Get outta that closet!

I submit that any man who finds this attractive ought to just come on out of the closet right now and admit that he's a homosexual. Look, there's no sense in trying to hide behind the facade that you like women who look like this, 'cause about the only thing that makes this creature a female is a lack of male reproductive organs. For once in your deceitful, miserable life, be honest, you crazy homosexual. :>)

Take care.

DAL357

Get a clue!

I recently read a news blurb about Newt Gingrich deciding not to run for president in 2008; this is probably a wise decision, reached, no doubt, for two reasons: Newt is unelectable, and second, and most important, because he and his handlers know that no Republican has a chance of winning in '08.

Do the Republicans as a party really think they will win? Didn't the Congressional elections of '06 show them anything? The tide has turned towards the socialist Democrats, as opposed to the socialist Republicans, and only the party of the elephant hasn't gotten the word. I guess they'll get the word on the first Wednesday after the first Tuesday in November 2008.

Lest anyone construe this blog post as an endorsement for the Democrats, I assure you nothing could be further from the truth. I detest the Democrats' stance on essentially everything, and I am no fan of the pale Democrats, aka the Republicans, save for one issue: gun control (actually, I am not even a fan of them on that issue, but at least they are not actively seeking to destroy private gun ownership...yet). But I have to call it as I see it and the current Republican offerings--save for Ron Paul (a Libertarian cleverly disguised as a Republican), who has almost as little chance of being elected as I do--is so sad as to be, well, sad.

Get ready, America and the world, for a Democrat in the White House as well as a Congress controlled by the same party. Get ready to fork it over for the downtrodden and oppressed, and you damn well better smile while you're doing it.

Take care.
DAL357

Intro to IHMSA

Here's a shooting sport I just happened to stumble upon in 2005, and am I ever glad I did. As far as I'm concerned, it's the most fun I've ever had with a gun, save for rabbit hunting when the bunnies are plentiful. The sport is called International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association, IHMSA (pronounced "m-sah") for short, and it is a blast. Believe me, if it wasn't fun I wouldn't be in my third season of it. Below, you'll find a link to a video on YouTube giving you an idea of what I'm talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtsxt7xgbpc

Here the link to the organization's website.

http://ihmsa.org/

I can't speak about all chapters, but I know the one that holds the matches I attend allows a person to shoot their first match for free (matches thereafter are $5 or $6 per discipline entered). But be careful, once you try it, you'll likely be hooked.

Take care.

DAL357

God's Gift to the Hunting World

Enough of this egghead-type commentary for now. Let’s move on to a fun subject. That’s right, it’s time to talk about guns and hunting. Yeeeehaaaa!

Okay, I’ll lay it on the line. I am an unabashed admirer and promoter of the .30-06. Not that other calibers don’t exist that beat the old warhorse on this or that ballistic point, but few, if any, offer the versatility of this 101-year-old package, and this is doubly true if one handloads most or all of his own ammunition.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I prefer to let the following link to an excellent article explain why the .30-06 is such a good choice as a big-game caliber for both the beginner and the experienced shooter/hunter.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/30

Take care.
DAL357

Enhancing nature?

WOW! I just finished my umpteenth viewing of “Bob,” the sophomoric shill for a natural male “enhancement” product, and I’ve only been viewing television for just over an hour.* What gives? Is there a real need for this concoction? Have we suddenly become a country of non-functioning male protuberances? Judging by the ubiquitous nature of these advertisements, we must have.

I submit that, no, we are likely just as virile in this area as we have ever been. So what’s different? Delayed maturity or prolonged adolescence. Choose your term, they both mean the same thing.

For humans, sex can be a lifelong activity, although there is nothing stating that it must be. The frequency of sex, however, does change over time as humans age due to common physical changes. Sex is just one part of human existence, and it is as subject to the immutable effects of aging as eyesight. This fact is inescapable. But, thanks to a society that worships youth and holds it up to be the highest ideal, this idea is abhorrent.

Enter the marketers, who have recognized this pathology in the Western world and, of course, developed a potion for it. Never mind that what they are offering in this case, as in many others, is decidedly unnatural. As long as a 35-year-old male is able to keep going all night (which is really what making love is all about, isn’t it?), or a 55-year-old male is able to even get started, well, that’s all that counts.

