Mom and Ava

Mom and the bride just took off to go shopping. I used the excuse I just got out of the hospital to stay home. I am smoking some salmon this morning. I have had the fillets cure in the brine for the past four hours. They will go in the smoker in about an hour. I have some more leaves to pick up in the back yard. I am just working at that as I can.

The doctor called last night and told I no longer had to give my self shots in the stomach. I was giving myself a shot ever 12 hours since I left the hospital. It was not that bad, but I am glad it is over.

My daughter and her husband are coming over this afternoon and they are bringing Ava who was five months old yesterday. The son in law will help me replace the water line for the ice maker in the refrigerator. I was in the basement the other day and I noticed it was leaking.

I started to run my trap line in the kitchen last night. I ended up catching two mice. I run this trap line every fall. A trap line for those of you who don’t know is a line of traps that are use to catch mink, fox, beaver, coyotes, and all manner of critters for their fur. I have to have a very good year of catching mice in hopes to get enough fur for even a small coat.

http://elmtreeforge.blogspot.com/

Read this

I just got home from the hospital. I have spent the last couple of nights there. It looks like I have thrown some more blood clots into my lungs. I did the same thing last year about this time. I was telling the bride I would like to spend one fall with out going to the hospital.

I spent most of the day watching my youngest granddaughter (Ava). She will be 5 months on the 17th. She is a good baby and not to hard to take care of, but I am here to tell you that I am way out of practice changing dirty diapers. It got done but it was not pretty.

Oh no it is half time and the Chargers are losing 28 to 7.

I woke up at 2:30 this morning. I have not been able to get back to sleep so I decided to get up and do some stuff around the house. We have a self cleaning oven and I figured it would be a good time to clean the oven. Nothing is better than a clean oven with Thanksgiving just around the corner. I push the button and I get an error message. I push the button again and I get the same error message. I pull the stove out to unplug it. I know this will fix it, kind of like doing a reboot. You are not going to believe this, it did not work. I did find some paper work on the back of the oven. It had a fault list and it appears we have a bad door lock/latch., or something that works with it. Being the handy man that I am I will have the bride call the appliance repair guy and get him to come out . The stove still works so we will not have to eat raw food. I don’t mind some of my food raw but spaghetti is a little tough to chew.

I clean leaves out of the back yard yesterday. What a job, it took me the better part of the afternoon to get it mostly done. The bad thing is my trees still have most of their leaves and are waiting until I turn my back to drop them. The backyard tree can be evil like that. The tree I have in the front yard is a whole lot better. It turns a beautiful dark red in the fall and in just one day it drops everything. I can go out there and in one session I can be done. The back yard I will be working on until it snows and the leaves are covered.

The weather guessers say we may have some snow this evening. Snow this early does not last that long. It would be nice to have snow around thanksgiving. Mom is coming out and she loves the snow. Mom is 85 and she still lives alone. I have tired for years to get her to move up here. I don’t think she ever will, but I would love it if she did. I am off to wander around the house and look at stuff I should be doing.

Al Qaeda in Iraq's purported leader vowed on Friday that his fighters would never rest until they have reached Jerusalem and destroy the White House.

America does not get it. These (I am trying to remember I am a Christian) people want to destroy us. Our only hope is to take the war to them. The American people voted Tuesday for the Democratic Party. Al Qaeda said in the same statement that they were glad the American people voted in the dems. What does that tell you? We are fighting for our very existence and most Americans don’t know it.

I am worried, very worried, and you should be too.

The Democrats have taken control of the house and they may take control of the senate. This is not a good day for America; Nancy Pelosi will be speaker of the house. I can see the renewed emphasis on the slaughter of unborn babies, a renewed and accelerated attack on the second amendment. Gay marriage will become the law of the land and the gay agenda will be force on our school aged children.

I believe the vote yesterday was a get us out of Iraq vote. If we go back in time and look at early 60’s. We were in a war similar to the fight we have today, the democrats were in charge and the war escalated out of control. It was the republicans that got us out of the war. The biggest difference in the two wars is the Vietnamese just wanted us gone; the Muslims want to kill us and take over the world.

Neither party is strong on border security but I believe the republicans were a little better. But now I fully except to see amnesty for the illegals. I have no doubt that America will be okay but I see some dark days ahead.

I went to the desert today with my friend Nate. We saw plenty of rabbits as we drove down the dirt road. We got out and walked a little kicking up a few more. All were out of range ad moving fast. I was not feeling very well so we went back to the truck set up some targets and spent the rest of the day target shooting. It was a wonderful time. I brought along an Jack o lantern and we made short work of it. Nate with his 45 acp and me with my 9mm. I have not had very much practice lately with my handguns and it showed. I am determined to get in more practice. If you own guns you might as well be good with them.

We left the house this morning in the pouring rain. I had my doubts that we were going to get out into the desert with out getting into some serious mud. But the weather out there was great and the ground was dry. I look forward to the next trip already.

