"Faux Pas" Doesn't Cover It

This is a bit of dissonance on our nation's birthday, but it needs attention. Have you seen it mentioned on CNN? MSNBC? Anywhere?

Our Dear Leader, who so loves the Marine Corpse, has stuck his foot in it again. (And lower leg, knee, and... oh, hell, he's pretty much chewing his own sack right now.)

Our commander in chief, in full campaign mode, stopped by Fort Drum in upstate New York to address the troops from the 10th Mountain Division, which had recently completed deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama said: "First time I saw 10th Mountain Division, you guys were in southern Iraq. When I went back to visit Afghanistan, you guys were the first ones there. I had the great honor of seeing some of you because a comrade of yours, Jared Monti, was the first person who I was able to award the Medal of Honor to who actually came back and wasn't receiving it posthumously."

The soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division listened in stunned obedience.

It was actually Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta of the 173rd Airborne who last year became the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor to have fought in Afghanistan, and the first living recipient since the Vietnam War. Sgt. 1st Class Jared Monti of the 10th Mountain Division was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2006 and awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2009 by President Obama.

Read the full article.

Ass.

Vote them OUT...

ALL of them.

I uttered these words to my mother a week ago, while in the midst of a "what's wrong with the world" discussion.

She blinked and said, "But then we'd have a bunch of people who have no idea how things are supposed to work running the country."

I nodded, "'The way things are supposed to work' has gotten us into this mess. We need some folks who haven't been playing the game for their whole life to get us out."

Mom clammed up.

It's true, kiddies. When did "politician" become an acceptable career path? If you wanted to be an attorney and practice for a lifetime, then retire and maybe put in a term or two in one political office or another, that's one thing. But graduating from BigBucksU with an eye on a position as a staffer, then maybe stepping up to that seat in ten or twenty years? Bah. Get a job!

Safely home

MrsZ and I spent the weekend in Burlington (Vermont) with her hockey team. Drove up Friday, came home yesterday. Good trip.

I briefly considered what gun(s) to take on this trip. Vermont has some of the gun-friendliest laws in the nation. No permits or registration, state preemption, CCW/OC are both legal. Only places that seem to be off-limits are schools and the usual assortment of government buildings.

I *strongly* considered OC'ing the 1911. After doing some reading on various forums, it looked like Burlington is, overall, relatively OC-friendly. I'd have had to disarm for at least one of the game locations, on a college campus. Then I started reading more details. Burlington has a pedestrian mall, "Church Street", full of shops and restaurants... apparently while the mall itself is public space and OC is fine, most of the shops are anti-gun and will have a trespass warning issued for someone OC'ing.

I don't know the leanings of MrsZ's fellow hockey players, and I didn't want to scare the white people, or cause a scene if we went to dinner on Church Street (which we did).

In the end, discretion was the better part of valor, and I stuck with my usual carry piece, the 642, in its usual IWB holster. It was nice, however, to feel like I didn't have to worry about accidentally flashing it and having a nice talk with The Man.

For the record: I am OC-neutral. I have to CCW in NY, but would like to be able to OC when weather or formalities recommend it. E.g., I'd like to be able to wear a BBQ gun and actually be able to show off the rig. Or wear an OWB over shorts in the summer. Little things like that. That said, I don't agree with rubbing peoples' noses in my carry choice either. Do what works for you, and know that you won't make everyone happy. As long as you're safe, you should be happy, and that's what matters, isn't it?

Other item of note, and in a roundabout way:
WaPo writes about a rally in VA today. It's an open-carry/anti-tax/anti-gummint rally. Headliners include Mike VanD... etc. The Brady bunch has their knickers in a knot about it, as expected, and the WaPo is going right along with them.

Money quotes:
"A member of several heretofore little-known groups, including Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership and Oath Keepers" - JPFO may not be as mainstream as the NRA, but but I certainly wouldn't call them little-known. Same thing for Oathkeepers.

"Almond plans to have his pistol loaded and openly carried, his rifle unloaded and slung to the rear, a bandoleer of magazines containing ammunition draped over his polo-shirted shoulder. [...] The brandishing of weapons is 'not just an important symbol' but 'a reminder of who we are,' said Almond." - You'll note that Almond (the organizizer) isn't using the term brandishing, which is defined as, "To wave or flourish (a weapon, for example) menacingly." (Emphasis mine.) CARRYING A SLUNG RIFLE OR HOLSTERED PISTOL IS NOT BRANDISHING.

