It is truly with a heavy heart that I post this. Patty, the last surviving of the singing trio of Patty, LaVerne and Maxine - The Andrews Sisters - has passed away of natural causes at age 94, see:
http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=788243
She was the lead singer of this 1930-40s group that sold records in the tens, if not hundreds, of millions. They performed together as a group up through 1967, so I got to hear them often as I grew up. Of course, I, like many Americans, fell in love with them by way of not only their voices but their appearances in reruns of movies like Buck Privates in which they sang Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B. (If you have never seen Buck Privates, which was the first starring role for Abbot and Costello, I highly recommend it.)
Did you happen to notice the two guys who walked on stage just as the song ended, yep Bud Abbot and Lou Costello.
Also in Buck Privates, they sang: Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (and yes that is Shemp Howard appearing with them on stage).
They were a big hit with the military services during WWII and certainly did a lot to raise the moral of thousands of our troops and of the folks back home.
Their career took off with their first hit Bei mir bistu shein (original Yiddish spelling).
Shit, tears are flowing and I am actually slobbering as I write and as I listen to Bei mir bistu shein! What voices! To think those the last of those voices is now with the angels and with those of her sisters. Enough...except to say they were magnificent.
All the best,
Glenn B
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Guns Or Ammo Out Of Stock - What Else To Buy Before It Too Runs Out
Have you noticed yet that there is a scarcity of guns and ammunition available in, what was until recently, the free market in this country. If you have not noticed, don't even bother reading any further, this article is not for you. If you have noticed the current guns and ammo shortages, then hopefully you were smart and you also anticipated them. In other words, maybe you stocked up a decent supply of guns and ammo, before they ran out, to last you fairly long while. How long? Like maybe having enough on hand to make it through the duration of a major revolution a few years until our government is again controlled by the people with some sense of Constitutional rights and liberties. I don't think I have enough to last that long but I do have some and I am not about to be giving it out to anyone who shows up at my door begging because they cannot find any.
In the event that the economy fails, or the government decides that in order to save the economy they have to halve federal pensions (or worse), or maybe they will decide on another major devaluation of the dollar by printing more greenbacks without anything to back them up, or if the government tries to take over militarily or by police force, or in the event of a major natural catastrophe or even a friggin' Zombie Apocalypse or maybe just shortages of consumer goods just as there is now a shortage of guns, ammunition and related items on the market - I want to be able to kind of, sort of, assure I do not have to start bartering what scant ammunition I have on hand in order to get other things that I do not have. That begs the question - What other things should one be buying now to avoid that kind of mess.
My guess would be the number one thing to buy would be food and water storage containers. That is unless you have lots of money right now, in which case I would probably be buying gold and silver and food and water. I do not have a lot of money on hand, so I think maybe I will at least try to buy some kind of long lasting food; maybe I can sneak in a few ounce of silver too. While I see no shortage of gold or silver forthcoming, I can see the prices rising, even now, especially for silver as fears of a worsened economy or a collapse increase. I don't think buying silver now is a good money making proposition but I do think it was a good idea to have some on hand, and some gold too if you can afford it, in the event the economy does collapse. If the economy fails, your dollars aren't going to be worth shit.
Now back to that other commodity that you might want to consider buying - food. Buying things like containers of emergency foods that can be stored for the long term is a good idea. Why, well just because shit happens. People were pretty hungry during the great Depression, during WWII also. The way things are going nowadays, I can easily envision them getting worse before they get better. I do not plan to be caught standing behind the trucks, off of which soldiers are tossing bags of flour or rice to the peasants, when the food riots break out. Is that really going to happen - beats me but I have stood on cheese lines before and shopped with the food stamps that my mother got a long time ago and do not ever intend to do either again. I certainly do not want to see my kids ever have to do it.
Emergency food comes in varying degrees as to quantity. You can get anything from a year's supply for a family of four (a pallets worth of it) down to an individual can of it. I do not think most folks are in the economic position to be buying a year's supply of food at one time, let alone having the facility to store all that food - heck I would have to buy another place just to store that much food. So instead of buying all that much of it at once, you can tailor your buying to your budget and to your storage space. Buying a bucket of emergency food per month, like a 40 lb. bucket of flour, or a bucket of powdered milk, a 20 lb. bucket of rolled instant oats, or a 35 lb. bucket of dried kidney beans, or a bucket of rice, or sugar, or honey and many other long term storage food items can be done, on a fairly low budget, by purchasing one or two such items per month. If you don't use it wit he next year or three - so what - a lot of it will store for up to 20 or 25 years unopened. You can also lay in a stock of things like canned foods such as tuna fish, sardines, veggies, or even canned meats. Spam lasts, I think, at most for about 3 or 4 years but you have to look for the 'best by date' to figure out by when you need use it up.
While you may not have enough room in your apartment or house to stock up for a year for a family of 4, maybe not even enough room to put away enough for 6 months for two people, you sure want to consider having enough spare food to last you and yours at least a month.
Now, back to the original idea. Remember I asked about what to buy now that guns and ammo have become scarce. A lot of other folks are probably asking themselves the same thing because either they have more than enough in the firearms and ammunition stockpiles or because they simply cannot find any more in stock - so they need something to do with their money now. My guess is, that if they have not done so already, they are going to start buying other commodities like the ones I just mentioned. That could bring on new shortages of things that seem to be in abundance right now. Let me assure you, if they start selling like guns and ammo started selling, food supplies will be out of stock within a month or two at most. Why - because while not everyone was buying guns and ammo - everyone eats and buys food. If panic buying of food starts, for whatever reason, food is going to become scarce really quickly.
If food panic buying does take place, then gold and silver will soar. Neither one probably will become as scarce but they will become super expensive and may wind up being the only thing with which you can purchase food.
Think about that and consider buying now.
Wondering where to buy things like those I just mentioned. Here are a few places you can try:
Gold & Silver:
APMEX
KITCO (Mind you, I think their minimum online order has to amount to $2,500 but you may be able to order in lessor amounts over the phone.)
I have used both of the above, in the past when there was no minimum order size, and they gave good service and I hope the real McCoy when it comes to what I purchased.
Emergency Food:
COSTCO (I have made several online purchases of such stuff from them. I had to return one that had been shipped to me and was faulty. They took it back at a warehouse, no questions asked. They also would have arranged for return shipping if I had preferred it.)
SHELF RELIANCE/THRIVE You can purchase their products from COSTCO but you can buy directly from them too.
EMERGENCY FOOD WAREHOUSE I have never purchased from them; I found a link for them on The Survivalist Blog.
All the best,
Glenn B
In the event that the economy fails, or the government decides that in order to save the economy they have to halve federal pensions (or worse), or maybe they will decide on another major devaluation of the dollar by printing more greenbacks without anything to back them up, or if the government tries to take over militarily or by police force, or in the event of a major natural catastrophe or even a friggin' Zombie Apocalypse or maybe just shortages of consumer goods just as there is now a shortage of guns, ammunition and related items on the market - I want to be able to kind of, sort of, assure I do not have to start bartering what scant ammunition I have on hand in order to get other things that I do not have. That begs the question - What other things should one be buying now to avoid that kind of mess.
My guess would be the number one thing to buy would be food and water storage containers. That is unless you have lots of money right now, in which case I would probably be buying gold and silver and food and water. I do not have a lot of money on hand, so I think maybe I will at least try to buy some kind of long lasting food; maybe I can sneak in a few ounce of silver too. While I see no shortage of gold or silver forthcoming, I can see the prices rising, even now, especially for silver as fears of a worsened economy or a collapse increase. I don't think buying silver now is a good money making proposition but I do think it was a good idea to have some on hand, and some gold too if you can afford it, in the event the economy does collapse. If the economy fails, your dollars aren't going to be worth shit.
Now back to that other commodity that you might want to consider buying - food. Buying things like containers of emergency foods that can be stored for the long term is a good idea. Why, well just because shit happens. People were pretty hungry during the great Depression, during WWII also. The way things are going nowadays, I can easily envision them getting worse before they get better. I do not plan to be caught standing behind the trucks, off of which soldiers are tossing bags of flour or rice to the peasants, when the food riots break out. Is that really going to happen - beats me but I have stood on cheese lines before and shopped with the food stamps that my mother got a long time ago and do not ever intend to do either again. I certainly do not want to see my kids ever have to do it.
Emergency food comes in varying degrees as to quantity. You can get anything from a year's supply for a family of four (a pallets worth of it) down to an individual can of it. I do not think most folks are in the economic position to be buying a year's supply of food at one time, let alone having the facility to store all that food - heck I would have to buy another place just to store that much food. So instead of buying all that much of it at once, you can tailor your buying to your budget and to your storage space. Buying a bucket of emergency food per month, like a 40 lb. bucket of flour, or a bucket of powdered milk, a 20 lb. bucket of rolled instant oats, or a 35 lb. bucket of dried kidney beans, or a bucket of rice, or sugar, or honey and many other long term storage food items can be done, on a fairly low budget, by purchasing one or two such items per month. If you don't use it wit he next year or three - so what - a lot of it will store for up to 20 or 25 years unopened. You can also lay in a stock of things like canned foods such as tuna fish, sardines, veggies, or even canned meats. Spam lasts, I think, at most for about 3 or 4 years but you have to look for the 'best by date' to figure out by when you need use it up.
