Sour Grapes

 Congressional Democrats really showed their asses last night.  During Donald Trump's address to the joint session, they couldn't stand up and applaud for cancer patients,  or the Riley family.  Rep Al Green was ejected from the floor for causing a disruption. The entire display was simply sullen and juvenile. They hate the President, so no one else should be happy, either.  It's quite disingenuous.

I didn't watch the speech, only catching highlights on the morning news, but it seems as if the Dems are a sullen lot. If I have time later this week, I'll write my Dem congress-critter a note, telling him to remove his head from his ass and start representing the people 

In the meantime I have life to live, so I'd best get on with it.

Milking Goats

 Having an afternoon cocktail, and surfing YouTube, I was watching Mike Rowe milk goats, and I was reminded of the time I milked goats for a few months.  Well, one goat, at least.

When the kids were small, we had a hobby farm, and with the cows, and later the horses, we had a few goats, mainly to control the brush.  Goats are hell on brush, especially the kind of brush that has stickers. For example, a goat will eat a rose bush right down to the roots.  Ask me how I know that.

Anyway, during what I call our Earth Mother stage, we had a few goats.  One of them, a sweet little doe with floppy ears.  A nubian.  Someone told us that she would make a great milk goat.  So, we bred her for milk.  About that same time, an infant was born down the bayou who did not tolerate cows milk.   We arranged a swap with the parents so that we would trade one days supply of goat milk for one days supply of cows milk.  They were milking a nice Jersey cow.  This worked out for a while, and we were overloaded with milk.  The infant thrived, and we did too.

If you have never made biscuits with milk straight off the doe, you don't know what you are missing.  Goat milk is naturally homogenized, that is, the bitter fat does not separate from the milk.  Anytime you make biscuits with 20% butterfat, the biscuits are magical. So are the pancakes, and any other bread you might like to bake.

Mardi Gras

 It's Tuesday, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, Mardi Gras.  Across Louisiana, couriers are roaming the countryside, begging for chickens, rice and veggies to make a big gumbo. In New Orleans, the festivities are ramping up to a fever pitch that will culminate at midnight, when the parties will be over and the Lenten season will begin.

Heavy weather across much of Louisiana night dampen the parades, but it certainly will not dampen the festivities.

Belle and I will stay, for the most part, on our little acre today.  We will leave the reveling for the younger set. Even though we don't participate, we are with them in spirit.

SSA

 I was in town this morning and head to swing by the Social Security office to take care of a little business.  What a clusterfuck.  Evidently, you need an appointment to get anything resembling prompt service.  The office had eighteen (18) numbered windows for customer service, and there were no more than a dozen of us waiting.  They were using exactly two (2) of those windows for customer service.  After an hour-and-a-half, I simply left.  Had other things to do.

I'm busy the rest of the week, but I'll call them when things calm down and make an appointment.

I ought to DOGE their asses.  

Finding OUt

 There is a lot of finding-out going on today. Ukraine President Zelenskey came to the White House today. He found out that Trump does not suffer fools lightly. A while new chapter in US diplomacy began today. FAFO.  I think it is encouraging.  Encouraging Zelenskey to get his head out of his ass, and 

I also did a little finding-out today, in the liquor store.  For a couple of years, my go-to house bottle was Evan Williams Bottled in Bond.  It's an altogether workman-like whiskey, just what you would expect from a four-year-old bourbon.

Decades ago, I drank Benchmark, the economy brand of Buffalo Trace.  Today in the liquor store, I was perusing bottles and saw a Benchmark Single Barrel.  The hell you say. At $25 and 95 proof, that may not be a bid idea.

We will crack that one open tonight and see how it fares.  I doubt I'll be disappointed.

Carnival

 It's Mardi Gras season in Louisiana, and the final days are upon us. Ash Wednesday is next week and so is Fat Tuesday.

Belle decided to make a King cake for lunch. King Cakes are normally sweet pastries, but Belle decided to make this one savory.  She used canned crescent rolls as her dough, then stuffed it with a mixture of boudin and cheese.  Gave it an egg wash, then put it in the oven.  When it came out, she topped it with red pepper jelly and topped that with bacon bits.

Sweet and savory in the same bite, it was a nice lunch.

I heard a pundit today call the Democrats the Party of Government Excess (POGE).  They are a bunch of poges, and I need to write my Dem congressman.  He needs to do a better job of representing me.

Doxxing ICE

 I'm sure by now, you have all seen the outrage over the ICE agents pictures being circulated and tacked to telephone poles.  It's tacky.  And, it may be illegal, I don't know.

I worked in small -town law enforcement for 37 years.  And, before you consider it like Mayberry RFD, consider that I carried three of my buddies to their graves.  Small-town law enforcement is still dangerous. There was no reason to doxx us, everyone in town who cared knew who we were.  It was no secret, our wives, our children, out homes.  Not a secret.

Sometimes my kids would wonder why I didn't have their pictures on my desk.  I had to explain that I didn't want to make it easy for the bad guys.  It was no secret, but there is no sense making it easy.

I do have the feeling that today's law enforcement is too scared.  I know the job is tough, but it is the job.  If the doxxing is illegal, charge the ones who do it. Simply cite the law, get a warrant, and put their asses in jail. Then, get on with doing the job.

Landman

 Have y'all be watching the series Landman? Billy Bob Thornton plays a landman in the Permian Basin.  A lot of it is drama and bullshit, but some of it is pretty good.  Hard truths.

There is a great clip here about alternative energy.  It's something to think about.

Accountability

 Watching the federal workers freak out over basic accountability is both amusing and disheartening.

This ain't that hard, folks.  When I was a cop, I had to fill out a patrol log every day.  I got my screwing-off time like everyone else, but I had to account for my time.  In my plain-clothes assignment, I was still accountable for the miles I put on a vehicle and to keep my supervisor off my back.

Even in the military, as an enlisted soldier, I had to keep my sergeant happy.  As an officer, I had to keep the colonel happy and supervise the sergeants. I didn't have to be an asshole, but I knew how to be when it was necessary.

The idea that federal employees are unable to provide basic accountability is both amusing and an indictment of their supervisors. Federal employment is not an entitlement program. This ain't hard, folks.  Earn your paycheck.

Changing Tires

 I'm a grandpa, first and foremost.  This blog nods to that with its name.  I remember my grandpa, who would drop whatever he was doing to help me out of a bind.  It's our job.

Grandson Zach came to me this afternoon as I was lounging in the shop.  He had a flat, in my driveway.  Too bad, so sad.  Zach knows how to change a flat.  He wanted to change it in the shop, where we have floor jacks and air tools.  Okay, but we need to air the tire so that you are not running on a rim.  I gave him a small compressor that would run off his battery.  Air the tire and bring the car around.

I prepped the shop, moving stuff so that he could get his car in the door.  In a few minutes, he came around and drove the car into the shop.  He knows how to do this, but I sat on a stool and coached him through the job.  He used my tools to change the tire, then we went through his trunk, made sure that he had a jack and a lug wrench and a jack handle.

He needs new tires, and he is gainfully employed.  I'll be a pain in his ass until new rubber is between his car and the road. If necessary, I'll get his grandma involved.  He does not want that.

DOGE Meme

 Fox News is reporting that the liberal swamp-dwellers are continuing to cry about Elon and his DOGE wizards.  President Trump, always the master troll, is promoting this meme.

That is funny, and probably ore than a little bit true.

Sunday Shorts

 Sorry about the light posting.  I've been quasi-busy for the past couple of days, and my efforts have been elsewhere.

The Pope is in a bind with medical issues.  He's 88 years old, and having respiratory issues.  Love him or loathe him, he is the Pope, and deserves our prayers. If I were a Cardinal in the Roman Catholic church, I'd have a bag packed and I'd be checking airline schedules to Rome.  It seems that there might be a conclave in the immediate future.

Elon Musk and Co continue to cut government.  Not with a finely hones scalpel, but with a chainsaw. I understand that federal employees will be getting an email asking them to detail what they accomplished last week.  Falure to respond will be considered a resignation.

I don't want to hear any crying or whining about federal workers losing their jobs.  It happens.  More locally, we learned last week that the paper mill in Campti, LA is closing.  That mill employs hundreds and for the past 50 years or so, it has been cranking out paper and issuing W2a to hundreds of workers.  That's over now, or will be shortly. It happens in the public sector and in the private sector.

I had an old pipeline welder tell me once that every time he quit, was layed-off, or run-off a job, it was the best thing that ever happened to him.  There was always something better around the corner.  That is the right attitude. Losing a job sucks, but you stand back up, dust off your britches, and get on to the next thing.

Mitch is Leaving

 I see today that Mitch (the bitch) McConnell is retiring from the Senate.  Thank God!  He is the worst of the old RINOs, never seizing the initiative, never promoting Republican principles, never using the power that we had to promote the agenda.  He has even voted against some of Donald Trump's cabinet members. He is despicable.

It pains me to say this, because Mich represents Kentucky, a state that is close to my heart,  Kentucky is the state that I started my military career, living there for three years, soaking up the geography and culture.  It's a beautiful state, with good people.  They deserve better than Mitch.  The United States deserve better than Mitch.

The new Republican party is a whole helluva lot better than the old one, and Mitch needs to go home and putter in the yard.

Ruger RXM Torture Test: 1000 rounds in one day!

My sons have a YouTube channel, and I've shared some things that they put up.  Recently, younger son bought one of the new Ruger RXM pistols and decided to put it through a torture test. He ran 1000+ rounds through it in three hours with zero malfunctions.  That is pretty good for any pisto

I'm helping them boost the signal, but I think it's a darned good review.

Winter Storm

 The big news today is a winter storm that hit us last night.  Down here in the Deep South, it's not snowing, but temps have dropped considerably since sundown yesterday.  At one point yesterday afternoon, I was wearing only a pocket tee shirt, but today I'm wearing several more layers.  Temps are hovering around freezing and I doubt they will climb much today.  The weather weenies tell us that temps will be in the teens overnight.

Grandson Zach works for a major shipping company and he tells is that the truck from Memphis failed to arrive at the docks this morning. 

I made a big gumbo last night, and leftover gumbo is on the menu for lunch.  It's always better the next day, and a big bowl will hit the spot around noon.

Auditing The Gold.

 Rumors are flying that Elon Musk is going to take his team to the US Bullion Depository at FOrt Knox to audit the gold.  I can't tell you the last time that place was audited, but the last inspection I am aware of happened in 1974 by members of Congress.

The inspection by Members of Congress on September 23, 1974, of U.S. gold stocks stored at the Fort Knox (Ky.) Bullion Depository marks a unique departure from the long standing and rigidly enforced policy of absolutely no visitors, Mrs. Mary Brooks, Director of the Mint, announced today.

When I got there in 1976, the place was still abuzz about the inspection, and the rumors about what they may or may not have found there.  We know that they stored some crown jewels from eastern European nations that were then behind the iron curtain. 

The security around the Depository is probably the tightest in the nation.  Easily seen by travelers on US Highway 31W, it looks like a small building sitting in a field.  Don't let that deceive you.

At one time I was tasked with providing a platoon of tanks on two-hour notice to protect the Depository in case of a national emergency.  They would test us occasionally, and yes, one day I drove a platoon of tanks up to the gate before Treasury came out, told us we did good, and sent us away.  That screwed up a Sunday afternoon.

Fort Knox is no longer the home of Armor, but I see that they have a smattering of units, to include the 4th Cavalry Brigade, along with some Engineer units.  I bet that those guys have the same mission we did back in the 1970s.  Protect the Depositoory.

Teutonic Order

 It looks like Germany is cracking down on hate speech, that is, anything that might offend or insult someone.  Especially politicians. Insty covers it here.  And CBS 60 minutes highlights it here.

Watching the 60 Minutes segment was chilling.  The German prosecutors say that a large portion of the German pubic has quit engaging online because of hate speech.  More likely, a large portion of the populace has quit engaging because they don't want the police banging on their door in the early morning.

Hate speech is free speech. It may be deplorable or detestable, but it is free speech.  The only antidote is universal condemnation, not pre-dawn police raids.  Germany has tried that once.  They called it Kristallnacht, followed by The Night of the Long Knives.

Germans should know that history often rhymes.  They should be very careful about criminalizing speech.

Questions Answered

 A couple of questions about the post below, where I'm tumbling brass in a concrete mixer.  Juvat asks:

Just a bit of a question, what is walnut media?

Walnut media is a fine abrasive made from ground walnut shells. I get it at Harbor Freight.  It's great for cleaning and polishing brass. 

Rob asks:

4,000 rounds? How long will it take you to reload all 4,000? Heck, how long will they last when the shooting starts? I'm just curious...

That's just what I'm cleaning today.  I already have 6000 cleaned. This is specialty ammunition used in Cowboy Fast Draw.  CFDA rules require that at sanctioned shoots, all competitors use the same ammunition.  One rule of thumb is that the host provide 100 rounds for each competitor.  All this ammunition will be shot in three days at the Texas State Championship to be held in Richmond, TX on the second weekend of March.  Through an inter-club agreement, we are supplying the loaded ammo and they will replace the wax bullets and primers.  Then, we will clean all the brass again and reload it for Louisiana State, which will be held in Pineville, LA over Memorial Day weekend.

We're having a club meeting tomorrow night to load ammo.  We'll be done in about three hours, then we'll eat gumbo and potato salad.

Everything you might want to know about Cowboy Fast Draw is in the video below.

The sport is a lot of fun.  If you are interested, go to Cowboy Fast Draw for more information.

Presidents Day

 It's Monday, which is traditionally the day to do laundry, and I've done two loads.  Belle and I agreed years ago that we married each other for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. The vows included nothing about laundry.  She does heres, I do mine.  It works out well for us.

It's also Presidents Day, a day that is a federal holiday, a day to reflect on a purely made-up holiday that allows government workers to take the day off.  It's always on a Monday, which led my father to declare it George Birthington's Washday.  

The dog and I are out in the shop now, and I'm tumbling brass.  I have just over 4000 pieces of .45LC brass to clean for a shoot next month.  We've found that the best way to clean large batches of brass is with a concrete mixer.  2000 pieces of brass, 25 lbs of walnut media and two hours.  They come out clean and shiny.

