Some things about choices never change...

 My cousin, long time resident in the South, probably had it with the hate groups holding up the Confederate Battle Flag, and the 'the South was all racists and slave holders' folks attacking the Confederate Battle flag for the twisted logic that symbols mean whatever we say they do - so there! He calmly suggested if one wanted to fly a real rebel flag one should raise the circle of thirteen five pointed stars on a field of blue with thirteen red and white alternating stripes, Betsy Ross's best, for that was the original 'rebel' flag. Well, I have bought into that, I will fly that flag at Appleseeds, and from my home periodically in celebration, likely will on the 4th and 5h of November. But from Lexington to Yorktown, the rebels had lots of different flags flying to say they were there, and that they were different and very independent. John Paul Jones flew a few.

  Do you remember the effort to remove the Confederate Battle flag from the Georgia State Flag?
Well, I congratulated two Georgia boys on returning the state flag to its Confederate roots in the last rendition. But the simple folks that don't study History have no idea what the Confederate Flag looked like during the Civil War. They only focus on the battle flag, for it represented what they felt - fear of or pride in.
I have always been sure that it should fly proudly above every Confederate soldier's grave, and for the Confederate Veterans that would rejoin the Union they could have it also, along with Old Glory. You do know that one of the commanders in the Spanish American War was a former Confederate Officer? He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

  Symbolism abounds, at 12 Eastern, we are supposed to fire a round or two or three in opposition to the NEW YORK SAFE act. On Saturday, 1 November. Sound like a good idea to me. Like I need an excuse to fire a round or many on a Saturday. They will be on target.

   So I did my avatar yesterday, posted it on Facebook and the Revolutionary War Veterans Association forum and have had lots of comments, and on Facebook 'likes'. I am famous(?), but that avatar is a personal one, not the official trade marked one of the re-branding effort. Did I mention I am getting a new shooting jacket for my personal shooting? On the way as I type. Looking for a proper working vest to load up with the embroidery and patches of the Appleseed Project, has to have big pockets, a belt for my slim figure (?) and ammunition loops like the Cossack coats for Sharpie markers for adjusting sights and scoring AQTs

   During the second strike of the match, I like to point out that the alerted militia of Concord all had a voice in what they wanted to do to protect the town from the wrath of the Regulars that were out. The young feisty Minutemen were for marching down the road to meet the regulars before they got to Concord. The older more responsible Militia, (mostly husbands with families, shop keepers, and settled down men) wanted to stay in town and meet them here to protect what was most important. The oldest, many veterans of past warfare against the French or the Indians wanted to go back to the hills where everyone trained and look over the North Bridge at what the regulars were doing in Concord. So after discussion, they all did what they supported - yep, they did all three. In the end the Minutemen got much better ideas after noticing they were outnumbered by the bayonet carrying redcoats, about six to one, so they marched quickly back into Concord like they were leading the parade - joining the regular militia units near the Liberty pole, then all deciding that the old men had spoken wisely.. and they marched out to join everyone on the hills above the North Bridge.  The official record doesn't tell it my way, but then History is now written by Wikipedia.

  So when Congress can't agree, nor fifteen people get the same answer for each problem - we end up compromising, or so I am told. Or, we can just go our own way, we only have to compromise when we need to join together to make something happen, like build a bridge - if we are talking about hunting, it can be done alone, but bridge building is better by group effort.

   So, The Poet, the fella in charge of the rebranding effort has the official unveiling of the new logo - striking but very simple. Lends itself to embroidery on polo shirts and stuff. Having watched Japanese logos for years, simplicity wins when it is unique - it becomes immediately a power projection. Where European heraldry failed was making everything part of the picture - cross of Saint George simple, add Saint Andrew, then add Saint Patrick and you have the Union Jack?

   When you look at the symbolism of the quartered and quartered again coat of arms, you realize that the instant hero commander recognition of the simple signs has been taken over by the clerks and bean counters, folks that aren't on the front lines in the massive hack and slash fests of the middle ages.

So the RWVA oval is:

 
and the newer improved RWVA over musket and powder horn over
www.appleseedinfo.org will continue to change to the final version of something that says it all.




The comments are from the RWVA and Facebook observers with opinions. In the end, history is written by the clerks and bean counters that survive. My challenge to AMERICANS! is to KNOW VERY WELL WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT.

"Looking at the art in Earl's post and at the logo, it seems to me there was something about Isaac Davis that was lost in the translation. In the grayscale on Earl's post we see Davis, square-jawed and resolute, in a position of reluctant determination. In the logo I see an unidentifiable figure leaning back in a casual way, like a modern hipster striking a pose of nonchalance. We see the plow of the citizen-soldier. I know logos are supposed to be simple but to me there is much meaning in the details that is lost in this rendering."

" Great concept. Wording seems a bit off. Who knows "very well what you are about"? Can't be Americans because of the exclamation mark. And whom is the "you" referring to? Is the message supposed to be "Americans know very well what they are about"?" ---
"Maybe the "you" is referring to Americans knowing very well what Isaac Davis is about."

In my mind, it is a call to 'Americans' to know very well what they (you) are about. Ask the youth, they can't understand honor - can they think of themselves as 'Americans' without it? I am concerned enough to go and make the statement and talk in public. I don't have to apologize for being an American, if I am humble it is because I know my weaknesses and am certain that I am not as great as my heroes, but for sure I am still proud to be an American Rifleman.

I did promise to clean off the walks and lawn...

  But I had vertigo after I finished mowing the backyard and cleaning the mower. Wow! That is scary.

  Sit down, till the spinning stops.

  Then since you can, have lovely lunch with wife.

  Then go out and start the clean up. Until two, when you get to watch The Five on FOXNews... so she starts the vacuum and makes more noise than the five can get over. I turn off the television and leave to finish a project on making myself a new improved Face Book avatar... seems that many of the RWVA folks are hoping on the new re-branded logo - which is just fine, but I am only a volunteer and I have a better idea for my personal avatar.

That does sing to me, took me all of the Five's time, and I even used it to post on the RWVA forum when they were discussing the new logo - left a copy so they could see what I did.

  None of the effort beats the time on the line in all my Appleseeds and all the fine folks I have met along the way.  Next April 19th, in 2015 (which is really closer than you think). I suggest that all my family and friends and readers of this fine blog (LOL!!!!!) sign up and attend a Libertyseed (where the stories are told and no guns are fired) or an Appleseed event where the Marksmanship, History and Heritage can come together in a personal experience for you and your friends and neighbors.

  Now, I will go back to my cleaning up the yard and the walks.

So my weekend was great! how was yours?

 There is a real world outside of what Earl sees from his viewpoint. When I returned home to homemade bean soup and toast with coffee yesterday evening, I noted my wife had slept in the TV room, on the floor with her alarm makers to frighten the badmen off, if they rattled the door. The thought of them already had her rattled. Of course, she is working on the Korean fantasy that making the burglar aware you are awake and alert will make them go away quietly, which has often worked traditionally (in Korea)

- more modern monsters influenced by Hollywood movies are not as quiet nor nice.

  I had gotten up at 3am on Saturday, to drive to the MukilteoClinton ferry, hoping to catch the first run of the morning. Success! First car in line. I had been held up by having to stop at the ATM to transfer some more money into my account. Seems when getting cash I found that I only had $46.79 in my draw account and I had a restless night worried about why it was so low and how to fix it quick (without resorting to Clyde Barrow). So I transferred the money, then looked at the receipt and total amount. So it was $666.79, and I only transferred $120.00 - looking at the yesterday slip I realized that I should only read with reading glasses.  $              546.79 is not what I saw ---       S46.79 was, tiny print doesn't fall into Earl's view.

   So, I am third in line awaiting the gate key keeper to open at the Central Whidbey Sportsmen Association, and she shows up as I am greeting the other instuctors and organizing my thoughts in line with the shoot.   Drive to the range, unload and start set up. Being the fourth Appleseed event on this range in two years, and having a majority of the crew well trained in the Appleseed and the range and POI - I had little to wonder or worry over - and seldom had to say anything except 'thank you' and 'good idea'.

