The Countertop Chronicles

"Run by a gun zealot who's too blinded by the NRA" - Sam Penney of RaisingKaine.com

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Teach a man to fish

Josh just taught a friend an important lesson

Namely, how to buy your first gun.


Great job Josh, now if we could only get you and said friend out of the PRK and back into the United States of America where there is no such thing as a 10 day waiting period.

Karl Rover = Evil Genius Mastermind

Just in time for the 2006 elections, Rove is able to turn a non story about a plain jane M&A deal into the doomsday scenario the Dems never saw coming.

Now, not only are they not serious about fighting the war on terror, but the entire cast of leading Democrats (and some congressional republicans who don't really matter in the national picture) have become one bunch of sniping bigoted rascists (who by the way still aren't serious about the war on terror).

Genius, I tell you. Pure genius.

Monday, February 27, 2006

One Bad Ass Mutha Fucker

Give this kid and his friends a Nike Super Bowl commercial or a starring role in the next Jackie Chan movie.

I feel inferior, but know for sure my kids gonna take some gymnastics classes.

Gun Free DC

Wait, I thought guns were illegal in DC.

A 33-year-old Arlington man died early yesterday in the District after he was struck by an errant bullet fired during a dispute over a parking space outside a jazz club on U Street NW, D.C. police said.


The shooting unfolded in front of Duke's City, one of U Street's newer restaurants, almost directly across from Ben's Chili Bowl, a U Street landmark.


Ah, guess that law isn't working too well now, is it (though I have to say, Ben's is one of my favorite places to eat).

What are the chances that the shooter - so far unidentified - was legally allowed to own the gun?

Just wondering - rhetorically, thats all - how many legal gun owners have shot people in the District (or indeed anywhere) in disputes over parking spaces?

Larry Flynt's My Hero

From BerkleyRoll Call (subscription required)
As promised, all those back issues of Hustler magazine were delivered to Congressional offices on Friday. Senate offices received several back issues of the smutty mag a day after Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Bill Pickle sent a memo to Senate offices that read like something out of The Onion with the euphemistic subject line: “Upcoming Delivery of Periodicals.”

Despite complaints from many offices that didn’t want Larry Flynt’s in-kind porn contribution, Pickle, after consulting with legal counsel, determined that the Senate was legally bound to deliver the magazines.

“It is the policy of the Senate Post Office to deliver all mail to Senate addressees regardless of content,” Pickle wrote in the memo, which was sent to Senate chiefs of staff and administrative managers. “We deliver what we receive as long as it is safe and the mailing envelope is non-threatening. With respect to this particular publication, a federal court in the past specifically interpreted the publisher’s constitutional right to petition as requiring the United States Postal Service to continue to deliver all properly addressed mail to Members of Congress.”

Only Cops Should Have Guns part II (update)

The FBI is now looking into the murder by an off duty Alexandia police officer of Aaron Brown.

Yet, the blue wall of silence remains firm.

"The car was coming toward him, and he was in fear for his life," Amy Bertsch, an Alexandria police spokeswoman, said yesterday.


Then why did he jump in front of the car?

How do you reconcil that with the fact that he shot the side of the car?

Police also told them that four or five bullets hit the car, including one in the driver's side rear door and one on a rear quarter-panel.


Do cars move left to right and not front to back??


"The cop is to blame. I want his badge," said Susan Rauch, 19. She attended Northern Virginia Community College with Brown, traveled to Germany with him last summer with the Annandale high school choir and had gone to the prom with him and a group of other students.


Susan is right, the cop is to blame.

But his badge is the least he should lose. How 'bout his freedom?

Why isn't this scum bags name known?

Why isn't he sitting behind bars, like the common killer he is?

Will Alexandria prosecutor Randolph Sengel seek the death penalty?

We'll Have A Gay 'Ol Time

Flintstones. Meet the Flintstones.
They're the modern stone age family.
From the town of Bedrock,
They're a page right out of history.

Let's ride with the family down the street.
Through the courtesy of Fred's two feet.

When you're with the Flintstones
you'll have a yabba dabba doo time.
A dabba doo time.
You'll have a gay old time.


Stop, Its Grammar Time!!

I know my grammer and speling here sucks.

Its mostly a time factor, I do this blog thing for pleasure and frankly between a job and a family don't have much time to go back and proofread.

Since my names not on the blog, I just don't care and am more interested in venting my frustrations.

Anyway, for those of you who do care, and who are the product of the modern day (last 15 years) school system, you can learn more here.

Falling Bullets

Don't know how often you read Wadcutter's blog, but however often it is . . . . its not often enough.

