Friday, September 30, 2016

Friday Notes

1. The Chicago Tribune has endorsed Libertarian Gary Johnson for president.  Chicago is, of course, President Obama's home town.  They say that:
We would rather recommend a principled candidate for president — regardless of his or her prospects for victory — than suggest that voters cast ballots for such disappointing major-party candidates.
2. This clown bullshit is getting out of hand.

3.  The dawg is at the groomers this morning.  He looked like a sasquatch, so we made the appointment.  Hopefully, by this afternoon, he'll be trimmed and I'll know which end to scratch.

4.  All of my fast-draw brethren are in Fallon, Nevada this week, shooting in the Fastest Gun Alive competition.  I've been busing Facebook, trying to keep track, but it appears that they shot the category matches yesterday.  Two shooters much beloved in this area won category matches.  Gentleman George took 1st place in the Men's Super Senior category, and Texas Rose took 1st place in Women's Traditional.


4.  Milady and I have been invited to her brother's house across town this evening to eat chicken wings.  He's a pretty good wing cook, and I am not going to wear a white shirt.

5.  It looks like the deceased are registering to vote in Virginia.  This must be some more of that voter fraud that we hear never happens.  I wonder which party they registered for?

6.  Hey, Donald!  Keep your eye on the ball.  No one gives a crap about some nobody's non-existent sex tape.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Send In The Clowns

The 21st Century isn't panning out like I imagined it.  It seems that ... well, heck.
We have reached the stage of the Great Clown Panic when real clowns have started to worry about profiling. In Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the Cumberland Times-News reports, "members of the Classic Clowns Club have been alarmed by news reports in which police have asked anyone who sees a clown to call 911. The troupe members often travel in costume, and worry that, if someone notices a van full of clowns and calls the police, they could end up in legal trouble."
This is absurd, and it seems to be a meme.  Really.


Our culture is becoming more and more bizarre daily.   This isn't the 21st Century I imagined, and I don't have my flying car yet.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Comey's Disgrace

FBI Director James Comey tried once again to tell Congress why he didn't indict a serial felon.



"We've had nine straight Democrats talk with Director Comey emails wthout asking for immunity.  That's a record.

I laughed out loud when he said that.

Hillary's Gambit

It looks like she's in pure panic mode.  People don't like her, they don't trust her, and she's reaching out with a new message.  She's po' folks, just trying to make it in this world.
“Bill and I have been blessed,” Clinton said at a community college gymnasium here in Raleigh, speaking to a crowd of about 1,400 supporters, where she touted her plans for paid family leave and debt-free college. “We didn’t come from millionaire families. My husband’s father died before he was born.” …
Yeah, Bill was an orphan, bless his heart, and she was just a pore struggling college student when they met.  She's just as common as sweet potato pie.   No, she made her money the old fashioned way, by getting into politics and pay-for-play corruption.  She and her husband made over $55 million while she ran the State Department.
Their tax returns show that the couple earned $57.5 million in the four years she ran the State Department (2009-12), thanks in large part to Bill’s speaking career at events tied to entities with business before the State Department.
People aren't supposed to get rich in government, but she and Bill have managed to parlay their government contacts into a multi-million dollar bank account.

That's a great message, Hillary! You have fun with that.
 

Hypocrisy Reeks

The Moonbats continue to scream about evil oil, and the hypocrisy is staggering.  Our latest example comes from The Guardian, in an article entitled "No fracking, drilling or digging: it’s the only way to save life on Earth".  The author, George Monbiot, tries to make the case.
All this nonsense is a substitute for a simple proposition: stop digging. There is only one form of carbon capture and storage that is scientifically proven, and which can be deployed immediately: leaving fossil fuels in the ground.
He says all this, of course, while using electricity powered by fossil fuels, typing on a keyboard made of the byproducts of fossil fuels, driving to work in a vehicle powered by fossil fuels, probably even the shirt he's wearing comes in some form from fossil fuels.

Yet, he wants us to give all this up, but shows a decided lack of leadership by using all those things in his modern life. And, in my experience, that's the case with most environmentalists.  They want us to give up all these things, while using each and every one of those things to advance an agenda.

George is concerned about life on earth, yet fails to realize that the next mass extinction event will probably be like the last one.  A huge meteor falling on us that we can do nothing about, won't see coming, and will be on us before we can even panic.

In short, George reveals his ignorance, and his hypocrisy reeks.

You first, George.  Give up everything that comes from fossil fuels, and then we'll talk about it.

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

A Cautionary Tale

We talked about this last week.  And, I see that it's back in the news this week.  It appears that the Saudi government, faced with falling oil revenues, is having to cut back on public sector salaries and other cash payments to their citizens.
A lack of taxes, a big public sector, subsidized fuel and abundant government spending are benefits that officials have long cautioned are unaffordable, yet are seen as a right by many citizens because of the kingdom's high oil output.
It's a cautionary tale of government excess, and what happens when the money runs out.  Before you start feeling sorry for the Saudis, or smug about their pain, reflect on our national budget and our national excesses, and what happens when the money runs out and we have to start cutting back on freebies.  Like free phones, free this, free that, and subsidized everything-else.

What can't go on forever, won't.   Eventually, the bill comes due.

Comey's Disgrace

Fascinating article over at National Review that sheds light on Comey's rationale that no reasonable prosecutor would have taken Hillary's case.  It seems that Obama was knee-deep in it.
Indeed, imagine what would have happened had Clinton been indicted. The White House would have attempted to maintain the secrecy of the Obama-Clinton e-mails (under Obama’s invocation of a bogus “presidential communications” privilege), but Clinton’s defense lawyers would have demanded the disclosure of the e-mails in order to show that Obama had engaged in the same misconduct, yet only she, not he, was being prosecuted. And as most experienced criminal-law lawyers understand (especially if they’ve read a little Supreme Court case known as United States v. Nixon), it is an argument that Clinton’s lawyers would have won.
I can see Comey's discomfiture at learning that President Obama had bee emailing Clinton on her private server.  If the DOJ had prosecuted Hillary, they would have had to prosecute Obama as well, under the same statutes.  Still, if Comey knew that Obama was knee-deep in the same crimes, why didn't he spell that out during his July 5th press conference?

We were once a nation of laws.  Not kings or queens, lords or ladies.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Lamont Scott Narrative Collapses

So, it turns out after multiple days of rioting, the thug Lamont Scott was a prohibited person, a felon, not legally able to own a handgun, and his wife had filed a restraining order against him.  Yeah, really.  Did his wife think that she could keep this secret forever?  I guess she did, which shows what an idiot she is.  Let's talk about what the internet has learned about Lamont Scott.
According to records from Bexar County, Texas, Keith Lamont Scott was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in July 2005 and sentenced to seven years in prison. In relation to that case, he was charged and found guilty of evading arrest. He was also charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon, reckless driving, and assaulting his wife, but these charges were later dismissed.
Seven years in prison for assault iwth a deadly weapon.  He was prohibited from owning, possessing, picking up a weapon.  The police found his gun after he repeatedly ignored orders to "drop the gun" before they shot him.

