A mediocre day hunting...

...really is better than a day doing just about anything else,at least for me; and my son seemes to enjoy it too. My son Brendan, and I, took a drive up the Taconic Parkway this Friday (the observed Veteran's day holiday) to see what we could find in the way of a decent deer hunting spot. Brendan drove all the way up and part way back so it was a better trip than most for me with me not having to drive all that much.

I had already scouted out some areas on the west side of the Hudson River, now it was time to check on the east side. Truth be told, I had a few particular spots in mind, ones I had been to last year; then scouted out a bit earlier this year. As luck would have it though, before we got to the happy hunting grounds we had to make a detour of about 15 miles. Our first stop was a gas station, it took a while to find one. I should have listened to Brendan when he told me we should stop near home to get gas, gut I thought we had enough – a lesson learned especially since he was driving. Next time he thinks he should get gas he will, I had him worried there for a bit that we would run out because I told him 3/8 of a tank would be enough. Now he knows when beginning a trip to top off first. I could not have planned it better, to bad I cannot claim that credit – that is the plan part. Oh well, we gassed up, got some hot food into us and were off again.

We got to the hunting area, The Lafayetteville State Forest MUA (Multiple use Area), and drove to the half of it in which Brendan had a doe permit. We parked the Ford, grabbed our gear, took a compass reading to know which way it would be back to the car in case we got turned around; then we the took a hike, literally. It was a balmy mid November day with temps in the 60s – not the greatest deer hunting weather, but then again, we were not hunting – we were looking for sign. We headed up the hill into the woods, and in almost no time we ran across a deer trail with a nice active scrape on it. I showed Brendan how the buck has scraped away the earth to scent mark, and how bucks prefer to do so under the low hanging branches of a shrub or tree. The branches had been twisted and broken from his antlers thrashing about as he marked his territory. We made sure not to step too close to his scented area, and walked around to look for more sign. Before we left that area though, I heard a deer bleat/grunt. Brendan thought it had been a goose, and for a moment he had me wondering, but I was pretty sure it had been either a deer, or maybe deer hunter with a call since archery season was open.

We moved on, following the deer trail. It ran parallel to the road from which we had just walked, then opened into a meadow. We looked around for more deer sign but did not see any. Instead what we saw, or I should say what Brendan saw was a deer, just before the edge of the woods on the other side of the field, maybe 50 yards off. The deer spooked and took off before I could get a look but I heard it crashing through the undergrowth. He thought it had been a doe. That was a good sign, better than just seeing deer doody, rubs or scrapes. Bucks wind up where the does are during the rut. We were only about 100 yards from the road, and I was not surprised at all. I had told Brendan before we started off: “Don’t be surprised to see deer close to the road”. We then decided to head further up the hill straight away from the road.

I was carrying, my old and trusted friend, a Remington 870 with number 6 shot. Brendan was carrying a very reliable scoped Marlin 25MN in .22WMR; we were hoping to bag some bushytails for dinner, and maybe even a turkey or two with the shotgun. We continued uphill looking for more sign and came across a rub here and there, lots of deer trails, and lots of acorns laden oak trees. That was another good sign. While many acorns had already hit the ground and been devoured by local wildlife, there were still an awful lot of them up in the trees. This is not something I have often seen this late in November, maybe I just never looked up as much, but this time I noticed. Deer, and squirrels, love acorns. Hope was building that this would be a good hunting site. I was lucky to have found it while hunting last year; I was even luckier that Brendan was with me this year. It was just nice to be out in the woods with a good friend, and loved one. It was also nice to know that my 16 year old son still wanted to do things with his old man.

Shortly after we walked into the woods from the fringe, to check on the acorn crop, I heard a rustle that Brendan did not catch, or at least did not distinguish from the rustle of the tree tops in the breeze. Then I scanned the forest floor up ahead from whence came the rustling noise, and I spotted a busytail. I had not even loaded the shotgun. I figured I’d give Brendan all the chances. I told him there was a squirrel up ahead and he should look for it. He saw it pretty quickly and slowly raised the Marlin to shoulder level, but could not get a clear shot as the gray ghost disappeared for a few seconds. I softly told him to get down into a kneeling position and use his knee as a rest. He did just that. After about another 30 to 45 seconds of waiting for a clear shot, he squeezed one off and the little gray ghost skyrocketed into the air doing somersaults. I knew Brendan had hit his mark. We walked over to claim Brendan’s first gray squirrel, and the little booger got up and ran, he was not finished yet. Since we were only a few feet from him, I took the rifle and gave him the coup de gras. I had wanted to be sure to avo8id a ricochet shot. I gutted it, rinsed off my hands, and we had one in the bag.

We continued up the hill, stopping now and then to look and listen, even to smell. We saw a lot of crows flying overhead, and a lot of little chickadees (I think) flying through the trees and undergrowth around head level looking for their own dinner. We also found a couple more rubs and quite a few more deer trials crisscrossing the area. We got almost to the top of the hill, maybe even a mountain by NY state standards, and took a break. Then we circled around and headed down. The slope was pretty steep where we decided to walk down so we unloaded the marlin, and I double checked the Remington to make sure it was likewise. After getting about halfway down, we headed back toward a gentler slope. While I was plodding along, telling Brendan the deer hunting secrets of many generations (not my family but those I had read about in publications like Outdoor Life Magazine) Brendan spotted another busytail. He raised the rifle but again like a ghost clad in gray, the little guy disappeared from his site. This one seemed headed to a tree. We scoured the trees, even with me walking around a few hoping to spook it, but no luck. Yes Brendan had already reloaded once we got back to easier footing so had there been a shot, he would have been ready to make it. Again I noted lots of acorns in the trees in this particular spot. Another good sign.

It was getting on late into the afternoon, and we had wanted to find one other MUA before heading home, so we headed back toward the car. Back near the road, Brendan saw another deer. I just got to see the flash of its white tail flagging a warning to any other deer in the area. Another good sign for sure. We reached the car, then drove to the other location. We did not get out to scout around there, it was getting to late. Anyway. that was going to be a back up location in the event the first place wound up having to many knucklehead hunters on opening day. I thought maybe we could scout it out next weekend, then I remembered, heck next Saturday would be day one of the regular deer season; heck where had the time gone – deer season only a week away.

One the drive home we talked about deer and such things as a dad will talk to his son about and actually have the son answer back. It was a nice drive. Once we were home the hunting clothes went into the washer to be ready for next week. After that I cleaned up the sole squirrel Brendan had bagged then fried in us in some breadcrumbs. I ate some right after cooking it – delicious. Brendan had a piece the next day and ate it cold like cold fried chicken (no it does not taste like chicken, more like rabbit, but not quite). Brendan liked it. That too was a good of more good hunting days to come for father and son.

I am anxiously awaiting next week’s opening day, so too I think is Brendan. As opposed to my usual several days to week long hunt, this one will be a day hunt as Brendan has work the next day. Maybe I’ll get a few more days in before Thanksgiving, and we plan to go Friday and Saturday, as a team, right after Thanksgiving day. It surely would be sweet if he bags a deer in his first deer hunting season. I sure hope so, but even if he doesn’t, he knows the thrill and enjoyment of the hunt is not just in the bagging of the game. We will have a great time hunting together even if we don’t bag a thing.

Ballseye's Boomers: Remington 241 Speedmaster

This little rifle may not look like much when you see this picture; but let me tell you it is GREAT. First of all I got it at a song of a price via an auction on GunBroker.com. I may have even given the 'buy it now' price instead of bidding, I cannot recall, but whatever I paid I do remember it was well below book value. Of course, that had me a bit concerned because you often get just for what you paid. In this case though I spent less than I should have for such a fine piece of Remington quality.

It is basically a semi-automatic rifle in .22LR caliber. It is fed by a tubular magazine. The magazine tube runs from inside the butt stock forward to wherever. It opens in an indent in the buttstock and the mag spring pulls out for loading. There is a loading port in the right side of the stock. The sights are a v notch rear and fixed post front. The 241 is somewhat unusual in that if ejects from the bottom of the receiver. The first time I shot it, I had a number of small scratches and burns where shell casings hit my wrist, so I quickly learned how to hold it so that would not happen again. Then again I am forgetful so it happens again now and then. No big deal but it takes some getting used to. The bolt operating handle is also at the bottom of the receiver.

The 241 is also a takedown rifle. I have always wanted a takedown rifle, I don't know exactly why, maybe because of something I once saw in some movie about a hired assassin, and I thought it was neat. I can say now, without a doubt, takedown rifles are neat, and I mean that literally. They break down into two pieces and store neatly and easily in smaller than usual gun cases. This makes them very unobtrusive, a nice feature for a rifle.

It is a pretty good plinker, and would probably be good for squirrels or rabbits. I may take it afield this weekend when I go to scout out some deer sign in upstate NY hunting grounds. Who knows, I may get lucky and bag some dinner in the for of a bushytail or three.

All the best,
Glenn B

Things have changed since the elections...

...at least for me.

