McCarthyism (partII )

We've all heard about the "secret gulags" the CIA had all over Europe (exept that no-one can find them). Mary McCarthy got fired for exposing them. (I don't need to link the stories, do I?)

McQ- over at Q & A asks where she got her info, and quotes a former CIA guy who worked with her.

. I hasten to add that I do not consider her a friend. She was my immediate boss in 1988-89 and was instrumental in my decision to leave the CIA and take a job at the State Department's Office of Counter Terrorism. Mary, in my experience, was a terrible manager.
--Ok, so he's not a McCarthy appologist--

That said, I take no delight in the news that she was fired. In fact, there are some things about the case that puzzle me. For starters, Mary never worked on the Operations side of the house. In other words, she never worked a job where she would have had first hand operational knowledge about secret prisons. She worked the analytical side of the CIA and served with the National Intelligence Council. According to press reports, she subsequently worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) from 2001 thru 2005. That is a type of academic/policy wonk position and, again, would not put her in a position to know anything first hand about secret prisons.

--She didn't have access to what she leaked-

I am struck by the irony that Mary McCarthy may have been fired for blowing the whistle and ensuring that the truth about an abuse was told to the American people. There is something potentially honorable in that action; particularly when you consider that George Bush authorized Scooter Libby to leak misleading information for the purpose of deceiving the American people about the grounds for going to war in Iraq. While I'm neither a fan nor friend of Mary's, she may have done a service for her.......

--Gee, maybe he IS a McCarthyite, in sheeps clothing--

Ok, here's another example of stealth liberalism at work. Disavow any support, then undermine the opposition with the same talking points as the rest of the fifth column.

GEE Larry, if she was LYING about the entire thing to discredit Bush- Why would she need to have access to anything close to the REAL thing? Just throw the mess out to the wolves in the Legacy Media, and they'll howl about it untill the cows come home, weather it's true , or not. Hell, it's even better if it ISN'T true- it's harder to disprove.
Then he goes into the tired old Plame thing yet again.
Why doesn't Bush fire the entire staff of the CIA, State Dept, and every other topheavy beuracracy that's activly fighting him every time he takes a breath?

Gawd I'm getting tired of this "get back into power- no matter how badly the country is f*cked" attitude of these Communistic Liberals.

Is it live, or is it "Fake but accurate?"

Check out this video at ZiPpo's place, and wonder how they did it.
Then go to this story to find out how they did it.

We forgot the camera

But here is what it looked like after.



Broken down for cleaning




The first 12 shots on target.
It shoots high and to the left, so after the first 3 shots I was aiming at the bottom of the diamond, then at the bottom of the diamond outline @ 10yards.

Here are my observations of the Colt Confederate Navy .44

• Since it was my first time shooting, I probably used too much lube on the balls- it was messy (greasy) as h*ll after shooting it.
• Loading wasn't as bad as the muzzleloader- maybe because I didn't have to load after every shot?
• The trigger is lighter than I like.
• I'm having problems keeping the caps on the nipples. They're #11, I'll try #10's tommorrow. I shot my truck because one fell off. I was working on replacing it when my thumb slipped off the hammer (see the first comment), and it hit a primed cylinder after I'd rotated the cylinder to get access to replace the (dropped) cap, and unintentionally rotated at the loading bench. Good thing it only has a muzzel velocity of about 600FPS, only dented my hood above the grill.
  
• It's steady, and pretty accurate at 25 YDs (I hit within a foot of where I was aiming planning to hit). I can play with the charge to fine tune it when I get more used to it.
• The balls that came with the starter kit had sprues (nipples) on them, I'll try Hornadays round balls tommorrow, and see if the accuracy improves.
  
• Nice ballance, compared with the muzzleloader especially.
• The factory book says you need a hammer and a "non-marring punch" to remove the retaining wedge- You need a steel drift pin to move the factory installed wedge. A "non-marring" punch will bend or break- I know from experience.
  
