Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Counting 1, 2, 3...214,000,067 - whoops...

 ...someone lost count.


Image may contain: 1 person, hat, text that says 'THEM SAME FOLKS THAT COUNTED THE RONA CASES AIN'T COUNTIN' THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS, ARE THEY?''


 

All the best,
Glenn B

There Was Something I Always Wanted When I Was A Kid...

 ...but of course, I was never allowed to have one - not a real one anyway. When I was a youngster, in my pre-teen years and well beyond, I loved to watch movies about adventurers of olde. When maybe 4 or 5 through at least 12 years of age, I loved to watch movies and shows about gladiators - Spartacus (with Kirk Douglas) was a favorite. I also loved movies about Hercules (especially starring Steve Reeves), Aladdin, the Golden Fleece with jason and the Argonauts, The Thief Of Baghdad and so on. Pirate movies were also high on my list of fantasy inducing films. Anything with knights (the kind in shining armor and such) were even higher on my list; heck I have this guy today, bought it a few years ago, because it reminded me how much I loved my set of toy knights (some with horses) that I used to play with for hours a day (better than watching them on TV):

 


Most of all, I loved reading The Hobbit - Or There And Back Again (thank you Christine Collins for tuning me on to that one) and The Lord of The Rings trilogy. The Hobbit may be my favorite book of all time (even a bit higher on my list than Man Eaters of Kumaon or The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre and also above - if only barely - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency).

As could be expected, I also loved movies and shows about bad guys who did good - like Robin Hood. Then there were the Three Musketeers. Even as an adult, I was still into the same kind of things, in fact one of my all time favorite PC games was Thief. By now, you may be beginning to see a common thread between almost all of them - nope not that they were good guy adventurers or bad guys who were do-gooders at least at times but something to do with a thing each of them used in their battles. Yes, they all carried weapons but think more specifically because that is what I finally got myself today and I am actually trembling a bit and have a joyful tear in my each of eyes over it as I type; that's no balderdash - just fact!

Anyway, it's time I show you what I got. I got this:

 


 
 
 
 
 

 

It is the first actual sword I have ever owned. Granted it is not a big one, not a broadsword by a long shot! It is somewhat along the lines of the short swords used by soldiers in the Roman Legions but is much more modern in origin. It is an Argentine Model 1909 Short Sword. It has not been sharpened (a good thing). 

Accompanying it in the photos are the matching serialized scabbard and the correct frog (why the leather holster that holds the scabbard is called a frog is beyond me). I bid in an online auction run by Hessney Auction Co. LTD  about a week and a half ago and had the high bid on it. Oddly enough, for the first time in a very long time, I did not have the high bid on even a single firearm. What I did have high bids on were: this sword, an Argentine 1891 bayonet,  two sets of pistol grips - one plastic and one wood with Beretta medallions on the wood set - both for a Beretta model 84 (I think 84B but will have to check to see if they fit mine).

Anyway, I digress so back to the sword. All I need now is a cape, a helmet, a shield and a fast & mighty steed (or maybe pony but since I am no Hobbit it would need be very strong). With all that, I suppose I could find some sort of evil bastard to fight or a dragon to slay, one with many extravagant riches for me to plunder. Sometimes, if you dream long enough, dreams do come true.

All the best,
Glenn B

Are (Did) You Watch The Debate?

I'm not watching it. I started to watch a couple or few minutes after it started, had trouble live streaming then found it live on YouTube. I tried to watch really I did. I watched Biden laughing at Trump during one of the president's answers (not a peep out of Wallace). Realized President Trump got pissed (too bad he did so early) could tell by how he interrupted Biden and then of course Wallace essentially told him to shut up. 

So, I got pissed too. I had to turn it off right then and there because of the mood I am in, mostly due to lots of hip and back pain, made it so that had I not shut it off I may have shot the monitor right when Biden was on screen (only kidding). Honestly though, as a symbolic way to show my disgust that the democrats actually chose a seemingly mentally defective twit to be their candidate, I actually may have just picked up the laptop and smashed it into the wall and I cannot afford to do that so I turned it off to avoid screwing up my already messed up and very old laptop. 

No big deal, there is nothing that could be said or done, by either man in the debate, that would turn me to vote for Biden - absolutely nothing and I can always read about the high and low points tomorrow. Regardless of how it goes: Fox News & One America News Network will likely say President Trump won and all those in the MSM (Mud Slinging Media) will say former Vice President Biden won. What else should we expect short of a major blunder or three by one of them and not the other.

So that was it for me. How about you - did you watch, were you able to watch or unable to like me. 

All the best,
Glenn B

Sunday, September 27, 2020

Remington Furloughs 600

This past Thursday, Remington announced it is furloughing 600 employees at its Ilion, NY plant. I hope they can get out of their current financial quagmire but that seems all but impossible now. (Source.)

I've been a Remington fan for many, many years - since summer camp in the 60s when I first learned how to shoot on Winchester & Remington 22 rifles. I preferred the heavier Remington. My first shotgun was a Remington 870 Wingmaster I bought when I was a young Border Patrol Agent. Sadly I sold it early on after getting married when we were in need of some cash.  My very next shotgun was a Remington 870 Express combo. I still have that Remington 870 which I used on the job as a Customs Agent and in the field hunting - I bagged my first buck with it, an 8 point whitetail. 

I also currently have the following Remington firearms:  12 gauge Model 10, 12 gauge Model 29, 16 gauge Model 31 (all of those pump action shotguns); a 513T Matchmaster bolt action rifle in 22LR, Model 141 pump action rifle in 35 REM, Remington R1 1911 pistol in 45 ACP. I've had a bunch of others too and gave my son a Remington 870 Express combo with laminate stock. 

I believe Remington is the oldest surviving manufacturer of firearms in the USA, they started up in Ilion, NY in the early 1800s. Sadly they seem to be on their last legs but hopefully someone will take them over and the legacy will live on. Right now it seems the company is being split up 7 ways. The corporation taking over the Remington name for manufacturing of firearms is the RoundHill Group (well right now they are the high bidder and the court needs to approve it all). Who knows what will become of them! If they do shut down the name and manufacture of Remington Arms completely, I will deeply regret never visiting their facility and museum in Ilion, NY. Remington is an American icon.

Edited To Add: Here is a link to an article about which companies will get which parts of Remington (once finalized in the courts).

All the best,
Glenn B
 

Thursday, September 24, 2020

They're Rubber - They Bounce Right Back Again And Again And Maybe Even Again!

A woman in Vietnam allegedly cleaned (one would hope she did a good very job), reshaped, repackaged and resold used condoms to unsuspecting buyers. She reportedly has been arrested and charges are being considered. Makes me wonder who had the job of collecting the 324,000 spewed in rubbers that were reportedly seized from her bounce-back facility. Thousands more were reportedly already sold. More at the source.

All the best,
Glenn B

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Trump Derangement Syndrome At Its Best

Watch the video here, the woman was supposedly flipping off Trump supporters. You may think everything worth watching happens by about the 12 second mark of this very brief video. Keep watching all the way until the end - it gets much better.

All the best,
Glenn B

You've Got To Be Faster Than Road Runner...

 ...to be able to catch available ammo nowadays. If not, then pay the prices they want at auction sites or gun shows and they ain't cheap. Of course, getting ammo from an online dealer (my preference most of the time) like Target Sports USA or from a store like Academy Sports is not on the cheap side either but their prices are better than most during the current ammo buying frenzy.

Did I say ammo buying frenzy - why yes I did. One good example of just how frenzied it is right now and how quickly you need to jump on a deal for ammo can be illustrated by what happened to me this morning while walking my mongrel. I was checking my email and had just looked at one and went back to my in box. There was a new email, delivered only seconds ago, from Target Sports USA letting me know that Remington 38 SPL lead round nose ammo was in stock. 

Damn, I could not remember my password so had to reset it. It took all of about 3 or 4 minutes for me to click on the 'new password' link, enter my email address, open the email they sent me with a 'set your password link', go to that link and type in a new password and get back to the item page at Target Sports USA. It already was out of stock! You want ammo - you gotta be fast - faster than road Runner with Wile E. Coyote hot on his trail.