There's the expected association with the OKC mass-murder that occurred on this date. The organizer reminds the paper that this is also the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, but that idea is quickly poo-pooed.

They couldn't ignore us. They couldn't shut us up. The next step is to make us the Lunatic Fringe.

We know what's best for you

It seems the more I catch of political nonsense in this state, the higher my blood pressure goes.

Thanks to MassBackwards I saw this bill in the NY Assembly ... banning high fructose corn syrup.

I'm sick and tired of this shit, and sent the following to my Assemblyman:

Mr. O'Mara:

I just read a brief news article on Assembly bill A10574, introduced by Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (Queens), that intends to ban High Fructose Corn Syrup, of all things.

While I realize this bill was not introduced by you, I find it to be representative of the circus my tax dollars are paying for in Albany. Last month it was Mr. Ortiz and salt, this month Ms. Clark and corn syrup. You are ALL employed by our state's citizens to work FOR US. We didn't hire you as our babysitters or caretakers. We are one of the most highly-taxed populations in the country, with some of the largest issues with infrastructure and social problems. Businesses and productive employees are fleeing the state in record numbers. The state is now operating on an emergency spending plan due to political infighting and chicanery.

We, the people, are SICK of this. We hired you to provide us with infrastructure and the basics of society. Not innumerable social welfare programs, not inane make-work "stimulus" packages, and not feel-good legislations for the media. You cannot stimulate our economy by taxing us more, and you can not legislate health!

My wife and I bought our first home here in New York, after growing up in the Fingerlakes region. I'm beginning to strongly regret that decision, as I see more and more of my freedoms eroded and legislated away. Ask yourself and your colleagues this: when all the motivated and productive members of society have moved to greener pastures, who is going to pay for these social juggernauts you've created?

Aside from this mess, I'd love to see you - personally - sponsor a bill that repeals the "Assault Weapons" ban and the CoBIS program.

I look forward to your reply.

Signed,
sick of this state
[ZerCool]

Buy stock in Reynolds

The tin-foil company, that is.

Tam notes that more states are joining on to the Montana Firearms Freedom Act. If the commerce in question is intrastate and not interstate, the ICC (and the federal authority residing therein) isn't relevant - or at least that's the understanding I have of it.

While reading news earlier, I came across this bit:
Oklahoma tea parties and lawmakers envision militia

Hie thee hence and read, carefully. It's a relatively well-balanced article, and could be a tipping point. The idea of a state militia that is NOT subordinate to the national chain of command is certainly not new, but has passed by the wayside in recent decades. Here in NY it's the New York Guard. Most places, though (and that includes here in NY), the state guard is an unarmed "auxiliary" of sorts. They assist with logistics, planning, disaster relief, and so forth.

Oklahoma is talking about a state-level, state-sponsored, *armed* guard.

I don't find myself objecting in the least. Keep a close eye on it.

Then, since I wasn't really conscious of current events while it was happening, I went and skimmed the Wiki article on the collapse of the USSR.

Here's the three-paragraph summary. Tell me if you see any parallels...

The Soviet Union's dissolution into independent nations began early in 1985. After years of Soviet military buildup at the expense of domestic development, economic growth was at a standstill. Failed attempts at reform, a stagnant economy, and war in Afghanistan led to a general feeling of discontent, especially[citation needed] in the Baltic republics and Eastern Europe.

Greater political and social freedoms, instituted by the last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, created an atmosphere of open criticism of the Moscow regime. The dramatic drop of the price of oil in 1985 and 1986, and consequent lack of foreign exchange reserves in following years to purchase grain profoundly influenced actions of the Soviet leadership.[1]

Several Soviet Socialist Republics began resisting central control, and increasing democratization led to a weakening of the central government. The USSR's trade gap progressively emptied the coffers of the union, leading to eventual bankruptcy. The Soviet Union finally collapsed in 1991 when Boris Yeltsin seized power in the aftermath of a failed coup that had attempted to topple reform-minded Gorbachev.

Post box, soap box, rocks, ballot box... rocks?

