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April 21, 2007

H&I* Fires, 21 APR 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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JRobb offers up yet more non-defeatist criticism, unlike some Congress Critters, of GEN Patraeus' plan.
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Barnett thinks ADM Fallon made a media relations mistake.
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A post examining, a little, something near and dear to many of us: whether IO and PAO should be run by separate shops.
--ry

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Good news from Iraq... in the LA Times, of all places.

Democrats playing politics with Petraeus. The General leading operations in Iraq comes to town and you don't have time to meet with him??! "Just a scheduling confict," huh? Sure. Pretty hard to look the General you voted for in the eye when you're doing all you can to make sure he fails and the blame falls on his CinC. - FbL

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Blue Angel aircraft down in Beaufort, SC airshow. 1 confirmed fatality, but unknown if it's the pilot or someone on the ground (conflicting reports). CNN article here. -the Armorer

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This is *my kind* of Miss America! An older, tougher form of 'Murican. Miss America 1944.

Ramey said the man told her he would leave. "I said, 'Oh, no you won't,' and I shot their tires so they couldn't leave," Ramey said.

She had to balance on her walker as she pulled out a snub-nosed .38-caliber handgun.

Go read the rest, at Betsy's Page.

Apparently Ms. Venus Ramey, of DC, gained her skillz *before* the City Council disarmed its citizens. H/t, SWWBO. -the Armorer

Update: The pilot is the fatality. Here at the Castle we mourn the loss to the brown shoe Navy, but take solace in the fact that no one else was apparently seriously hurt. CNN follow-up here.

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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Apr 21, 2007 | General Commentary

A new whatziss for a lazy Saturday

Actually, that's a misnomer. Saturday is the lazy day for the server, being the lowest traffic day. Which suggests you guys are busy (as well as not surfing from work...)

So, whatizzit?

Let's see whose experience leads them where on this one.

The only hint I'll start you with is - this is *so* last century.

Update: The mystery deepens... here.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Apr 21, 2007 | Gun Pr0n - A Naughty Expose' of the fiddly bits
» links with: Picture Puzzle: A new whatziss

April 20, 2007

H&I* Fires, 20 APR 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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Uh-oh. Emperor Misha is on a warpath of civil disobedience. Should we start collecting bail money?
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Uncle J. I typically like his South Park influenced punkings of people and current events. I don't always agree with them, but they're typically pretty good. This one though? Not so good. If you're intent is to stop kids who nut as a result of internal demons or being mocked then mocking them seems a lot like giving a kid who's suffering from the runs a laxative to me.

Sure, some of the pictures will be funny. I may even laugh at a few myself. But is it in tune with his stated goal of deterrence of these kids? Sorry Uncle J, but this lowly Denizen thinks you're working anti-parallel to your goal of discouraging kids from nutting here dude. You're cementing something that may be driving them into madness in the first place: their fear that you'll never accept them and that you hate them. Might just be the best play is to simply leave the whole thing alone, 'ya know?

Oh, and if UJ shows up here with Chuck D and the SW-1s? Then ry is the big fellow who wears glasses and has a salt and pepper beard.
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Since Grim's permalinks are still busted I can't link back to it [FbL sez: the link I've added will work], but he's got a pretty interesting discussion/headsheding about Virginia Tech. He's calling it Wargaming VA Tech.
--ry

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Liviu Librescu was laid to rest in Israel today. He had survived more than the concentration camp. - FbL

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How about some fun stuff - there's a new DH-9 bomber resurrected from the dustheap. H/t, CAPT H.

CAPT H also sent me a link to a video of some Geography professors being silly, but having an undergrad degree in that subject, well, um, d-uh. Far more interesting were these videos!

Cannon Firing 101. This is *not* how Castle crews will man guns, when the day comes that we have the land to open the cannon range. This looks like Infantrymen playing to me. I'm sure I'll hear from Murray on this one.

Cannon Firing in Old Fort Jackson. This is the level of crew drill Castle Gunners will maintain - but... we're not going to fire blanks at the windows. Nope. Nor projectiles, to stave off *that* snark.