I dialed a number and got the following recording:
"I am not available right now, but thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes."
~~~~~
At pilots training back in the Air Corps they taught us,
"Always try to keep the number of landings you make equal to the number of take offs you make."
~~~~~ Aspire to inspire before you expire.
~~~~~
My wife and I had words,
but I didn't get to use mine.
~~~~~
Frustration is trying to find your glasses without your glasses.
~~~~~Blessed are those who can give without remembering
and take without forgetting.
~~~~~
The irony of life is that, by the time you're old enough to know your way around,
you're not going anywhere.

~~~~~God made man before woman so as to give him time to think
of an answer for her first question.
~~~~~
I was always taught to respect my elders,
but it keeps getting harder to find one.

~~~~~Every morning is the dawn of a new error

just got back from a very long weekend in Colorado. The bride and I went over to see my son’s new house. We also celebrated our 34 wedding anniversary. This week is a bunch of anniversaries to speak of. Saturday was our 34th, yesterday is four years since my heart attack, and today I have 33 years working for the government.

I had a good time with my son, He is the cop, and he took me down to the city he works in. This is not a very good neighborhood. As a matter of fact he will not even go down there off duty with out a gun. I had a small .380 in the pocket and he carried his 45 ACP.

The bride is thinking we should go to Montana this weekend and see her brother. It is just about the same distance to her brother’s house as it is to my son’s home. Anyway you look at it is an 8 hour drive. But I love going to Montana, it is such a pretty place and just wide open. I know that I have said this before, I love living in the west.

I changed my name back to what it was. I thought "My World" sounded lame.

Sad day in my house, The San Diego Chargers lost to Kansas City Chiefs 27 -30. Bummer

I just got off the phone with my youngest son. They found his car, the steering column had been punched other then that the car was in good shape. The Denver police called him about 7:30 pm and told him to come get his car. The car was still running but low on gas. He had no way to turn it off so he drove it to a gas station and filled it up. All the stations on the radio were set to Spanish speaking stations. (things that make you say hummm)

He got the car home and grabbed a screwdriver and managed to get the car shut off. His plans are to fix the steering column and sale the car. His wife and he are moving into a new house this weekend so the money from the car will come in handy.

I was in Alaska a month ago and had a great time. A couple of things happened that I didn’t blog about. First I was having a great deal of pain in my shoulder. I had an appointment to see an orthopedic doctor when I go back. I figured I need to have surgery on my shoulder. While I was halibut fishing I was reeling in a halibut and something popped in my shoulder. No pain just felt funny, my shoulder felt a lot better, and the next morning my bicep was purple. I mean the whole thing was purple. No pain just purple. I went to the doctor when I get back and explained what had happened. He told me I had cured myself, I had performed surgery on myself. The pop I felt was one of the attach points for my bicep tearing loose. It seems that my bicep was being pinched under a bone in m shoulder and the only way t fix it is to cut the muscle loose. That is what happened.

I also sprained my ankle while I was up there, or so I thought. I went to my doctor yesterday ( the ankle was not getting better) and found out I broke my ankle. So I have been walking around on broken ankle for a month. My doctor laughed t me and want to look in my ears. He said he wanted to see if anything was up there. He told me no pain, no brain. After he hurt my feelings I was given an air splint and sent home.
I was hoping to hit the desert with friend Nate this weekend, but he received word his mom had a heart attack and he is making plans to head for Michigan. My prayers go out to him and his family.

The bride should be back from an interview for a promotion. I have been praying for her. It would be a substantial increase in salary.


Talk about timing, my bride just called. The interview went well, but there is somebody already setting on the position. We all know what that means. It seems that there will be a lot of movement in the organization in the near future, so if not this promotion then the next, only time will tell.

I am hoping that the weather holds good for the weekend. I want to shoot my big bore guns in the worst way. If the weather is good I’ll be headed west. If it rains or snows between now and the weekend I’ll stay home and work on honey does. The oil in the snow blower does need to be changed, and I do need to put some additional insulation in the attic. But the important thing is I am one day closer to retirement.

Somebody stole my son’s car over the weekend. This is the son that is a cop, and I find it a little funny. The car was a 1997 Honda Accorded. It was starting to cause them some grief and they had been thinking about getting a new vehicle. What was really bad is they had just switched from full coverage to liability only. The chances of find the car are next to none. I am sure that it is in a chop shop some place or on it way to Mexico. My son thinks that some punk banger is just joy riding in it. But he is sure that he will never see it again.

I got up Sunday morning, went out to get my newspaper and saw my mailbox lying on the ground. It was cold and dark, I figured it was not going anyplace so I shut the door and drank coffee and read the paper. After the sun came up and I had showered and gotten dressed I went out to see what had happened. I opened the door to see my next door neighbor standing over the mailbox. I yelled “Sandy what did you do to my mailbox” She stammered a little. I explained that I had watched enough cop show to figure out if you come across a crime scene and find somebody standing over it they must be guilty. I examined the mailbox to discover that the wooded post had rotted away and nobody had knocked it over. A trip to Home Depot and I had a new mailbox up and good to go. That was my weekend in a nut shell.

There is a school in Colorado that will only let bilingual children attend full day kindergarten. Hello, this is a public school in America, the United States of America.

Have we lost out minds?

Where did I put that boat?

My trip report

Alaska was fun; the fishing was not all that good. We caught some fish but not like in years past. This picture was the best day of fishing. Everybody brought back salmon, halibut, and ling cod. Everybody had a good time. There was a bear that was bugging some of our guys. I did see the bear but it stayed a good distance away from me. It got within 15-20 yards. Not to me but to the other guys. It seemed that the silver run was bad everywhere and for everyone. But that is way they call it fishing and not catching. I am hoping to go again in two years. If not there to some place up in Alaska. Like I have said the only thing bad I have found about Alaska, it is addicting.

I just got an e mail from a friend telling me he could not comment on my blog. I am not sure what happened but my setting said only members can comment. I don't have any member so I guess no one could comment. I believed I have fixed it. So please say something. Make it nice, I am a sensitive guy

I went to Cabela’s yesterday. For those who don’t know what Cabela’s is it is the outdoor sportsmen’s Mecca. These folks have everything. I was able to hold and fondle at beautiful gold inlaid bolt action rifle valued at $24000. This gun was behind glass in a cabinet in the “Gun Library”. I figured if they didn’t want me to hold the gun they should have locked the cabinet. An employee of the store asked me if I needed help and I told him “no”. I was just looking. We joked about how I could justify the gun to my bride. I could not figure anything so I put the gun back in the cabinet. Now I will be honest in telling you the only thing I have ever bought at Cabel’s is a $5.00 tee shirt. I find all of there stuff in over priced. It is a fun place to walk around and look but I keep my money in my pocket

It looks like North Korea has tested their nuclear bomb. I do not see this as a good thing. The little wacko that runs the country is out of control. I wonder how long it will be until he sells nukes to Islamic nut cases.

Our military is spread to thin, I do support our troops and I do support the war, but I thought we should have finished in Afghanistan before we moved on to Iraq. We have a government in Iraq; they have their own police and army, let’s turn it over and get our boys home. I am not talking about cut and run, I am talking about it is time to move on.

This war on terror will last decades and I would like to see it fought on one front at a time. That is my two cents on the subject.

TWISTED LOGIC

The Pope says that jihad violence is against God's nature, and officials fear that in response, Muslims enraged by this insult will commit... jihad violence.
Muslims murder 3,000 innocents in New York and expect no criticism.
Muslims murder 202 tourists in Bali and expect no criticism.
Muslims murder 333 schoolchildren and their teachers in Beslan and expect no criticism.
Muslims murder 292 innocents, mainly Kenyans and Tanzanians at two US Embassies and expect no criticism.
Muslims murder 241 US and 58 French peacekeepers in Beirut and expect no criticism.
Muslims fire 4,000 Katyusha rockets into Northern Israel killing over 50 innocent civilians and expect no criticism.
Muslims murder 52 in London and 191 in Madrid and expect no criticism.
Muslims murder 200 in Mumbai and expect no criticism.
Muslims behead Western hostages in Iraq, Buddhist monks in Thailand and Christian schoolgirls in Indonesia and expect no criticism.
Muslims murder 500,000 in Darfur and expect no criticism.
Muslims regard Jews as 'sons of pigs and monkeys', and vow to nuke Israel and expect no criticism. Muslims force women to wear hideous sacks, stone to death women for getting raped and for leaving the home unescorted, engage in honor killings of sisters and daughters for unapproved dating, and expect no criticism.
Muslims danced in the streets and handed out sweets to their kids to celebrate the 9/11 atrocity, and still expected no criticism.
Since 9/11 Muslims have killed over 26,000 and wounded over 50,000 in terrorist attacks worldwide since 9/11 and expect no criticism.

Since 9/11 Muslims have committed terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Chad, Chechnya, Dagestan, Denmark, East Timor, Egypt, England, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ingushetia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Jordan-Iraq, Kabardino-Balkans, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Gaza-Palestinian Authority, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Arab Republic, United States, Uzbekistan and Yemen, and still expect no criticism. Muslims have carried out over 5,800 fatal terrorist atrocities since 9/11, and countless thousands since Islamic conquest began in 623 AD and expect no criticism. But if a Pope dares to tell the truth about Islam or Danes publish cartoons about Mohammed, then let the outpourings of Islamic hate and outrage begin. And, by some twisted reach of logic, they demand the Pope issue an apology.

I played hooky from work today. I am getting in shape for my retirement. I took off last Thursday and went down to lake Powell. Just google lake Powell and check the place out. Anyway this gave me a 5 day weekend and I am going to have a two day work week. I will be off next Thursday and Friday. A number of my friends took and early out option and retired last week. The bride and I have talked about me taking an early out if they offer it next fall. It is a big decision and something I will have to think and pray about. Maybe I should pray and think instead, no matter I am going to look long and hard at it next year.

