A Cool Look at 21 Years

A devoted dad who has snapped a picture of his son nearly every day since he was born has turned them into a touching film charting his life – from bouncing baby boy to blowing out the candles on his 21st birthday cake.

Ian McLeod’s video clip – which speeds through pictures of his son Cory asleep, laughing and pulling faces – has now become an internet sensation after the proud father posted his labour of love on YouTube.

The six-and-a-half minute time-lapse film, which has been watched over 600,000 times online, is believed to be the first of its kind.

I can only wonder if this is the same Ian Mcleod that used to blog over at Vox's.


 

Waterboy Wednesday

Curious koalas exploring space are Mars Snoopyals.

Top Things Overheard on the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem

- "OK, we got gold. We got the frankincense. We got the myrrh. Think we should get something more practical, like diapers, maybe?"

 - "I thought this was SUPPOSED to be a WEEKEND road trip.

Boy, is my wife ever gonna be ticked when I get home."

- "All this gazing at a star while riding a camel is making me woozy."

- "I still say it wouldn't hurt to drop by Balthazar's place for another visit on the way back. That was SOME buffet!"

- "16 hours a day on a camel. Are you sure this beats walking?"

- "Why should I always have to be in the rear? It's somebody else's turn to get sand in his face."

- "You guys have any idea how to treat saddle sores?"

- "Man, I'm starting to get a rush from this frankincense!"

- "You guys ever eat camel meat? I hear it tastes like chicken."

- "You know, I used to go to school with a girl name Beth Lehem."

- "What kind of name is Balthazar anyhow? Phoenician?"

- "Hey, do you either of you know why 'MYRRH' is spelled with a 'Y' instead of a 'U'?"

- "Okay, who forgot to give his camel a bath before we left?"

- "Whaddya mean we'll be part of history? A year from now, nobody will have a clue why we did this."

And the top thing overheard on the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem:

- "I can't wait to see and bow down before the Messiah who has long been foretold!"

Merry Christams my friends.

This Is (not) the End

I got home from work a little late tonight and its now 12:45 MST.  That means that the world should have ended, but it hasn't, so I need to get to bed and get some sleep for tomorrow.  There is a Christmas party at work that I'll have to go in early for.  I wish I would have bought some gifts now, but the world was suppose to end.  Better luck in 5,125 years when the next long form calender will have run it's course.

I don't think anyone has the date of the end of the world nailed down.  I've had a little fun with this whole thing and I learned something that I hadn't realized before.  The Mayans claim that creation happened in 3114 BC.  Bishop Ussher calculated 4004 BC as the date of creation.  Several other ancient authorities and cultures also have similar dates for the beginning of the world. By similar I mean an age of the earth as less than 10,000 years.  Depending on who you ask and the method used there are a number of sources that date creation at around 5,000 to 7,000 years ago.  I find this interesting because I always assumed that the age of the earth debate was basically boiled down to a literal view of the bible verses an evolutionary timeline issue.  That isn't the case at all.  Human observation, as recorded in varous calenders like the Mayans or in nonbiblical mythologies supports a young earth theory.

Now that it looks like the world hasn't ended, we'll have some more time to ponder the topic.

12/21/12

"The Mayan calendar predicts that December 21, 2012 will be the most annoying day on the internet ever."

My Cousin Tracy?

Police say the female driver believed the cat was seriously injured or dead and placed it in her van just after midnight on Wednesday morning.

But while driving the cat became alert and she realized it was a bobcat.
 

The article doesn't say it but I think the women's first clue was the 40lb cat was trying to claw her eyes out.  I can only wonder if the women who did this is my cousin.  Seriously, she lives in Bangor and she always had a soft spot for animals.

UPDATE:

Sorry I forgot the link to the story.  The cops declined to give the woman's name to the news.  BTW: Tracy's husband is a cop, in Bangor.   I've got a call into an uncle to see if I can find out who the women is.

Rob Furlong

Do any of you know who Rob Furlong is?  I didn't think so.  I know who he is but I've never met him.  I've discussed his shots with other guys who do this sort of thing but that's about as close as I've come.  For the record my best LD hits were at 2,000 on a borrowed system, so this guy is way ahead of me as a shooter.  None of that is important, but I thought I'd trow it in for free.

Mr. Furlong returned home after winning fame and glory on the fields of Afghanistan to get a job in his local cop shop.  I guess he was an OK cop.  I have no way of knowing, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt.  He wasn't a cop for long.  He had a bit of an odd behavior that got him fired.  It seems Rob's long distance fetish also applies to pissing on his fellow cops.  There is nothing in the article that states exactly how far away the other cop was when Robbie took his wiz, so there is no way of knowing if it was another record or not.  In any event the City of Edmonton has been ordered to give him his job back.

The article says that being fired for what he did was too harsh.  I wonder if they thought that it really is ok to piss on cops, or if the fact he can stick a 750 grain bullet in their chest at a distance of over 24 football fields had anything to do with it.

Reverse Game Wednesday

Mother of Six

Joe was proud of his family of six children. He frequently referred to his wife as "Mother of Six," much to her annoyance. Finally, she cured him of his habit. At the end of a big party, Joe called out loud enough for everyone to hear: "Ready to go, Mother of Six?"

 

"Any time you are," she replied, "Father of Four."

Other Keystone Cops

It's getting harder to root for the cops everyday.  They shoot people illegally and get away with.  They harass people and get away with it.  They crash their $300,000 spy plane into their own SWAT tank.  On one hand it's a tremendous waste of taxpayers dollars, on the other its comforting to know that the cops are too stupid to know how to use the newest toy designed to suppress civilians civil liberates.

In Other News

I didn't believe it but there is a place named White Settlement Texas.  How Racess is that?  I think the headline speaks for it's self.  Burglary Suspect Arrested, Escapes In Police Car.

I'd hate to think of myself as soft on crime, but if you can escape the cops in their own car, maybe you should get a pass, just this once.


Oh, and I thought my job was unrewarding.

NFL, Adults Need Not Apply

I don't follow professional sports so, most of the time I skip anything in the news about the teams, or whatever jackass stunt someone on one them pulled that made the news.  I couldn't help notice two stories were running today.  The first one that caught my eye was titled:  Cowboys Mull Device to Stop Drunk Drivers.  Because I live in the Cowboy state, I thought this might be some lame brain scheme someone in Cheyenne came up with to line their corrupt little pockets at tax payer expense.  I was surprised to learn that the article was really about the Dallas Cowboys trying to come up with some method of keeping their players from driving drunk and wrecking their expensive sports cars.

The second article was ‘At Least Seven’ NFL Players Turn In Guns.  Apparently there is a brewhaha going on about some Football player that shot someone and now everyone in the NFL is supposed to feel bad about owing guns.  I Googled "percentage of nfl players with felonies"  which interestingly enough came up as an auto fill as I typed the query.  However, I wasn't able to get anything resembling a reliable answer to the question in less than 10 mins of searching, I gave up.

A couple of thoughts: First if you're an NFL player, or just a member of the general public who wants to give up his gun(s), shoot me an email.  I promise that I will find your gun a loving home that will care for it and appreciate it for what it is.  Second, the average pay for NFL players is north of $750,000/year, you'd think for that kind of money they could hire adults that are capable of making mature decisions about what they own, how they live and what choices they make, without burdening anyone else with their existence.

Alone

The wife and kids took off to spend a couple of weeks with the grandparents for Christams.  The house is quiet.  The dog is greatful no one is pulling on her ears.  My honey do list is long and I miss the kids already.

Twofer

Clark Kent takes direction from his hat: It’s his Super visor.

Wedding Verses

A couple was arranging for their wedding, and asked the bakery to inscribe the wedding cake with "1 John 4:18" which reads "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear."

The bakery evidently lost, smudged or otherwise misread the noted reference, and beautifully inscribed on the cake "John 4:18":

"For you have had five husbands, and the man you have now is not your husband."

This Week in News

Blotter:

A Mercer Island police officer accidentally shot himself in the buttocks while on duty Thursday.
 

 Lets hope this is the beginning of a nation wide trend in police shootings.

Police: 2 men beaten with toilet plunger in Flint
 

When plungers are outlawed only the outlaws will have plungers.

Man kills BIG spider with brass knuckles.

 

 My wife loved the video.

 

Making Nate's Day

‘BIGFOOT’ DNA SEQUENCED IN UPCOMING GENETICS STUDY

Five-Year
Genome Study Yields Evidence of Homo sapiens/Unknown Hominin Hybrid Species in
North America

 

File this under will wonders never cease.  What will happen next, proof that NASA faked the moon landings?

 

 

Lab Lawyers

At a convention of biological scientists, one prominant researcher remarked to another, "Did you know that in our lab we have switched from mice to lawyers for our experiments?"

 

"Really?" the other researcher replied. "Why did you switch?"

"Well, for three reasons. First, we found that lawyers are far more plentiful. Second, the lab assistants don't get so attached to them. And third, there are some things even a rat won't do."

Fiscal Cliff

There is a lot of talk about the tax increase that is coming.  Most everybody that drops by here knows my politics to some degree, so I won't go into a long and mostly pointless rant. There is however an on line tax calculator that I think is worth you checking out.  Granted it only gives a rough estimate for what your new Obummer tax burden is going to be, but I think its worth taking a look at so you can adjust your family budget accordingly.

Post Fiscal Cliff Tax Calculator

A Good Day to Stay Home

Man Pulls Gun on Rowdy, Line-Cutting Black Friday Shopper

But he had been punched by the guy, so OK, maybe I'll buy it.

Shots Fired Outside Tallahassee Wal-Mart

I'm not sure this is news, I mean its still deer season in TN.

Back Friday door buster at Victoria Secrets.

Ok, this might have been fun to watch.

Teen Robbed coming out of Bed Bath and Beyond.

Seriously? 

Extreme couponer claims attack by store manager.

To be fair the sign does say 20 items or less.

Man takes home TV, leaves kid during Black Friday shopping

Duh, sounds like a no brainer to me.

Sex Toy Sales Up In Canada Due To NHL Lockout

Ohhhhh, Canada!


I stayed home today, well at least until its time to go to work.  I see no reason to shop most of the time anyway.  Thankfully there are only two real malls in the state and I don't live in those towns.  Although I do have to admit, there were A LOT of good gun deals advertised in the ads this week.

Unintended Consequences

Surprise-PA-College-Slashes-Hours-To-Avoid-Obamacare

Pennsylvania'sCommunity College of Allegheny County (CCAC) is slashing the hours of 400adjunct instructors, support staff, and part-time instructors to dodge payingfor Obamacare.    

"It's kind of a double whammy for us because we are facing a legal requirement [under the new law] to get health care and if the college is reducing our hours, we don't have the money to pay for it," said adjunct biology professor Adam Davis.

Weren’t teachers, union workers and the intelligentsia, the biggest backers of Obummer (lack of) Care?  Didn’t the egghead types proclaim that Obummer (lack of) Care would only do good things and that no one would lose their jobs or have their pay cut because of the new regulations?

Thanksgiving Thorns

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her Birkenstocks when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind.

Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss. Troubles had multiplied. Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. THEN! Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer.

"She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder.

"Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child's?"

"Good afternoon, can I help you?" Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk.

"I....I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra.

"For Thanksgiving? Do you want the beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the 'Thanksgiving Special'? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?"

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong."

Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."

Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer, "Hi, Barbara...let me get your order."

She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers.

"Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk.

Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers?

She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.

"Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again." She said, as she gently tapped her chest.

Sandra stammered, "Ahh, that lady just left with, uh....she left with no flowers!"

"That's right, said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet."

"Oh, come on! You can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra.

"Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do, today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very ittle to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery."

"That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel."

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra.

"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I NEVER questioned Him why those GOOD things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, "WHY? WHY Me?!" It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we'r afflicted and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."

Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about the thought that her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is, I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God."

Just then someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man. "My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement...twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.

"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously.

"Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?"

"No...I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem. The Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny, here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us.

As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"

"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too...fresh."

"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious.

We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns."

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment.

"I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.

"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."

"Thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."

It read:

My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."
Praise Him for the roses, thank Him for the thorns.

-Stolen from Pastor Tim's Sermon Illustrations.

