The events that took place at Virginia Tech, on Monday, were horrible.
Sadly, every major network and local affiliate are plastering as many pieces of stock footage from the scene of the shootings, as well as scenes from Columbine and locations of other school shootings, in a ghoulish dance macabre, which is producing a great deal of horror, and providing absolutely no useful news.
Now the critics have come out. "We need more gun control" We need better campus policing" blah, blah, blah.
The police response was appropriate.
The security measures were as good as they can be.
You can't prevent this kind of horror. No way, no how. Not here in the U.S., with a small campus police force, not in Baghdad with 20,000 soldiers.
Unless anyone has any questions about the types of firearms used or about the appropriate security/police response, this is the first and last I will say on the subject.
If you are the praying sort, your time would be better spent praying for the dead, the wounded, their families and others affected by this tragedy.
Turn your televisions to a different channel.
God be with you,
GF
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
John McCain? I Don't Think So
Note To Readers:
I am currently cleaning out my "To Post" file. Some of these were written months ago, but I just hadn't gotten around to posting them.
GF
The December 26th Washington Post ran a story, in which Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Az) supported sending additional troops to Iraq. Also in the article, Senator McCain said that the United States couldn't withdraw from Iraq, because "...they'd just follow us home"
I submit, friends, that Senator McCain has demonstrated, in just a few sentences, why he shouldn't be President of The United States. Simply put, he lacks discernment, and has dreadfully poor judgement.
First, Senator, let me say that our most senior military commanders, not to mention the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) for example, are against the concept commonly referred to these days as "the surge" of additional troops to Iraq. Most of them believe that an increase in the number of troops for 18 to 24 months won't produce the knock-out punch to end the insurgency. Sending more troops just to keep the lid on Bagdhad simply won't achieve success.
Additionally, let's be honest about this, the Army and Marines are stretched horribly thin right now, not only thin in numbers, but thin in terms of available weapons to fight a major war, should something flare up around the world. Remember, combat vehicles (tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, etc), helicopters (especially the high-tech gunships), and artillery pieces, have a designed lifespan of a given number of miles to be driven or flight hours to be flown, or rounds fired through them. Combat greatly reduces their lifespan, combat in an arid place reduces them even further. My point here, simply, is that our forces have less of what they need for war-fighting than they SHOULD have. Sending more ill-equipped troops WON'T help.
Look, if we are still trying to hold down just this one city, more than three years after it wasconquered "liberated" it, suggests that the original battle-plan was flawed (which it was) and that the Presiden't version of success is impossible.
Let me make a few comments about your statement about being "followed home."
Weren't you paying attention in the midterm elections? The people didn't buy the "fight them there or we will have to fight them here" tactic. It doesn't make any sense. If you buy into it, Senator McCain, you must every bit as stupid as George W. Bush and the people that aretelling him what to do advising him. Do you really want to be President so badly that you would attach yourself to this policy, when surely you MUST know how wrong it is?
You may have noticed, Senator, that we arewasting spending unholy amounts of money, and have created an entirely new internal security apparatus, because the President says we need to protect ourselves at home, since there are already terrorists among us. (Trust me when I tell you that a lot of the money is being wasted... some of you know where I work. I could tell you stories that would make run for your pitchforks and muskets!)
So, since we have already turned the FBI into a counterterrorist agency, and created the Department of Homeland Security, do we REALLY need to conduct a war in Iraq to protect us at the mall? Is that what this is all about? Kill Iraqi civillians to be safe at home? Do we really want to be THAT safe, at THAT price?
For shame, sir.
For shame.
GF
I am currently cleaning out my "To Post" file. Some of these were written months ago, but I just hadn't gotten around to posting them.
GF
The December 26th Washington Post ran a story, in which Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Az) supported sending additional troops to Iraq. Also in the article, Senator McCain said that the United States couldn't withdraw from Iraq, because "...they'd just follow us home"
I submit, friends, that Senator McCain has demonstrated, in just a few sentences, why he shouldn't be President of The United States. Simply put, he lacks discernment, and has dreadfully poor judgement.
First, Senator, let me say that our most senior military commanders, not to mention the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) for example, are against the concept commonly referred to these days as "the surge" of additional troops to Iraq. Most of them believe that an increase in the number of troops for 18 to 24 months won't produce the knock-out punch to end the insurgency. Sending more troops just to keep the lid on Bagdhad simply won't achieve success.