• Clean-up is hot soapy water and scrubbing, followed with WD-40 to dry out the fine parts you can't get to easily.
• A loading stand will be made tomorrow, just to make it easier, and to show it off above the TV. I'll make one for the muzzleloader, too.
• After I had the nipples put in again, I noticed that 3 0f 6 had fireing holes that were smaller than the other 3- could be a reason for the large pattern. I'll get new ones, or dill the small ones out.
  

As I learn more about these, I'll be getting stuff to make everything easier. Karen is interested in a "Ladies" gun, and maybe getting us into period re-enactments.

Happy Earth Day!

With puppies and baby harp seals along the border.

We'll be out contributing to the hole in the Ozone layer today- one shot at a time!
Pictures later -if we remember the camera.

P.S. anyone want to help me get a short video onto blogger? (when we capture a nice, smokey shot)

So, where is Jesse Jackson when you need him?

Look at these pictures and tell me that it's NOT a human crisis.

These people are suffering. They didn't have a national media focusing attention on all the water flooding their homes (probably because of HALIBURTON wanting their land).
I want to know-no I DEMAND to know why the Legacy Media doesn't have this flood on their headline news!!!!!


Ummm, just a minute--
*What? It's not newsworthy???!??*
*They're not black enough?*
*Jesse's not comming because there's not enough TV coverage?*



Ok, well I guess these people don't need FEMA rushing to their aid because the Legacy Media didn't see enough black 'wards of the State' being displaced.

OK, move along. Nothing further to see here.

All I can say is TGIF

This has been a long week down in Poteet, Tx. We're rebuilding a road in a subdivision and working about (well we're there) 11 -12 hour days. We don't get paid for it all, though. The boss like his hour (plus) lunches, and when we're paving we can't do anything until everyone is back.
So we have an hour commute, and an hour lunch break, as we loose about 3 hours worktime.

We also have a former ,,,ummmm,,,cool kid in H.S. Remember the kind that had no respect for his teachers, and had a give-a-f*ck attitude?
I'm working around him now, and he hasn't changed his attitude, either. Wich makes a hard job even harder.


(UPDATE APRIL 21- 9PM)
--M-- the ex-cool kid is no longer working employed by us. After getting his @ss chewed out by the boss for constantly not doing what he was suppoed to, HOW he was supposed to---decided to catch a ride with someone who had to pick up their kids at 5:30.
He decided he didn't have to tell the boss, or either of us foremen when he drug up.
I don't mind him not being gone, exept it left us 2 people short on the last of the handwork- the worst part because we're all hot, thirsty, tired and burnt-out. But we got done.

It's here!





My Birthday present from the girls, a .44 Confederate navy Colt (and starter kit -about $15 off individual parts).

I found it!

It wasn't in his comment links, just a link farther down the page.

I won't bore all you non-gungeeks out there with the entire used revolver checklist, I'll just paste his closing remarks here.

In perspective:

Timing (test #5) is very critical...if that's off, the gun may not even be safe to test-fire. And naturally, a crappy barrel means a relatively pricey fix.

Cylinder gap is particularly critical on short-barreled and/or marginal caliber guns. If you need every possible ounce of energy, a tight gap helps. Some factory gaps will run as high as .006"; Taurus considers .007" "still in spec" (sigh). You'll be hard-pressed to find any new pieces under .004" - probably because the makers realize some people don't clean 'em often (or very well) and might complain about the cylinder binding up if they sell 'em at .002".

The guns in a dealer's "used pile" are often of unknown origin, from estate sales or whatever. Dealers don't have time to check every piece, and often don't know their history. These tests, especially cyliner gap and play, can spot a gun that's been sent off for professional tuning...like my snubbie, the best $180 I ever spent .

As long as the gun is otherwise sound (no cracks, etc) a gunsmith can fix any of this. So these tests can help you pick a particularly good new specimen, or find a good used gun, or help haggle the price down on something that'll need a bit of work.

I did some post bying tests on Karens Taurus, and it looks like we have a pretty good little ladies gun.

How was your Monday?

