MI5 hunting breast implants of death

MI5 hunting breast implants of death

Women suicide bombers recruited by al-Qaida are known to have had the explosives inserted in their breasts under techniques similar to breast enhancing surgery. The lethal explosives – usually PETN (pentaerythritol Tetrabitrate) – are inserted during the operation inside the plastic shapes. The breast is then sewn up.

Similar surgery has been performed on male suicide bombers. In their cases, the explosives are inserted in the appendix area or in a buttock. Both are parts of the body that diabetics use to inject themselves with their prescribed drugs

[snip]

"Properly inserted the implant would be virtually impossible to detect by the usual airport scanningmachines. You would need to subject a suspect to a sophisticated X-ray. Given that the explosive would be inserted in a sealed plastic sachet, and would be a small amount, would make it all the more impossible to spot it with the usual body scanner."

Explosive experts at Britain's Porton Down biological and chemical warfare research center told MI5 that a sachet containing as little as five ounces of PETN when activated would blow "a considerable hole" in an airline's skin which would guarantee it would crash.

This ... sounds ominous. And serious. No, really!

Okay, so maybe not.

I've been wondering about "The Shoe Bomber" and "The Jock-Strap Bomber", and even "The Liquid Explosive Bombers". How can a tiny amount of explosives detonated within the passenger compartment of an airplane "guarantee it would crash"?

Sure, I can see it if the explosion occurred in an area where it would disrupt avionics or control runs (cables to ailerons? Do they work by cables in the 767?) or some other method caused the pilot to lose control of the airplane. And I understand how a hole in the skin may cause a huge rip, and passengers may be sucked out of the plane at 30,000 feet altitude.

But blowing "... a considerable hole in an airline's skin ... would guarantee it to crash"?

I'm not convinced of the inevitability of the disaster, and here's why.

According to sky-brary

On 28 April 1988, a Boeing 737-200, operated by Aloha Airlines experienced an explosive depressurisation and structural failure at FL 240. Approximately 5.5 metres (or 18 feet) of cabin covering and structure was detached from the aircraft during flight. As result of the depressurisation, a member of the cabin crew was fatally injured. The flight crew performed an emergency descent, landing at Kahului Airport on the Island of Maui, Hawaii.

Here's a picture depicting the extend of aircraft skin which was found to be missing when the plane landed (safely!)

As you can see, about 1/3 of the overhead skin of the passenger compartment was ripped off.
But was the plane "guaranteed to crash"?

Apparently, the guarantee was null and void.

The full story of Aloha Airlines Flight 243 can be read here.

And yes, people were injured. One stewardess was killed.

At least one study suggests that a 'small hole' in the skin (16 inches?) caused an overpressure within the passenger compartment, sucking the stewardess against the skin. The impact of her skull against the skin caused the much greater rupture, which exaggerated the damage and caused many more injuries among the passengers.

The cause was eventually attributed to structural damage caused by corrosion.

The New York Times has a less technical, more human-event oriented story about the blowout at 24,000 feet. Officials originally suspected sabotage (yes, even 13 years before the 911 disaster which awakened the world to the threat of terrorism).

In 1989:

United Airlines Flight 811 experienced a cargo door failure in flight on Friday, February 24, 1989, after its last stopover at Honolulu International Airport, Hawaii. The resulting decompression blew out several rows of seats, killing 9 passengers. United Airlines Flight 811, a Boeing 747-122 (registration number N4713U), took off from Honolulu International Airport bound for Auckland, New Zealand with 3 flight crew, 15 flight attendants, and 337 passengers ...

This plane, too, managed to land safely despite the dreadful damage to the plane and the tragic loss of nine passengers.


As recently as July 2009, a passenger plane lost a significant amount of 'skin', in a hole above a passenger sheet. Again, structural damage caused by corrosion.

The point is that a hole in the skin in a plane, or the sudden and dramatic loss of hull integrity even extending to the loss of a cargo door (a hole much bigger than 16") may cause injury and death to individual passengers, but need not necessarily cause the plan to crash.

We keep hearing these melodramatic stories about terrorists who plan to bring down airplanes by blowing a hole in the skin of the plane, or even blow a hole in the floor of the passenger compartment, and our shocked reaction should be (we are told) to assume that this will bring down an airplane.

Not to downplay the threat of suicidal terrorists, but it ain't necessarily so. Sudden and rapid decompression of the passenger compartment, even to the extend that 1/3 of the overhead being ripped from an airplane, does not inevitably cause the pilots to lose control or the airplane to lose its ability to fly.

We're getting hammered so often by threats to passenger airplanes that we begin to see the threat of major disasters every week. We need to step away from the rhetoric and take a critical look at the sensational news reports.

After all, last year in Texas a single man with a pistol and an ideology killed more people than all three of these "airplane disasters" put together. And the 'experts' are still trying to find the root cause of that disaster.

And now we're to be frightened about Boob Bombs? Exploding tits?

Spare me, please.

Obama bows Part III ... to ... Tampa Mayor ?

U.S. President Barack Obama bows to Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio at ... - Yahoo! News Photos
On a January 28, 2010, trip to Tampa, Florida, President Obama met several local notables, including Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. Apparently he was as impressed by Ms Iorio as he was with the Empress Michiko & Emperor Akihito last November (*see "Obama Bows Part II") and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia six months earlier ... because he brought out his patented Obama-Bow.



You may be forgiven for expecting that Obama would have learned his lesson after the nation-wide outrage about his incessant submissiveness to Foreign Leaders. Perhaps he did. Maybe he figured he wouldn't mind so much if he just bowed to American Leaders. You know, like the Mayor of Tampa


Who's next? Barbra Streisand?

On the other hand, perhaps Obama wasn't being submissive to Iorio. Maybe, just maybe, he was apologizing for his recent decisions to cut future funding to NASA ... especially the budget item which would have extended the Space Shuttle project which is scheduled to terminate in 2011, and to cancel the Moon Program launched by G.W. Bush in 2004.

According to the St. Petersburg Times (Feb. 01, 2010), the close of the shuttle program will cost some NASA 7,000 jobs. This has ... disappointed some Florida Leaders.

"The president's proposal lacks a bold vision for space exploration and begs for the type of leadership that he has described as critical for inspiring innovation for the 21st century," said Rep. Suzanne Komas, D-New Smyrna Beach.

We beg for leadership, while Obama begs forgiveness?

How's that "Hopey - Changey" thing working for you today, America?

Bullets by Mail

A recent flurry of activity on The Unofficial IPSC List (mail group) was started today when Mark H.* sent the following message:

With the low cost of the priority mail shipment, I've started getting bullets shipped by USPS. As a result, I've gotten to talk to the manager of the local post office twice, as well as 2 local postal inspectors.

Has anyone else gotten the opportunity to chat with their postal inspectors over this?

I didn't understand what the original post was talking about until I found the follow-up response from Bruce G.*

I haven't had to talk with a postal inspector.

I have received a notice that my packages were "undeliverable", and had to go to the USPS distribution center to pick them up. Interestingly, I *asked* to have a chat with the manager about that and the next time, my local carrier actually did manage to deliver them.

So at least two USPSA members, in separate states, have had United States Postal Service local deliveries refused by the delivery trucks.

Further elucidation was offered by Ira W.*:

I guess "if it fits, it ships" is not actually the truth... Perhaps there is some fine print we are missing.

Yes I have had to go to the local post office. The last time the postal worker was dragging the boxes across the floor until she gave up and asked me to come back and get them! I don't think this is normal but I obliged!!! They did offer me a hand truck!

Keith L.* offers some commentary:

I have received bullets from at least two, if not three, different manufacturers by USPS flat-rate shipments. ALL were delivered directly to my house; NONE required any chats with USPS employees. Nor should they.

IF the packages are competently shipped, they are at or under the weight restrictions. There is nothing flammable, liquid, explosive or otherwise prohibited; meaning there is NO reason for any interaction w/the USPS other than it DELIVERING it and you taking the carton off your steps and into your house.

