I expected silence as to the identities and origins of the shooter and a statement that it is “Not Terrorism Related”. …In other words, SOP.

And, apparently, there were two heroes, men who charged, literally, into the gun. Ryan Blackwell and Charles Hogue.

Question that the Media isn’t asking: Where (and how) did a Saudi citizen, a guest in this country, get a pistol?

I stated that I could field strip and reassemble a 1911 blindfolded, it was that simple. (and another dude claimed the same thing for him and his Glock)

So bets were made. The contest was on.

I was blindfolded (really) and took my empty (we checked before the blindfold…several times) full size 1911 and field stripped it, laid the parts out, then reassembled it…blindfolded (the only hard part is getting the pin into the barrel link, really). Won 20 from one guy, and ten from three others. (and I think there were some side bets going on, but I’m not sure) Then they bet me I couldn’t do it again. I agreed, but there was no money on the table, so I did it again just to show off.

‘Twasn’t hard, until I went to put the slide stop in….it wasn’t there! Seems that it was in someone’s pocket…..I fumbled and fumbled and then gave up and took of the blindfold…
All laughter and I got my slide stop back.

And I proved a point…if you’ve been cleaning your firearm regularly for long enough, you SHOULD be able to do it blindfolded. (assuming your carry gun isn’t something weird, like a Bergmann, or a Luger or a Broomhandle (ETA: or a Ruger Mk 2 or 3))

Glock Boy was able to do the same….Easier for him as there are fewer parts….But he did it with skill and speed….methinks he’s done it before. He was faster, I think….

It was a fun evening, and I won some ammo money.

And proved a point. 

Now, I don’t want ex Mayor Bloomberg to be my president. His record of thumbing his nose at the Constitution (Stop and Frisk, etc) is a big reason, as is his socialist tendencies…
Oddly, however, the fact that he is a Jew wasn’t even on my radar. It is neither a reason to vote FOR him, nor a reason to vote AGAINST him. It really doesn’t matter to me one way nor the other….his religious upbringing and whatever shape the Deity he prays to might be, I mean.

I wonder why Gail King and her staff at CBS thought that was an important fact? 

So I stopped the plane last time with 666.0 hours on the tach.

Went to fly a Instrument lesson, and broke the Carb heat cable…..Taxiied back and ordered a new one.

We replaced the cable…did a runup. now tach time is 666.4

Went to move it, and had a low tire (new this last February). Filled the tire and moved it to the hangar as it was too windy (+50 MPH) to fly. Did a complete warmup before putting it away. Tach time now 666.8

Taxiied out today for a lesson (tire pressure was still fine). During the runup, left mag showed a 300 RPM drop and lots of engine roughness. Leaning the mixture and running the engine up did not help. Taxiied down the runway to the nearest turnoff. Checked again. Engine now runs fine (apparently the taxi at more power/higher load/higher RPM was enough to get the plugs to cleaning temp.

Tach time? 667.0…

Coincidence? Or something more sinister?

Either way, did a 1.4 hour lesson and had nary a glitch.

Odd that the entire 666.X hour was gremlin prone though. 

Odd, that.

Also, it seems that they at one time arranged some loans for the Trump Corporation, so who knows. Also Putin, so there is that.

But also connected to the late and unlamented (except for the stories he could have told) Jeffrey Epstein, who may or may not have been laundering money through those same banks and whose connection to both “bankers” is most recent.

Coincidence? “Arckancide”?  Likely someone tying up loose ends now that Epstein is safely silenced.

Second link via It Ain’t Holy Water

If you choose to go, I applaud you. But there are no bargains great enough to get me shopping, standing in line, having to battle for parking, etc. 

I hope that each of you has much to be thankful for…even if life is not as we might like it to be at times.

I am thankful for many things. No, life isn’t perfect, but I would bet that 92+ percent of the folks in most other countries would change place with me in a heartbeat. I remember that every day, but especially today.

For those who are forced to work today. I am sorry. For those walking a beat or standing a post, I am  Truly thankful for you and your work as well.

And for those who feel the need to go out and look for bargains this evening:
 Remember, it is because of you and folks like you that some clerks have to work instead of spending it with THEIR family or friends.

So, essentially, working harder got one nothing. Few men worked harder, and few women worked harder to process the foods and fruits of the men’s labor.

Why should they? Harder work, more work, less work, it all remained the same. One did not get more if one worked hard. Others could work as little as possible and still get their “Fair Share” of the harvest, the hunt, or whatever. 
There was no incentive to work harder, as there was no way to get ahead.

And that is the reason the colony was near starvation….and why they were so thankful for the help of the “Indians” that led to what we consider to be the first Thanksgiving. Of course, removal of the whole commune bit helped as well. Allowing people to hold their own supplies allowed them to actually gain from their hard(er) labor. Which made for a much more prosperous colony.

But without the failure that the socialist model caused, there would have been no reason for the thanks. And no reason to thank the Natives whose help made them prosperous.

Seriously, that is the phone call I got about 3 pm on Wed.

Now, Bobby is a good friend. Great guy. Outstandingly generous.

But he brooks no stupidity, and has a temper.

So it IS possible that he needs my help to “move a body”.

(I’d not expect the call to come at 3 pm…more like in the middle of the night, but with Bobby, you never know….)

Anyway, he gave me an address that was only about 5 miles from where I live….

So I went, if only to see what was going on….

Many thoughts crossed my mind on the way…..

Was it a joke?
If not, what do I do? Help him move the body? (yeah, he’s that good of a friend) or suggest he call the po-po……

As I drive there, I realize that I had been there once before….It’s Ed’s house….This could be good or bad…..

I exit the truck, and wander over to where Bobby is standing, just almost in the back yard…

And there is the body.
Of a Deer that had been hit by a car and had died in Ed’s backyard….

Whew.
OK.
Well, then.

“Asshole” I said.
“yeah, but you showed up” he answered.

Took the three of us to load it into his truck. Bobby isn’t young anymore and Ed is kinda crippled…Not that I am as healthy and strong as I was when I was 20 either….But it is loaded (and he has a DNR  tag for it) to dispose of, rather than letting it be eaten over the next few days by coyotes in Ed’s backyard.

So now he knows who he can call, if and when….

I got some odd friends though…