The Unfortunate 13th Amendment

 Don Surber makes the case that conditions in the country today are closely paralleling the conditions that existed in the early 19th century.

 “Let’s cut to the chase and call undocumented immigration what it is: modern-day slavery. The flow of undocumented immigrants into the U.S. exists by design, not because of poor border security. Our laws are designed to lure undocumented workers into the country with the prospect of loosely regulated employment (aka a job waiting for them once they arrive). These workers are then exploited while the employers are not held accountable for illegally hiring them.

Go to the link and read the whole thing. Don makes the argument that the Democrats have found a loophole to the 13th Amendment that allows them to exploit migrants for free labor. Kind of like they did in the early 19th century.

Banking in the Century

 An old man ran headlong into the banking industry this morning.  Drinking my coffee, I tried to log on to the bank to assess my liquidity. I could not get in, so I called the tech line, and after an hour or so, decided that THAT wasn't working, so I packed up the computer, cranked the van and went to the back. With a level of pissed-off that I haven't had this year.

I walked into the bank, asked to see the manager.  Sweet young lady, who listened to my complaint with apt attention. Then she told me that she felt like she was being personally attacked.

At that point I took a deep breath, and refrained from telling her that I had been a soldier for 25 years and that if I were attacking her, I would not be talking with her.  I know what an attack looks like and it is much more unpleasant than she could ever imagine. But again, I refrained.  I didn't want her to "catch the vapors", as the old folks once said.

She got me over to her tech guru, and we opened my computer.  It took the tech guru 25 minutes to get my computer communicating with the bank, and she had to call in backup to get it done.  This was not seamless, even for the bank personnel.

This is banking in the 21st century.

Travel Notes

Belle and I rolled in an hour ago, safe at home.  I'll unpack the van shortly.  Traveling in Florida, I noticed VASCAR stripes. VASCAR (Visual Average Speed Computer and Recorder) is a technology we used decades ago.  It detects speeders through the simple math of Distance = Rate X Time.  If you know the distance between two fixed points, you put that in the computer.  Then measure the time it takes the vehicle to go from one point to the next.  Up pops a speed.  It's simple, and accurate with a trained operator.

It's just one way of detecting speeders.  We in Louisiana haven't used VASCAR in decades, but everywhere I looked in Florida, I saw VASCAR stripes on the roadways.

Florida State Update

 We started Florida State this morning with 91 shooters (68 men, 23 ladies).  The way we score matches is that each shooter competes against one individual, drawn randomly by computer.  If you win, you get a W on your scoresheet,  if you lose, you get an X.  We're shooting a 4X match, which means that if you lose 4 times, you are through shooting.

We shot 8 rounds today, and lots of folks have gotten their 4 Xs.  They are done.  The ladies are down to their top seven shooters, which will be decided in the finals tomorrow.  The men had 26 shooters in the 8th round, and several of those got their 4th X.

Your humble scribe is carrying two Xs into the draw tomorrow morning.  I'm sure that the big guns will have their way with me tomorrow, but it ain't over until it's over, and I'm still in it.

Belle and I are ensconced in the hotel, enjoying an adult beverage.  We'll start home tomorrow after I'm through shooting.

Updates

 Like many of you, I rely on a GPS these days to help me through my travels.  My van didn't come with a GPS in the dashboard, so I use a stand-alone unit from Garmin.  I also use the map function in the phone, and actually have a Rand-McNally travel atlas in the van in case things truly go south.

Belle and I are heading to Florida tomorrow for a shooting competition. This afternoon, I brought the Garmin in from the van and plugged it into the computer. Ten minutes later, it was updated. Good stuff.

We are heading to St Augustine for the Florida state championship pf Cowboy Fast Draw. We haven't been to that competition yet and decided that it was a good time to take a trip.   We'll meet up with a bunch of folks we haven't seen since last September and spend a few days enjoying old friends.

Rest In Peace, Toby

Country Music lost an icon, and the American military lost a cheerleader.  Rest in Peace, Toby.

Work Aids

 A work aid is not a tool.  Semantics, to be sure, but evidently it is important, especially in the aviation industry. I have a buddy who has been in the aviation industry his entire working life, generally as a helicopter mechanic. Eventually, he started making small things that helped him during the work day.  This turned in to a full-time business, Helicopter Work Aids.  He's semi-retired now and his sons are running it,  But, he taught me the difference between a tool and a work aid.  A work aid can be as simple as a block of wood to help you hold a part on a bench.

I didn't realize it, but I've been making work aids my whole life.  Simple little things that help me when I'm doing a fiddly job.  Like these two wood blocks, for instance.

Two simple oak blocks, marked with an R, so no one inadvertently throws then away as scrap.  They fit the cylinder hole in a Ruger Vaquero revolver To help me hold it in a vise.

Just like that. A simple aid to hold a revolver so that I can get to the tiny screws without a third hand.

Which brings me to those tiny screws.  Like many of you, I have a cluttered bench and tiny screws are apt to get away.  Or, if someone bumps the bench, they might roll around.  It matters which hole they go back into, and having an aid to keep then segregated makes sense. And, there is one tiny little spring under the backstrap that might get away. Which brings me to my latest work aid.

It's a simple piece of scrap 1X6 with divots drilled into it. When I remove a screw, and that one bouncy spring, I can drop it into a divot and know which hole it came from. I'll have to mark it with a sharpy marker so folks will know not to throw it away.  

My buddy, who makes work aids for a living, has improved on every one of my ideas, with the exception of the wooden blocks.  I showed him my screw-holder yesterday and he looked at it sideways. I could see the gears turning, and I'm sure he will come up with something a bit more polished.  We'll see what the pro does with the idea.

Get Creative

Talking about the Crawfish Bisque recipe, some folks have commented that crawfish are not available, or prohibitively expensive.   Get creative.  If I wanted to use fried fish, I'd just do it a little differently.

One of the basic considerations in Cajun cooking is to use what you have.  If what I had was fried fish, Here is what I'd do.

Boil some angel hair pasta. You know how to do that?  Okay.  When I was making the bisque, I'd add some more seasoning, and maybe substitute a can of Rotel (diced tomatoes and chili peppers) for one of the other cans.

So, we have the pasta, and the sauce, now fry that fish.  When the fish is golden brown, put a bed of pasta on a plate, lay that fish atop it, then ladle some sauce across the fish.  Sounds good, doesn't it?

Cajun cooking is easy.  Use what you have and put as much flavor on the plate as possible. Cajun cooking is not presumptuous, nor complicated. We in Louisiana are blessed with a myriad of seafood possibilities, but other places have other blessings.  Cajun cooking is a way to feed a crowd or a large family as cheaply as possible.  Get creative, and use what you have.  You ain't going to hurt my feelings.

Landry to Explore Death Penalty

 Louisiana has the death penalty for specified crimes, but a death sentence has not been carried out in this state since 2010. Louisiana was suing lethal injections, but there was a reticence on the part of the pharma folks in selling those drugs for ending life.

Last week, Alabama executed a prisoner by using nitrogen, a gas that accounts for 78% of our atmosphere.  Nitrogen is fairly common.  You are breathing it right now. Nitrogen is non-toxic and available everywhere.

Fox News is reporting that Governor Landry is exploring options to begin executions again. Good for him. Louisiana currently has 60 people on death row, and carrying out those sentences is a sure-fire way to reduce the prison population.

Springs

 Cowboy shooters, whether SASS, or CFDA, or XFDA or any of the other shooting sports are hard on their guns. The sheer number of cycles we put those guns through causes parts to wear out and springs to sag.

My favorite gun is a Uberti clone of the Colt SAA. Recently, it was over-rotating when I'd snap the hammer back.  The bolt wasn't coming up fast enough to catch the locking groove in the bolt. We have a championship shoot in Florida next week, so I took the gun apart and inspected the bolt/sear spring.  Sure enough, it was weak.  A quick review of the parts kit showed me that I had one left, so I installed it.

As soon as the gun was back together and checked, I logged on to Brownell;s.

