The Trailer is Packed

I haven't been ignoring you guys.  I really haven't.  For the past few days I have been packing boxes and checking lists.  Today, the club showed up to load the trailer.  It's loaded with all the paraphernalia that I need to host a titled championship.  Tomorrow we move to the event center and erect two ranges.

Louisiana State kicks off on Friday morning.

Cassidy Is Done

 Bill Cassidy is the senior US Senator from Louisiana.   First elected in 2014, he claimed to be a staunch conservative.  In 2020, he rode Trump's coattails into a second ern, them promptly sided with the liberals to try and impeach President Trump.

Louisiana has "Jungle primaries", which tend to elect liberal RINOs.  We changed that law for some offices and yesterday had party primaries for Cassidy's Us senate seat.  He lost, big time.

When conservatives vote, RINOs get their marching papers.  All that is left for Cassidy to do is clean out his desk.  He's done in Louisiana politics, and this is the best possible answer to those who say that jungle primaries are better than party primaries.

Homeless?

 This morning, Insty highlights a problem that we have talked about before.  Homelessness.  

Homelessness is a problem that is as old as the United States.  Those of us who grew up in the last century are familiar with a demographic that we described as "hobos".  Those traveling folks without an address who went from place to place, looking fr handouts or work. The problem was the same.  Folks on the low end of the income scale, who from one reason or another had no place to call home.  Some were adventurers, some were down on their luck, others had addiction or mental health problems.  During those simpler times, the agencies responsible for dealing with hobos were the police.  Keep them moving, arrest those who could not take a subtle hint.

Come this century, and our nobler and more empathetic society wants to "solve" the problem.  throw money at it.  Hire social workers to manage it.  Then the homeless people case to be the problem, per se,  as much as the money spent and the careers launched to manage a problem.  Social workers wan continued employment and if the problem is solved, there is no reason to keep paying the social workers to manage a problem that has been solved.

Therein lies the problem.  

Another Thursday

 I'm preoccupied.  For the next 10 days i will be deep into final stages for the big match I host every year.  Ranges are being torn down in preparation for loading into a trailer.  Everything I need to make this event a success has to be catalogued, inspected, packed and loaded so that when we ge there we have everything we need.

I'm not ignoring y'all, I'm busier than a cat in a sandbox.

It will be okay.  Y'all play nice.

Louisiana Crabbing

 An interesting video from way South Louisiana,  These folks live in the marsh, they are catching crab.  While waiting on their folks to come for the crab boil, I saw then do something that I have personally never seen.  Preparing wild thistle for a salad.  Interesting.

Go watch.  I love the accent.  They sound like some of my kinfolks.

Young Warrior

 I had the opportunity t yesterday to talk with a young man who is jus beginning his military education. He had questions and I did what I could to answer them.  We talked about national strategy, failures in leadership, political will, logistics, all the big picture things that determine success or failure on a large scale. Not winning battles, but winning wars.

This was not a discussion that any soldier might have at the company, brigade or division level.  This was deeper, something that we might study ant the Command and General Staff College, or the War College. Deep questions about national resolve and logistics on a grand scale.

It was a very interesting conversation, both in the depths of his inquiries and his grasp of broad principles.  I hope that my meager efforts helped to broaden his understanding, or at least to motivate him to seek deeper understanding.

Lasers? Okay.

 So, YouTube claims that the US Navy is using lasers as weapons in the strait of Hormuz.

Go watch.

I was personally using lasers in the M60A3 in the mid-80s.  We used them for ranging and we thought that the ability to do so was high-tech, whizbang science.   Now, the Navy is shooting down drones with them.

Well, this is the 21st century.  

Zach Update

 Last night when we closed the shop, Zach's car was charging with 13.8 volts DC, but the concern was if he had killed the battery when he drove it home with a dead alternator.  We had made plans for him to get to work if the battery had become an issue, but when we locked the shop last night, his keys were on the roof of the car, along with his shop key.

Zach has to be at work a 5:00 am, and PawPaw ain't normally awake when he leaves the house.  I awoke this morning to see the backup plan was still in the driveway, and when I walked out to the shop, his car was gone.  I guess he figured it out.

Currently, the dawg and I are out in the shop.  It's thundering and lightning and rain is pattering on the steel roof. Ain't nothing happening outdoors this morning and judging from what the weather weenies are telling me, this afternoon may literally be a wash.  I have biscuits in the oven, and I can find something to occupy me here in the shop.

Y'all have a great weekend.

Whadda Day

 Got up this morning and promptly got involved in a little fender bender near the house.  No one injured, just sheet metal and plastic.  Got the police out to work it and then called the insurance folks.  Took the car to a body shop.  Ate lunch.  Belle cooked chicken and dumplings.  On the way home from the body shop, I stopped at Harbor Freight and bought a jump pack.  Call it intuition.   I needed one anyway.  I have an old-style wheeled battery charger that will jump a car, but the new ones are so much nicer.

After lunch, Grandson Zach shows up with car problems.  Dead battery, car won't start.  Jumped off the car, with the new jump pack, got it in the shop, then started the diagnosis.  Called an expert, got the bad news.  Alternator.  Zach's car in an '04 Toyota, so there is that.

Pulled the old alternator, went to the parts house for a fresh one. Taught him how to put in an alternator.  He did it, not me.  The car is running and we have 13.8 volts DC.  Life is good.

I'm hoping the battery in his car holds a charge, but it is still under warranty.  We'll worry about that tomorrow.

I believe that it is the cocktail hour.

Stupid Prizes

 There is this town called Mandeville on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana  Mandeville sits at the north end of the Pontchartrain causeway on the lake leading to New Orleans.

So, this dumb SOB in a stolen truck decides to hijack another car from a gas station near the north end of the causeway.  For some reason, the hijacking goes wrong and our dumb SOB gets back in the stolen truck and heads south on the causeway. But, his stolen truck runs out of gas at mile 10.

Hilarity ensues.  Our dumb SOB decides that the only rational action is to leave he causeway and jump into the lake. After being told that he can either get in the boat or drown, he decides to get in the boat.

Loading Ammo

The club got together tonight to load ammo for Louisiana State. 6000 rounds of CFDA wax bullet ammo in 4 hours.  Of course, we ate.  Belle cooked beef tips with rice, lima beans with tasso, yeast rolls,  and two small cakes for dessert.

The ammunition is now ready.  All that needs to be done is all that other stuff.  This will be my 10th Louisiana State.

This

 This is why I married a Med/Surg nurse.

Go watch

At any given time, piddling around in the shop, I might realize, or someone will point out, that I am bleeding.  A paper towel and a piece of painter's tape and I have a handy-dandy band aid.

My gal doesn't fait at the sight of blood. For her, it is rather humdrum because she's seen it millions of times.  It's her life calling to stop the bleeding, clear the airway and check pulse.

Y'all have a great weekend.

Gerrymander

 Gerrymandering has been in the news lately, with good reason.  I happen to live in a Gerrymandered district where my congress-critter lives across the state from me and does not reflect my political persuasion.

It appears that the Supremes did something recently.  Honestly, I'm not sure what they decided, but it evidently affects my district.  Pair that decision against the very soon upcoming primary election, the first party primary to he held in this state in decades, and we have an opportunity for absolute chaos.  We start early voting on Saturday, and governor Landry is considering postponing the election to redraw the congressional map.

Linky Here.

From what I understand, Governor Landry is proposing that we suspend the congressional primary to give the state legislature a chance to redraw the map.  The huge irony in this fever-dream is that the legislature could have redrawn themap at any time.  Our past governor, John Bel (hack, spit) Edwads redrew the map during his term, specifically to give his long-time crony, Cleoo Fields, a safe congressional district. Cleo is the virtual poster-child for affirmative action, DEI, NAACP, and SPLC.

The one saving grace is that the US Senate primary will go forward.  This is the first closed primary in the state in decades and it is our opportunity to send RINO Bill Cassidy into retirement.  I look forward to doing that.  Louisiana's early voting begins on Saturday.

Heartwarming

 Taking a break between chores, I flipped over to the YouTube and found this heartwarming nugget.

Linky Here.

It seems that if you conspire with your boss to hide criminal activity and your boss gets a preemptive pardon from the president, you can still be charged with a crime.  There is the cautionary tale: if the boss asks you to commit a crime, you are under no obligation to do so.  Quite the contrary, it is your obligation to report it.  It may set back your career, but you won't have to spend time in Club Fed.

Tuesday?

 Is it Tuesday?  I swear, I've lost track. The calendar tells me it is Tuesday, so it must be.

Today started off weird enough that it threw my schedule behind.  I started off wanting to do one task and had to do something else first.  Little piddling tasks that threw me minutes behind.  A five-minute task wound up taking 30 minutes.

Over the weekend, President Trump survived the latest assassination attempt.  Some say that this is the 3rd attempt, others say that it is the 7th.  It depends on what we call an actual attempt.  Either way, political violence is not the answer.  Yet the Democrats double-down, claiming that their thinly veiled references are not an actual call to arms.

This last guy seems to have been motivated by a total immersion in a lefty echo chamber. 

Yesterday, the meeting with King George III seems to have gone well. Somehow, the lefties refrained from holding a No Kings rally when confronted by actual royalty.  Odd, isn't it?   It seems that they tolerate an actual generational monarch better than they tolerate a duly elected President.

I have other chores, so if you will excuse me.

Sunday Afternoon

Belle and I went today to see a play, a matinee, that supports our local theater group, the City Park Players.  It was a lot of fun, and something to do on a Sunday afternoon.

If you have a local theater group, support them by buying a ticket from time to time.

I see that President Trump wants to bring back the firing squad in federal death sentence cases.  I support that, but don't think it goes far enough.  Bring back hanging, too. Some people aren't worth the powder it would take to shoot them.  At least the rope cam be put to good use afterwards.

But that is just my opinion.

Ma Deuce Rules

 One of the most beloved machine guns of all time is finding new life in the fields of Ukraine.  As it turns out, it is a useful, low-cost alternative when shooting down drones.

Linky Here

Imagine that, a partial belt of .50 cal is cheaper than using a missile.  Who'd a thunk it?

Another Wednesday

 I started today with a routine eye exam.  Nothing much changed, but they dilated my eyes.  Crap.  I walked around blurry for most of the day.

I see that the Southern Poverty Law Center got indicted.  It couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.  The SPLC was founded in the early '70s to combat racism.  Over the past 20 years they have become a far-left organization that tries to stretch the definition so that they can still be relevant.  Over the past decade they would put out lists of "hate groups" that included the Catholic church and Turning Point USA.

Over in Iran, it appears that the IRGC has taken over what little remains of the government.  The Gay Ayatollah is only a figure-head and the IRGC is running the place.  Vance and crew didn't leave for Pakistan because no one really knows who is in charge and the negotiators from Iran are a little squirrely.

Today is just Wednesday.  Who knows what is going to happen tomorrow.

Barriers

 In the early years of manned flight, many considered the sound barrier to be a hard barrier, until Chuck Yeager became the first man to exceed Mach 1 in 1947.  Nowadays, we routinely fly faster than that.

Likewise, in running, the 4-minute mile was considered a hard barrier until Roger Bannister crossed the line in 1954. The 4-minute mile is still a laudable goal, but not considered a hard barrier in human performance.

This past Saturday in Georgia, I watched Jiles Wright, a shooter from Arkansas, set a new worlds record in CFDA shooting. Jiles hit a standard CFDA target in 0.278/secod in sanctioned competition. The CFDA has strict rules for recoding a world's record, and Jiles met all the criteria.

The CFDA considers a worlds record to be unattainable at anything faster than 0.267. (CFDA rules, page 25).  This is based on testing done in 2021 based on human reaction time and draw speed. I understand the reasoning and the intent.

I also understand that barriers are meant to be overcome and that records are meant to be broken. The CFDA may want to reconsider a hard barrier to human performance.

Congratulations to Jiles.  I was honored to be there to watch him set a new world's record.

While I Was Gone

 So I understand that while I was gone to Georgia this weekend, a US Navy ship pumped a couple of 5-inchroundsintotheengineroom of an Iranian motor vessel who was trying to run the blockade.

I don't often say this, but Go Navy.

From what I understand, this particular vessel was a Bad Actor in the supply chain for Iran's WMD program.  Not that I care what this particular vessel, nor any Iranian-flagged vessel is carrying.  The US Navy is conducting a blockade. Any vessel trying to run it should be 1) warned, and 2) sunk.

It is time that Iran get themessage.

This N' That

We started Georgia State today. In a suburb of Atlanta.  I didn't cover myself in glory, but I didn't embarrass myself either.  Belle and I are now ensconced in the hotel, and she has declared Happy Hour.

Two bits of wisdom I heard today.

1.  In Atlanta, you are not IN traffic. You ARE the traffic.

2,  Violence is not always the answer, but it is always in the lesson plan.

Tomorrow begins the main match.  I hope to be fully rested when we begin.

3rd Place

 Belle and I were on the road today, passing through Talladega when the phone rang. It was grandson, Lucas.   Lucas shoos in the 4H shooting program, specifically, three position rimfire. Today, he competed in the Louisiana State competition.

"PawPaw", Lucas says, "We just got through shooting. I got third place, rimfire 3-position.  For the whole state of Louisiana."

Belle and I whooped it up.  Lucas is the 3rs best rimfire shooter in the state.  And we can prove it.

Belle and I will shoot tomorrow in the Georgia State competition, CFDA.   All I can think about right now is how proud I am of Lucas, and I'm wondering what upgrades his rifle needs for next years competition?  Can the checkbook stand it? Do I even have a choice?

Let's Talk

 Let's talk about Eric Swalwell, the California congressman who is recently the subject of an intense sex crime investigation. I believe that five women have provided evidence to the police recently.  Last week, Swalwell was the leading candidate in the California governor's race. Now, he has resigned from Congress and has dropped out of the race.  How quickly we fall from grace.

I would remind everyone that he is accorded the same presumption as any other accused.  He is presumed innocent until convicted in a competent court.

I would also remind everyone that I worked with sex offenders during the 1990s Everything I have heard this far fits a standard pattern.  Sex offenders are always serial offenders. If someone is convicted of only one offense, it is because the prosecutors can only prove one offense. This far Swalwell has five accusers.

But, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

2026 HurricaneSeason

 Over the past several days, the usual contenders have issued their annual hurricane forecasts for the2026 season.  This year is supposed to be less active than normal with maybe nine (9) named storms and up to three (3) major storms.

We'll see.

The thing to remember about hurricanes is that it takes only one to completely screw up your weekend.

For those of you who take procrastination as seriously as I do, tax day is upon you.  This is the first year in many that I have not yet picked our my BAG day gun.  Perhaps because I already have my guns.  I have heard good things about Springfield Armory's clone of the Browning Hi Power.

Points, Plugs

 Someone commented on points, plugs, and condenser in an earlier post.  It took me down memory lane. When I started driving, that was considered a basic tune-up and I learned it at my grandfathers knee.

Every six or seven thousand miles, we would find a convenient shady spot, crack open the distributor and make sure that the points were okay. In my grab-and-go tool bag, I kept a small screwdriver and a point file. You could pick them up anywhere and in a pinch, your lady's emery board would suffice. File the points, set the gap, clean the rotor and inspect the contacts in the cap.

The first electronic ignition I ever owned was on q 1975 Ford that I bought new to go on active duty.  That car was never right, Ford simply had not figured out how to do electronic ignition. That car had a pre-ignition ping that simply could not be tuned out.  From that car and others I have known since, I became convinced that most of the cars from that era were simply pieces of shit. The cars from the 60s were pretty nic and the cars from the 80s were starting to get better, but the cars from the 70s suffered from a number of ailments fueled by rapidly changing technology that was launched too early.

Nowadays even my Briggs lawnmower has good ignition.

Beef Tallow

 I was hosting a lunch yesterday (chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, fried green beans, yeast rolls).  Talking with friends as I cooked the meal, one of my buddies said that his doc was trying to get him away from seed oils and go to more animal fats.

When I was growing up, my mom used white canned Crisco.  Grandma used lard. I keep a little bacon grease around for making roux.

We started talking about lard, and the flavor that it brings to fried foods, then talked about beef tallow.  I have no experience with beef tallow, but I have heard good things. My buddy, JT,  says that he can get it from a wholesale grocer, but has to order 50 pounds.  We decided to split a 50 pound order three ways. He is getting it for $1 a pound,  which seems like a pretty good deal.

If any of y'all have any experience with beef tallow, let me know.

Right To Repair

 John Deere, a giant in the ag sector, was having problems with technology.  Deere did not want to share the diagnostic software to repair their machines, which meant that farmers and third-party mechanics had to load the equipment on a trailer and take it to a dealership.

This caused huge problems for farmers.  Equipment has to run, and repairing it in the field is a lot easier than dragging it to the dealer.  Time is money.  Weather waits for no one.

Evidently, they reached a settlement in the long-running civil suit.  That is good news for everyone involved.

Raisin' Caine

 The Charman of the Joint Chiefs gave a briefing this morning, talking about the Iran mission.  He highlighted some states.  He said that during this operation (and I'm paraphrasing here) US forces consumed "950 thousand gallons of coffee, 2 million energy drinks, and a lot of nicotine". 

Those of us who have served, know that the military runs on caffeine and nicotine. It was true when I was a young tank commander, and I'm gratified to know that it is still true.

Hyperbole

 A lot of people are freaked out about President Trump's Truth Social post from earlier today.  I admit that it seems a bit harsh.

I wish that he had been a little more circumspect.  Threatening to kill an entire civilization in  one night seems a bit over-the-top.  It's dark over there now, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Distraction

 That logistical flex we talked about on Sunday may have been a distraction, designed to draw ground forces away from the main mission of collecting our lost aviator.

We had boots on the ground, no doubt, trying to bring our guys out of harms way.

One story I'm hearing is that at the site of that distraction, US forces left two mementoes for the Iranians to find.  One, a case of MREs, and second, a pair of American flag boxer shorts.

Is that true?  Hell, I don't know, but it makes a great story.

A Fresh Look

 A fresh look at an old friend.  I drank it during college, and it is still a staple on many shelves across the world. How they can produce this bourbon at this price point still confounds me.  It's nothing special, nothing exotic, it simply falls squarely where it should.

I have to go into town tomorrow, and I need to pick up a bottle to put in the shop cabinet.

Flex

 I found this over at Instapundit this morning.

Evidently, the US is building a temporary runway about 50 km from the Iranian city of Isfahan. Ostensibly to fly out the Iranian nuclear material once the US takes possession of it. Isfahan is a large Iranian city, with about 2.2 million population.  The fact that the IRGC can't challenge it is a huge testament to their current ineffectiveness.

This is a huge logistical flex. To build a usable runway while under an active bombing campaign. If the US really wanted to flex against them, they would park a working Burger King on the end of the ramp. Next to the NCO club, with a stripper pole.

Artemus

 We're headed back to the moon, after all these years.  The ship launched on Wednesday, with a crew of four, to circle the moon and come back, testing systems along the way.

You can track the mission here.

Godspeed, Artemus.

In other news, today is Good Friday, a huge day in the Christian calendar.  Fasting and reflection is the order of the day. Sunday, we celebrate the Resurrection, the fact that all of Christianity is based on.

Y'all have a great and blessed weekend.  Celebrate Easter in your own style, and chick on those brave astronauts who are crewing a tiny spacecraft in a vast universe.  They are going only to the moon, but we have to start somewhere.

Pin Oak and Crepe Myrtle

 We have this huge pin oak tree in the front yard.  Some call it a white oak, others call it a water oak, but around here, it's a pin oak.  It's a beautiful tree, but it drops acorns.

When Belle and I moved into the house, we wanted a crepe myrtle in the front yard, so I planted one.  Crepe myrtles are odd, decorative, flowering trees.  When they are young, or when they are stressed, they are spindly.  Some old-time growers would weave the spindly trunks together.  Others would choose the strongest trunk and cull the others.  It's a choice.

Back to my plight.  The pin oak was close enough to the crepe myrtle that acorns would fall amongst the spindly trunks of the crepe myrtle.  Some took root and over the past several years, the oak saplings grew into the crepe myrtle, choking it out.  It looked like hell, and I needed to get a handle on it.  But, I have elevated procrastination to an art form.

Yesterday I hooked the utility trailer to the lawn mower and got out that little chainsaw that I bought in February. Went out in the yard and started doing surgery on those oak saplings. The utility tailer is a 4X10 and over the next hour or so, I loaded it with oak saplings.  I dragged it over to the burn pile.  I was amazed at how muck oak I had cut our of that crepe myrtle.  The trailer was stacked five feet high.

I was also amazed at how capable that little 6" chainsaw proved to be. That little saw had plenty of power and I could wield it like a scalpel. No complaints whatsoever.  The crepe myrtle is unharmed, and the pin oak is feeling decidedly unwelcome.

If you are looking for a little battery chainsaw, click on the link above. This link will take you to the Amazon page.  If your preference is for another type of battery, they have them for Milwaukee, or others.  just use the appropriate search terms.

First Mowing

 The neighbors have been cutting grass since February, but I have wisely abstained until this morning.  The crop of thistles in the front ditch convinced me that today was the say to crank up the zero-turn.  A winters worth of leaves has been mulched.  The thistles have been chastised. 

So begins the mowing season that will last until October.  I need to do a little weed-whacking and spray some herbicide, but I am pacing myself.  There is also a burn pile that needs attention, but it is too dry to burn.

Back Home

 We rolled in from central Texas yesterday before dark. It was a great match.  Your humble scribe had a great Saturday. After 8 rounds, I had only one loss. Then, the combined challenges of age, stamina, arena dust and heat took its toll.  I didn't finish in the money,  but it was close and I have no one to blame but myself. I'm still coughing central Texas arena dust out of my sinuses.

Leaving the arena on Saturday, Belle and I were dog-tired.  She noticed a Burger King near the arena and suggested that we swing through Burker King, pick up some sandwiches and go to the room.  Great Idea. Five o'clock in a Saturday, and there was no one in the parking lot.  I thought that was odd, but went to the drive-through and noticed that the menu board was dark. Then I saw it and laughed.

The darkened menu board had a bullet hole in it. Another dissatisfied customer had registered a complaint. I thought that was funny as hell.  We drove out of the parking lot and went down to Dairy Queen for our sandwiches.

We're home and safe.  It is time to unpack the van and get ready f our next adventure. Three weeks from now, it is Georgia.

Never Quit

 It's time for Texas State, and I'm remembering a song sung by Part Time at the 2015 Texas State

You can find it here.

I'm going to leave it here so that I can find it tomorrow.

Texas State

 In March of 2016, Belle and I went to our first state championship, the Texas State Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw in Fort Worth, TX, We were green as grass, brand new to the Fast Draw game, and we wandered around the Stock Yards, wide-eyed and having fun.

Tomorrow morning, we are leaving for our 11th Texas State.  This one is in Burnet, TX, just south of Austin.  These championships move around, just as they should.  We've been to Fort Worth, Amarillo, Odessa, Silsbee, Houston, and this is our second trip to Burnet.  We really enjoy the Texas State Championship.

Tuesday Tidbits

 I went this morning for a AAA scan (Abdominal Aorta Aneurism).  It is a sonogram to tell if my abdominal aorta is about to spring a leak.   When they scheduled it a week ago, I old then it was a waste of time and money.  I'm okay.  The doc insisted, because he doesn't believe me when I tell him something.  Evidently, this test is VERY fucking important.

