A History Test For Your Kids...

... or maybe for you. Okay, I was really thinking of giving you another post about 'Today In History', even though I gave you one yesterday; but it appears someone else on my blog roll, The Anarchangel, just did that, and beat me to it. So instead of me getting all too boring through repetition, I have devised a small test for your children. Maybe it is not as much for them, as it is for you to determine just what they may know about history, or in other words what they may have learned at home, on TV, on the Internet, and mostly in school about history. As a matter of fact, maybe it will give you an idea of what you know.

For the test I will use fairly famous historical events, fairly famous names, and the like. The catch is that I will ask questions only about the events or persons who gained fame on this day, and yesterday (since my post about 'today in history' was posted yesterday).

See how good you do, then see how good your kids do; my guess is that anyone should be able to score at least 75%, and that 90% would be more like it, but who am I to say. By the way, just take it for granted the dates are correct, no trick questions about the dates. Here goes:

1) True or False - Colonel Robert E. Lee was offered, and refused, the command of the Union Army on April 18, 1861?

2) Who led the bombing raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942; was it:

a) Lt. Colonel James Doolittle
b) Commander Ernie Pyle
c) Lieutenant Billy Marten
d) Captain James T. Kirk
e) General Paul Tibbets

3) On April 18, 1861, Confederate General Johnson surrendered to Union Army General Sherman. In what war did this take place?

4) Ernie Pyle was:

a) the U.S. Marine who led the charge at Iwo Jima
b) a character, on The Andy Griffith Show, related to Gomer Pyle
c) a famous wartime news photographer killed in WWII
d) the soldier who was slapped by General Patton for cowardice during WWII
e) none of the above

5) Elliot Ness was born on April 19, 1903. For what, in general, is he most known?

6) Who was the president of the United States of America, who on April 19, 1861, ordered the blockade of confederate ports?

7) On April 19, 1943, the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto began an uprising; against what group were they fighting?

8) What famous war began on April 19, 1775?

9) On April 19, 1995, a terrorist killed 168 people, and wounded scores of others, in what U.S. city?

10) On April 19, 1941, Bulgarian troops attacked Macedonia. Was Bulgaria part of the Allied or Axis forces?

11) On April 19, 1587, Sir Francis Drake sailed into Cadiz Spain and sank the Spanish Fleet. Drake was the commander of which fleet:

a) the German
b) the Dutch
c) the American
d) the English
e) a pirate fleet

12) True or False: April 18, 1946, the USA recognizes Tito's government in Romania.

13) April 18, 1906, an earthquake, and the ensuing fire, destroys almost 3/4 of a U.S. city, and kills over 4,000 people. In what city did this take place?

14) The battle of Harper's Ferry took place in what modern day country?

15) On April 18, 1909, Joan of Arc was named a saint in the Catholic religion. From what country was Joan of Arc?

16) April 19, 1977, author Alex Haley receives the Pulitzer Prize for his book 'Roots'. What in general did Haley write about in this book?

17) On April 18, 1946, the predecessor of the United Nations was dissolved. What was the name of that organization?

18) On April 18, 1885, the Sino-Japanese war ended. Which were the two major countries involved in this war?

19) On April 19, 1977, which country launched its first Salyut space station:

a) Russia
b) China
c) India
d) the USSR
e) none of the above

20) On April 19, 1951, General Douglas MacArthur, after being relieved of his far east command by the then president of the United States, quoted this line in his farewell address to Congress: "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away". What was the last name of the president who relieved MacArthur of his command?

Have fun. I you do not know the answers, they are all really easy enough to find for yourselves, either through a web search or by scrolling down below. Then again, you knew them all anyhow.

No cheating. Good luck.

All the best,
Glenn B







































1) T
2) a
3) The Civil War
4) c
5) 1930's crime fighter, G-Man, etc...
6) Lincoln
7) The Nazis (The German Army would be acceptable)
8) The American Revolution
9) Oklahoma City
10) Axis
11) The English
12) F
13) San Francisco
14) USA
15) France
16) His ancestory (slavery is not the correct answer)
17) League of nations
18) Russia and Japan
19) The USSR
20) Truman

I hope I got them all in the right order.

Things To do Before I Retire

‘Things to do before I die’ is a type of list many people have probably thought of doing before. Another such list thing would be places to visit in a lifetime. I am about to make a list to, but one that will be just a bit different, as it will be a list of things I want to do, but with the definer before I retire.

I have pretty much made up my mind that I am going to retire at year’s end; and for some reason that made me think there are some things I ought to do before then to have made my career complete before I become a retiree.

1) Use all of my sick leave – of course legitimately; and that should not be too hard to accomplish the way I feel lately.

2) Use no vacation time between now and the end of the year (because I get paid cash for the unused vacation time when I retire)

3) Have one heck of a summer vacation while out on sick leave, of course while actually out on doctor’s orders for a legitimate medical reason, but not one that totally debilitates me thereby allowing me to go fishing or something not stressful as I recuperate.

4) Get myself reinstated as a firearms instructor (a collateral duty from which I was banished about 3 ½ years ago, no reason ever given)

5) Discover the reason for the above end to my collateral duties as a FI, this even if I am never reinstated. Somehow, I doubt this will happen because whomever banished me was not man enough to tell me why in the first place.

6) Have a retirement party that I throw for myself and invited guests only. The list would be large, but exclusive of those people who were scumbags less than civil to me throughout my career.

7) Turn down an invitation to my own retirement party thrown by my office, or better yet never receive such an invite.

8) Make out with about 5 of my co-workers, all female, and all gorgeous. This of course is only a hypothetical unattainable fantasy as I have a wonderful lovely wife at home.

9) Work a kiddie-porn case wherein we effect the arrests and convictions of multiple pedophiles. This, for me, would be the most satisfying case to bring to a successful conclusion.

10) Get hired by another federal agency, so that when I retire the word Immigration, as in Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is not on my credentials.

11) Find out I get to keep my issued MP-5 and my issued 870; as for the issue Glock 19, I want to give it back.

12) See the reformation of the United States Customs Service; and thereby the dissolution of both Customs & Border Protection, and Immigration & Customs Enforcement.

13) Work in a capacity, for the next 8 months in which I believe that my investigative abilities and my talents are being utilized to their utmost, and wherein they would make at least a little difference toward getting a good and worthwhile job done before I retire.

14) Make good use of the gym in the office to the point where I lose about 40 or 50 pounds before the end of the year.

15) Not worry too much that it is not yet time to retire; 28 years plus will have been long enough, but I just hope I can convince myself of that.

16) Complete my Master's degree requirements.

17) Find a new job, hopefully as a teacher.

18) Find a nice place to which to retire of which my wife approves, then sell the house, and buy a new one where ever the wife and I can live happily ever after.

All the best,
Glenn B

On Being a New Yorker...

...but all in fun, and thanks to Rita at the Jungle Hut, I had some fun with the following:

You Are 92% NYC

Congratulations, you are truly a New Yorker. You've seen it all, and you're more than a little cynical.

How NYC Are You?

