Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Posted on by November 23, 2017

Thanksgiving Day is a unique American holiday that brings together this nation of all faiths and cultural backgrounds around a common theme of thanks. Traditionally, we gather with family and friends to reflect on the year past, and give thanks for the blessings and freedoms we enjoy. It’s a time when we stop for a moment in our busy schedules to share bounty, food and fellowship.

We need to be mindful that for lots of Americans it has been a tough year. Hard times can serve to remind us to be more thankful, and if you have a chance, reach out to someone less fortunate this week.

Also, many of the Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines are away from home on Thanksgiving Day. I ask that we all keep them in mind as we gather around the table on Thursday. Please include a thought of gratitude in your grace for the freedoms they defend, and those we enjoy as a result of their dedication and sacrifice.

I want to thank those who take the time to drop by and read my chicken scratchings, I appreciate every one of you and all of your comments. I also appreciate the chance this blog has given me to meet both literally and figuratively so many outstanding people, whom I may not always agree with, but that I know I can have an intelligent conversation with!!!

I learn something from y’all every day…

Take care, be safe, drive safe, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

54 years ago…

Posted on by November 22, 2017

John F. Kennedy was shot this morning, November 22, 1963 in Dealy Plaza in Dallas, Texas.

I was in the 7th grade, sitting in math class, when the teacher came in, in tears. She had a transistor radio with her, and turned it on. We heard those words no American ever wants to hear, “The President has been shot.”

A couple of weeks ago, more data was released on that fateful day, and I’m sure the conspiracy theorists are combing it to prove their crackpot theories…

A number of years ago, I met a TV producer/director who was with NBC back in the day, and he told me a rather interesting story concerning the arrival back at Andrews of Air Force One. He had been told to get out to Andrews, and a camera crew would be sent ASAP.

He got out there to find it was just him and a cameraman from ABC, who had his gear set up, and nobody else. Then Air Force One landed…

Max said he and the cameraman huddled and decided what the hell, at least they would get some stock footage that could be shared later. So the cameraman followed the airplane in, focused on the door, and they saw Jackie come down the steps, still in the blood stained pink dress.

He told the cameraman to follow her, as the ambulance backed up to the cargo area, and captured the casket being removed from the airplane and placed in the ambulance. He then told to cameraman to follow the ambulance as it disappeared in the distance…

Now what, asked the cameraman, and Max told him to pan back to the door of the airplane. A couple of seconds later, Lyndon Johnson appeared in the door, the first time he’d been seen in public as the President. They followed him down the stairs, and when he was gone, they left.

It wasn’t till Max got back to the studio that he found out all the networks had been broadcasting the feed they had provided. He said he asked LBJ later (when he appeared on Meet the Press), why he stepped into the door of Air Force One when he did. He said he was stunned to hear LBJ say, “I figured that was my cue.”

All I could do was shake my head in wonder, and thank him for doing what he did. Those video clips are a part of the visual history of that day, and one my generation will never forget.

 

Achmed…

Posted on by November 20, 2017

In lieu of yet another rant, how about a ‘new’ Achmed the dead terrorist, with Jeff Dunham?

Get it now, before the leftists decide (insert wrong whatever here) isn’t politically correct/racist/something ism/etc…

h/t

JP

Range report…

Posted on by November 19, 2017

A little training, a little shooting… 🙂

Helped a lady work on some issues with pistols today, she can’t really rack a slide well, so it was try a revolver day. She brought her .22 magnum Ruger, and we started with that, then worked through some different revolvers, and how to load a cylinder with both speed strips and speed loaders.

By the time we were done, with Lawdog working on the trigger pull with a laser grip, her groups were under four inches, and everything was minute of bad guy, with everything she shot! So if anybody has a spare S&W Model 60 with a three or four inch barrel, we can make a good home for it… 🙂

On breaks, I put a few rounds down range, with small, medium, and large pistols…

Agent at 5 yards, and yes, it’s a belly gun… sigh… 5 inch group

Diamondback at 7 yards, 3 inch group

Python at 10 yards, 3 inch group

And just for S&Gs… Brought out the old SAA. 3 inches at 10 yards. 

BUT, I have to admit Lawdog out shot me with it at 10 yards! But he cheated, he used a two handed grip… 🙂

So fun was had, everybody is more relaxed and smiling, and I’m calling this one a win all the way around!

