Probably planned this caper at a Mensa meeting

FBI: Men on Train Had $700,000 in Stolen Bonds from Sparks.

The men were ejected from the train in Helper, Utah, on February 19th after they were suspected of smoking marijuana. With help from a drug-sniffing dog, police found the bonds in a travel bag.

Hmm, smoking dope on Amtrak- what a way to avoid notoriety...
Dumbasses!

26 March, 2007

That's the last Tuesday of next month. That's plenty of time to get your get well cards picked out and mailed along with wonderous selections of gift baskets filled with boxes of ammo for springtime shooting adventures- after I heal from my surgery.

That's the plan and the day for my colo-rectal surgery. The Doc says I need to plan on a week off from work.

For those of you shopping- 7.62X39, 9mm or .223 would be great. Bulk 22LR is always an appropriate gift!

Foursite Film Festival Starts Tomorrow Night!

I have to admit that I'm getting pretty excited about attending the Foursite Film Festival, beginning tomorrow night in downtown Ogden. This looks like it will be a fun few days, (and late nights) watching some unique, independent films.

Tomorrow night's feature is Pirates of the Great Salt Lake. From the website, it looks like a fun show. Another night there's high adventure, outdoor sports films and later, some adult themed films grouped together in a block called Rated Arrr!

This is going to be fun!

Its Tuesday, right?

Time for a Ticked Off Tuesday post!

So yesterday I finally received the Cost Share Agreement document that I have been waiting 3 weeks for. This document is a signed agreement by 5 European countries to pay their portion of a 36,000 dollar bill for the completion of some Technical Order updates. There is already a Delivery Order for Lockheed Martin to do the work, but they underbid and the countries needed to pony up the shortfall. No problem, right?

Now this document that I received is filled up with long lines of groups of numbers that spell out the exact account and billing line that is to be used by each country. And one country changed just one line- meaning my task just jumped from simply delivering the document to the Contracting Officer to creating a new Purchase Request to be applied to the existing Delivery Order. Damm! But creating Purchase Requests has recently become much easier due to implementation of the Comprehensive Cost and Requirements System which allows me to fill in the form by looking at the actual form, so this shouldn't be too much trouble. This is a huge improvement over the old Automated Business Services System which uses fields in a database form to populate the correct portions of the form, which you can't see until the process is nearly done. The new system is great; fast, visual and logical and a real improvement over ABSS.

But the EPAF country funding people and systems aren't included in the new system! I have to struggle through the old, clunky system, after figuring out whatever my password might have been the last time I used the program. And after I verify that the one country that changed their billing code couldn't be persuaded to adjust back to the original codes. What a pain!

Another fine week-

Skiing today, in a blinding snowstorm and it was wonderful. I didn't stay all day and that was probably a good thing because the road coming down was already snow covered and sloppy. Waiting until the crowd was all trying to get down would have only made the trip really ugly.

Coming home early had another unplanned effect, a trip to the urgent care for the spouse. She finally decided that the pain in her head was in fact a sinus infection and the Doc agreed and offered up a script for some antibiotics. So, we had a trip to the Doc-in-a-box and Wal-Mart for the pharmacy fill-up.

Saturday I skipped going skiing under bluebird skies just becasue I didn't feel like driving up by myself. I've got to find another ski buddy! Not a lost day though because I got more work done on the motorcycle and several hours of practice on my guitar.

The Suzuki is just about back together. I had to order a used tail section from Ebay and lucky for me, it was the right one for the motorcycle and a much better fit than the broken one that came on the bike. It even matches the color of the gas tank though both could really stand a re-paint. I've not decided, or committed to repainting the bike but perhaps when it warms up I'll get motivated to make it all one color. I did fix a broken tab on one of the sidecovers with a bit of built up plastic that I think will be a good fix. I am really pleased with how the bike is looking already and I'm getting excited about getting it cranked up so I can ensure that everything runs properly before riding season hits.

The spouse and I also snuck out for an early movie, Reno 911- Miami. What a stinker! I really wanted to like this movie and it did have a (very) few yucks but overall, its not funny and not worthy of popcorn money. I wish there was more to say about this film but I was disappointed and thought this was one that should have gone straight to DVD.

