Today In History - Armistice Day,...

...or as we now call it, Veterans' Day was born. The event that brought about this day as a holiday was the end of the war between Germany and the rest of the world; and yes I do mean the end of World War I. The date was celebrated as Armistice Day between World Wars I and II . After WWII, it became a remembrance of the veterans of both wars. It was not until 1954 that this day became known as Veteran's Day in the U.S.A.; a holiday to honor the veterans of all wars in which the U.S.A. was a combatant.

This info is from: The Library of Congress @

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/today.html.

More info on the day can be found at said address.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Salute To Our Veterans...

...may blessings be upon each and everyone of you who has served our nation honorably and faithfully in the military service during time of war. This is a day to honor all U.S. veterans of War whether they have fallen on the battlefield, returned home and fallen to old age or other malady, or are still among us having returned home suffering injury or illness, returned home in good health, or are still on foreign shores whether it be in battle or not. You are in my thoughts and well wishes; and I hope beyond hope that all of you who are far from home return to your homes healthy and in good spirits. you are the defenders of America and her people and for that you deserve our thanks.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Firearm's Shopping Odyssey...

...was not what I had expected when I awakened yesterday to a cool, almost cold, Fall morning. What I had expected was that I would go out and buy a new rifle - most likely either a Savage 111 or a Mossberg 100 ATR. I had the cash in pocket, although I was going to use Amex, and then put the cash into the checking account to make sure it was there when the card account came due. I kind of like the warranty American Express gives you when you buy with their card. I digress, back to gun hunting.


It was a pretty fine Saturday morning, crisp air, clearing skies, and a good day to drive around to look for the rifle I wanted to buy. I set out in the trusty Toyota because I knew I would be covering a few more miles than I had at first expected to during my search, and the little Corolla sure sips the gas as compared to our Ford Taurus. I was figuring on going to Walmart and then to Dick's Sporting Goods if I could not find the right deal at Walmart. I took the time to go Walmart's website, and then call all the stores fairly close to me to see if they sold firearms. Not one within a reasonable distance sold firearms. They did, I was told, sell them at the Wally World in Middle Island, New York. The Walmart at that location is 41.87 miles from my house according to Map Quest, the closest Wally World to my home on Long Island that sells firearms. Now that distance may not seem like all that much to drive to someone who lives in a less populated area than just outside of NYC. I mean what would it take with a 65mph or 70mph speed limit and open roads; probably less than 41.87 minutes. Around here that drive would probably take over an hour, and as it turned out with yesterday's traffic it would have taken me closer to two hours. Lots of Veterans' Day sale seekers on the roads is all I can imagine as the mall parking lots were full to capacity.


I started out en route to the furthest destination first, the Middle Island Walmart. Almost as soon as I got on a large road I hit traffic. I quickly surmised that it would take forever to get to Walmart so I decided to first stop at Dicks which is only about 1.5 miles from my house. This Dick's is in with the Roosevelt Field Mall. It is a pretty big mall with lots of parking, yet I had to park about 1/6 to 1/4 of a mile away from the entrance due to the number of cars there. I guess there had to be Veterans' Day sales going on and folks were shopping for Christmas already - me sure I get some done early too, but I get a lot, if not most of it, of it done on Christmas Eve. Well anyway, I made for the firearm's counter in Dicks up in their Hunting area. There were a couple of people being helped and only one other guy waiting to be helped besides me. In about 5 minutes or so, I was looking at a Savage Model 11FCXP3 in .30-06. It was an okay rifle, but it did not have the Accu-Trigger, and I had been told by a store clerk, over the phone, that it had said trigger. Oh well, off to Walmart.


As I began to drive east toward Walmart, I remembered a Sports Authority nearby, maybe just another 1/2 mile or so from Dick's. Of course, I stopped there before going to Walmart. That short drive about 1/2 of a mile took me about 20 minutes. The amount of traffic was mind boggling, but not as mind boggling as were the number of assholes poor drivers who did not know there right from left or how to stop at a light before blocking an intersection. My daily commute in rush hour traffic is usually never even close to as bad as was this. Well once in the Sport's Authority lot I parked and spied the local Walmart. I figured why not stop there and double check to see if maybe somehow they sold firearms. Heck they did not even sell hunting supplies, and they used to in the past. A clerk got uppity when i asked why not, so I just left and walked over a store or two to the Sports Authority.


Well off to Sports Authority where I headed right to their firearms counter hidden away in the back of the store. It used to be in the center left side of the store, but I guess political correctness mandates they hide it. Lo and behold they had a small numbers of, yet decent variety of rifles, most on sale. I saw a Remington 700 (or something close to that), a couple of Winchester bolties (I could not read the model number), a few savages with scope combo (some with wood, others with synthetic stocks), and a Ruger 77 (unknown caliber). The Savages were all about $420 with the scope. I imagine they had the accu-triggers, since the price was so much higher than at Dick's. The Remington and Winchesters were priced close to those. The Ruger was a mere $440, about $200 off the regular price. I was intrigued. I guess that about 10 minutes went by of my looking at guns over the counter. Not a sales person in sight during that time.

I went to the customer service desk at Sports Authority and asked for help in the firearms department. They paged a sales clerk. I waited at the firearms' counter, 1 minute, 2, then 5, then 10, then about 15. No one showed up to assist me. I caught a passing sales manager and asked for assistance. Again I soon heard a page for a sales clerk to go to firearms. No one showed up, and after about another 5 or 10 minutes, I saw a clerk in a nearby section. I asked him for help. He told me he will not assist in firearms. He did not tell me=it is not his department, or that he is not authorized behind the firearms counter, but that he "will not" help me with firearms. Since my blood pressure medicine was never meat to control a nuclear blast of blood rushing to one's brain, I quickly left the store before I imploded then exploded in a rage of red tinged rhetoric and invective aimed at the clerk.

What was left except for Walmart in Middle Island. Well there was Costco, and I had to do some shopping there for household stuff. I stopped there next and put up with the other maniacs customers who dare to shop there on a weekend. It was a mob scene though i must admit, by some quirk of luck I got to the checkout and had only one guy on line in front of me. great timing. I was in and out of there in about 1/2 hour, a new speed record for me at Costcos. Then I made a quick stop at Home Depot, close to Costco. I am plastering and painting my daughter's old room (my son's new room), so I had to pick up several things there. That was another quick stop, and Home depot was all but empty. I guess those Veteran's Day sales at the malls were just to alluring to most to have them do any work over the three day weekend.

When I left Home depot, I was not looking forward to the drive through lots of traffic to get to Walmart. I figured it would take me well over an hour to get there with the roads as congested as they were. Then I had a momentary attack of my brain working to its near best. I decided to call the middle Island Walmart to see if they actually had the rifles in which I was interested. I was told, nope, none of them in stock, only Remingtons right now in .30-06 or .308. I asked if I could order them. The sales clerk said sure, and it would only take a few days for them to arrive. He would order one of each of the savage and Mossberg and then I could see them and decide. Great, I was making progress or so I thought. I told him which I wanted and said I would be there next Saturday. The clerk hesitated, hemmed, hawed, and then blurted out that Saturday was not good. He then explained to me that they only sell firearms Monday through Friday. Furthermore he said I would have to be there by 6PM, so that the paperwork and sale could be completed by 7PM. When I asked why the store closed that early, he said the store did not close so early, but that management required the sale to be completed by 7PM. I guess that sort of means that if you work in NYC like me, you have little chance of getting to Walmart in middle Island to buy a firearm unless you can get a weekday off. I wondered, hmm, is that due to some political chicanery by NYC's Mayor Bloomberg. Nah, couldn't be could it! That blood in my arteries was beginning to percolate, and I sensed it would soon erupt into a massively over pressured flow to my brain, so I politely said forget about it and hung up.

