Rest in Peace Shorty

I do not care that this story is being carried on every news site on the interweb, I just had to say farewell to Delbert Belton "Shorty", and make 2 short statements.

1. Evil exists, no matter how much you deny it.

2. To loose a Veteran, who survived the horror of Okinawa in World War II, to such low life scum is a tragedy. To paraphrase General Patton, "Thank God that such men lived."

God Bless You Shorty.

Edit: Apparently an arrest has been made. Also, good to see that Washington State still has the death penalty.

Spokane police have arrested one juvenile in connection with the murder of 88-year-old war veteran Delbert Belton.

The juvenile male has been charged with First Degree Murder and First Degree Robbery.

Not just a Sight, but a "Battlesight"

So during my daily browsing of the interweb, and my never ending quest to find the "Any key", I found this article over at "The Firearms Blog" introducing me to the "Battlesight"

The DW Battlesight is a front sight with a hole in it.

Hmm, I have several sights that look very similar to this sight. However, my sights still have a fiber optic rod installed.

Now as all things gun related it may work for one person and suck for the next. All I can do is relate my experience in using a front sight with a hole in it.

Awhile back, I was attending a 3 day Advanced Handgun Course, taught by the excellent Practical Firearms Training staff led by Pat Goodale. My handgun of choice for this class was a Smith and Wesson M&P9 Pro. This M&P was still in factory configuration except for the mounted light, as you can see here. Even still had the that rib stabbing rear sight, which I removed the day after I got home. God that rear sight wore on my last nerve.

On the third day of the class, which is also the standards testing day, I found two things. First, after firing almost 1,000 rounds over the previous 2 days, my fiber optic rod had decided it did not want to play anymore and had left me. Second, my parts bag for some reason had left my spare rods at home on my work bench. Well I decided to carry on, and proceeded to shoot for the day without the rod, thinking how bad can it be.

I will caveat this and say that all the shooting was 10-25 yards, with no long range shots that the "DW Battlesight" claims to help improve.

For the drills and standards, where a majority require fast presentations and faster shot to shot split times, finding that front sight was a nightmare. Staring at an edged target or corner from which a swinging target is coming from, then attempting to find and focus on a front sight that has a big hole it? Not easy at all. Maybe it is my 40+ year old eyes, I do not know. But I know I was having a hell of a time with a "ghost ring" front sight.

I guess for those interested in the claims of the DW Battlesight, and own a firearm with a fiber optic front sight, there is an easy way to see if it will work for you.

For all others, if it works for you, great! 

More on being a Racist

I found this article from back in July titled "Birth of a Racist", by Ms. Sally Zelikovsky. This article expresses how I feel everytime I turn on any mainstream news. Please go read this for yourself.

But now I know if I ever cross or injure a black person -- no matter how justified my actions might be -- there is a presumption that I am a racist.  

I don't like it at all.  It isn't true.  But here I am, non-racist me trapped inside this new racist body I've been assigned.  My actions and beliefs are irrelevant.  Society has decreed this is who I am.

Ms. Sally Zelikovsky is someone whose articles I will be looking forward to, but I am sure I am a racist for that too.

Pitsnipes Gripes: Random thought

Pitsnipes Gripes: Random thought: When some one says to me "great minds think alike", I just look at them and think "you dirty bastard"

Wine, Women, and Politics: You sir...are a racist!

Makes me think I want to start a list of those ideas and beliefs that are not "racist." If using the mainstream media as a judge, it would be a very short list.

Wine, Women, and Politics: You sir...are a racist!

Poor Sunny

So the President got a new dog and named her "Sunny." With his history with anything having to do with anything solar, I expect Sunny to be gone in 12-18 months.

Spool Tool (TM) for 550 Cord

The Spool Tool looks to an interesting piece of kit. For $24 which includes 50' of cord, I will be getting one to play with and let you know how it works ($19 gets a unit without the cord).

Plus it looks to be supporting a Veteran Owned Business.

H/T Soldier Systems

Back from the Edge of Nowhere....

So my little piece of the blogosphere still exists. This blog started just as a place for me to put down some of my thoughts and observations, mainly for myself and my own recollection. I kind of fell off the face of the interwebs, in regards to my participation of all things blog or forum related.

I had just taken a new job, had a 18 month old daughter to contend with, and a schedule that kept me off the computer, I just had excuse after excuse to stay away from this blog and my other haunts.

Well I am back now, not that I am going to be posting daily updates, and posting those things that interest me.

How Stimulus Works....

Not mine but not sure of the source.

It is a slow day in the small Minnesota town of Marshall, and the streets are deserted. Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody is living on credit.

A rich tourist visiting the area drives through town, stops at the motel, lays a $100 bill on the desk and says he wants to inspect the rooms upstairs before selecting one for the night.

1. As soon as he walks upstairs, the motel owner grabs the bill and runs next door to pay his debt to the butcher.

2. The butcher takes the $100 and runs down the street to retire his debt to the pig farmer.

3. The pig farmer takes the $100 and heads off to pay his bill to his supplier, the Farmer's Co-op.

4. The guy at the Farmer's Co-op takes the $100 and runs to pay his debt to the local prostitute, who has also been facing hard times and has had to offer her "services" on credit.

5. The hooker rushes to the hotel and pays off her room bill with the motel owner.

6. The motel proprietor then places the $100 back on the counter so the rich traveler will not suspect anything.

At that moment the traveler comes down the stairs, states that the rooms are not satisfactory, picks up the $100 bill and leaves town.

No one produced anything. No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now out of debt and looks to the future with a lot more optimism.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Stimulus works.

4 Months Late

To anyone who cares, I apologize. The past four months have been the craziest on record. Where do I start? I started a new job, which has really cut down my daily internet time. Spent some time in NC after my Grandmother died. She was 96 years old and lived a good life, and I am supremely blessed to have been her grandson. I then spent more time in NC with my Mom, who is going through some health issues, but looks to be better know. Several family birthdays, Thanksgiving, and a 18 month old daughter have taken more out of me that I care to share.

Anyway, on to the show. It is really strange getting back on the Interweb after a long hiatus. Checking in on my usual forum haunts, there have been some nasty in-fighting and other heated discussions that I missed. My Dark Side wants to revive some of the these old posts and get things going again, but I will relax and let it all go. Just have to wait for the next round.

I am having a great time on the new job. I get to play with locks all day. Locks on doors and safes are like toys to me. I get to play with these mechanical puzzles and enjoy my job so much.

With the past four months I have hardly been shooting at all. I missed the last two local IDPA matches, and one has a multi-gun side match. AARGH!!

But anyway I am back....