I guess even though I no longer live in the city, working there everyday keeps me in the NYC mind frame, egads! Gotta love those NYC bagels (but not from Manhattan, thgose from Queens are much better).

All the best,
Glenn B

Some Other Rationale As Why We Should Be Armed, or Blogs About Gun Rights...

... can be found in these blogs:

http://greybeard.igogg.com/archives/365

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/007331.htm

http://penofjen.blogspot.com/2007/04/conclusions.html

http://www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/tos/10503/

http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2007/04/point-counterpoint.html

http://armsandthelaw.com/archives/2007/04/column_by_v_tec.php

http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives/2007/04/2nd_amenment_ri.html

http://thelawdogfiles.blogspot.com/2007/04/we-license-cars-yackyackyack.html

http://bloodletting.blog-city.com/22_dead_on_the_altar_of_gun_control.htm (this one written by a doctor)

One last link, but this one is not to a blog simply because there were no blogs when it was written. It is an article length letter called: Letter from An Angry Reader that was sent into Esquire magazine many years ago by a once upon a time anti-gun person. If the link does not work, go to: http://www.keepandbeararms.com/information/XcIBViewItem.asp?ID=3499, it is quite worth the read.

Some of the reads at the above links are short, some are lengthy. All are pro gun-rights, and no matter what side of the gun issue you find yourself on, I suggest you read them all. I will leave it to others to rant against the right to keep and bear arms, as for me I support that right (free speech), and the right to keep and bear arms 100 percent.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today in History - a Violent Nature Exposed

Today is the anniversary of the last day of my freedom. Yep, if you guessed that it means that tomorrow is my wedding anniversary you are correct – 21 years of marital whatever. I was thinking of writing a rant tomorrow about some of the famous and not so famous events that took place on April 19th, but being that today is that other anniversary, I figured I would do it for April 18th instead. After all, April 19th is well known because it is the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, the bloody end of the siege Waco 1993, Connecticut approved the U.S. Bill of rights in 1939 (can you imagine, those liberals), The Warsaw Ghetto uprisings commence against the Nazis in 1943, the last day the earth was free of anything to do with Adolf Hitler (he was born on the 20th in 1889), Elliot Ness was born in 1903, President Lincoln orders a blockade of Confederate ports in 1861, Tadeusz Kosciuszko forces the Russians out of Warsaw in 1794, the American Revolution began when fighting broke out in Lexington, MA.

Okay so that was the 19th, which is tomorrow, so what about today the 18th. Well let’s see, on the 18th of April the following event occurred:

A suicide bomber kills U.S. Marines, and others, at the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983

Rhodesia, later known as Zimbabwe gains independence from great Britain in 1980

Ireland removes itself from the British commonwealth in 1949

Ernie Pyle killed by machine gun fire 1945

Yamamoto shot down by American fighter planes in 1943

Doolittle bombs Tokyo in 1942

Hitler names Joachim von Ribbentrop, ambassador for disarmament in 1934

The really big San Francisco earthquake 1906

Confederate Gen Johnson surrendered to Gen Sherman in North Carolina in 1865

Colonel Robert E. Lee turns down an offer to command the Union Armies in 1861 (can you imagine)

Battle of Harper’s ferry, VA 1861

Battle of Cerro Gordo in which U.S. armed forces rout a much larger Mexican Army in 1847

End of the 1st Seminole War in 1818

Paul Revere and William Dawes ride to warn people of MA of the advance of British Troops 1775

Sudbury, MA attacked by Indians 1676

Sure there were also a lot of other things that happened on this day in history, some good and some bad. There were many things that while worthy of note will never make it into the history books. As for the things I mentioned for both days, there is a common thread, and if you look at any other day throughout recorded history, I am certain you will find this common thread on all the other days of the year, and you will find it in abundance. The commonality is that we as a species are violent – and please note that yes the connection in some of the mentioned events is indirect, but you should be able to figure it out with half a brain.

Please note, much of the info about the above events was gleaned from: http://www.brainyhistory.com/, and http://www.historynet.com/today_in_history. Go to those sites, go to the encyclopedias, go to the history books, watch the History Channel and others, check it out for yourself - we have a violent nature - there is no doubt about it.

Sometimes violence is for the good, sometimes it is for the worse; but regardless of the morality of it, we are indeed prone to violence. In that regard we should all be afforded the liberty to exercise our right to self defense, defense of family, defense of innocents, defense of our property, defense of our Constitution, our flag and the Republic for which it stands. In other words, we should all be able to freely exercise our right to keep and bear arms. This should be a universal right for all mankind. It should be evident to those in the not so free world, that had they the liberty to exercise said right, they might well have been free, and many of their slain countrymen might still be alive today. In fact, it cannot be any more evident than it should be for those living in the USA, or other countries in the free world, that such a right has kept us able to enjoy all of our other liberties and rights time and time again throughout history, including the right to life, while others around the globe who have their liberties stripped from them suffer and perish at the will of armed governments.

The right to keep and bear arms, as in the Second Amendment, to the United States Constitution, found in the Bill of Rights, is our most valuable right. It protects all of our other rights as it also protects us. Instead of helping the United Nations, and other countries in their attempts to strip us of that right as does the anti-gun lobby - we, all of us as free U.S. Citizens, should be pushing for other nations to adopt the liberty for their people to exercise that same right.

All the best,
Glenn B

Virginia Tech...

...was a very sad state of affairs indeed. My heart felt condolences go out to the families and loved ones of those who were lost, and my prayers go with them and go out for they who were injured. Speedy recovery.

One of my readers, Jungle Mom over at The Jungle Hut, commented in the previous post, that had someone on the campus had an SKS, things might have been different. I agree with her, if regular students and faculty were allowed to be armed on campus, chances are that things like this would not happen as this one unfolded. Still though, things could have been much different had the students and the faculty been prepared for what one faculty member said was "unimaginable" yesterday on the news. The thing is people want to believe such events are unimaginable, yet they are not. They are part of our lives. Violence caused by violent people is all around us everyday. If we choose to ignore it, if we choose to cocoon ourselves away from it, that is our choice; and I think a bad one at that. Mind you, I am not being critical of anyone who just lost their lives, or who were injured, in this or other events. I am being critical of where society in general seems to be going in this regard, but more importantly I will tell you about some options you may have in cases like this.


Yes, I think the possibility of armed students on campus would very likely have persuaded the killer in Virginia Tech shootings not to have started a killing spree. He may very well have killed the first two people whom he shot; but my bet would be he likely would not have attacked those in the classrooms had he thought they were armed, or had he thought they would have fought back. Even if he had started shooting, someone else would have been more able to defend him/herself and others against this killer.

