Kwajalein

Whoa.  This is amazing.  Wire recording of the Battle of Kwajalein.  The sound guy is from DC, and the commenter is from New Castle, PA.  Near where I live and where I vacation.  The accent of the commenter and his slang is interesting.  Not quite modern Pittsburg or Cleveland.  Know what else is interesting?  All the bullet snaps from incoming fire.  They are at the wrong end of a rifle range.  Novel journalism for 1944.  Maybe one day they'll bring sound and MOVIE cameras onto the front lines. 

My crotchety old neighbor's boat, the USS Rockwall visited the atoll during the war.  He wanted to know whey there was a forest of trees under the salt water.  It wasn't trees.  It was the mast of sunk Japanese ships.

It's a Wonderful Life

Some YouTube movie reaction videos I enjoy watching.  Like young people watching It's a Wonderful Life for the first time.  I just find it enjoyable, like introducing someone myself to that movie for the first time.  In a way I get to experience this great flick for the first time but through their eyes.  In a way.  You know what I mean?

Anyway.  I like it.

I always get choked at the beginning for Mr. Gower's prayer.  Well, the second time I watched the movie, and knew what was coming.  The T-Bolts come from a Druggist background from that time.  My great great grandfather was an alpine dairyman, then a New York cheesemaker, his sons were druggists, and my grandfather was Kresge's man  

But no one born in the 90s ever know what a 'run on the bank' means. Even after Covid grocery/terlet-paper shopping in April 2020.  That scene is confusing to them.

Why do I know what a bank run is?  I've known since high school at least.  History class?  I'm sure.  I didn't hear about from Grandparents.  There hasn't been a real 'run' in my lifetime.  Not really since FDR, has there?  And the invnetion of FDIC insurance, I suppose.  

"To my big brother, George!  The richest man in town!"

These Canadians are adorable:

Hahvahd Hog

Why did Harvard let this dullard in?  

Does seem to cover the Admission department in glory, eh?

He's strident, but not bright.  Harvard will certainly let the pedigreed in, even if dim, but his liberal parents are more second tier.  I guess the media exposure bumped him up a notch into the rarified air or Cambridge, MA. 

I mean, they let this sickly dullard in, 80 some years ago (yes, i am of the opinion he had help with books and grades).  His father was actually Irish.  Irish-Irish.  But... you can get your pedigree by fine breeding.  Who your people are.  Nowadays by a fortunate and woke media exposure (Kyle Rittenhouse was never going to be offered Ivy League spots, plenty of media, but the wrong side of the politics).  Or, now and back then, wave around enough greenbacks the right way...  Plus a legacy?  Yeah Joe Sr. went to Harvard.

Oh, and they let in a few brainiacs.  Keep up appearances that way

The Song of my People

 "Which do you prefer, T-Bolt:  A day at the range where every thing works out, or a day at the gunsmithing bench where everything works out?"

You know, that is a hard one.  You can HAVE more days at the range, because how often do you need to rebuild your pistol?  And fixing something that broke, well, that means the range day before was less than stellar, so you have that bad taste in your mouth.

A really good day at the bench is awesome!  But few and far between.  

I miss them both, and hope to one day get my stamina and feeling back to at least dabble at it.

Old Henry

In my advanced age, one foot in the grave, older than Trajan's sandals, unfit for infantry service what with the eyes, the feet, the strength failing... anyway!  As an older coot, I enjoy westerns more than when I was a kid. 

Very decently done film, the setting doesn't range far from what is supposed to be 1906 Oklahoma, and probably is (Oklahoma, I mean, it is still 2021, not 1906...).  But the entire movie might be contained to that one piece of property and even that could be only 100 acres.  What I am saying is they told a good story and didn't have to spend a lotta money to do it.  

It stars Tim Blake Nelson (Buster Scruggs, in a previous cowboy role) and he also produced the thing.  Character of Henry McCarty.   He's a widower farmer, stern, with a teenaged son and some trouble comes to his homestead that he then has to deal with.  Henry's never taught the boy how to shoot.  Doesn't want him even touching a trigger.  Only keeps out a ratty old double barrel shotgun his own self.  But...

Lots of gun play, and a big twist or two.  

WAY ahead of you kids

I hope your content doesn't suck.  Write good stories. 

 

Millennials just invented the radio drama https://t.co/X6ohCxTBCm

— 🎅🏻jimtreacher.substack.com🎄 (@jtLOL) December 26, 2021

 

I don't NEED another shoulder holster...

But this WWII style(ish) shoulder/chest holster really tickles my fancy.  

Yeah, let's go with 'ish'.  But the modern version has features to help recommend it.  It's a shoulder holster, watch when you draw for muzzle sweep.

Definitely Open Carry unless it is parka season.  Decent hunting rig in case you have a twitcher.  (But how often do folks have to do a finishing shot when you find your only winged deer in real life?)

It's called 'Alaskan' and I can see wanting a rifle and something handy and BIG is the rifle fails and you have a big Ursus problem contending.   

Sol Invictus

Gambling was encouraged instead of frowned upon.

Masters pretended to be slaves and slaves bossed around the masters.  For a week!

Drunken Caroling was done at night.  Usually in the nude.

I am glad you co-opted this popular midwinter celebration, and pointed it toward the Son instead of the Sun, Constantine.  Good job.  But I am super appreciative I don't have to sing Good King Wenceslas at the neighbors house all starkers in the 30 degree weather.

 

Triple Dog Dare

It's a Christmas tradition!  Like Peking Duck.

 

Be good, for GOODNESS sake.

 

Here's the thing...

When you start getting better and stop jerking the trigger so much (hell it only took me 10 years) you'll be surprised how you can ring a silhouette sized gong at 50 or 100 yard ranges.

So practice at range. Hold right on.

Gong is better than paper because of the instant positive/negative feedback

Then try something that moves.  Faster movers require a bit of zen to it, and you'll miss more than at range.  A Texas Star spinner is fun when you are in practice and get a decent run.

 

Now THAT is a nice murder weapon

Neat!

 

With Omicron Spiking Cases

I gotta watch this number.  See how fast the deaths rise.  

The county graphs won't make it obvious.  Right now (the 21st) they are only reporting cases increases from the 4th of December (they were hacked.  no really.  so the deaths are prolly stalled at the 4th, too).  It was highish then and is probably alarmingly high now.

The state graphs have up to date cases, but only the deaths up to the 4th of December.  Wonder

Well, no...

 The linoleum was mostly before them boomers.  Boomer did shag wall to wall.

pic.twitter.com/tnU6AWMBXu

— Braxton McCoy (@braxton_mccoy) December 16, 2021

A1

 I was thinking...  I need to get A1 steak sauce when I am out and order steak.

No, not for the meat.  For the steak fries.  I'm not going to a Sizzler, the cut of meat at places I do go to are usually very good.  I used to put A1 on Cube Steak in the 80s.  

Where did they get the Cube Steak, anyway?  Is it from dairy cows, grown too old to give milk?  Is that a New York Strip from a steer the cattleman hated?  

Anyway, while the cut of meat may be tender, the french fries can be hit or miss.  Duck Fat fries with some sort of truffle reduction aioli?  Prolly doesn't need the sauce.  The A1 is only for AFTER all the steak juice has been mopped up by the potato.  

In my reading

 I vary between fiction and non-fiction.  (Well, duh….)

No, I mean I usually read a bunch from one column, get tired of that, then switch to the other for a while.

Binge History and technical stuff for a week or three, then binge Fiction.  

Same with the video screen.  Mudlarking, WWI history, and horology, then Ralph Bakshi and John Ford movies.  Cowboy Bebop.

"Horology, T-Bolt?  Is that about…."

It's about clockmaking.

"Oh. Ohhhhh.  Right.  Of course."

Recently?  Sanctuary, Gene Wolfe, Dickens (Christmas Carol, then Copperfield).  Not highbrow at all.  Well, Gene Wolfe is.  

And non-fiction?  Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Fall of Dachau (I know the grandson of this guy), Combat Engineer (huh... WWII heavy) Blood on the Ohio, How to Run a Lathe.

WTF?!

No.  Don't normalize negligent discharges, idjit.

dog i cant breef pic.twitter.com/HEqxPXy7V0

— golira🦍 (@spoogemane) December 18, 2021

Weekend Morning Tradition

 Is it really a tradition if it is less than a year old?  I have been indulging a sweet tooth.  Coffee and these:

Or these:

I got cancer, what the hell.  I hold myself to only 3 cookies.  I don't have to.  I just do

(The Berger cookies are native to Bawlmer.  They are really just plain Jane shortbread cookies that are a vehicle to the fudge.)

We moved to a new house the day before my 3rd birthday.  I have distinct memories of that day.  I was three and I got three cookies.  I put two and two together... or really two and one, and figured I was a big boy a whole three years old that was why I was getting three whole cookies now.

When my fourth birthday rolled around, I still retained that logic and was looking forward to getting FOUR cookies for the next year.  My parents disabused me of that notion.  I was sorely disappointed.

Then it was Oreos, Fig Newtons, or homemade stuff.  Mom whipped up fork crushed peanut butter cooking quicklike. 

Chevy

My grandfather always liked Chevy's.  Ever since that Model T let him down and some nice soul towed him and his college buddy across the entire state of Ohio.  With a rope.  Different times.  He was selling encyclopedias....

Had a song he'd sing with our last name.

Jingle bells, Jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride

In T-Bolt's Chevrolet

This was Paw Paw T-Bolt.  My other Grampa died in '44, as you may remember.

Carry Options

"How do you carry your pistol?  OWB kydex?"

Nah.

"Milt Sparks, IWB?"

No.

"Pocket?"

Not any more.

"Ankle?!" 

No, I Clog-Carry in my TactiCrocs.  The pockets of my Cargo Shorts were all spoken for for other gear.

G-g-g-g-Ghostguns. Scoob?

It's already illegal for those 'too dangerous to own a gun' to have a gun. You want to make illegaller? Super-illegal? Illegal-Plus-Plus?

It's not illegal for me to own a gun. Let me, and everyone like me, gunsmith in peace.

— J T Bolt (@NewJovianTBolt) December 16, 2021

Good News

From another blog. 

The ATF is letting the boot on our neck up a little bit.  They aren't taking it off, but it's a little less uncomfortable.

Suppressor approval in 4-6 weeks instead of 8-14 months?  Yes please.  

Master List 4

Getting simpler over time. Had a half dozen of so on Master List #2.  Fewer on #3

In order of desire...

1.  A .45ACP rifle with a big honking suppressor.  DeLisle repro
2. I kinda jones for S&W Model 65 with a 3 inch barrel?  K Frame, "the perfect carry revolver".
3. A .308 rifle good for hunting, with glass.  A tikka?  
4. S&W Model 625.

And I am just sorta spitballing now.  If I happened in to my favorite gun store and Tom said, "Hey, we just got this in" and it was one of the above?  Credit card snap.  I can't think of anything else that would do that.  Not in the sub $3000 range.  

---

I'd buy a $10,000 gun, but I'd have to think on it.  I just can't think of a gun that price I would want.  Working BARs go for much more.

Am I weird for wanting a relatively low magnification fixed power scope for a hunting rifle.  4x can get you pretty close to the action for any venison.  And sniping bad guys...  Hell 500 yards is pretty far and Marines routinely quality at that range over iron sights.  A 4X ACOG is pricy, but all decent scopes are pricey.  Kinda weird hunting with a bolt action and ACOG combo.  But why not?

Though it is not like I am going to go rifle hunting anytime in my future.  No, wait, you never know.  A hunting trip could fall in my lap, some season, somehow.  "I'll drive you to my buddy's lodge in West Virginia, we'll hunt and then cigars and bourbon.  The stands are a easy stroll from the warm comfy beds."

Christmas Future

 

Boltie

I never did get a bolt action rifle.  

