Boxing day

Spent Christmas morning on the floor with the nephew putting together Lego fire trucks. Then got yanked out and told I have five minutes as we were going to St Francis to feed the needy. Mostly ones and twoses but the latinos came in clan sized groups. I was the door man. Lady gave out cards after they were checked in. Contained cash but not much. One of the Reg’s said in the line it was hundred bucks. I told him not likely. Didn’t need anyone wacked for a crummy 5 bucks. Then back to the house and made Guiness Stew. Lovely. Blessings all.

DC Snowball fight

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/20/AR2009122000881.html

OK, I wasn't there but Christ on a Crutch Ya don't throw down on kids and snowballs. Having done this once or twice when I was a wee barn, I/we pegged a State Police car way back when. Of course PA State Cars then had a very distinct profile. As soon as he slammed on his brakes we knew what/who he was and ran like deer. Thing was he didn't throw down on us, Would have got an ass-whipping for sure if he caught us but no shots fired. Think about that Officer friendly when you get called on the carpet to explain youself.

Boom stick

Two words... Me wants



http://www.anzioironworks.com/MAG-FED-20MM-RIFLE.htm

Nor'Easter

We've got a bonny one coming through. Calling for up to 2 (TWO) feet here in DC. The Prole are losing their minds. Me, I'll just wait until the morning and head upstate. Can't make the mini blogmeet in Indy, would have left today but for the snow. Still it weeds out the idiots. Stay safe all.

11/11

http://enchantedtraveler.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/omaha-cemetary-22.jpg

Jumped Normandy 2000,2001 and was ground committe 2004. The Cemetary in in the geographic center of Omaha Beach. Words are insufficient to describe being there. Fallen Comrades.

Murphy's law or Sumdude in Texas.

Not mine, have had some like it but I couldn't help not posting this. Murph is a Deputy Sheriff in TX. SomDude is out there. Posted for your reading pleasure.

Since the case is now over, I can tell the tale. I get a call at 0800 hours since I am the on call investigator. The Sgt of Patrol tells me that they have a dead body in a yard, and he needs me to come out. It is cold, really cold (well for us Texans it is), so I drive out to a dirt road with some houses on it. While enroute, they call and tell me the guy has a stab wound in his chest, and he is DRT (Dead Right There). Being that this is my very first homicide to investigate, I have to call my LT. He calls the Sheriff, the Texas Ranger, and more investigators. So I get there, and Patrol has six guys, not in custody, but detained. Our dead guy is just laying there, not doing a whole lot except being dead. LT arrives, Sheriff arrives, Texas Ranger arrives, we walk up to the first guy and ask; "What went on here?" He replies; "No habla Ingles". More phone calls for spanish speakers. Narcotics LT arrives and speaks to the guys. They tell us: "We don't know how he got there (the dead guy), you could ask around maybe?" More questions, desperate need of coffee, Find out the killer has fled, possibly to Mexico, this after freezing our @sses off for three hours, and working the scene. Odd, no blood around the body, almost no blood on the body. Hmmmmm. More coffee. Take the suspects down to the office for questioning. "No Habla". End up with a list of 17 people to talk to, no one speaks english, all are here illegally, great, just great. More coffee, and a McDonald's psuedo food. Its now 1600, tempers are flaring, out of coffee. The people are now talking to us we discover that the body had been moved. Aha! The plot thickens! Then we find out it had been moved again. And Again, and yet again. WTF?! I ask the Ranger if this is normal, and he tells me; "Compared to what?" Get together, sort it out, and discover here is the chain of events:Dead guy gets into a fight with killer over an incident that occurred 10 years ago in Mexico, he gets stabbed with a 3" blade knife, which penetrates between the ribs, cuts the Aorta, and nicks the heart. He dies according to the M.E. in about 90-120 seconds. Blood alcohol level was .28, way, way up there. Five friends who are there, are also drunk. They decide to take him to the hospital. So they put the now-dead guy in a car. Drive to end of road. Have flat tire, so turn around. Drive to different house. Unload dead guy, take him inside, and make him comfortable on the sofa. Drink another beer, due to hard work. Decide to make dead guy feel better, so they clean him up with rubbing alcohol, and splash some on his face "To make him feel better" (I AM NOT KIDDING). Owner of house tells them to get the dead guy off his sofa, he is leaking. Pick up dead guy, put him back in car, remember to change tires. Drive to end of road, decide to get another beer before going to the hospital, turn around go back to original house. Get dead guy out of car, drink beer. Homeowner yells to STFU or she is calling the cops. Pick up body, carry across a fence to the field, drop body (where he is found) because he is heavy, and they need a beer. Leave body, and go drink a beer. Neighbor wakes up, sees body in yard, freaks, calls cops. Murderer has fled to Oklahoma where his is living in a hotel under an assumed name. Local Swat detonates a flash bang about 2' above his head as they serve the warrant. He needed clean underwear.And that is how I found my crime scene. It was described in trial as "The Weekend at Bernies murder" by the Texas Ranger. We lost the case because the defense lawyer destroyed the citizen witnesses on the stand. It was tragic, but he just destroyed them. Thus ends my first (but unfortunately not the last) homicide case I have investigated.

Unseen Academicals

Not bad, Good development on Unseen University and The Staff. Not that it resembles any institution of Learning that I know. ;) God Bless you, Mr Pratchett, thank you for all the enjoyment I have received over the years. Mr. Pratchett is suffering from the onset of Alzheimers, considering his life is based on the use of words, I can't think of a more vicious fate to a person. Enjoy him please whilst you can.

PA Resident

Managed to blow a hole through his neighbors house. Owns a cannon. Gotta love our local characters, They do keep things interesting. For the record, all of the cannon used in the movie "Gettysburg". are owned by private collectors with most of the ones used in the movie owned by a dentist from Lancaster, PA. Got no problem with that, just so they keep the down range clear when firing their toys. That is all.

http://www.kens5.com/latestnews/stories/KENS20090405-Cannonball-Pa.14a2c2aeb.html

Boondock Saints; All Saints Day

Looking forward to this.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2-PYxgL50

Retirement

Currently on Terminal Leave from the State. Down in Dc back on Active Duty. In Case anyone cares, The e-mail for this site has been updated and you can ping me here. 6 years and I'll be able to cash in my retirement with the green machine as well with the change to the retirement rules. People ask me why I pulled the plug and I told them it was time and I needed to do it while I am still capable. Ran yesterday with the Battalion and while I didn't finish with blazing speed, I am happy I finished. Legs still hurt though and I need to work on my times. Working on it though.

Ben

I was in Alaska last week and flew back by way of Seattle. Sat next to Ben. Ben is 84, built ships in Newport News during the war, raised three kids and has had a good life. Ben is also one of those guys who would say "Excuse me" if he was Bleeding out on your foot. One of the things was things Ben did was cut and install Asbestos in ships. OK, We know now but then it was doing the job and it was what had to be done. Ben has asbestosis and a litaney of other things that happen when you get old. What Ben had at 35,000 Ft was shortness of Breath. Know I have been where Ben was at the moment and I gotta tell you it REALLY sucks. But Ok, He tells me he ain't felling very good and is a little short of breath. By the way, Ben's got a Pacemaker installed. Now when you are at 35,000 over the Canadian Rockies and the old buck in the seat next to you tells ya he ain't felling very good, you should pay attention. Ya know why, These guys didn't bitch, moan, Complain or run to the shop steward every time they suffered some slight insult to their fragle psych. They did their job, raised a family, put their kids through school and pretty much did what we all did or at least should do. And Ben tells me he ain't feeling good. The attendents are good, plugged in and started doing what what they needed to do. Before I went to the Dark side, I was a paramedic, Pretty good one I thought and it has stood me well over the years as when the stuff is hitting the fan I can do the cool thing pretty well. Ok, little O2 and a basic survey and away we go. Med Com plugs in and I give a patient report, Doc sounds cool and recommends continue to Destination as it does not sound like Ben is about to crater. Keep a eye on him and we get in to Sea-Tac with no further hiccups. Off the plane and into the loving arms of Sea-Tac Fire-Ems. Hand him over and give report. Shake his hand and walk away. God Bless you Ben. Thank you for what you have done and what you have accomplished. May He hold you in his hand on the last day.