Mine was pretty frustrating and expensive.
It was one of those days where nothing went right, equipment breaking , or not working right.
We also had to drop about $350 at Lowes for a new range. Ours died Sunday late afternoon.
We got back late last night and didn't have time (or patients) to install it, so it's sitting in the middle of the kitchen untill I get home sometime after 6 tonight.

I was going to do a post about how to find a good used gun, but I can't find the link (forgot to bookmark it). I know I started at Mr. C's place and followed a link to Xavier Thoughts, but can't remember where I went after that. Bummer- it would be helpfull to anyone looking at used revolvers.

Oh, THAT Ginger

I thought they ment THIS Ginger



Was fighting Ovarian cancer.
(I still liked MaryAnn better)

Got a Geek question for y'all

I'm trying to get to Aarons blog, but keep getting a Wordpress download page.

I know he's been hacked by the 'Religion of Piss, and tolerance".
Ok, maybe he's protecting himself, I understand.
The question I have is, why should I have to download Wordpress just to read his blog?
Wouldn't a registry of some kind be better? I'm not going to download something I don't need (if I can help it), and that might be a trojan left by the peaceloving muhhamadines.

Teddy speaks on immigration

"In the first place, we should insist that if the
immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates
himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else,
for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed,
or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming
in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no
divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something
else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the
American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the
English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Heh, you thought I ment that Teddy

How to win friends and influence people

The La Raza way

First get your illegal countrymen to sneak across the borders and then start demanding "rights"
Be sure to let the Americans watching that your loyalty goes to the third world country you're escaping from- ONLY.

When you show how many you are by clogging rush hour traffic and insulting the ones paying for your social welfare- you are read for step two.
Show how well you thank the country you snuck into:

• who is supplying you with jobs that you are undercutting LEGAL residents out of

• who's taxpayers pay for your non-assimilated brats education bill, your food-stamps, your medical and Section 8 housing vouchers
• who isn't rounding up your ungrateful @sses for immediate deportation
• who gives your 'anchor babies' automatic citizenship

By organizing a boycott of all things American.
Yep, that'll make them fear your power like you even more than before when you shut down America last-ummm
--ummmm just last,,,I just KNOW the entire country slid to a stop ,,,,

LAST week- yeah, that's right when you all were shouting your MEXICAN slogans to show how well you love this country.

See what happens when you do a little fact checking?

It ruins a good Anti-Gungrabber rant.

I heard on the radio that WallyWorld was going to go the K-Mart rout on gun sales.
That was wrong, they're only doing what any self respecting evil capitolist mega-corperation (like Haliburton) would do.
They're moving into big cities, and won't offer things that Yuppies sophisticated city residents won't buy. In Plano, Tx (big blue splotch in a red state) you probably wouldn't recognize the store as a Walmart, because they're changing the style and what they carry to more accuratly reflect the lifestyle of the area.

This is what I did for "National Buy a Gun Day"

What will you do tommorrow?

From : orders@cabelas.com
Sent : Thursday, April 13, 2006 6:36 PM
To : kxxxxxxp@hotmail.com
Subject : Thank you for ordering Cabela's Inc. - 0008136XXXX


Cabela's Inc.
World's Foremost Outfitter
One Cabela Drive Sidney, NE 69160


We have received your recent internet order. You will receive another
notification when the shipment of the following occurs. The following payment
types will be applied to your order:

Credit Card -- VISA


Merchandise = $164.99
Postage = $12.75
ORDER TOTAL = $177.74

You will receive another notification when shipment of the following occurs:

1 of 21-6058 1851 Navy Confederate .44 Cal Revolver w/Start Kit @ $164.99 each
In stock-Approx delivery Fri 4/21

1 of 20001699 Black Nylon Padded Handgun Case BLACK PISTOL CASE16" @ $0.00
each
In stock-Approx delivery Fri 4/21


For further assistance, please contact our Customer Service Department. Phone:
(800) 237-8888 FAX: (308) 254-6745 or E-Mail: customer.service@cabelas.com.

Get the best deals, exclusive sales and sneak previews of new products with our
FREE e-mail newsletter. Sign up is quick and easy from the following link.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/registration/newsletter-home.jsp

As the World's Foremost Outfitter, Cabela's has everything you need for hunting,
fishing, camping and the great outdoors. Visit http://www.cabelas.com for our
incredible selection.

You read a story like this

And it makes me feel kinda puny to be glad I only had to shoot the 30.06 when I want to.
I'm glad I wasn't part of the "Greatest Generation", or the WWI, or of age during the War of Northern Agression.
Yes- I admit it, I'm a wimp.
I'm spoiled and I know it.

I shot the M-16, in the Navy, and can shoot it all day long.
I'm glad I wasn't subject to the tender mercies of a Boot Camp Sergant or a Marine Gunny with a bolt action mule kicking my shoulder for 8 hours in boot camp. If I was involved in the "Late Disagreement", I would have shorted the powder charge to save my shoulder from the .54 Cal recoil.

Yes, I am a wimp.

Who wants to make $50 an hour?

Big John McCain the "maveric" RINO is offering $50 an hour to the union bosses to pick lettuce in Yuma, Az for the season.

Hell yes!!!!!!
Where do I sign up?

Dear Mr. McCain,
I'd like to take you up on your offer. Since I'm not an illegal alien, I'm sure that I'd be covered under your employee protection laws. The law that says after 40 hours I get time and a half- right?

So that's 5 (or 6) 12 hour days @time and a half after my 40.
PLUS Yuma is kinda like South Texas in the summer, exept with better humidity- isn't it? Man, that 20- 32 OT hours sure look good. I'm sure, being the enlightened Democrat RINO maveric Republican that you are, we'll have employer paid healthcare, too?

I can be there after I give my current employers the usual notice. Please call, I'll be waiting.

Luv KurtP

A picture's worth a thousand words.


That's about the truth, isn't it Mr. Bush?

Sorry, othing else today. I'm getting too old for 13 hour days.

pic stolen from ZiPpo

Post Deleted

It was about money and an EMT run to the Emergency room (A.K.A. the illegals GP waiting room)

In reference to the previous post. . .

They had "massive work stoppages" today because all our illegals were out yelling Mexican anti-American humanistic slogans. It was supposed to bring America to it's knees.
I didn't notice, was anyone even inconvinienced?

I mean, except for the machinery of America skidding to a sudden stop because LEGAL residents and Native born Americans took up refused to take up the slack by doing what they're not payed enough to do on a regular basis.

Here's a headline round-up

Anyone notice anything missing?

Thousands Demonstrate Over Immigration

Immigration protest targets suburban congresswoman

US immigrants mobilizing for major 'action'

Latinos march for immigrant rights

Immigration Celebration Becomes Protest

Immigrants' Rights Rallies (WaPo reg. req.)

Some audio?
Immigration Marchers Rally for Legalization


How about the word ILLEGAL!

Guess that color should have been Red,White and GREEN, huh?

INTERESTING TEXAS FACTS

Beaumont to El Paso: 742 miles
Beaumont to Chicago: 770 miles
El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas.

World's first rodeo was in Pecos, Texas on July 4, 1883. (I know the Spanish had them informally)

The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built over water.

The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was the first full time coach for Rice University in Houston.

Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in North American.

Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America's only remaining flock of whooping cranes.

Jalapeno jelly originated in Lake Jackson, Texas.

The worst natural disaster in U. S. history was in 1900 caused by a hurricane in which 8,000 lives were lost on Galveston Island.

The first word spoken from the moon on July 20, 1969 was "Houston."

King Ranch is larger than Rhode Island.

Tropical storm Claudette brought a U. S. rainfall record of 43" in 24 hours in and around Alvin, Texas in July 1979.

Texas is the ONLY state to enter the U. S. by TREATY, instead of by annexation. This allows the Texas flag to fly at the same height as the U. S. flag.

A live oak tree near Fulton, Texas is estimated to be 1500 years old.

Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.

Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period after Dr in Dr Pepper.

Texas has had six capitals: Washington, Harrisburg, Galveston, Velasco, West Columbia and Austin.

