Happy Halloween, Predators!

Hat Tip: The Smallest Minority and Walyou dot com!

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Shooter Is Also Soldier - Of the Year

Shooter Is Also Soldier - Of the Year | Shooting Wire

The 2010 U.S. Army "Soldier of the Year" ... Sgt. Sherri Gallagher

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Staff Sgt. Adam Sahlberg

DVIDS - Video - Staff Sgt. Adam Sahlberg

This is a video interview by the "Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System (dvids) of a Son of the Pacific North West.

SSGT. Adam is the son of Bill Sahlberg, who is well known in the PNW. Adam, his father and brother have all been competitors in USPSA matches in Washington and Oregon. All of us here in Geekistan are very proud of Sgt. Adam's service, and grateful for his contribution.

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SAF Sues Holder, FBI Over Gun Rights Denial

Shooting Wire: "BELLEVUE, WA -

Acting on behalf of a Georgia resident and honorably discharged Vietnam War veteran, the Second Amendment Foundation today filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Eric Holder and the Federal Bureau of Investigation over enforcement of a federal statute that can deny gun rights to someone with a simple misdemeanor conviction on his record.

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In July 1968, Schrader, then 21, was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and battery relating to a fight involving a man who had previously assaulted him in Annapolis, MD. The altercation was observed by a police officer, who arrested Schrader, then an enlisted man in the Navy, stationed in Annapolis. The man he fought with was in a street gang that had attacked him for entering their 'territory,' according to the complaint."

This guy can't legally own a gun in the state of Maryland because of a bar fight 40 years ago.

The man must be some kind of "Rambo".

(Note: this is based upon information available on October 15, 2010)

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HP Printer Support in Iraq

No comment ... the video says it all.




H/T "Digger Fulkerson"

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Sharron Angle sends Joy Behar flowers

Sharron Angle sends Joy Behar flowers: Scott Wong - POLITICO.COM:

"Sharron Angle said it with flowers.

The Nevada GOP Senate nominee sent a floral arrangement to “The View” co-host Joy Behar on Wednesday, one day after Behar called Angle a “bitch,” and a “moron,” and said she’s “going to hell.”"

Of course, Behar (Mighty Mouth of "The View", not that anyone watches that except excerpts on the Internet) didn't get the joke.

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American Groupspeak

American Groupspeak - Victor Davis Hanson - Townhall Conservative:

Dr. Victor Davis Hanson has nailed it: You can talk about anything you want in public, but if you don't couch it in "politically correct" context you'll be accused of being mean, hurtful, cruel, racist ... in short, a Conservative!

So maybe it's better to just keep your mouth SHUT!?

"Here are some reminders about what to shut up about.

Don't discuss the deficit. Instead, call borrowing 'stimulus.' Trillions are not much different from billions. Debt can be paid back with more borrowing and someone else's higher taxes. Ignore the lessons of Greece and California. To appear noble, call for more unemployment benefits, free medical care and more entitlements. To sound cruel, talk about borrowing to pay for them."

Oh, and don't forget to read the comments. Especially run the 4:51 minute "Runaway Slave" trailer.

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Joe Biden blurts out that he will be Barack Obama's 2012 running mate – Telegraph Blogs

Joe Biden blurts out that he will be Barack Obama's 2012 running mate – Telegraph Blogs:

"Joe Biden just can’t keep his mouth shut. OK, I know that’s not exactly breaking news. But at a time when Democrats are supposed to be focussed on the November 2nd mid-terms and Barack Obama has not even announced he will seek a second term, did Biden really need to declare that he’ll be on the 2012 ticket?

Here he is shooting from the lip to the New York Times:

“I tell you what, there’s real trust, that’s why he’s asked me to run again,” Mr. Biden said Monday, dropping this tidbit at the end of a 40-minute conversation, just before he dashed off to his third fund-raiser of the day. “Look, he said, ‘We’re going to run together, are you going to run?’ I said, ‘Of course, you want me to run with you, I’m happy to run with you.’ ”"

Simpering Joe is just a heartbeat away from the Presidency of the United States of America.

Let us all pray for the continuing good health of B.H. Obama's heart.

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Their grandparents wanted to rule the world!