Jay wrote a post yesterday outlining why he's against the string of vandalism cropping up at Democrat offices around the country. He makes a good argument, as always. Many of the commenters argue against him, myself included.

For posterity and my own reference, here is my own reply:

I'm very much of two minds on this issue. I want to be the bigger man... hell, the gentleman.

"We tried reasoned discourse repeatedly, and it failed. We voted with our wallets, our phones, our computers, our pens and paper, and yes, we voted with our ballots ... and it failed. We tried everything a reasonable man could try - and it failed. We surrendered our rights, piecemeal and with a war of words alone - and WE failed."

Makes a hell of an epitaph when the birth announcement starts with, "When in the course of human events...," don't you think?

I know - and agree - that the break-ees will Godwin the ever-loving-fuck out of this and scream "Kristallnacht! FASCISTS!" ... because the party line is that of an underdog, nevermind that it is their own legislation, incognizance, and outright ignorance that has led things to this precipice. Nevermind that it was the reigning party that committed the crimes of Kristallnacht. How many people know their history well enough to know that? They'll hear a german word, and "fascists", and make the leap all on their own - as long as Idol is on that night.

I agree with Roberta's description of the person making noise, though. A self-described threeper, but instead of leading from the front, standing in the background yelling loudly.

Jay, I will readily admit it: I am terrified of the road we are on. We have more information available to us, much faster, than anyone in human history. We have witnessed the destruction of nearly every form of government known to man, many within the last century. The system we have (had) worked well - until it outgrew itself. Now someone is trying to figure out how to go back to where we were, based on the actions of men two hundred and fifty years ago.

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - Gen. Geo. Santayana

I cannot sign my entries "III". Perhaps "X" is more appropriate. While I won't be out there throwing rocks, I cannot condemn and may well turn a blind eye to those who do.

"[W]ith a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." - July 4, 1776

I find these words echoing in my mind and in my heart on a continuous basis. What debt do we owe our forebears, and what gift can we give our posterity?

"X"

I opened my email late last evening, and finally received a response to my email to Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY) from a couple weeks ago. As expected, it's a form-letter response. Here it is, in part:

Thank you for writing to me about the current state of our healthcare system. I appreciate your point of view and share many of your concerns. I believe that it is vital that we act now to bring forth health care reform solutions that will lower costs for those currently covered by private insurance, strengthen Medicare for seniors and allow every American to access quality and affordable health care.

Our healthcare system is currently badly broken. Over the last ten years, health care premium increases have far outpaced earned wages and forty-seven million Americans, including three million New Yorkers, are currently uninsured and an additional 25 million are underinsured. With our current economic situation, many Americans are losing their insurance coverage when they are laid off from their jobs. Even people who thought they were adequately covered with the health insurance they purchased later learn that they are not when facing a catastrophic diagnosis. This is unacceptable. No family should be one health care emergency away from bankruptcy. Congress must act to provide stability in the health insurance industry.

(It continues with some addition platitudes about affordable coverage, choice, etc etc.)

It looked, somehow ... familiar. I scrolled down my inbox a bit, and found this bit, which came from the office of Sen. Schumer (D-NY):

Thank you for contacting me and expressing your opposition to health care reform in its current form.

Our country is facing a crisis in health care. The cost of health insurance is skyrocketing, and too many New York families are caught in the middle. Like you, I believe it is absolutely unacceptable that more than forty-six million Americans do not have health care coverage. Both the health of our citizens and the health of our nation are at stake, and we must act soon.

I strongly support the creation of new “Exchanges” through health care reform, in which insurance companies could sell affordable health insurance to individuals and small businesses. In these Exchanges, a not-for-profit health insurance company, which would compete on a level playing field with existing private health insurance plans, would help to lower premiums and exert downward pressure on the premiums of existing insurance plans. Adding competition to insurance markets will help consumers by providing New Yorkers and all Americans one more choice as they search for affordable and comprehensive health insurance.

(Additional platitudes removed.)

Similar? Party line? COMPLETELY ignoring the original email which I sent? (I don't have my original text handy, but it was, in short: NO F'ING GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE. With bigger and more polite words.)

If they cannot understand why We The People are utterly fed up...