I figured I would go to a local gun store today, Sunday, and check their usually over inflated prices hoping for a Veterans' Day sale. As it stands no rifle will be bought this weekend I started my plastering work in the son's room - he is at work today but will help tomorrow since he has the day off from school. Then I will go to visit my mom in the hospital. Seems she may have had a mini stroke, or at least a very high blood pressure incident and had to be hospitalized yesterday. She is okay now, and I wonder if her blood pressure somehow went up in sympathy with my own. She lives with my sister so she is in good care, but I'll have to drive out there this afternoon after I finish more plastering. That drive is about 80 miles each way, but of course I have to, and want to, make that one.

I am taking a break right now from plastering, and getting this piece done. More plastering tomorrow, and hopefully a coat of primer sealer before Monday is over. Then a coat or two of paint during the week or the week after. I had planned to be hunting this week and next, but I guess other things that take priority need to be done. I have to paint, have to visit my mom, and will have to visit my brother next week when he goes into the hospital for a lung operation (probably cancer). I will get some hunting in there, next weekend, and the weekend after Turkey Day. Brendan will join me that second weekend, but I guess he will jot be shooting a brand new bolt action hunting rifle, that is unless I find the time to find one sometime this week. Right now, I may have a drink, since my wife is complaining about plaster dust on the upstairs hall floor. I wonder what she expected since I was, and will be plastering. There goes that blood rush again, maybe a drink is not such a good idea right now. Oh what the heck, cheers.

All the best,
Glenn B

On Living and Verbosity Versus Practicality

Verbosity does not an extraordinary or awesome personage make. A person who can utter words with long-windedness beyond the scope of another man, or who can write without ever running the inkwell dry, is not for all intents and purposes the wiser, nobler or better man. Rather, he is quite possibly, through juxtaposition of an outlet for his over usage of vocabulary and his use of another's thoughts, one who can fool the feeble-minded into adoration of his self because of a false perception that he holds a vast wealth of knowledge. Should such a man actually possess an abundance of book knowledge, and at the same time be able to spew forth such with a certain lilt of the tongue, there is no proof therein that such a man has ever in his life, not even once, experienced any practical aspect of that about which he speaks. While the benefit of good vocabulary and a flowing pen is not to be belittled, the pen is mightier than the sword only in the mind of a man who has not experienced what life has to offer.

It is the doer of deeds who knows of what he speaks when he orates or writes based upon his life's experiences rather than basing his words upon knowledge gained only from a book or from second hand sources. This is the man who has lived a life about which it is worth telling tales. This is the man to whom I would lend my ear. This is the man whose words I would read with eagerness. This is the is the man who's opinion I might value so long as it is within the values that I cherish. This is the man with whom I could join in life's daily celebration. This is the man whom I would choose as a friend. This is the man who I would see as an equal, or even as a superior and possibly as a leader. This is a man who has tasted life and its overabundance of gritty soil along with its fleeting moments of joy and worthy accomplishment. This is a man among men, a truly noble being. This is the company I prefer, and this is what I have striven to become. How do you live your life, by word of mouth or by course of action?

Whether or not I have achieved the goal(s) I have set for myself, or whether or not you have achieved yours, will not be determined by mere self examination. Self examination, while of great importance in guiding us throughout our lifetimes is all to often marred by shameless self pity, pomposity, narcissism, and the ambition to reach a certain desired end. Therefore, any lasting and worthy examination of our lives, and any value derived from our living them, must, in the long term, be made given credence by someone other than ourselves. This is true whether or not such comes about within our lifetime, and whether or not we as a particular persons are even remembered for having lived as we did. In the end our names, and our achievements, are usually forgotten over the long term. It matters not that we are either remembered or forgotten, but instead that we have through practical example imparted to another our experience and values so that at least one other person will carry on in our stead upon our having parting from the world. Should that one other person influence just one other soul, who then in turn does likewise, we may well have contributed to a chain that can last throughout eternity. Can you, even for a moment, fathom the import of having done such? Live life as best you can, live it as person who can, and who will, make a difference for the betterment of mankind. Even though your words be important, base your life not merely upon words, but upon the deeds you have performed, the tasks you have completed, the trials you have withstood, the good you have done. While your life's works might not make a noticeable difference during your lifetime, they may make all the difference in the world somewhere far down the road, even if your footfalls have long since been heard by anyone traveling along the same path as did you.

All the best,
Glenn B

Here is Why I Like The High Road...

...just see the link to figure it out. I recently posted a poll and a post about my wanting to buy a Savage or Mossberg Rifle, and while I got one comment on my blog, I got a few more from folks over at the High Road in my post there on the same topic. All of them courteous, all of them helpful to one extent or another. The High Road, or THR as to which it is commonly referred, is one of the nicer, cleaner (family style), firearms related websites/forums you will find on the Internet. If you are at all into firearms, shooting, collecting, shooting sports like hunting, sporting clays, trap, skeet, and so forth, why not stop by The High Road and register (its free) and join we other high roaders.

All the best,
Glenn B

Political Correctness Is Crazy...

...and I am not even talking about the 8th grader who was suspended for hugging another kid - this is closer to home. Today I stopped in Home Depot to buy a razor knife/window scraper. One of the flat ones where when you push it out, the whole blade of a straight edged razor blade is exposed. I needed it to remove the inspection and registration stickers in my car, and they come in handy around the house. I had to ask a HD clerk to open a locker for me to remove this item. Before she would even open the lock, she looked at me straight faced, and said I had to show her photo identification. You don't need to show identification in order to vote because that could be racist, but you need to show it to buy a piece of junk like this!

I asked why I had to show ID, and she said, still straight faced, that she needed to see that I was 18 or older. I asked if she was kidding, she said no, and told me she could not give me the item if I did not comply. I showed her my driver's license with my finger over my personal info. She got to see my picture, then gave me the item. I guess to her all that mattered is that I showed her something that looked like ID.

As for having to show ID in the first place, I am no youngster so I was flabbergasted. Was it she could not tell that I was older than 18 because she thought I was that good looking, or she was that desperate? I don't think so, and when I suggested that to her she just smirked. Was it that the gray in my beard, and the crows feet around my eyes, were not dead giveaways that I was a tad older than 18. Or was it just that the ultra insane uber leftist control freak laws are out and out ridiculous; or maybe it is just Home Depot management acting like a horse's arse and requiring this policy of customers. Hell, I have not even been to a bar where they have carded me in many a year, not a liquor store either, that I can remember, so this was some surprise.

Oh well life goes on, but I can only hope that stuff like this does not spread and instead lessens to the point where it disappears; and that is one of the reasons I voted as I did today. As for the razor knife/window scraper, I was also amazed, it was marked "Made in the USA". At least someone is still doing something right in this country.

All the best,
Glenn B

Have You Done Your Duty As A Citizen Today?

I did mine, or at least part of mine. I went to my local polling place this morning, before work, and I voted. I sort of voted along party lines this year. I am a registered Republican, and I voted straight Republican, for all the candidates listed only as Republicans on the ballot. If they were listed as Conservative and Republican, then I voted for them as a Conservative. I am hoping it sends a message to the Republican party. I also decided not to vote for one candidate because he was listed as the candidate for the Democrats, the Republicans, and the Conservatives. That multiple party stuff, when it goes totally across the lines into another party with totally different values than mine, just does not wash with me. I could vote for, and on rare occasion have voted for, a Democrat or third parity candidate (and each time it turned out to be a mistake even though they seemed right during the election), but I will not vote for one who splits his loyalty among parties that are opposed to one another.

All the best,
Glenn B

Rifle Poll

I have been hemming and hawing about buying a new gun for several months now, and as usual I am the great procrastinator; and besides that I have not had the cash. I still do not have the cash, but we paid off our credit card bills in full last month, so maybe she who must be adored will let me put a rifle on plastic. Dick's Sporting goods has a sale on Savage 111 rifle combos, the rifle with a scope for about $320; and Walmart has a sale on Mossberg 100 ATRs with a scope for about $315. I am thinking of really trying to get one of these before the end of the week. I have heard good and bad about both, mostly good about both. What I am asking my readers is to help me out and take my poll over on the right sidebar, at the top. Of course if you want leave your reasoning for your choice here too. Please do this if you know anything plus or minus about either of these rifles. I am hopeful that some of my readers who are dyed in the wool shootists will help out on this one.

By the way, I am kind of leaning toward the Savage in 30/06 right now.

Thanks.
All the best,
Glenn B

Fall Has Befallen Us...

...along with about a ton of leaves. It was pretty warm out today, low 50's, and I had intended on finishing our front door and door frame, then I heard my wife sweeping leaves on our side patio. Oh-oh I thought, I had better get my arse in gear and get the rest of the leaves cleaned up since it had not been done in way too long. I had wanted my son to do it for a few weeks now, but I will admit he works on Sundays, and has been busy at least 4 hours each Saturday in school with SAT preparation and I had let him slide thinking I would do it. Then it was one delay after another. So I figured what the heck, I had better do it, and his turn starts next weekend. So I grabbed my trusty Toro electric leaf blower, and got to ot. I started at 1125, and was gung-ho to get it done, and man oh man after 3 weeks it sure needed it. When I was done, and mind you I only cleaned up the front yard and along the sides of my house, on our very small lot (40x100 I think), I looked at the clock and I had been at it non-stop for 2 hours and 25 minutes. Wow, where did the time go on such a small lot. I guess most of the time went to my using the vacuum function on the leaf blower to pick up virtually all the leaves once I had blown them into 4 nice sized piles. It sort of takes forever using that, and it would have been much quicker just picking them up and putting them in a trash bag, but I like to have them chewed up by the blower/vacuum before I bag em, and the Toro does that pretty well. Uses more electricity, saves on plastic bags - a standoff maybe, then again maybe not. I figure I could have chopped of an hour on my time had I just scooped em up after I had blown em into piles. Oh well. If I decide to use any for my compost pile, and I am pretty sure I'll use at least one of the four 50 gallon bags full of leaf litter for the compost heap, at least it will have been chopped up and start to compost faster because of it. Yep, that was right, I filled four 50 gallon bags with leaves, and a few twigs, today - and out lots is only 40x100 and I did not even touch the back yard. The sad thing is, that the tree out in front of my house still has at least 75% of all its leaves; it usually drops them well after the other trees on the block are bare. I cannot wait, more fun, next time though watching my son do it. As for this time, I did a good enough job to have my wife compliment me on how nice the property looked after I was finished. That made the job worthwhile.

While I have some other odd jobs that need to be done, like the front door and door frame needing finishing, I think they can wait for a later time. Right now I need to clean up, then go out and buy a nice cake for my wife's birthday. It actually falls during this week, but we are having a special dinner today (she is cooking it), so I figured I'd at least buy a nice b'day cake for her. Then I think I'll take some time getting ready for hunting season, cleaning guns, cleaning hunting clothing, packing things so they are ready. Sure hunting season is still two weeks away, but I like to be able to grab and go, without having to pack the night before I leave.

All the best,
Glenn B

On Duane Dog Chapman and Musings on Language...

...and the freedom and liberty to use it, and the freedom and liberty to make a stupid, outlandish, or emotional statement now and again without anyone crucifying, classifying, or categorizing you as a racist or other type of bigot:

Kraut, dego, bitch, goat-roper, slut, porker, lib-tard, pig, asshole, chink, Mrs., freak, midget, string bean, beaner, gorilla, jerk, bimbo, gigolo, tard, looney, racist, wuss, nerd, ho, scrooge, rocket scientist, kike, RINO, ass kisser, hunk, tart, donkey, tonk, fuck, jerk-off, cunt, spic, frog, cowboy, honky, pimp, howlie, whitey, hamster, fag, carpet muncher, boy, masser, bastard, chrome dome, fatso, rag-head, gimp, dummy, choir-boy, pecker-wood, animal, wet-back, wop, nazi, polock, slope-head, cracker, fuck-off, dick-head, crazy, cheapo, jap, wasp, coon, queer, lush, alky, doper, scrote, sleaze, Nancy-boy, whore, whoremaster, cannuck, po-po, prick, neo-con, camel-jockey, demoncrat, blimp, are all words that can be used to degrade others. In fact they are all words often used to degrade certain kinds, or groups, of people. Yet when we say them, if we do, we do not always mean them to be derisive of a group, nor do we mean them as anything other than an outlet for anger. The same goes for the word nigger. Yet, I usually do not see a national, even international, furor whenever someone utters any of those other words. So why don't we all grow up, and the next time we hear someone say nigger (no you will not hear me call it the N-word here in this rant) why not just ignore the asshole who said it and get on with our lives. It is not the end of the world to speak it, to write it, to see it, to hear it; and it is ridiculous when some one's use of it in a personal conversation, causes an uproar if that person was out of character when he said it, or if that person's intent through use of the word was misconstrued by the mind police among us, or if that person was just an out and out lout (I mean what would you expect of him, so why get all riled up over the spewing forth of a lout).

Sure if using such a word defines a person's outlook about a group, such as the word nigger could show us a person's perception of a certain race, and that person is in a position of trust, or leadership, or something like celebrity, or even just your neighbor, then slam the person if you must. Remember though, just because someone says an insulting word, such use of a word was not necessarily definitive of what the person believes or practices on a regular basis. Saying a word like that is not necessarily a secret look into their soul, in fact it usually is not even a peek at what they truly believe but is often just an outburst of anger in which they are lashing out and trying to hurt someone whom they believe is trying to hurt them. Unless the person is a friggin saint they may never say something like one of those foul words or phrases, but bear in mind even some saints had their faults. So when a less than complimentary word is barfed out in a fit of anger, or if it comes out in some other way where it is just a momentary emotional thing like blowing off steam or frustration - why not let it ride - and judge the person who said it not just on his having said an offensive word on rare occasion, but rather on his actions and words over the long term. If you cannot respect a person for what he truly is, then how can you expect respect from him in return.

Duane Dog Chapman is a rough guy, yet he can be quite compassionate from what I have heard. So he said a nasty word, boo-hoo. He was not doing it to insult a whole race, he did it in a fit of anger while arguing with his son who then seemingly betrayed him (just pointing that out to show you how nasty a spat it must have been). So stop with all the BS already, and live your lives as you were before you heard about it. As for A&E - the honchos at A&E need to get a life, get real, and put him back on the air instead of suspending his show because of a personal argument he had with his son in which he used bad language. My heavens, what in Hades did you folks at A&E expect this guy to be - a friggin saint? Well it just ain't his way, and you knew that when you hired him on. You took on his show for ratings because he was a bad assed dude, now you want to drop him for the same reasons. In my opinion you are all just a bunch of snivelling, money grubbing hypocrites. As for Reverend Al, and Jesse J., please shut up before you even start on this one. Thanks, and Amen.

All the best,
Glenn B

On Immigrants: I Could Never Have Said It As Well...

...as did Theodore Roosevelt when he wrote his last message (yes his last message before he passed away). It was written to the president of the American Defense Society on January 3, 1919; Roosevelt died on January 6, 1919. Now, as then, these sentiments run true. They should be the basis for all of our immigration policies, and the basis for becoming a citizen; and natural born Americans should live by them also. There is no room in the United States of America for those who are other than, or who strive to become, nothing but an American.

Yes this is a repeat of something I posted a while back, but in my mind, it is well worth repeating.


"I cannot be with you and so all I can do is to wish you God speed. There must be no sagging back in the fight for Americanism merely because the war is over. There are plenty of persons who have already made the assertion that they believe the American people have a short memory and that they intend to revive all the foreign associations which most directly interfere with the complete Americanization of our people. Our principle in this matter should be absolutely simple. In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with every one else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American. If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn’t doing his part as an American. There can be no divided allegience here. Any man who says he is an American but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans,of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a pollyglot boarding house; and we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people."


All the best,
Glenn B

Too Bad He Apaprently Does Not Read My Blog...

...because his having done so may have saved him some holes in his legs, possibly being fired, and possibly being arrested. Texas Office Worker Accidentally Shoots Himself in Both Legs While Sitting at Desk tells the story of a 47 year old office worker, who reportedly shot himself through both legs with a .45 caliber bullet, from a gun that was in his jacket pocket, and the jacket was draped over his seat. When he sat down the gun went bang. Just another example of why you should heed the advice given here, and here. I'll admit I carry in a pocket sometimes myself, but rarely; and I do mean rarely, and usually if there is no other choice at the time. Then it is in an otherwise empty pocket, nothing there to hit the trigger; and I never leave a handgun in a jacket pocket when I take off the jacket. I mean it is just not safe if only because it is not under my immediate control, and besides that those little grinches, or goblins, or whatever they are can get in an unattended pocket and shoot you. Hopefully this guy will recover speedily and fully, and he will learn from his experience.

All the best,
Glenn B

Lack of Blogger Mojo...

...may be just what I have been experiencing over the past couple of days. Yesterday I was off from work for a medical test, got home about 2PM and fell asleep almost as soon as i got home. I woke up about 9PM or so. I owe a friend an apology because I did not meet him as planned for a get together at 7PM.

Then today, I got stuck at work until now. Yes still there, and just getting this typed before I head home. So I have not had a lot of energy or time to dedicate to my daily rant. Hopefully I will write something tonight, or tomorrow morning before I go to work.

My apologies to those of you who visited and found nothing new.

All the best,
Glenn B

GO NAVY

GO NAVY, GO NAVY, GO NAVY

If you don't know why I just typed in GO NAVY, see the previous post, and see the donation icon on the top right of my page.

All the best,

Glenn B

Supporting Our Military Personnel...

...is something I feel strongly about, and I think we should all do something for them. I was never in the military service, and I kind of regret that, so I try to help out now and then. Tonight, courtesy of the Grouchy Old Cripple I learned about a fundraiser that Soldier's Angels is holding. I already knew about Soldier's Angels because I am sort of an email pen pal to a soldier in Afghanistan, and I signed up for that through Soldier's Angels. (Hmm, just remembered I have not written to my assigned soldier pen pal in too long). They seem like a worthy organization, worthy of trust, so I think I will make a donation to their fund raiser. Not only will I do that, but I will also encourage my readers to do likewise. As I understand the donations go to buying voice activated lap top computers for those of our military personnel who were wounded (in action I suppose). Go here to read about the project, call Project Valour - IT . Once there you can click on the Valour IT Donations link on the left side of the Valour IT page under Programs, and it will tell you how to donate via Paypal, or you can just click the fancy link on the upper right side of my blog to donate. The link on my page is part of an annual fund raising competition at Soldier's Angels where you can decide to donate to a team made up of Army, Marines. Airf Force, or Navy/Coast Guard. My father and step-father were both in the navy, and a good friend of mine was in the Coast Guard, so I picked that icon for my page. To see more info about the icons, go to this link, or look for the link to it on the left side of the Valour IT Donations Page under the programs links list.

Whichever team you choose to which to donate, and however much of a donation you make, I think it will be worth it for our troops. Bear in mind, as I understand, this so called competition for donations is for fun, that is the competion thing between branches of the military. All of the donations, regardless of to which team you donated, eventually go toward the same general Valour-IT fund to get those laptops for our injured military people regardless of in which branch they served.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Scouting Report...

...is within order, since I spent at least part of two other posts writing about how I would go on a pre-hunt scouting trip this weekend. I did finally manage to get away yesterday. In the wee hours of the morning (and I do mean the wee hours) I went out to the shed and garage and packed up what I would need for a good day in the woods, and was off. I left my house at about 0320 (3:20 AM). The skies had cleared after a few days of rain, the stars were shining brightly, and the chill at that hour of the morning was not all that bad (I guess global warming is making it nicer for us older folks. Yes I am only 52 but I figure that is within the last 1/3 of my life so it makes me older, anyway the aches and pains I get prequalify me to call myself old).

I had a nice ride on roads that were fairly empty. I have to drive through part of Long Island, into part of NYC, and then onto the highway toward upstate. Having any of those roads without a lot of traffic is a good thing, and having them almost empty of cars is even better. I got to the first spot I would scout at about 0645. I made good time for the 190 mile trip, what with the stops for tolls, and with a short stop for gas and a bite to eat. When I got there my first thought was "Wow still kind of dark". Actually it was beginning to get light, but really was still 'kind of dark'. Funny how the shorter days sort of creep up on me once we get into the Fall and hunting season approaches. I think actual sunrise was about 0720 yesterday, up around that way.

As it was I got geared up and out into the woods by about 0700. When I say geared up, I do mean it. When I hunt, or scout, or hike, I go out into the field with a small pack that hold everything I will need to survive if I get stuck there by an emergency, let's say I break a leg, or I get lost, or whatever. I had 3 litres of water in my new Camelback Ranger pack, and along with that a decent supply of essentials. Included in y pack were: two full MREs, 2 bags of peanuts, a few other small snacks, a small first aid kit (one that I made not the prepackaged type, a compass, a signal whistle, a flashlight, extra batteries for the flashlight, glow sticks, matches, a fire starter candle, a magnesium bar fire starter, a good sheath knife (had another on my belt), rope, waxed dental floss (makes a good snare), extra gloves, extra wool socks, extra undies (one never knows), a fleece sweater, medicinal papers arse wipes, head net (comes in handy in a survival situation as a fish net to catch minnows and keeps away bugs, but my main use is for camo while scouting or hunting), deer scent, deer scent pads, deer call, and a few other things. Not much room as I could barely close the pack, but I managed to get it closed without tearing the zippers. Add to all that what I carried or fastened to the back of the pack and it was a bit of added weight, albeit in a somewhat tidy package. On my person I carried a set of rattling antlers (they mimic the sounds of bucks fighting and are used to attract deer), a sheath knife, a bow and arrows (and yes I have an archery stamp on my license). In my pockets I had: a couple of folding knives, a bottle of deer scent, gloves, a snack or two, and whatever else I had. By the way, while I ate a couple of snacks while out in the woods for a few hours, I do not eat em all; they really are for survival if I need them. Add to that the clothes I was wearing: hiking boots, thermal undies top and bottom, regular clothes, all topped off by a camo set of rain gear. This is a great way to exercise, in walking a few miles yesterday I probably lost 4 pounds because of the extra weight I toted.

Even though I carried the extra gear, which meant that extra weight, I got to walk through the woods fairly silently yesterday. The ground was still nice and damp from the good soaking it had received over the past few days. That is a good thing when looking for animals with as keen a sense of hearing as have Whitetail Deer. Besides the dampness of the leaf litter, I know a bit about how to stalk, and if I put my mind to it I can sometimes get amazingly close to wild animals. I have walked up to within 25 to 30 feet of a black bear, within about 15 feet of a Bobcat, about 15 feet from a flock of turkeys, and to with 5 feet of Whitetail Deer. Don't get me wrong, I am nothing special when it comes to this, and the norm is they get spooked and take off long before I even see them, but I have done these things, once with a bear, once with a bobcat, a few times with deer (only once to within as close as 5 feet with other times as close as about 15-20 feet, although once I had a deer walk right up to me and sniff my face from only inches away, and that I can tell you was exhilarating), and with turkeys twice. I just paid attention to all that hooey that I read in Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, and Sports Afield when I was a teenager. Some of it actually works. This weekend though it did not mater much what I seemed to do. I got skunked, no not as in getting sprayed but as in not seeing any game out in the woods except for a single Ruffed Grouse, and a few Gray Squirrels. I did get to see some deer sign, I found a couple of bedding areas that look to have been regularly used by deer. I also came across a few rubs, and more importantly across a few fresh scrapes. So I am hopeful I have located at least some trails that bucks are actively using. Hopefully at least one of them will still be around when the rifle season opens. Of course there are probably does using those trails too being it is now the early side of the rut; those bucks are not using those trails just to make scrapes, they are looking for mates and following doe trails by now. Either a buck or doe is fine by me for some good eating venison, but I am hopeful Brendan gets a decent buck for his first deer (yes I am being a bit confident that he will get a deer).

