April 18 to 29th

April 29th, Tuesday:  Filibusters are a cowardly practice and those that do it are nothing but complete shitheads.  I'm talking of course about the Democrats, who are filibustering judicial nominations.  You will notice that both Libertarians and Republicans do not use such disgraceful tactics.  The Democrats are wasting MILLIONS of tax payers dollars by wasting the congress' time.  This should not be tolerated!  The fuckhead Leftists think money grows on trees and wastes it like drunk sailors on shore leave in Bangkok... Americans should be outraged.  Fucking Liberals.

I think some of the Left is feeling a little guilty about being so loathingly Anti-American during the war.  That can be the only explanation for Hillary Clinton's verbal spew today. 

Cuba voted back into the UN's Human Rights Commission.  In other news the UN has voted to have all child sexual predators run daycare centers.  The UN has become a mockery and should be disbanded.  The little good it does is overshadowed by it's evil.  The little good it does is more often than not headed by the US operating with UN objections.  Fuck the UN.  Let’s kick them out of America and turn the building into a Clear Channel Broadcasting center. (Just to piss off the Left)

Baghdad Bob... I'm looking forward to seeing a comedy based on this guy.  I'm wondering what happened to him.

Mormons don’t drink coffee by choice.  Often people scoff at that.  Today, Mormons are raising an eyebrow.  “Bad coffee, huh?”.

This comes from the office of “You have got to be kidding”.  Hollywood is out of ideas and more screwed in the head than the U.N.

Letter to TIME magazine. RE: Ballistic Fingerprinting.  I sent the following to Time Magazine in response to something that I have just read. Perhaps I fired off the cuff, but I was/am ticked off.  I don't believe in Ballistic Fingerprinting. I think it's useless, and a wasted effort and expense.  Here is what I said.  “On page 25 of the April 28, 2003 issue, there is a little article about Ballistic Fingerprinting.  The article was basically a criticism that the fingerprinting project has not begun yet.  How DARE a government agency put off spending millions and millions of dollars on a project based on a ludicrous idea.  Ballistic fingerprinting is useless.  Yes, a bullet passing through the barrel does pick up marks. But the problem is, and why the program will not work, is that unlike human fingerprints, the characteristics of that barrel change over time. They erode a bit by bit with every shot fired. They can change with a simple stroke of a metal bristled cleaning brush. Rifling can wear out completely from a barrel, given enough time. But unfortunately for this project, to render the fingerprint useless, you only need a tiny bit of change… perhaps one from a few boxes of ammo and one session at the firing range.  Let’s not forget the time honored method of “Fire Lapping” that is used to “Smooth Out” the rifling of a new barrel. Fire Lapping is used by most any competitive rifle shooter to improve the rifles accuracy. Just ask any good rifle competitor. This is in essence like sanding wood. This will forever change the microscopic markings that make up the fingerprint, rendering the effort to print it completely useless.  Unfortunately for American tax payers, rifling doesn’t heal and return to its original print like a human finger does. To anyone who has real knowledge of firearms, the idea of ballistic fingerprinting is as retarded as the idea of “finger printing” a set of tires for your vehicle. Sounds silly doesn’t it? Everyone who has driven a car for more than a year knows that tires just wear out and need replacing. Tires wear out fast, but it's the same thing with guns. But please, let’s ignore all the tire joints around town, and let’s study these tires too. After all, it might help in investigations of drunk drivers or stolen vehicles right?  But please, let’s take all measures necessary to pull the wool over the eyes of the masses of firearms ignorant taxpayers so we can spend tons of money on a useless program when instead we could use the money for something more useful… like funding enforcement of existing gun laws.”

Emails from the Horde regarding my little Molotov article:  “Thanks for posting that Molotov Cocktail formula, man!  We're going to have a FUN fourth!  Got any other...fun..ideas for big booms? Like a replacement to M80's (which were banned because some dink blew his hands off)? Heheheh  Thanks, Bob”  Well… kinda… but I… what the hell.  Another fire bomb suitable for anti-vehicle work.   “SCORE” hair crème, if you can find it (it’s old) and crystal chlorine… mixed 50/50 for just a second.  You put it in a folded envelope… hair crème in one side and chlorine in the other.  Walk up to the unoccupied parked car, pull out the envelope, shake the crystals to the crème, mix it for a second or two and you will feel it start to get really warm.  Slip the envelope throw the cracked side windows… and walk away minding your own business.  The low frequency “Whump” sound is the car becoming fully engulfed.  Use your powers only for good.  ;) 

Here is another email on this topic: “Anybody who has a problem with informative maltov cocktail testing needs to seriously rethink their priorities.  We live in a nation built by revolutionaries.  Had maltov coctails existed in 1775-1776, (and I'm not entirely sure they didn't in some form or another) they might have been used quite a bit when the imperialist brits came marching into town.  One mixture you may have neglected to mention or even try during your tests is the tried and true styrofoam peanut.  They dissolve pretty well in gasoline, the higher octane the better.  Once dissolved they turn the gas into a sticky goo (but not too goey so as to inhibit splash) that flashburns very well.  Also, you may want to soak the outside part of the rag in 10W motor oil.  This makes it burn better and stay lit during flight.  Just a few tidbits from my own testing days. Enjoy,  Ryan”  Thanks for the email, Ryan. Yeah, we had talked about the foam peanuts… but we didn’t have any to test.   Maybe some day we shall have to give that shot in a comparison test!  I’m not sure if they used Molotovs in 1775, but they could have… Alcohol does work, but gasoline is cheaper.  As to which liquid contains more energy… I’m not sure… but I think Alcohol does as it is often used as racing fuel.  But that would have to be pure juice and not the Rum popular in those days.

