So, today is my birthday ..................................

Friday, a couple of co-workers surprised me with a new wallet/badge combo, a 32 SD card for my phone, a GORGEOUS cake {will try to get the pictures off my phone & posted here}, a gift card to Jason's Deli {GREAT food}, pink roses and a balloon - yesterday, the FodGuy presented me with a dual magazine holder for my 9 mm, and tonight, when we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner, the couple behind me paid for our dinner!!  {Don't know if they overheard it was my birthday, noticed the FodGuy's USMC ballcap, or just picked us at random for an act of kindness}

Feeling quite celebratory here .................................... ;-)





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We're headed down to Kemah tomorrow ..............................

unsure of the actual geography, but I b'lieve it's a bit north of Galveston, for our anniversary {14 years, who'da thunk it?  ;-) } - we're "doing" a murder mystery dinner cruise & spending the night there, IF we can find accommodations .....................................

We don't have NEAR the 'social life' we used to; b'tween the FodGuy working zero-dark-thirty 'til whenever, and my working 1300-'til relieved, our schedules don't allow for a lot, plus he works most weekends {when he put in for vacation for our anniversary, he was told, "B-b-b-but, it's end of the month/end of the quarter!"  He politely informed that person that he'd BEEN working most every weekend for MONTHS, and the company had decided that 'managers' were NOT to be compensated for putting in 16-24 hours per weekend, over and above their 'regular' 44+ hours a week.  The squawker kicked it up to the next level, who told the FodGuy, "Have a good time!"  ;-)

I'm dealing with a pregnant Twitless Wonder, who tried to tell me that SHE was taking off the same time I was, so SHE had priority - ummmmm, NO, you do NOT, since I requested the time off BEFORE you even started working here; I've been here over a year, I've EARNED my time off, so I'll be paid for it, while TW will have a short check - sux to be her, I guess ;-) .

Hope all have a happy Thanksgiving; despite 'our' collective problems, this is STILL the best nation on earth - "we" have much for which to be thankful.




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I know, I know, Old NFO is gonna try to turn me over his knee .........................

Work's been hectic, the "Brats" demanding - and WE have an anniversary coming up !!

Some random thoughts ............................. for folks who believe physics is waa-aa-aay beyond their cognitive functions .........................
Look at a ruler - 12 inches {in the U.S.}, correct?  One inch is one twelfth {1/12} of the total.  Alternatively, consider a child of, say, 5 years of age, and an adult of 50 years of age.  For the child, 5 years is the extent of his/her awareness; for the adult, 5 years is one tenth {1/10} of their awareness.  There you have the theory of relativity in a couple of nutshells  ;-)
Also, the theory that two objects cannot exist in the same space, at the same time?  Remember that next time you're in rush hour traffic - the jam ups occur because, more than likely, a couple of "motorists" decided THEY could both occupy the same space at the same time.

Just some 'thimking' while my blood sugar descends ............................. ;-)




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Sooo, I'm working armed security for a company that has U. S. government

contracts, plus some proprietary "things" they want to keep proprietary.  Seems it would be a no-brainer that all who desire access have appropriate ID, correct?  Not so much ...............................

Today, we had the third, in as many weeks, of fake ID used to try to gain access - this one was GOOD, but for the little problems of no holograms, plus it was an expired ID - the young man ultimately admitted he'd bought it "somewhere".

Note to the criminal illegal alien contingent - it just might behoove you to ensure that your fake ID is, at the very least, CURRENT.

We have recently stopped asking people if they were citizens, because some grievance monger found it to be "insulting" - yeah, I know, right?  So we now allow all & sundry with 'valid' ID access, whether it's "limited term" or some other variation that indicates, to anyone with 2 semi-functioning brain cells, that the holder is in the country under less-than-clear circumstances.  It's frustrating as hell, but since 'we're' not the "deep pockets", the "deep pockets" dictate our authority. 

Oh, and the 3 with fake IDs?  We merely denied them access .................................





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From my LtCol., .............................................

