Sunday, December 31, 2017

Oddly Enough I Have A New Year's Resolution This Year

I don't do New year's resolutions. Maybe I have tried once or thrice but I really don't go in for them all that much because I know they are bullshit self promises I likely will never keep. This year is a bit different as far as all that goes. While I am none to sure I will keep my New year's resolution, I have made one nonetheless. I resolve to complete the acquisition of all the equipment I required to start reloading ammo, to set up my reloading kit, to study up on how to do it right and then to get to reloading. I mean to start this month if work allows me the time. If not, then once they hire the new guy at work, and I am no longer working more or less full time, I will do it then. Mind you that is not my normal procrastination speaking but just practicality.

I can do it, I know I can, I know I can, I know I can...

Good luck with yours if you are making any New Year's resolutions.

All the best,
Glenn B

So Here I Am Sober On New Year's Eve...

...and that is because my son went out with his pals for the night and I am, at his request, the designated driver who is going pick him up shortly after midnight. Such is parenthood even if the kid is 28. He would have taken a cab but what with our Uber experience this past Friday and all the drunks who drive cabs, I figured I would get him. He also said he would stay at his friend's place overnight but since he has a flight back home to Arkansas tomorrow, I figured I had best get him back to our house for a decent amount of sleep tonight. After I get back home with him, I will have a wee dram or two of whatever is at hand.

Happy New Year's celebrations to all.

All the best,
Glenn B

THE OLD YEAR IS NOT HANGING AROUND




A hat tip and my thanks to Mike G for the video.

All the best,
Glenn B

Classified Emails On Pervert's Computer???

This would be more than enough to have federal charges filed if it was on a Republican's or Independent's computer. Being though that classified emails were found on the laptop of a man, whom I consider at best to be a pervert and possibly a pedophile, who was in some way connected to Hillary Clinton and it seems all laws are forgotten and prosecution not even considered. Hope I am wrong, I hope they do prosecute him and his wife and Clinton for it. If they do prosecute, I guess they should not forget to nail Comey too.

All the best,
Glenn B

Saturday, December 30, 2017

A Little American History (or not) In NYC

Yesterday, on a very frigidly cold afternoon, Brendan and I headed to Manhattan in NYC to enjoy part of the day together. We made our first stop in Chinatown where we enjoyed a really great lunch at a small local mom & pop type Chinese restaurant. After that we walked down to the Financial District. Along the way, just across the street from the back of the federal Building, Brendan stopped to look at a statue of whom he thought would have been Thomas Paine. I guess his assumption about the statue was a natural one, after all, we were in Thomas Paine Park - a tiny triangular island amid three NYC streets. Not all that surprisingly, the statue had nothing to do with the namesake of the park but was instead a statue of fat cat politician who was a former mayor and governor of NY - Abraham de Peyster. You would think there would be at least a plaque mentioning Thomas Paine in Thomas Paine Park - but of course not in this leftist stronghold would such be the case.
 
The 'or not history' statue in Thomas Paine
Park because  it wasn't in his likeness!

After stopping for a quick pic, we continued our trek to the Financial District. I had recommended a stop for a drink at historical Fraunces Tavern if only because I wanted to have Brendan get to see some things I figured he maybe had never seen before relative to the history of not only NYC but of these United States. The tavern is one of the oldest, if not the oldest building in NYC. Thus it likely is the oldest tavern there too. Although it does have a colorful history, my motive to head to the Financial District was not so much to see the tavern and get a history lesson on it or have a drink there as it was to see some another historical building - Federal Hall. 
 
Outside of Federal Hall. You my have noticed
the babe up above was smiling for my camera,
some friggin women just crave any attention.

I am not sure if Brendan was previously aware of this fact before our visit yesterday - and I am certain that the great majority of American citizens would not have a clue (although I would think many of my readers know) - that New York City was the first capital of the United States of America. In fact, the building I wanted us to see - Federal Hall - was in effect the first capital building and was the place in which George Washington was sworn in as our first president. It was a good feeling to share the experience of being there with my son.
 
He is not merely smiling for the camera, that look on his face was in part due
to being there in that hallowed hall, learning some history of our great nation.
That's the stone on which Washington stood while being sworn in as president.

After Federal Hall, we stopped for a pic with the NY Stock exchange in the background. Then we were off to Fraunces Tavern - where I forgot to take a picture of Brendan in front of the building! At least we enjoyed a drink there. Sadly we kept it to one apiece. I had an Ommegang Nirvana IPA (6.5% ABV) and he had some concoction of a mixed drink. While both were quite tasty and to our liking, the reason we kept it to one apiece was that while my ale was fairly reasonable, by NYC prices, at $8 a pint - Brendan's mixed drink was $15 for nothing special and with at most one shot of booze and too much ice.  It was off t Greenwich Village after that where we stopped and settled in at The MacDougal Street Ale House. Great bar, very good happy hour prices, fair prices after that and excellent barmaids. We had quite a few drinks and then were met by a few of Brendan's friends, the really good ones. of course we continued drinking for awhile until I decided to head home and they decided to move on to another watering hole.

All in all a good afternoon and evening with my son.

