If I Could Attend - I Would Attend This Church Next Week

In one week, on March 23, 2014, Grace Baptist Church at 612 4th Avenue in Troy, New York will be giving away a NY SAFE Act compliant AR-15.

It will be given to one lucky person who attends their 10AM service. It's not a raffle and not a fund raiser - it is a giveaway. You have to be there to win and have to meet certain eligibility requirements found on the page at this link:

http://gbctroyny.com/nysafe.

I cannot make it there but if I would have been able to make it, it 's possible there just might have been a chance that they could have brought me back to organized religion with thinking like theirs. Go to the site at that link and read up on it. They certainly seem to be true patriots as far as I can tell.

All the best,
Glenn B

Bought Some 50 Caliber Ammo Cans Recently...

...and filled all but one of them today with ammo that I have had laying around in shipping boxes, in other containers or loose. That helped straighten out the man-cave just a bit and also gives my son some kindling in the form of cardboard boxes for his smoker and his fire pit. I have to look around, I seem to be missing some ammo I thought was laying around. There is a chance I already put it in a can or in my ammo locker but if it is still out and about, I would rather have it stored properly in a can or the ammo locker. It's not a safety issue, at least not in my place, it's just that it will keep longer if stored better.

I was pretty surprised that it took 7 of the 8 cans I just bought, to put away my ammo this evening. I sure did  not realize I had that much ammo that was not already in cans or in the locker. Planned on using maybe 4 cans and selling or trading the others but that isn't about to happen now. Decent ammo cans, and brand new too - not surplus. I got them from Gander Mountain for a decent price too at $119.40 shipped, with tax included. That was the sale price of $14.99 apiece and also included a $10 off &  free shipping coupon code. Lately, up this way, new ammo cans have been going for $20 plus tax ($21.73 each with tax) and that is the least expensive price I could find on them at a local store. The cheapest surplus ones have been at gun shows for at least $15 apiece.

As for the ones I got, I do not know the manufacturer but they are supposed to be DOD spec. Gander Mountain advertised them as Crow Shooting Supply M2A1 .50 Caliber Ammo Can Item #732803 (now going for $19.99 each). I
tend to think that Crow Shooting Supply does not manufacture them. As I said though, they seem pretty nice.

All the best,
Glenn B

Aeriel View Of Malaysia - Shows Amazing Detail

Using Google maps to take a quick look around the area of Malaysia, I zeroed in on a spot at random.

See:

https://www.google.com/maps/@5.6744504,95.0496178,172m/data=!3m1!1e3

Funny coincidence how much the white area to right in the pic looks like a wing (about 30 feet long, throwing a shadow onto ground) and then directly to left of it, about 800 feet away is another patch of white resembling a tail section of a plane, it is about 12 to 15 feet long. No, I am not saying those are parts of the missing Malaysian Airliner, I figure it is merely coincidental how much they look like aircraft parts and were in the first area I looked at on Google Maps. The people searching for that plane sure have their work cut out for them.

All the best,
Glenn B

Lost A Decent Knife Today

Shame on me, I lost a knife today due to my own fault. I went out to the NY State office building in Hauppauge this morning for a job interview. I emptied my pockets into the tray to go through security, including a Victorinox Huntsman Swiss Army Knife. The guard told me I could not take it inside. Since I was almost running late for my interview, I think I had all of 4 or 5 minutes to spare, I asked if they would hold it there and he said no. I politely asked again explaining I did not have time to bring it back to my car on the other end of the parking lot because I had an interview; he still refused. I then asked where there was a trash can so  could throw it out and he called over a supervisor to dispose of it. I asked the supervisor if he could just keep it in their office until I returned and he said no that he had to throw it out if I did not want to bring it  back to my car. I let him dispose of it as time was ticking and I did not want to be late for my interview (the potential of getting the job being worth more).

I should note that I had also asked if I could go through the trash to retrieve it, after my interview but he was adamant I could not look for it and they could not be held responsible for it. Oh well, force of habit had me stick it in my pocket this morning. Live and learn by way of wake up calls and screw-ups like this one.

