May 11th, Tuesday, 2004:  1900hrs:  Another KLR 650 vote: “I've had mine for three years now and I would highly recommend it.  There really isn't anything like it available in the North American market.  In Europe, all the Japanese manufacturers offer mid-sized enduro bikes but not over here. The KLR650 is the perfect big enough, little bike or handy, big bike.  The engine is very quiet and discreet and you won't attract disdainful stares when going a little bit above the speed limit. It is ideal for city traffic.  Remember, even though you only paid 5 grand for it, you will still accelerate faster than 99.9% of the cars on the road! – Yellowknife”  The only downside that the KLR has it’s that the engine is only a 650.  Pretty much my minimal engine size is a 750CCs and this one is smaller at about a 20 horsepower deficit.  Admittedly, with this type of bike I’m not going to be roosting out of corners with scraped knees like how I used to ride – Oh geeze, just wait till my pops reads that!  There are things that can be done to increase the power a bit, but they don’t really seem to be all that worth the effort.  Lots of money out for a little bit of gain at the cost of fuel economy and increased noise.  I’d keep mine stock for the most part engine wise.  The only thing I’d really do to it would be a Corbin seat and the military tank.  I looked up the scoop on the diesel military bike for civilians and that project is shelved.  It seems that putting such a bike together for public sale is very expensive thanks to government regulations and requirements and the company can’t swing it yet.  That’s too bad, because that would be very tempting for me to get.  A bit less power but twice the range… very tempting.

Email about girls in the U.P.:  “After reading Commander Kupari's letter, I felt I had to defend the honor of Marquette (and UP, for that matter) women.  I don't live there now, but grew up in the UP and lived in Marquette for several years.  Yes, it is cold in the winter and there certainly are some "snow cows."  That being said, there are plenty of very attractive, classy women.  Some do wear flannel, but the UP is fairly rural and I am sure this compares to any other rural area in the country.  I have never been to Utah, so I don't know about the women there.  My family still has property in the UP, so if you want to visit, contact me.  Children dressing in a provocative manner is something that I have a tough time with.  Why do they make clothes like this and why do parents buy them?  I realize that older kids can buy (or shoplift) them and parents might never know.  My sister used to change her clothes once she got to school and my parents never had a clue.  Of course, this was back in the 80's, when things were way tamer than now.  The other day my wife and I were looking for a swim suit for our daughter.  She is 18 months old.  We found a skimpy bikini!  WTF, why does a toddler need to look sexy. - Steve”  I lived in northern Wisconsin myself for a while...  A few snow cows?  Dude! A herd is not a few!

A U.P. girl goes to social services to register for support benefits.
"How many children?" asks the council worker.
"10" replies the U.P. girl.
"10???" says the council worker.. "What are their names?"
"Wayne, Wayne, Wayne, Wayne, Wayne, Wayne, Wayne, Wayne, Wayne and Wayne."
"Doesn't that get confusing?"
"Naah..." says the U.P. girl "its great because if they are out playing in the street I just have to shout WAAYNE, YER DINNER'S READY or WAAYNE GO TO BED NOW and they all do it..."
"What if you want to speak to one individually?" says the perturbed council worker.
"That's easy," says the girl... "I just use their surnames".

U.P. Girl enters a sex shop & asks for a vibrator.  The man says "Choose from our range on the wall."
She says "I'll take the red one."
The man replies "That's a fire extinguisher."

A U.P. girl was driving down the I-75 when her car phone rang. It was her boyfriend, urgently warning her, "Trish, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on the I-75. Please be careful!"
"It's not just one car!" said the U.P. girl, "There's hundreds of them!"

Best take on Evanescence: “Singer Amy Lee pounced and posed like a militant vampire at a Beetlejuice wedding, with her jet-black hair tail, and ballet moves sliding out of weird pants.” That pretty much covers it.  Haven’t been to a concert in some time, wouldn’t mind one of these.

1400hrs: Terrorists do another beheading in Iraq.  They say this was done in retaliation to the prisoner abuse crap.  I think they would have beheaded him anyways, just because they are evil sons of bitches and need to be shot.  I am angry over this incident, but I am not surprised.  They murdered thousands of innocent Americans on September 11^th, 2001… this fellow is just another one.  These people… these horrible people… they do not deserve the help we are trying to give them.  They do not deserve the sacrifices we are making for them.  These terrorists now get to enjoy unbound freedom, clean running water and electricity.  Fuck these people.  All of them.  We should blow up all the water purification plants, power plants, relay stations, phone centers, cellular stations, radio stations, and anything else that transmits electrons.  It has been American lives and money spent putting them together… fuck them.  If they keep wanting to kill us, then they don’t deserve any of it.  Why should they be allowed to enjoy the fruits of our sacrifice?  Let’s just “take it back”, not let them have it, pull our boys back to Israel and Kuwait and let these guys have a stone age Iraq.  Fuck them. 

At the same time, let’s not forget other nations in the region.  Libya wants a hug from us.  If they really and truly want to build up a relationship – let’s show Iraq what they could have had and build up Libya properly.  Make Libya a powerhouse in the region.  All the money and effort that was going to go to Iraq – goes to Libya – because Libya has renounced terrorism, made amends, and is seeking forgiveness.  Iraq can kiss my ass.  If I was president Bush right now… I’d give them a MOAB hail storm right about now.

Kerry Warns Opponents Not to Attack His Wife.  Well why the hell not?  First Lady Hillary Clinton, if she has any white house legacy, proved that you elect the Wife too.  She should be just as willing to face public scrutiny as the man she married and is supporting in his campaign.  Lets see, she has SUVs and was a registered Republican… Can they make HER the candidate instead?  It would be awesome if she just picked up a mic at some press conference and let it all out Dennis Leary style… “Yeah, I have an SUV, I have four SUV’s… and I LOVE them!  They are huge, powerful, and suck so much gas, I have an Exxon Tanker docking out back just to pump my gas!  And I eat STEAK too!  Medium rare!  I love it!  So what!  And I even have some handguns too!”   That would be too cool.  Of course being a Democrat now means that she can have and enjoy all these things, she just can’t talk about it in public.  Do these people have a son?  Cause it just might come down to it that it’s the rebellious teenage son that has all the SUV’s and eats all the steaks. 

I don’t get it… what is wrong with an SUV anyways?  Out here, all the doctors have SUV’s… soccer moms drive Tahoe’s and Suburbans and quad cab Silverado’s and F-250s… 16 year old girls are rolling in Toyota Tundras… Hell, I had to buy a full sized Bronco just to see past the other traffic!

Just got in two things yesterday that are worth note.  One is the layout of my Detonics article for Concealed Carry Magazine.  I am, again, totally impressed.  The last issue was one of those that you will want to keep around for a long time.  Solid articles that you don’t want to just skim through.  These are the ones that make you want to sit down in a nice overstuffed chair and study.    This next issue is going to be more of that.  I remember some time ago when I first heard about CCM.  My thought was “That rag had best be golden”.   I am happy to report that indeed it is.  It’s not glitzy like American Handgunner or trivial like Guns and Ammo, it’s stuffed with content that you can actually sink your teeth into.  You can actually READ it.  This isn’t a magazine you are going to leave on top of the toilet tank in the bathroom for light skimming.   The other thing that arrived yesterday was the new issue of SWAT. Three things in this magazine really sparked my interest.  #1 was the article by Leroy Thompson (One of my favorite gun writers… How in the hell does he get a hold of all that hardware?) regarding the classic SMG, the UZI.  So for all those that scoffed at my favoring the Uzi – HA!  (I’d like to see him do a review of the Beretta M12, which he probably has behind his headboard in his bedroom… with a Gem Tech suppressor attached… the magnificent bastard) #2 is an article about one of the military’s new toys, a new fast attack vehicle… one that makes the cats on Rat Patrol kick their jeeps and throw down their hats.  It’s a serious off road monster.  My only question is where can we get one without having to join up again?  #3, and this one is the biggest.  Thunder Ranch’s Old Rifle Course.  This is something that really peaked my interest for some reason.  When they say old rifle, they really mean old rifles… no AK-47s… no AR-15s.  Metal and Wood.  Nothing after 1950.  This is the rifle course that everyone should attend.  Unfortunately there is like only one class left because Thunder Ranch is closing!  I didn’t know they even offered such a class, and now I find out about it – it’s all over!   DAMNITALL!  I really hope that Clint Smith, when he moves to Oregon, offers such a course again.  I would also like to hope that maybe Gunsite would offer such a course.  1903 Springfields, M1 Garands, Winchesters and Krags and Carbines… beautiful.  This sounds like a Kim du Toit class right there.   BTW, these two magazines are the only ones I’m getting.  American Handjob and the others… no way.  If they reviewed a Hi Point, they would make it sound like it was an H&K. 

