August 16th to 29th

Aug 29th, Friday:  1430hrs MST:  Some small measure of good news... DSL service is available to our new location.  So I went ahead and placed the order.  This is going to be much better than what I have now.  See, our wireless was sold to us as "High Speed".  And at first it was.  Then all the sudden it just turns to crap and every evening its just about completely useless.  This is why you have not seen many updates after 4PM or before 10PM.  The DSL is a flat rate 256K always on connection that I'll be able to live with.  While it's not as fast as the wireless potential, its always there.  It's not going give us any of the troubles that we have now.  Hopefully.  Anyways, so Email and all that will be up and running again sometime Tuesday or Wednesday.   No big deal.

Lots of car advice has been coming in... and it's all on the same page.  About the Jeep.  The fuel filter and pump are both less than 2 years old.  Not that it means anything.   The fuel pump was a new Jegs unit.  I might be an Ogre, but I'm a fucking brilliant one... so of course I got the right one.  The fuel filter was a standard AutoZone replacement unit.  There is a high flow inline unit that I can replace it with for only a few bucks.  This is what I am going to go with.  Not that I am trying to milk any performance out of the thing... I mean hell, it's a 86 4 cylinder with over 200,000 miles showing on the odometer... and it's rolled once.  (impossible you say?  Nay... I have service records of 2 tranny and 3 engine replacements.  It is possible)  There is more to it than just the fuel system and an oil pressure sensor.  Oh well... I'll get the Jeep sorted out, not to worry.  It's fine on short hops around town.  I'm just not going to be driving it out to SLC or to Denver any time soon.  No way.  The Sube is going back into the shop Tuesday morning for this rear end issue.  It's not just one tire... both are doing the same thing... I just didn't notice the other tire for some reason.  I have the camber out of wack.  I didn't notice it until I got down behind the car and gave it a real good eyeballing.  No big deal.  Once I get that fixed, I'll have them throw a set of used rubbers on the rear and call it good.  

Life... *sigh*

All I can say is, at least I'm not in California.

That and they finally got the bastard that wrote the Blaster and SoBig Viruses!  YEAH!  This guy should get dragged out into the glaring noon day sun, and beaten to death with a cracked buttstock of a Springfield 1903 by a platoon of ATF/FBI agents.  His "message" to Bill Gates is no excuse or reason.  This fucknozzle has damaged too many systems for any reason... He is a Terrorist.  He should be dealt with like a terrorist. 

I hate to say this... but REAP THE WHIRLWIND, SHITHEADS!  I don't like acts of terrorism, not one bit and I don't condone any such actions on any level.  But this one just struck me differently.  This is called a taste of your own medicine.  These guys have been behind so much terrorist crap since forever and now they get hit in return.  A big hit.  I have to say, "well done" here.  Not sure who is behind this hit... but damn... Justice...   A little payback.  I feel bad for even thinking it.   Guilty pleasures.  What?  You don't feel the same way?  Then do a search on the Shiites and look up all the shit that they have been behind in the last 2 or 3 decades.  These holy warriors have gone Jihad on everything... and are probably the ones that are behind a great deal of the continuing violence in Iraq.  Why?  Because they want the US out of Iraq to open the way for the Shiites to take over.  It's in the interests of the Shiites that the US takes as many causalities as possible to demoralize us and make us want to leave.  Think it's all just Saddam here?  Think again.  The Shiites want is gone even more than Saddam does.  It that happens and they do take over, how long do you think it will take for a unification with Iran?  Days at most.  Should that happen, you will have a Terrorist Super Power Nation.  China and North Korea are threats, sure.  But nothing like what "Shiite World" could do/would do.

I am loving my little XD subcompact.  LOVING IT!  I had considered a Glock 26, but I feel this is a better gun.  The thing rocks.  The only downside is the finish.  It's a flat black colored blue job kinda deal.  Not the most durable, but the finish is nothing I am going to lose sleep over.  I don't care if my guns are ugly... as long as they work right.  No, no rust... I take care of my guns.  Better than I do my cars, that's for sure.  It hits Minute of Milk Jug with no problem... Runs fine on Winchester Whitebox and worked great with my 124 grain Nyclad loads.  I have it on my hip right now with a loaded mag of Nyclads in the holster and another one at the ready.  I'll do a review of it sometime in the future... Don't know when.  *sigh* Every freaking week I have at least 4 papers due.  Arrgh.   The only other subcompact guns that I like enough to spend my own money on are the Subcompact 1911s from Springfield, Detonics, and Para.  The Glock 26/27 is a good one too, put they don't fit my hands.  That's about it other than small J frame revolvers or mouse guns.  Luckily there are 3 subcompacts coming out that are full of potential.  CZ has one called the "RAMI" and I love it.  Walther has a Mini P99 on the way that looks really good too.  If you had a P99 and one of these Minis... that would be so freaking sweet.  Then HK has a subcompact version of the 2000 pistol in the works.  Well, there is another that I like... The Mini Cougar by Beretta.  What I like about it is the emphasis on the shortened grip.  It's the grip that make a pistol hard to conceal, so these Cougars should hide really well for most people.  So as it stands right now for Sub Compact automatics, the #1 source is Springfield Armory.

If I didn't have so many issues with cars and crap, I would have been able to get some pics of the new gun and the new dog and all that.  I have a 35MM, I'll just get the pics developed to PhotoCD... when I have time.   Maybe after I settle into a routine with school.

Anyways... I'm outta here guys... See you next week!

1000hrs MST:  I have such a freaking headache!  I was trying to read my homework and I just can't focus.  Aarrgh.  I'll put it off for a little bit here.  I can't even see straight.  Maybe tonight.  No, I'm not putting it off for very long.  You procrastinate college work and your doomed.  My head is just splitting!  Ouch!  The other headache is the Subaru.  No, it's "fixed" now.  I have the remote starter button installed and it works fine.  There are just a hundred other little problems that are piling on it.  #1 being a that my passenger side rear tire has a really funky wear pattern on it.  All the other tires are fine, but this one is wrong.  Real wrong.  It's looking new on the outside, but on the inside it's worn to the cords.  Right down the middle.  No, the tire sits straight and everything.  Must have been a defect in the tire or something. 

Guess what I just found out.  There are 3 registered sex offenders right here.  1 in these apartments, and 2 others within the block.  We are moving tomorrow and none too soon.  Thank heavens!  3!  Brothers and Sisters of The Horde - These are why I own guns... because yes indeed, I would shoot these bastards dead if they so much as looked at my boys wrong.  Castration should be mandatory.  Violent felons are not allowed to every own guns again after they get out of jail, these slim bags should not be allowed to have dicks.

Shortly this computer is going to be moved.  The new location doesn't have network access yet, so there will be no updates or email responses after today until a new link can be established.  If you have any gun questions, go ahead and ask them.  I might not be able to respond very quickly, but I'll get back to you.

Aug 28th, Thursday:  1000hrs MST:  Amongst the classes I am taking, one of them is a History class.  I was not expecting much from it as I have not found a History Teacher that is actually passionate about History.  I found one now.  This is going to turn out to be my favorite class.  It has been already.   History is such an important subject, and so many teachers are so poor at it.  This Professor is actually passionate about History.  I’m looking forward to the next lecture already.  We talked about Spain's early dealings in the new world.  We didn't cover anything that I didn't already know, but the way it was presented was fascinating.  I'm looking forward to the Civil War section from this guy.  Should be most interesting.  I am also curious as to hear the perspective of "Damn Yankees" in regards to the War of Northern Aggression.

