Thanks to Tam for this link:
Todd Jarrett explains (and demonstrates) the proper way to hold a handgun.
It LOOKS complicated, but think about it: so does riding a bike if you've never done it before. I'm sure that, with time, this method could work just as well for anyone as it does for Mr. Jarrett.
Besides...if you're going to handle something like a gun, don't you think it would help to actually, you know, have a good chance of hitting whatever you're attempting to aim at? Thought so.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Sunday, May 6, 2007
As my resolve comes crashing down...
...and my distaste for the current news rises, I've decided to bite the bullet and humanize myself a little more for the 3 people who peruse this blog regularly. Ambulance Driver posted a meme on his journal, and invited anyone who was interested to participate and then post a link in his comments. So...I decided to open up a bit and let you guys know some random facts about me. Some aren't particularly interesting, but neither is CMT, and they have a lot of viewers, so what have I got to lose, right?
The rules are as follows:
The rules are as follows:
Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things and add a copy of these rules. THEN, you need to choose 7 people to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!
Okie dokey. Here goes:
1. This being the first fact, I should probably ease you guys into things, but I'll remove any pretense and just say that, ever since I was a very small child, I've had a low opinion of people in general. I wasn't aware of it when I was younger, but I've been told stories. It's carried over into my adult life, where I maintain that individuals are fine, but people as a whole frickin' suck. Crowds suck, mob rule sucks. Give me a small group over the general population any day.
2. Animals, on the other hand, reduce me to a pile of gibberish. Cats, guinea pigs, and horses, particularly. Frogs and toads have been known to make me squee audibly. The thing I like about animals is that they're not going to act any way that they don't really feel. You can tell when a dog's trying to be sneaky, and when you call them on it, they renege and go back to trying to play with you. A cat's always going to act slightly standoffish, but you expect that and deal with it. In return, animals like me. I think it's a good trade-off. I will likely be the crazy cat woman at the end of the block that kids say is rumored to be a child-eating witch, but that's okay. :-) I don't like kids, anyway.
3. Bodily functions of any sort (that don't merely involve air) gross me out. This is why, even though I have an uncanny knack for medical things and figuring out bodily processes and biology (which drives my doctor insane, because they don't like me going in, telling them what I think is wrong, and being correct), I would make a really crappy medic/doctor/nurse. Someone pukes? I'm right next to them, yakking. A child poops in their diaper? I find someone, ANYONE, else who can take care of it. The smell of pee disturbs me. Spit kind of makes me want to hork. My nephew will not go on any extended trips with me until he's potty-trained. My sister thinks I'm nuts, but I've made my position on excrement very clear. "It's different when it's your own child", eh? Well, I'm not sure if I'll ever want to find that out.
4. Like the rainbow theme? Moving on...I have red hair, but I don't think there's a lick of Irish in me. I'm French (mother's side), German (father's side), and American Indian (both sides...I'm 1/8, but can't prove it with paperwork, so I'm paying for school with loans. bastards.). It's also rumored that my dad's side of the family is a direct descendant of Frederick the Great, who, if you know your history, was the last ruler of Prussia before that country was divided amongst the Germanic countries. I'd be a shitty princess, so it's probably just as well.
5. My mom likes to tell people I was singing (at 7 mos.) before I could talk (at 8mos.). I like to believe that it's true. I'm a singin' fool, and am quite good, if you believe most of the people who've heard me and choose to comment. The only recordings I have for general consumption, however, are drunken karaoke, so I will not be sharing those with you at this time. Maybe at some other point, when another opportunity to make myself look like something other than a conspiracy theorist comes up.
6. On that same token, I will listen to almost anything, as long as it's pleasant to my ears and fun to sing. I have an extensive collection of boy-band pop and Britney Spears, because, even though it's inane and the lyrics suck, it's still fun to sing along to (and a blast to sing at karaoke for laughs). I even sing along to different instrument parts in classical music. I played the French horn for 13 years (meaning I still play every so often, and have been since I was 11), in orchestras and various bands, so picking out different instruments is something I learned to do with relative ease. Can I cram one more random fact into this theme by saying that I'm *thisclose* to having perfect pitch? My note-naming is skewed by the transposition of a French horn. Other than that, I can tell when anything's out of tune, and if you name a song, I can sing it in the exact key without much thought.
7. I have endometriosis, and it affects pretty much everything I do. My personal relationships are affected by my inability to participate in some activities, and I spend several days every month nearly bedridden by pain. However, because I don't have health insurance (and am not eligible for any sort of aid due to my lack of pregnancy), and can't afford to go to the OB-GYN every couple of months (nor can I afford the laparoscopy necessary to properly diagnose and "excavate" the scar tissue), I'm bucking up and dealing with it pretty well. I will, however, explain to anyone who will listen what the disease is, how it happens, who it can affect, what treatments are available, and what non-medicinal treatments you can utilize in order to ease your suffering a bit. This is why that FDA bullshit pisses me off so much: I use vitamins and natural supplements to help deal with the symptoms a little better, and whether it's a placebo effect or not, it works for me, and I'd like to be able to continue to exercise my right to self-medicate by natural means.
So I'm supposed to tag 7 people, but I don't think that many bloggers even come over this direction, so I'll just copy AD and say that if you'd like to do the meme, be my guest, and you can post a link to your finished factoids in my comments section.
Bonus fact: In a lovely shit-brown color...I'm a card-carrying member of the libertarian party (I use lowercase because I'm not a fanatic, nor am I under the false impression that a "Libertopia" would solve all of our problems), but I describe myself as moderate. I see where some instances of control are necessary by virtue of how humans act. I'm not sure which ones, but somewhere in my head is a little voice that's naturally suspicious of letting people have too much control over what they do, particularly in a country that's sue-happy and whose citizens are used to getting their own way, even if it is an illusion. HOWEVER, I'm of the firm opinion that, if an action is taken in which the only person who is harmed is the person undertaking the action, then that action is not to be regulated by the government. You know what I call rampant drug use? Natural selection.
1. This being the first fact, I should probably ease you guys into things, but I'll remove any pretense and just say that, ever since I was a very small child, I've had a low opinion of people in general. I wasn't aware of it when I was younger, but I've been told stories. It's carried over into my adult life, where I maintain that individuals are fine, but people as a whole frickin' suck. Crowds suck, mob rule sucks. Give me a small group over the general population any day.
2. Animals, on the other hand, reduce me to a pile of gibberish. Cats, guinea pigs, and horses, particularly. Frogs and toads have been known to make me squee audibly. The thing I like about animals is that they're not going to act any way that they don't really feel. You can tell when a dog's trying to be sneaky, and when you call them on it, they renege and go back to trying to play with you. A cat's always going to act slightly standoffish, but you expect that and deal with it. In return, animals like me. I think it's a good trade-off. I will likely be the crazy cat woman at the end of the block that kids say is rumored to be a child-eating witch, but that's okay. :-) I don't like kids, anyway.
3. Bodily functions of any sort (that don't merely involve air) gross me out. This is why, even though I have an uncanny knack for medical things and figuring out bodily processes and biology (which drives my doctor insane, because they don't like me going in, telling them what I think is wrong, and being correct), I would make a really crappy medic/doctor/nurse. Someone pukes? I'm right next to them, yakking. A child poops in their diaper? I find someone, ANYONE, else who can take care of it. The smell of pee disturbs me. Spit kind of makes me want to hork. My nephew will not go on any extended trips with me until he's potty-trained. My sister thinks I'm nuts, but I've made my position on excrement very clear. "It's different when it's your own child", eh? Well, I'm not sure if I'll ever want to find that out.
4. Like the rainbow theme? Moving on...I have red hair, but I don't think there's a lick of Irish in me. I'm French (mother's side), German (father's side), and American Indian (both sides...I'm 1/8, but can't prove it with paperwork, so I'm paying for school with loans. bastards.). It's also rumored that my dad's side of the family is a direct descendant of Frederick the Great, who, if you know your history, was the last ruler of Prussia before that country was divided amongst the Germanic countries. I'd be a shitty princess, so it's probably just as well.
5. My mom likes to tell people I was singing (at 7 mos.) before I could talk (at 8mos.). I like to believe that it's true. I'm a singin' fool, and am quite good, if you believe most of the people who've heard me and choose to comment. The only recordings I have for general consumption, however, are drunken karaoke, so I will not be sharing those with you at this time. Maybe at some other point, when another opportunity to make myself look like something other than a conspiracy theorist comes up.
6. On that same token, I will listen to almost anything, as long as it's pleasant to my ears and fun to sing. I have an extensive collection of boy-band pop and Britney Spears, because, even though it's inane and the lyrics suck, it's still fun to sing along to (and a blast to sing at karaoke for laughs). I even sing along to different instrument parts in classical music. I played the French horn for 13 years (meaning I still play every so often, and have been since I was 11), in orchestras and various bands, so picking out different instruments is something I learned to do with relative ease. Can I cram one more random fact into this theme by saying that I'm *thisclose* to having perfect pitch? My note-naming is skewed by the transposition of a French horn. Other than that, I can tell when anything's out of tune, and if you name a song, I can sing it in the exact key without much thought.
7. I have endometriosis, and it affects pretty much everything I do. My personal relationships are affected by my inability to participate in some activities, and I spend several days every month nearly bedridden by pain. However, because I don't have health insurance (and am not eligible for any sort of aid due to my lack of pregnancy), and can't afford to go to the OB-GYN every couple of months (nor can I afford the laparoscopy necessary to properly diagnose and "excavate" the scar tissue), I'm bucking up and dealing with it pretty well. I will, however, explain to anyone who will listen what the disease is, how it happens, who it can affect, what treatments are available, and what non-medicinal treatments you can utilize in order to ease your suffering a bit. This is why that FDA bullshit pisses me off so much: I use vitamins and natural supplements to help deal with the symptoms a little better, and whether it's a placebo effect or not, it works for me, and I'd like to be able to continue to exercise my right to self-medicate by natural means.
So I'm supposed to tag 7 people, but I don't think that many bloggers even come over this direction, so I'll just copy AD and say that if you'd like to do the meme, be my guest, and you can post a link to your finished factoids in my comments section.
Bonus fact: In a lovely shit-brown color...I'm a card-carrying member of the libertarian party (I use lowercase because I'm not a fanatic, nor am I under the false impression that a "Libertopia" would solve all of our problems), but I describe myself as moderate. I see where some instances of control are necessary by virtue of how humans act. I'm not sure which ones, but somewhere in my head is a little voice that's naturally suspicious of letting people have too much control over what they do, particularly in a country that's sue-happy and whose citizens are used to getting their own way, even if it is an illusion. HOWEVER, I'm of the firm opinion that, if an action is taken in which the only person who is harmed is the person undertaking the action, then that action is not to be regulated by the government. You know what I call rampant drug use? Natural selection.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Paris Hilton: Justice was served. Why are you bitching?
I just found about 4 brown recluse spiders hiding in the guest bedroom closet, so I'm going to take a break to calm down, let my blood thaw, and blog about the Paris Hilton arrest, because apparently some people think that the sentence was too harsh, and cite several examples of why Paris shouldn't go to jail.
One thing that stuck out immediately: most of the people named by this defender are black, with the exception of Mel Gibson and Nick Nolte, who are old, rich, white guys, and Wynonna Judd, who's an old, white, rich woman.
Hey, I just call 'em like I see 'em.
Paris isn't merely "being made an example of". She's being DULY PUNISHED FOR A CRIME COMMITTED. The people who walked free? Age and race were likely the two biggest factors, as were popularity (or lack thereof). Let's take stock of the people on the list:
Let's be frank here: none of these people are all over the news for reasons of celebrity. Mel Gibson isn't revered for anything but hating Jews. Nick Nolte is a druggie who's way past his prime. Tracy Morgan got little mention as a result of that show "30 Rock" (that was him, right?), but that's...about...it. Wynonna Judd? Fat country singer who doesn't do much any more. Busta Rymes? Who's heard anything worth noting about him that hasn't been negative lately? Eve - ditto. Brandy - ditto.** If any of these people got jail time, it would be like, "Huh. Okay." No real outcry, maybe a giggle (at Mel's expense, of course), and maybe an offhand comment from the NAACP about how the "colored people" (hey, it's in THEIR name) are being unfairly judged. Other than that? Meh. Business as usual.
Now let's look at Paris Hilton:
She's young, she's ALWAYS in the news, she has her hands in every pot that she can (acting, singing, fashion, real estate) regardless of the success of these ventures, and she's an heiress (BIG MONEY). Lord knows why, but a LOT of 'tweens, teens, and young women look up to her, and many guys use her for their masturbatory fantasies. Is there anyone on that list above that you can attribute all of that to? Didn't think so. Also, she's white, and the general consensus seems to be that if you're young, white, and rich, you can get away with anything. So far, she has.
Thus, she goes to jail for this crime in the same way that a "normal" citizen would, to let the youngin's know that if they drink and drive (on a suspended license), they'll actually be punished, because if Paris can be punished, anyone can.
What a concept, right? Actually punishing someone and not allowing them to buy their way out of it! OMG! I like how Kathy Hilton bitched about the money spent after her daughter was sentenced. Get over it, Mom. Here's your reality check (and here's your sign).
Slam me for the non-libertarian feel of this post. Whatever. I'm just excited to see someone like Paris get a reality check, FINALLY. Spoiled little brat.
**Although I have to say that Brandy's ass NEEDS to be in jail for vehicular manslaughter. I don't give a shit if it was an accident...it was her fault for not paying attention, and her carelessness killed someone. Damn.
One thing that stuck out immediately: most of the people named by this defender are black, with the exception of Mel Gibson and Nick Nolte, who are old, rich, white guys, and Wynonna Judd, who's an old, white, rich woman.
Hey, I just call 'em like I see 'em.
Paris isn't merely "being made an example of". She's being DULY PUNISHED FOR A CRIME COMMITTED. The people who walked free? Age and race were likely the two biggest factors, as were popularity (or lack thereof). Let's take stock of the people on the list:
Mel Gibson
Nick Nolte
Tracy Morgan
Wynonna Judd
Busta Rymes
Eve
Brandy
Nick Nolte
Tracy Morgan
Wynonna Judd
Busta Rymes
Eve
Brandy
Let's be frank here: none of these people are all over the news for reasons of celebrity. Mel Gibson isn't revered for anything but hating Jews. Nick Nolte is a druggie who's way past his prime. Tracy Morgan got little mention as a result of that show "30 Rock" (that was him, right?), but that's...about...it. Wynonna Judd? Fat country singer who doesn't do much any more. Busta Rymes? Who's heard anything worth noting about him that hasn't been negative lately? Eve - ditto. Brandy - ditto.** If any of these people got jail time, it would be like, "Huh. Okay." No real outcry, maybe a giggle (at Mel's expense, of course), and maybe an offhand comment from the NAACP about how the "colored people" (hey, it's in THEIR name) are being unfairly judged. Other than that? Meh. Business as usual.
Now let's look at Paris Hilton:
She's young, she's ALWAYS in the news, she has her hands in every pot that she can (acting, singing, fashion, real estate) regardless of the success of these ventures, and she's an heiress (BIG MONEY). Lord knows why, but a LOT of 'tweens, teens, and young women look up to her, and many guys use her for their masturbatory fantasies. Is there anyone on that list above that you can attribute all of that to? Didn't think so. Also, she's white, and the general consensus seems to be that if you're young, white, and rich, you can get away with anything. So far, she has.
Thus, she goes to jail for this crime in the same way that a "normal" citizen would, to let the youngin's know that if they drink and drive (on a suspended license), they'll actually be punished, because if Paris can be punished, anyone can.
What a concept, right? Actually punishing someone and not allowing them to buy their way out of it! OMG! I like how Kathy Hilton bitched about the money spent after her daughter was sentenced. Get over it, Mom. Here's your reality check (and here's your sign).
Slam me for the non-libertarian feel of this post. Whatever. I'm just excited to see someone like Paris get a reality check, FINALLY. Spoiled little brat.
**Although I have to say that Brandy's ass NEEDS to be in jail for vehicular manslaughter. I don't give a shit if it was an accident...it was her fault for not paying attention, and her carelessness killed someone. Damn.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Our President is so eloquent.
Bush re-names himself "The Commander Guy". Because he's so...commanding.
The best part? That's his REASON for not wanting to set a deadline for withdrawal from Iraq.
This just stinks of the "...because I said so" bullshit we had to put up with from our parents growing up, doesn't it?
I'd have a *headdesk* moment, but someone in this country ought to retain their brain cells.
The best part? That's his REASON for not wanting to set a deadline for withdrawal from Iraq.
This just stinks of the "...because I said so" bullshit we had to put up with from our parents growing up, doesn't it?
I'd have a *headdesk* moment, but someone in this country ought to retain their brain cells.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Who's sick of me today?
Thanks to Bad Dogs and Such for a name-drop in her blog. I'm doing the same here, though obviously I don't have much of a readership yet, so it won't have quite the same impact for you as it may for me. Folks, if you're in the neighborhood and you'd like humorous read from a woman who loves dogs and guns, and isn't afraid to state her opinion on anything (always a plus in my book), head on over to her blog and join in.
Now down to business. Again.
Thanks to BDaS and her incessant name-dropping, I've been directed to a MySpace blog called Confessions of a Gun-toting Seagull. MySpace pretty well annoys me (people message me, and I get an email notification, and those are the only times I actually visit the site), and generally the blogs over there are filled with mindless drivel from emo kids who can't tell their ass from a hole in the ground, but this guy definitely bucks the trend. He's well-read, and presents arguments with care.
And now I'm going to shamelessly steal some links from him.
Studies have now shown what those of us with common sense have known all along: The possession of a gun is not linked to a propensity toward violence. Holy shit, right?
Furthermore, the study shows what I've been blathering about for a couple of weeks now: the more gun ownership that is lawfully allowed, the LOWER crime rates become. Oh, the humanity.
Speaking of guns, there's yet another case going on regarding lower government officials not wanting to bow to higher law because of their own beliefs. Texans are protected by the U.S. Constitution if they want to carry a gun. AND they're protected by their state laws if they want to carry that gun in their car. Apparently some officials don't like that idea, so they've actually told police officers to IGNORE THE LAW and arrest people for having guns in the car.
Shenanigans, I tell you.
Now down to business. Again.
Thanks to BDaS and her incessant name-dropping, I've been directed to a MySpace blog called Confessions of a Gun-toting Seagull. MySpace pretty well annoys me (people message me, and I get an email notification, and those are the only times I actually visit the site), and generally the blogs over there are filled with mindless drivel from emo kids who can't tell their ass from a hole in the ground, but this guy definitely bucks the trend. He's well-read, and presents arguments with care.
And now I'm going to shamelessly steal some links from him.
Studies have now shown what those of us with common sense have known all along: The possession of a gun is not linked to a propensity toward violence. Holy shit, right?
Furthermore, the study shows what I've been blathering about for a couple of weeks now: the more gun ownership that is lawfully allowed, the LOWER crime rates become. Oh, the humanity.
Speaking of guns, there's yet another case going on regarding lower government officials not wanting to bow to higher law because of their own beliefs. Texans are protected by the U.S. Constitution if they want to carry a gun. AND they're protected by their state laws if they want to carry that gun in their car. Apparently some officials don't like that idea, so they've actually told police officers to IGNORE THE LAW and arrest people for having guns in the car.
Shenanigans, I tell you.
BAN THE BREAD! O NOES!
It's nice to see someone who hasn't lost their sense of humor regarding our society's habit of banning anything they deem to be even a little problematic.
Thanks to Potty Mouth for the link. That's a laugh I definitely needed today.
Thanks to Potty Mouth for the link. That's a laugh I definitely needed today.
Vitamins are "drugs"? Will we need to show ID for those, too?
The basic premise of this bill is that non-traditional (i.e. natural, holistic) medicine will be regulated in such a way as to be nearly impossible to "practice".
So those of you who are used to treating your depression with St. John's Wort...or like to take Chromium to help your body burn calories...or even like to take vitamins with extra Iron to help stave off anemia...you're essentially under attack by Codex Alimentarius.
Read the official docket here.
Here is the form to be commented on - PLEASE COMMENT TO SAVE YOUR RIGHTS!
Where do you comment? Why, RIGHT HERE!
Guess what I just did?:
Remember my last post about the 10 easy steps to fascism? Guess what, guys - we're there. We are knocking on totalitarianism's door. The time to fight is NOW.
Don't choose to fight when they're trying to cram an RFID chip into your shoulder (I predict they will try to do this to everyone without an opt-out within the next 3 years, when people start "forgetting" to carry their NIDs - see below).
Don't choose to fight when they hand you your National ID card (in one year's time - the bill has already passed: Read it here. Notice how the "war on terror" is mentioned in everything that Bush and his administration pass? Terror Management, anyone? This is playing on people's fear of dying for the sake of their own agenda, and that ain't cool).
Don't choose to fight when Mexico, Canada, and the U.S.A. become ONE HUGE COUNTRY. (I hate Wikipedia, but the whole thing is actually explained pretty well here.)
And, God forbid, don't choose to fight after they've already taken our guns away.
Know your rights. Fight for them. The government isn't going to do it for you.
So those of you who are used to treating your depression with St. John's Wort...or like to take Chromium to help your body burn calories...or even like to take vitamins with extra Iron to help stave off anemia...you're essentially under attack by Codex Alimentarius.
Read the official docket here.
Here is the form to be commented on - PLEASE COMMENT TO SAVE YOUR RIGHTS!
Where do you comment? Why, RIGHT HERE!
Guess what I just did?:
Remember my last post about the 10 easy steps to fascism? Guess what, guys - we're there. We are knocking on totalitarianism's door. The time to fight is NOW.
Don't choose to fight when they're trying to cram an RFID chip into your shoulder (I predict they will try to do this to everyone without an opt-out within the next 3 years, when people start "forgetting" to carry their NIDs - see below).
Don't choose to fight when they hand you your National ID card (in one year's time - the bill has already passed: Read it here. Notice how the "war on terror" is mentioned in everything that Bush and his administration pass? Terror Management, anyone? This is playing on people's fear of dying for the sake of their own agenda, and that ain't cool).
Don't choose to fight when Mexico, Canada, and the U.S.A. become ONE HUGE COUNTRY. (I hate Wikipedia, but the whole thing is actually explained pretty well here.)
And, God forbid, don't choose to fight after they've already taken our guns away.
Know your rights. Fight for them. The government isn't going to do it for you.
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