Where's Joe?

I'm watching the nonsense in the Congress right now, trying to avert a government shutdown.  Speaker Mike Johnson is running the negotiations, but Donald Trump and Elon Musk are weighing in, as is the right of every citizen.  The arguments and positions of Trump and Musk certainly have weight, but we must not forget how we got here.

Joe Biden is still the president. The Democrats could have done something about that at any time in the past four years, but they waited until mid-June before staging a half-assed cop that nocked Joe out of the race. They could have invoked the 25thAmendment, but they didn't.  Joe is still the President, and Joe is in chare.  He will be in charge until Trump takes over in January.

Joe Biden is in charge, along with Chuck Schumer, and ... dare I say it.... Kamala Harris.  The Democrats could still administer a political coup de grace and put Kamala in charge, but for reasons of their own, they still let Joe's had stay on the rudder.

Joe Biden is in charge, and it is no one's fault but the Democrats.

Trip Around The Sun - Martina Mcbride Jimmy Buffett

It seems to be that time of year.  I have made another trip around the sun.

If my math is correct, this makes 71. I can't hardly wait to see what happens next.

Thursday Notes

 I found a notice from Blogger that a pervious post has been deleted because I violated the Community Guidelines.  Sorry abut that.  I had no idea.  I reviewed the post, and cannot imagine what the problem was, ecept that we talked about a particular gun that may or may not have been used in a particular crime.

Coming home from an appointment this morning, I saw my very first Tesla pickup truck.  It's an odd looking beast, very distinctive.  I don't believe I'll be in the market for one. I prefer my vehicles to be more subdued.

I'm sipping hot chocolate because the weather demand it.  Cool and clammy in the mid 40s, it seems colder than the thermometer registers.  This is the cold that gets down in your bones.

Odd

 Suddenly, certainly in the past month, I have begun getting text messages from the transportation department at our local School Board.  Messages about buses running, or alternate routes.  I worked at the School Board for six years and never got a text message, but now five years after retiring, they are blowing my phone up.

I have to be on that side of town tomorrow, and I might drop by and get my number taken off the list.

Or, I might not.  I haven't made up my mind yet.  Not that I care if Ms. Vercher's bus is running tomorrow, but I know that my phone works.

In other news, I tried my hand at making Chex mix today.  It's okay, and certainly as good as the store-bought stuff, but I don't have my recipe nailed yet. I started the seasoning with one stick of melted butter, with one tablespoon each of Worcestershire, Tabasco, and garlic powder. I'm thinking red pepper flakes, but I want to proceed with caution.

Underwhelmed

Another video on the new Ruger RXM, this one from Colion Noir.  He seems underwhelmed with the pistol, which is refreshing.  Everything does not have to be the latest and greatest.   Sometimes a good thing is just a good thing, without having to make a statement.

It drives me crazy when a manufacturer changes a product just because they feel a desire to change.  If it works, it works, and there is no reason to change it.  I'm not one to tell someone else what they need, or don't need.  Freedom is fun, but there are certain items that have always baffled me in the firearms industry.  For example, the forward assist on the AR platform.  I started with that platform in 1973 when my Uncle Sam handed me one.  Never used the forward assist.  Likewise, a flared magazine well on a 1911.

As an acolyte of Jeff Cooper, I long considered the 1911 the finest fighting pistol ever devised.  Over the years my stance has softened, and I considered the Glock 19 on par with the 1911.  But, Glock keeps improving teir pistols and we're into what... Gen 5 now?

Sometimes, Good enough is simply perfect.

Ruger RXM

 Evidently, Ruger just ginned up a shit-storm with their new Ruger RXM pistol.  From all accounts, it is made in collaboration with Magpul and is virtually a direct clone of the Glock 19.  Patents expire, and Gaston is rolling in his grave.

Street prices are under $400.00.  From what I understand, Magpul is making stuff for this pistol and it should be very weel supported.  I admit that I am tempted.  I've been thinking about a new carry pistol and this one might make the cut.

My younger son, who is a cop in New Mexico, bumped me about this pistol today.  I admit that I am both amused and intrigued.  I've never been a Glock fan-boy, but I do own several Ruggers.  Generally, I like Ruger firearms.  I'm a fan of the Ruger Model 77, and of course, the Blackhawks and Super Blackhawk, and the Vaquero series.  My daughter takes deer with a Ruger American that she adores.  And, my younger son has a Ruger #1 that he hunts with.

My very first centerfire handgun was a Ruger Security Six that I carried until I got my Model 66.  The one Ruger handgun that I don't like much is a little Ruger LCP that has been problematic at best.  But I don't maintain it, and I don't shoot it much.

I may have to look more closely at this new Ruger offering.

Drones Over New Jersey - National Security Threat?

I've learned to trust this guy to give us the straight answers when he has the answers, and here he talks about the drone problem.

Airspace

 We talked earlier this week about the drone problem in New Jersey, and I was listening to the Moon Griffon show this morning, where he talked about the same problem.  And the question came up, can we shoot these things?

U don't think that the "deadly force" question applies to an unmanned drone.  I can't kill something that is not alive.  But, I might be held liable for property damage. So, the question evolves to property rights.  I know that I own the surface rights to 1.3 acres in Louisiana.  I know I own the mineral rights to that same property.  But, what of the airspace rights?

I live two miles from an airport, and I am routinely over-flown by private and military aircraft.  I don't have a problem with that, as it has never been a problem, but how much of the airspace avoce the property is mine?  I own a bird house that is 13 feet tall.  My shop is 15 feet tall.  I know I own that.  Bow far up do my property rights extend? 100 feet?  1000 feet?  At what point does an unmanned drone become a trespassing concern?

My shotgun, properly loaded, will take down geese at 120 feet.  Do I own that much airspace?

Fuel Prices

 Fuel is getting a little Trumpier around here.  This morning, running errands, I stopped at my local dealer and filled the tank.  $2.339. That's the cheapest I've seen in a while.

Looking back through the archives, I see that I have paid as much as $4.30 per gallon under Biden, but when Trump left office in Jan 2021, local prices were under %2.00.  We'll see if it gets that low next month.

Drones Over New Hersey

 I've been watching this for a couple of weeks, and I'm not really sure what to say.

Reports of drones as big as SUVs?  The government is mute or unresponsive.

Conspiracy theories abound in the absence of transparency.

WTF?

Chatting

 Termite, a frequent commenter and long-time friend came by the shop yesterday.  As we do, we talked about the United Healthcare assassination, the Daniel Penny verdict the M3A1 submachine gun, and a host of other topics.  All while we mounted an optic on  a rifle for his daughter.

One topic that came up was the Ruger 10/22 and why Ruger doesn't offer a blank magazine well inletted into the toe of the stock as a place to carry a spare magazine.  I've always thought that would be a good idea, and I'm certainly not the only person who has thought about that.

Termite had picked up a really nice little Ruger for his daughter.  What they call the 10/22 carbine.  Synthetic stock, no sights, with a scope base installed.  Really light little rifle, noticeably lighter than the standard 10/22 that lives in my gun case.

I first met Termite's daughter in January 2012, where we introduced her to handguns. She has other challenges now, specifically concerning a fox and a hen house.  I think that 10/22 will go a long way toward solving that problem.

Ghost Gun

 I see that the old canard of the "ghost gun" has risen in the wake of the United Healthcare CEO shooting..  A suspect was arrested in Altoona PA, and the NYPDd says that the murder weapon may have been printed on a 3D printer.  No kidding.

The suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson may have used a so-called "ghost gun" he made from a 3D printer, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.

Wow!  Ghost guns and 3D printers in the same sentence.  That is double-scary.   While the NYPD is patting itself on its back for catching this guy, I would remind then that the true detective in this tragedy of errors is an anonymous McDonalds employee who recognized the killer and called the police.

Ghost guns, 3D printers and McDonalds.  Someone call Sherlock Holmes.

Question

 So, we lean today in the aftermath of the Penney decision, that Jordan Neely's father, Andre Zachery, is saddened about the verdict.  But, we have to ask, if Andre Zachery loved his son, why he didn't pass along the family name?  If he so loved his son, why didn't he do a better job of parenting?  If he so loved his son, why didn't he get him the help he so desperately needed?

The tragedy that was the life of Jordan Neely cannot be laid at the feet of Daniel Penny.  Neely's life was a failure of he culture, of the mental health system, and a failure of parenting.  It's a tragedy that he died, but I don't want to hear anything from his father.

Not Guilty

 Fox News is reporting that Daniel Penny has been found Not Guilty in a unanimous verdict in the tragic death of that crazy guy on the New York subway.

This is the proper verdict.  If a nut case goes around threatening people and a stalwart individual stops him, then death is a possible outcome.  It is not preferred, but it is certainly on the menu. Penny stepped up and stopped the threat.  No criminality can flow from that decision.  The jury called it correctly.

Assad Un-Asses

 It appears that Syrian dictator Assad has left Syria in the face of rebel advances. All reports are that the rebels have taken over, and that curfews have been imposed.

Last I heard, we had forces in Syria, and I hope that they are hunkered down and can stay safe.

We don't, or shouldn't have a dog ii this hunt. We should let the Syrians figure this out, maintain a low profile, and keep our forces safe.

Day Four

 We learn this morning that the FBI is stepping in to help with the manhunt for the killer of the United Healthcare CEO.  That makes sense if the gunman has fled.  The first thing they will do is get an interstate flight warrant.

I got a couple of interstate flight warrants during my career and the FBI was extremely helpful in running these guys down.  They found one of my warrants in the US Virgin Islands. You can run, but you can't hide. That guy, when we got him back, was very helpful during his interrogation.  Sang like a canary, he did, and helped us solve a number of cases, to include the prosecution of a sitting Sheriff.

Day Three

 Today is day three in the hunt for the healthcare CEO who was gunned down in New York.  Lots os speculation about the firearm used.  It seems that the shooter had trouble with the gun and that has led some to believe that it was a particular type f firearm.

I haven't yet found the raw video of the malf, but more likely, the gunman was simply unfamiliar or unpracticed with the gun/suppressor combo.  I have virtually no experience with suppressors, but I can understand that being unfamiliar might cause a malfunction.

NYPD thinks that they are closing in on this guy.  Hopefully we will learn more over the weekend

UPDATE;  A Welrod?  That would be archaic.  I doubt it.  More likely a modern pistol with feeding probems.

Whacked

By now, I'm sure that you have all heard of the murder of the United Healthcare CEO yesterday in New York. Someone wanted him dead, and planned the assassination very well.

The police are, rightfully so, going though the process of gathering evidence.  I heard this morning that they found a Starbucks cup the guy used, so they may get DNA evidence.  The shooter had the getaway planned, going through Central Park on an e-bike. We are not yet 48 hours into the investigation, and the police are combing the area for evidence.  We'll see what they come up with.

I worked only a handful of murders during my career, and don't pretend to know all the tradecraft at this point.  Still, it will be interesting to follow the investigation.  The cops know three of the big five, they know the What, When, and Where.  They are searching for the Who and Why.  I'd think that one of the first thigs they would want to do is to set up a geo-fence and they to learn how many electric devices were in a given area, then try to find those devices. The gunman may have been smart enough to leave his cell phone outside the crime scene, or he may not have.

Family

The power of family has always been my super power.  My grandfather and father, along with uncles, taught me that a family that works together can accomplish anything.

Couple of months ago, I had to change home owners insurance, because my company decided to leave Louisiana.  The new insurer told me that the old rotten deck in the back yard was a hazard and that I could either repair or demolish it.  A quick survey told me that demolish was my cheapest choice, and I had family that I could call.  We scheduled a Saturday, and my boys showed up.

A couple of weeks later, son-in-law had a retaining wall collapse under water load from a huge rainfall, and he called family.  Call family first.

Elder son thought it would be a good idea to set up the cameras, and recorded the events.  IN the case of the deck removal, from the time we took out a section of fence until we replaced the sectioon of fence, it was about three hours.

Here is the power of family with the proper equipment.  The mini-excavator belongs to second son, the Kubota tractor is technically mine, but the boys move it around from property to property.

Nothing beats the power of family.

Catching Hell

 I see that Pete Hegseth is catching hell over his nomination for SecDef.  It seems that when he was going through a divorce, he slipped the chains a bit.  The holier-than-thou club in the Senate is being reticent.

Fox News and others are reporting that Trump is considering alternatives, but as of todays midday news, Hegseth is still the pick.

I remember when I was going through a divorce and single. I readily admit, I played the field.  None of them complained that I am aware of, and the police never showed up at the door. Each of those ladies were grown-ass adults and understood the game we were playing.

I hope Pete makes it through, I really do.  Getting laid should not be a disqualifier.

Well, Damn

 I see that Chris Donahue has been promoted to full general, 4-star earlier this week.

This asshole oversaw the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and was the last soldier on the ground in that country.  Of course, Biden and Milley promoted him to 3 star and made him the commander of an Airborne Corps.  Now, he's been promoted to 4 star.

In my humble opinion, he should have been cashiered after the Afghan disaster, but no one has been held responsible or accountable for that debacle.  If Pete Hegseth wants to clean house at the Pentagon, he could start by making an example of Donahue.

Chris Donahue was the commander of the biggest disaster since Pearl Harbor.  There is no way he should have been promoted.

Wondering

 Watching the drama unfold over the Biden pardon, I'm wondering what an intelligent prosecutor might do  with that fact. Hunter is untouchable for the time period, which means he cannot incriminate himself  His 5th Amendment protections just went away.  He is still subject to subpoena, contempt, and perjury..

In the borader scope of the Biden Crime Family, Hunter was only the front-man.  This leaves the Godfather and the consiglieri wide open. Hunter knows it all and can be forced to testify.  With Pam Bondi as AG, and Cash Patel running the FBI, there is no telling what they might choose to investigate.

I'm sure that Biden's advisors are at least as smart as on old retired cop in Louisiana.  Surely they have gamed the possible scenarios.  The possibilities are endless, and intriguing.

I was watching a clip of Cash Patel yesterday, where he said that he wants to send the 7000 FBI agents in Washington out to the field offices to become cops.  You know, solve crime, work warrants, do investigations.  That sounds like a capitol idea.

Interesting

 Termite asks in comments:

Don't pardons generally come AFTER a conviction? Hunter has been convicted of anything, just charged/indicted.

Yes, generally.  When I was a Parole Officer I would occasionally do a clemency investigation for the Pardon Board.  These offenders were serving time, or had completed their sentence and were looking for some time of legal relief.

However, there is precedent for summarily pardoning an offender.  Those of us old enough to have been at Woodstock recall when Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon following Nixon's resignation.  No charges, no conviction, no sentence.  Just a "Get Out Of Jail" card.   It happens.

I was excited this morning to hear that Biden is headed to Angola.  Then I remembered that there are two Angolas.  One, a country in Africa.  The other, the main prison for the Louisiana prison system.

I was last at Angola during the late '80s for training.  At the time, the horse guards on the farm were still using Winchester lever guns in the fields.  Back in those days, if you wanted to rank the worst prisons in the US, among the top ten would be Angola in Louisiana, Parchmanin Mississippi, and The Walls in Texas.

Hunter Pardoned

 It seems that our lamest-of-duck president has pardoned his wayward son, Hunter.  This comes as no real surprise.  Joe is never running for anything, ever again.  His political capital is shot, He is a pitiful husk of a man with no future.  What does he have to lose?

Joe's entire political career was smoke and mirrors, the perfect machine politician, and lying to the public was his stock in trade.  He's lied to us about everything.  What does he have to lose?  The big story is that this is a story at all.

Martin House

 In 2014 I put up a Martin house that my dad had on his place.  After he died in 2007, and Mom was making some changes on the family property, she asked me if I wanted Dad's Martin house.  I did.  It had stood beside the trailer for a decade of longer and the trailer was leaving the property, so the Martin house needed a new home.

Last year, the Martin house fell after a storm, and the impact shook everything loose in the house.  My elder son and I performed an autopsy and decided that we could rehab it.  The internals were made out of the same material that yard signs are made of, and I had some yard signs left over from my political campaign.  So, we used those.

In a couple of hours, we had it back together and strapped to a fence post in the back yard.  The Martins won't get here until March, but the scouts will find it in February and lead the other in.  I like watching them fly, and hearing their warbles.  Dad's Martin house is ready for another decade of service.

Turkey Gumbo

 Juvat asks if I could post my leftover turkey gumbo recipe.  Easy-peasy.

My basic gumbo recipe is here.  We make a few small changes for the turkey variety.  Take that leftover turkey carcass and break it apart, putting it into a stockpot.  Cover with water and boil it for an hour or so, making stock.  Set it aside to cool, then pick the meat from the bones.  Discard the bones, but keep the stock and meat.

Make your gumbo as usual, substituting the turkey instead of chicken.

I boiled our turkey carcass yesterday and today I'm making a gumbo that we'll eat tomorrow.

White Bean Soup

 Belle was watching the weather yesterday and concluded that we were going to have our first frost, so we moved her potted plants indoors. After three days of prepping, cooking, partying, and cleaning, I didn't want to spend much time cooking today, so I dredged my memory banks and came up  with a recipe I haven't cooked in over 20 years.  White Bean Soup.

White Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 lb dried lima beans

3 small russet potatoes,  peeled and chopped

1 cup leftover ham, diced.

8 cups cool tap water

Salt, pepper.

Dump all the ingredients into a slow cooker, on low for eight hours.  I put mine on last night and let it go all night.  Closer to lunch, we'll make a cornbread.  I have less than four dollars in that pot, and could probably feed six people with it.

A Great Day

 Baked ham, fried turkey, cornbread dressing, egg gray, cranberry sauce, corn casserole, candied yams,  green bean casserole, yeast rolls, pecan pie.  We fed nineteen folks and one dog.

Tomorrow, I'll prep what is left of the ham for a pot of beans on New Years Day, and I'll prep the turkey carcass for a gumbo on Sunday.  Belle and I will eat leftovers tomorrow and count our blessings.

Prepping

 Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a uniquely American holiday.  Belle and I are prepping for the big meal, at noon.  We're having ham and turkey and all the fixings.  Each daughter has her responsibilities, one for the corn bread dressing, one for sweet potatoes, one for green bean casserole.  Belle's brother is bringing a corn casserole, and my sister is in charge of dessert. It will be a great time.

We have one dear friend, Vovo, who lives across the little lake in our subdivision.  He spent a lot of time in South America, and his wife is Brazilian.  His wife's family is Brazilian, and they are hosing the Brazilian expats who live locally. He expects about 25 for lunch tomorrow.

He was over on Monday, teasing Belle about her cornbread dressing recipe. He wants to give the Brazilian crowd the full experience.  Belle graciously to make a big corn bread dressing, and it took him about two seconds to graciously accept.  Belle is making a big dressing that he can slip into the oven for a half-hour before serving.  He will pick it up today for the party tomorrow.  We hope the South Americans enjoy it.

I'll spend today prepping, getting the turkey ready for the frying pot tomorrow and generally giving the shop a good wipe-down.  Y'all have a good Thanksgiving.

Campaign Wores

I am given to understand that while Kamala cools her jets in Hawaii, Failed VP Tim Walz is asking donors to help puck up the tab for vendors that haven't been paid and for campaign workers who said that they were stiffed because the campaign is over. 

Wait, what?  These folks thought they would be paid by the campaign until January 1st?  Why?  The campaign was over at 8:00 pm local when the polls closed.  At that point the campaign is over.  They should have seen that coming. Turn off the lights, lock the doors, it's over.

I ran a campaign once, and there was a little paperwork that had to be done, post-election, but for all intents and purposes, the campaign is over when the polls close.  Honestly, the campaign workers should have seen this coming, whether they won or lost.  In this case, they lost.  Campaign is over.  Go Home.

Declination

When I was a young'un, as a Boy Scout, learning how to read a map and use a compass, we had to learn about magnetic declination.  The compass did not point to true north, it pointed to magnetic north, which in central Louisiana was about 6 degrees east of magnetic north.

 As a young Army officer several years later, this was important  Land navigation was all about map and compass. The first thing we checked on the bottom of the map was the declination diagram, which showed the difference between the actual north pole, and some spot in Canada where your compass was pointing.

For no particular reason, I decided to check the local declination and found that it is zero degrees.  Magnetic north is moving, and will sometime in the future, be somewhere in Putin's Siberia.

Of course, no one uses map and compass today.  Today, it's all about GPS navigation, but I find it strangely interesting that the magnetic pole is moving, and has been for some time.

One of the things I learned as a young Armor officer is that a compass will not work in a tank.  Too much steel around you.  All land nav in a tank was terrain association.  I was thrilled when the Army put GPS sensors in the M60A3 series.

Blind Hog

 The house that Belle and I call home was built in 2001.  Very few problems, but recently we noticed a problem with a switch that controls the back porch light.  Not a problem, easy-peasy.  I took the face plate off and found a double switch.  I had never changed one of those.

So, I took a picture and heded down to my local electrical supply.  Wandered up to the counter.

Counterman asks, "What'cha got?  I showed him the picture.

"Is that a two-way, or a three-way?"

"Hell, I don't know."

"Well, " says he, "It matters.  The backs are different.  I'll sell you a two-way and when you get home and find out it won't work, come back."

As it turns out, it is a two-way, it works, and Belle is happy.  Sometimes a blind hog does find an acorn.

Gobble, Gobble

 I went to the grocers this morning to pick up some stuff for Thanksgiving.  Like q turkey and a ham, and some other stuff that Belle thinks we need.  One of the things on her list was a spiral cut ham. I didn't get the most expensive ham in the cooler, but there were none there that we could consider a bargain. A roughly nine-pound ham cost a smidgen over $40.00.  The turkey was no screaming deal either.  When the butcher starts the conversation by apologizing, you know his heart is in the right place.

I had a buddy, now departed, who would wait till after the holidays and buy a bunch pf hams after the season.  He'd cut them, slice them, and freeze them for use year around.  I recall deer camp breakfast would be ham and eggs.  Not a bad way to start the day.

Oh, I'm frying the turkey this year.  I know what I'm doing and won't burn the place down.  Regular old store-brand vegetable oil was $10.00 a gallon.  That price-gouge hurt more than the price of that ham.

I don't know what the new administration can do about food prices, but Bidenomics is killing us.

Education

 President Trump is making his picks, and it seems that he picked Linda McMahon for Education secretary. Trump is not a big fan of the department (neither am I), and it seems he wants to give Education back to the states.

That is a screen from Fox this morning.  Evidently, McMahon has been tapped to reduce the scope and size of the department.  Hopefully, she can reduce it to zero.

Defrosting

 We have this freezer in the garage, a stand-up freezer that I haven't opened in six months.  THis morning I opened it, to take stock, and found some deer meat in there from last year, which is okay.  And some stuff from several years ago that isn't okay..  Freezer burned, it's time to go away, so I moved the deer meat to another freezer and bagged up the discards for the garbage dumpster.

There is a huge layer of frost over the main cooling coils, and even though the freezer was billed as frost-free, every five years or so, it's a good idea to unplug it and let everything come to room temperature. That is the plan for today, which doesn't require much effort at this point.

I'll be prepping for Thanksgiving later this week and with Christmas just over the horizon, freezer space may be at a premium. So, it's time to get the freezer cleaned out.

Don't Touch The Boat

 Did you hear about this?  It seems that a Norwegian fishing vessel accidentally fouled the screws of a US Submarine.  Yeah, really.

Harald Engen was delivering halibut to a village on Norway’s west coast when he got a message that a U.S. submarine had gotten entangled in his 32-foot boat’s trawl nets while sailing near the surface and were dragging them out to sea, broadcaster NRK News reported.

Dude!

 The 377-foot, 7,800-ton, nuclear-powered USS Virginia was headed to port with a Norwegian Coast Guard vessel escorting. The Coast Guard crew needed to cut the submarine free.

Yeah, I don't know what to do with that information. 

Leaving X

 I see where Don Lemon, Stephen King and several other butt-hurt liberals are leaving the social media platform X.  Cool, they have caught up with me.  I've never had an X account that I am aware of.

Stephen King is a renowned author.  Great horror books, and I think that Shawshank was a magnificent work, but I don't care about his politics.  I simply do not care.

Don Lemon, the CNN host, has had his disagreements with Elon Musk.  One of those is a smart Arican American who moves America forward.  The other is Don Lemon. No one gives a shit where Don goes, as long as it is away.

The Young

 I see an article where it seems that colleges are increasing counseling services because the students are threatening suicide due to the reelection of Donald Trump.  What?

I was in college when the Watergate scandal embroiled the US.  Did I care one white?  No.  I was focused on three things.  1) Girls, 2) Grades, and 3) My part-time job, which allowed me to chase girls.  I married in early 1974 which changed my focus a bit, but the grades and partying on the weekend were just about all I had time to worry about.

But then, when I was in college, we were supposedly adults.  We could enter into contracts, get drafted, be went to Vietnam and die early.  We could also consume alcohol.  Life was different then, and no one treated us like children.  We were not children, that ended at high school.

Somehow along the way, we lost the idea that there is a bright line that a child steps across and becomes an adult. A time when the entire focus changes.  We had college counselors, but there was very little sympathy in those rooms.  The message was simple.  Grow up, get a life, or go home and tell your momma how bad it is in the real world.  I remember one bit of advise I got, that sympathy fell in the dictionary between shit and syphilis. No one cared how I felt.

Let's Talk About PT Tests

 In 1973 I took my fist PT Test at Fort Knox, KY.  A trainee in E-13-4, I lost 40 pounds in basic training.

In 1998, I took my final PT test for the Army.  I passed it, just barely, but I knew that it was time to retire.

The Army PT Test is weighted for age.  Old farts like me don't have to run the two miles as fast as the kiddos in the ranks.  My last PT Test I had to run 2 miles in 19:36.  I made it in 19:30.  And damn near puked at the finish line. I knew it was time to retire. I was 45 years old.  I think that at that time an 18-year-old had to run the test in 16-something to pass, with the max score in the 12 minute mark. Or something like that.

The point is, the Army PT Test is weighted for age.  No one expects a 40-year-old to make the same times or scores as an 18-year-old.  Bust, there are standards for the old farts, and they need to meet them.

As a trainee at Knox, I was surprised one morning to a General Officer doing PT with us. Then, he got in line for breakfast. At our company mess hall we had a horizontal ladder we had to traverse before we could enter the mess hall.  The General went through the ladder with the rest of us.  That is leadership.

When I was training with the 5th Division at Fort Polk, it was not uncommon to see the commanding General huffing and puffing his tired ass around the water towers.  From tower-to-tower was a 3-mile run and the General was out there with us.  That is leadership.

If a General Officer in the Pentagon cannot pass the standard APFT, he has no business being on active duty.  It's simple, it is a bsic standard,

The Appointments

 He's naming them quicker than I can keep track, but just about the time I heard the SecDef pick, I found this  comment.

Thomas says:

Pete Hegseth as SecDef! Exactly the kind of fire-breathing shot in the arm that's needed to clean house and start rebuilding it the way it needs to be.

I concur.  Were it me, the first meeting I'd have would require every flag officer in the Pentagon to meet me at a PT Field in gym uniform.  Those officers would take the PT test that they require basic trainees to pass.  Any that failed the test would be handed retirement papers and told to report to whichever office conducts out-processing.  That would send a message that basic standards must be enforced and that leadership is top-down.

House Control

 According to 270 to win, Republicans control 219 seats, Dems control 210, and 6 are undecided.  That gives the Republicans a slim majority to keep the house.

Trump has appointed Elis Stefanik as his ambassador to the United Nations,  Stefanik is from New York and I'm not sure how that state fills House seats between elections.

Until the House is decided, Trump needs to keep a close eye on appointing Congress-critters to his administration.  We don't want to give the Dems a foot in the door. We have to keep the House, and the Senate, if we want to get the agenda fulfilled, and this is certainly something that should be considered.

If Trump is looking for a Secretary of the Army,  PawPaw is available and won't wreck the House majority.

Jus' Wonderin'

 I heard something today and went to the Google to see if it was true.

Joe Biden got just over 81 million votes in 2020.  Trump got a little over 74 million.

Kamala got 71 million votes last week, and Trump got a but more than the 74 million he got in 2020.

So, I'm wondering what happened to those 10 million Biden votes?  Did they just stay home, or did they ever exist in the first place?  Did Biden get 10 million bogus votes in 2020?

Veterans Day

 The eleventh day of the eleventh month, and we recall the Armistice that ended the Great War to end all wars. Today is Veterans Day.  You are welcome.

I see that President Trump has appointed Tom Homan to be the new Border Czar.  That's a good pick, Tom knows what he is doing and what needs to be done.

I also see that some of Harris' acolytes are asking Biden to step down and make Kamala the president for the lame duck session.  Harris has that in her power via the 25th Amendment, but of course they are calling for a man to do something for her that she is eminently able to do for herself.

I have some stuff to do today, so I'd best get after it.

Deluge

 We have an atmospheric river overhead, dropping coious amounts of heavy rain on us.

It's been raining like this for about four hours and it doesn't look like it is going to let up anytime soon. We have vertainly gootn an inch or ore since it started, and I hope I don't have to build an ark.

The 4B Movement?

 Never heard of it, until today.  Evidently it is a movement started in Korea, where the feminists vow to not date men, not have sex, not marry men, and hot have children.  It's a way to resist the patriarchy, or something.

From watching liberal tears on YouTube, I find the women who profess this movement are woefully unattractive, screeching harpies that I would not give a second look, even if I were not a happily married man. A quick introduction here.

American lefty women are so absolutely ignorant of what the Dobbs decision actually said, that they believe that we have a de-facto abortion ban in the US. That is simply not true. It has not happened and will not happen. Yet, these harpies have decided that it is true.

In short, gentlemen, it pays to remember the old adage:  "Don't stick your dick in crazy."

Utter Incompetence

 How is it possible, on Friday after the Tuesday election, we still don't know who won?

As of this posting, there are still 23 house seats that have not yet been determined.  There is no way it should have taken this long.  The only plausible answer is sheer, utter incompetence.  We do this every two years and the officials in charge of counting the votes should have figured it out by now.

Upgrade

When we bought the house in 2004, it had the old florescent tubes in the kitchen.  They worked fine for 20 years, but eventually, the ballast went out.  It was time to make  change.

I am not an electrician, but I do know how to change a socket or a switch, so I went to YouTube and started  looking around.  Watched a couple of videos then got out the ladder and some hand tools.  Found the proper breaker and turned it off. 

Total time on this job was about an hour, and that included running to town to buy the bulbs.  The kitchen is bright now, holy-moly.  It's bright.  

If you're afraid of this job, don't be.  It really is as easy as it looks.  IF you can change a switch, you can do this.  As with all things electrical, shut off the power and proceed slowly.  This is not a bad job.

The Meltdown

The meltdown is real.  A compilation.

Well, That's Over

 It looks as if Donald Trump has pulled out an historic win for the presidency.

Somebody tell Joe. Kamala is going to be pissed, and she still wants to be the president.  SHe's probably plotting a 25th Amendment takeover.  I wouldn't put it past her.

As of this posting, she still has not conceded.  There are still votes to count and she has work to do.

Election Day

Finally, our great national spasm is nearing an end.  In a perfect world, we'd know tonight about midnite what the outcome is, who won, who lost.  But we don't live in a perfect world and it may be days until the final votes are tabulated. 

I had to run an errand this morning and drove past the polling place near my acre.  It was slammed, cars trying to get into the parking lot.  I don't know if I'll watch the returns tonight.  The polls close locally at about my bedtime.

If the election goes the way I hope, it will be fun to watch the highlight reels tomorrow morning. Watching libs bemoan their fate in the realization of perceived disaster.  It would be truly monumental if Trump flipped some states that were considered safe.  If New Jersey and Colorado turn red, would it really matter what Pennsylvania did?

If you have not yet, go vote.  It's important, up and down the ballot. Probably more so down ballot than up.

Salted Caramel

 In March of 2019, two shooters, Gentleman George, Big Bill and I were talking at a match in Oklahoma.  Gentleman George was telling us about a liquor he had sampled, Black Velvet Salted Caramel, that he really liked.

I've never been a fan of Black Velvet whiskey, considered it rot-gut.  I'm not a snob about whiskey, but Black Velvet was never in my wheelhouse.  I'll also admit that I've never been a fan of the flavored whiskeys, considering them more of a liqueur than a whiskey.  I have nothing against liqueurs and I enjoy the occasional Frangelico.  The proliferation of flavored whiskeys had me convinced that it was a way for the distillers to use barrels that didn't match a specific flavor profile.  Flavor it with apple, or blackberry, or caramel and roll it out the door.

I may have changed my mind this afternoon.  Earlier today I bought a bottle of Crown Royal Salted Caramel, purely as an impulse purchase. Recalling the conversation in 2019, I decided to give flavored whiskey a try.  At 35% ABV, it's not a whiskey.  It's a liqueur, but I cracked it this afternoon, pouned it over ice in a highball glass, and damn, that's fine sipping.

I'm on my second one now, and it's very, very nice.

Monday Morning

There is something churning int he Carribean, and they're not sure, but they have put up a warning cone.

 It may behoove us to pay attention.  Hurricane season ain't over yet.

Tomorrow is Election Day, and I'll be glad when it is over.  This isn't the most bizarre election season I can remember, but it sure comes close.  If you haven't voted yet, please go do that tomorrow.

I got to my favorite booze shop this morning and they were out of my preferred hooch.  I normally get a 1500 ml of Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, but they were out.  I did find a 750 ml bottle, so I picked that up and I also noticed a bottle of Crown salted caramel.  It's seasonal and I've heard good things about it, so I picked up a bottle. I normally don't drink Canadian whiskey, but I've beard some folks really like this stuff, so what the heck.

Again, if you haven't voted yet, be sure to do that tomorrow.  It's important.

Election Violence

 Why would the governors of Oregon and Washington feel compelled to activate the National Guard for election week?  For Trump supporters?  No, silly boy, for Antifa.

Ignoring the violence in previous years, governors of Oregon and Washington failed to bring peace to the streets when it counted in 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2021. 

But all of a sudden, they, like the Mayor of Washington, D.C., have called out the National Guard in 2024 because things may not go Antifa's way on Election Day. And when Antifa, anarchists, and Democrats are unhappy, then nobody's safe. 

Of course, Antifa and Democrat rioters. That tells you all you need to know about election deniers and who the real threat to democracy is. 

Vote Trump and quell the violence.  Vote Trump and close the border.

Foreign Ineterference

 It seems that a Chinese student from the University of Michigan successfully cast a vote in the US Presidential election.

He is subject to a $2000 fine and four years in prison.  That sounds about right.

This is one they caught.  How many have they not caught?  How many illgal votes are cast each year in the United States?

Election Violence

This headline says it all.

 Police brace for election violence, DC being boarded up

We have to ask ourselves which group will be committing election violence?  It ain't the Republicans, I promise you.  Who is inciting violence?  Is it the one calling the other side Nazis?  Is it the side saying that Orange Man is a threat to democracy?

I would remind everyone that the only person killed during the Jan 6 riot was a protester who was shot by the Capitol police.

Appointments

 On Monday, we talked about my internet service provider and how terrible their customer service response time is.  I found a line down in the yard on Monday and the appointment for a tech to show up and fix it is today at 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.  You can bet that I'll be sitting in the driveway at 5:00, probably with a cocktail, watching the show.

Sunset today is at 6:20 pm, so if they are late, there is a chance that they will be working during what I used to call Civil Twilight, but now I simply call Happy Hour.

In a perfect world, they will roll up in the driveway, fail to notice the hanging wire, and snatch it down with the front bumper.

I was a cop for 37 years and our response time was measured in minutes.  If I took five days to get to a call, the world would have ended on my shoulders.

I have registered a complaint with the Public Service Commission.  We'll see how that goes.

Mass Deportation

 So, Trump has said that his administration will deport a lot of people who are here illegally.  What might that look like?  It's a legitimate question.

I think we have to put these migrants into two categories  The first, the people who came here looking for a batter life.  Second, the criminal element.  The criminals will self-identify, get arrested, andthe justice system can have its way with them.

Those who came here looking for a better life are more of a political minefield.  We don't want to go hose-to-house, Gestapo tactics.  But, the fact is that while the criminals are a drain on the justice system, the hopefuls are a drain on the social systems  The schools, the hospitals, the state and local agencies.  My solution would be to simply turn off the welfare tap.  Give then notice, like 30 days, that the freebies have run out, and that after 30 days they need to find a place to live, a job to hold down, and food to eat.  After 30 days they run the risk of homeless starvation.

So, the question becomes; if we shut off the welfare tap, no money, no housing, no nothing, how many of these multi-million migrants will self-deport?

MAGA Halloween

 From Termite, a Halloween costume, designed by Joe Biden, to scare liberals.

A garbage bag and a MAGA hat.  Perfect.

Another Week

 It's Wednesday, and next Tuesday is election day.  In another week, this shit-show of an election will be over, for better or worse.  I'll be glad to see it gone, and I hope that the orange man prevails.  But, in another week, we'll know.

I see that Kamala got Julia Roberts to do an ad letting women know that they can vote.  What a remarkable idea, women voting.  I'm not a woman, but I was raised by one, then married for over 40 years.  I have a passing familiarity with the gender.  I suspect, given the odds, that one of those women at some point voted against me.

In each of those relationships, the lady might ask me about the issues  I've had some remarkable conversations with my ladies about politics, but I have never thought that I could tell then how to vote.  I've een involved with women who were staunch conservatives, and others who were ding-bat liberals, and yet others who didn't let politics enter into their world view.  Each was alluring in her own way.

Regardless, I would never tell anyone how to vote.  I would recommend to everyone that they go vote.  Make the effort.  Pull the lever, or check the box.  Go vote.

Early Voting

 Running my errand this morning, I drove past our polling spot in Pineville and noticed that they were fairly busy. When I got back home, I checked a statewide news site and found this article.  Early vote totals are low?  What is up with that?

BATON ROUGE — Early voting numbers show a decrease in voter turnout in Louisiana as compared to the 2020 election, with fewer Black voters heading to the polls ahead of Nov. 5.

Well, ain't that a kick in the pants? Black turnout is low?  Maybe they are waiting for November 5th? Interesting.  There are some down-ballot races, Congressional seats, that could benefit from a large black turnout.

We shall see.

Optimum Sucks

We use Optimum for our TV and internet.  Originally Cox Communications, they sold out to SuddenLink, who sold out to Optimum.  At least in our area, they are the only game in town. 

They suck at what they do.  When things are working, it works great, but their service staff has issues that are the bane of their customers.  Earlier in October, they switched over from analog to digital for basic cable services and caused monumental problems in the area.  The old analog was working fire, you understand, but they wanted to swap over to digital.

This morning, grandson comes in from work and tells me that there is a wire down in the driveway.  I went out to check, and he was correct.

Well, technically, it's not down yet, but it is hanging pretty low.  So, I called Optimum and spoke with Bobby from Mumbai.  He scheduled me anappointment for a tech tostop by on November 1st, between 5 and 8 pm.

So, I got in the van and went to the local store, who told me that there was absolutely nothing they could do to help me, but they did give me a card and told me to call a number.  Bobby again, from Mumbai.

It's Monday, we have a wire down, and Bobby can't get anyone here until Friday.  That is horrible customer service.  Which is why Optimum sucks.

FLOOD RELIEF Roswell NM: Please help get the word out!!!

At lunch today, my elder son told me that a town he recently lived in, Roswell, NM, recently suffered catastrophic floods as the result of a 100-year rainfall event.

I haven't heard anything abut it, but son was telling us about the destruction and flooding in what is generally known as a desert town. A link here that talks about the  flooding.

I've been to Roswell a couple of times.  It's a quirky little town, best known for aliens and they capitalize on that legend.  Still, it's hard to know that people are suffering and see no news on it.

Too Close to Call

 The polls have tightened and the big prognosticators are telling us that the presidential race is too close to call.  Maybe so, we've seen this before.

During the 2000 race, with GW Bush vs Al Gore, I was blissfully single.  Meeting Belle was still a year away and I was playing the field.  There was this one gal, we'll call her Maggie.  She had one adult daughter, worked as a recreation director at a local nursing home, and drove an SUV.  On her SUV was an Al Gore bumper sticker.

For myself, the motorcycle had a Bush bumper sticker. Needless to say, Maggie and I had some interesting conversations about the political climate. I realized that she, being an artsy type and a liberal, that she had never dated a conservative. Or a motorcyclist, nor probably a redneck.  I was exotic.  She was smitten.

So, there we were, from different worlds, in the midst of a presidential election.  So, a friendly bet was made on the outcome of the race. We would watch the returns together, at her place, and when the result was announced, the bet would be settled.

Imagine our chagrin, when about midnight, the race was too close to call.  No one knew.  Hanging chads in Florida.  The race could not be called, and would eventually go to the Supreme Court.  What a disaster.

George Bush eventually became president.  Maggie and I parted ways shortly after Christmas.  Not because of political differences, but because I realized that she was a conniving harpy and I simply walked away.  

I met Belle a month later, at a Super Bowl party.

Negativity

 I don't know what the Dem camp is thinking, but it seems like this week, they've gone completely negative on the campaign trail.  Whatever the question, it's Donald Trump's fault.

Just this morning, I've heard Trump described as Hitler, a dictator, a fascist, a misogynists and a racist.  I don't believe I have ever heard such unhinged negativity from a major campaign.

I know that POTUS wields great power, and that Kamala was only the VPOTUS, subject to being over-ruled by Biden, but she was there, still holds the office, and has to take some responsibility for the past four years.

I have already voted, so this turn of events has no bearing on my vote, but I am appalled at the turn.  Kamala is reportedly going to make her closing argument at a major speech on the ellipse in Washington next week.  It will be interesting to see what she has to say.  I hope, for the good of the country it is a concession speech, but I have no rational expectation that her oratory will rise to greatness and heal a divided nation.

A Pot of Beans

I have cooked, at this point in my life, probably tons of beans. Inexpensive, filling fare that will fill a family's belly.  When I was po' folks, raising a hungry family, a pot of beans went a long way toward balancing the family budget.  Now that I'm a bit more comfortable, a pot of beans is a comfort food.

A commenter notes:

I've read that a pot of beans was often made on Mondays (laundry days), the meal basically cooking unattended for the most part.

That is true.  But, there are a couple of considerations.  First, beans will scorch, that one bean laying ont he bottom of the pot will scorch and taint the entire population.  Stir occasionally, to get the beans off the bottom.  Second, you will have to add water, so keep a little pot on the stove to add hot water when neded.  Adding cold water to the pot kills the simmer, and you want those beans on a low simmer. 

Aeasong is important, to your taste.  All that beans NEED is a bit of salt, but add what you like.  Those are your beans, so make them like you want them.  A bit of meat helps.  I like to use sausage, but I've also used bacon, or salt pork, or even browned hamburger.

I used to soak my beans overnight, but not anymore.  I've never seen the value, and nowadays I simply put the beans in a crock pot before bed, turn it on LOW, add plenty of water, and go to sleep.  When I get up to make coffee, give them a stir and add a little water.  Taste the broth and adjust he seasoning.  They will be ready for lunch.

Tuesday Chores

 Started the day doing fence maintenance.  Like many suburbanites, we have a privacy fence, six feet tall with red cedar dog ear pickets.  Every so often, twice a year or so, it pays to walk the fence with a pocket full of screws and take care of loose pickets.  It's an easy chore.

After lunch, we went to Sam's Club to make a supply run.  We didn't need much, paper products mainly,   Belle did find a bottle of wine she wanted to try.  Before we left, I put some brass in the tumbler.  It's time to take it out and reload some ammo for this weekend.

About dark, I'm going to cut up some sausage and put it in the crock pot with a pound of red beans.  Turn it on low and let it go all night.  Tomorrow, all I'll have to do is make a pot of rice.  It's been an easy Tuesday.

Just Monday

 Got up this morning, had to run to the pharmacy, the bank and the grocers.  Got that done and got home.   Ate lunch, a ham and cheese sammich with potato salad.  My sister-in-law made it for yesterday and I think it was better today than it was yesterday.  Some things, like gumbo and potato salad are better the next day.

A friend called, and I helped him mount a scope on his hog rifle.  It's a Ruger Mini-30 which now sports a nice Vortex 1-4 scope.  Perfect for the hog woods around here.

This afternoon, a club member called.  He had made something for the club house and wanted to bring it over.  He's a welder by trade and a blacksmith by nature.  He had welded a bunch of horse shoes together for the club.

 A Peacemakers' sign, made from horseshoes.  I think it looks just fine. We may move it, but I think that it looks grand.

Ten Commandments of Gumbo

 There are rules about Cajun gumbo that have been passed down through the generations.  Like all commandments, they are sometimes broken, but with repentance, these transgressions can be forgiven.

1 Thou shalt never use tomatoes in Cajun gumbo. The Creoles sometimes slip a tomato product into their gumbo, but Cajun gumbo hath no tomatoes.

2 Thou shalt not use Un-Cajun Sausage.  Louisiana makes plenty of sausage.  Andouille and smoked sausage work just fine.  The one exception may be Conecuh sausage.  It's made in Alabama but tastes like it is made in Louisiana.

3 Thou shalt not use store-bought roux. Just don't.  Take your time and pride of craft to make your own roux.

4 Though shalt always use a bowl.  Don't put gumbo on a plate.  Only Philistines and Yankees would commit such a sin. 

5 Thou shalt only use a wooden spoon.  When you're cooking roux or assembling the gumbo, a wooden spoon is an absolute necessity.  We might use a metal ladle to dip it out for serving, but the wooden spoon is critical for a good roux.

6 Thou shalt always adhere to the "gumbo to rice" ratio.  It's simple match.  Two parts gumbo to one part rice.

7 Thou shalt always have filet available.  Filet, or ground sassafras is a gumbo staple.  Some folks like it, some folks don't.  But it is a sin to make gumbo and not have filet available for those who like it.

8 Thou shalt not mix chicken and sausage with seafood.  Just don't.  If you want a seafood gumbo, make it.  If you want a squirrel or a duck gumbo, make that too.  If you use catfish, it is called a court-bullion.

9 Thou shalt not tell people where the potato salad goes.  Some like it in a separate plate, some like it in their gumbo.  It's personal taste, and none of my business.  Nor your business either.

10 Thou shalt always stir counterclockwise.  I don't know where this one came from, but I always stir counterclockwise.  It just always been like that.  I'm sure it is a minor transgression and has no detriment to the gumbo.

If you get down to New Orleans, all these rules might not apply, but the Creoles have been thumbing their noses at the Cajuns for years.  But, just because someone ignores the rules don't mean that the rules don't apply.  Repent and prosper.

Gumbo Weather

 If this cool snap has done nothing else, it has certainly lifted our spirits from the doldrums of the summer. I went to the grocers this morning, and ran into three people who were making preparations to make a gumbo.  Which is exactly what I was doing.

When the weather gets cool, folks all over Louisiana get a twitch, a compulsion, to make gumbo.  I have a small whole fryer and four leg quarters in the pot, along with a stick of butter, four bullion cubes, with salt and pepper, starting to make the stock I'll need.  I have cut up three pounds of good sausage and have chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery to add to the mix.

When the chicken gets fall-off-the-bone tender, I'll dredge it from the pot and set it aside to cool.  After lunch, I'll gather my implements and make a big roux.  After the gumbo is assembled, I'll let it cool and put it in the fridge.  I have called some friends, and after church tomorrow, I'll put it back on the stove to heat, and make a pot of rice.

The basic recipe is here.

We Voted

 Early, in-person voting started today in Louisiana.  Belle and I went tot he polls and cast our ballot for the presidential election, a congressional election, and a state constitutional amendment.

We vote at Kees Park in Pineville.  When we got there the line was out the door, approacking the parking lot.  After we voted the line had gotten tot he parking lot.  Belle and I have been early voting for several years and this was the longest line we had been in.  Plenty of machines and workers, the line moved smoothly and we were done in about a half hour.

It was not a bad time at all.  If they'd let me, I'd do it again tomorrow.

Exultation

 Evidently, the Jewish world is celebrating the death of Yahya Sinwar, the political leader of Hamas.  This asshole was the planner for the October 7th attack last year and was the prime target of the IDF in Gaza.

From all accounts, Sinwar was a truly evil peckerhead and got the treatment that truly evil peckerheads so richly deserve. He didn't get a bomb dropped on him, or a missile to the forehead, he got shot by the IDF.

Nobody is going to miss this asshole.  I mean, hell, his mamma named him Ya-Ya.

Interesting Question

 Some of us were talking last week, and a question was posed: If a citizen is forced to commit a justifiable homicide.  A purely justifiable case of self-defense.  Is that citizen required in law to notify the police?

We all agreed that if you have to kill someone, calling the police is a good idea, but that wasn't the question.  Are you required to call the police?

This question was posed to a retired state trooper with 20+ years of service, and to me, a guy who carried a badge for 37 years. The two of us were stymied.

Let me be clear, in any situation of self-defense, there are only two roles. The victim and the bad guy.  You, as a good guy/victim want to call the police, if for no other reason than to have them come and remove the corpse.  But, the question remains, are you required by law to call the police?

Cool Snap

 On the way out the door this morning with my first cup of ambition, Belle told me that I might want long pants.  She was right.  It was cool and breezy on the back porch this morning.

Before I left to run errands, I put on a flannel shirt for the first time since last winter.  It's nice outside, cool and breezy with temps in the 50s. My first errand was to take the dog to the groomers, where he will come home shorn this afternoon.  He'll freeze his little butt off, but Belle is looking for his sweater.

We'll have warm weather again, but this little break sure feels nice.

Gerrymander

 According to the latest Louisiana census data, the state is 31% black.  With six congressional districts, the recent Democrat governor wanted to add a second minority district.  The legislature was unable todo so without some severe gerrymandering, but they drew it anyway.  Louisiana's 6th district stretches from Baton Rouge in the southeastern part of the state, to Shreveport, in the northwestern part of the state.

PawPaw happens to live in the new district, so I'll be forced to vote in that district.  I just pulled my sample ballot, and learned that thankfully, there is one Republican on that ballot, Elbert Guillory of St. Landry parish.  Guillory is black, but he is a registered Republican in a field of Democrats.  My choice is simple.  I'll push the button for Guillory, and hope that he prevails and represents us well.

Would I Ever

 The conversation came up this weekend.  Would I ever vote for a black woman?  The answer is, yes I would.  When that woman's political philosophy, mental acuity, and moral values align with mine, I'd vote vor her.

Two examples come quickly to mind.  Condoleezza Rice and Candace Owens are examples of women that I would vote for..  Both of these women have political philosophies that align with mine.  Intelligent, conservative, tough, and smart enough not to run for office, I think these ladies are great.

Would I vote for a black woman?  Sure, the right black woman.  The current pretender is not in either of their leagues.

Walz Fumbles

Tim Walz, trying to be a guys guy, fumbles with his shotgun during what appears to be a staged pheasant hunt.  The clip is early inthis video, 

The shotgun in question is a Beretta A400, a thoroughly capable sporting shotgun.  I've never used one myself, being more of a Winchester, Remington, or Browning guy, but with a little familiarization, I'm sure I could do a better job than that.

Walz is a poser.  We've all known them, the guy who talks a good game, but when it's time to go downrange and get stuff done, he's a ghost. I'm not voting for that guy.

Well, That's Done

 It helps when you have a good crew and good equipment.  A little more than three hours, and we were rolling up extension cord and putting tools away.

Elder son got out the Go Pro and took some footage.  I'm betting that it shows up online in another week or so.  When it does, I'll let you know.  Using a mini-excavator to demolish a deck should be some good B-roll.

Now, on to other things.

After the Storm

 Catching my breath between chores, I'm watching the news, and I recall my little place on Bayou Derbonne in southern Natchitoches parish.  It was an old house when I bought it, but the fellow who built it knew the land and put it on a high spot.  We never got flooded out, but several times we were flooded in, surrounded by backwater that would build after a deluge of rain and not be able to run off.

We never got flooded during the storm.  It would take several days for the creeks, streams, bayous and rivers to become inundated and the water would start crossing the roads and bridges.  When we got flooded, it was always nice weather. Sunny days.

Some folks in Florida are experiencing that now.  Milton has passed, but the rivers , streams and bays are full.  The water can't get out, so it backs up. It is simply another challenge in this string of days that we call life.  This too will pass and life will start to get back to something close to normal.

Still Here

 We're still here, not ignoring y'all.  This week has been beset with challenges around mu little acre.  Things that take a little planning, a little prep, and a little work, before the project swings into full force.  I have to get a big piece of equipment into the back yard and things needed to happen before that time.  Stuff moved, stuff mowed, stuff chain sawed.

Tomorrow morning early, the crew and equipment will arrive. The work should be done in several hours and we can move forward.  Luckily, the weather is supposed to be wonderful.  No chance of heat stroke.

At my advanced age and state of decrepitude,, I like to tell people that I can still do a full days work, it just takes me most of the week to get it done.  Y'all have a blessed weekend.

Wednesday News

 Looking at t the morning news, we break it down into two categories.  1) Kamala can't hold a press conference or a prime-time interview.  She is just incapable.  or, 2) Nonstop Milton coverage.

I did find one interesting, heart-warming story about a fellow using a mule train to get supplies to cut-off people in North Carolina.  19th century technology still works, and the mules are getting a little exercise.

Pray for Florida, but don't forget to pray for North Carolina.

Cable Woes

 Around here, Optimum is our cable service provider.  They are indeed the only choice if you want cable TV.

Belle watches TV, keeps a set on in the bedroom all night.  It's white noise.  This morning at 1:00 a.m., the cable went out.  No biggie, just a distraction.  When I awoke this morning, I started going through all the diagnostics and resetting everything.  I got the tech guy on the phone and he went through his diagnostics.  After half an hour on the phone, I was told that my cable boxes went out and that I had to go to their store to get new ones.  So, I yanked out the boxes and went to the store.

When I got there, the place was slammed. Full of irate customers.  Turns out, they scrambled all the channels this morning at 1:00 and switched systems.  After an hour waiting in line, I finally got to the desk and got two new cable boxes that were exactly like the old cable boxes.  And a new channel guide sheet.  Belle's favorite channels have all changed spots and she is going to have to keep those sheets close for a bit until the memorizes her favorites.

So, my day is shot because Optimum thought it would be hilarious to screw with everyone's channel lineup.  They are cocksuckers, I tell you, cocksuckers.

Meme

 This is something that the political elite will call misinformation.  Dangerous, false, and it was certainly photoshopped.  That doesn't make it any less relevant.

We have another strong hurricane bearing down on Florida. Where is Kamala?  Where is Joe, where is Mayorkas?.

Milton

 we awake this morning to find that the tropical disturbance in the Gulf has been named Milton and is heading to Florida.  Here is the cone.

It is due to hit the west coast of Florida on Wednesday and this cone may change.  Keep the affected folks in your prayers.

Opening Day

 Today is the opening day for squirrel season in north-central Louisiana.  It's almost a holiday and everyone who wants to tramp through the woods are chasing those bushy-tailed tree rats.  Grandson Lucas went out today and got his first squirrel.  This a momentous occasion.

To make the day even cooler, he used a shotgun that has been in the family a long, long, time.  

That is his great-grandfather's shotgun.  A Remington Model 11 that has taught four generations of hunters how to stalk the squirrels.  It's in 20 gauge and has been lovingly maintained in the family for many decades.

Well done, Lucas.  The old man is smiling down on you today.

Remembering

 I've spent some time this evening watching citizen journalists reporting out of the disaster area that is western North Carolina, and my heart moans for those people.  My memory floods back to the twin disasters of Katrina and Rita that hit Louisiana like a 1-2 punch in 2005.

Eastern Louisiana reeled from Katrina, and two weeks later, Rita slammed into western Louisiana.  New Orleans was virtually destroyed and many small communities across the coast were lost in Rita.  Just when everything seemed out of control, the government sent in Lieutenant General Russel Honore and told him to fix the disfunction and bring relief to those hut the most.

Honore took charge.  His command style was results oriented.  He had no time for bureaucrats or delay.  Results were all that mattered.  He'd tell people things like "Don't get stuck on stupid." or "You're looking at a calendar.  I'm looking at my wristwatch."  LTG Honore got things done.

North Carolina needs someone like Russ Honore. Someone with mission orders to take charge, tighten up the bureaucrats and get relief flowing.  I note that North Carolina is home to several fairly prominent military billets.  Places with helicopters, field kitchens, field hospitals, worker bees, and the ability to rad a map. Those assets could go to work tomorrow if POTUS would simply put someone in charge.

Two Pulls

 Being a country boy, I've owned chainsaws my entire adult life and I truly hate the damned things.  Noisy, oily, and dangerous,  I have never been comfortable running a chainsaw.  My latest chainsaw was one I bought at the local power equipment store, and it's a good one.  Echo brand. I've had it for 10-ish years and it still starts on the second pull.

For that, I give credit to my Dad, who said that there are several things that we must do for our small engines so that they run consistently.  1) Good, fresh fuel.  These days I run True Fuel in the chainsaw.  40:1, although the book calls for 50:1  That little bit of extra oil doesn't hurt a thing, and might actually help.  Then, when you're done, drain the fuel from the tank, and start the engine, letting it idle until if runs dry.  There may be a little fuel left in the lines, but not enough to gum things up.  And 3), give it a little cleaning before you put it away.

The chainsaw has been around for 10-ish years, gets run maybe twice a year, and still starts on the second pull. I changed the spark plug and filters maybe two years ago.

When this one gives up the ghost, I won't buy another gas-operated saw.  The electric ones are so much nicer, and probably better for my applications.  They still need bar oil, though.

Tropical Update

 In this, the first week of October, with nearly 60 days left in the hurricane season, we turn to the National Hurricane Center for their 7-day outlook.

That's not too terribly bad.  Two storms in the Atlantic, both predicted to be "fish" storms.  One cautionary area in the Gulf that bears watching.  I can live with that.  It is no time to be complacent, but I'll take good news when it comes our way.

1916

 Following the utter destruction that hurricane Helene left across the south, we're hearing moans about climate change.  Maybe the climate is changing, but if so, it's doing it awfully slowly.  History tells us of a similar flood near Asheville, NC in 1916.

It’s hard to believe the great Flood of 1916 that ravaged Western North Carolina took place over 100 years ago. The Flood still lives on in the hearts and minds of Asheville area citizens, and it is still known as ‘the flood to end all floods’. The Asheville Citizen, using a borrowed gasoline engine to run its presses, described the devastation caused by The Flood in its July 17, 1916, edition:“Exacting an unknown toll of death, with a property loss exceeding three million dollars, Asheville today is absolutely isolated from the outside world, is a city of darkness void of ordinary transportation facilities, and finds herself helpless in the grasp of the most terrible flood conditions ever known here.”

I say this not to minimize the human suffering in this present calamity, but to remind us that these things have happened before. 

My grandfather told stories of a big flood that happened in the 1920s and my parents remember the Red River flood of 1945.  Floods happen sometimes.  It's sad, but we write thigs down so that we can remember them.

Panoramic Sunroof

 I was watching a short on YouTube, an ad for a car, and one of the features was a "panoramic sunroof".

I admit that I have always been baffled about a sunroof in a car.  I've had vehicles with them in the past.  Belle's vehicle has one now, but it has never been used, except when they demonstrated it to her at the dealership.

Does anyone actually use a sunroof?  I've never seen the utility.  It adds complexity to the vehicle and puts a hole in the roof, which I've always thought was a bad idea.

Honestly, does anyone use a sunroof?

Reap The Whirlwind

 The big news today is that Iran has launched hundreds of missiles at Israel.

So far, the missiles seem to have done little real damage, kudos to the Israeli missile defense systems.

Biden has ordered the US military to assist Israel in the missile defense.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the airspace over Jordan is very busy.

Iran has called the thunder, I hope that they are ready to reap the whirlwind.

Strike

I see that the east-coast Longshoremen are on strike, and that is not a good sign for the supply chain.  America's economy these days is all about logistics, moving stuff from the manufacturer to the consumer, and that is supply chain.  If the docks aren't moving containers, the whole thing starts to slow down.

I understand that the sticking point is about automation. Machines moving stuff rather than people moving stuff. So, the question becomes, how long this temper-tantrum will last, and how much will it cost us.

I'm not anti-union, I'm anti-stupid, and I'm not convinced that this strike is the smart way to go about it.

Brighter

 After posting this morning, I went to our local electrical supplier, and asked about shop lighting. Specifically, high-bay LED lights. I know, I can order from Amazon, but I wanted to get my hands on one and take a look at it, spend some of my money with the local folks, and educate myself.

They sold me something by ASD Lighting (asd-lighting.com), their UHB5-PRO series.  $139.00 out the door. I installed a plug, got out a ladder, bung it from a purling, and asked Belle what she thought.    Of course, I had to move the ladder and re-hang the damned thing, but that's how things go in a well-run household.  I have to admit, she was right.

That brightens things up a bit.  The boys had been complaining that the gun cleaning table was a bit dim,   They won't be able to make that complaint now.

And, now that I've educted myself, I can go to Amazon and save a few bucks.

Tab Clearning

 Where to begin..

Kris Kristofferson died this weekend.  In his early days, Kristofferson was a soldier, a military aviator and a tabbed Ranger.  Also, a Rhodes scholar, who put all that aside to pursue a musical career.

Western North Carolina is reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Roads washed away, historic flooding, communications severed, it's an unmitigated disaster.  As a hurricane and flood survivor myself, my heart goes out to those people.  The one hard lesson to remember from these disasters is that when the wind quits howling, you may be on your own for three days.  It's a hard lesson, and many of the folks in the hollers and valleys may be without help for many more than three days.  Pray for them.

The Israelis are playing heads-up ball.  An Iranian cargo 747 was forced to divert back to Tehran after being told it would not be allowed to land in Beirut.  If Hezbollah can't get rockets, Hezbollah can't fire rockets. The Israelis have decapitated the leadership, disrupted communications, and are now attacking the logistics stream. They are preparing the battlespace and doing a masterful job.

Now, having read the morning news, I need to do something about the lighting in this shop.  I need to educate myself on something called "lumens".  I understand watts and candlepower, but no one measures lights by those terms today.

Dindu Strikes Again

 Termite points me to a story that happened in my hometown on Friday night.  It seems that a bunch of "Dindu Nuffin: types decided to have a hoot-out near a local restaurant.

According to APD, the incident occurred around 7 p.m. and is believed to have been a confrontation between rival groups.

Rival groups?  You mean local street gangs, don't you?  That's what everyone else thinks you man.

 APD stressed that the shooting was not a random act of violence and that patrons or employees at or around Texas Roadhouse were not in harm’s way.

It wasn't a random act of violence?  What was it?  Planned, Coordinated?  C'mon.

This saddens me. I grew up in Alexandria, but now live in the suburbs across the river.  Rival street gangs have made Alexandria almost unlivable.  I personally do not go into Alexandria unless I am forced to, and I don't go into Alexandria after dark.  Whatever I need will wait until tomorrow.