Burning down the house

I know it's cynical of me to say this, but I actually hope that economic conditions continue to worsen. Why? Simply for this reason alone: Every time the fed/congress makes a move that is ineffectual in improving the US economy, which essentially means every move they make, they further expose themselves as the charlatans they are. Eventually, even the thickest US citizen will come to see that those in DC are nothing more than the equivalent of "that man behind the curtain."

*****

No one person, group, or country can evade reality forever. Reality states that consuming more than you produce is, eventually, a one-way ticket to ruin. In fact, the only possible way one can consume more than they produce is by taking it from another who has produced more than they can, or care to, consume. This is the state of our economy today. We, as a nation, are consuming more than we produce. The way we can do this is via foreign investment of around two billion bucks a day in promises to repay with future taxes. Without that daily infusion of money, we wouldn't be able to function in the way we have been conditioned to expect. Take it away and things get ugly fast. Reality will reassert itself and demand to be heard, and its message will be this: Live within your means or perish.

This does not mean that I think credit and borrowing are bad, for under the right circumstance, they are not. The right circumstance means one would use that money in a way that helps to produce more income, such as when a business buys a piece of equipment that makes them more productive. If the loaned money won't help one become more productive, it shouldn't be asked for. Borrowing should not be looked at as another income stream, as it is with the US government, and too many US citizens, today. Using borrowed money to finance consumables that produce nothing but an obligation is irresponsible, immature, and immoral.

It is impossible to get something for nothing in this universe, but that's exactly what the electorate has come to believe, and it shows via the representatives they elect and keep in office. Somewhere along the line, this something-for-nothing fantasy will answer to reality. I believe we are seeing reality's preliminary questioning of the fantasy now, with a full-blown interrogation to follow.

*****

All of the babble we are hearing today about this or that financial shenanigan is merely obfuscation for the undeniable fact that we have violated the key principle of living within our means and not spending more than we make. Until we, as a nation, face our profligate ways soberly, the kindling for the eventual fiscal meltdown will continue to pile higher and higher and make the coming conflagration more and more destructive.

Take care.
DAL357

Range report

Yesterday, I made my more-or-less monthly 40-mile-each-way sojourn to the range for some R&R. This time, I dragged the chronograph along to clock a new load I bought for my S&W Model 642, the slickest little carry revolver ever devised. Earlier in the week, I had purchased a box of Federal .38 Spl. +P 158 gr. LSWCHP ammunition, the so-called "FBI load," and I was anxious to see how it performed in the little snubby. (Of course, the 642 wasn't the only gun I took, but more on that later.)

I've usually carried and fired loads with lighter bullets in the 642, namely 110 gr. and 125 gr. But, although I've known about the FBI load and its real-world efficacy for years, I've never tried it. That changed yesterday. The good news is also the bad news in that it is at least, or seems to be, a notch above, in terms of power, rounds with lighter-weight bullets. The good news part explains itself; the bad news part is that it also ups the recoil a good bit. Not to unmanageable levels, mind you, but it is pronounced, and it makes this round a load best practiced with in 5-10 round sessions.

Other than that, it performed beautifully. Hitting accurately at 9 yards (offhand) and clocking at an average of 805 fps, which I thought was pretty good considering the 1 7/8" barrel it went through. The velocity, by the way, was not much below the other load I chrono'd, the Speer Gold Dot .38 Spl. +P 125 gr. JHP. The Speer load, for the one round I was able to measure (my chronograph was acting funny at that point) went 828 fps. Granted, that's not an average, but it's probably in the ballpark of where that load generally shoots. With a less than 30 fps. difference, I believe I'll begin carrying the FBI load; I just feel more confident with that heavier bullet. One other downside to the FBI load I just thought of, and it's a minor one, is that it leaded the heck out of my barrel, but a little elbow grease, Rem-Oil, and Chore-Boy copper wool will take care of that.

The S&W Model 19 I own shot my softball .38 Spl. reloads (3.0 grs. Clays, 154 gr. LRNFP, WSP) with typical aplomb. It really loves that load and puts it on target almost in spite of me. The fact that it's such a mild-mannered load probably doesn't hurt either, coupled with a trigger that's the best on any gun I've ever fired. I recently had some custom gun stocks (aka, incorrectly, as grips) made for the gun from Herrett's Stocks, Inc. that fit me like a glove and make the gun feel like an extension of my hand, which is as it should be since I sent them an outline of my hand and they fitted the stocks perfectly to suit me.

I also put 50 rounds through the S&W Model 617 10-shot .22 LR revolver. This gun is always fun to shoot, mainly because it's accurate and non-taxing regarding recoil. In the past, I've put over 450 rounds through it in a day without tiring. (The only reason I stopped was because I ran out of ammo.) I bought the gun new and I've since put over 6700 rounds through it (I actually keep count) and I hope to put several times more than that through it before I pass it on to my son.

Finally, I toted along the quintessential working man's semi-auto centerfire "battle" carbine, the SKS. I put only 20 rounds through this gun, but that was enough to remind me of how infinitely practical both the gun and the 7.62x39mm round are. The gun is as tough as a tank and, though it does not possess tack-driving accuracy by any means, its accuracy is acceptable. Plus, although prices have gone up since I bought mine, they are still a great bargain.

After the firearms shooting was done, I promptly made my way over to the bow range where I quickly discovered I had left my bowstringer at home. DRATS! It wasn't a total loss, however, as I was able to string the low-poundage recurve I had via the step-through method and use that for practice. The other bow, though, was too expensive to try that method with (if you mess it up, it can ruin your bow) and I left it alone. I only got serious about archery this summer and it is a close second to firearms shooting in terms of enjoyment. One area where it exceeds firearms is in its simplicity. I'm sure I will vacillate between the two sports in the future, but I can't see forsaking one for the other. They are both such fun.

Take care.
DAL357

A bit nuts

I'm not sure I understand the purpose of the organization ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now). Is the purpose to register a bunch of folks who are too clueless to find out how to become eligible voters? If so, how well versed could they be on the mechanics of how our government is supposed, at least in theory, to work? I submit probably not well versed at all. If a citizen is not concerned enough to figure out how to get themselves registered to vote, then it's probably not all that important to him and he should be left alone, for a citizen with a vote who is unaware of the purpose and content of the U.S. Constitution, the proper functions of the three braches of government, and basic history, is a dangerous person indeed. Their voting becomes tantamount to throwing a cocked revolver into a playpen full of curious toddlers.

We already have plenty of uninformed voters. I'd venture to say the majority of registered voters have little to no clue as to the purpose of government in a free country, so why do we need to add to that group by getting still more of the same?

I heard an ACORN representative on the radio two days ago decrying the fact that the U.S. has the lowest number of registered voters in the Western world. So? Somewhow, ipso facto, this is supposed to translate into what? Discrimination? Repression? Unfairness? Today, unlike in the receeding past, I don't believe anyone in this country who is motivated enough to do so would be barred from registering to vote. So, with that in mind, how can an organization like ACORN, which takes more than $30 million from the government to function, fill any legitimate purpose? Truth be told, it can't and doesn't, unless inflating the voter rolls with more people than we already have who are likely to vote for the candidate who can promise them the most loot from someone else's pocket can be deemed a legitimate purpose.

Take care.
DAL357

Self parody

Can anyone say anything about Hugh Hefner other than, "What a complete moron."?

*****

Playboy Hugh Hefner back on the market [and what a catch he is] after splitting from 'No 1 girlfriend'

Playboy tycoon Hugh Hefner is nursing a broken heart after his "No 1 girlfriend" [concubine] Holly Madison walked out on him.

The 82-year-old said his failed efforts to have a baby with Madison [There is a God!], 28, contributed to the split.

Despite the 54-year age gap, Hefner said he had "planned to spend the rest of my life [1-36 months] with Holly", adding that he was "down in the dumps" about the break-up: "I was road kill a couple of weeks ago." [Only a couple of weeks ago, Hugh? C'mon, you've looked like road kill for at least a couple of decades.]

He explained: "We tried to have a baby earlier this year and it didn't work out. She became very depressed." [Depressed that she couldn't use a baby as an angle to get a piece of your millions. No doubt there are millions of guys who'd gladly oblige her desire for a child, but a lot of them are just working stiffs, if you'll pardon the expression, who don't have millions. So, this isn't about a baby at all, but really about moolah.]

Hefner saw the writing on the wall last month [via trifocals?] when he admitted that their relationship was going through a period of "transition", explaining: "I don't think anything lasts forever. I love [as if you have any conception of the word] her very much but, you know, she wants very much to get married and have children. That isn't very much on the cards for me. So there has to be a certain reality there." [Reality? Give me a break. You want reality, Hugh? Here it is: You are an obscene, self-centered person and you always have been. In your heyday, you ran around bleating about how sexually repressed everyone in this country was and how they needed to loosen up. Well, you certainly helped usher in a looseness in sexual morals, and what a stupendous, crushing failure it's been. But, of course, you would never take any of the blame for that. No, you're still too busy trying to tap every maple tree in the forest, with the aid of Viagra, to notice the lives your poisonous philosophy has helped to destroy. You are a joke, a clown, a pig, and it's time someone called you out on it.]

However, he does not have to contemplate singledom just yet. He still has two other live-in girlfriends [Girlfriends? Look, they're prostitutes, plain and simple.], Kendra Wilkinson, 23, and Bridget Marquadt, 35, installed [like an appliance?] at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills. Hefner has scaled down his coterie - a few years ago the mansion was home to no less than seven Playmates.

And there is no shortage of [gold-digging] women queing up to replace Madison.

The multi-millionaire said: "There's been moments that I've been down in the dumps about all this, and Mary (Hefner's personal assistant) told me to cheer up and pointed out that there are girls lined up outside the front gate. At my age, that's hard to believe [ditto], but it seems to be true.

"It's a big house and I'm not going to live alone. I'm definitely not going to live alone." [Have you contemplated a live-in assistant, Hugh?]

*****

Lest anyone think that jealousy led me to post the above, rest assured that it was not, and is not, my motivation. In fact, I couldn't care less what HH does. But when this nonsense is splashed across the news by the infotainment industry when far more pressing and serious stories cry out for in-depth reporting, I feel compelled to comment. So some old, pruned-out millionaire is able to plow a bunch of furrows far less than half his age. This is newsworthy? Just like HH himself, the news industry has become a mere parody of itself.

Take care.
DAL357

See ya!

Over the years I've purchased and un-purchased a fair number of guns. Here's a breakdown of some of those guns, in no particular order, along with a few words on each.


Armalite AR180B: For many, many years, I resisted buying any type of AR rifle, mainly because I didn't personally see the need for one. Finally, I bought one. I owned the AR180B for a little over two years and, while it was a decent gun, I just never made a connection with it. I've shot other AR rifles, including the military version while I was in the army, but I just don't see the big deal about them. I wonder if the big thing about them is the fact that they are at the top of every gun-banner's list, and therefore people want them not so much for the gun, but so that they can have one before some idiot socialist/communist puts the kibosh on all sales. There are better, IMHO, and not so overpriced, guns for hunting, varminting, casual plinking, and, arguably, self-defense, than the uber-popular AR. SOLD.

Savage Model 10: This gun was bought to use for varminting, something I never got around to doing. I really liked the caliber it was in, .22-250, but I never shot the rifle enough to work up a tack-driving load, although I was getting there. SOLD.

Charter Arms Bulldog Pug: No, this wasn't the original CA Bulldog, the gun made infamous by that whack-job David Birkowitz, aka the Son of Sam. This was the stainless steel version that came out, IIRC, somewhere around 2000 or so. The .44 Special is a fine cartridge, but I can't say the same for the Bulldog Pug. The only ammunition I could get it to fire reliably was the Blazer load with the 200-grain HP (Gold dot?) bullet. Pretty decent accuracy, as I recall, when it did fire. By the way, I did relay the revolver's shortcomings to the buyer. SOLD.

Ishapore Enfield: This is the only gun I've ever sold for more money than I bought it for. Not a whole lot more, mind you, but I did make a few bucks. This gun was chambered for the 7.62x51mm or .308 round. It was a no-nonsense, tough-as-nails design that could easily do 2-2.5 MOA with iron sights, and probably a lot better with a scope and/or better eyes. It was HEAVY, probably around a good nine pounds, minimum, and it was a hoot to shoot. Although I don't regret selling this one, I must admit that I miss it from time to time. SOLD.

Ruger Blackhawk: Two of 'em, in fact. Both were in .357 Magnum, and one had an extra cylinder to convert it to 9mm. I know a lot of folks love these, but I just couldn't find a thrill in them. They were well made, just like all of Ruger's guns, but boring. I just don't get the whole single-action scene, not that it should stop you from enjoying it if that's what you like. SOLD.

Stoeger Coach gun: This was a 12-ga., side-by-side, double-barreled shotgun that was pretty cool to shoot, but which I had no real need for, especially in light of the fact that I have a Remington 870. The 20" barrels and the short overall length made it quite handy to wield, but it needed to go to another home. SOLD.

CZ75 and CZ75BD: Yup, I had the early CZ75 9mm pistol, and the later version with a decocker. They were both fine guns, as are all CZs, but once the Glock 34 came to town, the CZs became obviated. I also had a .22LR conversion slide from CZ that went. SOLD.

CZ527: I'm still not sure why I bought this bolt-action .223, but I did. A well-made rifle that I never got around to wringing out. I traded it at the gun store for something else, but I can't remember what. TRADED.

Springfield Armory M1A: The most expensive gun I ever bought, and will ever likely buy, I had this gun for about a year before I let it go. Unfired(!). SOLD.

S&W Model 625: I'd always been attracted to the idea of shooting semi-auto cartridges in a revolver, in this case .45 ACP. I finally bought the 4" version when it came out 5-6 years ago. While this was a nice gun, it didn't fit my hand well. It went to a good home with a Denver cop I was acquainted with. SOLD.

S&W Model 25: This was in .45 Colt and it was a version from the 1980s. 'Twas a good gun, but I traded it at the gun store for a gun that was much better for me: the wonderful S&W Model 19. I've never regretted the swap. TRADED.

Kahr MK40: A solid, dependable handgun, but too heavy for carry. I can't remember if I SOLD or TRADED it.

Glock 36: To the best of my knowledge, this is Glock's only single-stack gun. It's chambered for the .45 ACP. I didn't like the perceived recoil, plus it was not an easy-to-carry gun, so it went bye-bye. SOLD.

Glock 26: For those who like, and can carry well, a subcompact 9mm, this is the model to beat. I liked everything about it save for its bulkiness, which did not comport with the way I like to carry. I also had an Advantage Arms .22LR conversion slide for this gun that the same person bought. SOLD.



Well, THAT was cathartic.

I'm finally getting my group of guns down to a manageable, usable level, a place where it should have stayed. But you know what they say about a fool and his money. As I alluded to in an earlier post, I think I've finally wised up and the gun industry will have to make due without my dollars, but there are plenty of other up-and-coming marks, so I'm sure their future is secure, barring an unConstitutional government fiat, of course.

Take care.
DAL357

ADDENDUM:
Kel-Tec P3AT: Oops, I almost forgot this one. This was an okay little mouse gun, but it was quite picky about what ammo it liked, as are many small auto handguns. It was definitely concealable, but the .380 ACP cartridge did not lend me much confidence. The gun went to someone else who wanted it, and I haven't missed it one bit. SOLD.

The 700 Billion (plus) Club

If you have even the slightest sense of history and a working brain in your head, the following story could not be a surprise to you.

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Credit markets to Washington: Bailout isn't enough
By MADLEN READ, AP Business Writer

The credit markets finally got a bailout bill, but the stranglehold hasn't let up — a troubling sign that lenders and investors believe the package will only be a baby step in the long road to economic recovery.

The credit markets, where companies go to get cash loans, have seized up since the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and in anticipation of the $700 billion plan initially voted down by the House. The House passed a revised version of it Friday following the Senate's approval earlier this week, but anxiety about its effectiveness kept demand for Treasury bills high and nearly nonexistent for other types of debt.

Overall, market participants have begun regarding the rescue plan as a medicine for what's ailing the financial system, but not a cure-all.

"At best, we can hope that it stems some of the more intense risk from the credit crisis. It prevents things from spiraling out of hand here," said JPMorgan Chase economist Michael Feroli.

Some are worried, though, that the plan will not work at all.

"Nobody knows how it's going to succeed," said Howard Simons, strategist with Bianco Research in Chicago. "It seems the American public had better sense than Wall Street and Washington — the American public said, don't throw good money after bad."

The Treasury will buy banks' risky mortgage-backed assets in an effort to alleviate investors' worries about the institutions' solvency and free them up to do more lending. Even if those efforts succeed, the effects will be far from instantaneous, and borrowing could remain very expensive for some time. With the economy in such a weak state, lending to consumers and businesses will still appear risky until certain factors — particularly employment and the housing market — improve.

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To paraphrase an old Carpenter's song (I guess all Carpenter's songs are now old): "We've only just begun, to give." I wish I could offer some sage advice, but I'm fresh out. Just be ready for one hell of a ride over the next few years, or decades.

Take care.
DAL357