I see how he got elected...

I was flipping through the channels last night before going to bed and stopped on a channel that sucked me in like a fishing show.  I really didn't want to watch, but I couldn't avoid the spectacle.  President Obama was in the Tonight Show and I simply had to stop.  Jay Leno was pitching up slow underhands like a third grade softball pitcher and Obama was swinging for the fences.  I was mesmerised.  I am always amazed by his public speaking skill and I imagne after his time in the Whitehouse he will make a killing on the public speaking curcuit.  I see why he got elected. 

On the other hand, having read the news and actually looked into many of the things that were discussed, I also know that what I was seeing was carefully orchestrated.  It was just another stop on his "not a campaign" trail.  Lots of blaming the republicans for failing to approve his legislation.  Of course, he conveniently glosses over the math.  I was entertained by one comment.  He said that the politicians have to stop thinking only about the next election and start thinking about the future for our children.  That is entertaining, since those of us that can do math have seen him put our grandchildren in debt. 

Occupy... parks and um...stuff...

I have been watching the new reports about the Occupy <your city here> people and am amazed how they don't represent me but claim to.  Their claim of 99% is interesting, because I have yet to meet anyone who believes that they are included in that percentage.  Maybe its because all the people I know have jobs, so they can't be onsite at the rally to drink the cool-aide.

The protesters appear to be all of the same people who rallied to the president's cry for Obamacare (which raised my familie's rates drastically) but didn't actually research the bill or do the math.  Generally, all I have seen and read about are a bunch of people who have little grasp of math, no knowlege of history and a general dream of living their dream of protesting like its 1969.  While I am sure that there are some sincere people with actual college degrees in something other than liberal arts and political science participating, I have not seen any of them speaking publicly. Nor have the demands from the speakers that are available even vaguely based in reality.  One would think that they would be requesting reform in the area of compensation at large corporations, since that tends to be a driving factor in the "greed" that they claim is evil.  Mmm, not so much.  They want free money, free healthcare, complete elimination of fossil fuel use, free homes, a chicken in every pot and I believe there was mention of a pear tree and some birds in it.  These people do not represent 99% of us, however, the rest of us are too busy working to get on over to our local protest to correct them.

Now I see that a new movement is starting, the "I am the 53%" crowd.  These are people who are applying actual research and math completed by non-partisan researchers and are tired of some hippie wanting free everything claiming to represent them.  They have the audacity of paying their bills, too.  This has resulted in immediate calls of "racist, tea party whackjobs paid for by big business".  Funny, I have yet to see them crapping on cop cars, trashing public parks, engaging in violent clashes with police or even threatening violence.  I guess that happens when you decide that a job (even a fast food job) is better than unemployment. 

Range time, or current lack thereof...

So I am looking at the calendar and I realize two things.

1.  It has in fact been over two years since I set foot on a range to actually fire an honest to god firearm instead of a gas blowback airsoft pistol in the backyard.
2.  I naturally misspell the word calendar.

Since spell check is set to automatically tell me that I am an idiot, I discount the latter and start working on the former.  Despite living in the the SF Bay area, there are actually a fair number of options for range time in the south bay area.  I can choose five ranges, two of which are county/city owned.  Entertainingly, the county owned one has the best overall facilities (in my opinion) with prices that are as good as, if not better, than the privately owned ranges.  However, it is an outdoor range, which can be a downer in rainy weather, even with the covered lanes.  To the rescue comes the city owned range, which is small, appears to date back to the Roosevelt administration (the first one) and has limited hours.  But is is indoors and the prices are almost criminally low.  For less than I pay for one adult at the county range for all day access, I can get a lane for my entire family. 

Now, of the private ranges, I have been to all of them and none of them thrill me.  Cost aside, they all have issues that cause me to lose interest. 

One, despite being located across the street from a police department and having strict guidelines on who they sell and rent to, it always feels like its Gang Night (half off for all members!).  I have actually seen people shooting pistols gansta style.  I'm not taking my daughter there.
The second has replaced their backstop with what appears to be either coal or volcanic rock but failed to do anything about ventilation.  10 minutes into a session and its hard to see any targets past the 5 yard mark and even harder to breathe.
The last is just to far to drive on winding mountain roads to get to.  It is a nice outdoor range, but the two municipal ranges are closer. 

So now I have to work a weekly schedule up for visiting the ranges, get signed up for the CMP and start regularly putting lead downrange.  Because living here, I have to do everything I can to make Feinstein cry without breaking the law. 

Gov. Moonbeam inspires me...

He inspires me to move to another state.  Almost any other state. (Massachusetts, NJ and NY being huge on the exception list.)

Jerry Brown is getting into his stride.  Since his election I have been waiting for his participation in the useless exercises that originate from LA, usually with a democrat behind it.  He seemed to be worrying about the important things, like the budget, but I was sure that he would start signing worthless legislation sooner or later. 

Now, I hold allegiance to no party, I find most of them to be stupid.  I vote for the person who I feel will do the best job.  Unfortunately, that usually ends up being translated to a vote for the one who will do the least amount of damage.  While I did vote, I did not vote for him because I have already seen him in action. 

So this week Jerry, has decided to sign two bills into law concerning firearms.  Now, neither of these laws will do a thing to prevent crime.  Nor will they do anything to assist with the prosecution of criminals.  Criminal generally as a rule do not openly carry firearms due to their lack of interest in law enforcement interaction, so I doubt that the ban on open carry (AB 144) will do anything to enhance safety.  It will allow petty law enforcement officials to harass people that they don't like who own firearms, but that argument will have to wait until cases start hitting the courts.  And I feel that they will.  Since the state is not a "Shall Issue" state for CCW, I am sure that this one will be fought in court for some reason shortly.

AB 809 is another item that is a solution without a problem.  Are untraceable rifles and shotguns a problem for law enforcement right now?  Has it ever been a problem?  No, and it plays right into the argument from the gun rights advocates about registration being the first step towards confiscation.  What it means right now is that I will refrain from purchasing the long guns that I wanted to purchase until I either find the legal way around this requirement or (more likely) I move out of this continually sinking state of suck and fail.

The limitations on loyal shopping...

So recently I purchased a shotgun so that I could teach my 12 year old daughter how to shoot. We have already covered firearm safety with the .22 pistol, so I thought that in addition to the .22 rifle I would get a manageable shotgun as well.

I decided on a 20 gauge, and since I prefer to support local business, I went with a nearby gun shop that a friend works at. I also went ahead and checked the other stores in the area (both big box and local gun stores) to check pricing and customer service. Two of the gun stores did not get my business because of the attitude when we walked in, as well as the pricing on their firearms. The attitude was the bigger issue for me.  The big box stores was a disappointment mainly because I live in the bay area. Most don't carry firearms anymore, and those that do have poor selection.

The purchase of the shotgun went well (as well as can be expected in California) with a small paperwork snafu at the pickup time.  This was mainly due to someone not putting the forms in the correct file when I completed them at the time of purchase.  But all was well in the end.

However, I recently went to visit family in Oregon and out of curiosity looked at the prices at the local Wal-Mart.  I was both happy and disappointed to see the prices and selection in the case.  I could have gotten a similar shotgun for a C-Note less.  Ok, I understand that it is a different state, different economic area, etc…  I consoled myself by picking up a box of 100 shotgun shells for substantially less than I can buy them at home.  Still, it irked me.

Then, while cruising the big box located 20 miles from home, I noticed that they actually had firearms as well.  And they were priced well.  20 miles could have saved me $75. 

All this brings me back to the title of my post.  I want to support my friend’s employer.  I like supporting local firearms stores, since there are too few in the bay area as is.  However, they have most of their product as “I can have it here by the time the waiting period is complete”.  And, in this case, I ended up with a color that was not what was originally requested (my wife hates RealTree, and that is what we now have) due to supplier issues.  I want to support the local gun store, but I can’t.  Money is too tight.  The extra money spent was a couple cases of clays and the range fees.  I don’t have the money to spend on loyalty like that.  It sucks, but then reality can be like that.

Journalism at it's finest...

I was amazed that The BBC News managed to keep the death of Amy Winehouse in slightly smaller print that the tradgedy in Norway.  Now that the autopsy results are out, I am amazed that the media is managing to keep it just below the "not a war" in Libya. 

Other people's money...

My company finally came through on training budget to send me to technical classes.  Every quarter for the last five years they would tell us "let us know what classes you would like to take, we set budget aside for it".  Then when we select classes and notify them we get the "ooh, we don't have the budget for that this quarter".  It became an entertaining game and running joke within our group. 

Well, they fiinally came through and I got to go to a training class for Windows 7.  The training facility was really nice and the teacher was excellent.  What amazed me was that several people didn't show up for the class.  The cost for the class was approaching $3000, which I can tell you I personally don't have.  And the cost is non-refundable, so either way the money is gone.  But even though it was not my money, I can't comprehend blowing off 3K of my employer's money.  I look at this like it is my money.  One of my co workers attended with me and he was less than attentive, repeatedly late and generally acted like he had something better to do with his time.  Now, since I was directly asked how his attendance and performance was in class, I can guarantee that he will not be getting another class paid for byt he company.  Normally I would resist this, but since he did the same thing during an office move in another state and left people hanging, I don't feel bad.  Every class that he screws off in is a class that I can't attend because money was wasted on him.  Even though its not my money, I still respect that it should be used wisely.  I guess there is no accounting for some people's children...