Happy Thanksgiving to you my friends.  May you be short on thorns and long on blessings and filled with thanksgiving for both.

Swiss Yodeling

Never Block a Swiss Yodeling Line: You’ll delay he who is next.

Yo-u’ll de-lay he who

This Can't be Good

I wonder how long it will be before we get a mention on Leno.  I bet it still takes a long time to download.

Microsoft plans to build the first data center that is completely off the grid, recycling "common waste" to sustainably power cloud services, the company announced Monday.

The Redmond-based tech giant is spending about $5.5 million in research development on the pilot plant, which will be at the Dry Creek Water Reclamation Facility in Cheyenne, Wyo.

I bet the economic development guys are really patting themselves on the back over this development.  Ya know guys, Wyoming produces over 40% of the nations coal, we've got the countries newest and cleanest coal fired power plant.  We have lots of natural gas and uranium. We are one of the few energy independent states in the nation.  Apparently we crap more energy than everyone else too.  To be fair Cheyenne is the state capital and most of our bureaucrats are there, so they probably have more than enough useless turds floating around to power anything you want.

Poop Power. Power to the Pooper.  Power from the Pooper.  I can see the headlines now. Leave your suggestion in the comments.

Viva Quebec Libre

I like Canada.  The people are nice and the fishing is good.  The beer is over priced, but you can't have everything.  You can get a good Cuban too, so I guess it all works out.

There is only one Provence of Canada that has slightly snippy people, although the fishing is still good and there are lots of caribou to hunt.  This Provence thinks it's just a little better than the rest of the country, because they're French.

I think the picture says it all.  The article title is still pretty good too: Bureaucratic bungling leaves hydro pole planted smack in the middle of a Quebec highway. 

Best Explanation

Michael Ackley hits the nail on the head.

“My God!” Petraeus says. “This includes some very private emails. Where did you get these?”

Bashford says, “I got them from the FBI.”

Petraeus is incredulous. “The FBI?” he says. “Why in the world would the FBI …? How …?”

“Once you send an email, people with the right skillset can find them and look at them,” says Bashford grimly.

“You’re kidding!” says Petraeus. “I didn’t know that.”

“Well, we just assumed you would know it,” says the DCS. “After all, you are our ‘head spook,’ as George H.W. Bush used to say. Anyway, the FBI first thought it was all a bad joke.”

“A joke? How could this be funny?” asks the DCI.

“Paula Broadwell!“ says Bashford, emphasizing the surname. “Investigators thought it was a sort of James Bond joke name, like Pussy Galore or Dr. Holly Goodhead.
 

Is it satire or does Ackley have a bug at CIA headquarters?

Potty Party

Today, November 19 is World Toilet Day.

Celebrate with someone you love.

Hang Up Already!

A 20-year-old woman who crashed on the Athens Perimeter Wednesday night was still on the phone as she was upside down in her wrecked car, Athens-Clarke police said. 

She told officers that she was talking on her cellphone, and “the next thing she knew her car was flipping,” according to police

 She has blond highlights in her hair, does that make her fair game for a blond joke?

Ward 10, Precinct 3B, No Votes for Obama

This just in, NO ONE in Ward 10, Precinct 3B voted for Obama. "This is a total shock" according to Nancy Pelosi. Considering that Minneapolis is known as the Stalingrad of the Midwest, having a voting precinct that didn't have even one vote for B.O. is a total shock.

DNC get out the vote activities promise that next election they'll have better than 90% voter participation. The Black Panthers promise to make sure that they end "voter disenfranchisement" and help all the people of color in Ward 10 vote next time. Sources close to the story report that the Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were planning a protest march since no votes were counted for Obama; however one of their staff pointed out that: 1 the district in question is in Minneapolis and 2. It's winter in Minnesota and 3. It too damn cold to protest there this time of year.

They also pointed out that the, Minneapolis voting precinct is located entirely in a lake.  That last point is regarded by DNC party insiders as "quitter talk". 

In other news; Cook county Illinois, county commissioners have placed annexing the Minnesota lake on next months meeting agenda.

More Efficient Than FEMA

Marijuana Dealer Donates Proceeds To Hurricane Sandy Victims

He's no Pablo Escobar, but the dealer claims he did make $1,400 in those two days, amounting to $700 that will go toward hot meals, diapers, formula, clean water and other supplies that people on the Rockaway Peninsula still desperately need. HuffPost crime confirmed that he bought 50 wool blankets that will likely go to residents who are still without power.

Private enterprise doing more, better and in spite of the government.

A Day Late

A rabbi and his two friends, a priest and a minister, played poker for small stakes once a week. The only problem was that they lived in a very conservative blue-law town. One night, the sheriff raided their game and took all three before the local judge.

After listening to the sheriff's story, the judge sternly inquired of the priest, "Were you gambling, Father?"

The priest looked toward heaven, whispered, "Oh, Lord, forgive me," and then said aloud, "No, your honor, I was not gambling."

"Were you gambling, Reverend?" the judge asked the minister.

The minister repeated the priest's actions and replied, "No, your honor, I was not gambling."

Turning to the third clergyman, the judge asked, "Were you gambling, Rabbi?"
The rabbi eyed him coolly and replied, "With whom?"

Killing the Host

The first rule of being a parasite is don't kill the host.  Apparently the union boss at the Hostess plants never learned this rule.

Hostess Brands CEO said Wednesday the company will liquidate unless striking workers return to the job by the end of the day on Thursday.

"We simply do not have the financial resources to survive an ongoing national strike," Gregory Rayburn said in a statement.

 

 I'm sure the workers are in a bad jam.  I mean that in all sincerity.  The only way to get out of that jam is by pulling it together with management and working it out.  The other solution is to get nothing.  Which is what it looks like they are going to do.

Götterdämmerung

I hate to think that I may be fickle.  After all I truly believe that Mitt may very well have been worse for America than Obummer.  After all, there isn't a single issue that he differed from Obama on.  Except of course work ethic and leadership.  Under Mitt we would have had a far left nut job that would have showed up to work every day and tried to get something done.  Obama still has some nice golf courses that he hasn't tried and there may be one or two exotic locations his family hasn't taken a vacation to, on the taxpayers dime, yet.   Those two facts may be our only hope for slowing the fall from the cliff.  We already know that the republican majority in congress is going to roll over and play dead, just like they have for the last four years.  As to my fickleness, if that's even a word, I hoped deep down that my fellow countrymen wouldn't be fooled again and they'd have the good sense to vote Obummer out. 

