What is wrong with government is:

Yes, there is something wrong.

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Preamble to the Constitution of the USA

Some will say the government is too big, others will say it doesn't make everyone equal (which was not the point), others will have one gripe after another -- I have only two.

The people should select (elect) their representatives.

All people elected and hired by the people must remember that they are only servants of the folks. Only servants. Civil servants - not Czars nor Princes, not Lords. They really aren't smarter, of higher principals, above going back home to do some real work after their service is over. They are not special.

There will be some great people, and that is wonderful when they show up, they do make change happen for the better. Just as there are some low scum types of people, which is terrible when they show up, they do make change happen for the worse. And you can't decide perfectly which one just showed up - they seem to have a fog of folks around them doing lighting, make up, and laying down covering fire.

In the end the thing that is wrong with government is that it pretends to be god on earth, without allowing you the opportunity to be sinful and completely stupid. It, government, has set itself up as a false idol for worship, to petition and to milk blessings from... a most base metal, cheap chip board, and hollow without a heart. It certainly isn't God. A total violation of the Second and Third Commandments.

But then the government has decided it doesn't have to have morals, nor faith, nor serve a higher power. It has quietly declared that there is no scientific evidence of a Creator, a Heaven, nor a soul. Could be the reason the government can't find those things - it was only created by the people. They didn't give it a brain, a heart, or a soul. The expectation was that the servants would bring their best and work for the people.

Expectations of the people don't seem to match the results. Back to the drawing board.

So I got one of those very heavy knocks on my front door last evening, about eight...

Long dark here in the great NorthWest. I went and opened the door and talked to the guy standing there with a paper in his hand. Wrong address, and since I had played that game before I think he found my house with a GPS since the one he was looking for was about three up the street. Maybe they should Google the address and get the picture first next time.

As I closed and double locked the door, I considered how badly I had prepared to open the door. There was no gun in my hand, shotgun behind the door (no matter what the VP says I no longer have one), and I opened the door wide in stepped into it. Very un-tactical, very. So in the game of life, mostly nothing would have happened. The KGB would have been later, would have hollered if they had been American secret militarized police, or black if they had been trying to do 'knock out' game home invasion. So I had only sixty years of opening doors and finding strangers on the porch asking for my attention - all without evil intent. How does that happen? Is the news media wrong?

I moved one of the house guns before I went to bed. Funny, most days I will lose track of my keys at least once, but all the guns have a place.  I have my notice from CMP about my ammunition order and it starting to move in my direction. Yesterday was National Ammunition Day, so I am good. What ever happened to Kim? and his cause? I did like reading his stuff. Well, that is it for today.

Just very glad that all the government activity on my street was the Postal service, and the fire department on a medical emergency. The fire department never misses a bond issue, the sheriff never asks for one.

Really, you have to turn it off...

connections, need to stay connected? Not if you want to get anything accomplished. Bye, be back later.

Change happens... and we go right on...

I chickened out last evening, started on my way to Idaho and turned around after the traffic advisory about the Snow Storm Warming until seven in the morning. We had rain in the lower atltitude, big enough storms that they were having accidents and congestion during the commute, by the time I got to the mountains the warning lights were flashing and the radio said chains required after exit 34, so that was the exit I turned around at and went back home. I do like shooting, I like the range in Idaho, I had everything I needed, except the NEED to overcome my aversion to driving in unsafe and miserable weather. Skiing should be good this weekend. Not that I am going.

I did find I had three more cans of 30-06 ammunition than I had realized, and so with eight hundred more rounds on the way (when my turn comes up) I will have over two thousand rounds. My brother would be shaking his head wondering why anyone needs that many rounds. And I have all that lovely brass to reload during the dark of Winter (another thousand?). Finding the ammunition makes me wonder how many other part time shooters have more ammunition than they could possibly ever need, LOTS, and how many will be departing without having shot it with their buddies, friends, family and competition (that guy with the $4000 rifle and special ammunition).

I thought a lot about how I had once upon a time driven through snow and ice and spooky conditions in Colorado to pick up our son.  It was terrible driving conditions and the Colorado snow plows were flying over the ice to keep the roads clear. I was so much younger then, I am older than that now... truer words never sung... if it was needed I would have done my best, but I have the ability to shoot again another day. I probably will, too. Really looking forward to it. I have to shoot all that ammunition up before I return to dust. My wife wouldn't know what to do with it. I would leave it to my son, but he has tons of stuff and no room, without a whole range and storage facility it wouldn't be a good gift. 

A comment sent me back to my list of shooting with Appleseeds, and the immediate thought is how many have I helped and influenced over the years, which is the most pro-safe gun control effort than whatever Mayor Bloomberg has done. And I have been very happy, making more people smile and enjoy shooting than the Mayor has calmed any fears. And considering some of the very new to shooting people, many that have been frightened for a long time because of media untruths (reminding myself that this blog is media for one - me) that I and others in the Appleseed Project have helped overcome their fears - I would say we are winning. And if the  22lr isn't fully back on the shelves yet... winning by a big margin, which won't be investigated, nor reported - since the media doesn't understand the why.

