Ballseye's Firearms Training And Tactics 1 - Firearms Safety

Oh where to begin on such a subject without sounding like a kindergarten teacher. Well at the risk of sounding like just that, I will start where anyone who teaches about firearms should start, and that is on safety.

Many folks out there who teach others how to shoot, will tell you there are what they call "The 4 Rules". They will try to convince you, and probably will convince you if you are a newcomer to the world of firearms, that these 4 rules are the bedrock of firearms safety. They may tell you how Colonel Jeff Cooper wrote them up in one of his books. Then they will tell you all about Colonel Cooper. Then they also may tell you these 4 rules are all you need to be concerned with concerning firearms safety. If they tell you that these rules are all you need be concerned with, or are primarily all you need to be concerned with, then they are, in my opinion, absolutely wrong! There are quite a few more cardinal rules of firearms safety to which you need to adhere devoutly.

Now before any of you firearms aficionados, and lovers of the recently deceased Colonel Jeff Cooper, get all bent out of shape thinking that I am debasing your idol or hero; or that I am not qualified to speak about firearms safety, allow me to give you some of my background relative the subject. I have been shooting since I was about 9 years old. I learned the rules of firearms safety way back then, which would be about 42 years ago. There were quite a few more rules being taught back then than now. In 1979, I entered the federal service as a U.S. Border Patrol Agent. I have also been employed as a Customs Patrol officer, Customs Investigator, Customs Special Agent, and am currently an ICE Agent. I have done temporary duties with the U.S. Secret Service, and with the Federal Air Marshals (this right after 9/11). I have been in armed, and other life threatening, encounters at work. Thankfully not where anyone has shot at me, but I have been whacked with quite a few hard objects, and had one guy try to slice and dice me; and I had one guy take a small chunk out of my arm by biting me after he tried to grab my own revolver to shoot me. (Hmm, I guess there was one time at work then when someone did try to point a gun at me, but was not successful.) As part of my collateral duties I was assigned as a firearms instructor for about 14 years. I was also assigned as a Confrontational Safety Awareness Instructor (hand to hand defensive maneuvers, and how to avoid confrontation if possible) for several years; and was assigned as a Chemical Spray Instructor for several years. As to firearms, I instructed other agents in how to shoot: revolvers, pistols, shotguns, rifles, and sub-machineguns.

I do not instruct any loner, and have not done so for about 5 years now because I apparently pissed off a boss and they removed me from the job I liked best. It had nothing to do with anything I had done at the range or in my duties as a firearms instructor as far as I am aware, and was more likely to do with my big mouth in the office. I often tell bosses what they do not like to hear, which is the truth about how things are being done at work. When it sucks, I let them know in no uncertain terms. I can only imagine this is why I was told not to report to the range any longer, because it happened right after a conflict with one of my bosses under the newly formed agency known as ICE, and there was plenty about which I was remarking at the time, therefore there were a few bosses pissed off at me. They still refuse to give me a reason for all this, and I have stopped asking. Just wanted to get that out of the way.

Despite no longer giving instruction on my job, I still train relentlessly with firearms. I also teach my son how t shoot rifle and shotgun. Last year he went on his first ever big game hunt. We went to Maine on a semi guided bear hunt. When the guide had everyone in camp shoot at a target to make sure they knew what they were doing, Brendan (my son) shot right through the center of the bulls eye. He was the youngest hunter in the group. I could see that the guide thought it was a fluke and he asked him to shoot at the target again. Right after the 2nd shot, the guides dad sounded off with two words: "he's ready". Brendan had another shot that had touched the first. He got a bear on that hunt, shot it exactly in the kill zone, right through the heart. In addition to a successful hunt, let me tell you he handled the firearm safely at all times. This was commented upon to me by the guides more than once, and I can assure you had he been unsafe, the hunt of a lifetime would have ended immediately. I am a stickler for safety with guns. As you will learn, I have made my own mistakes with them, and you can bet I have learned from them.

I digress. Okay, back on subject a little more directly.

Firearms safety is the responsibility of almost anyone who picks up a firearm, who stores a firearm, who displays a firearm, or who simply owns a firearm. Note I said almost anyone. If a toddler picks up a firearm, well then firearms safety is not his/her responsibility is it. Yet someone is responsible for safety with said firearm, and is responsible for allowing the baby to get hold of it. Think about it.

Whenever you handle, store, display a firearm, or firearms, there are certain safety rules to follow in order to help assure that no one is These rules have been around for many, many years. They are not difficult to learn, and they are not that numerous that you cannot learn them all relatively quickly. You will see there are quite a few more than 4 of them; and with all due respect to the departed Colonel Cooper, how anyone could have reduced them to 4 seems irresponsible to me.

Here are the rules that I believe we must follow each time we are involved with firearms:

1. Learn the rules of firearms safety before handling any firearm or ammunition. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

2. Get proper training about the particular firearm, that you are about to handle, before you handle it. (That means before you touch a firearm in any way shape or form. Such could just be a briefing from the person handing it to you, or such could be reading the manual that comes with a new gun.) Funny how often people leave out this rule, but it is not funny when you are at the range and see a guy who is totally flummoxed on how to operate the firearms he is handling, and then violates some of the other rules while trying to figure it out. Having such a person point a gun at you is a sobering experience. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life..

3. Each time you handle a weapon, treat it as if it were loaded.

If you are about to do anything but shoot from the draw out of a holster, then check to see if it is loaded or not before you do anything else (hopefully if you are in a shooting from the draw situation you have checked to make sure it was indeed loaded before getting to that point of shooting it). This means even if you already checked, know it is unloaded, and you put it down - even for only a second or two - when you pick it back up you must treat it as if loaded and check again to see if it is loaded or not. In fact you always treat a gun as a loaded weapon in any shooting, showing, handling situation except in certain circumstances such as cleaning it, but even then, each time you handle it, you handle it as if it were loaded and check to make sure if it is or not. When you check the firearm, remove the ammunition - this includes any in a magazine, the cylinder, or in the chamber. Then look and feel to make sure it is empty, do this at least twice. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life..

4. Always point a firearm in the relatively safest direction - and this applies whether it is loaded or not. (I am sure you have heard the excuse, after someone got shot, that the shooter did not know the gun was loaded. Well the accidental shooter just violated rule number 1 and rule number 2; and as you will see, likely rule number 3 too.) Remember too that a safe direction is not always up, or down, or to the right or to the left, or straight ahead. A safe direction depends upon the circumstances in which you find yourself, and some directions may be relatively safer than others in this regard, use the direction you think is safest. Point the firearm in the safest direction of which you can think. Of course there can be exceptions, such as if checking for a barrel obstruction and you have to look down the barrel, but then make sure to follow rules 1, 2 and 4, and even follow this rule until you actually have to look and only do so in a safe place, don't start doing this by turning the gun around with other people in the potential line of fire. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life..

5. Always keep your finger off of the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Most guns, in good working order, will not go off unless you squeeze the trigger; some guns in good working order can though, and others with malfunctioning parts can too, so again you see the importance of rules 1 & 2 above. Again, there are exceptions since some guns require you to squeeze the trigger to make them safe or disassemble them (like many Glocks), but then again follow the other safety rules. Carry out this rule concurrently with rule 3 and 2.

For example, you are at a range, you finished shooting, and you have unloaded your gun. You place it on the bench pointed downrange. You get your gun case. You pick up the weapon and point it not downrange but to the right to get it into your gun case. As you do so, you fiddle with the safety, the gun goes bang and shoots the guy next to you. You unloaded the gun, you did not have your finger on the trigger, you were putting it away. What did you do wrong? First of all, you forgot to remove the bullet in the chamber when you thought you unloaded it by removing the magazine full of bullets. This happens, even to well experienced shooters, call it a brain fart - one that can be deadly. Then you laid it down and picked it up again without checking again to see if it was loaded; and it was indeed loaded. Then you pointed it in an unsafe direction while handling and operating it (even if only operating the safety). Then it went bang. Now you are in jail, and someone is dead. Don't think this could happen, just inquire about certain Remington bolt action firearms, because other people swear this is just about what happened to them. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

6. Make sure that any firearm you are handling is in proper working order before attempting to shoot it. Common sense, you can bet it is not because people assume too much. When going to the range it is always a good idea to make sure the barrel is unobstructed before shooting it. Of course this sometimes requires looking down the barrel, so you had better make sure that you have checked and double checked to see that the gun was unloaded before doing so. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

7. Always use the correct ammunition for the firearms you are shooting. Again, this sounds like common sense, but it is a confusing subject to the new comer what with all the calibers out there. Most guns are marked with what caliber they shoot, but if in doubt ask the manufacturer if possible, otherwise ask a competent gunsmith. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

8. Never mix alcohol or illicit mind altering drugs with firearms; and make sure that prescription drugs do not affect you to the point where you cannot safely handle a firearm. Is this common sense, it should be, but you might be surprised just how many people have a few drinks, or smoke just one, while or before they shoot. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

9. Always be sure of your target and what is beyond. Some may wonder why it took me so long to get to this rule. Well if you are out shooting, and you have not already followed the other rules, chances are you are wounded or dead by now, or that you have wounded or killed someone else.