I'll get a half-dozen of these on the say.  I've also ordered from Taylors and Co, a complete screw set for those guns.  And, I'll have at least one spare revolver in the gun bag.  I never go to a shoot with one gun.

Red Alert

 Let's look at the headline over at Fox News:

Chinese hackers preparing to ‘wreak havoc’ on American citizens, communities, FBI director warns

He needs to get on that.  Quit worrying about Jan 6th, and protect the country from actual threats.  Along with the CIA and Cyber Command.  I don't know what the CCP has planned, but he should be focusing all the resources.  Unless this is a false flag operation to keep us transfixed while he does something else to further damage the country.

I don't trust that sumbitch as far as I can throw him. 

Hobo Alert

 Coming out of CVS pharmacy this morning, I was approached by a hobo in a 3-piece suit.  He was wearing slacks, a vest, and a sport coat, but it was all mismatched.  He started telling me this story about how he was a hungry retired veteran. He told me that he was in the Army and held the rank of 04 Major (his words), but that he had some legal trouble, had been reduced in rank to 03 and had been dishonorably discharged.

It was the fucked-up-est story I had ever heard.  Before CVS, I had been to the grocers, so I offered him a potato. He had earlier said that he was hungry, but he didn't want a potato. I told him that if he didn't want a potato, he could carry his ass up the street.

Note to hoboes.  Don't tell a retired Army Major that you were dishonorably discharged.  I got no time for you.  But I will offer you a potato.

Crawfish Bisque

 A bisque is a chowder, a milk based soup, usually with crawfish or shrimp as the protein.

Crawfish Bisque

24 oz Louisiana crawfish tails or small shrimp

1 pint half-and-half

1 block cream cheese

2 cans Cream of Potato soup

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 can yellow whole kernel corn (drained)

1 can white whole kernel corn (drained)

1 medium onion, chopped

Put those crawfish in a small bowl and season them. We use Tony's, but any good Cajun seasoning will do. Set aside and let them soak up that seasoning.

Sautee that onion until tender and sweet. Put that onion and everything but the crawfish into a slow cooker and let it bump on high for an hour or so.  Salt and pepper to taste.  If your mixture is a little "thick", add some more half-and-half, or heavy cream, or regular milk. Abut a half-hour before serving, reduce the heat to low and add the crawfish.  

Serve with saltine crackers or garlic bread.  Bon apetit!

Choices

Political pressure is building on Joe Biden.  He has choices to make, and many of them are no good.  Immigration is the biggest domestic concern, and so far Biden's choice has been to open the border and ignore the 6~10 million souls who have flowed life water across our southern border.

Someone is going to have to deal with the very real problems that Biden and crew have foisted upon us.  Come the reckoning, it will not prove palatable for the liberal masses.  The vast majority of these people simply need to return from whence they came.

The United States may be able to absorb some of these folks, the majority I'm sure who are simply looking for a better life.  But, among the sheep there are surely wolves, and will have to be dealt with. Along with the stray dogs and the coyotes.  It's a helluva mess and Biden's fault.

He may have sometime to ponder the migrant mess, but the Houthis are another matter entirely.  These idiots are trying to destabilize commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.  We must remind ourselves that commercial shipping is a civil target.  The merchants are simply trying to earn a living.  A proportional response from the US would not be to strike the Houthis, but to target  the civil population as well.  We must be clear that we didn't start it, but we'll damn sure end it. I don't think our feckless president has the stomach for solving problems.

The world is awash in the myriad problems that Joe Biden has allowed to fester until they are monumental.  We should remember that when he is gone and make his legacy one of shame, dishonor and corruption.  He should be remembered on the world stage in the same category as Pol Pot, Stalin, and Mao. Or maybe Noriega.

Regardless of the worlds problems, I still have mine, one of which is lunch. I predict a crawfish bisque in my immediate future, and perhaps I should see to that.  

Don't Mess With Texas

 It seems that Joe Biden is having a little tete-a-tete with Texas governor Abbott.  Something about razor wire, who can hang it and who can cut it. The courts are involved, and the Supremes recently sent it back to the 5th Circuit for a closer look. To hear the national media play it, you would think that Biden won, and Abbott lost.  Biden, of course, is the big loser. Not just in this scenario, but in all scenarios.

The only folks I feel sorry for are the Texas Guard soldiers who are on the border. The Guard, for most soldiers is supposed to be a weekend gig.  I know what a pain  in the ass it is to get mobilized.  I have been mobilized in the past, and while I always did the duty, it was a pain in the ass, causing stress on the family.  

In Other News

 In a minor political story, we learn that Trump wins the New Hampshire primary. This comes as no real surprise to anyone who follows politics even casually. This race is shaping up to be a classic faceoff between the lunatic left and the MAGA right.  There is no middle ground, and there are no middle candidates.  At this point, the differences between the candidates could not be more stark.

It's down to outside factors now, as it always is.  Will the rogue courts prevail and actually jail Trump?  Will Biden succumb to the stress and be reduced to blithering idiocy on live TV?  Or, God Forbid, actually keel over on the national stage?  We have only had one president die on national TV and there are still questions about how that happened.

In other news, I see that the Supremes have ruled, allowing the Biden team to cut razor wire along the Texas border, to improve the chances of migrants getting through.  In response, Texas is stringing more razor wire. That is uniquely Texas.

On a more mundane level, we're trying to decide what to do for lunch.  Belle believes that we need to cook some chicken wings, and I'm not opposed to that option.

Boucheron

 The boucheron (no, not the luxury perfume fragrance) is a style of knife introduced by French traders during the 17th century fur trade on the North American continent.  It was commonly traded along the frontier. It's a simple knife, generally of half-tang or full-tang construction. It's a simple design, perfectly suitable for skinning a beaver, or cutting up camp meat. It is not a fighting knife, although it could be pressed into service in times of melee.

I happen to own one, forged by my son in a smithy several years ago. It has imperfections which suit me right down to my toes, and I think those imperfections lend credence to the fact that it was designed to be  a camp knife.  I use it regularly, as today it is still useful for slicing meat or chopping onions as it was 400 years ago.  Mine has a 6" blade, perfectly suitable for the kitchen, or for wearing on a belt.

In another hour, I'll use it to cut up some sausage in preparation for our lunch.  I have some shrimp and some sausage we need to cook, and on a cool, rainy day, a shrimp gumbo seems like just the cure.

Rain

 That's the forecast for today thru Wednesday.    Nothing freezy,  temps will stay well above freezing, but we're going to get wet.  The weather weenies are predicting about 8-10 inches of rain. This is good news for the lake beside the house.  A neighbor tells me that out lake generally increases 2" for every 1" of rain. Between the rain itself and the runoff, the lake does fairly well.

I see that Ron DeSantis has left the presidential race. This was inevitable, I guess.  Ron has a great future in the party, but he can't compete against Trump.

Question Answered

 Andrew asks, in comments:

what's cheese toast, sounds good

It's a very complicated recipe, learned from my childhood. 

On a baking sheet, placed sliced bread.  Whatever you got.  This can be common sandwich bread, or leftover hamburger buns, or whatever.  Lay sliced cheese on the bread.  Run it under the broiler until the cheese is melty and bubbly.  Take it out of the oven.

You can do the same thing with saltine crackers.  Just use less cheese.

Could Be Worse

 In the depths of winter, we should all realize that things could be worse.

Stolen from Wirecutter.

Pitt Grill

 Pitt Grill may be the oldest continually operating restaurant in Alexandria, LA. When I was a young man hanging out in honky-tonks, Pitt Grill was the sport for a late evening breakfast.  They're always open. This was back in the early 70s, and it was an old dive back then.

Belle and I don't do the honky-tonk scene anymore.  But, we spend times in doctors offices, and many times we are fasting.  After the appointment, we run over to Pitt Grill for breakfast.  We did so this morning.  Two eggs, over easy, with bacon, has browns, grits and toast. Coffee of course.  When we got there late, they were out of biscuits, or I would have opted for them.

Coming home, we were listening to talk radio, and it seems that if we elect Donald Trump, it is going to be the end of democracy.  The United States will become totalitarian. Electing Trump will be the greatest setback to democracy since Marbury v Madison.  Or something.

This election cycle is getting truly bizarre.

Chicken Noodle Soup

In the midst of the winter storm, Belle asked me to make a chicken noddle soup. Hell, that's easy.

Go down tot he store, buy some egg noodles, some chicken broth, some shredded carrots, and some chicken.  I like boneless thighs.  Go home, cut that chicken into bite sized bits, then put that broth in a soup pan.  Add the chicken and the shredded carrots.  Turn on the fire.

When the broth boils, reduce to a simmer until the chicken is cooked and the carrots are tender.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Drop in a couple of handfuls of egg noodles, and let it simmer until the noodles are done.

I serve it with cheese toast.

If you don't feel like messing with raw chicken, get a rotisserated chicken.  Peel that from the bone and use it in your soup.  Either way is fine.

New Winshiled

 The roads in Louisiana are not noted for their pristine condition.  As such, you're liable to pick up a rock chip occasionally. That's why we buy insurance.  The van needed a new windshield, not that it bothered me, but that I'll need to get it inspected by the end of the month.

I made the appointment for last Friday, but of course they got the wrong windshield in.  So, we reset for this afternoon.  I showed up after lunch, they got started about 1:30 and I was out of there by 3:00.  Not bad for a windshield job.

I remember, back in the day, when a windshield took about 4 hours, and most of that was letting the glue harden.  Bifore that, we used rubber grommets to hold the windshield in. Those were lots of fun.  For twenly years, I had a good friend who owned a glass shop, and I gave him all my business, but he retired about the same time I did. That adhesive he used would get on everything.  He claimed that when he ordered it over the phone, he got some in his ear.

Trump Wins Iowa

 Donald Trump walked away from the Iowa caucuses with a resounding lead, capturing over 50% of the vote.  This should come as a surprise to no one. We presume that he will be the Republicans' nominee, which again, should come as no surprise to any one.

The only question left, is what are the Democrats going to do?  Is Biden the nominee?  Or will we have a brokered convention? Joe's numbers are in the crapper, and I can't be the only person to see that.

Beef Stew

 Why not beef stew today? The weather is cold and my belly could use some warmth.  I cut up a small beef roast, and peeled some potatoes and carrots.  Diced an onion. Browned that beef in a little oil, then sweated the onion with the beef.  Took that out, added flour to make a roux. Added beef stock for the gravy, then added the taters and carrots.  Put that on a slow simmer so the flavors could meld and the veggies cook.

Closer to lunch, I'll put on a pot of rice.

Winter Storm

 Everybody around here is bracing for the winter storm.  The temps are dropping outdoors right now, and while it's not supposed to be terribly bad today, we are in for a hard freeze tonight. The problems will come tomorrow, when we are expecting the temps to continue to drop, with a "wintry mix" of precipitation tomorrow afternoon.

Tuesday norming, the temps should bottom out, then start a warming trend.  I'm not worried about the snow, sleet or ice, as it is supposed to be a light dusting, but the temps are supposed to be down in the low teens, and this will become a broken pipe storm.  

We'll be fine, it just may take a couple of days to thaw out.

Good Question

 A commenter asks how our homes in Louisiana would be rated against a moderate earthquake.  That is a good question.

Out of curiosity, how much damage would a mid-sized earthquake (4-5 on the Richter scale) do in Louisiana?

Damn good question, and I don't have an answer for you.  Depending on the soil type, the big problem might be liquefaction, where the dirt turns to soft mud. I do know that both my home and my shop are rated for 125 mph (Category 3) winds.  Here in central Louisiana we are subjected to tropical storms, and we have  had Cat 2 gusts.  Everything held up fine.

But how would we do in a real earthquake?  That might get interesting.

Earthquake

 It seems that there was a small earthquake just north of here on Thursday.  KPEL reports:

The quake was detected near Hall Summit, Louisiana, which is located in Red River Parish. According to the USGS, the earthquake measured at magnitude of 2.8 and a depth of 5 km. The earthquake's radius was roughly 250 km.

That is interesting.  Louisiana is not known for being in an earthquake zone. 

And, yeah, I'm aware of the New Madrid fault and the earthquakes that happened there in the 1700s.

Fuel

 With the current weather forecast, I decided that this morning might be a good idea to go get some generator fuel. I run non-ethanol in all my small engines, so I gathered my gas cans and headed to the local pump in Holloway.  If I don't have to start the generator, that's fine with me.  I'll have plenty of fresh fuel to start the mowing season in another 60 days. Certainly by mid-March, we'll be cutting grass.

The price at the pump was $3.199.  I probably could have saved a few dimes by going across town, but the truck burns fuel too.  I consider it a wash, and I'm supporting a local family, not some national chain.

The Mule Lives Again!!!

Back when I was a resource officer, I bought a Kawasaki Mule.  To use for hunting, and to use when I was working ball games and other events where I had to cover terrain quickly.  After you've made twenty laps around a football stadium on a Friday night, having a motor is definitely an advantage.

One of the things I did to the Mule was to put a light bar on it.  Belle gave it to me for an anniversary gift, and from what I have learned, one of her reprobate friends found it in a dumpster.  Whatever.  I installed it and used it.   I have led several homecoming parades with that Mule.

When I retired, and quit deer hunting, that poor old Mule sat forlorn in the driveway.  My elder son is living on family property and asked me about it.  He could use it to maintain the place.  I told him that if he wanted it, dreg it off.

It's running again, hooray!  He can use it on the property, and his grandkids will get a kick out of it.  I'm glad that it's not rusting down in my driveway Equipment deserves to be used, and I feel like he will use it.

Here We Go

 Termite gave me a heads-up to a long-range weather prediction for next week.

Oh, Joy!  Snow, sleet, and freezing rain.  Everything that Louisiana is totally unprepared for.  It's time to lay on fuel for the generator, make sure that the propane bottles are full, and generally prepare for 24 hours of unpleasantness. For many parts of the country, this is standard winter weather.  But in Louisiana, this is the snowpocalypse.

Failure of Leadership

 I guess by now that everyone has heard that our SecDef, Lloyd Austin was AWOL las week.  Now, I understand, he is still on sick call.  I don't know who is running the Defense Dept in his absence, but frankly, I'm not sure who is running it when he is present.

after watching the debacles that Austin has presided over, I've considered him an Affirmative Action pick, but this latest scandal seems to raise the bar.  An interesting note came across my feed, about Austin's tenure as the Central Command CO.

...Austin that, he should have never been secretary of defense, because he was a failed commander when he was in control of Central Command. In fact, when I was at the Naval War College, he was a case study in failures of leadership. We've known back then, and he has demonstrated whether it was then, with the botched...

So, before becoming Secretary of Defense, Austin was a case study in failure of leadership.  It makes perfect sense why Biden would eant him.  He's an Affirmative Action pick.

Monday Rain

 I started the week running errands, as per usual.  Under a rainy sky.  It's just scattered showers right now, but the weather-weenies are predicting aw-shit-hunker-down weather before the day is out. We'll see what happens.

One of the errands was to the pharmacy, who reminded me that it is January, and my deductible reset.  That put a whapping on my bank book. Less disposable income this month. The medicine is supposed to mitigate my risk of stroke or heart attack, but the pharmacist damn near gave me one when she told me the total.

I learned two interesting facts this morning.  One, the normal adult human swallows one cup of snot each day.  Second, 28% of the rockets fried by Hamas malfunction and land on Palestinians in the Gaza strip.

Those are just interesting facts.

Sloppy Attribution

 The Claudine Gay story keeps on wasting kilobytes.  Not much ink, but plenty of digital space.  During my brush with scholarship in the 70s and 80s, I learned a few things.  How to build a footnote, for example, or how to construct a bibliography. I admit that I didn't have many original thoughts, and had to learn to stand on the backs of others.

Without those cites, it become plagiarism.  If Gay was writing peer-reviewed articles, or even her dissertation, then either her peers who reviewed the articles, or the committee who reviewed her dissertation should have caught the sloppy citations and had her fix them.