Years ago I should just got a Finnish Tikka.  They have magazine fed versions, and lots of left handed options.  Just a hole that was never filled.  

I think the closest dealer is in Frederick Maryland.  Which is above the Interstate 70 line.  North of that line is where hunters can use rifles.  Which might be a clue as to why decent Euro hunting rifles are sold at that gunstore.  Frederick is plenty close enough to go gun shopping for me.  

.308 of course.

---

I need to make a new Master List of 'gonnes I wanna buy.'

I haven't updated it in forever, and my tastes and desires may have shifted.

Snuck Past the Algorithm

An ad on Facebook:

 I've seen a lot more of firearm related products on Facebook, and no fewer than usual products for sale in Amazon's website, this holiday shopping season.  

I don't do blog related stuff on FB usually.  So how do they know to serve up gun ads?  Well, blogger is Google and Google talks to FB.  But I also lurk on "Custom 1911s" groups, too, to eyeball the pretties. Nothing too mysterious about them trying to sell me a Rittenhouse t-shirt even though they might not realize it is a Rittenhouse t-shirt.  Also, a LOT of brass catchers to attach to an AR.being hocked to me.  

I bet if someone snitches them out that long sleeve shirt will get pulled.  But I'm not gonna snitch.  

Montgy County

My county.

Once the richest and safest county in the state.  A quiet bedroom community for DC commuters.  Now with policies that attract inflow migration of Hispanics, many of which are illegal aliens, and now it is easy to get cheap labor at the Dunkin Donuts and the Home Depot. Lawn mowing and house cleaning services are affordable because of the off books nature and competition.    

Carjackings more than DOUBLED.  Yeah but does that mean it went from 5 to 11 per year?  I mean, we get crime, but this isn't Baltimore of DC...  And murders are a single digit type situation too.  

And as long as you don't hang around the rum joints that was far from my neighborhood... Malicious destruction or petty crime doesn't really extend beyond some littering and parking disputes.  So I am grateful for that.  I don't get porch pirates come for my Amazon packages, even.  If my neighborhood is infested with illegal aliens they are honest middle class illegal aliens that keep their noses clean and press their high school age children to do the same.  

I am still on the lookout.  You know, locking the door to the car on entry for carjacking precautions.  In case of one bad apple.  A burglar wants in my house when I am at work, well, he is getting in, except my neighborhood doesn't totally empty out.  My neighbors all wave.   They'd notice someone besides me.  So that helps some.  

Back to cops.  The MoCo PoPo.  Not noticed a dearth of patrol cars, but how could I tell, 10% either way?  But the county let go 25 officers and didn't back fill 30 positions where an officer left of their own accord.  60ish out of 1200?  Who does that satisfy?   It doesn't make the Defund Police types any happier, and doesn't help normal people at all.  It's nibbling a margin, slowly attriting  .  Just useless.  Our local gov't office are filled with cowardly dolts, but that is a universal condition these days.  Never super competent, but less so lately.  You can say that going back a century, though.  

Men's Magazines

 It actually HAPPENED.

"I was chased by pack of bloodthirsty otters that bit me 26 times in TEN SECONDS… I thought I was going to die, says Brit"

Yeah, but what KIND?

You all heard about that congressional aide accidentally toting his firearm downtown where that is a no-no.  And got arrested for it.  Poor guy.  Prolly forgot his perfectly legit CCW piece was in his backpack.

It was a .45.

Is it weird that my only interest other than 'poor bastard' is 'wonder what kind of .45....'

It was a Gunny, too, up for promotion, and now has to face this music.

I bet it was a Kimber.

PSA on the Radio

Virginia Department of Health:

"Fall is in full swing, so be sure to keep protecting yourself from Covid 19...  Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly..." etc. and summat.

Well, we know that WuFlu doesn't spread on your hand contact.  It's respiratory aeresol, which is why masks that work aren't used (too hard) and masks that don't just don't (but are easy to use).

Still...  The hand washing thing.  I don't mind that.  Seen too many people come out of a terlet stall and just keep walking out the door here at the office.  ~shiver~  That changed because of this novel Corona virus because of all these Public Service Announcement.  

Now, some people, when this is all over, will go back to their slovenly ways. But I am hoping in the main that  greater percentage of folks in the population will be habitual post ablution hand washers.  And that is a good thing for a whole host of other reasons un-Covid related.  Move the need from 80% hand washing to 83% hand washing in 2032, still?  Net plus for society.  With luck it is a greater improvement than a mere 3%.  

A noble lie in the PSA I do not mind a whit.  You disgusting Typhoid Mary wannabe savages. (not YOU, you always washed up.  That other guy.)   

---

Typhus... Typhoid.  I often got those confused.  I should remember it because Typhoid Mary had bad hygiene and was the cook, so she she spread a gut disease.  And Typhus is the lice one, and Scrub Typhus in some Pacific theaters was AWFUL for the warfighters that got it.

I'd have to gut you like a fish!

Even an ox dies.

Yeah, I don't have 3 bad men to go against in a saloon, so let's not make that kind of arrangement.  Nor do I need copious quantities of laudanum just yet.  

Head Cold

Anecdotally, nigh everyone is coming down with a head cold.  Kind of a nasty one.  Non-Covid.  The president sounded like a frog.  This guy.   Those are the 'famous' ones  Buddies at work also got the crud.  Not laid low  

Peeps are hypersensitive about the WuFlu so they are in tune with maladies and hence sharing said info.  

That said

I still made it 52 years without seeing this movie:

I KNOW!  That's not like me at all.  I mean, I don't gravitate to musicals, but still!  If you can watch Wizard of Oz every year until age of majority you can watch this once. 

Come to think of it, it didn't get a lot of syndication repeats for my area, to my memory.  Miracle on 34th Street got a lot more air time.  It's a Wonderful Life, of course. 

General Waverly was the same actor from Twelve O'Clock High.  Major Stovall, the Group Adjutant.  Dean Jagger

I thought the same actress appeared in both this and It's a Wonderful Life, but I was confusing Mary Treen and Mary Wickes.

The sets were gorgeous.  On a huge soundstage.  And in VistaVision.  Most of the outdoor shots were indoors.  Fire in the fireplaces and everything.  Inside.  And I have the same steamer trunk as Danny Kaye.  There is a LONG scene in the dressing that Bing and Danny make look effortless, but just memorizing the script for it would have been a big deal.  No cuts. Vera-Allen has some serious dancer gams, and watching her, the boys, and Rosemary Clooney to a quartet  about snow....  I found myself going "Damn!" at numerous points, so impressed was I with the performances.

And it starts out Christmas on the WWII battlefront.  Sorta appropriate for what started for us EIGHTY years ago.  I still haven't forgiven the Japanese for all that.  I should probably let it go.  I'm not Irish; I shouldn't be willing to carry paper on a grudge that long.  

Gun content:  I think I saw an unscoped Springfield 03 among the soldier in was was set late-war.  I saw the 03, pretty sure no scope.

Another Side Effect

Of the infusions?  They pump me full of Benadryl to keep my chance of having an adverse reaction low.  But then I am wiped out the rest of the day.  

Minor, I know.   

Two things I didn't expect.  Being that cold, and being that sleepy.

And I can't sleep a wink all night

It only took 50 some years.

Despite recent challenges, I feel... satisfied.  Like I've simplified and distilled my life down to well worn paths and habits.  And that's a good thing.  

I feel like the Detective Somerset character in Se7en.  Coasting into retirement, but before get roped into the event that then happen.

Sure, something could also happen to ME and knock everything into a cocked hat.  Something will, eventually.  That's the way life works.  I could get worsening health outcomes, I could get fired and struggle to get another job, my neighborhood could get hit by a meterorite, levelling it...

But, right now, I am satisfied with where I am.  

And my health could/should improve.  I'd like to re-add some missing paths.  Like a regular trip to the range.  Seek out the grail of firearm acquisitions...  A DeLisle repro.  Now that I can't, I long to have the ability to get back into the workshop and make something out of wood.  So, I got things to maybe look forward to.  

Yeah, this cancer is gonna kill me, but first we have to do that time period where I go "I'm in complete remission," until I am not.  Probably.  That is probably what is gonna happen.  

 

Improvise

A much better weapon than the CCW pistol in your holster.  More quickly deployed, effective at stopping the threat, and I have ready access to it in my gun-unfriendly state.  

**Here’s the best way to stop a potential carjacking. 😳🤣
*Follow me for more safety tips.😉#CriminalJustice 🚗😆 pic.twitter.com/lxrJT0kYHo

— Politically Incorrect Joker 🃏 (@rikki7s) December 2, 2021

County Covid

Almost fully vaxxed

Still 81 cases a day.

Well, whatcha gonna do?  Low utilization of hospital beds for it, at least.  5%.  Last January is was 27% taken up.  County doesn't post data on deaths.

All in all, SUPER fast, not just here but errywar

I was hoping

I was hoping that with a new generation we might lose school shooters.

From Columbine to Parkland, the school shootings had all been Millennials.  Few GenX or Boomers shot up a school. I was hoping the Zoomers would not take that path.  Sometimes a generation will do that.  Break from the previous' trend .  But I can't twist the 15 year old into the previous generation and blame a cohort with an irrational and sweepingly broad brush anymore.  Silly, I know.  It was just a trend I wanted ended.  

It's not the gun that's the problem; it's the fact that teenagers have come to want to solve their problems with violence. https://t.co/fXqkkVUh5f

— UR a Smart Ass, Carl (@cleflore23) December 1, 2021

I said no side effects

From the mono-clonal antibody infusions, but that's not entirely true.

All these are mild.  Very mild.  

I get the scoots.  Light scoot, admittedly.  WITH constipation.  That's a new experience.  Simultaneously having the runs and not being able to go at the exact same time.  INORITE?  Weirdest damn thing.

3 minutes of fever.  And an hour later 3 minutes of fever again.

Sleeplessness, but then the next morning not suffering from that perceived lack of sleep.  

So, the real answer is 'no truly bothersome side effects.'  Noticeably more energy.  No impact on neuropathy?  Maybe more pain sensors activating in the bad areas.  My fingers sting like burnt.   

I miss beer.  I miss cocktails.  I miss bourbon.  I want to smoke a pipe of tobacco.  

Question

When do I tell my boss about the cancer?

I've told family and close friends.  That's it.  No casuals like co-workers.  But co-workers notice my time off and my f-ed up feet and f-ed up hand.  And knew about my whinging over back pain until the lyrica took that down to a dull roar.   They KNOW shit is wrong.  I can't hide it.  Limping and hobbling at half speed.  

I should prolly tell the guy that approves my timesheets.  

But it's also none of their bidness.  I shouldn't have to tell anyone I don't want to tell.  This is going to kill me, but it's not going to kill me soon.  I will probably get to retirement age.  Maybe even switch to another company before that happens.  Get the jump-ship-pay-boost.  So telling them is moot. 

I'll tell the boss.  You think I should tell the boss?  Just him tho.

T-Bolt?

 "Are you not telling us something?"

Today is my Third Infusion

Real infusion.  Not counting what felt exactly like infusion in the infusion room those three time times but was really an excuse to take labs and give my fluids and get me in practice.

Remember when I told you they lie?  "It's will be be just a coupla infusions, 4 hours each.  I know I told you zero before."  It's more like 10, plus.  Up to 9 hours.

"Someone didn't tell you to bring a lunch and blanket."  Nope.  This is a hospital.  You don't have blankets?

It's sugar coating and lies of omissions.  Just give me the straight unvarnished truth.  I've told you that, need to tell you again.  Maybe ask my real life expectancy.

Anyway, I felt no side effect from the first 2 real chemo type infusions.  Horray 21st Century advances.  No vomiting, no nausea, prolly will keep my eyebrows.  Great success so far!  I look forward to seeing the labs for THIS one.  Numbers were kinda normalizing....  Hemoglobin up to almost normal, white blood cells down to almost normal.  Good stuff.  I bet that giant lymph node in my gut has shrunk, too.

