Raising Boys v3.0

Anyone who ever built something with a young boy - or built something with their Dad as a young boy, go read this.

Right.  Now.  Don't make me want to change my tone.

Reading that, I though of my own Dad and me.  I thought of myself and my kids.  I can't stop smiling from the memories.

Via Isegoria, to whom I can only offer a heart felt thank you.

Elizabeth Warren is as dumb as a rock

OK, Godwin says that maybe this is a little over the top, but c'mon - hyperbole is a long established and respected (OK, long established, at least) form of satire.

Quite frankly, the satires write themselves.  And what is it about Democratic women politicians from Massachusetts, anyway?

Oh, and I only did this because all the Cool Kids are.  So there.

UPDATE: Sean Sorrentino beards the Lion in his den.  Heh.

Hollywood and the Shooting Sling

Watch this scene from 1975's The Wind And The Lion, and you'll see Brian Keith as Teddy Roosevelt looped up for target practice.



I don't think you'd see that today.  Keith came by that skill honestly - a Marine in World War II, he was a radioman/tail gunner in an SBD Dive Bomber.

I hadn't realized that, and hadn't noticed the sling when I watched the film.

Babe Ruth, artillerist

You can't say that he didn't know how to repeatedly launch projectiles on ballistic trajectories.

(Image source)

Yes, that's the Bambino saluting General Pershing.  From Shorpy's:

NEW YORK. May 20, 1924. — Babe Ruth, star slugger of the Yankees, is a soldier now — a buck private. He joined the National Guard of New York today, enlisting with the 104th field artillery for three years. He was sworn in as he stood atop a gun carriage in Times Square. Police reserves had to be called to handle the crowds. The Babe's enlistment was in response to a National Guard membership drive.

I agree with the other commenter:

How many of the self centered millionaire professional athletes of today would even consider enlisting in the Reserves today ?Don't hold your breath.

Babe Ruth was paid $52,000 by the Yankees in 1924 - the average working man made around $1,200 that year.  He hit .378 with 46 home runs that year.

This is what a good day at work looks like

Son unexpectedly home on leave drops in to surprise his Mom.

Via the Welcome Home blog, where they specialize in this sort of thing.

Secular and Sacred

Here's an interesting juxtaposition.  First Sabra, on lefties and the whole "Jesus was a socialist" meme:

Nice theologic answer.  Next, Eric S. Raymond tackles the same meme from the secular ethicist perspective:

Compassion is a duty of every individual. Groups of people organizing voluntarily to achieve compassionate ends are deserve admiration and support. Collectivists pervert compassion, speaking the language of caring but committing the actions of criminals.

It is a crime to rob your neighbor. It is a crime to use your neighbor for your own ends without allowing him or her a choice in the matter. It is a crime to deprive your neighbor of his liberty when he or she has committed no aggression against you.

These crimes are no less crimes when a sociopath (or a politician – but, I repeat myself) justifies them by chanting “for the poor” or “for the children” or “for the environment”.

Sadly, this likely won't be enough to shut up the whole "Jesus believed in 68% marginal tax rates for the wealthy" crowd.  But these are two great arguments from opposite starting points, saying precisely the same thing.

The Hino-Komura pistol

(Image source)

A design from the early days of semi-automatic pistols is the Japanese Hino-Komura pistol of 1907.  The Russo-Japanese War was a triumph for the Chrysanthemum Throne, but it convinced the Imperial Japanese Army that it seeded a self-loading pistol.  You see, all the Cool Kids were getting them.

But the new-fangled things were, well, new, and so nobody really knew what worked best.  And so the Hino-Komura ended up with the marvelously quirky blow forward design.  The breech was solid, an integral part of the frame.  It was motionless when the pistol was fired, and the barrel was what moved.

The friction of the bullet is what drove the barrel forward.  Eventually the bullet left the muzzle (removing further forward impetus) and a recoil spring slowed and stopped the barrel's forward motion.  At this point, the ejector kicked away the spent case - which the extractor had been holding firmly in place against the breech - and a fresh cartridge was seated.  Then the spring returned the barrel, cocking the firing pin.

