Monday Blahs

Slow news day, nothing much happening, Benghazi, ISIS, IRS, terrorists, you've all seen the news.  Republican, Democrat, Midterms.  Bleh.  Obama, Hillary, will we ever be shed of these troublesome people?

Local politics is starting to get fun, though.  We've got several local races going on, and I haven't decided who I"m going to vote for, and who to cull.  Some judges, a DA's race, parish and city elections for things like Alderman, and city council, and school board.  Justice of the Peace, and Constable races abound.  Mayoral races everywhere that has a mayor.  Things should get more interesting as we get closer to election day.

Nothing worth blogging, though.  Y'all check back tomorrow.  The most interesting thing I have going right now is laundry, and that should speak loads.  (Get it, loads?)

Sunday Morning Dawg

First cool front of the season, the weather is in the 60s and we're glad to see it.  We're not ready to take the flannel shirts out yet, but the change in the weather is welcome.  It makes the dog frisky, and he wanted to move around when we went outside to check the mail.

Strutting proud, this morning is a lot nicer than yesterday morning.

Oh, look!  There's the mail lady now.

Cop Stories

Over at this forum, they were talking about a bar raid gone wrong in Louisville, KY, and I chimed in about the proper way to conduct a raid.  It's actually pretty simple, and goes something like this.

The way you do that is simple. 1) ABC runs the operation. 2) ABC evolves information that illegal activity is going on in the bar. 3) ABC articulates said information on a warrant application and takes it to a friendly judge. 4) After the warrant is signed, ABC teams with local agencies to conduct the raid. Normally, we'd take local police, probation and parole officers, juvenile detectives, Military Police (in case you had to process GIs), the Fire Marshall, and the Health inspector. Maybe a couple of K-9 officers.

 About a half-hour before the raid, everyone meets at a rally point. You send two plainclothes officers (a male and female) in the bar to find a place and get comfortable. Pay the cover, buy a drink. At H-hour, they move to the restrooms to lock them down as the raid team goes through the door. You don't want the patrons flushing contraband, and they'll try, Lord, how they'll try.

The lead ABC officer gives the barkeep a copy of the warrant. The local police control the crowd while the probation officers look for their clientele (who ain't supposed to be there), the health inspector does his thing, the K-9s look for dope, etc, etc. You'll normally find dope hear the bandstand. And, every gal in the place suddenly has an urge to urinate. Amazing.

 After you've checked everything you leave. If the bar is reasonably clean, you remind the barkeep that closing time is 2:00 a.m. If the bar is being run wrongly, the Fire Marshall and ABC in cooperation with the Health Inspector, shut it down.

 And that's the way you do a bar raid. Simple, no? The last one I was on, I was on the entry team, and when we came through the door, we noticed a three-year-old sitting a the bar, drinking Pepsi from a sippy cup and coloring in a coloring book. That was a very interesting raid. We took the dope out of there in a bushel basket, and we wrote over 200 juvenile citations. In a bar raid. Very interesting night.

That's the way you do a bar raid.  Do the paperwork first, do the planning next, then go out and play with the criminals.  You rookies write that down, it will keep you out of trouble later.

Chilly!

Got up this morning, made coffee, and wandered out to the patio, where I noticed a distinct chill in the air.  Not cold, but decidedly more pleasant than the weather has been all week.  Indeed, since April.  For folks acclimated to 80 degree weather before 8 a.m., having it be in the 60s at daylight is a decided change.

A quick look at the surface map shows me that a huge bubble of cool air has fallen across the US this week, and finally made it down to our little wet state.

That's a big ol' front, stretching from Virginia to Washington state, all along the coast. As weather maps go, that is fairly interesting.  For a few days, at least, Louisiana is under moderate temperatures and for that I am grateful.  I guess I should go put on some socks.

Range Time

I got around to shooting that Model 10 this week, and thoroughly enjoyed my limited time.  I slipped off to the indoor range on a lunch break and spent a half hour with a box of Winchester White Box 130 grain ammo and the old revolver.  I readily admit that it's been a long time since I shot a revolver, but the results aren't half bad.  The vast majority of the body shots were at 25 yards, the max range available at the indoor range, and the head shots were at 15 yards.  The target, or course, is a standard B27 target.

All the shots clustered to the left of the target, which tells me that I'm putting too much finger in the trigger guard.  Or, this old revolver might be regulated for standard 158 grain loads.  Either way, it deserves more research.  The revolver seems to be willing, it's just necessary for me to put in the time and find the ammo it likes.

Of course, there are very few skills that erode as quickly as proficiency with a handgun, and I readily admit that I don't spend enough time with my handguns.  It's been 10 years since I even picked up a revolver for any serious target work.  Still, it was fun to get out with the old revolver.

Rob Manes Reflects on 9/11

That's what Americans do.  We go to the fight.  We go to the sound of the guns, and we try to help.

This is why I'm voting for Rob Maness for US Senate.

Post by Col. Rob Maness (ret.) for US Senate.

Spider Lillies

Spider lillies, also known as pop-up lillies,or Johnny-Jump-Ups, are members of the Amaryllidaceae and common to these latitudes.  Normally seen inn the bright red variety, a couple of years ago I was lucky enough to find some of the pale pink variety.  I found them yesterday near my redwood fence.

Beautiful, pale pink flowers, we call these "white" in these parts.  Here's a close-up.  Of course, you can click on the picture for a closer look.

I've got some blood-red ones under the white oak tree out front, but they haven't popped-up yet.  If they do, you'll see pictures.

Venomous Snakes

With the incident yesterday at my son's house, and the upcoming hunting season, it might be appropriate to review the poisonous snakes in your locale, in my case, the venomous snakes found in central Louisiana.  Hereabouts, there are five species to be concerned about, although others are found in the Florida parishes east of the Mississippi.  A full list can be found here,  They are, in no particular order:

Canebrake rattler (also called the timber rattler, or banded rattlesnake), this is the one that my daughter-in-law dispatched yesterday.
Pygmy Rattlesnake.  This one is seldom seen, but can cause problems as well.
Cottonmouth.  Also knows as the water moccasin, or in some locales, the stubtail.    Found in low, swampy environs.
Copperhead, with a wide distribution, if's found in piney-hills and swampy land.
Coral snake  Two varieties in Louisiana, but they both have red bands touching yellow.  Remember the adage "Red and yellow kill a fellow."

Lots of folks will be out in the woods in the coming months, and it might behoove us to go to the link above and review the poisonous snakes in our woods.

There is, though that mythical beast that I call the Copper Headed Rattle Moccasin.  Bad attitude, powerful venom, I shoot those every time I see one.  Y'all be careful in the woods this autumn.

Success

Daughter-in-law just texted me, telling me that a big 'ole rattlesnake came up the yard, and she dispatched it using a shotgun I loaned her last year.

Back last October, she told me that she needed a gun.  She lives in the country and the occasional varmint popped up when hubby wasn't around, and she needed a gun to deal with said varmints.  So, I commenced looking for a suitable varmint gun and found one at the pawn shop a week later.  This one, a NEF Partner shotgun.  Simple, durable, reliable.  20 gauge, a perfect varmint gun.  I loaned it to her, for the duration.

She used it today to dispatch a rattlesnake that had the temerity to wander up in the yard where my grandchildren play.  One shot with a light load of #8 shot, and that was a deceased rattlesnake.  Shame on him for showing up at Kimmie's house.

That shotgun was worth every penny I paid for it today.  Well done, Kimmie!

The Poodle Scout

Col Cooper, from his Commentaries, Vol 2, No 1, January 1997.

We have never been enthusiastic about the use as a battle round of the 223, which is essentially a varmint cartridge, and our view is shared by most of the people who have used the M16 in close combat. 

Or, in Vol 8, No 10. September 2000.

Witness the fact that we now have a curious artifact known as the "Poodle Scout" in caliber 223.

Or, vol 14, No 5, September 2006

 We have people now who have no idea what a shooting sling is for - and this is for instructors, not just the troops at large! We have in possession a Boy Scout training manual dated from about 1937 which sets up an excellent standard for the individual rifleman. Dismal as this may seem, our currently standard poodle shooter is not much to work with.

The complete index to Jeff  Cooper's Commentaries can be found here.

Yet, today Ruger announced a new product, a Gunsite Scout rifle chambered in .223.  I can only imagine what the Colonel thinks about that development, but I hope that they sell them by the boxcar load.    Which brings me to just one more Cooper quote, when asked about the industry.  Vol 9, No 3.

The aim of the industry, of course, is to sell stuff, which is fine

Indeed.  The aim of the industry is to sell stuff.   But, I think that we can reasonably dub this new rifle, The Poodle Scout.  Col Cooper has already named it.

Sunday Morning Dawg

What are those crazy cats doing?

I don't know, pup.  Looks lie they're playing on the glider.

Yeah, those cats have pretty much lost their minds.

Heaven

I went out to my little slice of heaven this afternoon, the family land seven miles from my house.  Various obligations and self-imposed tasks had conspired to keep me away from there for the last couple of months and it was sorely in need of some bush-hogging.

Bush-hogging, also known as shredding, or mowing in other parts of the country involve a tractor and a mower.  Something like this.

It's not a finish mower, it's for rough work, and I knew that various saplings, vines and other impediments had sprung up in the meadows on the rear of the property.   I needed to cut those down and the tractor was just the implement.  I knew it needed a battery, so earlier this week I picked one up.  I got to the land just before noon, met my brother who was doing other tasks, installed the battery, checked the fluids, and cranked it off.

To a country boy, there is very little that is as satisfying as bush-hogging.  You can see immediately what you've doine and what you need to do.  Very satisfying.  Of course, I was on my father's tractor, a little International 244 that I've driven since the early '80s.  Sitting on that tractor is like operating an old friend, we've spent so many hours together.

About an hour before I finished, it started raining, just a gentle summer shower.  The sun was still shining and the rain drops looked like little jewels falling through the trees.   I watched the rain fall as I steered the tractor, finishing the little patch I had started.  By the time I got to the barn, the rain had stopped so I brushed the limbs, leaves and twigs off the tractor, put it away, then swept the dirt I had tracked into the barn.  Locked everything up and headed home.

I feel like I actually accomplished something today.  The back meadows are mowed, and I can see across the property.  Very satisfying..

Weather Coming

It looks like we've got some weather coming, which is a pretty good prediction, since we get weather every day.  However, this might moderate the heat we've been feeling lately.  From this article at Accuweather:  It looks like the midsection is due for some cooler temps.

That'll be better.  Cooler is better than hotter, this time of year, but we wonder what that might mean to us in the deep south?  Frost in the Dakotas is one thing.  Frost in Louisiana is something else again.

Highs in the 80s, lows in the 60s?  I'll take all of that they can give me.  It's not quite time to break out the flannel shirts yet, but this forecast is certainly better than some I've seen.

Finally Friday

Finally  Friday and the work week is done.  I came home today and cleaned up that Model 10-2 and tried to get some better pictures of it.  Not being a professional photographer, I'm not good at things like lighting and apertures and such, although my Canon digital camera does a pretty good job when I let it do it's thing.

I've never had good luck taking pictures of a blued revolver, but I think this more accurately reflects what the gun looks like.

Of course, you can click on the picture for a larger version.  It's got a little holster wear at the muzzle, something I've come to expect on older revolvers, because they were carried.  I'm beginning to suspect that this one was carried more than it was fired.

Smith and Wesson Model 10-2

The Smith and Wesson Model 10 is an iconic revolver.  A basic, K-frame revolver in .38 SW Special, it's been made in one form or another since 1899, a successor to the Hand Ejector.  Before Smith and Wesson designated their revolvers by model number, the Model 10 was also known as the Military and Police, or alternatively the Victory model.  A quick history is here, but the main point is that Smith and Wesson has made a bunch of these revolvers and they're iconic.

Last week, a coworker told me that there was a new gun shop in town, and he told me that there was an old Smith and Wesson revolver in the consignment rack.  Today during a break I found the place, a tiny shop wedged into the corner of a building.  I walked in and asked about the old revolver.  The lady brought it out from the counter.

It's a 10-2, a 4" tapered barrel revolver.  Fixed sights, .38 Special, pinned barrel, nothing special about this revolver at all, except that I'm a fan of old revolvers and according to this site, this particular one was made in 1961,  I've  never owned a Model 10, but I've always liked them as basic, rugged revolvers.  They certainly have a time-tested design.  I did a quick Jim March checkout, and while the outside of the revolver has flaws, the internals seem fine.  It locks up tight, timing seems good, and the blueing is a lot nicer than the picture indicates.

After a little dickering, the price became right.  Very right, and I filled out a 4473.

Why We Win

I am reminded that this weekend is a special time in Louisiana, when sales taxes are suspended for shooting, bunting, fishing, and camping supplies.  From our local TV station:

The Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday is September 5th through the 7th.
This tax holiday came about in 2009 when the Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature enacted the "Annual Louisiana Second Amendment Weekend Holiday Act." 

Hunting, fishing, and camping are important to Louisiana.  The legislature recognized that importance to our state by making the first weekend of September a time where they forgo the sales tax so that the citizens can get what they need.  What's covered?

 The act states that annually on the first weekend of September exemptions from state and local sales taxes will be applied to purchases of firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies. Many of items fall under the exemption including off-road vehicles used for hunting.

