October 1st to the 13th.  

Oct 13th, Monday:  1600hrs:  Mozilla build 1.4.1… pretty dang good.  I’m now using it exclusively.  I’m looking forward to the 1.5 build when it’s completed.  I’m tempted to try the release candidate, but I am going cautious with my new machine.  Windows is delicate and I don’t want to screw it up.   I’m going to say that right now, Steve is my personal hero.  Check this out… After I burnt the last of my CDs to transfer data from, I was going to try to play a round of Neverwinter Nights.  This was last night.  Well, as the game was loading the machine crashed.  I got the extremely bad “Blue Screen Of Death”… common on 98, but extremely bad in XP.  The blue screen was on for about 4 seconds when it flickered and the machine just turned off.  It didn’t come back up.  I still can’t get it back up today.  The Mo-Bo is completely dead now.  Gone.  Dead.  It’s a late mother board.  It’s a mother board that is no more.  It’s pushing up the daisies…  Considering that today I just finalized and submitted my two papers… Wow.  As Batman and Robin says, “Nick of Time”.     Anyways... where was I?  Oh yeah, Mozilla.  I am now using it exclusively as well as Mozilla's tight little email client, which is just as good as Eudora, but not as pretty looking.    The tab... they are not that big of a deal.  I don't see what the real advantage is if you use tabs over opening a new window.  Now I am not geeking over Mozilla as if this was the first time I ever used it.  I think the last one I used was 1.2 and it was fine, but IE 5 was just plain better.  Then IE 6 was even better yet and left Mozilla behind.  I didn't try 1.3 or anything else so I didn't see it catching up.  Now it hasn't just caught up, but finally surpassed IE.

Got an email from Correia, he is going to keep an eye open for me for a large framed big bore caliber snubnose revolver.  Thanks, man.  As I said before, I’m looking for a .41, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, or .45LC.  I'd like a S&W, but a Taurus would work just as well.  You can get a Tracker in a short barrel too, right?  The gun should also be blued with grips other than what S&W offers from the factory.  I don’t know what it is with those wood grips, but they suck and I can’t hold the gun properly with them.    I want wood grips, but rounded ones.   Anyways, I guess grips are not important as they can be swapped any time.  As long as the gun is in good shape… that’s fine.  If anyone else has seen one… well… keep your eyes open for me.  The trade is for my Mini-XD with 2 factory mags.  I really love the little XD… but I am jonesing hard for Big Snub.  More than I ever wanted an XD.   Nothing against the XD at all.  And no, there are no problems with the XD... I just want a giant, classic, short barreled blaster and I want it so much, I'm willing to give up the little XD.  Hey, I'm fickle.

Oct 12th, Sunday:  1900hrs:  Have you guys received this Fuel Saver Pro spam?  I just got one that somehow got through my filtering.  This one had more details, claims with graphs and statistics and all sorts of utter bullshit.  This one also had a little picture and an animated gif.  The Fuel Saver Pro is a little plastic gadget that clips onto your fuel line.  Supposedly it straightens out the flow or something.  You know, if you are stupid enough to thing this is going to do anything for you other than lessen your account balance, you are a total freaking moron.  Let me explain.  Whatever magic forces reside in the gadget, even if they do what the little gif shows… the gas would just revert back to a normal flow as soon as it got past the gadget.  This thing is impossible.  Not only is it impossible, what would be the benefit once that fuel is injected with an air mixture and then injected into your cylinder?   There is no way this can benefit anyone but the people pimping it.  You know what, I’m going to sell big red letter “R” stickers that you put on the back of your car.  The “R” makes your car sexier, faster, and less visible to traffic radar.   Or maybe I will sell cans of red paint claiming that this paint is radar absorbent and also makes your car faster.  These claims are totally unfounded and bogus... but so is this Fuel Saver Pro.  Total bullshit.

Went on a 12 mile walk today with Ranger.  He loved it.  I enjoyed it too.  My feet now hate me.  I have a big blister just in front of the balls of my feet, on both feet.   Ouch.

Neighbor issue.  The guys next door hates us.  They have two boys that like to break shit.  They have broken glass and shot out our flood light with BB Guns (just before we moved in) and they have generally acted like boys.  No real problems.  Boys are boys right?  Well, I guess assholes are assholes.  Yesterday my 2 year old dropped one of the kitties into the little pond we have out front.  Asshole over there called the sheriff's department and reported animal cruelty.   This is the same asshole that threw rocks at Ranger 3 weeks ago when Ranger got off his chain.  Ranger had not even gone onto that guys property... he went out onto the street and this guy started chucking rocks.  Now he called the sheriffs on us because a baby dunked a cat?  The sheriff looked at the cats.  Dry and happy.  No problem.  But that call is still on the record.   I am super pissed off.  This isn't the usual ogre rage.  This is a cold quiet rage.  This asshole is going to pay.

A fellow told me that his Legacy did the same thing as mine.  His issue was his injectors.  After those were replaced, his car had no problem starting.  This sounds very strange to me.  I've never heard of that before.   Well, if I am going to pull the injectors, I might as well put in larger ones, right?  Yeah, the car is still down.  New injectors = 147 bones each.  X 4 + 100 for installation = $688 bucks.  Or in other words 1/2 the price of an old Chevy pick up that I want to buy that run good.  Let me tell you... I am so sick of this Subaru.  

 If I can get it started, I'm doing a circuit of all the used lots to sell this damn thing.  I'll buy something different... hopefully something that isn't cursed.  I don't care what it is.

Oct 11th, Saturday:  0945HRS:  Remember how I said that I liked my Subaru?  Any “like” that I had is right out the window.  Again, I am unable to get the damn thing to start.  I’m thinking it maybe a fuel pump.  Not 100% sure, because I can not figure out these cars.  It has been getting progressively harder to get the engine to fire up.  This morning, no joy.  Can’t get it to fire.  I almost drained the battery in the attempt.   Let me put it this way:  I HATE THIS FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT CAR – IT IS THE WORST I HAVE EVER BOUGHT!   AAARRRGHH!!

I was reading an article about a dedicated Linux user who tried to run Windows for a week.  Check it out, it’s a good read.  This guy makes some good points. 

I would love to have IE use tabbed browsing.  Unfortunately, if Microsoft tried doing that, every other browser-maker would sue the shit out of them.  Be honest.  You know they would.  Any feature, trick, or applet that MS puts out, is met by a team of Lawyers from small, unheard of people claiming to have done it first and MS is stealing it.  (Yeah, some if that may be true – but come on… it gets kind of silly sometimes.)  Besides, Tabbed Browsing isn't all that great.  Seriously... it's not internet-nirvana. 

I’ve done Linux.  I’ve run a version of Redhat Linux and Mandrake Linux.  I indeed loved the included features… the applications that came FREE (!) with the OS.  Wait a sec… isn’t this something that the Linux-Zealots have been bitching and moaning about?  They complain that MS is unfair because they add applications to the OS?  You can’t argue this and then complain that Office isn’t in the XP OS.  You can’t do that if you don’t want to be considered a total freaking hypocrite. 

Anyways… so Linux installs nice and easy… looks good… and I can get around okay… Then I clicked “save”.  This is where Linux drops the ball.  Look, let me put it this way.  I can drive a Mazda for a year straight… then I can jump into a Ford and drive it just fine with no problems.  Regardless that one car is designed and built thousands of miles from the other makes no difference.  Regardless that one has a V-6 engine and the other has a Rotary engine… no difference.    I think an OS should be similar to this.  Even if one car is faster, sleeker, more powerful, and more refined than the other… I can still just jump into it and DRIVE IT.   (which OS is more refined than the other - I'll leave that up to you)  Linux is not like this.  Switching to Linux is like switching from Ford to Eurocopter.  (They make helicopters)  The learning curve is not just more difficult, but divergent as well.  Unlike Mac… which is more like switching from a Honda to a TVR. (they make cars sold and driven in England) They may drive on the other side of the road and have the controls on the wrong side, but the controls are still pretty familiar.  You only need a few laps around the block to get it down.   Linux turns things on your head.  You need to know a whole new file system.  You need to understand what the hell “root” is.  You need to understand a totally alien form of language called “command line” and then you have to let your computer “mount” on things like a bull elk in rutting season.   

Don’t even get me started about installing the printer.  I had to buy a new one.  One that had Linux drivers available to download!  There were only a few at the time.  (I can’t push to hard on this issue… my HP is giving me fits over the driver that I can download, but doesn’t work!  *Sigh*) 

He makes a great point about Outlook.  In setting up this new computer, I decided to drop Outlook.  I switched to Outlook while working with Nortel.  I hated it, and my lead tech was spending a lot of time with me answering my questions about Outlook rather than helping my team with their stupid questions (probably about Outlook too).  Before then, my favorite email client was Eudora.  Well, today I installed Eudora and I am loving it.  This guy sold Mozilla’s email client, and I might just try it.  But to me, Eudora is absolutely the best email client out there.  Bar None. 

I’m not going to be trying Opera on this machine.  While I liked Opera – a lot – I didn’t like the flashing – seizure inducing – bullshit advertisements that SPEAK.  First time I heard it, it was all quiet and all the sudden the ad screamed “CLICK NOW!”  Scared the shit out of me.  I fell backwards out of my damn chair!  Worse yet – I couldn't turn off the thing to keep it from flashing from red to yellow.  OMH, it was the most annoying thing ever.  You think you can just ignore it?  Hell no… because after 3 minutes – it yells at you again!  Then when I tried to uninstall it, it gave me an error and wouldn’t let me delete it.  I just didn’t run it anymore… but it was still there… like a malignant tumor.  So sad… because the browser was truly excellent up until that point.  Had someone said, “hey, you are liking our browser… you can buy a license for it…”  I probably would have.  But to be forced to buy the license just to get rid of that damn flashing ad?  Extortion! 

