SCOTUS Rejects Death Penalty for Raping Children

Decides that the Judas Chair is adequate.

Bill Clinton Offers Support to Obama

Just exactly what kind of helpful support could Bill offer Obama?

Is that an African or European Pigeon?

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A sharp increase in drugs and cellphones found inside a Brazilian prison mystified officials -- until guards spotted some distressed pigeons struggling to stay airborne.

Steel Workers Shoot

I enjoyed myself at another shoot last weekend. This makes the third event I have attended and still failed to take a camera so that a few candid shots can be posted. My event planning needs to be modified slightly. The day before the shoot in May was backyard fence day. Oh joy! Take the old one down and get new posts set. My helpers were wore out by the end of the day and were begging to not have to get up early the next day. (You would think that I was a slave driver or something) I thought this was a great idea. I will go shoot and get everyone up afterwards. I was sore the next morning. I shot a little better than before but I am sure that my times were slower. My speed from station to station would only have impressed a snail.

There was also some error in one station's setup. The wall was upside down placing the shooting window at ankle height! I informed the RM of this mistake and was told that this was correct. It was purposely done to aggravate sore, tall people. I hate kneeling in the gravel especially since I had shorts on, stiff, sore, and knees trashed from years of basketball. I needed all the reasons I could find to account for my normal performance so that my shooting companions would not actually realize my dismal capabilities. For some reason this never seems to work. It did provide entertainment and provoked many kind comments. "Think you can get up? Hahaha!" "Maybe you should lay down and then roll over to the next window." Someday, I hope that they set one high enough to suit me. I would enjoy seeing the others try to jump and shoot at the same time. I had a great time in reality! Then it was off to the house to awake the fence crew. There was also a necessity to convince everyone that applying water seal and erecting fence rails/slats is fun!

I decided to reload 20 gauge shells the day before the June shoot. 500 rounds on a MEC 600Jr. is 3,000 pulls of the lever. Sidenote - I have come to dislike single stage presses. I actually did a little better at the shoot. I do not know if it is due to practice or just getting more comfortable on this type range. Perhaps it is only a mental image of improvement and I am getting more comfortable at being slow! I really don't know as times have never been posted for any of the shoots.

Bikini Atoll's Nuked Coral Reef Bounces Back to Life

"Half a century after the atomic blasts that devastated Bikini Atoll, vast expanses of corals in the area seem to be flourishing once again, much to the surprise of scientists."

Also of great surprise to the scientist was the discovery a very large reptile roaming the area which resulted in the scientists immediate evacuation. Some of the Japanese members of the expedition were excitedly exclaiming, "Oh no, there goes Tokyo!".

Our Presidential Candidates

The Good
"It's been a great ride. But I know how quickly these fads can pass. You all remember the pet rock, the mood ring, Howard Dean."

Hopefully, you will fly away also.




The Bad
"We are going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."


Wonder who the commoners are that get the goods?



The Ugly
"Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid."

Looks like it tastes great.

My Choice POTUS
"You morons"

Great evaluation of his political opponents.

VP
I couldn't find a quote that hadn't already been done by John Dingell

Marines in Berkeley

I can't say that I am a big fan of the Daily Show but even a blind squirrel........

Boards!

Reno 911 D&D

This is just unbelievable. I actually lol when the officer said, "I hope you've got a magic potion for hot lead".

NHRA

We went to the trials on Saturday at Firebird. I do like to watch just about anything but bracket racing. My favorites are the Pro-Stock, Funny Cars, and Top Fuel. I did not take a camera this year - oops. I took one last year and was challenged to get the perspective on film that I desired. Trying to take pictures starts to take away from the fun of watching the drags.

There is nothing like being close to a top fuel dragster when the tree goes green!

This weekend was just something else. Drag races on Saturday and then a steel pistol match on Sunday makes for a full couple of days. Gee - drag racin and shootin - almost sounds like it should be a regular.

Steel Match

We went over to Pima Pistol Club to shoot a steel match. I have seen one shot before but this was my first match. My hat's off to PPC and the shooters there. The people were professional and friendly. It was no problem for a first time steel shooter to feel comfortable. I will get my score later after posting but will only use this as a benchmark for future improvement. I did not expect to do well as I am no pistolero but I was pleased in that I did better than anticpated.

Kevin did quite well for a first shoot. He may have other thoughts but I know that he shot at least 30 rounds less than me.

What FUN! We will take some photos and post them the next time. One of the stages had a building facade with windows and door as shooting stations. There were a few comments admiring my form when I needed to crouch down to shoot through the windows. I am a little on the tall side and that window came about to my bellybutton when standing. I thought I had fine form for my squatshot. I know that the snickers I heard from behind me were just from being jealous of my fine form.

The Knack

Head over to The Smallest Minority to watch a great clip of Dilbert.

Space Cowboy!

Space Station Crew Can Access Gun

The article indicates that this is a piece (pun intended) of survival gear for a crash landing. I find this interesting from the aspect that there would probably be very little left intact of the space station after atmosphere re-entry, much less the spectacular surface impact.

Hmmm - wonder if there have been any tests measuring the recoil effect of different ammo in space?

Do Not Run, We Are You Friends!

Look into my eyes, you are getting sleepy, you WILL be my Valentine.

I must put some of the political pictures up as this is just too good to pass on. The semblance is almost scarey. Let me rephrase that as it is definitely scarey. Clinton fans should not be too concerned as I will most likely pick on everyone.

Redistribution of Wealth

Our fearless leaders have decided that a tax rebate would stimulate the economy. This includes a rebate to those who pay no taxes. I would believe that the classic definition of a rebate is: "return of a part of a payment".

There can be no "rebate" if there is no payment. It sounds nicer than saying that the government will take money from those who do pay and give it to those who do not. It is still an agenda including redistribution of wealth no matter how you try to disguise these actions.

I still stand by the quote at the top by Will Rogers.

Scottish Rite 32 Deg. KCCH

For service to the Rite, one is sometimes fortunate enough to receive the honor of becoming a KCCH. I am humbled that my brethren thought enough of me to distinguish me with this honor.




I should also post that previously the brethren presented me with this.

Elk hunting in November was fun!

We had a great camping spot about 30 miles North of Flagstaff. There were enough tall pines to break the winds and plenty of downed Aspen to provide a little firewood. The weather was cold but snow free. We even had decent cell phone coverage.

We went up the day before Thanksgiving to set up camp. My hunting partner left to go back south to host Thanksgiving day at his house. Opening day was the Friday after Thanksgiving so he was returning at 0-dark-thirty Friday morning.

I stayed. I had told my wife that I had been drawn (hurrah!) but it was the hunt that started right after Thanksgiving. My wife asked if I was going up early. We have obviously done this before. She then announced that we must have our family turkey day early. Bless her heart!

I had taken a leftover turkey leg and thigh with me. I sat at the fire pit on Thanksgiving day and enjoyed another round of turkey. A few phone calls were made to wish family happy turkey day. All in all not a bad way to spend the day. I can't say that I would want to spend every Thanksgiving day this way. Well let me rephrase that. I would want this every time unless I was drawn for the elk hunt every time also.

It was nice that there is a heater in the pop-up and we had plenty of propane. Some of the nights were in the teens.

It was the third day of the hunt when this nice little elk had the audacity to try to sneak by me. I do not tree stand hunt as most of those units are built for smaller people. I am 6'7" tall and run about 290 depending on the time of year. There isn't any way that I am going perch in a tree like some little birdie. I find a spot to sit that is hidden a bit or still walk. This time I was still walking.

I know that all of you will envious of my fine red-plaid wool Filson hat. This hat is hard to beat in cold weather!

The shot was a clean heart shot but I was surprised how far an elk can go with a blown heart. It was a stroke of luck at the same time. He went far enough that he dropped near an old two track path that was drivable. Sweet! Field dress him, get the trailer, and load him up.

We went back to camp to wash up and change before heading to the meat processors. A quick inventory showed that I definitely did not have enough personal libations to last through the rest of hunt. In to town we went to drop him off and stock up.

We stayed another 4 days. My hunting buddy did not get lucky but it wasn't for lack of trying. It just works that way sometimes.

I could not figure out a way to make a permanent mount on the Bronco so I took the antlers home and mounted them above the fireplace.

Mmmmmmmm!

We visited a job site West of Denver in April. This was a welcome view coming back into town. A little sunshine!

Most of trip was a white out at about 11,000 feet elevation.

The Big Ditch

We took a liitle jaunt around. The Grand Canyon is still there!

Sara's Search

Sara's old boyfriend is history.








Now the search is on for the next suitable candidate.

Chile

I resently flew to Santiago, Chile for business. The job site was in Quillota and I stayed in great hotel in Limache called Las Tortolas. It is springtime there and beautiful.

The people at the hotel were very acommodating. The restaurant there is excellent with wonderful local wines. The vino tinto is world class.

The first picture shows the grounds in back of the hotel with the first door on the right (#3) being the entrance to my room.


I can not say enough nice things about everyone I met. My Spanish is almost non-existent and everyone was quite tolerant of my stumbling efforts. I think that I must do better with the language for my next trip.