Sadly, I *know* these guys. And at the Castle we will not do anything so foolish as this. We might well do things like this - but we will have much better production values, and, frankly, better gun drill. BTW - only $5500, and that cannon can be yours. Plus shipping. Yes, I'm tempted. Fortunately, I'm pretty sure SWWBO will exert some restraint. -the Armorer

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Argghhh! As if life doesn't suck enough, Felp's Whelps will be at VT funerals. "Preaching." Heh. They don't read the same book I did. They keep skipping the whole second half. Heh, for Phred and crowd, I cannot but hope they get a "Joe Johnston at Sherman's Funeral" experience. Uncharitable of me, I know. -the Armorer

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Hey! I just realized Ry punk'd me and is setting me up for Jimbo's minions! No worries. I'm ready. -the Armorer

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Soldiers' Angels in Texas sends us this story: Funny Car Racer "Wild Child" Kebin Kinsley supports our troops

Did anyone notice that a certain event on Monday pushed AQI and Iraq off the front pages for a few days? And then they came back with a vengence on Wednesday. I don't think they liked losing the battlespace to a lone gunman.

Hollywood at war: John Voigt meets with wounded at Walter Reed. (h/t Michelle Malkin)

Unfortunately, the bad guys get their say, too: Al Qaeda says Iraq is "University of Terror" Still, an interesting part of this message is al Baghdadi trying to lay some reconciliation on the ground after declaring all those who do not swear allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Baghdadi as traitors and kicking off the current fight between previous allies in al Anbar. What's more interesting is that this is the major flaw in their campaign. Zarqawi had the problem and now Baghdadi has the problem. Zawahiri wrote to Zarqawi about it. In short, they have a tendency to try and inflict their ideology on the locals and the locals are none to fond of that or their methods. Thus, everytime they try to whip their allies in line to organize more distinctly they end up peeling some more off.

Mao wrote in his treatise about guerilla war, that, in order for a guerilla army to go from "criminals" and "bandits" (we could throw in "terrorist") in the mind of the people, eventually it would have to coalesce into a regular army with regular standards and recognizable leadership. Otherwise, it would never be legitimate in the eyes of the people. That is another reason why AQI and the ISI tried to announce ministers. A chief complaint among the groups that are angry at AQI is their lack of known, recognizable leadership who are demanding the people swear allegiance to it. For all the caterwauling fom capitol hill about "losing the war", it seems that AQI and ISI, along with the other conglomerate of insurgents, are having a difficult time becoming legitimate in Iraq.

-Kat

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Argghhh! again.

Oh, my yes, this is going to work wonders to reduce violence in the world! Yale Dean of Students Betty Trachtenberg just *had* to do *something!* I mean, it's what all the beautiful people do, right? Make gestures? Preferably meaningless ones, but ones which, nonetheless, regardless of the impact on others, makes us feel, "right." And, in fact, it's even better if I have a little power and that my gesture infantilizes and inconveniences some others, *especially* if I can do it by fiat, so no one might talk me out of it... because then, I get the added frisson of doing "The right thing, even if it is the hard thing." Because, of course, it *feels* right.

Actually, sometimes doing something because it feels right is the right thing to do. Sometimes it isn't. Figuring that out is, well, the essence of adulthood. Sometimes though, stupid is as stupid does.

Such as banning the use of "realistic" weapon props in stage plays at Yale. Thwock! Thwock! goes the styrofoam sword (well, she *will* allow wood. Heh. She will until someone points out the wooden swords of Melanesia, or, *shudder* the Roman "Rudius" or wooden training sword of the Legions, if nothing else a *symbol* of the discipline of the Legionary soldier. Not to mention (oops! I did!) a sign of manumission for gladiator slaves. If you have concerns, Dean Trachtenberg, then treat your students as adults - and simply require adequate storage controls and accountability for property. Just sayin'. After all, that's what *we* do with the 18-22 year olds in my business. Oh, I forgot - most of them aren't college students and apparently can be trusted. Leastways that's the message I'm getting from you... -the Armorer

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Snerk! Here's an odd referral for the Castle. Scroll to the bottom of the page. -the Armorer

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Okay, let's try again, to make those first two comments have some relevance... (*Someone* blew away one of my entries while making theirs...)