While you may not have enough room in your apartment or house to stock up for a year for a family of 4, maybe not even enough room to put away enough for 6 months for two people, you sure want to consider having enough spare food to last you and yours at least a month.
Now, back to the original idea. Remember I asked about what to buy now that guns and ammo have become scarce. A lot of other folks are probably asking themselves the same thing because either they have more than enough in the firearms and ammunition stockpiles or because they simply cannot find any more in stock - so they need something to do with their money now. My guess is, that if they have not done so already, they are going to start buying other commodities like the ones I just mentioned. That could bring on new shortages of things that seem to be in abundance right now. Let me assure you, if they start selling like guns and ammo started selling, food supplies will be out of stock within a month or two at most. Why - because while not everyone was buying guns and ammo - everyone eats and buys food. If panic buying of food starts, for whatever reason, food is going to become scarce really quickly.
If food panic buying does take place, then gold and silver will soar. Neither one probably will become as scarce but they will become super expensive and may wind up being the only thing with which you can purchase food.
Think about that and consider buying now.
Wondering where to buy things like those I just mentioned. Here are a few places you can try:
Gold & Silver:
APMEX
KITCO (Mind you, I think their minimum online order has to amount to $2,500 but you may be able to order in lessor amounts over the phone.)
I have used both of the above, in the past when there was no minimum order size, and they gave good service and I hope the real McCoy when it comes to what I purchased.
Emergency Food:
COSTCO (I have made several online purchases of such stuff from them. I had to return one that had been shipped to me and was faulty. They took it back at a warehouse, no questions asked. They also would have arranged for return shipping if I had preferred it.)
SHELF RELIANCE/THRIVE You can purchase their products from COSTCO but you can buy directly from them too.
EMERGENCY FOOD WAREHOUSE I have never purchased from them; I found a link for them on The Survivalist Blog.
All the best,
Glenn B
Laws Banning Firearms Don't Benefit Society
I have always believed and probably will always be of like
mind that laws, banning certain types of firearms (or other weapons) or banning
magazines with a certain capacity to hold ammunition, are pointless unless it
is that the government wishes to attempt a takeover of the populace. Even then,
there is little chance of keeping weapons out of the hands of people whom the
government does not want to see armed. A perfect example has just come to light
in a terrible tragedy that has taken place in the southern hemisphere. Over the
past couple of days there has been an uproar from the citizenry in Venezuela
over the massive gun battle that took place in that country between federal
troops and armed convicts. That gun battle took place in what should have been
one of the most secure facilities in the country or in any country - a federal
prison - a place in which gun control should be practiced to its full extent
regarding keeping guns from the inmates. That system failed miserably.
Now, you may wonder how prisoners got the guns with which to
battle federal troops that had entered the prison to check for weapons and
other contraband and to check on prison conditions. You might even hypothesize
that somehow, the families of prisoners smuggled weapons into the prison over a
period of times and those weapons were used against the troops. Yet,
authorities and politicians in Venezuela would probably tell you otherwise, at
least it is being reported that they are seeing it differently right now. For
now, it is believed that the great majority of the weapons used by prisoners in
the gun battle, that claimed 61 lives and wounded over a hundred others, were
smuggled into the jail by corrupt jailers, see:
In fact, the people of Venezuela are allowed to possess
certain firearms but only under strict conditions and only firearms of a very
limited variety.
"Venezuela:
- Only the state may possess 'weapons of war', including:
cannon, rifles, mortars, machine guns, sub-machine guns, carbines, pistols, and
revolvers, be they automatic or semi-automatic. Civilians are only authorized
to hold .22 rifles and shotguns (repeating and hunting).
- Penalty for Possessing Prohibited Firearm: 5-8 years for
firearms; 6-10 years for 'weapons of war'
- Registration: details of the firearm must be
recorded"
Sources: http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/venezuela
and: Parker, Sarah. 2011. ‘Balancing Act: Regulation of Civilian Firearm
Possession.’ Small Arms Survey 2011: States of Security; Chapter 9 (Table 9.2),
p. 273. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 6 July.
So imagine that. If, in Venezuela, you possessed the weapons
that were almost certainly used in the prison gun battle, you face a 6-10 year
sentence at the least just for having them, let alone the additional sentence
for using them to injure or kill someone. I imagine that since Venezuela also
requires civilians to register firearms that there would also be an additional
penalty for having unregistered firearms. Are you beginning to see how firearms
registration laws and laws banning certain types of weapons are totally
ineffective. All the legal restrictions above did little to nothing to keep
firearms out of what should have been a gun free area, and thus little to
nothing to keep them from the hands of those who would commit crimes with them
even when those people were incarcerated! As a matter of fact, as I noted
above, corrupt government officials were implicated as being the likely
culprits to have smuggled the firearms into the prison and that is based upon
past cases of such having happened.
So, unless you get rid of every gun that there is on the
planet, gun control is not going to work. It probably would not even work then
because it is just too easy to produce firearms in a workshop, even in a
backyard or basement workshop. That is exactly how tens of thousands of
firearms were smuggled into Afghanistan, to supply the Afghans, when the Soviet
Union occupied that country. The guns were manufactured in home shops by people
in Pakistan.
What we need in the USA is not a gun ban or gun
restrictions, what we need is stiffer sentencing when guns or any weapons are
used in the commission of a crime - maybe a mandatory 25 year add on sentence.
This may not prevent the criminal from committing more violent crime once his
sentence has expired and he gets out of jail but will assure that he will not
commit violent crime on the streets for at least the time he is in jail.
We need swift and sure justice that results in the death
penalty for the offender when someone is found guilty of manslaughter or
murder, or of a felony in which violence resulting in injury was used to commit
the crime, resulting in the death penalty. The death penalty may not work as a
deterrent however it works without fail as to preventing recidivism once the
sentence has actually been carried out.
We need to assure that our mental health system
institutionalizes those who are a high potential threat to public safety. We
did that many years ago and the incidence of violent crimes committed by the
mentally ill was lower than currently.
We need to allow our children to properly adjust to
aggression and violence. Thus we need to accept, as we used to, that violence
and aggression are normal, in children and teens, to a certain degree. Instead
of coddling our children and teens and even our young adults, we need allow for
an adjustment period in which they learn how to naturally react to things like
bullying and other highly stressful situations, maybe by way of them fighting
back by using an appropriate level of self-defense. Thus they would gain an
understanding that extremely violent overreactions, like what they see in video
games and on television, are not the proper ways to react to the great majority
of situations although sometimes a situation can be dealt with best by
application of the appropriate level of violence and aggression.
None of that should not be difficult to accomplish; not once
we realize we need to get rid of some things our society has turned to such as:
the Nanny State and the proliferation of nannies instead of educators in our
schools, police state in which the police see themselves as above the law yet
needing to enforce the law as more important than them living up to their oaths
by being the defenders of the Constitution, the soft tyranny that exists and
may soon turn to hard tyranny as opposed to having politicians that realize
they are public servants who are supposed to serve us instead of us serving
them.
It was like that once upon a time, not all that long ago -
within my lifetime. It can be that way again and when it is, just as when I was
a youngster - mass shootings and mass murders of any sort, within this nation, will
be rare occurrences indeed.
All the best,
Glenn B
The Bell Just Rang...
...and what may be the last Internet order of ammo I will ever make legally, from my NY residence, was dropped off at my front door. Of course, I would buy more ammo online, before the NY SAFE Act goes into effect, if I could find any available in calibers I want and at reasonable prices. Virtually everything I want has been sold out for weeks now.
As for the ammo that just arrived, it's a hundred rounds of .308 Winchester ammo from Midway USA; it should be anyway - I have not opened the box to check yet. MidwayUSA was the only dealer I could find within the last 2 weeks with any .308 ammo for sale. The ammo itself is: Federal Fusion Lite Ammunition, .308 Winchester, 170 Grain, Spitzer Boat Tail, five boxes of 20 rounds. As I write, it is no longer in stock; as a matter of fact, it was out of stock within minutes of me placing my order. Right now, MidwayUSA has some: Federal Premium Vital-Shok Ammunition, 308 Winchester, 165 Grain, Trophy Copper Tipped Boat Tail,lead free ammo for sale for 33.99 a box but I am not about to spend that much on 20 rounds of .308 - lead free or not, just posting the availability here in the event someone is looking.
All the best,
Glenn B
As for the ammo that just arrived, it's a hundred rounds of .308 Winchester ammo from Midway USA; it should be anyway - I have not opened the box to check yet. MidwayUSA was the only dealer I could find within the last 2 weeks with any .308 ammo for sale. The ammo itself is: Federal Fusion Lite Ammunition, .308 Winchester, 170 Grain, Spitzer Boat Tail, five boxes of 20 rounds. As I write, it is no longer in stock; as a matter of fact, it was out of stock within minutes of me placing my order. Right now, MidwayUSA has some: Federal Premium Vital-Shok Ammunition, 308 Winchester, 165 Grain, Trophy Copper Tipped Boat Tail,lead free ammo for sale for 33.99 a box but I am not about to spend that much on 20 rounds of .308 - lead free or not, just posting the availability here in the event someone is looking.
All the best,
Glenn B
Sunday, January 27, 2013
The Patriot Post Has Been Added To My Blog Roll
I added The Patriot Post. Don't know why I never did before tonight. Great stuff. It is on the right, under the header: Other Bloggers Of Note.
