Nothing worth noting... just an 'h' of difference...

It is August, I am a month closer to  my death. The Army Marksmanship Team decides to not shoot in the shoot off of the President's Hundred matches at Camp Perry. They must be paying for their own bullets and saving themselves for future competition. Back in the day, when I lived Diamonds being Trump (First Sergeant) in the 82nd Airborne Division, I had a 'Jump anytime list' of volunteers - if I had parachutes for airborne operations that I needed to fill, those would take it. The day they said they wouldn't jump that time, they came off the list. They only got to get off the list the same number of times I gave them an opportunity to get on it, once. I also wouldn't put up with paratroopers that would endanger everyone else on the jump by becoming a 'jump refusal' when inside the aircraft and the jump commands being given. That only happened to me as Jump Master one time, it was a soldier from another unit, and I would have killed him and thrown him out if my anger hadn't been under control. The safeties took him out of the stick, secured him and he landed with the aircraft. He should have been courts martial-ed then, but wasn't. He came up before me for a promotion later, and I gave him all the points I felt he deserved to become a sergeant. Easy to score. The Army changes, and I hardly know how, I was once so flexible. Probably the whole Army of One, political correctness thing.

Or it could be cowardice. Which makes you wonder, because all soldiers are heroes, with medals and bands and parades and gee aren't they wonderful! Most of their real heroes aren't ever known to the public or beyond the small circle of people that were there. And don't get started on the command structure holding up recommendations for awards, for petty reasons - or awarding it to build self esteem. Duh.

But cowardice isn't something the military normally worries about, I figure the cowards are going to find jobs in safe areas, and those that fight over their better sense and their fears will be brave because it works better than the alternative. When you find cowards winning battles and wars, well, they weren't real  battles or wars.

I was looking at Kevin's blog, and found a link to Ann Barnhardt and she wrote well "On Cowardice". For reasons I don't understand I had trouble linking it to this, but you have all you need to find it-- much better reasoning and writing than I did, but I do agree with her... if you sit and watch, afraid to speak or act, you will die. Along with all the others. Why the regular politicians don't like the TEA Party, is that it isn't one of the organized regular political parties, and they vote.

I understand that the organizations and businesses will have to provide birth control for women, even if their religious beliefs say no. Not a problem in my mind. Last I heard the Roman Catholic Church gives it away for all women, of all ages for free. Chastity and abstaining have always prevented births unless God decides differently. And it doesn't cost anything.

I find thinking ill of those soldiers in the Marksmanship Unit as cowards, afraid to take some more shots, or that the government is really made up of fools that think the Constitution is not important, think that the Revolutionary War was won by media madness and those with the most money and rock star qualities; I find it sad and hard to take. So I did go walk and enjoy the day and the sunshine. Hope all your days are blest.

When the Truth comes out...

At NBC we’re just not used to broadcasting things that people want to watch.

And at Camp Perry, Ohio, named in honor of the Naval hero of 1812, The President's Hundred.

Makes me wonder about all that I know not.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness....

The government isn't supposed to take away any of those rights.

A judge in America thinks the government has a duty to infringe on a right of one of the people?

It all makes me tired. Constant assault by well meaning people, bullying everyone else into their religion or idea of perfection.

I am sure that ignoring them will be much better than participating in the madness. Sure they are one day going to come and kill me for my own good. Or someone else in my family or of my beliefs. That is a certain level of Historic perspective. They chopped off John the Baptists head, because he was telling the truth and a fourteen year old dancer was hawt. They hung Jesus on a cross for being not of their influence. Do you really think it was just the people of those times? That kind of thing couldn't be done in  this day and age? Not by our government. Well, mostly you would be correct, most of the people wouldn't do that in any country. But those in power, that think they are special and don't owe their people, God or History a better behavior - they will be corrupt, and deadly and all too soon evil. Even in America, even in the modern enlightened world.

You have to be the winner to determine what is a crime against humanity. For sure the victors aren't going to surrender to judgment.

So, get smarter, learn, and try and change the lost direction of the current Political Correctness, and Media Mass Mindlessness. Make a difference one or two people at a time. Stand up quietly for good, all done without government power, protection or persuasion. Do it as one of the good people. Start by telling the truth, obeying God's law, and loving more than you hate, much more. Take care out there, the government still has no control over love, and media has no idea what it really means.

