Insane Diego

Those that have -- and those that will

2012-01-28T09:48:00.000-08:00

My General course instructor in A&P (Airframe and Powerplant0 school was Col Johnny Rush (USAF Ret). He'd flown the glorious C-124 Globemaster.

He was the very soul of southern wit and wisdom. On the subject of retractable gear aircraft I recall him saying in his good ol' boy drawl

"There are those that have and those that will -- belly land that is."

Prophetic words at Bagram
Ouch! That's gotta hurt.

Thankfully another favorite Johnny Rush aphorism didn't come into play in this case.

"Smoke curls to the left -- in the Northern Hemisphere."

Projects, we got projects...

2012-01-27T13:26:00.000-08:00

...posting to the blog? Not so much.

Picking away at a rifle vise in between things. Lucky if I get 15 minutes a week on it. Out of sight out of mind. Tired of working on longguns laying on a bench top. I'm hoping this will make a more orderly and secure setup: especially for mounting scopes. Yeah, there's a few of those in the project queue to mount/move. I'm putting off starting that scope dance till this wood project is finished. It's ready to drill and mount the over center clamp for the buttstock.

Outside? Yeah, this wall has been a long time in the making. Poured the footing over a year ago. Finally got it formed and poured. It didn't go as well as planned.

What that you say? Home DIY construction foul-ups? Yeah, I'll fess up. Worst ever. Pipe burst inside form. Flooded and blew out form. Down the line my forms buckled and bulged some and I lost my straight form line. Oh the shame of bad prep work cast in concrete for future generations to see and sneer. Unggghhh... There were some exciting minutes there doing damage control.
Yeah, yeah, I know. Never time to do it right. Always time to do it over.

That'll be enough outta you.

It's jazz baby

2011-11-10T10:18:00.000-08:00

I posted the below in comments of this post by Lex about aircraft ground crew. I respect the humility in his words -- especially coming from a single seat fighter jock. That appreciation and respect shown by Lex for maintainers wasn't always present in guys I supported in the fleet. More than a few come to mind that prolly are best left unnamed.

One squadron skipper in particular comes to mind. He changed his nametag to "God" at one point and expected to be addressed as such in the squadron spaces back at Miramar (Hanger 6 if you care to know). Looking back, north of 50 myself now, I realize now just how young he was even as an O-5. Where we saw hubris, he probably intended humor. But that's another sea story for another day. Rock on Rocco, where ever you are.

Different airframes allow for more opportunities for in flight teching.

As for the tech styles. I compare it to the difference between classical and jazz. One guy can’t do a thing without every note in front of him. The other guy just needs to figure out the key and then he’ll work it out.

Those calls for an IFT to run to CATTC and talk a ‘FO through a systems troubleshoot were both enervating and terrifying. No pressure. No pressure at all. 4th down baby. You got the ball. ha

Twas both an honor and an albatross to be the AT tagged for the job. Usually came down to coaching them on sequence of tripping, resetting, seating and reseating different modules in hopes of clearing the homo-trons that had gone wrong way on the cat shot and plugged the system up.

I found it helped if I closed my eyes and ignored all the pressed and starched operators and watch officers wondering about the greasy greenshirt before them. /heh/

Tubes, tape drives, ferrite core memory, mechanical tuners, trailing wire antennas and wirewrapped motherboards couldn’t always be relied on to behave after a catstroke. Often what was needed was a swift smack of the hand on a daughtercard to wipe a contact clean. Or a reset of a memory module or A&C. That posed a dilemma though. It’s not like you wanted to give a ‘FO permission to get in the habit of hitting the avionics gear. We had enough equipment damaged in flight by overconfident NFO’s troubleshooting.

Hard to believe a guy could actually twist the rivets out of an IFF cabinet Deutsch data buss connector (they pop off, not twist like a Cannon plug) — but stranger things happened. Even harder to believe an officer and gentlemen would let W/C 210 take the fall for the damage and the downing of an a/c pending replacement cabinet from Bethpage (he fessed up to Tech Rep after cruise). So you made your play based on your judgement of the “O” on the radio. Some would get more help and longer leash than others.

Truth is, often I hardly knew where to start coaching the NFO on the radio. This was jazz not classical music. Improvisation was called for. It was hardly the time or place to admit much troubleshooting in flight was just moving as fast as I could and faking it like crazy. Need to let the crew know you understood their sense of urgency and were “all in” for them and the mission. Sometimes there was nothing to do but make a show of a**holes and elbows and pray mightily that my brain would catch up and the good Lord would give me a revelation (PS 18, “By my God I can…).

Just remember it’s jazz not classical. If you miss a note in classical music it’s a mistake. If you repeat it, confidently, it’s jazz. Faking it baby. Fast as I can.

Movement generates thought.

Might be something in that for daily living too...

Why yes. Yes you do.

2011-06-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

HS grad day yesterday and daughter number had this to offer to those in attendance (and those looking on unseen).

An oversight...

2011-02-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

Just realized I never got pix of refinished M-1 carbine from the CMP up. The stock had some problems as received. A gunnie friend stuck home recup'ing from cancer treatments asked if he could rework it for me. He was getting cabin fever and had run out of projects.

A steam iron to raise some serious dents, some dowels, acraglass and fiberglass to repair some cracking, bit of stain to match the walnut handguard to the hardwood stock and "Voila!"

I couldn't have done better myself and likely would still have it in the "to do queue."

Here's his little elf showing off the finished work.

The Gipper: Haze Gray and Underway

2011-02-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

Got back from the pier about midnight and wrote this...

Haven't been to that pier since '87. Memories of a younger me and my wife saying goodbye in the dark on the same pier. It was a different ship but with a strong emotional/historical connection to this ship (Connie then, USS Reagan now).

Sounds and smells of ship pierside don't change.
Kiddies in carseats in the dark parking lot with the hulking carrier looming dark overhead. Men standing quietly with wives and girlfriends putting off the final goodbyes.
Small groups of sailors walking through the base streets returning from one last night in town.

Anyway,
Dropped the Son&Heir and brought his vehicle back home to stash for the duration.
Wife and his girlfriend along for last hugz and kissez. Huddled up for a brief family prayer.
Hug and handshake and the expected cliche'd advice from me.
"Make 'em a hand. Keep your head on a swivel. Remember Grandad's advice. Remember to read your Bible." and finally, "It's your turn now."

Not to be melodramatic but it's late and especially mindful of all those deployed and serving. Aware of Norks recent adventurism, and rioting in Africa,...

It reminds one of the uncertainty of even a routine deployment of a Carrier group. Hymns always come to my mind at moments like these. Tonight rolling around in the back of my head the old favorite "... I can face uncertain days because He lives."

postscript:
Made it out to Pt Loma before work this morning in time to see them clear the channel.

Godspeed to the crew of the USS Reagan and fair winds and following seas.

2010-06-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

So Chuck Devore got knocked out of the Senate primary by Carly Fiorina. She's going up against Botox Barbara in the fall. That's the bad news.

The good news is Devore's name recognition in the state went from single digits in the past year to 49% and with overwhelming positive perception among conservatives. He's been the "real deal" all along as a State Assemblyman -- that's why he got my $upport early on in the primary. Now he's got visibility statewide and (good Lord willing) will make something of it.

He's turning the light on the cockroaches from the religion of peace (also known as those who would like to kill us) in his latest blog/website post. He should have a much larger audience that he did 6 months ago...

College campuses throughout America play host to various student groups; some enhance the campus environment while others don’t. The Muslim Student Union (MSU) at the University of California Irvine (UCI) has been in the latter category for the six years I’ve represented about 500,000 in the California State Assembly, including the UCI campus.

For that reason, and the reasons detailed below, last February, I asked UCI leaders to ban the MSU for a year because of their disruptive campus behavior. This caused UCI’s MSU spokesperson to complain of my “long history of antagonism” towards the group while accusing me of censorship and vigilantism.

I’m pleased to report that the MSU at UCI has been suspended from campus for a year, pending a routine appeal.

Get some popcorn. This should be an interesting show. Nah, skip the popcorn and give some thought to personal security preparedness.

I wrote to UCI Chancellor Michael Drake, to protest the MSU’s actions. In this letter, I declared, “MSU at UCI is an entity inimical to the University’s imperative to provide an education in an atmosphere of academic liberty, free of coercion and conducive to meaningful debate and free inquiry. I therefore request that you defend this University, its students, and its mission by banning the Muslim Student Union from its campus and withdrawing all formal recognition of its existence.”

RTWT

If he keeps this up he'll have a fatwa on his head in no time.

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-06-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

Seems more things change the more they stay the same. CA State Rep Saldana is no friend of liberty. Whether she's consciously aware of it or not she is a tool of that spirit -- the anti-Spirit of 76 that would enslave us. She's leading the charge in Sacramento to restrict open carry of even unloaded firearms in CA. The bill she introduced this spring has passed the CA House and is going to the Senate now.

No, it's not an out and out attack on the 2nd Amendment. Of course. Who would be so bold as to call for an outright dismissal of that right. Rather she is an incrementalist. She understands like the British Governor of Pennsylvania understood over 200 years ago that "to disarm the people; that was the most effectual way to enslave them; but they should not do it openly;"

Back in the day George Mason reminded that founding revolutionary generation of the creeping incrementalism of tyranny.

"To disarm the people [is] the best and most effectual way to enslave them..."

"Who are the militia? The consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers."

"An instance within the memory of some of this House, will show us how our militia may be destroyed. Forty years ago, wihen the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised by an artful man [Sir William Keith], who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people; that was the most effectual way to enslave them; but they should not do it openly; but to weaken them, and let them sink gradually, by totally disusing and neglecting the militia."

Memorial Day done right: 2010

2010-05-31T19:17:00.001-07:00

Started the day right. Flag raising and blew colors at 0800.

Headed down later in the morning for local remembrance at the Veteran's Memorial at City Center with the local American Legion.

Small group but a nice remembrance with some thoughtful readings, prayer and singing together the National Anthem and God Bless America.

Post 303 Officers... Need some salt for those eggs? Plenty in this bunch.

Later on patio, pool and Brat's on the BBQ at our place with folks from our church home fellowship group (and our boarder and her daughter).

We'll finish right by retiring Colors at sunset in just a few minutes now...

2nd Amendment Saturday: Entropy

2010-05-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like a bumpersticker that says "Resist Entropy!"

Natural tendency is for a monopoly on power to be sought by the government. Like 2nd law of thermodynamics it must be recogized and dealt with moment by moment.

That's what drives gun control. It's about control. Not so much guns.

An armed citizenry really cramps statist's and tyrant's style.

"It is true, the yeomanry of the country possess the lands, the weight of property, possess arms, and are too strong a body of men to be openly offended --- and therefore, it is urged, they will take care of themselves, that men who shall govern will not dare pay any disrespect to their opinions. "

Federal Farmer (Richard Henry Lee)

California's Kobayashi Maru Scenario

2010-05-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I can not see how this CA governor's race has any good outcome.

Trying to figure out how to vote causes so much cognitive and moral dissonance in my mind I'm as crazy as a cat with masking tape on it's paws.

Meg Whitman:
The female Il Duce' candidate.
Maybe she isn't the Sith Lord some suspect she is but she is definitely an enemy of freedom. However, she presents the best expectation of successfully tackling California's budget problems, cutting costs, and making the trains run on time.

Steve Poizner:
Whiney, destined to be ineffective executive and eaten alive in the media. No need to go any further and provide commentary on his mealy mouthed brand of me too (RINO) conservatism.

Jerry Brown:
Uhh, hello? Moonbeam? How do you think we got here? Who lead the start of the slide that's resulted in CA current state of affairs?

sigh...

wonder if I can get in some range time...

