Greatest bartender in the world, she worked at the Fiddler's Green, the junior officer bar at Knox. Kim was a slight, Korean woman. She always wore tasteful clothing, and her bartender skills were legendary. She know what everyone in the room was drinking. And, trust me, Cavalry and Armor officers are exuberant drinkers. Three hundred fools in her bar, and she knew what ever one of them was drinking.
One night in 81 I came in after three days in the field, teaching Guard soldiers tank gunnery.. I was parched, I was tired, and Kim was ready to serve. Normally, I drank bourbon, but i told her I was ready to switch horses. I wanted something different. And I was hungry.
Kim looked at me with her inscrutable Asian eyes. "You wanna vodka tonic, and a Ruben sandwich". It wasn't a question, it was a statement of fact.
I trusted Kim. She had been taking care of junior officers for many years. "Okay", I told her. "Vodka tonic and a Ruben sandwich."
I came back to Knox in '86 for the career course. When I walked into the bar, Kim looked at me, her eyes narrowed, and she asked "You drinking bourbon, or you want vodka tonic?" Five years I had not been in her bar, yet she knew what to ask.
I hope she's retired now, living happily with grandkids all around her. She was a great bartender.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Mallard Hen
A mallard hen, playing in a mud puddle in the yard. She had a whole lake to roam in, but she's rather be in this little puddle between the shop and the house.
Go figure. There's no telling what goes on in that mallard's mind.
Monday, June 18, 2018
About Parole Conditions
Speaking about the goblin in Trenton, Daave says:
In Louisiana, for example, the parole conditions say in part:
The parolee would always be sent back on my violation, but I never once had a DA file new charges based on my report. It seemed like it would be a pretty easy slam-dunk, but no DA ever took the bait. Go figure.
And the room temperature bad guy had been paroled even though he had committed, and been convicted of, a separate felony while in prison.Speaking as a 20-year parole officer, it's hard to know the thinking of a parole board. They are often motivated by things that we on the street don't consider. But, on every parole certificate I've ever seen, there is a prohibition on firearms.
In Louisiana, for example, the parole conditions say in part:
5. I shall not have in my possession or control any firearms or dangerous weapons.Over the course of my career, I arrested a lot of goblins for firearms possession. I'd arrest immediately on a violation of parole, then refer the offense to the District Attorney to see if he wanted to press new charges for Poss Firearm by Convicted Felon.
The parolee would always be sent back on my violation, but I never once had a DA file new charges based on my report. It seemed like it would be a pretty easy slam-dunk, but no DA ever took the bait. Go figure.
Space Force?
Numerous sources are reporting that President Trump has directed the Pentagon to begin organizing a Space Force. Yeah, really.
If the Army does land warfare, and the Navy does sea warfare, and the Air Force does aerial warfare, Space Force will do vacuum warfare. Wow! Talk about embracing the suck.
If the Army does land warfare, and the Navy does sea warfare, and the Air Force does aerial warfare, Space Force will do vacuum warfare. Wow! Talk about embracing the suck.
Shooting in Trenton
It seems that over the weekend, there was a mass shooting in Trenton, NJ. You probably won't hear about it from the mainstream media. It doesn't fit the narrative.
It seems that there was an art and music festival, and some gang-bangers had a beef with each other. The main shooter (who is now room temperature) was a parolee, who had spent time in prison for murder. The police knew that trouble was brewing, and was trying to close the event when the shooting started.
One dead, 22 injured.
This wasn't some deranged white guy with a rifle, this was gang violence with handguns. It is probably the most common violence (except maybe domestic violence) that large cities have to deal with. Bad guys with guns show up at a place where people gather to celebrate.
One dead, 22 injured, but don't expect to see politicians lining up to do interviews. Don't expect to see high-school kids calling for new laws. Don't expect to see senators holding committee meetings.
It doesn't outrage them, and it certainly isn't news-worthy.
The hypocrisy is galling.
It seems that there was an art and music festival, and some gang-bangers had a beef with each other. The main shooter (who is now room temperature) was a parolee, who had spent time in prison for murder. The police knew that trouble was brewing, and was trying to close the event when the shooting started.
One dead, 22 injured.
This wasn't some deranged white guy with a rifle, this was gang violence with handguns. It is probably the most common violence (except maybe domestic violence) that large cities have to deal with. Bad guys with guns show up at a place where people gather to celebrate.
One dead, 22 injured, but don't expect to see politicians lining up to do interviews. Don't expect to see high-school kids calling for new laws. Don't expect to see senators holding committee meetings.
It doesn't outrage them, and it certainly isn't news-worthy.
The hypocrisy is galling.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Sunday Aftrnoon
It's Father's Day, the kids have come and gone and I'm nursing a vodka-tonic. Listening to music onn YouTube. Damned if I didn't come across and EmmyLou Harris song that is a Cajun waltz. Anytime you combine a waltz beat, with accordion, mandolin, and fiddle, it's Cajun music.
Happy Father's Day, y'all.
Happy Father's Day, y'all.
Saturday, June 16, 2018
Friday, June 15, 2018
The Dardick
The Dardick was an interesting little gun that used something called trounds, which were triangular ammunition. It was a space-age invention of the '60s. Here's an NRA video about it.
For a deeper analysis, there are several YouTube videos online. For example.
We were promised a lot of neat things in the '60s that never seemed to make it to market. The Dardick and the Gyrojet were two that did make it to market.
I'm still waiting for my flying car. The 21st century is pretty much a disappointment.
For a deeper analysis, there are several YouTube videos online. For example.
We were promised a lot of neat things in the '60s that never seemed to make it to market. The Dardick and the Gyrojet were two that did make it to market.
I'm still waiting for my flying car. The 21st century is pretty much a disappointment.
The Cimarron SA Frontier
Last June, casting about for a nice little club revolver, I happened upon the Cimarron El Malo. It's a very nice little revolver, and I talked about it here. What impressed me about the El Malo was that it was very smooth, right out of the box. Very smooth. It balanced well, and I showed it to some of my club members who were looking for revolvers. They liked it, especially the price point, which was less than other suitable revolvers.
But, in March, the CFDA made the revolver illegal to use in sanctioned competitions, simply because the El Malo has an octagonal barrel. The rules are the rules, and the octagonal barrel was banned on Colt clones, because we are unable to find any Colt revolver of the period that was manufactured with an octagonal barrel. Hence, they are not "faithful reproductions" for purposes of CFDA sanctioned competition.
I put a call to Cimarron, and asked if they made a revolver revolver identical to the El Malo, but with a round barrel. The rep at Cimarron told me that they did have such a revolver, the PP410, that they market as the SA Frontier. But, he told me, they were out-of-stock, and until they had sufficient orders, they wouldn't b making any. I admit that I was perplexed, because the El Malo is mad by Pitta, and in fact, I wasn't aware that Cimarron made any firearms.
Still, I've been checking my go-to firearms dealer for the Cimarron PP410. It's legal for comptetion, and while I fight the rules about octagon barrels on 1873 clones, it would be nice to have a leal revolver for my club members to evaluate. My go-to dealer is grabagun.com and I"ve been checking them for the Cimarron PP410, which they tell me is the El Malo with a round barrel. Lo and behold, they finally have them in stock, so I ordered two of them as club guns.
Hopefully, they'll be in next week, and I can show them to the club members who like the El Malo.
But, in March, the CFDA made the revolver illegal to use in sanctioned competitions, simply because the El Malo has an octagonal barrel. The rules are the rules, and the octagonal barrel was banned on Colt clones, because we are unable to find any Colt revolver of the period that was manufactured with an octagonal barrel. Hence, they are not "faithful reproductions" for purposes of CFDA sanctioned competition.
I put a call to Cimarron, and asked if they made a revolver revolver identical to the El Malo, but with a round barrel. The rep at Cimarron told me that they did have such a revolver, the PP410, that they market as the SA Frontier. But, he told me, they were out-of-stock, and until they had sufficient orders, they wouldn't b making any. I admit that I was perplexed, because the El Malo is mad by Pitta, and in fact, I wasn't aware that Cimarron made any firearms.
Still, I've been checking my go-to firearms dealer for the Cimarron PP410. It's legal for comptetion, and while I fight the rules about octagon barrels on 1873 clones, it would be nice to have a leal revolver for my club members to evaluate. My go-to dealer is grabagun.com and I"ve been checking them for the Cimarron PP410, which they tell me is the El Malo with a round barrel. Lo and behold, they finally have them in stock, so I ordered two of them as club guns.
Hopefully, they'll be in next week, and I can show them to the club members who like the El Malo.
Four Hours
Zach and I mowed the lawn this morning then headed to the lumber yard. After buying materials, we spent four hours installing a roof on the project bathroom. I feel like we made good progress and we're taking the rest of the day off. Tomorrow, we have to find the water line (I've got a pretty good idea where it is), and that's going to require shovel work. While we're digging, we might as well expose the sewer line so we'll know what we are dealing with.
Projects like this are daunting, because in a bathroom, you have to have incoming water, sewerage, electrical all installed before you can start putting up interior walls. To the un-educated observer, it looks like you're spending a lot of time spinning your wheels.
Projects like this are daunting, because in a bathroom, you have to have incoming water, sewerage, electrical all installed before you can start putting up interior walls. To the un-educated observer, it looks like you're spending a lot of time spinning your wheels.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
The Gyrojet
A short lived artifact from the early 1960s. The Gyrojet was an attempt to make a small, handheld rocket launcher.
I remember seeing these things for sale in magazines.
I remember seeing these things for sale in magazines.
Pride Month
It's Pride Month. - Who knew? I certainly didn't before I read an article about the CEO of Twitter being harangued about eating at Chick-Fil-A.
Buffalo Wild Wings, for example, has a no-gun policy. I've never eaten in one, not so much for the politics, but because I make very good chicken wings at home. And, the one BWW store in this area is all the way across town. It's simply easier to cook them myself. It ain't hard.
I've been a customer of Pregressive Insurance for years. Not because of their politics, but because they've always treated me right.
But, hey! If you want to boycott a company because you don't like their politics, it's a (mostly) free country
"You must love the taste of bigotry!" one person wrote in response.
"Why is Twitter boosting a notoriously anti-gay company during #PrideMonth?" another person wrote.It's no secret that Chick-Fil-A is a Christian company that espouses traditional Christian values. They also make excellent chicken. I've eaten at Chick-Fil-A, when it was convenient. Not for the politics, but because of the chicken. Not every purchase has to be a political decision.
Buffalo Wild Wings, for example, has a no-gun policy. I've never eaten in one, not so much for the politics, but because I make very good chicken wings at home. And, the one BWW store in this area is all the way across town. It's simply easier to cook them myself. It ain't hard.
I've been a customer of Pregressive Insurance for years. Not because of their politics, but because they've always treated me right.
But, hey! If you want to boycott a company because you don't like their politics, it's a (mostly) free country
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Golden Buzzer
I don't know if you watch America's Got Talent, but it's a fun show, and I normally catch it on YouTube.
I'm also, like most of my generation, a Janis Joplin fan, and recently a little gal came on that reminds me of Joplin.
That was quite a performance.
I'm also, like most of my generation, a Janis Joplin fan, and recently a little gal came on that reminds me of Joplin.
That was quite a performance.
More Tomatos
We still have fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes, and I"ll be darned if I'm going to let them spoil.
Good, thick cut Wright's bacon with fresh tomatoes on fresh light bread. It doesn't get any better than that. Put lettuce on it if you must, but I'll take mine as bacon and tomato.
Good, thick cut Wright's bacon with fresh tomatoes on fresh light bread. It doesn't get any better than that. Put lettuce on it if you must, but I'll take mine as bacon and tomato.
Wait... Wut? End Chivalry?
One male feminist in the news is... wait,... what? A male feminist?
As a corollary to that idea, I try to extend that courtesy to all women. I'll hold the door, I'll stand aside to let them pass, and I'll be as courteous as I can be. That's what men do, or should do. Strong, capable, independent women (such as the ones who fill my world), don't need the door held for them, but they've earned the right to be cherished. Simple courtesy is never demeaning.
I would remind the reader that chivalry is a cultural system that requires standards of conduct for both men and women.
…the idea that women should be cherished and put on pedestals fosters what’s known as benevolent sexism, which subtly demeans women as fragile and less competent. It reinforces a sexual script in which a man takes charge while a woman remains passive.He doesn't know any real women, evidently. Strong, independent, capable women who deserve to be cherished. Women who understand the difference between men (real men) and the women they love. I try every day to show my lady that she is cherished; the center of my world.
As a corollary to that idea, I try to extend that courtesy to all women. I'll hold the door, I'll stand aside to let them pass, and I'll be as courteous as I can be. That's what men do, or should do. Strong, capable, independent women (such as the ones who fill my world), don't need the door held for them, but they've earned the right to be cherished. Simple courtesy is never demeaning.
I would remind the reader that chivalry is a cultural system that requires standards of conduct for both men and women.
Great Photo
Great photo of a soldier firing an AT4.
The AT4 is a light, anti-armor weapon designed and manufactured by BOFORS of Sweden.
It's a single-use weapon packaged and distributed as one issue of ammunition. Once it is fired, the launcher is discarded. It is intended to give light infantry an anti-armor punch, and I'm sure that it is useful against other hardened structures, like bunkers and buildings.
Great photo!
The AT4 is a light, anti-armor weapon designed and manufactured by BOFORS of Sweden.
It's a single-use weapon packaged and distributed as one issue of ammunition. Once it is fired, the launcher is discarded. It is intended to give light infantry an anti-armor punch, and I'm sure that it is useful against other hardened structures, like bunkers and buildings.
Great photo!
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