The Where Clause

Handgun Selection: Overview

2012-02-11T18:40:00.004-07:00

I am posting this advice as I have been asked by several people in recent weeks for advice on purchasing their first firearm. The reader should assume there is always more detail and information available than what is contained in this post—I am going to try and keep this as short and to the point as possible but it is a lot of information.

Anyone interesting in getting introduced to firearms should take classes from a qualified instructor. The local gun shop can be a great resource and the NRA is also be helpful.

If there was ever a time in the history of the United States to own a gun it is today. Right now. The idea that a weapon will be made available to you, in the event of emergency, and you’ll be able to use it is limited to Hollywood movies and fiction. The threats to our Second Amendment rights are numerous and growing.

The handgun (pistol) is the most versatile self-defense (SD) weapon available. If you can only own one gun, or are getting into guns because you want a SD weapon, the handgun should be first on your list. By no means should you stop with handguns either, but this post will deal only with handgun selection and it will be limited to semi-automatic handguns as they are the most capable for SD.

A Sig Sauer P226R in three different roles; home defense, sidearm, and concealed.

There are those that will argue a rifle or shotgun is easier for new gun owners but it is also more limiting. In the event you need to leave your home in an emergency, you can’t exactly throw a rifle over your shoulder and walk around town.

Shotguns are bulky, must have a barrel length of 16” to be legal, and have limited ammunition capacity. They are slower to load and it is difficult to carry reloads. There is also conflicting data on the lethality of shotgun ammunition.

Handguns are easy to handle, easy to reload, easier to carry reloads (magazines), and can fill multiple roles…

Home Defense
The addition of a high capacity magazine (available for nearly every make and model) and rail mounted light makes this a perfect gun for securing the home. The weapon in this configuration can be kept in a bedside table and is easily secured in a small safe.

Side Arm
Side arms aren’t carried to win wars; they are carried as back-up for multiple reasons. I never met a Marine who refused an M9. It’s common sense.

If you own long guns, or someday want to own long guns, the handgun doesn’t have to stay at home. I know plenty of hunters who take a handgun with them into the woods (for a couple different reasons).

Concealed
Even if you do not possess a CCW permit allowing you to exercise your God given Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, you need to consider the ability to conceal a weapon to protect yourself and your family.

Additionally, you are able to obtain a CCW once you are comfortable with your weapon, have taken the required class, and have paid your ~$250 ($125 to CSP and $125 to your local county sheriff). It takes anywhere from four to 12 weeks to get your CCW once you apply for your Second Amendment rights.

There are also interesting laws in different states about carrying long guns in vehicles. In the state of Colorado, it is illegal to carry a loaded long gun in a vehicle where the occupants of a vehicle have access to it (i.e. they want that long gun in your trunk). This is an anti-poaching law.

It is, however, 100% legal, to keep a loaded handgun in your vehicle. Your vehicle is considered an extension of your home. You do not need a permit to possess a handgun in your car if you are legally able to own that weapon.

Handgun Selection: Part I Ammunition

2012-02-11T18:32:00.001-07:00

The ammunition that a handgun fires, called a “round” in the singular, is the most important variable in how capable the weapon is. There are no “high/low” switches on firearms, and frankly, no reasonable person would use such a switch. In a SD scenario the goal is to stop the threat as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Various .40SW loads; 135gr JHP, 165gr JHP, 165gr BJHP, and 180gr FMJ

It should be assumed that jacketed hollow points (JHP) is the best SD load available and full metal jacket (FMJ) ammo, which is cheaper, should be reserved for the range.

Capability
I believe the three most important measures of overall round capability are opportunity for shot placement, lethality, and capacity.

Opportunity for shot placement is the shooter’s ability to hit the “center mass” of a bad guy at an appropriate distance for SD. As a general rule, more powerful rounds are more difficult to keep on target while less powerful rounds have less recoil and easier to keep on target.

Lethality determines the odds of stopping a bad guy with center mass hits and is highly subjective. There is tons of information on round lethality on the internet, and unfortunately, very little of it is objective.

Capacity is the ability to carry enough ammunition to end a threat scenario and enables the shooter to make follow-up shots. In real world gun fights, a 15 round magazine can be exhausted before a single shot hits its target!

Capability is the intersection of these three things. If shot placement was the only important measure, shots may hit their target but fail to stop the threat. If lethality was the only important measure, you could carry a .50AE Desert Eagle “hand cannon” and achieve a kill shot every time. If capacity was the only measure, you could carry a .22LR with a 20+ round magazine. Do not focus on just one of these measures—think about them all when selecting a round.

Common Production Rounds
In order for a SD weapon to be useful, you must have ammunition for it. This means you need the ammo to be available to you both now and in the future. If you buy a weapon that fires a “boutique” round, you risk losing use of that weapon if the round is discontinued.

In the gun world, availability also often determines price.

Higher ammo price = more expensive range sessions = fewer range sessions = less proficiency.

Here are the commonly produced rounds, in order of capability, and my thoughts on them…

.380ACP (9MM short/”kurz”)

The .380ACP is a 100 year old round that fires a 9MM (.355 inches) projectile just like the 9MM but shorter. This is a shorter range round and lacks stopping power because of its lighter load.

.380ACP was created for full size automatics but is kept alive by subcompact, small capacity pocket guns. It is available in FMJ and JHP from 85 to 95 grains.

I would avoid this round completely unless you find that you cannot handle 9MM, in which case, .380ACP is the least capable round I would consider for SD.

.45ACP
Again, 100 years old and the round selected for the venerable M1911/A1 side arm.

This round was selected for the 1911 because the .38LC wasn’t enough to put down the natives in the American-Philippine War. The natives would chew on the coca leaves (source of cocaine) and became difficult to stop. .45ACP was the answer.

This is a slow and heavy round available in 165gr to 230gr that puts less energy into a target with less penetration. This wasn’t an issue when it came to the early 20th century third world.

I do not consider this a good SD round for most shooters and it makes little sense given the other options available today.

9MM Parabellum
Also 100 years old (see a trend?), a European round rejected at the time for military use by both the US and the British. After WWII, the round became popular with police and was used in small capacity automatics. Keep in mind, Europe is a place that abhors guns and many police forces don’t even carry weapons—it is not a round designed to solve American problems.

Many shooters hang their hats on the fact that the 9MM NATO was selected as the primary side arm round by the US military (M9, Beretta 92F) and is therefore somehow superior. The round was chosen with heavy influence by the UN and NATO (i.e. Europe) and was an attempt to apply the advantages of the 5.56MM NATO rifle round to handguns. The only problem is that handgun rounds lack rifle round ballistics.

One advantage that the US military saw in the 9MM NATO was the higher capacity in contrast to the 7+1 limitations of the M1911A1. This is worth considering. Most 9MM semi automatics will hold 15+1 rounds at a minimum.

The 9MM is one of the most versatile rounds with respect to load and bullet grain. 9MM is available in 115gr to 147gr projectiles. 9MM can also be loaded with hotter loads called “+P” and “+P+.” These hotter loads make a better SD round; more energy and more penetration. If considering 9MM, find a gun that is rated to handle these hotter loads to increase the capability of the weapon.

.40SW
Finally, the best SD round available and the only modern offering in the list of commonly available handgun rounds.

(The above statement will have internet commandos up in arms, but it’s the truth)

The .40SW was created in 1990 from collaboration between the FBI and Smith and Wesson. The FBI had learned its lessons in a series of high profile shootings in which 9MM and .45ACP had proven to be lacking.

This round wasn’t created with European influence or to comply with the Geneva Convention. It was created to solve American problems for American law enforcement (LE). It was created with the benefit of modern technology and over 100 years of data. And it was the first popular round created with the expectation of firing JHP projectiles.

The .40SW is the most commonly issued handgun round among American LE agencies. This is the round that the people who are in harms way on a daily basis trust the most. That should be the #1 most compelling reason to select the .40SW as a SD round.

Internet commandos will also say the .40SW is a fad. It is not. There are simply too many departments using this round for it to go away (i.e. lots of contracts and lots of $$$).

.40SW is by default a +P load—hence there is no +P or +P+. Because this is a high pressure round, there have been issues firing it in unsupported chambers (Glock G22). The .40SW is available in 135gr JHP all the way up to 180gr FMJ. New shooters will report that the .40SW feels “snappy” or has high recoil. Much of this has to do with the weapon itself (balance and trigger) than the round.

Conclusion
1. Pick the most capable (shot placement, lethality, capacity) round that you can handle
2. Pick a commonly produced round
3. The .40SW is the best commonly produced SD round available

Handgun Selection: Part II Action

2012-02-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

The action of a weapon is also critically important in selecting a handgun. The action determines how a weapon is fired and involves the trigger, safety(ies), and sometimes a de-cocker.

Many people will get confused when considering the action of a gun and assume that a gun that lacks external safeties is less safe. It is actually the operator who determines how safe a gun is and not the mechanics of the weapon. Alternatively, the presence of an external safety doesn’t make the gun safer either as many people have accidentally shot themselves with guns that have external safeties.

Once an action or “platform” is selected, users should try to stick to that platform. This decreases the need to train to different platforms which would increase confusion and decrease the effectiveness of muscle memory once the adrenalin kicks in. In short: keep it simple.

While there are advantages and disadvantages it is always the shooter who must train to that action and be safe with it. Here are my thoughts on the most popular actions available...

DA/SA

A Sig Sauer P226

Double Action / Single Action is an action where the weapon is carried with the hammer down and creates a heavy trigger pull, usually in the 10lbs range. Subsequent shots are in single action with the hammer back which creates a lighter trigger in the 3-5lbs range.

Since the weapon is safest in DA, most of these guns will have a de-cocker which allows the operator to de-cock the hammer without pulling the trigger. The de-cocker insures the internal safeties are still “on” when the weapon is being de-cocked which limits the possibility of negligent (unintentional) discharge.

Some of these weapons will also have a safety in addition to the de-cocker, and sometimes the safety is integrated into the de-cocker as in the Beretta 92F (M9).

While I am not a fan of external safeties, DA/SA without safeties is my favorite action. This is an intuitive action that is easy for any shooter learn…

Point gun
Pull trigger

DA/SA also gives the operator the ability to double-strike a round in the event of malfunction.

DAODouble Action Only is very similar to DA/SA except the gun does not have a single action. Each trigger pull is the same weight and vary by manufacturer/model.

DAO guns may or may not have external safeties.

The strength of this action is the predictability in trigger pull and weight.

Striker

The Glock G17, the most popular striker fired gun

The striker action is hammerless and most guns lack external safeties.

While this action provides the shooter with a consistent trigger pull and weight, the weapon must be charged to be ready and is generally in the 7-8lbs range. There is little/no mechanical feedback to the operator when the trigger is about to “break” (i.e. fire the round) as opposed to a double action where the operation can feel the trigger take up.

The striker action is great for new shooters but it creates some safety challenges.

SAO

A Sig Sauer version of the 1911

Single Action Only is the oldest action available in a handgun. It is the most simple and easiest to manufacturer as it lacks a mechanism to bring the hammer from the forward position to the back position—the operator must manually charge the weapon.

All SAO guns have external safeties as they must be carried “cocked and locked” (charged) to be ready. The 1911 traditionally has two safeties; a handgrip safety and a lever on the slide.

There is a lot of speculation that this platform is less safe because it must be carried “cocked and locked.” That simply is not true. Many people have carried SAO guns safely for decades without incident. Even more foolish are the shooter who carries this platform with the hammer down—requiring more time to be ready in a SD situation. Not to mention that the trigger must be “thumbed down” with a chambered round increasing the risk of negligent discharge.

SAO is my least favorite action for SD because of it’s complexity to new shooters.

Conclusion
1. Pick the action that works best for you
2. Stick to that platform if obtaining other weapons
3. The DA/SA action is, in my opinion, the best for SD

Handgun Selection: Part III Size

2012-02-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

This is also where things get super confusing as there are many choices. Most major handgun manufacturers will make models in the following sizes: full, compact, subcompact, and pocket. Among these sizes are “single stack” (single row of rounds in a magazine) and “double stack” (two rows of rounds in the magazine).

To make this easier, rule out the subcompact and pocket sized guns right off the top. Unless you have very small hands and cannot handle a larger gun, don’t even consider these as a SD gun. It’s worth noting that these sized guns do have a role for shooters, but they are not good primary SD guns because of their limitations (capacity and accuracy [shorter barrel]).

I would also eliminate single stack guns for the capacity limitations.

That leaves the double stack full size and compact guns on the table—and those are the ones you should consider. These are the guns that give you decent magazine capacity and accuracy. These are the same guns military and LE use.
The other advantage is that more manufacturers are increasing magazine compatibility between their full and compact sizes. This would allow a person to buy a compact sized gun for carry and then use a full size (higher capacity) magazine for home defense.

Some gun owners will scoff at selecting a full size gun for concealed carry, but, many of us do it. People carry the 1911, 92F, P226, G17 and many others. These are still very easy to conceal with the right holster and clothing.

The best advice I can give here is to get out to the gun shops, gun shows, training classes, talk to friends/family, and do everything you can to handle/shoot as many guns as you can. Find out what is comfortable and what works for you. Then, before buying, research the gun and read reviews.

Conclusion
1. Choose the largest size you can handle
2. Choose a weapon that is comfortable to shoot
3. Shop around/test drive

Handgun Selection: Part V Manufacturers

2012-02-11T18:12:00.002-07:00

The most important thing to consider in the brand department is the track record of quality. If you buy a gun that malfunctions when you need it, it becomes an expensive chunk of metal. Do not spend time on what looks cool or what special forces team x carried to kill Bin Laden (they carried P226s by the way :) ).

I find that manufacturers with military/LE contracts are the most invested in quality. Gun companies live and die on the basis of these contracts and not civilian sales. A company that loses a contract because of quality will have a serious black eye that will cost them dearly.

Another indicator is manufacturers who back up their guns with lifetime warranties. Usually limited to the original owner and sometimes some small print on using steel cased ammo, these lifetime warranties could save you a lot of money should something go wrong.
If you are reading reviews on the internet, beware that all manufacturers have the occasional issue. Guns are complicated machines, just like cars, and sometimes things break under unexpected circumstances. Other times maintenance is overlooked and parts simply wear out. I have read people on gun boards complaining that their 25 year old gun with 10,000 rounds won’t cycle—they have never replaced the springs!!!

Obviously, I am a huge fan of Sig Sauer and stick to that brand for handguns. Other brands that I respect, in no particular order, are Glock (9MM only), HK, Colt, Beretta, S&W (M&P only).

Another thing to consider is the longevity of a particular make/model. If the gun you just bought is discontinued, your availability to keep that weapon serviceable will someday be impaired by the lack of parts. If the manufacturer is constantly taking models in and out of production, that is also a sign that you will have a hard time finding parts.

If you were to buy a 92F, 1911, G17, or P226, you are going to have access to plenty of parts for a very long time. There is also no shortage of gunsmiths who can work on these guns because they have so much experience with them.

Conclusion
1. Consider quality above all else
2. Look for manufacturers with military/LE contracts and lifetime warranties
3. Consider the long term serviceability of your weapon

Handgun Selection: Part V Accessories

2012-02-11T18:03:00.003-07:00

These are some things to think about in addition to buying the actual gun and what comes with it in the box.

Sights
I prefer night sights on my handguns. These are sights that glow in low light/no light and provide you with a sight picture in all conditions.

They are about $160 to add onto a gun after purchase or $100 if you can do it yourself (and they are hard to do—I have done them). It is best to buy a gun with these sights installed and properly zeroed.

Night sights have a 12 year life limited by the radioactive isotope (Tritium) that is used in them. Yes, that sounds scary, but it’s not. If buying a used gun or old stock, consider this lifespan. Most manufacturers will label the box with the born on date.

Magazines
Have at least five standard capacity magazines for your new handgun. You can buy them new on the internet or used and save a lot of money. Old magazines can be reconditioned with new springs. Only buy original manufacturer magazines for SD—do not buy aftermarket!

Consider adding high capacity magazines to the handgun for home defense.

Ammunition
Buy enough SD ammo (JHP) to fill three standard capacity magazines, minimum. If you can afford more, buy it! Buy a couple hundred rounds of FMJ ammo to keep for range/training. In a desperate situation, FMJ ammo can absolutely be used for SD. Test fire your ammo to make sure it feeds reliably in your weapon.

Consider stockpiling ammo gradually as your budget allows. A good rule of thumb is to have at least 1,000 rounds stockpiled if this is your only SD weapon. Some people will call me a “gun nut” for saying that. That’s not being a gun nut, that’s being prepared. Just because you have that much ammo doesn’t mean you have to use it.

The shelf life of ammunition, in ammo cans, is decades. Just last month I shot some South African 5.56MM NATO that was manufactured in 1983!!!

The shelf life of ammunition that is loaded in mags or carried in a gun is 6-12 months. The old SD ammo that has been loaded should be disposed of at the range for practice.

Cleaning Kit

My self-assembled universal cleaning kit

A cleaning kit is important to keep your weapon serviceable and cleaning a weapon isn’t as intuitive as most people think. Marines make weapon cleaning both an art form and a past time. If you know a Marine, he can teach you how to clean your weapon. If not, the gun store and YouTube can help.

At a minimum here are the items you need in your cleaning kit…

Breakfree CLP (Clean, Lube, Protect – military issue gun cleaner)
All Purpose (AP) brush – or toothbrush if you can’t find the AP
Reel cloth
Patches (specific to your caliber)
Brass brush (again, for your caliber)
Cleaning rod – short one is fine for handguns
Patch puller (for running patches down the barrel)

This is really a $15 exercise unless you want a fancy organizer or ammo can.

If you are buying your gun in a gun shop, sometimes they will throw in a kit for free—never hurts to ask!

Training
Your ability to use a weapon to defend yourself isn’t complete until you have some level of training. Keep that in mind and talk to people.

Many classes are just a day or two during the weekend. A good beginner class will focus on the basics and you will spend more time in a classroom than on a range. More advanced classes will be on the range and require you to bring hundreds of rounds with you—do not start there.

Holsters / Magazine Carriers / Belts
Again, even if you don’t have the CCW permit, consider the fact that you may have to carry your weapon outside of your home. To safely do this you will need a holster and magazine carrier.

Have a decent belt that can support the weight of your weapon and reloads. There are good carry belts out there but they are expensive. A nice, real leather, department store 1.25-1.5” belt will do the trick—you probably already have one that will work.

Magazine carriers attach to your belt, are pretty easy to find, and are usually generic sizes. You will want to carry at least two additional magazines. Select a carrier that doesn’t dump your mags if you have to run--usually by tension or retention.

There are two main groups of holsters…

OWB
On WaistBand. These holsters loop onto the outside of the belt and are used for “open carry” unless concealed by a jacket. It is nearly impossible to conceal an OWB carried weapon absent a jacket/coat.

OWB holsters are generally the most comfortable holsters you can find because they get the weapon away from your body.

These holsters usually have some kind of retention system that keeps the weapon from leaving the holster unless you want it to. Think about which retention system makes sense to you.

IWB
In WaistBand. These holsters loop to the inside of the belt and are used for concealment—they are far less comfortable than OWB.

