Thursday, June 30, 2016

Do it for the children!



I got hit with that line a few weeks ago and she did not like my answer.

A lot of people are afraid of that line, saying "Hey, you just can't come out and say 'screw the children'.

You can't?

I did.

There is little more that I hate then people that use their kids as shields to further their own personal agenda. Damned little. Kids are kid. They are not shields.

"Screw the children," I said. "If you think that I am going to revolve MY life around YOUR children then guess again! If you are so irresponsible as to expect everyone else to raise your children for you then do not have them."

Of course she looked shocked and it looked like she was going to turn on the water works. I beat her to the punch.

"Don't bother starting to blubber," I said. "I have a heart of stone. I am simply not going to change my life for the benefit of your children and it is damned rude of you to even suggest I do."

The look of getting ready to cry went away instantly and was replaced with a look of angry hate. It was the look of someone that has just been robbed and could do nothing about it. When I told her that crying was not going to get her anywhere she had been robbed of her ace in the hole.

Then came the ''Yeah, but.''

"Yeah, but nothing. I'm sick and tired of people like you hiding behind their children. That's all you are doing is hiding behind then because you think that it is an appeal nobody can turn down. Frankly I think you are cowardly for doing such a thing."

Some time ago I saw a guy ask a smoker at an outside bus stop to "Put your damned cigarette out out because I have my kids with me. The smoker had carefully shifted to a downwind position out of consideration. The smoker caved in. I would not have.

Had it been me I would have answered "Screw your children. You're just using them as a shield to get your own way. Stop using your children to further your personal agenda."

This clown was another coward. He WAS trying to use his children as a shield because he didn't have the guts to confront the person otherwise. He needed a shield.

A couple of months ago someone told me he ran into a person that wanted handguns outlawed. She was another 'Do it for the children' type. 

"That's why I carry," he replied. "To make the world safer for the children. I can defend them."

"Yeah, but..." she started.

"Tell you what, Lady." Show me a picture of your kids so I know who they are. I'll carefully remember them and if I see them being harmed I will make it a point to stay out of it and let things run their course, OK?"

She looked stunned according to him. He did notice that she didn't produce a picture of her kids.

Incidentally I would not do this if I was actually carrying a firearm. People like that are apt to call the police and lie, saying you threatened them with a gun. This practice is growing among the anti-liberty set. It is illegal and I wish the police would crack down on it. Throwing a few of these liars in jail would straighten things up fast.

The truth is the 'Do it for the children' line is nothing more than a case of using kids as a shield and there is a simple defense against the practice.

One time a couple years back I was in a parking lot and saw a guy leaning on his horn at a woman backing out of a parking space. She was having a slow time of it thanks to the way someone had parked and crowded her. On top of that, she had started to pull out before the idiot arrived. 

Sitting in a car leaning on the horn was a totally uncalled thing to do. In this case it seemed to be malicious.

I decided to make this one my business.

"Hey, idiot!" I shouted. "Give the woman a break. She got crowded and she's having a hard time getting out. She stared before you came charging up!"

"Don't you talk to me that way in front of my children," he replied indignantly.

"Then stop setting them a piss-poor example," I shot back. "And while you're at it, grow a pair and stop hiding behind them!"

Then I lookedover him and at his kids. "Hey, kids! Your daddy is a big fat wuss!"

I heard the locks click, proving it.

Challenge it every chance you get. After a while it will go away. Challenge it because the people that do this sort of thing are cowardly.

Screw the children!





To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Spaghetti on paper plates.



Ah, yes. There is nothing quite like serving nice, wet partially drained spaghetti on cheap paper plates.

The instant the spaghetti hits the plate it gets soggy and loses what little ability it had to stay remotely in any kind of shape.

It's not so bad if you are simply putting spaghetti on a plate that is already on the table at the place setting.

The fun starts when you serve buffet style and people have to take a heavy plateful of spaghetti on a cheap paper plate somewhere to eat it.

When you do this it is preferable to supply a table and not have everyone try to juggle the soggy mess on their laps. Without a table people will be cleaning up for weeks.

Carrying a plateful of wet spaghetti to the table requires quite some skill. If you put one hand under the plate the outsides will start to tip and everything will start to slip off. When you move your fingers to lift the edges of the plate it will instantly contort to a U shaped affair and everything will slide out of both ends looking like Niagara Falls.

It's generally best to use both hands under the plate to support it. When you get to the table you have to toss the plate up slightly to get your hands out from under it so it lands on the table with a wet plop.

Where it lands is where it stays so planning ahead is a requirement. The starch and water that has soaked through such cheap plate means it will stick to the table like glue. Trying to move it is a sure fire way to have the entire plate come apart on you.

You can't slide the plate closer or it will likely disappear into the spaghetti and yu'll simply be eating straight off of the table.

Church spaghetti suppers are generally good for this dopey little stunt although the generally do provide a table for you to park your plate on after having to juggle the soggy pile of slippery spaghetti. It beats being having to deal with it on your lap as I once had to do at a party years ago.

There's no way in hell you can rest a cheap, soggy paper plate on your lap without making a super sized mess.

For some odd reason, while churches opt for cheap paper plates, fire halls often use quality plates. It has been my experience that churches often cheap out for some reason or another.

While I have not been to a spaghetti supper in quite some time, I do recall that I generally have a USGI Old School mess kit in my pickup for things of this nature.

This reminds me. I ought to check and see if it is still there. I have not seen it in a while. I might need that for biscuits and gravy at Camp Perry later on this summer. The food consession people might be using cheap plates this year. Being prepared makes things a whole lot nicer.

Anyway, back on task.

A quick check is all it takes to see if it is cheap paper plate night at the church supper. If it is, there's a quick trip back to the pickup and I'm good to go.

The deep dish part of the mess kit can hold the spaghetti and you throw the obligatory garlic bread on top and the other split section is good for the salad portion. It works pretty well.

Comments from other people are generally pretty complimentary. "Looks like you know what you're doing. Next time I'll bring my own plate." is pretty common. One time someone asked, "Eat at church suppers often?"

Take a tip from an old pro.  Bring a mess kit.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

I generally do not post stuff from the web, preferring to write my own,

 but this one seems interesting.

If you are even considering voting for Hilary Clinton here is a pretty good reason to reconsider.

Someone's got to pay for this. Hope you don't mind a little bit of a tax increase.

http://www.sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=10240D21-0638-450C-8969-75119DAF6515

It makes no sense admitting thousands of people to this country that have a religion and lifestyle incompatable with western society. Yet the Hildabeast wants to drag them in by the hundreds of thousands.


How about...uhhh....NO!

The money spent on Syrian immigrants would work wonders in out infrastructure. You can rapair a lot of bridges and roads with that kind of money.

Why not vote for someone that puts America FIRST.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Monday, June 27, 2016

PRC 320 guys listen up!



N4RMT is Good to Go!

A couple of weeks ago I got my PRC 320 back from him after he added the LSB modification. It works like a charm.

It's damned difficult to find anyone Stateside that will work on these rigs. After all, they were made in the UK and the following of these surplus rigs is nowhere large enough for the big shops to work on them. They are difficult as they are build like tanks.

I suppose that if you live in the UK there are a number of retired Royal Signals people that can work on them but shipping them both ways is terribly expensive. There is also the question regarding the legality of re-importing them back to the States. The Brits consider them to be munitions of a sort even though there is nothing classified about them.

Anyway, N4RMT took mine in and added the modification at a reasonable price, resealed the rig properly and I am good to go. It now is capable of lower side band operation.

These rigs are made to operate in CW, AM and USB (upper side band) modes. This is OK on bands 20 meters and up. However, traditionally on the 40 and 80 meter bands hams use LSB.

Incidentally there is an offset for both USB and LSB use. For USB use you set the rig band and decade switches 2 kHz above the frequency you want to work. For example if you want to work 14.332 you set the decade switches to 14.334.

To use the rig on LSB you turn the power switch to 'Battery check'. This puts the rig onto LSB. The offset is 1.2 kHz down. For example, if you want to work 7.125 you set the decade switches to 7.123.8.

Anyway N4RMT did a wonderful job and the rig works like a charm. It doesn't get any better than this.

I have a PRC 320/L which is LSB only and made by the Brits for export. I wonder if he can do an USB mod on it.

I'll have to ask him.




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Liberty can be very scary.




It can also be very profitable...and quite rewarding.


It's a shame most people don't understand it.

It's also a shame most people are not willing to accept the responsibilities that go with it.




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Someone asked my why I had offered to teach members of the LGBT community to use firearms.



I shot back at him that it is the right of everyone to defend themselves, period. No and, if or buts. It is an absolute.

He then asked me if I was some kind of friend of the LGBT community. I shot back that I am a friend of liberty.

Like it or not, these people are our neighbors and what they do behind closed doors is their business. Those people deserve the same liberties as everyone else. To take theirs is to take your own. 

As for my personal attitude toward ANYONE regardless of just about anything is they are judged simply by the content of their character. Race, color, gender, sexual preferences have nothing to do with it.

It's as simple as that.

I can remember three trangenders I often enjoyed the company of simply because they were good people and were interesting. Back in the day my attitude drew a number of questions and comments, both bad and good.

Then again I'm the guy that took a hooker to Midnight mass one Christmas eve. I wrote about that incident a while back. It's in this blog if you want to dig it out.

I got a lot of flak for that and sluffed it off. My shoulders are broad. I suppose if I actually do start giving the LGBT community lessons someone is likely to say something to me. They'll get a damned smart answer.

Someone fairly close to me asked me, "If you don't like LGBT parades then why are you offering to do this?"

She was partly right but didn't understand the entire picture.

I don't like LGBT parades. I think they're somewhat tasteless. I also don't like #BLM rallies nor Klan rallies and a lot of other things. Yet if the government tries and deny any of these groups their right to parade or assemble they will find me as a solid supporter to insure they get their rights.

It has nothing to do with the organization itself and everything to do with a concept called liberty. Liberty trumps butt-hurt.

I've left a lot of people butt-hurt with this attitude. They can't seem to fathom why I would argue in behalf of the Ku Klux Klan all week only to show up at their rally and throw rotten vegetables at them.

It seems like a paradox unless ou understand the words 'liberty and justice for all'. Everyone has a right to assemble and I have a right to like or not like them.

Would I train Klansmen or #BLM types? Probably not because I am afraid they would misuse their new skills. These people are generally looking for people to victimize.

On the other hand the LGBT community has never harmed anyone to speak of and have a history of being victimized for nothing at all that I can see. Besides it's my choice. I'll train whoever I want.

The woman that asked me why I would train them also asked me if it would bother me being around a man dressed as a woman. The answer is a resounding no.

During my life in Kodaik I was friends with three transgenders. This was in the 80s long before it was even remotely socially acceptable. One was transgendered before I met her. She was a talented person that was in the medical field and she treated me right.

The other two I knew for their entire transgender proceedure. If I recall they were starting out in hormones when I first met them. I watched the proceedure simply because they were my neighbors so to speak. Both of them I was friendly with. 

Kodiak could be a rough place and in general people got along. It was probably a good place for a transgender to live during the transformation. Still, there were occasional slights.

One day I was at one of the bars. Julie (not her real name) was sitting there minding her own business when a woman in her late 40s came in tanked up. I think she was going through menopause because she was a real bitch.

She looked at Julie and made a particularly foul comment Julie's upcoming surgery. I won't repeat what she said save to say it was foul.

I was reading a paper at the time and didn't even look up. "I'll bet hers is going to taste a lot better than yours does," I said, dryly.

That brought the house down and I knew I had made a friend for life. My comment made the rounds and for the next couple of weeks. I seldom had to buy my own beer.

The woman with the crude mouth was already an enemy. I bet she would have kept her mouth shut if she had seen me but she didn't.

I have to give Julie credit. She always looked her best. She wanted to be a woman and worked at it. A couple of times she helped some of the strippers at the club with their hair and makeup. I have to admit they looked a lot better after Julie fixed their hair and touched them up a bit.

I knew a couple of gay men, too. One time one of them gave me a tip that I use to this day. It has saved me almost 40 years of aggravation.

He was sitting next to me at Tony's and saw me reach in to fix my shorts.

"Bad set of briefs? he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "My junk keeps wiggling out the fly."

"You don't know how to avoid that?" he asked. "Run over to Krafts and get a package of briefs and I'll show you."

So I ran next door and bought a 6-pack of briefs and we sat at the bar and he showed me how to see of a pair was put together correctly. We found a bad pair and got a Magic Marker from the bartender and marked the pair. If I recall this happened in July so I wrote 'April' across the seat.

A few miutes later another one of the guys walked in and asked what we were doing. When we told him he stuck around. I think three or four of us learned the trick.

He proved right. When I wore the pair my junk wiggled out the fly. I simply tossed them that night. 

Ever since then I check newly purchased briefs and throw out the occasionally shoddily constructed pair and if I do this I never have a problem.

The gay community has never done me any wrong. I attribute that to the fact that I try and treat everyone like a human being until they make it clear they don't deserve it.

Government isn't going to protect any of us. People that rely on the government to do this are called 'victims'. The police generally show up after the crime has been committed.

So why is the government so insistent about gun control? Why are the Democrats so adamant about disarming the public?

Simple. A disarmed citizenry is a lot easier to control.

Remember this: When government tells you that you don't need a gun, you need one.

The offer to teach LGBT community members stands. 

As for my critics? They are cordially offered the use of the piece of mistletoe I keep clipped to my shirt tail.


To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Friday, June 24, 2016

Little Old ladies are loose cannons.



I have said this before and I'll say it again. When dealing with an old lady one never knows what is going to happen.

You can say "Aw, shucks!" in front of one and get chewed out by one because she is offended by such profanity.

The next one you might run into can probably make an Old School Parris Island drill instructor blush. 

Some have no sense of humor whatever and others are outright hilarious.

Like I have said many times before I am a ham operator and like to work DX. I don't rely on electronic confirmation. I like paper QSL cards to confirm my DX contacts. 

The rules are the person requesting a card is supposed to supply his or her card, a self addressed envelope and cash for return postage. Generally this is done by sticking a couple bucks into the envelope. This means I often need one dollar bills.

A while ago I had a spare fifty and decided to get a stack of ones to take care of some outgoing QSL cards and add the remaider to my 'one stash'.

I went to the bank and asked the teller for ones. She gave me a cheerful, naive look and asked me, "Having a garage sale?"

This, of course, created a major target of opportunity. There are things that come up that one can simply not let pass under any circumstances.

"No," I replied excitedly. "Bubbles is workin' at the club tonight!"

She looked a little shocked. The guy teller in the next booth heard it and said over to me, "Bubbles is working tonight? I'm buyin' the first round!" He knew I was being a smart ass.

What brought the house down was the little old lady in front of the guy teller. She was cashing a check. She turned over towards me and stuck her ample boobs out and asked, "Are they having a wet T-shirt contest?"

I looked at the old girl. She must have been at least 80 and was pretty topheavy. Likely her brassire was made at Angelo's wrecking yard out of old seat belts and a couple of 1952 Caddy front bumper bullets.

"Sure are!" I replied, "And Bubbles can't enter it because she works there!"

"I'm in!" she replied.

Needless to say the whole place was laughing themeslves silly.

As for me, I didn't mind being upstaged one bit.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Thursday, June 23, 2016

I just saw where several large corporations

 have decided to stick it to Trump by withdrawing support for him.

This could very well backfire because people of BOTH parties don't like the way big business seems to run the show behind the scenes.

The big shots seem to forget that the CEO of, for example, Ford Motor Company has one vote just like the guy that sweeps the floor somewhere. You know, the guy that is angry because the car he paid two year's pay for has just crapped out on him 200 miles after the warranty expired.

This may very well be a case of a victory for the little guy.

You have to wonder that maybe the guy that Ford, Motorola and a few other big guys don't like isn't making the right enemies.

I seldom judge a man by his friends. I judge him by his enemies.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

We're not out of the woods yet.

Seems Senator Toomey and a couple more Republicans are being surrender monkeys with our rights.

If Toomey doesn't smarten up I WILL support the Democrat even though she is as bad if not worse than he is.

I WILL cut off my nose to spite my face over this one.


I am seriously thinking of selling what little I have in my collection to young family men that I know will not turn them in. I will do this while it is still legal.

I have no children to pass things on to.








To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Well, it looks like any serious gun control

 on a federal level is not going to be taking place in the immediate future.

Oh, well.

The truth is the toothpaste is out of the tube and actually has been since the day the Bill of rights was signed.

What would a ban really accomplish when you think of it, other than to weaken the Bill of Rights.

The truth is that there are millions and millions of semi-automatic rifles in circulation and trying to take them away would do little more than create a lot of crime where it doesn't exist.

Connectucut recently demanded that the citizens there turn their weapons in and it was a real farce. Well under 15% of the estimated weapons were turned in.

This made fools out of the lawmakers that passed the law and in the long haul undermined their authority.  

It certainly doesn't look like any ban or law is going to be obeyed.
The truth of it is that banning something doesn't really do a whole lot of good.

Look at what happened with Prohibition? How about the War of Drugs? Has the war on drugs even made a dent in illegal narcotics sales?

The truth is that AMericans like alcohol, tobacco, guns and drugs and a prohibition is going to do little except to create yet another opportunity for criminal empires.





To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Sorreeeeee!

Busy day today.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Monday, June 20, 2016

I always try and make people happy.




If you are happy being happy I have something nice to say to you. If you are happy being miserable I will make you happy by saying something that will make you feel miserable.

Yesterday I helped a scared woman stay scared.

There are people that are generally scared their own shadow and of life in general. It's their own fault. While we are all scared from time to time, some are permanently scared. It's strictly their choice.

I parked my pickup next to a car. I didn't notice that in the car there was a woman dawdling like they often do. Purse? Check. Glasses? Check. Whatever.

Anyway as she was getting out I pulled in on her passengers side. She looked over at me as I got out looking at me like she was afraid I was going to hit her on the head and carry her off to trade her off to someone in Outer Slobovia to use as a slave.

I am an old man and don't really look too scary. I don't know what her problem was but looked at her and smiled.

"Hello, how are you?" I greeted her with a smile.

"Fine," she said fearfully. "How are you?" She was looking at me like I was the incarnate ghosts of a pair of Charlies. Charles Manson and Charlie Starkweather.

"Great!" I replied, cheerfully "After looking at grey steel bars for the past 37 years it's great to see blue skies. I just got out on parole Friday!"

With that I simply walked off into the store, leaving her  wide eyed.

I actually felt pretty good. I had made her happy.




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Sunday, June 19, 2016

I seldom post videos but this guy gets it. He's a good sheriff





To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Recently members of the LGBT

 community have reached out to the shooter community, some of whom are white Christian males, for help. The response has been pretty damned good. Erin Palette reports quite a number of people have signed up.

The truth is conservatives and the LGBT and a lot of others have been blamed for the Orlando shootings. Everyone has been thrown under the bus except the guilty, meaning radical Islamism and the Obama administration. The administration is blaming everyone else, including the victim. Bad government, poor immigration policies are the culprits here yet the Obama administration blames everyone but the guilty.

Truth of the matter is that it's high time that we realize that government is not the solution. It is clearly the problem.

It is well past time for We, the People, to realize that government is incapable of protecting us. The final responsibility is ours. In reality it always has been our responsibility.

 I have to remind you that American freedoms are protected by four boxes. They are the soap box, the jury box, the ballot box and  the cartridge box. The first three didn't do anyone any good in Orlando.

Clearly it is time for the LGBT community to learn how to open the cartridge box. Armed gays don't get bashed.

There are a lot of us in the shooting community that will cheerfully teach you to defend yourselves. Most of them have offered to do this at their own expense.

What we ask in return is your support in shooting down attacks on our 2nd Amendment rights. Please tell your congress critter to support the 2nd Amendment and make it clear you are a part of the LGBT community. 

It's high time that Americans in general and presently the LGBT stop looking to government to take care of them and look toward themselves.

It is also high time that some members Christian community (and a few others) stop picking on the LGBT community. For the most part the LGBT is costing you no money and doing you no harm.

Besides, as Christians it is not your call to judge. That belongs to God. Nobody is asking you to do anything but stick up for the basic rights of your fellow American citizens and permit them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Besides, what goes on behind closed doors is of no concern to you.

It is also the duty of the LGBT community to stop being obnoxious. If someone won't bake you a wedding cake it is his right to refuse. Simply take your money and go somewhere else. It's his loss and your money will spend just as good at the bakery a block away. If a certain preacher won't marry you then find one that will. His religion may prohibit gay weddings. So what? Obnoxious bullshit like that on the part of LGBT members serves no useful purpose. You can't get someone to love you.

However you easily CAN get people to hate you. Smarten up. Stop trying to make a statement that doesn't need making.

Incidentally if you are desperate enough so you will work your wedding around my work schedule I will marry you where it is legal. I'm an ordained minister. 


Recently there has been a huge outrage over which bathroom to use. I blame part of that one a member(s) of the LGBT community for starting it. I also blame the government for getting involved.

A few short months ago virtually all of us knew which one to use. I never heard of a single argument over who was supposed to go where. As a society we had it all worked out with few if any problems.

Someone started the issue and the minute government got involved it turned into a typical government goat fuck. Someone owes us ALL an apology. Someone in government came charging in to solve a problem that clearly did not exist.

On the other hand, my guess is that maybe the government did get involved intentionally to divide us. I think possibly the president did this on purpose simply for that reason. Divide and conquer.

The truth is that we all have to do two things.

First we have to stop expecting government to solve our problems. They obviously can't. 

Secondly we have to get along. Both sides have to get off of their high horses.

One thing is for sure, though.

The shooting community is looking at an opportunity to bring in others to join in. 

This is not new news. Several years ago I saw the Pink Pistols come aboard on a couple Internet boards. What I saw was interesting. We found common ground. 

A lot of so-called straight men that were previously homophobic came around and found common ground with members of the LGBT community. It was an interesting thing to watch and some of the comments were hilarious as many of the guys saw the light. The concept of armed gays was new to them and they readily accepted it after the shock wore off.

Now almost all of the shooting community welcomes the fresh blood of the LGBT. It's a healthy thing to see.

Earlier this evening I watched about 20 women learning to shoot. It was a  sight for sore eyes. Until recently this was pretty rare and I welcomed them.

The truth is we both need each other. We need your support and you need ours. It's clearly time for all of us to put aside petty differences and make this thing work.

A couple of things, though.

Please vote to secure our RKBA come November and tell George Takai to shove it. George lives in an ivory tower and doesn't have to rub shoulders with the peons like us that work for a living. He may claim to be a LBGT activist but he isn't likely to have to defend himself from his ivory tower.


Let's do it!

#ShootBack



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Friday, June 17, 2016

If you're queer then get the gear. Learn how to use it.

#ShootBack




I have decided to throw my hat into the ring over something and do something about it instead of rant and rave on the keyboard.

Over fifty AMERICANS died in Florida the other day. While they may have been members of the LGBT community, who cares. They were Americans. Those people never hurt anybody and didn't deserve to die that way. These people were our friends and neighbors and they were murdered.

The truth is, the LGBT community has neither cost me money nor injured me in any way. I have no problems with them whatsoever.

Historically I have neither been a friend nor an enemy of the LGBT community. There were just there and I left them in peace and for the most part they left me in peace. There were a couple of exceptions but I suppose that's true of any group. The few I have crossed swords with were troublemakers anyway. They wanted to feel persecuted so I obliged them.

The pair in question tried to slam me on the gay marriage issue a while back I was and always have thought the government should stay out of the marriage business and grant civil unions to any two people that want one. 

You wanna get married? See the preacher and if he will marry you, fine. But you can't force him to. Don't like it? Find one who will.

Anyway, the two of them said because I was against all government sponsored marriage I must be against gay marriage and therefore was anti gay. They left properly humiliated and feeling persecuted. It was uncalled for cheap shot on their part.

I have believed that a person's sexuality is hard wired into them and that's the way it is. It is what it is and I leave it at that. This isn't about LGBT, it's about people.

All of that being said, the attack on my fellow Americans has left me angry and I am willing to do something about it.

On an Internet board someone in the LGBT community put out a request to the shooting community to help some of the members to learn to safely use firearms. About 400 shooters signed up almost immediately. Actually about 401. I added my name to the list.

I will cheerfully and proudly teach any responsible member of the LGBT community how to defend themselves with a firearm. I will take you through the procedures of safe handling, basic marksmanship and help you with the purchase of a firearm. 

I can also show you how to get a PA license to carry firearms, also known as a concealed carry permit or CCW.

I will try and tailor the schooling to your needs, abilities and desires. Just want to know how to keep one safe in your home? Fine. Want to learn to be an Old School gunfighter? We can do that, too.

If you live in the greater Pittsburgh area and are interested please leave a contact point of some sort in the comments section below this post.

If you're queer, get the gear and learn how to use it.

Incidentally, if anyone knows where to get a rainbow Gadsen flag like the one above, let me know. I'll cheerfully fly it.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Hey, if you are a passable cross dresser or most of the way through a transgender operation you go straight to the front of the line. 

Maybe one of the neighborhood wives might like a few style and makeup tips and I could use a little eye bleach after I got stuck behind a pretty disgusting looking woman at Walmart the other day. Owww! My eyes are still sore. Owww!

One thing I have noticed is that trans genders and drag queens take pretty good care of themselves unlike a lot of born that way women do.

If you are a member of the LGBT community and even snickered at this then we will get along fine. I forgot to tell you that I have a pretty sarcastic dry sense of humor.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

If you are LGBT or for that matter are not and just want training, here's where you can get it. Generally it is for only the cost of ammunition although some guys may not even charge for that.

It would be decent of you to offer them something for ammunition, though, even if they don't ask.

Training for anyone that wants to learn to safely use a firearm

If you are a shooter that wants to pitch in send an email here: erin.palette@gmail.com

You do not have to be certified but you should be experienced and be able to teach.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Thursday, June 16, 2016

The shooting in Florida

 got me thinking but it seems I am already too late. The panic has started in the shooting community and the prices of things has gone through the roof overnight.

Last night I was finishing up a bunch of brass for reloading as my supply long gun ammunition had dwindled down to almost nothing. I went on line to scare up some powder and maybe some primers.

What little was available commanded a small fortune. I was astonished until I thought for a second. Then I cursed myself for not buuying a few weeks ago when I first earmarked the brass for reloading. Things were affordable and readily available at this time last week.

I started calling around to see what was out there from the usual group of shooters I compete with. Some of these guys have connections I don't have. It was reported to me that one dealer has moved over 100,000 rifles in three days! 

It looks to me like President Obama is going to try and leave office with a record of being the best gun salesman the world has ever seen. 

Right now congress is doddering around and trying to figure out what to do. There is probably going to be legislation of some sort enacted.

This is not a good one for the shooting community.

Of course it is better congress do something now than wait until afterr November. Come November we can get some payback and throw some of these clowns out of office.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Elements of the LGBT community has reached out to the shooting community. It is common sense that armed gays don't get bashed.

The LGBT people have asked long time shooters if they will train LGBT members in the use of defensive firearms. The shooting community has responded and from what I have seen on one internet board alone the response has been astounding. Over 400 shooters have signed up to train the LGBT community to defend themselves. 

Of course my name is on the list.

I did tell them to try and send me either a transgender or maybe an attractive cross dresser of some sort because my eyes are still sore from having to look at the woman in front of me at Walmart the other day.

If they even snicker at that comment, we'll get along fine. 





To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

The rest of the Pilgrim story.



Everyone seems to have heard the story of the Pilgrims and their arrival in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They also know that in 1621 they celebrated a day of thanks that eventually morphed into the Thanksgiving holiday.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in December but was eventually pushed back to November after the Plymouth merchants complained that it reduced the number of shopping days until Christmas but I digress.

Everyone seems to know about the Mayflower Compact and the little commonwealth they formed. Everyone was supposed to put a portion of their crop and resources into the common pot.

What they never bothered to tell you as that for the first couple or three years they starved. The commonwealth didn't work out so well. Seems people were taking out more than they put in.

Things finally came to a head and out of desperation just before they folded up and went back to England defeated the Pilgrim fathers in desperation gave family a parcel of land and simply said they could keep everything they grew  or made.

They flourished.

And that is the part of the Pilgrim story the liberals never bother to tell you.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

I think Donald Trump got this one right

Apparently there is some question regarding blame for the Florida shooting.

President Obama blames conservative Americans.

The ACLU blames conservative Christians.

ISIS has accepted the blame.

Donald Trump has already said that Radical Islam is to blame before Obama, Hillary or the ACLU even opened their mouths.

Of course, the hue and cry for gun control has started as it does every time there is a tragedy.  Congress is arguing that now as we speak. Frankly if the decide to do anything that they do it now so we can retaliate come November.

More and more, Donald Trump is starting to make sense.

He rightfully pointed out that politically correct is nothing more than an enemy of getting anything done.

The other day I heard a couple of people yakking. One pointed something out about the  black crime rate. 

The other said that his comment was racist.

I interrupted and said that facts are facts. A statement of fact is not a racist statement. It is nothing more or less than a statement of fact.

Donald Trump has used the term 'Radical Islam' for quite some time now and has challenged Hillary and Obama to utter the dreaded words. I guess yesterday or the day before Hillary actually uttered the words as Trump has embarrassed her. Obama has remained silent.

I bear no ill will toward any one's religion as such. You can have one or not have one and it is none of my business.

What becomes my business is when you hide behind the religion and use it as an excuse to commit violence.

While Obama, Hillary and the ACLU are using yet another American tragedy to smear good conservatives, gun owners and anyone they disagree with, Trump has faced the issue with candor and common sense.

Trump is making sense.

If he gets elected he's going to have his work cut out for him. He's going to have to undo the failed Democrat policies of the past 75 years in order to make America great again.






To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Monday, June 13, 2016

THIS is the kind of statement I expect from a leader.

https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j-trump-statement-regarding-tragic-terrorist-attacks


https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j-trump-statement-regarding-tragic-terrorist-attacks

Obama who has been letting 10,000 people like this into the country every month and Hillary will continue to follow this policy.

Both Obama and Hillary will instantly blame the NRA and every responsible gun owner in the country.

After all, they have to cover for their failures and make someone innocent pay for their piss poor leadership.
ISIS is in this country and is going to continue things like this.

Of course, Obama and Hillary will continue their failed policies and We, the People will likely pay.

Trump is a clown. Trump is an asshole. Trump is a lot of things.

But Trump is not a politically correct sucker.

He certainly is not the president we want, However, he is the total, complete unmitigated asshole we need to get us out of this mess.
And that is all I have to say about that.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Running late today.

I just got in from a shoot. A good and safe time was had by all.

This morning I heard of the shooting at the gay night club and on the way home I heard one of the very, very rare things the President said that I agree with.

A terrorist attack against one of us is an attack against all of us.

I have found out that the perp was a Muslim and that is of no surprise to me. The attack was aimed against the LGBT community and in many of the Muslim countries homosexuality is punishable by death.

Of course, the President will use this as a hue and cry call for more gun control. After all, he's never one to let a perfectly good tragedy go to waste.

Expect gun sales to shoot up again. 


To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Tell the elites of BOTH parties to shove it.

Both the DNC and the RNC can learn a lot from Al Capone and Jimmy Hoffa.

Most people don't realize that during the depression the biggest soup kitchen in Chicago was set up by Al Capone. He fed an awful lot of people when times were hard and it may have very well been one of his shrewdest investments.

Jimmy Hoffa was no slouch, either. The Teamster membership knew good and well that Hoffa was stealing from them and it didn't bother them because Hoffa was in turn taking careof the rank and file. 

The Teamsters used to say "He get his, but we get ours." 

Neither of these people tried to steal the whole pie. They left a couple of slices for the people that made the pie for them in the first place. They knew their money and power came from the rank and file. They took care of their power base, unlike the RNC and DNC.

What both national committees have done is to get greedy. They are and have tried to steal the entire pie without taking care of their base. Ain't one of those muckety mucks in the back room that gives a damn about the average guy. They don't want him to be free and happy. They want him to be a slave to the company store so to speak.

Way back when Harry Truman spoke out about this attitude and pretty much said the same thing. He said something to the effect that the businesses and banks wanted to keep the average guy stuck on time payment plans for goods that would crater the minute the last payment was made.

Truman knew that letting the working stiff get ahead was a lot healthier for both the average guy and the Democratic party than the alternative. It made the average guy able to afford a few decent things as opposed to having to live hand to mouth.

If you let the working stiff get ahead a bit he starts buying things other than food, clothing and shelter and creates markets for consumer goods. It's called a healthy economy which is something I have not seen under Obama and doubt I will see if Hillary gets into office. 

What has happened in the Republican party and to a somewhat lesser degree in the Democratic party is that the average guy is angry and is trying to take things back that are really rightfully theirs to begin with.

They are sick and tired of our system being run by a bunch of well dressed thugs in smokey back rooms making deals with our lives.

While Trump is the most visible result of this, the Democrats are also seeing things happen with Bernie. Think about it a minute. There are not a whole lot of Democrats that are in love with Hillary Clinton. 

While Bernie is an out and out socialist, he is little more than an alternative to Hillary. That's where a lot of his support actually comes from. The rest of it seems to come from the poor who are a growing part of the American scene as the middle class shrinks.

If you look at history, as the economy craters the socialists seem to pop their heads up because people are desperate for a way to keep things going. People don't really care too much about who feeds them just so long as they are getting fed.

There are a number of Democrats out there that are not really true socialists that supported Bernie simply because he is not Hillary. They probably agree that Hillary belongs in jail and Bernie is the only alternative. 

There is one thing I have noticed about a lot of Pittsburgh Democrats. They seem to be Democrats out of sheer habit. They don't want gun control, they extol the virtues of a free enterprise system and carry on against the creeping in of socialism. Yet every election they pull the straight Democratic ticket handle.

That's probably because they have not bothered to stop a minute and rethink things. They are Democrats because  their fathers were. Their fathers were probably steelworkers and the union told them who to vote for. Unions have been traditionally Democratic as they are, obviously, collectives.

Much of this goes back to FDR who is probably the best politician that ever lived. Please note that I have chosen my words carefully. I did not say leader; I said politician. FDR was just that, a politician. He could get people to do things they knew they shouldn't do simply through charisma.

A lot of the WW2 generation regarded FDR as a father figure because they  regarded him as the first president to give the working man a break. Many WW2 vets thought of him as a father.

Truth is the destruction of American independence began with him but I won't digress.

The truth of the matter is that the country is actually run by the national committe of the party in power, one way or the other. 

Right now the RNC is looking at Trump the same way they did with Teddy Roosevelt. They were afraid of TR getting to the White House and the RNC is terrified of Trump getting to the White House because he will do what TR did. (but in a different way) Trump will tip over their rice bowl.

The bold faced truth of it is that had the RNC and the DNC given the working stiff his small piece of the pie and worked to create a good American economy instead of shipping it overseas they would still be enjoying their money and power.

Instead they got greedy and as a result the working stiff has decided that they want someone else in the White House instead of the RNC's little pet, Jeb Bush.

To a lesser extent that is why Bernie is so popular these days. He's not a part of the party elite.

I've said in before, I'll say it again. A vote for Donald Trump is a vote to tell BOTH parties to shove it.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Friday, June 10, 2016

Well, the wayback is growing in.

The Wayback is growing in nicely and it's getting near time for one  of the does to give birth to a fawn about fifty feet from where I am sitting.

It's going to be a nice day today and I think I'll spend it weeding and gardening. The front of the house looks good when it is cleaned up.

The neighbors often comment that the place looks good in the summer time.

Today for some reason I am having computer problems. I don't know why but I am. 

Anyway, I may/may not be posting this weekend because I might go to a shoot of some sort. It is a long story but the host of the shoot bought a chunk of land and the neighbor was rude to him on the day he showed up to go to it.

Things got weird and the new landowner decided that the mountain in the background would make a great shooting range. A few times a year he throws a serious shoot open to any legal firearm.

The place is just plain noisy and the neighbor that started the trouble is generally quite upset having to listen to Civil War cannons and WW2 MG-42 museum pieces being tested for a three day weekend.

The neighbor has tried everything but always winds up on the losing end. When you consider that the landowner was smart enough to tell every law enforcement agency they can use the range for training there's no wonder they don't try and shut him down.

I'm going to bring a couple of rifles and shoot a little steel at 800 yards. Why not?

Seeing I am an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church I have been unofficially been appointed chaplain and if the guys can conjure up a sound system I'll hold a service.

I need the sound system because I have several recordings of Gospel music from southern churches that really swing.

I suppose the neighbor will likely call the police for the umpteenth time and hilarity will ensue. I'll likely get up in the pulpit and rant and rave a while.

One of the things that happens when the police show up is they generally hang around for a bit. If they decide to hang out during my service they're gonna get themselves some churchin'.

Anyway, if I don't post on schedule you now know why.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Jammed up today.

Might post later


To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

An interesting college kid.

I asked him if he was supporting Bernie and his free college idea, he said "Absolutely not!"

I asked him why and he gave me an interesting answer.

"Look, I'm in an engineering program and I'm going to make good money when I graduate. Yeah, paying for my education is expensive but when it's paid for, it's paid for and mine. I don't want to spend the rest of my life paying for everyone else's by increased taxes."

Smart kid.




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Looks like a lot of Bernie supporters are not too happy


And I can't say I blame them.

Unlike the case of Donald Trump that is the nominee because he got the required number of votes, Hillary is the presumptive nominee because of so-called super delegates.

It is a corrupt system much like the Republicans where the party is controlled by a few 'boys in the back room' making deals with our rights and lives. Both parties truly suck.

Donald Trump is nothing more than a product of a Republican revolution.

Hillary is the product of business as usual. Their revolt wasn't as successful as the Republicans.

What will be interesting is how many Bernie supporters simply say, 'Not Hillary' and either abstain or vote for Trump.

Quite frankly I am seriously a bit frightened with the likelihood of voter fraud in a few places.  I do see Hillary trying to steal a few key places. 

Hillary doesn't give a damn about the American people. She just has an insatiable lust for power.

Trump, on the other hand may or may not have a lust for power but I do believe he loves the country.

While he's not what most people would call 'presidential materiel' I do believe he's a damned sight more honest than Hillary.


I am simply nothing more or less than another pissed off American that is sick and tired of having my life run and my money stolen by a small group of party bosses.

As far as I am concerned both parties suck.

As a liberty loving constitutionalist I'm well aware that I am a minority and the chances of getting a candidate I like are pretty slim.

Still, I'll take as close to my beliefs as I can get.

I'm supporting Trump. He's not the president we want, but he's the asshole we need right now.




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Monday, June 6, 2016

Obama isn't the most powerful man in the world. 

I do believe Putin is. Here's an email I got the other day.


Vladimir Putin on Citizenship, No wonder he was selected by Forbes as the most powerful person in the world. This is one time our elected leaders should pay attention to the advice of Vladimir Putin.
 I would suggest that not only our leaders but every citizen of USA should pay attention to this advice. How scary is that? It is a sad day when a Communist Leader makes more sense than our LEADERS here in the U.S.A. but here it is.
 Vladimir Putin's speech - SHORTEST SPEECH  EVER.  Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, addressed the Duma, (Russian Parliament), and gave a speech about the tensions with minorities in Russia: "In Russia, live like Russians. Any minority, from anywhere, if it wants to live in Russia, to work and eat in Russia, it should speak Russian, and should respect the Russian laws. If they prefer Sharia Law, and live the life of Muslim's then we advise them to go to thoseplaces where that's the state law. 

"Russia does not need Muslim minorities. Minorities need Russia, and we will not grant them special privileges, or try to change our laws to fit their desires, no matter how loud they yell 'discrimination'. We will not tolerate disrespect of our Russian culture. We better learn from the suicides of America, Canada, England, Holland and France, if we are to survive as a nation. The Muslims are taking over those countries and they will not take over Russia. The Russian customs and traditions are not compatible with the lack of culture or the primitive ways of Sharia Law and Muslims.

"When this honorable legislative body thinks of creating new laws, it should have in mind the Russian national interest first, observing that the Muslims Minorities Are Not Russians."

The politicians in the Duma gave Putin a five minute standing ovation.

If you keep this to yourself, you are part of the problem!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It's interesting because as far as I am concerned Islam is simply another religion that wants to take our liberties away.

People don't realize it but the Christian Coalition is behind the Republicans all of the anti-gay and a lot of the sex laws on the books. None of these need to be there. 

To a certain extent the question is now which religion do you want to rule the country.

Someone ought to sit the Muslim religious leaders down and tell them they either leave Sharia law behind or go back to where they came from.

OTOH, someone ought to do the same thing to the Christian Coalition of the Republican party. 

I have posted that the Republicans lose elections over social issues and the bulk of these are put up by the Christian Coalition.

Let's get this straight, I have nothing whatsoever against the Christian religion. My dogtags are stamped 'Catholic'.

What I DO have is something against Christians (or anyone for that matter) trying to force their values on everyone else.

It's called 'LIBERTY' and sometimes it's a real bitch.




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Sunday, June 5, 2016

One of the things I have mulled over

 since the Brussels bombing is what we are going to do in this country when it becomes our turn.

It will, a blind man can see it coming. We're long overdue from getting hit and hit hard, probably by Muslim terrorism.

Of course when that happens most Americans will stand there agape and outraged and look toward our so-called leadership for a solution.

Hillary, of course, will look at the situation as a political opportunity to seize and will stand before us blowing a bunch of outraged hot air. When we demand retribution she will send our sons off on some half-assed poorly planned expedition  and get a bunch of them killed needlessly. Most likely the troops will be hamstrung with needless rules of engagement because, God forbid, we can't have the troops hurting anyone.

Two weeks later she will start flapping her lips about how we ought to treat illegal immigrants better and she'll open the floodgate even wider to illegal immigration.

Most likely Bernie, completely out of his element, will probably decide the solution is to start some kind of stupid social program and make sure the terrorists get a job somewhere that pays $15/hour so they have something to do other than blowing stuff up. I don't see him taking security too seriously and has no real plan on security ain illegal immigration.

Cruz just got bought off by the GOPe the instant useless Yeb of GOPe fame endorsed him. It's a damned shame as politically I am closest to Cruz. He's a Constitution guy and so am I. Cruz is weak on immigration.

In fact, GOPe in general is weak on immigration, terrorism and security. I wonder who in the RNC has been making a killing by letting a flood of illegals in. Follow the money.

So where does this leave us?

With Trump who believes in secure borders and going after terrorist proactively.

I guess the bumper sticker is right.

Trump, not the president we want, but the a$$hole we need.

Yes, it is sad how far we have fallen.




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Finish your beer

Think of all the poor sober kids in China.


To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY

Friday, June 3, 2016

My favorite shooting match at Camp Perry is the John C. Garand match, aka the Garand match.

A bit part of the reason is it is pretty much a 'Bring what ya got' match.

Actually there are two classes of rifles permitted these days. The classes are 'as issued' and 'other'. The other class includes Garands chambered for the NATO 7.62 round and those in the National Match configuration. This 'other' class is a recent change.

The overwhelming bulk of shooters still shoot in the 'as issued' class. 

The 'as issued' class is simply the basic rifle with no modification. It is simply the same issued rifle that would have been handed to a GI during WW2 or Korea. It can only be accurized by 'a careful assembly of the parts'. It can be relarreled, however. If it is the barrel must be identical to the original GI barrel.

In reality it is simply a 'bring what ya brought' match, meaning a basic, unaccurized rifle. For years the ammo was supplied for the match. It was basically issue GI ammo. One year the ammo issued was a year younger than I was at the time. I believe I was about 59 at the time.

For all but a very few shooters it is and was just a chance to get out and shoot against other halfway decent shooters for the joy of shooting a match. Nobody really got too upset about how well they did or how poorly.

One year I was squadded with a High Master that had just shot in the President's match and had 'legged', meaning he had been in the top 100 shooters and had just earned his umpteenth 'President's 100' tab. This guy knew his stuff.

I casually asked him how well his rifle shot and he looked up at me sheepishly and said cheerfully that on a good day with carefully tuned handloads it could hold the 8-ring. For you non-shooters this means his rifle was well past worn out. It was a worn out piece of junk.

I laughed when he said that and realized he was just shooting to be shooting. He didn't care. To him (and me) it was all about having a little no pressure fun.

I believe I beat him which is kind of odd as I can't hold a candle to a High Master with a tuned up rifle.

The match draws an interesting crowd ranging from top shooters to absolute duffers. A part of the fun is looking around to see who is on the line. An annual fixture there is non other than R. Lee Ermey, aka 'The Gunny'. One year Gunny Ermey beat me out of $10, payable to Toys for Tots. It was a fun match.

I was teasing the Gunny before the match and said I'd bet him $10 I could beat him and before I could finish he said he couldn't  take the bet.

When I said it was payable to Toys for Tots his face lit up and he answered, "Mister you just got yourself a bet!"

Of course he beat me and it was funny having him gloat and tease me about it.

A year or two later I ran into him on the line while I was wearing my old government issue Army fatigue uniform. He commented I ought to get a Ridgeway cap to top it off. When I told him I wasn't issued one he looked at me somewhat wide eyed and asked me "Is that your original issued uniform?"

When I said it was, he grinned in amazement and said that I was lucky to be able to still fit into it. I told him I had worked my ass off to be able to and he said I must have. We're both old men, long past service age and old men generally have to fight hard to keep from gaining weight.

Some people show up in WW2 uniforms and I remember the comment a serving Marine colonel made. He noticed that the WW2 re-enactors appeared a little rank heavy. He grinned and said he ought to put on five stars and come as Douglas MacArthur.

I told him I ought to show up in a double breasted suit and wire rimmed glasses as Harry Truman and fire his ass.

Everyone around broke up laughing.

Another year I was treated to a serving colonel of marines laughing like a little kid. He has shot, done fairly well and it was his turn to pull targets.

He sounded like a happy little kid when he said, "Sergeant Major, watch my trash! I gotta pull targets!" and off to the pits he ran.

The creation of the match was a stroke of genius on the part of the CMP. Garand sales had been flat at the time and when they started the match they took off.

I missed the first one, but shot in the second one the following year. If I am not mistaken the first year there were less than 100 shooters, about 600 the following year and it has sold out ever since.

I have met people that have flown in from Alaska and Hawaii just to shoot the 35 round (5 spotters and 30 for score) match.

I have to say that me entering the President's match would be a waste of powder and shot but the Garand match suits me well.

Incidentally every Garand match I have shot in I have shot a perfect score. Every single one of my rounds has landed safely int Lake Erie.

Anyway, it's a hoot. 




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY