There's an FBI slideshow floating around the internet right now that I think is very interesting. I would encourage you sheepdogs to check it out.
WARNING: graphic forensic photographs. Slideshow Link
I suppose this is why former operator Larry Vickers says "Speed is fine . . . accuracy is final." Feel to free to comment - I'd love to hear what you fellows think.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Time Sensitive: HR 2749
From the Weston A. Price Foundation:
The House of Representatives is scheduled for a vote on HR 2749 (The Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009) on Tuesday, July 28 (tomorrow). HR 2749 will be voted "on suspension", meaning that debate will be limited to 40 minutes and no amendments will be considered. A two-thirds vote will be required for HR 2749 to pass. The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is asking everyone to contact their U.S. Representatives requesting that they vote against HR 2749.
Industrial food processors and food imports need effective regulation, but this should not be done at the expense of the 'local food system.' HR2749 will impose burdensome regulations on small farmers and local food producers including registration fees and extensive paperwork requirements for which many small food businesses will not have the resources to comply. The 'local food system' is not the source of the food safety problems in this country, small farmers and local artisanal producers are part of the solution.
HR 2749 would reduce FDA's accountability while significantly increasing its power. The bill would empower FDA to conduct warrantless searches of business records without any evidence whatsoever that a violation has occurred, to order a quarantine prohibiting or restricting the movement of food in a geographic area. HR 2749 also creates severe criminal and civil penalties with the potential for substantial fines for even minor violations of the law.
Urge your Representative to vote against HR 2749 and support a food safety bill that will target imports and industrial foods while leaving small farmers and local food producers alone.
Three Ways to Contact your Representative:
1. Send an email through the "Oppose HR 2749" petition at http://bit.ly/Oppose_HR2749
2. Go to "My Elected Officials" at www.congress.org and enter your zip code to find your legislators. Call and/or send a fax.
3. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 to contact your Representative's office.
The House of Representatives is scheduled for a vote on HR 2749 (The Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009) on Tuesday, July 28 (tomorrow). HR 2749 will be voted "on suspension", meaning that debate will be limited to 40 minutes and no amendments will be considered. A two-thirds vote will be required for HR 2749 to pass. The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is asking everyone to contact their U.S. Representatives requesting that they vote against HR 2749.
Industrial food processors and food imports need effective regulation, but this should not be done at the expense of the 'local food system.' HR2749 will impose burdensome regulations on small farmers and local food producers including registration fees and extensive paperwork requirements for which many small food businesses will not have the resources to comply. The 'local food system' is not the source of the food safety problems in this country, small farmers and local artisanal producers are part of the solution.
HR 2749 would reduce FDA's accountability while significantly increasing its power. The bill would empower FDA to conduct warrantless searches of business records without any evidence whatsoever that a violation has occurred, to order a quarantine prohibiting or restricting the movement of food in a geographic area. HR 2749 also creates severe criminal and civil penalties with the potential for substantial fines for even minor violations of the law.
Urge your Representative to vote against HR 2749 and support a food safety bill that will target imports and industrial foods while leaving small farmers and local food producers alone.
Three Ways to Contact your Representative:
1. Send an email through the "Oppose HR 2749" petition at http://bit.ly/Oppose_HR2749
2. Go to "My Elected Officials" at www.congress.org and enter your zip code to find your legislators. Call and/or send a fax.
3. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 to contact your Representative's office.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Whoo-hoo! Remington ACR
I've been watching for this for some time now. Finally, Remington has released something definite regarding the Magpul/Bushmaster Masada/ACR.
Check this out: Remington's ACR Page
Apparently, it is to be released in 5.56, 6.8 SPC, and, glory be: 6.5x39, popularly known as the "Grendel."
There is a rumor on the internet that when released for public sales, the price will be somewhere $1,500. Time will tell if the ACR is indeed released to the general public, and if it will released - as Magpul originally planned - in 7.62x39.
At the risk of sounding very stage-drama-melodramatic, I quote the Remington website: "This changes everything . . ."
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Newsflash: Gun Owners of America E-mail
Friday, July 17, 2009
A vote to protect your right to travel out-of-state with
a firearm could come to a vote next week -- even as
early as Monday!
Senators John Thune and David Vitter are the sponsors of
S. 845 -- a bill that will establish concealed carry
reciprocity amongst the several states.
Senators Thune and Vitter offered the bill as an
amendment (#1618) to the Department of Defense
authorization bill (H.R. 2647).
This provision will use the constitutional authority
allowing Congress to enforce "full faith and credit"
across the country, so that each state respects the
"public acts, records, and judicial proceedings" of
every other state (Article IV).