IWB holsters usually lack the retention system of OWB holsters. Some have no retention while others use molded kydex to provide a small amount of retention.

This method of concealment requires a lot of training and thought. This is not the kind of thing you pick up one day and are an expert on the next.

My favorite holster system is the Raven Concealment Phantom.

This holster can be IWB or OWB with the purchase of some extra accessories. It is a full length holster that protects the weapon from sweat when worn IWB. This system is expensive (plan on around $110 with shipping) but it does double-duty.

Infiltration of Churches

2012-01-15T17:54:00.000-07:00

Sojourners (George Soros) has made the infiltration of churches a priority. I won't discuss why--you should be able to figure that much out for yourself along with the danger.

Currently, this is being done very carefully and quietly. It is being done in small groups and with a complete misinterpretation of scripture in service.

I recently had the displeasure of witnessing what a conquered church looks like. This was a "normal" enough looking church. The people are nice. Many are older and thus have the benefit of a proper education. But as I walked around I found the "Soul Journers" room--small groups have their own rooms.

Soul Journers -> Sojouners?!? Just a coincidence...

There this creepy New Age art on the wall. Not only completely foreign for a church but some of the subject matter was, well, inappropriate.

Top left clockwise: appears to be a womb, a person flying into what appears to be a solar eclipse, a nature scene with a moon and trees, abstract lady parts, a tidal wave of people coming down on other people.

On a table in the center of room was this sculpture with a candle...

This is a Mayan "circle of friendship." The Mayans weren't Christians and neither are graven images. The sculpture and the arrangement of the room creates concentration on the center (candle). Why? Is this for some kind of meditation?

Here is the opposite wall...

Too much here to even know where to start.

My favorite is the Communist flyer in the center...

I could go line-by-line here, but I won't.

This is a complete abuse of Matthew 25:37 which highlights the deception of this infiltration. This passage is about charity, not compulsory obligation. Forcing a man to "give" his paycheck to others (Communism/collectivism) does nothing for God nor does it honor Jesus.

The passage concludes with Matthew 25:40 (KJV)...

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

"Ye" meaning "you." Not your government who takes food off of someone else's table in your name. You. And for you to do something you must be the actor. You cannot claim the good Christian deeds of others.

But if leftists are going to set that standard, then let's consider the other side of the coin. If we can claim responsibility for government's "good" deeds, are we also responsible for government's misdeeds? If so, what about abortion? What about the millions of people governments have murdered in the 20th century for the "greater good?"

The Communist murders millions and oppresses millions more to feed a few, and that makes him Christian?!?

Lastly, the image in the flyer itself is significant. What does a fist represent? Force? Power? Yes. The force and power of man. Why is this being celebrated in a church where true Christians celebrate the power of God?

Here's my last picture...

Not sure about the yen/yang imagery. Pretty sure it's not Christian. But I am absolutely sure of the following...

The glory of God is God. He is the alpha and the omega. God does not receive his glory from man, nor did the creation of man bring glory to God. It is our individual deeds that bring glory to God not our state of being. See the goal post move? Subtle, isn't it?

While this was one room, it's worth mentioning that these ideas have found their way into the services as well.

There are warning signs of infiltration and the odds are good that if you are Christian, and alert, you know them. If this is happening in your church, I would advise you to leave that "church" immediately.

Why Europe Matters

2011-10-27T08:02:00.000-06:00

Lots of eyes on Europe the last few days with people waiting for a "deal" or a "no deal." Markets are up and down depending on the news which seems to indicate a deal has been struck as of this morning. The Euros have decided private investors will take a 50% haircut on Greek debt!!! Yeah, that will work out for them when they need to sell more debt in the near future.

While those of us in America are somewhat insulated from what is happening in the Eurozone, it's important to pay attention. Here's why....

European Socialism
Inherent unsustainability. That's all anyone needs to know about European Socialism. The only reason this economic and social system has lasted this long is because the United States has been paying to keep Europe free and safe. Had Europe paid WWII reparations/war debts along with the costs of keeping Europe free during the Cold War, she would not have had the resources to create massive government/social programs. This huge amount of US spending gave Europe a false sense of economic security which has lead to unsustainable and insolvent government.

They are now broke and I believe the EU is done. The media will tell you otherwise, but there is no practical way European nations can stay solvent without isolating the risk (bankruptcy) which is imposed by the Euro. These nations also cannot keep their promises to their people with massive government and sky high taxes imposed on what is left of the private economy. All peoples of Europe are heading for severe "austerity" which will create a massive social and political shift. I suspect some nations will move further to the left (Communism) while others will wise up and adopt Free Market solutions.

The reason this is important is because we have heard for years from American Liberals that we should be more like Europe. We should create more social programs and engineer our society to create more social and economic justice. Had we listened, we would be in worse shape than we are currently. Ironically, we would have also put those in need in a worse position as the programs to help them failed. We currently have this problem with Medicare and Social Security--imagine this problem multiplied to effect nearly everyone. Can we learn from European failure and misery?

The other lesson Europe provides us is an example of what happens when nation/states, with different cultural and social values, come together to create a large union. The United States was made possible because we had a consistent values system--we don't anymore. Europe doesn't either. The only unifying force in the EU was the economy and that is now questionable. The values rift between Germany and Greece is a great example. Not just the work ethic, but the expectations. Germany has been bailing out the Eurozone for two years and the moment they put their hands up to say "enough" they are called Nazis. That's right, refusing to give someone your peoples' property/labor now makes one a Nazi!

European Socialism has failed, just as forced collectivism has always failed. It is time the US, and the world, acknowledge that Capitalism, having fed, clothed, and housed more people than Socialism ever could, is a vastly superior system in spite of its flaws.

Parity
We've also heard from American Liberals that we must be on equal footing with the EU. Not anymore. Conservatives have known for some time that the bill was coming due in Europe--one can't look at the tax rates and come to any other conclusion. As Europe continues to fail we realize that we are not on equal footing at all.

This failure will also mean the fracturing of European power, at the global level, as each nation begins to focus on her own interests. No more will the US be subject to European hand-wringing or bureaucracy on global issues.

As Europe turns inward to deal with its crisis, we should also see less interest in controlling the US. Everything from environmental regulations, food and agriculture, to gun ownership has been the subject of European interest at the UN. Europe should be too busy dealing with its own problems to care that Americans have a Second Amendment or that we are "consuming too much."

I would also hope that anti-American sentiment declines in Europe, but I may be wrong. Elections in Europe have been decided on the level of such rhetoric and I fear the people of Europe will look for a scapegoat instead of admitting failure. We're already seeing this in Greece where the mantra is "eat the rich."

Monetary Policy
Unfortunately, a weaker Euro will give the Fed more room to inflate the dollar. We will also see a lot of political pressure on American leadership to keep the dollar low which should create demand for European labor/products. This is why is it critical that we not elect a "global citizen" in 2012, but rather someone who puts the US first. Our goal shouldn't be devastate the former EU, but rather to elevate ourselves by repairing our economy and fractured society.

Sale!!!

2011-10-26T08:04:00.002-06:00

Palmetto State Armory (PSA) is offering their "M4A1" with Aimpoint PRO for $999! This is an awesome setup and an amazing price--perfect for new shooters or someone looking to pickup a carbine.

The only thing I don't like is the BUIS and the buffer spring (black v. chrome). These can be easily remedied!

The PRO itself is a $400 optic. I was lucky to be able to pick one up on discount for around $375. The mount screw is a little bulky but it doesn't bother me.

Couple of other things I like about this setup... Barrel is Cold Hammer Forged (CHF), which produces more accurate barrels, and is made by Fabrique Nationale (FN) in South Carolina. FN is a major defense contractor and has been making M16s and M4s for the services for many years. I was once issued a FN M16A2 a long, long time ago. Bolt and BCG specs are also impressive.

PSA has also made this setup as close to mil-spec as a civie can get. Folks who go mil-spec recognize the massive resources that have gone into finding the most reliable parts and manufacturing processes. For purists: this is a 16" barrel not the 14.5" that can be found on the real M4. This also means the carbine can be purchased without NFA entanglements.

PSA's lowers are no-frills and top notch. The lower I have mated up with a Daniel Defense upper with less play than my factory Colt 6920. All lower parts were in spec and assembly was easy.

Here is a pic of the PSA/DD build I completed earlier in the year...

Some Thoughts about the "Occupation"

2011-10-16T10:46:00.002-06:00

As I drove by the screaming Occupy Denver crowd last night, I realized this isn't going away anytime soon. This is very angry and idle (good combination) group who seem to think that yelling at people will do more good than getting a job and improving their lives--yes, there are jobs out there.

I've also been observing a few other things over the past week...

Inherent Dishonesty
As a non-starter, this group positions itself as "the 99%" of America that isn't rich. This is utter and complete bull crap. This group does not represent 99% of America, most of which is too busy working and raising families to complain that someone else makes more money than they do. The majority of Americans identify as Conservative followed by moderates, not Liberals who want to re-write the social contract (Constitution). Additionally, being a middle class American provides a quality of life that puts us in the top 10% globally. Someone making $60K a year is indeed quite rich on a global scale--we're all global citizens now, right?

Another misrepresentation is that there are no jobs available. There are jobs available. They are just not the jobs these individuals want. This is what happens is an economic downturn. Throughout history, Americans have dug in and made the best of it, enduring horrible work conditions. Modern Americans have become so entitled that they refuse to man the sandwich counter for 40 hours a week with benefits!

If the only job a recent college grad can find pays $8/hour, then that is the value of that individual's labor in the current market. If that grad wants this to change, he needs to improve himself. No, the degree from that Liberal university does not guarantee a corner office with a six-figure salary! And yes, the loans taken out to finance the Liberal educrats, must be repaid by the suckers who took out those loans. It is not the fault of Wall Street that grads owe large sums of money in student loans. Without Wall Street, these people wouldn't have had the opportunity to even get the loan (education) in the first place!!!

Without even discussing the merit of Occupy's position, they fail because they lack honesty and integrity.

Demographics
Looking the pictures from around the country, I see iPhones, MacBooks, designer clothing, and torn up money on the ground. Just how needy are these people?!? Where do these people live? What kind of car are they driving? What kind of lifestyle are they living?

The pictures also show professionally printed signs. Who paid to have those signs printed? The NYC crowd is enjoying catered meals--who's paying?

We aren't able to get all the data on this group necessary to fully determine who they are, but we do have some anecdotal information. That information points to bad decisions based on a false sense of entitlement. Want to see some hardship? Talk to our wounded vets coming back from Iraq and Afganistan. That's hardship!

The Occupy crowd is also mostly "white" which seems to contradict the narrative of white privilege we are constantly sold by education, media, and government. Where are the oppressed minorities? The American Nazi Party supports Occupy. White people + Nazis = ? Communist Party USA also supports Occupy. Strange that these two anti-American groups support Occupy when 99% of America doesn't agree with these fringe groups.

Additionally, the Occupy crowd has voiced their support for President Obama, who in turn has voiced his support for Occupy. I find this unbelievable since Obama is directly accountable for the economic climate of the last three years. Big Labor has also endorsed Occupy while they quietly assist in the off-shoring of American jobs thereby depressing American wages. If Occupy was seriously concerned about accountability they would not be supporting some of the people who should be held accountable!

All of this adds up to one simple conclusion: Occupy is the radical American Left. The association with Obama, Big Labor, and other radical groups demonstrates a meeting of the minds.

While I think the bulk of Occupy is filled with useful idiots and "New Thinkers," the objective of Occupy aligns with a radical leftist agenda. This would give many of the Occupy crowd a little pause if it was really a grassroots mix of Americans.

Lack of Solutions
See any Occupy signs promoting realistic, sustainable solutions? Neither do I!

Even Wikipedia, usually a left-biased source, concedes there is no clear list of demands.

It's easy to say "kill the rich and take their money," but how exactly does this play out in the real world? Wealth is used to grow the economy which creates business and jobs. If we take that wealth to pay for student loans, or other entitlements today, how does that grad get a job tomorrow?

Not to mention this is a slippery slope; what is rich? Is it $1M? Is rich $250K+ like Obama said in the 2008 election? What happens when we run out of those peoples' money? Does rich become $100K? And then what? $60K?

Additionally, how will the middle class be shielded from tax and cost redistribution from wealthy individuals and corporations? Price controls? Yeah, that will work out great!

Occupy's class warfare won't make a distinction between rich and middle class should it move beyond ideology into implementation. Then there other problems...

Say we transfer the means of production from the private sector to the public sector. How does government meet payroll? Who pays taxes without paychecks? Who works without incentive (paycheck)? History tells us how this plays out every time.

We have $14.5T of debt which is more than the entire global money supply! We could seize every penny of private wealth in America and still not be solvent. We don't have a problem with private wealth, we have a problem with government spending!!! Yet I don't see a single Occupy sign advocating balanced budgets or bringing financial solvency back to Washington--those are real solutions.

If you are a young person who needs a good job and some opportunity, asking the government to take capital out of the economy is the dumbest thing you could do! This is not a solution!!!

Media Comparisons to Tea Party
One of ways the media is trying to deceive the public on Occupy is by creating an equivalency to the Tea Party.

This would be funny if the Press wasn't such an important institution in America. The media has bought into Occupy hook, line, and sinker, likely because the media is also dominated by radical leftists. We will not see the truth about Occupy reported in the mainstream media.

The Tea Party is a truly grassroots pro-America, pro-Constitution movement composed of life long law-abiding, tax-paying Americans. These aren't people who went to protests demanding a new entitlement, quite the opposite. The Tea Party brings solutions. Protest sites were often left in better shape than when the protest started. I don't recall a single Tea Party arrest (aside from the Liberal plants who tried to disrupt protests).

The only time the Tea Party allegedly got out of line was the incident with Rep. John Lewis which has yet to be confirmed. This remains an allegation which at worst was a nasty and hateful word.

Occupy has been caught engaging in violence with police. They have destroyed the protest areas. I won't forget the image in the Daily Mail of the Occupy member defecating on a NYPD cruiser. Many are advocating widespread violence. They want to shut down the "system" so it doesn't work for anyone. How many hungry and homeless would be created?

The Tea Party represents America's producers. Producers who want the original social contract (Constitution).

Occupy represents America's receivers. Receivers who want ownership of another's labor and property--a new social contract.

There is no valid comparison.

Conclusion
If I could get through to Occupy, I would warm them. The revolution they are demanding will happen, but just as they are incompetent in their personal lives, they will be unable to shape/control that coming revolution.
What will be the result? Again, I turn to history...

It won't take long for the Liberal Elite to realize that providing education, healthcare, housing, food, etc... is impossible. Their ideas will begin to fail and they will result to radical social engineering (genocide). Ever wonder why there are more abortion clinics in low income areas? Yeah, their social engineering won't target the producers who will be desperately needed. They will target the same dysfunctional members of society that compose Occupy.

I wonder what the protests will look like then?

It also won't take long for Conservatives (producers) to realize that revolution is preferable to indentured servitude. Liberals/Occupy are not our masters. They will not put us to work in the fields and factories while they enjoy an entitlement-filled leisure lifestyle provided by government at our expense. They will not a make a claim on our children without being required to make the ultimate sacrifice--a sacrifice greater than pitching a tent for a week, holding a sign, enjoying catered meals, and using recreational drugs.

PayPal Problems

2011-10-08T10:24:00.000-06:00

I used to think that the only people having issues with PayPal were on the fringe of the electronic payments world. The guy selling videos from Russia or the shop selling certain kinds of paraphernalia--those would be suspect.

I never thought the bureaucratic and arbitrary axe of PayPal's policies would be brought to bear against me.

First a little about me: I am a consumer. I buy stuff in small quantities. I bring the money to the web and eBay (the parent company of PayPal) to the marketplace which enables me to transact with sellers who, in turn, pay eBay and PayPal a fee. Those fees result in income to eBay/PayPal. Without me, there is no transaction, there are no fees, there is no income to eBay/PayPal.

So why would PayPal try to throttle my ability to purchase items, or "send?" They claim they just want my bank account info to "verify" my account. Kind of strange since my account has been open since 2002 and I have sent ~$4k. If there was a time to verify me further, it would have been before I created $4k worth of exposure to eBay/PayPal.

Also, as the image above illustrates, I supposedly am not at my sending limit, but each time I try to make a transaction am I told I must "verify." PayPal customer service, located offshore, could not explain this to me.

This is not about security, it's about access to bank accounts. Access I will never give because I am not stupid. I use my bank account to pay my bills; my mortgage, my utilities, buy groceries, etc... If a fraudulent transaction would hit my bank account, my ability to pay my bills would be compromised. With a bank account, I don't have the consumer protections I have with my credit card account. Everyone should know this--eBay/PayPal knows this. A fraudulent transaction would put me at the complete mercy of PayPal's policies. A quick Google search reveals how that can go wrong.

It's clear, access to user's bank accounts is part of the PayPal business model, likely to reduce credit card vendor fees while charging the same fees to recipients. PayPal obviously doesn't care about the increased risk they are passing onto their users, risk that is magnified by using offshore resources.

The marketplace needs a PayPal alternative or credit card vendors need to make it easier and cheaper to get directly on their payment systems.

Foreclosure Dilemma

2011-10-01T18:41:00.000-06:00

I've spoken to many people lately about the prospect of abandoning their home given the current housing market and economic situation.

The problem with this kind of decision is that often the options are clouded by uncertainly. In addition, the [left-wing] media has a vested interest in keeping the housing market "up" as long as possible.

In order to make the right decision; dismiss the morality! It's incredibly difficult in the Obama economy to find the moral high ground (by design). Not to mention that defaulting on a mortgage is not necessarily a violation of good faith, provided the collateral (the house) is surrendered in the same condition it was in when the loan was closed when the bank had an opportunity to properly evaluate the property (appraisal). I will be dismissing the morality arguments in this post. I also will not cover recourse laws, which vary state-to-state--consult an attorney before making any decisions.

Do the Math

Consider your housing needs in a rental situation and compare the costs to ownership. Do not consider the potential for future appreciation as those costs are only realized when 1.) the market improves and 2.) the home is sold.

If you need a minimum a two bedroom apartment, shop around and determine the prices. In my area the monthly rent for a two bedroom starts at $900/month.

Calculate in the tax advantage of ownership. Multiple the amount of annual interest paid by your tax rate. If you pay $12,000 a year in interest, and have an effective tax rate of 15%, your annual tax advantage is $1800, your monthly tax advantage is $150.

The total cost of renting a two bedroom apartment, to a previous homeowner, is $1,050 in my area. Compare this number to the monthly mortgage payment. Also consider the difference in utilities and maintenance, which tends to be cheaper in rentals.

Then there comes affordability: Can you afford the home? Can you afford to cut back in other areas to absorb a short-term hardship instead of surrendering the home?

Consider the Non-Economic Costs of Renting

Renters are often subject to many nuisances; noise, crime, parking, rules, etc... The more economical a rental is, the more likely you will experience distruptions. Consider the imposition of these nuisances on you and your family. Will the kids have to switch schools? Will you be able to sleep without constant noise and disturbances? Will you have to carry groceries up three flights of stairs? If the landlord increases rent, will you move? How much money and time will moving cost?

