First children stopped by... wonder if they will come again..

The elder sister was here twice last year, but that is okay.

WARNING!!! from those that want your attention...

Do not carve pumpkins and place on your porch - the bears may be drawn to the scent.

Going into hibernation, coming out the new Earl

Caught sight of Bob Kerrey on television, seems there is still a part of the Democratic Party that one can agree with on things - just not the main stream. His Presidential bid was the final time I gave money to politics - don't call I am sure all you politicians don't know my name, have my interests at heart and don't need my help. (they aren't reading this)

Things that disturb me, the shock of drug abuse in white suburbia -- but it doesn't have to be drugs, everything plays when you haven't a belief in anything. Seems the whole culture is fed on lack of certainty of everything. If you have a strong faith in God or yourself or your friends - it will be attacked, held up to laughter and you will be shunned.

Looking at the interest in stopping terrorism and the sneaky things that come into our lives to go boom! Isn't this the same country that can't stop illegal drugs and aliens? Aren't they larger than a bread box - how is such a system going to stop the bombs? Is anyone asking that question? Should they be?

Two hundred thousand plus supporter of Restore Sanity and/or Fear braved the beautiful day in Washington, DC rallying to support their learned leaders. Laughter is good to have a bunch of, Sunshine helps, too.

Did you get your buck yet? Is it hunting season where you are? Only if you are looking for a job? Yeah, do get out there and find work - so much needs to get done, enough for everyone in the world.

Zombies, horror films and the end of the world...

This is the season for being frightened, telephone calls all day for different members of this household that vote or should. And the commercial television ads for one nasty insight into either of the candidates for any position. It sure is not television for children, on even NCIS on USA they are running the scary stories, I even saw Michael Moore trying to make America as beautiful as his images of it... that was frightening in that he believed everything he was saying about me.

Yeah, I don't really do horror films, so after reading to the ARTS channel and listening to great singers in tongues I don't understand for a bit. I put Blackhawk Down into the DVD player. Just to remind myself what happens when the good intentions run into ugly reality - to remind myself what Rules of Engagement really mean - to remind myself why I can find direct connection between the mission of Delta and the Rangers, their leadership and the Flank Brigade sent out by General Gage from Boston. Yep, you too can go to Somalia and tour those streets, but would you want to?

Yeah, the end of civilization is at hand, you just are too comfortable changing stations to see it. The FBI is asking the Marine sniper in Washington to come in and talk about it, or email, or telephone in - they want to make it all better, they should have dressed their spokesperson in pale pink fluff - Melvin Purvis or Elliot Ness couldn't do his job today.

Lack of faith in government.... heard that today...

I don't have a lack of faith in government, I have a certainty that government is not Good. Which law didn't you break today because of government? All of the above comes to my mind, I choose not to be a drunk, a dope addict, a murderer, a rapist, a bullying internet fiend. Since I have traveled much of the world the number of laws in other languages in other governments is amazing in the number that I haven't broken.

When I look at America, I find those in government think it has always been this way - but it hasn't. The people created the United States of America, and can un-create it, really. The government doesn't create life, didn't establish my family nor friends and certainly hasn't protected me from bad things in the night. For those that think the Constitution is just something only lawyers, judges and politicians understand - you are so wrong. It was written in English, easily read and understood. Unless you want to change it, and that seems to be the problem. The people establish a Federal government, with limits upon its powers. And those representing the people want to increase their powers for some fool reason.

I have often thought that those following the doctrine of Political Correctness want the government to replace God, unfortunately for them they can't. God was first, and will be there long after the United States of America mutates into something so ugly that no one wants to claim ownership. And God is Good, something that government never will be, especially when it seems the politicians are only a little less crooked than the crooks. How many FBI sting operations does it take to get confused about the Governors or Mayors and the Gang Lords?

Yeah, I have faith in the basic goodness of the people, but I am certain of the Love of God. We couldn't even get Mayor Majesty Blomberg to give up his fief of New York to someone more honest - had to change the election law. How everlasting is his seat?

Pardon me, but I have two Korean dramas to watch...

I have just started the Sungkyunkwan Scandal, and it is so much like Hogwarts (but a traditional Confucian Academy) in 19th Century Korea - before the American Fleet blew the doors open for exploitation. Major portion of the scandal is a young lady, who is being chased by the Minister of War, getting into the Academy with her brother's ID tag, and her own studies of the classics. Upper-classmen against the newbies, young folks far from home, and of course an unjust society that needs changed by the principled young heroes.

The other is Bread, Love and Dreams, thirty-six episodes and modern period, like yesterday. Well, got to go and clean up the garage.

How do we measure success.... well?

How do we measure success?

A lot of focus is being made within our organization about "numbers". Specifically the number of shoots and the number of people attending those shoots. We have become consumed in the "numbers". It's become all about doubling every year. At a recent RBC the conversation came up around the campfire about how do we measure success if not by the "numbers"?

Several years ago I had this same discussion with my local church because they too had become obsessed with the numbers: Number of attendees on Sunday morning. The number of ministries they were supporting. The size of their building to increase the capacity for their numbers. The number of dollars given on Sunday.

Well I dared to question their "business logic" behind that focus and was summarily shown the door. That may happen here again, but I am going to put this out there none the less.

What I told them and what I'm going to say now are the same thing:

You do not measure the success of a "mission" by the numbers. You measure the success by how many lives have actually been changed.

We talk a lot about winning the hearts and minds of our fellow American's and up to this point we have measured that success by the number of people who have attended an Appleseed. So what! Somebody attended an Appleseed. 10,000 people attended an Appleseed. 20,000, 40,000, 1 million people attend an Appleseed. What have we accomplished? We successfully accomplished reaching a number. Numbers don't change anything. People do. People are our mission. Period.

If their lives have not been changed by attending an Appleseed, what have we done besides teach them how to shoot a rifle? Nothing!

Don't get me wrong... Numbers have their place, but the true measure of success is in a changed life. A life awakened. A life that no longer lives as it used to. A life that is on fire for the mission at hand. A life willing to sacrifice for the good of the mission and for the lives it will change. A life no longer focused on itself.

We have some of those in Appleseed. They are the Instructor core, the Applecore, and everyone else that volunteers their time, money, and energy to help spread the message. Those are changed lives. Those are the number of people we should be counting and focusing on. Those are the people who will save the sinking ship. Not the people attending shoots.

To that end I want to challenge everyone, especially Fred and the rest of the admins and people counting numbers, focus on doubling our number of Instructors and Applecore volunteers. Focus on changing lives and not on chasing numbers. People follow people. It's as simple as that. Focus on creating the largest and most "on fire" group of people that's ever been and the mission will take care of itself. The shoots will happen and the success will be tangible. You have to make sure the infrastructure is in place before you can expect to tackle the mission and win.

What do you think will be more appealing to an Appleseed attendee? What do you think has a better chance of lighting a fire in their soul? 35 shooters and three instructors on the line just trying to get through the POI and History? Or 35 shooters and 40 instructors on the line giving them one on one instruction and talking to them the whole weekend about their own experience with Appleseed and the mission at hand? People won't care what you know until they know how much you care. You have to build a relationship first before you invite them to join the mission. At that point, you've already won their heart and mind and selling them on an orange, blue or pink hat, or whatever bucket fits best, becomes automatic.


Boba Fett

I measure my success in being invited back to do it again. For a real quiet moment to discuss how good it feels to "didn't disappoint".

If I were fired up to save the sinking America - I might have to find how high the water is rising - but then listening to the current "anti-everyone that ain't me" ads on the television, or listening to the politicians as they tell you they are different than the other woman in office. Yeah, glad I don't really care about America going down. I care about the Americans that are being born, growing up and getting on with life - my posterity. Hmm, the country isn't what is presented in Washington, DC, or even what the powers that be think in Washington State - the country is the people and what they are up to. If the tornado comes through and rips off the roof, if a fire breaks out and the family gets out safe, if a flood comes and carves a whole under the homestead and washes everything except the people - well, we rebuild, we rebuild. Appleseed is a rebuilding of some of our best, but forgotten heritage.

And I thank God that we can.

I do know that I find the numbers present really wonderful. There are enough shoot bosses that I can fade into the old postings in the forum - and be talked about like I no longer exist. But I started my most recent Appleseed with 34 pre-registered, had no shows and walk-ons, started the first Redcoat with 32 shooters, and by Sunday afternoon the last Redcoat was fired by six remaining shooters. The Appleseed started with a Shoot Boss, two Red Hats, seven IITs - we closed with the Shoot Boss, two Red Hats, and five IITs and five Riflemen and one lady very interested in building a Designated Appleseed Range so they would come.



Numbers, I once read every AAR for every Appleseed each weekend, I can't now - and I don't want to know when it got to be too many to count - that would be admitting that I am getting older than dirt. In one respect I would kind of like to think that I would be like Samuel Whittemore - still fighting at eighty, I am only sixty-two. But more likely as the RWVA gets out counting this and that, and boasting about this and bragging about that - I am more likely to be as independent as James Nichols. I am not a very social fellow, being my own man was taught to me very young.

This is a fine, very simple and effective program, one shooter, one listener at a time. Thirty-five shooters and seven cadre is good, ten cadre is better, and some day - maybe thirty-five cadre for thirty-five shooters (don't hold your breath). Stay on message, focus on the front sight and don't fuss the shot. As soon as my wife retires me I should go on the speaking circuit, write a book and really learn how to engage beyond twenty-five meters.

Make every shot count out there.

Must be a rest day, since I feel like I haven't done...

enough, and yet I look around and see that I did more but am discounting it as unimportant. I think that trying to get politicians in Washington, or any other fair government headquarters town or city, to see the reality of the people. For they don't talk with the people - they talk to them, they have status and the people don't. So they become discounted. Just the earth beneath the feet of the chosen, as long as it is there they are supported, when wind or water sweep it away there might be danger, but that doesn't happen often enough for the leadership to pay attention.

How do I, a people of one, end up paying taxes to three or more governments? If I, and all the other people were smart we would limit the government to only one taxing body, so the death wouldn't be by a thousand cuts - just one massive hemorrhage from too big a lancet. The idea that the government should be on several levels to be more efficient isn't as true as they would tell you. I do know that local government could be more responsive than that bunch way far away. Could we just hold our representatives here at home and use email for voting and discussions?

Maybe the idea of different levels of government would work - if the Federal government only worked on NATIONAL issues with International effects. The State government worked only on STATE issues and Interstate effects. The County government only worked on COUNTY (or Parrish) issues and Intrastate effects. But the Federal government keeps working on individual issues - and the others seem to follow suit. I am still for one taxpayer and only one tax requester, but then I might be a dreamer.

I read Frank James today, about responsibility or lack of it in our culture - and thought about being the SHOOT BOSS, the person that has to be in charge of the two day event - the safety, the instruction, the support and the qualification. In the end I will thank all the shooters, their support teams, the crew that worked with me and my wife that puts up with my absence - but it was still my Shoot and all my fault, up until the time the shooter takes the shot - then it belongs to him or her. I don't take their shot, just see that they know enough to do their very best. I will take pride in each shooter that feels more empowered or that earn that Rifleman patch, in each one that feels the need to spread the word of Liberty.

We did get to see the family in Hawaii last night, and were in awe of the rapid changes in the grandson, and how well his parents are doing with him. It makes so much worth thanking God for - I am not worthy, I have never been that good, but thanks.

Wonder what I did with my Saturday, it is so gone...

Okay, I am late but look what I got in the email...

Hi Guys,

I got back from Wyoming where I practiced my target detection and range finding skills on antelope (as well as taking the shot, of course). I got one buck and four does over the course of a week-long hunt. Those critters sure get skittish after opening day and 200 yards seems like short range to me now. I had no shots under 200 yards and the two longest shots were over 400. All shots were with a sling using proper rifleman techniques. I found a great way to rig a hasty sling to a comfortable carry sling and I did a lot of walking. I took the 400+ yard shots prone but sometimes the grass was too long for prone and I had to resort to kneeling. It was good field experience that validated Appleseed training and it also validated that I've achieved the Appleseed goal of effectiveness at 400 and 500 yards.

I used http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmcard-5.1.cgi for making up ballistics cards, essential for typical Wyoming antelope hunt ranges and wind.

Thanks to Earl, Wheeler, and Kratos for the Appleseed instruction and training and thanks to Sal for hooking me up with Appleseed,

-Cal

Okay, my blog I can say what I think... or fear...

No, I don't worry about my job, remember I was part of the budget cut of 2009 in the state of Washington and the politicians' state of denial. But NPR (National???? Public Radio) fired one of their hires because of what he said on another network - he said when he saw blank it made him fear full. Not his exact words - but it was enough that he lost his job over it - fired on the telephone. Guess they will send his computer to the FBI and his personal stuff from his desk or locker to his home of record. I will say that the lady that fired him was wrong on so many counts - but I certainly don't think you will her saying on FOX News that she fears recently fired employees.

Joe Huff often does a test for bigotry, and changes the words used in anti-gun rhetoric, to one of those demeaning words used for the others in the world that ain't like us. So I thought, that if the fired employee had only said when he goes to airports and sees men with guns under their clothing he is fearful, they never would have fired him. Never. Yep, it is getting stupid out there. The Democrats are still hoping that women can't think for themselves and will vote for Democrats because they want more taxes, more spending, more chances to only make as much money as a man. Ask a women making more money than her male peers in the same business if she wants them to have the same as she gets - only if it means they get more than they did, not if all of them are lowered to the same level. Does this mean that if we all get the same wages I can hire only one gender instead of each? I can see places where all women would be great, and all men would be also.

For sure I don't want someone in Washington, DC deciding who I hire, nor who I fire, and seniority doesn't cut it either. I will just never be happy until you all start treating the world better no matter who they are. Did see that someone, an expert, was on World News mentioning that sitting at work is BAD for you, all those wonderful people that insisted that my inmate clerks needed chairs - wanted bad things to happen. Actually they had to stand and move often enough that most were going to be fine. Back to raising my home computers and burning the recliners outside. Night!

When the dreams are really great, why wake up?

Which seems to be the problems that politicians share - if the dreams are really worthy why wake up to the reality?

I didn't want to wake up, I was getting to teach rifle marksmanship to high school students on campus. Wild flights of fancy, but I did like it a lot. Kind of like where are the public rifle ranges, we do have public golf courses. My son and the other skaters held on and now there seem to be public skate parks - every where! They were sneaky - if it wasn't a skate park but had the potential they took it over and fixed it, kind of. The wall of ignorance about firearms and humans and safety is so huge! Time for more coffee and breakfast - I will get to shoot today, have to prepare for my weekend with Appleseed. Not a government supported program - but then LOVE isn't either.

running into DARK times...

between the Halloween costumes and neat spooky stuff on Farmville and neighbors on both sides of our home decorating for Halloween I have noticed that the monsters are back. VP Biden was in the great Northwest recently, President Obama is coming soon, too. Seems like Patty Murray can't run on her record, but she single-handedly saved Boeing from Airbus, she will use those extra voters in King County for civic improvement. Rossi is so slicked down that he looks like the gangster the Democrats keep labeling him. He is part owner of a bank that the Feds have under observation - but if your bank is FDIC that would be true, wouldn't it? The heavy political ads drove me from my wife and breakfast - although I did finish breakfast. I opened the blinds and stare into darkness and it is already six-thirty and still deep dark, saving our daylight for the commute tonight. It will get darker, dreams were fine last night, my wife had me walking in Minnesota or to Minnesota, she woke tired. Has to go to work earlier today, moving between buildings and she wants her Friday late afternoon free for her Bible study group.