All the best,
Glenn B

Only You Can Prevent Bump Fire Stocks From Becoming Regulated As Machineguns

The BATFE (aka: ATF) is currently accepting formal comments from the citizenry (that would be us folks) reference:

Application of the Definition of Machinegun to “Bump Fire” Stocks and Other Similar Devices

Yes, please, go ahead and click on the above link to leave your comment(s). I just did it myself; I have had more than enough government infringement of a right that shall not be infringed!

Please note, you only have up until January 25, 2018 to get this done - either by mail or electronically - so do it now!!!

All the best,
Glenn B

Never Again Or Next Time I'll Take A Real Cab

I took what I am pretty sure was my first Uber ride yesterday(anyway I don't recall ever using them before) from home to the LIRR station. Wanted to walk but because it was so cold my son wanted an Uber cab; we were headed into NYC for dinner and some sightseeing and drinking.

The Uber car arrived promptly - decent and clean car, decent clean-cut looking driver. There was a stink of maybe a little too much of car wash air freshener, one of those friggin trees you hand in the car (this one smelling like eau de urinal cake) but otherwise it seemed okay at first.

When we got close to the station, the guy just kept heading south across the LIRR tracks to the eastbound side of them. We had mentioned we were going to Penn Station (which meant westbound) and we mentioned it again. So, he made a U-turn immediately after crossing the tracks and drove north in the southbound lane of the road we had just been on. He put his left turn signal on just before crossing the tracks and my son urgently told him NOT to make left turn onto the tracks as it appeared he was about to do. We did not have enough time to also tell him he was on the wrong side of the street before a southbound driver blasted his car's horn and slammed on the brakes instead of hitting us head on. The Uber driver finally got the idea and moved to the right lane and proceeded to actually get us to the station without further ado, under our direction, except maybe that it was fairly obvious he was fairly oblivious. Never again came to mind and is still there as far as me and Uber go.

All the best,
Glenn B

This Could Prove To Be Fun

The this is the new Ruger PC Carbine. It is a takedown carbine in 9mm and comes in two versions, one with a treaded barrel and the other without. The without version is legal in states like NY with its ridiculous SAFE Act making threaded barrel long guns into assault rifles (which are banned in NY). Kudos to Ruger for thinking of we gun owners in com-bloc states like NY.



More info on Ruger's new offering https://ruger.com/products/pcCarbine/models.html.

Being its a 9mm peashooter, it could prove to be a lot of fun since 9mm is relatively not all that expensive as compared to other centerfire ammo. Since it is able to switch mag well sizes, using different adapters, from a Ruger SR-Series Pistol and Security-9 and Glock magazines it is going to be somewhat more versatile than other carbines limited to one type of magazine. Being a Glock fan-boy owner who also owns several 9mm Glock magazines that would be a plus for me as long as it accepts double-stack Glock Mags (the info does not specify).

If it is offered at a decent price, I may have to sell off something else to get one of these; that of course depends upon them getting excellent reviews.

All the best,
Glenn B

North Korea Still Getting Oil - Surprised?

You should not be, at least not over the news that:

"Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea, according to two senior Western European security sources, providing an economic lifeline to the secretive Communist state." (Source.)
If Russia can sell their own oil to stimulate their own economy they will do so. They do not have arsewipes like a recent former president of the USA trying to stifle their economic development at every step of the way as that president did here with our economy (and with our military readiness).


The fact of the matter is that Russia and China will likely supply North Korea with whatever it needs for as long as it wants because it is an avowed enemy of the USA. Let's face it folks, neither Russia not China are our allies and just may be our enemies. You can rely on it that if North Korea decides to ever start a war with a major power, it will not be with Russia or China but will be with us. You can also rely on Russia and or China to keep on supplying the North Koreans during any such effort and possibly outright allying with them in full fledged war against us.

It is about time the arsewipe politicians in this county realize that and prepare for the worst case scenario. I, for one, truly believe in the maxim - If you want peace, prepare for war. Only through bulldog like determination and superior firepower are we going to keep the peace and keep our nation safe. Do I long for war - hell no - I detest it. I truly long for peace but just not while licking the boot heels of tyrants as will surely be the case should Russia, China and some third world countries like N. Korea join them in a war against us at our current state of readiness. It is a lot like me going everywhere I can go while armed. I am not out looking to kill anyone but you can bet that if someone attacks me, I want to be ready to respond by being able to effectively defend my life.

All the best,
Glenn B

 

I Like The Shovel Method

 
All the best,
GB

The Changing Seasons





May yours hang low and to the left.

All the best,
Glenn B

Friday, December 29, 2017

Meet The New Year...


All the best,
Glenn B

Why Hasn't Rosie Blabbermouth O'Donnel Been Arrested...

...for the federal offense of  bribery?

That is all,
Glenn B

Totally Legal Yet TSA Detains Man Over Cougar In His Luggage

Yes, you read that title correctly - a man was detained by TSA employees after they found the carcass of a cougar inside of his luggage. Why did they detain him - that is a good question. The cougar was legally taken by the man on a hunting rip. It was tagged as required by law. It was not illegal to transport the carcass within his luggage. It was not against airline policy to do so.

The cougar was tagged by Utah State Fish and Game, but TSA agents had to hold the man at McCarran International Airport to confirm the validity of the tag. (Source.)