All the best,
Glenn B

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

In NY State - The Dead Don't Only Vote - They Get...

 ...tax payer funded healthcare too. The NY Post reports that: the NY Health Department is in the hot seat for allegedly having made $700 million in “improper” and “questionable” Medicaid spending during fiscal 2019.uess who evidently dimed them out: state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. According to the NY Post article (source) 5 million dollars of that $700 million was spent on health care for dead folks! Most of it though reportedly was spent on over payments for drugs!

Way to oversee the goings on in your state government Emperor (at least he seems to think so of himself) Andrew Cuomo! 

FUAC!

All the best,
Glenn B

Monday, September 21, 2020

Really Blogger.com (aka: Blogspot.com) - Did You Have A First Grader Redesign Your Site?

 The new Blogger@blogspot.com - SUCKS. Things that were fine have been changed to things that are broken at least or idiotic at worst. Seems you are perfectly following it the footsteps of progressiveness.

All the best,
Glenn B

Val Dieu Triple - Not bad At All

 

That stuff - pretty good. Not as good maybe as Ommegang Abbey Ale or Chimay Cing Cent (or better among the Chimay seelction) but not bad at all and 9% ABV. A decent libation to celebrate the
last day of summer 2020.

All the best,
Glenn B

Saturday, September 19, 2020

RBG: One Tough Old Coot But A Biased Leftist

Well, she is gone. While I can wish that RBG rests in peace, especially after her long and courageous battle against cancer I cannot sing her praises - there are few if any. I will say though, she was one tough old coot! 

As for her time with SCOTUS, as far as I am concerned, she and her extremely left biased decisions, while on the bench, helped turn much of our country into what it has become over the past several months - a leftist third world shithole and it was already more than bad enough due to her love of all things leftist. She not only sowed the seeds, she nurtured the vines and now the rest of us are stuck with the spoiled fruits of her all too often biased leftist agenda.

 
All the best,
Glenn B
 

Happy New Year...

 ...or should I say happy Head of the Year! It's Rosh Hashanah the Jewish new year and being that it is the year 5781, there have been plenty of them. Hope your upcoming year will be a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous one.

All the best,
Glenn B

Friday, September 18, 2020

Gotta Get Me Some AR Sights...

 ...for my latest and third AR-15. Just picked this up at my local dealer where it was shipped from PSA for the ATF paperwork to get done. It's a complete PSA lower with Magpul grip and stock. I got it for an okay price considering all of the frenzied gun & ammo purchases that have been ongoing for the past few months.


Once I got it home, I slapped it together with this. 

 

Stag Arms ORC Upper

 

It's the Stag 15 O.R.C. I had the high bid on at GunBroker last month. I was not too sure I'd like the look of the olive green Magpul furniture with the black of the metal parts of the lower & the upper but once I mated them all I can says is: I like it. 


My third AR. I like the contrasting green of the grip & stock & love the collapsible stock. I need to add sights and probably will look to Midwest Industries for them as I did for my first AR a Stag 15 ORC.


If the folks who say: "Ridin' With Biden" somehow get him elected, probably by way of the biggest case of voter fraud in history (I mean how could he legitimately be elected - he is seemingly brain dead), then what I - along with this and many of my others guns - will be "Hidin' From Biden" and his minion.

Now to do something important and think of which sights to get for it. My leaning is toward something from Midwest Industries like the sights I got for my first AR. 

All the best,
Glenn B

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

They're Gone

 My two nicest rifles are gone, sold to folks via GunBroker.com. So, there went my Marlin 1936 - had a decent bid on it today.

 

I guess it was a couple of weeks or so ago I sold the Browning Lightweight '81 in 30-06 (the buyer was ecstatic with that one). Hopefully the guy with the high bid on the Marlin will like it just as well as the other liked the Browning. I describe them just as they are, maybe even a tad conservatively sometimes, so my buyers will be pleased. I post a lot of clear pictures of each gun I sell too. So far, I have 100% positive feedback at GunBroker. 