“Hey Ogre, on the moltov, very informative, but i can't understand why it would offend people, other than overly protective soccer moms.  As a kid growing up on a farm in the middle of BFE, me and my FFA buddys had many experiences messing with the things.  luckily, we all can still count 10 with our hands and no one ever had to make the trip to the hospital, though an old grainery somehow misteriously burned down the night before we were supposed to tear it down.  Moltovs are great fun, but i'm sure if my mother knew of that little fun she'd still kick my ass over it!  Dumb Redneck”  Thanks for the email Red.  Overly protective soccer moms are just what I am nervous about.   Someone might freak out and try to sue me for promoting terrorism.  *sigh*  Yeah, I had played with them as well as a kid.  Oh, I had a GREAT child hood.  Slingshot Wars, BB Gun Wars, and don’t forget the Roman Candle and Bottle Rocket Wars.  Some how my friends and I still have both eyes, all teeth, and we even have all out fingers… Well, all but one… He had a girlfriend that bit it (A FINGER!) off when they were fooling around in the back seat and the driver (not me) ran into a parked car.   Lucky they were not really fooling around!  But that is another story.  If my kids wanted to do what WE used to do… I don’t know what I’d do!   It’s a wonder we survived. 

Posted a new article in the weapons section that I will probably catch a lot of flak over.  But I felt like writing it, so what the hell.  Myths and Molotovs.  Enjoy. 

Last night I went around town and posted some flyers for VernalNews.com.  Let's see how they work.  I'm probably just pissing in the wind.  There are only 8 other people in the whole area that have computers and some of them are the ones that stabbed me in the back.  Let's see if I can get at least the other 4 to look at it. 

April 28th, Monday Morning!   Freaking Mondays...  Email from one of the MadOgre.com Horde (Hey, Jeff Cooper has his Family… I have my Horde.  We can take them!) To the Email:  “We might have gone over this before...if so, my bad.  Bush really pissed me off with this. He's known for spinning and snaking everything he can politically for his favor, but come on. This is taking it too far. If it actually gets to his desk, he's going to label anyone who doesn't support it as anti-Americans or terrorists.   I really wanted to like Bush, I really did. But he made me hate him.  Good politics or not, hypocrisy is unacceptable in this department. He was a keynote speaker at the annual NRA convention, and now he pulls this? Uh-uh. No re-election for him is coming from ME. I only hope McCain goes for president again. Too bad he had to say "Gook" on live TV...   Thanks, Robert  P.S. What's your take on this? I'm more than a little drunk and just ranting, BTW.”  I WAS really liking Bush… but he has pissed me off big time on this issue.  Daddy made the same mistake after his war in Iraq, pissed off the Pro Gun crowd, and lost his 2^nd Term.  Looks like Junior is going to do the same, unless we can convince him that his course on this issue is not the smartest.  Hopefully he will remember us… the ones that put him into office in the first place.  McCain?  That boy SUCKS.  His is a Liberal running around with a Republican name badge.  I dislike McCain and would never vote for him.  I would however vote for a good solid libertarian candidate if Bush screws this up.

April 27th, Sunday: There are a few shops in this town that sell guns... Well, pawnshops and one gun store.  They are either way too high in prices, or very very low.  One shop has an almost new Hi-Power an FEG for only 185. After taxes it's like 200 out the door.  Not bad at all for a place that sells a used SIG P226 with lots of holster wear, scratches, dings, dead night sights, and a dire need of cleaning, for $655...  Thanks, but I'll pass on the SIG for now.  An FEG isn't the Hi-Power that I'm looking for.  I'd like an FN or Browning.  Charles Daly owns FEG, and is releasing a Charles Daly Hi-Power.  Undoubtedly these are of FEG origin, but these are said to be made in America.  What's happening is that the slides and frames are forged by FEG and sent to the States for finishing.  The CD version looks good if the photos are of a regular production... Unlike regular FEG guns, these have no tool marks, and a smooth, uniform finish.  I also like the grips... Not the clunky wood blocks, but a contoured checker black rubber as is fitting for a fighting handgun.  The sights look like they are unique set, and lend to the handsome lines of the gun...  From looking at the photos, I can find no fault.  The question is if these guns are real shooters or not.  Are they set up for hardball only or are they set up ready to run anything?  The only downside is the limit of 10 rounds... Thankfully, real Hi-Power mags are abundant and easy to find.  I have a jones for a Hi-Power... When I picked up my Beretta, I was looking for either an XD or a  Hi-Power.  There was a  Hi-Power there, but it was a poor example of an FEG with a cheap finish that was a huge turn off. Anyways, because of the poor quality of these local shops... I doubt I'll see one of these new CD Hi-Powers any time soon.

Web Site Blocked:  To help protect your family, we are testing new internet filters. If we have inadvertently blocked a legitimate or trusted web site, please call us at 435-790-4471. This is a process that requires your feedback and support. Thank you.”  The website is MadOgre.com and this is coming from my own ISP.  Nice.  Actually, I can hit my own site with no problem, it’s just when I try to log into it that I am now getting this message.  INTERNET FILTERS… I hate them.  I think filtering should be 100% on the shoulders of the subscribers as it is a personal matter as to what is moral and what is not.  Let's not get into the Art vs Porn debate... it's a free speech issue and it's a personal choice issue.  I've had my website blocked before.  If you check my archives, I think it was Verizon Wireless that blocked my sight.  This pisses me off.  It's Censorship based on someone else's moral indignation and judgment. If I want to talk about guns, or some other issue that you don't agree with, that is my right.  If you want to talk about how much MadOgre.com sucks or is offensive, that is your right.  If you or I want to look at some boobies - it's our choice.  Not someone else's.  A phone call had my site unblocked within 15 minutes... but I am ticked that it was blocked in the first place.      

VernalNews.com, dot org and dot net are up and running on the new server.  I'll have to update it, and then get busy promoting it.  I have some posters for it ready to be posted at a couple hotspots...  Keep an eye on it... It should start growing rapidly.

