Fishhook Council

Post Thanksgiving

2007-11-24T20:39:00.000-09:00

So much for winter. Chinook winds starting about Wednesday. Most of the Anchorage bowl and the valley is snowless. We have very little. Odd. Icey. Odd for this time of year in Alaska.

I finally did my part of "the cause". I am pretty well covered for handguns but I had depleted the rifle ammo over the past months.

Just Four More Days

2007-11-15T05:08:00.000-09:00

Just Because

2007-11-12T16:17:00.000-09:00

Changes

2007-11-12T08:34:00.000-09:00

The more things change, the more that they stay the same, goes the old adage. I have spent a good part of my professional career either making messes (or at lest wise planning to make a mess) or cleaning up other peoples past activities. I began my career looking for uranium and ultimately transitioned to cleaning up one of the end products of my earlier life. Which is not to say that any of the uranium that I found actually ended up in a nuclear device (bomb, in non-PC speak).

Currently and through several twists of fate, I am managing a construction project for which I only have the most rudimentary skills. I can manage people and tasks but this project is a mine field laden with all manner of hidden surprises. It is a complete re-model of a 1946, 88,000 sf- art-deco-fixer-upper. The downside is that there is NO contingency or risk money. The margins are fixed at 8% by contract. The interior demolition contractor is 3 months behind schedule due to "unforeseen" conditions like 27-in thick walls, excess asbestos, etc. etc. We are a month and 1/2 into the rebuilding developing work around solutions on a daily basis. I still don't have 100%, Issued For Construction drawings and likely won't until middle of this week.

Am I whining? I guess that I am. Frankly I think that I am in over my head. My manager is less than helpful. He wants my head (actually he would be happy if I moved on) because we aren't able to bill all of the money he has forecast for the month (ya gotta do the work to get paid). So now I am willing to make his life easier, or at least in his mind easier, by moving on. I am looking for work. Reluctantly. I don't want to quit because that is an admission of failure but on the other hand...

Grand Opening and Priorities

2007-11-10T13:46:00.000-09:00

This morning the Sportsmen's Warehouse store in Wasilla, AK opened. It was the social event of the season. We arrived about 0815 and were forced to park in the overflow across the drive. It was a great event (such as these things can be. Not quite the start of the Iditarod but never the less a good time to see friends.

I did succumb to the temptation but it was for a good cause: Christmas for my son. I picked up a remarkable deal on a Remington 870. As much as I like the feel of wood, practically won out in the end. Black synthetic was a better choice. I jumped the gun, so to speak, on the buy ammo day when I picked up a case of Winchester shells. Hey, you can never have too much ammo, right?

A friend is luckily in the employ of Sportsmen's and casually mentioned a "deal" on a black rifle. Naturally this peaked my interest. They were offering a substantial discount on the S&W M&P P-15 ($850), which is a pretty darn good deal. But as they say on TV "Wait, there is more!" If I bought now, they would throw in a .40 M&P line pistol for only $99. Hmmmm. For less than a grand, I would walk out the door with 2 good weapons. Round up to an even grand and I would take away a nice handful of starter ammo. My wife, only partially understanding the conversation was encouraging me to buy an early birthday present (later I learned that she interpreted "black rifle" to mean "black powder"). Fortunately -or maybe unfortunately- the store was nearing closing time so I deferred the decision until Sunday morning.

Bright and early, Sunday, I rolled out of bed, started the water for coffee, and loaded the stove with wood and contemplated the morning. Alas, the glow of the extension-cord plug to my block heater reminded me that I had higher priorities: glow plugs. That and the fact that I am contemplating a less-than-voluntary job change. This is the burden that us responsible adults bear...

More Information

2007-11-04T21:10:00.000-09:00

More information can be found at www.ammoday.com

Since were are on the subject

2007-11-04T20:50:00.000-09:00

of firearms. You may recall, the one or two of you that read this blog, that I was pining away for a M1A. This past spring I became the proud owner of a M1A produced by Springfield Armory! The inner package came with a prominent label: Not Legal in California. That alone was almost worth the price. I added a couple of 20 round clips just to be sure that I fully piss-off a liberal or two.

One afternoon in June my wife called and requested that I pick up tortillas on the way home from work. On the appointed mission I passed through the sporting goods sections to check on the price of .308 ammo. It is a routine. I have a hungry mouth errr magazine to feed. There, in the glass case was a S&W 629 with a 4-in barrel. The price was about 2/3 of the best price that I had seen anywhere. What was I to do? I tried to flee but the temptation was too strong. I left the grocery with 5 boxes of .308, 2 of .44, and a new pistol. Walking through the parking lot I was contemplating a gun running strategy. Focused as I was on how I was going to introduce the family to the new arrival and explain why the college fund wasn't going to get its monthly contribution, I rationalized my purchase.

I forgot the tortillas and that was my real sin.

Buy Ammo Day

2007-11-04T20:40:00.000-09:00

Two weeks and one day to National Buy Ammo Day (November 19th if you don't what to do the math). National Buy Ammo Day was started by Kim DuToit (www.theothersideofkim.com), or so I remember. The idea is to support the second amendment through purchase of ammunition. Run to you favorite gun store and buy 100 rounds of your favorite center fire or 500 rounds of rim fire.

As I am always looking for bargins, I am pretty well stocked on pistol ammo but will look to pick some more stuff for the long guns. The male offspring is shooting skeet at the local range on a weekly basis so every couple of weeks I look for bargin prices on scatter-gun ammo.

Remember, National Buy Ammo Day!

The Weekend in Review

2007-11-04T20:18:00.000-09:00

Spent some of the weekend catching up on sleep. It was a very long week last week and the coming week doesn't promise to be any better. Son and heir (apparent) has been working on installing a new clutch on a very old snow machine. I'll give him credit for resourcefulness. He managed to get the old clutch off the machine using pieces of another Skandic clutch tool and the shaft of a conventional gear puller. The problem that we are now facing is the threads in the shafter are rolled inward so the bolt won't bite. Next week I'll need to chase the threads if I am able to determine the thread type. I know the diameter is 14 mm but the pitch is another story. The manual says 1mm but I am thinking 1.5 mm. We made a run to Sears to look for a thread gage and then to the local industrial hardware store (AIH). I am not sure where these companies get their help but...

The time change is messing with my biologic clock. The clock is ticking toward 2030 hours and it has been dark for about 3 hours now but my body is feeling like it is much later.

Ribs, mashed potatoes, green beans, and Alaskan Amber for dinner. Not a bad life. Loaded the stove with spruce and enjoyed some television with the family. My eldest daughter loves Extreme Home Makeover. Although some of the episodes are better tht others I found this one exceptionally annoying. The situation was a family near Cheyenne, WY and a house with a radon problem. Surprise. Most of the intermountain west has a problem with radon to varying degrees. It is a problem that is fairly easy to remedy. Ventilate. Sometimes trenching, vapor barrier, and perforated pipe. In true Hollywood style, the blew the existing house to pieces... dramatic but hardly necessary. Better that they remediated a dozen or so home rather than spend the money the way did, if they were really concerned about radon. It is all theater. designed to woo audiences and sell Sear, Ford, etc. etc.

WOW

2007-11-03T19:11:00.000-08:00

I lost my blogger voice. It seems to have returned and I hope to get back to posting in the coming days. I am thinking I should probably hire a editor but on my budget I am stuck doing my own.

Say it again

2006-09-27T21:32:00.000-08:00

Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist, Islamofacist,

There, I said it and I am proud! Go pound pig fat, Mohammad....

Second Amendment Sisters

2006-09-10T11:08:00.001-08:00

We Hold These Truths

©By Genie Jennings

Second Amendment Sisters

Maine Coordinator

June 2006
If we question anything about our Founders, it must be how they determined the equality of all men, and rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to be “self-evident.” Philosophically, such a priori knowledge would be the only explanation, for there was certainly no empirical evidence to support such a theory. Instead, to this day it is easy to find evidence to the contrary.
Yet, we are each of us born with this innate knowledge of freedom and equality. There is a striving within all humans to achieve both. The history of western civilization portrays a long, bloody struggle that culminated in our American Revolution. Then, mankind took a quantum leap and “. . .brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” 1
Our Founding Fathers had two compelling concepts when they met to construct our Constitution. First, they wanted to devise a form of government based on the needs and desires of the governed people themselves. Second, they wanted to limit the powers of that government.
As students of history they were aware and wary of the tendency of power to be concentrated. The three branches of our government were designed to avoid that concentration. One segment, the legislature, is responsible for making laws; a second, the executive, for carrying out those laws; and a third, the judicial, for determining the validity of those laws. This federal government would honor the rights of states to conduct internal matters, and would honor the rights of individual citizens. .It is essential to remember this mind-set, and the circumstances under which the Constitution was written. The country had just concluded a horrific war of rebellion. The war had severed ties not only with a European kingdom, but also with neighbors and family. The American Revolution was not the desire of all the colonists. The aftermath was brutal and vindictive. The war had taken a tremendous toll in lives and fortunes and energy and spirit. Their sacrifices were not in vain, for the result was a country that has been the beacon to the world since its inception. There is something in the heart of man that longs for liberty and equality.
There is something in the nature of man that attempts to deny both to others. The Constitution of the United States is primarily a description of the limits of the federal government. It was divided into branches to dissipate power, thus making it difficult to deprive the citizenry of their Creator-given rights. The Bill of Rights was added as amendments to the document to list some, while cautioning that there are other unenumerated ones. Assaults are constantly made against those rights. They are eroded before a complacent public unless and until their importance is understood by enough people to spark a protest. Few have been as contested as the Second Amendment.
Its importance cannot be denied. It is the second amendment to the Constitution. The right to keep and bear arms was considered paramount to our founders. In the original ten amendments it comes immediately after that which describes our inherent rights to think and worship and gather together and communicate. We have the right to protect all those other rights.
Each of us has a vested interest in maintaining our unique form of government. Our elected officials, as do our military, swear an oath to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States. Each citizen has a duty to do the same. It is, after all, a government of the People, by the People, for the People.
The first clause of the Second Amendment has been a stumbling block in recent years. ‘Militia’ say those who would limit the right to keep and bear arms, ‘now is the National Guard; therefore, there is no individual right.’ Many activists, who strive to protect all Rights, especially enumerated Rights and particularly this Right; often ignore that first clause because of its seeming ambiguity.
Constitutionalists understand that “militia” is the key to the Second Amendment. It not only defines the Right, but is the essence of its true importance. For the militia is the citizen army, not forces under the command of state or federal governors.
It was the citizen who grabbed his musket and rushed to “ . . .that rood bridge that arched the flood” to “fire the shot heard ‘round the world.” 2 It was the militia, the citizen army, who augmented Washington’s forces. It was the militia, ordinary citizens, who turned out in Baltimore to fight off the British blockade.
Individuals kept their muskets ready to protect their homes and families. Cannons sat on town greens to protect the public buildings. The militia, the citizens, hastened together to fight fires and invaders.
Our population has grown and we have become a nation of specialists. We hire soldiers and sailors to protect us against foreign invasion. We hire police to protect us against criminals. Yet, ultimately, we cannot depend upon these others; we cannot shirk our duties. We are the militia. Self-defense is a basic human right. The Second Amendment is the Constitution’s self-defense. We must honor it. We must uphold it. We, too, must be prepared to sacrifice for it. Our nation was conceived in liberty. It can long endure.
1Abraham Lincoln2 Ralph Waldo Emerson

http://www.2asisters.org/

WTF!

2006-09-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

Apparently this country has forgotten where exactly the 9/11 terrorists came from:

"Thousands of students from Saudi Arabia are enrolling on college campuses across the United States this semester under a new educational exchange program brokered by President Bush and Saudi King Abdullah. " (H/T Captainsquarters).

And President Bush is brokering a deal to let more potential terrorists in? This has got to be one of the stupidist things that I have seen all day (although the day is young) and perhaps all week. Let me be clear on one point: I do not consider all Saudis terrorists. However, considering the lax monitoring of student visa's and considering that daring probe beyond the usual questions apparently constitutes harrassment of practitioners of the Religion of Peace, this seems to me a very stupid policy!

CaptainEd (http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/008028.php#trackbacks) attempts to argue that allowing 15,000 young Muslim men into this country can somehow serve to "moderate" the radical elements of Islam. Sorry, sir as much as I appreciate and admire your opnions, on this you are dead wrong.

Admissions offices across the country are probably jumping for joy at the thot of all those full-tuition students. And we know well the whorish nature academia. In what fields do these students study? Almost universally real (hard) science. Let me speculate for a minute: Aside from the symbolism, why did the terriorists of 9/11 choose the World Trade Center? The WTC was a uniquely constructed building with a central structural core and with cantilevered floors. I suspect that someone (hint: these weren't philosphy or poli-sci majors) did their homework and determined how to inflict maximum damage. Was the 1993 attack benchtest? Was it an attempt to destablize the building and collect information? I don't know for sure, but it seems logicial and would one way I would approach the problem.

My opinion: keep the Saudis out, at least until they manage to "earn" their way back.

Note to self- Pick up another couple of boxes of .308.

AWOL

2006-09-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

I'll admit to being AWOL. Between the "paycheck yoke", a late run of coho salmon, and a bout of general laziness I haven't had the time to think let alone post. It has been a busy close of summer. Looks like I am going to miss another season of moose hunting! Sometimes I wish I wasn't a responsible adult.

I have been following The Path to 9/11 bruhaa closely. Until the congress critters Dirty Harry Reid and Dick "The Turbin" Durbin, et. al. weighed-in with the threats to ABC's broadcast priveleges it was amusing. Now it is serious. Rarely do I watch television and almost never the big three sisters. But in light of Bubba and his lawyers complaints, I think that I will tune in, if for no other reason than spite.

When the letter from Reid, Durbin, et. al. first came out I thought it was a hoax, either as a prop to generate controversy and thereby boost ratings, or by those intent on rewriting the Clinton hoping to kill the production. I couldn't imagine those open minded liberals objecting to contraverseal material considering the Michael Moore production of his view of 9/11 or the conspiracy nuts and Loose Change. Afterall, weren't these same senators that funded the crucifix in urine display through the NEA?

Look, I doubt that The Path to 9/11 is going to change any minds about what happened. There is enough blame to spread here. Are the Democrats so afraid of a different view? Other opinions? Where are the discussions that they are so very proud of touting? Terrorism didn't begin in January 2000 with the inaguration of George Bush nor will it end with his term, contrary to what the idiots on the left believe.

Redstate.org (www.redstate.org) has 6 clips of The Path to 9/11 (http://www.redstate.com/911clips) which I think covers the entire "docu-drama". You can judge for yourself.

John at PowerlineBlog, has an excellent -as always- analysis (http://powerlineblog.com/archives/015216.php). BTW there is a comprehensive list of terrorist acts which occured prior to January 2000.

"Hey, Uncle Ted! How about earmarking a bit of pork for me!"

2006-08-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

I am big enough to admit it when I am wrong. Seeing as how no one is around, it is easy to admit that my prediction about Fabulous Frank Murkowski winning the Republican Primary was wrong. Very wrong. He finished a distant third with about 18% of the vote. Sarah Palin was the clear winner with somewhere around 51%, and John Binkley with 30%. There were too many missteps by Murkowski in the past couple of years: the jet airplane, the discontinuation of the longevity bonus, his secretive negotiations with the Sisters for a gas line, etc. That BP was forced to shut down a large portion of its Prudhoe oil field in the week leading up to the election didn't help his cause either.

I am not going to predict the out come of the Knowles vs Palin contest at this point. It will be interesting to see the sprint to November.

There were a couple of ballot measures that managed to pass. One delt with reforming lobbying practices in Juneau. It was hard to see how it would have had any appreciable effect other that to punish the part time lobbists who have day jobs.

The second measure imposed a $50 tax on cruise-ship passengers. Buried in the text was a provision that requires environmental compliance officers aboard some cruise ships and allows individuals to bring suits against the cruise companies for environmental damages. I suppose that this is intended to encourage "participation" in the regulatory process but it smacks of a full employement-act for lawyers. After all isn't that what Alaska Department of Environmental Compliance for? To police, monitor and enforce compliance? Of course, the state also was supposed to be watching BP as well. Hmmm. More bad timing?

What is the most troubling about measure 2, is the latent hypocrisy that it exposes in Alaskan voters. Alaskans stand proudly on their soap boxes and declare that taxes are an abomination; anti-American; anti-freedom; legalized theft; you know the mantra. But apparently taxes are alright when they are imposed on someone else; Corollary: Big government is bad unless it benefits me!

Primary Election Day

2006-08-21T21:55:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is election day here is the Great Land-

No shortage of idiots this year but it essentially boils down to a race between Frank Murkowski and Sarah Pallin during the primary this year. The other serious candidate on the Republican side of the ticket, John Binkley can't seem to gain much traction.

The winner (I predict Frank "The Machine" Murkowski) will face Tony Knowles in the General Election come November. If Murkowski can't produce something that resembles a pipeline contract, I'll expect that the voters will show him the door.

John Binkley (Republican)
http://www.binkley06.com

Eddie Burke (Alaskan Independence)

Walter Francis Christolear (Democrat) - WITHDRAWN

Eric Croft (Democrat)
http://www.ericcroft.com

Daniel DeNardo (Alaskan Independence)

Candidate's web site:

http://www.heikesontherock.com

Merica Hlatcu (Republican)

Tony Knowles (Democrat)

http://TonyKnowles.com

Bruce J. Lemke (Democrat)

Dan J. Levesque (Republican) - DENIED -

David M. Massie (Green)

http://www.palinforgovernor.com

Brad Snowden (Republican)- DENIED

William S. "Billy" Toien (Libertarian)
-->
Don R. Wright (Alaskan Independence)

Good Taste

2006-08-21T21:49:00.000-08:00

Hard to argue with Kims choices

http://www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/tos/single/9677/

Be sure and check out his Department of Righteous Shootings for the latest good-guys win.

http://www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/tos/9679/

Waaaa Waaaa

2006-08-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

Waaaa Waaaa Waaaa...there are less gay characters on TV. Big deal.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060822/ap_en_tv/tv_gay_characters

On the one hand it doesn't matter and should matter, on the other, professional whiners are keeping track.

Nicole Kidman denounces Hezbolla

2006-08-19T09:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is true! Well at least 85 Hollywood types. You aren't likely to see this in the dead tree media:

http://curmudgeonlyskeptical.blogspot.com/2006/08/haters-and-hollywood-kidman.html

Other notable signatories: Sylvester Stallone, James Woods, Pat Sajak, Bruce Willis!

Thank you you one and all for having courage.

Wait a minute, I'll bet this is a Karl Rove plot!

Quote of the Day

2006-08-18T10:42:00.000-08:00

This is probably the most concise statement of the difference between the liberals and conservatives that I have seen is several months

"..this is clear, Liberal Democrats do not take the dangerous threats we face seriously...
sorry, but they are busy waging war on Wallmart, this President, and Republicans...
it is really getting sick to stomach..."

Posted in the comments section of Captain's Quarters by reader Brooklyn (http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/007829.php#comments)

Powerlineblog (http://powerlineblog.com/archives/015041.php) provides a much more detailed analysis from a legal perspective. It is well worth the read!

Jimmy Carter: Treasonous Whore.

2006-08-17T11:26:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading the Der Spiegel interview with Jimmy Carter. Once again this craven, spineless whore has spoken yet again, against the United States. In my opinion Carter is guilty of treason. He has to run over seas. Coward!

TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 115 > § 2381

§ 2381. Treason

Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

Jimmy Carter: Treasonous Whore

Thot for the Day

2006-08-16T18:52:00.000-08:00

More Mike Adams

2006-08-16T18:47:00.000-08:00

"Bringing American professors to laughter is nearly as tough as bringing American feminists to orgasm. It’s a theoretical possibility that is seldom achieved without a workshop."

"Men are fully capable of masturbating without taking a seminar. For men, it’s a natural talent. For campus feminists, it’s another excuse to seek funding from the university administration."

Christmas Shopping

2006-08-15T22:21:00.000-08:00

Yep. I am still pondering the the bear gun issue. I can realistically afford only one or maybe two firearms over then next year so I am having to be careful about what I am considering. Assuming that I do actually drop the cash for the 629, I still see a few holes in my collection.

It is a little early to begin really worrying about the Christmas season but just in case, I thought that I would drop a few hints in the off chance that Santa actually read this blog. Springfield Armory really hit what I think is going to be a home run with it XD series. It's accuracy is better than acceptable and being that it's .45 it packs more than ample punch to drop even the most committed goblin.

As long as I am dreaming I should toss out this for Santas review. Also from the craftsmen at Springfield. The legendary M1A in functional and readily available .308 caliber. Springfiled also sells this with all sorts of whistles and bells but I like the classic version just fine. With a 20 round box magazine it seems the perfect.

I spent a portion of this spring working at the Bangor Submarine Base. In addition to the usual collection of M-16's, a number of the security personnel carried the M1-A. Including one of the cutest strawberry blondes that you would ever want to see.

Homeschooling

2006-08-15T16:38:00.000-08:00

The Baron at Gates of Vienna (http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/) has a Carnival of Homeschooling nearly every week. This edition features a woman who is forced to come up with a politically correct way of explaining just why she homeschools to a social(ist) worker. I think that she does a pretty good job.

Computer Issues

2006-08-15T16:31:00.000-08:00

I am now getting a little pop up in the lower corner of my screen that tells be that I might have a "counterfeit" verson of Windows XP. Click here to resolve? Is this another shake down from Bill Gate and company? I always start having problems when I try to intstall Yahoo Messenger. I have install and uninstalled that blasted piece of software at least a dozen times over the last couple of years and everytime, EVERYTIME, it sucks up all of my virtual memory and all of the resources. My CPU runs at 100% and I get the "Virtual Memory too Low" message. My kids both run YM and I find it an easy way to say hello or help them with homework, but unless I can find a simple solution, it ain't ever going back on my machine.

Mike Adams

2006-08-14T21:28:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite quotes for the always funny Dr. Adams:

"Like Marxism, liberalism is not really a political philosophy. Instead, it is a state of arrested emotional development. It is a way of thinking, which leads to no place in the real world. It is a place existing only in the imagination."

Defenders Creed

2006-08-14T21:10:00.000-08:00

My previous post reminded me of the Defenders Creed which I have kept in one of my "interesting" files. I don't recall where I found it nor do I have a clue as to the author.

Defenders Creed

I accept and understand that human predators exist. Criminal or terrorist, they take advantage of our civilized society to prey upon the weak. They represent evil and must be confronted and defeated.

I believe that self-defense is a moral imperative, and that illegitimate force and illegal violence must be met with righteous indignation and superior violence.

I will not rely on others for the security of myself, my family and my community.

I proudly proclaim that I run with a like-minded pack. I do not amble through life with the mind-numbed herd.

I will train with my chosen weapons, maintain them and carry them in a condition of readiness at all times.

I will be mentally prepared and physically equipped to effectively respond to an attack or emergency.

I will constantly test myself against realistic standards to discover my strengths and weaknesses. I will turn weakness into strength.

I will seek to learn new skills and techniques, and then teach what I have learned to other members of the pack.

Be it with firearm or blade, empty hand or blunt object, I will hit my enemies hard, fast and true.
I will live a quiet and unobtrusive life, but I will develop and retain the capacity for swift and decisive violence.

I recognize that I am the modern equivalent of the traditional Minuteman, and that I may be called to service at any time against heavily armed enemies. I will respond effectively.

I accept that I am a pariah among some of my countrymen, and a quaint anachronism to others. I will not hold their ignorance against them.

I will win, or die trying.

I swear this creed before God, my family and my fellow citizens.

Author Unknown

Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. (Psalms 144:1)

On the Passing of a Family Member and Firearms

2006-08-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

I morn the passing of my mother in law, Carolyn. She passed very unexpectedly last Friday from a heart attack. Is is survived by four children, 13 grandchildren and 2 greatgrandchildren. She is to be burried in Covington, LA on Wednesday. She will be sorely missed. Although we didn't have a lot in common other than my wife and three grandchildren she was an easy person to like. She had a great love of horses and for all living things. May she rest in peace.

Despite her decidedly liberal tendancies and disdain for the NRA, I learned today that she infact had a Concelled Carry Weapons permit and was armed nearly everytime she left the house. Amazing. My wife and I have talked on occasion about her getting a permit. Although we live in a state where thankfully the state allow you to exercise your second amendment rights with minimal interference from the state, I still would like her to take the course and get the paper if for no other reason than ensure her confidence. In all honesty I could probably do just fine teaching her if she wasn't my wife. And she wasn't left handed. And she wasn't so hard headed (some times). But I do probably have some habits that I might pass along. The local range offers courses a few time a year if there is sufficient demand. A "supportive environment" is the popular term.

What brought this interest in firearms on was an incident with a friend of ours. Apparently they had an attempted break in at their house while she was at home with her small children. She dutifully summed the law enforcement. She managed to scare the would be burglar off while awaiting the arrival of the troopers. Something like 20 minutes later the State Trooper arrived which as they told her, was a very short response time. These aren't people that live in the bush, but never the less fairly remote. We are even more remote with our nearest neighbor is only a hundred yards away or so but, he is very hard of hearing; other neighbors aren't even visible except for night in the winter months when the foliage is down. The fact that we live in an isolated area makes the potential unnoticed break-ins much higher.

The second reason for firearms is the possibility of bears. So far we haven't been the victim of a bear ransaking our trash but it can happen. My .300 winchester magnum is more than a match of a bear but it is a little awkward hauling it out everytime I take the trash to the barrels or up to the road for collection. So I am shopping for a bear gun. The Alaska standard is the Ruger .44 magnum; the more affluent opt for the S&W 629 or mountain gun. The more manly Alaskan might choose the .454 Casull. There are other revolvers to be sure but you really can't beat a .44 in bear country. Buds Gun Shop (www.budsgunshop.com) has a 629 listed at $604 which is much better than even Wally World but by the time I pay transfer fees it would be more than a wash.

One of the better writers about firearms and firearms related issues is Kim Du Toit (www.theothersideofkim.com). Kim has an encyclopedic knowledge of firearms and is a very practical source of information.

News of the Week

2006-08-11T21:36:00.000-08:00

My week has been one fire fighting at work and I am happy it is over. It is a pretty sad state of affairs when you start wishing 5/7th of your life away. Work: The necessary evil. I was unemployed for the month of May following being RIF'd from a firm with which I had been for about 14 years. Thankfully I had seen it coming and was prepared financially. The local office for this Lousiana based engineering firm is struggling under the weight of poor management and baggage carried by its staff. Until this year I was able to keep busy by finding my own work through connections that I have within the company. Unfortunately the jobs that I was able to get required a great deal of travel and I was tired of being on the road and away from my family. I spent a month last fall working a disaster recovery center in Orange, Texas. My employer had a contract with FEMA.

Initially I was a little shocked by being sacked and in fact probably have a pretty good wrongful termination case, but on the other hand, the time off was nice and I was able to finish several projects that had gone undone during the times away from home. Life is all together to short to carry a grudge. Screw 'em. I am done.

Arapahoe Rescue Patrol

2006-08-07T23:04:00.000-08:00

Long ago in a town far from here I was a member of a youth organization whose mission was providing mountain search and services to the front range of Colorado. In addition to supporting serch and rescue, these high school students also provided support to the local fire and law enforcement. It is hard to imagine but it is more than 50 years since this organization was formed. In 2007 the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol will be celebrating 50 years of service to the community. You can get more information at: http://www.arapahoe-rescue-patrol.com/. I am unofficially trying to make contact with members from the early 1970's. So if you were a member, please contact me at yatalli 'at' yahoo 'dot' com.

Don Young

2006-08-07T22:56:00.000-08:00

The three most terrifying words that an Alaskan will ever hear: "Ted is dead". Senator Ted Stevens will probably go down in history as one of the greatest budget porksters of all time. Lesser know is our single representative, Don Young who is no slacker in porking up a budget. Don has remained in the showdows of Uncle Ted until recently with the "Bridges to Nowhere" and Bridges to Almost Nowhere earmarked pork.

For the next month or so, as time permits, the Fishhook Council will focus on the accomplishments of Don "Bridges" Young.

Tough Weekend

2006-08-07T22:38:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I joined my son and heir (apparent) joined six of his buddies on a hike in the Hatcher Pass area of the Talkeetna Mountains. Once, a very long time ago, I was a pretty damn good boulder hopper. Even with a full pack. This trip proved that time takes it toll. Bruises and a jammed left thumb were the result of a couple of days hiking, climbing, and scrambling up the reaches of Fairangel Creek. Some of the prettiest and most accessable country in Alaska. Not that I am complaining. Any day out of doors beats a day in the office.

The big news in these parts was the announcement that BP is shutting down its Prudhoe Bay field. BP operates the field for its sisters: ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobile. BP has a history of neglecting maintainance in lieu of risk management. The strategy backfired in the worst sort of way. A series of small spills and leaks over the past winter brought their neglect to the attention of regulators. They are now under a self imposed shut-down until they can repair the flow lines. I say "self imposed" but in reality they could probably see the writing on the wall. If they didn't I am pretty sure that either the state or the federal regulators would have stepped in and done the deed for them. Not only are "out" revenue against their share of some 400,000 bbls of crude oil at a time that crude prices are at a peak, they have also cut into the revenue streams of their sisters, greatly impacted the revenue base of the State of Alaska as well as placing further pressure on the price of crude oil. In the giant scheme of things, 400K barrels isn't that all that much world wide but perception is everything in the market place. Reports of a several month shut down are probably on the mark. Winter is not a good time to be working replacing pipelines or cleaning up spilled crude. The environmental consulting firms have got to be licking their chops.

To their credit, they did issue an apology.

Other news was the passing of Susan Butcher -the great dog musher and mulitple Iditarod Race winner- to cancer. She was an icon and the state morns her passing.

What Folks Are Talking About

2006-08-03T18:34:00.000-08:00

Wondering what to write about...hmmmm what ever are people talking about here? The state wide issues are 1) natural gas pipeline. The Govenor is offering a contract the he negotiated with the three sisters to build a gas pipe line from the northslope to Valdez; 2) Changing the oil and gas tax structure as a part of the pipeline proposal; 3) fishing has slowed awaiting the second run of the red salmon and hunting season is coming; 4) The state announced the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) is expected to be better than last year. Inital estimates are $1200 to $1400, which is good! For the record, I'll lay odds that the cost of a round trip to Hawaii and lodging for a week, from Anchorage will run right at $1,000 to $1,200 come late fall or early winter. Funny how that works.

I'll submitt the above topics to the Council and see if we can reach a consensus.

Dental Times

2006-08-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

I spent this afternoon sitting in the dentists office while my eldest daughter visited the good doctor. This is a newer practice and fortunately he had newer magazines! Not the some-time-in-last-year new, but actually this month AND this week, sorta new. /Newsweek/ and /People/! I am informed! Christy Brinkly is seperated from Peter Cock (what a name, eh?). Which pisses me off. After she and Billy Joel split I thought I was the next. Kidman married Urbane. Ophra is not gay. Lance Bass is gay. Do they really think that anyone really gives a rats ass one way or another? Frankly, what offends me isn't who they sleep with -except in the case of Christie and Billy Joel-it is self adulation. Is it only me or are gays that self-absorbed? The pretty boy mentality? Or, jumping the shark.

It is still Tuesday and

2006-08-01T22:08:00.000-08:00

Castro is still alive. Let's hope for a better tomorrow, shall we?

It is only Tuesday

2006-08-01T06:20:00.000-08:00

I am convinced that Einstien was wrong: Time is not constant! Time accelerates once you have children. I still am wondering where the summer has gone. Moose season is less than a month away and my to-do list is still two pages long. My son and heir (apparent) are planning a backpacking trip into the Talkeetna Mountains this weekend so another weekend of chores is thusly avoided.