All the best,
GB
All the best,
GB
The 2A Pledge - Have You Taken It Yet?
I just took the 2A Pledge. If you support our Constitutional Rights, our liberties to exercise them, and our freedoms, then you should consider taking the pledge too. It relates to the one right that assures we keep all the others, the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
You can go directly to the pledge page here: http://patriotpost.us/archives/petitions/21
Or first check out the Patriot Post, the host website, here: http://patriotpost.us/
Thanks to Bob, over at the at The Wandering Minstrel, for the heads up on this one.
All the best,
Glenn B
You can go directly to the pledge page here: http://patriotpost.us/archives/petitions/21
Or first check out the Patriot Post, the host website, here: http://patriotpost.us/
Thanks to Bob, over at the at The Wandering Minstrel, for the heads up on this one.
All the best,
Glenn B
Saturday, January 26, 2013
A Wise Man and A Buffoon Discuss The NY SAFE Act
It is a 15 minute video but if you are at all interested in the latest violation of New Yorkers' right to keep and bear arms,watch this video. Then guess which one I think is the wise man and which the buffoon. Bear in mind, although I fully support the RKBA, I imagine that I would still think of both of them the same as I do now even had they been talking about the weather instead of the NY SAFE Act. I mean it is just so obvious as to which term fits which man - isn't it!
All the best
Glenn B
Politicians never cease to amaze me especially when it comes to how willing some of them are to totally disregard our natural and Constitutional rights. Hat tip to Richie M for this one.
All the best
Glenn B
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Second Amendment Foundation
I stopped over at the Wandering Minstrel's blog tonight and am happy I did so. Bob put up a brief but excellent post suggesting that now is the time to donate to The Second Amendment Foundation. He explained that as opposed to the mostly lobbying that is done by the NRA, the SAF files and supports lawsuits on the behalf of gun owners, and thus on behalf of all of us, concerning our right to keep and bear arms and our liberty to exercise that right. I have heard about the Second Amendment Foundation before and would have sworn I had joined or sent them a donation but could find nothing to that effect in my saved emails or my receipt files.
So tonight, I signed up for a 5 year membership with them. I figure it is money well spent. I will also donate to them over time, probably starting next week when I get my next pension payment. One thing Bob pointed out, about donations to the SAF, is that said donations are tax deductible. I can see myself donating a good amount of dollars to them, over the course of the next year, if that is correct; I hope so.
All the best,
Glenn B
So tonight, I signed up for a 5 year membership with them. I figure it is money well spent. I will also donate to them over time, probably starting next week when I get my next pension payment. One thing Bob pointed out, about donations to the SAF, is that said donations are tax deductible. I can see myself donating a good amount of dollars to them, over the course of the next year, if that is correct; I hope so.
All the best,
Glenn B
Gun Control Thoughts
So tell me - in NY State (with the SAFE Act) and on the national level (with Obummer’s executive orders) if I do absolutely nothing, it means I will become a felon! Absolutely friggin amazing that our law makers have let no crisis go unexploited and by twisting around blame have blamed inanimate objects and law abiding citizens for the latest tragedy.
I wonder why, as with magazine capacity, they have not limited automobiles to only be allowed to travel as fast as the highest speed limit - think how many lives that would save. Cars kill more people by far than do guns, in this country, every day. Yet, we can buy cars that go over twice as fast as the highest speed limit within the USA, maybe even faster. You see, that is because it is not the car but the one driving it who is to blame when the driver runs down and injures or kills someone. The blame game according to politicians and leftists: With cars, the driver is to blame, with guns it is not just the shooter to blame but the gun makers, the ammo makers, the gun stores, the gun shows, the Internet, the movie makers, the video game makers, Republicans, Conservatives, Libertarians, every law abiding gun owner in the United States of America and probably their parents too. Oh did I forget the Founding Fathers and the framers of the Bill of Rights; heck I bet they would even blame God if they believed in one! All so very understandable, to all, when it comes to cars but somehow not with firearms, that it is the criminals to blame.
As for justice: Run someone down and kill them, get a few to several years in jail and then you will be set free to do it again. Shoot someone down and kill them, go to jail for a few to several years so you will be free to do it again. Whoops, you caught me, you saw it didn't you. While you can commit a felony and go to jail for it, when you get out of prison, you certainly can legally own a car again but commit any felony and even some misdemeanors and you are forbidden to legally own a firearm again. The politicians figured it all out so well as to how to prevent violence committed with firearms haven't they! So, how could someone possibly ever shoot anyone again after having been convicted of a felony. Oh those politicians and their silly laws, don't they see that getting rid of guns is the only answer - getting rid of cars too. For that matter, getting rid of cars would save many more lives than getting rid of guns. Then again, getting serious again, executing the killers would solve everything with regard to recidivism for vehicular or firearms related criminal homicides. The death penalty might even make some folks think twice before speeding, drunk driving or shooting someone.
Of course, if you are looking at prevention in the first place, why not immediately revoke the driving privileges of anyone caught driving recklessly, or using firearms in like manner, and why not institutionalize the psychos, why not immediately jail for 25 years (as an add on to any other jail sentence) anyone who commits a crime with a firearm or other weapon (any weapon, including a car). Probably makes way too much sense to work in these Bizarro States of Amerika. Instead, our politicians have decided to punish the law abiding firearms owners of this once great nation and to demonize an inanimate object that needs a hand to point it and a finger to pull the trigger.
All the best,
Glenn B
I wonder why, as with magazine capacity, they have not limited automobiles to only be allowed to travel as fast as the highest speed limit - think how many lives that would save. Cars kill more people by far than do guns, in this country, every day. Yet, we can buy cars that go over twice as fast as the highest speed limit within the USA, maybe even faster. You see, that is because it is not the car but the one driving it who is to blame when the driver runs down and injures or kills someone. The blame game according to politicians and leftists: With cars, the driver is to blame, with guns it is not just the shooter to blame but the gun makers, the ammo makers, the gun stores, the gun shows, the Internet, the movie makers, the video game makers, Republicans, Conservatives, Libertarians, every law abiding gun owner in the United States of America and probably their parents too. Oh did I forget the Founding Fathers and the framers of the Bill of Rights; heck I bet they would even blame God if they believed in one! All so very understandable, to all, when it comes to cars but somehow not with firearms, that it is the criminals to blame.
As for justice: Run someone down and kill them, get a few to several years in jail and then you will be set free to do it again. Shoot someone down and kill them, go to jail for a few to several years so you will be free to do it again. Whoops, you caught me, you saw it didn't you. While you can commit a felony and go to jail for it, when you get out of prison, you certainly can legally own a car again but commit any felony and even some misdemeanors and you are forbidden to legally own a firearm again. The politicians figured it all out so well as to how to prevent violence committed with firearms haven't they! So, how could someone possibly ever shoot anyone again after having been convicted of a felony. Oh those politicians and their silly laws, don't they see that getting rid of guns is the only answer - getting rid of cars too. For that matter, getting rid of cars would save many more lives than getting rid of guns. Then again, getting serious again, executing the killers would solve everything with regard to recidivism for vehicular or firearms related criminal homicides. The death penalty might even make some folks think twice before speeding, drunk driving or shooting someone.
Of course, if you are looking at prevention in the first place, why not immediately revoke the driving privileges of anyone caught driving recklessly, or using firearms in like manner, and why not institutionalize the psychos, why not immediately jail for 25 years (as an add on to any other jail sentence) anyone who commits a crime with a firearm or other weapon (any weapon, including a car). Probably makes way too much sense to work in these Bizarro States of Amerika. Instead, our politicians have decided to punish the law abiding firearms owners of this once great nation and to demonize an inanimate object that needs a hand to point it and a finger to pull the trigger.
All the best,
Glenn B
Monday, January 21, 2013
The Less Than One Percent Supporting The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
It is said that only three percent of the population of the 13 British
colonies (that became the United States of America) actually fought in the
revolution to overthrow English rule. On this past Saturday, by my estimation,
only 1 percent of the membership of Long Island Firearms showed up to protest
the evidently unconstitutional gun control law passed by the NY legislature and
signed into law by governor Cuomo earlier in the week. There are over 6,000
members of Long Island Firearms, an organization that has dedicated itself to
protection of our right to keep and bear arms on the local level. That only 57
signed up for the bus trip there and maybe a few handfuls more drove up on
their own is absolutely shameful as far as I can see. Yet, that may have been better than the percentage of overall gun owners, in NY State, who showed up. It appears less than one percent of all gun owners in NY State participated in the rally and protest; the crowd maybe reached 2,000 at most.
I guess, like too many others in our nation, the firearms owners who did not attend can give as many excuses as there are days in a month about why they did not participate. Perhaps they can also come up with as many reasons as to why they seemingly, like so many on the left, expect someone else to do their work for them. I just don’t get it but I’ll be sure to know on whom to vent my anger if we lose this battle and it will not be reserved solely for liberals – there will be plenty to go around for the armchair conservatives and libertarians.
Getting back to the protest, the one in Albany, NY probably had a total of
about 1,500 to 2,000 pro-Right To Keep and Bear Arms people at it. I have seen
scant news reports about it. There was only one van there
from the media, something called YNN News.
As for the folks who actually participated in the protest, they went at it
150%. Many came from different parts of the state and had a long journey to get
there. It took the LIF bus about 3.5 hours to make it there. Once there, we
piled out onto the street and realized, heck it was going to be a cold one. Not
terribly cold but cold enough that you would not want to be standing around
outside for 4 to 5 hours. I think we got there about 1030 or 1045. That was
well before the noon starting time for the event. There was only a small
handful of others there by then but sure enough, more protesters came rolling
in. We all assembled in a park that was about one square city block around,
surrounded by government buildings. Brendan and I went off to grab a quick sandwich
and when we got back, at about 1145, it had already begun.
There were speakers from New York Rifle and Pistol Association, from the media, from the NY legislature, from pro-gun groups and the like. The speeches went on and on but to what avail since almost no one from the media was apparently listening or watching and thus would not spread the story. I saw a total of two news cameramen videoing the event and one guy, maybe a reporter and maybe not, going around interviewing people while recording audio only and none of those there seemed to be working too hard.
I got a good amount of photos of the protesters using my phone camera (sorry
I could not find my regular camera before we departed for the protest) and some
of them appear here in this blog post. There were all sorts of folks
protesting, from moms and dads with young children to octogenarians with canes
and even one guy in a sort of walker/wheelchair. People of every race were in attendance and it
was obvious of many ethnicities and nationalities. There were tactical
shooters, preppers, target shooters, plinkers, hunters, gun collectors, law
enforcement officers, military personnel, security professionals, politicians,
media personalities (a radio talk show host from Albany gave some good speeches),
firearms rights organizers and just about any other type who had a love of
freedom and who realized that being at liberty to exercise our right to keep
and bear arms has kept us free. My guess would be that there were folks there
from most every political party found in the USA and all were pro-RKBA. As I
said, the protesters were giving 150%, chanting and urging on the speakers always
in support of our liberties to exercise our RKBA. They who participated have
done something of which to be proud; I only wish there had been more of us
there – many more of us. If we intend to win this battle, we need support from
the whole firearms community – each and every one of you.
I guess it all went on until about 3PM instead of 4PM as had been planned
but it started early and the point was made more than enough times by the time
it broke up. Besides that, the size of the crowd was evidently dwindling somewhat
by then; I am guessing though that there had to have still been 1,000 people
then when it finished up.
Brendan and I are ready to do it again. I hope the next one is on a weekday when the legislature is in session and Governor Cuomo in his office and when the media decides to show up in good number (that last hope is probably pointless, why would they want to support us). Oh well, just one other thing for me to say. There was a handful of Albany city police officers there and also a few NY State troopers and some officers in plain clothes in the crowd with large dogs, as in K-9 units. The truth is, none of them were needed there since this was an absolutely peaceful form of protest by people who respected the property on which they stood while protesting. Never once did anyone in the crowd lower themselves to the likes of those in some of the Occupy Wall Street events I saw on the news; but then I never would have expected anything but decent respectful behavior from law abiding gun owners - at least until they are pushed too far - then, who knows!
All the best,
Glenn B
I guess, like too many others in our nation, the firearms owners who did not attend can give as many excuses as there are days in a month about why they did not participate. Perhaps they can also come up with as many reasons as to why they seemingly, like so many on the left, expect someone else to do their work for them. I just don’t get it but I’ll be sure to know on whom to vent my anger if we lose this battle and it will not be reserved solely for liberals – there will be plenty to go around for the armchair conservatives and libertarians.
Getting back to the protest, the one in Albany, NY probably had a total of
about 1,500 to 2,000 pro-Right To Keep and Bear Arms people at it. I have seen
scant news reports about it. There was only one van there
from the media, something called YNN News.
As for the folks who actually participated in the protest, they went at it
150%. Many came from different parts of the state and had a long journey to get
there. It took the LIF bus about 3.5 hours to make it there. Once there, we
piled out onto the street and realized, heck it was going to be a cold one. Not
terribly cold but cold enough that you would not want to be standing around
outside for 4 to 5 hours. I think we got there about 1030 or 1045. That was
well before the noon starting time for the event. There was only a small
handful of others there by then but sure enough, more protesters came rolling
in. We all assembled in a park that was about one square city block around,
surrounded by government buildings. Brendan and I went off to grab a quick sandwich
and when we got back, at about 1145, it had already begun.There were speakers from New York Rifle and Pistol Association, from the media, from the NY legislature, from pro-gun groups and the like. The speeches went on and on but to what avail since almost no one from the media was apparently listening or watching and thus would not spread the story. I saw a total of two news cameramen videoing the event and one guy, maybe a reporter and maybe not, going around interviewing people while recording audio only and none of those there seemed to be working too hard.
I got a good amount of photos of the protesters using my phone camera (sorry
I could not find my regular camera before we departed for the protest) and some
of them appear here in this blog post. There were all sorts of folks
protesting, from moms and dads with young children to octogenarians with canes
and even one guy in a sort of walker/wheelchair. People of every race were in attendance and it
was obvious of many ethnicities and nationalities. There were tactical
shooters, preppers, target shooters, plinkers, hunters, gun collectors, law
enforcement officers, military personnel, security professionals, politicians,
media personalities (a radio talk show host from Albany gave some good speeches),
firearms rights organizers and just about any other type who had a love of
freedom and who realized that being at liberty to exercise our right to keep
and bear arms has kept us free. My guess would be that there were folks there
from most every political party found in the USA and all were pro-RKBA. As I
said, the protesters were giving 150%, chanting and urging on the speakers always
in support of our liberties to exercise our RKBA. They who participated have
done something of which to be proud; I only wish there had been more of us
there – many more of us. If we intend to win this battle, we need support from
the whole firearms community – each and every one of you.
 |
| This youngster apparently finally had enough and seemed to be telling Cuomo where to go. |
Brendan and I are ready to do it again. I hope the next one is on a weekday when the legislature is in session and Governor Cuomo in his office and when the media decides to show up in good number (that last hope is probably pointless, why would they want to support us). Oh well, just one other thing for me to say. There was a handful of Albany city police officers there and also a few NY State troopers and some officers in plain clothes in the crowd with large dogs, as in K-9 units. The truth is, none of them were needed there since this was an absolutely peaceful form of protest by people who respected the property on which they stood while protesting. Never once did anyone in the crowd lower themselves to the likes of those in some of the Occupy Wall Street events I saw on the news; but then I never would have expected anything but decent respectful behavior from law abiding gun owners - at least until they are pushed too far - then, who knows!
All the best,
Glenn B
Friday, January 18, 2013
Protesting The NY State Gun Control Legislation
My son and I will be traveling up to Albany, NY, tomorrow, along with 55 other members of Long Island Firearms to protest the latest round of NY State's anti-gun legislation. Sadly, said group, with a membership of over 6,000, could only get enough members, who committed to the trip, to fill one bus. I hope others will be driving up in their own vehicles. This protest had been planned as one to try to avoid passage of the legislation but Governor Cuomo and his henchmen pushed it through the NY State Senate and Assembly in record time earlier this week. Now it has become a protest after the fact.
The NY State legislation, that has been passed into law, will effectively make many firearms that use magazines holding more than 7 rounds obsolete. Why? I think because there will not be even one manufacturer that will go out of its way to produce the required 7 round magazines for their firearms for the group of owners who own those guns and who live in NY. Why would they and why should they? It would not be financially feasible for them to retool to make the 7 round mags for such a small group of gun owners. Of course there are pistols like the 1911, for which 7 round mags are standard but most other pistols and many rifles have magazines with higher standard magazine capacities than a mere 7 rounds.
The legislation also requires registration of assault weapons, outright bans many so called assault weapons, requires background checks to purchase ammunition, ends Internet sales of firearms to New Yorkers, outlaws selling assault weapons within NY even if legally owned (except to a relative) and forces all owners of magazines that hold more than 7 rounds to dispose of them out of state within one year, among other things. It applies to the police as well as the civilian population but the tyrants are already planning to change the law to exempt police officers so that their henchmen can be better armed than the populace. It got pushed through the NY legislative branch so fast that no one noticed they had forgotten to exempt law enforcement as they do usually. Then again, why should police officers and other LEOs be exempt from the law!
As for how it effects me: My Ortgies Pocket Pistol, that was manufactured in the 1920's, will become useless because no one is going to make 7 round mags for it. My Glock 19 probably will also become useless because Glock will unlikely manufacture 7 round mags. The same goes for my three 92 series pistols from Beretta and for my Beretta 70S, likewise for my Ruger MKII and the same for my High Standard Dura Matic. Why would any manufacturer make 7 round mags and run the risk of a state like CA or IL passing a law similar to NY's but demanding mags that only hold 6 rounds! Likewise for my rifles that utilize standard capacity magazines holding more than 7 rounds. For now, you can still use those higher capacity magazines but it would be illegal to load more than 7 rounds into them.
I am beginning to fear the time may be drawing near when we may hear the retorts of the citizenry by way of many guns being fired in revolt. If so, it may finally become clear to the politicians who passed this law as to why the right to keep and bear arms was enumerated in the 2nd Amendment. Hopefully this weekend's protest will remain peaceful and help accomplish something toward overturning the current tyrannical legislation.
