Recent thoughts, and National Ammo day 2012

I try to avoid too much posting on here about political topics unrelated to Texas Independence or gun ownership, but this current Federal Presidential election doesn't want to be left unnoticed. It has completely polarized the nation, with very few undecideds out there. On the one side, is the avowed socialists who want to further their goals of punishing big business and enriching "the little guy." On the other side are those who want to put a full stop to that march toward socialism, and rebuild what made our country great by removing govt restrictions against business. By my reckoning, removing the roadblocks to business would be a much-needed kickstart to the economy, as I think the business owners have been hesitant to invest in their own companies if the govt would come along and take it under Federal management because it was "too big to fail." Pff, more like too big to lose union donations to the democrat party. See: Fed takeover of GM and the pushing of the Volt car, at a loss to the company for every one that's sold, and the govt's trying to make us buy them by offering tax rebates on them.

How does this relate to National Ammo Day, you might ask? As has been joked about in many gun forums and gun shoppes, the current President has been the best motivation for buying guns and ammo, as many citizens are understandably scared that he could place more restrictions on the ownership of said small arms and ammo, as he has done with many other things, with his electro-signature on an Executive Order, without any of the pesky checks-and-balances of Congress or the Supreme Court to stop him or hold him accountable. Meanwhile, many gun owners have been stocking up as best they can, while supplies in the gun stores fluctuate. Still, it's better than those months between the last Presidential election and the Inauguration Day, when demand shot up (no pun intended) and the shelves were bare, after people realized an avowed damnyankee democrat "community organizer" from Chicago, a place not known for its love of private gun ownership, was on the way to the White House with his entourage. Do I think the President *would* sign an Executive Order banning gun ownership in another term if he's reelected? Not if he wants to prevent the current political cold civil war from going very hot, he won't! Even if current democrats and republicans hate each other, they can still manage to be civil in public, unlike the good old days of fistfights and knife duels breaking out in Congress. (Can you say, Aaron Burr?) However, I'm pretty sure the same cannot be said for their fans, especially the ones who think they are entitled to certain benefits, and said benefits would be completely cut if their guy doesn't get reelected. Like many police departments across the country geared up before the Inauguration in expectation of "celebratory riots," like after any sports team wins the national championship, I'm sure they are quietly gearing up for similar events next month, in the event that such candidate doesn't win reelection. However, I can't be certain that he and his administration wouldn't do something stupid, like has happened with the Fast and Furious operation, or the Libyan consulate attacks and coverup-- nobody brings an RPG or two to a "protest"!

So, I would strongly suggest that you go ahead and purchase any ammo now, in case you might need it before next month's official day of buying, perhaps if your neighborhood watch is called out and you have to put up a sign that reads "You loot, we shoot," as has been done many times before after a hurricane blows thru and disrupts power and emergency services. And either we will all give out a big sigh of relief and you can make another purchase of ammo on the official day, or, as some places online have half-joked about the future, we'll be too busy reloading. This would also be a great time to go ahead and pick up that gun you've been eyeing as a Christmas gift; your loved one might get to unwrap it early if needed.

National Ammo Day, 2011!

Another National Ammo day is upon us, where we buy 100 rounds of our preferred caliber, gauge, and/or reloading components, so that the bean-counters at the ATF can pass up their chain of command that We the People have plenty of ammo, lest they think that we will be easy pickings for disarming. Wherever you are, happy birthday, Kim du Toit!

This year I will add that the Appleseed Project is a great program, a combination of marksmanship and heritage, in teaching citizens how to accurately shoot and what is important about our history in being armed against a tyrannical government. I plan on making it in the next year to one of the classes they offer, tho the closest ones are still a couple hours' drive away.

If you give a mouse an AK

If you give a mouse an AK

If you give a mouse an AK, he'll want to shoot it.
If he gets to shoot it, he'll want to bump-fire the whole magazine.
If he bump-fires the whole mag, he'll need more ammo.
When he goes to the store to get more ammo, he'll see that 75-rd drum.
If he gets that drum, he'll want to try setting his foregrip on fire!
When he sets his foregrip on fire, he'll think about what replacement parts he'll need.
If he looks into replacement parts, he'll see that a set of parts isn't much cheaper than a whole new AK.
Then he'll want another AK!

ETA Looks like I might have to change this, after seeing this vid:

A day to celebrate, a day to mourn

I suppose, first, the good news:
Happy San Jacinto Day! Today is the 175th anniversary of the Texian Army defeating the Mexicans, and winning our independence from them.

