Tumbling Brass

 I have an old Dillon brass tumbler that a reader sent to me a decade o more ago.  It's processed a lot of brass, and it's still going strong.  For a CFDA championship match, the host club provides the ammunition.  When I put on a championship, I like to start with 10,000 rounds of ammo, loaded and ready to go. That suffices for a three-day shoot.

That is the old Dillon, with 400 pieces of .45 Colt (LC) brass.  It's loaded and I prefer to do 300 pieces at a tie.  I feel like 300 pieces gives me a better brass/media ratio and the brass comes out a bit cleaner.  I use walnut media, and I don't use a polish.  I'm looking for clean, not shiny.

When it's time to separate the brass fro the media, I find that one of these Frankfort Arsenal devices works as good as anything.  It's less than $10, and it fits over a five gallon bucket.

Forgive my sloth, but I have forgotten the reader who sent me this tumble so many years ago.  It's still running strong and processes about 20,000 pieces of brass each year.  It's still running strong, as a matter of fact, there are 300 pieces tumbling as I type this.  I will turn it off in an hour or so, and dredge the brass out for loading tomorrow.

Legislature Over-Rides Veto

 The Louisiana legislature has overturned a veto from Governor John Bel Edwards for the first tie in 31 years.  The bill inn question was the Congressional redistricting map.

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature voted Wednesday mainly along party lines to override Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto of a congressional redistricting bill, marking the first time in 31 years that lawmakers refused to accept a governor’s refusal of a bill they had passed.

Of course, the usual suspects are butt-hurt, claiming unfairness and 'racism' and have filed suit in the federal court to  overturn the overturn.

Intresting Numbers.

I didn't realize that 11% of Americans were left-handed.  We have three left-handed shooters in our club alone.  Interesting.  Some of the other numbers Jesse talks about are interesting, too.

Biden's Gas Prices

 We've all heard Joe Biden talk about Putin's gas prices.  As if Putin's invasion of Ukraine were to blame for our high prices at the pump.  Sometimes Biden lies like a career Democrat, other times he disarmingly tells the truth.  

Like at a campaign event in 2019 where he told a woman that e intended to end our reliance on fossil fuels.

At a campaign event on Sept. 6, 2019, Biden approached a woman who had questioned him and grabbed her hand.

“I want you to look in my eyes,” Biden said. “I guarantee you, I guarantee you, we’re going to end fossil fuel, and I am not going to cooperate with them.”

I believe that Biden was telling the truth to that woman, and we all know that prices were climbing at the pump well before he Russian excursion.   Now, there is a report that details the problem.

The Republican Study Committee (RSC) analyzed every action Biden took against energy in the first 15 months of his presidency, and they compared them with the average price per gallon of gas during the same week. The results showed just how detrimental Biden’s presidency has been to everyday Americans.

All references at the link above.

Mississippi Flipped The Script

 Following the pandemic, Mississippi faced the same problems many states faced.  Expanded federal unemployment benefits made it easy to stay home.  Business drives the economy, and businesses needed workers.  84,000 workers across the state.

The cause of this was simple: Federal unemployment expansions and bonuses were paying people more money to stay at home than they could make working. The solution to these woes plaguing our state was also simple. Governor Tate Reeves saw the need for swift action and, in June, Mississippi became one of the first states nationwide to opt out of these expansions and bonuses months before they were set to expire.

By opting out of enhanced benefits, Mississippi turned it round.

 Immediately following Gov. Reeves announcement, work search activities spiked throughout the state. When people began actively looking for work again, Mississippi businesses were finally able to start filling open positions.

If you pay people to stay hoe, they will stay home. 

Solar, Anyone

 Stephen Greene writes an article at PJMedia about the problems with solar power.  It's behind a pay wall, but we can excerpt from it.  He starts with the premise that w're hearing fro the Democrats.

With gas prices up 50% in the last year, natural gas more than double its pre-pandemic price, and electricity price hikes far outpacing the official inflation rate, Democrats argue that there’s no time like right now to switch to alternative energy sources.

That sounds all pie-n-the-sky, but it is unworkable.  Energy is not like toothpaste.  If I go to the grocers and try to buy a tube of Crest, but they are out of that brand, I can grab another brand net to it on the shelf.  It may not be what I prefer, but it will suffice.  Energy is not comparable.

If I decided today to go 'green' and trade my truck for a new Tesla, I'd wait about 14 weeks.  And, the last time I drove past the local dealerships on the main road into town, I didn't see any Tesla dealers locally.

I'm not a guy who never says never.  I remember when I thought a computer was a frivolous expenditure.  I recall saying that I didn't need a cell phone.  I have since changed my opinion on those matters, ad I agree that at some time in the future, I may drive an electric vehicle.  When the technology is right and the market forces make it an affordable alternative.  But that day ain't today.  And, it's likely not in the near future.

Green energy is not yet ready to power America.  It may be at some tie in the future, but that time is not now.

Sigh - Comment Moderation

 It seems that we have a troll who doesn't understand civil and courteous discourse.  As such, comments will henceforth be moderated.

Just as I wouldn't tolerate a guest who unnecessarily insults other people in my living room, I certainly don't intend to tolerate it here.  I will moderate comments at my discretion.

I'm not censoring anyone.  He's free to get his own blog and say whatever he likes.  He is simply not welcome to say it here.

I'm sure that you all understand.

Okay, Let's Talk About THis

I noticed this, this morning. Evidently, Chris Rock was cracking jokes at the Oscar's and he made a crack about Will Smith's wife.  Will Smith went up on stage, and bitch-slapped him.

Oh, the outrage from the artsy-fartsy crowd.  Violence is never acceptable.

Where I come from, if you talk about anther man's wife, yo can expect to get bitch-slapped, or worse.

You can talk about me all you want, but when my wife comes into the conversation, beware.  

I don't have a problem with what Will Smith did, and if Chris Rock has a problem, he should taste his words before he speaks them. If they leave a bitter, bloody taste in his mouth, he should reconsider.

Only an asshole talks about another man's wife.

Stepping In It

 There is no doubt that Biden stepped it it, diplomatically speaking,  when he said that Putin could not remain in power.  That was a bone-headed statement that could cost the NATO alliance and the Ukraine people dearly.  When he said that Putin had to go, along with the comets to US troops that they would see things in Ukraine, he may have escalated the entire war.

Some very intelligent people think that Putin was looking for a way out.  They may be right.  Putin is a rational person who considered his options carefully.  He may be evil, but he is rational.  However, leaving him no way out is a disastrous move.

Vladimir Putin has been informed reliably by the Western alliance that his exit — which in his case possibly includes a firing squad — is the price for peace.

Putin is not willing to pay that price.   Our President, by his off-the-cuff remarks, may have backed Putin into a corner, and he might come out swinging.

Griddle-ing Sunday

 I haven't talked about this in several years, but my Blackstone griddle is one of my go-to cooking implements.  Oh, I still use the charcoal grill sometimes, and I use the smoker when appropriate, but I've become truly fond of the griddle.

This past spring, I became the cook at the church rodeos.  Their charcoal grill was falling apart and they asked me what I liked to cook on.  You guessed it, the church bought a Blackstone griddle.

This morning, Belle wanted burgers for the Sunday lunch, and in just a few minutes, I had the griddle rolling with hamburger patties.

A trick the ladies at the church taught me:  To cook burgers ahead of time and keep them warm and most.  In a slow-cooker, make a blend of beef broth, brown gravy mix, and a healthy shake of Wooster (Worcestershire sauce.   When the family gets here in another hur, we'll eat.

Y'all have a wonderful SUnday.

Sunday Morning Dawg

 He needs a grooming in the worst kind of way.  We'll try to take care of that this week.

Supreme Court Screening Test

 From Termite:

Wellness Check

 I went to my semi-annual doctors visit today ad when the Doc decided that my numbers looked okay, we devolved into a discussion about the merits of Scotch whisky.  He has a fondness for McAllen 12, which I agree is a very nice single malt.  We talked about Islay Scotch, and Lowland Scotch, and several varieties of bourbon whiskey. We are both amazed that Turkey 101 makes it on so many "best bourbons" lists, but it is good bourbon.

As I was leaving, his last words to me were, "Less cigarettes, more whiskey."

That is medical advise I can get behind.  I think I"ll have a drink.

That's Exactly RIght

 It seems that Ukraine is having none of it.  Trans women are actually men and are required to bear arms fr the defense of the country.  According to Zero Hedge:

The Ukrainian government is refusing to allow transgender women to leave the country along with the millions of women and children refugees who have been streaming into Poland and other European nations. Instead, Ukrainian border guards are turning them back and forcing them to return home to join the fight.

That sounds exactly right.   

WATCH: Sen. John Kennedy questions Jackson in Supreme Court confirmation...

I love my Senator, John Kennedy of Louisiana.  In the video below, he leads Whatshername Jackson down a primrose path.  It's fun to watch the full exchange, but you can skip ahead to the ~27 minute mark.

Kennedy asks her about when life begins, then watches her hem and haw about judicial philosophy.  Then he asks her a very simple question.  "When does equal protection attach"?:  She appears stunned, and says that she does not know.  Equal protection is a bulwark of our legal system, and the questioned should be easily answered by any member of the judiciary.  Yet, she is unprepared for the question.

Fundamental Definitions

 Sitting on the crapper this morning, I was pondering the fundamental definitions of the human existence.  Specifically, pondering this exchange between Senator Blackburn and Whatshernae Jackson, the Supreme Court nominee.

SEN. BLACKBURN: “Can you provide a definition of the word ‘woman’?”

JACKSON: “No, I can’t.”

BLACKBURN: “You can’t?”

JACKSON: “I’m not a biologist.”

That exchange struck me as idiotic, bu in the current dysphoria, I realized that many people are confused by basic definitions.  A definition should be so simple that it appears at once simple and beyond reproach, even if it hides other questions, like Einstein's famous equation about ass and energy.

Suddenly, an epiphany.  By the grace of God and my immense mental facilities, I had it.

WOMAN (n): A human female who has attained adulthood.

Simple, yet elegant, we now have a definition that can be used as a basic starting point to right our country and the world.  Both simple and elegant, this may form the basis for a conpletely new science, just like Einstein's equation opened up entirely new branches of physics. 

You are welcome.  I await the call from the Nobel committee.

Tuesday Weather

 It's raining sideways outside, and we ar currently under a tornado warning.  It's nothing we haven't seen before.

The radar map has all kinds of pretty colors on it, and we're keeping an eye on it.  

Tucker: You should be worried about this

Tucker tells us that there are some things that we need to know about the Ukraine government.  Things we may not like.

Toward the end of the segment he reveals that the medics have been ordered to castrate Russian POWs.  That is a bit extreme and is a war crime.  I'm a soldier and have led a soldier's life.It is my firm belief that every soldier has a responsibility to conduct himself properly during conflict which can be brutal and legal.  But, soldiers should be forced to answer for their cries and the old "Just Following Orders" defense died at Nuremberg.

Monday Planning

 We're planning a big shooting competition in Pineville in late July. Planning is the key word today, because these things take a lot of coordination from a lot of folks. Caterers, vendors, sanctioning organizations, building registration forms, a myriad of tasks that have to be performed before the event is even close to kicking off.  Promoting it.  Did I mention that?

Making lists, double-checking  Arranging for prizes.  It's a lot of work.

We do it because we love it, but it is a lot of work.  It's a good thing I'm retired.

It's going to be a lot of fun.

Sunday Morning Dawg

 It's been a weekend of rodeo, and when I got home last night about 11:00, the dog was waiting for me.   Our chruch hosted a big rodeo this weekend, two shows with over  100 contestants in each show.

I swear, his face looks like an orangutan.

Huh?

 I understand that some guy just won the NCAA National Women's Swimming championship.

That sounds odd, but that is what happened.

The NCAA should be outraged, but they are not.  They gave him the trophy

The NCAA is now officially a laughing-stock.

Marksmanship

 Lucas is my 11-year-old grandson.  He started CMP competition this year through the 4H club at his school.  They do position shooting with .22 rifles.

Lucas went to his first competition yesterday and performed well for his first time out.  He scored 254 out of 300.  Not bad at all.  He didn't qualify for State, but he put in a good showing, and there is always next year.

We may have a marksman in the family.  For all you guys who think you can shoot, get off the bench, put your butt on the ground, and see where your bullets go.

Jesse Watters: The laptop is real

Joe Biden, the most popular president in history, is a bald-faced liar, and Jesse Waters lays it all out, with footnotes fro the New York Times.  Simply, a bald-faced liar.  If you can't believe what a man tells you when he's running for office, then you certainly should not believe anything he tells you after he is elected.

Joe Biden is a proven liar.  Plain and simple. He is also a hypocrite, because he's still burning diesel at a prodigious rate while wanting you and me to buy an electric vehicle.

A liar and a hypocrite, and he's our President.

Permanent Daylight Savings TIme

 It's been a feature for most of my life, but it may be time to end the twice-yearly changing of the clocks.  It seems that the US Senate has passed a bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent in the US.

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent starting in 2023, ending the twice-annual changing of clocks in a move promoted by supporters advocating brighter afternoons and more economic activity.

Now, we'll see if the House does anything with it.  Or, if Biden would sign it.  It seems like common sense, bipartisan legislation, so no promises.

The Big Lie

 All you hear from the White House is the big Biden lie about how Putin is responsible for our soaring gas prices.   When the fact is that Biden has caved to the far left, and the Green New Deal.

Fortunately, information exists to put the lie to Biden's puppet-masters.  Joe Biden and his policies are responsible for rising gas prices.  As you can see from this chart, the price of unleaded gasoline has risen steadily under the Biden presidency.

Some of that is due to Putin, but not all of it.  The president is complicit in a big portion of the price we pay at the pump.  If we were still energy independent, like we were under President Trump, Putin's oil would have no effect because we would not have been buying oil from him.  

And, while it is true that there are 9000 leases going unused, it is also true that drilling permits have declined under President Biden.  It does no good to hold an oil lease if you don't have the permit necessary to drill on that lease.  Drilling permits are down under Biden.

Drilling permits are down, leases are going unused, and it's Biden's fault.  His administration is awash with Green New Deal types who are doing everything they can do to break our reliance on fossil fuels.  It is hurting the small folks.  Those of us who rely on conventional energy to heat our homes, move our vehicles, and light our living rooms.

Don't believe the lies coming out of the White House.  It's nefarious, disingenuous, and catastrophic to America.

Putin is a bad actor, and deserves to be hanged for his war crimes in Ukraine, but he is not responsible for our energy problem.  Those are on Joe Biden.  He made bad choices, and continues his hypocrisy of riding in the Beast, using Marine Corps One, and Air Force One as he exhorts us to drive electic vehicles that non of us can afford.

Russia Wants Alaska Back

 I was reading an article at the Babylon Bee yesterday about Russia wanting Alaska back.  I thought it was far-fetched, and rather funny.

Then, Fox News covered it this morning.  As it turns out, Putin is saying that he wants Alaska back.  The current governor of Alaska says "Good luck with that."

Never discount the ability of the Babylon Bee to cover the news.

Small Arms Primer 151: US Colt 1877

You may not care one whit for the Colt Lightning (Model 1877), but this tale begins with a weird tale of the Colt family history.  The first five minutes are a bizarre tale of villainy, murder, suicide, and bastardy.  It's a wild tale and thoroughly interesting.  Who knew that Sam Colt had such an ,,, instructive ?? family life.

