Rapist/Killer Jose Ernesto Medellin Executed in Texas

It is about time that the United States of America allow its states to enforce their own laws regardless of so called International Law. It is about time we tell the world that when the scum of other nations come to our nation to commit heinous crimes such as murder and rape, they will be dealt with according to the laws of our nation and or of our states. It is about time that we realize we are a sovereign nation, and that international treaties, international law, and the United nations do not rule here. Sure we should follow international treaties, but first and foremost we need to protect our people, and we need to prosecute criminals to the full extent of our laws. If that means violating an international treaty, I say it is just and right. Others worry that the violation of international treaties will badly effect our citizens who visit other nations; the thing is though it will most likely only effect they of us who violate laws in other countries. Keep that in mind when you visit other nations, be on your best behavior while there.

Truthfully though, this case is not about a violation of international treaties. The fact of the matter is that the accused never once while his trial was ongoing, asked to be allowed to consult with the consular offices of Mexico. He only asked for that after convicted and sentenced to death - 3 years later. Why, because it was a lawyers' ploy to get him off, to to grant him a temporary reprieve. The Supreme Court of the United States did not think his case merited review. In fact the Supreme Court rules that neither the U.S. President or the International Courts can force Texas to review this man's case. "Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for a 6-3 majority that the international court's judgments cannot be forced upon individual states." (source of quote CNN, at: http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/08/05/scotus.execution/index.html. In that light, Texas went ahead with his execution.

On August 5, 2008, at 9:57 PM, Jose Medellin was put to death, see:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,398465,00.html.

The state of Texas proved his family wrong as they had said only God can take a life. I beg to differ, and so too apparently did Texas. It is God who gives life, but anyone can take it. It is sad how no one has ever heard Medellin's family protest the killing he committed by saying only God can take a life and condemning him, yet he took two lives after he first brutally raped the two young women girls, Elizabeth Pena, 16, and Jennifer Ertman 14, whom he killed. He is, or was, among the scum of the earth, and he got what was coming to him; and for that I say good riddance. It is sadder still how many in the world flocked to lend him, a heinous criminal rapist and murderer, to offer him support. Still though we have one less piece of shit murderer among us, and that my friends is a good thing.

I would like to give Mr. Medellin his due even though I do not consider him being owed much. I will grant that in the end he showed a bit of compassion for the families of the victims. He said this:

"I'm sorry my actions caused you pain. I hope this brings you the closure that you seek. Never harbor hate," (source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,398465,00.html).

I don't think though that his sorrow can have done much to assuage the pain and suffering that the families endured over the past 15 years while waiting for justice to be done. I don't know if even Mr. Medellin's death can have done much to help them to find a true end to it all, there is no such thing as closure when you lose a loved one. Maybe though this will bring them closure in one regard, in knowing that yes justice can and will be done, their daughters have been avenged, that this man will not have the chance to ever do it again.

My heartfelt sympathy to the families of Elizabeth and Jennifer, and my sympathy to the family of Jose Medellin. Remember they lost a loved one too, and it was not they who committed the murder. As it has turned out, the one who was guilty has paid the price, and they need to understand that, but there is no need to condemn the living who had no hand in it. As for Jose Ernesto Medellin, again I say - he was the scum of the earth, good riddance to him.

All the best,
Glenn B

An Honor Killing Or A Murder? Looks the Same to Me.

To me Honor Killings and Murders are one and the same thing, and there is no honor in committing murder. Of the major religions in the world, I believe there are two that allow (or at least practice) Honor Killings: Islam and Hinduism. I could be wrong, there may only be one, but I seem to recall Hindu women being killed for honor under religious law or belief.

Recently a so called Honor Killing went awry - well really they have all gone awry since they are all murders, but bear with me, I am making a point. Let's just for the sake of this piece say a particular Honor Killing went bad. You see, a 23 year old young lady in the country of Jordan left her home. It was suspected, by her brother, that she had gone away with of all things - a man! Upon her return to her home, her brother killed her to maintain the honor of his family. Now that could be seen as all well and good by Islamists; after all it is their religion that preaches such is a good thing - no not women going away with men, but killing unmarried women who consort with men. After all it is for the family's honor.

The thing is though that in this case an autopsy revealed the woman was a virgin. Sort of makes me wonder, had she really been away with a man for 4 months? Maybe she was just away from home for 4 months, you know, as in on her own. Then again, even if she was with a man, maybe it was for an honorable purpose, it surely was not for the purpose of having vaginal sex. So what of this killing be an Honor Killing as opposed to sheer murder? Well, since this took place in or near Amman, Jordan, I am wiling to bet that little happens to the brother (who by the way confessed to this seeming atrocity) with regard to criminal punishment. Of course, I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure it is the penal code in Jordan that upholds such killings, and the almighty - the all holy Q'ran that prompts men to kill women in the name of honor when the women who are unmarried are with men.

I can just imagine the masses of Jordan and the Muslim world, for the most part, rejoicing in how the brother rid the world of another harlot who was unworthy of life because he SUSPECTED she had done something dishonorable. Barbarians is too nice a term to describe those who hold these beliefs as far as I see them.

If you want to read about it in the article in which I saw this tidbit of injustice, go here:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24115111-23109,00.html

By the way I found that link here: islam - the Religion of Peace (and a big stack of dead bodies)

As I read the short article about this killing, I noted one thing of importance was missing, and that has been nagging me. There is no explanation within the article of why this would be considered an honor killing. Sure it implied ebcause the brother suspected the woman had been dishonorable with a man, but that is not what I mean. What is the underlying cause of him thinking he should resort to an honor killing is more of what I mean. Was the reason that the brother sought vengeance on his sister to protect the family's honor a cultural thing, was it a national thing, was it a regional thing, was it just done in a rage, was he a psycho, or was it done because the brother was following the teachings of his so called religion? Yep, sure seems funny how the article does not mention such an important aspect regarding this killing - but then you suspect exactly why he did it - don't you? Have you arrived at the same conclusion as me? My conclusion is he probably did it because he practices the Religion of Peace. All I can say is I believe it to be one heck of a crock of shit contradiction of terms to call a religion that apparently allows and apparently even condones such killings - the religion of peace.

