John Stossel Understands

Gotta Love It !

Mayors Against Illegal Guns

How can anyone be against a group with such a noble title as "'anyone' Against Illegal Guns"?

Well, it's easy when the title doesn't tell the real agenda of the organization.

Quick little look at the MAIG "Media Center" reveals the Editorials and Op-eds that warm their little hearts:

"...those frightened and insecure individuals who feel a need to carry concealed weapons."

They apparently love comments from the Violence Policy Center like this gem from that organizations legislative director Kristen Rand:

"State concealed handgun systems are arming cop-killers and other murderers. It is beyond irrational for Congress to vote to expand the reach of these deadly laws."

Their goal on the surface certainly sounds noble, they claim to want to protect the second amendment and law aiding citizens ability to protect themselves while keeping guns out of the hands of criminals.

The reality is that nothing could be further from the truth. The sad fact is that their true agenda will only be apparent to someone who digs deep into the their policy papers, their press releases and editorial rhetoric.

Where Is The Middle Class

To define the boundaries between classes one would have to measure lifestyle. Since inflation is always a variable, why not define middle class by the measure of what it was like in the United States after WWII and how that has changed compared to today.

The Cleavers
In the middle class of the baby boom era the nuclear family had one breadwinner and almost always a stay at home mom. The family wasn’t basking in wealth and did have to keep an eye on expenses but could afford to take a vacation every year.

Of course they did save in other ways because pies and cakes came out of the flour bin, not the freezer. Jeans got patches sewn on the knees and if anyone’s name was on the ass it better be Levi or Wrangler.

Christmas time would come and go and the family could afford to entertain and still get the Red Ryder with the compass in the stock and the thing that tells time for the little fella.

There was always plenty of food on the table, steak was seldom but it was a treat every once in a while.

The family couldn’t save a whole lot, however managed to save a little for special occasions or rainy days.

There was a pretty good chance that with a little scrimping and saving when Wally or the Beaver graduated high school he not only could read, find the United State on a globe; could probably name most if not all of the states and capitols and actually the family could put him through college if that’s what he or she wanted.

The middle glass of the 50s & 60s didn’t drive yuppie luxo-mobiles but they were able to replace the family station wagon (antique mini-van) every few years or so before it got to 100k, because that’s when they fell apart.

The middle class could afford to actually plan for retirement and always had the nest egg investment of the house with the mortgage that after years they managed to pay off.

In the 50s such a level would probably take an annual income of about 15,000.00… Just about the cost of their 3-bedroom colonial on a modest 1/4-acre not too far from downtown, probably with good public transportation. These days the above would probably take an income somewhere north of 350,000.00… Just about the cost of a 3-bedroom colonial on a modest 1/4-acre not too far from downtown probably with good public transportation.

Concurrently, lower class would be a family income below 350,000.00 and the poverty level being anything below about 75,000.00.

The upper class of course managed all of the above and more with little concern. They had portfolios that were blue chip and they had enough set aside that any risky investments were just with the extra that they could afford to loose. The Mrs. had hired help, can’t plan parties without it you know. Of course little Johnny had a modest trust fund that would ensure he never had to stand in a soup line no matter how much of the old money he drank and pissed away. The income was probably north of 150,000.00… Just about the cost of their 6 or more bedroom estate home with servant quarters and a dungeon in the basement for when the Mr. and Mrs. put on the leather underwear. Of course set on at least a few acres somewhere near the country club. Today I think that would be about 1 million plus up to about 10 million.

Of course I see an Uber-Class as being anything above 10 million.

So, do I see redistriution of wealth as being the answer? Nope. But let's be realistic when we talk about middle class, especially when it comes to identifying such things as tax rates. These things are certain to become hot topics in the near future.

Where Are Our Priorities

How can it be that today, perhaps the most holy day of the year to many christians… so many businesses take pride in being open.

Well, maybe we’ve told them that’s what we want.

I’m cooking a turkey for the holiday, our holiday meals always include cranberry sauce, stuffing and black olives. So, if I forgot and didn’t get enough black olives… God help those companies that are closed and can’t serve my needs.

We want convenience, so our values have fallen to the side of the road and we will not be inconvenienced by a closed retailer. No matter how that may impact our idealistic beliefs.

The reality is, we leave reason for God to question our motivation and desires, and in turn it leaves us too far from the path for us to know… just where can we walk in his steps.