As it turned out, I had a nice walk around the woods and field edges, got some info on the whereabouts of the deer, and I had time to really enjoy the woods. I walked only a few miles at most in about 6 hours of walking because I walk slowly, very slowly with lots of stopping and waiting/looking, when I stalk or look for deer sign. While doing so you really get to appreciate all the sights, sounds and aromas that appease your senses if only you pay attention to them. I got to see a pretty good number of birds like chickadees, Crows, Blue Jays, and others I cannot name, and I also enjoyed the wide variety of mushrooms I saw (no eating them for me unless store bought, just too risky), and the leaves still left on the trees ranged from dull brown, to bright green, to vibrant yellow, to flaming red and orange. All in all it was a good day. Next weekend I intend to go to another spot, much closer to home, maybe only an hour and half to two hours away. That is the same spot we hunted last year, and there was plenty of deer sign there and I spotted about 5 of them when trying to drive some toward Brendan. of course, they went in the opposite direction, so no luck then. Instead of a bow though, I'll bring a rifle in .22LR, or a shotgun. The woods there are all hardwoods, mostly oaks, and there were lots of acorns last year. My guess is that squirrels and turkeys abound, and I'll be looking for the bushytails if I bring the 22, and for both if I bring the shotgun. A wild turkey sure would be nice for Thanksgiving.

All the best,
Glenn B

It was a long rainy day...

...and the skies that were supposed to have cleared up by about 2 this afternoon were still pouring down on me, and everyone else up this way till well after 4. So if you were wondering what I have been doing at my computer writing this for you to read, instead of me being upstate to scout for deer, well that is most of the reason why I am still home. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I mind getting wet or anything like that when I am out scouting or hunting deer. As a matter of fact I like to scout on rainy days, and on days that are overcast and damp. The thing is though, I had chores to do, and they too about 2 hours longer than expected. Then I had to head into the west side of Brooklyn to pick something up (yes another snake that someone was adopting out, and I had promised to pick up), then I made a stop in my old neighborhood (I guess I had already sort of decided to delay the scouting trip by then), then I got back home and it was later than I had thought. Later mostly because of weather-wise traffic delays that I had hit along the way, but I will admit my hour stopover in the old neighborhood added to the delay; but as I said by then I was pretty sure the scouting trip was off for today. So I decided that it might be better to wait until tomorrow if I am up early enough, and feeling feisty enough, to make a 3 1/2 to 4 hour trip there, and then scout, and then make the same trip back, all in one day. If I don't go tomorrow, I am making plans to go next weekend regardless of the weather conditions (within reason), and then I'll go on Friday evening so I get all day Saturday out in the woods.

I did find something out today though that perked me up while I stopped in the old neighborhood. I spoke to another guy I know who hunts, and he reminded me it is archery season already. I may drag out my bow for some practice this weekend (whether or not I get upstate), and then try for some venison next weekend. Chances are though, I'll just wait for the firearm's season since I have not had enough practice with the bow in all to long. of course, if I shoot it like Robin hood tomorrow, who knows.

Oh well, there is always tomorrow or next week; but certainly not much time after that.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - The Shootout At The OK Corral

Yep it was on October 26 in the year 1881 that this famous shootout took place. The story has been told, retold, written up in newspapers, in pulp magazines, in novels telling tales of the west, and on the silver screen again and again and again. So I am not going to tell you about it again. Let it just suffice to say that this was not a pace down the street toward each other, then slap leather, draw and fire television cowboy gunfight. Nope, it was the real thing, down and dirty, and fought by hard men willing to kill one another. In the end the lawmen prevailed.

I will add this: Many years ago, in 1991, I was on a temporary assignment in Tucson, Arizona. Late one Saturday morning when I was off, I decided to take a ride to no place in particular. Driving around the desert back then was nice, mostly because the area between Tucson and Tombstone was virtually empty of houses. When I saw the sign for Tombstone, I got sort of a chill, don't know why. Then I thought it might be nice to go to Tombstone and have a shot of Tequila where the Earp brothers, and Doc Holiday had drank whatever it was they drank. I figured it would be nice to make a toast to them in one of their stomping grounds. It was not an overwhelming urge to have a drink, not even much of an urge for that; but it was a might powerful urge to visit Tombstone in their honor. So off to Tombstone I turned. As I got nearer and nearer, I kept getting the overwhelming feeling that my visit there would be something special; and believe me I do not usually get any sort of special feelings like that, nor do I believe in any of that heebie jeebie hoopla.

I soon arrived in Tombstone, and I parked my car on a back street right away. Then I got out and walked to the main street, and headed toward the main part of town - yes I had been there a few times before and knew the way. As I was making my way up the street, two guys start yelling at each other, then start a shoving match. I stood back and watched, and hoped it would stay at the level it was and not elevate. Suddenly one of the guys pulls out a gun and starts shooting the other guy. No show going on, no one else watching except me and a couple of other tourists. I figured oh shit this is it and I started to make my move behind cover, and started to go for the hip, and was about to say "police don't move" when the guy who was 'shot' started laughing like a hyena. One of these guys had on western garb (but not like for a show, just the hat, boots, jeans, and the other guy looked more like a regular Joe. Neither one of them ever realized how close I came to possibly shooting the shooter. A split second more of that guy playing dying/dead and my pistol quite possibly would have been out, and pointed at the 'bad' guy. What would have happened after that had he not obeyed commands might have resembled the results of that long ago day at the OK Corral. Lucky for me it was not my day to have a 'shootout'.

As it turned out, I headed over to my car, took my pistol apart, locked part of it to the frame of my car with a chain. Figured it was better not to be armed at the bar. Then I went back to the main street and headed to the Crystal Palace Saloon (as I said I had been there before and knew the way). Then I had a Tequila and a large beer. It was very refreshing, and a nice diversion from what could have taken place a few minutes earlier. As I drank, I tipped each glass to those hard men from bygone years. As I was enjoying my beer, I was extremely surprised to learn from the bartender that the particular day I was there was the 110th anniversary of the Shootout at the OK Corral! I decided to have another Tequila and beer, then I wasted spent a couple of hours walking around town and watching a reenactment of the shootout. Guess who played one of the Clanton Gang in the show. Yep you guessed it - the guy who did the fake shooting when I had arrived in town. How ironic it would have been for him had he wound up like they did on that particular day. I was, and still am, quite thankful I never had to take any further action other than I going to get a beer and a shot, and enjoy my day like any other tourist.

All the best,
Glenn B

Finally a Weekend For Some Scouting...

...deer scouting that is. I'll be leaving early tomorrow afternoon (yeah I have chores in the morning). I'll be heading up to around Windsor, NY, come rain or shine, to check on a few places I have hunted before. No luck previously at those spots, but I did have what was about an 8 point buck follow me out of the woods one evening as I left my stand. I guess I should correct my statement about no luck to just bad luck so far at these spots. They are on public land though, and I do not have the luxury of an uncle who owns a farm any longer. Nope I did not lose the uncle, but he sold the farm. I will try the lady who currently owns said farm, and I'll ask her for permission to hunt there this year. Maybe that will do the trick for some venison this year, that farm always has nice deer on it.

Hopefully I'll get a few nice pics of some deer up that way. It would be nice to have something to keep my son fired up over the prospects of this year's hunt. If I do get some pics, I'll post em here on Sunday or Monday.

As for Saturday and Sunday, I am afraid there will be little or no posting by me.

All the best,
Glenn B

Balleye's Firearms Training & Tactics - Spare Handgun Ammunition

Okay, you have decided to arm yourself with a handgun for self defense, and have obtained a permit if needed. You have purchased and possess one legally - good for you. You have decided on how you will carry it. It is loaded at the ready, on your person, in a holster. You know how to shoot; and are even pretty good at it. So you think you are ready for just about anything. Well if you are not carrying spare ammunition with you, you are quite possibly dead wrong.

There are plenty of gun folks out there who say you don't need extra ammunition. They are usually the macho, all knowing types, the gun gurus. They believe that if you cannot hit that at which are shooting with whatever ammo you have in your gun at any given moment, you may as well forget about having a gun in the first place. That is pretty much abject nonsense. The truth of the matter is that you should always carry spare ammunition if you are carrying a handgun for self defense. There are many reasons for this, some of them being: the probability of multiple attackers in any threatening situation, the possibility of of the bad guy taking multiple hits (even many hits) and the threat not stopping, the chances of having a weapon malfunction that requires you to tap, rack and reload (with a semi-auto), the possibility of you dropping the ammo in your weapon by mistake, and the good old pucker factor making it probable that you will miss more times than you hit your target. Yes folks that good old sphincter muscle tightening itself up, when you are literally just about scared shitless, in order to prevent dirty draws can make you miss. So yes you should carry extra or spare ammunition with you whenever you carry your handgun.

If you agree to that last line above, then it begs the questions: how much spare ammunition should I carry, and how should I carry it. The bare minimum amount of spare ammunition to carry is a practical full reload for each handgun you are carrying. That is a pretty simple formula, but I go beyond that. For example, I usually carry my issued Glock model 19. Fully loaded (as is the way I am required by my job to carry it) it holds 16 rounds of ammunition. By the bare minimum rule of spare ammo, I would then carry a single spare magazine. That is what most of my colleagues at work will do during a normal day. When they go out on a high risk operation such as execution of an arrest warrant they usually carry more spares. I, on the other hand, always carry at least two spare magazines. Why? Well for the reasons I mentioned above, and because if I ever have to reload in a defense situation, I may drop a mag as I try to reload and not be able to retrieve it. Remember that such a situation is one fraught with intensely high stress. If you are using your pistol or revolver to legally defend yourself, your are being threatened with serious bodily injury or death. That is some scary stuff, and when you are scared you maybe shaking or trembling, may start blubbering or crying, may wet your pants, may dirty your draws, and low and behold may even drop your spare ammo while trying to reload. All this stuff not only can happen, it has happened to people in life threatening situations before, and will happen again. That is why I carry at least one beyond a single spare magazine. Sometimes, on certain assignments, I have carried up to 5 or 6 spare magazines, although I think that might be a bit much, let's say overkill, for day to day carry for CCW. I do think though that carrying two spare reloads for your handgun is prudent in everyday carry situations.

That said, you should now be wondering how to carry your spare ammunition. I can tell you one way not to carry it. Do not carry it loose in a pocket. You might think this sounds like ridiculous advice, and you may wonder who on earth would carry like that, but the fact is that too many people do it. It is common among folks who carry revolvers, yet it is a killer, usually of you if you need to reload quickly. If you carry a revolver, I think you should carry spare ammunition in speed loaders, and that the speed loaders should be carried in a speed loader pouch on your belt, and that the puch should have a flap with snap closure over each speedloader. Some people carry in a purse, or in a pocket so as to better conceal a firearm. Then they tend to carry their ammo in the same manner. If you read my earlier piece about holsters, you know I shun such carry methods for handguns; now I am telling you I shun such carry methods for spare ammunition too. If you choose to carry spare revolver ammunition in other than a speed loader, I would suggest at least carry it in speed strips kept in a pouch, in a 2x2x2 speed pouch (not a drop pouch), or in ammo loops - all attached to your belt and easily accessible by either hand keeping in mind that combat reloading is usually done with the strong hand. Don't wear a belt when carrying - your problem - not mine. I suggest you change how you carry for reasons I explained in my post on holsters. Remember though, speed loaders would my my preferred method to reload a revolver.

As for semi-autos, I carry at least 2 spare magazines, each full to capacity. I suggest you do the same, and I highly recommend you carry the spare magazines in a double magazine pouch on your belt. Wherever you carry the mag pouch on your belt (or for that matter wherever you carry the magazines even if off of your belt), the magazines should be accessible with either hand in the even a one handed reload becomes necessary. I used to carry on my weak side, opposite the side where I kept my pistol. I now carry the magazine pouch on the same side, but have since seen the light of others more experienced than I; and I now carry it on that side but on the front of my belt so I can easily reach it with either hand. Sure this means wearing a very loose fitting shirt, a jacket, or a vest to cover it all up, and that is exactly what I do. Remember the gun in a holster on your strong side makes it easy to draw your firearm, and keeps it fairly secure. Same for the magazine if kept as I have described, easier from which to draw a magazine, and somewhat easy to secure.

The type of magazine pouch one carries is another issue. As I said I prefer a double mag pouch. Of course you can use two singles, but I just prefer the double. I want mine to have a positive locking/retention device to maintain my mags inside the pouch with less chance of them falling out. I do not want the to be held in by friction only, so I do not want to use an open topped pouch. What I want is the opening to be at the top (I never wear my mag pouches so that the opening is to the front as you see some do), this way gravity helps keep them in the pouch. I want the mag pouch itself to have individual flap coverings to cover each mag while in the pouch; and I want to to have snap closures - not Velcro. As far as I am concerned, Velcro makes much too much noise, and also gathers much to much lint. In addition I require that any mag pouch I will carry will allow for both mags to be inserted into it in the same direction. What I mean here is that I want to have each magazine available to my reloading hand in the same manner, so that I reload in the same manner each time I reload. In other words, I keep both magazines bottoms up, and so that their fronts are facing the forward part of my body as they ride in the pouch (bullets in the mag pointing forward more or less). You could also keep their back facing the forward part of your body, or could align them left or right, it does not matter all that much in which direction they are, so long as each of them is aligned in the same direction. This way you never need to figure out whether or not you have to turn your mag around before you go to place it into the magazine well on the pistol; or if you have to move your hand in another manner to take hold of this mag or that mag. You wind up reloading consistently each time you reload, and that adds to your speed. When I grab my forward facing magazine, I make sure my index finger rides the front of the mag as I bring it up to place it into the mag well. This makes for not having to look at the pistol and mag to make sure they marry up correctly, therefore you can keep your eyes on the bad guy. It requires some practice, but that pointing finger, pointing the way to the mag well, makes it quicker and easier to accomplish a reload.

Basically that is about it. You have a decision to make about whether or not you carry spare ammo, and how to carry it. My recommendations are above, and the recommendations of others can be found on various blogs and gun forums on the Internet, in gun books and magazines, and at training courses. Whichever way you decide to carry both your firearm and your spare ammo, I suggest you try to be as consistent as possible from day to day. This way you never go to draw your pistol or mag from a place on your belt, and then have to remember oh darn, it is in my pocket, or it is in my bag, or it is in a shoulder holster.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - The Oldest Surviving Warship...

... afloat in the world was launched at Boston, MA on October 21, 1797. The ship was, and still is, the USS Constitution. There is some irony in the fact that the ship named Old Ironsides (because during the historic battle against HMS Guerriere, at least one cannonball was seen to bounce off of her hull) was launched in Boston harbor and that Boston is in the heart of a state that regularly infringes upon peoples' rights under our Constitution especially by restricted shooting irons (firearms). Yet, I guess there is hope for us all as long as symbols like her, symbols of our great nation, of our freedoms, of our rights, and of our determination to protect them, survive. I have visited this wonderful ship at least once, and if I remember right, maybe twice. Once in Boston, and I am not sure of the other time, but probably also while in Boston. It is a marvelous piece of craftsmanship, and an awe inspiring vision of our nation's power.

