Attention to detail, yet again…

Folks, THIS is why you pay attention to details…


ESPECIALLY around firearms… sigh…


Sighting in your expensive new deer rifle

1. Shiny new, high-powered deer rifle…………..$ 1,200.00
2. Quality, high-powered scope……………………$ 550.00
3. Bore sighting device……………………………….$ 140.00
4. Forgetting to remove the bore sighting device prior to actually shooting the damned thing?

This is called a banana peel…



What you don’t see in this view, it also blew the back of the bolt out and into the shooter’s cheek and forehead. Needless to say, I’m NOT posting that picture, but he did survive…

Here’s what’s left of the boresighter… Worked good as a bore plug…

“Life’s tough……It’s even tougher if you’re stupid.” -John Wayne

Random stuff…

After picking up the Model 1917, I didn’t have any gun leather for it, so my Christmas present to myself was a belt and holster for it… I contacted Johnny at Grassburr and he did a custom holster for the hogleg along with a belt to support it. Since the 1917 uses moon clips, I didn’t get any ammo slots on the belt, but I’m VERY happy with the quality and the price of the work! It’s a beautiful dark tan antique look and a perfect fit! Thanks Johnny!


The other thing was a meme I saw on somebodies site (CRS kicking in, so I can’t remember whose)… It was what’s in your pocket…
(edit: Thanks to Earl for the reminder, it was Bear on a Bicycle, but I STILL can’t find the post…)

What was the old Mae West line, is that a pistol, or are you just glad to see me? Well, in my case… sigh….

Wallet, comb (don’t know why I bother), keys and a Streamlight Nano, a few bucks, Zippo, Benchmade 154, S&W 637 in a Nemesis holster, Bianchi speed strip with 5 Gold Dots, and that’s it…
Other than my watch and electronic leash (Blackberry), which weren’t in my pocket… 🙂
Play along if you want to…

Twas the day AFTER Christmas…

Burp… The presents have been played with, the boxes lost, at least one set of batteries burned through, the turkey and mounds of food eaten, and now the reality sets in… Oh $%^&, now I’ve got to PAY for all this…
But the up side is getting to spend time with the kids and Grandson, and the joy on his face at getting a computer!

Note: I never thought I’d be buying a computer (used; dumb yes, stoopid no) for a 10 year old, but he wants/needs it for school…sigh… 10 year olds that are computer literate are SCARY!!! His first question was whether it had Internet 🙂

And then we bought the dog a bone…

Of course the bone happened to be as big as the dog, so he barked and nipped at it, and still doesn’t know what to do with it…

I’m firmly convinced the best investment is in battery companies, everything I saw needed batteries, except maybe underwear, and I’m not sure about that; there was this ad… 🙂



I hope each and every one that could got to spend time with family during this holiday season, since THAT is really what the season is about…

I wish each and everyone Best Wishes for 2009!

The Navy’s Night Before Christmas…

With apologies to C.C. Moore… and a tribute to our Sailors where ever they may be tonight…

‘Twas the night before Christmas, all compartments were still,
The Sailors were sleeping, as most Sailors will.
The ditty bags hung by the lockers with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

Our Sailors were all peacefully dreaming in bed,
as visions of liberty danced in each head.
The Chief in his skivvies, hopped into his rack,
Having just came from Chief’s mess for a quick midnight snack.

When out on the deck there arose such a roar,
I ran to the porthole to find out the score.
I stuck out my head and started to shout,
“Just what the ?? is that noise all about?”

A moon made for independent steaming showed with a glow,
It was downright cold out, ’bout seven below.
What I saw out there looked like one of those Mardi Gras floats,
‘Twas a Captain’s gig drawn by four white Navy goats.


Rising from the craft was a man who seemed quiet and moody,
I knew in an instant St. Nick had the duty.
To him quickly the billy goats came,
as he shouted and whistled and called each by name.


“Now Perry, now Farragut, Dewey and Jones,
What’s the matter John Paul, got lead in your bones?
A little to Starboard, now hold it up short,
No fluffing off now, or you’ll go on report!

“He was wearing dress “Reds” that fit like a charm,
Hash marks covered the length of his arm.
The gifts to be issued were all in his pack,
The gedunk was ready to leave on each rack.


His eyes they were watering, his nose caked with ice,
He wiped it with canvas, then sneezed once or twice.
He opened his mouth and started to yawn,
It looked like the Sun coming up with the dawn.

The stump of a pipe, he held tight in his teeth,
And took a small nip from a bottle beneath.
He wasn’t so big, but he must have been ever so strong,
I figured he’d been a SEAL early and long.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old Tar,
with a smiling face and a well-chewed cigar.
He filled every sea bag with presents galore,
And left us all leave papers, right by the door.


With “Anchors Aweigh” he climbed back into place,
A broad smile was creeping all over his face.
One look at his watch and he started to frown,
“This mid watch is certainly getting me down.


“Then out to the breakwater and into the night,
The gig started fading, the landscape was bright.
“Merry Christmas, Mateys ” he said, as he got underway,
“I got more ships to visit before I finish the day.

Merry Christmas…

I want to take a minute and wish each and everyone a Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2009! Regardless of how bad we percieve things to be, we are still looking down at the daisies, not up at them; so we’re ahead of the game as far as I’m concerned…

I got this from a friend, author unknown, but it’s worth the read, and it does put things in perspective…

Dear Children, It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you’ve forgotten that I wasn’t actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of you’re predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do
appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santa’s and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish. I actually spoke of that one in a
teaching explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks are. If you have forgot that one, look up John 15: 1 – 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here’s my wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one.Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. Here’s a good one. There are individuals & whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them (and I suspect you don’t) buy some food & a few gifts & give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

P.S. Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest

And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love; and remember, I LOVE YOU,

God

Blue Angels Solo: 3 Days – 3 Sneak Passes

From Fleet Week 2008 at San Francisco-

Not quite supersonic (761.2 mph), he was doing 650 kts indicated, which is 748.5 mph give or take…

On the third pass, he was 23 feet off the water, good thing he had a clear lane, as he was below many of the masts and tops of the bigger boats!

A few more pics from underway…

Found a couple more y’all might enjoy (or not)…

There were a few other folks out there… You, 63, pick it up… Get in line there shipmate… 🙂

View from the bridge of a RAS being done just ahead, with a third ship positioning on the port (left) side to get gas…

View from the helo inbound to the boat, and yes they fly with the door open 🙂 It’s called flow through ventilation! The four folks kneeling are the ship board recovery team, their job is to chain the helo down when it gets on deck.

Red Sky at night, sailor’s delight!

That is all.

Citizens are "up in arms"…

NICS checks are up… WAY up…

Background checks on the sale of firearms reached record levels during the month of November. Data from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) show a 42 percent increase in November firearm purchaser background checks. A total of 1,529,635 checks — the highest monthly total ever — were reported for the month, up from 1,079,923 in November 2007.

Retailers and firearm manufacturers are enjoying the lack of enthusiasm for Barrack Obama, no question…
And a little gun pr0n from Beretta… This guy is GOOD!!!!

Blogs you need to read…

Afganistan Shrugged is written by one of the folks out on the pointy end… Worth stopping by and you will find yourself reading back through the archives!

Go read today’s post about the latest insult from the Onion, and go send email to those assholes to protest their farsical attempt at humor that denigrates all our wounded soldiers, sailors and Marines.

Bayou Renaissance Man is worth the read for the variety of things he comes up with… My personal favorites are the Doofus(i) of the day! A man with wide experience and interests, Peter does not limit himself to the US stupidity, but find humor throughout the world.

Photos affirm…

A few pics of life at sea…

Underway replenishment at sea, better known as RAS-

Two ships separated by 100 feet or less, moving at 15-16 knots, this takes a LOT of seamanship to do, especially in bad weather.

A little winter weather for your enjoyment…

11-12 foot seas are NOT conducive to taking a stroll on the deck (at least not if you want to STAY on the deck…)!

As the helo bubbas say, ass and trash… They spend most of their time hauling one or the other. Others look at this as the ride off the boat, and more importantly, this is how the mail gets delivered!

And finally, Sunset at sea- It is a special moment, enjoyed by sailors the world over, and it does bring home how really insignificant one is, when considered against the universe we live in.

That is all…