Quote of the weekend

"Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie" until you can find a rock."
Will Rogers

Awesome new doodad-Streamlight Stylus Pro

I promised a couple of weeks ago that I'd review my new Streamlight Stylus Pro-so here goes. I got mine for Amazon for about $20 but have seen them from $15 and up. I had another item to get so the free shipping is what pushed me to get it from Amazon. It is a hair over 5 inches and is the same basic size as a Sharpie marker. There is a tailcap switch(with an extra rubber cap) and a pocket clip at the rear. It is LED as most lights are today and takes 2 AAA batteries. I wanted something with batteries that weren't oddball or exotic. It also came with a nylon case with a belt loop. I'm not a "stuff hangin' off my belt" kinda' guy, but hey, what the hell. It does seem to be well made and looks a lot like the ones that come with the small Maglights. Now on to the good stuff. I love this light! It is super bright, especially for its size. The case is aluminum and has a little heft to it making it seem fairly tough(only 1.64 oz?). According to the description it has been drop tested to 6 feet and is waterproof, although they don't say how waterproof actually. It does have o-rings and seems to seal tightly as it is screwed together. If I do ever go swimming with it in inky black darkness with Navy SEALS I'll tell you how it does. For those of you that are into EDC(Every Day Carry) I think this would be an excellent option. It is just small enough, yet bright enough, to be of real help in a tight situation. I would have no problem changing a tire on the side of a dark country road some night with this bad little dude. I can see it in a desk drawer at work, shirt pocket, or even a purse. I do wish it had some sort of lanyard hole, but I think an enterprising person could fix something up fairly easily with some paracord. It also would have a prominent place any any BOB of mine. Well, that's all I have on this little jewel. If you have any questions about it, I'd be more than happy to reply. Just let me know. I'll review the Kabar potbelly knife real soon-I promise. Anyway, Y'all have a good 'un.

How poor is poor?

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2011/07/What-is-Poverty

I'm the kind of blogger that doesn't really want too much of my life hanging out there for anyone to read. I guess that sounds stupid seein' as how I post stuff on this idiot box on a routine basis. That being said...without divulging what I do for a living I'll say this-I routinely see the inside of peoples homes at all times, rich and poor. After 20 years in my job I've seen more than enough evidence to back up the premise of the article above.
Poor is not poor, today. Poor today means you don't have enough money to buy more minutes for your smart phone until Friday-on payday. Poor today means you don't get to eat out at McDonald's every night. Poor means you only have the regular satellite package instead of all the movie channels. I think most of us can agree. I know there are some bleedy hearts that will disagree. I have seen poor folks and know they exist, but I'm talking about the loud ones who complain so much. You know the ones. I 100% agree that the economy as of lately has put a hurtin' on some folks; some I know and are close to me. But...most of us are still able to eat and provide the basics. And this is all at a level that is head and shoulders above third world country poor. I've never been on a mission trip, but every friend I've ever spoken to after returning from South/Central America, Africa, etc. have said the exact same thing. Their poor is really poor. Their day to day survival is hinky at best. From clean water to basic nutrition is a day to day struggle. I don't think many of us could survive like that, much less the American poor. I hate to say I don't really have a targeted direction with this post other than lately I've really seen this premise stand out. I've seen some folks lately who thought they were at the tail end of the money train, but didn't really even know what that means. They were well fed, and I mean WELL fed, and privvy to all the awesome, super, gov'ment freebies that the regular tax payers would never get a shot at-cause you make too much money and work too hard! I apologize if this has turned into a rant, but like it says at the top of my page,"sometimes my cup gets too full." This is me dumping a little out. I'll post something a little more cheerful next time. So...thanks, and y'all have a good 'un.

After hearing all the reports on the national debt I wanted to do a post on it. After reading numerous articles I discovered that I'm not nearly as smart and ed-youcated as I thought I was. Apparently, college didn't prepare me to understand all the spin, lies, mis-information, and just general BS involved. Lucky for me that Mr. Rawles over at Survivalblog.com does. He posted a great article that breaks it down and was easy to understand. So...no reason to re-invent the whole car. Just zip on over to www.survivalblog.com and check the blog for Monday the 18th. Thank you sir, for your hard work and concern for the well being of our great nation. Y'all have a good 'un.

What is too much?

