Thursday, January 26, 2023

My Daughter Got A New Job

 She was working in Child Protective Service in the county in which she lives. Some time ago she put inn for a probation officer position. She got that today. The thing that I think was most worrying to her about the application process was that she would be required to fully load a 15 round magazine. I I recall correctly, she told me a lot of candidates supposedly would fail that portion of the testing. She aced it today and I'd like to think me sending her a brand new Glock 19 ten round mag (could not send her a 15 round mag because she is in NewYorkistan but yet they expect you to be able to load one when you cannot legally buy one to practice with). Took her awhile to be able to get the tenth round in that one but she persisted in practicing with it and after a bit she got it fully loaded. She said that loading a 15 round mag today, for the test, was easy peasy! Now she needs to learn how to shoot a pistol and whatever long guns they maybe use. I taught he to shoot rifles many years ago so she will have that advantage. My son is a regular gun nut - he certainly did not fall far from the tree on that point!
 
Proud papa am I. My two youngsters (both middle aged now) both have good jobs, both are hard working, each of them owns a house  and both are well mannered citizen types of the right political ilk. Of course she is also the mama of my grandson to date. Things do not get much better for a parent - those things being seeing your all of your children grow up to become responsible adults.

All the best,
Glenn B

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

From The Ukraine To WW III - It Could Take As Long As...

...only a single the blink of an eye on a sunny day. With the U.S. now planning to send Abrams M1 battle tanks to Ukraine (more at the source) and with Germany going to send Leopard tanks (more at the source) and Poland planning to do so as well (more at the source), I have to wonder will Putin be pushed to the insane conclusion that NATO is in essence the aggressor in the Ukraine war and that NATO will attack the Russian homeland. I would think that any rational person outside of the Russian political hierarchy & military would know that such is extremely unlikely but they are not rational minds about which I am worried. Putin and his cronies are power hungry, warm water seaport craving, buffer zone seeking madmen in my opinion. If the tanks being sent to Ukraine are enough of a threat to push Putin and his generals over the edge, then as this article states, they may start WW III. 
 
What would Putin order that would start it? Well, all he needs do is hit Ukraine with one nuke, could be a big one but my guess even Putin would not be stupid enough to use more than a single smaller one, maybe a tactical one or a dirty bomb. The Russians would probably, as I see it, set one off in or drop a bomb on a single high population area, especially one in which they think Zelenskyy is present at the time. I am none too certain that the west would be willing to retaliate with like force but NATO, or the U.S. on its own, may decide to do so. Then again, the U.S. or NATO may just say to hell with it and go for a full out & catastrophic response by launching several nuclear armed missiles and bombers all aimed at the Russians with others at the ready for China, Iran and maybe Pakistan. Then again, NATO led by the U.S. might go on the offensive with ground troops and conventional bombing before risking an all out nuclear fist fest but even that would likely lead to a nuclear holocaust eventually unless some Russian with half a brain assassinates Putin before that.
 
I certainly hope none of that happens (except Putin being assassinated by other Russians of course) because if WW III erupts, I predict most of the people of the world can kiss their own arses a final good bye - if not from actual nuclear or conventional attacks then from the famine and other shortages that will follow in fairly short order; hell, we are already in short supply of way too much. If it does come down to a bilateral nuclear exchange, or even to merely Russia unilaterally using nukes, China and other nations would probably not be far behind in allying all out with the Russians and attacking the west by whatever means they have available. We do not want to get into a war with China involved as our enemy and as Russia's ally (they have not used up any significant amount of their military resources as of late). If that turns out to be the case though - well just allow me to let her sing it again (I have to say this video with the song We'll Meet Again is the best I've ever seen): 
 
 
As for me, I'll be going to SAM's Club later today or tomorrow (as time allows) to pick up some foods that can be easily stored long term (mostly canned goods, dry beans, rice, flour, spices, salt and such) to add to my cache. I'll also be updating my medical supplies and buying batteries and other items as best I can do. There is a saying that I think is a very good one as relative to the world's current situation: "Pray for peace but prepare for war". Then again, I've always liked the motto of the Boy Scouts of America as well: "Be prepared". That one kind of covers everything - doesn't it! 
 