Does the current home meet your needs? Will a rental? If you outgrow a rental the only option is to move when the lease is up and rent another home which will likely cost more.

Although difficult to put a monitory number on these kinds of issues, it may be worth the extra $200-400 a month to own a home v. renting to avoid them.

Future Risk

As much as homeowners are underwater, the amount of debt and mortgage payments may pale in comparison to the future cost of housing. A fixed rate mortgage is also a fixed housing expense. Renting / future home ownership costs will vary based on the economy and interest rates.

If a homeowner is underwater $20K in his mortgage, which requires a fixed payment at $1,700/month, that may be cheap compared to the future costs of housing. Yes, it may actually be cheaper to accept being underwater and making a fixed mortgage payment!

No one knows what the future will hold, however, many economists have openly stated that the only way to manage our current $14T in debt + unfunded liabilities will be inflation. Higher inflation will bring higher housing costs and higher overall costs of living. The smartest thing to do in such an environment is to fix as many expenses as possible.

For a window into our future, look at Europe. In the UK, home ownership is nearly impossible unless a home/home equity has been inherited. 100 year mortgages are the norm an assumable. A 30 year mortgage would seem like a gift in that market!

Credit Scores

There is a ton of information out there about how foreclosure impacts one's credit score. To me, this is not an issue as a credit score can always improve with time and other factors. Again, lots of info in this department.

Of more concern is that lenders are asking if a foreclosure ever occurred. Three months ago, 10 years ago, doesn't matter. Having a foreclosure on your record will impact your ability to get a mortgage in the future and your costs. Realize that a slight interest rate increase, because of a foreclosure, may very well offset the advantage of walking away from an underwater home. Bankrate.com has calculators that can help anyone understand the total cost of a mortgage. Paying just a 50 basis point (0.50%) penalty for a foreclosure on your record can cost you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the loan!

Conclusion

It can be very troubling to see your home's value plummet on Zillow, but that only shows you part of the picture. This is very complicated situation and it isn't helped by the uncertainty in the housing market and the overall economy. The most important thing one can do is to keep his head on straight and consider the long-term, as well as the short-term consequences.

Watching the Other Hand

2011-09-18T10:10:00.000-06:00

Sometimes we like to pretend that the Obama Administration is stupid. It makes us feel better. It offers an explanation for almost three years of failure in spite of promises of prosperity and hope. I can't count the number of times I have heard liberals, who supported this President, say he's inept. Apparently a newly formed conclusion in spite of the availability of information on this man's lack of experience and credentials prior to the 2008 election.

He is not inept. He is evil. He has surrounded himself with evil men and women who hate this country just as much as he does. That is why things are not getting better--it is part of the plan to de-develop the US. That is why Liberals will not turn from the same tired and failing ideas of the last three years. Their answer is always to spend more! An inept person could still recognize they are doing more harm than good and step back. This President and his band of Liberals will not step back, their political survival depends on continuing to implement the plan.

In order to redistribute wealth (part of the plan), Liberals must take from the "haves" to give to the "have nots." Deficit spending has allowed years of giving without any taking. Those days are over, thanks to Conservatives (including the Tea Party). Now the taking must begin in earnest.

The Buffett Tax allows the President to close the loop on his distribution scheme while giving the class welfare nuts a big pat on the back. If Buffett wants to pay more in taxes, maybe he should start by paying the tax he currently owes? But Buffett doesn't want to pay more in taxes, he wants everyone else, including the middle class to pay more in taxes. Why? Because both Buffett and the President want to "close the system."

A massive tax burden, paid by millionaires on paper but distributed to the middle class in reality, will lock in the power of today's elite. The beautiful thing about Capitalism is the upward mobility and opportunity it creates for everyone. That can be very challenging for the people who want to control America. If you take money out of the private economy, you limit this mobility. You keep people down, destitute, and dependent on you (the elite).

Downgrade: Taking the Wind out of Liberal Sails

2011-08-06T09:32:00.000-06:00

Another first for the President! Our nation's credit rating has been cut from AAA to AA+. That's change, right?

The "Debt Debate," as the media has dubbed it, only existed because Obamanomics have failed. If Washington could just be honest about that, we could have a conversation about how to fix the economy and move forward. But Liberals can't admit it, and I don't expect them to do so--it's an admission that Liberalism (including Keynesian economics) doesn't work. Never mind an entire century of modern history proving this inconvenient fact, we now have confirmed what we already knew and what Conservatives warned of nearly three years ago.

The Debt Debate proceeded with both sides arguing for tax increases, spending cuts, or a combination. If we cut out the noise and listen to what S&P has said we can get some clarity...

The outlook on the long-term rating is negative. We could lower the long-term rating to 'AA' within the next two years if we see that less reduction in spending than agreed to, higher interest rates, or new fiscal pressures during the period result in a higher general government debt trajectory than we currently assume in our base case.

Why didn't S&P mention taxes in its outlook? Because everyone knows taxes will merely expedite the death spiral depriving the Free Market of the resources to recover. And yes, Liberals at the top know this as well--it was their plan all along.

The only way to prevent a future downgrade is to cut spending. The consequences of another downgrade could be higher interest rates which would force us to cut spending anyway. Why not do it now in a controlled manner?

Turns out Conservatives were right.

The Tea Party was right.

Cut spending = save America! Cap and reduce debt = save America!

Liberals, Dems, Obama were wrong (if you believe they wanted what's best for the country). We are past the point of Liberalism being a relatively harmless and redundant exercise. If they cannot acknowledge what their policies have done to this country, and stop, they move from the "radical" category into the "evil and dangerous" category.

No One Left to Tax

2011-07-01T14:18:00.003-06:00

I'm going to try to keep this simple: The only people in the United States that pay taxes are the middle class.

The middle class pay both direct and indirect taxes because they lack the mechanism to distribute these taxes to other socioeconomic groups. The "rich" can distribute a higher tax burden to consumers, employees, reduce capital investment, decrease charitable donations, and hire an army of tax accountants. Low income Americans are mostly exempt from income taxes and benefit from overlapping social programs that account for cost of living increases (to include increased consumer costs from taxing the "rich").

In the mind of a Liberal, our debt crisis is easy to solve because all we have to do is take "it" from "them" (corporations and "rich" people). Michael Moore even went so far to say private property was a public resource that should be plundered so that reckless spending can continue.

It doesn't work, never has, never will.

Liberals need to stop pretending there is some magic bullet that will end the economic crisis. Class warfare/envy is a fun exercise for the Left but it is ultimately counter-productive as they are attacking the only ones in the economy who can create growth and jobs. Growing unemployment = increased demand on social programs = more spending = more debt = higher taxes = more unemployment, etc, etc. It's a death spiral.

The debt problem must addressed and Congress should be working on keeping as much money in the private economy as possible--maintaining/lowering the debt ceiling. Money in the private economy creates growth, jobs, and tax revenue. Money in the public economy creates unsustainable liabilities and unchecked spending.

We should assume our social programs are bankrupt and start preparing the American people. If mobs want to gather in protest, let them. If people want to get angry about broken promises, they can look in the mirror and their own voting record. We have been bribing millions of Americans to behave with other peoples' money and it's going to end one way or another.

Yes, there will be violence. Yes, we should all be preparing!

Genocide

2011-05-20T08:44:00.000-06:00

Until now, the comparisons between Obama and Hitler were mostly hyperbole. Not anymore. Apparently the President finds the Israelis, and perhaps all Jews, as an inconvenience getting between him and his campaign to embrace Muslim nations. We all know how this President feels about inconvenient innocent life.

The demand for Israel to fall back to 1967 borders is nothing other than genocide and that blood will be on Obama's hands. Anyone with a 5th grade education can see there are now only two logical outcomes to the President's actions, both of which result in massacre...

1. Israelis, in their desire to live, reject the President's call for '67 borders

"Palestinians" (which includes Hamas and Iran/Hezbollah) use the President's call as a justification for genocide. Attacks against Israeli citizens escalate from within Israel. Pressure on Israel's borders increases. Violations of international law by Palestinians are ignored by the global community. Leaders in Europe continue to embrace radical Islam and the Palestinian cause. The West turns it's back on Israel--the blood is in the water and no one is coming to help.

2. Israelis foolishly accept surrender of the '67 territories, in exchange for nothing

No guarantees are given to the Israeli people. Palestine refuses to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. Non-Muslim holy places are desecrated and destroyed. The Palestinians do to the territories and Jerusalem what Muslims have done to the entire Middle East. Violence erupts day after day after day. Peace has not been won. The Palestinians refuse to act in good faith.

The global community, while concerned by these events, does nothing. Just as they have failed to condemn the strategic slaughter of Israelis for decades for fear of losing oil deals or isolating Russia/China who do business with Iran regularly.

I believe the fall of Israel is now inevitable. I hope I am wrong. I do not see a future for a Jewish state with a American President who is willing to see so many innocent people killed to appease his Muslim brothers--that association is no longer rumor. Taking inventory of Israel's friends is a fairly easy exercise these days.

No matter what, the outcome, decades of terror has now been rewarded. Individuals, who will soon seek a new target after Israel's destruction, have been empowered. The tactics employed will be praised and celebrated. A powerful framework has been built that will be brought to bear against the American People and/or any non-Muslim nation. All one has to do to justify pure evil is re-write history, feign victimization, make deals with the elites, and get the right people elected.

I sincerely hope all those have supported Obama are aware of what is happening, particularly, the American Jewish community. I sincerely hope the advocates of "social and economic justice" have planned a way to explain the coming body count. If we thought the last ~40 years of Israeli/Palestinian strife was significant, we were fools. We haven't seen anything yet!

OBL Down

2011-05-02T07:46:00.000-06:00

While the world celebrates Osama Bin Laden's death and Obama's apparent political win, there are many unanswered questions...

1. Did Pakistan sanction this operation?

In the early hours this morning, the answer to that question appears to be "Yes." Unfortunately, that doesn't make much sense as the Pakistanis have aiding and abetting OBL for the last 10 years. For the duration of that time we had been asking for a sanctioned op and intel only to meet resistance and double-talk.

What's also puzzling is that OBL was in a mansion. The American people had always envisioned Osama holed up in a cave somewhere eating military rations and carting around a dusty AK. He obviously felt secure enough in Pakistan to rejoin civilization and live quite well for who knows how many years.

If the Pakistanis sanctioned the op, and assisted as is also being reported, what changed their minds? What did we give them?

2. How will the "Muslim World" react?

I have never been a member of the appeasement club, but it would be naive not to consider the backlash. Hamas has already spoken up, others may follow. This may be a unifying event in the Muslim World as OBL was a type of folk hero to many.

As the political class knows, sometimes it's not about doing something, it's more about how you do it. The orders were to kill, not capture Osama, confirmed by shot placement. This can be spun to look like an assassination. Thanks to moral relatavisim, this could also be used to justify all sorts of horror.

Wouldn't Obama know that? Does he want an escalation at this point in time?

3. How is this consistent with the stated values and goals of Obama and the American Left?

Obama wanted civilian trials for monsters. OBL didn't even get a military tribunal!!! The Left supports Muslim terrorists and extremism; Pelosi in Syria with Hezbollah, Palestinian "floats," etc... Today they are celebrating the death of a terrorist.

One of Obama's first acts as President was the Islamic Apology Tour. It was touted as an open hand to Muslim World. Obama just made a fist and smacked them!

Although OBL's life was inconvenient for the United States and the West, and I can't say I oppose ending it, what advantage have we gained? OBL was cut off from the Taliban in Afghanistan. Al Qaeda was essentially leaderless and in disarray. If Obama really wanted to end the wars in Iraq (still a war with casualties) and Afghanistan, he may have just taken three steps back.

What makes this an exception and why?

When we have answered these questions, I'll join the celebration and give Obama credit. But something tells me there is a lot more going on here than the American People know or understand.

1999 3.8L Mustang Clutch

2011-04-24T12:17:00.000-06:00

This is a huge job, not for the faint of heart.

I had several problems with the original clutch on a car with ~113k miles. Hard shifting, chattering clutch, and the throwout bearing would whine when the clutch was disengaged.

I decided to go with the SPEC stage 1 clutch from American Muscle. To put this much work and money into a car, I wanted good quality American parts.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional mechanic. This post is for entertainment purposes only. I will not be responsible for anything you do to yourself or your car.

Obviously, all the standard car safety rules apply here; block the wheels, use jack stands, use the jack as a backup safety, wear eye protection, etc.

Prerequisites

An entire weekend. I needed 24 hours of work time.
Clean and secure work area to leave the transmission out of the car overnight.
A buddy
A good jack with at least 20" of lift. A set of 20" jack stands. A second set of shorter jack stands to support the transmission once lowered.
A comprehensive set of tools: Socket set with extensions, u-joint, torque wrench. A 15MM socket is necessary to remove the transmission from the bell housing--most socket sets do not have a 15MM socket.
New clutch kit; clutch plate, pressure plate, throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and alignment tool
New seals. Consider replacing the rear main seal and the output shaft seal on the transmission. These are easy to do during this job but very difficult to do later.
New ATF. I went with Royal Purple Synchromax also available from American Muscle (best price I've found). OEM fluid is commonly available in any auto parts store.

There will also be some miscellaneous items that are necessary...

Not pictured is blue locktite and moly lube to pack the pilot bearing and lightly grease the throwout bearing.

Having a second vehicle to run for parts and get the flywheel turned is a must. Having the buddy do these things while you can work on the car would save a lot of time.

Remove Shifter

Remove the shift knob, outer boot (pulls right off with trim piece), inner boot, and shifter. The shifter may be difficult to remove. I had to use a hammer to pry the shifter plate up while pulling on the shifter itself.

Pack with paper towel/shop cloth to prevent dirt and debris from getting into the transmission.

The shifter box seal has been cleaned up to get it ready for a silicon gasket I also bought from American Muscle. RTV silicon can also be used--I would still cleanup this seal.

Remove the Y-Pipe

The y-pipe is deceptively heavy. DO NOT LET IT FALL ON YOU!!!

Unclip all four of the O2 sensors from the catalytic converters and exhaust pipe first. Then remove the bolts from the header. After that remove the bolts from the pipe going to the muffler.

A few hits from a hammer may be necessary to free up the pipe.

Drain the Transmission

Since the shifter has been removed, the only thing to do here is removing the drain plug. A 3/4" socket is all that is necessary. The drain plug is the lower plug.

This is where a funnel and gloves come in handy. Old ATF is smelly, messy, and can burn skin.

Drop the Driveshaft

The driveshaft is attached to the differential by four 12MM bolts. These bolts, and the position of the driveshaft should be marked prior to removal. This is what the Crayons are for. Failure to reattach the driveshaft in the same position could lead to noise, vibration, and more wear on the car. You will know if you mess this part up!

Although a 12 point socket can be used here, I found a wrench to be better. I used the tire as leverage and put my whole body into breaking these bolts free. A cheater bar would have been nice!

One of the rear tires needs to be lifted to allow you to spin the driveshaft to access each of the bolts. The parking brake can be applied to lock the wheels for torquing--have a buddy do this.

Remove Transmission

With the driveshaft removed, it is now time to remove the transmission.

First, unplug all sensors from the transmission.

Then, support the transmission with the floor jack and position a jack stand under the output. This will help balance the transmission on the jack once removed. The transmission is heavy at around 90 pounds. DO NOT LET IT FALL ON YOU!!!

The transmission will unbolt from the bell housing with four 15MM bolts.

Once unbolted from the bell housing, carefully remove the transmission mount. During this time, you should be able to tell if the transmission is well supported by the jack.

The transmission, in theory, should slide straight back at this point. In fact, this was the hardest part of disassembly for me. It helped to have a buddy engage and disengage the clutch to free up the input shaft while I worked the transmission backward.

Eventually it came out and I was able to lower the jack a little to get the transmission back out of the way.

The output has some paper towel held on by rubber bands to prevent dripping while I am under the car.

Remove Bell Housing

First, disconnect the battery, remove the starter, and disconnect the clutch cable. The clutch cable will have a piece of metal protecting the connection to the shift fork--this is easily removed.

Then remove all bell housing bolts. Most of them will be facing rear, but some will be facing front towards the bottom.

Remove Old Pressure Plate, Clutch Plate

This is easy--can't mess it up.

Remove Flywheel

The flywheel is also heavy. DO NOT IT FALL ON YOU!!!

Replace Rear Main Seal

I preferred to replace the rear main seal prior to pulling the pilot bearing because the pilot bearing removal got messy.

The seal is easy to remove with a screw driver, just be careful not to scratch the flywheel or the block. Scratches will cause oil leaks. There will be a small amount of oil that comes out with the seal, but it is not necessary to drain the engine oil to do this.

The new seal should be lubed with a light coating of new engine oil and can be gently pounded in. I used an old toothbrush (soft plastic) to buffer between the hammer and the seal. Make sure the new seal is fully seated.

The rear main seal is $20 from Ford and there's no reason to not do this.

Pull Pilot Bearing

This is where things went south for me and I have little pictures. I rented a puller tool from Advance Auto...

This tool shredded the old bearing.

There is a hydraulic trick that I should have tried but the shredded bearing wouldn't give me a good seal.

I ended up buying a Dremmel and cutting the bearing out. This is the only part of the process I regret. I ended up cutting two very small channels in the crankshaft as it was hard to tell when the bearing was cut. I should have stopped to check with a chisel and a hammer more often.

When this was done I had a major mess. I had to make sure the crankshaft was completely clean of all the metal bits or the new pilot bearing may seize up. I used new motor oil to help get the metallic dust out of the crankshaft and clean up--it seemed to work well.

Install Pilot Bearing

The new pilot bearing should be packed in grease. I used moly lube for this. You do not want an excessive amount of grease in the crankshaft or it could push back out on the flywheel and cause the clutch to slip.

This is why the bearing should be packed prior to installation.

Install Flywheel

The flywheel was resurfaced by a local shop that I've been taking work to for years--I trust them and they always check their work. They pulled and replaced the original dowels for me so there was no need to use new ones.

I had purchased a Ford Racing bolt and dowel kit but found out the kit was incorrect for the 3.8L Mustang. So I re-used the old bolts after a careful inspection.

Two things are critical on the flywheel; 1. Blue locktite and correct torque. 2. Clean the flywheel with brake cleaner to prevent slipping. I cleaned the flywheel in place to make sure nothing from my hands ended up on the flywheel. I had to be careful not to over spray or drip. I also used shop towels instead of regular paper towels.

Install Clutch and Pressure Plate

Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Again, blue locktite, proper torque, and cleaning the mating surface of the pressure plate are all critical.

A clutch plate alignment tool is also critical to keeping the clutch plate centered to get the transmission back in the car.

Reassemble

Reassembly is common sense.

Don't forget to correctly install the new throwout bearing in the bell housing. The throwout bearing will have a spine to prevent rotation which goes to the open side of the shifting fork. A light coat of grease can be applied to the inside of the throwout bearing. I also put some fresh grease on the shift fork pivot point.

Remember to blue locktite the bell housing bolts, transmission bolts, and driveshaft bolts. Proper torque specs are key.

