Thanks, sand! The lovely little sapling just outside my home office window, which two weeks ago was dropping its autumn leaves, is now full of snow and looking VERY wintery. The hill, which is maybe 150 yards away, is a beautiful winter wonderland. It’ll be this way all the way up through the beginning of April.
Good Morning everyone. Thank you Nyet for breakfast. In solidarity with the Colonel, I’m also having a milkshake so just one undercooked egg for me, thanks.
“If a man ordered a beer milkshake he’d better do it in a town where he wasn’t known.”
~ John Steinbeck
Both photos are awesome Stella. Fall is finally here, we have such beauty in the woods surrounding the cabin. I stood at the bottom of the drive and made lots of pictures Saturday.
I think I like this late fall so much. The anticipation was keen, and more time to just enjoy it.
Hubby and I are going to stay in a cabin in a couple of weeks to celebrate our anniversary. We never get away and Iβm really looking forward to eat. Hopefully there will still be pretty fall colors then. Good morning to you!
My daughter said yesterday that the trees were getting pretty, but she still didn’t like fall because that meant winter was around the corner.
I started laughing and told her I told her Dad that earlier.
We were convinced we weren’t going to get any, then a few days ago it all busted loose. I have never seen it be this late before. Sure is beautiful. Nobody paints like God.
More like a foggy one. This time of the year wee get the warm, soggy south wind that hits the cool land and, until late in the morning, it looks like the current floor of Congress during – if I may use the word – business hours.
Good morning/afternoon/evening, WeeWeed! Many years ago when I gave a speech at a UCLA gathering for women in the film industry, part of the speech contained the relatively new phrase of “male chauvinist pigs.” The men in the audience looked uncomfortable. Well, at least I said it with good humor even for the leftie SJW I was in those days.
Hi, everyone! Should be working, but had to find and watch FLOTUS with school children In Japan. How delightful, they almost mobbed her, they were so happy to see her, and happy, playful children in general. Sad so many of the prog parents and schools here teach the kiddies to worry and hate. It was a delightful video at the Treehouse. Have to run. Everyone have a great Day!
Great day, Tony Weiner reports for a 21 month tour in a Federal prison today for his ‘sexting with a minor’ conviction. Just having a cup of coffee and musing about his light butt reporting to prison on a child-related sex charge and with the name Weiner. One wonders what his fate would have been had he have not been rescued by the Feds and been prosecuted on a sex crime involving a minor in New York or North Carolina and he’d have gone to a state prison….
Instead of having to face his peers in someplace like Attica or or of NC’s progressive facilities he gets a Massachusetts Club Fed-minor. It still isn’t The Breakers but the Fed facility has a sexual ‘treatment’ center and houses a lot of the Northeast higher profile criminals. I wonder who pulled what strings to get him there instead of someplace more…penitent-uary?
“OK, Tony. we’re gonna do the perp walk so try not to gloat over getting a free Fed ride instead of being the Christmas present for a tier in a real prison.”
I’m betting he has enough dirt in his little book to keep a lotta people putting donations in his canteen. Seems that in the unlikely event that a Congressperp proves too stoooopid to keep from getting caught s/he has to fess up and take the punishment but his buds usually soften the blow.
A sobering moment for a man who has fallen so low. No matter where you’re incarcerated, it’s the loss of freedom that bites the most.
With the advent of transmission devices/programs his crime is very common. Curious about what it was like in the past, I looked up age of consent for the U.S. Some shocking details from Wikipedia:
“While the general age of consent is now set between 16 and 18 in all U.S. states, the age of consent has widely varied across the country in the past. In 1880, the age of consent was set at 10 or 12 in most states, with the exception of Delaware where it was 7. The ages of consent were raised across the U.S. during the late 19th century and the early 20th century. By 1920 ages of consent generally rose to 16-18 and small adjustments to these laws occurred after 1920. As of 2015 the final state to raise its age of general consent was Hawaii, which changed it from 14 to 16 in 2001.”
“Age-of-consent laws were historically only applied when a female was younger than her male partner. By 2015 ages of consent were made gender-symmetric. Until the late 20th century many states had provisions requiring that the teenage girl must be of previous ‘chaste character’ in order for the sexual conduct to be considered criminal. In 1998 Mississippi became the last state to remove this provision from its code.”
The man hailed as a hero for confronting the Texas mass shooter during his rampage is a sharpshooting plumber with no military background β who hit the gunman through a gap in his body armor, according to a report.
Note how the shooter was using an ‘assault rifle’, a ‘Ruger AR-15 variant’ but the good guy was using a ‘rifle’. NY Post and every prog’s editorial nightmare, a legally armed citizen using his personal firearm to down a violent, armed felon.
I don’t know if you read about the Oscar Pistorius case or not but every news source would have the average person believe that Black Talon bullets were capable of growing legs, snatching babies, poisoning wells and acting as a guillotine all without any human involvement whatsoever.
Ah yes, infamous Black Talon bullet. It was used as a cause celebre by the anti-gun crowd, a stalking horse used by those who’d disarm the public while arming the government.
The entire Black Talon farce was pure BS, it was no more ‘deadly’ than any other hollow point bullet out there and the only place it was ever ‘outlawed’ was New Jersey where all hollow point ammunition is situationally illegal.
Winchester dropped the Black Talon name but the ammo lives on in the Ranger brand…and I do not recall any group of mouthy prog docs screaming for that brand to be outlawed. Pure BS.
Hee hee! Liberal suffers repercussions doesn’t understand that actions have consequences!
Sorry it is the Huffington Post so if you don’t want to click on the link I understand. She made the picture her profile picture on Twitter and Facebook.
Woman Fired For Flipping Off Donald Trumpβs Motorcade
βThey said, βWeβre separating from you,ββ said Briskman. βBasically, you cannot have βlewdβ or βobsceneβ things in your social media. So they were calling flipping him off βobscene.ββ
Poor dumb liberal she is so confused that this thing called life does not bow before her throne.
The Texas church shooting gallery has pushed my intentions along.
My younger son (49! so I don’t know if he still qualifies as younger – only with regard to his 51 year old brother I guess) – has a gun he carries in the summer – everywhere – when he’s lightly dressed in T-shirt and cut-offs, etc. for daily running around. He calls it his cricket.
I’m wondering if the size and action of that would be be workable for me. I’m going to talk to him about it.
I’ve never considered church an inherently safe place to be – now it is moving, in my understanding, into a place that is very simply open shooting for democrats and never-Trumpers – open target practice.
1: I’ve decided I’m going to ask him to meet me some Monday or Tuesday when he’s off from his new career job (TriMet buses – good pay, he loves it, time for him in his post-business-owner, post LEO 12 years to get another pension in place which is always good planning) meet me and I will take him to our church to get his advice on where I should actually sit on Sunday morning for most effective escape, where best to park and whether to escape the area on foot (there are woods and neighboorhood streets nearby) or take the time to use the car….
2: I’m going to have him help me as far as possible to identify SOME weapon that I can manage – for church and for shopping. I already NEVER go o9ut at night just because of common sense.
Good news:
I got test results back on echo-cardiogram this morning: the low measure due to heart damage caused by chemo, which was continuing to fall last spring, has stabilized. So I have a very slight level of official heart failure, but yay! it has stabilized. Sometimes it will continue to fall, leading to life-threatening heart failure. It is not doing that, six months out from last measurement. Sometimes the heart will spontaneousely recover, back to normal (60-65 reading). My reading is at 50, which is low normal, and consider ‘first’ heart failure level, I guess. Anyway, mine has stabilized, so I will know to pay attention to breathlessless when I’m in physical tasks. And that IS an issue for me – has been since last January at least.
My question to the docs, in such things, has always been “Will I further injure myself if I push on in spite of (whatever the thing is)?” In this case the answer would be “Yes, I could further injure myself – – be cause of shortness of breath and extreme weakness….so no, don’t be a dummy and push on…becaus there is a real underlying condition.”
I am SO shaky today. yesterday I not only went to church, risking being murdered and stuff, but I also went for the first time to the great church Thanksgiving potluck dinner, to which I did contribute a dessert. So I went to church at 9:30. Came hom and rested for an hour. Then went to the dinner. Nearly finished me. Came home quickly and went straight to bed and slept for some time.
My limitations are very real and I’m deliberately working within them so I can get as much good living done as possible without making things worse.
Gun recommendations welcomed, please. It takes me a long time to think through what to do when I’m so limited physically and financially – and that I really am. Sometimes it scares me but only when I get myself backed in a corner unnecessarily. If I take it slow and work through the decision making it goes ok. My son helps me financially when I ask. I have a very hard time asking. I always figure any financial stress is my own damn fault. But Grant and I always did the best we could with what we had. We never had much (.like many or most) being thorough blue collar – and moving crossw country four times in our adult lives and getting divorced for 6 years — those things are expensive!!! Decisions have consequences. and consequences aren’t mean or personal or punishment – they just are.
Iz ok. Iz all ok.
And God is my refuge and my strength. He knows everything ab out and the best thing He does for me and with me on a daily basis is when He says, “Yikes, Sharon, slow down. (He says “Yikes” in a very Holy and Sovereign way, y’know) Think, Sharon. You don’t have to do it all right now.”
I am really shaky and wrung out this morning, as you can perhaps tell.
It makes me mad that going to church may get me shot. Oh, well. None of us are getting out of here alive anyway. And you can tell them I said so – – – if I ever get shot in church.
Thank you for sharing all of that. It’s a lot to process & deal with. I was especially drawn to what you shared about your heart. My son has Congenital Heart Issues (birth defects) & a history of Congestive Heart Failure (though currently his heart issues are “stable”–we see his Cardiologist in a few weeks & his 3rd Open Heart Surgery is still pending, but hopefully not for some years yet). God continue to bless you & keep you & your family close to his heart.
Sensible advice, michellc. I feel so at home with guns, having lived with the long guns in my childhood, and the fact that we (after about 10 years old) were free to go to the garage, take down the gun of our choice with the appropriate ammo, and head out to the pasture (1200 acres available for wandering) to SHOOT STUFF.
michelle, have you ever seen what happens to a fuzzy-wuzzy caterpillar that is targeted by a 30.06? Although I will say that that was my BIL, not me. No one one knows what happens, of course, because there is no evidence left to tell a story.
