PSSSSST! Repbulicans! You Need To Catch A Clue. Herman Caine Is NOT Your Guy.

I have to say, when it comes to the Republican Primary, I am in the position to be a totally neutral observer.  I don't give a shit.  Obama is going to crush who ever you throw up there.  But I'm going to give you some advice anyway.  You won't take it, and that's OK.  I know from the word go that you are not smart enough to listen to the voice of reason.

You're nominee is going to be Mitt Romney.  It HAS to be Mitt Romney.  He is the only hope you have.  He's only going to win Utah and Idaho, maybe Arizona.  He's not going to win the election.  But he's the only normal guy you have in the group.

More allegations today of Herman Cain's sexual nonsense.  WITH evidence of phone and text bills.

Those votes Cain is losing are going to Newt?  Who is still ONE confirmed affair ahead of Herman?  Really?  That isn't going to fly.

John Huntsman is the reasonable guy in the race?  No he's not.  He thinks Government can be run like a business and he took my retirement health care away.  The year I could retire.  He's an asshole who speaks Chinese.  If Obama spoke Chinese, you R's would call him a Muslim COMMUNIST!  At least at Faux News.

Look, R's, just go ahead and throw Mitt to the wolves.  You don't like him since he's a Mormon.  And you really have no other choice.  Obama wins this election, and the house comes back to the Democrats since you guys won't do anything.  It's already over.

Now what do you do?  Get Chris Christy a personal trainer.  Because America won't elect a fat guy, and take your best shot in 2016 with him.

Newt?  Really?  THAT'S the best you can do?  This guy has more flaws than a two dollar handgun, but you seem to keep coming back to him.  He's not smart.  He's not loyal to his, "family values" shit he runs on.  He's a train wreck of a candidate.  Or, "Cain Wreck" as it were...

Now, lets talk about, Rick Perry.  Like 8 years of the LAST stupid as hell, former Texas Governor were not ENOUGH to clue you into how ugly it can get.  How dumb are the voters of Texas?  Dumb enough to elect, "W" AND Rick Perry!

They talked about seceding a few years ago.  I think we should let them.

He doesn't know the date of the election he's competing in, and he doesn't know the voting age.  That kind of stupidity CAN and has, flown in Texas.  On a national level?  Not so much.

Michelle Bachmann!  Need I say more?  Vaccines make you retarded?  No, Michelle.  YOU are retarded.  She's OUT!

Ron Paul?  Please.  Put him back in his assisted living room, turn the TV to reruns of, "Murder She Wrote" and forget about him.

Science deniers, evolution deniers, dummies of all shapes and colors, is all the R's can run.  And the worst of the worst appears to be, "Becky, Becky, Stan, Stan" Herman who can't keep his hands off the hired help.  Kind of like Strom Thurmond.  Voted AGAINST civil rights, but was fucking the hired, BLACK help.

Republicans are liers and science deniers.  And they claim to be, Christian, right wing, family values guys.  Bullshit.

Yeah, they will hate on the, Mormon, Mitt.  But they have NO other choice at this point.  It's Mitt or no one.  Good to see that, as a Democrat.

Las Vegas Is STILL, Decadant And Depraved. But They Have Nice Soccer Fields

Not a good two days for, "City".  1-2-1.  When the highlight of the tournament is a, "nil-nil" tie with a team who was supposed to wipe the turf with you?  Not a good two days.

BUT!  All is not lost.  The boys from Murray had a great time with their new, adopted team.  I took Danny and Trenton to see Penn & Teller last night and they got to meet them after the show. Get some autographs, and some pictures.

Trenton has never been to Las Vegas before.  And Thursday night, he got to see, "The Strip" at night, and have dinner in the hot, new, casino, Cosmopolitan.  At a Chinese/Mexican fusion restaurant.  That is decadent.