Since it was the version with the corkscrew, as opposed to my other Huntsman without the corkscrew (BSA version lacks the corkscrew), I will have to order another so as to have the one with that vital piece of hardware.

All the best,
Glenn B

Drawstrings & Firearms - A Potential For Disaster

Back in January, I wrote a blog-post about the potential of drawstrings being a problem when handling and holstering weapons, see:

http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/2014/01/handling-guns-little-details-that-can.html

Today, I received an email with a video attached that showed just how serious a problem a drawstring can pose when holstering a handgun. The video depicts a man who has holstered his Glock pistol and then tries to adjust his jacket after the pistol is secure in his holster. Luckily for him, the resulting gunshot wound appears to have been a graze.

Click the link for the video, sorry it would not allow me to embed it:

http://youtu.be/FrJMQupYxaw

While this accident happened with a Glock, it could have happened with a wide variety of pistols in various types of holsters. It might even happen with a revolver in certain types of holster. In addition, not only could it happen by pulling up on the jacket, just holstering a pistol, with the drawstring caught in the trigger guard, could potentially cause the gun to discharge if the draw string was taut not allowing enough slack for the gun to go into the holster with the trigger being pulled. The best thing to do would be to avoid clothing with drawstrings, or cut off drawstrings, that could interfere with the trigger. If you have clothing like that and do not want to cut off the drawstring at least be very careful to assure that the drawstring does not interfere with the trigger or any other operating part on your firearm.

As for this particular incident, all the blame goes to the guy who shot himself. You may think that harsh considering how the gun was fired but I am a stickler for firearms safety and the guy handling the pistol was not following safety protocols. First of all, when the gun store owner handed him the pistol the customer  accepts it while it is apparently pointing at the store owner, then he immediately places his finger on the trigger, then he handles the pistol and points it at his own hand seemingly pushing the muzzle into his hand, then after he draws and holsters his Glock (without looking at the holster as he holsters the pistol) it appears to be obvious to him that something has caught his jacket right in the vicinity of his holster. What he was thinking, when he tugged on his jacket without looking to see if it had somehow become snagged by the pistol he had just put back in the holster, is beyond me. Judging by his other three instances of unsafely handling the pistol (just moments before) I would have to guess that maybe he was not thinking at all. That is a major problem when people handle firearms, THAT THEY DO NOT THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING.  He most assuredly should have been using those little gray cells a bit more effectively as far as I am concerned. In fact, I think he should have looked at his holster when holstering in a non-confrontational situation or at least gingerly felt around his holster to see why his jacket suddenly was caught up on something. 

Then again, he was probably never before informed about such a potential hazard nor trained in what to do should he holster a weapon and then feel something was not right with clothing adjacent to the holster. I realize it was obviously an accident and while it certainly could have been avoided I also understand how it could have happened to anyone. Yet, I still fault this guy because he already had at least three other firearms handling strikes against him as apparently seen in the video and, in my opinion, he evidently was not paying as much attention to what he was doing as he should have been doing. Anyway, let that incident be your wake up call - when handling firearms - be attentive! My guess is that he has learned his lesson, I hope you learn from his misfortune before causing any for yourself.

A hat tip to Peter Q for the email with the video and for taking the time and making the effort to share that with others who carry firearms.

All the best,
Glenn B

Missing Malaysian Airliner - A Theory You Have Not Heard On The News

Although I was a federal agent for just over 32 years and have had some experience investigating terrorists and additional experience flying as an air marshal, I certainly am not an expert on missing airliners. Yet, I have a theory of my own as to maybe why they have not found the missing Malaysian Airlines jet. My theory may be so much balderdash but then again I would bet my bottom dollar that authorities, at least intelligence agencies, are considering the outside possibility of it as I type; if they are not, then they are bigger fools than I thought.

I am thinking it possible that the jet was hijacked by terrorists. Note, I said hijacked - I did not say blown up, crashed into the sea, or otherwise destroyed. Now here is my what if. What if it was hijacked by terrorists and the terrorists who hijacked it had a plan to steal it so that they could use it as a weapon in the future. In other words, they hijack the aircraft, they then fly it to a secret location where they store it. While in storage they repaint it to appear to be from a different airline. Then, at their convenience, they have it take the route of a regularly scheduled passenger airliner and crash it into a building or heavily populated area. They could easily plant a bomb on the scheduled flight and destroy it without anyone suspecting foul play because the stolen jet would appear to be the scheduled flight and would be headed for the destination of the scheduled flight.