A fellow blogger at "Standing Outside Looking In" asked the question "what do you carry?" Now, I thought that was a great topic to cover, but didn't want to be johnny-come-lately so I'll go the opposite way and ask this: What is too much? In y'alls experience is there something that you used to carry, but found it to be too heavy, not worth the effort, or redundant? I ask this on behalf of those, like me, that are not newbies to BOBs or EDC, but aren't seasoned vets either. I'd appreciate anything you kind folk may have to offer to a po' ol' punkin head like me. Y'all have a good 'un.

Update: color coded threat awareness

Laura shot me a comment on this post and I honestly forgot that I said I'd post a better article on Color Coded Threat Awareness, so here she be:

http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/the-color-code-of-awareness.htm#comment-5205

Thanks for following guys. I hope to keep passing on worthwile info with a little humor...though, I'm no Seinfeld.

Y'all have a good 'un.

It just came to me...

I have to admit it. I missed the entire point the other day on my space/NASA rant and how our glorious leader killed it. I was on such a tear that the real implications slipped by my ol' punkin full o' mush. I'm no Schwarzkopf, but did we just give up the high ground? I never had the privilege of serving in the military, but I've read a bunch of books, history and martial, and there is always a re-ocurring theme-take and hold the high ground. What higher ground is there than SPACE? Holy crap...the Russians just won the space race. Awwwwwww, damnit. I hope the geeks of NASA can crank out something to get us back in the game soon; if they have the funding that is.

BTW-I found this the other day and thought I'd stick it up here just to make sure my man Stephen from "Standing Outside Looking In" doesn't think I've gone soft. I still believe bud, I promise. Y'all have a good 'un.

Quote of the day

I come in peace, I didn't bring artillery.  But I am pleading with you with tears in my eyes:  If you [screw] with me, I'll kill you all.

Marine General James Mattis, to Iraqi tribal leaders

New stuff for the bag.

I came into a little money recently(don't get excited-it's all gone) and bought a couple things for the ol' BOB. That my friends, for the uninitiated is the Bail Out Bag. It also can be called a Bug Out Bag-whatever floats your boat. I have a couple of good fixed knives, even one I made myself from a file, but needed something a little bigger with some heft. In comes the KA-BAR potbelly.

I've been eyeballing this little jewel for a year or so and have watched the price go up as the reviews got better and better, so I took the plunge and ordered one. Best I can tell it's supposed to be a helluva knife; I'll give it a field test when it shows up and let you know how it does. I also needed a good light. I have numerous Wal-Marters laying about, but wanted something I could really depend on. Maybe even for EDC(every day carry). I ended up ordering the Streamlight Pro Tac. It uses 2-AA batteries instead of the exotic ones and has an LED bulb. The reviews were excellent and I hope it works out. It was only twenty bucks so what do I really have to lose?



Also, I watched a review on Amazon and Youtube by a guy named Nutnfancy of the Nutnfancy Project. If you ever need to check on the quality of a tactical item, gun, knife, LBE, packs, hell...anything, go check his page(http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy). He is a heckuva a guy and really seems to give a damn about the country and what's going on around us.
Anyway, today was short and sweet. Hope y'all  have a good 'un.

Giving away the keys

http://www.livescience.com/14935-shuttle-program-science-research-landlocked.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Livesciencecom+%28LiveScience.com+Science+Headline+Feed%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

I have to say I'm a big fan of the space program. I always have been since I was a wee little grasshopper. And now, we're quitting an aging, yet successful shuttle program with not a lot of hope of a succesor in the near future. There are several commercial companies taking up the challenge, but our Orion space program will be an updated version of our Apollo capsule type craft. Is this the best we can do? Seriously? I know money is tight, but there are things in this world that we have to do no matter the cost. Brave astronauts and skilled engineers from the 60s paved the road for us and now we are handing the keys over to who? Yup. The Russians. All at the bargain basement price of 55 million a person. Aren't these the guys we beat in the race to the moon? Our bestest buddies will now have the only manned access to a space station the we mostly funded. Even the parts they built were built with money loaned from us because they couldn't "afford" it. But, and here's the kicker, they  (Putin) can afford to dissolve their governing body and put some puppet in as president. All the while, crazy old Putin becomes the Prime Minister for life. Huh..Isn't that convienient? So, great. Hand over the keys. The greatest country on the planet gives over the power of Space to one of our oldest (and still) enemies. I don't see how our super awesome hipster cool president( I didn't capitalize it because I don't respect anything about him) can't see the sneering smile of the Russians as they shake our hands and hold a ball bat behind their collectives backs. That is, my fellow Americans, pure rocket science.

