A different perspective:

So there are reports that the gas that killed hundreds (if not more) of the Syrian civilians was not, in fact, from the Assad regime.

The report states that it was the "rebels" who did it, perhaps by accident. Reportedly, it was the Saudis who gave them the chemical weapons.....without training them in the proper care and feeding of such, leading to mishandling and an accidental discharge of poison gas.

Maybe it is true and maybe it isn't. Likely we will never know. We do know that muslims often lie, and are not above lying to the press in order to manioulate the larger world powers.

But then there is this...

Then again, it could be the Assad regime spreading disinformation. Maybe. or maybe not.

We do know that chemical weapons were used, but by whom and how it happened we do not.

Is this enough to start a war over? On the one hand we have a particularly nasty leader and a bunch of psychotics who care very little for the populace they wish to dominate.

On the other hand, we have the rebels. Apparently being armed by the Saudis....

Neither side is a friend of the US, nor will taking their side make that so.

But until we know FOR SURE, we can't very well do anything, can we? Unless, of course, our esteemed "Der Leader" wants to use this as an excuse to support his friends Al Queda.

We can hope that the threat of impeachment if he acts without congress will keep him in check. 

Really, it has gone on long enough

Fukushima, that is. The damaged nuclear power plants in Japan that are contaminating the Pacific Ocean still to this day. 

The plant(s) suffered major damage on March 11, 2011. More than 2 years ago.

The operators  screwed up by the numbers after the quake and tsunami caused the (SCRAM) shutdown of the plant. Failure to provide for clean cooling water caused them to eventually have to use salt water to cool the spent fuel and the (now damaged) reactor core, damaging them further due to corrosion from the salt. Failure to set the emergency backup generators above the level of a potential tsunami when the pants were built caused the operators to have to scramble for other means to pump cooling water to the fuel and reactor core. Then they ran the fire truck they were using as a pump out of fuel. By the time they got fuel to the truck and found other methods of pumping cooling water, it was too late. They had a meltdown both in the spent fuel pools and in the reactor vessel, damaging the fuel rods and the reactor core and containment.

All of this happened more than 2 years ago.

Since that incident, a significant portion of that cooling water, now radioactive, has flowed into the sea. 24/7, the leaks have continued.

Now I was all for giving the Japanese time to fix their mess. The ocean is a big thing, and it can dilute a significant amount of that contaminated and highly radioactive water down to nearly nothing. After all, there are billions and billions and billions of gallons of Pacific Ocean to dilute that. Lots of water to absorb the mess...

But 75,000 gallons per day (by some reports) of radioactive water are flowing into the ocean..... Contaminating the sea for the 880+ days.

Isn't it time they did something to stop this? This isn't like Chernobyl, where the Russian government did have a release of radioactive material but then immediately took heroic steps to contain it and stop further contamination. Isn't it time the Japanese government took whatever steps are necessary to contain this continued outflow of contaminated water? I realize that this is a hazardous environment for people. But soon the sea will be as well.

880+ days. Thousands of gallons and many curies of radioactive materials into an environment we all share. An ocean which feeds millions of people. Like Pacific Salmon? Tuna? They will eventually become unsafe to eat. Not yet, but not too long in the future. King and Snow crab? Same thing.

Yeah, I know I sound like a refugee from the Green party in the late 1970's. Trust me, I'm not that kind of person. But really....How long will we let this go on? They are polluting the ocean with 30+ Three Mile Islands every week of radioactive water and substances (low estimates, who really knows? TEPCO ain't saying for sure...others say 10 times that). It's not the first few weeks that make me worry, it is the continuing weeks and years that become an issue.

The cleanup is being handled by the plant owner. TEPCO  They are obviously not "sparing no expense" to keep the contaminated water from spilling into the ocean. Yes, I know that this isn't something you clean up overnight. I got that. But there is nothing being done to stop the pollution. Nothing being done to fix the issue. In the first few weeks they used large tanks to contain the water, but have apparently abandoned that idea (too costly? cheaper to let it flow into the ocean....) They have apparently chosen to give up on containing the water, which is both radioactive and contaminated with radioactive materials....These are not only dangerous due to their radioactivity but are also chemically poisonous. A portion of our food supplies live and grow in that ocean that is being polluted.