All the best,
Glenn B
The NY State legislation, that has been passed into law, will effectively make many firearms that use magazines holding more than 7 rounds obsolete. Why? I think because there will not be even one manufacturer that will go out of its way to produce the required 7 round magazines for their firearms for the group of owners who own those guns and who live in NY. Why would they and why should they? It would not be financially feasible for them to retool to make the 7 round mags for such a small group of gun owners. Of course there are pistols like the 1911, for which 7 round mags are standard but most other pistols and many rifles have magazines with higher standard magazine capacities than a mere 7 rounds.
The legislation also requires registration of assault weapons, outright bans many so called assault weapons, requires background checks to purchase ammunition, ends Internet sales of firearms to New Yorkers, outlaws selling assault weapons within NY even if legally owned (except to a relative) and forces all owners of magazines that hold more than 7 rounds to dispose of them out of state within one year, among other things. It applies to the police as well as the civilian population but the tyrants are already planning to change the law to exempt police officers so that their henchmen can be better armed than the populace. It got pushed through the NY legislative branch so fast that no one noticed they had forgotten to exempt law enforcement as they do usually. Then again, why should police officers and other LEOs be exempt from the law!
As for how it effects me: My Ortgies Pocket Pistol, that was manufactured in the 1920's, will become useless because no one is going to make 7 round mags for it. My Glock 19 probably will also become useless because Glock will unlikely manufacture 7 round mags. The same goes for my three 92 series pistols from Beretta and for my Beretta 70S, likewise for my Ruger MKII and the same for my High Standard Dura Matic. Why would any manufacturer make 7 round mags and run the risk of a state like CA or IL passing a law similar to NY's but demanding mags that only hold 6 rounds! Likewise for my rifles that utilize standard capacity magazines holding more than 7 rounds. For now, you can still use those higher capacity magazines but it would be illegal to load more than 7 rounds into them.
I am beginning to fear the time may be drawing near when we may hear the retorts of the citizenry by way of many guns being fired in revolt. If so, it may finally become clear to the politicians who passed this law as to why the right to keep and bear arms was enumerated in the 2nd Amendment. Hopefully this weekend's protest will remain peaceful and help accomplish something toward overturning the current tyrannical legislation.
All the best,
Glenn B
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Should We All Pay More Taxes - My Reply
Should We All Pay More Taxes was the title of an article I just read. I do not often reply to articles like that but felt compelled to do so in this instance. My comment to that piece follows:
That was my reply and my rather simple solution to end the so called fiscal crisis. Well maybe one other thing, getting rid of all the assholes in government too but that is for myself and the rest of you to commence next election day and to keep voting on in all subsequent elections.
By the way, I put the stamp on my voter registration packet today and it goes into the mail tomorrow. I have pulled myself out of the Republican party, and registered as not a member of any party, because from what I can tell - Republicans are almost all RINOs. In the future, I will vote for Libertarians (for the most part) and maybe also now and again for the rare truly conservative Republican and or for a conservative or Libertarian leaning independent (if there is such a thing).
All the best,
Glenn B
"I can tell you why no one in
the middle class, or upper class, or in the lower class of working folks,
should have to pay even a dime more in taxes - because it is way past due that
something else happens. The time is right for an alternative to higher taxes.
You know what time is due, the time for - the unrighteous who think themselves entitled, those
leeches on unemployment for up to a year when yes there are jobs but just not
the ones they want out there, the drug dealers who get public assistance and
food stamps, the fakers on disability who are more able than you or I, the homeless bums
who could work but choose to suck charity's tit dry, the Occupy Wall Street
useless hippies who rant and rave and never earn anything but the disrespect
due them - those useless pieces of flotsam in our society to get off of their
supposedly entitled arses and get legitimate jobs and pay taxes. It is time for
the great part of the 47 percent who pay nothing, but who take everything, to finally get jobs
waiting tables, washing dishes, scrubbing floors, cleaning up dog poo in
kennels, digging ditches, handing out fliers, or doing whatever menial jobs
they can get to pay their fair share and to lighten the burden on the rest of
us by not taking what we have dutifully earned. It is also time to get rid of the
30 million blood sucking illegal aliens in this country and for them to give up
their jobs to the above mentioned useless American citizens so that tax rates
on the rest of us can finally go down. Think about it, then sleep on it, and
maybe you will wake up as a responsible adult tomorrow. Something tells me though, you are a hopeless
liberal, just as hopeless as is the future of any country, like the USA, in
which so many feel entitled, even empowered, to take so much from the rest of
us and give nothing in return except demands for more.
Sincerely,
Glenn B"That was my reply and my rather simple solution to end the so called fiscal crisis. Well maybe one other thing, getting rid of all the assholes in government too but that is for myself and the rest of you to commence next election day and to keep voting on in all subsequent elections.
By the way, I put the stamp on my voter registration packet today and it goes into the mail tomorrow. I have pulled myself out of the Republican party, and registered as not a member of any party, because from what I can tell - Republicans are almost all RINOs. In the future, I will vote for Libertarians (for the most part) and maybe also now and again for the rare truly conservative Republican and or for a conservative or Libertarian leaning independent (if there is such a thing).
All the best,
Glenn B
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
If I Remain Within NYS And Do Nothing - I Will Become A Felon!
That is the way the latest gun control legislation has been written and passed in New York State. I was a legal firearms owner one day and now if I do absolutely nothing, in the time spans provided for under the new law, I will be guilty of both misdemeanors and felonies (of course, if convicted). I do not think I am long to remain a resident of the Empire State. How appropriate a name for it, isn't it? It would be more apropos if one added a single word before Empire - either Evil or Dark.
Anyone who resides in the following states, please give me some feedback about the overall political climate in your state: KY, LA, FL, IN, WV, TX, OH and PA. I am considering relocating to one of them. I would prefer one closer to NY but since PA has a pretty miserable score, on the Brady Campaign 2011 State Scorecards, I am leaning elsewhere. In other words, PA has a fairly high score indicating, as far as I am concerned, that they have too much gun control. KY and LA, on the other hand, have the lowest possible scores other than zero and that indicates gun friendly states from what I can see. So, I am interested to find out the general political climate in each of these states because I do not want to relocate to a state that may be heading toward becoming another NY, NJ, MD, MA or CA within a few years and also that is not a state that is gun friendly yet very liberal on almost everything else - like VT.
All the best,
Glenn B
Anyone who resides in the following states, please give me some feedback about the overall political climate in your state: KY, LA, FL, IN, WV, TX, OH and PA. I am considering relocating to one of them. I would prefer one closer to NY but since PA has a pretty miserable score, on the Brady Campaign 2011 State Scorecards, I am leaning elsewhere. In other words, PA has a fairly high score indicating, as far as I am concerned, that they have too much gun control. KY and LA, on the other hand, have the lowest possible scores other than zero and that indicates gun friendly states from what I can see. So, I am interested to find out the general political climate in each of these states because I do not want to relocate to a state that may be heading toward becoming another NY, NJ, MD, MA or CA within a few years and also that is not a state that is gun friendly yet very liberal on almost everything else - like VT.
All the best,
Glenn B
Sunday, January 13, 2013
RKBA SUPPORTERS - IF YOU LIVE IN NY STATE
If you live in NY State, support the RKBA, consider yourself a defender of the Constitution of the United States of America and of the Bill of Rights and of the 2nd Amendment, then send emails and call your state representatives today, Monday, January 14, 2013. Do it over and over again. Let them know that you oppose any anti-gun and anti RKBA legislation or executive orders.
Do it today - DO NOT HESITATE - because it has been reported that Governor Cuomo will try to ram through anti-gun legislation as early as today (source). If it does not happen today, keep up the pressure. Make every peaceful effort to keep your liberty to exercise your right to keep and bear arms and do all you can do to avoid a revolution because if they start confiscating arms a revolution may follow.
Al the best,
Glenn B
Do it today - DO NOT HESITATE - because it has been reported that Governor Cuomo will try to ram through anti-gun legislation as early as today (source). If it does not happen today, keep up the pressure. Make every peaceful effort to keep your liberty to exercise your right to keep and bear arms and do all you can do to avoid a revolution because if they start confiscating arms a revolution may follow.
Al the best,
Glenn B
House On Journal News Map of Pistol License Holders Burglarized
One of two suspected burglars has been arrested after allegedly breaking into a White Plains home that was listed on the interactive map of Westchester County's pistol license holders - that controversial map having been published online by the Journal News. It is suspected that the alleged burglars may have utilized that map to pinpoint their targeted house. Why is that suspected? Well, you see, they allegedly attempted to break into the gun safe located in that house. See:
http://newyork.newsday.com/news/nation/journal-news-gun-permit-map-used-by-burglars-to-target-white-plains-home-1.4441678
That map was one heck of a fine piece of work by the Journal News, don't ya think? Oh that's right, maybe the folks at the Journal News did not bother to think of the consequences of publishing that information but then I would bet none of them were on that map. I think that the folks who work there can be exceptionally proud of themselves, for being pure assholes, if their map was used even in part, by the suspected burglars, to target the firearms in that particular home!
All the best,
Glenn B
http://newyork.newsday.com/news/nation/journal-news-gun-permit-map-used-by-burglars-to-target-white-plains-home-1.4441678
That map was one heck of a fine piece of work by the Journal News, don't ya think? Oh that's right, maybe the folks at the Journal News did not bother to think of the consequences of publishing that information but then I would bet none of them were on that map. I think that the folks who work there can be exceptionally proud of themselves, for being pure assholes, if their map was used even in part, by the suspected burglars, to target the firearms in that particular home!