Last year, his wife filed a restraining order against him, alleging that he was violent and a threat to her and his son.  She knew that he had a gun, in violation of both state and federal law.    What we're now learning is that he decided to wait at a bus stop, smoking marijuana while brandishing his gun when he came to the attention of police.  Yeah, let's go over that again.
I sincerely wish Mr. Scott hadn’t smoked marijuana in public while brandishing a gun while waiting to pick his son up from the bus stop.
Yeah, don't we all wish that Mr. Scott had not smoked dope while brandishing a gun. After causing all this turmoil, the Scott family should be charged with every law available on the books.  Oh, look.
This was a justified shooting, and Mecklenburg County prosecutors should be investigating whether the Scott family committed any crimes during or after the shooting, as well as whether Rakeyia Scott is a fit parent for serially endangering her children.
I concur.  His wife is not a fit mother, and the county should take the kids.  She's clearly not capable of understanding right from wong.

Crime in the United States

I see that the FBI has released it's report Crime in the United States.  This is a yearly product of the FBI.  The overview is here.  The full report is here.

I'm posting this mainly for my own quick links.  I intend to be digging through it the next couple of days and weeks.

Monday Morning

Pulling my boots on in the pre-dawn, I see that police agencies in Southern California have lost over 300 firearms in the past five years.  That's not good.  Probably, single losses or thefts, but the leadership in those departments needs to send strong signals to their officers.

I understand that there is going to be a debate tonight, and Hillary is panicking. The polls show a dead heat.  She was ahead three or four weeks ago.  What I did notice was all those newspaper articles this weekend calling Donald Trump a liar.  What a coincidence that all those big newspapers chose to run the same story the weekend before the debate.

The irony, of course, is that the largest serial liar in the recent history of US politics is calling someone else a liar.  Everyone with any sense at all knows that Hillary's campaign was behind the articles, and everyone with any sense knows that if Hillary's lips are moving, she's lying.

Hillary wondered last week why she is not 50 points ahead?  Like most entitled pols, she believes that the fact that Comey didn't indict her means that he exonerated her.  Quite the contrary.  Comey's disgrace is that he didn't close the deal, but he plainly told us that she doesn't deserve to ever again be able to access state secrets.  Personally, I'd rather dry-shave a badger's testicles than vote for Hillary Clinton.

PawPaw will probably sleep through the debate tonight.  I'll read about it on the morrow.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

What's Fer Lunch, PawPaw?

That's normally the question that the grandkids ask when they come over for a Sunday lunch.  Milady and I cook lunch every Sunday and while we're never really certain how many folks are going to show up to eat, we normally cook for twenty or so.

Today, it's Italian Beef.  An eight-pound arm roast, slow cooked in good Italian seasonings until it falls apart.  About eight hours in the slow cooker.  I've talked about it before, and the recipe is here.  Click on the link to learn about it.

The weather is still warm in Louisiana, the official start of autumn not withstanding, and we're not quite ready to make big hearty soups, stews, or gumbos.  This slow-cooker full of beef should bridge the gap.


We'll serve it on hoagie rolls with a bag of chips.  If that son't suit them, KFC is just down the road.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Odessa

A good friend of mine lives in Odessa.  When I saw this, I lol'd.


Hey, Windmill!  Thinking about you, buddy!

Hat tip, Day by Day Cartoons.

Gunfighting

Got up this morning, cleaned all the guns, made sure that the screws were tight.  We've got a gunfight scheduled at the club today, and PawPaw needs to get away from all the work, politics, ancillary bullshit and go have some fun.  Belle and I will be there later today.


It's a beautiful Saturday out there, and it's time to go enjoy it.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Immunity?

We're just now learning that the FBI/Justice Department, whoever, gave immunity to a number of the high-level players in the Clinton email scandal.  Really!  They gave immunity to the very players they were investigating.
In a stunning Friday (isn't it always?) revelation, we found out that yet another key figure from Hillary Clinton's "rat pack" -- her former chief-of-staff Cheryl Mills - was given immunity in the email server investigation.
As Ed Morrissey points out, that makes "at least five" -- who knows how many there really are -- who have received this treatment.  So far that's techies Bryan Pagliano and Paul Combetta (more of him in a moment), John Bentel of the Office of Information Resources Management, and Heather Samuelson, an aide to Mrs. Clinton.
What the hell?  No wonder Comey couldn't make a case.  I've been involved in lots of investigations, and you put the word out.  One person gets immunity.  The first one to the door of the DA's office gets a pass.  Every one else goes to jail.

If you can't put the big player in jail, for whatever reason, you put all the smaller players in jail.  That's the way it works.  I've never seen an investigation where five people, all culpable, got immunity.  That's unheard of.  That's malfeasance.

It's as if Comey is in cahoots with them.  I can't imagine what he was thinking.  One person, one, person, as low as you can go, gets immunity.  The rest go to jail.  That's the way it works.  You don't give everyone immunity.

It sounds like Comey has irreparably damaged the reputation of the FBI.  He deserves to be charged with malfeasance.

For those of you who know me, I'm having a Red Curtain of Blood moment.  Having trouble breathing.  Can barely finish this post.  The incompetence, malfeasance, and cowardice of Comey is staggering.  No wonder he couldn't make a case.  He gave everyone immunity.  And, to compound the malfeasance, he didn't make the immunized testimony public.  We're still left to wonder just what crimes the FBI/Justice Department covered up?

I'll finish with another quote from Roger Simon's article.
We live under a dictatorship of the moral narcissist bourgeoisie. They think they know more than we do and can do anything they wish. Actually, they know little and could care less.  All they want is power and will cling to at it any cost, even the truth and basic morality.  And we are their victims.
The FBI has become an accomplice to Hillary's criminal episode.  By granting immunity to five of the most culpable players, they have demonstrated that they incapable of rooting out corruption in our political processes, incapable of protecting our national secrets, and incapable of tooting out terrorists in our midst.  So, the question must be asked; Just exactly what is the FBI good for?

I'm having trouble coming up with a decent answer.

Falling Oil Prices Hurts Saudi Middle Class

Mohammed Idrees used to travel to London once or twice a year, but these days the Saudi civil servant is asking his wife and children to cut back on using the family car to save fuel and has installed a solar panel for the kitchen to reduce electricity costs.
For decades, Saudi nationals such as Mr. Idrees enjoyed a cozy lifestyle in the desert kingdom as its rulers spent hundreds of billions of dollars of its oil revenue to subsidize essentials such as fuel, water and electricity.
But a sharp drop in the price of oil, Saudi Arabia’s main revenue source, has forced the government to withdraw some benefits this year—raising the cost of living in the kingdom and hurting its middle class, a part of society long insulated from such problems.
I can't blame the Saudi government for not providing subsidies when the cash isn't available, and I certainly can empathize with Mr. Idrees.  When the government money runs out, and the welfare goes away, everyone has to cut back. I get it.  The Saudi government can't afford to subsidize everyone.

I wonder when our government is going to make the same decision?  What can't go on forever, won't.

Hillary's Eyes

I've been hearing rumblings about this for a couple of weeks, but I haven't said anything about it.  It seems that Hillary's eyes don't always point in the same direction.