The benefit of the Thune/Vitter legislation is that --
unlike other, competing measures -- it would protect the
right of any U.S. citizen to carry out of state
(regardless of whether he possesses a permit), as
long as he is authorized to carry in his home state.
This is important because of states like Vermont and
Alaska, where residents can carry concealed without
prior approval or permission from the state... in
other words, without a permit!
ACTION: Please urge your Senators to vote YES on the
Thune/Vitter concealed carry reciprocity amendment that
will be offered to the Department of Defense
authorization bill and NO on any modifying amendments.
This vote could come as early as Monday, so please act
on this right away!
You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your
Senators the pre-written e-mail message below.
----- Pre-written letter -----
Dear Senator:
Please support the Thune/Vitter amendment to the
Department of Defense authorization bill. This amendment
will protect the right of citizens to carry firearms
outside of their home state without violating the rights
of the other states. Thus, the reciprocity language
masterfully protects the principle of federalism while
also promoting Second Amendment rights.
A person's right to defend himself and his family should
not end at the border of his state.
I urge you to vote for the Thune/Vitter concealed carry
amendment and to oppose any modifying actions that seek
to weaken their amendment.
Sincerely,
(Place your Name, City, and State here)
A vote to protect your right to travel out-of-state with
a firearm could come to a vote next week -- even as
early as Monday!
Senators John Thune and David Vitter are the sponsors of
S. 845 -- a bill that will establish concealed carry
reciprocity amongst the several states.
Senators Thune and Vitter offered the bill as an
amendment (#1618) to the Department of Defense
authorization bill (H.R. 2647).
This provision will use the constitutional authority
allowing Congress to enforce "full faith and credit"
across the country, so that each state respects the
"public acts, records, and judicial proceedings" of
every other state (Article IV).
The benefit of the Thune/Vitter legislation is that --
unlike other, competing measures -- it would protect the
right of any U.S. citizen to carry out of state
(regardless of whether he possesses a permit), as
long as he is authorized to carry in his home state.
This is important because of states like Vermont and
Alaska, where residents can carry concealed without
prior approval or permission from the state... in
other words, without a permit!
ACTION: Please urge your Senators to vote YES on the
Thune/Vitter concealed carry reciprocity amendment that
will be offered to the Department of Defense
authorization bill and NO on any modifying amendments.
This vote could come as early as Monday, so please act
on this right away!
You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your
Senators the pre-written e-mail message below.
----- Pre-written letter -----
Dear Senator:
Please support the Thune/Vitter amendment to the
Department of Defense authorization bill. This amendment
will protect the right of citizens to carry firearms
outside of their home state without violating the rights
of the other states. Thus, the reciprocity language
masterfully protects the principle of federalism while
also promoting Second Amendment rights.
A person's right to defend himself and his family should
not end at the border of his state.
I urge you to vote for the Thune/Vitter concealed carry
amendment and to oppose any modifying actions that seek
to weaken their amendment.
Sincerely,
(Place your Name, City, and State here)
Saturday, July 18, 2009
New Links: Sheepdog Stuff
I've been doing some poking around, and have discovered a number of websites with pertinent information for sheepdog applications. Y'all know all those sites that sell US Army manuals on CDs? Well, it appears as though all of those same manuals are available for free from the Army itself. Several of you, I know, are aware of Global Security's fine collection; unlike that site, however, the places to which I have linked provide predominately downloadable PDF files (much easier to deal with). Check them out and poke around; lots of great resources. The new links are down this page a-ways on the left; right under "Resources" and right above "Followers." Keep an eye out for possible future updates.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
No guns = A rude, crude society
"The society of the late 20th century America is perhaps the first in human history where most grown men do not routinely bear arms on their persons, and boys are not regularly raised from childhood to learn skill in the use of some kind of weapon, either for community or personal defense. Ours also happens to be one of the rudest and crudest societies in history, having jubilantly swept most of the etiquette of speech, table, dress, hospitality, regard for fairness, deference to authority, and the relations of male and female and child and elder under the fraying and filthy carpet of politically convenient illusions. With little fear of physical reprisal, Americans can be as loud, gross, disrespectful, pushy, and negligent as they please. If more people carried rapiers at their belts or revolvers on their hips it is a fair bet that you would be able to go to a movie and enjoy the dialogue from the screen without having to endure the small talk, family gossip, and assorted bodily noises that many theater audiences these days regularly emit."
Samuel Francis, in "Chronicles"
Here's my post-response to Stephen Boyd's most recent post, over at Defending our Christian Heritage.
Samuel Francis, in "Chronicles"
Here's my post-response to Stephen Boyd's most recent post, over at Defending our Christian Heritage.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Been super busy
Sorry about the deplorable lack of posting, y'all. I'm right in the middle of the busiest few weeks of the summer, school-wise, so I haven't much time to sit down and write anything. I'll be busy a while longer, then I'll try to get back into it.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Quote from "Amazing Grace"
I'm sitting here watching the movie "Amazing Grace" with my family. I love the intellect displayed throughout the movie, the quick wit, the wonderful command of the English language. Almost at the very start of the movie, our family erupted in laughter at this particular gem, which Mom immediately declared would be the perfect subject of a post.
"It is a scientific fact that marriage and health are inseparable . . . Single men wither away and die in rooms that smell of feet and armpits."
How true . . . "It is not good that man should be alone . . ."
"It is a scientific fact that marriage and health are inseparable . . . Single men wither away and die in rooms that smell of feet and armpits."
How true . . . "It is not good that man should be alone . . ."
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Robert E. Lee on Honesty
"The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The truly honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy."
Sunday, June 21, 2009
AK vs. AR vs. . . Mosin Nagant.
Alright. Here goes. I am stepping into the AR vs. AK debate. But to sort of spice up things, I’m throwing in perhaps the quin-ultimate fighting rifle of the past 100 years or so: the Mosin-Nagant. I have obtained a very thought provoking list of key points from 7.62x54r.net. Feel free to peruse them, and then share any thoughts you might have.
Knowing that some of you probably are not familiar with ARs, AKs, and MNs, I have determined to provide some basic info before I list the points.
This is an AK-47. The name designates the type of rifle, the name of the designer, and the year of adoption by the Soviet Army. Roughly translated, they letters and numbers mean “Automatic rifle, Kalashnikov (the fellow who designed it), model 1947” - AK-47. Furniture is solid wood or plastic. Military versions have fully automatic capability, as well as detachable magazines; thus, they may accurately be termed, “assault rifles.” AKs are not renowned for their accuracy. Military AK-47s have a bayonet with about a 6 inch blade.
This is a Mosin-Nagant. Originally designed and adopted by the Russians in 1891. All furniture is solid wood, and very heavy. As you can see, it is a bolt action rifle with a very long barrel. These are pretty slow to load and fire, but pretty accurate - customized versions of these rifles were used for sniper platforms as late as the Second World War. The Mosin has a bayonet that looks half as long the rifle itself, and is of the old triangular sort that is no good for anything other than thrusting.
This is an AR-15. The name stands for “ARmalite rifle, model 15,” as I understand it. This is the rifle that was adopted by the US Army as the famed M-16. Furniture is high-tech plastic. AR-15s can be customized and used for very precise shooting at extended ranges. However, unlike the AK, they do require a good bit of maintenance for proper function. There is a reason one does not often see pictures of bayonets mounted on ARs; the AR platform is not designed to double as a halberd, and would not last long when employed as such.
Now for the list itself. Throughout, AK = AK-47; AR = AR-15; MN = Mosin-Nagant.
AK: It works though you have never cleaned it. Ever.
AR: You have $9 per ounce special non-detergent synthetic Teflon infused oil for cleaning.
MN: It was last cleaned in Berlin in 1945.
AK: You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from inside.
AR: You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from 600 meters.
MN: You can hit the farm from two counties over.
AK: Cheap mags are fun to buy.
AR: Cheap mags melt.
MN: What's a mag?
AK: Your safety can be heard from 300 meters away.
AR: You can silently flip off the safety with your finger on the trigger.
MN: What's a safety?
AK: Your rifle comes with a cheap nylon sling.
AR: Your rifle has a 9 point stealth tactical suspension system (this is hyperbole, obviously).
MN: You rifle has dog collars.
AK: Your bayonet makes a good wire cutter.
AR: Your bayonet is actually a pretty good steak knife.
MN: Your bayonet is longer than your leg.
AK: You can put a .30" hole through 12" of oak, if you can hit it.
AR: You can put one hole in a paper target at 100 meters with 30 rounds.
MN: You can knock down everyone else's target with the shock wave of your bullet going downrange.
AK: When out of ammo your rifle will nominally pass as a club.
AR: When out of ammo, your rifle makes a great wiffle bat.
MN: When out of ammo, your rifle makes a supreme war club, pike, boat oar, tent pole, or firewood.
AK: Recoil is manageable, even fun.
AR: What's recoil?
MN: Recoil is often used to relocate shoulders thrown out by the previous shot.
AK: Your sight adjustment goes to "10", and you've never bothered moving it.
AR: Your sight adjustment is incremented in fractions of minute of angle.
MN: Your sight adjustment goes to 12 miles and you've actually tried it.
AK: Your rifle can be used by any two bit nation's most illiterate conscripts to fight elite forces worldwide.
AR: Your rifle is used by elite forces worldwide to fight two bit nations' most illiterate conscripts.
MN: Your rifle has fought against itself and won every time.
AK: Your rifle won some revolutions.
AR: Your rifle won the Cold War.
MN: Your rifle won a pole vault event (again, a bit of hyperbole, perhaps . . .).
AK: You paid $350.
AR: You paid $900.
MN: You paid $59.95.
AK: You buy cheap ammo by the case.
AR: You lovingly reload precision crafted rounds one by one.
MN: You dig your ammo out of a farmer's field in Ukraine and it works just fine.
AK: You can intimidate your foe with the bayonet mounted.
AR: You foes laugh when you mount your bayonet.
MN: You can bayonet your foe on the other side of the river without leaving the comfort of your hole.
AK: Service life, 50 years.
AR: Service life, 40 years.
MN: Service life, 100 years, and counting.
AK: It's easier to buy a new rifle when you want to change cartridge sizes.
AR: You can change cartridge sizes with the push of a couple of pins and a new upper.
MN: You believe no real man would dare risk the ridicule of his friends by suggesting there is anything but 7.62x54r.
AK: You can repair your rifle with a big hammer and a swift kick.
AR: You can repair your rifle by taking it to a certified gunsmith, it's under warranty!
MN: If your rifle breaks, you buy a new one.
AK: You consider it a badge of honor when you get your handguards burst into flames.
AR: You consider it a badge of honor when you shoot a sub-MOA 5 shot group.
MN: You consider it a badge of honor when you cycle 5 rounds without the aid of a 2x4.
AK: After a long day the range you relax by watching "Red Dawn".
AR: After a long day at the range you relax by watching "Blackhawk Down".
MN: After a long day at the range you relax by visiting the chiropractor.
AK: After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for a stiff shot of Vodka.
AR: After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for hotdogs and apple pie.
MN: After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for shishkabob.
AK: You can accessorize you rifle with a new muzzle brake or a nice stock set.
AR: Your rifle's accessories are eight times more valuable than your rifle.
MN: Your rifle's accessory is a small tin can with a funny lid, but it's buried under an apartment building somewhere in Budapest.
AK: Your rifle's finish is varnish and paint.
AR: Your rifle's finish is Teflon and high tech polymers.
MN: Your rifle's finish is low grade shellac, cosmoline and Olga's toe nails.
AK: Your wife tolerates your autographed framed picture of Mikhail Kalashnikov.
AR: Your wife tolerates your autographed framed picture of Eugene Stoner.
MN: You're not sure there WERE cameras to photograph Sergei Mosin.
AK: Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to hold your rifle over your head and shout "Wolverines!"
AR: Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to clear your house, slicing the pie from room to room.
MN: Late at night, you sometimes have to fight the urge to dig a fighting trench in the the yard to sleep in.
So there you have it. Comments?
Knowing that some of you probably are not familiar with ARs, AKs, and MNs, I have determined to provide some basic info before I list the points.
This is an AK-47. The name designates the type of rifle, the name of the designer, and the year of adoption by the Soviet Army. Roughly translated, they letters and numbers mean “Automatic rifle, Kalashnikov (the fellow who designed it), model 1947” - AK-47. Furniture is solid wood or plastic. Military versions have fully automatic capability, as well as detachable magazines; thus, they may accurately be termed, “assault rifles.” AKs are not renowned for their accuracy. Military AK-47s have a bayonet with about a 6 inch blade.
This is a Mosin-Nagant. Originally designed and adopted by the Russians in 1891. All furniture is solid wood, and very heavy. As you can see, it is a bolt action rifle with a very long barrel. These are pretty slow to load and fire, but pretty accurate - customized versions of these rifles were used for sniper platforms as late as the Second World War. The Mosin has a bayonet that looks half as long the rifle itself, and is of the old triangular sort that is no good for anything other than thrusting.
This is an AR-15. The name stands for “ARmalite rifle, model 15,” as I understand it. This is the rifle that was adopted by the US Army as the famed M-16. Furniture is high-tech plastic. AR-15s can be customized and used for very precise shooting at extended ranges. However, unlike the AK, they do require a good bit of maintenance for proper function. There is a reason one does not often see pictures of bayonets mounted on ARs; the AR platform is not designed to double as a halberd, and would not last long when employed as such.
Now for the list itself. Throughout, AK = AK-47; AR = AR-15; MN = Mosin-Nagant.
AK: It works though you have never cleaned it. Ever.
AR: You have $9 per ounce special non-detergent synthetic Teflon infused oil for cleaning.
MN: It was last cleaned in Berlin in 1945.
AK: You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from inside.
AR: You are able to hit the broad side of a barn from 600 meters.
MN: You can hit the farm from two counties over.
AK: Cheap mags are fun to buy.
AR: Cheap mags melt.
MN: What's a mag?
AK: Your safety can be heard from 300 meters away.
AR: You can silently flip off the safety with your finger on the trigger.
MN: What's a safety?
AK: Your rifle comes with a cheap nylon sling.
AR: Your rifle has a 9 point stealth tactical suspension system (this is hyperbole, obviously).
MN: You rifle has dog collars.
AK: Your bayonet makes a good wire cutter.
AR: Your bayonet is actually a pretty good steak knife.
MN: Your bayonet is longer than your leg.
AK: You can put a .30" hole through 12" of oak, if you can hit it.
AR: You can put one hole in a paper target at 100 meters with 30 rounds.
MN: You can knock down everyone else's target with the shock wave of your bullet going downrange.
AK: When out of ammo your rifle will nominally pass as a club.
AR: When out of ammo, your rifle makes a great wiffle bat.
MN: When out of ammo, your rifle makes a supreme war club, pike, boat oar, tent pole, or firewood.
AK: Recoil is manageable, even fun.
AR: What's recoil?
MN: Recoil is often used to relocate shoulders thrown out by the previous shot.
AK: Your sight adjustment goes to "10", and you've never bothered moving it.
AR: Your sight adjustment is incremented in fractions of minute of angle.
MN: Your sight adjustment goes to 12 miles and you've actually tried it.
AK: Your rifle can be used by any two bit nation's most illiterate conscripts to fight elite forces worldwide.
AR: Your rifle is used by elite forces worldwide to fight two bit nations' most illiterate conscripts.
MN: Your rifle has fought against itself and won every time.
AK: Your rifle won some revolutions.
AR: Your rifle won the Cold War.
MN: Your rifle won a pole vault event (again, a bit of hyperbole, perhaps . . .).
AK: You paid $350.
AR: You paid $900.
MN: You paid $59.95.
AK: You buy cheap ammo by the case.
AR: You lovingly reload precision crafted rounds one by one.
MN: You dig your ammo out of a farmer's field in Ukraine and it works just fine.
AK: You can intimidate your foe with the bayonet mounted.
AR: You foes laugh when you mount your bayonet.
MN: You can bayonet your foe on the other side of the river without leaving the comfort of your hole.
AK: Service life, 50 years.
AR: Service life, 40 years.
MN: Service life, 100 years, and counting.
AK: It's easier to buy a new rifle when you want to change cartridge sizes.
AR: You can change cartridge sizes with the push of a couple of pins and a new upper.
MN: You believe no real man would dare risk the ridicule of his friends by suggesting there is anything but 7.62x54r.
AK: You can repair your rifle with a big hammer and a swift kick.
AR: You can repair your rifle by taking it to a certified gunsmith, it's under warranty!
MN: If your rifle breaks, you buy a new one.
AK: You consider it a badge of honor when you get your handguards burst into flames.
AR: You consider it a badge of honor when you shoot a sub-MOA 5 shot group.
MN: You consider it a badge of honor when you cycle 5 rounds without the aid of a 2x4.
AK: After a long day the range you relax by watching "Red Dawn".
AR: After a long day at the range you relax by watching "Blackhawk Down".
MN: After a long day at the range you relax by visiting the chiropractor.
AK: After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for a stiff shot of Vodka.
AR: After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for hotdogs and apple pie.
MN: After cleaning your rifle you have a strong urge for shishkabob.
AK: You can accessorize you rifle with a new muzzle brake or a nice stock set.
AR: Your rifle's accessories are eight times more valuable than your rifle.
MN: Your rifle's accessory is a small tin can with a funny lid, but it's buried under an apartment building somewhere in Budapest.
AK: Your rifle's finish is varnish and paint.
AR: Your rifle's finish is Teflon and high tech polymers.
MN: Your rifle's finish is low grade shellac, cosmoline and Olga's toe nails.
AK: Your wife tolerates your autographed framed picture of Mikhail Kalashnikov.
AR: Your wife tolerates your autographed framed picture of Eugene Stoner.
MN: You're not sure there WERE cameras to photograph Sergei Mosin.
AK: Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to hold your rifle over your head and shout "Wolverines!"
AR: Late at night you sometimes have to fight the urge to clear your house, slicing the pie from room to room.
MN: Late at night, you sometimes have to fight the urge to dig a fighting trench in the the yard to sleep in.
So there you have it. Comments?
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