Even without a gun, those students could have protected themselves and probably ended the rampage before it wound up as bad as it became. A classroom is full of potential weapons, and even if not, well the students likely still could have rushed him and disarmed him. It takes a certain mindset to do that, but the anti-violence types among us have pummeled our brains otherwise. They have bashed it into us over and over again that violence and aggression in any form are bad. This is just not true! Violent and aggressive behavior while trying to defend yourself can be a wonderful thing indeed. Such behavior, while putting yourself at risk of injury or death, actually may save lives, and one of those could be your own. Sure it could put you further at risk, but sometimes taking the risk is worth the reward. Had a few students in any of the classrooms thrown their books or pushed a desk at this guy, then charged him, and tried to take away his guns and subdue him, chances are, in my opinion, that fewer would have been shot. My bet is though, that even had they rushed this guy, and then someone or two started to pummel him to get him to stop, and maybe even beat him to death, someone else would have complained after the fact, and tried to get those students charged with manslaughter saying that the violence they exhibited was abhorrent. The truth be told, had they done just that, I think they should have received medals for bravery, and good citizenship

As it stands right now, about the bravest acts we are likely to see from those students and faculty on this campus, probably were the teachers and students who reportedly held the classroom door(s) closed so this guy could not get in. That was a smart and good thing to do, but had he gotten in, what would have happened. My bet is mass surrender, because that is what people in this country, for the great part, have been convinced to believe is the right thing to do. Even some police departments tell us to surrender to bad guys and comply with them. I have taught my children otherwise. I have told them again and again: if abducted, if accosted, if in a situation where you are sure to be stabbed, shot or otherwise severely injured and you are unlikely to be able to flee to safety, if the shooting is already taking place, and you are pretty sure your cannot getaway, THEN FIGHT BACK even if only with feet, hands, fingernails, and teeth.

You have to prepare yourself for what you will do in such a situation. In recent years, the 'nanny crowd' (to borrow a phrase from Rivrdog), has taught us to be good little victims by just about not doing anything other than what the bad guy wants us to do. Well when the bad guy wants you to stand still so he can shoot you, I think it ridiculous to comply. At any given point you can either fight, take flight, freeze, or be compliant. If you freeze or be compliant, you are at the mercy of the badguy. Badguys like the one yesterday surely do not seem to be very giving of mercy, now do they! If you take flight, at least you are a moving target, and not as easy to hit. If you fight, and if others fight with you, you stand some chance of overpowering the bad guy depending upon the situation. If you prepare and train ahead of time, to take some action, chances are that is how you will initially act when such a situation arises. The choice is yours. You have to examine the record of these types of shootings, and other violent crimes in our country, to see that the shooter can keep on shooting when unopposed, and other violent bad guys can hurt you when you comply or freeze. Sure some will take your money and let you go, but when a guy is like the badguy yesterday at Virginia Tech, he was looking to take one thing, and it was not money, it was lives. While no one wants to be shot, if a group goes to disarm someone like this, chances are they will take him out or disrupt his fire long enough for many to escape. Maybe they will even stop the threat. Even one person might be lucky enough to stop a badguy like this, but in my guess, a group would probably be more effective. Sure it may not work, someone may get hurt or killed - but what is going to happen when everyone does virtually nothing - 32 people besides this bad guy were killed yesterday. There is training available for both armed and unarmed self defense that could very possibly increase your odds of survival, violence can indeed be a good thing when done legally to protect yourself and other innocents.

I am not telling anyone to take any type of action, it is up to each person to decide for themselves if and when and what type of action they may take. The above is my opinion; and I cannot say it will work for you if and when you are faced with such a situation. I do know though what I would be more likely than not to at least try to do something, and that would be either to escape or fight back. If you don't want to be a victim of such a situation, then you probably need to make up your mind about it now.

In my opinion this is what should be done: You need to tell your legislators to pass "shall issue" firearms permits, and allow concealed, or unconcealed, weapons carry everywhere in your state. You need, I think, to prepare yourself to defend yourself with and without firearms or other weapons. Take home defense courses, take self defense courses, take shooting courses (only carry firearms or other weapons legally), buy pepper spray if legal and learn how to use it (imagine if a student had had a can of pepper spray yesterday and sprayed this guy), learn what action to take in such a situation that may save lives including your own. You can freeze and comply and be at the mercy of a killer who shows no mercy; or you can get training now so you will know some of the options you have in such a situation should it arise. You can also learn how to decide which options to pick, and then how to take some sort of action to do something about getting yourself, and others, to safety. The choice is all up to you. Choose wisely, it may save a life, but do choose; and do start planning now for whatever you will do if the shit hits the fan and you are there in front of it.

All the best,
Glenn B

edited: 0300PM 04/17/07, just to better make my point.

BAG DAY...

... for those of you whom maybe unaware is "Buy A Gun Day" and it coincides with April 15, or tax day in the USA. This year I am guessing that BAG day may actually be today since tax day would have fallen on a Sunday and therefore we were granted a one day extension. I'd like to show you what I purchased for BAG day, but truth be told I was taped out due to recent expenditures of an unexpected nature, so no new guns for me on this year's BAG day.



Had I been fortunate to have the extra cash to buy a gun, chances are I would have bought one of these nice Yugoslavian SKS.


Oh well, I am already scrimping and saving. Of course, I guess I could always call in an order on plastic, but that is where the bill for the recent car repairs went, and it would be a sure way to wear my wifes footprint on my butt cheek. Sigh...

All the best,
Glenn B

Blades nearby...

...are a comfort to me in my home. I decided to post a pic of some of the easily accesible blades that I have nearby my PC stations because of a meme that Rivrdog tagged onto gun bloggers and the like. Here is an example of those, not all of them mind you, within easy access to me when working on the PCs at home. These are used for various purposes, but mostly as tools; but some could easily be used as a self defense weapon too (just another sort of tool usuage).

The ones I just found within easy access of my PC stations were these in the pic. Top left is a Buck two bladed folder with NRA logo, then moving clockwise they go like this: Church key type can/bottle opener, Old Timer single locking blade, linoleum knife folder (took away from a drunk who wanted to use it on me), some no name folder with mostly serrated blade (issued at work after 9/11), a Gerber Gator (I think Gator is the name, also issued by work), a small Schrade Old Timer.

The Gerber, the no name folder at the bottom, the larger Schrade, the Buck two bladed folder are all in fairly good shape. Bear in mind though, they are not show off knives, they are knives I regularly use for various jobs and they all take a beating. That little Schrade with the almost black blade has probably seen the most work out of all of them, and though you may not think so, it is sharp indeed. As for the curved blade linoleum knife, well that is a trophy. I took it away from a drunk who some kids were trying to rob, or molest in some way, up in the Bronx, NY several years ago. After I rousted those thugs, the guy who they were about to thump, turns on me with this knife. I had half a mind to shoot him, but I just persuaded him to drop the knife; and he then departed the area. I took it for safekeeping, and it turned into a trophy of sorts. Despite its rusted blade, it is pretty sharp too. You can never have too many useful knives.

By the way, I found that blog at Rivrdog's thanks to The Anarchangel, click on the link to see his photos in reply to Rivrdog's meme.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Flea Farting…

A Flea Farting…

…is, in my mind, akin in a way to a butterfly flapping its wings. There supposedly can be far reaching effects of the butterfly flapping its wings, so why not effects reaching just as far because of a flea fart! Some black streetwise punk on the streets of Harlem probably never thought it a bad thing to call another black man a nigga, in fact he probably thought it a sign of some sort of respect, albeit many decent black folks see it as abhorrent. Yet it has become quite the popular term among American blacks, or if you please African Americans, but that does not please me because I am referred to as white, not as European American – but I digress.