But, it looks like the observation is becoming more mainstream.  Ed Driscoll reports on it, over at Instapundit.  Supposedly, this is an unretouched photo from earlier this week.
They’re not Photoshopped. This is an unretouched closeup of a photo off the AP wire of Hillary speaking with members of the media at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, NY on Monday. Note the disparity between where each eye is pointed.

There is enough not to like about this woman that we don't have to wonder about her medical condition, but something ain't right.  Perhaps she should drop out of the race and get that taken care of.  Hillary's legal, ethical, criminal problems are legion, but I would think that we'd like a President whose eyes point in the same direction.

I'm just saying.

Charlotte Quiet

According to all reports, Charlotte was quiet last night, amid calls to release the police video, which will show that the deceased knucklehead was carrying a gun, and ignored police commands to drop it.

However, reports are coming out that of the criminals arrested during the protests, over 70% of them were from out of state.  Yep, outside agitators showing up to cause trouble.  We used to call these people Carpetbaggers.
"This is not Charlotte that's out here.  These are outside entities that are coming in and causing these problems. These are not protestors, these are criminals."

"We've got the instigators that are coming in from the outside.  They were coming in on buses from out of state.  If you go back and look at some of the arrests that were made last night.  I can about say probably 70% of those had out-of-state IDs.  They're not coming from Charlotte."
So, the question becomes, who is financing out-of-state agitators to come by the bus-full and commit crimes in Charlotte?  Probably the same guy who financed the Ferguson rampage 18 months ago.
There’s a solitary man at the financial center of the Ferguson protest movement. No, it’s not victim Michael Brown or Officer Darren Wilson. It’s not even the Rev. Al Sharpton, despite his ubiquitous campaign on TV and the streets.

Rather, it’s liberal billionaire George Soros, who has built a business empire that dominates across the ocean in Europe while forging a political machine powered by nonprofit foundations that impacts American politics and policy, not unlike what he did with MoveOn.org.
It looks like Stilton nailed it yesterday.


 This is the playbook of the Democratic Party.  A Muslim bomber, Hillary ain't feeling well, and we need something to distract from the polls.  Cue the Democratic anarchy machine.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Really? Riots?

The Charlotte Observer calls it a protest, but from what I'm seeing, it is a riot.

When looters are grabbing shoes by size, that's not a protest.

When people block a highway and start fires in the roadway, and loot semi-trailers, that's not a protest, that's a riot.

Why are they rioting?  Who knows?  It seems that the guy who the police shot broke all the rules of surviving a lethal force encounter.  He came out of his car with a gun,   Refused repeated commands to drop the gun, and was shot by police.  That's the way it happens.

Some residents say that the deceased didn't have a gun, but the police say otherwise.  The fact is that they are rioting, destroying property, hampering commerce, looting things, threatening people.

Peaceful protest is one thing, and I'll be the first to defend peaceful protest.  But, rioting is dangerous, both to the participants and those caught in the violence.  There is no way that I can defend rioting.  The good people of Charlotte shouldn't have to put up with wholesale street violence.


The Spoils System

The spoils system is an old political playbook, whereby a prominent official appoints his or her supporters to various boards and plum government posts, both as repayment and to consolidate power.

Hillary Clinton, of course, is a firm believer in spoils politics.
The former secretary of state’s agency appointed 194 donors who had given either to her family’s foundation, her political campaigns, or both, or were affiliated with groups that had.
You can call it crony politics, you can call it pay-to-play, you can call it whatever you like.   I call it corruption, unless her 194 individual donors were the very best qualified applicants for the various jobs.

If there is a bad thing that can happen in politics, whether it be violating federal laws, abrogating the public trust, engaging in the spoils system, lying to the American people, or generally engaging in corrupt practices, Hillary is a past master at them.

And yet, she is the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.  I am both amazed and appalled.

Forever Country

A great video put out by the Country Music Association, blending three beautiful old songs.



That's just cool.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

New CFDA Video

The first weekend of October, the CFDA meets for the Fastest Gun Alive, the end of the shooting season, and the Grand Prix of six-gun racing.  It's the creme-de-la-creme of fast draw competitions, and no, I'm not going to be there.  I'll be here, building my club, and getting ready for a couple of invitational matches later in the month.

Our director, Quick Cal, has put out a video talking about the CFDA, the guns, holsters and equipment.  He also touts the Fastest Gun Alive, which I understand is one hell of a party.



Fastest Gun Alive is on my bucket list, but it ain't this year.

Maybe next year.

Quote of the Day

Iowahawk once tweeted:
“Journalism is about covering important stories. With a pillow, until they stop moving.”
 These days, indeed.

Disarm the Politicians

There seems to me a meme going around.  Joe Huffman talks about it, and that old salty aviator talks about it.

Hillary and her ilk want to disarm us, that's plain and simple.  Hillary thinks that Heller was decided wrongly, and she's said so on more than one occasion.  President Obama wants to ban semiauto rifles.  This is no secret and Google is your friend.

There is little disagreement that Hillary Clinton and President Obama are two of the most protected people on the face of the earth.  Protected by semiauto pistols and "assault" rifles, those arms carried by very competent agents of the Secret Service.  For Clinton and Obama to insist that we be disarmed while under the protection of those very arms is the height of hypocrisy, and if they don't see it, they are being willfully obtuse.

Therefore, I propose that Congress take care of this problem.  Simply:

That if any person, entitled to a protective detail, makes reference to the banning of certain types of weapons currently in use by their protective detail, the supervisor in charge of that detail will immediately, without consultation, take action to arm the detail with such arms that might comply with the intent of the protected person.  Failure to immediately comply with the intent of the protected person will be grounds for discipline or dismissal from the federal service.

If Hillary doesn't like semi-autos, let her protective detail carry revolvers.

If Obama doesn't like ARs or AKs, let his protective detail immediately arm with leverguns.

If the protected person keeps running their mouth, eventually, their detail will be armed with slingshots and pocket knives.

I am not calling for their assassination, simply requiring that they be protected by the guns that they would leave us to protect ourselves with.  Otherwise, they're simply hypocrites.  And, we don't want out elected servants to be hypocrites.

I think I'll write my Congressman.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Does Training Matter?

A friend sent me this link about the guy who stopped the jihadi at the mall in St. Cloud, MN.

You all know the story by now.  A Mohametan votary was stabbing people while screaming Aloha Snackbar, and was stopped by a guy who has been variously described as a "former police officer".

As it turns out, our hero was a highly trained shooter.  A competitor in USPSA, 3-gun, and an NRA firearms instructor.  His list of qualifications goes on.

Training matters.  Many states have a minimum level of training necessary to obtain a concealed carry permit.  Many states don't have any level of training.  While I agree that every American should be able to carry a concealed weapon without any state license, I also believe that training a good thing.  If you can afford to go to a place like Gunsite Academy, or Thunder Ranch, or one of the smaller, more local training opportunities, every shooter owes himself the time and effort to get the training.

If your checkbook, time available, or lifestyle don't allow you to get formal training, joining a club will help.  Or, find a place to shoot where you can do-it-yourself.  Shooting the El Presidente, a simple challenge course attributed to Jeff Cooper is a big help.

If you ever have to draw your weapon in a real-time event, you will default to the level of your training.  Training doesn't have to be stressful, although inserting stress into training is helpful.  There is loads of online help if you want to design some simple stages and run through them.  Stages or scenarios help challenge a shooter to use his brain while shooting.

As it turns out, in this particular case, the jihadi wannabe ran into a highly trained shooter, with lots of scenarios under his belt.  Everything turned out fine.  The shooter is unharmed, the jihadi has assumed room temperature, and the victims are being treated.  Training matters.

Monday, September 19, 2016

Dumb Sonofabitch

Chris Hayes, the mouthpiece of MSBNC is probably the dumbest sonofabith to ever draw breath.
We're also very very lucky that the attackers tried to use explosives rather than guns.
— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 19, 2016
Really, Chris?  Tell that to the victims.

I understand that he is rightfully getting the derision he so richly deserves.

Somali Muslin Stabs Christians.

It seems that over the weekend, this Somali Muslim went about in a mall in St. Cloud, MN, asking people if they were Muslim.  If they weren't, he stabbed them.  Until he ran into a very proficient concealed carry instructor, who shot bullets at him until he assumed a horizontal attitude.

Now, it seems, the Somali community is St. Cloud is worried about backlash.
Fear washed over the Somali-American mother, not just for her son's well-being, but also because of the potential backlash against her community.
"This has been a dark day; it is a day we will never forget," said Hersi. "ISIS does not represent us. It does not represent Islam, and it does not represent Somalis."
Sorry, Lady, but whether you like it or not, ISIS is an Islamist organization.  The first word in the name is "Islamic",  And whether you like it or not, ISIS claimed your son as a jihadi.  It is what it is, and it may suck for you, but it is your son's doing.  Not anyone else's.  Your son did this.

Newton's third law, paraphrased, says that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  This is true in mechanics, and it's true in interpersonal relationships.  I would not blame the people of St. Cloud, if they picked a mosque at random, cleared all the people out, and burned it to the ground.  It would probably be quite cathartic.  However, the people of St. Cloud won't do that, probably because they are civilized, unlike the Muslims in their midst, who go around stabbing people in a shopping mall.

But, if you don't want backlash, you shouldn't have your son go around stabbing people in the mall.  It really is that simple.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

One More Kentucky Pic

My friend, Mary Eileen, known to the CFDA community as "Miss E" takes lots of photos at an event.  She took over 4,000 at the Kentucky State shoot, and it takes time to edit, crop, process and post all those pictures.

There was this one little gal, the assistant match director, and for the life of me, I can't recall her name.  She is just as sweet as a glass of iced tea, and she took care of all of us shooters during the match, She made sure that everything ran smoothly, and when it was time to give out trophies, she was the gal handing out the plunder.


That's her in the blue dress, and I know her real name, but I apologize for not knowing her CFDA handle.  I"m smiling in that picture, but I don't recall if I'm smiling about my trophy, or because my arm is around a very pretty girl.

She did a great job.  I don't know what Shane was paying her, but it ain't enough.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Les Deplorables

I don't think I've commented on this yet, but sometimes last week when I was working, living life, and generally trying to get along, Hillary called me deplorable.  And that's okay, I have considered the source.  Hillary should consider the old adage about glass houses and rocks.

The meme has been making the rounds, and many of us have taken it as a badge of honor.  I'm deplorable.  Yeah, right.  That's funny.  Donald Trump has even worked it into his campaign spiel.

So, now comes this idiot writer from the Washington Post, who reassures us that being called racist doesn't mean that we're oppressed.  The author, in her lede, is billed as "an assistant professor of multimedia journalism at Morgan State University."  Okay, fine.  I've never heard of Morgan University, although I'm pretty sure that I'm a multimedia journalist.  But, as do most academics, she gets it all wrong.
These days, a lot of white people are feeling victimized and discriminated against, even though they’re not actually being systemically victimized and discriminated against because of their race. In one breath, they will deny that racism exists, only to cry “reverse racism” in the next breath. To racists, the real meaning of reverse racism is having to treat people of color fairly and with respect — to the point where it just feels uncomfortable.
As we are apt to say in the Deep South, that is complete and utter bullshit.  I'm not victimized.  I'm amused.  It's an amusing descriptor because it has been so watered down over the past five decades that the epithet is flavorless.  It has no value, and that's a shame.  Calling someone a racist used to mean something, but these days calling me a racist is meaningless.

I'm a child of the Deep South, I was raised in Louisiana during the '50s and '60s when the insult meant something.  But, like most of us, I've grown.  I've grown up working and living in a society that has also grown.  I've worked and lived in a vibrant multi-colored society my whole life.  I have learned to respect each person for their individual attributes.  And, to not respect some people, likewise for their individual attributes.  I take each person as they come.

I"m not a victim.  I've made my life with the help of lots of people; family, friends, associates.  I treasure each of them, from whatever racial background they may hail.

The one conclusion that I have come to over the last twenty years, is that any person who drops the race card reveals their own ignorance and bigotry.  Let me paraphrase a great American.  The race card is the last refuge of the bigot.  And, to complete the association, I also see that the Democratic party drops the race card far more often than any other political party.

So, Assistant Professor Patton, I don't consider myself a victim, but I do consider you a bigot.

The Banquet

One of the fun things about Cowboy Fast Draw (apart from the shooting, the people and the traveling around) is the banquet that is held during sanctioned shoots.  It's a chance for the ladies to sparkle a bit, We dress up.  It's a heck of a lot of fun.

That's Gentleman George, Big Mark, and Whiplash
.  But, back to the ladies, oh, how they shined.



And, we managed to take a family shot.  My cousin, Gentleman George and his lady, Texas Rose got me into this silly game.  Their club, the Big Thicket Bushwackers is the mother club to our club at Thorn Valley.  At the banquet, we managed to get a family photo taken.

l-r, Major D, Blue Eyed Belle, Texas Rose, and Gentleman George.
The banquets are always a lot of fun.  We get to sample regional food, we get to hang out with our shooting buddies, and we get to watch the ladies shine.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Pool Pump

The week before we went to Kentucky, the main circulation pump on the pool went out.  When we came back to Louisiana, I took the pump off  the pool, and Milady took the motor and impeller to our local pool guy.  I got it back today and installed it, about an hour job.  Everything is working fine.

I'm putting this in the blog, not for y'all, but for me.  I use this blog to remind myself when I completed certain maintenance items.  Now, in five or six years I can do a search for "pool pump motor" and this entry will come up.

Extension

High School football players watch film so that they can know what type of mistakes they are making on the field.  It's good to see yourself from another person's perspective.  The other day when we were talking about Rule 17, I highlighted a young shooter who was shooting behind the front lip of the holster pouch.  That's one extreme.

Our game is about speed, combined with accuracy.  I knew in Kentucky, my times were slower than normal, but I didn't understand why.  Then, my friend, Miss E started posting pictures, and I understand.  I had fallen into the habit of extending my shooting arm,  Maybe it's years of law enforcement training, maybe it's years of reading Jeff Cooper, but shooting without seeing the front sight is still just a little odd to me.