The smaller guns were what I handled and I was never so good at it – it’s just that I was very much at home with them and comfortable with allt he ideas and usefulness – so it’s been a bummer to me that now that I really want/need to have one that it’s problematic.
Sharon I am happy to hear that your heart is stabilized and they don’t expect further damage, that is good news β€οΈ.
As for guns there are a lot of people on here who know a thousand times more than me so I’ll leave it to them.
I have a nice small Ruger 22 loaded with hollow point bullets that I carry concealed.
I know tough guys will laugh and say all it takes is a thick leather jacket to stop a 22 π. I have physical limitations that make most guns too powerful for me unless someone is putting pressure on my right back shoulder.
There are specific purses made for conceal carry or nifty ankle holsters if you wear lots of long skirts (like I do). If you wear billowy clothes then a belt holster can be easily concealed.
The 22 has some kick but it is easily manageable by me. I really really like the hammerless revolvers because you don’t have to cock them which is a huge advantage when seconds matter and there is no chance of it getting cocked by mistake. The revolver has a bigger kick than my pistol. But I can manage it it is also bulkier but not bigger than my little pistol.
It sounds like your son can give you really good advice and hands on training, that is great, the best really. My best advice is to go to your local gun shop that also has a range, most of them have guns that you can shoot and you can find out if you are comfortable using any of them.
Then practice. Once you point your gun at someone you are committed to killing them. Two to the chest one to the head.
Small thing — don’t get a pink gun, some guys at gun shops try to sell women pink guns just because they get a kick out of it, don’t get a shinny gun, black is best, in a life or death situation pink is easily seen and stainless steel is more likely to be seen than a black gun.
Until you get a gun, Bear Spray is something to keep on your bed stand and in your purse and/or car, far superior to mace or pepper spray and I’m told it will drop just about anyone.
There are many pieces of great advice in your comment – thank you……the Bear Spray for sure! That I can easily do.
Yes – the idea that “once you point your gun….you are the committed to killing them…..” Yes. Completely understand that.
“hammerless revolvers…..” I going to ask my son about that….one of my main problems is weak and compromised and damaged fingers, specifically index fingers on both hands. They were already compromised by the chemo and then I had a ball ‘flatfall’ in August that damaged tendons.
It’s just interesting – as always, I don’t mind dying (big picture) – but I don’t want to die needlessly or stupidly!
Happy I could be of help Sharon, I’m sure the Czars and Col will have good thoughts. The revolver does have a kick but being hammerless is really helpful.
Itβs just interesting β as always, I donβt mind dying (big picture) β but I donβt want to die needlessly or stupidly!
Agree 100%.
My friend teaches conceal carry classes, and some people wonder if they should aim for extremities because they don’t know if they could kill some one.
My friend says if someone is in your home they are there to kill you, the choice is yours.
Then he tells them to remember this little poem,
“Two to the chest,
One to head,
Better him
Than you is dead.”
Imagine if just one or two people in that church were carrying….it just breaks my heart.
Hammerless revolvers are less likely to ‘catch’ when drawn from a concealed carry. Also, you can encounter legal problems from an overly aggressive prosecutor if you cock a revolver before you shoot, especially in a civil trial.
Don’t worry about the extra weight of a double-action trigger pull, in a fight-or-flight situation you won’t notice it – more than one police officer back in the revolver-only days has, during a gunfight, been seen still pulling the trigger after the revolver is empty and not remembering firing the first 6 shots. You lose fine motor control and the big muscles instinctively do the work. If you can get good double-action (in my opinion the ONLY revolver to carry, I never carry a single-action one for defense) on the range you will have no difficulty in a firefight.
BTW, you can get grips for your gun that tame the recoil way back.
Also, practice with the cheapest stuff you can, you’ll be working on making yourself ‘one with the gun’, confidence and technique. When it comes to qualifying for a CCW or just for your own comfort SHOOT WHAT YOU’LL BE CARRYING. You want to be able to be effective ‘on the street’ so shoot the same ammo you’ll be carrying – common sense and it eliminates another thing a prosecutor can use against you, your unfamiliarity with the ammo you’re carrying.
NEVER carry wad cutters on the street, I can tell you from shootings on the department that they are totally ineffective, ditto lead round nose. Also never carry rounds you or someone else has reloaded, that leads to a whole new attack on the witness stand.
Also know your gun – what weighs empty/full, how many lands/grooves with either a left or right hand twist, magazine capacity…all that stuff in the owners manual. Also know how to break it down and clean it, I’ve seen/heard these questions asked to try and show you really weren’t familiar with your gun.
Thanks Czar. I have a really weak shoulder and wrist even with lots of physical therapy and exercise. I imagine if anything ever did happen that adrenaline would take over like you say. At the range I enjoy my gun and don’t come home in pain. When I shoot the guys guns I can always feel it in my arm. There are some neat little guns and I do really enjoy the “Bang” of a revolver.
Big pistols/revolvers give you more wrist torgue to deal with. I know my arthritis starting in my fingers makes it harder to deal with my .44 mag. Three quick hits from a .32 or .380 will dissuade most attackers from further attack.
My ex had one of those. Even holding it with both hands, the barrel still pointed at the floor. I would have had to have the intruder stand in a certain spot so I could lean it on a table or something to shoot him.
50 years ago, upon good advice from the Ole Boys…I bought my young wife a Smith and Wesson 38 police chief special revolver…they said never anything smaller than a 38, and the revolver lets you have the hammer rest on an empty cylinder, and you can see the bullets and know it is loaded easily. Has some kick, but a pistol is a close range deal anyway…..there is however a 410 shotgun revolver pistol that I think would clear the deck really nice if someone got seriously in your face with more than some harrassment.
Does your S&W have a firing pin on the hammer or is it in the frame? If the gun has the pin in the hammer there could be a danger of it firing if it’s dropped on the hammer or if you carry Condition 0 on full cock. I carried with all cylinders loaded on my Colt or S&W revolvers, my Rugers had a hammer block. Only misfire I ever had was when I failed to be careful with a Browning Hi-Power and I ended up shooting a briefcase and a vacuum. In my defense the shooting was self defense.
I was told by an oldtimer that the term ‘pin money’ came from the olden western days when folks would roll up some spare cash and stuff it into one of the chambers in the cylinder. They had some holdout money and a reminder not to load that cylinder, leaving the money under the firing ‘pin’.
My husband, who has a concealed carry permit, says that the “castle laws” in Michigan are pretty iffy & they require you to continually retreat in your own home & only take an intruder’s life if all other options are gone. Seems like if they have broken in they have already put their life on the line but apparently “blue” Michigan would on the whole rather err on protecting criminals than law-abiding & minding their own business home owners/residents…Also, I believe he said that hollow points are safer in that they wouldn’t go through someone & then hit a person behind, so likely to reduce “collateral damage” during a firefight incident…
BTW, a hollow point CAN zip through a person, seen it before. It depends upon where and how you hit the person. Ick.
A hollow point depends upon the cavity loading up with squishy bodily substances loading into its cavity and forcing the walls of the bullet to expand outwards. If the cavity loads up with clothing it’s possible that it will pass thru as it can’t expand. A powerful HP like a .357 can shoot thru a thin or normal person’s chest and if you hit a person somewhere the bullet doesn’t have time to load up (hand, thin parts of leg/arm/shoulder you could get a pass-thru also. Practice, practice, practice to shoot for center of mass.
Also, when you fire thru obstacles such as wall board, plywood, glass the hollow point can load up with junk and become a full metal jacket and pass through a lotta styuff it otherwise might not…like briefcases…vacuums…
Finally, if you think about shooting thru glass I’d suggest you don’t unless it’s life or death as glass can not only load up a hollow point but it readily changes a bullet’s flight path and can even cause a bullet to ricochet.
I had policemen in Albuquerque NM tell me to shoot the dude first and they would help me drag the body to inside the house afterwards…..they prefer the perps get taken out without messing with a court appearance. but that was a LONG time ago.
I don’t know Michigan Law in WI the guys joke about making sure the body falls inside the house, an intruder is considered an imminent danger to the life of the occupants.
And yes hollow points do more damage to the target and there is less collateral damage as they tend to not exit the body,
Legally yes. More people are actually open carrying since Antifa declared war on us. One poor guy who open carries was on his own property and some dope called the police on him, the paper posted his address and then someone tried to rob his house to get his guns.
Oh my goodness. I recall a story of someone who was open carrying (not sure where) who bent down to pick up his newspaper & because of the change in the angle of the muzzle of the gun was brought up on “brandishing” charges because his neighbor said she felt threatened by him during said paper retrieval…sigh…I cannot even begin to guess how the Founders would be disgusted by the nanny-state types trying all sorts of overlord tactics against the freedom lovers…
I have a Beretta .25 auto I sometimes carry when everything else is too bulky. I’ve had more than one gun pundit go on about how ineffectual the .25 is and I should be using something bigger. My reply is generally “Do you want to get shot by it?”So far no one’s said “YES!”.
Thing is, ‘practice-practice-practice’. If you can’t hit where you aim than it doesn’t matter what you’re shooting.
Next thing is you gotta believe YOU’RE BETTER than the person you’re facing off, if you let even the slightest doubt pollute your mind than you’re at a disadvantage.
Biggest thing to me is fear, if you don’t have or show fear your opponent’s at a disadvantage. Most people are afraid of getting shot but thing is, if you’re in a situation where the assailant facing you HAS a gun you’re sure as Christmas going to get shot if you don’t react first. Not trying to sound John Wayne but I’ve accepted the idea that I can be shot if I don’t act and that I might if I do, so best to be the best.
Don’t get hung up on your pistol or revolver having so many shots. This ain’t Randoph Scott shooting the gun oput of the bad guy’s hand or your wounding your bloodthirsty assailant in the shoulder and waiting for Donnie Wahlberg to respond. If the perp pulls ANY deadly weapon on you (yes, that includes a knife) you have to believe he is planning on doing at least grave bodily injury to you so you have to believe he’s forfeited his right to counseling and community service – you do what you have to do unless you wanna be done.