And last night, I exposed him to Penn & Teller.  And that is depraved.  But without being, "adult entertainment" depraved.  Just, crazy depraved.   Google Penn & Teller's, "Cell Fish" bit.  Blew my mind, and I was watching it from right up close and personal.

There has to be a trap door involved somewhere.  Trust me.

So, all things considered?  It was not a bad weekend.  Tomorrow, most folks are heading home.  Not us.  I'm going to keep Danny and Trenton out of school on Monday while we drive home.  Won't hurt their education, I'm pretty sure.

Sunday is Debra Jo's day in Las Vegas!  Look out, Trader Joe's, here we come!

It's almost Christmas.  That means baking.  Nuts.  Nuts will be bought.

And the BEST cereal in he world.  Danny wants a case of Trader Joe's vanilla, almond, crunch.  As do I.

We will go to COSTCO.  And not just for gas.  Legally?  It's called, "bootlegging".  I'm doing it anyway.  Some,  Maker's Mark.

Sunday night, we will take the shuttle from our condo to, "The Strip".  Show Trenton the fountains at, The Billagio. The volcano at, uh, wtf ever place THAT is.  Just do the, "touristy" shit.

I'll be packing a handgun, because I CAN.  But the truth be known?  The LVMPD is ALL over the strip.  So I could turn the two 15 year olds lose down there to just walk around, and see the sights, and not really worry about them.

 I might do that.  And get some sleep.  I just hope they know the last shuttle, "home" leaves at midnight.  From Caesars.
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Does trusting my 15 year old to hang out on the Las Vegas Strip late at night (and he's done it  before with one of his other friends) make me a, "Bad Dad" or just a guy who trusts his kid?  I'm thinking I might be nuts, but he's done it before.

I trust him.  I trust, Trenton.  And just to be sure?  I have a $100 bill in my pocket to pay a cab if they call and say, "We're lost!  We don't know where to find, Caesar's and can't get home!"  I'll pay the cab fair. 

I hope, Deb wants to go with them.  I've had enough of, 'The Strip".  I've seen it.

Apple vs. Windows. Business vs. Government

I can't think, "Apple".  I bought an ipad2 last spring to travel with and I have finally admitted I don't get it.  I have learned that I am more comfortable with a Windows based operating system, so I went and bought a small, lap top PC to travel with.

I gave the ipad2 to my son.  He's thrilled with it.  He's used it more in the last week than I did in six months.  He's a smart boy.

My inability to change and adapt leads me to go to Best Buy every six months and drop a thousand dollars.  I know this makes me the weakest link in the evolutionary chain, but I've already reproduced, so I guess it's OK.

What I've noticed lately, after working in state government for more than 20 years, is that Republicans can't think, "Government".  They are only comfortable with a business based operating system.

We have to come to an agreement on why we WANT a government for this to work out, though.  And I'm not sure they are on the same page as the rest of us.  My feeling is that we want GOVERNMENT to do for ALL of us, what we can't do for ourselves.

This would be providing clean water, sewer systems, good roads, the military, police and fire protection, making sure our food is safe, our air is clean and our water is potable, and we have prisons where we lock up people we don't want to continue to victimize us.

I'm pretty sure that most folks like the Post Office being there, even if they bitch about the cost of sending a bill (no one sends letters anymore, do they?).  I'm sure that you appreciate the FAA inspecting the planes we fly on, even if you hate the hassle of the TSA when you fly.

I like the air being cleaner than it was when I was a kid and the rivers not catching on fire, like they did before Nixon created the EPA.

And in every other industrialized nation in the world, Government provides health care to it's citizens.  Not boob jobs, nose jobs, or braces for you teeth.  But everything you would need to stay alive.  If you want to look better?  That's on you.

But Republicans think Government should be run like a business.  I guess, you could equate citizen, tax payers, to, "stock holders" but it's really a stretch.  Stock holders expect a profit.  Tax payers should expect good service without waste and corruption and the best price possible.  But you gotta know, the services Government provides for you are going to cost you.

And as for best price possible?  I spent many years fighting crime in a, "bullet resistant vest" bought from the lowest bidder.  Thanks.  Thanks a lot.

You pay taxes for good roads, and water systems.  As well as a fee for the water you use every month.

In a business model, you would pay a toll on every road you use.  Every day.

Government is a, "Loss Leader".  Like buffet's used to be in Las Vegas.  They would lose money on the cheap food to get you into the casino, and then hope to take your money at the tables.

Government COSTS money!  And you will never be able to make it cost nothing.

In a business model, the Fire Department Inc., subdivision, Paramedic, would be told that they only have 500 gauze bandages to use this year.  And once they have used them, they need to quit treating people who are bleeding.  Because it would cut into profits for our stock holders.

In a business model, Public Employees LLC would be told that they can promise lifetime health insurance to get people to sign on to do shitty jobs, but just as they got close to using the benefit at retirement?  They could change the rules and take it away from the employees.  Because it saves the stock holders money.  Hell it worked for Sears for YEARS!  In the 60's and 70's they found lots of ways to fire people who were about to get a pension and retirement.  Happened to a neighbor of mine.

In a business model, every time you needed to call the Police, no matter how dire the situation, you would be asked, by the dispatcher, for your credit card number to make sure you could pay for the service, before the Cops were sent to you.  Hey, no deadbeats get service from, Public Protection Corporation.  We have an obligation to our stock holders!

In a business model, you want to see Yellowstone Park?  How many shares do you own?  Because the guys who own the most get first shot at coming in.  You only own a few shares?  Put in a request for taking a cancellation from someone who owns more shares in, The National Park Corporation  than you.

And Republicans seem to think this is the best way to run a country!  WTF?  Do you really want this?  Do you really want the guys in charge that will keep the flowers out of the islands on State Street here in Murray because it would save a few bucks?  If you do, move to some ugly city like, Layton.  I don't want to live there.

And I don't want to live in a country where rich guys want to save every penny in taxes even if it means no one is looking out for my air and water quality, the health of my food, or the safety of my airplane.  And I sure as hell don't want to live in someplace without Police and Fire protection.

Business has proven time and time again, that left to it's own devices, it will NOT REGULATE ITSELF!  Check the article in today's Tribune where executives of a drug company went to prison for killing three people in an unauthorized, "drug test" of some bone glue that they hoped to get in the market without the FDA having to get involved.

And check your retirement account since 2008 when Bush drove the country into a ditch.

Government costs money.  And you get your money's worth out of it if you vote every time you can, and read newspapers, and pay attention before you do.

Government is NOT a business!   And it can't be run the same way.  It's a different animal, completely.  And if you try to Republicanize Government, it won't work at all.

You do what the Teabaggers want to do you better own a big drill and a backhoe.  Because you're going to have to drill for your own water and put in a septic tank.

Oh, and get a generator if you live in Murray.  Because right now you enjoy the uninterrupted (for the MOST part) service of, "The People's Republic Of Murray's Power Company" , you socialist, anti-capitalism son of a bitch!  And you should go back to Cuba!

I've been to Cuba.  You think Murray City Power isn't as good as you want it?  Try keeping the card that turns on your power to your house on your key ring so it's only on when you're in the house, then tell me how much you hate, "Socialism".

Deamonizing The Cops At OWS Is Not A Good Thing. And I'll Tell You Why.

We don't want our Cops to be professionals in this country.  Most of them don't have college degree's.  They are not educated.  They might have been in the military.  And they have been to Police Academy's.  Two places that teach you WHAT to think, not HOW to think.

So they don't know that the folks at OWS are fighting FOR them and their Unions.  They have just been told that anyone who is in violation of the law, like camping in a park, needs to be dealt with, and they go and do their job.  As they should.  The, "Thin Blue Line Between Anarchy and Civility".  The reason the whole country doesn't need to wear a gun like in the old west or what ever planet Rick Perry is living on.

I got a BS in Sociology, with and emphasis/certificate in Criminology And Corrections.  Minor in Psych.  I WANTED to get a MSW, but couldn't get accepted to Graduate School.  I had no intention of going into law enforcement.  Let alone working for the Department of Corrections and IN a prison!  I was, surely, above THAT!

But I got my first State job with Youth Corrections BECAUSE I had the BS.  I got my next job at the Juvenile Court because I had the BS.  And I got my last job, with Adult Probation And Parole because at the time, you HAD to have a BS in the Social Sciences, to get a job as an Agent.

Since then the requirements have changed.  I actually worked FOR people who didn't have college degrees by the time I retired.  I worked with some of the dumbest, most ignorant, ill informed, morons on the face of the planet.  The dumbing down of law enforcement continues to this day.

I worked with a bunch of guys who despite the fact that the Republicans in the State Legislature froze their salaries, tried to take their pension, and DID take their retirement health insurance, while keeping if for themselves (Chris Buttars has lifetime PEHP.  I don't and I have cancer from being in meth labs! How is THAT right?) would vote for them every time because they were Mormon, Republicans!

My friend, Todd, who's a Mormon Republican, but a smart one who can think for himself, told me the the truth.  He said that voters in Utah vote on, "Abortion and guns" and nothing else.

How sad.

So you have a bunch of guys, mostly military who come home, and get a job as a Cop.  Most of them do a great job.  But, they are not the folks who will say, "Sir?  That order is just not RIGHT!"

They do what they are told, even when it's against their own self interest, because they need the job!  What are these guys going to do?  Quit and write a book?  Go into computers?   No.  They trained to do what they were told to do, and they do it.

The guys with degrees get to be detectives, or in my department, Agents.  But in the Utah Department of Corrections, you advance by being stupid, and subservient.  Not Smart.  If you question authority, you get in trouble.  I did many times.

And the guys pepper spraying old people in Seattle, or New York?  It's wrong, but it's what we expect of our Cops.  Even though they don't know that they are doing themselves a bad thing.

If we still had Unions for public employees, who could educate and protect the jobs of these guys, who said, "NO!  I won't pepper spray Grandma for standing up for herself!" we wouldn't have this behavior.

But since we don't?  Don't beat up the Cops.  They need that job.  Just like the guy at Wal Mart.  Or McDonald's, or anywhere else they can't have a real, effective, Union.

Think about it.

Hoggers, Hooters, Hillbillys! Oh, My!

I like to say I don't watch, "reality" shows. I've never seen, Survivor, American Idol, or, Dancing With The Stars, and I don't plan to watch any of them.

But the truth is, the longest running, "reality" show of all is, COPS, and I've been hooked on it since it debuted in 1988, about the time I first became a Cop myself. And I watch all of the variations on that theme every chance I get, Vegas Jail House (been there a FEW times. Yes, I was working), Jail, Police POV, Vegas Strip (been there a few times too. No, NOT working), and, Police Women of (Broward County, Phoenix, Cincinnati, what have you). I love, Mandy from Cincinnati. She looks like one of the girls from the, Addicted To Love video from back in the 80's.

Before she was born, no doubt.

But there has been born of recent years a new type of reality show. Pawn Stars. Storage Wars. Billy The Exterminator. And I find them all interesting. They show regular folks doing their everyday jobs, just like, Cops does. But with the exception of poor, Billy, the jobs won't kill you.

And the newest ones, are about people in the south who hunt wild hogs. Fascinating stuff, this.

When I was in college, and working at, Zinik's Sporting Goods in the Fashion Place Mall we sold guns. The standard, run of the mill, lever action, repeating, carbine rifle was the Winchester model 94, .30/30. You could shoot deer with it if you were 16 years old and it wouldn't knock you on your ass, but it had plenty of knock down. It didn't need a scope because it was not a real, long range, player, but you could put one on it. And it was cheap.

