Police Abuse of Authority - This Is One of The Reasons Cops Are Sometimes Called Pigs

I like to think of the words Pride, Integrity and Guts when I hear the term PIG used to describe cops. The sad truth though is that it is more often meant in the derogatory fashion and all too often it is deserved by the cop(s) at which the epithet is aimed.

For example, take the cops in the embedded video. I think a few of them could be referred to as pigs and certainly not in a nice way. When an officer goes out on an operation, like the execution of search and or arrest warrants, they are required to follow the rule of law and to follow departmental policies, procedures, rules and regulations. I strongly doubt that walking on a fully compliant arrest subject is within an officers realm of authority unless under the most unusual of circumstances. Those circumstances surely seem lacking in this example. I know I would have been severely disciplined had I ever done likewise when I was a LEO.

The same thing goes for destruction of property. It appears, to me, that two different men (reportedly thought to be police officers) in the embedded video decided to destroy video surveillance cameras that were set up, operating and recording (to an off site location) the raid while in progress. I can understand that the officers did not want to be recorded on video. This is often due to issues such as one or more being undercover operatives but again is something that is all to often due to the fact that the officers are doing something they should not be doing and they do not want it recorded. In fact, photographing or making videos of law enforcement officers is illegal in many locations (something I find preposterous) but even if illegal, it does not give law enforcement officers the right to destroy private property. All they had to do was cover the cameras which probably would have taken much less effort than at least one supposed officer seemed to exert while apparently destroying the camera.

Take a look and see what you think but make sure to keep your mouse pointer away from the video box so you will be able to see the full bottom of the video without the YouTube control panel blocking some of the view:



I think it would have been easy for the one officer to not have stepped on the evidently very compliant suspect. The next officer into the picture certainly makes what appears to be a successful effort not to step on the suspect and it looked pretty easy to accomplish. I think that the guy who appears to, and was alleged to, have walked on the suspect should lose his job, be prosecuted and be sued - but that is just my feeling not yet knowing all of the facts. I imagine there could be some logical and legitimate reason he had to walk on the suspect like that but I have to admit that reason is not coming to my mind right now and I have a hard time imagining that it ever will come to my mind after seeing that video.

As for the guys breaking the cameras, if they are police officers, I think they need much of the same as the cop who appears to have walked on the suspect. Job loss, prosecution for both destruction of property and abuse of power and a good stiff tort claim against them.

All the best,
Glenn B

Compilation Of Trick Shooting

Dave Holland, from Sporting Targets ltd, a reader from England, sent me the link to this YouTube video that the shooters among us will probably enjoy. I found it to be some pretty impressive shooting. I really liked how the guy shot his ejected shell casings but must admit that also looked a bit risky to me as far as the safety factor goes. The punt gun at the end was a big hit with me and with its target.




All the best,
Glenn B

Ammo Poll Closed

As you can see from the poll itself, there were 14 votes. Those among us who cache ammo, and who answered the  poll, have convinced me that we are mostly preparing for TEOTWAWKI, Zombie Apocalypse or another 4 years of the Obamessiah. What a bunch but then I am among them because that was my vote too.

All the best,
Glenn B

July 4th - Ammo Poll About To Close

The ammo poll, on the right side of my blog, at the top of the red zone, is going to expire sometime today and it only has gotten 9 measly votes so far (changed from 8 to 9 as I was writing). It seems I am not cut out to be a pollster.

Regardless of my calling in life, this poll does have 9 replies so far and those favor the 4th and last poll choice over the only other one with votes, so far, by only one vote.

As it stands right now, in answer to the poll question: Will you shoot more and/or stock up on more ammo if ammunition prices fall?,choice 4:

I can always use another couple or few cases of each caliber I have so I'll be ready to survive the Apocalypse, TEOTWAWKI, a Zombie horde, or another 4 years of Obama.

...is beating out choice 1:

I'll be buying lots more ammo and throwing lead downrange faster than the Lone Ranger could say "Hi-yo Silver - Away".

...by only a single vote. Choices 2 and 3 have zero votes. And who says that his or her votes don't count! If you want to take a shot at this poll, I think Iset it to run until 11:59 PM tonight (not sure if that is east or west coast time but since the poll shows 15 hours left, as i write this, I am assuming it is west coast time).

All the best,

Glenn B

I Wish You A Happy Independence Day...

...but this year with a limitation. I limit my wish to those who strive to be independent from tyranny on all levels, who cherish their rights and who seek every liberty to exercise those rights while allowing others to do likewise. Screw guys like the barber who cut my hair yesterday who seemingly do not see it the same way.

Our conversation started with the usual greetings. Then I happened to mention that time has flown since my last haircut in December, when I got a buzz cut back (from him) when I had cancer (took a long time to grow enough for me to need a haircut), and I almost could not believe that July 4th was upon us. He said he remembered me being sick and when I told him I was now better, he wished me well. The conversation was a normal one for the barber shop.

All of a sudden though, it got a little warm in the barber chair when, I said it must be a sign of a bad economy that almost no one had been setting off fireworks over the past few days, as is normally done in anticipation of the 4th. Man did he get miffed, and told me he hates the 4th of July. I tried to suggest that the rockets and other nicely colored ones were nice, figuring he only did not like the loud ones. It only got him madder and he muttered something about his asshole neighbor (his sentiment, not mine, about his neighbor) He seemed pretty upset. I was pretty surprised that my barber would react like that but I figured, in for a penny in for a greenback, and I remarked that the founding fathers, such as Franklin, would shoot off guns on the 4th and that they hoped others always pretty much would do the same. Somewhere in there, the barber commented, through gritted teeth, that fireworks are only always about others people's liberties and he hates fireworks and the 4th. He also said something to the effect of, they're  all dead now but he wished some of the founding fathers were around today so he could kick their asses. Yikes, he was holding the scissors any my pistol was at home because after the barber I was going to go to my new job which I was pretty certain did not allow firearms on the premises. I was a bit shocked by his response to my seasonal conversation and I must say, it is none to easy to shock me. Maybe I should say it was not him or his reply that shocked me that much but what was shocking to me was my minds image of my barber marching with Occupy Wall Street. That was the image that popped up in my head right about then. 

Jerks like that (I refer to the barber, not the founding fathers) may not deserve what this country has to offer and certainly do not deserve my business or my hard earned cash. He evidently was pissed off for the duration of the rest of my haircut , anyway he put on a sour face for the rest of my time in the chair. Maybe he was just having a bad day or something but maybe he just swings lefty. He even seemed to get angrier when I said I did not want my beard trimmed. (I had just done that myself, down to almost nothing, so why trim it more.) Then he then insisted that clean shaved is the only way I should go. I started to get the impression that he really does not like liberty at all, I mean with with him going as far as angrily dictating my personal appearance to me. Maybe this was a different barber than the one I had know before but he sure looked like the same guy. I guess, I had hit a nerve.

Had it been another situation in which I found myself, I would have walked out and not paid but I was not about to leave with only half my head's worth of hair cut and with me needing to be on the new job in about an hour. So, I shut up and let him cut. He evidently got the message because he shut up too, that was a joy for me. I just sat there hoping he would get it done fast. He did do it quickly, much faster than ever before. I had enough time though to truly sit back and enjoy the beet red look on his face and all over his bald dome. It reminded me much of my plans for tonight as I enjoy watching the rockets' red glare and the cherry bombs bursting in air. While I got to see the colorful fireworks of his anger, I can assure you he will not see me nor the color of my money, not in his barber shop, ever again.

I truly despise sentiments like his seemed to be, especially when they appear to be anti-American. I say 'seemed to be because', as I said above, maybe he was having a bad day. The thing is though, it came out as anti-American as far as I am concerned. Sure, America allows for freedom of speech and all that, but I too am at liberty as to whom I listen. When in the chair, in the future, it will not be him. You see Mr. Barber, it is not all about everyone else's liberty. You were at liberty to moth off in a vulgar manner and to cause the loss to you of me as a customer and you did just that. I am at liberty to choose another barber, one I am hoping will choose, by way of his liberty, to be a bit more patriotic and at least a bit more respectful toward his customers. It is, after all, liberty for all.

As for the fireworks thing: I think that if you do not like fireworks, if they disturb you that much, then wear friggin ear plugs, or go away to Canada for the day, or bury your head up your asshole where it belongs, or just grin and bear it for a single day of each year. Fireworks on the 4th are part of our heritage and the 4th is the single day each year that we celebrate our Independence from tyranny. Is it too much to ask that we be at liberty to do it the way we choose and the way our forefathers had hoped we would do so!

Just a little tip for my Barber, before I close. If a customer brings up a topic that gets you pissed off, or one that otherwise is not your cup of tea (reference to the tyrannical English fully intended), why not wisely do what a good friend of mine once told me to do. Just ask: "How about them Yankees". It just may help you keep your customer base.

For those of you, who have not forgotten the significance of July 4th, who revel it the glory of it and what it has meant for our country,and who celebrate it (with or without fireworks or other boomers) I wish you a safe, happy, and healthy Independence Day.