Get a gun you can shoot comfortably and accurately, do not obsess about the size of the bullet, it’s shot placement that counts and unless you can place that shot see above ‘being done’. Trust me, even a .22 hole makes the hitee very uncomfortable. Also, if your gun has six shots there’s nothing that says you can’t put all six into your attacker. You fire until the threat is neutralized. Of course if there are multiple attackers you apportion ammo equitably but Rule One is to keep you and yours safe.
I don’t carry yet, but have my carry license. I love to shoot my Glock 26, but too heavy for me to carry, and not enough room in the jeans’ waistband. Was ready to buy my dream Sig 938 (9mm), until the last time I test fired it 5 times.
The first time I shot one, was at a rental range in MO, and it was slick as ice. This last time I shot one, the trigger had burrs. The machining of the trigger was awful. Didn’t purchase it.
Looked it up on the net, and learned others complain about the burrs on the trigger. Actually was a painful shoot. Apparently people are using a drummel to file down the burrs. I just don’t think a $700 gun should need to be reworked. Don’t know what to do. The 938 feels so great in my hand otherwise.
Lots of guns are coming off the line less than perfect, I’m betting due to demand versus ability to produce. You can take the piece to a QUALIFIED gunsmith to have the action brought to stock but I would (actually I do) avoid any aftermarket bits or any change in trigger pull from factory specs. Also wouldn’t tell anyone I had the action smoothed by removing the burrs. Some schmuck of a prosecutor could go and try to convince a jury, were you brought up on criminal or civil charges for a self defense shooting, that you were out fine tuning a gun to hunty people with. Alternative would be to say you had a ‘hair trigger’ built into your gun and you fired ‘accidentally’ due to that fight-or-flight reaction making you lose control of the trigger. They may also have the jury pull the trigger on your piece to see what a hair trigger feels like, knowing most jurors have never held a gun in their lives. As long as your gun’s in factory stock configuration you have a defense.
Try Googling ‘SIG P-226 used’ or whatever gun you want. Very few shooters, even LEA, put enough rounds thru their gun to even really break it in never mind break it up. Cosmetic blemishes due to holster wear do not effect the gun and you can always have it refinished if you want.
Men are different than women and seem to often be comfortable with any gun. lol
Women tend to need guns that are comfortable and easy to shoot. My SIL bought my daughter a little .380 because she kept eye balling it every time they were in a gun store. She likes the way it looks, but she hates the way it feels. So it sits in the safe. I don’t think she ever even put a box of ammo through it.
Of course she has other handguns, but I think it’s important if you’re going to only have one, it’s a must you handle several guns and find one you feel comfortable with.
Again, it’s all about shot placement. I bought my DIL as hi-cap small .380 that fits her hand and has a light enough recoil that she can do quick followup shots. I know a lotta ghetto killings have been done with .32s…shot placement, shot placement, shot placement. I you can’t use it you might as well not have it. Also, you can make up for some of the lack of punch by judicial bullet selection.
She just doesn’t like the way it feels. She has many to choose from. My SIL will use any excuse to buy another gun, even if it’s not for him. lol
As for killing though, 9 times out of ten when a critter/predator around here needs killed I grab my ol’ Henry .22. Now it wouldn’t be the rifle I’d grab if I needed to shoot a bear or charging wild hog, but it’s always done the job on anything I’ve shot and they’re usually not as close as a human threat would likely be.
I usually have a large caliber handgun or an AR that I can configure into five different calibers depending on which critter’s likely to be the pest du jour. Better to pop a coon with a .458 Socom than face that 300# with that .22LR.
Google “concealed carry purse”. I saw dozens, priced $30 to $2000. Could sew one if you like, just look at the pictures to see how to place the pocket that holds the weapon since you don’t have to draw it to shoot.
The Great Lakes are truly a separate creation, a world unto themselves, in a way.
I have only ever seen/been at Lake Superior – at Duluth, MN and at Bayfield, WI. We camped a couple of nights at a shoreline campground outside of Bayfield way back in the 70s. That is big water. …..and cold, as you say!
I swam in Lake Superior as a kid off Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but haven’t seen it in many, many years. We swam in Lake Michigan this Summer near the “tip of the Mitt” & it was seemingly no colder than Otsego Lake (South of Gaylord) where my parents’ Cottage is. Otsego is Spring-fed & perpetually “cold” though seemed mild enough at Labor Day for me (& my kids) to swim across–Fun!
Soon time to think of holiday baking. I’m thinking of giving this recipe a whirl Sunday, for my son’s birthday breakfast. They can snack on it while waiting for the biscuits and gravy.
My go-to is to just roll out the dough, brush it with butter, sprinkle heavily with brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon, roll it up, slice into 12 equal pieces, and bake them in a pan prepared by melting a half stick of butter in the baking pan, then stirring in brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and enough orange juice to make a thick slurry.
But I like the looks of your cinnamon star, so I’ll have to make it at least once. π
My understanding is that the hero used the same AR15 style rifle as the villain, but the media is saying the villain used an assault rifle, while the hero just used a rifle.
We should tell the lefties that assault rifles should be banned, but defense rifles should be required and subsidized. Just don’t tell them they’re the same rifle. π
Nightly news here is saying the guy who shot the perp jumped into his truck, said to follow the perp, they did then watched the perp crash his car. They jump right to the police arriving and the perp committing suicide, they’re purposely avoiding mentioning the guy shot the perp.
President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk the rope line following the President’s remarks at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, Japan | November 5, 2017 (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
A Marine friend of mine told me that owning a gun and not becoming efficient in its use is like expecting someone to know how to cook meals without ever having picked up a cookbook, a pot or a skillet. He also said to become familiar with the gun laws in your state or you could be the one ending up in jail.
Of course, my friend didn’t mean we had to become as efficient as this Marine…
Behind the Bursting Bomb | Training like Gunner
Marines CHANNEL
Hey Stellarites,
I’ve been “away” for a while working on “archiving” a lot of info related to my son’s Liver Transplant & related journeys. A website where we had both been blogging has decided to cease operations & it necessitated a mad scramble to grab everything before it was gone. Even though I didn’t attempt to read much of what we’d already shared just cursorily glancing over things still ended up being pretty mentally & emotionally exhausting. After jumping to a new site from which to continue to share his/our family’s needs, prayer requests, & random info here’s what I wrote as “Josiah’s Story” to share a flavor of where we have been with him, & a hint of where we are going…
“Josiah has an extremely complicated medical history. Prior to birth he wasn’t growing well in the womb so he & his twin brother, Brandon, were delivered prematurely in order to save Josiah’s life. At birth Josiah was 2# 6oz & Brandon was 5# 4oz. Brandon was normal size for their gestational age of 33 1/2 weeks but Josiah was IUGR (Intra-Uterine Growth Retardation, aka Small For Gestational Age). He was considered Very Low Birth Weight & qualified for SSI immediately because he was less than 1200 grams.
Josiah also has Congenital Heart Defects & ended up having Open Heart Surgery before ever coming home from the hospital as an infant, at 2 months of age. That First Heart Surgery was to repair a VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect–hole between the two lower heart chambers) using a Goretex Patch. Later in May 2000 Josiah had his Second Open Heart Surgery to remove a Sub-Aortic Stenosis (thickening & partial closure of the Aortic Valve). They also removed some heart tissue in a Myomectomy during that procedure. Josiah has a Bi-Cuspid Aortic Valve rather than the typical Tri-Cuspid Valve–his valve has 2 flaps rather than the normal 3 flaps. Because of this malformation, & other heart issues, Josiah will be monitored by Pediatric Cardiology throughout his life as they manage his Cardiovascular needs.
Josiah is also monitored by Pediatric Urology as he was born with some abnormalities in his urological system. He had 3 stages of repair during his childhood and a recent 4th stage of repair earlier in 2017. After 6 months have passed since this most recent surgery then he will be re-evaluated for another potential surgical stage of repair.
Josiah had numerous challenges in early life that impacted his senses. He had Visual & Auditory Processing Problems, Sensory Integration Dysfunction, periodic Hypo &/or Hyper-Sensitive Skin/Touch. He had Proprioceptive & Vestibular Struggles. He had Gross & Fine Motor Weaknesses. He has been given many “labels” over the years to describe many of these needs. Some of them fall under the domain of Autism Spectrum. He was called PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, aka “Atypical Autism”) when he was a preschooler. His Autism related needs have presented challenges throughout his life in communication, socialization, education, & perception. He is considered to be High-Functioning Autistic…
Josiah had many issues with his inner ears in early childhood & was diagnosed with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. He had numerous surgical procedures to place Myringotomy Tubes in his ears to facilitate pressure equalization & reduce fluid build up. Prior to getting tubes he had Chronic Otitis Media, persistent ear infections, & significant balance issues. As a toddler he couldn’t walk without holding on to something prior to getting his first set of tubes. He had intermittent hearing loss associated with the need to get new ear tubes and when he was in a diminished hearing state his autistic behavioral challenges were also seemingly diminished, likely due to a reduction of sensory overload.
Josiah contracted RSV (Respiratory Synschial Virus) twice in the first year of life. Both instances required hospitalization and ambulance rides to U of M Ann Arbor. The first ambulance ride was from his then home in Gaylord to U of M & was just weeks after his first heart surgery. The second time was during a visit to his grandparents’ house in Dearborn in the winter. We took Josiah to the local hospital, Oakwood Dearborn, but they sent him via ambulance to Ann Arbor for treatment & hospitalization. That route likely retraced the same pathway trod when he was 2 months old & went from Oakwood to Mott by ambulance, with an NICU nurse along for the ride, for that First Open Heart Surgery–& all his subsequent surgeries, currently totaling 18!
One fallout from RSV was the development of Asthma. When he was younger we would regularly use a Nebulizer to give Albuterol treatments to Josiah. Now he (rarely) uses an inhaler if he needs some help. His Asthma is usually only an issue during intense exercise &/or colder weather. He is supposed to use a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) Machine at night for Sleep Disorders, but he’s only marginally compliant with that. When he was still under pediatric care he would see a Sleep Team that included a Neurologist & a Behavioral Pediatrician but things are different in the Adult Sleep Clinic.