All three of these pictures were taken on Friday, a week ago during the Category matches, and it shows why my times were so slow.  Look at the arm extension.

And again,


And again,

Those photos came from three different matches, and it shows me extending the shooting arm every time.  On that particular day, I was hitting the target, but my times were slow.  Now I know why.

And, I know what I have to do to fix it.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

That Was Bloody

A commenter just sent this clip to me.  It seems that the FBI has been stonewalling the House Oversight Committee.  Rep Jason Chaffetz chairs that committee, and he ain't having it.



Poor ol' Agent Herring.  Even Rep Chaffetz tells him he feels sorry for him.  But some of the dialogue is priceless.

"Can you accept service for the FBI?"

"Yes, sir."

"You've been served."

Mr. Herring has just had his ass handed to him.

The Left, Unhinged

Surfing around, clicking links, I come to this troubling piece over a t the Huffington Post.The title of the piece verges on obscenity, so I won't quote it, but evidently the left is becoming unhinged over their choice of candidate.  Yeah, I know the piece was written in June, but Huffington updated it three days ago.  So there.  The tone of the piece is a bit.... distraught.
WE ARE DYING. Please don’t hand our lives over to this white devil madman. You might survive this. We might not. Do whatever you can to help us. Help me. Please don’t let Donald Trump become the president of the United States. I don’t want our blood to be on your hands.
I'm guessing that the author is gay, from the general tenor of the piece.  I don't know, and don't care.  (My wife laughs at me constantly; she claims I have absolutely no gay-dar, because I take everyone as they come.)  But, something there .... well, nevermind.   The angst is wonderfully deep.
I want our entire social, governmental and economic structures to change drastically. I’m just as disgusted as you by Hillary Clinton’s ties to big business and corporate greed. But I’m also living in reality. I can have hopeful visions for the future and accept the present. Maybe that’s because I’m a person of color who watches in horror almost every day of the week when I see new videos of other people of color harassed, mistreated, degraded, brutalized and murdered by the authoritative systems of our white supremacist nation. Have you ever experienced this reality?
Yep, it's reality, dude.  Reality at its finest.  I simply don't know if he could have gotten more progressive buzz-words into a paragraph, but it is clear that he's distressed.

He can get over it.  Or not, at his convenience.

It's All About The People

The annual countdown of sanctioned CFDA shoots is drawing to a close, with the Nebraska State Championship this weekend, and the Fastest Gun Alive compeition in Fallon NV in early October.  The Fastest Gun Alive will bring down the curtain on the competition season for this year and we'll all take a deep breath, roll our shoulders, and start getting ready for the 2017 fast draw season.

The sanctioned shoots are a lot of fun, and I've been to three this year.  Texas State, the Southern Terrirorials, and Kentucky State.  Regular readers have followed my journey this year.

One of our Arizona gunfighers talks about the average shooter, and I'm one of the average shooters.  I don't get to make very many matches during the year for several good reasons, finances, work schedules and family obligations.  Going to sanctioned shoots can be expensive.  And, no, it's not the event fees, they are a small part of it. The event organizers try to keep the cost down, but even a three day shoot with a six hour drive is going to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $500-$600 to attend when you consider lodging and meals.

At the most recent shoot, Belle and I drove one day, shot four days, and drove two days back.  Six days on the road, five nights in a hotel.  The match fees themselves for both of us to shot every match were less than $150 apiece.  We had a great time, considered it a wonderful vacation, but we won't be able to do another shoot like that until the springtime (in all likelihood, Texas State).

What Belle and I are able to do, is the smaller, unsanctioned shoots, what we call invitationals.  An invitational is a small shoot, where the drive is shorter, normally held on one day, or a weekend.  When all the big guns are shooting in Fallon, Belle and I will be at an invitational in Silsbee, TX with our friends, the Big Thicket Bushwackers.  Then, two weeks later, they're going to drive over to our club and shoot at our invitational.

As to the major events, there are probably several hundred shooters who can be counted on to be at several of them during a year, and God bless them.  I'm glad that they can devote that much time and effort to the organization.  For the vast majority of shooters, such a commitment of time and money is simply not possible.  Our organization is a family organization on two levels.  Most of our members are family members, with kids in school, working in the workaday world.  And, they're part of our CFDA family.  We want to make them feel welcome, we want to get to know them, and the basic fact is that many club shooters can't get away to make state, regional, or national events.  They're pretty much limited to club events.  And nearby invitationals.

Belle and I plan to make two major shoots in 2017.  Texas State and Virginia State, but we also plan to make several invitationals.  We plan to get over to Gainesville and shoot with the North Texas Society of Gunslingers.  We always try to make the Bushwackers invitationls in Silsbee, TX, and we want to go to Pocohantas, AR and shoot with the Randoolph County Rangers.  And, of course, our own club tries to do an invitational.

Invitationals let us make short, weekend trips, get to see other gunfighters and extend our personal CFDA family.  While the big shoots are a lot of fun, the little shoots are just as much fun, less expensive and more available to club shooters on a budget.  Invitational shoots are the best thing going in CFDA.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

The Woodpile Report

I like the way this guy turns a phrase.
For a long while I believed interrogating Hillary was part of a larger investigation, probably into the Clinton Foundation, and the recommendation to not indict would bespeak fidelity, bravery and integrity of the highest order. Somehow. Nope. Just another grimy betrayal.
Hillary didn't have to actually do anything at the State Department to corrupt it. Merely walking onto the premises was enough. Corrupt does as corrupt is. Then Director Comey pontificated about how many spoonfuls of sewage is enough to turn a barrel of wine into a barrel of sewage. The answer is one, and always has been. FBI Director Comey said she came up a few short, thereby revealing his own standards.
Commentary on a wide range of subjects.  I may have to put him in the sidebar.

Rule 17

In March of 2016, Quick Cal, the director of the CFDA, published what we in CFDA call Rule 17.  You can go to the pdf linked for the whole story, but the rule is basically simple.  It says:
#17. DISCHARGING THE GUN WITH THE MUZZLE BEHIND THE FRONT HOLSTER POUCH CUT IS NOT ALLOWED.  
I'm an elderly slow shooter, and while the rule applies to me, just as it applies to everyone, I doubt that it will ever be applied against me.  I understand the rule, and I understand how it is to be enforced.  We're fairly familiar with the rule now, as an association, but when it came out last March, it engendered a great deal of comment.

We're starting to get the hang of it, but our sport is unbelievably fast.  The human eye blinks in 300 to 400 milliseconds, and our start times are random, based on a light.  If you blink, you've missed the shot.  And, our rules don't allow for an instant replay camera.  For all kinds of good reasons, we don't  want instant-replay cameras. We rely on human reactions, human judges.

The hand-judges sometimes have trouble seeing the front cut of the holster, and the angle of the shot, and humans blink.  So, it is instructive sometimes to have a camera nearby. Our game has three or four very good photographers, and Miss E is one of the best.  She is unobtrusive and many times when a shooter is focused on the competition, he doesn't even know that Miss E is standing down the line with her nice camera and her trained eye.  She catches some really fantastic stuff.