Forecast for rain and wind Saturday and Sunday, today may be the best time to cut my lawn before November. The grass isn't getting the amount of sunshine it needs to really stretch, so every two weeks will work. The Appleseed in Castle Rock will be wet, we have pop-ups for covering the line and tarps for the ground, we will still be wet, we will still teach and shoot and have a great time. Pictures of course will be taken.

There are Christmas cards, wrapping and decorations in the base exchange - of course. It is time to get something out to those serving in far flung corners of American Power Projection - Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea, Germany and all the places the Navy and Marines go to perform. Our military is too small for our grand pretensions, but they keep trying.

Thinking of retreating to lesser footprint upon the world at large here. Looking at how much I shoot, which distances I am going to work at and what I want to accomplish in 2011 - I may just go back to the military range two weekends a month - twenty dollars max for fees. But then for the whole hundred and fifty I can drop into the Tacoma Rifle and Revolver Club most days of the week and the entire year - do the math - the TRRC wins!

Maybe the Sun doesn't know it is Fall...

or there aren't enough great clouds to hide behind. It is cold mornings to start, then warms gently, but the dew remains on the shaded grass in the yard. I did go for my heart walk, it thanks me. When I was returning Postman Devone was talking to Lois by her mailbox, I said a hello to both. Also met a fine beagle on a leash with its walker, the beagle would make a fine walking partner - I should volunteer to give it a walk, shouldn't I? As I came back from my postbox, with the election junk (discarded immediately) I get to be snift and greeted by Cinnamon, a Golden Retriever. Dogs and little children have always loved me, or so I truly believe. I was talking to my wife about Brady the other day, and a young boy asked about the pistol stuff I was taking out of my Caravan - so we had a discussion about guns, his father has some, and safety and making sure he has his father teach him when he get old enough. Take care out there.

Unexpected doesn't mean not planned for...

I was once very proud of my five year plans - trying to convince the younger generation that they should constantly prepare for the rest of their lives by planning things to accomplish in the next five years. I know, you think I stole that from the Great Leaps Forward of the Communists, but I didn't. Anyway, looking forward for the Zombie Apocalypse or the complete collapse of the Republican Party and Capitalism or a world without love or energy or something. What are you prepared to adapt to and overcome? Okay, keep it simple - you get a job, you want a better job, you start paying the bills and you pay yourself first - making automatic savings a part of your life.... a whole bunch of good to great things you can plan for and work towards and have something five years down the road. Or, don't plan, and hope to win the Lotto or that only good things happen to most people.

Now, today, I woke to ice on the windshield, and missed my scraper - found a substitute - went to church and then I went and saw RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) and enjoyed the entire movie but it added to my thinking about the what if, that the Pastor had started with his deciding that he was going up in the Rapture - were we coming?

You can really, once reach adult thinking, plan a life for forty or fifty years - with tweaks along the way - marriage, schools, careers, changes in marriage, children, schools, careers, mouths to feed. My mother was looking forward to her fiftieth wedding anniversary - to the point that she might have missed other things going on around her, but that was a constant point of reference. As I thought about the movie and the sermon and the life of Earl - I remembered the Bucket List - another movie, about what is important to get done, see, visit and experience before one DIES. So I should be planning by listing those things that are a must if I only have a year to go. Shouldn't I? If you get more, at least during that year you will have done those things that you think you should have. If you only have two years left, what do you need to do, five years? Kind of like, okay, you are retired and have time of your own but what is important to get done, in case you don't want to die never having done...... whatever that secret desire was.

Rumored have happened just this way....

I have a friend who just got back from the Infantry Symposium sponsored Rheinmetal Defense Industries in Germany. According to this friend the lethality of the SS109 cartridge was under discussion when the commander of Germany's special forces stood up and said (paraphrasing) " The SS109 round was perfectly lethal up to 400 meters if the soldiers would hit what they were shooting at. 'I love the American soldier but they are not being taught marksmanship'. The best rifle marksmanship training in America is from a private group called 'Johnny Appleseed' or some such thing." At this point a member of the American special forces community jumped up, corrected the name and said he had taken the course and qualified because he came with some basic knowledge but the weekend was a real "ball buster"."

Of course he could have said it in German - the Europeans and long stationed in Germany would have understood it. But he might have said it in English, too. What is neat is being thought of as being the best rifle marksmanship training in America - and all we have done is borrow from the United States Army and Marine training of pre-World War I. There are so many things that America has lost on its way to the iPod and ring tones and apps.

Kind of out of the way, into the corner...

Spiders spin webs above it, rust waiting attention, it is getting older and much less useful. That box carried my world of comfort once. Dragged it everywhere I had wheels with room for it. Otherwise I carried in on my back, not this light chest - just the stuff I needed for operating far from home and civilization. Next time you watch a movie with troops with backpacks and gear - just know most of them are padded to look big and heavy - real troops with real weight (seventy-five pounds plus) walk, or waddle differently. Once admired the primitive bushman, he was going to find most of what he needed on the way - but then he wasn't going to be trying to start a fight when he got there.

I was laughing at the comments on Appleseed forum, the number of men that have trouble with their wives or girlfriends not supporting their absences from the home. When I was in the military - all the wives and girlfriends had more other women to support them when we went away. If you remember those many years since Vietnam, most women are in normal America getting on with life - and a few have military spouses or boyfriends, no circle of support if they aren't raised in a military family. So my wife's problem with my work in Appleseed is that her friends don't have husbands or boy friends that are a bit different. Or so I can tell myself, actually, I am probably too different to keep around anyway you look at it. Put me in the corner and allow me to hold memories and rust away.

Too much time, too much dreaming of things I Nevah..

It will take a while to shake the dreams off. Military of course, old OD fatigues with modern sewing, an artillery unit, 100mm Mountain Guns (yeah, I know but it was my dream), desert conditions, mud bricks for buildings but most pleasant living underground. The cool guys found the empty places to get their cots, cool and dry... then it rains, and rains, and rains - first flash floods sweeping away lots, mud starts getting into everything (machine guns anyone?). Then the buildings start to sag out, roofs start sagging down and then collapsing and we start searching for bodies still breathing. Good time for the neighbor's car alarm to go off, makes me wonder if my Caravan was broken into for all the stuff inside... the GPS maybe?

A hundred and twenty-seven pages for knowledge...

I went and got a short military haircut in case they need help with casting NCIS in Virginia - do not desire to do anything except see family in California. But in the mailbox is the State of Washington Voter's Pamphlet, November 2, 2010 General Election. When I get tired of watching the ads for elected positions in this state, I turn to the Korean News and watch the selection in North Korea. Interesting knowing that our two countries are still under a Ceasefire, but since we are the SUPER POWER, we can only go down --- while North Korea is so out of the rest of the world's reality (kind of reminds me of meth users) that when they wake up the only way to go it up. I think China just keeps them around as an example of what not to do in their Communist paradise.

I am on page fifty of the booklet, and have selected my votes, will probably sway my wife on too many words to work through - kind of like Congress on thousand pages of legislation that no one understands -- in the elected offices, there are a couple of opponents from the same party squaring up against each other - we have a primary that the top two elected will be on the final ballot - two Democrats or two Republicans or two mickey mouse club members - the top two. Well, more to think about. I know my wife likes looking at the pictures for her choices, and although she thinks voting for a woman isn't a good idea - she will for Senate. Rossi looks too much like a gangster the Republicans should have gone for someone else.

Folks aren't always the same as you thought...

checked my email today, and found one of the men that lived in this neighborhood has passed on. He and his wife were always walking the street in the nice evenings, and although I thought he did it for his heart, he always had a cigarette he was smoking. He was one of the committee members about the time I was in the Home Owners Association, a very nice quiet man. He didn't have a heart problem and hadn't seen doctors for years then suddenly got ill, recovered and got quieter and now had gone on. Getting old isn't for sissies.
The Sears Repairman came to our home yesterday and worked for three hours getting the treadmill back in tip top working order, I do need it. I am so out of shape - or rather I don't want to acknowledge that I am not in the best of shape, unless you like ROUND. I don't and I am hiding inside of this that I don't like, sigh, hiding is not something I like to do, blend into the background is more my style. Think like a rock and become one, that always worked for me in ambushes, if you think like a slavering predator the prey always knows something is drooling. Anyway, next time you are on ambush think like something from the surroundings - rock, tree, bush, pile of dung. Rock takes the least brain activity.
I called my doctor for a new prescription refill for the missing thyroid. Pick it up this afternoon, that will give me a couple of more times to hit the treadmill before I clean up to leave the home. Take your exercise in bits or all at once, but take it all everyday. I have been invited for coffee with three ladies in Pennsylvania, and I laugh, they know they are safe - I am not expected but they would not have trouble making coffee and talking - we haven't seen each other in many, many moons. Like about four hundred and fifty-eight or so. Facebook contacts the many so easily.
So how are politics where you are? Seems like less than three weeks to the election and I haven't the Voter's pamphlet nor the absentee ballots. For me, I am not too worried, but there are citizens in Afghanistan that need theirs mailed now to get back in time for the election. And I know that they aren't all Republicans, no matter what the Democratic party of Illinois thinks. That group of King-makers has been wrong before and will be again. I am afraid, which means I really lack confidence, that those thinking they are in power - will try to steal the election since they can't win it on merit. Remember Nixon, a Republican, that had nothing to fear from his opponent? And still they did Watergate break-ins? Something wrong with the people that go into politics and stay there? Probably tainted water or something.
My brother thought I might want to try politics, and one of my sisters thought I should substitute teach, and the other one just thinks I should be Earl. What I seem to be best at. I figure the recliner is going to kill me, I do need to get out of this house and back making my way in the world. Speaking of making way - time for the treadmill or wife's garden - something calls.

