I have an admission to make.  I love - no, I mean LOVE - Facebook!  It's just one of those things.  It allows me to keep in touch with numerous friends from Kosovo - people with whom I was deployed, and whom I don't get to see very often.  I've found friends from high school and college with whom I haven't spoken for 15-20 years...

Breda asked us to post pictures of ourselves as little kids. I don't have any baby pictures here with me on the road, but here is a saved childhood vacation photo from photobucket. Taken while visiting my Aunt and Uncle in California (my Uncle had an almond farm of good size in the north-central part of the state). That's the undercarriage of Babe ...

From the Financial Times:Global Competitiveness index rankingsCountry 2008-2009 2007-2008United States 1 . . . . . .1Switzerland . 2 . . . . . .2Denmark . . . 3 . . . . . .3Sweden . . . . 4 . . . . . .4Singapore . . 5 . . . . . .7Finland . . . . 6 . . . . . .6Germany . . . 7 . . . . . .5Netherlands . 8 . . . . . 10Japan . . . . . . 9 . . . . . .8Ca...

How two campaigns are run. My guess is that the Obama campaign feels that they can get away with a lot because the press cares so much for him, but in any case since Obama says that you can judge his managerial abilities by looking at his campaign, this might be useful to look at.The Obama aides who deal with the national reporters on the campaign...

The American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA) has been labeled a sham pro-gun group by the NRA and about every other group that supports gun rights. But are they really? Or do they speak for the average hunter? How do their positions compare to the Brady Campaign and other anti-gun groups:All are in favor of banning .50 caliber rifles (which...

I’ve noticed that many people seem to (incorrectly) believe that the NRA is a wing of the Republican party, rather than an entirely independent organization that focus only on gun rights. The fact of the matter is that the NRA endorses candidates from any political party that support our Second Amendment rights, and recently endorsed [...]...

By Chad D. Baus The president of faux gun group American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA), Ray Schoenke, appeared in Coshocton Tuesday before what is described by the Zanesville Times-Recorder as a "strong showing by the United Mine Workers Association". In fact, the newspaper reveals only about "a dozen people listened to him speak," turnou...

Sarah Rocks Newsweak magazine. Link is to ACE . ...

By Donald Lambro Gun control has suddenly emerged as the toxic issue of the 2008 presidential campaign, endangering Barack Obama's appeal among Democratic blue-collar and labor-union households. The freshman senator from Illinois has a long record of favoring gun bans in Chicago and Washington, D.C., and a raft of other gun-control bills that are ...

Here the National Taxpayer's Union estimates for McCain (+$92 Billion/year) and Obama (+$293 Billion/year). A $200 billion difference in spending is pretty big difference....

Battling pirates on the high seas: The large wooden boat didn’t show on the radar, which was unsettling. He couldn’t reach the crew on the radio, which was scary. The large boat flew no flags and was closing in, so Zac took emergency measures. The Thousand Oaks sailor started the engine to help him evade whom he was increasingly sure we...

I joined the $2-$6 Texas Hold ‘em Table with $20. Cashed out with $58! Woot! PSA: The hardest lesson to learn is when to leave the table. Answers: A) When the money you can lose without regret is in fact lost, or B) when your up on the money, but a wee bit tired (about the 6th dealer rotation). Your mileage may vary.  It’s been a long...

Looks like the Obama campaign misapropriated an NSSF mailing list. Sebastian has more, including possible criminal ramifications. While it would probably be a staffer or two, rather than the Obamasiah, that took the fall if it came to it, there are still questions about Rezko and others, which could lead to criminal prosecution. While the likelihoo...

While I made my dinner tonight I listened to the Biden speech from Ft. Myers on XM radio. He's a helluva performer. I hesitate to call him an orator, since that implies reason and true, classical  eloquence. He's a brilliant rabble rouser, and from the sounds of the crowd he had just the right rabble to work with. It reminded me of those old films...

A woman said she was shot in the leg by her stove. Cory Davis told the Peninsula Daily News she had just stoked her cast-iron heating stove Sunday when she heard a loud bang and was struck in her left calf. Davis said a case of shotgun shells spilled about a month ago at her home and one must have landed in the newspapers she used to light the...

Yes, it has finally happened. Smelling Salts needed on aisle four. [Story here ] So, Barry … why not just whip out a certified copy of your BIRTH CERTIFICATE and put this to rest? Gotta’ problem with that? Update: There’s MORE! Feds investigating sheriff after ‘Hussein’ remark . What?? It looks like the Missouri Tru...

Source here NRA ad includes Obama’s comment at an April fundraiser in San Francisco that some small-town voters bitter about lost jobs "cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations. " Well that’s what ...

I'd guess it might be a certain endorsement. I'm just glad I don't have to make this schedule -- four cities, from the east coast to Nevada, in a single day. Details in extended entry below....

Heard on the radio: Weather guy utters the S— word! Snow possible for Friday in Reno. ...

Just when I was giving up hope on getting new 25.20 ammo, I get a call saying that the order I placed 7 months ago is ready to ship.  I spent many a day hunting down 25.20 brass this past summer to no avail.  But voila!  My order is ready.  Too bad it’s $$$, I’m gonna hunt down those spent shells like nobody’s business. That&#...

NEWTOWN, Conn. – The Obama campaign in Indiana, on September 27, unlawfully obtained and made unauthorized use of a proprietary media list belonging to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) – the trade association for the firearms industry.  Sen. Obama used this list to e-mail a press release concerning National Hunting and Fishin...

For Immediate Release  See www.nrapvf.org For More Information NRA Public Affairs (703) 267-3820 October 8, 2008 NRA to Make Major Election Announcement Thursday, October 9, 2008 Fairfax, VA. - The National Rifle Association’s (NRA) Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) Chairman Chris W. Cox will...

This incident happened at 0700. That's 7:00 in the morning for those of you from Rio Linda. From KLTV7 News:By LaKecia ShockleyKilgore homeowner fights off armed invaderA would-be robber invaded an East Texas home while the homeowner fights to keep him and his son alive.The home invasion happened in the 4500 block of FM 2204, east of Kilgore...

Arrived on my flight 15 minutes early, picked up the EEF (ask SayUncle what that stands for) rental car and motored to the Casino.  This Welcome (picture) was on the marquee over the Registration Desk, so I grabbed a snapshot on the way to the room. The hospitality suite opens at 2:00 PM tomorrow (like the sign says) and we’re all looking ...

But misappropriating the National Shooting Sports Foundation emailing list, to send out pro-Obama emailings? Snowflakes in Hell has the story. And here's the NSSF release on it, with links to their cease and desist letter....

NRA’s alert details the terms.  A judge signed a permanent injunction against the city. ...

Check out this story titled Man Shot 3 Times Claims He Was Gunned Down Over Pro-Obama Shirt . Pretty scary stuff!Egwuatu zipped up his jacket and headed for his car, but as he turned it on, the gunman opened the passenger side door and shot him three times, hitting him in the face, hand and shoulder.Egwuatu managed to drive off while bleeding and c...

Megan McArdle says about your 401K, “Don’t Look.”  I’ve been following this advice since the whole thing started.  I just don’t want to know.  I’m not in this for the short term, and I definitely don’t want to buy high and sell low.  I’m going to wait for this mess to bottom out and then get all m...

Nagin admits guilt and settles with the NRA regarding gun confiscations during the aftermath of Katrina. He should be in jail. ...

I’m guessing Obama. I kid. ...

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This AP article hints that NRA may be preparing to endorse the McCain/Palin ticket: The NRA has not yet endorsed a presidential candidate, but LaPierre planned news conferences Thursday in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Colorado and Nevada to make an announcement on the presidential election. He declined Wednesday to reveal which candidate the NRA would e...

Spartenburg, South CarolinaFrom WYFF of October 8, 2008Police: Employees Disarm, Hold Would-Be RobberOfficers were called to a drive-in restaurant Tuesday night where employees disarmed and restrained a robbery suspect.Employees at Boots and Sonny’s Drive-in on East Henry Street said that an armed man had come into the business through an unsecur...

Columbus, OhioFrom the Columbus Dispatch of October 7, 2008Man kills would-be robber on North SideA Columbus man was killed this evening when, witnesses told police, he tried to rob a couple in a North Side parking lot.Thomas E. Goldsmith Jr., 27, was pronounced dead at the scene around 5 p.m. Franklin County records had addresses for him on Roche ...

Presser from the National Shooting Sports Foundation: The Obama campaign in Indiana, on September 27, unlawfully obtained and made unauthorized use of a proprietary media list belonging to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) ? the trade association for the firearms industry. Sen. Obama used this list to e-mail a press release concerning...