Dream Girl

I've got nothing. I am just too tired to think about a blog post. I was up way to early for work, put in a full day, then when I got home had to take care of paperwork and computer stuff for work that took me another 2 - 3 hours and that got me to the vodka stage. So I am zonked. Figured though that I would give you something to dream about tonight - a blonde shooting a gun.

 

I never said they would be sweet dreams.

 

All the best,

GB

 

Disqualified As Runners But...

...oh so qualified to be honorable women and good Americans. A girl, running a race in the state championships of Minnesota collapsed about 50 yards before the finish line. She was exhausted after giving her best and it looked as if there was no way she would finish. Then, as if out of nowhere, two other girls came to her aide, helped her up and assisted her across the finish line. They broke the rules in doing that and in so doing they, all three of them, were disqualified from the race.

The thing is though, these young women were not disqualified from achieving something much more important, in fact they achieved something much more important than winning the race. By way of their compassion for another runner, mind you an opponent of theirs in the competition, they decided to help her get up and cross the finish line regardless of the consequences and if only because they thought it the right thing to do. Their compassion could not be rewarded under the rules of the race but I salute them as two girls who are both honorable and excellent Americans - and I think you should do likewise. I wish I could shake each of their hands and tell them, face to face, how much I think their actions were commendable and helped them achieve something that winning a race could never do. They rose to the heights of compassion, they became sheep dogs, if you will. They became good citizens and caring young women and who looked out for their kind even though an opponent, they became unified Americans despite their diversity; there is nothing better than young unified citizens like that. Likewise for the fallen girl, who I think also had the right attitude and was thankful for the assist and to have finished the race even if others helped her doing so. More here.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Voted - Did You?

The only way we will change anything, for the better, in our federal and state governments is to vote - at least that is the only way short of a revolution. I voted today to vote out Cuomo and some of the other arsewipes representing NY. It may not have any effect as Cuomo is heavily favored to be reelected but I gave it my shot anyway.

All the best,
Glenn B

Ring A Ding Ding - Give That Woman a Cigar

The debate probably has been ongoing, among firearms nomenclature gurus, ever since the creation of clips and magazines and that is what do you call an ammunition feeding device for any given gun that accepts one. Well, it seems that someone has finally come up with a solution, albeit not the actual answer to the question but maybe even better than the answer.

Now, I am not too sure if that answer is actually worth marrying over but it actually seems as good a reason as any if you are inclined toward marrying, maybe even better than most.

All the best,
GB

Folks We Met At The Blogger Shoot

This blogger shoot in West Virginia, like previous ones we attended in NH, had a lot of great folks in attendance. We reacquainted ourselves with some old faces and met some new ones too. Now I am terrible on names and putting them with faces so forgive me if you were there and I cannot remember which one you were.  I'll give it my best. Among the shooters Brendan an/or I had met before were:

1. Bubblehead Les (blog here)

2. Jay G (blog here)

3 & 4. Nancy and her daughter (blog here) {Nancy not only brought the Brown Bess but also a huge coffee pot that I supposed got filled with it; I didn't have any though, not after three big mugs for breakfast; her daughter brought a cute smile and one heck of a colorful hat}

Among those we were meeting for the first time were:

5. Aaron (blog here) {helped Ross with organizing the shoot}

6. Bruce

7. & 8. Cara and Hayden (wife and husband now living in the US but both originally from across the pond, they love the liberty to own and shoot in this country or at least in free states like WV)

9. Cindy (set up the pub stop after the shoot, sadly the one we did not attend)

10. David

11. Joby

12. John

13. Keads (blog here) {ran the pin shoot and helped collect donations for the fight against cancer}

14. Larry (had a 50 caliber Barrett that I somehow missed shooting)

15. Maureen (number one in the bowling pin shoot)

16. The Miller (blog here)

17. Jovian Thunderbolt (blog here, coolest blog name ever)

18. Old NFO (blog here) {very nice to meet the man, at last}

19. Ross - aka: Murphy (blog here) {organized the whole shoot}

20. Stretch (very nice gentleman, I'll be darned if I can remember his real name but yes he got that nickname for the obvious reason usually associated with it)

Wow, that's all 22 of us if you throw me and Brendan into the mix. It's not that I actually remembered everyone's names but Ross remembered them and had them posted on his blog - so I sort of borrowed them for this post. I can only put 14 of those names together with faces but imagine I will get them down better at the next one of these that Brendan and I attend in WV. I can say this though, without a doubt, they are all very nice folks and I hope to see them all again soon.

All the best,
Glenn B

 

Some Blog List Updating

I added three five six blogs to my blog roll under the header of Bloggers Whom I Have Met:

Another Day.....Another.....

Excels At Nothing (moved from another section of the blog roll)

Lagniappe's Lair  (moved from another section of the blog roll)

The Miller

The New Jovian Thunderbolt

Nobody Asked Me

The Shekel - Coins, Law and Commentary

All folks I met at the blog shoot in West Virginia.

All the best,
GB

 

The Blogger Shoot In West By God Virginia...

...is a long blog-post but you can scroll right to he videos if you want. If you would rather read it all, start here:

It was a damp and dingy day and rain fell early on us and threatened to fall even more during the remaining daylight hours. 
Luckily, for we 22 or so brave souls who faced it, the weather remained a bit kind to us and did not pour down upon us or our weaponry and targets. I would have hated to have had to clean all my guns before we departed at the end of the day because they had gotten wet and I would have hated it even more had the rain sloughed off my targets before I got done shooting them. As it turned out we wound up having a blissful blast thanks to the cooperation of Mother Nature.

