Today I was out working on my front lawn. I decided to pull up the whole lawn and reseed it. I did it once before, ear ago, and knew before i started it today that it would be somewhat of a task for me. That was not only because the is lawn loaded with grass roots but it also seems to have roots from every tree and bush in our neighborhood running through it. It was a bit more manual labor than I have done in a long time and even though truly only a bit of work for an average guy since my lawn is 20x20 at best it was too much for me to finish in one day. Man I feel old, I guess the cancer and its treatments do that to a person. Now mind you, I was never a Charles Atlas, Steve Reeves or Arnold Schwarzenegger type but I could work at something like this job for hours if need be. Today, I was lucky go get in 15 to 20 minutes before I had to stop, do something else for an hour or so, then go back out and get at it again. I got about half of the lawn done and stopped because my back is aching under my left shoulder blade. I guess I'll get the rest tomorrow if it does not rain too hard and they are promising rain through and including Thursday.
All the while, as I was out there on and off, I was wondering when a neighborhood kid would ride up on his bike and say: "Hey mister, need some help? I'll give you a hand for $10" or maybe it would be $20 nowadays. It probably would have taken a 14 or 15 year old boy, in halfway fair shape, less than an hour to do the rest of tearing out the old grass. The thing is, you don't see neighborhood kids offering to help their neighbors with chores anymore. It used to be commonplace. Kids back in my day, myself included, would look for opportunities to make a few bucks. Winter was a great time for it. First it was me and my brother, going house to house, store to store, building to building to see who needed help snow shoveling. Then I did the same with friends. As I got a bit older, I found I could make a buck helping people with other projects, garage clean-outs, painting, or bigger stuff like one guy who was building a laundromat around the corner from my apartment building. He was happy to have neighborhood kids helping because the labor was cheap and he figured he would get a good name with all the moms who would be bringing laundry to his place.
So what happened to that practice? Is it that kids today are just too darned lazy? Are they just mommified way too much and worried about the big bad boogy man neighbor who will eat them all up? I they all high on drugs? Are they too busy playing computer games and going onto social media sites like Facebook? Or is it something else? I have half a notion, maybe even a bigger one than just half sized, that the problem goes deeper than that. When I was a kid there were no wet backs on just about every corner in certain areas just waiting for someone to drive buy to pick them up as cheap laborers. In recent years you can see them, up this way, in way too many places on way too many days (like every day). Before that though, they seeped into society and started to replace kids on news paper routes, then doing snow shoveling jobs, cutting grass, or helping do cleans out in the spring or after some one's grand dad had passed away. Nowadays, every lawn service I have ever seen is loaded with them. I fired two lawn service companies years ago because none of their guys spoke English, were admittedly illegal aliens (I speak more than enough Spanish to have asked) and because they did shitty work. Now, just try to find a neighborhood kid to shovel your driveway and sidewalk or to do some lawn work, it isn't happening because the wetbacks have moved in, taken away their jobs, and no one seems willing to round them up and send them back to from whence they came.
If I was Supreme Ruler, things would be different! Before I blow a gasket, I had best just sign off using the wise post closing words of Jay from MArooned:
"That is all."
All the best,
Glenn B
Monday, May 7, 2012
Pretty Lady Explains Basic Firearms Safety
So, there I was wondering what to do to get my stats up for this blog and I figured: 'What the heck, I'll show some gun related posts with pretty ladies in them'. Now, I really don't expect that to boost my page visits or views. All I really was thinking of doing was trying to find something appealing to myself and maybe to others without being offensive to anyone so don't look for naked babes with guns (well not too many anyhow).
Yep, I was thinking in a sexist sort of a way. That said, I will point out I am not about to show naked babes with guns although there surely might wind up being some videos or pics of babes in bikinis who are enjoying the shooting sports. Then again, I don't yet see the need to debase anyone or upset anyone, so I'll keep it to pretty women. If that offends you, if you don't like it, you don't have to look. Me, I am a guy, I am straight. I like women and looking at them and the prettier the better to look at thus, I will show them instead of hairy ugly (or handsome)muscular men. You want ugly (or handsome) hairy muscular men in videos about guns, put them in your own blog. In addition, I do what I can to encourage women to enjoy the world of guns and shooting, adding video like this is sure to help.
So, for you viewing pleasure, allow me to share this nice YouTube video with you and if you don't like the whole idea of me posting it here, well you can leave now if you want, but maybe you ought to watch anyway and then make up your mind:
Now that you have had the chance to have seen the video, I'll ask one question about it. Did you notice the two things that were very wrong in a firearms safety sort of way? As for one of them, we can't tell if she really did it or not because of how the video was edited. Yet certainly, the video shows us her potential target - a piece of cardboard taped onto a tree. Good target or bad target - what do you think?
Way back, and I mean waaaaaay back, when I was just learning to shoot, I was taught one of the first basics of shooting was never to shoot at two things that I (and many pothers) might have otherwise thought would have been fun to shoot at as targets - live trees and the flat surfaces of bodies of water like ponds or lakes. The reason for that being that both created an excellent potential for ricochets especially with lead bullets. Her having that target on a live tree invites ricochets with certain ammo. Anyway, it possibly could kill the tree. While I am not a tree hugger, I do like getting out into nature and having a nice tree or two for shade and don't need sap oozing out it, the one I picked to sit under, all because some peckerwood decided it would make a good target.
The other violation of firearms safety rules in that video was that she did not wear eye protection. She had on a nice set of protective ear muffs but no shooting glasses. That is a mistake that could lead to losing an eye. I know of one person, within the last few years, to whom that happened and she had on eye protection but not properly rated eye protection. A ricocheted piece of copper jacket caused her to lose an eye.
Other than that, I have to hand it to them for going beyond the so called 4 cardinal rules of firearms safety. Adding the one about not shooting while intoxicated was a nice touch and something important to remember whenever handling firearms. Besides being fairly good about firearms safety, she was rather pretty too, wasn't she (and she was a blond so I can forgive one or two mistakes)!
If you don't like pretty ladies in pics or vodeos about guns, which wille something more regularly shown here from now on, you can always go elsewhere to watchugly hairy, muscular men doing it. For example, try this link: http://youtu.be/eKjYlpex4OM. Me, I prefer pretty women. Maybe I can get my wife into shooting and have her do some video. Now there is a pretty lady, too bad she does not shoot (then again - maybe lucky for me that she does not)!
All the best,
Glenn B.
Yep, I was thinking in a sexist sort of a way. That said, I will point out I am not about to show naked babes with guns although there surely might wind up being some videos or pics of babes in bikinis who are enjoying the shooting sports. Then again, I don't yet see the need to debase anyone or upset anyone, so I'll keep it to pretty women. If that offends you, if you don't like it, you don't have to look. Me, I am a guy, I am straight. I like women and looking at them and the prettier the better to look at thus, I will show them instead of hairy ugly (or handsome)muscular men. You want ugly (or handsome) hairy muscular men in videos about guns, put them in your own blog. In addition, I do what I can to encourage women to enjoy the world of guns and shooting, adding video like this is sure to help.
So, for you viewing pleasure, allow me to share this nice YouTube video with you and if you don't like the whole idea of me posting it here, well you can leave now if you want, but maybe you ought to watch anyway and then make up your mind:
Now that you have had the chance to have seen the video, I'll ask one question about it. Did you notice the two things that were very wrong in a firearms safety sort of way? As for one of them, we can't tell if she really did it or not because of how the video was edited. Yet certainly, the video shows us her potential target - a piece of cardboard taped onto a tree. Good target or bad target - what do you think?
Way back, and I mean waaaaaay back, when I was just learning to shoot, I was taught one of the first basics of shooting was never to shoot at two things that I (and many pothers) might have otherwise thought would have been fun to shoot at as targets - live trees and the flat surfaces of bodies of water like ponds or lakes. The reason for that being that both created an excellent potential for ricochets especially with lead bullets. Her having that target on a live tree invites ricochets with certain ammo. Anyway, it possibly could kill the tree. While I am not a tree hugger, I do like getting out into nature and having a nice tree or two for shade and don't need sap oozing out it, the one I picked to sit under, all because some peckerwood decided it would make a good target.
The other violation of firearms safety rules in that video was that she did not wear eye protection. She had on a nice set of protective ear muffs but no shooting glasses. That is a mistake that could lead to losing an eye. I know of one person, within the last few years, to whom that happened and she had on eye protection but not properly rated eye protection. A ricocheted piece of copper jacket caused her to lose an eye.
Other than that, I have to hand it to them for going beyond the so called 4 cardinal rules of firearms safety. Adding the one about not shooting while intoxicated was a nice touch and something important to remember whenever handling firearms. Besides being fairly good about firearms safety, she was rather pretty too, wasn't she (and she was a blond so I can forgive one or two mistakes)!
If you don't like pretty ladies in pics or vodeos about guns, which wille something more regularly shown here from now on, you can always go elsewhere to watch
All the best,
Glenn B.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
LIHS Bio-Blitz
The Long Island Herpetological Society (LIHS) held its first annual bio-blitz today at SUNY Farmingdale. I guess that we had about 25 members show up and that at least 8 in the group were children. It was pretty cloudy out and somewhat cooler than I would have hoped for when looking for snakes but that did not deter the youngsters from turning logs and boards (previously laid out by society members) while looking for salamanders, snakes, toads and whatever.
