Monday, March 18, 2024

Back Hone

 We successfully navigated the Houston Metropolitan Statistical Ara (MSA).  Like most of the rest of the traveling South, we roared into Houston on Thursday and immediately upon getting into the downtown area, noticed that the traffic slowed to 2mph. Houston is the 5th largest metro area in the US, and the lack of planning shows.  Why anyone would think that it is a good idea to put an interstate highway through the downtown area of any town is a mystery.

Back in the day, Texas tried to make a loop around the Houston metro.  The old FM 1960 was a good attempt that was soon overtaken by commerce.  Then Texas DOT decided that adding lanes was a good idea, as opposed to going out of town and building a new road that would take the interstate traffic around the metro area. That decision invariably led to the situation we have today, where two interstates come together in the shadow of the skyscrapers and a third freeway takes you toward the rapidly growing bedroom communities toward the southwest. In fact, Houston traffic is a damnable nightmare.

They are making the same mistake between Winnie and Beaumont to the east. Adding lanes simply creates construction zones, and I know for a fact that they have been working on I-10 through Beaumont for at least the last five years. They cannot add lanes fast enough, They should abandon the attempt. Eternal construction zones are not the answer.

This is not so much to get "down" on Texas DOT. They seem to spend a lot of money on roads, and they do tend to mitigate their disasters. When you cross the Sabine River into Louisiana you can see the result of a series of unmitigated disasters Don't get me started on the bridge in Lake CHarles, or the I-10/I-12/Airline Highway debacle in downtown Baton Rouge.

Quit building interstates through netro areas.  Build then around metro areas.

Friday, March 15, 2024

Texas

 The club arrived i Texas last ight and came out swinging at the bracket match.   One of our shooters won the Master Gunfighter bracket.  Another of our shooters took first place i the Sheriff's bracket.  I'm proud of both of them, ad they will have a chace to excel again tomorrow when we start the main match.  The Friday matches are generally considered a warmpip for the main match, which begins tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

TicTok?

 The big news today is that the US House passed a bill requiring the Chinese overlords who run  TikTok to divest their US holdings or be banned in this country.   The bill is going nowhere in the Senate and Biden won't sign it, so that's that. The bill is going nowhere.

We all know that social media is a festering hell hole, but it has a few good uses.  I get most of my entertainment and news from YouTube.  I use Facebbook to keep up with the goings-on at the church and to keep track of my Fast Draw friends.

I have never used TikTok, nor Twitter (Now X).  But, I know that being an "influencer" is a thing now, and some of it provides a pretty good living to some folks.  One of these days we might decide that social media is more of a liability than an asset, and the market will decide.

Congress really needs to stay out of this argument.  There is that whole 1st Amendment thing, and I'll fall on the side of fee speech before I fall on the side of government regulation. Let Freedom Ring

Texas

 One of the major competitions in Cowboy Fast Draw each year is the Texas State Championship.  Texas State was the first completion that Belle and I ever attended, back in 2016.  It's time for Texas State again, and Belle and I are headed to Texas tomorrow.  This year it will be held at the George Ranch Historic Park in Richmond, TX, just outside of Houston.

The shoot will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, drawing some of the best shooters in the country.  Our local club will be well represented, with seven (7) shooters in attendance.  

If you happen to be in the Houston area this weekend, come on out to the George Ranch and see what Cowboy Fast Draw is all about.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

We Voted

 Louisiana's presidential primary is March 23d, but Belle and I will be otherwise engaged, so we decided to vote today. Louisiana has in-person early voting which we find very convenient, so when we were in town today running errands, we went by the poll.

Ten minutes, easy-peasy, we were done.

I was surprised how many folks were on the ballot for the Republican nomination.  There are lots of names that I had never heard of, and only one who stood a snowball's chance. We checked the lever for Trump and got out of there.

Red Beans and Rice is on the menu for today.  I put them on last night, and they are bubbling happily in the Crock pot.  In another hour I'll put on a pot of rice, while Belle makes a cornbread.

Monday, March 11, 2024

Chimichangas

 I'm sure that they are called other things in other places, but around here we call then chimichangas.  Basically, a fried burrito, they give you a little opportunity to put some Tex-Mex on your plate.  Belle knew that we had some shrimp in the freezer, and she wanted chimichangas, so I went to the store, bought some tortillas and queso blanco velveeta, and beat it back to the house.

I de-headed those shrimp, then peeled them and put them in a bowl with some taco seasoning.  Got my veggies going, onions and sweet peppers, along with some smoked paprika and some ground chipotle pepper.  While that was simmering, I grated a block of pepper jack cheese, then added the shrimp to the veggies to heat.

Then, I took a tortilla, added the shredded pepper jack and a healthy portion of shrimp and veggies.  Rolled it like a burrito and secured it with toothpicks.  Set aside, rinse, lather, repeat.  Till the totillas were gone.  Then, I heated oil in a Dutch oven.


While I was waiting for the oil to come up to temp, Belle took that velveeta, put some in a small bowl and ran it in the microwave to melt.  Then she added some diced jalapenos to give it a little bite.

When the oil got to 350, I gingerly dropped the chimichangas into the hot oil, just long enough for the tortilla to crisp and take on a nice golden brown.

If you want a video tutorial, Cowboy Kent gives all the tricks of the trade.

A buddy dropped by aboug lunch time, and he said they were pretty damned fine.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Ordering Optics

 Hunting season is by-and-large over for most of the US.  The fish are biting, and it seems that some stores are running sales on scopes.  It's a good time to buy.

This morning, between checking the various parts of the Sunday meal (pulled pork and potato salad), I got online and started looking for a deal on a scope.  The Clackamore Mauser needs glass.  Sure enough, I found a deal at MidwayUSA and ordered an optic. It will be here in about 10 days and we will get it mounted and set up for grandson in time for him to get comfortable with it before next deer season.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check on the pork, and put a couple of eggs on to boil for the potato salad.

Thursday, March 07, 2024

TTAG, Please

 The Truth About Guns is running a story that Louisiana is becoming the 28th state to recognize permitless carry of firearms.  That is only partially true.

It is true that our legislature recently passed a bill negating the need for a permit to carry a concealed firearm.  It has been signed and will become effective on July 4, 2024.  Persons who wish to have a permit can still apply for one, but there is no legal requirement to have one in the state.

This is a win for the "constitutional carry" folks, but the truth is that Louisiana has never required a permit to carry a gun. We are one of a very few states where open carry has always been legal. Since the state joined the Union in 1803, open carry has been legal in Louisiana.  And, it has never really been a problem.

When I would read about other states where open carry was not legal, I would wonder how they hunted? It's hard to conceal a Browning A5, or a Remington 700.


Frying Eggs

 Taking a break after lunch (baby back ribs and potato salad, btw), I sat down at the computer to watch a few short videos and algorithm put me on some videos on frying eggs.

Really?  There are people mystified about how to fry and egg? I learned to fry eggs the minute after I learned to fry bacon.  Probably at age nine or ten. A hot pan, steel or cast iron, a little oil, and crack an egg into the hot oil. Leave it alone for a bit, it's fine.  When the egg is mostly done, turn it over, or not. Either way.

Seriously, do that many people have trouble cooking an egg?

The Wheel of Justice

 It's an old lawyers meme.  "The wheel of Justice grinds exceedingly show, but it grinds exceedingly fine."

Well, it seems that the Alec Baldwin moment that led to the death of producer Halyna Hutchins is still rumbling around the courts.  And, we learn today that the armorer has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in that case.

A jury convicted Gutierrez-Reed, 26, after three hours of deliberation, finding she was ultimately responsible for the live rounds on set, one of which killed Hutchins when it was fired from a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin during a rehearsal. 

We talked about this several years ago, and my mind hasn't changed.  The question that remains is if the wheel of justice will grind on Mr. Baldwin himself?