All the best,
Glenn B

Ballseye's View Of Capitalism

I like to spend my earnings on my yearnings.

That is my thought (note that is singular) on capitalism in a nutshell.

In case you are wondering, that was part of a long worded reply I left over at Pen of Jen reference her blog on outrageous and silly spending, see:

http://penofjen.blogspot.com/2008/08/photo-montage.html

I know her heart was in the right place when she wrote that one, but I must say I just did not agree if only because at heart I love capitalism, and I love earning my keep, and I love doing with my earnings what I darned well please when I can afford to do so. Of course, I just did not agree when talking capitalism and my ability to earn and buy with my earnings as I please - I do agree with Jen that people sure do waste money. Yet, if they earned it, I guess that is their prerogative. I do agree more with her though that one should stay within their means (such as with credit card debt) and shucks I think maybe I did mention that but not clearly enough in my long worded reply on her blog. Oh well, Jen when you see it here, well you'll understand I agreed with you more than I appeared to have done in my reply on your blog.

I love how that woman makes me think. Always a challenge to the little gray cells. If you want to read a thought provoking blog then visit her's at:

http://penofjen.blogspot.com/

and at:

http://doublenickelfarm.blogspot.com/

Someday, I am hopeful I will be able to visit her and her family on their farm in New Mexico (I think), and as far as I am concerned it would be money wisely spent. Of course, first I'll have to earn it before I can spend it. Did I say, I love capitalism? Yes, I do.

All the best,
Glenn B

Simple Things...

...can sometimes make me quite content. Take a sweet Nectarine. Peel and pit it, take 4 large strawberries, and half a glass of orange juice, and half a glass of cranberry juice cocktail, and toss em into a blender (heck we only got our first blender last week). Then blend until smooth. Then add a decent ration of potato vodka. Have a sip or three so the rest left in the blender will fit into the glass. Mmm, is that good? You bet it is good.

Then take 3 Hebrew National Franks, steam them to perfection in the microwave, slap them onto a couple of slices of Baker's Inn multi-grain bread, one of the slices already having been slathered with both Gould's Horseradish and a lot of decent spicy brown mustard. Throw that sandwich onto a paper plate. Grab that glass - almost still full - of sweet nectar. Go enjoy lunch. It is exactly what I just did and still am doing. It was such a good pick for a gloomy, rainy, yet warm summer's afternoon that I just had to share it with you. Pardon me while I have another sip of today's special brand of ambrosia...

Yes, I am content and life is good, often because of fairly simple things.

All the best,
Glenn B

All This Talk About Blogspot Sites Being Labelled As Spam...

...may have had little to do with my not being able to access my site using IE7. It seems there was, and still is as I write, some problem with having SiteMeter installed to track my blog. I found out about that tidbit at a Google Help Group. Although I did look, I did not note anything about that at the Blogger site when I looked through the "Known Issues" section to find out what was the problem. Many people, at the Google Help Groups, are complaining of receiving the same error message I was receiving, but Blogger seems to be doing nothing about it, that is if this is truly different than the problem of Google having labelled many sites as spam. I never received the email they supposedly sent out to zillions of bloggers telling them their sites were considered spam, so I don't know yet if my problem was one and the same as that one. Confused yet, so am I.

I wonder if I wills till have problems accessing other sites that rely on SiteMeter. Time will tell.

And finally, let me say it sure seems strange I could post to my blog but not see the actual blog to which I had posted but that is just what was happening.

All the best,
Glenn B

Apparently Others Are Having The Same Problem Using IE7...

...to access their blogspot blogs. Feels better now that I know it is not just my IE7 screwing up on me, and is apparently a problem with blogspot. Hopefully they will stomp out whatever bug is causing this soon. See you then. And oh yes, of course I am blogging in the dark so to speak.

All the best,
GB

I Cannot View My Own Blog From Home...

...nor can I view any other blog on blogspot.com. When I try to do so, the sight appears to come up, and then a small window apears that says "Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site: whatever one it is", followed by: "Operation Aborted." Apparently though, I can blog, or at least that is my guess since I am doing it now. If you can read this - please go to my profile - then send me an email by clicking on my email link and tell me if you got through to my blog. I am wondering if for some reason they are blocking my computer???

Oh well, this sucks bigtime. Hopefully I will figure it out before too long.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - Africans Come To America As Indentured Servants

August 1, 1619 is often acknowledged as the 1st day that African slaves were brought into the American Colonies (what later became the state of Virginia) as Indentured Servants. Their being the first Africans in America is sometimes disputed in that it is reported a census record for Virginia showed 32 Africans some 5 months earlier. With regard to those Africans brought into Jamestown on today's date: They were purchased by Jamestown, by way of barter, from a passing Dutch ship bound from Angola to Mexico. The ship needed repairs and Jamestown needed able bodied workers. The deal was done in order to provide Jamestown with those able bodied workers after their own population had been decimated by disease and war with Native Americans.

These first Africans joined what then was probably 1/2 of the white population of America as indentured servants; those white indentured servants were mainly Irish, Scottish, English and German. Approximately 1/2 of all whites in America during the 17th and 18 centuries were indentured servants. As indentured servants, these first Africans in America had something different to which to look forward than did many who followed them; they had freedom on the horizon. As indentured servants they worked for for a set period, and then were set free and provided with land and supplies upon attaining freedom.

