April 30th, Friday, 2004:  2130hrs:  Something arrived in the mail today… quicker than I expected.  A bottle of CorrosionX for Guns.   I tried it out on my pistols and rifle…  I’m like the ultimate jaded customer for any lube advertised with big marketing claims.  But this stuff seems to live up to the advertising.  I like it, a lot.  Breakfree CLP has been my “Do Everything” product.  That stuff is pretty good, but it stinks.  This stuff has a smell… but it’s not stinky like BFCLP… and it does all three jobs better than CLP from what I have seen so far.  My Marlin likes it.  My Beretta likes it… Hell, even the Detonics likes it and that little bitch is finicky.  So I lubed up the guns, when shooting, came back and cleaned and lubed them again…  The guns stayed nice and slick – The Marlin has never had it so good.  It cleaned great… cleaned very well… cleaned very easily. 

Corrosion protection isn’t something you can test in one day, but the product was made for corrosion protection first and foremost.  It talks about something called “Polar Bonding” that makes the stuff stick to the metal.  I don’t know anything about this bonding process… but it does stick to the metal.  It feels different.  Just a little bit goes a long way and leaves a very slick film.  When two metal surfaces treated with this stuff comes into contact and rubs… you can feel that there is less friction.  It’s slicker than Militec1 oils and grease.  It’s slicker than most gun oils I’ve tried.  I’d put this on a level with FP-10, but it works different than FP-10.  Considering that they use this stuff for corrosion protection on aircraft… I would say that it tilts the scales into CorrosionX’s favor.  This stuff has impressed the hell out of me. 

Militec1… To be honest, I’m not even sure what that shit is for.  It’s one of the worst lubes you can get.  It’s only barely slicker than Rem Oil and that stuff is the worst… your better off using WD-40 or Baby Oil.  Militec1 offers no corrosion protection to speak of.  A pat of butter is better for that.  I’ve used Militec1 grease and oil and I have tried to like it… so many shooters swear by the stuff, but I only swear at the stuff.  In the literature for Militec1, they don’t even call it a lube, they call it a “metal conditioner”.  I think that’s bullshit because you can’t really “condition” metal.  You can condition hair… but metal isn’t like that.  You can treat the surface, but out of all the options for that purpose, Militec1 isn’t my choice, because whatever the hell it’s supposed to do – I don’t see it as doing it.  And don’t give me that shit that you have to heat the Militec1 up with a hairdryer.  Fuck that.  I’m an Ogre, I don’t even have a hair dryer, okay… You want a hair dryer?  It’s called a fucking towel, alright?  There is your hair dryer.  If you need more than that, go stand out in the wind and sun.  Hair dryer for my guns?  Are you kidding me?  Get the fuck out of here with that.  FP-10 is good stuff, but I don’t think it cleans as good.  Great lube, nice and slick… but CX does the cleaning and protecting better and I think it even lubes as good so there you go.  I have my all in one gun care product.  Still like the Hoppes #9 solvent for serious gun cleaning chores… but for my range bag… I got my bottle of CorrosionX and I’m set.       

Lots of movie suggestions have come in… some of them are actually pretty damn good too.  I’m impressed.  The Horde, for such a collection of knuckle dragging gunslingers, has very good taste, that even borders on sophistication.  Connoisseurs of Action Drama film.  Keep the suggestions coming… throw out some more Horror and Sci Fi too.  You can also stop suggesting Star Wars.  That’s like been in almost every email.

1000hrs:  BANNED BY THE GOVERNMENT!  My little website has been banned by the government.  DOIM has placed my domain name on the blocked site list.  I have sent emails asking why I am banned, but I do not expect any response.    I am not sure what this means in terms of who can no longer him my site… but I suspect that Ted Kennedy’s posse has something to do with it.  A great many of my regular readers are not only in the service, but are career officers.  I'm pissed off..   

It seems my trimmed and revised list is lacking according to many of the Horde.  I already have a short list of required additions… Red Dawn, GBU, God Father… etc… the obvious missing movies… If you have some good suggestions, let me hear them.  And when I said “Good” suggestions, I meant totally awesome movies that rock and just have to be included or the Horde will storm Ogre Manner with torches and pitchforks.  Anyone suggesting that Bridges of Madison County be included in the list will be shot… I will post their photograph so all the horde can print out their picture to be used as the target for their next range session.

Wabbit Hunting.  Our rabbit went missing yesterday… Didn’t see it all afternoon.  It’s food bowl had not been touched… and it never lets a sprig of green sit in the bowl.  At midnight I just got the feeling I needed to look for it.  So I searched all over, including to go out and look at Ranger’s bone pile to see if anything there was fresh.  Not that he ever leaves a lot of bones… but still… just in case.   I was against the Pet Rabbit idea from the start.  But I have a confession to make.  Hopper has turned out to be a remarkable pet.  It is fairly clever for a food animal and it pretty much acts like a cat, doing cat-like things.  Koda, our surviving panther house cat that now lives and prowls outdoors, hates Hopper.  Tries to do the Silvester/tweety thing and slinks in to hunt it… But to be honest Hopper is the better pet for inside the house.  It does the litter box thing better than a cat… it doesn’t stink like a cat can… it doesn’t howl like a cat can… and it doesn’t knock shit off of the tops of cabinets and desks like a cat can.  It’s eats very little… some veggies and it’s good to go.   It is also very affectionate.  It comes when called… something the cats never did.  It will lick your hand too.  I’ve grown fond of it.  I’ll have to get “Watership Down” now.  Anyways… I just decided to look for it.  Flashlight in hand I searched around.  Then I just had the feeling to look in cabinets and drawers… sure enough… the second drawer I opened… there it was.  Had been there since about noon.  It was in a panic, but when I picked it up it like clung to me.   I set it down at its food dish and the little bunny was just attacking the food and water like it had been starved.  Well, it was.  So today I get to give the “We don’t put pets in sock drawers” speech to the Little Trooper.   Update:  Message received but he seems to be in disagreement with me.  Seems that Hopper was “bad and had to be put into time out”.    This maybe be the first time in my family history that one of the Ogre Clan went rabbit hunting for the purpose of saving the critter rather than to kill it.   

April 29th, Thursday, 2004: 1930hrs: Last night I went and watched the film “Man On Fire” with Densel Washington.   It is a good film.  I liked it a great deal.  Movies like this… like “Man Apart” for some reason really speaks to me.  This movie was better than most of this type.  The direction I think is some of the best that I’ve ever seen.  The way the used the subtitles was brilliant.    I’m going to get the DVD of this one as soon as I can.  A very excellent movie.

Speaking of movies, I have redone the entire movie lineup.  Trimmed the fat.  Only the best of the best movies are noted.

1000hrs: Darpa and so many other groups are experimenting with robotic vehicles and RPVs and such.  I’m thinking Iraq would be an ideal testing ground for this.  Out of all the robotic options, the one I am most impressed with is called the “Gladiator” from the Redstone Arsenal.  It looks like a small M113 with a machinegun mounted up top.  The gun is remotely operated for “Man in the Loop” issues… but this system has some real potential.  It’s armored and armed and is just tough as hell.  I say we roll about a dozen of them little bitches into Iraq and play a serious game of Battle Bots.  I’ve also seen one called the “Fire Ant” that is based on an ATV.  Mount a machine gun system on that one and you have another winner… but the tracked and armored Gladiator looks to be about perfect for urban fighting in Fallujah.   The robotic rotorcraft units are also good candidates.  Little tiny helicopters… if we could get them over there, they would make great scouts.  Arm them with a stabilized rifle and that would be awesome.  Hey, I got a song dedication for Fallujah… “Bombtrack” by Rage Against The Machine.  Let’s just give them a MOAB rain storm and call it good.  Screw those guys. 

10 more Americans died in Iraq today.  I grieve for these souls spent in this conflict.  The more this fighting goes on, the more I am hardened against Iraq… and even more so against the Democrats who try to capitalize on these deaths.  A dead American Soldier (ahem, or Navy or Air Force) is not political currency and God damn those who use them as such.    I’m talking about Kerry specifically and the rest of the Liberal lot as a whole.  

Funny how Kerry is trying to garner support from Vets.  Too bad he is loosing it faster than anyone could have ever believed.  In consolation we can tell him that we voted for him before we voted for Bush and that he just doesn't understand our "Nuance".  Oh, one more thing... the vote for him... it was to put him on the next Mars lander.  Maybe the Space Program does have an upside.  But considering NASA's tinkering with the NADS, they will not be receiving my application any time soon.  Captain Kirk is typing up his resignation letter now. 

Looks like Kim has finally discovered something wonderful.  I am pleased that he found it favorable… I’ve been saying it for some time now.  It’s a perfect option for those seeking a full sized duty auto in .45.  This is not a CCW piece, but an open carry, in a thigh rig, and you have to walk with a swagger kinda gun.  This throws back to the old days of the horse pistols.  The classic “Hand Cannons” of the Cavalry… where the guns were big and accurate and easy to shoot and could be used as a war hammer should the need arise.   It’s a fighting gun.  One of my favorites.

Mozilla 1.7 RC 1 is out.  I'm using it, and have used it all week exclusively.  It's good.  Better than the 1.7 Beta.  Try it.  I think you will like it.

April 28th, Wednesday, 2004: Noon Thirty:  Automotive email:  “Ogre, Welcome to the real world. Any new car is just loaded with electronic control units. In fact, some of the newer cars have around 70 of them pricks in there. There's more computing power in today's car than there was on the Apollo moon shots. And, it ain't gonna get any better. Trust me. I work in this field. If something barfs out of warranty, as is usually the case, figure on spending $300-500 minimum to make it better. There ain't mechanics anymore -- they are all technicians. My advice is to buy a sound pre-1970 pickup and a shitload of plugs and points. Besides, the gun rack fits better in the old ones than it does in the new models. Stay sane.” 

That’s kinda funny, Steve, advice coming from a guy working in the automotive electronics field.  But you are so very right.  My other vehicles, the Jeeps and the Bronco have no electronics in them.  No under the dash black boxes that tell cops how fast you were going… no OnStar that lets them track you… no engine management computers that are just plain evil and must be destroyed.  I like “Old Iron” the best anyways.  American cars stopped being cool in 1974, and I have not seen anything yet cooler… not even the new Mustang I talked about the other day.  It’s new, but it’s trying to throw back to the Pre-74 lines.  Try as they might, it will still not be as cool as a real pre-74 car.  Trucks were good up until the 90’s and then they just lost it.  Anyways…  This Subaru… One of the Horde out at Hill AFB is thinking about taking it off my hands before I pour gasoline over it and ignite it.   He has dibs… He is thinking of putting the engine into a kit car.  I worked all last year trying to find ways of putting that engine into one of the Jeeps.  It would do well in a lighter bodied kit car.  Sube engines are rated with an FAA approval for aircraft, so that tells you something.  If I did trash the car, I would pull the engine out of it because it’s just beautiful.  It’s a 2.2 liter 4 cylinder “Boxer”… strong engine.  It’s just a shame that it’s in such a piece of shit Legacy!  I was thinking about racing it, but I don’t even want to look at it now.  Enough of the automotive matters, I tire of it.  For now.  Image from Steve as well… thanks Steve!

My article to Concealed Carry Magazine was submitted and accepted and done.  This means I need to plan for the next one.  Back 20 years ago if you wanted a concealed carry gun you only had a couple of choices… most of them revolved.  Now days the options are endless.  You name it and someone probably makes it.  And the best thing is that most of them are all just great…  The only real considerations these days are all matters of personal taste.  But this brings with it it’s own complications.  The other day I was shopping and the list included “Shampoo”.  I thought, no problem… some shampoo to wash hair with… that wont be hard to pick out.  And then I turned into the Hair Care isle.   30 feet long, 7 feet high… all shampoos of every kind imaginable.   It took me like 30 minutes to pick one out.  Do I want to smell like summer rain or autumn breeze or spring fresh or peaches and cream… or strawberry… apple… fuckin fruit salad… mint, cinnamon, curry, lavender, more herbs than in the produce section… I was thinking “damn, I just want to get the funk off my head”.  And then I turned around and saw the conditioners… I just about had a panic attack.  Pert Plus – Shampoo and Conditioner no questions… it just washes your head and your done.  I grabbed that and ran… even forgetting my cart, so I had to go back for it.  There was another guy standing there then… looking glazed eyed with a twitch on his lip just like I was a few minutes before.  Note to the ladies of the Horde, when you send your Ogre out to pick up some “Shampoo”.  Be specific.  Because we just don’t know where to begin here.  If not, you’re getting Pert, and you damn well better be happy for it!    I can see how the uninitiated would feel the same way at a gun counter with a good selection.   .25, .32, .380, 9MM, .357 SIG, .40, .45, .32 Magnum, .38 Special, .38 Super, .357 Magnum, 9X17MM… there are so many calibers you can pick from… that’s probably the best place to start.  Then there is the action.  Revolver, blow back, gas-retarded, Modified Browning, rotating… Yeah, I can see how picking out a new CCW piece is very much like picking out a shampoo, but this selection is even more important than what to put into your hair… because a case of the frizzies isn’t going to get you killed.  A bad choice of a CCW gun that jams or fails to stop the threat could.   If I am going to write for a magazine and review a handgun for CCW then it is only going to be a handgun that I have or would be willing to carry myself.  Because someone’s life could be at risk.  If I select a handgun to write about, and it lets me down.  The article will certainly reflect that.  I think there is a responsibility here that goes beyond just a mere review.  A movie critic has it easy.  A bad movie choice isn’t lethal, even if Gigli came close… but a bad handgun choice could be.  This is more like reviewing parachutes.  I’ve written two articles for CCM about .45 caliber handguns.  This next one should be something smaller for variety sake, but at the same time this selection must meet the same requirements.  One caliber I don’t think I will ever review is the .25ACP.  I had a .25 once… an Astra Cub.  It was a neat little gun.  One day I decided to pop some rounds at a plastic Frisbee.  I leaned the yellow disk up against the base of a tree, took 10 steps back and fired.  I swear on the Bible that the round hit the disk and bounced off it hitting me square in the chest.  I even caught it.  The little ball bearing in the nose was even still there.  The disk had nothing more than a dent in it where it round impacted.  To me, .25ACP is a NO GO.  But that is just me.  I don’t believe in a .25, I have no faith in it, so I wont recommend it.  Especially since you can get a .32ACP in a .25 ACP sized package.  And in some cases you can even get a .380 in a .32 sized package so going down to .25 is virtually pointless.  If you are in a situation where you need something that small, and .25ACP is the biggest size you can get away with… you are probably better served with an NAA .22 Magnum which can still trounce a .25ACP in terms of penetration so again – there is no point or reason to consider a .25ACP.  But that is just my opinion, I could be wrong.

April 27th, Tuesday, 2004:  1830 hrs: I’m not going to go into any details here… but I think I just totally fried the Subaru’s engine management computer and all the electronics.  To say the Subaru is dead now is like saying that Princess Diana is dead.  The Subaru is in fact so completely dead now, Monty Python is considering coming out of retirement, just to do the Dead Subaru sketch.   For this reason, the only thing left to do with the car is to part it out and sell it bit by bit on Ebay.  Under the dash there are two green connectors that fit together nice and snug.  These two connectors are placed so that they look like they go together but have just fallen apart.  If you own a Subaru – DO NOT connect these two connectors.  This is the equivalent of pulling the pin on a hand grenade.   As soon as I made the connection, I looked like Han Solo with the waiving of the arms and the sparking and the yelling “Shut it off!  Shut it off!”  All I needed was a Wookie to drop a tool box full of hydro-Spanners on my head.  Or maybe I was the Wookie?  I don’t know what the hell happened, but I feel like Jar-Jar right now.  FUCK SUBARUS!  I am never buying a car with an automatic transmission again – fucking EVER.  I am never buying a Subaru again – fucking EVER.  I don’t care if you hand me a signed title and the keys just because you are feeling spendy… I will take the keys and drive the car to the nearest Cliff, Lake, Rock Quarry, Mine shaft, Sarlacc Pit, whatever is closest, and push the car into it… I don’t care if it was worth a buck or a million bucks… I’m going to destroy that car.  I swear, I’ll do it.  Don’t try me.  Not only will I do it, but I’ll take a video of it going over and replay that video on holidays and special occasions.    I’m thinking of donating the car to the Fire Department for the specific use of “Jaws of Life” practice.  If I do it, I shall take pictures.   Fuck this car.    If I had a fucking quarter every time I said “Fuck” because of this piece of shit fucking Subaru… I could buy a new fucking Mustang fucking GT.    I am so furious, right now I could take a damn sledge hammer out there and beat the shit out of that car.   

Email from Wasted Electrons:

"Ogre, First, thanks for all the traffic. There's been lots of folks stop by to check out the plight of my drowning guns. I've a buddy with a boat and an underwater camera that goes 60 ft deep, this weekend we may try to locate the guns and recover them if found with a huge magnet.

Anyway, you get so many more visitors daily that I thought to ask you to put out the word that I am looking for a Stevens Favorite to replace the lost one. In particular, there is somewhere a 1915 Stevens Favorite 22 with a nickel plated receiver and a boys length shortened stock. This one was my first gun and I foolishly sold it, back in Ohio in the late 70s. The nickel plating was put there by my grandfather after he replaced the broken firing pin during my ownership. (Nobody considered that it might be collectible back then and that plating would ruin the collectable value.)

So in particular, I would dearly love to find that Stevens. Failing that, I want a very good model 1915 in shootable condition, preferably with a full octagon barrel and a bead front sight. I don't want a shot out wall hanger and I don't want a "too good to shoot" gun. I don't want one of the Savage new production models.

Could you help spread the word that I'm in the market? Emails and pictures of any possibles to nrmccord@comcast.net. Thanks. Nate"

No Problemo.

1030hrs:  “DISPROVED: the outrageous anti-Christian falsehoods popularized by the bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code” I’ll probably get De-Linked all over the place for this, but here it goes. I’ve read the Da Vinci Code.  I think it’s one of the best novels ever written.  The story telling is absolutely masterful.  Then I get the chunk of spam about it.  Anti-Christian?  I don’t think so.  Not hardly.  I never picked up any such Anti-Christian sentiment in any of Dan Brown’s books.  He doesn’t seem to be too keen on the Vatican, but I’ve not felt any Anti vibe at all from him.  Is it really so outrageous to think that Jesus may have been married and that maybe Mary was his Bride?  No, put your convictions down for a second and think about it… is that really so horrible or outrageous?  

I don’t think so at all.  In fact, I think it’s a very touching, elegant, and beautiful story if it was true.  Here you have the Son of God and he bumps into this woman who is a sinner.  She repents and is forgiven… and accepted by Christ himself.  This is an analogy for the atonement of Christ for the rest of us.  Every one of us can repent and be accepted by Him.   Here is a question for audience.  Why did Christ get baptized?  Certainly he didn’t need it.  Yet he did go down into the waters of Jordan not for himself, but to show us the way.  I believe (personally, as there is no doctrine about this in my church) that Jesus also showed us the way in other things as well… like Marriage.   

The Bible is full of interpretations and revisions.  All through the Dark Ages when the bible was being transcribed one letter at a time by hand… you don’t think that those old monks might leave things out?  Maybe whole chapters?  We know they left out whole books.  What we have in “The Bible” isn’t everything that was written.  It’s a collection of what some men decided should be in the collection… and they edited and revised even that.   I’m down with the King James version… but I know that it isn’t perfect. That’s not everything that happened.    Would it be possible that they might leave out details such as Jesus’s wedding and such? Don’t answer yes or no that you believe it… just if you think that it might be possible.   And if it might be possible – does that change anything if it happened or not?  No, it doesn’t change anything.  It doesn’t change the gospel one bit.   

I believe personally that the Gospel of Christ is all about the eternal family… keeping it together.  Being able to be with your loved ones forever.  To me and the way I read it, that’s what “It is all about”.  The meaning of life, right there.   All the promises of the gospel as in the bible… it all supports that.  All the gospel in the Book of Mormon that I believe meshes with the bible like the gears in a Swiss watch… it all supports that too.    Now if that is the case (I’m not asking you to believe me, just play along for a moment and see where I am coming from here) and it’s all about Families… Why must Christ be left out of that?  Would it be against the program if he was to have a family of his own?  Or would it be inline with his own gospel to show us the way as he did with baptism and have his own family?    

Now, I am not a student of Jewish tradition, but I have been told that to be a Rabbi, you must be married.  Wasn’t Jesus referred to as Rabbi by the Jews?  Why would they call him a Rabbi if he wasn’t one?   The way I look at it… it all makes sense that Jesus was married.   And if it was to Mary – I think that would have been just wonderful.   

Am I full of Anti-Christian sentiment here?  Am I just outrageous? Well, I know that there are those ignorant and bigoted fools that like to say that since I am member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, that I am not even Christian.   If that is what you believe, then so be it… have your beliefs.   My faith is in Christ, and I pray to my Father in Heaven in Christ’s name, and I believe he died for my sins and through him I and all man kind who believe in him are saved… but if I am not a “Christian” then I guess I’m fine with that because I still believe in Him and he still died for my sins too and through Him I will still be saved.  I don’t believe that Religion is like a Roulette Wheel and you have to place your bets on the right one or you loose everything.  If you have that belief, then I am sorry for you… because that is an awfully grim way to go through life.  But I’m not going to cast any stones for it. If you want cast some stones, that’s your choice. 

BTW, I am not going to enter into any theological debate.  I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything… I’ve simply expressed my personal opinion on the matter.  Yours might be different and that is fine.

Some might think that this is very bold to express any thoughts on the matters of Faith or Religion on this website.   Long time readers will know that I have done so in the past and from time to time in the Future I might do so again.  How wonderful it is to have the First Amendment that allows me such a freedom to do so… and if you don’t like it… I also believe firmly in the Second Amendment too, so bring it if you got it.