Idealist

Perhaps I’m too much of an idealist.
Imagine if you can, a world where every man and woman were bound by their word.
Imagine if you can a world where every word you read were truth.
Imagine if you can a world where our public servents, served our needs before their own.
Imagine if you can a world where truth was the norm and lies were inconceivable.
Imagine if you can a world where honor and integrity were values that everyone aspired too.
Imagine if you can a world where individual desires were always subservient to the good of the whole.

Ok…

Enough of that S**t…

Now wake up and realize that although we all want this, it isn’t happening today
Realize that you can never believe a word you read and little of what you see.
Realize that most never put the community before their own good.
Realize that the public servants are seldom public and almost never serve.
Realize that lies gain print and truth falls on the floor.
Realize that dignity and honor have fallen by the roadside and are only viewed today by too many as being weaknesses.
Realize that it will never get better if you don’t get involved.

New and Old

This blog is both new and old, only several minutes old here on wordpress but I’ve begun to transfer over a few of my postings here to blogger from my Yahoo 360 page. Yahoo 360 just didn’t cut it, problems after problems and it looks like most people who started blogs there several years ago are just letting them fester, so shall I.

Today I was reading the forum post by Juan Wiliams on FoxNews about how it’s time for America to loose the “Time to End to America’s ‘Lock and Load’ Mania” and composed a brilliant comment which somehow was lost and never posted. I should have copy and pasted it here first but “shoulda” is a hindsight word.

Lets see if I can remember some of my brilliance…

It went something like this:

Juan,

Have you ever had to call 911 for a prowler or burglary?
Did the ne’er-do-well hand you the phone and wait patiently while you made the call?
Were the police there to protect you within split seconds?
If you or a family member were injured or murdered would knowing you had done the right thing by calling 911 be a comfort to you… That you did everything you could have?

Well in any event the only people who would have read it would be the 1,900+ other people who disagree with his dribble and have commented.

JPFO - 2A for The USA Part 1

Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership bills themselves as being the most aggressive defender of firearms ownership. They've put together this video and it's certainly worth watching. This is part 1 of 3. The entire video can be found on the JPFO website as a streaming video or can be found in the three seperate segments on YouTube Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Where Do Those Guns Come From?

Okay, so the Mexican drug cartels have nasty guns. Homeland Security is going to add something like 360 more Border Patrol agents. There going to be look for guns more agressively.

One report suggested that they might actually check 1 in 10 cars so you see it's getting serious. Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking the Customs and Border Patrol. They do wonders with what little resources they have I'm sure.

Our politicians would have us believe that it's those nasty drug people buying them at Gun Shows in the United States via "Straw Purchases" and then sneaking those military grade weapons and explosives into Mexico.

However, the reality may be completely different.

Here's an interesting read.

It would appear that our State Department has authorized the sales. Yup, directly exported with the approval of State with Congessional Notification.

Liars, Damn Liars; Politicians

90% of firearms recovered at crime scenes in Mexico were sourced in the United States.




Secretary of State Hillary Clinton quoted it.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein did too so it must be true right? RIGHT?

Nope


Were they a little off? Yeah just a little, the real number is:

17%

Thats right only 17%, not 90% of those weapons were sourced in the United States. Sure they rounded up a bit but that's okay isn't it? Afterall, it's a statistic that might be used to incite gun control in the US so it's perfectly ok to round up a bit.

Apparently in 2007 and 2008 the Mexican goverment submitted to 11,000 firearms (of the 29,000 recovered at Mexican crime scenes) to the Unites States BATF. Of those 5,114 were succesfully traced and found to be sourced in the United States. That works out to 17% of the 29,0000 weapons found at Mexican crime scenes.

The scary part is these people are doing the bailout dollars too aren't they.

Sooner or Later They'll Get to Me

So, I'm just waiting patiently for my bail-out.

Oh, I don't need a billion dollars...
I don't need a million, in fact give me $50,000.00 and I won't bother anyone for a while.
No really, I promise.

Endangered Species

" Dec 13, 10:30 AM ET LONDON (Reuters) -
The government said Wednesday it would ban the sale of samurai swords because the weapons had been used in a number of serious, high-profile attacks."

What bothers me is that I think they're just NOT going far enough. It's time to take this issue seriously!

Since it's no longer legal for a subject of Crown to posses a firearm, (even for self defense) the logical progression is to get a handle on cutlery as it were, completely. Next the ne’er do wells will progress to steak knives and when they're all forbidden the butter knives. I say grab them all now! Can't wait till it happens here in the good ol' USofA. I certainly hope Charles Schummer is on top of this. Come on Hollywood, here's a bandwagon to jump on!

Well, according to the International Crime Victims Survey; England, Australia and Wales, where anti-gunners have been most effective are the countries with the highest burglary rate and highest rates for crime of violence among the top 17 industrialized nations. Oh, wait. Let's ignore that fact. That puts them right with DC and would prove that criminals don't obey laws. Ok, so the criminals will still have samurai swords, no big deal, at least none of them will be injured by an honest citizen protecting themselves with a samuria sword.

How about that nonsense in Colorado. Can you imagine? One poor defenseless murderer was shot by an armed citizen. It's just not fair, his right to express himself by killing whoever he wanted to was infringed.

Thank God these days children can't be permitted to even draw a picture of a firearm, sword or knife. If Jill should see Jack draw a picture of a knight with a sword... Somebody gets suspended from school.
Worse, imagine if little Jack draws a soldier, with a firearm.

Along those lines I think we should protect our children properly and prohibit history books with photos of Washington's Crossing and most certainly Mount Suribachi. Otherwise, they might make some sort of connection that makes them believe that freedom isn't free!But I digress, the point being; how much better things are today that we have replaced common sense with laws and zero tolerance policies.

When I think back to all of the senseless bloodbaths... All of our fellow classmates who we slaughtered as we marched through the classrooms in our Cub Scout uniforms wielding our pocket knives.

Hopefully clear thinking control mongers will someday forbid the sale of cutlery here in this country too.

Firearms first though of course.

Ice + Wind = No Electricity

Snow would have been better.

Lost all power at 9:17 Sunday AM. The power was out till 7:00PM. It got cold and it got dark, lots of dark and cold in fact.

Of course I was personally responsible for getting the power back on!

How did I do it?

Simple!

Whenever you have a power failure go out and buy a bunch of kerosene for the smelly heater. Then, stop a Wal-Mart and buy a bunch of candles and MORE flashlights. Every man knows you just can't ever have too many flashlights... Especially when somehow they just manage to disappear.

Now, start the kerosene heater glowing, setup and light all the candles and within 15 minutes...

Voila !!!

The power comes back on, works every time.

It's Hitting The Big Round Thing That Pushes Air

After almost three months of being unemployed, things have finally deteriorated to the point of almost total despair. The first terror was the loss of all medical coverage, being a parent that sort of thing is always a scare. Since C has now turned 18 and is a student he did have coverage on my now gone health plan but does not qualify for CHIP. I’ve been trying to keep things as normal as possible but now that too has fallen totally apart. Within the next two weeks I expect the phone, the electric, and the cable to be shut off. That should also be just about the time that the bank shows up to repo my stead. The most annoying thing about all of this is that I’m now basking in self pity, and I hate self pity.

Graying Aviation

The general public has always felt more comfortable seeing an older gray haired pilot getting onboard the plane that they are about to board. There is a certain comfort in knowing the old fart must have lived so long because he's a good pilot. Otherwise, he would have died long ago while barnstorming in the Midwest with wing walkers or while towing banners or something.

The FAA took a different view and as far as they were concerned, there was a serious safety issue with having so many old pilots who probably needed pacemakers or something zooming across the sky. So, the FAA started an age 60 mandatory retirement of ATPs back in 1959. Actually, there is probably some validity to the debate that says it was really to get younger pilots with lower pay scales into the left seat.

Actually, for ages aviation has had a gray overcast that prevented many from becoming professional pilots. When I earned my pilot license at the ancient age of 28 it would not have been possible for me to even consider becoming a professional pilot. The skies were full of pilots from WWII and Korea who had so much seniority that it prevented younger generations from considering it as a possible profession. That has begun to change as the oldsters are being forced to retire.

With aviation there is only one way to ever land a job as a professional pilot and that's by "building time", an expensive proposition. The way many pilots build time is once they get a Commercial license they get an Instructor rating and then hope to find students to pay for their flying time because all this stuff can get VERY expensive, very quickly.

These days there are "lower" levels of pilot licenses than Private Pilot that can be earned, there is now a Sport Pilot and Recreation pilot license. These licenses have restrictions on the types of aircraft that can be flown, where and when they can be flown. The basic standards for Private Pilot have not changed and that is the license that many General Aviation pilots hold. Above Private there is Commercial and ATP (Airline Transport Pilots, the rating needed to fly scheduled carriers) but there are many ratings, or steps along the way. After Private the next logical step is to work on is IFR, or Instrument Flight Rating, (the one Kennedy should have had). From there you need to pick up Multi Engine and Commercial. There are specific endorsements that are needed to fly floatplanes, taildraggers and complex aircraft (More than 200HP, Constant Speed Prop or Retractable Gear). Oh, and Type ratings. If it weighs more than 12,500lbs ya gotta get a Type Certificate to fly it.

