An Email From Bob S in Afghanistan

Here is the complete text of an email I received today from Bob S over in Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan about the three Soldiers' Christmas/Holiday Packages they have received so far (they should receive the last one in the near future):

We have received all 3 boxes. The flashlights were really appreciated. The mornings and nights now having been darker longer and getting darker sooner. We had some military issued ones but they are made by the lowest bidder and last about as long as that too. Some of the guys heard of the lights before and some have used them in there civilian job. They knew the quality and product you sent was definitely sent from the heart. We took some of the things out of the boxes and sent it to the smaller bases that dont have many soldiers or get much of a variety of food or stuff for the local kids.Everything you sent was much appreciated and given out to the guys on Xmas eve. In fact one guy from the admin "weenie" section took a knife when they first came in instead of waiting like I told him. Well about 3 days later at the Post Office he cut himself messing around/showing it off. Amazing how God gets people back for doing the wrong thing. Told him if he would have left the knife alone to begin with it would have never happen. He thought he needed stitches and we all told him to put 2 band aids on it and call a priest who cares. All the stuff you all sent was very much appreciated and brought along of smiles and happiness to all of us here.

We all want to thank you for the support and assistance.

So as you can see, from this email and the previous one from Bob, your donations and the gifts they purchased, were well appreciated by Bob S. and the troops. What was very nice to see is that, in the true spirit of Christmas, Bob and his unit shared some of the items with others units. You can all feel of yourselves that you have done one heck of a good thing.

As for the part about the soldier who got cut with the knife, I guess what goes around comes around, and sometimes it is pretty sharp when it does. Hopefully that guy learned a lesson and really only needed band aides.

All the best,
Glenn B

Fairly Cheap Ammo for Your Mosin Nagant

This ammunition is less expensive than any of it I have seen recently anyhow. It is Yellow Tipped, Bulgarian manufacture, surplus, 7.62x54R, Berdan Primed, Corrosive, Sealed in a Tin, Comes 300 rounds to the Tin, and cost $39.99. With the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, you may not see prices come down on current production 7.62x54R in quite some time.

If you decide to go for more quantity the cost will be: $73.63 for a 440 round tin (7.62x54R, corrosive, Bulgarian also, but not sure if the same type of bullets), or 800 rounds at $69.92 sealed in paper packets, also corrosive and also Bulgarian.

See J&G Sales for these prices.

All the best,
Glenn B

Working Out Again

Several months ago I stopped working out. Stopping and starting to workout is nothing new for me. I will often start a new workout program, go at it a few months, then stop for a month or two, then start again for awhile, then stop again. This last time though I stopped back in August; and considering the fact that I had just started back then after taking about 3 months off, I did not get much working out done, maybe a few sessions before I became ill and had to quite. I was sick on and off much of the summer (noting lasting), got better and never got back into working out. That is until today.

I hit the treadmill at work for 5.25 miles today of running and walking. I am sort of hopeful that I can repeat something I did about 7 or 8 years back, and that is lose a bunch of weight. I weighed in at 217 today (not bad considering all the junk I have eaten over the holidays), but I want to get back to a trimmer me and lose about 40 pounds. When I did this several years ago, I kept the weight off for about 1.5 years. This time I'd like to make it permanent, and I think I think I have ore incentive to make it stick than I did last time around. No it is not a New Year's resolution thing, despite the proximity to new Year's Day, but rather it is the fact that in just over one year I plan to retire. When I retire I would like to be around to collect my pension for at least 40 years, which would mean up until I am 93 years old. Yikes the thought of hitting that age ever so scary for me; but not as scary if I think I might be in fairly good shape, and still collecting my pension. I am pretty sure that once I retire I will not have the incentive to trim down if I have not started well on the way toward that goal prior to retirement, therefore I am starting now - more or less one year ahead of time. I hope to burn off about 40 pounds in the next year.

I am one who has a lot of good intentions but little or no staying power when it comes to plans like this, but I am kind of betting I can do it. I will be asking some friends and coworkers to harass my behind into gear to make sure I am hitting the gym on a regular basis, and am pretty sure that will be a big help. Most of all though, I have to get my mind into the right state to keep it going. That will be, after all, up to me. Wish me luck - please.

All the best,
Glenn B

Off To Work...

...after a ice 4 day weekend - and all I can imagine is that work will suck. Someone has to work though, and my guess is a lot of you will be working today too. Think of it this way, New Year's Eve is just around the corner. As for me, starting on New year's day my retirement countdown of 1 year, 1 day and a wake up begins. I plan to go out on January 2, 2009.

Have fun at work today. I know I'll be doing my best to do likewise.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Merry Christmas Indeed...

...was had by my family. Linda, Brendan, Julia (Brenda's girlfriend), out three dogs Sprocket, Hexi and Pepe all went to my sisters house to visits her, my brother-in-law, their son and my mom. We had a swell Christmas day together, a great meal, some tasty deserts, and some good laughs, and a nice birthday party for my mom (a Christmas baby).

My daughter Celina, and her beau Kevin, spent the day in CT at the house of Kevin's parents. They all had a great time too.

I hope all of you had a truly Merry Christmas, and that you enjoyed your day as we did ours.

No posting yesterday since there was no time, and I figured why bother anyone on Christmas day. Regular posting will probably continues this evening.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!

In 1818, on Christmas Eve, the words to Silent Night, Holy Night were put to music for guitar. The words had been written in 1816 by Josef Mohr. Then in 1818 Mohr, who was then an assistant pastor at St. Nicholas Church, asked fellow church member, and organist and choirmaster, Franz Xaver Gruber to put it to music for guitar. The next day, Christmas 1818, the song was sung in St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria for the very first time. It was sung by Mohr and Gruber to the music of a guitar, and they were accompanied by the church choir. Can you imagine that, a Christmas Song sung to the music of guitar back in 1818! All this supposedly because the two men had been struggling with a broken church organ on Christmas Eve in preparation for Christmas Mass; or so the story goes - and I like the story. Actually, the fact of its authorship, and of its musical score have been fairly well documented, and so have the date(s) of its creation (words/music thus dates), and so to was the date it was first sung in church. The part about the broken organ is possibly a stretch, but I guess we can make allowances for it being the Christmas season.

See:

http://www.visit-salzburg.net/surroundings/silentnightchapel.htm

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Night_%28song%29

Enjoy the song when you hear it or sing it; and Merry Christmas to all.

All the best,
Glenn B

Wow, that was really very quick...

...almost as quick as old Saint Nick.

My shopping is over at long last

I cannot believe it went so fast

Especially being it's Christmas Eve

I thought the stores I'd never leave.

Yet in and out I went like a flash

and I bought my wife two gifts with cash,

And I found the perfect gift for my dear

Something soft, and warm to hold near.

Now don't get me wrong I don't mean me,

But then again I could be present three.

All the best,
Glenn B

Shopping, Flooring, More Shopping...

...those are the plans for my day, and I woke up late this morning. I am just getting into the swing of things right now so this will need be brief. I am off to Home Depot to pick up a nail gun (has to go faster than drilling pilot holes in oak floorboards then hammering in each nail one at a time with multiple hammer blows, then setting each nail with a nail set.

Then off to buy my wife a nice Christmas present.Yes as usual, I have again waited until the last minute, well at least the last day to get my Christmas shopping finished. No panic though, I know where to go, and what to buy, to make her smile. No it will not be diamonds, nor a cute muscular male slave (both on her wish list - really that is what she wrote down).

Oh well - no more time to write until maybe tonight. Have a joyous Christmas Eve.

All the best,
Glenn B

Belated Wishes Are In Order To You All...

...for a Happy Festivus, or at least to you of the rest of us! Had I the time I thought I would have had, I would have wished you this whilst still the 23rd of December. Alas events took a turn or three in a different direction than that for which I had planned, and I am arrived here - already on the eve of Christmas - and only at this moment have I found the opportunity to wish you Happy Festivus. I can only wish that it had been otherwise, but as fate would have its often found joy in rambunctious dishevelment of ones plans, my plans for a wonderful Festivus were tossed aside as if a leaf in a tempest.

My day had been planned so that I would finish laying the new oak floor in my son's room, but unexpectedly, as oft will be the case, my attentions were diverted. My daughter, who recently bought her first car, a brand new one at that, called to say the car had broken down. My wife and I helped her survive the panic stricken moments of her first breakdown (not her first nervous breakdown mind you, but her car's first mechanical breakdown) and we successfully got triple A to give her a tow. Then we picked her up and tried to cheer her up, which was especially difficult once she had realized that the car had broken down because of a rather silly mistake on her part, which I will not explain further here as she has been embarrassed enough by it for one day. After that it was back to work for me on the flooring job, but I soon broke all of my properly sized drill bits and had to quit for the day.