I almost didn't make it home last night... The Jeep started cutting out on me.  Bad.  Kinda like your running out of gas, but I had a full tank.  I don't know what the deal is, but I'll have to sort this out soon.  The Jeep, as much as I like it, is dying on us.  This is tragic.  Right now my Subaru is in the shop seeing if we can get repairs made.  We wont be able to afford putting the Jeep in, let alone paying for whatever repairs it may need parts and such.  The grim thing about the Jeep... wasn't just the cutting out... but the fluctuations in oil pressure.  While maintaining the same RPM the pressure would be below 35 or almost up to 80.  The engine had the proper level of oil in it.  It just needs a new engine. New driver's seat.  New front stabilizers.  New rear springs and shocks.  New transfer case.  And then it would be just great!  What I need is a new Jeep.  How many knives would I have to sell to get another Jeep?  *sigh*   A Durango.  That's what we need.  A Dodge Durango.  Unfortunately those cost money and that is not something I have right now.  The Jeep isn't even worth 1,000 bucks, not even 500.  So trading it in or selling it wont be useful.   I would love to fix it up right... but that just isn't going to happen.  It would be cheaper to buy another used car.  The only problem is that it has to be a used car that can carry my family in.  7 passengers + Dog.  And DO NOT say VAN!  No vans.  No Way!  I don't want another van!  Our last van AKA "The Jawa Sandcrawler" was a rust red full sized chevy van that got 12-14 MPG going down hill with a tail wind.  It was huge.  Extended.  Bed.  Sink.  Fridge.  It was actually pretty cool when it was running right.  It just had a thing with the engine going critical mass and melting down.  We gave it away.  The junk yards didn't want it, but some guy at work did... I am told that while he was driving it home the exhaust pipe from engine to tip was glowing bright red and dropping sparks.   I don't even know what that was about.  No, I don't want a Mini Van either.  Retarded things.  I dislike them.  Not that it matters.  I couldn't even get a Red Flyer wagon right now.  Hopefully the Subaru gets sorted out properly so we have at least 1 vehicle.

I still don't have a holster for my Mini XD.  Wont be able to order one for awhile either.  This is okay.  I have a nice and secure way of packing it.  I have a couple jeans that have belt loops on the sides that are only 3 inches apart.  This allows me to tuck the gun between the jeans and under the belt and it holds it as secure as a belt slide.  It works very well for me, so I am not in a hurry.  I have decided that I want a leather rig for this gun.  Perhaps a cross draw rig.  FIST makes one.  But my holster money is now autoshop money.  Damn it!  I hate being so poor... *sigh*  This is why I am going back to school... right?

I'm just a little depressed today... I'll get over it.  Just car issues really.  I don't care about the holster... I am liking my classes... I have a great new dog... everything is just fine.   It's just cars.  See, living out here in the middle of fucking nowhere... if you don't have a car - it's like your stranded on Gilligan's fucking Island, but with no trees for shade.

Ranger is a weird dog.  He gives hugs.  Especially if you feed him bacon.  He is a big dog and is only going to get bigger because he is still a puppy.   He will jump on your lap and roll over and lick your face, and give you a hug and snuggle you... while being a huge slobbery wolfdog.   He is awesome.  I can't wait to be in the new place so he has some more room.  By Sunday, we will be in the new joint out in the country.  Life will be much better there for everyone. 

Internet connection wont be that great out there... but everything else will be awesome.   Oh - Master bathroom... has this huge garden tub thing in it.  The bathtub is like a jacuzzi or something... awesome!

Aug 26th, Tuesday: 1115hrs:  Several emails regarding best wishes for my return to school.  Thank you.  I appreciate the sentiments.  I already have homework... 4 reading assignments and several writing, including a "Paper".  As soon as I figure out what the hell a "Paper" is.    As the homework is stacking, so are boxes.  Moving at the same time is going to be a challenge.  Networking is going to have to be continued.  I was asked what classes I am taking.  No, I'm not going to publish such specifics.  You can only imagine the numbers of readers that I have that can only be called "hostile".  I can say that I am taking some of the usual courses.  Political Science is one of them.  I may make that a Minor.

I had some questions about the knives.  When you take apart one of these M-tech knives and start polishing... First you need to do the scales and contour them so the knife feels good in the hand.  After that, then you take it apart to clean the G-10 dust out...  Be sure to not just polish the blade where the washers ride, but also the tract where the little bearing on the liner lock rides.  That liner causes a lot of the drag and if it's not smooth, the knife wont feel smooth either.  The blade has a little indent where the bearing rests to "lock" the blade shut.  If you contour the lip of that little dent just a touch, you can make the blade open with less pressure.  But don't do it too much as that can let the blade open too easily.  You want the knife to be smooth.  As you tighten the blade back up, be careful to make sure the blade when closed, is near the center of the grip body.  If you tighten to much, the blade can be impossible to move, and the tip could even end up dragging on one side of the inside of the knife.  This isn't good.  Give it some slack, and rotate the female screw.  You want the balance the allows the knife to open smoothly, stays away from the liners, and has no blade play.  This tensioning is perhaps the most important part of the whole work.  It's like cooking pasta.  There is a point where it is "al dente" and too much or too little just ruins it.  You can use a bit of blue lock tight here on the threads of the male screw... just a tiny touch.  Don't forget to lube the washers, both sides, before you put them back together.  What you use is up to you.  Breakfree CLP is fine, Mobile 1 is fine, FP-10 is fine.  Tuff-Glide is great too.  Use what you like.  WD-40 however is totally unacceptable here.  That stuff can gum it up and you will have to take the knife apart again after a couple weeks.  The last thing that you need to do with these knives, is to sharpen the blades.  There is a guy in Orem that sharpens mine.  Dude is an Edge Artist.  You can do this yourself if you like.  Give it that razor edge that can shave the hairs off your arm... Whatever you like.  After you have worked your knife, and sharpened it... you will   Expensive knives that these cheap knives have reportedly replaced (after being worked) for light duty daily carry: 4 Cold Steel Voyager folders.  2 Spiderco Enduras. 1 Spyderco Delica. 1 Kershaw Vapor. 2 Benchmade Ascents.  1 Benchmade Mini AFCK.  2 Bucks.  2 Gerbers.   I'm not saying that these knives are better... just that people are now using these cheap knives and giving the expensive knives a rest.  I have yet to hear anyone contradict me about the MT-025 after being worked, is the best knife of the bunch.  

Aug 25th, Monday: Noon:  Well, I am about to puke I am so unsettled.  I have class in just a few hours and the clock is ticking away the time like a countdown to my execution.  Okay, enough drama… but I am nervous.  Got an email from a buddy at Ft Bragg, he is going to be heading out to his undisclosed area of operations shortly.  We wish him well, and are confident in his abilities.  He shall do fine.  

Question came in about the NRA:  “I asked about this on The High Road but I would like your take on my dilemma.  My NRA membership expires in a few days. I'm considering dropping out because they have acted like asswipes by filing suit against the South Carolina RKBA group that exposed NRA compromise ( I'll call it frenchification).  The NRA has also neglected support for a pro-gun candidate for a gun grabbing RINO more than once.  With friends like that who needs enemas?  I know they have done a bunch of good stuff and send out a kick-ass magazine but I will feel dirty if I sign up again.  It's kind of like reconciling with your girlfriend after finding out she was in a porno with Jane Fonda, Diane Feinstein and Janet Reno.  Do you think I should stick with the NRA or move to a more righteous organization?”  The NRA pisses me off more than any other Pro-Gun group.  Every 2 weeks my mailbox gets a new letter from them with a new MAJOR THREAT to LIFE AS WE KNOW IT!  The gun owning situation is always most grim and dire to them.  Of course it has to be because they bank on it.  They don’t want to resolve all the problems, because they would have then worked themselves out of a job.  Know what I mean?  They are the best thing going, but it’s a sad state of affairs because they have no balls.  The best thing that we could do is to support the NRA, and at the same time elect board members and officials within the NRA that do in fact have balls.  Most of the board members need to be replaced with more aggressive personalities.  If we could elect our All Star NRA Dream Team, who would we want?  If we could get Mel Gibson in there as the President, that would be Fantastic.  He is well known and liked by all… give the NRA a younger and familiar face.  The current new president… never heard of him before.  I am told he is more aggressive and a really good guy and all that…  I am sure he can do good, but he would first have to get the whole board to grow a dick.  Other groups like JPFO and GOA… good… but not good enough.  We can’t just turn off the NRA and the strength it has gathered.   The NRA is actually feared by the left.  They are scared of it.  That’s a weapon that the NRA could use – if it would just take some aggressive action.  We have to change it from within.

For the time being I am going to slow down in the taking of orders for any knives that I work on.  I don’t have the time and you can do it yourself as good as I can do it.  If you order a knife from me, you will want to work on it… once you do… you transform the knife.  Seriously.  It gets better by a factor of 10.  I have one guy that ordered the MT-025 and said that while it was a good knife, he wasn’t impressed.   Well two days later he emailed me that he had done as I suggested… took the knife apart, polished and buffed the bearing surfaces, contoured the G-10…  He said that he was now indeed impressed, and this 20 dollar knife is now his carry knife instead of his much more expensive Cold Steel Gunsite folder.  He said “You can now say ‘I told you so’ any time now.”  Uh huh. 

Aug 24th, Sunday: 1100hrs MST: Starting Monday, I am back in school as a full time student again.  Ogre the College Student, Part II.  This week we are also moving to our house out in the country.  So by next Monday, we will be in the new place.  Internet access for the new place is uncertain.  I'll have to look at either continuing service with that I have... a very sloppy wireless connection that is only fast when there is now one else on it... or hook up with a very pathetic DSL provider that I am loath to accept.  But the only alternative is dial-up.  I might have to go with dial-up.  Either way, MadOgre.com posts will be less frequent.  Email responses may take awhile.  I'll be more off line than I have been in 6 years.  So overall this is a good thing.  Ogre Updates have been of a lesser quality the last couple weeks, so I think some burnout will be nice and healed over some time.  This again, is a good thing.  Hopefully what I loose in Quantity I will make up for in Quality when I do post here or over at THR. 

My brothers are also going back to school out in Virginia.  They return to VMI and Southern Virginia University. (Cross enrolled into both without having to wear those ghey looking VMI cadet uniforms)  I'm not sure what they are going for degree wise, but they are heading down the path to become Officers in the Army, and that is fine.  Myself, I am going down the path to become a Psychologist.  Private practice, radio talk show... okay, maybe not the talk show.  But a private practice is what I want.  Working specifically with veterans suffering with PTSD, marriage, sex, matters of faith, etc.  You see, the Military does a great job of teaching you how to kill and blow stuff up, and all that... but they don't tell you how to live afterwards.  There are a lot of guys out there that have some problems with this.  And then there is the Hollywood take on this.  First Blood, The Hunted... that people who have served are raging psychos about to snap and kill everyone.  This isn't the case, not by a long shot.  And our newest generation of veterans are even more suseptable to media pressure and stereotyping because they have grown up with it, are younger smarter and are living in an amped up world that veterans of past never had to deal with.  Oh, The Hunted - WORST MOVIE EVER.  Absolutely sucked.  The guys knife was cool, but that was it.  Totally retarded film.  Anyways, thanks to Movies and TV, our Veterans get a real stigma in many places that can make adjusting even more difficult.  Couple decades ago they were called "Baby Killers".  This can scar a person's self image, attitude, and outlook.  This is what I am going to concentrate on professionally... helping veterans find their centers, healing, and becoming better persons from the inside out.  Veterans have a hard time talking to people who have not been in the service, about things experienced in the service.  I know I do.  Because regular citizens have no idea what it is really like.  I do.  So maybe they could talk to me because they will know that I've been there myself. It would beat the normal self destructive cycle of abuse and chemical dependence and bridge burning that many veterans go through while trying to adjust back into normal life.  There are also similar things with law enforcement officers or other trauma victims that makes things difficult too.  PTSD isn't just Shell Shock for Soldiers anymore.  Anyways... that's what I want to do.. Everything else is just supporting that.  Mental and Spiritual Wellness is also tied to Physical wellness... I'll also tie natural healing into the mental healing.  My I have family that are into that a lot so that is a source to tap into for that... referrals or what not.   

So I decided I'm not going to do a guns of Equilibrium article.  The weapons there should be known to my readers.  AR-70s, modified Beretta 92FS pistols, G36 rifles, and a Walther sniper rifle used as a shotgun.  Don't get me started on that one.  Anyways... I don't have time to do that one and I haven't even had the time to finish the Ronin article yet.... I'll get to it in due time.

The town I am in… it’s an interesting town.  It wants to act like it’s a big city, yet it can’t get past it’s small town, small time mentality.  It wants to bring in DSL service… but it charges based on how much you download for the rate of speed you are billing for.  No flat rate like real DSL service.  No streaming audio or pulling down movie trailers!  You go in to an eating joint with only plastic in your pocket… there are only 4 choices for you.  Arby’s, Taco Bell, KFC, or McDonalds.  All the other places don’t allow plastic, or they have a handy “ATM” deal there you can use that charges you 2.50, and you bank will hit you a dollar or more… so your 5 dollar lunch will cost you 8.50 or more.  There is a Blockbusters here, so you can rent new stuff, but its managed by complete retards.  There are 3 theatres here.  One big one with 3 screens, one small one with only 1 screen and 1 showing a night, and a drive in that shows once a night, with a ½ burnt out projector bulb.  These are all owned and operated by the same person.  He only brings children on board to run everything for him… I think they oldest is a highschool junior.  So the projectors will do funny things, the sound will go up and down, and the movies will either start early or late or whenever… but only rarely on time.  The seats are tiny, sticky, and all on a flat level floor so there are virtually no good seats.  Don’t even think about sitting down on the toilets there.  Full ticket price though.  7 bucks for this treat.   No, you can’t use plastic there either.  There one main drag and every business in the area is on this one street so everything is stretched out and patrolled by a flock or law enforcement agents from no less than a dozen separate law enforcement agencies with nothing better to do than to harass the citizens.  If you want anything that can’t be found at Wal-Mart, you have a 3 hour drive to Provo or a 4 hour drive to Salt Lake City.  All postal mail has got to be sorted in SLC.  So if you mail a letter to the guy across the street, it takes a week.  Probably because the US POSTAL SERVICE has realized that people in this town are too fucking retarded to sort their own mail.  UPS?  It’s a joke.  They WILL and HAVE kicked holes in my large boxes.  Seriously.  Not kidding.  They did.  10 years ago I shipped a computer to here.  It arrived with footprints on the box, 6 inch holes, and all the padding pulled out.  Of course they refused to pay for lack of padding and just shrugged when I pointed out the holes that all the padding stuff was coming out of.  UPS is of course on my shit list.  Shipping out is fine… but I almost never receive via UPS here.  Fed Ex?  What’s that?  Did I mention all the cops?  I just got back from dropping of a DVD I rented and I literally observed a cop on every corner.  I’m not kidding.  County, State Po-Po, and City Po-Po.  All with nothing better to do that to look for reason to pull someone over because they still have quotas.  I know a fellow here who was pulled over no less than 6 times for a broken headlight when he went to get milk.  You would think he would get one ticket and 5 warnings, right?  Nope.  He got 3 tickets from each of the three departments that was fucking with him.   I’m not kidding.  Seriously.  Instead of building something to keep young adults occupied… like a under 21 club or rec center or something… they built a huge juvenile detention center to go with the huge juvenile court building.  Talk about fucked up priorities.  There are some nice people here… but others?  Assholes.  Anyone in this town given the slightest bit of authority turn into fucking Joseph Stalin and wields that power like a magic battle axe.  Even the librarians.  Even the damn clerk at the gas station.  Actual Authorities here?  Gods striding upon the Earth!  I could puke.  I have puked.  I’ll continue to puke until I am forever rid of this fucking armpit of a community.  I want nothing better than to eventually turn my back on this place and fart in it’s direction.  I loath this place.  There.  I feel better now that I have that off my chest.  Now for the good side.  My in-laws live here and they are awesome people.  There are some other really good people here too.  The mountains and stuff are great too… Uh… that’s about it.  Okay, this town isn’t interesting at all… this place sucks and smells like a sweaty ass with sand grit in it.

Email from one of The Horde in Italy:  “There is a site with some info about the beretta 9000, that seems more similar to the tom cruise handgun in minority report (http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg43-e.htm), I think that the Niobe guns if not cheetah they are cougar (Italian link) The xd is a import version of a cz-110 they are so similar, so if you have problem with finding an holster you can find someone selling for it (I’m not defiantly sure about the compact version).  The law launcher in Ronin... i have seen it in the rivendication video of the IRAQ's UN terrorist attack, so it is of some middle east or Russian manufacture.  I hope to be useful”  Thanks for the email Mateo.  You are correct about the Beretta 9000 being the same gun that Tom Cruise used in Minority Report.  However you are incorrect about the Cougar.  The Cougar doesn't have the open slide like the other guns.  This is because it can't have one... the Cougar uses a rotating barrel system that is completely different from the other Beretta pistols.  The give away as to Niobe's gun is the ambi-safety and the lack of contouring of the sides of the slide at the muzzle.  You might be right about the Ronin rocket launcher... probably Russian or even Czech.  Because it's not US, UK, Canadian, Australian... I'm still trying to ID that one.  The import version of the CZ-110, is the CZ-110.  It's a .40 caliber pistol that is most excellent in all respects but one.  The trigger is one of the worst I've ever felt.  We also have the CZ-100 in 9MM.  The XD is the import version of the "HS-2000" pistol from Croatia.  Springfield Armory took over the importation rights of the HS-2000 once the previous importers ran out of money.  I liked the HS-2000 when I first saw it.  But not having any support for service and parts made the gun nothing more than a curiosity and not a serious consideration.  Springfield renamed it to "XD" and gave it a lifetime warranty.  They also made it more expensive, but the added price is worthwhile for the coverage.

Aug 23rd, Saturday:  1800hrs:  "There are two things you never sell: books and guns."

I had to laugh out loud when I saw a post on THR… Guy said that he worked on a Glock and that he felt dirty and needed a shower.  That was funny.  I like to kid about Glocks… rib Glock owners when I can.  However I have to give props to Glock for a couple things.  The design is a good one and Glock pistols are on my list of recommended duty guns.  The small ones make great CCW guns.  I don’t like the fact that the chambers are unsupported, but this is something of a compromise.  You can’t fire hot handloads in it, but the angle of the feed ramp thanks to that unsupported chamber gives it an optimal angle of incident for better reliability.  Factory rounds only.  It’s a livable trade off.  The Glock pistols sit low in the hand with a low barrel profile.  It’s a good pistol.  Not my first choice, or even 4^th… but they are good pistols if they fit your hand.  I had a model 17, one of the early examples.  I liked it, but it wasn’t my carry gun.  I actually preferred my CZ-75 over it.    Now, if he had been talking about a Ruger automatic, that would have been no laughing matter.  He would have needed a dip in iodine.

Earth Liberation Front… “ELF”.  These are the guys that are banging on SUV’s and vandalizing dealerships.   1 million dollars worth of damage at one dealership alone.  What a bunch of retards.  These ELF folks are going to be finding themselves in a lot of hot water if they keep this up.  What I want to ask them is what else can I drive?  Because I have 5 sons and a dog, and if we want to go someplace, how do we get there?  We need a vehicle.  A Geo Metro doesn’t fly anymore.  We had one and outgrew it.  Yeah, I enjoyed the almost 60 miles per gallon I could get out of it… but I didn’t like the lack of performance, I didn’t like the cramped feeling in it, I didn’t like getting blown off my lane of travel when passed by a Semi.  I didn’t like the fact that it was a tin can that could get totaled from hitting a rabbit on the road.  I’ve seen accidents of all types.  The ones with Geos were the most horrific.  They get so mangled it makes you puke to look at it, while the other vehicle isn’t really bad off.  Now what should I be driving?  A van?  To be quite honest, vans really don’t get better gas mileage.  They are even bigger than SUVs… they can’t do what an SUV does and really has no advantage over an SUV.  While the SUV would allow me to put all my boys in a seatbelt, as required by law.  The only vehicle that allows me to do that, that isn’t a van is a 57 Pontiac Wagon!  I mean, come on… Hating an SUV shows a real lack of IQ, a lack of foresight, a lack of vision, and a lack of reason.  Not everyone has a 1 child family with everyone wearing sandals and eats sprouts on grainy dry bread.  That is not what America is about.  America has never been about “NEEDS”.  America is about “WANTS”.  We WANT things.  We can GET the things we WANT.  We overcame “NEEDS” after Jamestown.  If you hate SUVs, you hate AMERICA!  Saying this, I know I am irking one of The Horde, because Farmboy hates SUVs… but I think Farmboy needs to wake up.  What else should I drive that allows me to transport my family, in safety, that has better gas mileage, that I can afford.  SUV’s are nothing more than today’s Station Wagons without the idiotic Chevy Chase “Vacation” stigma.  I know for a fact that our SUVs get better gas mileage than The Family Truckster… because my Mom and Dad had a few of them even though they are in denial about it.  What was it?  Oh yes, a Caprice Classic wagon.  What was that under the hood?  A 442 V-8?  And my dad scoffs at SUVs because of gas guzzling?  Come on!  Most SUV’s come with rather small V-6’s on average, with a large number of 4 cylinder engines as well.  Not nearly as bad as that old Chevy big block V-8.   (Pay no attention to the Jeep Wagoneer in my recent automotive history with its huge carbureted V-8)

Ranger is proving to be a very good and very loving dog.  He is as affectionate as a cat, but with a huge wolfish grin, slobbery tongue, and a big cold wet shnozzy doggy nose.  He has barked only once, when someone walked behind our fence.  Good Dog!  However, we made a mistake in something.  My oldest was hooking him up to the leash and instead of hooking through the big metal ring, he hooked through a little wire ring used to attach his little blue tag.  He bolted like he normally does and my oldest just held the leash… like normal.  Except this time the leash came off with a snap and Ranger launched off like a rocket.  A ½ block away there were some dogs behind a fence that Ranger stopped to bark at.  Not sure what would have happened if those dogs were not there!  But one thing we do know… he is to be connected to at least 1 chain at all times.  Bad Dog!  I don't like keeping an animal on a chain, but until we are confident that he isn't going to bolt, he must remain chained.  He was in the pound for a reason... I think we now know why.  Training this one is going to be a challenge.  We should have pics of him soon. 