King George and his governors thought that controlling the colonies with more restrictions, taxes and adjustments would bring those colonials back into line. Unfortunately, Americans don't really study English History during the same period in England, Scotland and Ireland. The quest for Liberty wasn't only in America, it was happening all over. Press gangs were something that fed the Royal Navy, but also fed the flames of change and fired the folks up.

So how is the Affordable Care Act doing? Getting off of the media noise - for sure the discussion is shifting to how to get the care to the people. Even people that wouldn't talk about it before seriously, know what needed to be done will have to be done - and maybe we should look for the solutions that work best and invest in them. The world is full of great ideas. My looking is making me think that the government can't allow a good idea to get away to grow.  It would have to be chained up and harvested for the politicians, never the little people. I think that the United States of America has lost its soul, if Lincoln could use those ideas of "a government of the people, by the people and for the people" you have to start looking at the politicians, the departments and agencies and asking them whom they serve. Lincoln knew it wasn't going to be a great idea to write 'a people of the government, by the government and for the government' still isn't a good idea. 

What was that from the Declaration? "..Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, ..." Institutions do seem to take on a life of their own, assuming powers not granted.  Ah, well, a rebirth of Liberty is the cure, not more chains.

Rainy day stuff

So I can't get to the YMCA because of public works blocking public access, although they did mention a possible detour, I was thinking I should do a little bit more to make my RWVA duties solid. I had a demonstration rifle to finish. I had passed the drill rifle on to OnlyHitsCount and wanted my own, I had a couple of toy ones I could have used, but decided to invest in a broken (NOT SAFE to shoot) that was around. A couple of sling swivel points, a GI web sling and some Tech sights or other adjustable ones.

Although I will teach Natural Point of Aim without a laser pointer, it does demonstrate very quickly how effective NPOA can be back on target and checked on next target before squeezing the trigger. So I went looking for a green laser pointer, no joy. Cost was out of my fixed income. I had a red laser pointer and figured out how to secure it with cheap rubber bands, and turn it on - with cheaper rubber bands. AAA batteries and I am set to demonstrate.

And not wanting to show up for an Appleseed unprepared with untested props I had to make sure I could adjust the sling, do a standing position and be on target. I don't spend lots of money on things, so I have to invest development time and testing, I am not the Federal Government. When I show up to help, I am just an old man with limited potential - you will have to imagine that I was effective, and I thank you for that.

So are you going to compete in the election or Olympics in 2014?

Me neither. But I will watch for the effort and the results. In the Winter Olympics I expect great performances, some of which may have extra chemical and hormonal boost - not because the competitors need it, but because they don't know they don't need it. They will seek advantage, programmed into our DNA, isn't it?

In the election the Media will declare the TEA Party is evil, divisive and not to be trusted. The two primary parties will continue to increase their power and influence by promising better tomorrows, until they get to the government, where the reality of how insignificance sinks in and they decide there needs to be another law, and good times must be regulated and taxed. They will also seek advantage, unfair advantage. If they had a real good idea, a known truth, it would be picked up by the people. But they don't and have to hide what they do, and lie about the effects.

Once upon a time I advised some young folks to make up a plan, to have goals and to prepare to meet those goals. Being an expert procrastinator (if I would just get around to finding my certification and writing that book) I have trouble with the Honey-do lists in my own home, but I still advise go get a plan and set a goal.

I have a Known Distance clinic to attend this weekend, the weather look COLD, but that is Idaho and close to Canada what would I expect. And then the following weekend I have a full Appleseed to help instruct in Ariel, Washington. So today, I happily signed up for my first Revolutionary War Veterans event of 2014, an Instructor Boot Camp in Battle Ground, Washington. I also put it on my 2014 calendar as my first Appleseed event of the new year. Only 364 other days to fill.

Leisure Living Estates...

Leisure living estates... so much promise in the name. I liked it when I first lived there. But I had been thinking as I worked a bit on my yard yesterday - that what was truly hurting the American economy is leisure, time off, unproductive activity. Sitting in the rocker or recliner and gazing at the television or cable feed or whatever feed your mind to keep it empty... of real content.

Now, advertisers want your attention, but you really don't have any left do you? Real working folks have something to concentrate on, to build, to fix, to find, to pay attention to... and then most of the rest don't have anything they can't turn on... I never listened to music as I jogged, excess weight and it would get in the way of thinking as I jogged. Of course, my mind would wander and my concentration on going faster fled quicker than my feet would ever catch up. Still it was all Earl, and I like background music, and bird song and wind whipping through the trees and thunder and lightening (over there not over here).


I think I know the suffering that too much time upon the hands, too much empty in the mind can bring about.

Isn't that why the boys will poke sticks into ant hills? Even fire ants? Wanting to know what could happen? And the government guys, aren't they similar? Poking sticks at the little folks, trying to stir up something? Had some fun watching the Kennedy Assassination stories on FOX last night. The truth is never going to be known, it was buried with Jimmy Hoffa. And you don't know where that is either. Aren't you glad you have so much to fill your life you don't do leisure?

Cool Hand Luke, finished tossing gravel on the oiled road and had to wait on the trucks to come pick them up... now that was leisure. Worked hard for it.