Below (and I've cropped the photo to make the shooter anonymous) we see a really good example of a Rule 17 violation.  The shooter allowed Miss E to post the photo for educational purposes.


As far as the hand-judge is concerned, he or she is located behind the shooter and may not have seen the violation.  In fact, many shooters don't get the opportunity to see themselves shooting and may not know that their muzzle is behind the front of the holster.  Sometimes the shooter himself (or herself) may not realize that they are in violation.

We're learning about Rule 17, it's implications and enforcement.  There is a learning curve associated with it, and we're learning to deal with it.

Culture of Corruption

Many of us know that Hillary Clinton used the State Department to enrich the Clinton Foundation.

And now we're learning that John Kerry used the State Department to funnel millions to his daughter's non-profit.

Are all Democrats crooked, or is it that all Democratic SecStates are crooked?

Good Pictures from Kentucky

My friend, May Ellen Russel, who goes by Miss E, is a first class photog, and last night she put up some pictures from Kentucky.

Major D and Blue Eyed Belle
That shot was taken early Friday morning.  I knew I had to get a photo quick, and I believe it was the first one she took.

Saying the pledge.
We always begin every shoot, every morning, with a prayer and the pledge.  You don't see anyone taking a knee in this group.

This must have been taken during the Seniors category match, because I don't see many young'uns hanging around.  I love the composition on this picture.  If it weren't for the metal folding chair, you'd think that the picture was taken in the mid to late 1880s. Just a couple of old geezers lounging in a doorway.

So, a little judicious cropping

Just a couple of old geezers, lounging in a doorway
Of course, there was shooting, lots of shooting.

That's Big Mark, on the left, bringing smoke.
One final shot of me, watching a match, and reacting to a shot.  My son, the Displaced Louisiana Guy, will notice the leather cuffs.  He made them, and they were a great help during the match.

I love the cuffs my boy made for me.
The cuffs are starting to get a little body oil and sweat in them, and they're taking on a nice patina.

Thanks, Miss E, for the photos.  We'll see y'all next month at the invitational in Silsbee.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Tab Clearing

Clearing some tabs of news stories I read today.

ObamaCare exits being felt in Senate battleground states
Of course it's being felt.  Obama lied to us from day one about Obamacare and the chickens are coming home to roost.  Obamacare is unsustainable, and it has already began the death swirl.

The United States Bars Christian, Not Muslim, Refugees From Syria
 Of course we'll bar Christians. Obama is a Muslim.  He was raised in a Muslim church.  Obama detests Christians.  He's never even been in a Christian church. (Don't tell me about Reverend Wright's church; nothing I've heard from him supports the idea that he's Christian)

Why did Hillary Clinton lie about her health?
Because if she told the truth about her health, the DNC would immediately move to remove her as a candidate.  And, if she told the truth, no one would believe it anyway.

A grim anniversary: 15 years after 9/11, the war against radical Islamist terrorism is not looking good
We've forgotten how to wage war.  If we were really waging a war, Mecca would be gone; destroyed.  Medina would be a ruin, and the Muslim flag would be reviled the world over.  Look at the way we waged WWII, and tell me the similarities to what is happening now.  That's right, there are none. This isn't war, this is something different.  We haven't waged war since we nuked Nagasaki.  If we were in a war, we'd have a 50 division army, a 10 fleet navy, and we'd be chasing Muslim extremests wherever they would be found, regardless of national boundaries or delicate sensibilities.  This isn't war.

CBS News edits out Bill Clinton’s ‘frequently’ remark about Hillary’s fainting episodes
Of course CBS edited it out.  Think of CBS as a Democratic political machine and you won't be far from wrong.

Couric Sued

It's looks like Katie Couric is being sued for defamation, following deceitful editing of a portion of film in the documentary recently produced.
Second Amendment rights advocacy organization the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), along with two of its members, today filed a $12 million defamation lawsuit against Katie Couric, director Stephanie Soechtig, Atlas Films, and Studio 3 Partners LLC d/b/a Epix for false and defamatory footage featured in the 2016 documentary film Under the Gun. The film portrays a fictional exchange in which members of the VCDL appear silent, stumped, and avoiding eye contact for nearly nine seconds after Katie Couric asks a question about background checks. An unedited audio recording of the interview reveals that—contrary to the portrayal in the film—the VCDL members had immediately begun responding to Couric’s question.
Good for them.  It's bad enough that the media tells lies about the 2nd Amendment.  It's worse when they try to make us look like idiots.   Will the VCDL prevail?  I dunno, but maybe more of these suits will make the media step back and take a look at how they portray people.

We're Home

After leaving Kentucky State on Sunday, we drove as far as Memphis, TN, jumped over the state line into Mississippi, and got a hotel.  We drove home yesterday, talking about Hillary's medical problems, and watching the video, over and over.  Milady has her own diagnosis, resting on 35 years of nursing experience, but as a nurse, she's not able to diagnose, legally, but she doubts seriously if it were pneumonia.

I see some speculation, and second-guessing as to what might happen if a candidate drops out of the race.  Fox News is all over it.  Speaking from a short-term perspective I remember hack in August that there was some speculation as to what might happen if Trump dropped out.  It's good that the political parties think about these things.  Nothing is certain in this day and age, and it's good to have contingency plans.

I'm no political prognosticator, but I feel that the only way either of the candidates will drop out, is just as soon as the coroner is through with them.   Between Hillary's health issues and her calling Trumps supporters deplorable, it doesn't look like the race is going her way.  But, we've seen this pendulum swing hack and forth.  Come November, we'll participate in the only poll that matters.

But, we're back home safely.  We had a ball in Kentucky, and in serious planning for a shoot that we'll host in November.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Kentucky State, Day Thee

Yesterday before the end of the seventh round, the skies opened up, the range lost power and we were driven ignominiously from the venue by the might of a Kentucky thunderstorm.

No matter, we wee almost finished for the day, and we had a banquet to attend.  Oh, and the ladies sparkled.  The women have learned that CFDA is a wardrobe opportunity, the occasion where they can dress in Victorian attire and sparkle a bit.  Sparkle they did.

Blue Eyed Belle (left), with Slowpoke, a friend from Virginia.  Slowpoke is also a magnificent competitor who wins championships regulaly.  I met her at Texas State this year, where she won the Southern Territoials.

Left to right:  Miss E, Whiplash, Texas Rose, and Gentleman George.
The banquet was a smashing success.  Good food, good people, and lots of laughter.  The Bluegrass Gast Draw did a great job on the banquet.  And Trophies, did I mention trophies?

We got up this morning and went over to the shooting venue.  Big Mark, our club president was still "alive", and we waited until he was out of the match, then got on the road.

That's the trophy for Mens Senior Category, 2nd place.  That's the one that they let me bring home.  Not too shabby.

Blue Eyed Belle, Big Mark, and I left Hartford Kentucky about 9:30 this morning.  We'e now in a hotel in Memphis, TN and we'll be home tomorrow morning.  Kentucky State is over, and it's time for us to get really busy planning our invitational fo mid-November.


Everyone is invited.  Go to the Thorn Valley Facebook page for more information.

Where Were You?

On Monday, September 10, 2001 I was a shift lieutenant at the Detention Center in Natchitoches, LA.  I supervised a Sergeant and ten Correctional Officers.  All the corrections shifts were on a standard law enforcement rotation, and we were working the night shift.  As I recall, it was a standard shift, nothing notable to talk about.  It was a Monday, after all.  Not a payday weekend, just another night of care, custody and control of roughly 250 adult offenders.  I was relieved shortly before 5:00 a.m. and went home.

When I got home, my kids were getting ready for their day.  One in high school, one an adult who had come home just a few weeks before from the Nashville Auto Diesel College.  He had his first job out of school in a dealership and was headed out to work.  I fried a couple of eggs, ate, and fell into bed.

At about 8:00 that morning, a friend of Milady's (she and I had been dating since January) called me, jarring me out of sleep.  "Wake up, Mr. Dennis!  The US is under attack."

"Bullshit, Chris.  I'm trying to sleep."  I hung the phone up and rolled over.

About five minutes later, it rang again. "No kidding, Mr. Dennis.  We're under attack.  Get up and turn on the TV."

I rolled out of bed, went into the living room and flipped on the TV.  Sure enough, the first tower was burning.  I watched for a few minutes then walked into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.  There was lots of speculation about whether it was an accident, what kind of plane it was, the newsies were covering the folks leaving the building, the emergency response,

As I got the coffee going, I walked back in to the living room in time to see the second plane go in. I remember saying aloud, to no one in the house, "That was no fucking accident."

I lived in the country, way out in the country.  On a clear morning, I could see the contrails of several routine scheduled flights.  I knew what time the Houston to Atlanta morning run went past, I knew what the little jet from Baton Rouge to Shreveport looked like, I had four or five routes pegged, morning and late afternoon, because they went over the house.

I spent the rest of the day, lounging on the couch, watching the news.  Soaking it in like a sponge.  I had to work that evening, so I napped when I could, and at 4:00 I got up, took a shower, and pulled on my boots.  When I walked out to the truck, the strangest thing was that there were no contrails in the air.

Where were you when the world stopped turning, that September day?


Saturday, September 10, 2016

Kentucky - Day Two

The main match of he Kentucky State Championship was started today.  We made it to the seventh (7th) round before a strong thunder shower knocked out the power and caused us to dash for the cars.  We're happy that the rain held off till the 7th round.  That's where we planned to finish today, anyway.

PawPaw is pleased.  I made it to the th round and was put out of the match in that round.  It's the farthest I have ever been in a state shoot, and lots of folks went out in the 4th, 5th, and 6th rounds.  I was shooting good today, hitting the target consistently with times that are good for me.  When I was beaten, I was beaten by faster shooters on time alone, not because I wasn't hitting.  I feel good about the competition.

Blue Eyed Belle also did good, staying alive until the 6th round.  I'm proud of her efforts.  More importantly, she finished the final exam of the Rangemaster certification. Studying, two tests, a class, and running a live range under the watchful eye of a Regulator.

that's Blue Eyed Belle in the blue shirt, running the line under the watchful eye of Texas Rose.  Texas Rose said that she did fine, and now it's just a matter of finishing the paperwork and getting the card.  I'm proud of my gal.  She's now a certified Rangemaster.

Tomorrow is the last day of the shoot.  Big Mark, our club president is still in it, and we'll see what happens tomorrow morning.

Looking through the SD card, I found a nice picture of gentleman George running the line.

As an added bonus to us shooters from the Southern Territory, that's Skagway Sam out of NTSG in front of George, hand-judging for Blue Eyed Belle of Thorn Valley.  Each of those folks are well known in the Southern Territory.

Friday, September 09, 2016

Kentucky State, Day One

No pictures today, my friend Mary Eileen Russel was there and she's the official photographer for the Bushwackers.  She told me that she'd get plenty of pics, and I'm sure that I'll be sharing these as soon as she posts them.

We shot category matches today.  The categories put shooters of like age into their proper category.  Both mens and womens, Traditional (up to age 48), 49'r (age 49 to 59), Senior (age 60 to 64), Super Senior (65-69), Old Timers (70-75) and Golden Gun (75 up).

So, PawPaw was shooting with a bunch of Seniors, about nine of us in the category.  It was a 3X match, which means that you have to lose three times before you're out.  PawPaw was shooting well, feeling loose, laughing and cutting-up with friends.  When we got to about the sixth round, I realized that I was still in it.  They whittled the last few down, then it came to me and a fellow who calls himself  KJ Kwik.

They called our names and we walked out to the line.  It didn't hit me until the end of the match, and he beat me handily, but PawPaaw is now the second place senior champion for the State of Kentucky.

I'm going to get a trophy tomorrow night at the banquet, declaring that fact.  Ain't that a kick in the ass?

Thursday, September 08, 2016

Kentucky State - Day Zero

We showed up at the range today and decided to enter the Early Bird Match.  I mean, c'mon, a bunch of gunslingers standing around? There's liable to be a gunfight break out.  And break out it did.



It's not all fun and games, though.  There's coaching, mentoring, and helping other shooters.  In the photo below, Belle helps a shooter at the dry-fire wall.  Something I learned a early on in this game is that we help each other.

Above, Belle is helping a shooter named Diamond Girl at the dry fire wall.  We help each other, and it's entirely likely that Diamond Girl will give Belle an X tomorrow.

And, of course, there is bling.  Belle stumbled upon a set of grips she likes, and I had the cash in my pocket.  So, Belle got new grips.


Pretty nice, don't ya think?  Belle thinks so too.  The match starts tomorrow with bracket matches, and we're in the room plotting our revenge for the Xs we got today.

Comey's Disgrace

Roger Simon lays out his case that James Comey, the disgraced director of the FBI should resign his post for the good of the country.  Mr. Simon makes a strong argument that Comey either irreparably botched the Clinton investigation or colluded in its findings.

As the FBI document dump of last Friday shows, Comey's agents failed to ask the most basic questions that might have laid bare what is appearing to be a conspiracy among Clinton and her minions to to totally disregard the security laws of the nation and to destroy evidence of that conspiracy.
More importantly, did the FBI even ask her the most obvious of questions: why in the world did she put ALL her government emails on a private home-brew server (and then have them deleted with the most advanced data eradication software available -- five stars on CNET -- two days after these emails came under subpoena)? Was that because the equally obvious answer -- to avoid any possible public scrutiny of her actions (for a variety of suspicious reasons) -- is itself felonious?
The documents that Julian Assange are dumping periodically can't be a surprise to the FBI.  When they do an investigation, they're tasked with knowing everything.  If there is a surprise coming, they can't claim that they didn't know.  They're tasked with knowing.

If you get to a point where the case goes cold, then you quietly sit back and wait for more information.  After you've played out all the leads, interviewed all the witnesses, processed all the evidence, it's okay to let a case go cold for a while.  Comey didn't do that.  He stood up on national TV and declared that he would not recommend prosecution.  Case closed.

I don't know if Comey has ever been a cop, walked a beat, stood a late night watch, or pored over a crime scene, but as the Director of the FBI, he is the nation's top cop, and he has a duty to the people.  He has a duty to the rule of law, he has a duty to uphold the statutes and let the courts decide.

But, Comey didn't do that.  He pulled the pin, and now he looks like either an idiot or a colluder. Take your choice, it doesn't matter.  The fact is that he's lost his honor.

Mr. Simon, in the link above, gives Comey a way out.
What a coward Comey is. When Julian Assange starts to release his next round of emails, the director may have to commit hara-kiri. It will be the only honorable way to go, failing his resignation.
I'm amazed that long-time cops who work for the FBI haven't resigned en mass, or begun an internal revolt.  The damage that  Comey has done to the institution will last for decades.  I've known good, honorable, hard-working FBI agents and I can only imagine the disgust they feel with their director.

Come to think of it, ritual seppuku may be the only way that Comey can retain his honor.  I'd bet that he wouldn't have any problem finding a second.  And an aide to sharpen the blades.

Wednesday, September 07, 2016

Arrived

Twelve hours on the road and we've arrived in Beaver Dam, Kentucky.  We've checked in to the hotel, and we're ensconced for the evening.  The shoot doesn't start until noon-ish tomorrow, so we've got plenty of time to rest and get settled in.  Milady is on her Kindle, and I'm on the wi-fi, and we're okay.

After we checked into the motel, we walked down to Denny's for a chicken-fried steak.  The hike was all of about 50 yards.  Very convenient.  We ran into Skagway Sam, Lucky 45, and their ladies.  So, shooters are arriving.  The lady at the desk is pleasantly surprised that her hotel is filling up with gunfighters.  "Everyone seems so pleasant."

Yeah,we are.  An armed society is a polite society.

Murder Capital

Chicago posted its 500th homicide over the Labor Day weekend, but Hot Air is right when they say that the title of Murder Capital might go to other cities who post higher per capita rates of homicidal mayhem.  As CNN reports.
New Orleans – Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Democrat
St. Louis – Mayor Francis G. Slay, Democrat
Detroit – Mayor Mike Duggan, Democrat
Baltimore – Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Democrat (and DNC leader)
Newark – Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Democrat
A death toll of 500 is horrific, but other places fare worse.  What is interesting is the party affiliation of the various mayors in the worst crime cities in the US.

Is anyone starting to see a trend?

Pretty Song

Two of my favorites, Loretta Lynn and Willie Nelson teamed up to do a duet.



That's a pretty song, right there.


Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Disparate Treatment

Hot Air updates us on a case where a Marine officer transmitted classified data in the clear, with the intent to warn others and save lives.  He self-reported, and is facing discharge.
In fact, the differences in Brezler’s case makes the disparate treatment of Hillary and the Marine major even more egregious. Brezler self-reported his mishandling, and expected some kind of punishment for it, but he (inadvertently!) committed that act in an attempt to save lives and assist the US military in distinguishing what turned out to be a deadly threat. Brezler did all he could to promote transparency, both of his actions and of threats that emerged in his absence.
The officer is facing discharge, and Hillary skates free, suffering no penalty whatsoever.

As others have said, we've turned the corner on being a nation of laws, and we're now a nation where there is one law for the politically connected and one law for the rest of us.

Cast Bullets in the .30-30

The family was sitting around the back porch on Sunday, waiting for the pork chops to finish roasting, when second son asks me,  "Pop, do you know anything about shooting cast bullets in rifles?"

I gave him that mysterious smile that old men give to young'uns, and he continued.  "I've been thinking about the .30-30.  That long neck should give plenty of support."

I chuckled, left the porch and went into the shop.  When I came back, I had two white boxes of .30-30 ammo. I dropped them in his lap.  "Yeah, I've thought about it."

Back in 2001, Junior Doughty and I started a website called The Frugal Outdoorsman.  Junior died a couple of years ago, and his daughter is keeping the site alive, and there is a wealth of information on that site that she wants to keep as a legacy to her dad.  I applaud her for keeping the site alive.  It's still a well-sourced website for shooting, hunting, and some of the more archaic facets of our game. Like shooting cast bullets in rifles.

Junior loved the .30-30, he loved cast bullets, and he tried to wring all the accuracy possible out of his Buffalo Bill commemorative with his favorite cast bullet, the Lee C309-170F.  He thought it was the cat's meow for the cartridge and did good work with it.  Junior was able to get groups of under two inches with his commemorative, using iron sights.  Junior's magnum opus was a piece called "Optimum Accuracy with Cast Bullets in a 30-30 Winchester Model 94.  It's still online and well worth the read.

For the record, I have just exactly two cast bullet loads that I like in my .30-30,  The first features the inestimable Lyman 311041.  It is a gas checked, bore riding bullet that weighs about 170 grains when cast from good alloy.  I double-dip it in liquid alox and load it over 27.0 grains of IMR 4895.  It's good for about 1750 fps,out of my Model 94 and I can get an honest 3" group with that ammo at 100 yards when I do my part.  That's the bees knees for deer and hogs in the thick woods.

One day I watched Junior Doughty shoot a 3/4 inch group with that ammo in a scoped Handi rifle.  It's good ammo, and I see no reason to change a thing.

The other load I like in the .30-30 is something I stumbled on when looking at very light loads for plinking, training youngsters and general fun.  I happened to show it to a buddy who used it quite successfully to quell a possum problem he was having.  Hence, we call it the possum load.  It features a hard-cast 115 grain bullet and Blue Dot powder.  It runs out the bore at about 600 fps, very low recoil and low noise.  More of a !pop! than a bang.  No, I'm not going to tell you how many grains of Blue Dot.  You'll have to do your own research.

But, yeah, to answer my son's question, I've thought about cast bullets in rifles.

Monday, September 05, 2016

Labor Day

Originally a holiday promulgated by labor unions in the late 19th Century (New York City, 1882??).  Now, 134 years later it has devolved into a holiday mostly observed by government and schools as a general school holiday.

I remember as a child, going to Labor Day cookouts, sponsored by the CWA, the union that the telephone company argued with.  Dad was a Telephone Man, and was in the union until he went into management.

When I was a kid, lots of places closed on Sundays and holidays.As a cop, I learned early that weekends and holidays were a "sometimes" event.  Oh, I got plenty of time off, but it wasn't the regularly scheduled Saturday, Sunday, Holiday.  Nowadays lots of places are open in our 24/7/365 economy and I wonder if we haven't lost something by adopting an anywhere/everywhere economy.

Our regularly scheduled garbage pickup is on Mondays and I was considerably surprised this morning when I went out to get the paper.  The garbage container has already been emptied, a couple of hours ahead of schedule.  Evidently, the folks who collect my refuse decided to get started early, get off early, and spend some time near a barbecue pit.

Belle and I don't have anything particular planned for today.  We've got to hit the workaday world tomorrow and leave for Kentucky bright and early Wednesday morning.  Today will be spent packing and preparing for the trip.

For those of you working today, thanks for your service.  For those of you relaxing today, Enjoy.