Some black guy, probably a dirtbag gangsta rapper, or regular dirtbag rapper, or a hip-hop type who decided that it was a great thing to use the word “ho” in his lyrics, probably thought he was being cool. The black or other ethnic groups of women who listened to those lyrics, and kept buying the CDs, and downloading the tunes, all probably envisioned themselves as the “ho” of the rappers using that word. Certainly they thought it okay for a black man to refer to woman as hos if only because of how popular they allowed rap and gangsta rap to become with its incessant degradation of woman, especially those in the black community. The music CD companies, radio stations, broadcast giants like CBS and NBC, cable television stations, the news media, MTV, rappers like Snoop Dog all seem to think this is just fine so long as a black man says the word. Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson, while possibly having objected to such language never have, to my knowledge, ever come out against such language anywhere to the extent that Bill Cosby has stood up against its use. In fact, I have seen the Reverend Al Sharpton swaying to rap tunes. Even white rappers have been allowed to say these words, once that is that white rappers became somewhat accepted among black rap culture. I do not pass judgment upon these people, although I do have an opinion of them, but I will keep it to myself. What I can say as fact is that the black community in general as let this type of degradation by rappers continue pretty much unabated, and the white community has gone right along with them, as had anyone who subscribes to rap, gangsta rap, or hip-hop culture.

The same African American culture who allowed the above to take place also allowed something else. They allowed what I believe is the degradation of white folks to take place on a regular basis by way of black comedians, black spokesman like Al Sharpton, the new black panthers, and groups like the black Muslims. I have watched all to often as comedians at the Apollo theater have slammed white folks in their acts, made them look like fools and call them crackers and other derogatory names. The audience always applauds with glee. If you doubt me, then watch the reruns for the past few years worth of televised shows. Note I said the reruns, as some may be less ready to spout forth these negative terms because of recent events.

Of course, white culture in the USA is not much different. We have allowed the likes of guys like Howard Stern to demean just about everyone, and he is one of the highest, if not the highest paid shock-jock out there. We have also allowed the likes of guys like Imus to spout off his own brand of filth on a radio show that has been on the air for decades. When you think about how long rap has been around, and when you think about how long nasty comedians have been around, and when you think about how long shock-jocks have been around it is sort of funny unbelievable that no one has ever envisioned the brouhaha that would erupt once an old crotchety white guy by the name of Imus opened his mouth and uttered a derogatory set of racial words on his show. Just three words, directed at a women’s basketball team made him public enemy number one just about overnight. Can you imagine that. Was it just the fact that Imus uttered those nasty inappropriate words that caused all ensuing fuss? I think not, I think there was an awful lot of contributory inappropriateness that followed his unsuitable utterance.

Let’s see what else may have been inappropriate in the aftermath of Imus saying those words. First of all, the Rutgers’s University basketball team reacted in a way that was, in my opinion quite inappropriate; or at least that was how I believe their coach and the university reacted. There were press conferences and interviews galore, and the team’s coach was right there in a bunch of them. Sorry, but I have to say I think that was an overreaction to a comment and a commentator, neither of which deserved all the fuss. It would have been better, in my opinion, for the coach to have said she had no comment, or simply to have given a brief statement that the young ladies were shocked but that their lives would go on because they were above such triviality. After all, such a statement, coming from a guy like Imus, while being nasty and inappropriate, should still be just that in their lives – a triviality. It should be a triviality just as it is when a gangsta rapper calls black women nasty hos, and when they show scantily clad women in their videos, and the like. It should be just like it is when a black comedian throws out racial epithets at white people and the audience laughs at the joke. For some reason though it was not. Those cameras and lights came on, the microphones came out, and the coach and some team members got all fired up.

Of course, they had some help getting fired up. They had help from Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. These two men spout off about anything that they can to gain the attention of the cameras to rant anti-white sentiment, and pro-black sentiment. That is, as I see it, not right; and I know plenty of good black folks who think likewise about these two characters. Then there was the help from the media, and the help from the sponsors of Imus, and the help from other big blabber mouths looking to score points, and there were politicians (aren’t they the same) all making a stink about this. Then Snoop Dog came out and I believe he said it was basically okay for black men to say these words but not for a white man to say them. There was a lot of inappropriate reaction to something very trivial that was said by a nasty big mouth on the radio. What people seem to have forgotten is that is was all an act. Yes, just like those rappers, and just like those comedians I mentioned above, Imus is little more than a guy out to make a buck through his act, and he delivers that act on radio. It is certainly, or was, certainly a tasteless act at times, but we all – yellow, black, brown, red, white have allowed such humor to creep into our society. We should have just taken it at that, as bad humor, and left it at that. Better yet, Imus should never have said it, and no one should ever have invented the term ho in the first place, let alone the nappy headed thing.

People also seem to have forgotten another thing; that when a flea farts it can have far reaching and foul effects. Yes, I’d bet you were wondering when I would get back to the flea fart. You see, I believe that Imus saying those words were the equivalent to a flea fart. Most of the time that those words get uttered there is just about as much reaction from the masses, from the powers that be, from whatever, as if a flea had farted. In other words we would just ignore it, or maybe if we actually could hear a flea fart, we would just laugh, or shake our head and hold our noses and walk away from it. Of course we would do something to get rid of the flea, but we would not in essence drop a bomb on that flea or would we! Then again, maybe we would. Maybe we would use DDT or the likes. We did that once, it was a disaster; it killed a lot more than bugs, the nasty effects were far reaching indeed.

Imus spouting out those inappropriate words was much like a flea farting. Okay, you heard him, you realize there is a problem, you go about getting rid of him in a reasonable way. We did not do that. Instead, people overreacted, and this is where the far reaching effects of the flea fart, or use of words like ho, come to play. First of all, Imus was almost immediately labeled as a racist. In fact, Imus has proven time and time again that he is not a racist. Instead he is someone who goes across race to benefit children who are stricken by cancer; this includes all sorts of minority children including black children. Oh well, too bad, he has to live with his big mouth and the results. Of course so to do those who labeled him as a racist and screamed about it for days. You see those folks, in great part if not the main cause, helped to assure that Imus’ sponsors would remove themselves from association with him or his show. This had another effect, it had Imus get pulled from his television spot, I think which had been with MNBC. That then snowballed even further, as blabbermouths like the reverend Al Sharpton hollered about racism, and other sponsors dropped their sponsorship of the Imus show. As all this was happening the media frenzy spread out far and wide and more and more blabbermouths spoke out against Imus calling him a racist. Of course this resulted in several news interviews or conferences in which the coach and others were interviewed. All the while the heat went up on Imus, and the label of racist was being figuratively emblazoned upon his forehead. He wound up getting fired. His firing came swiftly, and somewhat unexpectedly because it came as Imus was doing a benefit to raise money for children, something he had done for years. His wife cancelled other appointments and responsibilities, and she took his place in the telethon. The thing is the effects of the word ho being created, of its common use in our culture, of Imus saying the nasty thing he said, of people making such an outrageous fuss over all of it, of the media causing a feeding frenzy, of guys like Al Sharpton pushing for getting Imus fired, did not stop when he was fired, and have not stopped yet.