Now, some are saying that the attack on Gay is an attack on DEI. (See what I did there?  That link is a digital attribution..)

If Gay's peers, or her dissertation committee had done their job, we would not have a problem.  We might disagrees with Gay's politics, but we could not attack her scholarship.  If Gay had good scholarship, we could not call her an affirmative action pick.

The Perfect Pistol

 The perfect pistol doesn't exist.

I can remember when the pre-eminent handgun in law enforcement was the Smith and Wesson Model 66, with the 4" barrel.  I owned two, one with the 2.75 barrel and one with the 4" barrel.  When I retired, the short barrel went back to the state (it was issued) and the long barrel stayed with me. For a while, as a supervisor, I carried a SW Model 60,

The 1986 Miami Shootout made everyone reconsider their armament.  What I was always stuck by was the fact that the gunfight was finally ended by a wounded man who refused to quit and got close with the only gun he had left.  A Smith revolver shooting .38 Special semi-wadcutters,  Yet, there were other lessons to be learned from that fiasco and the entire law enforcement community started searching for answers.

Then came the wondernine revolution and many agencies went to Glocks.  Nowadays, the market is split between Glock, Sig, and Smith.  A few old dinosaurs like me carried a 1911 because, why not?

But, the linked article is right.  The perfect pistol does not exist.

Winter Storm

 The metal roof on the shop tells me that it is raining outside, and a look at the weather map tells me that Arkansas is getting hit with ice, wintry mix, and snow.  Which is yet another reason that I don't live in Arkansas. The temps here are expected to stay above freezing, but this a winter storm for us, just like for those points north.

I was at the fed store earlier this morning, filling propane bottles.  Propane is the heating mechanism for the shop and it normally takes two bottles a week.  One fellow in line for propane asked me if I had ever considered a pot-bellied stove and I replied that it sounded like a good idea, but that it would require me to lay in firewood.  And cut a hole in my roof, which I object to.  I know that there are workarounds, but propane is one of those workarounds.

Belle and I are out here every day, generally from 8:00 - 4:00.  The vast majority of the coking we do is out here, to the point that I will turn on the stove in the house occasionally just to make sure it still works.  We are generally cozy out here.  Friends and family know not to go to the house if they drop by, we're in the shop.

The rain is getting heavier on the roof.  Hopefully, this rain will help to fill the pond, which is still down from the summer drought.  I am not complaining about the rain. We still need it.

Affirmative Action

 DEI is the new Affirmative Action. It's the newest social justice catchphrase to hire lesser qualified individuals over more qualified individuals, based on skin color or gender.

When I was a high school student, and later in undergrad and graduate school, I learned about things called citations.  Foot notes, bibliographies., that sort of thing. I was taught that plagiarism was a death-knell to good scholarship. I might use someone else's scholarship, but I was required to give credit.  There are rules to acquiring an advanced degree.

Comes now for our consideration, Claudine Gay. She was recently the president of Harvard University. She gave some bullshit testimony to Congress and came under scrutiny. As a president of the most exalted institution of higher learning in the country, one would expect that plagiarism would not be a problem.

Truns out, Claudine Gay is a serial plagiarist. And, it appears that she was also a DEI pick for the post. She's a black woman with a funny haircut and big glasses.

Of course, the Associated Press takes notice, and their headline speaks volumes about their take on the matter.

Plagiarism charges downed Harvard’s president. A conservative attack helped to fan the outrage

What?  It is conservatives fault that Gay is a serial plagiarist?  I think not. Claudine Gay is a prime example of the rot that has worked its way into higher education.  She was a DEI pick, an Affirmative Action hire. She is now exposed for what she is, and that is no one's fault but hers. And, whichever committee accepted her dissertation.  If they had culled her then, she would be teaching English at some failing high school..

Cry Havoc

 Watching the crisis on our border, it is becoming easier to see the endgame.  Citizenship and voting rights for those who waded the Rio Grande. Or, for those who didn't have to wade a river.  Some states issue drivers' licenses to illegals.  But allowing them to vote?  That sounds like conspiracy theory stuff.

Not any more.  According to the linked article, at least one county wants to reserve a school board seat for illegals.

A Maryland county wants to go one better: to create a school board seat that can only be filled through the vote of illegal immigrants exclusively.

Some places (not Louisiana, thank God) allow same day registration and voting without ID. That is a recipe for disaster. 

There will be a day of reckoning over this bullshit, and I hope that it comes sooner, rather than later.

 

The Labyrinth

 I started this morning exploring the labyrinth of quasi governmental agencies that ostensibly exist to spur economic activity in a given area.  You know, Chamber of Commerce, that sort of thing.

It amazes me that of the agencies I have called this morning, no one is available to answer a phone.  It's a matter of claim if the messages I've left will be returned as phone calls. We'll see, but I'm not holding my breath.

Who The Houthis?

Evidently, the Houthis are a bunch of rag-head Islamist idiots (but then, I repeat myself) who are trying to attack cargo ships in the Red sea.  The US Navy objects.

US Forces Down Missiles, Kill Houthi Terrorists Trying to Seize Ship

Which is, to my way of thinking, the perfect punctuation to a piracy attack. Just kill them and leave them there.  Don't recover the bodies, just let them sink to the bottom.  The crabs need to eat, too.

Belle and I just finished hosting our annual New Years Day feast.  The menu was pork chops with rice, stewed cabbage, black-eyed peas and cornbread. We had eleven (11) guests. It was quite enjoyable.

Happy New Year, everyone.

Staying Alive

 So, it's Saturday night and I'm enjoying an icy cold snack featuring my favorite bourbon.  Watching YouTube shorts.  It's a mindless way to pass an hour..  One short video features a dancer strutting her stuff to the Bee Gees Staying Alive.

The dog goes crazy, barking at the back door.  I pause everything, take off the headphones, and take him outside.  The dog enjoys hutting "boogers" (coons, possums, and the occasional stary cat).  He makes a lap around the back yard, then is ready to come inside.

I go back to my videos.  After a while, another dance video comes up, featuring the Bee Gees.  The dog goes crazy.  I pause the video, ask him what the problem is, and he looks at me like I"ve lost my mind.  I start the video again, and he barks.

Evidently, the dog can hear what I'm listening to from my headphones.  This song drives him crazy.  Okay, I've figured that out.

I knew a gal once who had a song that drive her crazy.  This one.  When she heard it, her clothes came off.,  I used that to my advantage.

Inflation

 Okay, let's talk about this.  Inflation is a measure of how the economy is doing.  There is an actual economic definition, but generally, it's an indicator of how your pocketbook feels from year to year.  High inflation numbers are bad, and negative inflation numbers are bad. Generally, we want inflation to hover around 1%.

Yes, we have had negative inflation numbers.  The Great Depression of the 1930s, We do not ever want to go through that again.  There is a pretty good list here.  It is important to remember that the US inflation rate is a US government statistic that shows the difference in price from a standard cart of goods and services.  Many things are not measured in the "standard cart" and many economists argue that the "standard cart" is not truly reflective of what the consumer is actually feeling.  Currently, the US Inflation rate is pegged at 3.14%..

Because I keep records, I know what I paid for a gallon of gasoline the day Joe Biden took office.  It was $1.87 for a gallon of unleaded gas.  I'm still paying $250 or better.  I know that everything is higher now than it was when Joe took office.  Eggs, milk, bread.  It's not that I distrust the governments numbers, it is that I use another cart.

I am old enough to remember when Jimmy Carter was president, and I'm old enough to recall the Great Malaise.  My fist home mortgage was over 10%.  I know that two things killed Carter's reelection changes.  High prices and foreign affairs.  I can draw some parallels between what we were feeling then and what we are feeling now.

I Don't Understand

 Honestly, I don't understand why the immigration crisis is such a crisis. Some of my forebears immigrated to the United States during the late 1800s.  Other of my forebears emigrated to Louisiana during the expulsion around 1760. I believe they all got here before Ellis Island opened. The Cajuns, certainly.  The Germans and Scots-Irish, probably.