So, why was it that TSA (one of the most hated and lambasted agencies in the federal government) found it necessary to detain the man to verify the validity of the tag. They are not fish and wildlife agents, they are not interstate commerce agents, they in fact are not law enforcement officers of any kind - so why bust this man's balls! I can only think it must have been because they had no nearly blind or crippled 90 year old grandmothers or grandfathers, no wheelchair bound paraplegics,  nor any pre-teen little boys or girls to subject to their seemingly inappropriate and offensive pat-down searches for no particular reason except to show they are the boss at the airport.

There truly ought to be a law (as they used to say) and it should be directed at stopping the bullshit at TSA.

All the best,
Glenn B

 

Monday, December 25, 2017

Pray For Them - Two Officers Were Shot...

...last night while responding to a domestic dispute between a man and his daughter in VA. After trying to calm the situation the officers apparently followed the man to his bedroom where he was able to reach into a closet, grab a gun and start firing at the officers. Luckily, neither of the officer s was killed, one was apparently struck in one arm and at least one leg and the other in at least one leg. Amazingly, and the report gives no explanation as to why, one of the officers deployed his TASER and shot the man with it 
instead of deploying deadly force against him. More at the source.

Al the best,
Glenn B

Hark...



Merry Christmas,
Glenn B

Some Nice Gifts So Far

To me, Christmas is absolutely ALL about giving gifts. I used to be religious and believed it then, am not religious (maybe a little bit) and believe it now. The first gift was that of star to guide the magi toward him,, the next gift was the manger to Joseph and his expectant wife Mary. The next gift and I suppose the most important, especially if you are religious, was the gift from God of his son, Jesus Christ, to mankind. The gift giving did not stop there for angels on high came to sing to the child and shepherds from the fields flocked to Him with their praise. Still, the giving continued and the three kings appeared bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Of course, the spirit of Christmas and the gift giving continue today - 2,017 years later.

It pleases me greatly to give gifts to my loved ones as a sign no only of my love to them but as an acknowledgement to them that they are worth everything to me. While it may be better, as some say, to give than to receive - it also pleases me greatly to receive gifts from others. Here are a couple I have received so far that please me very much:

The best Christmas gift was my son unexpectedly
showing up on Friday all the way from Arkansas.


The next two and only others I have opened so far are:
the Festivus sweatshirt that was from my son and that
Swedish made axe that I received from my Secret
Santa on the NY Gun Forum. Both are excellent.
 
I can make good use of both of these gifts! One to keep me
nicely warm and cozy during the Zombie Apocalypse and
the other to make sure I survive it all alive and well.
Mind you and don't get me wrong, while I like the getting and giving of gifts, the gifts themselves are not what the spirit of Christmas is about. The true spirit of Christmas is about giving and the love & kindness that goes along with giving all while demanding and even expecting nothing in return. That spirit is truly what makes Christmastime the most wonderful time of the year.

Merry Christmas,
Glenn B

Merry Christmas To All

Merry Christmas,
Glenn B

Sunday, December 24, 2017

On This Day - They Continued To Follow The Star

 
Merry Christmas Eve,
Glenn B

This Is It - The Last Shopping Day Before Christmas...

...and you can bet I will soon be out there doing my obligatory Christmas Eve shopping. I have been doing it every year since I was around 9 or 10 or so. Yes, kids used to be able to walk the streets alone back then with little fear of being abducted by mobsters, molesters, rapists, terrorists, teachers, psychos or aliens. Anyway, I have a couple of things still on my need to get list and I had better get going before the stores close - speaking of which they close early today if open at all. So if you too still need to pick up something, get your arse in gear and get it done before it is too late. Merry Christmas.

All the best,
Glenn B

Saturday, December 23, 2017

The Best Christmas Present Possible...

...just walked in the front door not 20 minutes ago (as this was written)!


Yep, it does not get any better than the prodigal son showing up totally unexpected all the way from AR? The wife was in tears (of joy)! It is going to be an excellent Christmas, the whole family together.

Merry Christmas,
Glenn B

A Favorite Of Mine By The Rolling Stones

A well deserved momentary break from the Christmas carols.
 


All the best,
Glenn B

I'm Sitting Here (no I am not on the Group W bench)...

...trying to occupy some time until the bagel shop opens. Went to bed earlier than usual by a few hours. Woke up at 0230 not too refreshed but unable to go bac to sleep. I've been watching TV and sitting here at the desk on the laptop. The bagel shop opens at 0500. With my luck, I will fall asleep before then and miss out on fresh ones.

Edited to add: Stayed awake and made it to the bagel shop at 0505, 5 minutes after they opened. Hit the bank just before that or would have been there right at 5. A strong cup of French Sumatran Mandheling coffee, a banana, a buttered bagel (actually 2 - a cinnamon raisin fbagel ollowed a little later by an everything bagel) a banana, and an almost hardboiled egg for breakfast was delicious. It was probably close to the largest, if not the largest, breakfast I have had all year. Been taking a medication for the last week that increases the appetite and probably the waistline!

I've got three pounds of bacon in reserve for tomorrow and Christmas day. I am thinking maybe one of the leftover bagels toasted with some loosely scrambled eggs with coffee and OJ tomorrow and for Christmas a bacon sandwich on an English muffin for breakfast. Life is good - sometimes.

Merry Christmas.

All the best,
GB

What No Coal

 
Hoping this will not be happening at your house, nor mine.
 