Oh, another thing SWAT covered was the Zylon issue.  Quick recap, lots of joints that make body armor started using some shit called Zylon.  After a while it was discovered that Zylon breaks down really fast with heat and humidity… like what you get when you wear it on your body.  One cop was killed wearing a Zylon vest… another wounded.  9MM and .40 caliber pistols respectively.  Here is the clutch though… the industry knew Zylon would fail.  Yet they still sold the vests.  Vests are typically good for 5 years.  Both of these failed vests were under 1 year.  One at only 7 months.  This has shaken the body armor industry to the core.  Even my beloved Safariland made vests from Zylon.  When I first heard of this – I was furious.  I still am.  Many cops out there have to buy their own equipment… so they work hard to save up the cash to buy a vest.  Or maybe a loved one buys it for them – thinking it will protect them when in fact that this false since of security could have been putting them in greater jeopardy!   Second Chance is the biggest culprit, but the others are guilty of this as well.  Only a couple makers took responsibility over this.

Speaking of Hi Point pistols, I was asked my take on them yesterday.  I hate them.  If I was broke and needed a handgun, the Hi Point would still be the last gun I would buy.  They are huge pistols for the given calibers, straight blow backs.  They are fitting for occasions where you hide the gun and don’t have to carry it or be seen with it.  Even for that little bit of money there are better options out there:  The Makarov, the CZ-52, the Tokarov.  Take your pick.  The ammo is cheaper too.

May 10th, Monday, 2004:  1700hrs:  What I want to know is why the fuck would a vehicle maker design a part that needs to be replaced occasionally and put it into a spot that requires a fucking CUTTING TORCH to get to?  I knew these things needed to be replaced… so I looked up the parts and found sets for 13 bucks to 20 bucks.  So when they quoted me 50 bucks for the radius arm bushings and another 75 bucks to install them, I was thinking screw these guys, they are up in the night!  So I a come home, recheck the prices to see if they have gone up like oil priced or something… and then I looked up the procedure because it looks to be only a few bolts and your done, right?  Nope.  Cutting torches… WTF was Ford thinking when they put the truck together like that?   This is worse than AMC’s attaching everything onto the damn water pump.  (I’m not kidding either… all the pulleys and accessories and radio and rear bumper)  I swear, they make shit like this complicated and difficult on purpose, don’t they?  I’m not about to take a cutting torch to the underside of my truck and cut on my frame… fuck that.  Not even close to happening.  I’ll have to buy the bushings and then give it to them so they can install them… at least there is no computer or sensors under there.  For that, I am eternally grateful.  Well, at least with the bearings and alignment done, I am rolling much better.  I had 1.9 degrees toe in that was acting like breaks and eating my front tires… I had to wait until I had some funds to fix it.  Thankfully someone wanted the Subaru and offered enough to get this fixed along with some other problems that I need done.  Such as I am leaking oil and tranny fluid like a fishnet.  I’m missing a number of bolts underneath it all too… and that is bothersome.  I’m having my shop fix it Wednesday.  I was supposed to of had it done today, but the bearing work took too long.  Some things I like to fix myself… other things I like professionals to do.  Pretty much after this is done, there goes my Makarov I was going to buy.  Oh well, this is much more important… I need working vehicles.  The upside is that the old silver Cherokee is once again running as good as new.  Still leaking power steering fluid and oil, but it always as and that’s normal for it.  These 2.5 AMC 4 bangers have a really shitting valve cover that cracks and leaks and the only thing you can do it to replace it with an all metal one.  Such covers are a spendy luxury.  What I am going to do tonight is take the cover off, and replace the gasket with some Permatex black silicone adhesive shit.  That should do it nicely.  If it doesn’t seal it, it couldn’t be any worse than what I have going on right now.  What I would really like to do is to also replace the power steering box and that should pretty much end my leaks under the hood.  Then I could give it a total degreasing.  I degreased it this Saturday, and it cleaned up nicely, but It’s not completely done since the valve cover is still leaking so there was no point in doing it totally thorough.  I’m also going to through in a 160 degree thermostat like what I had in it before… cooling problems will vanish.  The only downside to that is that the engine never fully warms up.  This is okay with me considering that I don’t want this old engine getting really hot again anyway.  BTW, most of the work on the Cherokee I’ve done myself, Bronco too… save for critical parts and things I can get to… or things I need a damn cutting torch to do… cutting torch… WTF…

Writer’s Block.  As I have mentioned before I am working on a story and I have run head on into writer’s block.  It’s been going well for some time and then *BAM* – I hit that wall.  I have no inspiration left… no direction… no ideas… not even the enthusiasm that I had for the initial story line.  Please, no advice.  I’ve heard it all before and have tried banging through it, but I feel like a US Army Stryker vehicle in 4 feet of mud.  Stuck.  To quote Owl, I’m a “wedged Ogre”.    With articles and essays, overcoming this is easy.  When you are working on a book… Damn it.  I have one certain part I am trying to develop and work through… The character in this case is a Mexican soldier, an NCO, who is riding leading a small group of cavalry against some Texans.  Setting is shortly before the Alamo event, but I’m not going to the Alamo.  Anyways… That’s where I am at and what I am doing… and where I am stuck.      I think what I am going to do is bypass this whole section and come back to it later.  I’m not writing it in a linear fashion… but I would still like to get this part done as that is what I want to send to the publishers for review.   *sigh*

Music email from one of the Horde:  “I bought Fallen Sunday, thanks to you.  Wow.  This girl is the real deal I think.  The album combines two things I really like in rock: the sort of dense, almost symphonic sonic landscapes of groups like Meatloaf with emotionally powerful vocals (your Annie Lennox analogy was very appropriate.  Amy has Annie's powerful voice with a healthy, smoldering dose of Garbage's Shirley Manson thrown in for good measure). Lately, I thought honest-to-goodness vocal talent in the harder rock genres was pretty much dead, but I'm glad to find proof that it still exists.  Just wanted to let you know how pleased I was since it can be disheartening to recommend something only to find out the person who took your recommendation hated it. - GSB”   Thanks for the feedback.  You are right about the recommendations… especially with music because of the wide varieties of tastes.  But I think I am safe with the Evanescence.  If one likes harder rock music, then they will find something to like.  Even if you like softer music, there is something here for you too.  If you go to the band’s website you can download a music video, which is very well done, and you can also get a bonus track… a different mix of one of the songs, again, a nice touch.  A little added value for the fans.

I’ve had some emails talking about bikes and what not.  I’ll keep these emails private but the gist is that there is an enduro from Honda, and Yamaha and Husky and Suzuki and KTM… and even Triumph.  I’ve looked these bikes up and the only viable option in my opinion would be the Triumph Tiger.  Unfortunately that triple pistol cat is priced in the BMW range without offering BMW quality or performance.  It’s actually right in the middle between the 650 and the bigger bikes performance wise and price wise… but I’m not seeing the motivation to get it unless you are wanting to buy something really different and bitter than a 650.  While I like bigger, and I like the looks of the bike… 10 grand is a lot of scratch for a bike that is pretty much splits that difference.  The other bikes are all too small.  250CC to 450CC in size… a couple 2 strokes… just nothing suited for long range adventures.   So if you want long range dual sport action, and you don’t want to spend the price of a new Dodge Neon, then you are looking at only one bike… the KLR650.   Now, if Honda made a 650, liquid cooled, 4 stroke enduro with a big fuel tank and space for some gear… then by all means, let me know about it.   The Military’s use of the KLR is a huge indication that it’s a damn good bike.  Funny how they will drop a million bucks on something that just explodes but when it comes to a vehicle for scout work, they select an off the shelf bike from Japan, bolt on a couple after market changes, and roll it out onto the battle field for about 5 grand a pop.  I think that is about the cost of a lug nut on a Stryker… but I might be wrong.

May 9th , Sunday, 2004:  Happy Mothers Day:   I have the world's coolest Mom.  She is the best.  My mother in law is cool too.  The mother of my children is just awesome beyond words.  They are all very special and wonderful women.

Classic.

May 8th, Saturday, 2004:  2200hrs: I try to be a well rounded and cultured ogre.  I know art and music and literature… performing arts such as ballet even.  Not that I dance it… but I am familiar with the steps and moves and leaps and can even name them.  Paintings are something that I have never spent money on myself, but I do appreciate them.  When I summered at the Smithsonian, I spent a full two days at just the art museums.  One at the modern art, and the other at the larger one with the more classical exhibits.  The Bride and I watched a film called “Girl with a Pearl Earring”.  This film is based on a novel that is based on a series of paintings by a certain Dutch artist.  The movie its self is tedious.  Very long and very dull.  There is no wit, no intrigue, and no suspense.  There is very little dialog… most of the dialog is actually subtle facial expressions that are used to communicate and break up the monotony of all the characters just staring at each other.   This film is visual, and if you look up the man’s paintings, you will see that the sets and lighting and the whole cinematography effort is done to recreate the painters works.  (Mrs. Ogre picked up on this because her family hails from that area of the world and she is familiar with the artists and there works)  The movie succeeds in this regard, and you could even go so far as to say that the movie is a painting in and of its self.  All of the work leads up to the one painting of a girl with a pearl earring.    Looking at the artist’s other works, you can see how similar they all are.  Similar settings and lightings and blocking… all well done, but all redundant.  Then there is this one painting of the girl… very different… Unlike the other works, this one has more tenderness… more emotion to it.  It is the artist’s best work.  The movie explores why.   It’s definitely a chick flick, because there are no guns or car chases or sex scenes or anything else interesting.  I want to hate this movie, but for some reason I don’t.  It’s pretty good actually.