Tech Support

Actual conversation


What would you do if the caller on the other end of the telephone line (with a indian accent) {and out of the blue} called and told you to go to your computer and that they were going to help you/me to fix my computer?

"Who are you?"
'Jay'
"What company do you work for?"
'Computer services'
"Why are you calling me?"
'I'm calling because I want to help you make you computer work faster'
"I don't need it to work faster, I want it to connect when I open my e-mail"
HANGUP-
ring-ring Hall low?
'XXXXXX XXXX?'
"yes - who are you?"
'Enreeka - from HP computer services- we want to fix your computer so that it will work faster'
"I don't want it to work faster, I want it to connect when I dial up on my e-mail - How did you get this number? " "This is a do not call number,"
'We want to fix the XP program on your computer'
"I don't have XP- I have Vista- home premium and all I know that my machine turns itself on at 3 a.m. and downloads the updates. After that I can't get into my computer"
'It's 3 a.m. over there?'
"Where are you calling from?"
Remember the accent?
'New York City'
"Right"
Hangup!

Yah no- if I was less of a ________(whatever- fill in the blank) had a buzz on and/or was more trusting I might have co-operated but and because I don't trust anyone and being true to form- I hung up.

True story. I am not computor literate but I am still a suspicious bastard.

Man down

A Member of the Service was shot and killed in the line of duty Sunday night in Monroe county, PA outside of Stroudsburg. It sucks when you go to a tie with a bad guy. Trooper left a wife and three small kids. Fallen Comrades


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,525358,00.html

Overlord

Was the code word for the Allied Operation refered to as D-Day. The navel portion was referred to as Neptune. I jumped Normandy in 2000 and 2001 at the Merville Battery where the 9th Para Battalion operated. Had a chance to meet with the Vets and speak to the Battalion Commander Terrance Otway in 2001. Unit suffered over 50% Casualties over the course of the the Normandy Campaign. Good guys. Blessings on all those who went. Prayers for those who never came back.

Small steps

Two unrequited liberals asked me to teach them how to shoot. They are sisters, own a small business and voted for Hopey, Changey in the last election. Being the true knuckle draggin' neanderthal I am, I leaped at the chance to bring some one into the Light or Dark if you happen to swing for the other team. Trying to get the moons into alignment for them, my work schedule was an exercise in time management. One Sunday morning when it wasn't pouring down rain or some other climate changing event I took them out to the range. SIG 220 with a .22 conversion upper, Ruger Bearcat and a Inland M1 carbine dated 6/44. Subject A shot fair with the Sig but had issues with the M1 when we found out she is cross eye dominant. Subject B didn't do as well with the pistol so I switched her to the Bearcat and concentrated on sight picture and trigger control. She did hit fairly well with the M1 though so I'm thinking I might work her up on a 20 Guage 1100. My hope is to get them both to an IDPA match to start working them into a shooting mindset. Also have picked out their pistol rigs for when that happens. Subject B is also a south paw while her sister A is right handed. Makes for interesting range drill. 4 Rules with given and reinforced and they had to recite them after clean up and prior to leaving the range. Q and A was conducted post action and they were happy with the session and wanted to know when we could go again.


1. The firearm is always loaded.

2. Keep your finger out of/off the trigger until you are prepared to fire.

3. Never point the firearm at anything you don't want to shoot or are not willing to pay for.

4. Always be sure of your target and beyond.


Small steps

Ironic twist

Seems one of the coalation groups has their knickers in a bunch over the current Supreme Nom. Funny that the potential to challange this one would come from the Hopey Changey bunch.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30974345

St Crispins Day

For those kids who didn't make it home. And for those who went and never were the same.





Enter the KING
WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here But one ten thousand of those men in England That do no work to-day!

KING. What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin; If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires. But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England. God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day.
Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words- Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester- Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered- We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.