Change isn't always for the better...

New Jovian Thunderbolt comments on something posted over at Tam's place.

I know where they're coming from.

When I got into shooting, I was all about the new and uber-tacticool. ARs, HKs, Berettas... all that was "cutting edge". Then, something changed...

Now, the pistol on my hip most often is a Smith 19-5. And I'm looking into an Uberti Schofield copy, that will also be added to the rotation. One of the prizes of my collection is a Winchester 1887 shotgun. And at gun shows, the table of "old things" draws me much more readily than whatever the newfangled gizmo of the day is.

They really DON'T make 'em like they used to. And that's a shame...

I just... wow... a new class of stupid...

So... cruising through Auction Arms, looking at Arisaka's for shits & grins. Found this listing, and thought "not bad". Then I looked more closely at the pics: in fact, this pic:



That would be an Arisaka Type 99, with a full chrysanthemum. You know: the symbol that was supposed to have been removed or defaced before bringing the rifle back from Japan. The crest that, if intact, makes the weapon worth FAR more...

Bubba here needs to have his thumbs removed, before he destroys any more collectibles.

I'm gonna go cry now...

Whatever happened to lil' frilly dresses?

From Malkin, via Rachel.





Wow... nothing like setting thing up to guarantee more business for BACA!

When will folks go back to letting their kids BE kids, instead of miniature versions of their slutty selves? Don't get me wrong: there are some women out there that can pull off the "hooker look" without looking like complete trash: carriage is everything. But there's no way pre-pubescent girls should be wearing stilettos and leather pants!

A few years back, I was working a job doing network cabling in schools. I distinctly remember hearing one middle-school girl telling a friend "If he wants it, he gonna get it!". I also remember thinking "My gawds, what ARE we teaching these kids?"...

We're bombarding kids with the idea that sex is everything, nonstop. What is our society going to look like in 10 years, when these kids hit high school? Worse, what's it going to look like when these girls are voting, and SHAPING society?

What the hell ever happened to the frilly lil' dresses girls used to wear? And what's next: little boys dressed as Carlos the Gigolo, in leather pants and a silk shirt open to his crotch?

"Methadonians"

Ok, try this: type "methadone" into the search function of blogger. Read some of what you find.

Don't worry, I'll still be here. Go. Read.


Ok... got all that?

For those who need it Spoon fed: GuitarGirlRN posted something about a man on methadone, who was stealing stuff out of his ER room. In said post, she called the thief a "methadonian". And she's come under fire for it.

I didn't read ALL the comments, but here are a couple choice ones:

Chava: "Your description of your patient as a "Methadonian" is rude and perpetuates the stigma that patients on methadone have to live with each and every day of their lives"

Anonymous: "Methadone patients do NOT get a high or euphoria off their medication"

Enylear (posted as Anonymous): "And was it an emergency? Yeah, you walk a day in our shoes without a dise and then tell me it wasnt an emergency. It is very much an emergent situation when we arent able to get our prescribed dose. Where do you go for that?"

Just so y'all understand: my roomie Ray is on methadone for chronic back pain (as in, she has a fused fucking spine). I mentioned the term "methadonian" to her, and she giggled at it.

Regarding the "you can't get high": Ray was on a bigger dose at first. Barred from work for a week, while her system adjusted to this new chemical in her system. There were a couple times we caught her sitting there drooling on herself (literally). She cut her dose herself, because she didn't like "being high all the time".

Oh... Enylear? Ray goes without her dose quite often: we'll all be out, and she won't be able to take it (usually because she's forgotten her drugs). It's actually gotten to the point where I'll probably be carrying a couple doses for her. But she doesn't go screaming to the ER. She soldiers the fuck on, until she can get home (given the stuff we do with BACA, that might be a couple days).

Now, I know everyone's different, and reacts to different stimuli in different ways. But this bullshit of of jumping on someone for venting on their own fucking blog is just WAY too far out there.

What's next: someone going to jump me for expressing exasperation at mothers during the preliminary contact call and interview for BACA?