An interesting fact about this ship is that it was made up of parts from virtually the whole country at the time it was constructed. Timber from Maine to Georgia was used, some of her cannon were forged in Rhode island, and Paul Revere supplied the copper sheathing for her hull, and also supplied other copper parts such as spikes.

From 1798 (when she first went to sea) until 1830, the Constitution under various commander recorded many victories at sea. These victories included the bombardment of Tripoli in our war against the Barbary Pirates, and numerous sea battles in the War of 1812. In 1830 she was declared unfit for sea duty; and it was recommended that she be scrapped. Over this there was an outcry from the American public as is expressed in the following poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes:

Old Ironsides

Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!

Long has it waved on high,

And many an eye has danced to see

That banner in the sky;

Beneath it rung the battle shout,

And burst the cannon's roar;

The meteor of the ocean air

Shall sweep the clouds no more.

Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,

Where knelt the vanquished foe,

When winds were hurrying o'er the flood,

And waves were white below,

No more shall feel the victor's tread,

Or know the conquered knee;

The harpies of the shore shall pluck

The eagle of the sea!

Oh, better that her shattered bulk

Should sink beneath the wave;

Her thunders shook the mighty deep,

And there should be her grave;

Nail to the mast her holy flag,

Set every threadbare sail,

And give her to the god of storms,

The lightning and the gale!

(Retrieved from "http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Old_Ironsides")

Thanks in part to the poem, public outrage was fanned, and the Constitution was refitted instead of being scrapped. It then served the Navy until decommissioned in 1882. Since then she was refitted and restored several times. Although towed to many ports as part of an exhibit, the USS Constitution did not again set sail from the 1882 decommission date until about 116 years later, when in 1997 she set sale as part of her 200 year anniversary celebrations. In 1954, Dwight D. Eisenhower (a president of the USA for those of you who are too young to remember, or just too poorly versed in US history) and the then Congress, recommissioned her, and assigned her a permanent commission in the U.S. Navy. She currently serves as a United States ship of state, and is manned by a U.S. Navy crew. What an honor it must be to serve aboard her.

If you ever get the chance to visit her, take it, it will be well worth the time and effort.

For more information see:

http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/historyupdate.htm#1794-1797

http://www.todayinsci.com/10/10_21.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constitution

All the best,
Glenn B

Thank The Heavens For Russians...

...like Dmitri Mendeleev. He was a pretty intelligent man and a really cool dude from what I can gather, and he made a great contribution to the enhancement of lemonade (which was almost an impossibility since lemonade was so good without additional help from anyone).

According to Wikipedia: "He is credited as being the primary creator of the first version of the periodic table of elements. Unlike other contributors to the table, Mendeleev predicted the properties of elements yet to be discovered." Now many of you may not find that to be all that cool, albeit it intelligent. You may even think of his creation, the Periodic table, to have been one of the biggest pains in your keester while you were in high school. I know for a fact it gave me indigestion trying to remember all the elements and their symbols; and once I got them halfway down, what did they do but add more elements. Well good old Dmitri was long since dead before they added new ones, but he was still responsible in a way because he predicted properties of elements yet to be discovered. What a pain in the arse he turned out to be for high school kids all over the world. Yet there was joy to be had from his studies too.

So what is it about the man that I could consider cool. Well it has a lot to do with ice cube and lemonade; but when I say that I mean it in an indirect way. I have always loved lemonade. I lie it sweetened, I like it without sweeteners, I liked it when I was young right from the lemon as in pure lemon juice, and In even liked lemon juice concentrate. I guess I was destined to be a sourpuss! Then as I got older, some where in my teen years, I discovered (in my own way and time) that there were some really good tasting substitutes for natural lemonade. I remember that Wyler's made a great tasting lemonade powder. It was sweetened with real sugar, and in that way was very unlike my standard of today which is artificially flavored and comes under the name of Crystal Lite. (Note I did not say my favorite because real natural lemonade is my favorite.)

I am beginning to digress from Dmitri, so please allow me to get back to him, but I will get to him as I diverged from him, in a round about way with Wyler's lemonade mix. That Wyler's was good stuff. As a matter of fact it went great with Gin and Vodka. Back in my youth, or at least in my teen years and my twenties, I loved anything with Gin and I also liked Vodka. One day I had the notion of mixing Gin with Wyler's lemonade mix. It was great. I liked it, my friends liked it, even people I did not know whom I met at concerts, and to whom I gave it, liked it. My buddy Charlie Vaughn called that drink a 'Legalade' after me. He had nicknamed me Legal Aid because I was going to college an majoring in Police Science. No I was not going to be a lawyer, I was planning on giving legal aid to society and the law, not to dirt bag criminals. That was ironic because Charlie was in jail more times that I got luck back then. Oh well he was a good man, and I loved him as a dear friend. After I created my drink, Charlie created his own using Vodka and Lemonade mix. I'll be damned but I cannot recall, at the moment, what we called them. They were darned good, almost as good as were the Legalades. Then when I went into the Border patrol at the start of my career about 28 years ago, I naturally turned to To-Kill-Ya Tequila, but only the white or clears ones, none of that golden colored swill for me. I wanted it to resemble Gin, or at least that is the way I preferred it, and its taste. Man those 4 years on the southern border were great, but I have to admit those Tequilas, and the Gin I still imbibed, brought me close to trouble a few times. Then again, when I think of it, they probably kept me from getting in trouble a few times too (just too drunk to get in trouble), and maybe even or at least kept me from catching anything nasty (yes alcohol is a great germ killer, especially when you drink straight shots of Tequila).

As luck, or fate, or the Gods would have it, I lived into adulthood. I graduated college, got a job, that turned into a career, got married, and had children with the woman I love. Somewhere along the line I sort of gave up gin, and Tequila, and Vodka, and jack Daniels, and Old Grand-dad, and Mellow Corn (don't ask), and even Yagermeister. Therefore, I also gave up on Legalades. Gin is tough on the body, the mind, and the soul. It is tough to live a normal life and be a die hard gin drinker. As Charlie used to say, and as I whole heatedly agree, Gin is not an alcoholic beverage, it is a state of mind! It is not the state of mind in which you wish to remain if you want to have a lasting marriage and bring up kids, at least not at gung-ho gin drinking levels. If you want to remain in that state of mind and hard core while at it for the long term, your long term winds up being shortened considerably. Heck I gave up all the hard spirits, except for every now and then. As for the Gin, maybe I miss it most, but I fear it most too. I mean after all, if it was the favorite of Charlie Allnut, it was one hell of a drink; and more than good enough for me. Gin was definitely a state of mind as portrayed in that movie, and as I can attest. (By the way, if you do not know to whom I refer when I mention Charlie Allnut, you missed one of the best movies of all time. I liked Mr. Allnut's brand, Gordon's Gin, but I preferred Tanqueray above them all.) Yet this post has little to do with Gin, and Dmitri had nothing to do with it as far as I am aware.

Now it is many years later since I gave up my youthful and almost incessant devotion to the hard spirits. Yet, I have decided to return to imbibing again, but on a much more refined and restricted level than I did in my wanton youth. Therefore, not too long ago, maybe a year and a half ago or maybe even two years ago, I started to drink distilled spirits again on an irregular basis, but not overboard. I started with Scotch, something I never liked as a youngster. It was not bad, but still took some getting used to. It was akin to Bourbon like Old Grand-dad or Wild Turkey, or to sour mash like Jack Daniels (also one of my favorites of my younger days), as far as I am concerned but maybe a bit mellower. I guess the fact that I paid about $80 to $100 dollars for .750ML may explain why it was mellower. Then I tried some Tequila, Sauza Conmemorativo, not bad but not great with my tendency for heartburn. Most recently I decided to try something else. Then I went to Irish Whiskey. Very good, better than Scotch, much more mellow; but still not my thing.

So I wound up debating whether or not I should buy a bottle of Gin, but thankfully I remembered it being a state of mind and not really an alcoholic beverage, and not wanting to be in that state of mind i decided on a bottle of Absolut. It was good. Yet there was something missing. Absolut is, if I am correct, made in Sweden. I wanted something more traditional. So the next time In went out, I picked up a bottle of Stolichnaya. It was great if only because it was Russian, and because I was brought up during the height of the cold war. Russia = Good Vodka. Yeah I know there are others from other places, but you had to live through the air raids, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Kruschev, and all those spy movies and shows to better appreciate the Russian stuff. I am now on my second bottle of the stuff (by the way, only my 5th bottle of hard spirits in almost 2 years). I mix it with crystal Lite and it is wonderful, with OJ it is okay, and neat it is rocket fuel. I like the Vodka thing. Finally, I am getting back to Dmitri and why I like him so much, and why I think he was cool, and what all this has to do with lemonade.

When I bought my first bottle of vodka a month or two ago, I tried it neat, and with with a lot of mixables. I used OJ, Cranberry Juice Cocktail, cherry flavored seltzer (mmmmmmmm good), and lemonade. I guess my favorite is with cherry flavored seltzer, but I only get one I like at Walmart, and I hardly ever shop there, so vodka with lemonade it was and is. Now I guess I am still not being very clear on what the guy who created the Periodic Table has to do with any of this. Well good old Dmitri Mendeleev, who was born in 1834, was a Russian. He was also a scientist specifically a chemist, he created the Periodic table, he did work on and wrote a book about the spectroscope, he survived what was diagnosed as tuberculosis, he taught chemistry at university, and in 1865 after having been married for a few years and at age 31 he earned the title Doctor of Science. His doctorate was based upon his dissertation: "On the Combinations of Water with Alcohol". Now we are getting someplace, and Dmitri was about to, unbeknown to him, earn a place in my heart many years later.

Shortly after all of the above, Dmitri went and fell for a second woman. He wound up getting married a second time, and finalized his divorce from his first wife only after he was married to the second wife in 1882. Way to go Dmitri. Of course this was all forbidden by the Orthodox Church of which he was a member. This had poor consequences for him, and he was not admitted into the Russian Academy of Sciences. Yet his second marriage must have been happy, or at least hot, because he and his new wife had a few children. Again I may seem to digress, but not really. In 1890 he resigned a university position, probably due to the controversy. This probably ultimately led to a position he picked up in 1893, that of Director of the Bureau of Weights and Measures, and this of course put him into government service. While in this position, good old Dmitri had a chance to explore molecular weights, something that had always apparently fascinated him. Guess with what substance he did that. My guess is that it was Vodka because he wound up concluding that the perfect Vodka should be balanced as: "...the ratio of one molecule of ethyl alcohol diluted with two molecules of water, giving a dilution by volume of approximately 38% alcohol to 62% water" His work, or should I hypothesize that it was his lack of work as a government slug and his enjoyment of vodka, led to a new standard for Vodka in Russia. It was thereafter produced at 40% alcohol level (made it easier to tax when the percentage of alcohol was rounded off to 40% instead of 38%). See what a divorce and a second marriage will do, drive you out of your church, mess up your career, push you into government sluggery service, and ultimately to dabble with drink. Yet, both before and after that, he did some other fine work, lots of it. He lived to a ripe old age of about 73, passing away in 1907. That seems to be a good old age for back then, probably because he was well pickled.

Now back to the lemonade; oh heck you must have put 1 & 1 together to come out with 3 like I just did, haven't you! Dmitri, because of his wonderful work on molecular weights, figured out what would become one of the best things that mankind could add to lemonade, other than Gin, to make it taste better. He did it whether he realized it or not, though I must admit I like to think he may have mixed it with the juice of that sunshiny citrus fruit at least now and again. For his efforts with Vodka, I tip my glass to him - NOSTROVIA Dmitri!

My thanks to to Wikipedia wherein I looked up the word Vodka earlier today, just out of idle curiosity to see where it was created. While there, I was sidetracked to the short but very interesting biography man who perfected a blend of alcohol and water to arrive at 80 proof Vodka. Heck had I known about all of this while in high school I may have looked at the Periodic Table and the elements in a whole other light. By the way, I checked several sources and not one other source dedicated to Dmitri mentioned one thing about Vodka and his contribution to the drinkers of the world; nor did any of those other sources connect him with lemonade. Go figure!

All the best,

Glenn B

Woma Python

The latest acquisition in my collection of herps (reptiles and amphibians) is a Woma Python. It is a striking beautiful snake, and its kind comes from Australia. The one I have, and that is pictured here, is an average looking specimen. There are some that look much more striking in that their heads are more yellow, and their bands more contrasting with reddish color in the darker bands. This one even though being an average looking specimen is still spectacular to behold. You may not realize it from the picture, but this guy (I think it is a male) is about 4.5 to 5 feet long. Its body at the widest point is thicker than my wrist. It is a powerful beast, that in its wild habitat eats small to medium rodent sized mammals, birds, lizards, and other snakes. It kills its prey by constriction, and those coils are strong, my hand was feeling the squeeze as I took some pictures. If you don't believe that then carefully look at the color difference between my forearm and my hand, the hand is a bit on the red side. This one will probably not get much bigger as it has hit the average size for the species, but some have been known to grow to longer than 7 feet, and I have heard they can reach about 8 feet (I sure hope not).

I still have to check it to determine if it male or female by probing it (you probably don't want to know). If it is a male, I'll either keep it for a while and sell it, or pick up a female and try to breed them. That is if I can find a female at a reasonable price, and assuming mine is a male. Heck if it is a female, I may just get stud service for it, usually at the cost of the pick of the litter. This one cost me $300. That was a deal. They usually go for between about $500 and $800 each. Prices are coming down though since some people are breeding them regularly. Still though, the investment in a female would be a good one if the male and female wind up being fertile. Babies easily go for $400 to $500 apiece now, and will still be in the hundreds for at least the next few years. I would not be quite that money hungry, and would sell them at a lower price, but not too low (mama may not have raised the brightest kid at school, but mama did not raise a fool).

I know for sure that my new Woma Python has been eating. The lady from whom I bought it said it was eating frozen/thawed rats. (Yes we buy em frozen because they are cheaper in bulk and snakes will eat dead prey as long as it is thawed fully. Always fun when my wife asks what is in the bag in the back of the freezer.) I know mine was eating well because once I got it home and set it up in a tank, one of the first things it did was to answer nature's call. A nice big healthy answer at that. Nuff said, it seems healthy.

Hopefully when I try to feed it, it will eat. I like to let new snakes in my collection settle in before trying to feed them. This particular snake is a bit on the nervous side when in its tank and someone walks by. It has not tried to biter me or even strike at me when I have opened its tank, that is very good because some snakes strike like crazy when something enters their tank. Once you pick it up it is very easy going. I think it will take to the change of homes pretty well, but I still want to give it about 5 to 7 days before I try feeding it. I am hoping it is not sort of addicted to rats and that it will take large mice and other small rodents. I prefer my snakes to eat a variety of prey for health reasons (sort of like a balanced diet, they get different nutrients in different percentages, from varying prey; and in the event I can not get one type of prey item for awhile.

One other thing I have to do now, is figure out how to recoup the $300 I paid for this guy. That chunk of change will take a big bite out of my hunting budget for this year; and it may mean camping out as opposed to staying in a motel for a few nights on this year's hunting trip. Oh well, if I keep it to breed it, it will be worth the expense in the long run.

All the best,

Glenn B