Done and done…

Posted on by January 9, 2015

Well, the French Police and Military stepped up…

Both hostage ‘incidents’ have been satisfactorily resolved. The ISLAMIC TERRORISTS are dead! Yes, I used those non-PC words…

The lightning-quick strikes ended two tense, hours-long standoffs, one at a printing plant north of the city and the other at a kosher supermarket on Paris’ east side, where four hostages were killed, as many as 15 were freed. A hostage held north of the city by the brothers, who killed 12 in a commando-style attack at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, was reportedly freed. The fast-moving developments, signaled by explosions and gunfire at a printing plant in Dammartin-en-Goele, followed by similar sounds at Hypercacher (Hyper Kosher), a Jewish supermarket in eastern Paris, brought to a climax a three-day terror ordeal and manhunt involving nearly 90,000 police and military personnel. 

Full report HERE on Fox.

I just hope they used pork dipped bullets…

Now waiting for the inevitable ‘apologists’ to step in and say words to the effect, “Oh this should have been handled ‘this’ way. They weren’t really terrorists, they were just ‘misunderstood’.”

Now the question is, will the next country hit respond as quickly, and in the same manner?  Will countries learn from this???  My guess, especially here, probably not…

Sigh…

U.S. Optics…

Posted on by January 6, 2015

They’re making a move…

U.S. Optics are makers are high end rifle scopes.  I have two of them, and they are some of the best glass I’ve ever used.  Those who’ve seen/shot my M-40A1 clone have seen the MRT and seen how good it is. my ‘backup’ scope is an old SN-9 from the 1990s and it’s as good a target scope as I’ve ever used. Now having said that, they are NOT cheap…

SN-9US Optics SN9

I’ve been to their operation, gotten a tour, and had them build custom turrets for both scopes cut to match the bullets I shoot.  They ARE a quality operation! They also do custom reticles based on the customer’s desires, and they stand behind their products!!!

They’re now looking to expand their reach, getting more into the commercial market and have gone outside the ‘house’ so to speak…

From their press release-

International optics manufacturer U.S. Optics, Inc. has revealed outdoorsman focused marketing firm Contingency X as its official creative agency Brea, California – U.S. Optics Inc., an international rifle optics manufacturer, announced today it has selected Contingency X as its strategic, creative agency of record. Contingency X will oversee brand infusion strategies in key markets along with media and marketing services for U.S. Optics, Inc.

U.S. Optics, Inc. has branched beyond its in-house team to tap its first creative marketing agency. The agency’s initial work for U.S. Optics, Inc. is set to debut in the first quarter of 2015. “Every year, we continue to see growth in our brand from our own efforts. In 2015, it is our goal to reach new audiences and gain a wider market share while offering better support to our clients. We strongly believe that our relationship with Contingency X will allow for these goals to come to fruition,” stated Nick Baroldi CFO.

Over the span of 24 years, U.S. Optics, Inc. has evolved the functionality, resilience and precision of its optics through design innovation and proven engineering principles. Built to satisfy the needs of military and law
enforcement personnel, hunters, and highly trained precision competition shooters, it has developed a commercial off the shelf (COTS) product line with little difference from its custom-built optics. Currently US Optics, Inc. has
approximately 66 domestic dealers and 12 international dealers in such countries as Australia, Canada, France and Russia.

Contingency X has pledged to not only develop new creative campaigns, but to roll up its sleeves to bring diverse solutions and take a more comprehensive approach to its marketing efforts. The agency will take on the development of creative material, social media, website redevelopment, media, strategic marketing and other duties.

ABOUT U.S. OPTICS, INC.
U.S. Optics, Inc. has been building custom rifle optics for more than 24 years. In this span of time, the functionality, durability and clarity of its optics have evolved through research and development efforts, invaluable end user feedback, design innovation and proven engineering principles. A family of core products has emerged from U.S. Optics, Inc. as a result of its dedication and perseverance to build the best rifle optics available for the precision shooter. 

ABOUT CONTINGENCY X
Contingency X is a marketing and media firm that provides noteworthy marketing and media services to the firearms and outdoor industries. With over 20 years of marketing and media services for mainstream companies,
Contingency X has shifted its focus to the outdoorsman markets to provide excellent marketing and media tactics for its clients. For more information, visit http://www.contingencyx.com.

If you want quality, and are willing to pay for it, you won’t go wrong looking at U.S. Optics…

Just sayin…

Nous sommes tous Charlie…

Posted on by January 7, 2015

As one who has always loved both editorial cartoons and ‘regular’ cartoons (I grew up on Pogo and Peanuts, okay) It’s truly sad to hear what happened in Paris yesterday. 

Here are a couple, and some links to more that prove once again a picture IS worth 1000 words.

David Pope 1 8 15

h/t David Pope

Ramirez 1 8 15

h/t Investor’s Business Daily

Chris Muir has one up at Day By Day.