I had a really good question come in:  “I was wondering if you knew the types of pistols that the character Niobe had in the film Matrix Reloaded?”  Good question… I should have put that in the article. I don't remember with a pistol in the movie... and I can find no screen shots... and I've not received a DVD yet.  Let’s at the movie poster. We can see they are Berettas… the open top slides are the give away.  First thought was model 92 guns.  But these are in the hands of a very small lady.  If these were 92s, they would be looking absolutely huge in her hands.  They could be Model 84 Cheetahs, like what Trinity uses.  That would be an obvious choice… but I am not sure if these are 84s.  Let’s look closer… the muzzle end of the gun, you can see the slide opening behind the front sight is contoured differently than the other guns… a more shallow angle give the reflected light.  The slide is also chunkier…  Can’t be an 84.  Ah, look at the gun in her left hand.  See the ambi safety lever?  That makes the guns Beretta 9000S models.  I don’t have any pics of her using one or anything... no profile images... so I am just making an educated guess.  If someone can send me some good clear screenshots, or URLs to where they are, I could confirm this ID.

Aug 22nd, Friday:  1400hrs:  We picked the dog up and are now spending time with him... all the boys are in heaven.  So is the dog.  I ran him from where we picked him up at to grandma's house... about 1/2 mile or so.  He trotted in a most noble manner part way and pulled me the rest.  He  needed the exercise as much as I did.  After we arrived he was welcomed and loved and renamed.  After seeing him out and about and after much sniffing and smell and hugs and a lot of licks... the family has renamed him.  "RANGER".

I'll try to get some pictures of Ranger as soon as I can.  He looks 1/2 German Shepherd, mixed with 1/4 Siberian Husky, and 1/4 Wolf.  He is awesome.  Very good looking and perfectly gentle with the boys.  Right now they are all playing tag and chase and having a good romp.  Just sitting here typing, he will occasionally come over and put his head on my lap and look at me.  I think he is saying "Thank you."  I'm as happy as the boys are. 

What's up with burning a dealership full of Hummers?  I don't care what you believe, such criminal activity is asinine and the perps should be hanged. 

Monday... I'm Back to School Monday.  I got everything ready.  Nervous.  Excited.  Looking forward to it. 

Hey, I have a Safariland 560 Custom Fit Holster I need to sell to get a mini XD holster.  40 or best offer on it.  Fits a whole bunch of guns, this XD is the first gun I have tried in it that doesn't fit in it. It's a paddle style.  Let me know if you want it.  I'll make a package deal... 60 bucks, you get the holster and the Ogre Works Kerambit, shipped.    

I'm going to have to go now... I want to play with Ranger too!

Aug 21st, Thursday:  2300hrs: We are picking the dog up tomorrow and the boys are excited.  Sleeping tonight is difficult for them... it's like Christmas Eve for them.  They talk about names all afternoon and they all came to the same name. "STRIDER", because "Aragorn" was too hard for my 2 year old to say.  I think Strider is a good name.  The boys picked it all out themselves... very sure of themselves on this choice.  I wanted "Ranger" or "Triton", but this is the family dog, not my dog so it's gotta be a name we all agree on... Strider is it.

Looking at holster options for the little mini XD, I am surprised at how few options there are.  I know it's still new, but geeze... there are only like 5, and 4 of them I don't like.  I like the G-Code, and that is probably the one I'll go with.  One of them that is.  Since this is going to be my main carry gun, I'll need a couple holsters for 24/7 carry regardless of weather or wardrobe.  Keeping my eyes open. 

Email from The Horde:  “Hey Ogre.  What do you think of bullpup rifles?  Personally (having never shot one), I like them.  They look cool, for one, and offer a full length barrel in a compact package.  However, there are many naysayers.  Even if a bullpup has a reversible ejection port (critical for a lefty like me) you can't easily switch shoulders.  On The High Road, they're decried because of this; people think it's very important for a soldier to be able to fire from his off-shoulder.  Also, there are manual of arms differences, but this in my opinion is only a matter of training.  So what do you think?  I, personally, would love a 7.62x51mm bullpup...”  The ballistic advantage of the bullpup rifle is obvious.  Shorter weapon, full power ballistics, it’s the best of both worlds.  Othe US and Germany are using new rifles that are not bullpups now.  Everyone else who has developed a new fighting rifle has gone with a bullpup configuration.  The naysayers really have few rungs on that ladder they are standing on.  Lefties can shoot the M-16 just fine on the wrong shoulder thanks to the brass deflector.  A simple design issue made that possible.  Same with a BP rifle.  There are several good ones.  The newest is the TAVOR, which is said to be a sweetheart to shoot.  There is an orgasmically fantastic .308 bullpup in the works that I am not allowed to talk about.  The only reason it’s not already on the market is funding.  The prototype is awesome.  I’ve seen a photo of it and it is just stunning.  Should this rifle be finished, it will put many things in the gun industry on it’s ear.  I can’t show the picture or even talk about it anymore than I have… so don’t ask.  But trust me, this will make everything else look silly.  Save your pennies now.  It might take a few years, but once it hits, you will want to place your order right then.

1400hrs:  Update on the dog situation.  We are going to get the German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix.  We are already going over dog names.  Open to suggestions.  I'll post a picture of it perhaps this weekend.

Noonish: I got an email from “Postmaster” of some net stating that I have sent them a virus.  The “SoBig” virus.  Well, I just scanned this machine with Symantec’s tools, nothing found.  I downloaded the virus updates… nope, I’m current.  Rescanned… nothing.  Downloaded the fix tool… nope.  I am virus free.  Not only that, I have checked all my sent emails and I never even sent an email to that domain.  With all these virus being sent out… it’s like an digital war is being fought at a level I’ve never seen before.  And they are spoofing real email addresses, probably thanks to spammer’s email lists.  It’s because of Spammers, that these Virus Assholes have become such a problem.  It's because of Spammers buying and selling email address lists that these virus authors have the means to send virus out in spammed messages.  Virus writers are assholes, and to shoot one in the fucking head is a public service... but the real villains are the self proclaimed innocent 1st amendment loving Spammers.  I’ve already written all my politicos about this, and so should you.  We need to BAN SPAM, and all Spammers need to be shut down.  This isn’t 1^st Amendment, because the 1^st doesn’t grant you the right to walk into peoples home and scream at the top of your lungs that you have something to sell.  Thinking that is bullshit.  I swear, I will choke the life out of a Spammer with my own bare hands if I ever catch one.  Spammers make me sick.  They are worse than Telemarketers because at least you can use caller ID and not answer the call.  With Spam – you are forced to download the bullshit before you know what it is.  That is where the first amendment is no longer the question.  Sure, you have the right to say what you like.  Fine.  But I also have the right to NOT TO HAVE TO FUCKING DOWNLOAD IT ONTO MY COMPUTER JUST BECAUSE I WANT TO READ SOMEONE ELSE'S EMAIL!   And you certainly don’t have the right to by and sell my fucking email address and you absofuckinglutly do NOT have the right to spoof my address to send your shit to other people!  I swear, this little fucking cyberspace war they are playing, will have some really fucking serious meatspace repercussions if I locate these guys.   Give me the Names and Addresses of these motherfuckers and I will personally go and kick there asses and smash their computers with my 15 pound golden Maul of Retribution.   

It’s official.  The Springfield XD9 Sub-Compact is the ugliest handgun that I have ever owned.  There is no artistry of the lines that make it visually appealing in any way.  This gun makes the HK USP look like a handsome rogue.  This gun makes the Glock look like a super model.   The XD is truly an ugly pistol.  However, it’s advantages outweigh it’s looks.  The grip is smaller than other compacts like the USP Compact, Glock 26, Taurus Millennium, and others and it’s the grip that will give away a concealed gun.  Not the barrel or slide thickness… it’s the butt.  Yet it is still easy to get a grip on it and hold it stable.  The gun has a lot of qualities found in a SIG.  A relatively tall slide profile and a seemingly taller barrel height profile.  It uses SIG sight dovetails, so any aftermarket sight for a SIG can be used on an XD.  That’s very cool.  The trigger feels like a Glock’s, and that’s a good thing.  This trigger breaks at about 4 pounds, 4 and a half.  It’s a good trigger.  It’s easy to get a sight picture and hold it through the trigger pull.  Accuracy is something I have not really been able to test yet so I’ll hold off commenting on that until I can get a measure of it.  All the good things I have said about it in the past are correct.  The XD is a most excellent handgun.  It’s not as refined as my Beretta.  Not as smooth.  Not as regal.  It’s a mutt.  Croatian heritage, now a second generation American.  The take down is easy.  Unload, lock slide back, push up lever, pull slide off.  Couldn’t be simpler.  I have said that this is my #1 CCW recommendation.  It was just a matter of time till I got one.  Putting my money where my mouth is.  I wasn’t wrong.  I was just late.

