor unions torpedoed the idea almost immediately, despite what is just weeks away.
On May 1, 10 more countries — most of them in Eastern Europe — will join the European Union, meaning such EU stalwarts as Germany are likely to be flooded with cheaper workers seeking comparatively higher wages in the west.
Or, alternatively, German companies burdened by high wages, restrictive labor laws, short work weeks and a tax-and-benefits regime that eats more cash per employee than salaries will rush east, as some already have.
All of this, reinforced during a 10-day return visit to Germany and France, is a cautionary tale for those American voices who see an answer to our economic woes in the cozy, controlling and romanticized ways of Western Europe.
On closer inspection, things are not so pretty.
In Germany, at least, the established alliance between Big Government, Big Business and Big Labor makes it difficult to lose jobs and economically unattractive to create them. So nothing happens, the politicians make promises they can’t keep and smart German business owners do what they need to do to survive.
One close friend, Kirsten Schoder-Steinmueller, runs a family-owned engraving business near Frankfurt. Instead of adding workers as sales more than tripled over the past decade, she invested heavily in new technology to compete for new business.
Sound familiar?
The numbers for the Christmas bonuses she paid last year are enlightening: She says more money, per employee, went to government-mandated employee costs — taxes, pensions, health-care and other payments — than to her workers.
It doesn’t take an economist to understand that a system like that is not sustainable, particularly when it creates more retirees than jobs amid strict immigration policies.
Another friend, Ingo Koenig, and his Michigan-born wife are entrepreneurs, a comparative rarity in Germany. His take: Real change won’t come until things get much worse.
My guess is they won’t have to wait long for that. Europe as we know it is poised for big change, foreign competition is pressuring German business like never before and the social welfare system is stretched to the breaking point.
Remedies for what ails our economy aren’t “Made in Germany.”
The Council Has Spoken!
This weeks winners are The Big Picture by Alpha Patriot, and Chief Wiggles view on the current situation in Iraq by, of course, Chief Wiggles. You can find all the results here.
Iraq WMD found....
....in Europe. Why am I not surprised?
UNITED NATIONS, April 14 -- Large amounts of nuclear-related equipment, some of it contaminated, and a small number of missile engines have been smuggled out of Iraq for recycling in European scrap yards, according to the head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog and other U.N. diplomats.
I had heard about this yesterday, but I thought it was a joke. I guess not. Scrappleface has nuttin' on the EU.
Mohammed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned the U.N. Security Council in a letter that U.N. satellite photos have detected "the extensive removal of equipment and, in some instances, removal of entire buildings" from sites that had been subject to U.N. monitoring before the U.S.-led war against Iraq.
So, not only are some countries fully aware of the fact that they are transporting WMD related materials, but they're getting money off of it! Hmmmmmmm.... Nope, I'm still not surprised. This is yet another lesson, folks. THE EU IS NOT OUR ALLY. We may have several countries in the EU who we consider allies, and rightly so. But the EU? The EU is a huge parasite, created and run by unelected elitists who look down at the USA. The EU is not our ally.
After the 1991 Persian Gulf War, U.N. inspectors discovered, inventoried and destroyed most of the equipment used in Iraq's nuclear weapons program. But they left large amounts of nuclear equipment and facilities in Iraq intact and "under seal," including debris from the Osirak reactor that was bombed by Israel in 1981. That debris and the buildings are radioactively contaminated.
The U.N. nuclear agency has found no evidence yet that the exported materials are being sold to arms dealers or to countries suspected of developing nuclear weapons. But ElBaradei voiced concern that the loss of the materials could pose a proliferation threat and could complicate efforts to reach a conclusive assessment of the history of Iraq's nuclear program.
"no evidence yet that the exported materials are being sold to arms dealers" That's not the figging point! I'm not worried about Iraq selling nuclear secrets, I'm worried about FRANCE selling nuclear secrets! It's the fact that people are hysterically shrieking that there were no WMD's, and yet THEY'RE RECYCLING WMD RELATED MATERIAL! F**KING SCUM!
Gah... It's too damn early in the morning to have my blood pressure up like that. Hat tip to Rantburg and Kim du Toit.
UNITED NATIONS, April 14 -- Large amounts of nuclear-related equipment, some of it contaminated, and a small number of missile engines have been smuggled out of Iraq for recycling in European scrap yards, according to the head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog and other U.N. diplomats.
I had heard about this yesterday, but I thought it was a joke. I guess not. Scrappleface has nuttin' on the EU.
Mohammed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned the U.N. Security Council in a letter that U.N. satellite photos have detected "the extensive removal of equipment and, in some instances, removal of entire buildings" from sites that had been subject to U.N. monitoring before the U.S.-led war against Iraq.
So, not only are some countries fully aware of the fact that they are transporting WMD related materials, but they're getting money off of it! Hmmmmmmm.... Nope, I'm still not surprised. This is yet another lesson, folks. THE EU IS NOT OUR ALLY. We may have several countries in the EU who we consider allies, and rightly so. But the EU? The EU is a huge parasite, created and run by unelected elitists who look down at the USA. The EU is not our ally.
After the 1991 Persian Gulf War, U.N. inspectors discovered, inventoried and destroyed most of the equipment used in Iraq's nuclear weapons program. But they left large amounts of nuclear equipment and facilities in Iraq intact and "under seal," including debris from the Osirak reactor that was bombed by Israel in 1981. That debris and the buildings are radioactively contaminated.
The U.N. nuclear agency has found no evidence yet that the exported materials are being sold to arms dealers or to countries suspected of developing nuclear weapons. But ElBaradei voiced concern that the loss of the materials could pose a proliferation threat and could complicate efforts to reach a conclusive assessment of the history of Iraq's nuclear program.
"no evidence yet that the exported materials are being sold to arms dealers" That's not the figging point! I'm not worried about Iraq selling nuclear secrets, I'm worried about FRANCE selling nuclear secrets! It's the fact that people are hysterically shrieking that there were no WMD's, and yet THEY'RE RECYCLING WMD RELATED MATERIAL! F**KING SCUM!
Gah... It's too damn early in the morning to have my blood pressure up like that. Hat tip to Rantburg and Kim du Toit.
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Suh-WEET
Analog Kid came up with some of his own Buy A Gun Day Buttons.
Heh.
Oh, and on the subject of gunbelts, I did some checking on my leather supplies, and here's the deal - I have enough leather to make three good gunbelts of just about any length. It's two pieces of leather, dyed whatever color, finished with Tan-Kote and then sewn together to make it good and stiff (the better to hold up your gun with, my dear!). AK has seen the belt I made for myself. Specialty buckles cost quite a bit more, so I have simple antiqued brass buckles that I use. If you want a trophy buckle, pick one out from Tandy Leather or another store, and you can put it on yourself. (Otherwise it raises the cost quite a bit).
Help a bruddah out! There's an SKS rifle I saw down at Federal Way Discount guns.......
Heh.
Oh, and on the subject of gunbelts, I did some checking on my leather supplies, and here's the deal - I have enough leather to make three good gunbelts of just about any length. It's two pieces of leather, dyed whatever color, finished with Tan-Kote and then sewn together to make it good and stiff (the better to hold up your gun with, my dear!). AK has seen the belt I made for myself. Specialty buckles cost quite a bit more, so I have simple antiqued brass buckles that I use. If you want a trophy buckle, pick one out from Tandy Leather or another store, and you can put it on yourself. (Otherwise it raises the cost quite a bit).
Help a bruddah out! There's an SKS rifle I saw down at Federal Way Discount guns.......
Death and Taxes
Yep, today is tax day. If you don't already have your taxes in the mail, get hopping, dammit! Millions on welfare are depending on you! Socialists like John Fonda Kerry need your money to spend on worthless programs! The Democratic Party can't keep spending your money if you don't send it in!
Does that sound harsh? God, I hope it does.
You see, even after Bush's tax cuts, I STILL WROTE UNCLE SAM A CHECK THIS YEAR. It was less than last year, thank goodness, but I still had to write him a check. I would love to be able to get a tax return, so that I could participate in "Buy a Gun Day II", but that would require me to GET money rather than send it in.
And trust me folks, I'm not rich. I can't even say that I'm middle class right now. I'm on the lower end of the pay scale. So why am I struggling like this? Let me tell you why.
One of the greatest government evils, in my mind, is "withholding". Gee, it sounds to innocent, doesn't it? "We'll just make sure that you don't have to write a check on April 15th, and heck, we'll probably be giving you a refund!" A refund? REFUND? It's my f**king money to begin with, dipshit! And what are you DOING with my money while you "withhold" it, Hmmmmmm? Don't answer that, I don't really care, because you're NOT GETTING MINE. Think about it, folks: This "refund" is YOUR DAMN MONEY. But so many people get excited over their tax refund. "OH goody, I'm getting money back!" No, you're not. You're simply getting to keep the part of your money that the government didn't swallow. It's not being "given" to you, you've already worked for it, and now you're finally allowed to have it.
I deliberately keep the "withholding" as low as possible. It means that I end up writing a check in April. Some people are probably asking why, and that's a simple answer. By writing a check, I am constantly reminding myself how much the government is taking from me. I'm constantly reminding myself that the government is too large, and it DOES effect me. I'm constantly reminding myself who to vote for and why. Even after the tax cut, I'm still writing that check. Compared to last year, it was a small amount. But I still wrote it.
If I had my way, EVERYBODY would be writing a check in April. I want people to feel the sting of government spending. How many people would scream bloody murder if they had to pay out instead of get their money back? I'll bet that the amount of people telling Bush to shut down spending would increase. And I'll bet that support for the Democratic Socialist spending would decrease. Who's going to make me pay more in April, Bush or Kerry? Hell, that's simple to figure out. Kerry, by a long shot. But I don't think Bush would be as free with my money if more people had to write out that check, and let him know about it.
Hell, if I had my way, I would force everyone to write out a check on Tax Day, and I would move Tax Day to the day right before Election Day. How many socialists do you think would be voted into office?
So get those taxes in, and if the government lets you have your money back, buy a gun with it and let Aaron know. (for Buy A Gun Day II) As for me, I'm tightening my belt again, and looking for ways to increase my income.
I can make gunbelts.... anybody need a gunbelt? Hand made, leather, a variaty of colors, for $40.00. I think that would go along nicely with Buy A Gun Day.
Does that sound harsh? God, I hope it does.
You see, even after Bush's tax cuts, I STILL WROTE UNCLE SAM A CHECK THIS YEAR. It was less than last year, thank goodness, but I still had to write him a check. I would love to be able to get a tax return, so that I could participate in "Buy a Gun Day II", but that would require me to GET money rather than send it in.
And trust me folks, I'm not rich. I can't even say that I'm middle class right now. I'm on the lower end of the pay scale. So why am I struggling like this? Let me tell you why.
One of the greatest government evils, in my mind, is "withholding". Gee, it sounds to innocent, doesn't it? "We'll just make sure that you don't have to write a check on April 15th, and heck, we'll probably be giving you a refund!" A refund? REFUND? It's my f**king money to begin with, dipshit! And what are you DOING with my money while you "withhold" it, Hmmmmmm? Don't answer that, I don't really care, because you're NOT GETTING MINE. Think about it, folks: This "refund" is YOUR DAMN MONEY. But so many people get excited over their tax refund. "OH goody, I'm getting money back!" No, you're not. You're simply getting to keep the part of your money that the government didn't swallow. It's not being "given" to you, you've already worked for it, and now you're finally allowed to have it.
I deliberately keep the "withholding" as low as possible. It means that I end up writing a check in April. Some people are probably asking why, and that's a simple answer. By writing a check, I am constantly reminding myself how much the government is taking from me. I'm constantly reminding myself that the government is too large, and it DOES effect me. I'm constantly reminding myself who to vote for and why. Even after the tax cut, I'm still writing that check. Compared to last year, it was a small amount. But I still wrote it.
If I had my way, EVERYBODY would be writing a check in April. I want people to feel the sting of government spending. How many people would scream bloody murder if they had to pay out instead of get their money back? I'll bet that the amount of people telling Bush to shut down spending would increase. And I'll bet that support for the Democratic Socialist spending would decrease. Who's going to make me pay more in April, Bush or Kerry? Hell, that's simple to figure out. Kerry, by a long shot. But I don't think Bush would be as free with my money if more people had to write out that check, and let him know about it.
Hell, if I had my way, I would force everyone to write out a check on Tax Day, and I would move Tax Day to the day right before Election Day. How many socialists do you think would be voted into office?
So get those taxes in, and if the government lets you have your money back, buy a gun with it and let Aaron know. (for Buy A Gun Day II) As for me, I'm tightening my belt again, and looking for ways to increase my income.
I can make gunbelts.... anybody need a gunbelt? Hand made, leather, a variaty of colors, for $40.00. I think that would go along nicely with Buy A Gun Day.
New Reports on U.S. Planting WMDs in Iraq
Moonbat Mania!
Fifty days after the first reports that the U.S. forces were unloading weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in southern Iraq, new reports about the movement of these weapons have been disclosed.Common Dreams
Given the recent scandals to the effect that the U.S. president was privy to the 9/11 plot, they might try to immediately announce the discovery of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in order to overshadow the scandals and prevent a further decline of Bush’s public opinion rating as the election approaches.
Sources in Iraq speculate that occupation forces are using the recent unrest in Iraq to divert attention from their surreptitious shipments of WMD into the country.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Landmark Legal Foundation
....calls for Gorelick to step down from the commission.
The Donks thought they were going to be able to use her to hurt Bush. Now it's come back to bite them in the ass. Again.
Look at who the Donks have placed on the commission: Richard Ben-Veniste, a Clinton lawyer who cleaned up after Hill and Bill for years, quite possibly one of the most partisan sacks of shit I've seen in a long time. Bob Kerrey, who's planning on RELEASING A BOOK in which he lays out his conclusions of September 11th before the commission is even done. (What is it with the Donks and all these book deals?) And Jamie Gorelick, the person responsible for the worst intelligence failures in American history.
If I were a Democrat, I would hide in shame of my Party.
Found at DANEgerus.
The Donks thought they were going to be able to use her to hurt Bush. Now it's come back to bite them in the ass. Again.
Look at who the Donks have placed on the commission: Richard Ben-Veniste, a Clinton lawyer who cleaned up after Hill and Bill for years, quite possibly one of the most partisan sacks of shit I've seen in a long time. Bob Kerrey, who's planning on RELEASING A BOOK in which he lays out his conclusions of September 11th before the commission is even done. (What is it with the Donks and all these book deals?) And Jamie Gorelick, the person responsible for the worst intelligence failures in American history.
If I were a Democrat, I would hide in shame of my Party.
Found at DANEgerus.
Sometimes Life is Delicious, Ain't it?
One less
bell to answer
One less
Egg to fry
One less man
to pick up after
I should be happy
But all I do is cry....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seen on Instapundit.com
bell to answer
One less
Egg to fry
One less man
to pick up after
I should be happy
But all I do is cry....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After just two weeks of broadcasting, Air America Radio, the fledgling liberal talk-radio network featuring Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo, was pulled off the air this morning in Chicago and Los Angeles, the network's second- and third-largest markets, in a dispute over payments for airtime.It's not often that I really am rolling on the floor laughing my ass off, but right now? I'm rolling on the floor laughing my ass off.
Arthur Liu, owner of Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, which owns Air America affiliates WNTD-950 AM in Chicago and KBLA-1580 AM in Los Angeles, said Air America bounced a check and owes him more than $1 million.
Air America and Multicultural had entered into a time brokerage agreement in which the network was essentially renting Multicultural's airtime, Liu said.
"They bounced a check today," Liu said. "It's a default. They have paid only a very small portion of what they owe us." Liu declined to say how much Multicultural is owed, but did say he is holding $1 million in checks that Air America has asked the company not to cash.
Chicago Tribune
Seen on Instapundit.com
My take on the President's April 13th Press Conference
I decided to watch this Press Conference (via whitehouse.gov) rather than just read it (either way it will serve as reference). My impressions: There exists genuine passion in the statements of this man:
You know why I do? Because I've seen freedom work right here in our own country. I also have this belief, strong belief, that freedom is not this country's gift to the world; freedom is the Almighty's gift to every man and woman in this world.
That was how he manifested his frustration with the questions he got....by converting it into a verbal expression of passion in his convictions. He lacks a sliver tounge, but he speaks from the heart and that is equally appearant. The reporters in the room even seemed to take notice of the power with which he spoke when he spoke of freedom and it's importance. On the substance, I can't say I disagree with any of the points he made. Good job G.W.
You know why I do? Because I've seen freedom work right here in our own country. I also have this belief, strong belief, that freedom is not this country's gift to the world; freedom is the Almighty's gift to every man and woman in this world.
That was how he manifested his frustration with the questions he got....by converting it into a verbal expression of passion in his convictions. He lacks a sliver tounge, but he speaks from the heart and that is equally appearant. The reporters in the room even seemed to take notice of the power with which he spoke when he spoke of freedom and it's importance. On the substance, I can't say I disagree with any of the points he made. Good job G.W.
The Retrosexual Code
Found over at Spat's place, who found it at Linda's place, yada yada yada. Anyways, here it is: The Retrosexual Code.
A Retrosexual man, no matter what the women insists, PAYS FOR THE DATE.
A Retrosexual man opens doors for a lady. Even for the ones that fit that term only because they're a female.
A Retrosexual DEALS with IT, be it a flat tire, break-in into your home, or a natural disaster, you DEAL WITH IT.
A Retrosexual not only eats red meat, he often kills it himself.
A Retrosexual doesn't worry about living to be 90. It's not how long you live, but how well. If you're 90 years old and still smoking cigars and drinking, I salute you. If you are still having sex, you are a God.
A Retrosexual does not use more hair or skin products than a woman. Women have several supermarket aisles of stuff. Retrosexuals need an endcap (possibly 2 endcaps if you include shaving goods.)
A Retrosexual does not dress in clothes from Hot Topic when he's 30 years old.
A Retrosexual should know how to properly kill stuff (or people) if need be. This falls under the "Dealing with IT" portion of The Code.
A Retrosexual watches no TV show with "Queer" in the title.
A Retrosexual does not let neighbors screw up rooms in his house on national TV.
A Retrosexual should not give up excessive amounts of manliness for women. Some is inevitable, but major reinvention of yourself will only lead to you becoming a froo-froo little puss, and in the long run, she ain't worth it.
A Retrosexual is allowed to seek professional help for major mental stress such as drug/alcohol addiction, death of your entire family in a freak treechipper accident, favorite sports team being moved to a different city, favorite bird dog expiring, etc. You are NOT allowed to see a shrink because Daddy didn't pay you enough attention. Daddy was busy DEALING WITH IT. When you screwed up, he DEALT with you.
A Retrosexual will have at least one outfit in his wardrobe designed to conceal himself from prey.
A Retrosexual knows how to tie a Windsor knot when wearing a tie -- and ONLY a Windsor knot.
A Retrosexual should have at least one good wound he can brag about getting.
A Retrosexual knows how to use a basic set of tools. If you can't hammer a nail, or drill a straight hole, practice in secret until you can -- or be rightfully ridiculed for the wuss you be.
A Retrosexual knows that owning a gun is not a sign that your are riddled with fear, guns are TOOLS and are often essential to DEAL WITH IT. Plus it's just plain fun to fire one off in the direction of those people or things that just need a little "wakin' up".
Crying. There are very few reason that a Retrosexual may cry, and none of them have to do with TV commercials, movies, or soap operas. Sports teams are sometimes a reason to cry, but the preferred method of release is swearing or throwing the remote control. Some reasons a Retrosexual can cry include (but are not limited to) death of a loved one, death of a pet (fish do NOT count as pets in this case), loss of a major body part, or loss of major body part on your Ford truck.
When a Retrosexual is on a crowded bus and or a commuter train, and a pregnant woman, heck, any woman gets on, that retrosexual stands up and offers his seat to that woman, then looks around at the other so-called men still in their seats with a disgusted "you punks" look on his face.
A Retrosexual knows how to say the Pledge properly, and with the correct emphasis and pronunciation. He also knows the words to the Star Spangled Banner
A Retrosexual will have hobbies and habits his wife and mother do not understand, but that are essential to his manliness, in that they offset the acceptable manliness decline he suffers when married/engaged or in a serious healthy relationship - i.e., hunting, boxing, shot putting, shooting, cigars, car maintenance.
A Retrosexual knows how to sharpen his own knives and kitchen utensils.
A Retrosexual man can drive in snow (hell, a blizzard) without sliding all over or driving under 20mph, without anxiety, and without high-centering his ride in a snow bank.
A Retrosexual man can chop down a tree and make it land where he wants. Wherever it lands is where he damn well wanted it to land. Except on his truck--that would happen because of a "force of nature", and then the retrosexual man's options are to Cry, or to DEAL with IT, or do both.
A Retrosexual will give up his seat on a bus to not only any women but any elderly person or person in military dress (except 2nd Lt's).
(NOTE: The person in military dress may turn down the offer but the Retrosexual man will ALWAYS make the offer to them and thank them for serving their country.)
A Retrosexual man doesn't need a contract -- a handshake is good enough. He will always stand by his word even if circumstances change or the other person deceived him.
A Retrosexual man doesn't immediately look to sue someone when he does something stupid and hurts himself. We understand that sometimes in the process of doing things we get hurt and we just DEAL WITH IT!
Anybody got any suggestions to add?
A Retrosexual man, no matter what the women insists, PAYS FOR THE DATE.
A Retrosexual man opens doors for a lady. Even for the ones that fit that term only because they're a female.
A Retrosexual DEALS with IT, be it a flat tire, break-in into your home, or a natural disaster, you DEAL WITH IT.
A Retrosexual not only eats red meat, he often kills it himself.
A Retrosexual doesn't worry about living to be 90. It's not how long you live, but how well. If you're 90 years old and still smoking cigars and drinking, I salute you. If you are still having sex, you are a God.
A Retrosexual does not use more hair or skin products than a woman. Women have several supermarket aisles of stuff. Retrosexuals need an endcap (possibly 2 endcaps if you include shaving goods.)
A Retrosexual does not dress in clothes from Hot Topic when he's 30 years old.
A Retrosexual should know how to properly kill stuff (or people) if need be. This falls under the "Dealing with IT" portion of The Code.
A Retrosexual watches no TV show with "Queer" in the title.
A Retrosexual does not let neighbors screw up rooms in his house on national TV.
A Retrosexual should not give up excessive amounts of manliness for women. Some is inevitable, but major reinvention of yourself will only lead to you becoming a froo-froo little puss, and in the long run, she ain't worth it.
A Retrosexual is allowed to seek professional help for major mental stress such as drug/alcohol addiction, death of your entire family in a freak treechipper accident, favorite sports team being moved to a different city, favorite bird dog expiring, etc. You are NOT allowed to see a shrink because Daddy didn't pay you enough attention. Daddy was busy DEALING WITH IT. When you screwed up, he DEALT with you.
A Retrosexual will have at least one outfit in his wardrobe designed to conceal himself from prey.
A Retrosexual knows how to tie a Windsor knot when wearing a tie -- and ONLY a Windsor knot.
A Retrosexual should have at least one good wound he can brag about getting.
A Retrosexual knows how to use a basic set of tools. If you can't hammer a nail, or drill a straight hole, practice in secret until you can -- or be rightfully ridiculed for the wuss you be.
A Retrosexual knows that owning a gun is not a sign that your are riddled with fear, guns are TOOLS and are often essential to DEAL WITH IT. Plus it's just plain fun to fire one off in the direction of those people or things that just need a little "wakin' up".
Crying. There are very few reason that a Retrosexual may cry, and none of them have to do with TV commercials, movies, or soap operas. Sports teams are sometimes a reason to cry, but the preferred method of release is swearing or throwing the remote control. Some reasons a Retrosexual can cry include (but are not limited to) death of a loved one, death of a pet (fish do NOT count as pets in this case), loss of a major body part, or loss of major body part on your Ford truck.
When a Retrosexual is on a crowded bus and or a commuter train, and a pregnant woman, heck, any woman gets on, that retrosexual stands up and offers his seat to that woman, then looks around at the other so-called men still in their seats with a disgusted "you punks" look on his face.
A Retrosexual knows how to say the Pledge properly, and with the correct emphasis and pronunciation. He also knows the words to the Star Spangled Banner
A Retrosexual will have hobbies and habits his wife and mother do not understand, but that are essential to his manliness, in that they offset the acceptable manliness decline he suffers when married/engaged or in a serious healthy relationship - i.e., hunting, boxing, shot putting, shooting, cigars, car maintenance.