I do not know if one can actually be prepared for nuclear war and what would follow but I am a child of the original Cold War and my mother was at least somewhat of a prepper back then - long before that word became popular or maybe before it even existed in our vocabulary. So, I'll be damned if I at least don't try to be prepared enough to live to see what the the aftermath of the apocalypse would look like and if that does not come to pass, at least I'll be ready for whatever increase in shortages Biden creates because no matter what - he is sure to do so as I see it.

Hope to see you all after whatever happens or doesn't but until all this comes to its conclusion:
 
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
'Til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away...
 
...some sunny day! 
 
And people say I am a pessimist, go figure.
 
All the best,
Glenn B



Tuesday, January 24, 2023

A Little First Major Rock Concert Nostalgia

Do you know where you were at, with certainty, for at least any two hour or somewhat longer period (of your choice), on December 11, 1970? My guess is that you can guess but that is it for most of you - just a guess. Although I can not state the exact hours, I do know where I was situated for at least a couple of the hours on that exact day. I was in Nosebleed Heaven, to the right of the stage at maybe a 60 degree angle in front of it, in Madison Square Garden. That was to see and listen to Grand Funk Railroad in concert. What I did not know, or at least do not recall knowing back then, was that the backup band would be Bloodrock. Heck, when I think of it now, I do not remember knowing about a band by that name back then (damn those aged little grey cells) but I do recall a couple of their songs. Must have been them though because it says so here: https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/grand-funk-railroad-bloodrock-834fc761-27ec-41e9-a5e9-e3ff89a9cd20.
 
I always do remember though what amounts to basically three things in general about that concert:
 
Number one is who accompanied me: I went with my two friends, from Glendale, NY - Jackie R and Steven M (my best bud back then). Sadly, I have no clue as to what they are up to or where they are now; we've been out of touch for many years.
 
The second is that while we went to see Grand Funk Railroad, we were much more impressed by Bloodrock as they put on a much better performance and mind you - Grand Funk Railroad was not bad. Bloodrock's songs D.O.A. and Sable & Pearl had the audience going wild with applause as did others. They got a longer amount of applause and the kids (yeah, most of us were teenagers) there called out much longer for an encore from them than did the bunch of us for an encore by Grand Funk! As I seem to vaguely recall, the lead singer of Grand Funk expressed his disapproval about that. It really is funny I cannot recall shit almost anything else about them, it is just that concert performance and those two songs light up my little gray cells & has them dancing with a memory of musical delight. 
 
I said, I remember three things in general about that date. The third that I remember is that I was 15 at the time by a couple or few months or so and it was the first time I smoked. Now, it is for you to surmise, within the depths of your own psyche, to what type of smoke I refer - does he mean, you may wonder, something such as: a pipe filled with pipe weed as in The Hobbit, cigarettes filtered or unfiltered & self rolled or not, cigars, or something else - cause I ain't telling. And I ain't telling, not because I don't remember but rather because I love to stir up folks' imaginations and keep them guessing about me. Whatever it was, I am happy to say I quit smoking & chewing tobacco long ago.
 
All that aside - who/what, where & when was the first concert you attended? Bear in mind please that I am asking about major Rock concerts - not about: Country/Western, not Blues nor Bluegrass, not Classical nor Opera, not CRAP RAP, not your buddies in a garage, not school shows, not barroom wonder bands either - and not anything less than a major Rock concert.
 
All the best,
Glenn B


Monday, January 23, 2023

At Least 9mm Ammo...

 ...has dropped considerably in price lately despite the inflationary prices on almost everything else ammo. I'd compare ammo prices to the price of eggs and probably say 9mm ammo is currently the better deal but the last two times I visited my local Sam's Club they had zero eggs on the shelves for me to price!
 
