Deer Scouting...

...is something I have done in the past on trips to my favorite hunting grounds. I didn't have to scout much because those happy hunting grounds were on my uncle's farm, and year after year, deer used the same trails for the most part. For the last several years though, I have hunted on public land since my uncle sold his farm (I should have bought it). Now I try to get upstate NY at least once or twice before the deer season to scout out some areas for deer sign, especially for sign of bucks. I can tell you though, it ain't easy getting away. This year I have not had the chance to get out at all. I am hoping that this weekend may present a chance for me to take a 3 1/2 to 4 hour ride up to where I intend to hunt with my son Brendan. If I am really lucky he will come with me. The idea of having an extra driver (now licensed instead of just a permit) is nice, and it would be nicer to have him with me so we can enjoy a day together in preparation for our hunt. It will be tight time wise this weekend, maybe we can leave Friday night, and come back Saturday night. I have other things to do Sunday, and Brendan works on Sundays.

If not this weekend, then maybe the next, or the next. Not much time after that as hunting season will be upon us before too long. Who knows, if Brendan does not want to make the trip, maybe I can talk my wife Linda into it. She does not hunt, but the promise of a nice walk in the fall woods could be something that appeals to her (yeah right). I can dream anyway.

Oh well....

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - Death Of Der Wüstenfuchs

October 14, 1944 was the day that Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, Der Wüstenfuchs (The Desert Fox), committed suicide instead of facing death by the hands of the SS for himself and his family. He was assured if he committed suicide his family would be left alone, if he did not they would likely have been executed along with him. I view his passing with mixed feelings. He was one of Germany's best commanders during WWII. Had he been in charge of the defenses of Germany, the war in Europe may have lasted longer. So it is with some satisfaction that I think of his death as one that probably saved allied lives.

Then again, one must realize that he was implicated in the attempted but failed assassination of Hitler that took place on July 20, 1944. Because of his having been implicated in the assassination attempt, and because it was obvious that Rommel had become disenchanted with Hitler's vision for Germany when he learned about the extermination of the Jews, witnessed the bombing damage in Germany, and realized that all was lost, Hitler was furious with him. A plan was devised to kill him off so that the people of Germany would not realize he had been killed by his own leader, but rather that he had died of wounds he had received when strafed by allied aircraft on July 17, 1944 (injuries from which he had not yet fully recovered by October 14 of that same year). He poisoned himself, and the people were informed that he had died in hospital as a result of the strafing wounds. He was given a state funeral as a hero.

Too bad the assassination attempt on Hitler was not successful, maybe Rommel and his alleged conspirators would have been seen as some sort of heroes in the eyes of the world; even if not, at least they would have rid the world of a monster before he could have done more evil. Certainly an interesting man for the war buff regardless of how, or why, he died as he was one heck of an outstanding commanding officer when it came to tank warfare. For more info on Rommel, see:

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/rommel.htm and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Rommel

All the best,
Glenn B

Ballseye's Training and Tactics - Knife versus Gun

Okay, I am not the greatest artist in the world. In fact my artistic abilities, especially when it comes to music and drawing absolutely stink. Yet I think I have drawn up an illustration that suits the purpose of this rant, or should I say of the question I am about to pose since I will not give my ideas on it quite yet.

Here is the scenario, and my drawing (click on the drawing to enlarge it). You are at home, in a motel, at a friends house (wherever), and you are chilling out in the living room type set-up. You are just coming back from grabbing a nice cold beverage (must be a soda because you are armed) and are headed to the sofa to couch-potato out after a long day at work. You hear a noise, you look to the doorway and see a really bad boogular coming at you with a knife in his hand, raised as if to attack. You go from being in white mode to red alert instantly because you recognize the threat. There is absolutely no doubt in your mind that you are about to be skewered, nor should there be any doubt in a reasonable person's mind that such is about to occur. You are in fear for life and limb. You are armed with a handgun (yes some people do wear them at home).

What do you do? You have to do it right away!

Think quickly, and decide now!

What was it that you decided to do? Did you decide on any of the following, or did you come up with something else.

Do you freeze.

Do you comply with the demands of the bad guy?

Do you draw and fire?

Do you move backwards as you draw then fire?

Do you seek cover, if so where?

Do you attack the bad guy with hand to hand combat?

Do you throw the soda at him?

Do you run away?

Do you cry for mama?

Do you pray?

Do you do something else?

The real question is: What would you do?

Think about this, and please come up with an answer if you will, then share with all of us. This is a good way to learn the good, the not so good, and the outright bad choices one can make. We can all benefit from this.

There are some outright wrong answers as to how to survive this, and there are some better answers, but probably not a completely right answer as each can have its faults and there are just too many variables. The truth be told though, there is definitely one thing about which you should be thinking of doing in order to increase your odds at surviving this type of attack? The success of almost everything else you do very likely will depend on that one thing. Do you know what it is?

Whatever answer you come up with, don't feel afraid to leave it here. There will be no embarrassment coming from me to you.

I'll add, in a leter post (probably tomorrow or Sunday), what I believe would be my response to such an attack, a response designed to keep me alive and unharmed.

All the best,
Glenn B

My Plan 9as I posted over on TheHighRoad.org:

