Iraq, and the Rott.

For those of you who are unsure of my stand about the boys in the sand, please know that I have served honorably and have heard shots fired in anger. I love the military, particularly the infantry and armor and the cav. Enlisted ranks of all stripes, and most junior officers.

I have long maintained that the two most worthless grades in the US Army wear gold insignia so that they can be immediately identified. One should educate the junior and frustrate the senior.

Emperor Darth Misha has a hell of a post up concerning the Iraq unpleasantness. Having read through it thoroughly, I agree. I have wondered what the problem was with the terrorists in Iraq, and I guess I never thought of the process as carrot and stick. Being the simple soldier I was, I never considered dealing anything but kindness and loyalty to my friends, with death and dishonor for my enemies.

Carrot and stick sounds like a good thing, and I thought that was what my President was talking about early in the war. It turns out that we don't hang traitors or execute out-of-hand illegal combatants. In my view, each commander in the zone, above the grade of 05 should be allowed to dispose of illegal combatants as he sees fit. By the time a person makes Colonel, he or she has demonstrated skills that would mitigate against the rash use of personal power. I think they could be trusted to shoot the occasional terrorist without much fanfare.

Then again, what do I know? I'm just an old soldier.

What is my blog worth?

My blog is worth zero, zip, dog snot, the null set.
How much is your blog worth?

Ain't HTML fun?

Hat Tip to Accidental Verbosity

Regular Unleaded - part II

I checked prices of regular unleaded gasoline on my way home today. Same five stations as earlier this week. Basically, the cheapest available is $2.699, and the highest is $2.899. Twenty cent variation in five miles, which is a hell of a variation for what is basically an undiferentiated commodity. This, of course, on Highway 28 east in central Louisiana.

Flight update

We learn from the Associated Press this morning that an arrest was made in the case of the missing Cessna Citation that was found at the Gwinnett airport near Atlanta.

The circumstances of the theft were not clear, but nothing threatening was found on the plane, police spokesman Darren Moloney said. The incident "appears to be a joy ride."

(Name redacted) was charged with felony theft and misdemeanor reckless conduct, police said, adding that additional federal charges were expected.

So, it was a joyride.

Not terrorism, thankfully. Some might call for increased regulation of light planes, but I won't be one of them. I still believe that this country is best served by the maximum amount of individual freedom allowable. Let sanctions fall against those who deserve it. I suspect that (Name Redacted)  won't be flying any aircraft in the near future. Probably never again.

However, if I decide to get my license, buy an airplane and take a joyride across the country, as long as I don't hurt anyone, it isn't the governments business.

**Edited 06/14/2014**  I redacted the name of the young man.  His father contacted me, he's paid his debt and is moving forward with his life.  Additionally, weirdo lunatic has been sending them death threats, referencing this blog post.  I can't, of course, be responsible for weirdo lunatics, but I can redact the young man's name in the interest of rehabilitation.

Hurricane jobs

My son is inquiring into the possibility of traveling to SW Louisiana to help with the cleanup and reconstruction. He is employed right now, but has been looking for a better job for a few months. I've done the internet searches, but I have a feeling that it might take a few weeks for the internet to catch up with the available openings.

Anyone know of jobs available close to Lake Charles or SW Louisiana where a guy who knows how to work in the construction trades could make a fresh start? Gimme a bump on an employer.

Regular Unleaded

Tonite, Milady is working, so I am without adult supervision. I climbed on the motorcycle and went to Dairy Queen for a steak finger basket. On the way home I noticed something going on with unleaded gasoline prices, and can't quite figure it out.

On the highway I traveled there are five (5) gas stations, and the prices are normally within a cent or so of one another. Tonite, the prices of unleaded gasoline were as follows: 2 stations at $2.699, one station at $2.899 and two stations at $2.999.

Evidently, the gasoline supply is coming back up, and that is a good sign. But I haven't seen a 30 cent price variation in years. Anyone have any ideas?

Flight

I guess you've all heard by now about the Cessna Citation that was taken from Florida and mysteriously found its way to Georgia.

The question over at B Relevant (and Michelle Malkin) was this:

How does a $7 million charter jet just disappear from Florida and mysteriously appear in Atlanta without anyone finding out until after the plane has landed and the pilot(s) disappeared?

Actually, it is pretty simple.

They get more precise, saying:

What is particularly troubling is that police have "narrowed down" the plane's arrival time at Briscoe Field in Gwinnett County to between 9:00 PM Saturday and 6:30 AM Sunday. That is a mighty big window of time. How is it possible that we can't say more precisely when this plane landed?

Well, hell, lets use a little common sense here.

This is still the United States. If you own a plane, you don't automatically have to file a flight plan if you intend to fly VFR. It doesn't make much sense to fly VFR with a Citation, but that doesn't mean you can't do it.

Fly low enough and slow enough, and probably you won't attract any attention at all. If you land at the airport, taxi over to where planes are tied down and tie down your stolen plane. If you act like you know what you are doing, no one will even question you. Especially if the field is a small civilian field.

I don't know about Briscoe Field in Georgia, but I can name a half dozen airports around here where that same scenario would be easy to accomplish.

Why is this possible? It is possible because we are still the United States and we don't need permission to fly around the country. This is still a free nation.

Anyone who doesn't believe we should stay free is welcome to consider the alternative. If you can't fly your plane when you want to, then maybe driving a car should be monitored closely? You want that? You want a bunch of damn bureaucrats monitoring movement in this country? Maybe checkpoints at state borders? I didn't think so.

Yeah, it is possible to take off from one airport and land at another without anyone's permission. That is what makes us great.

More Gun Grabbing

I learn from Michelle Malkin, and Jeff, over at Alphecca, that FEMA is putting people in trailer parks, then making those places gun-free.

What? How the hell can they get away with that?

The telling quote is here: Hat tip, Jeff.

Just one problem: Once again a government entity (FEMA) has decided that the Constitution ends where the city limits begin.

I've run into this during my career. In a past life, I worked for the Gret Stet of Louisiana and worked out of an office run by a career bureaucrat. One day we got a policy memo telling us to do something or other, and I went to this bureaucrat and told her that we couldn't do what the memo wanted us to do.

Her: "Why not?"

Me: "It violates the law of the State of Louisiana."

Her: "But this is Division policy and policy supersedes State Law."

Me. "You might ought to think about that before you say it anywhere else. The legislature thinks they make the laws, and that they run the state. If you tell them that the Division policy supersedes the law, they might pass a law forbidding you working for the state."

Thankfully, we got the policy overturned when we pointed out the legal problems to someone with a brain. The boss in that office didn't have a brain. Most bureaucrats don't have brains, and it looks as if the ones at FEMA aren't using theirs either.

Louisiana is one of the most pro-2A states in the nation. This idiocy won't stand for very long either.

As far as bureaucrats are concerned, I think we oughta take them out and beat them regularly. The stupid ones more frequently than the smart ones. This beating can either be physical or not, depending on how best to treat the disease.

The nitwits at FEMA have gotten beaten quite a bit lately, yet they just don't seem to learn.

Executive Salary

According to a Forbes search, Red Cross CEO Marsha Evans makes an annual salary of $651,957.

I've seen the salary reported at $450,000.

Just damn! I'm in the wrong business.

Does anyone working for a charity need a salary like that? Suppose the salary were cut down to a rational level, like an even 200,000 per year? How many MREs or gallons of diesel fuel could be purchased with the remainder?

I know that a lot of people here in Central Louisiana have had enough of the Red Cross. I personally will never contribute Another Dime to their coffers. Any other charity, like United Way, that contributes to them will also be off my list. The Red Cross isn't a charity I want to support, and a CEO salary like the one above is just another in a long lists of reasons why.

Disasters

Okay, first we had Katrina, then Rita, then California was burning up, then the earthquake in the near East, now New England is flooding.

Geez!

I'm tired of donating. I think I want to start the Send Pawpaw Fishing relief fund.

Forward all checks to my editor, Junior, in Tullos. He'll know where to send them.

UPDATE** Don't send checks. There aren't any banks in Tullos. Just stuff cash into the envelopes and send them to Junior. He'll know what to do with them.

Mosquitos

Mosquitos are horrible outside tonite, and have been since Rita blew through. Vicious little bastards, blood-sucking hordes. I was at a JV football game earlier this evening, and watching the teams, and the crowd in the bleachers slapping the little buggers was interesting in its itensity.

Mark Twain once said that editors and ticks share a lot of common ground. I believe if he had experienced our mosquitos he might have modified the metaphor.

Only for Eating

My half-dozen regular readers know about my affinity for the writing of Michael Yon.

Well, he has done it again, posting another of his magnificent essays on the battle for the budding democracy in Iraq.

A teaser, then the link.

On the wall behind Colonel Eid’s desk hang two rifles that had once belonged to terrorists killed by his men. Entering Eid’s office that day, Kurilla said, “Colonel Eid! I brought you a sheep, but this one is tied up to the tree outside.”

Eid smiled. The professional respect from another commander was worth mountains of future progress in Mosul, and so what happened next took everyone by surprise.

Kurilla smiled and said, “That’s a nice sheep. But it’s only for eating.”

I nearly fell mute. Did he really just say that? The interpreter said to Kurilla, “Excuse me sir?”

“You know what I said. Tell him the sheep is only for eating. It’s not a girlfriend. Translate it.”

That’s it. Kurilla’s lost his mind. I was ready to run for the door.

The interpreter hesitated. Then translated. Colonel Eid burst into laughter.

“I’m serious,” said Kurilla, “only for eating.” Since the two commanders were laughing, everyone who’d stiffened when they first heard the words now laughed. The commanders got down to business plotting how to kill more bad guys. But from then on, every time we delivered a sheep, even the police guards would yell down to us from behind their machine guns, “Only for eating!” and all would burst out laughing.

That's enough, but the humor only punctuates the story.

Go read it all here.

Savage Model 10

My review of the Savage Model 10 is up on The Frugal Outdoorsman.

Go see it here.

The Florida Gun Law

I've been reading the Carnival of Cordite, and the blogoshere has been debating the new Florida Gun Law. Instapundit has covered it, and another article is here.

Frankly, I don't see the controversy. Here in Louisiana we have had a law like that for years, and our legal system has covered it with a simply elegant legal solution: Your car is an extension of your home. Whatever is legal in your home is legal in your car. Isn't that simple?

Of course, here in Louisiana, we are adamantly pro Second Amendment. Open carry is legal. Except for minors and convicted felons, anyone can own a gun. There is no registration, and you only need a permit if you intend to carry concealed.

If you park your car in a parking lot at work, we all assume there might be a firearm inside. If you take your gun out of your car and wave it around, you might be in violation of one of a number of laws, including disturbing the peace, which forbids conduct that "might reasonably alarm the public". Of course, if you have a firearm in your car in plain view, and you lock your car and go inside a store only to return and find someone has broken your window and stolen your gun, you have only your own dumbass to blame. The cops will come out and do a burglary report, but hey, give us a break. You're a dumbass.

Now, I can hear the scoffers: "Pawpaw. I can have sex in my home. Can I have sex in my car?" Sure, if the curtains are pulled. If you aren't doing anything that might alarm the public. If you are having sex in your home, in front of an open picture window, in plain view of the public, you might get a knock on the door. If you are having sex in your car, a cop might tap on the window. Elegant, isn't it?

Okay, Pawpaw, another question: "Can I play my music as loudly as I want to in my car?" No, but you can't play your music as loudly as you want to in your home. If someone complains, and the police show up and can hear it from the street, you are going to be told to turn it down. If you are playing your car stereo so loudly that I can hear it from the street, I am going to tap on your window. Simple.

Your car is an extension of your home. Elegantly simple.

Once you step outside your home, you are in the public. Once you step outside your car, you are in the public. Some laws change, some laws don't. You are expected to know the difference.

Louisiana has had a law like the Florida law for as long as I can remember. It sounds to me like Florida has had a long overdue attack of common sense. Your car is an extension of your home. Say that a couple of times quietly.

Elegantly simple.

Busy

Been busier than hell the last couple of days, and expect to work till 10:00 tomorrow night. Between configuring this computer, and writing an article for The Frugal Outdoorsman, and taking care of some personal business, I don't seem to have time for writing in the blog.

Sorry about that. I promise to do better.

I'd blog on whatshername Miers, but I can't get excited about it.

I'd tell you about the new article, but then printing it here would... oh, hell, maybe just a little preview:

The next target was fired about a half hour after the one above. It uses the same powder charge (41 grs Reloder 19), but with the Sierra GameKing bullet, and I took my time between shots. This target represents a five shot group, with four of them in one hole, and one flier opening up the group. When I showed my buddy the target, he asked me if I cussed when I saw the flier. No, but I wanted to cry. Fliers are tough to take sometimes, but they are part of our quest for the perfect load. Fliers exist to remind us we are human. This target represents the accuracy this rifle is capable of producing and is what we should all strive for. It shows the inherent accuracy availabe in the .243 Winchester cartridge, the care and quality in the Savage Model 10, and the obvious ease of use of the Accutrigger.

The target I am talking about is here:


I'll let you know when the whole thing posts.

Networking Redux

Blogging from the kitchen table, over a wireless network. Isn't it amazing what downloading the current setup protocol will do? Everything went as advertised and now I have to learn to type on this notebook keyboard. I should be familiar with it after a couple of thousand words.

Networking

Milady and I decided over the past few days that we needed a second computer. With two dedicated users in the family and with my daughter in college, having a second computer is .... not a necessity... but certainly would help with scheduling.

So, we climbed on the motorcyle and went computer shopping. We wanted a laptop, and thought it would be nice if it fit on the motorcycle. After shopping a couple of stores, we found one we wanted, got a wireless router to attach, and I took Milady out to supper.