 

 

While I do not miss the Browning, which was a very nice gun but  not for me, I have to admit I already am suffering from seller's remorse over the Marlin 1936. What a very purdy gun is that one. Oh well, need the cash and while 30-30 Winchester is an okay caliber it is not my preferred caliber for a lever gun; I'll take a rifle in 35 Remington over it any day of the week. If I ever find a model 1936 in as nice a condition as the one I just sold and it's in 35 REM, it probably will be a long term keeper.

All the best,
Glenn B

Monday, September 14, 2020

Miniature Golf Is An Odd Game...

 ...but just like in professional golf, the important thing is to get the ball into the hole in as few tries as possible. I give you The Greatest Putt Of All Time:


A hat tip to Jim S for this one.

All the best,
Glenn B

Police Officer Joe Cool

While you may notice that the officer left himself open for what he got - you have got to admire how the officer in this video reacts with calmness and utter determination when the skell to whom he is speaking punches him. Surprise!



A hat tip to Charlie F for that one.

All the best,
Glenn B

Sunday, September 13, 2020

The Plot Thickens and The 12 Monkeys Are Howling

I, and plenty of other folks, surmised early on that the Novel  Corona Virus, later and currently called COVID-19 (and let's not forget the China Virus) might have been created in the lab - a chemical warfare lab. Seems such may have been the case but only time and upcoming reports may shed some light on that. A doctor who fled China after the outbreak is reportedly claiming that the virus was man-made in a lab in or near Wuhan. (Source.) She also allegedly says the first report about it will be out in several days; my bet is she will disappear before then - permanently - although, I'd hope not. I at least want to read the anticipated follow-up report as well as the first one. If she is proven right, our government should pay whatever it takes to safeguard her in luxury. 

Then prepare for the worst, because sooner of later and it's going to happen much sooner than it was 10 or 20 years ago - the Chinese will start WWIII. We will be their main target and Russia quite likely as their main ally. As for any countries in Western Europe except maybe for GB - my guess is it will be 60-40 in favor of most Western Euro nations siding with the red commies or claiming neutrality. Breath deep the gathering gloom, get filled up by the smell of it and get riled by that smell, riled enough to prepare for TWEOTAWKI. This senior citizens wishes he is wrong but prudence and history tell me otherwise. They have been planning it for years and have ramped up hostility considerably lately.

All the best,
Glenn B

Friday, September 11, 2020

In Their Memory


Keep them in your thoughts and prayers today - all those innocent people who perished on September 11, 2001 (or who perished afterwards due to injuries that day) at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, in United Airlines flight 93 at Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania and at the World Trade Center in New York, City. Remember those too who did not perish on that day but who were injured and who survive today bearing the scars of those injuries, physical & mental.

All the best,
Glenn B

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

So I Was Sitting Here Typing My Prior Post and My Doc's Nurse Called Me

She called me yesterday too, then to tell me that they were mailing me my lab work results from my most recent office visit. I figured that must mean all the test were negative otherwise they would have said something. She called for something else today!

Let me start with why all the blood-work and such. Well, I had been feeling progressively more and more miserable as each day went by for several months - since at least around last October or November (even as early as July or August but the symptoms came and went back then now that I think of it) up through August 12th just recently. That day, my doc sent me to the ER where they diagnosed me with a urinary tract infection and shot me up with a huge vial of some antibiotic. They also prescribed me ten days worth of another antibiotic - huge pills. 

I was amazed because the day after I received the shot, I felt a hundred times better than I did while in the ER. Two days later and every pain in my body, pains I have been having in my joints, inside my bones, in my muscles & terrible headaches - all since about a year ago - disappeared. My lightheadedness, outright dizziness, loss of balance, severe headaches, night sweats, absolute fatigue, utter weakness, inability to remain awake - all had gone the way of the dinosaurs - not one was left. Then about 6 to 8 days into the antibiotic pills they had prescribed for me - the aches & pains started to come back  just a little, my blood pressure started going up and down as if on a roller coaster (and that got better for several days after the antibiotic shot in the ER), I got somewhat lightheaded again and started falling asleep unable to stay awake a few hours after getting up in the mornings. It's been just like before I went to visit the ER just not as severe - more like it was back in October or November fairly early on once the fatigue had set in. I have been slowly getting progressively worse again since then. 

So, I went back to the doc. I explained I was starting to feel progressively worse again, almost all the same symptoms. I asked her if maybe - just maybe - I had had more than a urinary tract infection, possibly two diseases and the antibiotics did not kill the other one. I also asked if it was possible that the UTI had been caused by a more severe underlying illness. Much to my surprise she agreed with me and was going to run some tests, then suddenly said my insurance would not pay for the tests she wanted to run unless they were ordered by an Infectious Disease Specialist. I said "Why not" because my insurer always pays for everything a doctor finds medically necessary. She disagreed so I called my insurer. They said she should jab away and take all the blood she needed from me. She did, well her lab worker did anyway. The gal in the lab filled several vials with my blood.

She wound up testing me for: COVID-19 both the illness and the antibodies (three tests for them), syphilis, chlamydia, hepatitis, HIV, Lyme Disease (three tests), Non-Treponemal screening, Neisseria Gonorrheae (the clap? - not likely - it's been that long) Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, RPR Rfx On RPR Conform (?), Tick Borne Disease Panel, Treponema pallidum Antiobodoes, a CBC and urinalysis.

Then today, as I said above, I got a call from the nurse as I was writing my blog post immediately prior to this one. She said the doc got some additional tests back today and that I have - drum roll - Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. I'll be damned if I had not told her and my prior doc about having been bitten by ticks before this all started but they only checked my for Lyme disease back before this round of tests - just like the docs did in NY before moved down here had tested my for Lyme. 

I have got to say, I am ever so happy they have it figured out (hopefully they found the only cause and nothing else is also causing my maladies) and they can give me the right medication to kill it. My concern now is not that the nurse told me I will probably get the squirts from a 20 day course of Doxycycline but rather that I am a bit worried (not too worried though) that the bug may have built up a resistance to antibiotics after the stuff they gave me recently that obviously only had a temporary effect on it. Come to think of it, last spring, I was seeing a Rheumatologist before leaving NY for much of the same symptoms that included a lot of red sots on my feet and lower legs (that I had for a couple of, or a few, years now along with joint & muscles pains). When I first left NY, I styaed in AR with my son. I was put on antibiotics while staying at my son's place because of similar issues and got better for a couple of months. Then it started again around August - I wonder if I have had it all along, even when still living in NY. 

Whatever, whenever, they finally discovered the cause of my sickness and I hope it gets wiped out with the result of me feeling much better once again. Time and future blood tests will tell. My big hope is that my heart will go back to normal once I am cured. My guess is that is what caused it to beat less efficiently that normal (only diagnosed a couple of months ago close to the height of me feeling miserable and the cardiologist just chalked it up to high blood pressure and my age) - once again time and another test will tell.

All the best,
Glenn B

Marlin 1936 - 2nd variation - Remarkable Remaining Case Color

 If you have ever owned a gun with a case colored receiver, you probably know that the case color can be damaged to out right obliterated quite easily. It does not take much to destroy it. I have a Marlin 1936, 2nd variation - B prefix, up for bids over at GunBroker.com and I am hopeful that the amount of remaining case color will be it's number one selling point. I have seen some other specimens of this same model sell for around the same price to some selling for much more than I am asking and they had zero remaining case color.



No, the case color is not perfect but there sure is a lot of it remaining on a rifle that was manufactured in 1941 (as best I can determine). Someone took rootin-shootin good care of it and I did likewise once I bought it. It, by the way, was another acquisition I made from the Hessney Auction Co. LTD of Geneva, NY. 


All the best,
Glenn B

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

I Am Selling Some 45 ACP Ammo - Will Someone Be Offended?

You can bet your sweet bippy that somebody will probably take offense to my latest sale item on GunBroker.com or at least to how I presented it.