In so many ways I understand that having more weapons than the killers in Colorado, more ammunition, and more love unmeasured means that God holds me to His standards not that of the ATFE. And the really great law enforcement officers and our serving military know that I am not the problem, even Jesus spoke and acted with the Centurions and the holy men of the Temple, and the fallen women and the tax collectors.

Because I am not an expert...

Listening to media personalities and politicians pontificating on firearms and firearms laws is like listening to eighth graders pontificate on sex.

They sure don’t let lack of any first hand knowledge dampen their enthusiastically-held opinions.

The above was from Tam, or VFTFP (which took me forever to link in my mind). But it and some other reading here and there reminded me of one of my problems with big magazines on military style rifles. Having had to use the M14 and M16 and M16A2 in places where people (enemies) want to hurt me I have always thought the magazines get in my way of getting as low and small as I like to become as a target (invisible works as well as on an alternate universe - hard to achieve).

Pardon me, my wife is traveling in Canada and our telephone is ringing and I want to ignore it. Political hacks, computers or charities asking us to give a little bit more. And I pay for that connection.

Okay, as I wandered the internet I thought about how many rifles, machine guns and light weapons had magazines that feed from the left or right or above the bolt. What we use now isn't always the best, it is just what exists. I think springs are better, but there is the 'look' of the firearm, and the pretty of the soldier so adjustments would be made for many reasons. The soldier just wants something that works: lighter, and better in accuracy than the shooter's skill set, and effective on target.

My personal choice is the M1 rifle. I only shoot, don't design nor worry about my good looks. It has History and meets all my needs. It even has wood used as a stock, darn near beautiful.

What can you do? Go outlaw...

Reading Tam's blog I find her recommending a title for her kindle, and I hit the link, bought the title (even after I found it by the author of the Flashman series - which I didn't like at all). After buying it, I had to schedule a trip to my local library, where my kindle loves to download politely. While there I picked up three paper books, Death of Kings, The Road to Rome, The People's War - looking forward to reading them. I do like to have more reading than I am capable of... but that is much better than listening to talking heads in the media, or the politicians that pretend they wanna be good to all my desires.  Really, I can get more from the written word than the emotional messages beating to the pulse of the commercial enterprises that pay the bills... and I hope that Amazon is smart enough to credit Tam with the buy, the computers are.

So if I am addicted to finding out what the rest of the world is doing, okay, limited by the size of the window, I can do something productive. You know, cook dinner, brew coffee, or prime my cartridges. Anything productive is better than the lack of importance on television. Pray for the Jackson family, and along the way, pray for all the families - the Jacksons aren't more important than all the other ones you know about, but we can all use the Lord's help.

Oh, the whole outlaw thing? Glad you asked, if there isn't a real difference between the two parties and candidates in our government. And the law against killing another human being is dishonored by the authorities, the mad men and women, and they tell us that what we need is another law on the people that were obeying the first one. Well, that won't work. Just sayin'.

So, I think that I trust you enough to allow you to be smarter, and stupider than I. That I trust you enough, to work hard to make your life better and that would mean my life will be better. Most people don't want to have POWER over me. When they had a real legal authority and responsibility to control me, it didn't go as well as they assumed it would. But then I was just doing that thing I thought was critical, telling the truth as I saw it, and working hard to fix problems. Not being a 'yes' man is tough on those with thin skins. I guess the answer I have is go around the government's goodness and do your best for all the correct reasons - not the politically correct reasons.

Barriers, borders and the edges...

Most of the weather here stops at the Canadian border, on television at least. And the hottest and driest times in America only go back to "in living memory", a cliche said quickly if at all. For it has been hotter, dryer, and colder... and most anything else the Mostly Mindless Media can fill you with. Limits on your imagination and knowledge are very important for making you a slave, serf or servant of those with POWER. Just sayin'. It has always been that way, custom, rules and don't try this at home....