Day Late, Dollar Short

 Joe Biden is finally getting off his dead ass and going to Brussels, Fox News reports:

President Biden is expected to travel to Brussels, Belgium, next week for a NATO summit on Russia's war in Ukraine , the White House said Tuesday. 

I wonder how he's going to get there?  He's probably going to burn Jet-A, which he doesn't want us to do.  He needs to go ahead and transition to an electric jet, and lead by example.

  Biden will join the "extraordinary" NATO summit that will convene March 24.

Really?  March 24th?  I hope that Ukraine is still a place on March 24th.   That is nine days away, and things happen quickly during a shooting war.

Our country is in the very best of hands.

Clips: Stop Using the Wrong Screwdrivers on Your Guns

Screwdriver tips for gunsmithing is a continuing matter of education.  Here, Othias breaks it down for us with just about the best graphics I've seen yet.

White it is always best to have precision screwdrivers for your gun, in a pinch, a standard wedge tip can be ground to properly fit a screw head.  As Mark Novak often reminds us, screwdriver tips are expendable items.

You First, Joe

 One of the things I learned as a leader is that I adopted the policies that I wanted to endorse.  It's called leading by example.  I think that Joe Biden should lead by example, rather than exhort us to sacrifice.  Leadership my example is the best way to lead.

Joe gave a speech recently where he exhorted us to go green.  A quick quote.

Loosening environmental regulations and pulling back on clean energy investment won't let me expand won't - will not - lower energy prices for families.

But transforming our economy to run on electric vehicles powered by clean energy ...

Lead by example, Joe!  Transition the White House to electric vehicles.  It would be a great example of leadership.  Tell the Secret Service to park that big SUV you use to get around.  Tell the Marine Corps to park Marine One until they can transport you by clean energy.  Tell the Air Force that you won't be making any more Air Force One trips.  It burns too much diesel.

Lead by example, Joe, or admit that you are a hypocritical sonofabitch.

Alec Baldwin Is Pond Scum

 Alec Baldwin filed papers Friday, saying, basically, that he was not at fault in the tragic killing of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Alec Baldwin filed legal papers Friday denying any responsibility for shooting dead Halyna Hutchins — even blaming the late cinematographer for giving him the directions that led to the deadly accident.

Blaming the victim, huh, Alec?  That is a pond-scum move.

While I agree that there had to be a cascade of mistakes that led to this horrible incident, the most basic mistake was letting an idiot such as Baldwin be anywhere on the same acre of a firearm of any type. Whether it be wooden, plastic, or steel, Alec Baldwin has no business handling it.  Period.

As I have said before, the evidence is clear that Alec Baldwin pointed a loaded gun at Ms. Hutchins and caused it to discharge. The facts are not in dispute.  He was holding the firearm and his thumb was on the hammer.  He released the hammer and the weapon fired.  He is responsible.  He may not be culpable, but the courts will decide that.

I'm not in to "cancel culture", but if Alec Baldwin showed up at one of my shoots, I would not allow him to handle any firearm of any type.  He is not competent to do so, and he is unwilling to admit responsibility for his own mistakes.

Texas State Update

 We're home, got in about midnight last night.  Safe and sound.  I'll spend the rest of the day sorting dunnage, simply because at some point during a return home venture, we're simply throwing stuff into the car.

Belle did well, as she generally does.  By Saturday afternoon late, we realized that she had qualified for the finals match.  She carried one loss util the 7th round where she got her 2nd loss.  By that time the scoring system had eliminated enough shooters that they could arrive at a finals match and Belle was in it.

On Sunday, Belle shot the finals match and took home 7th place at the Texas State Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw.

I, on the other had, did not distinguish myself in any way.  I had a lot of fun, and talked with a bunch of old friends.

Our match was marred by tragedy.  We lost a shooter, a well respected guy known as Everett Hitch.  I talked with Hitch on Friday, had a nice conversation about an event that he was helping to plan.  He seemed excited about it.  On Saturday morning, he wasn't a the shooters meeting, and folks started calling around.  Hitch was found in his hotel room, where evidently, he expired in his sleep.

Everett Hitch is survived by a wife, and children, and grandchildren.  We offer our prayers and condolences to them.  He was a (very) few years older than I am.  His death reminds us that we never know the place or the time, and we should live each day to its fullest.

Hitch was an innovator in our sport, constantly looking for better ways to train and to conduct matches.  He coned the phrase: "We Don't Practice Missing" in the sport.  He will be sorely missed.

Sunday Morning Dawg

 While we're traveling, the dog stays with my cousin, Denise, who runs a boarding facility.  There are always other dogs to play with and all the animals are well cared for.

A good dog-boarding facility is a joy, and Denise runs a great one.  We'll pick him up on Monday morning.

Biden Price HIkes

 Former Vice President Joe Biden is trying desperately to blame his woes on Putin.

It ain't working, and I hope he knows it.

Remember when he took office, had energy independence and $2 gasoline?  If he had maintained those policies and strengthened our energy independence, we'd still have $2 gasoline.   But, Noooo.  He had to be all green energy, glowball warmening, and choke off fossil fuels.  So, under his watch, we went from energy independent to importing our oil.

Here locally, fuel was about $3.25 before the Ukraine unpleasantness.  Now, it's pushing $4.00, and it's all on Joe Biden.  All of it.  Every cent.  If we were energy independent, we might care what Putin did in Ukraine, but we would not be paying for it.

Burnet, TX

 We're in Burnet, Tx.  We got here about 4:00 this afternoon.

I live in central Louisiana, and we're in central Texas.  That verdampt GPS took me to Katy, TX, just north of Houston before pointing us north.  Evidently, there ain't any roads that go across central Texas.

WE made pretty good time, but holy cow, it was an interesting road trip.  I wonder which route it is going to take me home on?

Congress Does Vital Work

 With all the challenges and problems facing America today, it's great to know that Congress is doing what it can to make us all safer, more prosperous, and less afflicted by things like illegal immigration, our-of-control inflation, energy independence, ... you get the idea.

For example, the vital work necessary to outlaw lynching.   Yeah, that's right.  Lynching.

“After more than 200 failed attempts to outlaw lynching, Congress is finally succeeding in taking the long overdue action by passing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act,” crowed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Hallelujah. It’s long overdue.”

I'm pretty certain that lynching was already against the law. At the time of Till's killing, murder was against the law.  Murder is a crime in all 50 states.  Why Congress felt compelled to act on this legislation at this time, with so many other competing priorities is beyond me.

On the other hand, an anti-lynching law is a no-brainer, which pretty well sums up Congress today.  No brains.

Packing

 We're packing suitcases today.  Tomorrow, Belle and I shove off for Burnet, TX, where we will attend the Texas State Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw.  We're looking forward to it.  We have't been out of town since October, wen we made the Reno trip.

We have someone watching the house.  Grandson Zach will feed the cat and eat my groceries while we are gone.

I'm checking lists and making sure that all the stuff we need for a major shoot is in the van. A club member has the keys to the range, and will open up for our Saturday practice meeting.

We'l be back Sunday night, late.

Let's Go Brandon

 Same station in Pineville, LA

I heard on the news today that Biden is denying imports of Russian petroleum, but I didn't hear him say anything about ramping up domestic production.

Pete Butigieg: Save Gas Money, Buy Electric

 Our brilliant Secretary of Transportation has a simple message.  Buy an electric vehicle.

“Last month, we announced a $5 billion investment to build out a nationwide electric vehicle charging network so that people from rural to suburban to urban communities can all benefit from the gas savings of driving an EV.”

Well, Pete, that doesn't help me much. (You dumb sonofabitch).  You see, later this week, I have to drive across Texas.  And, on Sunday, I'll head home.  Do you have those electric charging stations up and running yet?   Does anyone make an EV that I can drive for 12 hours at highway speeds?  Or, in the alternative, fully charge in fifteen minutes?  Do they make one yet that will carry four people, plus a five-hundred ound luggae weight for four hours?

Pete, you are an ignorant sonoabitch, and in a perfect world, would be handing from a light post somewhere simply because you are such a dumbass.

Here's your mission, Pete.  Drill everywhere, drill now.  Clean up the supply chain and quit worrying about whatever gay pipe-dreams you seem to be concerned abut.  Our challenges are too serious to be concerned with whatever frivolous shit resides in your fevered brain. 

Why Mike Rowe is Fed Up with COVID Fear-Mongering | The Glenn Beck Podca...

Great interview with Mike Rowe.  It's really worth listening to.

Let That Sink In

 

Sunday Morning Dawg

 On the floor next to the fireplace, hoping I'll drop something he can eat.

Just a fuzzy dog, soaking up some sun.

It's a hard life, but someone has to do it.

Paying The Bills

 Like everyone, I pay the bills once a month.  I've always been frugal, but when I fully retired in 2019, I had a comfortable buffer between my bills and my income.

Lately, I have noticed that my bills have gone up.  Since last year, about $500.00 per month.  Nothing has really jumped,except my electric bill, which had doubled.  But, they have all incrementally crept up a few dollars so that now I am poorer $500.00 per month over where I was last year.  

I attribute this mainly to fuel costs.

My electric bull is almost double, mainly due to fuel costs.

My sewer bull is up.  They have to put fuel in the trucks, and run pumps.

My garbage contract has risen.  Those trucks take lots of fuel.

My cable provider's bill has risen.  They use a lot of electricity.

The water bill has stayed strangely level.  It actually went down a few bucks this month.

I attribute each of these to fuel consts.  And, I put those costs directly at Joe Biden's feet, along with the green energy portion of the Democratic party.  PawPaw ain't hurting yet, but I have tightened my belt a couple of notches.

It Is Past Time

 He's right, of course.

CNN Leaves Russia

 CNN is leaving Russia, not because of any moral outrage, but because Russia passed a law that threatens jail time for.broadcasting... (wait for it...) fake news.

Fake News is CNN's stock-in-trade, so once the law was passed, they decided that the best course of action was to hail ass out of there.

That's funny, right there.

Dumbest Thing Yet

 I have seen some idiocy coming fro the left, but they have really ratcheted it up today.

I'll start with some guy named Iftin, who thinks we need global gun control.

But how do we start a debate about global gun control to put pressure on someone like Putin to stop waging wars on innocent people?

That is laughable, Mr. Iftin, and probably the dumbest thing I've heard lately.

But wait, we have a contender.

Thank you, Patricia.  Your stupidity knows no bounds.  I am now dumber for having read that tweet.

Bench Kamala, Please

 It seems that the White House is sending VP Kamala Harris on the road again.

The White House is actively discussing sending Vice President Harris to Warsaw, Poland, and Bucharest, Romania, in the coming days to show solidarity with Ukraine as it faces an escalating Russian invasion, sources familiar with the conversations tell The Hill. 

Why?  Because she needs foreign policy experience?  In the midst of a shooting war?

 Bench this woman, please. For the sake of our intelligence and human civilization, just put her back into the cardboard box from whence she came. She has failed on the border. She failed in boosting COVID vaccination rates. Harris is a walking failure, who bleeds staff and fosters a toxic work environment. She doesn’t do the work and she doesn’t read the briefings her staff prepare for her, so she doesn’t look like an idiot. She botched the talking points about the sanctions slapped against Russia in the aftermath of their invasion of Ukraine. And now, the White House wants to send her to Poland?

Kamala is likely to erupt into one of her famous word-salads, say something that is interpreted as  actual policy rather than the babbling of a fool, and the next thing we know, there will be missiles in the air.  She is liable to get us all killed.

The more that I see crazy Joe botch the response to the Ukraine crisis, the more I am convinced that there are no serious people in the White House or the foreign policy field.  The White House must be filled with syncopates and fools, unwilling to tell Crazy Joe that he is a complete and utter failure.

This is what happens when you order a President by mail.

Anonymous said in comments to an earlier post. 

 The vehicle commander and driver for the matter do not need to ride open hatch with their heads exposed. Button up and use vision blocks and weapon sights to view and navigate.

That sounds great in theory, but seldom works in practice. While it is true that the driver of an M1 series is often buttoned up, the vehicle commander wants his head out of the tank for more complete vision.  Vision blocks limit your awareness considerably, up to about 60%.  A tank commander loses over half of his situational awareness when he closes the hatch.

I freely admit that I never took a tank into combat, but I trained in them extensively for 25 years as an Armor and Cavalry officer.  I never wanted to be "buttoned-up" and did so only when required by the training scenario.  And, in training and maneuver, I wanted my loader's had outside and on a swivel as an additional set of eyes.

The commander needs to have his head out to see what is going on.

A single rifleman would have to be suicidal to take on a tank in a fair fight.  However, we never want to be in a fair fight.  Sneak and peek, find a tank or APC in a waiting area.   Fire one good shot, and boogie out of the area.  The bad guys will return fire on the area, so you need to be gone pretty quick.

If you get in a fair fight, you are doing it wrong.

That Stalled Convoy

 Like many of you, I've seen pictures of a military convoy north of Kiev.  By all reports, it contains fighters and logistics (bullets and beans) for the army.  Yet, it appears stalled along the road .  Why is that?

Commanders know that combat absorbs supplies at a pace that would astound neophyte observers.  Armies on the move require huge reserves of fuel,  ammunition,, food, and manpower.  The commanders job is to push those supplies to where they are needed, yet that convoy seems to be stalled on the road.  So, is it lack of will on the part of the local commanders?  Or is it equipment breakdowns?  Or is it sabotage?

Or is it the tires?

Bit of a tire expert here. Those aren't Soviet-era heavy truck radials. Chinese military tires, and I believe specifically the Yellow Sea YS20. This is a tire I first encountered in Somalia and Sudan; it's a bad Chinese copy of the excellent Michelin XZL military tire design.

That might be one explanation as well.  Bad tires. That may be part of it, but I an getting a sense that the troops aren't committed to this battle, that the rank-and-file may be slow-walking this thing.  

The Russian commanders on the ground have a much tougher problem than they envisioned when they set out last week for a glorious cake walk through Ukraine.

Reality Intrudes

 CBS News is concerned about the plight of transgendered folks in Ukraine.  It seems that reality has intruded o their fevered dreams.

That young man needs to pick up a rifle and defend his homeland.  In the face of actual lethal warfare,   no one has time to sort out his delusions.  

Why the 2nd Amendment is So Important.

 If you have been watching the struggle in Ukraine, you've seen images of regular people, citizens, being armed to resist tyranny.  This is the foundation of the 4ne Amendment, which says, in part:

The Right of The People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

That is fairly clear language, and you may note that it doesn't say anything about the type of arms that The People might keep.

There is a pretty good article at Based Politics that reminds us why we need the 2nd Amendment. The nay-sayers rightly say that you can't stop a tank with a rifle.  That's true, but...

If you know anything about armored combat, you know that they don't operate in a vacuum/  If you have watched the videos or seen the images coming out of Ukraine, you have seen that generally, one guy always has his head stuck out of the top of the tank.  He's the tank commander, and one well placed bulllet will drop hi like a used condom.

I know to a certainty that my old Savage bolt action will hit a 6" target at 300 yards. So much for that tank commander's head.  That degrades a 3-man crew t a 2-man crew, and the fighting capability o the tank is reduced significantly.  If that crew manages to get over the shock of their deceased commander, and the gunner sticks his head out, another bullet renders hi hors de combat, and they are down to a one-man crew.

One good man with a rifle can make a difference on a battle field.  That has always been true and will always be true.