The utter futility of banning firearms in this (or any other) country is obvious to anyone with common sense. During WWII, Filipino resistance fighters used crude, locally-manufactured, single-shot, shotguns to kill the Japanese. Despite being somewhat ungainly, and an ergonomic nightmare, once the resistance fighter employed it successfully, they became the owner of one of the Emperor's Own Type 38 or Type 99 rifles that were, no doubt, well-maintained and vastly superior to the aforementioned shotgun. Plus, they were able to also secure the remaining ammunition and accessories from the corpse of the Imperial soldier.
Being one of the few countries that have learned from history, the practice of underground gun manufacturing continues to this day.
When the USSR invaded Afghanistan, they encountered Mujahideen armed with Lee-Enfield rifles built in Darra, Pakistan by gunsmiths who were using hand-cranked lathes and hammers to build them. After a few skirmishes, examples of the AK-47 were transported to Pakistan, where even today they are making them in open-air shops.
Banning guns, or even restricting them to the police and military is a laughable measure that simply displays the helplessness of the tyrant for the world to see. Even if they heavily regulate the use of machine tools, there is always paper.
Ridicule it if you want, but a paper gun is still a gun.
And it only has to work once...
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Damn! I missed another job opportunity!
ATLANTA – Federal agents are seeking to hire Ebonics translators to help interpret wiretapped conversations involving targets of undercover drug investigations.
The Drug Enforcement Agency recently sent memos asking companies that provide translation services to help it find nine translators in the Southeast who are fluent in Ebonics, Special Agent Michael Sanders said Monday.
The rest of the story
Growing up in Detroit, I became fluent in all of the local dialects. In fact, while working in a local hospital, I found myself in the surreal position of having to interpret Ebonics so that a doctor from Nigeria could determine what had happened to the patient.
The Drug Enforcement Agency recently sent memos asking companies that provide translation services to help it find nine translators in the Southeast who are fluent in Ebonics, Special Agent Michael Sanders said Monday.
The rest of the story
Growing up in Detroit, I became fluent in all of the local dialects. In fact, while working in a local hospital, I found myself in the surreal position of having to interpret Ebonics so that a doctor from Nigeria could determine what had happened to the patient.
A Study in Contrast
On the left, we have what looks like a scene from "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure", on the right, we have Vladmir Putin hunting whales. Putin was a soldier, KGB operative, and holds a black belt in Judo. Obama was a "community organizer" (whatever that means) and a politician. And here I thought Bill Clinton was the lowest point to which the Office of the President could sink.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Fishing
So, I took Chaos and Mayhem fishing. It turned out to be an educational experience for me. I learned that Chaos has the attention span of a fly, and Mayhem's is just about half of that. I also learned that Chaos can cast a line with the best of them and Mayhem, once he gets the hang of it, will be just as good. Unfortunately, that's all they wanted to do; cast and reel it in. Cast and reel it in. The bobber was just another thing to fling into the water. Waiting for something to bite and thus, move the bobber, was way too slow for them. Mayhem wandered off to throw rocks and Chaos just kept casting and reeling in an almost frenzied manner.
Soooo, I've decided to change tactics. I bought some lures, and next time we'll hit a lake with trout in it. No doubt, with their natural talent for casting and reeling, some unwary trout will end up on the hook. I can hardly wait to see how that pans out.
The only wrench in the works that could possibly disrupt that event is the appearance of geese at the potential fishing spot.
Allow me to explain: like most bodies of water in the area, this one is frequented by flocks of geese. The result of these visitations is lots of goose poop all over the place. And, since geese are protected, there is little that can be done to eliminate them. However, I have secret weapons: the aforementioned Chaos and Mayhem. Both of them become absolutely giddy at the sight of a flock of geese resting comfortably upon the grass at the park. They can't get out of the car fast enough because a flock of geese resting comfortably anywhere is an affront to their little boy sense of dignity. Geese must either fly or get into the water and, to that end, both of them will chase said geese with what can only be described as unbridled joy. As long as one foot remains on solid ground, both boys will pursue the geese to the point of exhaustion (theirs, not the geese). The geese will obligingly run away, just out of reach of their pursuers, until such time as they can lift off in search of a more serene location, or until they can jump into a convenient body of water and paddle away.
Mission accomplished, both of them will walk triumphantly back to whichever parent is closest and describe their feats of derring-do. Frankly, it is great fun to watch and I have yet to hear anyone complain about the harrassment of these avian turd factories. Most people around here would just as soon shoot the geese as anything. Me? I'd hate to rob the boys of one of their favorite pastimes. I don't want the geese completely gone, I just want them to get a thorough workout from time to time.
In any case, I am fully prepared to see fishing rods abandoned in favor of a wild goose chase.
Soooo, I've decided to change tactics. I bought some lures, and next time we'll hit a lake with trout in it. No doubt, with their natural talent for casting and reeling, some unwary trout will end up on the hook. I can hardly wait to see how that pans out.
The only wrench in the works that could possibly disrupt that event is the appearance of geese at the potential fishing spot.
Allow me to explain: like most bodies of water in the area, this one is frequented by flocks of geese. The result of these visitations is lots of goose poop all over the place. And, since geese are protected, there is little that can be done to eliminate them. However, I have secret weapons: the aforementioned Chaos and Mayhem. Both of them become absolutely giddy at the sight of a flock of geese resting comfortably upon the grass at the park. They can't get out of the car fast enough because a flock of geese resting comfortably anywhere is an affront to their little boy sense of dignity. Geese must either fly or get into the water and, to that end, both of them will chase said geese with what can only be described as unbridled joy. As long as one foot remains on solid ground, both boys will pursue the geese to the point of exhaustion (theirs, not the geese). The geese will obligingly run away, just out of reach of their pursuers, until such time as they can lift off in search of a more serene location, or until they can jump into a convenient body of water and paddle away.
Mission accomplished, both of them will walk triumphantly back to whichever parent is closest and describe their feats of derring-do. Frankly, it is great fun to watch and I have yet to hear anyone complain about the harrassment of these avian turd factories. Most people around here would just as soon shoot the geese as anything. Me? I'd hate to rob the boys of one of their favorite pastimes. I don't want the geese completely gone, I just want them to get a thorough workout from time to time.
In any case, I am fully prepared to see fishing rods abandoned in favor of a wild goose chase.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Why Guns Are Important To You.
Guns, regardless of how you feel about them are important to you. I don't care if you are completely apathetic about them, the possession of firearms in the hands of the populace is important to you. Want to know why? Because of the tendency of some to seek and attain absolute control over other people. In short, some people are tyrants.
Tyranny is not the exclusive realm of an iron-fisted lunatic that keeps his subjects in fear through the use of midnight raids and secret police interrogations, it can be exercised on an individual level. The thug that preys on the elderly, the weak, and the infirm is a tyrant. The policeman that uses his badge of authority to steal, rape, or kill is a tyrant. ANYONE that abuses their badge or office of authority for personal gain, is participating in tyranny and, by extension, is themselves a petty tyrant. The politician that works to seize private property from individuals is a tyrant.
Understand, these people have existed all through history. We were warned about them in The Bible,
1 Samuel 8: 10-18
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day."
Samuel knew it in Biblical times, but he could not know that what came about far surpassed his most dire warnings. In Feudal Japan, a member of the Samurai class could kill someone from a lower caste with impunity. In feudal Europe, someone who insulted a nobleman could be beaten, tortured, or executed. Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, Mao's China, and Pol Pot's Cambodia, were all scenes of the most horrible atrocities imaginable. They slaughtered millions of their own citizens, including thousands of those that helped them come into power! Loyalty, honor, and decency mean nothing to those whose only desire in life is the acquisition of power. 'The end justifies the means' is their philosophy, and the means usually results in poverty and death for those who are not among the privileged few.
Of course, they will claim that their actions are necessary to provide national/state/individual security. They will identify some 'other' that is a terrible threat and claim that individuals must sacrifice liberty to insure that everyone is 'safe'. Mind you, none of the measures and sanctions they propose will apply to them. Communist dictators, Nazi despots, and U.S. Senators all have numerous things in common but the most obvious is that those in positions of authority considered themselves above the law. You see, they're special. They need to be able to work unfettered by the legal limits imposed upon the benighted masses because of the huge sacrifice they make in the name of public service. If they were subject to the same limitations upon their income and liberty as you and I, they would be too distracted by the mechanics of day-to-day living to be effective as legislators. There may be some evidence that they are right. After all, just look how many of them are too busy to pay their taxes!
One sure sign that a tyrant lurks behind the perfect smile and the aw-shucks demeanor is how tirelessly they work to make it impossible for the average citizens to fend for themselves. You see, they need the people to be complacent, docile, and dependent upon the government. To that end, they do their level best to control your money, control your food, and especially, prevent you from having the means to defend yourself. From the Samurai, to the Nazis, to the Communists, to the Democrats, one sure sign that things are going to get worse is when the government prohibits its citizens from possessing any material that would put them on an equal or superior footing with those that aspire to be their masters.
However, despite their predations upon the bank accounts, paychecks, and property of the middle class, they also have something else in common and I can sum it up in one sentence; "A tyrant fears nothing else as much as he does an angry, armed subject who is no longer willing to tolerate his tyranny."
That is a true, unassailable fact.
Imagine the absolute shock experienced by the Feudal Samurai when he found himself on the losing end of a fight with a pissed off Okinawan fisherman armed with a boat oar, or the fear that blossomed within the chest of the German soldier that watched in horror as the bedraggled, starving, remnants of the Warsaw Ghetto threw firebombs at his column. Or, if you prefer something a little closer to home, how about the consternation felt by the criminal when he encounters a "victim" that hasn't read the part of the script that says he is supposed to comply to the criminal's demands?
Guns are important. Tyrants fear those that own them. And if some tyrant, petty or otherwise, attempts to force his will upon gun owners, there is one overwhelming reality he must face: we still have a say in the matter.
Tyranny is not the exclusive realm of an iron-fisted lunatic that keeps his subjects in fear through the use of midnight raids and secret police interrogations, it can be exercised on an individual level. The thug that preys on the elderly, the weak, and the infirm is a tyrant. The policeman that uses his badge of authority to steal, rape, or kill is a tyrant. ANYONE that abuses their badge or office of authority for personal gain, is participating in tyranny and, by extension, is themselves a petty tyrant. The politician that works to seize private property from individuals is a tyrant.
Understand, these people have existed all through history. We were warned about them in The Bible,
1 Samuel 8: 10-18
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day."
Samuel knew it in Biblical times, but he could not know that what came about far surpassed his most dire warnings. In Feudal Japan, a member of the Samurai class could kill someone from a lower caste with impunity. In feudal Europe, someone who insulted a nobleman could be beaten, tortured, or executed. Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, Mao's China, and Pol Pot's Cambodia, were all scenes of the most horrible atrocities imaginable. They slaughtered millions of their own citizens, including thousands of those that helped them come into power! Loyalty, honor, and decency mean nothing to those whose only desire in life is the acquisition of power. 'The end justifies the means' is their philosophy, and the means usually results in poverty and death for those who are not among the privileged few.
Of course, they will claim that their actions are necessary to provide national/state/individual security. They will identify some 'other' that is a terrible threat and claim that individuals must sacrifice liberty to insure that everyone is 'safe'. Mind you, none of the measures and sanctions they propose will apply to them. Communist dictators, Nazi despots, and U.S. Senators all have numerous things in common but the most obvious is that those in positions of authority considered themselves above the law. You see, they're special. They need to be able to work unfettered by the legal limits imposed upon the benighted masses because of the huge sacrifice they make in the name of public service. If they were subject to the same limitations upon their income and liberty as you and I, they would be too distracted by the mechanics of day-to-day living to be effective as legislators. There may be some evidence that they are right. After all, just look how many of them are too busy to pay their taxes!
One sure sign that a tyrant lurks behind the perfect smile and the aw-shucks demeanor is how tirelessly they work to make it impossible for the average citizens to fend for themselves. You see, they need the people to be complacent, docile, and dependent upon the government. To that end, they do their level best to control your money, control your food, and especially, prevent you from having the means to defend yourself. From the Samurai, to the Nazis, to the Communists, to the Democrats, one sure sign that things are going to get worse is when the government prohibits its citizens from possessing any material that would put them on an equal or superior footing with those that aspire to be their masters.
However, despite their predations upon the bank accounts, paychecks, and property of the middle class, they also have something else in common and I can sum it up in one sentence; "A tyrant fears nothing else as much as he does an angry, armed subject who is no longer willing to tolerate his tyranny."
That is a true, unassailable fact.
Imagine the absolute shock experienced by the Feudal Samurai when he found himself on the losing end of a fight with a pissed off Okinawan fisherman armed with a boat oar, or the fear that blossomed within the chest of the German soldier that watched in horror as the bedraggled, starving, remnants of the Warsaw Ghetto threw firebombs at his column. Or, if you prefer something a little closer to home, how about the consternation felt by the criminal when he encounters a "victim" that hasn't read the part of the script that says he is supposed to comply to the criminal's demands?
Guns are important. Tyrants fear those that own them. And if some tyrant, petty or otherwise, attempts to force his will upon gun owners, there is one overwhelming reality he must face: we still have a say in the matter.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
People I know
When it comes to friends, I've been lucky because I've usually been fortunate enough to find friendship with people smarter and more talented than myself. That forces me to up my game.
For example, my friend Tom is a gifted computer programmer. I mean seriously gifted. Like, Mozart wrote music because he couldn't not write music, Tom figures out computer problems because he has to. Right now, he's working for a marketing concern on the east coast. As with all talented people, he's the "go-to guy" for all of the weird, obscure, glitches that crop up from time to time. Moreover, he has other programmers coming to him for advice and guidance. Unfortunately, the marketing concern that he works for is herding him towards a serious case of burnout. When that happens, he will likely leave for greener pastures, and they will be stuck with men of lesser ability. Tom will do okay because he's talented, brilliant, and has a work ethic that compels him to do the best job he can do, no matter the task. Computers aren't just his passion, they're his calling. When I need advice about computers, I call Tom. He speaks English, he's here in the States, and he likes me. I have none of those advantages when I call Microcrash.
Then there is Mike. Mike would be completely happy if he could spend the rest of his days tinkering with guns, cars, and motorcycles. One of the most effective critical thinkers I've ever met, he is one of the last of a dying breed: the American Tinkerer. He likes to find ways to make stuff go faster, shoot more accurately, and run better for not a lot of money (oh yeah, he's cheap, too). A very serious shooter, a motorcycle accident prevented him from entering into the top ranks of competitive pistol shooters, but you still wouldn't want to go up against him one-on-one. To give you an idea of his talent, he once entered an IDPA match, after not having shot in a year, and won. Like I said; serious. We've had our disagreements but it's usually nothing Earth-shattering. More like brothers quarreling.
Of the few people I call my friend, the only one of any notoriety is Kevin Starrett. Kevin heads up the Oregon Firearms Federation, a Second Amendment organization that makes the NRA look like the Chuck Schumer Fan Club. Considering that Oregon is perhaps the most blatantly Socialist state in the union, the fact that Kevin causes the Democrats in the Oregon State Legislature to cower in fear whenever gun issues need to be addressed speaks volumes about his passion and commitment.
Kevin, more than anyone else, schooled me about politicians. He opened my eyes to the truth about them and how to deal with them. The first thing he taught me was that these are not the best and the brightest. Those people are out inventing things, starting businesses, and curing diseases. Politicians tend to be average, to low-average intelligence, and unremarkable other than they managed to win a popularity contest. Considering that we have a Congressman that thinks the island of Guam can capsize, and a Congresswoman who still thinks that Vietnam is two countries, I am inclined to agree with Kevin.
The second thing he taught me, and I think the Tea Party movement is proving nationally what Kevin has proven time and again locally, is that the only things politicians understand are fear and pain; the fear of losing an election, and the pain of having to live under the laws they helped enact. There is no reason to be more than nominally courteous to these people, and damned few of them are worthy of respect. If you ever deal with one, deal with them as an equal. If they insist on you using their title, they are a low-down SOB and you should waste no more time on them.
Kevin Starrett is a warrior fighting the good fight, and Oregon gun owners should be grateful to have him on their side. When he walks into the Capitol Building in Salem to confront his opponents, he has them intellectually, philosophically, and literally outgunned. I like to tell people that, when Kevin faces the state legislature he has them surrounded.
Ironically, the only thing that connects these three guys is me. Like I said, I'm lucky.
For example, my friend Tom is a gifted computer programmer. I mean seriously gifted. Like, Mozart wrote music because he couldn't not write music, Tom figures out computer problems because he has to. Right now, he's working for a marketing concern on the east coast. As with all talented people, he's the "go-to guy" for all of the weird, obscure, glitches that crop up from time to time. Moreover, he has other programmers coming to him for advice and guidance. Unfortunately, the marketing concern that he works for is herding him towards a serious case of burnout. When that happens, he will likely leave for greener pastures, and they will be stuck with men of lesser ability. Tom will do okay because he's talented, brilliant, and has a work ethic that compels him to do the best job he can do, no matter the task. Computers aren't just his passion, they're his calling. When I need advice about computers, I call Tom. He speaks English, he's here in the States, and he likes me. I have none of those advantages when I call Microcrash.
Then there is Mike. Mike would be completely happy if he could spend the rest of his days tinkering with guns, cars, and motorcycles. One of the most effective critical thinkers I've ever met, he is one of the last of a dying breed: the American Tinkerer. He likes to find ways to make stuff go faster, shoot more accurately, and run better for not a lot of money (oh yeah, he's cheap, too). A very serious shooter, a motorcycle accident prevented him from entering into the top ranks of competitive pistol shooters, but you still wouldn't want to go up against him one-on-one. To give you an idea of his talent, he once entered an IDPA match, after not having shot in a year, and won. Like I said; serious. We've had our disagreements but it's usually nothing Earth-shattering. More like brothers quarreling.
Of the few people I call my friend, the only one of any notoriety is Kevin Starrett. Kevin heads up the Oregon Firearms Federation, a Second Amendment organization that makes the NRA look like the Chuck Schumer Fan Club. Considering that Oregon is perhaps the most blatantly Socialist state in the union, the fact that Kevin causes the Democrats in the Oregon State Legislature to cower in fear whenever gun issues need to be addressed speaks volumes about his passion and commitment.
Kevin, more than anyone else, schooled me about politicians. He opened my eyes to the truth about them and how to deal with them. The first thing he taught me was that these are not the best and the brightest. Those people are out inventing things, starting businesses, and curing diseases. Politicians tend to be average, to low-average intelligence, and unremarkable other than they managed to win a popularity contest. Considering that we have a Congressman that thinks the island of Guam can capsize, and a Congresswoman who still thinks that Vietnam is two countries, I am inclined to agree with Kevin.
The second thing he taught me, and I think the Tea Party movement is proving nationally what Kevin has proven time and again locally, is that the only things politicians understand are fear and pain; the fear of losing an election, and the pain of having to live under the laws they helped enact. There is no reason to be more than nominally courteous to these people, and damned few of them are worthy of respect. If you ever deal with one, deal with them as an equal. If they insist on you using their title, they are a low-down SOB and you should waste no more time on them.
Kevin Starrett is a warrior fighting the good fight, and Oregon gun owners should be grateful to have him on their side. When he walks into the Capitol Building in Salem to confront his opponents, he has them intellectually, philosophically, and literally outgunned. I like to tell people that, when Kevin faces the state legislature he has them surrounded.
Ironically, the only thing that connects these three guys is me. Like I said, I'm lucky.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Nausea
I thought that I had witnessed the extreme of disgusting food when I saw Central Planning put maple syrup on her eggs and bacon. Now understand; I have a cast-iron stomach. I will happily try any ethnic food, no matter how spicy, weird, or exotic the ingredients are. However, there are certain foods that are an abomination. On the low end of the Abominable Spectrum is Pizza with pineapple as a topping. As a pizzaholic, I have tried many different combinations of toppings and this one just doesn't do it for me. Towards the middle, we have peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches, and I thought that maple syrup on eggs was the extreme in bad taste.
I was wrong.
Somewhere out there, somebody, after no doubt smoking massive amounts of Cannabis Sativa, got the munchies, cooked up a cheeseburger, and discovered they were out of buns.
"But, heyyy dude, I still have some Krispy Kreme donuts from this morning so I'll just slice one in half and make the Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger! "
I am absolutely certain that if we check into the background of the person that came up with this idea, we will find somewhere in his ancestry there lurks a NAZI scientist that was in charge of developing chemical weapons. The very idea just makes me shudder with revulsion. I haven't been this disgusted by a food concept since the announcement of the deep-fried Twinkie.
Yes, it's true. Someone actually took a snack that is completely devoid of any nutritional value whatsoever and found a way to make it even more unhealthy. I would have to look in Revelations again, but I'm pretty sure that this is one of the signs of The Apocalypse. I can see it now; Krispy Kreme Cheeseburgers for dinner, deep-fried Twinkies for dessert, and a couple of shocks with a defibrillator for a bedtime snack.
I suddenly have an urge for a celery stalk.
I was wrong.
Somewhere out there, somebody, after no doubt smoking massive amounts of Cannabis Sativa, got the munchies, cooked up a cheeseburger, and discovered they were out of buns.
"But, heyyy dude, I still have some Krispy Kreme donuts from this morning so I'll just slice one in half and make the Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger! "
I am absolutely certain that if we check into the background of the person that came up with this idea, we will find somewhere in his ancestry there lurks a NAZI scientist that was in charge of developing chemical weapons. The very idea just makes me shudder with revulsion. I haven't been this disgusted by a food concept since the announcement of the deep-fried Twinkie.
Yes, it's true. Someone actually took a snack that is completely devoid of any nutritional value whatsoever and found a way to make it even more unhealthy. I would have to look in Revelations again, but I'm pretty sure that this is one of the signs of The Apocalypse. I can see it now; Krispy Kreme Cheeseburgers for dinner, deep-fried Twinkies for dessert, and a couple of shocks with a defibrillator for a bedtime snack.
I suddenly have an urge for a celery stalk.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)