There is NO reason to discuss the contents w/the USPS. Period.

Doing so invites the attention - and thus the INTERVENTION - of the AG's office when some officious intermeddler babbles about "bullets through the mail." There are already damn few suppliers that still ship to this appalling excuse for a state. Are you TRYING to eliminate them?

If not, don't discuss your business with those who have NO reason to be involved in it. NO good will come of it.

The upshot of it is that, where the USPS (no relation, obviously, to USPSA) is concerned -- sometimes they will, sometimes they won't.

There isn't sufficient traffic on this topic, yet, to draw any less-general conclusions.

I've also received bullet shipments via USPS, and the first time it happened I was very much surprised. I live on a cul de sac in a small liberal college town (but I repeat myself) and our mail deliveries go to a standing mail-box station on the entrance to the street. There are two large 'parcel' bins, plus sufficient individual letter boxes for each address. When a parcel arrives and is found to be too large to stuff in the 'letter' box, it is placed in one of the parcel bins and the key to that bin left by the carrier in the letter box.

Both of my bullet shipments were left on my front porch, which I consider to be entirely safe because the standard shipment of bulk bullets weights 80 pounds. (For 115 grain bullets, that's 4,000 rounds; for 200 grain bullets, that's 2,250 rounds IIRC.)

I'm guessing that the carriers to the addresses which were "undeliverable" make their rounds with a shoulder-strapped mail sack, or perhaps by one of those 3-wheeled 'baby carriage' push-carts. That would make it a huge imposition on the individual carrier, to add another 80 pounds to deliver to one address on those routes.

My own carrier makes his rounds in a USPS truck ... one of those enclosed vehicles which look like a modified golf cart. There's a minimum of lifting involved in heavy-parcel deliveries to my address, since the mail truck can roll to within 10 feet of my front door. (It's probably as easy to drop it at my door as to lift it up to one of the street-corner parcel bins, especially since the box would have to be lifted UP to put it into a bin.)

So my conclusion is that USPS isn't biased against delivering bulk bullets to a street address if it is serviced by a carrier in a truck. But in more urban surroundings, it seems not unreasonable that the postmaster might make a local policy requiring the addressee to pick it up at the post office.

They're not anti-gun; they're just anti-hernia.

[delete some inapplicable babble about shipping combustible/explosive reloading components ... sorry, I digressed]

_________________________________
UPDATE: from Bruce G.

Nope, my carrier drives a "real" postal truck, with a roll-up door in the back, so that wasn't the issue. I think the actual *effort* involved was the issue - he usually doesn't have to do anything but lean out of his window to put things into street-side cluster boxes, so actually getting *out* of his truck seemed to be central to the matter (notably, I chased him down on one occasion when he left a card saying the package was undeliverable. Turned out he didn't even have the box in his truck - he had apparently decided it was "undeliverable" at the distribution center, and left it there...)

And, flat-rate boxes are good for anything that fits, up to a [published] limit of 70 pounds. http://www.usps.com/shipping/prioritymail.htm

Response: Note that the link Bruce cites is for priority mail, so a bulk delivery of bullets weighing X-pounds may not be treated the same as a lighter package. Still, I'm willing to concede that my hypothetical 'conclusion' may not be universally applicable ... which does not obviate the suggestion that local postmasters may be authorized to make deliverability decision based on guidelines, rather than policy established by the Post Master General.

I'm not trying to start an argument here. And I'm not presenting myself as an apologist for the USPS. I'm only saying that I can understand why a carrier may not be required to deliver 65, 70, 80 pound packages to a street address.

Incidentally, I have just looked at the Montana Gold ordering website to determine their weights for "case lots" of bullets.

.40 cal @200 grain includes 2250 bullets, weighing about 65 pounds.
.45 cal @230 grain includes 2000 bullets, weighing about 66 pounds.

So taking Montana Gold as an Industry Standard, a case of bullets seems to be keeping within the 70 pound limit for USPS Priority Shipping.

[delete a lot of inapplicable babble about shipping rates ... sorry, I digressed]

Anybody here work for USPS, and can they provide information about the definition of "undeliverable" mail?
___________________________
*NOTE: correspondent names are truncated out of consideration for their privacy.

Nic Cage as Everyone

Nic Cage as Everyone


Sorry, I just couldn't resist.


So go, check out the link.

Or not.

(Shown: Nic Cage as Michael Jackson ... in case it wasn't obvious.)


And if that's not weird enough for you, check out the HILLBUZZ.ORG blogarticle about "What Happened To People Who Backstab The Clintons".
... and ...
Shout First, Ask Questions Later's Corruption Daily Roundup.

See? It CAN get weirder, the more you follow the links.

__________________


WE Surf The Portions Of The Internet That Americans Won't.

Helmet Mounted Action Camera

For IPSC Videos, I'm looking for something which combines the utility and economy of THIS .....








..... with the style and class of this!



(Thanks and a Hat Tip to LawDog, which post also links to some excellent Ben Hur Fun!)

Incomprehensible Internet Items

This is Blogmeat ... all about "stuff" I found on the Internet that makes no sense at all.

First, ten minutes of what may be either the most erudite or most bizarre review of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace:
(H/T to The Smallest Minority)

Next; if you're a pot smoker, be sure you know where it came from and how it got here.

Also: "Bruce Davis, a member of Charles Manson's murderous cult who participated in two killings, was recommended for parole on Thursday after nearly four decades in prison."

The decision by a two-member Board of Prison Terms panel came after the 26th parole hearing for Davis, Department of Corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton said.

It was just the first step in a parole process that also requires approval by the governor and other parole board members. The process could take five more months.

The 67-year-old Davis has been in prison since 1972 after being convicted in the murders of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald "Shorty" Shea.

Attorney Michael Beckman, who represented Davis at the hearing, said Davis acknowledged for the first time that he shared responsibility for what happened, even though he killed no one himself.

"He said, "I was as responsible as everyone there,"' Beckman said.

If parole is granted, Davis is subject to re-incarceration until the next time he actually kills "no one himself".

In Florida, the body of Abraham Shakespeare ... a British subject who won $30million in the Florida Lottery ... was found under recently poured concrete slabs at the home of a friend of a friend. (See also here)

I know there's a perfect punch-line here, but I just don't have the nerve to indulge myself.




On YouTube, "Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) speaking on the House floor: Now we've moved into the realm of gangster government."


That's enough for now. Maybe later I can find something to write about that Actually Makes Sense.

Work is a four-letter word

When you don't get to work, you miss it.

Then when you get to work, you don't appreciate it.

Sand Art

I received the accompanying text and link from my sister, Annie. It seems a bit obscure to me, and I didn't find it quite as emotionally compelling as she (Annie) or the audience did. But it was a nicely done evolutionary application of an unusual medium in the graphic arts.

Putting aside the hyperbole, I offer the text and the link for your consideration. (I've also embedded the video at the end of the article). Video takes 8-1/2 minutes to run.

Don't miss this amazing Video Clip. First read it properly.
This video shows the winner of "Ukraine's Got Talent", Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a different one, is mesmeric to watch.


The images, projected onto a large screen, moved many in the audience to tears and she won the top prize of about $130,000.00


She begins by creating a scene showing a couple sitting holding hands on a bench under a starry sky, but then warplanes appear and the happy scene is obliterated.
It is replaced by a woman's face crying, but then a baby arrives and the woman smiles again. Once again war returns and Miss Simonova throws the sand into chaos from which a young woman's face appears.
She quickly becomes an old widow, her face wrinkled and sad, before the image turns into a monument to an Unknown Soldier.
This outdoor scene becomes framed by a window as if the viewer is looking out on the monument from within a house.
In the final scene, a mother and child appear inside and a man standing outside, with his hands pressed against the glass, saying goodbye.
The Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine, resulted in one in four of the population being killed with eight to 11 million deaths out of a population of 42 million.


