... The ER is empty. This never happens...

Holy cow ...

Ofc. HODAR

Here's a big CONGRATS to the mighty HODAR, who graduates from basic law enforcement training today (I probably butchered the name of the training, but hey....)

Go on wit' yo' bad self, Ho'. Yeah, I'm gonna pump you for all the tacticool LEO info you have. I'm not ashamed.

I customized the card that Miss Fluffy & I sent him. Here's a hint:

"... you boys like Mexicoooo?!?!!? WOOOOO!!!!!"
Anyway, on a more serious note...

HODAR, you're now a shield-carrying enforcer of the law. You and I will have many conversations in the future about what that means to those of us who don't carry that shield.



You're now part of the thin blue line, HODAR. God bless you.

1*

Come back with your shield, or on it.

Pig

I'd like to post up some pictures I've taken (though that's one of those things that I'd like to do but never quite get around to it...)

This is a shot I took of "Pig" while Miss Fluffy and I were out for a walk last spring. Pig really likes to take walks on the farm.

New Links

I've updated the links on the right-hand side of the page to reflect changes in what I read and other priorities.

First up, check out "Buddy's Mom". This is the blog of the nurse-educator in my ER. Her son had a kidney transplant. Those of you who know me might figure the transplant topic hits me kind of personally. Go show Jenny and Buddy some linky-love and support. Go Buddy's Pee-Maker, go!!

I've also added links to the NRA (I'm a Life Member) and Tactical Response (where I train.) Check 'em out.

I removed the blogs I used to follow. That doesn't mean anything other than that I've kind of moved on. It's no longer about their blogs ... it's about mine.

Stage Four

This is Stage Four from last weekend's 3-gun match. You can't see this from the camera angle, but here's the scenario: there are 8 targets hidden behind the blue tarps in the shoot-house (4 on each side.) At the buzzer, the shooter rolls a large die, which will roll either a circle, square or triangle. Behind the tarp on each side, one of the targets is a standard target. The other 3 are jack-o-lantern looking heads ... each with circle, square or triangle eyes. The course of fire required you to NOT shoot the eyes you rolled. I think it's theorized that the human brain doesn't process negatives very readily, so it was a challenge to remember which targets you weren't supposed to shoot. The difficulty was compounded by the fact that those were the last targets engaged in the scenario.

I must say, I pull a trigger faster than many other shooters. I had no points "down" in this stage.

More super fun:

Stage Two

I'm going to upload a couple of vids from last weekend's 3-gun match. This is Stage Two (of six) in the match. In this stage, the first targets have to be engaged through the barrel, which wasn't too hard, except you'll note I lost track of whether or not I had engaged the last target (I hadn't). After engaging all the rifle targets, the rifle was put on safe & ditched in the barrel, and the shooter moves to the barricade & engages the steel targets with the handgun.

This is the stage on which I ripped my pants.

Super fun:

How typical...

CNN's Jack Cafferty thinks Tea Party members are extremists who hate the American government.

My Dad insists that my socio-political views stem from Fox News telling me what to think. He seems to think CNN doesn't do that.

He's wrong.

The only difference between CNN and Fox News is one of tone. Fox News is loud and brash. CNN, on the other hand, suggests what your opinion should be. They're still telling you what to think ... they're just more subtle about it.

Take Jackass Cafferty's topic today. The question he posits is, "Do you hate the government?". When you look at the page on which he asks the question, what do you see? A picture of Tea Party protestors. The description of the basis for the question makes numerous references to the Tea Party. Interestingly, the background notes the "tone deaf" nature of the Bush administration and talks in general terms about dissatisfaction with the government...

... and then jumps to "hate".

And that's how they tell you what to think.

Step back and look at it for a second ... how does Jackass justify a jump from Tea Party protests (nonviolent, you'll note) to "hate"? Is there any justification for that? Why doesn't he say, "Are you dissatisfied with the government?" or "Do you hate the direction the current administration is taking America?" or even, "Do you hate the things government does?" ... but that doesn't send the right message.

Rather, it's more effective to show pictures of the Tea Party, talk about the Tea Party ... and then jump to a question that suggests Tea Party members hate the government.

Not that they are dissatisfied. Not that they resent seeing tax money spent recklessly. Not that they hate the things government is doing. Phrasing the question in that manner doesn't send the right message.

Wolf Blitzer (quite possibly the most hokey, cheesy, embarrassing name I've ever heard) has been talking at length about Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing back in the 90s. He interviewed Bill Clinton, who is "concerned" about the political environment. Jackass Cafferty is right behind him asking you if you "hate the government". And the entire discussion is peppered with mention of the Tea Party.

Convenient.

Jack Cafferty thinks the Tea Party is all about hating the government ... and he wants you to think that, too.

Bump

I'm not all that adventurous when it comes to my music. I'm pretty open minded, but then again I get irritated at people who have this cultural ADHD, who get so bored so easily and are soooo into the latest europopelectronica and barely finish listening to one artist before they're on to the next big thing. (The musical interludes by those collectivist eurosnobs on NPR - like on All Songs Considered comes to mind.) You know the type ... people who confuse an inability to focus and an interest in obscure music with sophistication.

That said, I can't help my curiosity when it comes to the music from Adult Swim's "bumps" in between shows. You get some weird visual over some weird music.

But some of the music is so weird it's cool.

The first one that hooked me was the "Baggage Room" bump (Massage Situation by Flying Lotus.)

I also like the "Where Are You Going?" bump (FUSE by Hudson Mohawke.)

Dang ... does that mean I have musical ADHD and I'm easily bored??.... Or am I just a hypocrite?

See the bumps at BumpWorthy.

Free & Clear

I got a clean bill of health from my oncologist (her nurse practitioner, anyway) at my annual checkup yesterday. Whew!

I don't get nearly as stressed-out for those appointments as I used to, but I still have the need for a nap at some point after it's over.

Today is laundry day. I've also got lawn-mower maintenance on the to-do list, as well as adding a coat of paint to the wood-stove insert in the house (it gets splashed with water from the steamer all winter and needs sanding and paint every Spring.)

I work a 6-day stretch starting tomorrow night.