Ah, but the One, one of them is a Warrior

2010-05-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

"In War of every One-Hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there,
eighty are nothing but targets, nine are real fighters...we are lucky to have them...they make the battle.
Ah, but the One, one of them is a Warrior...and He will bring the others back."

Heraclitus (circa 500 BC)

Medal of Honor: Arthur J. Jackson
by Mike Piccione

05/25/2010

JACKSON, ARTHUR J.

Mr. Jackson is 85 years old. When he was a young Marine on the Island of Peleliu he single-handedly took out 12 enemy pillboxes and killed 50 Japanese soldiers. In addition to his MOH Captain Jackson also earned a Purple Heart with an oak leaf cluster. His military service spanned from 1942 - 1984. Please take a moment to read the citation of a hero.

RTWT
h/t Human Events

Prom Night Pre-Prom Pix Follies

2010-05-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

It was quite the show this evening as we were at the “pre-Prom” party with daughter #2(The Divine Miss M)...

...and went from there with her and the Son&Heir’s best girl (he being absent in P’cola) for dinner.

They being Hotstuff, but ASB officers, had to hasten to the venue for last minute setup responsibilities, sans escorts.

Quite the scene — young lovelies in their finest and young lads uncertain about corsages..., and the wearing of ties and 3 button jackets.

Quite the setting — backyard on Shelter Island opening right onto the water and the marina.

Some might say I was outclassed by Yachty dads in oxford shirts.
Self delusion or not, I like to think I set the standard with my “Periodic Table of Ammunition” T-shirt.

Old White Hat, recovering sailor from East County. Yeah, I know style.

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-05-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Individuals, families, community.

Nehemiah 4
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.

19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!"

21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, "Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and workmen by day." 23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.

Inter-service rivalry

2010-05-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

Having some fun on Facebook watching a bit of smack talk between Marine Son&Heir and Zoomie nephew.

Of course this Navy rep had to chime in with a Zoomie dig or two. Something about country club membership dues. Need to be sure the youngun's learn the classics...

Then finally had to offer this concilatory bit of wishful thinking. Ya know, this being the era of joint service cooperation and all...

To be fair if this story came true the AF would be our salvation:

Air Force General: Mr. President, we've just invented an invisibility cloak for Air Force One.
Obama: No kidding?
General: That's right, sir. Will you be going along on its maiden flight?
Obama: Wouldn't miss it for the world.
General: Have a good trip, sir.

Turn Back Oh Man...

2010-05-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

(her Daddy's got a gun). Oops, that's not the lyric. Keeps running through my head for some reason though. Maybe if I gave that one fella in the blue shirt a bib...

Here's the opening number after intermission in the high school production of Godspell.

Last Friday night with the Divine Miss M (aka Daughter #2):

That's my munchkin. She moves like a woman now.

Terrifying... but I have multiple shotguns. Loaded.

Back to the grind

2010-05-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

Brake grind that is...

Rear rotor made it over 188K miles. That's the good news.
Rear rotor rusted on after 8 yrs and 188K miles. That's the bad news.

30 minutes, 3 hammers, an 1 1/2" cheater pipe and half a can of penetrating fluid later (not to mention broken skin on back of hand and a welt halfway up a forearm)...

It came off in the nick tim...e. Right before
a) the cussin' was about to start,
b) the 4 lb Hammer of Thor was to get applied and
c) before lighting it up with MAPP gas.

Leatherneck. Leather hands.

2010-05-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

It's been about 2 years for this blog. I've crashed as a blogger lately and not posted anything the past few weeks. I'm now re-evaluating this blog's purpose and my use of time.

This blog as it has evolve has not served the (somewhat self-centered) purpose I originally intended. I thought I'd journal much more and write more in depth than I have. It turns out that much of what I "need" to write I can't share publicly. I could only write "the good stuff" if I was completely anonymous on this blog.

However, I'm known to family and friends and much of what I deal with in "Eldering/Pastoring" a local church can't be shared in the the open without being anonymous. Ergo, most the things I need to work out through writing and arguably the most interesting things I have to write about can't see the light of day. At least not on this blog.

To mess up a quote of my namesake "Oh bother. What to do? What to do?"

Other than that, been busy physically and emotionally watching the Son&Heir launch himself as a US Marine. That's made for a bit of excitement and melancholy that has limited my writing.

Today he graduated from Marine Combat Training and is enroute to LAX to fly to his A-school as I write this. He's on his own now. Manhood is upon him -- and he's got the hands to prove it.
Leatherneck. Leatherhands.

Michael Yon and Mess Deck Therapy

2010-04-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

Michael Yon has done our country, cause and troops a great service as an embedded reporter in the Sandbox. I've relied on his reporting heavily to inform my views of the war in Iraq and A'stan.

For quite a while there he was one of the only sources that was reporting first hand while the pool journalists hunkered down in the Green Zone. He still gets out there in front more than anyone else I've found reporting. He's become more than just a reporter for many of his readers -- he's a patriot and a brother veteran.

All that's to call attention to his recent de-embedding by our military. I picked up on it soon as he posted on Facebook.

Since then there's been plenty of words in the mil blogosphere about his status.
There's even been a song parody about him (based on Carly Simon's "You're So Vain").

The mil blogger's almost universally think Yon's getting what he deserves for tone of some posts and needs some R&R. Maj Z's take on it is that he's "Gone Nanners."

From Yon's Facebook posts it sounds like continue reporting unembedded but is not getting any R&R.

I wrote my Congressman, Duncan D. Hunter, Capt USMC, himself a 2 time vet of the sandbox and asked him to check into Yon's de-embed.

Here's the response I received from Congressman Hunter,

April 23, 2010

Dear "recovering sailor":

Thank you for contacting me with your thoughts on the situation with embedded reporter Michael Yon. It is good to hear from you and I welcome the opportunity to respond to you on this matter.

As you know, according to Mr. Yon he had been directed to end his embed with coalition forces serving in Afghanistan because of an attempt to filter the coverage of the counter-insurgency campaign in Afghanistan. According to a recent statement made by military officials, "As his (Michael Yon) agreed-upon time in Afghanistan began to wind down, he let it be known that he intended to remain embedded through August of this year. Given a finite ability to host embedded reporters, this decision amounted to a choice to deny some of his colleagues an opportunity that he had enjoyed from more than two months, and which he can always request to repeat. The ripple effects of that choice in one way or another would have impacted 26 journalists currently scheduled to embed later this month (who are still waiting to be matched with available slots), 76 who have been wait-listed because of a lack of slots, and hundreds more who are hoping to embed in Kandahar later this summer. The responsible PAOs therefore decided to disembed Yon against his wishes."

As a veteran of both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan I understand full well the importance of making certain that the courageous stories of our troops fighting in harm's way are made available to the public. As well as the stories that expose poor judgment and government waste and fraud. Rest assured I will be following this story very closely with your thoughts firmly in mind.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If you have any further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Duncan Hunter
Member of Congress

In case anyone cares here's my take on it...

Lately Michael’s tone has reminded me a bit of a guy who’s been on WesPac too long without a beer day.

Michael is prior enlisted and therefore no officer and gentleman. I don’t expect the tone of his reporting to sound like he's a politically correct ring knocker. In fact, that's much of his appeal. As as a former enlisted guy an old Navy NCO I expect (and enjoy) his blue collar perspective and language.

Truth is there’s critical talk that’s normal, expected and even healthy in berthing or the shop when the Chief and Div O aren’t around. Ya gotta keep it in bounds though.

The purpose of that "mess deck" therapy is to vent and recalibrate among mates, not to go back up on deck with a sour grapes attitude. That does the individual or the group effort no good at all.

A little leaven, leavens the whole lump.

Like I said at the top, I've relied on his reporting heavily to inform my views of the war in Iraq and A'stan. I'll continue to follow his reports and facebook posts.

I'd encourage others to continue following his posts. Just be sure to "Eat the chicken. Leave the bones."

Second Amendment Saturday

2010-04-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

"...In whatever government the people neglect to retain so much power in their hands as to be a check to their rulers, depravity and the love of power is so prevalent in the humane mind, even of the best of men, that tyranny and cruelty will inevitably take place."

- Instructions of Town Meeting, Preston, Connecticut (November 26, 1787)

I missed making my Saturday 2nd Amendment post this weekend. This video showed up in the e-mail inbox this morning...

AssociatedPress — April 15, 2010 — A suburban Chicago police officer caught on video hitting a driver more than a dozen times with his baton and firing a stun gun at the man's passenger was charged with battery and misconduct, and more charges are possible, prosecutors said. (April 15)

"Submit to the LAW! I'm here to enforce it!"
"Yes, sir. 3 bags full. How high?!!!"

Could this guy have avoided the beat down with that response?

Maybe. Still and all, the phrase 'monopoly of power' immediately comes to mind.

We used to primarily speak of Police as being public servants who "Protect and Serve." In my lifetime that seems to have been replaced in the lexicon with the term "Law Enforcement Officers."

Hmmm... There's something in that to ponder

No Place for Old Men?

2010-04-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Maybe you saw the movie last year? This post has nothing to do with it except to make a word play on the title.

An old shipmate of mine made a facebook post this week lamenting the loss of a couple old men in his neighborhood. His recollection of time spent with them conversatin' and fellowshipping on the front stoop were really touching. Really got a sense of the local color and life added by a couple men that other folks might have just seen as typical grumpy old men.

He got me to recollecting and reminiscing about the neighborhood we lived in before our current home. After expressing condolences to my old buddy, I posted this bit of my own reminscence back to him. A bit "random" as my teenagers would say but still...

Yeah, seriously. I had a similar relationship with a couple old WWII tincan sailors. One across the street and another a couple doors down. Ozzie and Orrie.

Orrie was a Swede, the "silent waters run deep" type. When he spoke it had meat to it and there was a lesson to be heard. He and his wife Millie were great family people who took a real interest in our young family and their growth.

Ozzie was a light hearted, chainsmoking, yarning, seastory telling, lying son of a 5" gun. He was a tall (~6'3") barrel chested Spanish speaking native American with a heart the size of California that he wore on his sleeve. He lasted the longest. He was always around checking in on the kids or my vehicle or remodel projects and talking story the whole time.

There were a couple Viet Nam vets next door and across the street too.

I took to posting my flag daily in that 'hood. On holidays I'd get the kids (Gabe usually) to put the flag out right at 0800 and I'd blow Colors on my trumpet or bugle. The vets started expecting it and I'd go out at 0800 to see them all standing on their porches waiting for Colors. They'd render salutes. It go so that if I slept late or forgot the time they'd send one over to knock on the door and get me out there.

Old men are alright. If'n they leave their teeth in while in public. /heh

Tea Parties: The Morning After

2010-04-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

Went late to the Tea Party at our local Post Office. First Tea Party I've been to. Can't compare attendance or tone to any previous events. Still ruminating on my impressions this morning. Not completely sure what to make of it.

There was about 100 people there. The Gadsen flag and homemade pro-freedom/anti-tax signs were the overwhelming choice of demonstrators. Well behaved, salt of the earth type folks. Drivers going by were all loud in supporting the demonstration.

There were a few anti- Obama posters and at least one birther poster. They were visible enough to make it seem as much of an anti-Obama rally as an anti-big government rally.

Sign of the day (seen online somewhere)

"When injustice becomes law resistance becomes duty." - Thomas Jefferson

Americans split on taxes

2010-04-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

Saw this today from Gallup:

Americans Split on Whether Their Income Taxes Are Too High

Views since Bush tax cuts were implemented continue to be more positiveby Frank Newport

PRINCETON, NJ -- For the second straight year, slightly less than half of Americans say the amount of federal income tax they have to pay is too high, while almost as many say the amount they pay in taxes is about right.

full article...

I gotta wonder if this has anything to do the fact that half of us don't pay any income tax.

Maybe I'm just cynical. Nah...
/heh

Eyeballs. Click Sir!

2010-04-13T13:21:00.001-07:00

aaaaand, he's outta here. Pressed and polished bright and early this morning. MCT at Pendleton begins now.

"Come on Mom. I gotta go."

America Rising

2010-04-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

This posted by an Alabama college-aged Facebooker.

h/t Hugh Hewitt

2nd Amendment Saturday, 'Arm Yourselves'

2010-04-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

Events along the border expose the false hope of so many that law enforcement will protect, that law enforcement CAN protect you.

One sheriff has made that clear to the people in his county.

Last week, residents held a town-hall meeting in Fort Hancock, Texas — a sleepy agricultural town on the border, about an hour southeast of El Paso, that looks like the bleak set of No Country for Old Men.

A couple hundred people crowded into the grade-school gym to hear a chilling message from Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West.

"You farmers, I'm telling you right now, arm yourselves," he said. "As they say the old story is, it's better to be tried by 12 than carried by six. Damn it, I don't want to see six people carrying you."

"You farmers, I'm telling you right now, arm yourselves. As they say the old story is, it's better to be tried by 12 than carried by six. Damn it, I don't want to see six people carrying you."
- Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West

His warning was prompted by the killing of the Arizona rancher, and the spiraling violence a couple of miles away in Mexico in a region known as the Valley of Juarez. The notorious smuggling territory is being fought over by the Sinaloa and the Juarez cartels.

...more

When seconds count, the police are minutes away.

One small step for freedom

2010-04-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

A bit of good news on the legal front. Lot's of concern out there about the amount of info the Census insists on being provided -- under penalty of law.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOUR PAPERS, PLEASE ...

Judge puts brakes on Census Bureau
Attorney: 'Huge victory for the Constitution and for privacy-loving Americans'

Americans who refuse to answer questions they consider invasive on their Census questionnaires will be able to sleep a little easier -- at least for now.
A federal judge ruled yesterday that the Census Bureau has no automatic right to ask questions felt to be personal or intrusive and that it cannot threaten or prosecute citizens who refuse to answer such questions.

U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon granted attorney Mark Brewer, of the Houston-based firm of Brewer and Pritchard, a temporary restraining order in a Census suit filed by five Houston, Texas, residents. Attorneys for the government conceded that none of the five plaintiffs will be subject to actual or threatened prosecution during this litigation which is expected to go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ruling is especially far-reaching.

"For the moment, this will prevent prosecution against any American who chooses not to answer questions other than the number of people living at their address -- that's all that's required by the Constitution," Brewer told WorldNetDaily. "It's a huge victory for the Constitution and for privacy-loving Americans, because we now have a ruling in a federal court case.

"The Census Bureau cannot extract this information under threat of criminal prosecution -- that was the issue I presented to the court," he said.

...more

Contract From America: Tea Party Top Three

2010-04-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

From the Christian Science Monitor...

The top three vote-getters among 360,000 respondents on the Contract From America website:

1. An enumerated powers act to force lawmakers to check the constitionality of new laws
2. Requiring a two-thirds majority in Congress for any tax hike
3. a legislative backstop to prevent the EPA from "backdoor regulating."

Tea party: 'Intellectual reform movement?'
"[The ideas in the tea party-coined Contract From America] takes our protest movement and really sets forth a real kind of intellectual reform movement," says Ryan Hecker, a Tea Party Patriots activist in Houston, and a founder of the Contract From America website. "It's a response to the idea that the tea party people don't know what they're fighting about, and it shows there's a real intellectual center to this movement and that we really do have ideas."

...more

Easter Sunday Baptism

2010-04-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

Got up, went to church, got wet. Baptized the Son&Heir during our Family Worship service today. He decided late in boot camp it was he got it done and asked about it in a letter home. Coincidentally his first Sunday home was Easter.

Baptism on Easter. Apropos of the day indeed.

Romans Chapter 6

v3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

What a difference a year makes.

2010-04-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

Last April...

This April.

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."
- General James N. Mattis, USMC

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-04-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

California is one of 10 remaining states (if recent Iowa bill gets signed) that is "may issue" for carrying a concealed weapon. The rest of the states are "shall issue" or have no licensing requirement at all (e.g. Vermont and Alaska). Permits in CA are rare as hens teeth. Some few rural county sheriffs are more generous in issuing but it's the rare sheriff that understands the scientific fact that more Guns equals less crime.

That means Unloaded Open Carry is effectively the only option for most Californians that want to be able to exercise their fundamental right to self defense when outside their home.

There has been a growing number of freemen in CA that have been exercising the law allowing unloaded open carry (UOC). Now the statist's led by State Rep Saldana have started to push back on that and want to take away that freedom as well.

SAN DIEGO - There's an open-carry gun debate brewing. A local assembly woman wants an outright ban of guns in public. Right now you can carrying an unloaded gun, but there's a push to change that.
...more

Our founders thought that being "out and about" while carrying a weapon was perfectly normal.

A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.
--- Thomas Jefferson to Peter Carr, 1785. The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, (Memorial Edition) Lipscomb and Bergh, editors.

UOC advocates are working to restore that norm. Freeman are free to bear arms. Lacking that freedom they are no longer free.

[The Constitution preserves] the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation...(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.
---James Madison,The Federalist Papers, No. 46.

Ms. Saldana,
What part of "shall not be infringed" don't you understand?

Clearly you are afraid to trust the people with arms.
Ergo, you are no friend of liberty. Your legacy will be on the side of tyranny.

Family Day

2010-04-02T06:34:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was spent at MCRD Family Day. Today is the even bigger day -- Graduation!

After a morning of waiting, presentations by the MCRD staff and the excitement of seeing the new Marines on their Moto run the big moment arrived as we all waited at the Parade Deck for our Marines to be turned loose for liberty.

Platoon 1007 arrived, last of the following element.

A couple short speeches, several musical numbers by the Marine Band, and the Chaplain's prayer...

The moment we've all been waiting for, "Dismissed!" Ooooo-RAH!!!

Hug's all around. It was a blur of cammies and mommies!

After the initial hugs and hellos it seemed a bit surreal.

Group shot!

Now, to get serious about 13 week wish fulfillment. Carne Asada gone in 60 seconds flat. Eaten? More like inhaled!

The afternoon was spent in on base liberty, enjoying recruit sea stories, meeting some mates, touring the museum and generally milling about smartly.

Inflexible FSA's

2010-03-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

Just off the phone with the service that administers my employers Healthcare Flexible Spending (FSA) account.

I put a lot of extra money (the max allowed) into that account in 2009. A painful amount of withholding in fact. I knew that we'd have a lot of medical expenses in 2009 that our PPO wouldn't be willing to cover.

Never mind the PPO "approved" docs and medicines were at best, bandaids over the cause and, at worst no help at all.

Never mind that the non PPO covered MD and his treatments worked to identify and treat some gut problems for my wife that would almost certainly led to very serious, even life threatening conditions. Just. Nevermind.

Anyhow, about those prescribed but unreimbursed expenses I submitted to my FSA. Do you think they make it easy? It's not like it's MY money or anything!

I still had ~$1350 worth of unspent FSA dollars from last year. It's a "use it or loose it" setup. No carrying over into the next year. I had submitted well in excess of that reserve but there "problems" with each submission.

Not that they'll actually tell you what the problem is. You have to get on the phone, sit on hold and wait for a customer rep to get around to your line. Then they try to figure it out. Actually the reps have always been very helpful -- once you get to them.

Yeah, I loooove to do that sitting on hold thing. Pleeeeeenty of time for sitting on hold.

Well I made a last ditch effort today. Turns out one claim for almost exactly my remaining balance had the signature truncated in the fax on the receiving end. However, I got that info and had resubmitted the coversheet last December!

So what's the hold up?

The rep today found that it was all good and complete and had been sitting there waiting to be released for over 3 months.

"Gee whiz Sir, why wasn't this $1350 paid out to you in December? I'll get that right out to you."

It wouldn't be because they get to lay claim to unused FSA funds would it? I dunno. I don't know how that works. Maybe I should ask Congress what they'd do if it was Social Security money.

rassin', frassin', crassin'...

Oh by the way, food IS medicine.

Welcome Home MWSS 372

2010-03-30T21:53:00.001-07:00

Went up to Pendleton today for homecoming from the 'stan. This is my son's close friend. We've had a close family-family friendship since BC (before kids) and us Dads were in the Nav.

A few pix of the waiting and greeting.

Milling about smartly, waiting for the Company to march over from receiving.

There they are! The crowd goes wild.

"Can you see him? Can you see him? They all look alike!"

Company Halt!

The Chaplain's prayer. "Hurry up Padre!"

Finally!!! "Come on Mom. Quit yer crying."

Winner of the "Best Homecoming Shoes Award." These shoes aren't made for walking but that's just what they'll do --- Later. /heh

Streams in the Desert

2010-03-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

A fleeing Taliban, desperate for water, was plodding through the Afghanistan desert when he saw something far off in the distance. Hoping to find water, he hurried toward the object only to find a little old Jewish man at a small stand selling ties. The Taliban asked, "Do you have water?"

The Jewish man replied, "I have no water. Would you like to buy a tie? They are only $10."

The Taliban shouted, "Idiot! I do not need an over-priced tie. I need water! I should kill you, but I must find water first!"

"OK", said the old Jewish man, "it does not matter that you do not want to buy a tie and that you hate me. I will show you that I am bigger than that. If you continue over that sand dune to the east for about two miles, you will find a lovelyrestaurant. It has all the ice cold water you need. Shalom."

Muttering, the Taliban staggered away over the dune.

Several hours later the Taliban staggered back, almost dead and croaked through dry lips,

"Your brother won't let me in the restaurant without a tie!"

2nd Amendment Saturday (belated)

2010-03-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

In case you missed the reports, the media is hysterical about a militia group being rounded up over the weekend in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.

Lex's blog post on the subject is worth perusing.

I suspect it's going to be tricky sifting fact, from fiction, from tin foil hattery.

In any case, this 2nd Amendment post is a couple days late but perhaps apropos of the weekend's news.

"The militia, sir, is our ultimate safety. We can have no security without it... The great object is, that every man be armed....Everyone who is able may have a gun."
Patrick Henry

Methinks, the problem isn't too many of these militias popping up and creating a stir.

The problem is not enough people involved in the militia.

More involvement in militias would necessarily involve more folks from a broader cross section of society. That would dilute the influence of cultlike thinkers and personalities in militias. The result would be a moderating and mainstreaming of the militia.

The Godfather wants to know

2010-03-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

A Mafia Godfather finds out that his bookkeeper, Enzo, has cheated him out of 10 million bucks. His bookkeeper is deaf. That was the reason he got the job in the first place. It was assumed that Enzo would hear nothing that he might have to testify about in court.

When the Godfather goes to confront Enzo about his missing $10 million, he takes along his shyster lawyer who knows sign language. The Godfather tells the lawyer, "Ask him where the 10 million bucks is that he embezzled from me."

The lawyer, using sign language, asks Enzo where the money is.

Enzo signs back, "I don't know what you are talking about."

The lawyer tells the Godfather, "He says he doesn't know what you are talking about."

The Godfather pulls out a pistol, puts it to Enzo's temple and says, "Ask him again!"

The lawyer signs to Enzo, "He'll kill you if you don't tell him."

Enzo signs back, "OK. You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed in my cousin Bruno's backyard in Woodbridge!"

The Godfather asks the lawyer, "What did he say?" The lawyer replies,

"He says you don't have the guts to pull the trigger."

The more things change...

2010-03-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

...the more they stay the same.

Got sent a Flickr link by an old friend today. A bunch (100's?) of pix had just posted of the summer camp I went to as a kid. The camp's 50th anniversary is this year and they're setting up a reunion website.

So I picked an album and dug in. 2nd pic in the pile I came to? This one.

Yep. That would be me front and center taking aim. Figure the odds.