Once having finished with that task for the day, I decided it would be the nice thing to do to drive my daughter to the home of her beau's parents in CT where she had planned to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Well it may have been the nice thing to do, but it took up almost all of the remaining time within the day. We left home at about 1900 hours (7PM), and I drove through a terrible windy rain storm. All in all, 193 miles and about 4 hours later, I was back in the neighborhood. By then I was much in need of a libation, so I stopped at a local establishment to imbibe just two. My arrival there was at about 2310 (11:10 PM), and I arrived home at about 0005 (1205 AM) of the 24th. Yes I was too late, by just minutes, to wish you all a Happy Festivus in a timely manner; for that I offer my apologies. Of course, not all of you will be offended, nor will many of you even know of what I write when I refer to Festivus; but for those of you who are offended or are at east aware, you know it is for the rest of us. HAPPY BELATED FESTIVUS!

All the best,
Glenn B

The Arguments Against The 2nd Amendment...

...have in recent decades have quite often, among other things, pointed out the so called fact that the people no longer have anything to fear from their government, therefore the idea of a well regulated militia, made up of armed citizens, to combat a tyrannical government is preposterous. Charles Schumer is one of the big proponents of this type of thinking, or should I call it anti-gun propaganda. There are many other examples of gun-control advocates who have used the same type of reasoning to try to take away the guns of the American citizen. The truth of the matter is though that their reasoning is quite faulty. Time and time again, the left, yes I mean the liberals (even those who wear Republican garb, such as GWB, and have no doubt he is mostly quite liberal in his policies) want to take away the rights of the American people, or shave them down to make it less prickly for themselves to remain in power while bamboozling the rest of us. The right to celebrate your religious beliefs is one right they have whittled away, the right to freedom of speech is another they are attempting to cut back as witnessed by them trying to limit conservative radio talk shows, the right to be protected from searches without probable cause is another (Patriot Act), and the list goes on. Most importantly though they have tried to destroy our Right To Keep And bear Arms, and as I said they use, among others, the reasoning that we need not fear our government.

Well, case in point, let me point you to this: FBI planned mass arrests in 1950, and to this: Report: Former FBI Director Hoover Planned to Arrest 12,000 Americans Suspected of Disloyalty. Yes that threat may seem old to some of the youngsters out there, but it is not that long ago, nor was it all that long ago that Ruby Ridge took place, nor that the Branch Dividian compound was stormed by federal agencies and troops. Now I do not agree with Communism, I find it an abhorrent form of government. I do not believe that cultism such as the Branch Davidian wackos are a good thing, I think they were nuts and criminals. I do not believe that Randy Weaver was innocent of all crimes of which he was suspected. However, I do believe in rule of law (good, moral laws); and I do believe that in essence our Constitution, and our Bill of Rights, are good and moral laws. I believe that the rights expressed within those documents are in effect sacred. I believe they are worth fighting for and dying for. I also vehemently do not agree with anyone who would violently attempt to overthrow the government of the USA as it now stands (a republic practicing democratic principals), and I believe in upholding the constitution and protecting our nation. Therefore I think that guys like Schumer have it all wrong regarding the 2nd Amendment.

We still need, and always will need, to have the right to keep and bear arms whether for hunting, self defense, or to overthrow tyrants. No, those tyrants, or they who would choose to be tyrants, have not gone away. They are forever lurking just under the radar behind the smiles of of the phony politicians, behind the badges of the corrupt lawmen, in the guise of your next door neighbor (no I am not calling every politician, every lawman or every neighbor a tyrant, I am saying this is how tyrants disguise themselves before trying to overcome us). Tyrants or they who would be tyrants are just waiting to put the knife between our shoulder blades should the opportunity arise. We need to be forever vigilant, but not just that. We also need to be forever ready to fight back against tyranny, and the best way (in my opinion) to be ready is to remain forever armed.

All the best,
Glenn B

An Email From Bob S

Here is the full text of an email I just received, minutes ago, from Bob S. about the Holiday packages we sent to him.