Guns seem to represent power to me.

The power of controlling someone else's life existence. If they are just for the "joy" of shooting, why would anyone need a conceal carry permit? Just haul on down to the range and waste a lot of ammo. I don't need the power to immediately end someone else's life. I don't want that power. (Explains why I don't own a gun.) Might explain a lot of other people's point of view. (It's good to understand people who don't agree with you. Even if it doesn't change your own reasoning.)

Yep, from one that doesn't understand anyone (sane, intelligent, nice folk type) need a concealed carry permit. I got mine, a License to carry concealed pistol, because the local politicians made bad laws that infringe on my RIGHT to keep and bear arms. I never felt powerless enough to need instant access to a firearm - either had one or was never in that terrible position. I certainly didn't get a firearm to increase the sexual activity I might have wanted to engage in - although my wife buying me my first pistol (a Colt .45 semi-automatic pistol - thank you, JMB) might have been an indication some of that myth made it to her ears? I like to shoot guns, I like to shoot guns well, and I don't like people that have no vested interest in my shooting telling me how or why or what or when or whomsoever.... nope, it is all about EARL.

I did renew the License when the first five years were almost up, but having never had to meet Marshall Dillon in the streets of Dodge, nor fight with or against the Earps in Tombstone, or be affected by Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, local drug lords, crazy gun slinging sheriff deputies while walking in town thinking I was a vagrant -- -well since all the bad things seem to happen to other people I couldn't tell you why, unless it was to give me POWER - the politically correct and anti-gun goodness folks can't be wrong can they? I don't think it gives me power, it is just a weapon that I am familiar with and use responsibly. Nothing sexy there, move on along. It did grate on me that my brother is so sure he can save me from the imagined evils of my affair with the gun - kind of like being an almost alcoholic and told by a non-drinker that it will ruin me. Or one of those goody-two shoes that tell me how my life would be better if I followed their path to salvation, sigh.

Then during my heart walk I thought about it and he was right, and that is why they are all afraid - not of me shooting someone nice, or myself or spending all my family's money on more guns and bullets. They are afraid I won't be part of their new improved state control of everything for our betterment. They actually are frightened that the Second Amendment means exactly what it says:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Let me write what they like to think it should say:

A frightening disorganized well-armed mob of people, being a threat to the security of our Royal and perfect state, the right of the people to keep and bear ARMS will never be allowed into law nor common custom.

Silly folks, think that governments exist to destroy their people piecemeal, for their own good - Cambodia, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, now England all deny the people the right to defend their government, because the government isn't ever their government - it belongs to the rulers - however they got there.

Am I carrying a gun (concealed or otherwise) because I am afraid, feel powerless without it, or want to overturn the current powers that be too important to fail? Nope, I carry a gun so I can shoot well, have fun and understand at the deepest part of my life and my relationship with the American government - I, the armed citizen, am an important part of the security of the free State. A very, very important part. And those of you that ain't hardly count in the grand scheme of things.... well, I love y'all anyway, even when you are so wrong... go get a gun, learn how to use it and help protect a Free America.


PS link is to Breda, who is a convert and understands guns better now - but still has a way to go if her shoulder is bruising while firing High Power, she loves bloggers and guns.

PPS, the picture has nothing to do with anything except she is a librarian and once in awhile I remember fondly being a Library Keeper (and I couldn't carry a gun or my pocket knives in there - and I wasn't afraid there either - God is Always with us, Amen).

Storytime for Dragons or just anybody with a minute...

One of my two friends sent me an email, said he had gone low on blood sugar while at church and fell out of it during the Sermon. When your brain isn't working and you can't process information you do fall out of reality, hopefully, you won't also fall off the pew or the motorcycle going down the highway. I often wonder why anyone would use drugs or alcohol to fall out of it, turning off the television should get you away from a lot of pain without the fog in the mind. Buddhists understand that relief from desire eliminates most pain, but you don't have to be religious to be without fear and free from pain or painful situations.

In Bowling for Columbine, Mister Moore found that America has a lot of fear, and for some reason he associated the American irrational love of guns with our fears. I didn't get the connection, but I think he thinks he is smarter than I and he knows best. I am of the opinion that if I believe that no one loves me, that I am alone and that I am weak and inept - I have reason to fear. Earlier I mentioned that I knew I was loved as a child because I was fearless, not afraid to try and fail, for my parents loved me and would set it right. After you grow and burn all those bridges between over-protective parents and super-self, then you get to find out how much there really is to fear out there. And you learn about working for a living, then saving and investing in a future, and learning more so you can be more productive and be paid according to your worth to the group's efforts. Or you just party until the joy and the money run out - normally happens about the same time.