I've been casting about for a word that perfectly describes America's current situation.  I think I found it: götterdämmerung.  Of course degringolade was in the running too but while it has the benefit of being literally true it lacks the onomatopoeic quality that properly enshrines götterdämmerung as the best descriptor of our times.   So there you have it my loyal readers, my contribution to our place in history is the identifying the epitaph at the top of the page in the history books:  Barack Husain Obama's Second Term as President, America's Götterdämmerung.

Hell Meet Handbasket

I guess the title says it all.

Decades of letting in illegals combined with half of America on the dole, either as recipients of direct handouts or as bureaucrats or as "contractors" has finally paid off for liberalism.  America is dead.  All that's left is the looting.

Vote Early, Vote Often

Joan Stevens was one of several early voters at the polls on Monday. But when Stevens tried to cast her ballot for president, she noticed a problem.

Upon selecting “Mitt Romney” on the electronic touch screen, Barack Obama’s name lit up.

It took Stevens three tries before her selection was accurately recorded.

I suspect we will be seeing more of this sort of thing with this election.

Nose Candy

Well it had to happen sooner or latter.

Clinical trials will be undertaken in Australia to test the world's first female "Viagra", which experts say could boost the sex drive of one in three women.

The product, Tefina, is a testosterone gel that researchers say could boost female sexual arousal and satisfaction.

The gel is sprayed up the nose, where the testosterone is absorbed within minutes and the effects could be felt within hours.
 

I don't know what this is going to do to game theory.  I see massive social issues coming as a result of this product, if it works.  "Honest your honor, I didn't want to have sex with him, he spiked my nasanex with Tefina.  It was rape I tell you".

I think its only fair women should have a spray that turns them on.  It's long been known that certain foods are aphrodisiacs and certain foods limit a women's desire to have sex.  There is a food that causes women to stop having sex, wedding cake.  So why not a little something to start it back up again.  I see a passive spray as a positive thing overall.  Here is the link to get the women in your life into the trail.

Groaner for Watergirl

There lived a man who was very unhappy because he was deeply in love with a girl who didn't know he was alive. In desperation, he visited a coven of witches who lived nearby and presented his case before them.

Touched by his tale of woe, and impressed with the young man's appearance, manner, and bearing, they decided to help him. They worked their magic and eventually presented the young man with several small objects that looked like capsules. "Bury these under the window of your beloved under a full moon and she will love you," they instructed.

Doubtful, the young man resolved nevertheless to do as the witches instructed. On the very next full moon, he stealthily made his way over to his beloved's house and carefully buried the capsules in the rich loam beneath her window. Nothing happened right away, but, trusting the wisdom of the old ladies, he went home to see what the next day would bring.

The next morning, he walked hopefully over to the girl's house and rang her doorbell. She opened the door, saw it was him, and grabbed him. She hugged him, kissed him, and invited him in for lunch. Their courtship was short but passionate, and within a month they were happily married.

Late one night after they had been married, the young man visited the coven again. "I just want to thank you ladies for your help. My life is everything I could have desired."

"No problem, dearie," said one of the old ladies. "After all, nothing says lovin' like something from the coven, and pills buried says it best."

Tales From Beyond

A goober was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night and in the middle of a storm. The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.

Suddenly he saw a car coming toward him and stop.

Without thinking about it, the guy got into the back seat, closed the door and then realized there was nobody behind the wheel! The car starts slowly; the guy looks at the road and sees a curve coming his way. Scared, he starts to pray begging for his life.

He hasn't come out of shock, when just before he hits the curve, a hand appears through the window and moves the wheel. The guy, paralyzed in terror, watched how the hand appears every time right before a curve.

Gathering his strength, the goober jumps out of the car and runs to the nearest town. Wet and in shock, he goes to a restaurant and starts telling everybody about the horrible experience he went through.

A silence enveloped everybody when they realize the guy was serious.

About half an hour later, two guys walked in the same restaurant. They looked around for a table when one said to the other,

"Look John, that's the goober who got in the car when we were pushing it."

Dumb

I don't like to see suffering. It doesn't matter if its people or animals, I don't like to see others having a hard time or dealing with difficult circumstances.  I often find it in bad taste when other people mock the difficulties of others.  However, sometimes the humor of a situation is just to acute to avoid.

When President Barack Obama urged Americans under siege from Hurricane Sandy to stay inside and keep watch on ready.gov for the latest, he left out something pretty important — where to turn if the electricity goes out.

Despite the heightened expectation of widespread power and cable television failures, everyone from the president to local newscasters seem to expect the public to rely entirely on the Internet and their TVs for vital news and instructions. 

Read more here.
 

Oh the irony.  Where should you get your information, the internet.  Unless of course its about the president's birth certificate.  How, should you access the internet when the power is out?  The power wont go out, we have lots of solar powered electricity. Historically that works great in storm situations. Duh.  If we would have closed down all the caol fired power plants this storm never would have happened in the first place.

If You're Going to Drink...

Have the good sense not to break into somebody else's apartment. This is especially true if the apartment is owned by a chick who thinks she is the karate kid.

I can't help but feel sorry for the guy.  It must be awful to have to tell your cell mates you got your butt kicked by a girl.  At least with your face shoved in the pillow they won't have to see you cry.

As for the chick, well I think we can gain some insights.

1. Chicks fighting guys works best when,
1. the guy is drunk
2. not expecting anything is going to happen
3. in the bathroom
4. doesn't fight back
2. This girl wasn't really afraid, or justified in what she did
1. the "intruder" was in the bathroom.
2. the "intruder" told her he was in his own apartment.
3. after investigating and citing him, the cops let him go
3. This is a case of "girl power" meets "kung fu" gone amuck.

