Rhymes with "Aloha Snackbar"

So folks have finally figured out that a truck, with lots of mass and an engine with lots of power, can be used as a weapon. (Not that anyone who has driven a truck like that hasn't figured that out).

Sadly, it was used on a bike path in Central Park in New York.

Amazingly only 6 dead.

It would appear that the terror that has happened in Europe has indeed come here, even if on a smaller scale. Plus the dude did cry "Aloha Snackbar!".....or something which sounded like that.

I expect to see calls for limits on horsepower on trucks. No one needs 400 horsepower in normal use . There is no sporting use for 400 horsepower 6000 pound trucks. Drivers of such trucks should be specially trained and licensed. Nobody needs that kind of horsepower to haul 2 x 4's or drywall.

(Please note that in New York this is a BIG TRUCK. In "Flyover Country" this is normal truck, driven daily for farm or construction use.....or just because we like 'em).  And, oddly, few of those thousands of trucks go on a rampage. It is, of course, the user, not the tool.

My thoughts and prayers for the victims and those affected by this.

ETA: the suspect, Sayfullo Saipov is reported to be from Uzbekisan. His photo makes him look like a fundamentalist.

I am surprised that they admitted that it was terror and that it was a muslim, especially so quickly. 

Well, that was interesting:

I had to go to a court today, to testify as to someone's whereabouts in a murder case from 4 years ago.

Sitting, waiting, outside the courtroom for 2 hours was...interesting.

I, being white, was in the minority. Being a male...dressed well, also made me a minority. Hell, having shaved that week did so.....

Lots of nice people there though, (I listened to a lot of stories waiting) most of whom just got crossed up because they can't follow the rules of society, or have impulse issues. Most were willing to do what was necessary to stay out of trouble, they just COULDN'T do it.

Things like show up at court, pay their fines, register their car, stay sober, not steal, etc. Couldn't afford their car registration, but had $300 sneakers. (Sneakers in court?)

Some took the time to dress well, or at least try. Some ladies wore what was obviously their best attire, even though it was not suited for a courtroom, but more for a club....At least they tried.

Lots of men who obviously didn't bother. Weren't willing to try and impress the judge at all. I look better than that when I am working in the yard. I wondered, for a while if it was just because it was Halloween....

And, as I said, I was a minority, race wise. Only folks who looked like me were the clerks and attorneys.

Yes, I know, pointing this out makes me a racist.

And security was a joke. If you can smuggle a cell phone in (and there were LOTS of those), you can smuggle a fairly big knife or a small pistol. Ask me how I know.....

Not today

Winds 270 @14 gusting 34.

Not good for landing practice, really. Not even though it was straight down the runway. Not until I can do a decent non gusting landings.

Which, sadly, I can't....yet.

I wonder if he is still waiting for clearance?

So, at a towered airport (Class D).

Call for clearance, get it.... am on 1 mile final. Tower warns another aircraft to HOLD SHORT like 4 times on a taxiway leading to a crossing runway. I approach, do a touch and go, and depart to the right. He's still being held. 3 other aircraft call for clearance to land, she gives permission and they do so...Dude is still waiting to taxi. Another aircraft is cleared in and he is STILL waiting.

I think he pissed off the controller. She sounded angry when talking to him.

I departed the area and switched frequencies and he was still waiting as I did so. At least 12 minutes.

I wonder if he ever got clearance to move? Or if he ran out of fuel waiting......?

I learned a very valuable lesson there:
Don't piss off the controller. 

While supplies last......

The Anthology is here!!!

Available now!

Click HERE to go to the Amazon page for Kindle. You can find the Dead Tree Version HERE

Yes, I am one of the authors.

And it is my first published story. I am humbled to be included with these authors.

I'm all jazzed to hell and gone.

Just a hint:

If you are selling an accessory, say an auxiliary light for trucks, one might think that providing SOME sort of dimensions, or (even better) a basic mechanical drawing of the exterior of the light case would be a big part of the information one should provide on the website.....or, failing that, a link to said drawings wherein one could find out if the item is of a size and depth that would work.....

It's not like such a bit of information would take up that much server space, nor would it be difficult to put into a website along with all the pretty pictures....

Must not have paid 'em off....

So now the NAACP is suggesting a "Travel Warning" for American Airlines to all black passengers.


Cites "Troubling Trend" of incidents with black passengers.

Do you believe that American is prejudiced? That they would dare have a coporate policy to discriminate?

Moar landings

Plus, my first touch and go at a towered airport. (class D).
I am learning how important airspeed is at touchdown, as I was cautioned by a commentor several posts back.


But I'm learning, if slowly.

Soon.

2 years, $500+ BILLION Samolians

That is what the audit of the Obama HUD shows.

$500 billion in 2016.

$3.4 billion in 2015.

So bad even the auditors aren't sure WTF is going on. 

All that money, unaccounted for because of terrible accounting practices.

No one is sure exactly what was done, or where they money went.

If I had done my business accounting using these methods, the IRS would own the business next audit.

Being Federal employees though, I doubt that there is an accountability though....

The war on (some) terror

Soon, it will have consequences for real Americans.

One must now have proper papers to travel, at least via air:

They were previously allowed to use mere driving licenses. 
But residents of some US states may soon require additional ID, such as passports, if they wish to embark on air travel - even if just domestically.
That's the new procedure on the horizon for people from states that have not yet introduced the standards required by the 2005 Real ID Act, which demands stricter regulations for state-issued IDs.
The states that haven't yet fallen into line each now have a grace period of three months to meet the revised criteria. 
This deadline expires on 22 January 2018

Over half the states don't yet have 'acceptable" standards.

If flying after 22 Jan 2018, be aware and plan accordingly. Oughta be interesting on and after that day at the TSA chcekpoints.

Y'know...

I am fully aware that 44 degrees F isn't that cold.

And yes, I understand that in 3 or 4 months, I will dream about days this warm.

Nonetheless, today (and, to a lesser extent, yesterday) is a cold,wet, damp, dreary, just plain chilly day.

BRRR. 

Not today

Ceiling too low and viz is 3 miles.

Maybe Wednesday. 

I like it

Kinda nice when you are making an approach, short final, and the VASI comes on suddenly and there are two red and two white.

Just sayin'

Nope, I didn't

Crash the plane, per the email question. Just been busy, so no posting.

Did fly Thursday, landings and a bit of airplane handling. Flew north, turned back and forth between two points, then turned the 172 using only ailerons (hard to not use the rudders after being trained to do coordinated flight) then again using only the ailerons. then only rudders, then ailerons only.

Then back to the airport. Landings. wind was 300 at 6-10 knots, so I got a bit more crosswind landing on runway 27. I'm getting better. And more confident.



Spent Thursday afternoon and Friday rebuilding the verandah at the range with a bunch of other guys. Went well. It's nice working with men who come to WORK, and bring their own equipment and tools and are prepared for the  task. Folks who take direction, but really need none.

This morning, however, my diet is pretty much Ibuprofen, I haven't walked purlins nor fastened a metal roof in a lot of years, and am feeling it today.

Today, more firewood. 

Not even an inch.

Think Bump Stocks are a toy for rednecks who just like to turn money into noise and smoke and we should sacrifice 'em to make the Gun Grabbers happy?

You really need to read this then. 

Crosswinds.

Yesterday, I did crosswind landings.

I prefer to slip than to crab, I think. I find it a lot easier at the end.

5 good ones, and one where we miscommunicated and I thought I was stopping but was told to go around. So I rushed and applied power and took off accidentally with flaps. Which I chose not to change until I was at a few hundred feet of altitude. First time taking off with flaps. Came right off the runway in 50 degree weather and 800 foot field elevation with all those flaps. Lots of lift, and lots more drag.

Plus I gotta start my turns sooner. I over shot my base to Final turn twice 'cause of the wind.

And on the climb out at about 500 ft AGL, Bob pulled my hand on the throttle back just a bit, just enough to change the engine note. "Ok, engine failure. what now?"

"Straight ahead over the railroad tracks" says I .."Nice field there".

"What if a train comes?"

"Then we are screwed," I answered. " We will hit it".  "First ever midair with a train....."I laughed. So did he.

Went around and landed again.

I need some practice, but I can do this. I finally realized that the runways are (generally) a lot longer (and most are wider) than I need, so there is lots of time and lots of space to land on.

Didn't fly today, the winds were 200 10 knots gusting to 28. 

Nice

Took the Palmetto State Armory AR-10 out to the range today for the first time.

I didn't need one, but had been thinking about building an AR-10 as a project, and PSA had 'em on sale. Full lowers for $159, and stainless steel uppers in .308 for $399. Free shipping too.... Hoo-Ray!!, an AR-10 for under $600.

And, while I dithered, the asshole of Vegas did his thing.....and I decided to, as it were, pull the trigger ...'Cause I figured there might be a run on 'em as folks stocked up just in case the RNC boys and the NRA kinda chose to knuckle under to the DNC/Bloomberg folks.

I got all the stuff a bit over a week ago, but only got to the range today. What with my normal stuff, the rush to finish splitting wood before winter, the whole flying/Ground School/Study thing, I've been busy.

And besides, when it is good range weather, it's good shooting weather, and when it ain't good for one, it ain't good for the other.

Anyway, got out to the range today. The range was all being used at 50 yards, so that is the distance I had to use, unless I wanted to wait 'til everyone else left.

All I had on it were some older pop up back up peep sights for an AR that I didn't like, but they did the job for testing.

A bit over 40 rounds, 5 at a time. Best group at 50 yards was 4 touching and one flyer about an inch to the left. Not bad for a 10 knot wind with gusts to 25.

Now I gotta find some decent glass. I'd really like to find a 4-16 x 50 MOA dot first focal plane with fine crosshairs and an empty 4 MOA diamond in the middle. I have one on my stainless heavy barrel .223 Wylde upper that is the best scope I've ever had, great FOV, great glass, great eye relief, but alas it has no name on it and I got it at a gunshow, used, so I have no idea who made it. Never seen one like it since, but I'd love to have another. Easy to measure distances with, large enough FOV for decent holdovers without having to adjust zero, just a great scope. It might move to this upper.....maybe.

Anyway, I'm happy. not bad for $559.00 for a decent AR-10. I'll likely spend as much or more for decent glass for this rifle as I spent ON the rifle.

Now I gotta stock up on some powder and 150 G .308 bullets.

Question for the ladies:

So, does a man wearing makeup and a dress make a woman?

'Cause a woman wearing mans jeans and workboots and a flannel shirt doesn't make a man.

Yet, oddly, we allow folks with Gender Confusion (mostly men) to use the term "her" when they are feeling feminine that day....or just feel like wearing a dress. Or whatever that day makes them feel like a girl.

But seriously, what makes one a woman? At what point is a man still a man even if he chooses to "identify" as a woman? How do you define it?

At what point are you willing to let them be in a locker room with you?

Seriously. I'm trying to ask the hard questions.

If a man, who self identifies as a woman (that day) is wearing a dress and makeup....is that a woman?

How about if (s)he decides to get some kind of hormone therapy? Is (s)he now a woman?

How about if they have surgery to alter their genitalia? Are they now a woman?

What makes a woman a woman? Lack of male genitalia? Breasts? Ovaries? Lack of testes?

At what point are you willing to let them into a locker room with you and your prepubescent daughter?

How do you define a woman? VS a man playing dress up?

Please, be specific. 

Someone dares say it:

"America doesn't have a problem with guns, but the "Third World" portion of America does have a gun problem"

You really should click the link and read, as they say, the whole thing.

He's right:

Except that, if history is any guide, he will fold at the first sign of unhappiness from his opponents and give up on doing the hard things, much less the right ones.

He's a weasel without a backbone. Or he just postures but has really sold himself cheap....I can't tell which.

Rand Paul: Congress needs to be 'the boldest we can' with tax reform to compete with other countries

So far, this year, Mr. Paul has exceeded my expectations, if only because I had none for him.