My two favorite Generals in American History:  General George S Patton and General Thomas J Jackson.   Both men of firm religious conviction.  Both men would often be found praying. Many people think that those who believe in a higher power than themselves are soft minded and weak.  I think otherwise.   In fact, for those that don’t like it… I don’t give a damn.  “I will kill those sons of bitches and use their guts to grease the treads of my tanks!”  Sorry, I was channeling Patton there for a second. 

Some day up in the Valhalla section of Heaven, I would love to sit down to a fine meal at the same table with Patton and Jackson and just listen to the conversation between those two men.  Patton would be advocating the M1 Garand and the Tank and Jackson would be preaching about the Bayonet and Artillery.  It would be interesting.

April 26th, Monday, 2004:  2030hrs: Voltron.  With the Subaru fucked up, it joins the other fucked up vehicles.  They can join together to form a giant fucked up robot.

Actually since I can't figure out the damned Subaru, I got all greasy wrenching on the silver Cherokee.  It's running great again... for now.  So now The Bride gets to Jeep to work and leaves my Bronco alone.  Here is the frustrating thing though.  Just last Monday I got the Suby registered again for another year, and the Jeep is expired.  This means I have to take it and get it registered.  At which point it will probably break down again and we will be running the Blue Jeep again - which needs some work and a registration.  Shoot me.  Shoot me now.

1930hrs:  If anyone is near a Subaru service department, I need a question answered.  My 1992 PIECE OF SHIT Subaru Legacy is acting up again.  Regardless of the gear position selected, the dash indicates that it is in 1^st gear and the car will not shift up past 1^st gear.  “Auto or Manual” selection makes no difference, the car’s computer thinks it’s in 1^st.  Normally (even though it is supposed to) the dash doesn’t indicate any gear selection so with the aid of a start button we can start the car and it drives just fine.  I can still put the car into neutral or part and start it, I just can’t drive over 25MPH because the car wont shift up because of the damned little light thingy.  All answers I have encountered involve “Bring it in, we’ll take a look”.  This is impossible.  I’m out in the middle of nowhere and a 4 hour drive at 75+MPH is something I will not make doing a max of 25MPH.  So bringing it in just is not doable.  The local boys are fine when it comes to Fords, but they have no answers when it comes to Subaru.  The last answer I got relating to the Subaru was “Well, that’s a bugger aint it?”   The Chilton and Haynes manuals have no information on this matter at all.  Right now, Mrs. Ogre has be by the balls and if I can’t get the Subaru running she is going to be taking my Bronco!  This is categorically unacceptable.   What can I do to get the Dash indicator to read null again?  If I had a couple grand, I'd just buy The Bride a different car, one that was still running right.

1400hrs:  The following comes from Opinion Journal by way of Horde Member Weiss.  I am quite angry at these jackasses.  In fact, I have no words that I can articulate with any degree of clarity:

The Face of Hate
The Portland, Ore., branch of the Independent Media Center--one of the most virulent Angry Left Web sites around--has a page devoted to the death in combat last week of Pat Tillman, the pro football player turned Army Ranger who died in combat in Afghanistan last week. This is offensive stuff, so you might want to skip it, but we think it's worth shining a light on. The page begins with a Washington Post story about Tillman's death under the headline (Indymedia's, not the Post's) "Dumb Jock Killed in Afghanistan." This is followed by reader comments. A sampling (quoted verbatim except for expletives):

• "Tillman chose to go to Afghanistan. He's partially reponsible for the deaths of hundreds, maybe thousands of Afghan civilians. No need to feel sorry for him, other than feeling bad that he was brainwashed into serving as a grunt."
• "it's amazing the kind of attention this insignificant incident is going to cause. well, he was rich, white, and an american. 10,000 (brown) iraqis get killed, and it barely merits a mention in the american news. how utterly f---ing sad."
• "To be honest I wish I could feel sorry for the guy, but the truth is I really feel nothing at all. To many have died and too much money has flowed into the pockets of Dick Cheney to even worry about it."
• "if he 'sacrificed' anything it was his common sense. He had a good American thing going and blew it."

In fairness, not all posters agree. "I'd like to correct the ridiculous headline that preceeds this story," writes one: "Brave American sacrifices friends, family and fortune in defense of his country. Pigs on IndyMedia can now continue to exercise free speech, sacrifice nothing and spew hate."

Noon:  Call off the Republican Attack Dogs?  This is amazing.  They want the Republicans to stop attacking Kerry?  How about they stop attacking Kerry when the Liberals stop attacking Bush, how about that.  I’ve said it before… I’ll say it again.  They can dish it out, but they can’t take it.  Because at the core, Liberals are pathetic, whimpering, ignorant, assholes who can’t debate the facts because they don’t know the facts or they don’t understand the facts and they can’t see the big picture… that’s why they are Liberals.  If they did understand reality, they wouldn’t be Liberal.

Okay, I will admit that I am hard on the Liberals.  So Liberal views I do respect… some.  What really bothers me is when the Liberals are vocal on an issue that they don’t know about and that they don’t have honest convictions about.  If they know and understand an issue, believe in it, and can argue it logically… I can respect that.  I might not agree with it, but I respect it.  This is the rare form of Liberal and they are few and far between.  They are even more rare around University campuses.

Kerry’s Medals are the topic again… What does it matter if he threw his medals away?  He didn’t earn them anyway.

Email from Commander Kupari: “Check this out.  They're using Utah as a place to train astronauts for a Mars walk.  LOL  I'm reminded of a quote from Futurama, from Professor Farnsworth:  "Mars was once a dreary, uninhabitable wasteland, much like Utah. But unlike Utah, Mars was eventually terraformed and made livable!"  The thing about Utah is that it is much like Arrakis.  Walk without rhythm and you wont attract a worm. 

Wasted Electrons has the saddest story I’ve ever read.  His girlfriend threw two of his guns into a reservoir.  One was a 1915 Stevens Favorite.  This is a falling block .22 target rifle.  Few working examples still exist.  The other was a scoped Beretta Neos.  This might be replaceable, but they are still spendy.  Especially when you consider the cost of the rings and the scope.   I would report these guns as stolen and charge this biatch.  You do not raid a gun safe and throw the guns into a fucking lake.  Not only would I call the cops – but I would also contact some Scuba divers to go hunting.  With luck the Stevens could still be restorable.   This would be a break up event for me.  If she is willing to do this like a thief in the night… she is not the type of woman I would want to be in any sort of relationship with.  Not sure what BSU means exactly… Wife or Girlfriend.  Doesn’t matter.  Personally, I would end that relationship PRONTO.  A woman like this could come after you with some shears like Lorena Bobbitt.

Yesterday I went shooting.  Had some frustrations.  Took some pictures.  This was mostly for the Detonics article I’m writing for CCM.  But I also brought out the rifle.

Automotive Email Exchange:  “George, I know your heart’s in the right place with the retro Mustang, and I can’t blame you, with a big V-8 Bronco in the driveway and all.  But you’re forgetting about another throwback to an earlier age of comfort and performance.  And Gewehr98, as well as Mrs. Gewehr98, are heading down to the dealership after my upcoming deployment.  We’re going to use my Family Separation Pay and TDY voucher to buy, for lack of a better term, something with balls - namely, the new Chrysler 300C Hemi.  Talk about a throwback, body-on-frame, 400+ horsepower, and a not-too-bad sticker price.  Some Chrysler insiders I talked to said that the 300C will find it’s way into the police interceptor market, taking the monopoly away from Ford after Chevy gave up on rear-wheel drive sedans.  Yee-Haa! – Darin” 

The thing that I don’t like about the 300C is the trick system that shuts off two cylinders when you don’t need the power… this might be cool to help gas milage… and it might be cool when the car is new… but what about when the car reaches 100 thousand miles?  If something can go wrong, it will… and I don’t like funky engine management systems like that.  They have been tried before and shops have all made a lot of bank fixing them after the warranties expire.  I was reading about this car just this morning and it does seem to be impressive as hell.     Considering there are no more Impala SS type bruisers… this Chrysler is indeed impressive.  If I have the chance to drive one as a rental – I’ll jump on it.   Of course neither the Chrysler nor the Mustang have all wheel drive and I am more than a huge fan of all wheel drive… I won’t have a vehicle without it.  At least not while I live in Utah.  Maybe if I was back in Virginia it would be a different story.

“The thing does remind one of the older Cadillac/Olds V8-V6-V4 nightmares that disabled cylinders.  And the 300C does shut off up to 4 cylinders when the computer thinks you need to save gas.  I don’t hang on to cars much past 50K miles, but I’m real curious how close to the other Chrysler Hemi’s that engine is.  In other words, perhaps it could be retrofitted to a version that doesn’t do displacement management.  Maybe it’ll force Chevy to revive the rear-drive Impala SS or Police Caprice.  The cute and upcoming Bel-Air is based on the S-10 pickup chassis, so anything’s possible, I guess. Look at the Mercury Marauder, that’s gotta be a slap in Chevy’s face!  Regarding all-wheel drive, you would’ve loved my old Audi 200 Quattro.  That 5-cylinder turbo engine was a plumber’s nightmare, though.  I still miss that car.  – Darin”

Yes, I am familiar with Audis.  They are family favorite.  In fact, it was almost a family rule that if you had a vehicle other than an Audi, you couldn’t park it in the driveway.  The word “Quattro” still holds a special place in my heart.  I owned like at least a half dozen of them myself… If I remember right, my father is still driving an Audi 80.  Mom was the rebel though… she is driving a Jetta and parking it in the driveway!  (BTW, when I visited last year, the Subaru had to be parked on the street or Pops would have called a tow truck)   I even never owned a car with less than 50K miles.  I don’t like the idea of financing something that drops in value.  Because of that, I buy used and pay cash.   The upside is that pretty much every year I still get something different.  Looking out my window I’m looking at a pair of Jeep Cherokees… one blue… one silver.  Drive them till the wheels fall off.  I’m thinking about selling the silver Cherokee.  Needs some cooling system work… has a 4 inch lift.  The engine is running again so it’s good to go there.  Any takers?  Any offers?  I’d trade it for gun (M1 Garand or M1 Carbine) or 800 cash.

I'm also starting a review on the Marlin rifle.  Check the Weapons Section for it.  It's not done yet... but I have a couple images.  Hence the new picture up in the corner.  Now before you write me an email that Kim Du Toit has a rifle picture now, know this... I took that photo like that yesterday specifically for that use, because I didn't like the eyeball thing.  Mrs Ogre took that photo like that for me.  I didn't see Kim's rifle picture, which is different, until yesterday.. 

Anyways, I'm now finishing up the Detonics review right now, and then working on my books... so I'll see you later.  Oh, one more thing.  When the Detonics article is finished, I'm going to go back to packing the Cougar.

April 25th, Sunday, 2004:  Sunday’s post:

http://62.73.174.109/bmuk_movies/humantarget.wmv

That’s all I gotta say.

April 24th, Saturday, 2004:  Noon Thirty:  Few new cars inspire me to actually want to by a new car.  This one does.  I love older cars that have a good deal of character to them… newer cars just don’t have any character… no soul.  This one, it seems, has it in spades.  A lot of cars lately have tried to do the “Retro” thing.  They have pretty much all failed as far as “retro” goes.  They tried to be retro and only turned out to be 1950’s Sci-Fi at best.  Ford tried to be retro with the new Thunderbird, but they really didn’t quite pull that off either.  This time, they got it right.  The new 2005 Mustang tooks new, but properly retro.  I like to think of it as where Mustang was heading if it wasn’t for the damned “Mustang II” regurgitation.  They have turned the clock back to 1974 and are calling a big “Do Overs”.  They are even pricing it right too.  Looks like the starting price is going to be about 18,000.  Propper.  This is doing what Ford did when the Mustang first came out… putting it into the grasps of those that want it and appreciate it.   Funny thing about it though… for a V-8 version (instead of a V-6) you are looking at an additional 10 grand.  Ouch.  That’s a heavy horsepower tax right there, but considering that those 2 extra cylinders give you 100 additional horses, it’s not too bad.  If Steve McQueen was still alive, he would be ordering one from Ford right now.  One thing I want to mention right here… there is the option of a 5 speed stick shift or a 5 speed automatic… if you are a guy and buy this car with an automatic transmission – you are the biggest pussy in the world and should be flogged with issues of “Martha Stewart Living” magazines until the paper cuts make you bleed like your in a Mel Gibson movie.  

1000hrs: These pictures of the flag draped coffins.  I consider it ghoulish to post such photographs in direct discord with the wishes of the families and the administration and good taste.  Note to the Media:  If you want photographs of fallen soldiers, I suggest a stroll though Arlington National Cemetery.  There you will find fields of those who gave up their lives for our freedom.  I can’t even drive past there without getting teary eyed.

Just a thought since John Kerry is campaigning so hard on his service in Vietnam… has he ever visited “The Wall”?  Has ever stood before the wall at Vietnam War Memorial, knelt on bended knee, and honored his fallen comrades?  Or are they still all just a bunch of baby killing war criminals?

Email from Horde Commander Leon in New Zealand: “Gidday there Ogre! Hey mate, you might want to check out http://www.fg42.net/ for a pic of the FG-42. Awesome piece of history alright. Can learn a bit from such works of engineering art. The M60 is made up of parts of this fine rifle, and the MG-42 and yet it turns out a piece of junk. Just adequate now after so many modifications and carry on. At least its in a real calibre. Now, I didn't know about the open bolt / closed bolt system. Man alive, pure sweet.

A mate in the US who now regularly visits your site told me about your look at 'Armour'. Definitely want to get hold of it. I'll read it just based on your minor review.

Now, Pat Tillman. First heard about this on my SAS eGroup mailing list.  This guy is just what we're talkin' about mate. Globally, this joker has given the ultimate example of what this whole deal is about. Stuff the money, stuff the prominence of sport, stuff it all. He joined the Rangers and went and fought and died, not only for his family, his country and his Regiment, but for anyone who values freedom over tyranny, good over evil, wealth over riches. My heart goes out to his family and his Army mates. Rest in Peace brother soldier in the knowledge you have provided us the ultimate gift in sacrifice for what we hold so dear.

Speaking of this - I am getting totally sick and tired of hearing all the negatives in the media. Of course when any serviceman from any country is killed or wounded or otherwise suffers trauma, it is a terrible thing. But man, why can't they report the good stuff. Cripes our Engineers are down south in Basra with the Brits mate, and we know they are fixing stuff up, but heck what do we get? The news of when they are confined to barracks for security reasons. Bridges being fixed, villages getting consistent power for the first time in 20 years doesn't rate a mention. Why is a crime for a soldier to kill a suicide bomber? Heck, ROE means every soldier needs to be a bloody lawyer. How can you concentrate on your job? I'm wound up again bugger it all... Mugabe needs a bullet.  - Leon”

Good to hear from you, Leon.  The book "Armour" that I mentioned... the cover says the title is "ARMOR".  But when I first read the book the title was "Armour" and had different cover art. 

I used to always spell armour as armour, because that's the "Proper English" way.  That was the way I grew up.  It was only a few years ago that I dropped the "U" when spelling it online because I was tired of publicly educated Americans (god bless them) who would always email me telling me I have misspelled the word.  Great book, you will enjoyed it.

Pat Tillman was the living example of what Napoleon said, "Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily".  Pat Tillman died in glory and few are as lucky.  Right now he is enjoying the company of the Valkyries in Valhalla.  

He will be remembered with honor forever in History.  We can't say the same of the other players on the football team he left.  I don't even know the name of one other player - but I will never forget Pat Tillman.   One thing that bothers me about the mediaspeak about Pat is the focus on “he left money”.  First off, it’s not about the money.  Being a soldier and serving your country is never about money.  How shallow the media is… pathetic.  They don’t get it because they in the media truly do not understand what real patriotism is.  They don’t understand the love for one’s country that a man such as Pat Tillman, or all the other soldiers over there, can have.  Pat left behind money.  So what?  Do others from less lucrative backgrounds really give up any less?  No, they don’t.  Because whatever you had before, you traded it for a couple MRE’s a day a bedroll to sleep on and a finicky rifle all so you can face the enemy on behalf of the Nation and the free nations of the world.   The media uses the term “War on Terror” every day… but they have no fucking clue as to what those words really mean. Back when our Greatest Generation was fighting the Nazis over in Europe, the entire country was united in the effort and everyone was better for it.  The media wouldn’t have dared say the things about that war that they have said about this one.  It’s damn shameful the way the Liberals have politicized this war and use our heroic dead as pawns in their game of Spin.  CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC… they are not worthy of speaking Pat Tillman’s or any other soldier’s name.   They should only refer to the fallen in hushed and reverent tones with a bowed head.   As for the wounded coming back… these men should never have to pay for their own beer for the rest of their lives.

As for the negatives in the news... if Al Gore was the President you wouldn't be hearing about it, that's for sure.  Not only that, but everyone one including Gore would be a hero and the Media themselves would be waving flags.

Horde Member Airboss sends us this: “Just wanted to let you know about a new (to me anyway) Product called CorrosionX you may want to try. It makes guns coated with it very easy to clean and lubricates as well nope I don't make any thing from it just a user but a happy one. Enjoy the "Mad Ogre" very much. - Airboss"  Thanks, Airboss. I’ve not heard about them, but they look interesting.  Some of the claims are pretty bold and unsubstantiated, but that is the vogue these days in marketing. We shall have to get a sample for testing.

April 23rd, Friday, 2004: 2200hrs: Oh, for any and all who want a Utah Concealed Carry Permit, contact Larry Correia of FTL/THR fame.  Larry is an outstanding shooter, and you couldn’t take the class from a better man.  He is offering the classes at only 20 dollars right now, so take advantage of it.  Oh, and while your in class… ask him about jams in an FAL rifle.  *ahem*

Well, that is that.  This semester is DONE!  Finished!  Now begins the summer break and all the jazz that goes with it.  Meaning selecting the next semester’s classes, doing the financial aide stuff to get another grant, and further dividing myself from the Libertarians for it.  Last semester was cool.  This semester SUCKED ASS.  I think I learned a very powerful lesson here and that is the necessity of selecting each and every class very carefully.  

1315hrs: This train explosion in North Korea… damaging buildings 10 miles away and killing over 3,000 people.  Sounds like a nuclear blast, doesn’t it?

Taken to task:  “Ogre, How can you make a list of favorite movies that has over 100 (mostly great) titles and yet leave out one of the all-time greats?  Where the F is PATTON, for crying out loud?  Sheesh, here you have a 3-hour, combat-laden, kick-ass movie about the greatest combat commander of WW2, the only one the friggin' Nazis were afraid of, who also happened to be among the most articulate users of profane language in history and was extraordinarily un-PC even in 1945, when the shithole concept hadn't even been invented?  Damn, Ogre, the opening scene alone would put that movie in the top 10, let alone combined with the scenes in Palermo where he upstaged Monty and the one near the end where he wanted to "kick the Mongoloid Russians back into Russia, where they belong!" - Paul”  *stunned* I have no excuses… I shall remedy this error ASAP.

Horde Officer John has the answer to the Banshee question:  The book is called “Armor” and it’s on the level of Starship Troopers as far as military sci-fi novels goes.  It’s one of my favorites.  If you’ve not read it yet… do.  It has two of the most interesting characters I’ve ever read in it. Order your copy from Amazon or Ebay or wherever you order your books from.  

Yup, I’m a Mormon and I’m proud of it!  “Ogre, I enjoy reading your blog....I've had it bookmarked for a while now.  I just realized (meaning read the 'about' section) that you're Mormon.  Good to see I'm not the only gun-totin' Mormon around (I believe they call that sarcasm).  Keep writing, Kevin”  Thanks for the email Kevin.  No, you are certainly not the only Mormon Gunslinger out there. We have quite a few in our ranks.

1000hrs:  Update on the Little Terror Trooper.  We are supposed to keep these little things called “Steri Strips” over the wound area to both protect the area and to keep the wound from pulling open.  Evidently they are “itchy” and he doesn’t like them.   This means as soon as he is out of eyesight for more than 2 seconds – they all come off and are put onto anything and everything.  I’ve found some GI-Joes with these cloth stitches on them… the rabbit… the TV… the mirror… pretty much everything but his face.  *sigh*   The upside is that he is doing very well considering.  The nerves haven’t rewired yet, but that’s something that could take like 6 months if it’s going to happen at all.  We have done everything we can possibly do for him at this point… We have given him a blessing according the traditions of our Faith, and have to leave it up to the Lord now.   This incident has not slowed him down at all.  His spirits are up and he is back to cruising at a hundred miles as hour.  He is even back to doing his cartwheels and daredevil routines.  “Dad!  Watch THIS!”  I think I am going to be the one needing medical attention…   

I remember listening to the JIM ROME SHOW on the radio when he was talking about Pat Tillman who left the NFL to join the US Army Rangers.  There was some controversy about this and Jim Rome put all the naysayers down properly.  Today Tillman was killed in action in Afghanistan.  My condolences to the Tillman family.  He lived a short life – but lived it big.  He was a great American and gave his life to the rest of us like all the fallen soldiers have done.  For that, I am grateful… and I know all the members of The Horde are grateful as well.   If anyone here listens to Jim Rome, let me know what he says.  I can’t get The Jungle out here in BFE.

Last year I conducted a test of a bunch of lubes… and had all the data on my iPaq.  The iPaq crashed and I lost it all and never redid the tests.   I’m thinking about redoing those tests again.  Especially since there are a lot of new high tech gun lubes out there that are making some huge claims.

I’m getting sick and tired of the weather here in Utah right now.  Where I live, we have had CONSTANT 25-40 MPH winds pretty much all fucking week long.  I’m so sick of it!  The winds howl day and night… it’s like living on Banshee!  (name the book that reference comes from)  

Blatant and open hypocrisy.  How is it that people defending Kerry can scoff at people questioning Kerry’s service records as saying that “these are old and why are they calling these into question now”… yet these are the same people that are openly and hypocritically questioning Bush’s service records.  Remember – the rule of the game is that any one can question a Republican, but we are not allowed to question a Democrat.   Do you know who’s records I’d like to look into?  I’d like to look into the personal records and history of Senator Robert Byrd.  Because that fucker knows where the bodies are buried.  (in case you don’t know about him, he is the Democrat Senator from West Virginia who back in the day was a top member of the KKK) 

April 22nd, Thursday, 2004:  2000hrs:  I’ve not shared any reader mail lately.  This is something I must correct right now.   I have three emails that I want to share.