Well, elections are coming. Use them wisely. Find a candidate who will actually listen to you, whose beliefs align with yours. Work for their campaign. Donate to their campaign. Vote them in. If they take their oath and suddenly stop listening, they can start looking for a new job in two or six years.

I'll say it again: I cannot sign my entries "III" in good conscience. Not yet. But I can't blame those who do.

Washington wouldn't listen...

So start small, start local. If you oppose this trillion-dollar fiasco, and the backroom dirty-pool shenanigans that were used to get it passed, then contact your state-level representatives. Here in New York that'd be your State Senator and Assemblyman. Even if they support health care reform, make your voice heard. Emails are free, phone calls are cheap, stamps are inexpensive.

I emailed my State Senator (George Winner, R-53rd) on Monday with the following:

Mr. Winner;

Washington chose not to listen to the American people and passed health
care reform. Maybe they'll listen to another elected representative. Please, do anything you can to pass along the message that the people DO NOT support
the health care reform bill. Speak to our State Attorney General regarding a
lawsuit to stop the bill - they are already in the works in many other
states.

This bill has condemned current and future generations to debt and dole... it can not be allowed to continue!

I received a reply this morning. It is likely a form letter, but doesn't reek of "didn't even read your email" like the form letter I got from two-buck-Chuck... in any case:

Dear Mr. ZerCool:

Thank you for your recent e-mail concerning the new Federal Health Care
Reform Bill. I appreciate that you took the time to share your concerns
with me.

Please know that I wholeheartedly share your concern and I agree that New
York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo should join the 37 states that
have files suits against the United States Government. In January, New York
State Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos wrote a letter to Governor
Paterson and Attorney General Cuomo urging them to join other states in any
legal challenge to a health care plan that could add to New York’s
horrendous tax burden and growing fiscal problems. I certainly stand behind
Senator Skelos’ statement and hope that both Governor Paterson and Attorney
General Cuomo heed his advice.

Thank you again for contacting me.

Sincerely,

Senator George H. Winner, Jr.
53rd District

All is not lost, and he is clearly aware of the issue. I'll be making donations and volunteering where possible this year.

Quotes for the night

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition.

"The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous."

"He was Edmond Dantés... and he was my father. And my mother... my brother... my friend. He was you... and me. He was all of us."

"People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people."

-- "V for Vendetta"

Somehow, "remember, remember, the 21st of March" doesn't quite ring right.

In seven and a half months, we can replace one third of the Senate and the whole House. Two years from there, we can replace another third, and the executive branch.

The two-party fiasco has to stop. Vote independent. Vote libertarian. Vote ANYTHING but incumbent.

Without Comment

Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.— That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.— Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.


Georgia:
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton
North Carolina:
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock
Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean
New York:
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple
Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton

Gun deal

I've been thinking about a new .22 for a while. MrsZ has a beautiful 10/22 International that I don't really care for, and can't pry out of her hands at the range anyways. My Savage MkII remains phenomenally accurate and reliable, as expected from a Savage bolt gun. It's a great gun for punching paper or taking small game. It's earned me more Rifleman scores than I can count. It is also, however, heavy. It's not a plinker, or a range toy. Not a tin-can rifle.

I've eyeballed a few 10/22s over the years, nearly bought a couple, but either didn't have money available or the rifle disappeared before I'd decided. Last summer I looked at and shot a friend's Marlin 795. Nice little rifle. Lightweight, handles well, very accurate ... and CHEAP. Normal price for them at Dick's is $130. They have a sale now for $10 off... and Marlin has a mail-in rebate for $25.

I sold my bike this weekend, and decided that it was time to get a 795. After all's said and done, I'll have $105 into this rifle. HALF the price of a 10/22. I expect I'll put a set of Tech-Sights on it at some point, and pick up a few extra magazines - but for now, it's a perfectly acceptable range plinker. Shot one round when I got it home just to check function, and I'll be taking it to the range Monday morning for a bit more fun. Trigger seems a bit heavy and has a long take-up (but I'm also spoiled by the Accutrigger). I'll take it apart, scrub it, maybe stone the sear lightly, and hope for the best. It's not BAD as-is, just not great.

Spent some more time on the reloading bench. In the last week, I've knocked out 350 rounds of .38Spl 158gr LSWC, and 200 rounds of .45ACP 230gr LRN. I've got a range trip scheduled for Monday with a newer shooter, so some of that will get used up. I'm going to have to make it to the reloading shop soon to (try to) find some more primers.