One of the perks of being a mildly successful blogger is that by assiduously cultivating people, you get invited to things like the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics "Dole Leadership Prize" presentation to former Senator Howard Baker, this Sunday over at the Lied Center at KU. That in itself is nice, but the perk is that SWWBO and I were invited to the pre-ceremony reception at the Institute, meaning that yours truly will get to meet and chat with Senator Baker, in person (however briefly, to be sure, as I am a tiny presence on the radar).

I have my email chats with Professer David Perlmutter of KU to thank for this, and for the previous invitation to the "Blog to the Chief" event that I live-blogged. I'm hoping that if I behave well enough this Sunday evening, I'll get invited to the next major event, as well - the 2007 Dole Lecture, to be given this year by regional native and K-State grad, not to overlook his being the 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Richard Myers. Being a middlin' blogger in a rectangular state has its advantages. BTW - if you're in the region, you can get tickets to the events for free just by asking - the only perk I get is the pre-event event. -the Armorer

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Snerk! The bloom is off. We now have our own niche magazine. Blogging is officially yesterday. -the Armorer

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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Apr 20, 2007 | General Commentary

Sandman's Whatziss. Really, whatziss?

Yesterday, I put up a pic that Sandman6 (a deployed Marine) sent in for a whatziss challenge.

Truth - the thing stumps me, because it if's what Sandman says it is - it's a completely new version of that type of bolt to me.

Sandman says it's the bolt to this:

Chinese (?) AK variant.

Roughly double-sized pic here.

To see the rest of the carrier - click here.

This is the bolt and carrier from one of the Castle's Romanian WASR rifles.

Certainly, the Whatziss looks like an AK-style bolt and carrier - but I've never seen one like that - and I've thus far been unable to find a pic or diagram of an RPK bolt and carrier. Mebbe one of you guys in the Sandboxes can get a gander at one?

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Apr 20, 2007 | Gun Pr0n - A Naughty Expose' of the fiddly bits

A little more on Gun Control.

...other than the ability to hit your target.

Professor James Q Wilson (He, with George Kelling, of "Broken Windows" fame) on the futility of ever more and tighter gun control.

First, his mistake of fact, to get that out of the way:

Leading British, French, German, Italian and Spanish newspapers have blamed the United States for listening to Charlton Heston and the National Rifle Assn. Many of their claims are a little strange. At least two papers said we should ban semiautomatic assault weapons (even though the killer did not use one); another said that buying a machine gun is easier than getting a driver's license (even though no one can legally buy a machine gun); a third wrote that gun violence is becoming more common (when in fact the U.S. homicide rate has fallen dramatically over the last dozen years).

Emphasis added.

Sorry, Professor Wilson. While it is true, that without certain permissions (such as the people who supply the movie industry, etc) owning and buying machineguns is not legal in California (where Pepperdine is) the same is not true for great swaths of these United States. Oddly enough, despite their presence in the population, machineguns aren't much found (the legal ones especially) being used in a criminal fashion (just as an aside). And as for that Euro paper, they haven't tried to buy a legal machinegun anytime recently... getting a driver's license is both easier and *much* cheaper.

That said... he next brings up a point I've made numerous times. Culture counts, and must be taken into account... and oh, btw, the Euros are not as clean as they imagine themselves to be:

If we want to guess by how much the U.S. murder rate would fall if civilians had no guns, we should begin by realizing — as criminologists Franklin Zimring and Gordon Hawkins have shown — that the non-gun homicide rate in this country is three times higher than the non-gun homicide rate in England. For historical and cultural reasons, Americans are a more violent people than the English, even when they can't use a gun. This fact sets a floor below which the murder rate won't be reduced even if, by some constitutional or political miracle, we became gun-free.

But wait! There's more!

AS FOR THE European disdain for our criminal culture, many of those countries should not spend too much time congratulating themselves. In 2000, the rate at which people were robbed or assaulted was higher in England, Scotland, Finland, Poland, Denmark and Sweden than it was in the United States. The assault rate in England was twice that in the United States. In the decade since England banned all private possession of handguns, the BBC reported that the number of gun crimes has gone up sharply.

Some of the worst examples of mass gun violence have also occurred in Europe. In recent years, 17 students and teachers were killed by a shooter in one incident at a German public school; 14 legislators were shot to death in Switzerland, and eight city council members were shot to death near Paris.

The main lesson that should emerge from the Virginia Tech killings is that we need to work harder to identify and cope with dangerously unstable personalities.

It is a problem for Europeans as well as Americans, one for which there are no easy solutions — such as passing more gun control laws.

If I say this, I'm just a shill for the NRA, I know. But if a respected college professor says it, well, it must be true, right? (That last is for the Euros, not you guys).

Read his whole thing here, in the LA Times. For a different viewpoint (gotta have balance) check out Rosa Brooks. For all that I wave off her gun control verbiage - I am with her on the issue of an excessively self-indulgent and overly maudlin response to things. Which I am also sometimes guilty of, I admit.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Apr 20, 2007 | Gun Rights

April 19, 2007

H&I* Fires, 19 APR 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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Looks like the folks over at Reason don't find much joy in the writings of swsnbn(ss!) either.
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Today is another dark anniversary. 12 years ago another group of self important and deranged individuals decided to make their statement with a body count.

Their target was the Murrah Federal Building, in Oklahoma City.

Jackalopes come in all sizes, all shapes, all colors, and creeds.
--ry

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Neptunus Lex and dinner conversation with his Eldest. If you've never read Lex before - this is the time to start. BTW - this guy is going to be a panelist on my panel at the Milblog Conference - you can meet him and ask him hard, perplexing questions yourself - if you go... If you go, you can meet *all* of these people... Just sayin'. Oh! Registration closes 27 April - no registration at the door. Unless you're rich and famous, of course. And Andi decides if you qualify for that!

Then there's this - as Larry K put it - Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch? -the Armorer

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Baskin-Robbins, honoring Firefighters, May 2.

N-Robbins 31 Cent Scoop Night in Honor of NFFF

Baskin-Robbins is kicking off to the summer season early with a special 31-Cent Scoop Night celebration on May 2, 2007. Ice cream lovers have the opportunity to enjoy their favorite Baskin-Robbins flavor for only 31 cents while paying tribute to local heroes. On May 2, America’s favorite ice cream store is partnering with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

All the details, here. -the Armorer

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Speaking of Oklahoma and Heroes, a Soliders' Angel sent me this link to a video about a sailor who returns home to honor her mother today, who was killed in the Murrah Building 12 years ago. PO Lykins said she joined after 9/11 because she wanted to honor her mother's memory and do fight against terrorism. (you have to scroll down to video on April 17)

Also, second video about a marine Viet Nam veteran who is a double amputee and uses his experience to work with the injured. Edmond vet visits injured troops.

Army ready to field test Land Warrior System with deploying unit. Soldiers' response: Eh.

-Kat

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Bad Cat Robot steps into the phone booth and emerges as Snarkatron and skewers NBC. Geez, pick on something sporting why doncha? -the Armorer

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In a story about another bomb-sniffing dog named Daisy, Rosie DiManno gives us a different perspective on what happened to the ill-fated dog I posted about last month:

The dog did its job and found the other bomb planted nearby. She had indicated the spot to her handler. But sniffer dogs are trained to detect the scent of the explosive, not the plate, which in this case was a few feet distant. The dog stepped on the plate just as a Canadian trooper was handing its leash to the handler. The handler was seriously injured but is expected to recover.

I prefer to believe this version, rather than assuming the dog screwed up. - Damian

Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Apr 19, 2007 | General Commentary

Dusty, Bill, Lex, Blackhawk, V29, Baby-San, Neffi, Matt, Tommy... This post is for you.

Today is the birthday of a milestone aviator.


Larry Walters.

To commemorate his aviation achievement, the Denizens shall dance:

Up in the air, Junior Birdmen
Up in the air, upside-down!
Up in the air, Junior Birdmen
Keep your nose up off the ground!

And when you see all those birdmen
With their shiny wings of tin-
Then you will know the Junior Birdmen
Have sent their box tops in!

Larry Walters, Balloon Man

H/t, Mike L.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Apr 19, 2007 | Aircraft

Time for a Whatziss!

It's Patriot Day - let's see who knows their firearms parts...

So, whatziss?

This is reader-submitted by a young deployed Marine who hangs at the Castle when the bandwidth allows. The focus isn't the best, but doesn't really detract that much. Give the guy a break - he's deployed!

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Apr 19, 2007 | Gun Pr0n - A Naughty Expose' of the fiddly bits

Patriot's Day, 2007.

The US Wall at The Arsenal Of Argghhh! (yes, I know the flag is reversed, it's fixed in the Arsenal, but I haven't taken a new picture).


By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.


-Concord Hymn, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Sung at the dedication of the Battle Monument, commemorating the Battle of Lexington and Concord, April 19, 1836.

And, as Ry put it, up in the H&I Fires:

Today is another dark anniversary. 12 years ago another group of self important and deranged individuals decided to make their statement with a body count.

Make this small change:

Today is another dark anniversary. 232 years ago another group of self important and deranged individuals decided to make their statement with a body count.

And it becomes an opinion that can be heard now and again among many of the elites of world, especially cosmopolitan transnational Euro-elites.

Heh. Things haven't changed much. If they had any Red Coats, they'd come to disarm us again, given the chance. Oft times, our own elites have felt the same way about we plebs.

Interestingly, as we sit in the aftermath (and in some cases unseemly media frenzy regarding the shooter) of the murders at Virginia Tech, there has been some indications, however slight, that some of the elites *do* pay attention to us. We, of course, must keep on them, lest they forget.

But the knee-jerk reaction, except from those heavily invested in the issue, like the NRA or Brady Campaign, has some interesting nuance in it. I was bemused this morning to find a link to my Gun Control Policy Debate post from Unpartisan.Com. Not surprised at the link - but at the excerpt.

Lawmakers resist gun control revision WASHINGTON | After the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid cautioned Tuesday against a “rush to judgment” on stricter gun control. (11 hours ago)

The link to their links is above the quote.

Secondly - there is an indication that Representative Nancy Boyda (D, KS), who wrested her seat from a clueless Jim Ryun (R, ex-Ks) does have some understanding of her constituency, at least until she's firmly established enough to allow the full perks of incumbency to protect her. In a "Congressional Briefing" (itself quoting an AP article) from the Lawrence Journal-World, Ms Boyda is on the record as saying:

“As tragic as this incident was … I don’t think we need additional federal gun laws,” Boyda said Tuesday. “We need to enforce the laws we have.”

What she said.

I'm cautiously optimistic regarding Ms. Boyda - on this issue, as well as some others, such as Veteran's Affairs, though we disagree on the GWOT. I admit it - I like divided government, it keeps either side from running roughshod over the other. Not that I'm going to let my guard down.

In keeping with the spirit of Kim du Toit's Nation of Riflemen, I'm going to order up some ammunition from the Internet (all legal, of course), and I'm going to order one of these - a hand mortar. SWWBO has already approved (lotsa brass, not hard to win her over with lotsa brass).

It will look something like this when completed (though the stock will not have the ivory inlay, and the butt-shape will be more consistent with 18th century stocks, rather than the 17th Century stock in this example from a museum in Germany. [Oops. Too many pictures, not enough captions. That pic was stuck in with a bunch of pics I have from a museum in Nuremburg - but as reader Randy Knight points out - it's probably from a set he sent me of the Imperial War Museum or the British Museum. More of Randy's work can be seen here. Never hesitate to call me out if I'm stealing your credit! -the Armorer]

Hosting provided by FotoTime

It's a kit. I'll probably run a series on building it and shooting it.

And yes, I know the flag is displayed incorrectly in the top photo. While it's been long fixed in the Arsenal, I've not taken a new picture. And yes, grognards, that Ross is US Ordnance marked, so it hangs there appropriately.

