This Hill-Billy Will Make You Run For The Hills!

Hat-tip to Eitan. My apologies to decent hill-folk everywhere.

They're Coming Sooner Than You'd Think

What's your thoughts?

We The People

Dear Politicians,

We the people say stop! Stop trying to win our vote and start trying to win over our hearts. We the people say it has been too long since there has been a politician with a vision for America. We need a vision of a great and strong America. We the people say enough pointing out what is broken in America. We live here, it is the land that we love, we know what is broken because we can see it up close around us. We the people say stop pointing behind us. Boldly and fearlessly lead and we will follow. We the people say enough of your stand-up/sit-down congressional parade as the President speaks. Sit down in Congress and debate the issues and then stand up as one for all to see. We the people say stop selling laws to the highest bidder! Your earmarks and add-ons have sold our political process like a prostitute. We the people say anything worth passing into law should stand on its own. Debate all worthy laws individually and pass them or defeat them individually. We the people say that we will have a strong and brave and prosperous America. You are invited to come along with us but don't stand in our way!

Sincerely,

The People

1851 Navy Colt Revolver

Samuel Colt designed the Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber (i.e., .36 cal) between 1847 and 1850-the actual year of introduction. It remained in production until 1873 when revolvers using fixed cartridges came into widespread use. Total production numbers were exceeded only by the Colt Pocket models in concurrent development and numbered some 250,000 domestic units and about 22,000 produced in the Colt London Armory. The designation "Colt 1851 Navy" was applied by collectors, though the popular name "Navy Revolver" is of early origin. The Texas Navy had purchased the earlier Colt Paterson Revolver and this was Colt's first major success in the gun trade; the naval battle theme of the engraved cylinder of the Colt 1851 Navy revolver was Colt's gesture of appreciation. Despite the "Navy" designation, the revolver was chiefly purchased by civilians and military land forces.
Famous "Navy" users included Wild Bill Hickok, Richard Francis Burton, and Robert E. Lee. Usage continued long after more modern cartridge revolvers were introduced in 1873.

I picked up a replica of the 1851 Navy Revolver today at a gun show for the meager price of $65 including a holster and belt. What a deal!!! It was built by the Hawes Firearm Company and is pictured above. I just love black powder firearms as they are great fun to shoot and provide a one-two punch with the wonderful cloud of smoke followed by the lovely smell of black powder. For protecting yourself and your family I am all about modern convenience and power but for enjoyment and relaxation nothing beats a day of shooting old west style.

Personality Test (hat tip to nanc)

Your Personality Profile

You are dignified, spiritual, and wise. Always unsatisfied, you constantly try to better yourself. You are also a seeker of knowledge and often buried in books. You tend to be philosophical, looking for the big picture in life. You dream of inner peace for yourself, your friends, and the world. A good friend, you always give of yourself first.

The World's Shortest Personality Test

A Friendly Wager

My friend, Daniel, has thrown a challenge my way.

"We will definitely have to put a friendly wager on this game. I don't have any ideas, so if you, (or any of your faithful readers) can think of any fun and fair wagers, I'm all ears. Be fair to yourself, Jason, because you'll be the one paying up."

He is under the delusion that the Cheaters (some people call them the Patriots) are going to win Super Bowl XLII against the smokin' hot playing of the New York Giants. I fully intend to take his wager but as he pointed out we are in need of a fun and creative wager between us. That's where everyone else comes in. Got any suggestions?

NFL in a Nutshell

Who wants their championship ring the most?

Flying Ace of the mighty IAF

Giora Epstein is the world’s leading ace with seventeen kills, 12 of which were achieved in the Yom Kippur war, 9 of which were in 48 hours

I was watching the History channel and came across this man. All I have to say is WOW!!!

This man would be welcome at our campfire anytime!

One of my blog buddies, Elbro, has put a post on his blog, Elmer's Bother, that is entitled "Blue Collar Man." It starts off with these questions:

"By what yardstick should we render the worth or value of a man? Is there anything wrong with being a common man?"

I thought it fitting to honor someone that honors the common man. I give to you Mike Rowe. He has made quite a living out of showing us people that do amazing tasks of an unsavory sort that help all of us out. Mike Rowe often makes jokes about his jobs and describes them as "dirty jokes." But he almost never makes fun of the workers themselves. Indeed, Rowe and the show consistently respect these people for taking on the jobs that average people would never touch, and the show always begins with the following quote from Mike Rowe:

"My name is Mike Rowe, and this is my job: I explore the country looking for people who aren't afraid to get dirty—hard-working men and women who earn an honest living doing the kinds of jobs that make civilized life possible for the rest of us. Now... get ready, to get dirty."

I added a picture of myself returning home from work today. Maybe Mike would like to come spend a day with a school bus mechanic. As Elbro says in the comments below -- blue collar rules!

GO SEAHAWKS!!!

Those Hawks are feeling hungry for another one of these! They've got their work cut out for them going against Brett Favre and the weather and muddy field at Lambeau.

LEGO

Lego (an abbreviation for lege godt, meaning play well in Danish) is quite possibly the most perfect toy ever invented!!! Just my humble opinion.

Barack Obama an American Candidate -- Period!

The media has a tendency to feed us a polarized view of American life. They show us the extremes of all things. That is what is "sensational" and they think that America wants sensational. Following this trend I have been continually reminded that Barack Obama is black. I wonder if there is some sort of fear that we may have been misinformed about the skin color of Obama or that maybe we have all forgotten the images that our eyes have relayed to our brains. I have not once been reminded that John McCain has white skin. Neither have I been reminded that John Edwards has white skin. To those in the media that would endlessly remind me that Barack Obama is black I say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! Mr. Obama is an accomplished politician, an accomplished law instructor, an accomplished public speaker, and most of all AN AMERICAN!!! If he is elected president we will not have a black president we will have an American president. I do not support Mr. Obama to be president but I do believe he is an accomplished and honorable man. Please give him the title presidential candidate -- no more and no less. When we bring race into politics we only prove that one's mind and abilities will never outweigh one's appearance. As Americans let us be the ones who live life staring intently at the inside of people and only then bothering to glance at their outside.

GO HAWKS!!!

Today the Seattle Seahawks are going to put a hurtin' on the Washington Redskins. Let's hear it for the Hawks!!!

Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee pulled out a very respectable win in Iowa today. I don't know if he is my idea of a great candidate or not but he certainly adds color to the political landscape. His spot on Leno was enjoyable. Here's a quote that makes me inclined to give him a closer listen. There's a lot of truth and character in it.

" I have a great respect for Barack Obama. I think he's a person who is trying to do in many ways what I hope I'm trying to do and that is to say let's quit what I call "horizontal politics." Everything in this country is not left, right, liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican. I think the country is looking for somebody who is vertical, who is thinking, "Let's take America up and not down," and people will forgive you for being left or right if you go up."

Gun Control for Dummies

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control.

From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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In 1911, Turkey established gun control.

From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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Germany established gun control in 1938.

From 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

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China established gun control in 1935.

From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated

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Guatemala established gun control in 1964.

From1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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Uganda established gun control in 1970.

From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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Cambodia established gun control in 1956.

From 1975 to 1977, one million 'educated' people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

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Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.

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It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by new laws to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars. The first year results are now in:


Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent

Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent

Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent