March 16, 2010
I just started listening to a new podcast (The Survival Podcast). This is a podcast that has been running for a long time that covers realistic disaster preparedness/survival issues. Listening to selected past episodes, it has caused me to think about a few things:
- I need to reduce my debt load. Not counting mortgage or car payment, I have over $600/month of loan(credit) payments. If I get these paid off, and then get my truck paid off, I will have an extra $1200/month. This could make things much easier for me. When you have less debt, you have more freedom. This means I won’t be doing the firearms related spending I’ve been thinking about now. But, it will allow me to be able to spend more later. I should be able to pay off my one actual credit card next month (I think).
- I need to look into permaculture. Permaculture is a gardening/farming method that produces higher crop yields in smaller spaces with more perennial plants. It is a little late to get everything started for this year. It involves planting things like heirloom vegetables (I’m doing this with tomatoes), fruit vines and trees that do not need to be replanted. You end up with a great deal more food for a lot less money. If I’m not worried about buying food, I have more options.
- I need to build up a longer term food supply. I have a limited supply of food that does not require refrigeration. I can do this slowly over time. This is another item that will provide me with greater freedom. If I’m not worried about buying food, I have more options.
- I need a to clear space in my garage for storage by getting some sort of storage shed in my backyard. My garage should be more long term storage than garden tool storage.
- I need to get a freezer. This will allow me to take advantage of sales on meat and other goods that can be frozen. Along with the freezer, I need a a vacuum sealer so I can more easily break up bulk purchases.
February 3, 2010
The NRA has endorsed Rick Perry for Texas Governor. Don’t get me wrong. He has been a strong supporter of gun owners’ rights. However, there is a more ardent supporter of the individual right to bear arms, Debra Medina. By endorsing Perry now, they have shown that they prefer to support the safe option. If they wanted to endorse Perry, they should have done so after the primaries. This shows that the NRA really supports the status quo, not strengthening support for our Second Amendment rights.
January 30, 2010
I went to Bass Pro Shops to look at a rifle I’m thinking of getting. After waiting an unreasonable amount of time (in which several other people gave up), I gave up. Apparently, it takes 3 people to help 1 person buy a shotgun. I’ll just take my business elsewhere.
January 20, 2010
With Massachusettls election of Brown to the US Senate, I am thinking that Farouk Shami and Debra Medina both have a better chance of getting elected. Some people say that Brown’s win is about health care or President Obama. I disagree. I think it was a reflection of people’s anger with politics as usual. There is a feeling of antipathy toward current office holders of both parties. Neither party has truly listened to the moderates who swing elections. I think the overall election results in November will be very interesting.
January 19, 2010
I’m giving my thoughts on the current major party candidates for Texas Governor (mainly from a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and a libertarian). Please forgive any incoherence or typos, I’m on muscle relaxers for my injured shoulder and having problems typing.
Republican candidates:
- Current Governor Rick Perry – Fiscally he has been OK. Unlike many states in the USA, the Texas government is not really having a problem with the current economic problem causing tax income shortfalls. This can be partially attributed to Texas not having an income tax. However, the man is in love with selling our highways to foreign companies so they can build toll roads. He also tried force a Texas girls to get a new vaccine produced by a company that he has close relations with. All-in-all, I think he is more likely to win than any of the other candidates. In my opinion he is a symbol of the Big Business/Big Government Republican part of today. I would like to see him go.
- Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison – A tiny bit more centrist than Perry, she is what I call Perry lite. She may talk about supporting the Second Amendment, but she has said that she supports a renewed assault weapons bill. However, she does not ignore her constituents. Her actual voting record is different than this statement. This means I can’t really trust her. This means I will not vote for her.
- Debra Medina – She is a newcomer to running for public office. However, she was her county’s Republican Committee Chair. She has interesting ideas about reducing/eliminating property taxes. She has also stated in the past that she would like to see Texas secede from the union. I will not vote for a secessionist. However, I do hope she will inspire the party to move back toward a small business and small government stance.
Democratic candidates:
- Former Houston Mayor Bill White – I don’t know much about him. I do (sorta) remember a news story where he wanted the Houston Police Department to arrest anyone carrying a firearm in their vehicle without a concealed carry license after the Texas legislature made it legal. Also, he joined Mayors Against Illegal Guns (an anti-gun group that seeks to make civilian ownership of guns illegal). As you can already guess, I won’t be voting for him.
- Farouk Shami – This is a very successful businessman who states on his website he supports the Second Amendment. I really can’t find much real information on the man. I doubt I would vote for him.
- I see that others are listed as running as Democrats, but can’t find any information.
I’m not really looking at the third party candidates. Depending on who gets the major party nominations, I will probably vote for the Libertarian party candidate as a protest vote. Can someone actually give me candidates I would be happy to vote for? For a little bit, it looked like the Democrats might have had someone. But, they talked him and Kinky Friedman out of running for Governor.
January 8, 2010
Montana has asked Ted Turner to take 74 Yellowstone Bison (they wandered out of the park) onto his ranch. In exchange for taking them in and taking care of them, he will get to keep 90% of their offspring. If a home is not found for them, they will be killed by the end of March to prevent the spread of a disease into cattle. People are protesting allowing Ted Turner being allowed to do this for the state. I really don’t understand it. This move not only protects the bison, it also spreads their range and helps the survival of the species.
January 6, 2010
I’m testing posting to my WordPress blog using an app on my G1.
November 12, 2009
Rhode Island Governor Vetos Domestic Partners Burial Bill
Summary: A couple had been together for 17 years. They had all the proper paperwork, including a marriage license from a different state. Yet, when one member of the couple died, the state would not let the other member of the couple choose the burial method. It took months of fighting with state officials to fulfill the wishes of the deceased. In response to this, the state assembly chose to pass a law that would prevent such things from happening again. The Republican Governor of Rhode Island vetoed this bill, stating:
“This bill represents a disturbing trend over the past few years of the incremental erosion of the principles surrounding traditional marriage, which is not the preferred way to approach this issue.
“If the General Assembly believes it would like to address the issue of domestic partnerships, it should place the issue on the ballot and let the people of the state of Rhode Island decide.’
The Republican party is concerning itself with issues where nobody is injured. Allowing domestic partners to claim the body of their partners in no way harms marriage. I am sick of the Republican party kowtowing to big business and the religious right.
The Republicans need to go back to being the party of smaller and more controlled government. The past 15 years has seen the party become about controlling others and expanding government authority. When the Republicans had complete control of federal legislation, they expanded the government, increased our debt and did next to nothing to stop the encroachment on our rights (including the Second Amendment). Meanwhile, since the Democrats have come into office, we have actually seen an increase in our Second Amendment rights. At the state level, in Republican race for Texas governor, I am faced with the following choices:
- The current governor who has voiced support for treason against the USA and tried to sell the state to the highest bidder.
- One of our current Senators who has voiced support for further restrictions on our Second Amendment rights (along with restrictions on others).
- A nut job who is calling for secession from the USA.
The Democratic choices are:
- A former ambassador who has strong support from both Republicans and Democrats.
- A former agricultural commissioner who has lead the fight to stop the current governor from selling the state to the highest bidder.
- An entertainer who claims he isn’t a politician, yet sidesteps questions like a bad parody of a politician.
To be honest, the first two Democratic candidates will most likely at least not further restrict my rights, nor shall they try to sell my state out from underneath me.
November 9, 2009
Federal Judge Orders Tarrant County College to Allow a Protest in Support of Concealed Carry on Campus
FORT WORTH — A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order Friday allowing two Tarrant County College students to stage their “empty holster” protest at the community college campuses.
U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means said in his ruling that Clayton Smith and John Schwertz Jr., who attend TCC Northeast Campus in Hurst, can wear empty gun holsters and hand out fliers in “public-forum areas including, but not limited to, public streets, sidewalks, and common or park areas.” TCC wanted to restrict the protest to a small designated area.
But the students cannot wear their holsters in classrooms or hallways. They are protesting for the right of licensed gun owners to carry concealed handguns on college campuses.
You know, it is kind of ridiculous that administrators are in fear of an empty holster. I can not see how this could be any kind of disruption in actual learning, and it might open up discussion between the opposing view points. If the college administrators had just done this to begin with, this protest probably would have gone by without notice. Many people call college campuses bastions of free speech. Unfortunately, to many colleges are actually bastions of approved speech. If the campus administration does not like what is being said, they will shut it down.
A little information about the firearm (and the ammunition available in the USA) used in the Fort Hood Attack from the ATF
FTB classified SS196 ammunition as not armor piercing.
The FN 5.7 (Fabrique Nationale) pistol is a semiautomatic pistol in 5.7 X 28 mm caliber.
FTB has also examined a 5.7 X 28 mm projectile that FN Herstal has designated the “SS196.” The SS196 is loaded with a Hornady 40 grain, jacketed lead bullet. FTB classified SS196 ammunition as not armor piercing ammunition under Federal firearms statutes.
According to FNH USA, FN Herstal tested the SS192 ammunition. SS192 ammunition did not penetrate the Level IIIA vests that were tested. FNH USA states that SS196, Hornady V-Max 40 gr. bullets fired from a 4-3/4 inch barrel did not penetrate the Level II vests that were used in testing.
FNH USA has informed FTB that SS192 is no longer imported for commercial sale to the United States and that commercial sales of 5.7 X 28mm ammunition are restricted to the SS196 (not armor piercing).
To summarize, neither the pistol or its ammunition are normally capable of penetrating body armor. Neither of these items are “cop killers” in anything but the very loosest definition of the term.