Get a life, people. If you don't like what someone says in their corner of the intarwebz, then don't fucking go there!

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot news...

Via Jay, we get this stunning lil' piece...

Lemmie make sure I understand how this all works out.

Corey Saunders, convicted of charges of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and attempted rape and abuse of a child under 16. He pled guilty and received four years and one day in prison, with a 12 year probation on top of that.

He served his time, and was released. The release was against the advice of three different psychologists.

Well, Corey ended up finding a six-year-old boy in the public library of New Bedfor MA. The boy's mother was working at a computer less than 10 feet away, thinking her child was safe in the children's reading room.

She was wrong.

Corey had his way with the child, finishing the act before suspicions were aroused (although a librarian took note of him). When the child told what had happened, Corey was arrested quickly.

The result of this is the proposed legislation, to enact "child safety zones"?

Yeah... THAT'S gonna work. Just like "Gun Free" zones, and "Drug Free" zones


We wonder why we have such a severe problem with crime in this country. Sear the facts of this case into your mind, and see if you can figure out why this would be the case.

Infernal Revenue Service

Crystal's post here reminded me of some fun I had with IRS, and I figured I'd tell the story here...

MANY years ago, I got a notice from them stating I owed some ungawdly amount. Also listed me as having certain assets that I knew weren't mine, but dad's. So I call the handy helpline they provide...

First off, they REALLY need to outsource to India. Seriously, I have an easier time understanding the helpdesk folks there than the IRS people.

Anyway, I get to spend a DELIGHTFUL couple hours on the phone with this woman, patiently explaining that, while I AM "BACA Strings", it's "BACA H Strings", not "BACA T Strings" (dad's name). It literally took a couple hours to pound that concept through the woman's head. Finally, she understood...

IRS Drone: "Ok... so you're saying that this debt is your father's?"

Me: "YES!!!"

ID: "Oh... ok. So... when can you make payment on the debt?"

Me: "What? You expect me to pay my father's tax debt?"

ID: "Well... you have to"

Me: "And if I don't?"

ID: "We put a lien against your assets"

Me: "Tell you what: start the procedure to put a lien against MY assets for a debt owed by somebody else. I'm sure my lawyer would enjoy that: he hasn't tasted any IRS ass in ages"

Things went downhill from there. Finally ended up talking to a manager, making it ABUNDANTLY clear that, any action taken against me for a debt owed by someone else would result in lawyers, congressmen, and the media being contacted in a full-court press. He got the rather subtle hint...

Then I went over to the house, and threw a snowball at dad. HE could've spent the time on the phone clearing this up, instead of foisting it on me!

Have you actually studied your religion?

You know, I once had a conversation with someone convinced that Christ was "Christian". No matter WHAT I said, this person was adamant that Jesus Christ fllowed the teachings of that great man, ummm... Jesus Christ. Because Christianity was the oldest religion on Earth, don't ya know. I thought that ignorance was the ultimate in bliss.

I was wrong.

Via LabRat at Atomic Nerds, get this clip:



My gawds... how does this woman come up with this?I assume she's a Christian herself: did she NOT study her Bible any better than an irritated Satanist with an agenda?

This is the problem with WAY to many "religious folks": they don't actually study what they're claiming to practice.

Here's a newsflash for anyone that didn't know: Jesus was a Jew living in the Mid East many centuries after the Greeks had their heyday. Yes, he was a Jew: in fact, he was a Rabbi. And there was a LOT of history that predated his birth (hence the whole "BC" thing).

I'm frelling WICCAN, and I know these things. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over?

A Call to Action

Ok... I know the three of you like AD and all. He's been writing a novel, and publishing it a chapter at a time. Unfortunately, he posted the last one on 27 October.

I know he's a busy man, but this just ain't nice. He's got LOADS of us just hanging there!

So... I'd like to make a modest proposal. We need to find a pink gorilla (a suit would be perfect, but a small stuffed animal would work fine). Then someone needs to get an address on AD, and get the thing delivered (with a card signed "From the fans of Star of Life").

What do y'all think? Might he get the message? >:)

Continuing to take inspiration from others...

... I came across this post by Babs last night. Go read it: it's something everyone should pay attention to.

Remember: just because you read a lil' bit on someone's blog, does NOT give you the authority to make judgement calls on their life. That someone would feel the need to critique Babs' parenting skills or style, knowing nothing more than what they've read on her blog, frankly disgusts me...

I've read her son's blog: his not being n my blogroll has been an oversight (fixing that now). If what he's shown there is any indication of the job Babs has done, then I can only wish more parents were like her.

People may lead different lifestyles, or have different ways of doing things, different beliefs, different goals and expectations. Just because somebody is different from you, doesn't mean you should start preaching your "One True Way" at them...

It's been a long two weeks...

Yeah... i know, I've been remiss in posting new stuff for the three of you to read. Feel free to sue: my lawyer can beat up your lawyer anytime.

First off... my Chapter had to pull off a case. Nothing more I can really say there, beyond it absolutely SUCKS to know that an innocent is being hurt, and there's nothing you can do. I really can't think of anything I hate more than this feeling...

Then, we got word that spoon' uncle ("Honda Bob", if there's anyone reading this in Appleton) died in a cycle accident. Some guy looking for an address blew a light, and there went Uncle Bob: DRT. Funeral was today: I'm getting REALLY tired of only seeing family at funerals, weddings, and other mournful occasions... :(

Last night, I got an email: I've been promoted to State Rep in BACA. Didn't even know I was in the running. I'm not ready for that much responsibility (that, and it means I don't get to attend training sessions at National, or goof off with my bros: I HAVE to be in the BoD meeting).

With all that, I needed to get out for a bit: stopped in at one of my favorite watering holes, ordered my Coke, and was relaxing when some Cute Young Thang decided I was a prime target for her affections, and was NOT gonna back off (one of my would-be members finally got her to calm down. I think he warned her I was likely to cauterize what she wanted played with if she kept up her BS)...

Can somebody just shoot me already? AD, Matt, LawDog... SOMEBODY?!?!?

News of the Bad and Ugly

Sorry 'bout the delay in posting stuff: been a LOT going on lately...

First off: found kinda a job. And promptly got sick, thereby loosing said kinda job. Hoping to start a new job doing actual work (and actually getting paid) sometime next week...

We also had a call-out for a BACA child, and got to spend a week out of town. NOT my idea of a good time, but I don't get to make these decisions. Thought we would be getting one of our kids out of a bad situation, and found out it wasn't gonna happen. Wasted the entire weekend (as well as had much drama along the way) NOT my prefered way of spending time. But I guess we gots to deal with what life gives us...

Hope y'all are doin' well. Been tryin' to catch up on my reading, and I'll be trying to post a bit more soon.

Just can't come up with snark on this...

Me, I'm all about making your own life choices, and to hell with society's opinion. Gay, and want to marry your boyfriend? Go for it. Polyamorous? S'long's everybody involved is there of their own free will, rock on! Want to own a gun, or use drugs, have tattoos or body piercings? Your choice!

In short, so long as

a- everyone involved is an adult
b- you're not actively hurting anyone

Then whatever you wish to do is your business.

Unfortunately, there've been a few folks making comments on this family... which honestly pisses me off.

Now, I'm not talking about foks that say "Wow... 17 kids. Damn!". I'm talking about those who feel they have some right to snark about a family that's obviously happy, that isn't on the public dole, with kids that seem to be fairly well adjusted.

Get over yourselves, people: you aren't paying their bills, or watching their kids, or anything else. These folks made their choice (lots of kids), and it's certainly their right to do so. Open you trap if they ever start receiving aid...

We're not as trustworthy...

So... had an interesting lil' conversation at trap today, while waiting for the rest of my squad to show.

Got on the subject of concealed carry with one of the other shooters, and got the brilliant statement of "Yeah... a few years ago, I was all for it. Now, no way!". The exchange went something like this:

Me: "So... why not?"

Fellow Shooter: "Honestly... I now know too many crazy people! Wouldn't trust any of 'em with a gun!"

M: "Ok... so, because YOU know too many people, *I* shouldn't be allowed to defend myself or my family?"

FS: "Hey... don't do stupid stuff, you won't have a problem!"

M: "What about the other 48 states that have CCW? Are they just more trustworthy?"

FS: "No... we're just smarter! And most folks don't need to have a gun to defend themselves."

M: "Huh... *point at Spoon's backpatch* see that patch? That means we help abused kids. Are you saying my wife shouldn't be able to defend herself against an abuser we've crossed?"

FS: "Like I said: don't do stupid stuff!"

M: *BANGHEAD*

This is the kind of attitude we get here in the land of Cheese towords armed self defense. And y'all wonder why nobody outside of law enforcement (and those who ignore the law) can carry here?

07/07/07

Well... took Spoon out for her birthday: she wanted to see Transformers. She's been saying all night "it was more than met the eye"...

Not a bad flick: the CGI was, of course, awesome. The plot wasn't too shaby, and the acting didn't make me want to strangle anyone (meaning it was better than most of the movies we've seen lately)...

Stopped at Bitchin' Kitchen afterwards, to visit one of the roomies at work. Went to leave, and found out the battery on the 'Wing was dead (one of the terminals actually broke off). There goes another $40 for a new battery (gawds, but I can't WAIT to replace that POS)...

But hey: Spoon had fun for her birthday. That's the important thing, right?

WHAT is wrong with people?!?!

From Dragonwatch:

We've all (I think) heard about the ginormous feral hog that a young man down in one of our southern states shot recently. Great story, took what appears to be a world-record feral hog with a Smith .500 (and maybe, should brought more gun: took three hours to finally put the ol' boy down. Goes to show: nothing handheld is a reliable stopper)...

Now personally, I don't hunt: not anti-hunting, just not my cuppa. But take a gander at the negative comments section of their website: man, some of these folks are downright NASTY, especially since the target of their venom is an 11 year old boy!

Wow... I wish *I* was man enough to curse out a pre-pubescent child on the internet, where there's no chance of repercussions...

Sheesh... as if things weren't bad enough!

Spend the day cleaning, and the evening tearing apart the front brake cylinder on the 'Potomus. Come inside to relax, eat a big bowl of ramen, and read some bloggy goodness. And what do I find on Tam's site (via alpheca)? This little bit of hippocracy...

Now, I've had conversations with lots of police over the years. And there are a LOT of good police out there. But thing like this make me wonder if they live in the same world as I do, when they ask "why is there an 'us vs them' attitude?"

I wonder if the posters to that forum honestly expect to have any amount of respect from the general public?

*sigh*

'Course, it makes me appreciate the cops we have here at home a lil' bit more...

Cruel and Unusual?

Via CNN:

(AP) -- The drugs used to execute prisoners in the United States sometimes fail to work as planned, causing slow and painful deaths that probably violate constitutional bans on cruel and unusual punishment, a new medical review of dozens of executions concludes... (the rest of the article)

Ok... call me a neanderthal, but my give-a-damn is busted on this one. You're found guilty of a heinous crime (which are about the only ones they execute for anymore), suck sustenance for years off the taxpayer teat while you mount endless appeals, and I'm supposed to feel bad that you might still be conscious while your body shuts down via lethal injection?

Sorry folks: I took my give-a-damn in when it first broke years ago, and it was just too frelling expensive to fix.

weathermen. Meh!

So... went to Milwaukee, to deliver some things Squeeker forgot last time she was here, and hoping to sell some fund-raiser books for our BACA Chapter. Just before leaving, the weatherman says "severe winter storm warning"...

Wow... we had a lil' bit of rain, couple places where there was an inch or so of snow on the road, and that's it. Ma Nature better dump a couple feet on us soon, or I'm gonna be REALLY disappointed...