The Youth Pastor was giving the message today, based on Luke 15 vs 11-32 (and I still remember those numbers). Stories for the transfer of failure and successful adaptations. I do believe that elephants transfer knowledge of many things, but Man has a real ability to teach something, to reason for a better way of doing things, and prevent failure -- but we can be talked out of it by (used car salesmen, bankers with derivatives they think you should share, clothes that make one cool, stuff to make one sexy, politicians?). So I guess you should temper your quest for entertainment and knowledge - which books to read, movies to see, people to listen to and discuss things. But I don't watch real Horror films - too scary, too ugly, too much waste of my time. No, I seem to spend a lot of time reliving old wars and long dead warriors' best efforts - I am broken, and what is really sad - no Horror film ever captures the real ugly of combat, the complete doing the best I can and still it isn't going to save any of those people I love. So, you are always told to get on with your life, put it behind you -- but the real ghosts never leave, they are always waiting, you lived with them and they are part of you. Experience - the wrinkles on the faces of the aged.... there for a reason botox can't cure.

Been laughing with children lately? gone out and weeded the garden and sucked up the flowers' powers? Watched the birds? Barked at by dogs that wag their tail so joyfully if you give them a minute and a pet? Isn't having a choice a great thing? Grab the apple (or fruit of forbidden knowledge) and take a bite -- and share. So we can all be.... what was the reason we didn't want to trust God to care for us? How do we get the idea we are alone, for God is always with us, we just don't trust Him and hardly listen when he speaks. So every generation must start over, finding Him, and following... how does life get so hard? Part of the plan? Or we are still blind and cannot see, deaf and cannot hear. Building walls for protecting ourSELF, instead of highways to Heaven. Reach out in Love, and find beauty all around you, just be there and don't fall out of reality because you don't love enough....

There are tough times and there is now and....

I watch a lot of Korean News, since I understand the language so little, have studied the two coups that brought real democracy and industry to the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and know the Korean media is telling me what the powers that be want me to know.

The North Korean example is total government control, under a kind of Communist Party with a little Asian philosophy and rule of the Kims, father, son and soon great grandson. Making great leaps, in place mostly (the Japanese were much better rulers but they really didn't like Koreans) the North has withstood the tender suggestions of Nuclear disarmament from the United States. So they have what they deserve, they have all that they can earn on their own merit. Remember we couldn't beat them and the Chinese in 1952. Always good to remember that.

Anyway, the United States isn't in the best economic condition now and I have been reading A History of the American People by Paul Johnson - and our early years as a country weren't the best - and are so different from today's. The answers were so different. But I was looking at the apple tree across the street, and thinking that compared to North Korea, where only the tiptop ruling family is FAT and everyone else is trying to gather enough grass to eat - America is still shopping at the Safeway, and allowing all the free apples to fall to the ground and rot. Not enough illegal farm laborers? Or are we just not industrious and thrifty any longer? The latter I believe, I get fatter doing so much less, I could be a leader in North Korea if I spoke the language better or had a Japanese Army to back me up.

Yep, I will get qualified with the pistol for TRRC...

Went to my classroom instruction on pistol and revolver safety at Tacoma Rifle and Revolver Club. Ahttp://wmearl-justthelibrarykeeper.blogspot.com/nd I learned four rules of safety - Not Cooper's, not NRA and certainly not the Appleseed four. Close to the NRA ones, but they all do work. And then we listened about the rules at the TRRC ranges, which are Cold Ranges. That brought up the question about Hot Ranges and are there any.

Cold ranges are run with empty weapons while not engaged in shooting targets, and on our TRRC ranges there is a yellow line you must be behind if you are around the firing line, although you could be forward on the target line preparing the targets for the next round of Hot Range.

Hot Ranges are run with loaded weapons everywhere and you responsible for the safe use thereof.... most of your best tactical and combat courses are Hot - although I should tell you that the United States Military really run their training on Cold ranges.

Now the United States military when sending units to combat potential theaters, loads them up with ammunition for personal defense before embarking. Iraq and Afghanistan probably have different rules, but somewhere in the theater - troops are operating in HOT RANGE conditions, and when they get back to secure areas - some fool will make them go to cold range conditions, unloading the weapons and maybe even locking them up. One of the fool things I had to do in the basecamps in the rear in Vietnam - unload and lock up my rifle.

My point about writing this was that someone in the class didn't know the difference between hot and cold ranges (he was a member of the club), and he didn't know there were other kinds of ranges. So I made the point, after the instructor had carefully explained there were other kinds, That LIFE IS A HOT RANGE. It really is, although in our safe sane (protected by police and politicians with moral authority) First World culture we pretend it is a Cold Range. We have been wrong before and could be again.

What has value, really? gold? time? what?

I am one of the fortunate in the world, a Baby Boomer, did nothing to deserve my place at the top of the pile of humanity on Earth. Born in America, mother and father married, grandparents alive, economy growing along with my fathers earning skills. I would have to look it up to see what political party was in control at anytime, although I remember Eisenhower's Re-Election campaign because of a jingle, I even remember his opponent Stevenson. Public school system worked for me, at least until Earl got in the way, and actually I was just sharpening my potential by seeing what was of value to me and growth.

Somewhere, around fifth and sixth grades, I started to become Earl I have memories of being me then, and not too many from before - except of people and events not of Earl. In my cowboy suit, I must have been about five, still living in Minnesota and not in school yet. But I was smart, learning and intelligent and more than anything I was loved. Can I remember being loved? Sure, I do know that I wasn't afraid of much, so I must have known I was loved. When I wanted to escape from my afternoon nap to go down town to see the circus or something, I fearlessly jumped from my second story window, and broke into tears after landing because my mother saw me land while she was ironing by the window. Ah, well, yep, I was fearless for my mother would tell me stories, or read to us from books and the Bible about heroes and war and tell us about adventures and stuff. I soaked it all in and I was wanting to read those adventures myself.

We have a digital picture frame, and keep adding pictures to it, and it rotates well, I get to see lots of babies. Me, my son, my grandson and it makes me think of those things of value that I was passed by my parents, who got them from their parents, and so on back to the past. Most of us have gotten love, given love and raised the next generation in love. Isn't it wonderful that the government can't tax it, proclaim it official currency for all transactions, nor creates it? When I die all I will have worth taking with me, the love I was given, all that I have worth mentioning will be the love I shared or just gave away. So the next time I realize that my time, life and money is just slip sliding away - I should remember that all I did for love, in love and with love will stand. It maybe the only thing of value I have ever owned, and it can't be bought.

You can't tell the players without a program....

I like watching the watchers, or are they all singing?

Good Morning, World!

Strange dreams all night long. Two men that are in conflict in politics, small town life, and taking sniping shots at each other. I liked both of them but saw their stupidity and blindness - and wasn't helpful in getting them to see it themselves. Kept going back to the same dream, no resolution, which does make me tired.

I found some ambition or extra energy or just got tired of not knowing where anything was in the Computer Cave, I set up all three computers, and worked on each yesterday, got a lot of bills paid and posted, then started attacking the piles of procrastination that had been on the daybed (can't stretch out for a nap with that stuff in the way). Filled the trash bin, today is pick up day. Shocked my wife pleasantly. I still have the books to organize, and some radios to get where they will work best. In the end I have started on the road to a better Earl. Classmates.com has a new look, and still wants money for me and my time in the world, shucks, I am roaming out here for free and getting more of exactly what I want. Pistol classroom instruction tomorrow evening, qualification shooting on Saturday. It is about time I pulled the big guns out to play. Looking over an old yearbook I found a signature from Mister Mauger, my favorite History teacher and rifle club sponsor and coach. Telling me to stick with the rifle, I like that, hadn't paid attention to that before - it would have meant a lot back in 1962, and it is 2010, and still means a lot.

Lots to think about today....

It is Sunday and we went to church, I caught Face the Nation apologizing for having had to give the Democrats equal time after the Tea Party and those gloating Republicans. I didn't stay, at church fine singing, then the sermon and thoughts about Priests and Divinity School, then my wife suggested a movie - and Money never sleeps - and Michael Douglas looks more like Kirk every day as he gets older. That gives me more to think about, then we had Vietnamese Noodles at our local Pho Haus.

One of the things most interesting to me was a question about shooting, then not having guns in the house (not me, I have plenty), and what should one do. That got my whole sermon on - if you don't have one now, what would be the hurry, and having one doesn't get you to the point of using it, and which one and all the baggage that goes with it. The listener's eyes weren't glazing over, but I did decide that information overload wouldn't be productive, so I suggested that he and his wife meet me and my wife at the military range to shoot pistols. At least he would be that much more familiar with them. That could be happening this month.

I do wonder, why the media don't report on crimes in homes - like was there a working security system, did the homeowner have a firearm, how long did it take the police to arrive and apprehend the suspect? The kind of stuff I would really like to know. New movie coming out: Highway 61 (Pittsburgh area!). Does it seem to y'all that not only don't we have much business and industry in America - but they aren't really making many great movies, now?

The biggest, the best, the most, wurst.......

Have you been listening to the number of people that no longer use er, and est to make comparatives? I am more good than you, I am the most good of all? They don't usually use it with good (better, best), but I hear it with happy (more happy, most happy) and sexy (more sexy, most sexy). Maybe it was a change in one of those public school texts that I hear no one looks at for anything but PC and mush now. People don't really tell me what is going on, but polling data says that... and experts say that... and I have always heard that they say... Numbers seem to count more than real value, dollars more than effect, and on...

My favorite group has been hijacked by counters.... how many people have attended, how many are Riflemen, how many are seventh stepping - I have trouble with groups of over thirty-five. But most and many mores are tramping on all my little efforts. But, I believe in the little guy, the young people, the old ones - so I stay. One of the new things seems to be Winterseed - how terrible an Appleseed can be with bad weather, cold and snow and wet count, oh, and it should be Winterish... not exactly Valley Forge but close. Now, I know that cold isn't going to make you shoot better, and I know that safety on the range and the roads getting there and home are more critical than any special frozen blue Rifleman patch, but they are thinking it is time to offer something more challenging. The coldest Winter ever... or like the Starks keep saying "Winter is Coming" as they live in their ice castle.

Another good reason to hibernate, tom foolery...