They didn't get any social services or bus rides. They washed ashore and had to worry about what was for supper.  From all accounts, they were tough stock and managed not to starve to death, as evidenced by the fact that I'm sitting here talking about it.

Since the Biden administration threw open the gates, we're dealing with yet another "huddled mass yearning to breathe free".  Suddenly we owe them something?  Why?  Why is any tax money at all being expended on their individual behalf? I don't get it, and I certainly don't think that they deserve a bus ride and a hotel room.

I know immigrants, recent immigrants.  They did it the right way, and they are supporting themselves. They did it right, and while we all agree that it should have been easier or more straightforward, they are pissed that Biden is letting in all the illegals.  They don't understand why the wetbacks are getting freebies.

The Hollywood Buck

 So, there was this jazzbo who posted a picture of a big buck he had taken.  He's thrilled, can't conatin himself, so he posts the picture on social media.

Problem is, people know this buck.  It's called the Hollywood buck because it lives in a local cemetery, the Hollywood cemetery, and the guy's story doesn't add up. Locals are outraged.

Charges are pending.  Rightfully so.  It seems that lots of people knew this buck, who had a very distinctive rack.  It appears that the guy poached the deer then put it on social media.

I hunted whitetail deer for many decades, but was never smitten with the idea of trophy hunting.  I would not pass up a nice buck, but generally my quota was satisfied with the hunt and the meat.  Guys who are trophy hunters have a vastly different motivation that I'm not sure I understand.  I'm not against trophy hunting, I simply don't totally understand it.  It's stories like this that give trophy hunting a bad rap, and guys who would poach deer simply for the notoriety deserve all the condemnation we can muster.

Under The Tree

 I readily admit that I am hard to buy for.  My kids know that I don't really need anything, and that if I do need something, I am blessed to be able to buy it.  My needs are met, and my wants are few.  It's a blessing.

I was pleased to find, among other things, a bottle of whiskey under the tree this year.  One that I haven't had any experience with. Yellowstone Select Bourbon. Never heard of it.

The label says that it comes from the Limestone Branch Distillery, Lebanon, KY.  That it is bottled at 93 proof.  Fair enough.  Bourbon whiskey must be bottled at a minimum 80 proof, and that additional 13 proof tells me that the bottlers are not proofing it down to the floor.  They are looking for a more discriminating market.  Fair enough.

I went over to Breaking Bourbon, a review website and learned some things about this bottle.  We don't know who distilled the liquor, but it is a Kentucky bourbon. Their review was simple enough.

A perfectly fine bourbon that easily blends into the sea of other perfectly fine bourbons available in the marketplace nowadays.

Plain and simple, some bourbons are just average. They deliver a decent enough sip that won’t blow you away, but won’t also make you want to pour it down the drain either. And you know what, there’s nothing wrong with that. Not everything produced is going to be an all star pour, and Yellowstone Select happens to fall into this category.

Fair enough!  This is a bottle of perfectly fine bourbon whiskey.  Not pretentious, not trying to be an outlier, just a solid representation what makes a good bourbon.  The world needs more of that. I'll put this bottle in the cabinet and leave it there for an appropriate occasion.  Then take it out and enjoy it.  Good bourbon is easy to enjoy.

It's Not Christmas Until...

It's Not Christmas Until

It's Not Christmas Until

Prepping

I've been in the kitchen for about an hour now, prepping for the big meal at noon.  Family and friends will gather here in several hours, we'll exchange gifts, eat a hearty meal, then the kids will  be free to do whatever else they are obligated to do for their CHristmas celebration.

The banquet will have  a turkey, a ham, and all the usual fixings.  Myriad desserts.  When the crowd leaves this afternoon, Belle and I will adjourn to our bedroom and relax in quiet comfort.  Tomorrow will be blissfully peaceful.  We'll dine on leftovers and contemplate the coming year.

Merry CHristmas, Y'all.

Outrage

 It seems that our outgoing Democrat governor cannot help himself.  He has to do everything in his power to damage the state before he leaves office in January.  Fox New reports:

Outgoing Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards pardons 56 inmates, including 40 convicted murderers

According to the article, five were convicted of first degree murder and eleven were convicted of second degree murder.  Both of those crimes carry a life sentence in Louisiana.  And, in Louisiana, life means life. 

This is simply another outrage perpetuated on Louisiana by our execrable governor.  It will be interesting to se if any of these murderers recidivate.

Cedar Waxwing

 Cedar Waxwings are pretty little birds.  I use the plural, because I've never seen on, they come in flocks.  Generally, between 30 and 100 birds, they migrate from somewhere up north and get here generally around Christmas.

Sitting on the porch this morning, drinking coffee, I saw a flock fly past my acre.  Once again, they have made the trip and reminded an old man that time can be marked in many ways.  When I was a young boy, we knew that the appearance of the Cedar Waxwings meant that the Robins would be along soon.

Irish Cream

It's my birthday, traditionally the opening salvo of the Christmas season, and it's the day I make my Irish Cream liqueur.  It's a recipe I've developed over the years.

Irish Cream

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk. (Keep the can, it's your measuring cup.)

1 can Half & Half.

1 can Jameson Irish Whiskey

1 T Hershey's Chocolate syrup

1 T Local honey

1 T Vanilla extract

Mix thoroughly. Pour into a convenient bottle.  Refrigerate.

This stuff keeps in the fridge for a couple of months. You're welcome.

Transitions

 Two articles caught my eye this morning.

The Military Is Collapsing Under The Weight Of Its Own Wokeness

The US Army discovers woke doesn’t win wars — but is it too late?

I've seen this dragon rear its ugly head before.  When I entered active duty in 1976, the US Army was coming off 15 years of continual deployments and an ignominious retreat from Vietnam. The officers were demoralized and the NCO corps was exhausted.  It was a poor time to be in the US Army.

Today, in 2023, the military is coming off 20 years of continual deployments and a disastrous retreat from the Middle East.  It's easy to draw parallels.  When we came out of Vietnam, we had a weak, ineffectual president.  Today, we have a weak ineffectual president.  In 1975, "political correctness" was the order of the day.  In 2023, wokeness rules the agenda.  Neither of these is helpful in cultivating a strong military.

In 1980, it took Ronald Reagan to break the military out of its doldrums.  We need a leader like that today.

The high point of my military service was Desert Storm.  We had the benefit of 10 years of good training and the benefit of clear mission orders.  Eject Saddam Hussein from Kuwait.  When we did that, we came home.

I have great confidence in our fighting forces.  Properly led, the US had the greatest military the world has ever seen.  If the military is struggling, find better generals.

Trip Around The Sun

It's that time again, and this one makes 70.  If I had known I'd live this long, I might have taken better care of myself.  On the other hand, I have had a good time.

Cold Weather

 I've known it since I was old enough to drive. Cold weather affects batteries.  When most of what I was driving was .. ahem... junk... senior vehicles, I learned that when I had a battery that was four or five years old, and the first cold snap hit, I was changing the battery in the vehicle. I learned to keep jumper cables in every vehicle.  It was part of the driving experience.

Even these days, when I have to put a new battery in the car, it's generally after the first cold snap.

But, now we're learning that cold weather affects batteries. Especially EV batteries.

This chart compares 12 popular EV models to show range loss in freezing temperatures, as compared to the ideal driving temperature. Note that the ideal driving temperature is defined as the temperature at which a specific model sees its highest average range. This exact temperature varies from car to car.

Expect about a 30% reduction in driving range in cold weather. 

One of these days, electric, self-driving cars will rule the road, and the idea of internal combustion engines will seem as strange to us as the steam driven cars of the early 20th century seem to us today.  But, that day ain't here yet.

Non-Story

 So, evidently, some young staffer had gay sex in a Senate hearing room.

And, he recorded it and put it on social media. And, the video got out, and somehow, that's homophobic and the Republicans fault.

Some young people think that just because you share something on a "private group" that it stays private. That is never the case.  We call this new communication tool the World Wide Web for a reason.

Look, if you are going to have gay sex in a Senate hearing room, and record it and put it on the web, don't be surprised when you get fired.  And don't be surprised when we surmise that homo sex is homo sex. That's not my fault.  I didn't put your homo sex tape out on the World Wide Web.

There are risks and rewards to everything. While it was cool and edgy to be a young, gay, Senate staffer, suddenly you are just another unemployed homo. In today's parlance, you literally "F**ked Around and Found Out".

Editing Video

 I'm still leaning that new video software.  It's fairly easy (thank God) and it's starting to become fairly intuitive.  Now, I need to cut some B-roll I have and come up with a story line, to make the video flow better.  It's just a matter of fuguring it out.  Old dogs, new tricks, that sort of thing.

The weekend was spent entertaining.  Our club banquets was on Saturday, and we hosted a kid's birthday party on Sunday. Last night before we turned off the lights, I chopped some ham, and Belle dropped a pound of Great Northern beans in the pot. We set it on Low, and went to bed. In another few minutes, I'll coax Belle into making cornbread, and we'll have white beans and ham for lunch.

There is a crew from the parish out front with a big piece of equipment. Basically a shredder on a boom, and they are clearing limbs and brush from the side of the road. It's quite noisy and the dog is concerned. He is convinced that nothing making that much noise could possibly be a positive development.

It's just another Monday here at PawPaw's house.

Clutch Those Pearls

Our favorite candidate was doing stand-up last week.  An interviewer asked him if he would become a dictator, and he said only on the first day.  Now, the Los Angeles Times is editorializing that Trump wants to be the first dictator.  And, one again, they would be wrong.

The first US dictator, by any measurable standard was a Republican named Lincoln, who suspended habeas corpus and deployed US troops on our national soil. History has dealt quite favorably with Lincoln, and I an an admirer, but we must remember that he jailed political rivals, strong-armed Congress, and ignored the Supreme Court.

Now, Newsweek is saying that Trump might turn off the internet if he is elected.

What a boon that would be to the First Amendment.  Newspapers would have to crank up their presses, delivering papers to doors every morning, and folks would check the evening news to get the latest scoop. That is the way we got our news the first fifty years of my life. Our local paper is a moribund shell of its old self, because so many people get the news like I do, from the internet.

I predict a furniture boom in fainting couches. A revival of the smelling-salts industry. Gutenberg building new presses. Loggers fully employed cutting trees for paper.  Trump is about to make America great again.

Tis the Season

 It's the season for holiday cheer, and if you are white and elected in Boston, you are probably not invited to the Mayor's Christmas bash.  Yeah, she's throwing something called an "Elected of Color" party this year. That sounds horrible, and it is because racism is racism wherever it rears its ugly head.

I am reminded of office parties that I never got to go to, simply because as public safety staff, someone had to work the duty posts.  Cops, jailers, and to another degree, nurses and medical professionals don't get to go to parties that are scheduled during a shift.  The true professionals are generally at work while the big shots go to receptions, parties, and gatherings. For soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, Christmas is a bittersweet day.

It's not the parties so much, but working on the holiday itself. For young parents, especially, not being there when the kids awake on Christmas morning.

So, we'll let the mayor of Boston put her racism on high display while the true professionals work.  SHe has that privilege. For myself, an old, retired fart who has been there, done that, we will enjoy the season with the people we choose to invite.  Belle and I are hosting a gathering tomorrow of our shooting club, where we will give out the annual awards, enjoy a meal together, and start preparing for our family gathering the following week.

Impeachment Inquiry

 It seems that the US House voted yesterday to formalize an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden. Whatever that means.

I don't know if this move is wise.  Whether or not Joe Biden is crooked is not the question.  We all know that Biden is crooked. A simple review of his government salary vs what he owns tells us everything we need to know. He didn't buy that beach house on a government salary.

Taking this to its logical conclusion tells us that they don't have enough votes in the Senate to convict. So this is just a fishing expedition.  Finding facts that might be useful later.  This inquiry may open a lot of roads for the Republicans to go down, but the question becomes; do they want to go down those roads? If Joe loses the presidency next year, he'll just be another dottering old fool spending his last days at his beach house.

I'm not sure what they think they might accomplish.

Editing Video

 Back in the day, Windows had a nice little video editor.  It was simple, intuitive, and easy to sue.  Of course, as in all things, windows updated and that nice little editor got deleted.  I want to make a video to promote an event we have coming up in August, and the video editors today are neither simple nor intuitive, nor easy to use.

In short, this old dog is having to learn new tricks, and my brain feels tired.  I'm using something called CapCut, which is supposed to be one of the simpler editors, but frankly, my brain is tired.  I've figured out how to open the program, get media into it, do splits and transitions,  then my eyes crossed and I had to call a halt.

Maybe between now and the middle of January, I'll figure this out.

Nuttin' Happenin'

 I know, I've been slack on the blogging lately.  Nothing really happening to spark my outrage, or incite me to wax philosophical.  It's all kind of drab.

Our outgoing governor, the execrable John Bel Edwards, is on a speaking tour around the state, trying to cement his legacy. It's a horrible legacy.  He utterly failed to lead on Covid, shutting down business, closing schools, creating bankruptcy and presiding over the greatest contraction of individual liberty since Reconstruction. This led to a huge out-migration problem, with people fleeing for free states. Our taxes are high, our education system is in the doldrums, and crime has sky-rocketed.  That is the legacy of John Bel Edwards. Louisiana is a poorer place because Edwards ws governor.  Everything he did was wrong.

It is the Christmas season with all the attendant festivities.  Louisiana has hope, with a clean sweep of elected officials. We'll see in January how they intend to govern.

Boudin

 Boudin (boo-dan) is a Cajun-French sausage made primarily of pork and rice.  It's heavily spiced, with recipes that are closely guarded.  It's made everywhere in Louisiana that processes meat and is sold either raw or cooked, although the ingredients are cooked before they are stuffed into the casing.

Every place that makes boudin has their own recipe, and aficionados' in one region can taste boudin made locally and tell you which shop it comes from.  There is much arguing and discussion about which shop makes the best boudin.  Yesterday we had a gathering of Belle's siblings, and her sister brought some boudin from the Denham Springs area.

This morning I found the leftovers, put it on a cookie sheet and slid it under the broiler to crisp the casing.  Cut into bite-sized bits, it became a perfect breakfast.

This boudin came from a place called Jerry Lee's in Denham Springs. It's pretty damned good boudin.  I see that they have a website.  How about that?

Hunter Indicted

Everyone is reporting that President Joe Biden's son has been indicted in  California on tax charges.

Nine charges, seventeen years. Wouldn't that suck?

Of course, Joe's Justice Dept has let the statures of limitations expire on Hunter's most lucrative years.

Lots of Democrats' poo-poo Trumps chances, saying that no self-respecting individual would ever vote for a felon. As this latest tax evasion case becomes more clear, we might learn that ol' Joe has also been playing fast-and-loose with the tax code. Next years voters may get to choose between two felons on the national ballot.  Wouldn't that be interesting?

It's The Season

 It's the season for parties and gatherings.

Years ago, when Belle and I bought this house, it became immediately apparent that it wasn't a place for large gatherings.  We love to entertain, so I promised her that some day I'd build her a place to entertain. We did that, building a big multi-use shop with a huge kitchen.  Basically a 2000 square foot gathering place, with tables and chairs and lots of kitchen space.  It's not fancy, but it is convenient.

And, we use it a lot.  Tomorrow, her siblings are gathering.  A small group, as things go, we expect a dozen folks.  Every Sunday, we host a noon meal for family and friends.  Normally, 10-12 people.  Next Saturday, our club awards banquet.  That'll be two dozen or more.  That banquet will turn the corner into Christmas, and who knows what foolishness we might get into.

It's a busy season.  One that brings great joy and satisfaction.

Judge orders new election in Caddo sheriff's race

The crap-storm in Caddo parish continues apace where in a sheriff election, it came down to one vote.  A retired judge was appointed to hear the case, and he ruled that while we know that eleven (11) votes were cast illegibly, it is impossible to know who benefited from those votes.  So, he has ordered a new election.  A do-over.  