"The acrid immigration debate sparked this summer by former Bundesbank board member Thilo Sarrazin has apparently had an effect on the German public. A poll released on Wednesday showed that one-tenth want a “Fuhrer,” while one-quarter admitted to strong xenophobic attitudes – up from one-fifth in 2008"

It surprises me, ... does it surprise you? ... that a significant percentage of German people have responded to a poll supporting the rise of a "Fuhrer" to lead the nation. This is obviously similar to the feelings of 1930's Germany, which encouraged the elevation of Adolph Hitler to the role of Chancellor, and later "Fuhrer", of the country.

The poll numbers are probably in response to the rising percentage of Islamic German Citizens, the political influence of which natural born Germans are increasingly opposed.

If this catches you unprepared to accept, especially when compared to the 1937-1945 Nazification of the country (which has been so determinedly renounced by Germans during the past 65 years), then perhaps it would be illuminating to consider the current attitudes of endemic Germans regarding the possession of firearms:

In the light of "shooting rampage[s] with ... legally owned sporting weapon[s]", German citizens are asking each other WHY they [the average German citizen] should be 'allowed' to possess firearms:

"The Badische Zeitung, based in Freiburg some 80-kilometres from Larrach, expressed the region’s sense of shock and helplessness in the face of such incidents.

“Along with the speculation that comes after the fact there's another question which we can’t spare the countless weapons lovers living in peace,” the paper said. [Emphasis added by the editor: is it surprising that "weapons lovers" might "live in peace"? Perhaps they know something that undefended people do not know.] “When there is a firearm at hand, is there not a threat that difficult psychological conflicts will escalate faster than without them? To this day the weapons lobby still hasn’t been able to convince us that the two have nothing to do with the other.”

Baden-Wirttemburg's capital daily, the Stuttgarter Zeitung, warned against knee-jerk weapons law reforms, but said Sunday’s shocking events renewed questions about whether current regulations are adequate.

“Once again a weapon that should have been used for recreational sport shooting was used to kill, and this time the perpetrator was a markswoman herself,” the paper said. “She would not have been able to commit the crime if she had faced tighter weapon regulations.”

While stronger laws for such weapons may not prevent every crime, they would hinder at least a few, the paper said."

“After the most recent crimes we must be allowed to weigh the freedom of sports shooters against other people’s right to life. In this society people’s freedom is encroached for petty reasons. Is it really unreasonable then if marksmen only have a right to reach for their weapons when they are practising the sport? Stricter weapons law won’t make disturbed people better. But in individual cases it could soften the consequences of their behaviour.”

Hannover daily the Neue Presse agreed with this view, lamenting: “Why on earth do sport shooters bring their weapons and pistols into their homes at all? There is no plausible reason.”

These guns are meant only for use within sporting clubs, where they should be stored with the appropriate security precautions, the paper said.

This is an excellent question, and German newspapers are performing a valuable service by asking the question ... although the context in which the question is raised may seem, to the average American reader, to be slightly skewed to a conclusion which is pre-ordained by the publisher.

This newspaper seems to accept the precept that private ownership of firearms is "A Bad Idea", even though a half-hearted attempt has been made to present the question in a 'neutral' context.

Why SHOULD German citizens be permitted to own firearms? After all, one article supports the concept of a "Nanny State", and the other (under the guise of presenting the 'general viewpoint of the average German Citizen') presupposes that there is no justifiable reason for private ownership of firearms.

The Jews know why.

In the period 1939-1943, under increasing persecution by the Nazis, the Jewish population of the Warsaw Ghetto learned that the only viable opposition was "armed resistance". Only by forcibly opposing German oppression were they able, for a short time, to prevent the Germans from shipping them to concentration camps. While they were in the Ghetto, the Jews discovered that the sole relief from persecution was to resist, by force of arms, German oppression and persecution.

It didn't last; the Jews were eventually overwhelmed by the diversion of a German artillery division for a series of months. But during that period, they succeeded in weakening, even so slightly, the German military power although it caused the Jewish population to suffer grievously.

Yes, the Jews know why it is tantamount to tyranny for a civilian population to be denied the God Given Right to self-defense. It isn't a matter of permitting citizens to engage in sporting competition; it isn't because a government "allows" its citizens to own firearms; it isn't even because a government 'recognizes' their right to defend their home against individual predators.

God gives them the right to defend themselves against a predatory government. Nothing less is implied, nor significant in comparison to the right to defend the freedom of the people.

If the Germany of today does not recognize, or accept, that Right, then the citizens of Germany are only fooling themselves when they think that a paltry few individuals who die because a German person goes 'mad' and shoots his or her neighbors justifies abrogation of that right.

Madness on the individual level is surely to be deprecated; madness against an entire segment of the population is ... Government.

When we allow "The State" to determine our fates, we give out fate unto the hands of people who are "popular". Have we not yet learned that popularity does not equate to wisdom?

Germany should have been the first group of people to recognize the value of (as it is known in America) the Second Amendment to the Constitution.

Apparently, they have already forgotten the lesson.

The Jews have not.

Let us all learn from the Jews.

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Craigslist Ad

To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown Savannah night before last. Date: 2009-05-27, 1:43 a.m. E.S.T.


I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend, threatening our lives. You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.

First, I'd like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn't expect you to actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket. The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason. My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening. Obviously you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head ... isn't it?!

I know it probably wasn't fun walking back to wherever you'd come from with that brown sludge in your pants. I'm sure it was even worse walking bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again].

After I called your mother or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you'd done. Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station, -- on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful!

I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]

I then threw your wallet into the big pink "pimp mobile" that was parked at the curb ... after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver's side of the car.

Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell phone. Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what 's going on with that? Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA's office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target.

The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc.).

In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you ... but I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you've chosen to pursue in life. Remember, next time you might not be so lucky. Have a good day!

Thoughtfully yours,

Alex

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The Last Hunt

It was late in the 1980's, my father (whom I had always address as "Pop") was 75 years old and his bones and his eyes were both getting old.

Pop and I had been hunting Antelope since 1963 .. first in the Owyhee Reservoir in Eastern Oregon, then in the Steens Mountain region west of the Malheur Wildlife Reservation. But when the draw for Oregon Antelope Hunts had become so fiercely competitive that it was virtually impossible to reliably get tags, we began buying tags for the Antelope hunts near Rawlins, Wyoming.

By the middle 8o's it had become apparent that all of the 'good' areas even in Wyoming had been taken, so even though the Western Cheyenne area was not a highly populated Antelope area, we decided to spend another week, another thousand bucks, and drive a thousand miles each way for a last Father and Son Hunt.

We both bought 'felt hats' (his was brown, mine was dark grey) and brought matching .41 Magnum revolvers to the hunt. Mine was the original 'iron sights', his had a 6x optical scope which was firmly mounted by copious amounts of glass-embedding compound which he had used in his stock-making business.

On the first day of the Wyoming Antelope season, we found a nice draw beside the forest service road in( whatever the National Forest immediately West of Cheyenne was named), and set up a make-shift camp with our cheesy tow-along trailer/camper. We had two-and-a-half days to hunt before we had to start back, so we got there early and after a hard trek up a 60% hill we found ourselves glassing a high prairie covered in knee-deep yellow prairie grass. We saw lots of antelope, be we knew by our experience they would be scattered the next morning.

The first day we mostly loafed around. Tried to sight in our GoatPistols ... Pop's scope mounts failed after two shots (the glass bedding compound was not able to withstand the pounding recoil), so no telescopic sights for his pistol. He would have to settle for his hand-made 6mm-280 rifle. A fierce weapon for the thin-skinned "Prong Horned Antelope" but not what he would have preferred. He wanted to take "The Goat" after overcoming a challenge.

Little did we know then how much of a Challenge it would be to take meat, let along an edible beast.

So our first morning was devoted to haphazard shooting, with no expectation that any game in the area would stay put while we were plinking.

But Antelope are both fickle and curious creatures, and one can never know what will cause them to move away ... or stay ... in an area where there is shooting going on. Unlike Deer, Antelope tend do graze where cattle graze, and if the cattle are not concerned by rude noises, sometimes the Antelope stay in the same area "anyway".

Later that day, I found myself laying on my back in a shallow gully, trying to stay still while a herd of Antelope grazed nervously around me. I suppose I should have shot one of the, but I was so enthralled by their propinquity, and their beauty, that I could not bear to disturb them.

Later in the day I had a head-shot at a decent buck at either 20 or 90 feet; took a shot with the revolver and hit him right between the horns ... and about two feet high. No trophy here.
Even later, what was probably the same buck jumped up and ran left-to-right across a big open area; I took either two or six shots at him, missing him every time. The term "Buck Fever" was invented for this kind of situation. Pop was standing behind me, laughing quietly. I didn'tmind; I wasn't expecting to take an antelope with a pistol; hoping, yes. Expecting, no.


The second day of the hunt, we were getting more serious. And this is where the disappointment of the hunter entered the picture.

Middle of the day, I found the King Buck Antelope standing broadside in the tall grass less than 200 yards away .... proud, arrogant, and a perfect target for the 6mm-280 that my father was carrying. I pointed the buck out to my father, and he could not see it. At all.

I got behind Pop and moved his six-power scoped rifle as close as I could to the antelope. Pop still couldn't see it.

In frustration, pop said "I can't see it .. why don't you take it?"

"No", I said. "This is your antelope, Pop. Either you take it, or we'll walk away. You choose."

He couldn't see it, and the antelope walked away. And so did we.

We went back to the camp, chased our hats which had been blown away in the afternoon predominant Westerly Wind. We ate a light meal, and had a drink, talked until dark and got to bed early.

The next morning the third day of the season, I awoke early. Tried to wake Pop and he said
"I don't really don't feel like getting up; why don't you just go hunt without me?"

I didn't really want to hunt without him, but I did. I tried out my home-made "snake load" rounds from the .41 Magnum on a telephone pole about 10am. It made a nice pattern.

Just before noon, a pretty little doe pranced up onto the ridgeline I was wandering along, and then stopped in (again) the classic broadside pose. Less than 100 yards away, and although I had never knowingly killed a female of any game animal, I took the shot. We had "any sex" tags, so it was legal and ... well, I couldn't bear the though of coming home without any meat, so I dropped her as clean as I could, which was not much of a challenge for the .25-06 loaded with 117 grain Nosler boat-tail bullets .. which I had used successfully at five times the range, several times.

Field dressed, I guess the sweet girl weighed about 70 pounds, so it was no great chore to drag her the 200 yards or so to the truck. I boosted her onto the rack on top of the cab, and we skinned her out at the camp.


That night we made it as far as Evanston, a few miles short of the Western Wyoming border. We got a motel room, and just as we walked into the restaurant the power went out. We sat down n what was (as it turned out) the dining room. We sat there for an hour while we listened to the folks in the bar laughing and enjoying themselves; if we could have found it in the dark, we would have had a better time. The bartender obviously know the location of the 'good stuff', and it was all free. We never had a drop.

But we had a good dinner, eventually, and went back to our room for a good night's sleep. At 6am the next day we awoke to 4" of snow and that sweet doe was frozen stiff from there, thru breakfast at Salt Lake City, and on into the cooler at Schwaggart's Frozen Foods in Pendleton by closing time.

We got a hide, and from that a couple of pairs of soft gloves out of the old girl. Oh, and about 40 pounds of good Antelope steaks after she was boned out. Pop wouldn't take any of the meat; said it was my kill, my meat, and I hadn't the heart to insist that he take any of it.

Because the truth was, Pop really wouldnt have been able to stomach any of it. He had his chance for a good trophy Antelope, and he just couldn't get the job done.

I ate every bit of that she-goat, over then next year, and as much as I enjoyed it I would much rather he had taken an equal share.

The trip cost us at least $1,000 each, which when prorated over 40# of meat made it the most expensive meals I had ever eaten.

But the expense, the meat, the trip .. none of that was the point.

The point was that my father never went hunting again, and he died a few years later from a combination of Diabetes, Cancer and Alzheimer's, never having enjoyed a bite of the meat and ... if his memory had been intact ... knowing that he didn't take one of the best shots of his life.

But he had the hunt, he had the time with his son, and he never voice more than a passing regret.

Me? I wanted him to have that shot. Hit or miss, I had guided him to one of the best animals he had ever not-taken.

This is the man who, on my first antelope hunt 15 year earlier, took the best antelope out of the herd right out from under my sights on Opening Day, because dammit .. he had the shot, and I didn't.

He taught me everything I know about hunting, about sportsmanship, and about shooting. And in the last months of his life he didn't know who I was. For all that, he didn't know who his wife was.

The perfect end to this story would have had him nailing that buck in the tall grass, but it just wasn't what fate had in store for him.

It may be the last good lesson he had to teach me; disappointment, and how to deal with it. I didn't want to learn that lesson quite so early, but it has served me well in the ensuing years.


It always hurts. Disappointment always wounds. But I have learned to just ... let it go, and move on.

I'll probably not be able to teach this lesson so well to my own children. God, I hope not!

But if I could, I could wish no better wish than to teach this most bitter lesson by simply ... sleeping through it.

There was a man.

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Bollywood dance flash mob erupts at OSU | kgw.com | KGW Local News | Portland, Oregon

Bollywood dance flash mob erupts at OSU (Corvallis,Oregon)

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