Yep, that is a trick I learned five or six years ago.

Tank Names

 Younger son sends this proto of a bunch of what appear to be Abrams tanks with tank manes.  Anyone who folows WWII  movies has probably seen the movie Fury, which focuses on one tank crew during the latter stages of the European theater.  Tank names, traditionally, are based on the unit that the tank is assigned.   Traditionally, tank companies are assigned to Company A, B, C, or D.  Whereas cavalry troops are assigned to Troop E, F, G, or H.  That tells me that the fictitious tank "Fury" was assigned to a cavalry unit and was in F troop.

I digress.  The photo my son sent me is below.

It seems that these tanks are assigned to Company A and B of some unit, and someone has a sense of humor.  The tank with the red arrow is "ASVAB WAIVER".  That is funny.

My first tank, and M60A1 in 4/37th Armor was "Cap'n Crunch".  Naming tanks fell out of favor in the '80s and I didn't see much of that.  In my last unit, 1/156 LANG, we could name tanks, but I was in a staff position and didn't have a tank.  However, on dark night during gunnery, our Batallón Commander stuck his tank in the pre-dawn hours and got off it to let the Master Gunner retrieve it.  When it came out of the ditch sometime around dawn, it had been renamed "Ditch Witch".  The old man laughed it off, he had a good sense of humor.

Naming tanks is a morale thing.  Good commanders laugh it off.

Bulk Primers

 Reloading ammo is a huge cost savings and many of us enjoy had-crafted ammo f or better accuracy, cost savings and more range time.  Running a Cowboy Fast Draw club, I buy a lot of shotgun primers for the club and sanctioned events.  If any of you are buying primers in bulk, eventually you will run into something that looks like this.

That box contains 10,000 shotshell primers.  Not in nice boxes, but in trays of 1000. They look something like this.

That is one tray of 1000 primers, all neatly in their little holes.  The big box holds 10 trays like that, but tray number 1, on top, always gets bobbled in shipment and comes out looking lie tis.

Pain in the butt.  You have to take all the trays  out of the box and find the loose primers that got rattled out of their tray during shipment.  I've never lost a primer, I've always been able to fill all the little holes, but it's just part of a large primer shipment.

Nitrogen Hypoxia

 CBS News is reporting that Louisiana has scheduled its first execution in 12 years, settling the debate over lethal injection.  The method used will be nitrogen hypoxia.

There are technically three execution methods approved in Louisiana. Lethal injection is the default method, and electrocution and nitrogen hypoxia are alternatives. State legislators last year authorized nitrogen hypoxia, an experimental procedure tried just four times before in the nation's recorded history, as a means to execute death row prisoners. Their decision came shortly after Alabama introduced the method to the public in January 2024, during the controversial and disputed execution of Kenny Smith, whose death was described by several witnesses, including reporters, as potentially torturous.

Nitrogen is an inert gas, composing the majority of the atmosphere we breathe. 

Wednesday Weirdness

 I see that the US Mint is thinking about stopping production on the US penny coin.  It takes 2 cents to make one.  They literally cost more than they are worth.

Pete Hegseth, or SecDef, has renamed Fort Bragg. He found a US Army Private First Class named Roland L Bragg who earned a Silver Star and a Purple Heart during the Battle of The Bulge.  For a PFC to earn a Silver Star, that is some hero activity right there.  Good on Hegseth.  Now, if we can find a hero named Polk, or Hood, maybe we can start setting things right.

I see breaking news that Tulsi Gabbard has been confirmed as DNI.  The very idea that Lieutenant Colonel Gabbard was a Russian plant was lunacy.  Lunacy, by the way, tends to define the Democrat party today.  Now, let's get RFK confirmed.  He is a Democrat and confirmation should be a shoo-in, but again, lunatic Democrats.

UPDATE:  How could I overlook this?  Federal retirement paperwork is done manually, on paper at a mine in Pennsylvania.  Elon talks about it here in the early part of the interview. An old limestone mine with manila folders. Truly archaic

70/30

 Like many of you, I've been watching the first three weeks of the new administration and I've come to believe that President Trump is tackling issues that I like to call 70/30 issues.  Issues that a vast majority of Americans want to see solved.

Immigration, for example.  I believe that 70% of Americans want something done about immigration.  Like him or hate him, but President Trump is doing something, and most Americans are on his side.

Likewise, government waste.  Most Americans are tired of government, and Elon Musk with his merry band of tech wizards are opening the books and making recommendations to curb waste.

Just yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order to bring us back to plastic drinking straws.  I think he is trolling the left, but many Americans believe that paper straws are simply silly. Yet, some Democrats are losing their minds.

So, the Democrats are now for paper straws, illegal immigration, and government waste.  These are 70/30 issues, and they are on the wrong side.  Still, they wonder why they lost.

Southpaw Actions

 I'm left-handed, but I'm right-eye dominant, so I learned to shoot shoulder arms from my right side.  My dad started me off on the right side, and it has never been an issue, but I have one son who is purely left-handed and two grandsons who are purely left-handed, so when I was outfitting them, it was necessary to pick bolt guns that work from the left side.  Back in the day that was an ussue, but things have gotten better.

If I were looking for a brand-new, out-of-the-box bolt gun today, my choices would boil down to Ruger or Savage.  I have nothing against the other manufacturers, but those two have put me in meat more often than the competitors.

On a post yesterday, Sailorcurt was talking about left-hand rifles, and today I took a peek at the current offerings.  Wow!  Ruger has a bunch, to include left-hand Ruger 10/22 models. Savage has a sizeable collection as well.

When I'm browsing used gun racks, the one I'm always on the lookout for is a left-handed Remington 870.  I could probably order one, but it's something that I've always looked for.  Along with a Ruger No 1 in 7mm Mauser or in 250 Savage.  That would be something to find.

Electricity Saving Boxes?

 During a club meeting on Saturday, the conversation turned to electric bills and possible savings.  Several of the members talked about a little box that plugs into an outlet and is supposed to save energy.  Ostensibly, it uses a capacitor to smooth the flow, making the house more efficient.

Color me skeptical, but before I knew what had happened, Belle found a four-pack at Amazon and ordered some. They were in the mail box this morning, and I plugged them in.

I'm still skeptical, but the four-pack was under $25.00 and I don't tell Belle how to spend her money.

It has a light to show when it is operating, so it uses energy.  Whether or not it will save any money is subject to claim.  We will see, I guess.

Monday Weather

 I wore a short-sleeved button-down to church yesterday and considered turning on the A/C yesterday afternoon while entertaining in the shop. The weather changed overnight, and I'll be wearing flannel today and burning propane in the shop.

Over coffee just now, Belle observed, "That north wind is cold, I don't care which direction it is coming from."

It's February and the weather will be playing with our heads for another month or so.

Load Development

 During the first decade of this century, I've done a lot of load development.  For several rifle and handgun calibers, and worked up loads for a dozen or more individual rifles and handguns.  In this sort of work, you need a chronograph to know your numbers out of your barrel. For all of this load development, I used a Shooting Chrony, a neat little device that we would put o a tripod and fire the bullets over the seceens.