While I believe a person has the absolute right to protect their own home, you do have to exercise some common sense.  Like, somebody is in the house, call cops, wait.  Clearing a house with your black belt and a couple of tournament wins would have been a disaster if instead of an unsespecting drunk in the bathroom, you were met with a different scenerio.  Had drunk guy in the bathroom been more menecing, say meth-head needing $40 for a fix, or rapist who is into beefy chicks or a real home invader, I can see this turning out much worse for chick with black belt and no sense.

Pumpkin Carving

A couple of points if you opt for this method for carving your pumpkin this year.

1. You still have to hollow out the inside of the pumpkin first, otherwise it will explode when you shoot it.
2. You might want to consider a better backstop than shooting into the woods.
3. Don't use anything bigger than a 40.  I'm sure a 44 mag wouldn't turn out as nice.

Election

I admit it, I'm having a hard time with this election.  On one hand there is a pro abortion, pro butt sex, neo-socialist, big spending, lie through his teeth flip flop artist who belongs to a wacko church that is based on discredited racial theories, war monger, whose main goal in life is to give his buds a chance to loot whats left of the empire, and other we have Barack Obummer.

With Ron Paul out that only leaves Gary Johnson.  Who would have thought that in Amercia a guy who is pro ponography, pro prostituion and pro drug use would be the most moral man running and the best chance for not tanking whats left of my country.  It seems that all hope is lost, that is, until now.

Give me Fred till I'm dead!

On education:

"I am replete with ideas for scholarly progress and social improvement. For example, any student who curses or assaults a teacher will be expelled, instantly and forever. (“But Fred,” you say, “The poor things, they will end up in prison.” Exactly. They would anyway. Let’s get them started. Think of it as advanced placement. We could call it Head Start.)"
 

On good Government:

"Next, I will have members of Congress officially designated as ducks by the National Park Service. States vary as to when duck season opens, but this is a matter of States rights. For a small license fee in the capital itself, citizens will be permitted to erect duck blinds along Pennsylvania Avenue. I imagine the use of duck calls which will squawk, “Quaaack Pork, graft, corruption, little boys awwwk!”
 

Go here to read his whole platform.  IF we all write him in we might still have a chance.

A Mix Today

One-Armed Consultant

The classified ad said, "Wanted: CEO needs a one-armed consultant with a social sciences degree and five years of experience."

The man who won the job asked, "I understand most of the qualifications you required, but why 'one armed'?"

The CEO answered, "I have had many consultants, and I am tired of hearing with each advice the phrase 'on the other hand.'"

OneLiners

 "You can tell Monopoly is an old game because there‘s a luxury tax and rich people can go to jail."
 
"Whoever stole my copy of Microsoft Office, I will track you down… You have my Word."

Communion

Little Johnny was in church when the wine and wafers were passed out. His mother leaned over and told him that he was not old enough to partake in the Communion.

When the basket was passed around she leaned over once again to tell him to drop his money in, but Little Johhny held his dollar firmly in his hand, stating...

"If I can't eat, I won't pay!"

Oneliners Part 2

Before the '60s, most teenagers used self-control.

Money talks, but credit has an echo.

Practice courtesy. You never know when it might become popular again.

One man's wage rise is another man's price increase.

The most enjoyable form of sex education is the Braille method.

What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner.

The reward of a thing well done, is to have done it.

When you're at school, you wish you were old enough to work.

Night falls . . . but . . . Day breaks.

If you think you have it tough, read history books.

It's a new year, do you know where your credit cards are?

I try to lose weight, but it keeps finding me.

You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once.

A hundred men may make an encampment, but it takes a woman to make a home.

A healthy male adult bore, consumes each year, one and a half times his weight, in other people's patience.

Whenever buying a gift for a couple celebrating their 60th anniversary, buy them something they will use right away.

I told my teenage son to enjoy this part of his life, that he would never again feel so secure in his ignorance.

I know that you're nobody's fool, but maybe someone will adopt you.

Hunting

This picture is:

Not an elk.  It is however my first mule deer.  I normally don't hunt mule deer,  I go after whitetails.  Its not even my best deer.  At 3:30 on the last day of season, I stalked up on him and 5 does, and the rest as they say, is hamburger.

This picture is:

Also not an elk.  It is my longest distance shot on a big game animal.  It was a 317 yard head shot.  Those of you who know I normally shoot long distance might be surprised that I don't have a longer big game kill shot.  I don't try for long shots on big game and I never wait till I get a longer shot.  Until two years ago my longest kill was under 200 yards.  Then I took a 297 yard antelope and this year I took a 317 yard shot.  It was only a head shot because the buck turned and backed up when I shot.  My normal point of aim is the place on the shoulder where the white and brown make a little corner.

As for elk, I drove across the state just to spend my week of vacation in a mechanics shop getting my truck fixed.  Of course there is a tale of adventure with that but it will have to wait till I have more time.

If You Are Reading This...

If this post has published it means that:

a. I didn't shoot a great big bull elk.
or
b. I shot a big elk but haven't made it home yet.
or
c. I forgot to get pictures of my elk and up load them.
or
d. I got pictures of my elk but have't up loaded them.
or
e.  I had to be back at work today and didn't get time to play on the internet and change this post that I scheduled.
or
f. Something else happened which was more interesting than  updating my blog.

Take your pick and leave your best guess in the comments.

Radio, TV, The Net

I seldom watch TV.  I used to watch a lot but anymore I don't have time.  I spent Thursday night in a hotel room and watched cable.  As I flipped through the channels I discovered that MTV doesn't seem to play music videos anymore.  The little I could stand reminded me of a evil cross of Bevis and Butthead meets bad porn and Oprah. 

I was in Colorado last night.  The radio station played a song that took me back, way back.



Other than being a one hit wonder does anyone know the cultural importance of the above clip?

If you guessed "it was the first video ever played on MTV" then its official; you're an old fart too.  If you remember "Friday Night Video's" and watching your favorite music on MTV and VH1 then its possible that you remember Saturday Night Live being funny. 

What was your favorite video from back in the day?

Real Resume and Cover Letter Excerpts

Maybe this is why I've been having such a hard time getting a better job:

These are taken from real resumes and cover letters and were printed in Fortune Magazine:

I demand a salary commiserate with my extensive experience.

I have lurnt Word Perfect 6.0 computor and spreadsheet progroms.