Josiah has faced many medical “Goliaths”. He was diagnosed with a Brain Tumor & Liver Masses/Tumors nearly simultaneously at the end of 2009. This resulted in Brain Surgery in 2010 to remove the Brain Tumor (an Adenoma) through his nose (a Transphenoidal Resection of a Pituitary Adenoma). Because that Tumor was nearly enveloping his Pituitary Gland & pressing against his Optic Nerve he had a workup by a Pediatric Neurological Ophthalmologist to ensure that surgery was possible without damaging his eyesight. He later had eye surgery from the same Eye Doctor/Surgeon when it was discovered that Josiah had a form of double vision (V-Pattern Esotrophia, I think). That was the first surgery Josiah experienced where he was the decision maker as to whether surgery would proceed. He also elected to have the most recent Urological Repair as an “independent” adult.
The Liver situation was less straightforward than the Brain Tumor was but it ultimately lead to the need for a Liver Transplant. Josiah was Transplanted on 7-30-13. As a Transplant recipient he will be followed by Liver Transplant Doctors for the rest of his life, at least every 6 months. He had a condition called Congenital Absence of the Portal Vein–the main blood vessel that arises from the intestines & should feed into the liver went directly from his intestines into one of the chambers of his heart. That atypical circulation scenario apparently allowed his various organs to build up a level of toxicity that has now been seemingly flushed from his system. This meant from a practical standpoint that Josiah went through an accelerated maturation process post-Transplant (though he still has Developmental Delays/Disabilities). He has made significant gains in socialization & communication since Transplant.
Many of Josiah’s medical challenges have been met with Grace & Strength & Much Favor. This is likely in large part due to the significant prayer covering he has been under from so many people, even from the womb. Josiah’s name means “God Will Heal & Protect” & the Lord’s Hand of protection & healing has been repeatedly evident in Josiah’s very complex yet overall joyous & worshipful life!
We will now post updates to his situation & some prayer needs & extended family happenings as we used to do at CarePages now at CaringBridge. Please come along for the next phase of the adventure…We value your prayers, support, insight, & encouragement!
Thank you so much for your care & concern & prayerful support of Josiah (& our family)…God Bless You!!!
Our archive of CarePages postings & messages is here: https://jazzmanjournal.wordpress.com/about/
There are links on that About page to places where Josiah’s is writing &/or archived too.
Thing is the ‘…shalt not kill’ is generally taken to be a self-serving mistranslation and should be written as ‘…shalt not murder’ as it is in the older texts. If the ‘kill’ were used then even self defense would be considered a mortal sin and Christianity would have died out long ago as its adherents would have been slaughtered en masse.
Then again, there are signs all over NOLA proclaiming Thou Shalt Not Kill and the body count rolls on…no telling if that’s due to the folks being illiterate, not really caring or some combination. We even had ministers on TV tonite who decried having protective guns in church saying the parishioners should rely upon faith alone.
I go to mass every week with my purse and all its contents. If anything ever happens, I’ll be handing off the contents to my husband, who is a much better shot, especially at moving things.
I doubt the official Church position approves, I never checked to see if they have a policy. I don’t care. It goes where the purse goes. Which includes any restaurants, museums, or other places that might be gun free zones.
Our Heavenly Father, Your children come to you tonight to ask for healing and peace throughout our country so that we may return to being One Nation Under God. Guide us to be leaders in Your Kingdom, spreading Your Love and Salvation to all. Forgive us our sins and deliver us from evil.
Lord, we ask for a blanket of protection over all our troops and law enforcement who serve to defend and protect us. Bless our representatives with the strength and wisdom they need to achieve the path You have chosen for us.
Please place Your Guardian Angels of Protection around Donald Trump and Mike Pence and their families as they seek to lead America back to You.
Grant us patience, Lord, as the evil ones try to anger us and cause us to fall.
Spread blessings over Israel and Netanyahu.
We humbly ask that You please comfort those who are grieving and in pain.
Thank you Father, for Your Love and the gift of Life.
And, Lord, we pray for all the people who have been affected by the earthquakes and hurricanes.
Starting any moment….
LIVE: President TRUMP Press Conference in Tokyo with Japanese PM ShinzΕ Abe 11/6/17
Right Side Broadcasting Network
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Posted.
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Thank you Lucille.
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You’re welcome, Colonel! Keep looking up!
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Beautiful verse and picture, Lucille! Have a wonderful day.
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Thanks, sand! The lovely little sapling just outside my home office window, which two weeks ago was dropping its autumn leaves, is now full of snow and looking VERY wintery. The hill, which is maybe 150 yards away, is a beautiful winter wonderland. It’ll be this way all the way up through the beginning of April.
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Mornin’ stella! (Smiter of those that ought to be smote) π πΈ (Long Island Iced Tea)
(Jack Daniels – Single Barrel )
(Tom Collins)
(Black & Tan)
(Boilermaker)
(Wild Turkey Rare Breed)
(Irish Car Bomb)
(Godfather)
(Mortlach)
(Roy Rogers)
(Classic Daiquiri)
(Gin & Tonic)
(Blackberry wine)
(Backdraft)
(Flaming Dr. Pepper)
(Stinger)
(Rusty Nail)
(Jack Daniels)
(Whiskey Smash)
(B52)
(Rum & Coke)
(Night Train Express)
(Albanian Raki Moskat)
(Hot Buttered Rum)
(Mudslide)
(RumChata)
(Stolichnaya elit, no ice)
(Smoking Bishop)
(Red Russian)
(Yuengling)
(Baileys Irish Cream on the rocks)
(Bromptonβs Cocktail – No cherry, no umbrella, no plastic monkey)
(Benjamin Franklin’s clarified milk punch)
Mornin’ WeeWeed! (Master Mixologist Extrodinare) π πΈ (Old Fashioned)
Mornin’ Menagerie! π
Mornin’ Ad rem! (Queen Felis catus) π± πΈ (Flaming Lamborghini)
Mornin’ Sharon! π πΈ πΈ (earthquake)
Mornin’ ytz4mee! π πΈ (cosmopolitan)
Mornin’ waltzingmtilda! π πΈ (white wine and perrier)
Mornin’ partyzantski! π
Mornin’ texan59! π
Mornin’ ZurichMike! π πΈ (fuzzy navel)
Mornin’ Col.(R) Ken! (hand salute) π
Mornin’ czarina33! (aka czarina) π πΈ (Lynchburg Lemonade)
Mornin’ czarowniczy! π
Mornin’ letjusticeprevail2014! π
Mornin’ Patriot1783-ctdar! (aka “ctdar”) π πΈ (grasshopper)
Mornin’ tessa50! π πΈ (flaming volcano)
Mornin’ waltzingmtilda! π πΈ (sidecar)
Mornin’ varsityward! π
Mornin’ MaryfromMarin! π
Mornin’ Wooly Covfefe! (aka “Wooly Phlox” aka “taqiyyologist”) π
Mornin’ Howie! (aka “doodahdaze”) π
Mornin’ TwoLaine! π
Mornin’ Sha! π πΈ (Lemon Drop)
Mornin’ BigMamaTEA! π πΈ (Harvey Wallbanger)
Mornin’ cetera5! (aka “Cetera”) π
Mornin’ The Tundra PA! π πΈ (Gentleman Jack Whiskey Sling)
Mornin’ lovely! π
Mornin’ michellc! π πΈ (Salty dog)
Mornin’ auscitizenmom! π πΈ (Kiss on the Lips)
Mornin’ Margaret-Ann! π πΈ (White Russian)
Mornin’ Auntie Lib! π πΈ (Tom and Jerry)
Mornin’ holly100! π πΈ (Jack & Coke)
Mornin’ Pam! π (Not even water)
Mornin’ Ms.Tee! π πΈ (Mojito)
Mornin’ koolkosherkitchen! π πΈ πΈ (Cuba Libre)
Mornin’ ImpeachEmAll π
Mornin’ Monroe! π
Mornin’ Les! π
Mornin’ shiloh1973! π
Mornin’ TexasRanger! π
Mornin’ Ziiggii! π
Mornin’ oldiadguy! π
Mornin’ smiley! (“stuck in spambucket”) π πΈ (Spanish coffee)
Mornin’ derk! (βStellarsβ) π πΈ (Kamikaze)
Mornin’ Jacqueline Taylor Robson π πΈ (Shirley Temple)
Mornin’ facebkwallflower! π
Mornin’ Ms. Cindy! (aka “Ms Cynlynn” aka “ms cynlynn”) π πΈ (1970 ducru beaucaillou)
Mornin’ sandandsea2015! π πΈ (1961 ChΓ’teau Montrose)
Mornin’ amwick! π πΈ (Blue motorcycle)
Mornin’ hocuspocus13! π πΈ (1970 Chateau Latour)
Mornin’ Sloth1963! π πΈ (1971 Moulin Touchais)
Mornin’ MTeresa! (Ex-lurker) π
Mornin’ Rhea Salacia Volans! π
Mornin’ joshua! π
Mornin’ John Denney! π
Mornin’ litenmaus! π
Mornin’ kinthenorthwest! π πΈ (A Lonely Island Lost in the Middle of a Foggy Sea)
Mornin’ TwoLaine! π
Mornin’ patternpuzzler! π πΈ (Old Lady)
Mornin’ SenatssekretΓ€r FREISTAAT DANZIG! π
Mornin’ G-d&Country! π πΈ (Blind Russian)
Mornin’ Gary! π
Mornin’ valeriecurren! π πΈ (Flaming Sambuca)
Mornin’ Lucille! π πΈ (Peach Schnapps)
Mornin’ Lburg! π πΈ (Lburg lemonade)
Mornin’ davidhuntpe! π
Mornin’ skipper1961! π
Mornin’ mightyconservative! π
Mornin’ whiners and complainers! π (No drink for you!)
Mornin’ to people posting that I missed. π³
Mornin’ to all you lurkers! π
Also just in case someday; mornin’ to Elvis Chupacabra, F.D.R. in Hell and sundance!