Alas for the Hino-Komura, it was not accepted for use by the Army, and only 1200 or so were made.  Highly collectible, a cache of 17 were found in a Japanese warehouse in 1992.  Sadly, there were destroyed rather than being sold to collectors.  It seems that one lucky collector found one in a box of random stuff at a garage sale, and picked the lot up for $20.  That's winning the lottery.

A few blow forward designs were implemented, perhaps most famous being the Mk 20 Grenade Launcher used in Vietnam.  Manlicher also had a commercial design in the 1890s, and Schwarzlose had what was perhaps the only commercially successful offer.  Why?


One objection is what to do if the gun does not return to battery (i.e. the barrel or breach does not fully re-seat).  In your typical blow back design (1911 style), you just hit the back of the gun, and it will likely be enough for the pistol to re-seat.  That won't work on a blow forward design - you have to smack the barrel back towards you.  In the event of a slam fire, the part of you that you use to smack the barrel is in front of the barrel when the pistol fires (oops).

And so we only see blow forward designs in the early days of auto-loading pistols, before everyone figured out what worked better.  While things are cheaper and more reliable now, they're more similar.  Functionally this is a big win, but a little of the poetry got lost along the way.

But maybe I need to start going to garage sales ...

Some days, I just own Google

Heh.  The link led here.  Double heh.

BBQ Review - The Salt Lick

Photo credit: Borepatch

The Salt Lick has the reputation as offering some of the finest BBQ in the Austin area.  A wag might point out that it had better, since it's kind of in the middle of nowhere (Driftwood, TX).  Well, Nowhere is worth the drive.

It's a family run business which has expanded and expanded since the 1960s  Originally just the smoke pit, they soon added a porch for dining.  Catering followed, and they now have a vineyard.  While I didn't try the wine, I suspect that more people come for the BBQ and end up drinking the wine than the other way around.

It's Texas style BBQ, which means Brisket and Sausage, along with pork ribs and chicken.  Their sauce is mustard based which is different but very good - not sweet and not sour, it's a different experience but all around delicious.

I got the "burned" Brisket - the charred outside bits.  While drier, they have a maximum smokiness which I particularly like.  The pink smoke ring is highly visible - as you can see from the picture, this is the real BBQ deal.

The smoked sausage is good, but I suspect that when the novelty wears off, I'll just go for the brisket.  Same with the ribs - nothing wrong with them, but they make me think of Carolina style port ribs, which I prefer.

Their potatoes are probably the best I've ever had at a BBQ joint.  More like German potato salad, only not as tangy, but with a smoky hint.  I suspect that their sauce is involved, and adding more sauce just amped the flavor up.  Boy, they were good.

The Cole slaw was superior - no mayo in the dressing, but what seemed more like a vinaigrette.  I particularly liked it because it was hot today and this was a lot lighter than your typical cole slaw.

The BBQ beans were "meh", but I tend not to like them very much anyway.  Even with extra sauce, they were meh.

If you go - and you should - bring cash.  They don't take credit cards or checks.  There is an ATM there, but it dings you for $2.50.  Forewarned is forearmed.

All in all, worth the journey.  A little pricey - a bit under $40 for #1 Son and me for a plate and an iced tea each.  But the portions are generous, and we have cold brisket in the fridge for dinner now.  Win.

How a Bolt Action rifle works

Pretty interesting, from Midway USA.  Of course, the history buff in me would like to see the finer points of difference between the Mauser action and the Enfield.

I'm begging you

Support JayG's Kilted To Kick Cancer fundraiser.  He's a desperate man; he's already posted eye-bleach worthy extortion.  There's no telling what else he might do.  Oh, the humanity!

We can't let this sort of thing continue on the Internet.  Think of teh Childrenz®!

In all seriousness, this is an outstanding charity, and JayG is putting his dignity where his mouth is.  It was Prostate cancer that took Dad.  I know that times are tough all around, but even $20 helps out.

And srlsy, we don't want any more kilts and purple stuffed unicorn dolls.  I'm begging ya ...

Sir Edward Elgar - Land of Hope and Glory

Even people who don't much listen to Classical Music know more of it than they think.  We're surrounded by it, and absorb much of it unconsciously.   And so with today's piece, written by Elgar for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1901.

You know this piece.  Indeed, it is instantly recognizable to the entire population.  Even we in the Colonies recognize it.

What you may not know is that there are words to it.  It became so popular in Great Britain that it is considered an unofficial national anthem there.

Elgar was born into modest circumstances in the very class conscious Victorian age.  With few prospects for financial success, but with musical genius to spare, he married the daughter of a Major General.  Her family was horrified at the match, and in fact disinherited her.

She didn't care.  His works gradually attracted more and more attention, until he broke through into national (and international) fame in 1899 with his "Enigma Variations".  Recognized as England's preeminent composer, he was approached to write for a Royal Command Performance at the Royal Opera House.  This is what he wrote.

The words are from poet A.C. Benson's Coronation Ode.  The music is typically referred to as Pomp And Circumstance.



Land of Hope and Glory (Words by A.C. Benson, music by Edward Elgar)

Land of Hope and Glory,
Mother of the Free,
How may we extol thee,
Who are born of thee?
Truth and Right and Freedom,
Each a holy gem,
Stars of solemn brightness,
weave thy diadem.

Tho' thy way be darkened,
Still in splendour drest,
As the star that trembles
O'er the liquid West.
Throned amid the billows,
Throned inviolate,
Though hast reigned victorious,
Though has smiled at fate.

Land of Hope and Glory,
Fortress of the Free,
How may we extol thee,
Praise thee, honour thee?

Hark, a mighty nation
Maketh glad reply;
Lo, our lips are thankful,
Lo, our hearts are high!
Hearts in hope uplifted,
Loyal lips that sing;
Strong in faith and freedom,
We have crowned our King!

Elgar's wife had the satisfaction of seeing her family see her husband knighted by King Edward in 1904.  Even more, George V appointed him to the Order of Merit, one of the most exclusive of the dynastic orders.  Limited to no more than 24 members, the invitation to join is at the discretion of, and is considered the personal gift from the Monarch.  That's plenty good enough for anyone, even the daughter of a Major General.  You might say that he had finally graduated into High Society, despite his humble beginnings.

Elgar is interesting in that he was the first major composer to take an interest in the new fangled gramophone, and he recorded many of his works.  You can buy them today on Amazon.com.

So Herman Cain won the Florida straw poll

I like Cain.  He gets quite a lot of radio air time in Atlanta (particularly on Boortz), and I like his thinking and his attitude.  I'm skeptical that he can win.  He's a very non-traditional candidate - no, it's nothing about his race; it's that he's never held office before.

Not that I'm a fan of professional politicians who have never had a real job.  Click on the "Vote Them Out" icon for a rant about this.  Cain is absolutely not one of the folks I carry on about in that post.

But here's the deal: the 2012 election will go to the Republican who doesn't scare the voters.  Right now, Romney and maybe Perry are the ones most likely not to scare the voters.

But Perry didn't do well in the last debate.  Michael Graham offers up some sound advice to the Perry camp:

All you have to do is prove that you’re ready to take on Obama in November.  But right now, you’re getting your presidential aspirations handed to you by Mitt Romney. Now Gov. Perry, that’s not exactly like getting beaten up by a girl, but…

What’s particularly annoying is that, setting aside your mixed record on immigration, you’ve got the record to run on. The job creation is there, the true belief in limited government is there, the willingness to side with people/entrepreneurs against Washington/trial lawyers/enviro-whackjobs is there. Romney’s record is nowhere close.

But records don’t win elections. Candidates do. (See: “Obama, B.”) So this is my challenge to you, Gov. Perry:

Either step up or get out.

Yup.  Oh, and don't scare the voters.

It will be interesting to watch this election unfold.  Right now, I'm not sure who I'm rooting for.  I do have to say that I'm less enthusiastic about Perry than I was a month ago.  Step it up is right.

Winning

#1 Son arrived here in Austin for a visit.  Watching the Charlie Sheen roast on iTunes is 100% made from Tiger Blood.

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.

- Thomas Jefferson

Driving ProTip

To the blond trophy wife in the Mercedes at H.E.B. - the one sipping her Starbucks as she backed out of her parking space - it's considered driving Best Practice to actually look to see if traffic is behind you before you start to move.

No need to thank me; it's all part of the service.

$4000 per minute

Well, plus or minus.  I'm assuming that this is .308.



#2 Son likes this FPS Russia guy.  It looks like he's not the only one: FPS Russia has had something 20 million views on Youtube.  Enough for him to get some fairly serious advertisements (it was a Jeep commercial when I watched; good demographic targeting).

And he's going to need that revenue.  I have no idea where he gets a Minigun, but the ammo he shot off here is probably in the order of $6,000.  Yowzer.

Me, I'm not usually interested in automatic fire unless someone else is paying for my ammo.  And the GAU just dials that up to eleven.

I did wonder watching this how many rounds ricocheted off of the surface of the pond he was shooting them into.  And I hope that we can all agree that Holywood's stupidest firearm scenes involve a hand held minigun.  Forget about carrying the gun; the ammo for it needs a truck.

But it's interesting that some Internet dude seems to be able to make a living doing this sort of thing.  Cool.

Post scheduling fail

Yeah, I posted today's Saturday Redneck last night.  As an apology to my customers, all blog posts today will be entirely free of charge.

But it's a great song.  Even if you don't like Country Music, you should check this out.  Country Blues.

Pistol Annies - Hell On Heels

(Image source)

Country Blues is an idea that is so filled with Win that it hurts.  You don't hear it much, but that may be fixin' to change with the Pistol Annies' simply spectacular new song.

Long time readers will remember that I quite like Miranda Lambert, a very talented neo-traditional Country singer/songwriter.  Lambert has joined forces with fellow songwriters Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley to form what's being described as a Country "Super group".  Girls with guitars.  And heels.

Pistols, too.

The music is simply delicious.  Today's song takes a lot of influences from the Blues; not just the minor key, but the Blues "bragging" tradition.  The lyrics channel Muddy Waters' Mannish Boy, only from the girl's point of view.

Yeah, it's a celebration of gold digging.  It's awesome.



Hell On Heels (Songwriters: Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, Angaleena Presley)

I'm hell on heels
Say what you will
I done made the devil a deal
He made me pretty
He made me smart
And I'm gonna break me a million hearts
I'm hell on heels
Baby, I'm coming for you

This diamond ring
On my hand's
The only good thing
That came from that man
Got a G.T.O. from one named Joe
And a big piece of land down in Mexico
I'm hell on heels
Baby, I'm coming for you

I got a pink guitar
A Lincoln town car
From ol' what's his name
I meet at a bar
Got a high rise flat in Hollywood
From a married man wasn't up to no good
I'm hell on heels
Baby, I'm coming for you

Then there's Jim
I almost forgot I ran him off
But I took the yacht
Poor ol' Billy
Bless his heart
I'm still using his credit card
I'm hell on heels
Sugar daddy, I'm coming for you

I'm hell on heels
Say what you will
I done made the devil a deal
He made me pretty
He made me smart
And I'm gonna break me a million hearts
I'm hell on heels
Baby, I'm coming for you

I'm hell on heels
Say what you will
I done made the devil a deal
He made me pretty
He made me smart
I'm gonna break me a million hearts
I'm hell on heels
Sugar daddy, I'm coming for you

We shall watch the Pistol Annies' careers with great interest.

Patrick Leahy Is Eric Holder's Punkass Flunky Boy.

Well, he is.

Bob at The Drawn Cutlass has proposed this as a new meme.  So get meme'ing.

World War I in color

Not photographs, film:



Via Flares Into Darkness, who sums it up:

Mud, gas masks and artillery. No way to spend your youth. You can't help but feel sorry for those guys.

The first really usable color motion picture was Kinemacolor (1906).  I'm not sure if this video used that technique or not, but it was available.