So, let's say that you're in the market for a new rifle, a new shotgun, and a new 4-wheeler to use in the woods this year.  The bill for that might be $10,000, and saving the sales tax might mean that the sportsman saves over $1000 on his purchases.  Heck of a deal.

Louisiana truly is the Sportsman's Paradise.

The Hits, They Keep On COming.

Mary Landrieu, our  besieged senior senator from Louisiana, is having a rough week.  It's bad enough that we learn that she doesn't live in Louisiana, nor does she own a home in this fair state,   But, today we learn that she hasn't paid the taxes on her brick mansion in Washington DC.

The home is listed under the name of Landrieu's husband, lawyer and real estate agent Frank Snellings, and the couple has accrued just over $1,000 in tax penalties in the second half of last year; interest brings the total penalty to $1,206.95 as of February 2.

Really, Senator?  On your salary you can't afford to pay property taxes like millions of your constituents?  I use the word "constituent" loosely, because Mary hasn't lived in this state in years.  This is the place she comes to get re-elected.

Pay your taxes, Mary.  Millions of the people you represent pay taxes every year.  Besides, after this election I'm sure that you can find a good lobbying gig.  You're going to need it.

PawPaw is endorsing Rob Maness for US Senator.  Let's send a tried, tested non-politician to the Senate.

Getting Ready

It's past Labor Day now, and it's time to start getting ready for the hunting season.  Ill be hunting on family land this year and I've got some catching up to do.  I need to bush-hog and set up my box stand, and Dad's tractor hasn't had a good battery for several years.  We've been jumping it off, and that's not the answer.  So today after work I went out to the family land and got the battery out of that old tractor.  I'll swap it for a new one tomorrow during my lunch break, and on Saturday I'll go out, fire up the tractor and do some mowing.

Hopefully, by October 1st I'll have my box stand set up and the feeder working.  That'll give the deer six weeks to get used to the mowed grass, the box stand and find the corn on the ground.  Our land is in Area 1, so my season doesn't start till November 15th this year.

I might ought'a get a hunting license too.  That might be a good idea.

Cop Stories

Once upon a time, I was working a rural caseload near Bugscuffle, LA, (not to be confused with Bugscuffle, TX) out in the sticks on the border of Louisiana and Texas. It had been One Of Those Days. When I got through, ready to head home just at dark, I was coming out of the woods and ran upon a little backwoods bar. I decided, just on the spur of the moment, to stop in and get a beer, the hell with the rules.   Those rules being that we don't go into bars in uniform, we don't drink in uniform, and we don't drive the state's cars after we've been drinking.  Like I said, it had been One Of Those Days, and to hell with the rules.

Technically, I wasn't in uniform.I was in sorta-plainclothes,. Khakis, cowboy boots, a polo with an embroidered badge, and a SW66 strapped to my waist. I walked to the bar, hailed the bartender, and suddenly the place emptied out, like I was raiding the joint.

The bartender looked at me. "What'll it be?"
"Miller High Life." I looked around at the empty bar.. "Do they always leave like that?"
Bartender snorted. "They don't trust the police. Are you going to be here long?"
"Just long enough to drink a beer. Why?"
"Cause I have to go to the bathroom. Watch the place for a minute, will you?"

I stood there in the quiet, drinking my beer. The barkeep came back a few minutes later, and I left the place, heading home to wife and children. Sure enough, all those rednecks were waiting quietly in the gravel parking lot. I tipped my hat to the ladies, started the car, and headed home.

The IRS SCandal - Day 480

Lest we forget, there's an IRS scandal still on the investigator's books, and suits abound. If you want to kep up with the latest on the ongoing revelations, go to Professor Paul Caron's TaxProfBlg.  Professor Caron, of Pepperdine University has been doing yeoman service keeping us updated on the latest in the scandal, and today's updates are really interesting.

Those of us who have smartphones know that our email appears on the phone, and Lois Lerner was no different.  She had a Blackberry, and there are new revelations that the Blackberry held all her emails.  It, of course was destroyed when she learned that she would have to appear before investigators.  From the High Plans Daily, Leader & Times.

An IRS official declared under oath, that the destroyed Blackberry contained the same subpoenaed emails (both sent and received) as Lois Lerner’s computer hard-drive. Judge Sullivan had decided the best way to arrive at the truth with the suspected IRS conspirators was to have them give sworn-testimony so any false statement would lead to criminal charges of perjury or obstruction of justice.

If these revelations are true, then Lerner and company are guilty of Spoilation of Evidence, a crime in many cases.  Which might explain why Lerner took the fifth.  She's guilty as sin, and she knows it.