The unofficial winner has until Friday to file an appeal.

Questions

 Some questions in comments.

KurtP asks:

Do people even play Cribbage anymore?

One of the YouTube channels I watch is Smarter Every Day.  This guy got to take a ride on a US submarine, and he reported that among other things, sailors play a great deal of cribbage. 

Paul asks:

How do you feel about partnering with an ammo sponsor?

I've done that in the past, and I'd feel great about it. My email address is in the About Me section in the right sidebar. 

Gunboat Diplomacy.

 It seems that there is a place in the South China Sea, a small reef that only has elevation at low tide, a place called Second Thomas Shoal, that is claimed by the Philippines, who has run a retired US Navy ship aground  and stationed a small contingent on board to bolster their claim. 

China also claims this spot, and has been harassing supply runs to the Philipine contingent.  The US Navy recently paid a visit to their brethren on the reef, I'm sure to swap supplies, tell sea stories, and play cribbage.

China took offense, saying that the US Navy has illegally intruded into its territorial water. Yeah, right.

Something New

 In the liquor story yesterday, I found something new to me, and decided to try a bottle.  J.T. Meleck rice whiskey.  Louisiana whiskey. Why the hell not?  The label says it is aged six years and comes in at 96 proof.  So, it isn't watered to the floor.

Opening the bottle and trying a neat dram, it reminds me, more than anything, of Spey-side Scotch. A mild medicinal note, with earthy undertones. It has a mild sweetness but is not fruity. This isn't some wierd bourbobn.  It's decidedly differently. Not bad, just different.

Expelled

 In a floor vote today, the US House of Representatives voted to expel George Santos (R-NY).

Wow~  That is historic.

From what I've read, Santos had a corruption problem.  Now he is free to focus on his criminal defense.

New Toolbox: Unboxing, and Assembling with the Coolest Wrench!

So, my buddy Jay formed a company long ago.  He's a retired helicopter mechanic and he started making tools to make his job easier. His efforts turned into a full-time gig, and his son is running the company now.  Helicopter Work Aids. They ship world-wide and make a lot of very specialty tools for the aviation trades.

My son Barrett is doing YouTube, and he had some tools commissioned. Jay calls them push-pull wrenches, and Barrett highlights them in the video below. Skip ahead to the 9:00 mark when these wrenches come into play.

If you are in the aviation trades, and you need tools, give Helicopter Work Aids a glance.

Buying Propane

 I heat the shop with propane, and use it for the griddle and the smoker, so I have a number of bottles.  Six, to be precise.  When I get four empties, I load them in the truck and get them filled.  $23.99 for a standard 20 lb bottle, and that's about the cheapest around here.

Today, I took four bottles, and the guy who was filling the tanks told me that he had trouble with one of them.  It wouldn't accept propane.  Go figure, must be something wrong in the valve.

All the Dollar Stores around here have Blue Rhino cages out front, so the next time I go to the Dollar Store, I'll swap that bottle out.  Blue Rhino might be a bit more expensive, but they sure make bottle maintenance easy.

Swapping Scopes

 When I bought the Clackamore Mauser last week, I knew that new glass was in the plan. When I bought it, I immediately saw the most el-cheapo set of Weaver rings that I had ever seen.  Those had to go.  The scope was marked Marlin, and I'm pretty sure that Marlin never made scopes.  Probably some Philippine glass that originally came in bubble plastic. Not fitting for a proper deer rifle.

On Sunday, looking for a tang sight and globe sight for a Sharps that I've passed along to my son-in-law, I happened upon some old scope rings in my catch-all drawers.  Bingo.

This morning, I took that Philippine glass off the Mauser, I also took off those old rings and installed a much better set.  So, the Mauser has nicer rings now. After Christmas, Ill buy a scope that suites the rifle. Something with a reputable brand on it.

But, looking closer at the cheap scope, I realized that it wasn't horrible, just cheap. Suitable for a .22 that would knock around in the squirrel woods. Then, I remembered that 10/22 I bought last month. So, I dragged out the box, found the scope base that Ruger included, and mounted that scope in another set of rings I had found in that drawer.

That doesn't look too terribly bad, and if the scope will hold zero, I've scoped the Ruger for exactly no dollars.  I don't care if the scope is repeatable. I'm going to zero it at 25 yards and Loctite the turret caps on it.  As long as it holds that zero, it will stay on the rifle.

The Frugal Outdoorsman would be proud.

W.D.M. Bell

 If you love reading about the old African hunters, one that you surely know is W.D.M. "Karamojo" Bell, who hunted Africa at the turn of the 20th century. He preferred light calibers for his elephants, mainly the .303 British and the 7mm Mauser.

Yeah, the 7mm Mauser.

He also shot smaller calibers for his meat hunting.

On one occasion in West Africa in the midst of a famine he killed a herd of 23 forest buffalo using a .22 Savage Hi-Power rifle with lung shots.

The forest buffalo is a separate species, but still weighs 500-700 pounds. Bell was knocking them over with today's equivalent of a .223 Remington.

Just damn.

Confessions

 Reader and old friend, Joe, sent me a link to an article he thought I might enjoy.  It's a review of cartridges' since the Civil War, and a thoroughly enjoyable read. I'm going to link it here so that I can savor it later.  Like a good brandy, it deserves to be sipped.

A teaser:

What if I told you more white-tailed deer have been taken with an 1894 30-30 Winchester than all the other sundry deer hunting cartridges combined? What if I told you that you could hunt worldwide with a battery of only three rifles, a 22 Long Rifle from 1887, a 7 millimeter Mauser from 1892 and a 375 H&H Magnum Express from 1912?

It's an interesting read, and shows that we haven't really had any great new developments in  cartridge design in nearly a hundred years.

Termite came by this morning and swapped some 6.5x55 ammo for my homemade chimichangas and Belle's Alabama Sweet Bread recipe.  It was a good swap. 

Recount in Caddo

 It seems that Caddo Parish, LA (Shreveport) is having a bit of drama over the recent Sheriffs race.  It came down to one Democrat and one Republican, and after all the dust had settled, it seems that only one vote separates the two candidates.

According to the Louisiana Secretary of State website.

One vote.  And, of course, there are allegations that some folks voted twice, and that one of the local graveyards has a polling problem. The recount is being conducted today, but this one will be settled in the courts. It seems that less than 30% of the elegible voters bothered to go to the polls.  

Every vote counts.

Questions, questions.

 A commenter on the Mauser post below, sheds some light.

Standard chambering for Argentine Mauser was 7.65x53.

I don't doubt that a bit.  When I acquired that old Mauser in the mid-80s there was no internet, and information was limited.  It was sold to me as an Argentine, but the barrel was marked 7mm Mauser, so that's what I shot in it.  Remington green box as I remember. 

It cocked on closing, which makes it a 93?  My ignorance on Mauser models is here on complete display.

The question becomes: Will the Mauser I have now shoot well enough to pass along?  I won't know that until I've gone through it, acquired some better glass, and bought some ammunition.  Luckily, good ammo is available from Lapua and Norma, so that shouldn't be an issue. Right now, it's a project rifle and I'll tinker with it as a the muse strikes me.

I haven't had a project rifle since 2011.  I'll enjoy the exploration.

Divestiture

 I've sold two rifles in my lifetime and regretted selling both of them.  One, an Argentine Mauser in 7x57 that I couldn't make shoot.  I couldn't keep that rifle on a 4x8 sheet of plywood at 50 yards.  The second, a Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08 that shot like a laser beam out to 300 yards. I lost those rifles in the aftermath of a divorce and regretted losing them more than I regretted losing the woman.

When I was writing for The Frugal Outdoorsman, I bought a few rifles. I'm a sucker for an oddball or an antique.  If it goes BOOM, it intrigues me. And over the years I've passed them along.  Mainly to family.  Each of my sons have rifles that I bought, and used, and played with.  Levers, bolts, and single shots, I've passed them along.  Each of my grandsons has a rifle I played with.  Except the youngest one, who is coming of age.

In 1997, Remington introduced the 260 Remington, a standardized 6.5-08, that has seen some limited success. It uses a 1:9 twist, which stabilizes 140 grain bullets. My sister-in-law shoots one and she picks her shots. She shoots deer in the neck, she doesn't like to track deer.

In 2007, Hornady introduced the 6.5 Creedmoor, a very successful long range hunting cartridge.  It has proven itself both on the target range and on the game fields. It was introduced with a 1:8 twist to take advantage of those lovely sleek bullets.  No one can argue that the 6.5 Creedmoor has been less than a stellar success.

So, the 6.5 bullet is proving itself in these newer cartridges, but lots of people forget about the European grandfather.  In 1894, Sweden adopted the new, high speed, 6.5z55 cartridge. It is standardized with a 1:866 twist, which should allow those sleek 140 bullets. Its speed is limited by old metallurgy, but those published recipes are within 100 fps of the newer Creedmoor.  It has a long reputation as a game cartridge in Europe, even taking moose.

All that having been said, yesterday I walked into my local gun shop and saw a weird Mauser in 6.5x55.  The barrel is marked Sporting Arms, Clackamore, OR  6.5x55.

I started Googling and found a thread on The Firing Line.  Evidently, these are Turk mausers that were imported in the 60s or 70s.  But, it's a Mauser 98, which is a known item.  Various firms have been making them for 120 years.  It has the absolute cheapest rings and scope that can be put on a rifle, so those will go away.  We'll get some good glass and some good rings, and see how it shoots.

If it can put the bullets on the plate, it may become the youngest grandkid's gun.  If it can't, I have a project Mauser.  I've always wanted another one in 7x57.

Recap

 Thanksgiving is done, and we're cleaning up the detritus.  We fed, by my count, 24 souls yesterday, from the ages of toddler to 80.  It was a grand group of family and friends.  Turkey, ham, dressings, casserole, dinner rolls, cakes and pies galore.  It was a feast suitable for and American family.

That's Belle, behind the serving table.  It's not full yet, but I took that picture during a lull when we were waiting for the rolls to come out of the oven.

Today, I get to clean up the turkey carcass for a gumbo on Sunday, and we'll eat leftovers for lunch.  There is a little dressing left that Belle has dibs on, and I'm thinking about a big ham and cheese omelet.

This officially opens the holiday season. We'll have three more big feeds here before Christmas.  This is exactly why I build this shop.

Thanksgiving

 The turkey is smoked, sliced and in serving pans with stock to keep it from drying out.  The ham is in the roaster. Belle issued her operations order last week, and all the daughters-in-law know which sides to bring. The reception area is prepped and there is a lull in the assembly area. In a few hours, family and friends will start arriving.

It's Thanksgiving morning, a holiday where Americans pause to give thanks for the blessings of a benevolent creator.  I am thankful for a God that loves me, a wife who loves me, and the family that surrounds me.  For friend I cherish.  I continue to believe that we live in the greatest nation ever conceived by man, in the most exciting era in the history of our species.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Chili Recipe

 Juvat asked about my chili recipe.  Ain't nothing to it.

Ingredients:  2 lbs ground beef, 2 lbs ground venison. One medium onion, chopped. Chili powder,  tomato juice (about a quart).  2 cans red kidney beans.

Prep.  In a dutch oven, combine beef and venison, and fry until brown.  Add the chopped onion and saute. Drain the meat and onion mixture.  Return it to the pot.  Add the tomato juice, slowly to desired thickness. Add beans if desired.  Add chili powder, stirring and tasting to your desired heat level.  One tablespoon of sugar will reduce the acid in the tomato juice. Simmer for a half hour to blend the flavors

Serve wtih crackers, or corn chips, or sour cream, or cheese.  Or all those things.  Bon apetit.

Operational Pause

So, I see that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a prisoner swap and an operational pause.  The last I heard, it was four days, but we'll see how that plays out.

The DIF has been keeping up a fairly energetic tempo, and I'm sure that a pause will help the warfighters, even if it causes more headache for the logistics tail. In four days, they can move a lot of ammunition and supplies into the forward areas.

Of course, Hamas can too, and that might play into the IDF plans.  More targets, closer. It will be interesting to see what comes from this.

In the meantime, Belle and I are into heavy prep for the gathering tomorrow.  There will be plenty of food, and plenty of family, and that is what Thanksgiving is all about.

Deer Chili

After the rain last night, the weather turned and Belle took out some ground venison.  With cool weather, she wants deer chili.  I never make other suggestions when she wants deer chili.

 We ain't Texican, and we put beans in our chili.  Not too many, but some.  In a few minutes, we'll brak out the saltine crackers.

Rain

 It's thunder-bumping and flat-rocking out there.  Lots of rain, lots of thunder, and several tornado watches.  It's going to be okay.  The dog is scared of the weather, but I'm watching it with interest.  We're finally getting measureable aainfall.  That is a good thing.

I smoke two small turkeys today before the weather hit.  They're in the fridge and I'll cut them up and get them ready for the Thanksgiving meal.  I'll do that tomorrow, then boil the carcasses for stock.

I heard a rumor that a local gun store has a Mauser in 6.5X55.  When I'm out running errands tomorrow, I may have to stop in and take a look.

Cease Fire

 Watching the nonsense across the US about the Hamas engagement, I am reminded that Israel has already set the conditions for a ceasefire.

If Hamas wants a ceasefire, all it need do is release the hostages, surrender, and disarm.  When Hamas stops shooting, there will be a ceasefire.

It really is that simple.

Thanksgiving

 Thanksgiving.  A uniquely American holiday.  It's upon us, coming on Thursday. I could tell you all about the pilgrims and the Indians, but I'd have to get our a history book, and do the research which keeps changing. Whatever.

Still, it is a uniquely American holiday, and it begins what we call the holiday season.  Thanksgiving was my Mother's favorite holiday and she did it right. The weeks leading up to it were a marathon planning session, with lists and oven schedules, and all manner of preparation.  It was quite a logistical flex that would make any military planner proud.

Mom is still with us, and I am grateful for that, but Belle and I have taken over the Thanksgiving ritual.  Mon will share the meal with us, and I'm expecting 25-ish for the noon meal.  Belle and I aren't as hampered as Mom was, simply because we have two ovens. And a smoker that I can crank up to 400F if we need additional oven space.

The local grocer was running a sale on turkeys so I went and looked at them.  Smallish birds, weighing 11 pounds average.  So, I bought two of then.  And a ham, and we'll have all the usual sides.

After the meal, I'll break those carcasses and put them in a stock pot, boil the leftovers to make stock, the peel the meat from the bones. The leftover turkey and stock will be saved for a gumbo that rivals the initial smoked turkey.

Which reminds me.  When we go to the grocer this week, I need to pick up rice.

Diversity Hire

 I grew up with affirmative action, knowing that people were hired solely based on their skin color, without regard to their experience or competence.  We knew who they were.

Nowadays, it's all about diversity.  And, people are noticing.  Watching a YouTube video on The Five, we see that lots of folks are talking about diversity hires.  One of them is Kamala Harris.  Here's the link.  Jump ahead to the 1100-minute mark.  Someone plainly asks Kamala if she is a diversity hire, and she's too stupid to understand the question.

Of course Kamala Harris is a diversity hire.  She checks all the right boxes.  I simply find it amazing that someone asked her about it.

Taters

 We were talking at the barber shop this morning, and someone said that they hadn't ever seen a potato dish at a Mexican restaurant.

Come to think of it, I've never seen a potato dish in an Italian restaurant.  Nor an Oriental restaurant.

Tatiers won't grow in Mexico or Italy?

It's A Good Start

 Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy says that if he is elected president, he will run off half the federal bureaucracy. From the UPI.

Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy says that if he is elected president of the United States, he would cut 50% of the government workforce at random on his first day in office.

It's a bold plan.  Basically, if your Social Security number ends with an odd digit, you are layed off.  That is very non-partisan.  That sounds to me like a good start.