Fred Thompson has made an announcement. He has not announced that he is running for President. He has only announced that he will announce that he is running for President, which is not at all the same thing.
The fact that this distinction exists and is necessary is an indication of how much "reform" has frobnicated our electoral process.
A participant on a hobby gunsmithing list to which I subscribe asked for some input. He is thinking of rebarreling a bolt-action rifle in one of the two chamberings reportedly under consideration as the next US military round, and would like opinions on the relative merits of the 6.8SPC and the 6.5 Grendel. One of the first people to respond suggested he might do better to consider the .257 Roberts Ackley Improved.
Note that I joined the list only so as to learn how to replace the extractor on my surplus Mauser. Any serious hobby gunsmithing project will come after I build a track roadster hot rod, complete a few railroad modeling projects, and put up a nick-nack shelf in front of the kitchen window.
I understand that Cheatem and Howe got squeezed out of the partnership quite some time ago.
It would appear to me that the writer of the headline to this news report is someone not much younger than me.
It is even more apparent that the writer of this one didn't read past the first paragraph.
I truly hope that this historic artifact can be saved. If it must be destroyed, it should be done so ceremoniously live on national camera, after a reading of the citation for the Medal of Honor which Sgt. York received for capturing it.
Among the more annoying ploys of the victim disarmament movement is the assertion that the 2nd Amendment uniquely refers only to the technology of the time in which it was written. There are some interesting worms in that particular can, including "cruel and unusual punishment". The dunking stool had gone out of fashion by the time the Constitution was written, but this case cries out for it.
On a related note, it would be interesting to determine whether this 16 year old drunk driver was a fan of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.
Torture by satellite, carried out by the U.S. government against unsuspecting victims.
Want World Peace? Tune Your Damn Guitar! By David B. Moye on 16 August, 2007 10:17:00You can read the whole thing here, and, on account of where I found it, you might want to read the comments in response.SANDPOINT, Idaho (TNA) * The solution to world peace may be as simple as tuning your guitar or piano.
At least that's the theory of Dr. Leonard Horowitz, a dentist in Sandpoint, Idaho, who is convinced that out-of-tune musical instruments are destroying DNA.
Horowitz says that ever since the Middle Ages, musical instruments have been tuned to a slightly different cycle than they should be. For instance, a 'Middle C' is tuned to 523 cycles per second when it should be set at 528 cycles per second.
"This Middle C is the middle of the universe," Horowitz said. "It's the center of the color green in the rainbow and the center of the heart chakra."
In a rare surrender of gubernatorial power, Diamond Jim Doyle today proposed allowing local communities to pass their own firearms ordinance. How about if we take him up on this and start a campaign for County Concealed Carry Permits?
On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date -- Martin, age 10It's a classic collection, but it happened to turn up just when I was in the mood for it.
Altho it happened sometime after he'd been promising, Laughing Wolf has had his new site up for a while. And I just finished a blog roll touch up, dang it.
My wee wifey posted the recipe, picked up by this week's Carnival, for an old family favorite, but she didn't tell the entire story behind it.
Long ago, when our now 28 year old son was 4, Chicago's then-mayor Jane Byrne had her people organize an ethnic folk fair which was held at the Navy Pier exhibition hall. Upstairs were information and craft booths, and a stage for song and dance performances. Downstairs was a "taste of the world" with booths selling traditional foods from people's homelands.
We were standing by the Nigerian booth, and Emrack, who had been weaned on a jalepeņo pepper, was holding a paper plate of spinach stew up to his face so he could shovel it in. This family who looked like they had come in from a nice suburb in a Volvo station wagon wandered up. The wife said to the husband "He's obviously enjoying it so it can't be that strange. Let's try some." The wee wifey, fearing child abuse charges, panicked and dragged us away before I could see their reaction upon trying it.
When I saw this headline while in a checkout line today, my first thought was "well, that's one more item off her checklist".
There haven't been any major holidays to celebrate in a while. Because of that, some years back, my foster nephew NP decided to declare an arbitrary one for today just to have a special occasion. I called him today in honor of this, which amused him no end even tho he has somewhat outgrown the need for such an event. The call would have been more fun had I known these few hours ago that others have also found reason to mark the day.
"The Hennepin County Medical Examiner said the knife penetrated a major aorta. Defense wounds were also located on his left hand."
Hard to hit a minor aorta when the victim is fighting back.
I've wanted to create this image for years now. It finally happened because Benjamin had a good reason to provide me with what I needed to work from.
Robb has some sharp things to say about the people who show up at the shooting range with a fortune in tactical gear and shooting skills suitable for the broad side of a barn. This approach isn't unique to gun owners. I was reading just this weekend, on a sports car mailing list, about open track day at a road racing course. Fastest time of the day was logged by a hopped up Mazda Miata, followed by a standard Corvette and a Stalker. That third car can be built from my friend Dennis's kit for under 15 grand if you buy your components from the junkyard instead of a dealer. The drivers with the Ferraris and the Lotus Elises lacked either the skill or the aggressiveness to bring out their high dollar cars' potential.
The fixation on equipment isn't a new thing either. My father was a photographer and a writer, and 35-40 years ago people used to pester him to find out what camera and lens he'd used to take some particular picture. His standard answer was "I write my articles on a standard IBM typewriter, but I've got a line on some goose quills exactly like Shakespeare used to use. Just think what I'll be able to write with those."
I am fascinated by oddball machinery. Antique and high performance vehicles, specialized tools, foolish inventions, all that kind of stuff. I'd love to add a semiautomatic machine pistol to my firearm collection. Too bad that phrase qualifies as the oxymoron for the day; it means I can't have one.
So keep on the lookout, kids, you never know what exotic high-performance relics might be hiding in your neighbor's garage.The artist Coop is posting about an uncommon 1970 Mercury. When I was a kid, the coach house next door contained a Zagato bodied Aston Martin and what I believe was a Stout Scarab, which had been used for a while as an ambulance.
SquonkThe Squonk is a legendary creature reputed to live in the Hemlock forests of northern Pennsylvania. The Squonk is of a very retiring disposition and due to its ugliness, weeps constantly.
The word earned its day status thru the serendipity by which which I found it. I happened upon a picture of a mini-bike named Squank in a forum discussion in response to which a another commenter asserted that Squank is a legend. I wondered if that legend extended beyond the forum, and tried an Internet search. I got 15,000 hits and a query as to whether I meant to search for Squonk to which I replied yes. I got 347,000 hits, which I thought was enough to warrant a post.
Going thru my regular not added to the blogroll reads, I stopped by Rita's before getting to Chaz. Thus she gets the blame for sending me to this quiz. I'm right on the borderline now, and answering as best I can for myself as a youngster scores a 36, which fits with my difficulties back then. Only thing is that even then the "flat affect and didn't laugh or get jokes" part of the diagnosis didn't fit. Oh well, it doesn't qualify me for disability benefits so what difference does it make?
Time Warner Cable has responded to the threat of fiber to the home (AKA video reform) in the Milwaukee market with a lame ad campaign designed to paint them as our pals. I have no problem with them questioning the phrase "rush hour" or enjoying the sight of cows by the roadside. I am not happy about billboards warning that they think my car is the perfect place to sing. Any Time Warner employee caught singing in my car will be treated the same as a carjacker.
If it had occurred to anyone 50 years ago, during the summer of 1957, that one could stand in the Central Mall at the Wisconsin State Fair this summer and simultaneously hear two performers both representing Elvis Presley, would anyone have believed them?
I would guess that most of my local readers have driven past Baylor's Melon Shop at Capital and 2tonia many times without stopping. Fact is that you could probably do as well buying watermelons elsewhere. There's been a bumper crop this year and we've bought quite a few from various vendors, but they range from awesome to anemic.
The reason you need to stop at Baylor's is for the peanuts. They roast them right there, and once you get close the aroma is irresistible. If it reached the street the EPA would be on them for obstructing traffic. One Warning. Do not open the bag until you get home or you will make a mess of the car. These are very simply the best peanuts I've ever tasted. The texture is perfect - they crunch, turn chewy and melt away. all in three bites. The red skin is mild and delicate. Those boors who eat 'em shell and all will no doubt appreciate the quality of the shells too.
The libertarian blogosphere contains many reports of people being hassled by the authorities over bullsh!t charges. Horsesh!t charges are less common.