Bleg and update on the Go Fund Me…

Posted on by November 18, 2017

Update and a bleg…

Andi, a member of our Blogorado family, has suffered a stroke, which was misdiagnosed initially, leading to complications.  She doesn’t have medical insurance, and is having to fund her rehabilitation on a pay-as-you-go basis.  Several of us have pooled our resources by donating guns from our personal collections, and we’re offering them as an incentive to raise funds for her, along with some non-gun prizes (jewelry, books, etc.) for those who’d prefer them.  The Go Fund Me is HERE. Jenn as a personal post up on Andi, HERE.

You’ll find photographs of all the prizes in three parts:  here, here, here, and here. There is an additional package it’s number 14!  A full polish on a stainless or nickel plate on a blued handgun. This is from Reflections Chrome Plating up in Maine! Remember, donate to the Go Fund Me, HERE, and email your receipt to  [email protected] in the raffle!!!

As I write this, we are at a little over $14,300, so a little less than 60% there. The raffle will continue until the end of November, so basically two weeks left! The drawing will be via a random number generator on 1 December. First number drawn gets their pick, second number gets their pick, and so on.

Thank you to all that have contributed both packages and donations!

More old things…

Posted on by November 17, 2017

The top one followed me home today…

The other has been around a while (45 years)…

Good times for a range trip… 🙂 And friends to go shooting with on Sunday makes it even better!

49 years ago…

Posted on by November 16, 2017

NBC made one of the most egregious screwups in broadcasting history…

Anybody remember the Heidi Bowl?

Bonus points if you do, if you don’t it’s below the break…

Continue reading →

TBT…

Posted on by November 15, 2017

As I get older, I realize:

#1  –  I talk to myself, because there are times I need expert advice.

#2  –  I consider “On Trend” to be the clothes that still fit.

#3  –  I don’t need anger management.  I need people to stop pissing me off.

#4  –  My people skills are just fine.  It’s my tolerance for idiots that needs work.

#5  –  The biggest lie I tell myself is “I don’t need to write that down.  I’ll remember it.”

#6  –  I have days when my life is just a tent away from a circus.

#7  –  These days, “on time” is when I get there.

#8  –  Even duct tape can’t fix stupid – but it sure does muffle the sound.

#9  –  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could put ourselves in the dryer for ten minutes, then come out wrinkle-free and three sizes smaller?

#10  –  Lately, I’ve noticed people my age are so much older than me.

#11  –  “Getting lucky” means walking into a room and remembering why I’m there.

#12  –  When I was a child, I thought nap time was punishment.  Now it feels like a mini vacation.

#13  –  Some days I have no idea what I’m doing out of bed.

#14  –  I thought growing old would take longer.

#15  –  Aging sure has slowed me down, but it hasn’t shut me up..

#16  –  I still haven’t learned to act my age.

h/t JP

Posted in TBT

This is interesting…

Posted on by November 14, 2017

I’m actually surprised the NYT even published this, but Kalashnikov is going to private hands… After 70 years the Russian government is giving up control!!!

Full article, HERE.

And in other Kalashnikov news, anybody recognize this?

Photo from Kalashnikov Concern

If you said AKM, you’d be wrong…

This is actually an early prototype from 1948…

Thanks to Guns.com for a great set of pics, HERE.

In other news, the Dems in NY are apparently again going down the gun confiscation route… Called the Safe Homes Act…

Full article, HERE. Any bets on what will start happening in bad divorces???

 

Heh…

Posted on by November 14, 2017

Soooo….

Calexit- The Anthology, got it’s first one star review.

Short and to the point, even! I wonder which side of the political spectrum this reader is on? And I’m guessing we ‘triggered’ them… 🙂  Now I did three tours stationed in California, so I ‘know’ how we were treated out there. Just sayin’

Yuck

Absurd, often hateful political propaganda.

Published 1 day ago
Um… political propaganda???
‘Scuse me, but we’ve written FICTION. We didn’t hide who we are, or try to couch this as anything other than fiction! As far as the parallels the various authors chose to draw with reality, well, there are plenty of ‘indicators’ in the media that California would love to actually secede from the US.
In the growing chasm between Trump’s Washington and California—principally on climate change, but also taxes, health care, gun control and immigration—Brown is functioning as the head of something closer to a country than a state.
Don’t believe me? Read the article, HERE! And this is just ONE example…
And then there is THIS…
Political propaganda… Really? More like the logical extension of what Californians are actually trying to do!
And I’ll just throw this one in… One of the first reviews, and a five star-
I received the book as a gift from one of the authors and thoroughly enjoyed all the stories. Some of them seem to be a little far-reaching – unless you’ve had the misfortune of living there.