In all, there were about 21 salamanders found - all Red backed Salamanders. These neat little salamanders were quite common at one time on Long Island and it seems that if the habitat is available to them (wooded areas supplying enough moisture under rotting logs and such) then it seems they are fairly tenacious as far as survival goes. To find them in as isolated a pocket as a wooded area on the campus at SUNY Farmingdale was pretty wonderful.
Another denizen of the woods was also captured. This time an American or Fowler's toad. I am not certain which species. In fact two of them were caught. The toads came as somewhat of a surprise because there does not appear to be any breeding pools on the campus for the toads. Toads can be fairly wide ranging though, and the golf course on the adjoining property has a pond or two.
In addition to the amphibians, a couple of reptiles were also found. Both of them from the same species, the Eastern Garter Snake. One was found in the woods, it was apparently on the prowl looking for its next meal. I am not certain where the other was caught but think it may have been found under one of the boards we laid out over the past 2 months. Snakes love to crawl under flat objects that absorb heat so they can warm themselves up.
That was it for reptiles and amphibians but there were other critters to be found. Many of the boards we put out had ants' nests under them. Another one also had a nest under it but very different than an ants' nest. This one hid what I am pretty sure was a white footed field mouse and a liter of babies. There were 4 or 5 babies suckling the mother. We all got a good look and the mother mouse took us in as well but after a couple of minutes she had enough and she scampered away with two babies still attached to her teats. No doubt, once we put the plywood back down as it had been, she returned to her babies that were still in the nest. A short tailed vole was also found under one of the pieces of plywood that we had put out. There were also butterflies galore along the path out in the sunny areas (not in the woods) where we had laid out the plywood. Finally, we also got to see a good number of barn swallows and a couple of their nests under an overhang of one of the buildings.
As for the catching, it was 'catch and release' only. The herps were caught, bagged or put into other appropriate containers, brought to the meeting room and measured and photographed, then released back where they had been caught. By bringing them into the meeting room, everyone got a good opportunity to take a look at them close up. By releasing them, we all, especially the kids, got a good lesson in wildlife conservation.
Personally, I had been hoping to stumble across an Eastern Box turtle. That would have been a find nowadays although 30 or 40 years ago they were still fairly abundant in the area. No luck finding any of them but I think we did pretty good for our first LIHS Bio-Blitz and both old and young alike had a lot of fun.
All the best,
Glenn B
 |
| Red Backed Salamander |
Another denizen of the woods was also captured. This time an American or Fowler's toad. I am not certain which species. In fact two of them were caught. The toads came as somewhat of a surprise because there does not appear to be any breeding pools on the campus for the toads. Toads can be fairly wide ranging though, and the golf course on the adjoining property has a pond or two.
In addition to the amphibians, a couple of reptiles were also found. Both of them from the same species, the Eastern Garter Snake. One was found in the woods, it was apparently on the prowl looking for its next meal. I am not certain where the other was caught but think it may have been found under one of the boards we laid out over the past 2 months. Snakes love to crawl under flat objects that absorb heat so they can warm themselves up.
 |
| Look Closely To See Mon Just Taking Off |
Personally, I had been hoping to stumble across an Eastern Box turtle. That would have been a find nowadays although 30 or 40 years ago they were still fairly abundant in the area. No luck finding any of them but I think we did pretty good for our first LIHS Bio-Blitz and both old and young alike had a lot of fun.
All the best,
Glenn B
Friday, May 4, 2012
Holsters Again
I have been looking around for a new holster for my new Remington 1911-R1 and also for my Beretta 92FS pistols. I've taken a good long look at the suggestions others have made in the comments section of my previous post on this. I was not all that interested in what Dragon Leatherworks had to offer mostly because they apparently do not offer that for which I am looking. I noticed that Bell Charter Oak (odd name for a company that makes gun leather) had one that might fit the bill, their: Federal Auto Scabbard (you have to scroll down once at the linked site) might be a contender depending on the belt slots. Then there was Andrew's Leather who offers their Saddle Style holsters which look nice but lack some features I would like. As for I've also looked to the selections offered by DeSantis Gunhide, Bianchi, Don Hume to name a few others.
I have not decided on anything yet but so far out of all of the ones that I have seen, the one I like best is the three slot Thumb Break Scabbard by DeSantis Gunhide. I have to qualify that statement, I like that at least for my Beretta 92FS pistols but it also lacks some features I would want like a lining and the extra reinforcing leather at the holster mouth. I'm pretty sure I would want that particular model for the Remington 1911-R1. The reason is that it does not look as if you would be able to carry cocked and locked with it as you could with a similar holster, also offered by DeSantis, the Cocked and Locked Thumb Break Scabbard.
When I looked to Bianchi, I was not impressed by almost anything. Judging from their prices, I would guess that they no longer line their leather holsters with suede. Bianchi used to be an independent company but has since been taken over by Safariland. The only holster that comes close to what I want is Bianchi's Venom but I am not looking for a holster in which the barrel and front site are not covered. This seems to have the same belt connection method as does an apparently defunct model of Bianchi holster, the Askin's Avenger. It also has the thumb break but judging by price it is unlined.
The type of holster I have in mind would be extremely similar to Bianchi's Askin's Avenger except, I would change it from an open top to one with a thumb snap. The thing is the last time I saw an Askin's Avenger for sale was not too long after 9/11 at N.Y. Ironworks in downtown Manhattan.. I bought it to replace one that I had lost when mine was lost in the rubble of 6 WTC. I only started using it recently, several months after my retirement and more than 10 years after I purchased it. Bianchi now being part of Safariland seemingly no longer makes the Askin's Avenger and never offered it with a thumb break as far as I am aware. I also checked Safariland to see what they offered and all of their offering in a concealable holster for a 1911 were Bianchi holsters.
A very similar holster, to what I am describing and looking for is not an impossibility to manufacture. I know because I own one already but it is for a Glock 19. It was made, once upon a time, by Don Hume Leathergoods. It essentially had the same belt connection method as the Askin's Avenger. It was tooled to fit the pistol on the outer side. That combined with the belt connection style made for a holster that would pull into the hip and be comfortable to wear. It was also fairly high ride. It had a thumb snap. It was reinforced around the front of the holster mouth to assure that you could always easily reholster with one hand. It was lined with suede. The model was the H724-TB; I cannot remember the model name and it is not stamped on the back of the holster as is the model number. I just shot off an inquiry to Don Hume Leathergoods to see if they still produce, if not if they plan to manufacture it again and if neither then if they could do it as a custom order for my Remington 1911-R1 and my Beretta 92FS pistols.
As I said, I am willing to have my holster custom made. If Don Hume cannot make me the model I want, then I probably will look locally if I decide on a couple of custom made holsters. If I do that, chances are I would go with DeSantis since they are fairly local and I could drive there and discuss what I want with the owner. I am pretty sure he would be willing to meet with me but if not him then anyone there would be fine. The reason I think he might be willing to meet with me is because I did business directly with him in the past. That was in my official capacity, probably just before or just after 9/11, when my agency sent me out to holster shop back when I had collateral duties as a firearms instructor. I ordered somewhere in between 250 to 300 holsters maybe more, as best I recall. Visiting his facility (that used to be much closer to my home) and his personal touch and assurances about the quality of the holsters we wanted to order had some small measure to do with ordering DeSantis holsters instead of ordering some from his competitors. Of course, price had a good deal to do with it too as did time frame to get the order done. The holsters we got were good for the money, although I must admit I personally would never again go for an unlined holster but that is for what my agency was willing to pay. They wanted a reasonable holster for cheap but that is the government. The holsters held up pretty good but I learned a lot about holster design while and after making that order and now would shy away from pancake style holsters unless: the opening is reinforced with extra leather to assure the opening will remain open for one handed holstering. A leather reinforcement strip around the outside of the holster mouth would help there, as would a suede lining. Oh well, live and learn and you can bet I learned what I want in a holster in my 32 years as an LEO and 14 years as a firearms instructor.
I am still looking, I'm in no particular or great hurry especially once I found out how comfortable and well concealed is the Remington 1911-R1 when in the pocket of a couple of different pairs of pants I own. Have to carry it hammer down in that case but cocking it is almost as fast as taking off he safety when carrying cocked and locked. Well, anyway, if Don Hume cannot produce the holster I want, I almost definitely would go with DeSantis for my personal holster if custom made and even some of their stock offerings are tempting.
All the best,
Glenn B
I have not decided on anything yet but so far out of all of the ones that I have seen, the one I like best is the three slot Thumb Break Scabbard by DeSantis Gunhide. I have to qualify that statement, I like that at least for my Beretta 92FS pistols but it also lacks some features I would want like a lining and the extra reinforcing leather at the holster mouth. I'm pretty sure I would want that particular model for the Remington 1911-R1. The reason is that it does not look as if you would be able to carry cocked and locked with it as you could with a similar holster, also offered by DeSantis, the Cocked and Locked Thumb Break Scabbard.
When I looked to Bianchi, I was not impressed by almost anything. Judging from their prices, I would guess that they no longer line their leather holsters with suede. Bianchi used to be an independent company but has since been taken over by Safariland. The only holster that comes close to what I want is Bianchi's Venom but I am not looking for a holster in which the barrel and front site are not covered. This seems to have the same belt connection method as does an apparently defunct model of Bianchi holster, the Askin's Avenger. It also has the thumb break but judging by price it is unlined.
The type of holster I have in mind would be extremely similar to Bianchi's Askin's Avenger except, I would change it from an open top to one with a thumb snap. The thing is the last time I saw an Askin's Avenger for sale was not too long after 9/11 at N.Y. Ironworks in downtown Manhattan.. I bought it to replace one that I had lost when mine was lost in the rubble of 6 WTC. I only started using it recently, several months after my retirement and more than 10 years after I purchased it. Bianchi now being part of Safariland seemingly no longer makes the Askin's Avenger and never offered it with a thumb break as far as I am aware. I also checked Safariland to see what they offered and all of their offering in a concealable holster for a 1911 were Bianchi holsters.
A very similar holster, to what I am describing and looking for is not an impossibility to manufacture. I know because I own one already but it is for a Glock 19. It was made, once upon a time, by Don Hume Leathergoods. It essentially had the same belt connection method as the Askin's Avenger. It was tooled to fit the pistol on the outer side. That combined with the belt connection style made for a holster that would pull into the hip and be comfortable to wear. It was also fairly high ride. It had a thumb snap. It was reinforced around the front of the holster mouth to assure that you could always easily reholster with one hand. It was lined with suede. The model was the H724-TB; I cannot remember the model name and it is not stamped on the back of the holster as is the model number. I just shot off an inquiry to Don Hume Leathergoods to see if they still produce, if not if they plan to manufacture it again and if neither then if they could do it as a custom order for my Remington 1911-R1 and my Beretta 92FS pistols. As I said, I am willing to have my holster custom made. If Don Hume cannot make me the model I want, then I probably will look locally if I decide on a couple of custom made holsters. If I do that, chances are I would go with DeSantis since they are fairly local and I could drive there and discuss what I want with the owner. I am pretty sure he would be willing to meet with me but if not him then anyone there would be fine. The reason I think he might be willing to meet with me is because I did business directly with him in the past. That was in my official capacity, probably just before or just after 9/11, when my agency sent me out to holster shop back when I had collateral duties as a firearms instructor. I ordered somewhere in between 250 to 300 holsters maybe more, as best I recall. Visiting his facility (that used to be much closer to my home) and his personal touch and assurances about the quality of the holsters we wanted to order had some small measure to do with ordering DeSantis holsters instead of ordering some from his competitors. Of course, price had a good deal to do with it too as did time frame to get the order done. The holsters we got were good for the money, although I must admit I personally would never again go for an unlined holster but that is for what my agency was willing to pay. They wanted a reasonable holster for cheap but that is the government. The holsters held up pretty good but I learned a lot about holster design while and after making that order and now would shy away from pancake style holsters unless: the opening is reinforced with extra leather to assure the opening will remain open for one handed holstering. A leather reinforcement strip around the outside of the holster mouth would help there, as would a suede lining. Oh well, live and learn and you can bet I learned what I want in a holster in my 32 years as an LEO and 14 years as a firearms instructor.
I am still looking, I'm in no particular or great hurry especially once I found out how comfortable and well concealed is the Remington 1911-R1 when in the pocket of a couple of different pairs of pants I own. Have to carry it hammer down in that case but cocking it is almost as fast as taking off he safety when carrying cocked and locked. Well, anyway, if Don Hume cannot produce the holster I want, I almost definitely would go with DeSantis for my personal holster if custom made and even some of their stock offerings are tempting.
All the best,
Glenn B
FPS Russia Outdoes Himself With This Video
Now that is one scary means of death and destruction and when you think that it could fall into the hands of terrorists, psychos or law enforcement it should be much scarier.
All the best,
Glenn B
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
1911 Holsters?
Anyone have a suggestion for a good, high quality, holster for my Remington 1911-R1?
I am looking for one that will be worn on the belt, on the strong side hip, in plain leather, that is suede lined, with at least a thumb snap for retention purposes. I also much prefer an open bottom. I will be looking to see what DeSantis and Don Hume have to offer. I have not had to buy a leather holster in quite awhile and I am pretty sure there must be other good holster makers out there so, any other suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks.
All the best,
GB
I am looking for one that will be worn on the belt, on the strong side hip, in plain leather, that is suede lined, with at least a thumb snap for retention purposes. I also much prefer an open bottom. I will be looking to see what DeSantis and Don Hume have to offer. I have not had to buy a leather holster in quite awhile and I am pretty sure there must be other good holster makers out there so, any other suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks.
All the best,
GB
Happy May Day
Screw Communism and Socialism and groups like Acorn and Occupy!
Now, have a nice May Day.
All the best,
Glenn B
Now, have a nice May Day.
All the best,
Glenn B
Monday, April 30, 2012
I've Have Not Had A Thing...
...that I have felt like blogging about for the past few days .Perhaps that is not just right, maybe I should rephrase it to say I just have not felt like blogging because I surely could have written about my trip to the gun auction in Geneva, NY this past weekend. I also could post some photos or a video of some things I acquired and I suppose I could tell you how not to screw up at an auction as I did on at least two, maybe even three, of five items on which I had the high bids. I could also brag about how well I did on the other two. A blog post about all that is likely in the near future but for right now, I seem to have lost my blogger mojo. There is a fair chance I'll post more later tonight but I think a better chance that I'll start posting more in a day or two. I'm just in a rut right now due to some non-blog related things on the home front and in the job search and so on.
All the best,
Glenn B
All the best,
Glenn B
Friday, April 27, 2012
Patriotism - It Dies Hard
My friend, who sent this video to me, said in his email:
"You have to see this. This is one of the best videos I have seen in a long time and not a word is spoken."
I guess I have to agree with him. While it's kind of long for an Internet video at over 11 minutes, I must say it is well worth the time you take to watch it.
A hat tip to Richie M.
All the best,
Glenn B
"You have to see this. This is one of the best videos I have seen in a long time and not a word is spoken."
I guess I have to agree with him. While it's kind of long for an Internet video at over 11 minutes, I must say it is well worth the time you take to watch it.
A hat tip to Richie M.
All the best,
Glenn B
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Good Sized Gun Auction - This Saturday In Geneva, NY
There will be a good sized firearms auction up in Geneva, NY this weekend. The auction includes numerous shotguns, rifles and handguns. They will also be auctioning off hunting and fishing gear. I think I will be there. If I buy anything, I'll have to reach into the retirement savings so, I would have to be a very prudent bidder and only buy if it is something that would be an excellent investment for my family's future.
All the best,
Glenn B
All the best,
Glenn B
Test Your Political Knowledge
I found the below link to a political knowledge test over at Wirecutter's site. The test is about your knowledge of U.S. politics. There are only 13 questions and it is an easy test. I scored 100% correct but as I said it is an easy one. Then again, you may be surprised at how many got absolutely none correct, when the test was given by way of a national telephone survey. I was certainly shocked. It is also amazing at how many scored less than 5 correct, approximately 25% of the test takers who took the phone survey. Yet, I kid you not, it is a very easy test or at least it should be easy.
Go to this link to take it and then to see the stats for it:
http://pewresearch.org/politicalquiz/
Once you have taken it, come back and leave a comment telling how good you did on it. My bet would be that the great majority of my readers, who are here in the USA, will do well on it.
I also have a question of my own, not one from the test: Can you guess a possible reason that there were only 13 questions asked bearing in mind that this is a test about U.S. politics?
All the best,
Glenn B
Go to this link to take it and then to see the stats for it:
http://pewresearch.org/politicalquiz/
Once you have taken it, come back and leave a comment telling how good you did on it. My bet would be that the great majority of my readers, who are here in the USA, will do well on it.
I also have a question of my own, not one from the test: Can you guess a possible reason that there were only 13 questions asked bearing in mind that this is a test about U.S. politics?
All the best,
Glenn B
Tyranny - Nothing More and Nothing Less
Where does it come from? From the Obama administration and from one of the most useless agencies of all time, the EPA.
See: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/04/26/epa-official-apologizes-for-call-to-crucify-oil-companies-senator-investigating/
Why this has only been reported on now in 2012 when it happened in 2010, maybe because of the upcoming election and maybe because the video was just made public. Whatever, the reason for the timing, it does not lessen the fact that what was described, in essence as being the policy that the EPA should follow as to enforcement of EPA regulations, is nothing less than Tyranny! No mention of due process, no mention of having a mere suspicion that a regulation has been violated, no mention or indication that the Constitution will followed, only the threat that the EPA enforcement division will "crucify", at random, companies or individuals as alleged violators all to set an example to others! The man who said this, in my opinion, needs to be investigated, brought up on charges, jailed and fired.
I have never heard a more nefarious violation of government ethics, proclaiming the use of tyranny, by a self righteous and obviously pompous U.S.arsehat bureaucrat in my lifetime.
All the best,
Glenn B
See: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/04/26/epa-official-apologizes-for-call-to-crucify-oil-companies-senator-investigating/
Why this has only been reported on now in 2012 when it happened in 2010, maybe because of the upcoming election and maybe because the video was just made public. Whatever, the reason for the timing, it does not lessen the fact that what was described, in essence as being the policy that the EPA should follow as to enforcement of EPA regulations, is nothing less than Tyranny! No mention of due process, no mention of having a mere suspicion that a regulation has been violated, no mention or indication that the Constitution will followed, only the threat that the EPA enforcement division will "crucify", at random, companies or individuals as alleged violators all to set an example to others! The man who said this, in my opinion, needs to be investigated, brought up on charges, jailed and fired.
I have never heard a more nefarious violation of government ethics, proclaiming the use of tyranny, by a self righteous and obviously pompous U.S.
All the best,
Glenn B
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The 1911 I Gotta Shoot It Now Bug Bit Me Tonight & I Didn't Wait...
...for my order of .45 ammo to arrive before heading out to shoot the Remington 1911-R1. I hit the range tonight with 150 rounds of .45 JHP ammo from the little I had in stock. I shot 50 rounds of that, through the Remington 1911-R1, without a glitch. Not the best shooting I have ever done, certainly not the worst either. It was the first time in many years that I have fired anything in .45 caliber. I shot at 7, 15 and 25 yards. Everything seemed okay but I will say that the trigger had some creep to it and is certainly set at a higher weight of pull than 3-5 pounds as Remington claims it is set. Nonetheless, all my shots hit the paper which is about chest sized. The 7 yard target is shown, that was the first 28 shots. I did somewhat better at 15 yards. Not so great at 25 but as I said all shots hit the paper even though the group size at 25 yards was about 11.5 inches.Then, I put the 1911 away and shot my Beretta 92FS. I put about 100 rounds through that. I just wanted to make sure that the slide stop spring, that had popped out when I was cleaning the gun last week, was back in there properly and that I had not twisted it out of shape or any thing like that when I put it back in place. It stayed put and functioned properly.
I put the Beretta away and took the Remington 1911-R1 out again. I fired only another 14 rounds. I shot slow fire at 10 yards and got a group much better than even the one I had shot at 7 yards earlier. I am pretty sure I was anticipating recoil somewhat for that first box of 50 rounds but it seems I got better when I shot these last two magazine loads of ammo. I think I could come to like this pistol very much.I had one jam with the Remington, a failure to eject and the shell casing prevented the last bullet from the mag from chambering as it rode back forward with the slide - it looked sort of like a double feed but a contorted one at that. I am not too concerned. That might have been caused by me, maybe by the gun, maybe by the mag, if it starts to happen regularly I will check into the reason.
After that, it was time to leave, my hour was up. I had taken my time between sets of two mags worth of shots, I saw no need to hurry with a new pistol. I only used the two Remington mags that came with the pistol, and that had me taking more time to reload between sets. I'll check out my supposed mil-surp mags another day, I have 9 of them. As it turned out tonight, I had a bunch of ammo left over but that's okay, I can shoot that next time.All the best,
Glenn B
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Cleaning My 1911 - Now That Was Different
I just got finished cleaning my new Remington 1911 R1 pistol. It was pretty fouled for a brand new pistol meaning either that Remington test fired it and did not clean (or did not clean it very well) it or that the dealer from whom I bought it shot it some and did not clean it (or did not clean it well).
Now that I got my 1911 apart and back together again, I can understand why many people think the 1911 an archaic pistol and why many others think it a pain in the arse. There are an awful lot of parts to disassemble just to field strip it for cleaning and there are also an awful lot of steps involved in disassembly and reassembly. You also need a special tool to field strip it (although maybe in the future, after shooting it some, the parts will have loosened up a tiny bit allowing me to do it without the tool).
I did not mind any of that though, I thought taking it down and getting it back together - so it seemingly will actually function again - was interesting and fairly easy. I will say that the Remington manual was lacking just a bit as for the instructions on the reassembly side. Not lacking much mind you but there were one or two small tidbits of info that they not only could have included but probably should have included. Nonetheless, I got it back together pretty quickly, no problems, and am sure it will get easier and easier each time I do it.
Now all I have to do is wait for the ammo to arrive before heading out to the range. If I become inpatient I could always use up some of the JHP ammo I have had in my ammo locker for the past few years. I could also go to Dick's Sporting Goods to see if they have any .45 Auto at a decent price. I am pretty sure that I still have $70 to $75 on a gift card there. That gift card may be better if saved to buy something else if only because their ammo prices are sure to be way too high compared to online dealers. I think I'll just wait for my ammo order to arrive; hopefully I can make it that long without the 'I gotta shoot it now bug' biting me. I much rather break in the gun, and break in me as a new 1911 shooter, with FMJ rounds and save my JHP rounds for more serious shooting. Once I have familiarized myself with the new pistol and how it shoots, with the less expensive FMJ rounds, I'll shoot the JHP rounds through it. I almost cannot wait but my order has already shipped so it should be here in a few days.
All the best,
Glenn B
Now that I got my 1911 apart and back together again, I can understand why many people think the 1911 an archaic pistol and why many others think it a pain in the arse. There are an awful lot of parts to disassemble just to field strip it for cleaning and there are also an awful lot of steps involved in disassembly and reassembly. You also need a special tool to field strip it (although maybe in the future, after shooting it some, the parts will have loosened up a tiny bit allowing me to do it without the tool).
I did not mind any of that though, I thought taking it down and getting it back together - so it seemingly will actually function again - was interesting and fairly easy. I will say that the Remington manual was lacking just a bit as for the instructions on the reassembly side. Not lacking much mind you but there were one or two small tidbits of info that they not only could have included but probably should have included. Nonetheless, I got it back together pretty quickly, no problems, and am sure it will get easier and easier each time I do it.
Now all I have to do is wait for the ammo to arrive before heading out to the range. If I become inpatient I could always use up some of the JHP ammo I have had in my ammo locker for the past few years. I could also go to Dick's Sporting Goods to see if they have any .45 Auto at a decent price. I am pretty sure that I still have $70 to $75 on a gift card there. That gift card may be better if saved to buy something else if only because their ammo prices are sure to be way too high compared to online dealers. I think I'll just wait for my ammo order to arrive; hopefully I can make it that long without the 'I gotta shoot it now bug' biting me. I much rather break in the gun, and break in me as a new 1911 shooter, with FMJ rounds and save my JHP rounds for more serious shooting. Once I have familiarized myself with the new pistol and how it shoots, with the less expensive FMJ rounds, I'll shoot the JHP rounds through it. I almost cannot wait but my order has already shipped so it should be here in a few days.
All the best,
Glenn B
Get A Load Of These Pants - Woolrich Elite Concealed Carry Chinos
I was visiting MArooned and saw that Jay posted about the NY Times doing an article on Woolrich's new chinos. That article gave a description of them as having, among other things, a pocket specifically designed to conceal a handgun! That intrigued me but who wants to read about it in the NY Slimes Times - not me. So, I went right to the source at Woolrich.com and searched for chinos. There they were, listed as Men's 44919 Elite Concealed Carry Chinos! They seem like a good deal too, at $65 a pair; not that I usually buy pants at that high a price but hey even Levi's dungarees (for you youngsters, you call them jeans today) go for at least 2/3 that price lately and they don't have a concealed carry pocket built in.
If you don't want to bother visiting the Woolrich site, here is the info they supply on the Woolrich Elite Concealed Carry Chinos:
"These pants are ideal for situations where discretion is important. The Elite Concealed Carry Chinos have the clean profile of a standard pair of pants with no external cargo or utility pocketing, but offers the added advantage of of a hidden chamber pocket strategically constructed to reduce printing. It is made of 7.8-ounce 98% cotton/2% stretch twill fabric. It has a comfort waist with elastic side panels with three-ply, dual-chamber pocket bags. An inner chamber is accessible through an invisible zipper and allows for discreet carry option. Outer chamber provides provides conventional pocket function and additional benefit of reduced printing. Two knife openings. Reinforced crotch. Imported. Machine wash."
Now, mind you, this is not a fluke on the part of Woolrich. They also manufacture and sell:
Men's Elite CCW Shirt
Men's 44950 Elite Short Sleeve CCW Shirt
Men's 44923 Elite Short Sleeve CCW Shirt
Men's 44428 Elite Discreet Carry Twill Jacket
and others geared toward concealed carry. They all seemingly fall under the line called Woolrich Elite. Sorry ladies, so far it seems they only offer them for men. I imagine if they sell for men, ladies Woolrich elite garments will not be far behind but too bad they do not offer them now.
What a company. I may just have to buy my next set of hunting pants/jacket from them, something in wool (I sure could use some warm winter clothing and not just for hunting) and I may have to pick up one of those Elite Discreet Carry Twill Jackets this coming fall. (Hint: it would make a great birthday present, buy it for me now before they run out. That was just in case anyone in my family ever reads my blog. Oh well, one can dream.)
Now that you have been informed of this shooter geared apparel, why not consider Woolrich Elite next time you want to buy a piece of clothing geared toward concealed carry. (Nope, I don't get a penny or any other type of consideration from them for giving them a free plug.) We shooters need to support companies that support us or at least I think we should when we can.
All the best,
Glenn B
If you don't want to bother visiting the Woolrich site, here is the info they supply on the Woolrich Elite Concealed Carry Chinos:
"These pants are ideal for situations where discretion is important. The Elite Concealed Carry Chinos have the clean profile of a standard pair of pants with no external cargo or utility pocketing, but offers the added advantage of of a hidden chamber pocket strategically constructed to reduce printing. It is made of 7.8-ounce 98% cotton/2% stretch twill fabric. It has a comfort waist with elastic side panels with three-ply, dual-chamber pocket bags. An inner chamber is accessible through an invisible zipper and allows for discreet carry option. Outer chamber provides provides conventional pocket function and additional benefit of reduced printing. Two knife openings. Reinforced crotch. Imported. Machine wash."
Now, mind you, this is not a fluke on the part of Woolrich. They also manufacture and sell:
Men's Elite CCW Shirt
Men's 44950 Elite Short Sleeve CCW Shirt
Men's 44923 Elite Short Sleeve CCW Shirt
Men's 44428 Elite Discreet Carry Twill Jacket
and others geared toward concealed carry. They all seemingly fall under the line called Woolrich Elite. Sorry ladies, so far it seems they only offer them for men. I imagine if they sell for men, ladies Woolrich elite garments will not be far behind but too bad they do not offer them now.
What a company. I may just have to buy my next set of hunting pants/jacket from them, something in wool (I sure could use some warm winter clothing and not just for hunting) and I may have to pick up one of those Elite Discreet Carry Twill Jackets this coming fall. (Hint: it would make a great birthday present, buy it for me now before they run out. That was just in case anyone in my family ever reads my blog. Oh well, one can dream.)
Now that you have been informed of this shooter geared apparel, why not consider Woolrich Elite next time you want to buy a piece of clothing geared toward concealed carry. (Nope, I don't get a penny or any other type of consideration from them for giving them a free plug.) We shooters need to support companies that support us or at least I think we should when we can.
All the best,
Glenn B
Man Shoots Self And Wife At Firearms Safety Course
Sometimes it seems people are just destined to become Darwin Award winners sooner or later. Hopefully not this guy or his wife but he sure came close this past weekend. Go to the below link, then click on the play icon to hear it from a Fox News Radio announcer, it is better than just reading it:
http://radio.foxnews.com/2012/04/24/va-man-shoots-self-and-wife-at-gun-safety-class/
Imagine that, him not only shooting himself but also his wife, with the same bullet while taking a firearms SAFETY course. Where was the firearms instructor at the time of the shot? In another room, where else. Life sure does have its little ironies - doesn't it!
We all need to be careful out there when doing things like handling guns. If you need a refresher in firearms safety, look to the right side of my blog, about 4 sections down in the Blue Zone, where there are links for several sets of firearms safety rules (not just the simple minded 4 rules either).
All the best,
Glenn B
http://radio.foxnews.com/2012/04/24/va-man-shoots-self-and-wife-at-gun-safety-class/
Imagine that, him not only shooting himself but also his wife, with the same bullet while taking a firearms SAFETY course. Where was the firearms instructor at the time of the shot? In another room, where else. Life sure does have its little ironies - doesn't it!
We all need to be careful out there when doing things like handling guns. If you need a refresher in firearms safety, look to the right side of my blog, about 4 sections down in the Blue Zone, where there are links for several sets of firearms safety rules (not just the simple minded 4 rules either).
All the best,
Glenn B
"Justice For Trayvon" - Is A Race War On Its Way?
I do not condone racism in any way shape or form especially when it is the underlying basis for the use of violence against another. This is why, at first, after hearing the, unbeknownst to me, edited 911 tapes of the call George Zimmerman made to police, I thought that Mr. Zimmerman had racially profiled Mr. Trayvon Martin and that racism resulted in Mr. Zimmerman using deadly force against Mr. Martin. When the complete unedited tape of the 911 call was released, as opposed to the one that someone in the media had edited, it became obvious that Mr. Zimmerman never made any remarks that could have been constituted as racial profiling during the 911 call. Once again, it had become obvious that the media had twisted things perversely in order to sell the news! (A producer at NBC was fired but I believe he should have been arrested, see: http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2012/04/07/NBC-producer-fired-for-Zimmerman-911-call/UPI-62881333814965/.)
Well, that edited version of the 911 call, as put out into the media by NBC, is probably one of the biggest reasons that the black community went haywire and started in with all the woe is the black race and the white man is the devil sort of crap, in my opinion. The thing is that the violence has not abated all that much since the release of the the truth in the unedited version of the tape and since the firing of the NBC producer. Of course, maybe the fact that the media also reported, that when Mr. Zimmerman was brought into the police station, there were no apparent injuries to his head has something to do with fanning the flames of racial hatred against Mr. Zimmerman. Since then, the media has released photographs or video frames clearly showing at least two gashes to the back of Mr. Zimmerman's head thus evidently supporting Mr. Zimmerman's claim that Mr. Martin had bashed his head against the ground repeatedly. Yet, NBC is still much to blame, as I see it, for creating the black community's uproar that the shooting was a racist incident. They are, in my view, also much to blame for the continuing outcry as it still being race related and for the ensuing violence by blacks against whites. I believe they had and still have an obligation to accept responsibility for turning the event into a racial incident when it apparently was not. I think they have not made enough of the firing of the producer, heck they will not even release his name, and seemingly have not made anything of the apparent fact (from what I have seen) that their edited version of the 911 call is what in great part started or at least fanned the flames of this latest friction between the white and black communities. (Yes, I realize George Zimmerman is Hispanic but he was reported on as being white and the black community has repeatedly called him white and seemingly has taken revenge on other whites because they see him as white.) That NBC edited that 911 tape is not just a shame, it should be a crime.
The reason I think it should be a crime is because of the violence that has broken out that has been perpetrated by blacks on whites. The latest incident is one in which a white man tried to get some black kids, who were playing basketball, out of the middle of the street. They left, but a large number of black adults (and some of the kids) reportedly showed up and beat the white man, Matthew Owens, senseless. They reportedly beat him with brass buckles (from a written report), metal poles, paint cans and chairs among other things. Mr. Owens is now in critical condition. It needs to be noted that at least one person in the black mob reportedly was heard to say: "Now that's justice for Trayvon."
Here is a news video on it:
I see this all only escalating, especially if Mr. Zimmerman is found not guilty of any crimes. The sad thing is that any jury would also probably realize that if they find Mr. Zimmerman not guilty, there is likely going to be an explosion of black against white violence as after the beating of Rodney King by police in LA and the subsequent not guilty finding for the police. Hopefully though, the jurors will stick to the facts of the case and not be driven to their verdict by any emotional urges or a sense of responsibilty to prevent race riots. Justice should prevail and in order for it to do so, the jurors must be blind to outside influences, they need to stick to the facts of the case, and they need to try Mr. Zimmerman only on those facts in an objective manner and not based upon on their feelings or what they believe will be the outcome of an acquittal. (Note, I am not concerned about a guilty finding and I think nor should be the jurors, because based upon the history of similar cases, it seems unlikely that the white community would riot if the verdict goes against Mr. Zimmerman.) They must bear in mind that their duty is not to prevent race riots but to try on the evidence and facts presented in this case. They must remember that justice is not revenge nor a manner by which to placate a community but that justice, by way of a jury trial and due process, is the right granted to both to Mr. Zimmerman and the State (who in essence represents Mr. Martin's family) by the Constitution and that it can only truly be arrived at objectively.
If Mr. Zimmerman is found to be not guilty though, I predict that race riots will break out and that those riots may indeed lead to what amounts to a race war at least on a small scale in different communities around the country. I hope, if Mr. Zimmerman is found not guilty, that my prediction is wrong but my gut tells me I am right on this one. It will be a sad day if such happens but it will just again go to show that there are violent racists in the black community, such as the BlackPussies Panthers, and no matter how much many, if not most, in the black community wish to deny it, they portray Mr. Zimmerman as guilty no matter what the facts if only because he is white, at least in their eyes.
All the best,
Glenn B
Well, that edited version of the 911 call, as put out into the media by NBC, is probably one of the biggest reasons that the black community went haywire and started in with all the woe is the black race and the white man is the devil sort of crap, in my opinion. The thing is that the violence has not abated all that much since the release of the the truth in the unedited version of the tape and since the firing of the NBC producer. Of course, maybe the fact that the media also reported, that when Mr. Zimmerman was brought into the police station, there were no apparent injuries to his head has something to do with fanning the flames of racial hatred against Mr. Zimmerman. Since then, the media has released photographs or video frames clearly showing at least two gashes to the back of Mr. Zimmerman's head thus evidently supporting Mr. Zimmerman's claim that Mr. Martin had bashed his head against the ground repeatedly. Yet, NBC is still much to blame, as I see it, for creating the black community's uproar that the shooting was a racist incident. They are, in my view, also much to blame for the continuing outcry as it still being race related and for the ensuing violence by blacks against whites. I believe they had and still have an obligation to accept responsibility for turning the event into a racial incident when it apparently was not. I think they have not made enough of the firing of the producer, heck they will not even release his name, and seemingly have not made anything of the apparent fact (from what I have seen) that their edited version of the 911 call is what in great part started or at least fanned the flames of this latest friction between the white and black communities. (Yes, I realize George Zimmerman is Hispanic but he was reported on as being white and the black community has repeatedly called him white and seemingly has taken revenge on other whites because they see him as white.) That NBC edited that 911 tape is not just a shame, it should be a crime.
The reason I think it should be a crime is because of the violence that has broken out that has been perpetrated by blacks on whites. The latest incident is one in which a white man tried to get some black kids, who were playing basketball, out of the middle of the street. They left, but a large number of black adults (and some of the kids) reportedly showed up and beat the white man, Matthew Owens, senseless. They reportedly beat him with brass buckles (from a written report), metal poles, paint cans and chairs among other things. Mr. Owens is now in critical condition. It needs to be noted that at least one person in the black mob reportedly was heard to say: "Now that's justice for Trayvon."
Here is a news video on it:
I see this all only escalating, especially if Mr. Zimmerman is found not guilty of any crimes. The sad thing is that any jury would also probably realize that if they find Mr. Zimmerman not guilty, there is likely going to be an explosion of black against white violence as after the beating of Rodney King by police in LA and the subsequent not guilty finding for the police. Hopefully though, the jurors will stick to the facts of the case and not be driven to their verdict by any emotional urges or a sense of responsibilty to prevent race riots. Justice should prevail and in order for it to do so, the jurors must be blind to outside influences, they need to stick to the facts of the case, and they need to try Mr. Zimmerman only on those facts in an objective manner and not based upon on their feelings or what they believe will be the outcome of an acquittal. (Note, I am not concerned about a guilty finding and I think nor should be the jurors, because based upon the history of similar cases, it seems unlikely that the white community would riot if the verdict goes against Mr. Zimmerman.) They must bear in mind that their duty is not to prevent race riots but to try on the evidence and facts presented in this case. They must remember that justice is not revenge nor a manner by which to placate a community but that justice, by way of a jury trial and due process, is the right granted to both to Mr. Zimmerman and the State (who in essence represents Mr. Martin's family) by the Constitution and that it can only truly be arrived at objectively.
If Mr. Zimmerman is found to be not guilty though, I predict that race riots will break out and that those riots may indeed lead to what amounts to a race war at least on a small scale in different communities around the country. I hope, if Mr. Zimmerman is found not guilty, that my prediction is wrong but my gut tells me I am right on this one. It will be a sad day if such happens but it will just again go to show that there are violent racists in the black community, such as the Black
All the best,
Glenn B
Monday, April 23, 2012
.45 Auto - The Ammo Order Is In
What good is my brand spanking new Remington 1911 R1 without .45 Auto (aka: .45 ACP) ammo for it? Absolutely none except maybe as a paperweight, a sinker or a doorstop.
Truth is I do have a store of .45 ACP on hand but I do not want to break-in the gun with high-end JHP rounds; I'll do that with the 250 rounds of Blazer Brass, 230 grain, FMJ rounds I just ordered.
I also added 250 rounds of Federal Classic Hi Shok JHP, 185 grain, rounds to the order. I have to say that the price on each seemed pretty good - I ordered from CheaperThanDirt. Every other place checked, and I checked several ammo dealers, had the Federal Classic at $3 to $4 more per box of 50 and it was pretty much the same for the Blazer Brass ammo too except all the places I checked had that ammo at about $5 to $6 more per box of 50 rounds. Funny thing is, even Cheaper Than Dirt itself had that same ammo at a much higher price since they offered it from two different warehouses. Cheaper Than dirt Warehouse A had it for 16.69 per box but under Warehouse B they had it listed at $21.51 per box! That was a $4.81 difference, per box, from the same dealer.
As for my old standby for ammo sales, I have just about given up on the Sportsmansguide.com since a recent bad experience I had with their customer service. As far as I am concerned, it is my opinion, that they blatantly refused to honor their satisfaction guarantee. That, added to the fact that I think their pricing is way too high as compared to Cheaper Than Dirt, has put me off on buying from them at least for now.
As for this current order from Cheaper Than Dirt, this is likely the last ammo I will be buying for the rest of the year because my saved up good time funds and tax return have been totally depleted. (Yes ladies, I spent some on the wife too.) That is, no more ammo buying, unless I get a job soon or unless start selling guns or other stuff that I have around the house. I do not think I am about to start selling guns and I do not have a lot of saleable stuff around the homestead so, I will have to find a job! Speaking of jobs, I have been looking; I put in for another 8 jobs today, or was it 9. I lost track but it was at least 8 applications today. Having a paying job would sure go a long way to feed my shooting hobby even if only part time work.
All the best,
Glenn B
Truth is I do have a store of .45 ACP on hand but I do not want to break-in the gun with high-end JHP rounds; I'll do that with the 250 rounds of Blazer Brass, 230 grain, FMJ rounds I just ordered. 
I also added 250 rounds of Federal Classic Hi Shok JHP, 185 grain, rounds to the order. I have to say that the price on each seemed pretty good - I ordered from CheaperThanDirt. Every other place checked, and I checked several ammo dealers, had the Federal Classic at $3 to $4 more per box of 50 and it was pretty much the same for the Blazer Brass ammo too except all the places I checked had that ammo at about $5 to $6 more per box of 50 rounds. Funny thing is, even Cheaper Than Dirt itself had that same ammo at a much higher price since they offered it from two different warehouses. Cheaper Than dirt Warehouse A had it for 16.69 per box but under Warehouse B they had it listed at $21.51 per box! That was a $4.81 difference, per box, from the same dealer.
As for my old standby for ammo sales, I have just about given up on the Sportsmansguide.com since a recent bad experience I had with their customer service. As far as I am concerned, it is my opinion, that they blatantly refused to honor their satisfaction guarantee. That, added to the fact that I think their pricing is way too high as compared to Cheaper Than Dirt, has put me off on buying from them at least for now.
As for this current order from Cheaper Than Dirt, this is likely the last ammo I will be buying for the rest of the year because my saved up good time funds and tax return have been totally depleted. (Yes ladies, I spent some on the wife too.) That is, no more ammo buying, unless I get a job soon or unless start selling guns or other stuff that I have around the house. I do not think I am about to start selling guns and I do not have a lot of saleable stuff around the homestead so, I will have to find a job! Speaking of jobs, I have been looking; I put in for another 8 jobs today, or was it 9. I lost track but it was at least 8 applications today. Having a paying job would sure go a long way to feed my shooting hobby even if only part time work.
All the best,
Glenn B
The Hypocrisy Of The Left About Gas Prices
Watch this video, the one that I found over at the Feral Irishman and blatantly lifted to post here, though I am sure that Pissed will not be pissed off at me for doing so. This one needs to be seen by as many people as possible. Sure, you know it already, that the leftists, the hard core Obamessiah supporters do not fault him for high gasoline prices and oil prices as they did Bush. The thing is, do all of your family and friends and neighbors and coworkers know it? Have them watch this video, and if they are on the left, ask them to rationally explain why it is that high gas prices are now seen by the left as a good thing, to be welcomed as constructive, job creating and life saving under Obama; yet, they were seen as something to be feared and loathed, because they supposedly were the height of corruption and would essentially lead to the destruction of America, under Bush!
In all of my lifetime, I have never seen a president, an administration or the left as hypocritical as they are now. Mind you, I did not much like the liberal policies of President G.W. Bush (such as bailouts and the Patriot Act) and for a rating as a president I thought he was only fair (at best). I will say this for him, at least he was not a blatant hypocrite on just about every policy that he spoke about as seemingly is President Obama. That is he biggest difference I see between the left and the right. I have not met a leftist anti-big business type yet who does engage in the free market economy and purchase and then use cell phones, designer coffee products, or things like brand name clothing (all produced by big business), when they can get them - who does not take every opportunity to travel by car when they can get a free ride (produced by big business and that use oil and products) - who is not just as greedy as anyone, might be on the right, who supports big-business and the free market economy! They just want to make believe they are fundamentally different. The only true difference I can see is that they want to be in control of every aspect of our lives and will stop at nothing, well certainly will not stop at merely being truthful, to accomplish that.
If you don't think that is a fair and justified view of the left, then please answer me these questions: Where are all of the people, on the left, who should be condemning Obama and his lack of policy on oil and gasoline prices? Why are they not screaming at the top of their lungs that he is supportive of the oil companies and thus corrupt since oil prices are higher than ever under his watch? Where is Cindy Sheehan and all of her cohorts and Code Pink, all who vehemently protested the wars during the Bush administration; I mean have all the peaceniks suddenly become war mongers? Obama has kept each war going although he promised to shut them down virtually as soon as he would become president. Instead, he continued even enhanced many of the policies of his predecessor (such as the surges). Where are the liberals who strongly protested the Patriot Act, the same act that Obama continues to use. Where are the protesters about Obama signing into law an presidential order allowing the U.S. government to seize whatever property you own for government purposes without compensation or due process? Where is the outcry from the left about the government now being allowed to detain, arrest, hold (in the U.S. or on foreign soil such as in Gitmo) indefinitely without due process American citizens if the government says, without evidence, that they are enemy combatants or terrorists? Certainly they would have branded GWB as a Nazi had he signed that one into law; but Obama, they see him as wise and prudent for having done so! Where are those on the left demanding, as they did under GWB, that Obama shut down the detention facility at Gitmo? Why is the media not condemning Obama, at almost every turn, as they did Bush? The list could go on and on.
The hypocrisy is there whether or not you want to believe it and it is blatant. I am far from conservative on many issue and quite conservative on others. I am much more the libertarian than a conservative but when and if it comes to making choices between conservative as opposed to liberal candidates, I almost defintely would choose conservative ones almost every time. The left and its sickening and America destroying hypocrisy just makes me want to vote for the other guys.
All the best,
Glenn B
In all of my lifetime, I have never seen a president, an administration or the left as hypocritical as they are now. Mind you, I did not much like the liberal policies of President G.W. Bush (such as bailouts and the Patriot Act) and for a rating as a president I thought he was only fair (at best). I will say this for him, at least he was not a blatant hypocrite on just about every policy that he spoke about as seemingly is President Obama. That is he biggest difference I see between the left and the right. I have not met a leftist anti-big business type yet who does engage in the free market economy and purchase and then use cell phones, designer coffee products, or things like brand name clothing (all produced by big business), when they can get them - who does not take every opportunity to travel by car when they can get a free ride (produced by big business and that use oil and products) - who is not just as greedy as anyone, might be on the right, who supports big-business and the free market economy! They just want to make believe they are fundamentally different. The only true difference I can see is that they want to be in control of every aspect of our lives and will stop at nothing, well certainly will not stop at merely being truthful, to accomplish that.
If you don't think that is a fair and justified view of the left, then please answer me these questions: Where are all of the people, on the left, who should be condemning Obama and his lack of policy on oil and gasoline prices? Why are they not screaming at the top of their lungs that he is supportive of the oil companies and thus corrupt since oil prices are higher than ever under his watch? Where is Cindy Sheehan and all of her cohorts and Code Pink, all who vehemently protested the wars during the Bush administration; I mean have all the peaceniks suddenly become war mongers? Obama has kept each war going although he promised to shut them down virtually as soon as he would become president. Instead, he continued even enhanced many of the policies of his predecessor (such as the surges). Where are the liberals who strongly protested the Patriot Act, the same act that Obama continues to use. Where are the protesters about Obama signing into law an presidential order allowing the U.S. government to seize whatever property you own for government purposes without compensation or due process? Where is the outcry from the left about the government now being allowed to detain, arrest, hold (in the U.S. or on foreign soil such as in Gitmo) indefinitely without due process American citizens if the government says, without evidence, that they are enemy combatants or terrorists? Certainly they would have branded GWB as a Nazi had he signed that one into law; but Obama, they see him as wise and prudent for having done so! Where are those on the left demanding, as they did under GWB, that Obama shut down the detention facility at Gitmo? Why is the media not condemning Obama, at almost every turn, as they did Bush? The list could go on and on.
The hypocrisy is there whether or not you want to believe it and it is blatant. I am far from conservative on many issue and quite conservative on others. I am much more the libertarian than a conservative but when and if it comes to making choices between conservative as opposed to liberal candidates, I almost defintely would choose conservative ones almost every time. The left and its sickening and America destroying hypocrisy just makes me want to vote for the other guys.
All the best,
Glenn B
Sunday, April 22, 2012
The Overdue Gun Pron
As luck would have it, I left my camera out in the car when I went into the Syracuse Gun Show yesterday. I was not there to take pictures but taking a few would not have killed me. So let's see, I forgot my tackle box (which did not completely rule out fishing but I had to go to bass Pro Shop to buy some tackle first) then I forgot my camera. If I had also forgotten my cash that would have just totally ruined the trip but I was not that careless, I had a good amount of cash on hand. In fact, I emptied the jar in which I have been saving both change and dollar bills for, I guess the last year now. I wound up with about 250 extra dollars in my pocket for the gun show trip. Add to that my income tax return and I was virtually loaded (pun intended).
So, if I did not take pics of the guns show - actually I think I took 3 or 4 of them with my phone camera but those were of folks waiting on the line to get inside - then what kind of gun pron can I show you. Well, that cash I had along seemed to just about burn a hole in my pocket after a certain gun caught my eye. It was a rifle, no a shotgun, no a pistol, yep a few caught my eye but only one started to get that cash in my pocket to smolder and that was a pistol - one in a caliber that I have never before owned. That alone made it appealing to me, and that it was in a man sized caliber and not a poodle shooter caliber (like the 9mm, and I already own 4 poodle shooter caliber pistols) also gave it some oomph in the appeal regard. I guess there were other things that had me considering buying it. I first saw pics of one, online, last year. Being that it was made by one of my favorite gun manufacturers right here in the good old US of A also tickled my fancy. Then that it was and is manufactured right here in NY State just about sold me on it. How many gun manufacturers still make guns here in the Leftist RepubliK of NY! Of course, it also looked one one heck of a nice handgun.
All of that would not necessarily had that cash more than smoldering, I guess what set it to burning the hole in my pocket was the price. It was for sale at this dealer's table for $49 and $99 less expensive than at two other show dealer's tables. They were the only three I saw with this particular handgun being offered for sale. It was also $109 less expensive than I had seen it while at Bass Pro Shop the day before. Yep, when I went to buy some tackle, being I had forgotten my tackle box, I took a look at the guns there too. Regardless of the name bass pro Shop, they are not limited to fishing gear but also sell hunting and shooting supplies and gear. While the price was better than those of the other three dealers, it may still have been just a it higher than MSRP. (Edited To Add: Remington shows this with an MSRP of $729.00. Thus, I stand corrected - I got it for well under MSRP. My source prior to Remington was a gun price book and they showed it as going for $600 new in the box.) I did not let that bother me because whenever I have seen it, it has been listed for more than MSRP - thanks to the greed of gun dealers that resulted from the gun buying mania fueled by the prospects of another 4 years of the Obamessiah. Oh well, I figured - what the heck - I owe myself a really nice retirement gift and it could double as an I kicked cancer's ass gift from me to me.
Speaking of kicking ass, what pistol, in the entire history of the U.S.A. is best known for its stopping power (whether in fact that stopping power is real or imagined). If you guessed that it was the veritable 1911 in .45ACP then you at least have guessed what type of pistol I bought. The brand should not be that hard to guess if you have come this far. just the fact that it was made in NY state should be enough, if not let me just say it was made by a company that currently manufactures only a single handgun. In addition let me add that this company produced virtually the same pistol (although the current manufactured one has safety improvements) starting in 1917 as part of a contract for the U.S. Government and those pistols are one of the most highly sought after of all model 1911s.
Okay, so you figured it was the Remington 1911 R1. Enough with the words and my incessant rambling, let me show you a couple of pics. I am not the best photographer so these snapshots will have to do. I think you will agree they are pretty good gun pron nonetheless.
Finally, I am the proud new owner of a 1911 in .45ACP - a true manly man's gun and the gun of choice of many amanly gun loving woman too and I perhaps even the gun of choice of quite a few wussies too. Heck, everybody seems to love it. I am not so sure, yet, that I love it but it sure seems nice. I like the way it looks and how it feels in my hand and the size of the bore/bullets (wow - really huge when compared to poodle shooter rounds) but have not shot it yet. I will let you know what I think of it once I order some ammo for it (ammo prices at the gun show were ridiculous for .45ACP, so I will order 500 rounds online later this week). While waiting for the ammo to arrive, I will read the manual from cover to cover, maybe two or three times. Then I will strip the pistol down and clean it, then reassemble it. That way it will be ready to go to the range for an immediate range trip once the ammo arrives and I will be somewhat more familiar with it than I am right now.
Before I get all the way off of the subject of ammo for this beast, let me ask: Does anyone have any suggestions for bullet grain weight choices. I see they run in weights like about 180 grains to 200 too 230. I was thinking of the mid weight rounds as a starting point. As for bullet type, I am just going to order cartridges with FMJ bullets at first and buy HP ammo once it is broken in and once I am familiar with the gun.
I usually hate waiting but am being patient relative to my new 45. I figure why get in a hurry and possibly screw something up and besides that, I have waited well over half a century to buy a 45 so why start hurrying over it now!
All the best,
Glenn B
So, if I did not take pics of the guns show - actually I think I took 3 or 4 of them with my phone camera but those were of folks waiting on the line to get inside - then what kind of gun pron can I show you. Well, that cash I had along seemed to just about burn a hole in my pocket after a certain gun caught my eye. It was a rifle, no a shotgun, no a pistol, yep a few caught my eye but only one started to get that cash in my pocket to smolder and that was a pistol - one in a caliber that I have never before owned. That alone made it appealing to me, and that it was in a man sized caliber and not a poodle shooter caliber (like the 9mm, and I already own 4 poodle shooter caliber pistols) also gave it some oomph in the appeal regard. I guess there were other things that had me considering buying it. I first saw pics of one, online, last year. Being that it was made by one of my favorite gun manufacturers right here in the good old US of A also tickled my fancy. Then that it was and is manufactured right here in NY State just about sold me on it. How many gun manufacturers still make guns here in the Leftist RepubliK of NY! Of course, it also looked one one heck of a nice handgun.
All of that would not necessarily had that cash more than smoldering, I guess what set it to burning the hole in my pocket was the price. It was for sale at this dealer's table for $49 and $99 less expensive than at two other show dealer's tables. They were the only three I saw with this particular handgun being offered for sale. It was also $109 less expensive than I had seen it while at Bass Pro Shop the day before. Yep, when I went to buy some tackle, being I had forgotten my tackle box, I took a look at the guns there too. Regardless of the name bass pro Shop, they are not limited to fishing gear but also sell hunting and shooting supplies and gear. While the price was better than those of the other three dealers, it may still have been just a it higher than MSRP. (Edited To Add: Remington shows this with an MSRP of $729.00. Thus, I stand corrected - I got it for well under MSRP. My source prior to Remington was a gun price book and they showed it as going for $600 new in the box.) I did not let that bother me because whenever I have seen it, it has been listed for more than MSRP - thanks to the greed of gun dealers that resulted from the gun buying mania fueled by the prospects of another 4 years of the Obamessiah. Oh well, I figured - what the heck - I owe myself a really nice retirement gift and it could double as an I kicked cancer's ass gift from me to me.
Speaking of kicking ass, what pistol, in the entire history of the U.S.A. is best known for its stopping power (whether in fact that stopping power is real or imagined). If you guessed that it was the veritable 1911 in .45ACP then you at least have guessed what type of pistol I bought. The brand should not be that hard to guess if you have come this far. just the fact that it was made in NY state should be enough, if not let me just say it was made by a company that currently manufactures only a single handgun. In addition let me add that this company produced virtually the same pistol (although the current manufactured one has safety improvements) starting in 1917 as part of a contract for the U.S. Government and those pistols are one of the most highly sought after of all model 1911s.
Okay, so you figured it was the Remington 1911 R1. Enough with the words and my incessant rambling, let me show you a couple of pics. I am not the best photographer so these snapshots will have to do. I think you will agree they are pretty good gun pron nonetheless.
Finally, I am the proud new owner of a 1911 in .45ACP - a true manly man's gun and the gun of choice of many a
Before I get all the way off of the subject of ammo for this beast, let me ask: Does anyone have any suggestions for bullet grain weight choices. I see they run in weights like about 180 grains to 200 too 230. I was thinking of the mid weight rounds as a starting point. As for bullet type, I am just going to order cartridges with FMJ bullets at first and buy HP ammo once it is broken in and once I am familiar with the gun.
I usually hate waiting but am being patient relative to my new 45. I figure why get in a hurry and possibly screw something up and besides that, I have waited well over half a century to buy a 45 so why start hurrying over it now!
All the best,
Glenn B
Saturday, April 21, 2012
GUN PRON COMING SOON
I spent the last couple of days up in Syracuse, NY. Went to the 1,000 table gun show there today. It was wonderful at least as far as I was concerned. I only bought one thing but that was more than enough, I probably cannot attend another gun show for a year or so after today's purchase. More on that later along with pictures of it, once I am home again.
Right now I am still on the road , waiting for a burger at at an eatery in Windsor, NY. Nice they have a PC here for the customers, thus the blog post since I left my laptop at home.
All the best,
GB
Right now I am still on the road , waiting for a burger at at an eatery in Windsor, NY. Nice they have a PC here for the customers, thus the blog post since I left my laptop at home.
All the best,
GB
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Colombian Hookers???
There is nothing I can add because sometimes a picture says it all (at least when given humorous captions).
All the best,
GB
The English - Afraid Of Ancient Greek Warship Delivering Olympic Torch?
Thoughts that someone would throw him/herself from a bridge at the sight of this replica ancient warship are pretty far out. Can you believe the British have turned down the offer, from Greece, of a replica ancient Greek warship to deliver the Olympic Torch because the Brits were worried about congestion caused by people coming to see the ship and also are worried that people (English people no doubt) would throw themselves from bridges if they saw it! I think that those in power in England and the regular working slugs have all pretty much lost their ever loving minds because worries like that are preposterous. It sounds like one of the plot twists in a Peter Sellers movie like the Mouse that Roared or the concerns of those in the war room over the end of the world in the movie Dr. Strangelove, or even something akin to the panic caused by the radio broadcast of War Of The Worlds. It simply boggles my mind that they would seriously consider something like people throwing themselves from bridges upon seeing that ship, let alone worry about traffic and congestion. What in hell do they think is going to happen when the Olympics actually take place in London? Don't they think there will be congestion caused by that? It is a wonder they have not banned the Olympics by way of the same or similar ridiculous concerns!
All the best,
Glenn B
All the best,
Glenn B
Last Minute Persistence Pays Off
Here I am, about to be driving up to Syracuse tomorrow for the gun show on Saturday and I just finished making my hotel reservation at the last minute. I actually had already made a reservation at a Holiday Inn Express near the airport but had been hoping to make one for the Holiday Inn Express right at the fairgrounds. The one near the fairgrounds had no rooms available at all (not for points or cash) and none of the Holiday Inns or other hotels in their chain had a room available at the points rate I wanted to use, so I had to book on my credit card for about $127 for the night. The lowest amount of points, charged by one of their hotels in Syracuse was shown as 20,000. Since I only had 46,000 points, I wanted to make the most of them and get a rate at 15,000 points but the hotels with that points rate were booked. So, I figured I would pay for the stay and earn more points for next time.
Then, a few minutes ago, I decided to again check the Holiday Inn Express at the fairgrounds one more time. I don't know what happened to my back cloud because a room was available for points and the rate was only 15,000 points. I booked it immediately and I cancelled the other reservation. Now all I have to do is basically fall out of bed right into the fairgrounds come Saturday morning. I am going to see if the fairgrounds are within walking distance, I think they are very close to the hotel. If so I may ask the folks at Holiday Inn if I can just leave my car in their lot for a few hours after I check out on Saturday morning.
With the $127 I am now not spending on the hotel (and a few more bucks), I may have to buy Brendan a few hundred rounds of .223 ammo to cheer him up since he is not coming along on this trip - something usually available at gun shows, like this: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/420-rds-223-556x45-mm-62-gr-m855-ammo-with-can.aspx?a=862719.
I have to say, that my joining the Priority Club when I was on the Federal Air Marshal detail after 9/11, was one of the smartest moves I have ever made. I have received a good amount of free hotel stays because of my membership. I also have a Priority Club VISA card that adds points as I use the credit card. That is not a bad deal at all. My good experience with Priority Club led me to joining Hilton Honors when I was away on another temporary assignment and was required to stay at an Embassy Suites. I got a good amount free hotel of stays out of that one too. I highly recommend joining a points club like that if you travel a lot.
All the best,
Glenn B
Then, a few minutes ago, I decided to again check the Holiday Inn Express at the fairgrounds one more time. I don't know what happened to my back cloud because a room was available for points and the rate was only 15,000 points. I booked it immediately and I cancelled the other reservation. Now all I have to do is basically fall out of bed right into the fairgrounds come Saturday morning. I am going to see if the fairgrounds are within walking distance, I think they are very close to the hotel. If so I may ask the folks at Holiday Inn if I can just leave my car in their lot for a few hours after I check out on Saturday morning.
With the $127 I am now not spending on the hotel (and a few more bucks), I may have to buy Brendan a few hundred rounds of .223 ammo to cheer him up since he is not coming along on this trip - something usually available at gun shows, like this: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/420-rds-223-556x45-mm-62-gr-m855-ammo-with-can.aspx?a=862719.
I have to say, that my joining the Priority Club when I was on the Federal Air Marshal detail after 9/11, was one of the smartest moves I have ever made. I have received a good amount of free hotel stays because of my membership. I also have a Priority Club VISA card that adds points as I use the credit card. That is not a bad deal at all. My good experience with Priority Club led me to joining Hilton Honors when I was away on another temporary assignment and was required to stay at an Embassy Suites. I got a good amount free hotel of stays out of that one too. I highly recommend joining a points club like that if you travel a lot.
All the best,
Glenn B
Gun Show Blues
Brendan and I were to have been leaving for the Syracuse Gun Show Trip tomorrow morning but I am singing the blues. Looks like he will be staying home buried under a pile of school work and I will be making the trip alone. Though down in the dumps over Brendan not being able to make it, I am still going. I have been planning this for a year now and see no reason to miss it, at least no reason for me to miss it.
I am fairly ready to go. I have three purchase documents. The purchase document is required paperwork needed to buy a handgun in NY. You cannot just show your pistol license but have to buy a purchase document from the local issuing authority, then have it with you when making a purchase. Their is a section to be filled out with the buyer's info, one to be filled out by the seller with his/her info and a section to fill out with make, model and serial number of the handgun that is being transferred. One the sale has been completed, this form has to be brought back to the issuing department within 10 days and the new handguns added to your license. The cost is $10 per form, they expire on December 31 of the year in which issued. If unused you lose the money you paid for the documents. I bought three, not so much because I am certain to buy three pistols but because there is a decent chance I will buy one at the show on Saturday and maybe one or two at an auction next weekend. I have my eye on a Colt Officer's Model, .38, Target, 2nd issue and a couple of Ruger MKIIs, among others at the auction. While I am hesitant to spend a lot of money on three guns right now, let alone even one, until my pension is straightened out, these would all be bought for investment and collection purposes. That is only if I can get them at a decent price at auction. I know I can always turn these around for cash or use them as barter if needed at some future time.
I do have some few things that need to be made ready before I take off. I've got to fill the gas tank on the Corolla, I have to get my fishing gear ready (I plan to make one or two stops to wet a line and maybe also try to catch some crayfish), I have to print up some maps or grab the wife's GPS. Other than that, I think I am just about ready to go and have some fun while someone else is weighted down by the burden of textbooks and term papers. Maybe I'll buy him some ammo, that should put a smile on his face.
All the best,
GB
I am fairly ready to go. I have three purchase documents. The purchase document is required paperwork needed to buy a handgun in NY. You cannot just show your pistol license but have to buy a purchase document from the local issuing authority, then have it with you when making a purchase. Their is a section to be filled out with the buyer's info, one to be filled out by the seller with his/her info and a section to fill out with make, model and serial number of the handgun that is being transferred. One the sale has been completed, this form has to be brought back to the issuing department within 10 days and the new handguns added to your license. The cost is $10 per form, they expire on December 31 of the year in which issued. If unused you lose the money you paid for the documents. I bought three, not so much because I am certain to buy three pistols but because there is a decent chance I will buy one at the show on Saturday and maybe one or two at an auction next weekend. I have my eye on a Colt Officer's Model, .38, Target, 2nd issue and a couple of Ruger MKIIs, among others at the auction. While I am hesitant to spend a lot of money on three guns right now, let alone even one, until my pension is straightened out, these would all be bought for investment and collection purposes. That is only if I can get them at a decent price at auction. I know I can always turn these around for cash or use them as barter if needed at some future time.
I do have some few things that need to be made ready before I take off. I've got to fill the gas tank on the Corolla, I have to get my fishing gear ready (I plan to make one or two stops to wet a line and maybe also try to catch some crayfish), I have to print up some maps or grab the wife's GPS. Other than that, I think I am just about ready to go and have some fun while someone else is weighted down by the burden of textbooks and term papers. Maybe I'll buy him some ammo, that should put a smile on his face.
All the best,
GB
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