Feb 28th, Saturday, 2004:  Email about the M1 Garand:  “Hey Ogre, I used to own an H&R M1 Garand that had been refitted with a Douglas Air Gauged barrel, and the GI stock had been bedded. Some of the purists down here were annoyed with these little improvements. After 50+ years, I can understand a new barrel. The bedding job was also nicely done and was not noticeable until the weapon was stripped. It was the most accurate semi-auto battle rifle I've ever owned or fired. I kick myself twice daily for ever letting it go. If you can get your hands on one I highly recommend it. Chase”  Thanks for the email, Chase.  Sounds like a good rifle.  I don’t mind such improvements unless the rifle was for collector/historical purposes… and I don’t get guns for those reasons.

Testing email clients.   I’ve been trying Outlook 2003 and I like it… it has a lot of nice features and a slick interface and excellent spam filtering.  However I don’t think I am going to make it my default application.  I get System Administration errors:  “Undeliverable, This system is not configured to relay mail from (me) to (whoever I’m replying to mailing to).  This message is an immediate bounce I get right after I send.  I have to copy my message before I send, so if I get this error, I can close Outlook, reopen it… and then reply again and paste, and resend it.  This problem I had with Outlook XP, on my old computer with the Wireless connection, old computer with the new DSL connection, and now this new computer with DSL connection.  It only happens with outlook and I don’t have these issues with Mozilla Mail.   As much as I like Outlook 2003’s package and performance – this makes it unusable.  I haven’t been able to find a solution to fix this.

Speaking of finding things… I found that red Ford truck again and will try to negotiate for it again.  Man, I want that truck.  If this guy can just wait a couple weeks I’ll be able to get it.  If he can’t, well, then someone else will be buy it.  Trucks out here can sit for months or get snatched up super fast… And this truck might go fast.  The only thing going for it is that it’s not 4 wheel drive and you gotta have a 4X4 out here.  I want it because it’s a hot-rod.  Fast and barbaric.  It’s also in perfect shape for such an old truck, having lived down in balmy Saint George where they don’t bother salting the roads or anything… so there is zero rust problems.  We’re rolling the dice on it.  I believe everything happens for a purpose.  When I missed it the first time, the truck had some tranny problems.  Now it’s fixed again, available again, and at the same price.  Maybe it wasn’t meant to be then… but now?  We’ll see.  If I don’t get it, I wont be too heart broken.  There is no backseat in it, so it’s partially impractical.  Being without four wheel drive is a limitation during the winter… this isn’t a front wheel drive.  Pickups with 2 wheel drive can be tricky in the winter… but hopefully we are out of it here in Utah now.  For this season at least.  

Email from Horde Member:  “I bought my first gun. The Browning Buck Mark Camper.  I haven't sighted it in yet, I hope to do so this Saturday, but the gun is, well, beautiful. And it feels right. The quality looks great, solid parts and feel.  Thanks for your advice in getting this! – Russell”  Another satisfied customer.  My pleasure.  Enjoy the gun… you made a very good selection.  A .22 pistol makes for an excellent first gun for anyone.  A very inexpensive way to practice the basic fundamentals of pistol shooting… and to practice a lot.  This is a good thing.  Everyone needs a .22 in my opinion – of one sort or another.

Interesting story regarding one of my favorite books.  If you have not read it… you should.  Great work and covers an interesting subject.  It also puts out a theory that I have had for a long time… that Jesus was married.  

I had an interesting email from New Zealand… No, not from our own there, but from a guy browsing Google for information on the Fuel Saver Pro, which we all know is utter bullshit and designed only to take money from the ignorant.  Nice fellow… email was too long to post, but I wanted to share his website.  I found it interesting.  Water Injection for increased performance.  I’ve seen water sprayers for radiators and intercoolers… but this looks different.  

Orson Scott Card has put dropped his take on the Homosexual Marriage issue.  I think I’ve already covered this enough, so I won’t address it again.  But I do want to comment on these marriages that are going on.  In California they are going on against State Law.  I think these officials conducting this illegal action should be removed from office and position and prosecuted for the illegal actions.  Now this has happened in New York.  This is going to be like an outbreak and frankly I don’t like it.  I don’t care a fig about the weddings… it’s the city that is giving the finger to the citizens who have voted against the matter.  This is counter to how a democracy is run.  This is the threat that I see and I don’t like it.   You have a vote, the vote is against something… and the officials say “Well, you guys are just too unenlightened to have really voted on it… so we are going to do it anyways.”  Same thing in the other direction – everyone votes for something, and they decide, well, we are not going to do it because we thing you were wrong.  Democracy is the Will of the People and these people are giving the citizens the finger.  I think the citizens should respond in kind.

Speaking of responding.  Nice photo of Palestinian protestors in the newspaper yesterday.  Very dramatic photo of guys throwing rocks in protest of the construction of the barrier wall.  Let me respond to the Palestinians – Maybe they wouldn’t be building the wall if you guys wouldn’t be throwing fucking rocks all time.

Also in the newspaper yesterday,  nice report about the state budget.  I got a little pissed off when I realized that the Annual Budget for the State Of Utah is the same as the cost of ONE V-22 Osprey.  That is such bullshit.  Those V-22’s are completely useless, and the program is continuing all for the sake of making a couple guys filthy rich at the expensive of the rest of the country.    We need to kill the V-22 program ASAP.  I’ve railed on this too often to do it again now.

Howard Stern got suspended from Clear Channel the other day.  He is quoted as saying “They are so afraid of me and what this show represents.”  Wait a second, Howard, you dumbass, two things for you to think about.  One; they were just fined millions of dollars because of a guy trying to be like you.  Two; your show doesn’t represent anything that I can’t find sinking to the bottom of my toilet just before I flush it.  I have listened to the Howard Stern show a couple times, and it’s radio equivalent of the floor of a movie theatre after the matinees.  As much as I am for free speech… I’m not worried about this guy getting censored because never says anything worth hearing.  If he is the king of all media like he says, why doesn’t he just move on to another production outfit and leave Clear Channel alone?   This targeting of Clear Channel isn’t about Howard though… and it wasn’t about Bubba the Love Sponge either… it was about attacking Clear Channel as political retribution for having the balls to put Conservatives on the air.  AM Radio has been the ONLY outlet for Conservative broadcasting for decades.  Since the Liberals can’t compete in it, they have to try to destroy it.  They want to shut it down and this is how they go about doing it.  I’ve never really heard anything horrible on Clear Channel… however I have heard some pretty sick shit on the AM band.  It was a Liberal show, not surprisingly.  They were talking about dildos and vibrators and callers were awarded vibrators for calling in.  Radio Porn – but since it was a Liberal program on a Liberal station, it was perfectly fine.   I heard this driving through St Louis last year… I don’t remember the program or station, but it was sickness.  I suspect this show would never be criticized.  In fact, I bet you this show has been given awards.  Fine for the donks to put out that kind of stuff, but not for conservatives.  The double standards are not even subtle anymore.

Check this story out… found it on Fark.  3 guys in Israel hacked into the Army’s phone system and set up their own phone company.  Incredible.  Oh, and these three guys are brothers… one more thing… they are all blind.  

Gun of the Day:   The Uzi.    Put me down for a Mini Uzi with a folding stock and a suppressor.  I have to go out on a limb here, but when it comes to “Sub Machinegun” I think of the Uzi before I think of the MP5.  There are a couple other SMGs, that I love too… the one I’ve already used as a Gun of the Day… and the Beretta Model 12.  But to me, the Uzi is the icon of the class.  Used to good effect by the Israelis, it is still in use.  The newest version in service over there is modified to use those thirty three round Glock magazines.  That’s a clever mod.  This is one seriously under rated weapon.  This is why it’s the gun of the day today.   

Feb 27th, Friday, 2004:  Remember me talking about that red Ford F-100 that was up for sale but I lost it?  Turns out the other deal fell through and I have chance to get it.   BOOYAAH!!!!  I looked at it today and heard the engine run.  The thing is a brutal hotrod.  I’ve got to get this truck!  Unfortunately I thought I had the guy’s number written down, and I can’t find it and I don’t know where this guy is parking it anymore.    Aaarrgh.   It’s a small town… hopefully I’ll be able to catch it again before it gets sold. 

Not much of an update today due to some exams.  I’ll have a big update this weekend sometime.  I have a couple papers to do, an article to finish, and a whole class to catch up on… so I might not get to comment on everything until Sunday evening.

Today’s Gun of the Day:  The M1 Garand.  America’s battle rifle in 3 wars… most importantly it’s the rifle we used to free the entire world from the Axis forces in WWII.   It’s is fed from an 8 round block clip, but chambered for a full house rifle cartridge, the classic .30-06.  This rifle is the grandfather of the M-14, and has influence on the M1 Carbine and the Ruger Mini 14 and Mini 30.  It’s a very robust rifle, strong, solid, utterly reliable, and accurate.  My grandfather carried this rifle in WWII.  This rifle deserves a better tribute than what I could write for it, so I am linking to one appropriate.  Why I do not own one... it's almost unforgivable.

Feb 26th, Thursday, 2004: 1330hrs:  Email of the day:   “The reason that companies are sending the jobs overseas is for profit only.  The only reason corporations exists is for profit.  All the frigging government regulations in the past 105 years have made for a very hostile business environment in the US.  For example: If you want to start a landscaping business with a few employees a few lawn mowers and a truck you must get a business license, tax ID, sign up for workmans comp, put 30% of your employees payroll above what you pay them into some interest free government account. One hangnail and the money is held for an additional 18 months.  Then you have to pay quarterly taxes that equal about 20% of what you take in gross (not profit).  Then exorbitant business insurance is required. Oh yeah, that old truck that you used to pay $30 a month insurance on. Now it is efffing $180 a month because you haul around fricking lawn mowers.  Your license plates are now $250 a year because ooooh now you are a commercial vehicle.  Now you have to collect taxes and keep all your records squeaky clean because the state comptroller can and will come in any time night or day and do Waco and ruby ridge on your books.  If he decides they aren't good enough he can write you a tax bill for any arbitrary amount that he chooses.  I'm going to have to go with the libertarians on this one Ogre. The fat cats can and will keep getting richer because government is making it so the little guy has no chance to compete.  Big business can and will increase profits by sending the jobs to a country with less regulations.  What is better? Americans having more unemployment due to a hostile business environment or more jobs with benefits and pay driven by the free market? - JRS”  Email of the day.  You have some very good points.  The State tax collector just nailed my father in law several thousand dollars just out of the blue and this is like just a matter of days he just got out of bankruptcy.  Nice.  Too much government regulation is a bad thing… I agree 100%.  But I think it can be just as bad if there was no regulations as the Libertarians would have it.    Different opinions on this matter – no big deal.  As long as we agree that the government should step off of all the asinine gun laws we have in this country.  Frankly, I don’t think there should be any federal gun laws.  State ordinances about no shooting inside the city – fine.  No shooting within a hundred yards of a highway – fine.  Pretty much more than that, I have a problem with.

