The Bikes I’m interested in, at this moment.

04/29/2014 MadOgre 6 Comments

You guys have noticed I’ve been posting about cars and trucks and such a lot more lately. Probably it’s because I love cars and trucks – always have. My first words were – and I’m not kidding here – “Vooma-Vooma”. Those might not be words according to Webster’s, but they were my first words. I’ve avoided looking at bikes too closely because, well, it’s painful to me because 1, I don’t have one and 2, I can’t afford one. But let’s go ahead and look at some Bikes. Because I’m in the mood to do so and it’s well past time. I’m looking at a relocation soon and first order of business once that is done, is acquiring a motorcycle, even if I have to sell my car to do it. There are some specific machines I’m looking at… They are shown in No Order:

The KLR-650. Like a Jeep Wrangler, I’ve always wanted one. And like the Wrangler, when it finally came down to getting something – I always got something else…. And I’ve always kicked myself for passing on the chance. But I’ve been on a new kick lately – I call it “Finally Getting What I’ve Always Wanted”. Those things that I’ve always wanted… I’ve been getting them. One of these days – I’ll get my Wrangler. And In the Garage next to it will be a KLR-650. Because. I don’t know why I’ve always passed it up. Maybe it’s because the WANT is better than the HAVE. Or the fear of that being the case. The newest version though addresses my two considerations that have caused me to pass it up. 1 is the KLR Doohicky and 2 is the seat. That being said, the KLR is most likely going to be the bike I end up with next. But we’ll see.

The STAR Bolt R Spec. It remains in my mind as a bike I really want. If I was to get a new bike – this is probably the bike that I should get, as it represents pretty much what I’ve been looking for… A simple runabout for pure cruising enjoyment. Nothing fancy or special… Simple. But satisfying… it scratches that “I need to take a ride” itch. It has short legs… So not interstate travel… but around town on a nice day to run light errands and goof around… The Bolt-R is probably ideal. That and I think it looks just awesome for what it is. But I think really this would be a horse for the stable if I had other horses for more specific purposes of Sport and ADV.

This bike… The FZ-09… I was with friends when I first got my hands on this one. It’s the new style of “Standard Bike”. But Yamaha took Standard and gave it a mohawk. This bike would bring out the Hooligan in me. It feels like it’s as light as a Mountain Bike, yet has Big Bore Punch. That’s a wicked combination. I could ride it nice and sedately passed the cops, and then when I get out of sight – instantly Wheelie like a total squid. I could probably get this one before the KLR or the Bolt-R, it’s that likable when I see it up close. And if you throw a leg over it – You will want it. This bike also makes way too much sense. It’s like that friend of yours that is way too smart for his own good and comes up with Evil Genius plans that sound perfectly well reasoned and logical and then they get you in trouble.

Because one day I want to ride across Continents and screw BMW. This is my Hail Marry dream bike. Load it up with some luggage and a backpack and go hunt Orc with this bike. It’s name is Adventure. No, seriously, it is… the KTM 1190 Adventure. There are two versions… Adventure and the Adventure R. And I don’t care about the differences. Either one would make me the happiest man on Earth… and then I’d want to go around that Earth. Or at least Coast To Coast following back roads and exploring what needs to be explored along the way. KTM should sponsored The Long Way Around instead of letting BWM take the show.

This is the evolution of the concept that Yamaha’s FZ-09 was playing with. KTM’s Super Duke. If the FZ-09 was Dr. Bruce Banner, then the Super Duke is The Hulk. It got big, gnarly and pissed off. It’s a monster. It’s brutal. It’s a rage beast. And that’s what I love about it. This thing is all about aggression, making no apologies for it. It’s the 2 wheel version of a Shelby 427 Cobra, but with less manners or concern for what is socially acceptable or politically correct. This is a Dream Bike right here. Should Hollywood buy the Uprising Saga and make movies out of them… I’ll have one of these bikes. And I’ll take it to the California Super Bike School and have Keith Code teach me how to control this beast.

Keeping with the theme of taking a bike type and having a reasonable version and an dream version of it… This is the Dream Bike option for the Star Bolt R. That Cruiser bike just for the sake of Cruising. This is the Victory Vegas. I looked at the 8-Ball version and love it… a lot… And then other versions. There was one locally that was eyeballing before I left my job. Had I not left that job – I probably would have got it. The Vegas “FITS” me. Head to Toe. Or should I say Bars to Pegs? This is America’s Other Motorcycle Maker… Victory pretty much has everything you would want in a Motorcycle like Harley, but done better. Seriously – if you even THINK you might want a Harley – go to a Victory Dealership and take a good hard look. The Victory is a step up. It just is.

Okay, now this is a bike that is intriguing me. If I could find one. This is a US HIGHLAND “Viking”. It’s a Liter Class V-Twin. Very light weight, very compact. It’s what I loved about my beloved Honda Superhawk… without what I didn’t like about the Superhawk. (Side Mounted Radiators) This bike could replace the all the other bikes on my list save for the ADV machines. There is something about this… I really want to get to know US HIGHLAND better. They put out a bike… Read the Review from 2011 here. It doesn’t look like they are marking the Viking or the Enduro that they were also developing. I hope they enter the US Market as a serious production Bike Maker and not just Engine Builders.

Uncategorized

Sick and Tired: Spartans.

04/25/2014 MadOgre 27 Comments

The Gun Community really goes overboard on THEMES. Someone comes up with something cool and 89,000 other people do spin offs of that theme and it’s a Forbidden that anyone else says anything about it. Well, let me break that ice.

Spartans. Molon Labe. TheFiringLine.com introduce the Gun Community to “MOLON LABE” back at the turn of this Century when Rich went up against the Anti-Gunners and used quite astutely “Molon Labe” as their battle cry. Combine that with the move “300” and holy freaking hell it’s been nothing but Greek Spartans all over the damn place. Tactical Greek Spartans of some sort must account for 1/6th of the entire Gun Industry now. Okay, I exaggerate… But come on… This theme is tired. The only thing more tired is the eternal battle of “Who is more tactical than Who”, which is only slightly more tired than “.45 vs 9mm”. Don’t get me wrong – 300 was the ultimate badass movie. We all love the Epic Sentiment found in the film that loosely correlates with actual history. But to say you are a Trainer and you want to come up with your own Training Company – and you pick Spartan as a Theme? You have a dramatic lack of Imagination.

Let me help you out if you have no imagination. You know who else is Badass, other than Spartans? Vikings.

Vikings raided and pillaged there way all around Europe and the Mediterranean, into the Middle East, and across to North America. They were Ultimate Badasses because they literally became the Boogey Men of all of Europe. I had one History Professor that even suggested that Vikings were one of the peoples that fought the Egyptians that were called the Sea People. They were all over the place. Scary. Monstrous. Why don’t you call your Ballistic Dojo something along the lines of the Vikings? The Pirate theme has some popularity in the arena of motivational patchworks… and that’s cool too. Unfortunately the popular motif is the Calico Jack standard. Yes, that image is very piratey but unfortunately John Rackham was terrible at being a Pirate. Sure, he was a smooth talking rouge that had a couple hotties on his ship with him… living it up like the very image of the label on a bottle of Captain Morgan’s… but he just sucked at being a Pirate. His biggest score was the taking of another ship… In plain view of Authorities and when they caught up to him – Calico Jack and his crew were hiding in the jungles as the Good Guys took his ship. Don’t use that as your Pirate Theme – but pick another. There are lots of awesome Pirates out there. And just think about how epic your Booth Babes will be one day at SHOT SHOW.

So who do you want to surround yourself with? A bunch of Magic Mikes or some beautiful Pirate Booty?

Years ago, Gundoc and I started CRUSADER WEAPONRY. We used the Crusader Knight as our icon and it worked. But now there are a lot of other guys out there… If I had a dollar for all the other rifle maker’s “Broadswords” out there – I’d have a Broadsword rifle of my own. Many Copycats…. And that’s fine… as long as they are not overdone like the Spartans are… Judas Priest… I’ve seen more Tactical Spartans at SHOT SHOW last year then their were in the Movie.

Keep the MOLON LABE – Get the Tat. Because that’s awesome. But if you are going to name your company something… BE ORIGINAL.

Automotive

The Coolest Muscle Cars of All Time

04/23/2014 MadOgre 18 Comments

Hands down the Golden Era of Muscle Cars was 1966 to 1974 . Those years were the most awesome years in the history of the world. Through time frame American Car Makers were not afraid to try new things… to be as badass as they wanted to be. Forget the little British Sports Cars… with their silly little go-cart motors. American Muscle Cars were all about the big beefy V-8 engines and body stylings that blow a girl’s skirt up just sitting at a stoplight at idle. Muscle Cars were Awesome. All of them. But some, are more awesome than others.