So, I went this morning and got the scan done. I was right.  It was a waste of time and money. Scan showed absolutely no problems. It was a wase of my time and your tax dollars.

On another note, I heard that the 82nd Infantry Division (Airborne) just got a warning order. The headquarters elements are moving east with the full division to follow shortly.  That is interesting.

On a more local note, we learned yesterday that our recently retired Sheriff was killed in what is characterized as a hit-and-run.  Rumors abound.  I worked for that man for eight years, and while I did not always agree with him, I always thought his heart was in the right place.  Rest in Peace, Sheriff.

F-35 Damaged

 I see that an F-35 was damaged this weekend by hostile fire.  The pilot is fine. Everyone is okay.

The pearl-clutches are wondering how this happened?  The F-35 is stealthy, invisible, invincible.  No, it's not.  It's an aircraft. It's a fine, technologically advanced aircraft, but it is still just a metal tube.

There is still a thing called the Golden BB, and it still comes into play.  Basically, if the enemy throws enough crap into the sky, a plane will inevitably run into some of it. The Golden BB has been around forever, and aviators know about it. Eventually, some sonofabitch gets lucky.

The pilot is okay, the airframe can be repaired.

Chuck Norris

 I learned yesterday of the passing of Chuck Norris.  He was certainly an icon. A proud US veteran, a movie and TV star,  He played larger-than-life roles He supported the troops, traveling to unnamed battlefields to entertain them.  He did it all with self-deprecating good humor. He celebrated the absolutely absurd memes that followed him, understanding that the fans needed to laugh.

He counted to infinity, twice.

He was in all the Star Wars movies.  He was The Force.

Chuck didn't die.  The Earth just moved into a lower plane of existence.

Rest in Peace, Chuck.

Spring Time

 Yeah, I know, it's not till tomorrow, historically.  But, according to Google, the vernal equinox is today. Regardless, here in sub-tropical Louisiana, it's been spring for a week or so.  The oaks are budding, along with the pecan trees.  It's spring.

I took the time this morning to put a couple of screws in an outdoor gate.  That should last another 20 years, barring hurricanes. I also changed the pool pump over from winter to summer mode. Cleaned filters, gave everything a good backwash.

Last night, Belle without prompting, flipped the hall thermostat from heat to cool.  We're in that time of year where the heat may be on in the morning, but the AC is on at night. I have noticed that the neighbors are starting to mow grass, but they are fanatics. They hail from suburbia, where a manicured lawn is a source of pride. I'm still a country boy, where grass is something that the cattle eat.

I know that my friends up North are still in the grip of winter, but down here, summer is just around the corner.  We down here still have a pre-Easter cool snap to get through, but after that, summer will come on with a vengeance.

Fractured

 This, from my buddy Termite, who is in the oil industry and (unless I am mistaken) is currently riding an oil rig somewhere in the Gulf.

WTI crude is $95, Louisiana light crude is $98. Western Canadian is $89. Mexican Basket is $92. Meanwhile, Brent is $108, Dubai is $135, DME Oman is $153. https://x.com/zerohedge/status/2034035587464761706/photo/1 This article is very interesting. https://gcaptain.com/the-hormuz-hypothesis-what-if-the-u-s-navy-isnt-in-a-hurry-to-reopen-the-strait/

Yeah, if you follow the links, you will learn that the Strait of Hormuz is a vital lifeline in the global oil market.  When you have a rogue, terroristic regime causing havoc with global shipping, it makes sense that prices are going to fluctuate wildly. 

Many of you don't remember the oil crunch of the late 1970s.  We here in the US had high prices, rationing, gas lines, and severe shortages.  That was Iran, too.  At that time the United States was not energy independent.  We actually relied on Mid East oil for our daily driving.

It could be a whole lot worse, but if we get the Iran problam solved, it could get a lot better.

Hummers

 Talking with a lady at the grocers this weekend, she mentioned that she had hummingbirds on her feeders.  I came home and hanged a feeder. on Saturday.

This morning I saw the first one, a little green buzzer taking advantage of the free sugar water. Winter might not yet be over, but the first hummingbird has arrived on my acre and I'm glad to see it.

Chili Tuesday

Awoke to a light frost this morning, and Belle decided that she had some hamburger meat she needed to cook and today was perhaps her last chance to make chili this season, so she made a big pot of chili.  That works for me.  What we didn't eat today, we'll recycle tomorrow as Frito Pie.  It won't go to waste.

I'm finishing up reloading ammo for Texas State next week.  Yeah, I know, I should have done this in November, but procrastination is a virtue.  I started a couple of weeks ago needing to reload roughly 7000 rounds, and today I'm within 700 rounds of being finished.  I'll be done by the weekend, even if my schedule in interrupted by some sort of catastrophe.  Here lately, I careen from one catastrophe to another. Who know what tomorrow might bring.

For example, last week I took the dawg to a groomer.  He's a little Lhasa Apso, named Benji.  I swear, that dawg is a reprobate.  I have owned good dogs, and he is not one of them.  So, this dawg is at the groomer, the same groomer he's had for four years, and she calls me.  The dawg is having seizures.  Belle goes into a six-foot hover and we go get the dawg.  The groomer tells Belle that the dawg had three seizures.  He's half groomed.

A half-groomed Lhasa is a pitiful sight, but Belle snatches him up and heads to the veterinarian.  Roughly $300 later, we find out that the dawg is an epileptic. He has to take medicine twice a day. I have to administer it to him. He'll growl at Belle, but he knows better than to growl at me.

I love dogs, I really do. I have had dogs my entire life.  But I will not tolerate a dog who thinks that he is the Alpha on my property. Every dog understands that there are rules in the pack, and I am the Alpha. I will give scratches and treats and regular kibble, but I do not tolerate growling or snapping.  

At any rate, I have a dawg who is an epilep, and I have to give him medicine twice a day.  Belle loves him, but I think he's a reprobate.  I guess he and I are okay, because I'm a bit of a reprobate myself.

That's what I'm dealing with right now.

Back To Flannel

 We had a cold front blow through last night.  Barely worth mentioning. A little rain, a little thunder, but the temps were in the mid 70s yesterday and this morning we're in the low 40s. So, I'm wearing flannel this morning. I know that our friends in the Midwest got damaging winds and tornadoes, and our friends up North got snow.

So, I'm out in the sop with the heaters lit to break the chill.  That heater I bought in February is proving its worth.  Easy to light, easy to move around, it sips propane.  Belle is a fan. She thinks it is just the best.

Belle wants ribs for lunch, so I have taken a rack out of the freezer. I'd best start figuring out what the sides will be.

Old Dominion Rocks

 Did y'all hear about this Aloha Akbar mother****** who wandered into a classroom at Old Dominion and started shooting? He shot the instructor, a retired military officer, but the cadets took things to the next level.

Students in the classroom reacted quickly once the shooting began. Authorities say several ROTC cadets confronted the gunman and physically subdued him before police arrived. Officials later confirmed that the suspect died during that confrontation and that he was not shot by the students who intervened. Investigators have not released details about the exact cause of death while the investigation continues. 

He died during the confrontation but was not shot.  I wonder how he died?  Regardless, that is one less enemy combatant we need to worry about.  It also sets the bar for others who have to deal with such nonsense.

Good Job, Old Dominion!

For True and For Certain

 If there is one thing I know for true and for certain, it is what this guy is telling me right here.

The best ones were married to a 4-speed manual transmission and a granny gear.  Want to haul a cattle trailer to the sale barn with a load of heifers?  No problem.  Need to get an overloaded hay trailer out of a field?  No sweat.  Oh, there was sweat in the hay field, but the engine could handle it.

The Ford 300 cubic inch straight six was a beast.  Bulletproof, reliable,  It was the perfect engine for a pickup truck.  Your do-it-all, around-the-farm rig.

My son has one in his barn, promising to rebuild it and put it in a clunker. I can't wait to see it growl back to life.

Little Mo

 As I eat lunch, listening to the news, I hear that the new Supreme Leader of Iran has made a statement, telling us all that he is going to close the strait of Hormuz.

I also hear that he is in a coma, having lost a leg in an Israeli attack.

I wonder why the mullah council in Iran would pick a comatose leader, but then I recall that the entire US population picked a semi-comatose president for the last administration.

So, Little Mo has threatened the two unforgiveable sins of the past 80 years.  1) he's threatening to touch bots, and 2) he wants to increase the price of oil. Those are sins that tend to skew the mortality tables.

Busy

 Busier than hell, lately.  Momma did in November and it's time to break up the estate.  My sister is handling the money.  Dad left Momma in fairly good shape, financially.  I'm handling the real estate.  Lawyers, appraisers, lists of heirs and the accompanying negotiations.  It's a busy time and I think I have turned the corner.  Everyone agrees and no one's feelings are hurt.

Of course, this is also the competition season for CFDA and I'm involved in that.  Just another layer of complexity.

Like many of you, I am  also watching this whole Iran thing.  I don't understand why the IRGC hasn't surrendered yet, or simply deserted.  They cannot win this fights.  The only question is what they can salvage.

Daylight Saving Time

 Here we go again in Louisiana.  At 2:00 am, some of our clocks jumped forward to 3:00.  Lots of folks are going to be late for church this morning.  As for myself, I'm wandering around, changing the old-fashioned clocks.

At this point, the twice-annual change is simply tradition.  I am convinced that none of the reasons we started this are valid today.  It's tradition, the ay we've always done it.

4.9 Magnitude

 

News reports are telling us that north Louisiana experienced a 4.9 magnitude earthquake in Red River parish.

LINKY HERE

We don't normally consider Louisiana to be earthquake country, but the times, they are a-changing.

I went out to tun errands this morning and saw that the car is covered in y3llow pollen.  The pine trees are shedding pollen.  Spring is just around the corner.

Bombs Away

 Cool video here about what purports to be an F-16 dropping munitions on an MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System). Personally, I have no clue what an F-16 cockpit looks like.  He could be flying a Beechcraft for all I know.

CLICK HERE

Still, it's cool video and that MLRS site ain't a threat anymore.

Spring Shower

 Iran the air conditioner in the shop today. Came in the house and turned the thermostat from heat to cool.  Looked outside and noticed that a little shower had popped up. I wasn't expecting that.

Looking at the news, I see that the Navy's Mark 48 torpedoes seem to be working.  First time since WWII that a submarine has taken down a ship with torpedoes.  I bet that crew was pumped!  Years of maintenance and training comes down to one good war shot. The Iranian frigate Sulemani is now on the bottom of the Indian ocean.

Elections

 Texas held their congressional primaries yesterday, and I see that Jasmine Crockett lost her bid to become a US Senator.  Republicans John Cornyn and and Ken Paxton are headed for a runoff in May.

We're going to miss Jasmine.  She gave us some incredible sound bites.

The Hercules

 Surfing tonight, I came across a video about an airframe that is beloved by the Army.  As a young trooper in 1973 we sang songs about it during our morning run.

"C-130 rolling down the strip,  Airborne Daddy gonna take a little trip."

That was back in 1973, and while I never went to parachute school, the C-130, while owned by the Air Force, is beloved of the Army.  It is out Uber, carrying us where we need to go, and it is our Door Dash, bringing is the 3-Bs (beans, bullets, band-aids).

The more I thought about it, the more I was impressed with the longevity.  I was a rookie in 1973 and the Army was already singing songs about it.

So there ya go.  It's a grand old airframe that has been around for a long time.  Long live the C-130.

TellingOnMyself

 I had a productive day.  Belle and I came in the house at about 4:00 and Belle declared Happy Hour. She poured herself a glass of wine, and I stayed in the kitchen to finish up a phone call. The kitchen was dark, no lights on.  I finished he phone call and found my cocktail glass to pour myself a drink.

The kitchen was late afternoon dark.  No lights on, just the diffused light from the window. I filled the glass with ice, poured a healthy shot of bourbon, the grabbed the Coke bottle.  Filled it, took a big sip, and spit that nasty taste across the kitchen. Gagged.  What the hell?

I turned on the light, looked again and found that I had poured myself a bourbon and Worcestershire sauce.  Who put that bottle over there?

I got out the mop and told Belle what had happened.  She collapsed in a gale of laughter.  I can't blame her, that is funny, right there.

I like Wash-your-sister sauce, I do.  But it is no good in Bourbon.

Meme

 A meme I've seen recently.

America:  I'm your huckleberry

Iran: Fights not with you, America.

America: I beg to differ, sir.  We started a game we didn't get to finish. "Death to America", remember?

Iran: I was just fooling about.

America:  I wasn't.

Epic Fury

 Watching news this afternoon, we learn that at least five US service members have been killed as a part of the ongoing operations against Iran.  We mourn their loss.

Part of the problem, as I see it, is that the freedom-loving Iranian patriots have nothing to fight with. How difficult would it be to gather a bunch of AKs, load them into gun cases with a couple of magazines, and "leaflet drop" them in areas where freedom-loving Iranians might find them. Sort of like what we did with the Liberator pistol in World War II?

I do mourn the loss of American service members and pray for their souls and that their sacrifice bears fruit.

Khamenei Dead

 The Iranian bully Khamenei is deceased.  It's about time.  I understand that Israel is claiming that  one of their planes dropped this particular warhead on him.

It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.  I wonder how many of the other top leaders got taken out?  I'm sure that we will learn more as time goes on.

That whole "Death to America" crap should have conse1quences.

Daylight Raod

 It looks like US forces struck Iran in a daylight raid while we slept last night.  I awoke this morning to news of the raid. Iran stuck back, sending missiles to Israel and Bahrain.

It will take time to asses the damage, but it appears we struck more than military targets. One reporter was saying that the Iranian parliament and the Judiciary was hit as part of the raid. Other reporters were talking about the number of air assets we have staged in the region.  It's a fairly hefty force.

On the home front, I've been busier than a cat in a sandbox lately.  Lots of stuff going on. None of it worth reporting here.

Boosting the Signal

 Victor Davis Hanson is a renowned historian and he gives us some good perspective on the buildup in the seas around Iran.

There is a lot to consider.

Primers

 In our CFDA club, we go through a lot of primers specifically 209 shotshell primers.  Sourcing them can be problematic, so I let the internet handle the problem. A couple of years ago, I bought some primers at a shoot that were packaged, not in those nice little 100 packs, but in a much larger  box where each tray held 1000 primers.

Handling them in bulk became an issue, until I stumbled on to these little plastic containers that easily hold 1000 loose primers.  They are stackable and the club members are comfortable with them now, rather than the little 100 primer trays.  As in all things, buying bulk saves a few cents and I get these primers in the door at lees than 5 cents per shot.

My vendor is CAC Associates, out of Ebensburg, PA.  If you need primers, put them on your list.

Loader

 The loader is an indispensable part of a tank crew.  He is responsible for keeping the main gun fed and keeping the coaxial machine gun cranking. When not engaged, he is responsible for providing security on his side of the tank. Sometimes his hatch will have a machine gun mounted, sometimes not.

The loader is generally very junior enlisted.  Sometimes an E-3 or maybe an E-4.

 The video is here.  I wish YouTube would let me embed shorts, but they don't.

It appears that the ammo he is loading is service HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank). It's a shaped charge round that works good on lots of stuff. It's a general purpose "Fuck You" when the Tank Commander doesn't want to use up his sabot rounds.

Chaos in Mexico

 We awake this morning to find that Mexican officials undertook an operation that killed a high-ranking cartel leader. Violence erupted.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  CNN reports that the Mexican government had assistance from the US, but no details on the type of assistance.

Shop Heaters

 Ever since we built the shop, we've heated it with propane.  For several years w4 used those little round heaters that sit atop the propane bottle, and they did okay, but had some flaws.

Those did okay, threw a lot of heat, and sucked hard on a propane bottle. Normally, after three 8-hour days, they would suck a propane bottle dry.

I wanted an upgrade, so I went searching on Amazon and found this one.

It has three panels that can be turned on or off, it lights easily, and it is on casters.  Additionally, the propane bottle sits on a shelf in back.  We've been using it for a week now, and Belle really likes it.  It throws good heat, she can adjust it for more or less heat, and it seems to be pretty frugal on propane.   We've been using it for a week, and it is still on the same bottle we set it up with.

If you are in the market, click on the link above.

Crawfish Season

 It's officially crawfish season in Louisiana.  Today, I went to the local boiler and got five pounds with potatoes and corn.  Belle and I feasted on that for lunch.

It's also competition season in the CFDA.  In March, we get started in earnest, and that means loading ammo.  One of the rules of CFDA is that the host club furnishes the ammunition for sanctioned matches. This ensures that every competitor is shooting the same ammo.

I'm taking 10K rounds of loaded ammo to Texas State in late March.  They will use my brass, reload it, and bring it to Louisiana State in late May.  Loading CFDA ammo is completely different from standard ammo.  Technically, the only tool you need for CFDA ammo is a thumb. I can load, comfortably, about 500 per day.  I loaded 650 today before my thumb got sore and I decided to call it off.  I have about another 4K to load. It'll get done.

DC DEI Spill

It appears that our nation's capital just suffered the biggest raw sewage spill in the country's history.  Fromm reports, this happened in January and it dumped millions of gallons of raw sewer into the Potomac River. That ain't good.

They are trying to figure it out.  It seems that some of the blame can be laid at the feet of the chair of the Water Board, who is neither an engineer nor a water systems operator.  No, she's a DEI hire. Instapundit lays out the case.

Dr. Unique N. Morris-Hughes is a DEI bureaucrat, non profit “educator”, grant disperser of taxpayer money, & former asst head of a boys charter school

I'm sure that Dr. Morris-Hughes is a charming, educated person, but it this who the residents of Washington DC want running their water system?  Water systems are large, complicated, dirty infrastructure that is the backbone of modern civilization. Getting clean water into a city and dirty water out is a highly technical job. Just because someone has a PhD in Some Unrelated Bullshit, doesn't mean that they are a good candidate to run a water system.

Rest In Peace, Cowboy

 I see that one of my favorite actors died today.  Robert Duvall, at age 95.

He was one of my favorite western actors.  Many know him for his role in The Godfather, and he did a great job there, but I liked him better in western movies. My absolute favorite is Broken Trail, a movie based on a true story.  Of course, many people remember his role as Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove.

Rest in Peace, Robert.

Sunday Music

Y'all have a great Sunday.

Beignets

 Beignets (ben-yay) are a New Orleans pastry, popularized by the Cafe DuMonde in New Orleans.. Normally eaten at breakfast with a cup of hot coffee, If you can't make it to the Big Easy, you can buy the mix on store shelves or from Amazon.

Or, you can make beignets yourself with what you have in the fridge.

Get a can of whop biscuits.  You know, the kind in the cardboard roll.  The kind you whop on the counter to open.  Yeah those.  Cut then into quarters, then drop them in hit oil until they are golden brown.  Drain on a rack or a paper towel lined tray and sprinkle confectioners' sugar across them.

Serve warm.  You are welcome.

Belts

 I used to own a number of belts.  Duty belts, dress belts, gun belts, casual belts and everyday belts. This morning, I was down to two.  A dress belt I used on dressy occasions, and an everyday belt that held the Model 60 on my waist.

That dress belt was bought, as I recall, sometime around 2004.  It hasn't been worn since I retired in 2019.  All the other belts that own, (excepting the competition rig that carries my Colt holster), went away over the years.  So, I'm down to three belts.  The dressy one, the everyday rig, and the competition rig.

Today, I had to go to a funeral.  I put on slacks and got out the dress bel.  Put it on and when I went to tighten it, broke that sumbitch in half. It had dry-rotted.  Just damn.  I put on the everyday belt and went to the funeral.

I need to go buy a dress belt, something that looks better than the plain, old everyday rig I normally wear.  And that pisses me off to no end.  It's just aggravating.  Now that I think about it, my everyday belt is about five years old.  It might use an update too. I guess it's time to go down to Boot Barn or Cavender's and see what they have hanging in the racks.

And that's where I am with that.

Harbor Freight

Referencing some recent comments on the previous post. 

Harbor Freight, or as I call it, Hobo Freight, is a constant in my shop.  I buy a lot of Harbor Freight tools, because they work.

My buddy, Jay, who died in December, had his A&P license and ran a small manufacturing business where he made tools for the helicopter maintenance trade.  Jay didn't mind spending money on tools, that is how he made his living.  His machine shop had big lathes, mills, all the high-dollar stuff.  In the welding room, I happen to notice one day that every bench had a cheap, Hobo Freight angle grinder on the bench.

I asked him about it.

"They work," he said. "And when they quit, I go buy another one for $15.00."  He appreciated high quality tools but realized the value in a cheap angle grinder that would work for him for two or three years. Sometimes there is value in cheap tools.

Twenty years ago, I didn't trust battery tools.  If I could find a plug and string an extension cord, I could work all day.  Nowadays I don't care to work all day.  When the battery needs a recharge, I take a break.

I can still do a full days work, it just takes me most of the week.

Any man who is 70 and works as hard as he did when he was 35, didn't do much when he was 35.

Mini Chainsaw

 I've run a bunch of chainsaws since my teens.  McCullough, Poulan, Husky, Stihl, Echo, you name it, I've run it.  As I approach my dotage, I am loathe to crank a gas chainsaw. I'm no longer felling timber or cutting firewood, I'm pruning trash trees on my little acre.

Battery technology has improved over the past decade, and the era of plug-it-in-the-wall power tools is about over..  I have gone almost solely to batter operated tools, and I use the yellow-black brand..  All my batteries are yellow-black.

Last week, I needed to do some pruning, so I stated looking around.  As it turns out, Amazon sells chainsaws.  Little handy saws that run on batteries and don't need pull ropes.  I did a little research and bought this one.  It's a no-name Chinese knockoff and uses those familiar yellow-black batteries.

The only thing that didn't come in the box was a syringe to put bar oil into the reservoir.  A quick trip to the feed store solved that problem.  This morning I filled it with bar oil, put in a fresh battery and went out to hairlip a little tree that is in the way.  Thirty minutes later, I wondered why I had waited so long to get one. The little tree is on the burn pile, the battery is on the charger and the saw is back it its case.

This little saw is On Time.  It may not last as long as the branded saws, but it proves the concept.

Weird Weather

 I'm out in the shop right now, with no heat on.  It's the middle of February and unseasonably warm.  The weather-weenies are predicting that the temps will be in the mid-70s this weekend.

The weather is teasing us.  Winter isn't over yet. It's not yet time to put away the propane heaters.

Belle and I are going to make a run to Sam's Club in a bit.  We need entertaining supplies, like paper plates and plastic flatware.  Later today, if Amazon cooperates, I'll be working on a project that should increase the comfort in the shop.

In short, it's just a standard Tuesday around here.

Tea Leaves

 This guy is reading tea leaves and it's interesting.  Watching military air traffic across the US and world.

Signals intelligence comes in many forms, and these days, air flight data can tell you a lot about what is coming. Or, he could b all wrong.

Nationals

 The Cowboy Fast Draw Association is shooting their national championship this weekend in St. Augustine, FL.   This championship moves around, and this is the first time it has been on the east coast.  About 150 shooters from all over the country are enjoying Florida weather and testing their skills.

Belle and I didn't make it this year, for a variety oof reasons.  It just didn't fit into our schedule.  We've pared our schedule back some this year.  We'll do Texas in March, Georgia in April, and we are hosting Louisiana in May.  We plan to go to Kentucky in September.

I'm told that there is some trifling football game tomorrow.   I don't follow football as much as I used to, but the Super Bowl was one game I always watched. I met Belle at a Super Bol party in 2001.   Back then, the big game was the last Sunday in January.  Sometime since then, it has moved to February.

More currently, today is Saturday and I have things on my list.

Quandry

 So I'm hearing about this kidnapping in Arizona and I admit that it is a compelling tale. The woman who has been abducted is in her 80s, and that simple fact alone puts this outside the standard bell curve. The locals and the Feds are working the case.  From what little I've seen of the local Sheriff, he seems to be straight-arrow.

Hopefully, they will find this lady and bring her home safely.

Newspapers

 Newspapers are a relic of a bygone era.  In the 20tth century, every town had a newspaper.  It's where we got the news, weather, and sports.  Classified ads and legal notices.  My hometown paper, the Alexandria Daily Town Talk, exists as a pale shadow of its former self. The press is gone; I'm not sure if they print anything at all. At one point, it was being printed in Lafayette, but now I'm not sure at all.

Other newspapers hang on, grimly.  The news earlier this week was that the Washington Post was eliminating positions and laying off staff.  That seems to be the trend in the newspaper business these days.  However, those journalists still have employment opportunities.

That's funny, right there.

Wednesday Wondering

 There is an old saying about "death and taxes" So far I've cheated death, but once again it is time to deal with the IRS. I despise those sonsofbitches.

Some ignorant twat I've never heard of was talking shit at the Grammys last weekend.  Something about illegals and stolen land.  Turns out, her house is on stolen land.

I can take the moral high ground here.  My land isn't stolen.  When this area was first colonized, a guy named Fulton bought a huge chunk of land from the Choctaw. Land north of the river was considered worthless, fit for nothing but pine trees and brambles.  Fulton bought it and started selling homesteads. The Choctaw are still around.  They own a casino north of here. That same tribe has a small reservation near Jena, LA.  When that area went dry, they opened a package liquor store.  That pleased the Baptists to no end.

Busy Monday

 I hit the ground running this morning.  Good stuff.  Got a lot of stuff done, made progress in a number of projects.

I have our annual state shoot in four months, and it's time to get busy on that. The only problem is that we can't start promoting it until we nail down some details and we simply could not nail then down in January.

The weather was beautiful today, the best we've had in weeks.  The weather weenies tell me that we're in for another cold snap. Maybe we are about to turn the corner for spring.  I think I saw the scouts for the local purple martin flock yesterday.  On the other hand, I have heard that our friends in Florida are having "falling iguana" alerts.  So, it's cold in Florida.

Winter ain't over yet.  We still have February to live through.

Renunion

 A bunch of guys I went to high school with showed up at the shop on Saturday to renew old friendships.

Food was consumed, cigars were smoked, and they hit the whiskey.  My bottle of Stranahan's is now defunct.

Friday Prepping

 I have a bunch oof high school buddies coming over tomorrow, some I haven't seen in 20 years.

This morning, I got a call from a CFDA shooter.  He's in town, enroute to a big shoot and wants to see my range.  He and his lady will be over this afternoon. He's retired Army, an old cavalry scout.  When we get together, no telling what is likely to happen.

I'm prepping a big gumbo for tomorrow, and i intend to violate the Ten Commandments of Gumbo. I am going to add shrimp to chicken and sausage.  Bless me Father, for I have sinned.

I will spend this afternoon and tomorrow entertaining. There will be laughter, lies told, and whiskey consumed. I have two very amusing American Single Malt whiskeys for those who choose to consume. There may be cigars, We'll see.

Right now, the chicken is boiling for stock.  Belle has gone to the grocer for last minute stuff.

Y'all have a very pleasant weekend.

Niche Cartridges

I've always had a fondness for niche cartridges. My very first centerfire rifle was a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington.  I preferred the 200 grain Remington load, and I carried that rifle for two decades.  It was my go-to choice for whitetail deer in central Louisiana. That rifle wore a 2.5 scope and was hot medicine for deer in our piney woods and hardwood bottoms. I never had to shoot a deer twice with it.

Ron Spomer talks about another niche cartridge, the 338 Federal.  It's nothing more than a .308 Win necked up to 0.338.  It throws big bullets.  Not far, but hard. It's not in the same category as the .338 Win Mag, nor the .338 Lapua, but it is not meant to be.  It's a cartridge for inside 200 yards.  Truth be told, that is where most North American game are taken.

Before Junior Doughty died, he and I talked about the 338 Federal.  At that time it was a new cartridge.  We thought that a good 200+ grain cast bullet would be the bees knees in this thing.  With hard linotype metal and a gas check, you could push it to 1900fps and get plenty of thump on the other end. In a short action, light bolt gun with a low powered scope, it would take anything we might point it at.

I'm glad to see that Ron highlighted this cartridge.  It is not for everyone, but niche cartridges never are.

Gumbo

 We successfully dodged the bullet of the ice storm.  Awoke this morning to clear skies and cold temps.  Belle said that she wanted some kind of soup or stew for lunch, and I started diffing in the freezer.  I found two partial packs of good Gulf shrimp that we could cook, so I chopped some onions and bell peppers and decided to make a shrimp gumbo.

Seafood gumbo is not my forte.  I am much more comfortable with a chicken/sausage gumbo, but I gave it a shot anyway. Toward the latter part of the process, I knew it needed something, but my palate would not give me the clue.  I had Belle taste it and we decided that a bit of red pepper flakes would help it.

Wehn the rice is done, we will get a bowl.

Monday Morning

We seem to have dodged the arctic bullet that is the Great Ice Storm of 2026. We lost power for all of abot four minutes The pipes are okay, and the roads are relatively clear.

Not so for our neighbors to the north. I understand that Oxford, MS took a major hit, with substantial damage to the electrical grid. Those folks are in a bind.

Drinking coffee with Belle this morning, we were talking about being cold, and the lessons we have learned over the years.  Both Belle and I grew up in the '60s and '70s.  I remarked that back in those days, girls would sometimes wear clothes that exposed a bare midriff. I seem to recall a universal trait, that when I would touch an ice cube to an exposed belly button, the lady would object.  Sometimes violently.

Moving to another survivor of the '60s, we come to the Air Force fleet of aging bombers, the old B-52.  During the '80s I was assigned to a unit in the Army Reserve.  Our headquarters building was just off the north end of the runway at Barksdale AFB in Bossier City, LA.  Barksdale is a major hub for the B-52.  They were aging machines in those days, but it seems that the service life of those airframes may be 100 years.  The earliest of them were delivered in the 1950s and may still be flying in the 2050.  Incredible.

Ice

 We're getting a little ice, but the ground is not frozen, so it is not sticking.  The power is on, so we are warm and have light.  I've talked to all my kids and they are okay.  We are weathering the storm.

The weather radar has lots of pretty colors.

We're hanging in there.  This too will pass later today.

So It Begins

 We shot our January monthly match at the clubhouse today. Yes, there is a winter storm coming, but it ain't hare yet.  We decided to have some fun.

We had eleven (11) shooters this morning, not a bad turnout when you figure the weather.

The worst of it is supposed to roll in here later today, mainly in the form of ice and sleet, not so much snow. Many of the churches are closed tomorrow, and the news is saying that the state will close the Interstate (I-49) later today, mainly because so much of it is elevated across Alexandria.

Belle and I are hunkered down, with everything we need to ride this thing out.

Prepping Friday

The big news this weekend is the winter storm that is going to hit us over the weekend.  Yesterday there were lines at gas pumps and propane filling stations.   From all accounts, we are going to be on the southern edge of the storm, so how bad it may get is a matter of which weather app you are using.

The temps are all predicted to get into the mid-to-lower teens, so the temps will be there.  The question is how much precipitation we are going to get, and in what form. Snow, sleet, freezing rain are all in the mix.

I think we are ready, though one never really knows.  The gas cans are full, the generator is ready, the propane tanks are filled. Now it's just a matter of how closely the reality matches the forecast.

We will see.

Just Wednesday

 The big news is the Ice-mageddon we are going to get this weekend.  Lots of folk in panic mode.

For myself, younger son came by this morning and we went to Academy to look at scopes.  Picked out a nice Vortex Crossfire for the Winchester.  Mounted it, life is good.  We didn't go shoot simply because it rained all day, and I'm not ford of being in the rain.  When I was in the Army, the mantra was "If it ain't raining, we ain't training", but I'll wait for less precipitation.

The weather-weenies are prepping us for a huge ice storm this weekend.  I'm ready, but I am not yet convinced.  What concerns me is the insanely low temperatures they are talking about.  Louisiana does not need temps in the teens.  It ain't right.

Tomorrow, it is supposed to rain some more.  The menu in the shop tomorrow will be chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and cream gravy.  I may heat some english peas to go with that.  We'll see.

Optics

 My younger son came in for a visit today.  He'll be here for a week.  Belle and I picked him up at the airport and his brothers met us at the shop.

Stories were told, lies were explored.  At some point the conversation turned to optics.  I happened to have a rifle in the rack with an old Bushnell scope.  It will be upgraded tomorrow.  the boys took that scope off the rifle and began to disassemble it, exploring the mysteries of the internals of common optics.

That was interesting, and we concluded that young Philippine grills are better qualified to disassemble cheap scopes than middle aged rednecks from Louisiana.  They probably have specialty tools.  At one point, a pipe wrench was used in the disassembly, probably not something we would find in a technical manual. This was redneck gun-smiffing of the worst kind.  No alcohol was involved in this evolution.

For the record, the reticle was found in the second focal plane.

 We'll go get a new scope tomorrow and see how the rifle shoot.  It's a push-feed Winchester Model 70 in 257 Roberts.  More to follow.

Free Expression

 Just for giggles, let's take a look at the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

That is fairly broad and well stated. 

Turns out, a bunch of Somali backers invaded a white church in Minnesota on Sunday, protesting and raising hell.  Nobody got hurt, but it disrupted the service.  Don Lemon, the disgraced CNN guy was there with a camera crew, supporting the disrupters.  So, what we have is a collision of free speech and free exercise of religion. It's a good question where the boundaries lie.

You can see Don interviewing the pastor here.

Interestingly though, there is this thing called the FACE Act, a Clinton-era law that makes it illegal to 

"intentionally injuring, intimidating, or interfering with, or attempting to injure, intimidate, or interfere, any person by force, threat of force, or physical obstruction exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship."

Oops.  Don and all those protesters may be in violation of federal law.  We note that journalism is also protected under the First Amendment, and this should further complicate an already complicated legal exercise.

A Fifth

 Those of us who grew up in the 20th century knew what a fifth of whiskey was.  One fifth of a US gallon.  A US gallon holds 128 ounces, so a fifth was 28.6 ounces. Nowadays we buy our hooch on the metric system, and a 750 ml bottle, we still call a fifth, but that holds only 25.36 ounces.

A jigger of whiskey was commonly known to be 1.5 ounces.  One of the legends ascribed to the game of golf was that the course standard of 18 holes was based on the fifth of whiskey.  If a gentleman limited himself to one jigger per hole, he could finish the course with fifth, retaining a wee bit to toast the course after the game.

Lately I have seen some of the online whiskey gurus saying that they didn't know why a 750 ml bottle is sometimes called a fifth.  Now, the education is complete.

You are welcome.

Greenland

 I haven't really been following it, but I have been noticing this whole Greenland kerfuffle.

President Trump seems to think that it is strategically important, Denmark owns it, and President Trump is making noise about buying it.

It seems that a NATO military contingent has gone to recon it.

LINKY

Thirty-seven (37) is barely an overstrength platoon.

Insurrection

 Should President Trump use the Insurrection Act to send federal troops into Minnesota?  I think not.

Better to use US Marshals.  The oldest civil law enforcement in the US, successfully used in many such cases, where the local authorities don't want to bend to federal law.  Like Lyndon Johnston used them to break Jim Crow.

The US Marshals are a better fit.  They are civil law enforcement, and you don't run into Posse Comitatus.

Record Breaking Tuna

 Oh, c'mon.  This is funny.

LINKY.

I bet that was a fine boat ride.

Fantasy

 I saw this meme earlier and didn't believe it.  It was too inane, too fantasy-driven, too problematic to be anywhere close to the truth.  Turns out, it is probably true.  As it turns out, the first words scrammed by the passenger in the vehicle of the woman shot by ICE, screamed, "Why did you have real bullets?"

Did she think that this was some play-action fantasy?

The problem with these folks is that they cannot differentiate between Instagram reels, TikTok shorts, and the real world.  In the fantasy of holding ICE accountable, everyone goes home safe.  In the fantasy of video gaming, there is a reset button.

This gal who was killed is not some "white chick George Floyd", as I've seen her described.  She is not a martyr to a cause.  She is just the latest example of a lethal force encounter going very bad, very quickly.

For my entire police career, as I was getting ready for my shift, I'd look in the mirror and ask myself if I were willing to take a human life that day.  We do a job in the real world with real consequences.  Thankfully, I never had to take a life.  I drew my weapon only four times in the line of duty.  I never had to fire.  For that I am thankful.

Today's "protestors" don't seem to understand lethal force. That is unfortunate, because the cops understand it very well. There is no reset button.  It is forever.

Justification

 I see that the news is awash with the tragic tale of a gal in Minnesota who was recently killed in an altercation with federal ICE officers in Minneapolis.

It's tragic.  The death of anyone is tragic.

In 37 years behind the badge, I was regularly trained on Use of Force during my yearly training.  It has become stenciled on my brain.  Louisiana law mirrors the law in much of the country.  Let's take a look at the law, shall we?  Louisiana Revised Statute 14:20 says in part:

A.  A homicide is justifiable:

(1)  When committed in self-defense by one who reasonably believes that he is in imminent danger of losing his life or receiving great bodily harm and that the killing is necessary to save himself from that danger.

There is nothing there that talks about the intent of the deceased. We cannot know what she was thinking, nor the state of her mind at the time of the incident.  All that is necessary is the perception of the officer that he was in danger of great bodily harm or death. 

Her death is tragic, no doubt. We will never know what might have happened if the officer did not use deadly force.  It is a question we need not ask. You might note that in Louisiana, at least, there is no difference in the law between a sworn officer and a common citizen.  The justification is there for anyone to use.

I'm just saying.

Upgrade

 When I built this shop back in the winter of 201-2018, one of the things I built of scrap lumber was a temporary table that we could use as a cook prep area and to use as a serving table. Built from scrap 2x4s and plywood, it was never meant to become a permanent fixture, but it is so damned useful that it keeps being used even today.

That old table has served us well, but lately, Belle has discovered warming mats that we can plug in to keep food warm while we entertain, and we wanted to upgrade the table.  I searched around and found a butcher block tabletop that would add a few inches to the table and give me some room to add a power strip underneath the table edge so that she could plug in those mats.

Today, elder son and I installed the new tabletop.

I think that looks a little more finished and gives me room to add the power strips. Belle comes home on Thursday.  Belle approved the upgrade before she left and when she gets back, the project should be compete.

Iran

 Have y'all been watching the crap going on in Iran over the past couple of days? It's hearting up and it looks like the people might overthrow the mullahs.

I'm sure that the violent spasms are not over yet, but it seems that the Iranian people might get their country back.

Let Freedom Ring

Road Trip

We went to Shreveport this morning to pick up Belle's daughter at the airport.  She's going with them on the cruise.  

We stopped in Natchitoches for a bit of history and a bite for lunch. Belle's favorite restaurant is closed this week for a thorough cleaning and remodeling.  We went around the corner to another restaurant and ate po'boys.

Front street in Natchitoches.  Momma's Restaurant. They make a passable shrimp po'boy. The girls will leave here tomorrow, heading for Galveston. They should have a lot of fun.