I guess I can’t really blame the marketers for trying to make a buck off of the collective stupidity of the American public. Many multimillionaires have been created from this cash crop, and it’s not some recent phenomenon. P.T. Barnum once said something to the effect that no one ever went broke banking on the stupidity of the American public. How else can one explain the short-lived popularity of that 1970s icon, the pet rock, which made its inventor rich?

Getting back to the prolonged adolescence thing, what can really be expected from a post-literate people who are bombarded 24/7 with images of youth as the be-all and end-all? Look at all of the expense and bother people go through in the elusive quest to capture and maintain a youthful appearance, always losing in the end, and in the interim often looking like buffoons.

Does this mean one should let oneself go? Not at all. A person should always do the best with what they have, but their efforts should be executed within the context of their age. This is what’s missing today, mainly because of the lockstep march of all forms of media in promoting youth, that small segment of a natural lifespan, as all that matters. As a consequence, many people have no idea how they should behave past the age of 27.

More’s the pity.

*****
On a side note, it’s been said that there is no such thing as a perpetual motion machine, but I think I’ve discovered the closest thing to one as mankind is ever likely to find. Think about this: We are bathed in the message all of our lives that youthful beauty is where it’s at, which causes us to chase after and secure it by any means necessary, no matter the cost or hardship, which in turn shows the marketers that this is where our interests lie, which causes them to continue proffering these images as the ultimate ideal. What a system. What a scam.

Take care.
DAL357

*The fact that these commercials are on television at all, especially at hours of the day when children can be exposed to them, is a subject worthy of a treatise in and of itself. I may speak to this one day, but for now suffice it to say that children have had enough of their childhood stolen by foolish, selfish adults. They do NOT need to be exposed to this type of product.

Obfuscation deluxe.

Let us lay our cards on the table. I believe in the application of the death penalty where it is warranted. What would warrant this drastic action? The premeditated taking of life in a situation other than self-defense. It should not be used to punish rape, as heinous as that crime is, nor attempted murder, unless the victim is left in a permanent vegetative state, nor manslaughter. But it should be used.

One argument you'll often hear against the death penalty is that it doesn't reduce crime. Whether or not it does is immaterial. This take on the death penalty is used to confuse the issue, to bring in a specious argument that drops the context of each individual case. It is not the purpose of the death penalty to reduce murder in general; its purpose is to mete out the harshest of punishments for the highest of all crimes. The death penalty's purpose is to apply justice to that particular individual in that particular case. If it serves as a cautionary tale to others, so be it.

I could go on about this, but you get the idea of where I stand on this issue, especially on the issue of the death penalty as a non-deterrent.

Take care.
DAL357

Happy day of your birth, etc.

First things first. A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to my brother Donald. See, 44 ain't so bad.

Here's a link to a humorous little flash cartoon about the differences between men and women. It's cute, not too saccharine, and my kid likes it. Take a gander.
http://www.bozzetto.com/flash/fem_male.htm

Take care.
DAL357

Of rice bowls and men.

Here's an idea whose time has come. Actually, I think it's long overdue, but at least it's here now. Long may it flourish and spread.

What is this idea? Store-based health clinics. Read the link below for the details, but in a nutshell these clinics are nothing less than a free-market reaction to insanely high medical costs. As you might expect, the traditional medical establishment (read monopoly) does not like it one darn bit. Then again, who does like their rice bowl being dipped into?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070811/ap_on_he_me/store_based_health_clinics_1;_ylt=AqGX.Gb8L9586QN74qrBNr4E1vAI

A few quotes, and my comments on those quotes, follow.


“But concerns are rising in the medical industry that these operations remain largely unregulated and are prone to conflicts of interest. Some physicians are also concerned that the clinics could disrupt the continuity of care and result in serious underlying health conditions going undetected.”

Yeah, sure. No doubt these “concerned” physicians are offering their services for free to the indigent, and at a greatly reduced rate to the uninsured, to insure a “continuity of care.” About all they’re concerned about is the threat to their monopoly on health care they’ve enjoyed, aided and abetted by their monopoly enforcer, the U.S. Government, for the last century. We’ll see if the government comes to their aid again.

Honestly, I am thinking that big G may let doctors sink or swim this time, not because they care about competition reducing insane health care costs, but because it takes the heat off of them and the perceived need for universal health care, a losing proposition from the start. Actually, I can see the U.S. Government using this to their advantage (but, in the long run, not to ours) and subsidizing the cost of these quick-care clinics for the poor and uninsured. In time, this will lead to inflated prices due to the middle man, in this case Uncle Sam, shielding the true costs of these services from the concerned individual, just like insurance companies do with individuals today. It's human nature not to be too concerned with costs when some anonymous person or organization is footing the bill.

