My First Time...

Tomorrow is September 1st and Dove Season opener here in CA. I'll be spending tomorrow morning up to my ankles in a muddy field blasting away with wild abandon at as many small, cute and helpless (yet - unfortunately for them - extremely tasty) flying critters as I can bag, which here in the Golden State is 10 per day, 20 in possession...
We'll see how I do... it's been a LONG time since I've done skeet, so I'm thinking I'll be pretty rusty. I guess tomorrow will determine whether I want to do this again or not. Hopefully I remember the camera this time...
This will be my very first bird hunt; wish me luck!

Why can't we be more like Europe?

Ahh, yes; the plaintive, entreating whine of the Liberal Left...
Why not?
Because they are frigging worse than we are, that's why!
I found this courtesy of RNS, because I've heard sweet FA about this elsewhere. Nor will I, I imagine. It doesn't fit the narrative very well, does it?
Government steps in to save the day, and the citizens get buggered. Yes, let's copy that fine example!
That's it. I'll be driving my 6L diesel tomorrow. With the AC cranked to "Arctic Blast". It's real hot out there with all that Global Warming, after all...

There's a reason that they're stereotypes...

Wow. I think Borat could have answered this one better...

Mixed Feelings...

Wow. This guy got popped with 1,600 guns? All in his home? Dude! I couldn't store near that many in my place and still live in it...
He beats that guy from Norco HANDS DOWN...
Thing is, the guy's a felon, which barred him from possession, besides which he had some stuff that was a definite no-no, like a live hand grenade and, oh, 35 machine guns(!).
I don't care for victimless laws that ban things, but the guy's stated reason for possession (he was preparing for an invasion of Cuba?) is a little out there. But, should one have to state a reason beyond what's explained in the 2nd?
I don't know about this one. Seems a bit wacky, but he doesn't seem to be a threat to anyone except for possibly Castro...
The guy's getting 65 months in Federal prison, so I guess this goes beyond California laws...
One quote in particular got my attention:

The judge said the weapons in the indictment included machine guns, a live grenade and "guns with silencers. There's only one reason to have a gun with silencers, and it's not for protection."

Um actually, in many other countries, most notably Finland, it's considered neighborly to use silencers, to keep the noise level down at the range. Not every gun-owner is a potential murderer, jackass.

Blogroll additions...

The Hammer has a great way of telling a story, and I swear the weirdest shit happens to this guy. A very entertaining read, and one that I'm hitting daily.

Another addition has to be Shrink-Wrapped Scream, a fellow Brit living the good life over there in the Isle of Man and throwing out some compelling reading.

Some nerve...

Iran's president isn't even pretending anymore. He's like a vulture watching a dying critter, licking his chops. That he says stuff like "We're ready to fill the power vacuum in Iraq" shows plain and clear he has absolutely no fear of the West, or he's a flat out loon. Well, both, actually. With this guy hovering in the wings, things are going to get worse before they get better.
Found via GuyK's place...

What I'm reading...

Or more accurately, re-reading: Ringworld by Larry Niven. Ringworld is just that: an artificially created ring around a sun, the circumference of which is equivalent to the orbit of an earth-like planet, that you can live on. Kinda like Halo...
I've just started reading the book and its been ages since I read it, so I can't remember the storyline, which is good, because I'll be discovering it all over again...
Speaking of Halo, Halo 3 is coming out soon - Sept 25th. Halo was the sole reason I bought my XBOX, and Halo 3 is the sole reason I got my XBOX 360. Sure, Gears of War is great, as are most of the other XBOX360 games I've acquired thus far, but the bottom line is if Halo 3 was offered in regular XBOX format, I would probably never have gotten - nor desired - an XBOX 360.
Whatever else you may think of Microsoft, those guys sure know how to market their stuff.
I'll probably reserve my copy today sometime...

Last Sunday

I had the opportunity to take five new shooters to the range, four coworkers and a spouse. Because of time constraints, we only had a couple of hours, but it looked like everyone had a good time.
We had a total of five rifles to try out - I brought four, and one of the newbies brought his newly acquired Mosin Nagant 91/30 to shoot for the first time.
The rifles used were a Ruger 10/22, a Yugo SKS, a Marlin 30/30, and my newest, the STG-58 FAL.
I made sure everyone got to try each rifle, at ranges of 50 to 100 yards. (I also set up a small metal spinning target, which was very disappointing because it did not spin when hit - it just fell over. I'm thinking I'll just have to make my own).
The 22 was a big hit - it has a scope, and of course no recoil - but I think the FAL was quite popular too. Sunday was the first outing for the SKS in quite a while, and I confirmed that it's much easier to load than the FAL. I'm getting better at it though!
All in all, a good time was had... next up will be handguns I expect - I've already had a request...
Although I forgot to bring a camera, one of my coworkers didn't, and if I remember to bring the disk back from work, I'll post some pictures.
All in all, it seemed as though a good time was had. I'm always very happy to take new folks to the range - so much so that I'll spring for the ammo (although not the range fee, I'm afraid). The more people that have this experience, the better for the shooting sports and the Second Amendment in general. Who knows? Maybe somewhere down the line, they may become gun owners themselves. One already has...

On a more sour note, I learned from the rangemaster that my range is being sued. Apparently, a developer bought land to the side and behind the range for condos and wants to shut the range down. The fact that it's been there since 1944 is immaterial I suppose.

Today

Would be a good day to buy some ammo. I know I will. It'd be nice to buy a gun too, but the CA 10-day wait kinda screws that up. Do I buy 10 days prior to the event, to pick it up on time, or buy it on the day of the event only to pick it up 10 days after the fact?
Hmmm... I'll stick with ammo...

Michael Vick

Is a moron of the fist order. He just tossed away a multimillion dollar NFL career because of some stupid dog-fighting ring he was involved with. I just heard on the radio that the NFL has suspended him indefinitely.
Animal cruelty? Dude, you are radioactive now. No-one will want to touch you. This'll be a long time wearing off.
Idiot.

I would like to say...

...That I hiked the "M" today...
But in heat like this, I'm afraid it was more of a saunter...

Gun Control

I think the big reality disconnect that gun control advocates have about gun control is their belief that laws can actually prevent something. This is just silly.
There is no law in existence that can prevent a criminal from carrying and using a gun. A criminal, by definition, ignores the law.
Laws exist to punish bad behavior, not prevent it. Laws are not some magic talisman that will make everything clean and bright and wholesome just by being on the books.

This is, of course, assuming that anti-gunners have nothing but our best interests at heart, and don't actually want to strip gun owners' rights so that the government can preserve its monopoly on violence.

Global Warming...

...Strikes Again! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!

Oh, wait... it's a record COLD temperature....

Hmmm... must rephrase that...

Global Climate Change Strikes Again! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!



Found via Drudge...

Lady, you had it coming...

I thought I'd try my hand at fisking this:

AP) LOS ANGELES An illegal immigrant who stayed in a Chicago church for a year to avoid separation from her 8-year-old son, a U.S. citizen, was arrested Sunday and being processed for deportation.

Actually, no; she's free to take her son back to Mexico with her. No-one is stopping her from doing that.

Elvira Arellano, who arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday after leaving her sanctuary to campaign for immigration reform, was arrested around 1:30 p.m. outside Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church where she had been speaking to reporters, said the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of Adalberto United Methodist, the Chicago church.

This has been a long time coming. Not a big fan of sanctuary for criminals, myself. While I look askance at many of the "separation of church and state" issues brought up nowadays (usually by those ACLU asshats), this church took a little too much interest in politics for my liking.

Arellano was "being processed for removal to Mexico based upon a deportation order originally issued by a federal immigration judge in 1997," U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a news release.

Wow, a mere ten years later. Government efficiency never ceases to amaze me. You know, if they'd gotten on the ball ten years ago, we wouldn't have this "illegal mother of a U.S. citizen" brouhaha now.

Immigration activists promised protests and vigils to support her.

Good luck with that. Let me know how that works out for you.

"We are sad, but at the same time we are angry," said Javier Rodriguez, a Chicago immigration activist who worked with her. "How dare they arrest this woman?"

Oh, I don't know; maybe because SHE BROKE THE FUCKING LAW?

Anti-illegal immigrant groups said the arrest was long overdue. "Just because the woman has gone public and made an issue of the fact that she is defying law doesn't mean the government doesn't have to do its job," said Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors limits on immigration.

Um, am I the only one who thinks this is a reasonable position?

Arellano, 32, has become a symbol of the struggles of illegal immigrant parents and a source of controversy. She had said Saturday she was not afraid of being taken into custody by immigration agents.

Of course not. Compared to Mexico's federales, I'm sure she's going to be treated with kid gloves. Glad to see the article actually used the phrase illegal immigrant. That's a rarity anymore.

"From the time I took sanctuary the possibility has existed that they arrest me in the place and time they want," she said in Spanish. "I only have two choices. I either go to my country, Mexico, or stay and keep fighting. I decided to stay and fight."

And now you get to go. Buh-bye. Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out. Oh, and by the way - you may want to take your SON with you; assuming you're any kind of decent parent, that is. Oh, wait - he may still have a use as a bargaining chip over HERE. You know, the sympathy factor - how the eeeevillll US (that everyone seems to WANT to come to) is keeping a family split up.

At an afternoon news conference in Los Angeles, Arellano's son, Saul, hid behind Coleman's wife, Emma Lozano, and wiped away tears. Lozano said she is the boy's legal guardian.
"He's taking it better than we thought he would," said Lozano, the head of an immigration rights group in Chicago.

Sympathy factor already. You know, my son is the same age as this kid, and it tears me up to see this little boy go through this. He has no understanding of what's going on. He just wants to be with his mommy. Problem is, she only wants to be with him on HER terms. Poor kid, to have a mom like that. And no, I don't want to hear that she's keeping him in the States for his best interest. His best interest at age 8 is to be with his mom. He's already a U.S. citizen, so once he comes of age, he's perfectly entitled to live here... but right now he needs his mom more than the US.

Arellano came to Washington state illegally in 1997. She was deported to Mexico shortly after, but returned and moved to Illinois in 2000, taking a job cleaning planes at O'Hare International Airport. She was arrested in 2002 at O'Hare and convicted of working under a false Social Security number. She was to surrender to authorities last August.

A repeat offender. Toss identity theft into the mix, and this is really someone that I am quite happy NOT extending the privilege of U.S. citizenship to. If our laws are an inconvenience to you, why stop there? Why obey any of them? Naa... good riddance. Go to the back of the line. Course, if I had my way, you would have forfeited ANY chance of getting citizenship after you pissed all over our laws.

She sought refuge at the storefront church on Chicago's West Side Aug. 15, 2006. She had not left the church property until deciding to be driven to Los Angeles, Coleman said. As news of her arrest spread Sunday, members of the Chicago church began arriving to pray. "People will be sad about what happened to Elvira," said Catherine Archibald, a member of the congregation and a friend of Elvira's. "But I think it is very important now that we mobilize and push even harder."

And those of us who actually respect the rule of law will just push back. We either have a civil society, or we don't. Like I said here, why are illegals more deserving of citizenship than those of us who wait in line, pay the fees and jump through the hoops?
When you have to work at something, cough up hard cash for it, you tend to cherish and appreciate it somewhat more than if it was just thrown at you.
Illegal immigrants have no appreciation for this country or its institutions. That much is glaringly obvious to me, and I really don't want people like that for my neighbors. There's already too many of that sort in here. We call them liberals.

Jacked up...

This week and last, I've switched departments to lend a hand, because my old department is short-staffed right now and they've had some sick turnover this year.... which basically means everyone over there is a noob.
Thing is, I had to go from 6a-3p to 12noon-whenever... and with a lot of new folks needing help and asking questions, that whenever seems to stretch just a little further than I'd like. The OT's good, I suppose, but when I work shifts like this, I don't get to see my kids. They're off to school when I wake up, and out cold when I get home.
Man, I really do not miss this shift at all, nor this department. I'm happy to be able to lend a hand, but I reckon two weeks is plenty.
For the first six years of our marriage, my wife and I worked opposite shifts to pay the bills and dodge the day-care bullet. I have absolutely no desire to return to those days. I'll be extremely glad when this week is over with...
Hmmm... maybe I'll blow my OT on another gun... I know, it's a sickness... but that stainless Puma lever action in .357 just keeps taunting me...

I'll bite...

David McMahon, over at authorblog, poses this question: What would you say to the first person who dumped you?
Wow. Had to think back there... waaayyyy back....
I first met Keren H. in primary school, when we were ten or so. We went our separate ways, she to West Craven High School, I to Ermysted's Grammar School. I didn't see her again for three more years, until I was walking home from the bus stop after school, and saw her waving at me from the front window of her house - I didn't even know she lived there!
Those last three years had been very good to her; she had filled out quite nicely, I remember noticing...
I smiled at her and waved back, and continued on my merry way. At fourteen, I had had very little experience with members of the fairer sex, and attending an all-boys high school didn't help much (didn't hinder too much as I got a little older, either, but that's a story for another time...).
A couple of days later, my sister (four years my junior) passed me a note from Keren, via her brother (they attended the same primary school), asking me out on a date!
I was jazzed! This little hottie had asked me on a date! Obviously, I had to accept!
I met her later that week, we talked, and things seemed great. We ended the meeting with my very first French kiss! I gotta tell you, I was on cloud nine...
We arranged to meet up the next Saturday, and we took the bus into Colne, a town nearby (we lived in Barnoldswick at the time).
It was a very awkward date, I didn't know what to say or do, and wound up not saying a whole lot - way different from our first meetup. I bought her a brooch that she was admiring at the market, because I knew you were suppose to do nice things, but I was basically clueless.
By the time we got to the bus ride home, Keren apparently couldn't stand it any more, and got off the bus at the top of town, preferring to walk the rest of the way home rather than ride with me. It was that bad and awkward.
I got home and was devastated. I didn't know what I'd done wrong, didn't know how to fix it and was just miserable for the next couple of days. I never saw her again.
I did hear about her a year or so down the road, when she started dating a guy in the year above me at my school - Steevo - who smugly informed me that I had been the absolute most boring date she'd ever had. Stick it in and twist, why dontcha! I was more pissed at Steevo than Keren, though - he was a royal prat.
So, at fourteen, obviously I had a long way to go as far as being a success with the ladies...
As for what I'd say to her today?
Oh, I don't know; I wish her well wherever she is. I don't have any hard feelings about the situation - I'm really chuckling as I write this, thinking how awkward and fumbling I was way back then. All part of the learning curve... I at least learned how NOT to act on a first date, after all...
So, Keren H., wherever you are; best wishes, and I hope life has turned out as well for you as it has for me.

Kowtowing

To the whiny bitches. You can't please these guys. They cry and whine because of a museum exhibit, now they're crying and whining because the museum buckled and pulled the exhibit. Too bad the museum caved to these self appointed guardians of politically correct Mesoamerican history. Were they unhappy perhaps with the portrayal of human sacrifice? Was that too "culturally insensitive"?
What really gets me is that these clowns were pissed that the museum didn't inform them ahead of time - as though the museum answers to them.
Political correctness makes me want to puke.

Range Day

Ran out to the range again Sunday with a couple of buddies to sight in our hunting rifles... deer season is coming up! My Weatherby didn't need any adjustment - still dead nuts on. Scopes sure do make it all easier, let me tell you...
One of the guys who came out had a bit of a rough time. He had just bought a Savage in 7mm magnum that needed a scope. He bought one, and waited until range day to try and mount it. No dice. The scope was too short to fit with the mounts on his rifle, so he had to jet over to the nearest Turners for another one. He wound up dropping close to $300 on a pretty fancy one - a lot nicer than any I possess, at any rate...
Poor guy thought his ordeal was over -- alas, no. He loaded his rifle, fired a round, worked the bolt... and no case came out. WTF?
The case was still in the chamber. We had to push a cleaning rod down the front of the barrel to push it out.
He fired another, worked the bolt... same thing happened. We pulled the bolt and checked it out. No frigging extractor! Huh? I've never heard of this! This was a BRAND NEW Savage from Big 5...
We still have time - maybe 6 weeks or so - but if he has to send the rifle back to the factory, it may be problematic... not good. Poor bugger was pushing that cleaning rod down the barrel every shot - he was determined to at least get his rifle sighted in! Good practice for muzzleloading, maybe...
I would be a lot more pissed about it than he seemed to be...
Took the STG-58 out again; I'm getting better at loading with those stripper clips, but I think switching mags would be much better...

Life in Africa

Wow. This is intense. If you didn't think Cape Buffalo were badasses, you need to watch this...

What I learned today...

Dirtcrashr is a way better shot than I, FHB is redecorating over at his place, Big Dick just finished writing his book and the Hammer's mother-in-law can give up a truly awe-inspiring turd...

On a more serious note, Phlemmy is still well and truly laid up. My thoughts are with her. Pneumonia is no joke.

Overheard...

...At the range...
Two guys cleaning their rifles, bitching about environmentalists...
Guy 1:"...And you've heard about the Kyoto Accords, right?"
Guy 2:"What is that, some kind of car?"

Range Report

I had an opportunity to take my new acquisition to the range on Sunday, although I got there late and only had an hour to play.  I had both the kids there too, taking turns with Number One Son's .22LR boltie.
I love taking my kids to the range; they enjoy themselves immensely, and they soften up the grouchy old grumps who run the place.  One of them took me aside at the end of the day to thank me for bringing them - they love to see a new generation learn to shoot, and he said he'd be happy to help with pointers next time around...
On to the report...
Whipping out my evil black rifle did not cause any stirs, which was pleasing... I have seen AR 15s here, and I don't think the range guys much care what you shoot...
I tried loading with a five-round stripper - wouldn't fit.
Tried a ten-rounder - it fit, I got maybe two rounds in, then the rest just fell everywhere.  Looking like a tool, I sheepishly picked them up.  This was nowhere NEAR as easy as loading my SKS; after all, this rifle WAS designed to take magazines.  Sigh.  With this modification, the DOJ get exactly what they wanted - this rifle cannot be reloaded quickly.  Thank you California.
That said, once I loaded my rounds (one by one) and got to shooting, I was very pleased.
The recoil was directed straight back along the plane of the rifle as I had read, which kept the sights pretty much on point after firing.  It was also fairly mild, which is unsurprising really, given that the rifle weighs in at 10lbs.  I was very happy with that.
Accuracy was everything I could hope for.  The model I have is a carbine with a shortened barrel, but I was ringing that 200 yard gong with no problems over iron sights. (The gong is a 12X18 inch rectangle; at 200 yards, it looks thinner than 
the front post of my sight).

Overall, I'm liking this rifle, but loading it leaves a little to be desired,
to say the least...
No range pics I'm afraid, because like a moron I forgot to bring a camera.  Forgot to bring back my targets, too.  Well, there's always next time...

Here's a chuckle...

...Or it would be if it wasn't so true...


 
The Evolution of Teaching Math in America

Math 1950-2006

Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for
$1.58. The counter girl took my $2 and I was digging
for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket
and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the
nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on
her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to
tell her to just give me two quarters, but she
hailed the manager for help. While he tried to
explain the transaction to her, she stood there and
cried. Why do I tell you this?

Because of the evolution in teaching math since the
1950s:


1. Teaching Math In 1950

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his
profit?


2. Teaching Math In 1960

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What
is his profit?


3. Teaching Math In 1970

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?


4. Teaching Math In 1980

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20.
Your assignment: Underline the number 20.


5. Teaching Math In 1990

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is
selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the
habitat of animals or the preservation of our
woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit
of $20. What do you think of this way of making a
living? Topic for class participation after
answering the question: How did the birds and
squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes?
(There are no wrong answers )


6. Teaching Math In 2006

Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100.
El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha
hecho?

...ripped from an email sent by Nature Chick...


 

Blogroll addition...

It's about time I added this dude. I found Charming, Just Charming throught FHB's site a while back, and I've been popping in over there every now and then since. You have to read GuyK's profile. Years of service in the Air Force, followed by building and growing his own business. Now he's enjoying the fruits of his labors, while singlehandedly wreaking havoc on the US catfish population. If that's not the American dream, I don't know what is.

Minneapolis

I just felt compelled to write that my heart goes out to all those who suffered in yesterday's tragedy.

Gun saga, post III....

So... per the California mandated 10-day waiting period, I was unable to pick up my rifle until after noon on Saturday.

Saturday morning was spent watching my son play flag football (something I'm actually really beginning to enjoy and look forward to), and although I was chomping at the bit to get to the gun store, I acceded to my wife's request to jam over to Costco first.

Finally, we made our way to the gun store where my wife dropped me off (she made a beeline for Barnes and Noble).

I went straight to the counter, whipped out my receipt and waited as the guy went in the back to get...

The manager.

Uhhh... where's my rifle?

Apparently the warehouse had not shipped it to the store. Unbelievable.

The clerk who saw me first then started telling me that the gun was iffy as far as DOJ goes, that they hadn't decided whether or not to proclaim it as an assault weapon yet. This kind of talk really started to make me a little nervous, if you know what I mean. I do NOT want to blow it with regards to CA gun laws. He suggested that I roll the money I had over into a Springfield M1A, which was the second choice on my short list.

The clerk who had originally sold me the gun overheard this whole conversation, and finally broke in with an exasperated,"Guys! That's a legal gun! The DOJ agent who gave the store so much grief had to make a formal, public apology to the store!" He went on to point out that he could forward me some correspondence showing that the DOJ had in fact attested to the legality of the gun I was buying. I'll post the link here, for anyone who's interested. Be warned - it's 26 pages...

Bottom line, my gun was unavailable for pick-up, and I was not happy (and a little bit spooked by the first guy).

The manager told me he'd jam out to the warehouse Sunday morning and have the gun here for me by noonish. I couldn't really do much else than say OK. Didn't care much to throw a fit, it wasn't his fault and throwing a tantrum wouldn't get it here any quicker anyway...

Sunday rolled around, and I got a call...

"Do you know what I'm looking at right now?"

"Hope its an STG-58"

"Yessir!"

"Be there in 30 minutes!"

Shot back to the store, checked out my rifle (I'd bought it sight unseen), signed off on it, got a free box of ammo for my trouble and left with a shit-eating grin and a new rifle...

The magazine is fixed in place by both a screw and a spot-weld I was told. That's the way it'll stay, too, unless I move out of CA (or at least get some property out-of-state).

Now, if anyone's got a line on some cheap .308 ammo, I'd certainly appreciate a heads-up.