This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Author: Zero Ponsdorf

  • A Politician Is Born

    Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal backed banning assault weapons on Tuesday, saying guns like the M4 and M16 belong in the hands of soldiers, not on the streets.

    By way explanation he adds:

    “I personally don’t think there’s any need for that kind of weaponry on the streets and particularly around the schools in America. I believe that we’ve got to take a serious look — I understand everybody’s desire to have whatever they want — we have to protect our children and our police and we have to protect our population. And I think we have to take a very mature look at that.”

    Sounds like a politician spouting half-truths don’t he?

    I did try to find any statistics that suggest how many people in the US have been killed by an M4 or an M16 since they were introduced. My Google-Fu failed me miserably, I’m afraid.

    However, I did find one reference that sort of  applies.

    Since 1934, there appear to have been at least two homicides committed with legally owned automatic weapons. One was a murder committed by a law enforcement officer (as opposed to a civilian). On September 15th, 1988, a 13-year veteran of the Dayton, Ohio police department, Patrolman Roger Waller, then 32, used his fully automatic MAC-11 .380 caliber submachine gun to kill a police informant, 52-year-old Lawrence Hileman. Patrolman Waller pleaded guilty in 1990, and he and an accomplice were sentenced to 18 years in prison. The 1986 ‘ban’ on sales of new machine guns does not apply to purchases by law enforcement or government agencies.

    Perhaps one of you folks will have better luck uncovering how many crimes have been committed BY Civilians (legally purchased) in the USA with such evil weapons? There MUST be hundreds of such cases.

     

  • Let Us Talk About Guns.

    Most here sort of collect firearms so we are well aware of the recent spate of headlines that have the potential to impact us. From outright confiscation to declaring  just what sort of guns we can own; the simmering fear is there for any gun owner that follows  the news.

    Some are genuine collectors. John over at The Castle comes to mind, but most (I think) have other motives.

    So…

    Question #1:  Motivation? I’m genuinely curious, BTW. I’ve bought guns for decades. Being one of them paranoid “prepper” types my interest begins at home.

    Question #2: Numbers? I have more than one SKS, for example.

    Question #3: Ammo, how much is enough?

    I dunno, in the current climate it is perhaps better NOT to discuss such things. OTOH if we’re lucky Jonn will be laughing his ass off at folks trying to bust him, and he’ll give us a warning.

    ETA: Question #4: How will the MSM portray you if…. Coupla comments made me wonder (I give a shit) so I added THIS question. Being a ‘Nam vet I’ve heard it before.

  • Travels With Ponsie – Wherein An Old Sailor Makes a Road Trip South

    With apologies to John Steinbeck.

    “We need a vacation”, The Wife explained. “We’ll head down to Florida for Christmas and New Years and bask on some warm sunny beaches instead of freezing up here on the ridge in West Virginia”, she elaborated.

    Murphy was ready too… Much more below the break.

    (more…)

  • Uncle Jimbo And RT Sayz

    Disclaimer: I have a man crush on UJ.  Via FB.

  • Christmas at Eglin…

    Spent Christmas at Eglin AFB and am preparing a longer post about that, but…

    This threw open some doors.

    Reveille sounded at 07:30. I recollect it being a bit earlier?

    There was no designated smoking area, BUT there was a “Designated Tobacco Use Area”. There was also a container labeled “for extinguishing only”.

    I’ll offer more later, but the Ranger Up video lit a fire.

    Let’s make fun of the USAF. I got stories…

  • Stormin’ Norman Is Gone.

    Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, coalition forces leader during Persian Gulf War, dies

    Many (most?) here will have more important observations about him than I… but The General became something sadly missing. Whether mythologic or fact based – he was iconic.

    Look back over the last 20 years and find a military personage that carried that off. That he was also a ‘Nam vet doesn’t hurt.

    RIP General… I salute you!

  • Car 54 Where Are You? A Sorta Sunday Silly.

    I’ll leave it for you young folks to dig up the reference if interested.

    Thing is… there just ain’t much good news filtering down to me here my ridge. So I’m going for coffee and donuts elsewhere. Barring unforeseen events we’ll be checking in on Eglin AFB next Friday.  We did have this excursion planned before the recent spate of events, mind you.  Since 12/21/12 is The Wife’s birthday AND some believe the world will end then too; I figured “what the hell?”.  Anything else isn’t my fault!

    So… if Jonn doesn’t delete this for being irrelevant in the larger context (it certainly is),  AND the world don’t end next Friday I’m open to visiting with any TAH commenter in the neighborhood. Also open to: “If you’re in area you should see…”

    I have pictures of Jonn and TSO that they don’t know about, BTW.

  • The New Navy?

    Admittedly I’m 40+ years out of the USN. Also admittedly I actually LIKED the chambray shirts and bell bottoms as work duds. Countless fire training exercises, and other Damage Control drills leaves me wondering what the hell is going on just now.
    Navy uniform ‘will burn robustly until it is consumed’

    The Navy removed its requirement in 1996 that uniforms had to be flame retardant, and have been providing special uniforms to engine room, flight-related, firefighters and damage control personnel since then. But this means other personnel working in spaces with fuel lines, oil, steam, heat and tons of combustibles overhead, underneath, and in nearby passageways are ready to be robustly barbecued.

    Sooo…. in 40 years our Navy has yet to figure out how to utilize self-extinguishing fabrics? AND I still think that this particular color pattern makes it harder to locate a “man overboard”.

    H/T H Lucien Gauthier III