Ah, Mozilla just finished downloading now.  There we go.  Nice.  One thing I like about IE… I have a couple buttons on my mouse that let me go “Back” and “Forward” within the browser window.  That’s a helpful thing.  I like it.  I like better than middle mouse pasting.    Hey, wait a sec... this new build of Mozilla let's me back and forth too.  Sweeet. 

I hate buying software.  I’m a pirate.  This is actually the first LEGAL copy if Windows that I have ever used… all the way back to the first Windows 95.  Let’s not talk about Office, okay?  But there is a legit office suite on the machine, but it’s WordPerfect and I just never liked that.  I think the best office suite just might be Star Office… but I have always loved Lotus Smartsuite since I first used it… back with my first Win95.  Windows XP Pro isn’t the perfect OS, but neither is Linux.  If I was to start all over again with my computing and select an OS to learn from scratch… then it would be most likely be Linux or FreeBSD.  It satisfies my inner-pirate urges. 

Oh, I just tried Mozilla’s latest email client… it’s good.  Very good.   But Eudora 6 kicks it in the nuts.  If I have to drop Eudora and go to Mozilla’s… I’d be just fine with it.

Just an observation… In England lawyers are called “Solicitors” and here in the states, “Solicitors” are people who go door to door trying to separate the stupid from their money.   Go figure.

Late last night I watched a cool movie.  "The Italian Job" - my wife and I both really enjoyed it.  Fun, smart, and exciting.  Those little cars, the Coopers... they really are that sporty.  But then again, so is a Go-Kart.  There is no way I would buy one.  But right about now, I would be willing to trade my Subaru for one.  Hell, I'd trade that damn car for good sandwich right now!  This movie had very little swearing in it... very little if anything that could be considered offensive other than a little bit of violence and the fact that they are committing criminal acts. 

Oct 10th, Friday:  1600HRS:  I was reading "Cold Fury" and he had this link.  Which member of the Rat Pack are you? 

I had no doubts as to who I would be.  Check out Cold Fury right now.  He has a few Dean Martin MP3s you can snag... but go get them before the RIAA or the Mafia jumps on him.

This link is for you Steve... Thanks again for the Dell.  I remember cruising with you on the way to go shoot, and you had Sinatra spinning in your player.    Sinatra was the coolest of the Rat Pack.  Hands down.  And the best singer too.

Looks like another website is calling me a Dog-Blog.  Funny that they have not read this site before they linked.  This isn't a Dog-Blog.  I'm not sure what you would call it.  Gun-Blog?  Anti-Liberal Blog?  No... No no no... I am not going to define myself by what I like or don't like.  This is nothing more than an "OGRE-BLOG", Damn it!

I got a letter from the United States Senate today.  Thick one.  When was it, 6 months ago when I wrote an email to Orrin Hatch about a few things?  I wrote him of some concerns I had with:  The Army’s Stryker IFV, the V-22 Osprey program, and the fact we are leasing jets from Boeing instead of buying them… which costs a lot more.  Well, there was no canned note response to any of my letter.  He wrote me back… or one of his office staff did and Hatch autographed it.  (but considering the typos and other errors, I think this might be an actual Hatch Typed letter) I’m not going to retype the whole letter… but I will give you some highlights:

He says that he contacted some folks in the V-22 project and got some fresh information on it. 

1.  The HROD tests are 95% complete.  (High Rate of Descent)  

2.  The HROD tests should be completed by July. 

3.  Low-Speed Maneuverability tests are completed and shown to be superior to Helicopters.  

4.  External load, formation flight tests complete, with no issues found, no downdraft issues found. 

5.  Former Pentagon chief Edward Aldridge has reported to him that the program is proceeding very well and demonstrating the technical progress required.

This is nifty, but:  1.  Any pilot will tell you, during a landing, it’s the last few feet that matter the most.  So in this test, you can bet it’s the last 5% that are the most critical. 

2.  Scheduled tests end in July… but I’m not holding my breath.  When has ANYTHING in this program been on time and on budget.

3.  That’s what Boeing was saying at the beginning.  And that’s fine, however the V-22 is also burning up a whole shitload of fuel more than a helicopter, and the helicopter can do what it does with a full load and full fuel tank, and still have gas left over to actually perform a mission flight. 

4.  This external load tests… was it conducted with a small weighted sled, or what they will normally be carrying… like an artillery piece or a Humvee or a water buffalo… things that will behave much differently in the downdraft than an aerodynamically neutral sled.    Like I said before… did the V-22 have any gas in it left after the test flight? 

5.  Aldridge signed off on this?  Nice.  While we are speaking in aircraft terms, let me use one for illustrations.  When a jet is on the runway and heading for a take off, there comes a point called the “Point of No Return”.  This is where the plane is now unable to stop the takeoff and is committed to launching.  You guys are in the same place… Point of No Return Spending.  You guys have spend so much money on this project that it’s cheaper to finish it and work out the investment latter that it is to scrap it and cut your losses and just buy more Blackhawks… but that’s not the way the Pork fries, is it? 

Mr. Hatch, you still have not addressed the concerns that it will require 4 times the number of V-22 aircraft than regular UH-60s on your average battalion level air-mobile mission profile.  Nor have you answered the basic question… considering the fact that the V-22 is so much more bloody expensive, can only actually do a fraction of what a UH-60 can do… is it really worth it?   Who is this thing supposed to be benefiting?  The Marines really don’t want it any more… and I’m not talking about some bastard General or Admiral, I’m talking about the guys that will actually have to be flying in them.  Let me ask you this way – Would YOU be willing to take a few flights in one of these?  No, really, because your all set to let others do it… would you do it yourself?  Me?  Frankly I wouldn’t ride in one if a gun was pointed to my head.  I’d rather just get shot and go out easy that feel the terror of a long fall, followed by a crushing smash to the ground, and the barbeque that follows. 

READ HERE for solid information about the V-22 program and what is really going on.  The more I read about the V-22, the more I hate the damn thing.  I loath the V-22.  This has got to be one of the worst military spending clusterfucks that I have ever seen.   If you go and read this page, and do not come away totally outraged... then you are either a complete idiot, or a Boeing Employee, or a well paid-off Congressmen.

The Stryker:  Hatch says that the Stryker is adopted because it can withstand 12.7MM fire and a Humvee can’t.    That is such a retarded response, I can’t believe a Senator would even say such a thing.  Check that.  I can’t believe a Republican Senator would say such a thing.   Hey… Can a V-22 lift a Stryker?  Can it?  Cause a C-130 can’t either.  Well, it could… but you can’t load a Stryker into a Herc because the Stryker is too fucking big.  Out of specs and over budget, just like the Osprey.  No wonder you guys are loving it.  Never mind that the troopers that have been using it have HATED it.  That they got wiped out during force on force trials at the NTC, but was reported to be a success… How did that work?  Well, I guess if they were French fighting vehicles, then it would be awesome, because at least they didn’t fucking surrender!  

The leased jet issue actually made sense.  Leases could be made now to replace the ageing fleet before one fell apart, where as to buy them, it would have taken a long time to go through the process and the new jets are needed now.   This, I can understand. 

I know Hatch isn't on the committee for military stuff... but he is my senator and I would like these questions addressed.  My responses here are being sent back to him.

Well, I have no conclusive evidence that what we have out here is indeed a Puma.  Basically I have been snubbed and told to come back when I have one with a rope around it’s neck.  *sigh*.  What did I expect from the same idiots that thought big St Bernard dog tracks were actually bear tracks?  

Got some emails about the Cougar situation… most are “…no, you don’t have a cougar… blah blah blah…”  Typical.  Cougars are nature’s UFOS.  Hey, I’m not asking you to believe in UFOs.  But there are big cats out here.  Just because you go hiking and don’t see them hanging out, doesn’t mean they are not there.  You don’t see fish in the river when you drive over a bridge either, do you?  Do you think there may be a fish somewhere down there?

One email points to the contrary of the typical Cougar concern… there ARE Cougars out here… more over… they are even back east too: 

“Wow, looks like we are getting another problem cropping up nation wide. Also three days ago they had ANOTHER one that came into the old downtown business district, a female with cub in tow. Only it's not being reported in the news. (No need to start a needless panic…)  And within the past few years to the east of us in western Iowa many of the farmers have had major sightings. About two years ago now, within a three months span there had been about forty sightings by those farmers.  I dunno, I think we're just plain stupid to let these types of animals the a foothold in our "ecosystem" again. I mean for crying out loud, cockroaches are a part of our "ecosystem". And whenever I see one I crush it under foot. Maybe I'm just paranoid, maybe I shouldn't have stayed up late watching "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" either...”   

0900:  If your going to spam Ogre.. a message is one thing... but an attached 15 second MPEG movie file?  Yeah... that's bad.  But to send me 10 copies?  Had this not been from someone who I respect... I would have had to go kick their ass.   He overloaded my email server to the point it almost started bouncing emails!   Well, he owns and runs my favorite range in Utah, so he gets a pass on this.  Gun guys are not always computer guys, and that's just fine.