For example, you are out target shooting, you find a nice hill, and you place your targets along the bottom of the hill, using the hill as a back stop. Not bad, but did you ever check to see what was on the other side of the hill. People often shoot over backstops either because of poor shooting habits, or because of ricochets. Another example is you are out hunting, you see a deer, It walks behind a bush, but then its head emerges. You know your deer, and you can easily figure where its body is located behind the bush. You decide to shoot. The shot misses, passes through the bush and hits the other hunter who was 50 yards away behind the bush and obstructed from your view. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

10. Wear eye and ear protection while shooting or observing someone shoot. Again you would think this is common sense, but I can assure you such is not the case. All too many folks hear a constant ringing in their ears because of gun shot noise. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

11. Always keep your gun unloaded when not in use. In other words when put into storage, even if only for the short term. This is a good idea just in case you screw up on rule number 2 the next time you handle it. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

12. Always store guns and ammunition securely. This can mean either locked away in a safe, or a gun cabinet. It can also mean out in plain view but with a secure trigger or action lock in place. It is best to store ammunition away from firearms. Keep storage as safe as practical, but make sure it is safe. You don't need non-informed persons picking up your own gun and shooting you, or themselves, with it. It also keeps the kiddies safe. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

13. Make absolutely certain that anyone else with whom you shoot, or to whom you allow access to a firearms, observes these rules. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life.

14. Think firearms safety, whenever around firearms, it could save a life. This phrase appears 13 times above. The word ‘think’ appears about 20 times. There really is a good reason I repeated them so many times: The life I save by teaching you to be safe, and to think about firearms safety, may be my own. Think about that regarding your own life, or that of your spouse, your children, your friends, and the stranger next to you at the range - he could be me.

You may want to abide by 4 rules (which are in essence included in the above 14 rules) thinking they are enough, but if you really want to make sure you shoot safely, my advice would be to follow the other rules too. It would take all of about 5 minutes to explain 4 rules to someone, and all of about 15 or 20 minutes to explain the above to someone. Really think about it, and ask yourself: "Would it be worth taking that little extra time, and effort, to make sure the person handling the firearms knows how to do it safer than by just the 4 rules? I think the answer is a no brainer; and I am often surprised at just how many folks disagree with me. You have to decide for yourself. Safe shooting, handling, gunsmithing, collecting - or whatever is our responsibility.

All the best,

Glenn B

Disclaimer Time...

...is upon us, and in that light I have added a new page element to the right. Please read it and abide by it.

As for the reason for adding a page element, let's just say I am a wussy. I am also about to start writing pieces in which I will speak about firearms tactical applications, and training. What more can I say about it...

All the best,
Glenn B

A Stupid Prank...

...but a prank nonetheless, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,283792,00.html

So I believe the resulting felony charges are really ridiculous in light of what I know about this one so far. We have 150 alarm clocks planted all around the school, and apparently the clocks involved were wrapped with duct tape so that teachers could not easily turn them off when the alarms went off. They were all set to go off at the same time to signify the end of school. Great prank as pranks go, maybe for 10 or 15 years ago or more, but not a bright prank to have pulled off after 9/11. Still, there does not seem to have been a threat actually made or implied. There seems to have been an over reaction to a prank, and then an over reaction to that over reaction ended up in felony charges. Are we all supposed to be good little boys and girls in our youths with our thumbs stuck in the dike, or can we have some fun now and then while others get hosed? Granted maybe someone of these kids should have thought, 'hey maybe someone else will think these are bombs', but maybe an adult should have also thought 'this was just a stupid prank pulled off by teens, and the kids need a good talking to'! Felony charges indeed. Don't law enforcement officers have better things to do to occupy their time and spend our tax dollars?

All the best,
Glenn B

A Good Book, Death, Father's Day, and taking it easy...

...all came naturally to me today, and I enjoyed the day immensely so far. Basically I took it easy, well that is after watering the vegetable garden my wife's flower garden, the potted plants (all with watering cans), then watering the back lawn with hose by hand, and then watering the front lawn too (I cheated on the front and set a sprinkler out to do the work). I also pulled some weeds for awhile. About the only thing I did not do that I should have gotten done today was to rearrange all the stuff I moved in the basement to make room for the new washing machine. Later for that, but I will get it done this evening.

While the front lawn was being watered by the sprinkler, I sat down with a heffe weisse bier and picked up a book. I just decided that I would take it easy most of the day (nothing new in that for me), but that today I would get some reading done while lounging around outside on the patio, or what passes for one. I actually put on a pair of shorts and sat in the sun too. I will probably pay for that hour spent reading and taking in old Sol's rays; but it sure felt good while I was out there. Tomorrow I'll probably be both well read and very red. As it was, I finished a book that I had started to read at least a few months back. Now before you go and think I finished something like the Count of Monte Cristo (I am only about 1/3 the way through that one) the book I finished could be considered a pamphlet next to that tome. In fact, the one I finished reading today was only 62 pages long; it took me so long to read because I had misplaced it months ago, and only found it this weekend in the basement when I rearragned everything for the new washing machine (I guess some good came out of the old washing breaking down after all).

Despite this book being a short one, it is full of a lot of heady subject matter concerning morality, immorality, art, the life of the artist in the form of a closet liberal, homosexuality, pedophilia, wanton lust, liberalism as being decadent and a cause of immorality, the general decline of society due to a liberal life style being favored by many, and the end result of such to those involved - the book being Death In Venice, and you can guess the outcome.

If you read this book, you will probably realize that the mind of the latent pedophile, and that of the latent or closet homosexual (of years past when homosexuality was truly considered verbotten) are exquisitely described therein, as is the mind of the extreme liberal. In fact the battle between those mindsets, and that of the conservative also is expressed in some detail. The end result of all this is certainly not what you would expect in a contemporary work of fiction, but my guess is that Thomas Mann, the author, was outing his own demons in writing this piece; and it is certainly not a contemporary work, the story being set in 1911 or thereabout. It is my understanding that he used much of his own artistic life to draw upon and to portray the main character, one and the same as the person afflicted with temptations to commit those unnatural and immoral acts. I do not know if he was a latent homosexual, or a latent pedophile, but Mann himself was married with 6 children, and was very conservative at the time, so it seems unlikely as to either. Yet, it seems likely that he at least at some time may have mused about the temptations of such a lifestyle. If not, then he seemingly at least understood, through his ties to the world of art with him being a writer, that extreme unchecked liberalism, of the type often seen among those of the art world, was a road to moral degradation of the worst sort.

Later in life, Mann spoke out strongly against Nazi Germany. Some say that this showed him becoming more liberal because during WWI he had supported the Kaiser. I tend to disagree. I think he realized that extreme liberalism, or extreme conservatism, were both the wrong path to take; though I will point out that I believe the Nazis were anything but the conservatives of the day. Being socialists, and anti everything that Germany had truly stood for in the past (behind a disguise of being pro-German tradition, which had been a conservative but yet very open society) I believe them to have been extremists so far removed from the center as to have come round to the point where the ends bent back around and conservatism and liberalism are so extreme as to be the same thing. In essence they espoused extreme liberalism and extreme conservatism in their dogma. But I digress, and neither Nazism or Mann are my main subject.

Read the book, it is a fast read (if you don't lose it for a few months), and very enjoyable, though I will admit to having had to look up quite a few words. It is a strong piece about morality versus immorality, about dedication to a work ethic as opposed rampant leave of ones work ethic, about self control versus loss of control, about doing good as a member of society as opposed to doing things for a more selfish reason, and about the outcome to expect when a man or a society loses sight of what is right and what is wrong and they forget by which path life should be lived.

All the best,
Glenn B

Happy Fater's day...

...to all of you dads out there. It ain't easy but someone has to do the dad thing; here is hoping you have done it well.

All the best,
Glenn B

Washing Machine Blues part 2

So far today I had the joy of having our new GE Profile washing machine delivered right on time (actually right at the first minute of the 2 hour time span they gave us in which to expect delivery), had nice, courteous, and careful deliverymen; then after they had left I found out the new washing machine probably does not drain properly, which is one of the reasons we got rid of the old one. Seems to be an awful lot of water left under the wash basket once the cycle is over. I thought there may have been a problem when I heard what sounded like truly weird noises coming from what I supposed was the drain pump. Oh well, it maybe going back to Sears soon I think, or at lest they will have to send someone to check it out. If we do not feel comfortable with it, they have a wonderful 90 satisfaction guarantee. In that case, we will just order another one and hope for the best.

As for the 5 year extended warranty we bought, that will go back for a refund first thing tomorrow. Sears sold us a 5 year plan for about $259, about half the cost of the washer. GE offers up to a three year plan and it is only $110, and it kicks in after the 1st year regular warranty expires, not from day one as I believe does the extended Sears warranty. You do the math, I'll go with the GE extended warranty.

Now to rearrange all the things I moved down in the basement, so we can get around again down there. I guess I'll have to move them back into place, then take them out again, once Sears comes to bring us a new washer. A royal pain in the behind, but life goes on, and breakfast is almost done. Mmm, that bacon sure smells good, and gives me something to look forward to on this father's day.

All the best,
Glenn B

The Washing Machine Blues

Spent all of this afternoon getting the basement ready to receive the new washing machine (the old one broke down), which is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I'll believe it when it is in place and running.

I have got to say it is amazing how much junk can wind up behind work benches and washing machines. The bench was next to the washer. And it is kind of scary as to all the different types of creepy crawlers that live under a washing machine. I am not positive, but I saw one spider that looked very much like a black widow; I know they are not native to this part of the country but then again neither were Lone Star ticks which now abound here.

Oh well, I got the back room of the basement cleaned out in the one corner where the washer will sit. I did not remove the old one from the basement, that is included in the service tomorrow, but I moved it to a place from where it will be easy for the delivery guys to get it without doing a lot of damage to anything. That also let me have time to do the cleaning job in that corner of the room. Once it is in place tomorrow, there will be lots more of cleanig up and rearranging to do in the basement. I thought it was a mess before but with a lot of stuff moved out of the way, with the work bench relocated to the other side of the room,, with a fish tank drained to accomodate moving it easily so I could moe oother things around, the place looks pretty shabby. Hopefully there will be enough time in the day after the delivery tomorrow to clean it all up and have it over with for now. I also hope the new one really is only 27" wide, otherwise it will be a no go. Even 1/4 of an inch more width will be too much, thanks to a pipe that runs near the floor to our boiler. The old one fit, so hopefully so too will the new one.

All the best,
Glenn B

So Democrats Want Us To Drive...

...more fuel efficient cars, and the way they want to make sure we drive them is by demanding that automobile makers start manufacturing cars that will average 35 miles per gallon. See:

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Jun16/0,4670,DemocratsEnergy,00.html.

The goal is to reduce our dependence upon foreign oil. This does not sound like a bad idea, so why does it get me so pissed off when I hear it spouted out by the liberal left. I guess those pictures of them flying around in private jets, and the fact that many of them own multiple gas guzzlers instead of fuel efficient cars are reasons good enough to irk me. About 10 years ago, heck actually 11 years ago, I bought a brand new Ford Taurus (whoopee) not because it would be fuel efficient, but because my family needed a step up in the size of car we had been driving which was a Mazda 323 and our only car at the time. We kept the Mazda which was quite fuel efficient up until about 2 1/2 or 3 years ago when we donated it to the Salvation Army. The Ford was not the best choice I could have made for a second car, so I decided to get another foreign job, well a made in America foreign job anyhow. Guess what we bought. We bought another fairly fuel efficient automobile. One of the reasons I wanted a smaller car was that I like the way they handle, another was that I like the way they sip gas instead of guzzle it. The fact also is that being a hunter and fisherman, I like to do my bit to help the environment. As for gas prices at the time, gas prices were higher than they had been but still not very high when we bought the new car 2005. Since we don't drive as much as the average family with a car, the price of gasoline did not effect my decision much, but I figured the prices would go up, and my guess about further price increases effected my decision somewhat. My wife had wanted an SUV, but finally agreed a small car would be just fine. So we decided on a Toyota Corolla. We got a great deal and away we drove with our new silver Corolla. Today I am quite happy I did so, what with the prices of gasoline, and the fact that it recently cost me $50 to do a fill up on the Ford Taurus (yes we still have that one after 11 years or so), and $35 to fill up the Corolla. I don't recall what mileage the Toyota gets, but it probably comes close to 35 mpg on the highway and that is a blessing at these prices.

Now I would like you, or anyone, to point out to me all of the Congresscritters who drive vehicles like that, especially those among the Demoncrats. Can you show me that the majority of them do so. No you cannot. I wonder is John Kerry one of them, has he sold his veritable fleet of SUVs and big cars? Is Teddy Kennedy one of them, has he sold his boat with the hole in the bottom larger gas guzzling cars and replaced them with compact sized fuel efficient cars? Does Nancy Pelosi usually get driven around in something like a Corolla, or a Civic, or a Prius (spelling?), or another fuel efficient automobile - or in a limo? What is Harry reid driving or being driven around in on a regular basis? Remember the same goes for the Republicans too.

Now don't get me wrong, I am all for fuel efficiency, hell it will cost less in the long run for fuel, and the price of such fuel efficient cars will plummet, from what they are now, once they mass produce fuel efficient cars since their availability will then be high. What I would like to see now though are the big blabbermouths in Congress putting their money where their mouths are and going out and selling their big gas guzzlers, replacing them with currently available fuel efficient cars, of which there are plenty - even among those that do not run on batteries. I want to see them replace their limos, and their private flights, used for work travel with public transportation too. If that jerk (my opinion of him) Mayor Bloomberg in NYC can do it, then anyone in Washington DC can do it too. (Fact is that Bloomberg's use of public transportation is about the only really good thing he does that I can see, it saves my tax dollars that would otherwise have gone to fueling his limo.)

Now here is why I am really pissed off: I wonder, whatever happened to teaching by good example? What ever happened to shunning and punishing hypocrisy? These bastards in Congress want us to do what they will not do. They want to force us to drive more fuel efficient cars by forcing automobile manufacturers to build more fuel efficient vehicles, yet they will not change their ways, on that you can bet hard earned money. Should this law pass, and in the near future should the manufacturers all produce cars that get 35 mpg, 50 mpg, or even 100 mpg, most of the politicians will still be driving in the gas guzzlers of that future time. This is, I think, because politicians (redundancy alert) are for the most part hypocrits, or in other words, they are just politicians after all is said and done. I think it is about time to start voting people into office who were not lawyers to begin with, and ones who actually did some type of real work in the real world and who look at things from a practical point of view. That might be a jump start in the right direction, and would most likely keep the government running at a more efficient pace without burning all the bullshit.

All the best,
Glenn B

Tell Me What Is Wrong With This Story...

... and there is a lot wrong with it. Not with how it was told, I am not saying it is bad reporting, I am saying that the events were all wrong (although I cannot figure why this was only reported now instead of a couple or a few weeks back). This never should have happened, and when it did happen, the end result should not have turned out the way it did. Read it at FoxNews.com Murder With Baseball Bat of Mentally Disabled Man Caught on Surveillance Tape in L.A..

First of all, some pukey little punk with a baseball bat should never have had the lack of respect of life to approach someone and hit him with a bat like this. His parents maybe did not teach him morality well enough, or maybe he is mentally disturbed and should be in a nuthouse for life. I would also be willing to bet this is not his first criminal act, chances are he has been arrested before and he is again out on the street.s Yes these things are all wrong. Ultra Leftist logic that leads to feeling sorry for the poor underprivileged minority type sucks big time when it results in things like this, and it ends up like this all to often. Stuff like this is all wrong, and things like this should be much less commonplace than they are in today's world.

What else was wrong in this story, big time wrong? Look at it, read it again. No it is not that a mentally handicapped person was out walking to the store. That is probably a good thing if he was able to do it on his own within reason. Look , read, think. An unidentified passersby called 911 is what was wrong. Sure it was good that someone called 911 to try to get help for the victim, but that is all that anyone apparently did. Of course maybe they came to his aid and that would have been good.

Now think what was bad about how this all played out with the 911 call. First of all, the passerby who called 911 is unidentified. Why is that? Either he/she did not give a name and then left the scene afraid to become further involved; or the police refused to give out the caller's name for fear of reprisals from the assailant. That is very wrong. The good guy who made the call should be willing to give up his/her name to the authorities, and should be willing to testify as to what was witnessed. There should be little to no fear of reprisals, although it is a fact of life that reprisals in such cases happen all to often when someone comes forward as a witness.

There is also something else wrong with the 911 call. It apparently was the only 911 call. What about all those good people driving by in their cars. Surely someone else witnessed this, why did no one get out to help. Why did no one go after the dirtbag. But that is not all that was wrong.

So what else is wrong, what makes this all wrong, what allows for stuff like this to happen again and again? The fact is that we are a society of potential victims and the criminal dirtbags realize this and use it to their advantage. Too many of us are like sheep and when danger rears its ugly head we run away and this is how our society has made us. There could have a very different outcome though, one that could help put an end to such needless violent acts, and to the fears that fill many hearts after they take place. Imagine for a moment, a passerby walking along minding his own business sees this attack about to take place. He yells "Stop, don't move, I have a gun", or he simply draws and shoots the bad guy. Now the bat may have already swung, and the victim may have already been dealt a fatal blow, but the passerby could still have caused this to end differently by shooting the dirtbag. The dirtbags know you are very unlikely to be armed in a place like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Boston and the like, and they take advantage of that fact often. If, on the other hand, most people were armed it would be a different story, and bad guys would think two, three, four, or many more times before attempting such a crime. If good guys routinely shot bad guys who were committing acts of violence against innocents, the chances are the violent crime rates would plummet. Most of the scumbags who attack people like this are cowards. They do it from behind, they do it to a lone person, they do it because they think no one will oppose them. They will keep on doing it too, that is until the people of America wake up and realize that self defense, and defense of innocent others, is not only a right, it is the responsibility of each and every law abiding citizen.

All the best,
Glenn B

An end note: The police are reported as having no motive for this. My bet is, judging by profiling, stereotypes, and available evidence, that this was gang related, probably an initiation of some sort, or revenge. The guy who did this is probably boasting about it to his amigos criminal associates, as in other gang members. Yes that is guess work to a large degree, but darned educated guesswork at that - I have dealt with dirtbags before.

Beers and Ales...

...the ones I think are the hardest kicking better tasting and finer ones, are a thing that can bring good taste to my tongue, a wiff of a pleasent aroma to my nostrils, a pleasing picture to my eyes, and a good feeling overall to my being. I am not talking Budweisser here (no insult intended, but it just certainly is not one of my top choices), no not by a long shot; but nor am I talking about beers and ales that are beyond the reach of the average budget, at least if you drink them in moderation now and then.

For example tonight I went to my local beer distributor and I picked up a few different types of ale and beer. I bought a 12 pack of Franziskaner Heffe Weisse Bier, and it is ever so good. I cannot say it better than they say it show it on their own web site http://www.franziskaner.com/, with this little GIF to the right. That monk clearly knows how good it goes down. It is a one of the better biers I have ever had (I have a penchant for heffe weisse biers), and I certainly have had a lot of them over the years. Others that I really like are Paulaner Hefe Weisse Bier, Erdinger Heffe Weisse Bier, and Hacker-Pschorr Weiss Bier. A 12 pack of the Franziskaner cost me about $14.00 dollars tonight. Sure those run of the mill everyday beers are okay if you are down in the dumps money wise, but if you want something that tastes great every time (at least to me they do), and goes down very nicely with foods of all sorts, then this may be for you.

Of course, I also like American Beers and Ales, although I am not much of a fan of the really popular ones that seem to rule the market. I will drink the popular beers if I have nothing else, or maybe I won't drink them and instead drink a Coke. I really am much more of a small brewery type myself, and no I don't man so called micro-breweries that are really owned and operated by mega breweries (at least not to my knowledge). I like domestic beers and ales that are really given a nice taste, and are a bit on the stronger side. Having said that I need to point out that most of the beers made by Samuel Adams just do not do it for me. Some are okay now and then, but just that for my tastes. Many others are, to me, big disappointments - a lot of hype about their use of hops, and usually way too much hops at that as far as I am concerned. I am not saying that they are necessarily bad, but they are not exactly what I am looking for in a beer or ale. While some of their beers are okay, when it comes to their wheat beers, I will say as that as far as I am concerned they are terrible. I find this to be true of almost every American version of wheat beer that I have tried. They taste nothing like old world weisse biers to me, they come on way to strong in the flavor department (I believe to hoppy).

American beers and ales that I do like are also strong flavored, but are not overboard, and are truly brewed in smaller breweries. Some of the best domestic beers and ales that I have tasted are brewed by Brewery Ommegang in Coperstown, NY (http://ommegang.com/). To heck with the Baseball Hall of Fame, if I ever visit Cooperstown, I am also visiting Brewery Ommegang. They make some of the best tasting abbey style ales I have ever had flow through past lips - a true treat for the taste buds that really makes one think of an Old World setting, and drinking with monks in the cellars of an abbey. By the way, Abbey Style ales are a hallmark of Belgian brewing. One of the best from Belgium is Chimay Ale (a few different varieties under the same overall brand name are available). Ommegang has got it down just right, and their abbey ales are right up there with the Chimay brand (which is I believe still bottled in an abbey by monks). One of my favorites was their namesake: Ommegang Ale. They also make Hennepin and Rare Vos. The Ommegang Ale is about 8.5% alcohol content, and two bottles can easily leave you with a pleasant feeling as if you really had been drinking in the basement of an abbey. They also sell a wheat beer (which is a weisse bier) but I have not yet tried one.

I picked up an offering from Brewery Ommegang tonight at my distributor called Three Philosophers. It is one I had not heard of before, so I figured why not give it a try. It is dark, not too heady, very heavy and tastes great. It turned out to be a truly malty ale, with a hint of cherry lambic. I have got to say, that I am enjoying it, at this moment, very much - so much that it may become a new favorite if I hit the lottery. One bottle cost me about $8.60. I guess the fact that it is over 9% alcohol has something to do with the price.

I also picked up a couple of bottle of the Ommegang Abbey Ale. This while less expensive, at a bit more than half the price of the Three Philosophers, is just as tasty in its own way. It is another dark ale, and robust in flavor, and also has quite the kick. The other offerings I have tried from Ommegang are: Rare Vos and Hennepin. Both are somewhat weaker in strength, lighter in color, but certainly are not lacking in flavor. If you are a lite beer drinker, who actually likes watery tasting lite (lo-cal) beers, then forget about any of these. Speaking of water and beers, I wonder, do you know the similarity between lite beers and sex in a canoe? They are both f''ing close to water. (sorry I could not resist).

Oh well, as they say, later for you as I hear at least one of those three philosophers calling out to me wanting to discuss somethig with me over a cold one. So I am off to the back patio to enjoy the brisk nightime air of Spring's close, as I sip one of the finer ales I have ever tasted, and enjoy the allure of the Honeysuckle as it fills the nigt air with its heavenly aroma. Too bad though that I only bought one bottle of the Three Philosophers, next time I'll have to spend more on this one, and maybe do without the others, it is that good. Since I don't drink all that much, a few bottles of this could last me months weeks a week a few days at least a couple of days. As it is, I'll enjoy the one I have and maybe follow it up with a Franziskaner Heffe Weisse Bier, and then call it a night.

All the best,

Glenn B

What Can Be Done Since Documented Americans...

...certainly are going to become a very common sight at the borders of the United States of America; and of course by Americans I mean Americans as in country not as in continent because I am speaking about citizens of the United States of America. It is now required that each U.S. Citizen have a valid passport in order to enter the country from foreign soil, and this now includes from neighboring countries across out land borders. Yes I realize that people were recently given a sort of a reprieve and do not need passports to reenter from Mexico or Canada for the time being, but they still need a receipt showing they have applied for a valid U.S. passport.

Now I wonder, and I mean this sincerely, can you imagine a guy like Harry Reid, or like George W. Bush, feeling any sympathy for you if you lose your U.S. passport (meaning you are already a U.S. Citizen) and then sneak into the USA over the land border. What do you think will happen to you. Do you think you will be detained, arrested, fined, or jailed. It is quite possible that at least one or two of these things will happen. Maybe there is something else that will happen, will you be excluded, or in other words if caught immediately upon illegal entry into the USA, will you be forced to return to the country from whence you just departed such as Mexico or Canada as are illegal aliens who are caught at the border? I also wonder, and maybe you do too, what will happen to U.S. Citizens who sneak in and actually make it home away from the border. Will they be hunted down like illegal aliens should be hunted down. Will they then be interrogated, detained, arrested, fined or jailed?

Think about these questions, and think about them long and hard. You see, if the U.S. Government does not enforce this new law, then it is a farce and it will do nothing to really protect us from terrorists crossing our borders. Remember this is why the law or regulation was enacted in the first place. U.S. Citizens are required to have a U.S. passport to reenter the USA supposedly in order to help the government fight terrorism by making it harder for terrorists to enter our country. Now the government cannot produce passports fast enough and all you need for now is a receipt to show you have applied for one.

I have thought about all of this. If there is going to be strict enforcement this plan will work out great.; but will there be strict enforcement? Will there be fines or jail time for those of us citizens of the greatest nation on the earth if and when we enter our own country illegally? Maybe and maybe not, but probably not judging on the track record of our government. I mean just look to the entry of illegal aliens who flood across our border like an unstoppable Tsunami. They keep coming and our politicians, the ones who hold the reigns of power, do extremely little to absolutely nothing to really put a stop to this illegal entry, so how could they possibly do any different with U.S. Citizens. Hmm, wait a minute, let me give a bit more thought to this. They already have done differently, haven't they? They require U.S. Citizens to be documented at the borders don't they; but they do not require illegal aliens to have any documentation now do they! In fact they have gone so far, as seen in my last blog previous to this one, to call illegal aliens - undocumented Americans.

Many of our politicians welcome illegal aliens across our borders, and encourage more to enter illegally, with promises of amnesty, or what in essence amounts to amnesty, and a path to legal residence and ultimately to citizenship. Isn't that ironic and ridiculous? Should the current Immigration Reform Bill pass, then once these folks are legalized, what makes our government think that they will even for a moment consider getting valid U.S. Passports in order to legally cross the borders and help prevent terrorism while doing so? So then why is it that our political bosses are giving all these special considerations to people who have broken our laws in order to enter this country or in order to remain in this country beyond the period for which they may have been legally admitted? You and I both know the answer, they are seeking future votes for themselves and their parties, and they are seeking cheap labor for big business (don't ever let the leftists fool you into believing they do not support big business types that make donations to their political war chests - just look to Gorge Soros and to Hollywood moguls, and to any big business man who supported Bush).

Now you may also wonder, heck why is it that out government leaders give more benefits to illegal aliens while at the same time taking away our own liberties and requiring us to have passports and such. Well you see, if you are an adult over the age of 21, and are a U.S. Citizen, you are probably already a registered voter, and if not you are not likely to become one. So they know they have you pegged already, and they don't care as much about you as they do about 12 million new votes, and millions of cheap laborers. As for our children who will grow up to be voters, I guess they figure it this way: these kids will be so screwed up because of their parents' influence they will keep voting the way it has been for some time now - very far left and very loony - and I mean that even when we vote for most Republicans. Almost all of the candidates out there do not even have a clue as to what it would be to be a conservative platform in any way shape of form. So our elected officials basically have written us off as being as important to them as are 12 million illegal aliens. This is why they can scamper to make sure we all get passports as quickly as possible, and until then we use other documentation to be able to enter our own country, and why they can insist we enter our own country by the rules. It is also why, at the same time, they drag their asses on getting the new border fence erected (remember that one folks it was voted into law last year and they have put up less than a mere pittance of fence since then), and why they are trying to hammer in this new Immigration Reform Bill that will do little to actually reform Immigration from what it is today - which is a sorry state of affairs; but which most definitely will promote more illegal entry by aliens into our country.

Keep writing those letters folks, and maybe even make a call or two, an angry call, to your elected officials in Washington, DC to tell them that you vehemently oppose the immigration Reform Bill and any sort of amnesty or reward program for illegal aliens. Legal Immigration is another thing, and let them know that you realize such, but do not allow them to make any mistake conclusions about how you feel about the illegal alien problem; tell them straight out to remove them all from our country, tell them to prevent others from entering, and tell them to go after they who give illegals jobs that should be for U.S. Citizens and legal resident aliens.

Folks, if that doesn't work, then maybe it is getting close to the thing for which our Founding Fathers assured we would be armed. I hope not though because a revolution (non-violent or violent) against our own government could have excellent effects if won, or disastrous effects if lost. I do not advocate the overthrow of our own government, but I wonder, if it gets bad enough what else can we do, should we remain like sheep herded to slaughter regarding our rights, liberties, and sovereignty? I think we should never be under the thumb of tyrants, I think our Founding Fathers made this quite clear; yet I am afraid that is what our politicians are turning themselves into. I hope with all that is within me that it does not come to such, it would tear me apart to raise arms against my own country, as it would do likewise for me to serve tyrants.

All the best,
Glenn B

"12 million undocumented Americans"...

... are the words that Senator Majority Leader harry Reid used to describe the illegal aliens who are thought to be within our borders. He said this on or about June 4th, and surprisingly you can still read his words here: http://democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=275444&. As you can see, I waited a bit to write about this one; and I waited if only to allow the possibility of my head exploding in anger over this one. Is this the way the leftists like Reid and George Bush (make no mistake about it, George W. Bush is about as far left as any left leaning Republicans I have ever known about) will try to bamboozle the true American people into acceptance of what amounts to amnesty for 12 million illegal aliens. Are we now, suddenly, to open our arms to them not as illegal aliens, nor as illegal immigrants, nor as undocumented aliens, nor as undocumented immigrants, nor as underprivileged foreigners who came here to better themselves, and who were forced by poverty, lack of medical care, tyrannical governments, and the like to flee their own lands and enter the United States of America illegally (as in against our laws, as law breakers), or to enter legally with non-immigrant visa and then to illegally remain beyond the terms of their visas to seek out the American way of life - but rather as undocumented Americans!

I did not go for it when George W. Bush said that any person worth their salt would have entered the U.S, illegally to earn a living to support their families. Why not? Well because acceptance of that sort of twisted reasoning could also be applied to bank robbers, thieves, shoplifters, pickpockets, confidence men, embezzlers, perpetrators of credit card fraud, and so on. What George W. Bush said, in essence, apparently was that it is okay to violate the law to make things better for you family. Harry Reid has taken that a step further, hell he has taken it leagues further along the path of audacity and insanity. These illegal aliens are law violators first and foremost. They have violated a felony statute by coming here illegally. The only reason the federal government rarely enforces the statute as a felony, and instead goes with it as an administrative violation, is because it is or should I say was, much easier to remove aliens under administrative rules with all the criminal protections they would get under criminal law. Still though they have broken the law to be here. They often continue to break the law to stay. They who employ them break the law to help them stay. Now Harry Reid has broken through the realm of reality and reason, to a place that must be one of confusion and not knowing right from wrong (insanity) by calling these illegal aliens, these lawbreakers, UNDOCUMENTED AMERICANS!

I wonder, is there a way to impeach Senators? If there is a way, then why aren't other government officials trying tom do just that; why aren't the people in his state calling for his resignation, why aren't we all writing letters to complain about his apparent lack of respect for the law, his disrespect for all legal resident aliens and U.S. citizens, his evident inability to logically reason on this issue and tell the truth. These 12 million illegal aliens are not undocumented Americans. They are interlopers from abroad, they are foreigners who come here to suck the tit of the American economy, and they are not We The People OF The United States. I will be writing a letter to Reid expressing my disgust for his statements, and for his support of what amounts to amnesty for illegal aliens, and for his support of a truly off the wall immigration reform bill. I will also again write to my Senators, my Representative in the House, and to the Vice president and President. You should too. We need to defeat this insanity, with a resounding blow once and for all.

All the best,
Glenn B

I finally Went Fishing and Caught Something...

...over the weekend. No, Brendan did not tag along, he works on Sundays, but I went fishing anyway. I set off early yesterday afternoon for the Long Island Herpetological Society meeting. I left there about 3:30 and headed over to a Nassau County Park for some fishing. I set up my fishing gear, but didn't have much luck on the outgoing tide(?). I was fishing in a lake and the tidal creek that comes out of it, or feeds into it, dependent upon the tides. When I got there the water was flowing out of the lake. In the span of an hour the tide was coming in fast, the water flowing rapidly into the lake over a small damn at its end. Along with it came schools of fish. Then within the space of about about 2 1/2 hours the water was again coming out of the lake. Now I am none too sure that the tides had changed that quickly from low to high to low as I always thought that took many hours to change, but I do think that the tide actually did start to come in after I arrived there and with it arrived the fish. I think the tide was still high tide when the water started flowing out again because I think the water only flows into the lake at the very top of the tide being a bit above sea level at any other time. Whatever!

So it was on that incoming flow of water that I started seeing and catching fish. Within about an hour or so I had caught at least 75 of them. It was great, non-stop action, and to think I had not even put my fishing pole together or cast even a hand line before I had tens of them. You see I was using a minnow trap, and the fish I was catching were Killie fish. They just could not resist the bread and cat food I had in the trap. I did try my hand at some regular fishing in the lake, trying to catch a bass, but no luck there.

As for the Killies, I took them out of the trap and into a bucket with and aerator attached, that way they would stay alive until I got home. The Musk turtle is going to be living large on fresh Killie fish for awhile, if he can catch them. If not, then I'll have some pet Killies for a while. I put about a third of them into his tank, and I froze the rest of them for later use as turtle food or fishing bait. Of course I asked my wife, who I know loves sardines, if she would like to try some of these in lieu of sardines, but she only gave me one of those wife to husband looks indicating that the husband is quite off his rocker.

As for me, well this bait fish trip was one of the better things to happen to me this weekend, especially in light of the fact that a few others had gone wrong such as us needing to buy a new washing machine (just under $1,000 for the machine, 5 year extended warranty, delivery fee, and taxes), my not being able to make it to the range to shoot, my not catchjing the striped bass I had hoped for on Saturday, my oil hot water heater going out and so on. Life goes on despite the bad things, and when there are some fun things in the mix, it isn't so bad after all.

All the best,

Glenn B

Yesterday Was A Fun Day...