Crazy right? Maybe crazy but then again perhaps not so crazy. I sure hope it is crazy though because I am hoping that the terrorists are not in the process of doing just that and catching us unaware once again. While the authorities are searching sea and land for a wreck, maybe they should be searching for a clandestine airstrip that could accommodate that sized jet liner.

As for the passengers and crew on the aircraft, any way I look at it, I fear the worst has befallen them. They are in my thoughts and prayers.

All the best,
Glenn B

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) - Arsehat of the Week

Watch the video, listen to her words. Then, you should be able to immediately figure out why I have given her the status of Arsehat of the Week. (That may have to become a regular weekly award on my blog.)

)

In fact, she may be the arsehat of the last 400 years or so. (That was a hint in case you missed why she won the Arsehat of the Week award although you could get partial credit for picking out something else she flubbed.) She is most assuredly one of the laughingstocks of Congress. Amazingly, she somehow keeps getting reelected even though it seems obvious to me that she has the mental capacity of an ignoramus. I suppose that says as much about her voters, and about leftists in general, as it does about her.

All the best,
Glenn B

Politicians Want To Take Away Guns For The Good Of America

Let's face it folks, it has got to be true: Politicians and other government officials who are in favor of gun-control only want to control and then take away our guns (yes that is their ultimate goal) for the safety of all Americans. It has finally struck me that there could be no other reason. I mean, think about it, what other reason could they have for gun registration, assault weapons bans, magazine size limits, ammunition restrictions, not allowing guns into government buildings and confiscations?

 

What's that, you have a question! My advice to you is to answer it yourself after reading the Declaration of Independence.

 

A hat tip to Jim McK for the poster.

 

All the best,

Glenn B

 

Hi My Name Is Glenn - I Am An Addict

I haven’t bought any ammunition for almost 2 months now. I am still catching up on my debt because of all of it that I bought in the few months leading up to the implementation of the NY SAFE Act’s ammunition sale restrictions. While I guess I really don’t need any new ammo right now anyway, the thing is, I am having still craving buying more and more of it. I keep looking for ammo deals and worrying whether or not I have enough put away to last me through a nuclear winter, a zombie apocalypse, an invasion by the Chinese, an invasion by the Canadians, DHS trying to wrest control of all of the ammunition in private hands, our president trying to destroy the Constitutional Republic that was once the USA to instill a tyranny, or whatever other crises may arise. I repeatedly go onto websites to search out ammo deals even though I cannot buy ammo online unless I have it shipped to a dealer in NY who can then transfer it to me after first running a background check on me (of course that meaning he will charge a fee to do the check and to do the transfer). I start counting the cash in my pocket each time I hear about a good price on a caliber that I shoot. I am hoarding what I have in stock, I can’t bring myself to go to the range to shoot any of what I currently have in storage. I am an ammo addict and I know it. Am I going to change, hell no - at least not regarding the desire and need to stock up on more ammo. A trip to PA is in my near future to search some out - maybe at Cabela’s or at an upcoming gun show in the Keystone State. I need more ammo!!!!!! ;>)

FUAC.

All the best,

Glenn B

On Marriage...

...there is a lot that can be said for marriages that are not working out the way newlyweds had hoped they would work out but this one song says it all:



All the best,
Glenn B

MA Tourism Gets Mega-Boost

It's an overnight sensation, tourism in the Bay State has quintupled overt the past two days. State officials are at a loss to explain it. Well, maybe not so much at a loss to explain it as possibly too embarrassed to try to do so. The reason seems clear, as clear as the upskirt shots allegedly taken by Michael Robinson. (While the above was written with satirical intent - and the bit about tourism is totally bogus - the essence of what I just could have come true had MA state legislators not acted quickly.)