Kseniya Simonova says: "I find it difficult enough to create art using paper and pencils or paintbrushes, but using sand and fingers is beyond me. The art, especially when the war is used as the subject matter, even brings some audience members to tears. And there's surely no bigger compliment."

Please take time out to see this amazing piece of art.
Click on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOhf3OvRXKg

[H/T to: Annie, my sister]
UPDATE: 30-JAN-2010
The Smallest Minority has a link to a FAQ here.

Jerry and The Tooth Fairy

Last week in my "Life is But A Dream" article I went into excruciating detail about how I came to have a broken tooth, what my options were, and how long I waited to achieve final resolution to my physical problem.

In a nutshell: on December 6 the crown fell off of a tooth which had had a Root Canal several years ago, and when I finally got into my Dentist he decided that there was not enough tooth left to put a new crown of (it was broken off at the gumline).

He recommended that I go to an Oral Surgeon to have the roots removed, as there was insufficient tooth showing for an ordinary dentist to pull them using standard techniques.

In the meantime, since I had been remiss in my normal twice-yearly maintenance trips to the dentist, he found some gum problems and several cavities which needed to be filled before Oral Surgery.

He, the dentist, said that he wanted my mouth to be "as hygienic and sterile as possible" before sending me to the surgeon.

My suspicion was that right at the end of the calendar year, he wanted me to use up as much of my dental-plan as possible during the 2009 billing year, and put the actual surgery on the 2010 billing year.

Which they did.

I finally got an appointment with an oral surgeon in Albany ... 15 miles away from my home town of Corvallis ... for a consultation. When I went to meet the surgeon he told me that his plan was basically to just 'pull the tooth' because he thought there was enough enamel between the two roots for him to grasp. He also warned me that in case of complications, he may have to make an incision in the enamel to get to the roots. (The tooth was a Cuspid, the last of the two-root teeth before the Bicuspid. I think.)

The point I wanted to emphasize to the Surgeon was two-part:

1. I was extremely apprehensive about the operation because I had a very bad experience the last time a dentist pulled a tooth; he had tgo break it into pieces by twisting it with pliers, before he could pull the individual roots;
2. When I feel sudden excruciating pain in my mouth, my instinctive response was not to cry out or cringe, but instead I bite down on the hand that hurt me. And I bite really hard!

We discussed full anesthesia, Nitrous Oxide, and a strong Local Anesthetic as approaches for the operation. After some discussion, we decided on the local after application of 'anti-anxiety' medication (Halcion).


The problem was, I would have to take the drug an hour before the scheduled operation, and I had to have someone to drive me home and care for me for the following 24 hours.

It was only the night before the operation that Sandie convinced me that she didn't need to take pain killers in the night or early morning, and she would be able to safely drive us to Albany, wait during my operation, and then get us back home safely.

Which is how it worked out.

In the actual event, I took the Halcion at 9:20 in Corvallis, and by the time we got to the Doctor's office at 10am I was pretty groggy. I don't remember much about the actual operation ... just a few random thoughts and snippets. For example, I remember the surgeon grunting with effort while he was trying to pull the tooth, and I was wondring whether this might not be a bad sign. But then I decided I didn't much care.

I do recall that I had to be escourted out of the office, supported at the desk whilc the receptionists recited the cautions and gave Sandie some paperwork. It think I had to sign some of it.

I slept almost ALL of the way back to Corvallis, slept on the couch while pretending to read a book, and slept 12 hours that night.

When I woke up the next day, I took, a couple of doses of pain killers and ate a lot of soft foods. Other than that, and not feeling like doing anything physical such as going for a walk, my day was completely free of stress and pain.

By Sunday, I was ready to go back to work. That is, I was ready until I tried to get to sleep on Sunday Night/Monday Morning.

But then, that's another story.

Romancing the Stone

While I was busily recovering from my adventurous Friday with the Oral Surgeon, I was taking some fairly powerful pain killers. I needed them at first, but after 24 hours I was actually getting along quite well without them.

In fact, I was feeling so good that by Saturday night I was confident that just one pain killer at 11pm would last me through the night.

But I couldn't get to sleep. It seemed to be one of those nights when just a minor ache ... you know, like a little back ache or leg ache ... was enough to keep you from relaxing.

So about 2am I got up to go to the bath room (false alarm) and take one Ibuprofen. Then I went back to bed and actually slept for an hour or so. I had this ugly nightmare about a traveling circus/safari, a mean elephant and his mahout with a really bad attitude. When I woke up about a quarter of three, it was wish some feeling of relief that I escaped from the subliminal angst ... only to discover that I had more problems.

The beating I had dreamed I was taking from the mahout turned out to be a very bad ache in my side, and an even more painful lower-back pain on the same (right) side.

I tried to fix it by taking a pain pill, but even though I took it with food I was overwhelmed by nausea and I discovered the Joy of Emesis. Nope, I'm not going to escape this one.

Sandie woke up and asked if she could help. I couldn't think of anything she could do. I tried lying flat with a heating pad, but the pain was still too much to bear.

Finally about 6:30 I decided there was something physically wrong, it was not merely some weird side-effect of the medication, so Sandie took me to the emergency room at the hospital.

While the nurse was preparing me for the Doctor's examination (especially, which she was inserting a needle in my arm so I could accept multiple injections of anti-nausea and anti-pain drugs) she asked a running litany of questions about my medical history. Finally she asked "Have you have been diagnosed with Kidney Stones?"

"No", I replied. And I heard her say under her breath: "Well, you have one now."

Two hours, two doctors, another nurse and a CT-scan technician later they had reached a consensus. Yes, I have a 4mm Kidney stone trying to work its way south. Apparently it had escaped the kidney and was now forcing its way painfully down the urethra.

No telling how long it will take for it to force its way out of my body, but I'm not looking forward to it.

For now, I am taking 7 different medicines several times a day, including both anti-nausea and anti-pain medications, Penicillin, and some stuff that's suppose to relax the "inner organs".

The good news is that the anti-pain drugs are working VERY well. The bad news is that I'm pretty well out of it, because I'm unable to concentrate. If not for the spell-checker, for example, this text would be unintelligible. (And know, I wouldn't know how to spell "unintelligible" without help.)

Anyway, I thought it was of interest that I no sooner get past one medical event than I find myself in the middle of another one. I'm convinced that one has actually precipitated the next. Perhaps a conspiracy within the Medical Community?

Remember: just because I'm paranoid, that doesn't mean they are not out to get me.

Dead Bob

Daily Herald | 'Spenser' novelist Robert Parker dies at age 77

It is my unhappy task to report the death of Robert B Parker, author of the "Spenser" novels.

Parker also wrote the Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall series.

I have followed Parker's novels since the late 1970's, and own 'most' of his books (with the exception of a few "oddball" publications, such as "Wilderness").

Parker was, himself, something of an "oddball", in the same sense as were Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammett and Ross MacDonald.

Between them, they defined the genre of the hard-boiled American Private Eye, and they did so in such inimitable style that it seems likely that they will be over-shadowed in this generation.

Or in the next generation.

Most of my PARKER books are out on loan this month, because I re-read the complete series (all 3 sets ... Spenser, Stone and Randall) last month.

Now it is my sad task to retrieve all of the 30+ books so that I can re-read them again, for the 4th or 5th or (sometimes) 5th time, and then put them on the Annual Reread list along with a chosen few of my favorite authors.

Because, you know, there won't be a lot of new books from R.B.Parker available, except for the few which are already in the Production Line.

And no, I'm not discounting his recent books of The Wild, Wild West such as "Appaloosa".

Go ahead, read the original article. I've already got most of the books, so you'll be the one haunting the shelves of the Used Book Store for the out-of-print books such as The Godwulf Manuscript.

Best book he ever wrote? "Early Autumn".

Don't argue with me. This is the guy who thought "The Old Man and The Boy" was arguably the best thing that Robert Ruark ever wrote.

Damn!

All of the best writers are dying.