Here are some of the far reaching effects of the flea fart that was Imus saying those 3 words:

The governor of New Jersey was in a place at a moment when an accident occurred that almost cost him his life, and because of which he will suffer the remainder of his life. How can that be do you wonder, well the governor was going to moderate the meeting between Imus and the Rutgers’s Woman’s basketball team during which Imus would apologize to them. The governor never made it. Whose fault is that. Well maybe he should have worn his seat belt, maybe his driver should not have been speeding (I am not saying he was but it is suspected he was speeding because of the amount of damage to the vehicle), maybe the other folks on the road should not have been there, maybe there should have never been a need for such a meeting, maybe the commotion over the nasty but trivial remarks should never have escalated to the point that they did escalate, maybe the coach and team should have ignored Imus, maybe Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and Snoop Dog and others should have kept their yaps shut, maybe Imus should have said nice things about the basketball team and never said those nasty words, maybe people should never have supported rappers by buying music with lyrics that included the word “ho”, and on an one.

Okay, enough for going backwards, lets stay in the recent past, the present, and also look at the very possible future. What else is going to happen that folks who were involved in this never even imagined before they started having big mouths and reacting without thinking of the consequences. Imus lost a job, and a salary, I imagine he was highly paid. CBS will have to find a replacement for Imus. He/she or they could be worse than Imus. CBS will lose up to 20 million dollars in money from sponsors, or so I read in a newspaper last night. Some at CBS may feel this pinch, and they may lose jobs. Sponsors have shown their hypocrisy in that they still sponsor events that include rappers using like words. Therefore sponsors may lose customers. This will all, sooner or later, probably have an effect on the economy and the stock market, a negative effect at that. No I am not saying there will be a market crash or anything, just a bad effect, and that could ripple out to effect other things. Another thing, something else the blabbermouths should have thought about before they started calling Imus a racist, instead of calling him a big mouthed callous radio show host, and before screaming for Imus’ firing, instead of just an appropriate apology and temporary suspension, was that Imus had throughout his career done a lot of good for people – and now he would likely be either unable to do or severely crippled in his ability to do so. Who will suffer because of that?

Well it will likely be the people whom Imus had benefited who will wind up being undeserving victims of this whole madhouse circus. Those people consisted mainly of children from what I understand. Children who were stricken with cancer, and as I said above who went across all racial lines. Children who did not stand much of a chance of a long life were included among them. It sickens me to think that because of an unthinking big mouth like Imus, and because of the overreaction of pompous self serving hypocrites, these children, and others, who were the benefactors of Imus’ generosity will suffer badly. What a shame that when the flea farted, some overreacted; and in destroying the flea they also have probably caused the imminent destruction of something in the world worth saving.

It is all really a shame. Sometimes you need to destroy fleas, as when they infest your pets or your house, or spread disease; and at other times you look at them as little more than a circus act (you have heard of a flea circus have you not); but you never have to look to exterminate all of them because they have their place in nature. So too did a nasty comic like Imus have his place, just as do the likes of nasty guys like Al Sharpton. The thing is, once you determine they have become a real pest to you, you really need to be careful as to what action you take. If it is a knee jerk reaction, as it was with Imus, then you will often not think of the consequences that will follow. In this case just a flea farting, but the effects of that foul wind could potentially be devastating to many. Hopefully, the next time a flea farts, people will react more appropriately, and not jeopardize the good in the world along with the bad.

All the best,
Glenn B

Yugoslavian SKS...

...rifles may soon be a commodity that are almost impossible to get from a dealer. Heck they are already scarce, with some dealers raising prices markedly, and others still holding old prices with only a few to sell. The news from the dealers is that there is a back order of them that are supposed to arrive sometime soon, and after that the SKS market will likely dry up.

Sadly for me, this news coincides with some extra expenses I have had lately (no begging being done). Yesterday I got hit for just over six hundred bucks for a car repair, I also bought some ammo in the last couple of weeks running into the hundreds of dollars (I certainly cannot bemoan the good deal I got, saving about $3 - $4 per box), and there have been some other larger than expected bills. Still though, I am thinking of trying to scrape together enough to buy an SKS before they go the way of the Buffalo, not gone forever, but very scarce. I was thinking of selling a rifle I have, in order to finance the purchase, but I think I would regret that later on, as I most always do when I sell a gun in a situation where I need the money. Instead, I think I'll brown bag lunch for awhile, cash in my change at the bank, and empty all of my pockets. If I get lucky, I'll be able to find enough for one of the Yugo SKS rifles over the next couple of days. If I do, I'll shop around on Monday, and maybe order one of them. Yes SKS rifles are a good enough deal to buy one even when low on funds.

The one thing about this that has me reluctant to say right out that I will order one for certain, is that the quality offered is VG/EXC, and I really wanted an EXC/NEW condition SKS. There can be quite a difference in one that is labelled as VG to one that is either EXC or like NEW. I know that from experience with buying three of them before. I kept the best and sold the other two. No way I can afford to do that now, I can only buy one, and am hoping it will be in at least EXC condition. I'll speak to the dealer on Monday. As luck would have it, good luck this time, my C&R license is still current, it expires in July. So, I can use it for this purchase. Hopefully I can fax it or email them a signed copy, I think BATFE allows that now.

If I do buy this rifle, I can tell you I will not shoot it much because chances are I will let my son use it almost exclusively. Then when he turns 18, I may give it to him as a gift (I have to check the legality of that, I think it is still legal even here in NY). He loves shooting my other SKS at the range, so I am pretty sure he would like one for himself.

The Yugo SKS is a good rifle. Very reliable from what I can tell with mine, and from what I have heard from others. of course there can be problems with rifles as old as these that come from military surplus, so that is why I advise buying one in at least EXC condition. If you do want one, now maybe the time to make the purchase, as my bet is that prices will be rising sharply. Of course, if some of the countries with these rifles in surplus ever decide to let more of them go, the market may again be flooded with them, but I sort of tend to doubt that is going to happen. The more of them they sell, the scarcer they get; there are only so many in the arsenals.

The 7.62x39 ammunition for the SKS has recently risen steeply in price too, so that is another concern. I have about 800 rounds or so in my stock, and that will last at least for a short while as shooting sessions go. I think the ammo cost went up, like many other things, due to gasoline prices (ammo is heavy to ship), and I think it went up because of the demand for that particular caliber in Afghanistan and Iraq. So I have heard anyhow. If I do buy another SKS, maybe I can talk my son into forking over some cash for me to buy some ammo for it. He is good like that.

