Grasshopper blues

I bought a used 2004 Grasshopper 722D for $2500 about ten years ago. It has done a great job mowing the 8 or so acres of grass I have

A couple years back, the original Kubota radiator blew out and the engine overheated. I didn't notice immediately, as the wind was in my face and the engine is behind me.

Replaced the radiator for ~$800. Engine running terribly. Tried rebuilding the engine, still no good. Bought a rebuilt engine for ~$5000. Found out about the cracked cylinder head when the rebuilder tore the core down.

Last week, while mowing, noticed the teperature guage rising. Checked the radiator - coolant oozing from the rubber seal between the top tank and the core. Parked the machine instantly.

Checked the Grasshopper parts place I get stuff from - new original radiator is $950. Checked the local Grasshopper dealer - $1050, and a week wait.

Searched online - found Radiator Supply House in Sweet Home, Oregon. All aluminum repalcement radiator. $1450 shipped. Ordered one.

Installed it yesterday. Had to modify the top radiator support and the fan shroud a bit to clear the radiator, but otherwise, slipped right in. Engine runs nice and cool now.

The grass had grown long enough that I had to use my big tractor to mow most of the lawn - Grasshopper was getting bogged down.

At least the lawn is back under control. Even with all I've spent over the years for parts and maintenance, I still got a deal - new Grasshopper mowers run around $18K.

Grasshopper:

Big tractor - 1964 Massey-Ferguson Super 90 Diesel: (IH Payloader 510 I use for plowing snow behind)

Never forget

25 years ago today, we were attacked by an evil organization masquerading as a religion.

We need to understand that ISLAM has one objective: The complete subjugation of the Earth to the glory of "Allah", or complete destruction.

Every modern religion on this planet has evolved and changed to follow humanity as we grow and learn. ISLAM has also evolved, adopting as much modern technology as will advance its' conquest of the planet, while doubling down on all the barbaric parts of the religion.

ISLAM as it stands today is incompatible with human civilization. We need to force ISLAM to accept reality and adapt to our world, or we need to eradicate it. There is no other choice.

Look at the UK and Europe. Muslims "migrating" to these countries make no attempt to integrate and become part of the host country. Instead, they force their religion into our faces with rpayer in the middle of busy streets, outrage at the lack of "halal" food and the presence of dogs, assuming any woman not wearing a tent is free to molest and rape.

Here in America we have allowed too many incursion of ISLAM because we assume everyone on Earth is basically just like us - looking to enjoy freedom, life, and the persuit of happiness. Unfortunately, human nature does not automatically lean towards those ideals. It must be educated by example. If some people refuse to learn and change, they should not be allowed to become permanent residents in our country - they obviously have no interest in becoming American citizens.

ISLAM and the global socialist movement have allied (for the time being) to forward ISLAM everywhere. As soon as either has attained power, they will turn on thier allies, as useful idiots end up against the wall after the victory.

Injun Summer

One of my fond Chicago memories from the Chicago Tribune:

Twenty five years ago next Friday

I was working at a company in Barrington Hills as a machinist. The lady supervising the shop had a son who was a commercial pilot. We heard about the attacks on the shop radio.

We must never forget the root cause of this atrocity: ISLAM. ISLAM is incompatible with human civilization.

Twenty years ago -

We surrendered to Islamic terrorists by passing the Patriot Act and creating the TSA, and set the stage for our eventual "successful" exit from Afghanistan. Twenty years later, things have only progressed in the wrong direction. We have a fraudulently "elected" "president" who is so obviously a puppet and totally unfit for any public office, and a "vice president" who blew and slept her way into the second most powerful position in our country. Proof of massive election fraud, indeed the subject of bragging articles in major magazines, is ignored by the media as the ravings of people unhappy that Donald Trump was not re-elected. We have kowtowed to the Comminust Chinese, who unleashed a Frankenstein virus on the world, in large part financed by our tax dollars as administed by one Dr. Anthony Fauci, a serial liar and another incompetent who contradicts himself regularly. We now have a mass media who are willing participants in destroying America and sowing division as directed by some elites desiring a "new world order" that ultimaltely includes approximately 90% of human life to be removed so the planet can "heal" under their benevolent dictatorship. The remaining humans not part of the elite will be serfs in service of their lords and ladies, subject to their every whim. Our fraudulent "president" now goes on national media and tells us that his patience with us ignoring his idiotic demands is wearing thin, and he will now mandate that any company with 100 employees or more will be required to force an untested "vaccine" on their personnel. A vaccine responsible for thousands of verified deaths, a vaccine that does not confer immunity to COVID-19 and its' mutated variants, a "vaccine" that has been shown to harm the body's natural immune system, amking the vaccinated more susceptible to the disease supposedly protected from. Our major media is complicent in censoring viewpoints not in slavish agreement with the narrative prescribed by the elite. Large corproations routinely fire employees who have viewpoints out of line with the corporate mission statement. Our schools are run by people who have been trained in methods of mind control pioneered by the Chinese and Soviet Marxist governments. Teacher's unions dictate to parents and school boards how they will opwrate, or not. It's been said that we can't vote our way out of the current headlong rush to socialism and outright Communism, but we still need to try - the alternative is bloody civil war. Possibly the first shots of that war were fired by Black Lives Matter and Antifa last year. Pray. And keep your powder dry. Buy a couple guns if you don't already own freedom's tools - and lay up at lesat a month's survival supplies. One way or another, it's going to be an interesting couple of years before the next major election, assuming the recent revelations of electrion fraud somehow are recognized and Sleepy Joe and friends are removed from office - in Sleepy Joe's case, a trial for treason would be appropriate, with the prescribed penalty applied on the steps of the Capitol. (A day late - Blogger apparently has changed it's format, which threw me for a loop for a bit.)

Open email to Speaker Robin Vos in the Wisconsin Assembly

 OK. The Supreme Court refused to hear Texas' case against the blatant election irregularities in Wisconsin's Presidential election - now it is the GOP's job to refuse to certify the election - and if it is already too late to do that - to bring suit in federal court to reverse any such certification.
The election was definitely rigged and mishandled by several states. Were the collection boxes in Madison and Dane County legal under Wisconsin election law? How did several wards in Milwaukee manage over 100% voter turnout? How did a huge dump of predominately Biden votes occur in the dead of night?
If Biden won fair and square, so be it - but to ignore these questions is to tell Wisconsin that their votes and laws mean nothing.

 Message to our governor Tony Evers - for what it's worth.

OK. It's the FLU. It's going to be with us forever. Get over it, end the political theater. Open the state.
In Japan, the government was prohibited from shutting the economy down. Common sense ruled - sick people stayed home, the vulnerable were protected. Very low deaths, and huge numbers of positive tests.
If we tested for the regular flu the way we are testing for Covid 19, we would see astronomical numbers of "cases", because that's how these diseases work. Almost everyone gets infected, some get sick, a small number of those die. It's the way the world works and there's nothing government can do to change it.
All the mask orders, social distancing, and shutdowns do is prolong the agony. End them NOW.
The people of Wisconsin deserve to be able to live their lives free of artificial terror ginned up by the media and those who wish to fundamentally change America into a socialist paradise like Venezuela.

Not holding my breath waiting for a reasonable response...

Seventeen years later -

Seventeen years ago tomorrow, Islamic terrorists hijacked four US airliners and flew three of them into both Twin Towers and the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed due to the actions of passengers who overpowered the box-cutter wielding terrorists.

 

Never forget.

Gun control

Prager U video. Very good.

AMEN!

Amen!

New email scam

New to me, anyway.

Got a scary-looking email last weekend. Mostly a big image:



I did not open the attachment - now, all that remains is to await the feds...

Or not...

Worthy cause

Linked from Bayou Renaissance Man

Friday, April 20, 2018

Woman helps cop, kills bad guy - then gets sued

Last year a woman in Indiana courageously assisted a police officer who was being beaten down by a criminal, who was trying to grab his gun.  She shot the perpetrator, who subsequently died of his injuries.  She was cleared of any wrongdoing by the authorities - but now she's being sued by the family of the deceased criminal.  An original news report about the incident may be found here.  A PoliceOne report about the impending lawsuit may be found here.

A fundraiser has been started to help this courageous woman pay the legal expenses incurred in defending herself.  From its description:

On February 20, 2017 a suspicious person prompted a call to 911 in Ohio County, Indiana. The suspicious person was parked in a elderly persons yard for an extended period of time, blocking her driveway, and creating a road hazard. Shortly after a Police Officer arrived in response to the call. The man began resisting and both the Officer and man went to the ground. A young woman (Kystie) standing nearby on her property ran to help the Officer. Kystie could see the Officer was loosing the fight as this man reached for the Officers gun. Fortunately for the Officer, Kystie was armed and shot the man one time which ended the fight.

Indiana State Police conducted the investigation, which was reviewed by the Dearborn County, Indiana Prosecutors Office, and the findings were that Kystie’s actions were deemed justified and no criminal charges were filed.

However, On April 6, 2018, Kystie received a summons ... regarding a wrongful death lawsuit for the assailant, J. Holland. Ohio County Superior Court Case No.:58C01-1802-CT-00001. The Officer involved was also named in the suit.

I am asking our community of citizens and law enforcement Officers to help in this legal battle.  Attorney fees are an expense well beyond Kystie’s income and this will not be a quick process. The legal fees and emotional stress may drain every resource she has.

. . .

This case is about more than the right or wrong of one party suing another.  Imagine not being able to come to the aid of another person for fear of being sued, possibly to the point of bankruptcy.  The case is about a person having the basic God-given right and the 2nd Amendment right to defend both yourself and others and without the fear of civil retribution.

There's more at the link, including the names of the lawyers involved and links to several more news articles about the incident.  Please click over there and follow them for yourself.

Folks, this is a very worthy cause.  Miss D. and I will be contributing, and I'd like to ask all my readers to please give what you can afford.  If private citizens mus be afraid to help those who defend their safety and security against criminals, due to the risk of lawsuits, then soon we won't have public protectors at all - because they won't defend those who won't support them.  Want proof of that?  Just look at the impact the 'Ferguson Effect' is having on law enforcement all over the country.

Please circulate the news of this fund-raiser to your friends, and via your blogs or social media accounts if you have them.

Thank you.

Peter

Big Don

A video Mr. Trump ought to approve of

I wish I could see the President air this and approve of it...


https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4351026/clinton-1995-immigration-sotu

I wanted to embed it, but Blogger refuses to comply...

Music from Down Under

PEOPLE WILL DIE!!!!!!!!

Yep!

Editorial response

The last issue of the Catholic paper from Madison had an editorial promoting yet another assault weapons ban to cure the recent rash of shootings. My reply:

This is in response to Mr. Christopher White's editorial in the November 23rd issue.

One thing that seems lost in all the recent discussion of violence in America these days is that the problem is not inanimate objects like guns - it is the human being that makes a decision to use these objects to harm others. It may be trite, but true - guns don't kill people, people kill people - and the proper response to an armed criminal is an appropriately armed private citizen on the spot - not a call to 911 and a long wait for the police to arrive and draw chalk outlines around the victims.

The perpetrators of all the recent shooting incidents violated numerous existing laws. For instance, the perpetrator in the Texas church shooting was by Federal law not allowed to possess any firearm. He passed a background check because the Air Force neglected to notify the FBI of his criminal conviction, and the fact that he lied on the Federal gun purchase record when he stated that he was not dishonorably discharged. Only the presence of an armed citizen - armed with one of those scary black "assault" rifles was able to bring the murders to a halt by shooting the bad guy. If an "assault rifle" ban had been in place before that citizen bought his rifle, more people could have been killed.

Our Constitution has the Second Amendment in place to allow citizens access to weapons similar to those used by the military for the protection of themselves and their families and communities.

Criminals and the mentally unstable will be with us always. New laws will not stop them, but certainly will deny good people access to those defensive tools.

One way to address the issue would be for the media to refrain from glamorizing the shooter with unending coverage on national TV. If the perpetrators know they won't be headline news no matter what atrocity they commit, they might think twice about going through with the act. At least the good citizens of America will still have the option of self defense if they need it.

Chuck Kuecker

Bill Whittle

tells it like it is, again...

This is what I like to hear

The YouTube ad that played before the video was from #RejectTheNRA...

Email to President Trump

I sent Jugears a similar email early in his first term, long before I developed the habit of using that nickname for him:

Dear President Trump,

Now is not the time to cave in to the people who would use the events in Las Vegas to promote their anti-freedom schemes.

America has suffered under illegal and anti-Constitutional "gun control" since the 1934 NFA was enacted in response to the gang violence created in part by federal legislation (and a Constitutional amendment!) banning the sale of alcoholic beverages. The Treasury needed to keep in place all those "revenooers" who were hunting stills in the backwoods, and the "Valentine's Day Massacre" in Chicago gave them the excuse they needed to force the National Firearms Act through Congress.

The NFA, required a $200 tax on certain firearms clearly protected by the Second Amendment, and on devices known as "silencers". It also drove the creation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, which has grown out of control over the decades into a bureau that oversaw such disasters as Obama's "Fast and Furious" operation.

The assassinations of JFK, Martin Luther King, Jr., and RFK were used to force through Congress almost a word-for-word copy of pre-WWII German law as the 1968 Gun Control Act, which for the first time forced firearms dealers to obtain federal licenses, and expanded the powers of the BATF.

In 1986, legislation was enacted to ease some of the 1968 GCA regulations, but at the last minute and amendment was added that forever banned Americans from registering new NFA weapons, or making their own devices. President Reagan was supposedly unaware of this amendment when he signed the bill into law.

There are several bills in Congress at present that would at least partially remove some of these infringements. The GOP leaders have withdrawn these bills in view of the Las Vegas events, which is exactly what the anti-freedom crowd wants.

Stand firm for American freedom. Demand the GOP stand behind you and fight for true freedom, dangerous and messy it may be, over yet more regulations and so-called "safety".

Open email to the NRA

Just found out via National Association for Gun Rights that the NRA has issued a statement calling for investigation into the legality of "bump stocks".

After some searching on the NRA website, finally found a place to register a "comment":

Life member. Fairly disgusted that you would in any way violate the Second Amendment - which clearly says "shall not be infringed" in relation to weapons of war being available to the people - by suggesting that "bump stocks" should be examined as to their legality.

Gun control in any form is anathema. I demand you retract the joint statement and declare war on Bloomberg, Pelosi, and all the anti-gun creatures.

We must repeal the 1934 NFA, the 1968 GCA, the 1986 ban on new automatic weapons, and all the other illegal and un-Constitutional infringements on American freedom.

Freedom isn't free - and nothing can ever be made perfectly safe - especially by limiting freedom in the name of safety.

If you do not take action on this immediately, I may be forced to resign my membership.
--------------------

When I clicked on "submit", I got this:

Server Error in '/' Application.

---

Runtime Error

Description: An application error occurred on the server. The current custom error settings for this application prevent the details of the application error from being viewed remotely (for security reasons). It could, however, be viewed by browsers running on the local server machine.

Details: To enable the details of this specific error message to be viewable on remote machines, please create a tag within a "web.config" configuration file located in the root directory of the current web application. This tag should then have its "mode" attribute set to "Off".


Notes: The current error page you are seeing can be replaced by a custom error page by modifying the "defaultRedirect" attribute of the application's configuration tag to point to a custom error page URL.

New shop cat

He showed up a couple days ago, and has made himself at home.

He needs a name...

Update - he's the King!
(We've already got a black cat named Queenie. They look  like family.)

Crowder infiltrates Antifa

This is priceless.



When can we expect the MSM to report stuff like this?

A glimpse into a real leftist's mind...

Another involuntary "telephone town hall"

Ron Johnson has done it again - my phone rang last night, and for almost ten minutes would not allow me to make a call, because Senator Johnson wanted me to participate in his "town hall".

Hang up, wait a few seconds - the phone is still connected. There's no easy way to tell the computer to release the line.

Sent the Senator an email suggesting stiff penalties for anyone making a robocall without it instantly releasing the line when hung up on, and giving an opt-out feature in the first seconds of the call - that would have the same effect as the federal no-call list is SUPPOSED to have. Also, stiff penalties for credit card scams and such that spoof Caller ID.

Just got a reply:

Senator Ron Johnson

To

ck***@***.***

Today at 2:27 PM

Dear Chuck,

Thank you for contacting me regarding health care reform.

Obamacare has left our health care system in need of repair. In Wisconsin, premiums and deductibles have doubled or even tripled for individuals, and insurance carriers continue to leave the individual market.   We need to repair this damage. But I don’t believe we should try to replace one dysfunctional “comprehensive” Washington-written plan with another.

My priority is a bill that will stabilize the individual marketplace, will keep costs from skyrocketing further, and will repeal the market distortions that Obamacare created. We need to transition to a system that actually works – one that incorporates free-market reforms and patient-centered care, one that turns over more decision-making authority to individuals and states.

This process is not going to be simple. Obamacare has been in place for several years, and it will take time to repair the damage. I am committed to representing Wisconsinites’ concerns – which is why I’m grateful for the input I hear at forums around the state, including my telephone town halls. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, I am using my Committee   to gather information on the root causes of soaring health care costs and to continue discussing potential solutions. As long as my colleagues work with me in good faith, we can move America toward better access to affordable and quality health care.

Thank you again for contacting my office. It is very helpful to hear the views of the constituents I serve. Please see my website at www.ronjohnson.senate.gov  for additional information. It is an honor representing you and all the people of Wisconsin.

Sincerely,

Ron Johnson
United States Senator 

Somehow, I get the feeling he or his staff is not reading these emails ...

Tammy Gay begging for more money, as usual

Nothing new here - but one thing stood out in her beg:

"Unlike our opponents and the GOP establishment, we don’t have a bunch of conservative mega-millionaires lining up to write us checks. We depend on grassroots donations from people like you. Yes, all of, you."

So, George Soros and friends do not qualify as mega-millionaires?

Injun Summer

Since it's been over 90 F for the last three days, this is appropriate.

If you grew up in Chicago before political correctness took over, you remember the annual Chicago Tribune printing of John T. McCutcheon's Injun Summer, originally published in 1907.

Kirsten, again.

Probably banging my head against a brick wall, but...

September Priorities Survey

Which of the following issues are you most concerned about?

Affordable health care

Immigration

A strong economy

Our democracy

X All of the above 

 

Are there any other issues on your mind?

I need a federal government that follows the Constitution, is limited by law, and truly supports American values.

I need immigrants to do as my grandparents did - apply to come here legally and then integrate into American society.

A strong economy will follow a debt-free federal government with minimal taxes and regulations, and vigorous prosecution of those who flaunt federal anti-trust, price-fixing, and conspiracy laws - like health care organizations, doctors, hospitals, insurance and drug companies.

We have a representative republic, not a democracy. Stop saying that.

Are you concerned that the Republican Congress will take us backward on the issues you care about? 

 

X Yes, I’m concerned that the Republican Congress is taking us backward on important issues.

No, I trust the Republican Congress to move us forward on the issues I care about. 

(What can one say?  Jugearscare must go!)

President Trump decided to end DACA, which leaves nearly 700,000 young people who were brought to the United States as children at risk of deportation from the only home many of them have ever known. Is it important to take action and create a path to citizenship for these children and young adults?

Yes, we must create a path to citizenship for the 700,000 DACA recipients who came to this country as young children.

X No, we should let these young people face deportation.

 (Their parents made the decision to violate our laws - the children's misery is the direct result of that.)

President Trump chose to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement despite the dire threat climate change poses to our health, our security and our economy. Are you worried about the Trump administration’s climate denial?

Yes, I’m worried that climate change will get worse due to inaction.

X No, it’s fine to ignore climate change. 

(Show me proof man has the power to override the Sun's effect...)

 

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has proposed cutting $9.2 billion from the federal education budget and has rolled back protections for student loan borrowers. Are you worried about DeVos’s ideological agenda?

Yes, I’m worried about DeVos’s ideological agenda.

X No, I’m not worried about DeVos’s ideological agenda. 

 

(Let's use charged language, shall we? The federal government has no business having a Department of Education in the first place, let alone anything to do with student loans.)

 

 How important is it to you to support Democrats who will fight for our fundamental values in Washington?

Extremely important

Very important

Somewhat important

X Not at all important 

(Yet she still sends me these emails...)

 

-----------------------

For what it's worth...

A good video

Just watch.

This is great

Bill Whittle demolishes SJWs...

Never forget

Sixteen years ago, Islam celebrated.

No Islamic country sought or prosecuted the perpetrators. They still condone acts like this through silence or active support.

Never forget.

Another Kirsten survey

Her comments in italics - my answers in regular font.

As kids across the country head back to school and Congress returns to session, I hope you’ll take a minute to let me know what’s on your mind.

What kind of world would you like to leave our children?

One that values individual freedom above all other things. One that has a minimal government, firmly under control of a strong, well written Constitution. One where corrupt politicians spend long terms in prison rather than being re-elected.

One where a photo ID is required to vote, and immigrants apply to be admitted to the country rather than sneaking in.

One where everyone is treated equally, and expected to carry their own weight. One where no one can expect to live off the labors of another.

One where they are free to learn the true history of our country, without the teacher's personal opinions treated as fact.

One where people are born with a gender, and either live with that, or pay for any changes they desire out of their own pocket.

One where the government is forbidden from raising taxes without a majority of Americans agreeing to the change.

One where elected officials do not have the power to raise their own salaries.

Do any particular issues before Congress or the Supreme Court concern you or make you hopeful when you think about your children's futures?

The fact that Jugearscare has not been repealed, the Mexican border wall is not under construction, the health care crisis has not been addressed by vigorous prosecution of officials in drug, hospital, and insurance companies for racketeering, and that our state public schools have any kind of federal oversight.

What do you think leaders in Washington and in your local government can do to help build a brighter future for every child?

Repeal Jugearscare, repeal the income tax, end DACA, enforce the law as written, and the Constitution as written.

------------------------------

It feels good to unload...

Kirsten Gillibrand wants my opinions!

Been getting emails from her for a long time. She has been sending links to these surveys for a few months now, and I reply religiously.

Here's an example:

0% complete

Priorities Survey

Thank you for taking the time to let me know about what's on your mind. Will you take a minute to tell me more about your priorities? – Kirsten

We’re facing threats to our values from the Trump administration and from the GOP Congress. What issues are you most concerned about? (Check all that apply.)

 

Immigration

Access to affordable health care

Abortion rights

LGBTQ rights

Medicare and Social Security

Sexual assault on campus and in our military

Climate change

Workplace equality for women

Foreign interference in our elections

 
Any other issues on your mind?

My response:

Immigration - do it legally or stay home. Build the wall to help keep out the criminals.

Health care - repeal Jugearscare root and branch, prosecute hospitals, doctors, drug companies and insurers who collude to fix prices. 100 year old laws need enforcing here.

Abortion rights - there are none. Get a Constitutional amendment passed if you want the federal government involved here, otherwise, it's state's rights.

LB*** rights - see last comment.

Medicare and Social Security. I get both - and would love to see both programs abolished. Fix health care and get rid of the IRS - let people take care of the rest themselves.

Sexual assault - there are laws already. Enforce them fairly and equally at the state and local level. What happens on base is a matter for a court-martial.

Climate change - it's real, we didn't start it, we can't stop it. Look up - see that bright thing in the sky? It's the sun, and IT is the cause. Man is too puny to change the Earth's climate.

Workplace equality for women - states' rights at best.

Foreign influence - treat it like espionage. That's what the CIA is for, right?

You really want to help America? How about a federal law to stop email spam and robocalls, as well as Caller ID abuse? We have an FCC that has authority in these areas - use it!

------------------

Waste of my time? Probably, but who knows?

Nancy Pelosi does good!

She denounced Antifa as a violent group.

Looks like I'm going to have to stop calling her by that rude nickname...

History lesson

Found at From The Barrel of a Gun



I did not know the NRA was chartered by Congress...

"D"-Day: 11/4/17?

"D" for Demonrats, Dissenters, Destruction?

August 16, 2017

Big Plans on the Hard Left for November 4

By J.R. Dunn

One thing overlooked in the uproar over Charlottesville is that this was, evidently, merely a dress rehearsal for a much larger-scale effort planned for this Autumn.  Activist groups on the left evidently have something big in store for November 4^th. The idea seems to be a revival of the 1971 “Days of Rage” – an effort to shut down the country as a whole to force a change in government.
Thanks to one of many political mailing lists that AT finds itself on, we received an email last Sunday from the “Stop Mass Incarceration Network,” a little-known left-wing agitation group, one of many single-issue offshoots (contrary to general belief, the left carries out most of its activities through these small, mostly under-the-radar outfits. The mechanism for this was outlined in Scott Powell’s classic study, Covert Cadre).
Following a number of paragraphs of chest-beating concerning the Charlottesville confrontation, the message, which was sent out over the name of an activist claiming to be named Carl Dix, goes on to declare this:

…we must build off of this resistance to act to end the nightmare of this fascist regime by taking to the streets on November 4th and staying in the streets to drive this regime from power. RefuseFascism.org is holding regional conferences to organize for doing this. Get connected to these regional conferences and get organized for November 4th…
…And we need to go from resistance to mobilizing to end the nightmare of the Trump/Pence regime. Right now these fascists, from Trump on down, are moving very quickly to hammer into place their fascist regime and this must be STOPPED. The organization Refuse Fascism has called for people to come into the streets and public squares and cities and towns across the country beginning on November 4 and stay in the streets day after day and night after night until the DEMAND is met: This Nightmare Must End: The Trump/Pence Regime Must GO! For this to happen, everybody needs to be at August 19 regional conferences to organize and mobilize for this.

Looks like the gloves are off. Keep your ammo dry....

Anyone up for a little counter-protest?

Just got another frantic email from WAVE. This from the link:

Protest the NRA's Carry Guard Expo

Join us in a peaceful protest of the NRA's violent and hateful vision for America. We will gather on the first night of the NRA Carry Guard Expo to remember the lives lost to gun violence and to demonstrate our resolve to live in peace.

Date: Friday, August 25th

Time: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Location: Zeidler Union Square Park, 301 W. Michigan St., Milwaukee

NRA's Carry Guard is insurance for you if you carry, in case you have to use your weapon and the person you were defending against - or his/her relatives sue, or the local PD wants to charge you.

Can't hardly see how this is something any sane person would consider needing a protest. But then again, WAVE had kittens because the Wisconsin Center will allow guns.

From the NRA Carry Guard Expo web page:

NRA Carry Guard Expo Conceal Carry Policy

During the NRA Carry Guard Expo, lawfully carried firearms will be permitted in the Wisconsin Center in accordance with Wisconsin law. When carrying your firearm, remember to follow all federal, state and local laws.

Think of the CHILDREN! :)

NRA Carry Guard Expo
August 25 - 27 2017
Wisconsin Center
400 W Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Tickets available at the link above.

Might be fun to smile at the protesters while open carrying across the street on your way to the Expo...

Efficiency of government

I signed up for alerts on AB 427 a few weeks ago. Just got this:

WI Legislature Notification System

To ckuecker*****@*****.*** 

 

Today at 5:23 AM

You requested to be notified of the following legislative activities:

Subject subscriptions: Based on the keyword: "ab 427"

---

Proposal: AB427 (-3158) View Bill History
relating to: comprehensive firearm education for high school pupils.

• 8/3/2017: Public hearing held

To change or stop email notifications to ckuecker2000@yahoo.com, please go to the Notify website.

Reply Reply to All Forward More 

 

I'm amazed at the efficiency of the government. The hearing was Thursday, the notification came only two days after!

Thanks to WAVE, I made the hearing. If I had relied on Wisconsin's bureaucracy, I would not have had a chance to register my support to the committee.

After action report

Went to Madison today to appear at the hearing for AB 427, which would set up a standardized gun safety curriculum for Wisconsin's high schools.

Having a certificate from a recognized gun safety class is a requirement for all high schoolers who wish to get on their school's trap team. Some Wisconsin high schools already offer this, but there's no standardization.

The gallery was less crowded than when I was there for the Constitutional Carry hearing (still in committee). Several WAVE and "Moms Demand Action" shirts in evidence, maybe six total. Most of those people left after the first in-favor speakers.

The first speakers were a pair of high school juniors from Denmark near Green Bay. They are both on their schools' trap team. They made a compelling argument for the bill, and answered all questions with well considered answers.

Their coach was the second speaker, followed by representatives of the Wisconsin Department of Education.

No "against" speakers up to the point I left. Looks like this bill is going to get a vote.

I spoke to the trap team coach after - he thinks the Constitutional Carry bill will get a vote. Fingers crossed.

Took the opportunity to go up to the observation deck around the base of the Capitol rotunda. Just in time for the rain - got thoroughly soaked on the way to my car.

Update - got an email from Senator Lena Taylor - she is consistent, at least - was against the Constitutional Carry bill because it made training optional, but is in solid support of AB 427.

Scholarly discussion of the Trump military transgender ban

Priceless:

Another chance to see a good bill get a chance

AB 427, which would mandate firearms and safety training in Wisconsin schools, will have a public hearing.

It's about time that kids get real facts about guns and gun safety, not just what the MSM and movies provide.

Thursday, August 3, 2017
11:00 a.m.
Wisconsin State Capitol
Room 417 North (GAR Hall)
Madison, WI

Thanks to Wisconsin WAVE for the heads-up. I was signed up for emails concerning this bill, but evidently the notification thing works as well as most governmental stuff...

Tammy's in trouble!

Just got another frantic email from Tammy Gay.

The operative sentence:

Republicans in Wisconsin are raising all kinds of cash. They've outraised Democrats 50 to 1.

Damn well about time - I hope this is a harbinger for 2018...

FAL case seperation

Went out back this afternoon with some cousins to do some shooting. Decided to try out my FN-FAL I built up from a parts kit and a forged un-machined Century Arms receiver I milled up.

I had previously put in feed ramps that stupidly cut into the base area of the chamber in the barrel. Learned my mistake when I test-fired the rifle and blew a magazine bottom out when a case failed.
I welded up the feed ramps in the receiver and hand-filed them to match as well as I could the factory shape. Had to put a new barrel in and re-headspace the rifle by welding up and grinding the bolt locking wedge.

This rifle has always been touchy about magazines - some feed well, others miss feeding occasionally. Today, I had a misfeed, and removed the magazine. Loaded the misfed round by hand and fired it downrange.

Felt sharp pains in my left arm and right fingers, and a blow to my chest at the base of my breastbone. Thought I had been shot! Numerous small cuts in my left arm, some small punctures in my right fingers, and a weeping wound in my chest - though no hole in my shirt.

Found the case had ruptured about 1/4" above the base. Here's the part I found jammed in the breech:

The remainder of the case still in the chamber:

As far as I can tell, when I chambered the round, the bolt failed to go completely into battery, and the hammer fell on a partially seated case. The broken-off part of the base shows an extruded area, like the case attempted to expand into the now-too-large headspace gap.

The welt on my chest - likely a large chunk of brass:

 

Welts on my left arm:

My camera's flash obscured the marks on my right fingers. Those and the left arm probably got peppered with small metal shards. Nothing actually got stuck under my skin, luckily.

Moral of the story - always wear those safety glasses, and don't fire an FAL without the magazine - and make damned sure the dang bolt is in battery!

 

Correspondence with Tammy Gay

Just got this from Tammy Gay:

"Senate Republicans plan to plow ahead with health-care vote this week." -- The Washington Post, 7/23/2017 The Senate is taking a vote on health care today, and we still don’t know exactly what they're voting on! But we do know this: Every GOP health care plan we've seen so far would cause millions of Americans to lose their care and increases costs. One report called Trumpcare "the worst-designed social policy in history." It's wrong for Wisconsin families. Before the vote, let Congress know you oppose any health care plan that costs millions of Americans their insurance. Add your name. Thanks, Team Baldwin

aid for by Tammy Baldwin for Senate

Reply:

Senator Baldwin,

Just got your email about how the GOP is holding the Jugearscare "overhaul" close to their chests - we don't know WHAT the bill will say!

Just how is that different from Nancy Pee-Lousy's "We've got to pass it to see what's in it!" that we heard before Jugearscare was enacted?

Hurts to be on the other end of things, doesn't it?

Chuck Kuecker

Beloit, WI.

By the way - Jugearscare cost me and my wife over $13,000 last year, for "insurance" with a $10,000 deductible before anything was covered. We paid for all doctors and drugs last year out of pocket.

Health care is not a "human right", let alone enumerated as a function of the federal government. Repeal Jugearscare NOW.

Check Your Privilege!

MIT has joined the SJW revolution. Everyone entering their school of architecture is encouraged to take on=line psychological tests to reveal their inner biases.

Diversity Learning Tree

None of the links to their "privilege checklists" work, but the "implicit"  tests developed at Harvard work. These consist of flashes of pictures of "white" or "black" faces and other items that you presumably associate with those images. You select them as quickly as possible with two fingers. 

The test measures how well you associate the faces with "black" and "white" by how fast you select - and helpfully tells you if you chose "wrong" - i.e., you cannot natively tell "black" from "white", which supposedly is the goal of all this "diversity" - making the world color-blind.

Except, if you ARE truly color-blind, seeing all those faces as "human" rather than segregating them into the "proper" categories, the test fails - you made too many "mistakes".

It seems to me that rather than fostering true inclusiveness, all this "diversity" stuff is enforcing divisive mental images, as well as trying to convince certain classes of Americans that they owe something to other groups simply because of the circumstances of their birth.

Good idea

Mandatory (?) firearms safety training in Wisconsin high schools?

AB 427

I wonder if this will satisfy those who want to saddle the Second Amendment with mandatory training?

S.1505

A bill to deregulate silencers

Introduced by Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) last week the SHUSH Act would eliminate ALL the federal regulations covering the possession, purchase, transfer, etc. of suppressors!  That would be huge!  That would be even better than the Hearing Protection Act (HPA)!

Way past time.

Tammy Gay replies

I'm pretty sure my last email to her made it clear that "climate change" was one of my least concerns, what with bills in CONgress to deregulate silencers, repeal *and not replace) Jugearscare, and "draining the swamp"...

Dear Mr. Kuecker:

Thank you for contacting me about your concerns regarding actions to address climate change.   I appreciate you taking the time to write to me about this important issue.

I believe that climate change is a serious threat to the natural resources, wildlife, and economic drivers of Wisconsin and the rest of the world.   Because of the massive impact climate change is expected to have on our economy and life in our communities, we must address it.   I will continue to work with my colleagues to find bipartisan, commonsense solutions that address the causes and impacts of climate change at the state, national and international level.

We have a strong tradition in Wisconsin of taking on big challenges. Taking on and planning for climate change can help us build a strong, resilient economy and provide a more secure future for the next generations.   While we may not agree on every issue, your input helps inform the work I do in the United States Senate. 

Once again, thank you for contacting my office.  It is important for me to hear from the people of Wisconsin on the issues, thoughts and concerns that matter most to you.  If I can be of further assistance, please visit my website at www.baldwin.senate.gov for information on how to contact my office.