"We all wanted to express our deepest and sicerest Thank You for the the wounderful things you have sent us. We have tried the crockpot several times already. It has made chicken, ramen noodle, and vegetable stew and today it made ham, steak, mushrooms, rice and jalepeno pepper stew. The weather has been in the high 20s in the morning and maybe mid 40s during the day. It smells really good coming into the office during the day for lunch and smell the "homemade bachelor away from home smell what is cooking today?" We have others that tend to come to our office just to see what good stuff we have cooking or available to put in their pocket for snacks. Many soldiers come by our office to see if we have anything good to eat instead of going to the mess hall. We have a bread maker that has made many loaves of various types of bread.The many things you all sent has made many people happy and has reinforced many friendships. We all appreciate your support to all of us here and THNAK YOU.Wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year."

It sounds to me as if our contributions and the items we sent have made a smash for Bob, his unit, and apparently some soldiers from other units. Folks you did a nice and good thing. I sent Bob a reply email today with the names of each and everyone of you who contributed and made this possible. He already knew it was a group effort, but I wanted to make sure he had your names to make it more personal for the holidays.

I also asked him to make sure to tell me if he received the boxes with the knives, and the flashlights, just want to make sure they received everything. When I hear more from him on this, I'll let you know.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year,
Glenn B

Soldiers' Christmas/Holiday Package - Fire 4 (or is it 5)

Whatever the number, I sent out the last Soldiers' Holiday package today. No it will not make it there for Christmas, but maybe by New Year's Day. If not, as Bob S. told me, whenever they receive it will be a holiday. This one included 12 pairs of Merino Wool Socks, 3 Bobble Heads (Pro-Wrestling), some wrestling magazines, a bag of dried fruit, 2 boxes of Crystal Lite drinks (one lemonade and one iced tea), a box of Quaker Oats snack bars, a large box of Tootsie Roll Pops, 5 tins of Husky smokeless tobacco, and a National Geographic magazine. The wrestling mags and bobble heads were donated by someone on my job (thanks Carmin). All the rest came from the remainder of the donations that you gave. Just for the record, I used $20 of the donations to mail this package. All the other postage on the other packages were paid for by me, but I am tapped right now, and had to resort to using $20 of the donation money for postage. Since I donated $70 cash to the donation fund (exclusive of the prior postage I paid), that $20 came from my cash donation, and not from any money any of you sent to me for this effort. I hope that is acceptable, but if I get any complaints, I'll buy another $20 worth of stuff and send it to Bob and his unit.

I have not heard anything from Bob yet on the other packages, I guess he has not received them yet; but I guess he should get them soon. As soon as he lets me know what he and his unit thought of them, I'll let you know.

All the best,
Glenn B

Another email of merit:

Now and then, I receive emails from friends and co-workers as I guess all of us do. Some are funny, some are sexual in nature (guys will be guys), some are about current events, and so on. Today I received on about the events leading up to today, ever since 9/11. As the email points out the author of the email does not know who wrote the piece he shared with me. I don't know the author either, but I figured the author would probably not mind sharing her thoughts. Yes the author is supposedly a lady, and possibly from New Jersey; but whether it be a woman, a man, an Alaskan or New Jersyite does not matter. This was written by a practical person who cares about the good old USA. Here it is for you to read:

“Letter from one "Angry Woman" I don't know who wrote it but they should have signed it. Some powerful words. This woman should run for president. Written by a housewife from New Jersey and sounds like it! This is one ticked off lady.

"”Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia.

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for chopping off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank: I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that this holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and-you guessed it-I don't care!! “”

If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior! If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! And may I add:

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem" -- Ronald Reagan

I have another quote that I would like to add AND.......I hope you forward all this. "If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." Also by.. Ronald Reagan.

One last thought for the day: In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America , he said: "A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out."

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ

2. The American G. I.

One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON,AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM. AMEN! “

Okay that was the end of the email. I am not very religious but I left in the religious references for those of you who are. I think many of my readers would say, that to some great extent, they agree with the sentiments found in this letter. It sure made a lot of sense to me. Maybe you folks can pass it on to others.

All the best,
Glenn B

Latest Soldier's Holiday Pakage

After the theater tonight, I went shopping for the contents for the last Soldiers' Holiday package from the fund donated to me for that cause. I'll post more once I get it packed up and shipped, but for now just wanted to let all of you know I did not forget this one.