Email from another Blogger who doesn't want to be named:  "Ogre, I want to link to one of your comments.  How do I do that, you don't have links?"  Well, its easy.  You just link to my URL: MadOgre.com and you just state the DATE.  If your readers can't manage to find my entry for that date either on this page or archived... then I don't want your readers trying to read MadOgre.com.  Simple as that.  Don't mean to be rude about it, but if they can't follow this system, then I don't want them here asking stupidass questions.  I had one question this morning... it was a basic and simple question about a gun... I don't mind that at all.  Not in the slightest.  I enjoy gun questions.   But if you have to email me to ask me what "Retribution" means - then get the fuck out of here.

No, the dog issue has not been resolved as of yet.  We have had good solid advice from many people that I trust completely.  My brother Sage, my friend Correia and others... we are still weighing this issue.  You have to go carefully with this because this isn't just a whimsical thing... this is about bringing in what is in essence another member of the family.  You can't take that matter lightly. 

Aug 20th, Wednesday:  2300HRS:  It’s amazing what can happen in a day.  To make a long story short, I have acquired a Springfield XD 9MM Sub-Compact. The Mini XD as it’s also called.  This gun is pretty much everything I have ever said it was.  Small, potent.  10+1 rounds with the flush factory mags, or 18+1 with one of my Beretta mags after a slight modification that took just a few moment with my Dremel.  And yes, it works.  So, I have the perfect CCW Carry gun.   I’ll give a full report on it soon enough.  There is only one problem… I have no holster for it.

Still no decision on the dogs... weighing the pros and cons, it could go either way.

1700hrs: Yesterday an offer presented it’s self that I was hard pressed to make the decision on.  My Beretta 92FS, for a Springfield XD9 Sub-Compact.  I went back and forth on this many times and even posted the question at TheHighRoad.org.  (If you have not visited THR, then I insist that you must do so now before further reading here)  After reviewing the feedback and sleeping on the matter, I have decided that I am most certainly going to keep my Beretta and wait till I get some windfall before I buy a Mini XD9.  Giving up the Beretta would have been very unwise.  Besides, winter is going to be here soon enough and I’ll be able to carry the big 92 just fine under my new-old heavy leather jacket.  (The Cooper Bomber Jacket that my Dad gave me when I was out in Virginia early this year)  Trying to decide if I wanted this deal or not, I searched Google for reviews of the XD.  To my surprise I found more of my own comments about the gun than I did from anywhere else!  I hate that!  Yes, I love the little XD… I think its fantastic and is my #1 choice for CCW carry.  But to give up my 92… the price is just too high.

About the bombing is Israel and on the UN in Baghdad yesterday.  This whole notion that Peace is even possible in the middle east is a fallacy.  Since the history of the world first began, there has not been peace.  It has never had it, and it never will.  Our sun will Super Nova and engulf this planet before the people of the middle east settle the hell down.  There is no chance of The Roadmap leading anywhere.  The reasons for this plentiful and apparent to anyone who looks at the middle east objectively.  So what do we do?  Well, Israel is our baby… We shall continue to support it and protect it.  Everyplace else?  I think we should withdraw gradually over a relatively short period of time and eventually just turn our backs on it.  That especially includes our purchasing of oil from OPEC.  This move however doesn’t mean we don’t keep an eye on it.  No, we watch it carefully for signs of another Osama Wannabe and when one pops up, we pop him in the head with a jacketed hollowpoint.  What of our mission in Iraq now?  Our soldiers have done a fantastic job there.  Our mission to go in there and do what we did was a righteous one, and we can’t leave until we are finished.  That means killing or arresting Saddam whichever comes first.  After we do that, I think we should leave Iraq to the Iraqis.  Yes, this will probably result in the immediate takeover by the Shiite faction and perhaps even a unification with Iran (the font of all evil) but there is nothing we can do to stop that… it’s just a matter of time and we are building sandcastles to hold off that tide.  I consider Iran to be a huge threat…  but it wont be resolved without the complete genocide of all Shiites.  That’s not a price I want to pay.  I’d rather them be dealt with by penning them all in and forgetting about them.  If we find they are starting to stir up some shit… then we drop a daisy cutter on them.  Fuck the Shiites and fuck the Palestinians.  Israel is doomed to fight the same sckirmishes every day.  There is nothing that can be done about that until the Palestinians loose the hatred.  I don’t see that happening ever.  Unless they want to take some drastic actions and commit genocide on all the Palistinians, there is nothing that can be done.  There is no such thing as Peace in the Middle East.  To think so, is to think you can paddle a sodium raft up stream.  It aint going to happen.  I’m not an isolationist, but I think isolating ourselves from the Middle East as much as practical is a very good idea.

We went to the pound today to take a look at a dog that they got in.  This one is up for adoption and is available any time.  It’s an 8 month old German Shepard mixed with Siberian Husky.  Awesome looking dog, very handsome.  Very friendly and playful.   The only thing is there is a pair dogs that just got in, they are up for adoption Friday.  These pups are only 6 months old male and female.  German Shepard mutts that I have no idea what they are mixed with… they have interesting color and pattern.  One is like a photo negative of the other one.  Dark and light colors traded if you know what I mean.  We are torn in the decision between the two options.  Dog 1, bigger, stronger, seems smarter.  He had huge paws… indication that he has a lot of growing to do.  Dogs 2, a pair of smaller younger pups that are cute as hell, very friendly, smiles at us.  The potential is there in either option.  And where we are moving to, we could do two dogs with no problem.  3 is out of the realm of reason so don’t even say “get all three”.  Two dogs will be harder to train… but will be better for my 5 boys initially.   Yet the other one would be much better able to be acclimated to our family…   Arrgh.  I think I’m leaning to the one, due to the known breeds so I have a better idea what to expect, but I am not sure.  I’ll have to weight in what would be the best for the boys more than anything.

Aug 19th, Tuesday:  0939HRS:  Email from the hired guns of the JRR Tolkien Estate.  See the Library section for details.  I had an email almost exactly the same as this one from the Lawyer of Robert Heinlein - but he had a sense of humor that is not found in this English fellow. Regardless, I don't have the interest to deal with it, so I just removed the library files.   

I think I am going to just turn on the radio and listen to some news while mopping the floor.  I was in a foul mood before this lawyer letter... its not this.  Let's just say I had a rude awaking... and then while I was shaving my head I gave myself a nice long cut  across my dome because somehow my razor became deformed.  *sigh*  Then I found out that the dog I wanted to adopt from the pound, got adopted.  I was going to do this yesterday, but I got caught up in other things and put it off.  Aaarrgh!   So here I am pissed off in royal fashion and I haven't even had my morning Vanilla Coke yet.  Oh, and to top it all off, my brother informs me, with verification that Fist Full of Dollars was based of some old Japanese flick.  I'd get the name of it for you, but I would have to open up my email client, and I don't want to do that right now because of the 800 emails messages coming in, all containing the same damn virus.  I might have some commentary later today.   