The Capitol Dome in Austin is the only dome in the U. S. which is taller than the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. (7' taller).

The name Texas comes from the Hasini Indian word "tejas" meaning friends. Tejas is not Spanish for Texas.

The State animal is the armadillo. Armadillos always have four babies; they have one egg which splits into four and they either have four males or four females.

The first domed stadium in the U. S. was the Astrodome in Houston.

Cowboy Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in
Fairlie, Texas (cowboy style) :
1. Just One God.
2. Honor yer Ma & Pa
3. No telling tales or gossipin'
4. Git yourself to Sunday meetin'
5. Put nothin' before God
6. No foolin' around with another fella's gal.
7. No killin'
8. Watch yer mouth
9. Don't take what ain't yers
10. Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff.

(I guess the last ten things just aren't nuanced enough for our Liberal friends to understand, and comply with)

If San Francisco can ignore Federal laws

Does that mean that Mayor Gavin Newsom wouldn't have a problem with gun owners just ignoring his un-Constitutional gun laws? You remember, where they decided that only cops and criminals needed to be armed?

Speaking of armed, I only shot 12 rounds through the 30.06 and I can feel the soreness already. We got to the range and talked to some of the members there. They have organized target shoots on a regular basis, including black powder revolvers, rendezvous occasionally and civil war encampments. The muzzleloader is more fun, except for the annoying tendency for the rear site to , , , move on it's own. As I said before, we'll be getting a BP revolver, and an extra cylinder.
A couple of good things there are that they're not considered "killing machines" under Brady, so are unregistered, and not being a legal "killing machine" are about $500 cheaper than cartridge weapons- because, ya know- NO Ones' EVER been killed by a cap and ball gun.
I want the Remington style because when you take it apart (to change cylinders) you have the gun abd the cykinder. With the Colt model, when you take it apart you have the handle and action, the cylinder, the barrel assembly and a wedge pin to loose. Besides, the Remington is more affordable right now.

Ok, I was wrong yesterday


Criptkeeper got home a little after 10AM instead of the 9 she said. She had gotten into an argument with her friends mom (or her friend- kinda confusing here sometimes).
She got sorted out, Karen hadda go into San Antonio for replacement applique flowers that were falling off the dress.

We were out the door at about 11 heading to La Coste and the range to sight in the 30.06. I know the scope is off big-time because the front sight is about 3/16" to the right of the vertical hair.
We got there and all the shooting tables were taken, with people standing in line. I guess they were practicing for the upcoming silhouette competition.

We headed back to Hondo Creek and a couple hours of doing our part to destroy the Ozone layer. Karen is feeling more comfortable with her pistol, and is trying different styles, she thinks it's more comfortable to use one hand. It may be more comfortable with one hand, but she's a better shot with two hands (low to the right, but a better grouping).

The muzzleloader does grow on you, the more familiar I get, the better I like it. If you're not using the same amount of Pyrodex (blackpowder substitute) the recoil is much different. I was finetuning the sights, and at 25' am now getting groupings that I can cover with my (slightly spread) hand. I'm looking at a black powder revolver so I can get off more than 10 shots in half an hour. That birthday present will have to wait until we find out how much we owe for Danica's ride to the emergency room.

Anyway, Karen forgot that we had to pick up the corsage both times we went through Castroville, so we had to roll things up to go BACK again (about 15 miles each way) before they closed. Criptkeeper got to her prom, and we tried a new (different) restaurant in D'hanis.
Bill and Rosas' is a typical west Texas eatery. Homestyle cooking with HUGE servings at reasonable prices. I had a Chicken Fried Steak(16 oz.) that was literally as big as some of the dinner plates we have at the house, with Mashed taters and white pepper gravy for $14.99.
Danica had the Chicken Snitzel ($8.99 for half a serving) and Karen had the Mesquite grilled 10oz. Ribeye for $11.99. This is definitely a place to eat if you're hungry and about 30 mi. west of San Antonio.