The transition to the Dell machine is pretty much a smooth one.  Only one thing is hanging up.  The stupid printer driver.  I have an HP 3320, I cant' find the install CD for it, and the download from HP.com doesn't work.  You pull down an EXE file, double click it, and it launches the installer or something.  Well, when I double click it, it opens a DOS box and that's it.  The new file that is supposed to pop out doesn't pop out.   That new file is the driver.  If you ask me, 11 Megs for a fricken driver script is a bit excessive.   This isn't too bad.  I can save my papers to disk and sneaker-net them to a printer at the U.  I can also just email the papers/files to the instructors and that works too.  I am tickled that USU is getting jiggy with technology.  Oh, wait a sec... I think I remember them all saying something that its okay to do that, but I better email them to check.

One of the papers is my response to Charlton Heston's speech that I have had posted in my political section here for years.  I think the best thing I could say is "Amen!"  But now I have to expand "Amen" into 2 or 3 pages.  If I was Southern Baptist, that would be easy to do!

About the Big Kitty issue.  I went out into the pasture behind my house and looked around.  The ground was wet and grassy... I could see impressions, but could not make out any actual prints.  The riverbed gave more positive results.   While I found no conclusive prints, Ranger scented something that he seriously didn't like.   I think he smelled a cougar... either that or a something else he was afraid of.  Time to go to the Wildlife people.

Rush has just admitted on the air, his addiction to pain meds.  Rush has my support... if you listened to the radio and to what he said... you can't bash him for this.  Even if you don't like Rush's politics - you have to concede the point that what happened to him was both unfortunate and understandable.  I think his "confession" was very respectable.  He admitted his problem to MILLIONS, and then he went forth and explained what he was going to do about it.  Checking himself into a hospital for a month to break the addiction.  Unlike other celebs or rich and famous... they do this quietly.  Under Cover.  Rush's life is on display under a magnifying glass, and to say all this on the air took giant balls.   It's okay to have a problem... everyone has them once in awhile.  But it's what you do about it that is the measure of character.   He will come out stronger than ever.

Oct 9th, Thursday:  2330hrs:  Whoa.  When you run the same PC for several years, you really forget all the junk you have.  This new Dell Dimension is utter sweetness.  It's faster than my old PC was by a little bit - when it ran right - but the coolest thing is that this new box is QUIET.  The boot was silent and well - IT BOOTED!  YEAH!  Pushed the button, and it just came on.  Just like Aladin's Genie... *Poof* "What do you need?"  And it's quiet!  The fan... it's not screaming like an F-16 Tubofan Jet Engine.  I can only barely just barely hear a hum.  Wow!  Some things are a lot faster... noticeably faster. 

Anyways, I am still "setting up" so I may be offline email wise until about lunch time tomorrow.  (Oh man!  I have to set up all my filters again!  *screams*)  I have to install some things and set up junk... and figure out what my email server settings were...  LOL.  I already of Office XP, and my iPaq set up and synced... so I am already set to roll on my homework.  

Changing computers... now I have to remember all my old passwords to things.   That and delete all the shortcuts to AOL.  Wow, are they pimping hard or what?

Check this out, my Psychology Mid Term exam... It's a take home/open book deal.  A take home test?  How does that work?  How do I keep myself from cheating? LOL.   My Psych Prof is so cool.  She rocks to a shockingly high degree.   Not only is this a take home... but I have 2 weeks to finish it.  Hello!

I sent some emails to my bros back in Virginia, and I've not heard from them back... nor for a long while now.  Getting worried.  They are either pissed at me, really busy with the ladies, or too busy with school and game and movies... so if any readers are hanging out near VMI and you see my bros - smack them in the head for me and order them to report in, or I will have to send my shinobi spies to check things out, and no one wants that to happen.

A couple times a week, for the last month or so, all the dogs in the area will freak out.  Not all at once... but in a slow "wave".   Well, the other night I was typing away and heard Ranger freak out and he never does unless something is wrong.  I went out and he was just unglued.  I calmed him down and stood there by him listening.  Out in the cow field I thought I saw something moving... fast and  low,  heading north.  A couple minutes later the dogs up north all freaked.  Ranger, when I thought I saw something, had keyed on it too.  So I know I wasn't spoofing myself here.  No I just heard that my oldest saw something too... when he went over the bridge near by over a dry riverbed.  Well, he doesn't know what it was... but I have a suspicion.   I think we have a Mountain Lion here.   I'm going to go talk to the Wild Life officials... the Pine Pigs.  I'm not joking.  Puma, Cougar, big fucking eat my dog and kids Kitty, Big Puddy-Tat.   I've seen a couple out here in this region before, but none that would be down so low and so near people.  I've not heard of any actual problems with them around here yet... but I want to make sure.  You don't play around with freaking Cougars.   I am so glad I have a dog like Ranger!  He felt that cat out there while it was still a good way off.

Speaking of Ranger... (DOG-BLOG-ALERT!) I am concerned about him.  He has been acting differently lately.  He isn't "My Ranger"...   Ever since he got fixed.  He has been fairly emotional and very submissive.  When I walk up to him, he gets low with his head down and ears down... total submission.  He didn't do that before.   It's like he has been beaten or something.  He isn't eating and drinking like he used to either.  I'm going to have to go talk to the Vet that fixed him.  I'm also going to talk to a couple others.  If he fucked up my dog, I'm suing the shit out him.   If any Horde Members or readers have any insight into this - I'd like to hear it.

1600hrs: About a week ago I got an email from a good friend.  "I'm sending you something..." My reaction was "Uh, Okay."  I was thinking it was like a couple movies or a book or something... what I got as totally blown me away. 

He sent me a brand new Dell PC that he ordered for me online.  I am so stunned - I don't believe it, yet there it is.   This morning when I booted my PC here, it took another 30+ attempts and had some weird things going on... I don't think it would have gone another week.   And here is a new machine... all set to go. 

All I have to do is burn a disk with my school files, and install Office, and I am all set to roll.  The whole reason I am out here is to go to school.  That's it.  Without a PC at home, going to school would have been virtually impossible as most everything I do has to be done on one, and from home. 

Yeah, I've bashed windows and said I want a Mac... but how could I afford the new software to go on a Mac?  It would have been Un-possible.  This will allow me to continue rolling forward with school with not even a hiccup.  

Steve, you are a life saver and a very good friend.  I can't believe this.  I'm stunned.   Thank you very much, Steve.

"DUDE, I gotta Dell!" - SHOCKED AND AWED OGRE

I'm rolling off to classes right now... as soon as I get back, I'm transferring my key data and making the switch. 

1030hrs:  Howard Dean has said that California voted Davis out because they were mad at Bush.  As illogical as California is, even they couldn’t follow that sort of metastupid blathering.  I don’t know where Dean came up with that, if he did it himself, or someone told him to say that… but it comes down to the fact that this was in Dean’s head and he thought it sounded good.  It’s a special kind of retardation that guys like Howard Dean have that turns everything into “Bush’s Fault”.  Howard Dean is even going to blame Bush for his loosing his run.  “People didn’t vote for me, because they were mad at Bush!”    I am surprised that they have not yet declared “The tiger attacked Roy because it was mad at Bush!”   Judas Priest! 

Arnold got more votes than Davis did!  Davis was frowned upon by the Democrats.  The “No Recall” numbers could have been sky high while people still voted other candidates… but that didn’t happen.  Here is why.  People, even Democrats, are tired of reprehensible policy, politics, and actions of the Democrat Party. 

The slander campaign against Arnold was just disgusting.   5 days before the election, all the sudden all these women come forward saying they got groped?  That sort of obvious bullshit probably backfired against Davis.  Really Davis defeated Davis.  He failed.  And that is pretty much typical of what most Democrats are doing.   Arnold won.  Not only that, Arnold won BIG.  Howard Dean is a fucking snail skulled infant if he can’t recognize what happened in California.  As evidenced by his “Attack Bush Always - Politics As Usual” behavior, he can’t recognize shit.  I really hope Howard Dean misses the nomination… seeing him get swatted down will be amusing.  

Of course what is really scary though… Hillary Clinton is listed as a registered Candidate for the 2004 Presidential Election.  I am curious as to why no one in the media has said ANYTHING about it.  I’ve not heard a single comment about this.  What is up about that?  It’s all over the internet, but the Media is ignoring it. 

Last night I had a bit of good news... The exam that I took last week and thought I bombed... turns out I got a "B" on it.   I was stunned.  I'll take a B on that any day.  I was hoping that I just passed!    Then, from the same class, I got a paper back with a 95/100 on it.  One of the highest scores in the class.  Sweet!  I'm doing better than I thought!

Now, I just have 2 major papers to write... both due next week.  This isn't too bad.  I'm pretty solid on writing papers.  I've got some great ideas for both papers, so really all I have to do is get cranking on them.  I'll get cranking on them tomorrow.  Today, I am coasting.  I'm all set for class today, and have nothing due for it.  Today, I'm just going to goof.

Just on a whim, I have put my Springfield Mini-XD up for trade.  No no no... I still LOVE the little XD.  It's a fantastic little gun.  It's just that I am really wanting a "Big Snub".  A big framed snub-nosed revolver in a big bore caliber.  (but not .45ACP)  I'm looking for a trade out of Utah as I am not wanting to deal with FFLs and their fees.    I'm not actively seeking to make this sort of trade... but if someone has a great offer, I'll take it.  An acceptable trade offer would have to be an older double action S&W, blued with aftermarket wood grips and in a caliber like .41 Mag, .44 Special or Magnum, or .45LC... with a barrel length no longer than 3 inches.