...even though I did not get a chance to go to the range since I was running late; and I guess the fact that it was raining out east of me where the range is located put the final kibosh on that. I did visit my sister, brother-in-law, nephew and mother. We had a nice time, and I took my nephew fishing. We didn't catch anything, but he got in a lot of practice casting. He is pretty darned good at it to for a 6 year old.

We did manage to catch a dozen or two of grass shrimp in a minnow trap, so my turtles will be living the high life eating gourmet food for a day or two.

Not the day I expected, but a fun one indeed.

Right now, it is off to a Reptile and Amphibian club meeting for me, and later for you.

All the best,
Glenn B

Harken, the son awaketh...

...and me thinks he feels somewhat better. Maybe a father/son trip to the range afterall! If not, well then I am off to catch me a big fish, or to be eaten by sharks. Only time will tell!

Later for you.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Warning from A U.S. Citizen In Venezuela

The following quote comes from a Rita at The Jungle Hut. She is a Christian Missionary who has spent the last "20 years in Venezuela", and she just wrote a piece by that name. Here is a really important quote from that blog:

"I remember being told that Venezuela had the strongest democracy in South America! I hope people in the USA will realize how quickly a democracy can be lost." (emphasis added by me)

Read those words, and be forewarned, it could happen anywhere. Venezuela is about as far from a strong republic/democracy as any nation could be. It could happen here in the United States of America too, if we let the ultra leftists, I think of Danny Glover and others like him who support Chavez, have their way with how things work in the USA! People wonder why I believe so whole heartedly in the Right to Keep And Bear Arms. Well, prevention of such happening in this country is one of the main reasons; and I thank the Founding Fathers for having the foresight to realize that such a right shall not be infringed. No wonder the ultra leftists hate that right so much, it prevents them from usurping power and totally destroying our way of life.

All the best,
Glenn B

Whoopee, it's Saturday...

...and I am going to have fun somehow. I spent most of yesterday morning waiting for the oil company man to come over and fix my hot water heater. Then I spent almost the rest of the day online window shopping, so to speak, for a new washing machine. Looks like a new decent one will cost right about what I had expected at about $449, that is unless we decide on the one other model that seemed decent, and that was $600 (both prices before taxes, and before extended warranty plan). I hope whatever we buy lasts longer than 10 years this time around. Last night I went to the laundromat to do the family wash. That wasn't bad but I wish someone in the place besides me, and one other customer, would have been speaking English.

So my oil burner broke but is now fixed. My washing machine broke, but will soon be either fixed by me (yeah right) or replaced (much more likely). Since bad things come in threes, something else is broke now too, or is about to be broke - that would be me! Still though, before I shell out the bucks for that washing machine, I am going to have some fun this weekend. I was planning to go to the range with Brendan today. He badly wanted to go because we have not been there together in months. The thing is it looks as if I may have to go alone, he has a bit of a sore throat strep throat and mononucleosis, and his throat really got raw again last night, so off to the doctor my wife will drag him screaming take him today. As a matter of fact I think he wants to go because his throat is bothering him so much. He knows that means he will miss the range day, so that also means I know he is really feeling poorly.

Egads, I just added stuff up. It is now 4 things that are proverbially broke if I include Brendan's tonsils. If that is right, and if it is true that bad things come in threes, that means that there are still two more things to go wrong this weekend for me! I had best be careful in whatever I do lest I break from the strain of all this and bring something nasty upon myself. To heck with worrying, I am going to have a good time this weekend even if it kills me it means there is a chance of something else going wrong. What is life without a little risk now and then. Heck life is full of risks, so why worry overly about them; I am going to have a good time.

As a matter of fact, I plan to go to the range where I will shoot up a storm. I'll bring at least two rifles, a shotgun, and a few pistols (I love variety while shooting). After that I will drive out to my sister's house for a visit with here, my brother-in-law, my nephew and my mom. Then on the way back, I may stop somewhere and wet a line to see if I can catch a striped bass. Now the way my luck has been going these past few days, I sort of half expect that I'll get all the way out there and my car will explode and strand me there (of course while at the range, who knows, maybe someone will shoot my car).

Well if that happens (my car exploding once I make it to my sisters, let alone it being shot at the range), so what! I can go fishing just a few blocks from their house, and chances are a striper will be lurking in those waters. I suppose though, if my car does explode, thereby becoming bad thing number 5 to have befallen me, that would mean that number 6 (the number that would complete the second set of three things going awry) would be looming over my head; but I wonder what could go wrong fishing. Sure I could hook myself in the eye (second highest cause of eye injuries in the USA is a fish hook to the eye or eyelid, or so I recently heard), or in the behind as I cast, but I usually get off some good casts, so I am none too worried about that. Now, I just bought some new lures yesterday, while I was returning home from a visit to a radiologist for an x-ray of a lump in my chest (and believe me I am very hopeful to get GOOD news back about that), and I figure I could lose all of the lures on snags. However, I think it is more likely that a really nice fish will grab hold of one of them; and that might be good. Thinking about worst possible scenarios though, hooking a fish could be number 6 in the line of bad things to have befallen me. Picture it: I cast into a surfacing school of bait fish, chased to the surface by a big fish, I get a strike, I set the hook hoping it to be a 30 pound striped bass. The way my luck has been going though it is more likely to be Jaws' mother (at about 2,500 pounds), and it pulls me into the briny deep only to become fish food. Oh well, maybe I'll go freshwater fishing.

I always could stay home and enjoy the weekend from the safety of my own home and yard. I could always have fun pulling weeds, cleaning the basement, doing some pointing work on the cracks in the mortar on my front stoop (but this could cause the whole house to collapse upon me), going shopping for the wife... Hell no - I am going to have fun! So I guess I will be taking some everyday risks, risks that maybe a bit enhanced with the rule of threes hanging over my head much like Damocles sword - but what the heck - you only live once. We were not put here for a long time, so it must have been for a good time; and I am going to have at least one good time this weekend. If I am still alive later today, I'll let you know how things turned out. Enjoy the weekend.

All the best,
Glenn B

PS: Thanks Jen for giving me the incentive (in a comment to one of my previous posts) to write this!

Unexpected Expenses and Thoughts of Internet Begging...

...have been subjects on my mind today. What with the washing machine breaking down and most likely needing replacement (see previous post), I got to thinking wouldn't it be nice to have a million bucks stashed away for such things.

I had been sort of hoping to stash away some money to buy a new gun sometime in the next couple of months; but now there is no chance of that with the expense of a new washing machine looming on the near horizon. I got pretty bummed out by this because I recently had some other unexpected expenses that had the same effect on my gun buying hopes. I was so frustrated that I almost decided to put a begging post up with a PayPal icon begging for donations.

I did a lot of thinking about this subject today, I even went so far as to write up a whole begging post. No not for inclusion on this blog, but actually under a whole new blog. In thinking about how I would do it, and why I would do it, I decided that if I was going to be an Internet beggar of some sort, I would do it not just so that I could buy new toys and show them off on my site even though I would like to buy some new toys; but rather I would want to also achieve some sort goal. I have always wanted to be a munificent millionaire, ever since the days of the show "The Millionaire". I guess almost everyone would kind of like to have a million bucks, I certainly would. If I was going to beg for it on the web, I would beg for it with that goal, of becoming a millionaire, as my driving force. If I actually were to gain that much money from begging, I would probably give most of it away to charity. Of course I guess I would spend some on myself and my family, pay the taxes on the million with some of it, but then I'd probably give the rest of it away.

Then I thought about how I feel when I see others begging, and I felt almost ashamed of myself for even having given it some thought, let alone actually writing up a whole blog on the subject. While begging to get money is not necessarily a bad thing, it often gets me riled up when I see someone begging, but who has a good paying job, and plenty of money, a nice house, plenty of toys like guns and cars and boats and power tools and electronics and cameras and other goodies. When people who have it to excess stoop to begging so they can have more to excess I see it as the height of boorishness. So, I decided against the begging thing, though I will say I was sorely tempted.

I was oh so tempted that I took it this far: http://TheHumbleBeggar.blogspot.com. As you will see though, the PayPal link is not on the page. When I think about it, it would be fun to say that I was able to get one buck from each of a million people so that I was able to become a millionaire. It would be very nice to have about $50,000 to spend to close out my mortgage and college loans, and to have some to stash away for my sons college expenses; with some left over for a car and a vacation; and then with plenty more left over to donate to a charity.

It probably would not have worked, but who can tell? I leave it to someone else to try. As for me I just don't have it in me to beg when I don't need to beg, even if it means actually missing out on luxuries and toys. Oh well, it was a fun fantasy project - The Humble Beggar blog site that I created this afternoon - and it will remain just that for me, a fantasy project and nothing more.

All the best,
Glenn B

When Something Breaks, Something is More Like Somethings

First my hot water heater went on the fritz. Then, right after that broke down, so too did my washing machine. Oh joy, now I wonder what will make it the magic three. Isn't that how it works when bad things happen, they come in threes? Well the hot water heater got fixed pretty quickly by my oil company man; that is it was almost fixed, then it broke down again. The oil guy came back and fixed it again, and gave the oil jets and electronics a good cleaning. Seems they were coated with lint from the dryer and animal hairs. I wonder where all those hairs came from? Were they from the now deceased cat, the three dogs, or the 50 or so mice I have down in the basement (in tanks). I guess it doesn't matter now that it is clean and working well. This was not so bad especially since the repairs were done free of charge; heck we pay enough for the oil to cover the repairs.

As for the washing machine, it does not drain. There was no warning or anything to indicate the pump was about to fail, but I guess it has. The machine was only about 10 years old - certainly not made to last as they used to be. I remember washing machines lasting well over 20 years. This one certainly will not be worth having it repaired. A few years ago, last time we had repairs done to it, it was under the extended warranty. As I recall the repairman told us that the repair he made would have cost about $225, which was more than we had paid for 5 years of extended warranty service. Back then, just having the repairman come to our house had a minimum charge of about $125.00. I think it is time to buy a new one for about $450 - $500. Of course, I'll pull this one out of its nook this weekend, and maybe I'll even try to check to see if I can find and fix the problem. If not, then out it goes, and in with a new one. Hmm, that made me realize the third thing that will be broke - me!

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to tighten the purse strings for a month or two.

All the best,
Glenn B

The Joys of the Garden...

...are to be found anew throughout the growing season. As the evening was born tonight I walked among the growing things in the garden and saw the garden was a place of goodness. Then I got down to the labor of the evening, and I watered the lawn front and back. I put out the sprinklers and let the sprinklers work over the back and front yards, and I fed my tortoises and saw they were content. When the lawns were overflowing with wet goodness I turned the hose with a spray head onto the vegetable and flower beds, the potted flowers, the shrubs and trees. While amidst the weed plot that is my back lawn, I noticed that the Honeysuckle was starting to bloom; and that it pleased mine eye to behold that their was an abundance of flowers on the vine. The vine itself grows from out of a crack in a cement/cinder block wall that divides my property from one of my neighbor's. It took root some time back, and surprised us all when the floating fragrance of its flowers filled the late spring and summertime nights. Each year now for the past several years I await the heady perfume like fragrance of its blooms. Tonight was the first night that I was treated to the absolutely wonderful aromatic air that they throw forth as they bloom. In my garden, there is nothing better than to see those white flowers and the yellow flowers in bloom on the Honeysuckle vine and to have them whisper to me with their alluring Siren's song in fragrant form.

All the best,
Glenn B

The AWARD Program and Legal Immigration Bill

The following is a proposal that I will be sending to my elected officials regarding revision of our nation's current immigration policies, and with regard to the status of illegal aliens currently within the United States. As you all are probably aware by now, I loathe illegal aliens coming into our country, I think them a scourge on the welfare of the USA, but don't think for a minute that I am inflexible when it comes to saving our nation, and to fixing immigration problems. I do realize that something needs to be done to fix things, and I am going to be pragmatic about it. Read on if you want, but be warned it is a long one.

If you do read it, please let me know what you think. Please don't bother to argue, or call me an asshole, or otherwise be rude and or obnoxious. Please do just let me know do you see it as positive or negative as compared to the bill currently before the Congress, and as currently favored by President Bush. Thanks.

All the best,
Glenn B (see below)

********************

Dear Mr. President,

or Dear Senator Whomever,

or Dear Representative Whomever,

I am a native born U.S. citizen; yet I like the fact that the United States of America is made up of immigrants, from the very first people who later became known as Native Americans all the way to present day people such as my own wife. Immigrants, that is legal immigrants, have been a very good thing for the USA. They for the great majority abide by our laws from day one, and come here to better themselves while at the same time hoping to become U.S. Citizens through legal means. On the other hand there are millions of illegal aliens within our borders. No I did not call them Undocumented immigrants, nor did I call them migrant workers, nor did I call them Illegal immigrants – they are in fact alien to our country and our laws because they came from abroad into the USA either through illegal means of entry, or by legal entry and then overstayed their visas. They have for decades of them flocking here illegally and have been a great burden on our economy.

Despite my beliefs along the lines that illegal aliens are currently a scourge on the well being of our nation, I will admit to being a pragmatist in many regards, and I will therefore say that both the removal idea (as much as it appeals to me on a gut level), and the so called amnesty proposal or Immigration bill (that repulses me on a gut level) now before congress and liked by President Bush, are both losing propositions. Now that I have said that, let me tell you of a plan that I almost cannot believe the politicians have tried to push, then again maybe you have thought of this already - but maybe not. It is something I thought of today that absolutely popped into my mind out of the blue. I guess my almost 28 years as a federal agent, first with the Border Patrol, then with U.S. Customs, and now with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have had me thinking lately about how to solve the problem. My draft plan, at about 5 pages, is somewhat lengthy, but I am sure nowhere nearly as long as the current bill before the Congress.

Please take a good look at it, and if you think it has merit, I urge you to formulate a new bill, based upon this framework, to place before the President, the Congress, and the People of the United States of America, for their consideration.

I would propose a plan/immigration bill that would:

1) Require immediate construction of a secure border barrier along our southern border’s entire length.

2) Require all illegal aliens, who were within our country prior to enactment of the bill to register with Citizenship and Immigration Services, and require the government to hire contractors to augment CIS employees to complete the registrations (with no use of ICE agents to do so, because ICE agents should be doing criminal investigations and not doing administrative work). The illegal aliens who do not register within a 6 month period would be removed without appeal or hearing if encountered after that time (remember this is an administrative removal, and they have no rights regarding criminal law under the civil removal proceedings).

3) CIS would register all the illegal aliens with tamper proof documentation to include photo, fingerprints, and the cards would contain individually numbered computer chips.

4) The government would then implement a mandatory workforce program consisting entirely of illegal aliens who have registered as above. Each registered illegal alien would be required to work in this program, full time, 40 hours per week, for a period of 2 years. A registered illegal alien would be required to become engaged in gainful employment under the program within 3 months of registration. Employment would be assigned by program administrators, and it would be the responsibility of the program administrators to ascertain that each registered alien becomes so employed.

5) The program would be named The AWARD Program; AWARD being an acronym for Alien Workforce for American Reconstruction and Development. The goal of this program would be to have the registered illegal aliens perform public service works. They would be utilized in non-skilled and semi-skilled labor jobs throughout the country. Jobs they would perform would consist of things like: street sweepers, pothole fillers, manual laborers of all sorts, janitors, cleaning crews, border fence builders, border tunnel fillers, road crews, parks maintenance crews, federal monument maintenance crews, prison workers, and on and on and on. They would then truly get a chance to do many of the jobs we U.S. Citizens and legal resident aliens supposedly do not want to do.

6) Pay for these positions would be equivalent to the federal government’s General Schedule pay rate at the GS-4 level: or $22,902.00 per year, with no locality considerations. That works out to an hourly rate of $10.97 per hour. There would be no pay step or pay grade increase(s) over the mandatory 2 year workforce period; however the pay would be equivalent to GS-4 step 1 for the current period of employment at the commencement of the 2 year period. The 2 year period of workforce labor must be completed without any breaks in service, except for 2 weeks of vacation, 2 weeks of sick leave, each year. Should a registered illegal alien become unable to work for any reason (beyond 2 weeks of sick leave) the alien would be removed from the program and removed from the country (remember these are people who already broke the law, we are giving them a chance, albeit a tough chance at that). All income taxes would be the responsibility of the registered illegal aliens who are in the AWARD Program.

7) The AWARD Program could be completely run by the federal government, or could be completely run by private business/industry while monitored by the government, or could be run by a combination of both. In other words, the registered illegal aliens could work directly for the government as public servants, or they could work in the private sector.

8) Any private sector business found to knowingly hire, or hire with a blind eye, illegal aliens who are not registered as above and eligible to be in the AWARD Program, would be fined $10,000.00 per illegal alien so hired for the first 5 offenses, and then $25,000 per illegal alien for any subsequent offense. The burden of proof for this administrative violation would be on the employer of the illegal alien(s).

9) A registered illegal alien who has completed a 2 year stint working in the AWARD program would be required to appear in person at a CIS office, to document his/her successful participation in the program. At the immediate time the registered illegal alien presented this evidence to CIS, his/her name, and alien registration number, would be entered into a computerized lottery, and the alien would receive an immediate decision as to whether or not he would be allowed to remain within the USA as an alien temporarily admitted for residence, or if he/she would be required to immediately be placed into incarceration for removal from the country. A set percentage, let us say 50% or as decided upon by the government but no higher than 50%, would be allowed to remain within the USA after completing the AWARD Program, and after passing a background investigation. (Much more likely to work than telling them they have to register, leave the USA, pay a fine, and then come back later as is the current plan in Congress. You see they now have an incentive, a guaranteed job, at a guaranteed salary, and a good percentage of remaining here after that program has been completed. This also has them actually working to the good of the USA.) Others who complete the AWARD Program employment, but then do not win residence, and then who voluntarily depart the USA, may immediately apply for legal entry without penalty.

10) Immediate family members (meaning spouse, sons and daughters) of the registered Award Program illegal aliens would be allowed to remain with the USA if already here at the time the bill is enacted. If not already within this country, they may join the registrant upon completion of that registrant’s successful completion of the AWARD program. If the spouse is already here, the spouse would also have to complete the AWARD Program, but this could be deferred until such time as the primary breadwinner completes the program. If the person selected as the primary breadwinner does not successfully complete the program, the other spouse (if also an illegal alien) would be removed with chance to participate.

11) Citizen spouses or children would not be required to depart with removed aliens relatives, however no status, or consideration, will be granted to an illegal alien, who does no register and then successfully complete the AWARD Program, based upon citizenship or legal resident alien status of immediate, or other, family members.

12) All aliens participating within the AWARD Program would be required to have 10% of their pay placed into a secure government account. The funds collected in these accounts would be used to fund, in part or in whole, removal of the alien should he/she not successfully complete the AWARD Program. Should the alien successfully complete the program, the money would be returned to the alien without interest, but only after the alien has become an alien legally admitted for permanent residence.

13) Registered illegal Alien AWARD Program status would be given to those who registered and then became employed as above (a temporary legal status); Lawful Permanent Alien Status would be granted to registered illegal aliens who had successfully completed the AWARD Program, and who have not been convicted of any misdemeanor of felony (and who would not at the time of application or during the process be charged with the same), and who have remained within the United States gainfully employed for a period of 2 years subsequent to his/her successful completion of the AWARD Program. Thereby a registered illegal alien could conceivably become a lawful permanent resident alien of the United States within 4 years from the date of commencing the AWARD Program. After 2 years of remaining gainfully employed in the USA as a legal permanent resident alien, these AWARD Program Aliens would be required to apply for U.S. Citizenship or depart the USA forever.

14) Upon enactment of the bill, the size of the U.S. Border Patrol would increase by 50%, and the Border Patrol would be given strict enforcement authority on an administrative level to immediately remove any illegal aliens they encounter at or within 50 miles of the border. Congress would write the law to give them authority to do so.

15) Re-create the position of Immigration Enforcement Agent - not a criminal investigator like an ICE agent, but rather a round-up agent whose main duty is to round up illegal aliens in our country away from the land borders. Same authority as a border patrol Agent, but within the interior of the country.

16) Allow for Border Patrol Agents, Immigration Enforcement Agent, and any federal or state law enforcement officers to share Immigration authorities, so that they could be used interchangeably when situations would require.

17) Any alien, once determined to be an illegal alien, encountered within the USA subsequent to completion of the illegal alien registration program would be immediately removed from the USA, no appeals, no deportation or removal hearings, no exceptions. The burden of proof to establish whether or not an alien is within the USA legally would be placed upon the alien; and this would be written into the bill.

18) All aliens within the USA would be required to carry at all times on their persons their alien registration card. Failure to do so would be prima facie evidence of illegal alien status for the purpose of arrest; but could be overcome for purpose of removal, by proof that the alien was actually here legally. The entire burden of proof as to legal alien status or registered illegal alien AWARD Program status, would be that of the alien – and this shall be written into the bill.

19) A reasonable amount of legal Immigration into the United States by aliens from abroad would be permissible each year. Immigrant status would be granted to those based upon needed skills. (I would suggest mostly unskilled, or semi skilled, laborers as opposed to highly skilled workers or highly educated professionals. The reason behind this would be that unskilled workers would continues to take truly undesired jobs. They would also have the highest degree of ambition to better themselves, and to better the lives of their children. This would then mean that those already immigrated here, and U.S. citizens would continues to reap the benefits of legal residence and citizenship, while those newly arrived would work their way up the ladder. Therefore U.S. schools would have more openings for U.S. Citizens with less competition from well to do foreigners who come here and start out at the top of the workforce heap.)

20) All new immigrants into the USA would be required to become gainfully employed within 3 months of arrival within the USA, or face removal. Failure to provide proof of gainful employment would be prima facie evidence of illegal alien status, and removal would commence.

21) There would be no temporary worker program. All aliens admitted into the USA would be admitted as Temporary legal Resident Aliens. Each would be required to actually become permanent legal resident aliens with 1 years of entering the USA. This status would be granted once they have been gainfully employed full time (for the primary breadwinner) for a period of 1 year (thereby they could achieve lawful permanent resident status after only 1 year as opposed to AWARD program Illegal Aliens who would need 4 years to accomplish the same, this would be the reward for having done it legally from day one). After 3 years of Permanent Legal Resident Status (a total of 4 years here, 1 as temporary resident and 3 as a permanent resident) each alien so admitted would be required to apply for U.S. Citizenship or depart the USA forever.

22) All applicants for U.S. Citizenship would be required to read, write, and speak English on a 5th grade level in order to be granted citizenship. Any alien failing to become proficient in the English language at the 5th grade level would be immediately incarcerated and then removed from the country no appeals.

23) English would be enacted in the bill, as the official language of the United States of America.

24) By registering as an illegal aliens, or by applying for the AWARD program, or by applying for legal resident alien status, and alien agrees to be voluntarily removed should he or she violate any part of the bill..

This is a plan that will allow illegal aliens to make amends and give something to the USA through the AWARDS Program, while at the same time getting something good out of it for them selves.

It is also a plan that would reward they who apply legally from step one, because they would get a fast track to legal permanent residence and to citizenship.

It is a plan to benefit the economy because preference would be given to unskilled and semi-skilled laborers, thereby keeping up a flow of legal residents who would accept less than desirable jobs, and afford business/industry with low cost labor.

It is a plan that would then protect the sovereignty of the USA and her borders because of increased law enforcement authority and enforcement; and because of the secure border.

It is a plan that would encourage legal immigration because those who immigrate here legally would be on the fast track to citizenship, and those arrested would face either removal or incarceration.

It is a plan that could work if given a real push.

Of course I realize it would need a lot of work in Washington, DC, but my plan is a basic framework, one I think to benefit us all.

I hope to garner support for such a plan by sending this proposal to my representatives within the U.S. Senate, to my representatives within the House of Representatives, to the Vice President, and to President Bush. In addition I will be sending copies to as many news media outlets as I can such as Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, local news papers and radio stations, and so forth. It is truly my hope that the bill currently before the congress that effectively grants virtual amnesty for illegal aliens will be replaced with something that would be of more benefit to the Citizens of our great nation.

With the greatest of respect for you and your office,

Glenn R. Bartley
(contact info)

The Fine Print: Did I forget to mention above, that if you think my plan will not work, then deport/remove all of the slime balls illegal aliens, and open the doors to those who have waited to immigrate legally!

A Missed Tribute...

...by me yesterday was the result of me having to be awake by now to go to work today. In other words I had little time after getting home last night to do anything before I hit the hay.

Of course the missed tribute that I am writing about is the fact that it was the anniversary of D-Day yesterday, and I did not pay tribute as I should have. It was another of those lest we forget days (see my blog of two days ago about The Battle of Midway), and one of the most important ones at that for we as a nation. Thousands of allied forces gave their lives on June 6, 1944, and in all with wounded and missing there were about 10,000 allied casualties. The German casualty count was estimated to be between 4,000 to 9,000. Despite the fewer losses, the Germans were beaten decisively, and the way was paved for the allied take over of Nazi occupied Europe. If you do not know which battle I am writing about, maybe you have seen the opening battle in Saving Private Ryan. We owe those brave souls an awful lot, without their bravery and dedication we may have been goose stepping today, and their would have been very few if any of the Jewish faith left amongst us. Life would have been very different indeed, had the Germans won WWII; and not for the better.

Now off to work for me. Maybe another blog later tonight.

All the best,
Glenn B

How Do You Match Up To Star Trek

Well, thanks to The Anarchangel, I had some fun with the below:

Your results:
You are James T. Kirk (Captain)

James T. Kirk (Captain) 95% Spock 75% Chekov 75% Worf 75% Jean-Luc Picard 70% Will Riker 70% Deanna Troi 70% Mr. Sulu 55% Geordi LaForge 55% An Expendable Character (Redshirt) 55% Mr. Scott 50% Beverly Crusher 40% Leonard McCoy (Bones) 35% Uhura 35% Data 34%

You are often exaggerated and over-the-top in your speech and expressions. You are a romantic at heart and a natural leader.

Click here to take the "Which Star Trek character are you?" quiz...