The Criptkeeper is supposed to be babysitting at the farm at 9:30- IF she can get up. Man, I feel sorry for the kid. I wouldn't be suprized if it's her last day babysitting. We'll try to Sneak in to the range and squat a firing lane when we drop her off.

Link updates for the week

I just made a comment over at A Capitain of a crew of one on his post about gun control. After reading his blog for a week, he's on my blogroll.

I'm adding another time waster to my list if you're interested in Tennis ball bouncing.

No Mr. Bush- it's NOT Harry Reid's fault that your amnesty bill failed

You could try blaming the approximately 88% of LEGAL residents in the United States that don't want lawbreakers rewarded. Conversely, you could just TRY to act like the evil conservative that the Legacy Media is always tarring you as and start enforcing the laws already on the books.

The anti-American pro lawbreaker immigration reform rallies have started a groundswell of unrest in the LEGAL population that outnumbers the Mexican flag worshiping lawbreakers that have been shoving in our faces for the last 20 years just recently.

I heard that our (Tx) Senators will veto any amnesty bill, and the Congress at least seems to get the message that we don't want lawbreakers rewarded.

I'm still leaning -HARD- to voting independent only come November.
I wish some big names would just look at anykind of independents. Vote independent this time and send a message that we're tired of pandering to the PC crowd.

Lets see how well I can "see" the future

We had plans to go shooting today and sight in the 30.06.
The 17 yr-old (codename Criptkeeper) is going to the Jr Prom tonight, but her dress needs some repair (they got it on sale). Mom is supposed to fix it for her and well 'be on our way'- EXEPT that the Criptkeeper won't be home from her sleepover untill they both roll out of bed around the crack of noon.
Mom'll be waiting for her to decide to walk home for her fitting somewhere around 1 or 2 PM.
They'll spend the rest of the day getting her ready.

I guess I'll go pick up my check and head to San Antonio to deposit it, and maybe see if anything (we can afford) strikes my fancy at the gunshop.

This article in the BEEB reminded me of a conversation I had the other day

She's a Lib, and a research professor in San Antonio. So you'd figure she'd be able to answer with facts instead of the echo chamber soundbites. She was getting on about the reason we're (the US, she's from Brazil) were in Iraq, and how the rich are getting richer, etc...

W getting rich from the war, she didn't like it when I mentioned Clinton getting a pile of money, too. "Yeah, but not as much, so it's not so bad"- or something like that. She wanted to know why we're invading Iraq with no ties to Al Queda- and not Africa with those atrocities. I told her
"After Kosovo, and Iraq, when the U.N. watched and got their friends rich from the 'oil-for-food' thing- we decided to let them try to be a world power like they want to play at, so we're waiting for them to do something there." That took the wind out of her sails and we went back to the (mine) girls babysitting job for this week-end.

Basically The link says that N.Korea says it's up to the US to get the nuke talks back on track. They must think this it the Clinton Administration, because they want nukes and money.

I just noticed

Jan isn't wearing her slutty thong today.
Not that tat's a BAD thing, or anything like that...

Can you believe this chit going through the Senate?

Both sides want to reward illegals for breaking our laws.

In general, the measure backed by Democrats would grant most of the 11 million immigrants legalized status and the opportunity to apply for citizenship after meeting several conditions. They include payment of a fine and any back taxes, passing a background check and learning English.

By contrast, the Republican approach requires illegal immigrants who have been in the United States between two years and five years to return to their home country briefly, then re-enter as temporary workers. They could then begin a process of seeking citizenship.

Did it occure to ANY of you Big business money recipients that IF those illegals would have ANY kind of love of this country that they'd have ALREADY been trying do do something LEGALLY?
It's not that costly in time or money to become a legal resident. Not in our case anyway. But thenm my wife and step-kids actually WANT to become citzens.
They didn't come over for the gravy train while cheering our defeats in the Mid-East.

I have a suggestion for everyone who's Senator, OR Rep. votes for ANYKIND of amnesty come November.

Vote for the independant. Send a message that WE are the people!

Vote them out! It's still OUR country.