All the best,
Glenn B

Anderson Cooper: 'I'm gay, always have been, always will be' - Was That Supposed To Surprise Or Interest Us

I have to ask, about Anderson Cooper's reported announcement telling the world that he is gay and always has been so: Is that supposed to be a surprise to anyone? Is there any reason in particular that he told the world what almost any intelligent adult who has ever seen him, in my opinion, most likely already took for granted? As I always saw him, he could not appear any gayer than he did before telling us. So why bother with the announcement!

Mr. Pooper Cooper, take your homosexuality and keep it to yourself and your homosexual friends because really now, most of the world, other than your fellow fudge-packers, do not want to hear about it. Just as we do not need to come out and admit we are heterosexual, you did not need to announce that you are homosexual, especially since it was rather obvious - don't ya think!

Sick of these announcements,
Glenn B

Several Federal Air Marshals Reportedly Fired For Drinking On Duty

Like the former DEA agent in the news clip, I am guessing there must be something more to this than some air marshals having a beer at lunch. It just does not seem likely that they would be fired for that (at least if not probationary agents, probationary agents can kiss the job goodbye for that offense).

Thinking back, on older times in government service, when I was in U.S. Customs, I would estimate half of the Customs Service could have been fired in one day, and at least another 25% to 40% more the next day, had the rules been enforced that strictly back then.

All the best,
Glenn B

Shooting Tragedy Apparently Caused By Potential Darwin Award Winner

What a shame, a young life snuffed out at the moment it should have started shining it brightest. Why? Who can tell what would spark a teenager to play a game of Russian Roulette with his friends. Maybe he wanted to commit suicide and figured he could do it that way - making it look like a dumb move on his part to play the game. Maybe there were alcohol and drugs mixed with the gunpowder - it is a certainty they do not mix well. Maybe it was just a stupid decision. Whatever, his life is over and his parents or relatives will likely mourn for years to come. Senseless or so it seems.

Of course, because it seemingly was senseless, he may just win a Darwin award:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/01/florida-teen-dies-in-game-russian-roulette-police-say/?intcmp=trending

All the best,
Glenn B

Mr. Beer

My brother-in-law, the younger, gave me a Mr. Beer kit with a few extra cans of malt, probably well over a year ago. It must have been for Christmas 2010. It has sat in my basement all that time. Sure, I opened it, took a look, and figured I would brew some beer in no time. Well, no time turned into sometime, which grew to quite some time, and aged until it was a long time, and became almost ancient over a very long time. Finally it was time, well not yet to enjoy a beer but to start the process. I took it all out of the box this afternoon, read up on how to do it, and finally got it done - that is - at least the first part. Now the concoction, consisting of water, booster, hopped malt extract (man did that stink), and yeast, has to sit around in the plastic fermenting keg for at least a week, they say two weeks is better. Then I have to bottle it and add some sugar, do whatever else it says in the instruction pamphlet, then seal up the bottles and wait at least another week. They also say two weeks is better for this stage and I think I will give it at least those two weeks so the beer comes out better tasting and stronger. Then I will imbibe, I think it is 8.5 quarts, that should make for a nice buzz for me, my son and my brothers-in-law.

I really am looking toward enjoying my home brewed concoction. It should be ready on or about July 29th. The hopped malt extract kit I used was for an India Pale Ale. If it comes out right, it should be ambrosial, especially on a hot and humid summer's evening.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - One of America's Greatest Battles Commences At Gettysburg, PA

One of this country's greatest battles began today, July 1, 1863. It was a battle that would last through three days of some of the most terrible fighting our military has ever seen and would result in some of the highest ever casualty numbers for our troops throughout U.S. military history. The Battle of Gettysburg resulted in the highest number of casualties of any single battle in the Civil War (the Civil War, on the whole, eclipses all other U.S. conflicts to date regarding deaths of Americans). I am also pretty certain that the Battle of Gettysburg had the highest rate, per day, of U.S casualties of any single battle in which our country ever has been engaged. It had, more casualties, by far, than even battles like those of: Pearl Harbor with 2,335 dead and 1,143 wounded (duration one day), the Guadalcanal Campaign 7,361 dead and 1,000’s wounded (186 days), the Battle of Bataan 10,000 dead and 20,000 wounded (99 days). Remember that Gettysburg lasted only 3 days, yet there were and estimated 46,000 to 51,000 military casualties between both sides (and both sides were Americans). That works out to an astonishing 15,333 American troop casualties per day for the lower estimate, or 17,000 per day for the higher estimate, over only 3 days of fighting.