Oh well, that's it for now. Remember be careful out there when you shoot. Remember the rules of firearms safety. Just in case you have forgotten any of them, you can go to the NRA's gun safety page to check up on them again.

Safe shooting,
Glenn B

Ouch, there goes the money for a new rifle...

...as I just got hit for $602.00 to fix my Ford Taurus. It was not all that many years ago that I could have bought a decent used car for that much. This is a big chunk of change coming out of my pocket right now. No, I am not begging for handouts, just moaning and groaning because while I work for a living I do have to point out that this is steep. They charge $95.00 per hour for labor at the dealership's service center. I guess someone has to get rich, and it isn't me! Too bad my local mechanic was not able to decipher the problem, I am certain it would have been at least $100, maybe even $200 less expensive at his shop. Oh well, life goes on, and no more Fords for me. I am pretty certain of that 'no more Fords for me' thing because there have been just way too many problems with this car since we drove it out of the dealership, brand new, about 11 or 12 years ago.

I guess maybe it is just about time to start looking for a new car; but I am hoping we can hold out until next year though, so I am also hoping that the Taurus will do likewise with no other breakdowns.

Maybe double ouch, I just (as I sit here typing) got a call from the dealership's service shop, my car is ready. Heck, I only called them about an hour and a half ago to okay them fixing it once they told me they had figured out the problem. I am almost willing to wager that they charge for more than two hours labor, but it would be a safe bet that I am not going to pay for more. Then again, who knows, maybe I will be happily surprised to find the final cost lower than they estimated. Yeah - right!

All the best,
Glenn B

Not unique, but there are not many...

...folks out there in the USA who have my name, at least according to some web site I just visited. Rita, at the Jungle Hut, had an interesting link to http://howmanyofme.com/ on her site. It was basically an icon showing that she was the only person with her particular name in the USA. There was a link on the icon, so I figured why not give it a try. My name is nowhere as unique as is hers, but it is on the less common side with only 18 people in the USA supposedly having the same name as me. I fell between Jesus Christ (6 people in the USA with that name) and Daniel Boone (with 354 people in the USA having that name). Try it for yourself by clicking on the below link:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 18 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Now don't take this too seriously, they readily admit that the accuracy of this thing falls between a Magic 8 Ball and taking 300 million surveys. I can say for sure it is not bang on because I just ran some family member names, and at least one aunt's name came up with zero people in the USA having that name. I just spoke to her the other day, so I imagine, unless she was recently abducted by aliens, it is not 100 percent accurate. Have fun with it.

All the best,
Glenn B

Walking In The Rain...

...has not always been one of my favorite things, although I will admit that it is not one of he worst things I have ever done. In fact my uncle used to love doing just that, or so he told me when I was a lad. Through a number of circumstances that were avoidable, but better not avoided, I wound up doing just that this morning.

I began the day by waking up much too early after working a late night shift last night. The reason for the early wake up was that the Ford Taurus was acting up and needed to go to the shop. Last time, before awakening, that I had looked outside was at about 1:ooAM, and it was overcast with the aroma of an imminent a spring rain in the air. This morning when I got up at about 7:30, it was pouring, and windy. Oh well, off to the Ford Dealer's Service Center. I was lucky that they were letting me bring it in today, having waited until the last minute to call them before my day off today. Yes this week I am working the weekend days, so today and tomorrow are my days off. The Taurus has been a pain lately, the service engine light coming on for a month or two, and my regular local mechanic unable to figure it out. Then in the last week it started stalling, so I figured maybe Ford could figure it better.

I dropped the car off and walked to the local Long Island Railroad Station, in Floral park, NY, through a downpour the likes I have not walked in in a long time. The wind had the rain coming down almost parallel to the ground at times, and my over sized umbrella did little good to keep my bottom half dry. Oh well, at least I had the umbrella that had been in the back of the Ford. usually I just tough it if out in the rain by putting on a cap and pulling my jacket collar tightly closed. As luck would have it, I had only a few minutes wait for the next train to Penn Station in New York City. I had a doctors appointment which I would have usually gone to right from work (I work in NYC), but today I had to trudge there from home. Normally I would have cancelled an appointment where my works days had been changed like this, but I recently missed and changed a few other appointments with the same doctor, so I figured I had best keep this one just to be courteous.

After about a half hour or 40 minute train ride, I was in midtown Manhattan. I walked from 34th Street and 7th Avenue north up Seventh Avenue. I stopped for a quick breakfast, then hit the pavement again looking for something to do until my appointment at 2PM. I had a few hours to kill, and walking in the rain for a few hours was not tops on my list. After a few minutes the thought hit me that I had not visited the main branch of the NY Public Library in years, so I headed up to 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. I figured the library would be a better place than most to spend some of my time today.

I have to tell you, the NY Public Library's main branch is an impressive institution. It covers at least one half of a city block from 5th Avenue toward Avenue of the Americas, and the whole city block between 41st and 42nd Streets. The architecture is pretty impressive, on both the outside and inside of the building. The ceilings inside are fabulously muraled and inletted and relieved with gilded scroll work and art work. The woodwork throughout the library is quite elegant and impressive. It is a nice place to walk around, inside or out (hopefully not in the pouring rain), while enjoying the building itself. There are also some exhibits on display that are worth seeing. One I stopped by was a display of Russian literary works, complete with marvelous illustrations. Another gave a history of the library itself. Of course, it is also a great place to come to relax and read a book or periodical, do research, do homework, use the Internet (yes they have quite a few PCs with free Internet access), and so forth.

Another thing you can do here, is sit down and type up a rant for your blog. There are few real distractions, maybe the pretty blond German lass (at least she is speaking German to her friend) sitting next to me is a bit of a distraction, but otherwise there are few. People are very reserved and quiet, as they should be in a library - something I do not often find in libraries on Long Island which are much more noisy than this one. This one though has the air of a real library about, none of those cheap plastic chairs and Formica table tops here, this is the real deal, so I guess people are more prone to act as they should act when here since the mood has been set by the decor of the place. In addition there are numerous security people, and librarians, whom I am pretty sure would tell you, politely, to quiet down if you got too loud, but I have not seen them need to do so in the more than one hour that I have been here.

Ah, there was one other slight distraction, but he just got up and left the PC on which he was surfing the Internet, which was at the table in front of me just off to my right. When I sat down, and looked around, I noticed he was watching porno movie clips, and I almost fell out of my chair. A young girl of about 12 years old (my guesstimate) was sitting directly next to me and he was right in front of her at the next table. Pretty disgusting, but guess that is the 1st Amendment at work, such are the protections under our Constitution as fought for by the likes of the American Civil Liberties Union. What a shame they at least do not have a separate area for such viewing away from where kids can see that stuff, but heck I guess they even allow kids to access it, I mean what would have prevented the child sitting next to me from going to that same site! Oh well, it is the only negative thing I have encountered here so far in my visit today.

Well maybe there is another negative, but that is subject in my view at this moment, because I only have 9 minutes of Internet access remaining. Once I got here, I had to apply for an Internet access card, free mind you, and I got it within about 5 minutes, with my photo on it and all. Then I went to the info desk where I registered for PC use, and got a number. I had to wait about 20 minutes, they got to use a PC for Internet access for 45 minutes. Yes I have been writing this for about 38 minutes already. Truth be told though, I guess that is a good deal - 45 minutes of free Internet access at a pop. Then I can sign up for another time slot if want. (My mistake, I found out later you can only get Internet access once a day at the library.) I just got a 6 minute warning window pop up on the screen, pretty considerate of the library to add that touch, so you know you may have to get finished soon and not lose work. I like it.

For now, I am going to finish up, I then will read a book for awhile; maybe Brahm Stoker's Snake's Pass.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Day Of Renewal...

...is what today wound up being at least for my soon to expire annual membership at the Westside Rifle & Pistol Range located in midtown Manhattan, and for my Collectors of Curios and Relics FFL license for another three years. As I look at it both of these are two worthwhile investments.

I have only used the FFL C&R license about 3 or 4 times to purchase firearms that were shipped directly to me instead of through a dealer. Still that made it well worth it, and well worth it to renew for a second renewal, at only $30 for three years. The renewal cost is about what it would cost me, at the low end, to have an FFL holder around where I live accept and transfer a rifle for me. I have had my eye on another Yugo SKS, and hope to buy one as soon as they become available once again at surplus dealers like Classic Arms, or Inter Ordnance.

As far as my range membership goes, I paid $100 for an annual membership renewal. I have heard from some people that they think said price is a ripoff. I actually think it a great deal for anything of that nature in the middle of New York City. I easily used said range at least once per month over the last year, and it was probably more like 15-20 times. Yes it works out to quite the bargain. Of course, the regular price is quite a bit higher, this is a discount price for LEOs, and one that I could not turn down.

While I was at the range earlier this afternoon to renew my membership, I also decided to get in some shooting. I didn't have all that long to shoot since I got there at about 2:15PM and had to work a 4x12 shift; but that little bit of shooting I did was also another thing that was well worth my ammo expenditure, the range membership fee, and my time. I only shot up about 300 rounds of 9MM thorough one of my Beretta 92Fs pistols, but I had a blast (pardon the pun). Besides just having fun, I shot about as good as I have in years, and all in all I wound off relieving a lot of stress. I almost always find my time at the range shooting to be very relaxing - something about the concentration, the complete focus on something I enjoy, that just seems to wipe away any stresses.

So no ranting about politics, world events, or other things for now, I am just too relaxed to bother with that stuff right now. I'll probably get back to the regular grind tomorrow, or later tonight if I have the time. Right now my break is just about over, back to work for me.

All the best,
Glenn B

Links to Interesting Bloggers...

...those whom I have found, to date, to be worthy of my time and effort to read them are listed on the right side of my page under the heading: Grumps, Geeks, and Geniuses - Bloggers All Worth A Read. Yes, of course, that link list is quite subjective, and is according to my own tastes. I think anyone I have placed into that link list has a good to excellent blog, is interesting (at least to me even if my ideals do not match with theirs), shows a certain amount of intelligence, and is worth a link. I list them in alphabetical order not to show any favoritism. I have my favorites, those I read everyday whether or not I have the time to spare, but who they are does not matter. if you read them, and wind up liking them, you will pick your own favorites.

The link list to other bloggers' sites keeps growing, albeit slowly but steadily nonetheless. In that way, as I expand my own horizons, I hope also to allow my readers to follow suit. Not to follow me by liking what I like, mind you, but to expand at their own speed down the often jumbled pathway of links as they see fit, or to blaze their own trail so to speak. One of the truly wonderful things about the Internet, especially the so called Bloggosphere, is the ability to link. Through links you can discover people's sites you would never otherwise have found on your own. Finding those sites will allow you to see ideas in writing you may not have otherwise seen. Yes, linking can be a good thing; and I try to supply links to sites I feel have quality content. Usually when you click on one of the links I have supplied, you will find that the site to which I have linked also links to a host of other sites. A wide number of pathways has opened up to you in the virtual world of the Bloggosphere.

Sometimes when you click on those other links, you wind up at sites where you realize you would rather not be. Other times, you wind up at places that seem full of interesting idea, be they in agreement or disagreement with your own. Sometimes you bookmark these sites, other times you link your own site to them, yet at other times you just wind passing through and not going back. If you choose to not revisit a site, such is your choice, based upon your own likes and dislikes; but be careful not miss opportunity. Before leaving a site behind forever, give at least a cursory look at the other sites to which it links. You may find a real gem hidden in the muck, bloggers do not always link to sites just like their own, and this is what keeps blogging links so interesting.

Another reason I link to sites, besides just finding them interesting or enjoyable, is to return a courtesy. If I have found that someone links to my site in their link roll (blog roll or whatever) I usually link right back to them. Of course I look over their site first, but as it seems if they link to me it is usually a site, if not of the same likes as mine, that is one that is interesting in a fairly civil manner. Some bloggers have apparently done likewise by linking to my blog, some have not for whatever reasons. I kind of wish some of the others to whom I link would return the courtesy, but who am I to say whom they should include on their link lists. Whether or not they return the courtesy to me, I find their blogs interesting and supply the links so you too can visit their sites to see if you find them likewise.

My hope is that you visit some of those linked sites, and that you at least find some of them of interest to you, and that through the links they and I have supplied, you will expand your own horizons and help others to do likewise.

All the best,
Glenn B

Easter

Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate, and a happy day to those of you who do not.

Me I'll be working 4x12 tonight, oh joy.

All the best,
Glenn B

I have been tagged...

...for of all things, the Thinking Blogger Award. Now there is something that made me stop, and think. First of all I thought about what it meant to be 'tagged', then what was exactly this Thinking Blogger Award, then why would someone want to give it to me, and what were the consequences. To find out more about the award I first visited the site of the person who 'tagged' me with it. That person would be Jen from over at Pen of Jen. Jen had sent me a few messages saying she had tagged me, and that I should check it out. I went directly her post @ "The Thinking Blogger Award" to see what all this fuss was about. Once there I saw that Jen had been 'tagged' by Rita (aka the Jungle Mom) from over at the Jungle Hut. I read on and saw that Jen had then posted 5 bloggers in her thread, all whom she thought were bloggers that made her think about things. I was the second blogger she mentioned, and she said some really nice things about me and my blog. I was truly surprised that anyone appreciated my blog so much; but there is a catch, albeit one that now makes me think.

The catch to all of this, and you probably have guessed it by now, is that I am now supposed to name 5 bloggers who are thinking bloggers that make me think. The rules for all of this, and the history of it, can be found at: Thinking Blogger Awards @ http://www.thethinkingblog.com/2007/02/thinking-blogger-awards_11.html. The rules are pretty simple, and in essence are: once 'tagged', and only if 'tagged' with the award, you are to write a post with the names of 5 blogs that make you think; then link your blog to the Thinking Bloggers Awards page so folks can get more info about it, and find out where the meme (whatever that may be, started). In a word: simple. In reality, not so simple. Which 5 blogs, written by bloggers who make me think, do I select. This should not be a real problem, most blogs I read make me think. I guess though it would be best to be somewhat selective and try to pick out the 5 that at least make me think a lot, if not the most. Okay, that is what I will try to do, and by the time I actually take this post out of 'draft' status and publish it, I will have selected 'tagged' them and posted them below. As to whether or not I will contact any of them to let them know that they have been tagged, nope I probably will not. If they come by my site, they will see I have done so; if not they may hear from someone else that I have done so. I don't have most of their email addresses, so I'll leave it at that. As to whether or not they will play along, who can tell. I am sort of surprised that I decided to continue with this, but I am doing that for Jen because she was nice enough to include me on her list.

Okay, here are my 'tagged' selections as bloggers/blogs that make me think:

1. The Other Side Of Kim by Kim du Toit - I read Kim's rants on a daily basis. I used to contribute to his sites, both the blog and his forums frequently, but he and his wife, and I had a disagreement (me with both of them) that we apparently have not gotten over yet; and I guess I am none to welcome to post there any longer. Of course that does not make his blog any less interesting to me, so I still read on. Good stuff is, after all, good stuff despite personal disagreements. It is one of the most interesting sites I have come across commenting on things like: current politics, world events, firearms, education, the arts, and popular culture; all with a fairly conservative view on most, but not all subjects.

2. DebbieSchlussel.com If Deb Schlussel does not get you to thinking with her blog, well I don't know if anyone can motivate you to think. She is right out there in the face of things that she finds a threat to our nation, be it terrorism, sloth or inadequacy in government, the pitfalls of the MSM; but she is also right there to praise the things that she sees as worthy of praise. She cuts no corners and holds no punches in her review of current events, government, politics, terrorism, the media, entertainment, illegal aliens and on and on. She is a blast of outright straight talk on all the issues she covers.

3. Pen Of Jen Yes I will throw a 'tag' right back at her, but not just as a pointless gesture of quid pro quo (did I get that right?), but rather because Jen's blog does make me think, and it makes me think about how others, who are somewhat different than me (nicer than me, and religious) think. Her sight is one that talks a lot about family values, morality, and current events. No she is not out and out preaching to anyone, but she also talks about religion in a way that makes me want to read what she has to say. Her blog is one of the more pleasant ones which I have come across, and besides that it makes me think.

4. An Englishman's Castle by an Englishman on the other side of the pond, who gives us the perspective, from over there, on world events, local events in the UK, events in the EU, and the diminishing rights of people in England. The site is a true wake up call for people over here in the USA; if we follow the scattered brain plans of the ultra-leftists, we will soon have the same problems they do in the UK. In that way this site provides us a warning of a clear and present danger; one that is already bringing down much of England's better points, and that may spread to our own shores if we allow liberalism to go unchecked. Yet the Englishman stands tall in his castle ready to speak out for what is good in his home country as well.

5. The Law Dog Files by LawDog. Another one that makes me think, this one about: current world and US events, politics, morality, family, doing the right thing, firearms, right versus wrong and so forth; with some movie reviews too. A nice well written blog to visit, and some of the posts set you to thinking about things which you may have overlooked recently.


Please don't forget, there are plenty of others that make me think, don't feel neglected if you were not included in my 5 picks, this was no easy task.

As for these 5 bloggers finding out they have been 'tagged', heck I don't know how to contact at least three of them. One that I do know how to contact probably would not read my email, or at least has not responded to my recent emails. So that leaves one I could tell about this. I think I will just let them find out about it in their own time if they ever decide to visit my site for a read, or if someone else sees this post and tells them about it. Then they can decide if they want to play along or not.

All the best,
Glenn B

Rap Music I Can Tolerate, and Maybe Even Enjoy!

I am not, or at least never was a fan of Rap music or Hip-Hop. My son listens to it frequently, I let him so long as I do not hear it calling for rape, pillage or plunder. As for me, I just don't like it; so if my son and I travel in our one car with the CD player (our other car only has a tape player) we listen to one another's favored CDs. Therefore my son knows the words to a bunch of Johnny Cash songs, and a bunch of 60's and 70's rock and roll, etc. I still do not know the words to Rap music songs, I kind of zone out to it, most of the time, when he plays that stuff. Yet, if more Rap songs (or would it be Hip-Hop) had lyrics like the one I just listened to thanks to a link courtesy of Random Nuclear Strikes; maybe I would have been a fan of listened to such music on rare occasion, and paid attention. A link to the song in question, No Holds Barred, can be found in this post at RNS @ http://www.softgreenglow.com/wp/?p=3635. I feel for the armed burgular, or other bad guy who wishes to harm someone, who breaks into that rapper's castle; not that I feel bad mind you, it is rather the warm gushy feeling of content the feeling of knowing justice has probably been done. Best regards, Glenn B

NYCTF...

...turned out to be a no go for me. I got the news today. Silly me, I had thought maybe I would get it. Made me feel pretty miserable to lose this opportunity, but life goes on. Yet for a time, it will be ever so much more difficult after this blow. I guess I'll be stuck in my current job about another year or so before I can retire, and that means Monday mornings will continue to stink big time. Oh well, one hope smashed, another yet to be born and worked upon.

All the best,
Glenn B

Easter Weekend

Happy Easter Weekend to those of you who celebrate it, and also to those of you who do not.

Happy Passover Wishes..

Whoops, late again with holiday wishes. Oh well!

Happy Passover to all of you who celebrate it, and even to those of you who do not.

All the best,
Glenn B

American Boobs...

...have somehow risen to the point of being spokespeople for the far left, and far right in this country, although I will admit the most prominent and loud mouthed examples seem, to me, to be on the far left. I had not planned on writing a rant on this subject tonight, but I just read this piece: Rosie says that the Muslims are What? was just over at the Pen Of Jen. While some of Jen's readers commented on Muslim versus Christian values, I felt it appropriate to comment on Rosie O and her type.

My comment was as follows:

"Rosie O is, in my opinion, a worthless boob. She is, as I see her, an audacious blabbermouth only because no one would pay her any mind if she were not exactly that. That is because she seems to lack talent in any other regard. Yes that means she does have talent, if you will excuse me for calling being an audacious blabbermouth talent.

Too bad so many in the USA have come to find her type not only amusing but somehow see her type as intelligent, enlightening, or great. I guess it goes to show that a great many people are easily swayed in their views by those I believe to be little more than boisterous air heads. It does not say much for those of them who find this type entertaining, but them again, this is reflected in the culture of an America that has established the following as hallmarks of American Greatness: American Idol, Judge Judy, Reality TV "starring" Victoria Gotti, MTV, BET, and so forth.

As for me, I'll take 'Leave It To Beaver' or 'Good Times' reruns over any of them. I don't see my preferred type of show as being a hallmark of greatness, but rather as being the type of show that reflects upon the values of good family life. I much prefer a show like that to anything in which Rosie O. would likely be ever to appear."

That is, of course, just my opinion as one man; but my guess is others feel likewise.

All the best,
Glenn B