USPSA Major Match Dates for 2010

From USPSA President Michael Voight, via CCS Secretary:

Sep 9-12 USPSA MultiGun Nationals

Open, Tactical, Limited, Heavy Metal Las Vegas, Nevada

Oct 1-2 US IPSC Nationals

Open, Standard – others to be announced Columbia, South Carolina

Oct 8-12 USPSA Handgun Nationals

Open and Limited 10 Las Vegas, Nevada

Oct 13-16 USPSA Handgun Nationals

Limited, Production and Revolver Las Vegas, Nevada

Columbia Cascade Section Election Results

(per "The Hobo Brasser") --

Mike McCarter Section Coordinator

Paul Meier Deputy Section Cordinator

Mark O’Shea Secretary

Roger Nettles Treasurer

Shaun Hescock Competition Director



Turnout was light to say the least. The only contested spot was decided by one vote (deputy).

Life Is But A Dream

I've been spending much of my spare times (evenings and weekends) here at Chez SWMBO. She could use a hand with some daily chores, and since she doesn't get around much any more she appreciates even Geekish company. Besides, her younger sister Jo has been on a Panama Canal cruise ... she and her hubby just got back in town today. The phone calls from Jo to SWMBO haven't been a regular feature during this hiatus, because Ship-to-shore phone rates are $2.49/minute.

I'll be around this weekend, too.

On December 7, 2009, I called my Dentist to schedule an appointment; one of my teeth (#4, Top Left Cuspid) broke off that morning.

It was a very old tooth, which had a root canal and a full crown some years ago, but to have it break off was a shock to me. There was no warning until the day it broke off.

So I called my Dentist and said "Doctor Doctor, Give Me The News -- I've got a Bad Case of Missing YouTooth!"

When I want to the doctor that afternoon, he said "mmmm, yes. IT is broken off. At the gumline. Nothing I can do about this, I'll have to send you to an Oral Surgeon. In the meantime, there are some dental hygiene issues we need to deal with, so that your mouth is as germ-free as we can make it before The Operation."

Get that last part? "The Operation", in Capitals.

They spent a month doing cleaning, root planing (not my favorite way to spend an afternoon with my Dental Hygienist), and filling a small cavity or six or eight.

Last week I got to finally see the Oral Surgeon, who made an appointment for me for ... NEXT FRIDAY!

Let me see, today was the 18th of January. That makes it about six weeks since I first went to my dentist to get that broken tooth tended to. Now I have only five more days to anticipate the charming experience of allowing a perfect stranger to cut old tooth roots out of my skull.

I cannot tell you how charming I find the prospect; but please, if you feel the urge to share your bloody-gory Oral Surgery stories in the Comments section ... don't.

I'm already upset by the delay, and now I have had a full week to anticipate the actual event. I hope to spend the next 3 days ignoring the prospect.

Denial is a way of life with me.

"I have a dream ..."

This is Martin Luther King Day; January 18, 2010.

In this day, we are encouraged to consider the idealization of Dr. King's vision for an American Culture, as described in his "I Have A Dream" speech delivered duruing the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom".

This event occurred on August 26, 1963 ... two months after I graduated from High School; three months before the November 22, 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy; and just under five years before the April 4, 1968, assassination of Dr. King himself.

I'm seeing some consanguinity here. Are you?

No, I don't mean to imply that the "I Have a Dream" speech lead inevitably to the assassination of National Leaders.

I mean that there was a cultural awareness, an expansion of consciousness, which occurred in various aspects of American Society during the 1960's -- and I'm not just talking about Flower Power and 1967's "Summer of Love".

You may or may not believe in this thesis, and that's okay. The true point is Dr. King's "I Have a Dream Speech", and how deeply it resonated in American Cultural Awareness.

And what are the consequences ... or the benefits ... of Dr. King's vision today, nearly a half-century after this seminal event?

Follow along with selected quotes from the text of the "I Have A Dream" speech:

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

That was yesterday, and for today, and for tomorrow.

It is important that we judge our brothers not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I believed that 45 years ago, and I believe it today.

Do you believe?

Call it What it REALLY Is

The Smallest Minority has an article by a former A.G. who seems to see the crux of the problem of Gun Violence: focus on the bad guys who have guns, not on the "evil guns" themselves.

May be worth a read; and if so, definitely worth thinking about.

Or you can just ignore it ... to your detriment.

Something to keep in mind the next time you find yourself arguing with a friend who just doesn't seem to "get it".

And another "Good Guy" bites the dust

Xavier ("The Nurse with a Gun") is hanging up his blog.

I'm reminded of the song "The End" (from "Apocalypse NOW") by The Doors. Except when we got to the end of that movie, I was drawn to watch the end sequence even as I moved toward the exit.

Xavier is (was?) entirely Something Else.

Over the years I have stolen shamelessly from his blog, and every time I did he made me look good.

My hope is that he changes his mind. I have not always appreciated every single article he wrote, but I have read the all because he can make even photography and bicycles interesting.

Now I find that I'm watching The End of Xavier, as I'm moving toward the exit.

Perhaps "Xavier Thoughts" is not really dying from ennui. Perhaps if I cross my fingers and hope strongly enough, he will change his mind. And perhaps I will wake up tomorrow and discover that it is all just a cruel joke.

But if not, I can understand why a man who has published significant and meaningful articles for years might willingly hang up his hat and move on.

We saw it with Kim DuTuit a couple of years ago, so I know it happens.

But it's a damn shame for a quality Blogger to be driven from the Public Venue just because he tires of dealing with obstreperous readers.

Maybe if I beg him, he will change his mind?

Worth a try.

And it may be worth your while to stop by and do your own share of begging.

Jerry Miculek and the "Practical Rifle"

From Jim Shepherd's Shooting Wire, we learn that Jerry Miculek is offering a DVD set on shooting Practical Rifle:

Last night, I got word that Jerry Miculek and his Bang, Inc. had collaborated with Brownell's to create a DVD set that teaches the Miculek approach to today's practical rifle- the AR-15. Called "The Jerry Miculek Practical Rifle" this 3-DVD set provides more than two hours of Miculek on the modern rifle.

From the basics of rifle setup to grip, stance and trigger control, Miculek offers insights that will help you master your AR-style rifle whether you're a hunter, competitor or in law enforcement.

Jerry's mastery of the AR in practical application comes through when you see some of the drills on shooting multiple and moving targets, shooting from behind cover, reloading and even malfunction drills. And the lessons aren't long ones. They are in bite-sized, easy digested lengths, and illustrated with animations, slow motion and innovative camera angles that allow you to not only see the "how" but the "why" in his teaching.

The DVDs won't be available until the end of January, but you can see a demo for yourself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBwDCbybnCA.

If you've been amazed by Miculek's shooting skills on a variety of television programs (like me), you'll want to hear the high-speed shooter's slow-talking explanations of how he does what he does.

Not all of us will get the opportunity to train with Jerry, but now all of us can see - and hear- some of his advice and instruction at speeds we can handle.

Here's the video:

While you're viewing the video, take note of what Jerry is doing with his Support Hand.

The thumb is laid over the top of the foregrip, and his pointing finger is pointing at ... what else ... the target. There's some discussion in recent days about how this helps indexing the muzzle from one target to the next.

Also notice that, when he isn't paying attention to the camera but rather is indexing from one target to the next, he tends to cant the rifle about 40 degrees counter-clockwise ... at least, for a right-handed shooter. This is (old-school) not recommended for long-range accurate shooting, but if it helps Jerry ... well, there may be an advantage when engaging many near-targets. We're talking about fat targets within 20 - 50 yards, so apparently parallax isn't as important as centering the target with your sight picture and getting that double-tap off quick.

I found a thread on the Brian Enos site which discussed shooting with your rifle canted. Apparently, there's a way to adjust for 'cant', which suggests (according to "jaredr") that the ...

rule of thumb was aiming "high on the magazine side", i.e. when rolling rifle left (ejection port up), then aim high right (i.e. the side the magazine is sticking out on". Most shooters found that when rolling the rifle 90 degrees, their POI would shift approx 6" - 8" down and to the side. A 2:00 or 10:00 hold worked for me.

