Errands

The boys needed to swing by Wally-world, and I needed fuel,so I dropped them off at the front door and swung around to the Murphy Station adjacent.  They recently remodeled, and I haven't stopped there since the remodel.  I was surprised to find that they offer ethanol-free fuel.

I don't mind burning ethanol in my vehicle, all the new ones are set up for corn, and whatever you think about the moral imperative of burning corn in a vehicle, it is ubiquitous.  Those of us who want ethanol-free in our small engines have to seek it out, and now I have one other place to get it.

After the Wally trip, I took the boys to a local lunch place for a calzone.  These two were born within 6 months of each other and have been close cousins their whole lives. 

The one on the left graduates from high school in May.  The one on the right graduated in December and leaves for Fort Jackson tomorrow morning.  This may well be the last time they are together for a while.

All Eyes On Virginia

All eyes are on Virginia today.  It seems that the tyrant Northam, has been sending out police officers to question citizens about their intent for Lobbying Day that will commence in a few hours.

These two cops are in a bad situation.  But, it's a situation of ther own making.  At some point, every police officer needs to determine where his loyalty stands, even at the risk of his paycheck.



I am sure that these two cops think they are "just doing the job".  Likewise, I think that that the poor infantryman who marched out of Boston that beautiful morning in 1775 were just doing their jobs.  Just following orders.  Yet, before the day was over, their regiment was decimated and they had ignited a firestorm that consumed a continent.

Northam doesn't have any "regulars", but he does have his police officers.  Those fine young men and women should keep their heads abut them this morning, and remember their oaths.  If things go horribly wrong this morning, it won't matter who is signing their paychecks.  All that will matter is how the free world assesses their conduct.

Poor Ol' Harry

I'm not one to follow the travails of the Royal Family in Britain, but you'd have to be blind not to see that young Harry, beloved grandson of the Queen, has crapped in his own mess-kit.

This dude, an elite only by virtue of his birth, had the world by the nuts.

This time a year ago, Prince Harry had the world at his feet. He was a handsome prince with a beautiful wife and a healthy male heir on the way, plenty of money, a free, five-bedroomed ‘cottage’ in a piece of England’s finest real estate, a dashing war record from two tours in Afghanistan, bags of honorary titles — including Captain General of the Royal Marines — all the cachet of being a senior player in the world’s grandest Royal Family but little of the responsibility (his big brother William is heir to the throne, so the pressure is off there), with plenty of spare time for frequent private jet jaunts round the world to hang out with celebrity chums like Sir Elton John.

Now, he's pissed off grandma, been booted out of the royal family, and owes the taxpayers of Britain, 2.4 million pounds.  He's in his mid-30s, relatively healthy, and moving to a new country.  He'll be fine.  Lots of folks have started over at that age, and I wish him the best of luck.  He's going to need it.

Little Ribeyes

Grandson Quinton is shipping out for Basic Training on Tuesday.  He's been living with us since August, and we're going to miss him when he goes.  We've been spoiling him a little bit this week.  He told me that he wanted a good steak before he left, so yesterday I went to the butchers and had him cut some nice little 20 oz ribeyes.  Seasoned them up good, let them come to room temp, and dropped them on a very hot iron griddle.

Of course, we had to saute some mushrooms.  And keep some herbed utter close by to assist in basting.  Belle had baked some potatoes.

One plate for the steak, one for the potato

 He's heading to Fort Jackson, SC for basic, thence to Fort Lee, VA for training in MOS 91F (Small arms repairman).

Dialect

It's how we talk, and certainly we talk differently across regions of the US.  From the wonders of the intertubes, we come upon a neat little quiz to determine where your particular dialect is centered.  Go here to stat the quiz.

I took the quiz, and the results put me squarely in Louisiana, which isn't much of a stretch.

Red, more likely.  Blue, less likely

It's interesting, some of the choices they give you.

Liberal Hacks

I saw this exchange yesterday and found it unremarkable, but lots of folks are remarking on it, so what the hell.  This reporter tries to ambush Senator McSally in the halls of the Capitol, and she shuts him down.



The reporter in question is known for doing hit pieces to make conservatives look bad, while ignoring the antics of of Democrats.  But, the larger question is if McSally insulted him?  Probably not.  He knows he's a liberal hack and revels in it.  Where is the insult?

I tend to agree with Instapundit.

Personally, I think it’s okay to talk to reporters any way you want. I’d call them whores, but that’s an insult to the professionalism of prostitutes.

CNN is fake news, and this guy is the worst of the lot  He asks stupid questions, trying hard to break a non-story.  There was a time, thirty years ago, when I trusted CNN.  It was playing in the common area of the Provost Marshall's station the entire time I was assigned at Fort Polk.  I haven't trusted CNN since the beginning of George W Bush's term.  They really turned the corner during the Obama era, carrying his water at every opportunity.  They're hacks.  The whole bunch of them.

Dear Virginia

I see that there is a big 2A rally planned in Virginian on Monday, Jan 20 to protest planned gun control efforts in that state.  I also see that pro-gun goups are cautioning their folks to be on the lookout for agitators.

In an alert sent by one of the groups leading the “lobbying day” effort, supporters were advised to look the other way should counterprotesters challenge them.

 “If someone tries to provoke you, smile and walk away. There is probably someone secretly recording the interaction, with the intent of capturing some kind of inappropriate reaction on your part. Don't take the bait. It's not worth the bad press,” said the alert from the Virginia Citizens Defense League, which has conducted annual lobby day events peacefully since 2002.

We have to be on our best beavior, folks, we don't want to give the tyrants any excuses.  We're using the 1st Amendment on Monday.

I see that the governor has declared a state of emergency.  How very prescient for his tyrannical plans.



If you're going to the protest, be on your best behavior.  Don't give them any reason to over-react.

Thursday Morning Connectivity

Over the past several days, we've been having problems with internet connectivity.  It drops of-line several times a day. My personal, teenage grandson tech support suspects that the problem is the internet modem, which we've had for about eight years.  With two teenagers in the house, who each drag hard o that modem, I suspect that my tech support is correct, but before I spend the money, I want another opinion, so I call the company tech line.  The conversation goes like this:

Them: "Thanks for calling.  What's the problem."
Me: "Internet connectivity."
Then: "Let's reset the modem."
Me: I've done that four times today."
Them: "Let's do it again"

We reset the modem.

