Sane Insanity

His love for her was...just enough

He killed the car instead

.

Good news!!!

I got a call today from the gun store and my Smith and Wesson Shield will be in sometime this week.  They predict Thursday....

I am sure that I will become what hubby calls a 'peepee dancer' when I'm at the counter picking her up.

Oh I can't wait....  in fact, truth be known, I did a mild peepee dance in my chair today when the store owner called me.

I hope it comes in Thursday so I can haul ass to the range and give her a whirl before IDPA.....      

Thuh 'Lympics

Yep, we're watching.
It doesn't quite have the "Us" versus "Them" national undercurrent to it that it did when I was a wee lad in the cold war '60's.
Now I see youngsters performing feats of athletic ability that cause momentary muscle sprains when I just think about them.

Balance beam.  The only thought that comes to mind is, "Mmmphh, I think my eyes are crying blood...no children"


Blessed darkness.

Bad Side Effects

Really bad side effects.

I've dealt with some of this in my tenure as a husband (former marriage) and a father, but nothing quite so extreme.  NotClauswitz has the must read post of the year for parents

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Our new Senator from Texas will be chosen tonight.

Primary run-off between Cruz and Douche-hurst today.  I suspect I gave away who I voted for in that first line.
The Democrats had their primary run-off for Senate candidate today as well.

Sayonara Kay Bailey-Hutchison you effing squish Rino.

Update: Cruz is up on Douche-hurst by 50,000 votes at 8:40 central time.
Loving it.
I have a serious bone to pick with my State Senator, Dan Patrick, who endorsed that douchebag.
Really Dan? You sold your pious Christian Soul so soon? I suspect next election cycle, you won't be seeing a 75% landslide again.  fuckwad.

update 2: Cruz wins.  Dan, you got some 'splainin to do.

Yay me!

My father's day gift finally arrived!  Belle says she didn't get an extra when she got her holster, so I'm guessing Dragon Leatherworks threw me a bone due to the long delivery time (ordered at the beginning of May) and threw in a spare belt clip.
Anyway, I'm blathering. On to the Gun Pron.

This stylish accoutrement won't be going to IDPA this week, nor next perhaps, with me - needs some break-in time.

Aiming Fluid..........

BAR readers may recall my mention of the appropriate serum level of aiming fluid to improve any game involving throwing a projectile at any standing target.

In particular, said aiming fluid is used for darts and now bowling for yours truly.

Typically the aiming fluid that works best for me consists of beer and maybe a shot of Tuaca every now and then.  My prime level of aiming fluid tends to be right around 3 or 4 beers.

That level works great for darts, however, I've found that in bowling, Tuaca just doesn't cut it.  I've found over the last couple of weeks that a shot of Cuervo 1800 does wonders for my game.

The beauty of it is, that with tequila, i require less beer and i feel quite happy.

Fortunately, I've already been through my day after way too much tequila hangover days, so I have no problem stopping at the 3 shot mark and then chasing it with water, rather than beer.

Life is good....

Now...   years ago, I used to drink tequila shots with beer chasers and spent many a morning after, at the alter of the porcelain god paying homage with offerings of whatever was left in my stomache and then some.

For the longest time, the smell of tequila would immediately cause my stomach to say... "oh HELL no!" and begin convulsing and if I took a swallow of the stuff straight.....   a trip to the bathroom would soon commence and back up it would fly.

Now...  there is a trick to avoiding this embarrassment on the rare occasion that someone would twist my arm and get me to take a shot with them......  sugar.

Yes, that's right... sugar....    Mary Poppins wasn't lying when she said, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." 

Any time you take a shot and if you feel like it's going to make you sick...  eat a little sugar and it will keep your stomach happy.

All of that said.....    I no longer need that sugar, the shots are staying down just fine, thank you... 

LOL

Alot can be said for being older and a little wiser....    no hangover for me today!   yay!

Rats!

I mean, "Mouse!"
Sitting here catching up on blog reading last night, in my peripheral vision, I see something skitter in to  the pantry in the kitchen.
I thought I was imagining things until the cat went into full predator stalking mode and parked herself at the pantry door.
The cat has the attention span of a fish. There wasn't much hope of her catching it while we were at work today.
So I've got a mousetrap set in the pantry with the door closed so current dog and half-wit cat don't get their nose snapped.
I remember, from when I was a wee lad,  my Dad using sugar coated gum drops for bait. I'd heard peanut butter works well, so I'm trying that.
Better ideas will be most welcome.

Road Debris

Now that I'm driving my Scion Rollerskate on my daily commute,  small road debris has moved way up the list of road hazards.


I joke about using up my good luck in dribs and drabs so I'll never win the lotto.    I was reminded this morning why I'm ok with that.


Left lane right next to the Jersey Barrier, no shoulder zipping along at 65+, heavy morning commuter traffic:  The pickup right in front of me hit his brakes  and crapped a nice big pile of tire debris, which I ran over in short order.  I believe the words that came to my mind were, "oh fuck", as my foot pressed down on the brake.    
So here we are, me with spidey senses on full alert trying to determine if I did in fact still have complete control of my car, and Mr. Pickup sliding sideways at about 60 mph and veering sharply off to the right lanes .  As the pickup rotated beyond the 90 degree mark, his forward slide immediately turned into a maneuver called  "rolling backwards" towards me and the jersey barrier.  I don't know what everyone else was planning on doing, but I decided I was getting the hell out of the way and stomped on the accelerator.
Mr. Pickup truck impacted the jersey barrier ass end first about a car length behind me and brought all three lanes to a screeching halt.
I think one other car manuevered around the right side of him before the barrier impact, I'm a little fuzzy on that though. I was a little busy.