This  West Virginia blogger shoot was a lot like the ones we have attended in New Hampshire but was also quite different from them. The reasons it was much the same was because it amounted to a collection of liberty loving firearms  enthusiasts showing up at a range to have some shooty goodness with a wide variety of things that go boom. The biggest differences were that it was at a commercial range in WV as opposed to a private one in NH and that the range had multiple ranges such as a pistol range, a mid distance pistol or short distance rifle range (I think it went out to 50 yards),  a 100 yard rifle range, and - if I got it right - a 400 yard rifle range. For Brendan and me, the other obvious difference was that it was essentially in the opposite direction from our home relative to the one in NH. Either way though, both were a long drive. Oh yeah, the other different thing was that we had to pay to shoot at this range but that was not really all that different than the range in NH since we always leave a couple of gifts with our hosts up that way for the excellent time they showed us while there. Still though, the range up in NH was gratis, as in gifted to us for the day, the one in WV was a commercial range and required a fee for use. The charge was not bad at all, it was only $20 for the day and we shot from about 1030 or 11AM until about 3PM. I would have liked to have had another hour or two shooting but the group had made plans for a late luncheon / early dinner with a reservation at 3 or so.

As for me and Brendan, we set out on Friday night at about 615. We arrived in Charles Town, WV at three minutes before midnight. I had phoned the motel to let them know we would arrive between midnight and 1AM but also told them I would try to get there early. When I gave my name at check-in, one of the two clerks at the desk told me I was early just as I said I would try to be! That got a good laugh. Between laughs, I checked in and pretty soon after that Brendan and I were fast asleep. I woke up several times worrying about things like bedbugs and someone breaking into my car - had you been there with us you may well have done the same, it was a pretty nasty motel as far as I am concerned. Motel 6 used to be a clean and reputable chain but all I can say about this particular one, in my opinion, is that it was the second worst hotel I can remember staying in over the past 10 years or so (the other was also a Motel 6 but was in Fogelsville, PA). The only thing it may have had going for it was that most of the holes in the walls had been plastered over so maybe they were starting to renovate. It needed it, that is renovations, is all the more I will say about it except to say that the staff at the motel all were excellent in the courtesy department. That though did not make up for the condition of the place and I probably will not be staying at another Motel 6 unless I at least first check many recent reviews of the place and it comes up smelling like roses.

Next morning, we were up - or at least I was up - by 7. Got ready and then Brendan did likewise. We were out of the motel by 830 and headed to John's Family Restaurant located on U.S. 340 several miles south of the motel. It was a nice surprise after the motel. We were greeted and seated almost immediately in a restaurant sort of in the style of, or doubling as, an antique shop. There were lots of old things adorning the place - things from I don't know how far back but apparently many from the 50s and 60s, years with which I am all too familiar. We ordered breakfast and both began with black coffee that was indeed a very tasty beverage. Then we chowed down on breakfasts that were both huge and delicious. Crispy and salty and very scrumptious bacon, a sausage patty, a couple of sunny side up runny eggs, well done brown and crispy home fries and rye toast all graced my plate and were gone faster than a speeding bullet whizzed into and bounced off of Superman's chest. It was that good. While I was scoffing mine down, Brendan was busy stuffing his pie hole with country fried steak and biscuits all smothered in white gravy (with a large bowl of it on the side), a couple of eggs and home fries same as mine. A couple or few cups of coffee later, we were stuffed. I have got to say that the folks were A+ at John's Family Restaurant for breakfast (not as great with dinner although the service was the same both times - excellent).

Somehow, we managed to fit our fatter selves into the Corolla and get the seatbelts fastened. Once we had accomplished that we set off southbound and were at the range entrance of 340 Defense quicker than you could reload a few new 15 round pistol mags - it was that close to the restaurant. We drove onto the property through the second of two possible entrances, the one with the paved entranceway and big signs) saying it was the range. That was a bad move cause when we got to the range office there was not a soul in sight. There were no cars and obviously no one inside the office that was not much bigger than a deluxe outhouse.

We took an internal road back toward the other possible entrance and there, outside of a nice stone house, were a few of the other gun nuts enthusiasts waiting for the rest of us to show up. Jay G was among them so I was certain we had the right place. Jay clued me in as to what had to be done, like registering and signing a hold harmless agreement, and I went inside and got it done. Brendan came in just as I finished and he filled out the necessary paperwork too. Then it was back outside to wait for our fearless but late leader, Ross of Lagniappes Lair. He really was not all that late and had a good excuse, the dogs had given him the slip when the doors to his house were open to load guns and gear for the day and they had to be rounded up before he left home for the range. Sort of like telling Mrs. Crabtree that the dog ate my homework I guess but it was believable under the circumstances.

Soon enough though,  we were all unloading our guns & gear onto various tables at the different ranges. Brendan wanted to shoot mostly pistol so we set up all of our gear at the pistol range. We didn't budge from our spot on that table for the rest of the day until time to leave and wound up doing 95% or our shooting on the pistol range. In NY'istan, Brendan is not legally allowed to shoot a pistol because he does not have a pistol license, so this promised to be a fun day for him with handguns.  I only brought along five handguns but had made sure to lug along more than enough ammo for them. Once we were set up, there was a quick group hug meeting and the range personnel introduced themselves and went over basic range safety. Then we all had at it and let the lead fly.

Joe Cool, aka: Brendan with the Beretta 92SB.