Them: "It looks good from here."
Me: "Okay, if my modem is fine, why does my internet keep dropping?"
Them: "The modem is fine."
Me: "Okay, if the modem is fine, is the problem on your end, or my end?"
Them: "The modem is fine."
Me: "Great, let me speak with your supervisor." 
Them: "We don't have a supervisor here."
Me: :You don't have a boss?  Am I speaking to the CEO?"
Them: "No, I am not the CEO."
ME: :Great!  You work for someone. Put him on the horn."

Needless to say, I didn't speak to a supervisor.  But I'm retired now and my internet provider (Suddenlink Communications), has a business office/plant operation just a few miles up the street.  My plan this morning is to drop by and give the lady at the front desk an opportunity to trot the manager out and let him explain to me what the problem is.

LSU Wins

Our beloved LSU Tigers took the national championship last night in the NCAA Championship game against Clemson.  President Trump attending the game with the First Lady.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

It was a rousing championship game to end a phenomenal season. 

All of Louisiana is celebrating today. 

Monday Morning Notes

It's a rainy day here in central Louisiana.  I've pushed the grandson out the door for school, and Belle will soon begin her routine to leave for work.

The entire state of Louisiana is cocked and locked for a football game tonight.  The LSU Tigers meet the Clemson Tiers at the Super Dome tonight for the championship game.  The betting line (depending on who you watch) shows LSU winning by a touchdown.

Anyone who thinks that Iran general Soleimani was beloved of the Iranian people is either daft or a damned liar.  From what I've read, that huge funeral crowd was lashed into the street by the theocracy and their henchmen.  Many Iranians didn't give a flying flip about him and most of the others actively despised him.

Pelosi continues her derangement.  While I agree that RUSSIA tied to meddle in the election, it seems that they backed the loser and Trump won against their best efforts.  She can't stand it, so she lashes out.  It's a poor example for a Speaker of the House, but it is certainly amusing.

I have quite a laundry list of things to do today (including laundry), so I'd best get started.

Iran Fesses Up

It seems that Iran has admitted that their air defense forces shot down the Ukrainian jet liner earlier this week.

Iran finally admitted Friday night to the incontrovertible evidence that it had shot a Ukraine jetliner out of the sky less than two minutes after it took off.

I was horrified when I heard the initial reports,  It seems that a whole bunch of Canadians were on board, and I admit that mystified me.  What the hell were they doing in Tehran?  And, what was the pilot thinking?  Didn't he know that he was flying in what seemed to be contested air space?  How did the ground controllers let him take off in the first place?

Somewhere outside Tehran, a young officer had a crew at a missile site.  They were expecting an American response to their missile launches into Iraq.  This young officer saw a bogey on his screen and launched a missile.  The missile did just exactly what it was designed to do.

It's a tragedy, but it seems to be a cascading chain of events that lead this Ukrainian jet to be over a missile site that was cocked-and-locked for incoming air traffic.  A blip on a screen, and war has begun.

New ATF study

It seems that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and whatever else, EIEIO, is conducting studies trying to figure out how many firearms and how much ammo is in the hands of law-abiding Americans.  My first reaction was that the ATFEIEIO guys have more to do than tally numbers, but if they are doing that, they aren't abusing good Americans.  THey are wastinng tax money, but we've come to expect that.

My second reaction is that their numbers are abysmally low.

Newly released figures from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives shows that there are now a whopping 422.9 million guns in the hands of Americans. The number equates to 1.2 guns for every person in the country.

 The figures also reveal that the most popular firearm in the country is the much maligned sporting rifle, often mis-identified as an “assault rifle”, the AR-15 being one of the more popular models.

They also estimate that 8.1 billion rounds of ammo were produced last year.  I have no idea about that, but I bet that they didn't take into account the hundreds of thousands of us who produce our own ammo.  I suspect that the amount of ammunition in private hands exceeds their numbers by a significant margin.

Disclaimer:  I can't attest to the veracity of the linked article, only noting it for the purpose of discussion.

Thanks, Termite!

My buddy Termite works in the Gulf i the oil field.  He is a recovering professional aviator turned amateur, but we've been shooting together for years and we've done some trading and swapping.

Yesterday he called and told me that he had some good, fresh Gulf shrimp for me.  Five pounds, head on.  He brought them over and later I processed them.  It isn't hard to process shrimp, and these were beauties.  In less than an hour, I had a gallon zipper bag full of fresh, Gulf goodness.

Belle is already plotting what to do with them.  I suspect that they won't be in that bag by nightfall.

Thanks, Termite!

Our Justice System

I learned a long time ago as a cop that it wasn't my job to try and convict criminals.  It was my job to arrest and provide evidence.  I couldn't get my feelings hurt, if for whatever reason, the District Attorney chose not to prosecute.

That's the nature of our system, and Nancy Pelosi is learning that.  The Constitution is clear.  The House begins the impeachment process and the Senate finishes it.  The Speaker does not get to negotiate the rules.  Her job s finished when she sends the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.  Mitch McConnell made that perfectly clear yesterday.

"If the Speaker continues to refuse to take her own accusations to trial, the Senate will move forward next week with the business of our people," he said. "We will operate on the assumption that House Democrats are too embarrassed to ever move forward."

That seems fair to me.  If SanFranNan doesn't send the articles over, the Senate can't try them, and should move forward as if they never existed.

Thursday Morning News

We awaken Thursday to a mixed bag of news.

First, the weather.  It looks like east Texas, central Louisiana, and parts of Arkansas are in for another round of hateful weather over Friday and the weekend. Oh, joy.

In national political news, it seems that the Democrats are disappointed in Trump's reaction to the Iranian temper-tantrum.  It seems that they actually wanted him to bomb Tehran, which seems odd.  Certainly, they didn't want a new war simply for crass political concerns did they?  It seems that SanFran Nan was all set to vote on a war-powers resolution.  But now, there is not going to be another war and she is deflated.  I swear, Pelosi and Schumer are so far behind the power-curve, they will never catch up.

In another heart-warming item, it seems that the youngest son of the presumptive Den candidate has been named the father of a child born to an ex-stripper.  Of course, stepping-up, taking responsibility and doing the right thing is not a trait that Democrats normally exhibit, so the young lovely had to take him to court.  DNA is a thing, and the courts have decided that Hunter Biden is the biological and legal father of the child in question. The infant will get a new birth certificate, and baby-momma will get child support.  As is right an proper. The young lady should have learned a life-lesson.  Never mate with Democrats.

All that aside, PawPaw has a busy day today.  Lots of stuff happening on several fronts and I'd best finish my coffee and get busy.  Y'all have a great Thursday.

Catamount

They're called various things.  Lions, panthers, cougars, catamount.  They are damned big cats for this part of the country.  The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries acknowledges that they exist, but cautions that they are rare ad protected.  Everyone talks about "black panthers", but they are not black.  The three I've seen range from tan to a chocolate brown.  A dark panther at night might look black, but I doubt it.

Whatever the color phase, their vocalizations are quite distinctive.  Below is a video that purports to capture a panther scream.  In my opinion, this one is hoarse.  The one that lived behind my house in the '90s was much more clear and disturbing.  It sounded like a woman in extreme distress and would make the hair stand on you head.


Hearing that on the way to the barn to feed horses in the pre-dawn would make you pick p your step and turn on all the lights.

Iran Calls The Thunder

It appears that the Iranians have lost their damned minds, and are attacking US bases in Iraq.

From senior US military source in Iraq:
“Under missile attack from Iran. These are either cruise missiles or short range ballistic missiles. All over the country.”

Other tweets indicate that this is revenge for the lawful, battlefield killing of whatshisname.

 Fars News agency in Iran says this is video of a missile attack that has been launched in Al Assad airbase in NW Iraq. Home to Iraqi and U.S. forces. In their own words  "Start of Iran's vengeful US retaliation / Moment of Iranian missile firing at US base in Ain al-Assad"

They may have called the thunder, but I bet that they are not willing to reap the whirlwind. 

Here we go.

Good For The Goose, Good For The Gander

It seems that majority leader Mitch McConnell has the votes to use the same rules for the Trump impeachment that the Democratic Senate relied on when it tried President Bill Clinton.

That seems fair to me.  Why should the rules of an impeachment trial change just because the players have changed?

Nancy Pelosi  wanted the change the rules to suit their own narrative and desires.  They want to make up the rules as they go along.  But, that ain't the way it works.

Maintenance

It's the New Year, and even though we are in the depths of winter, the mowing season will be on us soon.  So, we decided to do maintenance this morning.  Take the deck off of the lawn mower, give everything a once-over, change the blades and put everything back together.

Grandson Lucas happened to be here (he's practically nine, you know) ad was a big help, fetching tools, holding stuff, turning a wrench.  When it was over, I took him to Wendy's for lunch.

There is this sandwich called a Baconator.  It's a bacon double-cheeseburger,  Big honking sandwich.

He made short work of it.  That sandwich didn't stand a chance.

Quote For Truth

Lindsey Graham, the esteemed senator from South Carolina, appeared on Fox News yesterday to talk about the Iranian dynamic.  He also responded to criticism from an infamous has-been, washed-up football player who can't seem to keep his footing, especially during the National Anthem.

It's brutal.  But fair.

"He’s a loser on and off the field," Graham said Sunday on Fox News during an interview about the death of Qasem Soleimani. "He’s a racist. If you’re looking for racism in America, Mr. Kaepernick, look in the mirror."

Oh, snap!

Welcome!

We have a new CFDA Club-In-Te-Works.  This designation is an affiliate who isn't ready for full affiliation, but wants to be recognized as a club who has a plan for full affiliation with the Cowboy Fast Draw Association.

Based in Jonesville, LA in Catahoula parish, we wish them well and hope that we can partner with them to grow CFDA in Louisiana.  Their Facebook page is here.

Short Memories

Remember back when Obama famously said that eh had a "pen ad a phone"?

Remember the Iran deal where Obama shipped over US currency by the pallet-load without congressional approval?

Former national security adviser Ben Rhodes, the architect of the Iran nuclear deal, purposely structured the JCPOA as a treaty that was not a treaty because he and his boss, President Obama, had no intention whatsoever of doing with the JCPOA what the Constitution mandates for all treaties, which is to obtain the approval of two-thirds of the Senate. Rhodes and Obama simply rammed through what was in effect a treaty without seeking the approval of even one Senator.

Well, President Trump has a pen and a phone now, and the Democrats can't stand it.   They are truly pissed that he didn't seek Congressional approval before whacking that Iranian whatshisname. 

Democrats are flailing and weeping that Trump's action was a dangerous escalation and that Iran will become more dangerous to American interests.   Well, for damn sure, ol' whatshisname isn't a danger anymore.

Democrats don't like it much when someone else plays by their rules.

Louisiana State

The planning is already well advanced, and it is time to start checking lists and make sure that everything is in its place. Ninety days from today, we kick off the 4th annual Louisiana State Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw.

Big changes this year, we're making sure that it will be the best event ever.  The City of Pineville has partnered with us, allowing us to use the Main Street Community Center in Pineville.  This is a beautiful facility, in downtown Pineville, and for the first time, we won't have to worry about rain nor wind.  Nor heat nor cold.  We're indoors.

Here we go!

Soleimani? Who?

If you've never heard of him, don't worry about it.  Qassem Soleimani was a top general in the Iranian military.  He came up (militarily) in the Iran-Iraq war and the proxy wars that followed.  He was tight with the mullahs, and festered terrorism across the region, often behind the scenes.

He came to Baghdad recently to stir up shit, and was fostering the demonstrations there against the US embassy.  Donald Trump remembered the destruction of the US embassy in Benghazi several years ago and decided that he had smelled just about enough of this particular brand of bullshit.

In a targeted airstrike by US forces, Soleimani, along with several henchmen, bit off more than they could chew, and have now achieved room temperature.

You can read all the background here.

The killing of Soleimani will surely lead to a response from Iraq, and the good folks in US Intelligence need to keep their ears to the ground.  This isn't over by any rational estimate, but surely the mullahs get the message.

Only the Police Should Have Guns?

That's Michael Bloomberg's take on the White Settlement church shooting.  He doesn't believe private citizens should have guns.  He says so himself. "We just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place."



Colion breaks it down better than I could.  Bloomberg has made a lot of money in the financial world, but he doesn't know squat about guns, or freedom, or the 2nd Amendment.  The American voter should reject his campaign as idiotic.

Colt Bringing The Python Back?

TTAG is announcing that Colt is bringing back the Python. - Really?  Cool.

Colt was, for decades a leader in wheel gun technology.  But, as I recall, Colt decided at some point that revolvers were too expensive to build; the gun-buying public wouldn't spend the money.  And, I suppose, their 1911s and AR-15s were making the company plenty of money and those military contacts were important.

But, some time ago, they resurrected the King Cobra.  I haven't seen one yet, but I understand that they are out there.

For the past several years I have focused my attention on single-action revolvers.  The Colt is still a thing, it trades on the secondary market,and several of us watch the prices, and a fellow can still order a Colt SAA new-in-box, but he'd have to put down a healthy deposit and wait a year or more before his revolver is delivered.  They are all custom-shop jobs, and the waiting period is what it is.  Or, a fellow can pay double o triple on the secondary market.