Robinson was reportedly arrested in August 2010, "...by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) police for allegedly using his cellphone to take pictures up women's skirts." On Wednesday, the MA Supreme Court ruled that Robinson had not violated the law by taking upskirt photos (pervs around the world may well have been rushing to MA over that ruling). The ruling was made because the peeping Tom law that was used to prosecute him is not applicable to victims wearing clothing.

"Justice Margot Botsford wrote that a female passenger wearing a skirt or dress is “not a person who is ‘partially nude,’” referring to so-called Peeping Tom laws protecting people from being photographed or recorded when nude or partially nude." (source)

So, Tourism in MA will not likely get a boost though, at least not from pervs. The quick acting state legislation passed a law, yesterday, specifically banning the taking of upskirt photos. Truth be told though, how quick they were is debatable. Washington state reportedly changed its laws about 10 years ago to prevent a similar loophole and other states like NY have had laws on the books specifically targeting upskirt photography. (source)

All I can comment about it is that Jay G no longer needs to worry about MA pervs and their prying eyes and camera lenses should he visit MA while kilted.

All the best,
Glenn B


 

Will This Mean Panther Season Is Open?

I have nothing more to say than to ask the question posed in the title of this blog.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/four-decades-later-cop-killer-black-panther-released-jail-n44501

All the best,
Glenn B

Monday Morning / Afternoon Job Application

I've spent part of the late morning and most of the afternoon, so far today, filling out a job application. I don't mind applying but I sure hate it when I get sent an application that needs to be filled out in ink. You would think, in this day and age (the 21st century already), that applications would be sent to applicants in fillable PDF format. Instead, I got what appears to be standard forms and at least one photocopy of an application form, all that either need to be filled out by hand or typewriter. Maybe the heavens know where I can find a working typewriter available for public use but I sure don't, so I filled it out by hand.

Oh well, it has to get done if I want the job and I do want it even if it is full time. It will give me something to do and will be a nice supplement to my retirement annuity. (if I get it). Wish me good luck please.

All the best,
Glenn  B

Over 20 Dead and Scores Wounded Before Police Arrive

It is being reported that a group of knife wielding men, dressed all in black, entered Kunming Railway Station, in China's Yunnan Province, and began a stabbing frenzy. Gunshots ultimately rang out, apparently putting an end to the melee, but only after the police arrived on the scene. The police reportedly shot 5 of the attackers.

A total of 28 dead (possibly including 5 attackers) and 160 wounded (depending on which report you read) were the result of this attack. Imagine if the people of China had been able to exercise their right to keep and bear arms and had at least some of the intended victims been able to defend themselves and others with firearms. If that had been the case, chances are the attack would never have taken place, but in China, just as in schools and places like theaters in the USA, citizens are barred from possessing firearms and become easy and defenseless targets for madmen.

This is just one reason that every citizen and legal resident alien within the United States of America (and citizens of the world at large) should be able to exercise their right to keep and bear arms and to defend themselves and other innocents.

See:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/01/gang-knife-wielding-men-in-deadly-attacks-on-china-train-station/

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/least-28-dead-dozens-injured-china-knife-wielding-spree-n41966

All the best,
Glenn B



 

Could Your Woman Use a Dickens Cider

A hat tip to Rich M for this one.

All the best,
Glenn B

The Wife And The Daughter Are Off To Milwaukee...

...even if it is only a stopover and plane change for them on their way to Las Vegas. I am stuck at home with my mother-in-law,  7 dogs and all my other critters. My son will be around too. I may be going out with him tonight for burgers and a few ciders.

My wife and daughter are making a weekend trip to Vegas and I am hoping that at least one of them comes home rich. That would be nice, very nice. I handled their bookings and got them flights on Southwest and reservations at New York, NY. I hope it is a nice hotel since I made the reservations, it will make up for years ago when I booked Circus-Circus for the family - what a dump was it. We all agreed we thought we were staying in a rundown dump in downtown San Salvador at the time. Anyway, I am guessing this time will be a lot nicer. Oh if only the MIL was not here, I could envision an all night poker game in the basement.

All the best,
Glenn  B

So Why Did The School Let The Mexicans Celebrate...

...cinco de mayo in the first place if they were worried about racial strife that they said would be caused in the school should American students be allowed to wear American flag T-shirts in the classroom on cinco de mayo. Why tell the Americans to turn their shirts inside out or to go home and why allow the celebrating Mexicans, who were celebrating a foreign holiday that usually causes racial strife in this country, to continue their celebrations. There is really something fucked up and bizarre about that especially in that a U.S. Federal court upheld the side of the school banning the American flag on American soil.

See: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/02/27/court-rules-school-can-ban-american-flag-shirts-to-avoid-racial-strife/

And as a point of clarity, let it be known that neither cinco nor mayo are capitalized in correct Mexican Spanish.

All the best,
GB

Hope Springs Eternal...

...is what I thought when I heard that Holder suffered chest pains and faintness and had been hospitalized. A short while later, I was thinking: The damned live forever. That was right after I heard the great news that he had been released from the hospital. Oh well, tomorrow is another day for me to think more cheerful thoughts like the first one I had first about it.

All the best,
Glenn B

Ah, Here I Am - Back In The Saddle Again

Got the HP Notebook back today. A new hard drive has been installed that is apparently a lot slower than the one that used to be in here so it looks as if it either has to go back for another repair or that HP will have to send me , yet again, another hard drive. I will deal with that in a day or three. I have to say, for the most part, HP Customer Service and HP Tech Service SUCK. Next time it will either be a dell or a home built machine for me.

As for blogging, I should start that up again, in earnest, within a day or two. I have a lot of other online issues to deal with before then - like bill paying.

All the best,
GB

Sorry About The Lack of Blogging And Communication

I sent my notebook off to HP onWednesday for repairs. I am anticipating getting it back in about two weeks. Thus the lack of blogging since I have to beg, borrow and or steal a compter to get anything done online.

As my luck would have it, my cell phone is also on the Fritz. I m hopeful that ATT will have delivered a new cell phone to me by later today or tomorrow. My apologies to anyone waiting to revceive a phone call or return email back from me.

All the best,

GB

My HP Notebook Is Belly Up

HP sent an in home technical service repairman to my home on Saturday. He put a new hard drive, that HP had sent to me via FedEx, into my HP Pavilion Notebook. As soon as he was done, it gave him an error message. He fiddled with it a bit and got another error message, the second one telling him there was no hard drive in the computer. He fiddled more and said it was good to go for software installation, started the first disk, had me sign some paperwork and then left with three disks of software yet to be installed. I followed the prompts and installed the software myself. Then, when I got the same error messages as did he, that no hard drive was installed, I called HP tech service and I was pissed.

It has now been arranged that they will send me a box to ship the notebook to them for repair at their facility and I continue to be pissed. That will take 3 to 4 weeks from what I understand of what they told me. So much for paying for in home service, it amounted to a waste of my money. This is now the second problem with this laptop that in which the hard drive has been implicated and both times it will have had to be sent into HP for repair when in home service visits should have accomplihsed the repairs. Next time that I buy a computer, I am either going back to Dell or going to another manufacturer. Working on my son's ancient SONY VAIO that he got from my daughter. Time to financially assist him to buy a new one soon.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Road Trip - Closer To Reality With Each Snowfall

I do not recall it having snowed this much in about 20 years where I live. The year we moved into our house, we had one snowfall after another. I was a younger lad back then and had little difficulty shoveling. This time around though, I am quite a bit older and have the aches and pains of my age plus those caused by other things. It has not been easy shoveling, for instance over the past two days we have had about 10 to 12 inches of snow and we have been hit several other times already this year. Yeah, I know, that is nothing compared to the Snow Belt in upstate NY (the state with the highest average annual snowfall) but it is a lot around here and my joints are creaking. We have also been promised another 3 inches or so for tomorrow.

Each passing snowfall makes me think that I ought to be going on my dreamed about road trip. Add to that the fact that my wife and daughter are going to Vegas for a few days in the not too distant future and I am getting antsy to hit the road. I do not usually take road trips without my son but the next one will probably be me going solo because he cannot get away from his job. While that will stink, going on a road trip alone will be better than moping around here waiting for Spring to have sprung. It's calling me like the Siren's song, time will tell if I give in, put down my shovel, and take to the road.

All the best,
Glenn B 

Wishing I Was There...

...not only because it is a lot warmer there (wherever there is) than it is here right now but because the scenery is nice too.



Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bikini_girls.jpg


I am going to guess at least 8 to 10 inches of snow has fallen so far and now it is a mix of sleet and rain that is falling, lots of pretty strong gusts of wind too. More snow is promised for tonight through tomorrow morning. I hope the rain does not wind up icing over the power lines when the temps go down tonight or we will be cold in our house tonight. We have oil heat but the furnace burner is electrically powered. One of these years I just may have to buy a generator!

At least for now, I am keeping my blood a little warmer with thoughts of things pictured here.

All the best,
GNB

The New Hard Drive

Today, I received the replacement hard drive for my computer from HP. The thing is that I am none to sure it is the same as was the old one. I have sent them an email to check on it as some features of the old are not listed in the paperwork for the new.

Tomorrow, I will call the HP in-home tech service rep to see when he can get here - that pending an answer from HP on whether or not the replacement drive has the same features as did the old one. If they confirm that the features are the same or better, then I hope the in-home tech service rep gets here soon. With the weather expected to be miserable over the next two days or so (screw Al Gore and all the Global Warming BS), my bet is he will not get here until at least Saturday which was the day that HP figured in the first place.

As you can guess, my hard drive has not actually failed yet. I keep getting warnings from the Windows operating system that failure is imminent and that I should back-up my files - that has already been accomplished. In addition, if I turn the laptop off and start it up again, I get a similar warning from the laptop itself. I am hoping it just keeps chugging along until the drive is replaced.

All the best,
Glenn B

On Voting Republican Or For A Third Party Candidate

I think that the Republican Party has doomed itself. As I see it, they are not a legitimate political party any longer. Their house leader, Speaker of The House Boehner, is a complete spineless boob and his comrades in the House are mostly likewise. The Republicans in the Senate are not much better. Their latest blunder was this:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/02/12/debt-ceiling-bill-clears-senate-hurdle/?intcmp=latestnews

From now on, I will vote along third party lines because I think it is destroying America to vote for Democrats or for their supporters - the Republican Party. I am almost certain to vote for Libertarians or Conservatives not associated with the Republican party on the ballot. That will go for all upcoming major elections.

As I told a friend of mine, who told me voting for a third party only helps the Democrats:

It does not matter if it (voting for third party candidates) helps the Democrats since more than half of the Republicans now in office are helping the Democrats carry out the Democrat Party Line. In fact, if I did not know with which party they were affiliated, I would swear many Republicans to be either Democrats or Liberals. So, if you vote for any of them, you are helping the Democrats already.

Who are you going to vote for as president - Christie? He is an Obama ass kissing Liberal no matter how much he would like to claim to be a Conservative. Not me, I will no longer be voting Republican. I will either be voting for the Libertarian candidate or for a truly Conservative one but not for one in the Republican party. You can keep voting the Republican Party line saying that voting for a third party helps the Democrats, I believe that voting Rebooblican helps the Demoncrats even more than voting third party. It makes the Republicans believe they still have a fairly large and strong voting block who support their liberal stand and they just keep getting more and more in line with Democrats.

In addition, voting Republican keeps votes away from the guy in the third party who might truly make a difference that will crush the Liberal (Democrat) party line, if not in the next election, then almost certainly in our lifetime BUT we have to start voting for them now. That way they may pick up enough momentum after two or three more elections to actually have a chance at winning.

Even if a Libertarian or other third party candidate does not win, but merely gets a lot of what was once Republican voter support, it may also scare the pants off of Rebooblicans. Losing enough voters may make the RHINOS realize they need to get back to being conservatives instead of caving in every time a Demoncrat blames them for something that (they say) is about to happen (instead of looking at the long term picture). Right now it seems that way too many so called Republicans are voting along Democrat party lines - we need them out and new blood in and I think the third party is the way to go for that. 

All the best,
Glenn B