BBQ Grill Woes

I picked up a new Brinkmann BBQ grill back in June 2012. It was a fairly decent one for the price or so it seemed. The thing is, it has already started falling apart. I figure though, the reason certain parts have failed is pretty much my fault and expect I would have gotten another 2 years out of it had I been a bit more careful. The parts that failed were all attached to the burners. One burner, the sear burner, had a tab attached to it with spot welds. That tab screwed into the body of the grill to hold the burner in place. The spot welds broke yesterday when I was cleaning the grill. Before that, the heat tents (or whatever you call the angles pieces of metal above the burners) were rusting through even though I cleaned them often. On two of them, the tabs at the ends (two on each end) that held them in place against the grill body snapped off in normal use. The other thing that went were the gas crossovers had all rusted badly and a couple of them had simply rusted so badly they fell off. The 4 main burners, only one burner had electronic ignition and the crossovers assure that the flame from that one lights the other burners as they funnel gas from one burner to the next. I just lit each burner with a long flaming stick.

As I said though, I figure almost all of the fault with those parts failing so soon was due to my negligence. While I regularly cleaned this grill, more than the last one we had and that one lasted 5 years or so, I forgot to empty the drip pan twice before cooking. Each time I forgot, it was pretty full of greasy sludge. I was cooking ribs each time I forgot to clean it and they drip a lot of fat, and the fat dripping out sometimes causes the flame to really flare up, and with the drip pan full of grease from the previous couple of BBQs...you get the picture and if you don't let me say I was surprised the tree next to the grill did not go up in flames. The first time it happened, my wife yelled at me that the grill was on fire and I ran upstairs from the basement where I was grabbing something, probably a beer. It sure was on fire and not just the normal flame from the burners nor your everyday flare-up either. It looked like an inferno, it was blazing. Even though the lid was closed flames were shooting out of its vents and probably reached at least 3 or 4 feet above the grill, maybe higher. The next time was pretty much the same thing except I was inside preparing something else for the grill. I am going to guess that the temperature must have gotten over 750 degrees (the thermometer topped out at 600 and the needle was way past that). I suppose that additional heat must have stressed the metal an awful lot. Some of the stainless steel on the cover was pretty discolored after the first flare-up and worse after the second.  Its my bet that all the parts that broke would not have broken or rusted through the way they did had those flare-ups never happened. Oh well, live and learn. I have been a lot more careful to make sure the grates, drip pan and the heat tents are clean before I BBQ anything - especially the drip pan.

Yesterday, I priced replacement parts. The heat tents, 4 of them, would run me about $50, the sear burner another $30 and the crossovers about $20. Add shipping to that and it would have been a total of about $115-$125. I pondered whether or not I should repair it or just get a new one. I knew if I repaired it, it might last another season or two before something else, that was already old and weakened from the excessive heat, might break. 

While looking for the parts, I had visited the Brinkmann website and lo and behold, they had the same model grill (looking a little different) for sale a $289.99 with free shipping. I was tempted but didn't order it. I talked it over with she who must be obeyed (sometimes anyway) and she said go for it as soon as I told her about the price. I still hesitated to order it. There were some things I never liked about the grill and others I liked. It cooked pretty darned good compared to others we have had and that was a big plus along with its size, it is a pretty big grill. Then again, it has an open back to the cabinet which totally sucks and the drip pan is only accessible from the rear which means I have to pull the damned thing away from our fence each time I clean it. Our prior grill's drip pan was front accessible and much more convenient.  

The price was good though so I went back to the site and looked again today. This time, I noticed that if I signed up for their newsletter, I would get an additional 10% off the price. That dropped the price to $260.99. I reconsidered. Even though I would have to put this one together myself (Home Depot assembled it last time) because I am ordering it direct and even if the grill winds up falling apart in three years, the deal was tempting enough to have me bite. I ordered one a little while ago. I am hopeful that UPS will not destroy it during shipment.

This time around, I am going to strip the new grill, of the burner parts that failed, at each BBQ season's end and give them an extra good cleaning. I figure that will help them last. I am also going to be extra careful to prevent future flare-ups. I figure that will do a lot to extend the life of the parts. I may even make a back for this one myself to fully enclose the cabinet. In addition, I will have some spare, albeit used, parts from the old one as backup (like the grill grates, four main burners, screws and whatever). Time will tell if I was right or wrong to have ordered another one. Maybe one of these years I'll buy a grill for $1,000 or more, one that might actually last 10 years but right now I am on the south side of broke and even the amount I am paying for this new one is taxing my resources beyond the limit. If you are in a similar situation and need to replace a grill, you may want to check out that deal. If it only lasts three years, it works out to about $87 per year and I figure that to be worth it right now.

All the best,
Glenn B

Kilted To Kick Cancer - Day 3 Photo - And Some Good News

Allow me to whine: it's been a long hot and humid day that included cleaning and fixing my grill for the coming weekend (I jury rigged it with picture hanging wire because one of the welds holding a burner in place broke), getting a kilted post published, sending out a mass email on my KTKC efforts, doing some gardening and lawn work, getting some other crap done around the house and going to Costco to do shopping for this coming weekend's family BBQ bash. After getting home, unloading the car and putting everything away, I had to water the front garden because the flowers were not only drooping but looked positively parched. Now though, I am winding up my day enjoying a couple of excellent Schneider Weisse Biers (a German Hefe Weizen Bier or wheat beer with yeast) out of my prize weisse bier glass that I bought in Plattling, Germany many years ago.

I was hoping to get a good selfie of my kilted self in Costco but got there kind of late and had to really hustle to get my shopping done. but yes I was wearing my kilt. Three hundred bucks later and I am not sure I got everything but figure I got almost all I needed for the BBQ. Anyway, here is my KTKC Day 3 photo, me in the backyard enjoying one of those biers.


KTKC 2015, Day 3 photo. Bear in mind,
I never said these pics would be pretty!

Before I close, I have to mention the good news. Team Glenn B jumped into third place sometime this evening in the fundraiser. With about $240 in donations (and maybe some more from a donation that may not have been properly attributed to the team) we are far ahead of yesterday. Yet, we are also still far behind the first place team that has over 1K in donations. Knowing those of you who read my blog and to whom I sent an email plea for donations, I figure it won't be long before we zoom into first place. Remember this is for a good cause - to kick prostate cancer's arse, so to speak.

 

To donate, go here, and please remember to pick Team Glenn B as the team through which you are making your donation. Then send me an email of your donation acknowledgement or receipt so I can assure to get you in the running for some raffle prizes once the fundraiser is over on September 30th. Detailed info here.

 

Oh yeah, I almost hate to have to mention this but there is more good news. Someone was generous enough to make a single $100 donation today. Yes, that means I have to dunk my kilted junk into ice water and post a video of me doing so. I will try to get that dome tomorrow but really am not looking forward to it at all.

 

THANK YOU ALL WHO HAVE DONATED SO FAR THROUGH TEAM GLENN B.

 

All the best,

Glenn B



 



Kilted to Kick Cancer - As If Shopping Was Not A Big Enough Pain In The...

...ass on a weeknight, I am about to head that way in my kilt. I wish I could figure why I am doing this Kilted To Kick Cancer kilt wearing thing but then I know why and it is for a good cause.

Please make a donation and please do so through Team Glenn B at: http://www.kiltedtokickcancer.org/product/ktkc-donation-2015/

If you need more info before donating, please look here: http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/2015/09/i-am-kilted-to-kick-cancer-fundraiser.html


All the best,
Glenn B

This One Hits Home For Me

 

 

All the best,

GB

Thug Does Cops A Favor And Shoots Himself...

...instead of shooting them! Police approached a man at an Oakland BART (train) station to tell him to put out a cigarette he was smoking. During the encounter the guy attempts to draw a handgun from his waistband. Bang goes the gun and the guy shot himself. Police shot him with a TASER and subdued him a split second after the shot. Turned out the guy was wanted on a felony warrant. Reportedly a third party video showed it all. More here.

Quick note on TASERs: Mind you that TASER is the proper way to write that as it is an acronym and that is the way the company writes it. See this as to why that is the name of said device.

All the best,
Glenn B

Winchester Model 37 - The Curse Has Been Broken - I Hope

So, I tried to sell my Winchester Model 37, 12 gauge, shotgun for a fourth time, that  being once in person and three times via GunBroker.com. The first time someone showed upon to look at it and wanted me to sell it to him out of my trunk in a public parking lot. No way that was happening here in the polizestaat of New-Yorkistan. The second time was on GunBroker and the buyer did not send me a completely legible copy of his dealer's FFL and then would not send one. Sorry Charlie but I had that requirement clearly stated in my terms of the auction. The third guy just never sent payment and never got back to me when I inquired a few times to see if he still wanted it. When I called him to inquire, a woman answered the phone, told me the dickhead he was no longer interested and hung up when I asked if I could leave my number for him to call me and tell me himself.

It appears though that this time around, the fourth time (or third time via the Internet), may be the charm. I spoke to the high bidder tonight and he is preparing the buyer's statement I require (basically assuring me he could answer all the question of an ATF transfer form properly), is making a copy of his driver's license to send me (to help assure to whom I am selling it), already has a copy of his dealer's FFL (as required by law) and that is signed in a color ink other than the copy color (helps assure an original signature when an FFL is mailed (oddly enough an original signature is not required if faxed or scanned and emailed - how could it be original if transmitted like that), and will send a U.S. Postal Money order probably tomorrow (the only form of payment I will accept). I am not counting my chicks until the eggs hatch though but this time it does sound promising.
While speaking to him, he asked me some questions about the shotgun and I learned a new trick about a 12 gauge full choke gun. I think he would have been better off asking before he placed a bid because the bid is a binding agreement to make the purchase (if I would want to push it if a bidder backed out, which would not be worth it to me). I was not about to tell him that though and have him think I was being a wise-arse and thus ruin the deal -especially since he was being courteous and accommodating of my terms with which I could tell he was not completely happy (such as sending a copy of his license). But I digress so let me get back to what he asked me and what I learned.

The things he asked about were the look of the bore - which is bright and shiny with maybe a few freckles but no pitting I could see, whether or not it has an auto ejector - which it does, if the auto ejector functions properly - it sure kicks out an unfired shell casing with a good amount of force sending it a few feet across the room when I remember to get my chest out of the way, and if it was a full choke - which it is so marked. It was then, right after that last question, that I learned something. He asked me if how far a dime would travel through the barrel if I dropped it into the bore through the breech end. That seemed a strange question but he explained to me that if the dime passes all the way through (bearing in mind this is a full choke 12 gauge) then the choke has been removed (I would guess either purposefully or worn out from firing it many, many, many times over decades of use). He also explained that if the dime stops about an inch or so from the muzzle, then it is indeed a full choke. I asked him if the dime would be easy to get back out, I figured it would but wanted reassurance and he said yes. So, I dropped a dime. In my estimation, it stopped about 3/4 of an inch from the muzzle opening. He said that was good and seemed quite happy. If he is happy with it, then I am happy because it means the sale will probably actually go through; I hope so.

I will be happy for a couple of reasons other than it being finally sold. I will be happy because I am getting almost double for it over what I originally asked the first time on GunBroker.com. I wonder if I could have even asked for a higher amount and gotten it but I am quite satisfied in more than tripling my money on this gun over the price I originally bought it at. The other thing that makes me happy is that I will have almost enough cash, if I actually get paid, to buy either another Henry Repeating Arms Small Game Rifle in 22WMR (the one I originally ordered and had to be returned because it got damaged in shipping) or will have almost enough for a Barnett Jackal cross bow. Decisions, decisions!

As I said though, I am not counting my cash just yet.

All the best,
Glenn B

Blogging This Month

As you can see, a lot of my blogging this month will be dedicated to the Kilted To Kick Cancer (KTKC) fundraiser. I promise though, once I get in the groove with it, I will start posting on more familiar subjects in addition to the posts about KTKC.

All the best,
Glenn B

KTKC Day 2 - A Day In The Life Of A Kilted Glenn B

Today was pretty much an ordinary day for me except for the fact that once again I went out in the  real world wearing a kilt - my only kilt (although UT Kilts already has shipped one I ordered yesterday, so another is due here soon). The first thing I did when I left my house today was to go to the dentist. My wife works there as a dental assistant and I although I had told her I would be kilted virtually everywhere this month, I think she was surprised to see me with it on in the dentist's office. The dentist slammed me as son as she saw me asking why I was wearing a skirt, if I was crazy, if she could light a match and throw it underneath to start a fire (to which I replied she had already set fire down there) and that she was going to hit me down there with a shot of Novocain. Yes, she loves me almost as much as my own wife does so.

Anyway, I explained the deal to her ad she said I was crazy to have bought kilts because I could have just donated that money - so what good was it doing! That was a fact which never had dawned on my wife and she got a little miffed that the kilts were not supplied for free and I had to pay for my kilty attire. I explained that instead of my regular donations to the fundraiser, I had bought the kilts and some other stuff in the hopes I could entice others to donate and thus wind up having more of an effect than if I just donated my two cents worth (believe me my past donations were much higher than that) to the fundraiser. So far I have been proven wrong, Team Glenn B has only brought in $50 to date and the team in first place has over 1K in donations already. I guess I need to do a mass emailing to blegg for donations. For now, allow me to repost the donation link:  http://www.kiltedtokickcancer.org/product/ktkc-donation-2015/ and please remember to mark off the team through which you want to donate (hint: my team is Team Glenn B).

Anyway, after that I went home for a bit and then was met there by my good buddy Pete A. We headed to the hospital to see a relative of mine, and former coworker of both of us, who had a heart attack, a really serious set of them but who made it through the worst of it. We spent some time there, me wearing my kilt. The deal was explained fully while there.

KTKC Day 2 Photo. Dunking Donuts might not have been the best place
for me to stop for a snack but I assure I have been working out lately
and I have lost a few pounds in the process over the past month.
I should be almost svelte in a month of three, hopefully anyhow.

Then we were off to get a bite to eat and somehow, one of us (who shall remain nameless) decided on Hooters. We had a few appetizers and I had two ales. Pete opted for water because he was driving. Then it was back toward my house but we too a brief detour to Dunkin Donuts for a coffee and a donut. As can be seen above, that is where KTKC Pic 3 of me was taken.

A few brief observations: riding in the car with AC on and blowing up the kilt is quite refreshing. Likewise for riding with the window open later when it cooled down some. Walking around with the family jewels dangling also was rather comfortable and made me wonder how it was, and why on earth, someone ever created tighty whities.

That is all for now.

All the best,
Glenn  B

Kilted To Kick Cancer Day 2 Important Updates

Important Update: I screwed up but just a little in reference to dunking my kilted junk if and when I get any single donation(s) above $100 on any given day throughout the month of September 2015. I thought that Kilted To Kick Cancer would keep me apprised of who donated how much through Team Glenn B and that they would do so on a daily basis. They do not do it on a daily basis but only will do it at the end of the fund drive. Because of that, I will not be able to determine who, if anyone, has donated $100 or more on any given day, thus requiring me to dunk my kilted junk. That is unless you forward me a copy of the receipt or email they give you subsequent to your donation showing if you have donated $100 or more on any given day during the fundraiser. So, if you are crazy enough to want to see a video of me dunking my tender parts into a bucket of ice water (albeit under cover of kilt since this is almost a family channel) you will need to make me aware that you donated that much by forwarding me a copy of your receipt or the acknowledgement email from KTKC (or PayPal) to show you made such a donation.

This Is Also Important: It would also be a good idea for anyone who donates any amount of $5.00 or more to do likewise for each such donation you make. That way I can assure you will not be missed when chances are allocated for the prize drawing for donors. Remember for each increment of $.00 that you donate (in total over the course of this fundraiser) you get a chance allocated to you to win a prize but I have to know who you are and how much you gave. Make sure your name is in the email sent to me, not just your email address or PayPal login ID and how much you donated. 

I am also adding this to my original day one post (September 1^st) so that it is clear for anyone who comes aboard after today.

Remember, if you wasn’t to make a donation to help in the fight against prostate cancer and to aid prostate cancer research, through Team Glenn B or any other team, please go here to do so: http://www.kiltedtokickcancer.org/product/ktkc-donation-2015/

When you donate please make sure to click on the drop down box to enter the team name (Hint: Team Glenn B) through which you want to donate.

If you have no clue what that was just all about, go here to my original post with all the info: http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/2015/09/i-am-kilted-to-kick-cancer-fundraiser.html

And now for a little blegging: Come on folks, so far Team Glenn B has raised only $50 in donations and is tied with a few other teams. The team in first place has already raised over $1,000. I know we can do better than a mere $50 and it is going to a good cause so please do what you can to donate. By the way, you can also donate in general without selecting a team to donate through if you so desire.

 

All the best,

Glenn B

Kilted To Kick Cancer Day One Pic

I went to the gym early this evening wearing my kilt. I even worked out in while wearing it. I will admit that I threw on a pair of boxer briefs in the locker room before working out because I figured no one wanted my Willy or crack sweat on the treadmill. I had been thinking of handing out fliers to anyone who asked about the kilt but heads spun away from me as I passed folks, I wonder why! Then I had the thought I would give the first one out to the first man to make eye contact. Not one did so until I was leaving and in the parking lot. He definitely saw the kilt and as he passed tried to stare me down. I didn't give him one because they were then in the bottom of my gym bag at the time and did not want to bother at that point. That is the plan though for tomorrow, if no one asks about the kilt, I will give a flier to anyone who ales eye contact while I am wearing it.

I tried to take a self video of me working out but it came out crappy. So, when I got home I asked my son to take a pic of me. He took a pic of me in front of the TV while he was watching some Viking show. I figured that would be a good backdrop since they just bled some dude and were pouring his blood into a chalice or something like that. Me in my kilt with Vikings, a weird holy man, blood and gore in the background, what could be better! Scenes change quickly on TV and so did that one and the photo did not come out quite as I had planned. See for yourselves:

Oh well, I will post another tomorrow.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Am Kilted To Kick Cancer - The Fundraiser Has Officially Opened

It is Day 1 and the Kilted To Kick Cancer Fundraiser has officially opened and I will be wearing a kilt each and every day come hell, high water or updrafts for the whole month of September 2015. That of course is in the hopes of getting you to donate toward prostate cancer research and the fight against this terrible and deadly cancer. I will post the day one picture of me so garbed a little later but here is another one I posted about a week or so ago (sorry but it has to do for this afternoon, I'll post another tonight). 

Sorry for the old pic, new daily pics
will start being posted by me tonight.

Kilted to Kick Cancer is a fundraiser, in which gun rights bloggers participate to help the fight against prostate cancer. Prostate cancer has the second highest fatality rate, behind lung cancer, among men. KiltedToKickCancer.org runs a fundraiser every September in which kilted bloggers (and maybe one or two non-kilted ones) attempt to raise prostate cancer awareness by spreading the word about it while kilted and also attempts to raise funds for prostate cancer research. It is my understanding that there is a very low overhead and 100% of the raised funds go directly to prostate cancer research. More info on that is on their website.


If you want to donate, and hopefully so through my team, please go to this link:

http://www.kiltedtokickcancer.org/product/ktkc-donation-2015/

Once at the link, click on the amount you want to donate, then click on the CONTRIBUTE icon. That will bring you to your shopping cart where you can confirm the donation amount. Once you see it is okay, click on the PROCEED TO CHECKOUT icon. This will bring you to the checkout page which is pretty self explanatory. PLEASE NOTE ONE THING ABOUT THAT PAGE - YOU GET TO SELECT THE TEAM THROUGH WHICH YOU WANT TO DONATE. To make a selection click on "Select a fundraising team..." in the dropdown box at the upper left hand corner of Bill Details. I an hopeful you will be be part of my team ad will make your donation through Team Glenn B. Please note, if you decide to give a customized amount, I do not think there is any manner through which you can select a team through which to make your donation and believe that will be a general donation. I will check on that and get back to you on it. Clicking on a preselected amount seems to me to be the only way to do it through a team right now. Note for some reason my team is still not listed on the Kilted to Kick Cancer website's team page but my team definitely shows up in the dropdown box of teams on the donation page.

There is incentive for the registered fundraisers (those of us who registered with KTKC and are wearing the kilts), prizes offered for whichever team leader collects the most donations through his team. Along those lines, at least some, if not all, of the registered fundraising kilted bloggers also offer incentives to the people making donations through their respective teams. I will be offering what I hope will be some enticing prizes. That will work like this: For each $5 that a person donates, that person will receive an entry into a drawing for the prizes I will offer. Thus if you donate $5.00, you will get one chance at winning a prize, if you donate $10 then you will have two chances at winning a prize, if you donate $15 you will have three chances and so on. Your chances of winning will increase relative to the more you donate. I will start listing prizes within a day or two at most but be aware most of them will in some way be firearms related (no I am not giving away any guns but ammo and accessories are possibilities). There will also be at least one or two items that are not related to firearms. I figure to offer three prize packages each package consisting of at least one or more prizes.

I offer one further incentive. If anyone, on any particular day, donates $100 or more - I will, for each such donation up to one per day, make a video of myself dunking my junk and yes I do mean into ice water and while kilted. If I get two such donations in one day - I will only make one video of me dunking once; however if I get multiple $100 single donations in one day and another day passes with no single donation reaching that amount, I will dunk my junk on that day for those other previous $100 donations. It works out like this - the limit will be me doing it once per day for 30 days if I receive thirty single donations of $100 or more. Donating multiple times to build up to a $100 donation from any person will not qualify for me to dunk my junk; also no group donations where money is collected from a group of folks and put toward a single $100 will qualify (that is based on the honor system on your part). The videos will be posted here and no they will not be x-rated . The bucket of ice water will be placed under my kilt for the dunking(s). I am not looking forward to it but I know for certain that there are at least one or three of you who are evil enough to donate that much just to see me suffer and that will raise more money.

Regardless of the prizes you might win, the fight against prostate cancer should be enough incentive for you to give. While this I my first year wearing a kilt for this cause, I have made generous donations over the past couple of few years to the Kilted To Kick Cancer Fundraisers. I figured it was money well spent and besides that it is tax deductible. Sometime late last year, I decided that this year would be the time to get my arse kilted to make an even bigger difference because I know I can count on you most, if not all, of my family, friends, former fellow coworkers and blog readers to donate. I hope I was right about that, not to win a prize but to make a difference. A dear friend of mine (who is also a former co-worker of mine) has gone though three bouts of prostate cancer and I had to have a biopsy for it a few months back, thankfully that was negative - I sure don't need anther run-in with cancer of any sort. It would do me a world of good to think, that in some little way, we helped that friend of mine (and anyone else who has it) KICK CANCER'S ASS!

Right now, for at least the next few days, expect to see photos of me in the same kilt each and every day. I have a second one on order and probably will order a third before the month is over. Yes, I will wash the one I have for now an awful lot.

IMPORTANT UPDATES ADDDED SEPTEMBER 2:

Important Update: I screwed up but just a little in reference to dunking my kilted junk if and when I get any single donation(s) above $100 on any given day throughout the month of September 2015. I thought that Kilted To Kick Cancer would keep me apprised of who donated how much through Team Glenn B and that they would do so on a daily basis. They do not do it on a daily basis but only will do it at the end of the fund drive. Because of that, I will not be able to determine who, if anyone, has donated $100 or more on any given day, thus requiring me to dunk my kilted junk. That is unless you forward me a copy of the receipt or email they give you subsequent to your donation showing if you have donated $100 or more on any given day during the fundraiser. So, if you are crazy enough to want to see a video of me dunking my tender parts into a bucket of ice water (albeit under cover of kilt since this is almost a family channel) you will need to make me aware that you donated that much by forwarding me a copy of your receipt or the acknowledgement email from KTKC (or PayPal) to show you made such a donation.

This Is Also Important: It would also be a good idea for anyone who donates any amount of to do likewise by sending me the receipt or email acknowledgment for each donation you make. That way I can assure you will not be missed when chances are allocated for the prize drawing for donors. Remember for each increment of $5.00 that you donate (in total over the course of this fundraiser) you get a chance allocated to you to win a prize (and yes that means if you make five donations of $1.00 apiece, you would get one chance) but I have to know who you are and how much you gave. Make sure your name is in the email sent to me, not just your email address or PayPal login ID and also how much you donated. 

All the best,
Glenn B

The Lack Of Situational Awareness In The Shooting...

...allegedly committed by Vester Flanagan may have contributed greatly to his ability to gun down three victims. Have you seen the video of him allegedly shooting the two media types and the person being interviewed. It seemingly shows Flanagan's approach and some of the shooting. He walked up, taking at least a few seconds, to within feet of them. Then pulled out a Glock and pointed it at them, holding it out and then maybe fiddling with something, and did all that during an additional 23 seconds or so after he first arrived next to them. In all that time, not one of them evidently noticed him at all. It is a shame they were so engrossed with their heads in the clouds as to not even glance toward someone who just walked up on them and who stood there pointing a gun at them. Had they had even a smidgen of situational awareness, it may have saved their lives or at least given them a fighting chance. Please note, the following video shows someone actually being killed, it is not a movie, not a stunt, not a joke, it is a depiction of a real life and death event.




If the video cannot be seen above, here is the link to where I found it: http://www.infowars.com/graphic-shocking-complete-video-shot-from-virginia-gunmans-point-of-view/

I saw it Friday evening and commented on it on Facebook then but just forgot to post about it here until now. This is what I posted on Facebook:

"I am not being critical of any of the three folks who were shot but will give a warning to others - you need to exercise situational awareness. In other words, you need to pay attention to what is going on around you. Sure, sometimes you get engrossed in this or that, or sometimes your head is in the clouds, but if you start practicing now you can avoid doing what the three victims did. What they did was nothing, absolutely nothing, when that dirtbag POS Flanagan walked up to them, then pulled out a gun and just stood there pointing it at the reporter, then fiddled with whatever and they did nothing as he did all that for about 23 seconds (even more time if you include the moments he walked up and stood there before he actually pointed the pistol at the reporter). Had even one of the three victims looked about them, for even a split second, they might have had a chance to try and run or fight back. Two of them died and the other was shot, in part due to the fact that they were totally oblivious to their situation (or to their surroundings). I am not saying it is their fault, I think (my opinion) that the fault all belongs to a perverted racist lunatic. I am telling you though, you need to be aware of what is going on around you to give yourself an edge. That edge may just save your life someday." 

Note, I want to be clear by what I meant above. When I say they did nothing, I mean nothing other than what they had been doing all along, nothing in response to his approach, nothing in response to him standing there, nothing in response to him pointing a gun at them, sadly nothing but remaining totally engrossed with the interview with their heads in the clouds. Again, I am not blaming them, the shooter is totally responsible for the shootings. I am warning you though, learn how to maintain a certain level of situational awareness and it may someday save your life.

My condolences to the families, loved ones and associates of the deceased, my best wishes for a speedy recovery to the surviving victim and my wishes for some kind of peace for the family of the apparent psycho who was the shooter. As for the shooter, if he is convicted, a quick death would be too good for him in my opinion.

All the best,
GB

I Have A Dream...

...and it's just about the best dream I have ever had.

Bear (pun intended) in mind that Ben Carson, or Rand Paul could take the place of Cruz and the dream would be just as nice as far as I am concerned. Lest I forget him, Scott Walker probably would be okay too. Anyone, who is not a leftist and who is opposed to: the  policies of current administration, to RINOism, to the current Congress, and to these candidates and their platforms - Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Mike Huckabee, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and the rest of those wackos  - has a chance of getting my vote.

And by the way, I really don't want to see Al Gore get eaten by a polar bear. I like polar bears and would love to see them flourish. A diet of Al G might not be too good for them; it could introduce toxins, disease, bad genes or whatever into the polar bear population and what would happen to them then would probably be worse than Global Warming.

My thanks to PVQ for that one, another hat tip to you sir.

All the best,
GB

The Eyes Have It

There is just something alluring about their eyes, don't ya think!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As they say, the eyes have it.

 

All the best,

Glenn B 

Pondering Race Baiting And Calls For Gun Control As of Late

I remember seeing it said by the leftists, in several places and in several ways, that when a white guy kills people, white people excuse him as a lunatic or mentally ill but when a black guy does the same then white people brand him as a vicious criminal. Of course, the implication being that whites are racist and always treat blacks in a racist manner. However, once again, the leftists' drivel has been proven wrong since almost everyone, including white folks, is calling Flanagan a mentally ill psycho regardless of his racist motives and there is not one white person rioting over the two recent killings of whites by blacks. Of course though, the left is blaming the killings on guns and not on the criminals or on the fact that violent crazy people are allowed to roam the country at will.

It always amazes me how the media and politicians can twist things. 'If it does not fit into your agenda, then twist it to make it fit.' should be the motto of the media, the left, the liberals (not always on the left mind you), the politicians - both Democrats and the Republicans (in recent years since almost every Republican politician is a RINO).

I am proud to say that I am an independent without party affiliation although I am considering registering as a Libertarian. That's because today both major parties are pretty much one in the same in their sole goal - which is more power for them at the expense of the We The People.

All the best,
Glenn B

When Will The Federal Civil Rights Violation Investigations...

...be ordered, by President Obama, to commence against Shannon J. Miles for the murder of Sherrif's officer Darren Goforth and against Vester Flanagan for his killing of two reporters and his wounding a third victim. Let's face it folks, unless the political heat is raised to broil, maybe by white folks rioting in the streets nationwide or if it looks as if opening an investigation will negatively effect democrats running for the presidency, the lame duck-in-chief is not about to order any such investigations. Why not? Let's face it, racism comes in all colors! In addition to that, he certainly is not pro law enforcement.

Of course, instead of blaming these incidents on the people who carried them out, at least one of whose motives evidently was racism, Obama has decided to blame it on guns so far. Funny how when a black man gets killed by a white man, he blames it on racism without even knowing if the shooting was justified or not but when it's the other way around racially he blames it on guns.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Never Made It To The Theater...

...because I was waylaid by my desire for a cold cider. I just headed straight to the pub.

Damned good too.

All the best,

GB

A Hat Tip To GunBroker.com

I have got to hand it to GunBroker.com, they make an effort to get things right when it comes to disputes between sellers and buyers. That is how it turned out relative to an auction of a shotgun I was offering when the transaction went bad. I was not going to leave any feedback for a buyer who did not meet my terms and conditions of the sale and who sent me a partially illegible FFL then did not send a better copy. Had he sent me a good copy, all would have went well but he kept having excuses for not keeping in touch in a timely fashion and then for not sending a completely legible copy of is dealer's FFL. I was not even going to leave feedback but then the bastard guy had the nerve to leave me bad feedback saying he could not satisfy my demands and tooting his own horn saying he had always had 100 positive feedback as if that was a reason for me to bend over backwards for him and allow the poor copy of the FFL he sent. I fired negative feedback right back at him annotated with the fact that I had copies of every email he sent and of the FFL among other documents. Somewhere in there I filed a claim for a refund of the seller's fees for my auction listing and for the final value fee.

It took awhile, close to a month I am guessing, but GunBroker refunded me the fees and removed the negative feedback that the 'buyer' had left for me. I am once again in the 100% positive feedback class. As for the so called buyer, I checked his feedback and the negative comments I made about him remain. So, it wasn't like GunBroker acted like our educational system where everyone passes or our kids' sports programs where everyone is a trophy winner, but they actually figured out who was at fault and who was not at fault and then corrected the situation in accordance with their finding to penalize the one who was wrong and to accommodate the one who was right. That is good business practice.

figured it would work out in my favor if only because I had everything documented, that even though they never asked for the documentation. I suppose they could pull up all of the emails between me and the 'buyer' since I sent mine through my GunBroker account and I am guessing that was more than enough to prove my side of the issue.

I give my thanks and tip my hat to GunBroker.com and to the folks there who handled the dispute. Now I hope the new dispute I filed today goes as ell, I had another so called buyer who has not sent either his FFL or payment and who apparently refused to answer my inquiries as to whether or not he still wanted it. That shotgun, yes it is the same gun in each case, has been proving itself a real pain to sell. Funny thing is that I just sold a Remington model 241, also through GunBroker, and it went without a hitch. Maybe the shotgun is cursed.

All the best,
Glenn B

It's GOB Night Tonight

There will be a Girls Only Bash (GOB) night at my house tonight and I have been told by she who must be obeyed, at least sometimes, that I must vacate the premises.  The last time she held one of these female bacchanalian-like fests, I remained at large in and around the house. That may or may not have been a mistake but regardless of which it was I will find somewhere else to be tonight.

I was thinking of going to the movies. I have not seen a movie, in a theater, in about 5 years or more (actually more as I just checked IMDB and the last one I saw came out in 2008). I got up and walked out on that movie because it sucked. It was a remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still, this one with Keanu Reeves. While I like a lot of stuff I have seen him in, this one was possibly one of the worst movie remakes I have ever seen.

Anyway, I decided to search out any sci-fi movies playing in my local theaters. There were not many listed but one caught my eye: Jurassic World. I liked the other, what was it, three of them. The first was the best but the others were okay for sequels. So, I tuned in the trailer for Jurassic World on my laptop. Watching a minute or two of it convinced me to either select another movie to see or to do something else like go to my local gin mill to have dinner and maybe get sloshed. Of course, I could go to a movie and then to the bar. The thing is, I wanted to see a good sci-fi movie but I just can't imagine that Ant Man, Pixels, The Fantastic Four, or The Avengers - Age of Ultron would be my cup of tea.  Movies about superheroes and video game characters are not usually my type sci-fi; I much prefer something along the lines of The Thing From Another World, Them, Alien, Predator, Terminator, The Day The Earth Stood Still (the 50's original), Jurassic Park, Serenity, Prometheus or The Fifth Element. I think a sci-fi movie tonight is out.

That does not mean I won't see a movie in a theater tonight. I also was a Man From Uncle fan, way back in the day, and also have enjoyed my fair share of Sherlock Holmes movies and shows. Either one of those might temp me to pay a small fortune to get into a theater tonight. If I do choose to see one of them, I suppose I can drink it off later if it sucked. If I like it, who knows, I may visit a theater again within half a decade. Either way, I think I am almost assured a stop at my local pub sometime tonight.

All the best,
GB

I Just Don't Get It

For the life of me, I just don't get the use of the burlap! I suppose maybe a tie on the bottom broke or something like that but burlap!

All the best,
GB

Next Time I Go Hiking...

...I am going to pay a heck of a lot more attention to rock outcroppings.

All the best,
GB

The DNC Disgraces Itself In Its Blatant Disrespect For American Veterans

Leave it to the DNC to have, as its only photograph on its Veterans and Military Families site, a picture of foreign military veterans. I wonder what numbskull was responsible for that blunder. As reported by the website Military Times:

"Until Thursday, the Democratic National Committee’s “Veterans and Military Families” website had as its only picture a shot from White House photographers during President Obama’s visit to Warsaw in 2011.

The president had been cropped out, but faces of four elderly veterans wearing European-style military uniforms were visible above several paragraphs asserting the party’s “commitment to America’s veterans.” The Polish military’s White Eagle insignia was clear on the headgear of two of the veterans."

More here.

The lack of respect for the military and for veterans shown by the current administration is bad enough, we certainly don't need the Democrat Party mirroring him on that.

All the best,
Glenn  B

 

Ann Coulter - Smarter and More Patriotic Than O'Reilly By Far

She aborts the anchor baby fiasco espoused by O'Reilly and certain politicos with her research into Supreme Court decisions that rely on the true meaning of the 14th amendment. More here.

O'Reilly has once again proved himself little more than a leftist lover as far as I can see.

All the best,
GB

 

Kilted To Kick Cancer - It's Almost Time To Kilt Up

This year, I have joined the Kilted to Kick Cancer fund raising effort. Basically it's a fund raiser for prostate cancer research. While I have made several donations in the couple or few past years, I have never before participated as a kilt wearing fund raiser. I guess that was because for some reason I could never see myself in a kilt. Even though I had battled stage 4 throat cancer and kicked cancer's arse, and even though a good friend of mine has battled a few bouts with prostate cancer, I just could not bring myself to do it. Then, earlier this year, I got another big scare. The docs suspected I had prostate cancer and all I could think was oh shit not those treatments again, just lower down this time. I swear, I would never wish chemo and radiation treatments (seven weeks of the highest doses possible of the latter) on my worst enemy. Hell, I even would not have wished it on Osama bin Laden and the things I could have done to him would make you cringe. Luckily for me, the biopsy was negative. Not as lucky was my friend who had to undergo his third round of treatments for his prostate cancer. He came out of it okay but this time they did surgery to get it. That was it, those two things, knowing my good friend was suffering and the fear of getting it myself and going through hell again, were what it took to get me kilted.

Yes the darned kilt is so new it still has the tag on it.
I hope you can see, I mean business and am ready to
make the effort to once again help kick cancer's arse.

 

My legs have not seen the sun in years. That was because of a sunburn thing more so than the warning from my radiation 

oncologist not to expose myself to the sun much after he had broiled me with radiation but that has had something to do with it too. Yet, they will be getting some sun next month because everywhere I go, I will be Kilted To Kick Cancer. I am doing that with the hope that it will help me to raise funds, through my team - Team Glenn B,  for the 2015 Kilted To Kick Cancer fund raiser that takes place from September 1 through September 30, 2015.  So, I ordered a kilt, a belt, some shirts, and will be ordering at least one more kilt shortly. I will be wearing my kilts each and every day during the month of September come sunburned hell or high water (or even cold updrafts). Yeah, I know, it's not a traditional kilt but since when have I been traditional. The one I am pictured in above is one is a 5.11 Tactical Kilt, it's hard to do anything without influence from the LEO and LE Firearms Instructor spirit within me even though I have been retired for three years now. 

Regardless, isn't tactical the way to face cancer and win the battle - I think so!

As for all of you, potential donor's by way of my team, there are a few good reasons to donate. First of all is the little known fact (at least I had not known before I started donating) that prostate cancer kills as many (or almost as many - stats may have recently changed) men as breast cancer does women yet as far as I am aware does not get the same publicity nor nearly the same amount of funding.

More facts below:

Prostate Cancer Facts:

• About 233,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2015.
• Nearly 30,000 men will die of prostate cancer in 2015.
• About 1 man in 7 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.
• More than 2.5 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today.
• Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer.
• About 1 man in 36 will die of prostate cancer. (Source and a good read about this all at the various links to other article in his blog about KTKC.)

It would be a good thing if we could beat prostate cancer's arse into the dirt and donating toward prostate cancer research is one way to help. A high percentage of the raised funds will go toward that research, the remainder goes toward fund raising efforts. See this link for info about how the funds were allocated in 2014.

Another good reason to donate is that you will be showing support for the effort made by those of us who will be out there in September wearing kilts and urging men to get tested for prostate cancer. Make it worth it for us to be out there getting our shins sunburned or our junk frost bitten by cold updrafts every day (September weather can be fickle).

A third reason to donate is that there will be incentives, at least if you donate through Team Glenn B.  I am planning on a prize giveaway for those who donate via my team link on the donation site (link is below). For every multiple of $5.00 that any donor gives through my team, I will throw a chance in that donor's name into the hat for some prizes shortly after the 2015 KTKC fundraiser has concluded (in other words, I will do that in the first week of October). Prizes to be announced throughout the month of September. If anyone would like to donate a prize for me to offer, please shoot me an email.

Another and maybe the most tempting reason (at least for some of you) to donate, at least through Team Glenn B, will be that if you make a single donation of $100 or more, I will dunk my junk (while kilted) for each such donation made and present video evidence of me having done so on my blog (and or YouTube and or Facebook). Yes, I do mean dunk my package in ice water. Note: dunking will be limited to one dunk per day, for any day on which a single $100 donation or more is made, regardless of the number of donations of $100 or more are made that day through my team. I figure once a day, to dunk, is more than enough. However, if a day winds up with two such donations, and the next day is absent a donation in that high an amount, I will dunk again on the second day and so forth. If figure I could take those chemo treatments along with seven weeks of radiation set at super-high broil - I can take a little cold for this cause in trying to get you to donate more.

Speaking of prizes, each person who participates as registered fund raiser will have a chance to win some truly excellent prizes that have been donated by generous sponsors. The trick there is to be among the top few fund raisers. Beings it's my first year, I kind of doubt I'll arrive at upon that plateau but I am hopeful that my efforts will at least raise a sizeable amount of donations from my family, friends, associates, and acquaintances to make a difference in the fight against this terrible disease.

I am hopeful you will help out the cause by generously donating to the Kilted To Kick Cancer 2015 fundraiser and that you will donate through my team, Team Glenn B. This is the link to the donation page  but please remember in order to donate via a team, hopefully my team - Team Glenn B, please only do so from September 1st through September 30th. Also note that, because I registered kind of late, my team name will only begin to appear on the team list commencing August 31st. What you will need to do, if you plan to donate through my team (or ay other team) is to go to that link during the month of September, select the contribution amount, click contribute, then select the team name in the checkout screen. Anyway, that's how they told me it works. if you have any difficulty in selecting my team, please hold of on the donation until you contact me and I can get it straightened out.

One last thing, I know some of you will be wondering: 'What if anything does he have on under that kilt?' Let me answer it this way: I was told that if I wear anything under it, it's no longer a kilt but becomes a skirt. You can safely bet, I don't wear skirts.

All the best,
Glenn B
 

My Apologies - It's An Email Thing

So there I was without my laptop for just over a week and a half and what was I to do but be dependent on my new smart phone for things like email and surfing the web and staying in touch via email. All seemed well, at least until today. One would think, me at least being the one, that a smart phone would be smart enough to synch all of one's emails. Sadly, that evidently was not the case with my phone and thus another black mark against ATT and now Samsung too (since it's a Samsung Galaxy S6 Active phone). I only realized today that I had not received all of my emails on my phone while my laptop was being repaired. The reason I realized that is because I received an email today, referencing another one supposedly sent to me while I was dependent on the phone, that I never received on my phone. While I was certain of not ever seeing it on the phone, I decided to check anyway. There it was among all of my emails in my inbox when I looked for it while signed on with my laptop but there it as not when I looked for it on my phone. I looked in the spam folder and in the trash folder too but it was not there at all when connecting to my email account with my phone.

I wondered if it was a glitch that involved only that one email or if it also encompassed others so, I checked further. At first glance, it would appear that in the period of about 11 days approximately 50-60 emails went unseen by me because they were never displayed when I checked my account with my schmart phone. That lot included all sorts of emails from personal ones from friends and acquaintances, to updates to various online accounts, to ones related to purchases I made, to out and out crapola spam. My apologies to anyone waiting for a reply to their email(s) to me to whom I did not reply in a timely manner due to the glitch.

All the best,
GB