Do you know, I think the guy in the pickup drove away from that accident?  The transtar traffic map never even picked up the event, and the traffic only backed up momentarily.
I'm pretty sure the back end of his truck looks like a monkey's butt though.


He and I are both very lucky that:
1) He did not skid to the left instead of the right
2) He did not roll his truck while sliding sideways down the freeway.
3)  I decided to GTFOTW instead of slam on the brakes.  


I do believe I'd have been squished against the jersey barrier otherwise.

Sun baked salt cured 2

On the water all day. I is burnt.
No fish to speak of, but a bad day of fishing can turn into a good day of drinking. ;-)

Oh yeah, that

Dad did mention he'd canceled the satellite tv.
My brother was down here over the 4th.
I guess the airwave reception's not so good

Doh! There goes my shot at the lotto this weekend.

Knocked over a half full can of diet coke and it landed with the spout...up. Nary a drop spilled.  That's even better than having your slice of bread hit the floor with the buttered side up.

That's not to say I'd apply the five second rule if it landed buttered side down, mostly...well maybe. Just depends on how much cat hair it picked up

Mother Mother Ocean......

I have heard you call............

And I'm on my way as soon as I leave work.........

Love this song...

Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call
Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall
You've seen it all, you've seen it all

Watched the men who rode you switch from sails to steam
And in your belly you hold the treasures few have ever seen
Most of 'em dream, most of 'em dream

Yes I am a pirate, two hundred years too late
The cannons don't thunder, there's nothin' to plunder
I'm an over-forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late

I've done a bit of smugglin', I've run my share of grass
I made enough money to buy Miami, but I pissed it away so fast
Never meant to last, never meant to last

And I have been drunk now for over two weeks
I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks
But I got stop wishin', got to go fishin'
Down to rock bottom again
Just a few friends, just a few friends

(instrumental)

I go for younger women, lived with several awhile
Though I ran 'em away, they'd come back one day
Still could manage to smile
Just takes a while, just takes a while

Mother, mother ocean, after all the years I've found
My occupational hazard being my occupation's just not around
I feel like I've drowned, gonna head uptown

didn't these guys ever see the movie Poltergeist?

Grand Parkway construction unearths Indian Burial ground.

Mark my words, that section of road will be Cursed!

On a less superstitious note: It's kind of interesting actually. They found human bones dating back 2000 years just 24" under the surface.  Road construction's going to be delayed for a bit while the archaeologists do their thing.

I need an adult beverage

Yep...   I need an adult beverage or two today. 

Work just got a little busier for me.  One girl got laid off and I get to inherit the bulk of her duties and top that off with another girl going on vacation so I have to do a very HUGE function next week....  payroll...   yeah I think an adult beverage is in order this evening.

Dear Neighbor Behind Us

Ummm... could you PLEASE either muzzle your damned dog or let him in the house?  I haven't slept in a week........


Thanks.

Thin Cut! Serves More?

Man pork and beef prices have gotten high.  As prices have risen, our local grocery has incrementally cut the meat thinner and thinner in an effort to hold the price tag steady on a given package.
They've added this little sticker, " Thin Cut. Serves More!"
yeah.  No it doesn't.
I just put four pork chops, in a roasting pan, that I can almost see through.

Not sure what Belle is doing for dinner, but I'm having pork.

Stay tuned: I'll have a post up shortly on field dressing bruises and cuts.

Why?

Why, when I place the ceramic coated disc on the gas stove burner is it always off center in exactly a 180 degree orientation relative to the handle of the pot which I just placed on it?

-resulting in a 2 inch long blue flame up the side of the pot which heats the handle to "Holy bejeezus!"



Suggestion for gas stove designers:  Indexing lugs to center the burner disc would be really great.  Really.

0 for 2 on CHL fingerprints

Apparently I'm not living right.  Two weeks ago, I went to get my finger prints taken for my CHL.  The server at the finger print location was down that day.
So I call and wait forever on hold to reschedule.  Two weeks pass and I go, again, to get fingerprinted.
Upon my arrival, I'm told their scanner juuuust broke.

Time to find another location.

What to do with the Aurora, CO mass murderer

He's either full blown psychotic or pretending to be so.
Either way, he's a very sick fuck looking for attention.
Put him in isolation, away from all media. Shun him in the media.  Report nothing more about it until the court verdict is read.
Stick a needle in his arm and put him down like a rabid dog.
Give him, and all like him out there in society seeking a twisted sense of grandiosity no notoriety whatsoever.  Make them rapidly fade into obscurity. Make them nothing more than an abberated footnote.

Why I drink Crown Royal

Because I'm out of Beer.

Random thought.  

More Commentary on Wolves, Sheep and Sheepdogs....

Yesterday I posted up a link to an article on another blog that I found to be highly insightful and not to mention very well written.

The author was correct in that we all fall, in some way or another, into one of those three categories.

For most of my life, I think that while I had a bit of sheepdog in me, I was always really a sheep.  I went through my daily routine, never really considering that some day, it could be me on the news.  It could be me who was robbed at gunpoint, or randomly assaulted or kidnapped or car jacked... 

No, I was quite happy in my own little carefree world.  Quite frankly, it wasn't necessarily that I was in denial that these things didn't really happen, I just never really thought it would start happening so close to home.

I lived in a quiet little suburb where nothing really bad ever happened.  We didn't have drive by shootings, no one was ever kidnapped or robbed.  Sure there was crime, but really for the most part, you just didn't worry about walking down the street late at night.

So, yes I was a sheep, never really worrying about anything because, after all..    it wouldn't happen to me... not in my neighborhood.

The article about Wolves, Sheep and Sheepdogs, referred to the Sheepdogs mainly as our Military, Police and other emergency responders; however, I don't believe that's all the author meant.  I believe that he also meant the average private citizen who decides to take responsiblity for his or her own self defense and the defense of others in his immediate care and/or surroundings.  He was referring to the average person who will not be victimized and who will not allow a bully with a gun (or some other inanimate object) victimize those around him.  The average person who is willing to fight but also, the average person who knows when it's time to just be a good witness.

So all of that said, when exactly was it that I decided to pull my snout out of the grass and stop saying "Baa" and become a sheepdog?

My answer is really not that simple.  I have slowly gotten here.  Step by step I have morphed from a mere sheep to a woman who will stand and defend herself and those around her, as long as she can do it without putting innocent people in harm's way.

I know that finding my way to the gun blogging community has really opened my eyes about self defense and firearms in general.  Oh I've never been afraid of guns, in fact, I've always liked to shoot, but I just never dreamed that I would ever carry one for self defense. I never dreamed that I would feel that I needed to carry.

So what exactly is it that changed?  My surroundings most certainly changed.  My quiet little suburb has now grown up and the crime has come with the growth.  Also, I think that I am just more aware.  Over the years, I've become more aware of issues that we face today.  I've become more aware of how life often turns on a dime and I've learned that despite the efforts of those who are sworn to serve and protect; by the time they arrive on the scene, it's an investigation rather than trying to stop the crime that took place.

So yes, there are wolves out there who are waiting to prey upon the sheep.  This fact of life I've known since I was a young teenager.  What I never dreamed is that there would come a day that the wolves would move into my neighborhood, and the sheep would either not notice, not care, or simply deny the fact that a wolf is a wolf and the type of tool he is using is immaterial.  The wolf will always be a wolf and an inanimate object neither changes, nor does it make that fact more true.

So what I do is look, listen and most of all, I learn.  I decided that I would not deny the facts of life, nor would I just sit and wait for something bad to happen.  I practice, I train, I take classes when they are available to me so that should the need arrive where I need to be that sheepdog, I can do so skillfully and safely.

Mutual Ignorance

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.  Where conversation is concerned, a little bit of knowledge can perpetuate intercourse (sorry, wrong synonym) repartee ad infinitum. Lack of facts on any given subject leads to speculation which, when driven by a few hoppy beverages can fuel a single subject conversation that lasts upwards of ten minutes.
The second someone injects actual facts into the conversation, it immediately shuts the subject down.
I am not the originator of this concept.  I was enlightened by author Patrick McManus many years ago, in one of his deeply philosophical short stories.  While his story was written as humor, the concept is absolutely true.
When I was young, I participated in such conversations.  As I await delivery of my Curmudgeon Union Card, I find I have no patience for such.
I've become adept at discerning ignorance on the part of the other party in a sprouting conversation within one statement or so. If I have insufficient knowledge on the subject at hand, I shut the fuck up, listen, and fact check later.
I've also learned to shut said conversations down by immediately expressing a few facts on the subject as soon as it's my turn to talk. It's a defensive response to manage my acid reflux.
At worst, three facts is the maximum required.  Usually, two will do.
I was reminded of this whole concept this morning by an older associate attempting to discuss current events.
As I'm writing this snarky diatribe, an epiphany fell out of my right ear. I've missed an opportunity to educate a woefully under informed individual.  I could have engaged him in series of leading questions, slowly but gently educating him on the actual facts of the issue at hand, waiting patiently for the light bulb to illuminate.
Nah.  Not enough years left in my life.
It's a Cold Civil War, soldiered by an army of zombies.

What to do when a long time close friend seriously offends you?

Belle placed an order at Bulk Ammo a week or so ago.  Delivery was to my office.
The box arrived this morning and I went to the reception area to retrieve it.  Carrying it back to my desk, my part time IT guy asked if it was the UPS replacement battery. I said, "No, this is stuff that goes bang... about 500 rounds of surplus Russian ammo."
My associate sitting in the adjacent workstation, a very close friend of twenty + years said," got your movie tickets?"
He knew of the recent events in Aurora, CO. which is why he made the "joke".
I have not had that much anger well up in me in that kind of tidal surge ever I don't think.  It takes a lot to offend me, and I mean a lot.  But he managed to do it.
Part time IT guy got real quiet, close friend was looking at me and smiling. I gave close friend the dead fish eye, slowly flipped him off and turned to my computer.
It took a while to settle down.

 I think I broke the F and U keys on my keyboard.

Welcome All You Foreigners From Other Lands!

(stole Jeff  Foxworthy's line)
I'm seeing a lot of out of state license plates here recently; Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Yowk, Kalifornia.  If these are tourists, they have terrible taste in tourist destinations. The site where AstroWorld used to be has been scraped clean and had time to grow a bumper crop of weeds, and the Astrodome has been boarded up.  We don't have much touristy goodness in Houston.  We do have jobs however.
So I'm guessing these are recent transplants.
I know every other vehicle is a big 4x4 pickup with massive tires and it's wigging you out to see nothing but grill in your rear view mirror, but if you'll put your foot on the other pedal and EFFING GO, you won't have that problem.
The dude in the truck can see over you and he knows there's nothing but open road in front of you and the lady from Minnesota driving right next to you. So a helpful pointer.  Open road means the speed limit is "get the hell out the way".  If ya'll are going to "bunch up", do it in one lane.

"I don't always drive a truck, but when I do, I drive like an asshole."


PS. I hope all ya'll left your progressive politics at the border.

On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs.. Must Read Article

I came across this on the Guns Over Texas Radio Blog.  It's a fascinating and not to mention an incredibly well written, insightful article by David Grossman.

Go give it a look-see and I will try and post something else up on the topic a little later, if I can.

It's Monday Again....

.....  and still no grandson.

Daughter went to the hospital yesterday with contractions 10 minutes apart.  They ended up sending her home.....   *sighs*

He's till a few weeks ahead of schedule so it's okay he can cook a little longer in that oven.... but still!

I was very excited yesterday thinking I was going to be holding the little rascal.....    apparently he had other plans.

Oh.....yeah,.... the KISS concert

Belle just randomly reminded me in a couple of weeks, we're going to go to the KISS concert, with a big smile on her face!
WooHoo?
Don't get me wrong, I was a big fan at the age of 16.
I went to their first ever concert in Houston at the Summit that year. (that's part 1 of my hearing loss, but another story)
The speaker stacks were two stories high. I am not making this up.
Belle dragged me to a KISS concert a few years ago.  The changes in technology are amazing. KISS managed to put out the same volume with one row of speakers on each side of the stage.
I'd gone prepared. The orange squishy ear plugs were implanted. I noted I was not the only old dude there with them.
At one point in the show, one of the plugs started to come loose. I went to replant it, and in my fumbling attempts accidentally  removed it from my right ear.
The right side of my brain began to liquefy, and I think I saw God.
I may have to double up on "ears" this time.

Range Date

Lunch, or Dinner before or after.  It's become a regular activity for Belle and I.
You should try it.  Shooting gets my adrenalin flowing.  Which tends to get my conversational index up.
This is a good thing where marriage is concerned.  You find yourself talkative. The two of you have something in common of which to converse.
"Yeah, I pushed the trigger on that last mag."
"I was anticipating the recoil on my second mag, and shot low."
"Did you see that guy down on the floor writing notes to himself with a ballpoint pen on his targets?"
"yeah, wasn't that just the weirdest thing?"

Marriage counseling courtesy of the BAR staff. No Charge.

There's my little Ginger

She is just full of piss and vinegar.  The second grandchild.  Three years old.
It's her birthday party.  Quote of the day?  "that's MINE!"

Cold Fury?

Anybody know what happened with Mike and his blog "Cold Fury"?
He hasn't posted since July 6, which is highly unusual.

Hmmm? Whut?

"I SAID, There's a big ass possum that just ran and crawled up our tree", said Belle as she walked out the front door  into the dark of night.
kx59: "Well, leave him alone and he'll go away after a while.
Belle: "yeah, I know, I know."

And on her way she went to the corner store.
Nice to have a wife that doesn't freak out over that kind of thing.
I don't know what the possum is packing..but I know what Belle is carrying, and I've seen her hit a possum sized target...

Ruminations on IDPA

We had two new guys attend last night.  Nice not the be the FNG anymore.  Heh, me with all of 4 matches under my belt.
It is interesting to watch though. It was apparent these two guys had spent a fair amount of time shooting stationary targets at the range. This becomes readily apparent on the first target of their first stage.
Then everything goes to shit. Some of the scenarios are deceptively short and "simple". Some are long and more complicated.
New IDPA shooter just pegs the perfect Mozambique, two in the body, one in the head. Then.
It's time to move and perform another Mozambique with the three remaining rounds allowed to start the stage.  And then, the trouble comes. Time to drop the mag and reload...while on the move to "cover".
Fumble for the mag, move too fast and arrive at "cover" before you've shot the third target and instead of shooting it "on the move" you are now stationary because you have nowhere to else to go.
I saw the same light bulb illuminate  in those guy's heads last night that lit up in mine the first night.
Crap.  Seemed simple when the stage was described, but Shit, this is hard to do.
End of the night.  Man, that was fun. See you next week.

Birthdays

Youngest Granddaughter's third birthday party is this weekend.  ( time flies when you don't have to take care of them yourself )
But the race is on.  Mom (oldest daughter) has been having contractions at regular intervals for days now.  New grandson looks to be arriving early, but he's made the threshold for full term. So we'll see. We might have two birthdays to celebrate this weekend.

Gunsmoke

Not the long running TV Western with Marshal Matt Dillon,....Me.
I smell like it.  Belle and I went to our IDPA club shoot tonight. Neither of us has pulled  a trigger in the last three weeks.  My first stage was major suckage. Six targets, one round in each using both hands, then one round in each using the strong hand only, then one round in each using the weak hand only.
I kept pushing the trigger (and anticipating the recoil most likely) shooting low and left.  Second pass with the strong hand actually went better.  Shooting left handed, working the targets from left to right, I completely missed the first two and managed to dial it in closer to center by the sixth target.
One of the stages tonight, had a swinging target behind a plastic barrel, not a suspended target - think metronome.
I managed to plug it while it exposed on the left side of the barrel and moved my sight picture to the right of the barrel in anticipation. I thought I nailed it dead center and moved on to the next.
When it was all said and done I had two nicely placed holes in the swinging target but was called on a procedural. Seems I shot the target through the barrel.  When I heard that said, I looked back at the barrel, "yep, that hole wasn't there when I started."
Note to self:  Plastic barrels are concealment, not cover.

All that without a single drop of rum!!

Well, I haven't been blogging this past week, Kx has been picking up the slack.  You see, he's been nagging at me to write about my recent tumble down a flight of stairs......

My long time readers will remember the story of my wrestling with an outboard motor, new readers can go and look here for the story and you will find out that I am not always as graceful as I look.  In fact, I sometimes think that I am just one big accident waiting to happen (except when handling firearms of course).  In fact, a very dear friend of mine thinks that I should be wrapped up in bubble wrap like the Michelin Tire Man or something.

We went on our cruise to Mexico and had a wonderful time.  It was my first cruise and while I am very accustomed to being on a boat, angler that I am, I had never been on a large ship for an extended period of time.

When we arrived back home, I found that my sea legs were just fine, however, I had to get my land legs back because my balance was off for a few days after the trip.  I still felt like I was moving.  Granted the seas were very calm and I don't have problems with motion sickness of any kind; however, when you're on a cruise ship, you can still sense that you are moving and you can feel the slight changes in the ship as you move over waves.

We had been home for more than 24 hours and my other half had gone to the store.  I was upstairs and had decided to go downstairs.  It was no big deal, there was nothing in my hands, nothing blocking my view it was just an ordinary trip down the same stairs that I have descended thousands of times over 13 1/2 years.

Somehow or another, the first step down disappeared on me and I missed it completely (sneaky stair) and having overstepped it, I then hit the second step down but kind of far out and that's when all hell broke loose.

Not one, but both feet slipped out from under me and I fell flat on my ass on the stairs...  well, I bounced off my ass on the stairs.

So the chain of events are like so....

1.  I pulled the missing step trick on my feet, which were surprised at having such a far reach, they panicked and flew into the air.
2.  My ass acted as a cushion/bouncey ball and on impact hurled me into the air.
3.  My arms, not wanting to be left out of the fun waved in the air, which somehow or another directed my body sideways while my body managed to fold itself in half at the waist....
4.  My ass apparently loved the stairs so much that it decided to give the edge of the stairs a hug, which ended up giving my tailbone a bit of a shock.
5.  My brain thinks that my ass is on fire and tells my body to "stop, drop and roll"
6.  My body rolls a little more than half way down the stairs.

The amazing thing about all this?  Nothing broken and just a few bruises on my ass.  I was sore in places that I forget even existed though.

Bowling the next night was torture, and this past Monday, a week after the fall, I was still a little sore.  There is something about a sore tailbone and hurling a 12 lb ball that just don't mix well!

When I told my story to Kx... he said I needed to blog it.  I've been waiting for the embarrassment and shame to leave me before I did.

It reminds me of a Patrick McManus story about falling.  It's called How to go Splat!  I think that my fall would have been rated at least a 9 considering that my comically droll statement as I walked away was straight from Jack Sparrow's (Pirates of the Carribbean) lips....

"All that without a single drop of rum!"

You didn't build that

Me thinks this is not setting so well with a few folks, besides me, out there

You Didn't Build That

found via: Lady Liberty 1885
It's a Cold Civil War

Well There's My Problem Right There!

Study: People Who Are Constantly Online 

Can Develop MeNtAl DiSoRdErS.

.

Boy, He has not Aged Well Has He?

Luke Skywalker Mark Hamill

Physically or mentally.

.

Monsoon Schmonsoon

I keep running across stuff all over the intertubes about Monsoon season in Arizona, such as:

In Phoenix, normal rainfall during July, August and September is 2.65 inches.

The wettest monsoon occurred in 1984 when we had 9.38 inches of rain.

I'm not sure if that's 2.65 inches total for the three months, or 2.65 inches per month...still doesn't add up to much.  9.8 inches of rain is admirable, but pales in comparison when you consider that Teke's environs accumulated just shy of 11" of rain over the lengthy period of...

last Thursday.

Teke has some cheery musings on the state of the Nation's infrastructure. Stop by and say "hi!". Bring your own canned goods.  An inflatable kayak might not be a bad idea either.

I'm going to have to polish up my rain dancing skills. We only managed to gin up 6" last Thursday, and we are just on the other side of the worst freeway in Texas from Teke.

Instincts

I've no scientific basis for this, but something in my jeans tells me it's a good idea to walk away when I start the microwave.

.

Hey, Obama...

'If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen'

occupy Resolute Desk - barack obama

Sorry champ, you are confused. That's how you got to where you are.

Pissed sums it up with a bit of snarky humor.  As I type, I'm dropping a case of Tums in the snail mail to help him counteract the acid reflux.

Which of my employees was it again that took the risk, and worked for years for next to nothing to start this company? Oh, of course Jane, the receptionist with 5 lbs. of facial piercings, and three kids from five different Baby Daddies.

Sad thing is, almost half the population out there agrees with his opinion.  

It's a Cold Civil War.

I was going to post every epithet I could think of in one long run on sentence with no spaces, punctuation or line spaces, but this one will do for that, seeing as the three letter agency spooks are probably already monitoring the BAR blog.

Hi Guys! 

P.S. Romney is hardly my first choice, but Obama has to go.

First, Do No Harm

Or is it, Physician, heal thyself?

I forget how the Hippocratic  Oath begins.

Oh well. 

This plastic surgeon fails on both of those.

.

But, It's a Dry Heat

No.
It.
Is.
Not.





Relative humidity is right around "look I can drink the air!" and it is not raining.
God bless the inventor of air conditioning.

OK. I'll Play

Places I've visited.
Wait, what? no extra credit for 200+ trips to the left coast? Whatev.

The U.S.

visited 23 states (46%)
Well, that was interesting.  There appears to be serious neglect on my part where the top half of the country is concerned.

The world:


visited 12 states (5.33%)

For all the miles I traversed in Europe, that looks remarkably unimpressive.

Law of the Sea Treaty - DOA

So says Senator Demint


I find that a little encouraging. I'd be more encouraged if the pro/con margin was better than 66/34. It would only  require the flipping of one Senate weasel to get to the 67 vote majority to ratify the treaty.

The sixth paragraph in the Washington Times article lists three reasons why proponents for ratifying the treaty believe we should do so.

The fail in three parts:

"Proponents of ratification argue that member-nations are establishing rules of the sea that the U.S. would have to abide to without a vote." 

So we'd have to abide by a treaty we didn't sign, like Kyoto? Yeah.   No.  A mild application of State Department backbone would solve that problem.

"They also argue that by ratifying the treaty, the U.S. would protect its claims and rights to mine America’s continental sea shelves and offshore waters for natural resources, without interference from other countries or other entities." 

Which country or entity, exactly,  is going to interfere?  Is the U.N. going to slap sanctions on us? The Southern Belle has expressed the official BAR position on sanctions previously.  Oh Noes!  You means we don't haz National Sovereignty no more!!?  (that's what this treaty is really about, isn't it.  Isn't it?  I thought so.)

"Without ratification, U.S. energy companies do not have the security they need to invest in exploring those areas for resources."

Really?   Were the U.S. Air Force,  Navy, and Coast Guard disbanded while I slept last night?  Who's enforcing the treaty? Somali Pirates?
While this is a (sarcasm alert) compelling reason for ratification, it is a moot point.  The U.S. federal gubmint, via the EPA, ensures that very little drilling occurs on America's continental shelf.  You can look, but don't touch.


Now, I am being glib and a bit of a dilettante here, but I am of the opinion that nothing that comes out of the U.N. is good for the U.S. The U.N. should have been dissolved long ago.

Sigh!

No shooty goodness today.  Neither Belle or I have pullled a trigger in the past three weeks. So we thought we'd do our Saturday date routine, get some lunch and shuffle on over to Shiloh Shooting range.
It took a few detours to get around the high water from this past week's rains. Lot's of road closures even though it hasn't rained much in the past 24 hours.
 (it's looking like that will be made up for in short order)

Before I could even load up my spare mags, the power went out at the shooting range.
Sigh.
Well, there's always tomorrow.

Great ideas for lady shooters......

That Texas Lady has some great ideas for concealment in a swim suit when going to the beach or the pool.

Go give her a look-see and give her some commenty goodness.

There's some good news...

"The model number can be found on a sticker on either the bottom or rear of your product. The location of the label as well as letter and number sequences will vary by model and product type."

Lord I hope it's on the rear of my product. That UPS weighs eleventy gazillion pounds.

Time to go spelunking in the server room. If I'm not back in an hour, send in the search and rescue dogs.

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Oh the Irony.......

So, Texas passed a law that requires photo I.D. to vote.  Eric Holder's DOJ sues Texas over the law.  Eric Holder speaks at the NAACP...  Photo ID is required to see him speak.

Story is here


Wow, wonders never cease.


h/t Facebook friend of mine.. Q.R.

Karma... heh.. couldn't happen to a nicer guy...

Okay, so we have been getting a lot of flooding in our area.  I'm scrolling through photos online and I see this very distinctive truck half submerged in flood waters.

I've seen this truck before and the driver is one of those who drives like a bat out of hell, cutting people off and tailgating the shit out of you.

Buh bye truck!

It's an older truck so he won't get a huge settlement out of it....  in fact, he probably only carries liability on it..

 

Stuff I've lost

Besides my mind.
A former mother-in-law of mine, whom I was quite fond of btw (imagine that) had a little plaque on the wall next to her kitchen sink, which read "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my Mind the Most".
What reminded me of this is that I just picked up the TV remote.
The day I brought the new wide screen TV home and set it up, inside of the first hour of deployment, I lost the little plastic cover that conceals the two double AA batteries.
 (redundant I know, you won't like the BAR complaints department).
It has not turned up to this day, and every time I manage to find the remote, even after all this time, a faint "DOH!" still bounces off the back of my brain pan.

Friends are a good thing.....

LOL 

And one more

Gotta love Facebook sometimes....

Back to your regularly scheduled program........

Now I'm Ready For Anything!!!

LOL

too cute!    h/t Facebook

DAB II

Looks like the Dallas Area Blog Shoot II is shaping up nicely.

Thanks to Bob S. and The Redneck Engineer for their co-community organizing efforts.

Time to Change the Password Again

If you have a Yahoo account, Yahoo got hacked again.

.

Patently Racist

It couldn't be more obvious. Houston is a Sanctuary City after all.

Had it been one seat belt for four kids, I could understand, but three?

And, the driver, she's just an undocumented democrat voter worker from Mexico and they don't know the laws here, like when the light turns red you are supposed to Stop!


Oy Gevault.

I'm going out to the garage now to get my drill and 11/32" stainless bit to relieve the pressure in my brain pan so my head does not explode.
The way I feel right now, I might not even sterilize the bit.

As a postscript: I've driven in Mexico. There, traffic signs, lanes and laws are optional.

So What If???

What if the Senate were to ratify an Arms Treaty that would prevent guns to be sold to private citizens?

Well aside from committing political suicide, yes it would be awful and  a slap in the face of our Founding Fathers' intent.

Now, take this a little further.  What if the US once all the asswipes who voted to actually ratify that treaty were voted out of office, were to just ignore said treaty and give the UN the finger?

Ah.. now that would be sweet indeed.  I picture it to look like this:

US defies treaty and tells the UN to go fuck itself.

UN threatens to impose sanctions on the US if the US doesn't abide by the treaty!

Wow!  What a blessing THAT would be!  That would mean that no one could trade with the US... so we start drilling for our own oil, manufacturing our own goods, and of course, no one would be allowed to accept foreign aid of any kind from us....  soooo....   we bring home all our troops and all monetary aid ceases.  What an economy booster.

Hey, that sounds like a plan!  Although, I may say that, but in reality, I really don't want that treaty in place at all.

Scary times folks.

Bond, James Bond

Sean Connery and Ursula Andress .
It's on the idiot box as I'm blog reading.
Last scene of the movie I happen to look up.
James jumps into the boat and clocks the guy twice his size in the jaw and knocks him out.
Other dude on the bow of the boat conveniently waits until 2xsize guy is knocked out and gets thrown over board.
James hits the throttle and boat speeds away from the dock

with the stern line still tied to the boat. 

Scene cut.
Next scene: The boat is non-mobile, James is at the engine compartment with Ursula pressing mammaries closely, while James wipes the 710 dipstick.

"We've run out of fuel"

When I was a kid in the 60's, we waited with baited breath for the next Bond movie, Saturday morning cartoons or a Disney cartoon on Sunday evenings like it was the long awaited second coming.

The old Bond movies just amuse me now. 

heh. I'm going to go hunt for an "Our Man Flint" movie on NetFlix.  What was that other movie with Dean Martin playing the super spy?

It's been a Bad Day for Computers

Question: Who would write software that produces copious log files, that appears to have no means to purge said log files?
Answer:  Microsoft.
More specifically, The Microsoft Exchange development team.
Eventually, the hard drive completely fills up and the email server arrives at the point of fuckitIquit.
If your third party backup software is functioning correctly, it clears the log files. (why do I need a third party application to clear log files?)
So the email at work puked its guts last night.  If I wasn't the lightning rod for this event, I'd have been quite amused today.  I haven't seen this much "I have to pee pee" dancing and hand wringing in quite a while.

kx59:  "Yes, I know, the email is not working.  Do you have a personal email account you can use while we work on getting this back up and running?"
peepeedancer:  "No"
kx59: "NO?"
peepeedancer:  "No"
kx59: "Really?"
peepeedancer: "No."
kx59: "K, if you go to google you can create a free gmail account in 5 minutes or so. Do that. This may take a while."

So after working with outsource IT guy for a few hours, the email is back up and running, just in time for me to leave early to go get fingerprinted.

For my CHL.

I arrive at the rundown electronic fingerprint location for my scheduled appointment a few minutes early and walk up to the receptionist's window.  No humanoid is present.  So I occupy the window and wait.
Finally underpaid receptionist arrives to inform me that their fingerprint server died of electronic bloody flux and, "You weren't notified by a phone call or email?"
Well of course I was.  I just left work early and drove way the fuck over here so I could stand at your receptionist's window for 15 minutes until you came back from your potty break and look really irritated at you!
Now my day is complete.

Photo of the day!!

This came across Facebook....

It's so full of win!


 

Are we sure his last name isn't Obama??

The nerve of this guy blaming everyone but who is really at fault......   HIM!


http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/07/11/concordia-captain-distraction-figured-in-crash/


It's just sickening.  A captain is incharge and responsible, regardless of who is at the helm!  Period.. the end.

What an asshole.

It's a Boy!! In theory anyway...

Okay, so Kx and I are expecting an addition to the BAR family... and not just no, but HELL effing NO, it's not us that are expecting!

No, we are expecting a grandbaby and apparently, he's decided that he is going to be joining us sooner than expected.  Our oldest daughter called to let me know that her doc says that if she makes it two more weeks it will be a shocker.  Granted, the baby isn't due until mid-August.

Now, they say that there's a little boy cooking in that oven.....     with 3 daughters, 1 son and 2 grand-daughters, I'll believe it when I see it!  I keep hoping those ultrasounds are correct though!

A slap to the face of the People's Republic!

The Capitalist Dogs are going to tear down this Icon of Soviet Architecture to build a luxury apartment building!

I Have a Hat!

A souvenir from Mexico. A three dollar hat for which I paid too much. But, I like it, and I look just like Clint Eastwood in it.
Well.
In the mirror.
When I'm alone.
Apparently (have you noticed how that is my favorite blog word?),  I did not buy enough souvenirs while on vacation in Mehico.
Ship spider was not amused and decided to express his displeasure in the last two hours of our arrival back in to Galveston.
Funny thing about spider bites, you never feel them and are unaware until a swollen spot shows up just above your collar bone the size of an egg.
I digress.
So Ship spider gave me a parting souvenir.
Ship spider got me on the back of my left thumb between the first and second joints. Noticing that I took no notice, Ship spider jumped to my left index finger and bit me between the first and second joints.
Apparently, spiders can only count to two.
Ship spider narrowly missed a vein on both digits.
Infection set in rapidly. A bit of quick field surgery abated the spread, breaking the blisters and removing the puss with a paper towel.  Copious Neosporen followed in short order.
The BAR medical staff has been closely monitoring the two bite sites, watching for red streaks headed north. It's been most annoying, " let me see your hand, let me see your hand, how's your hand?"
 Like every thirty minutes.  Especially the head of the BAR medical team. I am so going to fire that guy after I get over this.
The infection appears to be abated. Now the bite sites are down to the itchy as f**k stage.
Then, the skin will fall off and I'll put a bandaid on it.

You just never know where my posts will go...do you?

Guitar Man

Main lobby bar of the Carnival Triumph.
Jerry plays every evening. He does a mean Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and George Straight, and he can totally shred a country guitar solo.
What makes it even better is you'd never have any idea, if you ran across him on the street.

He's there all week. Don't forget to tip your waitress.

those bottles are looking kinda empty. maybe I should go up to my room now.

Time to start calling your US Senators!!!

Well, the Lee's Summit Conservative brings cheerful news regarding a UN Treaty that is on the table this month that will completely defy the 2nd Amendment and basically render it null and void.

The LSC correctly points out in his article that in our own Constitution that it states that treaties are the law of the land.

I hope that our Senators are not stupid enough to approve this treaty, but what I want to know is why we aren't hearing anything about this from anyone?  Not even the NRA??

The one thing that helps prevent foreign countries from invading our shores is the knowledge that we, the people are armed and willing to fight for our freedom.  It seems to me, that is motive enough for the UN to want to pass this garbage of a Treaty and would want the US on board.

Go give the article a read and leave LSC some commenty goodness.

And me without a Rod and Reel

I knew I shoulda packed the fishing boat!
Roughly 100 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico.
You don't live long enough to see too many days like this on the Gulf.

More conversations at Work (how to double your internet speed)

AppleFanBoy:  Wow, I just watched the most amazing video on how to double your internet speed!
kx59:  Really?
AFB: Yeah, this guy on YouTube took a piece of coax cable the same length as the cable from the wall to the router, wrapped it around the cable at the wall end, taped it, and wrapped around the cable at the router end and taped that.  He has speed tests and calculations that show how it works!
kx59:  Interesting....send me the link.
kx59:  Did you read the video poster's comments below the video?
AFB:  No.
kx59: "I made this video a long time ago and figured I would upload it. It's actually a joke so don't complain to me if you try it and it doesn't work"

How to double your internet speed:




So if you skipped over the text above, and failed to read the video poster's own comments, don't blame me if it doesn't work.
P.S.  Read the comments below the video on YouTube.  Even AFB thought they were funny.

Sunrise / Sunset

A few random pics from the vacay.
I find sunrises and sunsets captivating, especially over open water.
Not bad pics for a cell phone.  (The good camera, somehow, didn't make it out of the car trunk)
(click to embiggen)

Isolated Thunderstorm

Overheard on the phone

Male friend:  I need to go to the sporting goods store and buy shoes.
Yours Truly:  Oh can I go with you? 
MF:  Why?
YT:  Well, while you are shopping for shoes, I can go to the gun counter and shop for guns and ammo, or the tackle isle and look for tackle for fishing this weekend!
MF:  Good god, why don't you just put a dress on me now!


Heh... some conversations are just priceless!

I need a vacation!

to recover from THIS vacation......

fun was had by all....

more later!

Testing 1. 2. 3.

Testing the android blogger app while waiting for the what to do if the SHTF muster.

All packed up.......

We're packed up and ready to go.... am soooo looking forward to sipping umbrella drinks by the pool... or gambling... or whatever else my little heart desires.....

BAR will be blogging spuraticly but daily and we are sure to be posting up pics..... we can't wait...


yay!

Now I have a Name for It

It's a 

Cold Civil War

Kevin named my fear.  

total kinetic awareness

He hazit.

.