I've shot a lot of Pistol stages with the gun canted, especially when engaging "weak-hand only", and at the distances (under 20 yards) involved it doesn't seem to much matter how much the gun is canted, but the ability to find and hold a sight picture long enough to squeeze the trigger.

Still, it looks odd to watch a Grand Master engaging targets quickly and accurately with such an extreme cant.

But that's just me.

x

Nancy Pelosi Is A Horrible Woman! Jack Cafferty

Nancy Pelosi sent 20 staff and members of congress ... along with their spouses and children ... to the Copenhagen Climate Summit last month. The cost of the military jets (two 737s and a Gulfstream 5) exceeded $700,000 dollars. Pelosi decided who went, but she refused to answer any questions about costs.

See this for the details:



But now take a look at this video of a Nancy Pelosi speech to Congress on September 29, 2008. Just when America is searching desperately for a viable Presidential Candidate, and during the era of the "Bailout" Nancy the Horrible discusses the Democratic view of George W. Bush's term in office.

She offers comments about a "Seven Hundred Billion Dollars" and presidential "Recklessness Economic Policy" ("Anything Goes Mentality ... no regulation, no supervision, no discipline. .. Those Days are over!").

She lauds the leadership of Barney Frank, who was responsible as much as anyone else for the collapse of the Mortgage market (Fannie Mae, etc.)

Other notable sound-clips:

"Not Jobs, Not Capital ... Chaos!"

"Secretary of the treasury Czar-like Powers ..."

"Working together in a bi-partisan way we were able to ...."

"Unemployment is up ..."

"Working together we managed to put together some standards, and I'm really proud of what Barney Frank said ... Barney insisted that we would have forbearance on foreclosure ... help responsible home-owners stay in their home ... Strong, strong oversight. Equity for the taxpayer .. oversight on what the government for what they were doing ... end to the Golden parachute."

".... the American people have to pick up the tab." "Protection of the taxpayer. We need to stabilize the market ..."

"If we can't get the 700,000,000,00 back that we have invested ..."

"The minute that things get tough [snaps her fingers], they nationalize the risk..."


I can't go on any longer.

Pelosi should be making this same speech today, except that she should be talking about the Democrats and instead of talking about Billions of dollars, she could be talking about TRILLIONS of dollars!

But Nancy the Horrible is no longer inclined to denounce the Nationalization of Businesses, or the spending of taxpayer dollars. Why? Because it is HER guy who is trashing the economy. It is HER guy who is nationalizing businesses. It is HER guy who is making the same economically unsound Hail-Mary plays with the national economy, and she thinks it's A Good Idea.

Politicians. I hate them. Liars, Damned Liars, and Politicians.

Texas SASS

The Hobo Brasser is Snow-Birding in Texas again. I received this email from him a couple of days ago. The say that" Old Dogs can't learn New Tricks". That may be true, but anybody who's a shooter knows that any excuse to shoot somebody else's guns is a good excuse.

Well last Sunday it was either drive 320 mi round trip to Corpus Christi @ 2.79/gal or shoot Cowboy in McAllen. There is a local small, but very active cowboy group here. I know all of them, because they all shoot speed steel and some shoot IPSC. Three of them offered to let me use their guns. A no brainer huh?

They had four stages and in all it took about the same length of time as an IPSC match. Each stage had 10 rifle, 10 pistol and 2-4 shotgun. The guns I borrowed were a Marlin model 1894, two Ruger Bisleys and a model 94 shotgun with a short barrel. The rifle and pistols were in .38 spl. I supplied my own ammo.

On all stages the course description called for one on each and repeat with the pistols. My very first pistol target, I double tapped for a procedural. Old habits don't die they just surface at inopportune times. Cowboy scores time+ so I had 15 seconds added to my time for this and a miss I had on another stage. I finished 3rd overall out of 14 shooters and was 7 secs behind 2nd place. 27 behind first place.

It was a lot of fun. Cowboy requires you to remember things like how many shots on each target and a sequence to shoot them. I got a shotgun target out of sequence, but was not penalized when several people pointed out that the walkthrough was not specific enough.

I'm not rushing out and buying new guns and lord knows I cannot afford the clothes, but all said, I will be doing this again next month.

Talking to the shooters, all friends from other disciplines, I learned some interesting things about cowboy guns. Most, if not all, cowboy guns do not run smoothly off the shelf. They have to be tuned. Even double barrel shotguns. Uberti rifles are way over priced. Two people have them and said they had to tune and polish and keep working on them. On guys said he will not have another one. The most popular rifles are Marlins and the pistols are 90% Ruger's of one model or another.

Next month I'll wear my cowboy boots and maybe get a cheap hat (I left my good one at home-in Oregon). Ah well, next Sunday is speed steel and at the end of February I will drive to Corpus for the Texas State Carbine Championships which I will shoot with my CX4.

There's more there than I ever wanted to know about SASS, but it appears that the Good Ol' Boys in Texas aren't too proud to let a Dude shoot with him. Suppose he wore his Air Jordans to the match?

Bob Howard Medal of Honor Winner, Vietnam Veteran, Dies at 70 | NowPublic News Coverage

Bob Howard Medal of Honor Winner, Vietnam Veteran, Dies at 70 | NowPublic News Coverage

Bob Howard (Robert L. Howard) a Medal of Honor winner and one of the most highly decorated soldiers from the Vietnam War died December 23, 2009, at age 70 in Waco, Texas.

He was born July 11, 1939 in Opelika, Alabama, and served in the Army from 1956 to 1992. He served five tours in Vietnam and was a Sergeant First Class in the Special Forces on December 30, 1968 when he rallied his troops against 250 enemy soldiers despite being outnumbered and unable to walk himself. He was injured from grenade blasts and he was still the last man to board the helicopter out of there.

He was nominated for the Medal of Honor, the highest honor for valor, three times during a 13-month period. His long list of awards also included the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star and eight Purple Hearts.

He is remembered most for caring about his country and about the people in it.

He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

[contents edited]
____________________________________

That's the crux of the article. But watch this video to understand just how Bob Howard is an inspiration to all of us who think ourselves to be Men

National Public Radio To The Rescue!

Worried about whether you should be concerned about President Obama's "Public Health Options"?

Fear no more!

National Public Radio (the folks who exist on the sufferance of Your Tax Dollars) to the rescue.

NPR has published a satirical video which performs a much-needed public duty: poking fun at "Tea-Baggers" .

Tea-Baggers are the sadly mis-informed and mis-lead (by the damnably obstreperous Anti-Obama Racists) pawns of Conservative Scallawags conned into believing that Our Dear Leader would or could ever support a multiple-trillion dollar public program which offers nothing but benefits to the National Health for any purpose but to help American Citizens who cannot or will not purchase Health Insurance out of their own pockets.

And Dear Leader is ready to fine us Big Bucks if we reject his generous offer, you betcha!

I'm sure you are all as happy as I am to learn that America's Public Broadcasting System is willing to go full-out to support Dear Leader's Policies.

And remember, they do this not because they receive much of their funding from Your Tax Dollars, but because the care enough to research the issues and determine which side of the argument (Hah! Like there is another side in legitimate opposition to Obama!) is right for you.

OSHEESH!

OSHEESH!

Obama's newly appointed OSSHE may find himself in the enviable (in the eyes of some people) position to sabotage your 2nd Amendent Right to Keep and Bear Arms without running afoul of the constitution.

He doesn't need to convince legislatures to pass new laws, all he has to do is to declare them "unsafe within the workplace environment" and that will make it illegal (in a manner of speaking) to possess a firearm within the venue of a place where people are hired to do work for money.

David Kopel speaks up against this potential bureaucratic infringement on your constitutional rights, but I'm not sure anybody is listening.

Certainly, The Obama hasn't provided any reassurances. But surely he stands ready to protect The American People against any excesses perpetuated by one of his Czars, right?