Now, things have changed. There is some serious concern that there just aren't enough young people looking into aviation as a career these days. With airlines being run by MBAs (Morons of Business Aviation) along with bankrupted retirement funds professional pilots these days feel more like bus drivers than kings of the sky. Experienced pilots are actually even leaving airlines and going back into the military to fly since the pay, retirement and level of respect for experience is better.

Since I have sons of age I’ve looked into the cost of getting all the ratings to start an aviation career. Self study at a small airport with a flight school would run $30,000 to $40,000. Doing a university degree thing would be in the $65,000.00 plus range. Just renting an airplane dual (with and instructor) these days can easilly be over $100 an hour putting just a private license in the $5,000.00 range. Even the smallest piston rotary wings (helicopters) have always been two or three times as expensive. I wonder how many people have been checking out the ads that have been running on TV lately that tout… "Come learn to fly helicopters".
Come on PowerBall!

Red Lion Airport (N73)

It’s a short walk from the parking lot across the little wooden bridge that transverses the drainage ditch. From there one walks into what was once the airport café where the experience of a world famous frosty mug of Red Lion root beer could be had. When I walked in the door it was the proverbial walk into a time machine. I wanted to ask where Don was, my friend, my instructor. I knew he wasn’t there, he hadn’t been there for years and no one knew what had ever happened to him. I do think about him from time to time, I knew him well and he I. But isn’t that the same feeling that every pilot has for the instructor who gave him the keys to the sky.

Just beyond the café is the "pilot's lounge". If there is one word to describe the pilot’s lounge it would have to be cozy, another word would be constant, it hasn’t changed much in 15 or 20 years. The floor is made of the tile that one would expect to find in a bathroom, you know… the little one inch tiles that would drive anyone crazy who believed in keeping grout clean.

The same tiles that were missing twenty years ago are still missing today. The furniture is overstuffed comfy as it should be. Stark contrast to the seats student and instructor experience in the confines of a C152. The atmosphere like the chairs and sofas is relaxed. Yet it’s that kind of relaxed where you are still on the edge of your game, like the relaxation that one feels from a demanding game of chess. Demanding of attention, yet at ease and satisfying. It’s the same place where I was comfortable 20 years ago and I still felt just as home there today.

The runway threshold is just about 50 yards away, do a greaser and you can walk in tall and arrogant. Slam the gear into the ground and you would get the roasting that you well deserved. Funny how it went, but the others always knew when you needed to be brought down to size with the proper ribbing. They also knew when you needed encouragement.

There is never a shortage of pilots who will walk up to you at an airport like this and happily tell you about their most embarrassing moments. You know, the typical "Ah shit kid, that landing wasn’t that bad, you should have seen the one I did last week. We had to call the FAA and get them to lower the field elevation on the sectional charts", that’s hanger flying. Hanger flying is the best way to learn how to fly. Sure, the books tell you the right answer, the hanger flyers tell you the better answer. Good example would be when a student pilot asks 'in the hanger'... "How far are you alowed to fly out over water without having survival gear?". Well, the book says within glide, the hanger pilots answer that question with another question: "How far can you swim?".

Today those people aren’t around, Red Lion Airport is quiet. I was watching a twin doing a taxi on runway 5 when Arlene walked around the corner. "I know I recognize you, but I just don’t remember your name" she said. "I’m Vince Lyons, it’s been a dozen or two years since I’ve been here". Arlene and her husband Ray own the airport and the FBO, Affiliated Air Services. We talked for a few minutes and reminisced trying to put together the names of the typical hanger flyers who could have been found around the airport years ago. "Coy was just here this morning" she told me. Oh I certainly remembered Coy, he had been my FAA Designated Examiner and had signed my ticket some 24 years and two months ago, sorry I missed the chance to see him.

Arlene told me to go ahead and take a walk down the line and that I should help myself to some magazines too, "Maybe you’ll get the bug again". I told her I still had it, I just need to hit powerball.

Trash Compactor

Anyone who really knows me can verify that I am a man of simple needs. Sure, like most men I'm perfectly happy with a cold bear and a **. But for that matter, what man can't appreciate such baser pleasures?
But yes, I do have other desires. For years I yearned to own my very own rubber chicken. Why? Well you never really know when you're going to need one now do you. Finally thanks to one of my favorite people I do own my very own rubber chicken. It's a splendid device that I'll cherish for the rest of my natural life. No, not laden with frills, just your basic plastic rubber chicken but it works splendidly.

Then of course there is the trash compactor.