HERE'S a thought - I will put MY "mental stability" up against Feinstein's, et al, ANY day - with no 'victim points' for my having been physically/emotionally/psychologically/sexually abused as a child/adolescent .......................... think any of them would take me up on it?  Me, neither ................................

 

Dianne Feinstein: "All vets are mentally ill in some way and government should prevent them from owning firearms"

Yep, - she really said it on Thursday in a meeting in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the quote below from the LA Times is priceless. Sometimes even the L.A. Times gets it right. 

Kurt Nimmo from the Los Angeles Times: 

"Senator Feinstein insults all U.S. Veterans as she flays about in a vain attempt to save her anti-firearms bill." "Frankly, I don't know what it is about California, but we seem to have a strange urge to elect really obnoxious women to high office. I'm not bragging, you understand, but no other state, including Maine, even comes close. When it comes to sending left-wing dingbats to Washington, we're Number One. There's no getting around the fact that the last time anyone saw the likes of Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, Maxine Waters, and Nancy Pelosi, they were stirring a cauldron when the curtain went up on 'Macbeth." "The four of them are like jackasses who happen to possess the gift of blab. You don't know if you should condemn them for their stupidity or simply marvel at their ability to form words."

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'Nother good video for today ..............................

Unfortunately, King George III is sounding awfully contemporary .................................

{Snitched from Bayou Renaissance Man }





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In honor of tomorrow ................................

John Adams asking Mr. Thompson, the Secretary of the Congress, if Thompson supports Dickinson of Pennsylvania {no to revolution} or Adams - Thompson's response, as well as Abigail Adams' reminder that the only measure of a man is his commitment to a cause "Have you forgotten what you used to say to me, I haven't. Commitment, Abby, commitment. There are only two creatures of value on the face of this earth - those with a commitment and those who require the commitment of others. Do you remember John?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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THIS is who/what "we" are helping ................................. ?? WARNING: Graphic video

May God have mercy on us ...............................






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How far we've fallen .......................................

Might behoove all Americans to take a look at this video ............................ used to be regular TV fare in my household when growing up ...............................




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Getting REALLY TIRED ....................................

of having to 'sign in' to Blogger via Internet Explorer - "WE" use Mozilla Firefox, but for whatever reason, Blogger sees fit to NOT allow me access to MY blog via Firefox - anybody have suggestions?  I really DON'T want to change platforms, but if that's the only way to get Blogger's attention, guess that's what I'll have to do ........................................ :-(

PLUS, I have to jump through the same damn hoops to edit - what happened to "user-friendly"?!?!?








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From my LtCol .............................

Today was a day for remembering ............................... BullDog, Big Al, AWACS, DittyChaser, Nomad, my Dad

Semper Fidelis, Gentlemen

Hand Salute!



The Sheepdogs by Russ Vaughn
Most humans truly are like sheep
Wanting nothing more than peace to keep
To graze, grow fat and raise their young,
Sweet taste of clover on the tongue.
Their lives serene upon Life’s farm,
They sense no threat nor fear no harm.
On verdant meadows, they forage free
With naught to fear, with naught to flee.
They pay their sheepdogs little heed
For there is no threat; there is no need.
To the flock, sheepdog’s are mysteries,
Roaming watchful round the peripheries.
These fang-toothed creatures bark, they roar
With the fetid reek of the carnivore,
Too like the wolf of legends told,
To be amongst our docile fold.
Who needs sheepdogs? What good are they?
They have no use, not in this day.
Lock them away, out of our sight
We have no need of their fierce might.
But sudden in their midst a beast
Has come to kill, has come to feast
The wolves attack; they give no warning
Upon that calm September morning
They slash and kill with frenzied glee
Their passive helpless enemy
Who had no clue the wolves were there
Far roaming from their Eastern lair.
Then from the carnage, from the rout,
Comes the cry, “Turn the sheepdogs out!”
Thus is our nature but too our plight
To keep our dogs on leashes tight
And live a life of illusive bliss
Hearing not the beast, his growl, his hiss.
Until he has us by the throat,
We pay no heed; we take no note.
Not until he strikes us at our core
Will we unleash the Dogs of War
Only having felt the wolf pack’s wrath
Do we loose the sheepdogs on its path.
And the wolves will learn what we’ve shown before;
We love our sheep, we Dogs of War.
Russ Vaughn
2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66





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Doin' a Happy Dance here ................................

Not only is Kevin back at HillBuzz - the person I refer to as 'Lyin' Freddy FatA$$' is no longer part of my 'chain of command' at work .....................................

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I don't deal well with liars and their antics ....................................

can't go into it right now, but it seems to be ongoing - it's NOT part of the FodGuy & I - WE'RE OK, just don't have a lot of time together .....................................

So, to pleasant things - one of the high points of the NRA convention was meeting LawDog & Phlegm Fatale - for those of you who haven't met her yet, Phlegmmy reminds me of a young Elizabeth Taylor {after National Velvet, before Cleopatra} - a singularly beautiful young woman, who seems a perfect match for LawDog.

While wandering the aisles and ACRES of fun stuff, I happened to see a six and a half foot, VERY pale pink & white pig - I don't recall the offerings at that booth, but it reminded me of .............................. something {Class Gazillion and one BEVERAGE ALERT!}

One company that need never bother including me on their mailing list is E. R. Shaw - I am admittedly not knowledgeable about long guns - I AM, however, intelligent enough to be a smart a$$ - Shaw is doing strange things to their barrels, so I asked their representative, why the rifling on the outside - HE snaps out, "It's not rifling, it's FLUTING!  Rifling's on the inside!"  OK, humorless cretin alert - so I ask what is the purpose of the fluting?  To dissipate heat, I'm told.  Oh, like a heat sink? I ask.  NO!  NOTHING like a heat sink! I'm angrily informed.  So, when I start my journey of long guns, E. R. Shaw and their rude, abrasive, humorless representatives can go whistle "Dixie" 'til the cows come home before I'll purchase ANYTHING of theirs ..................................






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Just learned today .................................

that one of the kindest men I've ever known died 5 May.

Big Al was a VietNam Marine, former law enforcement, former firefighter, minister - he was a man who LIVED  his faith.

Our hearts go out to his bride of many years, Sweet Jean. 

Chesty, one of the BEST is reporting for duty - no KP for Big Al, please.

'And when I get to Heaven, St. Peter I will tell "Another Marine reporting, Sir.  I've served my time in Hell." '


UPDATE:  LINK is from a MSGT friend - more info about our sorely-missed Big Al ...............................




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I know how she feels .....................................

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From a friend, FWIW ...................................

The Dick Act of 1902! (Not a Joke)

Dick Act of 1902 - Gun Control FORBIDDEN!

Are you aware of this law?

DICK ACT of 1902 - CAN'T BE REPEALED (GUN CONTROL FORBIDDEN) - Protection Against Tyrannical Government.
It would appear that the administration is counting on the fact that the American Citizens don't know this, their rights and the constitution. Don't prove them right.

The Dick Act of 1902 also known as the Efficiency of Militia Bill H.R. 11654, of June 28, 1902 invalidates all so-called gun-control laws.

It also divides the militia into three distinct and separate entities. ** SPREAD THIS TO EVERYONE **

The three classes H.R. 11654 provides for are the organized militia, henceforth known as the National Guard of the State, Territory and District of Columbia, the unorganized militia and the regular army.

The militia encompasses every able-bodied male between the ages of 18 and 45. All members of the unorganized militia have the absolute personal right and 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms of any type, and as many as they can afford to buy.

The Dick Act of 1902 cannot be repealed; to do so would violate bills of attainder and ex post facto laws which would be yet another gross violation of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

The President of the United States has zero authority without violating the Constitution to call the National Guard to serve outside of their State borders.

The National Guard Militia can only be required by the National Government for limited purposes specified in the Constitution (to uphold the laws of the Union; to suppress insurrection and repel invasion). These are the only purposes for which the General Government can call upon the National Guard.

Source.

http://www.civilrightstaskforce.info/gun_control_forbidden.htm
Get this message out to all your email contacts.