Getting the transmission back in the car was the second most difficult part of the job. The transmission bolts should not be used to pull the transmission onto the bell housing. Finally a combination of working the jack and fighting the transmission in worked. I also had a buddy engage the clutch once I knew I had proper alignment (had 1.5" inches left).

On the transmission fluid, replace the output shaft seal prior to filling with ATF. A trick to filling the transmission is to use the shifter box and fill inside the car. This requires some care and patience but works well. While filling, the top plug should be removed. Once fluid starts to overflow, the transmission is full.

Most manufacturers include break-in instructions. SPEC calls for a 500 miles break in period and it should be strictly observed. My new clutch was uncertain and chattered until 30 miles. At 100 miles it was smooth and consistent.

The Giant Sigh

2011-03-16T07:47:00.000-06:00

Giant sigh heard in newsrooms across the country as the media finds a disaster to report that isn't the result of Obama & Co. liberal policies. Not only is it safe to report, it's safe to hyperbolize and policitize! While the Japanese are suffering and in need of humanitarian aid, we are apparently more worried about energy policy.

Meanwhile, our economic situation continues to worsen with food and energy prices continuing to rise.

So how does Obama celebrate this opportunity to lead? He's goes on [another] vacation! I'm sure he'll do something stately there, so it's probably "official business."

What's more concerning than the usual leadership vacuum is how quickly and certainly liberals seize on disasters, oh, I mean opportunities, like Japan to modify our energy policy. One thing we cannot afford to do at this time is make energy more expensive. Of course, if your goal was to de-develop the United States to a third world nation via market manipulation and regulation, then it's Christmas.

Why I'm Starting to Love Michael Moore

2011-03-06T10:18:00.000-07:00

He started out as a sly propaganda minister and has now become quite the liability for the American Left. It was easy in the beginning for folks to get sucked into Bowling for Columbine or Sicko without a good understanding of the man's bias or selective "fact" telling. Now that bias and dishonesty is overt--and I like it!

"American is not broke..." Moore exclaimed at a rally in Wisconsin on Saturday.

Well our taxpayers disagree. The voters disagree. Our bondholders disagree. In fact, the Treasuries market indicates anyone with the capital to invest in our future would disagree--thus we have "monetized" our debt by buying our own Treasuries. The only people who would agree with Moore are those who have a vested interest in bankrupting America.

Here's another recent quote from Moore about the wealth held by the "rich" ... "...that's [money] not theirs [the "rich"], it's a national resource..."

In this statement we see exactly why Moore would say American isn't broke--he believes there is plenty of money/wealth and that it just has be exercised from the "rich." Oddly, Moore has never written that multi-million dollar check to the US Treasury to do his part; more blatant hypocrisy and I love that too!

Here's the important take-away: Wreckless spending is war on the rich. The Left's own mouthpiece just told us that without any ambiguity or subtext. The belief that private property (money/wealth) is a "national resource" defies our values, laws, and even common sense: When a man's wealth, and the labor he exchanges for money, is no longer his own, why would he continue to give it?

It would appear, in the minds of liberals, that the ethical issues created by taking money from the "rich" have already been settled--they only lack the means. What we see in Wisconsin, and throughout the country, is a fierce debate over those means as taxpayers (the "rich") push back.

The anger we see is the entitlement mentality the Left has created. People are angry because they are entitled to more, and more, and more of a "rich" man's bank account. Redistributive justice is now a civil right. History has demonstrated that the denial of a civil right, real or perceived, can justify nearly any act, no matter how evil.

How far will the Left push this?

Will they be content with taking down the private economy and de-developing the United States into a third world country?

Will they stop when unemployment hits 30%?

Will they stop when the net contributors to society can no longer, or are unwilling to, produce?

Would they stop when/if those contributors use force to defend themselves and their property?

It's clear to me that we can't afford to allow them to answer these questions for us. They must be stopped well in advance or we risk dire consequences.

Natalie Portman and Anti-Semitism

2011-03-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

If you're reading the news, you'll know Natalie Portman has taken a strong stance against the anti-semitic rantings of a Christian Dior employee named John Galliano. Galliano has subsequently been fired from his position--good for him!

Personally, I find anti-semitism revolting. I believe I'm in the majority of people who would say the same.

But in 2008 Portman couldn't care less about Barack Obama's strong relationship to Jew haters. In fact, she didn't just personally support Obama, she actively campaigned for him! At this time his association to Rev Jeremiah Wright, and the ensuing controversy, was well known. Wright was, and is also pals with Louis Farrakhan and Muammar al-Qaddafi--another name in the news recently.

Obama spent 20-some years sitting in Wright's church listening to his anti-semitic rants--a feat only accomplished when one shares the same hatred. If Obama didn't share these views he would have been on his feet, out the door, as would any person with a conscience and a brain.

Galliano is a nobody outside of the fashion world. Barack Obama is President of the United States. Who's anti-semitic views are more dangerous to Jews?

I applaud Portman for standing on principle, even potentially putting her bottom line at risk (Dior endorsements), but I cannot help but note the hypocrisy. How could Portman be so comfortable with Obama given her convictions?

2010 Financial Review

2011-02-26T10:16:00.007-07:00

Unlike a lot of people, I like to know where my money goes. I book my expenses month-by-month along with my income and summarize it at the end of the year. In addition to knowing where I am spending money, I also get an idea of how much in taxes I am paying.

The percentages shown are a percentage of gross pay before any deductions. Total Expenses represents all discretionary and non-discretionary expenses to include housing, utilities, gas (excluding taxes), health and dental expenses, life and auto insurance premiums, charity, and special one time expenses.

The issue of taxes has been a heated one lately. I find most folks I talk to who think our current level of taxes is acceptable, really don't understand how much they are paying. My tax and regulatory expenses break down as follows...

Not exactly easy to read, here is a list...

Federal Income Tax
State Income Tax
Social Security (this is tax as the government has violated any Good Faith in the program)
Medicare (same as Social Security)
Real Estate Taxes
Vehicle Registration (thanks former governor Ritter!)
Gas Tax
State and Local Sales Tax

In addition to these items there is a list of taxes that are difficult, if not impossible to quantify, that are also paid by me...

Trickle down costs (SS, Medicare, income taxes, etc) in goods and services
Special taxes and fees (alcohol, dining out, environmental fees)
Hospitality and travel taxes/fees

The data shows that I pay 26% of my income to taxes/fees/regulatory expenses, but I would argue with the above, that the real number is closer to a third (33%). But the primary take-away for me is that in 2010 I paid the government more than I paid myself--twice as much!! 26% of my income went to government, only ~11% went to me.

If I break this down by each work day, assuming an eight hour day, I am working 2.64 hours to fund the government. I am able to put 52 minutes of a work day into my own pocket after expenses.

This is forced servitude! As a consumer of government services, and a proud member of the private economy, I do not see the value that should represent 2 hours and 38 minutes which is forcefully taken from me each day. Additionally, I am limited in my ability to reduce my tax and regulatory liability to reflect the value that I am receiving as I can in the Free Market--I live a very conservative lifestyle.

One of the ways the government has incentivized its own growth is via the increase in government employees, whose math is somewhat different. A government employees derives 5.36 hours of benefit for the 2.64 hours he must forfeit each day given the same income and liabilities--a flawed assumption since government workers tend to make multiples of private sector workers.

If the average American would conduct this analysis with his own numbers, we could have much more informed conversation about the size and scope of government. We could also put the situation in Wisconsin, which is spreading to other states, in proper perspective.

Lessons from Wisconsin

2011-02-19T12:24:00.002-07:00

1. When a union's bottom line is threatened, it will create an issue

In the case of Wisconsin, it's "about the children." The state shouldn't cut pay and benefits because it will harm the children. Never mind that these are modest cuts that are happening everywhere as states wrestle with budget deficits. Private sector workers have been experiencing this for three years--time for government workers to join the party!

The heart of this issue is actually overturning compulsory union membership (i.e. Right to Work). The unions know this would mean a substantial pay cut and decrease their ability to further their agenda in the state and throughout the country.

2. It's never about the children

If it were about the children, the Wisconsin school districts wouldn't be going to court to get their teachers back. If these teachers really cared about their profession, they wouldn't be harming the education of their students--the very justification against cuts.

3. The average Madison teacher makes $100K

When calculating in benefits, time off, retirement, etc. Understand this is average. There will be new teachers with less seniority that make less while teachers with more seniority stand to make substantially more.

This calculation doesn't take into consideration the part-time and seasonal work, like summer school, that can net teachers even more. Opportunities provided by a generous work schedule.

This is roughly 2-2.5x what the average private sector employee will make. And the quality of life improvement (having a whole summer off) is immeasurable.

What these teachers are fighting for is an entitlement. They are entitled to make 2-2.5x times what the average private sector taxpayer makes and demand immunity from harsh economic times on the backs of the taxpayer. It is clear some government employees believe we work for them. There is no noble fight here. Teachers are not fighting for "fair" pay. They are not fighting for freedom/Democracy as some blogs and talking heads have suggested.

The teachers only care about their paycheck = greed.
The unions only care about their dues = greed.

I thought greed was one of the reasons we are supposed to shun Capitalism?

4. When the going gets tough, Democrats get gone

Instead of engaging in the political process, bringing ideas, or trying to stand in the middle to negotiate, they flee the state. Some intend to stay MIA for weeks!

Take the politics out of the situation and ask; What kind of a "leader" runs away? If they intend to support the union, stay and support the union!

Now put the politics back in and help me understand how tax-and-spend-and-deficit-spend-some-more Dems think they create crisis all over the country and simply run away from the logical and natural consequences of their actions?

What happens when such a crisis occurs on a national level. Will Obama, Pelosi, and Reed be booking flights to France?

5. Liberals only value Democracy when it works for them

And this is the most frightening of all because it demonstrates the American left does not play by any rules--a truth I have known for some time.

When it was time for the duly elected governor and state representatives to convene to resolve their budget issues, protesters shut down the state capitol. Never mind the will of the people. Never mind an exchange of ideas/debate.

When Conservatives are upset about an outcome, we allow Democracy to work. We protest on Saturdays (we are busy working Monday through Friday) and we allow the government to open and do it's business. When our Constitution is blatantly violated (Obamacare) we are told to deal with it because it's Democracy and we respect the process.

Now Democracy is swinging the other way as Americans realize the disaster that Liberals have created. When Liberals don't respect Democracy, they shut "it" down. When our leadership continues to represent us, and Liberals get desperate, we are guaranteed violence. As things get worse, and more leaders forced to make tough choices, that violence will only escalate.

Food for though.

QE Kills

2011-01-29T12:28:00.002-07:00

I'm going to save the "I told ya so." At many times we forget that 2 + 2 = 4. No matter how many people say the solution is 5, their ignorance (or deception) can't stand in the face of current events.

The violence in Egypt and Tunisia along with protests in Albania, Jordan, and Albania are such current events.

Quantitative Easing (QE) has pushed global food prices so high that people in fragile economies are going hungry. These people aren't protesting and turning violent because of a political or religious ideology--they are out of food. This creates the kind of desperation that inevitably leads to violence, and even revolution.

QE was designed to prop-up the economies of First World, western nations and is only made possible by the high level of faith and credit of these nations. Third World, or "underdeveloped," nations don't have this option. Their currencies and economies can't withstand currency manipulation, and thus, they cannot keep up with the price increases set by the First World.

What we are seeing is the direct result of the unethical and manipulative monetary policy necessary to keep the architects of our financial disaster on top.

Over the coming weeks and months it will be interesting to see how the proponents of QE are (or aren't) held accountable for what is happening. We have accumulated a massive amount of debt that is unserviceable without inflation. Instability in the Middle East has a correlation with high oil prices which will push prices even more.

It seems there is no turning back.

State Bankrupcty

2011-01-23T10:00:00.002-07:00

The idea to allow states to declare bankruptcy demonstrates just how dire the situation is for some states. Make no mistake, we are being prepared for what is to come by people making it all sound perfectly normal.

The Federal government will have two choices should a state become insolvent...

Bailout
No bailout

Bailouts have become politically untenable not to mention unsustainable as we saw with TARP--like a junky, one is not enough. However, a state going belly-up is also unprecedented (get used to that word).

The middle ground here is severe cutbacks in spending and programs, but states seem unable or unwilling to do what is necessary on their own. The level of order and civility in our country is fragile as-is, who knows what impact the end of government cheese would have? Additionally, a reduction in social programs isn't just government breaking its promises, it's a career ender for big government proponents.

So what's left?

A "managed bankruptcy." No, not a traditional one where a judge divides assets and pays liabilities, but a new kind of bankruptcy.

Think GM. In the Government Motors bankruptcy there was one thing kept off the table; pensions and benefits. This too was unprecedented and only possible by an unholy collusion of unions and government. The bond holders lost all, but retirees were intact. This is precisely the kind of model that states will need to keep their pension plans and some of their social programs going. A way to isolate some liabilities and ditch others, and we see the usual players working towards this end.

It's not so much illegal as "not legal." There are no laws or articles/amendments to the Constitution that allow for this. But if recent events provide any insight, it's that leadership is no longer playing by the rules--they make them up as they go along.

Should a state be able to ditch it's debt, it will have a very hard time selling debt in the future. This means the entire weight of the state's budget will be leveled on taxpayers--budgets that are already unsustainable with the ability to write debt. This will eventually force the producers out of these states leaving only the moochers.

We could see massive population shifts to more solvent states with lower taxes. Hopefully, they will leave their big government politics behind!

We Live in Dangerous Times

2011-01-09T14:06:00.003-07:00

While the crazed lone gunman is certainly dangerous, what's infinitely more dangerous is the goals of the radical left and how this tragedy is being shaped by media to suit their agenda.

We now know that Jared Loughner was crazy. There's simply no better way to describe him. I have reviewed his YouTube videos and some of his writings. It's going to be hard to put this monster into any stereotype or ideology, but there's one that certainly doesn't fit; Conservative. Among Loughner's accomplishments was a drug charge, being rejected from the US Army, and failing to hold stable jobs. He was an atheist and cited Mein Kampf and the Communist Manifesto as his favorite reads.

Hardly the profile of a Conservative! Those that knew him described him as "quite liberal".

Yet that hasn't stopped liberals from trying to use this incident, before the body count was even known, to their advantage. The talking points in comments left just moments after news broke leaves me with the belief that this plan of attack was laid out long before the shooting on Saturday.

Here are some choice comments from the Washington Post story as news was breaking Saturday (observe the date and time)...

The agenda in this comment is obvious. If Conservative "hate-talkers" are to blame (a foregone conclusion), then they must be stopped. First Amendment be damned! How did Chip Shirley know it was a Beck/Hannity/Limbaugh "listener" in the first place?!?

Never mind the facts....

1. None of these Conservatives have EVER advocated violence (we'd see those clips in the MSM)
2. If they did advocate violence, and are such a threat to our nation, we would be seeing more than just a single isolated shooting on a moderate Democrat.

What we have are political statements using rhetoric that can be interpreted as a call to violence by children who wish to vilify their opposition. Among the guilty parties is Barack Obama himself...

"If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun..."

Obama wasn't advocating violence anymore than Palin was when she put Giffords in her political crosshairs. Another fact the left will conveniently ignore!

So it's fair to conclude that "the enemy" (interesting choice of words) is on the right. Why the rush lindsaycurren? Why are liberals so quick to create an alternate explanation of what occurred, state their fabrication is "fair," and broadcast it before any of the facts are known?

What if the shooter was a liberal who wasn't happy with Gifford's more moderate stances? In Denver, a liberal attacked the DNC offices because he wanted a public option. It's been known to happen!

All lindsaycurren had to was wait a few hours for the suspect to be identified to know definitively who was behind it and what his motivation was.

The reason lindsaycurren can't wait, just like the rest of the opportunistic liberals, is because she can't afford for the truth to come out and spoil this opportunity.

"They have got to go." Finally, an honest statement that explains the rush to judgement and scapegoating of Conservatives. How we'll go, I don't know. I know that Conservatives won't give up. I know we won't surrender our country, our families, or our freedom. So I guess jm125 needs to elaborate on how "Tea Baggers" will "go." But then jm125 would likely be advocating the murder of millions of Americans. Kind of ironic when he's criticising the Tea Party over the shooting of one American.

The left is desperate to silence the opposition and is looking for a catalyst to suspend the First Amendment. Socialism/liberalism is failing. People are getting that and are seeking the alternative--removing Conservative ideas from the national discussion is key to maintaining control.

We see a powerful model being demonstrated here...

Distribute talking points and strategy should an event like this occur
Use a network of community and media to lay blame on the opposition

Operate in the immediate confusion following the event
Bombard the information network with foundless accusations--if you keep repeating it, it will be true!
Get the scapegoating in the headlines--no one will read the whole story in a day

Justify retaliation which will lead to an escalation
Justify the violation of our most cherished civil rights (it's #1 and #2 for a reason!)

"We can no longer afford to let Conservatives speak"
"We must disarm Conservatives to protect our Democracy"
Eliminate the marketplace of ideas
Eliminate the final check and balance the People have against a Tyrant

The reason these times are so dangerous is because this game has been played before in history with devastating consequences. The American Left knows they cannot control a Democracy if they don't control speech. They can't install a totalitarian regime if the People can balance it's power.

In order to control speech or gun rights in America, many lives would be lost--these are rights Americans will not surrender no matter what justifications the left creates.

Some Thoughts on God and Faith

2010-12-18T09:33:00.001-07:00

It's Christmas and the militant Atheists are out in force. Well, okay, they are out promoting their message when it is safe and convenient for them to do so... (are there Atheist missionaries?)

Meanwhile, others are seeking out their faith in these hard times. Looking to God for peace, comfort, and security. Some of these folks are discovering faith for the first time while others are getting closer to God. Many families are scaling back Christmas to focus less on giving (intentional or out of necessity) and more on the gift of Jesus and the message.

With so many people looking for something to fill the void, and militant Atheists looking to demoralize believers, I thought I'd post a few items that keep coming up with militant Atheists...

This is what God is not (Biblical references intentionally withheld)....

1. God is not your personal court jester who performs parlor tricks to prove his own existence. If you are looking for this kind of God, good luck with that! The odds are good that you need God more than he needs you to believe in him.

If you are asking God to change something in your own life as evidence of his existence, you've entered an illogical paradox; if you don't have faith, who are you asking for help?!?

2. When God does intervene, he does not swoop down for the heavens. The hungry are not fed with bread falling from the sky, they are fed via the generosity and righteousness of others. When government fails people, and it is failing as I type, it is the church that fills the gap. Government has been working hard to marginalize the church in recent years, but there is one thing the last few years have proven--government can't keep its promises. When those promises are broken, who will step up to make sure folks have food, shelter, and clothing? Probably those evil believers...

Also keep in mind, sometimes God's interventions were laid years ago in the resources he gave us; our minds, hands, family (values, work ethic, etc). Sometimes it is the contributions of others. I thank God for the Marines and Soldiers sleeping in dirt and getting shot at--where would we be without men like that?

3. God does not prevent bad things from happening, even to innocents. And this is fundamental... It invalidates the whole purpose of this exercise we call existence. Think hard about this: Why would God create the known universe, giving man free will?