   Because of the rain and the wind, the soaked paper targets melting off their staples or map pins, the shooting only had one scored Appleseed Qualification Test for the first day (and one Rifleman made on that, Logan with a score of 212), two Redcoat targets, two sighting squares used to shrink groups and adjust sights upon. One unscored AQT to train positions, magazine changes, and transitions with, as well as the Ball and Dummy drill of five rounds and many false shots for skill improvement. I would tell two of the Strikes of the Match, and PaulW would get the second strike.  A final call to action, volunteering and commitment to the Revolutionary War Veterans Association seventh stepping - was given, might not have been immediately effective because no one jumped up and hollered for a hat, but they might mull it over in their minds.  T-shirts and homework study packages were handed out and clean up of all equipment - strong gusts of up to sixty miles per hour expected during the night. I would sleep through them and the excitement - but they did happen.

  Second day begins gentler, working on only one large mug of coffee we reviewed everything, shot sighting squares for group shrinkage and new rifles and sights and then knocked out three AQTs before breaking for lunch, only light rains, very brief - like the gusts of wind.  Dangerous Old Men stories told, morning Riflemen honored with grip and grin shots and LOUD HUZZAHS! Grant and Logan repeat their past performance, and Mike has stepped up, not only helping the line boss and the shoot boss, but making his Rifleman with a 210, which calls for christening with the waters of the Charles River. Yes, three more LOUD HUZZAHS!

 
  Two more AQTs after lunch, the scores are shivering along with their shooters. Break to Known Distance instruction then back to the line for two round mags and a peppermink candy to burst (or not and know why), one final AQT then Redcoat, final summation and clean up.  Hand shaking and good wishes passed out along with targets and materials requested to spread the word and work of Appleseed.  Four fine Canadians had crossed the border to shoot with us, and by the end of the weekend I had figured out which one had labeled himself on the forum as 'Cheekyredcoat'.

Have Gun Will Travel reads the card of a man...

and for those growing up in the 1950-60 television era, the man's name was Paladin, a knight without armor in a savage land. Modern young listeners would have heard a night without honor but they wouldn't be well read and know what a Paladin was... you do, right? Oh, role playing games, D&D, I get it. Well, I needed a business card for memory stirring - give to people that want to know what Appleseed and I do on weekends. So I decided to make me one, you can do it so easy on the software, with proper Avery sheets. So I wanted a Minuteman, a soldier in campaign hat with rifle and a modern shooter with rifle and ball cap.

But it wouldn't be official, so I checked and got with one of the designers of the RWVA, and he made me a business card like they used for the NRA convention. It got to me, exactly as I was finishing the run of my design, so I only added my Facebook Avatar to the back of the official card and ran off a bunch. Now I am almost prepared for this weekend's Appleseed in Coupeville, Washington. Gosh the grass is going to be high when I get back after the rains.

as soon as Facebook stops scrolling through my mind...

  Giving travel advice to a man going to Korea for a two week tour, don't take your cellphone, take the digital camera. Look, touch, taste and smell - listen and build memories in your mind. Enjoy the people. For sure don't spend time looking at your cellphone or the internet, you can get those back here in the USA.

  It was pointed out on Facebook that no one blogs anymore, at least not for number of hits. Well, I am happy about that, since I am my most frequent reader of this blog. I had the weekly letter to my mother, and when she was ready for it, we put it into email and she could enjoy it, then I sent copies to my brother and sisters, and since it was a rambling mess, they could glance at it and then delete or respond. Someone reading it from outside the family suggested I write a blog. And I did, more or less, I got the words out, and had a home base to link to other places on the internet to wander and mostly to read about the things and people that interested me. But my come back when the statement about no one blogs anymore, was as soon as Facebook stops scrolling I will go and write my next post... and everyone knows that Facebook never stops scrolling, and if you have your speakers on, you get a signal sound to return and see who liked or commented on a photo or comment you have been interested in... it never ceases - the call to arms, come back, look at this, isn't this amazing?

  Clever designers, they didn't put a hate button on, just a like button, a comment and a share button and various privacy settings so only your friends may see how brilliant your posts are. And the current everyone knows wisdom is 'don't read the comments' seems that trolls moved to the Facebook as soon as they could jump in from Bloggerdom. So Facebook still wins attention and that means we have to wait for ads, and write smaller and think less - going for that touch of humor, that will last just until the next kitten picture comes up.

  I like Facebook for the photos from friends and family, for the current comment about things I think are important -- and the fact (I have checked) that the opposition to my happiness is well separated by friends and family fences (there are some real different folks in the world I only skim over in the nightly news). But Facebook scrolls on... and on... and so on.

I have some real reading that I should get back to, a car appointment to make, bills to look over and maybe pay, a resume to write, that deer tag to fill and Appleseed event weekends... and Facebook scrolls on. The rabbit hole in my ground, where my mind goes round and round...

So little time so much to do... breath don't fail me now...

   So feeling a little better, I jumped into the work for tonight and finishing what I had started days ago... luckily I have a Leatherman Wave on my belt because I had to repair a leaf rake with it. I piled the clippings and leaves on the composting soils. Winterized now. Still I had to stop and contemplate the universe of one so my breathing didn't fall behind. Self diagnosis, congestive heart failure futures sold cheap here.

   As I felt better last night, I found the home to lust after just because... and I could imagine using the Great Hall for fencing, karate or balls (like I am going to ever take up dance?).  It would be totally impractical for folks as old as I and my wife, but my son could use the size with a very large yard, or small pasture/woods. His life and desires aren't mine but I liked the concept until reality sets in and I remember the taxes that size place would demand. There are some old parts of older towns that have lovely homes like that, some that need lots of rebuild and remodel for efficiency in power and heat and cooling.

  In the home department, I watched Secondhand Lions last night, wonderful easy movie, says the audience not the producer or director. Now that old farm is what would be a project and then some, lots of potential. I remember how much I loved attics and basement shops as a child, things were hidden and fixed there. Amazon.com sent me an offer of all the plastic theme war figures for prices I glup at... I had almost all of those sets, modern warfare wasn't one of my father's favorites - but I could go back to King Arthur, Robin Hood, the Revolution, the Alamo and the Civil War easily. My mother was mostly responsible for my thinking that the military was a fine life for a man. I had clipper ships and Old Ironsides, and pirate stories, and not close nor far enough away from water to join the Navy. If India hadn't gained independence before I was old enough, I might have run off to join the Bengal Lancers. Bad enough I knew all the stories and real history of the French Foreign Legion, the US Marine Corps, the paratroopers, and on and on.

It is okay, I received the Gary Cooper/Sergeant York DVD today. I am looking to viewing it after things settle a bit. We are hosting Men's Bible Study here at our home, so the Jehovah Witness missionaries came by and I greeted them and chatted a bit. My wife has changed how she wants the house - so I listen, run off for more BBQ sauce and return to find more chairs coming in the door. From one of the other men, both of us just responding to our wives' perfect universe. I am content, God is in charge. There will be a feast here tonight. Had two interesting emails about Appleseeds and I answered as best I could. Life is full.

Ah, they didn' t catch me doing it, they will never prove it...

   So, since my health or breathing isn't better than sit down and don't move much... I  had to go out to start raking the mess on the front yard. While there the garbage pick up came by and I dragged the container back to the back - which exhausted me, so I went back to slow raking.

To move the stuff from the concrete of the driveway and the sidewalk, I turned the rake upside down so the tines were up... and immediately women in my life started hollering at me in my head. One didn't want the neighbors to see her husband acting like a crazy man. One wanted to tell me the proper way to do it, one wanted me to stop -IMMEDIATELY!- and get the broom. Ah, I smiled inside, and kept right on a raking the wrong way. I could imagine men in my life asking quietly what I was doing it that way for... but none of them would do more than discuss it and watch for the results. Yes, I do know there are wonderful women out there that would just thank me for cleaning up, and give me a cookie and a smile - or even a cup of hot coffee. But I have been programmed to think that doing something different would get loud noise from women... probably from sitcoms.