It's time to learn about your rights.

(Thus making all California gun & magazine limiting laws illegal !!!) 

And just as an additional note:

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Soooooo, I dragged the FodGuy ........

down to the GRB today - he met Old NFO, LawDog, Phlegm Fatale & several other folks .......
Will have more later - I'm zoning/veging out right now   ;-)



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OK, so my first day at my first NRA Convention ................................

my feet HURT!!  ;-)

Met with Old NFO, who duly chastised me for not blogging more - I know, I know, but work issues tend to overload my feeble mind {"How can such-and-such be done BETTER?" - no excuse, just the reality of my world, currently.}

One of the first "things" one notices at the NRA Convention are the good manners - yes-yes, we ALL know an armed society is a polite society.  But, I daresay, the majority of attendees are NOT carrying {especially those who had to undergo the indignities of flying in}, and yet, there are no issues of what has become commonplace rudeness that I've observed.  There isn't the sense of impatience to which most of us have grown accustomed.  It's a very nice respite from what has sadly become our "new normal".

I kind-of met a local newsman, Phil Archer of KPRC, the NBC affiliate.  Never having met him before, I was pleasantly surprised at his kindness and down-to-earth demeanor.  Lest I'm thought starstruck - I worked in the offices of WTTG-TV in Washington, back when Maury Povich was just starting out there.  I've met several 'big name' celebrities over the years - starstruck, I'm not.

The convention is also where one can get some good deals - a LOT of vendors seem to have special pricing for the convention.  There are drawings galore, for just about any firearm/hunting item one might want.

For those who've never been here, the George R. Brown is huge - luckily, it's mostly straight lines and 90 degree angles, so one isn't stuffed into a maze.

John Bolton addressed the assemblage - how is it that we are still blessed by such men?  Men {AND women} unafraid to tell the truth, and who are unapologetically proud Americans?  God knows we could use many more like Ambassador Bolton, Governor Palin and others.

I met former Pennsylvania Senator & Presidential candidate Rick Santorum - he was headed in to address the convention, and I just walked up to him and shook his hand, thanked him from a former resident of Pennsylvania.

There was a get-together at The Ginger Man - nice place, hard as he## to find parking!  The high point for me was meeting with LawDog - my co-BlogFather {he shares that dubious honor with Bayou Renaissance Man } - I am SO fortunate to have both these men in my life!

Will try to get more 'man- {woman-} in the street' interviewing done tomorrow; right now, just want to gnosh something & get in a hot tub ...................................... ;-)   





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For those of you headed this way next weekend ...........................

Here are the local MSM weather sites .............................. PLEASE bear in mind, though, that Houston's "meteorologists" leave a LOT to be desired - they don't know the difference between sleet & snow ..................................

NBC affiliate

CBS affiliate

ABC affiliate






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AHEM!! ;-)

"Thank you for submitting your information for the 2013 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits.  Your press credentials will be available for pick-up in the press office beginning on Thursday, May 2 in room 330."

Happy Birthday to the FodGuy!!!

AND

I'm a Barbra fan like he's a Neil Diamond fan - what can I say?  ;-)

Love you, Gunny!!





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So, I asked LawDog how one goes about getting credentialed for the NRA convention ...............................

my "Blog Father" got back to me immediately with the info; the problem I'm experiencing is getting the NRA to even acknowledge my existence - so far, I have eMailed THREE {count'em, THREE} requests, with a response of ................................... crickets.

I'm still attending the convention {no worries about travel/accommodations, since it's in Houston in May}, but I would really, REALLY appreciate a response, even if they tell me to kiss their collective fundament for press credentials.  Guess being published on FrontPage Magazine, & owing 4 firearms doesn't carry any weight with them .................................. oh well ....................................

On a related but lighter note - finally got to the range today to try out my Christmas gift: 

Springfield XD 9 mm, 4" barrel .......................................... it won't replace my Bersa .380 in my affections, but it's one he##uva lot more comfortable for me to use than the FodGuy's Bersa .40





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