Here’s my list in No Order.

The 1970 Boss 302 Mustang. This car was Ford’s top of the line Mustang the year I was born. Maybe why it’s been my favorite. The Elinore and the Bullit Mustangs are undoubtedly cool… But 1970 302 is my Unicorn. It’s one of those cars I’d go back in time, buy several, and put in a Time Capsule for my own pleasure back in the future. In 1971 though, the Mustang really started to go to hell. The ’71 and later Mach 1 body styles were disgusting, and then in 74 the Mustang II took over… *shudder* But in 1970 the Boss 302 Mustang was at the zenith. Handled better than the Boss 427, and actually tracked faster. It was just good. Ford hasn’t been able to hit again since the 2015 Mustang… which will become the best Mustang Ford has ever made. But we’ll see if it stands up to the mighty 1970 Boss.

The 1969 Dodge Charger. The classic Dodge Charger had great lines. Streamlined while still being “Muscle Car”. Bo and Luke Duke? Admit it – you watched The Duke’s because of the girl in the short shorts that drove the Jeep. We all did. But if you painted your Charger bright Orange to look like the General Lee – You suck at Life. Because of that one TV series – there is a drastic shortage of good classic Chargers. And too many of them are Orange. The show burned through so many of them, it’s criminal. But there are some left out there in the wild. And if you find a good one – It’s a rare thing of beauty now.

This is the Baddest of the Bad. The 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 454. The most powerful factory installed engine of the Muscle Car Era. It was Big and Bad and embodied everything the Muscle Car stood for. If it was any more powerful it would come with it’s own Wookie Mechanic and would outrun Imperial Cruisers. These are the real “SS” cars that Chevy seems to have forgotten about. Later year versions of the Chevelle would feature only one headlight on each side – but I don’t think those are quite as menacing as the dual headlight cars. The SS looks like it wants to throw you a beating.
You can see these cars in action in DEMOLITION MAN, and JACK REACHER. Two movies which are worth watching just for the Chevelles. That and Sandra Bullock’s ass in her Police Uniform in Demolition Man… Wow. Just wow.

Yes. That was my reaction when I first saw that.

Edit: I was wrong. As pointed out by an astute reader, Demolition Man featured the Olds 442. I was wrong… My memory was faulty. And I’ve not watched DemoMan in a couple decades. Here’s the Olds 442:

They do look very similar, but the front grill is distinctly different. Forgive me… I was distracted….

Moving on… The GTO. Pontiac’s Greatest Thing Ever.

Specifically the 1967 Pontiac GTO. This is THE CAR… This is one that defined what a Muscle Car was all about. It set the rules. It established the very definition. This was Muscle Car Purity. There are a lot of different versions of the GTO, but in 1967 Pontiac got it just right. The right balance of size, weight, output, and looks. As far as car designs go, it shows that it’s a 60’s era car, but it’s a design that has aged very well…. so well in fact, that they actually look better now. These are the Jane Seymour’s of Muscle Cars. When one drives by, you can’t help but to stare at it. There is just something about it. Just like Jane Seymour.

The TV Show Supernatural has 3 Leading Characters. Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester, and the ’67 Impala. This is the show that eclipsed Firefly as The Coolest Show on Earth. It has Classic Rock Music, Guns, Monsters, and this Impala. The Impala is just flat out cool. Old School Muscle Car, with refined looks and a nice feature that makes it practical for every day use. Four Doors. Looking at my other choices – this is the only one with four doors. I find that kind of odd…. as I don’t have anything against four doors, but most look like grandmother’s sunday barges. The 67 Impala has something rather menacing about it that later Impalas lost in the 70’s… and really have never regained.

Out of this short list – If I could pick one that the Gods of Torque and Recoil could bestow upon me… It would be between the 302 Mustang and the Chevelle SS 454. I think I’d have to take BOTH. And of course the GOT&R would nod sagely and give me both… Because they are just awesome that way.

Honorable mentions going to the ’70 AMC AMX, the ’71 Olds Cutlass, and the Buick GSX. But really… those cars were just taking cues off of these cars.

Automotive

America’s greatest car.

04/22/2014 MadOgre 10 Comments

Let me ask you guys a question. What is America’s greatest car? What car is the icon of all that is America? Maybe we should ask those that don’t live in the USA… What car do they see in the American Dream? The symbol of the United State… The 4 wheel statue at the top of the flag pole. Eh, who cares what Jeremy Clarkson thinks… This is our car we’re talking about. America’s car. What is that car to us?

Is it the Mustang?

The Mustang is now 50 years old. And it’s been mostly a good 50 years. Never mind the Mustang II years… 1973 to 1978… Those were terrible years and I am not convinced anything good came out of those years. Interestingly, ’73 to ’78 were the very same years as the run of Kojak. Telly Savalas may have single handedly saved The 70’s, I’m not sure, but it sure wasn’t the Mustang II. Side note, according to the Wiki, Consumer Reports recommended the Gremlin over the Mustang II. Ouch. That stings.

Maybe America’s Car is the Corvette.

The Corvette is now well over that 50 year mark. It too has a long and storied history marred by that awkward time through the 70’s. But overall, the Corvette weathered that storm and really never forgot what it was quite like the Mustang. The 2015 Corvett’s styling is brilliant… it blends hallmarks over everything the Corvette always was, with everything the Mad Men at Chevy want the Corvette to be. Then they put in the best interior that the Corvette has ever had. The best seats, the best dash layout, the best cockpit area… It’s the promise of the Corvette finally fulfilled. Driving one, just for a few minutes, tells you that the Corvette has finally arrived. For it to be any better than this – It will have to run on a Mr Fusion and fly.

Both the Mustang and the Corvette share one thing in common for me. I never really wanted one until the 2015 Model year for both the cars. If you look at the development of these cars, you see a progression of development, with both cars getting better with every year… but 2015 marks what is probably the pinnacle for both platforms. Maybe overall the Mustang had a lead. Especially in 1968… Because of one man. No, not Carroll Shelby*. But Steve McQueen.

I think overall this is what saved the Mustang through those lean 70’s years. That and the fact there really were not a lot of good options during that time anyway.
In 2004 is when Ford started taking the Mustang seriously though. That’s when Carroll Shelby came into the scene, bringing with him the Cobra packages. Mustangs all the sudden became something more than just a habit for Ford. It became a real thing again. Something that they could actually show some pride in. They had gone past the Fox Bodies – which really were not all that bad – into that newer clam shell topped car that was just… not all that inspiring. They were like a place holder car until Shelby bolted in an Awesome kit. Come on, Ford’s Special Vehicle Team couldn’t do anything with it… The best work that they had done in some time before or since with any car was the Contour. When automotive journalists compare the SVT Contour to a BMW M3, that really says something. Too bad nobody paid attention to those journalists. Come on, SVT’s biggest idea for the Mustang was a 4 cylinder turbo. They should have put that in the Contour and supercharged the Mustang. Or something. I will give them credit for the Lightning… because that was awesome… and the Raptor… because that was even more awesome. But without Shelby, the SVT guys were just lost.

Okay, now here’s the thing though… America’s best selling car isn’t a car. According to AutoBlog, the top 10 vehicles sold doesn’t even have an American car in the list. You see that the #1 rig is the Ford F-150, and #2 is the Chevy Silverado. It’s been said that Ford sells about 6 F-150’s every Minute. But best selling doesn’t necessarily mean best vehicle. Motor Trend (my favorite American’ Auto-Rag) named the Ram 1500 as the Truck of the Year for 2014. I have to say, that’s a good choice. I drove a Ram 1500 from Vernal, Utah to Las Vegas, Nevada and I have to say… it was incredibly comfortable and incredibly smooth. It was a joy to drive. And that was, what, a 2012 model? The newer ones have got nothing but better. I especially love the storage boxes above the wheel wells along the sides of the beds. That’s smart. And the fact that you can get 28 MPG’s on the highway – thats’ incredible.

More than Car Guys – Truck Guys can get seriously argumentative over who has the best truck. Ford – Chevy – Dodge – Toyota… They battle like the families in Game of Thrones. I’ll let you guys decide which Family is which Brand. For me, there is something wrong with Ford F-150 that I can’t put my finger on. Maybe it’s the looks. I HATE the look of these new F-150’s. They look like they were designed by Mayan-Cylon Architects. That’s not a good look for a truck. I’m not a fan of the dual turbo V-6… Ford’s EcoBoost. Sure, it’s popular and guys that have it love them. But I’d rather have the 5.0 Liter… Now, the Ford’s 5.0 is said to put out more power than the 5.3 Liter Chevy V-8, but the Chevy’s has Cylinder Deactivation for more efficient highway driving. When trying out both trucks, I really can’t feel a difference.