New Page for MadOgre.com... new and as of yet, unfinished.  The Official MadOgre.com Fecal Roster.

Charlton Heston has stepped down from his position as President of the NRA.  We are saddened by this news, but understand.  We wish him well.   We are also concerned over who his replacement will be.  My vote is for Ted Nugent, the Motor City Madman.  He is smart, articulate, and fearless.  He always held his own or better on Politically Incorrect every time he was on.  In fact, no one got the better of him during a debate.   Barring the Nuge, our second choice would be Magnum PI for shear sex appeal to bring in more interest from the double X chromosome crowd.   

April 24th, Thursday:  International Super Model of Mystery Naomi Cambell is on the trail of Bin Laden.  Her secret network of spies has tracked Bin Laden to Saudi Arabia.  Her group has made no report to the CIA, but has passed the information on to "friends".  When contacted, Zoolander's only statement was "I'd hit it."

Links page has a number of new additions.  Check them.  I've added some of the top blogs, and obvious oversights.

Email from reader: “In your column, you mentioned to check out the Charles Daly DDA 40-45.  Any opinions on this sidearm?  CD recently discontinued them, but they are showing up now (wholesalers and pawns) at a reasonable price.  My question, Ogre, is are they expensive paper weights,  or a reasonable semi-auto pistol? J-Lu in Cheeseland”  Thanks for the email J-Lu.  When it comes to these kinds of guns, you place your bets and take your chances… I have seen about a dozen of them in the hands of owners… I have a friend that has one, in fuscia… but that is the only weird one I have seen personally.  Anyways, some are just average in terms of accuracy, trigger, and reliability.   But a few have been exceptionally good for the price.  They are pretty much the same thing as the Israeli BUL .45 so do a hunt for those as well when looking for detailed user reviews.  Do a search on the DDA pistols at www.thefiringline.com and www.thehighroad.org for more information.

Unexpected gifts. One of the perks of having a popular website.  I am of course gracious enough to accept them. A short time ago an email came in from Amazon.com. Someone had given me an online gift certificate.  So I placed an order for the amount given and had a fun time doing it.  What do I get?  Hell of a question, because Amazon is a big fun site.  I actually took a couple days to decide.  I got a book, a couple DVDs, and a cool silver colored aluminum case for my iPaq. One of the DVDs I got... Blade Runner.  Harrison Ford's best movie.  Actually, it's the best movie for every person in the whole picture.  I mean, look at Sean Young... A lovely woman with a whole list of crappy flicks under her belt.  To her credit, she will always be remembered as the soft and frightened Rachel.  She had promise and talent, but what she didn't have was an agent.  Rutger?  Not even worth mentioning if it wasn't for his roll as Roy.  The only exception is Gaff.  He goes on to several great rolls despite a face that looks decayed.  Just goes to show you... Get the best agent you can afford.  This DVD is "The Director's Cut" because you can't get the original version.  It's all about the voice-over that Ford did.  I wish the DVD gave you the option to include those.  I also prefer what some people call "The happy bullshit ending" that shows Dekkard and Rachel flying north together over trees... Indicating that they are far away from the filthy city, and they will live happily ever after.  But really it's the voice overs.  If you've never seen it before - your going to be somewhat lost a  the story can Be hard to follow.  The voice-over tied everything together and moved things along... Explained things... And most importantly it added to the film be giving it character and flavor.  The film feels like a 1940 detective joint and the naration gave that vibe life.  Without it, it's hollow.  Sure, they cranked the volume up on the score, but they still lost the vibe.  It feels hollow.  And that is too bad.  Its like you only getting half the movie.  The upside is the DVD's much higher resolution than VHS.  I've never really been into video resolutions like that... But once see the difference... You don't go back.  The iPac case is sweet.  It's like iPaq armor.  Looks good and matches the iPaq's color.  Huge step up from the crappy plastic cover that Compaq... er... HP offers.  If you are running an iPac, and I know some of you are... you need to get this case.  It's that cool.

Someone asked me why I do MadOgre.com.  I have no idea.  Now let me me give all y'all a bit of history.  My first email address was kodiac@hotbot.com... I know Kodiak is spelled with a K, but "Kodiak" was taken.  Hotbot was the first good search engine, so when they offered free email, I jumped on it.  Then they offered free hosting for web pages... 10 megs worth.  That was a lot back then so I took the opportunity to learn some basic HTML and put up my first web page.  "Kodiac's Den".  It really sucked, but what I had to say remains today, mostly in the political section.  Then Hotbot was bought out by Lycos... So things bounced around and kodiac@ hotbot became kodiac45@lycos because just kodiac was taken.  At about that time I got DSL and Qwest offered a free hosting so Kodiac's Den moved.  Then Quest gave all DSL services and hosting to MSN. I never really did much with Kodiac's Den... But I did post to it sometimes.  And then I registered MadOgre.com and switched to Psionyx.  All the sudden I had something... I reorganized the information and started to blog regularly. But old posts just got deleted.  Then one day I decided to archive everything... I took the hint from GeeksWithGuns.com.  Over the course of time MadOgre.om has been changed and reorganizations happened frequently.  You can see the changes a they happened in the archives.  So, to answer why I do MadOgre... I'm not sure... It just happened.  Now I enjoy fame and fortune!  Special thanks to Josh at Psioynix, and Wil at GeeksWithGuns.  Where is MadOgre.com going in the future?  Like I have a fucking crystal ball.