Last night an email came in from one of The Horde.  Since I mentioned the need of a CCW gun, he offered to make a deal on a NIB Beretta Model 84 Cheetah.  I would very much love an 84.  That is my favorite Cheetah variant (there are several different version of the Cheetah) and is also the one used by Trinity in The Matrix.   So tempting... but I just don't have the funds for such a fine gun.  Maybe if it was used and abused and thus a serious low dollar bargain, I might be able to swing it in a couple weeks... *sigh*.  Oh well.  School is starting soon, and my funds are going to prep for that. 

Aug 18th, Monday:  2200HRS MST:  Wow!  The RONIN article is written and posted.  It's not finished, but I'm done with it for the day.  I'll edit it, dress it up and put in the links and a few more things tomorrow... but there is what I have.  I know some of you have been waiting for it.

I'm tired... I think I'll play a little Neverwinter Knights and then go to bed. 

1030hrs MST: Email from reader: “Hi.  Thanks for the awesome site.  Found my way to reading your site while trying to find information about CCI velocitors .22 ammo while making a Yahoo! search.  This is simply a quick note about Kimber's .45s.  I only own one.  I've only shot one.  It has been the simply best 1911-style .45 gun I have seen or shot at any of the ranges I have been to (including my back yard).  I've shot Auto-ordinances, Springfields, Colts and others.  I have not shot a Wilson, Baer or STI, but in my opinion, the gun I have (a stainless/polymer - gov't sized double-stack) is the best defensive pistol I am ever likely to purchase.  I've shot wolf ball, PMC ball, Winchester win-clean and silvertips, sxts, Remington +p's, Speer gold dots and Cor-bon's cartridges though it during it's break-in period and found it to be very reliable - very few jam-ups even during break-in period.   Jams (in this case failure to extract brass) happened particularly often with one brand of ammo - I can't remember which.  I would suggest your reader buy a case (1000 or so rounds) of major-brand name ball ammo (first trying one box to see if it feeds well in the gun) and head to the range for a day of shooting to break the thing in.  By the way, these problems do not sound normal that he suggested.  It should not have so many problems out of the box.  Kimber's service is good and fast from my experience.  Call Yonkers and see what they say.  At any rate, your other reader certainly does NOT have a piece of junk!  I am quite certain that Kimber doesn't make such products.  Some people may find carrying these large-frame autoloaders is a problem, but I disagree.  I have carried one for the majority of a day safely (cocked and locked) and comfortably.  The bottom line is you sacrifice comfort carrying any piece, but I cannot see any situation where carrying a smaller gun would be a better idea. - Geoff”  Thanks for the email Geoff.  I agree, his gun shouldn’t be doing that and that he should call Kimber.  Thanks for the heads up.   .22 and Velocitors?  Really?  I think I only mentioned those rounds like only once or twice some time ago.  Interesting.  As to packing CCW, smaller guns are a decided advantage.  Yes, the 1911 is easy to conceal with the right holster... but the Commander version, just a little smaller, is much easier to not just conceal, but to carry all day long.  The Officers which is even smaller is easier to carry than the Commander.  Small guns hide easier, are less likely to print or otherwise become exposed, and are easier to "live with" all day long while concealed.  Now a lot of guys carry at work where doing so could get them fired.  Failure is not an option.  They carry very small guns like Kel-Tecs, Seecamps, NAA Guardians or Minis... These are often called Mouse Guns or Pocket Guns.  Officers under cover do this too... should the be discovered, it could mean death... they carry small guns.  I'm glad you like your Kimber, but it' isn't Excalibur for Everyone... but I know how you feel... there is a certain Pride of Ownership when one buys a fine handgun that isn't found in anything else save for bikes or hot rods.  I love my Beretta... but I need a CCW gun.  I'm not going to be able to do IDPA with it like I wanted, and I can't CCW this thing easily at all.  I am going to have to sell it or trade it.  This is something I really don't want to do.  I love this Beretta.  Its function has been absolutely flawless for me.  Its accurate.  I can make hits with it by just THINKING about hitting the target.  But it does me no good if I have to leave it in the car or at home because I can't risk getting made with it. 

Question came in about how I ship the knives I sell.  Well, if you order a regular knife, it goes out UPS ground.  The knives that you have me work on for you, they are shipped via USPS Priority Mail.  The knives that I work on… I can only work on so many as time is a limited resource.  I have waiting list and I am trying to get through them as I can.  So If your one of the fellows waiting, please be patient.  I will let you know when your knife is ready to go, I’ll give you the tracking number etc… so you will know where your knife is.  I have had 2 inquires as to if the Kerambit that I worked on is still available.  It is.  I can ship it today with the other two going out.  Just let me know if you want it.  I also have an MT-025 ready to go as well.  This is my #1 favorite of the whole line and with the Ogre Works package… it’s a knife cheap knife that rivals… well… I’ll let you judge it for yourself.  Oh, if you want the Kerambit and you PayPal me for it today… I’ll pay for the shipping. 

Hey did you guys hear about the carnival worker that got caught in a roller coaster and was carried along and then dropped on a fence?   This was gruesome accident.  Carnies are often really creepy, unwashed, and just freaky… *ahem*  I guess you could call this a freak accident.  /straight face *ahem*

Aug 17th, Sunday: 2220HRS MST: Church is long over.  We gave our talks.  We shook hands.  Hopefully we shall not have to do this again for a very long time.

One of The Horde has sent us “House Corrino” the 3^rd book in the Dune saga that comes before the actual book “Dune”.   These books are awesome and in my opinion, better than the original.  Thank you.  Let’s see… I posted that I wanted that book and within the hour, it arrived.  Never underestimate THE HORDE!

I have been working on The Guns Of RONIN.  (not finished yet) While watching the DVD, stopping, scanning back and forth, zooming, etc… I took notes.  I took a lot of notes.  I took 2 pages of notes hand written front and back on standard 8.5X11 notebook paper.  This movie, while subtle, has more guns than you realize.  Some interesting insight is gathered here.   The actual article is still being worked on and I’ll upload it as soon as I am finished.  One weapon I am still trying to ID is the Light Anti Tank Weapon used in the 2^nd chase.  (there are three car chases and I am talking about these briefly as well)  After careful review of the details, Ronin is one hell of a gun movie.  It’s also very subtle in many details.  Very subtle.   Actually this was all done Saturday night.  Today, Sunday, I have only briefly touched the computer here as I was spending most of the time either preparing for the talk I gave, or recovering from it.  You know how the saying goes, “You are your own worst judge”?  Well, I have always been the critic and even when I was only 2, those closest to me called me “The Judge”.  Yeah, my own parents and grandparents even.  Anyways, so I am overly critical of myself like no other.  Even while I was giving it, I was thinking “Man, I suck.  I should just shut up.”  And then I thought “That is just what everyone else is thinking too.”  I don’t know… after I finished I have many many handshakes and such.  So I don’t know.  I’m just kicking my self over it.   Oh hell.  I’m becoming Woody Freaking Allen over this.  I’ll let it be now.  I’m going to watch Ronin again.   Why don’t you guys do that to, and when I post my article on it you can be prepared to offer intelligent comment.  (I already know that this is exactly what I will get form The Horde, but I said that for the new readers)  

Aug 16th, Saturday:  Evening:  HELP!  I need an ebook:  And I am willing to trade a number of ebooks for it.  I am looking for Dune: House Corrino.  I’d also like Dune: Butlertarian Jihad.  If anyone has these two ebooks MS Reader’s .lit format or .doc or .txt… I’d like it. I have a private collection of ebooks that are second to none, with twice the number that are listed in my Library section.  Okay, I’d like to get the whole series if I could.  If you have that… I’d be most appreciative if I could *ahem* borrow them.  Thanks.