As I have mentioned before, I do like the Chevy interior better than the Ford’s. The Ford’s feel like you are flying in Coach Class by the Emergency Exit. You might have plenty of leg room, but you don’t really want to be there. The Chevy’s is more comfortable, with a better layout all around. So I think between the two I’d take the Chevy**.

Overall, in my opinion, America’s Car for 2014 is the Chevy Silverado.

*The fact that Dodge locked up Shelby to merely gussy up some ulgy hatchbacks is something America should never forgive Dodge for.

**Actually most likely I’d take the new 2015 Chevy Colorado. With a V-6 of course. For economy reasons. This is a class of Truck that Ford has ignored for some time now. But that’s another topic. But if I was rich and could just buy whatever I wanted – The Silverado High Country edition with that 6.2 liter engine… Just because.

Weapons

The 1911 Platform Observations

04/21/2014 MadOgre 17 Comments

The 1911. It’s a fantastic shooting platform. I had gotten away from it for some years and now I’m back to it for the time being. As an instructor I’ve made many observations on the guns and the shooters and I think I’ve come up with some conclusions.

1. The 1911 demands loyalty. You can’t cheat on it and have it be faithful back to you. If you are going to carry a 1911, you need to marry it. Here’s why… In most every class I’ve taught that had a 1911 shooter in it, I’ll catch a guy draw his weapon, push out from the high compressed position, and then crush his trigger to no effect because he forgot to sweep the safety off. Most of the guys that do that, do so because their other guns are not 1911’s. They are Glocks or XD’s or M&P’s or something altogether not 1911’s. Don’t cheat on the 1911. Because that’s going to lead some issues.
2. Don’t go shorter than 4 inches. 1911’s that are shorter than a “Commander” start to give up reliability. You give up other things as well to the point that you are detracting from the fantastic qualities that make the 1911 the 1911 in the first place. The long sight radius, the accuracy, the pointability… These things make a 1911 what it is. Chopping them down to 3 inches… you’ve ruined it. You no longer have the pointing, the accuracy, the very things we love the 1911 for. And I’ve never seen a compact 1911 of any sort complete one of my handgun courses without turning into a hot mess of problems. The Commander is 4.25 inches. Many 1911 makers are doing a 4″ version, and they seem to be running just about as well as any good full sized 5″ “Government” model. Shorter than 4, it’s effecting the geometry and the timing and it’s just not worth the risk in reliability for the perception of greater concealment.
3. The 1911 needs to be well lubricated. Some guys like oil, some grease, and others a combo of both in different places. However you like it – that’s fine. As long as you oil it. Most every 1911 I’ve seen with issues that wasn’t shorter than 4″, was a pistol that was bone dry. Just like an AR-15, it can be hot, and dirty… but it can’t be dry. The 1911 likes to be wet.
4. The 1911 is a traditional type of pistol so it needs a traditional type of holsters – leather. Good leather. Most 1911’s are north of $1,000 dollars, so don’t even think about it letting it ride in a cheap rig. And remember what I said about marrying the 1911? That means showing it the respect that it deserves… let it ride in something nice. Let it know you care. Here’s the other reason… The 1911 is not for the Duffers. It’s a pistol for the experts. It’s for the experienced shooters. It should show some miles on it. Let it get some holster wear, let that holster break in… And you do that by #5…
5. You Must Train with it. Practice your draw. Practice your re-holstering. Practice getting that one thing that the 1911 excels at – that fast and precise first round heavy hit. All gunfights have one thing in common. That first shot. Make it count.

Government

Bundy Ranch

04/21/2014 MadOgre 8 Comments

Yes, I’ve been quiet about the Bundy Ranch situation. Fine… You want my opinion?

Bundy is a nutter and owes his grazing fees. But he also has a point. I believe the States should control their own land and not the Feds through the BLM. I know a lot of guys that work for the BLM and they are good guys. But in Nevada, they are over-stepping quite a bit. Pulling back like they did was a smart move. They had nothing to gain by pushing further.
Harry Reid is right when he said that this isn’t over. The BLM will make their bones on this. That much is for sure. Because it’s BLM land, not Nevada land. The Feds will get their due. They are like the Lannisters from the Game of Thrones.

Does anyone really think this is about Turtles? Does anyone really give a crap about the turtles? Las Vegas is killing them because they have too many. Even though they are “endangered”. Really? What’s really going on?

