RIFLEMAN'S JOURNAL - OCTOBER 2006

Tucson Tom sends story on blueshirt, or in this case greenshirt/blacksuit, overkill. "I suspect the only reason 110 rounds was all that was fired was that's all the ammunition they had," [Polk County Sheriff Grady] Judd said. "We were not going to take any chance of him shooting back." Riiight, the King's Men are special. Not like us peasants. (And where did those other 42 rounds go?) Now with this as an example I think you'll see even more cops shot in future. Okay, Angilo Freeland was probably a "Guaranteed Dirtbag" and the gene pool is probably cleaner since his demise... but what happens when SWAT comes after some otherwise-peaceable citizen who has "broken" some ex-post facto "law" on the possession of "assault weapons"? With an example like this, what will Joe Taxpayer have to lose? "They'll murder me anyway, I might as well take some of the fascist bastards with me." And gunfolk are better shots. I believe that blueshirts still have not yet faced an opponent who really knows how to use weapons. Keep following the fascist-brick road, fellas. There's a helluva speed bump ahead.

In the news: Canada Sucks More; reasoned commentary for a change.

The other email address for Lone Oak bounced.

Small but spirited crowd in the chat room.

Examining the Queen, the gas cylinder does move slightly fore-and-aft and I suspect it was, as I supposed, the heat of firing that loosened the Loctite. Making a shim, from soda can, to go between the back of the locking ring and the front of the cylinder.

From library, Serenity: Those Left Behind, a graphic novel by Joss Whedon, et. al., comprising a "lost episode" of Firefly, between the end of the improperly-broadcast series and the release of the film. Eh, plugged a couple gaps, sure. I liked the show, I want to see more of it, but I'm not one of those rabid fans who warp their whole lives around such things. -Really tasty dialogue though.

In The Trouble With Aliens, Christopher Anvil's "The Kindly Invasion" (1966) is the most entertaining anything I've read for a long time. Highly recommended for patriotic republitarian curmudgeons.

1286 - Monday, 2 October 2006: Zzz.

Actually I'm enjoying just about all of this Christopher Anvil stuff, for about the same reasons - "Mission of Ignorance", "Brains Isn't Everything", "The Captive Djinn", etc. "Sabotage" makes me think Anvil read Rand.

Tucson Tom sends Michelle Malkin's latest: companies fire workers whose names don't match their SSNs, and illegal-immigrant supporters cry "racism." -The libertarian in me reaches for a weapon over the whole idea of Social Security and de facto universal ID, but the republican in me is tired of my tax dollars being stolen by criminals, the whitey in me is tired of being called a racist by racists, and the supposed Sioux and Cherokee in me is just disgusted with the whole thing.

Thinking of voting Democrat? Be enlightened:

Cruffler sends photo of a friend of his and acquaintance of mine, doing some real hunting, none of that tree-stand, automated-feeder stuff (stick this pic in IrfanView or such and rotate it about 13 degrees clockwise, to get the full effect):

Yuri sends photo of me working his SMLE:

Quote o' the day:

Cruffler forwards, perhaps an official internal memo leaked from the DNC:

SELDOM BIN LAYED!

Lost another Mauser case, split at the neck exactly like the last one.

The Foley thing bears certain coarse similarities to Ringo's Choosers of the Slain. (The fourth volume, Unto the Breach, already on hold.) And what did ever become of (DEMOCRAT!) Gary Condit and Chandra Levy? Huh.

Cruffler sends more data on the intent of the Founders regarding RKBA.

Blogsurfed onto this body of case law where overzealous blueshirts are concerned.

Finished The Trouble with Aliens, tasty vintage Mankind-Conquering-the-Universe stuff. Jacket blurb says Flint & Baen will have at least one more volume of this (The Trouble With Humans), and apparently one I haven't read yet, Pandora's Legions. Meanwhile, next is Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times by H.W. Brands, leaping from the New Books shelf.

1287 - Tuesday, 3 October 2006: Zzz.

Going for a drive, to Longview to search for the Lone Oak club. Meanwhile Clark Rifles' CMP guy has emailed me an affidavit form to get notarized to participate in the match - I did that for my club, does each club need its own? Whatever, it's like five bucks and I don't need it ‘til 11 November.

Found it. It's over 100 miles' round trip. I did get some phone numbers, apparently for match directors (they also do bowling pins). I didn't go into the range (I'm not entirely sure the low-slung, front-wheel-drive Corolla can make it up the hill) but I did hear one shot while there. The entrance bore dire warnings against trespassing and bold proclamations of "MEMBERS ONLY".

Stay out of Longview proper. Bad traffic, and drivers to match, and the whole place screamed a revenuer-trap vibe. Though I did visit Bob's Sporting Goods, a standalone place to challenge any Sportsman's Warehouse (though I think SW has a better, and probably more stable, selection of firearms and related products); and The Gun Shop on 15th, with a long rack of long guns to walk up to and fondle.