All the best,
Glenn B

I've Gotta Do Something To Change My Luck



 
All the best,
GB

That Just Had To Hurt


All the best,
Glenn B

I Don't Want One...

...but understand why someone else might like t have one.


All the best,
Glenn B

Consider An Exoneration of President Trump If Mueller's Investigation...

...does not result in an indictment of President Trump, or at least in charges being filed against him, all within a relatively short period of time. Then consider how long do you think it will be before the Dems' libs, lefties accuse Trump of giving and Mueller of accepting a bribe? I am surprised they have not yet suggested it. Of course, Mueller could attempt to have the president charged with high crimes and then the left will pat him on the back, raise him on a pedestal and probably elect him our next president. I tend to think it will be the first one (or at least if charged the case will fall apart). Oh the agony of suspense! 

That is all,
Glenn B

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Donald Trump - A Tax Victory & Much More

As for the tax thing, I can only hope I understand the changes correctly because if I do, I may get about $1,400 more or so back each year even though I live in super high tax NY State.

Damn Republicans (or should I say RINOS because that is what the great majority became) have been promising tax reform or change for around 20 or more years. Do they do it on heir own - no they whine and moan and groan about how it is impossible right now but they are getting closer. Then in comes president Donald trump who gets them all pissed off at him by calling them arsehats and worse, while at the same time concentrating their ire and maybe their determination, and bitches slaps them with embarrassment over their past performance and what do they do - they overwhelmingly vote for his tax reform plan after he works the art of the deal on them! 

Since Donald Trump has become president: The GDP and GNP are up markedly. Employment is up. Businesses are promising more jobs. There are less people on public assistance. Influx of potential terrorists from certain countries has been put at a virtual freeze because no immigrants are being allowed in from those countries. ISIS is being beaten back soundly (see this) and although not dead there has been great progress, under Trump, in the fight against them; yet, the MSN (Mud Slinging Media, as I call them) refuses to report it, we are for the first time in decades approaching the problem of North Korea in a different way (more here and here) than that which had only emboldened and empowered them in the past, and we finally and seriously may be beginning to address the problem of illegal aliens in essence sucking the lifeblood of our country dry!

The Republicans this day are actually acting more like true Republicans, than the RINOs they have been for the past 8-12 years or so, now that they are under Donald Trump - the man they said was anything but a Republican. It makes me think that if Trump is not our merely a last hurrah (as my pal CF says he may be) then there is truly hope for America to become exceedingly great again.

Donald Trump may be much more the man than the one for which I had dared to hope!

All the best,
Glenn B

Men


All the best,
GB

You Can Give It Your All But Not Me Mine


All the best,
Glenn B

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Heart Warming But Yet Very Concerning News

My heart has been warmed to its cockles after watching the video in the accompanying article and of course after reading that piece here at the source. What can I say except I think it right and just each time a piece of shit terrorist (or wanna be terrorist or someone stupid enough to mimic a terrorist) is shot down and prevented from potentially harming many others in a possible act of terrorism. If the suspected suicide belt, that the person who was shot was wearing, actually turned out to be a fake as per what was claimed in the article (reportedly by a third party), well tough noogies - you always face the consequences of your actions, especially the truly monumentally moronic ones. Then again - either way - live suicide bomb belt or dummy suicide bomb belt - I think the guy got what he deserved for making himself out to be a potential terrorist threat to others.

Now as for my concern and I have been concerned from a bit before President Trump actually deciding to tell the world he was moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The way I see it, it is all well and fine that he decided to move the location of the embassy. He is the president and it falls within his decision making and authority to do so. I have zero problem with just about wherever he wants to put it. My concern though is that he should have waited to make the announcement, even to hint at it, until after the holidays. It truly was a novice move on his part to have done so before the holidays. I like Trump, I see him as doing good for the U.S of A. and for our allies and in general for the world. I am happy about our economy already improving markedly under him, about his appoint to the Supreme Court, about his stance on the RKBA, about his attempt at changing the tax system, about our prospects for a prosperous future under him, about the way he has broken the mold on how to handle North Korea, China and Russia (and all the others), about his allowing the military to actually commence annihilation of ISIS and his new approach to working with our allies in Israel and on and on.

Then again, I do not like him seemingly not having given what I believe was enough serious and balanced thought to his timing on the decision to make the announcement regarding the embassy move. Why potentially give terrorists another excuse to set into motion something that is likely to jeopardize Americans and their allies around the world at a time when we will be coming together in droves to celebrate the major religious holiday of Christmas, the religious holiday & military victory commemoration of Chanukah,
the new year, and whatever else - like maybe the winter solstice - that folks around the world flock together to celebrate. To me it was a bad call but hopefully it will work out ok although with violence already under way because of the announcement I tend to doubt there will not be more trouble and possibly many killed or wounded. Mind you, I understand President Trump is not going to be blowing up folks or shooting them down or beheading them or stoning them - the terrorists will be doing that though and they will be coming at us while we are at our most vulnerable - if they get the chance. Mind you, if they get the chance, they will take advantage of it - they have a track record of doing so. 

What can we do? Right now, I pray we will remain vigilante and safe and ready to take all the action necessary to protect ourselves and our allies.

All the best,
Glenn B

Best Holster Ever - Maybe...

...but maybe not.