Otherwise, we would find ourselves worrying about (the new appointee as the "director of the office of safe and drug free schools") Obama's Education Czar, for example, had a history of teaching about Homosexual practices to school-kids. And that would be Just Wrong, right?

I mean, we certainly shouldn't be concerned about "safety in the work place" in the context of our children in their schools, should we?

Oh, wait. We can't talk about that. It's entirely "Too Much Like Bush!"

ennui: Lack of a Sense of Outrage

I think I've lost the Edge which allows me to be an entertaining Blogger.

It's not that there aren't outrageous events occurring around the world. It's just that I don't care enough about it to react.

Look at the list of things I could be writing about:

In a world obsessed about Global Warming, Britain faces temperatures as cold as the South Pole. But do I care? I do not. Let them eat cake. They're big in Copenhagen, let them go back to a coal economy and choke in the out-gasses of their effluvia. If they were serious about the Kyoto Treaty, they would do the world a favor and just freeze to death. It's all the same to me.

In Virginia, a man assaults his fiancee and whacks her sister with a Samurai sword. Ordinarily, I would consider this an argument for Samurai Control, but today ... who cares? Sure, it slices and it dices, but can it make Julienne Fries? No? Then who cares?

Twenty-seven years ago, someone murdered 7 people by substituting Cyanide for the contents of Tylenol Capsules in the store, and now he has been arrested. Has anyone heard about this? No? I thought not. But the guys who use guns as an instrument for murder of a lesser number of people populate the headlines of newspapers around the world. Is the Mainstream Medai biased toward using Gun Crime as a case for Gun Control? Yes. Do they ignore non-gun murders? Yes. Who cares? Certainly they don't, and Fox is about the only media who bothers to report the potential end-game for this particular Mass Murder. If the MSM doesn't care enough to report it, why should I care any more?

A Maine woman shoots her husband as he sleeps. Never mind that he has been abusing her (and their daughter) for years, it's still a "gun crime". But there may have been some justification, it may actually be an argument for firearms ownership, in that other than pouring gasoline over him while he sleeps is historically the next-best way to rid one-self of an abusive husband. But do we hear about this in most MSM venues? No. The Burning Bed gets a lot of publicity, but this does not. Who cares? Certainly not me. (PS: She was absolved of any criminal act and allowed to go free ... as if it matters, right?)

And that "Several States Ease Restrictions on Gun Laws" also goes generally unreported. Is this important? I guess not. And the reasons why these restrictions are 'eased' -- and more important, the fact that the results are that less crimes are committed in states with fewer restrictions to firearms ownership, doesn't seem to be publically accepted as significant must mean that most people just really do NOT care. So for once, I find myself with the (supposed) majority on this issue. Because you know what? I don't care.

What is important?

In England, it's important that "Tommy the Tank" books (a child's storybook about a steam engine named 'Tommy") is sexist, and "Demeaning to Women". But if we refer to an individual woman as being 'built like a tank', we're sexist and demeaning to women, to. You can't win, so why bother trying?

And in case those of us who call America 'home' are feeling just a little smug, because stuff like that just can't happen in American, please be advised that New York has declared war on "realistic-looking Toy Guns". But I don't live in New York, and I have no idea how big a problem this is, so while I may conceivably care ... I'm in no position to criticize them, either.

So "I Don't Care!"

I'm not saying that my Lese Majesty attitude is the right way to live, all I'm saying is that if we pay too much attention to the MSM while trying to determine what is societally and culturally important, we're bound to get it wrong every stinkin' time.

So why should we care?

Darned if I know.

Back Again

I have been remiss in blogging for far too long. I'll try to do better in the future.

In the meantime, I do hope that you have spent your time as wisely as I believe I have.

Sherrie Memorial

I've not been blogging much lately; stuff has been happening.

Not the least, of course, has been the passing of Sherrie Orpwood on Friday, December 18, 2009 ... which I briefly noted here.

Today was her Memorial Ceremony, and it was much more difficult ... personally ... than I had expected.

There were about 40 people in attendence. A dozen were there specifically because we knew Sherrie in the context of IPSC/USPSA competition, and most of us knew Sherrie and Lorin as a couple who worked the stages ... especially the Jungle Run ... together.

The rest of the folks at Sherrie's Memorial were Family, and Friends from work.

Sherrie and Lorin were 'second marriages', and I was not always clear on who was the progeny of Sherrie, or Lorin. So forgive me if I get the citatations wrong. The people at the ceremony were so loving in their paeans to Sherrie, I will always think of them as if she was their blood-mother/grandmother, and Lorin their blood father/grandfather.

Sherrie's son lead the ceremony, and I was impressed by his ability to control his emotions as he spoke of the love this woman.

Sherrie's husband, Lorin, found it difficult not to be overwhelmed by his grief. I sympathized with this; I'm not good at thinking of the deceased as "gone to a better place". All I can think of is the void their absence creates in this place, in which I reside.

Me and funerals (or 'Memorial Services') don't get along to good. They beat me up, and I whine a lot.

When the moment came for personal eulogies, I both dreaded, and desired to speak. I was too emotional, knew that I would not be able to give credit to this good woman, so I declined to present my eulogy. It was very simple, and perhaps I can give it now; because if I could write my eulogy, instead of speak it, it would sound something like this:

I've known Sherrie for something like ten or twelve years. I'm not sure how long. But in all that time, I have met them outside of a shooting range fewer times than I can count on the fingers of my thumbs.

I have heard many family members speak of the way that Sherrie and Lorin served to combine their families in comfort and in love, to the benefit of each family member. And I have heard tje the people who worked with Sherrie describe how effective she was as an on-line sales representative, because "she loved her customers".

But I knew Sherrie and Lorin in the context that they were always together.

They were a couple.

Their purpose was not to complete one another, but to BE with one another.

The best thing they did together in public, and the joint venture of which they were most proud, was that they first designed and implemented the "Jungle Run" stage in "Dundee Croc Matches" for several consecutive years.

Lorin and Sherrie both competed in USPSA competition from time to time. But that wasn't really very attractive to them. What they really enjoyed was designing and building a challenging stage, and then runnimg competitors through the stage to win, or lose it all ... Sherrie and Lorin were great advocates of encouraging competitors to seek their greatest rewards by "pushing the envelope", and they were always fair when evaluating the performance of each competitor.

But I couldn't give this Eulogy, because I was much to emotional at the Memorial Ceremony. Because my Significent Other ("SWMBO") is dealing with Lung Cancer, I was unable to control my emotions.

The USPSA people who were at Sherries's Memorial, besides myself, were:
Mike McCarter and Tom Chambers:
Bill and Nancy Marrs, Paul, and Jonathon (N.L.N.)
Caryn and Ron Shepherd.


When the service was over, I immediately grabbed my coat, draped it over my shoulders, and headed for the door. On the way out I noticed Caryn, then Rob Shepherd. I shook hands with both of them with out breaking stride, and in the process mentioned something like "too close to home, I can't deal with it'.

I would have loved to stay to talk to people who knew Sherrie and Lorin, but in truth I was far too emotional to communicate

Sandie is too vulnerable to the ... whatever ... that Sherrie experienced, and I cannot stand around and quietly discuss Sherrie without thinking about Sandie at the same time. This is, indeed too close to the areas in which I perceive myself as too vulnerable, and I am not prepared to deal with the prospect of loss at this time.

Lorin, I do hope that you understand that my running away was not because I care the less for your loss, or for the untimely loss of your lady Sherrie.

It's just that it is all close to home, and I am unable to control the emotions ... any more than were you, today.

Sorry, Pal. I know what you were going through, and I now how hard it is to deal with it when your nerve endings are prominent and you cannot handle the pain of the most unlikely comment... it's all pain, Lorin, and if I could take your pain into myself to spare you ... I would not have the strength; I could not, and I would not, take your pain.

Merry Christmas!

For all of our friends, relatives and neighbors ... Sandie and I hope that you have the safest and most rewarding Christmas Ever.

Jerry and Sandie

Sherrie Of The Jungle

It is with great sorrow that I must inform you that Sherrie of the Jungle, "The Princess of the Universe", has passed away from complications of Cancer.