As I said, we probably spent 95% of our time on the pistol range. I think I fired only 30 rounds out of my AK on one of the rifle ranges. I did shoot a couple of other rifles though, both in 22LR but did that on the pistol range just to shoot something other than a pistol and to make sure to shoot most of the guns I had brought along. Yeah, me saying most of them means we did not shoot all of them. I never bothered to uncase the Remington 870 shotgun or the Henry Survival rifle. I did shoot all of the pistols, the AK, the Remington 241 Speedmaster and the Stevens 66B. On the other hand (or should I say 'in' the other hand) Brendan shot up a storm with the Remington R1 1911 and the Beretta 92SB. He also shot my Glock 26 and the Ortgies Pocket Pistol. He looked and acted like Joe Cool and I am sure that was because he was having so much fun.

At one point, still looking like Joe Cool he seemed a bit concerned when he said something that sounded to me like: 'Did I do that' although, he claims he said: "See that" (and that is what is in the audio but the other sounds better). He had racked the slide of the Ortgies and it now seems that somehow managed to depress the takedown button and pull the slide up and off of the rails at the rear when doing so. As he let the slide slingshot back, it apparently went forward regardless of being off the rails at the rear and it slam fired a round. That round went off not fully seated in the chamber (as far as I can tell) and it did not get the full force of the pressure it should have received from the powder charge. The result, in essence, was the same as a squib round with the bullet stuck about midway down the barrel. I was happy it happened finger off trigger and muzzle pointed down range; yet, I imagine the look on my face was more somber than the one on his. Of course, I was happy he and everyone else was uninjured but not happy that the gun had a round lodged in the bore.



I took it inside and asked to use their  work bench in an attempt to get it out. One of the range officers came inside and guided me through getting it out and gave me the right tools with which to attempt it. After about 30 slams (over the course of a few to several tries) with a mallet on the 'handle' end of  a steel rod made for the purpose, I finally got the bullet out of the barrel. Had the range officer not wrapped the end of the rod in duct tape, I am sure it would have damaged the bore but as it turned out it looked fine after my assault and battery of it. Luckily the barrel did not bulge but I am guessing that is because a lot of the pressure went our the breech end. Allow me to say that it was amazing as to the amount of force needed to dislodge that bullet - so much so that it made me truly appreciate both the pressure exerted by the gunpowder and the strength of the steel of which the barrel was made in order to a fire just a single shot. Not long after that, I was on the range firing the Ortgies which seems no worse for the wear.

While I was getting that done, Brendan was outside continually firing away to his heart's content. I am guessing he fired a few hundred rounds through the Remington R1 and likewise through the Beretta 92SB (the pistol that got me the Ballseye moniker). Somewhere in there, shooting on the pistol range was shut down so our group could hold a bowling pin match. Neither I nor Brendan had ever shot such a match before but we joined in. The gentleman running the match (wish I could remember his name, maybe Kelly) set up five bowling pins on a table about 10 or 15 yards away. The shooters loaded up with 6 rounds and on signal were to fire attempting to knock each pin over. Brendan shot before me and I think he got 3 or 4 out of five pins. He was shooting the 45. I had to wait my turn and Brendan waited to shoot again as well. I think he took four tor five turns at it getting better and getting them all but not doing great; then again - as I said - he rarely shoots pistol. Nonetheless, he was having fun and doing well enough. 

Remember I said that the point was to knock over all of the bowling pins. That was what I had thought but as usual I was wrong. Must have been about hallway through the shoot when I overheard one of the group explaining to another that the point was not only to knock over each pin as fast as you could but to knock each pin completely off of the table. Some guys did it sneaky like (actually inadvertently) and hit the table knocking 3-4 or even all five over with one shot. Others hit one pin and it fell spun and knocked over other pins. Those did not count.



On my first try, shooting the 45, I had to reload and wound up getting each with about 8 or 9 shots but that was embarassking (as Popeye would say) so I tried again later with the Beretta 92SB - a gun with which I am much more familiar than I am with my 1911. I gave it two goes with the Beretta. On the first try, with the Beretta, I got all of the pins with 6 shots and my second try with my trustworthy old friend resulted in me getting all five pins off of the table with 5 shots. During that second try shooting the 92SB, I hit one that knocked over another two, I immediately fired at the downed pins and knocked each off of the table with good hits - so they counted. I got all five in something like 6.9 seconds which I am certain is nothing as compared to competitors who shoot this all the time; however, it was good enough to garner me fourth place. I think that game could become addictive and surely would do much to improve the speed of one's shooting.

After that it was back to shooting on the pistol range with a break in there for shooting the AK on the shortest rifle range. Brendan fired the AK too but I think only a single mag full of ammo (10 rounds as that is what we can legally own in NY). Then it was right back to the pistols again. To break things up a bit, I brought out the two 22 caliber rifles that I mentioned earlier - the Remington 241 and the Stevens 66B. Brendan also had a little fun with others folks' guns.
 


Somewhere during the day, Brendan got to fire a full auto Uzi that Ross had brought along. We had more than enough 9mm ammo for him to use in that. I was a little disappointed I did not get to see him do that because I was inside on one of a few trips to the work bench to try to get the bullet out of the Ortgies barrel but such is life. I tried in spurts rather than all at once to give some penetrating oil a chance to work, then pounded away, took a break instead of letting myself get frustrated, tried pounding away again and got it out, then once out let some cleaner do its job and went back in and scrubbed it out with a brush to assure it was nice and clean before giving it a test fire. Oh well, he had fun with the Uzi and had someone shoot a video of him doing it so at least I got to see him blasting away with it on the video.

Later on, Brendan asked "Do you have any 308 ammo?" and I said: "I have a few hundred rounds, at home". Before I even thought of suggesting he go inside to see if they offered any for sale, he was in there buying a couple boxes, or 40 rounds, of it. Then, as  watched (smile on my face) he fired Ross' M60 machinegun. Ross explained what he had to do and stood within easy hands reach and Brendan fired off several bursts ending up with a longer volley. I took a video of him shooting it and let me just say he enjoyed that a lot (thank you Ross).



I can only say that I wish we had about a few hundred rounds of 308 or 7.62x51 ammo with us. I would have liked to have given it a try too but it was not worth about $36 bucks for 40 rounds of ammo after shelling out for everything else as cash was running short. I did ask Brendan if he wanted to shoot it some more but he declined, that would have been worth it too me regardless of how much it cost. As it turned out though, he already was a quite happily satisfied shootist. Next time though, I'll go prepared and ask ahead of time what fun toys are being brought along and what ammo they require and we will have the required ammo ready for even more fun.

I guess it was around 230 to 3PM that I noticed people were gearing up readying to depart and head to the restaurant. As usual, I did not get in as much shooting as I would have liked but did get in more than up in NH. The reason for that was the range in NH could only accommodate about 5 to 6 shooters at a time so all of the group there had to take turns. At the range in WV, some guys just stayed at the rifle ranges and did all their firing there. We stayed at the pistol range and put most of our lead downrange from there and even with the break for the bowling pin shoot, we shot more than when in NH. Not complaining about NH, not at all, just explaining differences in how much we shot at each. Anyhow, I spent too much time with the Ortgies barrel, also spent a good deal of my time watching Brendan have fun but I also got in a good amount of shooting too. So as disappointing as it was, it was indeed time to leave.

We said our goodbyes to range staff and I thanked them profusely for helping me clear the Ortgies barrel. Then we were off in a caravan to the restaurant. Much to our satisfaction we headed to John's Family Restaurant once again. I am guessing that in all there was just under 25 of us at the shoot and I think all of us went to dinner together. Dinner was not quite as good as breakfast but certainly was nothing to complain about and I'll leave it at saying it was better than many others I have had in other decent restaurants. The company made up for anything that may have been at all lacking in the dinner even though Brendan and I were odd men out sitting alone with one another at our own table. Just the way the seating worked out. 

Once everyone was done eating, a hat was passed around for donations to fight cancer. Then there was an award ceremony for the bowling pin shoot among other things. During the shoot, each shooter paid $5.00 per round of 6 shots in their attempts to annihilate shoot the bowling pins off of the table. With Brendan's five tries and my three, we chucked $40 into that shoot; we also threw some more cash into the hat at the restaurant. Not only was the money in the hat to be donated to a cancer fighting charity but so too was most of the money from the pin shoot (the rest went toward buying bowing pins to replace the ones we shot up). As for he prizes awarded, I won fourth prize and got to select from among things like three books all written by fellow bloggers, I think), and some firearms accessories like rails for AR's and other things. I picked a book, The Grey Man, written by fellow blogger Old NFO. He gladly inscribed it for me and I had him make it out to Brendan to whom I gave the book.

I had thought the awards ceremony was over and made a quick announcement to everyone about how much fun Brendan and I had had and how nice it was to meet everyone. In doing so, I mentioned that it was obvious to me just how much fun Brendan had at the shoot because that during dinner he mentioned to me, only about 10-12 times, that he had had a great time and that shooting the M60 had made his day. That got a round of applause.

There were some other awards after that. One was for whomever had the most interesting gun. Brendan tried to say that had been the M60 machinegun, smiling broadly as he did so, but at the end that prize went to Nancy for her Brown Bess muzzle loading rifle. I don't recall the other prize categories but the other that I do recall was supposed to have been for whoever had the longest drive to get there. Someone beat us in distance by about 50 miles but it was brought up we had the longest drive time-wise. Then someone suggested that they determine who had to drive through the most restrictive (relative to firearms) commie type and tyrannical states to get there. Brendan and I won hands down after our drive included going through New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland before we reached West Virginia. I let Brendan to go up to the table and pick it out. He grabbed a laser sight for Glock 42. Despite being a certified Glock armorer, I had to ask what was that model; I was told it's a Glock 380. I guess maybe we can find some use for the laser other than me buying a new Glock in a caliber I currently do not have but then again, now I have an excuse to buy another gun and 380 ammo.

Alas, it was all too soon time to vamoose. We went outside, talked a bit and then it was time to ay goodbye because Brendan wanted to head home the same night instead of spend another night in WV. I would gladly have opted to stay, albeit at a Holiday Inn that second night, if only because much of the group was going to head to an Irish pub for cold ones (since many of them were overnighting). Brendan wanted none of it and we headed home, this time though we took another route spending more road time in PA than any of the gun unfriendly states. Yeah we passed through them again but not for nearly as long as on our drive down to WV. The drive home was pretty uneventful and Brendan reminded me several times how much fun it had been. In fact he watched the videos, on his cell phone, of him and I shooting and did that several times. Yes, in all it was an excellent father and son road trip. I can't wait until we do another again.

All the best,
Glenn B

West By God Virginia

 I took this picture while on a prior trip through
WV. Coincidentally, this trip will wind us up in
the very same county of West 'By God' Virginia.

Tomorrow, after work (how I wish I wasn't working tomorrow), Brendan and I are going to hop into the family limo along with a couple of rifles, a shotgun (or two) and about four pistols and a revolver and head on down to West By God Virginia for a bloggershoot. I am also debating bringing along three rifles in 22LR.

It's a lot to haul and a long way to drive for a one day shoot but it should be well worth it considering it is a father son road trip. We will be meeting up with some people we already know, like Jay G, Bubblehead Les and Nancy and should be meeting some new faces too. We have a lot of fun when we go on these trips what with the drive to new places (for us), the getting together with good folks and the putting lots of lead downrange.  Anyway, I know I do and I hope Brendan does too (pretty sure he does otherwise why come along with me again).