Update: For those who just can't get past the flag - here, it's hanging correctly. Just don't ask me where I got all those left-handed antique weapons. Let's just say they are very rare and not often found in the wild.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Apr 19, 2007 | Citizenship

Friday Non-Cat Blogging

I can't really engage in Friday Cat-Blogging because the only cat around lives with the folks on the corner; he checks out the songbird menu through the fence, casts a jaundiced eye at the scruples jaundicely eyeing *him*, then splits.

I can't follow Maggie's innovative, cutting-edge lead on Friday Colon-Blogging; since I've never given a bunch of barflies a vertical smile, I just don't have the streetside plate glass window cred. I could probably get away with Friday Semi-Colon Blogging, though, since I've already used two of 'em.

But that wouldn't blow the bandwidth budget out the back door.

Soooo, I'll do a little Friday Non-Cat-Critter-But-Acts-Like-a-Cat-Blogging.

Meet Gaby, the newest scruple. A baby Tasmanian devil.

caption blown out by *oooooh -- how cute* chorus from the SBB

Ummmm -- okay, she's actually an Australian shepherd pup. But this is one of the few pix I got that doesn't show just a brown-tan-white blur. As far as acting like a cat goes, three seconds after I caught her tugging on the vegetation, she pounced my toes, popped a foot into the air, grabbed my leg with all four paws and started climbing.

Got to my knee and just hung there like Were-Kitty on the only pole in three states.

Or the only Pole in Eastern Europe.

More later. She just woke up and wants to see if twigs taste any different after dark...

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by CW4BillT on Apr 19, 2007 | Uh-oh, Scruples are loose!

FYI

GTCR RECOGNIZES ISLAMO-FASCISM AWARENESS DAY Georgia Tech group hosts "Obsession" screening on Radical Islam, Special guest Martha Zoller to introduce documentary


ATLANTA (April 19, 2007) – On Thursday evening, the Georgia Tech Chapter of the College Republicans will host a screening of the groundbreaking film Obsession: Radical Islam’s War against the West in recognition of Islamo-Fascism Awareness Day.

Over 100 campuses across the country will host Obsession screenings on and around April 19, as part of the Terrorism Awareness Project (www.terrorismawareness.org), a program of the David Horowitz Freedom Center dedicated to waking up American college students to the threat of militant Islam.

"This film presents an important perspective on radical Islam that is often ignored by the mainstream media and academia," said GTCR Campus Activism Director David Hotle, who is coordinating the Terrorism Awareness Project at Georgia Tech. "Our main goal in screening this documentary is to raise awareness of the threat of Islamo-Fascism by educating the student body with relevant facts that have not received adequate attention."

Obsession reveals an "insider's view" of the hatred the Radicals are teaching, their incitement of global jihad, and their goal of world domination. With the help of experts, including first-hand accounts from a former PLO terrorist, a Nazi youth commander, and the daughter of a martyred guerilla leader, the film demonstrates that the threat is real. "Violent Islamic extremists present a real threat to the American way of life, and Tech students are not immune to
this threat," said Georgia Tech student Christopher Dempsey. "This film will enliven discussion on campus as we examine the salient challenges of our world today." Renowned talk-radio personality, author, and columnist Martha Zoller will introduce the film on Tech's campus Thursday, which will be shown in DM Smith Room 104 from 7:30-9:30pm.

"The war against the Islamic jihad and its religion of terror will be decisively won if we both understand the nature of the threat that confronts us and have the will to face it," said TAP national coordinator Stephen Miller. "The Terrorism Awareness Project will assist in achieving these objectives, as college students across America can defend America, which is under siege both abroad and at home."

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Apr 19, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)

April 18, 2007

H&I* Fires, 18 APR 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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Excuse the interrupt and out of sequence post:
Hey, Koreans! Don't take on a sense of collective guilt over this. Don't listen to the jackalopes who are going nutso right now. It wasn't your fault. He's not a reflection of you all anymore than the Unibomber was representative of Caucasians.

There's no need for S. Korea, the Korean-American community, or individual families that just happen to have Korean blood in them to apologize or feel any shame over this. There's no need for you to feel any worse than the rest of us about this. Don't let anybody brow beat you over this. It wasn't your fault. It had absolutely no connection to you in any real sense. His parents were from the 'Hermit Kingdom'. That's the only connection you and this gun spree nutjob had. That's it. That's the same as my connection to Michael Collins because my family is from Ireland---i.e. an absolutely unsubstantial one. Not your fault. Don't feel responsible for it. It isn't about you. It's about him.

Hey jackalopes! Don't be jackholes about it, people. Being Korean or Christian or anything other than him being a sick, sick man had nothing to do with this. Grow up and stop trying to find a group of people to hate. This kind of nonsense angers me. So knock it off already(particularly you, Ms. swsnbn(ss!)). Join the 21st Century would you?
--ry
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She who shall not be named (she'll sue!) shows that she's damn near insane, if not a full blown bigot, here.

You know what swsnbn(ss!)? Ismail Ax could be a WoW (World of Warcraft for the non-online gaming crowd) handle or on par with writing 'Holden Caufield' on his arms as it this point as nobody knows what it means or why that jackalope wrote it. Not everything that happens is part of a Islamicist/Terrorist plot. Put the remote control down. Pop that '24' dvd out your player. You're getting paranoid, swsnbn(ss!) and making the rest of us look bad.

I think someone better check if swsnbn(ss!) is armed and refer her to some psych counseling regardless.
----
Gray and Pink. Can't be better highlighted than this.
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Eugene Volohk offers his opinion on 'what we're going to do about it?'
-- ry
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Oh, and the Lord Salamander, Der 'Phibian, has a post about the future Zumwalt class/DDG-1000 destroyer.

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My, La Schussel is on a tear, isn't she? Complete with all caps shouting and stuff. You can name her, Ry, just don't post pictures of her. That would be bad.

-the Armorer

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SWWBO - it looks like we'll have to be careful when we do that bathroom re-model... H/t, Mike L. -the Armorer

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Thinking big. Really big. Really really big.

Then there's...Piggybacking - I'm of the opinion that if you have a wireless network, and you don't secure it from unauthorized users, you're an idiot. Interesting issues raised in this article. I'm of the opinion if you are too lazy to read the very simple instructions that come with a wireless router - and don't at least set up MAC-address level security on your network, you're laying out an invitation. It isn't rocket science. If you literally cannot comprehend the router instructions, then you should either pay someone to do it for you, or skip it and stick with a cable. I'm continually amazed at how many unsecure networks there are when I travel. The three that currently exist in my neighborhood either use encryption or MAC-address level access control.-the Armorer

Lastly - Bill - while I'm glad your Governor is recovering, just what was he doing that justified his using emergency lights to speed along the highway? And one hopes his ticket for no seatbelt is in the mail. *Especially* if the state is picking up the medical tab. -the Armorer

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Soldiers' Angels "Get'er Done" with Larry the Cable Guy

Soldiers' Angels Supports Virginia Tech ROTC with $10,000 donation to the Endowment Fund
-Kat

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Building on the "broken clock" theme regarding La Schlussel that Oldloadr and I are jousting about in the comments, comes this - which, in a sense, supports both of us.

First it was Johnny Muhammad, now it was [He Who Shall Not Be Named In This Space] aka Ismail Ax. Precisely how many mass shooters have to turn out to have adopted Muslim names before we get it? Islam has become the tribe of choice of those who hate American society. I'm not talking about people who grew up as Muslims, confident and secure in their faith, good fathers, sons and neighbors. I'm talking about the angry, malignant, narcissist loners who want to reject their community utterly, to throw off their 'slave name' and represent the downtrodden of the earth by shooting their friends and neighbors.

Herein lies the crux, and what Ry was after with his bigotry comment. La Schlussel sees a mosque-driven conspiracy in every olive-skinned bearded face she runs across who is behaving less than properly in her view - and, I suspect, figures the others are just hiding it better. And she can certainly be right, and just as often, or more so, wrong. I see the shooter in the mold from the quote - he was a faddist murderer, adopting a form that is highly visible - lending credence to La Schlussel's attitudes, while not actually being the same thing - but in enables tarring with a wide brush. Just as the lone internet geek paradigm tars with a wide brush.

You can read the rest here, at TCS Daily. -the Armorer

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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »