Other than my AR-15’s, there are two rifles I’ve always wanted to own.  Well, “always” may be stretching it a bit, but I’d settle for “a long time,” I suppose.

On my daily visit (sometimes more often), I saw that AD pointed to an article at Snooze Button Ronin entitled A Good Exchange.  Hah!

Need a teaser?  Try this:

“What’s wrong with ‘free-range chicken?’” the waiter asked.

.

So, you have smoke detectors in your home and you’re as safe as you can be, correct? 

Of course if you have smoke detectors you also have fire extinguishers of the proper type and in the proper locations, and you actually know how to use them, correct? 

Fox News, quoting an article from The Associated Press, reports:

The link/lead-in:

Hospital Brawl Leads to Botched Delivery

The article text: 

Operating Room Fistfight Leads to Botched Delivery
Monday, August 30, 2010 

I discovered a really neat idea last week, quite by accident. and for the handful of you who know of this blog, I offer it for your consideration.

With allowance for interpretations of verb tense, I think of the Chinese proverb “Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today.  Teach him to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime.” 

Thanks to Lawdog for pointing out this article at http://injennifershead.com/?p=1841; it captures my feeling about entertainers and their self-importance and assumed brilliance.

And in case you forgot or don’t know about “Shut Up and Sing,” see the book.  Yes, there was a film, but it never appeared to be worth my time. 

From my transaction log (I do a lot of business over the Internet):

Aug 2:  Ordered a TV and a wall mount from East Coast TV’s of Linden, New Jersey.

Aug 5:  I call to ask status of the order and they don’t have the info.  I am told they will call me back.  The return call never came.

Now I have a “real” flag pole.  The old one is no longer in place.  It was a sectional pole bought for around $100 at Sam’s Club.  Very lightweight, thin walled, it was good for the purpose intended if I wanted to be going out and taking the flag(s) down whenever a windy storm came by.  In other locations that might have been realistic, but here in Central Florida that’s a daily occurrence in the rainy season, so the inevitable happened.

I don’t know if I’ll stick with it or how deeply I’ll be involved, but with my back getting increasingly worse and not wanting to go through a 5th spine surgery, I’m thinking it might be wise to enable enjoying pursuits that do not require very much physical activity.  Between that and a bit of cash from an inheritance, a hell of a way to get money and I’d rather it not be so, I’ve decided to get back into ham radio. 

Independence Day

Picnics
Parades
A few ceremonies
Politicians spouting
Little thought
Little real reflection
Most likely none at all
Just another holiday
Few consider

This year I can’t get a sound out of my head when I think about The Fourth. It is a distinctive sound, but one I haven’t heard in many many years.

Fort Hood Shooting Leads
To Tighter Gun Restrictions

Secretary Gates signs off on new policy regulating how privately owned guns can be carried on military bases

Stupid is as stupid does.  Welcome to stupid, Mr. Secretary.

I heard that phrase a lot when I was in the military, a period spanning most of my most productive adult years.  99% of the time it was use in jest.  It was a joke.

I continually see articles about how overweight our society is becoming; it seems lately there are even more articles about children being overweight/obese with the numbers of those children on the rise.

Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775

No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House.

OK, for the handful of you who actually read this blog, I’ll bet you’ll do everything you can to save someone’s life.  And who knows, you might even go to truly dangerous lengths in your attempt to do so.

I’m really tired of it all.  Media continue to ask “Do you think Tiger Woods’ apology was sincere?” as if it were a make or break issue for the days it was posted at various locations.

Forget the rodent and forget the almanac.  It’s here.

The ice cream truck passed a few minutes ago.  THAT is the indicator.

I stopped him and offered 5 bucks last year if he’d change the music every other day.

He didn’t think it was funny.

I wasn’t kidding.

Dimwits with a badge.

Source and complete article.

Report: Officers lose 243 Homeland Security guns
February 18, 2010 10:04 a.m. EST
 
Of the 243 guns lost by Homeland Security agencies, 179 are gone because officers didn’t secure them, a report says.

Washington (CNN) — Nearly 180 Department of Homeland Security weapons were lost — some falling into the hands of criminals — after officers left them in restrooms, vehicles and other public places, according to an inspector general report.

Uh, several things come to mind here, the most notable one being, that’s gotta hurt!

Puts a whole new twist on the term “tree hugger,” eh?

See article here.

Thanks to Weasel Zippers for the point on this one.

you may want to pay attention to a detail or two.

It’s not exactly news that thieves have been using devices called “skimmers” to capture ATM information when unsuspecting customers slide their cards into the slot.  The practice has been increasing in frequency and is going on all over the country.  Here in the Orlando area it occurred recently and one of the reporting television stations made it sound like a new phenomenon.

What a joke that was.  It was a hell of a race, partially due to NASCAR’s latest rule changes, but the TWO delays for a total of over 2 hours, closer to two and a half, for a POTHOLE on the track were absolutely ridiculous. 

This is the 21st century in some places, correct?

Source (and there are some interesting readers’ comments there below the article.)

Segregate or suffer

By RON FRIEDMAN
12/02/2010 07:04

Alternatives to ‘mehadrin’ buses are costly, dwindling.

Government’s heavy involvement in business, coupled with the intertwining of religion, sometimes ends up with interesting results.  In Saudi Arabia, who is allowed to work where, especially when it comes to male versus female roles/positions, is heavily influenced by “that religion of peace” – you know, the one that classifies women as second class and not whole citizens, harshly punishes those who are sexually assaulted, and says it is permissible to kill anyone not willing to convert or pay. 

In an era of apologies that read more like excuses, provide possible but undefined fall guys, make the recipient responsible for the situation rather than the doer (”sorry if you interpreted that way”), and in general express no real apology whatsoever, I rather like this one. 

For the last week or so I’ve been reading broad coverage on every outlet, describing a new push in Afghanistan.  The coverage has given all but numbers and times, providing what seems to me to be unprecedented warning to the enemy, providing valuable advance planning time.

Received in an email:

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER

This one is a little different…. 

MODERN VERSION

The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

It may be my imagination, but I thought there were a lot more very short commercials than usual.  Seems there were also a lot more commercials for the network advertising itself.  If I’m correct in those two observations it may be a sign of the economy — the network couldn’t sell a lot of air time and what they did sell was going for shorter/cheaper spots than in the past.

Reportedly infected during a surgical procedure at a Naval hospital.

Karma.  Pure karma.

What goes around,…

Poetic justice.

Whatever.

No tears here, for sure.

May he rest uneasily with Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamarra.

Chicago Midway

The Weather Channel shows a real mess.  2 cable news organizations are showing no takeoffs or landings because the runways and taxiway have snow plows running on them.  Announcer says Southwest Airlines has cancelled ALL flights for the next 24 hours in and out of there.