All the best,
Glenn B

CURTAINS it was...

...and let me tell you, if you have the chance, Curtains it should be. The wife and I, accompanied by our daughter Celina who was bored to tears on her day off and just had to interrupt our romantic interlude, went to see Curtains at the Abe Hirschfeld theater on Broadway (actually on W 45th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues). Despite some reviews that said the second act was the saving grace, this was a laugh a minute throughout, and the rest of the audience thought likewise. MY wife loved it, my daughter loved it, and I would definitely see it again, and again.

David Hyde Pierce (Niles from Fraser) was very good; and his supporting cast, were great. I am not sure if it was Megan Sikor as Bambi, or Debra Monk as Carmen (the producer and Bambi's mom), or Jason Danieley as Aaron (the composer), or Jill Pace as Nicki (the Ingenue), or Edward Hibbert (the director) who stole the show for the others who saw it; but I can say that the character of Bambi was one hot lady, and she could have stolen my heart except for the red headed chorus girl; and of course except for my wife sitting next to me.

The play is a musical/love story/comedy/satire/mystery. It covered all those bases more than well. Without giving away any of the story line, I have to recommend it to anyone. The musical numbers were grand, the sets were spectacular, the dancing was vavavaroom (nice dancers), the story line good enough to keep you guessing, and as I said there were a lot of laughs.

If you are going to be in NYC sometime in the near future, I highly recommend you see this one.



All the best,
Glenn B

It's Curtains...

...for me and the wife, and our daughter too. At 2:00 PM, that is it, Curtains for all of us. Only our son will miss out because he will be in school.

Flooring...

...can be fun, I guess, maybe if you know what you are doing. For some reason, well I guess there was a reason, I decided to rip out the old oak floor in my son's room to be, and put in a new one. I was going to refinish the old one, but some of the floor boards near the radiator were very stained (as in black instead of a nice medium stained oak), and some of it seemed rotten where the boards joined one another. Of course I had already rented a floor sander, and bought all the refinishing needs before I decided to go and look at flooring costs. When I saw the price of Bruce (brand name) 3/4" thick solid oak, with laminated finish already applied, I almost said whoopee. It was only $2.99 a square foot.

I went home with the sander in the trunk, but I told the wife about the cost of the new wood. Cost to refinish the old wood floor would have been about: $225; cost to put in a whole new wood floor, about $415 to $475. I went back ton the store, this time with Brendan in tow as helper, and dropped off the sander. I got a refund (actually cancellation of the charge for it which Brendan handled); and I bought 160 square feet of the Bruce floor boards. I actually only need about 120 square feet of it, but the extra is good to have in case of bad cuts by me, or imperfect boards in some of the boxes. What I do not use gets returned, and refunded. I will measure three times, so as to only have to cut once for each piece. Yes I know the saying is "Measure Twice, Cut Once", but I can be a spaz when it comes to things like manual labor.

I have already torn out the old floor; did that this morning into this afternoon. Now for a good clean up of the old building cloth (which was under the boards) and dust and nails (which are now all over the room) and old wood (which needs to be cut and tied into bundles for the trash). Then I'll nail down the subfloor where it creaks or has come a bit loose over the years; and after that I'll put down new Asphalt/Felt Building Cloth over the sub floor. Tomorrow, after the new floorboards have acclimated to the temperature and humidity in my house, I'll start to put in the floor boards. I imagine this would be easier with a nail gun, but alas I am old fashioned and I will use a regular hammer and casing (finishing) nails, and I will pre-drill mail holes into the oak. (Yes I have some experience nailing down oak floorboards, only on a small landing before, but I do know oak does crack easily if the nails are not dulled, or nail holes are not pre-driled, and pre-drilling is better). This maybe a few more hours of work for me, but I kind of like doing it this way. Hopefully I will not regret it it because I smash my thumb once or thrice.

Now getting back to one of my earlier points - there must have been some reason as to why I decided to do this spending more money and effort to lay a new floor instead of refinishing the old. Oh yeah, I thought some of the floor boards had rotted. Well guess what, they were only badly discolored, and somewhat separated from the adjoining ones, but not rotted. I am pretty certain though they were well on their way to rotting. I think the black stains were from cat pee, from the previous owner's cats many years ago. More money, more work, but at least now the floor will look really nice - and hopefully not squeak any more.