Getting back to ammo, while 223/5.56 ammo remains ridiculously high (why should it being that 9mm prices have fallen markedly) some others have come way down from what they reached during the  buying frenzy caused by COVID & Biden. As far as I am aware, no ammo though has come down to the price it was before those two catastrophic events hit the USA like dual killer hurricanes but you can pick up 9mm (115 grain, FMJ) ammo for $239.95 per case of 1,000 rounds with free shipping. Of course, you need to add tax to that and you can opt to add full insurance coverage and adult signature required. Regardless of those add-ons, that is a pretty darned good price considering as high as 9mm prices had gotten over the past couple or few years.
 
The retailer I know of that has it at that price is Target Sports USA but only if you are an "Ammo+" member on their site (previously their Prime membership - but my guess is that Amazon did not like that name for it). If you are not a member it goes for $12.99 plus shipping or for $259.80 per case with free shipping. Only Ammo+ members get less than a case shipped for free. I believe it wise to buy it at this price if you need it now or even if you just want to stock up for a rainy day or a zombie 😂 apocalypse as opposed to actually needing it. I foresee ammo prices getting worse again in the short time left to me in my lifetime. No I am not dying imminently as far as I know - just getting, as Pink Floyd sang, "...shorter of breath and one day closer to death..." as each day goes by. 
 
Anyway, I think it a good idea to stock up on some now and even if it ever goes back down to what it used to be @ of about $189.99 per case for the same or similar stuff then buying even more would be my advice. If it does no go back down and goes up again instead you may lament not buying it now. More on it here at the source.
 
You can look elsewhere for it on a site like AmmoSeek.com and you may find this particular ammo (or similar) at a less expensive price. For instance, on AmmoSeek, the lowest price for this particular ammo is from a retailer offering it at around 15.3 cents per round, for a 300 round box. At that price it would be around $153.00 for a case of it - which would be a super duper excellent price if that was the whole price or even if you added tax. The thing is, as AmmoSeek indicates, that retailer has very high shipping rates (buyer beware because when you add the shipping quote I got for it, it is shy only a single dollar of double that price and I am not figuring in the tax).
 
This is not an advertisement for Target Sports USA, Sellier & Bellot or AmmoSeek nor is it SPAM - it is merely me discussing my opinion on when it would be a good time to buy 9mm ammo and some facts on the prices I discovered while searching the Internet for a good price on it. I do not receive anything as compensation from any of those mentioned sites (nor from anyone else) for anything I write in my blog (nor for anything else).

All the best,
Glenn B
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

I Think Biden Needs To Be Removed From Office...

 ...by whatever legal means is available to get him out now and I think that is what the democrats may be thinking as well. And yes Kamala Harris would become the president, likely a ditzier but yet somewhat more cognizant president; so as much as I hate to admit it, probably a better one than Biden. My guess is she would only lie half as much as the serial inventor of the Joe Biden that Joe Biden often portrays himself to be - a legend in his own mind. 
 
Did he actually take a knee for a photo-op with basketball players? More at the source. Why? Was it to symbolize that he would kneel instead of singing the National Anthem - just as many football & basketball players did? That is how I interpret what this scumbag just did! Even VP Harris was not stupid enough to pull that stunt by dropping to a knee. Look at the shit eating grin on his face as he does it - he seems to me to have zero respect for the United States of America. I think he is a piece of shit bum for having done so but am sure he will make up some screwball excuse for himself and to try to appease the left (but mostly to justify himself to himself - if you have not noticed, he seems to do that a lot and it ofttimes seems that it comes out as a lie about something he claims to have done that he has not done).
 
Do you think he loves America and American citizens? Then why did he essentially threaten gun owners with possible F-15 attacks against their AR-15s if they ever try to overthrow a tyrannical government (more at the source). If that does not reek of tyranny - what does!