For quite sometime now, I have been considering a change in my status as a registered Republican. I have voted almost straight Republican since just after my 18th birthday back in 1973. My votes for Republicans have not been so much based upon my belief that the platform upon which the Republican party stands is the best; but rather that there were usually only two viable choices in any major election those being either for a Republican or a Democrat. For the most part, I tend to be more conservative than liberal when it comes to certain issues, although I am somewhat liberal on others. Yet my vote has not been torn between one party or the other. I find the Democrat party’s platform either repugnant in how it attempts to smother individual liberties (while claiming just the opposite, yet wanting ever increasing control over my personal life and my rights), or I find it just outright outlandish when they propose emasculating our country in its national defense, and I find it robbery when they want to raise my taxes and spend my money on those who do not pay taxes.. So I vote Republican, or at least I have usually done so. I voted for Ross Perot when he ran for president; and a couple of years ago I voted for Elliot Spitzer, a democrat in a NYS election. He just ran for governor and won, but I must point out this time I voted against him.

I figured voting for Republicans was always the better of two evils. Of course there are some things I do not like about voting Republican. For instance I am an agnostic at best; I doubt the existence of a great, all knowing, all powerful, being that will somehow magically do good by me if I adore it. Yet I am pretty moralistic. Religion taught us (mankind) morals when we were little more than cavemen; but now that we all are aware of morality there is no need to disguise it as religion and belief in a supernatural being. Of course, that is my opinion. If someone wants to believe, so be it; there should be room for all of us so long as one does not try to destroy the rights of another as do Islamo Fascists, other religious extremists, or atheistic extremists. Republicans usually spout religion, and Christianity at that. There is really no room for such in our political system whether or not the founding fathers were Christians. I would prefer something that was more in the nature of what they proposed in the Bill or Rights, a true freedom of religion to include a freedom not to believe. It is hard to find that in the Republican party, and just about impossible to find it in the Democrat party. The effect is that Democrats stray more from morality if only because they seemingly deem it to be religious, Republicans embrace it because they seemingly deem it religious; and the fact is morality does not have to be religious or anti-religious - it can be neutral just as is supposed to be our form of government.

Others things I disliked about voting republican were that Republicans support big business over other important matters such as the environment. The government is here to protect its citizens, and therefore should to some extent protect the environment - not reward those who destroy it. Now before you think this sounds liberal or like a democrat, let me say I am all for big business, just not the government giving big business breaks in taxes or other subsidies. I believe in competition for all businesses big and small alike. Keep government interference to a minimum. I am also for legalization of certain drugs for adult recreational use. I find prohibition ridiculous and I have spent most of my 27 year career fighting narcotics smuggling. I am a strong advocate of law enforcement, but also a strong advocate of being able to change laws within reason. Prohibition did not work for alcohol and look at the taxes collected on alcoholic beverages now. If the same was done for narcotics we could quite likely do away with the income tax. Of course if we legalize drugs, I would be all for strict enforcement of laws preventing children from getting them. I also somewhat abhor there view of consensual sexuality between adults as not being moralistic since sex is as natural as can be. I am no fan of gay mnarriage though, marriage is a tradition between the sexes and not for same sex couples, though if someone wants to cojoin sexually with a same sex partner in the privacy of a home, why not, so long as they are doing it consensually

I believe in our constitution as it was written , or as it was amended. It is definitely a living document but not as republicans or Democrats would have us believe. It is changeable, but only legally through amendments, and those amendments can be passed only by following strict guidelines set by the founding fathers of our nation. Our courts should never decide if an issue is constitutional or not if it is not addressed by our constitution. If folks want an issue to become a constitutional issue, they should press government officials to amend the Constitution. Both Democrats and republicans get this wrong and misuse the U.S. Court of Appeals and Supreme Court in such maters.

Yet when it all comes down to it I usually have voted Republican because they support things I support such as:

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms (only limited support by Republicans but much better than most Democrats)

National Security and Defense of Our Nation

Legal immigration while opposing illegal immigration

Law Enforcement to protect the people and our nation

A moralistic approach to government and other issues (and the morals are usually within reason though not always)

Less taxation and less government spending

Economic growth

A more polite form of government

A less chaotic and more reasonable form of government than offered by Democrats

And other things.

This is all changing. Today I changed my voter registration. I am no longer a registered republican, or at least will no longer be a Republican once my registration is approved. I have registered to be an independent; no not for the Independence party, but as a voter with no party affiliation. I will look toward voting for candidates in the future who best fit in with my political, ethical, and moral convictions. There will likely still be many Republicans who get my votes, thee will likely be few if any Democrats, but there will also be third party candidates. These will not be wasted votes, as I would not vote for a candidate at all if I disliked both the Republican and Democrat candidates. If I like a third party candidate they will get my vote. Over the years, maybe they will gain momentum and win an election or three on the local level, then later on a state level, then later on a federal level.

I can tell you that some of the third party candidates are just remakes or cover-ups of Republicans or Democrats, but some are true third party choices. Libertarians seem somewhat attractive to me now on some issues but way too flaky on others. I will keep them in mind though as the most viable alternative to the other two rather sickening parties that are the mainstream. I will probably still vote republican a lot, but I will definitely have an eyee toward other choices, other than Democrat or Republican.

I will continue to vote against things like:

Unlimited abortions, even though I favor legal abortions to some extent

Amnesty for illegal aliens

No religion in schools (so long as students can choose)

Gun control laws
Anything that jeopardizes national security

Violations of our constitutional rights as written in the Constitution, or as in the Bill of Rights, or as in English common law prior to those documents

Higher taxation

Welfare programs that do not have a strict workfare intiative to get people to work

Social Security being a federal program and not privatized

Laws that try to restrict consensual sexual conduct between adults (note marriage is not sexual conduct and I strongly oppose same sex marriages)

Laws that restrict religious beliefs, or that restrict atheistic beliefs - there is room for both.

Laws that allow political ideology to be viewed as religion, as in the case of Islamo Fascists.

And so on.

Think of me as you will, but I am sick and tired of the old party line from either side. It is about time we seek some sensible alternatives on many of the issues.

All the best,
Glenn B

The Elections are over - will things change?

Well, it looks as if the House of Representatives has gone to the Democrats in a big way. For the first time in over a decade they have control of the House. It appears as if Nancy Pelosi, with her so called 'San Francisco values' will be the speaker of the House.

As for the Senate, it is still too close to call as I write. It may soon also be in control of the Democrats.

If both parts of the Congress go to the Democrats, then president George W. Bush will surely be a lame duck president for the remainder of his tenure; but there may be more serious concerns than just that.

Will the war in Iraq come to a premature end, one without victory against terrorism, state sponsored or otherwise?

Will illegal aliens gain an even stronger foothold in the United States of America, since this is one of the few things about which the Democrats seemingly agree with the president - as in guest worker program?

Will an assault weapons ban be resurrected; and will other restrictive guns laws be placed onto the American people?

Will our nation be so weakened by the above issues as to allow the terrorists, drug cartels and other violent criminals to gain a stronger foothold in America?

Will Gay marriage become the acceptable way of the future on a federal level? Sure some states voted laws to the effect of banning gay marriage, but how will a very liberal Congress effect the issue?

Will stem cell research become acceptable?

Will the minimum wage increase?

Will social services to groups such as junkies, illegal immigrants, those who refuse to work, increase?

Will the price of gasoline rise or fall?

Will taxes rise again?

Will the economy strengthen or weaken?

Will all of this pave the way for a Democrat to become president in 2008; or will it assure that a Republican will become president then?

My guesses on the above issues are just that - guesses; and my guesses are that our nation will suffer overall because of this election. There is one thing though that I will say has a better chance of becoming reality than remaining just a guess, and that is that in 2008 the people of the USA will elect a Republican president. I base this on the track record of the Democrats once they have achieved any type of political power. I doubt they will have changed just because they presented a lot of middle of the road types in this election. Now that they are in power, ultra liberalism will probably ooze out of their pores and into every decision they make while in office. After two years of that, Americans will have likely become sick of it, and will probably elect a conservative president, namely a republican. Time will tell.

I will predict one thing almost with certainty. Now that Democrats have taken control of the House, and if they also take control of the Senate, then firearms sales, and firearms accessory sales, will sky rocket sometime in the not too distant future. Mark my word on it. Call me a fool if I am wrong; but I am willing to bet on this one if total Republican control of the Congress is lost.

I voted, and I voted for those who I thought would best serve; and those for whom I voted lost. I wonder, how is it that most Americans voted otherwise, am I that out of touch on who would be better for America? Again, time will tell.

All the best,
Glenn B

VOTE TODAY...

...and vote your conscience for a better America; please don't vote just to spite saomeone already in office, or as a trend, or as a party line. Make your vote an intelligent one, make it count toward making America a better and safer place for all of its citizens and legal resident aliens, make it safer from terrorism (think about who really would do the ebst job). Vote for continuation of making our streets safer (again think about who has the better record here), vote sensibly on the issue of the 2nd Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms (have you noticed crime going down as more states allow concealed carry permits, or not), think about voting for a more moral USA (think about who will do better there, and this could be a tough decision), vote for who will keep our economy strong, vote against higher taxes with less representation for the middle class, vote against a welfare state, and so on. Vote for what will make America a better place in which to live.

VOTE TODAY

All the best,
Glenn B

Vote tomorrow...

...and do not let just any old excuse deter you from doing your civic duty. I know it is supposed to rain in the northeast, but I figure so what. I will still be going to work, so I will leave about 15 minutes early and head to my polling place. I have to get wet anyhow. Rain is one of the poorest excuses I have heard not to vote if only because people will still go to the supermarket, the department store, the pharmacist,, to rent a DVD, to walk the dog, and so forth.

Of course there are many other excuses, some good some terrible. For example if you are literally snowed in, well I guess that would be a good one, unless of course you have a dog team and sled or a snowmobile. If it snows a few inches, give me a break - get out and vote. Then you could get stuck at home because you are sick, as in you have the flu with a high fever; stay home please. On the other hand if you have a cold, get thee to thy polling place, just wash your hands really well before voting. Some will say they could not vote because they had other things to do, just look at the list in paragraph number 1. My bet is those same people will spend half the day in their homes or offices doing nothing. Voting is an obligation of the good citizen. If you don't vote you are not being a responsible or good citizen - period! Remember you can vote for whom you please on the ballot or off of it (by write in vote), so please don't try to say your candidate was not in the run.

I for one am sick of all the lame excuses that people use not to vote, when they go out and do other much less important things on election day. As the citizens of a democratic republic, we should all be voting if at all possible. Our futures, and the futures of our nation depend upon it.

All the best,
Glenn B

Islamo Facists really are trying to conquer the world...

...as is evidenced by a regular deluge of attacks committed by them against anyone who belongs to another religion, or who disagrees with the tenet Islam should control everything. See this article: Thailand 'rebels' attack schools at the BBC.com. Attacks like those descibed in the article occur on a weekly basis in other parts of the world thereby, if the suspicion is correct that these were Muslims who did this, giving evidence that it is not just the west, the USA or Israel against which the wrath of this facism masquerading as a religion is targetted. There have been enough other attacks, already proven to have been carried by by Islamists, to prove they are set on conquering those of all other faiths, and even atheists, this one is just the latest one reported upon. Why the US media does not hgighlight these attacks is not beyond me, it fits right in with their usual plans to make conservatives look bad no matter what the cost; this time the cost being that half of America believe if we just leave them along they will love us peacefully. We need to wake up America, wake up and terminate the threat.

Guys like this are teaching our kids...

...and it concerns me not because he is doing research on a controversial subject, but because he believes in a mythical beast. I wonder what other apparently inane beliefs he may hold, and therefore teach to our sons and daughters! Bigfoot research makes professor a campus outcast Maybe he also believes in the Loch Ness Monster too, or the Abominable Snowman, or that dinosaurs currently live in the Congo, or that little grey men with big eyes have abducted him, or other seemingly harmless absurdities. I believe some of these are possible, though I do not believe any are probable. According to the article this guy "firmly" believes in the existence of Bigfoot! Get that, he is firm in his conviction that it exists even in the face of an awful lot of evidence that sightings have been a lot of bunk. That is scary if only because he may be twisting other things around into preposterous twisted anti-facts and teaching that to our children. They may believe him.

Sure it may seem harmless in the case of Bigfoot, but what about the case of saying that communism is better than democracy, or that terrorists are victims who justly seek to kill us, or that morality is not good, and so forth. I guess that is how the school system in this country screws with the minds of our kids so badly, and therefore screws up our country so badly. Guys like this need to be administratively admonished and maybe even punished if they teach crap like this to our children. If he stops fine, if he teaches that maybe it is so - fine, but to say that proven bunk is actual fact is ridiculous and should be dealt with quickly and sternly.

Hypocrisy and voting, do your best to get around one to do the other.

Hypocrisy gets to me sometimes. I am not talking about someone who changes his or her mind about something, and therefore changes the way to do things. This is a normal thing that almost everyone does at some time or another in their own lifetimes, yet it is very often mistaken or misused as hypocrisy. For instance a politician may believe that a war is necessary, yet that same politician may have been against war at an earlier time in life. So long as either belief is not simply one of convenience, say for avoiding military service early, then later for political gain, I can understand how such a core belief may have changed. That is not hypocrisy and it does not bother me. Even out and out hypocrisy on a small basis is not too bad a thing, it just happens sometimes , and it usually does not ruffle my feathers. It is ongoing hypocrisy on important issues that gets me riled.

The hypocrisy of which I speak is more along the lines of someone spouting off beliefs to others such as on religion, telling folks how to act holy and all that shit, then being caught with his or her pants down in a sexual act of just the same type he had preached against for years. Hypocrisy is someone saying they are conservative or liberal, spouting off their political agenda for themselves and pushing it onto others by telling other folks to lean left or right in a like manner politically, then regularly being seen to do things in just the opposite political direction. For instance, when a blogger tell you he is a staunch conservative, but that he does not believe in God you should be suspect. Now, I will admit I don’t believe in God, not at least in any conventional standards of today, but I tend to lean toward being somewhat conservative, and even very conservative on many issues other than religion. So I readily admit that I am indeed liberal on that stance as would be seen in the eyes of conservatives regarding that issue. I am likewise on some others such as abortion, as I do not believe it is my choice as much as it is a potential mothers to make decisions on said issue; and I do believe there are times when abortion should be legal and is in fact quite ethical. Then again, I also believe it should not be seen as an alternative to keeping one’s legs closed, or in other words it is not a cure all for promiscuity. I am middle of the road, leaning right, on prostitution and some legal uses of currently illicit narcotics. I am just to fairly conservative on issues of the economy, on natural resources, big business, illegal drug usage, education, and so forth. I am a strict conservative on issues of patriotism, firearms ownership, hunting and fishing rights, protection of our sovereign nation, national defense, foreign policy, immigration and nationality policies, voting, law enforcement of existing laws (though I would change many, then enforce them strictly), heterosexual marriage, our rights under the constitution, and so forth. I try though to let people know this about me up front, I do not pretend to be what I am not. So when a so called self proclaimed conservative says that you should vote a straight republican or democratic ticket, that you should never consider voting for a third party to try to accomplish political reform – in fact hammers you for months on end with such rhetoric - then that same person suddenly rants about how he is going to vote straight Republican or straight Democrat for the last time unless the Republican or Democratic party comes round to his way of thinking…; well then there it is - him saying such should not be done by you, but it is okay for him, and that my friends and loyal readers is out and out royal hypocrisy. I mean how is it okay for him to say he will abandon the party, when he continually rants it is not okay for you or I to do so?

Of course, that is just an example of hypocrisy, a hypothetical one at that. I have no one in particular in mind, though if I, or you, thought about it for a moment, I would bet a few could readily come to mind. The Internet blogs are full of hypocrites, but then so too are the news media, the schools, the movies, and all other aspects of normal everyday life. Being a hypocrite is not the worst thing in the world. Killers, rapists, pedophiles certainly rank much worse than mere hypocrites; although I will admit such hypocrisy galls me especially when it is done simply to make points on whatever issue is at hand, such as keeping your blog ratings high, or getting a vote in the elections.

Election day is coming, it is only a mere few days away. Please go out to vote. Vote for the people who you think will get the best job done, instead of for whom the blowhards tell you to vote. That means you need to be aware of the issues, maybe you will have to read some of the stuff written by hypocrites, but you will also read others things that are supported by hard cold facts. Read it, as much as you can, to become aware of the real issues, the real problems, and the proposed practical solutions. Then vote your conscience. I tend to think that will have you voting more for conservatives, or maybe libertarians (who probably do not stand a chance of winning) than for liberals, but it is your vote to cast. Just make sure not to waste your vote by voting based upon ignorance, or only upon party affiliation, get it done after checking on the issues. Voting is a citizen’s responsibility, voting wisely is the way a responsible citizen does it.

The Big Move To Verizon FIOS...

...is what I made today. In fact I spent about the last hour or so just on the telephone with a Verizon representative in order to change service on my telephone (from AT&T), my Internet service (from AOL dial up), and my cable TV service (from Cablevision). I changed them all to Verizon FIOS, and no they are not paying me for this blog.

The reasons I changed are simple. I was pretty sick and tired of Cablevision for my cable television service provider. Their prices just kept going up, and each time they went up, it seemed to me, their channel selections got more restrictive and service got worse. Besides that their customer service sucked as far as I am concerned. With Verizon, I will get more premium channels, about 22 or so, including the Showtime lineup which I do not have under cablevision, and my bill will be about $10 less per month. Eat my shorts cablevision, my dirty shorts!

As for AT&T telephone service, it was fine in my opinion. Verizon though offers more service to include all long distance, toll and local calling for $29.95 per month for a year, then $34.95 per month after that, whereas I am currently paying about $39.00 per month for AT&T and that does not include long distance charges which are additional. Verizon has a better deal. Their fiber optics system promises to have better call quality too, time will tell. Sorry AT&T, after a long ride you lose out to better pricing and the promise of clearer calls.

As for AOL, I was a little miffed when they recently told their customers who had Internet access through a third party, that they no longer had to pay monthly fees to AOL; but those AOL users who connected over the dial up service still had to pay their regular bills. I got much more pissed off tonight when I checked my billing online, and I found out that AOL apparently snuck, at least past me, a $9.95 per month dial up service in there without sending out notification to its dial-up customers like me! I currently pay $25.90 for AOL dial-up service; yet I apparently could have been paying only $9.95 for a similar unlimited use service from AOL, that is limited on things only like how much security protection they give you and how much email you can save. I think it was pretty low handed on AOL's part not to make this new pricing known to their dial-up users. Besides that, in my estimation, AOL customer service absolutely sucks; they have the most condescending customer support people with whom I have ever dealt. AOL can bite me. I will make sure to use my AOL email address for free though once I have Verizon FIOS. I will play AOL for all it is worth since they seemingly found it appropriate to play some customers as suckers.

Of course Verizon tried to get me to switch my cell phone service from Cingular to Verizon. I am pretty happy with Cingular although I do have to re-up my contracts. If they do not give me some nice free phones, I may switch over to Verizon; but then again I think I'll stick with Cingular for now on the cell phones.

best regards,
Glenn B

Denmark is doing something right...

...in its apparent view at terrorism, and Islamo Facism. The reason I say so is because they came in second on a poll of enemies of Egypt, which coincidently is a predominently Muslim state; see this artiicle: Denmark 'Egypt's foe', says poll . Hmm, I wonder why the Egyptians dislike the Danish so much? Maybe it is because the Danes have the balls to realize that they have an official language which is not Arabic, they have a culture which is not Arabic or Muslim, those from Muslim nations residing in Demark are aliens and can get citizeship only if they abide by Danish law not by Sharia law, if the aliens do not want to assimilate into Danish culture and follow Danish laws and speak the language of the land - well then they can get out or be kicked out. My hat goes off to Denmark. It ios about time we do the same here in the USA.

Best regards,
Glenn B

Sometimes Jewish folks absolutely befuddle me...

...regarding their sensitivities, or what I believe to be their over sensitivities. That is a very generalized statement, but it applies well as to what I am about to explain as the source of my befuddlement, and yes I understand this it is not all Jews about which I am about to write. I am not being that general, but please read on so you will understand better.

Before I go on though with the issue at hand, I want to explain something and get it right out of the way. I am not an anti-Semite, I am not a Jew hater, I am not supportive of neo-Nazis, I do not look favorably on the history of Nazi Germany, I think Adolph Hitler was an absolute madman, and I think the killing of 11 to 12 million people in the Nazi death camps was an atrocity almost without comparison. No I did not say just the 6 million Jewish people in the holocaust as I try to remember there were also millions of Christians killed too, about 12 million people in all were killed in the Nazi death camps. I wanted to get that right out because I am almost certain someone will think I dislike Jews, in general, which I do not. I get along with Jewish folks as well as I do with anyone. I think Israel should kick some ass over in the Mid-East; and I shop regularly in Williamsburg in Jewish food stores. More than one friend of mine is Jewish; and one of my very best friends is of said faith. So don't go there in an effort to categorize me or what I am about to say as anti-Semitic. Rather it is true befuddlement, plain and simple, and I put it out for you to see.

Today I read this article at 1010WINS.com: March Planned to Denounce Brooklyn Student's Hitler Costume. Apparently a high school kid dressed up as Hitler on Halloween and went to school like that. He got in hot water at school and was ordered to take off the outfit, which he refused standing on freedom of expression. Yeah I know it is not quite so in a school as to rights for students, but it gets better, the issue is now a protest, not just a reprimand at school.

Now it seems that a group of concerned parents and students from Leon Goldstein High School are planning a march to or nearby to the Holocaust Museum in NYC to protest this kid having worn a Hitler costume. They evidently are outraged that he wore it, this despite the fact that he claimed to have done so as a parody. School officials are also apparently outraged. Jewish groups are reportedly also quite upset that he wore the get-up, enough to complain. An awful lot of folks who are Jewish seem to be awfully upset over a kid wearing a costume, and they want to make some sort of example of him while at the same time parading their cause, a cause which is exactly what – I wonder!

The reason I wonder to what end they want to parade in protest, and why others want to make all this stink over a kid wearing a Halloween costume, is that for years now Hitler (or his character) has paraded on stage in New York City with not one protest of which I am aware. As a matter of fact, Jewish folks wrote, produced and starred in a play in which Hitler is a comedic character. A song called Springtime For Hitler is one of the show's main lyrical hits. Before it was a play, the show was an acclaimed movie. Now that it is a play it has won praise far and wide as one of the funniest ever, and one of the best of all time. I am, of course, writing about The Producers.

I wonder, is it because Halloween is a Christian holiday that Jewish folks were offended? I wonder, is it because the kid was Christian (which I cannot say because I have no clue of what religion he is if of any)? I wonder, are they upset because the kid was Jewish? I wonder, are they so upset because the kid was not a Jewish playwright, or screenwriter, or actor? I wonder, are they so upset for absolutely nothing? I wonder, are those who are so upset just out and out hypocrites; did any of them ever watch The Producers and laugh at any of it, either as a movie or as a play? I also wonder, are these folks who are so upset over a child wearing such a costume as a parody also just as upset over The Producers, or other movies, in which Adolph Hitler was portrayed in a comedic or parodic role by Jewish actors?

I just don’t understand why when a big name Jewish person in show biz does it, then it is okay to so many; but it is abhorrent to so many when a high school kid does likewise. So who can give me the answers? I am befuddled.

All the best,
Glenn B

Politicians Often Say The Stupidest Things...

...and John Kerry has said more stupid things, in my opinion, than any man has a right to say. His latest verbal blunder during which he tripped over his own wagging tongue was, of course, about the military and implied that those in the military have no smarts. Maybe John Kerry spoke based upon his very limited experience in Vietnam, or maybe based upon his experience out there in the real world being married to the Ketchup Queen. Maybe he was for the statement before he was against it!

Yes folks he has finally apologized to those in our armed forces who serve bravely, who have enough intelligence to know that if they do not do it over the long term, then guys like John Kerry, who are in my view, in it only for what they can get out of it, will fail us in almost no time. Thereby we would fall to terrorism. They are both smart and brave.

They sound pretty smart to me Mr. Kerry, but I guess you maybe still do not think so since it took so long for that apology to arrive, and since the apology was so weak. Just in case there is still any doubt about their intelligence, let me put those doubts to rest by showing you a photograph that indeed is worth a thousand words because this one picture sums it up nicely (I blotted out the faces to protect they who would use their minds in such a creative manner). Yes I think this one picture does achieve some level of justice, not enough for Kerry though, whom I believe should have to go to IraK, and even Afghanistan, to apologize in person. Though it certainly does show just how intelligent our military personnel can be if only because it takes wit to be humorous, and it takes intelligence to be witty. It also takes a certain amount of good taste to do this in a truly funny way without pushing the point way to far. My hat goes off to all of our brave service personnel, but I also bow to these brave eight for their accomplishment in the face of unwarranted criticism from the likes of John Kerry.

Ever wonder why Mexico fears U.S. immigration reform...

and tighter border security by the USA. Well, as I have said in other rants, I am convinced that if the USA adopts a policy of strict border security that actually stems the flow of illegal aliens into the USA from Mexico, change will come about in Mexico in rapid order. You see the USA is like a steam valve for a boiler whose fire is raging. The fire is the unrest of the Mexican citizen, poor, fairly uneducated, without good medical benefits, with little or no prospect of a good life. When they get to slip into the USA illegally to reap all that they can from our bounty, it eases the pressure in Mexico, but only somewhat because all the while the Mexican government is corrupt and continues to rape the bounty of its own country for the chosen few. This leaves most people in abject poverty. They have in the past gotten quite sick of this and the result was revolution. This is what Mexico fears today.

Now if you think a modern day Mexican revolution is far fetched, just read this article: Riot police battle protesters in Oaxaca at CNN.com. Revolution, if only on a local scale, has been going on since last May in Oaxaca (and yes I know how to pronounce it). Should the steam let off valve, the illegal path into the USA, be shut off, or even just tightened quite a bit, it is quite possible that such a protest would become nationwide in Mexico. This would in effect be a revolution, probably a major one.

While I know a lot of folks are afraid that Hugo Chavez, Fidel castor, and other nefarious scoundrels will have a big effect on the protesters or revolutionaries, and they fear that Mexico may become communist or akin to an enemy of the USA; I am not so fearful. Mexico has had revolutions before. Its base is rather conservative by today’s standards, heck even by the standards of 50 years ago. What the Mexican people, want is not a dictatorship to oppress them, but rather a way of life in which they have a chance to better themselves. Mexico has lots of resource in oil, tourism, land, and some exports. The country could easily support itself with some hard work, so long as honest leadership is in place; leadership that actually wants to improve the life of the average Mexican.

This is the direction I think the USA should take. Assuring that the government of Mexico actually look out for its own people and solve its own problems, with help if needed, but with the majority of the work done by Mexicans for Mexico under a republican form of government wherein all are represented fairly. I think building that fence, and enacting strict border security, will accelerate any such planning on our part to sway Mexico into the right direction. The sooner the fence goes up, the closer Mexico will be to revolution. The closer the Mexican government gets to believing that one is on the way, the more they will do to placate the people in order to prevent a full scale revolution, because if they do revolt, the Mexican government will not win by force. In fact chances are they will be to scared to use it in today’s world of instant global media accounting.

Best regards,
Glenn B

Ebay amazes me...

...in that if you have something to sell, just about anything to sell with certain exceptions, it gives you easy access to a worldwide market. I don't want to get into an argument about what they allow and do not allow to be sold on their site. Leave it to say I would like them much better if they allowed folks to sell firearms through their service, but they choose not to allow that. Nor will they, I think, allow folks to sell things like their immortal souls, Nazi memorabilia, or kiddy pornography. Now on two of these three last, I cannot blame them, and I'll give you a hint - I agree with them about not selling kiddy porn. They are their own business and they allow and disallow what they choose.