Years ago X and I and 'da boys were in a suite in OC, MD for a few days of R&R. Low and behold there was a trash compactor. One quick trip accros the street to the 7-11 provided the nesecary foder for an exciting evening of drinking a beer, putting the empty can in the compactor and pressing the button, it was great fun. Some day I hope to have my very own trash compactor so that I can relive those joyous moments as my heart desires.

Ooops... Almost forgot the airplane.
Some day when I hit poweball, or when the boys go out and get good jobs and they can afford to buy it for me, I need a Cessna.

Oh I don't need a very fancy Cessna, in fact a little C162 Sky Catcher will do. Oh, you've never heard of a C162 Sky Catcher? Me either till recently.

General Aviation just may be back in growth mode with the new LSA (light sport aircraft). Cessna is again selling basic aircraft that could be the trainers to replace the twenty year plus old fleet of Cessna 152's and even older Cessna 150's that have been the mainstay of primary flight training throughout the world.

What has changed? The FAA has established a new category of aircraft based on ASTM specs called "Light Sport Aircraft". The kicker is that the LSA category has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,320 lbs. Well fitting snugly into that category is the new Cessna C162 which has an empty weight of 830 lbs. Compare that to the empty weight of say an ol' Cessna C150M at 1,104 lbs. Well, they put the 150 on a diet and it lost 374 lbs.
The best diet is the price. For quite some time spending about a quarter million was the cheapest anyone could leave the Cessna or Piper factory with a new aircraft. The C162 Sky Catcher will be a relative bargain at $109,500.00 and that's fully equipped with a glass cockpit instead of steam guages. (that's LCD displays instead of mechanical and electric gauges).

I'll take one to go please. Oh, the money? Well... err... I'll get back to you about that.
Cessna Sky Catcher ,

Check out the Sky Catcher Intro Video under media links, you'll see a handsome man.
Yes, it's true, he's lucky enough to look just like me. Jack Pelton, president, chairman and CEO of Cessna is my stunt double. Maybe I can get a special discount!

Someone Please Remember

Gotta ask...

Am I the only one who was pissed when looking at Google's home page today?

Sure, they put up little green things for Earth Day and Santas for Christmas... and they do all sorts of cute artwork... Shamrocks for St. Patty's day...

But today? Nothing.

Well, George W. Bush may not be the most popular man on the planet these days and the last thing I would ever want to see is another young American make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of some worthless sand box...

Yet I just can't help but thank God every single day that Al Gore ("During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet.") was not president of the United States this day six years ago.

Poor Bubba

Well, once again poor Bubba is under the weather.

For thos e that don't know, Bubba is our '92 S10 Blazer.

Well...

T took Bubba to Wally World for an oil change and they topped off the coolant. Well, looks like they mixed red and green... If you don't know it that means BROWN... aka: mud. You see older green and blue antifreeze does not mix with newer red antifreeze. If you mix these two incompatible fluids... it makes BROWN... Brown mud that will not cool an engine.

So, several weeks ago I topped off Bubba with some coolant flush to try and clean out the mess... Well, it froze. Then overheated on C. It was a distraction...

However there was a worse distraction...

While driving Bubba, C reached for an Iced Tea that was in the console... While this distraction was going on, a snow bank jumped in front of Bubba.

Poor Bubba, his right front wheel is now smashed against the fender, and Diad is pissed.

Oh the joys...

Entry for November 23, 2006

20.01 lbs.

I hate those little pop-up things almost as much as I hate the charts that tell you how long the bird has to cook. It got to the point where I was opening the oven door and whacking the pop-up thingy with a fork to see if it was stuck.

Wasn't too bad...

Started getting the thing ready at 08:00 hours this AM. Put the beast in the oven just shy of 09:30... I finally coarched the pop-up thingy to pop up at about 1345. I love those Reynolds plastic bags.

I knew I was forgetting something... You know that feeling in the back of you mind that keeps itching... Had the cranberries, yams, stuffing, olives, bread and butter, gravy. Everything was on the table, or was it. Something was missing. well didn't matter, turned out awesome.

We did the only thing that has turned into a tradition and has survived in the family. All three of "My Three Sons" at the table with me, they don't understand how this once or twice a year ocurance is what keeps me going the other 364 or 365 days. In any event, as usual I had the guys dial the phone....

"In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit amen"

"Bless us oh Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive through Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord, amen."

Of course, hang up the phone...

"In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit amen"

Oh yeah...

About an hour after diner we were eating apple pie, then I remembered. The baked potatos in the microwave.

Ok, so I don't have the Mr.Mom thing down perfect, but what fun would perfect be?