“This letter to editor was printed yesterday in Ellensburg, Washington daily record:

I walked to the gun store last week legally carrying my UNCONCEALED handgun.  It was located in my cargo pants pocket, with handle sticking out, quite UNCONCEALED.  I made sure to never touch my gun, just simple walked to the store with it in plain view.  This is called open carrying and is entirely legal in Washington State.  Upon arriving in the gun store, I picked out a clip for my handgun and proceeded to look at other items.   I was then approached by an Ellensburg police officer that had received a 911 call of someone with a gun.  The officer saw how I was carrying the gun, yet asked to see my conceal carry permit.  Having the gun in plain view, one was not necessary, which I informed him.  He proceeded to take the gun from me, and asked for my ID.  I complied, yet I told him I would rather not be harassed for legally open carrying.  Another officer arrived; I got my ID back and my gun.  I again said that I did not enjoy being harassed. The first officer told me that the second officer was his supervisor and they would not leave until he was finished lecturing me on the law.  I declined, telling him I knew the law, (RCW 9.41.050), and was abiding by it.  Feeling harassed with no other options available, I was forced to leave the store to avoid continued harassment.  If the officer reading this still feels like he needs to discuss the law with someone; please, find the person that dialed 911 and tell them 911 is for emergencies/life threatening situations.  The simple viewing of a handgun is neither.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I walked back to the gun store today to ask to see what waves were made.  He told me prosecutor was in today talking with him about situation.  (Yes, I was open carrying again today, with no incident) - Jason”

Interesting.  I think the problem may have been one of "image".  To explain this, let me share with you something that happened to me:

"One day I was at the zoo with my family.   It was a nice day but a little cool with a slight breeze, and altogether lovely.  Under my sport coat I wore my trusty sidearm comfortably in a nice leather pancake holster.  So comfortable you forget it's there.  Suddenly a small gust of wind lifts my sport coat up and reveals the automatic.  This was observed my some college girls.  One of them was shocked and said "That man has a gun!"  To which the other girl said "Don't worry, he is a cop.  You can tell because he has a holster." 

Thanks to TV and the Movies, the general public at large has an ingrained notion that good guys wear holster to carry guns in and bad guys don't.  Try this little experiment...  Wear some Dockers or other nice slacks.  Wear a nice shirt.  Wear a nice leather holster.  Then carry open and check reactions.  I bet the reactions will be different.  Cargo pants with the gun sticking out the pocket - to me means very little - but as a psychologist I can tell you that most people/sheeple will be put at ease because you "look like a good guy" so you are not a threat.  When I did patrol work in Virginia, I carried with me a little book I got from the magistrate (for 5 bucks) that contains all the codes and statutes of the Commonwealth of Virginia.  I don't know about Washington, but I am sure there is such a booklet there too.  Get it, bookmark the open carry statutes and highlight them.  Then the next time you get police in your grill, show them the State's statutes and have them point out to you where they think you are wrong.

Ather Email:  “Ogre,  There are a few things on my mind right now, but I will get down to business first.  I am tired of the media’s coverage of the Operations going on in Iraq.  Every time an American Soldier, Marine, Sailor, or Airman is killed it makes front page news fueling the fire to get our service members out of Iraq and back home.  I know the number, dates, names, and ranks of every US armed service member who has been killed in action since 11 September.  I walk by them every day as I go to class.  Some days I stop and read the names as new ones are added as a reminder that I will be part of this in a few years when the school side of my commitment is finished.  I pray that this board stays up for the rest of my time here and continues to remain as a reminder that “Freedom is not Free!”  The price for Freedom has a cost and unfortunately this cost is the lives of the young men and women who consciously choose to serve.  The media has no place in this war because they use what they have as a tool to ununify our country into believing that our intentions in Iraq are not for the best.  By using fellow soldiers’ death as a stepping stone for their cause the get the military out of Iraq, they should all be shot.  Very respectfully, name withheld by request”

What really bothered me, Ian, was the Press’ use of the photographs of the flag covered coffins.  They sued on basis of the Freedom of Information Act.  I find this repugnant and personally insulting as I have friends who were also covered under a flag.  This wasn’t about Freedom of Information… it’s about dignity and privacy and these ghoulish media hounds are wanting to bank on it and platform on it.   I agree with you, but shooting is too good for them… unless you were using very small calibers.

Another email:  “MadOgre, I just came across your blog today, and I've spent a nice couple of (non-productive but entertaining and informative) hours reading many of your articles (mainly the gun-related ones). Anyhow, I couldn't help but notice that you love Breakfree  CLP, yet there are several references to cleaning your guns with a rival CLP, FP-10.  So, which do you like better?  I've heard and read some great things about FP-10, including the tests shown on the (admittedly non-objective) FP-10 website which showed it to be superior to BF.  Have you switched to FP-10?  Is newer better, or not?  I'm looking forward to hearing from you. - Paul”

You know, that's a good question that deserves as answer.  I have tested all the lubes out there that I could get my hands on and I have found that FP-10 does the best job of lubricating and protecting.   However it sucks at cleaning.  BF-CLP lubes very well, protects very well, and it also cleans very well.   Which one I use and when depends greatly on when and where I am at the time and how much time I have to spend on cleaning.  If I'm out in the field or on the range or I don't have a lot of time - I use Breakfree CLP.   If I have a little extra time, I'll clean with other products and then lube with the FP-10.  I have had better results in some guns like SIGs and Berettas with the FP-10, while some guns like Springfields and my Detonics seem to prefer the Breakfree CLP.  So really there is no hard and fast rule as to what I will use and when.  Hope that helps!  Oh, and thanks for the email!

1500hrs: The second issue of Concealed Carry Magazine has arrived in my mailbox today.  I’m impressed.  The whole magazine is full of actual CONTENT.  Excellent magazine.  Very excellent.  I would have to say this even if my article wasn’t in the magazine… all possible bias aside… it is excellent.  The subscription rate is a little high, that’s true.  But considering the meat of the content, it’s right on target.    The layout is very well done.  I’m impressed with the way the magazine looks.  This is issue #2 and it looks well polished and professional.  The way they took my article and put it into the magazine is just a work of art.  Very cool.  Mrs. Ogre freaked out when she saw her photo in there.   She’s not mad at me, but she just says she hates that picture.  I like that picture… she looks very pretty.  Snooty, but pretty.  Much like “Rose” in Titanic. 

I’m already working on the next article for it.  The subject is the Detonics Combat Master, which I thought was timely considering the announcement of Detonics’ rebirth.  This thing has risen from the ashes so many times now; they need to make a gun called “The Phoenix”.   The Detonics is a very interesting little .45 so it should make for a good article.

1100hrs:  Drudge is reporting that Michael Moore, the big fat liberal idiot has outsourced his web design work and his web servers to Canada.  Sorry Drudge, but this isn’t news.  Let me know when we finally send the rest of him to Canada too!    When that happens, party at Ogre Manor.

I am going to talk about vehicles.  The Bronco is pretty much doing great as it is.  It’s solid and tough and has been reliable.   It started dripped fluid really bad the other day and from where it was dripping I was afraid it was tranny fluid.  I topped off the tranny fluid and checked it this morning and it hasn’t really gone down any that I can tell… and then I did the “feel the drip” thing where you dap your finger into what’s dripped and rub it a little and look at it closely and say “hmmm” as if you know exactly what the hell it is your feeling.  I don’t what the hell it is… but since I know tranny fluid is thicker and red… I know it isn’t tranny fluid.  That’s the good news.  When I felt this stuff, it wasn’t as slick and it was more clear.  So I know it’s not oil.  It’s not coolant either because it’s not that wet.  I’m guessing it’s brake fluid.  Considering that the brake fluid reservoir was rather wet looking, I’m thinking I’m on the right track.  The fluid in there was lower than “full” point and the cover didn’t seem to be very secure so I think I found the culprit here.  I am going to need get a new gasket for the lid, and that should be the fix for that.  I’ve still not dug into the rear window yet, so I can’t roll it down and that means I can’t open the tailgate.  It’s not a real priority thing right now, so I’ll tackle that when I am more ambitious.   So other than taking a whole lot of time explaining all that, the Bronco has been great. 

However there is a lot of things I want to do to it.    

I’d like to replace all the rubber bushings with new neoprene ones.  I’ve got a lot of vibrations through the whole rig and I think these bushings would go a long way in helping that. 

I’d like braided steel brake lines on the front end.  The brakes are great in this thing and I can stop on a dime.  The only thing though is that they feel “mushy” and I like better feel than that.  The braided lines can improve your brake feel drastically.

The steering wheel is the old style… meaning it is pencil thin and I hate that.  I love big fat beefy steering wheels.  I’ll have to replace that with a custom wheel later.

The dashboard still has a big hole in the middle of it where a stereo used to be.  I’ve never in my life spent anything on a car stereo other than just replacement speakers.  I’ve done stereo swaps before, but those were, and I’ll be honest here… “hot” stereos that were given to me.  I didn’t steal them myself, but I knew it was still wrong.  My only defense on this matter what that I was a kid.  I’m thinking about putting in an XM radio system.  Not any time soon of course, but eventually.  Some day.  After I do the rear window and the bushings and everything else.

The last couple trips out to SLC to Primary Children’s Hospital were done in an Olds Alero.  These are the slick little Mustang looking units.  They are really very nice.  V-6 powered, very smooth and quiet, nice stereo, and a dash board that (at night) looks like the control panel on the Star Ship Enterprise.  We used this car because it gets more than twice the fuel economy of the Bronco and it’s really fast.  I’m not going to say how fast, but let’s just say I plead the 5^th.  I’m impressed with these new Oldsmobile’s.  Felt very stable and solid even at high *ahem* speeds.  Very nice cars.   

April 21st, Wednesday, 2004: 1730hrs: For the love of all that is holy… some one please give me the names and addresses of these spammers… some round trip airline tickets… and a few days time… and I will personally put an end to all this spam.  The volume of spam had decreased lately but the last couple of days it’s gone up.  A lot.  This is irritating me to the point that I might be tempted to violence against these Spammers.  I wouldn’t necessarily hurt them, but I would duct-tape them to a wall and have them watch as I use pliers to slowly rip apart any and all electronic device they have in their home or office where ever they send the spam from.  Not just computers or Playstations… I’m talking Clock Fucking Radios too.  Everything.  I will leave them in a 1940’s state of existence with the promise of an immediate return to do worse things if one more piece of spam comes from them.    I don’t care if this is their business… they need to get a new business.  Stock Tips, Pills, the map to Eldorado… I don’t care… I don’t want to know about it.  If I want commercials I’ll watch TV.  But Damnitall – I pay for this bandwidth and these people are using it up against my will.

0900hrs:  Let’s talk about movies for a bit here.  With Finals and all that related stress… and all the shit in the news… I’m taking the day off all of it here at MadOgre.com.  It’s “Movie Day”.  (In all actuality I am not going to watch any movies… because I’m still stressed and overloaded in the “Meat Space”.  Now, to the movies…  I was all pumped for Kill Bill… that is, until I watched it.  Quentin Tarintino’s movies pretty much just suck ass if you ask me.  I mean really… in all seriousness his movies reek.  I dislike them almost as much as I dislike him.  There is the exception of Pulp Fiction which worked well, but his others just blow.  I think my favorite QT moment was when he got shot in Desperado… that was a good QT moment.  The rest of his success was from standing on the shoulders of good actors.  I hated Kill Bill.  The movie was shallow and empty.  There was nothing special about any of it.  The whole thing was supposed to be a live action anime?  As much as I find Uma Thurman groovy… I think I would have rather watched this as Anime or played it as a video game.  There isn’t enough depth here to really get into the characters and their mission.  It tries to do it, but it fails.  Miserably. 

The Rock.  I’ve seen the Scorpion King, and then Rundown and then Standing Tall.  Of all of these, Standing Tall was his best roll.  However it was not his best movie.  Rundown was pretty good as far as action flicks go.  The only thing holding that flick back was the supporting actor.  I don’t remember his name, but he was in Bulletproof Monk as well.  Whoever he is (and I don’t care so don’t bother telling me) he isn’t funny and just comes across as looking like a dipshit.  He’s like Jamie Fox when he does his Soul Sister routine with the bunched up face.  The guy might be a brilliant kid, smart and buffed physically... but he looks like an idiot.    That’s about all I can say about him.  Back to The Rock.  Universally he is regarded by females as “Good Looking”.  Mrs Ogre made this observation to me repeatedly… Thank you very much Mrs. Ogre.  She did concede the point that while he is buffed and good looking… that I could take him.  Thanks for that pat on the back of my ego.  Anyways, I bet we are going to see a lot more of The Rock in the future.  That’s fine… I think he’s a good actor and he has a lot going for him on the screen.  Smart, handsome, and he’s funny.  Kinda like Arnold but you can understand him when he speaks so he has greater potential than Arnold.  The one thing I wish about him and his future movies.  PLEASE USE YOUR REAL NAME MEATBALL!  Please.  You have a name… Take credit.  Okay?  That’s all I’m asking.  I mean hell, your name can’t be any worse than Schwartzennhorker. 

Timeline.  When I first started reading the book, I had the thought that this was going to be a movie.  I had that thought before I finished Chapter 3 because it was written like how a movie plays out.  Now, if the dickhead director just made the movie like how the book was written then it would have been great.  But in the old Hollywood tradition of fucking up a good book (I’m painting this in really broad strokes here… the book in this case was pretty average.  No wonder it got ram-rodded into movie production) Hollywood followed the tradition to the letter.  These new styled upstarts like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings…  How DARE those directors follow the books!  Who do they think they are?  I think the pinnacle of Hollywood Fuckup Achievement was Starship Troopers.  Because that book was absolutely incredible; and the movie stunk like Elvis’s jumpsuit.  (a close second would be Battlefield Earth but that movie was so bad I can’t even think about it without having to pop 6 Advil Liqui-Gels)  Timeline had a lot of potential.  Some halfway decent actors, and a good story to base it on… but two factors figured into the equation that Mike Crichton didn’t foresee.  One was the hamfisted fubling of a truly pathetic director… and a really bad team of Hollywood Certified Screenwriters.  But in this case I think I am going to lay it all on the shoulders of the Director.  What an incompetent git.  I’ve seen High School productions shot better than Timeline.  I spent 4 bucks to rent that DVD and I am wanting to email this drooling imbecile to demand my 4 bucks back, plus an addition 41 dollars to cover my time… because if I don’t get 45, he might get my 45.  I swear… Suckass movies… this is like the mental equivalent of a cup of hot McDonalds coffee in lap.  We should be able to sue for mental anguish.   If we could – I bet you anything Hollywood would start putting in a little extra effort and stop producing complete shit.

I’ve had some people ask if I was going to do a Guns Of article on anything new and I’ve never really committed to it.  This new flick out called “The Punisher” looks like a possible candidate but I’ve not seen it yet.  Generally I see movies for the first time on DVD now days with only a few exceptions.   I am also thinking about doing one for “World War Two”… taking in all the classic WWII flicks and the news ones like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers.  Also the in that same vein the flick “Blackhawk Down” and “Tears of the Sun”.  Contrasting the old Army with the new Army so to speak.  

Equilibrium.  People still only just ask me about this movie.  Guys, I’ve recommended this flick to the Horde ages ago.  If you have not seen it yet, I urge you to put it on the To Do list.  The movie is incredible.  As bad as a director as Timeline had – just the opposite here.  Timeline had a huge budget and a pathetic director.  Equilibrium has a fantastic director and a little budget and if you watch it – you will see the difference.  You will feel the difference.  I would love to see what this guy to do with a real Hollywood sized budget.  Watch this movie.  

April 20th, Tuesday, 2004:  Noon Thirty:  Man, the news is full of the same old same old.  Today politics is nastier than ever… the Islamists are nastier than ever… the Palestinians are nastier than ever… pretty much everything is nastier than ever.   Out of all this, there are a few news stories I want to touch upon.  The first is Zimbabwe Africa and it’s President Robert Mugabe.  Now, I am not saying he’s Hitler or anything… no… this asshat is too stupid for such a title.  The Nazi’s, if anything positive could be said about them, at least kept the trains running on time.   No, see Mugabe’s plan started out the same… poor economic conditions led him to blame all Zimbabwe’s problems on the white people and have pretty much driven them out.  All the farms that were owned by white folks are now confiscated for the state and all the white business have pulled up stakes and have left for fear of their assets getting confiscated as well.  This has left everything now all in the powers of Magabe’s hands.  Him and his thugs.  This is pretty much what happens to any white person walking around downtown Richmond after dark, but on a national scale.  Now Mug(how appropriately named he is)abe has been spend his time in South Africa beating his chest and talking about freedom of Zimbabwe from the oppression of the British.  This is an example of how one should be careful with that one wishes for… because already it has been proven that Muggle can’t even keep the trains running on time, let alone something much more critical and difficult to manage like all the farms that used to feed the whole nation there.  Pretty much all the farms have dried up and failed completely.  Two thirds of the nation’s 12 million people are now starving to death.  The economy is in the process of a very ugly collapse.   All thanks to Muggle and his hate of white people.  He is as intellectually impoverished as his barren country.   Way to go, jackass.   The upside is after a few years of starvation, the white farmers will be able to buy huge farmlands, and pretty much write their own prices for food crops... new irrigation systems and all that all built with fat government subsidies.  I think in the end it will all turn out okay.  After Muggle is shot in the head and eatten by his hungry peoples.  He can talk freedom all he wants.  But freedom wasn't what he was fighting for. 

The other news item I wanted to hit on is John F’ing Kerry… not that I wanted to talk about Kerry… but really this is more about talking about the campaign against him.  The GOP is now going on the attack and it’s about time.  They are calling for his records now.  I can imagine Bush standing over a fallen Kerry shouting “How do you like me now!”  Kerry has no grounds to stand on, no legs, no platform, no foundation… nothing.  I am still amazed that he has gotten so far on so little.  This is an example of what happens when people vote against people and not for people.  They all voted against Dean because, well, Dean was embarrassing… and because of that they are now stuck with Mule Face.   And if you watch the Democrats, you can see that they are all starting to crack.  I wouldn’t be surprised if someone else stood up and said “I’m your man!” and the entire left would praise that man like it was the second coming… because not even the Democrats want Kerry.    This is priceless.  Few people have fallen as hard as Kerry is about to fall… He’s going to hit the bottom like Mike Dukakis.  

One of the hotter topics is Racial Profiling.  I don’t like the term racial profiling, because that in essences makes it a negative thing.  It’s really just a matter of semantics because as soon as you call it what it really is “Criminal Profiling”… all arguments fall away.  Profiling is what law enforcement agencies do.  They have always done it.  There is nothing wrong with it.  If Arabs what to stop being the subject of profiling regularity, I suggest they stop blowing shit up.  It’s pretty much as simple as that.  Let’s see, we have at in the past 4 years like say 21 arabs involved in hijacking and hijacking attempts or other attempts at fucking up an airliner?  19 of them were successful.  There have probably been a lot more globally.  All people from the Middle East.   Thank heavens these buttnuggets are too ignorant to figure out a change in tactics would work better.  In Spain it’s been trains… even with bombs discovered AFTER they tried appeasement.  This should have been a lesson to them, but they are too thick headed to take the hint.  Appeasement doesn’t work.  Negotiations with them do not work.  The only thing that works on them is killing them… I’m sorry… but that’s pretty much just the way it is.  They can’t be reasoned with to stop killing innocents… the only way to stop them from killing others is to kill them.  It’s ugly but it’s the reality.  If you have a reality such as it is, then what they hell do they expect?  Of course we are going to start looking at Arab guys buying one way plane tickets in closer detail.   Hell, I’m of the opinion that we don’t need to put Air Marshals on every flight…. We just need to put an Air Marshal in the seat behind every Arab and arm them with an X-26 Tazer and a SIG P245.  And maybe a baseball bat for good measure.

April 18th, Sunday, 2004: 1530hrs:  Well, I have finished the AWB paper and I've submitted it before the deadline.  I'm pleased with it.  It's worth 200 points... a very heavy weight that pretty much means that my grade for the paper is my grade for the class.  No stress there.  Let me just get something off my chest here.  I HATE research papers.  I'd rather write 10 essays than just 1 research paper.  I guess it's all in my personal attitude, because I consider writing rather enjoyable and I do it all the time... but a research paper seems like "work" and that sucks all the enjoyment and interest out of it for me.

Noon Thirty.  Thanks to all the readers who took the time to help proof read the AWB paper.  Thank you very much.   Looks like everyone caught something different on top of the glaring errors.  Excellent.  I’ll make the tweaks, adjustments, and corrections as suggested.   Most excellent indeed.  With this many eyes looking at it – I think this paper just might be able to be turned in flawless.   The biggest irritation in doing papers like this is when you read and reread the thing a hundred times, think it’s good to go, and then turn it in… only to then catch moments later the big error that you never recognized.  That always happens.  Not this time.  Thank you all very much.   Once I edit it, I'll format it properly and repost it. 

Ah, look at this in the news.  Mother of dead drunk kid sues beer-maker.   Yes, like it’s Coors’ fault her son was a stupid asshole and got drunk and drove 90 mph into a pole.    Beer marketing aside, let’s be honest here… beer is the oldest beverage on earth next to wine.   Humans have been drinking it since, well, forever.  There are ancient Egyptian tombs with details on brewing beer.  Maybe Seti the Third drove a chariot into the Nile once… but it’s still pretty much a known factor that if you drink a lot of this stuff without eating, you are going to be – and this is the technical term – fucked up.   With all the time and effort and expense put out by Moms Against Drunk Drivers, the Community, and even Breweries… you would have thought that this asshat would have got the message that you DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!  I feel sorry for the Mom in this case, I really do.  But sometimes you have to just take the bad news on the chin.  Coors didn’t kill her son.  Her son killed himself.   It’s horrible, but it’s life.  Sorry Lady, but your son is dead because he was stupid.  I think most of us are rather glad he went the Darwin way and removed himself from the gene pool before he could taint it further.

Movie:  Walking Tall.  Last night at 2300hrs, the local University that I attend offered students a “Movie Night” where all the students could go to the town’s theatre and get in for free.  Very nice of them.  I accepted the offer and The Bride and I went.  The feature was “Walking Tall”, with The Rock.  This isn’t your normal movie… and I am not sure why it was remade… but I have to admit to enjoying it.  First off, let me say this… he is getting better.  The Rock might someday be able to be considered a good actor if he could just keep his shirt on.  He’s like an early Kevin Costner, who could help but to show his scrawny lily white ass in every movie. The Rock however has more potential, in that The Rock can actually make facial expressions.  This is considered a plus to acting, at least in my book.  Loved the truck.  The big Ford 4X4, in my favorite color even.  When he pulled over the bad guy in his truck with the new lights and stuff… got out of the truck with his cedar board wrapped with a leather handle… I think I let slip the words “This guy is my hero”.   I got watery eyes when that truck went up in flames.   Overall the film made for an enjoyable diversion for a Saturday night.   

Looking at the news headlines this morning I have seen nothing but tediousness.  Palestinians blame bush now… Get in line, asshats.  Everyone is blaming Bush for something.  Wait a second… no… you can leave.  You don’t get to do this.  A.  You are not a Democrat.  B If you would stop blowing shit up and throwing rocks at the Israelis, maybe they would stop hunting for your leaders.  This has nothing to do with Bush… this is a bed of your own making.   Now they are saying they are going to start killing Americans?  Oh, like that will really help your cause!    Way to think things through there!  I’ve nothing against the Palestinian people… but these militant Palestinians are really making the rest of them look bad… stupid and violent and self defeating.  They could almost be mistaken for Liberals.

April 17th, Saturday, 2004:  2130hrs:  Here is something I'm working on.  Tell me what you think.  BTW, that's for one of my classes so if it's fucked up, let me know ASAP.  I've got to submit it 24hrs from now.  I think it's bloody brilliant and I'm too blinded by authorship to see it's faults.  I've also stared at it for a week and it's all looking blurry to me now! 

1400hrs:  My heart goes out the Keith Maupin and his young family.  The terror they feel is uniquely horrible.  The Iraqi’s want a prisoner exchange.  But the US doesn’t negotiate with terrorists and if we give in, there will only be more kidnappings as they will have seen that it has become a successful action.  He is not a prisoner of war in the classic sense… he was abducted.  Can you really say kidnap?  Abduction is the appropriate term, since obviously, this soldier is not a kid.  The part that really worries me is what the captors said.  “He is being treated according to the treatment of prisoners in the Islamic religion and he is in good health.”   That worries be because this is the religion that says death to all infidels.  That worries me because these terrorists are operating under the direction of a so called “Cleric” who is completely and utterly evil to the core.  If these people are in a “Religion of Peace” then they would see what it is we are doing for them and they would help us get it done, because that would mean we would be out of there that much sooner!  So not only are they violent and evil, they are also idiotic fools.  There is nothing good from even their point of view that can come of these actions.  All it does is prolong the US occupation and cause pain and grief.  With just a little cooperation, Iraq could be on their own, and we would be long gone.  But they can’t see that… all they can see is hate and bitterness.  So I guess in that sense they are very much like the typical US Democrat. 

Who does John F’ing Kerry think he is?  Where the hell does this fuckwad get off?  "I'm tired of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney and a bunch of people who went out of their way to avoid their chance to serve when they had the chance," the Massachusetts senator said. "I'm not going to listen to them talk to me about patriotism."  So now, after claiming War Hero status, while claiming his fellow troopers to be War Criminals… Kerry is now saying that unless you were in the Service, you can’t be Patriotic!    This is one (out of many) of the most asinine remarks this dipshit has ever said.  But then again, does this kind of Elitist attitude surprise anyone?  The more we learn of Mr Kerry, the more we discover just really what a nasty individual he is. 

Of course Cheney and Rove have a right to question Kerry’s patriotism.  His actions since the day he took off his Navy uniform pretty much raise the issue… Wasn’t it his pall Hillary Clinton that said we all have the right to question any administration?  Or would that be any administration that isn’t Democrat?  We have every right to question Kerry if Kerry likes it or not.  We all know that he seems to feel that we are not capable of understanding him and his deep nuance… but hey… it’s our right… Hillary said so.  Didn’t she?  Oh, yes she did.  She screamed it out to the millions… she even talked about being patriotic.  And now Kerry is taking offense at this?  Hey Kerry – this hasn’t even begun.  Just wait.   Well, maybe it has begun. 

I don’t think Kerry is patriotic at all.  He has shown no love for the country… he has shown no love of the American people… he hasn’t even shown any love for his own party.   Speaking of Party… the 9-11 Commission is telling people to mind their own business?  This is painting a very clear picture for me.  Can you see the pattern here?  They can dish it out, but they sure can’t take it.   They are good at being the school yard bullies aren’t they?   I hope Bush wins this next term in a landslide… then we can talk about “Mandate” as we feed the Liberals heaping helpings of Crow. 

Sorry for the lack of updates, but Friday I had lots of school work to do.  Postings are probably going to be thin this next week as we have finals and all the good things that come with it.  And then after the semester ends, postings will continue to be thin as I am going to be concentrating on my book.  I’ll still post when the need arises… or when something pisses me off… hmm… so maybe they wont be as thin after all.  Who knows.  Right now I should be working on a research paper, but instead I think I'll hit the mountains with my .30-30 and go exploring.

April 14th, Thursday, 2004: Noon:  Liberal Talk Radio. 

You know, I knew this game wouldn’t last long… but I didn’t know it would be this short.  After only 2 weeks the Air America has been booted from 2 of it’s biggest major market areas.    I have listened to Air America a few times, and each time it’s been a real pain.  They have the intellectual maturity and professionalism of the old SCTV skit “The Great White North”.  (The Bob and Doug McKenzie routine… More beer, eh?  If you don’t know who they are – they do the voices for the moose on the Brother Bear cartoon.  Still don’t know?  Strange Brew – go rent it and shut up)   The message that Air America is putting out is pretty much exactly what I suspected.   “Bush sucks and we Liberals would do it differently.”  But they don’t say how different or why… one guy did say “we would turn Iraq over to the UN.”  That’s pretty much it.  It’s like going to a huge hyped up move premier and all you get are the title and the credits.  They have no content… no meat… no message… no meaning… all they have is pure hate for Bush and all Conservatives.  They actually think – or they are just acting like it – like these September 11^th hearings are a huge success.  They have taken soundclips from Rush Limbaugh, played them, and then just laughed.  They couldn’t counter a damn thing Rush has said, and all they had was “Rush is stupid”.  Oh, that’s nice… You know, if maybe they would say “Rush is wrong here because…”  That’s what I was looking for and I couldn’t find it.   They can’t counter it with a rational logical argument because there are no rational or logical thoughts within the Liberal community.  It exists in a vacuum of reason.  It’s Wonderland, and Al Franken is the Cheshire Cat.  He gets a radio show and all this hype just because he called Rush Limbaugh a “Big Fat Idiot”.  That’s pretty much all he’s got.  Now he has changed his lyrics from Idiot to Liar… but really it’s the same song.  He’s a one hit wonder and to try to grab another 15 minutes of fame, we can expect to see him any day now flashing his tit on TV.

Email:  “Greetings from the left coast Ogre...  I guess Jeanine Baraflo forgot to blow the station managers.... Or maybe she did blow them and that's the problem.  Another Left Coast Ogre Watcher – Bob”   Maybe Rush might be a big fat idiot, but Al Franken is a moronic lunatic asshole.

0930HRS:  Do you know what I am sick and tired of?  The Republican’s “New Tone”.  The only people that are playing the New Tone is are the Republicans… the Democrats HATE the Republicans and have basically said “Bush, you can shove your new tone up you arse.”  There is no “New Tone” of cooperation in working with the Democrats because they hate the Republicans more than anything else.  This is just like “The Roadmap to Peace” between the Israelis and the Palestinians.  That isn’t going to work – ever. Period.  End of story.  And just like the Palestinians, the Democrats want the Republicans DEAD.   

Kerry was a member of a group talking about assassinating pro-war Senators during Viet Nam, and now the are talking about just executing Cabinet Members.  There is no middle road, common ground, work together attitude with these people.  They hate all conservatives.  I want to see Bush say “Hey Democrats, SCREW YOU.  I’ve tried working with you, but you are just too nasty and evil to deal with… so screw you.  I’m cutting you jackasses off.  Screw you, blue.  You want to talk to me, send me an email.”  There is no such thing as a New Tone… but the New Tone has been very useful to many slack jawed gutless Republicans that can’t stop brushing their teeth with Vagisil because they are such pussies.  They can’t stand up for themselves, they can’t stand up to the Democrats, and they can’t get anything done… because they too afraid that the Democrats might not like them.  Well check this shit out, Republicans – They don’t just “Not Like You” – they already flat out hate you!  You can’t make them like you, not even if you paid them.  Bush tried that by giving them pretty much everything they wanted, and that didn’t work.  Fuck the New Tone, I’m sick of it.  I have a new tone over here… it’s called kick Ted Kennedy in the nads (if he has any).  Remember, October 10^th is National Bitch Slap a Liberal Day.    Mark your calendars.

Wildflowers 1, Common Sense 0.  There are oil fields out here where I live big huge oil fields.  But guess what I found out… they are closed down right now.  Why?  A wild flower count.  Yup… gas is going to be going to 3 bucks a gallon and we can’t pump the oil we have in our own back yard because some tree hugging environmentalist wants to count the wildflowers out here.  What one has to do with the other makes zero sense to me.  Who the hell cares about the Wildflowers in the Uintah Basin?  I mean, seriously… who the hell cares?  Do you know what I care about?  The national economy.  These liberal wacko tree-huggers don’t care.  They don’t care about the guys that are out of work right now because of the work stoppage for them.  What I want to know is this – are these guys out of work with out pay?  If so – that’s wrong.  Or is it these guys are still being paid, but not allowed on the job?  If so – that’s wrong too.  Fuck the flowers – pump the oil. $2.10 out here now for unleaded.  That’s nuts.  The Democrats blame Bush for this… because of the war and all that bullshit.  But in all reality, we are still living in the Democrats America right now.  This energy situation is the result of the Clinton’s administration and concerted efforts by the Liberals to block off all development of resources that they could… we could be drilling more in Texas, we could be drilling more in California, in Utah, in Colorado, in Alaska… we could be building platforms off shore and pumping out that sweet sweet black juice from mother earth and giving a huge middle finger to the middle east.  Hey Naturalists – oil is NATURAL!  It’s from the EARTH!   This isn’t Europe where they drive little economy cars and pay 6 bucks for a liter of petrol – this is America, where we drive trucks with V-8 engines… little cars with V-8 engines… hell, even our skateboards have gas powered engines now.  We need to stop dicking around with these environmental shit-birds and start using our own resources.   

Speaking of the Middle East… Mrs. Ogre had a good rant yesterday…  While we were driving through still and quiet, unused oil fields yesterday, Mrs. Ogre popped a cork about the Democrats blaming Bush for September 11^th, the war and all this shit:  “Blaming Bush for all this?  That’s like saying George Washington knew about the Boston Massacre before hand, and blaming him for the war against the British!”   Yup.  Thanks to this September 11^th inquisition, the Democrats are tying up governmental resources, time, money… for nothing more than political grandstanding… this is nothing more than Democrat Campaigning during an election year.  This is such bullshit, and what’s really funny is that this is (like everything else the Democrats have tried) blowing up in their faces.  Gorelick is being proven to be a conflict of interest on the board and this discredits the entire commission. 

Banner Artwork by Martin White - Check this out... all his banners are right here... and more are coming.  

The little trooper needs your prayers guys.  It looks like there is some nerve damage. The nerve that goes up to the eyebrow is severed. He can't move that eyebrow.  Silver lining is that this is minimal... an eyebrow? Not a critical organ the eyebrow. Had the cut been just a hair lower, it would have cut the nerves to the eyelids... and a little lower yet, the whole right side of his face.
The downside is that eventually his eyebrow will droop.  Hope & Prayers: It is possible that these nerves could regenerate and mend and all will be normal eventually. This is what we are going to be praying for. It's not a critical thing physically... but it could have psychological effects later in life that I would rather he didn't have.  We are optimistic and extremely grateful that such a horrible thing... a still eyebrow. That's it. And it these nerves do regenerate - only the scar will remain. So we are very grateful over here. 

April 13th, Tuesday, 2004:  2330hrs:  We are taking the little trooper back to SLC for examination by the plastic surgeon. This has been scheduled, so nothing is wrong.  The little guy has two ends of a thin fishing line looking stuff that the Doc is going to pull on and out comes all the internal stitching.  His face yesterday when I looked under the bandage was bruised and a touch swollen… but no sign of infection.  This is good.  Infection could cause more damage… especially to the nerves.  The antibiotic he is on has helped that out.  If you are wondering where I am tomorrow, I’m in SLC.  Wont be there long… just a run in and run back out.  We wont be there very long.  Unfortunately.   Thanks again for the love and support... it has really meant a lot to us.  Thank you so much. 

Yesterday I purchased a nice first aid kit and added lots of extra stuff into it…  All the supplies I used to have pretty much dried up and I was down to some Neosporin and some Band-Aids.  We are back up to proper readiness standards.  We will be prepared.  As the Army teaches you... prepare for the worst and hope for the best.  

1800hrs:  Email from Reader:  “Cool salad picture.  You can do the eyebrow thing like The Rock!  So what is that like The Horde’s Eyebrow?  BTW your site fukin RAWKS! - Billy” 

Uh, Billy… what the hell does “rawks” mean?  Actually the eyebrow thing belonged to Leonard Nimoy’s Spock character long before any professional wrestler took it.  Speaking of The Rock, any one seen his new movie, Walking Tall?  Isn’t that a remake of an older movie?  Seems to be from what I’ve seen of it.  Looks like a rental to me.  Oh, "Fucking Rocks" yes... I get it.  Thank you.

The Rock has nuthin on The Ogre.

Regarding the FG-42 images – ENOUGH ALREADY!  You can discuss this HERE.  

1430hrs: So I sit down to a lunch of a BDCB^TM (Bacon Double Cheese Burger) and a salad. (because I’m trying to eat healthier and all that)  I’m about to dig into it and then I see it… the salad dressing.  California French.  WTF?!  How did this get into my house?  California – French.  Oh hell – this is like the combination of the two worst things EVER.  If I wasn’t hungry – and hadn't already put it on my salad – I’d have chucked it.   Hmmm… actually it was quite tasty.  At least there is one good thing coming from such a nightmarish pairing.

In case your wondering what the spelling book was for… I was sitting at the table with my oldest son who is home schooling.  That and I wanted to see if they had the words “Liberal Fucknozzle”. 

Found something that the AR-15 is actually good for!  In the MAY 2004 edition of Field & Stream on page 22… It seems that Police Officers there in Orange County California (Why does that not surprise me?) couldn’t tell the difference between a house cat and a Mountain Lion.  The officers saw the cat walking towards them through some grass (IT’S COMING RIGHT FOR US!) and nailed the poor kitty with a shot from an AR-15.  The cops upon discovering the Puma was a Pussy gave the lame excuse “Well, it was a really big cat”.  Uh huh.  I’m sure it was a huge house cat.  Dumbass.  They are however very pleased with the ballistic performance of the .223 in this case.  Of course it was a 60 yard shot into a cat, but at least it we have found something the .223 is good for.  Had it been a full grown Cougar, who knows.   AR-15 Rifles:  Not just for shooting Poodles anymore!

I’m Up one minute, down the next.  My ISP sucks.  Wish I was back on the Wasatch where they knew what the hell they were doing.  How am I supposed to do online classes when I can’t get online?  Damn damn damn.

Hey, if anyone wants… and if my ISP can sort it’s shit out by then… Anyone want to play some Call of Duty Multi-Player?  I’ll be there in the Search and Destroy servers at Midnight.  I play as “Mad Ogre” of course.  I don’t know how to host a game or start a server… do you need a server to do it or does the game company take care of that?  *shrugs* If I can the server name will be “MADOGRE.COM” and the password will be “OGRE”.  If all goes well that is.  Otherwise I’ll be playing on a server with low ping numbers.  Because I’m married with 5 kids so I have nothing else to do on Friday nights.  Midnight because I’m in class until 11:00PM on Friday night.  *sigh* I can’t wait till this semester is over.  

Email from Horde Commander Kupari: “Please put this up on your website for the world to see.  Ogre, these types are the same types who spit on my dad when he got home from Vietnam.  They're the same ones that were sending care packages to the Viet Cong.  This got published by a Florida group, the St. Petersburg Democratic Club, in a local paper.  http://www.drudgereport.com/rc7r.htm It's simply disgusting.” 

Completely revolting.  "Pull the trigger means letting him know where we stand."  Uh huh... Put him up against a wall to just talk to him?  Pull the trigger means a lot of things... for example I have said "Pulled the trigger on a car" that means commit to buying it... But when you say put him against a wall... that means execution.  These Democrats are completely fucked up.

1111hrs:  I read something shocking on Drudge this morning.  WOW – The Leftists are getting so incredibly NASTY these days… Florida Democrats in a newspaper ad talked about Donald Rumsfeld: "We should put this S.O.B. up against a wall... and pull the trigger."  Shouldn’t the US Secret Service be kicking in some DNC doors right about now?   I’m shocked by this one… WOW.  I’ve never advocated the deaths of political figures.  I have said things like they need to be “bitch-slapped” but I wasn’t saying put them up against a wall and pull the trigger!  Judas Priest!   Looks like the Left is taking things beyond politics.  This isn’t rhetoric anymore.  These guys are getting out of control.  And these guys want control of the country?  I seem to remember it was a Democrat administration that killed some Americans at Ruby Ridge and some more at Waco… and now they want to cap people off in Florida?  These are the people against war and don’t like us killed the enemy – but they have no problem killed Americans that they disagree with.   I’ve said it before… the Liberals are the enemy.  Literally.  Keep your powder dry and watch your six. 

Just remember, the Democrats know what's best!

My internet has been spotty as hell.  Keeps going down.  This is an ISP issue over here because the local telcom is run by a bunch of fuckups.  I was down half the day yesterday and the day before. It’s been up and down this morning as well.

Lots of information and pictures of the Fg-42 has been rolling in left and right.  Such as one little detail that I didn't know about.  In automatic mode, it fired like an MG from an open bolt... and in semi mode, it fired from a closed bolt.  That's damn cool. 

April 12th, Monday, 2004:  2200hrs:  Thank you again to all those who have reached out to me and my family… I am still overwhelmed.  You guys are the best.  I didn’t ask for any help – I didn’t expect any.  Bill StClair and Geek With a .45… You guys are wonderful.  Thank you.  I appreciate it.  I am just stunned.  We are going to be okay… we can handle this.  Our trooper is doing well.  A bit cranky, and the wound is ugly right now, but he is also doing well.  Man… things like this are a huge wakeup call.  Really makes you realign your priorities and take stock in what you have.

Rabbit Season.  I have tried very hard not to pay any attention to this rabbit we have… but I have to comment on it.  We got it as a birthday/easter present for our second youngest.  He named the thing “Hopper”.  We don’t know if it’s a boy bunny or a girl bunny… but it is awfully cute.  Not only that, but it has an identity crisis.  It thinks it’s a cat.  I’m not kidding.  It acts like a cat.  It will follow you around, or hop on your lap or nuzzle your feet whatever… just like a cat.  And it will lick you.  What’s up with that?  Insanity… this rabbit is nucking futs or something.  I guess I will allow it to live because it pleases me to do so.  I shall not make a stew out of it.  Besides, it is so small, it wouldn’t be worth the bother.  Maybe next year when it’s plump. 

Something to bookmark... The Bill of Rights.   

The Gun of the Day:  I couldn’t find a decent photo to link to… this gun, every time you search for a picture it ends up a screen shot from a game.  I’ve not had one of these in a while… because… well… I just wasn’t feeling it.  Today’s gun of the day goes back to WWII.  It’s really a shame that schools and even colleges never really teach anything about this war any more.  It was incredible in scale and in technological advances that we enjoy today… and it had repercussions that we still feel today.   Such as the advent of the “Paratrooper”.  Something that was never seen before… whole units being dropped directly over target areas behind enemy lines.  The Germans didn’t use them as much as the Allied forces, but when they did, they were used to good effect.  Early German paratroopers were lightly armed and thus easily remedied by the opposition.  To answer this problem the Germans rolled out what is undoubtedly the most advanced rifle of the war… the FG-42.  The only other rifle like it didn’t come out for another 20 years, and that was again by the Germans, the G-3.  The FG-42 packs a load of 20 rounds of full power rifle rounds, select fire, and it had an optical gunsight… a low power scope that made this rifle a very deadly and very accurate weapon.  The cartridge it was chambered for was 7.92X57MM… Quite formidable indeed.   The only downside was the weight… it was just under 10 pounds.  Well, considering the weight of the other battle rifles of the time, its not that bad.  And considering I’ve seen several “light and handy” M-4 Carbines that have weighed more than that with all the go fast doodads… 9+ pounds isn’t bad at all.   If you want just a replica of an FG-42, a non-firing, do nothing look a like… it’s going to cost you $700 bucks at least.  If you want a real one… fat chance.  If one was available it would cost you as much as a fine German sedan… if you could find one at all.  If I was the CEO of a gunmaking outfit like Rob Arms, Bushmaster, DSA, or the like – I would crank out some of these babies because almost any history buff would be drooling over being able to buy a semi-auto only, civilian legal FG-42… that was affordable.  Like under 1000 a piece.  This is my one “After the AWB Dies Wish”.    

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