This is why Atheism doesn't bother me. The fact that we have people who don't believe in God, and do so without fear or harm, is proof that we have created the most just and fair society we can. And isn't it interesting that a group of Christians were the first to pen religious freedom?

It does bother me that some Atheists want to persecute believers, but that's another issue.

4. God is not defined by those who believe in him. Something I learned years ago in church and throughout life--I have been treated terribly by people who go to church every Sunday (another post).

There are deeply flawed Christians in this world, and there are those who aren't flawed who will make mistakes. There are those who call themselves "Christian" who have little idea of the message of Christ--hence the gullibility when it comes to the "Jesus was a Socialist" claim.

5. Belief in God, something greater than man (government), is not a bad thing. Consider the fact that amoral, atheist, hedonist government/societies have murdered more humans in the history of mankind than religion/church. Think about that. When the monsters of our past have ordered men to do horrible things, what internal check-and-balance was missing? What conditions consistently proceed the rise of evil tyrants?

On the other hand, societies with a consistent, functional and regulating value system are the ones that have thrived. We can never have a police state--even if we were willing to accept it, it is logistically impossible to regulate the every act and deed of every person.

Societies must be able to define what is right and what is wrong. Even in America, these lines are becoming blurred. Just a few years ago, theft was immoral, now it is acceptable if your victim is "rich" or "white" or "male" and you use the government to do it.

6. God does not require anyone to forfeit his sacred rights--he is the source of them. It is very hard for an atheist to defend his unalienable rights without invoking God or "natural law." Natural law itself is difficult to defend without a creator in world where man is directly opposed to nature.

If there is no God, there is no Divine source of our rights. Which means our rights are decided by man. Since we live in societies with governments, those rights can defined/redefined by government at any time.

7. God does not require your belief.

Please understand that I have used the phrase "militant Atheist" intentionally to separate the Atheists who respect believers, religion, and who are decent upstanding folks from those who want to persecute believers, ban religion, and regulate free speech.

Liberal Violence

2010-12-17T07:56:00.003-07:00

You won't read about this on the Huffington Post, but Clay Duke is a committed leftist/liberal who bought into the dangerous class warfare rhetoric being spewed by left wing Democrats.

We were warned about the dangers of the Tea Party. Janet Napolitano warned about the dangers of Christian, Conservative, pro-life, veterans. Where is the warning about unhinged violent liberals?

But the most important question is: How many Clay Dukes are out there? How many are looking for someone else to make accountable for the bad things happening in their lives, many of which, are the result of their own actions?

The American left has doubled-down on stupid with the class warfare nonsense. The rich create jobs in this country. The rich start and grow businesses. The rich employ Americans!!! When was the last time a poor person created a job or made payroll?

It seems every time government demonstrates it can't do what the "rich" do we see a resurgence of hatred towards the rich. It's more than just politicalization, it's polarization and it's dangerous.

Who are the Terrorists Again?

2010-11-18T18:05:00.002-07:00

I'm going to keep this simple: It's payback for the elections.

It has nothing to do with new intelligence or new attempts. It has nothing to do with keeping us safer, or even maintaining a perception of safety. Violating the rights of life-long, law abiding, tax paying Americans has never, and will never, keep anyone safe!

This month, the American people voted for less government and more freedom. It's no longer a "shot across the bow" with Tea Party rallies and conservative talk radio--it's real.

The TSA is the easiest way for this government to strike back and cover it in the name of "security." It is the only point in our lives where government can literally go "hands on" without meeting a test for probable cause or being accountable via checks and balances. No one is watching the TSA/DHS and thus they operate with impunity.

They argue our Fourth Amendment rights must be surrendered for the privilege of flying. I find that to be an interesting precedent. Just about anything we do outside of our homes could be considered a privilege. Privileges our government will allow us to enjoy if we submit to their rules according to their values--which approval ratings indicate are not that of the People. For example, most folks are fine with baggage screening and metal detectors. We're fine with being "wanded." We're not fine with our government seeing under our clothing or sexually assaulting us. The elites knew they would be crossing this line and did it anyway!

I believe the goal here isn't just basic revenge, but an attempt to inflame and dehumanize. We know from history that all tyrants try to dehumanize their subjects--when the human spirit is broken there is often little resistance. The government wants us to know that they have the power to view us naked or put their hands on us and our loved ones.

If you have any doubt of this, consider the recent Gitmo conviction. The government has bent over backwards to extend Constitutional protections and due process to individuals who were never intended to receive those rights and protections. These are foreign national terrorists who have committed horrendous deeds on foreign soil. Yet they are afforded due process even when the outcome of that process makes us less safe.

Meanwhile, Americans are stripped of their rights and treated like criminals. Our crime wasn't trying to board an aircraft, it was voting for the "wrong" party in 2010.

Sig Sauer Guide Rod Replacement

2010-11-07T14:35:00.001-07:00

After searching high and low, and buying some hallow rods as a mistake, I have finally found the best Sig Sauer replacement guide rod out there (P239 shown in pic)...

Grayguns.com

They are a little pricey (everything Bruce & Co do is, and worth it), but these are the closest one can get to the original SIGARMS solid carbon steel guide rod that should still be shipping with new guns. Beware of others that are duracoated--the finish will wear off with use.

The new polymer rods are a problem and such an idiotic place to try and save money! A solid steel replace guide rod is a must have for any new Sig (if you need a how-to, please buy a Glock instead).

The Pot Problem

2010-10-31T08:00:00.001-06:00

With Marijuana initiatives on ballots all over the country you would think the country had little else to worry about. Ironically, that is precisely why I believe so many are seeking legalization; a way to opiate the masses.

If you need any proof of that, read this LA Times article on George Soros' endorsement of California Proposition 19. Why would a "multi-billionaire investor," who has made fortunes betting against national currencies, have an opinion on this issue? Make no mistake about it, Soros doesn't care about personal freedom as his network of affiliated organizations assault our liberties on every other issue. He cares about devaluing the dollar. What better way to do that then give a segment of America, already depending on government programs, another reason to be dysfunctional?

More irresponsible Americans = more social spending = higher taxes and inflation = weaker USD.

Aside from those seeking an opiate for personal or ideological gain, there are those of us Conservatives who are truly confused on this issue. Something I like to call...

Conservative Confusion

A true Conservative will support any freedom that allows one to do as he chooses with his own body. Those of us who believe in God, believe God created these natural freedoms for a reason and they sacred. Those who don't believe in God, can agree this is a natural law or natural state of man.

The confusion is introduced when we are held accountable for that individual's irresponsible actions through taxation, crime, and our own morality--could we really walk by a drug addict dying in the street and maintain our integrity on personal freedom? Doubt it. It doesn't take long for some well meaning citizen to utter the words "we should do something." "We" is a forced collective, "something" will be an act so inherently good that we all should all be compelled to finance it no matter the cost or value. This is the status quo and if you don't believe it, visit the ER between the hours of 10:00PM and 4:00AM. Make friends with a social worker and ask them about their experiences. If you know any cops, ask them about the issue.

And so we have been put in a tough position, one which requires us to take the same position as big government nannies, and regulate personal freedom. Our ability to put food on the table and pass something better along to our children demands it. We are held hostage by these redistributed consequences, and in our personal hierarchy, we value our ability to succeed more than someone else's "right" to recreate.

The Solution

Stop holding me hostage. Release me of my nanny-state imposed social and economic obligations to you and I will be happy to vote for all pro-pot measures. And we don't need to stop there. We could end the War on Drugs, slash the DEA, and end the prescription drug bureaucracy which drives up prices and decreases accessibility.

Imagine never being carded for buying Sudafed!!!

This means drug users should be excluded from receiving any kind of social assistance. It means we need a strategy for how to deal with their children who certainly don't deserve the fate imposed by their parent(s) (again, our morality). It also means we need to be tough on criminals and support the law-abiding's right to protect themselves and their families given the inevitable increase in crime.

Like I ask every pot advocate I meet: Are we prepared to make this deal?

iCaved

2010-10-23T16:27:00.002-06:00

Finally--I don't know how I held out so long. Life is different now, and it's kind of scary how connected I am with a smart phone.

I really resisted the idea of paying more for cell service but being able to keep an eye on work and get the interwebs while mobile is too much of an advantage. It also helps that AT&T offers discounts for a lot of employers and extends them to employees.

The performance of the phone (OS) is amazing. I went from a six year old Motorola Razor with a clunky and slow interface to this phone and I still can't get over it!

Ordering Process

AT&T did a horrible job keeping me updated on the shipping progress. I didn't have a tracking number until the day after the phone arrived!

The iPhone, in it's factory Apple box, was shipped in a cardboard box via FedEx with no packing. The phone slid around freely from TX to CO.

AT&T Customer Service

The CS department at AT&T is hit or miss. Before I bought the phones and agreed to the contract, I called to make sure CS was in the US--it was! I also spent some time talking to a representative and asked her questions to which I already knew the answer. All went well.

After the phone arrived I had issues getting my number ported and spoke to someone who probably needs more training. Bad info and he didn't understand how to transfer me to the porting department. Second call, I got a great rep and got everything straightened out.

Antenna Controversy

Apple no long ships iPhone 4s with bumpers and no longer reimburses customers for bumpers they buy out-of-pocket--the program expired September 30th. This lead to me wonder if the antenna issues are resolved or if the bad press has died down enough to where Apple is no longer sensitive about the issue.

I've experienced zero dropped calls. G3 performance is good in all areas of the city I've been. Wireless is amazing. This could be another post, but I wonder if the wireless setup hasn't cost AT&T some money now that they are restricting data plans and charged for overages?

Docking Compatibility

This one still has me scratching my head and the folks at the Apple Store can't quite explain it. My iPods can all share the same chargers and all work great in my universal dock. The iPhone will not charge in the u-dock and will not charge on an older firewire charger I have. Apparently Apple has modified the configuration of the 30 pin connector.

The biggest issue is that I have with this is a head unit interface in my car that allows me to charge and access the iPod through the stereo. While I can still play music with the iPhone, the phone won't charge.

Scosche makes an adapter that is on the way. Hopefully this resolve the charging issue for the car. Otherwise I'll have to buy an annoying accessory charger for the phone and then won't be able to play music through the stereo while charging.

State Election/Issues

2010-10-15T16:44:00.002-06:00

Some thoughts...

Tom Tancredo

While John Hickenlooper claims to be business friendly, and has a decent record as Mayor of Denver, he is a Democrat who will be pushed further and further to the left. Dems mean death to business and jobs.

Tancredo has a solid record and always put the state first. It takes an honest man to take on illegal immigration; Democrats want the votes, Republicans want the cheap labor, Tom wants what is right.

It would be a powerful message if Coloradans elected a third party candidate as Governor! A message Washington needs to hear.

Amendment Q

I would love to see the look on the face of the typical Denver liberal who sits down and reads this Constitutional Amendment! Yes, the situation in Denver could become quite fragile given the disproportionate amount of people on public assistance and the high(er) rate of crime compared to the rest of the state. If you weren't aware of this, your lawmakers certainly are!

Of course, the idea that the State Legislature should be at the top of the list for emergency planning is ridiculous. The Governor has the power to direct resources and the National Guard if necessary. Although the Amendment's supporters claim it is budget neutral, it is just a matter of time before a backup site is selected.

The concern is valid though and this is why I moved out of downtown ~4 years ago. All one has to do is look around and imagine what life would be like in the city with no power or no police, or an even bigger emergency.

Proposition 101

If you didn't like the license plate ~~fee~~ tax hike Governor Ritter implemented two years ago, this is your issue! Given the regressive nature of those fees, I can see broad support for this proposition from everyone but the big government crowd--the ones who think any tax decrease is evil.

If you don't like the nickel and dime fees/taxes that are added onto cell phone bills, you can also get behind this one.

Amendments 60 & 61

These Amendments have been characterized by the opposition as "going too far." I even got a notice from my HOA asking me to vote against them.

If we are learning anything from our recent economic issues it should be that we must spend responsibly. We find ourselves in a reality where everyone wants government services, yet no one wants to pay taxes.

These Amendments force the government to work within a budget, limiting deficit spending, and getting approval for tax increases and borrowing. When voters are then faced with tax increases, they will have to decide if the service(s) are worth it.

Anything that forces government to be responsible is a good thing, not "anti-government" as the opposition has stated. The only way this is anti-government would be if all government was corrupt, irresponsible, and misappropriated the People's tax money.

Will it hurt? Maybe. Then again, look around and find someone who isn't financially hurting right now. Time for government (and government employees) to feel some of that pain!

Calling Peggy the Moocher

2010-08-08T14:12:00.000-06:00

Peggy, where are you? I have some questions for you?

Why is it you are still paying for your mortgage and putting gas in your car while the President spends more than you make in a year on a vacation?

What happened to your big payday? Why is the President and his family partying while the rest of the country is struggling, especially the "Black Community?"

How are those identity politics working out for you now?

Do you feel as stupid as you look? If so, have your opinions changed? Would you vote differently or will you keep making the same mistake?

The Children Whine

2010-07-30T15:55:00.000-06:00

People are finally waking up and many are waking up mad as hell. I predicted this some time ago (when they started to see some individual consequences) but I'm surprised by the lack of accountability some have displayed--many of these folks voted for Obama and other Democrats and have yet to make the connection.

I can't count the number of blogs I'm seeing with grown adults complaining about Obama's policies, one after the other, after openly admitting voting for him! Many are hysterical, some are even calling for civil war.

They are idle threats--these individuals won't do anything themselves. They want someone else to come in and make it stop on their behalf. This entitlement mentality is what got is into this mess in the first place (i.e. I should have everything for free). They lack the maturity and wisdom to know that they are accountable for the status quo and they have the power to change it.

They are children. 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 year old children!

As further evidence, consider the contrast between the Presidential candidates; one man served his country his entire life even in war, the other walked around with his hand out demanding special privilege. One man has released all personal information about him and had candid conversations about the trials in his life, the other seeks to hide information and seal documents (it has cost the DNC over $1M in legal fees to keep the public from fully knowing who Barack Obama is). One man contributed to running the country in the Legislative, while the other ran community organizations that exist as little more than parasites designed to take money from works and distribute it to leaches. One man believes in this country, the other hates it (as evidenced in his associations and published writings) and uses identity politics to divide and conquer.

The children couldn't see the difference between these two men and now they want the pain to stop, correction, they want us to stop the pain for them. This is like watching a toddler knowingly slam his finger in a door and having to listen to him wail non-stop. It's intolerable, and it makes one want to leave the room.

You can't vote for a Communist and then complain about Communism!

And yes, we had all of this information BEFORE the election!!! The children go around saying "Republicans and Democrats are the same" or "the election gave us two choices; bad and worse." But are they? Can anyone really say with a straight face that America would be in the same place if John McCain were President? I'm not saying the man is perfect, but he's certainly not evil. Obama is a lot of things, but he is not a master deceiver--it was easy to see what kind of President we would get. I'm frankly surprised things are going so well right now!

Do not get wrapped up in their rhetoric. Some of things I've read amount to sedition and should be investigated by the Secret Service and/or FBI. Violence and threats of violence will solve nothing when we have a political process that works. It merely requires that the children either grow up or shut up.

Yes, I am suggesting that if you can't tell the difference between a John McCain and Barack Obama, you probably should not vote. I am suggesting, to anyone who is reading, that if an individual lacked the judgment to make this distinction, we probably ought not trust their judgment when it comes to things like starting a civil war, killing the "ruling class," or any other violent fantasies they may have.

I am not suggesting the children be silenced, let them scream. It continues to be an example of what is wrong with America. Everyone wants the benefit of hard work, but only 50% of the country actually wants to go to work. From this perspective, the Obama Presidency isn't what's really wrong here, only a symptom of what's wrong.

Until the children are confronted and forced to grow up (or shut up) we will be plagued with a succession of Obamas followed by a wall of tears.

Defective HJC Shield

2010-07-24T09:48:00.000-06:00

Like a lot of manufacturers recently, quality is down, cost is up. HJC is apparently no different.

I bought a HJ-05 dark smoke shield for my SyMax II helmet to replace one that I've had since 2002. The old shield held up great, it's just got some chips and scratches that have gotten annoying.

The new shield was ~$22 and I thought would be just like the old one. I was wrong.

The replacement shield distorts my vision so badly that I couldn't stand to ride with it one once. The distortion completely tricked my depth perception creating what I believe would be a serious safety issues since riders have seconds to react on the road. Objects appeared closer or further away when I moved my helmet up and down.

The newer shield is also clear when looking at it from the side while the old one is solid dark smoke. They have likely changed the manufacturing process to save some money and the distortion is possibly a consequence of that.

I contacted HJC--they don't care. My dealer doesn't care either and won't do a return since it has been opened and was put on the helmet (once).

So beware if you are shopping for a new HJC shield or helmet. Inspect BEFORE you pay for it!

McInnis Coverage

2010-07-17T12:35:00.000-06:00

Scott McInnis must drop out.

According to the interviews (including those of McInnis) there are one of two things that happened...

McInnis committed outright plagiarism
McInnis put his name on a researcher's plagiarism without crediting the researcher

Either way, this is unacceptable for a gubernatorial candidate.

We do not tolerate these kinds of character flaws on the right. Not to say we have any immunity, but unlike the left, we do not pretend that it didn't happen in hopes of progressing an ideology. I've seen the interviews, and the story doesn't pass the sniff test.

Now for the interesting part...

The local media is obsessed with this story. Even sending e-mail alerts and keeping the story on the front page when small details are known, like the resignation of three campaign staffers. Take note: If you have (R) after your name, you will be scrutinized for everything and anything in the media.

We didn't see this kind of coverage when Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper admitted his corporation hired the illegal immigrant that shot and killed Denver Police Detective Donnie Young. This is a crime. Hickenlooper, a Democrat, is Mayor to this day and is projected to be the Dem candidate for Governor.

We didn't see this kind of coverage when Democrat Governor Bill Ritter's campaign attorney Stephanie Villafuerte used Denver DA resources to out a whistle blower on Ritter's catch and release policy. This is a crime. Ritter has decided not to seek reelection after speculation that he lied to Federal investigators about his role. If this is true, Ritter committed a crime.

We did see this kind of coverage when Douglas Bruce, a strong advocate of taxpayer rights and author of TABOR (this is worthy of it's own post), allegedly kicked a reporter in the knee for being disrespectful during a moment of prayer at the Capitol. Bruce was nearly run out of town--any guesses as to his party affiliation or ideology?

What Scott McInnis did was wrong, but it was not a crime. It is a matter that could be resolved in the civil courts and, from recent reporting, McInnis is giving back the $300,000 he was paid for the article in question. What these front running Colorado Democrats have done is a crime and the coverage was limited to a blurb then stricken from the front page.

One could speculate that the higher standard on the right for personal conduct makes this a bigger story--McInnis was held to a higher standard and is somewhat of an ideological hypocrite. Of course, this would mean Democrats are held to a lower standard and their hypocrisy is readily accepted by the press.

The better explanation is, once again, media that has selected it's winner and crafted a reality to create that outcome. This is tragic given that we can't afford anymore "selected" leadership. The state has gone from budget surpluses and tax rebates to shortfalls, debt, and higher regulatory costs that are hurting Coloradans.

I'm not saying McInnis should be afforded a pass. I just wish the same scrutiny applied to Republicans was also applied to Democrats. We would end up with much better candidates.

Colorado License Plate Fee Increase II

2010-07-04T11:15:00.000-06:00

To this day, the most visited page on my humble blog is the post about Colorado license plate fee increase. People are not happy.

It's been about a year and I saw one of my vehicles stay the exact same while the other, a 1995 KLR650, actually went up $4! I looked up the Kelly Blue Book value of these vehicles and I am paying ~4% and 5% each year to continue driving/owning them in Colorado.

Perhaps the most frustrating part is, once again, that this fee increase (really a tax increase) hurts individuals and families who are already running in the red and probably driving older vehicles anyway. So much for "progressive taxation!"

Then comes income tax time when you learn that because the slimy Colorado Democrats call this a "fee" and not an ownership tax (which would have required voter approval in a recession) it is not tax deductible. For example, my total renewal cost on my car is $122. My ownership tax is $3. I can only deduct $3.

For all of you out there who are equally angry, remember November. You may not like the social issues platform of conservatives but, this tax and spend trend must be broken. Do you want someone who makes you feel warm and fuzzy, or someone who makes it easier to live and work in your own country?

The tired liberal response of "well, you want bridges and roads so now it's time to pay for them," falls flat. We have been paying for them for generations through income, sales, and gas taxes!!!

If we can't vote these Colorado liberals out it won't be long until we are known as the "New Jersey of the West."

P226 Slide Lock Replacement

2010-06-23T20:36:00.005-06:00

For some reason Sig Sauer introduced a new "short post" slide lock lever for the P226 about three years ago. Along with the introduction of this new part are new magazine followers with protruding lips.

The problem with this change is that low capacity P226 mags and older high capacity mags will not lock the slide back after the last round is fired. The usually comes up on boards as "my slide won't lock back" and can be diagnosed after eliminating the human factors; thumb discipline, weak wrist, etc. In addition, many believe the short post lever digs into the mag followers wearing them unnecessarily (I am in that group).

In my opinion this is a critical function as it lets the operator know a reload is required. The last thing anyone wants is to hear "click" in a bad situation.
I have posted this fix to help anyone who may be in this situation.

I assume no liability for your actions!!! Proceed with caution!!!

Determine If You Have This Issue

Find an older P226 magazine like this circa 2000 10 rounder.

Make a safe weapon. Remove the slide. Seat the magazine and observe the contact between the slide lock post and the magazine follower (yellow circle)...

If the magazine follower is making solid contact with the slide lock post, you do not have this issue. If you see a gap like the one in the picture you will need a new slide lock lever (or new mag followers) for the gun to be operational with that magazine.

Before Doing Anything
If your P226 was bought new and you are the original owner, your gun is under warranty. Contact Sig Sauer customer service. If you can get your gun to an armorer at Sig they will have you fixed up in about three weeks. When I did this in early 2009 on another P226, the work and part was free--I wasn't charged a cent (Sig knows they are causing some pain)! I have also heard that Sig is shipping mag followers out in lieu of a slide lever swap--I wouldn't accept this fix.

If you want to do the lever swap yourself, order a new P226 slide lock lever from Top Gun Supply. The part number is 34260120.

Doing the Swap
It's a good idea to have an armorer's guide and toolkit although this swap could be done without them and is relatively easy.

First, make a safe weapon and remove the slide. Rotate the disassembly lever forward and carefully remove it from the frame.

With the disassembly lever out, remove the breech block (locking insert) by gently pulling it upwards out of the frame. It should be loose and move freely. If it is not loose, do not force it! Add some CLP until it moves freely. This can be the dirtiest part of the frame because it is so difficult to clean.

Using a punch or small screwdriver, without much force, push the trigger pivot pin to the right slowly. You do not want to remove this pin completely...

The pivot pin should be past the slide lock lever but not past the trigger itself.

The old slide lock lever should come out freely.

A comparison of the new (left) and old (right) parts. Note the notch and shorter length of the old part on the right.

Set the old part aside. Insert the new slide lock lever to the left of the trigger (muzzle pointing away). Push the trigger pivot pin back into place.

Insert the slide stop spring into the locking insert.

For the next step (probably the hardest part of the whole operation) you will need an appropriately sized screwdriver. A screwdriver too big and you will scratch the frame, one too small and you may mess up the trigger pivot pin.

This is when being a sucker and over-paying for the armorer's toolkit works to your advantage.

The tricky part is getting the breech block (locking insert) into the frame. The slide stop spring must be on top of the slide lock lever. The slide lock lever must be all the way to the left side of the frame.

There are notches in the trigger pivot pin that allow the breech block to be inserted. With the screwdriver, slowly turn the trigger pivot pin until the block can be gently pushed into place. Do not force the block in!

When the breech block is in, the disassembly lever channel should be a perfect circle without any overlap of the breech block. If it doesn't look like the following picture, remove the block, turn the pin 180 degrees and try again.

Now the disassembly lever can be reinserted into the channel. This too requires some finesse to keep from scratching the frame. The lever has a lip on one end that can be used to manipulate the spring while it's being inserted.

Once done, using the same test mag as above, check the contact between the post and the magazine follower.

Reassemble the weapon and test the slide lock a few times. A new slide lock lever can cause the release to be a little stiff the first few times--this is normal.

If you have any questions or anything to add, feel free to the use the comments!

Oops

2010-06-20T15:51:00.005-06:00

My typos are a disaster waiting to happen.

It's gotten so bad that I have to take a deep breath before typing SELECT COUNT(*) for fear of what could end up in the DB logs.

This page came up when I accidentally typed "statconuter.com" instead of statcounter.com. Made me chuckle.

I have no idea what conuting is, but rest assured I never want to see any stats on it.

Xcel Sticks it to the Man!

2010-06-20T09:11:00.002-06:00

Oh wait, no, I mean they (once again) are sticking it to the little guy.

The summer tiered billing (June - September) has kicked in and they've found creative ways to squeeze Colorado customers with a proration for billing periods with as little as one day in June. Add to that, many middle class homes are already over the 500KWH mark in the winter! Summer bills are set to sky-rocket.

People are pissed. But should they be?

These kinds of punitive use billing schemes have been creeping up everywhere. First with water, now electricity, who knows what next. And it's not by accident. There is a certain ideology that believes people should be punished for using resources even when there is a fixed cost for providing those resources. The voters (people) have done this to themselves.

Let me make this clear: In the information age, there is no limit to how our existence can be categorized and punished accordingly. And yes, it will be riddled with double-standards where a working person pays more for less while the welfare demographic is rewarded for using more and paying next to nothing (provided they continue to vote for the right people).

There is only one way to stop it--stop voting for them. Those of us who still have jobs can no longer afford their pseudo-green commie policies.

Pastis

2010-05-23T10:23:00.003-06:00

The Meatpacking District has become so trendy it can make a tourist puke. But there is one well-known off the beaten path gem; Pastis.

After my favorite restaurant, Bolo (damn you Bobby Flay!!!), closed about two years ago we've been spending more meals at Pastis. It is always crowded and expect to wait at least 45 minutes for a table for two during the dinner rush which lasts from ~8:00PM to 11:00PM. They switch to a supper menu at 1:00AM which is a scaled back version of the dinner menu.

Service can be hit or miss but I've never had a bad meal at Pastis. Even dessert at this place is amazing!

Getting into SNL on Standby

2010-05-22T12:53:00.006-06:00

(This is the day after, see below)

Getting to see SNL live has been a goal for the last 10 years. With as many times as I go to NYC it's remarkable that this was my first time actually getting to go.

SNL does an annual lottery in August which doesn't allow you to specific the dates (Google for info). I've entered in the past and was never selected. This time I decided to try standby and it was the season finale with Alec Baldwin. I knew my odds were slim to none, but I had to try.

The standby tickets are given away at 7:00AM day of the show (Saturday morning). People started queuing up on Wednesday! We arrived at 6:45AM and the line was about 200 people long (I know this because of the ticket numbers).

You get a choice of dress rehearsal or live standby tickets and are advised to pick the lowest number which gives you the best odds of getting in. In our case, the live show had the lowest numbers, and since it didn't start until 11:30PM (required to be there at 10:45PM) I figured our chances were better as many would give up being that late.

I was right. We received ticket numbers 104 & 105 and were the last group of five standbys to make it.

We were initially seated behind some lighting rigs that made it really hard to see the stages. After about five minutes a PA asked us if we wanted to move up into closer seats that were reserved for people who didn't show. Of course! I can't even say who we sat next to.... But it was another NBC universal employee.

The whole thing was surreal and an amazing experience. Best of all, it was free (less time spent in lines with anxious anticipation).

In retrospect, if you want to try standby, I have some advice...

Get to the AM line as early as possible without ruining the day. Consider taking a nap afterward since you'll have standby tickets in hand at 7:00AM and will need to be well rested for the PM shows. I would not be a "camper." The folks who started waiting on Wednesday made it in, then again, so did we and we were 200 people behind them.
Get to the PM line on time.
The NBC staff are great. And by great, I mean amazing! They will do everything they can to get standbys on the show to include bringing more seating into the studio if they can fill it. No need to beg--if it's meant to be, it will happen. Listen to them! They will give advice and instructions throughout the process.
Do not bring a camera--they will take it. We had enough sense to not even try.
Use the restroom before getting in the PM line. You can do this in the lobby of Rock Center. There is no leaving the studio and returning. Get something to eat before hand--there is no snacking in the studio.
Dress well. Not three-piece-suit well, but look presentable. Have a great attitude--be excited!!! This increases your chances of getting selected to move forward to better seats. The PAs need all of those seats filled and are constantly looking for people to move forward to fill empty seats. Be one of those lucky people!
In the AM line, consider choosing the live show instead of the rehearsal if the numbers are close. Believe it or not, more people were willing to be at Rock Center at 7:00AM than were willing to show up at 10:45PM. Of course the rehearsal, from what I've read, is a lot of fun and sometimes you get to see skits that don't air.
The numbers... There were around 35 regular ticket holders and VIPs that did not show. Only about a third of the standby ticket holders showed. So don't be discouraged if you get a high number. 104 & 105 were still low enough to make it.
Have a back-up plan. The last thing you want, if you don't get on the show, is to go back to the hotel room and think about what could have been. Go out, see the town, and get a drink--it's still Saturday night!

Gray's Papaya

2010-05-21T07:33:00.007-06:00

Getting into New York late, with plans to get up at 6:00AM the next day, leaves one with few fine dining options. Thankfully, there was this Gray's Papaya location in Chelsea close to the hotel.

I have seen a Gray's mentioned a few times on the foodie channels and had wanted to someday checkout the original but was unwilling to dedicate the time and a "real meal" to the adventure. The Chelsea location made it easy.

Walking into the place is a trip in itself. It's like entering a different universe. There are no tables. It's easily 100 degrees and the guys behind the counter are not lovin' it.

I got two dogs (with sauerkraut) and a papaya drink for ~$4.75. The papaya drink is a must. Yes it's strange and even stranger combination. The dogs were great and there was some really good spicy mustard on the counter. I was pleasantly surprised.

Notice to Liberals

2010-05-06T07:36:00.004-06:00

Want to see where the liberal ideology is taking America? Look at Greece!

The situation in Greece in deteriorating rapidly. It's the adults v. the children. The children want their entitlements, the adults have run out of money to pay them their entitlements, and no one is willing to lend a country that isn't willing to work any more money.

The IMF bailout will help Greece stay in the black short-term but only with severe cuts in spending (otherwise known as austerity measures). These cuts will dramatically impact the Greek standard of living since so many in the country depend on government social programs or government jobs.

This is what happens when you grow the scope and size of government, via social programs, to a level where the private sector can no longer support it.

We often hear that we need more government and more programs in America to provide for social and economic justice. But how much justice are we able to provide when the entire system collapses? What will happen to people who, for generations, have become dependent on government assistance? The message "get a job" is a difficult one because, in such a scenario, the private economy has been destroyed and there are no jobs.

We have the opportunity now to bring balance back to government. To constrain the size of government to a level that we can support, yet we are consistently moving the opposite direction. Less than half of the country pays Federal income tax. We have more voters than taxpayers! We are steadily replacing the private economy with the public economy--which can only consume, not produce. Is this sustainable? If it isn't sustainable, who will bail us out?

If liberals really believe in their programs, they have to be willing to defend them. That means bringing economic sustainability and balance back to Washington. A message consistently heard at Tea Parties that liberals vilify and mock.

Unless liberals wake up and realize what is at stake, they stand to lose 80 years of "progress."

Update

2010-05-02T10:46:00.006-06:00

It's been a long time...

My efforts have been going to other places lately, much of it doing good things. I made a major change a couple of months ago and am all the better for it!

It seems other things have been changing as well and not for the better. To put it succinctly: America is no longer ideologically compatible.

Half of this country believes it is entitled to the labor and property of the other half while paying little or no tax. We continue to punish working Americans for going to work and providing for their families while rewarding those who couldn't care less. Bailout is no longer a buzzword--its a lifestyle.

Our "new thought" leaders implement historically proven flawed ideas and policies pretending that they will work while holding the country hostage through taxation, debt, and inflation. Many speculate that we can no longer pay to service the current level of debt, let alone write new debt to continue funding bankrupt social programs.

The vanguards of the value system which made America the greatest country in the world are absent, having been either bribed by the architects of failure and fully complicit in it, or marginalized into obscurity. We now have situational ethics which distort right and wrong and allow the most incapable among us to demand their wants and needs be met no matter what the present or future costs.

Looking back, I believe we will view this time as an opportunity to get what we deserve. Bondage, deception, and broken promises or freedom and prosperity. Sadly, we may no longer be able to share the later together.

Ritter Quits

2010-01-08T16:22:00.005-07:00

I've had a couple of days now to digest Governor Ritter's decision against seeking another term. I won't focus on the rumor mill--I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Initially, many conservatives were quite happy to hear Ritter is quitting but I'm somewhat more pessimistic.

First, I have to ask how we elected a guy who's policies are so unpopular he won't even try for a second term! The radical left tax and spend ideology isn't being well received and we seem to have elected leadership that would rather practice that ideology than preserve their own careers. Ritter knew spending the general fund (slush fund) on programs Colorado didn't vote, then raising taxes/fees to cover those expenses, would end up hurting him. The oil and gas contracts we lost have cost the state untold revenue and jobs. The people have taken note but it may be too late to undo the damage.

This is happening on a national level as well with Dems (and some Republicans) seeing the writing on the wall. The neglect of the free market economy (which leftists neither respect or support), unchecked spending, expensive health reform the people don't want, and broken promises in Iraq/Afghanistan are all taking their toll. Unemployment is going up and many are running out of unemployment benefits. America's #1 concerns is and has been the economy--Democrats haven't been listening. The solution will be for Dems to put the leftists into hiding and bring out the moderates among them that can successfully run an economy and hope for real recovery.

John Hickenlooper is one such Democrat. Not without controversy, he has successfully managed a moderate left agenda in Denver without breaking the bank. Hick was a businessman prior to entering public life who understands the revenue side of the economy instead and spend his time making payroll rather than finding ways to spend taxpayer dollars. I dont' like the guy, but I have a lot more respect for him than many other Dems.

Which brings me to my second concern; A moderate trend in the Democratic party won't stop our descent into Socialism and decline--it will merely take us longer to get the bottom. We need to reverse course, not just slow down.

Bad Dream

2010-01-03T10:08:00.002-07:00

Had a horrible dream last night that Michelle Malkin had been murdered by a "tolerant" liberal.

I'm not sure where that came from other than I check her site nearly everyday and read a post wrapping up some hate mail from 2009. One of the e-mails indirectly threatened her life suggesting that her husband should make sure her life insurance policy is up-to-date.

Sick stuff.

Temperature Fail

2009-12-09T08:59:00.004-07:00

Yes it's cold, but not that cold. Either someone has a sense of humor at 9News.com or their thermometer has a hard time displaying accurate negative temps.

Either way, I think a lot of folks have had enough of this cold snap. A high of 10 feels totally different from a high of 30 in Denver.

Can we get our global warming on yet?

It's Going Downhill

2009-12-03T11:51:00.005-07:00

You know it's going downhill fast when this man can't fly an American flag at his own home.

Reading Col. Barfoot's bio gave me chills and to think someone would tell this man he can't fly the Stars and Stripes in the county he nearly died protecting multiple times is outrageous!!!

I know people will try and defend the weasels in the HOA. There is no HOA regulation about flagpoles or flags, btw, simply a committee that finds our nation's flag "unsightly."

It's coming to the point where there is always a reason to attack people who still believe in this country. Always a reason why we can't fly the Flag because it offends someone or is "unsightly." Always a reason we can't have the traditional displays of our Judeo-Christian heritage like a nativity scene.

America is most certainly under attack and it's not a handful of cave dwellers this time.

Trigger Proposal

2009-12-02T10:08:00.003-07:00

I noted before that the Leftists plan on health care has always been to 1.) Destroy the current private system and 2.) Replace the private system with a public system (socialized) they completely control.

Well they are staring to show their cards with the latest proposal by Senator Olympia Snowe (RINO-Maine).

"Snowe favors a trigger proposal, where a public option would go into effect if the private health insurance market falters. The trigger has been soundly rejected by some liberals in Congress."

The measure for failure ("falter?!?") will be far from what we expect; if someone, somewhere, can't afford health insurance or can't get "reasonable" coverage, they will find a way to pull this trigger. And of course, don't forget that they are imposing new regulations on the insurance companies that will dramatically increase costs and make the private system more likely to "falter."

The strategy here also deserves some analysis. This is being proposed by Snowe, a liberal Republican, who has been easy to manipulate throughout the health care debate. They need to sell this as a bipartisan compromise and that is why it's coming from the "R" side of the aisle. The only thing Conservatives will get is a little more time for the private system before the government takes complete control of this sector of the economy and our lives.

Why Huckabee, Why?!?

2009-11-30T09:21:00.003-07:00

Initially my thoughts were with the four police officers gunned down in cold blood and their families, but now that we're starting to learn more about the shooter my sympathy is turning to anger.

I think Huckabee's political career is over. Lesser things have certainly ruined greater men.

I can't get my brain around why anyone (liberal or conservative) would release a man like this back into society. Everyone seemed to understand the risk, except the Governor.

And, if that's not bad enough, Huckabee is quoted as saying...

"...it will be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice system in both Arkansas and Washington State..."

Really? No accountability for what you did while in office, huh? It's not a "system" that runs in a vacuum. It is a system composed of men and women who make choices. Folks who are trusted to make good choices.

In this case Huckabee didn't just sit back and let the system do it's job, he proactively intervened to effect a different outcome. Had he done nothing, Clemmons would still be in an Arkansas jail cell where he belongs.

It's the Jobs, Stupid

2009-10-21T14:14:00.006-06:00

It's a good that the Obama White House controls the media, otherwise, the country might actually hear about how huge of a miscalculation the President has made on "job creation."

According to the Republican Way and Means Committee, at the end of September 2009, the country has lost 2.7M jobs year-to-date. Obama expects 3.4M jobs to be created by year-end. That's a difference of ~6.2M jobs!!!