I think it is time that we begin to put pressure on our federal government to force the Japanese government and TEPCO to change the situation. To CONTAIN this issue. To stop polluting. Stop taking the cheap and easy way out. Stop letting their mess flow into the ocean.

Seriously. Call or write your senators and congressmen. Ask them to do something.You can find your senators and congressmen by clicking the "contacting the congress" link at the top of the left side.

Enough is enough. This can be fixed soon (and could have been already), if someone cared and was willing to spend enough money on containment. At a certain point the cost to contain this mess becomes meaningless compared to the damage they are doing.

What, me worry?

You should read THIS.

Seriously.

You are open to blackmail. No you aren't doing anything wrong, and no, you think you don't have anything to hide.

But so did Justice Roberts.

What (if anything) did the Obama Administration have on him to make him change his opinion so drastically re: Obamacare?

Most of my readers are conservative. Some are active in conservative organizations or attend anti government protests. Do they have anything to hide?

The telephone metadata can show contacts. Can prove communications. Can be used against them should one of their contacts be classified as an "enemy of the State" .

This data can be used to quiet dissenting voices.

The government has been doing such things for a long time. Since at least during the Vietnam war era, they have tracked dissenters. They wiretapped MLK and his associates and attempted to get him to stop his protests with what they heard. Now they have a wonderful new set of tools to track and connect all the people who they find irritating.

I'm no expert or anything....

But I think that good advice would be:

If you find unexploded ordnance on a beach in France

DON"T FUCK WITH IT!

Srsly.

He's actually very lucky.

Irony

You can find it HERE.

Sad that the left lets partisan politics enter a celebration of such an inaugural event.

I think he'd be disgusted today....

50 years ago, there was a massive march on Washington.

A large number of speakers made speeches promoting civil rights and equality.

The most memorable of these in history is, of course, Martin Luther King's speech "I Have a Dream".

But sadly, while most (not, by far, all) of the whites have embraced the ideals put forth in his speech, few (but thankfully, not none) of the black members of our society have.

Few black people can see beyond race. Some can, I know, because I know some of them, and call them friend.

But they are exceptions. Most black people (and a lower percentage than white folks) cannot see beyond race. They don't judge by the "content of their character" but rather the "color of their skin" And I find that sad. I think that the Reverend King would as well. I rather think he would be disgusted by many black people today.

They don't want equality. They want someone else to pay for them. They want someone else to make excuses for their societal behavior. They want someone else to make their lot in life better rather than making it better themselves by changing their lifestyle.

Honestly, if they had true equality with whites, without the extra gimmes and with the same standards of behavior, they couldn't handle it.

And BTW, most of what Reverend King dreamed of has come to pass. Most of the issues black people encounter today in many areas of the country are of their own making.

Yeah, I know, pointing that out makes me a racist. 

Question:

Has anyone, anywhere, ever seen any stills taken from video or actual footage of Adman Lanza either entering (by breaking down the door, we are told) the Sandy Hook Elementary School or of him in the hallways or other parts of the school? Carrying a firearm or not? 


Anyone?.......Anyone?........Bueller?

I mean, the dude is at room temperature, so there is no reason to avoid showing the video or photos. Not like you are going to hinder a prosecution or anything....From what I understand, the school was wired for video. In fact, I understand that they got a grant the year before that allowed them to cover the school with video to only a slightly lesser degree that the gaming area of a Vegas casino.

One would think that the members of our intrepid Fourth Estate would have found the above mentioned video by now if it existed....If they cared to do so....

And has anyone else noticed that the incidence of mass shootings anywhere have dropped precipitously now that "Gun Control" is, for all intents and purposes dead for the next two years? Like to zero. Strange coincidence, that.

Or is my tinfoil hat just poorly adjusted?

(as an aside, anyone know why Blogger won't publish scheduled posts anymore most of the time?)

Trends

I interact with people from nearly all demographics in my business. I talk with and discuss many things with many people of many backgrounds and ancestries.

I have only one philosophy about my interaction with these people aside from learning new things:

I really only care what color their money is, and if they have anything insightful to say or teach me..

I don't care what their religion is, their ancestry is, what their culture is, or their choice of partners or how they couple. I really don't.

All I ask is that you not threaten me, or be rude to me or others...

But I do expect that people, at least in public and when interacting with others, will have a standard of politeness and decency. I don't expect that they will all join hands and sing Kumbayah or anything like that, but up until a few months ago I generally found that most people were, if not polite to others, were at least decent...and patient and tolerant of others. Perhaps standoffish or not friendly, but at least decent. This was true across all race/religion/culture barriers.  Unless, of course, an individual gave them a significant reason not to be.

Until lately. Now, the following is going to be perceived by some as racist. I do not mean it to be, nor is is an indictment of everyone that has a certain "look". Honestly, I don't notice those who don't give me a reason to. Just because you have a certain "look" doesn't make you a bad person. 

While my sample size may be small, and my observation not entirely unbiased, I have noticed a trend lately...and not a good one.

While many older black people (say 25 or older) are as polite and generally courteous as always, there is a significant subset (by no means all of them) of the younger black kids, both male and female, who are not only rude, but actively antagonistic to other races. Comments which would best be kept unsaid (or said in private), many of which are openly confrontational.....actions which, were the recipients not generally inclined to be courteous and patient would lead to violence....

And the majority of these acts are perpetrated by folks who look "ghetto". Appearances can, of course be deceiving, but they all fit a stereotype....."ghetto cruisers"....flashy clothing...large, cheap jewelery. Loud, offensive rap music....often with lyrics that are offensive to, or promote threats towards, white people.

And it appears that there are more of them. Travelers all. Not folks in their home environment, but rather traveling from one place to another. There must be more money floating around in that demographic than before, or perhaps their actions are offensive enough to me and others that we are now noticing them more. I dunno. I do know that many of these folks are not offensive enough that I even notice them. But an ever increasing percentage of them are.

What I do know is that, where in the past they were not offensive...honestly not really noticeable unless you cared that they were different in appearance or by the vehicles they drove, now they are offensive, pushy, rude and "in your face"... especially to whites.


The comments they make (loudly!) to each other, and their body language and gestures are racist and  threatening. They tend to travel in groups, so others notice the threatening group actions. And they don't care that they are perceived as threatening and rude and offensive or racist. In fact, they appear to revel in the discomfort they can evoke. And they have a "whatcha gonna do about it?" demeanor.

So far, everything in my area has been, if not copacetic, at least ignored by the locals and the other travelers. (but as one local pointed out to a group with particularly threatening comments..."You'd best remember that you folks are only 22% of the population. You ain't gonna "take over" or take everything from me and mine.... Shut up") But the level of provocation is....escalating. The trend is ominous.

People of other races (and yes, the latinos, middle easterners, asians  and others of mixed races don't like the behavior and comment on this as well) are becoming less tolerant because of this. They are viewing all blacks with suspicion. The news media is telling us about ever increasingly violent attacks on white as well. They aren't even trying to downplay them anymore. In discussions with the local sheriff's deputies, I have found that they too notice a trend of ghetto looking folks being more aggressive. As one pointed out to me..."these Yo's think that everywhere (and everybody) is like their home turf........they are gonna find that out in the country or outside of the inner city people aren't gonna put up with their behavior...and it ain't gonna be pretty when it happens."

Honestly, I have seen a great deal of behavior ....actions and language that, were the recipients not constrained by their culture and for fear of being called "racist" would result in violence.  

If this trend continues, I see a great deal of trouble on the horizon. The escalation is reaching a point where it will not be ignored.

But more importantly, I fear the young(er) black folks are going to provoke a serious incident...that the behavior of these youngsters will make an incident happen that will lead to a significant race war...especially if it is "processed" by the same spinmeisters  that did the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman incident.

And trust me, where I work, an incident between an inner city group and the folks that live here will not end well. Many of the locals are armed, and, while not looking for a confrontation, will not back down from one if the incident is serious enough.