Also:

---

No side-effects.

Remember the 1970s?

Democrats and the media weren't cool with the hostage crisis in Iran and weren't cool with inflation, either. 

Have constituencies changed that much?  People that buy things and aren't as fortunate as I am currently, (buying expensive sweaters and fancy furniture without it breaking my budget) being really hurt by real inflation.  Not inflation on sofas.  Inflation on food, gas to get to work, used cars.  

When I Worked at the Brewery

I was poor.  And working a crew at the bottling line was boring, so we'd jaw-about.  "First thing you do if you won the lottery?"  "Two chicks at the same time..."  

My first thing?  To buy a restaurant quality citrus juicer.  I liked OJ with my brefass, and the only OJ I knew was this:

Not satisfactory, and I didn't like the pulp.  I wanted fresh for once, I was a lottery winner.  So, this is what I wanted:

When I started a better paying office job and moved into this house my mom went grocery shopping to help fill my cabinets while me and the boys moved in my furniture.  One of the things she got was this: 

 And my life changed.  THIS tasted fresh enough and I didn't have to do any pulp alleviation.  My juicer dreams went on hold, even tho my means didn't require a lottery jackpot to afford one.  Besides, that juicer takes up a lotta counter real estate i na small kitchen.  

I gotta get rid of that air fryer.  Upgrade the toaster oven at the same time (stove and toaster hidden by fridge).  Keep the mini convection oven capability and free up that counter space.

I digress

My mind revisited this ole citrus-squeezer dream every now and then until I finally got this:

It's a compromise, but still good.  Seven medium sized oranges through a strainer later and I enjoyed a nice glass of my own fresh squeezed.  Another thing off the bucket list.  And now I am eyeballing the pomegranates.  

Death!

In the 17th C.  London.

From reddit.

And remember, London in 33 years after this list will have a Bubonic Plague outbreak that won't see an end of til the town burns.  That will do in 100,000.  

Just considering the stuff that made the triple digits, the big ones.

• Old age
• Childbirth, various, death to mother or child or both
• Diarrhea
• Infection
• Tuberculosis
• Being an infant, very dangerous
• Small Pox
• Bad teeth

And Edema and Convulsions from something, probably another cause.  Lots of the little ones also end up really being part of the above.  

Seven murders in a metropolis of half a million.  More died of tetanus.

Thank goodness for vaccines, sanitation, antibiotics, and modern dentistry.  Insert English teeth-joke, here.  

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm just enjoying it alone.  In the dark.

Oh, I have pie!

 

Been thinking about the setup

They knew Kyle would rush up to put out a fire.  They'd seen him do it.

What if Rosenbaum coordinated with the fire starter and the unknown pistol shooter?  To get Kyle out of place for an ambush.  Rosenbaum had hair on his ass and was willing to take the risk.  He chose poorly.  After Rosenbaum was shot the mob…mobbed, and numbers looked for strikes to Kyle's rear if the opportunity presented.  Jump kick from behind.  Huber's skate board on the flank.  Grosskreutz with the Glock.  I doubt these had anything but just the most general coordination.  Nothing beyond, 'get em!'

But angry Rosenbaum, he wanted a scalp.  Crazy and stupid and angry.  His attack might have had more planning to it.

Dumb?

Was it dumb to step up and try to protect a friends place from commies the cops refused to control? 

I wouldn't say dumb.  It seems like his motivations ended up being purely honorable, too.

It may not have been wise.  Going out there might easily get you wrapped around the legal axle, Kyle, and hindsight has proved that out.  The court case could have gone against you.  And it gave you month of misery before emerging from the darkness.  A wiser move might have avoided all that, but at least it ended satisfactorily.  He was just a roof-Korean on the ground, a less than optimal tactical positioning.

Medal of Freedom from President Biden?  Sure, why not.  Would help handsy-Joe's poll numbers.  

Jaleel, self defense is self defense

 

Jaleel Stallings [a black man] fired on police officers during the George Floyd riots. Why? They shot at him first and he didn’t know they were cops [they didn’t identify themselves] — so he shot back.

NOT GUILTY. SELF DEFENSE. pic.twitter.com/SqbRiqy4r2

— Eve Keneinan 𝛗☦️ن (@EveKeneinan) November 19, 2021

Not just this guy even felons like Andrew Coffee IV are entitled to self defense.  Not just squeaky clean 17 year old white kids that wanna grow up to be a fireman. 

Sweater Weather

I hated sweaters growing up.  The wool is kid's sweaters at the price level people would buy me were always super itchy.   And I hated tight-fitting pullovers thicker than a t-shirt.

But now that I am older button down cardigans appeal.  Especially as I am more cold-sensitive with the cancer and all.  

I can afford decent ones, too.  But there is a downside to the nice stuff.  Fabric care.  Dry clean only?  Like that is gonna happen.  But people had sweaters longer than the dry clean process.  If I have a care I can cold hand-wash in Woolite and dry by sandwiching between two towels on a flat surface.  I can also help that care regime with blends.  I'm no cashmere snob.  

There is only one problem with drifting toward a shawl collar cardigan.  The vibe is more Mr. Rodgers, or besotted Irish middle aged pub rat if I am in my cups.  The right white pullover and a captains hat and I'd look like a U-Boat Captain. 

Seriously, tho.  I used to just wear a shirt, all winter long, with the thermostat set to 68.  Now it is t-shirt, flannel shirt, wool socks, and sweater and I am tempted to turn up the dial.  And that's when the temperature outside dips below 50.  

---

oops, set for wrong 6 o'clock

They lied

 Again.

They said it was 4 hours?  More like 8.

Another Big Day

Real Chemo Day.  First one.  Big IV bag and everything.  9:30. I'll let you know how it turns out.   

Well THIS win was totally unexpected

"Ghost Guns" Quality (ahem) firearms you make yourself at home, a totally normal and un-nefarious act, is not gonna be illegal in Washington DC. 