1700hrs:  Bad Gas.  The Bronco started running really shitty last week… stalling out at intersections and just running like crap.  So I roll into Wood’s Auto, the only shop I trust, and instead of charging me out the ass, they just said “You filled up at 7-11 or Maverick, didn’t you?”  Indeed I had.  “You gotta tank’a bad gas.”    I’ve not had a problem like this in about 10 years because I always run premium unleaded.   Well, I topped off with Chevron mid grade Techron stuff and sure enough, it’s driving much better.  It stalled on me once, but I figure once I run out the old gas this should be back to normal… Already the old Ford is running much smoother.   I'm never filling up at 7-11 again.  2 cents a gallon cheaper isn’t worth it.

This prisoner of war thing again… President Bush apologized and The Donks are politicizing it to the hilt… Of course soldiers wouldn’t have done this if AL GORE had won, right?   You know what?  I don’t give a damn about these prisoners.  They tried to kill my friends and my countrymen… they tried to kill Americans.  Fuck them.  I don’t care if they feel humiliated.  There isn’t anything about making prisoners feel good about themselves in any of the conventions that I am aware of… not Hague, not Geneva, maybe in the DNC convention, but fuck those guys too.   I’m not saying that what happened wasn’t wrong… I’m just saying that it isn’t an issue to me.  I don’t care.  In fact, these prisoners could all just fricken die for all I care.  

Okay, so the Evanescence CD arrived yesterday and I have been listening to it with a critical ear.  Observations:  Amy Lee, the lead singer, is delicious.  She has that “I’ll kick your ass and then have my way with you – and you will like it” sort of vibe… Her vocals crank with some high torque, but she can also slow the roll and sing with a soothing mellow tone that is just… creamy.  She has a range that the band uses to contrast emotion.  Her vocal range (dare I say it?) in similar, I think, to Annie Lennox who I consider the best female rock vocalist on the planet.    The boys in the bad have her back too… they can shred with the best of them, but what is really impressive is the almost classical tones that they weave into the tracks.  Out of 11 tracks, I like 10 of them.  One of the songs is a touch weak, but the rest of the album is solid.  Did I mention that Amy Lee is scalding hot?  Black hair, blue eyes… she is lovely.  The eyebrow piercing works for her.   Good CD.  Glad I bought it.  Oh, and for all the flak Mrs. Ogre gave me over buying it… turns out she was about to buy it herself and I just beat her to the trigger pull.    There is hope for new music after all.  If you doubt me, just listen to “My Immortal” and “Haunted”. 

Another band I like is called “Hex”.  They have two albums that I like… One just called Hex and the other called “Vast Halos”.  The one just called “Hex” is my favorite.  If any of the horde happens to have those tracks on MP3, send them my way and it would be most appreciated.  RIAA, blow me… I can’t find the music anywhere… Amazon.com only has a couple used Vast Halo cd’s and that’s not what I want.

I’m talking about Music pretty much to avoid thinking about motorcycles.  I’ve had the bug for a bike for a few years now, and it’s been getting more and more chronic.  It’s to the point where if I close my eyes and can see the front bars and curving road ahead of me and banking into the turn like a jet fighter.   You can do that on a KLR 650… and get a pretty good lean too.  Not quite the knee dragging and peg scraping and roosting that I used to do on the RD-400 Dayton Special… but the KLR can still be quite hasty for tall single cylinder thumper.  I’m not a dirt bike guy… but I do like the idea of going off road as the desire to explore takes me… should that exploration lead me to the other side of a continent… well… all the better.  For that the KLR is perfect.  Man… I can taste it!   What do I have that I can sell for 3 grand?  Lets see… a couple guns… an AM-FM radio… a couple old computers… blood… sperm… (Who wouldn’t want Ogre DNA?) Hmmm… Subaru?  Gone already and those funds are already spoken for to refit the Bronco to make her seaworthy for some long voyages.  Getting some things tightened up, tranny fluid flush and changed, wheel bearings done, an alignment, and some tuning to the carburetor.   I’ve not taken the Bronco farther out than 30 miles and no faster than 65.  But I am not going to have what happened to us in the Wagoneer happen to us again.  She’ll be battle worthy before she sails into harms way.  Still have to mount that rifle rack…  I’m going to mount that above the windshield inside the cab.  Out of the way and fast to get to from either side of the rig…  I wonder if I can get one of those WW2 style rifle racks for the front forks.  Do the Marine KLRs have rifle racks or do the troopers sling them? And if they do have racks – where the hell can I get one?  I’ve also thought about the military fuel tank again… and I think I would order that one.  Almost 2 gallons more gas means fewer times I have to actually pay for gas.    With that much range one could take to the hills and trails and stay gone for a long long time before having to make contact again to refuel.

May 7th, Friday, 2004: 1000hrs: Hey North Korea, kiss my ass!

TechTV, like many techs here in the US, has just been fired.  All of them.  I don’t know what this will mean for TechTV, but I think this is unfortunate.  I happen to like that channel and admittedly I like “The Screensavers”.  Let me clarify that, I liked the old Screensavers before they went to the new studio and thought they got big.  Oh well. It’s not like I have cable or satellite TV anyways, but still… I think TSS and the rest of the channel has it’s place.  Unfortunately they are marketing the wrong things on the channel.  Don’t advertise “Windows”… these are geeks… they all pirate Windows anyways.  Advertise what they actually spend money on.  Video Cards, Games, new Mice and Keyboards, Hostess Ding-Dongs, and Mountain Dew.  Lots of Mountain Dew.  Classic Dew, Code Red, and my personal favorite “Live Wire”.  Forget the diets… Geeks like the High Octane stuff.  Oh, and foods you can eat with one hand without looking at it… like those little pizza rolls, hot pockets, popcorn chicken and M&Ms.  That’s what geeks buy.  

“Friends” What was it, last night was the final episode?  Didn’t watch it.  Didn’t watch Seinfeld or Cheers either.  I did catch the final of “Mash” and I think that was about it.  Oh, and yes… I did catch the last episode of Star Trek Next Generation… but I don’t want to talk about that.  I hate Star Trek.

At first I was concerned about this… China shutting down all the “Internet Cafés”.  Then I thought, well, hell, they all shut down here in the states too.  I’ve not seen such as establishment last more than a year if the biggest draw was “internet”.  Why would people pay for that when they can hit the public library for free?  No, if you want an internet café, concentrate on the café bit the most.  Food has got to be good.  Couches and chairs and all the other goods that brings people back.  That’s what you need.  The internet part?  Throw some computers together and make sure they are fast with an absofreakinglutely^TM ripping connection.  Then, maybe… you will have a successful internet café.  But first make sure you have some solid shit to stand on before you hang that internet shingle because it’s like the mark of death.  

Don’t panic.  Just make sure she doesn’t swallow a firing pin and she’ll be okay.

It’s the stories like these that have me addicted to the News.

Email from our Agent in Athens and another Kawasaki KLR endorsement: “Hi from Athens Mighty Ogre,  I have been away for a while. Olympic Games shooting test event was under way for the past 2 weeks, and boy was it busy. 1307 shooters from around the globe and I got to keep and safeguard all of their guns. I had a good team though and my crew really delivered. The US team by the way did fairly good, one of your guys to the gold back with him in mens' skeet shooting.  Now we have to regroup and prepare for the Games in August. I will be sending some pictures of the Shooting Center your way pretty soon. It is amazing. It covers 32000 square merters of indoor facilities and you can shoot everything from air pistol to trap and long range rifle without ever leaving the place.   Funny that I got back on time to read about bikes. Right after I finished with the tournament I took the girlfriend and the bike for a little RnR.  (jpegs attached). I happen to have both a BMW and a Kawasaki. R 1150 RS, the sport tourer version and KLE 500 respectively.  The BMW is a monster. It can run forever and keeps you comfortable for hours. Mine took a 450 mile trip last weekend, half of it on highways, loaded to the teeth with gear and stuff, plus a passenger. No sweat. The ABS, unique suspension, heated grips and adjustable windshield kept us going. Plus it corners better than a couple of TDM 900s that we met on the backroads of Peloponese. The downside is that she (I named her "Helga") is expensive and maintenance is a bitch. Expensive parts and complicated electronics.  The KLE on the other hand is simplicity itself. Mine has got 50000 Km up to now, weighs half of what the BMW does, has a radius of 120 miles and it has taken me to every beach and island in Greece, as long as there was a slight hint of a dirt path. It costs a fraction of what a BMW sells for (actually the accessories on Helga cost more than the Kawasaki) and it runs on lower grade fuel (no injection or catalysts to mess up). Maintenance I do it myself and when it comes to city traffic, it is the vehicle that takes me to work through Athens down town traffic every morning while the BMW stays in the garage.  In short the BMW is great eye catcher and a delight to ride, but the Kawasaki (be it the single cylinder KLR or in-line twin KLE ) are great get away vehicles when traffic is involved and they cost next to nothing. – Tasos”   The shooting games over there have received absolutely no press coverage.  Not even a hint that they are going on.  We get a gold medal and no one mentions it. Thanks for that report!  Touring Greece on a nice motorcycle… oh man… that would be so awesome.  This pretty much confirms what I have come to believe.  I’ve ridden the BMWs and damn, I love them.  Seriously.  The new big models are 15 grand, but if I had it, I’d buy one.   But being a rational person (and broke), the KLR 650 is the ticket.  Oh, and I have learned that these are indeed the bikes used by both the US Army and the US Marines, and England’s Royal Marines.  The military version has a bigger fuel tank, 7.7 instead of only a mere 6.1 gallons (holy cow!) and they are converted to run diesel instead of gasoline.  Check this out… the gas version has a 50 mile per gallon range, and these diesel bikes are getting over 100mpg!  These things can roll almost 800 miles on one tank!  That is incredible.  The drawback is that these military versions don’t have the grunt of the gas versions… But man… a diesel version is tempting.  I could drive all the way to Richmond with only 4 fill up stops.  Well, unfortunately these are not available to civilians.  However you can buy the military fuel tank for your KLR, and this will give you a range of over 380 miles.  That’s still pretty damn sick.  You can’t ride that far without having to stop anyways, so you can say that’s good enough.  Hell, the stock fuel tank is more than good enough anyways so I don’t see myself buying one of these military beasts… that just might be too much.  I love riding, and if I could, I would ride every day.  The KLR looks to be the bike that would let me do that, and take some stuff with me.  It’s a two wheel SUV and I respect that.  With that range and economy, I could ride the bike out to Virginia for less than the price of a train ticket or a greyhound bus ticket… and get there faster, have more fun traveling, and arrive with dignity and a big grin.   I should have got one of these years ago!

Heartless Libertarian checks in:  “Now, about the Strykers, since I used to be assigned to 5-20 Infantry, part of the 3/2 SBCT (Stryker Brigade Combat Team):

-My fellow Horde member left out a couple of variants:  the Engineer vehicle, which is basically the same as the squad carrier, but has hardware to attach a mine roller or small dozer blade;  the Recon vehicle, which replaces the remote weapon station with a standard pintle mount and the LRAS3 (pronounced L-Ras:  Long Rang Advanced Scout Surveillance System; basically, a super duper thermal/optical sight); the FO variant, similar to the recon one, but with a thermal sight/laser designator thing, plus FO specific computer stuff, and the medic version.  The mortar version already exists, although it's really just an armored truck to carry the mortars and crew-you can't fire the mortar from inside the vehicle like with the M113 based carrier.

-The tires can be vulnerable to RPGs, but so are tracks.  I've seen Strykers rolling across the Mojave with two tires that were reduced to lumps of rubber clinging to the steel belting.  Lose one link in a track and you don't move at all.

-The Stryker is very good at doing what it was designed to do:  be a battle taxi, like the M113.  It's task is to carry around the most lethal, adaptable, flexible weapons system on any battle field:  the US Army 11B.  Deliver that infantry squad/platoon to the assault position quickly, and ready to fight.  It can provide fire support with the M2 or Mk-19, if you can find cover and/or stand-off room.  No matter what you say about the M551 Sheridan, or its erstwhile successor, the M8 Buford (Buford being the cavalry general who basically saved Meade's ass the first day of Gettysburg), they can't carry troops.

-Stryker units are already involved in the heavy urban fighting in Iraq.  There a battalion in Najaf.  I still have yet to hear about them taking any casualties.

-1-25 Bde (the second Stryker unit) isn't going to be deployed until 3/2 comes home, which means they'll probably relieve them in Mosul. 

-The best civilian newspaper source for all things Stryker is the Tacoma News Tribune (www.tribnet.com).  Tacoma is right outside Ft Lewis, home of both Stryker brigades.  Look under the byline of Michael Gilbert.”

The most lethal, adaptable, flexible weapons system on any battlefield: the US Army 11B…  Damn… that brought a tear to my eye.  

May 6th, Thursday, 2004: Noonish: Thinking about these KLR 650 Motorcycles, I found this little article.  Not much gun knowledge, but it’s amusing.  Guy rides a KLR 650 into the Mexico back country and lives to tell the tale.  But as fun as that article is to read… it’s this one that makes the KLR 650 the Official Bike of The Horde.  This bike is capable of everything, and that always impresses the hell out of me.  Things that pushed it over the top for me, its ability to carry shit, its huge 6.1 gallon tank, and its heavy duty cooling system.  For all this, I am more than willing to do an aftermarket front brake upgrade… no problem.  Considering the cost factor of these bikes, (like how I can buy 4 or 5 of them for the price of one BMW) and how rugged they are… yet you can tour cross the continent with one, on road or off… man.  This is the bike I’ve been needing!  How come I’ve never even ridden one of these before?  The cat that I used to even live right next door to had 2 of these badboys.  He went riding every Saturday and I even had an open invite to come along.  How can a person over look such an obvious answer?  Aarrrgghh.    

1030hrs:  Welcome Home to the 1457^th Engineers.  They just returned for Iraq and had a hero’s parade yesterday.  The whole town turned out to watch the bus of Guardsmen pass buy with damn near every emergency vehicle in the Uintah Basin as escorts.  Very short parade actually… no tickertape either… but that’s about the best this little shithole town can muster, so it was still very nice.  I was impressed by the support and patriotism though… and that is the important thing.  So as far as that goes – this parade was outstanding.  Among the things that these guys did over there was help rebuild the zoo in Baghdad.  

Things to think about… A Beretta Light Weight Officers ACP, Lightweight Commander, 1911 Inox.  Polished rails, match grade billet milled internals, 800 bucks.   A Langston Signature Series?  Beretta 92 with your choice of Brigadier or 92FS slides, classic 92 or Vertec frame.  Optional frame rails.    Light weight 92 Compact DAO with our new “Beretta Double Action” which makes the LDA feel like it has training wheels… but most importantly a “Frequent Fire Program” where common Beretta component wear is replaced – free of charge – for the life time of the owner.  You buy a Beretta – Beretta will take care of you, no question.  Not even for an old GI M9 ran over by an Abrams.  Beretta will take care of you.  If you are not happy, we will make you happy.  Even if it means replacing the entire pistol… even with a different model.  If that doesn’t make you happy, we will refund your money.  Customers are treated like “Family”.  The Beretta marketing is something else… They are trying to aim for the Land Rover crowd when what they need to be aiming for is the Jeep crowd.  They cost more than a Ruger… so what.  Make the Ruger buyer want to save the extra jingle to step up into a Beretta, instead of sneering at him and driving him to the Ruger!  I really don’t have any problem with the handguns… but come on… the marketing department REALLY needs to get into the game.  They seem to totally ignore the handguns.  The ads are trivial… they do nothing to make you want to buy one.  Certainly not for the average CCW Permit holder.    I would change that.  I don’t think Beretta would have the nuts to hire me.   

Email from Horde Member about Bikes:  “You had a question about what bike to get for a part time rider in NY. Your idea of the BMW while very nice, would be a poor choice for weaving thru standing traffic and would also be a drain on most bank accounts. A better choice might be a Kaw KLR 650. They can be had used in nice shape for under 2K, can be outfitted for 2 up riding, with a long range tank, are street legal, and if I remember right is even being used or tested by the Marines for scout duties.  Depending on how much stuff they need to take a smaller 250 might even be a better choice. Honda also makes or did make a nice duel purpose bike in 250 and 650 sizes.  Great job with the site, I read it daily. Hope your son is doing better and good luck with Beretta. – Mark”  Thanks for the email, Mark.  I don’t think Honda makes any more street legal bikes such as this anymore. They do make a couple 650s, but I think they are off road only. I might be wrong about that.  This KLR 650 is a good choice, especially at the price ranges.  It's about the same size as the BMW Dakar model, but less power...  But still... I like this selection.  I like it a lot.  I've not ridden a KLR.  The only Kawasaki bikes I've ridden are all sport bikes with ZX in the names.  But the sport bikes are excellent.  I know the KLR does have a reputation for being pretty awesome.  A quick look at Ebay has one in Dallas for 629 bucks at the moment.  Most of the others are between 3 and 4 grand and are almost new.  Not bad at all… not bad at all.  This one, I am loving.  It’s even in my color.  Damn Damn Damn… If I had the money, I’d bid on this one right now!  I love riding, but the most I’ve done lately are short rides on borrowed bikes.  I ACHE for another bike of my own.  I love Hondas, but this KLR 650 seems to fit the bill nicely.  Where the BMW isn’t possible for me, at least not for a few more years, the KLR is a possibility.  What is the range on these off a full tank?  200 miles?  I think you are right about the military using them as scouts.  The US Army uses bikes too... bikes that look similar but I am unsure as to the model.   Hey, can you get a rifle rack for these things?  Damn, I hate these itches I can’t scratch! 

Email from another Horde Member: “Hi there, I was just thinking about getting a handgun and after looking through all of the models that my local shop here has, I settled on one called a Mateba. Are you familiar with this gun? I like the look of it and have heard some good things about it, but want to get your "Ogre eye for the gun buy" opinion as I have yet to purchase the gun. I am having a hard time finding anything out about it good or bad. Thanks. – Marlon” Ah, the Mateba… they make an automatic and they also make a funky revolver.  I am guessing you are talking about the revolver.  This gun uses a configuration where the gun fires from the bottom cylinder instead of the traditional upper cylinder.  They also use a semi automatic action based on the old Webley Fosbury action, but with improvements.  Here is a picture of one.   They are heavy handguns, but pretty sturdy.  Accuracy is average.  Recoil is very mild, but considering the semi auto action, the weight, and the lower barrel configuration, it dang well better be.  They are also a little spendy, but if you are wanting something unique, you would have to look harder and spend more for it.  Personally, I was not that impressed with them.  The configuration has merits, and I would be glad to examine such a gun that didn’t have the semi auto action… something that had the same weight as a regular revolver for the same caliber.  I think this configuration would do well in .41 and .44 magnums.

John Hawkins does it again.   This is a prime example of good political satire.  The left tries to do things like this all the time, but they can’t pull it off.  

Email for Commander Kupari:  “Now, Ogre, obviously this is from the persepective of a young, single male, but I have no problem with women sexualizing themselves if they see fit to do so.  Note that I said "women"; 18 and older.  It's kind of disturbing to see 13 year olds running around dressed like co-eds on spring break.  Now, a woman showing off the goods needs to take things into consideration, though.  The number one consideration being, "do I have the body to wear this outfit?"  Because let me tell you something about Marquette, Michigan, Ogre.  While I didn't, by any means, coin the term "snow cow", it friggin' applies (not all of the women, but...well, lots).  LOL. On the other hand, this is the UP, so "dressing up" means something nicer than jeans, workboots, and flannel.  For about the month out of the year when I'm in school, around people my own age, that it's actually warm enough out for the women to break out the skirts and stuff, well, that's a nice month.  Then it starts to snow and it's back to the jeans and flannel.  *sigh*  LOL.  You're right in that a classy, intelligent woman can be very sexy.  However, I can't afford to be picky.”  You can after you leave the frozen north.... be picky that is.  Come to Utah.  Very beautiful girls out here.  A lot less winter fat.  Less flannel more legs. For an adult woman to dress skanky - I have no problem with this either, as long as it isn't my wife.  But such a skank should really not be offended when she is treated like one.  They say that the clothes make the man.  Wouldn't the same be true for woman?  The way you dress and the way you talk characterizes you.  If you wear the costume of the whore or pimp, that is how you will be regarded and you will be treated accordingly.  If you dress like a proper man or lady, you will be treated accordingly.  If you paint your face red and white and wear a big red nose and size 53 shoes, you will be treated accordingly.

May 5th, Wednesday, 2004: 2145hrs: I don’t think I have much of a chance, but I have just sent my resume in to Beretta USA.  They have a couple positions open that I could tackle… Product Manager – Handguns is the one I am most interested in.  It’s a shot in the dark – what the hell.  They are located in Maryland so I would commute from Virginia of course.  Some exciting things would happen if I was on board.  For example, a great many horde members would be owning Berettas... because one of the main complaints about them is the Customer Service.   First day on the job I would invite the marketing manager and the customer service manager into a closed door meeting and then proceed to kick their flaccid asses because they are working very well at ruining Beretta.  Then I would bring back the Mini Cougars that they have very recently stopped importing... make the mags hold more rounds... and then offer more guns with something the American Market prefers... more frame mounted safeties.  Think of this, and tell me if you would buy one... A Mini Cougar or Compact 92 in your caliber of choice, stainless, with a frame mounted safety and a trigger pull as slick as good sex.   Perhaps with our own version of an LDA-LEM trigger system.   Would you buy one?  You bet you would.

I have a feeling that the people in the DNC have put up Kerry as a joke, and the Clintons are the ones laughing.  Kerry can not be a Democratic Candidate to be taken seriously.  Remember the rest of the Nine?  ANYONE ONE THEM would have been better candidate to run against Bush.  We can’t take Kerry seriously any more.  He is ludicrous.  His campaign is the worst I have ever seen…  If anything, Kerry will go down in history for that.  

Email from One of our few Female Horde Members:  “I was reading MO, and I loved your rant about sexualizing women.  All I had to say was "Amen!"   I am so sick of seeing girls pubic bones, and their fannies, and their tacky thongs, and their nipples through tight t-shirts.  What ever happened to class.  Back in the 40's,and 50's you had beautiful women, like Lauren Bacall, and others, who all you ever saw was a beautiful woman well dressed.  Believe me, they had men drooling all over them.  You don't have to have a red butt, like the Baboons to get a guys attention.  A sexy woman is sometimes even more sexy when she covers it up.  There is just something so attractive about class. – Tracy”  That about covers it.  

1000hrs: I’m feeling like posting another “Gun of the Day”.  I’m feeling like something more than a handgun, but less than a rifle.  Something still potent in a fight, but light and easy to carry.  Something rugged… strong… yet accurate and reliable.  Something good looking, good ammo capacity too.  Is there such a weapon?  There is, and it exists in the M1 Carbine.  Recently I was thinking of getting a battle rifle (and I still will) but I keep coming back to the M1 Carbine.  There are a lot of good ones out there, and a share of really bad ones too… but most are great.  The WW2 Surplus Carbines are the ones to get, if you can find one, and if you can afford one.  Man, I would LOVE to have an IBM example.  Talk about the ultimate gun for the Computer Geek.  That would be pure sweetness.  These little shooters are out of my current price range… but there are some examples that are less commanding of a collectors price.  One specific option has my undivided attention.  Kahr.  They themselves are spreading the rumor that they are going to be making new M1 Carbines.  This could be a very good thing.  A new Carbine with warranty and all that… excellent!  The only question is how are they.  If these are being release already, I’ve not heard any range reports about them.  If they make them properly, I’ll buy one.   Might have to buy a few of them… There are seven shooters under this roof.    I have the hope for the future that when the AWB dies, that someone will make proper paratrooper stocks for these Kahrs.  I’ve seen some such stocks left over from WW2, but they were both expensive and at best in only “Fair” condition.  Saying “at best” is really saying “if I was smoking a lot of crack and feeling really generous.  

I was listening to the radio and the people were talking about the Rappers and the sexualization of women that they portray in their music videos.  They were saying that these Rappers need to need to have more respect… yada yada yada and that young women are not playthings for men… yada yada yada… they are tired of being sex objects… blah blah blah… You know, I could almost agree with these points.  Women shouldn’t be treated as sex objects.  Then I see something… walking down the street of Rural Dumb Fuck, Utah here in the heart of Fly Over County, a small gaggle of teenie-bopper girls walking by.  Oh they were cute… hair all biffed out to the max… makeup that would make Pamela Anderson proud… low cut T-shirts 3 sizes too small that only came down to the bottom of the rib cage… pants so low that it only covers ½ the ass, pink thongs showing.  On the T-shirts, one girl had a Playboy Bunny logo and the other one said, and I am not kidding, “Porn Star”.   I’m not going to question what the Rappers or Hugh Heffner are doing… they are not sexualizing the ladies… the ladies are doing it themselves.   If women want to be regarded as something other than a sex object, then they need to first stop being one.  Have some dignity for crying out loud.  If you are showing off your ass, I don’t think you really have grounds to say “Don’t look at it”.    These people are just wanting to avoid something very simple… the personal responsibility that a person is what they make of themselves. 

Still working on the movie list… some suggestions that I have not seen need reviewing before they could be included.  And I don’t have time to sit around and just watch a bunch of movies all day, so this is taking more time then I thought.  Of course, I could just default and say “If I’ve not seen it, then it isn’t worthy”, but that would be rude.

Tough Question:  “Dear Ogre, I was an avid motorcyclist for years (Suzuki 450 GSL Limited/Yamaha Seca 450/and finally a Suzuki Katana 600 - which I went cross-continent with... AWESOME!!!) Now that I'm married I've given up the sport because I respect my better 3/4th's wishes for me not to do too many things that could seriously maim me.  Here's an interesting question (the answer of which could someday save people's lives): My wife and I might be moving temporarily to NYC (and you better KNOW I won't be giving up my Glocks - Bernie Goetz, patron saint of CCW, pray for us).  I was wondering what your suggestion would be for a motorcycle to have on hand, not to ride everyday (or even at all), but to have as a kind of "lifeboat" in case the islamic fundamentalist feces ever did hit the fan and 8 million people had to get off of an island with only 2 bridges and 2 tunnels on its west side.  With the exception of a boat, I see a motorcycle as IDEAL for dodging gridlocked cars and pedestrians.   What's your take?  Is this a good idea?  What would the ideal bike be?  I figure a narrow bike with good acceleration, light so you could hop curbs and take grass and dirt if you had to, and a decent top end for open highways later on.  Obviously it would need to seat two people.  What am I describing?  I have no experience with anything other than sporty street bikes. – Wojo”    That’s a tough question.   A get the hell out of Dodge right NOW sort of bike.  Fast, agile, all terrain… and with long range (I added that requirement).  Go to this page here,  And under the word “Machine” roll over the word “Adventure” and then select one of the options… these bikes are the ones.  My personal selection would be the R 1200 GS.  The Dakar model is pretty awesome, and if I needed a smaller bike, that would be the one.  These bikes are the kings of the Enduro class in my opinion.    Bar none.  The bigger bike would be my first choice since I’m not in the city… being in the city, the Dakar model would probably be the way to go.  Narrower, lighter, anti-theft system built in, trip computer… For a couple hundred bucks less you can get the F 650 GS which is pretty much the same thing but without the extra gadgets.

May 4th, Tuesday: 2004 1030hrs: Over the last 6 months or so something interesting has developed… nothing official… all kinda under the table so to speak… all in complete confidentiality… but I have been having writers, directors, prop guys, asking me what a character (film, tv, book, even video game) should be using when it comes to firearms.  Specifically handguns as the case has been, but I was asked about submachineguns once.  This is a bit odd.  This is like “Ogre Eye for the Character Guy” over here.  I’m a “Firearms Fashion Consultant” or something.  I guess this means I could say things like “Beretta is the new Black”… but I wont.  My suggestions have been used and I am seeing them pop up.  This is kind of weird.   

Recently there has been a string of Negligent Discharges by normally responsible gun owners.  I know of three instances that have happened within the last 3 weeks.  Two of them resulted in the gun owner shooting himself.  One was at a range and the shot when out into some trees with no one injured.   A lesson learned the hard way is a lesson learned well. I'm glad this lesson didn't end up in the evening news.  This could have happened to anyone.  Handling guns is very much like handling serpents. All it takes is just a moment of wandering mind, slip of attention, just a brief second of carelessness... and it will bite.  Let these lessons be an example to all of us in that we are all going to be extra vigilant in our handling as I know we all are. A federal guy shoots him self... an XD owner shoots himself... and one of our own has an ND.  Don't point fingers because it might just be a mirror you are pointing at tomorrow.  I know some old biker guys. They say that there are two kinds of riders... those who have spilled and those who have yet to spill. Some riders might scoff. I did. I spilled. These old riders... neither one of them have fallen off a bike yet.  That is what they say, "Yet".  Because they respect the bikes and are always careful about them and not so arrogant as to think "It can't happen to me... I'm too good". That's how they have lived to be old bikers... both are in the late 60's early 70's I would guess. Still riding. Still careful.  We need to be this way with our guns… always respectful and cautious.

The Ogre Movie Roster is still being worked on... patience.     

A large group of Taliban soldiers are moving down a road when they hear a voice call from behind a sand dune....
"One US Soldier is better than ten Taliban!"
The Taliban commander quickly sends 10 of his best soldiers over the dune, whereupon a gun-battle breaks out and continues for a few minutes then silence.  The voice then calls out...
"One US soldier is better than one hundred Taliban!"
Furious, the Taliban commander sends his next best 100 troops over the dune, and instantly a huge gunfight commences. After 10 minutes of battle, again silence. The voice calls out again...
"One US soldier is better than one thousand Taliban!"
The enraged Taliban commander musters one thousand fighters and sends them across the dune. Cannons, rockets and machine gun fire ring out as a huge battle is fought. Then silence.
Eventually one wounded Taliban fighter crawls back over the dune and with his dying words tells his commander... "Don't send any more men... it's a trap... there's two of them!"

Conversation with The Bride yesterday:  Me: “… well, after I get a Makarov.”

Her: “Get a Maka-what?  Makarov?  For what?”

Me:  “So I can write a review of it.”

Her: “You think you are going to get a new gun for every review you write?”

Me:  “…you weren’t supposed to pick up on that yet.”

Her: “When was I supposed to pick up on that?”

Me:  “Not for a while yet… there are more guns I want to get.”

Her: “This isn’t how it works.”

Me:  “I gotta run…”

Her: “Wait a second… I owe you something.”

Me: “What?”

*punch to the shoulder*

Me: “What was that for?”

Her: “Evanescence.”

Me: “How?”

Her: “Read it on Mad Ogre.”

Me:  “You weren’t supposed to pick up on that yet.”

Email from Horde Member:  “I had been pulling my hair out for about a week because I'd heard this one particular song on the radio that I really liked -- and like most stations these days they never get around to actually identifying the song or the artist.  MadOgre is one of my regular site visits (learned about it from THR), and when I saw you recommend this group, I thought I'd at least give it a listen -- and bam, the second song I sampled was My Immortal, and darn if it wasn't the exact song I'd been trying to identify.  So thanks for saving what little remains of my sanity.   Oh, and BTW, thanks for giving good press to Equilibrium, a film terribly ill-treated by the studio and worth far more viewership than it ever received. There's a lot there to like, and it's not a bad cautionary tale for the direction our society is taking either.  Regards, GSB”   I live to serve. 

May 3rd, Monday, 2004:  1500hrs: Those that know me personally know that can be really picky when it comes to music.  Especially when it comes to new music bands.  I really just don’t like new music very much at all.  Well, to everyone’s surprise, including my own, I order a CD from Amazon.  It was just a couple bucks… I ordered “Fallen” by Evanescence.  I don’t know why, really.  Listed to the sample tracks and they sounded pretty cool.  I liked the groove.  I’m more surprised than anyone.  I heard some guys at the University saying that it was good… they seem to be right.  The lead singer is a hottie chickybabe, but not the typical teenybopper kinda chick.  No, this lassy would probably stab such a tart as soon as look at her.  She has blue eyes, black hair, a touch of Goth… and something else.  I don’t know what it is, but I like it.  Now that I have gone and ordered it… I shall listen to some Charlie Parker to clean the pallet so to speak, followed on by some… hmm… lets see here… perhaps some Dave Matthews Band… then something more Celtic just for fun.   

Moparmike, he is blogging upside down, but I like his car.  What I don’t get though, is why he drives a Black Forest Bomber, but goes by “Mopar” in front of the Mike.  He is one of the Brotherhood… bookmark him.  His scooter is a little 250 Virago… not a bad choice when it comes to being miserly on the petroleum.  I’m itching big time for a bike myself.

Oh, speaking of automotive news… the Subaru is going bye-bye and to be perfectly honest, I shall not miss it.  It’s going to Hill Air Force base.  Hopefully to give the F-16’s there something to BOMB THE SHIT OUT OF!  (hold on a second… let me sit back and visualize this…  yeah… there we go… awesome… okay, I’m back) I’m selling it for enough jingle to pick up my next gun to review.  Good enough.  Both parties are happy. 

This Iraqi prisoner abuse issue.  In times of war – and lets not forget that this really and truly is a time of war – prisoners can get the raw end.  This happens.  I am not condoning it, I am just saying that through the history of warfare, prisoners of war are almost always treated harshly.  This new modern idea of being nice to them and treating them humanely… it’s pretty much a new concept.  Look at the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs.  Lots of relief carvings of the kings hacking into prisoners of war.  Let’s not forget the native peoples here on this side of the globe… the Aztecs and the Mayans.  These cats did all kinds of fun things to prisoners.  So when you see a photo of an Iraqi man with a bag over his head, take it with a grain of salt.  Understand that bitterness and hostility and retribution is an unsavory part of human nature that comes to the surface during war.  Let’s not forget what the Iraqis and the terrorists have done to us.    

May 2nd, Sunday, 2004:  1915hrs:  Today I took Ranger with me up into the mountains, .30-30 in hand.  Unlike other times, I used no leash at all.   He ran around, got about 50 yards away… and he came right back.  We hunted cotton tails for a couple hours… flushed 3 of them but were unsuccessful in bagging any of them.  The rabbits were for Ranger… if we got one, he could devour it.  But he missed out on his chance of wolfy treats.  No big deal… he had a great time regardless.  So did I.  I fired only 2 shots… and with him off the leash (didn’t even bring it) he behaved very well.  The rifle is much louder than the handguns… but he didn’t panic.  He was a bit nervous and stayed right at my side, but he didn’t panic.  This is a GOOD DOG.  I don’t care if he is a wolf… he is a great dog.   We scouted about a 2 mile circle around a large hill and he pretty much stayed with me.  When I got back to the truck and opened the door… I only had to say his name once.  And even then it wasn’t even in an “outside” voice.  He was very obedient.  This is a first for him.  I am very pleased.  Doggie Treats for Ranger!

He is loosing his winter coat and has been for a couple weeks now.  He looks shaggy and mangy… with huge clumps of downy wooly fur falling out of his coat.   I try brushing it out, but it clogs the brush with one stroke and just doesn’t really do anything other than pull off the loose downy stuff that was already falling off.    Is there something I could give him that would help make that stuff all fall out quicker?  I mean he looks like hell… and I don’t think it’s going to get cold again till next winter… but still… my beautiful dog is looking like walking road kill.  Not to mention the huge clumps of fur he leaves all over everything!   I’m going to have to take a roll of tape and go through the whole Bronco to get that fur out of the seats!  My Dad would just die if he saw Ranger and Range gave him a big kiss on the chops – which he is likely to do. 

Still, I am most pleased.  I honestly didn’t expect Ranger to be coming home with me.  I hoped he would… but I wasn’t counting on it.  I figured if he heard the call of the wild and ran off into mountains… then so be it… that was his choice.  He would be another Wolf in the Wilderness and I am sure he would have been just fine.  His instincts are still all wolf and he knows how to hunt.  He was just preoccupied today so his hunt was a bit off.  Came VERY close though… all three times.  But the rabbit made it to the burrow each time… by a hair’s breadth.    I am happy he chose to stay with me.  He shall be well rewarded.

I’ve had a migraine headache for four solid days now.  We are talking solid level 7 when I am medicated and 10+ off the scale if my miss a dose.  I thought maybe getting some fresh air would help… but to be honest it didn’t.  The dizziness was overwhelming at one point and I crashed into the desert as gracefully as a 10 gauged goose.  Going out was probably a mistake…  I was so dizzy earlier today I fell off my computer chair.     Now that I am back home and in the PC Pilot’s seat again… the room is still swimming.   This is why I missed all three rabbits – something I’ve NEVER done before… and why Ranger was slower to get them… because he didn’t want to stray too far away from me.  (I feel so loved)  Going to the hospital is not an option… seriously… not even close.  All they would do is run the same tests they have always ran, and tell me the same things that they always tell me… and give me the same drugs that would only help the pain and alter my perception.  Last time I took that shit I think I even said “Al Gore would make a fine President”.  I only just barely caught myself and realized what I was saying in time to add “Of Guam”… but still it was a close one.    I don’t like being drugged.  Over the counter stuff, you can only take so much of without damaging your liver and I can’t afford that considering so little of it is left functional.  Anyways…  I’ll be fine… this will pass as it always does, but going on 4 days is a bit longer than usual.  Normally it wont last beyond 2 days. 

I’ve been playing Call of Duty online… and I have to admit a great deal of Disappointment.  It seems Call of Duty is the new Counter Strike and the “Bunny Hoppers” just totally ruin the game.  Supposedly the 1.3 patch solves this, but I have unfortunately discovered that 1.3 makes the game unplayable.  It just wont launch.  So I have to stick with the retail version and the bunny hopping bitches.  These guys ruin would be a very excellent game.  I’ll stick to Raven Shield… the Bad Guys don’t bounce around like fairies making it impossible to hit them without using machineguns.  There are other weapons in the game… but you just can’t use them because they don’t hose an area and you have to do that if you want to hit the bunny hoppers.   To say that Call of Duty Online is gay is like saying Christopher Lowell is queer.  Oh well… thank heavens for the Tom Clancy series by Red Storm. 

1400hrs:  We all know that Liberals have no fucking clue as to what the Military is all about.  They prove this time and time again.  For giggles I tuned into “Air America”, the liberal radio station… They played – as a joke – the “chanting” as they called it of Marines on a run.  They had a good laugh about it and said chanting several times.  The US Army and the US Marines do not chant.  It’s called a Cadence.  It keeps the rhythm so everyone can run in step.    They have been doing this since like WWI and beyond.  I bet even the Roman Legions sang a Cadence.  Not knowing is one thing.  It’s forgivable… they are ignorant fucks and we all know that.  But to laugh at the Marines for it?  That is unforgivable. 

What’s really funny are the bumper comments when the show goes to and from radio breaks.  “Air America, we talk about the issues, we don’t make them.”  That was good for a laugh.  Like the Liberals never make any issues.  Right.  I can count on one hand the issues the Conservatives have created lately… and I’ve lost track of the ones the Liberals have made.  This whole 9-11 commission thing an issue… they are also the ones responsible for the whole mess that George Bush is having to deal with – but it’s Bush’s fault?  I can’t understand these people, I really can’t.  Every time I try, the Logic Vacuum gives me a huge migraine.

Speaking of Logic Vacuums, the Jackass Grand Poombah award goes to Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes fame.  I would like to suggest that any product or company advertised during 60 Minutes be avoided.  I also recommend contacting those companies, and 60 Minutes and let them know why.  Andy Rooney needs to be dragged out into the street and publicly mocked.  I like the old tradition of being ran out of the town on a rail.  They don’t do this anymore, and that’s a shame.  The method of proper rail running generally involved a good tarring and feathering, and then the person was tied to a railroad tie, and carried out of the city limits and unceremoniously dumped.  Sometimes into a river or creek bed… or a ditch would do.  Sometimes the person was cut loose at the end of the dumping… or sometimes the person was just left there at the mercy of any passing Good Samaritan.   The hot tar would often cause burns and the removal of the tar would sometimes take with it skin… certainly hair too.  This seems to be the proper way to deal with Andy Rooney, King Jackass for the day.

Noonish: Some times unexpected good news makes you want to stand and cheer.  Like this bit of good news.  Hamill escaped his captors, grabbed a US Patrol, lead them back to the house, and captured his captors.  This guy is not a soldier… but a Halliburton contractor.  Good job, Sir!  I look forward to the news that you are again with your family at home.

A grand jury has put him up on 10 felony charges… is testing body fluids in little kid’s underwear… but he is innocent according to the busloads of retarded people.  Right.  But the biggest bullshit comes from this Rabbi… "My great apprehension for Michael always was that he would not live to see his 50th birthday," the rabbi said. "He has a thin skin ... he needs to be loved... I don’t see how he can withstand a trial."   OH GIVE ME A BREAK!  This is not a valid concern… the concern is that justice is found for the victims here and Wacko Jacko is NOT the victim.  Jacko is the villain here in this case.  Big time.  He is a sexual predator of children and should be dealt with accordingly.  I am tired of seeing the exceptions that this criminal is getting because of his celebrity status.  Yes, I said criminal.  I understand the innocent until proven guilty thing… but the things he has done and admitted to are criminal in my opinion.  My greatest concern are for the children that he molested that are going to need psychological therapy for the rest of their lives.

Congratulations go out to Horde Commander Kupari who has landed a lucrative job for a company in Qatar.  We wish him the best of luck.  We also suggest a Makarov carried hidden in “Thunderwear” or something like that.  Just in case. 

Thanks to Wasted Electrons for this… the full scoop on the Marines getting baptized in Iraq.  I think that is absolutely wonderful.  Four of them got dunked.  Outstanding!  “Battlefield baptisms are not unusual among front-line troops, said Navy Lt. Scott Radetski, the battalion's Protestant chaplain. So many service personnel on deployment request to be baptized that the military even has a two-page sheet on how to create a battlefield baptismal font, called the Field Immersion Baptismal Liner Instructions.” This brings me good cheer on this Sabbath day.  Watch Gods & Generals… after the first big battle one of the officers asks General Jackson how he can remain so calm amidst the battle.  Stonewall’s answer was that it was faith.  That’s very true.  These men are better men for this… better Marines.  I would pray that the Lord will be watching over these Marines… but I know he already is.  I know that I am on the Army side of the service coin, but this makes me want to shout Simper Fi!  Hoooaahhh!   Just a note to the Chaplin… if one isn’t able to prepare a field expedient font, the water from a canteen will suffice until provisions can be made for a proper dunking.  The importance of these cases is not the manner of the act, but the faith of the humble soldier willing to do the symbolic act.    This might seem to contradict standard Mormon doctrine on the matter, but I have it on good authority that the Lord understands the special circumstances that soldiers face on a battlefield and makes allowances accordingly. 

The other day Kim du Toit posted the question…  For the rest of your life, you can only have 1 handgun, 1 rifle, and 1 vehicle.  The handgun would be a 1911 in .45ACP… probably a Commander version.  The rifle would be an M1 Garand.  The vehicle… it would be a truck.  I think my Ford Bronco would serve nicely in that roll as it can serve as a pickup or as an SUV.    

Early Morning: An email came in that made me laugh… “Hey there!   I wanted to shoot ya an email and say I love your content!  Keep up the great work!  PS. More Firearms!”  

More guns?  I’ll try…

Acidman makes a good point about the soldiers busted for mistreating Iraqi prisoners.  This is what happens when military Officers are no longer Gentlemen.   This would not have happened if the Yankees had not won the War of Northern Aggression.  Damn that General Grant!  I blame this matter on the loss of Confederate General Thomas Jackson.

We lost a friend… a brother in arms… Alan Albertus, aka Labgrade to those of us on TheFiringLine.com and TheHighRoad.com.  There was a house fire.  His wife got out, but he did not.  The house was totally consumed.  He was a good man, and a solid defender of the Second Amendment.  He shall be missed.  

It seems Velociman and Acidman have a problem with Blue Jays.   Traps, paper sacks?  People, please.  There is only one proper way of dealing with a Blue Jay.   Especially since the Blue Jay is bothersome to the beloved Cardinal… the State bird of Virginia!   No other method will do.  Did you know suppressors are available for air rifles too?  Although .117 caliber is popular… and .22 caliber is also popular… My preference is for the odd .20 caliber.  Ogre Manor has a .20 caliber pneumatic rifle in it’s armory, a Benjamin Sheridan Silver Streak.  It’s a pump, and I would prefer CO2… but the pump does allow for a higher pressure charge and thus greater velocity.  The .20 caliber is much like the .40 in the world of air power… it’s a medium split the difference sort of caliber that offers greater knockdown and penetration that the .117 calibers while yielding greater velocity than the .22 calibers.  I dare say it would be “Perfect” for a Jay.   Truthfully, our example has blown gas seals inside and this is something we shall have to remedy because my oldest wants to go shooting with it and at the moment it can only produce energy levels comparable to mouse flatulence.   

I’ve had a lot of people ask me about my next review.  I am not sure… but I am leaning towards a Makarov.  Reasons being is that they are an excellent first automatic, an excellent automatic if you are looking for accuracy and reliability, an excellent automatic if you are looking for a compact weapon, and they are totally excellent if you are looking for an inexpensive automatic.  The Makarov is on my top CCW picks list for a good reason.  The ammo is cheap and plenty and hotter than most .380 loads.  You can buy a ton of it, and the gun for under 200 dollars.  Some surplus Maks are better than others and there are tons of options for it… Let’s be quite frank… the Makarov is one of the best pistols on the planet… period.  They are not refined, nor elegant, nor graceful… but they work, and they work better than guns costing many times more.  So why not a Mak?  That’s what I am thinking about.  The only problem is that I don’t have one.  That will have to be remedied.  For the rifles, I will of course have to finish the Marlin 336CS review... after I finish some minor customizations. 

May 1st, Saturday, 2004:  Afternoon:  Detonics Combat Master review is up. 

Now THIS is something I wish I had thought of.  Cooking in the field is something anyone can do.  Cooking well in the field, is an art form.   I would like to see the Army go back to the uniforms of WWII.  But that’s just me.  We have new equipment and new weapons and all that… but the uniforms were better looking back then.  I even like the older helmets too.  The steel pot was a great tool for all sorts of field used.  The modern helmet is heavier and less useful.  And yet they do little against the enemy’s preferred weapon, the RPG-7.  We might chuckle at these guys in the Chinese army… but they are using their heads.  In the US army most guys would have been trying to fry those eggs in a canteen cup with poor results.  Like I said… cooking well in the field is an art form.  I found the above link at “A Coyote at the Dog Show”.  Nice blog.  Worthy of linkage.  

The Liberal Slayer is another good blog I’m going to link to here.  I especially like the image of the soldier getting baptized in a field expedient font.  This made me smile when I saw it.  The expression of Christian faith out in the field is common… but a baptism is rare.  What a special event that was!  Something that soldier will always remember. 

Here is an online resource for you if you are interested in the study of ancient Egypt.  If you look at the atlas of the Valley of the Kings, be sure to look at KV-14, the tomb in the bottom left side of the map.  Very interesting.  

Christian Bale is going to be the next Batman.  This is pretty cool… I’ve given up on the Batman movies because well… they just kept getting worse and worse… but with Bale in the Bat Suite, I just might be tempted to watch it.  Bale is the cat that played Grammaton Cleric Preston in Equilibrium.  Smart actor.  Very skilled.  I think he could do it well.  

Email from Spectre:  “It looks like the Stryker is already proving to be a disappointment in Iraq, and there is considerable controversy about its deployment, including whether the vehicle is even really capable of being transported via C-130.

Now, let me be very clear: I think the basic concept of a rapidly deployable armored vehicle is valid; I am just not sure that the IAV is that needed vehicle.  The IBCT (Interim Brigade Combat Team) is a needed evolution.  Before now, the Army has had Mechanized (Heavy) and Light Divisions. 

Mech Divisions are fast on the ground, because they have imbedded vehicles for all their staff.  Put 'em down, fuel, and go.  The problem is, getting them to the deployment area.  Most often, they must be shipped, which is why Desert Storm (Gulf 1) took so long to kick off: we were waiting to get enough vehicles in-theater.

Light Divisions are the opposite.  They are fast to get anywhere, because they typically only have a few support vehicles designated.  The problem is, once they hit dirt, they have to either wait for transport, or start marching.

The IBCT is, in effect, a Medium Division that splits the difference between the two.  The idea is to have a vehicle that is will offer mobility and some protection to soldiers, while still being light and compact enough to be easily air-transportable.

The Stryker is basically a LAV-3 with the turrent cut off.  It has a remote weapons station that will mount a MK-19 or M-2, or a M-240 (with adapter).  There are also ant-armor varients with TOW-II (B?  Whatever the current evolution is), with mortar and Mobile Gun System (105mm Cannon) variants due.

One of the problems is, there is almost no extra room around a Stryker after you squeeze it into a C-130.  If what I have heard is accurate, you're only talking about inches.  Another problem is the tires.  The Stryker has a system that will allow different modes of operation, depending on terrain.  If you're in sand, for instance, some of the air will be released to allow for better traction.

Well, one of the problems seen, is vulnerability to RPG's.  There are at least two forms of armor designed to defeat incoming rockets.  One if a series of grates that forces the RPG to detonate far enough away from the body of the IAV to theoretically prevent serious damage.  The other is reactive armor.  The reactive armor is so heavy that the system controlling tire pressure cannot be used; the tires must stay at full pressure.

My former Division (1-25) will be overseas in a few months in the Strykers, the second Division to be deployed with them.  Word is, they're headed for Fellujah- exactly the WRONG environment, I feel, for a bulky but light armored vehicle to be placed.  (If there is a "good" place for them, it must certainly be in desert or other wide, open terrain, where enemy targets can be engaged at long distance by air cover or our TOW carriers.)

I wish them good luck.  I'm afraid they'll need it.”

What is funny about all this is that the Army acts as if an Armored Fighting Vehicle is something new.  It is not.  The US Army has a long history with light armored fighting vehicles and all one has to do is to look back in time to see that we have several of them that we used back in WWII that would be damn near ideal for use in Iraq right not.  The M-24 Chaffee and the M-5 Stuart are both options that would be air mobile by C-130… Of course, ideally we could just roll out the Sheridans, which are freaking perfect for the kind of fighting we are seeing over there.  The Army has what it needs – the Fat Fuck Generals getting rich in the Pentagon needs to back the fuck off the Pork Platter and just roll out what the Army needs to actually fight with.  They have better armor than the Strykers, better armed then the Strykers, and is just simply a better vehicle for fighting than the Strykers.

Morning:  Email came in today asking about the HK USP .40.  It was a “Do Not Publish” email so I shall honor that… but part of the question bears out a point I want to share.  Here is my answer:  The USP is an excellent pistol, full sized or compact versions... they are awesome handguns.  They have a recoil buffer built in to them so you can shoot hot .40 loads like other guns shoot regular .40 loads.   The SIG P229, or P239 are also outstanding options that won’t let you down, but you can't have them so easily set up for left handed use like the HK can.  So the HK would be my first choice too.  The thing to avoid is the NOVAK style sights.  If you select any automatic handgun, select one that has a rear sight that you can hook onto your belt or holster or pocket so that you can jack the slide one handed.  And practice that.  Practice that at a range that lets you shoot from a holster... and if you can't find one, buy a mag full of dummy rounds so you can work that drill until you can do it in your sleep.   You can't do that with Novak style sights.  Novaks are great for magazine covers but on a fighting gun, they are worthless and a liability.  There are other ways to cycle a slide one handed… but none of them are as fast or as easy to do as hooking the rear sight and shoving the pistol downwards.  You can do this one handed, under stress, almost as fast as jacking the slide with two hands.  No other method works as well, so no other method is even worth considering – this is why I will never own another automatic with Novak style sights.  I had one, and it bugged the shit out of me.   If you ask why this is important that that the Novaks are “snag free”, let me explain… this is important because in many cases you might have to operate your handgun one handed.  When you are in a gunfight your arms are out in front of you.  It’s likely that one of your hands or arms could become injured.  It’s also likely that you are holding something valuable… like a child… or a ladder… or applying direct pressure to the neck wound of your partner… there are a myriad of situations where you are forced to use only one hand.  Of course if you are holding onto something of a lesser value, by all means drop it… but sometimes, you just can’t.  As for the snag free noise… I’ve been carrying guns since I was 17 years old pretty much continually.  I’ve NEVER had any rear sight snag on anything. I’m not saying it couldn’t happen… but it’s just not likely.  Even in pocket carry.  So don’t worry about it.

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