Speaking of books, with the proceeds from selling knives I have made a small indulgence.  I ordered from Amazon the book called “Angels and Demons” by the same cat that wrote The Da Vinci Code.  I also ordered another book from the same author called Deception Point.  Dan Brown is a most excellent author and has great depth.  These books should arrive within the week.  Hopefully I’ll be able to read these before school starts.  Because after it starts, I’ll have no time for anything else.

Speaking of Dune… I took the boys out into the desert again, out in a different area… It was at a higher elevation and gave us a commanding view of our pathetic little town called city.  Overlooking the panoramic view, the first thing that popped into my mind was “DUNE...ARRAKIS...DESERT PLANET... The only source of the spice mélange…”  Hmmm… note to self:  Wear a hat next time.  The sun is getting to me.

While out in the deep desert, looking for "Worm Sign", we had stopped to explore an area on foot and when we got out we heard an ominous hissing.  No, it wasn’t a snake.  This was far worse.  I blew a radiator hose.  Damn the Harkonnens!  Luckily it was a very small hole in the hose, but a hole all the same.  The off-roading must have shaken the hose apart.  Luckily again it was all down hill back into town.  We let the jeep cool off (not that it was overheated, because it never gets too hot) while we explored on foot.  After awhile we had all the rock sample the boys wanted and we loaded up and rolled her back down into town.  Since it is a Jeep, this is no big deal at all.  A simple matter of getting the new hose (common) and 2 screw clamps to deal with.  All easily accessible and should only take about 2 minutes to replace.   The downside to this is that it's so easy, I can't use this as an excuse for ditching my talk tomorrow! Dang it!  Time to work on that talk again.

Afternoon: HK has done it now… they have made the MUST GET pistol of decade.  The P2000K.  This is a subcompact version of the P2000 pistol.  The P2000 is a pistol that has yet to be released here in the US.  They are planning on rolling it out and I can only guess that when they do, this version of it will be coming out with it.  Smart move on HK's part.  Stacked together with a new manufacturing plant opening in Virginia, this makes for some good potential for HK.  Combine this with HK's desire to make the guns price competitive with Glock, we can seen that HK means business.  HK has made some mistakes... like failing to complete the development of the G-11... but they had reasons for that... they are not a stupid company.  In fact they have been quite shrewd in many things.  This could be a positive sign of future RKBA rights.  If the RKBA situation was as grim as the NRA and GOA mailings suggest, then they wouldn't be building a new plant here in America, would they?  I don't think so.  This P2000K competes nicely with the Mini XD, Glock 26/27, Mini Steyr and Mini P99.  I like the looks of this.  Slick sided, small, smooth all around.  Awesome.  This one goes to the front of the class.  I would love a pair of these in a dual shoulder rig set up.

The next two Guns Of articles are not done yet, but the pages are set up for them and linked to little image buttons... so they are all set.  All I have to do now is write them.  Luckily, and unlike the other Guns Of articles, I do have the DVD's of these movies.  So there will be no mistaken ID's or questions or uncertainties.   I'll do these shortly.

Right now, I have something else to write.  I'm giving the talk in church tomorrow.  My wife and I were both asked to speak.  Not just to a class... but to the whole church.  I found out yesterday, but have not worked on it yet.  I'm not the best public speaker in matters of theology.  I have my own feelings about things in matters of faith and for the most part I just keep them to my self.  This is difficult for me... so I guess I better get started and get it done, eh?

Morning:  Is Fox News down?  I can't get the page.  I can ping it, but it gives me "Done" while not having loaded anything.  But I am not getting an error or anything.  Is this from the NY Blackout or is this just my ISP? 

Speaking of NYC... Hillary Clinton has blamed the blackhout on George Bush.  WTF?  I'm serious... she did.  Ripped Bush because of it.  As if the POTUS has anything to do with it.  Hillary is a total harpy bitch and I hope he gets what she deserves one of these days.  She probably blames Bush for Monica too.  It's not the job of the POTUS to oversee and maintain the local municipal power grid.  I'm sorry Mrs Clinton, but you can't blame Bush for this.  You can blame your local power company.  It's their job to take care of the system.  They didn't.  That has nothing to do with the POTUS.  Nothing.  Perchance, is this a subtle move to try to federalize all the power companies?  It wouldn't surprise me.   Hillary is a communist harpy bitch as she doesn't hide that fact.  She wants EVERYTHING to be federal.  She is an un-American traitorist communist harpy bitch.  Her notion is that it's the duty of the Federal Government to do everything for us, because we can't do anything for ourselves.  You know what?  She might be right.  Because if we can't even keep her out of the Government - maybe we don't deserve our freedoms.  Maybe we are getting just what we deserve in her and her cronies.   People, she is the face of evil.  She deserves to be squished like a bug... and I hope in the next election the people of New York get smacked with a Clue By Four and vote her fat carpet bagging ass outta there.   I don't expect that to happen, I am just wishing it.  If I could wish upon a star and have any wish granted... well, I would wish for a shitload of cash... but if I had a second wish it would be for all Liberals and all Democrats to be voted out of every office all across the United States.  I would also wish for the separation of Northern California from Southern California wish a division of the electoral votes there... Okay, wait a second... if I get wish #2, then wish #3 would be redundant.  Wish #3 would then have to go for another huge sum of money for me and mine.    Hey, these are my wishes... I can be greedy if I want.  Besides, given enough money, I can make all my other wishes come true for me and all my friends so that's good enough.   Man... just look at Hillary... That has got to be the face most deserving of a teeth shaking, open handed slap.  The question should be who does the slapping.  I'd like to see Ann Coulter with the honor of Slap Administrator.  I'd also like to see Ann as her replacement.  Maybe I should make that Wish 3 and just make Wish 1 REALLY REALLY BIG.

I finished the Guns of Heat article.  I also found a cute little graphic to use as the button over there like the guns of the matrix article.  I had 1 incorrect gun ID that is now corrected, but I'm not going to tell you what it was.  The next "Guns Of" article is going to be "Ronin" and "Equilibrium", and that might be the end of the series.   Again, these discussions of the guns used in a movie... I'm picking the movies that have generated a lot of questions about the guns, or with a number of interesting guns in the movie.

Congratulations to my Mother!  Some time ago she got fed up with her job and one day walked into her boss's office and slapped her keys down on his desk and said "I'm outta here!"  Kudos to her for the stones it took to do that.  Well, yesterday she just landed a new position that has a fraction of the stress but for the same pay.  Way to go Momma!   I'm not sure where I get my Ogrish DNA from... Momma is a truly talented decorator that makes Christopher Lowell look like the pretender that he is.  She is good.  She has class.  She has taste.  My father is a southern gentlemen (when he wants to be) and is quite sedate in expressing his opinion.  Where I come from is a question I don't think I want to ask... because there are no Ogres swinging on any of the family tree branches save for me and my brothers.  Oh well.  Maybe my Pa is more of an Ogre than he lets on.  Hmmm... actually he is more of a Big Foot.  :)  Anyways, KUDOS TO MY MOMMA! 

Due to server space issues... I have cut out a lot of old unused stuff.  I will probably also have to cut out a guest section too. The oldest one is also the one that hasn't been updated forever and I don't expect any further updates for it... so I will have to cut that one.  Shin Tao's page.   I hope Shin understands.  Actually, I don't think he even cares so it will get cut unless I hear otherwise.  I just gotta trim out unused stuff here or I'll have no room for new content. 

Correction came in about an earlier comment I made.  When I mentioned the movie Deep Blue I mentioned the riots in LA being because of OJ.  I was wrong... Rodney King.  I didn't even realize my error.  Thanks for point it out to me. 

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