I never expect surprise wins.  It seems to always go the other way.  The ratchet of rights restrictions tightens their way, not our.  But here is a good one.  

The District of Columbia has dealt with Dick Heller before, and lost Bigly.  Don't want anymore of that guy all up in their face.  

Why work such a Bill in the first place?  Criminal could (and have) built guns and used them to commit felonies, and these guns weren't traceable back to the last legal purchaser or gun store.  As opposed to committing felonies with guns acquired from some legal purchaser or gun store by some illegal means.  I mean, c'mon, the point is the committed felonies, not trying to find the last innocent that laid hands on something and wrap that poor person around an axle.  Focus!

At least making guns from 80% frames or lowers is better than zip guns or pipe shotguns.  And there certainly is a totally licit purpose for same. 

But the DC council wasn't writing a bill that made sense and took sensical things into account, and Heller called em on it before they made a mistake.

Not Guilty

I thought the kid was Not Guilty on day one, with all the video that came out then.  

Glad he's free.  Still think it more prudent to not do stupid thing with stupid people (the rioters doing their argel-bargle) at a stupid time of night.  But stupid isn't a crime.  

Now I don't think Black Rifle Coffee Company stepped on their own d!ck by being against Kyle or being against self defense.  Their problem was talking to the NYTimes and expecting to be treated fairly, maybe motivated by their desire to take the company public, I dunno.  The frog listening to the scorpion before crossing the river.  Talking to the big Media should make as much sense as doing stupid things with stupid people at a stupid time of night.  I think BRCC made a mistake.  That or a perplexing conscious decision.  

--- --- --- 

Hey, he probably does get that rifle back, doesn't he.

Chemo

"Hey we know we scheduled you for chemo on the Tues/Wed of Thanksgiving week, can we push that up to the 6th and 7th?  It being the holiday and all."

YOU MEAN AFTER I ALREADY SCHEDULED AROUND IT?  SURE!  JUST LET ME USE YOUR TIME MACHINE SO I CAN GO BACK AND CHANGE MY TRAVEL PLANS!  THIS IS MORE DELAYS IN MY TREATMEN FOR A THING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEM DELAYED A YEAR AND A HALF SINCE WUFLU KNOCKED EVERYTHING INTO A COCKED HAT!  WHAT'S ANOTHER WEEK AFTER 18 MONTHS, AMIRITE?!

"No, that would be inconvenient for me."

Falling Apart

Going to the Orthopedist today.  In the long list of kitchen sink health issues I am struggling with, my left wrist feels broken.  It may not BE broken, but let's let a pro tell me one way or another.  Get a brace or a cast or stretches to do... whatever.  

My guess, carpal tunnel.  

I can't take my wallet out of my pocket, tuck my shirt in, or draw from a holster right now.  I am nigh helpless to defend myself.  If the Rittenhouse riots come to my street I am boned.   

This does wear on a fella.  I feel like one of those tender vittles that always got hurt back in school.  I looked down on them, then, but now karma returns. 

That seems germane to the Defense

First we were told the FBI lost the the high res drone footage.  Here is the low res, tho.

Then the trial happened and the DA had to zoom in on low res footage to make his case that KR was threatening with his rifle.  A no-no.  Awful blurry...

NOW we are told, after the trial, that the DA apparently had that lost footage this whole time.  Didn't share with the Defense.  Or tell the FBI they found it or something?  Was it in the sofa cushions?

I'm calling Shennanigans.

Any Port in a Storm

I get to take the bandage off, myself today.   And shower.  Hurts a bit.  Like everything else.  I talked about the surprise mediport they made me get.  It's one thing after another.

Go in for back pain, get neck surgery instead.

Go in for neuropathy, get cancer instead.

Gain a bit more energy when they treat that and then walk out to the car two extra times during a workday and get denied care at a pharmacy after a long walk and get awful blood blisters on the soles of the feet

Go in to get a wound fixed on a foot and the cane brings on awful, crippling, carpal tunnel in my shooting hand.

Go in for cancer pills, get months of infusion tacked on as a surprise. 

Go in for a simple vaccination and they tell me I gotta go back again.  And again.  And so on.   

Well all the time ya spend trying to get back what's been took from ya, more is going out the door. After a while you just have to try to get a tourniquet on it.  

Maybe one day all this medical folderol will settle down.  Not this week, though.  It wears on you, ya know?  I knew I'd get aches and pains as I got old but I didn't think they'd come all at once, now.  Just keep going like I am gonna hit age 95 and if I don't get there let it be a surprise, I guess. 

The Moon

The moon landing hoaxers are just covering the true conspiracy.

 

 

Dust Cover

I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back home. They're not much bigger than that ejection port

— J T Bolt (@NewJovianTBolt) November 13, 2021

Well, I, for one, am shocked

It’s so crazy how you can go into a store and buy a FULL AUTO MACHINE GUN right off the shelf with no background checks. We need stronger gun laws @Everytown @MomsDemand pic.twitter.com/BUWlVev3PB

— 🇲🇽 𝒦𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒟𝒾𝒶𝓃𝑒𝓍𝒾𝓈 👑 (@Dianexis) November 14, 2021

Brunch

I think I'll go to brunch at the club. 

Fatty

Fellow blogger Miguel has had great success losing a lot of weight.  Good on ya! 

I, too, have dropped a bunch.  August 2020 I weighed in at 296.  By my neck surgery that Christmas time, I was down to 266.  I chalked it up to teetotalling a bit, because I wanted less strain on my neck and back.  I assumed back surgery was next in the cards.  

But we know, now, that Cancer may have helped drop the poundage.   And now COMPLETE teetotalling.

I was stuck at 266 for months.  Well, now chemo has started.  Down to 256.  Might have to go dig out some old pants at this rate.  REAL Chemo, not just pills, hits at Thanksgiving.  

I like being svelte, and I like how easy it is to stay at the lower level, but the circumstances helping me are unsustainable.  In 7 months the drip will be done, and I might be getting back to normal.  If in remission I may put the pounds back on.  

That's the bad news.