Doing that gives invaluable data, but it also violates Jeff Cooper's Rule 2:  Never point your gun at anything you are not willing to destroy.  Or, maybe I was willing to destory it.  I knew the risk and the risk was worth taking.

Having said all that, Second Son borrowed the chrony to do some load development for a new rifle he recently bought in 6.5 Creedmoor.  And Rule 2 snuck up on us.

It was inevitable, I guess. The shot took out both screens.  It may have been a blessing.  Technology has advanced and there are better chronographs on the market. So, I went over to MidwayUSA and ordered this one.  It used doppler radar to measure the speed of the bullet, and will bluetooth to your phone. It sits beside the rifle rather than downrange of it, and shooting it will be a whole lot more difficult.

We made the upgrade.  It will be here in a week or so, and load development can proceed apace.

A Masterclass In The Collapse Of Woke Culture With Anson Frericks

Many of you know that I'm a fan of Mike Rowe.  Here he discusses woke culture and the fall of Bud Lite in the broader context of American corporate culture.  Fascinating.

Compare and COntrast

 

Hat Tip: Instapundit

Superb Owl

Watching Democrats freak out is becoming my morning news break.  I understand that the big freak out this morning is the idea that the Department of Education may be on the chopping block as we discussed yesterday.  There is no doubt that some f the money spent by Dept Edu is worthwhile, but much of it is administered by local officials in school districts across the country.  The program that administers the lunch program is probably the most visible of the good programs. It used to be run by the Dept of Agriculture, but nowadays is part of the Edu purse.

However, many of the past programs like No Child Left Behind, or Common Core, were bureaucratic nightmares and almost impossible to administer.  It didn't help that the Edu folks seemed to be intent on dragging the goalpost up and down the field.

I am reminded that this weekend is the national holiday that I am calling Superb Owl.  It involves two groups of men chasing a weird ball o a marked field. I have nothing against this holiday, and indeed have some remarkable history with it.  I met Belle at a Superb Owl party in 2001.

Y'all enjoy the game, if that is your  jam.  I'll be doing other things.

Crawfish Season

 Running errands this week, I happened to drive past Belle's favorite crawfish place and noticed that it is open.  Crawfish season in Louisiana has arrived. Locally in central Louisiana, the crawfish joints aren't open year-round because live crawfish aren't available year-round. The season runs, basically, from late January until mid-June. Depending on weather and rainfall.

Belle's favorite joint is Tom's Seafood in Pineville.  When I run errands this morning, I'll time my trip so that I can be at Tom's shortly after 11:00.  That will make Belle very happy, and my main function in life is to keep Belle happy. This looks like it is going to be a good season, because it appears that prices are down a bit from last year.  I'm sure these are farmed crawfish because the wild crawfish won't start coming out of the Atchafalaya Basin for another month or so.

It's crawfish season in Louisiana.

Sunlight

 The Democrats are losing their minds over Elon Musk and his group of data wizards who are shining raw sunlight on the spending in the US government. Very questionable spending, contrary to the wishes of most citizens.  We don't want money spent on gender issues here in the US, much less in Tanzania.

In 1961, Congress passed the Foreign Assistance Act and President John Kennedy subsequently established USAID by executive order. What can be established by executive order can be dissolved by executive order, and it appears that President Trump has done so.  Perfectly legal.

While I agree with the idea that Congress controls the purse strings, I also agree that an executive should be able to pause some expenditures to make sure that they comport with the interests of the United States.

I also believe that elections have consequences, and we elected Donald Trump to make changes. Prograns come and programs go.  If that were not true, we would still have the CCC program.

If you really want to start a hissy-fit, look into the formation of the US Department of Education.  You can believe that our president is looking into it.  I'm not sure that Congress had anything to do with that or not.  If it can be created by executive fiat, it can be dissolved by executive fiat.

Wednesday Wazzup?

 My calendar tells me it is Wednesday.  Tax season, and like all Americans, I'm dealing with that bullshit. One of the two inevitables.

I see that Pam Bondi got confirmed and sworn as Attorney General.  Good for her Good for us. I hope she does a great job.  We'll see.

What is this nonsense I see about Trump saying that the US will take over Gaza and help to rebuild it?  Our national interest is closely tied to Israel, but I don't see how we should be involved except to help Israel guarantee its security. Hamas has to go, root and branch.  From what little I know about the real estate, it might make a great resort area, but unless the governing authority is absolutely peaceful, I don't see much hope for the place.  Maybe I'm wrong, but we don't need to waste much blood over that place.

I have a huge reloading project looming, so I'd best get at it.

Psycho Bill

 I see that RFK Jr. got passed out of committee today for his DHH Sec job, and everyone is patting Bill Cassidy on the back for doing the right thing.  Just stop.  We conservatives in Louisiana have a very low opinion of Senator Bill Cassidy.  He's been dubbed Psycho Bill by one pundit, and most of us think that is appropriate.

As an ostensible Republican, Bill's whole job was to get Trumps cabinet through.  He did the right thing and deserves no praise.  The way he stabbed Trump in the back during the impeachment fiasco was a blot his record that includes the fact that Psycho Bill voted twice to impeach.

Since becoming the senator for Louisiana, Bill has become a full-fledged member of the swamp.  When he runs for Senator next year, he will be primaried, and I give him a 1:3 chance of surviving the primary, because it will be a closed primary and the Republicans in Louisiana are done with him.

Psycho Bill Cassidy is the senior senator from Louisiana, but Bill only represents himself.  We'll be glad to cull him.

Schumer Whines

 Chuck Schumer, that execrable senator from... same damn place, is complaining that DOGE is doing the job he should have been doing all along.

An unelected shadow government is conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government.

DOGE is not a real government agency.

DOGE has no authority to make spending decisions.

No, Chuck, what DOGE has the authority to do is shine a bright spotlight on government waste, fraud, and abuse.  And, to make specific recommendations to the elected authority. 

What actually happened, Chuck, is that the American people staged a hostile takeover of the federal government.  As is our right and privilege.  Then we asked DOGE to look at the books and tell us where we are wasting money.  DOGE is doint a great job, and the rats are running from the sunlight.

Sure Is Monday

Watching the news this morning, I saw a video of our new DHS Secretary, Kristi Noem, on the southern border.  In jeans, riding a horse and sporting a white hat. It was a good look for the Secretary, and I was struck by the difference between her and whatshisname Mayjerkus.  I bet that boy has never forked a horse, or gone to a border.  He was about a worthless sum'bitch.

I went to get glasses this morning.  This journey started in December, and after two cataract surgeries and the resulting follow-up appointments I finally got a new prescription.  I see much better now. Pre surgery I was seeing about 20/150.  Now, I'm 20/60 and new spectacles will clean that up.  I'll pick them up in the morning.

The big conversation around the dinner table yesterday was immigration and egg prices. The big conversation on the radio this morning was immigration and tariffs. I think that Trump is going the right thing on immigration, and I hope that he doesn't hurt us with the tariffs.  I don't buy many avocados anyway, but the little Mexican avocados' make really good guacamole.