It was not until after the only briefly successful Bacon's Rebellion, led by Nathaniel Bacon, that the slave trade of Africans in America pretty much turned to pure slavery - whereby African slaves became slaves for life, and their progeny inherited their slave status. The rebellion while at first a success, was put down several months after it had begun. It was a rebellion made up mostly of poor landowners and indentured servants, that fought against local Indians whom they saw as a threat, and against a government that was unjust to them. The government, in the long term, failed to support the campaign against the Indians despite many colonists and indentured servants losing their lives to them. Whether or not invasion of Indian lands by Bacon was right by today's standards, the truth of that time was that the government opposed the right of people of the Virginia Colony to be able to defend themselves, and bacon supported it. In addition the government had caused fine tobacco production (the main cash crop) to drop, and then raised taxes to make up for the loss in revenues. Furthermore the governor, Sir William Berkley had granted special favors to those in his favor, and had virtually ignored the needs of those wealthy not in his favor, and also ignored those who were poor and who were indentured servants.

Had the rebellion been a success there may never have been African slavery, as opposed to indentured servitude, as we know it today. Things also may have been quite different not only for those who were brought here against their wills from Africa, but for all Americans. This is because the acknowledgement of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (as a means of self defense, and as a means to oppose tyrannical government) was born under Bacon. It was also one of the first things that was revoked once power was restored to the former ruler of Jamestown. It was not until the rebellion was squashed and the liberty to exercise that right was revoked that slavery took a different turn, albeit indirectly but no doubt in part caused as a result of the rebellion's failure. (Please note the facts about Bacon's Rebellion, and about Bacon, were pretty much undisputed until recent years with the revisionist view of all things historical. Today many ultra-liberal 'modern' historians try to make Bacon look to be little more than a greedy land baron, when in fact he was a rebel in opposition to tyranny, and he fought along with many poor landowners and indentured servants.)

We can certainly learn from history folks, and we need to beware of those who would taint history, and they who would under that veil of lies try to strip us of our rights. Free men, and men who see others as equals, such as was Bacon, see one of our most important rights to be the Right To Keep And Bear Arms. This is so that we can defend ourselves and so that we can put down tyranny when it tries to overpower us with unjust rule. It is only the tyrants who wish to do away with that right, and it has been that way throughout history. Trust no man who says you do not have an inalienable right to keep and bear arms because in all likelihood, once you surrender those arms, it will be the same man who holds you under his well armed rule no matter what your race.

All the best,
Glenn B

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-Americans (see the history section of this article)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States (see the Colonial America section of this article)

http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0805681.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon%27s_Rebellion

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p274.html

http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/military/bacon.html

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

I've Been Busy...

...I've been down in the dumps (for personal reasons I will not go into on my blog), and i just have not had a lot of time to blog. Maybe tomorrow, or Friday for something.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Predict - Gloom and Doom

The way things have been going for the last few years, it should be obvious to anyone who looks back though the pages of history with an eye for comparison to today, that we in the world today are due for a major conflict between nations. I remember not too long ago a prominent US politician in essence said that small nations were not the ones we need to worry about, but large nations are the ones we need to fear such as how we feared the Soviet union. He is, in my humble opinion, dead wrong. If you look around the world today, you will note a militaristic strengthening in many of the world's small nations. In fact, many more of them are building up their military power than those that did so before the last two world wars. For example, prior to WWII, only three nations of the then son to be formed Axis Powers, were building up militarily. They were:

1) Germany, a nation devastated by WWI, by the Great Depression, and by foolish borrowing that placed them as the most heavily indebted nation in the world at that time. Yet they had a leader with vision, albeit twisted vision, of world conquest and domination. Yet he was a leader who brought them up to becoming a world power in only a few years despite sanctions imposed on them by other nations; and despite their small size they almost conquered the world.

2) Italy, a nation that was floundering in financial and social ruin. It had turned to Colonial Africa in the hopes of replenishing resources, but could not go it alone. Just another small nation, almost insignificant in the world picture, but that had a leader who got the trains running on time, and who motivated its people with visions of grandeur.

3) Japan - Another small, rather insignificant country who until just recently (as history goes) at that time had depended upon Samurai warriors for an army. They were small but had ambitions of expanding their world holdings. They were led by a fanatic whom the people believed was a god.

WWII began in 1939, and it rapidly progressed with victory after victory for the Axis Powers, these three nations and a few other small nations that joined them. Hitler and the Third Reich was steamrolling over Europe. One country after another had fallen. Poland, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Great Britain was on the brink of collapse. I have heard it hypothesized that had Hitler kept up the bombing raids over England for a few weeks more, they would have fallen. Had the Germans invaded England, it would have likely been over in days. Yes the Brits were tough, but they were failing miserably if slowly.

In the east, one Pacific island nation after another fell to Japan. The United States was brutally attacked at Pearl Harbor. China was under siege and millions were killed. Burma fell. Australia was threatened as was New Zealand.

The thing that amazes me most when I look back is how blind the world seemed to remain to the growing threat caused by the countries that would unite as the Axis Powers. Japan had rattled sabers for years before. Their emperor promised great expansion. They were building up a military force made from metal purchased from the USA and others. It was no secret that they were seeking to expand militarily; yet no one paid them any mind. Italy was likewise, but probably did not look to be as much of a threat, and anyway they seemed interested in Africa. Who cared about Africa back then, very few unless they had colonial holdings therein. Germany was the most boisterous of the three major Axis Powers. They not only rattled sabers, they but and air force. That was strictly forbidden under the Treaty Of Versailles. They did not stop at an air force, they also built and army and a navy. Besides that they built roads, roads that would lead to other European Nations and would act as highways for tanks, armored cavalry, and infantry. In addition Hitler boasted that the Third Reich would conquer the world, that the final solution would exterminate the mentally handicapped, the gypsies, the and the Jews among others. That Germany would conquer Russia.

None of this was really done in secret, especially in Germany. They openly defied the treaty of Versailles, openly spouted talk of war, and openly made preparation for it as the world watched in mute unconcern. The result was the bloodiest war the world had yet seen. Tens of millions died as a result. It is estimated that over 72,000,000 people lost their lives in WWII. Read that again - over SEVENTY TWO MILLION - all because a few small countries got together and tried to conquer the world.

So what does that have to do with today. Why do I predict doom and gloom? Well I believe we are only years away from, maybe even only months away from, WWIII. Why - well because the signs are there, and this time the smaller countries are preparing better than they did before both of the last two world wars. They are preparing in many ways. The first and most obvious is that they are gearing up militarily. Just look to Iran, Venezuela, North Korea (yes they have agreed to stop production of nuclear material, now that we believe they have the bomb already), Syria, and Russia (not such a small country but one that would surely become much stronger with an alliance of small countries). Look to also to Pakistan, and India. Look to Japan which is for the first time in over 60 years gearing up for war. Loo to to a really big country - Red China. They are building up one of the largest navies ever to exist. Why do they need a large navy except for an invasion fleet. Think about it. Now you can say, as did people like Neville Chamberlain before WWII that these buildups mean little to nothing; you could be right, but other things say not.

Look at the messages coming out of countries like Iran and North Korea and Venezuela and Russia. They are all spouting off against a perceived enemy, the United States of America. They are all countries that seem bent on expansion or possible world domination. Look too to the Islamo Fascists. it does not matter from which country they hail, there politics is there religion and they spout off conquest of the world. They also preach the destruction of Israel and of the USA. North Korea constantly harangues us as evil, and so too does Iran and Venezuela. The pot is more than stirred, it is at a boil and ready to overflow in violence.

At the same time, the USA is at one of the weakest points in the last 30 or so years. It has not been this weak militarily since carter, and not as oil depleted since Nixon. We are much as were the Soviets when they collapsed. The thing is though, despite what the Soviets said we wanted when they painted us as evil, we really did not want to conquer the Soviet Union. We wanted the world to be at peace. We wanted to spread democracy and freedom. We were ready for war if need be, but it did not come to that. These other nations today, many of the ones I have mentioned are hate mongers. They do not want to spread freedom, they want to expand and conquer, they want to rule more and more people, they want to in essence conquer the world, and the USA is the prime target.

All they need to accomplish are a few strategic strikes on US soil. A few well orchestrated attacks in the Gulf of Mexico and in Texas would wipe out many of our oil wells, and our oil refineries. A few more well planned attack in Alaska would destroy our other main source of domestic oil. We would be helpless. You look and say - hey that is impossible. Yeah right, just as France said that the Maginot Line was unbreakable. maybe it was, so the Germans went around it because of pompous blind fools in the french government, France fell quickly. How could we be attacked like that. Well for starters our military is strung thinly in Iraq and Afghanistan among other places. Our resources to build up our military are being depleted on a daily basis by terrorists, yet we probably fund those same terrorists by sending money for oil to Islamic countries - countries such as Saudi Arabia that is a known terrorist hot bed. Our economy is folding, we are in debt more than ever before, and the time is simply ripe for a few small countries to do their damnedest to do their worst to us. If they succeed, even with a few small non-military attacks carried out by terrorists, I suspect that other nations will quickly lend them support. What nations, well Russia and China to name two of them. These two countries, either singularly or together, already militarily support North Korea, Iran and Venezuela. You can bet Saudi Arabia and many other Arabic countries would also support them in such a cause, and so too would Islamo Fascists.

In addition to all of that, our current involvement in two wars is not doing a lot of good for us in any of this regard, that is unless we take quick and decisive action to win those wars; and then to claim the spoils of those wars. Why on earth Iraq is not paying us back for our expenditures over there is beyond me. They are oil rich and could easily pay us in that manner, yet we allow them to suck us dry. Same for Afghanistan, they must have something of value with which they could make reparations to us for our assistance in freeing their nation from the Taliban. We are, in effect, helping pave the way for the war machines of other nations to ride roughshod over us.

Of course a secondary target in all of this will be Israel, and the rest of the free nations of the world. Israel may well be attacked first; yet somehow I think it will be the USA to weather the first attacks of the next WW. I think these little piss ant nations have already caught us acting fat, dumb and happy, just look at oil prices; and that soon they will catch us with our mouths agape as the bombs start going off on our home soil. Israel will be attacked immediately after that, and will be nuked off the face of the earth if my suspicions hold true. All the more reason to suppor them with all we can, allies are a good thing of which one never wants to run short.

Yes the time is ripe for another world war, and this time we here in the USA are the primary target of much of the rest of the world. Sure we have allies, but which would stick with us. I suspect and hope that Australia, Canada, Japan, Great Britain and Italy would all be by our side. But what about France, what about Argentina, what about Mexico (heck they are already invading us). If a world war does break out, we are in for some bad times so it is about time we start acting like the possibility of a third world war really exists. Wiser words were never spoken than these: "They who long for peace must prepare for war".

Well that is it for me spouting off gloom and doom. I have gotten it off of my chest for now; but I am sure to remember it come November when I vote for president.

Hoping for peace
through superior firepower,
Glenn B

The Skies Stormed...

...away today, torrents of rain coming down as I have not seen in at least a week. It's not unusual to have summer storms in this neck of outermetrsloburbia but it is a bit bit much seeing them this bad twice within a week. It just rained almost as bad as today this past Wednesday. Today, despite the weather, or oblivious to the pending high chance of downpours, I took a drive to a not all that local reptile speciality pet shop today and got stuck in the middle of one heck of a thunder storm, in fact several of them. The roads were flooding and people were driving slow (for a change) except of course for a few idiots in their SUVs who probably believed were invincible in a 4W drive. I guess they just don't realize that an SUV can have trouble breaking in the rain just like any other vehicle. Then there was the Latin Somebody Or Other MC group riding their bikes in the rain. That was just a sight to see, but at least they pulled over under an overpass when it got really bad. Oh well, enough on other people in the rain, back to my mission.

The trusty Corolla handled nimbly despite the rain, and I arrived at the pet shop in one piece. I got just a bit damp running from the car to the door, just a bit though because thankfully the rain had let up just before I arrived there. While there I made a quick purchase of a thousand 1/4" crickets. It was well worth the drive if only because they are so deliciously good when baked into a freshly homemade pie crust. (Of course that's not what I do with em, after all the baby bearded dragons need to eat.) Then I headed to a local pet shop and picked up some other things for my other critters and headed home. While getting out of and into my car there, I had to virtually wade through a puddle that actually came up over the tops of my feet. I got pretty soggy from the ankles down, but somehow the rest of me stayed pretty dry - I guess because I had a small umbrella in the back seat. I forgot about it at the first shop (did not really need it there as there was a short break between downpour), but remembered it at the second one where it was indeed needed as the rain was coming down hard again. It did its job well for such a tiny umbrella as it is. Funny how I did not see one other person with an umbrella as they either ran through the parking lot toward a store or toward their cars all the while getting absolutely soaked. What is it with people? For me, I can say: What a trip. As it turned out, with those storm cells raging on and off, a trip that usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour took me about 1 3/4 hours, but I survived.

Of course, once I got home, the fact that is was wet outside did not phase my wife one bit with regard to her wanting me to BBQ. Truly, she would have given me a break and she would have cooked the chicken and steak in the oven if I had wanted her to, but I decided what the heck I was wet already, and we were both looking forward to some hunks of charred meat. So I took the matches from her (the electric starter on the grill must have been wet because it was not starting anything), and I also grabbed grabbed a bier, then I fired up the grill. I stayed pretty dry by standing in the garage a few feet from the grill as the food cooked, and I just came out to check on it and turn it as need be. I have to admit it was darned good, probably better than any cricket pie would ever taste; and I did not get all that wet since the rains had let up pretty much by then. As for the crickets, the baby bearded dragons sure made those crickets look tasty as they gobbled em down (no not all of em at one feeding, they will last about a week or two). For some reason, unfathomable to me, they seemingly did not care one little bit that the crickets were and kicking as opposed to barbecued or baked into a pie crust. Nope they did not seem to mind at all.

All the best,
Glenn B

Inflation and Balderdash...

...and yes you know I meant to put another word, also beginning with a B, in the title instead of balderdash. I recently went to a modern day drugstore to buy some batteries. You know the type of drugstore, one of the ones that sell everything from pantyhose to pills to popcorn. As for the batteries, nothing special really, just some run of the mill button type alkaline batteries for a small electronic scale, LR44 batteries to be specific.

I asked the price of 3 of these batteries and was told they were $12.95. Not $12.95 for all three, but rather $12.95 each. I was pretty surprised to hear that, and asked the clerk to double check on the price. 'Yep, that'll be $12.95 each, everything has gone up in price because gas went up'. I was flabbergasted, I mean really, could inflation due to the high price of gasoline have made the price of batteries go through the roof too, or was it just price gouging? Since I wasn't born yesterday, and since I really did not need to use the scale except to weigh a few pieces of gold jewelry I am considering putting up for sale, I figured why bother - I could have them weighed another day.

This morning was another day. I signed onto GunBroker.com where I had just sold an item in an auction. I guess being on an auction site of one sort or another led me to think about selling the jewelry, and that made me think I had to know the weight of the pieces, and that made me think of the scale, and that brought me back to the batteries and to the really high price quote. So I plugged the term LR44 into my browser. What pops up but several links to sites selling these batteries. I took a look at a few of them, and that made me realize I had been bullshitted balderdashed by the store clerk who told me they were $12.95 each. I suppose this was quite possibly through no fault of her own but likely by way of the fault of the greed mongers who own the store, or simply by way of a glitch in their pricing system. You see I saw them for as low $1.00 each if you bought 1 to 4 of them at a time, and saw them as high as $2.50 each plus shipping. Now don't start to think that shipping would be expensive for them and therefore drive the price up to $12.95 each, because I also found this deal: 50 of them for only $22.00 with free shipping at one site:

http://www.infinitelights.com/lr44batteries.html.

That is 44 cents each, shipping included. I would open a battery store if I could get em that cheap then think I could really sell them for $12.95 each on a regular basis.

The thing that gets me the most though is how anyone could be so naive as to believe that a commonplace a battery as is the LR 44 could have a legitimate price tag on it of $12.95 (or $38.85 for three plus tax), and also believe it is the price of gasoline that caused it to go up so high. Are people that friggin stupid? Don't answer that, it will just depress me to hear from someone other than myself that yes they are indeed that stupid. Now don't try to defend this particular clerk by saying maybe she was new to the store and was not familiar with the prices; she has worked there for years, and has been in the photography department where they sell those batteries for as long as I can recall her being in the store. It just boggles the mind that people are so easily manipulated by greed mongers, and that they would be willing to pay stellar prices based on bullshit balderdash.

As for me, I'll buy them somewhere where I can get a reasonable price, like from an online retailer, or from a store with prices that honestly reflect the worth of these batteries. I'll also be going back to the same store wherein I was given the $12.95 apiece price quote, and I'll be taking along a copy of a few of the ads I found to show to the manager of the store. I figure that, and a bit of a speech about how I feel like they tried to cheat me may get me the batteries at a fair price, and maybe get me an apology and some future discounts. If not, I can shop at their competition across the street.

All the best,
Glenn B

The Police

Heck, I could have just bought 2 tickets online for pretty good seats at the final Police show in their reunion tour (and supposedly final tour forever). One level above floor level, to front of stage to left of stage as you look at it, 6th row, aisle seats. Really good seats, but man oh man $359 each, plus $18.50 handling fee each. I was sorely tempted if only because I was thinking I could sell one and still go and almost have paid for both by selling the one, or sell both and have some decent profit. Then again, I am a wussie and don't want to take the chance of getting skunked and holding two tickets, without getting any of the money back. Of course, I could always take my wife, but I doubt she would appreciate the show, or the fact that I would have to go into hock to buy the tickets.

Maybe I should check out a show before the final show.

All the best,
Glenn B

SAIGA .308

You may remember my son turned 18 at the end of last year. With that came his liberty to buy and possess firearms - yes even here in anti-gun, tyrannical, ultra-liberal New York. He was surprised to learn that now he could indeed go out and make a purchase of his own firearms without me in tow. Somehow though, I thought he may have lost interest in getting himself his first self purchased gun, I guess simply because he has not said much about it in several months.

Tonight though he surprised me. he told me he had been in a gun shop just a few blocks from our house (small store, but exceedingly high prices on some things I have seen there) and that he had checked on the availability of SAIGA rifles. They have a SAIGA in .223 for the price of $350. I guess not too bad considering I can buy one online for $329 plus shipping, plus an FFL fee (probably at least $50 around here,but likely to be more). He did not ask the gun shop clerk, but my guess is it comes with one magazine (10 shot for .223 I think). The one online comes with 4 10 shot magazines. Still though $350 is not all that high from what I can gather. He was also told by the store clerk that they would be getting them in 7.62x39 soon. I told Brendan that he should consider getting one in .308, a much better round than either of the others. He is going to go back to the store to inquire if they can get one in that caliber.

The rifles are not bad at all from what I can gather. They are sturdy work horses, based on the AK design, and are fairly accurate out to 200 to 300 yards. They are available with a 16.3" or 21.8 inch barrel, and come with either wood or synthetic stocks. They are manufactured or imported by Russian American Armory, see this link for more info:

http://www.raacfirearms.com/Saiga_308.htm

I should point out, I also told Brendan that if he really wants one he should save up his money for one of these rifles. Then Brendan told me that he has been saving all of his change toward just that end. That was a pleasant surprise for me. I don't know how much he has saved, but my guess is he could save $400 or so in change, enough for the rifle plus tax and maybe an extra mag and some ammo, in about a year or less. We will see how this works out, and I'll keep you advised of any real progress toward this goal. If I am lucky he will save enough for two of them and buy one for me too.

It seems I have planted the seed of an American Rifleman within the soul of my son. That my friends is a good thing indeed.

All the best,

Glenn B

How Could I Resist - It Was A Package Deal

Yes I am short on funds, yes I am trying to save up for a new gun, yes I have been hit with a lot of unexpected bills lately, yes my son's college tuition is due by July 31st (ouch - man have state university tuition costs skyrocketed); but how could I resist a deal like this. I mean even if the scope is a piece of trash, and I am not saying it is but just that it could be at this price, so long as the scope mount/receiver cover is of decent quality this is a good deal. Supposedly the cover/mount is all steel.

What exactly is it? Well, it's a scope mount and rifle scope for a Yugo SKS that is being offered by Centerfire Systems at: http://www.centerfiresystems.com/pkg106.aspx. I never heard of this outfit before, but I found them while searching for info on a SAIGA in .308. Once I saw this ad on their home page, I was hooked. Of course, I realize that any scope mounted as far back on an SKS as this will be will probably want to scoop my right eye right out of its socket with each shot fired, but I have other plans for the mount than using the scope that comes with it. My hope is to mount a 1" tube red dot sight in the mount. That will not protrude anywhere nearly as far back as would even the so called "mini compact scope" that comes with the package. Of course, since the scope comes with the deal, I'll have to mount it before buying a red dot scope, just to see how it works albeit facing the risk to my becoming a cyclops. Who knows - it may be just the thing for an SKS. For the price of $34.98 I cannot go far wrong, that is of course barring losing an eye to this set-up. Sure the ad says $24.99, but I am adding $9.99 they charge for shipping accessories.

I have already ordered it, and once I have received it, I suppose I'll have to make a trip to the range with Brendan and a couple of good pairs of shooting glasses to check it out. Once I do, I'll let you know what I think of it.

All the best,
Glenn B

I didn't know I could do that!

That is drag a page element to appear just above my rants. That is great, this way I can have a topic right at the top of my blog for as long as I want. Good place to put the Soldiers' Care Package donation request while it is still ongoing.

By the way, so far, I have only received one donation. I have to ask - what is up with that? Is it that people are broke, or that they don't think it a good cause, or that they do not trust me, or what? Those are not rhetorical questions either, I would appreciate some answers, thoughts, opinions, as to why only one person has made a donation to such a worthy cause. Last time around there were quite a number of donations; so I just don't get why there is only one so far this time around. So please leave me your thoughts on it, you can leave them anonymously if you want.

All the best,
Glenn B

Off To Visit My Mom today...

...in the hospital. She took a fall a few days back, and has been in the hospital since then. I had best get my butt out her way for a visit, and to give my sister a break. My sister has been attending to her for the 2 days she has been in the hospital already. So not much time to blog today, and probably not tonight either. By the time I get home, I'll probably be ready for an icy cold beverage, and then to hit the hay. Not looking forward to the 1 1/2 hour drive. Maybe more depending on traffic, and thank goodness this is not a Friday because traffic to eastern Long Island can be really bad on Friday in the beach season. Oh well, I gotta grab a cup of Joe and hit the road.

Edited to add: Now an hour later and I still have not left home. Delays, delays, delays, but I'll be leaving soon - just waiting for my phone to charge up a bit - no car charger.

All the best,
Glenn B

The Latest Link(s)

Tonight I found out my blog was prominently linked on the blog: The Wandering Minstrel. How can I not give a reciprocal blog to someone with genius enough to link to me! So there it is, over on the right, in 'The Grumps, Geeks, Gun Guys and Geniuses...' blog roll. This particular blogger is one of the gun toting (and smart) variety which are my favorites, that is right after those who get me in trouble with my wife when they flash me a pretty smile.

There is also a new blog under the header of 'All Sorts of Great Bloggers - No Links Back To Me - But I Like Em Anyway' blog roll. This new one is Great Blue Whale. Another gun blog among other things.

Check them out, I think that you will like them.

All the best,
Glenn B

An Open Invitation...

...to any U.S. Citizen or legal resident alien, who is of legal age, if you are on Long Island and want to learn how to shoot a rifle or shotgun, I would be happy to assist free of charge as per availability. You must provide your own firearm(s) and ammunition, safety equipment, pay for your own range use fees, and for your own transportation to the range. I can possibly provide a 22 rifle for first timers under certain circumstances, but this will be the rare exception. This offer goes for virtually anyone who can legally possess a firearm within New York State, and who is mentally and physically capable, in my opinion, of using one safely. I am available to do this at the Nassau County Rifle Range in Uniondale, or at the Long Island Shooting Range of Brookhaven. Please be responsible and courteous, don't be a jerk if you want to take me up on it, be capable of shooting safely, and be legally allowed to possess firearms and ammunition. This offer conveys no privilege or right to anyone, and I may, at my own discretion, decline to provide this offer to anyone for any reason, or may discontinue the offer at any time with no advance notice.

All the best,
Glenn B

On Troop Surges and Timetables

Barack Hussein Obama is currently in Iraq (he finally got some chutzpah, I suppose because he is too afraid of losing votes by not going). Now that he is there, a lot of drum banging will begin, and you can bet it will all be shoved in our faces on the televised news. Heck, three news anchors are traveling with him. (Now can you imagine that since the democrats were the ones who scream wildly about reinstating the Fairness Doctrine in the news media - what hypocrites!) Back to Barack. He is is talking pullout of troops on a fast schedule, and he is also talking about introducing a surge of troops to Afghanistan. Funny isn't it - how not too long ago Barack hypocrite Hussein Obama voted against the troop surge for Iraq saying a troop surge would not work, and now he is ready to fully endorse surges over in the war in Afghanistan by sending a troop surge to that country. I guess he thought that troop surges just wouldn't work in one country because it was spelled I-R-A-Q instead of A-F-G-H-A-N-I-S-T-A-N, I mean what other reason could there be, let alone what sensible reason could there be for how he has changed his view of troop surges?

Now I am not saying we should not be getting out of Iraq. I think if we have done the job, then we should be done with it. My feeling is that it we should make sure it is done, they start to withdraw. As to a timetable, well, I don't know. I think some troops, in the form of advisers, and in the form of air bases, should remain in Iraq as we have had them in Germany and in South Korea, for quite awhile. Most though should be taken out, and that I think should start soon. Then we should hammer Afghanistan. Yet there is a difference in how and why I view it this way from how Barack Hussein Obama views it. He readily admits secretly believes it a great way to get votes, and nothing more from what I can see. I say it to actually win the war on terrorism, and to give our troops a break. In the overall picture, from what I can see liberal Democrats overall don't give a flying flap jack as to the safety of the troops (they attack them over here in protests), curse them at every chance they get, cut back on spending for their protection, and opposed the surge in Iraq that ultimately resulted in saving many lives of our soldiers. No not the opposition, but the surge itself saved lives, so if you are a Demoncrat, please do not twist my words.

I wonder, as to liberal Democrats in general - have you noticed how they have greeted Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's suggestion for a near future troop withdrawal, on a timetable, from Iraq. Of course you know that they have greeted it with open arms and a lot of pompous saying 'see we told you that is what was needed' kind of thing. In that light they are praising Maliki as a great leader who knows that which about he speaks. They just cannot praise Maliki enough. Funny though, it was not too long ago that the Democrats overwhelmingly condemned Maliki as little more than a stooge or puppet for the Bush administration, and labelled him as pretty much useless and completely ineffectual as the leader of Iraq. With the liberal Democrats it seems to be they change their minds as the wind blows instead of having some sort of convictions or backbone. The really strange thing is that their constituencies seem to eat it all right up and swallow it hook, line and sinker as being gospel truth. Amazing.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - There really Was A Man In The Moon

Well, at least there was a man on the moon. July 20, 1969 was the day that man landed on the moon (it was not until the 21st that he actually walked on the moon) by way of the moon landing of Apollo 11. Buzz Aldrin spoke the first words on the moon, but Neil Armstrong gave us a hint of how it should have remained out there in space, when he said: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." No one knew to what he was referring because the name of the spacecraft, the lunar module, was Eagle 1. Tranquility Base was a name he had made up for the landing zone on the moon, what high hopes had he, and I guess so did the rest of us!

It was one of the most amazing achievements of our time, and a damn pity that space exploration did not go full tilt after that. Then again, we had and still have other things to worry about here at home on good old planet earth, like whose god is better than everyone else's god, who can send more bombs to whose backyard, how many rights we can give to homosexuals, starving worthless piss ants who will not work for their own well being, and oh yes Global Warming. Folks we could have been out there with a full fledged space exploration program ala Star Trek but we were just to busy screwing one another over to realize the great potential that is out among the stars. What a shame because that moon landing was absolutely amazing and held promise of wonderful things to come. Yet, here we are still stuck in the primordial ooze of men's minds, bickering,bitching, moaning and in general not knowing which way is up!

We should have followed the advice of Johnny Cash when he sang:

"I'll fly a starship across the universe divide, and when I reach the other side, I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can..."

All the best,
Glenn B

Global Warming Slams Home In July...

...and man oh man is it warm outside. It's currently 89 degrees Fahrenheit, with 42% humididity - so it feels like its 91 degrees Fahrenheit. Can you imagine it feeling like 91 degrees in July! Maybe Al Gore was right, maybe we have doomed ourselves, oh nooooooooo.

Let me tell you, though it's hot, I have braved the heat. I've been out to the stores and the shopping is done, I took care of my animals and their cages, pen, and tanks are clean and they are well fed, I put a coat of polyurethane of the chest of drawers I'm refinishing, I've watered the flowers and the vegetable garden using watering cans (none of that wussy using a hose for me), I've pulled some weeds (though not too many because it really is warm), I took out the trash, and now I am waiting on the polyurethane to dry so I can hit the chest of drawers with another coat. What to do, oh what to do. Well I can get my animals ready for the herp show this evening at Gardiner Manor Park in Suffolk County, and and do have to get that done; but before I do it there is something else I need to accomplish.

What a better accomplishment than to make sure I survive this massive heat wave, this overwhelming spurt of global warming, this Curse of Gore. So I had better grab an icy cold beverage like a Hefe Weissbier, or a vodka spiked glass of lemonade, while there is still electricity coming in, allowing my fridge to run, making it possible for me to chill some beers, and to make some cubes to dip into my cocktails. Otherwise I might just start repeating the death knell of the Wicked Witch of the West: "I'm melting, I'm melting.....".

So what am I waiting for? Later for you....

All the best,
Glenn B

Brooklyn Gun Buy...Irony of Ironies...

Here I am trying to get some cash together so I can legally buy a new gun, and I am presented with a dilemma. Should I stick to my ethics and do it the right way, or should I partake in the gun buy back. I have a couple of old clunkers I have been trying to sell, one is a Mosin Nagant M44 for which I have been asking $75.00 and would probably accept $50.00, and the other is a J.C. Higgins bolt action rifle in .22LR,, I forget the model number - something in the 40s. I am asking $125 for it. The dilemma is this - I can hold onto them and have it take a long time to sell them legally because they are of little collector interest, or I can drive into Brooklyn in NYC today and turn them in to an "illegal" Gun Buy Back Program and receive a $200 Bank card, no question asked, for each of them. You add it up.

On the one hand I can get $400 for two rifles for which I am having a hard time selling for a total asking price of $200, let along what I would accept. On the other hand I have some morals and live by some ethics. It would be outright dishonest of me to claim that these guns are illegal, yet the buy back program is a "no questions asked" sort of a thing. Well that is it would be dishonest of me to claim them as being illegal here where I live, but I do not live in NYC. If I drive the short distance into the city though, at least one of them, the Mosin Nagant, with its attached bayonet, would be considered illegal. Think of it, I could get $200 for a rifle for which I probably would accept $50, and for which I would be happy to get $75.00! Fuck those assholes I am truly disappointed in the wizards at the NYPD who figured out not only this great way to tempt legal gun owners like me, but also how to waste the taxpayers' dollars by buying a bunch of guns for much more than they are worth. In addition they will make a big stink about how they get maybe a couple of hundred guns off of the streets, and guess what - the criminal element will only steal or illegally buy, or illegally manufacture more of them, and this effort will not reduce gun crime by any great amount. What will reduce gun crime is arming the average citizen and allowing that citizen to defend him or herself.

As for me, the choice is tough clear. (yes of course it is clear, clear as crystal). I cannot bring myself to do something that would:

1) Be as dishonest as this

2) Probably result in an investigation not of the firearms I turned in. Yes there are no questions asked, but do you think the police will not be checking serial numbers, then going to investigate whom they believe to be the legitimate owner of the gun to determine how the gun wound up at the buy back. I could just imagine the knock on my door, the police asking me all sorts of questions about if the gun had been sold by me or stolen from me. How would I explain I turned it in for the cash?

3) Turning in a perfectly operable firearm, a legally owned one at that, to have it eventually destroyed by the government.

4) Placing a feather into the cap of the Bloomberg Tyranny by way of giving them one, or two, additional gun(s) to have counted in their media attention seeking anti-gun drive.

5) Ruining the chance of some other firearms enthusiast and U.S. Citizen, or legal resident alien, to own one of these fine firearms. Yes not very collectible, but fine firearms nevertheless. They are both great shooters, and lots of fun, and if that is not 'fine' I do not know what could be.

6) It is a waste of tax payer dollars, an extravagant waste of tax payer dollars, and I am a tax payer who pays to much in taxes to support moronic programs like this one.

So as it turns out, I will do my chores around the house. Of course I may call the NYPD and ask if they will also accept, and pay for,legally owned firearms. That could change how I look at things a bit; but my guess is that I will still keep the guns. Why - well because of reasons 3, 4, 5 and 6 above. Man it pisses me off big-time that they are wasting tax dollars like this.

The only thing I can think of that would make me smile about this whole buy back deal would be if some thugs showed up at one or more of the buy back centers, then stole all of the bought back firearms, of course without injuring anyone; and then for a law abiding Joe Regular Guy legally armed citizen to capture the bad guys and seize the guns. Sure the guns would still wind up being destroyed but think of how that would make Bloomberg look. It would help assure that a tyrant a politician like Bloomberg would never again be elected; and that such programs would be frowned upon. Of course I am not wishing for that, nor suggesting anyone try it (the theft that is), and I certainly do not condone it, but there certainly would be a bit of satisfaction in seeing the program fail that miserably.

All the best,
Glenn B

Another Item on Auction For The New Gun Fund

If you are interested in bidding, go to this link, and help me buy my first new gun in quite a while:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=105121838

All the best,

GB

Let The Auctions Begin...

I have listed two (2) auctions, one each at GunBroker.com and one at ebay.com.

The one at GunBroker.com is for five (5) boxes of Winchester 7.62x25 ammunition, 85 grains, FMJ, 50 rounds per box. See: http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=105089376

My starting bid is not bad either when you consider it works out to $13.00 per box of 50, and that when last offered at CheaperThanDirt.com, this ammo was going for just under $19.85 per box of 50.


The other auction at eBay is for a 2002 NCAA Men's Final Four, Maryland terrapins, National Champions cap. It was autographed by Gary Williams the Maryland coach when I met him in a restaurant across from the college. If interested see:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320276150311

I am hopeful this will help bring in some cash for my anticipated purchase of a new pistol or rifle, and I figure it is better than begging.


All the best,
Glenn B