Cool, neat, sexy, hot, OMG! just look at what I can get on Black Friday (tell me that isn't racially motivated). All in time for Christmas. Remember the theme of Miracle on 34th Street is: that Santa Claus is real and so is the spirit of Christmas and Macy's is where one can find the good stuff, or they will send you to their competitors for better pricing. They hadn't heard of Pricematch Guarantee back in the day.
What is the point? As the holidays expand, as the commercial success that can be measured in dollars, viewers, glitter and follies.
Start with Thanksgiving - I don't have it so bad. I have it really great, I live on the bounty and eat to my bursting point - which will be in some little noticed artery in my head or heart. Thank the Lord. I don't have secret police writing my name on watch lists because I am a vet, have somekind of disability and haven't a job but like to shoot guns and read the Bible and go to church, they have computer programs that will sweep me into their database - we have advanced so far beyond J. Edgar's secret file folders. I am thankful I don't live in a state like New York or New Jersey where they have fools for governors and support laws in defiance of the Constitution the People gave them to follow. Of course I do live in Washington State, where there is a decided possibility that it made slide into California madness if we just take a few more refugees from taxation and housing prices, thinking more government is a solution - but then I trust the Lord, maybe it will make us smarter to have so many fools around.
Seriously, I have been blest, we all have been blest by being here and being allowed to be foolish and grow out of it, to be stupid and to learn better, to be young and to grow older and weaker. Having started the first chapter of I Am Malala and for many reasons I am thankful that her voice hasn't been stilled.
My wife has the dinner planned, I keep wondering why she bought so much - figuring that she doesn't forget the spread my mother told her was the proper way to feast the Thanksgiving (my mother loved the holidays for the occasion and the getting family together). I will remember to wish you all the best of the bounty this holiday, safe travel, fine foods and family and friends... okay, some great football between little acts of love. God bless us, everyone, and save the shopping - no better gift than your attention, concern and love for others. Start it all by realizing and thanking the Lord for His goodness. Amen
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Precision, or the perfect shot...
I think I know what precision is... that is when you do everything in your power to make the bullet hit exactly where you told it to... Or you are building a home and the door fits and closes tightly - no cold wind, rain nor burglars may enter.
There is a life time of making one fit, to be part of a group, part of the culture, part of the norm and finding that one mate to spend one's life with - fitting perfectly, with precision...
To have order, to meet the schedule, to design a product for success, things must be exactly as... you do get the idea. The idea of government at some point is to make the world perfect, which is silly because until the human beings arrived it was perfect. God just didn't have anyone to admire it with Him. For those of you not comfortable acknowledging God I will move back to perfection by humans.
I went through the government public education system and earned or didn't earn but was awarded grades for my perfection or attempts at perfection or for my non-compliance with the teacher's idea of perfection. Then I went into the military and had to meet more time goals, standards and measurements and it really became a problem making all the pieces of my world work. Add the burden of leadership, a wonderful wife, a dog and a cat or two and suddenly it isn't all dress right dress.... which is military for being in perfect order, cause we said so. Life is never going to be precise, and love is a bit more irregular in life. You do understand that there will always be comfort in everything going according to the plan, the rules and the wants and desires of all those I love and myself. But... it will never be comfortable. Goldilocks found some too hot, some too cold and some just right. Luckily the best military planning has always been blocked by the efforts of the enemy, and first contact restarts the plan - react, adapt and overcome. That adaptation and knowing the commander's intent is how one wins.
So many times on my journey on the Appleseed Trail I have found less than perfection. Little irregularities add texture to the event, and every shooter has a life outside of the weekend rifle clinic. The shoot boss and the instructors even have lives outside the weekend. They all come together to promote safe marksmanship, reviewing the heritage of Lexington and Concord on April 19th, 1775. There is a Course of Instruction, there are objectives and standards, and then there are the shooters and the instructors, the weather, the warmth or lack of any, Adapt and overcome, because making that precise shot, to hit the target perfectly is a constant struggle, to honor the heritage is to know that being awakened at one in the dark of almost morning does not mean by end of day you will still be hale and hearty, you might have gone to your maker.
Doctor Warren sent Revere and Dawes out to warn the sons of Liberty, Revere and Dawes didn't make it to Concord, young doctor Prescott did. He wasn't part of the plan. So when I am doing a shoot, and it isn't going exactly the way it should, we aren't grinding out AQTs, I have to know that answering a question, keeping everyone engaged and giving a tip to improve another's technique or use of the rifle they brought might be the start of something in posterity's future that will have made the difference.
It reminds me of the way, slowly, I changed what I took to the field in the military - this I find useful, this must go with me. So I will allow others to make determinations, what things they will take forward and use. I will just add some of my Shoot Boss stuff to my instructor needs, in case it will help a shoot and I have already ordered two timers for me - so if the watch doesn't work I will still be able to time events. Some stop watches have so many features and functions I will never have time to learn them - like a fully loaded AR, too much stuff, too complicating, and not that cost effective to making my shot.
So, instead of constant complaints and repairing of potholes, and other surface irregularities in my Appleseed trails and trials, I will consider it all texture to keep me awake and participating. Always hoping to catch the fire in another human for sharing the skills and our heritage to our posterity. Maybe my perfect shots will be made by those I met along the trials of Appleseed.
There is a life time of making one fit, to be part of a group, part of the culture, part of the norm and finding that one mate to spend one's life with - fitting perfectly, with precision...
To have order, to meet the schedule, to design a product for success, things must be exactly as... you do get the idea. The idea of government at some point is to make the world perfect, which is silly because until the human beings arrived it was perfect. God just didn't have anyone to admire it with Him. For those of you not comfortable acknowledging God I will move back to perfection by humans.
I went through the government public education system and earned or didn't earn but was awarded grades for my perfection or attempts at perfection or for my non-compliance with the teacher's idea of perfection. Then I went into the military and had to meet more time goals, standards and measurements and it really became a problem making all the pieces of my world work. Add the burden of leadership, a wonderful wife, a dog and a cat or two and suddenly it isn't all dress right dress.... which is military for being in perfect order, cause we said so. Life is never going to be precise, and love is a bit more irregular in life. You do understand that there will always be comfort in everything going according to the plan, the rules and the wants and desires of all those I love and myself. But... it will never be comfortable. Goldilocks found some too hot, some too cold and some just right. Luckily the best military planning has always been blocked by the efforts of the enemy, and first contact restarts the plan - react, adapt and overcome. That adaptation and knowing the commander's intent is how one wins.
So many times on my journey on the Appleseed Trail I have found less than perfection. Little irregularities add texture to the event, and every shooter has a life outside of the weekend rifle clinic. The shoot boss and the instructors even have lives outside the weekend. They all come together to promote safe marksmanship, reviewing the heritage of Lexington and Concord on April 19th, 1775. There is a Course of Instruction, there are objectives and standards, and then there are the shooters and the instructors, the weather, the warmth or lack of any, Adapt and overcome, because making that precise shot, to hit the target perfectly is a constant struggle, to honor the heritage is to know that being awakened at one in the dark of almost morning does not mean by end of day you will still be hale and hearty, you might have gone to your maker.
Doctor Warren sent Revere and Dawes out to warn the sons of Liberty, Revere and Dawes didn't make it to Concord, young doctor Prescott did. He wasn't part of the plan. So when I am doing a shoot, and it isn't going exactly the way it should, we aren't grinding out AQTs, I have to know that answering a question, keeping everyone engaged and giving a tip to improve another's technique or use of the rifle they brought might be the start of something in posterity's future that will have made the difference.
It reminds me of the way, slowly, I changed what I took to the field in the military - this I find useful, this must go with me. So I will allow others to make determinations, what things they will take forward and use. I will just add some of my Shoot Boss stuff to my instructor needs, in case it will help a shoot and I have already ordered two timers for me - so if the watch doesn't work I will still be able to time events. Some stop watches have so many features and functions I will never have time to learn them - like a fully loaded AR, too much stuff, too complicating, and not that cost effective to making my shot.
So, instead of constant complaints and repairing of potholes, and other surface irregularities in my Appleseed trails and trials, I will consider it all texture to keep me awake and participating. Always hoping to catch the fire in another human for sharing the skills and our heritage to our posterity. Maybe my perfect shots will be made by those I met along the trials of Appleseed.
Friday, November 22, 2013
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.
"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.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Really, you have to turn it off...
connections, need to stay connected? Not if you want to get anything accomplished. Bye, be back later.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
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.
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.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
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.
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