Received a plague for Salesperson of the Year.

Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave.

Wholly responsible for two (2) failed financial institutions.

Its best for employers that I not work with people.

You will want me to be Head Honcho in no time.

Am a perfectionist and rarely if if ever forget details.

Failed bar exam with relatively high grades.

Marital status: single. Unmarried. Unengaged. Uninvolved. No Commitments.

As indicted, I have over five years of analyzing investments.

Personal interests: donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far.

Note: Please don't miscontrue my 14 jobs as job-hopping. I have never quit a job.

Marital status: often. Children: various.

Finished eighth in my class of ten.

Lets meet, so you can ooh and aah over my experience.

Guess what?

Did you know you can schedule posts for when your going to be away?


I'll give it a try this week and see how it works.

Hunting

By the time most of you read this I should have the truck packed and be on my way to go hunting.  Opening day isn't till Monday, but a good camping space and a quick dip in the hot springs are all part of the plan.  "The plan" is of course to spend a week in the mountians eating meals cooked over a campfire and sleeping in the fresh air.  In the event an elk wanders by, I may shoot it.

Sick

Number one kid got sick.
Number one wife got sick.
I got sick.

Before I had kids I never got sick.  Now I never seem to avoid it.

Random

It seems like just yesterday that I posted that last bad joke Wednesday joke. It's hard to believe that an entire week went by. When I started blogging I thought I'd post once or twice a day and develop a bit of skill working on the internet and writing. I thought that commenting on the various news articles would help me develop some skills that I could use elsewhere. Then, without warning, life happened and now I bog more to keep in touch with friends. On occasion some things still happen that draw my fire, like:

Telemarketers. I’m on the national DO NOT CALL list. I have been ever since I got my own personal phone line several decades ago. In all that time I HAVE NEVER bought or signed up for, or donated money to ANYONE who called for ANY REASON, EVER. Not ever, ever, ever, nor will I. Buying stuff only encourages idiots to call. I don’t do it. There is a company that has been ringing the phone off the hook for the last year or so. It’s some credit card offer about lowering my rate. The way I normally handle this is to ask them to put me on their “do not call” list. That generally works. Most companies don’t want to call you when they know you’re not going to buy what they are selling.

Except this time it didn’t work, even after asking them for 3 months to stop calling. So last August I tried something new, every time they called I tried to get them to sign me up. This of course just pissed off the poor employee working the phone. Apparently for them to make any money, you have to have a balance on your credit card to transfer to their credit card.. Since I pay my credit card in full each month, there isn’t a balance to transfer. I had a couple of their employees slam the phone in my ear.

I’m fairly sure that my credit card company is behind this fiasco. For about the last six weeks the calls have stopped. Then this last month I had several expense that I charged on the credit card. I needed new tires, bought a new toy and had a ton of gas charged. Not a big deal since I have the money to pay for all of this and will when the payment is due in a couple of weeks. The calls have started again and they won’t leave me alone.

I’m considering changing my entire political philosophy and voting for anyone who will make telemarketing a capital offense.

For WaterGirl

Retiring Cop

A detective who spent his entire career in plain clothes quit the police force and bought a farm.

"What kind of crops do you plan to grow?" the police chief asked the farmer-to-be. "Carrots and potatoes," the man replied.

"Why carrots and potatoes?" asked the chief.

"Because," answered the ex-detective, "I'm very fond of undercover crops."

Bummer

My elk hunting partner backed out on me at the last miniute. This may mean no elk hunting for me this year.

Asian Issues

Chinatown Laundry


Walking through Chinatown, a tourist is fascinated with all the Chinese restaurants, shops, signs, and banners. He turns a corner and sees a building with the sign, "Hans Olaffsen's Laundry."

"Hans Olaffsen?" he muses. "How in the world does that fit in here?"

So he walks into the shop and sees an old Chinese gentleman behind the counter.

The tourist asks, "How did this place get a name like Hans Olaffsen's Laundry?"

The old man answers, "Is name of owner."

The tourist asks, "Well, who and where is the owner?"

"Me, is right here," replies the old man.

"You? How did you ever get a name like Hans Olaffsen?"

"Is simple," says the old man. "Many, many year ago when come to this country, was stand in line at Documentation Center. Man in front was big blonde Swede. Lady look at him and go, 'What your name?'

"He say, 'Hans Olaffsen.'

"Then she look at me and go, 'What your name?'

"I say, 'Sem Ting.'"



Navy Serviceman

It seems that a young man volunteered for Navy service during World War II. He had such a high aptitude for aviation that he was sent right to Pensacola, skipping boot camp. The very first day at Pensacola, he soloed and was the best flier on the base. All they could do was give him his gold wings and assign him immediately to an aircraft carrier in the Pacific.

On his first day aboard, he took off and single-handedly shot down six Japanese zeroes. Then climbing up to 20,000 ft., he found nine more Japanese planes and shot them all down, too. Noting that his fuel was getting low, he descended, circled the carrier, and came in for a perfect landing on the deck.

He threw back the canopy, climbed out, and jogged over to the captain. Saluting smartly, he said, "Well, sir, how did I do on my very first day?"

The captain turned around, bowed, and replied, "You make one velly impoltant mistake!"

I Believe It

The first question that came to my mind when I learned our ambassador was killed was, “where were the Marines?” Embassy duty is a cherished post for a Marine. You are required to be the most spit and polished, squared away Marine possible, and there is expectation of needing to defend your county at a moment’s notice. So I was surprised to hear nothing reported in the news about our Marines. I expected to see their bodies on display next to the ambassador, or at least see their charred remains sticking out of the rubble in a news report, with piles of spent brass as the final testimony of their dedication to duty. There weren’t any piles of brass, no dead attackers, no reports of Marines out of ammo fixing bayonets standing guard around the ambassador on the roof top fighting hand to hand holding out till the chopper could rescue the people trusted to their care.


I would have been proud to hear of such men and to know that they were my countrymen. I would have mourned their passing, but I would have understood and honored it. I’m greatly surprised that it didn’t go down that way.  Now I know why.

Pentagon Lt. Col. Chris Hughes told the outlet: “The ambassador and RSO (Regional Security Officer) have been completely and appropriately engaged with the security situation. No restrictions on weapons or weapons status have been imposed. This information comes from the Det Commander at AMEMB (American Embassy) Cairo.”

The statement came in response to reports that U.S. Marines defending the American embassy in Egypt were not permitted by the State Department to carry live ammunition.

 

Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson “did not permit U.S. Marine guards to carry live ammunition,” according to multiple reports on U.S. Marine Corps blogs spotted by Nightwatch. “She neutralized any U.S. military capability that was dedicated to preserve her life and protect the US Embassy.”

 

Time magazine’s Battleland blog also reported Thursday that “senior U.S. officials late Wednesday declined to discuss in detail the security at either Cairo or Benghazi, so answers may be slow in coming.”

 

If true, the reports indicate that Patterson shirked her obligation to protect U.S. interests, Nightwatch states.

 

“She did not defend U.S. sovereign territory and betrayed her oath of office,” the report states. “She neutered the Marines posted to defend the embassy, trusting the Egyptians over the Marines.”

I believe our clueless politically correct nimrods did stop our boys from having the guns and ammo they needed to do their job. I believe it because it is exactly in their character to do such a thing.

There is a young man that grew up here who made a commitment to the Marines and who is now headed to a location in the middle east for embassy security duty. He’s a great young man. I have no doubt in his character. He’ll stand and fight when the time comes. He’ll do his duty. Will he have ammo for his riffle or will some PC hoplophobic women get him killed for nothing?

Trying Something New

I'm looking for input folks. I had to kill off the old comments because they are dying a slow and painful death. But I wasn't able to just enable blogger comments without updating the whole mess. So that’s what I’ve done.

I’d like to know:

1. Is this loading any faster now?
2. Are the comments better, ie loading and working for you.
3. Is this working on your mobile devices? Being in the dark ages I don’t have a way to check that myself.
4. Is there any other changes you’d like to see?
5. Any other comments or suggestions you have are welcome.

Thanks guys. I appreciate your help.

WWOFFD?

Excellent Vid and worth the 6mins to watch.

Understanding Women

Thomas, a 70-year-old, extremely wealthy widower, shows up at the country club with an absolutely gorgeous and breathtakingly beautiful 25-year-old brunette. She is hanging on to his arm and listening intently to his every word.

His usual golf-playing partners and fellow members of the club are baffled and shocked. At their very first chance, they come to him and ask, "Thomas, how did you get the amazing trophy girlfriend?"

Thomas replies, "Girlfriend? She's not my girlfriend -- she's my wife."

Disbelieving him, they ask, "So how did you persuade her to marry you?"

"I lied about my age," he replies.

"What? Did you tell her you were only 50?"

Thomas smiles and says, "Nope, I told her I was 90."

Obama Gives Bibi the Bird

I had just finished gassing the truck and had missed part of what was being said yesterday on the radio.  So I kept listening and learned that the DNC had dropped the pro Israel part of its party platform. The guy on the radio couldn’t understand why the DNC was doing such a horrible thing and they were getting up a petition to get the DNC to change its mind. The level of angst in the talk show host's voice was so grating I turned it off. Well Jay let me break it down for you.

Here is why the Dems did it: Most of the summer Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu has been beating the hell out of the war drum trying to push Obummer into supporting Israel and backing off the Administrations embracing of Islamic Terrorists. He’s hinting that Israel will make a preventive first strike, possibly using nuclear weapons to keep Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Bibi has been hinting that he will do this before the election if Obumer doesn’t straighten up and quit backing the terrorists. Meanwhile Obummer hasn’t said a word, at least publicly on his position. That is until the DNC convention when he asked the party to change the platform. Obummer in a stroke of statesman one up manship sent a message to Bibi that was loud and clear. “Hey Bibi, STFU about nuking the rag heads or we’ll stop backing you up, sending you aid and other wise looking like America is Israel’s Bitch.”

Everyone in the middle east got the message. Muslims and Jews both have a culture that communicates by reading into the more subtle meanings of what is both said and not said. The Jews know that America might not come running to save their kosher bacon if they start a fight, even though Obummer didn’t say that. The Muslims know that America isn’t going to jump every time Israel snaps their fingers. What they don’t know is what will America do if they start a war against the Jews. So both sides now have something to think about. By leaving everyone guessing Obummer has scored a win. I don’t mean a win for peace in the middle east. I mean a win for Obummer. If Bibi thinks America might turn against him, he may be less likely to nuke Iran at least until he can prove they too are a nuclear power. Which he can’t, at least not yet.

If it all works out the way he hopes, Obummer has punted the war till after the election and he won't have to take a stand in the sand.

For Astro

I hope you've bought some sort of firearm. If not I saw this the other day and thought of you. Remember its not so much which gun you have as the fact you have a gun and can use it. As demonstrated in this story. I'm a fan of using the the bigger gun. That's not the point though. I'd rather see you go out and buy, train with and have at hand a good 22 semi auto pistol than not have anything at all. It's getting closer to the time when every one should "sell his cloak and buy a sword" than we may wish it to be. May as well take the plung while there is still time to get a good deal and lots of cheap ammo. Here is the link to the data in the clip.

Sex Strike

I just love these kinds of stories.

Togo women call sex strike against President Gnassingbe. The long and short of it is, the women in Togo don't like the fact that they live in a dictatorship.  They want the men to do something about it.  Since the quickest solution would be violent revolution, I guess what they are demanding is that the men (or at least a number of them) get themselves killed trying to over throw the guy in control of the army and the guns.

"It's a good thing for us women to observe this sex strike as long as our children are in jail now. I believe that by observing this, we will get them released," Abla Tamekloe told the Associated Press.

Kids in jail, men folk dead or in jail, women better off.  OK.  Now if they could just get no fault divorce, unlimited child support payments, social welfare and universal health care, they can be just like black women in America.

Rio Blanco

I made the annual Ipsa Family peach run last weekend.  20 hours of driving in a 30 hour time slot.  I love the west slope and could live there.  I could almost see us running our own organic orchard and truck farm.  We managed to get all 180 lbs of peaches canned.  Mrs. Ipsa finished up the last canner of pears this afternoon.  I stumbled across some tomatoes when I was in CO so I bought a bushel and made and canned some spaghetti sauce this last week too.  In other words I've had little time for blogging.  On the other hand I managed to score some beef bones on my trip and now have 36 quarts of stock ready to go on the stove.  I'll get that going and head to bed just as soon as the chicken stock is finished in the canner.

I hope all is well in your gardens and your packing away lots of good food for the winter.

Recycling

Mrs. Ipsa is a recycler.  If things were up to me stuff that I didn't have a use for anymore, would go in the trash and get hauled to the dump.  Not so with the wife.  Plastic, steel, cardboard and glass get dutifully washed and bagged and stored in the back room.  I understand that recycling reduces landfill space and is therefor somehow environmentally beneficial.  I just don't see how keeping all this crap in my house is helping anybody.

Obama Fail (again)

It didn't even take 6 months after Obama (lack of) Care was ruled legal before health care rationing begins.

The law empowers HHS to prevent older Americans from making up with their own funds for the $555 billion the law cuts from Medicare by refusing to permit senior citizens the choice of private-fee-for-service plans whose premiums are sufficient to provide unrationed care but which HHS, in its unlimited discretion, disallows. The Obama health care law could thus lead to elimination of the only way that seniors will have to escape rationing — by limiting their right to spend their own money to save their own lives.

Did you catch that?  You can't get the money form Obama Care, and it is illegal for you to pay for the health care you need with your own cash.  If Obama's bureaucrat's think you ought to die, then you're going to die.  I guess this is how we're going to solve the Social Security crisis.  Let the old die from lack of health care, instead of from lack of food or exposure to the elements.

Part of me wants to feel upset that this is unjust.  Part of me believes this is what the baby boomers deserve.

WTRC

I've been gone the last couple of days.  It was time for my yearly dose of MANLY, MANLINESS.  I  think it worked.  For the last couple years I've been donating my time for the WTRC, formerly the ITRC.

I love working this contest.  Its one of the very few true distance shooting contests were anyone who wants to play is allowed.  That means everyone from SEALS, SOG, RECON, RANGERS, the FED alphabet agencies, LEO snipers, and John Q Public is allowed to get on the course for 2 days of "sniper golf" followed by a day of team on team events involving handgun shooting, and head to head full auto fun.  In years past this has included other little excursions, like getting in a helio and engaging a seris of targets full speed just off the deck with full auto equipment.  Its not your normal bench rest match.

Because there is such a group of diverse and some still actively employed snipers in the bunch, some times guys don't like to give their names.  This is respected and those shooters never get their picture/name/ or other identifying info published.  It's considered good manners not to pry into such things.  The team gets to pick its moniker for the score board, so everybody knows who's who, even if some details are not readily available to the public. 

As in years past I was able to RO for some of the words best shooters.  Including some fairly well published names in the gun industry.  Like this guy.  He's a great shooter and his school has been turning out great shooters for years.  I'll get back to Darrell later.  I also had another guy who had the most unusual ability to pick out 10in x 10in blue targets at extreme ranges.  He ID'd one such target at over 900 yards while walking at a brisk rate, incredibly the target was in deep shade.

This year we had a surprise team enter our little world.  It seems that two home schooled kids read about this long distance game on the Internet and wanted to give it a try.  Mom and dad said OK based on few conditions.  Number 1 they had to pay for all the gear, ammo etc themselves.  Number 2 they had to pay for the trip themselves.  Number 3 they had to get the contest organizers to sign off and say it was OK.  Approval was granted to join the shoot provided they met the same conditions as the other shooters.  This included having combat serviceable handguns.  At 16 your not allowed to own a hand gun in most states and your not allowed to transport them across state lines either.  This made condition #4 a part of the deal, they had to pay for mom and dad to come as well.

The boys built their own rigs, learned about ballistics, loading, ranging etc (talk about an education).  They showed up and did amazingly well.  On the second course of fire I was asked to step in and RO for them, which I did.  At the end of the course I was amazed at how relatively well they were doing.  However, they sorely lacked skills in the handgun department and had missed several easy shots.  Not surprising considering they just got the guns.  At the end of their shooting I asked them if they wanted some coaching, which I gave them.  Most of the pointers were along the lines of how to improve spotter/shooter communication, reading range conditions and how to shoot a hand gun.  They seemed eager to learn and thanked me.  I didn't see them again for the next two days.

Last night I was getting a briefing on scores and I learned that the home school boys turned in a great score.  It was good enough to get them a 5th place finish.  Apparently they picked it up a bit and finished well with the handguns, or at least well enough not to hurt their rifle scores too badly.  In other news, one of those teams, who didn't give us their real names, finished slightly not as good as the 16 year old boys who never did this sort of thing before.  If I recall correctly, both of the super secret, "can't tell you our names because we'd have to kill you" teams finished behind the 16 year old home schooled boys that never did this sort of thing before, and who had to scrape up and save all their own money for this last year to make home made rifles, and payed their own way.  One of those teams, finished dead last.  Just saying.

Go STI!

:)

The guy I mentioned earlier, Darrell, did a classy thing.  At the last minute he donated a very expensive scholarship to attend his shooting school to which ever place the 16 year old finished.  I hope they take him up on it.  Next year they may very well have a better ranking if they do.  BTW team Holland finished 2nd over all.

I really enjoy this contest.  All the money above the pay out for prizes and contest expenses is given to America's Wounded Warriors Project.  While this shoot is by no means a charity event, they don't make a dime off it.  There were even two wounded warriors in attendance, one shot the course on his new prosthetic leg.  The other helped run the event.  If your even slighlty inclinded to like shooting, get a buddy and a bag full of ammo and start getting ready for next year.

Colorado Shootings

How do you prevent a massacre?



Officials said it is unlikely that Williams will be charged with a crime for attacking the teens because the shooting seemed justifiable.

FWIW.  By my count, grandpa was 2 seconds out of the holster with his first shot into the badguy.  It is possible the robber flinched from the sound but I'll assume it was a hit.  Total time for the old man to recognize and end the threat (by chasing all hostiles out of the cafe) 26 seconds.

In other heart warming news: Video interviews of other old folks kicking bad guy butt.