It came chambered for .30/30, .357, and even .44 Magnum.

It was a very versatile gun. But one day, we get a couple of guns of this verity in a caliber I did not recognize. I wish I could remember what it was, but it was almost a .50 cal. size cartridge. Huge.

I asked the Winchester guy the next time he came in, what the heck that was for? He told me that in the south, they were being over run with wild hogs. And the .30/30 wasn't stopping them, so they came up with this new gun.

OK, The University of Arkansas' mascot was the, Razorback Hog, and I knew people hunted them down there.

Turns out I had no idea.

When Spain still owned Florida, they imported what were called, Russian Hogs as livestock. They were not native to Florida, or even, Spain, being from, Russia. But they thrived in the south, and were a good source of meat. But it didn't take long for them to get loose, get wild, and become a problem.

I watched a documentary a few years ago about this problem in the south. Seems it's worse now than even in the 70's (isn't everything?). These creatures tear up the land, ruin crops, will kill livestock and threaten, and even attack, people.

When Deb and I were in Louisiana a few years ago for the Sugar Bowl Game, we took a, Swamp Tour one day. North across Lake Pontchartrain from NOLA, in Slidel. And the tour guide told  us about his problems getting a 600 pound, "Russian Hog" out of the Bayou after you shot it.

Well, now there is a whole bunch of shows about killing these hogs.  And it seems that if you are a woman who kills hogs?  You have to have amazing breasts

Crystal "Pistol" Campbell on,  American Hoggers has tits that would, it appears, stop a bullet, and the producers make sure the girl is in the tightest t-shirt you have ever seen every week.

The show that came on next featured two women who are willing, it appears, to try and capture these hogs. 

They had no guns.  But they both had enormous breasts.  I'm not getting the connection between hogs and hooters, but it appears to be necessary in both shows.
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And from what I know about these animals is that they are ruthless, have up to five inch tusks that are razor sharp, can be as big as 600 pounds.  So, why would you want to CAPTURE them instead of KILL them?

It appears from what they are saying, they donate the meat from these animals, but that still does not explain why you have to, "hog tie" it and take it out of the back country on a tractor before you shoot it.  Do they think the meat will last longer?  I'm just asking.

I guess it wouldn't make for a very interesting show if you just showed women with attractive breasts shooting guns every week.  But I'm sure somewhere out there, you could find a web site dedicated to just such and activity.  Leave you credit card number, and use your virus protection.

I'm pretty sure that when A&E got it's start, it stood for Arts and Entertainment.  Now?  I'm not so sure.

I guess the next evolution of reality TV is for Billy The Exterminator to get breast implants and start pawning stuff he's killed in storage sheds.  Makes perfect sense to me.










































































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Whew! Took The Computer In For A Tune Up, And Thought I Might Miss THIS!

Well, It might. The font on Apple is shit, but i have NO idea how to change it, so you just gotta live with it it.

No you don't. I'M not going to live with it! Apple sucks! And I'm offically giving the ipad to the blind woman I live with becuse one of the resons I bought it, is that it will talk to her. So now it's all hers.

I bought a new, little, 14 inch screen lap top that will work in any country we are in, unlike this piece of shit, and I'm going back to Windows.

Good bye Apple I know your NOT A COM

Joe Paterno Is Evil. And So Are The People Who Think HE'S The Victim In This

Anyone turning over a truck, tearing down a light pole, or threatening Mike McQueary back in Pennsylvania is an idiot and doesn't really understand what just happened back there.

Joe Paterno should rot in Hell.  This right wing, Republican, Christian, family values guy who was not at all shy about his support for the most right wing, law and order, Republicans let a pedophile prey on Pennsylvania's children for an extra ten years (and how many before?  Just asking...) to protect the reputation of his football team!  This is an outrage.

And the people of, "Happy Valley" who are rioting, and expressing their love for the coach who they think is the victim in this whole thing, are out of their minds!

One of the players told ESPN tonight, "On Saturday, we're playing for Joe!"  Really?  Who's playing for, or thinking about the victims?

Yeah, I know, "JoPa" didn't screw any kids himself.  But, as they say at the Police Academy, he knew or should have known, about the problem, and he did nothing about it for 10 years!  How do you do that and expect to keep you job?  Or as he said in his statement, "the board shouldn't waste even a minute worrying about me".  I wanted to finish that sentence for him.  It would have read, "because I'm hoping they let me bail out of this by retiring at the end of the season, the winningest coach in D1 history, and not fire my ass for being an incompetent enabler who allowed a bunch of kids to get sexually abused."

And all these talking heads from Penn State who hope he'll be remembered for his long service, 409 victory's and his outstanding graduation rate?  Fuck you.  That's the college football equivalent of, "Hitler gave us the Autobahn, so what's you problem?"

And the latest revelation in this whole thing, assistant coach, Mike McQueary, who witnessed the rape of a young boy in 2002 and reported it to his head coach is getting threats!  WTF?  Kill the whistle blower?  Really?

Yeah, he was a 28 year old, former college football player at the time.  He could have beaten the offender into the tile and held him on the shower floor until the Cops showed up.  Why didn't he?

I'll tell you why.  He was scared to freaking death!

He was a 28 year old, former college football player, who was working as a graduate assistant.  Hoping to become a college football coach himself one day, and he just witnessed the guy who had been, "JoPa's" right hand man when HE was playing for Paterno, screwing a kid in the shower.  And I'm sure he knew it was wrong, but I'm just as sure that at that moment?  He didn't know whether to shit or wind his watch.

So by all accounts, he called his father, told him what he had witnessed and asked for advice.  And his dad told him to go to Paterno with the information.  As he should have.

This is a crime committed in a work place, by a coworker.  He didn't witness this on the street where calling the Cops is the default option.

He went to his boss with the information, and keep in mind, his boss was the most respected coach in ALL of college football at the time.  I'm pretty sure this young, graduate assistant would have sought out the advice of his mentor no matter what he had just witnessed.

And I'm also pretty sure that when he told Paterno what he saw, it was not the first time Paterno had heard a story like this.  And even if it was?  I'm betting what McQueary heard was, "Thanks for letting me know, son.  I'll take care of this.  You did the right thing.  Don't tell anyone else about this.  Let me handle it."

And how did Paterno handle it?  He told his boss, as he should have.  But, at 74 years old, when no Cops show up to speak to the former defensive coordinator, or the young graduate assistant who gave you the information within a few days, aren't you old enough to know that the guys you told about this haven't done the right thing?  And that you should have?

After all, YOU are not a 28 year old graduate assistant to the greatest college football coach ever, hoping for a future in the business.   You're old enough to know, not only better, but that the right thing was not going to be done.

No one is responsible for Paterno's ruined legacy but, Paterno.

So rioters?  Knock it off!  JoPa got what he deserved.  He covered your University's reputation in shit and scandal.  And lay off Mike McQueary.  He did what he thought was the right thing ten years ago and I bet if you ask him?  He'd have done it differently if he had it to do over again.  JoPa sat on the information for ten years, and how many MORE victims?

McQueary can no longer coach at Penn State.  That's pretty obvious.  But he should NOT be fired!  He did nothing wrong, except trust Joe Paterno to the do the right thing.  And any one associated with that University who will say they wouldn't have done the same thing in the same situation is a lying son of a bitch.

A Democrat Talks About Guns

I grew up around guns.  My dad hunted.  Every time I smell, Hoppe's #9 gun cleaner, it reminds me of Fall.  Because about September, my dad would start cleaning guns in the house.  The .20 Gauge for Pheasant season.  The 35 Remington with the 6X scope for deer season.  It was a pump.  The same kind of gun the guy used to shoot a bunch of people from the Texas Tower back in the 60's.