In unrelated good news, the website The Homemade Gunsmith is back up, now hosted in an undisclosed location here in the US, guarded by Dick Cheney and his guns (ok, I made up that last bit), safe from the Internet Gestapo (for now). The sad news, related to that, is that the site's founder, Philip A. Luty, has died after his battle with cancer. (Big thanks to Firehand for the notice.) I regret that I have no more information that that, since last I'd heard, he was in prison, for the Byzantine crime of aiding a criminal who used his designs for a homemade gun, even tho all Luty had done was publish the book, for which they'd already arrested and jailed him (ok, he also designed and built the first gun himself, to make sure it would work, proving the despite their laws, they could not overturn man's inventiveness and determination, and for that, he was jailed, but as we like to say over here, he served his time for the crime, then they threw him back in for someone else copying his design and building their own gun, claiming that he was "aiding terrorists").

Beans, bullets, bandages... what else?

Greetings, all! I'm not dead, just playing too much Bejeweled Blitz and Zuma on Facebook as of late, and wishing I could get another Blue Heeler from Texas Cattledog Rescue, tho recent events have had my brain working again. On a online discussion forum, another member posted a link to the science story about the possibility of a solar flare being stronger and more disruptive than Hurricane Katrina, followed by commenting that he should stock on gas for his camp stove and lanterns. My remark was

Beans, bullets, and bandages; what else can you really do? (Sounds kinda like my shopping/packing list for "going Grizzly Adams"!) One of the bloggers I occasionally read opined on this topic herself, about any number of possible scenarios.

Today at work I mentally turned over this list of supplies, making it into a game of what else I thought necessary of emergency preparedness, all based around words starting with the letter "B". Let's start with those three mentioned above, with brief explanations and expanded thoughts on each.

Beans- simple, dried, will keep a long time without refrigeration, tho I prefer mine served up as red beans 'n' rice.

Bullets- another item that will keep a long time without special handling, just keep it cool and dry, very useful with a later item for defense of homestead and procuring fresh meat.

Bandages- this and a fully-stocked first aid kit will help keep one breathing for a long time!

Now to the additional items:

Boomstick!- this would be the item to work with the bullets mentioned above. Either one is rather useless without the other. (As I've commented many times, an empty gun is just an awkward club!) Don't forget some way to keep it clean and in good repair.

Blades- edged tools of various types, from pocketknives, to machetes and cleavers, to axes, to more specialized ones like a spoon-carving knife, maybe even a bayonet to attach to the end of your rifle, if it's a military surplus one. And some way to keep them sharp.

Bedroll and Blankets- gotta have somewhere to rest your weary head! Ain't no good to yourself or others if you're plumb wore out! Probably would include a tent or tarp or tepee to keep the rain and cold wind off ya while sleeping.

Burro or Bicycle- a way to get around, and some of the more economical ways than some folks propose, especially in light of rising gasoline prices. (My "all-terrain" bike has folding baskets on the back for carrying groceries and gear, and I've nicknamed it my "Tin Burro," as a jibe at those who call their motorcycles "Iron Horses.")

Boombox and Bands- some type of radio to keep up with news and weather, in the event of power loss for TV and Internet, and some music to sooth nerves and boost morale during trying times. (I'd recommend a solar/handcrank-powered radio as a backup, for long-term emergencies, like this one with the American Red Cross branding, plus it's got an onboard LED flashlight, always good during an emergency. Just make sure it's not your only one!)

Bible- or whatever your preferred spiritual guidance is, just bring it with you!

This is more a listing of mostly "essentials" for any type of emergency preparedness, not just for hurricanes or solar flares or zombie attacks, and shouldn't be interpreted as all-inclusive or the order as an indicator of importance. It was a mental exercise for me while I was bored at work, simply based around the alliteration of the three basics of the beginning of this list. Your list of supplies should be longer, as would mine, because existing on just the contents of this list would get boring!

Radom chit pt 2

It's happy dance time! Kim du Toit is back on the air! (With help from his lovely wife Connie.) Big ol' hat tip to Xavier for the notice.

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Is it wrong for me to wish for an EMP that'll wipe out all the electronic masturbation toys (i.e. cell phones, Ipods, Blackberrys, etc.) of these fools who keep walking directly in front of our car?

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Anybody want a kitten or two? We've got 4 two-month-olds ready to go, out the door, and two of our other cats both had litters a week ago! One had 10 kittens (only 6 survived) and the other had 4 (3 survived). Here's a pic of one new mamma with all of the kits.

We realized there was no way all 14 of the kits could've come from one mamma (who I caught in the middle of giving birth to #2), and since one of the cats went from "mostly pregnant" to "not pregnant anymore," and we found the 4 all-black ones in the litter box (eww!), we deduced that the not-as-huge-pregnancy cat had hers in the litter box, and the hugely-pregnant cat was having hers wherever she could find (I ran in after hearing one of the babies crying, getting dragged around by her momma still attached by the umbilical cord! She really didn't have good instincts for this.)

Update on Homemade Firearm author

A while back I expounded on a citizen's right and duty to be ready for defending themselves against criminals and tyrants, with a link to the website of Philip Luty, tinker-extraordinaire, who authored Homemade Expedient Firearms, in which he shows plans for a working submachinegun made from common household materials. Working because he actually made it, in spite of the UK's laws against the peasants having guns of pretty much any type, and for his troubles the gubmint there locked him up for 5 years; it would've been only 4, but they buggered up his parole because he was fairly unrepentant about the whole thing. Being incarcerated only served to piss him off, so he decided to branch out, from a book of his plans to the whole freakin' Internet, documenting his developing hobby of amateur gunsmith, tho without the ability of testing his creations anymore, because of constant gubmint scrutiny. They even resorted to arresting his father and brother on the trumped up charges of "conspiracy" in '05, despite the evidence of Luty's own tesimony of planning and working alone. I had noted, with some concern, that his website had become "forced dormant" in recent months, and today I find that it is because Mr Luty has been jailed once again, for "aiding and abetting" some alleged "terrorists" who were found in possession of his book. The UK gubmint refuses to disclose where he is being held, they barely admit that they do have him in custody, and they further refuse to describe in any detail what the charges are and who the other suspects and the details of their case. In an attempt to win some favor in his case, his family has taken down the body of the website, thus the "you are here" post on it, but without any other explanation.

Ya know, this makes me glad the US told them what to do with themselves 230-sumthin' years ago, and with the current trends, I hope that Texas will do the same to the US soon! Then maybe we can offer him political asylum if he wants to leave there (once he's released from prison again), since as a convicted felon he's otherwise having tremendous difficulty in getting a Visa, and he is suffering from cancer, which means he probably isn't going to get preferential treatment under their oh-so-wonderful national socialized health care, and can't leave the country to seek treatment elsewhere.

A-Ha! AlGore's invention ain't so bad, it remembers for you! You can still read his site here.

Gunnie stuff

(I originally titled this "Gunny stuff", but I didn't want to confuse Uncle Sam's Misguided Children any more than they already are.) ;)

While I usually expound on how Texas is better off without the US, I will admit that our founding documents were echoed in many ways from their's, especially the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I haven't heard of any other country in the world whose founding documents allow, nay, demand that its citizens be armed (US Second Amendment; Texas Article I, Section 23); most countries have some article which makes noise about right of security and safety, but never explains how to do that.

As the US Founding Fathers saw, the only way to do that is make every citizen responsible for themselves: individually, folks could protect themselves from criminals; altogether the People would be able to overwhelm any army the government could hope to tyrannize them with. To that end, there's no Constitutional stipulation of a "Royal Armorer" or government approval to make guns. As such, the recent actions of various government agencies (noises about a renewed "assault weapons ban" and ammo taxes and restrictions thru "micro stamping" every bullet with a serial number(?!?)) would make it seem prudent to learn how to make firearms from common household materials, so that the People could fight back, when various laws and agencies make it near impossible to buy guns and ammo thru traditional, legal means.

Mind you, I've heard from assorted gun-rights philosophers that just because the People have the right to own firearms, doesn't mean they also have the enthusiasm necessary to use them when the Government has infringed that right one too many times. Folks seem complacent in thinking, "it doesn't matter that I toil for nearly half the year paying off the taxes from various Federal, State, and local agencies, I STILL HAVE MY GUNS!" or "it's terrible that I fear an IRS audit for the smallest accidental infraction, but I STILL HAVE MY GUNS!" What good is having a right if one is too afraid to exercise it, because of some imagined retribution by tyrants? (I'd point out, that retribution can come all at once, or a little at a time, like we're suffering under NOW!) Even Thomas Jefferson said "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants." (It's kinda pathetic that this link is to a Canadian site, the comments there are pretty fired up for being our far northern neighbours, I should expect that host to be in the US.)(Here is a link to the whole letter, from which that quote comes.)

No comments here about Heller Vs DC

I don't think there's much I could say that hasn't already been said by other gunnies, and much more eloquently than I could manage. Let's say that I'm not surprised by the Antis already crying and whinging their hands about "blood in the streets" and other bullshit every time gun "rights" (that are treated like privileges by them) are restored to The People.

In somewhat related online news, there's a petition to the Lege and the Guvner demanding a return of open carry for Texas Citizens. When I first looked at it a few days ago, there was just under 6K signatures, now it's nearly 15K! On the one hand, this would take away the uncertainty protection that concealed carry gives to everyone: the bad guys don't know who is packing, so they're more hesitant to attack any one person. (However, if they did decide to attack someone, they'd more likely use overwhelming force to negate the possibility of that one being able to fight back.) On the other, this is Texas, it's damned hot in the summer! Others have pointed out the drawback of concealed carry in the heat-- less clothing to conceal well, having to choose a lighter gun with less power so it can be easier concealed, having to go without which defeats the purpose of getting the CHL.

Personally, I think it would be funny if the bars, saloons, taverns, cantinas, pubs, icehouses, etc. had to put the signs back up that read "Please check your gunbelt at the door."