The stimulus has failed. It failed for the exact reason that non-partisan economists said it would fail; the money stayed in the public economy instead of being spent in the private economy. The public economy (government) creates debt. The private economy creates growth, jobs, industry. Stimulating the public economy wasn't going to create jobs but rather put more burden on the Americans who still have jobs.

Sooner or later the media will have to report this failure and Obama will have to respond. The best thing Washington can do is reduce spending and cut taxes. Of course doing so would be an admission that Regan-era free market economics are far superior to tax-and-spend socialism.

Pay Cuts!!!

2009-10-21T14:05:00.004-06:00

Exercising questionable authority, the Obama Administration is ordering (via Treasury) bailout firms to dramatically reduce executive level pay and bonuses.

Couple of thoughts...

1. When you sleep with dogs... These bailout firms should have known better! Hopefully the government will soon get out of private enterprise, but if it doesn't, some of these firms would have been better off failing. Failure would have allowed bankruptcy protection/restructuring and at worst would have left market share in the free market rather than under government control.

2. We can't expect recovery when the best talent can't be compensated. Do you work for free? Neither do I and the best execs expect a paycheck as well. You can disagree with the amount of compensation all day long. If companies can't pay, they can't attract the talent necessary to recover. This is especially important given that most Wall Street firms, and some big banks, still have bad assets on their sheets. Should interest rates rise, or the mark-to-market rules changes, we'll see fall '08 all over again.

3. The market knows the free market can't recover with this level of government intervention and the Dow demonstrates this. As soon as news of the exec comp limits was released the market went from around +50 to close at -92.12 in about 45 minutes!!!

What It Takes

2009-10-15T15:32:00.006-06:00

Like most people who believe in the Constitution, freedom, and America, I've been a little down lately. Okay, more than a little down, more like downright pessimistic about where this country will be in five-ten-twenty years from now.

We seem dead-set on spending "other peoples'" money while leadership lies about the costs of social programs, bailouts, and the effects of turning the IRS into a force for social change. The deficit is huge and getting bigger. Unemployment is increasing. Iran is build nuclear weapons. Afghanistan is out of control and Pakistan may fall to "militants" any day.

The worst part of this is thinking about what it would take to get the nation back on track because it's then that I realize it likely won't happen. The real sacrifice (not the Obama brand [i.e. someone else's sacrifice]) it will take to restore the country is immense. The individual strength it will take to hold fast to the Bill of Rights and ideals in the face of Democratic populism (the "me, me, me" entitlement block) is seldom seen in everyday life.

I don't think we have what it takes. I could still be convinced otherwise, but I fear the Republic is doomed.

And then I stumble upon this op-ed (via Rossputin.com) written by Wendy Button a former speechwriter for "John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Barack Obama, and Mayor Tom Menino of Boston as well as other national and international leaders..." This is definitely worth a read if you can stomach the "growths in my uterus" bit.

Ms. Button learned something about her failed ideology; it creates consequences. Those individual consequences were unknown to her while she was promoting health care "reform" (i.e. socialism). She drank the collectivist Kool Aid and didn't understand there was a personal price she would pay for creating "social and economic justice." Now that the bill has come due, Ms. Button is singing a different tune--I wonder if her former employers are listening?

This is where I find my silver lining; consequence. When the individual consequences are fully known, individuals tend to make relatively good decisions. Had Americans known Social Security would be broke within 80 years and the Federal government would use the "fund" as a piggy bank for all sorts of budget misappropriations, the New Deal may have never happened in the first place.

Collective consequences are easier to stomach. We can always fix problem x with person y's money. Where y can be the "rich" or future generations of Americans. But it's the individual consequences that sting!

What it may take to get all Americans (including former liberals) to see the danger of socialism is individual consequences. And despite all of Obama's empty promises, the everyday, working class American will be the most impacted by these policies.

If consequences will be the start of a movement to restore this country to its Constitution, then I welcome them.

In the meantime, I'll be at the bar.

DOW 10,000!!!

2009-10-14T14:51:00.005-06:00

Recession cancelled!!!

Not quite...

The fundamentals necessary for recovery are still lacking. Unemployment is increasing with no growth in GDP. So what's propping up the DOW?

Fear.

One would think that fear would tank the markets rather than create a ~1,000 point rally, right? It's not fear in the equities market, but rather fear of inflation.

Gold prices are probably the best forward looking predictor of inflation we have. Government data (CPI) won't come out for at least a year after inflation starts hitting while gold prices are driven by the market and reported by the exchanges in real-time.

Look at the same chart as above compared to GLD (a gold ETF tracking just under 1/10 spot price)...

The fact that GLD and the DJIA are correlated during this "rally" shows it's no stock rally at all but rather a flight from USD based securities and reserves into equities. What's worse, than a misreported rally, is that because the fundamentals are lacking, the market is poised for another fear induced sell-off. Investors will think "oh no, not this AGAIN!" at the first sign of bad news and we could quickly enter another sell-off cycle.

Also, consider that the Fed has kept rates between 0% and 0.25% for almost a year now. If we do start to see inflation the Fed may raise rates to kept it in check creating a new wave of bankruptcies as credit is constricted and interest payments increase--this could also crash the DJIA.

[No, I'm not telling anyone to buy gold or GLD! This is not that kind of blog.]

I'm hopeful the economy can recover but we have a long way to go. What's disappointing about the recent upbeat economic news (which I believe is more political than economical) is that we haven't addressed the underlying issues of this recession.

Historically, recessions can be a good time to re-tool, re-educate, and re-direct capital towards new business opportunities and growth. Recessions have a way of purging old business models that have failed and encourage new successful ones to take their place. I don't see any of this happening and all of Washington's promises on job creation (green jobs) have failed.

Olympic Fail

2009-10-02T12:08:00.003-06:00

After an impassioned campaign, Team Obama/Oprah failed to deliver the 2016 Olympic Games to Chicago and the games will be hosted in Brazil.

Americans are in shock over this (primarily European) rejection. We thought the world loved us for electing Barack Obama. Were we wrong?

Long before the name Barack Obama was dropped Europe frequently reminded us that we consumed too much. Enjoyed too much individual freedom. We were told we were too wealthy and needed to transfer that wealth to various global government agencies for crisis x or problem y. Americans instead continued living the lifestyles we wanted, continued growing our economy, and used charity (choice rather than tax) to address world needs. This further angered the Europeans and put leadership at great risk; how does one justify sky high taxes in Europe while the Yanks enjoy lower taxes, better lives, and end up doing more good for the world? Impossible!

The world never wanted a competent, strong, moral President to run the United States. They wanted someone who believed as they do and could be manipulated into subjecting the US to the same kind of group-think that has destroyed Europe. They found that in Barack Obama. Yes, they love America for being stupid enough to elect a socialist, but that love isn't going to translate into progress or achievement.

Many conservatives are giddy today, happy with the news that Obama has been shown the door. I believe the 2016 Olympic games would have been good for Chicago and America and losing that opportunity isn't something to be celebrating given our economic situation.

The silver lining is that Americans get to see what European love is really worth. And that should be celebrated!

Recommended Training

2009-09-14T12:11:00.003-06:00

If you have some time before self-serving a-hole finds another camera to get in front of, it's all about the pre-season...

So Sorry Joe

2009-09-11T12:31:00.006-06:00

I can only hope that the folks pounding Joe Wilson's site are giving him support.

If it's any consolation the founding fathers were a little rowdy themselves. They were probably impolite to their tyrannical government as well. Shame on Wilson for questioning the emperor even after he called more than half the country liars himself!

When the wheels fall off, and they are working that way, the American people will need alternatives to the current leadership. They won't remember the GOP that sat on it's hand, staying silent and obedient. They won't remember the aisle crossers who participated in the incremental destruction of the Republic. They will remember the men and women of courage who stood up.

The Health Care One - Two

2009-09-10T12:43:00.007-06:00

Obama's speech last night clarified the one-two punch he and the Dems are planning for our health care system (wreck the private system, force the public system). Lots of noise in the media today about the distractions, but there are a few things that stuck out for me...

1. Obama plans to make exclusion of pre-existing conditions illegal along with lifetime benefit limits. This will exponentially increase the cost of coverage for private payers. Initially, insurance companies will compensate by increasing premiums and deductibles. But at some point, companies and individuals will no longer be able to afford coverage and will be forced into the public option. Or the public option will actually provide superior coverage with the private system heavily regulated and burdened--remember the government runs the public option to compete with the private system and makes the rules that regulate the private system.

2. Every American will be required to have health insurance under force of law. This is remarkable and I was speechless when I heard it. Sure, the idea has been floated around and implemented in Massachusetts, but now the President believes every American has to be licensed just for being?!? If this isn't bold-fact fascism I don't know what is and it certainly isn't American.

3. Illegal immigrants will be excluded from the system but there is no mechanism by which this can happen. Mandatory treatment laws will still be in effect and the nation's ERs and urgent care facilities will be open to whoever needs treatment. This is a huge problem for the status quo and our inability to address will destroy whatever utopian solution Democrats can dream up to guarantee votes.

4. If the plan turns out to add to our deficit, other spending cuts will be required elsewhere in the budget. This is an obvious false promise and I don't even think liberals believe this one.

Overall, I'm pleased with the President's speech. He made commitments and promises that are now on the record.

Although I don't like the idea of having to carry a card with me proving I'm insured, I'll take some solace in the fact that the alternative lifestyle groups (non-workers), who heavily support radical left causes, will be impacted more than I. This aspect of the plan might actually employer-sponsered plans (attached to full-time jobs) more attractive, at first!

I also like that the promised free lunch is getting harder and harder to find in all of this. Many folks thought this would be free. It won't be. It's guaranteed to cost all of us more with less coverage and services.

In ten years there will be a "Health Care Then and Now" analysis and Obama's speech will mark the turning point.

Survey Fail

2009-08-30T10:29:00.012-06:00

Not 100% sure on which government run/sponsored entity is ultimately at fault for the following; the Post Office or RTD.

On Thursday of this week I got a survey card from RTD asking me how often I used RTD buses or light rail. The survey offered some from free ride coupons which I may be able to use which was nice of them. I completed the survey and put the card in the mail.

On Saturday, two days later, guess what I found in the mailbox? The same survey card! It had my name and address on one side and RTD's on the other with the "No postage necessary..." postage.

Side 1...

Side 2...

I'm no Post Office expert, but I'm assuming the card was re-delivered to me because my name and address was scanned instead of RTDs. A human obviously wouldn't make this mistake since the postage and the delivery address are on the same side--pretty simple.

I'm also assuming that either side of this card has a 50/50 chance of being read by the Post Office scanner for delivery.

We know the population of Denver, Aurora, and Boulder alone was 2,998,878 in 2007. The RTD service area is actually much larger, but I'm having a hard time finding the stats. We can assume a 10% survey sample rate (conservative as I've done nothing to my knowledge to end up on RTD's list and I was selected).

The postage on a postcard is $0.28, assuming RTD didn't get any kind of discount.

As most folks in the Denver Metro know, RTD is heavily subsidized by taxpayer money and has never been self-sustainable. So how much taxpayer money did RTD just waste?

(2,998,878 * .10) * .28 * .50 = $41,984.29

And if the sample size was 25%?

(2,998,878 * .25) * .28 * .50 = $104,960.73

Not a lot by today's standards, but I find it interesting that even the simple exercise of collecting data from local residents on what is essentially a government service creates waste.

Why is Dining Out Legal?

2009-08-29T10:33:00.006-06:00

Last night at Pappadeaux, as I sat eating blackened catfish with a side a fries, I wondered, why is eating out legal?

The fish was swimming in butter and the fries, well, are fries. Now this is a rare treat for me and I am overall very healthy. A meal like this comes along once every other month or so. But the freedom to decide what I was going to eat for dinner resulted in a very bad choice. The government could have made a much better decision for me and I would be healthier for it, not to mention the collective consequences of my decision (medical costs).

Why are Democrats letting people eat out for dinner when they could be at home enjoying tofu and brussel sprouts?

Then there's the environmental impact, "...your diet has a direct impact on the environment." All that fossil fuel used to catch and ship fresh seafood. The environmental impact of building and running that restaurant; criminal!

Thankfully, the catfish I ate last night doesn't yet have the ability to sue me. But it's just a matter of time.

After I was done increasing health care costs, destroying the environment, and participating in murder, I got the bill. I realized, not many people could afford a meal like this even for rare occasions. Not really fair is it? Social and economic justice demands a distribution of fine dinning experiences but sadly there's no government agency to facilitate such a redistribution. Yet. Maybe Obama can appoint a restaurant Czar?

I Forgot One!

2009-08-28T15:00:00.003-06:00

About a week ago, I gave Democrats some tips on completing their takeover of America in reference to the "Death Panels" and the American response.

I forgot one, well sort of. I said...

"4. The public/private partnership between the mainstream media and leftists must be formalized. Times are turbulent and your movement cannot afford to have a journalist report the reality of what you are doing. Media must be controlled and the information given to the American people must be consistent with Washington is saying. "

I neglected to mention, specifically, that the internet should be either heavily censored or completely shut down. My bad, sorry Democrats. But it looks like you've covered this one pretty well without my help.

The power of the internet cannot be questioned. Would we even known about the Iranian elections or opposition without it?

Obama owns big media (sans Fox). Now he wants to own the little media (internet). And one has to ask, "why?" The answer frightens me and I'll end on that note.

Construction of a Hate Crime

2009-08-26T10:14:00.000-06:00

(<-- Does this look like a conservative to you?)

I was watching the evening news on KMGH 7 last night and one of the featured stories was about the Colorado Democratic Headquarters being vandalized. Channel 7 showed the mug shot of Maurice Schwenkler (the suspect) and then interviewed the state Democratic Chairwoman, Pat Waak, who blamed the vandalism on health care "reform" opponents.

Turns out Schwenkler has a history of working for Democrat affiliated organizations. Oops.

Thank God the Denver Police Department caught this Democrat operative in the act! If not, the Dems would have a bona fide "hate crime" that would be used to silence debate on health care.

Democrats have been trying hard to label socialized health care opponents as Nazis, Brownshirts, hateful, and anything else that will stick. They have even gone so far to say this isn't about health care at all and is merely "white backlash" to a black man in power (i.e. if you oppose socialized health care you are a racist). This requires one to divorce all reason and sanity from the debate but connects well with the entitlement groups demanding free health care. Not to mention that the opposition consists of taxpaying, law-abiding citizens and retirees--not a bunch of hooligans.

The Dems are falling apart and you can't fault them for this strategy, it has worked well for them in the past. Get on the right side of PC group-think and there's nothing you can't sell to the American people. The challenge with health care is that they are trying to sell a known failed policy and ideology, and therefore, have to make it about anything other than the issue. You don't have to affirmatively prove socialized health care will work if you can eliminate the opposition.

The other option is to respond to the opposition with honesty and integrity. Create a dialogue and respect the fact that socialized medicine is at odds with American values and our Constitution. Of course, that would be out of character for modern Democrats.

Lake Naming Fail

2009-08-22T15:37:00.001-06:00

Bing

2009-08-22T09:23:00.000-06:00

Probably not a good thing for Bing that I use Google to get to the site. What can I say, I've gotten lazy over the years and always type URLs into my Google toolbar to validate.

I haven't noticed much difference in web search results between Microsoft's new search engine and Google. I do like some of the features Bing has over Google. Image search with a filmstrip like control on the left is cool.

But my favorite is the travel search with Fare Advisor. This kind of comprehensive/multi-site travel search was available previously, first with SideStep, but having the fare history data is priceless. I'm assuming Microsoft can do this because they have either a different agreement with travel sites or no agreement at all.

I've never been a stingy traveler but it's nice to know what kind of deal you're getting. If you can shave a little off of airfare on an international trip, you can splurge more on meals or stay in nicer hotel. If you're looking for quick weekender and are flexible, you can often save a lot by booking during low demand.

I'm not sure what kind of future Bing will have. I'm not uninstalling my Google toolbar anytime soon but I do find myself on the new MS site a lot more than I did with the old Live Search.

Netflix Working Saturdays?

2009-08-22T09:08:00.000-06:00

I've had Netflix for about five years now and aside from a short period of obvious throttling (circa 2004-2005) I've been very happy. For $17/month I get all the movies I have time to see, which makes Netflix a great value. Now that they have Blu-ray even more so, although the subscription is a little more (very worth it).

Occasionally I send a movie back on the weekdays and I've noticed that lately they are being processed on Saturday and sometimes I even get a movie in the mail on a Saturday (Monday delivery). Prior to July this wasn't the case, I would wait until Monday to get a movie checked in if I mailed it on a Friday.

Why Netflix hasn't publicised the increase in service this is beyond me.

"Death Panels"

2009-08-19T12:34:00.000-06:00

No such thing in the health care plan, right?

Denial of care will essentially be the same thing. Think about that for a minute. A government bureaucracy doesn't need to affirmatively kill anyone, they merely need to withhold life saving care/treatment.

Take this opinion piece written by an Atlanta area ophthalmologist for example. This doctor reaches into his own pocket to pay for antibiotic drugs that save children's sight while Medicaid denies the authorized and necessary treatment. In many cases, these children would go blind if it weren't for this doctor.

So why would government do this? Simple--they have no choice otherwise. A national heath care plan/system won't just incentivize cost reductions, it will demand reductions in order to continue operating.

When this happens under Obamacare, Americans will die.

Congress and the President are no longer affecting change, they are playing God. In the past "change" meant higher taxes, greater deficits, and reduced freedom--Americans "sucked it up" and we continued on with our lives. The death of loved ones will elevate the struggle for freedom in America to an entirely different level.

Add to this the current environment that has Washington elites enjoying their own health plans, the steak and lobster jetset lifestyle (see Obama's vacation rental), and spending like drunken sailors and you have a major problem. In short, the people will suffer, while the Oligarchy in Washington parties on without pause. No American will be able to defend this government in good conscious; Democrat, Republican, Independent, the labels won't matter anymore.

When I think about this it makes perfect sense that Americans are starting to openly carry guns to protests. Make no mistake about it, this is an overt and unquestionable threat.

With that in mind, I have some advice for those in Washington looking to support health care "reform"...

1. Create a new super loyal police force capable of defending you and your families. The Capital Police will not be enough. Take care not to call this new police force by any new unfamiliar name--that will arouse suspicion. Hitler had his SS, Stalin had his "Secret Police." Don't make these same mistakes. Simply call it the Secret Service and create a special division.

To win the loyalty of your new security force, in spite of what you are doing to the country, you will need to buy them off. Salaries won't be enough. You will need to promise to completely take care of them and their loved ones no matter what happens. Having people of like ideological convictions will help, they will be believe in what they are doing and will be more loyal.

Good luck recruiting these folks from former US military as these folks are not on your side. Maybe the UN can help?

2. Find a safe place to be in the event you need to leave the country. Could be a weekend, could be the rest of your life. Find out what the political amnesty requirements are in other countries that share your view of "social and economic" justice.

Have some money deposited in a bank in one of those countries, just in case.

3. Repeal the 2nd Amendment or restrict gun rights to the point of completely disarming the American public. Doesn't matter what it takes and it will be difficult since the Supreme Court has stricken down unreasonable restraints on 2nd Amendment rights.

Opposing the Voter ID Act was brilliant! With ACORN, La Raza, and other "community" groups you have a good chance at controlling (subverting) the democratic process. You stand no chance of controlling an angry militia.

4. The public/private partnership between the mainstream media and leftists must be formalized. Times are turbulent and your movement cannot afford to have a journalist report the reality of what you are doing. Media must be controlled and the information given to the American people must be consistent with Washington is saying.

Waking up Homeless

2009-08-11T10:08:00.001-06:00

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered...I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies... The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."

There is some debate as to if this entire quote can be attributed to Jefferson or not but it got me thinking...

If being "homeless" means not owning real property, how many Americans are homeless?

There are lots of folks who consider themselves "homeowners" but until they have the title in hand they are nothing more than renters. They have rented the bank's money (or the taxpayer's money in most cases) and pay interest--we call this a mortgage. If they fail to pay that rent to their landlord they are evicted.

Add to that most folks have little or no equity in their homes (combination of market conditions and financing) and all you have is a series of rent checks with no prospect of real ownership.

I fall into this bucket as well. And after living fairly conservatively over the years and saving for a sizable down payment, I estimate I have a 25-30% interest in my home. The bank owns the rest and if I slip up the bank owns 100%!

The illusion of "ownership" is maintained to keep Americans in their homes paying rent to banks and paying taxes on the market value of their homes--the value most will never realize unless our values change.

The manipulation of the dollar, combined with mass consumerism has put Americans in a corner. Families are stretching just to get by while banks continue to reap rewards backed by the Federal Reserve which can spend the people's money as it chooses.

The current institutional Fed rate is between 0% and 0.25%. According to bankrate.com, the current average mortgage rate is 5.49%, the current average CD rate is 1.35%, and the current average credit card rate is 11.20%.

So thinking back to Thomas Jefferson's quote, I wonder when this financial crises finally hits bottom, how many Americans will "wake up" homeless?

Health Care Rage

2009-08-07T16:24:00.000-06:00

If you're on the fence about socialized health care (i.e. health care "reform") you may want to ask a few questions...

Why can't we have an open discussion on how the current private payer health "system" became "broken" in the first place? Might those same issues break the new socialist system?

Why does health care "reform" have to happen in September 2009? Why can't the public see a final version of a bill?

Why are the unions organizing against everyday folks in town halls and in some cases pushing out citizens who are there to ask questions?

Why is the AARP unable to stay in the same room with it's members to discuss its support of health care "reform?"

Why is the White House asking good citizens to forward e-mail communications critical of health care "reform?"

Why do health care "reform" supporters show up with professionally printed signs while those opposing "reform" and accused of "astroturfing" have hand-made signs? Who paid for those printed signs?

If you're not on the fence you either know the answers, or have a list of carefully crafted talking points that attempt to address the above questions (without actually answering them, of course).

The fact that these questions along with a lot of conflict at town halls demonstrates the Democrats do not have the absolute moral authority they believe they possess. But the far more frightening is the prospect that our government, which refuses to listen to the people, is failing.

Why are SUVs Legal?

2009-07-31T12:16:00.000-06:00

Do I really need to elaborate on this one?

Consumption is evil (global warming, geo-political, etc...). SUVs allow people to consumer more fuel while offering no benefit to society.

Sure SUVs are great for big families, hauling large items, and getting around in a Colorado winter. But are those things really worth the impact to the environment? Of course not. This is another case where individual freedoms put the collective at a disadvantage.

Think of all the money saved on gas that could be put to better use in the public sector! Like the "Cash for Clunkers" program (nevermind that the program allowed consumers to buy SUVs that get as little as 18MPG).

So if SUVs pose such a risk to the environment, and prohibit social and economic justice through consumption of fuel rather than centralization of household wealth, why are they legal?

What He Said!

2009-07-31T12:09:00.001-06:00

From a story on the suspension of the "Cash for Clunkers" program...

"If they can't administer a program like this, I'd be a little concerned about my health insurance," car salesman Rob Bojaryn said.

Exactly!

Now one could argue that the program was underfunded to start with, which leads me to ask "how could the government not know it was underfunded?" It comes down to not understanding the x factor. x being demand in this case.

Project that kind of mismanagement to health care and you have chaos. Consider the fact that there are many x's in health care and you have a complete disaster.

Once you get beyond on the morality plays, you begin to see just how unsustainable government controlled heath care will be.

Why is it Legal?

2009-07-27T12:15:00.000-06:00

In this new age of nanny-state big government, I'm wondering why some things are still permitted. We suspend individual liberties in the name of "social and economic justice" or the "greater good" all the time when the elites can divine a compelling reason; health care, environment, poverty, etc... So why are there certain freedoms that are off limits?

This weekend, while getting my weekly groceries, I was behind a lady with a cart full of cat food and litter in the checkout line. While waiting she left the line momentarily to get more cat food (current selection wasn't enough?). And that got me thinking...

Why is pet ownership legal?

The world would be such a better place without pets which provide little or no value to society.

Cost
The cost of owning a pet can be over $1,000 the first year and $500 a year thereafter. That's $8,000 should a pet live 15 years! This is a conservative estimate. If a pet needs specialized surgery or care the costs could skyrocket. Most pet owners replace pets once they die and could end up spending $24,000 (in 2008 dollars) throughout their adult lifetime!!!

That money could be better spent providing social and economic justice (education, health care, food stamps/welfare) to the disadvantaged. Pet owners would never miss it as they've grown used to the recurring expenses.

Health Care
If we believe the current Democrat talking points too many Americans lack access to "affordable" health care. How many is "too many?" Still up for debate but any system that doesn't cover 100% of the people 100% of the time is politically inadequate.

Veterinary providers could be re-tooled and retrained to provide care and services for humans. This would create more capacity in the health care system thus lowering costs. The government run health care system of tomorrow won't allow legal claims for liability or malpractice anyway so the government risks no additional exposure.

A few Veterinarians would be still be necessary to provide services for zoos, but the vast majority could practice on humans with a little bit of training.

The Environment
How big of a carbon footprint does the pet food industry have? Don't know/don't care. But if it's more than nothing, it's too much. We can eliminate the environmental impact completely by eliminating pets altogether.

Conflict
Mass transit will create a draw from the sparse suburbs to the dense urban areas around the country (after we outlaw private transport). This will put people in close living situations in which a barking dog or a cat house could be a problem.

Urban environments lack dog areas and dog waste would be a problem. Dogs have also been known to occasionally attack humans which, in a city, puts more people at risk.

We can further incentivize urban living by guaranteeing a person won't be listening to his neighbor's dog bark for eight hours while he's at work or getting bitten while talking a walk around the neighborhood.

Social Costs
All governments have pounds and animal control units. These could be scaled back or completely eliminated in some cases. That would free up funds for social programs or education. Tax cut? No, that money could be put to good use somewhere in the gov's budget to expand the size and control of said government--which we all know is a good thing and will serve a lot of people in only good ways.

All of this outlines a case, in the interest of the "greater good," to completely outlaw pet ownership. So why is it legal?

"No" Is an Easy Word

2009-07-21T12:18:00.001-06:00

So why couldn't Gov Ritter just answer with "no?"

The conflict isn't unique to Colorado; anyone supporting Cap and Trade is supporting a reduction in economic growth which will cost Americans jobs and prosperity. Dem Governors are going to have to dance on the not so fine line between doing what's right for their state and the Democrat climate agenda.

This is precisely why I remarked earlier that Cap and Trade may end up being good for the free market. Leadership will be in a position to either support a far left (unsustainable) ideology or the free market which puts food on the table and a roof overhead. Politicians like Ritter, no matter how hard they squirm will own their decisions and the people will vote accordingly.

The interesting piece, that will likely never be reported, is what the Obama Admin is offering these Governors for their support.

Did We Learn Nothing?

2009-07-16T07:36:00.000-06:00

Create military robots that kill and use dead bodies as fuel. Sounds like a great idea! I'm sure nothing could ever go wrong with that. Why not give them the ability to reproduce while we're at it?

This story touches on an interesting subject though. We are quickly developing military tech to the point that wars of the future may be fought by self-aware (sentient) robots with the ability to replace the "boots on the ground." At some level, they will also have to make the same decisions as soldiers/Marines in the battle area.

I believe the use of these machines against humans would be unethical.

Our current technology requires a human to pull a trigger in order to end the life of an enemy. Even the new generation of UAVs still require a remote human operator. This means a human must determine if his actions are within the rules of warfare. Soldiers, no matter what they claim at a war crimes trial, never blindly follow orders. Robots do. War isn't perfect today and removing the inherit checks and balances of the chain of command is certain to make it less perfect tomorrow.

This quickly evolving technology could also someday place a lot of power in the hands of a select few. Soldiers are part of a collective, but are also individuals from society that share our values and ideas--they weren't built in a factory. Violating Posse Comitatus would be a problem for most soldiers. Not so for robots who will lack the ability to check the orders they have been issued against an ethical code. Combine this power with the trend towards totalitarian big government and you have a recipe for disaster.

I fully support the idea of using technology to save US lives on the battlefield, but it should never replace the role of the warrior.

Microsoft Office Outlook Connector

2009-07-09T11:57:00.000-06:00

I've had a free hotmail account for about 10 years now and I like having the same address so friends/family always know where to e-mail.

About a month ago I got an announcement from MSN that hotmail would no longer support POP3 which I was using to access hotmail via Outlook 2003--which enables me to to get important e-mails off the hotmail server and into my local personal folders so I can hang onto messages and organize them.

Instead of just being told I was S.O.L., Microsoft created the Outlook Connector which is free to download and use. I've been using it now for about three weeks and find it far superior to POP3. E-mails download faster and Outlook doesn't freeze up like it did with POP3.

Moral of the story: Instead of aggravating existing users, MS found a superior solution and made it available free of charge.

MS has gotten a lot of criticism throughout years, some of it justified, but it's important to point out the good as well.

KLR650 Oil Leak

2009-07-07T11:30:00.000-06:00

For the past two/three weeks I've been fighting with a very slow persistent oil leak emanating from the left side of the oil filter cap.

I did my annual oil change in May and didn't have any problems until late June so I'm really confused as to what could have caused it. The bike is a 1995 (A9) with just under 7k miles.

When it started, I noticed the bike was leaving about a half dollar sized drop on the ground. I've got it down to about a dime now. Seems to start after the motor warms up and starts dripping after being parked (motor off).

Things I have tried...

- Rubber oil filter o-rings (three of them from two different shops)
- New oil filter
- Emptying some oil to middle on window
- New oil filter cap
- New oil filter cap screws

Next step is to cut one of the rubber o-rings down and mash it in there with another full o-ring to create some additional pressure on the seal. Gasket maker is out of the question! Other than that, it's off to Vickery's service department.

Nothing more annoying that not being able to ride with an otherwise perfectly good bike sitting in the garage!

Too Cool for Social Networking?

2009-07-04T09:44:00.000-06:00

I've become aware there are very tech savvy people who claim they are too cool to be caught on social networking sites. Very rare, but very curious.

I can understand not wanting to post personal info and not wanting your entire day to revolve around checking in with friends, posting updates, managing photos, etc... When you consider that a lot of people have accounts with different sites, this can become overwhelming. And if you're social person, why not actually get out and actually see your friends? For this reason I have limited myself to one account and check it rather infrequently--usually while at work waiting for processes/queries to return.

No matter how cool you say you are, here are two reasons you are most certainly using social networking sites...

1. Bands

Bands/artists aren't just using social networking to promote themselves but are offering access to themselves in ways never before possible. Some will write blogs and open them up for comment (i.e. interaction). Some will post updates on tours and new releases.

But the biggest advantage of having your fav artists as friends is the streaming audio player.

Just heard of a new band you want to check out? Yeah, you can sample on Amazon or iTunes. But the band's MySpace player will give you an entire track v. 15-20 seconds. You can see which tracks in the player are the most popular by play count.

Sometimes artists will post new tracks for streaming before they are even released!

If you love music you are on MySpace so stop denying it already!

2. Cyberstalking

Now let me clarify, when I say "cyberstalking" I don't mean anything nefarious or illegal. I'm talking about those little checks we all do on people from our past.

Want to see what your high school sweetheart looks like 12 years later? One profile pic and you know.

Got a crazy girlfriend from months ago? Want to see if she's moved on (i.e. will stop calling you after having three too-many at 1:30AM)?

A quick check of her MySpace/Facebook page and you'll know. Yes, some people make their profiles, or certain pages private. But it's more information than you had 30 seconds ago and it cost you nothing. Nada. Zilch.

No uncomfortable silences on the phone. No mixed signals when you make contact. No paid background checks to see if she really has moved to Fayetteville Arkansas and lives in a trailer.

Twitter may be able to give you even more information: real-time locations/plans/etc... Have some mutual friends with said nutcase? Want to know if she's going to the house party you're planning on going to? Twitter can be a life saver.

So keep lying all you you want to. I know you're on social networking sites and you know you're on social networking sites.

Furries

2009-07-02T14:23:00.000-06:00

I had no idea.

Now I don't want to know.

Cap and Trade a Good Thing for the Free Market?

2009-06-26T13:12:00.000-06:00

At first glance, no, it isn't.

"Cap and Trade" is indeed a direct and overt threat to the Free Market which houses, feeds, clothes, and shelters more Americans than government could ever hope to do.

The EPA has estimated Cap and Trade will cost the average household between $80-110 a year in excess energy costs. There is however no way to estimate what it will cost the country in terms of jobs (payrolls) and growth.

In a recession, efforts should be made to grow the economy, encourage investing, and reducing costs. Cap and Trade will create artificial restraints on the economy/GDP by increasing costs. This is something even the proponents will not argue and I fear is ultimately their goal.

Other policies have been silent killers like the CRA, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid whose effects aren't felt for some time after implementation leaving plenty of room for politicking and finger pointing.

Cap and Trade will hurt the economy immediately and will force Americans who subscribe to populist politics to come to terms with consequences on their paychecks, standard of living, and the opportunities their children will have.

All of this should spark a conversation about what we are willing to give up in the name of populist politics and that may end up renewing respect for the Free Market.

We Meddled Before We Said We Wouldn't Meddle

2009-06-24T12:16:00.000-06:00

Looks like that's the sum of it.

Otherwise, why would the Obama Administration go around Ahmadinejad and the standard diplomatic channels directly to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei via the Swiss Embassy?

Sounds like the Obama knows Ahmadinejad is barrier to progress on the nuclear talks and wants him out of the way or at least on a leash. Admitting this would highlight the fact that sometimes words alone don't work afterall.

Typo or Intentional Slip?

2009-06-24T09:31:00.000-06:00

Taken from an article on selling naming rights on NYC subway stops to banks.

Colorado License Plate Fee Increase

2009-06-23T11:53:00.001-06:00

I knew it was coming in July. I knew it was regressive and would hurt the working class the most. I didn't get the full impact of it until I got my motorcycle renewal in the mail yesterday.

Last year's total renewal costs (fees + ownership taxes) came to $26. This year it will be $51--double.

I can afford this increase and certainly have bigger things to complain about when it comes to taxes and big gov, but let's take a moment and think this one through...

My motorcycle is the third vehicle in my household. I ride it to save gas and started riding last year after the summer gas price spike. I ride nearly everyday unless it's raining hailstones. And yes, I also enjoy it!

I didn't consider riding for the environment but rather I saw the impact of high gas prices on our economy and knew several folks who were struggling (one that owns a business). I also agree that we need to decrease our dependence on foreign oil, the proceeds for which ends up supporting governments at odd with certain western values like NOT executing people who are gay, NOT imprisoning girls for going to school, and NOT stoning women who are the victim of sexual assault. I can afford gas for my car but recognize that I can make an impact by riding and have a little fun while doing it.

But it just so happens that two-wheeled transport, being the most efficient method of transporting a human being, is also better for the environment than a car/truck/SUV. Most bikes get better mileage than hybrids and that should make any environmentalist happy. In addition, bikes put less wear and tear on our roads and help ease traffic congestion--something local government should support.

So what Governor Ritter is doing, in my case, is punishing me for doing exactly what he and his party have asked me to do; cut back, conserve, make a positive impact. I wrote the Gov to tell him just that in the most polite way possible without getting political--we'll see if I get a response.

In the meantime, I'm confident the Governor is getting pounded by people asking why this increase applies to their old Honda Civic to the same degree it applies to a new $80k Land Rover.

Silence on Iran

2009-06-16T12:46:00.000-06:00

Americans looking for a firm, decisive response to the situation in Iran from President Obama have been more than a little disappointed the past few days.

Some good analysis here.

The bottom line is that taking a side requires a commitment and the current Administration has done everything it can to not take sides in international affairs particularly when it comes to Muslim nations. Taking sides against America while touring the world is another matter...

While Obama might not want to say it, this is a huge opportunity to help topple Ahmadinejad and put the nuclear issue to rest. Of course we would have to "meddle" to make it happen and yes other Muslim/Mid East nations would not be happy. But then again, are they happy now with the sabre rattling and nuclear ambitions?

There are those who say we have to respect the Iranian democratic process and I say "why?" Even if that process isn't broken as many Iranians claim, why do we need to respect a government that has pledged itself to our destruction? A government that continually destabilizes the region and funds terrorism against Israel?

We can afford to be self-interested here and we should be, but that would require having a President with the stones to take a side.

Zicam = Bad

2009-06-16T12:34:00.000-06:00

Local news is reporting the FDA finally put the smack down on Zicam after it damaged the sense of smell for some users.

I had heard through a co-worker years ago that Zicam did this although I've never been interested in using it. A search, at that time, revealed lots of anecdotal evidence on the internet confirming exactly that.

It's nice the FDA only took 10 years to protect consumers...

"The FDA says about 130 consumers have reported a loss of smell after using Zicam products since 1999."

Thankfully only 130 people are impacted, but this is precisely why we do not want the government in charge of health care. This is drug that whose risks never outweighed the reward yet stayed on the market for 10 years while a government agency (FDA) failed to protect consumers.

Sorry Britain

2009-06-15T14:20:00.000-06:00

"Mr Gapes, a Labour MP, said: 'The U.S. is clearly determined to act in what it perceives as its own national interest even riding roughshod over what it should have done, which is spoken to the British Government."

Quote from the Bush years? Nope, just yesterday.

Glad those Euros love us now!

And then there's this speculation...

"'I wonder what promises have been given to the Bermudians, potentially about going a bit soft on the tax haven status or something else as a quid pro quo.'"

Did Obama and Bermudian Premier Ewart Brown trade security for a little "looking the other way" on taxes?

Hate

2009-06-08T16:18:00.000-06:00

This is only bad because we are supposed to be more concerned with what the Europeans think of us than what we think of ourselves.

Otherwise, I wouldn't care. And back when I didn't care, I didn't remember Laura, Hillary, Barbara, or Nancy giving any stink eyes like this.

What's worse is that the First Lady only had to sit there for an hour or so and it was off to shopping. If you can't play nice for an hour, stay home!

Way to go Team Hope and Change!