So, a nice weekend. Little drama and much relaxing and there's a cat sleeping on my lap tonight while I blog. Just about perfect.

Survived today's scoping-

and there's pictures, full color pictures from my colonoscopy! But you can't see them. That would be just a little too much, don't ya think? Anyway, today's exam went very well. The clinic was efficient and professional and friendly and they took good care of me.

The Doc was pleased with today's results. I'll be getting a date for my surgery sometime the week after next and fortunately, I'll be getting the "easier" method of repair done and so will be looking at a much shorter recovery time. That makes me very happy.

The sedative meds the Doc gave me have really kicked my butt this afternoon and as soon as I got home I had a 4 hour nap. Since I woke from the nap I've been esconced on the recliner chair. Its almost 10 PM and I'm finally feeling wide awake again!

At any rate, the Doc is pleased with the outcome of today's exam and optimistic about a full recovery when its time for the actual surgery. Good news all around!

Its gonna be a long, cranky day-

Nothing but a clear liquid diet for me today... Its time for my 9am cinammon roll break and I can't have it. I didn't have my usual peanut butter toast for breakfast and I have nothing to look forward to for lunch and dinner except for broth.

Its gonna be a long, cranky day-

I hope I make it with enough humor left to go to guitar class tonight!

Its time for a "Zumbo Effect"- Dump the AWB!

First, what's a "Zumbo Effect'? Tom Gresham has coined the term for the internet circumstance that effectively put Jim Zumbo out in the cold after his ill-advised rant against "scary, black rifles" this past weekend. If you read my previous post, Dump Zumbo, you are aware of the circumstances that all occurred over this past, three-day weekend.

Gresham's point is this, if we gunowners can pull together over one weekend to make our feelings known about someone trying to divide us into "good" gun owners and "bad" gun owners, how do we turn the same amount of effort into persuading our elected officials to deny further attempts to ban our guns through legislation?

If you don't know, the Clinton era, Assault Weapons Ban legislation is back for review in the US Congress. The nearly same gun ban that complicated all our lives, drove up prices of accessories and eventually proved completely futile is back under consideration. If you remember, the prior AWB made owning, selling and buying certain semi-automatic guns illegal simply because of their appearances. Folding stocks, pistol grips, detachable magazines and flash hiders were just some of the features that made these guns banned.

Now this ban is back in play and our Congress critters are going to spend time debating whether it should be a law again. Gresham says that we gunowners need to use the same volume of energy that grounded Jim Zumbo over one weekend to kill further debate on this Assault Weapons Ban and to let our elected officials know that we won't tolerate this obvious attempt to take away our guns, no matter what the type.

How often over the last 30 years, as I fought for gun rights, traveled to Washington, DC, wrote about gun rights, spoke at the Gun Rights Policy Conference, and for the last 14 years, broadcasted about gun rights on the radio, have I lamented the inability to get gun owners motivated to protect their own rights? This powerful example shows that it can be done.

Now, the real question is whether we can generate that kind of response when we need to defeat a gun ban. Can we melt down mail servers of elected representatives the way gun owners hammered the servers at various companies? I don't know.

What I do know is that we are facing more calls for gun bans and restrictions on our gun rights over the next few years than we have seen in the last 40 years. Someone on the side of gun rights needs to develop a way to replicate this . . . this "Zumbo Effect" . . . to beat back the assault which has already started.

We must find a way to "Zumbo" our attackers in Congress, in the state houses, and wherever they assault our rights.

You know that I agree with him, 100%!

Expect that I will be blogging about every effort to kill this bad bit of legislation every chance I get!

UPDATE: Here is another article that tells more about the Zumbo situation and encourages the same amount of effort be applied to Congress. There's no permalink, so read it before it rolls off the front page. Read this post about Zumbo's quickly fading sponsors and memorize this wonderful ending sentence-

And Jim Zumbo ... May you lie happily ever after in the arms of Sarah Brady, you ignorant, elitist, traitorous, backstabbing scum. Maybe she'll sponsor your program or publish your column now that the whole world knows you're on her side.