I'm an idiot when it comes to math - thats why I work with a Ph.D scientist on my staff to interpret the difficult things for me - but even I can appreciate the physics that go into the flight of a .30-06 round.

Sunday, February 26, 2006

Only Cops Should Have Guns part II

Judge Jury and Executioner.

Thats the status quo in DC, and it appears to be the case in liberal, Democrat controlled, Alexandria, VA where a cop summarily executed a teenager after he was accused of skipping on his IHOP bill.

An 18-year-old was killed by police early yesterday after he and a group of friends left an Alexandria restaurant without paying, got into an SUV and then tried to hit an off-duty police officer, who fired at the vehicle, striking a passenger, police said.

. . . .

Crawford said the officer, who was in uniform, was told by a restaurant employee that the teenagers had walked out on their bill.

The officer ran out to the parking lot, a tight space shared by IHOP patrons and guests at the Comfort Inn to which the restaurant is attached, and tried to stop the youths from fleeing. He stepped into the path of the 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Crawford said, and, "fearing for his safety," shot at the sport-utility vehicle.


BULLSHIT

What the fuck did this cop expect to have happen when he jumps in front of a vehicle. This shit head cop, working off duty I might add, placed himself in harms way and decided to execute this poor kid (who wasn't even the driver).

Sorry, but I don't buy it. If I had done this, you can bet your ass Alexandria prosecutor S. Randolph Sengel would be ringing me up on 1st degree murder charges right now.

What do you expect the chances of them doing the same thing here are??

Here's a clue:
Police said the Jeep's driver, identified as 19-year-old Stephen J. Smith of Alexandria, was arrested shortly after the incident and charged with driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana. He was released on bond yesterday afternoon, said Amy Bertsch, a police spokeswoman.


What, he wasn't cited for leaving the restaurant without paying?

You've got to be kidding me.

More details, from someone who knew the victim, here including the amazing revelation that the money for the bill was left on the table.

UPDATE The Post has an updated story that includes interviews with Aaron Brown's family and friends. It indicates the FBI has taken over the investigation. We still don't know the name of the trigger happy cop though. Or when Alexandria is expected to press for murder charges against him and the IHOP employees.

Only Cops Should Have Guns part I

That, at least, is the feeling in DC.

Well, remember that upstanding and law abiding DC cop I mentioned the other day?

Turns out, he is more of a scumbag than I realized. It seems he knew the guy he shot and was renovating a house where the man lived and had recently filed a police report alleging that $1,360 in tools were stolen from the residence.

Judge, Jury and Executioner.

I guess thats just the status quo in D.C.

Crime Free Maryland, Good Grief

A 50-year-old man, his 47-year-old wife and their 24-year-old son were walking into a Wachovia Bank at 2800 West University Blvd. on Feb. 17 as a simmering feud between gangs from Wheaton and Takoma Park erupted.

"One gang was running from the other when they ran across this innocent family," said Lt. Eric Burnett, a police spokesman. "This was very unusual. It's the first time I can think of that innocent people were injured. It was not directed toward them."

The woman was knocked down as the group of roughly 30 alleged gang members tried to make their way into a Nextel store adjacent to the bank, police said. When her son and husband intervened, they were struck with metal batons and chairs, police said.


Not surprisingly, the idiots in Maryland don't know what to do with these vermin and are only chargin them as jeveniles.

Good luck that will do in keeping this goblin off the streets. Just another reason not to go to travel in Maryland, a state that cares more for the rights of criminals than law abiding citizens.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

The George Galloway of Journalists

Heh.

Which one is not like the others?



More here.

Your Name Is Mud

Just wondering if this is where that phrase originated from.

If it is, imagine that, Jay Leno actually was useful for something.

Gun Free DC

The Washington Post, as much a supporter of the discredited liberal notion that only Cops deserve to carry guns in DC as anyone, has a lot to learn.

First, guns are inanimate objects. They don't have minds of their own and only discharge when someone decides to place their finger on the trigger and pull. Apparantly, the Post doesn't understand that and somehow believes that an off duty cop's gun, which was used to kill an alleged robbery suspect whom the cop allegedly stumbled onto miles from his home and area outside of the cops usual beat, may have decided to discharge on its own (by accident).

Ford got out of his car, asked a neighborhood resident to call 911 and approached the man. The man made a threatening motion, and Ford pulled out his gun. At this point, the man lunged at Ford, and the officer's gun discharged. It was not clear whether the gun went off by accident, police said.


Second, Ford (like perhaps 90+% of the cops who were sworn in during the Marion Barry years) has no business carrying a gun, let alone owning one. In particularl, Ford is no stranger to public controversy. He was the officer behind the infamous mailbox handcuffing where he decided to lock a motorist to a mailbox one evening and then assaulted and stole the camera of a Washington Post reporter who dared document Ford's outrageous behavior.

