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

Author: Zero Ponsdorf

  • A Salute to Jonathan Blunk

    Note two things please: I was apparently wrong about the Sheepdog.  And thanks to Hondo for catching this.

    That said… here is my choice as a salute: If only he’d been armed with more than balls!

  • I’m Feeling MUCH Better Now

    The country breathed a huge sigh of relief in the wake of the announcement!

    Roseanne Barr takes new run at White House, joins up with Sheehan

    Not quite ready to give up on her presidential ambitions, comedian Roseanne Barr is joining up with activist Cindy Sheehan for a new run at the White House.

    Fox News has learned that over the past few days Barr asked Sheehan to join her in an attempt to win the little-known Peace and Freedom Party’s line on the California ballot.

    Now if only they can get Code Pink and Madea Benjiman on board…

    Sorry I didn’t add a gag alert folks, but I’m too busy laughing.

    Oops… H/T to Carrie via FB.

  • I Like It…YMMV

    I’ve dealt with Code Pink, and that crowd. I’ve been spit at and called names, but this story raises the bar.

    Members of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church showed up to picket at a Seattle-area military base last week, but were confronted with an unusual counter-protest: dozens of people dressed as zombies.

    Eight members of the church, known for frequently picketing military funerals and other events as a protest against the progression of gay rights, found themselves confronted with the counter-protest while picketing outside of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Friday. The playful counter-protest was launched by Spanaway, Wash., resident Melissa Neace, whospread the word of her idea on Facebook.

    Jonn is as frightened of Zombies as I am of clowns.  This event seems somewhere in between?

  • Just Curious? A Sunday Silly.

    This doesn’t really fit here at TAH, but this place has some of the more astute and erudite readers around so please forgive the audacity.

    Thesis: Same sex “marriage” is currently a genetic dead end. Cloning and/or other future technologies may change that, but it IS currently a dead end.

    And set aside any religious convictions for now, if you will. Although it might be said that in parts of the world certain religious zealots have demonstrated a willingness to emphasize the “dead end” aspect with enthusiasm.

    Here’s my question: How many wives should one man have? I’d argue that genetically it makes far more sense. And in some parts of the world, etc.

    I find the idea intriguing, if a bit frightening.

    What say you?

  • Confused Yet Again

    The Olympics is kicking off again.

    I haven’t added everything up, but at a glance there are more security forces in place than athletes – again.

    Since 1972 I, personally, pay more attention to the number of security personnel involved than any part of the events.

    So should the world be proud of the fact that the events go on, or sad that the threat STILL exists?

    Is anyone still ignorant of where the threat originates? Two official wars where our guys are fighting – and getting wounded or dying? And still The Olympics require huge levels of security.

    I doubt I have THE answer… so please weigh in?

    Oh yeah… There are crazies with guns. I doubt the snipers and anti-aircraft positions are there to deal with that?

    Happily it ain’t just me: Why the IOC will never memorialize the ’72 Munich massacre

    Thanks “you know who” Mucked up the link, but I think it’s fixed?

  • Tactical or Practical?

    Jonn asked that we post!

    In the wake of the Aurora shootings I’ve been re-appraising my own skill set. Toss in TSO’s trip down HIS memory lane and I realized there was room for some geezer ruminations here. And a question or three.

    First let me offer some background if I might. Been shooting since I was a very young teen, and used to do some hunting. First formal training was in The Boy Scouts (I think) and involved an M1 Garand chambered for .22 LR.

    Later on in the Navy I received formal training on what one would expect in the mid to late ’60s – .45, M1, M14, M16, MA Deuce, and an air cooled 30 cal MG (forget the name). Training was cursory… field strip, clean, and target shooting to “qualify”. Fired or crewed once or twice in real life situations ie small craft warnings, etc. And, for instance, standing watch in Da Nang harbor, or the like, with a loaded M1 and and/or a loaded .45. Some Navy types will be going Huh? Always wound up in the Weapons Division. Long story, but for another time. Got pictures!

    To be accurate I also was gun captain on a 5 inch mount, AND carried a chromed 03 with a chromed bayonet (GLakes Drill Team).

    –

    Forward in time to now. I have firearms, and a range on site. I can’t say I practice religiously (whatever that means), but I can plink with the best, if not as loud. Jonn likes hand cannons.

    Now for the questions… assuming you are NOT currently serving?

    How often do YOU practice? Do you wear ear/eye protection always? Have you compared your competency with or without such? I suspect it might matter? Indeed, that first flinch might be important.

    Lastly… I’m considering a visit to PFT. Might be a sort of pipe dream, but is it practical for a geezer who plinks regular, AND doesn’t get out much?

     

  • Pot, kettle..

    We have a simple way to avoid gun violence according to an expert:
    Mexico urges U.S. to review gun laws after Colorado shooting

    “Because of the Aurora, Colorado tragedy, the American Congress must review its mistaken legislation on guns. It’s doing damage to us all,” Calderon said.

    Yep, every gun death in Mexico is our responsibility?

    DOH!

    The presidency of Calderon, who leaves office at the end of November, has been overshadowed by his efforts to crack down on the drug gangs. Fighting among the cartels and their clashes with the state have killed more than 55,000 people since 2007.

  • If Only…

    Personal preface: I don’t watch TV news or the talking heads so I don’t share Jonn’s frustrations about the coverage of the Aurora shooting. I assumed it would be crap and ignored it. And the anti-gun rhetoric was easily foreseeable and as easily dismissed.

    Nope! Events like Flight 93 and “Let’s Roll!” kept intruding. Or Mr. Williams decision to take action seems extraordinarily fitting.

    –

    So I’m thinking that guns were peripheral (NOT trivial!) elements in that theater. I’ll posit that what was missing was a Sheepdog?

    Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, “Thank God I wasn’t on one of those planes.” The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, “Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference.” When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference.  Lt. Colonel Grossman

    If only there had been just one person with that mind set?

    YMMV

    Update: See Russ’s post above. I can’t/won’t disagree with his emphasis, but…