Yep, 8 feet sure is close isn't it. If the bad guy was approaching me fast, I woulld prepare for hand to knife combat, I would try to sidestep and move away, and try to gain distance. As you sidestep, if he is really close, you may also be able to push him away to the other side, giving you a chance to gain even more distance. You may get cut, but maybe not. If I had the room I would try to sidestep toward my gun side, keeping my gun arm farthest from him. You now are making him react to you in having to change direction to get you, this gives you an edge (no pun intended). Now where to run for you. Right in the direction the bad guy just came from, and while maybe not through the door, because others may be out in the hallway, you could still run off on a diagnoal toward the other corner of the room. Still you can run fastest in that direction because you are facing that way. Remember to that the bad guy has been sidestepped and momentum should have kept him going a step or two past you; he now has to turn around, and you have gained time and distance because of that. If the bad guy was moving very slowly, I would again prepare myself for hand to knife combat, and if I thought of it I would sidestep to the left and rear, move that chair out, if only because it would create distance between us. He cannot come through a chair, he has to come around it, or over it to get me and that is more distance. Then I would continue trying to make distance between us as fast as I could do so. As he tries to go around it to the left, I would sidestep right and run, and the other way around if he went right. Or if need be I would go backward to the door behind me (least preferable route of escape here in my mind) but better than standing your ground.As you make distance, anything that you can put between the two of you without sacrificing a wound is good. If you can get behind real cover at a good distance from the bad guy, do so. Then draw and fire. Why not draw as you are running, that is okay too if you have gained enough distance but not before. Yu may still need bnoth hands for combat, or to move items between the two of you, or to open a dor, or whatever. Enough distance for a draw would be, in my opinion, equivalent to about 27 feet no cover, and 21 feet with cover. Remember though, it will be hard to tell if you have made that distance or not while under attack so practicing, and measuring after each practice scenario would be of help in preparing you for this.Bear in mind, if you move backwards, and draw as you do so, then fire, chances are he will cut you pretty badly if he knows how to use a knife. If you stand your ground and draw you are most likely going to get hurt really badly. If you go to groud with legs raised in front of you and try to draw and fire, chances are you will be cut badly, and maybe even shoot yourself. Even if you drill this exercise from 21 feet, you are not shooting at a real bad guy when you drill. Pumped up with adrenalin, a bad guy who is intent on hurting or killing you has momentum. Even if you could shoot such an assailant multiple times, chances are that his momentum would carry him to you, and you would be cut badly. Do not believe even for a moment that a cut has to happen. Do not allow yourself to be cut because you foolishly believe it inevitable. Use the bad guys momentum against him if you can. If you can gain distance, do so. Distance is your friend, and maybe even your life saver. Remember that distance is sometimes created without you moving, such as moving an object between you, but that distance is usually quickly covered even though it slows the bad guy a bit, so you have to move as you block his path. Also remember another way to create more distance is to sidestep and make the bad guy have to change direction. Again quickly overcome, so you have to keep moving if practical. You can move faster to the side than you can to the rear, and then you can move even faster straight ahead as he passes you (remember he has momentum too).If you have a friend willing to train with you, try this out. See how it works for you. You may still get cut, but your chances of not being cut, and of surviving probably have been increased. Also bear in mind that each situation will be different. You need to be able to improvise, training regularly and changing it each time will help with this.

I can almost feel the knife being thrust into the back...

...of Christianity by a Muslim assailant. Sorry, call me a cynic extraordinaire if you will, but that is how I see the latest overture by the followers of Islam regarding their approach to the west and to Christianity. To many it may seem as if the Muslims are honestly making an offer of peace toward Christians, but I believe that this so called offer is little more than a thinly disguised ultimatum, maybe even a veiled threat. See "Muslim Leaders Warn Pope 'Survival of World' at Stake" @ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301116,00.html. Read the article carefully. Read about what Muslims have warned, and what they offer as a solution. I read it three times. if the article is at all correct, then it seems to me that certain Muslims are telling Christian leaders that they are offering Christianity a way out of being attacked by the followers of Islam; and that way out would be for Christianity to justify the essence and actions of Islam by admitting that the two religions are very much alike. If the Christian leaders choose to do so, all they will have accomplished is to have temporarily appeased the Muslim world while at the same time strengthening the position of those followers of Islam who would attempt to conquer the world. Their position would become strengthened because after having received support from Christianity, the fanatical leaders would very likely use this as propaganda to show they had been right all along, even the Christians see it because they agree the religions are alike. In addition such an admission by Christian leaders would weaken the Christian world and the western world because now people of the Christian faith, and many of those in the west, would look to Islam and say: See, it really was not an evil religion after all, and they are not really bent on world domination". Thus we would allow our guard to be brought down, and open ourselves for the influx of Muslim immigrants that would almost be sure to follow. Once established in great enough numbers, my bet is that the true face of Islam, that which we see on a daily basis as Islamists try to dominate the world, would again raise its ugly spectre just as it already has taken place in Europe, and the world would be burning in the name of the prophet.

How can I be so cynical. let me point out a few bits of my reasoning. These Islamistsapparently said nothing about getting together with the Jews. Now if I recall correctly, the Jewish faith preceded both Christianity and Islam. In fact, both of those later religions were basically born out of Judaism. Yet the Muslims make no mention of how similar Judaism is to Islam, and they make no mention of how all three religions should make certain to make peace with one another. Now look at just where they want to have a conference. At a neutral ground, such as at an American University. Tell me which university in the USA is neutral? Of course they could mean in Canada, Mexico,or South America - but do you really think those places are where they meant. They want to have a meeting in a so called neutral place, where as anyone in the USA should know, there is absolutely no neutrality on the subject. The great majority of US universities are breeding grounds for anti-Christian, anti-conservative, anti-American, and anti-Gerorge Bush sentiment. So a conference at one of those locations would certainly be likely to be slanted in favor of any group that has also shown itself as anti those very same things. Could such a group be the followers of Islam? You tell me.

The offer from the Muslims to the Christian world came in a letter. The letter reportedly ends with this quote: "So let our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only in righteousness and good works." As I recall the only righteous works for a Muslim would be to follow the Q'uran, and that would not bode well for Christians as I understand it, nor as history has witnessed. Throughout history, the faith of Islam has shown itself time and time again to be an aggressor that is incapable of change to non-aggression. nation after nation has fallen to Islam, but suddenly they want Christians to believe it would be otherwise if we now join them. Sound to me more like the first steps to conversion, or that that knife in the back.

Of course I still have one more reason not to believe them. If they really want peace, if they truly want to protect Christianity as well as Islam, then why not first send a letter to the Islamo Fascists telling them to cease and desist with all violence against the western and Christian worlds? This brings us full circle right back to the issue of the Jews. They make no mention of peace with them. Heck if we become the ally of the Muslims, on whom will those of the Jewish faith depend for support if the Muslims continue their assault against Judaism! As a matter of fact, they make no reference to Hinduism, nor to Buddhism or to any other religion other than Christianity. Not long ago, Muslims in Thailand (I believe it was Thailand) stated that they were seeking the annihilation of all Buddhists. Muslims often also attack Hindus.

The threat is there as I see things. It is there whether or not the Christian leaders suddenly decide to become stupid trusting and embrace Islam as a religion akin to Christianity. I just find it difficult to believe that Christians would suddenly forget about Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus in favor of a new found friend in the followers of Islam. As I see it, the threat will only worsen if any one in Christianity is quite that trusting of a religion that has continuously itself to be a religion of just about anything but peace; I hope the religious leaders see it too. Maybe I am just a cynic extraordinaire, but if this gets pulled off by the Muslims, come to see me again in 10 years and let me know if I was wrong. My bet is you will be on the run, or converted and hunting me down. I will not be all that easy to find if I make it that long, I'll be living in the hills somewhere in the middle of New Kafiristan (land of the infidel) and doing my best to survive.

Of course you might find me just to let me know I had been wrong all along, it that case I'll buy you a beer and we can laugh about how I made an ass out of myself. I could only hope that it is the case that I am wrong and this latest overture is one truly hoping to achieve harmony, but without all the pieces, such as those other faiths, I just cannot imagine them building a true peace. Heck they are leaving 45% of the world out of the calculation by their own accounting, and if you do not know what this last sentence means, then go and read the darned article to which I linked above.