He's also been arrested three time - in 1993, 1995, and 1999 - for assault. Not surprsingly, he wasn't prosecuted in two of the cases and in a third the court granted a motion to acquit (and my educated guess is that theproecutors office didn't oppose the motion).

Clueless Republicans

Today's Wall Street Journal editorial is so important, I am going to run the whole thing. They can sue me if they like, but sadly, I live in Northern Virginia and don't have two dimes to offer them after the tax buggering I get from my local elected leaders (Ken Cuccinelli, of course, excepted).

How to Turn a Red State Blue
February 23, 2006

If you think Republicans on Capitol Hill have troubles, take a look at Virginia, where GOP lawmakers are busy writing an instruction manual on how to become a minority party.

Republicans in that ostensibly 'red' Southern state got their clocks cleaned in November's elections after they refused to take a coherent stand on taxes, and Democrat Tim Kaine squeezed to their right on pocketbook issues. As GOP state senator Ken Cuccinelli explained, 'We ran on a message of almost being for tax cuts, almost for smaller government, almost for protecting Second Amendment rights, and almost being pro-life. As a result, the voters almost came out and voted for us.'

And they apparently have learned nothing from that rout. When the legislature reconvened last month, the first proposal from the majority Republicans in the state senate was to endorse a $1 billion tax hike for roads and transit projects -- the second huge tax increase in two years. The GOP plan would increase auto fees, the gas and diesel tax, and even taxes on batteries and tires. This is the same party that last won the governorship under Jim Gilmore in 1997 promising to abolish the very car taxes they now want to increase.

Last week the senators floated another tax plan that is so bizarre and complicated it has made them a laughing stock. This scheme would raise the gas tax by 5%, but the sponsors insist that 'no one would have to pay the tax if they didn't want to,' because motorists could get a rebate at the end of the year if they keep shoeboxes full of tiny scraps of service station receipts. This would add immeasurably to the joys of April 15.

These tax-hike proposals keep coming despite a state revenue office report that Virginia now has a $2 billion biennial budget surplus. As a high-tech state, Virginia has been a huge beneficiary of the expansion spurred by the Bush investment tax cuts. But the entrenched senate Republicans -- many of whom have been fixtures in the capital of Richmond for decades -- want to spend the tax windfall and then some.

A Virginia Institute for Public Policy study notes that, over the past decade, the state budget has swollen at twice the rate of inflation plus population growth in the state. That's an $11 billion bonanza for state agencies, or about $500 more spending annually per Virginian. It's true that roads have been neglected during these high-spending years, causing some of the worst pockets of traffic gridlock in the country. But that's because state pols spent like crazy on social services and schools -- though student achievement tests show virtually no gains.

Only 18 months ago this same senate gang rammed through a $1.5 billion sales tax increase, even after 55% of the voters had defeated the same tax scheme when it was a ballot initiative a year before. The original senate Republican tax plan was so supersized that even then-Democratic Governor Mark Warner, who openly promoted higher taxes only after he'd won election in 2001, denounced the GOP plan as too heavy a burden. In short, this is a state GOP suffering from a severe identity crisis.

Meanwhile, property taxes are rising and clueless Republicans haven't lifted a finger to cap assessments. Thanks to a housing boom in Northern Virginia, state property tax bills for median priced homes have risen by $2,000, or 85% in six years. The sticker shock has enraged homeowners and taxpayers are fighting back locally. Yet Republicans are proposing to raise taxes again anyway.

And that's how to turn a red state blue.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Let The LEVERevolution Begin

The .30-30 Winchester is the best selling centerfire sporting cartridge in history, bar none. Yet, because it is chambered primarily in lever action carbines that most gun writers' disdain, practically no one pays any attention to either the cartridge or the rifles that shoot it. Except consumers, that is, who have made the Winchester Model 94 and Marlin Model 336 the best selling hunting rifles of all time.

Hmm, let's see--we have the best selling of all cartridges and the best selling of all rifles--and they have been largely ignored (at least until very recently) by all of the big ammo manufacturers since the end of the Second World War. Meanwhile, development money and resources are being poured into cartridges that will never make the top 30, let alone number one in sales. What is wrong with this picture?


Chuck Hawks has the goods on the new Hornady LEVERevolution.



Does it work? Guns and Ammo thinks so.

In fact, the LEVERevolution load has more velocity and close to the same energy at 300 yards as the best of the roundnose loads has at 200. With the excellent design and expansion characteristics of the polymer-tipped Evolution bullet, I would say Hornady has succeed in extending the effective range of the .30-30 to a noteworthy degree.