You know, I thought I was going to end it there but I can't turn loose of this little ol' topic. Sometimes I'm like a pit bull with a hambone in his mouth. The one great thing about America, even at the worst times, is that we always find a way to push forward. Whether it's pushing the boundaries of our frontiers to head West, to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and whoop the Germans/Japanese, or to send a men to the Moon a mere decade after making the commitment, WE PUSH ON. That's what we do. Even after some idiots take a polluted religion and claim their right to kill thousands of innocent Americans, we get up and dust off and go put a boot in their ass. IT'S WHAT WE DO. And now we become the country that says...sorry. We give up. We don't want to be meanies. I know a lot of people cry about the cost of NASA, but think of the industry, engineers, and science that spins off of it. The exploration of our Solar System may produce the life saving technologies we need someday soon to combat disease, pollution, and hunger. Who knows. All I know is that during the 60s, the Space Race produced more technological advance than probably any other time in our history; and made us the dominant world power. Now...well,  we are just the happy happy folks who hand out money and beg the world not to hate us for being us. I can promise I'm not going down like that. Are you? Well, thanks for letting me bend yer ears. Y'all have a good 'un.

Keeping your head low...

A stylized Gadsden flag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As most folks that run in our circles know, the Gadsden flag has been taken up once again by those who who value Liberty and Freedom-a seemingly absent idea of today's government. It is a proud symbol and one that deserves a place in the solid foundation of our country. But...it has also become a calling card for law enforcement and those who think that individual thought and desire for Freedom of choice is a crime. I could link to dozens of tales on the net of folks who have been pulled over and harassed by law enforcement officers simply because they display this symbol on their vehicle. Is it fair? No. Is it right? No. But, it is what is being taught to young officers today. A while back I read a story written by an anonymous LEO that had posted at survivalblog.com (one of the best sites you will ever read. Thanks, Mr Rawles). He stated that police depts. nationwide are being largely instructed by folks from Homeland Security and that their take is that anyone who displays the Gadsden flag could be right wing militia and that they should find any reason possible to pull them over. At first, I thought that there was no way that this could be true. About a month ago I managed to get a cop acquaintance to talk to me about the subject and I asked him point blank about the flag. After a great deal of hemmin' and hawin' he finally 'fessed up and said that yes...it was being taught to look for such symbols. Soon thereafter he came up with an excuse to leave the building. Now...I've known this guy for several years and respect him. He's one of the good guys, as most cops are. But let's be honest; there's always that young guy trying to get ahead or make that big jump to a Federal law enforcement position. Do you think he would have any problem pulling you over and finding a reason to give you grief about a properly licensed weapon in your possession?  Maybe. Maybe not.

I guess my point in all of this is what a great deal of the smart, and old(like a an old tom turkey-aka "smart"), guys in our world talk about. It's ok to raise a little cane about the wrongs of the Feds. It's ok, hell it's an obligation, to protect your family and yourself. Just do it smart. The best and oldest "operators" in service of our country are the ones who blend in. They don't walk around with buzz cuts, Oakleys, and cammies. They wear neutral clothing and learn to just...be. So, what I'm trying to get across is this: when it's time to be a Grizzly, be a Grizzly. But, when it's time to be a fly on the wall, be the fly. Just be the fly with a big stick behind his back. Like Daddy always says' "There's a time and a place for everything." Thanks for listening to the rambling. Y'all have a good 'un.  

An important piece of paper...

I said I wasn't going to post during the 4th, but thought that we all may need a reminder:

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776



The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.



We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.



He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.



He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.



He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.



He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.



He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.



He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.



He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.



He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.



He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.



He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.



He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.



He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.



He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:



For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:



For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:



For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:



For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:



For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:



For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:



For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies



For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:



For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.



He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.



He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.



He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.



He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.



He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.



In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.



Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.



We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.



— John Hancock



New Hampshire:

Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton



Massachusetts:

John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry



Rhode Island:

Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery



Connecticut:

Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott



New York:

William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris



New Jersey:

Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark



Pennsylvania:

Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross



Delaware:

Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean



Maryland:

Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton



Virginia:

George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton



North Carolina:

William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn



South Carolina:

Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton



Georgia:

Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Y'all have a good 'un!

Freedom...

I know this is early for the 4th, but I plan on spending it with the family. Just a quick note to remind all the nice folks out there in the ether: Freedom isn't free. It was, and continues as a bill that is paid in the blood of our best, brightest, and bravest. Thank you to those past and present that have made that payment for us. Y'all have a good 'un.

http://www.youtube.com/v/ervaMPt4Ha0&auto