As for the specifics on what we are toting along, they will be:

Remington 870
Marlin 25MN
Romanian WASR 10 (AK style rifle)
Remington R1 1911
Beretta 92SB (my Ballseye pistol)
Glock 26
Ortgies 32 Auto
S&W Model 17

The maybe will bring guns include:

Stevens Model 66B
Henry Survival Rifle
Remington 241 Speedmaster

I think we will have enough ammo but if not, we are going to be shooting at a commercial range so we can buy more. I probably packed about 400-500 rounds of 7.62x39mm, 300-400 of 22 LR, 150 rounds of 22 WMR, 500 rounds of .45 ACP, 400-500 rounds of 9mm, and about 50-75 rounds of 32 Auto. Add to that about 50-75 rounds of 12 gauge slugs and I think we can have some fun. Hopefully I did not forget ammo or the mags for any of the guns.

I also made sure that I have my LEOSA cards, my NYS pistol license and a copy of New Jersey's rules for transporting guns through NJ. I figure that to be the only possibly problematic state through which we plan on traveling although I am not all that sure about Maryland. Our route goes from NY into NJ, then into PA, then into Maryland and onto W (BG) V. I checked on the NRA's Guide To The Interstate Transportation Of Firearms and while they mention being careful to dot all the i's and cross all the t's in NJ, they said nothing about Maryland. Thank the heavens we do not have to travel through or even around DC. The rules there, in our nation's capital, are outrageous considering it is the seat of our federal government and where the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights are enshrined.

That's it for now, have to be up early for work so need to get ready to hit the hay. Will blog about the trip on our return on Sunday night (or maybe will blog it on Monday).

All the best,
Glenn B


 

Another Delivery / Pick-up Driver Does It Again

It seems that the complaints against delivery service companies like UPS, FedEx, DHL and the USPS are never ending. I don't quite understand what it is that makes a delivery man treat your package like it was a soccer ball, a piece of trash, a less than valuable piece of junk but they seem to do it way too frequently. The latest example is that of a UPS driver on Long Island, NY picking up a package that he shoves, rolls end over end and also kicks repeatedly as he apparently moves it from the business where he picked it up to his delivery truck. It may not seem like the worst a delivery driver could do, I sure have seen them treat boxes worse, but when you consider that this one was valued at $12,000.00 and was a sensitive pressure gauge you can understand that the shipper was not at all satisfied by the service he received. My guess would be that the shipper was pretty miffed; I'd also guess that a certain UPS driver will not be delivering packages for Santa Claus this year. (source)

Ever had anything like that happen to you. I have had some packages arrive in absolutely terrible condition and have even refused acceptance of one or two over the years. Usually though, mine come though in pretty good to excellent condition. In fact, my mailman and UPS delivery guys usually ring my bell when they deliver a package even if a signature is not required. Still though, these stories of delivery men gone berserk seem to be increasing and I can surely understand why the shipper in the above incident was less than pleased with the service his package got from that UPS driver.

There may be a remedy available to us online. There is a website that seems to be dedicated to helping shippers address such situations. The site documents cases of package abuse (for want of a better term) and also supplies links and information on how to file a claim against the major shipping companies out there. You can find that site at this link: http://dontthrowmypackage.com/.

All the best,
Glenn B
 

Wirecutter Takes A Photo

 

 

All the best,

GB

HDX Shelves - Product Review

If you need to store stuff, from food to toiletries to boxes of family memorabilia to auto cleaning supplies to gun parts or ammo to whatever, a space saving way to cache it away is to store it on shelving. I have a set of shelves in the back of my basement made out of 2x4s, plywood, nails and with some peg board thrown on at one end; the wood is coated with spar varnish. Like the workbench I also made, the shelving unit is sturdy, solid, strong as all heck because I made it that way. I recently had the need for another set of shelves but decided against building another one like that. The thing is, while I would not mind building another, the unit is not at all portable. It is going to stay where it is until someone rips it apart to move it in pieces. For all the time, effort and money I put into it, there are satisfactory alternatives out there that would do job I need done and that are portable and easy to both put together and to take apart if not as quite as strong and durable as the one I built.

One of those shelving units can be found at Home Depot. It's the HDX Heavy Duty Storage Unit with 5 Shelves. The set I got is 36" wide x 18"deep x 72" high (that high if you put it together with all five shelves but you don't have to use all five). I needed a shelving unit to help unclutter my basement so I stopped by Homer's the other day and picked up one of these.

I didn't do it in the blind either. We have at least six others of this same unit in our home today. Three of them are out in the shed, one in the garage and another two in our basement pantry. We have had them for at least five years now, probably a lot longer than that. That I just bought another one attests to the fact that I am satisfied with them for my purposes.

I use them to store whatever we store in the shed and garage that fits on the shelves and to store household junk and food in the pantry. They have stood up to having things thrown on them, fall on them, bang into them (as in bump not shoot) without incident for the most part (two cracked but were still useable). They are plastic though and these shelves are much more susceptible to being broken than something like a metal or wood set of shelves so you have to be somewhat careful with them. They do hold a lot though. According to the packaging, one unit can hold up to 750 pounds at 150 pounds distributed evenly on each of its five shelves. I don't know if any of mine have ever held that much weight, and I surely would not put 150 on either of the top two shelves, but I can say that I have had items weighing at least 75 pounds on some of the shelves and they have withstood that weight without noticeably warping, bending, cracking, breaking or collapsing for years now. 

The unit comes wrapped in plastic, all the shelves bunched together with the legs, feet and end caps in the bottom recess between two of the shelves. The instructions to put it together are on the back of the packaging. It is pretty much a snap, everything just fits in place and you should be able to get a set together in a few minutes or so. They do not come with any adjustable means to level them so you may need to put something under at least some of the feet of the unit if you need it leveled. I used two Schaeffer beer coasters under both of the front feet of mine to level it front to back. I did not bother leveling it side to side. Then I loaded it down with  junk our belongings that had been cluttering up the basement. Well, I should say with some of our stuff that been laying here and there in the basement because it sure did not fit all of it. I could have gone for the larger unit which has mostly the same dimensions but has a depth of 24" instead of 18 and it would have held a bit more. I figured though that I don't need a unit sticking that far out from the wall if only because I don't need to increase the odds that I may bang into it.

I'll probably be going out to get another one today, or maybe right after payday. I figure I will use the additional one as a stand for some of my critter tanks. By my estimation one shelf should fit three 10 gallon tanks across its width if the small end of the tank is facing out or one 20 gallon tank across it with the wide side facing out. I can use the bottom shelf for storing accessories, the next three shelves for tanks and the top shelf for other accessories. Note, I am talking about dry, all glass, reptile tanks and not aquariums. The weight of glass tanks holding water would most definitely collapse this shelving unit and it would pose a dangerous situation - do not use these units as aquarium stands. I am going to set that unit up in the finished part of my basement. Doing that will clear up a lot of space on the wood shelves in the back of my basement where I can store the rest of the clutter that remains and still have room left over for some other things.

In all the years I have used mine, I think only two shelves have ever broken and that was from banging something heavy and unforgiving into both of them pretty hard. As I said, these are plastic and plastic is on the fragile side. Still, I highly recommend them for similar purposes as those for which I have been using them. If you are in the market for fairly strong, fairly sturdy and fairly durable set of shelves at a reasonable price (I think the set was $39.99) and do not require the added strength of wood or steel shelving then consider these. Mine have served me well for years.

Oh, one other thing, they are made in the USA.

All the best,
Glenn B

Note: As usual, I was not solicited to give this review and was not compensated in any way by the manufacturer, retailer or anyone else for doing so.

I Wonder If She Hunted Down & Shot The Beasts...

...skinned em, tanned the pelts, and sewed them together to make the coat. If so, we need more folks like her in America because...

...that coat must be very warm, just look at what she is wearing under it. Thus it must be one excellently made coat and we could certainly use some quality manufacturing marked 'Made In The USA' to help boost our economy.

All the best,
GB

 

A New Breakfast Favorite

I like bacon, in fact I love it. I have been known to eat over a pound (weight prior to cooking)of it at once with sides of eggs and toast slathered with butter. Yummy.

I also like other pork products for breakfast like smoked and fresh link sausages, quick browning frozen sausages and sausage patties. I've also been known to eat a steak or two for breakfast. I almost always have my breakfast meats with eggs and buttered toast and coffee - a heart attack waiting to happen. Of course if I eliminated just the toast (not necessarily the butter), it would be a healthy breakfast, at least as per the late Robert Atkins and his Atkins' Diet. I have, at times, lost weight when doing so - even when eating like a pig (or eating lots of pig or beef or lamb) so long as I cut out junk food and some other carbohydrates, like cutting back on beer and bread. I am on a similar diet right now and while I have not lost substantial weight yet,  I have ceased gaining (I had been gaining about 1-2 pound(s) per week for the past couple of months right before I started my diet. soon I will cut even more carbs and adjust portion sizes to just a little less (and I need to exercise probably at least twice a week, the only thing missing from my current diet as opposed to previous ones that worked before).

Along the lines of my current cutting back on the carbs diet, I tried a new breakfast combo today. I was trying to think of something that would be a change from the usual couple to three eggs and some toast, or oatmeal, and bacon and coffee. I came up with a new ingredient to combine with the old to make a tasty mouthful. While I was looking through the fridge, I realized no one had even touched the Kassler liverwurst I bought on Sunday even though the Hildeshcheimer and Goose liverwursts were almost completely decimated. So, I grabbed hold of it and was about to cut some pieces and throw them on slices of Bauernbrot when I thunk - whoa - slow down - do something really different. I decided to fry those slices of wurst in some butter, throw a couple of eggs in the same pan before the slices of Kassler liverwurst (contains bacon and slices nicely for the pan) were quite done, all while the bauernbrot was in the toaster. All I can tell you is that you need to try it yourself if you want to taste something truly worth risking a heart attack over. Now if only I had cut out the bread, it would have been heart healthy or so I believe. Anyway, the bread was the perfect accompaniment to the eggs which were likewise to the Kassler liverwurst. The coffee (hot, black and nasty) was the perfect thing to wash it all down. Then again, a good hefe Weiss might have tasted better with it but I am on a diet.

All the best,
GB


 

Election Day - Only A Weeek Away - Take Heed Before Then

Before you vote next Tuesday (November 4th) - and I imagine if you read this blog then you will be voting - make sure to read the fable below because there is a moral in it, one that Americans had better learn before it is I too late and too late may be the day of this election. Read, digest it, understand it and make sure to apply it to how you vote because we surely don't need to reelect any assholes like the guy in this older but not outdated tale.

While walking down the street one day a corrupt Senator was hit by an automobile and tragically died.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you." 

"No problem, just let me in," says the Senator.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really?, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. 

The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They played a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne. 

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes. 

They are all having such a good time that before the Senator realizes it, it is time to go. 

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it's time to visit heaven... 

So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns. 

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity." 

The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell." 

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell... 

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above. The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders. 

"I don't understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?" 

The devil smiles at him and says,

"Yesterday we were campaigning, Today, you voted.." 

And therein, my friends, lies a lesson to be learned before you vote next Tuesday.

A hat tip and my thanks to Jim McK for that one.

All the best,
Glenn B
 

Whatever Happened To Amber Vinson - Part 2

Just 4 days ago, I wrote a blog post asking: Whatever Happened To Amber Vinson". The answer was that if nothing else, she - a nurse from Dallas and the second victim to contract Ebola here in the USA - was almost entirely, but not quite completely, forgotten by the media. The media did manage to report that she was Ebola free after her struggle with that disease but only buried deep down in an article mainly about Nina Pham who was the first nurse diagnosed with it. One would have thought that the second nurse to be stricken with Ebola would have made the headlines as much as the first one did but alas that has not been the case, as I said. it seems she was almost forgotten by the media.

That changed a bit today when Amber Vinson was the headliner, well sort of. Actually, a small link to an article about her appeared under the headlined article which was about nurse rotten crotch Kaci Hockox - you know her - she is the one reportedly threatening to sue if she was not released from mandatory quarantine in NJ and now that se is out she is going to Maine (maybe so if she has Ebola she can share it with more of us, who knows). Well, back to Amber Vinson lest I really start ranting about what I opine are the lack of ethics on the part of that bitch other nurse.

Amber Vinson, as reported in this article today, is to be released from the hospital today. Wait a minute, let me correct that a bit. It suppose it was Amber Vinson who was reported as about to be released because all the article mentions is Vinson - it makes no mention of her first name. This should be big news just as it was when Nina Pham was released from the hospital. This should be great and happy news too. Above anything though, it should be Journalism 101 news and should be reported just as you would report about any other person. The reporter, the editor, the media outlet all should have assured that the who (as in who, what, when, where, why and how) should have been reported on correctly and respectfully. So why in Hades is the media apparently treating her as a second class citizen with apparent second rate articles in which they don't even bother to include her first name when naming her.

This woman deserves better than that. She deserves the thanks of America for having helped to combat this deadly disease within our borders and for following all the protocols that the CDC told her to follow. And she deserves our thanks, for in essence, taking a bullet for her country. With that in mind, allow me to express mine:

THANK YOU NURSE AMBER VINSON - YOU ARE AN OUTSTANDING AMERICAN.

All the best,
Glenn B

This Photo Just Ruins My Idea Of The Old West

Since I was a young lad, I have been a fan of old western movies and shows. Then I saw this photo. Just look at it, it is absolutely outrageous.

I mean how can anyone retain a proper picture of the old west in their mind's eye when they see tire tracks all over the place in a shot like this!

All the best,
GB

Five Minutes Into The Walking Dead Tonight...

...and I was reminded why I like this show so much regardless of the plot inconsistencies & outright contradictions, the all to often predictable story line, and the outright apparent stupidity and ignorance of the writers about survival, tactical issues and firearms.

So, when Bob started laughing, looked up, and told the fuckers who were eating his leg that he had been bitten by the walkers, it was an absolute precious moment that made up for anything else lacking in the show.

All the best,
GB

Government Officials Have A Hard Time Calling Terrorism...

...for what it is when it happens but there is something else with which they have even more difficulty when it comes to calling it what it actually is and that is racism. No, of course I do not mean they have a hard time calling something racism if there is a white person accused of it, that is easy as pie for them to spout. They have a hard time calling it racism though if it is a person of color, especially a black person, who has committed an evident crime in which they were racially motivated against whites.

Take for example the recent case of the NYC police officers who were attacked by a hatchet wielding man in Jamaica, Queens this past week. The police commissioner has, without hesitation, called it terrorism and it probably was indeed terrorism yet it was evidently additionally motivated by racism (at least as to selection of the victims). Yet, for some reason that I cannot fathom (other than politics and racial arse kissing - would they do that) Commissioner Bratton and Mayor de Blasio have both failed to call it racism when the facts beg otherwise. You see, the father of the hatchet man reportedly has told the police that his son was racially motivated in that he wanted to kill white people for the injustices he believed they had committed against blacks (source). It does not get any plainer than that but authorities in New York are seemingly steadfastly refusing to label this as a crime involving or motivated by racism. What a crock of stinking hypocrisy.

All the best,
Glenn B

German Delights

Sorry guys but I am not talking Frauleins right now, not German bier or kirschwasser either. I guess though, it may be the next best thing - German food. I stopped by Forest Pork Store yesterday and picked up 3 of their liverwursts - one Hildesheimer, one goose liver and one Kassler liverwurst. Make sure to check out the link to their liverwurst page to see what is in each. I also grabbed a large jar of Bauer's mustard with horseradish, a loaf of Lithuanian bread (weighs about 2 pounds - heavy, chewy and very delicious) and eight bratwursts. My brother-in-law, the elder, dove me and his mom there. My mother-in-law also picked up a bagful of goodies - all coming to my house. I know she got some bread, some gelbwurst (veal bolgna) and some Leberkase (the German version of spam I suppose).

Yesterday, for lunch, I had a nice, if thin (think diet), liverwurst sandwich. Then, yesterday evening, we all enjoyed grilled Bratwurst with fried (sautéed) onions and some deli salads from FPS. In fact, I had one and a half bratwursts (would have had two but again - think diet). The only thing that would have made it very much better would have been if I had indulged in one of the hefe weiss biers my son and his pal were drinking (again - think diet).

I have got to say, even without the bier, the food was absolutely excellent. I have been shopping at Forest Pork store probably for 45 years or more now. Used to go there regularly when I lived in Glendale and they were close by, currently shop there now and again since they moved to Huntington. They are about 15 miles from my house now, so not really all that far although in NY that can sometimes be a 30-45 minute drive. I have to admit, even though it is somewhat of a pain getting there and back - the food makes it worthwhile. While it ain't cheap, it sure is worth the trip so, I think I will be visiting a little more frequently than in the past few years. 

All the best,
Glenn B

Camel Toe - Beware Of This One...

...cause once you see it you may think twice before ever looking at another photograph of camel toe on anyone's blog ever again! This is scary, maybe even traumatic to behold!









Remember, I warned you and I am even being nice enough to give you a chance to avoid seeing it by making you scroll down to it. So if you don't want to wind up needing bleach to cleanse your eyes, stop here.








Here it is - no not the camel toe pandemonico - but your second chance to avoid it. Yes of course, that means you'll have to scroll even a bit more to see it if you dare. Tempting - isn't it. Just remember, you have been warned, it is horrendous beyond belief.







Okay, I guess if you want it, what can I do but give it to you. Well, only after a third and final warning. Pass this one by and it's strike three for you - you lose and I have won the temptation game by getting you to look at it. I guarantee the sight of it will be burned forever into a dark place in your mind's eye!









Hope you didn't expect me to show you her face after my spiel about that camel toe.
Believe me you are better off not having to see it after what you have already seen.

Dear lord, I hate myself for having done that to you but I did warn you!

Hope you can live with that and knowing it will last forever and a day as one of your most vivid, if not fondest, of memories.

A hat tip to Herr M for that one.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Wish I Had This Kid's Hunting Prowess

Not only was this young man, Gavin Dingman of Oceola Township, Michigan, able to bring down an all white deer with a single bolt from his crossbow but it was a ten pointer at that. It wasn't like the deer was a yearling an unwise to the ways of the world. That particular deer had to have been more wary than others of its species to have made it to its age (at least 3-4 years old by my guess) because it had the great disadvantage of being an albino (or leucistic) trying to survive in nature. That it did survive as long as it did means it was one wary deer. In other words, the hunters, the 11 year old boy and his dad, were one smart team of hunters to get close enough to have bagged him with a crossbow! I tip my hat to them - to the dad for teaching his son well and to the boy for making sure he had a good shot and bringing home the venison.

As for all of the controversy (yes the animal rights kooks are up in arms because they say he shot a pretty deer) over him shooting a white deer, some people are quite simply simple minded buffoons with little better to do that whine and moan, gnash their teeth and make death threats over things that are of so little importance as to be ludicrous. A deer is a deer and that is meat on the table no matter what the color.  This one will also make a nice trophy at that. More here at the source.

Congratulations young man - you did well.

All the best,
Glenn B

Whatever Happened To Amber Vinson

Amber Vinson - you remember her don't you. Just weeks ago, she was diagnosed with Ebola. She was the second nurse to treat Thomas Duncan who came down with Ebola. Nina Pham seems to have been getting all the headlines, or at least most of them, in stories about both of them. Tonight I just read excellent news about  good news that should have made it into the headlines about Amber Vinson. She has been declared Ebola free - she has beaten it. That story is hidden in a headliner story about Pham when it should have headlines all of its own!. Go figure. More here.

All the best,
GB

Questions To Ask About The Attack On Cops In NYC

http://video.foxnews.com/v/3856568790001

The reporter asked the ex-cop if the police officers who reportedly shot an innocent bystander did anything wrong and he says "No, absolutely...". He may be right and he may be wrong on that point. You need to ask some questions: Are the police suddenly no longer responsible for each and every shot they fire? Was the threat perceived as being so great that it overrode the precaution not to fire with innocents in the line of the shots?

They are responsible for each and every shot they take and its not time to spray and pray when something like that happens but nonetheless it may have been time to shoot. If the imminent threat was so great to others (the officers and or the public) that it was necessary to fire immediately and the threat posed by police bullets was less than that posed by a guy armed with a hatchet, then they may have been justified even when innocents were in background of the line of fire. Regardless, I think you safely can bet that when the woman files a lawsuit she will win a substantial amount of compensation or the city will just make a settlement with her.

One other thing of note, listen to the part about the police officers all posing for photographs for which a supposed photographer had asked them to pose. Okay, they made a rookie mistake and stopped paying attention to their surroundings but maybe it was more than that. Maybe the photographer was in on the attack and set them up by diverting their attention. I am not alleging that was the case but bringing up the point that I have not heard one mention of that possibility from the police but I hope they are investigating it.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Can Predict Who Gets A TSA Pat Down

Really, I can and it's easy to do. Scroll down and you'll see what I mean:









keep scrolling...














just a bit more...














here you go:

 

 

It's going to be the guy with the grey hair and white t-shirt because that's the way TSA rolls.

 

All the best,

GB

 

Correction On Dr. Craig Spencer & Ebola In NYC

In my last bog post on the subject, I said that it had been reported that Dr. Craig Spencer reported himself with a fever of 103 degrees and that he subsequently tested positive ,for having Ebola, at New York City's Bellevue Hospital. It has now come to light that initial reports containing that information were incorrect. According to more recent news reports, he reported himself when his temperature was 100.3 and not 103. According to the NY Times:

"Health officials initially said that Dr. Spencer had a 103-degree fever when he reported his symptoms to authorities at around 11 a.m. on Thursday. But on Friday, health officials said that was incorrect and that Dr. Spencer reported having a 100.3-degree fever. They said the mistake was because of a transcription error." (source)

So it seems that Dr. Spencer followed current (hopefully adequate)protocols and that his fever did not suddenly blossom from nothing to almost nuclear in the wink of an eye. Hopefully that will mean that he as not able to infect others with Ebola in the days prior, to his self reporting and being put into quarantine, while he was free to roam one of the most populous cities on earth.

Let's keep him in our thoughts, well wishes and prayers and hope they have contained it in his case before any further spread of this dreaded disease.

All the best,
Glenn B