The BLM controls most of the western states. This is patently wrong. See the Feds made these huge land grabs by offering PILT deals. Payments in lieu of Taxes. The States turn over “unproductive” land to the Feds and get payments from the Feds in return. “More than what they would earn in taxes” or so they said. Utah took it. And it so happens that the PILT money is a fraction of what they would be making on the revenue from the Mineral Rights… OIL MONEY. Crude, Tar Sands, Oil Shale, Fracking… Black Gold… Texas Tea… And then all the Natural Gas on top of that. Billions of dollars worth and the Feds pay out Pennies in PILT. Nevada gets PILT payments as well. How’s that working out for them?

Now, in Nevada, they don’t have as much oil as Utah. Not like in the Uintah Basin. But Harry Reid’s son has a solar energy deal with China… a deal that is supposed to happen on that contested land. You can bet the farm – er – the Ranch… sorry… That Harry Reid is fully set and ready to destroy the Bundy’s so his son and he can make some bacon on that land the Bundy’s are raising beef on. Reid is ready to go Full On Waco on the Bundy’s. Yet that clown points a finger at the people that are saying “hey, that’s not right” and calls them Domestic Terrorists. Well, I can’t say how I feel about Reid. The G-Men would be knocking on my door if I did.

All I can say about this situation in Nevada is “Follow The Money”. Who benefits from this? Nevada? No… Nevada doesn’t get nothing.

Huh… Looks the Sheriff might be getting some scratch. The Reid Family sure is. But the people of Nevada are getting the thumb screws. As are all of us… Because this is a States Rights issue at the core of the Bundy’s arguement – and it’s an issue that needs to be looked at.

When I ran for office in 2010 in Utah, my platform had two key issues I wanted to push. Taking Back Utah and Constitutional Carry. Now, when I was running, the US Forrest Service had just shut down the majority of the routes through the Uintah Mountains. Trails, Dirt Roads… basically all access to old family hunting grounds that the people of Uintah County had been hunting for generations. I was there at the meetings and listened to the proposals and listened to the people – and let me tell you. The Feds didn’t give a damn. They had their goals to accomplish. Keep everyone where they could be found easily. “For their safety” and to keep the wear and tear down on the trails. Yeah – by concentrating all that traffic in one big loop. They never explained just how that works.

Utah can manage Utah better.

Nevada can manage Nevada better.

Weapons

Remington Down

04/17/2014 MadOgre 22 Comments

Remington was once known as Big Green. They were huge and they were moving. Winchester had dropped the Model 70 and Savage wasn’t even an option… Brownings and Sakos were for the rich and famous. The Model 700 was dominant as the bolt action for the Every Day Man. The only shotgun worth having was the 870 for serious field use. Remington rifles were known for accuracy and quality. The shotgun for rugged durability. There was no question about this. These were Remington’s halcyon days.

Now we’ve had yet another recall on Remington 700 and 7 triggers. Remington only original pistol design the 51 was brought back and it’s looking like a major flop. Remington’s acquisition of Marlin has been regarded as a death knell for Marlin as a brand as the quality control of those storied lever action rifles has fallen through the floor. The ACR rifle which was the great promise of freeing us all from the doldrums of AR-15’ness has fallen flat on it’s face from a lack of the Barrel Conversions as promised to change lengths and calibers. We were supposed to have had them a long time ago, and here we are in 2014 and we still don’t have what what promised. You know, the whole major selling point of the ACR other than “it’s not an AR-15”. I’ve even seen and heard other guys talk about the Remington 1911 in tones of disappointment and regret. Even Remington brand ammunition is pretty much my least favorite ammo out there. In fact, I’d rather shoot steel cased Wolf stuff through my guns. A common theme in the remarks about any Remington product is “I’ll never buy another Remington again”.

It would seem that Remington is caught in a Huey Tuck of unfortunate failures, and doesn’t have the altitude to pull out of it. What can Remington do to prevent the impending doom of crashing through the tree tops?

First off, Remington needs to concentrate on quality control. Every gun that goes out there door needs to be individually inspected by a Gun Smith, not just a packaging clerk in the shipping department. And that needs it’s own QC there too. The actions, triggers, extraction and ejection, everything. If it’s not perfect – don’t just ship the bloody thing!