All the best,
Glenn B

Fred Thompson does not stand a chance...

...of winning the republican nomination unless he does something drastic. Yes, he did well in the debate; but doing well is not going to be enough. He definitely has to liven it up somehow, grab the political bull by the horns, and start wrestling it. Good guy with good views, one can only hope he defeats Rudy G, and Mitt R.

All the best,
Glenn B

First it Was The Mexicans, Now It Is The Canadians...

...who are coming into the USA to have their babies. See: Canada's Expectant Moms Heading to U.S. to Deliver.

This time instead of illegal aliens like from Mexico, the Canadians are apparently coming here legally(?) in order to avoid the crippled health care system in Canada, and to make use of the USA's much better health care system to assure their babies are born healthy. Hmm, as I recall, folks like Michael Moore ala the movie Sicko, and folks like Hillary Clinton, Obama, and other ultra libs, have all claimed that socialized medicine like they have in Mexico, Canada, Great Britain, Germany and other places is the cat's meow. Funny though how all the illegal Mexicans who come here do not go back to Mexico for health care but risk being found out by authorities by going to US health care facilities whenever they need it. Funny how others from around the world flock here for special surgeries they cannot get in their own countries that have socialized medicine. Funny how now even our neighbors to the north, those flag waivers of the banner of liberalism, are also now coming here to use our supposedly corrupt, understaffed, broken, unfair, racist, health care system!

What is it that we have that all of them do not. We have a health care system that works. We have health insurance that works, at least for the most part. We even have free medicine that works for the underprivileged; or should I say it worked for our own citizens and legal immigrants, but is in danger of collapse because of overload by illegal aliens, and those who come here to flee their own inept system(s) of medical care.

Socialized medicine and health care, the likes of which Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and jerks like Michael Moore want to see effected in this country, just do not work in the long run. The proof is out there all over the rest of the world. Just open your eyes and read about it, or watch it on television. Medical care based upon socialized medicine sucks. Remember that when you vote in November both this year and next.

All the best,
Glenn B

Oh the Joys of Parenthood...

...come at you like a speeding locomotive! What is mean is holy cow, where has all the time went, and how can my two little darlings be so grown up already as to both be driving, and legally at that. My daughter, of course, has been driving for years, she is about to turn 23. The thing is though, she just bought her first car, a new one at that, a Honda Fit. She picked it up yesterday, and I saw it tonight when I got home from work. She went out and bought her own car with help from her beau, got her own insurance (yippee), and will now commence joining the world of the indebted like the rest of us grownups! Did I just write grownup. I guess she is, wow. She is a good girl, or should I say young woman, with a part time job, a new car, her own insurance, and who is going to school for her Master's Degree in education. If I was into baseball I would say that is a grandslam for mama and papa, but let me just say it like this - we hit the bull's eye.

On the other hand, my son, who is about to turn 18, just got his driver's license. He took his road test on my birthday (I just happened to take the day off from work). His driving tester was a young lady, hair pulled back tight in a pony tail, reflective sun glasses, quite pretty with quite the figure despite a stern look about her. When I said good morning to her as she approached, all she said was: "Are you the father, let me see your license". I was really taken aback by her apparent crassness. Brendan was second in line to take the road test. The other tester, who took out the first guy, seemed nice, well mannered and friendly. As Brendan took off, I was worried. When they got back he pulled into the curb at about a 20 degree angle, and stopped abruptly. I was more worried. She got out, and as she passed me I asked the tester how he did. She kind of smirked, I kind of grimaced, and she said: "Very Good", and that was it, she just walked by to the next person on line. Worried about how he had pulled in, I asked him if he had passed the test. He smiled and said "yeah Man" or something like that, puffed up and said something about being legal now, and I again kind of grimaced. I asked if he messed up on anything and he said she did not tell him anything, except that he should just pull into the curb and let her out. She had even told him not to straighten it out. Again I was worried. I asked how many points she took off of his test results. Brendan handed me his test results, with a big zero in the points deducted area! He passed with flying colors having gotten 100% on his road test. I guess I had noting to worry about, or to grimace about. Well let me just say with regard to the test. Now I have another one out there on the roadways, and only time will tell if that will cause me to grimace. I hope not, and I think not, he seems to have learned well.

Man where did all the time go since they were little rug rats? I must be getting old.

All the best,
Glenn B

We Need To Find A Balance Between...

...extremes like religious fanaticism that lead to such things as jihad and inquisitions, and wanton disregard of morality that leads to shameless displays of perversity like the Folsom Street Fair in San Fransicko.

If you would like to take a look at a reported example of some extremely fanatical actions taken by religious extremists, then go to:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58015

If you really need to see even more explicit evidence of what religious fanaticism can lead to, then look at this video, but before doing so be warned it is EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IN THE VIOLENCE THAT IT PORTRAYS. It shows a real beheading with all of its gore.

http://www.terrorists-suck.org/why_suck/eugene_armstrong_beheading.wmv

Now if you want to see the opposite end of the extreme spectrum, go to the below links and take a look at some pretty graphic pictures of the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco. While looking at these pics, bear in mind that to folks like Nancy Pelosi this is freedom of speech. Can you imagine this being freedom of speech! I don't know what morons on the Supreme Court ever decided that speech was anything but verbal communication (or written language, or sign language), thereby making it freedom of expression; but I believe our Founding Fathers knew the difference and when they said freedom of speech as opposed to freedom of expression, and they meant just freedom of speech and nothing more. Well anyway, here are some links to those pics, but first be warned they are, in my opinion, EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IN THE PERVERSITY THEY DISPLAY. Even though they do not show actual sex acts or complete nudity, some of them do show what I believe to be public displays of totally perverse and sick behavior:

http://www.savage-productions.com/Folsomstreetfair.html

http://www.savage-productions.com/Folsomstreetfair2.html

http://www.savage-productions.com/Folsomstreetfair1.html

What is it that drives people like these at both extremes. I think it is something simple, lack of authority, or authority gone awry, in their lives making them want to become authoritarian themselves by controlling everyone with their own extreme views. That seemingly may be over simplistic, but it also well maybe the root cause of extremism. Just read one more article to see what I mean (not graphic but the pic in the article may insult some sensitive folks):

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10072007/news/regionalnews/_nazi__partys_over.htm

When reading that piece, pay special attention to this quote:

"I'm trying to tell as many students as possible that they can't do anything to us."