We should never forget the sacrifices made on that day. No matter which side's cause you favor, they were Americans. As President Abraham Lincoln later put it (November 19, 1863):

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

It is a shame that politicians and many of the American people seem to have forgotten that our government is supposed to be government of the people, by the people, for the people and that our nation was conceived in Liberty. It is truly a crying shame that we are all probably familiar with the words of the Gettysburg address, words that Lincoln thought would soon be forgotten but which have been meorialized forever; yet, we seem to have forgotten the sacrifices  made by those who fell in that battle. They were sacrifices to assure we would never allow our great nation to turn into what it has become recently.

All the best,
Glenn

Janet Napoplitano Ought To Be Fired Over This One...

...then again, I cannot imagine how that pompous yet useless arsehat was appointed as Secretary of Homeland Security in the first place. This article though should only go to show how incompetent is she at the helm. When law enforcement, within her agency, is instructed to run and or hide if someone starts shooting and to throw things at the shooter as a last resort, well you just know something is out of wack. Man, am I happy I am retired from DHS, I might have gone ballistic (figuratively) had they given me those instructions. Not all the blame is hers though, this is FEMA created and mandated training program. She just let it get distributed among her department and seemingly had some flunky mandate that all LEOs in DHS were so trained. What a sorry assed state of affairs, no wonder morale at DHS is so darned low.
All the best,
Glenn B

NYS 8 Hour Pre-Employment Security Guard Course

I went to take the NYS 8 hour pre-employment Security Guard course today, about 30 miles from my home. I could have taken it at a location close to home but my new employer paid for it at the distant place. I cannot argue with that. Yes, I got a job as a security guard, part time, only two days a week at most but that is better than nothing right now.

There were 30 of us there to take the course, some youngsters, some middle aged and some older than even me (or in other words some obvious retirees). The instructor was going over the application form and covering the question about if you have ever been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor, saying how important it is to fill that out honestly. A guy raises his hand, then asks a question. In essence, his question was: If someone was arrested for a felony and a misdemeanor, does just the felony have to be put in the answer or does the misdemeanor too. The instructor explains you have to put down both and that it is not necessarily disqualifying and the guy asks another question, something to the effect: Well what if it was for a felony and more than one misdemeanor, do all of them have to be put down? The instructor replies yes and the guys asks: Even if it was one felony and 11 misdemeanors? Now, I am not saying the guy was asking this about himself or that he was even implying this was his own record but he was the one asking those questions. The guy asking also was the only one in class with a kind of a Mohawk haircut, hair that was dyed a pretty bright unnatural color. He also had fairly good amount of ink on him. Those things, about his appearance might mean little about his personality and integrity but if he was actually convicted of a felony and 11 misdemeanors and that is how he decides to show up for a future job interview, there is a serious question or two that would need be asked of anyone who would consider hiring him.

While, I truly believe in giving ex-convicts a break in life, that is once they have served their sentences and are back in the community, I would have to question the wisdom of hiring this guy as a security guard if indeed it was his own record he was talking about and he shows up for a job interview looking like he did today. I cannot quite understand how someone would give serious consideration to his application, let along hire him, if that was his record, for a security guard job. It bewilders me.

Of course, then there was the other guy who basically asked: What if I forgot about a felony conviction? And there was the other one who asked if him being discharged from the Marine Corps for conduct unbecoming would matter since he was promised an honorable discharge. I guess it takes all kinds to make the world go round. There I sat, with no arrests or convictions, nothing negative in my career, not a blemish on my record and I can only find a job for 8 to 16 hours a week at pretty lousy pay at that. Something just doesn't seem right about that to me but what is a guy gunna do! At least I found a job.

All the best,
Glenn B

The USA Has A New Form Of Government:

Screw That Crowd.

I have to find out where to get myself and my son that shirt.

All the best (to they who would work

for what they have and fight to keep it),

Glenn B

The Upcoming Elections

On this coming election day, November 6, 2012, it will not only be extremely important for the well being of this nation to vote for Romney (to rid us of Obama) it is also going to be extremely important to vote for any Congressperson who opposes Obamacare (be they Republican, Democrat or from another party) and to vote out of office anyone who supported it (be they Republican, Democrat or from another party). The important thing is that we vote into office those against it or support those already there who oppose it and either way that we vote for those who will vote to repeal it. If we get enough of them in office, we may even turn some, who remain there, who voted for it the first time around. The pressure from a Republican controlled House and Senate would be overwhelming or so one can hope.

Read the piece at the above link, if it is correct, then 33 seats in the Senate are up for grabs!

FUCK OBAMACARE!

All the best,
Glenn B

Browning Citori Lightning Update - Again

Well, yesterday I found out repair of my Browning Citori had been completed and today I found out it has been shipped back to me. From what I can tell, UPS picked it up this evening. It is slated to be back to me by Tuesday, July 3; just in time for Independence Day should I be inclined to make it go boom for the occasion (at a range - of course).

All the best,
Glenn B

Blogger Has Screwed Up My Blog Roll (as if my laptop being messed up was not enough)

Part of my blog roll has disappeared. I have no idea how to retrieve it, or if retrieval is even possible. I have lost all the bloggers' links who link back to me. If you are one of the bloggers who was on my blog roll under "Grumps, Geeks, Gun Guys, and Geniuses - All Worth A Read and Who Gave Me A Courtesy Link - Thanks" please leave a comment or send me an email with your blog name (because I probably will not remember them all off the top of my head and I want to make sure I get em all back on the list).

Thanks,
Glenn B

Laptop Computer Crashing?

I had to reboot my laptop, tonight, about 15 to 20 times before anything came up on the monitor. A few days ago, while signing onto a chess game, the screen came up all screwy with a bunch of gray shaded vertical bars. I removed the game, did some fiddling and all seemed well. Well, its not seeming so well tonight. My guess is that something is about to crash and then who knows what. I have my old desk top PC but no cable outlet in the basement to which I can hook it up for Internet. I guess I could get a receiver for my wireless router and plug it in to the desk top - if the laptop goes belly up. I would hate to have the laptop repaired, it is 4 years old and probably not worth the cost of repairs. Then again, I cannot afford a new one right now. Yep, I guess, if it dies on me, I will have to see if I can get the old desk top fired up again. Thankfully, I just did a backup a day ago to my Norton account. I am going to do another in a minute or two.

From now on, I guess the lap top stays turned on.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Have Said It Before - I Will Say It Again - Buy Guns, Ammo and Emergency Supplies Now

I think prices of guns, ammo and emergency supplies are going to skyrocket soon because I think that demand will soon outpace supply.

The Supreme Court's ruling on mandated health care, commonly called Obamacare, is bound to be a boost to Obama's reelection attempt. Sure, it may help Romney too but I look at it this way, Obama was proven right and thus many folks will think that makes him okay to get their votes. Thus, I think the election will be very, very close - much closer than if the health care law had been found unconstitutional. (A quick side note on that, why did they not attack it as a violation of the Due Process clause is beyond me. Being required to vote on it before they could read it, to see what was in it, certainly seems like a violation of Due Process. Being required to pay into it and be burdened by this law makes it seem as if the Due process due to the citizenry has been grossly violated by Congress and the president. Imagine the police, arresting you, charging, bringing you to prosecution and throwing you in jail for life and only then collecting investigating the case to see if there was any evidence against you.)

Because I believe the election will be so close, because I think there is a darned good chance of this tyrant, this despot, this socialist, this anti-American president being reelected, I will be making sure to build up my stocks of everything and anything that I believe will wind up being in short supply if he is reelected. Those things could include: firearms, ammunition, food stocks, seeds, water, flashlights, batteries, water purification kits, medical supplies such as first aid kits and medicines, clothing, fungible assets and whatever else I can think of before they are no longer available. Is this Chicken Little saying "The sky is falling" maybe and maybe not. You decide and act accordingly for yourself.
As I said in my last post, prior to this one, The time is right for revolution. I am not condoning it but I figure if he is reelected it is coming and sooner than expected; the time certainly seems right for one to be stirred up. Along that line, I might suggest you start up some way to network with others of like mind to you and with your families other than by electronic means such as email or telephone. In other words, start meeting with folks who think like you on the issues, meeting them in person, to plan for your futures. If the SHTF, then communications may be cut off and the only way to stay in touch will be in person.

If none of this materializes, then at least you are well stocked for almost any type of man-made or natural disaster. You can bet, others who have faced those situation wished, after the fact, that they had been better prepared before the fact.

All the best,
Glenn B

The Time Is Right For...

REVOLUTION
Just Saying, Not yet Condoning.

Browning Citori Lightning Repaired - Wow That Was As Fast As....Greased Lightning

I sent my Browning Citori Lightning shotgun into Browning, just under two weeks ago, for repairs. I first checked the status on Monday, two days ago, via the website that Browning offers to make such checks. That status check informed me that it was expected the gun would be repaired by July 13 and it was awaiting assignment to a gunsmith due to a backup of repair orders at the plant.