The good news is this cancer never goes away.  It'll come back and weight loss will be easy.

"What do you do for a diet, T-Bolt?"

Nothing.  Cancer diet!  But try to add protein, by doctor's orders.  Oh yeah, no booze.  Other than that... sedentary lifestyle.   

10th

21.5 million people hold a CCW permit.

Plenty of states, now, you don't even need a permit to CCW.  Could have been another 5 million on top of that 21.5?  4,000,000? 

There are only 258 million adult in this country.  So 1 in 10 adults can or are toting at any one time.  40 people at the Safeway with you?  Four of them legally have a pistol for personal defense.

I just thought that amazing.

-

Oops, even John Lott beat me to this.      

I Can See That Too

I do not accept the idea that the people of a community should sit by and allow rioters to destroy it.

I'm not a leftist.

— RBe (@RBPundit) November 11, 2021

Been thinking

What with the Supreme Court case, and the failures of judgement of Kye Rittenhouse placing himself, of his own volition, into the wrong place at the wrong time, for good reasons, perhaps...

No matter.

What if, in some crazy parallel universe, the Supreme court rules that the entire country is Constitution Carry, and all gun free zones are a violation.

Then the gun 'bans' would be on the individual carriers.  We'd ban ourselves.

"That outdoor event will be super crowded.  Easy to get pickpocketed.  I better not go or if I do leave my pistol at home or switch to super-deep relatively inaccessible carry."  

"I better not hit the Bank of America ATM on Mugme Street, it is after 11PM, after all.... Not without 3 friends."

"Big protest downtown.  I agree with the cause but there are likely to be angry counter protesters.  Better stay home. "  (Tho, funny story, I was in Cleveland when a protest appeared around me. I was armed, as were the people I was with.  But it was just green haired upper middle class college students in a tony part of the restaurant district.  'Who's streets?  Our streets.' with no real enthusiasm.  No big deal.)

I mean, you CAN ban yourselves.  Or you can open carry in a floppy holster and get disarmed by any kid with a notion to.  And the sliding scale between the two with various levels of retention and wariness.  For me, and I am sure about all of you, there is a little extra responsibility assumed when carrying.  In my advanced age I try to apply more common sense than when I was a knucklehead youngster.

But heck, with universal Constitution carry, maybe that'd be like the floor of an NRA show.  Lots of carry, no shennanigans, no drama.

Yeah, It's a Mystery

What did the prosecution think they were doing in the Rittenhouse case?

I don't need to tell you if you have been paying the least bit attention to it.  The prosecutorial witnesses all get turned into defense witnesses.  

If it weren't for the controversy and high visibility and politics of the thing this whole case would have been dropped long ago, in a rational world.

"Withdraw all charges." "Directed verdict."  "Case dismissed."  

I still don't feel comfortable with Kyle being there.  Stuff went down because he was there and obviously armed.  On full display.  And that made him a foci of the awful people that show up on purpose to riot and destroy.  Nothing good happens after dark.  If you wanna be a Roof Korean, stay on your roof.  Your store.  Don't be Batman until after you make your first billion.

Yes, Kyle did all those things wrong.  That doesn't mean he didn't defend himself lawfully.  It's not a crime to be out after 10, it's just increases the likelihood of bad results occurring when you are out after 10.  He effed up, but not in a 'needs time in prison now' kind of effed.      

---

And now HE takes the stand.  Did not expect that.  Doing fine, and DA's office is covering themselves with the same amount of glory they have the entire trial.  

---

Was is wrong to go to Kenosha?  No, not WRONG.  Just tempting fate.  At least he was able to defend himself instead of going all Reginald Denny.  

 

Ooo this

 If I hate it, well, it wasn't that much money.  Not like a leather Chesterfield.  This'll do.

Furniture Shopping

I wanna upgrade two old and busted furniture items.  A hand me down club chair, and a 90s sofabed.  Get something GOOD.  

See em?  You can see the recliner like at the top of this blog.  The green chair and the sofa.

Get the new hotness delivered.

And get the old thing hauled away.

I always wanted something like a Chesterfield.   And this one is wide enough I can sleep on it.

Can't decide with the chairs...  

Which style?  All have something going for them.

 

Oh Joy

They keep changing the deal.  First it was just 2 a day capsules.  Then them two plus a handful of others.  Oh, and IV hydration.  And no beer.  And you are gonna need a couple IV chemos in a month or so.  Ok, LOTS of IV chemos.  Stupid cancer.

Now I gotta get one of these surgically installed.   More machine than man, now...

 

What is that? A port, in my chest, to make it easier to give blood samples and get that chemo infusion.  

Scan

I bought maybe 3 Soldier of Fortune magazines in my life.  In the 80's.  One of em reviewed a stainless Colt Python, I remember that.  There was another article about bounty hunters.  Another about modern military Sniper doctrine, and concentrate on Israelis (that was where some of the action was, after all.)

Well this fell out of one of the magazine and I found it during the recent clean.  Neat.  Remember the Contras?

   

Dred Scott

The decision was prolly right, by the law, in the Dred Scott case, if Taney was a racist ass, or not.  It decided two things.  Former slaves, freedman, or any black person, had no rights the country had to observe, and thus no real standing in court, and Congress had no authority to enact laws in the territories regarding slavery.

A Civil War happened and 3 Amendments were passed to sort that all out.  So the execrable parts of Dred Scott resolved.  

But us gunnies note the ruling did elucidate the assumptions people had in the 1850s regarding individual rights of US Citizens.  So when an anti-gun person says that them old timers just thought of right to keep and bear arms belong only to the militia, we can point to this case as a dispositive to that collective right nonsense.

Kopel goes into all this in a long Federalist article.   I've been harping on this subject a while, but Kopel does a much better job.  RTHT, &c.

SCOTUS Arguments

Reading the court tea leaves is folly, but we all do it anyway.

Been checking the oral argument transcript.  Normally this has been hashed out line by line elsewhere, but not this time, yet.  There is some, yes.  But not the big splash I'd have expected.  