WOODBURN, Ore. — Inching along the dusty field under a broiling sun, Simon Santol tossed garlic bulbs into buckets and chatted with the other stooped-over Mexican workers. The conversation wasn't in Spanish.
Instead, they spoke Santol's native Triqui, or Mixtec, Zapotec or other languages indigenous to the poorest regions of Mexico. Many of the workers can barely get by in English or Spanish.
"It was hard at first," the 28-year-old Santol said in halting Spanish. "We would look for someone who spoke our language and Spanish. Now I have learned a little Spanish.
Does anybody besides me see a problem with this. This fellow is in the United states illegally and he is happy because he has learned some Spanish. HELLO, we speak English here. We are spending tax dollars to help these folks out. Let’s help them out of the country.

I leave Friday afternoon for Alaska; I’ll spend 7 days fishing for salmon. I remember the trip from 2 years ago. What a great time I had. I am really looking forward to this trip. The only down I have with this is my shoulder is giving me fits. I have some bone spurs in my right shoulder and I am been have a lot of pain lately. The bride has gotten me a doctor’s appointment for the 5th of Oct. This guy is supposed to be great. I want the shoulder scoped as soon as possible. We did have to cancel our trip to Pennsylvania, (we were leaving on the 5th) which I am not really happy about. My best friend lives there. We always have a wonderful time. Most of the time is spent fishing and talking stupid. Talking stupid is hard to explain but it does get both of our brides shaking theirs heads. That in it’s self makes it fun.

It is starting to feel like fall. Fall is the season I enjoy the most. I use to spend a lot of time in the mountains every fall, chasing deer and such. I don’t hunt large game anymore. But I have been thinking about doing it again. It would be more about hanging out in the mountains then shooting anything. I have all the guns that would be needed to hunt anything in this part of the world. I would love to go after birds when I get back from the fishing trip. But if I get the shoulder worked on there is not going to be any hunting this fall.

I believe that my tomatoes have all but stopped getting ripe. So I talked the bride into having some fried green tomatoes with dinner tonight. If you have never had fried green tomatoes with ranch dressing you are missing some good grits. Well time to go I’ll post more later.

It has been 5 years since the attack on America. 5 years since the largest mass murder in our countries history. The networks were running unedited tapes last night, from that day. I had overwhelming emotions, same as I did 5 years ago. My emotions from that day have never gone to far away. They have just gone underground in a manner of speaking. In the building I work in there are a number of air force officers from varying countries. A few come from Jordan, Egypt, Oman, Turkey, and Pakistan. Every time I look at these guys I wonder if they are really allies or would they turn on us. I have developed a deep seated caution with these folks. A general distrust anything Muslim. I can not get past the viciousness and cruelty these people have. Do to our porous borders I have to believe that we have sleeper cells living among us.


Last night was the ground breaking ceremony for our church building. The ground breaking was done by the children in the church. It was very nice as about 30 little ones all wearing hard hats and been given little shovels turned the dirt to start the building. So here we have our children the hope of America taking part in a building up our wonderful country on the eve of the anniversary of the worst attack on our country. It seems some what ironic. We had our first meeting of our little church 5 years ago on the 9th of September and just two days later we changed forever. I have driven home for lunch and It did my heart good to see the streets lined with American flags. It looks like it did the days following 9-11. Flags were everywhere. GOD BLESS AMERICA

My wife and I have decided to try the stock market. I have no intention of making my fortune there but I think it my b fun to play with for a little while. I think I am going with Scotttrade.com for my on line broker. I am going to be using Investools to help me make my decisions on my stocks. It looks like the whole market is in a sideways tread right now. So I am not too worried on getting all wrapped up with this. I have been reading that since the 1950’s the worst months in the market are Sep, Oct, and Nov. Anyway it may keep me busy in my retirement, which my come sooner then I think.

Just got home from Chicago. What a fun city, we had a great time. Spent way to much money but had a great time.

You can not bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You can not help small men by tearing down big men.
You can not strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You can not lift the wage earner by putting down the wage payer.
You can not help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You can not keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You can not further the brotherhood of men by inciting class hatred.
You can not establish security on borrowed money.
You can not build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
You can not help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
--Abraham Lincoln

We are getting ready for a long weekend in Chicago. We will leave early Thursday morning and come back mid day Monday. This is just a little adventure for no other reason then the bride said “let’s go to Chicago over labor day weekend”. As I do most of the time I said okay. The only down side I see to this is the fish are really biting out at Wilard bay. It would so much cheaper if I just stayed home and went fishing. Maybe I should talk to the bride about this?

 

Fishing wwas great last night. We threw back more then we kept.  I have my fish in the Smoker right now, should be done just about bed time tonight. 

Ava expressing herself

My weekend started this morning with the dogs deciding that I was no longer tired. That is okay I had to get up to get my coffee anyway. The bride and I both work a compressed workweek. We work 9 hours a day Monday through Thursday and 8 hours every other Friday. That adds up to 80 hours in a pay period. So every other Friday is a day off. We love this arrangement. This is also payday, and we tend to run around and take care of errands.

I have been calculating what my retirement will be when I decide to pull the plug, the numbers look pretty good I have 18 months until I am eligible. 36 months until the house is paid off. Talking with some people that have retired already and they claim everyday is like Saturday. How cool is that?

My daughter and her husband had to run down to Salt Lake City last night; they were buying a used car from private party. So the bride and I had to care for the new granddaughter. Oh my, she was a fussy little thing last night. I had forgotten how much a little bundle of joy could cry. Ava is about 9 weeks old and crying is the only way that she can express herself. No one will ever have to wonder what this child is thinking. She can express herself. But it was fun. The bride would get her all calmed down and hand her off to me. I would hold her until she started to express herself then hand her back to grandma. I like this arrangement.

The bride comes home this afternoon. She has been gone for 8 days. It will good to have her home. I am cooking a spaghetti sauce in the crock pot. The house is pretty much clean; I just have to run the vacuum a little. That is mainly because the dogs are still shedding. I have been feeling a little under the weather the past few days, just tired and achy in my muscle and joints. It seems that something is going around. I know the bride would want to go to the spaghetti factory down in Salt Lake (one of her favorite restaurants) but I don’t think I am up to it. So I am cooking here at home. I am heading to the store as soon as I post this. I need to get some French bread for garlic bread and some cheese.

I never did get to go fishing, my neighbor invited me over to have a bar b qued steak so how could I turn him down. We watched preseason football, Chargers vs. Bears. My Chargers lost big time it is just preseason and it does not count. They play mainly second and third string and to see who will make the team.

I hope everybody has a great weekend and Nate gets over having to fax certificates to the training monitor ;-)

I am planning a fishing trip Friday afternoon. The bride comes home on Saturday so Friday is the last day I don’t need to get kitchen pass. I am hoping to catch a bunch of fish. I want to try out my new smoker on them. I love smoked fish. I bought the smoker for the fish I plan to bring back from Alaska ( I leave in 30 days). But I am going to smoke a chicken tonight. Please no joke about how am I going to light it or how big are my papers. We are all much to mature for low brow humor like that. Besides the chicken wings kept poking holes in the papers, I’ll use a pipe this time. ;-)

My friend Dave from Dave’s place( http://akshot.blogspot.com/ ) is taking a hiatus from blogging. He has had a thorn in his side with an over the top and obnoxious fellow that calls himself prophet of god (pog). I know my buddy Dave used his blog to share about his life his excitement in severing God. I am going miss his posts and hopes he enjoys his new grandson. I am a Christian and I do believe in the ministry of laying on of hands. If I could find pog I would be willing to minister to him with the laying on of hands real fast and frequent. But that is an issue between me and God.

I am looking forward to a quite evening at home with the dogs. I have been staining the deck for the past couple of days. I am at the point where it is all the little stuff that takes so long. So I will put the chicken in the smoker when I get home put on some grubby clothes and get to work.

My sister came home from the hospital today. she says she is feeling alright, just tired.

The bride is gone again; she will be back next Saturday. So again it is me and the dogs with no adult supervision. My buddy Nate from Wasted electrons and I dropped the bride off at the airport 5:30 AM yesterday and headed for the desert with a truck load of guns. We got to my shooting place about 6:30 and it was a beautiful morning. There is nothing like the desert in the morning. I just love it.

We wandered around for a couple of hours, the rabbits were breaking a ways a head of us and we didn’t get many good shots. That is okay it was more about hanging with a friend and shooting guns. We walked back to the truck set up some targets and increased the lead content of my secret shooting place. Nate had gone to a thrift store and bought a bag of plastic figurines that we used for targets. Yes we picked up our trash when we were done. There were a couple of Mickey Mouse figurines; you have no idea what a 230 grain bullet out of a 45 acp can do to Mickey until you shoot the little rodent. All I can say is Mickey went away.


Before the bride left me we went to the movies. We saw World Trade Center. For me it was a very powerful movie. I think it is a must for folks to see. The only knock I had on the flick was they did a Hollywood gun thing. They had a gun start to cook off rounds. The gun started to fire by itself. I am here to tell you there is no way in God’s green earth that this could happen the way they depicted it. But Hollywood makes movies to make money.

I talked to my sister this afternoon, things are going very well. She told me not to make here laugh because it hurts. So I hung up. Not much else going on, I think I will go and stain the deck before I make myself some dinner.

The surgery is done and she did well. She should make a full recovery. Praise God. I only have one big sister and I would like to keep her around for awhile.

I just got a phone call; they canceled my sister’s surgery at the last minute. It looks like the patient before her had complications and it took longer then they had planned. So they wheeled her out of pre op and she is sleeping off her morphine. She is going to go sometime tomorrow

My sister is having a triple bye pass on Wednesday.

Bad News, my sister is in the hospital. They think it may be her heart

Some of the forums I read on line tend to support the second amendment. Most lean a little to the right when it comes to politics. But what I have noticed in every forum there is a thread that warns about a shortage of ammo coming. I am sure that most have noticed an increase in price and a decrease in availability. I bought some ammo at sportsmen’s warehouse at lunch yesterday. Not much, 150 round of 357 mag, 100 rounds of 22 wrf and 50 rounds of blazer (aluminum case) 45 ACP. I want to make sure that the 45 and 357 feed and ejects reliably before I buy a bunch. The price was not bad, $10.99 a box for the 357 and $10.49 a box for the 45. I believe I will head for the gun range this evening and shoot holes in paper. I may post a range report later.

I do have an appointment this afternoon with my eyeball doctor, so the range will depend on what he does to me. There is a chance that I will have my eyes dilated. If that is the case I will not be going to the range. I will sit around the house and watch TV with my sunglasses on.

Back to the ammo, those of you that own guns, I would suggest that you buy as much ammo as possible as soon as possible. It never hurts to be prepared.

Despite cleanups, trash along smuggling routes piles up faster than everBy Tony Davis Arizona Daily Star Tucson, Arizona Published: 07.30.2006After three years of cleanups, the federal government has achieved no better than a 1 percent solution for the problem of trash left in Southern Arizona by illegal border-crossers. Cleanup crews from various agencies, volunteer groups and the Tohono O'odham Nation hauled about 250,000 pounds of trash from thousands of acres of federal, state and private land across Southern Arizona in 2002 to 2005, says the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. But that's only a fraction of the nearly 25 million pounds of trash thought to be out there. Authorities estimate the 3.2 million-plus entrants caught by the Border Patrol dropped that much garbage in the Southern Arizona desert from July 1999 through June 2005. The figure assumes that each illegal entrant discards 8 pounds of trash, the weight of some abandoned backpacks found in the desert. The trash is piling up faster than it can be cleaned up. Considering that the Border Patrol apprehended more than 577,000 entrants in 2004-05 alone, the BLM figures that those people left almost 4 million pounds of trash in that same year. That's 16 times what was picked up in three years. And that doesn't include the unknown amounts of garbage left by border-crossers who don't get caught. Diverse trash found all over "We're keeping up with the trash only in certain locations, in areas that we've hit as many as three times," said Shela McFarlin, BLM's special assistant for international programs. The trash includes water bottles, sweaters, jeans, razors, soap, medications, food, ropes, batteries, cell phones, radios, homemade weapons and human waste. It has been found in large quantities as high as Miller Peak, towering more than 9,400 feet in the Huachuca Mountains, as well as in low desert such as Organ Pipe National Monument and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. It's even started turning up in smaller amounts in hiking areas closer to Tucson, such as Josephine Saddle in the Santa Rita Mountains on the route to Mount Wrightson, says the Southern Arizona Hiking Club. "In the Huachucas, you are almost wading through empty gallon water jugs," said Steve Singkofer, the Hiking Club's president. "There's literally thousands of water jugs, clothes, shoes. You could send 1,000 people out there and they could each pick up a dozen water jugs, and they couldn't get it all." Cleanup not cheap, easy While nobody has an exact cost estimate for removing all the garbage, it's clearly not cheap. But McFarlin agrees with several advocacy groups that without a tightening of controls on illegal immigration, a guest-worker program or other reform of federal border policy, the trash will just keep coming regardless of what's spent. The financial details: ● In 2002, the U.S. estimated that removing all litter from lands just in Southeast Arizona — east of the Tohono Reservation — would cost about $4.5 million over five years. This count didn't include such trash hotbeds as Ironwood Forest National Monument, the Altar Valley, Organ Pipe and Cabeza Prieta. ● Since then, Congress appropriated about $3.4 million for a wide range of environmental remediation measures in all of Southern Arizona. This includes repairing roads, building fences and removing abandoned cars. ● The five-year tab is $62.9 million for all forms of environmental remediation for immigration-related damage across Southeast Arizona, including $23 million for the first year. Waste unhealthy, unsightly Most of the garbage is left at areas where entrants wait to be picked up by smugglers. The accumulation of disintegrating toilet paper, human feces and rotting food is a health and safety issue for residents of these areas and visitors to public lands, a new BLM report says. "It's particularly serious in areas where there are livestock," said Robin Hoover, pastor of the First Christian Church in Tucson and president of Humane Borders, a group that puts water tanks in the desert for the entrants and coordinates monthly cleanups of Ironwood Monument and other sites. "I've even found injectable drugs in the desert," he said. "It's rare when we find that kind of stuff, but there's tons of over-the-counter medication out there. If some cow comes along and eats a bunch of pills, that would be a real sick cow." The trash also isn't good for wildlife, said Arizona Game and Fish spokesman Dana Yost. Birds and mammals can get tangled up in it or eat it, causing digestive problems, Yost said. It's not at all uncommon to find the trash in bears' stomachs, he said. Plastic bags, foil wrappers and certain foods are all problems. Remote areas need more help But clear inroads are being made into the trash problem, said BLM's McFarlin. Using the U.S. money, various local and federal agencies, the Tohono O'odham Tribe, the conservationist Malpais Borderlands Group and student youth corps remove trash from the most obvious and accessible areas, she said. What needs tackling now are more remote areas such as wilderness, mountains and deserts far from major roads, she said. A couple of times, authorities have had to use helicopters or mules to haul stuff out of such areas. This summer, with Border Patrol apprehensions of entrants down, the Tohono O'odham Tribe is seeing less trash on the ground than usual, said Gary Olson, the tribe's solid-waste administrator. "I don't know whether they're hiding their trash or whether they are just not coming," Olson said. But only six weeks ago, No More Deaths, an advocacy group that looks for injured, sick and lost entrants, came across a 10,000-square-foot area five miles west of Arivaca littered with hundreds and hundreds of backpacks. "I've never seen anything that size. It's unbelievable," said Steve Johnston, who coordinates the group's camp near Arivaca

How Long has Islam been at war with us?

November 1979: Muslim extremists (Iranian variety) seized the U.S. embassy in Iran and held 52 American hostages for 444 days, following Democrat Jimmy Carter's masterful foreign policy granting Islamic fanaticism its first real foothold in the Middle East. —

1982: Muslim extremists (mostly Hezbollah) began a nearly decade-long habit of taking Americans and Europeans hostage in Lebanon, killing William Buckley and holding Terry Anderson for 6 1/2 years. —

April 1983: Muslim extremists (Islamic Jihad or possibly Hezbollah) bombed the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, killing 16 Americans. —

October 1983: Muslim extremists (Hezbollah) blew up the U.S. Marine barracks at the Beirut airport, killing 241 Marines. —

December 1983: Muslim extremists (al-Dawa) blew up the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, killing five and injuring 80. —

September 1984: Muslim extremists (Hezbollah) exploded a truck bomb at the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut, killing 24 people, including two U.S. servicemen. —

December 1984: Muslim extremists (probably Hezbollah) hijacked a Kuwait Airways airplane, landed in Iran and demanded the release of the 17 members of al-Dawa who had been arrested for the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, killing two Americans before the siege was over. —

June 14, 1985: Muslim extremists (Hezbollah) hijacked TWA Flight 847 out of Athens, diverting it to Beirut, taking the passengers hostage in return for the release of the Kuwait 17 as well as another 700 prisoners held by Israel. When their demands were not met, the Muslims shot U.S. Navy diver Robert Dean Stethem and dumped his body on the tarmac. —

October 1985: Muslim extremists (Palestine Liberation Front backed by Libya) seized an Italian cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, killing 69-year-old American Leon Klinghoffer by shooting him and then tossing his body overboard. —

December 1985: Muslim extremists (backed by Libya) bombed airports in Rome and Vienna, killing 20 people, including five Americans. —

April 1986: Muslim extremists (backed by Libya) bombed a discotheque frequented by U.S. servicemen in West Berlin, injuring hundreds and killing two, including a U.S. soldier. —

December 1988: Muslim extremists (backed by Libya) bombed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 on board and 11 on the ground.

February 1993: Muslim extremists (al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya, possibly with involvement of friendly rival al-Qaida) set off a bomb in the basement of the World Trade Center, killing six and wounding more than 1,000. —

Spring 1993: Muslim extremists (al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya, the Sudanese Islamic Front and at least one member of Hamas) plot to blow up the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, the U.N. complex, and the FBI's lower Manhattan headquarters. —

November 1995: Muslim extremists (possibly Iranian "Party of God") explode a car bomb at U.S. military headquarters in Saudi Arabia, killing five U.S. military servicemen. —

June 1996: Muslim extremists (13 Saudis and a Lebanese member of Hezbollah, probably with involvement of al-Qaida) explode a truck bomb outside the Khobar Towers military complex, killing 19 American servicemen and injuring hundreds. —

August 1998: Muslim extremists (al-Qaida) explode truck bombs at U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 and injuring thousands. —

October 2000: Muslim extremists (al-Qaida) blow up the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Cole, killing 17 U.S. sailors. —

Sept. 11, 2001: Muslim extremists (al-Qaida) hijack commercial aircraft and fly planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 Americans.

A random gallery of "lone" shooters
By Michelle Malkin · July 29, 2006 06:44 PM
***updated...10pm Eastern-new details about Haq via AP - he "forced his way through a security door by holding a gun to a 13-year-old girl's head"...told 911 dispatcher, "These are Jews and I'm tired of getting pushed around and our people getting pushed around by the situation in the Middle East..."***
***new photo of Haq via AP...***
July 28, 2006Seattle, Wash.Naveed Afzal Haq, 30, is arrested and charged with killing one woman and wounding five others at the downtown Jewish Federation building. The shooter declared "I am a Muslim American, angry at Israel," according to eyewitnesses. "There’s nothing to indicate that it’s terrorism related," according to the FBI.
10pm Eastern update: AP now reporting.
The man suspected in a fatal shooting rampage hid behind a potted plant in a Jewish charity's foyer and forced his way through a security door by holding a gun to a 13-year-old girl's head, the police chief said Saturday. Once inside, police say, Naveed Afzal Haq opened fire with two semiautomatic pistols. One woman, Pam Waechter, 58, of Seattle was killed at the scene. Five more women were wounded.
Haq, 30, was ordered held on $50 million bail Saturday pending formal charges of murder and attempted murder. Haq, a Muslim, told authorities he was angered by the war in Iraq and U.S. military cooperation with Israel. "He pointedly blamed the Jewish people for all of these problems," Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske said at a news conference Saturday.
July 25, 2006Dickinson, Texas.Dr. Wameeth Fadhli is charged with shooting an unarmed bicyclist, who was hit in the chest and shoulder. According to witnesses, the victim was riding his bicycle when a sport utility vehicle pulled alongside and Fadhli reportedly began firing what they described as a pistol. The witnesses told police the shooter was alone and wearing what appeared to be surgical scrubs. Galveston Daily News: "Assistant district attorney Xochitl Vandiver, who recommended [$60,000] bond after conferring with investigators, said the amount was higher than usual for that charge because of concerns for community safety. “At this point, this looks like it could have been just a random shooting, and that makes it a pretty scary crime,” she said." More.
June 25, 2006 Denver, Colorado.Michael Julius Ford kills one and injures five in a shooting spree. Rocky Mountain News: "Reports that Ford was upset about being taunted and harassed at work about his Muslim beliefs were downplayed by police and Safeway Monday, although they continue to look into all possibilities."
June 15, 2006 Owings Mill, Md. Mujtaba Rabbani Jabbar, 24, guns down Paul Schrum, 62, in a movie theater. WBAL: "Detectives said there was no motive for the shooting and that Jabbar did not know anyone in the theatre, including Schrum." WJZ: "The family of the Baltimore County man accused of shooting and killing another man inside an Owings Mills movie theater says the suspect suffered from a mental illness..."
October 2002Black Muslim convert John Mohammed and protege Lee Malvo are convicted for their roles in a three-week, terror shooting spree that claimed ten innocent lives and injured three others. Malvo pleaded insanity. The jihadi snipers revisited.
July 4, 2002Los Angeles, Calif.Hesham Hadayet opened fire at Los Angeles International Airport while standing in line at the ticket counter of Israel's El Al Airlines, killing two and wounding four others before an airline security officer shot him dead. FBI officials initially discounted terrorism and reported on his "despondency" over personal affairs. A year later, the FBI admitted Hadayet's anti-Israel views and characterized his bloody acts as terrorism.
Update - more:
Feb. 23, 1997New York CityAbu Kamal, a Palestinian teacher shoots seven tourists on the 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building, killing one. AP: "'[He carried a note blaming the United States for using Israel as "an instrument' against his people. The note found in Ali Hassan Abu Kamal's pocket contains 'rambling, angry stuff,' and appears to contradict claims by the man's family that the shooting had nothing to do with politics, a high-ranking police source said last night. The letter also expressed anger at France and England for using Israel as 'an instrument' against Palestinians, and indicated that Mr. Abu Kamal planned to vent his anger at the Empire State Building, the source said.'"
March 1, 1994New York CityRashid Baz, a Lebanese livery cab driver, opened fire on a van full of Hasidic Jewish boys on the Brooklyn Bridge, killing one and wounding several others. He was sentenced to 141 years in prison. ME Forum: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) at one point ascribed his motive to 'road rage.' But then, in December 2000, federal authorities changed their minds and announced that Baz’s actions were 'the crimes of a terrorist.'"
***
Good companion reads/links:
LGF notes that mosques are getting extra protection following the murder of Jews.Hugh HewittAndy McCarthyIt's Just DanHyscienceComments at Belmont ClubMatt Rosenberg at SoundPoliticsDaniel Pipes flashback: Sudden Jihad Syndrome
Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch:
[O]nce again the media will ignore the question of why a man who describes himself as a Muslim American angry at Israel would think that murder of innocents was an appropriate outlet for his anger. No one will ever consider whether such behavior is encouraged by the texts and atmospherics of Islam, and if so, what can be done about it.
The shooting came a day after the FBI had warned Jewish organizations nationwide to be on alert after Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon and al-Qaida's second in command urged that the war raging in the Middle East be carried to the U.S. However, the law-enforcement source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there is no evidence Haq was involved with any group.
When (if ever) will law enforcement officials realize that it is enough for Zawahiri and others to say this sort of thing? That that in itself is enough to move some Muslims to act? There doesn't need to be any organizational connection for there to be an ideological connection, an identity of motive and goal.
Yup.
It's the jihad, stupid.

The air conditioning is out in our building at work. It has been out for most of the week. The outside temperatures have been hovering around 100 degrees +/- a couple degrees all week. I just saw a thermometer and it is 84 in the building. This is not motivating me to turn and burn here in the office. By the time I get home I want to do a whole bunch of nothing.

The bride bought a new freezer last night. It will be delivered sometime Friday. She has decided that it will go right where my gun safe is. So I will have to unload the safe and drag to a new home in the basement. The biggest problem I can see with this is the bride will want to help and then she will see the guns. I can hear it now “why do you have some many” She knows I have a bunch but she does not see them all at once. I can only hope that when I say I don’t need any help she will take me up on it. It will just be easier all around.

The bride does not really like guns, but she wants me to own them and she likes the fact I carry one when we go out. I have taken her shooting a couple of times but it is like pulling teeth to get her to go. But that is okay as long as she is happy life is good.

The bride is home safe and sound, it looks like she will be home for three weeks and she is off again. I had a nice dinner for her when she got home. I had the house spotless. But this morning I noticed that under the kitchen sink was flood. Yes I had a leak. I got it fixed for a little bit, but I had drug everything out from under the sink to let it dry out. So the house was not as nice as I had hoped. I spent most of the day cleaning house, splitting wood (winter will be here before you know it), and cooking dinner. I am a tired boy, good nght and God bless.

Talked with the bride last night and it looks like she is coming home Saturday instead of next Tuesday. It will be good to have her home. The heat and humidity back in Okalahoma has taken its toll on her. She is looking forward to coming home, but I think it is more to see the dogs then me. With that I will leave you with “WORDS OF WISDOM”


Two guys from Daniels County are quietly sittin' in a boat at

Fort Peck Montana fishing and suckin' down beer when suddenly

Karnes says, "I think I'm going to divorce my wife - she hasn't

spoken to me in over 2 months."



Earl sips his beer and says,

"You better think it over - women like that are hard to find."

No adult supervision, NONE

It s true, I sent mom home on Wednesday and the bride left today for a 10 day business
trip. I am home alone (except for the dogs), and I get to chose the programs on the TV. I have been watching a "dirty job" marathon. I just had a can of chile for dinner, how much more fun can a man have. Don't forget I am a Christian and I do have some boundaries .

I was going to the desert after I dropped the bride off at the airport. But it is just to hot to go out there. It is suppose to be around 100 degrees today. It was in the 80's at 8:30 this morning. With the meds I am on I don't do well in the heat. I use to love running around the desert anytime of the year, but not anymore.

I did get the oil change in my truck and got my chain saw running. I am getting some new tires for my truck. They had to order them in and they should be here on the 26th. I decided to go with Pirellie ATR 265 70 17. They are a 10 ply tire and should do me well when I haul the trailer. I have only had the trailer out once so far this year. I hope to go the weekend after the bride gets back. I may go the weekend she is gone, but for some reason she does not want me to take off by myself. I mean it has been almost 10 months since I have been in the hospital, and you don't live forever. Now if my buddy Dave from Dave's place was to show up he and I could have a great time running around the mountains fishing and stuff like that. Dave and his wife have some plans to tour the US someday. They are from Scotland and I am looking forward to them showing up on my door step someday.

I think I wil head upstairs now and do some time on the staionary bike and the tread mill. I can workout just fine as long as it is air conditioned and I have a celling fan going, plus a remote for the TV

Interesting

Alaska
More than half of the coastline of the entire United States is in Alaska.



Amazon

The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20% the world's oxygen supply. The Amazon River pushes so much water into the Atlantic Ocean that, more than one hundred miles at sea off the mouth of the river, one can dip fresh water out of the ocean. The volume of water in the Amazon river is greater than the next eight largest rivers in the world combined and three times the flow of all rivers in the United States.



Antarctica
Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country. Ninety percent of the world's ice covers Antarctica. This ice also represents seventy percent of all the fresh water in the world. As strange as it sounds, however, Antarctica is essentially a desert. The average yearly total precipitation is about two inches. Although covered with ice (all but 0.4% of it, i.e.), Antarctica is the driest place on the planet, with an absolute humidity lower than the Gobi desert.



Canada
Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined. Canada is an Indian word meaning "Big Village."



Chicago
Next to Warsaw, Chicago has the largest Polish population in the world.



Detroit
Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, carries the designation M-1, named so because it was the first paved road anywhere.



Damascus, Syria

Damascus, Syria, was flourishing a couple of thousand years before Rome was founded in 753 BC, making it the oldest continuously inhabited city in existence.



Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey, is the only city in the world located on two continents.



Los Angeles
Los Angeles's full name is El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula --and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size: L.A.


New York City
There are more Irish in New York City than in Dublin, Ireland; more Italians in New York City than in Rome, Italy; and more Jews in New York City than in Tel Aviv, Israel.



Ohio
There are no natural lakes in the state of Ohio, every one is manmade.



Rome

The first city to reach a population of 1 million people was Rome, Italy in 133 B.C. There is a city called Rome on every continent.



Siberia
Siberia contains more than 25% of the world's forests.



S.M.O.M.

The actual smallest sovereign entity in the world is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M.). It is located in the city of Rome, Italy, has an area of two tennis courts, and as of 2001 has a population of 80, 20 less people than the Vatican. It is a sovereign entity under international law, just as the Vatican is.



Sahara Desert
In the Sahara Desert, there is a town named Tidikelt, which did not receive a drop of rain for ten years. Technically though, the driest place on Earth is in the valleys of the Antarctic near Ross Island. There has been no rainfall there for two million years.



Spain
Spain literally means 'the land of rabbits.'



Roads

Chances that a road is unpaved in the U.S.A.: 1%, in Canada: 75%.



Texas
The deepest hole ever made in the world is in Texas. It is as deep as 20 empire state buildings but only 3 inches wide.



United States

The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one-mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.



Waterfalls

The water of Angel Falls (the World's highest) in Venezuela drops 3,212 feet (979 meters). They are 15 times higher than Niagara Falls.

Mom goes home tomorrow; it has been a good visit. But she does not want to move up here yet. I asked her what she wanted to talk about and she got a blank expression on her face and said “what”. She said there was nothing that she wanted to talk about. So I figure one of us is going down hill, I just don’t know which one.

It has warmed up here, this morning at 5:15am it was 75 degrees. That constitutes warm in my book. I figure we will get up into the 90’s by this afternoon. I took the dogs for a walk yesterday evening and we only put in a ½ mile. It was just to warm. When we got home the dogs flopped on the tile floor and would not move. I guess if I walk them it will have to be in the mornings. The only problem is I start work at 6:00am so there is not a lot of time to wander around the neighborhood.

I had a very nice post to my blog and I got kicked off, lost everything. I am not sure I can recapture the beauty of my words but I will try.

It is the 4th of July, flags are flapping, fireworks are going off and we are having a bar b que this evening. Mom is enjoying her visit, but it does not seem like she wants to move in with us yet. She did get her drivers lisense back. So in my sisters words "Lord have mercy on our souls", mom is not the best driver. As a matter of fact she scares me to death. But she is allowed to drive again, now she just has to get her car fixed. Times like this I wish I was not 800 miles away.

The bride and mom are at the store right now. I did get a phone call from them and they had already spent $65 at the first fireworks stand they stopped at. No telling how much this is going to cost. But I am sure it is going to be fun. I want to wish everyone a safe and happy 4th.
God Bless you all and God Bless America

I am totally bummed; I have been having a lot of trouble with my computer. I can not reply or post to anybodies blog. Unless maybe everybody has blocked me all at once, but I am not being uppity and not talking with folks I just can’t. Bummer

Mom is coming to town today; she will be here about two weeks. The main thrust of her visit is to see her new great granddaughter. Ava is her third great grandchild and is going on two weeks old. I figure I should get mom up here before all the new wears off this child. The bride and I will take off from work about 10:00 this morning (heading for the airport) and I’ll be off all next week. The only trouble I have with taking off that long is management can see a spike in production when I leave. I have never figured out the correlation between the two, but I have heard some ugly rumors.

Mom says she has something to talk to us about when she gets here; she likes to hold things in suspense (I believe it is for dramatic emphasis). I think and I am hoping that she has decided to move in with us. Mom is 85 years old; her car has just broken down, not that that matters much anymore, she has just lost her driver's license. There are no grocery stores left in the old neighborhood, no gas stations, not that that matters (see above). Plus there is no family. She has lived in the same house since 1957. It will be a hard thing for her to move on, but I have told her many times I want her to move up and she has grand kids and great grandkids all over the place up here. I am starting to have the basement finished off and I will make it into a nice apartment for her, about a 1000 square feet. She will have her own door to the backyard and we have the two dogs to keep her company while the bride and I are at work. Anyway I’ll post more as the weeks wear on.

The Miami seven, I am talking about the seven men arrested in Miami for planning terrorist attacks on the USA. Five of these men are American citizens, one is a naturalized citizen, and the last is an illegal alien. They wanted to “kill all the devils they could”. I am assuming that the devils are anybody who is not them. By them I am meaning Muslims. This is a war being waged against the western civilization, and I believe it will get much worse.. I am not sure how we as everyday citizens can handle this. I know most Americans stick their head in the sand and go about their daily routine. Our elected representatives won’t do anything, in fear they may alienate some obscure voting block. I am not sure what I can do more then write letters. I do pray and I believe God answers prayer, but I want to shake my fellow Americans and tell them to wake up.


Next time you go by a mosque in your neighborhood, stop and wonder what they are preaching in there. Is it innocent talk, or is it one of the many mosques that is preaching hate and death to the infidel

It looks like my machine at home is running. So I hope to be able catch up on my email and blog.

I had my computer up and running last night, but that was yesterday and yesterday gone. I got up this morning to answer some e mails and go read some blogs and I could not sign on. Last night I had reinstalled Windows and installed some updates from MSN and most everything was good. It would still kick me off line when I clicked on an embedded link. I really don’t want to spend the money for a new computer. My oldest son builds computers for a hobby, and told me that he could build a screaming machine for about $500 plus the cost of the software. For what I do with a computer a screaming box is not necessary. A little e mail, a little blogging, and sell a little something on e bay. How much computer do I need? People buy way more technology then they need, they waste money on too many gadgets that are not necessary. Take for example microwave ovens, how many people use them for more then warming up leftovers or popping popcorn? But they get the one with delayed start, meat probes, auto defrost, price driving buttons. The same with washing machines, the washer and dryer I have must have twenty different settings and I don’t think we use more then two. I digress, I don’t need a super fast machine, I don’t need a bigger hard drive, All I need is to get on line when I want and blog a little. Maybe look up some stuff on line.

I am amazed at the response to the tortured and mutilated bodies of our servicemen captured in Iraq. Other then Fox News I have not heard much. These two young men were butchered so bad that they have to use DNA to make sure who they are. The main stream media says nothing. But if one of our brave men or women says something off color to the detainees at Gitmo all hell breaks lose. I just don’t understand why our own countrymen turn against our troops. Where and when did we lose the country? Where and when did we lose the guts to right wrongs, to fight for the underdog, to fight for our freedom?

We are trying to fight a civilized war against 7th century barbarians whose only desire is “to kills us where they find us”. This statement can be found in the Quran. These butchers would love nothing more then to come to the United States and start the same campaign that is ongoing in Iraq. Between this and the violent gangs making runs across our southern border it is no wonder why I carry a gun everyday.
‘.

Such a weekend I have had. The bride had surgery of Friday so I have been stepping and fetching all weekend. Then Saturday afternoon my daughter gave birth to a brand new baby girl. It was a nice Fathers Day gift. My son from Colorado is in town with his wife, so they headed up to the hospital with us. We met the other set of grandparents there. Then the father’s sister arrived and we had a room full. We took turns passing the little angel from grandparent to grandparent and to all the aunts and uncles. I have a number of pictures, but my home computer is so messed up. I can not get on line at all. So you will have to wait to see the prettiest little girl in the world.

My mom is coming up on the 29th to see the baby. This is her third great grand baby and she is very excited. She will spend the better part of two weeks with us. I have been trying to get her to move here for a long time. She is 85 and has just lost her drivers license, plus her car broke down. Maybe I can talk to her a little when she arrives.

My son got the phone call yesterday. He will be employed by the Commerce City police department starting 26 June. It would be an understatement to say he is excited. As I said before I wish he would have taken the job in the small mountain town. It would have been like Barney and Andy in Mayberry, but Commerce City is like East LA and it is called Combat city. The boy said he wanted to be a cop in a busy department and I think he is getting his wish. I do approve of his choice of firearms; He has a full size Glock in 45 acp. I believe it carries 13+1 that is a lot of firepower. I don’t know what the department’s standard is but I would vote for Cor Bon +p 230gr HP. But that is me.


The boy’s cousin is a Douglas county deputy sheriff in Colorado. He has been decorated for Valor and is on the swat team. It looks like he has taken a leave of absents from the sheriff office to go to Iraq to train Iraqi police officers. So he may end up seeing his brother who is stationed over there right now. The only difference is one is a private first class making almost not enough money and his brother is going over as a contractor and will make $90,000 in six months, tax free. What a deal.

I had a long talk with my nephew last night. He is station in Iraq. It is good to know that he is safe. It was 3:30 am desert standard time (I just made that up) when he called. His job right now is to train the Iraqi police. They have to truck them out in the middle of the desert to insure that they don’t run home if it gets a little tough. He sounded very tired and a little frustrated. We talked about his future plans, and family. He wants to go to Japan when he gets out an attend school there. This is the same young man that got himself stuck in Hong Kong a couple of years ago. But he has grown up some in the Army and I hope that he finds what he is looking for in Japan. His parents are not happy about these plans, and I believe this is a source of tension between them. If he were my kid I would not be happy about these plans, but he is the bride’s sister’s kid. I do worry about him headed over there but I figure if he has fought in a war for our country and he wants to try Japan then he should give it his best shot. Maybe you wonder what the attraction is for him over there, well he likes oriental girls. I am not sure I would base my whole future on a bunch of really cute girls, but he is 21 and I am 53.

It has warmed up here; I guess it is going to be in the 90’s today and mid 80’s for the rest of the week. I have a pretty good to do list for this evening, should keep me busy.