And this brings me to my point.  If you don't know about guns, you can't really know about American history.

Good, bad, or well, to tell the truth, MOSTLY good.  Even though there is some bad in there, we are who we are, and WHAT we are based on our relationship with guns, in this country.

Had the Colonists had to take on the British with swords, instead of figuring out how to hide behind trees during battle, we would not be an independent country.  The British would have had WAY more troops than we could have taken on.

When I took my kids to, Battle Green in he summer of 2010, and we toured the Inn where the Revolutionary War started (Someone tell, Michele Bachmann that's in Massachusetts, not New Hampshire) I actually stopped the tour guide, who insisted on using the words, "musket" and, "rifle" interchangeably.  They are NOT the same weapon.  The Revolutionary war was fought with muskets that had a smooth boar and were not very accurate.  The Civil War was fought with rifle's which had rifled barrels, and could be accurate to 1000 yards or more.

I also used that opportunity to show my son a three edged bayonet.  And explain to him why they were outlawed by international agreement after World War One, because they caused TOO much damage to be easily repaired by surgeons.  After 1918, your bayonet or military knife could only have TWO sharp edges.

Back to the Civil war.  Mini balls, rifled barrels, cannons loaded with, "canister".  You have to know what those things are, our you can't really understand what happened there.

 The Colt .44 Peacemaker.  Won the west.  They used to say, "God made all men.  Coronal Colt made them EQUAL!"  And a hundred and twenty years later, Steve Earl wrote, "My very first pistol was a cap and ball Colt.  Shoots as fast as lightning, but it loads a might slow.  Could get you into trouble, but it could not get you out."  Well, that was true.  So what did American ingenuity come up with next?  Repeating firearms.

We went from fast burning, Black Powder, to slower burning, Smokeless Powder that was much more efficient at moving bullets, metal cartridges that were impervious to water, pistols that would accept six rounds at a time, and lever action rifles that would hold as many as nine rounds at a time!  Sorry Indians.  Manifest Destiny, and all...

Then, the military needed a good sidearm.  And in 1911, John Browning, a Utahan from, Morgan invented the semiautomatic handgun.  The Model 1911, .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol.  Called that because, Browning, a GOOD American did NOT charge the Government for the patent.  He felt that if his government needed this, he should just give it to them!  And most of those guns were first made by, Colt.  During the war years of the first and second World Wars they were also made by folks as diverse as the Singer Sewing Machine Company, and Maytag. Who might have made your washer.)

Contrast THAT attitude of Mr. Browning with today's Tea Party, destroy government folks.

The war years of World War One gave way to Prohibition.  From which, it appears with as much money we spend trying to arrest and imprison everyone using Marijuana, and for that matter ALL drugs, we, as a Nation learned, NOTHING!

The Thompson Sub machine Gun was made for the military in WWI.  It ended up being the weapon of choice in the Gang Wars of Prohibition.  Came in .45 Cal.  Same ammo as the military side arm. But when you could push like, 1400 of them a minute through a barrel of a gun, could cut a car in half.  Pretty hard to hide from behind your, Buick.

Up steps Mr. Browning again.  And he gives us the B-A-R!  Browning Automatic Rifle.  The gun that finally brought down, Bonnie and Clyde!

Well, now it's the 1930's and the Government, decides that there should be some, "GASP", GUN CONTROL!  The average American shouldn't be able to own a machine gun.  And the average American agreed.  They didn't want that kind of fire power in the hands of bandits and gangsters.  Just the military and police.  Whew!  Glad THAT'S over!

Not so fast.  Police decided that the standard, .32 Cal was not strong enough to stop bandits.  Especially if they were, Negros, and on cocaine!  Out comes the .38 Special.  The standard gun for all police forces until the 1980's when the 9mm semi auto replaces it.