You do know that a genius needs normal people to survive, don't you? That there are more men excelling and in the worst possible mental physical condition, that men aren't as regular and balanced as women. Having said that, there are women that have been mass murders, terrorists, and saints. Generalization of the unknowing upon the clueless cause all the silly things that show up on media. They aren't evil, mean spirited (most times), and are a reflection of mankind's best and worst. The reason that very bad government works is that no one changes it: too busy, too afraid, too unaware. The way to keep power, is to control the volume of fear (make sure it is enough), to isolate and eliminate the opposition, to make most of the supporters feel allied or special, to repeat loudly and often your truth, to firmly fix the borders and lines never to be crossed.

Truth, no American would have died in Iraq, if President Bush hadn't sent them there. No American would have died in Iraq after he left office if President Obama had ordered their withdraw. That is a truth.

Iran would have worried more about Saddam than the western world, if he hadn't been disposed and hung (or is that 'hanged' now?). And don't get me started on Afghanistan, looks so much worse than Vietnam ever did, except there is no draft sucking up the blood of the country. If you wanted to look for silly plots, the constant wars are to draw off the warriors and fighters with some idea of honor and selfless sacrifice - too dangerous to leave on the ground in this country. You may have thought it was about the Defense industry making money, but it could have been to control unrest...

No, they only think they are that smart. Notice that Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington, Franklin and Adams, even Teddy Roosevelt had things to say and write worth studying and repeating. Have any of the recent, in your living memory, political leaders said anything you are studying, listening to, find interesting or worth sharing? Speech writers, ghost writers or co-authored... makes me wonder if they are lacking those talents of the greats of the 19th Century? okay, they have the talents but not the skills nor make the effort.

The Great NorthWest had a visit by the Commander in Chief, he was performing in town for those with lots of money for his re-election. On the television, local news, we got pictures of Air Force One, and of some of his motorcade (on time delay), and the Secret Service had the Department of Transportation black out the traffic control cameras as he was taken out of town. Reminds me of trying to figure out where Saddam was in the first Gulf War, always hidden from our 'smart' bombs. Anyway, he did get lots of support and donations, and Jay Inslee was at the Airport to say good-bye (he is running for governor and can't depend on enough ballot irregularities to win). We are so lucky to live so far away from the center of attention, those potato farmers in Grant County never had to think about his affect on traffic on the expressways and such.

There are some barriers I appreciate, no one came to my home to make sure the world was safe for fool ideas. God was watching me and I have to be better than that reptilian brain... working on it, LORD. Yes, I will go make the bed now.

Dreams go even farther back...

So there I was, dreaming of being asleep on a chair with a book under my butt riding a thermal above the airport. I had to scooch a bit to rock the chair off the thermal and land crashing on the earth, but being a paratrooper, it was okay and gentler than a real chair without airbag, chute or aerodynamic ability. The airport was in Albert Lea, Minnesota, where my father started his flying career, and I had played in the corn fields and rows of crops. It was being run by immigrants from southern Asia, hollow and as flimsy as dreams are. Time to wake up.


Only two things in the news, one about Colorado and the shooter and the        . Yep, there isn't any reason to watch that coverage, the shooter didn't look like me, and he is under some restraints.

The NCAA has shown as much love for football at Penn State as it has for money. Which is likely why it is a bigger problem than America wants to face. There have been bad people doing terrible things to children forever - many of them in powerful positions, many of them looked at as little gods - to be followed and worshiped. The NCAA also decided to change History, wiping out victories won on the football field by real players and teams because they haven't a clue about how abusing children makes such a winning coach. Did it give Penn State an advantage? Making it unfair to struggle against a University that didn't embrace embracing naked boys by sick sexual predators? No one wants to say that the coach was so bent because he was a repressed homosexual - which may not be true either - but what he did was wrong and should have been stopped by society immediately, but that little fear of failure, confrontation and such - it had to be hidden away. Until it gets to collapse of the soul. Penn State should close the entire Football program down, use the non-money gathering sports to teach the good stuff about sports. But somehow money is going to corrupt the contests, challenges and glory. Too many little people think that money counts, big time.

It goes to Presidential candidates hiding tax returns, school records, and other things they do in the dark... why are we afraid? We don't trust in the Lord, and our government and lives are shallow, hollow and empty?