And Buzzfeed has 20+ more HERE.

Once again muslim terrorists have killed defenseless people… I hope the French catch them and put them down like the dogs they are… Preferably with bullets dipped in pork fat…

Life…

Posted on by January 6, 2015

Grumpy old man warning…

Sometimes life just sucks… But that isn’t an excuse to just give up.  Now days the ‘new buzzwords seem to be “Microaggressions”, “Trigger Warnings”, and the New Meaning of “Trauma”, don’t know what those really are, since most of the examples I’ve seen don’t make sense. But it seems like way too many people are using life sucks AS the excuse, and sucking off the government teat for the rest of their lives…

When I look around I see more and more homeless, more ‘out of work’, people living on the dole, etc.  And they are perfectly happy to do that (2 years of ‘free’ money is one comment I overheard).

And now we’ve got an assault on the police through ‘various’ organizations and protest groups that want dead cops. Add in the protesters that are now interrupting people eating, a veterans award ceremony, and ‘claiming’ that a black is killed by a cop/vigilante/??? every 28 hours.

Do you really want the cops gone??? Do you realize what you’re proposing? Can you spell anarchy???  Do you remember the Watts riots???

My question is, what about the black on black violence that kills a black every four hours on the average? What about the black on white violence? Where are the protests for that?

How do these protesters live?  Do THEY have jobs?  I’m betting you and I are paying for them to protest…

I know I’m an old fart, and a bitter clinger, and a Christian but I just don’t get it. I’ve never given up, even when down. I don’t understand the mentality out there today.  Why should ‘I’ pay for them to sit on their asses? I’ve worked since I was 14, and always did my best to ‘earn’ the money I was paid.

I can’t help but wonder if the political divisions in this country have brought us to this point, were there is NO chance of working with the other side. It’s all about emotions now, facts be damned and those “Microaggressions”, “Trigger Warnings”, and “Trauma”.

Who really represents us? Those of us that actually go out and earn a living every day- black, white, hispanic, asians, native americans, other?   Who stands for us?

Who stands for the military, the elderly, the Christians?  I hear a lot of pandering words, but I don’t see actions backing up those words.

It’s a helluva note when the first day back at work in the new year these are the questions that were going around the lunch table. And nobody had any good answers other that retire and go somewhere ‘safe’…

Where is that, pray tell?

Is there enough honor left in the American people to stand up and say enough?  To right the ship of state and get us on a better track? We know the results of the elections last year, but will they prove to be same ol’, same ol’ with a different bunch in “charge”???

misplaced poster

Sigh…  kicking the soapbox back in the corner…

Your thoughts???

What in the hell???

Posted on by January 7, 2015

Gah, PCism has done something I never thought I’d see…

By Bill Randall – – Wednesday, December 31, 2014

FOREST HILL, N.C., Jan. 15, 2013 — The time honored rite of the U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer (CPO) initiation process has been eliminated. Political correctness has won out over more than 100 years of having gotten it right in the Chief’s Mess.

Full article HERE at the Washington Times.

The Navy has already watered down the CPO initiation to a pale imitation of it’s former self, but there were, as the article indicates, REAL REASONS for what is done during the initiation…

This is a truly sad day, and it will mean that the CPO ranks will not have the cohesion, leadership potential, and camaraderie that once existed in the goat locker.

Hopefully this will be overturned… Hopefully…

Edit- Thanks to Davey, HERE is a link to CDR Salamader’s take on it…  Can’t say that I disagree with him…

Range time!!!

Posted on by January 4, 2015

Thanks to Murph, I got a chance to get out to the range and shoot my ‘new’ guns…

Well, new to me anyway… Joe, ya done GOOD!

As always, clicken to embiggen

10-22 and target

After fiddling around with the scope and once AGAIN reminding myself NOT to drink coffee, I finally settled down and put a good group down in the lower left corner.  And the nice thing is the can didn’t alter the zero at all!

And after Murph ohh’ed and ahh’ed over it, he spotted for me and put a few rounds down range with the SP1.

SP1 and target

Not as good as with the scope, and a ‘bit’ of chasing the correct front sight height, but we finally got it there…

And Murph did have a comment after he fired it, “OH, a REAL Colt spring!”  Well yeah, it is… LOL

Last but not least, I drug out the 03A3, dreading trying to get it sighted in. But…

03a3 and target

That sucker was DEAD ON!  That’s a five shot group!!! Done and done, and put that sucker back in the bag… Smile

Oh yeah, and the quickest way to put a smile on one’s face??? Reising Model 50 SMG in .45!!!

Me and Reising

And lastly, Murph letting her run…

Fun was had by all, followed by Five Guys… I could use more days like this!!!