Sorry, I'm not completely certain that her cancer is the direct cause of her death. But she was always so vital, so energetic, I cannot imagine that she is the victim of a less virulent and evil cause.

This is one of the most difficult things for me to do, to describe the passing of a magnificent Lady.

Sherrie Orpwood, and her husband Loren, have given much of their time and energy in the presentation of excellent USPSA/IPSC competition in the Jungle Run of the Dundee "Croc Match" and other matches. This is a measure of their devotion to the sport of Practical Shooting, but it is not the full measure of their contribution.

When SWMBO was diagnosed with Cancer in 2008, Sherrie and Loren revealed that Sherrie had been fighting Breast Cancer for over a year, but chose not to announce their battle until it became clear that they could offer encouragement to Sandie and to me by offering their experiences to help us deal with the pain of cancer in the context of their own battle.

During the past 18 months, they have been among the most stalwart supporters by the example of their experience, and the lessons they have learned. Sherrie, by her determination to "beat this thing"; Loren, by his loving support of Sherrie.

Now, Sherrie has lost the final battle, and her excellence may best be demonstrated by the contribution they have made in terms of time, originality and effort devoted to the creation of an excellent competitive challenge presented by the Jungle Run at Dundee matches.

Here they are, in the moment of their greatest glory ... other than their devotion to each other, and to the sport which they most loved:

Courage and Determination

I was hiding out in the stairwell alcove of the building next door to my office when I heard a familiar sound:

Scrape, Clunk. Rattle, scuff.

Scrape, Clunk. Rattle, scuff.

Scrape, Clunk. Rattle, scuff.

Slow, repetitive, predictable, I knew without looking the source of the noise.

It was The Old Man with the Walker.

I've seen him before, but I've heard him more times than I've seen him. Usually he comes through the halls of my office building about this time every day, but today, rainy and cold as it was, he was bypassing my office building and was instead bypassing the office building and traversing the sidewalk between the buildings.

Scrape, Clunk. Rattle, scuff.

The Scrape was his walker dragging as he ended the four-phase cycle of a step.

The Clunk was when he put the front wheels down to roll, and advance a few inches along his designated slow-speed highway.

The Rattle was when he picked up the front legs of the walker, and the crazy-wheels on those two legs wobbled momentarily in the air.

The scuff was when he moved one foot forward a few inches to take another step.

Scrape, Clunk. Rattle, scuff.

Have you ever seen an inch-worm? An inch-worm is Blazing Saddles compared to The Old Man with the Walker.

I first saw him today probably 30 yards up the sidewalk, inch-worming his way along. He was dressed in faded dungarees, sort-of-white sneakers, and a yellow rain-coat with a blue hood pulled over his head. It wasn't raining at the moment, but it was NorthWest Rain Forest raining for most of the day. Still, he chose to walk along the path instead of short-cutting through the building.

I've never talked to him. I've never stared at him as he passed by the door to my office ... instead I paid him the left-handed compliment of ignoring him as he made his painful way.

Today, it took maybe three minutes to traverse the maybe-thirty-yards to pass my non-observation point. He was hunched over, skinny-legged, and in his parka-hidden crooked posture I discerned a man of probably Methuselah-age. Or perhaps Methuselah's grandfather.


As he finally passed my observation point at a sub-snail pace, I watched him covertly. He couldn't see me, and in truth all I saw of him was his knobby hands clutching the handles of his walker.


His walker was not the elegant and expensive design which includes both a fold-down seat on which he could rest, and a wire basket in which he could carry his books.

Instead, he had the absolute cheapest, basic model ... a tubular aluminum frame, handles to grip, and small wobbly wheels in the front.







It was my impression that all that he could afford, and it was good enough because it enabled him to walk from place to place ... which he clearly could not do without some kind of mechanical aid.

Not looking to impress anybody, not asking for help, not trying to evoke any kind of sympathy from anyone, The Old Man with the Walker was just getting from Point "A" to Point "B" to go about his business.

He had a small, cheap pack hanging from his scrawny shoulders, so I could only assume that he was a Student at this University. God only knows what he thought he could learn in a College, that he had not already learned from the proverbial School of Hard Knocks. It was my thought that he had already been knocked about in life as much as anyone has, but here he is carrying his maximum load on his back just trying to get from one classroom to another in the ten minutes hiatus between classes.


Scrape, Clunk. Rattle, scuff.


As I watched him move to the West slower than the sun settling in for a well-deserved nights sleep, I thought a thought of actually engaging in a conversation.

I don't know what he would have said, because I don't now anything about The Old Man with the Walker. But I can imagine what I might have said, if I were a better person than I am, and (equally unlikely) he felt the need to apologize for his agonizing, slow but noisy way:

"Don't worry about it, Old Man. We all do the best we can. But I doubt that any of us could claim to do it with the Courage to confront and defeat our impediments so inevitably, and the determination to live our life with such grace as you."

But I didn't say that, and couldn't have said it, and in my mind I would have wished to express my admiration more perfectly.

Still a better man might have said something, and said it more precisely.

In the actual event, I only watched The Old Man with the Walker slowly wend his way toward home, or to his next class, or anyway he wanted to go. He had a better handle on his life than I do, and even though I can move faster and more quietly, I could never do so with the dignity that this Old Man with the Walker demonstrated.

There are people in our world who live every day with pain, and are 'handicapped' so that they cannot move and function with as much unconscious, unaware skill.

But none of us contain one small bit as much grace as The Old Man with the Walker.

Every time I hear that Scrape, Clunk. Rattle, scuff, I think about the pain he must overcome, every day and every way.

And I am humbled.

Blue Jacket

I have been informed that my son has been awarded early promotion and the "Blue Jacket" in the Navy.

Ben is a Master at Arms, stationed at the San Diego Naval Station in California.

You may be aware that early promotion is awarded for exemplary achievement, which is a very important thing to get because along with the rank comes more responsibility, more challenging duties, and a raise in pay.

The "Blue Jacket" is awarded quarterly in a command, so the recipient is referred to as "Blue Jacket of the Quarter". Recipients must perform extra duties, including off-duty study, so it's not just an 'atta-boy' which most service members can expect to receive. All recipients of that award in the command may then compete for "Blue Jacket of the Year", which (again) is awarded to only one member of that command in the year.

I'm very proud of my son for his achievement, not only because it proves what I've always known ... that he is an exceptional man with developing leadership potential ... but also because it indicates that his commander is impressed by his devotion to duty and willingness to make the extra effort to be the best in his chosen profession.

When Ben chose to join the Navy I was concerned, as any parent would be, for the safety of a child who chooses the military during time of war.

Ben is a man now. Happily married with five children (the last two, twins) he has proven that he has left the nest and making his own way in the world. I realized that long before his commander did, I guess, but it never hit me so emphatically as it has now.

He originally joined the navy because his career choice was in Law Enforcement, and he believed that a tour of duty as a Master at Arms would eventually lead to a career as a policeman. He told me that one factor in his decision was that he admired my (short and quite involuntary) term of military service. [Cringe! I never wanted him to join the military because of my influence.]

Now ... I'm not sure if he will complete his tour and then look for a compatible civilian career, or if he will consider this recognition as a clear sign that there is a viable and attractive career for him in the Military.

Not that it matters what I would wish for him to choose, but I have full confidence that whatever choice he makes, he will be successful.

And I'll always be proud of him, no matter what he does.

The Ultimate Marksman

News Release from USPSA:

History Channel Now Seeking The ultimate Marksmen For Its First Competition Show!­

If you are skilled with a pistol, rifle or any other firearm, you could win $100,000 in prizes on TV’s first marksmanship competition show. The History Channel and the producers of "The Ultimate Fighter" are looking for anyone with mind-blowing shooting skills and a big personality to take on exciting physical challenges with multiple guns and mystery projectile weapons.