Still though, despite a few such regulations, you can sell lots of different things, or buy them too. I have sold such silly things as: a shaving kit (red cross issued in WWI), military patches from WWII, some old books, a couple of limited edition hunting books, and old fishing reel in need of repair, and so on. I got almost everything I sold at local 'tag sales' which are basically open house sales of the contents of a home either due to divorce, moving, retirement, or death as in an estate sale. Two of the books I sold I sold for hundreds of dollars each; the thing is I bought them for $5 each. That is great, and the saying is true: "One man's trash is another man's treasure"; but just not all the time. Sometimes the trash you find or buy to sell on Ebay just does not get sold. In my case, I hold onto those things for a while if I have room, then I try to sell them again several months later. That often does the trick and again I have some treasure even if only a few bucks worth. If not, well then I trash the item literally.

I made my latest sale, I think of only a total of about 39 sales over a few years. I placed a camera lens up for sale yesterday afternoon. I got back on the computer, I think, less than 2 hours later, and had already received an email that the item had sold. It was a Nikon camera lens, and therein lies a lesson at least for me. I probably under priced it even, and even though it was never a very expensive lens, I probably could have sold it for more than I did. Ebay is of course famous for being an auction middleman, but they also offer a "buy it now" feature so the seller can set a price at which the item automatically sells. I did that yesterday and someone bought it almost immediately. I guess the fact that Nikon recently announced that they are no longer going to make film cameras may have had an effect, the collectors will be looking for Nikon film cameras and accessories. h well.

Today, I may just have to go out to a tag sale or two if there are any local to me. I sometimes go to these now and then as a sort of diversion, and as sort of a treasure seeking expedition. I have been lucky a few times. Those two books I mentioned above were a great buy/sale for me. So was the fishing reel I got for $12.50 and sold for $125.00. As a matter of fact, I am pretty sure I got that shaving kit I mentioned for $1.00 or $2.00, I sold it for $75.00 on Ebay. I imagine someone with the get up an go could make a business out of going to tag sales and selling on Ebay; many probably have already, at least those with more get up and go than me.

Hmm, all of this talk of treasured trash has my blood going, I think I am off on a treasure hunt. Later for you guys. Bye.

All the best,
Glenn B

Ballseye's Boomers: Beretta 92SB

This pistol, the one in the pic, is the one that helped get me the moniker of Ballseye; yes the actual one indeed. The Beretta 92SB, was the precursor of the Beretta 92F series or the Beretta M9 (military speak for this gun).

Beretta 92SBs were, to my knowledge, all made in Italy. Certainly mine was made there or at least that is what its markings indicate. It is a semi-automatic pistol, in 9MM Lugar. It has a steel slide, an alloy frame. The safety/decocker is located on either side of the rear of the slide. The magazine release is ambidextrous and is located on the grip where it is met by the bottom of the trigger guard. The magazine capacity is 15, and the pistol can also hold an additional round chambered for a full compliment of 16 rounds. It came with two extra magazines. Note the flat bottoms of the magazines. It has fixed sights. The grips that came with this pistol were hard plastic, wood was also available.

This pistol is an extremely reliable, and finely crafted and machined firearm. I have shot a lot of different pistols over the years, and seen many others. I have not seen any other brand that were built to the same high quality standards of Beretta.

My only regrets about this pistol are that the right side decocking lever broke off due to an accident, and I never had it replaced while factory original parts were still to be had for it. I imagine I could do with a 92F lever, but what the heck, the missing part gives the pistol character. It has taken a beating over the years, that is for sure. The finish has certainly seen better days. I may get it refinished someday, but right now it is rather a nostalgic piece for me being it is the only one with which I ever shot anyone. How can that be nostalgic, well I lived to tell the tale and the other guys went to jail. That is another stroy all on its own, to be seen at: http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/2006/10/ballseye-what-is-in-name_04.html.

All the best,
Glenn B

Signed off, but still not funded...

...is the current status of the bill okaying the erection of 750 miles of additional fencing along the southern border of the USA. Yes President George W. Bush made a big deal about signing the fence bill into law yesterday, it was on all the news stations, but his signature on that piece of paper means little if the fence is not funded, since without the money it will never be built.

I suggest you make calls, send emails and letters to your elected officials in Washington. I have already contacted the president, vice president, my two senators, and my congresswoman (as useless as she is, it is still worth the effort). If enough folks speak out on this in favor of the funding, the money for the project will materialize like magic.

On another note related to the fence, I see that Mexico is up in arms over our wanting to build this fence. Now bear in mind, this fence is only a partial border barrier, it will not keep anyone out of our country who comes here legally, it will cut back on crime, it is not a device built to harm anyone, it is a fence - just that and nothing more. Yet Mexico, specifically President elect: Felipe Calderon, reportedly said, in this article Mexico Anger over U.S. Border Fence at BBC.com said that:

"...the fence was "a grave mistake" which would lead to more Mexican deaths on the border."

How this fence will lead to more Mexican deaths on the U.S. border was not made clear as far as I can tell. My guess though would be that Mr. Calderon means more Mexicans will wind up being stuck inside of Mexico when they find they cannot cross the border, and they will die there because Mexico offers them little to no relief for poverty stricken lives which they lead in Mexico. Hmm, who would be at fault for this. Is this a U.S. problem? No it is not. Sure we help out with relief and such, but the crappy conditions in Mexico are the fault of a notoriously corrupt government that has been in a state of corruption for beyond, well beyond, as long as I can remember. Maybe it is about time that Mexico takes hold of the problem and tries to solve it instead of dumping its problem in the form of illiterate, poverty stricken Mexicans into the USA.

He then went on to compare such a fence to the Berlin wall:

""Humanity committed a grave mistake in building the Berlin Wall," he said."

First of all, allow me to correct Mr. Calderon, humanity did not build the Berlin wall, so why is he trying to make it look as if we were all responsible for it. I imagine because he wants us all to feel responsible for any Mexican deaths that he will try to attribute to the U.S. border fence. That way we all can feel bad about it and put pressure on the U.S. government to stop it. Sorry it is such a poor attempt at perverting history in order to gain sympathy in the current situation as to make me laugh out loud while typing.

I will grant him though that the Berlin wall, the whole barrier between East and West Germany, was a mistake; but remember it was built to trap people, to keep them in their own country, not to keep out illegal aliens, terrorists, and other criminals. There is a big difference here, one he does not want to accept.

As far as acceptance goes, another thing that Mr. Calderon does not seem to want to accept is Mexico's responsibility for its own people. Mexico is an oil rich nation, yes I said oil rich. They also have a booming tourist trade. Yet where does that money go. Certainly not into government mandated programs to enrich the lives of Mexico's poor, certainly not into education for them, most decidely not into health care, certainly not into creating jobs for all those who need them, certainly not into crime prevention. Yet, that money must go somewhere, I just wonder into whose pockets?

When it comes right down to it folks, the truth about why Mexico does not want this fence is that if it gets built, then more may get erected. If the whole border winds up fenced off, then Mexico loses what amounts to a pressure release valve for its own internal problems - its poor people. When that pressure gets to great in Mexico, what do you think will happen? Yup, you guessed it, probably a revolution, something for which Mexico is famous. Of course a revolution is avoidable, so to are Mexico's other problems. The way to avoid them all is for the Mexican government to clean itself up, and to actually start to do for its people what it says the U.S. should do for them - make their lives better. One way or the other, if that fence goes up, things will change in Mexico.

Yes folks contact your elected officials, tell them we need funding for this fence and need it fast; it is about the only thing that will get something done for those poor souls south of the border.

All the best,
Glenn B

With terrorists banging at our doors, do we need...

guys who are guilty of the things with whcih this one has been charged?" I am referring to the government official who allegedly handed out phony citizenships to people who paid him to do so. According to this article: Prosecutor: Boss Gave at Least 60 Phony Citizenships at 1010WINS.com. This guy apprently worked for the Immigration service, and sold citizenships. I don't know exactly how he did that since the Department of State confers citizenship onto people, but he did it, and it is claimed tyat he lived large on the proceeds.

If he is found guilty, and I believe he should have his day in court just like anyone else, but if he is found guilty, I believe he should receive the maximum penaly allowable by law, then maybe double if he did any of this that allowed one terrorist to enter this country. As a matter of fact, I believe that since we are at war, if he did such while we were at war, he should go to prison for life, but that is just my personal feeling. Of course maybe that is a bit biased because I work for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but what can I say it gets me pissed off that stuff like this happens. Selling out loyalty to your nation for a few bucks is despicable as I see it.

All the best,
Glenn B

13 Days and a wake up...

until election day. You and I need to get bsuy before then, here is an example of why:

I would like to see a political party out there that agrees with me on the issues of our day, heck even one that agrees with me as to what constitutes the issues. I can say without a doubt that said party is not the Democratic Party, not by a long shot. Then again, I can also say, with some regret that it is not the Republican Party either. I have looked at the so called third parties, but those at which I have looked over the year all seem to be full of bigger kooks than those in the two mainstream parties. I guess the only one that truly comes close to be a viable political party of any merit is the Libertarian party, but as I pointed, there is a kook alert as regards third parties.

I would like to find a candidate for whom to vote, one who pretty much agrees with the way I see things on the issues. Again this seems to be a rather difficult thing especially here in New York, just outside of New York City. While I may have some pretty liberal ideas about some issues, I am much more conservative on others, probably so much so as to be called one who leans heavily to the right on those other issues.

Looks like there are not many, though I would vote for Tancredo if he ran for the presidency in 2008; but we are talking the current elections here, and I do not get a great choice in NYS.


Although I may be considered somewhat liberal on some issues, and fairly conservative on a greater number of issues than those on which I may be considered to the left (and on those I am fairly moderate not a leftist screaming loony), and even again I may be considered fairly far right on a select number of issues, I do not consider myself to be a middle of the road moderate, nor an extremist in anyway.

What I do consider myself to be is one who can look at an issue without the haze of any party affiliation getting in my way (though I am registered Republican now, for the great majority of my voting years I was an Independent, and I probably will give up my party affiliation once I figure out how to do it, maybe this year at the polling place they can give me the info). Back to the points, one of which is pretty much voting sensibly, even across party lines if need be, the other of which is to affect the politicians (both left and right) who are in office, and who aspire to office, to try to get things done the way I, and you, believe they should be done.

In order to vote sensibly, which is how I try to vote, one has to look at the issues before the voters. There are usually lots of issues flying around at election time, and it can get confusing what with the political ads, the media slants, and all the talk you hear wherever you hear it. Besides all of that, there are the issues that the politicians, media, and others would prefer that you do not consider during an election, ones they hope you will forget.
Let me give you an example of this last point.

Recently the Congress approved a 750 mile, or so, stretch of fence to be erected along our southern border to help stave off the flow of illegal aliens who enter the USA from Mexico. For months, heck for well over a year, Immigration, and illegal aliens, have been big in the news. Besides the amazing amount of illegals here who are taking our jobs, our tax dollars, and our services away from us (this is not rhetoric either, this is now proven fact), border security was made so much more relevant to each and everyone of us because of the chances of terrorists being able to illegally enter the USA from Mexico. As illegal entry of aliens into the US worked its way up to a high priority problem in the eyes of the nation, certain politicians wanted us to see it as a crime that leads to more crimes, and to depletion of our resources. Other politicians wanted us to see it as the desperate but noble struggle of those less fortunate who would come here to better their lives. Others wanted us to see the illegals, virtually all 12 million of them as folks who should be allowed to become US citizens and enjoy all the benefits of those others who have immigrated here legally after years of having waited to do so. Others just wanted us to deport or remove (there is a vast difference legally) them all. Others wanted us to see them as they who would re-conquer California and the southwestern USA.

The important thing to notice, and I am sure you noticed this as all of this was going on, is that the politicians were just trying to deflect the actual will of the people of the USA in order to fulfill their own political agendas and contracts. While the House of Representatives consistently voted for a fairly strong Immigration reform bill, the Senate consistently voted it down. This went across party lines in many instances, it was amazing. Yet when you came right down to it, they who most opposed the stronger Immigration laws, they who opposed tighter border security, they who most vociferously opposed removing the illegals from the US, were those of the ultra left such as Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and others. Of course there were some on the right who also opposed this such as the president George W. Bush! As I said it went across party lines.

Remember though what I already pointed out as important, the politicians were deflecting, or maybe just ignoring, the will of the people. It was apparent in poll after poll, that the people of the United States of America, as in We The People, the U.S. Citizens, the legal resident aliens who immigrated here legally, were for the great majority of the same frame of mind. That frame of mind was that the illegals have got to go, and that border security has got to be tightened. Finally after months of being hammered by the press, AND BY REGULAR PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND I VIA EMAIL, TELEPHONE CALLS, AND REGULAR MAIL, the politicians who opposed tighter border security, at least many of them, changed their votes and voted for the border fence.

As soon as they did so, what happened? They got on the band wagon to tell you how wonderfully American they were by having voted for the fence. Why is that do you think? Sure I know that you know just as I do. It was to snag your votes in the upcoming elections this November 7. Now this is where I get to that part I talked about above about which you may have forgotten, or at least about which you may think I have forgotten, that whole thing about issues which the politicians hope you will not consider during an election, those things they hope you just don’t see, or that they hope you will forget.

I have to wonder, do they think we are stupid? I guess so. The reason I say this is because while the Senate turned its vote around and finally voted to erect the 750, or so, stretch of border fence on our southern border, they apparently forgot to do something. Maybe the House of Representatives, those guys who voted for the fence all along also forgot the same thing, though I tend to doubt it. The thing it seems that was forgotten regarding the building of this grand border fence was the funding for it! Isn’t that hilarious? No not really; in fact I think it is pretty shameful. I think it is shameful because I believe it to have been done purposefully. This way the senators who changed their votes wind up looking strong on border security. Since this was such a big issue, and since it apparently still will play big in the elections, they tried to put a slant on it to help themselves while really doing nothing on the issue. They help themselves by looking strong, when in fact they maintain their status quo among they who opposed the fence by having accomplished nothing toward actually building that fence. Why, because the fence is never going to be a reality unless it gets paid for!

This helps them because you, the legal voter, winds up thinking, ‘hey you know I was going to vote for the other guy’ but now I see my regular guy has turned around and seen the light on immigration reform. You think he is a flexible guy who can vote across party lines for the defense of our nation. You decide to vote for him, instead of the other guy who had been a diehard immigration reform guy all along. I lose, you lose, we all lose if the nasty sly foxes who tricked us like this win. They will only do it again and again and again, much as they have for years. Try to vote for guys who don’t do this underhanded type of thing. Yeah I know that will be very tough, but there is something easier to do about getting things done right even by the likes of them.

What you and I need to do, and do now, is to contact our elected representatives in the Congress, and then demand that they enact legislation to pay for the border fence before November 7. Now this they will never be able to do so, or so you may think. I think there is a good chance that funding for the fence could get approved if over the next week they received thousands of emails, phone calls and letters demanding such. It was amazing, how quickly the vote turned around in the Senate from massively opposing the fence, to massively supporting it, it happened overnight once the pressure got too tough. I guess the tough thing is not having them change their votes, the tough thing is getting the pressure to bear down on them enough. Don’t just contact them either, but be sure to contact those who are running and are not incumbents so they know what to expect if they are elected.

My little rant here will certainly not get that pressure percolating; but it may be a help. The few of you who read this can be a further help. Write to your senators and congressmen/women. Tell them you want the fence funded and you want the funding approved before the election. Heck, you don’t have to vote for them if they approve the funding, you don’t even have to make it sound as if you will; then again, you can always make it sound as if your vote for them depends on this one issue. You will see a change if enough of us do it. I will, just as I wrote time and time again before, and yes they do pay attention to email, they have joined the 20th century at least, if not the 21st.

Again though, as I said, my rant will do little except maybe in the case of my few readers. Here though is where you guys can really help. Once you read this, if you agree, then get the message out to others and get them to contact their elected representatives too. The more the merrier. Who knows, since every little bit helps, it may work if we do our part.

This works not only on issues like illegal aliens, border security, and immigration reform; but it will also work on the assuring we strengthen our Right to Keep and Bear Arms, tax reform (and I sure do not mean more taxes), stem cell research (and I sure do mean more of it, but only using cells they are not from aborted fetuses, though I am not necessarily anti-abortion in all cases), pulling out of the United Nations, supporting and strengthening the war against terrorism, ending NAFTA, strengthening our economy, and so on.

No, no one will ever agree with me on all the issues, and I will not agree with them on all the issues; but things like our Nation’s security have go to be at the forefront, and those recent polls show we almost all agree on that one. Now send the message to your politicians, get that fence funded. Take part in the process other than just by casting a vote.

No Right To Keep & Bear Arms - the results...

...may surprise you in the far reaching effects they can have. Not all that many years ago Australia decided to make it illegal for an Australian to own just about any firearm in that country. If you kept up with this at all, you would realize that the violent crime rates skyrocketed after the firearms ban. Why - well because the bad guys realized that the good guys were now helpless. Violent push in type robberies increased markedly. That though was not all that unexpected. It is something that gun rights advocates have stated, for years, would be a result of bann9ing virtually all private ownership of firearms.

What may be a little more surprising is the increase in such things as vermin. In Australia for instance, there are at least a score of non-native species that cause havoc with the Australian ecosystem. Rabbits are a big problem, they have been for years, so are mice, rats, Marine Toads and others. Hunting these pest species would be one way to help assure that they do not cause as much problems for the environment as they are doing, yet it was not an easy thing to do in Australia because of the gun ban. Without natural predators these pest species boom, so hunting them is a viable method to combating them.

As a matter of fact, the WWF (no not the World Wrestling federation but the World Wildlife federation) is suggesting that Australia allow hunting of rabbits, with an estimated population of 100,000 on one island alone, so as to protect the breeding grounds of Albatross and penguins, see : Rabbits 'destroy' seabird habitat . Even the Australian Greens Party has joined in for the call to cull the rabbits through hunting them. I wonder though, where will Australia get not the hunters, but the hunters who own guns to cull them. Of course, maybe that is why they are expecting the project to cost $7.5 million dollars. This of course is not just for rabbit eradication, but also for rats and mice.

Now I can think of a way to save them big bucks, and that would be to open up rabbit hunting on the island to the public. My guess is that folks would pay for hunting licenses, would buy rifles and shotguns to hunt, would purchase transportation to the remote island and so forth. It would be a boost to the Australian economy and it would help the environment. In addition if done correctly the hunted rabbits could be used in feed the poor programs, or better yet sold to restaurants. Of course the hunters should also be allowed to keep some of them. With 100,000 rabbits, this could be a long time event, at least a few years to eradicate them or cut back their population to the point where it is an easily manageable threat through yearly hunting programs. Yet I guess it cannot be done, if no Australian can own a gun.

If you think this plan foolish, well allow me to point you in this direction: Australia to cull outback camels which is an article wherein the Australian government's planned culling of camels is discussed. of course, when it comes to camels the animal rights groups doth protest, but as far as I can tell they are just as much a pest as are the rabbits. Well anyhow, that is not the point, the point is that culling of these beasts seems to be the answer. Without guns in the hands of each citizen, then culling will prove to be a very expensive proposition, but as I showed above, it need not be.

Heck such programs to have licensed hunters cull problem populations of animals have worked elsewhere with great success. In some places hunters are even offered bounties on those animals they cull. I don't think that would be necessary, but that is another method that works. For instance, this article: Island rabbits killed off for 20p describes how Scotland offers a bounty on problem rabbits. They offer a 20 pence reward or bounty for each rabbit killed. I wonder why do they have to pay folks to hunt rabbits, is it because so few people in Scotland have firearms? Probably!

Now if the government of Australia decided to go it that way, even if all 100,000 rabbits were killed off, they would only pay out about $20,000; a far cry from whatever plan the WWK and The Australian Greens came up with that is estimated will cost $7.5 million dollars! I don't understand why it is that once tree huggers and animal rights activist get involved the price for something that should be cheap, or maybe even benefit the government financially, all of a sudden costs in the millions. Then again, had the anti-gun crowd not taken away the firearms, maybe this problem would never have gotten as big as it did.

Yes, taking away people's guns can have long term effects that may not have been dreamed of before. Of course maybe the island in Australia is so remote, as not to attract hunters who did not know about it; but certainly it did not attract any hunters when no one had guns. Yet, I can assure you, if the Australian government did it right, and allowed its citizens to be armed as we do in the USA, once they publicized it all they would get more than enough hunters willing to travel to that island to help solve the problem; and the government would stand to make money not spend it while doing it all. Hasenpfeffer anyone? Mmmm good….

All the best,
Glenn B

Firearms Safety - the abreviated version or the comprehensive one:

The below, is a post I made over at the Firing Line (an apparently very good firearms related site). It is about the rules of gun safety; the so called 4 rules of gun safety versus the older more comprehensive rules of firerarms safety. It is a long read, but see what you think, and please comment on this one, I am fascinated by the discussion on this topic. of course you can always go to The Firing Line to comment in the forum.

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My apology beforehand, for this post beginning as it does, I felt I had to address one specific off shoot before I go on the the main subject, so it will take part of 2 replies to make it fit (here in my blog it will just be one long rant).

"So have we suffered enough? I am eager to learn from the Master what the true safety rules are."

As for remarks like the above, I guess there always has to be one wise guy in the group who likes to try to offend someone who wanted to make a point in polite discussion. Yet, because of the point made in that one disrespectful sentence, I will tell you all my qualifications. Then you all can decide for yourselves whether or not you want to put any credence into what I am about to say on the original subject.

I started shooting at about age 8 or 9, at summer camp. I won quite a few NRA patches. That is not important. What was important and relevant to this thread is that before I could shoot, I had to learn the unabbreviated rules of firearms safety, the ones that had been in use for many, many years before Jeff Cooper shortened them to sell a book, and to sell his brand of firearms training.

As I matured I used firearms a bit over the years. Then after college, I got my first job in law enforcement as a U.S. Border Patrol Agent. Again I had to learn the unabbreviated rules of firearms safety, and I had to stick to them for the 4 years I was in the patrol.

I then transferred to the U.S. Customs Patrol. Again I went to an academy wherein I learned the unabbreviated rules of firearms safety.

While a Customs Patrol Officer, I attended an NRA Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor School. I was qualified, by successful completion of that training to become a firearms instructor. I began to have collateral firearms instructor duties at my job after that. Guess what, again I had to learn the unabbreviated rules of firearms safety in order to do so; but there is a new twist, now I had to start teaching them too.

My stint with collateral duties as a firearms instructor while working for the U.S. Customs Service lasted 14 years, from my time as a Patrol Officer, through my time as a criminal investigator, through my time as a special agent and through part of my time as a senior special agent. In all that time I never once heard another firearms instructor teach that there were only 4 rules of firearms safety. I went through co-training with the New York Police Department (several times), I had firearms training with the U.S. Secret Service, I had training with the Federal Air Marshals, I had training with the NYS Police, I had co-training with the U.S. Army in Fort Benning, I had training in 2 Customs Service academies, and I was qualified to instruct revolver, pistol, shotgun and rifle; later I was qualified to instruct submachine gun. Lest I forget, I took the NYS, and CA, hunter safety courses; and I am also a life member of the NRA, and am a member of the NYS Rifle and Pistol Association. In addition I have used my firearms to save my own life more than once.

Am I as well versed in firearms as was Mr. Cooper, probably not. Yet I can say without a doubt that I have never heard anyone else teach his abbreviated form of firearms safety except for those in recent years, and for those who praise him on the Internet.

Am I a master as TimRB would sarcastically like to suggest. No I do not think I am a master. Yet, I sure as heck know a little bit about firearms safety after having been trained in their use, and having had used them, over a period of about 43 years; the last 27 plus of which I have done so on pretty much a daily basis. I am a stickler for safety when anyone else handles them in my presence too. Because I am not a so called master, does not mean that I cannot have a disagreement on this issue with someone like Jeff Cooper,; and because Jeff Cooper was who he was does not necessarily mean that someone else might have a better way. By the way, I am not claiming these rules as my own, far from it, they were written out long before I was born, some even before cooper was born. I simply suggest you may want to consider them (they follow below), and use them in your firearms uses.

With my qualifications out of the way, not only to appease the wise guy, but rather to allow the reader to get an idea if I may know something or not, allow me to continue. I am sorry that the lengthy introduction was, at least in my opinion, necessary. Since one wise guy with poison pen if often enough to ruin a good discussion, I felt the above was prudent.

I am about to quote some of the replies I received, nothing personal, nothing intended to insult, upset, or anything like that, but I will be blunt if only because this is such an important topic.

"Furthermore, as has been pointed out, they are widely known and taught, and it would be counterproductive at this point to introduce competing rules of gun safety."

Ah, there is an irony in what you say, though you may be to young to realize it, then again maybe not.

Those 4 rules of gun safety were not the original rules of gun safety. In fact they were a cut back, abridged version, of the original rules. Some really important ones were left out, and these were written to appeal to the macho he man, what with words like 'destroy' added to them.

I wear a firearm daily, in a strong side hip holster. It 'covers' everything at which it points during the day. Do I want to destroy those things, no I do not. I am not willing to destroy them either. I take it off the shelf, put it into the holster, and take it out of the holster, and put it back wherever I put it at least once a day. I am not willing to destroy anything at which it points, although I am more willing to have a bullet pass through whatever I point it at than I would be to injure or hurt someone. So this one is, in my opinion, kind of a ridiculous rule as it is written, and I think it appeals greatly to those who have a gunslinger mentality to some extent, a real macho image, and to those who like abbreviated rules to another extent, among others to whom it gives some appeal for other reasons. Some may even like it because they never learned the other rules.

As for these rules being the lowest common denominator, they are not; in fact they are lacking when it comes to safety. I have seen several people try to use ammunition of the wrong caliber in their firearms over the years. I have seen the results in some cases in which the round actually sort of fit, then went bang, and the barrel bulged, the barrel cracked, the barrel actually blew open quite a bit, somewhat like a gun that you would see in a cartoon when Bugs Bunny put his finger into Elmer J. Fudd's rifle. At other times I have seen just plain old malfunctions, malfunctions that would get you killed had you tried to use such an improperly loaded gun in a self defense situation.

One of the cardinal rules of gun safety used to be, and still should be: Only use the proper ammunition in your firearm. It is not common sense, as there have been too many screw-ups on this one over the years by people who just did not know better. They think it looks the same, so it must fit and function the same.

Right along with that is the one that says, or said in the olden days: Always use only a firearm in proper working condition. Again, one that is not necessarily common sense. I have seen people show up for quarterly qualifications with their primary firearms not functioning properly, and they knew it, yet they carried it like that anyway.

Another apparently bygone cardinal rule of firearms safety, lost in the translation offer by Mr. Cooper, is that: You should never combine booze and drugs with firearms. Maybe Mr. Cooper did not think drinking and guns a problem when together. He came from an era when the effects of booze were looked upon with contempt than today. I will admit, this one is a bit over the top even for me, and it has been changed in many venues to work better, but not because I think you should drink a few and shoot. I think it would be okay to take an aspirin because your shoulder hurts, or something like that. The newer version of this rule, the one that makes more sense, is along these lines: Never use anything that impairs your functioning, or could potentially impair your functioning, while handling a firearms - like prescription sedatives, alcohol, marijuana, other illicit drugs and so forth. This one would certainly seem like common sense, but I actually have had people tell me they routinely drink a few drinks while shooting, and I do not mean Kool Aide. They see no problem with it as long as they remain within their 'limit'. I guess that goes for when they drive home from the range too.