A Retrosexual knows how to sharpen his own knives and kitchen utensils.
A Retrosexual man can drive in snow (hell, a blizzard) without sliding all over or driving under 20mph, without anxiety, and without high-centering his ride in a snow bank.
A Retrosexual man can chop down a tree and make it land where he wants. Wherever it lands is where he damn well wanted it to land. Except on his truck--that would happen because of a "force of nature", and then the retrosexual man's options are to Cry, or to DEAL with IT, or do both.
A Retrosexual will give up his seat on a bus to not only any women but any elderly person or person in military dress (except 2nd Lt's).
(NOTE: The person in military dress may turn down the offer but the Retrosexual man will ALWAYS make the offer to them and thank them for serving their country.)
A Retrosexual man doesn't need a contract -- a handshake is good enough. He will always stand by his word even if circumstances change or the other person deceived him.
A Retrosexual man doesn't immediately look to sue someone when he does something stupid and hurts himself. We understand that sometimes in the process of doing things we get hurt and we just DEAL WITH IT!
Anybody got any suggestions to add?
The Wall of Separation
It was a legal maze instituted in the 90's that prevented the different parts of the FBI from talking to each other (.pdf file) It was the legal tripwires that prevented the Intel section of the FBI from notifying the Criminal Investigation section of the FBI that there were two known terrorists in the USA.
That's right. The FBI knew, and it couldn't do a damn thing about it because of the framework tossed in their way. They couldn't climb over the Wall and share information. Stewart Baker outlines the problems in a December 31st, 2003 article in Slate.com
There's a quiet scandal at the heart of Sept. 11; one that for different reasons neither the government nor the privacy lobby really wants to talk about. It's this: For two and a half weeks before the attacks, the U.S. government knew the names of two hijackers. It knew they were al-Qaida killers and that they were already in the United States. In fact, the two were living openly under their own names, Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi. They used those names for financial transactions, flight school, to earn frequent flier miles, and to procure a California identity card.
(....)
We couldn't find al-Mihdhar and al-Hazmi in August 2001 because we had imposed too many rules designed to protect against privacy abuses that were mainly theoretical. We missed our best chance to save the lives of 3,000 Americans because we spent more effort and imagination guarding against these theoretical privacy abuses than against terrorism.
I feel some responsibility for sending the government down that road.
You want to know why September 11th happened? Look no further. Our own agencies, trusted to keep terrorists out of America, were blinded by self-inflicted rules.
In August 2001, the New York FBI intelligence agent looking for al-Mihdhar and al-Hazmi didn't have the computer access needed to do the job alone. He requested help from the bureau's criminal investigators and was turned down. Acting on legal advice, FBI headquarters had refused to involve its criminal agents. In an e-mail to the New York agent, headquarters staff said: "If al-Midhar is located, the interview must be conducted by an intel[ligence] agent. A criminal agent CAN NOT be present at the interview. This case, in its entirety, is based on intel[ligence]. If at such time as information is developed indicating the existence of a substantial federal crime, that information will be passed over the wall according to the proper procedures and turned over for follow-up criminal investigation."
In a reply message, the New York agent protested the ban on using law enforcement resources for intelligence investigations in eerily prescient terms: "[S]ome day someone will die—and wall or not—the public will not understand why we were not more effective and throwing every resource we had at certain 'problems.' Let's hope the [lawyers who gave the advice] will stand behind their decisions then, especially since the biggest threat to us now, UBL [Usama Bin Laden], is getting the most 'protection.' "
Read the memo. And then read Baker's article. And then try, as I am right now, to not punch your fist through your computer screen.
UPDATE: A commenter mentioned Jamie Gorelick, who is currently sitting on the 9-11 Commission. Who is Gorelick? She's the person who built the wall of separation in the first damn place!
Commissioner Gorelick, as deputy attorney general — the number two official in the Department of Justice — for three years beginning in 1994, was an architect of the government's self-imposed procedural wall, intentionally erected to prevent intelligence agents from pooling information with their law-enforcement counterparts. That is not partisan carping. That is a matter of objective fact. That wall was not only a deliberate and unnecessary impediment to information sharing; it bred a culture of intelligence dysfunction. It told national-security agents in the field that there were other values, higher interests, that transcended connecting the dots and getting it right. It set them up to fail. To hear Gorelick lecture witnesses about intelligence lapses is breathtaking.
Un-f**king-believeable. What a crock.
That's right. The FBI knew, and it couldn't do a damn thing about it because of the framework tossed in their way. They couldn't climb over the Wall and share information. Stewart Baker outlines the problems in a December 31st, 2003 article in Slate.com
There's a quiet scandal at the heart of Sept. 11; one that for different reasons neither the government nor the privacy lobby really wants to talk about. It's this: For two and a half weeks before the attacks, the U.S. government knew the names of two hijackers. It knew they were al-Qaida killers and that they were already in the United States. In fact, the two were living openly under their own names, Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi. They used those names for financial transactions, flight school, to earn frequent flier miles, and to procure a California identity card.
(....)
We couldn't find al-Mihdhar and al-Hazmi in August 2001 because we had imposed too many rules designed to protect against privacy abuses that were mainly theoretical. We missed our best chance to save the lives of 3,000 Americans because we spent more effort and imagination guarding against these theoretical privacy abuses than against terrorism.
I feel some responsibility for sending the government down that road.
You want to know why September 11th happened? Look no further. Our own agencies, trusted to keep terrorists out of America, were blinded by self-inflicted rules.
In August 2001, the New York FBI intelligence agent looking for al-Mihdhar and al-Hazmi didn't have the computer access needed to do the job alone. He requested help from the bureau's criminal investigators and was turned down. Acting on legal advice, FBI headquarters had refused to involve its criminal agents. In an e-mail to the New York agent, headquarters staff said: "If al-Midhar is located, the interview must be conducted by an intel[ligence] agent. A criminal agent CAN NOT be present at the interview. This case, in its entirety, is based on intel[ligence]. If at such time as information is developed indicating the existence of a substantial federal crime, that information will be passed over the wall according to the proper procedures and turned over for follow-up criminal investigation."