Theoretically, tomorrow (today?) is the vote on health care. I'm still against it. I'm seeing/hearing rumblings in quarters that I hadn't expected. Remember, folks, we are still at "soap box". November is "ballot box". For now, use your phone, your email, even support the good old USPS with a couple stamps and send letters. Remember that scene from "Miracle on 34th Street" where the mailmen bring in sack after sack of mail for Santa? Make your representatives' offices look Just. Like. That.

I'll leave you with a quote from a speech...

This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty towards the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

Know the speech? It ends with ten very famous words:

"[A]s for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"

We won't vote on the bill...

... we'll vote for someone else's changes to the bill, thereby implying that we approved of the bill too - without ever voting on it.

Political shenanigans or Python-esque plot?

You read and decide.

Soap box (that includes the telephone box), ballot box ...

Census!

Like so many other bloggers, I received the form letter from the census bureau today, telling me I'd be receiving my census in the mail next week. That's in addition to the post card we got a couple weeks ago telling us that it's a census year and please fill it out.

I sent the following to the census bureau and both my senators (Schumer and Gillibrand, both worthless downstate dems):

I understand that the census is a constitutional mandate, every ten years. That's good.

What I fail to understand is why I have already received two separate mailings telling me that I will be getting a census form in the mail. A couple weeks ago, a postcard asking me to make sure I return my census form; and today, a letter telling me that in about a week, my census form will arrive in the mail.

At a time when budgets are strained at every level of government, the fiscal irresponsibility of wasting millions of dollars on unnecessary mailings is mind-blowing. While I'm sure the government gets a great price for printing up a hundred million post cards, or form letters with window envelopes, and pre-sort first class isn't $0.44 apiece, I'd love to know just how much of my tax money has been wasted - because the rough number I'm coming up with is probably on the order of sixty million dollars.

Your response is appreciated.
ZerCool, NY
cc: Sen. Charles Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

Yeah, I know, it's another piece of email that'll get skimmed and chucked, but if the reps don't hear from us at all, they think they're doing things right. I'd have emailed my representative as well, but the schmuck went and resigned. I think phone calls to both senator's offices will be in order tomorrow, though.

Random Topics

I've had numerous thoughts and blog posts kicking around in my head lately. Often I'll have an idea and jot a little note to myself to think about developing it into more. Unfortunately, most of them will never coalesce into more than a paragraph or so - so I'll just wrap them all into one big brain-dump!


Special Parking
I'm not talking about handicap spaces. Not even "with child" spaces at the grocery store - that's catering to their customers and they're a private business. No, this one irks me even more. I drove by a new public building in our county the other night, looking the place over when I had a few minutes to kill. The first TWO ROWS of parking were posted. Not handicap. Not "county vehicles"... but "LEV/Fuel Efficient Vehicle Parking ONLY". WTF? Talk about reinforcing the entitlement mindset!




American Runs On...
You know how the slogan ends. If that's what America runs on, we're doomed. I stopped at our local one for a cup and a sandwich before work the other night. I had to tell my order to the idiot behind the counter THREE TIMES before he got it even close to right. And then he forgot my donut. After all that, I finally noticed that the idiot had, in addition to the drive-thru talkie on one ear ... his goddamn ipod earbud in the other. Stupid should hurt.


Remington Home Defense loads
Remington, maker of firearms and ammunition for a LONG time, has released a line of shotgun shells for home defense. From their own product description:

Remington HD Ultimate Home Defense shotgun ammunition features the same pellet material as the popular Wingmaster HD™ tungsten-bronze hunting ammunition and is offered in two loadings. Consumers can choose from a load of BB’s for the highest terminal energy or a duplex mixture of #2 and #4 pellets for excellent pattern density and outstanding stopping power with a reduced chance of over-penetration.

Only one problem. While the "HD" alloy is denser than lead, the increased density is not enough to make #2 or #4 shot an acceptable defensive load. Birdshot is for birds! The BB load is borderline-acceptable, as BBs are .177" diameter and will provide somewhat greater penetration. However, a quick bit of math shows that BB pellets have ONE THIRD the mass of #4 buck - often considered to be the bare minimum for effective defense.

If you're going to use a shotgun for defense - and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that! - use an appropriate load. BIRDSHOT - and BBs are bird shot - IS FOR BIRDS.


Indiana Senator Evan Bayh (D)
Senator Bayh announced earlier this week that he will not be running for re-election in the fall. In his own words:
"Congress is not operating as it should, [...] too much partisanship and not enough progress—too much narrow ideology and not enough practical problem-solving."

I am not familiar with Senator Bayh's political ideology. I generally won't broad-brush by party affiliation, only by the title of "politician". However, I have to give him a strong "attaboy!" for having the guts to stand up and say that something is wrong. Now, let's find someone to FIX IT.

Which brings me to...


Replacing Elected Officials
While working out the other night, I glanced up at the TVs arrayed across the gym and noticed a poll graphic on CNN. It seems that of those interviewed, 63% felt their elected officials did not deserve re-election in November. Nearly TWO THIRDS. That is what a statistician would call "significant" and a politician should call "frightening". The devil, however, is in the details - and we'll know the details come November 3. If the masses cast their ballots and re-elect the incumbent idiots, then we truly deserve what we have wrought.

And that brings us along to...


The GOP
Also an "on the screen while exercising", the blurb was "GOP claims Tea Party threatens their chances" or some such. The point being that the Tea Party will divide the conservative voters and let the Democratic candidates win with a plurality, instead of a Republican winning by a majority.

The thing is, though, if the GOP is that threatened by the Tea Party, they shouldn't be whining about the Tea Party "stealing votes" - they should be looking very closely at their platform and constituents and figuring out what values they would need to incorporate in order to recover those voters. It's not rocket science. The Big Two have lost touch with the vast majority of the population. We are no longer represented by our colleagues and peers, but ruled by lawyers and career politicians.

Using Mr. Bayh as an example: he entered public service as the Indiana Secretary of State at age 30, served just over two years, and was then elected Governor for eight years, at which time he was elected to the US Senate. He is now 54 years old and has spent TWENTY FIVE of those years on the public payroll. He is a CAREER POLITICIAN. In seven years, at age 62, he will be eligible for his pension as a retired senator. That pension amount will be paid by us for the rest of his life - and is roughly equivalent to the average US household income in 2009. Not a bad gig, huh? (I'm on the public payroll too, but I have to work 30 years and contribute from my own base pay in order to receive my pension.)


"Civilians"
There is a fairly small (but noisy) section of society that rails against firefighters and police officers calling the general public "civilians". The argument is that it creates an us-them mentality, a sense of superiority, and so forth.

I lean the other way. The firemen and cops are the ones you call when things are going sideways. There is an us-them - because they have all sworn an oath to serve, protect, defend, uphold, etc. I took that oath, more than once - to preserve and uphold the laws of the state and the country, and the US Constitution. Haven't taken that oath or one very similar? Then you are relying on the sheepdogs. You may not consider yourself a sheep, but when things are bad, you're calling us.

Am I superior to you? Not at all. I'm just another joe trying to get by, who happens to believe in what he's doing enough to risk everything for a stranger. It's not for glory - I shun reporters. It's not for money - I volunteer. It's for love. Love of the job, love of helping, love of my fellow man. John 15:13. I will if I have to, but I sure don't WANT to.


FLASHLIGHTS!
Yeah, I'm a flashlight geek. Can't help it. Big lights, small lights, unusual lights - they're all good. I thought about trying to gather all the flashlights in the house and cars and such for a group picture, but decided it would be WAY too much effort, and I'd probably miss a couple. Suffice it to say, there are flashlights in every room, most drawers, every car, most coats. MagLite is very well-represented. I've got one Surefire. (I'd have more, but $65 for a light hurts.) A handful of made-in-China store brand lights. A Streamlight or two. Couple Pelicans. My EDC light is a Leatherman Serac S2 (now discontinued, I need to buy a couple more and stick them away).

I had a gift card for Lowes burning a hole in my pocket, so I went down there browsing the other day. MagLite has had an LED AA light for a while, but now it's MOAR BETTER with a "smart switch". Different brightness levels, blinky modes, etc. I decided to try it out. They claim the beam is focusable - it is, just barely. The flash modes are useless gimmicks, IMHO. The high-low is nice. Light quality is very good, nice bright white light. The cost of all this, however, is an extra inch in length and an extra ounce in weight over the halogen AA MagLite - and a $12 price premium ($21 vs. $9).

Now that I've got one, for my nickel, it's cheaper and better to buy one of the NiteIze LED combos. This particular one is a new model coming soon, I have one of the older versions and find that it works like a charm. A Mini-MagLite was never designed for long throw, so losing focus isn't a big deal to me.

And that's it. The whole brain dump. Until another random thought strikes me.

Brown, Parkerizing

First and foremost, congratulations to Senator-Elect Scott Brown (MA-R). I hope he remembers this campaign and how he earned his seat. However, as Lissa says, "[W]hile Scott Brown seems very likable and intelligent, he’s still a politician."

One of the instructors I've worked with in the Appleseed Program has pointed out - at every shoot - that what every politician wants, more than anything else in the world ... is to be re-elected. When your "job" is to legislate, and you've a job interview every 2/4/6 years, the way to keep your job is to keep your employers (the voting public) happy. The way to do that is to LISTEN TO THEM. Not pork-barrel spending, not make-work jobs programs, not putting the KY by the office door for the lobbyists.

But there's a second half to that. It's not just the politicians. If they're going to listen to you, you have to SAY SOMETHING. Anything! Make your voice heard, and not just in November. Every single politician I know of has a web site, and those all have either an e-mail address or a comment form readily available. Those are good, and will likely be read by a staffer and a notation will be made somewhere. Mailing a letter costs $0.44 and will fall into the same bin as an email. Phone calls are cheap and quick.

Right here is a list of all 100 senators with their office address and phone number. It's a simple call. "Hi, my name is ZerCool, and I'm a constituent of $SENATOR. I'm calling to let you know that I oppose/support bill number ____." A staffer will take your name, address, and phone number, and someday you may or may not get a form-letter response... but if you're not talking, they sure as hell aren't listening. Even if you didn't vote for 'em, they're still your designated representative. Use that fact. They work for you. Don't ever let them forget it.

(A list of representatives is at www.house.gov with appropriate contact info.)



OK, off politics and back to the guns!

As mentioned a couple entries ago, MrsZ and I went to the range and re-familiarized her with most of the pistols, including the 1911. It was malfunctioning on nearly every shot - failing to go all the way into battery. Ejected fine, picked up and fed the next round fine, but the slide would stop about 1/4" from being closed. This is, as I'm sure you can imagine, a Bad Thing. It won't fire out of battery, but having to push the slide closed each shot isn't something to inspire confidence.

Last night I took the time to field-strip and scrub it, and found just what I'd expected - waxy build-up on the slide rails and internals. This has happened before, but never to this extent. It's a by-product of the cast-lead loads I use, which are lubricated with a wax mixture. The wax heats up and vaporizes when the gun is fired, and condenses all over the internals. The rails, feed ramp, extractor, slide, firing pin channel, slide-lock pin, etc, all had varying levels of coating, but it was everywhere. Some very careful (and tedious) work with q-tips, Hoppes 9, and rags removed it all, and the gun now seems to be fine - a range trip sometime soon will verify.

This happened once over the summer during an IDPA match, and was caused by the same thing - wax buildup. It wasn't as pronounced during the match because (A) it was summer and therefore hot, and (B) during a match, so the gun was being run rapidly and therefore hot - and those factor combined to keep the wax thin and less sticky. Now that it's winter, a bit of wax or over-zealous greasing will gum up the works right quick. Re-lubed with Remington dri-lube (teflon based) on the rails and in the appropriate internals and hopefully that helps.

I also noticed a little bit of very light freckling on the slide. Now, my 1911 is parkerized - a manganese phosphate coating which is rough-textured and rust-resistant. Not rust-proof, as clearly evidenced by my 870, but pretty durable. Unfortunately, I had left my 1911 sitting in a foam-lined vault for a bit too long, and it made some trips in and out of the truck and house in all kinds of weather. A bit of moisture must have been retained in the foam, and some freckling/discoloration started. I nabbed it in time (rub the snot out of it with a terry washcloth), but it's something to be aware of.

Lesson, gunnies: MAINTAIN YOUR FIREARMS.