Got a phone call from my youngest son last night, He is living in Colorado with his wife. His dream is to be a cop. He has gone thought the police academy and has a job at a local collage as the campus police. The position is an actual law enforcement position but they are not regarded to highly. The boy called to tell us that he has been offered a job at Commerce City. This is one of the toughest places in Colorado; the locals call it Combat City. He has a started date of 26 June. All he has to do now is pass a couple tests to see if he is fit to serve. I am pretty sure that they are a formality at this point. If you could keep the boy in your prayers I would appreciate it.

I have another prayer request. The bride just called and said she wants to go to dinner with her friend. These girls have been friends for the better part of 30 years. Anyway the friend’s youngest daughter has been a pain in the butt for a number of years. She has two children out of wed lock and pretty much lives off welfare. It is sounding like she is suicidal right now. This girl had everything going for her. Great parents and a wonderful upbringing. At one point her and my youngest son were going together. Anyway if you think about her say a few words.

I am still having trouble with my MSN Explorer. I can get to most of my stuff but I have to take the long way around the barn. I spent two hours with Tech support last night and we could fix nothing. I can not get to my favorites list, or my address book. I am sure that the President, Senator Hatch, and Senator Bennett will be happy. (just kidding I will get their e mail again). I will have to build my favorites again. I was thinking about heading to the desert today and go shooting, but the bride said she wanted to go see some chick flick. It is tough when you are domesticated.

I got my computer back last night. It works very well, except when I am on line with MSN, seems every time I click on an embedded link I get booted. My buddy Nate sent me a couple of links in an e mail. I click on the links and MSN shut down. If I go to a web site and click on a link I get booted. I have tried to go to tech support but when I click on that page it says “page is not available” I am guessing that I have a corrupt file someplace. So you wonder what I am going to do now, I’ll tell you. Tonight I am going to organize my tackle box and I am going fishing in the morning. Then in the evening I am going to work in my garden. It is suppose to get to 90+ degrees this weekend so I think it is much better to work in the evening. You may be thinking that it would be better to work in the garden in the morning, but if I did that I may be too tired to go fishing. I’ll take care of the important stuff first and then if I have the energy……………

My computeris broke, I am using the neigbor,s wireless laptop to post. when I get my computer back I may have to get a wireless router and a laptop. I hope to have my machine back sometime this week.

Found this and liked it

"President Bush when will you stop trying to reward illegal aliens who have no reguard for our laws and start paying attention to the wishes of law abiding citizens of United States of America ?"

I got back Sunday afternoon from a three day fishing trip to Flaming Gorge reservoir. For those of you that have never been there it is a place of rugged beauty. It was fairly warm and windy. Friday evening we were blown off the lake by a thunder storm. We retreated to the warmth and safety of the trailer. I went with my youngest son’s father in law. It works out very well he has the boat and I have the trailer. The only down side to this trip was the cost of fuel. I spent right at a hundred dollars on fuel. I stopped at the town of Mountain View Wyoming and was excited to find diesel for $3.03 a gallon. So on that note the bride and I have decided to camp close to home this year and not every weekend. Not that we have ever camped every weekend, but this year for sure. This next weekend is Memorial Day weekend there is no way I would head to the mountains for camping. Everybody and their kids will be camping. So I figure around the 3rd of June we may head to a place called Smith and Moorehouse reservoir, very pretty and some good fishing.

I posted a couple of weeks ago that I am not happy with my management at work and I have developed a bit of an attitude. Will things have not changed and I am still unhappy. I have put out feelers for a new position but no luck so far.

The President of Mexico will be in Utah later this month. I have every intention of going to Salt Lake City and protest. This man is no friend of the United States, and we should not be duped into thinking so. He encourages illegal immigration, he even has his government handout how to books. His troops have been seen transporting illegal’s to less secure border crossing points. The Mexican army has made many incursions into the states. He should not be allowed in the country

Do you ever do something that is dumb and you could just kick yourself for it. I was out getting the camp trailer ready for next weekend. Flushing all the anti freeze out of the lines making sure all the equipment is in running order. I turn the by pass line to the hot water heater and find that I have water every where. It looks like the tank is cracked. The only way this could have happened is I did not drain it correctly last fall. It looks like it is going to cost me close to $500 to get it fixed. I am not very pleased with myself right now. Yep, I am not happy at all.

I figured out what my problem is with my dog and my garden. There is a mouse living in the fence behind the garden. Foxy is just trying to get the mouse, but my flowers are paying the price. I have scolded her a couple of time and replanted the flowers, but to no avail. I have one marigold plant that I have planted three times now. I am trying to figure out how to set some traps without the dogs getting into them. I would like to set up on the deck with a .22 but I am sure the neighbors would get all uppity.

Is it not against the law to aid someone in the commission of a crime? If this is true then why aren’t the people that place the water stations in the desert for the illegal aliens arrested? Why aren’t the water stations torn down by law enforcement or concerned citizens? If the illegal aliens know that the water is gone maybe they would think twice about trying to come over, at least in that location.

I had blogged before I left town how I was working in the garden planting flowers and such. The dogs were helping me as much as they could. Durning the two weeks I was gone it appears that the dogs continued to work in the garden. They dug some fine holes and moved some of the flowers to much better locations in their mind. So I will be buying more flowers on the way home from church. The bride continues to remind me how much joy the dogs bring into our lives. :-(

I am home safe and sound. It has been a long two weeks, we gota lot of work done plus I was able to have a little fun. It is very good to be home.

This is a pretty good read

http://www.anncoulter.com/cgi-local/welcome.cgi

I leave Monday on a two week business trip. I’ll be in Long Beach California. This is a good trip and I take it every year for the past four years. But this year I just don’t want to go. I spent today working in the yard, planting flowers, and ground covering. I had a good time. I did find it is hard to work in the garden when you are down on all fours and you have two dogs licking you in the face. The pups would sit down on the newly planted plants. All I could do was shake my head and laugh. They did seem to enjoy helping me work in the garden. So I guess I am saying I would much rather stay home and work in the yard and play with the dogs then go to Long Beach. . The bride will come out and spend part of the time with me. So that will make it a little more bearable. I think when I do come back from this trip I will pursue a new position. I just don’t think I can handle working for my managers anymore. Time will tell. I will try and blog from the hotel. If not I’ll be back in two weeks.

Have you ever had an instance on the job where you feel your management has just reached up and slap you across the face? That happened to me this week. I am not going into detail here, but I have been looking at retirement options, and maybe a new position.
I will be out of town for the next two weeks. I have two conferences, one I attend and brief and the second I chair. This should give me time out of the office to figure out what I am going to do. I will probably let things settle down and just keep doing what I am doing. I will just have a bitter taste in my mouth for some time to come.

Okay here is the deal. My buddy Nate at http://wasted_electrons.blogspot.com/ has tag me in some sort of blog game that I really don't have a complete grasp of. But I am suppose to answer the question below (which I have done) and tag four other folks. I managed to tag two and I am very proud of myself. Dave and Mike, sorry guys but you are the only ones I could think of. I guess at this point you cut and paste the question on your blog and tag four others. Not sure where this goes but Nate caught me at a weak moment.

Four jobs I have had in my life:
Busboy
Sheetmetal mechanic
Aircraft launch and recovery mechanic (catapults on air craft carriers)
Technical Content manager for the F-16 Nonnuclear munitions loading manual


Four movies I could watch over and over:
Red Dawn
The man who shot liberty Valance
Young Guns




Four websites I visit regularly:
http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/
http://www.msn.ebay.com/
https://www.ammoman.com/webstore_home.htm
http://www.michellemalkin.com/
http://www.anncoulter.com

Four of my favorite foods:
Fried chicken
Halibut
Bacon cheese burger
Pizza

Four most wonderful places I've been:
Venice Italy
Washington DC
New York city
My buddies farm in Felton PA
The foot of the Cross (This should be first)



Four songs I could listen to every day:
Norwegian wood (Beatles)
angry American (Toby Keith)
Beer for my horses (Toby Keith and Willie Nelson)
When I was young ( The Animals)

Four people I'm tagging:

Dave: http://akshot.blogspot.com/
Mike: http://Walter-family.blogspot.com/

My yougest son, his wife and thier dogs are here for a visit. We are having a great time. It started out a little rough with their dogs and our dogs. Well our dogs are brats and did not like strange dogs in the house. But it has worked out and they are romping around the yard. My son and I where out in the backyard last night enjoying a fire in the fire pit and watching the dogs play. Very nice time.

It appears to me that the government is looking at the illegal immigration as one huge problem. This approach is the wrong way to handle the problem. Instead of guest worker, amnesty, free health care, and authorization form more border patrol agents (but no money to pay them) our elected officials should take the issue one step at a time. If a town is flooded in a storm what is the first thing you do? Stop the flow of water, then you being to rebuild. If there is a house fire, what is the first thing you do? Put the fire out, then you start to rebuild. If a building is infested with termites what is the first thing you do? Destroy the termite colony then repair the building. If your country is being invaded by millions of illegal aliens what is the first thing you do? Secure the borders stop the flow and then you start to rebuild the country.

There has been a very impressive turn out of illegal aliens protesting across our country the past few days. They demand not to be treated like criminals, but they broke the law to get here. They demand that laws be passed so they can be legal, by passing all the steps that legal immigrants have taken to become citizens of our land. Last week they showed their true allegiance by marching with the Mexican flag. Flying the Mexican flag over the American flag as was done in California. They protest with immunity, knowing that the American government will do nothing to apprehend the law breakers.