In each episode, contenders will face team and elimina­tion challenges inspired by real events in history, from Wild West shootouts to modern-day sniper ­missions. Every challenge will reveal the weapons, technologies and tactics of a different era, while hi-speed cameras capture the skillful execution of each test. If you’re in good physical shape, have mastered a firearm and can adapt to new weapons and demanding physical situations, you could be America ’s first “Top Shot.”­

APPLY TODAY!­
To apply, email TopShotCasting@gmail.com ­with your name, city/state, phone number, a recent photo of yourself and a brief explanation of why you should be on the show. Deadline to apply is January 18, 2010. For more information, visit www.pilgrimfilms.tv and click on “CASTING” or call 818-728-3729 TODAY!­
­

* Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, a resident or citizen of the United States

SWMBO report, December

If it ain't one thing, it's another.

Sound familiar?

When SWMBO was released from the hospital at the end of November, her oncologist didn't send her home with a prescription for antibiotics. Reason? No bacterial infection was detected in her lab tests.

But she still had the sharp, burning pain in her side, which did NOT go away after several days at home. The doctor had prescribed a powerful pain killer, but she couldn't take enough of it to get her through the day ... it was only 8 pills a day, because it contained Tylenol and the doctor was worried about liver damage. (NOTE: Tylenol contains acetaminophen which is counter-indicated for certain people, especially those with existing liver problems)

She had an appointment with a G.I. specialist on Wednesday, and he tentatively diagnosed her with 'ulcerative colitis' which is serious business ... and for which there is (according to the Mayo Clinic) no known cure.

But there are treatments for the symptoms, among which are ... antibiotics.

She came home with a one-week prescription ... four pills a day. The first night she couldn't sleep and spend the night sitting up on her couch, and sometime in the night she was overcome with nausea.

Thursday she cut the ingestion of antibiotics back by one pill, and was able to sleep through the night.

Friday she was feeling better, and this morning she was resting comfortable. Her voice is now stronger, she can concentrate on paying her bills, and her eyes were bright and shiny again.

I've been staying with her most of the past week, which has been good for both of us. I can help her get through the days and nights, which is a much more positive thing for me to do than staying at my home and worrying about her.

The short term looks good. I don't know when her next doctor appointment is, but hopefully she will by then be able to deal with the symptoms and the doctors can get a better understanding of what is happening to her.

Other than some 'helpful' medications which she can take at home, there's not a lot of treatment being directed toward her Cancer. Instead, they're treating the side-effects of the medications, and the side-effects of those medications.

But she's coming back, regaining her strength, and her quality of life is much better than it was this time last week.

Hopefully, we'll both be back on our feet next week and we can pay more attention to our normal daily activities.

PJTV - PJTV Daily - Warmists Give Climategate the Cold Shoulder

PJTV - PJTV Daily - Warmists Give Climategate the Cold Shoulder

"What do Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, and the Center for American Progress have to say about the growing Climategate scandal?"

This interview addresses the concept of "Global Warming" not just within context of "global warming is caused by man-made issues", but in the context that "Global Warming" is actually a current and on-going process.

Quotes from interviewed self-professed Global-Warming Supporters:

"Cherry-picking"

"We're right, you're wrong!"

"We've got ... the polar bears ..."

"The underlying data no longer exists."

"I don't think there was an intend to deceive ..."

"If you are prone to believing that Climate Change doesn't exist you're grasping for emails to make that point."

"... as it pertains to 1 the issue of climate change, we've got so much observable data ..."

"What kind of investigation are you looking for, exactly?"

"I think that you and I can agree that the issue of climate change -- is settled."

The interviewers don't seem to accept that the issue of climate change is settled. They insist that "global warming does not exist within the last ten years" and "the hottest decade in history was in the 1930's" (which suggests that "carbon emissions" are not the root cause of "global warming" or "Climate Change", because industrial and "Internal Combustion Engine" "Carbon Emissions" were demonstrably in the 1930's than in the 21st Century).

The PJTV interviews were interesting, but not intrinsically convincing ... for either side of the question.

However, one thing is clear: those who are convinced that "Climate Change" exists, and especially if they are caused by humanocentric activities in the 20th and 21st century, are all-too eager to jump on to the "The Issue Is Settled" bandwagon.

This is not consistent with the Scientific Method, which has clearly definable steps. Here is an explanation of if the fifth and final step in one description of the Scientific Method:

5. Draw Conclusions from your data.
- Here, it is stated directly whether the hypothesis was supported or disproven.
- If your hypothesis is supported, it should be repeated, since one of the basic foundations of the scientific method is that it is repeatable. The more an experiment is repeated, the more valid the results are. However, if there is a hypothesis that is supported by many experiments and a lot of data, we call that hypothesis a theory.
- The word theory is often misused in everyday language. Theory and hypothesis are not synonyms, a hypothesis is just an educated guess that perhaps has been supported once or twice by an experiment. A theory was once a hypothesis, but is now supported by a lot of data and is accepted as being correct, until new information is discovered to disprove it.

Note that the last sentence emphasizes the possibility that a "theory" is accepted as being correct, until new information is discovered to disprove it.

What we have here is a 'theory', the proponents of which strive diligently to dissuade any effort to disprove it.

This is not Science. This is religion, in that it is Faith Based. As such, it introduces a new panoply of "Gods" and stigmatizes anyone who would dispute it.

It is Western Jihad.

---

Mishs "Global Economic Trend Analysis" has much to say upon this, based upon a careful and thorough examination of the material in the 60MB 156MB "hacked files". A few examples, but please read the whole thing (it's not all that long):

It's now official. Much of the hype about global warming is nothing but a complete scam.

Thanks to hackers (or an insider) who broke into The University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit (CRU) and downloaded 156 megaybytes of data including extremely damaging emails, we now know that data supporting the global warming thesis was completely fabricated.

Inquiring minds are reading Hacked: Hadley CRU FOI2009 Files on The Reference Frame by Luboš Motl, a physicist from the Czech Republic.

Since the CRU is staffed by credible scientists who welcome peer review, we would naturally expect an "open source" approach to validating data. Right?

Maybe not; here's just one email which strongly infers that "peer review" is something to be avoided at all costs -- up to and including destroying emails which might suggest nefarious intent:

From: Phil Jones p.jones@uea.ac.uk
To: "Michael E. Mann" mann@meteo.psu.edu
Subject: IPCC & FOI
Date: Thu May 29 11:04:11 2008

Mike,

Can you delete any emails you may have had with Keith re AR4? Keith will do likewise. He's not in at the moment - minor family crisis.

Can you also email Gene and get him to do the same? I don't have his new email address.

We will be getting Caspar to do likewise.

I see that CA claim they discovered the 1945 problem in the Nature paper!!
Cheers
Phil

Okay, but at least they had solid computer programs which provided consistent results and forecasts based upon the "observable data" which they had gathered through (at least) recent years. Right?

Well, perhaps not absolutely positively data which "has been supported once or twice by an experiment."

Here is an evaluation of the code, based on observations of a programmer ("Harry"?) who has been tasked with validating undocumented code used to predict weather patterns, using the original data.

Go ahead, read it.

Harry --- speaking as a professional Programmer and Systems Analyst, I can only say ... "I Feel Your Pain."

Thanksgiving With SWMBO - Part V

Okay, this is the last of this series.

Yesterday the Doctors decided that the problem was a combination of "Intestinal Blockage" and Diverticulitis ... the latter being the part that caused the excruciating pain. I've had it, it hurts, and don't ever let anybody tell you that you "can't remember pain".

So they've changed both the anti-biotic regimen and the pain medication. SWMBO need not wake up every hour to ask for another shot: a Vicodin lasts her for four hours.

If my experience is any measure, the pain should clear up in a few more days, but she'll be on anti-biotics for much of next week, perhaps a few more days 'tapering off'.

SWMBO expects to be released from the hospital tomorrow morning; I'll get some time off work to take her home and make sure she's comfortable.

Sorry I couldn't pass on this good news last night, but when I got home from the Hospital I had dinner and went to bed, where I slept for twelve hours.