Email from my Mother: "I agree with you about the Chicks.  But, the cover they posed naked for is just so tacky.  They think it is making a statement about free speech, but all it really says, is I want publicity, and I don't care how I get it.  The sad thing is that all the concerts through out the south, esp. North Carolina, the Chicks have sold out.  Which means, that all the idiots in the world who just can't resist a little titillation, are supporting them.  So, in a way they are still making vast amounts of money.  But, I think the naked cover really makes a statement about who they are, and I don't want to know them.  Second.  The school system.  As I have already said.  Public schools are just not cutting it.  If we can have college students, who can't find Va. on a map, or tell you who the first Pres. of U.S. was, then we need to rethink the whole system.  Basically just burn it down, and start all over.  Kids can't learn when the most important issue of the day, is diversity, and politically correct teaching.  Add to that, the tendency for teachers to be liberals any way.  Private schools are the only hope, unless they do away with the  current system.  I will not ever put a child in a public school system, if there is any way out of it.  The Chicks are "Dicks"!  and Public Schools should not even try.  Love ya, Mom"  I have the coolest Mom.  You have a good point Mammy - by going to the concerts the public is indeed supporting them.  Buying music CD's only gives money to the record label... from which the group gets a cut.  But when it comes time for the members of the group to really make bank - it's at a concert.  This is called voting with your feet... it means taking action.  If you support the D.C. bimbos - then by all means - go to the concert.  Because that is how you do it.  However, if you don't support them - then DO NOT go to the concert... unless it's with protest signs.  Feel free you express YOUR 1st Amendment Rights!  The cover was a ludicrous stunt that they should be ashamed of.  But they don't have any shame... they are media whores and this is precisely what they do.

Morgan Webb of TechTV's ScreenSavers has hit the national attention radar.  The question is "Is she hot or not?"  She's a 7 at best... TechTV has much hotter babes.  Its all about Sumi Das.  The best thing about this hype is that it brings attention to TechTV...  A channel that deserves to do well.  As long as they don't let rampant success go their heads.  Leo Laport is the man.

Speaking of Babes, with all the war coverage and the rise of Fox News as the clear leader... more eyes are on the Anchors.  There has been some debate as to who has the hottest chicks, Fox News or CNN.  The answer is Fox.  They are not just good reporters, but drop dead sexy as well.  Then came the debate as to who was the hottest.  That is a matter of personal taste, and every guy out there has his own opinion as to who and why... I am no different.  Here is 1,000 words. 

Dixie Chicks.  Talk about all the free publicity!  These media whores are getting just what they deserve and there is no conspiracy against them.  They espouse a view that is diametrically opposed to their target audience.  They should have thought about it before the short ugly one opened her big fat pie-hole.  The heart of America listens to Country Music… not the big city liberals.  The heart of America all voted for Bush.  All support the war and support Bush in the war.  Making such an asinine statement would of course have repercussions and you would have to be a totally stupid, self-delusional, blonde air-head to have not seen coming.  It’s not just about political views… it’s about where you really are, and the Country Music Fans now know where the Dixie Chicks really are.   To say record sales are down, is like saying that falling from the top of the Space Needle can hurt you.   But that is what happens when you drive a wedge between you and your fans.  You can’t blame anyone for this but yourselves and your lack of tact.  This has nothing to do with your talent… that was questionable at best… I think you 3 idiots need to change musical genres… because your not real country and we all know it now.     

Uinta Basin Standard reports 2 stories that point to a huge problem.  Story #1 has 21 teaching positions that are to be eliminated due to a lack of funds.  Okay... I can understand that.  But what I can’t understand is how out of a large chunk of teachers being cut off… that nothing is done on the back end to have prevented this.  This is a good question in and of its self… but let us examine story #2.  This report has the local school districts at the bottom of the spectrum when it comes to SAT scores.  Wait a second... Do you see a future downward spiral?  This brings about the question of school district mismanagement.  How many upper level administration positions are being eliminated?  But they are cutting 21 teacher positions?  This is the most asinine situation I've heard of in some time.  What I am seeing here is greed, mismanagement, ego, abuse of authority and misuse of public funds… all with absolutely ZERO regard for the people who you are really effecting… the students and the future of the entire Uinta Basin.  The school administration is getting rich off fat salaries while the students are stupid.   I suggest am immediate change in the leadership of these school districts.  

I was reading a different website and came across the statement that stood out to me.  "With perhaps the exception of the Browning Hi-Power, the Beretta 92 is the most common service pistol in the world today."  This statement struck me as being incorrect.  There are other guns that rank higher.  CZ-75s, 1911s, HKs, SIGs, Walthers, Makarovs etc. I conversed with the author, even posed the question to the council at THR, and started searching everything I could find on the subject online.  Due to the move, I can't find my firearms reference books.  (I think they are in a box that got shoved up into the attic)  There is some conflicting information, but after filtering all the data, averaging it all out... I have come to the conclusion.  It's Possible.  The keys to the statement are "Perhaps with the exception of the BHP" and "Today".   I'm still looking for facts in this matter and not hearsay.  "I was in France, and I saw a cop packing a Beretta" - while important information it's not conclusive.  "I was in police station in Hamberg and every swinging dick in the place was carrying a Walther on his hip" - that is a bit better.  Unfortunately, unless your a certified gun nut, you may be incorrect.  That Walther could have been an HK.  I couldn't even tell you what "All the Cops" in my area are packing - because from what I can tell they are packing different side arms.  Now, the statement in question is a trick statement.  If the question was just which pistol is the most common - period - then my suggestions do trump it by force of numbers.  All have been around since shortly after WWII while the Beretta 92 has only been around since the 70's.  The 1911 is getting close to be a 100 year old gun... so how many of them, including all clones and licensed copies and those in production now, do you think there are on the planet?  The number must be in the millions.  Hi-Powers?  Even more so as the Hi-Power enjoyed and still does, military and police service all over the world.  Now Beretta is certainly a fine handgun... but it has a threat to this claim in the form of Glock.  Glocks are younger and in their short period of time on the map has taken the planet by storm.  They are used by probably 1/2 off all sworn officers on duty in the United States.  The word TODAY is a kicker because of all the countries that used to use one gun, may have switched to another.  We know that Maks were the pistol of all Officers and police in the former Iron Curtain countries.  After the wall fell and the Soviets were no longer a Union, most of those counties went to CZ-75s.  10 years later - this may have changed.   And you can't even say all the US Military uses Berettas... the pistol is too big for many, and those cats that can't grip the gun well use an officially issued SIG SAUER pistol.   So, while possible, this is still a question that I'm looking into.  This is no slight to Beretta in any way.  Beretta is an important company, and deserves the utmost respect.  They are in fact the old company on Earth and no one else can come even close to that claim.

Email from Steve... Some information here is important to any readers who is thinking about hosting issues: "My webhost appears to be closing up shop.  Featureprice.com.  This is where most of my sites are hosted, including OnsiteConsultants.com.  I don't know what the deal is but I've been having problems with them lately.  Then I come across this website and others.  http://www.featureprice-review.com  Even more interesting, go to google and search under featureprice.  You'll see all of these negative things listed, and better yet, look at the sponsors on the right side of the page.  Talk about making a bad impression.  Either way, I'm losing about $200 of prepaid service. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=featureprice  On another note, I've been working to try and establish an account with another hosting company and it appears that featureprice is blocking or filtering the emails from that company.  I can't get the welcome letter that has been sent out to me, twice.  The new company I'm trying to get to is TotalChoiceHosting.com and I'm going to have a reseller account.  There, I can host as many domains as I want and we can eventually move VernalNews.com there and then have access to some of the backend stuff.  It's just frustrating cause I also have to move over PT145.com and ConvergysSucks.com as well as well as their databases.  Just, just warn everyone to stay away from FeaturePrice.com as a hosting company."  Thanks for the heads up Steve.  I am still thinking about hosting options for MadOgre.com and VernalNews.com.  I've made no decisions yet.  MadOgre.com's hosting is currently just fine... just more than I should probably be paying.

There is something very interesting about the 20's & 30's... Capone and prohibition... Flappers and big cars... And Tommy Guns. Post W.W.I, prior to the Great Depression.  Tom Hanks does a remarkable job in Road to Perdition, a movie that tells a story in this era.  A good story.  Harsh... But a good story.   I'm glad I have this on DVD.   It made me think.  Few movies get me to say that... Most films are nothing more than cerebral masturbation at best.  While I liked the guns and cars, coats and hats... even the score... what I liked best was the message that came across to me.  About what we give our children of ourselves and what we will be remembered for.  In this movie we see a conflicted father trying to save his son while also trying to keep him from being like himself.  Every young son wants to grow up to be like Dad... But every father wants better.  I saw a lot of myself and my oldest son in this.  I don't want him to make the same mistakes I did...  I want a better life for him.  He is just like me - and that scares the shit out of me!  He can be better than me!  He has his mother's genes in him too... Some place.  I think.   Me, I'm a horrible person.  I've done terrible things and have made regrettable decisions in my life.  He doesn't have to experience that.  What will he say about me when I'm gone?  That I'm a ruthless bastard?  A ferocious ogre?  Or something different?  This is something I didn't think about until after I saw Road to Perdition.  Now I'm worried... Now I can't sleep.  Hey Tom Hanks - Thanks a lot.

Another thing that got me thinking while watching that story... about technology.  In 1931, 71 years ago, they had electric lights, elevators, radios, telephones, cars and trucks, stock tickers with live stock quotes... Everything we still have today.  And I hate to say it, but not much has changed since then.  Just add into 1931 a few things like PCs, Internet, and a drought of morals a deluge of complacency... And you have 2003.  The technology they had then is still used today... Sure, we have improved it and refined it... But in essence it's unchanged.  Internal combustion engine powering the 4 wheels... Same now as it was then.   Sure, he have had some improvements and refinements to technology… but the core of it never changes.  Once a technology finds an application – there it stays. 

April 23rd, Wednesday:  I make no apology for being Pro-Gun.  I think everyone should have one.  Unless you are of course a convicted felon or just snake-shit crazy.   I like controversial guns the best... The evil guns... the verboten guns.  Shotguns with 14 inch barrels.  Rifles with 10 inch barrels.  Rifles with 30 round magazines sticking out of them... Better yet - A 10 inch barreled rifle, with a huge fucking 30 round magazine.  Silencers.   Don't forget the silencers.  Those little tubes you screw onto the barrel of your .50 caliber Desert Eagle that makes the shot sound like a mouse's fart.  That's what I'm talking about.   Okay, reality check.  First off, "silencers" only reduce the sound of the gunshot, they can't silence it.  It will still be a loud noise, it just won’t rip your ear-drums out your nostrils.  And short barrels might seem cool, but the weapon loses so much ballistic energy, it is no longer as effective as it was originally.  But I still like them...  I don't own any of these kinds of guns, but I would certainly love to!  Some day I just may.  However these guns are much further down the list than you might think... There are some other guns that I want more.  Here are the guns on the top of my "Must Get" list:  an FN and a Browning Hi-Power, Browning BDM, Colt Detective's Special in .357 Magnum, Colt series 70 Commander, a Luger, a Walther P-38, a big framed big bore revolver with a short barrel, a suppressed .22 Colt Woodsman, a Cimarron Arms .41 Thunder replica in the new “Original Finish”, an M1 Carbine, an Uzi.  With the exception of the Woodsman, none of these guns are very extraordinary...  Or even very expensive.  I'm just not in a position to start collecting again just yet.  After I graduate and start making loads of cash… then I’ll build my collection. Until then, my Beretta 92FS will serve me just fine.  But I would like to pick up a Beretta Cx4 Storm to go with it. 

OH MY HELL.  Fucking PALM PILOTS!!!  The ONE GAME that I want for Pocket PC... went to PALM   Shining Force.  The only role playing game other than the Diablo series and Neverwinter Knights.  It's old school 8 bit gaming but it was fun.  I loved it.  I'd play it with my bros back in the day.  There are like 4 of them I think... PERFECT for the Pocket PC.  But no... it had to go to the damn Palm.  Shit!  I am pissed.  If anyone out there can port this to PPC - you will be my personal hero.   It's games like that, that need to be ported to PPC.  Not Quake or Doom II.  Those are too much for the PPC resources and controls.  Shining Force on the Palm.  And it's only 20 bucks. SHIT!

I’ve been working on VernalNews.com and have no been a little lacking in updating MadOgre.com with anything good.   Time to turn to the Emails!  Well, I guess slow updates on MadOgre.com yields slow emails… but…  

My little rant on Easter turned this up, a first time emailer here:  “Hello, First I gotta say I like your site and visit it from time to time. I don't always agree with you, but find that you at least use great plainness of speech.  I saw your short brief paragraph on Easter, and Jesus. It took me a short while to realize you were talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. Thought it was a cab driver in your from Tijuana, or that pitcher the Cubs got from the Marlins. I'm only joking a little... For future reference Easter is not about the Lord Jesus Christ's death. It actually named after the goddess of fertility, goes by many names. Diana of Ephesus, Ashtoreth, Astarte, Semiramis of the Babylons also had this job description. She's been around for ages. The same thing is true of Christmas. Both are old pagan days with histories of human sacrifice, ancient rites of passage and sexual orgies.  You know, the same sort of crap that goes on, and always has. It's just the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life. To put it better for this day and age it's sex, money, power.  Also for future reference it's a sure thing the Lord Jesus was not born on Dec. 25th, or anywhere close to that time. The shepherds were still in the field. He was probably born around the end of October by all information that can be gathered on the subject.  And the scriptures tell us who the Lord is, that he was before any were created, including Lucifer. The Lord Jesus Christ created Lucifer. When he died it wasn't like it was a close call or anything, he laid his life down and took it back up. People say Jehovah, or Yahweh. That's crap, he's got a name now, he's the Lord Jesus Christ, Creator of everything, and by Him all thing consist. Before Abraham was he said I AM. Right now he's sitting at the right hand of the Father waiting. And one day he's coming back to open up a can of whupass on the entire planet and rule for a thousand years. I like Psalm 2:4-5 (I hope that hasn't been ripped out of the book of Mormon yet...) It says he who sits in the Heavens laughs, and shall have them in derision. Then it says he shall speak to them in his wrath. That day is yet future.  Jesus is God, the only one true God, and always has been. Always will be, and there isn't anyone who will be on par with him, he's far above all. Is this the Jesus Christ you believe in? If not the apostle Paul when in Athens said that in times of ignorance God used to wink at men, now He commands all men everywhere to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Regards, -Bryan”  Thanks for the email, Bryan.  The Book of Mormon is a separate book from the Bible.  Or in reality they are both collections of smaller books.   So, indeed I am familiar with Psalm 2:4-5  The Lord Jesus Christ – that’s him.  But like Catholics, we believe in the Holy Trinity.  God, the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit.  I’ll respect your belief if you respect mine… Same goal… just slight differences that are not worth arguing about.   Because when you are arguing – you are missing the point.  Actually we believe that the history of the birth of Christ points to early April.  April 6th is the date that seems to have significance.   Anyways, we don’t choose to remember Jesus’s death, but the more important part on Easter… when he arose from the tomb.  That’s the meat of it.  As for Diana, I’m sure she was a lovely woman… but there is a bigger headline.  Again, thank you for your email, and please forgive my common speech.  (Bluntness)    A few minutes later Bryan wrote back: “Hi George, Diana was a nasty woman, although all the little statues I've seen of her she has several pairs of breasts. I guess some guys would like this. Me it would freak out.  Keep your plainness of speech. If people got to dance around the issues then we get nowhere. I figured you say something along those lines about the book of Mormon and the Lord Jesus Christ, etc, etc.   To be honest I was just trying to pick a fight and see if I could get a rise out of you. It's the only way to find out what people actually believe anymore. ;-)  Just curious what you believe about the Lord Jesus Christ; A: Has he always been around, or was he a created being?  B: When he rose from the dead, did he have a body. Or was it just some spiritual apparition?  C: Where is he now?   I figure you'll do one of three things. A: Answer. B: Not answer. C: Go nuts on me.  Now I'm not trying to pick a fight. Obviously I have your attention…  Regards,  Bryan”  Some good questions put forth honestly… I’ll answer as to my personal beliefs and not representing the LDS church, of which I am not worthy to represent.  A:  While we are all Eternal Beings and our Spirits can and will live forever, we are all Children of our Father in Heaven.  God created all of us as spirits, Lucifer and Jesus as well… Jesus was his first, hence I refer to him as among other things, “my big brother”.  So his spirit was created, and when he came to Earth, like us, he received his physical body.  B:  When he died on the cross (at his choosing, not the soldiers) he left his body behind.  3 days later he returned and took his body again.  Hence his showing the disciples the prints of the nails in his hands and feet.  C:  Where he is now?  Where ever he wants to be.  Probably nowhere near Iraq or Washington DC… but where ever he wants to be.  I think he has come and gone at times… very quiet and subtle…  as is his nature until it’s time for him to officially return to as you said “open up a can of whoopass on the entire planet and rule for a thousand years.”  I think your getting at where I think Jesus is the lord in the bible and today.  We all know and I think agree Jesus is the God of the Old Testament.   I believe that Jesus created this world.  BUT, I believe he did so at the Direction of his Father.   Then Jesus comes to Earth… and we learn some interesting things.  We learn that he is about his fathers business.  We learn that he prays to his father in heaven.  We learn that “into your hands I commend my spirit”.  So we learn there is someone who ranks above Jesus as he himself says… His Father.  This shouldn’t sound odd as the pattern is here…  Families.  Anyways, that’s my belief, I may be wrong.  Your not going to get a rise out of me as I am not going to argue about anything of this sort.  That would be counter to the point.  However, I’d be glad to debate the questionable virtues of the AR-15.

Guys, no more church questions or posts! It's not Sunday!  

In regards to VernalNews.com, I’m not sure what to do with it.  The reason for why I registered it kinda evaporated.  The people that I thought I was going to be working with decided they didn’t want to do it.  They were going to do it, after bouncing the ideas off me… and after I gave them the information and ideas – they decided to cut me out.  I registered the domain first, thinking we were going to roll forward on this together.  Evidently this is a wrench in their works and now I have fronted my own cash to get things started.  Well, if they still want it, they can either work with me, or buy the domains from me.  I think I am going to promote it locally, and try and see if I can’t get some of the locals to take it over.  I don’t want to drive the thing.  I’ll be the publisher, but I don’t want to be the Editor.

April 21st, Monday:  Taurus has a nifty little pump action rifle in .17 HMR.  It seems like it is too short to be legal, but it is.  Tiny little thing.  This was one of the coolest new old fashioned rifles I've ever seen.  I also took a look at an old revolver.  a .32 S&W Safety model... A "Lemmon Squeezer" as they used to call them.  The gun is over 100 years old, but it's in near perfect condition having been either made in Stainless or has been refinished in a flat stainless color.  Chambered for .32 S&W with a safety lever on the backstrap, it's an interesting little pistol.  If anyone wants it, it's only 350 bucks.

Here are the updates I posted on the PHP version of Mad Ogre.  I am not going to do MadOgre.com as a PHP site - Yet.  I am going to use that PHP tool for the embryonic beta of VernalNews.com.

You have got to read this article...  Thomas Sowell hits the nail on the head in this column... Calling a spade a spade. The subject is CNN, and it's obvious bias slant. This something most dedicated conservatives already knew, but not it was made obvious to even the Left. This is something that is now obvious to the so called moderates... they have to admit it. Biased reporting is disgusting. Many people are tuning out of CNN and onto other sources. Personally, my favorite is Fox News. The motto is fair and balanced and despite the cries of foul from the left, they have just as many liberal on as they do conservatives. It's not our fault the liberals come off looking true to form, like ignorant jackasses. Of course the Left would complain if there was even ONE right winger allowed to express his point of view. Wasn’t it Barbara Streisand that complained that CNN wasn't liberal enough? Let's not try to be obvious or anything. CNN, a bunch of jackasses on parade.

Easter bunnies, eggs, candy... What is this about?  If we were to propose a national holiday today based on candy and cartoon characters - it wouldn't fly. Yet we have this holiday, don't we? The reality of Easter if the miracle of Christ. Jesus Christ. Yeah, that Jesus. If we were to propose a national holiday based on the resurrection of Jesus, that wouldn't fly today either. Since its about Jesus, as is Christmas, it's paramount that we avoid the whole Jesus thing and focus instead upon trivial bullshit like cartoons and candy, bunnies and elves. I mean, Christ only sacrificed himself for us, and overcame sin and death so we can all be forgiven our sins if we repent... And we can live again so death isn't the end of everything. No, its much more important we eat "peeps" and chocolate eggs, and forget what it was all originally about. It's much more politically correct that we gloss that old Christian stuff so no one is offended. Well, I'm offended! Christmas and Easter is about Jesus... Like it or not. Diversity is fine, and if you don't believe, fine. But diversity means you have to accept MY FAITH IN JESUS, just like I have to accept your faith in Allah, Buddha, or the Great Pumpkin. That's what Diversity is supposed to mean... Not ripping down on all Judeo-Christian values. That’s why I get pissed when I hear "Diversity"... Because it's not about Diversity at all. Its about replacing real values and making Right wrong, and make Wrong right... You don't have to believe in Jesus, but I do. And you have to accept that or admit Diversity is Hypocrisy with an agenda.

It's not the bed... When we moved here to this new place, we tossed the old bed and got a whole new setup. Very comfortable. But lately I've not been able to let myself fall asleep. I'll lay there eyes closed, and unmoving. For hours I'll lay there... Counting the bumps on the ceiling... reading... I don't really fall asleep. It's more like I just finally pass out sometime after 4AM, and I'm up again at 7:30AM. Its not caffeine. I will have a cola or Dew around the middle of the day, and that's it... Drinking more water these days, so my caf intake is much lower than usual... That should be a good thing right? I'm not even stressing about life like I used to... That should be a good thing, right? Yet I still can't go to sleep. What's up with that?

Yesterday Steve and I, and a couple of fellows from THR were working on the new PHP powered site. There is a lot of potential with a PHP site... But looking at it realistically, it's overkill for MadOgre.com. Besides, if I let my readers post directly onto the site, I wont have the chance to run a spell check on them. Seriously, I am debating if I should keep it or not. It would do well for VernalNews... Maybe I should use it for that? I don't know.... Maybe I'll post this matter as a Poll.

The desert out here is pretty damn empty once your 5 minutes outside of town. You can go shooting when the Sheriff's posse isn’t around... and if your not on the highway... You can push your car to speeds otherwise not allowed. We have a lot of roads due to oil field and ranchers and what have you... roads that are not "policed". Off Highway dirt roads to be specific. No speed limits other than driver skill and vehicle limitations. Trust me, 60 MPH isn't that fast on the highway... but on a curvy dirt road, it's insane. When you can feel your tires lose grip and you can sense your car is drifting to the outside of the curve... your engine's RPM's are up... and you have all 4 tires spinning like mad... Now that is FUN. Yesterday I went out for a drive and just HIT IT. MAN! Talk about a thrill. The trick is to drive the stretch one way to make sure it's clear of traffic, sheep, dead deer, or any debris... then you can storm it coming back... Flat out, balls to the wall... and see if your car lives up to the advertising. I did this in my Subaru. True. The commercials are all true. I was bushing 65 and it felt AMAZING! Any faster and I would have ended up in a ditch... but considering the road I was on... any any other car, you would have been slowing down after 40. I think I could have gone a little faster, but the car felt a little unstable at speed on the dirt... I think I need a 4 wheel alignment and that should fix that.

I am thinking about putting together a big LAN party. I may have access to a large facility where I could host it. We would just have to borrow a number of tables and chairs... not a problem... and a number of power strips and extension cables. If I could get some cooperation from the couple of computer shops in the area for switches and RJ-45 cable and they could be the "Sponsors"... that would be all we needed for a fun weekend. Everyone brings there own games... we have a couple pre selected games on the menu. SOF II, Raven Shield, Counter Strike, WarCraft III, Combat Flight Simulator III... If you have some of those games preloaded, then you can just come on in, hook up, and get playing. I think a $10 cover wouldn't be too much to ask. Those funds would go to cover the house cost... I think that would be a lot of fun. Make it an Event. Advertise it in the local rag and on the radio. Or at least put up flyers in the computer shops. Small town... they might balk at the concept. This place is more like fucking Green Acres than anywhere else I have ever been... practically Amish here. *sigh* I hate this place.

Raven Shield has been the only game I have been playing as of late. I guess you might say I have been playing it a lot. At least an hour a day, and sometimes a bit more than that. What can I say? Where I am at, there is absolutely JACK around here to do... I've taken my kids to every park in the area at least twice now. Anyways, Raven Shield... I have played all the missions in the campaign a few times through. I can now do most of the missions (all but 2) not only solo (or LONE WOLF as they say) but alone and with just a pistol. If the mission calls for hostage rescue, I have to use a silencer, but if not, I just go loud. I like the custom missions as you don’t have to worry about the hostages on any give map. I like to roll with weapons that I have actually owned or used... Or what I have right now. That means, Beretta 92 for the handgun. I don’t have a suppressor, so If I'm playing "Real" then I can't use a suppressor. I don’t have an L85, or a G36k or a FAMAS... so I can't use those... But an AK-47 or M-16 is okay... I have either owned them in the past so I can roll with them. Heart Beat Sensors? No. Don't have those. Grenades? I don't have any hand grenades, not even smoke... so I'll just pack extra mags. Still, my favorite now is to just roll with "My Beretta".

Today I watched a most excellent action flick... The Transporter. WOW. Big time Hong Kong action, in France, with a Brit hero and one of the supporting actors from the Fast and the Furious. The chick in it was tragically cute. The cars were big black powerful and cool... And it had lots of guns. The main character was pretty cool... The lone ex-military quiet hero guy just waiting for the tattered angel/damsel in distress to change his life... In this case his life included a 75,000 car that got blown up and a 3,000,000 house on the coast of the south of France that got blown up. Hope she was worth it. She looked like it… Beautiful girl, but everything she touches gets blown up. The action was incredible… Chow Yun Fat kinda action and this Brit did it all very well. The fighting was intense and fast to the point of being almost silly. In a nutshell, this flick was very entertaining. But A Man Apart remains the best action flick I have seen since HEAT.

I was looking at a .45 Beretta Cougar. Great gun. Very well made, well finished gun with a high level of quality and attention to detail. The action was smooth and the trigger felt great. No stacking creep or grit through the pull, ending with a nice crisp break... Best yet the gun fits my hand in a fashion similar to that of the preverbal glove. The gun was - is fabulous. There is only one problem. The magazine capacity is only 6 rounds. Six! You can get a longer mag that holds 8, but it sticks out lengthening the grip. Great. You have a gun t is good, and then just ruin it with a pathetic capacity limit, and to add insult to injury they make it retarded when you go an try to add more rounds. No thanks. The price is up there too...not cheap at all. You could have picked uo 2 guns for the price of one Cougar .45. Shame That could have made it with a double-staked mag giving it 10 rounds... Had they done that, t is gun would have been a perfect piece for a Carry or CCW gun. The Taurus PT145 has a full 10 rounds, the Charles Daly DDA .45 has a full 10 rounds... there is no reason that the Cougar should be stuck with only 6 rounds. That is retarded in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it's a FINE handgun... But if I wanted a fine 6 shooter, I'd buy a Colt Peacemaker. Please note, this was a "Mini Cougar" with the more compact sized grip. You can get a regular Cougar with a standard 8 round magazine... The same as a 1911 Government. But for the size and heft, there is no reason this gun couldn't be packing a full 10 rounds.

April 19th, Saturday:  I am now working on the new version of MadOgre.com.  All further efforts will be made there, and not here.  You can see the site as it's being developed HERE.  Hyperlink Removed as that site is goign to be used for something else.

Oh, and have a HAPPY EASTER!  May your Easter Bunny be savory and tasty...

We got a call from our friend Steve who is shortly to be on his way to The Big Easy.  We wish him all the best in the relocation to his new digs.  Good Luck, Bro!   We will miss you.   

Playing with PHP is a lot of fun... I'm still tinkering with it... but I have the Forums up and ready... I think.  So go have some fun.

April 18th, Friday:  Vernal Utah has a local newspaper called the Vernal Express.  Vernal Express has a website that hasn't been updated in months.  (Correction, it was just updated but it still sucks) I have taken liberty to register VernalNews com, net, and org.  I'm going to work on the local radio stations to put together a real local news web site.  If you want to be involved in this, please contact me ASAP.   Thanks.

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