Just for the heck of it and because I have little better to do (well I have better stuff to do but am avoiding doing it right now) I checked on the status again. That was only a moment ago and I got a big surprise. All too often, at least for me, surprises are not good ones but this was a pleasant exception. The status of my shotgun is now shown as "MINOR REPAIRS JOB COMPLETED" and as CHECK OVER & TEST JOB COMPLETED". Wow that was quick.

When I sent the gun in for repair, I had to include a form, that I downloaded from the Browning website, to detail the problem to them. On the form, it said this:
"All firearms sent to the Arnold MO service facility for repair that are determined to be a chargeable repair will be assessed a $30 charge for quote evaluation. If our quote proposal is accepted, that $30 charge will be applied toward the total amount of the quote."

I sent them my credit card number and told them I gladly authorized the $30 charge for them to take a look at the gun but I also told them to make sure to contact me in case it was not a warranty repair so I could decide if I wanted to pay the additional cost of the repair or not. They never got in touch with me and that is another surprise, a good one or not yet to be determined. I guess their not calling me to let me no how much it cost to repair could mean one of a few things:

1. There was no charge at all as they covered it under warranty.

2. There was only a $30 service charge and it has not yet shown up on my credit card account.

3. They charged me something more than $30 for the repair but forgot to check with me to authorize the charge and that has not yet shown up on my card.

Right now, I am going with number 2 even though when I checked, there were no charges on my credit card from Browning. I figure I am not lucky enough to have had them fix this for absolutely nothing, as in for free, so I figure they will charge me the $30. Of course, they might have found nothing wrong and just figured I am an imbecile because I could not get the barrels onto the rest of the gun and then checked it over for free out of pity for me. Somehow, I find that unlikely. Not that I can be an imbecile but unlikely that they found nothing wrong. My son tried to get it together too. He could not do it either and he is no imbecile. Anyway, it does say minor repairs were completed, so I imagine something must have been wrong with it.

The current status of the shotgun is shown as:

Firearm Is Ready To Ship To Customer. I would not think they needed to link that to an explanation of what the sentence means but that is what they did. Then again, maybe they get lots of guns, for repairs, from lots of imbeciles! Anyway, it appears that my shotgun will be shipped back to me soon. My guess would be that the status update tomorrow will show it has shipped.

If I had to sum up my satisfaction with Browning's service so far, I could only say: EXCELLENT.

All the best,
Glenn B

Ammunition Poll - Would You Buy More Ammo If Prices Fell

There has been some talk in the media lately about gasoline prices falling. I use MSN for email and saw on their homepage that they reported that gasoline prices are the lowest they have been since January. That good news with the 4th of July (Independence Day - no they did not call it that but I prefer it) right around the corner. It makes me wonder why the speculators are not speculating and why George W. Bush is not causing price increases. Note that Obama is not taking credit, how can he, he has done nothing to make them decline and furthermore he has insisted we drill now more than ever and it has not helped. Catch 22 for him - can you say "Good riddance Obamessiah" but I digress.

As I was saying MSN reports that gasoline prices are falling. They also posted a pole asking folks if they would travel more if gas prices fall even farther. The results, when I looked at them were like this"

Do you plan to drive more if gas costs less?

20 %

Yes, it will make a difference in my driving.
36,741 votes

77 %

No, my driving habits will stay the same.
141,699 votes

3 %

I'm not sure.
5,199 votes

A few minutes before I saw that poll, I had been window shopping online for .32 Auto ammo. I was setting up, getting ready for a range trip today (that did not materialize, but now I am ready to go another day) and I realized I was pretty low on that caliber. I figure maybe I have 300 - 400 rounds of it, so why not see if I could find a bargain. I did find some good bargains but decided to wait until my pension gets straightened out or until I sell some other excess ammo I have so I can use the money from that for the .32 Auto. I am trying to be frugal and praying that ammo prices do not go up because the price is a bit ridiculous for some of it. I am ever hopeful though, that if gas prices really do fall, and I don't mean to the national average of $3.40 per gallon that MSN claims regular to be at right now (not that low around here) but to pre-Obama prices, then ammo prices also will fall markedly. I sure seem to remember the ammo manufacturers and retailers blaming ammo price increases on increased costs to them due to higher shipping of everything from components to finished product. Of course the higher shipping rates were blamed totally on higher gasoline prices.

Who knows, maybe ammunition prices will drop just a little even now since gasoline prices are dropping. I tend to doubt that though with this being a presidential election year. If it starts to look like the messiah will win another term, I would bet the farm that ammo prices will skyrocket faster that the Bat-a-rang thrown by Batman on steroids.

Okay, okay, back to my point but I guess I was never there already! Here it is: I figured should add a poll to my blog, similar to the poll MSN had about gasoline prices and whether or not lower prices would get folks to drive more. My poll though will have to do with  ammo and shooting. It is at the top right side of my blog page. It's only going to run through Independence Day, I'll be out having a blast on the 4th.

All the best,
Glenn B

Babies Test Positive For Pot - Reporters Missed Asking The Important Question

There it was, a very intriguing headline on FoxNews.com:

Baby soap residue causing false positives in marijuana tests
Before reading the brief article under that headline, I jumped to the conclusion that someone using that soap had a false positive on their drug test at work or something like that. Well, was I ever so wrong.

As I read on though, I soon realized that it was apparent the drug testing had nothing to do with employment drug screening, it did not even have anything to do with adults, not with working teens either. Actually, I figured all of that out as soon as I read the first line of the piece:

"A shocking number of babies are testing positive for marijuana use."

Maybe someone, in the medical profession saw this video and thought babies needed to be tested to protect them from the evil weed figuring here is proof of what they always suspected, that babies do indeed smoke pot:



All kidding aside, as per the report, the drug tests for marijuana were done on babies and it appears is still being done by hospitals. It seems that the method of collection of the sample got contaminated by the little bundles of joy who had been washed with a certain type of baby soap. That was the article in a nutshell. I am so happy that the babies positive tests for marijuana were false positives. My goodness, just think of the implications - a nation of pot head toddlers going on a munchies seeking rampage. Every breast in the nation would not be safe!

Hey, wait a bud pickin' minute here. While the article told us about babies being tested, about the test itself, about the contamination coming by way of tainted samples due to collection methodology, that the contaminant was soap, it failed to mention something very important. You would think a reporter who was even worth half his pay would have thought to ask, and then reported on the answer to, this question:

Why are babies being tested for marijuana use in the first place?

Once the answer to that question is given, I could see the potential for asking lots of others, such as: How many babies have been tested (it seems like it must have been a large number to have a "...shocking number..." of them test positive?  Does some arsehat in the medical profession believe that there is a marijuana usage problem among infants? Does some politician believe that government grants (just guessing this is funded by taxpayer dollars) should be doled out for a knucklehead project like this. If the babies test positive for marijuana, are they incarcerated? Are the children removed from their homes and put into protective custody if they test positive? Are the parents charged with a crime if the babies test positive? Will their cases be reviewed now that it has been discovered that false positives may be to blame? Is there any reasonable and logical explanation for testing infants for marijuana? When no one can come up with a valid reason for this program, will it be shut down and will the funding set aside for it go to something practical where it is truly needed? Is anyone involved in this project actually from planet earth and not Uranus? (Yes, I asked if they are  from yours because they certainly did not escape from mine.)

Want to see the article, then click on this link: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/06/21/baby-soap-residue-causing-false-positives-in-marijuana-tests/?intcmp=obnetwork#ixzz1yupnn3Y6

Just unfriggin' believable no matter what they say is the reason. We truly are living in Bizarro World.

All the best,
Glenn B

Browning Citori Lightning Shotgun Repair Update

It was a week ago, this past Friday, that I sent my Browning Citori Lightning O/U shotgun into Browning for repair. By Wednesday of last week, I received an email from them acknowledging receipt of it at their facility. That was a nice touch, it is good to know the gun made it to them and better to know that they care enough about the customer (who would be me in this instance) to make that kind of notification. The email also explains that they will get to repairing it as quickly as possible but that repairs during or near the hunting season usually take longer due to volume at that time of year. In addition, they supplied my name, address, serial number of the shotgun, a reference number for my gun and a web password. I can enter those into a "Track Your Repair" site.

I am going to pause a moment here and do that before I write more...

Okay, that was easy. The result of a query of my gun shows that it was received on June 20th and is expected to be repaired by July 13th. The repairs they expect to make are shown as "MINOR REPAIRS" (that's a relief), current status is "JOB NOT STARTED" and their is a status notation saying that there is currently a backlog and the gun is waiting to be assigned to a gunsmith. Allowing the customer to check on the repair status is one heck of a professional customer service touch, probably saves them from taking a lot of phone calls too.

What a nice experience so far. I hope it stays this way. About the only things that could make this better, than them doing an inexpensive minor repair on my shotgun, would be for them to tell me it was covered under warranty and that they got it done a couple of weeks sooner than expected. Oh yeah, and that I won first prize in some contest I did not even know I entered and they are giving me the hunting trip of a lifetime with some free guns - or something like that.

All the best,
Glenn B

Glock 26 Sight Replacement Update

When I sent my Glock 26 slide assembly into Glock, I asked them to replace the night sights with normal sights. I expected to get what I thought were standard sights put on it to replace the malfunctioning Trijicon sights (the front sight had dimmed considerably). I figured they would be Glock manufactured iron sights. well, the slide assembly was returned to me last week with its new sights. They are made out of polymer. I was not happy, then I noticed a small amount of damage to the finish on the slide, damage that was not there when I sent it off to Glock. I just about had a shit fit. I sent off an email to Glock, that was last Wednesday, I think just about demanding they put iron sights onto it. I got a reply today apologizing and telling me that the polymer sights come standard on the Glock 26 as of late.

I don't believe it. That is that Glock has gotten that shitty as to put plastic (yeah I know, ploymer is not really plastic) sights on a defensive handgun. I will be sending it back to them for the iron sights as soon as I can get to UPS but first I am going to look to see exactly what sights they offer to make sure I get exactly what I want this time. To think, another 4 to 6 weeks before I get the slide back again after I send it in.  Now that I think of it, it actually was 7 or 8 weeks before I got it back even though they estimate a turn around of the shorter time frame. Shit, shit, shit Oh darn.

I must admit, the specific person, in customer service, with whom I am dealing at Glock has been very professional and courteous. My gripe with Glock is geared toward the company itself, going to Polymer sights on a combat/defensive handgun, how long they took for the turn around, and the minor damage to the slide. I have no problem at all with the rep who has been helping me, he has been stellar.

All the best,
Glenn B

LONESOME GEORGE - AN ONLY ONE - AMONG THE MISSING

I like animals but I am not a psycho animal lover. I keep them as pets, have used them for utility, have studied and observed them, photographed them and have hunted them and eaten too. So it sure surprises the hell out me that there are actually tears in my eyes right now over the loss to the world of a single tortoise.

No, not one of my Hermann's or Redfoot Tortoises - but over the passing of Lonesome George the last of the Pinta Island Galapagos Tortoises. He was over 100 years old and probably was the best known tortoise, maybe even the best known reptile, heck - one of the best known animals - on the earth. (More on him and his life here.) All that, regardless, or because, of him probably being the rarest of creatures in the universe but such is the case when you are the last of your kind - you gain fame when others realize your rarity and he was world renowned.  So, in a small part, he was famous because he was so old, but what made him even better known, since he was unexpectedly discovered in 1972 (his species was long thought to have been extinct by then) was that he was in fact - the last of the last.

There will never be another Pinta Island Tortoise. Despite numerous attempts at breeding George with females of two other closely related species they never reproduced due to the matings. They laid eggs, but all were infertile. Still though, even had they been successful and after years and years of selective in-breeding - none of the prodigy would be a true Pinta Island Tortoise. Thus was George's fame, that he was it, none would ever replace him and now he is gone. He has lost his life and the world has lost him.

That sucks but it was inevitable since long before George was discovered to be the last of his species. It was that way because men - whalers, merchant seaman, explorers, pirates - who did not know better at the time, wiped out most of the rest of his kind for food and probably sent a few to zoos around the world too where they eventually died off. If any survived naturally, into the 20th century, then sailors who dropped of goats on Pinta island wiped the remaining ones out, all but George. They brought the goats to have a supply of fresh meat and left them there to reproduce on their own. The goats did just that, they reproduced. They also did something else, they flourished and overpopulated. They ate virtually all of the vegetation that could sustain tortoises on Pinta Island and the only one that survived, that we know of, was Lonesome George. He was 'an only one'.

It is a shame but one has to have expected it since they realized there were no females on the island. We should have gotten over it as soon as we heard of it years ago; after all, his demise and the end of his species was inevitable, written on the wall. The thing is - life goes on as I understand with or without him. Thus my surprise over the optical sogginess I was feeling when I started this post but in my defense, the giant tortoises (I think at the Bronx Zoo) were among my favorite animals when I was a young lad.

Who knows, maybe they will be able to clone him and later figure out how to 'clone' a female from his DNA and then develop a breeding population. That would be neat. What would be a real bitch would be if they suddenly discovered a female or two of his species now that he is gone. That would seem typical of the gender, coming out when the guys are gone.

I am still a little bummed out, but must say that over the years, whenever I read about George, he brought a smile to my face. I always thought he looked a bit lonely but also comical too, like a cartoon character - the tortoise who won the race against Buggs Bunny (too bad George's situation was not more like 'that' tortoise). So, I'll close with a bit of comic relief in his memory, looking at Lonesome George and at his passing from the viewpoint of yet another very famous critter:



Boy, I feel better now, that put me in the mood for some bacon and tortoise eggs.

All the best,
Glenn B