A couple observations on The Shield as I have just finished the series. The show is quite a ride. Convoluted and twisting like a wounded snake. I am impressed with the depth of the series, the details and the way every episode builds the story to the conclusion.
I’m relieved that it’s over. Because when you get into a good story that is well told, you put yourself into the story, immerse yourself in it… and with this one, I felt dirty. When it ended, I actually breathed a sigh of relief that it’s done.
Over all, this show told a story and told it well. It’s not a happy story. It’s a story of Failure. It’s one that is hard to look at. On one hand, you have Bad People doing Bad Things for Bad Reasons. Then you have Good People doing bad things for Bad Reasons. Then you have Bad People doing Bad Things, for Good Reasons. It’s hard to keep track of who the good guys are and who that bad guys are.
Vic Mackey just might be the most interesting character in TV’s history. His loyalty to his Team is amazing, and trying to overcome Bad Choices with more Bad Choices is an interesting lesson. Vic has admiral attributes in some of these things… the fighting for his Team. His loyalty to his wife was a bit weak, but this show has few people of real integrity and strength. In the end… SPOILER ALERT – Don’t Read Further.
Listen to this.
There are 16 Republican Traitors.
The Lever Action you never knew you always wanted
Great gun. And before you say anything about the guy’s clothes… the guy is a Sponsored Shooter that doesn’t have to pay for his own ammo. You’d wear some pink too, eh?
Semi Auto Pistol Genetics
Feel free to suggest other pistols that are not mentioned and where they should be. The roster for most boxes are easy to fill. But the Metal-Striker box is the hard one. There are just not that many out there. If I was going to design a new pistol, I’d do a Metal Striker pistol. Because there just isn’t that much competition out there for it. One thing is for sure though… I’d make sure I’d stay away from Kahr’s trigger mechanism, because those motherfuckers sue everyone that makes anything even remotely similar.
Etched Dates
Some places in this nation are banning magazines. Simple boxes with springs in them that use the same high level of technology found in Pez Candy Dispensers. In some of these places you can keep the magazines as long as they were made or acquired before the ban. So it was said that you have to have dates etched on them. But so many magazines out there in the world with no dates. This is of course a bullshit requirement and unenforceable. So I have a suggestion…. here’s the date to etch:
July 4th, 1776.
S&W 1006
I need a S&W 1006. The gun the FBI couldn’t handle.
The best alternative to the 10mm Glocks and EAA Witnesses or a 1911. Not that I dislike those options, they are the common ones. I want something different, and I think the 1006 looks like the one to get.
The FBI version was the DAO 1076. The 76 also was slightly shorter in the barrel, like a Commander version of the 1006. I actually like the decock/safety, but I think I’d rather have the longer barrel with the 10mm.
Two shows worth watching.
One old, one new.
The old show is new to me. I’ve never watched it before, but i’m loving it. The Shield. Great series… good writing, good twists, good actors and characters.
The main character, Vic Mackey, is one of the most interesting characters on any TV shows. A Bad Guy that does good things for good reasons some times… and does bad things for good reasons some times… and every once in a while does a good thing for bad reasons. But you end up rooting for him.
The whole series is on Hulu Plus. This makes Hulu Plus well worth it to me.
The new show is VIKINGS. A Semi-Historical drama that is pretty accurate in some things. Cool characters, and a smoking hot Shield Maiden that is worth watching just for her. Rower. Overall, I find the show extremely compelling. Even if it’s much like Sons of Anarchy on Long Boats. You could call it Sons of Vikings. But that’s not quite fair. This show is unique. And very well done. I enjoy it a lot.
You Armchair Historians can stuff it about historical inaccuracies… it’s the best we’ve seen so far, eh?
Jeep Noob
One morning recently I was on my KTM 525 MXC sitting just below the trail head to “SUPER SECRET TRAINING LOCATION 2”. To get to SSTL2, you pop off Highway 121 where there is a narrow looking trail going up rather steeply to the top of the hill. It looks daunting, but it’s really no problem.
I was sitting there adjusting my neck strap and gloves after having to stop to take a cellular call when a Jeep Wrangler Safari pulled up. It hurt my eyes it was so shiny new. The driver and his girl (smokin hot redhead) were wondering if they could make it up that trail as it looked too narrow, so they asked me if I thought they could make it up.
I told them it was plenty wide enough if they take it easy. I explained how I used to go up it all the time in my Chevy 2500. The driver… the boy… was unconvinced.
At this point a pair of Ford F-350’s came down the trail. The second truck was pulling a trailer with a Bobcat on it.
I looked back at the boy, winked at the girl, flipped my visor down, and took off down the highway. A mile later I looked back. There was the Jeep. The boy didn’t sack up and try it.
Recoil & Recoil.
I remember the first time I ate a Jalapeno. It made me cry. I was young… still watching Saturday morning cartoons. Just a kid. I think we had just moved to Fircrest, Washington. I remember going into the kitchen and seeing these peppers on the counter. Don’t remember why, but I picked up the pepper off the counter and started eating it. Never had one before, seen one even. I was unprepared and unfamiliar with the heat of that little thing. Thought I was going to die.
Now, if I’m in the mood, I can eat them whole like I would a carrot or something. I’ve learned to enjoy the heat. Tolerance is the word. I built up tolerance to the heat and found I liked the flavor. Took some time of course, but now I do not consider them to be all that hot.
Much is the same with recoil. Especially with Shotguns. I don’t mind the recoil and I enjoy the devastating results a shotgun can give you. People perceive spicy food’s heat, and recoil differently. This is based on familiarity and tolerance of the thing. The more you are exposed to it, the less it effects you. It’s not that one guy is packing more sack than the other guy… it’s just a matter of getting used to it.
Speaking of hot peppers in Fircrest. I remember pranking my brothers, Josh and Zack. I coated a couple apples in Tabasco Sauce. Multiple Coatings, let dry, coat some more, and let dry again. The apples looked normal. Then I made sure there was nothing in the fridge to drink. Then I filled the faucet with Tabasco.
Like a good big brother, I offered my brothers the apples. In a very short amount of time, the boys were in great distress and running around… they ran to the fridge… nothing… they ran to the sink. One of them put his head under and opened the tap. Hilarity ensued.
To this day I feel bad about it… but still laugh at the memory of it.
Speaking of Recoil. I got the latest issue of Recoil Magazine on my Nexus 7 Tablet. I had little interest in it, as I had cancelled the subscription. But since I knew Ian took over as Editor & Chief I thought I might give it a look through. I’m impressed. The magazine is good. I’m not through reading the issue, but I am liking everything I’m seeing. It’s less GQ with guns and more Gun Magazine, with Style. It makes most news stand gun rags look tired and old. If they keep it up, I’ll renew my subscription.
What we are dealing with.
The Video is found HERE. She is a complete idiot and thinks you can’t reload a magazine. The problem that I have with this, is not that she’s rock hard stupid… but that idiots like her have force MagPul to relocate… costing Colorado 600 jobs, and a Private Business potentially millions of dollars in the expense and interruption of commerce.
Our Nation is being “Lead” by the most idiotic, self righteous, ignorant, and incompetent people we’ve ever seen. These fools are in charge.