You can be Jackson Pollock!

My dad sent me this link tonight and its too cool not to share. Create your own original art! Each time you click the mouse, you get a new color so try it out!

Trolley Square one week later

I've not said anything more about last week's tragedy at Trolley Square but like everyone in Utah this week, I've paid attention, read and watched the news and agonized and grieved for the families that lost loved ones during the shootings. The police officers have been properly recognized for their heroic efforts including Ogden's officer, Ken Hammond.

This entire story has been very painful for everyone here. The community held a service that was attended by hundreds, one night last week and the memorial and funeral services for the deceased victims have made all the tv news programs. The family's pain and suffering has been very clear for all to see.

There's been no obvious reason for Sulejman Talovic, the 18 year old killer to have gone on his rampage, at least none that the officials are telling. They have said that he didn't own a computer or a video game console so the misplaced shooter-game-turned-real doesn't seem to have been a factor. The guy worked his full shift at his job that day, went home, showered and headed out to Trolley Square.

The news reporters have all done on-scene reports from the local gun stores where, according to the news cubs, interest in handguns for protection has risen dramatically this week, along with Concealed Firearm Permit class applications. How many citizens actually become licensed to carry a gun and do so as a result of last weeks's shooting remains to be seen but certainly there will be some new citizens carrying weapons in the future.

This has been a significant event for those of us in Utah, just as Columbine affected the citizens of Colorado and the Nickel Mine Amish schoolhouse killings affected the citizens of Pennsylvania. We all hurt and those of us that survive find a way to keep on going and growing through life. You can see a roundup of many of the stories about Trolley Square and see how our state has dealt with this crisis.

Jay Leno's Garage- what a place!

Warning- this is pretty much a "guy stuff" post. If you're estrogen powered, you might not get the coolness of this post.

Ok, if you haven't checked out Jay Leno's garage online, you are really missing some great guy stuff. Jay's garage, is packed full of video articles about all the very cool motorized stuff that Jay has collected through the years and he has collected some remarkable stuff. He has a 2-seater roadster powered by a tank engine, a 1000 horsepower 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado, a 1932 Duesenburg SJ and a jet powered motorcycle. They are all on display at Jay's Garage.

Jay really likes big stuff and recently he has added some really big stuff to his garage. He's got a plan to take his garage off the California power grid and produce his own electricity using a steam powered generator built in 1870! This story is still developing and the generator isn't put back together just yet but what a piece of equipment it is. Check it out and cruise through all of the great stuff at Jay's Garage.

I'm adding a link to my sidebar to remind me to keep up with all the going's on.

Dump Zumbo!

There has been a major kerfluffle this weekend about comments made by Jim Zumbo at his Outdoor Life blog. Zumbo, if you don't know is a gun and hunting writer of 42 years experience. This weekend he really showed his true colors and exposed himself as a gun lover, if its the right kind of gun... If you haven't seen or heard about his lack of understanding of rifle ownership means in America, you can go read his first post concerning AR-type rifles and how he calls them "terrorist guns." You can also see Outdoor Life's official statement and his mea culpa, puny apology.[NOTE: Tonight, Outdoor Life has pulled Zumbo's blog, so the links are no good partially fixed. Thank heavens for Google cache! I'mstill trying to find the cach of his apology.]

If you feel like Zumbo's first statement reflects his real, divisive opinion regarding guns that are ok for sportsmen and those that aren't ok for citizens and hunters of any type to own or shoot, you can sign an online petition calling for the sponsors of Outdoor Life to retract their support, here at Dump Zumbo. Remington, to their credit, has already severed their ties to this obnoxious, elitist, jackasss.

I don't care what type of "scary, black rifles should be banned" context anyone tries to put on this situation, Zumbo and his head-in-the-sand, uninformed attitude is very bad for the firearms owners and shooters of any type in this country. This idea, laid out in public, by a member of the shooting press does no good to lawful gunowners and you can be sure that the Brady Bunch, anti-gun community will try to take advantage of his foolish words.

You know I've signed the petition. I hope there is a writing position open at Outdoor Life magazine in the immediate future and that their management will see clear to hire a more informed and unbiased writer to fill the position. I don't have a scary-black rifle in my locker since I sold my CETME 308 a couple years ago. I have been thinking that maybe its time to add an AR-type rifle to my locker and Zumbo's remarks may be just the impetus I need to buy or build one of my own. BAG day is April 15th again this year so maybe I need to put one on lay-a-way someplace!

Zumbo earns a dumbass award this week!

Read what Tamara has to say on the same topic. She has several additional links worth following on the subject of this 2 faced bastard.

Weekend pictures

Saturday was a glorious day at Powder Mountain, with so much sun that I had to spring for a fresh tube of sunscreen from the ski shop. But the bright sunshine and warm temperatures brought huge crowds of skiers to the mountain and made possible some decent photos from my cell phone. Here's where I spent my Saturday-


Here's another picture-


Finally, back at home after dinner, I had some snoozing company before bedtime.

You can stop looking now-

I found my cables.

Has anybody seen my iPod cables?

I've misplaced everything but the car charger and my ear buds. Meaning I can't update my iPod with more music... Grr! I would say that I've looked everywhere, but that would obviously be a lie, since I haven't found the place I left them.

Must keep looking-

Medical update-

Well after last week's post about my colonoscopy results, today I had my first visit with the colo-rectal surgeon. A pretty nice visit and I got to keep my pants on the entire time. Today was just a discussion about the lesion that's living in my gut, why its a bad thing and why it should be removed sooner rather than later. Right now, I don't have any cancer but this lesion isn't a good thing to keep living up there in the dark.

So, I have a another appointment next Friday and for that my pants will be coming off. I'll be getting an exam and then the Doc can decide if the removal surgery will be accomplished through my rectum, (rectum? Damm near killed him!) or if he does a laproscopic surgery. With the first possibility, he told me to expect to be off work for a week. Option 2, the laproscopic surgery will require 2 to 4 weeks of recovery! Yikes!

I really don't want to be off work that much! I'll just have to see how things go and plan on getting in as much guitar practice as I can stand during the recovery period.

Best response ever!

Gunner over at No Quarters had a moment to visit the website of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives department of our federal government's website. Go see his response to the survey question What would you like to see on this website? Its the best possible response.

Well said Gunner! Maybe we all should follow his lead.

Off-Duty Officer First to Engage Trolley Square Shooter

It has been confirmed- an off-duty police officer from Ogden, a citizen with a Concealed Firearm Permit, in other words, was the individual that halted the gunman at Trolley Square last night. He was on an early Valentines Day date with his spouse when the gunfire erupted and was first on the scene to halt the 18 year old gunman.

Read my prior post and see the related link from last night here.

I'm a political activist today!

That's right, in response from the Utah Shooting Sports Council's call for URGENT ACTION, I took some action this morning. Here's what showed up in my email last night-

BACKGROUND ON SB 251 (HIGHER EDUCATION FIREARMS RESTRICTIONS)

SB 251 is now in the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee. Members are listed below, and only one or two seem to support your gun rights. This Committee can kill this bill entirely, or we will have to fight it for the rest of the session, so ACT TODAY! You can read the full text of the bill here.

In a nutshell, the University of Utah, having already lost their case in the Utah Supreme Court, to ban legally owned and properly concealed firearms on all of their property, are now trying to push through more particular laws, restricting firearms in offices or workcenters of most any kind and supposedly installing security lockers for gun storage when an armed person needs to enter one of these designated, "gun-free" zones. There's lots more involved, including routine inspections of students that have concealed firearms permits to ensure they are not armed and segregation and banning of licensed gun carriers in the dormitories.

So, I wrote this letter:

Dear Senator Bell, Hillyard, Madsen, McCoy, Romero & Valentine,

Sirs, I urge each of you to vote AGAINST SB 251 (Higher Education Concealed Firearms Restrictions).

In light of last night’s tragedy at Trolley Square, and the report that it was an off-duty Ogden police officer that halted the young criminal’s destructive killing episode, I must ask you to vote against SB251. Last night’s tragedy only reinforces the fact that criminals can appear anywhere- at the mall or at the university, without warning and without time to summon law enforcement. In a moment of terror and destruction such as this, only the ability to defend oneself through legal firearms carry can provide any semblance of security to self or family. An off duty police officer is nothing more than an armed citizen, like any of us that have applied for and received a Concealed Firearms Permit.

Restricting law abiding permit holders makes no sense on campus or anywhere else, with minor exceptions. It has been made abundantly clear that CFP carriers are far more law abiding and take their personal obligation to act responsibility very seriously. I’ve not seen or heard, or found through research any data that says anything except that permit holders are more law abiding and less violent than the average citizen. That said, no further legislation is required and the university should be given the message that their facilities are in no danger due to legally carried firearms.

Any further imposition of discrimination against law abiding citizens at the university must be halted, exactly as it would be stopped if it were discrimination against any other group of people. Consider how quickly this discrimination would be shut down if similar plans were put in place to halt members of any minority group. It would not be tolerated and the university management would be quickly put in their place for such considerations.

If allowed to impose any restrictions at all, you can expect that the Universities will manipulate their rules to create a de facto campus-wide ban on LEGALLY carried self defense weapons.

Please defeat SB 251, and use your valuable time on bills dealing with real problems and real solutions.

Sincerely,
Nate McCord, Ogden UT

I emailed each of the senators and faxed the letter to each of them at the capital building. If I thought I could find a couple buddies to go along, I might just attend the meeting later this afternoon and show my disdain for bad laws in person. It will be interesting to watch the outcome of this bill and committee. Now, after all this activism, I need some lunch!

Foursight Film Festival time in Ogden-

Its Ogden's premier film festival! It runs 4 days, beginning at the end of this month and I've been invited to participate as part of the media! That's right, I received an email from the organizer, Jim Henderson, and he found this humble blog and my simple movie reviews and invited me to be part of the fun of what appears to be an exciting festival.

Of course I said I would love to participate, so you can expect to be reading my insightful reviews of much of the happenings at the festival. What fun!

Gunman opens fire in Salt Lake City mall!

Wow! What a bit of excitement and tragedy and horror tonight in Trolley Square Mall in downtown Salt Lake! It seems a gunman in a trenchcoat, carrying a shotgun walked in and opened fire in numerous parts of the mall. You can see KSL television's reporting on the situation here. Make sure to read the comments that were submitted. Some of them were actually submitted by people trapped in the mall!

Hard facts are still spotty so I'll post an update later. In the mean time, read some of the comments from the whining dumbasses about their television stories being disrupted- what jackasses!

UPDATE: As of 10:30 tonight, 6 are confirmed dead, including the yet unnamed gunman. This is a real tragedy.

SWAT, Police Serve Search Warrant After 10-Hour Stakeout

I've mentioned before my growing scorn over SWAT teams being activated and pulled out tof the Ops van everytime the police decide there is a situation. Here is a classic example of misplaced manpower by the West Valley PD. The SWAT team was called out and they surrounded an empty house for 10 hours while waiting for a warrant to be written, signed and delivered!

This is a stupid, stupid misuse of manpower and it left the neighborhood on edge as they watched the scary, black-clad officers put out snipers and surround the empty house. It seems to me that one patrol car or a couple plain clothes guys in an unmarked car might just as easily scoped out the house to determine if anybody was home or not while waiting for a warrant to be prepared. Finlly, if it was a "known" gang house, why had no action taken place in the past?

Just an excuse to break out the black-clad, scary walk, storm troopers for some overtime pay... Dumbasses!

Another fun-filled weekend-

Its nearly 9PM and I still don't have the laundry folded, which I suppose I'll manage after I get done with this post. Its been a busy weekend and I'm about worn out. Good thing I can go back to work tomorrow to rest up!

Lets see: Friday night was movie date night and we went to see Hannibal Rising. Its the story of Hanibal Lector's childhood and explains in a very creepy and suspenseful story, how Hannibal became the scary character in all the other stories. It was creepy. Its all about revenge. If you liked Silence of the Lambs, or Red Dragon, you owe it to yourself to go see this movie too. Surprisingly, the theater was nearly empty, which was odd for a movie at prime time on a Friday night, for a movie that opened that same night. Anyway, the spouse and I both really liked this movie and afterwards it was supper at Village Inn before heading home.

Saturday, friend Kenny came over and we made two shooting benches for future shooting trips. We cleared out a corner of the shop and built some dandy tables. We bought legs from Harbor Freight and they turned out to be a little too short, so we either need to find some supports to fit under them or a way to extend the legs. Otherwise, they turned out perfectly and I can't wait to give them a try.

Afterwards I took the spouse to her Viking Embroidery software training at Wimmers. The young fellow, Spencer was quite helpful and he covered just about all the essential steps to making personalized designs in just over an hour. It was a little distracting since all the other members of the Wimmers staff were busy moving furniture and pulling up the very-many-years old shag carpet. All that fun made it a little difficult to pay attention but we did get good help on using the software.

Saturday night we got a real treat, 2 for 1 tickets at the Grizzlies hockey game! We didn't know it was going to be half price, we just went to the game and were surprised with the discount at the ticket window. Sadly, our Grizzlies goalie got beat pretty soundly by the Long Beach Ice Dog's goalie and the final score was 6-2, Ice Dogs.

Today was another adventure, in support of a Utah State college student who isn't related to me. It seems that Noah's newest girlfriend's sister had purchased a 2nd hand piano and needed help moving it into her shared apartment. Turns out the sisters had enough money to buy a piano or a car and the piano won the toss. Noah volunteered my truck for the moving but that meant taking off the tonneau cover and I really didin't want to have to do that.

So I borrowed friend Jim's trailer and that turned out to be a really smart plan. Once we arranged the two sisters, Noah and three more college guys to do the heavy lifting, we drove up to get the piano. The seller had room enough to back the trailer into the garage so we could load up without getting everything soaked by the pouring rain and then we covered it up with a new tarp, (I bought) and headed back to the girl's apartment. We were able to disconnect the trailer and use it like a dolly to move the piano between two houses and across a soaked yard and backed the ramp right up to the front step. Perfect!

But the whole trip sure ate up all the afternoon by the time I got back to town, returned Jim's trailer and made it back home. I ground coffee for work and ran the laundry machines and read part of a new guitar book that I also found time to buy this afternoon.

Now- I'm tired! And my guitar practice has really suffered this weekend for all my other activities!

Well this is not good news-

The BSU just rang to say that the Doc at the controls of the colonoscopy borescope earlier this week called and passed along a referral to Doc #2, a colo-rectal surgeon that he insists I see, poste-haste.

[Note to self: Find that colo-rectal surgeon song music file. It must still be on one of the computers!]

UPDATE: Here's the link to the song! Click the link in the center of the page.

Anyway, surgery was mentioned by the first Doc with a possibility of having the affected system disconnected, shortened and reconnected. There is apparently no cancerous growths right now but whatever needs removed needs removed before it becomes cancerous.

As you might guess, the BSU has got her nerves all jangly and a'twitter over this announcement. So to give her something constructive to attend to, I asked her to make the appointment.

ANOTHER UPDATE: My appointment is this coming Thursday, so no more news on this sensitive subject until after that.

Hell really does freeze over!

Don't believe me? Check out the pictures from my Sister Mel's blog! Her and the clan have been trying to keep warm through that bitter cold and snow storm that has been passing through through the Midwest for several days.

Stay warm Sis!

Pentagon limits Pelosi jet size- Good!

From the Washington Times today, the report that the "ever so entitled" Speaker Pelosi will not get the free ride around the country for herself, her staff, family and hangers-on every time she decides to jet from Washington to San Francisco.

The letter from the Pentagon yesterday cites specific U.S. Code that government policy does not include the routine use of military aircraft for the speaker of the House.

"Nonstop service is not guaranteed, meaning she's getting Hastert's plane and nothing bigger," the congressional source said, referring to the commuter jet Mr. Hastert began using for security reasons after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

In addition, the letter stipulates that the Air Force will only fly her between Washington and her San Francisco district and places limits on who can travel with her.

According to the same article, "I'm entitled" Nancy requested a military flight to last week's Democratic retreat, just a 2 hour car ride from Washington DC.

Here's my take on this- Nancy, there are regularly scheduled airlines with unsold seats going wherever you and your staff want to go. Your constituents are flying coach and undergoing the TSA's finest scrutiny and indignities passing through our nation's airports, why should you be provided any special privileges? For security? If our commercial airlines aren't secure enough for you to fly, they aren't safe enough for me to fly! So fix that and we can all be safe. Your hubby is a multi-millionaire and probably owns his own corporate jet that could be pressed into your service if you insist on dumping tons of carbon into the atmosphere for you and your staff's privilege of avoiding the unwashed masses that voted for you.

So knock off the elistist bullshit Nancy and pay your own way if you want special treatment. Have as much security and comfort as you are willing to pay for and shut the hell up about not being treated like royalty just because you are the first woman Speaker.

[UPDATE] I've decided I can't leave this post alone without mentioning the Speaker's desire to halt Global Warming,

"I promise to do everything in my power to achieve energy independence ... and to stop global warming," Pelosi said.

and the contradiction pointed out by Instapundit, that even the small jet she is being provided dumps 31 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere during a 6 hour flight...

Stopping Global Warming, Nancy? Not until you dump the special flights and get on a regularly scheduled airliner like the rest of us!

As for the rest of you in Congress that are bitching about the long work hours, you can shut the hell up too! If you aren't working as many hours as your constituents, you better not be complaining. Or resign and let your position be filled by somebody not afraid of a full week's work!

Note to the Real Estate agent that visited the house last week-

Why do you suppose that I would consider doing important business like selling my house with someone not smart enough to walk up my dry driveway but instead hikes through the piled up snow in my front yard?

Its probably not going to happen...

Well I survived.

Certainly the preparation for that colonoscopy exam is muck worse than the actual exam. Last night was miserable. Trying to choke down all that Phospho-Soda was really very miserable. Ugh!

But I'm better now and the Doc found only 1 little area that he took a sample from for research pathology. Hopefully I won't be going back for a return visit for the next several years.

I've had a nap and then, because the sun is shining like spring today, I moved a bunch of snow off the camper and spread it out in the drive for the sun to melt away. I've also been out in the shop practicing my guitar lessons.

Today's weather really is a big difference from last week's. Its nearly 50 degrees outside and it feels like spring. No doubt more storms will come before spring really arrives but right now it feels like mid-March. This year's winter and snowfalls have really been disappointing and our reservoirs will not be filling up this year as they did last year, so the news guys will have plenty to comment upon this coming summer.

Blogging from the bathroom-

At least I will be shortly when the nasty prep, evil tasting toxin washed down with 7-Up kicks in later. That's right, I'm having another colonoscopy tomorrow and tonight I'm suffering through the preparations for that little procedure.

Yuch!

So far, I'm digging the Superbowl game. Lots of turnovers, bucketing down rain and 92 yard kickoff returns, good stuff!

I spent a couple hours today with my guitar, practicing. It was warm enough to use the workshop for my practice space for the first time. Kind of nice to be able to hack away without forcing my sounds on anyone else.

No movies to report on this weekend since there just didn't seem to be anything we wanted to watch. The selection of "gotta see" movies seems kind of thin for the past couple weeks.

Ugh! This damm soda phosphate stuff is nasty!

Quick Suzuki update

The gas tank's at the radiator shop for steam cleaning and resealing. It should be ready in just another day ot two. The seat with its ugly, slip fit cover has beeen taken to an upholstery shop for a new, real cover.

It took two tries to get a fabric shop for the seat. The first place wanted 4 hours or more at $55/hour plus materials and I had to beg off for that kind of cash. The second place is ran by a couple old guys that have been in business for about forever. The fellow that looked at the seat studied it for a bit, scratched his head about the non-stock, added-in bit of foam from a previous effort and how to get some new foam to replace it. Then he said he reckoned he could get it done for $85-90! I told him I would be glad to have him do the work.

I've painted more of the frame and now its really just a matter of getting all the parts back and reassembled. Then I can start seeing if the motor is going to need any further attention.

Senator Feinstein's Iraq Conflict

I saw this story earlier this week then promptly forgot to write about it. Somebody please explain to me why this is not getting much higher level attention in the MSM and Congressional Ethics committees!

As a member of the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee, Sen. Feinstein voted for appropriations worth billions to her husband's firms.

As chairperson and ranking member of the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee (MILCON) from 2001 through the end of 2005, Feinstein supervised the appropriation of billions of dollars a year for specific military construction projects. Two defense contractors whose interests were largely controlled by her husband, financier Richard C. Blum, benefited from decisions made by Feinstein as leader of this powerful subcommittee.

Not only was she a member of the committee setting funds to these contractors, she was repeatedly notified by council in advance, so she could recuse herself- which she didn't do!

Klein stated that, beginning in 1997, he routinely informed Feinstein about specific federal projects coming before her in which Perini had a stake. The insider information, Klein said, was intended to help the senator avoid conflicts of interest. Although Klein's startling admission was intended to defuse the issue of Feinstein's conflict of interest, it had the effect of exacerbating it.

This sounds like a story that really needs to see the light of day and be scrutinized by whatever law has juristiction. This sounds nothing like all the promises that the Democrats made about open and honest government once they were in charge.

I'm what? No Way!

It is with shy trepidation that I mention that today is the 51st anniversary of my arrival on this continually spinning orb we call earth. I wonder if all that spinning is why I'm so dizzy...

Thursday Three Time!

It's an "On the Fly" edition this morning--no time yesterday or this morning to do any sort of deep thought or induce any cleverness into the process, so here's you a slapdash, thrown-together-at-the-last-moment set of questions, guaranteed to be neither entertaining nor insightful!
Everyone is free to play along, of course, although you might not want to. But go ahead anyway just to stay in practice.

ANYWAY-

1) What is the last product you recommended to a friend?

In my case, I think the last thing I recommended to a friend wasn't a product but a service; guitar lessons, in this case, to my friend and fellow blogger, Carol. She was looking for a new opportunity for aggravation and so I invited her to join me for group guitar lessons. We did attend last Thursday and since its Thursday again, there's another lesson tonight. I'm afraid I might have steered Carol wrong with this particular music teacher and group though since I wasn't too impressed by the first episode. This instructor teaches kids almost exclusively, and her music room is cramped and overflowing with stands and instruments and sheet music. The chairs are too close together, there's no place for coats or cases and it is generally a mess. One of the kids belongs to the instructor so he knows a little more than the others and he can't be shut up from showing off his knowledge of everything in the room. Another (really) youngster sat there with his guitar on his lap, a blank look on his face and not so much as a single clue why his mother had dragged him into this house. Based upon appearances, there must be a LDS Sunday School merit badge for learning guitar at an early age. I wasn't too impressed with the first lesson but I'm paid up through February so unless it becomes too painful, I'll keep going.

2) What is your favorite section of the grocery store?

The fresh produce section is my favorite section, for the bright colors and textures of the selections. Like Terry, we don't carry home too many of those exotic veggies but they are pretty to look at. I also enjoy reading the information pages about the different fruits and veggies that are available. The base commisary where we shop has an automated cooling spray system that announces its pending wetness with recorded thunder sounds and lightning flashes of stobe lights. It’s a little unnerving the first time it happens, if you aren't aware. Now its just entertaining. I'm pretty certain they should implement recorded animal sounds above the various meat sections as well, just for fun.

3) Joe Biden--lunatic, or idiot?

Yes. Of course here at WE there is another name I apply to people like Joe, its Dumbass!

Vote for Hillary? Vote for treason-

If there is no other reason to not vote vote for Hillary as President, consider her vote against the Constitution and the 2nd Amendment and decide accordingly. When any of these 16 traitors is available for reelection, you should just vote NO!