Breakfast!
NEW and IMPROVED breakfast with extra bacon for ZurichMike!
Doughnuts and coffee!
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How about not waiting until breakfast? I’ll have that plate right now.
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The early bird special! π I like it!
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Nye!!!!!!!!! Morning Everyone!!!!!!!!!!! I’ll just have a small plate of BACON…….for my smoothie……….thank you……
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Good morning Col. Ken. I wonder if you could make a maple flavored smoothie? That would be incredible with bacon!
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Good Morning everyone. Thank you Nyet for breakfast. In solidarity with the Colonel, I’m also having a milkshake so just one undercooked egg for me, thanks.
“If a man ordered a beer milkshake he’d better do it in a town where he wasn’t known.”
~ John Steinbeck
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Good morning, Lburg! I will join in and have an orange vanilla creamsicle smoothie with breakfast. Hope you have a great day!
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Good morning, Nyet! Thank you for breakfast. I hope you got some much needed rest yesterday.
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I see in the back of that platter of doughnuts a cake doughnut with white icing! Woo-hoo! Thanks, Nyet!
Good morning, everyone! Have a Deplorable Day!
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That looks good this morning. Mornin’ Nyet, everyone. π β€
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I’ll take those eggs over hard & fried in bacon (what else?) grease–Thank you very much!
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Just like my mother always cooked them!
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Love it!
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Mornin’!
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Good morning Nyet π .
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In furtherance of Stella’s beautiful photoβ¦.
Exploring the Natural Wonders of Munising
By Colleen Otte on July 20, 2015
https://mynorth.com/2015/07/exploring-the-natural-wonders-of-munising/
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The mineral deposits are plentiful……..
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Gorgeous!
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Both photos are awesome Stella. Fall is finally here, we have such beauty in the woods surrounding the cabin. I stood at the bottom of the drive and made lots of pictures Saturday.
I think I like this late fall so much. The anticipation was keen, and more time to just enjoy it.
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Hubby and I are going to stay in a cabin in a couple of weeks to celebrate our anniversary. We never get away and Iβm really looking forward to eat. Hopefully there will still be pretty fall colors then. Good morning to you!
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fall present to me this year……..another new one….
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Live in the country, believe leaves fall where they are supposed to be. Don’t need that thing to rearrange them.
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Sounds like a wonderful two weeks San&Sea π . Good morning!
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Thank you, lovely!
Hope youβve had a very good day!
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Good morning s&s. I am sure you will love your getaway. If I make it to heaven, I hope they have little log cabins down tree shaded lanes.
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My daughter said yesterday that the trees were getting pretty, but she still didn’t like fall because that meant winter was around the corner.
I started laughing and told her I told her Dad that earlier.
We’re both spring and summer kind of girls.
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Me too.
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Autum is still my favorite time of year. Sadly this year we once again didn’t get much color.
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We were convinced we weren’t going to get any, then a few days ago it all busted loose. I have never seen it be this late before. Sure is beautiful. Nobody paints like God.
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Nobody paints like God.
Beautiful and true.
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Allah painting below…
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π
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Mornin’ kids!
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Good Morning fearless leader!
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Mornin’ Lburg!
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Morning WeeWeed!
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Mornin’ S&S!
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Mornin’ WeeWeed!
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Mornin’ Stella!
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Mornin’ Wee!
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Mornin’ Michelle!
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Well, if they don’t make good politicians maybe they’d make good…..BACON!
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Mornin’ Z!
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More like a foggy one. This time of the year wee get the warm, soggy south wind that hits the cool land and, until late in the morning, it looks like the current floor of Congress during – if I may use the word – business hours.
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Bill and Harvey are looking better than they have in a long time!
Good morning Wee π !
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Mornin’ Lovely!
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Good morning/afternoon/evening, WeeWeed! Many years ago when I gave a speech at a UCLA gathering for women in the film industry, part of the speech contained the relatively new phrase of “male chauvinist pigs.” The men in the audience looked uncomfortable. Well, at least I said it with good humor even for the leftie SJW I was in those days.
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Afternoon Lucy!
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Hi, everyone! Should be working, but had to find and watch FLOTUS with school children In Japan. How delightful, they almost mobbed her, they were so happy to see her, and happy, playful children in general. Sad so many of the prog parents and schools here teach the kiddies to worry and hate. It was a delightful video at the Treehouse. Have to run. Everyone have a great Day!
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Dogs and children know a good soul. Morning G-d&Country π .
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Great day, Tony Weiner reports for a 21 month tour in a Federal prison today for his ‘sexting with a minor’ conviction. Just having a cup of coffee and musing about his light butt reporting to prison on a child-related sex charge and with the name Weiner. One wonders what his fate would have been had he have not been rescued by the Feds and been prosecuted on a sex crime involving a minor in New York or North Carolina and he’d have gone to a state prison….
Instead of having to face his peers in someplace like Attica or or of NC’s progressive facilities he gets a Massachusetts Club Fed-minor. It still isn’t The Breakers but the Fed facility has a sexual ‘treatment’ center and houses a lot of the Northeast higher profile criminals. I wonder who pulled what strings to get him there instead of someplace more…penitent-uary?
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“OK, Tony. we’re gonna do the perp walk so try not to gloat over getting a free Fed ride instead of being the Christmas present for a tier in a real prison.”
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Do you think Huma will keep his Inmate Canteen full or will she let him fend for his own Hershey bars?
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I’m betting he has enough dirt in his little book to keep a lotta people putting donations in his canteen. Seems that in the unlikely event that a Congressperp proves too stoooopid to keep from getting caught s/he has to fess up and take the punishment but his buds usually soften the blow.
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A sobering moment for a man who has fallen so low. No matter where you’re incarcerated, it’s the loss of freedom that bites the most.
With the advent of transmission devices/programs his crime is very common. Curious about what it was like in the past, I looked up age of consent for the U.S. Some shocking details from Wikipedia:
“While the general age of consent is now set between 16 and 18 in all U.S. states, the age of consent has widely varied across the country in the past. In 1880, the age of consent was set at 10 or 12 in most states, with the exception of Delaware where it was 7. The ages of consent were raised across the U.S. during the late 19th century and the early 20th century. By 1920 ages of consent generally rose to 16-18 and small adjustments to these laws occurred after 1920. As of 2015 the final state to raise its age of general consent was Hawaii, which changed it from 14 to 16 in 2001.”
“Age-of-consent laws were historically only applied when a female was younger than her male partner. By 2015 ages of consent were made gender-symmetric. Until the late 20th century many states had provisions requiring that the teenage girl must be of previous ‘chaste character’ in order for the sexual conduct to be considered criminal. In 1998 Mississippi became the last state to remove this provision from its code.”
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The Texas hero.
Sharpshooting plumes fired shot that took down Texas church gunman
http://nypost.com/2017/11/06/sharpshooting-plumber-fired-shot-that-took-down-texas-church-gunman/
The man hailed as a hero for confronting the Texas mass shooter during his rampage is a sharpshooting plumber with no military background β who hit the gunman through a gap in his body armor, according to a report.
^ That is a shot worthy of a Tom Clancy novel.
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Note how the shooter was using an ‘assault rifle’, a ‘Ruger AR-15 variant’ but the good guy was using a ‘rifle’. NY Post and every prog’s editorial nightmare, a legally armed citizen using his personal firearm to down a violent, armed felon.
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I don’t know if you read about the Oscar Pistorius case or not but every news source would have the average person believe that Black Talon bullets were capable of growing legs, snatching babies, poisoning wells and acting as a guillotine all without any human involvement whatsoever.
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Ah yes, infamous Black Talon bullet. It was used as a cause celebre by the anti-gun crowd, a stalking horse used by those who’d disarm the public while arming the government.
The entire Black Talon farce was pure BS, it was no more ‘deadly’ than any other hollow point bullet out there and the only place it was ever ‘outlawed’ was New Jersey where all hollow point ammunition is situationally illegal.
Winchester dropped the Black Talon name but the ammo lives on in the Ranger brand…and I do not recall any group of mouthy prog docs screaming for that brand to be outlawed. Pure BS.
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Yep I remember. The Black Talon is so dangerous they don’t even make it any more!!!!! π
Ummm…. no they just changed the name π.
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Bingo
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https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/woman-flips-off-donald-trump-fired_us_59fe0ab4e4b0c9652fffa484
Hee hee! Liberal suffers repercussions doesn’t understand that actions have consequences!
Sorry it is the Huffington Post so if you don’t want to click on the link I understand. She made the picture her profile picture on Twitter and Facebook.
Woman Fired For Flipping Off Donald Trumpβs Motorcade
βThey said, βWeβre separating from you,ββ said Briskman. βBasically, you cannot have βlewdβ or βobsceneβ things in your social media. So they were calling flipping him off βobscene.ββ
Poor dumb liberal she is so confused that this thing called life does not bow before her throne.
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“Woman Fired For Flipping Off Donald Trumpβs Motorcade”
LOL
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Sweet yes π .
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Wictor does an amazing job of portraying one of the DNC problems – their core base is a bunch of lunatics.
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The Texas church shooting gallery has pushed my intentions along.
My younger son (49! so I don’t know if he still qualifies as younger – only with regard to his 51 year old brother I guess) – has a gun he carries in the summer – everywhere – when he’s lightly dressed in T-shirt and cut-offs, etc. for daily running around. He calls it his cricket.
I’m wondering if the size and action of that would be be workable for me. I’m going to talk to him about it.
I’ve never considered church an inherently safe place to be – now it is moving, in my understanding, into a place that is very simply open shooting for democrats and never-Trumpers – open target practice.
1: I’ve decided I’m going to ask him to meet me some Monday or Tuesday when he’s off from his new career job (TriMet buses – good pay, he loves it, time for him in his post-business-owner, post LEO 12 years to get another pension in place which is always good planning) meet me and I will take him to our church to get his advice on where I should actually sit on Sunday morning for most effective escape, where best to park and whether to escape the area on foot (there are woods and neighboorhood streets nearby) or take the time to use the car….
2: I’m going to have him help me as far as possible to identify SOME weapon that I can manage – for church and for shopping. I already NEVER go o9ut at night just because of common sense.
Good news:
I got test results back on echo-cardiogram this morning: the low measure due to heart damage caused by chemo, which was continuing to fall last spring, has stabilized. So I have a very slight level of official heart failure, but yay! it has stabilized. Sometimes it will continue to fall, leading to life-threatening heart failure. It is not doing that, six months out from last measurement. Sometimes the heart will spontaneousely recover, back to normal (60-65 reading). My reading is at 50, which is low normal, and consider ‘first’ heart failure level, I guess. Anyway, mine has stabilized, so I will know to pay attention to breathlessless when I’m in physical tasks. And that IS an issue for me – has been since last January at least.
My question to the docs, in such things, has always been “Will I further injure myself if I push on in spite of (whatever the thing is)?” In this case the answer would be “Yes, I could further injure myself – – be cause of shortness of breath and extreme weakness….so no, don’t be a dummy and push on…becaus there is a real underlying condition.”
I am SO shaky today. yesterday I not only went to church, risking being murdered and stuff, but I also went for the first time to the great church Thanksgiving potluck dinner, to which I did contribute a dessert. So I went to church at 9:30. Came hom and rested for an hour. Then went to the dinner. Nearly finished me. Came home quickly and went straight to bed and slept for some time.
My limitations are very real and I’m deliberately working within them so I can get as much good living done as possible without making things worse.
Gun recommendations welcomed, please. It takes me a long time to think through what to do when I’m so limited physically and financially – and that I really am. Sometimes it scares me but only when I get myself backed in a corner unnecessarily. If I take it slow and work through the decision making it goes ok. My son helps me financially when I ask. I have a very hard time asking. I always figure any financial stress is my own damn fault. But Grant and I always did the best we could with what we had. We never had much (.like many or most) being thorough blue collar – and moving crossw country four times in our adult lives and getting divorced for 6 years — those things are expensive!!! Decisions have consequences. and consequences aren’t mean or personal or punishment – they just are.
Iz ok. Iz all ok.
And God is my refuge and my strength. He knows everything ab out and the best thing He does for me and with me on a daily basis is when He says, “Yikes, Sharon, slow down. (He says “Yikes” in a very Holy and Sovereign way, y’know) Think, Sharon. You don’t have to do it all right now.”
I am really shaky and wrung out this morning, as you can perhaps tell.
It makes me mad that going to church may get me shot. Oh, well. None of us are getting out of here alive anyway. And you can tell them I said so – – – if I ever get shot in church.
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Thank you for sharing all of that. It’s a lot to process & deal with. I was especially drawn to what you shared about your heart. My son has Congenital Heart Issues (birth defects) & a history of Congestive Heart Failure (though currently his heart issues are “stable”–we see his Cardiologist in a few weeks & his 3rd Open Heart Surgery is still pending, but hopefully not for some years yet). God continue to bless you & keep you & your family close to his heart.
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I’m praying for you Sharon and hope you continue to improve.
As for gun, I would recommend when you feel up to it is to handle different guns and see what feels comfortable to you.
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Sensible advice, michellc. I feel so at home with guns, having lived with the long guns in my childhood, and the fact that we (after about 10 years old) were free to go to the garage, take down the gun of our choice with the appropriate ammo, and head out to the pasture (1200 acres available for wandering) to SHOOT STUFF.
michelle, have you ever seen what happens to a fuzzy-wuzzy caterpillar that is targeted by a 30.06? Although I will say that that was my BIL, not me. No one one knows what happens, of course, because there is no evidence left to tell a story.
The smaller guns were what I handled and I was never so good at it – it’s just that I was very much at home with them and comfortable with allt he ideas and usefulness – so it’s been a bummer to me that now that I really want/need to have one that it’s problematic.
Oh, well….. π
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Sharon I am happy to hear that your heart is stabilized and they don’t expect further damage, that is good news β€οΈ.
As for guns there are a lot of people on here who know a thousand times more than me so I’ll leave it to them.
I have a nice small Ruger 22 loaded with hollow point bullets that I carry concealed.
I know tough guys will laugh and say all it takes is a thick leather jacket to stop a 22 π. I have physical limitations that make most guns too powerful for me unless someone is putting pressure on my right back shoulder.
There are specific purses made for conceal carry or nifty ankle holsters if you wear lots of long skirts (like I do). If you wear billowy clothes then a belt holster can be easily concealed.
The 22 has some kick but it is easily manageable by me. I really really like the hammerless revolvers because you don’t have to cock them which is a huge advantage when seconds matter and there is no chance of it getting cocked by mistake. The revolver has a bigger kick than my pistol. But I can manage it it is also bulkier but not bigger than my little pistol.
It sounds like your son can give you really good advice and hands on training, that is great, the best really. My best advice is to go to your local gun shop that also has a range, most of them have guns that you can shoot and you can find out if you are comfortable using any of them.
Then practice. Once you point your gun at someone you are committed to killing them. Two to the chest one to the head.
Small thing — don’t get a pink gun, some guys at gun shops try to sell women pink guns just because they get a kick out of it, don’t get a shinny gun, black is best, in a life or death situation pink is easily seen and stainless steel is more likely to be seen than a black gun.
Until you get a gun, Bear Spray is something to keep on your bed stand and in your purse and/or car, far superior to mace or pepper spray and I’m told it will drop just about anyone.
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There are many pieces of great advice in your comment – thank you……the Bear Spray for sure! That I can easily do.
Yes – the idea that “once you point your gun….you are the committed to killing them…..” Yes. Completely understand that.
“hammerless revolvers…..” I going to ask my son about that….one of my main problems is weak and compromised and damaged fingers, specifically index fingers on both hands. They were already compromised by the chemo and then I had a ball ‘flatfall’ in August that damaged tendons.
It’s just interesting – as always, I don’t mind dying (big picture) – but I don’t want to die needlessly or stupidly!
You really provided good thoughts. Thank you.
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Happy I could be of help Sharon, I’m sure the Czars and Col will have good thoughts. The revolver does have a kick but being hammerless is really helpful.
Itβs just interesting β as always, I donβt mind dying (big picture) β but I donβt want to die needlessly or stupidly!
Agree 100%.
My friend teaches conceal carry classes, and some people wonder if they should aim for extremities because they don’t know if they could kill some one.
My friend says if someone is in your home they are there to kill you, the choice is yours.
Then he tells them to remember this little poem,
“Two to the chest,
One to head,
Better him
Than you is dead.”
Imagine if just one or two people in that church were carrying….it just breaks my heart.
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Hammerless revolvers are less likely to ‘catch’ when drawn from a concealed carry. Also, you can encounter legal problems from an overly aggressive prosecutor if you cock a revolver before you shoot, especially in a civil trial.
Don’t worry about the extra weight of a double-action trigger pull, in a fight-or-flight situation you won’t notice it – more than one police officer back in the revolver-only days has, during a gunfight, been seen still pulling the trigger after the revolver is empty and not remembering firing the first 6 shots. You lose fine motor control and the big muscles instinctively do the work. If you can get good double-action (in my opinion the ONLY revolver to carry, I never carry a single-action one for defense) on the range you will have no difficulty in a firefight.
BTW, you can get grips for your gun that tame the recoil way back.
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Thanks, I needed to know that.
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Also, practice with the cheapest stuff you can, you’ll be working on making yourself ‘one with the gun’, confidence and technique. When it comes to qualifying for a CCW or just for your own comfort SHOOT WHAT YOU’LL BE CARRYING. You want to be able to be effective ‘on the street’ so shoot the same ammo you’ll be carrying – common sense and it eliminates another thing a prosecutor can use against you, your unfamiliarity with the ammo you’re carrying.
NEVER carry wad cutters on the street, I can tell you from shootings on the department that they are totally ineffective, ditto lead round nose. Also never carry rounds you or someone else has reloaded, that leads to a whole new attack on the witness stand.
Also know your gun – what weighs empty/full, how many lands/grooves with either a left or right hand twist, magazine capacity…all that stuff in the owners manual. Also know how to break it down and clean it, I’ve seen/heard these questions asked to try and show you really weren’t familiar with your gun.
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Thanks Czar. I have a really weak shoulder and wrist even with lots of physical therapy and exercise. I imagine if anything ever did happen that adrenaline would take over like you say. At the range I enjoy my gun and don’t come home in pain. When I shoot the guys guns I can always feel it in my arm. There are some neat little guns and I do really enjoy the “Bang” of a revolver.
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Big pistols/revolvers give you more wrist torgue to deal with. I know my arthritis starting in my fingers makes it harder to deal with my .44 mag. Three quick hits from a .32 or .380 will dissuade most attackers from further attack.
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My ex had one of those. Even holding it with both hands, the barrel still pointed at the floor. I would have had to have the intruder stand in a certain spot so I could lean it on a table or something to shoot him.
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People frequently over-gun themselves believing bigger be mo’ betterer. Then again, you’d be all set were you to have been attacked by yard gnomes.
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50 years ago, upon good advice from the Ole Boys…I bought my young wife a Smith and Wesson 38 police chief special revolver…they said never anything smaller than a 38, and the revolver lets you have the hammer rest on an empty cylinder, and you can see the bullets and know it is loaded easily. Has some kick, but a pistol is a close range deal anyway…..there is however a 410 shotgun revolver pistol that I think would clear the deck really nice if someone got seriously in your face with more than some harrassment.
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Does your S&W have a firing pin on the hammer or is it in the frame? If the gun has the pin in the hammer there could be a danger of it firing if it’s dropped on the hammer or if you carry Condition 0 on full cock. I carried with all cylinders loaded on my Colt or S&W revolvers, my Rugers had a hammer block. Only misfire I ever had was when I failed to be careful with a Browning Hi-Power and I ended up shooting a briefcase and a vacuum. In my defense the shooting was self defense.
I was told by an oldtimer that the term ‘pin money’ came from the olden western days when folks would roll up some spare cash and stuff it into one of the chambers in the cylinder. They had some holdout money and a reminder not to load that cylinder, leaving the money under the firing ‘pin’.
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The first gun I shot was a 22, then I shot a revolver and couldn’t figure out why the casings didn’t fly out like in a pistol. I was very young π .
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My husband, who has a concealed carry permit, says that the “castle laws” in Michigan are pretty iffy & they require you to continually retreat in your own home & only take an intruder’s life if all other options are gone. Seems like if they have broken in they have already put their life on the line but apparently “blue” Michigan would on the whole rather err on protecting criminals than law-abiding & minding their own business home owners/residents…Also, I believe he said that hollow points are safer in that they wouldn’t go through someone & then hit a person behind, so likely to reduce “collateral damage” during a firefight incident…
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BTW, a hollow point CAN zip through a person, seen it before. It depends upon where and how you hit the person. Ick.
A hollow point depends upon the cavity loading up with squishy bodily substances loading into its cavity and forcing the walls of the bullet to expand outwards. If the cavity loads up with clothing it’s possible that it will pass thru as it can’t expand. A powerful HP like a .357 can shoot thru a thin or normal person’s chest and if you hit a person somewhere the bullet doesn’t have time to load up (hand, thin parts of leg/arm/shoulder you could get a pass-thru also. Practice, practice, practice to shoot for center of mass.
Also, when you fire thru obstacles such as wall board, plywood, glass the hollow point can load up with junk and become a full metal jacket and pass through a lotta styuff it otherwise might not…like briefcases…vacuums…
Finally, if you think about shooting thru glass I’d suggest you don’t unless it’s life or death as glass can not only load up a hollow point but it readily changes a bullet’s flight path and can even cause a bullet to ricochet.
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I can’t tell is this is about shooting a person, or making pudding inside them…….lol
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The former actually does the latter, see ‘hydrostatic shock’.
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Thanks for this detailed & helpful info!
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I had policemen in Albuquerque NM tell me to shoot the dude first and they would help me drag the body to inside the house afterwards…..they prefer the perps get taken out without messing with a court appearance. but that was a LONG time ago.
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…the good old days…
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I don’t know Michigan Law in WI the guys joke about making sure the body falls inside the house, an intruder is considered an imminent danger to the life of the occupants.
And yes hollow points do more damage to the target and there is less collateral damage as they tend to not exit the body,
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WI sounds very common-sense here…
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Legally yes. More people are actually open carrying since Antifa declared war on us. One poor guy who open carries was on his own property and some dope called the police on him, the paper posted his address and then someone tried to rob his house to get his guns.
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Oh my goodness. I recall a story of someone who was open carrying (not sure where) who bent down to pick up his newspaper & because of the change in the angle of the muzzle of the gun was brought up on “brandishing” charges because his neighbor said she felt threatened by him during said paper retrieval…sigh…I cannot even begin to guess how the Founders would be disgusted by the nanny-state types trying all sorts of overlord tactics against the freedom lovers…
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I have a Beretta .25 auto I sometimes carry when everything else is too bulky. I’ve had more than one gun pundit go on about how ineffectual the .25 is and I should be using something bigger. My reply is generally “Do you want to get shot by it?”So far no one’s said “YES!”.
Thing is, ‘practice-practice-practice’. If you can’t hit where you aim than it doesn’t matter what you’re shooting.
Next thing is you gotta believe YOU’RE BETTER than the person you’re facing off, if you let even the slightest doubt pollute your mind than you’re at a disadvantage.
Biggest thing to me is fear, if you don’t have or show fear your opponent’s at a disadvantage. Most people are afraid of getting shot but thing is, if you’re in a situation where the assailant facing you HAS a gun you’re sure as Christmas going to get shot if you don’t react first. Not trying to sound John Wayne but I’ve accepted the idea that I can be shot if I don’t act and that I might if I do, so best to be the best.
Don’t get hung up on your pistol or revolver having so many shots. This ain’t Randoph Scott shooting the gun oput of the bad guy’s hand or your wounding your bloodthirsty assailant in the shoulder and waiting for Donnie Wahlberg to respond. If the perp pulls ANY deadly weapon on you (yes, that includes a knife) you have to believe he is planning on doing at least grave bodily injury to you so you have to believe he’s forfeited his right to counseling and community service – you do what you have to do unless you wanna be done.
Get a gun you can shoot comfortably and accurately, do not obsess about the size of the bullet, it’s shot placement that counts and unless you can place that shot see above ‘being done’. Trust me, even a .22 hole makes the hitee very uncomfortable. Also, if your gun has six shots there’s nothing that says you can’t put all six into your attacker. You fire until the threat is neutralized. Of course if there are multiple attackers you apportion ammo equitably but Rule One is to keep you and yours safe.
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I don’t carry yet, but have my carry license. I love to shoot my Glock 26, but too heavy for me to carry, and not enough room in the jeans’ waistband. Was ready to buy my dream Sig 938 (9mm), until the last time I test fired it 5 times.
The first time I shot one, was at a rental range in MO, and it was slick as ice. This last time I shot one, the trigger had burrs. The machining of the trigger was awful. Didn’t purchase it.
Looked it up on the net, and learned others complain about the burrs on the trigger. Actually was a painful shoot. Apparently people are using a drummel to file down the burrs. I just don’t think a $700 gun should need to be reworked. Don’t know what to do. The 938 feels so great in my hand otherwise.
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Lots of guns are coming off the line less than perfect, I’m betting due to demand versus ability to produce. You can take the piece to a QUALIFIED gunsmith to have the action brought to stock but I would (actually I do) avoid any aftermarket bits or any change in trigger pull from factory specs. Also wouldn’t tell anyone I had the action smoothed by removing the burrs. Some schmuck of a prosecutor could go and try to convince a jury, were you brought up on criminal or civil charges for a self defense shooting, that you were out fine tuning a gun to hunty people with. Alternative would be to say you had a ‘hair trigger’ built into your gun and you fired ‘accidentally’ due to that fight-or-flight reaction making you lose control of the trigger. They may also have the jury pull the trigger on your piece to see what a hair trigger feels like, knowing most jurors have never held a gun in their lives. As long as your gun’s in factory stock configuration you have a defense.
Try Googling ‘SIG P-226 used’ or whatever gun you want. Very few shooters, even LEA, put enough rounds thru their gun to even really break it in never mind break it up. Cosmetic blemishes due to holster wear do not effect the gun and you can always have it refinished if you want.
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Men are different than women and seem to often be comfortable with any gun. lol
Women tend to need guns that are comfortable and easy to shoot. My SIL bought my daughter a little .380 because she kept eye balling it every time they were in a gun store. She likes the way it looks, but she hates the way it feels. So it sits in the safe. I don’t think she ever even put a box of ammo through it.
Of course she has other handguns, but I think it’s important if you’re going to only have one, it’s a must you handle several guns and find one you feel comfortable with.
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Again, it’s all about shot placement. I bought my DIL as hi-cap small .380 that fits her hand and has a light enough recoil that she can do quick followup shots. I know a lotta ghetto killings have been done with .32s…shot placement, shot placement, shot placement. I you can’t use it you might as well not have it. Also, you can make up for some of the lack of punch by judicial bullet selection.
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She just doesn’t like the way it feels. She has many to choose from. My SIL will use any excuse to buy another gun, even if it’s not for him. lol
As for killing though, 9 times out of ten when a critter/predator around here needs killed I grab my ol’ Henry .22. Now it wouldn’t be the rifle I’d grab if I needed to shoot a bear or charging wild hog, but it’s always done the job on anything I’ve shot and they’re usually not as close as a human threat would likely be.
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I usually have a large caliber handgun or an AR that I can configure into five different calibers depending on which critter’s likely to be the pest du jour. Better to pop a coon with a .458 Socom than face that 300# with that .22LR.
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Agree with all you said there Czar.
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Google “concealed carry purse”. I saw dozens, priced $30 to $2000. Could sew one if you like, just look at the pictures to see how to place the pocket that holds the weapon since you don’t have to draw it to shoot.
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Oooh, I want to snorkel/swim the waters in Stella’s header pic, and in another pic posted – including the bacon pic.
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Jane, that is Lake Superior and ICY cold!
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The Great Lakes are truly a separate creation, a world unto themselves, in a way.
I have only ever seen/been at Lake Superior – at Duluth, MN and at Bayfield, WI. We camped a couple of nights at a shoreline campground outside of Bayfield way back in the 70s. That is big water. …..and cold, as you say!
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Oh, ouch, or rather Brrrrr. Thank you for letting me know. I’ve had my toes in Lake Superior years ago, but that’s all. π
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If you’re looking for warmer water, consider the Gulf of Mexico. It runs around 75* at this time of year usually. π
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I swam in Lake Superior as a kid off Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but haven’t seen it in many, many years. We swam in Lake Michigan this Summer near the “tip of the Mitt” & it was seemingly no colder than Otsego Lake (South of Gaylord) where my parents’ Cottage is. Otsego is Spring-fed & perpetually “cold” though seemed mild enough at Labor Day for me (& my kids) to swim across–Fun!
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Soon time to think of holiday baking. I’m thinking of giving this recipe a whirl Sunday, for my son’s birthday breakfast. They can snack on it while waiting for the biscuits and gravy.
https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2017/11/01/cinnamon-star-bread-bakealong/
It looks so pretty, and the author says it’s actually easy to make. We shall see!
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Oh my goodness that looks yummy. The only thing I might want to add to that recipe is to dip my piece in maple syrup. (smile)
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I’m diabetic and I like that.
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Looks good!
It seems similar to this, which I made once.
https://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/maple-nut-cinnamon-twists/
My go-to is to just roll out the dough, brush it with butter, sprinkle heavily with brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon, roll it up, slice into 12 equal pieces, and bake them in a pan prepared by melting a half stick of butter in the baking pan, then stirring in brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and enough orange juice to make a thick slurry.
But I like the looks of your cinnamon star, so I’ll have to make it at least once. π
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I pinned that recipe. Now I can’t decide which to try first! Thanks.
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HEROISM RISES OUT OF TRAGEDY IN A SMALL TEXAS TOWN
Armed heroes can make a difference.
