What should we do today, Brain?

We should conquer the world, Pinky.

Yep, we should conquer the world or, clean the rifles of evidence, ya know.

Hope your day went well, it rained as I finished the front yard mowing. But the Sun shown all afternoon.

What hath God wrought?

With those words the Pony Express would fade into History, the electric communications revolution had begun. At the time of the telegraph, most people in America could read and write, letters were welcome, speeches and sermons could be very long, words have meaning.

Over a hundred and fifty years later, the communications are faster, the words have less meaning, not much effort in basic grammar, spelling or offensive content seems needed. The language is still English. In many ways the professionals have gone to geek speak in their fields. Soon only experts are sought to fix things that, once upon a time, everyone could handle.

I was thinking about this as I finished the Enemies Trilogy by Matthew Bracken. I liked all three books, but was reminded of George R. R. Martin in that people, characters you started to care about died suddenly, but then that happens in real life, too. But all the hot issues of the current mess the Americans find themselves in were addressed one by one. Which, unfortunately means when the final story ended kind of happily, I am still stuck being a fat Rockwell Relic in a world I have difficulty understanding at all.

I was introduced to some new stuff in the book, most of the dynamics of frightened incompetent governments with too much power are historical, some truths not worth mentioning are also, they are real but we don't talk about them, still to the people that know those truths it adds to the realism of the tale. I once tried to explain how important it was in Gates of Fire, that the author wrote that the tired warriors stopped being heroic as their spirit became worn. Later they would become brave again as they had nothing but spirit left. In combat there is no time out, no halftime show, no chance to rest and renew.

I recommend the set of books, but I also say to read it as entertainment, if you want to resist and deflect the coming uncivil war in the United States you had better be speaking up and out now, because 'they' have the pulpit and aren't about to give up the microphone. Watching how important the wedding planning, and event seems to be (expensive?) is never going to be as important as how well the marriage goes - is it working? fruitful? a blessing to all?

Case in point: the Sandy Hook school shootings. They already had laws against murder, having a gun in a school zone. That didn't protect any of the children from the shooter. And none of my guns were used in the crime, but for some reason - after they failed to keep people from drinking and driving, texting while flying or driving, abusing drugs and alcohol, and having millions of the unborn killed in sacrifice to irresponsible reproductive acts. for momentary happiness  -- they think that changing the meaning of the 2nd Amendment will make anything better.

Living in the land of the LOST, that isn't some far away place, just down the street. I understand that MSNBC, which I don't watch, thinks that it is our shared community responsibility to raise the children, which sounds nice, until I mention I would like to take them shooting. Then there seems to be a problem. Take them shooting. Read:

Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Rifle Marksmanship

Yes, take them shooting since it is a community responsibility to raise them properly.

Oh, and Morse didn't get an answer - God wasn't impressed with the telegraph, He already had his masterwork and it wasn't noted enough. Live in His Love.

Does not matter what they call you...

It only matters what you answer to.

 
Well I had to go to the range and zero my Stevens 414 Armory Model, and I was going the wrong way half the time when drifting my front sight. Scattered rain, cold to cool wind, and really looking forward to Spring and Summer. Still I was having a good time. Adjusted my RS1 sling, it worked very well.

 While I was wandering around looking at all the other shooters and talking between shooting periods I wandered into a blogger, who gave me his card and told me he was on his way to Korea for two years. Which brought up a whole conversation with other shooters about how come the Army has outlawed drinking, passes off base and other restrictive measures - almost seems like the Nanny state has conquered the Pentagon? Doesn't that follow Political Correctness? One elder veteran mentioned he had gone pheasant shooting on Cheju-do, before the Koreans made it into their personal Hawaii Honeymoon destination.


Anyway, the young sergeant has his blog at MyGunDiary.com so we will see what he writes once he gets there.

Well, my last five rounds were fired, and I will save D2 L2 until the next time I check my zero and start some serious shooting. Y'all havc a great week, I will be on an Appleseed in Poulsbo,WA next weekend.

Promise not kept...