Second. There is no valid reason that there are not a plethora of barrel kit options for the ACR platform. None. Zero. Any reason you think you have, is just as excuse. Get them out there and get it out at a decent price. Have barrel options for 12 to 20 inches in all applicable calibers. Just do it. You have a whole mess of people waiting for those and a whole lot of other people that would be buying the ACR if they were actually available. ACR Barrel Kits are now Vaporware on the same level as the fabled Glock Carbine.

Thirdly. Just drop the R51 pistol. Continual production and sales of this lemon is putting Remington at risk. A gun that can fire out of battery is a gun that is waiting to Frag its owner and cause serious bodily harm. That’s a mountain of liability that you do not need right now. Someone is going to get hurt and they are going to go after you tooth and nail for producing this thing. And with all the videos on YouTube showing that this is a known and documented issue – you guys are already in trouble on this. It’s just a matter of time before someone files. It should be recalled and discontinued. Or recall it and do a radical redesign. I’m sure there are people at Remington that know how to make the R51 work. You need to listen to them. And fire whoever is keeping them quiet.

Fourth. Get rid of the Corporate Yes-Men and start telling people in the upstairs offices “No”. Because not all the ideas have been good ones. Like the 887 Shotgun. That’s a terrible gun. It’s no improvement over the 870, and it feels cheap and wrong. What’s the advantage? No, don’t answer that, I don’t need to hear the propaganda. That was just a bad idea.

Fifth. Marlin. You guys really stomped all over the Marlin name. The quality control has been the worst I’ve ever seen. In the production and in the Warranty department. Absolutely the worse. Quality Control there was an absolute joke. We had new guns come in that we couldn’t even get the actions to cycle and we would have returns come back from warranty service missing parts in areas that were unrelated to what they were sent in for. I don’t know how they managed to fail so hard. Who is working in the Marlin department? Chimps? I know things have gotten better. But that’s a low hurdle to mark down as an achievement. When Rossi is making a better Lever Action – that’s just sad.

Take a look at Taylor’s and Wild West Guns and look at how they are making some guns that people are wanting… How come you do not have anything like that? Where is your take down? What year is this now? Where are your winged and adjustable aperture sights?

I don’t know guys… Can Remington be redeemed? Or have they fallen too far now?

Uncategorized

Undying

04/16/2014 MadOgre 2 Comments

This is the scariest game I’ve ever played. More than Doom 3, the Marine missions in AVP, or FEAR… which are all my top choices of a scary gaming goodness… But Undying holds the crown. The graphics suck and the combat dynamics are “interesting”… the story is pretty good for a Video Game’s rationalization to go around and kill everything. What sets it apart is the Characters and the Environment. The lighting effects, the sound effects, and the music combine to create an immersive environment that few games can even get close to. While I consider myself to be very jaded and disconnected, Undying really sucked me in to that world. And that world scared me. There was one area in the game that was pretty much empty of monsters, but the mood and the music worked together to really creep me the heck out. Undying is the only Horror-FPS game, or any Horror Game, that made me throw a NOPE grenade, unplug the computer, and walk away. UNDYING did that to me. It’s never happened before or since… but I had to pull the power cord, get up, and walk away, because I was freaked the hell out.

You know how you have your 1 horror movie that freaked you out the most when you first saw it? For me that’s EVENT HORIZON. Well, Undying is that – in a video game.

This is the character you play. Patrick Galloway. He’s a Post WW1 Era Scottish version of Neo/Mr. Anderson or a Dr. Gordon Freeman. He can use bottles of flaming liquid, a revolver, a shotgun or a slingshot from that guy on Youtube that makes crazy slingshots. And in the other hand, he can use Magic. And he’s left handed. Clive Barker said that he wanted to make this character sexy, as he is gay and wanted a character that held his attention. The result is that unlike other FPS Game characters you get to know Patrick Galloway… your alter-ego as play through and get sucked into the Undying world.

Being written by Clive Barker, it’s going to have some depth, some darkness, and a enough Batshit to build Crazy Town with. Clive… is a guy that’s really not right in the head. He makes Stephen King look like a school teacher, and Dean Koontz look like a sunday school teacher. So some aspects of what he writes is just oh so very wrong. There’s a lot of Wrongness in this game. Here’s the thing though… It works. And it’s scary. And it’s a hard game, which means you are not going to be breezing through it. You have to investigate things, and figure things out, and it’s not going to be easy.

I’d like to see this game redone on a better game engine with better graphics. And I’d like to see the ending cleaned up and some other things tweaked… but overall it really stands on it’s own. Maybe though… maybe it’s best that the Graphics remain poor. Because maybe it would be too much if it was any more “realistic”.

Food

Sriracha Sauce

04/15/2014 MadOgre 17 Comments

People are discovering Sriracha. A spicy, flavorful hot sauce from Asia… Originally only found at Chinese Buffets and the like. But it’s broken out of the stereotypes and now it stands on its own. I’ve heard it called “Thai Ketchup”… which is a fairly accurate term. As anything you might put ketchup on – you can put Sriracha on and it will be better. This started a new Spice Trade… The factory in Asia couldn’t keep up with demand so they built one in the US as the tasty sauce has really taken off.

Here’s the problem though. The US factory that makes Sriracha has been declared a public nuisance because of the smell. At the same time it’s becoming more and more popular. People are hording. In some places, it’s hard to find. In fact, I couldn’t. We had run out and the local stores didn’t have any. One thing we really like at The Ogre House – is Hot Sauce. We use it all the time. The more different varieties, the better. And one of the House Favorites is Sriracha. And we couldn’t find any. This was a problem. But I did find an alternative.
Because of the threat of the US Sriracha factory being shut down, Texas Pete stepped up and made their own version of it. Texas Pete is a North Carolina tradition… so I had to buy a bottle to try out.

Oh, it’s good. It’s very good. If you can’t find the original. Which I couldn’t. In fact, I like it. It does very well on Burgers and Dogs and Steaks and noodles and Pizza… Everything I tried it on. The above image was posted on FaceBook as I was showing off my Lunch – because that’s what Facebook is for. To make sure all your friends know what you are eating.
Then yesterday a mystery box appeared on our door step.

The box contained 6 big bottles. The real deal. There was no note. No return address save for the Factory. My wife declared it a “year’s supply”. I give it a month. A tasty tasty month.

So the question here is how does Texas Pete’s version stand up to the original? (The 6th bottle of the original goodness could not be pried from my oldest son’s hands. Even just to take a photo.)

It looks almost identical in the photo. But it’s not. The vehicle for this test was a simple scrambled egg. Half the egg was covered in the “Rooster Sauce” and the other in the “Cha”.

The Flaming Cock wins. Hands down. The flavor is richer, fuller… while the Texas Pete seems to have a little more watered down taste… more Vinegar. In the original, you can really taste the peppers. The Texas Pete just doesn’t stand up. It’s not quite as hot either, so maybe it’s good for Beginners and it’s just fine if you can’t find The Good Stuff. It’s not really a HOT SAUCE per say. Because it’s not really “HOT”. It’s warmer than Ketchup. Maybe on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being “Insanity Sauce” (Just throwing that out there), then Sriracha is about a 3. But it’s not about the Heat. It’s about the Flavor. It tastes GOOD.

Here’s the thing – they both have their place. If you are preparing something that asks you to mix the Sriracha in something or put it in your cooking… You can use the Texas Pete. It will be fine for that. Save the original Sriracha for pure topical applications where your sauce isn’t diluted. And you can put it on just about everything. And it makes everything better.

Why Sriracha? This explains Sriracha quite clearly.

Seriously, guys… But it on your Burgers and Pizza. Use it generously. On a burger – use it like you would ketchup. On a pizza, drizzle it all over it, or dip it. It really adds tone and flavor. If you don’t try it – You Are Wrong.

Uncategorized

FNH shows some Leadership

04/12/2014 MadOgre 3 Comments

Congratulations to FNH for showing some serious leadership in the SHOT Industry. Something EVERY company that’s involved in the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade industry.
Partnering with TREAD LIGHTLY!.

This sends the right message. To everyone. From our fellow shooters, to everyone that enjoys the outdoors for all reasons. My brother in law Sage Wheeler taught me to appreciate our lands more than I had thought about. I’m not an Environmentalist by any means, but I am one that is concerned. I’ve spend many hours in the desert filling up the back of my Chevy 4×4 and my Ford Bronco full of garbage and crap to take to the landfill. Couches, Appliances, Chairs, TV’s, Computers… All of them… Everything… riddled with bullet holes. Sure, I made my share of holes… But then I came back and cleaned up what I could. Because the #1 reason our shooting areas are getting closed off – is because we tolerate those that use those areas as a dumping ground. That has to stop. If it doesn’t, we’re going to lose all of it.

Thanks, Sage. And thank you, FNH.

Mad Ogre

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Bundy Ranch

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Undying

Sriracha Sauce

FNH shows some Leadership

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