The trend, as I said, is ominous.

Someone (or someones) is (are) are going to get hurt. Not only the perpetrators, but a lot of innocent people of all races as well.

HMMM

So it occurs to me that the NSA has been monitoring phone calls one way or another for several years.

Yet, somehow, they were unable to use that data to investigate Major Hasan...that murdering son of a goat fucker herder from Algeria;  he was apparently in regular communication with Jihadist religious leaders overseas. This meets the standards that the NSA claims is reason to investigate people....But no dice ....they couldn't be bothered. 12 dead and 32 wounded.

So the question comes up, just who were the NSA paying attention to? They couldn't figure out that this man, who was apparently calling other radical muslim figures and religious leaders in the Mideast and Europe on a semi-regular basis might be a threat?

Guess they were spending too much time watching you and me.

So about that UN arms thingie....

Seems that, as the saying goes, "The devil is in the details"

Go HERE for a few links to those devilish details. The links are many and you can't read 'em in 30 seconds.

But you need to know. And decide how to respond.

Are you willing to give up your personally owned guns so the US can be a good member of the UN? If not, what are you gonna do?

I'm not.

You can never oppose the government forces...

Remember, Randy Weaver and his family did. They had no choice.

They lost Big Time, but they did oppose and delay.

And above all, they got attention.

And people noticed, and curbed the beast...at least for a while.

Another is coming soon, I fear.

Will you roll over? Let them make you a serf?

Or stand as a citizen, despite the consequences?

Y'know...

For as long as I can remember (and I have clear memories from about age 2 on) I was taught that what separated the United States of America from anywhere else was the list of rules that kept "the Government" in check.

There were lines that the State could not cross....in fact, with few exceptions, if a Government official was found to be doing something that crossed the line, like spying on citizens without a warrant or such, those people were tried and jailed and lost their happy pensions and other such punishment.

Then I read "1984" and realized what COULD happen without those checks on our Government and its minions.

Fast forward 30+ years.

We, as a nation, have become what we used to hold up as a bad example. We, as a nation, have let the minions of the State become the rulers. We, as a nation, have become what we detested in other nations and governments. .

That which separated us from the USSR and the Banana republics and the Chinese has blurred...has faded...has, in many cases, disappeared.

We, as a nation, are responsible for the change. We allowed the slow decline. The erosion of freedoms and privacy. Until we as a nation are no longer the shining beacon to which citizens of other nations looked. We are, for all intents and purposes, no better off than they are.

I am disgusted by the power grab that we allowed and are allowing. The erosion of that which made our nation great. The willful ignorance, the acceptance by my fellow citizens as inevitable, the reduction of ourselves...the destruction of what once was....the loss of that which separated this nation from others.

I don't know how to fix it.

Actually, I do, but I don't know how to accomplish it and cannot discuss it on the internet or via Email or telephone with like minded individuals except face to face in an area where no one can overhear.

For the minions of the State are watching.

A damned good day

My sister in law is a somewhat rabid devotee of the DNC, and she is fairly liberal in her ways. She is very anti gun/pro-gun control. While she admits that she doesn't know much about firearms, she is still set in her beliefs that they are "bad".

A year or so ago, my brother, who doesn't own any firearms, asked if I would take the time to teach his daughter about gun safety and to teach her to shoot.....I asked if he had discussed this with his wife.

No.

So I broached the subject with my sister in law. Explained that I would be happy to teach, but not unless I had her blessing....She wasn't happy that her husband had suggested it, but was happy that I wouldn't do anything against her wishes. (hey, I may disagree with their decisions, but I am not gonna step on their toes as parents)



Imagine my surprise when a month or so ago she asked if I would teach their son, as the NRA course is qualification for a Merit Badge in the boy scouts.

Of course, I said yes.

As they live three hours away, it took a bit of scheduling, especially as I suggested that my brother come and take the course with his son. (he works in the restaurant business and his schedule seldom coincides with mine...)

Yesterday was the day.

We did the full rifle course. I had gotten the course materials to them a few weeks ago, and they were fully prepared.

Class time was, for a young boy, somewhat boring, but he paid attention and asked very intelligent questions and we went over the material.

Hours later, we went to the outdoor range for shooting.

Started off with a youth length single shot .22 bolt action that was one of the range classroom rifles ( I had taken it and given it a cleaning and tuning beforehand...this was, after all, my nephew).

The look of pure joy he had after the first 5 shots was only eclipsed a few shots later when he got his first bullseye. Then a few shots later when he got another.... then another. We went through shooting from kneeling, standing, sitting, prone. Worked on trigger squeeze, holding sight and follow through.

We moved the targets to the 25 yard range from the 21 foot range and began again.

It took a bit more work, but he began hitting at 25 yards.

We moved to the 50 yard range. Did well there too.

Then I opened up a rifle case from the back of the pickup. He LOVED shooting the Marlin lever action (still in .22). Then another rifle, and another until he had tried all 6.

Then the AR-15 with the .22 upper on it. Wow. He really liked that.

Then the 10-22 with a 4 power scope. The stock was a bit long for him, but he was THRILLED when he got 4 out of 5 not only in the X ring but all touching at 50 yards. (oh, to have 10 year old eyes again!)

Then we began shooting at steel plates. He liked the fact that he could hear the "ring" and know immediately when he hit.

A few hundred rounds later, he was hitting about 80 percent with any rifle. He went 20 for 20 with the AR at 50 yards on 3" plates at least once. He knocked over a few bowling pins too. His dad was having a ball with my Ruger pistol. (There may or may not have been a few other pistols of various calibers involved but I can't talk about that)

650+ (of .22) rounds later, he and dad were tired, sunburned, and happy.

I'm not sure if he had more fun that I did, but for all three of us, it was a damned fine day.

I think if/when his parents tell me it is OK, he has a rifle coming for a Christmas present...hopefully soon.

Now I gotta get them to let me teach my niece.

Thought for the week:

You should read this

Even if only to understand how it works.

Not the best use of grammar but it is still appropriate.

Opsec, you be needin' it. Do you trust the others not to betray you....openly or through foolishness? 

Realize that the methods described here, especially location data, are in use today....and the data is already being collected.

Will the Senate (or the House) let it stand?

Seems that HUD has given $200K to a subsidiary of ACORN.

It are agin' the law to do so.

But the wussy GOP will make a lot of noise then look the other way....Betcha

From FreeNorthCarolina

ain't it the truth

But *they* have immunity

Another "Only Ones" story:

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- It's something you would probably least expect after calling 9-1-1 during an emergency -- a lawsuit. If a deputy was hurt, would you be financially responsible?

A deputy is now suing a woman who called for help during an emergency. It all stems from a deputy-involved shooting that happened in Katy last year. 

I actually condone this...

If they take a way that portion of property taxes which pay for the police salaries. Let the police charge homeowners for responding to calls for help. much like some fire districts do.

And if they get rid of professional immunity for policemen.

And if they allow people to deal with threats on their own. 

Until then though, this should not fly. 

The sky is falling!!!

No, wait, that is the temperature.

Near record lows  (and near record low high temps) her is NW Indiana.

Not that we are setting records, but we are getting close to doing so.

Only a few days this year over 90.

Yesterday was jacket weather. In August.

Someone go kick AlGore in the balls.

Yeah, I know, weather is not climate. But the weather this years has been very mild all year long.

Depending on how you read this

Under Obamacare it may be that your home is subject to search "inspection" at any time.

This breaks with the Fourth amendment in our Constitution.

And, it is a line that, for my household, shall stand firm.

"None shall pass". Get a warrant. Or bring friends. Lots of 'em.

And lunch.

I just can't wait until the regular type folks find out what is in this shitpile of a bill. Even then, I doubt that it will make them awaken, much less arise is rebellion.

Remember how the citizens of Boston fell all over themselves after the Tsarnev brothers made their bang.

It's working....

"We cannot expect Americans to jump from Capitalism to Communism...But we can assist their leaders in giving them small doses of socialism until they suddenly awake to find they have communism"

Nikita Kruschev
1959

And again...

Happy Birthday to my youngest brother.

He too isn't any smaller than me (actually he is bigger).

But there was a day, long ago, when I could pick on him as well.

Those day are past.

Time to contact yer congrescriters again.

If THIS is true, then we need to ramp up the contacts with our senators/

Call em, write em/ email em. fax em.

Carrier pigeons work too.

Me, I think that to make sure you get the message across you should consider wrapping your letter in a brick or large stone and.....well, you know.

just sayin'

ETA: Apparently his executive order has accomplished the same thing.

Interesting perspective

So yesterday, Had a customer ask where she could get a bottle of water. (east coaster)

"Vending machine at the end of the hall. $1.75 each."

"Or there is a sink right there and cups to your left. "

"You drink your tap water?" She asks with a wide eyed face....

"That is unsafe! Who knows how many chemicals there are in there!"

Now the well we have is tested by the state quarterly for nitrates and coliforms and I pay yearly to have it tested for nearly anything else except radionucleides and such, and it is better than most bottled water. 

I explained that to her, and she still wasn't convinced. In the city where she lives, tap water is barely clean enough for bathing and flushing (so she claims). Therefore, in her mind, all tap water is unsuitable for consumption.But bottled water is safe.......

I waited until after she had finished her bottle of water to show her (on the label) that the bottle had been filled from a municipal water supply.....

Why would you live in an area where you (believe) cannot drink the water from your tap?

Double standard:

So a few years ago, some rodeo clowns used a dummy wearing a Bush mask for entertainment at a rodeo.

The media was silent. Go figure.

Double standards and all that.

Then, of course, it was funny. Not demeaning to the president or anything.

File this under "duh!"

Seems that the news media and (but I repeat myself) liberals have just figured out that many business es will cut hours to help defray costs of Obamacare.

Really?

Just figured that out did you?

Thought that all those business owners were stupid?

They aren't. They (actually having some "skin" in the game) planned ahead. They have to. They don't have unlimited budgets.

Deal with the mess you have made. Hope that your constiuents can deal with it as well.

Assholes

Disturbing.....Very disturbing

If it is true.

Watch this video:





Now: I cannot find out if this is true or someone ginning up fear and conspiracy theories.

But it isn't outside the realm of possibility...And I have seen other examples from the '70 s that were real.

Decide for yourself.
Found HERE

Not just a conversation about race....But an *HONEST* conversation.

Here is a start.

Until the truth is faced, distasteful though it might be for some folks, there will be no fix.

Until the truth is admitted, that the culture is damaged, there can be no change for the better.

Until we stop making excuses for, and hiding from, the truth.....

Until anyone who posts something like this isn't immediately attacked as a racist....

And lest I forget:

Happy Birthday to my brother.

Seems like such a short time ago I was beating you up because I could (because I was bigger).

Not so much for the past 35 years or so.

Yer as big as me now, and you have become a good guy and have many accomplishments to be proud of.

Another turn around our star for you.

May you have many more.

Schmoo 8/13/12

So it has been a year.....

A long year.
A year without my friend of 16 years.
A year without a dog in my life.

A year of reflections, of memories, of hurt and loss and grief and pain,
Of smiles at those memories, and yes, a tear or two.

A year that has taught me a bit, when I have taken the time to think, and learn.
A year of tending the tree that I planted over her grave.

I miss my dog.

I miss my friend.

I don't know if I will ever get another dog. I have 4 (nearly 4 1/2!) cats.
They love me, and I, them.

But they aren't a dog, and they love in a different way...

She led the way.....I am sure we will meet again....

Someday.

Kipling had it right:

 
The Power of the Dog
by
Rudyard Kipling

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie–
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart to a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find–it’s your own affair–
But … you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear. 

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone–wherever it goes–for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear. 

We’ve sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we’ve kept ‘em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-term loan is as bad as a long–
So why in–Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

And yet.....
I wouldn't trade our time together for the world.


"The gift that a dog gives us is to see us as we would like to be seen, rather than as we are."

Welcome NSA

Thermonuclear

Anthrax

Smallpox

Pipe Bomb

Pressure cooker.
Sarin

Shrapnel

Help keep a poor NSA employee working.
(they, and thousands of other leeches federal workers need useless jobs too)
\
And think about implementing this strategy as well:

What are you? (Yes, the Nerd is strong in me)

Via Borepatch, I found this survey to tell you what kind of D&D character you should be.

Is it accurate? I dunno...Those of you who know me can decide for yourselves. 

ETA: I find it interesting that many of the bloggers I like are also "Neutral" to a greater degree. 



I Am A: True Neutral Human Wizard (7th Level)


Ability Scores:

Strength-14

Dexterity-13

Constitution-15

Intelligence-17

Wisdom-16

Charisma-15


Alignment:
True Neutral A true neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. He doesn't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most true neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil after all, he would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, he's not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way. Some true neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run. True neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion. However, true neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it represents apathy, indifference, and a lack of conviction.


Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.


Class:
Wizards are arcane spellcasters who depend on intensive study to create their magic. To wizards, magic is not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art. When they are prepared for battle, wizards can use their spells to devastating effect. When caught by surprise, they are vulnerable. The wizard's strength is her spells, everything else is secondary. She learns new spells as she experiments and grows in experience, and she can also learn them from other wizards. In addition, over time a wizard learns to manipulate her spells so they go farther, work better, or are improved in some other way. A wizard can call a familiar- a small, magical, animal companion that serves her. With a high Intelligence, wizards are capable of casting very high levels of spells.


Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)

This'll help

Yeah, a mural painted showing a man (supposedly G. Zimmerman) shooting a black teen (representing Trayvon Martin) IN THE BACK! oughta help dispel racial tensions.

It is, of course, designed to inflame racial tensions. The depiction in the mural doesn't even come close to what really happened that night. Not that many people who never bothered to find out the facts will ever bother to learn that this is a poor representation of relaity.

Couple of questions: Who commissioned the artist's work? WHO PAID FOR IT?

Who arranged for the artist to take the commission?

Why did she paint such an inflammatory mural?

Who benefits from increased tensions?

Class

Seems that George W. Bush had a minor heart issue and was hospitalized for a stent procedure.

That's not news, really.

What is news is that Vladimir Putin had the class to send a "get well soon" telegram to his old adversary. The current spin in the media is that he did it to poke Barry ) in the eye. Perhaps that is the case. But it could be (and likely is) an example of one world leader giving respect to an old adversary...

Obama, however, couldn't be bothered.

Class shows. So does Character.
As does the lack thereof.

idiots

Apparently they hire "special" people in Porter County Indiana..

They are unable to plan drainage project. (or follow a plan if there is one) Things like having the proper materials on hand are foreign concepts to them, leading to project delays and re-doing of work already done once (poorly).

They seem to feel that water flows uphill as well.

and stuff like that. 

No wonder the county is broke.

Non-Racism

You can find it here. And HERE.

We don't see anything but reality.

Others may feel differently. Too bad for them.

HT

ETA: Related article  HERE.

Bring it

SO the Council on Foreign Relations has "released a memo urging the Obama administration to disregard the will of the American people and Congress and unilaterally enact a series of gun controls."

 Yeah, that is a good idea.

Want a war? We can dance.

Forget the rule of law and the Constitution.

The CFR wants things a Certain Way. Forget the will of the people.

Do they really think this will help? That they can make this happen?

Toldja

OMG!!!! Terrorism!!!!  See! We need the spy programs! We need to be able to read your emails and your texts and know who you called! It is for your own safety!Trust us!

Seems that the "credible threat" that closed all of our embassies WAS, in fact, somehow found via an intercepted conversation. 

Seems that the story is that the AlQeda folks somehow (and for some inexplicable reason?!?) broke operational security and communicated in the clear. PEOPLE WHOSE VERY EXISTENCE requires coded messages and good communications security. Yet, in this instance, they chose not to follow their security rules. They spoke about attacks....but not about targets.

Odd that.

Strange timing too. A very specific threat against unspecified targets. Be afraid. Jut not sure of what or where.

One could wonder. Wonder about this. Wonder if it is all just a justification for the spy programs of the NSA.

I mean, we really have no evidence that the threat was real, do we? And after all, AlQeda is "decimated".

Draw your own conclusions.

Think "Wag The Dog" only with real people.

Once, long ago, I trusted my government. No longer. Not with "Astroturf" and fake activist groups and all that bullshit. All the media spin on the Treyvon Martin/G. Zimmerman case. Until I get more proof, I have to think this is a fake crisis, like so many before this. I guess I am a sceptic.

The sad part is that many of the citizens will believe. Will not question the timing.
Will give up even more freedom in order to have more perceived security.
Sheep.

Watching the watchers

Interesting....

Rialto, Ca.:

An interesting experiment conducted.....

When the video cameras were watching, cops used 60% less force. 

Strange, that. I guess it is harder to justify being aggressive and pushing (or worse) people around when there is a witness.

Also complaints against officers dropped by 88% .

Very interesting.

VIA

Watch this

Go HERE. Watch the Gif.

Yeah, I laughed too, you sick bastard.

I'll save a seat for you on the bench in Hell.

So whaddya wanna bet

That the "information" leading to the closing of our embassies and warnings for any travellers will be credited to the NSA's spying on American citizens surveillance of the internet and telephone?

Gotta justify it somehow y a know.

shutting down our embassies

"Due to "specific threats""

And here i was told that ALQueda was done....
the war on terror is over...

Perishable.

So what with summer and the fact that I am fairly busy with my business trying to make things work with a reduced staff and shorter workweek thanks to Obamacare, I haven't been shooting as much.


Like at all. 200 rounds TOTAL in the last 60 days.

Until this last Sunday.

Man, my groups sucked.

I ran a 600 point practice Bullseye match at my range with a friend who had also been busy.

He shot a 472. I shot a 448.

We both used to shoot in the mid 500's.

Practice makes perfect, they say....the inverse is true as well.

I did do OK at 7 yards with my carry gun and a 5" 1911, but even there, the lack of practice showed in the groups....Like from 3" rapid fire to 5" groups. I was center mass on a B-29, but still. When I went to do Mozambique drills, I tended to miss the head shots.

My mag reloads suffered too.

Gotta spend more time with snap caps and the LaserLyte at home. My form sucked. 

Practice. I needs it.

Race relations:

So I interact with a lot of people.

Daily.

Yesterday, I witnessed a terrible thing. The destruction of a worldview.

A man, a Palestinian immigrant to the United States, (who, BTW, is the living embodiment of the American Dream) who used to believe that the blacks were discriminated against (based on the discrimination he experienced as a dark skinned man with a Palestinian accent, and from witnessing discrimination daily, he says)....


Yet he now believes that the treatment of the Trayvon Martin incident and the overall excuses that the liberals have made for the black culture and failure thereof is enough. He's had enough of making excuses. He stated that he has been awakened. He's tired of the double standard for their behavior...Tired of the media and the government refusing to show the true facts. Tired of them excusing the high crime rates and the lawlessness.

I find it sad. Here is a man who believed that everyone is equal. who is becoming ever increasingly prejudiced.  Who is tired of not admitting the truth. Who feels that something must be done.

Tease for the NSA

So yesterday was a real pressure cooker of a day. I felt like my brain was going to explode like bomb. Filled with gunpowder. A big boom. Pieces and art of my body everywhere.

But I took all of my troubles and put them in a backpack and just tossed them to the side of the road. Left it there. No worries.

Hope that this helps keep some NSA guy employed.

So just who and/or what

is this new group that is spamming my email several times a week?


National Association of Gun Rights? 

Another false flag?

Just another scam?

Or are they legit?

I'd unsubscribe, but for me to do so, they insist on my name and mailing address.
Not gonna happen folks.

SO they get tossed into the Spam folder alongside the Nigerians and the generic penis pills.

A bigger army

The IRS (currently) has more agents than either Germany or Canada have full time soldiers. 

And, of course, the IRS SWAT team (For when an audit just won't cut it).

Just something to think about.

106,000 targets.