I knew where that was going after he said where it was not, you probably guessed too. Still, I was amused.

All the best,
Glenn B

Happy Chanukah

Here is wishing all of my Jewish friends a very a happy and peaceful Chanukah. I hope it has been going well so far and that it gets better as it runs its course through the 20th. May the dreidel always spin your way.

All the best,
Glenn B

Saturday, December 16, 2017

A Bit of Christmas Music - Lest You Think I Forgot What Christmas Is About...

...by way of my last two musical Christmas selections in my previous two posts. So, if you have got several hours you can listen to tall of these and if you are not in the Christmas mood by then - you are hopeless.
 













 












That last one was definitely not the best I have ever heard it sung but if did not bring a tear to your eyes and fill you with the true spirit of Christmas and the wonderful gift we received on the first one - well, you just might just be a combination of the Grinch and Ebenezer Scrooge before they reformed! Anyhow, I think there has got to be something there for you if you celebrate Christmas.

All the best,
Glenn B

If That Last One Did Not Work For You...

...this one can probably get you in the Christmas mood.



All the best,
Glenn B

Santa Baby



Gotta love this song, especially if you're Santa!!!

All the best,
Glenn B

Christmas Shopping Update

Christmas Shopping has been completed for: She who must be adored (at least at most times), the son, myself (a bottle of Schladerer Kirschwasser), the brothers-in-law and a couple of friends of mine.

That leaves my daughter, son-in-law, grandson, mother in law, my nephew (almost forgot I need to get him something) and another friend of mine. Working almost all this coming week week and little time to get it done except for Tuesday when I will be off because of other commitments. That should be all the time I need. of course, there is always the obligatory shopping at the last minute on Christmas Eve that I look forward to and enjoy each year and this year should be no exception.

All the best,
Glenn B

Total Wine Has Arrived Near Me

Back in 2009, I was on a 4 month detail in Tucson, AZ. Several times while driving in either direction on the highway south of the city, I noted a place called Total Wine. Stopped in there to see if they had my favorite wine (MD 20/20 - not really) and was amazed to find a huge warehouse type wine, booze and beer store. The next year I was again in AZ for 4 months and shopped there as needed. Their selection is huge and their prices were relatively low, lower than anywhere else I bought my booze out there.

About a year and a half ago, I found out there is Total Wine in CT. Never got the chance to stop there though I had wanted to do so. Then forgot all about it.

On Wednesday this week, I worked in Long Island City and took the LIRR to get there. There was a sign for Total Wine at the LIRR station. Yes, Total Wine has come to Nassau County, NY; it is located next to Walmart on Old Country Road in Westbury. I stopped there today after about a two to two and a half hour pain in mine arse shopping trip to the madhouse known as Costco. I got so carried away looking around trying to find this or that when I meant to be there only 10 or 15. I needed to get home and drop off the haul from Costco and then pick up a rifle to bring to UPS to ship to my son. That now has to wait until Tuesday because I must have been in there for well over an hour trying to find stuff - their system of stocking the shelves leaves something to be desired. Anyway, I wound up spending a tidy sum on some of my favorites and saved money over getting it where I normally buy it. For instance, a 750 ml bottle of Schladerer Kirschwasser (supposedly a cherry brandy but it tastes more like white lightning or moonshine than brandy). It normally costs me $49.99 where I buy it; at Total Wine, the same bottle was just under $35.99! The wife likes Nurnberger Gluhwein, a spiced wine from Germany. I normally pay $9.99 per bottle. I bought a case of 6 at $5.84 per bottle (individual bottles went for $6.49 each). They also had something I have not drunk in well over 35, maybe 40 years - Mellow Corn (100 proof corn whiskey). It was only $10.99 for a 750 ml bottle, quality stuff made in the US of A. I bought two - one for a gift for a guy who drank it with me way back when and one as snakebite medicine to put on the shelf until I get bitten. They also have a beer side (not allowed to sell liquor, wine and beer in the same store in mega-regulated NY state, so it was an attached but different store set-up of the same name where they sold the beer. That was emptier than the booze side but has a huge selection of beers and ales.

I could become an alcoholic shopping there although I must say it too was a madhouse with all the Christmas shoppers in there. I want to take about a three hour tour of the place after the holidays kind of like they were supposed to do on The Minnow. Who knows, I may buy enough booze to last a lifetime of being shipwrecked on a desert island just like Gilligan and the all rest. It has only been open about a month, or so I was told by an employee. Maybe that is why a couple of other workers there told me they did not have things I asked for but then I found them on my own. They have some bugs to work out but I am sure that will happen and it will be my go to liquor store when I am purchasing in quantity. My local mom and pop store (literally so) will still get my business for a bottle or three. Anyway, I highly recommend Total Wine - based on my prior experience and my shopping tonight - for somewhat large quantity purchases.


All the best,
Glenn B

Friday, December 15, 2017

Down The Gout - Up The Moonshine (Or should that be: Down The Gout & Down The Moonshine)




Damn my current gout attack - it was a moonshine cherries kind of night no matter what!

All the best,
Glenn B

Yep, I Was Thirsty


All the best,
Glenn B

I Would Be Afraid - Very Afraid

 
All the best,
Glenn B
 

Christmas Shopping Well Under Way - At Last

While I picked up a coupe of things for my son awhile back that I am sending him for Christmas, and one or three other gift items, I only got into Christmas shopping earnest last Friday at Porto Rico Importing Company. I went into Manhattan in NYC to their shop in Greenwich Village and bought 7 individual pounds of coffees from various places around the world (already had an eighth from hem at home also meant for a Xmas gift).

Tonight, I hit up Brownell's and selected some goodies for my son. Even if he reads this, it will not be ruined for him since I already let him know about when to expect a package from them. No matter what he might think is in it, he will be happily surprised (I am certain of that). Then I hit up Pajama Gram tonight and ordered something for the wife. I am sure she will not read this post so this here is what she is getting. Got a free shipping coupon over at RetailMeNot.com so it was a decent deal even though I think that price a friggin awful lot for a set of PJs. The wife loves their stuff though. In addition to that, I think she loved the I Love Lucy show and anyway our Chihuahua Lucy sleeps with her every night. So that was that!

I also already got a couple of items for our Christmas Eve game of Yankee Swap (We try to stick to $25.00 or a bit more for the gifts for the swap). One  gift is a three pack of Ommegang beer with a nice beer glass. The other is that really nice Kevin Johnson made fillet knife with green Micarta handle that I posted about previously here. I am kind of hoping Brendan wins it but if not him then me! We still need another gift, one from Brendan for the swap. He will be joining in the fun, on Christmas Eve, via a video phone call. Modern technology often sucks as an intrusion into our lives but sometimes it's just what we need and in this case will make it a much better Christmas Eve for all of us. That's because while he cannot be here in person, we can at least have him join in the festivities via the video call.

Did some shopping for the dogs already too. I got them some bags of treats and a can of alligator dog food. Oh yeah, I also got a couple of gifts for someone on a gun forum by way of which the forum members are having a Secret Santa event. Also donated over 1,000 rounds of ammo as a raffle prize to a raffle being held by another gun forum to raise money for kids in a hospital. We raised over 8K toward there Christmas wish list and a forum admin goes out and buys, then delivers the gifts. I missed the related dinner with the raffle (thanks to the gout) but had fun contributing the prizes and hoping the tickets I bought would include at least one winner (they did not). Oh well, I did not need to win a prize to win some good feelings by participating for a good cause.

Other than all that, I suppose I need something for my mother-in-law, the two brothers in law, my daughter and son-in-law and the grandson. Cannot forget my son-in-law's parents either. Then there is my wife's boss, she gets something to. Also a friend or three get something. Think I will get them all something locally instead of doing any further shopping over the Intraweb. Nothing extravagant except maybe what I got for my son, will get for my daughter & son-in-law and of course for the grandkid.

I hope I don't forget that other thing I need to do - send out Christmas card b tomorrow at the latest. Yes, it is late, and some cards will be late, but that's me - The Great Procrastinator.

Hope you are getting your Christmas stuff done and that you will not be broke as I expect to be when all is done.

After all that is done, I am taking a weekend trip - on January 12 & 13 to another Hessney Auction where I will pick up a Glock 17 pistol I bought at the last one. Sadly, the paperwork requirement for my NY pistol license requires me to get a purchase document from my county police, in person, to bring back to the auctioneer to be able to pick up the pistol. Instead of taking an extra trip there and back, I decided to await their next auction, that I have been planning to attend anyway, to get it done. At least it will be a relatively inexpensive trip - gas money and food only because I am using points for my one night hotel stay. Anyway, that is it will be inexpensive unless I have the high bid on an auction item and thus buy myself a belated me to me Christmas present.

All the best,
Glenn B

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Dear Santa

 
All the best,
Glenn B

Don't Know Which Was The Bigger Pain Today

Suffered trough two pains today - one a pain in the neck and the other a pain in my knee.
 
The pain in the neck was trying to get the sound to work again on my laptop ed a new windows 10 update last night. I had to crank just about anything up to 90% volume in order to hear it well after that update. I figured ok, I will just do a system restore. Finding that function on Windows 10 is like looking for buried treasure on Oka Island. One I did figure out how to do it, I tried running and got the message that there were no restore points. I imagine that the Windows10 update wiped out all of the saved restore points. Then I got to somewhere or another where it asked if I wanted to revert to an older version of Windows 10. So, I chose to do that. had to fiddle around with the speaker & sound settings several times, with a  restart after each, to get the sound working properly again. If I had to do it all over again, I'd use dynamite. That was not as much as pain in the neck as it was in mine arse. Screw Windows 10 and Microsoft.
 
Then there was, and remains, that other pain. The one, by my guess (and my doctor's guess) is being caused by the gout. I have not had a bad gout attack in over a year - maybe longer (well maybe one kind of bad a couple of weeks ago that I attributed to a heel spur but now that I think of it was probably gout). Come to think of it, as best I can recall, I have not had any other gout attacks, than those wo possibilities just mentioned, for over a year - maybe a year and a half. This one started on Monday afternoon or early evening. Just thought my knee was hurting maybe from walking too much and not being used to that much exercise. had walked 5 miles or so on Friday then about 5.5 on Monday after not having exercised much in a couple of weeks. Tuesday, it seemed somewhat better then got much worse. Took a colchicine pill and hit did little if anything and I slept like hell on Tuesday night as in almost no sleep. Wednesday, on my mile walk to the train station, it felt a lot better - figured the colchicine had kicked in. Nothing going as it progressively got worse all day once I was stuck in the chair at work (sit most of the work day). Last night it was unbearable and while not the worst gout attack for me ever it was in the top five. I took another colchicine (only allowed one per day - it is a seriously dangerous drug that can screw up your liver & kidneys or even kill you from a relatively small overdose). I also took 450 mg of Aleve. The gout just dug its teeth, so to speak, in and got worse. I slept even less than on Tuesday night.

Called my doctor today, explained what was going on to the receptionist and miracle of miracles they made an appointment for me at noon, which would be only two and a hours or so after my call. Then I got another call about 15 minutes later and figured hey were about to tell me no go for that appointment but surprised me by asking me to come in as soon as I could get there. I was there 20 minutes later. Doc took a look at it and grimaced. My gout attacks never look anywhere nearly as bad as photos I have seen of bad ones but they often hurt like hell. I usually have little or no swelling and only faint pinkness. This time though, my knee was obviously very swollen and red and hot. Of course, it hurt like hell too. Doc said she would prescribe me prednisone (a steroid). I asked for pain pills too and she said the prednisone would reduce the pain as it caused the inflammation to go down. I told her I needed something to make the pain go away right away and that thus that would allow me to sleep after three lousy nights trying to sleep but failing pretty much to do so for more than maybe a few hours the first night and maybe two the next two nights. She said she would give me oxycodone with Tylenol. I asked her to just give me straight oxycodone since Tylenol and me do not play well together and Tylenol has zero effect on any pain I suffer. She agreed and at my request gave e three days worth, I figured I would not need more based on past experience.

Went to the pharmacy, picked up the meds and headed home. Went to take an oxycodone and saw the instructions said to take three pills once a day for three days! called the pharmacy and the guy who answered the phone told me that was correct. When I explained that a normal dose would be one ill three times a day, he put me on hold, came back and said that I was right. I called the doctor's office to confirm and they said I had it right. Just a couple of minutes later, I read the instructions on the prednisone. There were 42 tablets of it in all and the instructions said to take three pills 2X per day for two days. Then take one less pill for the next two days and so on until it got down to one pill twice in a day - that day being the last day. Doing that would have left 18 extra pills. Called the pharmacy and this time they put on the pharmacist. He said my doctor said to do the regular progression with the prednisone. That is usually starting with however many pills you are to take the first day, and you take em all at once, based on my experience with it. The next day you take one pill less, the following day you again reduce it by one pill. Somehow though the pharmacist decided to start me with three pills and do it twice per day. That was screwy.

Anyway, the normal way I have done it would use all the pills if I did it the way my doc seemed to want me to do it - taking the tablets for two days, instead of only one day, before reducing the number and progressing that way. So if I took six today and six tomorrow, I would take 5 on Saturday and five on Sunday, then 4 on Monday and 4 on Tuesday and so on until none were left. That would work out perfectly and all 42 tablets would have been taken in that progression down to the last two days of one pill per day. The pharmacist said - no way.

I called the doc, spoke to a nurse, said my way sounded more sensible as it would expend the entire prescription. She admitted though, the directions were very confusing as written on the pill bottle. She also said she would talk to the doc and get back to me. Still waiting for someone, anyone, to get back to me with the correct instructions. Just another pain in the arse and the pain in my knee persists although I must say it has lessened. Not sure if its been the prednisone working in combination with the oxycodone that has reduced the pain or just one or the other. I kind of think it is the prednisone because the pain has not reduced enough to make me think it was both. At least though there has been one nice effect, I have been zonked rather pleasantly all afternoon and evening.

Will call the doc tomorrow and try to get it straightened out. Hoping not to OD on prednisone in the meantime. I may work tomorrow, if feeling better enough - so no oxycodone during the day, just the prednisone. Hopefully that will work well enough to get me to work, through the work day, and back home with less pain than the last few days.

Mind you, if the above made any sense to you at all, it is only because I have taken oxycodone before in massive quantities (when I had throat cancer and was getting radiation treatments and eating throughout it all) and I guess I got used to thinking while under its influence during the 4 or 5 weeks or so I took it in high doses. If the above is pretty much gibberish, I must be higher than I think.

By the way - gout sucks bigtime. So, it is again time to cut out all beer (which I have drank more of than usual lately and may have caused this attack). While no beer might seem to some to suck worse than gout - believe me no beer at all will be better than another gout attack like this one. My doc suggested if I drink, I drink vodka. I told her I do like drink and gave her my recipe for vodka cherries after telling her about moonshine cherries and my liking for moonshine and white lightning. She maybe knows me better than even she suspected but  think I kind of know her too. My bet is she makes up a batch of those vodka cherries before too long. Amazingly cherries, which were once considered a cause of gout, are now considered to be a gout preventative!

All the best,
GB

Monday, December 11, 2017

Bacon Nevermore

One of the things about hunting wild game is that you never quite can tell, at least with fairly big game, when the tables may be turned and the hunter becomes the hunted. Such was the case with a German hunter who was after wild boar. He shot at one and followed it into some reeds and the beast attacked. My guess is he was gored by the boars tusks. The hunter later died at a hospital. Getting gored and dying sucks, doing it while hunting down your next rasher of bacon and getting to taste it nevermore makes it an even more terrible way to go. More at the source.

All the best,
Glenn B

Sexual Adviser

 
All the best,
Glenn B

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Light Posting Anticipated

I will be working all this week and thst is okay by me because I can use the cash. I may be working full time, more or less, for the next month or more because someone quit and I will be covering until they find a replacement. I would say thank goodness except in this case it came about because of someone else's misfortune. Still though, I am grateful for the work when I need it. Because I will be working full time for awhile, I imagine my blogging will be very limited but I will try to blog at least a few days each week.

Now to get some chores done, like: do my laundry, attend to my critters,  clean some guns, put a rifle or three up for sale, find out which rifle of mine is missing a bolt I cannot identify, vacuum the basement, clean out the trunk of my car, and whatever else I can do to appease the wife by my being busy. Then I will put seeds in the bird feeders and also enjoy a fine German bier.

All the best,
GB

Kindness Rebuked

After reading this article about a donut shop being shamed by the LGBT community (or whatever they call themselves today) I immediately thought of my post 'Kindness'. My words in that post could not be more true.

Merry Christmas except to you whining snowflakes who fill the world with vitriol.

Al the best,
Glenn B

Saturday, December 9, 2017

The Call Of The Dollar

Just when I thought I'd be spending some days Christmas shopping in NYC and still have enough down time left over to get in some late season deer hunting, someone at work quit. What that means for me is that instead of working part-time on-call, I'll probably be working full time until they hire someone new. That could take awhile unless they find a candidate with the proper license and who has an active background clearance. The darned background investigations can take a couple of months, or more, to conclude. Not bad for me money-wise though, that is if it takes a month or three, because I will be raking in a steady cash flow and what I can get before Christmas will be a big help. Any money made after that probably goes into my very meager savings account (or to buy yet another gun).

Of course, maybe the person who quit will have second thoughts and come back, that is if the bosses allow for such, and I will wind up with those eggs I just counted not hatching at all.

All the best,
Glenn B

Canine Christmas Delight


All the best,
Glenn B

A Modern Times Job Interview




All the best,
Glenn B

Elf On A Shelf

 
Well, not this one!
 
All the best,
GB

Kindness

It Is The Christmas Season,
So Go Ahead, Carry Out All The
Random Acts of Kindness You Want.
Just Do Not Be At All Surprised
When Someone Tells You To
Shove Them Up Your Ass!
 
And such is how it goes in real life especially when dealing with libturds. Don't let that stop you from being kind though, nor from enjoying the true meaning of Christmas.
 
All the best,
Glenn B

It Wasn't Us



All the best,
GB

Thursday, December 7, 2017

A Stocking Stuffer For The Dogs

You know, if you have dogs that are part of the family and if you celebrate Christmas, then the dogs get Christmas presents. This year, along with some Duck dog biscuits, they will get a special treat, this:


All the best,
Glenn B

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

If I Only Had A Thumb

I could grab around some big titties,
Or steer my car around inner cities,
Or up to ten I could add the sum,
And I could do some real good twiddling
and grab a pen to do some written riddling
If I only had a thumb...
 
So allegedly go the woes of more than one shooter who has attempted to fire a Savage 10ML-II (a muzzle loading rifle) in stainless steel. At least one lawsuit is currently under way seeking damages from Savage. More here at the source.

I have no clue if Savage is at fault here for having manufactured muzzle loaders with faulty metal in the barrels or if this is due to shooter error (it does not take much to screw up how you load a muzzle loader) and am not finding fault with either but just giving you a warning that if you own a muzzle loader - especially a Savage 10ML-II - be careful or in the case of a 10ML-II maybe consider asking Savage if they will replace it. Savage Arms reportedly discontinued the manufacture of these rifles in 2010 (source). What Savage Arms has to say about the 10ML-II can be seen here.

Here are some points, from quotes in the source article, I'd like to specifically address on this issue:

"The company acknowledged in Hansen’s case that it received 45 legal claims related to burst or split barrels dating to 2004. Hansen’s lawyers say documents show Savage Arms created a special “muzzleloader return team” and faced hundreds of warranty and service claims."

Seems like an awful lot of claims about burst or split barrels for one particular model gun. Either a lot of idiots buy those guns or maybe there just could be something to the claim that the metal of the barrels is unsound. It also seems odd that there were hundreds of warranty/service claims for one particular model if that model was not in some way faulty.

"Some hunters were offered free replacement rifles after they were told their errors caused the damage."
 
Add to that the alleged fact that while Savage blamed user error, they also offered some folks replacement rifles and it makes one wonder why would Savage offer replacements if the shooters were at fault. Were they trying to appease folks whose guns had barrels gone bad so they would not file lawsuits or were they doing it out of the goodness of their hearts?
 
"... a federal magistrate in 2015 sanctioned the company for a “purposeful record of obfuscation” that included falsely claiming that it was aware of only two prior explosions while withholding information that showed otherwise."
 
Then there is the obfuscation issue from the earlier case, Savage allegedly claiming many fewer incidents than of which they allegedly were actually aware and a magistrate judge reportedly calling them on it.
 
I am not saying Savage is at fault here but, in my opinion, I think this does not look good for Savage.

Safe shooting my friends.

All the best,
Glenn B