Five O'Clock Friday: Defense Against Spatulas

I have no idea what is going on here, but it's funny.

The man with the hood is my hero. pic.twitter.com/hBwneBq2C5

— Men's Corner (@Mens_Corner_) November 29, 2018

Thanks to "Checkered Flag" for sending the laugh.

Edit: Sorry for the black image. It showed fine on preview mode. Click the play arrow to view.

The Brown Truck Delivered

As did the purple one. And the white one too.

The package tracking app on my phone had me rushing home on Tuesday.

I took advantage of sales over the holiday weekend to stock up on ammunition and cigars. There was also a beer sample delivered that's queued up for a future review. Having everything show up on the same day was like a mini-Christmas. Also in the pile by the door was a portable propane heater to extend the back porch smoking season.

If anyone needs me, I'll be over here enjoying the fruits of online shopping.

Return to the Range

To my chagrin, I haven't gotten in any trigger time for a couple of weeks. Now that the outdoor range closes at 4:00PM it's very hard to get there after work. I also hadn't been down to the indoor range in nearly two months. My reluctance to get to that range was due mainly to summer-time traffic on I-95. The lack of range use is not a good ROI on my membership fees!

A welcome sight.

On Monday I finally had a chance to load up the SIG P320 Compact and do some shooting at the indoor range. Since I haven't practiced in a while, this outing was mostly focused on trigger press. I also took the opportunity to shoot some longer continuous strings than I am allowed at the outdoor range.

After shooting 120 rounds at distances of 7, 10, and 15 yards, I decided to have some fun with the timed turning target. Drawing from the holster is not allowed (without paying an extra $60/year) but even from low ready I was able to get in some target focus shooting at 7 yards. All in all a good session.

When I first got to the range, it was as crowded as I've ever seen it. All the lanes in my bay were in use. I was relieved however that most folks seemed to be shooting .22 rifles, so the noise factor was low. That is until the shooter in the lane right next to me started sighting in his .30-06 hunting rifle. That reminds me, I need to add more foam ear plugs to my range bag in case I need to double-plug again.

Beware the Thought Police

A New York (of course) democrat (of course) wants to require a review of your internet browsing history as part of the background check to buy a gun.

People applying for a pistol permit or renewing a license could have their social media accounts and internet history reviewed. It's part of a newly proposed bill in the New York State Senate.

State Senator Kevin Parker of the 21st District introduced Senate Bill 9191 in attempts to keep firearms out the hands of people who may be violent.

The measure requires, "social media and search engine reviews prior to the approval of an application or renewal of a license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver; requires a person applying for a license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver or a renewal of such license to consent to having his or her social media accounts and search engine history reviewed and investigated for certain posts and/or searches over a period of 1-3 years prior to the approval of such application or renewal; defines terms."

In order to facilitate this dismantling of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, the state would demand your passwords to online accounts. What shouldn't be overlooked, is that having your private account information also will allow government agents to control and alter your accounts at their will.

Related news from another part of the world, ironically posted the same day, offers a clue as to where the leftists in this country draw their inspiration. China is moving forward with a plan to rank citizens by their social behavior.

China’s plan to judge each of its 1.3 billion people based on their social behavior is moving a step closer to reality, with Beijing set to adopt a lifelong points program by 2021 that assigns personalized ratings for each resident.

The capital city will pool data from several departments to reward and punish some 22 million citizens based on their actions and reputations by the end of 2020, according to a plan posted on the Beijing municipal government’s website on Monday. Those with better so-called social credit will get “green channel” benefits while those who violate laws will find life more difficult.

How long before democrats demand we be chipped?

See "NY State bill would review social media, internet history as part of background checks" and "Beijing to Judge Every Resident Based on Behavior by End of 2020."

Fire Exposes Illegal Still

According to the report, an "illegal distillery" was found by official investigating a fire at a home.

The Stafford County Fire Marshal’s Office says it discovered an illegal distillery Tuesday afternoon while investigating a garage fire at a home in Falmouth.

Investigators reported the setup to Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agents, who confiscated a makeshift stovetop distillery and a copper still outside of the split-foyer home in the 100 block of Kelley Road. They also discarded a 5-gallon bucket of mash, according to a news release from the Fire and Rescue Department.

The fire marshal did determine that the fire was caused by an extension cord short, and not anything related to the distilling equipment.

One tenet of making moonshine is staying under the radar of the revenuers. A fire in your home is not a good idea.

Read "Stafford officials discover illegal distillery while investigating garage fire" for more information.

Thanksgiving Classic

I post this every year, and I still laugh at it every year.

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy good food, good drink, and fun times with friends and family.

(Sorry for the sloppy embed. The original clip I used previously is no longer available.)

Bullets and Beans. And Lingerie.

Last month, we reported on the "Controversy Over Guns and Coffee" in Loudon County, Va. The local government was resisting allowing the owners of Bullets and Beans gun shop to sell coffee to its customers. It appeared promising that the shop would finally be able to sell caffeinated beverages.
Alas, it was not to be.

After more than two months of meetings, rescheduled votes and anticipation, the Bullets & Beans gun shop in Hamilton is officially prohibited from selling coffee.

The Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to deny shop owner Kevin Jones the special use permit he applied for in August 2017 that would have allowed him to sell coffee in the Retail Sales and Service Commercial District, since town zoning for that district prohibits food sales in buildings adjacent to residences.

Although the council previously announced that it would vote on a trial period that would have allowed Jones to sell coffee for six months while town staff assessed the impact it had on the town, the council voted to end the coffee selling idea altogether.

In a not-so-shocking admission, one of the Councilman who voted against the shop, confesses that the opposition was based on guns not coffee,

Councilman Craig Green said that the pushback wasn’t necessarily because of opposition to a coffee shop, but because of opposition to a gun shop.

That admission is especially onerous and proves the gun-grabbers will resort to any tactic in their fight against legal gun ownership.

The outcome doesn't surprise me though. I had the opportunity to drive through Loudon County before the recent elections. Based on the content of the the prolific political signs I saw, the area is home to a large population leftists.

Since the residents got their panties in a wad over guns, it's only fitting that the shop owners will get the last laugh.

Jones and his wife, Tammy, said that they’re now going to work on a plan to sell lingerie in the 108-year-old bank building, which they can do without special approval from the council.

See "Hamilton Council Denies Bullets & Beans Coffee Sales; Owners Opt to Sell Lingerie" for the story.

Consolation Beverages and Cigar

Other fun family activities have conflicted with my shooting opportunities for much of the fall. Fortunately, some of those other events still permit me to indulge in some of life's other pleasures. To that end, I covered all three of my favorite beverages at our recent college football tailgate. In addition to the different drink choices, the mild weather also allowed me to enjoy a long smoke, one that went quite well with all the selected libations.

Shortly after getting our tailgate set up for last weekend's college football game, I lit a Rocky Patel Vintage 2006 San Andres. It was still "before noon" so I sipped a milky latte purchased from a ubiquitous chain. Typically my coffee is fresh-brewed and enjoyed black, but the creamy, vanilla-flavored drink presented a nice pairing, even if the actual coffee content was minimal.

Coffee completed, I moved on to one of my favorite sipping whiskies, Bulleit Bourbon. Obviously no complaints with this pairing, which served to alleviate the remaining morning chill.

A short while later, I still had plenty of cigar left and lots of time before the game. Not shown in the picture, the afternoon's choice of beer was Devils Backbone Cold Room Violation. This Imperial Red Ale was brewed in collaboration with Sibling Revelry Brewing. The slightly sweet caramel and mild bitter citrus flavors presented no conflict with the rich smoke.

This Saturday football outing unfortunately conflicted with the Rivanna IDPA Top Ten Match. After several years of shooting at the club, I was excited to have finally made the Top 10 cut. These pre-game indulgences helped to alleviate the disappointment of missing the match. Even though our team isn't doing well this year, spending a moderately warm November Saturday afternoon sipping and smoking is a pleasurable consolation.

Five O'Clock Friday: Selective Hearing

This was sent by a friend. It's an old one, but still funny.

Screw top bottles, it's been a while.

A Dunkelweizen and A Smoke

We headed over to 1781 Brewery on Sunday afternoon. I was interested in trying the Dunkelweizen I had seen mentioned on their Facebook page. After getting my beer I also checked out the humidor in the brewery picked up a Crowned Heads Le Carema cigar to enjoy as well.

Although the beer in the picture above seems to have a reddish tint with the sun shining through it, the beer was actually dark reddish-brown in color. The flavor profile had a creamy, malt base with a touch of roasted bread. At just 4.7% it was an enjoyable mid-afternoon libation. The rich leather and creamy notes of the smoke made for a perfect match.

With the time change and cooler fall weather, once the sun dropped below the trees, the temperature dropped as well. Although I was tempted to enjoy another round, of both these pleasurable treats, it was time to head off in search an early Sunday dinner to wind down the weekend.

Windy Day At The Range

A busy work schedule and seemingly endless days of rain made it hard to get out to the range last week. On Saturday, the wind was blowing steady but it was still a good day for a little range time. As I have the last couple outings, I was shooting the Compact SIG P320.

The range was muddy in places and had standing water in others. I found some relatively clear ground around the 10 yard mark, so did all my shooting from the same spot. Two targets were hung so I could work on some target transitions. The range rules prohibit more than two shots per string so I was limited to one shot on each target. Given the temperature, I practiced drawing from under my jacket too. On a few occasions I had to wait for the targets to return to their vertical positions after being pushed horizontal by the wind gusts.

At each magazine change I alternated the direction of the transition, or switched to two quick shots on the same target. I did also devote 50 rounds to shooting SHO and WHO. Despite being a shorter gun, I think the Compact is better balanced for one-handed shooting than the Full Size version.

By the end of my 200 rounds, I noticed some degradation of my shooting and concentration, but still felt it was a great practice session. Even more, it was simply good to spend some time outside and on the range. The coming weeks looks just as full as the past few, making this range opportunity all the more welcome.

Fall Colors on the Range

Red, orange, yellow, and brass.

More to come...