Evidently, Colt has decided that the revolve market is still worth mining.

Happy New Year

Belle and I were engaged on New Year's Eve 2003.  So, New Year's Eve is a kinda-sorta anniversary for us.

We went out tonight, had a little fun, and came home before midnight.  I'm quite sure that the local constabulary would be out in full force, and as much as I like those guys and enjoy the opportunity to talk with them, New Year's Eve is not the night to do that.

We're starting 2020,, and this year I resolve to make no resolutions.  I'll take it as it comes.

Old School

When I began my cop career in 1981,  the reigning king of police handguns was the Smith and Wesson Model 66.  A stainless steel revolver in .357 magnum, it was beloved of law enforcement offices who worked in hot, humid environs.  It worked, it was accurate, powerful and reliable.  In fact, in those days, very few police departments issued guns.  The officers bought their own, and my first agency policy required " a Colt, Smith and Wesson, or Ruger revolver in .38 Special or .357 magnum."

I, like many of my brethren, acquired a Model 66 and never looked back.  I learned to shoot it and to trust it, and all of my kids learned to shoot handguns on that revolve.  I carried it until 2003 because I was never smitten by the 9mm plastic-fantastic craze and the department wouldn't let me carry a 1911.

Model 66, pinned and recessed.

But, eventually, my department started issuing guns, and in 2004 the Model 66 was retied for whatever the department issued.  The old K-frame was retired and did duty as a training revolver.  It remained largely forgotten, unless I needed it it to make a teaching point.

Last night, dressing for church, I decided to put it on  I always carry at church, but the weather was cool and I wanted a jacket, so I threaded a pancake holster on to my belt loops, stoked the revolver with good  ammo, and dropped it into the holster.  The pancake tucked it in tight, and the sport coat concealed it completely.  By the time I had walked down the hall, I had almost forgotten it was there.  Like slipping on a comfortable pair of boots, it just seemed to fit perfectly.

Later, at church, one lady was talking about the horrific event in Texas on Sunday.  She commented that she hoped that someone in  our congregation was armed.  I simply lifted the lapel of my jacket, exposing the revolver, and winked at her.  Her eyes went wide and she smiled.

I guess it's time to put the old girl back in the rotation.   Sometime soon, I'll order a set of Crimson Traces for her.

Running Toward Danger

It seems that more than one person in the congregation at the West Freeway Church of Christ were armed and prepared to move toward danger yesterday morning.  As we learn more about the event, it seems that as any as four people were armed and responsive to the threat.

The photo is grainy, but shows four congregants moving toward the shooter, who in this photo is down at the front of the church.  From what I am able to see in this photo, at least two (maybe three) of those responding cannot see the shooter.  They know that he is down, but do not know if he will come back up, yet they continue to move forward, toward the threat.  That's bravery.

The congregation of that church has some healing to do, but I'm sure that they are in the prayers of many people across the nation. 

Goblin Down

It seems that a goblin showed up at a church in White Settlement, TX this morning with intent to do harm to the congregation.  As it turns out, a retired police officer was in atendance and did what he had to do.  The below picture and caption from Facebook.

This morning a man walked into a church in Texas with the intention of killing as many people as possible (red arrow). Luckily, there was a retired police officer in attendance (green arrow) who took the bad guy out.

The headline from the Dallas Morning News tells the story.

Gunman shoots 2 at White Settlement church before churchgoers return fire, killing him, officials say.

My prayers and thoughts are with the family of the one innocent victim killed.  Not so much for the goblin.

I understand that the usual suspects (Bloomberg, et al) are all over this, calling for moe gun control.  I believe that the parishioners exhibited excellent gun control, by shooting the goblin. 



I've been carrying in church for several years with the blessings of my pastor, and I'll continue to do so.

The Best Laid Plans

Poet Robert Burns said that "The best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry."

I had planned to do nothing today,   But, when I tried to nuke a cold cup of coffee, I learned that the kitchen microwave had gone tits-up.  It made a weird screeching noise and didn't heat the coffee.

Talking to Belle, we decided that the microwave had come with the house, which was built in 2001.  So, 18 years on the microwave wasn't bad at all.  We looked online, then proceeded to Lowe's whee we bought a microwave.

Taking the old one out was a joy, cursing level 6.  Some sadistic engineer had put a hidden latch on the mounting plate.  None of the half-dozen YouTube videos I watched said anything about a hidden latch.  But, one we got the old, defunct appliance off the wall, the installation of the new unit proceeded almost cuss-free.

I think it looks pretty darned good.  For an old man and two teenage boys, it worked out all right.  Belle is pleased, and that is all that matters.

Dear Virginia

It seems that the governor of Virginia is increasing the budget for his corrections department in anticipation of the increase in incarceration based on the new gun control laws that are set to take effect.

It seems now that they are backing down on an outright ban on AR-15s, allowing a grandfather clause, but requiring registration.

A grandfather clause is a horrible idea from a 2A perspective, because when grandpa dies, the gun becomes illegal.    So, a grandfather clause is simply a way of ban firearms withing a generation.  And, registration means that they know where to go get the firearm.  And, if you don't register your firearm, you become a felon.  That's why the budget is being increased.  Because he knows that a sizable  percentage of folks are going to ignore the law.



As Colion says, "You might beat the case, but you wont beat the ride."

This is all academic util the first shot is fired.

Dear Virginia

For those of you who have been watching, it appears that we might have a huge dynamic playing out in the Old Dominion.  Political forces are aligning that might morph into extreme unpleasantness. 

No one, so far, has said what is on their minds, but the ugly truth is starting to come out.

Former New York City cop and homeland security expert  Rob O'Donnell predicts, ah, problems:

The officers of the Virginia National Guard swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.  I have full faith that the good officers of the VANG will fulfill their oaths.

Governor Blackface should be very, very careful.  This is all academic until the first shot is fired.

Good Question, Slick!

So, grandson Lucas and I were heading to a burger shop for lunch today, when he turned to me with a deep philosophical question.  "PawPaw!  How come when a woman goes to a beauty shop and spends $250.00, and you can't tell they did anything, but when we go to a barber shop and spend $10.00, everyone knows we got a hair cut.?"

My first thought was to ask him where he's getting a hair cut for $10.00, but I deferred.  "I don't know, son, why don't you ask your grandma?"

The questions kids ask.

Do You Like Revolvers?

I do, and I always have my eye out for good deals.  However, you have to know what you'e looking for, especially in a used revolver.