I  really should one day soon, decide to fix all the coming and current problems with my culture - as it is under attack by all those that know better than I.  Kind of like, we need a new Constitution to really eliminate the professional politician, make the elected representatives only represent their voters, and not have the idea of government as a way to get rich. The Clintons were right, they should all leave broke so they can start fresh in a real career.

You are going to miss me when I am gone... cause I am going...

For some strange reason my pacemaker lung coordination isn't, so I am not breathing well enough - AGAIN!  And I am going to slow down and stop... soon. There was a little fever yesterday, but my wife thinks I am malingering, and I smile and go outside to cut the wet grass, today, so I can do it again tomorrow, and maybe Saturday morning, too. Just take it easy and get it down. I was running out of breath even taking it slow. Will have the doctor check me out - if it doesn't improve. Noting more to add, bye!

Missed the Blood Red Moon, for the mist was heavy all during the Dark....

     Yes, I did wake to look, saw nothing but fog and went back to bed. Don't ask how many things I walked into in the dark bedroom - it wasn't my normal path and stuff was in the way. It couldn't have been enough sleep. By the time I went off to the YMCA for a workout I felt like a normal seasons changing, draft induced fever making illness had arrived. So I did a very light workout, cause I am still a fool and want to be a better one. Went off and did my banking and betting and then home to bundle up and nod off constantly in some DVD about killing that I had stuck in the player... no, I really don't remember much, but the Persian King was fleeing a blood soaked Alexander before I went back to sleep again... I read the history Alexander dies of a seasonal draft induced fever making illness. Or was it the Alamo? When Jim Bowie never got to his blade, did like that character. Excellent movie, and the next time I get upset with someone pushing a totally out of line Mexicans are picked on, I will calmly reply 'Remember the Alamo" - or Bataille de Camerone .

   I did decide to buy a DVD of Sergeant York, and as soon as I did, I wondered why I didn't already have a copy. Maybe because I only saw in once, in all the years of watching Gary Cooper in other pictures, hmm. And York Theater is named after him, oops! Is that building still there? Everything else seems to have been rebuilt, maybe that was, too. Anyway, it was never a picture that made Hollywood happy. Seems that God was important, Sergeant York was pretty humble, and I would sure like to meet him in Heaven. I do have Gary Cooper in Beau Geste, 1926, great story, redone in 1966. One of my first classic movies for Earl was High Noon, mostly for the music and the lovely lady. Ah, well. Have just enough time to watch Ben Hur crush his friend in a chariot race.

Earl does an orgy of Polish Winged Hussar banners (size of the unit like a lance once was)...

The March of Cambreadth, done to clips from the movie 1612, the best costuming, and military tech representing the struggles between Poland and Russia during the time of Troubles - something like ten to thirteen pretend Tsars or Czars, until finally the Romanovs took over for three hundred years.. and we all know how that ended. Okay, the Commies got them. The reviewer from Time is of the troubles, but it is a very mythological fairy tale told from the decidedly Russian point of view. I didn't love the story, but the one character that pretends to be a Spaniard was interesting, and makes a working leather cannon to launch hot shot from... and his firing tables are also magical. Still, interesting story - just not as wonderous as an American made movie- but we are stuck on Zombies, and may never get out of there.

I was looking for more but better, so I did the Russian version of Taras Bulba, based on Nikolai Gogol's story, the narrator reads a bit (in English). I love this movie, because I read the story long ago and this movie hits it just right. Yes, I have the Yul Brynner and Tony Curtis movie, but Yul just is never old enough to play the main character, and the story is harsher than Hollywood was prepared for the American audience. Russians just cut straight to the ugly between the Cossacks and Poles.

The Polish mini series based on the novel by Heryk Sienkiewicz, With Fire and Sword, is a good tale, I had read it as a book, and the lady love is lovely, the evil guy is bad but just ornery, there is some interesting witch stuff but I was very reminded of the Three Musketeers with the young Polish knight doing very much better than the almost musketeer, but he was only contending with the Cossacks and a lesser noble servant. Good enough movie, but then I am still remembering it fondly.

The final movie was Day of the Siege: a battle of Blood and Steel. The high water mark of the Ottoman Empire against Europe was on September 11th, a day we long ago forgot to note. In 1683, the three hundred thousand man army made the final attacks on the forces of the Holy Roman Empire, a title that only Europeans can understand and love. On the second day of the battle the Polish King struck death and destruction with his artillery and Winged Hussars. This movie is a joint venture, the Poles and Italians, so it had great moments - like all the acting by F. Murray Abraham as a very holy humble monk, and colorful costuming (Italian versions of the Polish feathers are redder) and really terrible ones, like all the fake explosions, cannon firing and lack of cast of thousands, it does lack proper number of horses and riders, but still it is a movie. I found the date interesting, linking it to why the attack by OBL was on 11 September, and the holy humble monk. That person isn't really in the Wiki History of the event, so it must be a myth, too. But I really liked his part in the movie.

So, I am done for a bit, will go back to see them again, am sharing the Day of Siege on Saturday. I have had an interest in the Thirty Years War period for a while, now I can add some interest in the Polish/Cossack and Russian periods of the similar time. Go ahead, play the music video again. It is more fun than the real wars it alludes to...

Life is already a challenge, I know everyone else is handling it better than I...

I am on day two of the new challenge on the Expresso Bicycle machine, very easy, just beat ten of your ghosts (pass performance best times).  I can get a 100 points for each that I improve upon, and after beating up ten of them, a 1000 points, I could order a Ghost Buster 3 t-shirt. Now, I do look in the mirror and see the old man looking back at me, so I know I am not as fast as all those younger whippersnappers. But I am still heroic, so I have to try, and so in two days I have beaten two ghosts and come so close it makes me snarl in frustration. Only two out of six races run... this month is going to get real long.

Not only snarl, but when I then go to my leisurely rowing machine to knock out some distance over time... I am wiped out. Get up and go is long gone... sigh. Talk about a slow prehistoric monster - a kangaroo would easily run me down... they are herbivores, aren't they?

Self imposed challenges, I am now good to hunt deer on Joint Base Lewis McChord, but nothing likely this weekend.  Training areas always have priority, which is fine. Yesterday's desk operative was not nice, but today's is on top of the job, nice attitude and very helpful. What a difference a day and new person makes.

I also have my copy Boone renewed - it is a fine book, lots of great information and well told. Support your local library.

All Rights reserved...

It is October, and my wife drove me out to mow the grass as she destroyed or harvested everything in the gardens, the organic conversion has begun in the backwoods. Flip those calendar pages - look! General George Washington accepting the surrender of the British forces in Yorktown, Virginia.

I have a very traditional Revolutionary War weapon on its way to my home, and four Polish films (which immediately made me giggle for thoughts of sexual smut) about the Polish Kingdom against the Cossack, the Russians, the Orthodox Church, the Turkish war machine at Vien.  I do war much better than sex, but the film makers always want to have some love interest around for the ladies to buy tickets for... the major complaint about Blackhawk Down, the movie, was all the men looked the same, and there wasn't any love interest in it. Yep. Truth.

I feel free, very liberated. The election is very soon, and the shape of much will be revealed - I expect to find no great leadership emerging in either party. I expect that the LOOMING Debt will not be seriously addressed by any elected officials and in the following two years a collapse - either total or partial, of the dollar and the economy and the government. They are all together in the problem. I expect those thinking they are in charge will clamp down to make it all better while they fix everything their way. Which as I said 'clamp down', means that it isn't the American way but the Marxist way they want to take the country. And it might just be time to turn out the lights.

Change does happen, the Sun continues its journey over the skies of New York City and Montana... you can actually see it in Montana, New York only sometimes.