Once home, I broke everything out of the box and read the instructions. (Really, I am an instruction reader. I even read the owners manual when I buy a car.) The general consensus of the various salespeople was that we should hook up the router and configure it before we turned on the laptop. I hooked up the little box with the antennae, and turned on the main computer, following the insructions diligently to get the router configured. Then I took the laptop out of the box and turned it on. Went through the initial setup and configuration, and a little window popped up, telling me that I was connected through the wireless router, so I decided to check email. Five minutes later, I still have nothing on the screen.

So, I went to the main computer and tried to check email. Nothing. Got a little window telling me that my connection was slow or nonexistent. I fiddled with it for a little bit, then turned everything off and disconnected the router, then rebooted the main computer. Then I get this little window telling me it can't find my network. No kidding, Sherlock. I have disconnected it.

I called my ISP and had them walk me through the setup process on the cable modem, then rebooted everything. I have good solid high speed access through the main computer, but the router is back in the original box.

I know that I did something wrong, or configured something wrong. Tonite, I'll be home alone, and I will sit down and hook everything up again and see if I can figure out where I went wrong. I'll have the ISP service number close at hand and I'll have the router service number close at hand, and sometime tonite, hopefully, I'll enter the wireless information age.

More likely, I'll spend time cussing like a shipwrecked sailor.

Beer

Today I was summoned to the office, where I met the Director of Nursing that ran our shelter during the Rita unpleasantness. She handed me a heavy sack and said thanks. I was told not to open the sack until I cleared the building.

Inside I found a six-pack of beer I had never seen. Warsteiner.

I took it home and cooled it. Not cold, just cool. Then I opened one.

Damn! Smooth, full, with good body and very little aftertaste. Just Dammit! this is good beer.

I quit drinking domestic beer about five years ago, after someone had given me some good German beer. And this is good German beer. I may have to enjoy another at supper.

WHy can't Americans make beer like this? I'd buy a case a week of this stuff.

Sunday morning

I got a lot of shooting done yesterday. I'm writing an article for The Frugal Outdoorsman and part of that article is on load development. To write about load development, you have to load a bunch of ammo, and shoot it, and record the results. The process is interesting. I learned a couple of things yesterday. Work is work, no matter where it takes place. As much as I like shooting, recording that much information was work.

Gun writers are full of crap. I see a lot of articles telling us that a certain load, a certain gun, shot a bunch of ammo, and the group size is at or under an inch. I've been shooting for a lot of years, and I will hold my marksmanship against any amateur shooter. I'm a little bit better than average, and my group size shows it. Using hunting rifles, off sandbags, my group size runs about three inches while I am developing loads. Some better, some worse, but that is what ammo development is all about; finding what works. You'll never see a three inch group in a gun magazine. All magazine guns shoot into minute of angle. Bullshit.

Yesterday I had exactly one load shoot into MOA. The rest stayed out at the two inch mark. That ain't bad for an out-the-box, un-tweaked hunting rifle. It's about what you can expect. That one, really great load I tested, fired four shots into one ragged hole at 100yards, measuring under a half inch. The fifth shot opened it up to nine/tenths. Was that load a fluke? Did some weird probability curve shove all those bullets into that same hole? Or, is this a load that the rifle really likes? Only more testing will tell, but you can believe I have that load written down.

The really interesting thing was the composite target I made. A composite target is easy to make, simply staple two targets to the backing, one superimposed over the other. When you change targets to assess another load, staple the new target directly over the first. All of the shots will pass through both targets and at the end of the day you have a record of every shot fired. This particular rifle put all of the shots, with six different loads, three different bullets, two different powders, into a large, composite group that measures 4" X 4" for 30 shots fired.

The rifle tested is a hunting rifle. It isn't a bench gun. No tweaking, no trigger job. All I did was tighten all the screws and start banging away. It put every shot into a group smaller than the target zone on a deer, or coyote. That's what it is designed to do.

Finding a load that shoots into MOA with any rifle is work. Gun writing is work.

But, on average, it beats the hell out of whatever is in second place.

Saturday morning

My evacuees shipped last night. The company that runs their nursing home found more permanent accommodations in a proper medical facility and the buses came for the patients last night about nine o'clock. By 10:30 we had them loaded on the bus and enroute to a new home. My shelter closed and I came home. It is now just an empty high school gymnasium. The memory of hundreds of high school dances will combine with the memory of hundreds of Rita evacuees and life will go on.

There is plenty of work to do here at the house, between grass mowing and fence repair and cleaning the garage and maintenance on the motorcycle. Plenty to keep me busy for awhile.

My priorities are in order and the list is posted. I'm heading for the range.