1030hrs:  Last night I went past the theater an hour before "The Passion of the Christ" opened. The line waiting for it went down the street and around the corner from the theater's front door.  I've not seen a line like that since Star Wars Episode One.   I have not seen it yet... but I will soon enough. 

Ann Coulter is one of the more brilliant minds in the Conservative Sphere.  Her latest column is required reading.  This column is the best take I’ve read on politics since… her last column?  It’s a sharp edged tongue-lash against the AFL-CIO.   You have to read it.    I do however have a different opinion from Ann’s regarding the jobs being sent overseas… I think the “Free Trade” stipulation sounds good on paper and to those waving flags about it.  I’m just wondering about all those cats out there who used to work in tech support… who’s jobs are out there in India right now.  I wonder if they are waving flags and feeling that Free Trade Joy.  Lot’s of tech jobs are in India, and more are heading there.  I’m all for free trade – don’t get me wrong.  But I also think it’s pretty fucking shitty for a corporation who has more money than they know how to handle, to farm out the jobs overseas for no other reason than to give Share Holders a percentage point better return?  It’s virtually meaningless to those guys on that end of the spectrum… The top level execs get that 100,000 Christmas Bonus on top of those 10 million dollar salaries, and those guys at the bottom end get to return Christmas presents so they can pay that higher power bill because a kid left a light on overnight.   These corporations do not need to farm out jobs in order to stay competitive in the market.  That’s the argument I’ve been hearing and from a guy who has witnessed corporate greed and excess – I can tell you with some authority that it is total bullshit.   Corporations… greedy buggers all of them.  And the Libertarians would have us all slaves to them.  Remember the old song “I owe my soul to the company store”?  If you follow the Libertarian tract – that is exactly what will happen to everyone who is in the bottom 90% of the economic ladder.   If you think that’s a good thing – you’re welcome to it.  I don’t.  I don’t see that as “Freedom” because you’re trading tyrannical oppression from Government – which can be lobbied and voted and ultimately challenged - over to an unregulated parade of private corporations who can not be lobbied or voted against or challenged because they are focused on only one thing… and that’s a higher profit percentage and if you stand in their way – you are crushed.  Look at all the corporate benefits you have now.  You think those would remain if they didn’t have to provide them?  Family leave… time off… sick days… even for National Guard and Reserves.   No way.  Those cost the companies money.  Do you think that they would provide these services to employees out of the kindness of their hearts?  No freaking way.  Corporations don’t give a damn about employees outside of the boardrooms.  You think corporations are saying “Man, if it wasn’t for this government regulation holding us back, we would give everyone a pay raise and a few bonuses”?   Libertarians are scarier than the Green Party.  Well, if the Libertarians win – you might be an Indentured Servant… but at least you can get stoned on all the legalized dope.

I sent Springfield Armory an email last night.  I want a Springfield XD that is a tad different from the factory offerings.  I want a Sub-Compact XD-40 frame with the standard 4 inch XD-40 barrel and slide.  That’s what I want... Let's see if Springfield can make that possible.  I think this would make a bitching carry gun for undercover duty or civilian concealed carry.  Lots of advantage to this.. Short butt makes it easy to conceal and should you need gobs of firepower, you can use full size mags... because after you draw and fire - concealment is no longer a concern.  A 9MM version would be just fine.

The Gun of the Day:  The Beretta 92FS.  The most popular automatic handgun in movie history.  No other handgun gets as much screen time as the 92FS and Beretta clones and other look a likes.  It’s the gun that’s in the logo of The Sopranos and some anti-gun group I’m not going to name.  There is a good reason for this… it’s a sexy looking gun.  It looks like what an automatic handgun should look like.  It has the reliability and accuracy to match it’s looks.  It’s a great handgun.  There is a .40 caliber version called the 96… so if you like this gun but you don’t like 9MM, there you go.  Since .40 isn’t a military caliber, you can get it in countries where 9MM is not allowed.  I could go on and on about the 92, but I wont.  Here is my review of it.  It’s the gun of the day.     

Feb 25th, Wednesday, 2004: 1500hrs: Okay, Okay… I went and got Ranger some real dog food today.  The stuff he liked before.  Right now he is chomping on some roast beef that I found in the back of the fridge.  I think I remember that I was going to make fajitas out of it but never got around to it.  It’s not cheesy, but not as fresh as I like.  Ranger is loving it… He’s good to go now.  But now I just have to come up with a use for 20 pounds of Old Roy. 

I had two emails about this:  “Smart dog.  Dogs have a sense of smell 6000 times more sensitive than a human beings.  After working near a processing plant that took the DOA animals off the trucks drug them with a winch through the parking lot and into the dogfood/taco bell grinder I don't blame Ranger for rejecting certain foods.  Recently, here Sams club had sold a bad batch of dog food that killed thirty something dogs that weren't as smart. Good luck with finding something more suitable to his palate.” 

Yeah, I know what he likes… steak. 

And the other email about this:  “Ogre,  Love your site man.  Found it 6 months or so ago and I'm addicted.  If I were a liberal I'd have to sue because waiting for new content on your news page consumes my time.  J/K  Anyway, with regards to Old Roy dog food.  No offense but that stuff is garbage.  Mostly fillers (corn, grains, etc) that aren't that good for dogs and very little protein.  We used to have a Shepherd/Rottie mix that we fed Old Roy to (before we knew any better).  He wasn't a big dog (about 60 pounds) but he would eat more food than our neighbors 80 pound Lab mix.  He also pooped more than any dog I've known.  All the freaking time, all over the back yard.  Anyway, long story short, unfortunately we had to adopt him out.  Before we got our current dog, purebred Rottweiler, I did a bunch of looking into dog foods.  We use a more expensive brand now Canidea, but we end up paying about the same because Diva doesn't eat as much of the food since it keeps her full longer, and she doesn't poop as much.  She's 80 pounds and still growing, so I think when she quits growing she'll eat even less.  Anyway, keep up the great work.  Eric in Lehi - P.S.  A bunch of us at work hit Utah Shooting Academy (the old A.F. Gun n' Sport) about once a month for the action target range.  You'd put us to shame, but if you have a gas-guzzling SLC trip coming up, let me know if you'd like to hit the range.” 

Thanks for the email Eric.  I’ll be going out to SLC in a few weeks I guess.  I know I’ve been saying that for some weeks now, but things happen.  I’ll go after I either get my Subaru fixed or get a New-Used truck. *Sigh* I've been saying that for some time now too.  Damn.  I'll let the Utah Chapter know.. hit the range, pop some rounds and go get some mexican food or something. 

I am thinking about planning on a big Gathering this summer…  For all The Horde, THR, FAL Files, Zion’s Camp, out in Salt Lake at one of the usual locations.  Just a thought. 

Email from Horde Commander Josh:  “We made a convert to madogre.com.  Our army buddy Cappelli is hooked on your website now.  Every time we see him he tells us all the how awesome MadOgre.com is and how he wants to buy you a new gun so he can join The Horde and something about fellatio but I don’t know what he’s talking about there.  I was overjoyed to read about the Comanche being axed.  That made my day!  I gotta go. Peace Out! - J” 

Isn’t Cappelli the gay guy what was banged in the ass by the whole Gun Crew at your last drill?  That’s why you call them “drills” isn’t it?     I’m kidding.  Welcome to “The Horde” Cappelli.

Speaking of fellatio, you might want your wives and girlfriends to read this one... CNN has a report that is good news for everyone… Women who give their men fellatio once or twice a week have a dramatic reduction in risk of breast cancer.  Incredible, isn’t it?  Wow.  Talk about a win-win situation.    Hey, I'm just here to help.

Email from James: “Don't really know enough about what the Comanche's primary mission was to be, but the CH-53E (the three engine model) is WAY too loud to be used for scouting, recon, etc.  I live just south of DC and we have them going over almost every day between Andrews AFB and Indian Head/Fort Belvoir and you can hear (and feel - the ground vibrates) them coming for several minutes before you can see them. Nice choppers, though - rode several while I was on Sixth Fleet Staff back in the early to mid 80's.”   The suggestion for the 53 was a response to my suggestion of using the MI-24 Hind helicopter instead of the V-22 Osprey.  Kinda convoluted way to get there... anyways... the suggested replacement for the Comanche is simply an updated Cobra.  The Cobra can do everything the Comanche can do… and for the price of just one rotor blade on the Comanche.

1130hrs: CORRECTION:  Email from Horde Member takes me to task:  “Ogre, I've been reading your blog for a long time.  Keep up the good work.  I don't mean to seem like a jerk, but your understanding of the letters AD (as in BC/AD) are wrong.  AD stands for Anno Domini which, as you may know, is latin for year of our Lord--or in other words years since Christ arrived.  Again, I don't want to come off as some correctness nazi, I just wanted to let you know.  Chris”  Yes, you are right and I stand corrected. 

Email for a new gunsmith:  “I would like to recommend a very good gunsmith in Oklahoma for your gunsmith list. The information is: Jon Ax 1004 C Avenue Lawton, Oklahoma 73501 (580) 353-1724 His store name is GUN / RX Thanks for your service in providing these names. Larry King.”  My pleasure, Larry. 

Dog Blog Alert!  So Mrs. Ogre picks up a bag of dog food… “Old Roy”.  Ranger wont even take a bite of it.  He gave it a sniff and looked at me and said “This isn’t food, buddy.”  This was three days ago, and we don’t have any other dog food for him… we are totally out.  So we are trying to get him to eat this stuff.  Just isn’t working.  How do you get a dog to eat food he doesn’t want to eat?  I don’t blame him.  If he doesn’t want to eat it, he shouldn’t have to eat it.  Feh.  I’m going to have to go get him something different today.  Poor dog is starving and is too stubborn for his own good.  This is also my part for spoiling him… Let’s see… a pork roast, beef roast, ham on a hambone… all sorts of leftovers… this dog has been eating like a king lately and now he’s spoiled.  He deserves to get spoiled.  He’s lived outside through a serious bitch of a winter, yet has remained happy and loyal.  He’s been the best dog.  Watches the house and barks when there is a problem… or sometimes when there is a pickup truck that goes by driving too fast... but wont bark at the mailman or the UPS or the Fed Ex guy all the while sitting on top of his dog house like Snoopy.   Across the narrow two lane but not line street is another field, and in that field is a flock of sheep watched over by llama.  Ranger doesn’t care about the sheep… but he doesn’t like that llama at all.  Neither do I.  If that llama comes over near here, Ranger gets pissed and growls and barks and drives that llama off.  Good job, Ranger!  I hate llamas.  They are creepy creatures.  They are not right.  Ranger keeps our home free of Snakes, Cougars, and Llamas.  What more could you ask for from a dog?

High caliber email:  “I ran across this article about a replacement cartridge for the 5.56 MM and since you probably know more about ballistics than I do, I thought I would send it to you to comment if you so desire.  El-ahrairah AKA The Gungy Guide”   I am over due in talking about cartridges and ammunition… I’ll have to get to this when I have time to sit down and really write about it.  I have some more papers to write for school and I have some articles write… but I’ve got this down on the TO DO LIST.   

I get a lot of emails about asking which gun they should buy.  I love helping people out… no problem.  But it would be a lot easier for me to make a good recommendation if you could help me to help you by telling me about what you want to use the gun for, what guns you are already used to, etc.  If I know more about you – I can make a better recommendation for you.  If you want to send me an email, “Ogre, I want a handgun. Which one is the best?”  How in the hell can I tell you that?  There is no such thing as “the best”.  The best is relative… it all depends on you and who you are and what your want to do with it and a bunch of other factors… There is no “Best”.  You want me to name a “Best”?  Fine.  A Springfield GI 1911.  There.  There is “The Best”.  If you have different requirements, let’s talk about that.

0920hrs: Email from Horde Member cjvandis:  “Just read your take on the decision to axe the Comanche and buy more Black Hawks and Apaches.  I noted your positive comments on the Hind-D and E models.  Yeah, from what I have read about them, they are pretty bad ass, but we already have something better, the Marines' CH-53 Super Stallion.  Yeah, it's a little bigger than a Hind, but it goes as fast or close to it, it has better legs, more lifting capacity, more volume, and has way better avionics.  Why not upgrade this again and run with that? You could make a helo version of the AC-130.  Team it up with some Cobras and Apaches and the new Joint Strike fighter or up-graded Harriers, with other -53's for transporting troops.  They haven't put neat new stuff like boom fans or composite skins on most of these birds yet.  The Apache is already partly stealthy, the cobra could be made more so, and the MD 500 series could get the same treatment.  But as good as speed is, you still need to be able to support troops, something the A-10 does better close up that an F-15.  The CH 53 can run on one of it's 3 engines.  Not fast, not far, and not with a lot of weight or up high, but it will land instead of crash.”    You make some excellent points about the CH-53 platform.  It is an amazingly flexible helicopter with massive potential.  Rolling with these would be very easy and there is no need to recertify pilots for a new chopper type and there are a great many chopper pilots who already have time in the 53 and are now flying Blackhawks.  If the military really needs an “Armed Scout” helicopter… We already have a very excellent platform that has not only been proven but continually developed.  The US Marines’ Super Sea Cobras.  These twin engine snakes have more capability than the Cobras that the Army used to fly, and are more reliable thanks to the 2nd engine.

I’m disappointed with all the negative reviews and comments about Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”.  This is an indication of the backlash against anything “Christian In Public”.  You can make movies about murderers, or anything evil you want… but make a movie about Jesus and you are an insensitive bad guy.  What is surprising is the outcry by some of the Jewish community that it’s somehow a slap at them.  It’s not.  The movie is Mel Gibson’s interpretation of the events as described in the bible, in visual and graphic detail.  This is a history that is shared between Christians and Jews.  I don’t see how Jewish folk could really and honestly be upset about this.  Christians and Jews share more than just that… while we have some disagreements on some things – we are basically on the same page when it comes to traditional conservative values.  Instead of focusing on everything that is different between us – we should all look at what is the same.  Most Jewish guys I have talked to pretty much agree on all the principles found in the New Testament and even in the Book of Mormon… because they agree that there is a clear difference between Right and Wrong, Good and Evil.  Jews back then petitioned for Jesus to be crucified… it happened.  Get over it.  If you believe him to be the Christ or a Great Teacher… doesn’t matter.  It happened.  The world recognizes that it happened.  Look at the calendar… We count time based on the Death of Jesus… Look at the years, BC is Before Christ and AD is After Death.  The Death of Jesus was felt around the world… and most people just don’t want to admit it and come up with some very clever rationalizations against it.   This movie is not for everyone… It wasn’t meant to be.  The donks are just afraid that it will bolster the faith of the Faithful or even swing people to Faith.  Of course this is a good thing, so to them, it’s horrible.  Typical and not unexpected.  What about films like Ben Hur, and The Ten Commandments?  You couldn’t even hope to make such films today.   But I hope they do… just to piss the donks off.  All these bad reviews about the movie… funny how most people who see it are saying that it’s the best film they have ever seen in their life.  That says something.  I’m going to order one of those Nails myself… just because the donks will hate me even more for it. 

Gun of the Day: The HK G3KA4.  This is one of those "If I could take my pick - Cost is no object" guns.  The G3 is recognized as one of the worlds best 7.62MM Nato guns.  In this configuration, the G3 is not much bigger than the MP5 with the stock collapsed.  This is one of the best retracting stocks out there, or at least it's my favorite.  Easy to handle, accurate, very reliable and powerful.  This gun has an interesting history that I'll have you read at the above link.  There was a time when I could have bought one, but elected for something else.  *sigh*  Yeah, I know.  I think we all have blunders like that we all wish we could go back and change. If I could get one of these today, I would do the paperwork for a suppressor for it.  Just for the hell of it.     

Feb 24th, Tuesday, 2004: Noonish:  The US Army wants to kill the Comanche helicopter.  Read. The reason for this is that it is too expensive, redundant, and they want to use the money to just buy a lot of existing helicopters.  This is good news.  This is exactly what needs to happen.  The project may continue because the politicians and the businesses working on this will lobby like drunken apes to continue the program… but at least the Army is using its head here.  The project was started back in 1983 and is still in prototyping for crying out loud. 

There are a lot of truly excellent helicopters available now, and helicopters that are being developed privately… It’s ludicrous that the Army would even want to pay for the development of something that private industry would gladly develop for them if the Army agreed that they would look at buying them.   My hell, a Vietnamese farmer can develop a helo using farm parts and the engine out of an old Russian truck… There are outfits that design new helicopters all the time – that’s what they do.  And the sad thing is that those helicopters are better suited to actual military operations than what was being developed as the Comanche.  

I’ll admit it; the Comanche is “cool”.  But being “cool” is not a factor on the battlefield.  Especially considering the cost of this helicopter compared to the other helicopters when other helicopters can do the same or more, just as well or better.  Look at this paragraph in this article: “Army officials said they will propose to Congress that the estimated $14.6 billion that would have been used to develop and build 121 Comanches by 2011 should be used instead to buy 796 additional Black Hawk and other existing helicopter models and to upgrade 1,400 helicopters already in the fleet.” Almost 800 other new helicopters and upgrades to 1,400 more helicopters for the cost of only 121 Comanches. 

Now if we could only get the US Marines to take a realistic look at the V-22 Osprey POS.  The Marines for the price of ONE Osprey could buy a FLEET of MI-24 Hind helicopters from Russia, and the Hind could kick the Osprey’s ass.   The Hind can go farther than the Osprey.  The Osprey gets low fuel warning lights coming on just taxing.  The Hind can carry more troops than the Osprey.  The Osprey can only kill the troops aboard.  The Hind can soften up the landing zone with death from above fire consisting of cannon, machinegun and rocket fire… and guided anti-tank missiles to take out enemy tanks and bunkers.  The Osprey can’t even mount a damn machinegun.  The Hind can actually get in fast, and get out fast.  The Osprey can’t descend too fast or it will just spontaneously fall out of the sky, sometimes after flipping over.  The Osprey is a very poor vehicle for any military operation.   I’m not saying it’s completely useless… just not for the military.  I can see it as a possible option for Life Flight operations for EMS work.  I can see it as a possible option for maybe COD flights for Naval support missions and other Air Taxi service to carry “Ass & Trash” to ships at sea or to off shore oil platforms.   I could see the likes of Donald Trump using them to ferry from sky scraper to corporate jet.   I do not see these being used to carry combat troops into a fight.

If you have an AK-47 type rifle, here is something for you. Excellent.  No longer can one bitch about poor sites on the AK. Only 40 bucks, it’s a straight drop in replacement for the stock sight.  Very nice.  Very nice indeed.

0900hrs:  I’ve got some major studying to do today… I have a huge exam Friday for Psychology and I want to nail this one.  I’m done on most of it… I think right now I’d do well, but I want to ace it.  Yesterday I wrote two papers for one class, and I’ve got three more due shortly on the other classes… so with all this, blogging will be light to moderate today and tomorrow.   

News this morning is interesting… usual mix of stuff… and then this.  Putin sacks the entire Russian Government.   And he did it on live TV.  Now that is interesting.  Let’s see how this falls out.  If I was living near there, I would be deeply concerned.  Russian governmental changes are usually pretty damn violent… but this is looking like a political move.  Getting rid of unpopular governmental heads and putting in more popular people.  He’s up for election again, and was expected to win, so this move right now is interesting.  I’ll have to get the take from FARM BOY who is… educated… on the subject.  If he is at liberty to comment. 

Alec Baldwin is an idiot.  Read.  Uh, Alec… to be a “Leader” that would mean people would have to follow you.    This cat has an incredibly over inflated ego.  I can see him running for Governor or for the Senate one of these days.  And he’ll win too.  Being a maniacal idiot is no disqualification if he runs as a Democrat or a Green.  Baldwin is so full of himself, he will probably run on both tickets at the same time and split his own vote.   Even the Donks* on Fark are ripping him.  That’s saying something.  

Something is going on out here with the cats.  Now all of them are gone.  Not only that, but so are the cats from next door.  They are all probably going to Mordor or something.  Whatever.  Stupid cats… Even Mrs. Ogre said “Glad we didn’t get too attached.” 

Gun of the Day:  Ruger 10-22.  One thing every shooter should have... a .22 of one sort or another.  I have never owned my own 10-22, but I have shot them enough to know that they are outstanding.  Typically I've gone for the Marlin .22's but that is just myself.  Like the AR-15 and the 1911, the Ruger 10-22 has developed its own little cottage industry.  There are makers of custom parts and stocks and barrels and even receivers.  In fact, you can build a nice 10-22 without anything Ruger in it.  Let me be quite frank here, I'm no fan of Ruger.  In fact, I think most of the Ruger line just blows.  There are a couple items that I do like... and the 10-22 is one of them.  This morning I was thinking about a .22 rifle... The Ruger is undoubtedly the most popular one and for good reason. They are accurate and reliable and as far as semi plinkers go, pretty low maintenance.  Should I buy a couple more .22's, they will be 10-22s. Looking around at all the aftermarket for this gun, it's just amazing what you can do with it.  I don't think anything else comes close when it comes to aftermarket... not even the AR-15.  I mean come one... there is even an MG-42 kit for it for crying out loud.  Bullpup kits, gatling gun kits, pistol grips stocks, folding stocks, carbon fiber barrels... you can pretty much built a 10-22 into any configuration you could want.  If you want a "Fun Gun" look no further.  The image I selected shows the Ruger in one of it's more aggressive roles... Israel uses these guns for suppressed sniper work because of it's remarkable qualities.  That's a pretty solid endorsement for a firearm in my book.

*Donk = Means Liberal, Democrat, or Liberal Democrat… Can also be used for anyone on the left side of politics.  Donk is short for Donkey, the Democrat mascot that can also be called a “Jackass”.  So in essence, calling one a “Donk” is not just identifying political affiliation, but calling them a jackass or asshole or jackhole all at the same time.   

 Feb 23rd, Monday, 2004:  1500hrs:  SMUT DAY at MadOgre.com:   Yeah, I talk about SEX AND GUNS on Mad Ogre! BOOYAAH! Political Correctness?  Screw it!  (Just using the words smut and sex has increased my hits 200%...)  Janet Jackson’s nipple, Jessica Simpson’s rack, Beatrice Arthur’s cleavage… YEAH!

Jessica Simpson – voted Greatest Rack in Pop-Music.  Pop Music?  She sings?  Never heard of her.  I think I’ve seen her on a Pizza Hut commercial with her and some Muppets… Kermit said “Jessica” and I was thinking “Who’s Jessica?”  Is that her?  I guess I’m out of touch.  Thank heavens.  I can generation gap pathetic pop music now and am not obligated to listen to it.  Just as well… I don’t think I’ve listened to anything “new” in at least 6 years.  If it’s not already in my MP3 collection – I probably don’t want it.  Jessica… she’s pretty and has a nice rack I guess… but she isn’t has hot a Angelina Jolie or as seductive as Monica Belleluci(sp?).  Given the direction of Pop Music she’ll be dancing nude soon enough.  I’m turning on Pink Floyd right now.  Now THAT is music.

Phone call came in this morning… my sister in law was in a panic.  She was searching for fiesta party kinda clip art.  What she got was a deluge of porn pop ups.  She was using her in-law’s computer and didn’t want to leave a bad impression of herself.  I had to laugh… I walked her through clearing the history and safer searching so she doesn’t get that again.  Her comment was that she didn’t know it was legal.   Last figures I looked at, Porn accounted for 80% of all internet commerce and all of the internet’s technological development.  So while vile and nasty – pretty much your enjoying the fruits of the forbidden fruits just browsing.  Yes, if you enter a search for some keywords you can pull up lots of porn.  RECOMMENDATION:  Download for free the latest version of Mozilla.  Mozilla has built in pop-up blockers so you don’t get that “cascade” of unwanted stuff.  *snicker*

You can get anything on E-bay…  *shudder*  Nastiness of the pooty in question aside… any pooty being put up for auction is nothing more than crass prostitution.  Not only is the morality questionable, but so is E-bay for allowing the auction.  This should be criminal.  As far as I know, prostitution is illegal in England.  Now this girl in question… She has a face like a slab of beef.  Auctioning it off on the internet to all the super geeks out there is probably the only way she will ever get laid.  Poor thing.  At least she is a Lesbian and won’t reproduce.  Not even Austin Powers would hit that.

Okay, enough smut.  I’m spent done.  

You gotta love this… Gunsmiths are emailing me giving me their updated information.  Check it out.  Newly updated.   If you know of a gunsmith in your area that is absolutely excellent, give me the contact information.  This goes for my international readers as well.  I’ll list them by country as well.  I’ve got shooter/readers around the world, so if you guys have a good gunsmith – let me know the contact information.

Email from Horde Officer Glock19:  “Hello  Dr. Ogre:  I'm looking forward to your mini cougar review.  Thanks for picking the P7 as your gun of the day --  I have the PSP version, one of the West German Border Guards trade-ins, and I love it. I just bought 2 more mags today, from a post at TheHighRoad --38. /each, not bad as they are hard to find.  I saw the posts elsewhere on the USP kaboom --I have one in .45, too, sounds like bad, hot, or defective reloads. Not too worried, but there are always hazards, you do what you can to minimize them, right?  Sorry about the cat --eagles, maybe.  Take another look at the dog tracks -- around here people's cats and small dogs get nabbed by coyotes if they are out at night.  Take care, Lt. glock19”   I’ve done some more tracking with my .357 Magnum on my hip out across the field to the treeline on the opposite side.  No luck.  I have a feeling that Spiro is dead and that there is nothing I can do for her.  Searching is concluded.  My rifle is however loaded up just incase of predators… other than eagles that is.  If she was taken by the eagle, at least she had a noble death.  That KB issue… nothing against the USP… but it’s a warning about the ammo.  Double charges are not to be taken lightly and if you are reloading or buying reloads… be careful.

Noon:  Haiti has been in the news a lot lately.  Recently we have just sent 50 Marines to secure the US Embassy there.  Liberal slack-minds on Fark and some other sites have already managed to not just blame Bush for it, but to call it another quagmire.  Wait a second here.  Didn’t Bill Clinton send US Forces to Haiti?  I’m not sure.  Being an American Citizen and not a Liberal I am supposed to be unable to remember anything in the media past two days ago.    To sum it up, Bill Clinton sent US Forces to Haiti.  The Haitians shot at them, and Clinton pissed his pants and pulled them out.   If Clinton had any balls that were not in Monica’s mouth, he would have pushed into Haiti and stabilized it.  But you can’t have a Democrat President doing that.  Clinton was not equipped mentally to deal with that.  Bush is.  Bush as resolve.  Bush has the backbone.  Bush has the nuts to do it.  But people, before we solve all of Haiti’s ills… let’s remember one thing.  We are only securing our embassy there.  That’s it.  Unfortunately since Clinton was unable to do his job, now we have to send in our Marines to help secure it.  Thank you very much, you sonofabitch, Clinton.

0900hrs:  One of the Ogre House has gone missing.  Spiro, our little female cat.  She was last seen by me Saturday afternoon lounging on the trunk of my Subaru enjoying the sunshine.  She has not been seen since.  This is unusual for her since she tends to follow around her littermates and anyone who goes outside... that's the extent of her adventurous nature.  She really never goes far from the back porch.  There are some dog tracks that go around our house and Mrs. Ogre says she saw the dog Sunday morning.  Ranger barked at it and was pretty pissed off, but there is no indication that this dog has anything to do with the disappearance.   The eagle was seen Saturday and considering the lack of Spiro tracks anywhere, it is not impossible that the eagle has made a meal of the cat.  This eagle tends to swoop near the house and perch on the tree out in the back field.  This is only speculation as I don’t know of eagles feeding on cats.  Considering the sizes of the two animals in question it’s not impossible… It’s not like this was a European eagle or anything.  It’s not a matter of where it grips it.   I have to admit to not feeling any great sense of attachment, but the cat did belong to my family and my children loved it.  For this reason I was out early this morning following tracks through the snow and even crawling through crawl spaces with a little flashlight… no sign of her.  I fear the worse.

Gun of the Day:  The H&K P7.  HK has a radical departure from the normal pattern of how handguns operate.  This handgun is an oddball for two reasons.  First, it uses gas pressure from the fired shot to hold the gun locked until pressure subsides.  Second, it uses the front strap as a lever to cock the weapon into a single action firing mode.  There is no other external safety.  Squeeze the lever to fire, let it go to make safe.  It's simple, fast, and completely different.  This action allows for a very compact and robust handgun.  The only downside to this system is that the gun can get very hot above the trigger guard and some versions of it such as the earlier PSP do not have a heat shield.  This can make extended shooting sessions rather warm for your trigger finger. These guns are generally pretty expensive compared to other factory production guns, but those who have shot them consider it money well spent.  In fact the P7 is considered by many to be the ultimate handgun.  Unfortunately it's only a 9MM.  HK made another version in .40 caliber, but this gun was not received as well thanks to the added bulk required to make the .40 functional.  The .40 was used my New Jersey and Utah's State Police, but it never caught on.  Some of these guns are now in the hands of civilian shooters who cherish them as the odd collector/shooter guns that they are.  There was a brief experimentation with a .45 caliber in this design, called the P7-M7 but it didn't get far past prototyping.  The 9MM P7 comes in two flavors, the single stack P7-M8 which holds 8 rounds and the P7-M13 which is a 13 round double stack magazine favored by those that don't have to worry about concealment.  Again, there is the PSP version that has no heat shield and has a following amongst the concealed carry crowd.  This is also the favored gun of the villain "Hans Gruber" in "Die Hard".  Take that for what it's worth.  I've owned two of these at different times and sold them both for money reasons and the fact that magazines are sometimes hard to find and expensive... I loved the guns, but unless your completely smitten, they are not guns for the Average Joe.  Even though they are short in the muzzle, they are not that easy to conceal because the grips are of generous proportion lengthwise.  If you have never fired one before, try to do so.  If you can, you are in for a real treat because the P7 is so unique... and that's why it's Ogre's Gun of the Day.

Feb 22nd, Sunday, 2004: 1500hrs:  There is a report about another KB… this one isn’t in a Glock, but in an HK USP.  The cause of this KB?  You’ll have to read the report to find out.  Looking at the gun, this guy is lucky to still have a hand.  Wow.  KB’s a really really bad things.  This report should serve as a very clear warning.

Noon Thirty:  There is rumor going around that we have Osama surrounded and are close to capturing him.  I don’t think this is true, but I would love it if it was.  I want to believe this.  This would be awesome.  But even if we do have Osama surrounded, we don’t have him captured.  And I certainly don’t think he will just give up so easily.  I don’t think we will be able to capture him.  This psycho will undoubtedly be wearing a TNT vest and all the guys around him when he is confronted will all be blown to smithereens.  And then of course the Democrats will be “outraged” about it.  Hell, even if Osama IS captured… they will still be outraged or disappointed or something and treat this like it was horrible unfortunate news… which of course, to the Democrats it would be.

Gun of the Day:  The Mossberg 590A1.  This is perhaps my favorite 12 gauge pump action shotgun.  The thing is a tank as far as scatterguns go.  They are built extremely tough and are rugged as hell.  I like the heat shield for no better reason than it just looks bitching.  I also prefer my shotguns to have rifle or ghost-ring sights on them.  Now, the shotgun in the image here has a nice feed stock that holds a few extra rounds, and that's nice... but I'd remove it and put on a Butler Creek side folding stock.  No other side folder will do... it has to be Butler Creek.  The 590 is a very long shotgun... the folding stock is only used to help you store this big ass gun because with a full length stock on it, it's longer than some fishing poles.  Then on the side, of course I would mount the famous "Side Saddle" to hold extra shells.  Generally I keep 00-Buck in the tube, loaded one short, then 2 more buck shot loads in the side saddle and 4 slug shells.  This allows me to quickly slip in a slug shell if that is what I need for the first shot, and then just rack it.  The 590 is an unrefined and brutal type gun.  You will not want to take this to the country club to bust clays with (you would make all the pansies feint or something) - but it could do it.   I like the safety right there on the back of the receiver... easy to use and to see.  I like the round forward grip that gives this tank not just a more sleek look, but is really good for a positive grip even with slippery hands.  This morning I woke up with a raging migraine headache and I thought, man... "I feel like just emptied a 590 full of Rottweiler slugs".   Hence its selection as the Ogre Gun of the Day. 

Feb 21st, Saturday, 2004: I am doing another gun article for a magazine.  The editor has given me pretty much a wide open field and I am now trying to decide what gun to review for the article.  Decisions decisions.  This is the hard part, as it means that I have to face the empty white page and come up with an idea.   It’s not too bad, as I am pretty good at coming up with ideas.  The only problem is coming up with an idea that I can actually not just run with, but make work for the target audience… that’s the hard part.   I went by the local gunshop to check out what they had available… such a disappointment every time I go there... they have hardly any turn over in inventory and tend to have only guns have been made for at least five years running.  Nothing new… nothing interesting.   

This little town out in the middle of nowhere… I’m 4 hours and 40 bucks in gas away from Salt Lake… And even “going out” you still have cabin fever because there is no where to go “to”.  To say this place sucks is like saying the ocean is wet.   

Early Morning:  Response from Andrew about the Ogre AR:  “congratulations. you've made a totally unuseable AR.  the JP speed hammer isn't heavy enough to reliably detonate commie ammo, and the magazine well is totally unsuited to 7.62X39.”  Well, geese Andrew, I guess if the speed hammer didn’t work I wouldn’t use it… would I?  And the mag well?  I believe I said I’d have this rifle custom made… That would mean I’d have a gunsmith MAKE it work…. That is what gunsmiths do.  You have very little imagination or a sense of humor.  This AR, as I’ve described would cost over 4 grand to build, you don’t have a sense of humor either, do you?  There is no way I’d commission this rifle to be built.  For 4,000 bucks I’d buy a SIG 551.

Death by firing squad:  Some jizznozzle said that Utah is doing firing squad executions because of the Mormon belief in “Blood Atonement”.   Firing squads have nothing to do with blood atonement. That is perhaps one of the most stupid things I've every heard.  This Mormon-Hate thing should be beneath any self-righteous Liberal.  Are not Liberals supposed to be the most accepting and open minded people?  The ones accepting “all beliefs” and all peoples… Bigots are bigots regardless of the target.  Be it hate against Blacks, Jews, Chinese, Muslims, or Mormons.   The only exception to this is hating Liberals, because a Liberal is anyone who twists truths and facts, and mixes them with outright lies for their own benefit… calling 2+2 a Five and then the next day a seven.     
Firing squads have to do with a fast, cheap and easy way of removing the life from a criminal sentenced to die. Let's see here... .308 rifle rounds are what? 50 cents to a dollar a round?  Each shooter fires only one shot. 6 shooters... max cost is only 6 bucks. The guys on duty are already being paid to be there so that doesn't cost anything.  Throwing the body in the incinerator doesn't cost anything either.   6 bucks, DOA shitbag... done deal.  Process takes like 10 seconds to complete. I don't see the reason to use any other method. Unless your low on ammo and then hanging would work... Rope is reusable.   These guys are sentenced to die because they were convicted of some really horrible shit. Who care what they feel when they are execute? I'm not saying we should taunt them and poke them with forks or anything... but making them dead as quickly and easily as possible should not be a matter of debate.  Frankly I wouldn't care one bit if they used a big axe and a tree stump.

Gun of the Day:  The FAMAE SAF.  You have probably never heard of this little sub-machinegun.  It's from Chile and it doesn't get out much.  The gun has an action and receiver similar to the SIG 540, but chopped and channeled down to SMG proportions and chambered in 9MM. This gun is so slick and sexy that few military arms can compete.  To be honest I have never fired on... I have seen one, and held one... but it was very brief.  I've been in love with them ever since.  I have reports from those who use them and they have all been praising the FAMAE... that it's more accurate and reliable than the HK MP5 and that it is more controllable even with a much higher rate of fire.  I'll have to take their words for it... I don't know.  Given this guns SIG genetics, I tend to believe it.  This little SMG tops my Ogre's Top Ten SMG list, and that is why it's the first SMG to be honored as Ogre's Gun of the Day.  A fun gun for a Saturday.  Enjoy the weekend! BTW, that gun link goes to "Modern FIrearms" perhaps the best source of gun details for lots of guns you will never see in your life.  Bookmark that site.  It's one of my favorites! 

Feb 20th, Friday, 2004:  Noon Thirty: OGRE's AR-15:  I’ve become known for being the Anti-AR.  I dislike the AR and I would happily tell that to Eugene Stoner’s face.  However, it’s form is more useful than it’s function.  The form, if made functional, would become quite the platform… but this is easier said than done.   I’ve been asked to pick an AR-15 that I would be willing to spend my own money on… and really I am not sold on any of them.  I wouldn’t buy any of them.  None of them are “right” for me.    Instead I would have one built custom to my specs.  Luckily everything I want is available off the shelf.   So here is what I’d have put together:

My AR-15 is going to have the flat top rail and handguard of the Bushmaster Carbon 15 Type 97S.   I like the long shotgun type rib that helps in fast snap shooting.

The gas system/action is going to be from ZM Weapons.  This system uses an operating rod and a recoil buffer that’s forward of the bolt, not behind.  This allows the use of a folding stock, which is nice, but also eliminates the annoying “Sproing” sound.  This system is very reliable and much cleaner than the standard AR set up.

The Bolt and Ejector will be from Robinson Armaments… the Robinson bolt is strengthened and allows for a fixed ejector.  This is critical for a rifle if it’s to be as reliable as possible.  The plunger type ejector typical of the AR series is just not good enough for me. (Look at page 17 of this PDF to see the Robinson bolt) 

The lower receiver and butt-stock will be from Cavalry Arms.  The CAV-15 MKII receiver.  This is a lightweight, but very strong stock, molded as a one piece unit for more strength and smooth lines.  It’s very comfortable and I love the pistol grip… very nice.

The upper receiver is going to be the custom side charging upper from JP Enterprises, along with the JP Fire Control System… trigger system and speed hammer.  I’ll also use the oversized anti walk pins they offer. 

The barrel is going to be from DPMS, and I’m liking the 7” barrel shown in this photo… of course, I don’t want the whole assembly, just the barrel thanks.  I would be happy to pay the federal fee for the Short Barrel rifle… after building this rifle totally to my specs, exactly as I want it, what is another 200 bucks?  I’ll have the 7 inch for most uses such as personal and home defense, CQB… I’m also going to want a complete upper as I have specified in a 24 inch heavy fluted barrel for target work at longer ranges.   Now here is the kicker… 5.56MM out of a 7 inch tube is pretty useless, but 7.62X39 does much better.  This rifle is to be chambered 7.62X39MM, and I don’t want to hear any of you .223 pansies crying about it.  Fatter bullet’s make bigger holes and heavier bullets make deeper ones.  With a short tube there will not be any of that hypervelocity bullet fragmentation crap that AR-15 bevets keep singing about. 

To top this all off, I will use an optical gun sight.  The one that I like the most in form and function is the Bushnell Holosight.  I’d use one of those for the shorty upper, and a Trijicon unit for the long barreled upper.  Then I’d put a sling on it and call it good.

This is the AR-15 rifle that I would actually spend my own money on.

1100hrs:  Egypt... You know what I think of Egypt?  I fucking hate Egypt.  I think this course I’m taking has completely cured me of any personal interesting Egyptian history and civilization, but it’s also turned my off of my like for the movie “THE MUMMY”.  Screw Egypt.  Sure, they had a wonderfully advanced culture and technology… yeah yeah yeah… fuck them.  The Vikings had almost no technology and they didn’t last nearly as long… but they were 3,000% more interesting than the damn Egyptians.   Fuck Egypt.  You know what the only good thing out of Egypt is?  I’ll tell you… it’s the fucking Music Video by “The Bangles”.   If you're from Egypt and your reading this, fuck you.  

Speaking of The Bangles... whoa... they are still hot.  Their new music is pretty good.  Groovy sound.  I'm glad that they are not trying to keep up with Britney and Christina. 

I think I'm going to take a break from study and work on "The Ogre AR" now.

0900hrs:  Gun of the Day: 

The FN FNC.  I get more questions about this rifle than any other save the AR-15... and the question always stem from the movie "Heat".  Typically the question is padded in such things and "Hey nice website... by the way what was that rifle in the movie Heat?". Well, it's an FN FNC.  What model or refinement or improvement of it is - I don't know.  I don't even care.  I doesn't matter because you will probably never even see one in real life.  As good as the FNC is, there are so few of them available as to make it almost untouchable.  Here in Utah, I've only seen ONE of them.  Out in Virginia, I've only seen one of them.  The first one I saw, the price tag was only 850 bucks.  I passed on it, like a fucking moron.  The second one I saw like a decade later was $2,800.00.  Thank you very much AWB.  The thing is, the FNC is still worth ever penny.  It's not uncommon for folks who take their rifles very seriously to drop 3 grand on an AR or another rifle that the FNC has advantages over.  The FNC is strong, accurate and as reliable as PMS.  Al Pacino's character in Heat made the FNC quite popular for some reason.  Movies do that.  In this case, it's matter of making a truly excellent and under rated weapon a movie star.  If you come across one and can afford it... snatch it up.  If the AWB stays, and there is a very good chance of that, then the FNC will again go up in value.

I'll be back later today to discuss the AR-15 that I would actually spend my own money on... the only problem is that no one builds it.  I'll give you the details this afternoon.

Feb 19th, Thursday, 2004: 2230hrs:   There is a new gun magazine that has just come out.  It’s worth taking a look at.  When I say it’s just come out, I mean they are still working on the second issue… it’s that fresh.  It’s called Concealed Carry Magazine and of course focuses it’s attention on packing handguns.  I think its got a good nitch market going for it as the number of concealed weapon permit holders are on the rise and gun-fear is decreasing (ever so slightly, but it is).  6 issues a year, scrip rate is 40 bucks.  So it’s about what you pay at the news stand for most rags.

You might notice over there on the left that I have even more links to other weblogs.  Reason for this is that I have been checking out all these new blogs and some of them have caught my fancy.  Each one listed has pleased me in one way or another, and I have found them Link Worthy.

1300hrs:  Check this shit out… Last night in one of my classes I am taking on line, I posted a very well written and logical response to a comment about gay rights and Christians “forcing” our morals on the rest of America.  I countered it and showed that statement as not just false, but that the opposite was true.  I just checked the discussion, and someone has deleted my post.   This is pretty much exactly what I expected to happen… I was censored. No one else was… just mine with my politically incorrect conservative views.  Liberals are unable to logically contend with rational debate.  Liberals who are supposed to be the most accepting of “all opinions” are the most intolerant.  Fuck Liberals – I can’t stand them.  (there are a few that are okay – that will debate using (flawed) logic)

In the newspaper today there is a story about an item that was sold in E-bay.  A pair of “Mormon Garments”.  Some idiot paid over 70 bucks for a pair.  This is hilarious.  Do you know what they are?  A pair of cotton boxer-briefs.  There is nothing secret about them or anything.  Nothing all that special about them unless you’re a Mormon.  Here is the kicker… pretty much anyone can buy a pair over the counter for only like 8 bucks.   Over 70 plus shipping.  Idiot.  Why would someone want a pair anyways?  I mean, seriously, unless you’re a Mormon (and not even all Mormons wear them) why would you even care?  Okay, let me back this up.  Mormons have this “special underwear” that we wear after we go to the temple for the first time.  It’s a sacred symbolic thing for us.  It’s just cotton drawers just like Haynes.  There is nothing weird about them.  We call them “garments”.  Now, in case your thinking this is really weird or something… it’s not.  The Jewish faith has pretty much the same thing.  They wear a garment under there clothes too… theirs has these little tassels that hang out and you can see them.  They look like a bit of string or something hanging out.  It’s no big deal.  It’s a tradition of showing faith that goes way back.  Why would someone make a fuss about it?  It really shows that these people have some very small minds… and the fact that this guy dropped like 80 bucks total for some drawers that he could have picked up for only 8 if he wasn’t such an idiot just proves he is an idiot.   Okay – a moment of deeper truth… they are not all cotton.  You can get some made from this silk like stuff… and it’s awesome.  Mmmm… silky….  Note to these idiots:  GET A LIFE!

Speaking of matters of faith.  The Passion of the Christ.  I am looking forward to seeing this film.  I have some things I will be looking for in this movie that I’ll discuss after I see it.  When I get to see it that is.  

1111hrs:  There is a cat here in Utah that is making stainless guide rods for your CZ handguns.  If you don’t have one, you really need to get one if your CZ came with a plastic guide rod, or if you have a CZ-97B with the stock guide rod.  Here is a discussion about them on THR.  My Horde Members will know that I am a huge fan of the CZ line of guns.  I will get a P-01 eventually, and when I do, I’ll be getting one of these guide rods for it, no question about it.  If you have a CZ with plastic – you need one of these.  If you have a stock 97, you need a full length one, and you need to contact Wolff Springs and get the 16 pound spring.  The stock 12 pound is too weak with even warm loads.  And if you get a stronger spring – it will kink without a full length guide rod.  Just letting you know, because this is something I firmly believe… Some folks say it’s fine as it is from the factory.  Sure it is… but if you want to shoot it, you need to get these.

It’s about fucking time… The EU has FINALLY green lighted armed air marshals.  Notice how all the airline security issues have been involving flights coming out of Europe lately?  This is so far past due, it’s not even funny.  It’s about time they started taking this shit seriously. 

What’s all this talk about Republicans and Conservatives of other political flavors not voting for Bush?  Guys, it’s really simple… You have to!  NOT voting for Bush is voting for the Democrats.  This race is going to be very close – and even if you don’t like Bush, how in the hell could you tolerate another Democrat?  You are just making excuses for being lazy.  Right now – TODAY – make sure you are registered to vote and schedule yourself time to go vote on Election Day.  The only thing worse than a Liberal is a complacent conservative.  Because at least the Liberal stands behind their misguided and ignorant convictions by getting out there and doing something.   If you decide not to vote – you have cast your vote.  Am I registered?  You bet I am.

Whoa.  Just finished installing Office 2003.  Very nice!  Very smooth looking.  I like some of the tools better now.  It’s seems to be faster too.  I like it.  Outlook 2003 looks very different… that’s going to take some getting used to, but like I said, I’d give it an honest try, and I will.  It looks impressive as hell so far.  Very "clean" looking.  Wait a second… I have something called “Publisher” now.  Is this like FrontPage or something?  I don’t know yet, but I’ll play with it later and find out.  Thanks, Steve… You are the man.

Early Morning:  Email issues are all worked out now... ogre at mad ogre dot com is running better than ever via email clients and from the web.  They put some new software on it that is pretty cool.  Speaking of coolness  I got a call from a friend who has said that this later version of Outlook is far better than the one I have now... Outlook XP.  So I just finished downloading it and tomorrow I'll give it a shot.  It took over 4 hours to pull down so I hope it's worth it.  The reason it took so long is that this ISP out here in the freaking boondocks is completely shitty.  I had no idea DSL could be so freaking slow.  In all seriousness, Dial up can kick it's ass sometimes.  But at least I don't have to listen to that connection noise you get with modems.  I hate that.  Anyways, out here in the sticks... I'm just lucky to have any connection.    I'll give it an honest try and see how I like it.  I was skeptical about Mozilla Mail and it's become my favorite... so all things are possible.

How many more things can really fall off the space station now?  Is there really anything up there that’s expendable in the first place?  This is pretty scary.  What is this stuff falling off, and why is it falling off?  When you’re in a space station… you really shouldn’t be seeing shit breaking off and floating away.  This is a bad thing.   This brings into question the qualifications of the people actually building the station.  I don’t think they are building things up to code.   The only thing NASA is really qualified to build, is an expense report.  “The object appeared to the crew to resemble a bolt or a turnbuckle bolt, approximately 2 inches long and ½-inch diameter.”  They just lost a bolt?  What the hell?  Get out there with a fucking wrench and start tightening shit up!  Don’t just sit there and speculate on the philosophical ramifications!   Get out there and find what that bolt was connecting and fix it!  Judas priest!   And these are the cats that want to build condos on Mars.  You think it sucks to move into a new place with a minor plumbing problem?

Gun of the Day:  The Gatling Gun. First fielded all the way back in the 1880's, the Gatling gun became quite popular with gun crews... sure they had some issues, but when it was running, boy howdy!  The gatling was the first real rapid-fire type weapon to see any real service in the US... but it's use died out with the Colt 1919... when Browning designed and the Army adopted a real "Machine Gun".  The gatling fell out of favor generally speaking.  And then one day someone hooked an electric motor to it... that's when the magic really started.  Since then, the gatling has become the favorite weapon of anyone needing a seriously huge amount of firepower. Modern gatlings can fire 6,000 rounds per minute and are fed by conveyer belt.  Empty cases are cleared from the weapon's area by snow shovels just to keep the gunner from tripping.  One of the biggest gatlings is the 30MM Avenger Cannon found inside the A-10 Warthog.  The recoil push is so strong from this gun that the plane looses airspeed like someone was hitting the brakes.  This gun is designed to turn Main Battle Tanks into pickle relish - and it's very good at it. There is a ton of stuff about gatling guns out there on the net... but the item I linked to is a bit more interesting.  We have all seen them in action in hundreds of movies... and we have seen the Lords of Chaos who actually own them and shoot them at Knob Creek... but if your a cat like me, owning a gatling is never ever going to happen. So I'm linking to one that we can. Enjoy Ogre's Gun of the Day for less than 25 bucks!   I want one to put over my desk for my birthday... hint hint hint to Mrs. Ogre...

Feb 18th, Wednesday, 2004:  1700hrs:   Email issues are continuing… intermittent server reboots and what not.  They are working on it.  I was able to connect for a bit and download about 75 messages that were mostly spam.  But here is the weird thing.  I cant connect with Mozilla Mail or Eudora… but Outlook connected.  I tried all three, three different times and consistently Outlook allows me to download it, and THEN I get an error.  Web access to the server is just gone.  It’s weird.  But I’m confident that they will get it all straightened out.  I HATE Outlook.  With all the retarded spam coming in, I can’t configure individual filters for all of it and Outlook doesn’t have the automatic spam filtering that Mozilla has.  But Mozilla has a been doing something weird this last couple weeks… it’s not always deleting the email off the server after it pulls it down.  So when I connect again, it disconnects so I have to go in and delete the duplicates.   I don’t get it.  As annoying as that is… it’s still better than Outlook.  Wait a second… now Outlook isn’t even connecting.  Shit.

Had a test today about Egyptian history again today.  I did pretty good save for one question that was based on information from the one information source that I missed… out of the 800 different ones that you have to stay on top of.  I have no idea where that question was covered.  I’ve looked in all the sources but can’t find anything on it.  I have to admit, I hate this class.  Its so disorganized and helter skelter it drives me nuts.  I have another class that pisses me slam the fuck off too… the instructor there is just simply incompetent.   This is the thing about college – the add drop window is way too short.  And it’s during that window that they are all really nice so you don’t drop the class.  It’s only after that window shuts that you find out that the teacher is a serious combat boot wearing dyke that needs a good beating.   *Breathing Deeply… counting to 10*   But I am a peaceful fellow for the most part and I am going to have to write another letter to the dean.   How am I finding all the shitty classes?  No, I’m not alone in my opinion.  When ¾ the class all agree it’s fucked up – you know there is a problem beyond the opinion of one student.

So Howling Howard is now officially out of the race.  You can’t say it was because of the I had a scream speech… but it’s funny that Al Gore started doing that do.  If they think that is what it takes to motivate the voters they are wrong.  Not all voters are Wrestling Fans.  I didn’t mention Clark’s dropping out because his job was simply to help undercut Dean.  Now Kerry’s poll numbers are dropping fast… So out in New York you have a couple Clintons wringing there hands and grinning like Mr Burns.  “Excellent”.  The whole idea was to put up a dog and pony show but to allow Bush to win… so it's Hillary in 2008 with nothing stopping her.  She doesn’t want to be VP.  If she did become VP I’d have to be the POTUS… I’d have to get food tasters and someone else to start my cars for me.  Because people around that biatch end up six feet under.  She would be the world’s scariest person… she almost is already.   Where is Brutus when you need him?

Email from Chris Muir, author of Day by Day:  “Thanks, G.H.! Man, I have gotten a buttload of traffic from your site, you must be connected out the wazoo!  Really appreciate your recommendation of DBD.  Later, Chris”   No problem… Just put me in one of your comics… have Damon sitting a his computer and Jan comes up and asks what he’s reading, and Damon says “MadOgre.com… Since you’re a Liberal, you wouldn’t like it.”  Then she can say something witty and then leaves.  Next cell have Jan reading it and thinking to herself…”Man… I should get a gun like that one.”  Then have Damon Zed talking and Damon asks Zed if he has read MadOgre.com and Zed just lifts up his shirt and he’s wearing an Ogre shirt with a Shoulder Holster under his sweater… and Damon says “Yeah, you’ve read it.”   Or something to that effect.  That would be sweet.  Kidding… No, it’s my honor… You have the best comic on the net!

Britney Spears has gone Christian?  I doubt it. “Troubled pop beauty Britney Spears has turned to Christianity to help solve her problems - on her father Jamie's insistence. The 22-year-old Me Against The Music singer has caused her close-knit family much anguish over the last few months, after marrying childhood pal Jason Alexander in Las Vegas and being repeatedly photographed drunk and smoking.”  Right.  What the hell is she wearing?  A.  That hat is retarded.  B. That coat is retarded.  C.  She isn’t that cute anymore.  D.  She needs to pull her damn pants up.  She’s just an attention whore.  She can’t sing, she can’t dance, she has no talent, and her looks are fading fast.  10 bucks says she’ll be in playboy doing a spread inside 3 years.

Early AM: Gun of the Day:  Today we have a pistol... the mighty 1911.  We are getting very close to the 100th anniversary of the 1911 .45.  Just next year marks the 100th year of the famous Army tests where Browning's .45 Auto was put through the ringer.  Since 1911, the year of it's official adoption, this big automatic handgun, affectionately known as "Old Slab Sides", has served this country with an impeccable track record.  During the 80's it was replaced by the Beretta 92, but the 1911 never fully went away.  Many units still have 1911's in the armories, and for some reason, a 1911 has always remained a in service.  I carried one in the Infantry, and while Working with the 19th SF Group in the early 90's I was issued yet another 1911 by the SF.  Look at the photos of the soldiers that captured Saddam... the Officer in the center of the picture has a 1911 in his holster.  The US Marines have officially adopted a 1911 as the official gun for the Marine SOCOM guys.  I can not see any time in the future where the 1911 will finally by put to the pasture.  The only gun that I know of that has seen such a long history of continues service is England's Brown Bess!  This longevity is a testimony of excellence of John Moses Browning's design.  Since the 1911 came out, there have been a lot of new and different designs... But there has yet to be a better gun made.  The gun pictured is the new Springfield GI 1911A1.  This gun is a reproduction of the 1911's our GI's carried during WWII.  No other automatic has such a rich history of continued service.  (Although one comes close, the Model 1935 Browning High Power... but how can you call a 9MM high powered?)  Springfield's GI 1911A1 looks just like the 1911's that I carried, but since they are new, they look a lot fresher!  The Guns of the Day have so far all been rifles... Fitting that the first handgun honored is the 1911.

Feb 17th, Tuesday, 2004:  2230hrs: Having some email issues… I am unable to get my emails or connect to the server through the admin tools.  I’m getting an error message that says simply “The remote procedure call failed.”  Not sure what is up with that.  I think.  Sent email to my Host and we will see if this comes back up shortly.  So if I don’t respond for awhile… now you know.  Alternate email is madogremad at yahoo dot com, in case you need to reach me with something important.  Funny how many MadOgre@yahoo.com type emails there are… like even madogre45@yahoo.com or madogremobile@yahoo.com... And what not.  Why are so many people taking on the name of madogre?  Fucking wannabes.  Oh well.  Some of those were my accounts that I didn’t use in over 6 months so they got rolled back to being up for grabs… and someone grabbed them.  Weird. 

I want one of these! You know the Predator UAV that the military uses?  Do you want one?  You can get one… It’s a smaller clone of the Predator with a camera in the nose and everything.  This would be awesome for patrol work on the border… or around the ranch… or for search and rescue work… or for selling aerial photos of local car dealerships (How come every car dealership I’ve ever been in has an aerial photo?) or for checking out what’s on the other side of the fence at Area-51.   This is so cool.  I love anything having to do with aviation.  Now, if we can just get really small and working Maverick AGM’s for it….

The Kolkata Libertarian is a new blog on my list.  He has a very excellent selection for a SHTF rifle.  Very good choice.  Such an astute selection deserves more attention for his blog.  Check it out if you haven't already. 

1600hrs:  Looks like Howard Dean has just lost has paddle.   This is interesting… I wonder why these records were sealed to begin with.  What is Dean trying to hide?  We shall soon find out.   As interesting as these records may be, the ones I want to read are Ex-General Clark’s. 

Email of Dissent:  “I read you article on "why the AR-15 sucks" and I must admit I must disagree. I have taken the M-16A2 into two wars now (Desert Storm and OEF/OIF), through some pretty miserable conditions and I never once had a jam. I do not know how many rounds I put through my weapon but it was in the hundreds, maybe a thousand. I found the the green tip round to be very reliable. The rifle, to be sure, is a precision weapon, machined to fine tolerances. But it is also a damn accurate one as well. The AK may be looser and a little more tolerable to dirt but it is not accurate worth a damn. I punched quite a number of tickets with mine.  Like any weapon, it must be kept clean, especially in the desert. But any soldier worth his salt will maintain his weapon to the best of his ablility. People that had problems with jams were the ones that did not clean it at least every other day and did not wipe it down after a firefight or sandstorm. Shame on them.  The 5.56 round is a good round. Would I like to see a heavier round come along? Maybe. The 62 gr penetrator bullet is light but it is still devastating. I nearly took an Iraqi soldier's left arm clean off at about 75 meters when I hit him mid bicep. The only thing that was holding it on was skin.  – SM”   Okay.  Thanks for the email and for your service. 
Notice in the above email the “It works if it’s clean” argument… and also the placing blame on the user.   I mentioned this in the article… and here is one example of such an email.  I am not going to question SM’s service… I am not a Democrat.  If he never had a jam… he never had a jam.  He is what you call a “Lucky Grunt”.   However I get A LOT of emails from cats from all 5 sides of the Pentagon who were not so lucky.  Yes, I’ve even had emails from Coasties… who all seem to favor the pump shotgun and for the type of work they did, I do not disagree.  This email from SM is interesting… he seems okay that others had jams and it was their fault.  If I am depending on the guy next to me to help me out in a firefight… I would have a huge problem if he was armed with a rifle that is prone to failures because it was he didn’t clean it.  Since I am not one to oversee another guy’s weapon hygiene (or personal for that matter… just as long as I don’t smell any funky BO) and I am not going to clean his rifle for him… I’d rather he be armed with a weapon like an AK that is a LOT more reliable even in dirty conditions.  I would rather be armed with the same weapon too.  “Not accurate worth a damn”  Interesting.  Methinks SM hasn’t fired very many rifles that didn’t have peep sites.  If you know how to shoot them… they are plenty accurate.  As if anyone in a combat situation is going to be shooting and measuring shot groups. 

Kerry voted FOR the Patriot Act, but now says he is against it?  What?  Figures.  Fucking Liberal.  I guess you just can’t trust a lying piece of shit these days.  I’m getting a lot of emails about Kerry today… Not one of them have anything nice to say about him.  Where do these Democrats dig up these shitbags?  Kerry is so revolting even a Dung Beatle wouldn’t roll him.

My favorite cartoon strip is ready for prime time.  “Day by Day” by Chris Muir.  If you are not reading Day by Day, you are missing out.  It’s good stuff.  Smart, and with a really cool artistic style that no one has.  Check it out, and give Chris a hand.  

1000hrs:  Email in from Horde Member Bryan:  “Hi Ogre,  About the issue with S&W / Mr... Minder.  1. It is S&W after all. So screw 'em. These guys knuckled under to pressure, they will do it again. 2. Who cares what people say. This country was founded by a bunch of rag-tag "lower class" of the British Majesty's. And we are the rebellious, hard headed, louts they make us out to be. So again screw 'em.  3. As for Mr. Minder personally. He is an aberration. The vast majority going into prison aren't "rehabilitated", they are "hardened". If this guy was a bank robber in the 50's and 60's and had the guts to actually admit to his past crimes, and he hasn't even been accused of spitting on the sidewalk since then I say Bully to that!!    These are the kind of people that we should stand behind, we are after all, all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. It's the self righteous leftist types that "see" therefore their sin remains. Heaven is for bad guys. They are the "leftist good guys" and they can deal with their sins between themselves and the Lord at the Judgment. We'll see how it goes then. Laws were never made to declare a person righteous, only to incarcerate. – Bryan.”  You make some good points, Bryan… Email of the Day.  Normally I would say “Yeah, we should stand behind this guy.”  I have a late friend who died a couple years ago… he was a bank robber… big scary guy with jailhouse tats and missing teeth… looking like something out of a biker movie.  He rehabilitated to and he had a heart of pure gold.  He went to church every Sunday and greeted people at the door as they came in.  He was married to a friend of my in-law family… a very wonderful lady.   This guy even worked for me.  I trusted him.  I had no problem with him and would back him up to the ends of the earth.   Jesus said a person can change, and he was right, as usual.  However Mr. Minder’s case is different.  There are federal laws against ex felons with firearms, and here you have a bank robber… not just a guy busted for tax fraud… but for bank robbery… sitting at the head chair of what was the largest gunmaker in the US.  A company that is rife with controversy already thanks to “The Agreement” and now this “in your face” .500 Magnum” that has yanked the chains of the Anti-Gun crowd big time.  If this was to have come from Ruger or Colt or Winchester – that would be something… but no… it’s more bad news from S&W… the gun industry’s problem child.   And to make matters worse, this has happened in an election year and when the AWB is a big issue.   I might say “Scroo’m” but that’s just me… Unfortunately this is going to cause some major ripples in the waters.  Or worse.  How can the Gun Lobbyists say that the industry is responsible and self regulating when we have a fucking Bank Robber running one of the companies?  The repercussions are not going to be just political here… they are going to be Legal!   Look at all the lawsuits sitting on the gun industry already for liability against guns used in crimes.  Our defense as been “The Industry is Responsible”…   This case has fucking blown that right out of the water!    At during a time when it could be the most damaging against us.    Nothing like a torpedo in the stern from one of our own.

Email in from a Film Student and new Horde Member:  “Mr. Hill,  I came across your site searching for info on the type of guns used in the matrix. I myself am working on a take of the Matrix as a student film project...with limited budget of course. We were hoping you'd be able to give us a little opinion on one thing. We are using prop guns for our film, which fire blanks, work, look, sound, and fire like the real things (these aren't cheap airsoft imitations). I do agree with you that the 92F is one sexy gun (I'm also former air force myself, used berettas, loved them, hated that piece of shit M16, thanks for writing shit about it) and we do plan on using a couple of those babies. As per the agents, we can't seem to find any Desert Eagle props, no one really makes them. So what kind of replacement could we use to give that same impact and look that they had int he original film. We want big, mean, scary, and good looking. If you'd like, this is the link to the place we want to buy our guns. Your opinion would be greatly appreciated sir, and I'll be sure to mention your name in the thank you list (which so far is pretty huge).  Thank you, Alex”  These new Airsoft guns from Japan... they look real.  Let me say that again... The look REAL.  I looked at a photo with a bunch of SIG handguns... one of them was an Airsoft.  I couldn't tell which one.  You can only tell by looking at the muzzle.   So you could use these with no problem and just digitally alter the muzzle to remove the airsoft inner barrel, and then add some muzzle flash.
There is something you need to watch...   Go get the "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" and watch the special features "10 Minute Film School"  This is right up your ally with what you are wanting to do.  I think it could help you out a lot.   About the gun... You want something big and dark and menacing.  I don't see anything like that on your list of options there.  A SIG P220 or CZ-97B or an HK USP .45 would do the trick.  You want a least a .45 caliber gun - so you have that "big black hole" in the muzzle that will look good on the screen.  Shouldn't be shiny... but it could have polished highlights to add a sinister gleam.  Whatever it does, it's gotta look good in the hands of the actor.  That's the most important thing... even more important than technical details... as long as you have a weapon appropriate for the character, and it looks good to the camera - then you got it made.

Is Kerry all bad?  No… I agree with Kerry on 2 important issues.  Kerry wants to put more patrols around our borders… and he is opposed to the Patriot Act.   However I do not like anything else he wants to do.  I don’t like Kerry as a human, I don’t like Kerry as an American… While he might protect the borders, he would flush everything else within the borders right down the toilet.  I don’t care what Kerry did in Vietnam, because everything he did afterwards voided his service.  I recent saw a political cartoon showing two uniformed chests… One with metals and the name Kerry and the other with one metal that said National Guard and a nametag that said Bush.  Funny… I thought Kerry threw his metals at the whitehouse.  So he doesn’t have any.  Wait… he threw someone else metals?  I want to know who’s metals he threw.  Old interviews have him saying they were his, and recent interviews say they were someone else’s.  So which is it?  Kerry if anything else is a lying sack of shit.  I don’t like him.  Two positive positions on the issues is not enough to get past everything else.  Just like Bush’s position supporting the AWB isn’t enough of a reason to vote against him.  (But it’s pretty damn close)  

Way too early in the morning:   Smith & Wesson’s Chairman is an ex-felon bank robber.  Oh this is just fricken WONDERFUL news.  Not just for S&W, but for the entire gun industry!  I am shocked and disgusted.  This slaps the entire Second Amendment… no… this is a kick in the nuts.  The Liberals are going to be doing fucking backflips over this and turn this into another Enron.  They are going to call it “Gunron”, you just watch.  Shit, Damn, Hell!

Gun of the day:  The Brown Bess musket.  In its day, the Brown Bess with the ultimate fighting gun.  It was about  .75 caliber and slightly overbored to allow the ball to be easily and quickly seated over the charge, this allowed the soldier to reload faster than his enemy and thus enjoy a greater volume of fire.  Speaking of volumes, that is exactly how this gun was fired… in volleys of rolling fire with the help of about 20 to 50 or so of your buddies firing with you.  It was accurate only in the sense that it could hit a man at 100 yards… but when your firing a bunch at a time, this was not so much a concern.  The strength of the Brown Bess was in its, well, strength.  With the bayonet fixed a soldier so armed was a formidable foe… Mel Gibson aside.  Bess had a good long range with it’s pointy end and the other end could deliver a skull shattering butt-stroke.  Being able to fire only one shot at a time was not such a shortcoming as it seemed in it’s day.  You marched up to the enemy while they marched at you… when you were close enough, you would fire upon order one or two times… and then have at each other.  Get the image of the powdered snobbish British out of your head and think about the shear brutality given such warfare.   Before America became America, this was the gun that was the cutting edge.  So much so it served England for over a hundred years… from about 1700 to about 1815.  However once the Colonials were pretty much left on their own in America… the American spirit was born and we started making our own guns… and improving upon the design.  We soon had our famous Rifles, and in the hands of those that practiced using them to put food on the table… those poor Brits had no chance.  We trumped there cutting edge with our own.  I think it would be very ignorant to say that the “Second Amendment was about Muskets” when we had just used continuing firearms development to win our very freedom.  The Founding Fathers knew guns would keep getting better and better… after all… they were all gun owners themselves.  The Second Amendment is about private gun ownership… and about fighting… and about using the latest and best arms available… the cutting edge… Because that is how we won our nation’s freedom.  It’s this memory that makes the Brown Bess Ogre’s Gun of the Day.

Feb 16th, Monday, 2004:  1320hrs: No, I didn’t check the mail box Saturday.  Thank you for the astute observation that today is a holiday and no mail is delivered…  Yes… thank you.  I didn’t check the mail Saturday because I was occupied with other matters. So excuse me for not checking my mail box daily.  That's how my issue of SWAT "arrived" today.  Hell, it could have arrived Friday and sat in the box waiting for me.  Is this really important to know?  No, it's not.  But some of the horde were unable to figure this out.  

Email from a reader who needs a hand:  “Ok, i saw romeo and juliet on valentimes day with my girlfriend and i couldnt get over how sweet those berettas look.  Ive been looking all over the internet for the past few days and i can't find jack shit about these guns or any pics. I could only come across a few shitty quality partly obscured ones, I couldnt believe it...but i did come across your site and i found myself reading it for a couple of hours.  I read the write up you had just recently and i figured if anyone had some good quality pics of these guns or could get some it would be you.  I am really interested in the picture where mercutio drops his gun in the sand to go and defend romeo, i cant find anything.  If there is any way that you can get me some pics and if they are more than 1MB email them to skewlnu@shaw.ca if they are less than 1MB you can just reply.  Thanks alot.  Matija.  Your site rocks!”   Thanks for the email.  I am really not understanding what the thing is here with these pistols from Romeo and Juliet.  These guns were “designed” by the freaking costume mistress… yet I get at least one email a week about these things.  Nickel plated Beretta 92’s, with some paint on the slide that says “Sword 9MM” on the side… partially clever.  Or maybe it’s the painted grips… or the family crests hot glued to the magazine baseplate. 

Election Projections.  Kerry might be all over the news, but he isn’t all over the country.  You gotta read this 21 reasons why Bush will win.   

1130hrs:  Remember the Springfield M1A Scout Squad rifle?  It was my Gun of the Day just the other day… Well, I just this morning I got my newest issue of SWAT magazine and in it is a review of Springfield’s newest M1A rifle, the SOCOM.  What it is, is simply the M1A Scout chopped and channeled down to 16 inches.  Now this might not be such a big deal… until you see it.  This is the M1A that I have got to have.  I have a thing about short carbine length rifles.  And 16 inches on an M1A is just orgasmic.  Not all think so… but I sure as hell do.  Here is a discussion about it on THR.  I didn’t even hear about it until I read the thread… then ran out to the mailbox to see if my issue arrived. 

SWAT Magazine is seriously the best gun magazine out there.  This issue has articles about this M1A, the FAL (well, a DSA clone), and AR-10.  So if you’re into semi-auto .308 rifles, your missing out if you don’t’ get SWAT.   You should get it.  Seriously.  If you get Guns and Weapons for Law Enforcement or Combat Handguns or Guns and Ammo… you are getting the wrong magazine.  Drop those scrips and pick up SWAT.

Email in from one of the Horde’s Silent Servicemen about the M1A:  “I was on two different submarines from 1995-1999, and on both we had M-16s, 1911's on the first boat and Berettas on the second, and a couple of shotguns.  Not sure why this was the way it is, but I think it had something to do with money.  And I got to shoot once in the 8 years I was in, to qualify for a watch I never had to stand. I have an M-1A ( Norinco, unfortunately) and a couple of Garands ( one a National Match),  and I have shot the AR some too.  I have to say I prefer even the chinese knock off M-1A to the AR. Easier to clean, more wallop, and I can shoot both with equal accuracy from any non-sand bag or rest position.” Thanks for the email. 

0200hrs:  Lies and the Lying Liars that Lie them… If Bush is a Liar – then who are these guys?
"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line."  - President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998
"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."  - President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998  
Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face." - Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998  
"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten time since 1983."  - Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18,1998  
"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs."  - Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI), Tom Daschle (D-SD), John Kerry( D - MA), and others Oct. 9,1998
"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."  - Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998  
"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."  - Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999  
"There is no doubt that ... Saddam Hussein has invigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." - Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others,  December 5, 2001
"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandated of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them."  - Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002  
"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."  - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002  
"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."  - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002  
"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." > - Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002  
"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..."  - Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002  
"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force-- if necessary-- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security."  - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9,2002  
"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."- Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002  
"He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do"  - Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002
"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members.. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."  - Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002  
"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." > - Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002
"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction > ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real"  - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003

SO NOW THESE SAME DEMOCRATS SAY PRESIDENT BUSH LIED--THAT THERE NEVER WERE ANY WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND HE TOOK US TO WAR UNNECESSARILY!  I CALL BULLSHIT ON THESE FUCKNOZZLES!

Feeling funky?  Need a shower?  Well, you will after reading this.  After you change the shower curtain that is.  That’s nasty.  My shower has a glass door on it… I’m hitting it with bleach before I get into it again.  I think I am going to be ill.

Hundreds of gay’s rushing to San Francisco!  Uh… okay… In other news hundred of fat people waddling quickly to McDonalds!   

So that photo you guys have been sending me… the one with John Kerry and Jane Fonda… turns out it’s a fake.  This is no big deal.  Just means they didn’t sit that close together or something.  She is still vile and disgusting, and he is still, well, vile and disgusting too.  So this means nothing… doesn’t change anything.  Just means they were not disgusting together.  BTW, that link to the Kerry story… Bill Clinton had better taste.  Monica is much cuter than this new tart.

Bush was at the Daytona 500.  That’s pretty cool.  Getting in touch with the NASCAR crowd… good move.  Most of them are conservatives.  But if he wants to please them even more he can lighten up on the Gun Control Bullshit and make the AWB go away… THAT is what would make us the happiest.  Not that I am including myself in the NASCAR “us”.  I don’t really groove on NASCAR… I don’t like Round Track racing.  I don’t like Straight Line racing either.  I like Formula One, Road, and especially Rally.  Rally is where it’s at.  I’d like to see Jeff Gordon negotiate a pendulum turn.

Gun Of The Day:  The FN FAL.  Manufactured in 10 different nations.  Used by over 90 different nations… other than the AK-47 and the M-16, the FAL is the other rifle in the Top Three most popular rifles around the world.  7.62MM Nato, or good old .308 back home, it packs a lot of punch… especially with feeding from stout 20 round mags.  Utterly reliable, gas system that is adjustable, easy to take down to clean, accurate at extended ranges where the M-16 hits like a pellet gun… it’s rock solid.  If there is any downside to the FAL, it’s a little ugly and the ergonomics which are a little poor and the rear sight which is a little crude.  Fully useable and rugged, it’s not meant for the delicate world of the paper punching target range like an AR-15 thrives in… You can break open the action and pull out the bolt in under 2 seconds… You can clean the bolt in about a 30 seconds, and run a bore brush through it… slap it back together and presto… you just cleaned your rifle in the field in 1 minute… Sure beats the hell out of the M-16 in that regard.  In the other 59 minute the FAL Firing Soldier has to spare… he can do some other things…  Sleep.  Eat.  Improve his camo or his position… or he could out flank the guy with the M-16 that’s in a million pieces.  This gun is a fighter.  This gun is a battle rifle to the core.  One of the world’s best.  This is why the FAL is the MadOgre.com gun of the Day.

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