All the best,
Glenn B

Correction To An Earlier Post

Yes the sign did include the word PLEASE. Now that I have seen a picture of the sign from a different angle, I can make it out. I had said I did not see it in the pics I saw, not that it mattered much to me, but it should matter to the politicians who are considering screwing this guy, and making him remove the sign from his business. The word "please" in the sign clearly indicates that this is a request that people speak English when ordering, it is not a mandate, and therefore it could not possibly be discriminatory in as much as being a violation of someones civil rights. As Mr. Vento has said over and over again, if someone does not or cannot speak English, they still get served, but this is the USA and he prefers they speak English. Good Man.

By the way, this pic was found at: FoxNews.com at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316939,00.html.

All the best,

Glenn B

A Pretty Good Bier

I just had a couple of Warsteiner Premium Verum biers, and for a run of the mill German Pilsner style bier, they are pretty darned good. Certainly much better than most run of the mill American beers, in my opinion, like Budweiser, Coors and so on. They have more taste but are not overpowering as can be some of the imports.

If I have any left on Christmas Eve, I may just have to leave a couple in the fridge for Santa.

All the best,
Glenn B

Dear Santa...

I know I have not been the best boy all year long, but I have tried to be pretty good; and I think you know I have gotten better than I have been in recent years. I have not written you a letter in at least about 45 years or so, I guess mostly because I always figured others who needed or wanted things more than me should write to you. This year though, I am writing to ask you for something I would like, and I would like it just for me. I know I likely am not going to get it, but I figured it wouldn't hurt just to ask you for it anyhow.

What I would like is a brand new Beretta Over/Under 12 gauge shotgun. I am particularly fond of the Ultra Light Deluxe, but if there is any chance you could swing something like this for me any of their models would be fine by me.

Of course I'll be leaving you some goodies, as I always do each and every year, I just hope you like Irish Whiskey, German Bier, and a good wurst sandwich.


All the best,
Glenn B

PS: Here are the specs, just in case your elf's need to whip one up in a hurry; or just in case any of the firearms enthusiasts out there are interested:

Model: Ultralight Deluxe, Cat Code: J687575, Gauge: 12, Barrel Length(in): 28, Choke: Modified Choke, Chamber(in): 2 3/4", Rib: 6X6, Weight(lbs): 6.3, Carry Case: Yes, MSRP: $2,350 (yikes). I can only wish Santa could do his magic for me and I find one under the tree (and I do mean only wish) because I surely would have to save my pennies for a long time to be able to buy one.

GB

Today In History - The Bill of Rights...

...was ratified and adopted by the United States of America on December 12, 1791 when the state of Virginia approved them. The actual ratification process had begun in November 1789 when New Jersey voted to ratify these rights. Originally there were 12 Articles enumerated with the Bill of Rights, but only Articles 3 through 12 were ratified at the time. The second article, not ratified in the 1700's, was actually later ratified in 1992 and became the 27th Amendment. Three states of the original 13 States: Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts did not ratify any of the actual first 10 Amendments until 1939 (can you imagine that, the state of John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, the state of Christopher Dodd and Joseph Liberman, and the state of Jimmy Carter not ratifying it until 1939).

In essence the Bill of Rights was penned to assure that certain rights were not overlooked or forgotten because they had not specifically been mentioned within the U.S. Constitution. I should not need to say a whole lot about the Bill of Rights, every American citizen should know about what I am speaking, as should every legal immigrant to this country. If you are not familiar with, or wish to become more knowledgeable about it, please go to:

http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_philadelphia1791.html

http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/billofrights.html

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=001/llsl001.db&recNum=144

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution_history.html

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

http://www.ratical.org/co-globalize/BillOfRights.html#2 (a surprisingly informative page, when you see each right spelled out, click on its link above the wording to see some truly interesting annotations).

All the best,
Glenn B

On Speakng English In America...

Do you remember the case of the restaurant owner in Philadelphia who posted a sign by his service window that said: "This is America, when ordering speak English". (Some say it says Please before the words speak English, but when I look at the pics I have seen I do not see that word - not that it matters to me).

Well, as I just discovered over at Michelle Malkin's site here, the case is coming to a head and Mr. Vento is being tried by the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission. I am aghast at the prospect that the unifying force within our borders, the English language, also seems to be on trial as being discriminatory against people and their civil rights. How can the city which houses the Declaration of Independence (our founding document written in English), and from whose towers rang the Liberty Bell, and wherein whose halls were many meetings of the Continental Congress (all held in English mind you), how can said city be against one of our citizens requesting, even demanding, that his customers speak English?

I decided to put finger to keypad, and I wrote a letter to the above mentioned commission voicing my displeasure that they would even consider this case let alone bring it against Mr. Vento. My letter follows, and after reading it I urge you to do likewise. Should Mr. Vento be found guilty of violating any one's civil rights, should he be required to remove that sign, should the English language in this country be diminished by the city of Philadelphia, then I would urge you to boycott Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania.

"Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations
34 South 11th Street, 6th Floor
Philadelphia PA 19107

Dear Sirs and Madams,

As a United States citizen by birth, but with ancestors on both sides of my family who were immigrants, and with my wife being an immigrant and naturalized citizen of this great nation, I am incensed that you are seriously considering the case against Mr. Vento regarding the speak English sign posted at Geno’s Steaks (restaurant). To say that asking customers to speak English when ordering is discriminatory is reprehensible. It is not discriminatory, but rather it is unifying with regard to our culture. When Mr. Vento or anyone else asks an immigrant to speak English, it is in fact asking that person to assimilate into the culture of the United States of America which has been, and remains, a primarily English speaking republic. For people to complain about being asked to, or being required to, learn how to speak English in this country is unpatriotically outrageous and it is racist and discriminatory on their behalf, and not on the part of Mr. Vento. When my great-grandparents told me of how they immigrated to the USA, they also told me how they learned English once they arrived. They said it was tough, but they were extremely proud of the fact that they learned how to do so, and that they then went on to pass the citizenship test and become United States citizens. For any immigrant to this country to do otherwise would show them to be divisive, and prejudice against our culture here in America. It would also be disgraceful because it would be counter-productive to assimilation, and simply un-American.

Any decision by you saying that Mr. Vento’s request to have his customers speak English was wrong, or was discriminatory in violation of the law, would be blatantly un-American. It would also show that you are promoting separation/division of the cultures in what was once the melting pot of the world. The one great unifying force within a country is not its politics, is not its laws, is not is religions, is not it citizens, is not its immigrants, but is definitively its language. Note I did not say its languages, as multiple languages only cause and lend to divisiveness among a nations peoples.

The government of the United States of America requires it workers to speak English, the government of the state of Pennsylvania requires likewise, and the government of the city of Philadelphia requires the same; yet somehow you seriously consider whether or not Mr. Vento asking his customers to do the same is a violation of people’s civil rights. It is his civil right to free speech at stake here. It is the right of a nation to expect its immigrants to assimilate that is at stake here, it is the language, the culture, and the borders of the United States of America that are all at stake here should you decide against Mr. Vento.

I can assure you that should you decide against Mr. Vento, I will express myself by way of my first amendment right to free speech and I will discourage anyone from visiting your city and your state. I have visited Philadelphia and other parts of Pennsylvania many times throughout my lifetime (and spent lots of money there), and had planned on doing so in the future. However, if your city becomes one that is geared at ignoring the duty of each and every immigrant to learn that language, and therefore if your city is geared at destroying the unifying force within our borders, I will rally myself and as many others as will heed the call against you, your city, and your state with all I can muster under the laws of our great nation.

With all due respect,


Glenn R. Bartley"

You too can contact the commission at the following:

The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations
The Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission
The Curtis Center
601 Walnut Street, Suite 300 South
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Tel: 215-686-4670

TTY: 215-686-3238

Fax: 215-686-4684

E-mail: faqpchr@phila.gov


All the best,
Glenn B

I Received The Following In Email Today...

...and while it contained pictures, I will not include them here just because it is a pain to save them all, then repost them here. If you have half a brain, you do not need to see still shots of General Patton, of 9/11, or of a beheading to get the drift of this message. This was too good to just pass along to those on my email list, and since it was not copyrighted, i figured I would pass it along on my blog:


"Ghost of Patton!! PERHAPS this is how General George S. Patton would sum things up.... and then catch holy hell from Ike. He sure had a FOLKSY way of expressing his thoughts. Ghost of General Patton A Message from the Ghost of General Patton.... "

"ATTENTION! To ALL those whining, panty-waisted, pathetic Maggots, it's time for a little refresher course on exactly why we Americans occasionally have to fight wars. See if you can tear yourself away from your 'reality' TV and Starbucks for a minute, pull your head out of your flabby ass -- and LISTEN UP!!

Abu Ghraib is not 'torture' or an 'atrocity.' This is the kind of thing frat boys, sorority girls, and academy cadets do to newcomers. A little fun at someone else's expense. Certainly no reason to wring your hands or get your panties in a wad. Got that?

THIS IS an atrocity! (picture of a beheading)
So Was This!!! (picture of WTC burning on 9/11)

WHICH PART DON'T YOU GET?

Islam a peaceful religion??? My Ass! Millions of these sons-of-bitches are plotting, as we speak, to destroy our country and our way of life any way they can. Some of them are here among us now.

They don't want to convert you and don't want to rule you. You are a vile infestation of Allah's paradise. They don't give a shit how 'progressive' you are, how peace-loving you are, or how much you sympathize with their cause. They want your ass dead , and they think it is God's will for them to do it. Some think if we give them a hug or listen to them, then they'll like us... and if you agree? Then you are a pathetic dumb ass! If they manage to get their hands on a nuke, chemical agents, or even some anthrax -- you will wish to God we had hunted them down and killed THEM while we had the chance.

How many more Americans must be beheaded ?? You've fallen asleep AGAIN, maggots! And you may not get another chance! NOW GET OFF YOUR SORRY ASS - and pass this on to any and every person you give a damn about.. if you ever gave a damn about anything

DISMISSED!
George S. Patton"

I would tend to think that someone like Patton would say something very much like that above, but also think if he were here to say it, it would come out much harsher. He would have a damned good idea of how to whip the sorry asses of the ultra leftist politicians and generals into gear to get the job done.

All the best,
Glenn B

Speaking of: INANE STATEMENTS.

Listen to the audio in the attached video/audio clip. Listen closely because the very brief argument you are about to hear is apparently the same one as the foundation of all of gun control advocates in the USA. So is the technique used to state it, which in my opinion is: whiny, adolescent like, negative, repetitive, blathering. It is sort of like the teen aged (or younger) child who has to have it his or her way, and when the wisdom of the parent is spoken, the child goes into the no, no, no, no, no, no mode as if that will make everything the parent said and is thinking wrong, and everything the child is saying and thinking correct. It is as if the news caster must also be the center of attention, and no one else with a point of view contrary to her's can be shown; just listen to what she directs the camera person to do. Also listen to how she says the security guard who brought down the Colorado church shooter only wounded him, and the shooter took his own life - sort of in defense of her point, but failing miserably because the armed security guard did make a big difference and save lives. This is truly, at least in my eyes, behavior not befitting an adult who is trying to make a point to thousands if not hundreds of thousands of viewers. This clip first appeared, as far as I am aware, on MSNBC televised news on December 11, 2007. I found this particular clip at:
http://newsbusters.org/static/2007/12/2007-12-11MSNBCMJMika.wmv

It should not be surprising to anyone that her ideas are typical of people who are fervently anti-gun, and pro gun control; and her way of expressing herself is typical of people who have no or little rational argument to make. The man who is speaking is making RATHER BALANCED STATEMENT. Note he says that one person with a gun can make a big difference for good or for bad; yet the woman says this is "the most inane statement". I wonder does she understand the meaning of inane, because if she truly had understood the word when she used it, she would quite possibly have pointed the barb at herself.

By the way did you figure out what was the 'foundation of the anti-gun argument' that I believe she stated. It is simply the: No, no, no, no to guns, and to people having them and using them for good. It is a shame that the gun control crowd wants to control guns, and keep law abiding people from possessing them; while at the same time failing to truly curb violent criminals.

All the best,

Glenn B

GUNS...

Now here is a subject, both near and dear to me, about which I have not written in all too long. Sorry to say but I will not write a whole heck of a lot about it in this post either, but I did want to let you all know I have not abandoned the subject. In fact far from abandoning it I am enjoying guns and shooting as much as ever. I just wanted to promise you that sometime, in the not too distant future, I will sit down to write some posts about firearms and shooting.

All the best,
Glenn B