Fuck Joe Biden and if you do not like the language I use to speak about him then - in the immortalized words of Sister Walter Phillip allow me to say - tough noogies. I am sick of him. He is - as I see him - lower than the lowest scum of the earth. He is, I believe, almost 100% responsible for the super-high inflation we are going through and that only after him creating the problem is he now trying to take credit for things getting better under his insane economic policies and at the same time hoping we forget that we are in this mess because of his policies! 
 
We did not have to suffer for 2 years of his presidency with those inflation rates, all he had to do was keep President Trump's economic policies and oil production policies in place - but no he destroyed them almost immediately upon taking office. Then what did he do but sign off on a spending plan for trillions & trillions of dollars, and he calls conservatives "fiscally demented" (more at the source) when he spends like there is no tomorrow; yet, we do not have a pot to piss in, the window to throw it out of nor the ground to catch it! 
 
Add to that - what does he do but allow hundred of thousands, if not millions, of illegal aliens across our borders to stay here. They are people whose first act on U.S. soil is to break the law in our country. Even the leftist, sanctuary city loving, mayor of NY says he has had enough of the illegals now that Texas sent thousands of them to NYC to share the expense of caring for them. Funny how the mayor changed his tune after having to foot the bill for some of their care. Instead of encouraging Biden's catastrophic border policies as I think he had done and bad mouthing those who opposed them, mayor Adams is calling it all a national crisis (more at the source) now that the problem has landed in part on his lap.
 
Biden also seemingly has a track record of being an abject racist. He is (or was) apparently in cahoots with Red China and the Ukraine. He evidently, it seems, has covered for the alleged criminal activities of his son, he allegedly has profited from business dealings his son had with the Red Chinese, reference Hunter Biden's laptop. He has also evidently broken the law just as he alleges President Trump did with regard classified documents but yet he acts if he is law abiding and morally superior to President Trump. Biden says he is cooperating but he only said that after classified documents he has held for several years - since he was vice president - were found in his possession. Had they not been found - do you think he would have been honest & forthright and told the citizenry about them. 
 
There was no secret that Trump had such documents, he was in negotiations about them before the dems and their lackeys in the FBI decided to launch a full scale raid on his Florida residence! Where is that same type of raid on Biden's offices & home? Biden knew he (Biden) possessed those documents when he went after Donald Trump for the same exact thing, that was way before we knew Biden had them. He even kept some of them in - of all places - his garage. He did not disclose he had them until after the elections even though found days before the elections. That was also until well after he called President Trump irresponsible for having kept similar documents; which Trump kept in secure areas Mar-a-Lago (more at the source) and not in his garage! 
 
Amazingly enough the National Archives are not in an uproar (at least not yet) about Biden having those documents. No they are rather laid back about it or at least have been. The FBI seems likewise. That even though a vice president - which is what Biden was when he took those documents - is not able to legally declassify them; only a president (like former President Trump claims he did with those he kept) can do that. So they definitely were still classified, otherwise by now, I surmise we'd have heard President Obama saying he had declassified them. Then again, President Obama probably figures & knows that Biden is a lost cause so why get involved, after the fact, by lying about their classification trying to save a chump and maybe getting caught up in it himself.

It would not surprise me if the democrats threw a bashed and bloodied Biden to the wolves to let them rip him apart (figuratively of course) so as to oust him from the Oval Office because they probably think they can only do better with the word salad tossing, laughing hyena, dimwit Harris as president! Biden is essentially little more, if any at all more, than a write off to them now. He was a major embarrassment to the dems - what with his serial lying and his apparent mental health issues and the economy - long before the news broke about him retaining classified documents and that news just getting worse as time goes on. Thus my guess is, he will never be reelected unless by fraud and why would they bother committing fraud to keep him and his failures in the limelight. I think he does not have a snowball's chance in hell of a second term and my bet is the dems know it. So he basically is an expendable liability to them. If they throw him out or throw him in the hoosegow - they win. Why? Because that way they can later claim how wonderfully even handed and fair they were if and when they prosecute President Trump for the same offense for which they got rid of Biden. 
 
I tell ya, this country must be the laughing stock of the entire world with what I believe is the most nasty, disagreeable, disrespectful, anti-Constitution, anti-American, corrupt & out for only himself  asshole president within my lifetime. 
 
Yep, other than what I listed sources for, the above was mostly my opinion of him. What do you think of him?
 
All the best,
Glenn B

Monday, January 9, 2023

It Was A Cool & Somewhat Dark But Stormless Night...

 ...as I sat on my small back patio that was dimly illuminated by the somewhat less than (for reading) adequate patio light and a set of Christmas lights around the patio privacy fence. I had been reading, in that barely sufficient light, and was almost finished with chapter six of the last of Dashiel Hammett's mystery novels - The Thin Man. I had finished the fourth, of his other four novels, maybe three weeks ago, that one was The Glass Key. So far the best of the four I have read all the way through has been the superb classic The Maltese Falcon but none of the others were bad at all. The screen adaptation of that one happens to be one of my favorite Bogart (as in Humphrey Bogart) movies.  
 
I was quite hesitant to begin reading The Thin Man. Its film version is also one of my all time favorite films noir. I sometimes debate if it or The Maltese Falcon should be named the best ever film noir - both were that good. The only movie I have seen, that was made within my lifetime, that even comes close to either of them as far as films noir go was The Usual Suspects. All of those and many others of the same genre contain some of the best character actor portrayals ever. 
 
I finally started read The Thin man tonight despite my hesitancy, a bit of procrastination that I suppose was based upon my reluctance to read the last of Hammett's works because there would be no others to follow and because I was somewhat fearful that it would be nothing like the movie. Then again, I was hopeful it and the movie would be alike since the film The Maltese Falcon was a truly magnificent and was very true adaptation of the book.
 
Anyway this is not as much about how much I like Dashiel Hammett's stories or how much I feel the moods and think the thoughts of each of the characters whom he chose to fill the stories & tell those tales but is more about what happened as I was reading. That event - though insignificant for me but possibly not for someone else - fit right into the shadowy and puzzling mood in which the reader is enveloped as the clever sleuth and his witty wife use their cunning wits to bring us through the dizzying maze of baffling clues to arrive at the solution to the mystery. 
 
What happened tonight was, that as I was near to the end of chapter six, there were three of four gunshots, in rapid succession, near to the backside of my apartment. I immediately took what cover I could and as I was moving to get inside, there were about seven to eight more shots fired. They sounded, to me, to have all come from the same gun. My guess, it it was likely a pistol in the mid caliber range - maybe a 9mm or a 380 or something close to one of those. I doubt it was a revolver because there were too many sots for almost anything except a 22 and these shots did not sound as if they came from a 22 caliber handgun. Sooner than later, with agile swiftness that my aged joints no longer normally allow, I was inside with my door locked and barred. I called 911 and gave them what little info I had; the 911 operator said several others had called in the same and that the police were on their way. I saw zero police response over the course of the next 15 minutes but it does not mean they did not respond, if they did they could have just been out of my sight. 
 
Shots fired fit right in with the mood of each and everyone of Hammett's detective stories but kind of ruined it all a bit too because I stopped reading for the night. I was not about to stay outside reading on my back patio and once inside decided to wait to read more tomorrow. What was very nice about it though was that I was able to think -  'Look Ma, top of the world - no bullet holes in me'. I am looking forward to finding out what happened tomorrow when I check the local news. If all involved were lucky, there will be little to nothing to be reported because no one got injured. Of course, if I counted right and 10 - 12 shots actually were fired, then chances are someone either was shot or maybe got lucky and merely crapped their drawers when fired at.

All the best,
Glenn B
 
 

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Do You Prefer Justice Regular or Fried

 I am guessing these two alleged and apparently failed arsonists wish the version they had brought upon themselves would have been regular but they both got fried instead!

 
 
All the best,
Glenn B