 

If it makes someone's blood boil, that is fine by me. Of course, that could mean someone might purposefully place the high bid who has no intention of paying me, that in retribution for my truly excellent photography but that is a chance I will take. I can always sell this stuff at the Murphy's Gun Show in Benton, AR next month if it does not sell on GB. I trust though that it will sell though to an honest and reputable buyer.

All the best,
Glenn B


Monday, September 7, 2020

Fly Swatter Fail - And I Thought I Had Bad Luck

https://www.foxnews.com/world/man-chasing-fly-accidentally-blows-up-part-house-france-report

Well, it really wasn't fly swatter fail, more like a pipe failed, or maybe the old geezer's sense of smell (maybe he has the Rona V). Until I read that I thought I had really bad luck, somehow my bad luck does not compare. 

All the best,
Glenn B

Sunday, September 6, 2020

Mossberg 640KA Chuckster

My latest acquisition for the Hessney Auction Co. LTD. was a Mossberg Model 640KA Chuckster in 22 WMR. Nice rifle except for one thing, the front sight was broken, the top half evidently snapped off at some point in time.  
 
With the broken front sight.

The solution was to order an OEM front sight from Numrich (it amazes me they often have original equipment manufacturer parts in stock). I knocked out the old sight with a brass punch today after first applying some Break Free CLP to it (would not budge before doing that) and that was easy enough to accomplish. What took some doing was getting the new one in place.That took a bit of filing around the edges. I did it a tiny bit at a time so as not to remove too much metal. After the third try or so, I got it to start in the front sight slot in the barrel - then I whacked away with a brass hammer until it was fully in place. After that, I touched it up with some bluing. Looks like it's been there for ages.
 
With the new front sight in place.

 
This rifle may be a keeper; although, I must add they are in high demand as far as I am aware. Heck, when I mentioned on a gun forum that I had bought this, someone else from the forum immediately sent me a PM to ask if I would sell it to him. I want to at least shoot it some before parting with it and being it is 22 WMR - and if it is a good shooter - I just may keep it.

All the best,
Glenn B

AR-15 Lower Build

I put together my first AR-15 lower, finishing it yesterday. Started it last week but had to buy a hex driver to get it finished for the grip screw and that took me a bit. Speaking of taking time, have I ever mentioned that I am The Great Procrastinator. I got a stripped Spike's Tactical lower in July 2013 - that's the one I used for this build - took me a little while to get around to it but it is finally finished. 




Well, maybe it's not completely finished, the darned butt stock was loose once I got it on. It's an A2 stock so it needed a spacer that came with it but it was still loose even though I used the spacer and tightened the stock screw as tight as it would go. In fact I tried three times and then a fourth before it felt secure but I am worried it has been over tightened because in doing so I stripped the screw head slot somewhat. Just ordered two new ones (in case I screw up again I'll have an extra). Don't know what the problem is but when I get the new screw I will take the stock off (hopeful the screw head slot was not stripped to badly and it will screw off easily)  and try to figure it out - could be it just is a piece of junk that does not fit properly or maybe it was that I screwed something up.

Now an AR-15 lower is one thing but it needs another thing and that is an upper. I ordered one from Palmetto State Armory (cost now as much as a complete AR-15 rifle would have cost back in January but Biden may win and then what - no guns at all maybe or ten times the cost of what the inflated prices are now). I slapped the upper onto the lower and it looks purdy nice I need to take it to the range sooner or later and make sure it works without falling apart.


The next step though, before the range trip, will be to add the sights that came with the upper. That will not take long at all, maybe I'll get that doe today or maybe not. Time will tell.

All the best,
Glenn B

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Tried A New Dish On The BBQ This Evening...

...it was extremely tasty, a lot like pork but a bit sweeter meat. Very tender if you take care to cook it slowly. The fresher the meat the better. 

It's called Chicken Cat-ciatore. Yummy, in fact so yummy,  allow me to tell the PETAphiles to go screw themselves before they start hemorrhaging from the ears over it and complaining about it to the government.

All the best,
Glenn B