He showed lots of promise, he had promise, his birth was a promise to a prayer request.... he didn't live up to his promise, he was living a lie....

I like to think I was a promise that my mother dreamed of long before she ever met my father... but then I am the central figure in my story. She had dreams, designed and sewed her own wedding dress, she waited (remained virgin) until the day she married, she wanted to cuddle and nurse a baby, change its diapers, sing to it, and tell it stories. And one wouldn't be enough, she wanted a small gang of babies, one after another. She believed in planning for the next one. Only one unplanned blessing, all welcome, all promises in answers to her dreams.

I guess like most plans, they are destroyed with first contact with the enemy, in my mother's case and my promise - her dreams met my desires. In diapers I would break out the slats of the crib to get free of it, I would fall out the second story window (too young to explain), would jump from the same window for an opportunity to see the circus downtown, escaping my nap. She was ironing and looking out the lower window as I landed, and started to cry because I was busted. I didn't get to the circus, but likely took the nap.

She gave me a love of stories, reading, and my own dreams and exploring my questions about the world, almost fearlessly.

I will have to confess I have had a wonderful life, even the bad parts were not that bad (I lived with only minor scars and few nightmares over time), but I haven't lived up to the promise my birth was for my parents. My father had different thoughts for my growing than my mother had, and he allowed more options on my life, and support for the strange ones I chose. Still didn't live up to the promise.

I had play football for a couple of years in junior and senior high school, line thug. When my scores for the National testing came back and about ready to graduate high school, Mister Starr, the football coach and Biology teacher told me I could have gone to college on a scholarship if I had continued playing. He was referring to my academics, not my sports skills, I did go to college, was in love with the concept of education, but I went off to the military since it was my choice. Finished college in the military, which is the hard way.  Never met my promise, but my mother was proud, my wife was proud, and my friends were happy.

I never became a lawyer, minister, politician, business owner, or teacher... just a line thug, a fine thug.

I think I would like to believe I am a Norman Rockwell Relic, just a throwback to a better era, a kinder time,  when men were gentlemen, and hard working providers and heroic anchors to solid families in the community.  But then if it were true, it would be a promise kept.

April Fools everywhere...

I have had a great day, new picture for the header, one of the neighbor ladies planted that tree years ago, and has sold out and moved, but she was always wondering if the tree was in good shape. It is.

I did pay all the bills, sent out the checks, balanced the books and know I am so much smarter than all those fools in Washington DC and the Federal Reserve Banks that think they know better than I. They probably don't shoot straight either.

I went to the YMCA and worked out, kind of just starting over again, but 5K rowing machine, 2.5 miles on elliptical in thirty minutes, and six point nine eight miles on the bicycle machine. Heavy sweat, breathing fine, and hot shower and nice lunch with wife. Pay another bill, make the entries and go out to cut the grass in the temporary sunbreaks. Finish the front yard, then rake and sweep up the tailings so it looks good. Figure on saving the back yard and general yard maintenance for the rest of the week after progressively more exhausting workouts at the YMCA.

I want to look so pretty by May... or something. I cannot continue dying by recliner. The only thing I didn't do today was dry fire in preparation for Saturday shooting. There is still time.  The Trusty Triumph got switched on today, and the battery looks solid, so will clear the deck and check levels and pressures and get out on the road soon...

Them's fightin' words where I come from...

Haven't thought that way for a long time, interesting to be reminded of it. Normally it would lead right into a good ol' scuffle (which I would always think I won after it was over). You can build a reputation quickly that way, then if they have ever heard of you by reputation you will never have to get to that phrase nor the fight. Very likely why our wonderful military force isn't winning wars completely and decidedly. No victory dance on the graves of our enemies. We get a reputation for being a kinder gentler service. Actually, the reason we don't win wars and influence others not to fight us, is completely political.  The United States of America has not fought a real war since 1945, their military has be almost constantly under the threat or engaged in combat operations during the same period. If it were good Christian virtues making us friends with our enemies after combat, having a beer with the buddies, I would be happy. But it is a bunch of fools thinking the power of their money will buy them a lasting peace... and those that can be bought, are corrupt and not to be trusted. Those that buy other people with money aren't to be trusted either.

It is my understanding that the President is launching his anti-American campaign and promoting alternative life-styles without guns and non-John Wayne movie heroes. By the time he gets to California to raise more money the film industry is going to have more action heroes chasing their same sex lovers across the screen (or those of that persuasion will be protesting adverse working conditions). Don't worry I have stockpiles of old fashioned entertainment, my wife wonders why I don't turn on the television in the evenings now, but I am being told that (by MSM) all the family programming has wonderful homosexual couples everywhere. I am getting so old that two women kissing just doesn't do it for me any longer. Actually, I expect women to kiss and hug, I don't thnk much of men that kiss and hug, only children and their wife or mother. Old fashioned and a cultural thing I should be able to be re-educated away from it in the camps.

Marriage, did see Suze Orman complaining about how little protection her partner has from the government for their relationship. Being as wise as she is, her partner and she have invested as they could for their partnership from the moment it became serious. Without government assistance nor interference. Best way for a solid relationship, keep the lawyers, government, Oprah and Dr. Phil out of your relationships.

Anyway, since Left is the new Right, and re-defining marriage to include every potential PETA objection, High School Diplomas don't mean an educated potential citizen/worker/tax payer. What will they tell us they are going to be doing in the Re-Education Camps? With all of us too old to change, use us for body parts?

The picture came from:

Girls, Guns and Government's and it is a great one. I labeled it a fine fellow that doesn't trust his government, so he up guns.  Works for me.

Had to stop my devotional study this morning...

I am not pleased with Facebook fellows and am thinking about too much.

Seems the media has gotten excited about the US Supreme Court deciding about two cases where marriage will be only between a man and a woman.  I think that what the Court will decide is if the voters have any say in the future laws of the land, they will not be able to say that two people of the same sex have an ability to reproduce offspring, they will not be able to say that two people can love each other for the rest of their days bringing their love and blessings to the community of people that surround them and Glory to God in the Highest.

Scientifically, it is already established that some almost sexual act between two humans of the same sex will not produce nor reproduce a human being. I am of the certain but unproven (to me) opinion that scientifically and with medical intervention the half of one adult can be joined to half of the other adult and produce something un-natural but really human if brought to term and life.

I am also of the belief that if the life is started, it is real and could grow with care and lots of love - but I have no idea why one would want to do that, spend all that time and effort when there is a beautiful and natural way to have conception, birth, and raising a child into adulthood. All proven and blessed by God's love and most people's. I do not believe in abortion, but then I don't think making laws about it will change the stupidity, criminality or evil of the deed. The fool woman needs real love, the innocent life terminated needs your prayers, and there should have been more outrage that it is still an accepted choice for poor choices and bad behavior. The morality of slavery is the same morality of abortion. I am saddened that either existed, certainly sad that such disregard for real life is so lawful but so sinful.

I do say that you and all humans should love more - love others to the point of giving your own life to save theirs. So I have no problem with two men loving each other, women loving each other or men and women loving each other. But then I don't foolishly believe that anything they do is not wrong in the sight of my mind - or theirs - or their community - or in the Eyes of God and His guidance to us.

I am much too much a sinner to be preaching, especially about something I don't experience nor have studied, except that people loving each other to the point of giving everything they have, including breath and life itself for another is the way of the LORD. I do know that stupid laws, poor judgement and just disregarding scientific and moral truths won't make the world a wonderful place. It was wonderful when I woke up, without the fool adjustments by fools. I trust in the LORD, the others I will pray for, since they will need saved from the government.

John Brown wasn't hung because he believed that abolition of slavery was worth his life and the life of his followers. John Brown was hung because he fought the law, led an insurrection, and the LAW won. The government didn't have any love for those, right or wrong, that attack it in its stupid behavior.

Now, back to my devotional study, would love to get my walk with the LORD right before I am found wanting.  Pray for us all.  Amen