In a reply message, the New York agent protested the ban on using law enforcement resources for intelligence investigations in eerily prescient terms: "[S]ome day someone will die—and wall or not—the public will not understand why we were not more effective and throwing every resource we had at certain 'problems.' Let's hope the [lawyers who gave the advice] will stand behind their decisions then, especially since the biggest threat to us now, UBL [Usama Bin Laden], is getting the most 'protection.' "
Read the memo. And then read Baker's article. And then try, as I am right now, to not punch your fist through your computer screen.
UPDATE: A commenter mentioned Jamie Gorelick, who is currently sitting on the 9-11 Commission. Who is Gorelick? She's the person who built the wall of separation in the first damn place!
Commissioner Gorelick, as deputy attorney general — the number two official in the Department of Justice — for three years beginning in 1994, was an architect of the government's self-imposed procedural wall, intentionally erected to prevent intelligence agents from pooling information with their law-enforcement counterparts. That is not partisan carping. That is a matter of objective fact. That wall was not only a deliberate and unnecessary impediment to information sharing; it bred a culture of intelligence dysfunction. It told national-security agents in the field that there were other values, higher interests, that transcended connecting the dots and getting it right. It set them up to fail. To hear Gorelick lecture witnesses about intelligence lapses is breathtaking.
Un-f**king-believeable. What a crock.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Things I wish I had written.
Can someone tell me why, out of all the Kennedys that fate or the gods have deigned to remove from this mortal coil, we still have Ted “Leave Her To Drown, It’s Not Like She’s Important” Kennedy among us unhappy mortals? He gets more and more like Jabba the Hut every day, yet each dawn sees him sucking in yet more oxygen. If the loony left really believed its own a-butterfly-sneeze-in-Ohio-starts-a-typhoon-in-the-Philippines all-things-are-interconnected bullshit philosophy they would have had him assassinated like his brothers merely for the countless orphans and old people who starved because Senator Edward Kennedy ate all their food for breakfast. Now I read here that this person has had the incredible gall to use the term “honor” to describe an act of disgusting cowardice. The act in question is dropping Iraq in the middle of what I am sure he’d like to call the current “discomfort,” running like hell, and hoping that the American public will be too relieved that their “children” are home to pay much heed to the sniggers of the French, the North Koreans, and the Iranians floating from across the pond, and that we’ll be too glued to the new upcoming HBO syndicated program Celebrity Bukkake (hosted by Oprah and Howard Stern) to notice that a grinning “Middle-Eastern-appearing” maniac with a jones for Jihad just set off a nuclear device in downtown Winnetka. Dear Senator Kennedy: DIE. Thank you.
(And those of you who are his fans are welcome to go into that good night with him. I’m sick of you taking up space on the same plane of existence I’m on.)
Ouch.
(And those of you who are his fans are welcome to go into that good night with him. I’m sick of you taking up space on the same plane of existence I’m on.)
Ouch.
Andy Rooney is a fat idiot.
Have you read his latest bullshit? I hadn't, until I checked around the blogosphere this morning. And all I can say is this:
DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN!
(Yes, that is FOUR different links. Wow.)
I don't know if I can add anything to what they've already said. So I'll just say this:
If I ever have the misfortune of being around that fat worthless sack of shit, I will take great pleasure in ripping his crap-filled cranium off of his bloated body, and then shitting down his corpulant fucking neck.
DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN!
(Yes, that is FOUR different links. Wow.)
I don't know if I can add anything to what they've already said. So I'll just say this:
If I ever have the misfortune of being around that fat worthless sack of shit, I will take great pleasure in ripping his crap-filled cranium off of his bloated body, and then shitting down his corpulant fucking neck.
Blogger Blastorama
If the pictures of the "Solidarity March" moved to you revulsion, I have the cure. It's the upcoming Blogger Blastorama.
As usual, we will be having breakfast at IHOP before hitting the range. 9:00 breakfast, followed by a 10:00 range time.
And once again, anyone who wants to shoot, whether it's your first time or your 1,000,000th, please show up! We'll be more than happy to loan the use of firearms, ammo, advice, encouragement, and good-natured ribbing. This is your chance to learn how to shoot, get re-acquainted, or just have a good time with good people.
As usual, we will be having breakfast at IHOP before hitting the range. 9:00 breakfast, followed by a 10:00 range time.
And once again, anyone who wants to shoot, whether it's your first time or your 1,000,000th, please show up! We'll be more than happy to loan the use of firearms, ammo, advice, encouragement, and good-natured ribbing. This is your chance to learn how to shoot, get re-acquainted, or just have a good time with good people.
A Strategy for Iraq
To be successful in Iraq, and in any war for that matter, our use of force must be tied to a political objective more complete than the ouster of a regime. To date, that has not happened in Iraq. It is time it did.A Strategy for Iraq by Senator John F. Kerry
Senator, Iraq Is No Vietnam
From the Times of Moscow:
Seen on Instapundit
The administration of U.S. President George W. Bush has plenty of enemies both at home and abroad. A lot of people would love to see Bush get a bloody nose in Iraq, or anywhere else. Last week the critics had a field day: With heavy fighting in Fallujah and sporadic clashes breaking out elsewhere, Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy said that Iraq had become "George Bush's Vietnam," and declared that the United States needs a new leader.Senator, Iraq Is No Vietnam
It was Kennedy's older brother, John F. Kennedy, who dragged the United States into the Vietnam quagmire, and the senator should know better than to compare Vietnam and Iraq.
Seen on Instapundit
Monday, April 12, 2004
Hypocrisy
Gee, I guess that some racist, insulting stereotypes are A-OK in the Liberal world.
Here's your assignment - go read that "article" from a Pittsburg newspaper. And then go read Kim du Toit's "rebuttle" Tell me, what's the difference?
The difference is that Kim doesn't mean it. He put it up as a way of showing just how screwed up that writer is.
The writer, on the other hand, means what he wrote.
Here's your assignment - go read that "article" from a Pittsburg newspaper. And then go read Kim du Toit's "rebuttle" Tell me, what's the difference?
The difference is that Kim doesn't mean it. He put it up as a way of showing just how screwed up that writer is.
The writer, on the other hand, means what he wrote.
More Lies from Dickie Grabadollar
Oh, dear!
Seattle Times
Dickie Lies, Leftists Guzzle.
"The break came in an unlikely location," Clarke wrote, describing Ressam's arrest by customs agents during a "routine screening."
According to a former customs agent who was involved, Clarke's version, laid out in one chapter of his book, wrongly implies they were on "heightened alert" and somehow looking for terrorists.
"No," was the terse reply of Michael Chapman, one of the customs agents who arrested Ressam, when asked if he was aware of a security alert.
"We were on no more alert than we're always on. That is a matter of public record," said Chapman, now a Clallam County commissioner.
A review of the trial testimony of Chapman, Dean and two other U.S. customs agents involved in the arrest turned up no reference to a security alert.
Rather, it supports Chapman's assessment that agents thought Ressam was smuggling drugs when they opened the trunk of his rental car and found bags of white powder buried in the spare-tire well. Only after finding several plastic black boxes, containing watches wired to circuit boards, did anyone suspect a bomb.
Dean has said repeatedly she singled Ressam out for a closer look because he was nervous, fumbling and sweating. Ressam has since told agents he was sick, and federal sources have confirmed Ressam had apparently gotten malaria while at terrorist-training camps in Afghanistan.
Clarke's version of that night contains other errors. Some of them are minor. But one implies national-security officials knew more about Ressam's plans than they could have at the time:
• Clarke wrote that Ressam bolted and left his car on the ferry. In fact, Ressam drove off the ferry and ran when he was stopped for inspection.
• Clarke reported Dean ran after Ressam. Actually, two other agents gave chase.
• More significantly, Clarke wrote that agents had found "explosives and a map of the Los Angeles International Airport" in the car, implying the threat to the airport was known almost immediately.
There was no map in the car. A map of Greater Los Angeles was found days later in Ressam's apartment in Montreal. Nobody had a clue for nearly 11 months that Los Angeles was a target.
Seattle Times
Dickie Lies, Leftists Guzzle.
The Mom in Tennis Shoes
Washington State bloggers will recall that Patty Murray, Dhimmi Donk Senator from Washington, was moved to run for Senate after seeing Alren Specter harangue Anita Hill during the 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Clarence Thomas.
I am wondering if Senator Murray has had any reaction to the similarly disrespectful treatment of black woman Condoleezza Rice by rich white men Bob Kerrey and Richard ben Veniste during the 9-11 hearings last week.
Any word out there?
Mabye one of Senator Murray's consituents would like to pen an open letter to the Senator regarding these similar events.
I am wondering if Senator Murray has had any reaction to the similarly disrespectful treatment of black woman Condoleezza Rice by rich white men Bob Kerrey and Richard ben Veniste during the 9-11 hearings last week.
Any word out there?
Mabye one of Senator Murray's consituents would like to pen an open letter to the Senator regarding these similar events.
Pictures... We got pictures!
Well... Analog Kid does. I still have the rolls to get developed.
That's right, I'm still on 35mm film. If anyone wants to complain, they can either bite my white ass, or buy me a digital camera.
That's right, I'm still on 35mm film. If anyone wants to complain, they can either bite my white ass, or buy me a digital camera.
Now I am convinced.
Text of the 6 Aug 2001 PDB
Having read that, it is now crystal clear that Bush should have
hardened cockpit doors,
profiled swarthy men at airports in Maine,
invaded Afghanistan,
expanded wiretap powers,
executive-ordered the CIA into domestic surveillance,
seized the bank accounts of Saudis in the States, and
planted olive-skinned and dark-haired men at the nation's flight training schools
in those thirtysomething days he had between the 6 Aug PDB and the 11 Sep hijackings.
If he had time left over then he could have then gone after library records of Democratic voters.
Having read that, it is now crystal clear that Bush should have
in those thirtysomething days he had between the 6 Aug PDB and the 11 Sep hijackings.
If he had time left over then he could have then gone after library records of Democratic voters.
This Just In Monday Night
Why can't they list like a week's worth of show times? I'll eventually find out. None the less!!
Next Show Time: Monday April 12, 11:00 PM (ET/PT)
I missed tonight's episode, but from what I've heard, I think it was a new episode (new to me anyway) and as such will probably be repeated any other time they play This Just In the rest of this week. It would be nice to see an episode listing on the official site as well. I've got an email to compose.
Next Show Time: Monday April 12, 11:00 PM (ET/PT)
Next Show Time: Monday April 12, 11:00 PM (ET/PT)
I missed tonight's episode, but from what I've heard, I think it was a new episode (new to me anyway) and as such will probably be repeated any other time they play This Just In the rest of this week. It would be nice to see an episode listing on the official site as well. I've got an email to compose.
Next Show Time: Monday April 12, 11:00 PM (ET/PT)
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Found the website
Behold the M.A.R.S.!!!!!!!!
Although I have to say, although the M.A.R.S. was cool as hell, just meeting Ivan and all the folks there made the trip worth it. Shooting that bad boy was just the gravy on the day.
Although I have to say, although the M.A.R.S. was cool as hell, just meeting Ivan and all the folks there made the trip worth it. Shooting that bad boy was just the gravy on the day.
YEEEEEEEEEEE-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Well, HOT DAMN that was a fun weekend! I got to fire the M.A.R.S. unit, (Multiple Assualt Rifle System), I met some good people, and just had a great time.
The Raging Girlfriend and I headed out at the crack of dawn Saturday, met up with Analog Kid and Mollbot in Issaquaw at around 6:00, had breakfast, and then drove to the Tri-Cities. At this point, I would like to say that AK drove like a bat out of hell, but I can't. Nope. A bat out of hell would look like a sloth on Valium compared to AK. My poor little truck was screaming just to keep up with him. But we made it (in record time) to Benton City where we met Ivan, the man who researched, created, and now demonstrates the M.A.R.S. unit. I hadn't realized it when I was invited, but I guess this is an annual get-together for Ivan, and we were lucky enough to be asked to come. So I met quite a few people, all of them pleasant. There wasn't a bad/nasty/rude person in the group. We set up on Ivan's range ("I bought land so I could walk out my backdoor and shoot!") and settled in to blast some targets.
Ivan hauled out the big guns. And I do mean BIG guns. First there was the AK-47 marketed to the ladies (dusky rose stock and buttstock, rather fetching when paired with a pistol of any kind). Then there was the .50 caliber bolt action rifle. (Ivan's hunting rifle. I guess there's nothing like taking down an elk at over 1000 yards) One gentleman had brought his M1 Garand which he had never fired before. Ivan had a 10 gauge shotgun that he brought out. (And the Raging Girlfriend popped off both barrels at the same time. Heh. She rocks. Literally.) There were various other guns. I brought my 30-06, .22LR, and my .45 pistol. The girlfriend had her .38 Special. Mollbot and AK brought their respective arsenals, and the other folks all had a few guns of their own. Two gentlemen had AR-15's that they had customized a bit. Mollbot had his 30-30 repeating rifle, and was tossing lead downrange all day. Mollbot was also hitting the 125 yard target with his .357 PISTOL. Yow. Do not piss that man off. You will get hurt.
But the M.A.R.S. Ah, yes, the M.A.R.S. It's a modular system designed to hold any kind of Kalishnikov style rifle. AK 47/74. SKS, you name it, with a minimum of effort on your part. The bolts and rods fit into existing holes in the rifles. It's a two rifle setup, and you can hook any number of them together to operate at the same time. We just had the two rifle setup yesterday. It has a crank that can be turned by hand (as we did), or by any kind of mechanical device. Electric drill? No problem. Remote controlled motor? Yep. A cord attached to some other device? Absolutely. You turn the crank, and trigger actuators start hitting the triggers. It'll fire as fast as you can turn the damn crank. We were using 30 round magazines yesterday, but we got to see un-edited video of the M.A.R.S. with two 75 round drums in full on rock-n-roll mode. 150 rounds. 9 seconds. One destroyed car. HOORAH! And spitting out 60 rounds in less than 20 seconds? Priceless. Getting photos of the Raging Girlfriend spitting out 60 rounds in less than 20 seconds? Frigging awesome.
I got quite a few pictures of the people who had a go at this thing. And I think the girlfriend snapped a few pics of me as well. So, we'll be having some pictures once I get them developed.
Oh, and I can't forget the food. It was a potluck style event, so everybody brought something. I brought a case of Dr. Pepper and some fruit, Mollbot brought double chocolate brownies, AK brought prawns. There was chili good enough to make you pass out, cornbread, peach cobbler, ice cream, ohmygoodsuchgoodfood.... We had to sit around burping for half an hour after lunch before we could stagger back to the range. Like I said, good people.
We also pissed off the neighbors a bit, from what I could tell. But that's what they get for building their house next to a firing range. Heheheheheh.
If I get any pictures from other people, I'll put them up. It's time to take a stroll and stretch out my legs.
The Raging Girlfriend and I headed out at the crack of dawn Saturday, met up with Analog Kid and Mollbot in Issaquaw at around 6:00, had breakfast, and then drove to the Tri-Cities. At this point, I would like to say that AK drove like a bat out of hell, but I can't. Nope. A bat out of hell would look like a sloth on Valium compared to AK. My poor little truck was screaming just to keep up with him. But we made it (in record time) to Benton City where we met Ivan, the man who researched, created, and now demonstrates the M.A.R.S. unit. I hadn't realized it when I was invited, but I guess this is an annual get-together for Ivan, and we were lucky enough to be asked to come. So I met quite a few people, all of them pleasant. There wasn't a bad/nasty/rude person in the group. We set up on Ivan's range ("I bought land so I could walk out my backdoor and shoot!") and settled in to blast some targets.
Ivan hauled out the big guns. And I do mean BIG guns. First there was the AK-47 marketed to the ladies (dusky rose stock and buttstock, rather fetching when paired with a pistol of any kind). Then there was the .50 caliber bolt action rifle. (Ivan's hunting rifle. I guess there's nothing like taking down an elk at over 1000 yards) One gentleman had brought his M1 Garand which he had never fired before. Ivan had a 10 gauge shotgun that he brought out. (And the Raging Girlfriend popped off both barrels at the same time. Heh. She rocks. Literally.) There were various other guns. I brought my 30-06, .22LR, and my .45 pistol. The girlfriend had her .38 Special. Mollbot and AK brought their respective arsenals, and the other folks all had a few guns of their own. Two gentlemen had AR-15's that they had customized a bit. Mollbot had his 30-30 repeating rifle, and was tossing lead downrange all day. Mollbot was also hitting the 125 yard target with his .357 PISTOL. Yow. Do not piss that man off. You will get hurt.
But the M.A.R.S. Ah, yes, the M.A.R.S. It's a modular system designed to hold any kind of Kalishnikov style rifle. AK 47/74. SKS, you name it, with a minimum of effort on your part. The bolts and rods fit into existing holes in the rifles. It's a two rifle setup, and you can hook any number of them together to operate at the same time. We just had the two rifle setup yesterday. It has a crank that can be turned by hand (as we did), or by any kind of mechanical device. Electric drill? No problem. Remote controlled motor? Yep. A cord attached to some other device? Absolutely. You turn the crank, and trigger actuators start hitting the triggers. It'll fire as fast as you can turn the damn crank. We were using 30 round magazines yesterday, but we got to see un-edited video of the M.A.R.S. with two 75 round drums in full on rock-n-roll mode. 150 rounds. 9 seconds. One destroyed car. HOORAH! And spitting out 60 rounds in less than 20 seconds? Priceless. Getting photos of the Raging Girlfriend spitting out 60 rounds in less than 20 seconds? Frigging awesome.
I got quite a few pictures of the people who had a go at this thing. And I think the girlfriend snapped a few pics of me as well. So, we'll be having some pictures once I get them developed.
Oh, and I can't forget the food. It was a potluck style event, so everybody brought something. I brought a case of Dr. Pepper and some fruit, Mollbot brought double chocolate brownies, AK brought prawns. There was chili good enough to make you pass out, cornbread, peach cobbler, ice cream, ohmygoodsuchgoodfood.... We had to sit around burping for half an hour after lunch before we could stagger back to the range. Like I said, good people.
We also pissed off the neighbors a bit, from what I could tell. But that's what they get for building their house next to a firing range. Heheheheheh.
If I get any pictures from other people, I'll put them up. It's time to take a stroll and stretch out my legs.
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