Why Is It So Difficult? Oh, Right...

Several Colorado politicians have received a nasty shock.  It seems that in Colorado, unless you are affiliated with a political party, in order to appear on the ballot you must be registered as unaffiliated by June, 1 year before the election.  This essentially means that you must become disgusted with your selected party and decide that all the other ones suck as well one and one half years prior to the election for most offices in Colorado.

More info is here, but before you go, take a guess as to what letter used to follow these politicians' names, prior to becoming unaffiliated.

I Obviously Grew Up In The 80's

...because when I saw this post title over at Stormbringer's place I was thinking Conan, not Genghis.

No Guns or Property Rights Allowed

So I was working off site today, at a plant owned and operated by my company but located on another company's property.  The sign on the way in says...

NO GUNS ALLOWED

PERSONNEL AND VEHICLES MAY BE SEARCHED

Now I knew going in that the company I was visiting had a pretty strict anti-gun policy, but apparently since their headquarters has moved to Chicago, it has gotten even worse.  I have a license and typically carry every day, but today was a definite no go.  I felt completely naked and a little ticked off.  I really dislike when property rights and self defense rights cross paths and purposes.

EDIT:  The company states on its website that they are a long-time supporter of the NRA...hmmm

Not Propaganda

Sometime back I was contacted by someone at Carbon Nation.  They are putting together a wonderful work of art and were wondering if they could use a picture of some lodgepole pine trees killed by pine beatles that I had taken up near Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

I visited their site and checked out the four minute trailer.  If AGW propaganda pieces are your thing go check it out.  If you don't have 4 minutes of your life to waste, I would still encourage you to watch the last 40 seconds.  This is truly how some of these folks think.  Scary.

I replied back to the original inquiry to using my picture in the negative, saying that I do not support propaganda of this sort.  Apparently, as I have now been informed, no one they have talked to believes that this video is propaganda.  Maybe I'm wrong.  Take a look and see for yourself.

I Just Wish They Wouldn't Use Knockdown Factor

So as of this posting, this page currently ranks #10 on Google for...

Midway USA Concealed Carry Score

As a huge fan of The Best Defense on the Outdoor Channel, this tickles me to no end.

It's An Invasion!

The Californians are invading!!!11one!

Stupidity, Followed By Intelligence

In an article over at Points in Case, Rich Monetti makes a very lame case for increased gun control.  College bigot with no knowledge of guns, nothing new here.  What is interesting is the comments.  Well thought out, intelligent rebuttals.  The Canadian has some problems, but he's Canadian, eh.

Don't tell anyone, but I think we might be winning...

From The Small Miracles File

Sometimes it is good to be reminded that there are still a whole lot of good folks in this world.  Sometimes it is good to be reminded that there really is hope for the future. 

Sunday afternoon, two young girls saved a life.

Merry Christmas, may you and yours have a save and happy holiday.

Why I Love My Wife...

Reason # 4534:  She's a crack shot.

In the Aftermath

Jay G over at MArooned has an excellent post up on what it means to have a CCW.  Says Jay,

Having that gun doesn't make you invincible. It makes you liable.

There is only one thing I would add to his comments.  Towards the end he mentions what to say to police in the aftermath of a self defense shooting.

You need to know what to say in the event you are ever forced to use your firearm in the defense of your life (hint: "I would like to speak with my attorney". END).

While I would agree that in most instances this is a perfectly valid response, and well within your rights to say there are two issues I have with this.  It doesn't necessarily start you out on the best foot with the investigating officers, who may or may not be understanding of your situation.  Also, adrenaline can do some strange things to a person.  As LawDog has mentioned previously.

Your mind will have played tricks on you -- sounds will have gone squirrelly; time will have done wierd things.

You may not be able to keep your mouth shut.  I would personally follow LawDog's advice and consult with your attorney prior to any need to speak with the police.  Find out what your attorney feels would be in your best interest to do for your location and specific situation.  If you don't, and find yourself unable to sit down, shut up, and wait for your attorney, you might just end up saying something you would later regret.

Not Concerned...

So I was cleaning my 1911 pattern firearm the other night.  I took the barrel out of the slide and wiped it down, but there were these two lines around the lugs that wouldn't come off.  I don't remember them being there.  Upon closer inspection (running my knife point over them) they appeared to be cracks.  I sent these pictures to the manufacturer...

 

Who informed me that he thought they were machining marks, but told me to send it in if I wasn't happy.  I am still not convinced that they are machine marks, but I don't want to send it back to the manufacturer for repair of a purely cosmetic issue.  On the other hand I have seen pictures of guns that have blown up and would prefer if my handgun remained in the non-blown-up state for as long as possible.

Any thoughts, opinions, or name calling welcome.

Wine, Whine, and Agricultural Change

There have been several articles lately discussing wine production and climate change.  The English wine makers are excited about the warmer temperatures allowing them to produce more complex red wines.  The French are crying over their percieved loss of winemaking dominance.

What neither seem to realize is this is not the first time, nor will it be the last where changes in climate patterns force a change in land use.  I grew up in Southwest Colorado.  I have seen more cliff dwellings and kivas from Ancient Pueblo Peoples (we always called them Anasazi, but that isn't politically correct anymore) than anyone probably should.  The question that was always asked is, "Where did they go and why did they leave?"  The where did they go has been a tough question to answer, but the why did they leave...not so much.

Drought and changes in growing season length forced these folks to move elsewhere.  So the French can whine and the English can cheer, but nothing new is happening here.

Climate Modeling Computers to Be Powered By Coal

The National Center for Atmospheric Research has decided that running their newest supercomputer off of power generated by wind, solar, and cleaner burning natural gas from Colorado was just too expensive.  This super computer will be used to run models that will be used to scare the bejesus out of everyone using dire climate change predictions.

The facility's anticipated cost is $66 million and will be located in Wyoming.  It is estimated that up to 96% of Wyoming's electricity comes from coal fired power plants.  I would insert some comment about hypocracy, but I am convinced that the vast majority of anthropomorphic climate change supporters have no understanding of that word's meaning.

Therapy

I went in for my holiday therapy session.  The results are below.

Minor Therapy

and Major Therapy

Time to go clean my therapeutic aids.

Not To Be Outdone

The fine folks at CU noticed that CSU was getting all the gun ban credit and decided to play a game of one-upmanship.  Nerf guns are now banned on CU campuses.  Any Nerf gun sightings will be treated like they were actual guns.

CU spokesman Bronson Hilliard says the school isn't trying to be a killjoy. He says the concern is for others not playing the game who might see a student with a Nerf gun and mistake it for a real gun.

For Reference:

Real Gun...

Nerf Gun...

I used to think I lived in Colorado. I am starting to wonder if somehow unbeknownst to me I moved to California Lite.

HT to Sebastian @ Snowflakes In Hell

Supporting The Students

It seems that the Republican Colorado State senators, unlike the CSU Board of Governors is listening to the will of the people.

Brophy — assistant minority leader — says he is working on a bill that would essentially nullify the proposed ban at CSU. Also, any CSU Board of Governors up for reappointment next year will not be getting his vote.

Here is a politician that, at least on this issue, gets it.  The students at CSU overwhelmingly voted to not fix what isn't broken and continue to allow concealed carry on campus.  The CSU Board of Governors decided that they knew better and moved to disallow concealed carry and force those with a permit to store their weapons in their cars and available for theft.  Senator Brophy wisely notes that the way to fix this issue is to vote out the members of the CSU Board of Governors who do not trust adults who have passed a background check to behave appropriately.

In order to keep our rights we must always remind politicians at every level that we are keeping score.

For extra entertainment, check out the comments, which were at 194 at last check.

When Did This Happen?

These days it seems like Cabela's is trying to be like Midway USA and Midway USA is trying to be like Cabela's.

Why I Dig Mornings

My mornings used to be an early affair.  Wake up before the sunrise, make coffee, stare at the wall for 10 minutes or so, and then off to work.  As time has gone by my mornings have metamorphosized into something else.

It started shortly after my oldest was born.  My time for staring at the wall was now spent helping my wife get a baby ready for daycare.  Then the second boy came along and I was now getting a toddler and a baby ready for daycare before I rushed off for work.

This year is different.  My oldest is in kindergarten now, and kindergarten does not start until well after the sun is in the sky.  My mornings now involve making and sitting down for breakfast with my boys as we watch their mom rush off to work.  After breakfast we get out of pajamas and get dressed, brush teeth, play, argue, and get bundled up to head out the door.  The youngest still goes to daycare and gets dropped off first.  Every morning I get to see how excited his friends are to see him.  Every morning I get to experience some new manifestation of his growing up.

After I get the young one dropped off, the old one and I head off to the school.  We are always early (I absolutely hate being late), usually by at least 10 minutes.  These ten minutes are the best part of my day.  For ten uninterrupted minutes, we play I Spy.  Some of you may be saying, "So.  I don't get it."  If you don't understand then you have missed the point.   We play I Spy.

It always seems to work out that kids always end up either "mama's boys" or "daddy's little girl" (or vice versa).  Mine are definitely Mama's boys, and that's okay.  What is does mean though is that those 10 minutes in the morning are very special to me.  That is our time together with no distractions.  We teach each other, challenge each other, and laugh a lot.

Parents, find ways to spend just 10 minutes alone with each of your children and you may find your own special time.

Before Anyone Asks

... yes I know what they used to do to horse thieves.

Ancestry, Royalty, and the Boy Scout Motto

It's true. My ancestors really were horse thieves. Of course they were also teachers, coal miners, farmers, ranchers, and even royalty. On most days, I fall much closer to the horse thief side of the family than the royal side. That may be why the current state of things bothers me so much. Much like the Roman empire, America has seen the idea of a noble republic devolve to the point that a quasi-royalty has formed.

We have political families filled with people of dubious qualification propelled into office by pulling in favors and funding based on what their ancestors before them had done. Alarmingly few politicians seem to be elected because they are the best person for the job.

What is a politician's job exactly? For many, their only job is to keep their job for as long as possible. This leads to the political grandstanding and passing resolutions applauding a national school breakfast program or discussing how wonderful Micheal Jackson was. How did we get to this point?

The legislature spends the vast majority of their time on pointless legislation, while most of the real governing is conducted by the bloated executive branch. The executive branch, complete with Czars for everything and at least three departments working to solve each and every perceived societal problem independently of the others has no idea which way is north. The poor judicial branch has to deal with so many laws that they rarely have a prayer of getting it right and most of the higher courts are staffed by appointment with an eye towards what can you do for me, rather than is this the best person for the job.

With all this, what is a lowly horse thief to do? Can the system be fixed? Can the US avoid the fate of the Romans or is it already too late? I really don't know, but I am definitely hedging my bets. Like the Boy Scouts say, "Be Prepared."