Oct 8th, Wednesday:  1100hrs:  Just wondering...  How long will it take for the Media and for California to separate Arnold for the characters he pretended to be in his movies?   Arnold is now Governor over a state that is the Home Base for virtually all the Liberal Stupidity in the whole nation save the relatively small amount retarded spew issuing forth from New York and D.C. – His new job isn’t going to be easy.

The Left is just coming unglued.  It is funny how they are crying about the failure of Democracy - when what happened in California was the people's use of democracy.  The Left just doesn’t get it.   To them, if "Democracy" failed, it's because people were too stupid to know how to vote correctly... that people came out to vote for the wrong reason... that the people of California are stupid.   This is called denial.

Soon enough people will realize that California is peopled with a majority of conservative opinion, and that we conservatives do not have to be ran over by the few, loud, and obnoxious Left.   Soon enough, they will realize the horrible truth.

The Silent Majority will no longer be so silent.

We have the House, The Senate, The Whitehouse, now we have California.  We have the initiative… we have the momentum.  We have what it takes now to push forward!  We need to push HARDER now!  If we can all get moving, we can make sure the AWB sunsets.  We can make Right what the Left has made Wrong.   As much as I hate the D.U.  I had to check them out this morning… they are in a panic.   We Got Them!   Now let’s push them further!   

They are even talking “Revolution” there at the D.U.  These moronic Starbucks sipping pussies have no idea what the word even means.  They have no clue as to the ramifications of what they are saying.  Well, since they don’t serve in the military, they don’t own guns… they don’t know how to fight, and they have nothing to fight with.   I’m for it.  Let’s throw down.  Hey, Left!  Bring it!

Do you think Davis and his crew will trash the capital?  Clintons did it.  Deedee did it in Utah when Rocky won.  Liberals are the worst loosers… I wouldn’t be surprised if they just torched the building on the way out.

My computer… Yesterday it almost gave up trying to get it to boot.  Today, it booted after the 35^th attempt.  On this last attempt, I said, “If it doesn’t boot this time… I am going smash this thing with a sledgehammer!”  It booted.  Like nothing was wrong.  Running and happily humming along… Well, not really.  There are a lot of functional things going on that will require a complete reformat and reinstall of the OS and everything.  Unfortunately the machine wont take any updates or boot from CD or anything… and there is no point… This machine is screwed.  I’ve got to get a new machine.  Man, I want a Mac G4… so sick of Windows now.  Fucking computers.

Oct 7th, Tuesday:  1900hrs:  I found the bike I want…  Maybe the only way I get one… maybe I should bid.   I was looking at a couple bikes, and I have to admit that the Yamaha “Warrior” is a pretty badass bike.  One hell of a great engine.  Huge power output.  It even looks good.  The downside is that it’s so low in the front end, the rider is going to be all up in the wind with nothing to break it.  This is one reason that I like bikes with a stretched frame… they come up higher in the front end and that breaks the wind somewhat, and you don’t even have to put on a ghey little windshield.  My Magna was taller in the front end… and the same year Virago was higher… why the hell are they all going to the squashed flat look?  They LOOK great in pictures… unless a guy is riding it… then they look wrong somehow.  This Warrior engine would be great in a stretched frame.

I’ve been tinkering around a bit with different applications for the PocketPC.  You know what?  They all suck.  Some add a small degree of utility… like a battery meter… but the others… all junk.  Once in awhile you will find something that may be useful for your work… like little database applications that may or may not work with your business’s software.  But for the most part, PocketPC is still dying for it’s killer app.  Email and a very limited amount of Web Browsing are the only thing keeping it on the surface.  The Wireless ability coupled with email is nice.  You can now get your Spam from the thin air.  Yippee.  I am overfuckingwhelmed.  The best thing that I have going on remains MS READER and a collection of possibly illegal E-books.   Why is that?  Because paperbacks don’t have backlights.  That’s the only really nifty thing.  Sure, I am writing this on my iPaq, but come on now… where it the real functionality improvement over a Palm Zire?  The games for the PocketPC are all pathetic… the best one comes standard with the WinCE… Solitaire.  Pocket Quake is useless… Pocket versions of Age of Empires and Tomb Raider?  Please.  They take up a lot of your limited space, and really don’t run that well.   Yes, I have said that the PPC has replaced my laptop… and it’s true.  Mainly because my laptop freaking just DIED on me, and that was that.  PPC needs some more turned based RPG games… like “Pocket Fallout”.  That would be great.  But instead they want to make games that just don’t fit with the PocketPC form factor.  Like FPS and Flight Simulators.  Come on now.  The “direction pad” on an iPaq is damn near useless.  Anyways.  MiniStumbler is perhaps the best little utility out there.  But there needs to be some other utilities to go with it to make it actually useable instead of saying “Oh, that’s neat”.   Not that it would help me out here in the middle of nowhere…   I’m still looking for that one cool killer app… What have you guys found to be useful with your PPC devices?

It’s looking like Arnold is taking it.  And it looks like the moronic Left are already crying about it.  “Recall the Recall!”  The Liberals are going to be forever gnashing their teeth over loosing the Governorship there in Cali.  It’s almost sad really, the way they are acting.  What they wont admit, is that they are really getting one of their own in office anyways.  Arnold is not very conservative.   At best, he is “Moderate” as a whole.  However he is Left of Center on the Gun Control issue and that really doesn’t endear me to him.  He supports the AWB and that is just unforgivable. 

My CV joints are going out and I am quoted 350 bucks to have them replaced.  That's the Subaru again.  The Jeep?  It's the stabilizers in the front end.  Again, $350.  Maybe I should offer leather jacket's again from Coronado Leather.  Anything from Coronado for 35% off... but I am not sure that would really fly like it did before.  Who knows.  What do you guys think?  "Ogre, you just need to get new vehicles!"  Well, no shit.  I'd love to.  Just a little problem with that.  I'm a freaking full time student again!   This student thing is not working out.  My family has needs that I am not able to meet now.  I am having a hard time with my church because of this.  You see, Mormons are often admonished to get married and have kids and that should be your priority.  Well, I believed that.  So I did that.  Now I am FUCKED because the Church didn't say anything about what will happen to you next.  They just say "Let the children come" and smile at you.  Nice... that doesn't pay the bills when you have 5 kids and 2 cars that are falling to pieces and you just ran out of duct-tape!

0930hrs:  From “RIGHT WING NEWS”:  “She admitted that Bill Clinton's (news - web sites) sexual peccadilloes were as inexcusable as Arnold's.

"The difference is that Clinton was so brilliant," she said. "If Arnold was a brilliant pol and had this thing about inappropriate behavior, we'd figure a way of getting around it. I think it's to our detriment to go on too much about the groping. But it's our way in. This is really about the GOP trying to take California in 2004 and our trying to stop it." 

That pretty much sums it all up, doesn’t it folks?  Is there anything from the left that can be taken at face value?  Anything at all?  Yes, there is.  It’s that the Left has become a huge pack of Rabid Weasels from the top down.  Thanks for posting that John Hawkins, we all need to be aware of just how these guys are acting.  They are not even being subtle about things anymore.   This is a new kind of political game now.  It’s no longer hardball, it’s more like just clearing the benches.

One thing is for sure… they still suck.  Rush has said that this is about Power, for Power’s sake.  Very true, El Rushbo.  The kind of shit the Left is pulling, is reprehensible.  Look at what they are doing to Arnold.  If he was Black and the Son of a Black Panther, they would not be questioning his Father’s past!  But no… because he has a German Accent and his father was a member of the Nazi Party, they have to go and pull out shit about Hitler?  What the fuck is that all about?   Arnold is alleged to have said that “I admire how Hitler when from nothing to something.”  What is wrong with saying that?  It’s just an opinion based on observation of a remarkable historical fact.  Adolph Hitler was a washed up failed artist that walked like a girl… he was a no-body.  Yet he was able to stir a political movement that swept the country and effected the entire globe.  That is an amazing story, it really is.  But it doesn’t mean you have to worship Adolph Hitler and believe in everything Hitler said and like everything he did.  There is a difference there that the Left chooses to ignore for political purposes as said above.  “This is really about the GOP trying to take California in 2004 and our trying to stop it.”  Like we really needed to hear that.  Thank you for stating the totally obvious… and thank you for admitting it, you sack of monkey shit.  At least we have a good solid chance of kicking Davis out of California… if anything else… it’s a start. 

The more Liberals that are removed from office, the better.

Speaking of Rush… We are seeing some signs that Rush is not going to be in any trouble at all for this drug thing.  It’s looking like perhaps yes, Rush does/did have a problem, but not one big enough to warrant Law Enforcement’s continual interest.  Meaning that while he may have indeed purchased some pain pills under the table, that it wasn’t enough to raise the alarm.  The one alarm that it does raise, is his bitch ass Ex-Maid.  What a whore.   Wearing a wire and recording shit to try to bust her ex-boss.  That was just spiteful.   It’s not that Rush was trying to play Miami-Vice or some shit… the guy just had an addiction.  I can understand that.  You take a pill that is prescribed to you by your doctor, and all the sudden you are addicted and you don’t even know it.  Is Rush to blame for this?  Yes, he is the one taking the pills for whatever reason… but what about the Doctor?  Should doctors be allowed to prescribe such medications that become so “Habit Forming”?  That’s such a PC way of saying “As Addictive As Crack”…  “Habit Forming”.   Drugs don’t give you a habit… drugs make you an addict.   Habit forming my ass.  I can see both sides of the argument here.  Some pain meds, while addictive, are the only thing that is effective on certain kinds of pain.  Granted.  But when you legally create an illegal addiction, there should be a penalty or program for this.  I’m not saying that the addict should be given a pass… but some consideration.  These are not your normal crack/heroine addicts that chose to become addicted by willingly taking an illegal path from the start.  I think in this case, he may have been given this consideration… and not a Pass due to celebrity.   This doesn’t get him off the hook, but it just may get him some help.   Rush is probably dealing with an unbelievable amount of shame for this.  Unlike most people, Rush’s shame is on the air for the entire world to examine.  What kinda pressure is that?  I can’t imagine that.   I don’t know about you guys, but he has my support.

So far it’s looking like people are voting for Arnold 5 to 1.  Perhaps if McClintock could have made a few popular movies, he would have done better.  But you know what?  I think there is a little more too this than just Arnold is a movie star.  I think it’s also because Arnold hasn’t been a career politician.   I think we are seeing that people are tired of Politicians.  People want a change.  I think THAT is why Arnold is doing so well, even if he is playing political games.  But this may be what we need… people to be leaders, not politicians.    I don't think this election is going to be needing any recounts or other bullshit.  At 5 to 1, it's pretty obvious.  Let's just cross our fingers and hope that this continues in such clear terms.

You gotta love Dennis Miller’s take on the punch card ballots.  “If you are too stupid to figure out a punch card… don’t vote.”   Really, it’s as simple as that.  Dennis is the man.

0030HRS:  I wrote up my little review for my little Springfield XD-9 Sub-Compact.  Check it out.  Enjoy.  Sorry about the shitty photos, if I had a better camera, I'd have better photos.  But I don't, so don't complain.  You get what you pay for here at MadOgre.com.  So shut up.

Oct 6th, Monday: 1100AM:  The California Recall.   You know what I said to the guy the other day about voting for the right guy?  In California, that right guy is McClintock.  Unfortunately the situation there is that Arnold has the lead on the Republican side.  The danger is what is called a “split vote”.  This is where all the Republicans are divided and the votes are split between the two candidates.    This is a very real danger for the Californian GOP.  Because there is the chance that a split vote MIGHT allow for another Democrat to take over California with the “Fire Pan Into the Fire” effect.    This is where strategy has got to come into play.  What is best for California, may not be the best for either party.  First off, the whole nation needs an economically strong California.  Arnold might not be able to get us that, but at least we have a guy in there that has an “R” after his name.  Ideally McClintock would be the man.  He is solid and he is strong on Conservative issues.  Arnold isn’t.   At best, Arnold is just a power hungry neo-conservative elitist prick that wants some spotlight.  I don’t know what all he has in mind, but from what I know, it’s not all that bad.  It’s not all that great, but it sure as hell smokes everything the left has to offer.  This split vote scenario is a very real possibility.  With a lot of Democrats leaning to Arnold because they are getting tired of the Democrat Party’s bullshit, this gives us a very strong likely hood that Arnold can take it.  However if the McClintock team comes in strong, they split the vote, and Arnold doesn’t get enough juice to win.  That means the winner could very well end up old “Boost’Your’Money” or even Davis staying.   Well, no… worst case scenario is Gary Coleman winning it.  Not that I have anything about that short little dweeb, it’s just that it would be best for him and California, to keep him guest hosting on Tech-TV.   McClintock has very little chance of taking this election.  I am sorry, but it’s just not in his cards right now.  What they should do is make a Gentleman’s agreement and let Arnold have it this time and McClintock the next.    Unfortunately, there is no such thing as Gentlemen anymore when the subject is Business or Politics.  In these arenas, it’s all out warfare on a scale that would make Sun Tzu and a basket of Shogun’s all a twitter.  At least this is how I see it.  I may have contradicted myself, but that’s okay.  I am a man of contradiction – I said so in my Bio.

This is weird.  Technorati shows that the other day, Blogdex listed Mad Ogre as the #3 Website of the day.  FUQQIN KOOLNESS!  Er… wait a sec.  But when I go to Blogdex, I can’t even find a reference.   Wait a sec, here is something… Yeah, I was a #3 Site of the Day.  Nice.  That’s pretty cool… out of 10 million webloggers, I hit #3 for the day.  Sweet.  I think I’ll celebrate.  Maybe jump up and down making “woo-woo” sounds until I black out.    I'm not sure what day this was exactly that I was #3.  Maybe Friday or Saturday?  Interesting... I didn't really say anything that important.  Oh well.  Hey, I'm just glad for the nomination. 

I think this might have something to do with the fact that I have somehow been established as a “Dog Blog”.  Geeze.  You guys want to see more stuff about Ranger?  Okay… I took him for a 1 mile walk today where he decided to take a giant shit on some flowers.  I said “Good Dog!” and gave him a treat.  There we go.  I’m Dog-blogging now.   No, you guys really don't want to hear about that... I know you don't.  If you want to see dog stuff in a blog, go search Google for the word "Dog". 

It's been suggest that I examine the guns from the movie "The Professional".  It's about "Leon" the hit-man.  While this is a great flick, I really don't think I will take the time required to ID all the guns in it.  But I'll make note of the more important ones the next time I watch that movie. 

“Why am I not surprised?  I could have a heart attack and die, from this surprise.”  Could this possibly be one of the reasons that the French were against military action in Iraq?  Hmmm?  Maybe?  Last night I caught a little Fox News and they had Oliver North’s “War Stories” show running.  They were talking about Operation Torch, the Allies’ first attack into North Africa.  This was interesting.  I did not know this…  When the US Navy headed into North Africa, it was met with French resistance.  They fired on us.  Those pansy frogs actually fired on us!  General Patton issued the command “Go Get’m Boys!” They fought us for 3 days during which time we destroyed the French Navy.  Then they surrendered to us.  That’s right… we personally kicked France’s ass.  Don’t think we wont do it again… Especially after France’s bullshit. 

I am wondering how many of us have CCW Permits.  This is something that some of us believe in and some of us don't.  I think it would be most beneficial to us conservatives if we all promoted getting CCW permits a little more.   Even if you don't have the desire to actually carry a concealed weapon, it's a good thing to have.  For one, they are known to get you out of speeding tickets... nothing official, it's just that the coppers seem to go easier on you if you have a permit.  From what I have seen at least.  Another reason is that they seem to send a message to the State's legislature.  This is more important.  Of course there is also the downside... it may be putting you on "The To-Do" list.  Of course, if your a cat like me, your already on the lists anyway so there is no use in being subtle now.   Business owned by Conservatives should also offer a CCW Discount.  Holders of CCW permits getting some sort of perk or discount.  For example "Totally Awesome Computers" offers and advertises this very discount, $100 off your new computer if you have a CCW permit.  If we could take this across the board... that would be fantastic.  Any and all conservative businesses should be doing this. 

Well, I gotta run... Ranger is needing to go for a ride.  He is pawing at my car.  This is his way of saying that he wants to cruise with his head out the window.   Okay... I need another Vanilla Coke too, so it's good timing.  When I get back, it's all about homework again. 

Oct 5th, Sunday:  We don’t need to allow legally concealed weapons in churches…  Oops.  Well, Reverend… Maybe you do.  We are all very lucky that this maniac didn’t come in a little later when the church was full of people.  If you read History, churches were sacred grounds.  You did no evil there… even if you were evil.  The church was sanctuary.  You didn’t trespass to commit a crime there.  You just didn’t do it.  Anyone was safe in a church.  Not these days.  These days, nothing is sacred.  These days, people can bust into a church and light it up.     

North Korea is really pissing me off.  If China wasn’t it’s big brother… we should be kicking KIM Chong-il’s nappy haired ass.  They are mocking us with the Nuke issue and we are looking like a puppy that just got smacked with a newspaper!  We need to put some serious pressure on China to get that little cumquat with glasses to shut the fuck up.  And if they don’t… we need to go ahead and throw down.  NK with Nukes, is a NO-GO.  China stands in our way of fixing this problem, then China is going to going to get punched in the mouth by the hand that feeds it.  Screw NK, and screw China if they support them!    China might have  a lot of manpower and hardware... but we have a lot more Tomahawks and Cluster bombs.  BRING IT!

I read in yesterdays newspaper, that (D) Jim Matheson UT came out in support of Clark.  He said that just because he supports Clark, doesn’t mean he is Anti-Bush.  Well, Jim… Maybe it doesn’t.  But it does mean that you are a major tool and can not be trusted. 

Clark supports Gray Davis, an obvious bullshit political posture… So this also means you support Davis.  Davis being the ignorant jizznozzle that taxes his people to death and then opens up the boarder to illegal immigration that will have a huge effect on the rest of the nation.  

So Jim… What is the real you?  And that political slight of hand didn’t go unnoticed… of course you are Anti-Bush.  You are a Democrat that supports a potential political adversary… you’re a Democrat!  I don’t believe one word you say, Jim.  But I do believe one thing.  You are probably not going to be representing Utah for much longer.  Have a nice day.

Surviving Nugent.  This is a new “Survivor Show” on VHI.  Build an outhouse, sleep in a barn, eat recently living animals cooked the old fashioned way, have Nuge wake you up with a guitar rendition of the Star Spangled Banner… And these tarts on the show are bitching about it the whole time.   Pansies.  Where do these producers find these people?  That would be a hell of a lot of fun!   Hey Nuge, kick those lilly asses!  I’d love every minute of it.  Ted is a unique individual only because he is what most guys used to be like, and he is outspoken.   I like Ted, and wish we could all have the chance to live in his world like he does.  For a little while... because Ted isn't down with Double Bacon Cheeseburgers and Vanilla Coke like I am.

Did some riding today.  Rode 2 bikes.  The first was a Honda Shadow ACE, that my Sister-In-Law’s husband picked up.  This was a smaller 750CC version, but it felt great.  Very comfortable, and geared for smooth cruising.  I loved this machine… reminded be of my Magna that I had back the first time I went to college.  I used to give my girlfriend rides on it all the time… ah… it was great.  So I took her for a ride again tonight.  Brought back a lot of memories.  Mrs. Ogre and I enjoyed it a great deal.  Then I gave my boys rides, and they had a blast.  Not very far, or very fast… but they loved the feel of the wind… even it was only 25MPH. 

Then I rode the Moto-Guzzi.  A 1000CC G5 Guzzi that used to work for the LAPD.  This bike is bigger, but didn’t feel any bigger under me.  The Goose is geared for aggressive highway driving… it’s a police interceptor after all.  Made for fast launches, high speed exits and onramps… and long ranges.  It’s comfortable as well, but it felt a little cramped to me.  The handle bars come back to far for me, and really I have never been one for bikes with floor boards.  Funny, it corners a lot better than the smaller lighter bike did.  More ground clearance means I could lean it over more.  I did this on a couple good curves with a brisk pace.  Nice.  The Guzzi has a higher top end due to gearing and the fact that it has a redline that’s about 4000 RPM’s higher than the HD styled Honda… or real HD’s.  I didn’t get a change to ride with anyone on an HD, but I had no doubt that I could have sucked the paint of the American bike.  The Italians, I am sorry, have a huge advantage in some things.  Motorcycles is one of them.   

Given the choice between the two, which one would I have bought?   Neither.  750cc’s are too few for me, and the Guzzi just isn’t a good fit for me physically.  If the Guzzi was a little roomier… maybe.   I had to admit though, that I am a Honda fan.  I would probably roll with a Honda that had more engine.  I miss my Magna.  I should NEVER have sold it.  Arrgh.

Oct 4th, Saturday:  1400hrs:  A conversation I had at USU is still bothering me.  He was a total Liberal, but said he if he was in California, he would vote for Arnold.  I asked why, because this guy doesn’t agree with Arnold on any issue. 

He puffed his chest and said “I vote for who I think is going to win.” 

The shear stupidity caused my brain to stumble for a bit.  I couldn’t quite fathom this concept of this idiotic proportion, so I had to clarify, “You mean you use your vote like a bet?” 

Then he looked at my like I was the stupid one and said “Of course!  ‘Cause no one wants to back the loser.” 

That’s what I was afraid of.  “Voting isn’t betting.  You are supposed to vote for who you think is the best person for the job.” 

He didn’t get this.  “But what if you vote for the guy that loses?” 

I can’t believe this.  “Did you place money on your vote like it was a bet?  No, you just vote your mind.  A vote is where you express what you want.  You pick the guy that represents what you want out of the government, and you vote for him.  Simple as that.” 

He didn’t grasp this concept at all.  “But I want to vote for the winner.”  I gave up.

Unfortunately this guy wasn’t alone.  There are a lot of people out there that vote like that.  They vote for the one that they think will win so they can be part of the crowd that can say “they voted for him”.  Or they Vote against the guy they don’t like or against the other party.    That’s not how it works.  That’s not what its for.   We need everyone to vote for who they want to represent them in office. 

Do public schools even bother teaching Civics anymore or is it just Propaganda and Condoms now days?

This cat was too stupid to tie his own shoes... hence his wearing of cowboy boots... but this is definitely a problem.  I guess its because we don't have enough good people to really vote FOR.

1100AM:  Damn John Taffin!  Taffin is the cat that writes about revolvers in Guns and American Handgunner and some other rags… Damn that man!   He has written a couple articles that have gotten under my skin… about .44 Specials and .41 Magnums… and I don’t have one of them!   Yet.   I like ottermatic guns.  Preferable ottermatics with short crisp triggers.  But now I am wanting a “Mountain Gun” type gun… but not a “Mountain Gun”.  I want an older S&W… medium to large framed in .44 Special or .41 or .44 Magnum… Blued finished with wood grips that are smooth and rounded… and with a 2 – 2.5 inch barrel.  I have a thing for snub-nosed revolvers.  It’s a sickness that I have not allowed myself to really fall for.  It started out with a Model 10 S&W that I used during my police academy.  I had large grips on it and carried it in a regular sized duty holster for the M10.  I caused a lot of laughs when I first drew that gun on the firing line and we all started to shoot.  I out-shot everyone else in the class.  Including the guys with the Sigs and the Glocks and the one guy with an 8 inch Python.  They stopped laughing.  I’ll call this Big Snub “Carrie”.  Then I will have to get the same gun with a 4 to 5 inch barrel… I’ll have to call it “My Taffin Gun”.

Speaking of “Carry”… I’m getting kinda tired of seeing this word get over used like it is.  Some years ago I wrote on TFL (TheFiringLine.com) that I was sick to death of the word “Tactical”.  Everything was “Tactical” including notepads and pens.  All the gun makers had special “Tactical” versions of the same guns that evidently were not tactical enough before.  Tactical isn’t what something is, it’s how it’s used.  “Carry” isn’t anything specially either.  I am seeing a lot of “Carry” guns now, which I guess is good.  Now we can take our handguns with us!  What a giant step forward in handgun technology!   I’ve seen guns that are set up for “Carry” and to be honest they are really no different than guns set up for “Night Stand” or for “Glove Box” or “Gun Safe”.  At least this isn’t getting out of control like the “Tactical” thing did.  That was insane.  I kid you not, a cop-shop in SLC had packs of “Tactical Printer Paper”.  I think the general use of the word Carry denotes that the gun is a “no-frills” example.   Not that handguns have a lot of frills anyway, I think it means no compensation, no optical sights, no extended mags and huge mag funnels… er… basically that they are not IPSC race guns.  So you could say that if you don’t have an IPSC race gun, then you have a Carry gun.  But this isn’t saying that if you do have an IPSC race gun, that you can’t carry it.  “Carry” is a complete fabrication of the Marketing Department of “Gun Industry INC”.  All handguns are intended for “carry”.   

MadOgre.com is a “Dog-Blog”?  These people think so.  Interesting.  I never thought of myself as a Dog-Blog because, well, it was only about a month ago that I started talking about one.  Well, I don’t really consider myself a dog blog…  Like Rachel Lucas.   Especially since last night we brought home 3 kittens.  Yup, we did.  These are outside cats that will live around the house.  They are “Mousers” that come from a long line of mousing farm cats.  Cute as a the dickens… 7 weeks old… and all three have already been killing mice.  We brought them home last night and they have already started drawing range cards and scouting the territory.  Yeah, they are only little balls of fur, but they have claws and teeth and have already scratched the hell out of me.   I’m not going to get attached to these guys.  I have seen more dead cats in the road than anything else around here.  Well, Ranger has picked up the scent of these new critters and he is not pleased.  He will probably eat one or two of them within a few days.

Oct 3rd, Friday:  Noon: The 1992 Subaru Legacy LS AWD:  When I offered this car up for trade, I was looking for an extended cab, Medium to Full Sized pick up truck that was in solid mechanical condition, runs good, with good tires, don’t care about age, mileage or appearance. 

I had some offers for pickups, one was a 90 Toyota and the other an 84 Toyota, both 4x4s.  Another was a Ranger and yet another was a Mazda and a Nissan.  I have nothing against Toyotas, and I wouldn’t mind a 90 Toyota pickup because I believe them to be (Don’t hate me Carl!) one of the best small trucks you can get.  The only problem is that it is small.  I need more truck than a small truck can give me.  If my situation was different, I would probably go for that 90 Toy.  I’ve seen them all over the place and they look great.  I don’t know much about the Mazda trucks… but they are perhaps the smallest of the trucks I’ve seen.  The Ranger was an 85, and it looked pretty good.  But not what I wanted.  The Nissan was interesting… this was one that had the 2 plugs per cylinder engine.  This engine produces torque like a V-6, but it’s only a 4 cylinder.  Nice truck.  What the Pathfinder was based on.  But again… It’s just plane too small. 

One reality that I have to deal with is that I have 5 sons and once in awhile I have to transport all 5+Dog.  Hence extended cab.   Well, no offers have been made for a Medium to Full sized… (Medium as in a Dodge Dakota or one of the earlier Dodge Rams that were of the medium size… with an extended cab)  So I am determined to keep this Subaru. 

As much as I have been frustrated with it, it’s a good little car now that I have the shifting and the starting issues fixed.  What remains is a little all wheel drive car that is unthreatening in appearance, but has good performance.  

I was looking up some cheap ways to improve performance in this car and found a tech sheet about this engine.    Interesting read.  The engine was the reason I selected this car in the first place.  I have liked Subaru cars for a long time, and this new Boxer Engine is the reason that I pulled the trigger on this one.  If you look at the engine, you can see that it’s a very compact unit.  It’s potent and reliable… just not the most fuel efficient when mated to an AWD platform.  I get the same fuel economy as most V-6 cars, but that’s okay too.  It’s a trade off for the fact that snowed in roads can’t stop me.   That alone makes the loss of fuel economy a worthwhile trade off.  Anyways, if your interested in automotive matters, read the above PDF.  

Well, After all the research into what to do to improve performance without spending a lot of money, I found that I am at the same place where I started… with the opinion that the best place to start is where the engine breaths. 

I removed the snorkel in the fender well to open up the airflow into the airbox.  Next thing that I’m going to do is either get a K&N or Green Filter unit to drop in – or I’ll get a cone filter and attach it just forward of the air mass sensor.  Depends on how far I want to take it.  Shear power performance isn’t what I really want.  The car is plenty fast enough… but I want more performance specifically in 2 areas.  Fuel economy is one, and low to midrange is the other.  I don’t exactly hammer the throttle regardless of what my Dad says… but I want more grunt from the engine before 4000RPMs.   More “pull” off the line.  Intake is a good place to start for those desired gains.  My exhaust is already a ½ oversized or so the cat at the Sub dealership told me in Virginia.  This is about as large as I want to get with this engine.  Huge exhaust doesn’t mean huge performance.  You want the right sized exhaust and I think I got that.  One thing I would really like to try is a performance chip.  But after I get the air intake how I like it.  No point in going there unless you are breathing right first.

Once I get the intake flowing strong, maybe a chip… then where would I go? 

The measure of automotive performance isn’t all in the engine.  I’d look at the brakes next.  Braking is an important factor, as you can see when watching a race… the guys that can brake better can get to the curve faster and brake later so they can shoot out the exit earlier.  I have 4 wheel disk brakes, and that’s great… but I think the rotors in the front are a bit small.  I want larger rotors up there. 

Slotted or cross drilled?   I don’t think that’s necessary in my application.  I’m not filming Fast and Furious III or anything.  What I want is balance.  I also want smoothness and no rotor warping, (what causes shake during braking) and long life.  Cross drilling has a couple benefits, but for an every day car?  They are not worth it in my opinion.  They can warp a lot easier/faster than regular rotors.  If I was going to be auto/rally-crossing or something… then I would get cross drilled rotors.

So now I am braking harder and going faster.  After that would come weight reduction and stiffening chassis… but this is an everyday car so I’m not going to go that far anytime soon with this car.  No way.    

0830hrs:  I awoke this morning with my migraine headache virtually gone.  I came on yesterday morning hard as hell and lingered all damn day.  Someone on what was my favorite website accused me of "Not Knowing A Damn Thing About Pain" when I said that I didn't want legalize drugs even for medical reasons.  I'm sorry I don't.  It's not about Pot.  Its about all of the drugs.  Heroine and Meth and Cocaine and LSD... and a cop's worst nightmare - PCP.  No, I don't think so.  The supposed medical benefits of Pot are not all that great.  Pot doesn't ease the pain, pot MAY increase ones tolerance for it... take your mind off it and make you less aware of it, but that is an at best scenario.  Sure, that's helpful.  But there are other things one can do for the same effects that require no use of illegal drugs.   No, I don't take a lot of pills either.  Seriously, I don't.  Yesterday, I swallowed no pills.  Not a one.  But does this mean I don't know anything about pain?  Let me tell you, I know a lot about living with pain.  I just know a lot more that one who would reach for a bottle or a bag of dope.   There are other ways to deal with pain than the ingestion of  some chemical.  You think that after living with it almost constantly for 10 years that I haven't found other means of dealing with pain?  You need to study the subject more.  A lot more, and shut the fuck up about legalizing what are currently illegal drugs for pain relief.   YOU don't know shit about pain, because you are not the one living with it.   Reason #2 I am not a Libertarian:  Legalizing Drugs. 

This has offended me a great deal since this was a directed personal attack.  I took issue with the Libertarian stance on an issue and I get a personal attack in return...  Something that is supposedly against the very forum rules are are supposed to be moderating to enforce.  Did anyone say anything about that?   No, because this person is evidently some fucking queen or something.  Hey, I'm all for the Libertarian's success... I hope they all move to New Hampshire or Vermont or where ever that "Free State" thing is going to be... Just like I hope all the Liberals move to California.    Cause once they are all there, we can finish "The Great Wall" project and be done with them.  Extremists on either side of the spectrum are exactly what the USA does not need.

Ah, I'm a bit on edge about the "I don't know shit about drugs" bit that I just read last night... but really I am feeling quite good today.  So good in fact, I'm going to break out the .22 before I break out my books!  Later!     

Oct 2nd, Thursday: 2200hrs:  Man, I am shocked and awed by the outpouring of hatred and anger and pure venom that the Left has in this case with Rush Limbaugh.  They are like sharks that smelled blood in the water and are in a feeding frenzy!  Wow! 

“But Ogre, you know the Left have been wanting to tear Rush apart, you said so earlier.”  Indeed I did.  But I am shocked that they are lashing out over this issue. 

Rush may or may not have popped some pills, developed an addiction to it, and had to keep popping pills.  Isn’t this something that the Left it’s self would have DEFENDED?  Isn’t this something that the Left HAS DEFENDED?  Had this been Gray Davis, wouldn’t the left be saying things like “Addiction is a Disease and he needs Help”?  Yes they would!  This is something that Rush, if he did, did it out of an addiction and is thus – according the philosophy of the Left – is something that was out of Rush’s control.  Rush wouldn’t have been responsible for this, so you can’t hold him accountable. 

Well, if it was anyone other than Rush that is.  And since when is Pill Popping such a Pipe-Bomb issue?  How come popping pills is such a bad thing now?   Does the Left really want to talk about Morals and Ethics now? 

Oh really?  Okay, let’s talk Morals and Ethics.  Let’s talk about the fact that Rush hasn’t Lied Under Oath about this.  Rush hasn’t gone on TV and said looking into the camera, “I did not have sex with that woman, Monica Lewinsky”.    But the Left being the Kings Of Double Standards have all said, “Oh that’s just about sex and had nothing to do with Clinton’s performance on his job.”  Well first off, that is a whole debate right there… and second, Rush’s performance was not effected either.  Not only that, Rush’s popping pills effected only Rush and not a 19 year old girl’s genitals.  So Clinton’s crimes were nothing important, but Rush popping pills is a crucifiable offense. 

There are a lot of people on the Left (and some on the Right) that are celebrating today as if the Lottery had been won.    I got news for you Liberals… This means nothing.  And even according to your own standards, it should mean nothing to you too.  You jackasses have just let your hatred get the best of you.  Come on, now.  You guys are supposed to be the open minded, accepting, tolerant, and compassionate ones.  Where is all that noise now?  Oh that’s right… those are only things you call yourselves when it suits your purposes.

And this noise about Rush’s “Racial Remark”?  Talk about bullshit.  I heard what he said and it wasn’t racist at all.  As a matter of fact, he was spot on.  The Liberals have just targeted him and are going after him to tear him down because they can’t stand up to him toe to toe in his arena. 

Here is a little idea for you Liberals.  You guys want Popularity?  We have Rush and now Arnold going in a Governor… You know what you guys need to do?  You need your own stand up guys.  You guys need Alec Baldwin to run for Governor, and you need to put “Meathead” on the Radio.  That’s what you guys need to do if you want to stay in the fight.  Better Yet!  Babs needs to go on the air on Al Gore’s new Liberal News Channel as a regular spokesperson or even as an Anchor.  Right beside her, put Rosie O’fatass and Suzan Sarandon.  That’s what you guys need to do!  You think America isn’t Liberal enough… fine.  Then show is just what it really means to be LIBERAL.  Come on… Give us both barrels!  I DARE YOU!    

GUESS WHAT?  You Liberals have just made RUSH the most listened to radio broadcast EVER tomorrow.  I for one am looking forward to listening.  Prediction:  He comes out swinging, and stronger for it. 

1100HRS: Rush Limbaugh is now being scandalized as a drug abuser.  They are saying that he was addicted to pain pills.  The source is his housekeeper or something.  I don’t think Rush is a Saint, but I don’t think he was an addict.  Funny how it’s the New York Daily News that’s breaking the news.  That paper is about the same as The Globe in my book.  This accusation is not just bullshit, but it’s politically motivated, fabricated bullshit to slander Rush because the Left has got to take Rush down.  They have been trying to do this for the last year… trying to make rules for Radio.  Rush is the #1 Enemy of the Left.  They will stop at nothing to silence him.  On Fark.com, some liberal ass-hat stated “Now let’s find some child porn on ******’s computer!”  I forgot the name… O’Reiley’s or Hannity’s.  That’s the way they think.  They can’t win fair and square, they will cheat.  This isn’t about what is right and wrong, because they are fucking evil slimebags.  This is all about gaining power.  My question is why do they want “the power” so bad?  What do they have planned?   I tell you one thing… they pull any shit, they are going to have a huge fucking problem in the form of every gun toting patriot coming for them.  I guess this is why they want to take away all the guns so badly.  You think?  