The Day After

The day after Christmas, and Belle had to go to work.  I was left to deal with the aftermath of Christmas, and I decided to do something with that leftover tuducken.  For those unfamiliar, a tuducken is a boneless hen, stuffed into a boneless duck, stuffed into a boneless turkey.  It's a quite amazing feast, and even though it is easy to carve, (basically, you slice it like a loaf of bread)), we did have some left-overs.  So, I dug around in the fridge, found some good smoked sausage, some onion and bell pepper, and decided to make a gumbo.

After the veggies are sautee'd and the roux is made, and the gumbo is assembled, best practice is to let it simmer for a bit while you make a pot of rice.

Turducken and Sausage gumbo.

While the rice was cooking, and the gumbo was simmering, I decided to put away some gifts that were on the table.  One in particular caught my eye, a bottle of Scotch given to me by my second son.  It was one I had never tied, but that I had heard good things about.  A Spey-side single malt.  So, I cracked the seal and poured myself a wee dram.

Pouring it into the glass I was struck by how lightly it is colored.  Glenlivet uses used bourbon casks for aging, and their climate must be very mild.  A 12-year-old bourbon might be as dark as coffee, but this Scotch is very light.  The taste immediately reminded me of fresh apricots and a nice, sweetness.  At 40% ABV, it was delicate, light, and approachable.  Very nice whiskey indeed. I'll have to keep a bottle of this nearby for when the Scotch drinkers come around.

Christmas was very tood to me indeed.  I have a couple of more bottles to open, but we'll talk about those in the correct time.

Merry Christmas

It's Christmas Day and I am blessed.  In a very few minutes we will begin the day and visit family and friends.

In the meantime

C&Rsenal

I've been watching this YouTube channel, C&Rsenal.  One series of videos talks about antique and obsolete firearms and the historical relevance they might have.  The other series focuses on gunsmithing tips and foibles associated with the mechanics of old firearms.

Here's one on smithing the old Webley revolvers.



Fascinating.

After I finish my coffee, I'll be working all day on out Christmas Eve celebration.  Y'all have a happy Christmas Eve and a Joyous and Merry Christmas.

Good Leather

I have always been a fan of good leather work.

Yes, Virginia, Discretion Matters

It seems that Virginia's Attorney General is cheesed off at the resolutions of many locations to refuse to enforce unconstitutional law.  He says, in part:

“When the General Assembly passes new guns safety laws they will be enforced, and they will be followed,” Herring said in announcing the opinion. “These resolutions have no legal force, and they’re just part of an effort by the gun lobby to stoke fear.”

Yes, and no.  I knew, as a street-level cop that I could not possibly know every law on the books.  Further, I could not know of the changes in the law, which the legislature did regularly.  I was fairly conversant in Louisiana's criminal statutes, but many times would have to research the law.  We all knew that if we stumbled across a human corpse, that perhaps a law had been violated, or if we came to a house with the front door destroyed, that we should perform certain procedures.

But, generally, we relied on our understanding o the law, and the instructions from our supervisors.  If the Boss said that he believed that law to be unconstitutional, then we didn't expend much time or energy trying to enforce it.

There is no doubt that state law supersedes local ordinance, and that the state cam make any laws that the legislature decrees, but the question become, who is going to enforce it?  The Governor cam certainly instruct the state police to enforce state law, but I don't believe that he can decree that elected sheriff's and chiefs of police to enforce those laws.

There are many laws, mostly administrative in nature, that local police do not enforce.  For example, there is a prohibition in Louisiana about the placement of political signs on the state right-of-way.  The local cops don't enforce that law.  We simply didn't have the time or resources to spend on that particular law.  We let the DOT enforce it at their discretion.  And they did, by the simple expedient of picking them up and throwing them away.

As a young soldier, I learned that discretion is the better part of valor.  As a military officer, I learned to never give an order that I knew would not be followed.  As a cop, I learned that discretion was vital to effective law enforcement.

I have a feeling that Virginia's Attorney General is about to learn about discretion, and he'll probably learn that petulance is no way to get re-elected.

Solstice

I am reminded that today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.  It's also the first day of winter.  Tomorrow, the day will be a little longer and the sun will climb a little higher in the sky.

Ancient peoples put great faith in the winter solstice, making it a day of celebration and worship.  Today, it is simply an interesting astronomical event.  It mask the changing of the season.

As for myself, I'm going to finish this cup of coffee and get ready for a family event at noon.  Yesterday was exhausting for all sorts of reasons not elated to my birthday, and after that family event I'm going to come home and retreat into my sloth.  Tomorrow begins the Christmas celebration and I'm sure that we will be busy until that is over.

Zero-ing the AR

I bought an AR-15 several months ago and realized that although we had mounted a sight and had been tinkering with it for several months, we have't zeroed it.

I needed to rectify that problem, and my grandson, who is going to Army Basic training next month, needed the experience.  So, we grabbed some mags and ammo and headed to the range this morning.

Grandson has chosen the MOS of 91F (Small Arm Repairman) to begin his military career, and I'm sure that some of that training, bot in Basic and in AIT will revolve around the M4 Series weapons.  I've been teaching him standard disassembly and basic maintenance, and it was time to see if he could shoot the darned thing.  I had downloaded and printed this target so that we could start at 25 yards and have a close 100 yard zero.

Afte three shots, an adjustment, and three more shots, we went down ange to change targets.  He took his time, gave me three good shots and after the range went cold, we went down to find this target.

Not bad for someone new to the AR platform.  We brought in the target butt, and I told him to pick out a dirt clod on the 100 yard berm and see if he could bust it.  He did, then started picking out oher dirt clofs on the berm to get a feel for running the AR.  Unfortunately, this range doesn't allow for position work, but hopefully we'll find time before he leaves to get out to another range and work on positions.

It was a great morning for PawPaw and grandson.  He finished high school yesterday and he's ready to launch.  He plans to do Basic and AIT, then come back here for college.  He's in the National Guard, which will help pay for his education. 

As for me and Belle, we're going to hate to see him go.

Another Trip Around The Sun

I am reminded that today marks another trip around the sun.



"Yes I'll make a resolution, that I'll never make another one.  Just enjoy this ride on my trip around the sun."

The Golden Age

I've said this for several years and I believe it now more than ever.  We live in the golden age of rifle shooting.  Never before in our history has the American gunner been better equipped.  When I began hunting in the 1960s, scoped rifles were the minority (at least locally).  My first rifle was a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington.  If one showed up in a deer camp in the late '60s, you might see a variety of lever rifles in .30-30 or .35 Rem, and a smattering of bolt guns in .30-06 and .270.  Ammo was likewise limited.  Winchester, Federal ad Remington made soft-point hunting ammo.  If you were a handloader, good luck finding bullets.  Oh, Siera and Hornady and Nosler made them, but you had to order them unless you were lucky enough to have a good handloading shop nearby.

Scopes were atrocious, fragile, and expensive.  The less said abut them, the better.  Oh, there were a few premium scopes out there, but the best were made by Weaver or Leupold, and were generally fixed 4X scopes.

In 1979, if my memory serves, Winchester came out with something called the Silver-Tip, a premium hunting bullet to compete with the Nosler Partition.  The Partition was a very good hunting bullet, but suffered from a reputation for poor accuracy, although most off-the-shelf rifles of the day were only capable of 3-inch groups at 100 yards.  If you wanted a super-accurate rifle, you went to a competent gunsmith to build the rifle.  The mythical 1-inch group was the holy grail.  It was often talked about, but rarely seen.  I had one rifle, a Remington in 7mm-08 that turned in bug-hole groups with standard Core-Lokt ammo.

In 1984 (again, if memory serves) Nosler came out with the Ballistic Tip, a premium match bullet that turned the shooting world askew.  It was superbly accurate, but fragile, with core separation a common complaint.  Bullet manufacturers were learning to make better bullets, and at the same time, optics were getting better and less expensive.

In the '90s, the internet was coming of age, and online gun communities came into being.  It was much easier to share information and the shooting companies began learning to use computers to design rifles, optics and ammo.  It may have been Savage Arms who led the way, producing the fist out-of-the-box rifle that would routinely shoot into MOA with any degree of regularity.  By the turn of the century, the gun companies had caught their stride, and were turning out rifles, ammo, and optics that let the American shooter take advantage of accuracy that we had never seen.

Nowadays we have better rifles, bullets and optics than we've ever had before, at prices that generally make it affordable to the large population.  Just three yeas ago, I picked up a new rifle (Ruger American), a new scope (Leupold Rifleman) and put together a box of ammo using new components.  The first group out of it hovered around that magical one-inch mark, and with with subsequent shooting got much better.  For less than $600 I had put together a combo that was simply much better than anything that was obtainable 50 years ago at thee times the price.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  We are living in the golden age of rifle shooting.

Run With It, Joe!

Biden has a new ad out.  He says at the end, "I will not let this man be re-elected President of the United States of America."



Who dies Joe Biden think he is?  He doesn't get to decide who is elected President.  That honor and privilege is reserved for The People. 

Joe Biden exemplifies all that is wrong with the American experience.  A career politician, he acts like he is endowed with some inalienable right to govern us.  He is wrong.  Wrong about his arrogance, wrong about his privilege, wrong about what makes America great.

If Biden thinks that this is a good message for his campaign, then I think he should run with it.  The Democrats have never accepted that the American people are free to select a President, and that they selected Donald Trump.  In their denial, they demonstrate that they don't accept the results of a fee, fair election.  These past three years have been rife with attempts to undermine the will of The People.

Old Armor - The M4 Series Tanks

You're not going to get a full review of the M4 series tans, but I was watching a YouTube video on the vehicle and happened to notice the bumper number on the tank.  Turns out, it's the bumper marking for the 4th battalion, 37th Armor regiment, the very first armor outfit I was assigned to as a shavetail lieutenant.

Bumper marking at bottom left: 4-37 Armor.

I thought that was cool, so I'll embed the rest of the video in case anyone wants to learn about the M4 series tanks.  I was assigned to that unit in 1976-77 at Fort Knox KY.  My tank was bumper number C-26 and it was named Cap'm Crunch.  This tank has bumper number B-7, and frankly that number doesn't make any sense to me.  It may have made sense during WWII.

At any rate, here is the whole video.

Bulleit Rye

Wandering through the grocers today and I happened upon a bottle of Bulleit Rye on the discount shelf.  I like Bulleit Bourbon and needed a bottle of rye to put on the server, so I picked it up (considerably under $25.00).

I have had high-rye bourbons and some rye whiskeys, but this one promised a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, so I dropped it in the buggy.  When I got home, I opened it and poured a wee dram, to chase away the cold.

Lovely, simply lovely.  It had the spice of rye, but it wasn't aggressive like some rye whiskey.  At 45% ABV (90 poof), it had a nice "Kentucky hug".  I'm not sure what else I was finding in the glass, but it went down like branch water.

Link to the website here.  I rather like it a lot.  I may have found antoerh sipping whiskey for the winter months.

Tornadoes

We've had at least one tornado rumble though here today.  Belle and I are fine, and talking with the family, everyone is okay.  No personal property damage, but not everyone was so lucky.

A spots complex, a convenience store, and a Baptist church were all damaged.  Those folks will clean up and things will get back to normal soon.

But, to everyone who is wondering, we're okay.

Troubling

All eyes are on Virginia.  In the legislative lull that is the Christmas season, it seems that some fairly troubling and interesting scenarios are shaping up in the run-up to the 2020 legislative session.  Some fairly egregious bills have been pre-filed that presume to limit the scope of the 2nd Amendment.  In response, many localities (both municipal and county) have declared themselves sanctuaries for the 2nd Amendment.  This sets up potential legal dynamics between local and state officials.

Some legislators made comments that they might have to call out the National Guard to enforce their legislation.  When I first heard those comments, I recoiled in horror.  As a retired officer of the Guard and Reserves, I understood implications that might be unfamiliar to much of the population.  It's called the Posse Comitatus Act.  Generally, the military forces of the United States cannot be used to enforce civil law.  There are exceptions, but that is the gist of the law.  And, I an heartened that the Virginia Guard is thinking along the same lines that I am thinking along.

“We understand and respect the passion people feel for the U.S. Constitution and 2nd Amendment rights. We will not speculate about the possible use of the Virginia National Guard,”

Were I a betting man, I would suspect that the next several months will see an increased interest in that Act by the officers and noncoms of the Virginia National Guard.  I would further speculate that the classroom discussions may be rather spirited.  It sets up several "what-if" scenarios that will be interesting indeed.

"If we have constitutional laws on the books and law enforcement officers are not enforcing those laws on the books, then there are going to be some consequences," Northam said Thursday, according to WSET.

"But I’ll cross that bridge if and when we get to it," he added.

He'll cross that bridge when he comes to it?   Isn't that what General Gage said?

All eyes are on Virginia.

Top Gun Awards

The Cowboy Fast Draw Association awards Top Gun Points to shooters who participate in sanctioned matches across the US.  Some regional association award Top Gun Points on a regional basis, and most clubs award Top Gun Points to local club members.

Scoring is simple.  If you show up at a monthly match, you are awarded Top Gun points based on placement.  The match winner gets 10 points, the 2nd place winner gets 9 points, the 3rd place winner gets 8 points, etc until all the points are awarded.  At the end of the year, those points are tallied and the winner gets bragging rights and a commemorative plaque.

The Cross Branded Peacemakers held our year-end banquet and Top Gun awards last night.  One wag commented that because we are the only sanctioned club in Louisiana, these are state-wide awards also.  Well, okay.

Top Gun Champs;  Blue Eyed Bell, 1st - Squirrel Gil, 2nd - Two Step Cookie (not present), 3d.

Men's Top Gun Champs: Brother Fred, 1st - Big Bill, 2nd - Major D, 3rd

After awards, we proceeded to the banquet.  I had smoked a brisket and everyoe else bought side-dishes or dessert.  The table was laden and groaned under the weight of the surplus.  If you went hungy at this table, it was you own fault.

Thus ends the formal activities of the Cross Branded Peacemakers for 2019.  We;ll start 2020 on January 11th, with a practice session and the first monthly match on the 25th.

Oysters!

My buddy Termite brought us oysters.  Fresh oysters from the Gulf.  We melt some garlic butter in a muffin tin then add an oyster to each muffin hole.  Run it under the broiler for a bit, then take it out, add cheese and put it back in the broiler until the cheese melts.

We eat them on crackers, either saltine or ritz,, depending on your taste, .  A half gallon of oysters yields about four dozen and with the boys help, we made shot work of Termite's largess.

Thanks, Termite!

This Image Tells It All

I see this image occasionally, and while it's true that our President does things, sometimes that seems to do more harm than good, it is illustrative to see how he is viewed by others.  The bigger take-away is how the media portays guns and their total lack of understanding of how firearms work.

Yes, gentle reader, he is using a revolver to shoot his own foot, and it is ejecting the brass of the spent cartridges.  The image is patently ignorant, yet these are the same people who want to tell us what guns we can have and which we cannot have. 

Robo Calls

We all get them, those infuriating calls that come across our telephones, trying to help us with Medicare benefits, or computer support, or a car warranty. 

Several years ago, I added our numbers to the US Do Not Call list, which never expires and which they routinely ignore.  The question, for me at least, is whether or not I'm talking with a machine, or a sentient person.  And yes, sometimes I'll wait to talk to a representative.  When I know that I have an actual, breathing human on the line, I start having my fun.  I curse them artfully, often using archaic terms, to call into question their heritage, intelligence, and sexual proclivities.  This practice helps me expand my vocabulary and use terms not commonly in vogue today.  Being fully retired, as I am now, this recreation helps keep my mind nimble and my soul amused.

One moron told me yesterday that he had no idea what a "catamite" was, so I told him that he should immediately seek a dictionary,, preferably a printed one, and study the English language.  While he was at it, he should look up coprophilia,  because I feared that he suffered from that condition as well.

Sanctuary Spaces

The fist time that sanctuary spaces (city, county, etc) thrust itself into my consciousness, it was local folks rebelling against immigration law. (You know, like California did.) I thought then that it was silly, and sad, and a bit wrong-headed.  I still do.  The law is the law.  If you don't like the law, work to change it.

Moe recently, I see counties in Virginia declaring themselves 2A Sanctuaries in the wake of what seems to be a push to enact draconian gun laws in that state. I note that these laws have not yet been passed, and I hope that the political pressure that is being applied will be sufficient that they never see the light of day, but most pundits are declaring gloom-and-doom for gun rights in Virginia.  So, many locales are choosing sides.  Below is a map that is probably alreay out of date.

If I am going to be consistent, I have to declare that sanctuary locales are sad, and silly, and a bit wrong-headed.  I note that nothing yet has happened in Virginia.  The threat is certainly valid, and noted, and it seems that Virginia is on the way to becoming New Jersey, but it hasn't happened yet.

My prayer is that sane people will prevail.  Some are talking insurrection and that never bodes well.  Some officials are proposing novel solutions to shield their citizens from the more onerous aspects of the law.  Still, it might have been better if the 2A advocates had spent a little more time being engaged in local politics so that all this might have been avoided via the ballot box.  Hopefully the freedom-loving citizens of Virginia will figure a way out of this mess. 

I Don't Need A Permit

So, Mike Bloomberg, the tyrant from New York, wants a permit system so that we can access our 2nd Amendment rights.  Here is the headline:

BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR NATIONAL PERMITS TO ACCESS SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS

Yeah, right.  No other human right requires a permit.  Not speech, not religion, not silence.  The idea that a right requires permission from the government is  abhorrent to free people.

If you have watched what is going on in Virginia lately, it comes as a cautionary tale for the rest of us.  Freedom requires participation.  We have to vote.  As much as we would like to just be left-the-hell alone and to go about our business without interference, it is incumbent on us to use the ballot box.  The simple fact is that most elections are decided by a minority of the eligible voters.  In most elections, only half of those eligible take the time to cast a ballot, and the winner is decided by some proportion of half.  Louisiana told that tale in November, and Virginia told that tale last week. 

It is my considered opinion that Mike Bloomberg poses a clear and present dange to American freedom.  We should reject him at the ballot box before he makes us all felons.

Shooting in Japan

It seems that some ciminal enterprizes in Japan are having a disagreement and full auto is the method of ending disagreements.  In Japan.



As you read this, I'll be out in the shop, getting the range ready for a club practice shoot.  - - I thought that Japan didn't have guns on the street.

The Pour

Belle and I went to a Christmas party last night.  A commercial Christmas party, where a business is thanking friends and customers.  Very toney and exclusive.  And, I was decidedly out of place.  But, they had an open bar.  So, I wandered over.

Here lately, I've been drinking more whiskey neat.  No ice, no water, just the whiskey.  I still drink with mixers, but I've been exploring whiskey lately, and when I find something I've never tried, I like it neat, to explore the whiskey.

I don't care how you drink your whiskey, because the best way to drink whiskey is the way you like to drink it.  I love bourbon and coke, but I also like to linger over a nice neat whiskey.  Either way is okay.  But, bartenders locally don't serve much neat whiskey.  It confuses them, and I get it.  It's okay. 

So, last night I asked for a neat whiskey and had to tell the bartender that all I wanted was some whiskey (in this case, Glenfiddich 12) in a glass.  So, he poured Glenfiddich 12 into a glass.

That's about four ounces of whiskey.  A very generous pour.  And I tipped him generously.  And, I knew that after that one, I was done drinking until I got home.  The rest of the evening was water or diet Coke.

The Glenfiddich was very nice.  I may have to pick up a bottle for my own collection.

Oh, Hell.

I'm going to leave this right here so I ca find it later.

Smoked Sausage and Potato Bake

1 package of sliced Eckrich skinless smoked sausage.
8 quartered Yukon gold potatoes.
1 diced green pepper.
1 diced yellow pepper.
2 tbsps of butter.
1 tsp of oregano.
1 tsp of basil.
½ tsp of black pepper.
2 tsps of olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 375°.
In a pan, arrange the sausage, potatoes and peppers and place the butter over the top in small cubes. Drizzle with olive oil and season on top.
Bake covered for 40 to 50 minutes.
Bonne Appétit!

That sounds pretty good, but I'm going to have to "Cajun" it.  I'm thinking some onion to go with the peppers, and some cheese.  I don't know anything about basil, but a good shake of Tony's over the top wouldn't hurt.

Virginia SB 16

I don't know if you've been paying attention, but the Virginia legislature is considering a draconian bill that would severely limit the gun rights of citizens in that state.

Virginia State Senator Richard Saslaw has introduced SB 16 in a prefile ready for 2020: it expands the definition of “assault weapons,” among other things. It also has no “grandfather” clause. Will it lead to confiscation? IF confiscation could even occur, considering gun owners in Virginia aren’t likely to roll over and give their guns back.

I haven't done a deep dive down the rabbit hole, but I was mildly curious, and find that one of the provisions is to limit pistols to 50 ounces, unloaded.  Like many of you, I know the fine distinction between a pistol and a revolver, but that 50 ounce limit got me to pondering, so I grabbed a handgun and headed for my decidedly un-calibrated scale.  Basic math tells me that 50 ounces is 3 lbs, 2 oz.

Ruger NM Blackhawk, .44 Special.  49 oz.

Well, that one passes, but certainly my RSB with the long barrel would bust 50 ounces.  You get the idea.  But, that's not the point.  The point is that I have several firearms that would fall under the ban.

This bill is about abrogating the 2nd Amendment.  It affects us all, and it is bigger than the infighting that we gunners do between ourselves.  It is not about who is "tactical" or who is a "Fudd".  It's not about who is the most pure on the 2nd Amendment, it is about basic civil rights.  It affects my guns, and it certainly affects your guns, and just because you may live in a gun-friendly state doesn't mean that you may not be affected.

If you want a perfectly righteous rant, I'd suggest that you listen to Colion Noir.

Kamala Harris Out?

It appears that the Democrat clown car has gotten a bit lighter in the run-up to next year's election.  It seems that Kamala Harris, the senator rom California has dropped out of the race.  Okay!  I never thought that she had a snowball's chance anyway. 

Lest we forget:  She was running in the Democrat primary.  Republicans wouldn't have had an opportunity to reject her until after she had won the nomination.  This is a Democrat race.  She has been rejected by other like-thinking people.  And yet, the wags reporting on this train wreck of a Democrat primary can't seem to figure out what is happening, because they don't want to spend the energy to actually think.

Sad about Kamala Harris - she didn’t dropped out, she was pushed out by the sexism and racism of our media coverage. She also faced internalization of both in our base that we still need to grapple with.

 — Amy Siskind ?????? (@Amy_Siskind) December 3, 2019

That is lazy analysis.  Harris is out because her message didn't resonate with her own party and she was polling in the low single-digits in HER OWN PARTY.  No Republican rejected her; nearly all of her own party rejected her.

It's a humbling experience to be rejected in an election.  I know, I've been there.  As I've watched this train-wreck of a primary, I often thought that the Democrats could use a little humility.

The worst part of watching this process, though, is the laziness of the media and political analysts.  It was neither sexism nor racism that pushed Kamala out of the race.  It was her message.  Until the media and the the Democrats start doing the hard thinking, they are probably doomed to fail.

This Little Device

We called it a clicker.

More properly called the M75 firing device, it sent an electrical charge down the line to detonate the M18 Claymore mine, a hateful little device beloved of combat soldiers.  With a daisy-chain of claymores stretched across your front, you could create angst and anguish among those bold enough to cause problems in the wire.

Whether Infantry, Armor, Cavalry, artillery, or any of a host of other specialties the clicker is beloved of soldiers.

Of course, if you were walking the line, you learned to put this little device in your pocket, lest Private Snuffy got spooked and decided to test the efficacy of the explosives. 

Lots of Guns

It wasn't a record, but Americans bought a lot of guns on Black Friday.

USA Today reported that, in total, the FBI states they fielded 202,465 requests during the 24-hour period associated with Black Friday, just under the prior record of 203,086.

Not bad.  I was traveling last Friday and didn't get a chance to look at any guns  With the proliferation of internet sales (all perfectly legal through an FFL) I wonder what the total will be for gun trade.  I see emails from some of my favorite merchants that they are still giving cyber deals.

It's enough to give a liberal the willies.

Hat tip to Termite.

Monday

Doctor's office for blood
Come home, chores
Respond to IRS letter, very polite.
Back to doctors office.  Yada Yada
Shopping list.
Later tonight, church.

It's been Monday, all day long.  I'm looking forward to church, because I need some Jesus.

Colion Noir v Vox

I really like Colion Noir, and I'm going to leave this right here.

New Stove

We've all heard the jokes about the guy who buys his wife a new stove for Christmas.  This isn't that joke.  Belle has always made more money than I, having the good sense to get into nursing years ago.  Registered nurses make very good money.

Belle had been talking about upgrading the stove in the shop, and yesterday she told me that she intended to go to Lowe's and look at stoves.  I grabbed the truck keys to take her, because I know how these things generally work out.

We got to the store, ad she browsed the offerings, comparing and contrasting, and weighing all the options.  After looking, weighing, and thinking, she settled on one particular range.  Of course, it was not in stock.  So, we thanked the guy and drove across town to the other Lowe's, who happened to have it in stock.

Belle payed the toll, using my veteran's discount.  Lowe's has a generous veteran's discount and we brought it home.

It's a Samsung ceramic top range, and it looks a lot like this.

This thing has more bells ad whistles than a steam locomotive.  After installing and leveling it, the boys were hungry, so she whipped up a shepherd's pie, using both the stove top and the oven.  She seems to be quite pleased with her new purchase, and I'm not complaining.  We will get a lot of use out of it during the coming months.