Additionally, let's be honest about this, the Army and Marines are stretched horribly thin right now, not only thin in numbers, but thin in terms of available weapons to fight a major war, should something flare up around the world. Remember, combat vehicles (tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, etc), helicopters (especially the high-tech gunships), and artillery pieces, have a designed lifespan of a given number of miles to be driven or flight hours to be flown, or rounds fired through them. Combat greatly reduces their lifespan, combat in an arid place reduces them even further. My point here, simply, is that our forces have less of what they need for war-fighting than they SHOULD have. Sending more ill-equipped troops WON'T help.
Look, if we are still trying to hold down just this one city, more than three years after it was
Let me make a few comments about your statement about being "followed home."
Weren't you paying attention in the midterm elections? The people didn't buy the "fight them there or we will have to fight them here" tactic. It doesn't make any sense. If you buy into it, Senator McCain, you must every bit as stupid as George W. Bush and the people that are
You may have noticed, Senator, that we are
So, since we have already turned the FBI into a counterterrorist agency, and created the Department of Homeland Security, do we REALLY need to conduct a war in Iraq to protect us at the mall? Is that what this is all about? Kill Iraqi civillians to be safe at home? Do we really want to be THAT safe, at THAT price?
For shame, sir.
For shame.
GF
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Things That Mark You For Life
We all have them, don't we? We all have many individual events that make us the people we have eventually become. The memory of those things will sometimes make you smile. Some of those things will make you swell with pride. Some of those things really hurt.
In my junior year of high school, (I graduated in 1981) I took a class which was being offered for the first time, called famous black writers. I was sure I would enjoy it... until the first day of class.
I got to the classroom just before the late bell rang to discover that, for the first time in my school experience, I was a class that was populated by a majority of black students! I thought that was pretty cool, considering that the black population in my hometown was (and still is) probably less than ten percent. I say majority black, because there was one white kid in the class... his name was Matt DiFanzo (who dropped the class the same day).
I sat down in the front of the class (which was my first "mistake"), while the teacher took attendance, passed out our text and syllabus, etc...
Once the class got started, the teacher, A very young, earnest, first-year-out-of-college, white man named John Murphy, introduced himself and started talking about the class and what he hoped to accomplish with it. We got right into it on the first day, and asked for a volunteer to recite a poem by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, called "We Wear The Mask". I volunteered to recite (second mistake), and proceeded to do just that. Apparently I did a good job of it (my third mistake). I was pleased with myself, Mr Murphy was pleased... but my classmates, well, not so much.
Being able to recite poetry with proper inflection and good meter isn't something I was supposed to be able to do.
Why not?
Because I'm black, that's why.
Who knew? No one had sent me the memo.
My recitation of that poem led me to no end of grief for the rest of my time in high school.
As I was told later, reciting poetry is "acting white".
It isn't that it was the first time I was accused of this, but it only got worse.
The fact that the author of the poem was black counted for nothing.
I told myself, then, the same thing I tell myself now: "Don't worry about that stupid crap, Bill", and I don't... but, twenty six years later, it still pisses me off.
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes--
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but oh great Christ, our cries
To Thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask
In my junior year of high school, (I graduated in 1981) I took a class which was being offered for the first time, called famous black writers. I was sure I would enjoy it... until the first day of class.
I got to the classroom just before the late bell rang to discover that, for the first time in my school experience, I was a class that was populated by a majority of black students! I thought that was pretty cool, considering that the black population in my hometown was (and still is) probably less than ten percent. I say majority black, because there was one white kid in the class... his name was Matt DiFanzo (who dropped the class the same day).
I sat down in the front of the class (which was my first "mistake"), while the teacher took attendance, passed out our text and syllabus, etc...
Once the class got started, the teacher, A very young, earnest, first-year-out-of-college, white man named John Murphy, introduced himself and started talking about the class and what he hoped to accomplish with it. We got right into it on the first day, and asked for a volunteer to recite a poem by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, called "We Wear The Mask". I volunteered to recite (second mistake), and proceeded to do just that. Apparently I did a good job of it (my third mistake). I was pleased with myself, Mr Murphy was pleased... but my classmates, well, not so much.
Being able to recite poetry with proper inflection and good meter isn't something I was supposed to be able to do.
Why not?
Because I'm black, that's why.
Who knew? No one had sent me the memo.
My recitation of that poem led me to no end of grief for the rest of my time in high school.
As I was told later, reciting poetry is "acting white".
It isn't that it was the first time I was accused of this, but it only got worse.
The fact that the author of the poem was black counted for nothing.
I told myself, then, the same thing I tell myself now: "Don't worry about that stupid crap, Bill", and I don't... but, twenty six years later, it still pisses me off.
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes--
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but oh great Christ, our cries
To Thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Born Again Confederates???
I saw this particular bumper sticker while I was driving home from our vacation last week.
This little gem appears at the League of the south
In the "good ol' days", she wouldn't even have been allowed to wear pants!
If this flag DOESN'T offend you, you either need a history lesson or you are a potential traitor.
I had a snarky comment all thought up about this... but I'll just say that this is just plain stupid.
Discuss.
This public service announcement was brought to you by: General William T. Sherman
Friday, April 13, 2007
Shoot "Em Up Friday"
This is the long-ago promised body armor shoot that I did before I took my vacation.
The exercise here was to take a level two vest, sometimes referred to as: "soft body armor" and shoot it with various kinds of ammunition in order to illustrate what a so-called "bulletproof" vest will or won't do for the wearer.
A level two vest is designed to stop 9mm, .38 caliber, and smaller calibers of ammunition. Today, I shot this vest with .357 jacketed hollow point, 12 gauge buckshot, 12 gauge rifled slug, and an entire magazine (50 rounds) of 5.7x28mm.
The vest that you see above, was strapped over the wooden target that you see below. The wooden target is made from 1/2 inch plywood, and is shaped to approximate the head/shoulder/torso area of an average sized person.
I put one of my old shirts over the vest... not because it has anything to do with our test... but, just because I thought it might be kinda cool!
After being shot with the .357, and the 12 gauge buckshot and slug, this is what the shirt looked like.
Not so hot, eh? Well, there IS good news (must. resist. GEICO. joke!). The good news is that none of the rounds penetrated the vest, meaning that the wearer, had it been a living breathing person, wouldn't have a bunch of holes in his/her heart/lungs.
Look below to see the bad news.
The picture you see above, is the wooden target. Note the large-scale splintering, caused by the blunt force trauma of a 12 gauge rifled shotgun slug, fired from approximately ten yards away. Consider that your breast bone is in no way, sturdier than that plywood. In this test, the wearer of this armor would have easily survived being shot with the pistol bullet, and the buckshot pellets, but would likely have been severely wounded, if not killed by the impact of the slug.
In the next photo, I have taken a knife and pliers (I love my Leatherman tool!) and removed some of the shotgun pellets and bullets and shown them so you can see what happens to them.
The large lump of lead in the slug. It has flattened significantly. To the right, are some of the buckshot pellets. The picture isn't very good, but you can see that the pellets have flattened to the point that they look like copper jacketed M&M's.
Note the red and white material stuck to the projectiles. They have hit the shirt and vest so hard that the material fused together.
The next photo is what the vest looks like without the shirt.
Lastly, this is a photo of a different vest (the same type) after being shot with a magazine of 5.7x28mm rounds. Please note that although you can't tell from the picture, the bullets perforated both the front AND back panels. The vest wouldn't have done anything to save the wearer.
Body armor is a great thing. It has amply demonstrated, over the years, that it will save the lives of law enforcement officers. We just have to remember that wearing it doesn't mean that we can stop being tactically prudent.
Peace,
GF
The exercise here was to take a level two vest, sometimes referred to as: "soft body armor" and shoot it with various kinds of ammunition in order to illustrate what a so-called "bulletproof" vest will or won't do for the wearer.
A level two vest is designed to stop 9mm, .38 caliber, and smaller calibers of ammunition. Today, I shot this vest with .357 jacketed hollow point, 12 gauge buckshot, 12 gauge rifled slug, and an entire magazine (50 rounds) of 5.7x28mm.
The vest that you see above, was strapped over the wooden target that you see below. The wooden target is made from 1/2 inch plywood, and is shaped to approximate the head/shoulder/torso area of an average sized person.
I put one of my old shirts over the vest... not because it has anything to do with our test... but, just because I thought it might be kinda cool!
After being shot with the .357, and the 12 gauge buckshot and slug, this is what the shirt looked like.
Not so hot, eh? Well, there IS good news (must. resist. GEICO. joke!). The good news is that none of the rounds penetrated the vest, meaning that the wearer, had it been a living breathing person, wouldn't have a bunch of holes in his/her heart/lungs.
Look below to see the bad news.
The picture you see above, is the wooden target. Note the large-scale splintering, caused by the blunt force trauma of a 12 gauge rifled shotgun slug, fired from approximately ten yards away. Consider that your breast bone is in no way, sturdier than that plywood. In this test, the wearer of this armor would have easily survived being shot with the pistol bullet, and the buckshot pellets, but would likely have been severely wounded, if not killed by the impact of the slug.
In the next photo, I have taken a knife and pliers (I love my Leatherman tool!) and removed some of the shotgun pellets and bullets and shown them so you can see what happens to them.