Sounds to me like mommy and daddy failed miserably with exerting any reasonable amount of authority over this kid. Maybe they even promoted this apparent rampant extremism, this no one is the boss of me, I will be the boss of me kind of a thing, and while at it, I'll be the boss of everyone else too because they cannot do anything to me. In order to actually effect such an attitude, you must go to extremes against the normal level of authority in your life. Think about it; wasn't that pretty much the thing with Hitler, Stalin, Genghis Khan, Cotton Mather, a few popes and many others throughout history. Isn't it the attitude of Armadenijad right now. This is, in my estimation, the attitude of extremists throughout the world. Their attitude is: 'THEY cannot do anything to us.' The THEY being the rest of us, the ones who are not extremest in whatever form of extremism is being pushed at the moment. Well that is absolute balderdash. We can do something and we must do something. Otherwise we will wind up in a world populated by extremists alone because we will either have been wiped out by them. There are many ways we can defeat the likes of them, and one way is to make sure to vote for candidates who do not fond either extreme to be within the limits of acceptability. Another way is to promote a morality that is somewhere more to the center and acceptable to those of all faiths, as well as to those who do not believe in a higher power. Yes folks atheists can live by a code of acceptable morality, you do not have to be religious to be moral. Another way is to make sure that we raise our children within a household that expresses morality, and that through the actions of the parents and other adult family members shuns extremism, and embraces a more middle of the road, level headed approach to all things. We need to live our lives in a manner that is not extreme, that is not hypocritical, that does not allow for the festering of the pustules of fanaticism. Finally if all else fails, and we are faced with the fanatics trying to overrun us and destroy us, we must defend ourselves, our loved ones, our fellow normal citizens at all costs. Yes folks I just said our normal citizens.

I am not advocating bashing anyone, killing anyone (unless in self defense, defense of innocents, or defense of our nation), but I certainly am advocating that we make sure that abnormality is not ever mistaken for normality; and I am saying we need to correct any abnormalities in society before it is too late for society to survive. Maybe it is about time we somehow band together, all of us across political, religious, ethnic, socioeconomic lines and oppose the freaks within our midst. Start doing this by by speaking about it with your neighbors, with members of your houses of worship, with people at work, with people at social gatherings. Start writing to your elected officials, whether or not you voted for them. Tell them this outlandish behavior on either side is a corruption of the fabric of a stable society, and that you are vehemently opposed to such and to those who support it. Make sure you express the idea that you are not part of a fringe group yourself, nor that you are doing this as part of any mainstream but separate group; and that you are doing it as an American Citizen or legal resident alien who is simply fed up with fanaticism and its supporters. Urge your politicians, religious leaders, social leaders to reach out across the divide between denominations, ethnicity, social status to those all around us who are longing for normality in their lives, and who seek an end to fanaticism to preserve our society and our nation. Sooner or later, if enough of us raise hell, they will listen to us and take action that opposes extremism. We are still the majority, but not by much, so we need to take advantage of our numbers now.,If we don't do at least this, then we are doomed to become raving mad loonies ourselves or perish by the blades of those on the other extreme.

All the best,

Glenn B

New Stuff...

...that I have gotten recently and that has me a happy camper is something I figured I would share with all of you in a post with pics. As most of my readers probably know by now I am into herps (reptiles and amphibians), and into guns (shooting and self defense wise, not gunsmithing or tinkering), and hunting & fishing. My recent acquisitions have to do with all of those interests.

The first thing I want to show you is a knife I bought recently. I was not too sure if I would keep it for myself, or if I was going to give it to my son on his birthday, but I have decided this one is a keeper for me, and probably eventually will become his. Who knows, I may yet get him another for his birthday, but I think I have a better present in mind right now.

As for the knife, it is a Spyderco, Bill Moran model. I had wanted one with a drop point blade but that was not available, so I got this one. Now that I have it I like this blade more than the drop point with its more classical lines. That is about all that is classical on this knife though. The polymer handle (or whatever it is) is pretty decent in the hand. The sheath is molded plastic (or again whatever), and the knife fits into it snugly. The sheath is adjustable to be carried in several positions. Not a bad investment, I think, at only about $55. Now I have a nice accompaniment for my pistol as it sits on my belt with the knife. The blade will come in handy on hunting and fishing trips, and I hope i never need it for self defense; but in that last regard I follow the motto of the Boy Scouts: "Be Prepared".

My next acquisition was free. I got it tonight (Sunday night, it is now Monday morning by 5 minutes or so). It is a Thayer's Kingsnake. Well truth be told, I sold or gave this snake to someone about 4 years ago. I may have bred the parents to produce this one, I cannot recall right now. I know I had some that were jet black, and yes they can produce young that look like this. My friend Bill V dropped it off with me tonight. He liked this snake a lot. So much so that he actually saved this snake from death's doorstep one day a couple of, or a few, years back when another kingsnake he kept it with began to constrict and eat it (that is why they call them kingsnakes, they eat other snakes). The way he brought it back was by placing a straw into its windpipe and giving it artificial respiration. Bill is a NYC Fireman and knows how to save lives, even an animal's life. He recently started school for a second career, and has little time left to do anything else. So he has cut back on his snake collection. It was difficult for him to give this one up. Nice snake, to bad he did not get it to me on Friday, I could have taken it to Saturday's LIHS Reptile Expo and probably made him some money with it. If you are not into snakes you probably cannot figure how someone would want to pay money for one, but this one is worth at least $150, maybe $250 in this one's condition. These kingsnakes are also known as the variable Kingsnake because that when they are born they can be one of several color and pattern variations from jet black to orange with saddles to the one shown, to a tri-colored phase, and others in between. This phase is one of my favorites.

My other acquisitions, 5 of them, all came to me Saturday at the 18th Annual LIHS Reptile Expo. I was so busy while there that I did not even realize, until someone just about knocked me on the head, that one of my animals displayed in the judged show had won a first place ribbon in its category (tortoises), a first place trophy in the more general category of Turtles/Tortoises, and the Best of Show trophy for all the animals in the judged show. I have been an LIHS member for about 17 or 18 years now, and while my animals, and Brendan's animals, have sometimes won best in a specific category, or best in a more general category, we have never won the Best of Show before. If indeed I have been an LIHS member for 18 years now, what a nice coincidence that I won the Best of Show for the 18th Annual LIHS Reptile Expo. The sad thing is that I fell asleep early tonight, a long nap, and only woke up after my chance of playing the pick 3 number for the NY Lotto was over for tonight. I would have played 018. Maybe tomorrow. The man whose name shown is on the plaque on the trophy was a past president of the society, and a friend. A great guy, and a man who knew how to keep people interested in the LIHS. It was under him that our membership reached into the hundreds.

Oh yeah, the trophy was for my female Hermann's Tortoise. I have had it about 3 or 4 years now. Got it as a little one from another society member. It sure has grown up to be one good looking tortoise. I must admit while I am thrilled to have won, it is also humbling. You had to see the competition; and you have to realize that the guy who has won for the last few years in a row decided to drop out of the competition to give some of us other members a chance. I owe a lot to him, to the guy from who I got the tortoise, and to the tortoise and Mother Nature. Without all of them doing their parts, then maybe there would have been no trophy for me.

All the best,

Glenn B

The LIHS Reptile Expo Is Over...

...and I am home, got here about 15 minutes ago, and none too soon. I spent a couple of hours last night helping set up the hall, hours setting up my tables today, time out putting up signs on the roads, then from 10 until about 4:30 trying to sell stuff. I had a variety of things for sale, including raffle tickets to benefit the LIHS. I was hoping to sell more than I did today of everything, but I guess I just had a mediocre day. Busy mind you, but not great sales wise. I barely had time to put out my three animals for the judged show part of the event. I exhibited a Crested gecko, a Hermann's Tortoise, and a Gray Tree Frog. More on those three animals in a later post, I was surprised and tickled pink over how they did when the judging was done.

More blogging later tonight, or tomorrow. Right now I have to unload my car, put animals away, clean up the mess in my basement, and then take a break. It has been a long day, most of it on my poor aching feet.

All the best,
Glenn B

The 18th Annual LIHS Reptile Expo Is Today...

...so I'll be a busy guy, which means no or little blogging today, and if any more than this it will be late tonight.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - Well This Is Sort Of...

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A Day Off, But A Busy One...

...is exactly how today went for me. I took today off in anticipation of receiving 20 baby Bearded Dragons by Fed-Ex. While I was waiting for them I did some chores around the house. I started with cleaning up my animal tanks; and I got about 1/2 through when I ran out of pine shavings for the mouse tanks. Then I decided to go to work in the front entry way to our house and got some sanding done of areas I plastered a few days ago. Just as I was getting ready to start that, the Bearded Dragons showed up with the Fed-Ex guy. They got all my attention for the next 45 minutes or so. I got 21 of them, one arriving DOA, the others seemingly okay except for one that looked a bit air sick (or whatever).

Once they were put into tanks and set up with proper heat and lighting, it was back to the sanding. I started that without using a dust mask. After just a minute or two, I decided that a dust mask was what anyone with half a brain would use, so the half a brain that was not thinking earlier had a good thought at that moment and I got one out of my shed. Man what a mess sanding spackle/plaster makes. Luckily it was a fairly small job, confined to a vestibule sized entry way. I finished the job with a good clean up.

After that it was onto the computer to contact the dealer who shipped me the bearded dragons. Sent him a pic of the dead one, and sort of complained that these were apparently younger and much smaller than he promised. Time will tell if he remedies that, maybe with a partial refund. That would be nice, otherwise next time I buy it will be from someone else. These guys will make an appearance at the Long Island Herpetological Society's 18th Annual Reptile Expo this Saturday, at SUNY Farmingdale. Hopefully I'll earn my money back, and have a few left over for a future breeding project. I have not heard anything back yet, but I'll be patient as he went in for knee surgery today. I trust he will contact me when he can.

Took a shower, felt nice and fresh, then had the oddball idea of cleaning the leaves on my sidewalk and front lawn. I guess the shower could have waited. I filled a 55 gallon drum sized bag with leaves and other debris like twigs and seed pods. Oh joy I was dirty filthy again, and sweaty too. I figured since I was dirty why not clean some weeeeeeeds (they grow just like those e's just did) out of the garden, and I did that for at least another hours or so. Yup, another clean up was in store for me.


All that aside, I was off to Costco. Now Costco near me is usually a madhouse of humanity. Today it was on the quiet side. I guess being a weekday, and being I was there at about 3:30 PM was a good thing. I was in and out of there in about 45 minutes at most; a new record for me. Once outside, I stopped at the liquor store right next to Costco where I picked up a birthday present for yours truly. Tomorrow I will enjoy some of that Stoly Vodka as I celebrate my 52nd. After Costco is was home to offload. Then I went to Queens to check out a Exo_Terra reptile tank someone was selling. Brand new, in the box, at below cost by about $25. I took it, and $160 disappeared quicker than I earned it for sure. On the way back home I stopped at a local Petco and picked up another of those tanks, though a smaller one. It was on sale for less than half price. No I am not upgrading my reptile & amphibian enclosures. I will either raffle these off or sell them at the LIHS Reptile Expo this weekend to earn some money for the society. Any profit above what I p[aid for them goes to the society. Nothing in it for me except that I know I am doing good for the society.

For the last hour or so, I have been trying to fix my virus protection software from Windows Live One Care. It keeps telling me it needs urgent attention because the virus definitions are out of date, but when I try to update the update fails. I think I'll be picking up Norton Internet Security again tomorrow. My Windows Live One care is due to expire in about 2 months, but I do not like the product at all; so back to Norton for me. Even though I did not much Norton's support policies, there product is superior. Hopefully no viruses or other nasties will infect my PC before I get Norton installed.

Tomorrow promises to be busier than today, and I also have tomorrow off. Besides getting ready for the reptile expo, I have other chores to do, and I have to take Brendan for his first (and I hope only) road test. Should prove to be an interesting day.

All the best,
Glenn B

Carrying Firearms...

...in a holster is the way I prefer to carry pistols and revolvers. I wrote about just that and my criterion to select a holster here. I wrote about those topics because the way you carry your pistol or revolver is important, it could mean the difference between whether or not you are the winner in a life threatening situation, whether or not you are able to retain your sidearm, whether or not you shoot yourself with your own gun. If anyone doubted me when i said that I thought a bag of just about any sort was a poor choice in which to carry a handgun, maybe when you read this: S.C. Student Shot by Own Gun in Book Bag Pleads Guilty my point of view will seem to be a little stronger. Sure the bag this pistol was carried in probably was not made for carry. Sure some handbags are made with internal holsters or carry pouches. I still contend that any bag which you pick up and put down is a bad choice for carry. I also contend that there is much more of a chance of a foreign object getting into the trigger guard and against the trigger when carried in a bag - whether or not that bag has an internal carry pouch or holster - than when you carry in a quality made hip holster. Your choice, just like it was this kid's choice. On this topic, learn from his mistakes and not from your own. That way you will, in my opinion, stay healthier.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Noose Around Her Neck...

as a school lesson, and all they seem concerned with is political correctness. Read this: Grambling State University Investigates Pictures of Noose Lesson, then ask yourselves "Why on earth is the school administration, and everyone else for that matter, apparently only concerned about whether or not these pictures should have appeared in a school newspaper? In fact why is that their concern at all! The fact is that school administrators seem more concerned about their image and political correctness than they do about the welfare of the young child who had the noose placed around her neck. They seem less than concerned about the fact that heavyset woman, who in another picture I saw yesterday, is apparently holding the child around the waist so she does not fall and get strangled, even though it certainly appears as if the other person is tying the noose to the tree, or maybe removing it from where it was tied to the tree. Heck why is she smiling for the camera? Though I don't have that pic available here is a Foxnews description of it:

"One shows a young girl in a school uniform being held up by a woman while someone else, mostly hidden by a tree, holds a noose around her neck and up to a branch."

Should not the main issue here be child safety? Should it not be the major concern to discover whether or not the life of the student was potentially at risk because of the actions of the two school employees who were giving this so called lesson. Should not a big part of that main issue be whether of not these two school employees are still employed, and potentially able to endanger the lives of students? If I was the parent of this child, I would not be outraged that a picture of this event ran in a school paper; however you can bet I would be screaming for an investigation into whether or not the life of my child had been at risk during this so called lesson. I would think that the school administration should be doing the same. I would think that law enforcement in the area should be doing likewise. If the facts turn out to be that these adults actually tied a rope to a tree, then put the noose end of it around this girl's neck, I would think they should face child endangerment charges. Yet, for some reason no one involved seems to get this, not the Gramblinite which ran the pics, not the school administration, not the local authorities, not FoxNews.com, and certainly not Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson whose only reported concerns seem to be whether or not the school paper was treated too harshly, and whether or not white students should suffer more because of they hung nooses from trees three months ago, but never placed any one's neck inside the nooses. Got fan the flames of racism and get whitey Al and Jesse, you are doing the only thing which you seemingly are any good at.

" Jesse Jackson have said the charges were too heavy for the actions and that three white students who were suspended after hanging nooses from a tree on the school campus three months earlier should have been expelled and prosecuted."

I don't know exactly what to do to get this straightened, but maybe some emails and phone calls to the Grambling Administration, and to the grade school would be in order. Maybe a few more to area law enforcement, and to state representatives would get this pointed in the right direction; and as I have already made clear, that direction would be an investigation of whether or not this young girls life or well being was ever at risk, and whether or not the two adults in the photo should suffer because of that. I guess if the race baiters have their way, the welfare of the girl and the responsibility or lack of it by those two adults will never be questioned, so long as they can score political and fund raising points. I think it a crying shame that people look up to folks like that as role models.

All the best,
Glenn B

18th Annual LIHS Reptile Expo

Now here is a subject dear to my heart, the annual Long Island Herpetological Society Reptile (and amphibian) Expo. In fact this will be the 18th annual show that the society has had. It s dear to my heart because I have been a member of the society for 17 years, maybe even all 18, during which the show has gone off. I know its been at least 17 years because the first time I went to a society event, it was a show they held at the Copiague Memorial Library, and if I got it right they only had two shows there, numbers 1 &2. By the second show, I was exhibiting animals; don't you know I have been into keeping reptiles and amphibians for well over 40 years now. I have kept em, collected em, and even bred them (no not with them, but as in animal husbandry). Brendan, my son, is a chip off of the old block, he has been to most of the events, if not most of the shows, since he was about 5 or 6; and he has been to an awful lot of the shows.

Nothing awful about the shows themselves. They are a good thing for people who like to keep reptiles and amphibians, a good thing for those curious enough to see a large variety of herps (reptiles & amphibians), a good thing for the dealers, a good thing for the exhibitors, and a good thing for the herps themselves. Each show is set up with vendors' tables, and the vendors do what they do best - they sell things. The selling pretty much is limited to live reptiles and amphibians (captive bred much preferred, and are the great part of what animals are sold), and to herp keeping supplies and equipment. We also have exhibitors' tables set up, and we run a judged show. Anyone, not just society members, can enter herps into the show. Prizes (trophies and ribbons) are awarded for best herps in several categories, and one really nice trophy is awarded for the best overall herp of the show. Of course you do not have to buy anything to attend, but if you are into herps, this is a good show to attend if you want to find quality herps and products usually below, well below, pet shop prices.

Now you may think I forgot to follow up on why I think the show is good for the herps too. I have not, it just deserves its own paragraph. These types of shows are good for reptiles and amphibians because they promote proper care of herps, good conservation of natural populations, and reasonable laws concerning the keeping and breeding of herps. Our show also helps support the LIHS itself, it is our biggest money maker, and that in ripple effect helps support the above causes already mentioned. You may be wondering how does a show, in which people sell herps actually support these things. Well here goes:

The shows promote proper care of pet reptile and amphibians. Why - well because it makes sense to do so. if reptiles and amphibians were not understood enough to be fairly easily kept in captivity, dealers would not be selling them in fairly large numbers as they do. Of course dealers could still sell them, they could die, and you might come back to buy another; but if they sell them, tell you how to care for them, provide such support when you need it through a society like the LIHS, then keeping them becomes more of a pleasure, and you are more likely to want to get into the herp hobby with a ore vigorous and long lasting interest. The shows also promote good conservation. If you attend one you will probably see that most dealers are selling what are labelled as C/B or C/B/B this or that with regards to live animals. The C/B stand for Captive Born or Captive Bred (there is a difference, as not all captive born animals were the product of parent animals that mated in captivity - the mother could have been wild caught while gravid). It usually stands for Captive bred, and C/H is used for Captive hatched meaning the mother was caught and then laid eggs in captivity before the next breeding season while in captivity. C/B/B means Captive bred & Born, in other words the parents mated while in captivity, and the young were then produced as a product of this captive mating. This is a good thing. Why? because it cuts down on the number of animals that come into the pet trade from the wild. If there is a large supply of captive bred animals, there is much less of a demand on wild populations. This is very advantageous for dealers and buyers. It helps assure that young herps which are sold are healthy, and come from healthy stock. it also allows for selective breeding so that breeders/dealers can select traits that they think will sell. Therefore color morphs like albinos are often produced. A large interest in animals of various color morphs also helps reduce the desire for naturally colored animals, thereby again reducing the need or desire for wild caught animals. Of course every now and then, wild caught animals are a good thing as they reintroduce genetic variety into captive bred populations, but the need is reduced with captive breeding to a much lower level than it would have been without captive breeding programs.

These shows are a further boon to wild animal populations because they support conservation in other ways. For example, the LIHS bring in most of its annual funding through this show. You may wonder how this promotes wildlife conservation. It does so because the LIHS is usually involved in a good number of live animal presentations throughout the year during which members exhibit animals to audiences from pre-schoolers up through college level students up through moms and dads who pay for that education, up through grand-dad and grand-ma. Our audiences are sometimes specific to students in classrooms, and at other times are open to the public in places like parks or science halls. We teach about herp keeping, about herp conservation, and about the natural history of many types of reptiles and amphibians. We also attend, as a society, other reptile expos where some of our members man an LIHS table. There we give out information free to the public on the same topics mentioned above. One of our main functions has been to educate the public on these topics. In addition, the LIHS and its members are usually often involved in actual conservation programs such as: scientific population counts of wild animals, rescue of stressed wild herps (such as stranded sea turtles, or turtles that have been hit by cars), and capture/release scientific programs during which herps are caught and examined by researchers in their herpetological studies. This is all of benefit to wild populations.

We have also supported reasonable legislation regarding the keeping and breeding of herps. For example when NY State was about to enact legislation, a few years back, that would have outlawed all boas and pythons from being legally kept in captivity, we protested. Not only did we protest enactment of such a broad reaching law, but we explained to our state legislators why we did not support such a law; and furthermore we explained what type of ban we would see as reasonable to some extent. We did not say that NYS should totally ignore some problems, or potential dangers of keeping captive herps- specifically boas and pythons, monitor lizards, and venomous species; but we certainly let the officials know that they were painting these types herps with the same brush when indeed thy should not have done so. So we explained our stance about why we thought the ban should not be as far reaching as they had written it - for example that not all boas or pythons pose a threat to humans as they had thought. Why not, well because many species remain very small in comparison to Anacondas and Burmese Pythons. Some such as the Ball Python usually reach about 4 1/2 feet, others such as the rubber Boa reach about 2 feet maximum. Yet legislators were quite ready, and imminently about to ban all boas and pythons as being dangerous to humans because of the fact that some of the bigger types had constricted and killed foolish owners (foolish because of how they handled them, not necessarily because they kept them). The legislation then greatly modified the law before it was enacted, and pretty much only those species seen as a real threat to human life, or limb, were restricted. Of course we were not the only herp society to do so in NY, but our collective voice was heard.

Back to the show itself - if you are in NY state, anywhere near Long Island this coming weekend; and if you have an interest in reptiles and amphibians - whether a keeper or just out of curiosity - why not stop by the show. It will be held at SUNY (State University of New York) Farmingdale just off of route 110. It is easy to access from the three major highways than run east/west on the island. For more info on the show go to this link: http://www.lihs.org/files/events.htm. By the way, if you think you saw a lot of variety in the pics above, you have not seen almost anything yet, stop by the show and have your eyes opened. I'll be there. I'll have a table or two, usualy directly across the hall from the main entrance. Hope to see one or two of my readers there.

All the best,

Glenn B

My Career Firearms

Yes the thought just hit me (after being up for over an hour and a half already and trying to think of something about which to write) that it might be interesting (at least for myself) if I was to list the firearms that I have carried so far throughout my career in federal law enforcement.

I started my career as a Border Patrol Agent, in that garden spot of the world: Calexico, California. That was back in 1979. The first thing I was offered as an issue revolver was a Smith and Wesson model 19 with 4" barrel, blued steel. I did not like it. I wanted one of those wonderfully heavy revolvers I had shot at the academy, a Colt Border Patrol. The guy handing out the guns gave me the hairy eyeball, and probably thought I was crazy, but I got just what I had wanted. (Sorry I don't know which one that is in the pic. My goodness was I ever really that thin, and that young - I guess I was, a long time ago.) The piece was a lot heavier than the Smith, and its trigger pull a lot stiffer, but I liked it. Why? Well because the cylinder rotated along the natural pull of the thumb so as to make reloading more efficient. More efficient because as you loaded, if only part way through and you had to slam the cylinder shut and fire, the next click would likely go bang. Smith cylinders move in the opposite direction. If you look at a Smith & Wesson revolver from the rear, as you would when holding it to fire it, and then operate it so the cylinder turns, you will note the cylinder moving in a counter-clockwise direction. The natural movement of your thumb, when reloading, is to pull the cylinder in a counterclockwise direction. This means that if you close the cylinder before being fully reloaded, as you might in a combat situation, the rounds are likely not going to come up immediately under the firing pin. Instead empty chambers will first pass the firing pin. Not good tactically speaking when a split second could be of the essence to your winning a gunfight. Now when you load a colt, this does not happen. You see the action of the Colt revolver is such that the cylinder moves in a clockwise direction. So when your thumb pulls it counterclockwise as you reload, and you then have to quickly close a partially loaded gun, the first chamber to fall under the hammer would likely be one that you have just loaded. That is good.

Another reason I liked the Colt was that if I ever ran out of bullets, I could use it as a more effective club than I could the Smith & Wesson. Man it sure felt a lot heavier. It was built to last for sure; and at the time, or within a year or two of that time, I discovered that Smiths were not being built that well. One thing not so great abut the Colt, beside the heavy trigger, was the fact that it was unforgiving if you decided that you were going to do something like take it apart and give it a really good cleaning in paces no one had looked at since it was manufactured. I soon found out that putting it back together was nowhere as easy as was reassembling a Smith Wesson. In fact, my first and only attempt to do this resulted in my sheepishly going to see our armorer (or the agent who passed for such) and begging him to make it new again. After he replaced one of the springs I had mangled it was just that good. That was quite embarrassking, as Popeye would have said.

Somewhere along the way, my Colt Border patrol was replaced by a S&W model 19. If I recall correctly, they collected all the Colts to get rid of them, too old or so I remember. The thing was, those Colts would have lasted another 50 years. The S&W 19 turned out okay for me. I actually got to shoot better with it than I did with the Colt, and I could actually take it apart to clean out its innards, and then get it back together and it still worked. I wound up buying a couple S&W model 66's when they came out with a Border Patrol commemorative. I got one with a 4' barrel and one with a 2 1/2" barrel. This was when I discovered that S&W quality control was not all it was made up to be. These revolvers actually clinked when you dry fired them. I took mine and shook them, and pieces of metal shavings fell out of them. What a sorry state for a brand new gun. I sold them quickly.

As for long guns, I was not issued one while in the BP except on a requested daily basis. In other words, I had to ask for one if I wanted it, and had to ask each day then return it at the end of my shift. We had Remington 870 shotguns in 12 gauge. I liked them a lot. I had quite some fun with them at the academy, and when we shot trap (or was it skeet) I hit every clay, even when they did doubles, and I sure don't shoot that well today (ah the adeptness of youth). We also had Remington model 760 rifles in .308 caliber, they were a pump action. They were fun rifles. I took one out now and then, but I preferred the shotgun for the type of work we mostly did, though I will say while out of town in the desert those rifles were my choice. It was sort of a nice thing to see they had the same basic action type as did our issue shotguns. No chance to forget, while under stress, which one you had, and therefore operate it incorrectly.

Now while I was in the Border Patrol, I was not allowed to carry a back-up handgun. I would never intentionally break the rules, so I was sometimes quite upset with myself when I reached into my pocket only to find a Beretta Jetfire in .25 Auto. I guess that happened now and then because I was a gun sort of a guy, but as I said, never intentionally! The slingshot I carried, a wrist-rocket or something with a similar name, now that I carried intentionally, but only for use on animals like sunks or stray dogs that would have otherwise interfered with my duties while out on patrol.

After 4 years in hell Calexico, the garden spot of the world, I was able to land a job with the U.S. Customs Service as a Customs Patrol Officer in new York City. Yes I am a New Yorker, and I wanted to get home, so badly in fact, that I took a job for which by then I was over qualified. In fact I never even looked into becoming a Customs Special Agent at the time, thinking instead the patrol officer job would be my foot in the door so to speak. Well the door slammed on my foot, and it took me many years to become an agent, but that is another story. As for my sidearms when I was a Customs patrol officer, I was issued a Smith & Wesson model 19 for uniform carry. I also got issued a S&W model 36, a 2" snub nose revolver in blue steel. Only a 5 shot, but that was okay by me, a back up piece that was issued was a big change from the Border Patrol. At sometime in my career with Customs I was issued a Colt detective Special, in .38 special, with a 6 shot cylinder. I liked having that extra shot, but that piece was not long lived, it was too old and worn to be shot as much as I liked to practice, so it was back to a S&W, this time a model 60 in stainless steel.

Within a few years, my job with Customs had changed to that of a Customs Investigator, basically the same job as a Customs Special Agent, but at lower pay that the high grade for an agent (later this job as found to be an illegal position by the OPM and all of the CI's had a position change to special agent). I was issued a S&W model 459. It was, in my opinion, apiece of junk, they all were. Later on (maybe when I became an agent) we were issued S&W model 6906's. (My backup with those was a S&W model 60, and the primary was the S&W, that is until they allowed us to carry personally owned firearms.) The 6906's were an improvement, but not by much as far as I am concerned. We had catastrophic failures with those that likely would have gotten you killed in a shootout.

Somewhere in there, I think when I was a Customs Investigator, they allowed us to carry our personally owned firearms at work. I decided it was time to take out the Beretta 92SB in 9mm. This was the precursor to the 92F series later used by our military. It was and is one heck of a great firearm. In fact, I owe my life to it. It is the only pistol with which I ever shot someone, and that guy was someone trying to mug me when I was off duty (again that is another story, and if you want to read it, go to the links on the right side of my page, for the article about Ballseye - What is in a Name (or just click on this link). Later on, while still authorized to carry personally owned firearms, I bought a brace of Beretta 92F's. I carried both of them for awhile, then decided to carry only one, and preserve the other for my retirement gun.

Of course my love for the Remington 870 was not abated by the fact I now worked for the Customs Service. I shot one at every qualification, and I shot one whenever I had a chance as range officer. Yes Customs sent me to an NRA Firearms Instructor school and gave me those duties as collateral duties. I was a firearms instructor for about 14 years, and enjoyed the heck out of it, until they punished me for something and told me not to report back to the range. Nothing to do with the range as far as I am aware, but they will not tell me what it was for which I was being punished, so I think it was my big mouth with a boss. Oh well, I again digress, so let's get back to the long guns I used while in Customs. As to the 870s, I often carried one from work, but I also was able to carry my personally owned one for quite a few years before they changed the firearms policy. (The pic is of my son shooting the personally owned one I used to carry at work, yes we still have it and shoot it frequently.) It was nice to be able to carry my own since I knew my own gun was in excellent repair, and shooting it as much as I did kept me in good shape for the hunting season.

The other long guns I shot while in Customs were the Colt Ar15, the Ruger Mini14, and H&K MP5. As to the rifles, I much preferred the Ruger. It was a simpler rifle, much more reliable than the AR15, easier to disassemble and reassemble, and therefore easier to clean and maintain. Don't get me wrong though, I liked both of them very much. Now I cannot recall if it was while I was a customs investigator or as a special agent, that I was invited to attend H&K MP5 training; and after which I was immediately issued an MP5 sub-machine gun. I also became certified as an MP5 instructor. What a fun gun, and it is one heck of a weapon.

Sooner or later, Customs decided that personally owned firearms were not a good thing. I was then issued an 870 shotgun, and I was issued a Glock model 19, and later a backup of a Glock model 26. Of course I had to give up my issued S&W model 60 for the Glock 26, but it was well worth the change. The Glocks were much easier to shoot with more accuracy that any issue revolver I ever shot. Those extra rounds were also a plus. I wound up turning in the Glock 26. To this day I do not know why I turned it in and just held onto the model 19, but at least I do have the MP5 or shotgun if I am going out on an operation.

When I was transferred to ICE (Customs Agents and Immigration agents were all brought under DHS when that department was created, and they were combined into one agency under Immigration and Customs Enforcement - egad what a mess), I brought my assigned weapons from Customs with me. As for the MP5, I still carry that - well sort of anyway. I had the original issue they gave me for several years, turned it in after I was in ICE, then missed it so much that I had another issued to me. The shotgun I had under Customs was traded in a few years ago for a newer model 870. The newest Remington 870 I was issued has ghost ring sights. Man they are sweet. I do love the 870, but I think I said that already. I would have a rifle too, except you cannot be issued 2 long guns at the same time under current ICE firearms policy. For some reason, the MP5 is not within that restriction, and that is good for me. I would hate to have to decide between having only an 870 or an MP5 for a long gun. I still carry the Glock 19, I guess I've had that over 10 years now, maybe 12 or more. I do not carry a back-up handgun nowadays, but as I said, when I go out on an op, I can take either the MP5 or 870 in addition to my sidearm. That is a comfort to me.

Where does that leave me right now; well the pic at the left shows what I carry on a daily basis right now. The shot includes my issued Glock 19. I am also left at the point where the issued firearms I have now are probably the last firearms that I will be issued as a government agent. We are due to start being issued Sigs sometime in the future, but that could be as far as two years away. I doubt very much I will still be in government service in 2 years as I plan to retire in January 2009. I think I have covered all the firearms they have issued me in my 28 years and one day (so far) in government service, and all the firearms that were personally owned which they allowed me to carry. Of course, I have owned and shot many other types in all that time, but I'll save those for another rant.

All the best,
Glenn B