As far as the one about all guns always being loaded, many of you have addressed that one, but not how I would based upon my experience. You should always treat any gun that you pick up or handle as being loaded until you check and double check to see that it is not, each time you pick it up or handle it anew.

In other words, if you are dry firing a revolver in your home (no I do not advise it, but plenty of folks do it), one that you checked and double checked to make sure it was unloaded that is sort of fine. What do you do though when this happens. The telephone rings, you put the revolver down, go to answer the telephone, have a ten minute discussion with your girlfriend or boyfriend who tells you she/he is hot to trot. You get into that call, you cannot wait to get into - well I'll leave that to your imaginations. After the call ends, you go back to the revolver, you pick it up, you point it wherever while your mind is a bit preoccupied, and you continue to dry fire. The revolver goes click, click, click, bang and you just put a hole through your wall. I have seen it happen more than once. The guys who did it forgot they had started to reload as the telephone was ringing. You have to check each time you pick it up; but that does not mean each gun is always loaded or that you should tech such an impossible thing to anyone as a rule. Teach it the right way.

As to the one telling you to never place your finger on the trigger until you have your sights lined up, well I guess that rules out point shooting, push off shooting, and vertical tracking. It is, in my estimation a foolish thing to teach anyone who is learning about self defense shooting. It could get someone killed. The only guy I have ever shot was not in my sights when I shot him, yet I knew I would hit him. I fired virtually as soon as my pistol cleared leather. The rule was: "Keep your finger off of the trigger until ready to shoot.”

Of course, you should always be sure of your target, but here another thing was abbreviated! Whatever happened to know your target and what is beyond. This of course goes hand in hand with some of the other rules, but is a rule nonetheless. I have not fired a shot, on a few occasions, because it would have potentially jeopardized people in the background. Knowing your target is simply not enough, not by a long shot.

And another cardinal rule of firearms safety, excepting emergency situations is: Always know how to properly operate your firearm before using it. This is one of the most violated rules of firearms safety that I have ever seen, right up their with a finger on the trigger at the wrong time, or the gun pointed in a very unsafe direction .I guess Jeff Cooper, for some reason or other, decided that these other already long standing rules were not to his liking, or were not necessarily conducive to safe firearms handling. I respectfully beg to differ with him for safety reasons. I believe his 4 rules are sorely lacking.

"However, the gun world is full of literalists and authoritarians. That starts the hissy fits. Maybe that isn't the answer you want but to nit pick the exact words to of the rules is to fall into this trap"

I can only hope my answer was less 'hissy fit', and more informative, than you some of you apparently had expected. I also hope you realize I was not so much 'nit picking' at the words, as I was trying to give you a feel for the rules that I have learned over the years, and that countless others (including mr. Cooper) had learned. In my estimation, the one who may have had trouble with those words, the one who may have nit picked them to fit his own purpose, is the one who shortened them in the first place. That is not meant to be irreverant to someone whom a lot of you look up to. The man knew a lot about his business, I just think there was no good reason to shorten the rules as he did, because it left a lot to be desired as far as someone knowledgeably and safely handling a firearm goes, in my opinion. If you are going to handle firearms, or teach others how to handle them, then comprehensive firearms safety must be the first sure shot, otherwise someone will always be at risk unnecessarily.

Hopefully I did not forget any of the cardinal rules of firearms safety that others have taught to me, and that I have taught to shooters over the years. I am a bit under the weather today, and it is time for me to crawl back up to bed with a cup of hot tea and nurse myself back to feeling better.

Best regards,
Glenn B
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I hope you enjoyed it and found it somewhat informative. Thanks for reading it through all the way.

All the best,
Glenn B

I really do have hobbies other than firearms...

…related hobbies. Yes I do. For instance, I have quite the collection of animals. Note I did not say pets. Sure I have some pets, including a cat and three dogs among others; but I also have a collection of animals that are not pets in the sense that I play with them, or love them, or have joined PETA because of them (perish the thought, I just about puked just writing that).

What I have is an interest in herpetology and hepetoculture (a made up word maybe, but not made up by me). In other words I keep reptiles and amphibians. I have done so since I was about 4 or 5 I guess, when my uncle Ken (Unkie - back in the day) bought me a Red Eared Slider, a turtle, from a pet shop on Broadway in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Yes I lived in the hood. Ever since then it has caught onto me like a cactus that I just sat on. I have been keeping herps of one sort or another on and off, more on than off mind you - by a long shot, for about 45 or 46 years now. Man I am getting old, but later for that.

It was earlier tonight - after I had gotten done cleaning animal enclosures, after I had gone to my local herpetological society's monthly meeting (LIHS), after I had stopped at the pet shop to buy some things like guppies and a couple of tadpoles, after I had stopped at Home Depot to buy bird seeds (and I do not have any birds) to feed my rodents (and to feed the local wild bird population), after I did some more cage cleaning, after I fed the menagerie, after I watched them all for a while - that I realized I have one heck of a collection of animals; and more so I realized that I have one heck on an interest in animals.

I have kept hundreds of different species/subspecies of reptiles and amphibians over the years. I have bred a fair number of them, nothing grand but quite a few. I have also collected them from the wild, observed them in the wild, and even made a meal or two of them while camping out. Did I mention that groups like PETA and I do not see eye to eye. Yes I hunt, fish, and have bred animals for food (both the type for human consumption and the type for consumption by my herp collection). I used to dream of becoming a veterinarian, or a game warden, or a biologist, but those dreams fell through and I wound up doing something else for a career. Yet I keep in touch with that side of me on a regular basis through, at least in part, the animals I keep, the animals I observe in nature, the animals for which I hunt and fish, and so on.

As for the animals I keep, right now I figure I have about:

1 frog

2 tadpoles

2 turtles

2 tortoises

2 lizards

20 snakes

Besides the slimy and scaly animals, I also have some furry ones. These include about:

50 Guppies

12 adult mice

25 baby mice

5 Dwarf hamsters

In addition to these I have the aforementioned 3 dogs and 1 cat.

I also have a number of plants that I keep in with my herps, I figured I would add these in since they too are a form of living thing I keep.

That first red eared slider surely led me to a life long interest in animals; a fun one and a practical one, as to the practical one I remind you of the hunting and fishing.

There is only one person in my life to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude for helping me to develop this interest - that is my uncle Ken. If he ever reads this I hope he realizes how much that little turtle, so many years ago, wound up meaning to me. Well, I guess there is one other person to whom I owe a debt of gratitude if only for allowing me to further my interests, thanks mom. Without her okay, I would not have kept many of the critters that crossed my path over the years. Uncle ken, is her brother, but she in no way shares his or my love of animals. She was usually terrified by most of them, but she let me keep them just the same.

So why am I bringing all of this up here in my rant. Certainly, it would have been enough just to share the these thoughts with my readers; but I guess there is another reason too, one that could make this read more worthwhile to you. You all know, if you have read my other blogs, that I am into guns and shooting. I am into hunting. I recently took my son on his first big game hunt, and he bagged a black bear. That is another animal we have at home right now, what is left of it anyway, and that is in the freezer. Well, while my son is into shooting, and hunting and fishing, he is also into animals.

For many years, Brendan accompanied me to meetings of the LIHS. Lately he has been working on Sundays, which are the meeting days. He works for a veterinary hospital. He is a kennel worker, the guy at the bottom of the totem pole. Yet, he has ambition. He thinks he might like to become a veterinarian; and who knows maybe he will be a bit luckier than me in keeping true to his dreams, or maybe he will just choose something else. The thing is, and this is important, he has this interest in animals, sort of the same as me. Heck, he is 16 years old, will be 17 before the year is out, and he still likes to do things with his dad. You may have read my earlier rant on this, or may have seen my writing on it in a forum somewhere or another; but here it is again in case you missed it, or it did not sink in the first time around!

What is it that to which I refer when I say I say 'here it is'? It is the fact that if you want to have good times with your children, if you want to establish and keep a lasting bond of camaraderie between you and them, if you want to be your kid's friend, if you truly want to enjoy yourself more than you can in any other pursuit, then you had best enjoy doing things together with your kids; and you had best start developing that mutual enjoyment when your child is young.

I have shared my hobbies with both of my children. I used to take my daughter Celina hiking, camping, fishing, and shooting. She went out with me to catch frogs and snakes. Then we also brought her brother along. Celina kind of drifted away from the enjoyment of those things once she discovered boys. Oh well. I keep trying to get her interested in something that I understand, but it is more difficult now that she is 21 so to be 22. Hopefully I will get her interested in shooting again. I may just have to invite her latest boyfriend for a day at the range; I would bet that would do it if he says yes, and he seems the type to go for it. Of course, my daughter still also has an interest in animals, but pretty much just the dogs, but that is okay by me. I figure when she is out on her own or married someday, one of her first acquisitions will be a puppy of some sort. That is good, better than drugs for sure because if you overdose on puppy all it means is you get licked to death.

I guess it is not only me who owes a debt of gratitude to my mom and to Unkie; it is my kids too, because they got that love of animals from him through me. Of course they also have to thank their mom Linda for her putting up with all the critters. She has little love for any pet except the dogs, and a past bird or three we had. Of course I had best thank her too, because she puts up with me and the whole menagerie. Thanks dear, love you all the more for it. (She will never read

this, but it is nice to hope she might.)

Oh well, you get the idea, its a family thing these animals, and a lot of fun, interesting, and educational too.

All the best,

Glenn B