I'll have to let you know. I just ordered a couple of boxes and will post a range report next week, after they arrive. One initial complaint though is that apparently Hornady won't be selling the bullets for hand loading. At this point, its only available as the complete package. That ticks me off cause the .30-30 dies I ordered just arrived today.

Looking Good

South Park Pundit obviously has the time on his hands that I need to get off this crappy blogger system. The new digs look pretty good, and if I get a spare minute to breath one of these days (or if the .gov gets off its ass and finally hires me - I've been in limbo for like 6 weeks now) then perhaps I will take the time to kill the blogger spot and do the conversion to wordpress.

In any case, head on over and check out the new look at South Park (masthead is especially sexy).

Inept Iraq Insurgents

From Strategy Page (emphasis mine).


IEDs were used in Vietnam, but caused (with mines and booby traps in general) only 13 percent of the casualties, compared to over 60 percent in Iraq. The reason for this is one that few journalists want to discuss openly. But historians can tell you; Arabs are lousy fighters. Hasn't always been this way, but for the last century or so, it has. This has more to do with poor leadership, and a culture that simply does not encourage those traits that are needed to produce a superior soldier. In a word, the North Vietnamese soldiers and Viet Cong guerillas were better, and more deadly, fighters. Contributing factors include better training and equipment for American and Coalition troops. But most of the reason for the historically low casualty rates in Iraq have to do with Iraqis who don't know how to fight effectively.


Something to think about the next time you are subjected to moonbat rantings

Understatement of the year

"It was my decision," he said. "I'm not saying it was a good decision because, obviously, with the success of the show, it's a difficult decision to think back on and think I did the right thing."


Of course, at the time, nearly everone I know assumed Brian Dunkleman would be a star in another capacity and Ryan Seacrest would wind up in a corner slot on Hollywood Squares.

It might still happen, but right now, Seacrest is banging Playboy models and I can't really criticize him for that.

Timewaster

Seriously

Monday, February 20, 2006

Most Important Virginia Political/Legal Story of 2006 So Far

its a long title, I know, but Radley Balko has the goods on what appears to be the most egregious case of police corruption / over reaction / shady dealings I've seen in a long long time.

If even the slightest bit of Radley's story is true, some one in Blue deserves to do some long hard time over this one.

The Blogging (Or Lack Thereof)

I'm not not blogging.

Tried that more than once and failed.

Miserably.

No, I've just been busy around here and haven't really had much to say about anything. I'll blog some more, when the mood strikes. Its bound to happen sooner or later. . . . .

Friday, February 17, 2006

And the winner is . . . .

Mr. Completely!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats, you deserve the award and have really emerged over the last year. If they won't give you an award for being a Sports Blog, we can at lest recongize all you do for the shooting sports by giving you the Big BMG!!!!

He was followed in second place by the Castle of Aaarrrgghh, John Lott in third, and the inimitable Kim du Toit in fourth.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Haves and Have Nots

Apparantly, you and I can't pay for play in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, but if we get law enforcement jobs we can fuck hookers to our hearts content all in the name of preventing others from doing so.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

The Gunnies

This Is Going To Be Post Dated Until The Second Round Ends on February 15th


Second Round Voting Underway


Vote Early, Vote Often



Image hosting by Photobucket


The winner of this years inaugural prize is also eligible for a FREE ENTRY TO BOOMERSHOOT compliments of Joe Huffman. Plus, all the winners will receive their own .50 BMG trophy compliments of myself (where allowed by law and if AND ONLY IF I can mail it out to you with out much hassle).


I still need nominees for Best Post of 2005. If I don't get 10, I'm not going to run it. Simply don't have time to go dig them up myself the next week. Please leave a comment - or email me at COUNTERTOP at GMAIL dot COM - and let me know what you liked (with a hotlink please)


Image hosting by PhotobucketFirst round voting has ended in First Annual Gunnies and our winners are:


Best Gun Pr0n - Oleg Volk
Most Educational - Mr. Completely 
Best Rants - Kim du Toit
Best Legal Analysis - John Lott
Best Aggregator - Alphecca
Best Range Reports - Mr. Completely
Best Commentary - The Smallest Minority

Much hearty congratulations to the winners, and especially to Mr. Completely who pulled off the double victory. Each of the winners will now move on to a spot on the second round polling for Biggest and Best Gun Blog overall - aka The 50 BMG.

Folks, this is where it gets serious as there will actually be a prize - and a rather nice one at that - for the winner. When I put the final poll up, I will let you know more about that.

In the meantime, of the 10 slots available they will fill the first 6 (per the rules, Mr. Completely is only entered once). The other slots will be filled by The Anarchangel who came in second to Mr. Completely in the Most Educational Category (again, pursuant to the rules) and Heads Bunker who ended up tied for 2nd with The Anarchangel in the Most Educational polling but because of tie breaking procedures ended up 3rd. The Castle of Aaarrrgghhh! which finished second in the Best Gun Pr0n category but still managed to get more votes than all but two other bloggers is taking up the 9th spot.


Furthermore, since there was a bit of confusion on how the voting was conducted (shame on you people for not reading the directions) I have also decided to give a first round leader (ie: most initial #1 votes) a spot in the final poll. That lucky bastard bloggers is mAss Backwards with 79 first place votes in the Best Rants category (though I need to point out he is not the one who complained).

Right and Wrong

Frank Deford is so right!
The Opening Ceremonies were, as always, a sappy extravaganza that left a too-sweet taste in every mouth, but I took notice when the Italian national anthem was sung a cappella by a mere little nine-year-old girl. It made me think how, at all our major sports events now, such as the Super Bowl, The Star-Spangled Banner is sung by big celebrities who feel an obligation to put their own fancy stamp on it. A rendition, if you will. A production number. It's catching, too. I was at a hockey game the other night when a pretty vocalist sang both The Star-Spangled Banner and O Canada as if she were in a cabaret.


Somehow, I don't think anybody's national anthem needs to be arranged.


What Would Tyler Durden Do??? is so so very wrong.


But he is fast becoming my very favorite place on the internet.

The Gulf Coast

I'm generally back. Ended up spending two nights in NOLA and one night in Mobile, AL. I'll post more tonight, but just want to pass along these thoughts.

NOLA is generally a ghost town. What was once a 75% black city is now 80% white. The Frnech Quarter, Central Business District, and Warehouse/Arts District generally have power and are all in one shape. Everything else seems more or less abandoned. Was asked by 4 different people if I would consider moving to New Orleans if they guaranteed me a great job.

Go pay them a visit. They are a desperate city, eager to regain its swagger and population. Only complaint is the prices could be more reasonable. Hotel room in the French Quarter was $250 a night, dinner for one (steak, single glass of wine, cup of soup, plus 20% tip) was $83 at K-Pauls.

New Orleans, thats not the way to bring visitors back.

Biloxi has serious damage to its beackfront homes. Gulfport and Pass Christian pretty much don't exist any more. Not surprisingly though, 1/2 mile from the beach, damage is minimal.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Hot Chocolate City

Well, its 50 degrees and Mardis Gras is here.

Image hosting by Photobucket

More pictures when I return.

Friday, February 10, 2006

An apology

If this is true, then I am embarrassed to be 50% Swedish and on behalf of my family want to offer an apology to freedom lovers everywhere for the irrational, oppressive, and pathetic actions of 1/2 of our ancestral homeland.

Utterly disgusting.

In the meantime, I urge you to order a shirt of this image.

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Hallelujah!!!!

Its about fuckin' time.

"On the surface, it is hard to believe," said Curt Furberg, professor of public health sciences at North Carolina's Wake Forest University Medical School, who voted for the black-box warning. "What is also interesting is this condition is not really recognized in other countries -- you wonder what we are treating. I am sure there are patients who need these drugs, but it is not 10 percent of all 10-year-old boys."


Folks, sorry if I see conspiracies sometimes, but this was just the perfect storm waiting to happen. Don't think the parties plotted together or not, but just happened to stumble on each other.

Big Pharma was looking to maximize profits at all costs on an item that society really didn't need except in perhaps extreme cases. MARKETING should not drive medicine.

Lazy ass pathetic teachers and school administrators who simply didn't want to do their job by teaching and challenging active young minds and bodies were looking at ways to sedate an entire generation and relieve the burdensome pressure of having to actually work for a living.

Men Hating Fem Nazi Feminists were looking for ways to undercut society and remove the male element, completing their plan to turn us all into a sniveling, pathetic bunch of thoughtless impotent pandering Dr. Phil listening metrosexual homos. It helped that members of this group and the national education leadership are one in the same.

What to do know?
First, a warning label is just a start. The recommendation - for the big black box warning label is actually a great start because no reasonable caring parent (irregardless of how inattentive they may be) would ever let their kid on this stuff if they knew the truth.

We next need to file major class action lawsuits against all who were involved in this shame. I'd start with the schools and the fem nazis, but if you go after Big Pharma first, who am I to complain. After we've taken their money back, we can start contemplating exactly who to take out back and punish appropriately.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

A Blooming Fucking Idiot

Yep, he's a fucking bigoted gun banning Democrat.
With his decisive re-election victory behind him, Michael R. Bloomberg has been acting more like the man he once was before he entered politics: namely, like a Democrat.

Freed from the political considerations of a campaign and with no aspirations for higher office, Mr. Bloomberg seems to be shedding his already thin Republican skin, and has taken a number of positions that are fully, even aggressively, at odds with the party he joined months before his 2001 mayoral run.


Anyone who thought he was really a Republican, or anything even close to it, needs to read the whole article. What a fucking piece of slime.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Postings

Sorry for the lack of postings over the last few days. I've been working like a dog the last couple of weeks, was in New Jersey to celebrate my father's birthday last weekend (the kid, btw, hit 29 out of 30 on the trap course), and will be traveling along the Gulf Coast on business through the middle of next week. I'll post more when I get back, including pictures from my visit to New Orleans and (with any luck) an oil platform in the middle of the Gulf.

What A Relief

Looks like the jack booted thugs might actually concentrate on their job instead of just harrassing law abiding gun owners.

Signatures

I've got to say, I enjoyed every meal I ever had at Abramoff's restaurant. DIdn't even know it was his till the scandal hit, just knew it had some of the city's best food in a spectacular location.

Last time I went there, we were outside eating when a group of Navy Veterans held a commemorative service at the Davey Jones memorial. We were the only table to stand when the National Anthem was played and to bow our head when a prayer for fallen service men was given. This being Washington, I would have expected others to do the same, but perhaps I was naieve at the time.

Anyway, I hope
Morou Ouattara finds a new restaurant to cook at. I'll be there.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Heh!

What's the difference between a Christian and a murderous Muslim???

We can enjoy More Oral.

Monday, February 06, 2006

Carnival of the Virginia Bloggers

Sorry for the delay in getting this week’s edition of the Virginia Carnival of Bloggers up. As always, putting out a fire at work got in the way and then, as happens all too often, Blogger decided to act up on me.

Nevertheless, its its finally up so we can all have something to peruse at lunch as we enjoy the unseasonably warm weather this spring. Of course, the warmth here in the Commonwealth is being matched by record cold temperatures elsewhere on the planet, proving once again that everything averages out and continued screams of global warming by those in the Environmental Fund Raising industry are really nothing but bunk.

They really are brilliant you see. In hoodwinking us to change our lifestyles, they are also in the process of reviving the use of many past and future technologies that they once lambasted with zeal, thereby ensuring a steady stream of issues and fund raising dollars will keep their Gulfstreams flying.

In other news, Ravnwood, the greatest blogger Virginia ever knew remains in hiding. Can’t he hear the demands of Commonwealth residents clamoring for his return? We all know he would have something extra insightful to contribute to the climate change hysterics. Of course, if he has an iPod, he might not be able to hear us . . . or so say some trial lawyers

Someone else who will be missed is Prince William Firefighter John E. Thomas. RIP, sir.

Lots of other interesting posts out there in the Virginia blogsphere.

Are plea bargains reprehensible and immoral?

Apparently, not all wishes come true.

Arlington - I hate the new look and still mourn the passing of Cafe New Delhi. Hopefully, Clarendon can survive, but I have my doubts. What's wrong with the sky and short friendly humane buildings. Rosslyn and Balston are probably the two best examples of the worst in current American architecture. Seriously, its like some one planted a bunch of ugly sterile building from out in suburban hell seeds along Wilson Blvd. Yuck, Its not for me.

I guess, since I do a bit of gun blogging my self, folks wanted to shower me with gun related posts. Might I also remind you to vote for your favorite gun blogger?

Anyway, if you are just starting out and looking for a great place to start blogging- an area where 99.99999999999% of everything reported in the mainstream media is either completely beyond their comprehension of just a big fat blatant lie - you really need to go no further than facts and figures and revolving around guns.

It is just so simple to discredit these bozos. Of course, while politicians without a clue and their co-conspirators in the media can claim ignorance, it ought to be a little harder for the police to. Aren’t they supposed to be the only one’s trained in the proper use of firearms? The only one’s who know what they are talking about on the subject? Well then, can we ask what did they know and when did they know it?

And, for the record, I would say 80+% of cops out there routinely violate basic tenants of gun safety and have little to no actual ability with a gun. This number increases markedly when you get near major urban centers - where cops seem extra inclined to engage in unnecessary militarism. Just an observation, that’s all. Thankfully, at least as shown by the letters at Radley's web page The Agitator, some cops have a clue.


Anyway, speaking of fun with numbers. Most newspapers are pretty easily dupped by politicians looking to score points in the War on Drugs. Sounds like more of the same in Roanoke.

Lots of gun related bills in Richmond this week. Here’s a thoughtful letter about some of them. My Representative – Delegate Jim Scott – is nothing but a big ‘ol communist (well, he would say “progressive socialist” with the force of the police behind him) gun banning bigot. And don’t forget, he came to power years before when he and the Fairfax Democratic Party mastered the art of vote stealing and ballot box tampering.

Of course, I shouldn’t complain too much. Better the enemy you know than the enemy you don’t. Heck, if it
weren’t for Republicans, Democrats would have no chance of success.

Here’s a great feature of the House of Delegates web page.

James J. Na – of Guns and Butter fame - has a new post up over at Real Clear Politics on the Democrat’s latest “rising star.”.

You may – or may not – have heard that certain military units are going to stop using the ineffective and wholly worthless 9mm parabellum round. It is about time. How many soldiers will have to die before we realize that the much feared (at least by the gun banners and politicians) 9mm simply has minimal stopping power. I’ll take my Colt 1991A1 with 7 rounds of .45 ACP over any gang banger running around with 15 rounds of 9mm any day. Kim du Toit once posited that anything worth developing in the firearms world has already been developed. So far, I’ve seen nothing to dissuade me of that notion. Anyway, I just hope that the military keeps the contract at home – or simply returns to the still very much relevant John Browning 1911 model that they abandoned in a fit of politically correct euro posturing during the late 80s.

It might appease European sentiments, but folks, those sentiments are going to change quickly as they continue to get their ass handed to them by Islamic radicals. No need to go down the same path. Whatever the military chooses, I just hope its not of the Toyota Camry variety.

Did you know there was an issue with I-81? I sort of recalled seeing a bumper sticker about it some time ago, but don’t know the details. Now I do

Up here in McLean, you can sometimes forget about the role coal continues to play in the lives of lots of Virginians. I do hope the issue of mine safety is addressed, and soon. Back when I was practicing law I spent a few days review death reports in MSHA’s basement library in West Virginia. The safety of mines has improved a lot, but still isn’t where it needs to be.

Matt Rustler has some thoughts on freedom and the fitness of islam to fit in modern society. Having grown up with Armeniam neighbors who escaped to America in the middle of the night 50 years ago because the local cleric decided the time was right to begin raping all the Christian women and beheading all Christian men, I've got my own feelings about these degenerate swine.

REALITY ALERT - Its not just the extremists who act this way, and that I what is at the root of all their problems. Europe seems to be waking up to the fact, lets just hope the shameful left wing leaders of the Democratic party do as well.

Anyway, this is for them.

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Thank goodness at least some of the folks over at Raising Kaine have a clue. Its also worth noting that they think KOS might finally be jumping the shark. Don't know about that cause I refuse to read the work of anyone who celebrates the death of Americans in Iraq, but its worth pointing out that I thought the all mighty conservative Powerline blog jumped the shark a long time ago.

Anyway, that’s about it. If I missed a post - or your link doesn't work - let me know. I'll try to throw the track backs up alter.

Thanks for visiting and don't forget that Getting Around hosts next weeks edition.

$1.95 email account

Sure, its not free, but I've had my earthlink.net account since 1997. For the last 3 or 4 years, I really haven't used it much and instead have relied upon a verizon account, a series of gmail accounts, and of course, my work account. Anyway, since it was my email address for so so long, I paid the $5.95 a month just to keep it running.


Hadn't gotten anything but junk mail on it for some time though, so I decided to call them up and cancel. Now, ISPs hate to lose customers, especially ones who have been with them longer than 99.9999% of their customers. . . .makes for bad PR I guess. Well, earthlink didn't lose me. Instead, they offered me $1.95 a month email maintenance service.

Done deal!

Virgina Blog Carnival

Got caught up on some stuff at work that has delayed my ability to finish it. It should be up soon though. . . look for it early this evening.

Thanks!

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Gun Pr0n Alert

Drool over the Rare, Collectible and Unusual Semi Autos.

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For 2002 Colt has reintroduced the 1911 series 70 pistols. Many shooters are glad to see the return of these fine firearms. These are true to form series 70s. There is no series 80 internal safety to hinder the fine trigger pull of a competition pistol.  Pictured here is serial number 70 of those new series 70s.


Nice collection.

Friday, February 03, 2006

Goodbye and Hello

That long suffering but now happily married artist Sarah Hempel Irani Arrivals, her conversational blog.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

The Countertop Chronicles: 10x Less Than Les

Congrats!!

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Real Property Rights

If Barcia had a reason to believe a felony was being committed on his property, or that his or others lives were in danger, the judge added, he could legally fend for himself.

Yep Too bad the fascist, gun banning bigots running the Democratic Party don't agree.

NRA 1, Bloomberg, 0

Looks like the opening round went to my boys in Fairfax!!!

February 1, 2006 -- WASHINGTON — The powerful National Rifle Association killed the appointment of Mayor Bloomberg's girlfriend to a top federal post in retaliation for Hizzoner's campaign against the gun group, Senate sources said yesterday.
Diana Taylor, the state banking commissioner, had been widely seen as a shoo-in as late as last week to head the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which oversees the nation's banks.

But the NRA wound up maneuvering behind the scenes to block her nomination at the last minute, to send a message to her billionaire boyfriend, sources told The Post.

"It's obvious the NRA hasn't been pleased with the mayor's campaign against guns," a Senate aide said.

"They wanted to do a little bit of political payback . . . They just killed it."


FUCK YOU BLOOMBERG, YOU FUCKING DEMOCRAT SCUMBAG!!!

Ben Roethlisberger Is My Hero

Is Ben Roethlisberger the next Tom Brady? Or is he the next Joe Namath? We don’t see any reason why he can’t be both.


Seriously

The Voice of Metro

Neat!

Randi Miller, a 44-year-old Woodbridge resident, is the new voice of the Washington Metrorail who will tell riders "the doors are closing" on every Metro train after every station stop, transit officials announced this afternoon.

The honor brings no cash prize -- just bragging rights as her voice is piped into subway cars 33,017 times a day. Miller, who is not an actor or voice-over professional but works instead for a local car dealership, will enjoy a peculiar type of celebrity as her voice becomes one of the distinctive sounds of Washington, intimately familiar to Metro's 700,000 daily subway riders.


Officials said the change was needed because the old message was stale and no one listened to it.

"We repeatedly observe passengers treating the current announcement and chime like a yellow light on a traffic signal. They run for the doors when they hear it, rather than stepping back and letting the doors close," said Jim Hughes, acting assistant general manager for operations in a statement posted on the transit agency's Web site. "We hope the change in voice and message will get people's attention and change their behavior to make for a smoother, faster trip for everyone."


Of course, it would help if you could actually hear the message. Maye they need to install new speakers as well.

Better yet, if they ran longer trains more often . . . . (yes, yes, I ride the Orange line, I know about the 8 train demo project. Problem is they only added two cars to each train, but cut down on the total number of trains. As a result, the trains have seemed much more crowded this week.)

Go Granny Go

Granny tells 911 "I Just Shot A Pedophile." Of course, this being in California, you know who's rights the police are more interested in. Especially when the scumbag is a cop himself.

Fcuk Islamist Fascism

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What I Am Listening To

Cream
Royal Albert Hall
London May 2-3-4-5-6 2005




I can't recommend this CD highly enough.


Pressed Rat And Warthog

Music by Ginger Baker
Lyrics by Mike Taylor


Pressed rat and warthog have closed down their shop.
They didn't want to; 'twas all they had got.
Selling atonal apples, amplified heat,
And pressed rat's collection of dog legs and feet.

Sadly they left, telling no one goodbye.
Pressed rat wore red jodhpurs, warthog a striped tie.
Between them, they carried a three-legged sack,
Went straight round the corner and never came back.

Pressed rat and warthog have closed down their shop.
The bad captain madman had told them to stop
Selling atonal apples, amplified heat,
And pressed rat's collection of dog legs and feet.

The bad captain madman had ordered their fate.
He laughed and stomped off with a nautical gate.
The gate turned into a deroga tree
And his pegleg got woodworm and broke into three.

Pressed rat and warthog have closed down their shop.
They didn't want to; 'twas all they had got.
Selling atonal apples, amplified heat,
And pressed rat's collection of dog legs and feet.

Carnival of the Virginia Bloggers

Hey, Guess What??

This weeks pleasant temperatures apparantly were a mere mirage. I say this cause I suspect hell has frozen over as the rest of the Commonwealth seems willing to allow this Northern Virginian to host this week's Carnival of the Virginia Bloggers.

If you've got a submission, send me an email at Countertop AT gmail DOT com

Put Virginia Blog Carnival in the subject line and include a the name of your blog, a brief description of the post, a trackback link if your interested, and of course a link to the actual post.

The Carnival goes up sometime on Monday (depending on when I recover from the Super Bowl) and will be full of all sorts of Virginia Blog Goodness.

Dead Pool

Add Lindsey Lohan to my Death Pool list. Drugs, annorexia, drunk driving . . . .it doesn't matter. My money says she doesn't make it much longer.

Probably the easiest bet going right now.