“Somebody” has a new toy…

Posted on by January 4, 2015

And he can’t rag on me anymore about ‘finds’…

Murph and Reising

Thanks to Murph for the invite, got a little range time in today and got some sighting in done.  Although I didn’t get a pic of him shooting it, he took M-1 Garand 509 out for it’s first outing, and it was ON!!!  8 shots in a 2 in circle at 50 yards is NOT bad at all!!!

More tomorrow after I get mine cleaned…

Rulz…

Posted on by January 3, 2015
Marine Corps Rules:   

1.   Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.
2.   Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough.
3.   Have a plan.
4.   Have a back-up plan, because the first one probably won’t work.
5.   Be polite.  Be professional.  But have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
6.   Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a ‘4.’
7.   Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice.  Ammo is cheap.  Life is expensive.
8.   Move away from your attacker.  Distance is your friend.  (Lateral and diagonal preferred.)
9.   Use cover or concealment as much as possible.
10. Flank your adversary.  When possible, protect yours.
11. Always cheat; always win.  The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
12. In ten years, nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will remember who lived.
13. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating your intention to shoot..

Navy SEAL Rules:   

1.  Look very cool in sunglasses.
2.  Kill every living thing in sight.
3.  Adjust Speedo.
4.  Check hair in mirror.

US Army Rangers’ Rules: 

1.  Walk in 50 miles wearing 75 pound rucksack while starving.
2.  Locate individuals requiring killing.
3.  Request permission via radio from ‘Higher’ to perform killing.
4.  Curse bitterly when mission is aborted.
5.  Walk out 50 miles wearing a 75 pound rucksack while starving.

US Army Rules:  

1.  Curse bitterly when receiving operational order.
2.  Make sure there is extra ammo and extra coffee.
3.  Curse bitterly.
4.  Curse bitterly.
5.  Do not listen to 2nd LTs; it can get you killed.
6.  Curse bitterly.

US Air Force Rules:   

1.  Have a cocktail.
2.  Adjust temperature on air-conditioner.
3.  See what’s on HBO.
4.  Ask ‘What is a gunfight?’
5.  Request more funding from Congress with a ‘killer’ Power Point presentation.
6.  Wine and dine  ”key’ Congressmen, invite DOD and defense industry executives.
7.  Receive funding, set up new command and assemble assets.
8.   Declare the assets ‘strategic’ and never deploy them operationally.
9.   Hurry to make 10:45 tee-time.

10. Make sure the base is as far as possible from the conflict, but close enough to have tax exemption.
US Navy Rules:  

1. Go to Sea.
2. Drink Coffee.
3. Deploy Marines
4. Drink Coffee.
5. Retrieve Marines
Go Navy!

h/t Gassit

The Book of Barkley…

Posted on by January 2, 2015

Somebody we know got a GREAT review from Kirkus!

LOB review pic

Here’s the actual review!

THE BOOK OF BARKLEY by L. B. Johnson

THE BOOK OF BARKLEY

Love and Life Through the Eyes of a Labrador Retriever
by L. B. Johnson
BUY NOW FROM
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
LOCAL BOOKSELLER

KIRKUS REVIEW

Debut author Johnson enters the literary scene with a beautifully penned eulogy to the Labrador retriever who taught her to appreciate life in the moment while helping open her fractured heart to the joys of love.

By the time Johnson was ready to bring a puppy into her life, she had shouldered a lion’s share of emotional baggage: She lost her mother to cancer at an early age, was abandoned by the father of her unplanned baby (given up for adoption) and had freed herself from an unhappy marriage. Along the way, she became a jet pilot. She had hung up her wings and taken a well-paying job (as an unspecified federal agent) and was about to purchase a new house. “It was time for a black lab.” Even before Barkley was old enough to leave the litter, he picked Johnson out to be his mother. As the other puppies ran around frolicking over new people and smells, Barkley sat quietly and studied her. Then he made his decision, coming over to check out her shoelaces, never leaving her side. This memoir is the story of the 10 years Johnson and Barkley shared. But it is much more. Johnson’s writing borders on the lyrical, her prose meandering gently to and fro through a lifetime of recollections and musings, always coming back to rest in the safe harbor of the love, trust and protectiveness she and Barkley had for one another. She’s a fan of lengthy, free-flowing sentences, and some readers may occasionally wait a bit impatiently for her to put aside the philosophizing and return to Barkley. He was always there—the inspiration for her thoughts, the validation that life is worth living. And there are plenty of Barkley tales to satisfy. Right up front, readers will know they need a box of tissues: The book opens just after Barkley has died. So buck up for this tender work full of humor and charming misbehavior.

An unusually full-bodied love story that will wrap itself around the heart of anyone who has been fortunate enough to experience life with a dog.

If you haven’t already gotten your copy, shame on you!  All profits from the book go to various pet rescue organizations, so you not only get a great read, you also help the pet rescue folks!!!