All the best,
Glenn B
Gun Appreciation Day
I would much rather see someone organize a march on Washington, DC by legal gun owners but for now Gun Appreciation Day will have to do. I wonder if the president will visit his local gun store as it sure seems he appreciates guns at least when carried by all the president's body guards.
All the best,
Glenn B
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Just Another Reason That I Am No Longer A CheaperThanDirt Customer
At the last gun show I attended, on November 10, 2012 (two months ago as I write), I bought 420 rounds of Federal 62 grain, penetrator tipped, XM885, 5.56x45mm ammo, on stripper clips, packed into an ammo can. The total cost was $180 (maybe plus tax). I thought that price was fairly high. I needed it and bought it. Why did I pay what I thought was a somewhat high price? Because although the price was high, due to demand, it was not all that much higher than the price asked by anyone else, was in fact less expensive that what some were asking, and in fact was about the average going price based on then current prices that slowly had escalated over time over about the past 6 years. In other words it was just about the fair market value. I should have bought a full case, from that same dealer, he had them at $385!
Then we arrived at where we are now, ammo prices gone into the stratosphere because of panic buying and because of certain dealers taking advantage of the panic buying and then instituting what I believe are less than ethical price gouging practices. One of the companies that I believe has done this, in fact the one that has raised prices higher than any other company that I have seen raise prices is CheaperThanDirt.com.
While I already have decided not to buy from them again, I went to their site tonight, among others, while checking on availability of ammo and current pricing. I was surprised to see that CTD has the ammo I just mentioned above in stock (as I write). What should have also surprised me is the price they are asking for it but I guess it really comes as no surprise, to see what they are asking for this ammo, after seeing what I think was other price gouging on ammo by them. So what are they asking for an item for which I recently paid $180? They have a current price of $799.59 (as I write) plus shipping and they call it "Our Low Price"!
Imagine that, a $619.59 difference - wow. I could have bought 3.44 more of those same 420 round cans of ammo for just the difference in prices. If a price change like that, within a 2 month period, is not indicative of price gouging, well then - I guess I do not know what could be an indication of such! CheaperThanDirt can take some idiots money and right now but not my money, and not ever again my money. I am not telling you not to shop there, just letting you know why I am not. You can spend your money however you want to spend it.
Oh how I mourn that I did not buy a full case or two from the guy at the gun show.
All the best,
Glenn B
Then we arrived at where we are now, ammo prices gone into the stratosphere because of panic buying and because of certain dealers taking advantage of the panic buying and then instituting what I believe are less than ethical price gouging practices. One of the companies that I believe has done this, in fact the one that has raised prices higher than any other company that I have seen raise prices is CheaperThanDirt.com.
While I already have decided not to buy from them again, I went to their site tonight, among others, while checking on availability of ammo and current pricing. I was surprised to see that CTD has the ammo I just mentioned above in stock (as I write). What should have also surprised me is the price they are asking for it but I guess it really comes as no surprise, to see what they are asking for this ammo, after seeing what I think was other price gouging on ammo by them. So what are they asking for an item for which I recently paid $180? They have a current price of $799.59 (as I write) plus shipping and they call it "Our Low Price"!
Imagine that, a $619.59 difference - wow. I could have bought 3.44 more of those same 420 round cans of ammo for just the difference in prices. If a price change like that, within a 2 month period, is not indicative of price gouging, well then - I guess I do not know what could be an indication of such! CheaperThanDirt can take some idiots money and right now but not my money, and not ever again my money. I am not telling you not to shop there, just letting you know why I am not. You can spend your money however you want to spend it.
Oh how I mourn that I did not buy a full case or two from the guy at the gun show.
All the best,
Glenn B
Dan's Sporting Goods - Wow - What Excellent Customer Service!
Last week, I ordered a 'tin' of 440 rounds of 7.62x54R caliber ammo, Russian manufacture, from Dan's Sporting Goods (aka: dansammo.com). I was surprised to find anyone with this particular ammo in stock and absolutely amazed they were selling it for only $94.00 shipped because others have sure jacked up their prices lately. I was also quite astounded that it shipped the day after ordered it and it arrived at my home two days after that. That was all excellent but not the end of the story nor of my amazement.
When I received the parcel and opened the shipping box, I was rather dismayed at what I saw in front of me. The ammo can, instead of being that drab green color, that I am so familiar with because of previous purchases of the same kind of ammo, was a zinc colored with what appeared to be whitish corrosion all over it. It had what appeared to be a pull tab on the lid (which I am pretty sure was connected to a wire under the lid that would, when the tab was pulled, rip the top open on older Russian ammo cans. I looked over the markings on the box and saw the number, that I believe indicates the year of the case production, 57 (meaning 1957). Another number, the one I believe signifies the year of the gunpowder production used in these rounds, was 56 (meaning 1956). I was not a happy camper. I had inquired about the ammo they were selling and was told it was 1970s to 1980s production. The website indicated it came in the familiar green 'spam' can.
I shot off an email to Dan's. They replied the next day and told me that indeed some older cans had been sent out. They said I should keep that can of ammo and they would send me another can of ammo. Presumably that would be of the later production ammo I had thought I would be getting. They sent the replacement out on the same day they emailed me, week. I received the second can on Tuesday. It was an ammo can of the 'spam can' variety, drab green in color, with the date of production for the shell casings as 1972 and the powder as 1971. That was more or less what I had expected in the first place. (I know other folks disagree with me as to what the codes on the cans mean but I am confident that the numbers I mentioned indicate years of production; I got my info straight from the mouth of a Russian who dealt this type of ammo.)
I have to hand it to Dan’s Sporting Goods. I have not gotten customer service like that from another company if quite awhile. They made a mistake and they corrected it without delay, no questions asked and even let me keep the stuff they sent to me by mistake. Wow. I can only see myself making more orders from them as they get ammo in stock of which I am in need (oh please have them get in some 5.56x45mm 62 grain NATO spec ammo soon).
As for the older can of ammo they sent me the first time around: while old ammo like that stores longer than modern production because of the type of primers used, the age of the can I first received was at the limit for me – I mean it is almost as old as me! I suppose, that like me, that ammo could still be good but it probably does not have much more for is storage life left to it (again like me although I do hope to be around and kicking until at least 75 or so). On a more serious note, the welds on that ammo can seemed to be failing as there appeared to be holes in the welds in some areas. I don't know if those holes go all the way through but if they did then both air and moisture could have gotten inside and helped shorten the storage life of the contained ammo or even ruined the ammunition totally. The newer production stuff I received probably can be stored for at least another 15 or 20 years and still be reliable ammunition. I suppose I will have to test the older stuff as soon as I get the chance but the newer can is going into storage.
In closing, just let me add that I highly recommend Dan’s Sporting Goods for your ammo needs.
All the best,
Glenn B
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Is It Time For NRA Members To Spend Their Money Elsewhere
I am an NRA life member. I paid for a life membership for my on too. I was proud to be a member of the NRA but not any longer. Why not? In the face of calls for the destruction of our Right To Keep and Bear Arms in the aftermath of the murders of school children in CT, what has the NRA done? They promised to make a meaningful contribution, but to what - was it to more gun control by way of arming more government workers? They recommended ceding more power to a special group by arming them as opposed to arming regular citizens. What special Group - Armed Security Guards. They who in effect would be an outreach of government in that they would either be hired by or contracted by local, county, state and probably even the federal government as specialists to protect school children and it is likely they also would have to be licensed by government. All the while when armed school teachers and armed custodians and armed gym instructors and armed clerks and armed parents would have been the better solution but the NRA cedes the ability f the armed citizen to the armed guard! That proposal was disgraceful.
What else have they done. They implicitly called for the restriction of the rights of groups that utilize another right, that of free speech - the video and entertainment insudtries. Shame on them for implying that a ban of games that include violence be banned. Isn't that in essence the same as calling for a ban on guns. From what I understand, they also promised the Obama Administration that they would do something meaningful along the lines of gun control. Not along the lines of protecting our RKBA or the Bill of Rights or the Constitution but along the lines of gun control. They have also met with Vice president Biden - big deal What do they expect to accomplish by talking with Biden. he is even more liberal than Obama in my estimation. What was the result of the meeting, the media reporting that the NRA is against the administration's proposals for more gun control - whoopee! It is time for the NRA to truly rally its membership and accomplish something because the politicians and the res of America will listen to the united voices of that membership.
So, why is the NRA not calling for the protection of that right with all of its might and all the strength of a united membership behind it? Remember, the NRA mouthpieces, the ones who beg for you money while seemingly pretending to stand for that right (the only one that protects all of our other rights) seemingly are doing little to nothing effective to protect the RKBA, at least from what I can see! Why is that?
Why is the NRA not calling for us to exercise other rights to support our RKBA and to do so in mass. The NRA has many, many members and support for the NRA has been on the rise. Why are they not organizing us to march on Washington. not with the intent to revolt but with the intent to show our strength and that a revolution may be imminent should the federal or state governments attempt any further subjugation of our rights and destruction of our economy? I am calling for the NRA to do it, I am demanding they do it it - I am telling the NRA to get it done and get it done by next month at the latest or we are going to lose the RKBA and all of the others along with it.