So I am preparing for the collapse, and working on my sainthood. Seems to me that being a Bad Boy never got me more than an reputation I probably never really deserved. And by the time I had figured out moral reasons for soldiering, and my life's course... I was already in debt to the Devil. Easy enough to get out of that, but I couldn't find the government nor the media on my side, nor understanding my point of view... seems they were being sponsored by little demons and petty fools.

I have the March of Cambreadth, on my computer with sound, which is why the four Polish films, lovely winged Hussars.  Well, let us get this month off to a fine start. The stores have been preparing for months.

Specialization is for insects...

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
— Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love

   Wandering my mind about the carrying of a pocket knife, folding lock blade, multi-tool, or a sheath knife - is the thought of Community, everyone has to contribute and draw from the common wealth... ooo... common wealth, normally means the rich get richer doesn't it?

    One problem with movies, television and novels is the main character is the one that carries the day, slays the monster and make happily ever after. And he always gets the girl. Who is always hot, drop dead gorgeous, with long legs up to her... you get the idea. None of our stories, myths, and legends are real folks - real folks have warts, blemishes, scars and ideas that should never see the light of day.

   But, in my opinion, the current culture is constantly wanting experts to take out the garbage - and in some states they had best be union members, and in other states they belong to the mob. But everyone can take out the garbage - really, it was once thought of as a chore for a child.  Look deeper, and you will see the creep of control everywhere, you have to get permission, a license and certification to do ...... (fill in the blank). I know that women give birth everywhere when it is time, but I was born in a hospital - a situational improvement over my father's birth at home. We were both near our mothers.

   When a community has a problem, they have to find their solution and fix it. And disarming the community does decrease the possibility of death by firearms, it does not make everyone nice, peaceful and a saint. If the problem is that anger leads to rage and murder - the community has to quell the anger.

    In the American Revolution we have important leaders, whole Histories are written about their greatness, goodness and shared with the community. But you do realize that if you take all the great men - and their ideas and do not have the community provide the food, shelter, intelligence, manpower, healing and support. The whole war would have been less bloody and unresolved... just the elite couldn't have done it without Yankee Doodle, the thousands of Yankee Doodles that showed up to become the Continental Line, or the courier service, or the guard at the post.

   In one of my recent readings they talked about the ten percent that fight in combat, boldly and bravely, and die... then the next boldest, brave and effective fighter steps up and continues, and the next and the next.... until the battle is won or there just aren't anymore. It struck me as a kind of truth.

   America is the nation of individuals, working for themselves and family and friends, in any way they can, to accomplish their best. The phrase 'We the People' means something. It can be the strength of a nation, a town, a business, a farm, a school, a church... specialization is for insects. Humans don't do well in lock step, frozen in the status quo...

  Change is important for adaptation to the current challenge, are we flexible enough? You should have the tools, or you should invent them. 

Gray rainy day... don't be down...

Earlier than dawn my wife leaves for her hiking group, new trail to conqueror. I ask about which plants she wants harvested, the tall ones, and get all their roots. Okay, I can do that later a bit. I put the oatmeal, crasins and raisins in the microwave, egg and yogurt wait for later inclusion. Gosh, do I know how to eat breakfast? The only weakness is no bacon to eat and grease my bullets with.

I found at the midweek service that when it came time to open the baked goods, asking for a knife to cut anything was a problem. Ten men and only three knives, and they were all mine. I have been told that I am out of step, marching to the beat of a different drummer... but how do they play mumblety-peg during recess if they don't carry a pocket knife? I can't really say when I started carrying a pocket knife, must have been about Cub Scout times, when I learned to carve some very simple stuff. Now it is used for opening boxes and cutting cord, still I carry daily. But that is an indicator that there are a lot of people that aren't in step with the rest of US.... ha, ha. Like we (US) are the normal Americans and those others have been converted to the Dark Side. One cousin claimed going through metal detectors caused his to disappear, but then he should have looked at ceramic knives, plenty sharp enough for cutting stuff. And I would bet in his office there were scissors, but then maybe not steel ones.

Well, big day today, best get to that breakfast and pack out for the YMCA, cause if I don't sweat I swell in lock step with poor eating exercise habits. Yesterday I entertained one older man with the First Strike of the Match about the march to Lexington and the confrontation on the green. He was impressed, wonder if he will be hesitant to get me going again?  He only asked what the words on the pink Appleseed t-shirt were all about. It was fine, I was between the rowing machine and the bicycle machine. 6.2 and 13.51 miles respectively. Y'all be good and love someone well today - that will shock them!

Demilitarization...

 I had some strange thoughts last night, about how to change my Appleseed to make it project a better image. I had forgotten or didn't feel it needed to add the Revolutionary War flag set on sight. But when reviewing the pictures noted I needed a great background to make the Heritage stand out while we rewarded or noted the success of the shooter being honored. Make the setting to tell the story.

Well, the next thing I thought about was the fat old guy with the Marine shooting jacket with all the patches or the desert colored shirt with lots of patches - the guy has to be a GUN NUT or Boy Scout leader or a Military fool.  Luckily I don't wear black, even when motorcycling, I wear brown leathers.

So I am going for the Mister Rogers look, with a soft sweater and loafers and maybe leaving a tie on with a powder blue or rose blush pink long sleeved shirt.  Yeah, I can teach in that outfit. That will be much more a positive - progressive appearance.

Polo shirts I also have, but if I shoot I want long sleeves.  Hmm, will need to find an appropriate color for a shooting jacket with elbow and shooting should reinforcements.  Brown? MI Blue? Sherwood Forest Green! But for sure no patches and not looking like a uniform, just a normal fellow.

One other thing I thought about was a full color Rifleman patch, that would cost money to make, but the embroidery machines on computers would be able to knock them out. So with those adjustments to my appearance I might not chase all my shooters and crew away because I am too military in my bearing, attitude and performance. Like a good neighbor, Earl is there...

So I am happy tired, and wasting time on blogging?

Link to the Custer, WA Appleseed on the left. Friday evening I got to the range, place is full of state trooper cars and a few Sheriff vehicles- the fifteen law enforcement units use this club heavily. They depart and it gets as quiet as it is going to as I read then go to sleep in the best living in my automobile mode. Wandering rifle instructor without rich patron.

Get up in the morning, shave, breakfast and no coffee (?). PaulW shows up and we prepare to unload and set up, then Ralph arrives with the electronic key. His club his rules. He brought a Remington Model 37 target rifle for me to drool over - gosh the wood is beautiful and I want to use the sights and that so smooth bolt action. We won't have the time. Eight shooters arrive, two from a shoot in Port Townsend, one of which will score Rifleman three times out of eight tests.

The instruction goes well, the shooters try to hide from the heat and the Sun, ending Summer in the warm zone. One would sit out a few stages to recover, he finished two events but didn't return on Sunday. Quick clean up, and they all leave me alone to find Jack in the Box and make myself a bit uncomfortable for hours. The burger just wasn't hot, like a quick microwave didn't penetrate. I would sleep like the homeless another night in the parking lot. Two state trooper cars met there and when I woke they asked if I had a shoot in the morning, since I was sleeping under a military poncho liner. I said yes and they went back to talking. I kept wondering what their computers would come up with if they ran my plate? There are clues to who I am on the outside of my vehicle, but they must have been happy - since they never knocked and asked what I was doing. The parking lot has about twelve hook ups for water and power for big events sleep overs.

Second day, shave, change clothes, breakfast with COFFEE! and crew shows up with shooters not far behind. Smooth day, gets hot but popups help shade and they can be moved to the travel of the Sun. Milton scores Rifleman with a 212. then would do it two more times 220 and 221. He would also clean the final Redcoat target of the day. Everyone was shooting better by that time, but over 521 rounds expended in four Redcoats and eight AQTs for record, one peppermint popping challenge and other shooting practice and refinements. Gave the final talk, passed out their targets and some wisdom and I hope I see them on the range again one day.

One of the highlights of the second day, show and tell, PaulW got his reproduction flintlocks, rifle and musket fowler out to demonstrate and wow the eleven year old boy, who got to pull the two triggers on the rifle and set off the primer. Love being an American and the smell of gun powder.

Two hour and fifteen minute drive back to home station, and a real meal and a real bed. I went to check the RWVA forum and find something that just bothered me, so I let fly with fast fingers and zinged something back. "Earl saved none of the Vietnamese of the Republic of Vietnam, total failure, Earl saved none of the Iraqis from Sadam nor ISIL, total failure. Earl saved not one American in his entire life, total failure. Must be a problem with Earl, couldn't be America, lack of American leadership, nor sense of community. It will always be Earl's fault for not doing what his mother and his wife told him was better. I am off to hang my head in shame, American failure was all my fault." One really shouldn't write when really tired, for publication anyway... a note to a more wakeful self would be better. The subject was saving America and how I wasn't doing enough. Truth is only God can save us, and I will trust in Him.

Ah, I am so back, finished all the paperwork and internet/forum reports the breakfast and YMCA call me to perform, gentle rains fall the first day of Fall, here. Be good and happy today, you will have to earn it.

Violence... such a problem, gun violence, sexual violence, domestic violence, terrorist violence, video recording of violence....

Now I was always told that women were equal to men, but a real man didn't strike a lady. I had too much trouble with my hitting in anger - my poor siblings suffered. I grew out of it.

The NFL is the target now, cause they make lots of money and the hustlers are looking to soak lots of dollars away from them.

But Real men don't strike a lady. It is that simple, you - MEN - are supposed to defend and protect the women around you, the children and the old infirm folks.  Really.  Why isn't anyone saying that? Because we are all equal?

Look, currently if you abuse women and children you must be a fool or a Muslim Terrorist. Or the woman is not a lady? Nah, doesn't matter, she could be a very FALLEN woman and still deserve the respect and protection that every man should provide. We defend all the other handicapped, don't we?

If you can't do it for the Glory of the LORD, nor do it in the name of Jesus - is it really a good thing, whatever you are doing? I am not in favor of doing something for the NFL, in the name of the Goddell? See, it doesn't work the same. You want to see good football games, boxing events, chess matches - but you don't live you life based on them, do you? 

Apathy, is the apathy out there? crickets...

ISIS or ISIL doesn't believe in apathy, they will punish you for not being one with them - they aren't tribal they are just evil to any that aren't on their side or in their control... and they don't know how to tell the difference. Maybe I should just take out the garbage, even calm civilized folks are calling for the death of ISIS or ISIL, not that THEY (the calm civilized folks) would do the killing - they would hire it done.

Yes, I would go, I can teach and shoot, and am versed in all small unit tactics needed. But I am cheap and no one would hire me, they need a $500 million solution to a two bit problem.

You want to change the culture - you don't have a solution, you haven't understood the problem yet.

Look, maintaining Iraq is not going to work without a dictator in charge. Allow Kurdistan, too bad for Turkey, they could have accepted Kurds a long time ago, but they aren't modern enough to make their History into school mascots and funny costumes. Allow the Kurds independence, help them negotiate with Turkey, Iraq and Iran. That takes care of half of Iraq's weakness, everyone wants to be tribal in the modern age, don't allow them to be national... building a nation takes real internal leadership, and they all must pay attention to the population or kill the angry ones off.  How many time do language owners have their own country? How many languages in India?

Case in point, three hundred years since the Union in the British Isles, Northern Ireland isn't Ireland, and Scotland isn't England and Wales started it all... but as the polls closed the people of Scotland were deciding, civilized way by vote, to maybe stay in the Union or separate to a special class of lonely. Some fool American thinks it would be time for America to vote to rejoin the British Empire - Duh, Hong Kong is under Communist not Royal authority now. Very capitalist Communist authority, but it isn't part of the British Empire. Except for Gibraltar, the Falklands, what is left? The Commonwealth isn't an Empire, it is a club.

People love to believe they have the answers, they are in control, and they will get the thing organized and working again. But they don't believe the 'We the People' have the answers, are in control and can make it work without them.  So wrong.  So in many levels in many countries terrorism is needed to keep the people engaged in how wonderful those in charge are... and when we aren't - we are apathetic and the PROBLEM. And I was looking for leadership, but then they would want me to follow.

I will still like the pipes, still think we can all get along (as soon as we dump tribalism) and when I win the Lottery might visit Scotland to see the sights, find me a fine dog, and look confused when someone quotes Burns. 

Men's Program Manager.... help wanted from a Women's Studies graduate...

Interesting idea, a job on a University campus for a Men's Program Manager, sounds like a fine job for me, until I read further and find that they want a Women's Studies graduate and someone versed in gender equality, with ideas about homosexual, bisexual and really weird sexual preferences... duh, I thought this was a Men's program.  Okay, it may be the direction of the future. Not mine but theirs.

As I continue to read the Roy F Chandler books on the frontier, I am happy to announce he is absolutely right... and it is good reading. You can get them on Amazon.com for kindle - how many other ways to get them I don't know - for sure my public libraries only have one of his sniper books, and he wrote more than one of them. Always a small time small area writer, and not picked up everywhere.

It, talking about the frontier, has always been between the civilization and their borders and it is always kind of rough and tumble. So Greece with Macedonia, Macedonia with Persia, Rome with Gaul, Spain and the Germans then the Picts and Scots, --- frontiers. Like Judea under the Romans, trying to civilized the sons of Abraham a step at a time. Until finally they just burn the house down. Frontiers, need a special tough but flexible and quick responders.  For sure civilization loves lots of rules, lots of authority, lots of violence against the weak, the to be exploited for their own good, and those that might be a danger. And the RULERS of civilization aren't the fighters, hardly ever the leaders, but always conspiring to improve civilization in their favor. For the good of all, don't you know?

Maybe Progressives get to be bigger, and biggest because the Frontier disappeared. For sure women were voting and serving in the West before the cultured Eastern Seaboard even seriously considered it. Every frontier is a land of opportunity for real leaders and change - reread the book of Judges, and see if not being settled and ruled by other than their God allowed variations of conduct, until they demanded a King. Stupid civilization stuff.

One thing I keep looking at, since there is so much failure of government policy under government control of everything - as we ruin more cities, states and countries in debt, crime and chaos... Detroit come immediately to mind, but there are many others - and no matter what Bill O'Reilly says the Feds can't fix it.... as things fall apart and they do, there is a new undeclared frontier where change is happening, people banding together to fix what has gone so wrong under the doctrine of many enlightened thinkers - Marx and company. Get outside of government control and live large. The bad guys and the government will fight you for your freedom of action. But they are both engaged with each other and might ignore the smaller free folks.

The governments have two ideas - get control of all the weapons and buy off all the self sufficient with cash.
You have much better ideas than that. Hurry up, declare and live your freedom - you aren't getting any younger.

Women invited to apply for Ranger School

I have an opinion about that... but I have changed it.

Once I was an eager First Sergeant, and wanted to get back into the Infantry so I decided I wanted to go to Ranger school... I had read Northwest Passage by Kenneth Roberts and still have a copy within arms reach, so I knew Roger's Rangers and wanted to be one for the 20th Century. Paperwork got approved through the battalion and then hit the Division Artillery Headquarters, where the Command Sergeant Major wanted me not to go, I was going to make sure the grass was cut around my battery area. Sigh, so they sent the paperwork back (weren't supposed to do that) and I went off to Jungle Operations Training with many of my best troops tagging along with our Infantry battalion's rotation. I trusted my Smoke to take care of the grass and act like a proper First Sergeant.

I had a fine experience at the course, learned somethings that stood me well in the following years and was there to watch a tiny wasp, about a third of an inch long, sting one of the big men in the battery and he fell like an giant redwood. Out, took three hits of anti-venom to get him back up and moving out to evacuation points. I also noted that paratroopers really do need Ranger ropes holding their rifles on their body when they panic in the water trying to swim to the rubber boat. Interesting.


Ranger School goes co-ed.  That is the story, but I have changed my mind. Once I thought women shouldn't be in combat positions, shouldn't be in combat zones. For sure I thought we had enough men to fight, and the women could stay by the home fires and home industry keeping it warm. What changed?