Arnold just said “I have behaved badly.”  Then he admits to having done wrong, and then he said “I am sorry, please forgive me.”  You know what happened next?  He was cheered.  Nothing stuck to him.  The issue is now completely dead.   Rush, if he did wrong, needs to do the same thing.  Will it weaken his position and radio show?  Not a bit.  Why?  Because everyone has done something wrong in the past.   Most people understand this.  Most people can forgive.  Had Clinton just said “Yes, I had Monica hanging off my jock a few times.  I did her.  I was wrong to do her, and I’m sorry.  I wont do her again until after I’m out of the Office.  Sorry.”  Well, had he done that, nothing else would have happened because no one could say anything.    

Arnold just did it.  Rush can do it too.

You gotta give Arnold credit.  He is playing his cards very well.  If you don’t think Arnold is going to be the next Governor, you’re crazy.

Just got an email from Congressman Chris Cannon:

"Dear Ogre:

        Thank you for your letter regarding the expiration of the so-called "assault weapons ban passed in 1994 during President Bill Clinton's first term.  I appreciate your input on this important issue.

        First, I would like to emphasize my support for the Second Amendment as a protection of the right of individuals to own firearms.  Since I arrived in Congress in 1996, I have always worked to ensure my constituents' right to bear arms, and I will continue to do so.  The 1994 ban on a variety of semi-automatic weapons was-and still is-a futile attempt to curb violent crime.  Our efforts should focus on criminals.  Prohibiting guns will not solve the problems facing our society.  For example, despite a near-total ban on guns, the District of Columbia has one of the highest crime rates in the country.  The solution is likely to be more difficult, including a retrenchment of moral standards and family values, and enforcement of existing laws.

        Unless new legislation is introduced and passed in both the House and the Senate, the "assault rifles" ban will expire.  House leadership has said that even if a bill to extend the ban is introduced, they will not allow it to reach the floor.  If such a bill is introduced, I will work hard to defeat it.

        Again, thank you for taking the time to inform me of your views.  Please write me again in the future if I can be of assistance on this or any other issue.

Warmest regards,

Chris Cannon
Member of Congress"

Thanks for the reply Chris.  I only sent you my views on the AWB like five months ago.  I am so tickled that you finally sent me a canned response after 5 months.  I can tell that my opinion is very important to you, and that my vote is so bloody important to you.  I appreciate the lip service, really I do.  Funny how this canned note looks pretty much like a cut and paste from Senator Hatch's canned email.  I can tell that you are working really hard to protect our rights.  You say "Unless legislation is introduced and passed... the AWB will expire."  Chris, you think we are all idiots?  My Man, Legislation to make the AWB permanent has already been introduced!   What I wanted to know was WHAT THE HELL YOU ARE GOING TO DO TO STOP IT?  I can see you are voting properly as the people here in your district would have you vote...    But Chris, we need something more proactive.  We need legislation to be introduced that will forever protect our gun rights and stop liberal attempts to destroy it.    If you are in strong support of the 2nd, we need you to stand up for us.   We need you to take it to the mattresses for us.  That's why we voted you into your office.  Battle for us, Chris, and we will battle for you!

Oct 1st, Wednesday:  2230hrs:  Clark is a Cocksucking Whore.  Other than that...  This is almost funny.  Ex-4-Star General Wesley Clark is endorsing Grey Davis.  That's got to be the best reason to vote against Davis yet.    (and against Clark) You have got to be kidding me... Did Clark really come out for Davis?  I wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't seen it.  (Well, yeah, I believed it was possible, but I didn't think Clark would actually be so low - just shows us that you should never underestimate the depths the Left is willing to sink!)  If this isn't evidence of Clark's salad-tossing on the DNC, I don't know what is. 

Most Democrats I know fully admit that Davis is a major retard.   But what I want to know is how can a retired General come out in support of some jackhole who just opened up a huge chunk of the southern border to illegal immigration and authorized giving them legal driver's licenses!?  

This is a prime example of the party doing for the party and not for the people they represent. 

This is also evidence of Clark being nothing more than a Democrat ass-muppet who is just following orders from his party like a good General should. 

These moves are made by strings being pulled by the Clintons.  This is so clearly obvious to anyone looking at this objectively... Looking at these moves like they are that of a game of chess, we can look a few moves ahead and see the Left positioning their Queen to check our King.  It doesn’t matter what really happens here with Clark.  He is the cocksucking sacrificial pawn.

This link came to me via email while I was at school:  This is what the Journalist In Question said... if you haven't read it already.  Thanks for the link, Bryan. 

Is this better?  The text?  Can you read it easier?  This is the best I can do to improve readability without going to black on white with serif a font.  I don't think I could do a white background sight for MadOgre.com, so this is as good as it gets.   Well, the other font choice is "Arial", but I like "Verdana" a little better.   I went through pretty much every standard web font and this is about the limit.  However blue looks pretty cool too, but it's not "Ogerish" enough.

OH SURE... I post about blogshares and all the sudden my rating and price drops.   What I want to know is how I all the sudden got a thousand shares while I was at Debate tonight.  Something is fishy here.  All the sudden I get a 1,000 shares and the price drops a big chunk with the advisement of "Sell".  If I just took 1,000 off the market, wouldn't that have made the price go up?  Unless of course these 1,000 shares were just created, thus devaluing the stock... ah... that must be it.   I see.  I was given 1,000 shares when I "Claimed" my blog.    Interesting.    This is time I don't have, but it's kinda fun.

1200HRS:  I know I should be studying, but right now I just don't feel like it.  I have been reading around the web going through some of my favorite selected links and doing things like searching for answers to questions that I've always wondered about... Well, I discovered something.  I've noticed it on some blogs, but I've never checked it out until today.  Blogshares.  It's a little economic game based on popularity modeled after the stock market.  Instead of businesses, it's about weblogs.  What is even more interesting was that I found that not only was MadOgre.com listed, but people are trading on it.  Cool.  Check it out.  This is the coolest thing I've found on the internet since TheFiringLine.com.   This was so cool, I had to register so I could play along.  When you register, you get 500 bucks to start investing with.  I of course bought up all the shares of MadOgre.com that I could... er... 18 of them.  Maybe in a couple weeks, I will have made some "money" on it!  YEAH!   Okay, so it's silly... but I think it's kinda cool.

0930hrs:  I have an email that was sent asking not to be posted.  There was a couple gun related questions in it, but one stood out.  Without revealing the rest, this one question indicates a lack of understanding in small parts of the shooting community.  It’s about Handgunning and the sight picture.  Let me try to explain this as clearly as I can, because this is something that I myself struggle with every time I go shooting. 

When you are standing at the firing line with your loaded pistol in hand, you look at the target, then raise the pistol up to eye level.  This is where shooting goes down hill for some of us.  You align the guns sights with the each other (front and back) and then with the center of your target.  This is called “Sight Picture” and it’s even more critical that it is done with precision when you are shooting a handgun.  Even a slight misalignment of the sight picture can throw your shot off.  To shoot well, you have to have a solid and precise sight picture.  To shoot “okay” you can just continue on with the other shooting fundamentals of breath control, grip, and trigger manipulation, but to shoot well… your best… you have to be able to see 3 things.  Your rear sight.  Your front sight.  The target.  Then you do this properly involves changing your eye’s focus from target, to the front sight, to the rear sight, and then back out in sequence (and then back to the front sight before the trigger breaks) making sure you are holding and correcting the alignment of the three. 

The most important thing is to be able to see your sights clearly and hold them steadily aligned.    This is also where some of us shooter, admit it or not, are having problems with the art of Handgunning.  Our eyes are no longer as strong as they used to be and seeing through these three focal distances becomes more difficult.  Jeff Cooper has said that you don’t have to see your target to hit it, but you have to know exactly where it is.  This is true, but has nothing to do with Handgunning. 

There are a few way to help this.  1, Shoot at closer ranges.  I know that sounds pat, but it’s the truth.  Get closer to your target.  50 yards has become too difficult, step up to the 25.  What?  You don’t like that idea?  Sounds wimpy?  Okay…

2, change your gun’s sights.  Larger target style sights may help you, or the Ashley Express Sights now called the XS 24/7 or something like that… these help your eyes pick the sights up and can offer a degree of relief.  Red Dot optical gun sights or a scope might be required.  Don’t feel bad about this… there is no weakness in it.  We are humans and humans use technology.  Do you feel like a pussy for using a calculator?   Find an optical gunsight that you like.  Don’t be a penny pincher here… get the best one that you can. 

3, Seek the help of a good optometrist.  And by good, I mean one that is familiar with shooting because shooting is different that bird watching or reading… the optical demands are much greater.  I’ve yet to find one in Utah.  I’ve found ones that tried to help… that nodded as if they even had a clue as to what is really required.  But they didn’t.  Because they don’t really know… because they were not shooters.  Pro-Second Amendment Doc’s are fine… but really, they got to be real shooters themselves.

We are all growing older people… one day at a time.  But we all still enjoy the satisfaction of a well aimed shot, and the artwork of fine metal and wood.  Shooting is something to enjoy.  If your not shooting well, your not enjoying it as much.

Looks easy enough.  Let's go!

So this cat’s wife’s name was “leaked” to the press huh?  If this information was so freaking secret, Then, why was it published in the Internet?

Talk about a Non-Issue.  Next thing you know, they are going to start accusing the Bush administration for names and numbers from the damn phone book.   I don’t know who is out of ideas worse… The Democrats or Hollywood.  I mean, please!  This is the silliest thing… talk about the Mountain out of a Mole Hill.  This is retarded.  You are not leaking secrets if the secrets are OPEN SOURCED YOU FUCKING ASSHATS! 

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