Monthly Archives: September 2013

Mother

Posted on September 30, 2013 | 6 comments

Mother was the nickname of the first rhomboid tank, a gasoline-engined British behemoth designed to cross five-foot treches in 1916. Later iterations would have top turrets until the whole evolved into what we now call a tank. (Click on the picture to biggerize it.)

As an old tanker, I’ve always been fascinated by Mother. Due to her tiny compartment (most of the interior was taken up by the engine, the side guns and their ammunition) the crew of eight must have had a dreadful time: the constant noise, the nauseous fumes, the continual vibrations. And the rocking ride.

And for all her menacing appearance, a machinegun could puncture Mother’s boilerplate “armor.” For that matter, just one intrepid infantryman with a hand grenade or two slipped through a side opening could disable the whole thing, and everyone in it.

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Posted in Guns, Science/Engineering, The War, Troops

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Dallas armors up, Austin shoots at traffic stop

Posted on September 29, 2013 | 5 comments

Officer Friendly is getting more unfriendly every day.

The Dallas sheriff has acquired an MRAP (Drudge calls it a tank, but it isn’t), an armored SUV straight off the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. They’ll use it for, uh, serving warrants:

“‘Having a tactical vehicle will not only provide warrants execution with the equipment to assist in performing their jobs but will provide an overall safety arch,’ Chief Deputy Marlin Suell wrote to commissioners.”

Meanwhile, Austin PD has thankfully fired a trigger-happy cop for shooting at a traffic stop back in May. Instead of waiting behind the wheel, the stoppee stupidly got out and approached the officer. But, come on, that deserves a warning shot? And where else might the bullet have gone?

Like I’ve said before, these days the safest way to approach Officer Friendly—if you absolutely have to—is with both your hands in the air. But in a traffic stop, stay in your car, stupid!

And it would be smart to put both hands on the top of the steering wheel where they can be seen. Officer Friendly is really touchy.

UPDATE:  Another example of police militarization and, once more, it’s in Texas. Although I sometimes wonder about Dallas County.

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Posted in Guns, Texana, The War

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The warmist cult rides on

Posted on September 29, 2013 | Comments Off on The warmist cult rides on

As always the lazy news media—which includes the Wall Street Journal’s reporting—only read the summaries of big reports like the latest one by the dictators club reaffirming that global warming is  still, wait for it, a crisis.

“BTW, there are a lot of good scientists who work behind the scenes who produce the chapters. The Summaries however are written by the state[s]men, environmentalists and high profile scientists whose reputation and wealth is based on the propagation of the faith.”

So the summaries are models of misinformation.

Nevertheless, the latest cult propanganda will continue to be the spur for the EPA’s War on Coal, hiking electricity prices and stifling the economy and, sooner or later, adding a whopping carbon tax. Unless the dimwits who voted for OButthead in 2012 finally get a clue and turn the Congress over to the Republicans next year. They can’t be any worse.

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Posted in Obamalot, Obsessions, Science/Engineering, Weather/Climate

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Obama’s pet news media ignores IRS scandal

Posted on September 28, 2013 | 2 comments

“Not only have ABC, CBS and NBC not reported this story they’ve flat out stopped covering the IRS scandal on their evening and morning shows. It’s been 85 days since ABC last touched the story on June 26. NBC hasn’t done a report for 84 days and CBS last mentioned the IRS scandal 56 days ago on July 24.”

Not to mention the “Justice” Department and the FBI. They aren’t investigating.

“This story” was in USA Today ten days ago with this summary lede: “Newly uncovered IRS documents show the agency flagged political groups based on the content of their literature, raising concerns specifically about ‘anti-Obama rhetoric,’ inflammatory language and ’emotional’ statements made by non-profits seeking tax-exempt status.”

Still watching the old network snooze shows? See how ignorant you are? And you thought Watergate was scary.

Via Instapundit.

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Posted in Obamalot

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Rule 5: Pink Bikini

Posted on September 28, 2013 | Comments Off on Rule 5: Pink Bikini

Nevermind the Godzilla gag, this fetching creature is reason enough to post the photo. Pity there’s no name attached, but we can still dream.

Via Simply Jews.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Obsessions, Rule 5

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Lurching into the UN cesspool

Posted on September 27, 2013 | 2 comments

Supposedly we don’t have to worry that Lurch, Obozo’s secretary of state, has signed the new UN Arms Treaty, which the NRA warns could lead to a real national gun registry on top of the defacto registry that’s already in place.

Not to mention effectively banning handguns and semi-automatics.

We don’t have to worry, we’re assured by various of the usual assurers, because the US Senate will never ratify the treaty and that’s a necessary step. Ah, but is it really? Well, not exactly:

“Once the U.S. signs a treaty, we hold ourselves bound not to violate the treaty’s ‘object and purpose.’ In other words, we obey in practice treaties that the Senate has never ratified.”

Fortunately, what one president’s lackey signs, another president’s lackey can later unsign. In the meantime, Obozo, who is already the country’s champion gun salesman—scaring American gun lovers into buying more guns before he can restrict them—will now become the premier recruiter for the National Rifle Association and the even fiestier Gun Owners of America.

Thanks, Barry!

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Posted in Blogosphere, Guns, Obamalot, Obsessions

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How Obumbles killed the economy

Posted on September 26, 2013 | 2 comments

It ain’t rocket science.

“When businesses are uncertain about taxes, health-care costs, and regulatory initiatives, they adopt a cautious stance. Because it is costly to make a hiring or investment mistake, many businesses naturally wait for calmer times to expand. If too many businesses wait to expand, the recovery never takes off.”

Nor is it likely to as Obamacare comes online, increasing uncertainty.

The author of the piece blames both sides, though I think Obumbles deserves the lion’s share.  I suppose, however, that by not fighting harder against the Dumbocrats, the Elephants must share the blame.

Via The Wall Street Journal

UPDATE:  I can’t post this excerpt of Ted’s marathon too often and it fits here because it shows how Obozocare is killing jobs all over the country. Do the Democrats care? That’s a rhetorical question.

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Posted in Obamalot, The Economy

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