Gun nut then.
41 years later -- still a gun nut.
Still can't get enough time on the firing line and yes those other guys were pikers.

Didn't change my clothes all week. Showers? Fie on them!

What showers? We had swim time! Living the dream! Not sure, but Mom might have threatened to burn some when I got home.

I was going into 4th grade. That was the week of the first moon walk. They borrowed a TV and set it up in the chapel so we could watch Neil Armstrong step off the first time.

Looking at some of the pix it strikes me that maybe boys summper camps had a few harder edges they do now.

Just getting out on that greased log to situp and face your challenger was no mean feat. Freshly peeled and slathered with Crisco or lard.

Ooo-rah!

2010-03-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

As I write this, a fresh batch of Devil Dogs should be enjoying the traditional all_you_can_eat Warrior's Breakfast up at Camp Pendleton.

Lord willing, the Son&Heir and his platoon successfully wrapped up their trip through the Crucible this morning.

Recruits stepped off 54 hours ago. Freshly minted Marines came back down the hill this morning.

As for the etymology of Ooh-rah, here's a bit of history and perspective from America's 1st Sgt at Castra Praetoria. AARUGHA!!!

If all went well last night I can now say officially that my wife may look harmless, but, she raised a Marine.

Do Over?

2010-03-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those days at work you wish you could get a "do over?"

My older bro' has been in Bolivia since 1970 or so.

This report from my Sis-n-law came in yesterday.

"The bridge engineers cut the old cable today and unfortunately the clamps which were holding the piece of cable over top of the new tower could not hold the weight. At the moment they cut the old cable it bucked and the undulation created made it slip until it went down and left it floating on the river. The new towers are undamaged but please pray that they can hoist the deck back up where it belongs and secure it before the river rises."

Here's the video of the bridge going down...

About 35 people live full time over at the Bible School. The grounds are about 100 acres which includes a farm that's part of the ministry. It also serves as camp/conference ground.

This pic is of the bridge looking over toward the camp/Bible School in better days. Just enough to get a Jeep across (by a couple inches per side /heh).

There's been a couple times a driver got distracted or sloppy and wheel slipped off. Get's exciting.

You should have seen the old foot bridge that was there before this one when I visited in the 70's. BIG gaps in the decking. Man sized gaps. Gordo man sized gaps.

Into the Crucible

2010-03-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

And they're off! Into the Crucible

The Son&Heir's Platoon stepped off at zero-dark-thirty today to begin the Crucible; the final test of Marine Basic Training.

You have tested us, O God;
you have purified us like silver.
Ps 66:10

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
Proverbs 17:3

Godspeed 1st Bn, Alpha Co

Recruits in. Marines out.

Good Eats

2010-03-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

A group of 40-year old buddies discuss and discuss where they should

meet for dinner...

Finally it is agreed upon that they should meet at the Gausthof zum

Lowen restaurant because the waitresses have low cut blouses and nice breasts.

Ten years later, at 50 years of age, the group meets again and once

again they discuss and discuss where they should meet. Finally it is agreed

upon that they should go to the Gausthof zum Lowen because the food there is

very good and the wine selection is good also.

Ten years later at age 60, the group meets again and once again they

discuss and discuss where they should meet... and, finally it is agreed upon

that they should meet at the Gausthof zum Lowen because they can eat in peace

and quiet and the restaurant is smoke free.

A decade after, at 70 years of age, the group meets and once again

discuss and discuss where they should have dinner. Finally it is agreed upon

that they should meet at the Gausthof zum Lowen because the restaurant is

wheel chair accessible and they even have an elevator.

Another ten years go by and at 80 years of age, the group meets again

and, after long discussions they decide to meet for dinner at the Gausthof

zum Lowen because that would be a great idea since they have never been

there before.

219

2010-03-22T07:13:00.001-07:00

That's the number of votes the Healthcare Bill got in the House last night. So much for Stupak's principled Pro-life stance. A couple others joined him. I haven't bothered to look to see who. There'll be plenty of firey commentary in the air today from others.

On the bright side I guess this means we're one step closer to finding out what is actually in this bill. Like Madam Speaker said, if you want to know what's in it, pass it.

The ultimate statement of "Trust me. I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you." /heh

Going to look around for my reading glasses...

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-03-20T09:38:00.001-07:00

It'll be June before we see what the SCOTUS has to say about Mr. MacDonald's gun. In the meantime this quote comes to mind as the days pass...

Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense?
Patrick Henry

Related somehow in my jumbled mind to the core issue of liberty, is the coming Sunday House vote on a 1000+ page bill. We wait and watch with a bare 72 hours to digest and comment on legislation that will give the .gov direct control of 1/6 of our economy.

What's that going to do for the cause of liberty?
Consider another quote from ol' Pat that is apropos of the day:

The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.
Patrick Henry

As for the nature of the Healthcare Bill; the increasing public sense of entitlement for cradle to grave care and feeding at the tit of the Nanny State...

A couple more also apropos of the day:

When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, sir, was the primary object.
Patrick Henry

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.
Patrick Henry

Freshly minted Devil Dogs

2010-03-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

Was away for the week celebrating wedding anniversary #26. Stepped out to breakfast Weds morning without our cell phones and missed a call (first we've had) from the Son&Heir by just a couple minutes. Bummer.

He's in week 10 of Marine basic training at MCRD San Diego. The good news is we have his voicemail to replay. Great to hear him sounding upbeat, confident and strong. Well, at least what we could make out over the background hollering of the Drill Instructors. /heh

This video of their platoon (Alpha Co. 1007) was shot this week and posted today to the Devil Dogs site.

The Son&Heir is in the middle of the 1st row down from the top. He's 7th from screen right, first man to the viewers left of the only African American Recruit in that row.

Mud at HUD

2010-03-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

O'Keefe doing still more of the journalism that the MSM won't do. This time he is exposing HUD and their willingness to allow scams on the special Obama mortgage tax credit.

Hey, it's all stimulus ain't it. What's the harm in it? /heh (sarcasm off)

Full story at Wired Magazine.
What's equally damning of the establishment Left is the reaction by the Detroit Free Press when O'Keefe approached them with the story.

No hookers, no above the fold coverage?

Dunno how big a splash this story will make -- if at all. Sex sells, Mr. O'Keefe. Reckon you gotta find a way to get Miss Giles back on camera.

oops. there's that sarcasm thing again...

Maybe the Media coverup will be enough for it to get some traction and catch the public's imagination. Brietbart thinks that will be the key.

Brietbart understands the "Pop News" cycle and is using it to break stories under, around and inspite of the MSM. He understands the need for entertainment and titillation to engage minds of the mushy middles and the masses of the distracted.

It takes a really good hook (hooker?) to get folks to look away from the latest Brad and Angelina news in the checkout line and to consider some news of real import.

Breitbart starts to cackle. Of course he wants to see the tape. Sleazy HUD administrators are important, sure. But media covering up sleaze? That’s entertainment. “Dude, that’s the most important part!” he says. “I have seepage coming out of five parts of my body right now.”

Catch the public's imagination? If the story about corruption at HUD isn't a break out story, maybe body orifice seepage is. I guess "It Depends."

Pallus Protector of Troy and Tea Parties

2010-03-13T11:36:00.001-08:00

From the wiki,

In Greek and Roman mythology, a palladium or palladion was an image of great antiquity on which the safety of a city was said to depend. "Palladium" especially signified the wooden statue (xoanon) of Pallas Athena that Odysseus and Diomedes stole from the citadel of Troy and which was later taken to the future site of Rome by Aeneas.

That leads us to this great figure in American history and understanding the rights and responsibilities of free men to be armed and trained in the use of arms.

Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story was one of the most influential early commentators on the U.S. Constitution. If you've enjoyed recent historical movies, you might remember him from the Amistad case. The quote below about the 2nd Amendment is from his "Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, vol. 3 at pp. 746-747 (1833). (emphasis added)

"§ 1890. The importance of this article will scarcely be doubted by any persons, who have duly reflected upon the subject. The militia is the natural defence of a free country against sudden foreign invasions, domestic insurrections, and domestic usurpations of power by rulers. It is against sound policy for a free people to keep up large military establishments and standing armies in time ofanding armies in time of peace, both from the enormous expenses, with which they are attended, and the facilee means, which they afford to ambitious and unprincipled rulers, to subvert the government, or trample upon the rights of the people. The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them. And yet, thought this truth would seem so clear, and the importance of a well regulated militia would seem so undeniable, it cannot be disguised, that among the American people there is a growing indifference to any system of militia discipline, and a strong disposition, from a sense of its burthens, to be rid of all regulations. How is it practicable to keep the people duly armed without some organization, it is difficult to see. There is certainly no small danger, that indifference may lead to disgust, and disgust to contempt; and thus gradually undermine all the protection intended by this clause of our national bill of rights.

Ya get that?

"...and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them."

Wow.

Freemen or serfs? Sheep or Sheepdog.

We all gotta choose.

Speaking of sheep and sheepdogs, here's great pic to illustrate. h/t lex

RKBA case study

2010-03-10T14:47:00.001-08:00

Nuff said?

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-03-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

Another Saturday and ol' Tom has still to say on the subject,

"What country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms, the remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon & pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is nature's manure."

According to McCullough's history of our 2nd President this quote by our 3rd President did go over too well with his old friends to the north, John and Abigail...

How to Simulate Being in the Navy

2010-02-27T13:09:00.000-08:00

More e-mails I get. Thanks Wally.

File this under the heading of "flashback funnies"

1. Buy a dumpster, paint it gray inside and out, and live in it for six months.

2. Run all the pipes and wires in your house exposed on the walls.

3. Repaint your entire house every month.

4. Renovate your bathroom. Build a wall across the middle of the bathtub and move the shower head to chest level. When you take showers, make sure you turn off the water while you soap down.

5. Put lube oil in your humidifier and set it on high.

6. Once a week, blow air up your chimney, with a leaf blower and let the wind carry the soot onto your neighbor's house. Ignore his complaints.

7. Once a month, take all major appliances apart and reassemble them.

8. Raise the thresholds and lower the headers of your front and back doors so that you either trip or bang your head every time you pass through them.

9. Disassemble and inspect your lawnmower every week.

10. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, turn your water heater temperature up to 200 degrees. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, turn the water heater off. On Saturdays and Sundays tell your family they use too much water, so no bathing will be allowed.

11. Raise your bed to within 6 inches of the ceiling, so you can't turn over without getting out and then getting back in.

12. Sleep on the shelf in your closet. Replace the closet door with a curtain. Have your spouse whip open the curtain about 3 hours after you go to sleep, shine a flashlight in your eyes, and say "Sorry, wrong rack."

13. Make your family qualify to operate each appliance in your house - dishwasher operator, blender technician, etc. Re-qualify every 6 months.

14. Have your neighbor come over each day at 0500 , blow a whistle so loud Helen Keller could hear it, and shout "Reveille, reveille, all hands heave out and trice up."

15. Have your mother-in-law write down everything she's going to do the following day, then have her make you stand in your back yard at 0600 while she reads it to you.

16. Submit a request chit to your father-in-law requesting permission to leave your house before 1500.

17. Empty all the garbage cans in your house and sweep the driveway three times a day, whether it needs it or not. "Sweepers, sweepers, man your brooms, give the ship a clean sweep down fore and aft, sweep down all lower decks, ladder backs and passageways, the fantail is open for the dumping of trash and garbage, sponson 6, port side"

18. Have your neighbor collect all your mail for a month, read your magazines, and randomly lose every 5th item before giving them to you.

19. Watch no TV except for movies played in the middle of the night. Have your family vote on which movie to watch, then show a different one-- the same one, every night.

20. When your children are in bed, run into their room with a megaphone shouting "Now general quarters, general quarters! All hands man your battle stations!

