The personal blimp

Disclaimer: this is not an article about Michael Moore or Ted Kennedy.

Sort of slow and expensive, but an interesting idea.

James Brown has passed on

ATLANTA (Reuters) - James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul" whose frenetic singing style and bold rhythms brought funk into the mainstream and influenced a new generation of black music, died on Monday at age 73, his manager said.

Brown died at 1:45 a.m. (6:45 a.m. British time) at Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta after being admitted on Saturday for treatment of severe pneumonia, his manager, Frank Copsidas, said. Charles Bobbit, Brown's longtime friend and personal manager, was at his side, he said.

One of the great classics of music.

Clueless

Sounds like they have the IBVI (International Brotherhood of Village Idiots) doing studies for the British government.
From the UK:

Crime fight 'needs fresh ideas'

New ways of tackling crime must be considered, a minister has said, after a report warned crime rates could rise for the first time in 12 years.

Since what they are doing now isn't working, that makes sense, and crime has actually been rising steadily for several years now.

The 60-page report, obtained by the Sunday Times, also criticises police for failing to improve their performance despite large budget increases.

Not an uncommon problem in most countries.

The leaked Downing Street strategy unit report says crime could rise if there is a slowdown in economic growth

It can be a factor, but their are a lot of poor people who wouldn't think of committing crimes against others.

It says prescribing heroin and alcohol rationing could help cut crime.

HUH?

Labour chairman Hazel Blears said new ideas were "worth exploring" but shadow home secretary David Davis said more prison places were what was needed.

The report, called Policy Review: Crime, Justice and Cohesion, warns that for the first time since the 1990s, when crime rates began to fall steadily, the number of offences are predicted to start rising because of changing economic conditions.

Its other findings include that prisoners numbers are rising beyond capacity, there is no money for new prisons and that nine out of 10 crimes are either not reported or go unpunished.

The strategy unit says the government could learn from other countries, such as prescribing heroin to addicts to help cut robberies, or trying hormone injections or "chemical castration" for sex offenders.

Nine out of ten cases are unpunished or unreported? There's a problem with the system right there. Maybe they should be concerned more about criminals and less about ASBO's.
My personal attitude toward drugs is that I don't care what you do, as long as you aren't causing harm to others. But I do NOT see where you are helping fight crime by supplying junkies with drugs. What you should be doing is trying to find ways to help them fight their addiction. I've heard the arguments that if drugs were cheaper, junkies wouldn't have to resort to crime. Total bullshit. If you supply an addict with more drugs, they merely use more and become more helpless, less able to work or maintain their life, and still end up committing crimes to support their habit. Have you noticed there are not as many old junkies as old drunks? That is because junkies either get cured, or their habit kills them. I've seen a lot of alcoholics who can get by making a living, but junkies tend to be basket cases.
If they want to crack down on crime, start making people responsible for their actions, and let private citizens protect themselves against the lowlifes that prey on them for gain or thrills.
Just my opinion.

Something a little different

I like to check out this site every year; it is an interesting study in photography, fashion, and personal styles. If you find people interesting, you will probably enjoy looking over this family. I have been monitoring it for years now.

Parents accused of caging adoptive children convicted

NORWALK, Ohio A couple accused of forcing some of their 11 adopted special-needs children to sleep in chicken wire cages were convicted today of endangerment and abuse.

A jury found both Michael Gravelle, 57, and his wife, Sharen, 58, guilty of four felony counts of child endangering, two misdemeanor counts of child endangering and five misdemeanor counts of child abuse. Each was acquitted of 13 other charges.

I get real upset when I read stuff like this; children in the foster program have already been through a lot merely to end up there, the last thing they need is for people to treat them like animals. If you cannot manage 11 children, you shouldn't be trying to take care of that many. I have the suspicion, however, that they had that many because they were more interested in collecting the money for them.

The Gravelles have said they took on so many needy children because no one else wanted them. Prosecutors have suggested the couple wanted so many special-needs youngsters because of the adoption and foster care subsidies that accompanied them.

I hope the couple gets to spend some time in a cage, when it comes time to hand out their sentence.

Police killer suspect flees Britain in a veil

And I thought that our security at airports was a bad joke.

A man who was being hunted for the murder of a policewoman is understood to have escaped from Britain by disguising himself as a veiled Muslim woman.

The use of the niqab, which leaves only a narrow slit for the eyes, highlights flaws in British airport security. At the time, Jama was Britain’s most wanted man, while Heathrow was on a heightened state of alert after the 7/7 terrorist atrocities in London five months previously.

The Times has learnt that British immigration officers rarely carry out a visual check to match a passport photograph with a departing female passenger’s veiled face.

If you are not going to check a person's ID against said person, then why the hell are you even going through the motions? Why not just open the gates and let anyone through who wishes? I can understand trying to accommodate other religious beliefs, but recently John Bull seems to be chapping his lips on the hind parts of his Islamic visitors. Political correctness gets more insane every day.
Just my opinion.

[Hat tip to The Lone Voice]

Subsidized prostitution?

Most people have read about the serial killer in Ipswich, UK. I guess they have decided that throwing money at the problem is the best solution until the perpetrator is captured.

The Guardian daily, meanwhile, reported that police and local drug workers were paying prostitutes in Ipswich to stay off the streets, with Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull quoted by the newspaper as saying: "It's not safe to engage a client or punter at this time."

He would not say how much they were being given, but said that because of "financial support" being offered, there was "no reason to go with clients".

I'm not sure this is setting a good precedent.
If average citizens were being preyed upon by muggers while going to work, would they pay them to stay home?
What is to keep some of the prostitutes from taking the money, and still going out to drum up business. Never underestimate the power of greed.
There are probably some that will disagree with me, but I just don't know if this is a good idea.
Just my opinion.

Iran opens conference to discuss evidence of Holocaust

This has to be one of the giants of all conspiracy theories; that the Holocaust was a complete fabrication. Of course, look at who is there:

Organizers touted the conference as a scholarly gathering aimed at discussing the Holocaust away from Western taboos, but the 67 participants from 30 countries were predominantly Holocaust deniers. They included David Duke — the former Louisiana state representative and Ku Klux Klan leader — and France's Robert Faurisson and Australian Frederick Toben, who was jailed in Germany in 1999 for questioning the Holocaust.

Basically, be have a lot of hate-mongers and people with personal axes to grind. Not to mention the Islamic countries, who have a knee-jerk reaction to anything that does not paint the Jews as villains.
The theory that the Holocaust was false is ridiculous; hell I've known people who were incarcerated in the camps, and have the tattoo and scars to show for it. I also had an uncle who was at the liberation of Buchenwald. It seems that to some groups, every time anything happens that they don't like, they start seeing Zionists hiding behind every tree, running the world in secret. If the Jewish people had so much control of everything, why in the hell would they be blockaded inside their tiny country, putting up with all the BS that is being dished out by the medieval barbarians in the surrounding countries? I guess logic is no substitute for hate, jealousy, and incompetence; it is easier to blame everything on a scapegoat. After all, it has been done successfully by others...

More e. colli cases at Taco Bell

Looks like they're still having problems at Taco Bell.

Doctors for the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that the investigation into an E. coli outbreak is still ongoing and that they expect the case count to increase in the coming days.

To date, no data implicate or rule out any specific food item served at the Taco Bell restaurants, the FDA said. It obtained samples of all nonmeat items served in the restaurants that could carry the pathogen. These include cilantro, cheddar cheese, blended cheese, green onions, yellow onions, tomatoes and lettuce. The samples are being tested at FDA and state laboratories.

Does it ever occur to people that maybe they should not eat there until this is cleared up? Who goes to eat at a chain where they have an ongoing food poisoning problem? It would seem that some of these people would notice a pattern here.
Personally, I could never stomach the quasi-Mexican food sold there, but people's tastes vary. I'm certain there has to be someplace with food as bad as theirs that will not give you food poisoning.

Computer wins chess game

BONN, Germany: World chess champion Vladimir Kramnik lost the sixth and decisive game against computer program Deep Fritz on Tuesday, ceding a hard-fought Man vs. Machine match 4-2.

Chess is one of those games that is capable of being played by a machine, if it is programmed properly, and has the power.
I remember back in the Eighties, a movie critic by the name of Joe Bob Briggs made an interesting conjecture; how well would a machine be able to play poker with some good players? His opinion was that the computer would lose, because poker, when played by experts, is as much a contest of character and personality as it is a game of statistics and logic. The machine may be able to figure the odds, but it would never be able to outfox a human who is playing against people, rather than against the cards, because they would change their patterns of play to confound a logical player, where a pro would be able to anticipate that kind of behavior from experience. I wonder if he may be right.
Any thoughts?

A trinity meme

Hammer hit me with this meme, so I'll try to do my best. Some have a lot more than three, so I just picked three that were applicable.


Three things that scare me:
Religious extremists (of any religion)
Having a stroke
Heights

Three people who make me laugh:
Too many to list, mainly family and some bloggers


Three things I love:
Cooking
Music
Firearms


Three things I hate:
Petty, rude people
Self-righteous demagogues
Bullies


Three things I don’t understand:
People who can deliberately hurt children
Surrendering your will to another person
Self-destructive people


Three things on my desk:
Computer peripherals
Ocarinas
Buddhas


Three things I’m doing right now:
Lifting weights
Brushing up on my languages at which I'm rusty
Reading a couple of novels


Three things I want to do before I die:
Visit a foreign country
Get my weight down
Make it to at least my 50th anniversary


Three things I can do:
Build/repair/program a computer
Calculus
Shoot firearms fairly well

Three things I can’t do:
Run a mile
Ski
Sing


Three things you should listen to:
In Search of the Lost Chord, from start to finish
Myles Davis
Night On Bald Mountain from start to finish


Three things you should never listen to:
Religious extremists (of any religion)
Most politicians
People with addictions


Three things I’d like to learn:
To read music better
To draw better
How to avoid stupid people


Three favorite foods:
Mexican
Italian
Greek


Three beverages I drink regularly:
Coffee
Water
Club soda


Three TV shows/Books I watched/read as a kid:
Twilight Zone
Dragnet
Gunsmoke

If I were to tag someone I'd say Nate.

Bad day for brass monkeys

Snowed about three or four inches yesterday, then cleared up. This morning it was 10 degrees at my place. With a bit of a breeze to make it even more interesting.
Global warming, my ass...

'Pregnant' man fined in SA court

A South African man has been fined $140 for taking a week off work, telling his employers he was pregnant.

A real genius here...

His employers became suspicious and investigated the matter.

Who would have thought?
You really have to wonder what some people are using for brains.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day was good, visited my mom, then went to dinner with my in-laws. Was a cold windy day out where my mom lives, however.
Friday was a beautiful clear, sunny, and windless day, and the temperature was in the fifties (Farenheit). Went pheasant hunting for the day. Hiked a lot, got worn out, but brought home four fat birds. A good time was had by all.
Well, time to visit some relatives, and try to get a few things accomplished. One thing I am NOT doing is Christmas shopping; I am not a masochist.

Big Brother gets bigger in UK

In U.K. public places, smarter closed-circuit TV cameras have been given the ability to listen out for disturbances as well as keeping an eye on citizens.
The system works by putting microphones in CCTV cameras to continually analyze the sound in the surrounding area. If aggressive tones are picked up, an alarm signal is automatically sent to the police, who can zoom in the camera to the location of the suspect sound and investigate the situation.

The police will be sent if someone talks in the wrong tone of voice?
So they have cameras watching everyone, microphones will listen to everyone's speech tones, what is next, mandatory chip implants? How can people think it is proper for the government to be breathing down their backs whenever they are outside of their homes? Orwell had the date wrong, but the society he wrote about in 1984 is becoming a reality. I just hope they don't get ideas like that on this side of the Atlantic. Though, I think we have some types in DC who would look favorably on that kind of surveillance in this country. I won't say which ones (Hint: "It's for the children!").
Just my opinion.

Ah, life in a small town...

BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - The mayor of a small Brazilian town has begun handing out free Viagra, spicing up the sex lives of dozens of elderly men and their partners.
"Since we started the free distribution of sexual stimulants, our elderly population changed. They're much happier," said Joao de Souza Luz, the mayor of Novo Santo Antonio, a small town in the central state of Mato Grosso.
Gosh, who would have thought? I wonder if they are joining in on the Global Orgasm mentioned below...

Hmm, I wonder if Norman Rockwell would have found it inspiring? Maybe someone could do a Photoshop of it in his style.

H/T to Lisa

Idiot burglar

This guy has got to be one of the most stupid, incompetent criminals I have ever seen. He should be shot just to put him out of his misery.