November 6, 2017 – Daniel Greenfield
http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/268333/heroism-rises-out-tragedy-small-texas-town-daniel-greenfield
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My understanding is that the hero used the same AR15 style rifle as the villain, but the media is saying the villain used an assault rifle, while the hero just used a rifle.
We should tell the lefties that assault rifles should be banned, but defense rifles should be required and subsidized. Just don’t tell them they’re the same rifle. π
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Actually, your suggestion makes a lot of sense. LOL
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Nightly news here is saying the guy who shot the perp jumped into his truck, said to follow the perp, they did then watched the perp crash his car. They jump right to the police arriving and the perp committing suicide, they’re purposely avoiding mentioning the guy shot the perp.
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WHITE HOUSE PHOTO OF THE DAY
President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk the rope line following the President’s remarks at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, Japan | November 5, 2017 (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
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A Marine friend of mine told me that owning a gun and not becoming efficient in its use is like expecting someone to know how to cook meals without ever having picked up a cookbook, a pot or a skillet. He also said to become familiar with the gun laws in your state or you could be the one ending up in jail.
Of course, my friend didn’t mean we had to become as efficient as this Marine…
Behind the Bursting Bomb | Training like Gunner
Marines CHANNEL
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Hey Stellarites,
I’ve been “away” for a while working on “archiving” a lot of info related to my son’s Liver Transplant & related journeys. A website where we had both been blogging has decided to cease operations & it necessitated a mad scramble to grab everything before it was gone. Even though I didn’t attempt to read much of what we’d already shared just cursorily glancing over things still ended up being pretty mentally & emotionally exhausting. After jumping to a new site from which to continue to share his/our family’s needs, prayer requests, & random info here’s what I wrote as “Josiah’s Story” to share a flavor of where we have been with him, & a hint of where we are going…
“Josiah has an extremely complicated medical history. Prior to birth he wasn’t growing well in the womb so he & his twin brother, Brandon, were delivered prematurely in order to save Josiah’s life. At birth Josiah was 2# 6oz & Brandon was 5# 4oz. Brandon was normal size for their gestational age of 33 1/2 weeks but Josiah was IUGR (Intra-Uterine Growth Retardation, aka Small For Gestational Age). He was considered Very Low Birth Weight & qualified for SSI immediately because he was less than 1200 grams.
Josiah also has Congenital Heart Defects & ended up having Open Heart Surgery before ever coming home from the hospital as an infant, at 2 months of age. That First Heart Surgery was to repair a VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect–hole between the two lower heart chambers) using a Goretex Patch. Later in May 2000 Josiah had his Second Open Heart Surgery to remove a Sub-Aortic Stenosis (thickening & partial closure of the Aortic Valve). They also removed some heart tissue in a Myomectomy during that procedure. Josiah has a Bi-Cuspid Aortic Valve rather than the typical Tri-Cuspid Valve–his valve has 2 flaps rather than the normal 3 flaps. Because of this malformation, & other heart issues, Josiah will be monitored by Pediatric Cardiology throughout his life as they manage his Cardiovascular needs.
Josiah is also monitored by Pediatric Urology as he was born with some abnormalities in his urological system. He had 3 stages of repair during his childhood and a recent 4th stage of repair earlier in 2017. After 6 months have passed since this most recent surgery then he will be re-evaluated for another potential surgical stage of repair.
Josiah had numerous challenges in early life that impacted his senses. He had Visual & Auditory Processing Problems, Sensory Integration Dysfunction, periodic Hypo &/or Hyper-Sensitive Skin/Touch. He had Proprioceptive & Vestibular Struggles. He had Gross & Fine Motor Weaknesses. He has been given many “labels” over the years to describe many of these needs. Some of them fall under the domain of Autism Spectrum. He was called PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, aka “Atypical Autism”) when he was a preschooler. His Autism related needs have presented challenges throughout his life in communication, socialization, education, & perception. He is considered to be High-Functioning Autistic…
Josiah had many issues with his inner ears in early childhood & was diagnosed with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. He had numerous surgical procedures to place Myringotomy Tubes in his ears to facilitate pressure equalization & reduce fluid build up. Prior to getting tubes he had Chronic Otitis Media, persistent ear infections, & significant balance issues. As a toddler he couldn’t walk without holding on to something prior to getting his first set of tubes. He had intermittent hearing loss associated with the need to get new ear tubes and when he was in a diminished hearing state his autistic behavioral challenges were also seemingly diminished, likely due to a reduction of sensory overload.
Josiah contracted RSV (Respiratory Synschial Virus) twice in the first year of life. Both instances required hospitalization and ambulance rides to U of M Ann Arbor. The first ambulance ride was from his then home in Gaylord to U of M & was just weeks after his first heart surgery. The second time was during a visit to his grandparents’ house in Dearborn in the winter. We took Josiah to the local hospital, Oakwood Dearborn, but they sent him via ambulance to Ann Arbor for treatment & hospitalization. That route likely retraced the same pathway trod when he was 2 months old & went from Oakwood to Mott by ambulance, with an NICU nurse along for the ride, for that First Open Heart Surgery–& all his subsequent surgeries, currently totaling 18!
One fallout from RSV was the development of Asthma. When he was younger we would regularly use a Nebulizer to give Albuterol treatments to Josiah. Now he (rarely) uses an inhaler if he needs some help. His Asthma is usually only an issue during intense exercise &/or colder weather. He is supposed to use a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) Machine at night for Sleep Disorders, but he’s only marginally compliant with that. When he was still under pediatric care he would see a Sleep Team that included a Neurologist & a Behavioral Pediatrician but things are different in the Adult Sleep Clinic.
Josiah has faced many medical “Goliaths”. He was diagnosed with a Brain Tumor & Liver Masses/Tumors nearly simultaneously at the end of 2009. This resulted in Brain Surgery in 2010 to remove the Brain Tumor (an Adenoma) through his nose (a Transphenoidal Resection of a Pituitary Adenoma). Because that Tumor was nearly enveloping his Pituitary Gland & pressing against his Optic Nerve he had a workup by a Pediatric Neurological Ophthalmologist to ensure that surgery was possible without damaging his eyesight. He later had eye surgery from the same Eye Doctor/Surgeon when it was discovered that Josiah had a form of double vision (V-Pattern Esotrophia, I think). That was the first surgery Josiah experienced where he was the decision maker as to whether surgery would proceed. He also elected to have the most recent Urological Repair as an “independent” adult.
The Liver situation was less straightforward than the Brain Tumor was but it ultimately lead to the need for a Liver Transplant. Josiah was Transplanted on 7-30-13. As a Transplant recipient he will be followed by Liver Transplant Doctors for the rest of his life, at least every 6 months. He had a condition called Congenital Absence of the Portal Vein–the main blood vessel that arises from the intestines & should feed into the liver went directly from his intestines into one of the chambers of his heart. That atypical circulation scenario apparently allowed his various organs to build up a level of toxicity that has now been seemingly flushed from his system. This meant from a practical standpoint that Josiah went through an accelerated maturation process post-Transplant (though he still has Developmental Delays/Disabilities). He has made significant gains in socialization & communication since Transplant.
Many of Josiah’s medical challenges have been met with Grace & Strength & Much Favor. This is likely in large part due to the significant prayer covering he has been under from so many people, even from the womb. Josiah’s name means “God Will Heal & Protect” & the Lord’s Hand of protection & healing has been repeatedly evident in Josiah’s very complex yet overall joyous & worshipful life!
We will now post updates to his situation & some prayer needs & extended family happenings as we used to do at CarePages now at CaringBridge. Please come along for the next phase of the adventure…We value your prayers, support, insight, & encouragement!
Thank you so much for your care & concern & prayerful support of Josiah (& our family)…God Bless You!!!
by Josiah’s mother, Valerie, October 2017″
In case any of you care to join us for that ongoing adventure here is where the going forward stuff will be:
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/josiahcurren
Our archive of CarePages postings & messages is here:
https://jazzmanjournal.wordpress.com/about/
There are links on that About page to places where Josiah’s is writing &/or archived too.
Blessings to all!
Valerie
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Gun Control laws were passed LONG LONG AGO by the SUPREME SUPREME
that is the only way the gun control will ever work by passing any law….but you have to follow the laws first….
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Wow, Joshua, that is really the gospel truth.
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Thing is the ‘…shalt not kill’ is generally taken to be a self-serving mistranslation and should be written as ‘…shalt not murder’ as it is in the older texts. If the ‘kill’ were used then even self defense would be considered a mortal sin and Christianity would have died out long ago as its adherents would have been slaughtered en masse.
Then again, there are signs all over NOLA proclaiming Thou Shalt Not Kill and the body count rolls on…no telling if that’s due to the folks being illiterate, not really caring or some combination. We even had ministers on TV tonite who decried having protective guns in church saying the parishioners should rely upon faith alone.
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I go to mass every week with my purse and all its contents. If anything ever happens, I’ll be handing off the contents to my husband, who is a much better shot, especially at moving things.
I doubt the official Church position approves, I never checked to see if they have a policy. I don’t care. It goes where the purse goes. Which includes any restaurants, museums, or other places that might be gun free zones.
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Remind the Church that it’s losing members fast enough without inviting Sunday turkey shoots.
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lilbirdee12βs prayer:
Our Heavenly Father, Your children come to you tonight to ask for healing and peace throughout our country so that we may return to being One Nation Under God. Guide us to be leaders in Your Kingdom, spreading Your Love and Salvation to all. Forgive us our sins and deliver us from evil.
Lord, we ask for a blanket of protection over all our troops and law enforcement who serve to defend and protect us. Bless our representatives with the strength and wisdom they need to achieve the path You have chosen for us.
Please place Your Guardian Angels of Protection around Donald Trump and Mike Pence and their families as they seek to lead America back to You.
Grant us patience, Lord, as the evil ones try to anger us and cause us to fall.
Spread blessings over Israel and Netanyahu.
We humbly ask that You please comfort those who are grieving and in pain.
Thank you Father, for Your Love and the gift of Life.
And, Lord, we pray for all the people who have been affected by the earthquakes and hurricanes.
In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
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Amen
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Amen.
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