By the way, how many is “some physicians?” One in five, six in a hundred, twelve in a thousand? I strongly suspect the number is either pretty low, or it is pure conjecture, otherwise the reporter would have given real numbers. If you didn’t catch that, you need to read news stories with a more jaundiced eye .

*****

“In June, the American Medical Association urged state and federal agencies to look into whether pharmacy chain-owned clinics urge patients to get their prescriptions filled on site. That followed buyouts of miniclinics by two big-name pharmacy operators: Walgreen bought Conshohocken, Pa.-based Take Care Health Systems in June, and CVS acquired Minneapolis-based MinuteClinic last year.

Dr. Peter Carmel, a trustee on the AMA board, said "the path of abuse is wide open," and the clinics need to be better regulated.”

Oh, this is rich! The AMA, monopoly-monger extraordinaire, given the mutual back scratching that goes on in doctors’ offices between doctors and the pharmaceutical representatives who constantly push their products via free samples and lavish perks, is one to talk. And all a physician has to do to continue these little gifts is to push whatever products the pharma. rep. suggests. This, of course, is okay, or so one is lead to believe by the AMA’s silence on this suspect practice.

Doubtless Dr. Peter Carmel is speaking from experience about wide open paths of abuse, mainly because his profession practically wrote the book on them.

*****

“AMA also wants to ban the practice of health insurance companies waiving or lowering co-payments for clinic patients, which it calls a conflict of interest.”

I’ll bet they do, and who do you think will do the banning? Why, the muscle behind the monopoly, the FedGov, of course. (As an aside, in a free market no monopoly can exist for long without government coercion.) Whose “interest” are they talking about? It certainly isn’t the consumer/patient's interests. Listen closely to the following economics lesson: the less money one has to shell out for the same service offered at a higher price elsewhere is a good thing, not a bad thing (at least for the consumer).

Consumer choice, aka competition in business parlance, helps keep prices far closer to actual value/worth than any mandated price control could ever hope to. In other words, if the government really wants to do something to control medical costs (or costs in any field), they will embrace competitive endeavors, not eschew them, by keeping their hands off. The only thing the government should be doing is insuring that the public does not fall victim to shoddy or fraudulent practices.

*****

“The AMA denies that its criticism of these clinics is being driven by economic interests, though there's no doubt that primary physicians could lose some business as their insured patients go elsewhere for minor ailments.”

Does the AMA actually believe that any thinking individual is going to buy this? Of course it’s about “economic interests,” that’s what all associations and unions, at heart, are about, and as long as there is a free market for consumer choice, that’s cool. The problem occurs when they seek government intervention to stifle competition so as to artificially keep prices high through a lack of choice.

*****

Wouldn't it be great if I could have one tenth of one percent of the money that's going to be thrown around in the attempt to smother this innovative and consumer/patient-friendly idea in its cradle? I could buy a small island and live the rest of my days in leisure.

Take care.
DAL357

Peeping nation

If there's one thing that identifies the modern American in general, it's his use of television, and movies to a lesser extent, as a replacement for life. No place is this more evident than in the near-sacred worship of television sports, the effect of which has helped make many Americans little more than voyeurs, not to mention repositories for excess calories. Those who never watch televised sporting events, however, should not feel smug.

Why? Read on.

Television, be it sports or any other type of programming, offers only the illusion of life, in neat, little edited pieces precisely calculated to keep eyes glued to the screen and minds anticipating the what will happen next. In small doses this is not necessarily harmful, and it can even be mentally invigorating. The problem comes when television viewing is no longer a simple garnish but a daily, four-course meal. After a while on this type of diet, television seems to be more interesting and full than real life. Once a person has reached this point, and it is more common than one might think, while they are not beyond redemption, they are on the precipice of being so.

The only known antidote is a period of abstinence, say, one week to start, although a month would be better. During this period, one should feel his way out into the world again to experience its wonders. Take interesting walks; visit new places; try several hobbies involving use of the mind as well as the hands and find which one likes best; or, and I know this is going to be anathema to many people under 50, and a few over that milestone, read a book (there, I said it) on a subject that piques your interest.

After your period of self-imposed exile, you may selectively begin to watch a favorite event or program, but as soon as this presentation is over, the television goes off. No channel surfing allowed. The key to your reemergence into the real world is selectivity (along with a fair degree of self discipline, of course). Then, as mentioned above, go do something visceral and tactile.

Excessive television viewing (anything more than 8-10 hours a week, tops) is not a character flaw, but a learned bad habit. Bad habits can be unlearned. One can do this, but it may take a supreme effort, depending upon how deeply the habit is ingrained, which is directly proportional to how long it has been allowed to metastasize. It is worth the effort.

Just as an aside, I've seen people who do little in their free time but sit and watch television; they are almost always unhappy. How could they not be? Television is flat and flavorless compared to other activities, worthy of only the smallest amount of our time, attention, and precious life.

One last point about television. Television is not, as Neil Postman said, [begin paraphrase] a serious medium for discourse on any worthy subject. After all the hype has been burned away, television is nothing more than a medium of visual entertainment [end paraphrase]. Asking television to be a vehicle for serious, in-depth discourse on anything is like asking a Yugo to do the job of a semi-truck; it just ain't gonna work. Television, by its very nature, demands superficial thought; it is not the province of hashing out a reasoned, balanced conclusion. This is where the medium of print--and its handmaiden, private and public verbal discussion--far outshines television, as it always will.

Take care.
DAL357

Lazy blog entry 2

I found this on another blog and I believe it to be worth passing on.


1. COWS
2. THE CONSTITUTION
3. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

COWS - Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps, to the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give them all a cow.

THE CONSTITUTION - They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq. Why don’t we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it’s worked for over 200 years and we’re not using it anymore. [emphasis mine]

TEN COMMANDMENTS - The real reason we can’t have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse – You cannot post, “Thou Shalt Not Steal,” “Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery” and “Thou Shall Not Lie,” in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians – it creates a hostile work environment.


Take care,
DAL357

Lazy blog entry 1

Here are some thought-provoking pieces, at least for those that think about this stuff, that say it better than I could.

The first is a link to an article pertaining to what is commonly toted by those who carry a firearm for self defense. http://www.policeone.com/police-products/duty-gear/holsters/articles/1240834/

Yup, no doubt about it, the five-shot .38 Spl. snubby is, if you're going to carry a gun for self defense, THE gun to own. It's simple to operate, lightweight, and has adequate stopping power.

"But," you may ask, "why would I need to carry a gun for self defense?" You keep a fire extinguisher in the house, but you don't really expect a fire, right? Yet you keep that fire extinguisher because life is unpredictable and you just never know. Here's a story where an upstanding citizen was possibly saved from harm because he had a gun.


Senior: Man I shot robbed me
12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, July 1, 2007
By JAY PARSONS / The Dallas Morning News jparsons@dallasnews.com

An elderly man shot a 31-year-old man who he said had robbed him at gunpoint late Friday night in northeast Dallas.

Charlie Andrew Myers III of Dallas was recovering Saturday from gunshot wounds in the throat and shoulder at Baylor University Medical Center.

Amor Kerboua, 79, was driving into the parking lot of his apartment in the 6400 block of Melody Lane, near Northwest Highway and Skillman Street, when a man police identified as Mr. Myers approached him, according to a police report. Mr. Myers put a handgun in Mr. Kerboua's face and demanded money, police said.

Thinking it was a joke, Mr. Kerboua pushed the gun away, but Mr. Myers pointed it at his face again. Mr. Kerboua opened his back door and handed Mr. Myers a cup containing $242.50. Mr. Myers then pointed the gun at Mr. Kerboua's stomach and told him, "I'm going to shoot you, [expletive]," according to the police report.

Mr. Kerboua then drew a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun from his front pocket and shot Mr. Myers in the throat. Mr. Myers fell to the ground but kept his handgun pointed at Mr. Kerboua, who then fired two more times into Mr. Myers' shoulder, police said.

Investigators released Mr. Kerboua, who has a concealed handgun permit, after concluding that he had shot in self-defense. Reached Saturday, Mr. Kerboua declined to comment.

Mr. Myers was expected to face charges after his release from intensive care.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-robberyshoot_01met.ART.North.Edition1.43b8c05.html


This is just one example of the good things that can come from legal concealed carry. A search on the 'Net will yield many more.

Take care,
DAL357

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Recently, I finished a book that, although published over 20 years ago, contains seeds of wisdom that still ring true today (is that an example of a mixed metaphor...can seeds ring true?). Here's a bit of info/opinion about it.

Let's face it, most Americans are intellectually lazy/inept, and more apt to recite sport statistics or the details of the latest Hollywood celebrity tryst than they are to know/care about issues that actually affect them directly. I just finished a book entitled "Amusing Ourselves to Death," by Neil Postman, that, in essence, blames the constant barrage of useless information we subject ourselves to when we watch/listen to the "news" for part of the mess we are in as a nation. This never-ending stream of info bites, so decontextualized as to mean nothing, serves to deaden intelligent discourse rather than to enhance it. Worse, t.v./radio news struts about as serious media, and too many folks treat it as such, but the mediums of television, and, to a lesser extent, radio, will never lend themselves to serious discourse because they are entertainment outlets that demand a constant flow of new images/talk. Just imagine, writes Postman, a television show that captures people thinking deeply about issues before pontificating: there would be long periods of contemplative silence, something television and radio abhors, and it would be about as exciting as watching paint dry. That is why these media can never come close to, much less replace, print as a means of exposition. Print, says Postman, is the only real way to honestly and intelligently deal with weighty issues, and the queue of trivial information that fill up most every news show is a hindrance to clear thinking.

This book was published in 1986, and some of the television show references are dated, but the main ideas are still fresh and vital. By the way, Postman, contrary to other critics of television, says mindless entertainment, such as The A Team, is what television does best and is far less harmful than the "serious" news shows. It's one of the more important books of social commentary I have read, and it's certainly worth a look. Plus, at fewer than 200 pages, it is a quick, though meaty, read. Your local library should have a copy.

Take care.
DAL357

Travel trailer giganticus.

During my aforementioned short trip to southern Colorado, a thought on a commonality occurred to me. Let's examine this thought together.

To no surprise to anyone who is even barely conscious, travel trailers abound on the highways in summer. This is hardly a new phenomenon. I remember seeing pictures of travel trailers from the 1930s, and they probably existed even earlier. They can be a great comfort when experiencing the outdoors. I'm not a tent snob who rails against travel trailers; someday, in fact, I hope to own one, albeit a very compact one, and that is the point of this post.

How large does a travel trailer need to be to enjoy nature? Apparently, as big as possible. Now, I can see needing a travel trailer of 20' or more for a family with lots of kids (4+), something more and more rare in today's self-centered America, or for retirees who live in their trailers for extended periods to chase warm weather during the winter, but for the average vacation or long-weekend tripper, what the heck?!?! If you go to the forest, or a KOA campground, does the wheeled equivalent of your house need follow behind you? The point of a vacation is NOT to spend time in your temporary quarters, but to be outside of them as much as possible, enjoying a new environment and partaking in different activities. Other than as a place to eat, sleep, perform ablutions, and seek shelter from inclement weather, a travel trailer is a lousy place to spend an outing.

I strongly suspect that one of the reasons for the proliferation of whale-size travel trailers is simply because people don't stop to think about what they need, not what the marketers insist they need through subtle advertising. This is a problem common to practically all consumerism in America, not just travel trailers. Heck, look at what's happened to the size of houses over the last 20 years. They've gotten so large that they contain whole areas a family may not visit for days. The point is not that people shouldn't have the choice to purchase these products, but that they are not critically examining their true needs. Bigger is not necessarily better; what best fits individual needs, convention be damned, is better.

Another reason, of course, is that old human desire of emblazoned status. The bigger, longer, or fancier his (fill in the blank) is, the more that person believes himself to be esteemed, and, unfortunately, he's probably correct.

I could go on speaking in generalities, but, instead, I'll speak to this issue from the point of view of my needs in the realm of travel trailers.

Since our family consists only of father, mother, son, and family dog (we married late and started a family late, so more children, although not unwanted, are an unlikely event--does that make us self-centered?), we can get by with either a medium-size tent trailer or a 15' travel trailer. Some of our camping will be of the boondocking variety and the rest will be at a campground, so an on board toilet/shower would be useful, but we could make do without this convenience, at least for short trips. In the kitchen, some type of stove is necessary, but a microwave is not, especially since we don't even have one at home; an oven will not be needed; a small sink/faucet set up completes the kitchen necessities. Other necessaries include a dining table, AC power hookup, beds, the ability to add air conditioning (this is especially useful when staying in humid areas of the country), and an overall light weight and compact, maneuverable size. So, with these needs in mind, plus our philosophy that vacations/outings are about getting away from the (temporary or permanent) abode, we now have a pretty good idea of what we need in a trailer. See how easy that was?

Thanks for reading this far as I take American consumer behavior to task, otherwise known as pissing into the wind.


Take care,
DAL357

It's been a while.

As my many reader (that's not a typo) have no doubt noticed, it's been a while since my last post. That's due to a couple of reasons. One, my ability to connect to the 'Net did not exist for nearly the last week due to a Qwest-purchased DSL modem that is no longer under warranty that failed. Qwest was happy to replace the modem, for SIXTY! bucks, but at least the new modem is twice as fast as the old one, so I suppose I shouldn't complain too much. Two, I refuse to live for a blog, as so many others seem to do. I'll post when I feel like it, but cyberspace doesn't rule my life, and I feel sad for those who allow it to. Pahnyahtnah (Russian for understood)?

On Monday, June 25, I went to help a friend realize his dream in southern Colorado. This friend, whom I'll call Roger, bought some land outside of La Veta and is building a house on it. While building it, he's been living in a rented cabin with all of his worldly possessions. I went to help him move some of his heavier goods (furniture, large, free-standing power tools, etc.). When I left on Wednesday, we had moved the majority of the items that required the attention of more than one person into his partially-completed home. Mission accomplished.

Redoubtable Roger's Retreat

I also went to the area to do a little solo camping, but the weather was uncooperative, a not-too-unusual occurrence in Colorado, so that didn't happen. Maybe it's just me, but I don't enjoy heavy rain while camping.

One bright spot, though, aside from the friendly visit, was seeing my first bear in the wild. While taking a scenic drive through the area mountains and valleys, I spotted a wide, black form about 150 yards to my right in a field. I quickly pulled over and, sure enough, it was a bear. I snatched the camera and snapped a photo and then traded the camera for my binocular. What appeared to be an ink-black black bear from a distance turned out to be a dark-brown black bear with a wide arse and body (I mean female-Wal-mart-shopper wide) and a tan muzzle. The bear was on the very edge of the field, near the forest line, and he only stayed exposed for perhaps a minute, then he waddled into the woods. Although I've never seen a black bear in the flesh, save the zoo, I've seen enough hunting photos of harvested black bears to know that this was a large, mature bear. I count myself lucky to have seen this animal.

See the bear? I took the photo and I can't, but he's there, somewhere, right of center.

Take care,
DAL357

The right way, and the WNBR way

If you've kept up on current events--something not quite as essential for being an intelligent being as conventional wisdom demands (too much information can actually clutter clear thinking, but that's an issue for another place and time)--no doubt the World Naked Bike Ride day http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/ has caught your attention. I suspect that this is just a cheap stunt designed to draw attention to this organization's causes: the lack of bike-friendly roads, cities, and facilities, and, more ominously, the environmental degradation, they claim, caused by the automobile.

Let's take a look at the first cause. Yes, I have to agree that bicycles get the short shrift in most Western countries. Why? Because they are less efficient than automobiles in most cases, short trips through crowded streets excepted. The majority has spoken, and what they've chosen, right or wrong, is the car. That doesn't mean there isn't a place for bikes, and cities should recognize that for certain areas they can be a viable alternative to autos, and plan new streets/facilities accordingly.

The second cause, really, is a separate issue that doesn't belong anywhere in the organization's platform. If they are serious about getting better amenities for bicyclists in the Western world, pulling this dead-whale issue will only hurt and marginalize their quest. Those who might have looked with interest and sympathy at WNBR's concerns are going to be non-plussed by the environmental component of their agenda. Cars are here to stay, like it or not, so get over it.

But, in the end, this organization isn't actually serious about much of anything. If they were, a silly stunt like a worldwide naked bike ride day, which occurred on June 9, 2007, would not have happened. Serious people don't effect change like this, they use the political process. Sure, that takes years, lots of money, patience, and intelligence, but it's the only real way to do things, short of brute force. All WNBR has done with this act is categorize themselves as fringe wackos and alienate the very people they need on their side, the majority. Biking is a good idea in some instances, especially in the more densely populated areas, but with a yahoo organization like this speaking for biking, don't look for bikes, bikers, and biking to get the recognition and amenities they might deserve otherwise.

Take care,
DAL357

A Rifleman's Poem

A Rifleman's Poem: If You Do Your Part, I'll Finish What You Start


All of you shooters
Please gather 'round
'cause there's much more to shooting
Than just fury and sound


Yes, it's been said
And it is no lie
That some rounds shoot flatter
And faster they fly


But in the hands of a man
Who knows how to shoot
He hits what he aims at
All else is moot


Don't think the ballistics
Of any rifle can
Compensate for skill
In a poorly-trained man


An accurate rifle
A precise scope
Are wasted on the man
Who does not know his dope


Perfect practice is key
To gaining the skill
Of using one shot
To make a clean kill


A bolt-action rifle
Of, say, thirty-ought-six
Can teach a smart shooter
All kinds of tricks


But first he must learn
What it can and can't do
And his limitations
When his scope he looks through


Take care of your rifle
Treat it like your pet
And when its time comes to serve you
It won't forget


Listen to your rifle
You'll hear a refrain
And after every shot
You'll hear it again


"If you do your part,
I'll finish what you start."
If you want to shoot well
Learn this by heart


DAL357
Copyright 2003




Take care,
DAL357

Notes from the hunting journal--2/10/07

You will all be disappointed, no doubt, to learn that this is the final entry from my hunting journal for the 2006/2007 small game season. Don't despair, though, as there will be future entries, providence willing.

2-10-07: Went to trusty, ol' area XX, accompanied by John Alpeter and his son, Matt. The morning started off chilly, but warmed quickly as the sun rose, necessitating me shedding my coat and sweater. With three hunters walking abreast, we were able to cover a much larger field of view and, as a result, we probably kicked up as many rabbits as I had previously seen during the entire season. The exact number escapes me, but we three must have fired at around 10 rabbits, and we harvested five (I shot three, but I gave one to John--his family is bigger than mine). While walking back to the cars, I saw a jackrabbit about 20 yards ahead of me. For a split second, I thought it was a dog because it was so tall. I snapped a shot off at it, but missed (surprised?), and it turned on the speed and disappeared.

John and I talked after the hunt about going out again before the season ended on Feb. 28, but illness intervened for both of us and we didn't get around to it.

That's it for the 2006/2007 small game season. The 2007/2008 season starting in October is anxiously anticipated.

Gun: Remington 870 12 ga.
Ammo: my reloads w/#6 shot
Total shots: at least 5 or 6 (me), but not sure
Rabbits: 3 (me), 5 total


Take care,
DAL357

What a wonderful world it would be!

I've been saying for years that we should go back to being isolationists. Let the rest of the world swirl in the toilet bowl it's always swam in, and this includes those supposed "advanced" idiots that make up Europe. If you are constantly consorting with moronic ideas, philosophies, and countries, it's only a matter of time before these contagions infect you (we already have the initial symptoms). By rising above this lunacy, by allowing the rest of the world to do what it's always done, namely, adhere to fanciful beliefs and unworkable social systems, and in the process commit suicide, we will inoculate ourselves.

I wish I had written this; it is so simple, logical, realistic, and, as the Brits say, spot on, that it must give any reasonably intelligent person pause to wonder why it's so difficult for our "leaders" to see its wisdom.

By the way, don't ever expect anyone in either the Democratic or Republican party (two sides of the same coin, really) to take action on any of this, or even to acknowledge the existence of these ideas. They have a vested interest in keeping things the way they are and acting as if our present course is the only way possible. If any of what follows is ever to be enacted, it will have to be an outside-the-mainstream party that does it.

Enjoy what follows.

*****

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN, GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

My fellow Americans, as you all know, the defeat of the Iraq regime has been completed.

Since Congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days.

It is now time to begin the reckoning. Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom , Spain , Bulgaria , Australia , and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third-world hellholes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York!

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put 'em? Yep, border security.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty--starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska--which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there. They care.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn tootin'."

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America.

To the nations on List 1, a final thought: Thank you, guys; we owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America . Thank you and good night.

*****

Take care,
DAL357

For those left behind

Life is for the living
Death is for the dead
Honor those who’ve fallen
By living life instead

Enjoy the things that they cannot
A child, a joke, night thunder
For mourning those gone endlessly
Belittles life’s fine wonder

Paint not a picture of a saint
With noble tales so tall
But remember them lovingly
Complete with faults and all

Honor that you loved and knew them
In heart may they dwell
And show the affection due them
By living your life well


DAL357
Copyright 2007

Take care,
DAL357