In mail, GOA begging for money... to stop illegal immigration. Praising Maricopa Co., AZ, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, of whom I've heard unsubstantiated anti-RKBA rumors. That's the first thing about this that makes me furrow my brow. Second is, sure, I oppose illegal immigration, but what has this to do with defending my 2nd Amendment rights? I think it distracts from the primary Cause. I dunno. -Eh, can't afford to send anything anyway. This mailing also included a FIJA brochure, focusing on RKBA, no objection there.

From the Cascade Policy Institute:

Often, these are inner-city kids who use false addresses to attend what they see as better schools in affluent suburban districts. Some districts have gone so far as to offer hundreds of dollars in bounties to tipsters who turn them in. [Emphasis added]

This issue was just brought home in Portland when a candidate for Governor [RINO Ron Saxton] was found to have temporarily moved his family into an apartment near Lincoln High School so his son could enroll in its International Baccalaureate program ten years ago. Nothing illegal there, but the revelation did raise the issue of privilege, since most families can't afford to maintain two residences simply to get their children into what they perceive to be better schools.

Many people oppose open enrollment between districts, choices within districts, and voucher plans because they believe poor families won't know what schools are best for their children. How paternalistic!

Many East Germans died escaping to freedom. Let's hope that America's Berlin Walls falls soon so every student can choose where to get the best education.

Yuri sends a steaming heap of crap from communist-occupied Australia. Hey there mate, yer surely welcome for all the blood we shed keeping the Japanese Empire off yer loverly shores. Now shut the *(&^% up and go back to $%^&*ing yer kangaroos.

Cruffler sends dashboard bobble-bomb-head Mohammed.

Lone Oak responds! Communication has commenced with the mysteeerrrrrious club in the wilds of Cowlitz County! It'll be the short Course A again, match fee $20, and apparently that includes CMP ammunition. Up late with TerraServer and Google Maps peering at the place via satellite.

1288 - Wednesday, 4 October 2006: Phone two temp services, "really slow week," nothing.

According to the bank website, the almost-full rent check has cleared, but the last two months for the ISP haven't, and I haven't received an ISP bill for a while either. At least I'm still online. I hate changing ISPs. At least I have my own domain name and 5Gb hosting now, so if the worst happens I can quickly rebuild the site after getting reconnected, but it has those annoying ads on top.

Second sis, brother-in-law, and nephew down here this weekend for business, so I'll do native-guide at the Vancouver show. The Yakima RWVA thing is out (can't afford anyway), and I hesitate to go to Clark Rifles with the current infestation of "Sportsmen".

Radio news suggesting that organically-grown, i.e. commie-hippie-eco-freak, spinach, as opposed to the pesticide-treated industrial stuff, is responsible for the e-coli outbreak which has caused some deaths. As I recall Stossel hit that in one of his shows too.

North Korea set for nuke test. And here I am on the west coast, in a significant port city. Where's my gas mask...? I have one filter (NATO-canister-type) still sealed and gods know how old it is. Fiddling with web gear. Still don't really have a bugout bag.

Thought: job interviewers and temp-service screeners should make applicants solve Sudoku puzzles to demonstrate deductive reasoning and problem-solving ability. (I just got a little keychain-electronic 6-digit game at the dollar store.)

Campaign ad: Oregon Democrat Governor Kulongoski claiming credit for anti-pedophile Jessica's Law, which he did nothing to support or advance for over a year. And, boasting about how much money he's spending on public schools, which turn out creatures like those I encountered at the last job, subliterate with few if any real-world skills. I'll be voting against him.

According to Savage one of the Pendleton Eight has caved and gone for a plea-bargain. So we don't even have Marines to count on to save the republic anymore? (I must update this - later I learned that it was not one of the seven Marines, but the Navy corpsman, who caved. Having never served, I feel I don't have the right to say "Semper Fi," but I can sure appreciate the sentiment.)

Reader sends more data on the nature of our (Islamic) enemies.

In the wake of the latest, media-sensationalized, suspiciously-timed school shootings, another reader sends this historical reality check.

1289 - Thursday, 5 October 2006: Another useless day of pointless existence, while the republic crumbles around me. Mind dwelling on the upcoming insults and violations I can expect in the county courthouse, for no benefit to myself. Can't I just sign an affidavit or something? Or is someone in the DA's office getting a thrill from making the peasant jump through the hoops?

New images (clip art stolen from Yuri):

[mode="libertarian-full"] Phone district attorney - bureaucratic fumbling, courtroom maneuvering, and the usual whiff of condescension. Theoretically the trial will be delayed or even not take place, but the forms must be followed. Gave the DDA an earful anyway, even made her admit I get "nothing" from the process in this instance.

My Taxes Pay Her Salary. But like most such, living in their gated communities with 24-hour on-call security, they don't really grasp what the real world is like and how us "little people" live. Or how increasingly angry we are at being pushed around. Their minds cannot wrap themselves around the concept that compelling service with the implied threat of state force is as much a crime as any they prosecute.

Grump. My comment on the "grinning idiot in the brown shirt" who gropes everyone coming through the door probably went right over her head. (I'm sure she doesn't have to go through screening.) The shirt color part that is. Not much historical awareness in government. -I'm sure they call it "khaki" or somesuch. I am further reinforced in my desire to live as a hermit (with a really fast internet connection) in a far wilderness, watching the cities rot from a safe distance. The DAs and defense attorneys and gubernatorial candidates can all play their dominance games and milk their system for all they can get but they'd better stay off my land and keep their hands out of my pocket. [/mode]

Oh, and according to latest talk, the Foley thing was likely a Democrat partisan setup, as I suspected based on examples like Rather and Bellesiles and Moore. And Democrat House Minority Leader Pelosi, loudly denouncing Foley's behavior as a threat to families and children, wears another face when she marches with NAMBLA on the campaign trail.

Anti-American rally and march downtown, snarling traffic, disrupting business, and giving the blueshirts an excuse to put on their ninja suits and swing their clubs. Napalm the whole ZIP code for all I care, it's all a cesspit.

From a reader:

I must say, the Foley flap seems to be one of the Democrats' deeper games, years in the works. But their ideological predecessors were also known for "five-year plans."

1290 - Friday, 6 October 2006: Bleh.

Direct-deposit, paid car insurance, mailed remainder of rent, I'm $crewed. It's not the work itself I mind - I blew their doors off at the last job, doing two or three people's work in about half the time and with a vastly smaller fraction of the errors, because I know how to use tools and put things together fer cryin' out loud. But now it's like Michael Savage encountered in academia: White Males Need Not Apply, unless they have at least five body piercings and a medical marijuana card. Is Atlas Shrugging yet?

Cruffler commiserates on courthouse cretins. ...That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.... A time is coming.

Radio news, AR15 and ammunition stolen from Albany (down the Willamette Valley) police officer's car. Watch how much blood and treasure is spent to recover that property, unlike mine. -Like the blueshirts have any idea how to handle a rifle anyway. -An alternate explanation is that the blueshirt hocked or sold or bartered it and is fabricating a story to cover his corrupt backside. Sez me. And they say we're not responsible enough to own firearms.

New bumper sticker, one I've had in mind since the last election:

A bit from Brands' Andrew Jackson, parting words from Jackson's mother as she set off to rescue her nephews, prisoners of the British in the War of Independence, a journey which destroyed her health and took her life:

1291 - Saturday, 7 October 2006: To the show as native guide for brother-in-law. Small show, nothing particularly reach-out-and-grab-me, but I was broke anyway. Bummed around town shopping later.

1292 - Sunday, 8 October 2006: Anxiety and stress over impending courthouse humiliations-under-the-implied-threat-of-state-force, and money trouble. Bleh. In last conversation the DDA was trying to guilt-trip me, telling me about some of the "awful" things Willie did with my stolen property (inanimate objects are not responsible for how or by whom they are used), and something about civic duty and responsibility to society (the same society that demonizes me for being a patriotic gunowner, the same society that discriminates against me in the workplace for being a white male heterosexual conservative who isn't substance-dependant, the same society that wants to control every aspect of my life through the tyranny of the 51%). Hsss. She's probably one of those weak-minded superstitious bigots who believe in "eee-vil gun rays" casting dominion over the souls of men and Willie never would have done any of those things if I hadn't purchased my GP100 a decade ago. Sounds more like a defense attorney than a prosecutor. Every time I interact with her system I feel more contempt for it and more soiled by it.

One of the shell carriers for the Pro1000 has become deformed to the point it cannot be adjusted for indexing, but the other works fine and I can still change shellplates, no problem. (It's usually set up for .357, but I switch over to process the .45 brass I pick up, on principle.) If I ever have money again I'll order another carrier.

Had an ugly thought yesterday: if the same guy was running the place I could probably get a job at the shampoo warehouse in three minutes. But the manager was almost as frustrated with the place as I was and is probably long gone. And I gots standards dammit! Why should I force myself into a job that I hate? I am a thinking being! I require quality of life!

From the lists, the blueshirt mentality is spreading.

I've read several of Stephen Hunter's books, but recent discussion has pointed out the bunny-hugger aspect (Bob the Nailer shooting deer with paint rounds and sawing off their antlers). Recently came word that Mark "Pokey-Poke" Wahlberg will be playing Bob Lee Swagger in a film, oh gods no. Now comes this rebuttal of Hunter's review of a new WWI aviation film. Hmm.

This is the kind of free speech that will be censored, if its subject is elected.

Now comes word of botulism infecting more organic foods, carrot juice if I heard correctly. Maybe the tree-hugging hippies will kill themselves off.

Gun Talk: Gun Free School Zones Killing Kids.

New image:

At least someone understands how I feel about life, government, and everything. I wonder how much antacid he goes through...?

1293 - Monday, Columbus Day Observed, 9 October 2006: Bleh. Intended to get up relatively early but there was no point - the courthouse will doubtless need some hours to get their act together before I can call and find out if the trial tomorrow is delayed, which in turn will affect my availability for work. If they're even answering phones today.

I am so tired.

North Korea performs an underground nuclear test, reportedly in the 0.5kt range, a pipsqueak even by the Hiroshima standard - if that's all they can manage, having one smuggled via ship container into the Port of Portland, several miles from the hovel, should be survivable, though I'd be in the path of prevailing winds for fallout and would likely want to evacuate. -Let us all be reminded that it was the Clinton administration that gave, not sold, not traded, not merely allowed, but gave the necessary technology and materials to that terrorist regime. See also.

Well. They'll probably hit Seattle or LA instead, juicier targets. Or perhaps our naval bases, like Bremerton or San Diego. Logically one would expect them to start with South Korea, but Kim Jong Il is not a logical person.

A 21st-Century Teddy Roosevelt would have stealth bombers in the air by now. Or even years ago. (Later, Savage says the same, almost word for word.) But we don't have that kind of leadership. Clancy's The Bear and the Dragon covers a similar situation and offers response options, BTW.

Talk of Japan developing a nuclear deterrent. ...On the one hand, they're the only country ever actually nuked in war, so one might expect some cultural resistance; but on the other, their schools have reportedly erased much of the history of the Second World War and their kids today have no clue it ever happened. On the gripping hand they're likely to get nuked again if they just sit there whining. Hm.

I expect we have missile submarines (fast-attack boats refit with conventional-warhead or tactical-nuke cruise missiles, and the old "boomers" with long-range strategic nukes) lurking about there right now. Or some DoD and USN heads should damn well roll for the lack.

2pm, when even bureaucrats should be back from lunch, phone courthouse - recording, listing cases only scheduled for today, not the ones I'm subpoenaed for tomorrow. Phone again later - trial set over to 31 October. So there's half a load off. I may still have to be variously violated at that date, or there may be a plea bargain and it may all go away.

Now I have to worry about being broke. Temp - nothing from one, emailing resumes (again) to another.

Argh.

What happened to the Mantis magazine loading tool? Cabela's, Midway and Brownell's used to carry it, but now I can't find it. (Mine has one leg broken but still works. I like the universal design, unlike the HKS, which is made for specific magazines.)

Nothing much to dislike about Andrew Jackson thus far, but I'm less than a quarter through the book. One thing, he didn't compromise. Author seems neutral or perhaps a bit libertarian. I still don't like Hamilton.

Reader sends another republitarian curmodgeon.

According to Savage, Clint Eastwood's latest film, Flags of our Fathers, on the battle of Iwo Jima, is another leftist Hollywood anti-American hit-piece (an American soldier who fought there suffers raaaaacism when he returns home). According to Savage, Eastwood's career as a director has been boosted by his recent leftist leanings (Blood Work (anti-gun bits), Million Dollar Baby (pro-abortion bits)). Sigh.

Lettuce being recalled for e-coli fears. Savage says the immigrant laborers relieve themselves right there in the fields.

Trying to find out exactly what yield the NK nuke is - some say half-kiloton, some 20kt.

1294 - Tuesday, 10 October 2006: [Jaw dropping] Another big fat PayPal donation from a reader. I am humbled. That's storage rent and gasoline and a big load off. Now, if I get about a week and a half of work at about $10/hour, I'll make it this month.

Now suggestions that the NK nuke wasn't, as monitoring stations have not detected radioactivity. The test was supposedly underground but the detectors supposedly can sniff out even that. -It's not hard to build a nuclear weapon - hit WikiPedia for "Little Boy", the weapon dropped on Hiroshima. All you need is a minimum quantity of fissionables and a few competent people, but NK may not be able to come up with either. Other reports that NK may have another test Thursday.

Radio news, US military recruitment is up partly because drill sergeants aren't "mean" anymore, and "act more like counselors." ...And this prepares our servicemen for battle how? More people are staying in now, not washing out of boot camp - but what kind of people? Would I want to share a fighting position with one, could I count on him to cover me in an advance? I expect Savage to rant on this later. Michael Z. Williamson's The Weapon more-than-touched on this, describing a truly brutal boot camp and the reasoning behind it.

By a slightly-eerie coincidence, I received a complimentary copy of Guns & Ammo magazine via GalleryofGuns.com, the November 2006 issue, and Col. Cooper's passing has not caught up with the publishing lag yet. In what may be his last column: ...It has been observed in various organizations of the world that if training does not result in at least one death per thousand, it is not tough enough. This may be a simplifcation, but it stands as the critical point. If you do not feel that training is really too hard for reasonable men to endure, you probably have not got the point. Let us remember that Col. Cooper has been and done, in WWII's Pacific, some of the most brutal combat in world history, where the modern concern for "self-esteem" would get you quickly killed and likely some squadmates with you. -I'm too old and creaky and curmodgeonly to join up now but have many times regretted having not served.

Liberals claim to favor freedom of speech, and accuse conservatives of censorship. As my brother-in-law mentioned in his visit last weekend and as Savage's guest host details today, they're full of it: 1, 2, 3.

5pm radio news, a second NK nuke test suspected today.

Yuri sends Defensive Firearm Use in Texas. -I bet the poor kid's NEA-approved teachers will be all over him, telling him how he should have "respected the personhood" of the thug attacking his mother.

1295 - Wednesday, 11 October 2006: Job interview tomorrow morning, making power supplies. Tualatin, long commute again but not as troublesome as the last one. No word on pay or hours, but I made it clear to the service that I need a conventional day shift with my weekends free.

Lars sucking up to blueshirts following the death of a man in police custody. I'm no longer in his audience. But, he's on the station that has Fox Radio News, and from Rush I hear of a plane crash in Manhattan. Turn on local Fox TV affiliate - Matlock syndication. At the hour - Perry Mason syndication, and I don't want to see anything involving courts and lawyers. NBC station - "small aircraft" hits high-rise apartment building. Zooming in and out with the camera, clueless infotainers babbling endlessly. -Later, it was an accident with an MLB player aboard.

Sexual predator former Portland police chief Derrick Foxworth, demoted (i.e. wrist-slapped) for doing a Foley with a clerk, is suing the city for RACISM because the woman was white and he's black! Drop dead you lying thieving racist pervert Foxworth! A fine successor to Charles Moose. Whenever a WHITE person does something wrong his face is all over the news for weeks. Whenever a BLACK person does something wrong it must be a result of white racism! Off with the TV. GOOD GODS I HATE CITIES!! All those people stumbling through life three-quarters blind, believing everything they see on TV or read in the supermarket tabloids, pouring out manufactured sympathies for the dregs of society and unaware of how they are being manipulated, you all make me sick!

Well. Job interview tomorrow, maybe I'll get some income for a while. What was that Dickens bit, income X, expenses Y, result misery, result ecstacy? More ammunition, more practice. At least there's one thing in life I get a little pleasure out of.

Eyyuuhh, how many subliterate incompetents will I encounter in the new workplace? How many feeelings will I hurt just by showing up and being my normal competent self?

Cruffler sends more data on the political left's long-term goals and historical behavior. Fortunately, the people who know how to use weapons these days are overwhelmingly conservative, but I guess bomb-making or running people down over politics doesn't carry the same social(ist) stigma as firearms. I forsee more violence in the '08 election, and possibly in this one.

1296 - Thursday, 12 October 2006: Got the job.

Message from temp rep when I returned about noon, after bad traffic and a few errands (like storage rent, as the donation came through). The interviewer very carefully didn't complain about people being incompetent; I got the impression some politically-correct harpy somewhere intimidated the snot out of him. (Coincidentally Rush was talking about Timid Voter Syndrome, people who are frightened by political confrontation. I don't like confrontation either, but at least I know what I think.) As expected, I can get a job. I knew that. Keeping it, or having it keep me, has for the past few years been a separate concern, as the workforce degenerates and I speak what I feel about it.

Difficult hours, starting 5am with a warning of much overtime and even some weekend work, but without overtime I leave at 1:30pm and avoid much traffic. Still haven't heard about pay.... Return call from temp rep: "It was $10.50 but they raised it" to eleven or twelve something, which is a heck of a lot more than I've made for a long time. -Later, email, $11.50. Start Monday.

Gah. The gods toy with me.

If I don't mail the ISP check until the end of the month, I have about $80 to get me through the next two weeks, to my next paycheck.

From the lists, Clinton's Anti-Gun Legacy; Ex-BATFE Chief Ordered Staff to Help With Child's Homework. Later, surfing, History Channel Turns Left. One more reason a cable or satellite package is not on my list of necessary expenses.

Savage playing StateSec Rice as she hands Israel over to the Palestinian terrorists, right out of the fifth verse of my favorite poem. So she's lost my vote despite her (claimed) stance on RKBA. But she's said she won't run. -Her voice was quavering fer gods' sakes.

Subpoenas for the 31st.

Software trouble but I'm still online.

Later from the lists, Cops Want to Confiscate Guns. The Portland blueshirt who told me there is "no conspiracy to deprive" me of my firearms is either staggeringly naive or a lying sack of fascist filth. And I'm betting on the latter.

A reader recently reminded me of the existence of the Lee hand press, and having one in a Bug-Out Vehicle (see the Backwoodsman email list) seems like a Good Idea.

1297 - Friday, 13 October 2006: Zzzzz.

Tucson Tom sends this, small enough bandwidth-wise to actually put here. Crooks can't shoot:

Activated direct-deposit for this temp service, might actually go through by my next paycheck.

Local ARCO regular now $2.39. Last time I was across the river it was a few cents cheaper than Portland.

Later, Tucson Tom sends: Utah Sucks Less, but the teachers' unions still do.

Heard from Savage and found through WND: Schoolgirl Arrested for Refusing to Study With Non-English Pupils. The UK's schools are even worse than ours, but maybe not by much.

Later, Savage calls for the prohibition of internet gambling, comparing it to internet child pornography and in effect dictating moral terms. Don't tell me what I can't do with my money, doc. (Great, now what the heck do I listen to?)

Oh yeah, something I heard the other day: Minutemen Censored, Assaulted. And didn't I predict just such violence before I heard of this incident?

Now I learn that there is a third and fourth volume in H. Beam Piper's Lord Kalvan universe.

1298 - Saturday, 14 October 2006: Range day, ‘cause I'm going to Barberton anyway. The show was nearly empty, with a larger show at Canby, a huge show in Puyallup, and the opening day of deer season - even the custom knife maker, who was supposed to meet me there for photos of new knives, was absent. Well, there's always next month, and maybe the OAC show on the 22nd.

To the club, arrive about 9:45... and fiddle around collecting bonus brass ‘til the fog burns off at noon:

For the same reasons as the Barberton show above, the range was relatively empty, though some "Sportsmen" were still fumbling about from time to time. Forgot spotting scope! It's always something. I keep the little brass one in the range bag though, and it's adequate to 100.

I did get quite a haul of brass though, three more pieces .30-06, Yet More .223, a good bunch of .45ACP, I chose this day to finally start picking up .40S&W on principle, and I found approximately a hundred 5.7x28mm (FN manufacture - empty boxes found in trash), Boxer-primed, which I wouldn't have picked up if there hadn't been so much of it - it's gotta be worth something to somebody eventually.

First, check the Queen's 100-yard zero from the bench - and it's still there, though maybe I should go a bit left. (Later, back at the hovel, went one click left of the center mark.)

So no ill effects from the fall on the 30th. Then at 200 (on an SR-1) - adequate.

Then I simulated the match. At 200 I used MR63 repair centers (I'll have to order some SR-C when I'm solvent again, and more SR-1C), so the scoring rings are way off vs. what I'll shoot in the match (though the black is about the same size), but at 100 I used the same SR-1 that will be used in the AvA. 200 slow-prone:

100 rapid-sitting:

200 rapid-prone (I remembered to go down two clicks for the 100-yard stage, but forgot to go back up):

And 100 slow-standing:

The high-and-right offset in the last stage was all me, not the rifle.

Finally, I tried the MojoVZ again, but only at 100 and only 11 rounds, and this time without the bayonet. And I won't be getting any bonus points in the AvA ‘cause the VZ shoots way better without (the rear sight was adjusted between the three strings indicated and should now have a satisfactory 100-yard zero):

So, a constructive session, useful data collected.

Guns & Ammo magazine's official tribute to the Colonel. One leapy-outy bit, only the first among many:

1299 - Sunday, 15 October 2006: Zzzz. Hibernation instinct as winter approaches? Subconscious revulsion at a 5am work shift tomorrow?

Jeff Cooper's funeral.

From the lists, bear-attack story - babysitter dispatches bear, saves kids. The comments are more interesting, and satisfying, than the story, overwhelmingly positive, though the few animal-rights-moonbat comments are truly alarming - people are actually walking around on this planet with minds that work like that?

1300 - Monday, 16 October 2006: It's a production job. With the usual sniveling-cowardly PC HR stuff. As expected, there's no traffic to speak of at four thirty in the unholy A.M., but even getting off at 1:30 the trip back can be difficult.

$11.50 per hour. That would really help. One week and the rent's covered, though not much else. Two weeks and I can start buying stuff again. If I can stretch what I have left until the first paycheck.

First sis sends article on new Chevy commercial. It's a head-scratcher. But then the article is also from a left-wing source (The Washington Post), via another left-wing source (Slate), so grains of salt are recommended.

I don't watch TV, so pop-culture awareness comes to me through other avenues. Apparently, another film is being made of The 300, the Spartans at Thermopylae. I was disappointed with the Frank Miller graphic novel, on which I suspect this new film is based. The old 1962 film was pretty good, I thought. Wanna bet "Molon Labe" didn't make it into the script this time?

1301 - Tuesday, 17 October 2006: Work, traffic, blah. Again with the not-speaking-American. My cell consists of apparent ex-Soviets, who aren't much better at assimilating than Mexicans. America is a melting pot, yes. But I think we've forgotten who's supposed to be melting.

Another subpoena, same date, different defendant. Hsss....

It occurs to me that I cannot recall a single malfunction with the Queen thus far, except the Federal factory stuff doubling (and nothing else has, so I don't think that counts).

Damn. For the forseeable future I have to go to bed early. But my muse (no, a different one now) has been speaking of late.

1302 - Wednesday, 18 October 2006: Two hours overtime today, two more tomorrow.

I am Very Tired of having to work with people who cannot or will not speak my language. But this is the best-paying job I've had for some time. Sigh.

$15 fuel (local ARCO now $2.35). I think I can make it to the 27th and a relatively big fat paycheck. But I could be underestimating my fuel consumption, or I could have another Howard Roark Moment, or the tram could crush the Corolla during the commute, who knows. As previously stated, a pessimist can only be pleasantly surprised.

Yuri tells me to look at Michael Bane's ‘blog, and there's a lengthy rant coarsely similar to some of mine, on "Sportsmen" vs. the rest of the Gun Culture. Then I scroll down and find that the photos I took of the boresighter-burst barrel have received national exposure.

1303 - Thursday, 19 October 2006: Finally a voter's pamphlet. -No Republican Party Statement? Democrat, Libertarian, Constitution, Pacific Green, a full page each, but not the GOP? And no district maps except for the County Commissioners? Hmm. -Later I notice it's "2 of 2", for candidates, implying the other part is for ballot measures - but why would all the parties' statements be in one part except one party?

Reader sends Texas Democratic party handbill. Is this for real?

From the lists, coincidentally from Texas, a faint glimmer of hope for the next generation - but you watch, ACLU will sue on behalf of the Crazed Murderer Community and NEA will have the folks who thought up the program burned at the stake.

1304 - Saturday, 21 October 2006: Zzz.

In the news: Brazil Sucks; Scotland Sucks; Some Canadians Tired of Sucking; good commentary (from the comments: "Use a gun, go to jail; use a badge, get a paid vacation"); more good commentary.

From CMP, a nice story.

Remember a while back I posted Issac Asimov's essay on and recital of the entire national anthem? Finally surfed across a link to it.

Remember a little while back my brother-in-law mentioned that lefties in the Seattle area claimed that conservative talk shows counted as campaign contributions? Not long before that, going the other way seems to not be a problem: "I don't plan to spend any time talking about this campaign unless they bait me," Ross told listeners Friday morning. He said the station's lawyers have told him he's not breaking any laws. State Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance disagreed. He said Republican National Committee lawyers have suggested Ross would be violating Federal Communications Commission regulations unless he grants his challengers equal air time. (See also.) Let's see now: I shouldn't own weapons unless I'm an agent of the government, with the Magic Badge to counteract the Evil Gun Rays; that same government can compel my service at any time, with effectively no compensation, and under the implied threat of force; if I actually work for a living I have to pay taxes to support lazy worthless people like the one who violated my home and stole my property; and I don't have a right to free speech unless I'm a raging commie moonbat. -You see why I want to move to Wyoming?

But wait! There's more! Reader sends story (with internal link to earlier story) on public schools undermining American sovereignty. ("Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted." - Vladimir Lenin) Surfing from there, found: workplace discrimination against conservatives and against non-freaky-people (both of which are pretty much how I lost my last job); persecuting Christians - it's not just for Muslims anymore; Paris is Still Burning; British Pedophile Has Right to Work in School Gym. -Want to move to Wyoming right now.

Downloadable activism posters.

Blogsurfing, the first paragraph of this rant truly strikes a chord with me.

Yuri sends article on a US sniper's record shot in Iraq.

I like bacon. The scent, the flavor, the fact that I'm on top of my world's food chain. Often I'll fry some up and slap it on some bread with mustard and barbecue sauce. I did so this evening and, I swear I didn't stage this, by chance the sauce hit the bread in a pattern that might be interpreted as the star-and-crescent of Islam:

So I took a photo. Just before I slapped that particular piece of bread onto some fried pig flesh. Does this mean I'll be targeted for torture and decapitation by the "Religion of Peace"?

1305 - Monday, 23 October 2006: Not ‘blogging much lately, tired. I get up at 4am to reach work by 5, then at least try to go to bed at 8pm. Then I lie awake for a couple hours worrying about a zillion things (it'll be unspeakably tight, especially with gas money, but I think I can make it without further donations and I intend to do so).

Then I get out of bed and stay up even later working on this other story that's been pouring out of my head lately. It's not very original I'm afraid, with a Lord Kalvan/Grantville/Conrad Stargard influence, but at least I'm writing something.

1306 - Tuesday, 24 October 2006: Yesterday I was informed that my father has passed away from cancer, not unexpectedly. Age 88, I think.

We didn't get along. I hadn't seen or spoken with him in twenty years, despite opportunities to do so on recent visits with other family around Everett.

I dunno how I feel about that.

First sis visiting this weekend (also for plate match). In the life-going-on department, my intention is to do the match, then stay after for More Rifle Practice. If I don't walk off this job I'll be in good shape to build a good stockpile of .30-06 and 7.92x57mm for my two best (if they don't have bayonets fixed) rifles; also I saw a sack of primed Mosin brass at a Vancouver shop a while ago and if it's still there I'll have some Mosin rounds of my own again. The more practice I get, the better chance I'll have of medaling in or even winning the upcoming matches, and the more peace of mind I'll have in the larger sense (Dr. Piazza calls it "the comfort of skill at arms").

Oh yeah, and I can keep the car from falling apart, or maybe even save up for another. For the moment, however, I now have 55˘ in savings and 76˘ in checking and my last $18 in the Corolla's tank. (Plus the 1.5 gallon reserve can.) (Local ARCO now $2.33; then the other one, twenty blocks further, which is always the same price, is $2.31.) If I can make it to work on Friday and if direct-deposit works as advertised (I'll be able to check it online from work), I'll have made it. Without additional charity.

1307 - Wednesday, 25 October 2006: Pretty sure I'll make it now.

Email backing up again, new & regular readers sending me things I have neither time nor gumption to look at now. I'll get to it in time.

Meanwhile, I agree with Cox & Forkum and, of course, the Ayn Rand Institute (linked within), that prohibition (of online gambling in this instance) is wrong whether it works or not - and it rarely does.

The photos I took of the burst barrel continue to spread throughout the 'net, most recently on the Battle-Rifle email list.

1308 - Thursday, 26 October 2006: Enough fuel, now direct-deposit is the last concern.

I knew it. I knew someone would wet themselves over the idea of schoolchildren actually defending themselves against an attacker instead of sitting quietly waiting their turn to be killed and/or raped. Didn't I tell ya!

1309 - Friday, 27 October 2006: Drat. Direct deposit is not yet active, so now I wait for snailmail and hopefully my paper paycheck to arrive. Sometimes mail is waiting when I return from work about 2pm, other times USPS doesn't deliver ‘til past 6.

4pm it arrives. Another financial crisis has passed. Except now I've lost two hours of pre-rush-hour shopping.

The couple bucks I save on a UMC 9x19mm MegaPack at Wal-Mart vs. Bi-Mart are not worth dealing with the throngs of Icky Wal-Mart People.

According to the club's newsletter director, the photos I took of the burst rifle have drawn the attention of the Cody Firearms Museum, who are looking to acquire the rifle for their collection!

1310 - Saturday, 28 October 2006: No victory but a fair performance at the plate match. Jim Breen wins again, with a red-dot .22 again, knocking me out in the first round again because he and I qualified 1st and 2nd (of 15) in the time trials again. In the Loser's Bracket I was knocked out in the second round by last month's 2nd Place winner David Gix (who qualified 3rd), with another red-dot .22. One begins to think of adjusting the rules, but the .22 targets are smaller and .22s shoot the same number of targets as a centerfire autoloader would - I think the rules are fair. A .22 with factory iron sights took 2nd place and a Chalres Daly 1911 .45 (qualified 6th), apparently box-stock or not far from it, took 3rd. I just need more practice, and maybe a CZ85B Combat with adjustable rear sight. And to replace the GP100 which by this time is either in the Willamette or Columbia river or in some cop's closet as a perk of the job.

I'll be with family for Thanksgiving, so I won't be at the November match, but I left the prizes, already framed, and the tournament-tree and time-trial sheets at the R/O shack so they can run the match without me.

After the match, sis and I stayed for rifle practice. Sis' 91/30 MojoMosin continues to perform well and so does sis; if she could get into match positions she'd be getting 8s and 9s and the occasional 10. Meanwhile, on SR1 targets (with the smaller black so I have some hope of seeing holes from 200 and 300 yards through a spotting scope), I confirmed sight settings (from the bench) with the Queen and the MojoVZ. Here's what the Mauser did at 200 yards:

And at 300:

Shoots good enough without the bayonet. According to the event copy in the club newsletter, the 200yd stages of the AvA will be fired on the same SR target I'm getting used to in the Garand matches, so those 6s and 7s will be 9s and 10s.

At 200, the Queen did well enough:

But at 300, something special happened:

I cut that out and put it on my refrigerator, youdamnbetcha. The extreme spread, center-to-center, is right at four inches, meaning 1-1/3 MOA for four rounds. Hornady #3037 150gr FMJBT, 46.3gr IMR4895 thrown with an old RCBS Uniflow measure, Federal brass this time, CCI #200 primer, Lee factory crimp die, and I used a SLED. On an actual competition target of the correct proportions I'm confident that would have been 40/2X of a possible 40. This is not the first time the Queen has given a sub-2MOA performance, or even sub-1.5MOA. Great Caesar's Ghost.

BLESSINGS AND PRAISE BE UPON TUCSON TOM, KIND AND BENEFICENT DONOR OF
THE QUEEN OF THE BATTLEFIELD!

I am getting closer to feeling justified in calling myself a Rifleman. If I stay employed I'll be making lots of rounds and getting lots of practice, less from the bench and more from position. I want to see how I do in the next two matches, and then I want to shoot Fred's AQT again.

1311 - Sunday, 29 October 2006: Tucson Tom sends, "HOLY CRAP! I want it back! :)"

Much shopping with sis, who otherwise pays sales tax in Washington state, and everything's a little cheaper here compared to Everett anyway. Got two boxes of Hornady #3037 and one of Sierra #2400. The VZ will be for matches and, theoretically, hunting, a recreational item; the Garand will be for Business and I want more rounds on hand for it than the entire Portland Police Bureau expends in training in a year. -Yeah, you're right, that's not nearly enough. I'll go back and get another box of 100 projectiles a couple paychecks from now. (I did get a little carried away. Sportsman's Warehouse is a dangerou$ place.)

If I'm not arrested, jailed, and/or murdered at the courthouse Tuesday for the crime of being a white male heterosexual gunowner who has read the Constitution and doesn't live off other people's taxes. (Eyuh. Antacid.)

Email still backed up.

1312 - Monday, 30 October 2006: Trial held over to the 28th. Another month to stress over it, but also another month for the parasite(s) to plea bargain. In the short term, a relief. Don't want anything to do with that filthy system of so-called "justice" or any who serve it (or more often are served by it, at our expense).

Hitting the email. From lists & readers: More Stupid Cops; Arm the Schools; UN Sucks (but we knew that); Tucson Tom sends, Sheriff Arpaio Gives Mandatory English Classes for Inmates.

New bumper sticker:

New club newsletter, featuring the famous photos of the burst barrel - and someone butchered the little article I wrote for it! >:-[ Furthermore the plate match results do not appear. But, the club will have a Turkey Shoot on 9 December! Details not yet known, but the handgun portion will consist of shooting through a 2x4 head-to-head by teams and the rifle portion will be "challenging."

1313 - Tuesday, 31 October 2006: Overtime. Bad commute. Tired.

First frost this morning.

Kerry Insults Troops Again, and W actually grows a pair in response. (They'll shrivel back up though, I just know it.)

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