From the .38, we get the .357 developed by hunters that wanted a more powerful handgun for killing stuff like bears.  Next?  The .44 Magnum, developed FROM the .44 Russia, but with much higher pressure, and a longer cartridge to keep you from blowing up your .44 Russian by putting the wrong cartridge in it.  Same size BULLET, but more, "poop" behind it.

What does all this have to do with anything?  Well, it's history!  It's OUR history.  It shows our fears, and by doing that, it shows us why, sometimes, we as a people, did what we did!

Southern Cops were so afraid of Black people on cocaine, they needed to come up with a BIGGER gun?    They could have just become better shots, but no...

I understand why some folks like assault rifles.  By all accounts, they are fun to shoot.  I understand why ranchers want, Ruger Mini 14's to protect their livestock from Coyotes and other predators.  But I have a hard time understanding why anyone not in law enforcement needs a magazine in ANY gun that holds more than 10 rounds.  If you don't hit the Coyote in ten rounds, I'm pretty sure you're a shitty shot, AND you have scared him off.

I've shot assault rifles for work.  They were loud and should only be used by SWAT team guys.  In MY line of law enforcement, if I was going to get in a gun fight, it would have been over a kitchen table.  Less than ten feet apart.  The rifle would NOT help me.

So I have a BUNCH of handguns.  My friends at work bought me my Glock 23, .40 when I retired.  I like that gun.  Good concealed carry gun.

I still have my mom's gun.  A Ruger .22 my dad bought for her in the 50's when we lived WAY outside of Keyser, West Virginia, up in the hills.  I heard this story later, because I was too young to remember it.  One night, some prowler was trying to get into the house and my mom was home alone with me, and dad was still at work (or more likely, out with some girlfriend.  He was an asshole) and my mom picked up the party line and hollered for help, and a neighbor came up from a mile away and scared the guy off.  It's a sweet little semi auto.

I had my first .357 in college.  I bought it while I worked at Zinick's in Fashion Place Mall.  Any one remember, Zinick's Sporting Goods?  I used to backpack a lot and bought the Ruger with a six inch barrel.  I sold it years after because I wanted something else, or we needed something, and I couldn't use it for the job.  But I sold the gun I paid about $300 for, for about $110. 

A few years ago, I traded in my dad's 35 Remington for a new Ruger.  Stainless Steel.  Four inch barrel.  Great gun.

And since my son still plays soccer in West Valley and Magna, where I spent MOST of my career putting people in jail, I bought a five shot, .38 Special with a two inch barrel a few years ago.  It has a laser sight in the handle.  It's worthless when shooting it, but I hope that if I put in on someone who wants to do me harm, it might keep me from having to actually, shoot them.

And this year, I finally bought the gun of my childhood.  The model 1911, .45 I always wanted.  And after I did, I understood why this gun was never considered for the law enforcement jobs I had.  Big, clunky, SINGLE ACTION!  NOT a good gun for modern law enforcement.

But fun as hell to shoot!  Kicks like a mule.

When guys MY age were kids, we played, "Army".  And this thing was the gun you got in your, Marx Play Set with the fake, .50 Cal machine gun!  It was always green, and you didn't know what all the shit on the side of it was, but you didn't need to!  It was SO much cooler than the German Luger.

Let's talk about hunting.  I'm not anti hunting.  I used to hunt. But now, I'm more like, Ron White, the comedian.  I don't want to get up early, it's cold and I don't really like the taste of game.  He said he could HIT a deer at 50 miles an hour in his van and kill it just as dead as if he got up at, "O dark thirty" in the cold and had to sit around for hours before he shot it...

He's right.

So, I'm a Liberal who likes guns.  Thinks people who are not mentally ill or convicted felons should be able to buy, own and shoot them. 

I have mixed feelings on the assault rifle thing.

But, I buy handgun ammo by the case.  So who am I to judge?  I'll still vote for the Liberal every time.  Hope you do too.

And I assure you, R's.  The D's are NOT coming for your guns.  So lighten up.