Lear Jet Med Evac Crash KPNE 31 Jan 2025

Juan Brown breaks down the Philly jet crash from yesterday.  I'm just boosting the signal here.

Update** Another guy I trust, Captain Steve, breaks it down here.

Anniversary

 I see over on Instapundit that five years ago today, Covid-19 was declared a public health emergency in the United States.  I do recall that Belle and I were at a shoot in Oklahoma when we learned that schools were shut down and toilet paper was in short supply.

2020 was a nightmare and showed how fragile our civil rights are. Perhaps we should start working on legislation that a government can never again declare a public health emergency. They can cajole and educate, but never again declare an emergency that limits personal rights.

A History of American Barbecue

February has come in like a lamb, and I know that winter isn't over, but it will soon be time to fire up the pit and cook under the trees.

Updates

 I sat down at this computer at 4:30 to take care of a few things.  It told me that it needed to update, so I clicked the restart button and let it begin.  It's now 8:05 and I'm able to get to a browser.

Unbelievable. This is the newest of three computers I own, and the others can update in about fifteen minutes.  This one take three hours.  Wow. The others are ASUS Chromebooks and they are rally much faster than this dog that lives in the house.  For the record, it's an HP, about three years old.

I'd upgrade, but I honestly hate to spend the money.

Speculation

 I was horrified to hear of the Army helicopter that had a mid-air collision with an American Airlines flight.

I was nearly as horrified to hear our president speculate on what may or may not have been the cause of the accident. The speculation certainly does no good.  The blame will fall where it falls, and creating ripples in the pond of confusion certainly does no one any good. Somewhere between the controllers and the pilots, something went terribly wrong. We have to find out.

My thoughts and prayers to out to those affected.

F35 Crashes

 I saw this morning that yesterday an F35 fighter crashed at Eielson AFB in Alaska.  The pilot successfully ejected and the plane turned into a fireball.  Video clip here.

I'm glad that the pilot survived, but I bet this is going to cost the Air Force a few bucks.  I understand that the MSRP on an F35 is something north of $82 million and from what I saw in the clip, the frame is a total loss.  They'll be dragging what is left off the tarmac with skid loaders.

Just damn.

Authorized

 Karolyn Leavitt, the new White House press secretary, said in her first presser that the drones we say over the past couple of months were all authorized by the FAA for a variety of reasons.

That doesn't answer a lot of questions, but she did tell us that the flights were not enemy action.  That's good news, I guess.

I like this gal, she is a bit of a gangster.  Straight up, no nonsense, she doesn't suffer fools lightly.  I particularly liked her one answer about some "law-abiding" migrants being swept up with gang-bangers during the ICE raids.  She said that coming in to the US illegally is a crime, and she understands that this definition is a culture change from the past administration, but that is just the way it is.

What amazes me is the absolute ignorance of the press on the time it takes for economics to change.  They wanted to know why egg prices were not coming down after a week of Trump being in office.  Well, for starters, the egg producers have to get more laying hens in the hen house after Biden ordered a bunch of then killed, then feed prices have to moderate, and fuel prices have to come down.  That is going to take a couple of months to get done, but those over-credentialed idiots are totally ignorant on egg production.

I guess it is too much to expect a highly educated reporter to do a little research before they ask a question. Some say that there is no such thing as a stupid question, but I've heard a lot of stupid questions.

White Perch

 I went to the barber shop this morning, got there at 9:00 and was already 5th in line.  Adn, probably the youngest at age 71.  The topics of conversation were Donald Trump and white perch.

White perch, also known as white crappie, or sac-a-lait is a game fish common to Louisiana. They tend to spawn in late winter.  Fishermen tend to keep their honey-holes a secret, but the conversation this time of year inevitably turns to white perch.

The general consensus at the barber shop is that the white perch will be running soon, that Donald Trump is doing a good job, and that we are due for another winter storm. 

Deportation

 The news over the weekend was that Columbia refused to allow deportation flights from the US to land.  Their president got fairly bellicose, and Trump showed him how the cow eats the cabbage. Columbia is now accepting deportation flights.

The US has a fleet of cargo aircraft, mainly C17 and C130, and they are al rigged for parachute operations.  We also own a lot of parachutes.  If a nation wants to be reticent about accepting their own citizens, it would simply be a matter of proper rigging, use the static lines, and push then all out from about 1500 AGL.  At bayonet point if necessary.

I have heard that the US used this method at least once during the past century to return a person to their home country.  This may be urban legend, but it is a fascinating tale.  I'm just saying.

Hegseth Confirmed

 I see that Pete Hegseth has been confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as our new Secretary of Defense. This is great news for the country and the military.

I bet that in the Pentagon today, there are lots of folks who can see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that it is an oncoming train.  The supply room will have to lay on an inventory of empty boxes so that the top-heavy bloat can empty their desks and retire before they are fired.

This is good stuff.  Pete is going to do a great job.

Boot Hooks

 Couple of years ago, I realized that I was having trouble putting on  boots.  I don't wear lace-up, preferring the slip on Western boots.  It a boot had a soft upper, it was especially challenging.  The last time I was in Shepler's, I picked up a set of book hooks and put them in the van.

I took them out of the van this morning and used them to put o a pair of boots.  What?  I should have bought these years ago.  If you're like me, old and decrepit and not nearly as limb4r as you used to be, a set of boot hooks my be just the ticket.  If you don't have a Shepler's or a cowboy store nearby, Amazon will send you a set.  

You are welcome.

Ruger M77 PSA

I follow Mark Novak and his Anvil channel.  He talks today about a Ruger M77 that came into the shop.  The shooter had fired a .308 Win in a gun chambered for .270 Win. and demolished the rifle.  Headspace is out over 16 thousandths.  Which means that the over pressure either stretched the receiver or compressed the locking lugs on the bolt, or some combination thereof.

This particular rifle is toast, but it speaks volumes about the ruggedness of the M77 action.  The shooter was unharmed.  I'm boosting the signal here to remind us all to check that the ammo we use is compatible with the gun we're putting it in.

Let's all be careful out there.

Shut It Down

 Listening to Fox this morning, I hear that President Trump has directed that all DEI offices in federal agencies be shut down by 5:00 today.  All DEI contracts are cancelled. In short, no federal money for anything DEI related.

I was also listening yesterday to the National Prayer Service, when I heard a liberal female Bishop lecture trump about mercy and fairness. She said that some lesbian, gay, or transgendered people are fearful for their lives.  Why?  There is no evidence that anyone intends to hurt members of our LGBT community..  We're simply not going to spend money on it. That's quite the difference.  I also note that the Bishop quoted no scripture in support of her lecture.

I might recommend to the bishop that she study 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 for her future sermons.  But, that might throw a kink in her plans to give future sermons.  This scripture may not be fashionable these days, but it is scriptural.  And, it is New Testament.

Pretty Much Over

 We awoke this morning to 15F, but we took measures last night to keep the popes from freezing.  We're okay. Grandson Zach went to work this morning, which tells me that the bridges are open and the roads are passable.  Temps today will get up near 40 and most of the snow will be gone by late afternoon.

It was an historic storm, but it will be gone within 24 hours and we'll return to a more familiar weather pattern. I enjoyed the hysteria on the news channels and the absolute amazement that we here in the Deep South don't invest in snowplows that we would only use once in a decade.  Some areas got historic snow amounts, and that's cool.  Some people saw snow for the first time in their lives, and that is cool too.

It was interesting, but by the end of the day, it will be pretty much over.

Military Matters

 It seems that the top Coastie has been relieved by the Trump administration.

Fox News first reported Fagan’s termination, citing issues with recruitment, operations concerns and a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion as the reasons for her relief. An ALCOAST, which is a message to all members of the Coast Guard, announced the relief.

As a full admiral, this probably puts the swan-song on her career.  She should trot down to the DEERS office and put in her paperwork to retire.  She's done. 

In other matters, I see that Trup declared the border a national emergency and is sending troops down to patrol the border and assist the Border Patrol.  I wonder if the 1st Cavalry Division has gotten the warning order yet?  This seems like a great mission for First Horse.

Snow

 The weather-weenies were right.  At 4:00 a.m., it is snowing in central Louisiana.

We'll wait till daylight and see if it is sticking.

UPDATE** At 7:00, still snowing.  Beginning to accumulate. No wind, just light, fluffy snow.

The Big Freeze

 Along with the weather forecast for wintry precipitation across south Louisiana, the weather-weeniest are also predicting record low temps.  Between now and Thursday, we'll get down in the low teens.  While this is not shocking for most of the nation, it will take many of us by surprise, mainly in the form of broken pipes. And dead car batteries.

The weather guys are forecasting that we will get 2-4 inches of snow, but that we are on the north of the snow line and that coastal south Louisiana will get more than us.  One forecast I've seen today says that New Orleans will get 6-8 inches in blizzard-like conditions. That would be an unmitigated disaster. New Orleans has absolutely zero snow experience or equipment.

Belle and I are going to be okay.  This is not our first rodeo. We'll simply stay home and eat soup until itis over.  She and I, in pat lives, lived in the Frozen North.  We know how to do this.  We don't like the cold, which is why we live in sub-tropical Louisiana, 

This will be over in a few days.  They are predicting temps in the 60s by Sunday.

Besmirched

 It seems that Joe Biden has given a hearty "screw you" to faithful members of his administration.  For example, General Milley, the past chairman of the Joint Chiefs. While we may disagree with him, I don't believe that he did anything criminal. Except, maybe, when he called his Chinese counterpart.

The withdrawal from the Afghan adventure was a disaster, but I assume that Milley was under orders.  Certainly nothing that would sustain a conviction under the US Code or the UCMJ. Why would he need a pardon? Why besmirch the honor of a career officer without good cause?  Milley is now hopelessly besmirched. He has neither honor nor dignity.

While these pardons protect the crew criminally,  it also removes their 5th amendment protections.  They can still testify.

Inauguration

 Well, we made it.  Today marks the end of the long national nightmare of the Biden crime family. Fifty years of public corruption comes to an end, not with prison sentences, but with a demented old crony politician stripped of dignity and shuffling off the national stage.  No one is going to miss the old bastard.

He's not dead yet, but his family is in mourning.  They are basically unemployable.  They can no longer trade money for the favors that Dad can bestow.  The money dried up today. There is no more, and the family brad is so tainted that the stench of corruption can be smelled up-wind.

The nominal news today is that Donald J Trump will be inaugurated for his second term, and that is good news for the country.  The better news is that the Biden crime family becomes irrelevant.

When I look at the Biden family, I am struck by the history of the Old West.  The tales of a figure who escaped justice, the bad man who got away, but was found later dead a the base of a tree, or was found trampled in a stockyard.  Karma seems to replay itself like a scratched album.

TikTok

 I understand that TikTok is off line.  I don't know, I've never used it, but from what I hear, it went down this morning. I absolutely do not have a dog in this hunt.

Congress passes a law, and the president signed it, and it was challenged in court, and the Supremes said that when Congress passes a law and the president signs it, that's the way it is supposed to work, and unless something is terribly askew, they ain't getting involved.

So, if you want TikTok back online, it's time to apply some pressure. White your Congress-critter.  That's the way it works.

UPDATE**  That didn't last long.  I understand from my daughter that it is up and running again.

Storm Watch

 Termite reminded me this morning that the weather-weenies are updating their predictions for Monday-Tuesday with a winter storm watch.  It's going to be snow-mageddon in central Louisiana. They tell us that the low  will get down to 16F, which is 20 degrees colder than we like it this time of year.

For much of the country, that amount of snow wouldn't be much of a challenge, but we don't get snow down here in the Deep South.  I  have one grandkid who was born in 2002 and didn't see snow until 2010.  According to my archives, the next snowfall was in 2019.  That was a huge pain in the ass, because it was mostly an ice storm.

Louisiana has no snowplows, or ice removal equipment.  Weather like that comes once in a decade.  The highway guys will put sand on the bridges, and everyone else will stay home. In less than 24 hours, most of it will melt and we'll go back to running the roads.

We'll be okay.  I have food in the pantry and the propane bottles are all filled.  Extra gasoline in case we need the generator. We'll be fine.

I see that Trump has moved the inauguration indoors, and that seems like a smart move.

Timber

 Watching the wildfires in California and struck by the loss of property and lives.

Driving to town yesterday I followed a log truck.  Not unusual, we have lots of log trucks in Louisiana, but what struck me about this load was that there were only four logs on the truck. And, it was a full load. As I looked closer, the logs looked like hardwood, easily six feet at the base.  Someone is going to get some beautiful slabs out of those logs.

And I wondered.  California is going to need a lot of logs to rebuild, and the wildfires are in forests.  Why not cut the logs that are standing and use those to mill into lumber.  Institute good forestry practices and treat the forest as the renewable resource that it is?

As a young man, I had to know the native pine species in Louisiana Basically, long leaf, short leaf and loblolly's.  As the pines were cut down and reforested, the Southern White Pine replaced most of the native species, but I still see the native species.

There is no reason California can't manage its forests, except that it seems they can't manage water or power either.  We'll see what the next elections reveal about Los Angeles.  Has the disaster changed enough minds that forest management is no longer a foreign concept.

If you want to build houses, you gotta have lumber, and it's standing right there in the forest.

Don't Let The Door HIt You

 Lyin' Joe is giving his farewell speech tonight, and I can't wait until this national nightmare is over.

Everything that Joe has done has been despicable, misguided, or felonious.  The simple fact is that our elected president is a demented old fool who can't tell the difference between fact and fantasy.  If he were a simple old curmudgeon, it might be understandable, but he lies about everything.  

A week or so ago, President Trump took a page from Ronald Reegan's playbook and told Hamas to release the hostages before he takes office.  Or else. Today, Hamas wisely announced the release of the hostages.

As sure as God made little green apples, Joe is going to try and take credit for that tonight. The fact is that Hamas knew that Joe is an empty vessel, and they didn't want to find out what manner of hell Trump was about to rain on them. Joe had nothing to do with this.

The next few days will be about waiting for the calendar to run out, and Joe to leave the national stage.  He's over, done, kaput. And not a moment too soon.

Hey, Joe!  Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Surgery

 After not going to the eye doc for about five years, I decided in December that I needed new glasses and made an appointment. He told me that I had cataracts and scheduled surgery.  We did the right eye two weeks ago and the left eye yesterday..  I have a follow-up today.

For the surgery I was mildly sedated, drifting in and out.  I talked to the doc during the surgery, but I was woozy.  In recovery, they told me not to drive for 24 hours, and Belle heard them say that.  She was a registered nurse for well over 40 years and won't let me drive until tomorrow.  So, she'll take me to the doc today.

I'm getting really good at putting eye drops in my eye, and skill I never wanted to acquire.  It's all part of getting older, which heats the alternative. In another week, I'll get a new glasses script and can go buy a new set.  I am amazed at how much better I'm seeing things now, but I'll still need lenses. Something about astigmatism that I have had since childhood.

From talking with friends and family, this is pretty common at my age.  Lots of folks have these problems, and the eye docs are pretty good at this kind of thing.  The reason I'm telling you about this is to boost the signal.  If any of you old farts have been putting it off, talk to your friends and go get an eye appointment.  It's not that big of a deal.  Just another pain in the ass and we know how to deal with those.

Oh, Why Not?

I've been busy today with doctors appointments, so why not listen to a little C.W. McCall?

Water Management

 Talking with my sons today about the California fires.  One son runs the water for a city of 50K, the other runs a small rural water district.

Both of them told me that in the event of a catastrophe, they had about three hours of water in the tanks available for use.  A large fire, for example, with multiple trucks pumping from hydrants, about three hours before supplies became critical.  If the electric power was lost that runs the well pumps or the booster pumps, that would cut into the supply because they couldn't refill the storage tanks that feed the pressure to the hydrants.

Elder son says that what scares him the most is a "freeze event", where a big freeze hits the area and many small 1/2" lines burst.  He said that if he had a couple of hundred small lines burst, the effect would be like losing a large line.  He told me that the water folks in Los Angeles have a particular problem because all those structures that have burned, all had water going into them.  As the turn the systems back on, someone is going to have to go around and close the valves at the individual meters.

It was interesting listening to the boys talk across the table today at lunch.  Today was meatloaf, potato salad and yeast rolls.  I learned a lot about water management and what the worker bees in California are going through right now.

But, just so you know, your water system, the one you use to wash dishes and take a shower, is always three hours from catastrophe

DEI Picks

 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  The spawn of Affirmative Action from the '70s is the latest effort of the Democrat party to promote lesser people into positions of influence.  It had nothing to do with merit or ability, simply a checklist of grievance or mediocrity.  The clearest example I can think of is when Joe Biden promised to pick a black woman as his VP.  Not a capable person with a resume of excellence, just a black woman.  We got Kamala Harris, a failure at everything except self-promotion.

This may be unfair to hundreds or thousands of good people who were hired or promoted in the past four years, but when the stated objective of any organization is to promote DEI, then we can fairly assume that anyone hired or promoted filled the boxes of DEI.

It's not just government or private companies, it is the voters too.  The example of the people of Los Angeles voted for Karen Bass, probably the most inept mayor in office today. The very fact that the people of Los Angeles have not risen up and forcibly overthrown her is simply an example of good people being kind to the retarded.

The people that Bass hired are also shaded by the pall of DEI.  Fairly or not, her stated hiring practices were aligned with DEI.  We cannot assume that they were competent, only that competent people were passed over for the golden idol of diversity.

Don't blame us if we call it out when we see it.  For better or worse, DEI was a stated policy and we can only assume that the hiring practices were in line with it.

Thinking Out Loud

 Thinking about the fires in L.A., and I'm guessing that there are a whole lot more homeless people today than there was last Saturday.  With all those houses burned, lots of folks are sleeping in unfamiliar situations.

Many of these folks will recover.  They are not the kind of people who will remains homeless for long.  No sleeping in tents on the sidewalk or under a bridge. They have networks, family, friends, assets that they can use to start to recover.

Los Angeles still has the homeless that they had last week, but those folks are not so much homeless as helpless. No place to live, no place to go, they are simply a drain on the taxpayer.  When we subsidize something, we get more of it, and I'm not sure that Los Angeles can afford to subsidize them anymore.  Let then either move or starve, it's an easy choice.  

The fires are still raging, and L.A. simply will not have the revenue to solve everyone's problem.  Better that the available money be spent on taxpayers instead of those who bring nothing to the community.

Trump Sentenced

The kangaroos were bouncing all over the courthouse today as the derelict judge sentenced president-elect Donald Trump for a series of misdemeanors that were somehow elevated to felony status.  The judge sentenced Trump to "unconditional discharge" which seems to mean that there are no penalties, but the conviction stands.

The president is sure to appeal this travesty.  Surely, during the appeal process this thing will be tossed, both the trial, the verdict, and the sentence. In a world with accountability, both DA Bragg and the judge would be forced to forfeit their legal licenses and be charged with malfeasance.

I'm not an attorney, but I sat through a lot of court proceedings during my career, and some of the crap I saw in this case would not stand in any decent court with a principled judge.

But, the sentencing phase is done and the case can move forward to the appellate levels where certainly, more reasonable analysis will prevail.

Winter Storm

 We have a winter storm coming.  It looks like our friends in north Texas are catching it right now.

The weather-weenies are telling us that we will stay just south of the freeze line.  We will be okay.  SOme rain, but no ice predicted. The red beans are in the crock pot, and Belle will make corn bread closer to the noon meal.

California Burning

 Like many of you, I have been watching the fires in California move across the landscape.  Many of those people are left with nothing.  It's heart-rending, and our sympathy goes out to them. Some have no fire insurance because the insurance companies have been canalling coverage in fire-prone locations.

The fire departments are catching hell because budget cuts and political decisions have left them unable to respond to widespread catastrophe. Political decisions from years ago have culminated in dry fire hydrants.

The Santa-Anna winds are entirely predictable. The result of poor forest management policies and low humidity are entirely predictable. Political decisions that result in dry fire hydrants are entirely predictable.  It's no wonder that the insurance companies are loath to write fire insurance policies in some areas.

Louisiana has the same type of problem, but rather than fire, our problem is hurricane.  Many companies refuse to write policies south of I-10.  The risk is too high.  Or, they write a policy that covers everyting except hurricane.

The one saving grace for some of those Angelos is that if they have evacuated and have nothing left but the clothes on their backs and the vehicle they evacuated in, they have nothing to go back to. They can go anywhere.  Tuscon or Tennessee, Austin or Asheville. They are free to go and start over.

Starting over is the story of America.  It's part of our shared experience. I've done it twice, coming out of a bad experience with little more than the clothes on my back. It's do-able..  And, it makes us stronger.

This And That

 I went to see the eye doc this morning. I had cataract surgery in late December, and they've scheduled the other eye for early next week.  Everything is great, nothing to worry about, but there is this thing called the Medicare deductible.  I got whacked with that this morning.

The weather weenies are predicting another winter storm for tomorrow, and they are cautioning us that we might get some ice.  Oh, Joy!  I stopped at the grocers on the way back from the eye doc, and picked up some sausage and dried red beans.  Those will go into the crock pot before bedtime.

I'm not worried so much about the ice.  Hopefully it will be less than I use to ice the beer in the summertime.  It looks like it's going north of us, but it never hurts to be prepared, and it has been a couple of weeks since we did red beans and rice.

Boudin Shop

 BobF asked in comments about shipping boudin.  Something I had never thought about. But, with shipping these days, it's worth a try.

My local shop is Guillory's Specialty Meats.  I know they ship some things, but I don't know about boudin.

My younger son and son-in-law swear that Kartchner's in Scott has the best boudin. I've eaten it, and it's great.

Other maintain that The Best Stop has better boudin.  I don't know about that but sell a lot of it.  

Some folks say that Billy's has the best flavor.  Let's not argue about it.  It's all good.

My late father-in-law always maintained that Wilson and Campbells, near Turkey Creek had the world's best boudin.  He bought a lot of it, and I helped him eat it. They closed up a year or so before he died, and that might have been one of the causes.  Without good boudin, life loses some of its allure.

Laissez les bon temps rouler.

Carnival

 Mardi Gras season is officially here.  It started today, January 6th and concludes on March 4th, 2025.

Louisiana has a lot to celebrate, if for no other reason that we can't let the terrorists win. If we keep celebrating, they lose.

King Cake is a Mardi Gras tradition, and lots of bakers put their own twist on it.  Some are stuffing the cake with things you might not expect, like boudin.

Check out Gerald Gruening, who ordered a boudin King Cake topped with jalapenos, Steen's syrup, bacon bits, and spicy Blue Plate mayonnaise.  It's a thing, I tell you.

I've been jonesing for some boudin, lately, and a real good boudin ship is just down the road, so I have no one to blame but myself.

Laissez les bon temps rouler.

Winter Storm

 I'm watching the weather and I see that from Kansas to Virginia they are under a winter storm.  I feel sorry for those folks. We in the Deep South understand storm disaster, but at least in a hurricane we don't worry about freezing to death.

I recall my time at Fort Knox, the only time I really had to worry about thigs like blizzards.  The storm that hit in late January 1978 was a doozy.  I was a young Company Commander running a training company.  I had roughly 300 troops and a dozen cadre.  We lost heat and the water was freezing in the toilets. I was never so miserable, trying to keep the troops warm and fed.

AsI thik back, the blizzard that hit in Feb 79 was a problem too.

For all my friends in the Frozen North, I'm thinking about you.  Keep a fire lit, and stay warm. This too will pass, but you have to keep breathing until Spring.

Beef Stew

 The weather weenies told us that it is going to be cool and rainy today, so last night, I put some good beef chunks and some carrots into a crockpot, along with some brown gravy mix.  Put on on LOW and let it go all night. After church this morning, I peeled and chopped some nice potatoes and added them to the mix, the adjusted the spices.

While I was doing that, Belle started proofing some yeast rolls.

In another hour, those potatoes will be fork-tender and we'll make a pot of rice.

I know that my friends up north are suffering under a load of ice, snow, and other wintry conditions. Y'all stay warm and we'll be worrying about you.

Planning and Preparation

New Orleans has a lot going on in the next 60 days, with the Super Bowl on Feb 9th and Mardi Gras on March 4th.   The parades for Fat Tuesday will kick off shortly after Super Bowl, and the New Orleans Police Department has a huge role to play in each of those events.

The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has a troubled past, with was highlighted during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.  Those problems led to multiple suits and court actions that resulted in a consent decree with DOJ that has cast an organizational pall on the department.

Those of us in law enforcement here in Louisiana used to quip that NOPD stood for Not Our Problem, Dude.  The current leadership of that department engenders no confidence that much has changed. When called out about obvious flaws in her execution and planning, she gets testy. She didn't know that New Orleans had barricades.  Why would she know these things?  Not Her Problem, Dude.

Don't get me started on that dimwitted Assistant Special Agent in Charge who flatly proclaimed that a ramming incident by a guy carrying an ISIS flag was not a terrorist event.  We'll let Kash Patel short her out in early February. She should be an object lesson for all the DEI folks in the FBI.

I am pleased at the street cops who ran towards gunfire.  Shamdude didn't make two steps from his wrecked truck before he was well and truly ventilated.

I will be neither at the Super Bowl, nor at Mardi Gras in NOLA.  I used to love going the Big Easy to take in the cuisine and the architecture, but since Katrina, the city has lost all allure for me.

Vegas Incident

 So, I'm wondering.  This Vegas incident.

This guy is reported to be an active-duty veteran with eighteen years, a senior enlisted soldier who is Special Forces qualified.  He wore the Green Beret.  And he shows up outside the Trump resort in a rented pickup truck filled with fireworks?

I'm not a demolitions guy, but I can build a better bomb than that.  Anyone can buy Tannerite at Academy Sports.  I've watched the videos several times and it doesn't look like an explosion. It looks more like a rapid conflagration.  If his intent was really to blow up the Trump building, he really did a poor job.

It looks like he lit the fuse, committed suicide, and what...?  Made a helluva mess in the valet parking?

I admit, I'm baffled.  If this was a terror attack, it was poorly executed.  If it was a common suicide, it was poorly executed. I feel like this may have been a mental health issue and this guy didn't get the help he needed.  And that's a damned shame.

Lagniappe

 The Cajuns have a word, lagniappe, (lan-yap) that means "a little something extra".  I found some lagniappe this week.

On Tuesday, Belle wanted a pizza, so I called our local pizza joint and made our usual order, large sweep, no anchovies. We enjoyed the pie and the next morning, breaking down the box, I found some lagniappe printed on the back of the box.  A target.

That is knowing your customers.  BJs Pizza serves Pineville and Ball, LA.  Most of their patrons are fond of the shooting sports, or simply need to sight-in a rifle occasionally. Putting a target o the back of the pizza box is a nice way to say thanks to their customers.

New Attack

 It seems that a CyberTrucl exploded in Las Vegas this afternoon, outside a property owned by Donald Trump.  From the New York Times:

At least seven people were injured, the authorities said. The authorities said they believed it to be “an isolated incident” but have not ruled out a connection to the attack in New Orleans.

Elon Musk says that there were explosives or a bomb in the bed of the truck.  The truck was a rental vehicle.

Is this related to New Orleans?  Lots of questions.

Bollards

 If you don't know what a bollard is, you have walked past them many ties.  Bollards are those pipes sticking up out of the ground to prevent vehicle traffic.  They can be fixed, or portable, or mechanical.  You might see them in front of a grocers or a bank.

The asshole in New Orleans who started all this bullshit, Shamedude from Jabar (not his real name), drove past the bollards on Bourbon Street by driving on the sidewalk. I was last on that corner ten years ago, and I don't remember bollards specifically on that corner.  But, I may not have noticed them because we were walking.

What we do know about Shamedude is that he is a US citizen, living in Texas.  He may have had accomplices and they may have been scattering pipe bombs around the area.

New Orleans was supposed to host the Sugar Bowl today, but that has been postponed.

NOLA

 What the hell is going o in New Orleans? Ten dead, thirty+ hurt, some are saying terrorist.

The FBI is taking the lead in the investigation, and reports are contradictory right now.