21. Make your family's menu a week ahead of time without checking the pantry or refrigerator.

22. Post a menu on the kitchen door informing your family that they are having steak for dinner. Then make them wait in line for an hour. When they finally get to the kitchen, tell them you are out of steak, but they can have dried ham or hot dogs.Repeat daily until they ignore the menu and just ask for hot dogs.

23. Bake a cake. Prop up one side of the pan so the cake bakes unevenly. Spread icing real thick to level it off.

24. Get up every night around midnight and have a full meal or peanut butter and jelly sandwich on stale bread. (Midrats)

25. Set your alarm clock to go off at random during the night. At the alarm, jump up and dress as fast as you can, making sure to button your top shirt button and tuck your pants into your socks. Run out into the backyard and uncoil the garden hose and put out a simulated fire..

26. Every week or so, throw your cat or dog into the pool and shout "Man overboard, port side!" Rate your family members on how fast they respond.

27. Put the headphones from your stereo on your head, but don't plug them in. Hang a paper cup around your neck on a string. Stand in front of the stove, and speak into the paper cup, "Stove manned and ready." After an hour or so, speak into the cup again "Stove secured." Roll up the headphones and paper cup and stow them in a shoe box.

28. Make your family turn out all the lights and go to bed at 10 p.m. "Now taps, taps! Lights out! Maintain silence throughout the ship!" Then immediately have an 18-wheeler crash into your house. (For aircraft carrier sailors.)

29. Build a fire in a trash can in your garage. Loudly announce to your family, "This is a drill, this is a drill! Fire in hangar bay one!"

30. Place a podium at the end of your driveway. Have your family man the podium for 4-hour intervals.
Best done when the weather is worst. January is a good time.

31. Next time there's a bad thunderstorm in your area, find the biggest horse you can, put a two-inch mattress on his back, strap yourself to it and turn him loose in a barn for six hours. Then get up and go to work.

32. For former engineers: bring your lawn mower into the living room, and run it at full throttle all day long.

33. Make coffee using eighteen scoops of budget priced coffee grounds per pot, and let the pot simmer for 5 hours before drinking.

34. Have someone under the age of ten give you a haircut with sheep shears.

35. Sew the back pockets of your jeans onto the front.

36. Add 1/3 cup of diesel fuel to the laundry.

37. Take hourly readings on your electric and water meters.

38. Every couple of weeks, dress up in your best clothes and go to the scummiest part of town. Find the most run down, trashiest bar, and drink beer until you are hammered. Then walk all the way home.

39. Lock yourself and your family in the house for six weeks. Tell them that at the end of the 6th week you'll take them to Disney World for liberty. At the end of the 6th week, inform them the trip to Disney World has been canceled because they need to get ready for an inspection, and it will be another week before they can leave the house.

Oldie but goodie

2010-02-27T08:01:00.000-08:00

Sciatic has been nagging me the last couple weeks.

"A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables when a voice in the dark said, "Jesus knows you’re here."

He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze. When he heard nothing more, after a bit, he shook his head and continued. Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard, "Jesus is watching you."

Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice. Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot.

"Did you say that?" he hissed at the parrot.

"Yep", the parrot confessed, and then squawked, "I'm just trying to warn you that he is watching you."

The burglar relaxed. "Warn me, huh? Who in the world are you?"

"Moses," replied the bird.

"Moses?" the burglar laughed. "What kind of people would name a bird Moses?"

"The kind of people that would name a Rottweiler Jesus."

Laughter is still the best medicine.

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-02-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Some more musings from Ol' Tom hisself,

"No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."

Not a lot of words there.

Short. Sweet. Got a sharp point on it.

e-mails I get

2010-02-19T16:29:00.001-08:00

The next time you feel like GOD can't use YOU, remember,

Noah was a drunk

Abraham was too old

Isaac was a daydreamer

Jacob was a liar

Leah was ugly

Joseph was abused

Moses had a stuttering problem

Gideon was afraid

Samson had long hair and was a womanizer

Rahab was a prostitute

Jeremiah and Timothy were too young

David had an affair and was a murderer

Elijah was suicidal

Isaiah preached naked

Jonah ran from God

Naomi was a widow

Job went bankrupt

John the Baptist ate bugs

Peter denied Christ

The Disciples fell asleep while praying

Martha worried about everything

The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once

Zaccheus was too small

Paul was too religious

Timothy had an ulcer...

And Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now!! God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

God bless. Pass this on to someone else, if you'd like.

There is NO LUCK attached.

If you delete this, it's okay:

God's Love Is Not Dependent On E-Mail.

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-02-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

Today, a word from ol' Tom hisself...

"A strong body makes a strong mind. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks."
- Thomas Jefferson -

Walking her home

2010-02-15T11:47:00.001-08:00

A bit of belated Valentine's Day stuff from church yesterday.

The Divine Miss M sang this song (by Mark Schultz).

"Walking Her Home"

Looking back
He sees it all
It was her first date the night he came to call

Her dad said son
Have her home on time
And promise me you'll never leave her side
He took her to a show in town
And he was ten feet off the ground

(Chorus)
He was walking her home
And holding her hand
Oh the way she smiled it stole the breath right out of him
Down that old road
With the stars up above
He remembers where he was the night he fell in love
He was walking her home

Ten more years and a waiting room
At half past one
And the doctor said come in and meet your son

His knees went weak
When he saw his wife
She was smiling as she said he's got your eyes

And as she slept he held her tight
His mind went back to that first night

(Chorus)

He walked her through the best days of her life
Sixty years together and he never left her side

A nursing home
At eighty-five
And the doctor said it could be her last night
And the nurse said Oh
Should we tell him now
Or should he wait until the morning to find out

When they checked her room that night
He was laying by her side

Oh he was walking her home
And holding her hand
Oh the way she smiled when he said this is not the end
And just for a while they were eighteen
And she was still more beautiful to him than anything
He was walking her home
He was walking her home

Looking back
He sees it all
It was her first date the night he came to call

Goofed up settings and over exposed it. The embedded microphone clips a lot too -- really flattens out her tone. Still futzing with this camera's settings...

It went well following a video clip on love/family relationships. Perhaps it was a bit out of step with my sermon that followed on "Making Disciples" but since Sunday was Feb 14...

Hopefully succeeded with a segue into the sermon by way of I Cor 11.

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-02-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

"The possession of arms is the distinction between a freeman and a slave. He, who has nothing, and who himself belongs to another, must be defended by him, whose property he is, and needs no arms. But he, who thinks he is his own master, and has what he can call his own, ought to have arms to defend himself, and what he possesses; else he lives precariously, and at discretion."

- James Burgh

Who, you may ask, was James Burgh?

From the Wiki

James Burgh (1714–1775) was a British Whig politician whose book Political Disquisitions set out an early case for free speech and universal suffrage: In it, he writes, "All lawful authority, legislative, and executive, originates from the people." He has ben judged "one of England's foremost propagandists for radical reform"[1].

Burgh also ran a dissenting academy and wrote on subjects such as educational reform. One of his first books was Thoughts on Education (1747).

Yeah, another Scotsman. Always stirring up some trouble, those Scots...

Got Spellcheck?

2010-02-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

In Europe there was an old monastary which stored documents dating from the earliest times of Christianity. It was the job of the monks in this monastery to copy all of the documents to preserve them.

One day one of the newer monks realized something; the documents they were copying were in fact copies themselves. The young monk took his find to the Abbot. He pointed out that this meant that any mistakes that had been made copying the documents over the course of thousands of years would be preserved. He recommended that the original documents should be examined to see if any mistakes have been made.

The Abbot replied that this was a good idea and that he would go and check the originals that very day.

Later in the day the young monk went into the Abbots chamber and found him weeping over one of the ancient manuscripts. When the young monk asked what was wrong, the Abbot pointed at a single line of text on the paper in front of him.
"It says 'Celebrate'."

Speaking of poodleshooters...

2010-02-11T00:20:00.000-08:00

...has me reminiscing about the AR varmint rig build the Son&Heir and I did last spring as a High School grad gift.

Lower completed. Kaiser Defense lower with Rock River 2 stage National Match trigger

Build completed. DPMS flattop upper with a 20" full floated varmint barrel, 1:9 twist.
The flip up sights were for his familiarization with iron sight install and zeroing. They came off after he learned the drill.

A Leopold VXIII 3.5x10 sits on it now. A 4x12 would prolly be a wee bit betta suited for this rigs intended use (P'dogs and 'yotes).

Grass week

2010-02-10T09:11:00.000-08:00

Well the Son&Heir has moved on to Phase 2 of Marine Basic Training. That puts them up at Pendleton for the next 3 weeks for fun in the sun and the field. The first week is "Grass Week." They'll learn to shoot positions and dry fire all week. There may be an opportunity for live fire Friday, depending...

Let's see if being the son of a gun nut is any advantage for him.
He should be fine with the 5.56 poodle shooter. Here he is last summer with his .270.

Word o' the day

2010-02-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

"Populist Constitutionalism"

This from Larrey Anderson – Sun Feb 7 at RealClearPolitics

So what makes the tea parties different? I have attended several local tea party gatherings (and addressed a couple of them). There is one document that is ubiquitous at these events: the Constitution for the United States of America.[iii] People hand out copies of the Constitution like hors d'oeuvres that are served at ... a de rigueur tea party...

"Populist Constitutionalism" - that's what the tea parties are all about. Love and respect for the Constitution is driving the movement. Sharing the document, and then discussing the meaning, purpose, and the ideas of the Constitution, that is the process that is taking place as a result of this love and respect.

read the whole thing...

If only Liberty Poles were so ubiquitous. /heh

Rules for (anti .gov) Radicals

2010-02-09T12:11:00.000-08:00

John Hawkins Townhall column today lists "Ten Rules for Anti-Government Republican Radicals in D.C."

Here's the short version;

1) Always try to decentralize power as much as possible.
The further power is removed from the people, the less it serves them. That's why anti-government radicals should always look for ways to push power downhill. From the federal government to state governments, from state governments to local governments, from local governments to the people -- the more power that can be shifted away from the government towards the people, the better.

2) Earmarks are corruption...

3) The louder they scream "emergency," the more suspicious you should be...

4) There's always something to attack in a government program.
Everything government does is inevitably slow, stupid, and inefficient. That means there's always a big, juicy target for anti-government fighters to hit. Maybe the program costs more than a private program. Maybe the government employees are paid too much to do too little. Maybe there are special interests that will benefit. There's always something that can be used as a club against a government program you're trying to reform or kill...

5) The grassroots are your friend...

6) Tie everything back to how it helps the people...

7) We will never control spending unless we change the system.
Our current system is geared to politically reward spending and punish fiscal responsibility...

8) You've got to believe in your heart that Americans want responsible government...

9) We don't need new laws; we need reform...

10) It's better to kill a bad bill than improve it...

Read the whole thing

Redneck Palm Pilot

2010-02-08T08:57:00.000-08:00

If you've seen the dust up over Palin's crib notes on her hand...

Gotta love her comeback.

Still a b-baller at heart. A bit of in your face, back at'cha good humored smack from the Sarahcuda.
link

Nevermind she's campaigning for Conservative Lite Rick Perry in the TX primary against the Tea Party conservative. grrrrr

Science Sunday

2010-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

This from The Globe and Mail...

“The global warming movement as we have known it is dead,” the brilliant analyst Walter Russell Mead says in his blog on The American Interest. It was done in by a combination of bad science and
bad politics.”

entire summary article and obit

The Son&Heir started Phase 2 of Marine Basic Training this weekend. That means his Platoon got in buses and headed up to Pendleton for goodtimes on the rifle range and in the field.

As I look out the window at the San Diego (unseasonably cool) weather and El Nino-like rains I hope they're able to enjoy this little bit of global warming.

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-02-05T12:30:00.000-08:00

a little early this week...

"Thus, the peaceable part of mankind will be continually overrun by the vile and abandoned while they neglect the means of self-defense. The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on the other hand, arms like laws discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world, as well as property. The balance of power is the scale of peace. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside... Horrid mischief would ensue were one half the world deprived of the use of them;... the weak will become a prey to the strong. The history of every age and nation establishes these truths, and facts need but little arguments when they prove themselves."

- Thomas Paine (1737-1809)

My head hurts

2010-02-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

What with a bit of a sinus thing happening this past week, a door half hung, brake job in the driveway on yet another vehicle and...

the stuff on the national scene that seemed to start a crescendo with the State of the Union and peaked with the announcement of a $1.6Trillion deficit, sustained campaign speechifying and whining by the TheWunWhoWon, and now the House voting to raise the debt ceiling another 1.9(?) Trillion...

My head hurts.

This blog thing is mostly a release for me. The past week or two? Not so much.

As a good friend and old supervisor used to say, "I picked a heck of a day to stop drinking."

/heh

Looking forward to being back for another "2nd Amendment Saturday" post. Maybe I can get that going as a regular thing. I've been enjoying reading bits and pieces of a collection of historic 2nd Amendment related writings published by the NRA as a 2nd Amendment Primer. Some good sound bites in there (or blog bits if you please).

E-mails I get...

2010-01-29T07:37:00.001-08:00

You might be in the aerospace industry if...

1. You sat at the same desk for 4 years and worked for 8 different managers. Or have moved 10 times in two years and have never known who your boss was.
2. Your resume is on a jumpdrive in your pocket.
3. Someone asks you what you do for a living and you lie.
4. You get really excited about a 2% pay increase.
5. Your biggest loss from a system crash, is that you lose your best jokes.
6. You sit in a cubicle smaller than your bedroom closet.
7. Its dark on your drive to and from work.
8. Fun is when "projects" are assigned to someone else.
9. Communication is something your "group" is having problems with.
10. You see a good-looking person and know it's a visitor.
11. Free food left over from a meeting is your main staple.
12. All art involves a white board.
13. All real work is done prior to 8:00am and after 4:30pm.
14. You're already late on the assignment you just received.
15. Dilbert is your favorite cartoon.
16. Your boss's favorite lines are ...
"When you get a few minutes ..."
"I have an opportunity for you ..."
"Cross-charging is forbidden."
"...the directional truth in a white water world ..."
"We have a new culture that will enable us to ..."
"We have a new engineering vice-president."
"This reorganization will allow us to streamline our way of doing
business, becoming more competitive."
17. 99% of the people in your company do not know what you do.
18. 99% of the people in your company do not care what you do.
19. Vacation is something you rollover to next year, every January.
20. Change is the norm.
21. Nepotism is strongly encouraged.
22. Your company announces no pay increase because it is investing money in a new EZ Go electric cart for management.
23. Your company announces no pay increase because the airline industry is in a downturn. And your boss gets voted "man of the year in aerospace"
24. Your fear to fly is becoming even worse.
25. Everyone at the company says that without his work there would be no aircraft.
26. An ordinary secretary has more power than an engineer.
27. You read this entire list and understand it.
28. Not allowing firearms on company property is seen strictly as a suicide prevention measure.
29. The only people you forward this to are in aerospace too because no one else would understand!

Say it ain't so Sarah!

2010-01-25T17:46:00.001-08:00

This from an old friend, deep thinker and regular e-mail pen pal regarding Sarah Palin's campaigning for McCain in face of J.D. Hayworth's primary challenge.

"...supporting McCain imo is worse than supporting the Louisiana Purchase Senator or the Nebraska deal Senator's re-elections.

My unconsidered response and first thoughts:

Yeah. McCain, the enemy within...

However, we don't know when this agreement was made with Palin.

She may be honoring a 2008 campaign commitment when a McCain Senate re-election looked like a fait accompli.

I'm willing to allow for some quid pro quo considering Palin would be a non-player w/out McCain having "invested" in her in 2008.

Consider the alternative. What if she came out hard core for Hayworth immediately on McCain's turf? How would that play for her longterm? Esp, if word got out about her welching on a standing agreement?

I'm a' gonna watch and see if (hope) she damns him by faint praise and minimal level of commitment/onsite participation.

The first to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and examines him. Prov 18:17

There's got to be a morning after

2010-01-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

one week later, still dealing with the shock...

AAR

2010-01-23T17:04:00.000-08:00

After Action Report for the major wind storm with the rain here this week. A fair bit of water collected in tarps protecting dug (but not yet poured) retaining wall footings down on the lot below. I jury rigged the pool cover pump to drain those unintentional sumps and moved it down the line a few times to clear the puddles. A couple more to go...

Just about the blew door to our utilty room and my reloading room off it's hinges. It's toast. Split the door up the long way on the hinge side and pulled the bottom hinge loose. No can close or secure it. Beyond repairing or jury rigging. Unsat.

This being Saturday and a getting nice break in the weather, I went out to tackle the damaged/jury rigged door today.

Took a closer look thinking it would be a straight forward job. Well, to quote the famous philosopher Pooh, "Bother."

Nothing's standard about this house. Everything is custom circa '62, even the door heights (i knew that) and the door casings (I didn't fully appreciate the import of that till today).

The deep eaves on this house are great in our hot weather but they reduce the outside door heights. In this case to 6' 6". Simple enough to get an exterior door and cut in down you say? Hah. 95% of the exteriors doors in stock at my other toy store (HD) are steel or fiberglass. So much for cutting a section off the bottom cleanly. That really narrows the field of available doors in stock.

Further complicating matters is this exterior door being 1 3/8" thick instead of now standard exterior thickness of 1 3/4".

No problem you say? Just pop off the trim stop boards and fit new stops to a thicker door!

Nazzo fast Guido. That trim stop? It's a milled part of the solid casing. The door casings are solid 2" + thick fir mud boards inset into the exterior stucco. So much for popping stops. Oy...

Thinking, thinking, thinking... Wandering aimlessly in Home Depot aisles. Home for another bit of measuring to test feasibility of a couple ideas. Bah. Start over. Back to HD. Scrap another plan...

Voila! Think I've got a plan.

I bought a solid core 1 3/8" slab door (boring but it'll work and I can always cut a window in later if the Spousal unit wishes). The guts of these slab doors only allow a cut of 1" per side without messing up the structural integtrity. to quote a favorite Jr High girl around the house, "Whatev-ah."

The plan is to cut the necessary 2" off at the bottom, prime that cut and cap with aluminum "U" to hold it together at the bottom edge of the veneers. Then the door width will need reduced to make this plan work. I need rip a total of 1 3/16" off. That means cutting twice down the long sides to get the total width reduction (to respect the 1" structural constraint/keepout).

Why for all this cutting say ye? I'm planning to mount it in the existing minor dimension (31") of the existing 32" door opening's solid trim stop. The casing is milled from a solid chunk of tight grain Doug Fir like you can't buy anymore (remember circa '62?).

I'll mount the door on the existing trim stop and reverse the door swing so it opens inward. Opening inward is a wee bit tight in that utility space but it'll be more secure and won't get slammed out against hinges by wind (which what got me in this mess).

I'll fit a new trim stop in the old door's opening. I think I can mill a casing from 2x stock that will nest inside the stucco'd opening. I'll rabbet it to overlap the old casing and butt it up on the new door to act as the stop. That bit of homebrew millwork should be good and stout so I can also screw (lag) it to the door framing and old old casing to add some more structural integrity.

As a follow on idea which I haven't measured for yet, I hope to size that new external bit of casing to afford a place for mounting a steel security screen door to the outside. That would be a very good thing since my reloading equip and most auto tools are in this space.

Pix to follow as the project unfolds.

2nd Amendment Saturday

2010-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

"...to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them..."
anti-Federalist Richard Henry Lee (writing under the pseudonym "The Federal Farmer")

Pork in the Treetops

2010-01-20T14:10:00.000-08:00

Brown wins in MA.

Henry II: The day those stout hearts band together is the day that pigs get wings.

Eleanor: There'll be pork in the treetops come morning.

-The Lion in Winter

Malkin on the Meltdown

On this day...

2010-01-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

From today's Human Events:

Military Milestones from Golden Hill to Desert Storm
by W. Thomas Smith Jr.

01/19/2010

Jan. 19-20, 1770: The little-known but historically significant Battle of Golden Hill erupts in New York City between a group of angry Manhattan patriots and a contingent of British soldiers.

The clash begins when members of the patriot organization “Sons of Liberty” snatch a few of the King’s men, who are cutting down wooden “liberty poles” (symbols of resistance against British rule) which had been erected by the “Sons.” The redcoats also were reportedly posting bills condemning the Sons of Liberty as “the real enemies of society.” A struggle ensues. Redcoats from the nearby barracks respond, and a bayonet charge is ordered. Several are wounded on both sides, and one civilian is killed.

Less than seven weeks before the Boston Massacre, the Battle of Golden Hill is considered by some historians as the first armed clash of the American Revolution.

...more

WWMLKD?

2010-01-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

What would Martin Luther King do or teach today?

What would he have to say about the unremitting anger against "da' man" and perpetual calls to make right the injustices of the past?

Would he still say "Forgiveness is God's command"?

Would he be cast aside as not being an "authentic" black man for saying that today?

Would he be tarred with the same brush as Bill Cosby, Walter Williams and Clarence Thomas?

Seems like no amount of reparations, apologies, or affirmative action will ever suffice in the absence of forgiveness.

How to eat an elephant?

2010-01-18T06:27:00.000-08:00

A: One bite at a time.

How do you win in Afghanistan?

This Major argues one tribe at a time.

I first read Major John Gant's 45 page paper circulating last fall. Looks like it's got some attention high up the chain. It's a long read but worth it.

h/t Lex for bringing it back into view.

Letters from the Boot

2010-01-15T18:49:00.000-08:00

The Son&Heir is finishing his 2nd week of Marine Boot camp. He was about as well prepared for the adventure as is possible without being "prior service."

His first letter home arrived today. Brings back memories and emotions...

"I'm not sure what the date is, but I just got your letter and it's T2 (training day 2)...

Getting your letter today though has been the happy (sic) moment in my short time here. I did not think they would, but the drill instructors really do break you down to make you think like they want you to. The mental aspect has been very difficult. But definitely NOT impossible. I'm getting by just fine taking it one meal at a time...

One thing that sucks about our barracks is we can see the parade deck and see the Marines graduating every Friday and are reminded how far away from graduation we are."

Mentioned it to Uncle Tommy who's a WWII tin can sailor. He had this sea story to offer in return about his boot camp experience,

"yes, those DI's are tough like the ex marine that I had in Newport, RI. he found out about a smelly, dirty unwashed boot. Had us all out on the drill field. Called the guy out and ordered him to go get his sea bag and hammock. The man thought that he was to be transferred. Instead he was ordered to spread all his gear on the dirt field. Now this was in December and cold. We were all ordered "Attension " and forward march over his belongins. Back and forth a few times. He was ordered to go wash his gear and be ready for inspection when we all were finished with our drill. The guy kept his gear clean the rest of our time there.

Waking up in 2010...

2010-01-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

Been light blogging. Thoughts, emotions and responsibilities have kept me busy elsewhere. Got the duty on short notice last week (Weds) to take sermon on Sunday. Had to stay unplugged and get that done. Spoke on Ezra 7. Seemed like a good tie in for a New Years message.

Listening back to it critically I hear a couple spots where I misspoke. I could blame lack of adequate rehearsal time or the new format I was looking at/juggling on my laptop Powerpoint display as I spoke (yeah, place blame but never take responsibility. /heh yeah, that's it ;^) ).

When I first started blogging I thought it'd be a good place to work out thoughts and maybe vent a bit in journal format. It hasn't worked out that way. Instead it's become more like a collage of random life happenings, humor and political current events. All in all blogging has stayed on a more superficial level than I'd originally envisioned. Turns out, much of what percolates in my head is church/pastoring related and I realize is too sensitive to put out in public.

The past week has seen the Son&Heir off to Marine Corp Recruit Depot. That's been a bit of melancholoy for me and my trophy bride. He's off to get his man card. I hope and pray for his success. I envy him a bit. My time for a young man's adventure and risk taking is past. It's his turn now.

Got his address card yesterday and immediately shot him a quick note to let him know we received it. Hopefully give him a wee bit of encouragement.

Speaking of Marines, this video was linked to me today and it jarred me back to the blogosphere...

New Year resolution: Get regular exercise

2010-01-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

“A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks."

— Thomas Jefferson to Peter Carr, 1785

Goreball Warming

2010-01-06T11:11:00.001-08:00

courtesy of the founder of the Weather Channel,John Coleman, and KUSI TV in San Diego.

Back in the saddle

2010-01-04T08:52:00.000-08:00

Back to work today. First work day in January for me. Of course that means it's time for the ritual annual washing of the coffee cup.

Here's to a new year and fresh starts.

Non-Progress Pat

2010-01-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

How's this to start off the New Year?

“Congress by the power of taxation, by that of raising an army, and by the control over the militia, have the sword in one hand, and the purse in the other. Shall we be safe without either? Congress have an unlimited power over both: they are entirely given up by us. Let him candidly tell me, where and when did freedom exist, when the sword and purse were given up from the people? Unless a miracle in human affairs interposed, no nation ever retained its liberty after the loss of the sword and the purse.”

– Patrick Henry -

Them's fightin' words!

2009-12-24T09:03:00.000-08:00

I drove 1100 miles up and back to the Bay Area this week. This "Aryan" comment by Senator Whitehouse was running through in my brain in the background as I listened to Rush et al on the radio. The further I drove, the more fired up I got.

By Kerry Picket on Dec. 20, 2009
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) today took shots at those who are not supporting the health care legislation. During a floor speech, he excoriated Senate GOP members for holding up the pending health care bill and accused their supporters of being birthers and fanatics in right-wing militia and Aryan support groups. He started off by citing an editorial from the Manchester Journal Inquirer, which used the insult "lunatic fringe."

Had to turn off the radio for a bit cause I was starting to have a RCOB moment. Found myself repeating the admonition from the book of James, "The anger of man does not bring about the righteousness of God."

Sen Whitehouse's "Aryan" statement (and Senator Reid's comparison of healthcare opposition to supporters of continuing slavery) had me thinking about how boors, cads and ruffians no longer have to fear any payback for inflammatory speech.

In any other time or place we'd all recognize that "Them's fightin' words."

The more I thought about it, the more I thought that it is flat out wrong that a guy can say this type of stuff and have no fear of consequences.

The Senate should censure him (or worse) but won't.

What's that leave us with? A bit of Texas barroom justice? You know that Texas affirmative defense, "Your honor, I reckon he just needed a beatin'".

As satisfying as that is at first blush it hasn't worked so well in the Senate in the past (canings, etc).

The caning of Senator Sumner signalled the end of an era of compromise and sectional accommodation in the Senate, further heightening the discord that culminated in war after eleven southern states seceded from the Union during the winter of 1860-1861
link

It's frustrating that we on the Right are the adults in the room so we must do our best to ignore the loudmouth boors among us.

We on the Right are so "civil" that a Biblical Fool like Sen Whitehouse has no fear of getting jacked up in the cloak room or challenged by a colleague to meet at 10 paces down by the river at dawn.

At some point if boorish behavior like Sen Whitehouse and Reid is left unchecked, I fear we'll find ourselves back at the place we were on May 22, 1856; or even July 11, 1804

Where's Aaron Burr when you need him?

Irish Confessional

2009-12-20T17:39:00.000-08:00

An Irishman walked into the confessional box after years of being away from the Church.

There was a fully equipped bar with Guinness on tap. On the other wall was a
dazzling array of the finest cigars and chocolates.

Then the priest came in.

"Father, forgive me, for it's been a very long time since I've been to confession, but I must first admit that the confessional box is much more inviting than it used to be."

The priest replied: "Get out. You're on my side."

When Pigs Fly

2009-12-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

Better start cruising Gunbroker.com for a suitable bear rifle. Ya know with the coming ice age and all that -- could be polar bears in the neighborhood before you know it.

What's that ya say? Crazy talk?

Hey, anything's possible! People were saying the AGW movement would slow down when pigs have wings.

Well, there's pork in the treetops this morning!

This from a column by James Delingpole at the UK's Telegraph:

What the Russians are suggesting here, in other words, is that the entire global temperature record used by the IPCC to inform world government policy is a crock.

As Richard North says: This is serial.

Read the whole article LINK

Rhubard Monopoly?

2009-12-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

Beginning with the Greeks, dried rhubarb root has been used medicinally - primarily as a laxative - for about 4,500 years. Russia had an early state monopoly of the rhubarb trade it had with China, and by 1638 had a Department of Rhubarb.

...read the whole article at Anchorage Daily News. LINK

A Dept of Rhubarb? Were there Rhubarb Robber Barons?

Q: Can the public visit the Experiment Farm in Palmer to view the different varieties grown there?
A: The rhubarb collection is part of the Arctic and Sub-arctic Plant Genetic Resources Unit. They have more than 300 rhubarb plants encompassing 64 varieties growing there from all over the United States and Europe this year. It is maintained by the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. This is a research project to try to save our food plants for posterity. The public can't roam through the fields, so someone would have to escort visitors.

64 varieties? 64! Who knew...

I'm sure there's some tasty rhubarb puns in there. Or at least some bittersweet humor.

Morning light

2009-12-16T14:43:00.001-08:00

A coupla shots from the phone camera yesterday morning as I worked on the first cup of coffee. Love it when the clouds lay in the valley like that. The camera doesn't do it justice but still...

Can barely make it out in this image but it was cool how the County Courthouse(tallest building in the valley) sat like an island on the cloud cover.

A good day for a Tea Party

2009-12-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

On this day in 1773...

Apropos of the day, I just came across website for a group called "Fire Fifty." Looks interesting. Barely scratched the surface so far but deserves a closer look.

Quote:
Our overall objective is to uphold the ideals of the American Revolution: free individuals in a representative democracy, bound by the rule of law.

Our immediate objective is to take control of the House of Representatives in 2010.

Our strategy is to elect a caucus of 50 Independents, denying both the Republicans and Democrats a majority in the House.

Quote:
The Big Question
Many people are worried that if the Tea Party Movement supports anyone but Republicans we will help elect Democrats. We want to address this directly.

Strategically there is a very simple solution: win big. A necessary condition for winning is having a plan to win, and we plan to win. We have a clean, limited, conservative platform based on ethics and common sense American civics. We are focused, in district selection and on issues, and we have one goal: Victory in at least 50 districts from AZ-7 to WI-8. Winning congressional races is basic political blocking and tackling: people, money, and determination to win. The Tea Party Movement brings all of these to Fire Fifty Independents.

We believe that the Tea Party Movement is larger than either party thinks. Let them keep telling us that only 50,000 marched on Washington when it was probably more like 10 to 20 times that and that’s not including all the other tea parties held across the country on the same day. There are 61 individual Tea Party groups in Texas alone. This is a true grass-roots movement that will bring real change to Washington.

We have selected districts where Republicans have not presented a credible alternative to the “Progressive” running as a Democrat. By running as Independents, we are not saddled with the baggage of the Republican brand, and can run in New England, the Rust Belt and rural and suburban districts around the country. These districts are now represented by Democrats that are much more liberal than their constituents; they are vulnerable to a Tea Party Independent.

LINK

Words o' wisdom from a friend

2009-12-15T16:43:00.001-08:00

Speaking of e-mails I get, this just in...

01. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me alone.

02. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

03. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

04. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

05. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.

06. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

07. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

08. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

09. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.

12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.

14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

17. Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

20. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

AND

22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night..

We Get Letters (Spirit of the TEA partier)

2009-12-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

We all get e-mail from time to time (daily?) claiming to be a grassroots sort of letter to the Dems and the Administration. Dunno if it's real grassroots stuff or Astroturf. Sometimes they claim to be written by some noteable public figure. If there's even a name associated with it, usually no one's ever heard of the person.

Anymore, I seldom even read them that closely, if at all. Many of them have been fwd'd so many times that the messed up formatting makes them really tedious, painful even, to read.

Mostly me eye's glaze over and they go straight to trash. Some I will scan over, esp if there's a humorous image/pic included. I can't remember the last time I even bothered to Snopes one of 'em.

Once in a while I'll slow down and give a bit more attention to one of these posts. Agree with them or not, Astroturf or not, some are put together pretty well. Some even capture and communicate some popular sentiment very well.

Like I said, agree with this type post or not it, some merit attention simply as a view into part of the present day soul of America. The post below is one of those posts. It captures the spirit of the movement underlying the past year's TEA parties.

I must admit, even this one I haven't read super closely or parsed for error to argue or deconstruct. It's longer than most but doesn't go into internet rant territory.

Take it or leave it. Eat the chicken, leave the bones.

What caught my eye was the headings on the 12 key points. At least scan those for context and overall pespective. I bold faced those sub-headings for the casual reader.

The morning woodstove fire is up and running well, coffee's on, gray skys with a momentary break in the rain; enjoy some Saturday morning reading.

"I am a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life.
Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I
no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue
issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents
my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer
feel any political party or representative in Washington
represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to
me. Instead, we are burdened with Congressional Dukes and
Duchesses who think they know better than the citizens they are supposed to
represent.

There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that
you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution
as it was written. Please stand up now.

You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would feel so horribly
disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut-job am I?
Well, these briefly are the views and issues for which I seek representation:

One- illegal immigration.
I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This is not to be confused with legal immigration.

Two- the STIMULUS bill.
I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told
you No, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed.
Freeze, repeal.

Three- Czars.
I want the circumvention of our constitutional checks and balances stopped
immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to
the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution, and
honor it.

Four- cap and trade.
The debate on global warming is not over. There are many conflicting opinions and it is too soon for this radical legislation. Quit throwing our nation into
politically-correct quicksand.

Five, universal healthcare.
I will not be rushed into another expensive decision that will burden me, my children, and grandchildren. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night without even reading it. Slow down! Fix only what is broken --
we have the best health care system in the world -- and test any new program
in one or two states first.

Six- growing government control.
I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. More is not better! Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your REAL [Constitutional] obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven- ACORN.
I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them
investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed
to them every time on every real estate deal that closes -- how did they pull
that one off? Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending
impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the
census with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with any of our taxpayer
money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before
taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks
like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work
for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight- redistribution of wealth.
No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked
for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs -- and
that is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a
job from a poor person! Why do you want me to hate my employers? And what do
you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine- charitable contributions.
Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it
ourselves.

Ten- corporate bailouts.
Knock it off. Every company must sink or swim like the rest of us. If
there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and
letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. (Have you ever ripped off a
Band-Aid?) We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great
hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than
you have disappointed us.

Eleven- transparency and accountability.
How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the
buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please stop trying to
manipulate and appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you
obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making
deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal
investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve- unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Slow down and get some input from nonpoliticians and experts on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop
speed-reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community
organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a
parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired.
I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of
government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a
little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our
personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be
responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the
same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far
off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader
to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without
knowing what it contained? I do not.

It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you
would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I
would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt
that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP
bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still
cannot. There is needless urgency and recklessness in all of your recent
spending of our tax dollars.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am
far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current
pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop.
We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced
upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold
to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our
vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have
had and money we cannot afford to spend on bringing our concerns to
Washington . Our president often knows all the right buzzwords like
unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did
the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced
words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and
at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be
heard and we will be represented.. You think we're so busy with our lives
that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of
us who quietly work, pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our
noses to the grindstone... and we are now looking at you.

You have awakened us, the patriotic freedom spirit so strong and so powerful that
it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are
great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will
be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We
will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on
voting day to usher you out of office.

We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the
representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't
ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in
violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you
will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us who
will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our
constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care.
Political parties are meaningless to us Patriotic Americans are willing to do
right by us and our Constitution, and that is all that matters to
us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is
not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted
you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As
Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If
you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and
consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired.
Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be
loyal to us, not to them.. Because we will get you fired and they will not
save you.

If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your
identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to
know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the
rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one
by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do
you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are
coming."

Those 12 points would be a good platform for the loyal opposition to run on in 2010 and 2012.

The party of "No?" Not enough "positive" vision in there for rebuilding the Republican brand? Maybe. Maybe that's not a bad thing. It's what adults need to say to foolish children.

"The party of No. Adult leadership for the future of America."

Tiger TARP

2009-12-11T08:25:00.001-08:00

Pretty much sums up this week in the news...

midweek midday mumblings...

2009-12-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

Getting physc'd up to crawl under daughter #1's car. Best guess is her fuel pump is dead/intermittent and that means dropping the fuel tank. To quote the philosopher Harry Callahan, "Marvelous." Her car's just been sitting though without me getting started on it. If the evenings haven't been too full with meetings, they've been too wet. Well, 'cept for last night. I just plain copped out. /heh

Meantime, this was the last day to pay the first installment on this year's property. Ungggh. Got the my most of my duck's lined up for Xmas morning. Managed to do all my shopping online. The thrill of the mall at Christmas I felt at a child? No so much anymore. Maybe it's all the SoCal bare midriffs, bellybutton piercings and trampstamps. Either that or I'm just a cheap son of a Scotsman in a tight economy with 10% local sales tax and the idea of shopping in a retail establishment, much less paying retail just makes me dour about the whole thing. :-)

There's so much going on politically and economically that my mind buffer just about is in overflow mode. Public option is dead. Yea. Obamacare still lives. It's like Freddie -- just finds a way to live on and on...

Looked at the calender it's been since early October I got out shooting. Maybe I need some range time. Yeah, that's the ticket. Still cheaper than therapy.

Bores, Cads and Ruffians

2009-12-08T17:39:00.000-08:00

The morning after the record rain dawned cold and bright. Yet, I must admit to having a few dark thoughts.

Harry Reid's comment in the Senate comparing those who oppose Obamacare to those who opposed stopping slavery had me imagining the return of fisticuffs on the floor of Congress and duals at sunrise among Washington gentleman.

Nevermind it was Dems who wanted to keep 'em down on the plantation then. Nevermind that it is Dems now who want to keep 'em on the plantation now by locking in dependancy on .gov healthcare.

Just consider that we've become so polite and well mannered a society that one can be this impolite and ill-mannered and get away with it. No worries that the opposing team dugout will clear out and start a brawl for the disrespect shown.

/selah. Some things still work in America. Things like dugout clearing brawls in baseball and bench clearing fights in hockey.

Bores, Cads, and Ruffians.

Some guys just need punched in the nose once in a while to remind them to think before they speak in public.

Gully washer

2009-12-07T19:01:00.000-08:00

Single day rainfall record for San Diego today. The hard drain lines up higher on the lot installed this fall seemed to flow pretty well.Put the temporary drains and silt fences to the test.
This is looking up at the two temp lines coming out the bottom corner of our lot onto the drive. It's going pretty good at this point but really stepped it up about 30 minutes later. Had gust to 50kts and some pretty good driven rain.

2009-12-07T12:28:00.000-08:00

Was knee deep in forms for footings, gravel/sandbags/straw wattles/tarps/drain line prep for rain approaching, and getting Montero off jacks and on the road after 2 weeks in-op.

Watching the rain now -- a bit of a gully washer. I'm sure we'll be hearing from the doom and gloomers how this doesn't break our drought. Harummpph.

We'll see how all the improvements and prepwork on the homestead handle the water.

Remember. Today is December 7th. Remember.

A was A, though many chose to live in denial. We watched for 10 years then, ignored warnings, turned a blind eye to those would master or kill us. We failed to call a spade a spade or an enemy an enemy. Almost 3000 Americans paid the ultimate price that December day because of a slumbering America.

Today? A is still A. Are we a nation hopelessly lost in a post-modernist PC haze? Will we, can we, say reality is reality? Who will step out the spiral of silence and name those who are our enemies, foreign and dosmetic?

Skilz...

2009-12-03T20:46:00.000-08:00

...for the Obamazombie Apocalypse.

Grow a better tomato

Make your own warm clothing (for when all the zombie sheep are gone).

h/t Gunnie Librarian, Breda (not Marian)

Clean and butcher game

(or bald pets no longer useful for yarn production)

Get Jacked!

2009-12-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

This, among other things, has been taking up quite of bit of personal bandwidth...

Have had this vehicle down (or up as it were on jacks) for over a week now. Takes up a lot of time juggling vehicles, various family member work schedules and such. Finally got a rental car for a few days but even that takes time to go rent and to run back to re-negotiate for a day extension. That's besides time spent working on it, running for parts, modifying tools to simulate atrociously expensive factory special tools, returning defective parts, order an new bearing hub ring from Mitsu dealer, yadda, yadda.

Sounds like I'm grumping? Nah, actually it's been sort of invigorating to be recovered enough from back surgery to do this. I did the stooping and grunting necessary to accomplish some light mechanical work without getting "jacked up" myself. (yea! progress back toward having a life :-) )

It's all set but for one missing part. I had to return and reorder a brake caliper that arrived with bunged up threads on the brake line port. It had been dropped and the casting was actually deformed. No way I could chase that thread safely without contaminating the unit.

Both hubs are all freshened up with new rotors, new bearings properly torqued and packed, new seals and locking hub permatex'd up watertight. The axle end play is properly shimmed to OEM spec's -- had to order a shim pack from the dealer. The shims were too narrow for me to make good homebrew shims.

Took advantage of the extra parts wait time to put new KYB shocks on the front. The factory originals were completely inop. Looking forward to seeing how that affects the handling. This rig is a bit tipsy_rocky_rolly.
Just waiting for the Brown Truck of Happiness to arrive with that caliper...

talking to myself...

2009-11-30T06:51:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 5:20
...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:7
...rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Tommy this and Tommy that...

2009-11-28T08:07:00.000-08:00

This came from my brother overseas in response to yesterday's post.

"Thanks for your part in defending our country on active duty. Our country errs most often on the side of being away from evil in these matters. This sure seems like one of those errors and I hope for justice. I cringe for those from countries where this error is never made."

I responded...

Amen. Evidence of American Exceptionalism.

Many of our countrymen mistakenly assign moral equivalence to other cultures and (implicitly) reject the notion of American exceptionalism. "American Imperialism" is the cry -- as if on balance that's a bad thing. Looking back through the at eras of empire and eras that lacked empire I know which era(s) I would generally prefer to live and travel in.

What we see since the Vietnam era is a far tilt toward toward being too public about matters of military battlefield discipline. It is morbid introspection on a national scale. Ironically, those who oppose us intend these public displays to expose America's flawed character. However, it actually proves our core national character and goodwill. In a sense it argues for American exceptionalism.

All that's academic and arguable. What must be a given is that we are indeed at war. Men and women are in harms way - now. It was not a war of our choosing. It was declared upon we who live in Dar el Harb. In these media matters we forget we are at war; that this is an information war, a war on national morale, occasionally interrupted by firefights and explosions. It is a war of "wills." We win by breaking the enemies will to fight. They win by "not losing" and fighting on long enough to break our will to fight.

To that end, we consistently give too much "aid and comfort" to the enemy and bolster their will to fight. On our side, too public a treatment of matters like this severely diminishes morale of those "rough men" who in go in harms way on our behalf. It energizes the enemy who seek another media event and costs American lives, coalition lives and lives of innocents who are used by terrorists as shields and pawns.

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."

- Winston Churchill

First fight. Then fiddle. Ply the slipping string
With feathery sorcery; muzzle the note
With hurting love; the music that they wrote
Bewitch, bewilder. Qualify to sing
Threadwise. Devise no salt, no hempen thing
For the dear instrument to bear. Devote
The bow to silks and honey. Be remote
A while from malice and from murdering.
But first to arms, to armour. Carry hate
In front of you and harmony behind.
Be deaf to music and to beauty blind.
Win war. Rise bloody, maybe not too late
For having first to civilize a space
Wherein to play your violin with grace.

- Gwendolyn Brooks

Punch a Terrorist. Go to Jail.

2009-11-27T07:29:00.000-08:00

What's the bumpersticker say?
"If you aren't outraged, you haven't been paying attention"

That was originally directed at Bush '43 but we've got a new
Commander in Chief. As far as I know the buck still stops in the Oval Office.

Punch a terrorist, go to jail?

Navy SEALs have secretly captured one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq — the alleged mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah in 2004. And three of the SEALs who captured him are now facing criminal charges, sources told FoxNews.com.

STORY

That is "IF" they punched him. He did spend time in Iraqi custody. In any case...

I learned my lesson from Chief Von Tersch in boot camp well, "Seaman
Recruit, you can delegate authority but you CANNOT delegate
responsibility."

Other than that, how was your Thanksgiving? :-) Hope it was a happy and thankful time.

lite blogging

2009-11-25T22:09:00.000-08:00

been busier than the proverbial one armed paper hanger. Mostly car troubles. Counting daughter #1's car at one point we were 3 for 4 vehicles this week (3 down and out).

Daughter's car is going to require dropping the fuel tank.

Got the TDI Beetle going again (thankfully a simple repair to low pressure fuel injector return) and troubleshot flashing glow plug light. Who'd a thunk that the glow plug circuit would be tied in with the brake pedal switch? Gotta get that part on order.

4WD Montero front brakes and bearings are going, going, gone. Got passenger side hub parts on order earlier this week and finished putting it together late today -- except for a factory shim I need to order to set/tighten up the axle endplay.

In the middle of this a missionary friend up from Mexico pulled in with his van front bearings screaming. That was easy, fun even. Working together we had him back on the road with new bearing on both front wheels in a couple or 3 hours.

On top of that had to run up to OC for all day meeting Tuesday. Then today made a morning run up and back to Cucamonga to get the Son&Heir. He had his own adventures with vehicle breakdowns on the late night roadtrip down from the Bay Area. Friends radiator ran drive at top of the Grapevine. Just made it (coasted. literally) into a station in Gorman in time for the stations lights to switch off for the night.

Saturday details and interruptions

2009-11-21T19:49:00.000-08:00

Started off the day digging (footings for retaining wall to be poured). That used up the morning (and me). Figured I should make use of a leftover half sack of concrete mix before it got damp and was wasted.

The wall footings will need blocks to keep the steel off the bottom of the trench. Let's see what we can do with some scrap wood.

Wire inserted.

Voila. Dobies. Well, sorta. Not an unqualified success. The gravel in the mix made it tough score deeply. Got a few crumbling.

There's some left over mortar mix sitting too. We'll see if that works out better.

Off to run errands and hit up my toy store (Home Depot) for some odd bits and pieces. Heading home to get the Montero on jacks and start removing front hubs and rotors for to do a complete brake rebuild when a call comes from the ladies at the mall. "The Beetle is smoking or steaming or something. Whatta we do Dad?"

Got to the mall. Found it dripping diesel. Ruh-roh, is it that new injector pump installed earlier this year (at great expense)? Fired it up. See fuel washing the side of the engine. Trace it up to above the pump and see a cracked glow plug spewing.
Whew. Thank you Lord and thank you Triple A.