Encouraging from CJ Roberts:  "The idea that you would need a license to exercise a right is unusual with regard to the Bill of Rights." 

Makes him sound friendly to Vermont style Constitution Carry.  Wouldn't that be a weird ruling in June?  Making the entire nation permitless at a stroke?  Way too much to ask for.  I truly doubt.  But....

 

Bloodymore, Murerland

Well, I guess there is some news, and local, in Baltimore Maryland.

Perennially bedecked with some of worst crime in the country, pound for pound, my state's largest city is on an upswing of violence right now.  Bigwig city politicians are proud and happy for the largesse coming their way to ostensibly tamper down this upswing.  That money might be doing something but... it has no impact apart from greasing pockets that need to be greased.

The American Rescue Plan's Safe Streets is hogwash.  At least in Baltimore.  Prolly in your local city, too.

So it goes.  

The city takes, but no longer produces.  More money goes in than value comes out.  Every extra dollar sent into it is a dollar consumed with nigh zero returns on that investment.  At least this money came from the printer, so people in Oregon are also paying, and not just me and my neighbors. 

 

Not much 2A news

The SCOTUS case won't be ruled on til June.  Mebbe there will be news during the arguments here soon.

Mass shooting in a mall?  Only 2 hits and the shooter was a felon.  No news traction.

I have no interest in getting a new blaster.  Bout the only thing that interests me is something with a can.  .22 or .45.  But not til I get my energy.

Speaking of energy.  Been on capsule flavored Chemo.  IV Chemo is Tuesday Wednesday of Thanksgiving week.  Joy.  Poor timing, that.  Turkey sammiches for me at home in my clean house.  If I feel like eating, that is.... 

I was just as surprised about the election results as you.

 

One thing about a super clean

Is you find a lotta stuff.  Found a lot more gun book and gunsmithing supplies.

And you also dream of better organization. 

I have a messy crowded wood shop.  For working wood.  Not guns.  I have the equivalent of four of five bins of gunsmithing tools and books and supplies.  There is no room for gunsmithing in my wood shop.  Only woodworking.  But now I can dream of making a little nook.  Or at least shelving to get the gun stuff off the bench and on a shelf.  Then neaten up the woodshop.

I might not have the energy or enervated nerves to WORK in the shop, but with some help (that I am most grateful for) I might be able to organize the shop.  And wouldn't that be nice.  

One thing I am thinking is wheeled dollies to LOTS of this stuff.  Put stuff in a bin, stack 3 bins on a dolly.  Mobile organization.  Where is winter clothes?  In those bins on that dolly in the back that are all labelled winter clothes.  Easy to get to, just wheel these stacks out of the way... 

No.

 Huh-uh

Mr. Clean

Ooops.  Thought a scheduled a post for today.

With the help of My Buddy the Gun Enthusiast and his missus, I got a LOT of cleaning done this weekend.  Like cleaned stuff I had been neglecting for 15 years.  

His wife LOVES to clean houses.  And I love her.  Not like that.  Anyway, they offered to help a fella out.  This was like a a detail-strip of my house instead of a infrequent interval of a field-strip cleaning.

And it is glorious.

I can't get down on the floor so easy these days and there was a dust possum under my bed, for example.  

They hauled a full sized capped pickup truck bed worth of junk to the dump.  That might have been the most important bit.  

I feel so... lightweight.  Like me and the house could fly if I got a handful of helium balloons attached to it.       

So pleased and thankful right now.  

Ooo, hit me HARDER, Daddy

Baldwin Armorer

I've heard the young armorer report she had no idea where live ammo for the death-gun came from.

I saw somewhere that the Sheriff department found LOTS of live, real, lead projectile topped cartridges on the set.

That means that someone brought it there.  Maybe for plinking between scenes or takes?  Who knows. People other than me are working hard to get to the bottom of this whole affair, and I am confident they will. 

The important thing is people are able to find and purchase ammunition again.  .45 Long Colt, presumably.  Jeez, still a buck fiddy each.

And I forgot completely today

"Come in for lab work!"

...

"No, you are fine.  Surprisingly balanced.  Good job." 

This is the most nothing I have been in a while

Went grocery shopping.  Which is a big deal for me.  The podiatrist put some insert to make my medical shoes more comfortable.  And I have more energy.

I realize what I unavoidably look like now.  Easy prey.  To ne'er do-wells.  And me without a CCW in Maryland.  I have to sit with my car door open to change the clunky shoes.  Perfect time for a carjack, too. 

The store wasn't empty, like Covid style.  A bit of a gap in the paper goods, but I learned my lesson there more than a year ago.  Meat was EXPENSIVE, yes.  Hey, the croissant sausage egg and cheese brefass sammich was back!  Awesome.  Still haven't seen Oscar Meyer beef balogna in over 18 months.  Oh, soda pop was a little sparse.  No bigs.

Good Better Best

Good, Better, Best when it comes to any positive ruling from SCOTUS, this... June?  Yeah, no extra insight hit me.  Or predictions.  Or observtion that Gottlieb could roll to the squish side at any time, but especially in a critical time.

So you get a Good Better Best health report instead.  I am reacting to the Acalabrutinib chemo well.  No noticeable reaction, at all, actually. Taking meds to make me pee like a mad man.  Gotta get all them kilt protein bits out of there.  Still have good electrolytes, tho.  Hemoglobin still sub 8.  I will feel better when it goes 9+.  My days seem long, still because I am tired already, but often have a post work doctor visit.  That'll improve.  Feet sores still improving.  Lyrica still helping my back pain, somehow. Cautious optimism after 19 months of wheel spinning.

 

This is what they thought I had, at first

And it is no joke.

Medical people will draw a quick breath when you tell them.  My mom was a nurse for 30 years, and a good one.  She's the only one that I told it might be multiple myeloma, and I had no idea what it was.  She got real quiet on the phone. 

They thought I had this because I had back pain.  They assumed that meant I had tumors in my spine marrow.  Because that's a feature of myeloma.  I bet it hurts more and more as it progresses.

Poor bastard.