Hat tip to The Moderate Voice

Global orgasm?

Who came up with this New Age BS?

The mission of the Global Orgasm is to effect change in the energy field of the Earth through input of the largest possible surge of human energy. Now that there are two more US fleets heading for the Persian Gulf with anti- submarine equipment that can only be for use against Iran, the time to change Earth’s energy is NOW! Read more about the fleet buildup here.

The intent is that the participants concentrate any thoughts during and after orgasm on peace. The combination of high- energy orgasmic energy combined with mindful intention may have a much greater effect than previous mass meditations and prayers.

The goal is to add so much concentrated and high-energy positive input into the energy field of the Earth that it will reduce the current dangerous levels of aggression and violence throughout the world.


Blah, blah, blah...
Most normal people just fall asleep or have a smoke afterwards...

Memories

This is not the usual sort of thing that I write about; I usually have a comment on culture, technology, politics, and such. I don't claim to be a good writer, and this could use some polishing, but I felt that I needed to set something down today.

Some of my earliest memories are of my dad; I have a lot of good memories of both of my parents, but the very oldest ones are of me with my father doing things. I recall him taking me out to Nellis Air Force Base (where I was born) and showing me the aircraft, and even putting me in the cockpit of a Saber Jet once; there were a lot of them there back from Korea in the early Fifties.
I also remember going camping with him, and being taught to shoot long before I was old enough to go to school. We did a lot of camping, hunting, and fishing while I was growing up, and even managed to do quite a bit until I was in my forties.
When he got out of the Air Force, we moved to Utah, where I went to school when I got old enough. He became a machinist and worked at that for over 35 years.
When he retired, as a master machinist and millwright, he went to work for the government again, as a member of the Dugway Police Force. He had already accrued some time in both the Navy and the Air Force, so after several years, he was able to retire from the government.
In 2004, he was diagnosed with small cell cancer. He went through the chemo and radiation treatment, and managed to send it into remission. A few months later, it struck again; and again he fought it into remission.
In November of 2005, it struck again, stronger and more aggressive than before, and this time there was no stopping it. He died on November 15, one year ago today.


We were never rich, but we never lacked for what we needed, and he raised my brother and I on the idea that a person should make their own way in the world, and that you should always take responsibility for your actions. He worked a lot of long shifts and put in a lot of overtime to make certain that his family was taken care of ; to him family was the most important thing a person had.

I'm not sure why I am posting this; it just seems like it was something I needed to do at this time. Those of you who have gone through this may understand. For those of you who still have your family members with you, just make certain to make the most of your time with them, because you never know what can happen. I am just glad I was able to spend the time with him that we had, and wish it could have been more.

Handouts for harems

This is an interesting article that my brother found and sent me the link.

If the wives married in a country where polygamy is legal, they can all hit the UK taxpayer for jobseeker’s allowance, housing benefit and council tax relief.
And if these harems have children they can also claim child benefit and family tax credits.
The exhausted husband also gets a Jobseeker’s Allowance of £90.10 a week for himself and his first wife.
Extra wives get £32.65 each.

Hell, they don't even get that kind of deal here in Utah...

Semper fi, leatherneck

Read the article; nothing else needs to be said...

One year old child badly burned

Stuff like this makes me want to take a baseball bat to the person responsible.

At first glance, officials say it appears that the boy was placed in scalding hot water. Family members also say it appears that the child was forcibly held down, as evidenced by "finger marks" on his head.
The boy is listed in serious condition with third-degree burns on the lower half of his body. Doctors say he will likely have to stay in the hospital through Christmas.

I can't imagine why anyone could be sick enough to deliberately scald a toddler like that.

13-year-old girl leads police on 100 mph chase

And you think your teenager is a handful...

Mexico anger over US border fence

I am getting real tired of people like Mexican President Vicente Fox; evidently he is confused as to what country he is running.

"I'm sure that the United States is committing a grave mistake in building this fence." Outgoing Mexican President Vicente Fox called the plans "shameful".

Mexico has pledged to challenge the fence at the United Nations, having already appealed to the Organization of American States.

Excuse me?
Who the hell do you people think you are to tell us what we can do inside our own borders? Since when are you entitled to use our country as a way of bleeding off the unemployed, poor, and criminals of your country? If you are so worried about your people, why not improve your country so they quit trying to leave? Why are you so concerned because we want legal immigrants who will obey the laws? What is shameful is that you cannot keep your citizens happy in their own country.
As far as appealing to the United Nations, I could care less what that useless bunch of idiots thinks. So to all the people who think we should roll over and let everyone trample us into the sort of place that they are trying to escape, you can KMA and STFU.
Just my opinion.

Riot warning for France suburbs

This is a ridiculous state of affairs; what's next, storming the Bastille? You wouldn't try pulling off this BS around here; the first time someone tried to burn down one of our neighborhoods, they would encounter a bad case of lead poisoning. Of course, you can't do that in France, it wouldn't be politically correct. Sounds like they need to either start doing a better job with their police, or let citizens start defending themselves in a proper manner.
Just my opinion.

A new blog

I have always been a follower of Tamara; her humor, writing, and knowledge of firearms has always been a source of enjoyment to those of us familiar with View From The Porch. Now she has started a second blog, this one called The Arms Room, with her posts on military and collector's firearms. If you are into firearm history, check it out.

This is just wrong...

Seven undertakers in the New York area have admitted being part of a scheme to steal body parts for transplants.

The criminal operation saw body parts removed from corpses without the consent of relatives and sold to biomedical companies.

This is really sinking to a low level; it is one thing if a person is a voluntary organ donor, but stealing parts for a profit is disgusting, to say the least.

Car Computer Reads Road Signs

Siemens has developed an in-car technology that uses a special camera and on-board computer to read and interpret road signs and display the information in your field of vision.

This seems like a waste of money to me; why would I want to pay extra for something like this?
IMHO, if you can't see the speed limit signs due to a medical condition or weather, you shouldn't even be driving. If you are doing something distracting and do not see them, you shouldn't be driving, or doing whatever(?!) is distracting you.
It just seems like something else to jack up the price of the vehicle, and more things to break down.
Just my opinion.

Parent nearly shot as sniper

I have to wonder what someone is thinking to get in this situation; it's as if they have no idea of what has been happening in schools lately. It's a good thing no one on the SWAT team had an itchy finger.

This character is enough to make you ill

Adam Gadahn, a U.S.-born member of the al-Qaeda terrorist group, was indicted on a treason charge by a federal grand jury in Santa Ana, California.
Gadahn, 28, has appeared in five videotapes distributed by al-Qaeda, including two last month, making threats against the U.S., according to the indictment. He calls himself ``Azzam the American.''

How this POS can call himself an American is something I don't understand. We can only hope he meets up with a firing squad, as he deserves.
Just my opinion.

Child plea made to games industry

The nanny state of the UK strikes again; they believe it is the game manufacturers' fault that children spend too much time playing games.


Creative industries minister Shaun Woodward said the industry had to deal with its image problem.Mr Woodward told delegates at the London Games Summit that they had to take the authors of the letter seriously, and realise that there was more to life than videogames.
He said: "This is an important debate because you have access to around 23 million people in this country who are gamers; many of those are young people.
"How do we reach into homes where games have become a substitute for parenting? You [the games industry] might say that this is not your responsibility, but if you say that I think that is the response of a nascent industry."

Has it occurred to anyone to talk to the parents of the children? I thought they were responsible for their children. My mistake, I guess...

Man in thong leaves behind video of burglary attempt

This is so wrong in so many ways...

Target shooting

LOL! I'll never be satisfied again with plinking at cans after watching this video.

Hat tip to Of Arms and the Law

How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Hell, I wouldn't trust half the people I know to unload one of these without getting hurt...

I am puzzled by this

Everyone has read about the school principal in a Wisconsin high school who was killed by a student; it is just now that I have been reading some of the details, and I am a bit perplexed.

Hainstock had pried open his family's gun cabinet, took out a shotgun, retrieved the key to his parents' locked bedroom and took a .22-caliber revolver, according to the complaint.

He entered the school with the shotgun before classes began and pointed the gun at a social studies teacher, but Thompson wrested it from the teen, the complaint said. When Hainstock reached for the handgun, Thompson and the teacher ran for cover.

Can anyone tell me why, after taking a shotgun from someone, you would run away when they pulled out a .22 pistol? It seems to me that you could either use the shotgun the way it was intended, or, if you were unfamiliar with firearms, at least use it like a bat and smack the kid upside the head? Are people so programmed to be afraid of a handgun that they abandon all reason when facing one, even when they have an equal or superior weapon at hand? Running from an attack is not always the smart thing to do; it usually means being hit/stabbed/shot in the back.
Just my opinion.

Gas from manure; large plant to open in Texas

This is something that has been done quite a bit in the past (I remember reading about people doing it on farms during the sixties), but it sounds like someone is going to try it on a large commercial scale in Texas. Hope it works out.
Actually, maybe they should locate it in the nation's capitol or possibly in California; either one of them puts out enough bullshit to supply half the free world.

State sues car firms on climate

If there was ever any doubt that the state of California was completely batshit crazy, this should settle it.

California is asking for "monetary compensation" for the damage which it says their emissions are doing to health, economy and environment.

State lawyers want any judgement for damages to be ongoing, so that manufacturers will be liable every year.

I would like to see them prove that all of their problems are caused by car exhausts. If they are, try complaining to the people who are driving the cars. Of course that might lose some votes...
Obviously what we have here is an incompetent bunch of politicians trying to find some way to soak someone for more money without raising taxes. So like any other greedy loser, they result to highway robbery reckless litigation.
What a bunch of jackasses.

Childhood Obesity

According to a report, this is becoming quite a problem. I agree, but I do not agree with the following:

The creation and evaluation of programs needs to be done by federal and local governments, says the report. It calls on the food industry to promote healthy products, as well as to take steps to develop well-balanced and nutritious products.

Since when is it the government's responsibility? I thought that was something that parents did? Aren't they the ones who are supposed to raise their children, take care of their needs, and teach them how to cope with life?
The last thing we need is the state taking on even more nanny responsibilities than it has now.
Just my opinion.

Shooting at Montreal college

This is a helluva note; another group of nuts deciding to shoot up a school. Of course with the gun register and all the gun regulations, this will be cleared up quickly, right? I doubt it; they aren't even certain how many shooters were there.

"We don't know what is happening," said one student who remained barricaded in a classroom with about 30 other people after the shootings.
"There's no one here to tell us what to do."

People are shooting at them, and they don't know what to do? And this from college students...

Update:

Looks like there was one shooter, and the police nailed him, but not until after a lot of people got hurt.
Too bad they don't let people carry protection up there; maybe fewer people would have gotten shot.

I've seen better weekends

Haven't had much of a chance to sit at the computer this weekend. Sunday I got a call from out at my mom's; the firefighters were just arriving to get after a brush fire that started out in the middle of my mom's 20 acres. We rushed out their, but even driving like a maniac, it takes about an hour. The fire was pretty well out, except for a few hot spots, but it did manage to completely burn some sheds and stuff like tillers, snow blowers, and such. Luckily, no one was hurt. The blaze came up to about 2-3 feet from her home, and was blocked by the rocks along her flower bed. Spent part of yesterday and today out there fixing some of the stuff that wasn't damaged by the fire. When the fire was first sighted, all of her neighbors for miles around came and helped move equipment and valuables away from the area, and helped with shovels and a backhoe to make fire breaks. My thanks to all of them. I may be busy from time to time out there, so blogging may or may not be spotty for a few days.
This is a picture of part of the area, her home is on the far right; you can see where it burnt around the pump house and up to the home. It probably burned up a total of about six or seven acres.



Click for larger view.

Woman orders bears out of her kitchen

Very lucky lady; though I know a few old ladies who could bite a bear on the butt and kick it for bleeding.
I think if I lived in that area, I would start keeping one of my 44's in the kitchen area...

Canine driver crashes car

Why would someone let their dog drive?

"She thought she would let the dog `have a try' while she operated the accelerator and brake," the report said. "They did not make it far before crashing into an oncoming car."

I don't even trust most teenagers to drive a car, but at least (I think/hope) they don't let their pets drive.

Long hours at work can raise your blood pressure

Is it just me, or do there seem to be a lot of research and studies lately that seem completely redundant? The no-shit-Sherlock department seems to be putting in a lot of long hours on studies that most people seem to already know from experience and/or common sense.

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, have found that working longer hours is directly associated with hypertension, even after adjusting for biological risk factors such as gender and ethnicity.

Gosh, who would have thought?

Refuse to be Terrorized

This is one of the best articles on this subject I have read in quite a while. This link especially was a good comment. As long as we are running around in a usually needless panic, these guys are winning.

Psycho Killer Raccoons Terrorize Olympia

Believe it or not, that is the actual headline. Makes you think along the lines of "Bambi Meets Dawn of the Dead".
Anyone who has been around raccoons knows what obnoxious vermin they can be. This is just another reason why they are not good neighbors.

N.J. contractor charged with 399 counts of child porn, sex crimes

Bilsky was charged in the grand jury indictment with 74 counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, 30 counts of second-degree aggravated sexual assault and 295 counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child by the manufacture of child pornography.

This just boggles the mind; how can a person cockroach like that look at himself in the mirror? Since they won't let us shoot a piece of garbage like this, I hope he spends the rest of his life in prison with no possibility of parole.

Old-fashioned wheelguns

Over at Kim du Toit's, there has been a bit of discussion about a new commemorative revolver; some people like it, some don't. It is two-toned with pearl grips, and different people have different opinions. Personally, I tend more to the traditional when it comes to revolvers; blued metal and wooden grips. Just call me old-fashioned.
The gun below is a Colt Bisley 38-40 manufactured in 1894. It is a good shooter, though the grip design of the Bisley is a little odd if you are not used to it. My dad originally got it about 35 years ago. A friend of his found it in an attic, and wasn't big on guns. My dad had done a couple of favors for him (he was a journeyman machinist) and he offered it to my dad for $10. He immediately bought it, and check it over for any defects or problems. Just needed some cleaning.
We reloaded for it using cast lead 10mm 180 gr SW, with a bit of Unique powder, and it works just fine. When my dad passed away back in November, it was one of the things he left to me.

Click on picture for larger view.

Hispanic activists sue over illegal-immigrant crackdown in Pa. town

Hazleton, a city of about 31,000 people 80 miles from Philadelphia, voted last month to fine landlords $1,000 for renting to illegal immigrants, deny business permits to companies that give them jobs, and make English the city's official language.

The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund said the lawsuit is the first in the nation against a city that passed an illegal-immigration ordinance. The group and other plaintiffs contend the measure violates the law and asked a federal judge to prevent its enforcement.

I would like to hear what sort of justification this group can make; seems like they are quick to call on the law for support of illegal activities, but not very good at obeying the laws unless it suits them.

It seems a little ridiculous that a group is suing the local government for trying to uphold the law; something the federal government refuses to do, and something we should ALL remember come election time.
Just my opinion.

The only one counseled enough...

A woman who counsels crime victims was charged Friday with burglarizing a home in Sandy with four accomplices - two men and two 17-year-old girls.

WTF?

A definite nominee for the Darwin Award

You really have to wonder what was going through this idiot's brain.

A Brazilian man died Tuesday when he tried to open what police believe was a rocket-propelled grenade with a sledgehammer in a mechanical workshop on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.

Hat tip to Dumbshit of the Week

Study claims to link vulgar lyrics to early sex by teenagers

Personally, I find this a little hard to believe without better evidence. It reminds me of when I was growing up in the Sixties, and our elders were blaming everything on the Beatles, whether it was drinking, sex, drugs, or anything else they didn't like about teens.
Did it ever occur to these people that perhaps sexually active teenagers were more drawn to explicit music? There are too many times when the horse and cart are transposed by a study, especially if the sponsor of the study has a personal agenda. I don't see enough concrete evidence to draw the conclusion that music causes promiscuity, any more than video games are responsible for violence.
Just my opinion.

For the caffiene junkies

Too bad they don't have these in this country; I think they could sell pretty well in some circles.

An amazing display of idiocy/propaganda from Turkey

This has to be one of the most blatant displays of slanted writing I have seen in a while; though if you notice the source, it is not surprising.

Owing to one veto in the UN emergency session, not even a decision to condemn Israel was possible. In this attack the region’s main highways, electric and water distribution networks, communication channels, hospitals and emergency institutions, total infra structure, have been destroyed. Civilian settlements have been indiscriminately bombarded and hundreds of children, women and civilians have been massacred.

The attacks on Israel are treated as minor.
What is with these people?

A miserable Sunday

Woke up feeling ok on Sunday, did the grocery shopping. After bringing in the groceries, I felt a bit tired, so I sat down for a minute. When I tried to stand up, I almost passed out. I was feeling extremely light-headed, dizzy, nauseous, and was sweating profusely. My wife got home a couple of minutes later, and I couldn't even stand up to go to the hospital, so I had to ride the ambulance. My first concern was my heart; except for not having chest pains, everything was indicative of an attack. I am no stranger to heart problems (had to get a stent put in last year), so I was very concerned, especially since the doctors felt there was a high probability of it being another attack. After a myriad of tests, they found out that I have a bad infection (good, no heart problems), and sent me home after pumping me full of antibiotics. Spent a miserable night, had a high fever and I feel like I've been run over by a dumptruck. I am due to go in in about an hour and get another bag of stuff dripped into me, hope your day goes better than mine.

Update:

Well, after some serious vein gouging, three shots in the butt, and some pills, my temperature is normal; yesterday it was running around 103. My blood pressure has gone up to 90/59 (it was even lower yesterday, probably why I was so dizzy). It seems I have a really bad case of cellulitis in my left leg (it is bright red, hot, and twice the size of my right leg), but at least now I can hobble around a bit with the aid of a cane. The odd thing is that I also show all the symptoms of pneumonia, but without the coughing. Go figure.
My thanks to people who have stopped by to wish me well, it is really appreciated. I guess I'll go lay down in a bit (I have been sleeping/passing out intermittently all day), thanks again.

Another brilliant study

Boston -- A study of low-income housing residents has documented that the more television people say they watched, the less active they were, researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and colleagues report.

What genius came up with this? I don't have a medical degree, but I could have figured this out without a fancy study. Do any of them know the definition of a couch potato?
In other news, we still don't have a cure for cancer.

Concerning wheelguns

Over at the Pistolero's blog there was a bit of a discussion about being old-fashioned; I've always had a fondness for revolvers, and some of my oldest memories are of shooting them before I was old enough to read. I decided to post some of my Rugers here. The grips may look odd on the single-actions, but I had to put some oversize grips on them due to the fact that most wheelguns tend to be made for people with narrower hands than mine. The double action is a Redhawk in 44 mag, the long-barreled Super Blackhawk is 44 mag, and the shorter barrel gun is a Blackhawk in 45LC.
Click thumbnail for larger picture.


I may post pictures of some of my other guns later.

You Don't Speak for Me

This is definitely a group of people who should be both commended and supported by all of those who are against illegal immigration.
Hat tip to GuyK

The only ones immune enough...

The London police who shot/executed Jean Charles de Menezes last year will not be charged for mistakenly killing an innocent man, though the department may face a charge of "violating the country's health and safety code".
It is interesting that in a country that prohibits civilians from using force in all but the most extreme cases of self-defense, the police can run down and kill someone on the suspicion that the person may be guilty.
No wonder they don't like the police to have guns in the UK.

'Crime Emergency' Declared in DC

Our nation's capitol is in the midst of a murder spell; interesting because of it being held up as a model of gun control (there is no civilian ownership of handguns allowed). Why is it that the areas that do not allow citizens the basic human right of self-defense seem to have this problem the most? If outside guns are the culprit, then why is it that the surrounding states that allow people their right to self-protection do not have the same problem? I think the answer is self-evident. One of these never stopped a crime.

Steam-powered computer

This is one way to go mobile, I guess, but I think a laptop would be easier.

Helpful maid may have taken $13K tip

We obviously have someone here with more money than brains...

Early Drinking Significantly Raises Dependency Risk In Later Years

Here we have another "study" from the no-shit-Sherlock department. Why can't I get funding for some of these no-brainers?

If a person starts drinking alcohol before 14 years of age he/she is at a 78% higher risk of having an alcohol problem in later years compared with people who start when they are at least 21, say researchers from Boston University School of Public Health, USA.

How much did they have to spend to figure out that? Of course if someone starts any bad habit early, it is more likely to persist; haven't these people got any contact with the real world?

UN Human Rights Council

This has got to be one of the most idiotic councils I have ever seen; it is so obviously lopsided and has no relation at all to human rights. The member countries are all some of the worst violaters of human rights themselves, and basically they are just using it to further their own goals, which have nothing at all to do with freedom or people's rights. But, consider that they are part of the UN, which is one of the most corrupt, money-squandering, useless organizations in the world. There is a need for an organization like the UN, but what we have now is a farce.
Just my opinion.

We're the only ones technical enough

The 'Mafia cops' had their conviction overturned on a technicality, the lawyers actually are proud of their performance.

Get Paid to Blog, Advertise on Blogs

It's one thing to have an ad or two on your website; it's another to write and post advertisements; don't we have enough spammers to do that? People doing that should also put one of these on their site:
Just my opinion.

Man Sues Over Web Site Comments

I guess the attorney has nothing better to do; it's lawyers like this guy that give them a bad name, always wanting to sue someone for penny-ante stuff. So a couple of women didn't like you, BIG DEAL. Grow up and live with it.

Talkers as Bad as Drinkers

This is no news to anyone who has been driving in traffic lately.

More toy cars...

Can you imagine taking one of these fishing or boating? I've seen more cargo space in a golf cart.

Don't leave home without it

Interesting; a shotgun and a shield. Of course, it depends on whether you have time to deploy it. Could be nice to have on the seat next to you if someone tries to carjack you, I guess.

More schools ban games at recess

The nanny state is at it again; the game of tag is regarded as too dangerous for elementary school students in some areas. It is normal for children to get bruises and skinned knees; that is part of growing up and learning to handle life. What kind of an adult does a person grow up to be who is overly coddled during their childhood? Faling down teaches you how to be careful and pay attention to your surroundings, rather than standing around and squealing for help any time life throws a curve ball at you.

Sad news from the blogosphere

The Acidman has passed away. For those who have been readers of his blog, he was always interesting; he had some rough edges, but he always told you what he thought, whether you agreed or not. His words were sometimes deep, sometimes outrageous, many times funny, but were never dull. He was one of a kind. He will be missed by a lot of readers.

Ave atque vale.

Congress Could Change Credit Freeze Law

This is local news, but it affects the whole country. Some states are trying to protect people's credit during identity theft, but evidently we have some people in DC who are trying to pass federal laws to bypass the state laws. The sponsor would appear to be a shill for the Credit Bureaus who don't like the laws.

We're the only ones guarded enough...

And some people would like you to believe that the only ones who should be armed are representatives of the government. Seems to me that the average gun owner wouldn't try to have a shoot-out with the FBI.
(Hat tip to David Codrea)

Jolie and Pitt, blah, blah, blah...

Isn't there anything more important going on than these two having a family? I thought it was bad enough the way they ran Cruise and Holmes until people were tired of them. Give us a break, media people.

Mexico accused of abusing its illegals

Pot, meet kettle...

"Although Mexico demands that its citizens' rights be protected when they illegally enter the United States, immigrants who cross illegally into Mexico "are often ripped off six ways until sundown," says George Grayson, a professor at the College of William & Mary and a fellow at the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies (CIS).
Mr. Grayson, who wrote a report for the center on Mexico's abuses of aliens, says "very little" is being done by Mexico to protect the welfare of the Central Americans and the others who cross into Mexico."

Sounds like Fox needs to quit whining about US treatment of Mexican illegals, and mind his own store.

For iPod addicts

Now, I don't know about you, but this sort of frightens me...

Man charged after wife's head is found at accident scene

You have to wonder what is wrong with someone like this; first he kills and beheads his wife, and takes the head with him. Then, he gets in a head-on collision that kills a woman and her daughter.
I hope the courts throw the book at him.

German hybrid car

OMG! That has got to be one of the most butt-ugly cars I have ever seen; not to mention the fact that it isn't big enough to be useful for anything.

Load up the F-16, guys, time for another flight...

You have to wonder if he is nervous, considering how his new job opening became vacant.
Keep up the good work, troops.

Record meteorite hits in Norway

This is way interesting; a chance to do some research on a recently fallen meteorite, if they can find the pieces. Good thing it didn't land in the middle of a city.

The Immigration Bill

This guy hits the nail on the head fairly straight; this is probably one of the clearest, most uncomplicated comments I've seen concerning the bill.
Hat tip to Acidman.

Utah Guard unit begins new mission along border

Hang in there guys...

Aw, nuts...how did I miss this?

Sounds like they had a good picnic, but not for the faint-hearted, PETA members, or Vegans.

Mosquito Mega-Catch

An industrial grade mosquito "zapper".
Now if only they could invent one of these that would work on spammers...

Hummingbirds

Every year hummingbirds nest in a tree in my front yard, about seven to eight feet above the ground. This year is no exception, and here is the female. No eggs yet, but they should be forthcoming. Will post updates as events unfold. The nest is about 2" in diameter.
Click picture for larger image.

Parents Sue McDonald's Over Son's Fatal Fight

Now this has got to be one ridiculous lawsuit; a guy starts a fight with someone at a McDonald's drive-through, gets killed, and now the family is suing McDonald's because instead of going out and stopping the fight the manager called the police. Sounds like someone is just trying to make some quick money to me.

Vacation was good

Got home from vacation yesterday afternoon; now I am getting over a bit of some bug that had me down with just under a 103 degree fever when I got home, so I didn't do any blogging until today. The weather down in southern Utah was pretty good, though it got a bit cool Sunday. The weather in southern Colorado was also good; we dropped in on Durango and also made a quick trip to Mesa Verde. For anyone interested, here are some pictures, I may upload more if anyone is interested. Click on image for larger view.

Going on vacation

Will be getting things packed for a vacation trip; tomorrow we will be leaving for Moab in southern Utah. Hopefully the weather will be good in order to indulge in hiking, photography, driving the Jeep down old roads, etc. For those who enjoy desert country and scenery, it is hard to beat that area. We may also drop in on Durango, Colorado, as that is only a couple of hours away from Moab.

I'm a little confused about the weather...

We have one article here, and another one there, each giving us opposite forecasts for the hurricane season. If this is the state of meteorology, how am I supposed to believe all of the arguments for the causes of global warming from these people? I'm starting to believe more and more that most of the weather predictions (including some of the reasons for global warming) are nothing but SWAG's.

911 dispatcher misuses database, kills ex-girlfriend

I keep hearing people say "You don't need personal protection, that's what 911 is for".
And who will protect you from your protectors...?

Senate votes English 'national language' for federal services, communications

It's about time; a country needs to have a common language for official purposes.
Now if the ACLU will just keep their hands off and worry about the rights of citizens for a change, rather than "cherry-picking" people's rights to match their own agenda and philosophies.

Customer service

Gullyborg at Resistance is futile! has an interesting experience with customer service that is becoming more common than people think.

Robertson says God told him that storms will lash U.S. coastline this year

Do you ever get the feeling that his doctor has prescribed the wrong medication, or that his tinfoil hat is a little too tight?

Keyboard and mouse hybrid

For people who love gadgets for their own sake. I would think it would be awkward as hell and tedious while learning.
This looks to be a solution in search of a problem...

Government interference

This is a good article on the politicization of business, and why it is bad.

From the article:

The tragedy is that the most important factor in America's economic future - in raising everyone's standard of living - is not land, or money, or computers; it's human talent. And some part of the human talent at another of America's most dynamic companies is now being diverted from productive activity to protecting the company from political predation. The parasite economy has sucked in another productive enterprise.

UN elects new human rights body

China, Cuba, Pakistan, Russia and Saudi Arabia were elected to the Human Rights Commission? What collection of idiots put THAT bunch on a Human Rights Commission? Oh yeah, the UN...
Isn't it about time to give up on the UN? It is about as useful as the League of Nations was. Currently it seems to be nothing but a corruption filled group of bureaucrats all trying to jockey for power, and nobody really gives a damn about people, just power and prestige for themselves and their countries. I would think that all of the money and resources could be put to better use actually helping people with problems.

Chevron Memo Raises Suspicion

This answers a few questions about gas prices.

Under the bandages King Tut is all man

That's pretty bad when they have to use a CT scanner to find that thing...LOL

Rep. Patrick Kennedy blames car crash on medication

Sounds like we'll never know:

"Louis Cannon, president of the Washington chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, who was not on the scene, said the congressman had appeared intoxicated when he crashed his Ford Mustang into a barrier on Capitol Hill.

Cannon said the officers involved in the accident were instructed by an official "above the rank of patrolman" to take Kennedy home and no sobriety tests were conducted at the scene."
(Italics are mine)

This sounds a bit familiar...

Not a bad weekend

Went to a gun show on Saturday and met up with Nate and a friend of his, Loc. They ended up getting a lot of ammo for themselves and some friends (they both had shopping lists), but I ended up not picking up anything this trip. Everything I was interested in was way out of my present price range. Unfortunately, I am not this guy. Well, maybe I'll have a little more saved up for next time...

You need to check this out...

Regardless of how you feel about the present day war, this is one of the most moving presentations about our people in uniform I have seen in a long time; hat tip to Annika.

Woman goes after husband with SUV

I've seen some bad relationships, but this is ridiculous. Good thing she didn't have a gun.

Senator plans Net taxes but no Net neutrality

Trust a greedy politician senator to try and find something else to tax; they can't seem to leave anything alone, always wanting to tax one item so something else can be subsidized by the nanny state. If they want to do something useful, try keeping the neutrality of the net intact, that will do more people more good in the long run.

Man Robs Bank Then Hails A Cab To Make His Getaway

The crooks seem to get dumber every day, don't they? Some of these people must be embarrassed when they tell their fellow inmates how they were caught.

Double homicide committed by 12-year old

This is quite a disturbing article; I remember kids having tantrums, but to kill a sibling and parent? And a 12-year old doing it by stabbing and beating? That sort of violence is up close and personal, not like a shooting; many adults are incapable of such action, so I have to wonder what brought it out in a child?

Attempted suicide with nail gun

I've been following this for a couple of days now; does this mean we are going to see triggerlocks and a law that nail guns and nails must be stored in separate areas? Will there be a limit on how large of nails can be used (perhaps a special license for anything over a 10-penny nail)? Not to sound insensitive, but you'd think that if someone wanted to commit suicide, they could at least do it right...

Feds pledge to get tough on companies employing illegal immigrants

It's about time; but I'll believe it when I see it. I suspect it will more likely be a few examples to make people think something is being done, and then fade away when people become apathetic over it, or when there is some new scandal in the entertainment industry to distract them.

Study reveals most vehicle accidents are caused by distractions

I wish I could get in on some of these studies; it seems like the government is willing to fund some of the most no-shit-Sherlock studies you could ever imagine. Is there a Department of Obvious Facts somewhere in Washington? Next we'll get a new study that discovers that (drumroll, please):
Governments Tend to Waste Money.
As long as it's OUR tax dollars you're spending, how about studying something we don't already know?

Are you getting as tired of Tom Cruise and family as I am?

It seems like I can't look at the news anywhere without running into news about them; isn't there more important stuff happening in the world? As writer Robert Heinlein once said:
"The United States has become a place where entertainers and professional athletes are mistaken for people of importance."
For those who are avidly following every bit of news about them, GET A LIFE! Even a Trekkie takes a break once in a while...

Mexico slams Georgia migrant law

And what business it is of theirs concerning what laws we pass here?
"Since becoming Mexico's president in 2000, Vicente Fox has been pressing for reforms that would allow more Mexicans to work legally in the US."
Why don't you worry about your own country? Maybe then you wouldn't have so many people bailing out of Mexico. I hate to burst your bubble, President Fox, but the United States is not here for the benefit of your citizens; that's YOUR job.

4 dead in ex-worker's Missouri shooting spree

Ohh jeez...Sarah Brady and her pack will be jumping up and down and foaming at the mouth over this one.
Maybe if someone there had been legally armed, the gunman might have been stopped before shooting several people.

You don't read much on this subject

If you can read this article without feeling something, then your emotions work on a lot different level than mine...

Enough of this weather...

Dumped three inches of snow in my yard yesterday morning, did it again last night; it would be nice to see springtime weather again, but this is not unusual in this area.

So much for spring...

These are a couple of shots from my front porch; hell of a thing to wake up to on a Monday morning in spring.

Police find saw marks on slain girl

This article is so disturbing that I am at a loss for words; how does a person get this way?

Update
This is so wrong: I can understand why some people want to hang the perpetrator of this outrage.

Thursday was busy

Had to run some family errands on Thursday, took me an hour west of Salt Lake Valley. On the way back I stopped at an old wash and did some target practice. Some shooting with my old Ruger MarkII, and with one of my newer pistols; a Taurus I picked up a few months ago. I've always been a fan of the big bores such as 44's and 45's, though I do have a 357 and a 38. Was a little windy, but that just adds a bit of challenge. Didn't have time to do much, but at least I got in a bit of practice.

Not too much today

Going to be out of town most of the day running errands.

Rat Zapper

I wonder if they have a larger version of this for two-legged rodents?

A portable washing machine

I always felt people went camping to get AWAY from this sort of thing.

Power from BS

If 900 cows can power 600 homes, Washington DC should be able to power half the country...

For the drinking geek...

Sort of pricey, but since when has that ever discouraged toys?

U.S. Senate Agreement on Immigration Law Collapses

I've been following this story for some time now, and basically all I have seen is an argument about who can stay and who has to leave. This is a necessary subject that must be dealt with, but nowhere have I seen anything on securing our borders.
What good are a passel of laws dealing with illegals, if you cannot keep them out? The ones that do not meet the requirements are not going to go register and get deported, they will just try to stay hidden from the feds, the same as now. And if the borders are not secured, it just means more of them coming in to replace the ones you catch and deport.
If these politicians want to solve the problem of illegal immigration, I suggest they do what the military does in a hostile situation: secure the perimeter, then worry about setting up camp. Anything else fits the old cliche of arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Homeland Security official caught in child porn sting

What kind of people do they have watching over this country? People like this make my blood boil.

Blah, blah, blah...

I am getting real tired of this person; her difficulties are not caused by being black, but I think her problems are due to a different facet of her personality.

Another case of PC insanity...

A teen mistakenly brings a Swiss army knife to school, turns it in because of a "no knife" policy at the school, and is promptly suspended. Check out the article, it is a perfect example of PC/Jackass reasoning.

And now for some comments from some famous people...

‘‘Those who beat their swords into plowshares usually end up plowing for those who didn’t.’’ -Ben Franklin

"Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." - Mark Twain

“Washington is a stud farm for every jackass in the country.” - Mark Twain

"This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer." -Will Rogers


Which goes to show that things haven't changed as much as we thought over the years...

80,000 volt electric suitcase

Drop the price, and make it into a bedside gunsafe, and you might have something interesting there.

What kind of journalism is this?

I try to pull up some news on the president's meeting in Mexico, and what do I get? A fashion commentary on two presidents and a prime minister...

Quid custodiet ipsos custodes?

This is the department in charge of Homeland Security and such?

Pre-pixelated clothes

For those who want to say things you can't say in public...

Travellers warned to avoid central Paris

Sounds like they are trying to have another revolution; in the videos I keep expecting to see people wearing the bonnet rouge and assembling guillotines...

A viewpoint on the illegal immigrant question

Nate has a good commentary on the illegal immigrant protests : also has an interesting idea to help addressing the problem.

Finally!

Now that the snow from the weekend has melted, it is starting to look more like springtime around here.

Ouch...

Nice to see someone is using some intelligence and initiative.

Brady Bunch report card for Utah

Good to see that we in Utah are doing something right; personally I would see a grade of C or higher as a failure.

USATODAY.com - Gunman kills six, self in Seattle home

The "Brady Bunch" is going to have a field day with this one...they seem to get overjoyed any time an incident like this happens.

The future is now...

Eurotech offers an innovative wearable computer for indoor and outdoor tasks

This reaffirms your faith in human nature

Villagers rushed to doomed ferry

Sounds like the Feds were asleep at the wheel.

Can someone explain the reasoning here?

I'm not sure I understand; growing food is a waste of water? Granted, there is some waste when irrigating, and there are some ways of conserving with small gardens, such as drip irrigation, but how is a larger farm, or one in a poor country that cannot afford fancy plumbing, expected to water crops? I'd like to get some of those engineers and theoreticians out on a farm or ranch for a few weeks...

They tell me it is now officially spring

Seems like all it did was snow sporadically all weekend. Supposedly spring has sprung, or something to that effect. I guess that means it will not snow as much, with occasional rain instead. This weather has been giving me cabin fever; I can't wait for some decent weather so I can get out and do some plinking and hiking.

A little background on where I live...

West Valley City is one of several cities located in Salt Lake Valley; it is a bit to the west of Salt Lake City. Many people think of all of the cities in Salt Lake Valley as Salt Lake City, but they each have their own mayor and city governments.

Where to start?

New at this, so bear with me.