Now I question why the illegal aliens don’t protest in their own country. If they can such a great turn out here in the United States think of what the turn out could be in their homeland. They can carry their signs demanding jobs, heath care, schools, even collage education. Not paid for by the American tax payer., No where do I see it is our responsibility to better the economy of Mexico, Honduras, China, or any other country. The illegal aliens should go home make demands of their government.
Our government should secure our borders, all of them. When and only when we can secure our borders we should discuss a guest worker program. But any guest worker would have to come from their country of origin. Start at square one and do it legal.

 Looking down my street

It is a lovely springday in Utah.  It has been snowing all day

The news reports that somewhere between 2-6 billion dollars are sent out of the country by illegal aliens, it is the second largest source of revenue for the mexican government. This money is taken out of the US economy which I am sure is slowing the growth of our economy. I will write my senators asking them to propose a law requiring proof of legal residency to ship money out of the country. I know it does not seem to do a lot of good to write letters but I am hoping that the senators from the great state of Utah will listen. I am sure that a proposed law like this would spark further protest, but this would take away some of the incentive to invade the United States. Plus it would be much easier to enforce then wholesale deportation, which I am not opposed to.

We are losing our country to a foreign invasion and the government wants to reward the invaders. I don’t understand this mentality. America was made great by immigrants. Legal immigrants, if you ever have a chance to go to Ellis Island read to conditions that were laid on the immigrants who entered the country legally. If you asked for government assistance you were sent back. If you were a criminal you were sent back. If you were sick you were sent back. The list goes on, but the illegals that come here now have an attitude of entitlement and the government seems to agree with them after all it is our tax money that is supporting them.

There is a lady in my office that had to take her kid to Primary Children’s Hospital for one reason or another. As she told the story the waiting room was packed with mexican families and not a word of English was to be heard. She asked what was going on. The staff at the hospital said that the majority of the folks there were not US citizens and indicated they were here illegally. She was also told that if they don’t have insurance that the bill would be written off. If I was a betting man I would bet on them not having insurance. Now for some reason the lady’s insurance did not go through and she was sent a bill. She called to straighten out the insurance problem and asked why her bill was not written off. The lady got her insurance straighten out and the bill was taken care of but it does make you wonder why an American citizen has to pay and an illegal immigrant does not.

Movie review

Failure to launch is the story of a 35 year old still living at home and his parents hire a young woman to get him to move out. This is a funny movie and the bride and I really enjoyed it. I may like to see it again someday. Worth the money

What a day, we had a little of everything. Snow, Rain, sleet, hail, thunder, and lighting. So I did not go fishing; but I did go to a small gun show, a garage sale, and went shooting. At the gun show I bought 500 rounds of 38 spl that came in an ammo can. I also picked up 50 rounds of .380. On the way home I saw the garage sale so I stopped by and I picked up a high chair for when the new grandbaby comes over. My daughter is due at the end of June. When I got home with all my stuff I grabbed my Marlin lever action rifle, chambered in .357 ran up the canyon and did some shooting. It was pouring down rain and snow. So I put my ear plugs in a shot out of the cab of the truck. State law says you are not allowed to shoot out of a vehicle, but I did not see any harm. I was not hunting and nobody else was around for miles. It was a lot easier to pick up my brass when I was done it was all on the floor of the truck. I wonder if there would be a market for a drive through shooting range. You could shoot for the comfort of your air conditioned vehicle. You could run by after taking the bride to the grocery store, pop of a hundred rounds or so and head home before the ice cream starts to melt. The bride could shoot from the back seat or do her crocheting while you shoot. I see this as a win win situation.

The week is done and I am very glad. This has been a fairly stressful week. But it is alright I got done a lot of what I need to at work. I am hoping to go fishing tomorrow or at least hit some yard sales, maybe both. We have been invited to the neighbor’s house for dinner tonight. I do believe they want to show off their new kitchen. So I will go pick out a nice bottle of wine and plan on an enjoyable evening.

On Monday, hundreds of clerics, students and others chanting "Death to Christians!"

Well, well, well, it looks like our Muslim brethren are demonstrating their peaceful religion.
This demonstration took place in Afghanistan after he guy that had converted to Christianity was released from prison. He had faced the death penalty for leaving Islam. Makes you wonder how many of the Islamic tribe are there because they don’t want to give up their life. I listen as one Islamic cleric said” There should not be a trial, he should have his head caught off right away”

This new government in Afghanistan is not much better then the Taliban. I believe the only reason they listen to the United States on this is the one billion dollars we are spending over there every month. We kicked the Taliban and Al Qaeda (they are the ones that attacked us) out of the country. Now let’s pick up our toys and go home.

I these people have a different mind set then the west and would just as soon chop off our heads as to look at us. I have read the passage in the Koran that says kill the Christian and the Jew where you find them. (That is not a direct quote, but pretty close for an infidel). I honestly believe given a chance that the Muslim population in the US would rise up and riot like they do in Europe.

I believe that we are in the early stages of World War III, maybe not even the early stages. But this is only going to get worse as our two cultures clash.

Movie review

The bride and I saw "Inside Man" yesterday. I am here to tell you that the movie was okay. I heard great reviews of this flick and I was ready for a real nail biter and it was okay. The langauge is very rough, the plot and suspense almost make it. Would I go see it again? No. Did it keep me from doing chores around the house? Yes.

I was in the airport this morning waiting to board my plane to come home. I went to buy a cup of coffee and the lady next to me ordered a "double espresso decaf" I thought to myself "what is the point?"

It is 10:15am, it has been snowing most of the morning and I figure I have about 6 inches piled up and it is still coming down. The bride and I skipped church this morning. We have a nice fire going in the fireplace. She has gone upstairs to do some laundry. I need to pack and get ready for a business trip. I leave in the morning and will be back Thursday afternoon. If the weather clears up and is good when I get back I am thinking of going fishing for some walleye. Those are some good eating; I have also been toying with the idea of getting a smoker. I am heading back to Alaska this fall an there is nothing better them smoked salmon. I better go throw some more wood on the fire and visit with the bride. You all have a great day

It had eleven years since we had a dog. In recent months we acquired two. A pure breed Corgi and a Corgi /Pomeranian mix (we think). We rescued both dogs. These are fun dogs and have brought smiles and laughter into the house. But this morning at 3:15 am, I was awoken from a deep sleep with the front feet of Foxy (corgi) firmly planted on my head with her nose in my face saying in her own little way “hey dad I got to go, get up” So I stumbled down stairs, grumbling all the way with the two dogs jumping around my feet as if to say “get moving old man we got to go”. I put the dogs out in the back yard and crawled back into bed. I tried to go back to sleep. It has not gone to well. After laying there for forty-five minutes, the dogs started to bark. I stumbled from the bed one more time. That is why I am setting here at 5:00am drinking coffee and blogging. The dogs have been let back into the house and they are not to be seen. I have a strong suspicion that they have gone back up stairs and are sleeping with the bride. I have been trying to figure out who is training who?

This very day my grandson turns 7. My niece turns 21. So my mom has a grandchild and a great grandchild both born on the same day. Someone asked me what are the odds of that were. I figure it is 1 in 365. Anyway we are going to party with the grandkids tonight.

www.cabelas.com

Cabelas this is one of, if not the largest sporting goods stores in the world. It is the Mecca for sportsmen. Just last year Utah got their very own Cabela’s, and the masses have flocked to the store. I too have made the trip (twice) and it is, let’s say interesting. The store is huge. They have everything that you could every want for the outdoors. They have an aquarium with most of the game fish you would find in Utah. They have the gun library with some of the most beautiful (and expensive) guns you could hope to own. I would have a hard time spending $18,000 for a rifle, but that is just me. You can make an all day trip down to Cabelas. But the prices are not very good. As a matter of fact I think they are high. I have yet to buy anything (other than a $5.00 tee shirt) from these guys. I have looked at and handled many of their firearms and have been put off by the price. There is no deal on ammo or anything else. I guess I am trying to say that I have been disappointed. You can find much better deals at Wal-mart or Sportsmen’s warehouse for your everyday going out to the field and having fun trip. Anyway I can not see me making the 100 mile round trip to Cabelas again. If I happen to be driving by I may stop but they will have to be having a sale.

Utah is a right to carry state. This means if you want to carry a concealed gun the state has to prove that you are unfit. You have to take a concealed carry class, pass a federal, and state back ground check. Your finger prints are on file with both levels of government. The initial cost will run about $120 the permit is good for 5 or 7 years, I forget which one it is. Then it is a $5.00 renewal fee for 5 or 7 years. It is no big deal. Other then they take your God given right to self defense and make it a privilege. But that is another rant. I have a buddy that carries his gun everyday; he is a good guy and is good around guns. But he has not gotten his carry permit. I have talked to him a couple of times and asked why? I get a shoulder shrug and an “I should get one“ I have explained to him that it is a $10,000 fine and up to a year in jail if he gets caught. I honestly hope he wises up and gets the permit or he does not carry anymore. It is a big risk

The weekend is over and it is back to wotk in the morning. I now have one year and fifty one weeks till I can retire. I know that I will work longer then that but I can’t wait until I am eligible. It will be a good feeling. I will be on the 2/10/12 plan. You tick me off 2 time by 10:00 I’ll be gone by 12:00.

http://familywatchdog.us/

I heard about this web site on Bill O'rielly tonight. If you want to find registered sex offenders in your neighborhood give this a try