Well, I don't think we have enough men left to fight, not sure they have enough will to win, am very sure many women don't want to be women any longer. I am sure with the current mad enemies around the world giving them women to torture, rape and exploit will be good for them. I am positive that it wouldn't be highlighted in the media - sexual assaults only get reported when a civilized man betrays our expectations of better behavior - not much when the mad Muslim mobs do something to reporters, female by standers or military members.

So I am good with the idea of not changing the standards, keeping the training and expectations of the Ranger Course the same and allowing women to apply and attend. I hope they graduate with fewer sexual assaults than the women in uniform do in all other courses, and I hope they learn a lot about fighting and living as a Ranger. You see, I know the world has changed, we are going to need as many fighters, real fighters as we can get - the general population is still stuck in the thought that women are a weaker sex, but I see the men shaving their chests, underarms and legs. And those aren't the swim team members.

I would really rather the women stayed ladies and nurtured and maintained the home and family - but I guess I have been reading about the frontier too much lately - and we need more adult fighters just for all the savages. Superman isn't coming - Ranger training - small unit leadership, patrolling, and raids and attacks are all good 21st Century self and unit survival skills. Teach them well how to fight, there are just too many men that can't anymore. They are still working on a pill - but the developers are cautioning that you should check with your doctor if 'your heart is healthy enough for fighting' for God and country.

Yeah, there are women that will shine in Ranger course, be happy to have them dealing death at my side.

Intervals, lets do intervals...

I once knew something about physical fitness, training and examples. So the latest news about how much more effective interval training is than just long boring same stuff same pace forever... is, is not news to me.

Honest when I was young and handsome and in my right mind, I knew all the intervals I wanted were there in the way I trained myself and my troops. Which is why as a Command Sergeant Major with a troop count of one (myself) I slid into dull boredom so easily. And boring gets slower and easier in consistent decline with the recline of the cushioned chair.

But, now that I have a constant heart rhythm monitor, and I am getting better everyday, I decide to spice the YMCA workout up. I add swimming! Yeah! only lap swimming is boring, and slow --- but I am doing sets - down and back in the crawl (before I walk?) then flip over and do the back stroke down and back, then flip to the breast stroke (no, not the one I'd rather do - the swimming one). So, I have a way to do the laps, change the muscles and stroke, and keep count, and three sets and one more lap of the crawl is five hundred yards. Yeah, I like that and the feeling it gives me after a normal work out on the rowing machine and the bicycle. So, next week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday I will finish with swimming, on Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday, I should walk, jog or run (????) as the desert. I am still illogically afraid to run, stretching out... don't know why, but it is silly me I am describing.

Hmm, that ice water with apple cider vinegar is pretty refreshing. When I finish this glass it is back to cutting the grass in the backyard.

So, I have come to the conclusion about the efforts to modify the RWVA and Appleseed to attract more folks - if it doesn't make me ashamed, sick or stupid I will continue to work the Appleseeds and work on marksmanship and heritage one or two shooters at a time. I was not the guy they wanted to attract back to work with them anyway (some days I think I could be the one driving everyone away - but then I remember the smiles - and Heather's happy hug - gosh, she scared me). What I like doing, I am going to continue. We all should.

I found out I have been remiss in finding a writer about the country I knew so well - not that I really know the mountains of Pennsylvania, but I lived there an important bunch of my life starting. Anyway, his name is Roy F. Chandler. I want his Pennsylvania frontier stuff, but he also was big in the shooting/sniping gun world. You can tell how little I pay attention to who writes what. Anyway, Arrowmaker, Pennsylvania Frontier Series Book 1. I have it in my kindle, what is your excuse? Intervals, change up and keep going up hill until you have to start down.

What made America great was that everyone could change their story, their life and build it better... what makes us weaker is that no one believes that enough in the elite political class, the underprivileged, and the media. So many Nay-sayers make a country weak. Just think if King Saul hadn't found a humble but willing servant of the Lord, a teenage shepherd from Jesse's house.  There is a time, there is a season, turn, turn...

We all seem to want the same thing...

   Millions of Moms Against Gun Violence, oops, that isn't their name is it? Anyway, I agree, there shouldn't be any unsafe firearms anywhere in my country. But I don't agree that a Bread/coffee selling company denying service to true Armed Americans (their right, exercising it is their privilege) is a money maker, and certainly won't keep the bad boyz away - can U text Flash Mob - unarmed Yuppies needing taken down at: fill in the bread shoppe nearest you, they ain't carrying.

   I am sure, seeing how many police SWAT raids and shootings are just over stepping FEARS gone wild, that having the government in charge of firearm safety is a poor choice. We all must be in charge of firearm safety. We all live on the same planet, we all have those we love, those we work for and those that must be defended against evil and terrible ugliness.

   Deciding that restricting and prohibiting drugs, alcohol or weapons of any kind will work - is an already defeated reliance on the law, enforcement of the same and the desires of the down trodden. You have to improve the human morals, you have to make right and wrong mean what is wrong isn't just this time but for all time. And the way one loses self worth, or life or respect for life is dangerous... need to fix that. It has never been about the guns, the drugs, the sex, the money, the alcohol -- it has always been about the no value in the life and the potential of good in everyone.

   I will honor the bread maker wanting to be in a gun free zone, I won't darken his doors. I would honor my Concealed Carry Permit - you will never know I am carrying. But for sure, ladies and gentlemen, I will not calm your fears for 'the foolish flee when no one pursues' it is all in your head. And the former Mayor's big bank account. Are there really a million of you? - hard to believe there are so many silly folks sometimes.

Travel light, freeze at night...

 Operational wisdom from paratrooper daze.

   I don't fly around much anymore, getting old, and the entire TSA from DHS was silly, intrusive and frustrating - so I would rather get on the Trusty Triumph and sleep on rest stop picnic benches across the country.  But sometimes, when you have to be there, you go by air.

   I had to cross into the protected zone twice in the last week. The efficiency has improved, or I was traveling at not peak travel hours (yep, go late come back early). But we slid through the lines and agents smoothly. Don't know how they award Pre-checked status but my wife got it twice, and I was so blest once. My pacemaker and bulging belly make sure I am scanned by ghost radar, I have no idea, put your feet there hold your hands above your head so, and wait. Thank you, sir. No, I don't want a copy emailed to my friends on Facebook. Bad enough the NSA and DHS have to file it and match it to the last data.

  The good part of the airport is always beyond the security screening gates.  Lots of food and drink choices, gift shops and book stores.  But the best part will always be baggage pickup where you might be greeted by people that expect you and want to help - the last time you saw such people was when they helped drop you and your luggage off at departure/ticketing.

  I was flying United and associated lesser carriers. The take offs were roaring, the landing bumpy (but I always compare to my father's landing - which I am sure he liked to make so smooth) but all safe, and we would get to walk away. Limited first class seating, business class has disappeared on the flights I would get on -- what happens when one is fugal (read cheap!) - economy. The airline is in business to make a profit, and they do, the seats are smaller, leg room less unless you want to buy a little (VERY!) stretch room, as I walked out of the last airplane I notice the aisle is just wide enough for one more seat, and they could swim through the air above as soon as the anti gravity units start working -- the next Boeing project I have heard about.  But most of all, there were never any empty seats, none. Everything was full. At the price of aircraft, fuel and operations they have to be.

   I had much more room on the transit bus, which is how frugal and wife get to and from the airport without the participation of the parking garages. But the government run bus services are also where lots of public assisted folks ride - I have no idea if there is a government program for the poor in public assisted travel on commercial air - unless one looks at the business tax breaks, military, and government agency tickets that come from the tax payers.

   Well, I had best get real serious about that body beautiful project, I was brushing the seats on both sides of the aisle as I loaded my lard and unloaded my lazy moving about. Yes, walking across the country could make me slim again. That statue of the Minute Man is the way one ought to look in the RWVA. Lean, mean, fighting machine... oh, don't those fool paratrooper thoughts ever bubble up?  Then again, if I carried a musket and possibles - I might be given more room?

Good trips are worth mentioning in dispatches... the truest honor.

  There was once an army of Regulars of the good King George and his many variations, that found a lot to be truly proud of being mentioned in dispatches from the front, to the court or to the home office. Now, wearing the ribbons or the medals are a public display of merit or achievement, I like to think my highest honor were to be thought well of by those that were there and actually know what they think they saw me do. This trip has been full of great things.

 I had conversations, deep ones with my wife as we finished meals with nowhere to run, no schedule to fulfill, place to be or were surrounded by people that would not care what we were doing in public. There is a lot of freedom in that place, although, it reminded me of my mother having to take a picture of me holding my wife's hand - she had never seen any public
display of affection between us - none that she could see through her idea of what my life should be like. If she had to write about it - she was always writing a story about everything around her.

  I was privileged to escort my wife to a formal military dinner for my son and his classmates and catch a picture of his advisor giving him the certificate (diploma) for the course. I met many fine men and women, currently in uniform - can you say the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Joint Chief of Staff ? He was truly interesting, kind and fun. My son's classmates were also polite, sharing and considerate - in the end I am happier with the current military than the media or most of the American public (although most of the public that knows people in the service or that had served before have a better idea than the media). Really, a very satisfying evening with my son and those he has been with these last few weeks. He looks so much better in his mess whites than I ever did in my mess blues - and I don't know the proper term for any Navy uniforms.


  He took us to visit Concord and Lexington and Battle road, found a museum that I hadn't thought to visit that had some very neat stuff I wouldn't have seen otherwise, with a helpful young woman that would have allowed me to exchange knowledge on North Bridge all day. We hit the best of the Friday got to go to the weekend commute, which was moving but frustrating - he held us together and returned us to the safety of the motel and we said good-bye until the next visit to his home.

  I have some real idea about how to improve my Three Strikes, and the Appleseed event on the getting the folks out of the deck chairs. I needed more time with those that really don't know who, where, when and definitely WHY, the loyal subjects of the crown would decide that being treated as not capable of Liberty because of birth or lineage was just stupid and must resisted by all means necessary.

Weathering the campaign hat... sweat into it.

  So I take off early to apply my body to moving swiftly nowhere at the YMCA, and I had a total of 17 miles, only 6.2 were on the rowing machine - while the Zumba class cavorted on the basketball court below me... I have always wanted to use 'cavorted' in a sentence... thank you, Zumba class. Talked to the old guys, cause I ares one, one wanted to use my military ID so he could fly to Rome and visit the Vatican. I mentioned that lending someone else our IDs was against the rules, and that I have already seen it. Did he want me to buy him a ticket?

   I showered and came back home still old and fat, but happy that all I had to finish was packing, mowing, dressing and leaving.  I can handle that. So I put on work clothes and the campaign hat, and sweated away the mowing. Since my wife had locked the gates to the front yard, I didn't have to do it, but will have to fix it all when we return. With the mower put away, I brushed the campaign hat off, sun, dust and debris must have an opportunity to age properly.

   Looked for love on the internet, still sadly lacking (one would question if the internet was a real human endeavor) so I await the awakening. As I ate my mostly vegetable and tomato lunch, I saw that someone thinks somebody ought to do something about ISIS - and they keep mumbling and waiting for leadership. I laugh. They also find it will really cost a lot of money to put those children in schools, they came without tax payers attached. I laughed. The media loves only certain candidates for President in 2016, but hasn't admitted that the Democrats and Republicans are having so much trouble getting to November of this year.  Not enough drama, not nearly enough. I laughed. They have missed entirely the event that started somewhere off their director's plot outline... and that will be the problem they aren't prepared for, all too soon. And, I will laugh.

Good morning, September, how is the world today?

Have finished the first five of twenty-one virtual bicycle tour runs for this month, Sunday I normally don't go to the YMCA, but the others I would have, but I am traveling the friendly skies to visit the site of the start of the end. Lexington and Concord. How far they have fallen. It should be interesting. We are actually going to see my son, and have dinner as he finishes the Navy Enlisted Course - I don't know what it actually called (the U. S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy). Which is kind of cool, my father mother and one niece (Sherry), my wife and I got to view his graduation review in Great Lakes when he completed his first training. I was even stunned to hear him sing a solo - the boy that wouldn't sing in church hardly.

   Sherry assembles bombs for the Air Force against our enemies,  in South Dakota. Although she was in Korea, England and Pope Air Force Base. Anyway, they serve well. Difficult to believe they have served so long already, and the places they have been and the missions and training... busy folks in uniform, glad I don't have to try to get all those ribbons and awards in the proper order, or have a chest to pin it all upon. I like my father's few. My son had some questions for the protocol officer or petty officer, I was only important if you knew who I was and I was working, otherwise it is best forgotten. Still, I don't hide anything, I am just not concerned, but they find life better and richer if everyone is a known entity. I will behave myself, I am too old to attempt stupidity and expect not to fall on my face. Just to be a guy, I will wear a very small reproduction of the Master Parachutist Badge. A small one. Mostly I will listen and smile quietly. Just glad to have some time with him in his neighborhood.

   For those still of the mindset that things are better than they have ever been. I have doubts but don't want to trouble y'all about them. My grandfather that lived and grew up in California wouldn't recognize it today. My other grandfather wouldn't recognize much either. Guess I can clean up and prepare to pack up for the trip. Heavens, when I go back to Ligonier, Pennsylvania or Albert Lea, Minnesota I hardly recognize the places or the people - the only reason they don't feel the need to lock me up or subdue me, is I listen and smile quietly - the moment they feel otherwise - it is all over.

What is on your mind today... or why are you up so early...

How little of my monitor screen is taken up by what is on my mind. Really, 17x10 inches, and my mind has 6x1 inches of acknowledged FB content for display? Sure, then the diversions, take y'all immediately to where FB is going to make money...

No, what I think about: Combat Experiences of the AEF of WWI (reading it) Pontiac's War in the movie '
UnConquered' (watching the DVD), RWVA expansion to the millions of those that have never been to one or have never heard of us (the members only portion of the RWVA Forum), declining participation in church, public schools, voting, community, and when am I going to learn how to shoot better... or do anything better than...

There are many places to go and get lost aren't there?

I did shoot yesterday, checked my zero at twenty-five, found my sights off, put them back on, then took the target to 100 yards, the black was about six inches, okay, I shot it, I hit it. Go back to 200 yards the black is still six inches, darn that is a small target, shoot it and hit the paper, take it back to 300 yards the black is still six inches and I can see it? Well, yes, unless I look at my front sight (FOCUS!) then I have the large paper blur, twenty-one inches wide, which is about 7 minutes of angle, which is about my front sight width... Still I do hit that paper.

But I don't have the good tight one inch groups I have shot on the twenty five yard line. Sigh, what is my expectation? Consistency, but I am not that good. Yet. I bring all my failures home, lay the targets on the bed and think... Maybe I should use a larger target at the distances, you know, something like the whole twenty-one inches. Looking up the longer range targets I find them having black areas about twenty-one inches or even more. Ah, that is interesting. I could run out to the range and engage a full size, 24x20 D silhouette. Be happier.

Notice the sneaky NRA commercials? First one I caught was the blond with the 1911 gold pistol necklace, and she was talking about something other than shooting, when she got to the 5 million members of the NRA I had it figured out. Saw a man later, but he had no jewelry so I wasn't sure except for now familiar format.  My brother's enemy, the NRA, which like Republicans and Conservative values - is a red flag - a warning that nothing good will come from listening to that stuff, all lies. Which is shared to guns and shooting, although most people may now something about guns and shooting that doesn't fit the EVIL label... some of them.

As long as the unknowing media label soft ear plugs as non lethal bullets the shooting community has its message to get out - there are so many unwashed and unknowing out there. Can't get them to read the Constitution or Declaration of Independence since it doesn't fit in a hundred and forty characters or takes more than a few seconds to think about... or are they thinking anymore, maybe they are just feeling?

Well, your homework assignment, so I can rest longer and sleep soundly is: define America, Liberty, and marksmanship. Why are folks tuning out, dropping out, not being part of the herd, or defining themselves as a part of the herd, the protest, the mob, the looters, the lost, the winners, the losers... are they defining self or their darkness potential? Think it is time for a fresh pot of coffee, I am not going back to sleep.

Rebranding, or rustling with a running iron?

The RWVA Forum is just full of comments and ideas and chatter of great potential... check it out. I have to laugh, at myself, in the first few days I commented a couple of times. But I stopped. I am a volunteer and all those professionals, don't need me to add my foolish thoughts - I have Facebook! I can swim in foolish all day long there. There have been some serious emails about Appleseed events without Shoot Bosses and shooters, and crew. I find even volunteers can't do it all. Just getting it put on a host range schedule doesn't make ammunition available, get to the local or a couple county away shooters. Much of the discussion is about how to get to them.

As my links on the side show, I have been working Appleseed pretty steadily, met lots of great shooters, people that are worth my attention and fun to be with on line. Lots of them. But out of a hundred and sixty million gun owners in America - only 70,000 have been to an Appleseed. So we think we should stretch out and reach some more. The how to do that is where the professionals come in, or the lack of firm organization and leadership? Hmm, I have no idea about how it could be, I have never been to the great shooting schools, I have never worked for the firearms companies, I have a long association with the NRA, but really, I have been instructing and coaching more shooters on Appleseeds than I ever did with the NRA. The National Rifle Association does have qualified instructors and great programs for a shooter. It just seems to me they want political influence and money. Appleseed wants your participation, your time and talent and if nothing else - speak well of us and send more shooters to our events.

One of the secret goals of the RWVA and Appleseed is to ignite the shooters with a mission of finding out how our country started, heritage. There are people that think the ship of America is sinking, off course and out of control... and most of the passengers are still sitting in deck chairs talking about the latest sitcom on cable. We instruct the shooting because that would get the shooter to feel empowered, and challenge them to reach Rifleman (only ten percent of shooters will get that high). Of the Riflemen, only like half a percent will volunteer to become a member and aid in the events and instruction, going through all the training to become a Red Hat. Then, because life is in the way, they slow down their participation - I mean, shooting isn't the beginning and the end of everything. There is family, friends, work, politics, aging -- a lot of reasons to slow down on the Trail... but speak well of us.  Especially all you shooters that talk to shooters, family and friends that don't shoot. We aren't Hollywood, we aren't anything but marksmanship and heritage.

Bean counters... what could we do without them? Much more... much...

Numbers are wonderful and often useful, but bean counters can get in the way. Sure I am certain that if you don't feed your army, don't have any arms and ammunition that it isn't going to always win. But having been soundly defeated by the media and the loving Left at home in America, I did notice that the Army deciding that it would win if the bean counters could tally up lots of VC/NVA bodies.... and that counting doesn't work. Does not mean they won't still try to score more before the period ends or the game is over... the numbers aren't worth dwelling on since the second half hasn't started - and someone is tired and hurt, and others think they are going to win big.

So if you are part of an effort, organization or cause - don't start using bean counters to tell you if you are winning. Honestly, you should feel good about the fighting, the struggle, the little victories, the improved morale, the bragging based on reality... bragging that only someone else that has been there understands. So if your church coffers are close to empty, and the parish pews aren't full - it doesn't mean you didn't save the one soul that the Lord needs for His work. If attendance is off at the theater, in your dinner or hot dog stand, if you can't get some help for the effort to cure some deadly ill of mankind - don't go to the bean counters, they can give you numbers, they can make reports, they can hire pollsters to help counting - and pay themselves well along the way - if you listen to them loud enough - they could give you a business model that really doesn't win battles - but it should have, just put some more money up and twist the product a bit this way or that... call it by a new name! And still you aren't winning, but the numbers say we should be, this has worked before - everyone knows our good intentions, it should be supported by all! The bean counters didn't keep the Continental Army under George Washington in the field. More beans would have been helpful. All the pretty uniforms and wonderful weapons and drill under General George McClellan couldn't win him a war nor a Presidency, but gosh he looked good, and the numbers said Lee had to surrender.

My point, especially in a volunteer (till their hearts burst with pride of success and joy of victory) organization, is keep it light - don't count wild numbers just praise for one more done well, because the next effort is going to be harder and the reward only comes to those that were there on St Crispin's Day. Not the bean counters, of the French or the home court.

I have the pleasure of telling all two of my faithful readers - that The Admiral: Roaring Current is a fine foreign film with great English subtitles. It is about a Korean hero Tan Gun Yi, Sun-shin -- there is lots of the History left out, both the Japanese and the Korean - although the hints of the political struggles of both nations is texture easily seen in the level of trust and demands of obedience... and it isn't for children, very well done battle scenes, properly blood drenched. The music if not distracting, but you can't hear birds singing nor crickets chirping. Like I said, I will own the DVD, it is that good. Even the best love story, works, although it is almost magical. If I had any real complaints, it would be that young Korean men have had enough plastic surgery and make up to make me wonder if they aren't really women. But then there are some real women and you can figure it out after that. No bad language nor sexual perversions - so it isn't designed for a decadent American public... just honest blood and gore and strange things like honor and sacrifice and duty.... no matter what.  Oh, I guess most current culture won't want to see it, not politically correct enough.

Go to the range more often... sure

Friday, visit the YMCA, which is still cleaning up floors of the main courts and walking loop, and unsettling people set in their ways... so I just do a light workout of eleven point four eight miles, bike and rowing. Clean up and drive to Range 15, of Joint Base Lewis McChord. The ranges on either side have real Army units shooting pistols or M4s, and I can tell they aren't buying their own ammunition. They do shoot fast and even automatic, sounds good, hope they hurt the targets.

I am out for my first taste of shooting my Lady Liberty 03 A3, thank you Kool Aid and Remington. I set up to fire prone, in sling and advertising Appleseed, cause we need more shooters on our ranges.

I am using a 1907 leather sling, and the wind is coming straight at me, so extra staples in the target to hold the paper to the cardboard. I start with four rounds for zero, no time monkey, I have all day to get it done.

 The target says I am right and high, so I go Left four and Down two, and I am just learning the sighting system. I split the next four, but still want down two more, and I worry about my sling slipping down my arm, ought to do more biceps and triceps building (such an olde man). I am not wearing a shooting jacket (it is in the Caravan, I am lazy).

My next four are vertical strung and a touch to the right again, hmm,  I don't like that but don't want to change sights, think about changing shooter. Last four of the zero, right two, are all touching but a vertical string again, I am blaming working a bolt and the sling slip... that is my story and I am sticking to it.

 

I move the target from the twenty-five yard line to the 100  yard berm, and remove the sighting square target for a clean large target. I mark the inside holes with orange pasties so I know where the new holes are, and I go and fire four, prone with sling and no change in sights. I am happy for all except the final round which killed the nine on the target, my sling slips a bit and I think I could have had another ten, like I have ever scored my holes before, the other three are fine. Even counting my 'flyer' it is still a group that would take the deer or elk. If they would just stand still during hunting season.

 I move the target out to 200 yards, walking it out. Then running (okay, jogging gently) back to the firing line. Yep, I am the last shooter, but the only one to be shooting 200 yards. I will drive to pick up the target next time. And when I am going to do the hundreds in the future I will drive and get my jogging gently somewhere else. Could trip and fall in a mole hole or hill on this range.

Two groups of four, sling slip, dropping aiming point, one off paper low right, one low right above that one, three in a group and then three with more vertical stringing. I must, must, do more shooting long distance - and lock my sling and position when I am engaging the target... really.

More dry practice, more position practice, don't be too lazy to button up and wear the shooting jacket and watch out for that sling slip, slipping away. That can't help my technique. See how much I learn as I go to the range?  Hope you are getting  enough time on target where you are. See you on the trail!