I would guess, more than two men, maybe at at least that thousands if not tens of thousands of other NRA members are calling for the NRA to do likewise and to make American stand up and notice that we, the law abiding firearms owners in this country and our firearms no matter what type, are not the problem. The fact is that gun sales have skyrocketed over the past 2 months. If I had a pulpit that has power of that of the NRA - I would be demanding that the NRA membership (made up of armed, law abiding citizens of these United States) march on Washington, DC to the Capitol Building and to the White House to demand that the Obama Administration cease and desist from infringement of our rights under the Constitution of the United States of America. I would demand it be done by early next month. But since the NRA apparently is not going to do it, and since it looks to me as if they have tucked their tails between their legs, I am beginning to think they are not worth another penny of my hard earned money to support their pansy assed policies of speaking loudly and carrying a small stick.
The time is right,
Glenn B
What else have they done. They implicitly called for the restriction of the rights of groups that utilize another right, that of free speech - the video and entertainment insudtries. Shame on them for implying that a ban of games that include violence be banned. Isn't that in essence the same as calling for a ban on guns. From what I understand, they also promised the Obama Administration that they would do something meaningful along the lines of gun control. Not along the lines of protecting our RKBA or the Bill of Rights or the Constitution but along the lines of gun control. They have also met with Vice president Biden - big deal What do they expect to accomplish by talking with Biden. he is even more liberal than Obama in my estimation. What was the result of the meeting, the media reporting that the NRA is against the administration's proposals for more gun control - whoopee! It is time for the NRA to truly rally its membership and accomplish something because the politicians and the res of America will listen to the united voices of that membership.
So, why is the NRA not calling for the protection of that right with all of its might and all the strength of a united membership behind it? Remember, the NRA mouthpieces, the ones who beg for you money while seemingly pretending to stand for that right (the only one that protects all of our other rights) seemingly are doing little to nothing effective to protect the RKBA, at least from what I can see! Why is that?
Why is the NRA not calling for us to exercise other rights to support our RKBA and to do so in mass. The NRA has many, many members and support for the NRA has been on the rise. Why are they not organizing us to march on Washington. not with the intent to revolt but with the intent to show our strength and that a revolution may be imminent should the federal or state governments attempt any further subjugation of our rights and destruction of our economy? I am calling for the NRA to do it, I am demanding they do it it - I am telling the NRA to get it done and get it done by next month at the latest or we are going to lose the RKBA and all of the others along with it.
I would guess, more than two men, maybe at at least that thousands if not tens of thousands of other NRA members are calling for the NRA to do likewise and to make American stand up and notice that we, the law abiding firearms owners in this country and our firearms no matter what type, are not the problem. The fact is that gun sales have skyrocketed over the past 2 months. If I had a pulpit that has power of that of the NRA - I would be demanding that the NRA membership (made up of armed, law abiding citizens of these United States) march on Washington, DC to the Capitol Building and to the White House to demand that the Obama Administration cease and desist from infringement of our rights under the Constitution of the United States of America. I would demand it be done by early next month. But since the NRA apparently is not going to do it, and since it looks to me as if they have tucked their tails between their legs, I am beginning to think they are not worth another penny of my hard earned money to support their pansy assed policies of speaking loudly and carrying a small stick.
The time is right,
Glenn B
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
The New Roof Is Getting Laid...
...and a lucky roof is it! The new roof was supposed to be done on Friday but the roofers got an unexpected opening today and called me yesterday to see if I wanted it done today. I said sure, why not and the lady said good because rain is forecast for Friday.
They roofers came by at about 0720 this morning and started working almost as soon as they got here. All of the shingles are off, the gutters and leaders torn down, and wood on the base later of roof that needed replacing has been replaced and shingles are going up on one side so far. A couple of rafters need bracing, they cracked in the big storm and they are going to move the exhaust for by bathroom fan from the soffit to the roof, they tell me it vents better that way. Who am I to argue. Luckily for us, a great deal of it is being paid for by the insurance company; that is if they ever send me the check.
I guess by the time I get home from work tonight, the roof will have been finished for hours. They sure seem to have enough guys working on it to get the job done in one day. I am figuring at least 10 guys out there right now; I think only one speaky the English and none think I understand Spanish. Next one of them that calls me a pendeco is going to get a face full of Ballseye in Spanish.
All the best,
Glenn B
They roofers came by at about 0720 this morning and started working almost as soon as they got here. All of the shingles are off, the gutters and leaders torn down, and wood on the base later of roof that needed replacing has been replaced and shingles are going up on one side so far. A couple of rafters need bracing, they cracked in the big storm and they are going to move the exhaust for by bathroom fan from the soffit to the roof, they tell me it vents better that way. Who am I to argue. Luckily for us, a great deal of it is being paid for by the insurance company; that is if they ever send me the check.
I guess by the time I get home from work tonight, the roof will have been finished for hours. They sure seem to have enough guys working on it to get the job done in one day. I am figuring at least 10 guys out there right now; I think only one speaky the English and none think I understand Spanish. Next one of them that calls me a pendeco is going to get a face full of Ballseye in Spanish.
All the best,
Glenn B
Monday, January 7, 2013
To Go To The Range Today Or Not...
...was the question of the day for me. I am ready to take my Varmint Slayer (Marlin XS-7 with 2.5-10x44 Hawke Optics Scope) to the range to sight it in and have some shooting goodness. Even though I only had 40 rounds of ammo for it, I still could have had a lot of fun range time. Then, the doorbell rang and it was the UPS guy dropping off another 100 rounds of .308 ammo that I had ordered from MidwayUSA.com. That did it, I was going to go to the range now that I more than enough ammo for the Varmint Slayer for a day of swell shooting. Then, the phone rang. It was work calling to ask me if I could work 1-9 PM today because someone else had to take off for an emergency. Oh, well, no range for me today. As a matter of fact, now that I think of it, no range for me for the rest of the week as I will be working everyday through Saturday if I remember right. Besides working my regular Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, I will be filling in for another guy on Wednesday and I think on Friday too. Earliest possible range day will be Sunday but more likely day will be Monday. Maybe I can sneak off to the indoor range on a day I only work until 5PM but that would mean only shooting at 25 yards.Probably just better to wait the few days and go on Sunday or Monday.
All the best,
Glenn B
All the best,
Glenn B
Sunday, January 6, 2013
A Little Gun Pron - The Scoped Marlin Varmint Slayer
I started looking for a bolt action rifle in .308 or .30-06 back in 2009. I finally picked up a Marlin XS-7 in .308 back in mid-October 2012; yes, I am pretty much The Great Procrastinator. This rifle did not come with sights but did come with a factory mounted scope rail. To make it a complete and shootable package, I needed some optics. I decided on the Hawke Optics, Varmint Side Focus (SF) 2.5-10x44 scope. After getting the glass, back at the end of October (yeah, I cannot believe I got it so quickly), all I needed to do to make it firing line ready was to get some scope rings and mount the scope. I hemmed, I hawed, I went online and looked at rings and tried to decide if I would need low, medium or high height rings. I figured that medium would be good and just kept window shopping on the Internet.
Sometime in November I recalled that I had at least one pair of scope rings hidden among my firearms things somewhere in my basement. I searched high and low and after awhile, sure enough, I found them. In fact I found two sets of rings, one low and the other medium height. I put them on the side, where I would not forget their location, then I forgot all about them. Just before Christmas, I had to clean the basement because the wife was throwing a party and we would have adults and kids coming over. Since chances would be that the kids would wind up in the basement, I had to search out and secure any of my firearms and ammo that were not already locked up, which wound up being nil but I had to look to be sure. While cleaning and looking, what should I come across but the two sets of scope rings. I moved them to a spot where I would be sure to see them just about every day, then immediately forgot about them again.
Yesterday, I was doing some puttering in the basement and low and behold, there were those pesky scope rings again. I decided I had better get them on the rifle and secure the scope to the rifle with them. Then I went to bed. Well, today, late this afternoon, I got the bug and finally mounted the rings to the rifle and the scope to the rings. I put the bottom halves onto the scope mount and tightened the retaining screws tightly. Then, laid the scope into the bottom half of each of the rings and started to put on the upper halves. At that point, I got some help from my son and as I held the scope in place he tightened the screws and secured the upper haves of the rings to the lower ones. He also helped in making sure that the scope went on sort of, kind of, almost level on the horizontal plane left to right. Finally, I tightened the rings so each side looked even as to the gap between the top and bottom halves.
The pic (click to enlarge) shows the Marlin XS-7 in .308 caliber, mounted with Hawke Optics Varmint SF 2.5-10x44 scope, with flip-up lens covers. All the tools needed to mount the base, rings and scope are shown. I used the screwdriver to make sure the screws holding down the mounting rail were secure (one was loose). The Allen wrench came with the rings and was all that was need to secure the rings to the rail and scope to the rings. That is an extra screw next to the wrench. Those critters in the background are Bearded Dragons and definitely not varmints. They certainly seem rather indifferent to the proximity of my varmint slayer.
It is now ready to be brought to the range (and makes a pretty picture) even though it does not have a sling. Maybe I will get one and maybe not. Perhaps, if for no other reason, I should get one to make it easier to lug over hill, over dale, as we hit the dusty trail, when we hunt with it. Of course, using the sling to steady the rifle while shooting might be a good idea but not always so practical a thing to do while out hunting. Sometimes there is no way, no how, no time that you could get the sling on for a more steady shot without spooking your prey. At the range though, there is nothing to spook - well, as long as you don't start pointing the rifle haphazardly at other folks.
Right now, I only have two different brands of .308 ammo and only
20 rounds of each. I have an order in for 100 rounds of yet another type of ammo for it. That ammo should be delivered this week. I am debating if I should go to the range with it tomorrow or wait until I have the other 100 rounds. I'll see if the range bug bites tomorrow or not. Since it took me over three years since I started looking, until I finally bought a bolt action rifle in said caliber, and then took me over two months to purchase and ultimately mount a scope on it, I guess there is no great hurry. If all goes well, the weather will hold out and I will get to take it to an outdoor range to sight it in this week. Otherwise, if I have to go to an indoor range with it, I will only be able to sight it for 25 yards. I would much prefer getting it right the first time and sighting it in for 100 yards at the outdoor range.
Once it is sighted in, I am thinking of heading to Dutchess County (if rifles are legal hunting implements therein) or elsewhere in NY, such as Columbia County (where I am certain rifles are legal hunting implements), to get in a little coyote hunting. Only tried that once before, up in Maine, as an afterthought to Brendan bagging a bear up there. The coyotes had all the luck that day or two. I don't see any reason though for that lack of our luck to deter us now and I am pretty sure he will be happy to come along. If he doesn't, I suppose I will be out there freezing off mine arse all by my lonesome - well, just me, the varmint slayer and the coyotes.
All the best,
Glenn B
Sometime in November I recalled that I had at least one pair of scope rings hidden among my firearms things somewhere in my basement. I searched high and low and after awhile, sure enough, I found them. In fact I found two sets of rings, one low and the other medium height. I put them on the side, where I would not forget their location, then I forgot all about them. Just before Christmas, I had to clean the basement because the wife was throwing a party and we would have adults and kids coming over. Since chances would be that the kids would wind up in the basement, I had to search out and secure any of my firearms and ammo that were not already locked up, which wound up being nil but I had to look to be sure. While cleaning and looking, what should I come across but the two sets of scope rings. I moved them to a spot where I would be sure to see them just about every day, then immediately forgot about them again.
Yesterday, I was doing some puttering in the basement and low and behold, there were those pesky scope rings again. I decided I had better get them on the rifle and secure the scope to the rifle with them. Then I went to bed. Well, today, late this afternoon, I got the bug and finally mounted the rings to the rifle and the scope to the rings. I put the bottom halves onto the scope mount and tightened the retaining screws tightly. Then, laid the scope into the bottom half of each of the rings and started to put on the upper halves. At that point, I got some help from my son and as I held the scope in place he tightened the screws and secured the upper haves of the rings to the lower ones. He also helped in making sure that the scope went on sort of, kind of, almost level on the horizontal plane left to right. Finally, I tightened the rings so each side looked even as to the gap between the top and bottom halves.
It is now ready to be brought to the range (and makes a pretty picture) even though it does not have a sling. Maybe I will get one and maybe not. Perhaps, if for no other reason, I should get one to make it easier to lug over hill, over dale, as we hit the dusty trail, when we hunt with it. Of course, using the sling to steady the rifle while shooting might be a good idea but not always so practical a thing to do while out hunting. Sometimes there is no way, no how, no time that you could get the sling on for a more steady shot without spooking your prey. At the range though, there is nothing to spook - well, as long as you don't start pointing the rifle haphazardly at other folks.
Right now, I only have two different brands of .308 ammo and only
20 rounds of each. I have an order in for 100 rounds of yet another type of ammo for it. That ammo should be delivered this week. I am debating if I should go to the range with it tomorrow or wait until I have the other 100 rounds. I'll see if the range bug bites tomorrow or not. Since it took me over three years since I started looking, until I finally bought a bolt action rifle in said caliber, and then took me over two months to purchase and ultimately mount a scope on it, I guess there is no great hurry. If all goes well, the weather will hold out and I will get to take it to an outdoor range to sight it in this week. Otherwise, if I have to go to an indoor range with it, I will only be able to sight it for 25 yards. I would much prefer getting it right the first time and sighting it in for 100 yards at the outdoor range.
Once it is sighted in, I am thinking of heading to Dutchess County (if rifles are legal hunting implements therein) or elsewhere in NY, such as Columbia County (where I am certain rifles are legal hunting implements), to get in a little coyote hunting. Only tried that once before, up in Maine, as an afterthought to Brendan bagging a bear up there. The coyotes had all the luck that day or two. I don't see any reason though for that lack of our luck to deter us now and I am pretty sure he will be happy to come along. If he doesn't, I suppose I will be out there freezing off mine arse all by my lonesome - well, just me, the varmint slayer and the coyotes.
All the best,
Glenn B
The Tactical (or Tacticool) Mosin Nagant
You wouldn't normally think of a Mosin Nagant as a tactical
rifle although I am certain some of them have enough inherent accuracy, with
the right ammo and optics, to be used as a sniper's rifle. Why though, would anyone
want to try to turn a Mosin Nagant into a tactical rifle? The thing about Mosin
Nagants is that they are inexpensive and plentiful (for now) and there are a
lot of firearms folks out there who like to tinker with their guns. Mosin
Nagants probably are some of the best guns with which to tinker even for the amateur
gunschmidt. If you screw up Mosin Nagant, so what - maybe you lose a hundred
bucks. If your project turns out okay, you may have something of which to be
proud, that will also be useful as an excellent defensive weapon, target gun,
as or plinker or something you can sell for a profit.
The website for the 10 round mag can be accessed with his link:
So what things might you want to do to a Mosin Nagant, either
a 91/30, M38, M39 or M44 model? You could shorten the barrel (and the cleaning rod to match). That would certainly
be a plus with a model 91/30 because it could reduce the weight considerably,
well only as long as it still shot on target. You could also put a muzzle break on
it to reduce recoil which pretty much would be a must if you shortened the
barrel a good deal. Other obvious additions would be: a bent bolt, an accessory rail, long
eye relief optics (like a pistol scope or red dot scope), a bipod, and a synthetic stock. Is there anything else to add – sure, why not a pistol grip and
a folding or collapsible stock. Finally, you could also put a camouflage paint
job on it, like Duracoat.
By now, if you know Mosin Nagants, you may be thinking I am
having some fun with you or that I am just crazy as a loon. After all, why
would anyone want a tacticool tactical Mosin Nagant.
I guess first of all simply because it could be fun and secondly because maybe
it is not a bad idea at all, especially if you want an inexpensive SHTF defensive weapon combination big game hunting rifle for which you can easily obtain both high quality boxer primed/brass cased ammo or military surplus ammunition.
Still though, the Mosin Nagant only holds 5 rounds, so how could it ever be considered tactical. Well, the Russians sure made tactical use of them in WWII, but if that 5 round mag still sticks in your craw then consider that there is someone out there in pre-production mode who is working on a 10 round mags for them. Mags that have tool free installation. Go figure but the Mosin Nagant Tactical Rifle may just be the next big thing.
Still though, the Mosin Nagant only holds 5 rounds, so how could it ever be considered tactical. Well, the Russians sure made tactical use of them in WWII, but if that 5 round mag still sticks in your craw then consider that there is someone out there in pre-production mode who is working on a 10 round mags for them. Mags that have tool free installation. Go figure but the Mosin Nagant Tactical Rifle may just be the next big thing.
All the best,
Glenn B
U.S. Map Showing Addresses of All Criminals With Guns
Sometimes, there are just some very insightful things one can find in Internet gun forums.
Nuff said!
All the best,
Glenn B
Saturday, January 5, 2013
The Fix - For Uploading Pics To Blogger (at least for now)
If you cannot upload pics to your blog on blogger, you are not alone. When I tried a few times today, the browse option, for selecting files on my laptop, did not show up. If this is happening to you (apparently happening mostly to IE users but also to some FireFox users), switch to HTML when you want to add the photo. There is also an add photo icon there. Click on it, the browse option should show up, select the photo from your PC's files, do what you pretty much normally do and it should then show up as HTML code. When you switch back to the 'compose' mode, the pic should be there and they say you can edit it as usual. I am about to try to post my ugly mug in this post to see if it works.
If we can see my pic, then it worked. Ah, yes it worked - sorry for the mug shot.
By the way, I am amazed to have found out the fix so quickly once I looked. It was on the Blogger Buzz forums (or something like that). You can use this link to get there (probably a good link to bookmark):
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!forum/blogger
Then, scroll down to the list in the center of the page, I selected "Something Is Broken" and scrolled through it until I found someone reporting the problem and whose posted question had a few replies.
All the best,
Glenn B
If we can see my pic, then it worked. Ah, yes it worked - sorry for the mug shot.
By the way, I am amazed to have found out the fix so quickly once I looked. It was on the Blogger Buzz forums (or something like that). You can use this link to get there (probably a good link to bookmark):
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!forum/blogger
Then, scroll down to the list in the center of the page, I selected "Something Is Broken" and scrolled through it until I found someone reporting the problem and whose posted question had a few replies.
All the best,
Glenn B
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