The large lump of lead in the slug. It has flattened significantly. To the right, are some of the buckshot pellets. The picture isn't very good, but you can see that the pellets have flattened to the point that they look like copper jacketed M&M's.
Note the red and white material stuck to the projectiles. They have hit the shirt and vest so hard that the material fused together.
The next photo is what the vest looks like without the shirt.
Lastly, this is a photo of a different vest (the same type) after being shot with a magazine of 5.7x28mm rounds. Please note that although you can't tell from the picture, the bullets perforated both the front AND back panels. The vest wouldn't have done anything to save the wearer.
Body armor is a great thing. It has amply demonstrated, over the years, that it will save the lives of law enforcement officers. We just have to remember that wearing it doesn't mean that we can stop being tactically prudent.
Peace,
GF
Thursday, April 12, 2007
The Don Imus Thing
*****This Post Is Rated R (for bad language)*****
"It's the money that - makes shit get ugly
It's the money that - makes these hoes love me
It's the money that - makes niggas wanna slug me"
From 50 Cent - "The Good Die Young"
"How you gonna take this? like a Man or a bitch?
you gon' get it on nigga or you gon' snitch?
I represent niggas in the hood gettin' rich
man, I stack chips and I unload clips..."
From 50 Cent - "That ain't gangsta"
"If a bitch don't like me
Somethin' wrong with the bitch (fuck that bitch)
Why... oh why... why... you wanna fuck with me now?"
From 50 Cent - "Material Girl 2000"
You see where I am going with this, right?
Wait. I'm not done.
"Uh-huh, white paper though nigga
Can't even fuck with those blunts
White paper baby, old school nigga gimme a joint"
From Jay Z - "Do You Wanna Ride"
"You know I - thug em, fuck em, love em, leave em
Cause I don't fuckin need em
Take em out the hood, keep em lookin good
But I don't fuckin feed em
First time they fuss I'm breezin
Talkin bout, "What's the reasons?"
I'm a pimp in every sense of the word, bitch
Better trust than believe em
In the cut where I keep em
til I need a nut, til I need to beat the guts
Then it's, beep beep and I'm pickin em up
Let em play with the dick in the truck"
From Jay Z - "Big Pimpin'"
...and Don Imus is the problem?
Look, I think Don Imus is a racist, homophobic, misogynist dirtbag... but where are our people when it comes to protesting about this garbage when it comes from 50 Cent, Jay Z, or any other so-called "artist"? Don Imus isn't the problem, friends. Oh sure, he is a symptom, but he isn't the problem.
I'll tell you what the problem is: Pick up a mirror and look into it. If you see the face off someone that looks the other way when this vile filth is spewed at our own, by one of our own, keep your mouth shut about Imus.
We can't have it both ways!
We can't demand dignity and respect from others when we don't show respect for ourselves.
"It's the money that - makes shit get ugly
It's the money that - makes these hoes love me
It's the money that - makes niggas wanna slug me"
From 50 Cent - "The Good Die Young"
"How you gonna take this? like a Man or a bitch?
you gon' get it on nigga or you gon' snitch?
I represent niggas in the hood gettin' rich
man, I stack chips and I unload clips..."
From 50 Cent - "That ain't gangsta"
"If a bitch don't like me
Somethin' wrong with the bitch (fuck that bitch)
Why... oh why... why... you wanna fuck with me now?"
From 50 Cent - "Material Girl 2000"
You see where I am going with this, right?
Wait. I'm not done.
"Uh-huh, white paper though nigga
Can't even fuck with those blunts
White paper baby, old school nigga gimme a joint"
From Jay Z - "Do You Wanna Ride"
"You know I - thug em, fuck em, love em, leave em
Cause I don't fuckin need em
Take em out the hood, keep em lookin good
But I don't fuckin feed em
First time they fuss I'm breezin
Talkin bout, "What's the reasons?"
I'm a pimp in every sense of the word, bitch
Better trust than believe em
In the cut where I keep em
til I need a nut, til I need to beat the guts
Then it's, beep beep and I'm pickin em up
Let em play with the dick in the truck"
From Jay Z - "Big Pimpin'"
...and Don Imus is the problem?
Look, I think Don Imus is a racist, homophobic, misogynist dirtbag... but where are our people when it comes to protesting about this garbage when it comes from 50 Cent, Jay Z, or any other so-called "artist"? Don Imus isn't the problem, friends. Oh sure, he is a symptom, but he isn't the problem.
I'll tell you what the problem is: Pick up a mirror and look into it. If you see the face off someone that looks the other way when this vile filth is spewed at our own, by one of our own, keep your mouth shut about Imus.
We can't have it both ways!
We can't demand dignity and respect from others when we don't show respect for ourselves.
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