Finally!

Auditing the Fed. It's finally picking up speed, and it's been a long time coming. HR1207. A few weeks ago, Bernanke and Timmy Geithner were pressed about this issue, and they were noticeably irritated and said things like "we don't want to go down that road", and a "line that we don't want to cross".

Wow. Every business in America goes through this process, but the Fed's too good for that? What are you boys hiding from the people you're paid to serve? Something's fishy, for sure, and I really hope Ron Paul's bill makes it..It's looking good so far because this is one of the first main-stream media stories I've seen about it.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fed-audit26-2009sep26,0,3764253.story

I hope the people of this great country of ours wake up and see the reality of what's going on in our government. Our money is disappearing in front of our eyes, and we're not doing much about it..until now...

Think Tank

Another good read:

http://mises.org/story/3701

Jason's quick response to my post yesterday got me thinking, and I love to think. There is way too much bad information out there, and I don't think the people of the United States in general really take the time to think about what they're reading. They quickly form opinions on subjects of great importance without thinking them through or researching sources as to vlidity or viability. Our 24 hour news channels bombard us with this type of junk information, and America has gotten used to it. In the case of many people in America, that's what they know about everything. Reading, researching, or educating themselves to the facts is a lost art. Just get on CNN and listen to what the pretty girl has to say..Blech..

This article really points this fact out. If you believe everything you read or hear on TV to be the absolute truth, it could really get you in serious trouble, especially when it comes from a "reputable source", like in this case; The New York Times. One of my favorite quotes of all-time is one I saw on a T-shirt of all places:

"Thinking-It's Hard"

It cracks me up every time I think about it, but it also makes me think about how very true it is. I think about how many people in our country these days have an entitlement-based mindset, and how many people think they "deserve" government money just because they are citizens. In reality, outside of veterans who serve our country, there are few people that I think "deserve" money just because they're living in the USA. It's unfortunate, really, and something I think has contributed to an overall decline in a solid workforce. Too many people think that a job is somewhere you go to "collect a paycheck", and it has been my experience that a diminishing number of workers take pride in what they do and go to work in order to actually earn a living.

Those same people also don't work to get good information or contribute to society. It's a nasty cycle.

I know, the composition on this post sucks, but I just needed to rant for a moment. Sometimes I like to write, but it often comes out a little disorganized. Live with it.

CZ

Life..Liberty..

Get used to our government getting bigger, boys and girls. Our fearless leader once again used his impeccable speaking skills to lull the sheeple into making them believe in change last night. Sure, we would all love to have health insurance that is cheap, readily available, and the best in the world. Why can’t we have that? Well, um, the same reason everyone can’t have five thousand square-foot homes with four bathrooms and five cars in the driveway that sits on ten acres. Money, boys and girls. It amazes me to no end how the blind people that have somehow been elected to office can’t see that. Maybe it's those very houses and six-figure-plus incomes that help cloud their vision.

Unfortunately, the government of the United States of America is completely oblivious to the fact that you just can’t keep printing money and expect everything to be alright forever. Somewhere, somehow, somebody comes to collect the money you borrow. In the government’s case, it’s going to be foreign bond and t-bill holders. Eventually, if we don't do something to turn it around, this will lead to a massive default on the credit of the US of A.

I like President Obama’s spunk. He has drive. I don’t dislike him either, I just think he’s a little naïve, and I actually feel bad for him. The fact that Rep. Joe Wilson was yelling “you lie” at him last night was actually funny. Sure, it was a momentary lapse in better judgment on his part, and there’s probably a better forum for his disagreement, but he could actually be speaking the truth. Guffaw!! What? President Obama a liar? No!. Well, probably not a liar, and maybe he just changed his mind without mentioning it, but he sure has been telling different stories since he’s been elected. Here’s just one about the health care bill he and his buddies are proposing:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/lack_health_coverage_you_may_pay_PDrR6Mc07h5mYCXNznl0TO

Um, just a thought here, but you can’t really tell people that they won’t be getting financially punished for not having insurance on a new government-run health care plan, then a few months later tell them it’s all part of a bill you’re backing…Hmmm..Really? Punished for not playing along? Does nobody else see something very wrong with the government taking over so many aspects of how we live our lives? What’s the deal? Liberty is dying a slow death, and it depresses me.

There is no possible way that president Obama, or anyone else before him, could expect to be educated enough, in such a short period of time, about what needs to be done to turn our economic ship around. Unfortunately, he has people like Timmy G and Bernanke to listen to. They have already shown us that when it comes to basic economic theory, they are both clueless and willing to do anything to save their own hides. Naturally, Obama will get bad information as a result.

Here’s a good blog discussing what the biggest banks have been doing with our TARP money.

http://theautomaticearth.blogspot.com/2009/09/september-10-2009-sooner-or-later-it.html

Buying government-backed securities..With OUR tax dollars..Unreal.. Of course, Timmy G can’t (or won’t) tell Congress or anyone how any of this trillion dollars was spent. Then, when he was finally pressured by several different reporters about auditing the Fed, he avoids the issue, and says it would be a “bad idea” to “go down that path”..Wow..It amazes me how many people in government offices, elected officials, have forgotten that they WORK FOR THE PEOPLE!!! If people want to know where their money is going, SHOW THEM! Argh..I could go on for days…No person of sound mind and body would invest their hard-earned money in anything without knowing where their money is and what it is doing for them at any moment, yet, that’s what our government is asking of us.. Give us a third of your income and we will do what’s best. Trust us..Big Brother Government knows best… I just wish more people in high places, Democrats, Republicans, and any elected official, could see what’s wrong with this picture.

Wow. Two Months...

Tumbleweeds. That’s a word that isn’t particularly funny when used in a normal sense. A good friend used it to describe my blog recently, and it cracked me up. I think about my poor little sad blog once in a while, but I haven’t really had the desire to sit down and post actual content. You know, do the work it requires to post something interesting and might be worth reading. Maybe that’s my problem. I aspire to be great, when I really shouldn’t have such high expectations for this measly blog. I mean, really, who reads this stuff? Good friends, some family, and a few others. That’s about it. I’m not getting picked up or “followed” by a legion of fans. That’s alright. No need.

I’ve been pretty busy over the last couple of months, which is usually the case in the summer. I love summer. Warm weather has always been my favorite. I’ve never been a fan of brutally cold winters. Most of my immediate family moved down here from Pittsburgh right before I was born, and they’ve never looked back. Pittsburgh is one of my favorite cities in all seasons other than winter. It can be pretty harsh up there when it’s cold, rainy, and when you might be digging your car out from under the snow for six weeks straight.

Karen and I went up there again this summer and had a fantastic time. We stayed with her sister and went to a game between the Pirates and Cubs. Even though the Pirates lost, it was perfect weather and the new PNC Park is a fantastic experience. Five stars all around. We did some other things, too, like eat plenty of good food and drink plenty of Yuengling. We also drove three hours across the state to visit the part of my family that never moved from the keystone state. My aunt, uncle, and grandmother live in what could be called small town PA and it’s a perfect little Victorian town like many of you have seen on television, complete with Amish horse-drawn carriages moving regularly through town and giant 200 year-old houses. My Aunt, Uncle, and cousins live on a farm in a house that was built in 1796. Too cool. Good times were had, for sure, and it was a nearly perfect vacation.

This summer, that of 2009, will also be the summer that I was finally able to get my old Jeep back on the road. It’s one of the few ’82 CJ7s that don’t have any holes from rust and look like Fred Flintstone's cars that you could motivate with foot power. I bought it several years ago, drove it around a while with the tired transmission and an engine that could have completely fragged itself at any moment. I pulled the transmission and transfer case out three springs ago in hopes of rebuilding the transfer case and putting in a new V8. Well, life got in the way, as it usually does, and it left me dragging, well trailering, that poor little CJ to a couple new places of residence before finally settling in the garage of my current house that I bought with my lovely wife.

I did a little work here and there when I could, yanking the engine and getting rid of it in one evening, and welding in new engine mounts for the new LS-based engine one afternoon with the help of a couple of good friends. I completely rebuilt the transfer case, too, with all new bearings and a twin stick shifter. It’s been a long road, but she’s finally breathing a perfectly stoichiometric blend of air and fuel, and making the glorious noise that nothing but a V8 can exhale through the tailpipes. To say I’ve been anything less that absolutely thrilled and filled with pride would be a bit of an understatement, for sure. Completely rebuilding the transfer case, installing a new computer, complete wiring harness, fuse panel, fuel tank, fuel pump and filter, fuel lines, brake lines, well, I’m getting a little away from myself. Needless to say, it was a near complete ground-up rebuild and I love it. It’s a Jeep, so I will always have something to do, and that’s part of the appeal. I’m painting her right now and that’s the reason for no pictures just yet. Once she’s painted I’ll be sure to post something for my four fans. HAH! In the meantime, I’ll stay busy and try to play along as a good blogger.

CZ

Summer Days..

I always seem to struggle to find the words when I actually have time to sit down and write. Here I am again, a couple of weeks between posts. I have again been busy, as is usually the case in the warmer months because I’m almost always outside doing something either for fun or maintenance. My grandmother’s pool has taken up quite a bit of my spare time in the past two weeks. I’ve been the caretaker of the pool for the last several years because she is getting too old and frail to do what is necessary at least every other day. Skimmers have to be kept clear of fallen leaves, bugs, and anything else that finds its way into the pool.

I was over there doing the regular maintenance on Monday and needed to get in up to my waist in order to aggressively brush the walls clean. That’s always where the algae starts to form and it’s been particularly difficult to keep at bay this year. We took the winter cover off of the pool only two weeks ago and it was pretty clean. Some years, when the cover is removed after eight months of hibernation, it looks like a stock pond with green growth no matter how many bags of shock chlorine treatment are put in before closing. We were lucky this year, but we’ve been inundated with rain this spring and that wreaks havoc with my attempts to keep the chemical composition regulated and keeping the pool crystal clear. A green pool is not a fun pool, my friends. The rest of the week appears to be forecast as rain-free, so that should help me keep it nice.

I know some of you make think it’s nice to have a pool to take care of, but I don’t think you grasp the work involved in keeping a pool. Don’t get me wrong, having this pool to swim in has been nice, but working on keeping that way usually isn’t fun. I’ll probably get back into my groove of going over there on Monday afternoons for a little lounging in the sun and enjoying the weather while a brush or vacuum. The mid nineties we’ve seen on the thermometer lately will do nicely to speed that process up a bit. I need to get into decent shape anyway since I’ve let myself go a little over the winter months. I haven’t even been doing any upper body strength training like I usually do. Of course, the first time I picked up the fifteen foot pole and brush this year, I noticed the extreme soreness in my arm and back muscles the next day. Nothing a summer full of swimming can’t cure, though.

My Jeep is finally running under its own power after a couple years of inactivity. I am now in the process of ironing out the few small problems that always pop up after an undertaking that complex. For those that don’t know, I’ve transplanted a newer, fuel injected V8 from a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado into my old ’82 CJ7. The old and tired six cylinder that was originally in the Jeep is gone forever, as is the manual transmission, and I say good riddance.

Stick shifts are nice in a sports car or classic muscle car, but I’m not a fan of them in off-road applications. There is usually too much going on to also be concerned about the critical balance of gas and clutch. I’d rather let the transmission do this if possible, and in the case of project CJ-LM7, it is going to be nice. Chevrolet’s engine code designation for the 5.3 Liter Vortec V8 is LM7, hence the project name for my Jeep with 300 horses ready to be unleashed. Yes, I’m a geek. It won’t matter when I’m finally enjoying my new toy on the trails and roads. The small problems are absolutely expected since I had to marry a new chassis wiring harness for the Jeep to the computer and engine management harness for the engine. It was quite the endeavor, but there will always be a great sense of accomplishment every time I drive it.

For now, I just have to re-wire the reverse light to take the power signal from my digital transmission indicator panel. Those are the white lights that are in the back of all cars when you put it in reverse. They help you make sure you’re not running over anything in the dark. That should take all of ten minutes from start to finish, but there is one other thing that I’ve been beating myself up over. I neglected to replace my inner brake lines (hard steel tubing) on the Jeep because I was going to replace the outer rubber lines with braided stainless steel anyway. Well, when I got down to trying to complete this minor job on Monday, it turned into a major job when I discovered the 27 year old fittings on the original inner brake lines wouldn’t come apart easily. No amount of lube and verbal coaxing on my part got me anywhere except for being left with a fitting that is now roughly rounded-off.

Unfortunately, I will likely have to destroy the lines to facilitate removal, so I decided to do it right and replace the entire brake line system with new, stainless tubing. It’s better to do it right the first time and never worry about it again. Unfortunately, it will have to wait since they have to be manufactured. It will likely be two weeks before I can get started on replacement, but I’ll be leaving for vacation at that point anyway, so it’s no big deal. I’m just ready to drive my beast and I can’t do that until I get brakes!

Speaking of vacation, K and I will be leaving for Pennsylvania at the end of the month. We’ll be in Pittsburgh for a few days, make our way across the state to visit her Alma Mater, some friends, and the rest of my family. It will be a great time and I’m really looking forward to several days off. I’ll try to come up with something more exciting for blog material when we’re having fun in the homeland.

Richter Scale

It’s absolutely beautiful outside. I’m driving to work about an hour early because of a monthly management meeting with the owner. I am looking forward to a nice day of weather and heavy customer traffic. We specialize in selling toys, and this weather is made for it. I hear my phone signal that I’ve received a text message. Usually, this is one of my guys telling me he’ll be a little late or something. No big deal.

 At a stop light, I open my phone to discover that it’s from Jen. Hmmm. Interesting, indeed, to be getting a text so early from her. It briefly flashes in my brain that something may be amiss, but I am calmed when I realize she’s just telling me about an interesting article in the Washington Post this morning. It warms my heart to see my ramblings making an impression.  

Earlier this week I sent an email to Jen and Scott about the volcanic rumblings in the Treasury markets and how it’s affecting national mortgage rates. They jumped over a point in one day this week, and I was just mentioning it to them because we (and everyone else in Sebastian county, according to the woman at the abstract company) have recently re-financed at a savings of thousands. 

The Fed’s recent machinations in the Treasury auctions, nicely renamed “Quantitative Easing”, has caused some small problems, and this is just one of them visible to joe public if he cares to pay attention. The story in the Washington Post is one of the first I’ve seen from a mainstream media source that is openly discussing the rumblings going on with our right-minded individuals voted into office by the people.  These officials have recently been enlightened about how inherently wrong it is for one of our country’s institutions (one that does not have to answer to anyone) to be playing with taxpayers’ money. I left out “openly” playing because that’s the huge black eye of a problem. Bernanke and his boys are not publicly disclosing any of their machinations because they aren’t required to by law. This allows them to spend billions, any time they please, to artificially change Wall Street and the markets, trying to steer it in the direction they want so that public perception and consumer confidence (which is regularly measured and reported on Wall Street) doesn't go in the toilet.

   The Treasury auctions held last week ($100 Billion worth of T-Bills) is a perfect example. There was a huge rise in long Treasury yields, 10 and 20 year, that would indicate a shortage of buyers because they are skeptical of the viability of the United States’ long-term ability to pay back debt. Bernanke and the Obama administration is printing money by the truckload, and this will naturally lead to inflation. The math doesn’t lie. 

The US did sell these bonds, and the yields went a little lower on Thursday and Friday, but because of Quantitative Easing, there is a distinct, and very likely, possibility that the Fed is buying the bulk of these Treasuries. Unfortunately, there is no way for traders, or anyone at all outside of Bernanke and the Fed, to know whether these auctions are being supported artificially with our tax dollars. If joe public were to know that all of the T-Bills being purchased in these auctions were not bought by China, Brazil, and Russia, as hoped, it would be a giant red flag for a serious lack of confidence on the part of foreign countries in counting on the United States as the rock solid center of the economic world. 

This would be serious trouble for the dollar (which has also received a significant beat-down this week) and serious inflation for everyone trying to put fuel in their cars and dinner on their tables. Big Trouble on the home front, my friends. I really hope some measures get passed in Congress that make The Fed accountable for what they are doing. Otherwise, we’re going to see the volcanic rumblings like this week turn into Mount St. Helens.

 Here’s the story: Washington Post

The Game of Life

In good times and bad, we generally make it through. How we rise from the bad is what defines us. The past month of my life has been pretty crazy, with a great many good times, and only a few bad. Most of the good times have been over trivial things, simple pleasures. Most of the time, the simple pleasures are what contribute to general happiness and overall well-being, I think. It’s easy to sometimes get caught up in the things in life that can easily depress one’s mood. It’s been three weeks since my last post, and it took a little prodding from the family to get me in the mood to write a little something.

  The economy, for example, is one thing that can easily get me down if I don’t watch how much time I spend reading and studying the why and how. The current state of the economy of the United States, if you’ve been living in a basement playing Warcraft for the last couple of years or only worrying about which Iphone apps you don’t have,  is in a shambles. It is an absolute mess. I absolutely loath that, as a taxpayer, I am forced to take ownership in several, once publicly traded companies-General Motors being the most recently news-worthy example. Even though their bankruptcy isn't official yet, the government will soon own 70% of the once large and proud company. Unfortunately, I have no choice in this investment. I can’t trade the stock, I can’t buy or sell options, I’m just a pawn. All taxpayers are cogs in the big government machine.

The Obama administration has already manhandled the bankruptcy procedure for one of the other big three carmakers- Chrysler Corp.,  even openly and publicly chastising bond-holders in the process, denouncing them as “bullies” for not cooperating with the government’s plan to force them to take pennies on the dollar in exchange for what they legally purchased and owned with money they earned. It’s a shame, really, and there are thousands of people in this great country that have invested in our wonderful free market system that woke up one morning to discover the shameful fascist maneuvers by our own government. A government that is supposed to work for the people. What’s even more shameful is the fact that a very small percentage of people in this country even have a clue as to the extent of the machinations of our government. They’re too busy worrying about who is winning American Idol to be bothered with things that could affect the rest of their lives. Thinking is hard...

 I've talked about this guy in several past posts, and recommend him highly, because he is one of a small handful of people that sees through our current administration's shenanigans. I read it daily, and suggest that everyone educate themselves on what is going on behind the curtain that is CNBC and the mass media broadway show. This is another article from another web source that is shedding light on the huge problem with the government's "cooking the books" method of printing money they call Quantitative Easing:  Treasuries in Trouble.  The government is trying to take out loans (by buying it's own treasuries) on guarantee of future production. If the government can't afford the interest payment on these loans, who pays? Who collects on a foreclosure? We all lose, every single one of us, as citizens of this great country, if we don't wake up and say something about our out-of-control socialist government. I just hope the big picture at the end isn't as ugly as it currently appears. 

Now that I got the bad stuff out of my system, I think the people that bother to read my candid chronicles deserve some levity. 

I’m getting soft, and I don’t like it. My shins hurt because of playing a little basketball at a friend’s Memorial Day party. I haven’t done much in the line of physical activity lately, and I admonish myself for it. Even the Wii Fit over at Jason and Angie’s this weekend wasn’t kind to me. Apparently, I’m overweight and my Wii age is 43. Whatever. Since when is 6’1” and 190 pounds overweight? How does a little box on the floor determine my BMI?

The weather has been great, even though we’ve seen several monsoon-like days of rain this month. The temperature is perfect for outdoor activities, and I love to ride my mountain bike. The problem is, I actually have to get on it and pedal. The other problem is that I’ve been working feverishly the last two months to finish my Jeep project that’s encompassed the last couple of years. For both of these equally enjoyable endeavors, there is a small requirement, of which I find myself painfully short: Time.

You see, I like my Me Time. This is time I take for myself to enjoy my hobbies and such. Man Time is also a popular moniker, usually when referring to activities in the garage or shop. I also need to finish walling the interior of my shop and start framing a wall and door to enclose the sink and toilet. I don’t want to be wrenching on a vehicle or working on the bench, only to be forced to stop so that someone can relieve themselves. It is a toilet after all, a place for all things private. Having one in the shop is convenient, so I should pay proper respect.

Sorry for the derailment of my time explanation train, but as you can see, there are several things I both need and want to do over the years to come, and what I’ve talked about isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. There are always things one doesn’t include in the original equation, like helping the wife assemble a newly purchased chandelier, trimming trees, yard work, the list is seemingly endless. All of you reading this know the drill. 

I did manage to squeeze in a full Sunday of going ridiculously fast on two wheels (safely). A friend that I work with here at the shop is a motorcycle riding instructor at a local motorcycle race track. They teach you how to be a better motorcyclist while going progressively faster on the track. It was a really good time and I really didn’t need the fuel on the fire that is my never-dead passion for two wheeled vehicles. I’m currently without a road going machine right now, and only have my ’66 Norton that is in several pieces strewn about in various parts of the garage. I’ll get her going someday, but right now she’ll have to wait a bit longer.

I also managed to squeeze in a Sunday for more USPSA competition. I’ve written about it in the past, and my goal was to improve every month. I’ve achieved that goal so far, and the match two weeks ago was no exception. I felt really good throughout the match, only having one or two bobbles, and managed to make it through the entire match without a problem related to my ammunition. Reloading for plinking and reloading for competition are two totally different ballgames. You really have to pay attention to details on every round to guarantee a problem-free match. In the end, out of nine competitors in my division, I placed third again. This time, though, the top two finishers were veterans of the game. Fifty plus years between the two of them in combined competition shooting experience makes me feel pretty good about my finish. I’ve only shot competition in three matches now, but I admittedly have years of fun with guns under my belt. Maybe I can get to the point where I beat them once in a while. I’ll keep you posted.

 As for life in general, I just keep trucking on, accompanied by the most beautiful and understanding woman I know. I’m looking forward to many married years ahead, and I think I’ll do just fine in my attempt to stay away from getting soft. 

Turn Your Head

  It appears that in some areas, we are finally seeing bits of the mainstream media questioning the socialist machinations of our government. This is a very informative and very correct view of what is going on with the Chrysler situation.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=azVYi8YEXsAc&refer=home

There is also another blog I follow (that isn't mainstream by any means) that hit the nail on the proverbial head about the big automaker debacle of '09. 

http://market-ticker.org

It will be very interesting to see how these illegal activities and the situation with the New York Attorney General digging into what really happened with the Bank of America/ Merrill Lynch merger. There were some serious laws broken there...by people at the top. 

In other, much lighter news, I have been on a bit of a streak lately. I've been working to try and get more local businesses to cooperate with us and get a sort of grassroots movement going in order to have a more efficient local trade amongst businesses in the area. In this tough economic environment, getting customers any which way you can is important. We've started making flyers and communicating with our local brethren and I think everyone can do their part. 

Having said all of this, I think I'll start by promoting a friend's business because it's been on my "to do" list for some time anyway. I know my blog doesn't have a ridiculous amount of readers, but maybe there are more than I think. 

I can't say enough good things about Angie, so browse around and get something cool. She has mad skills.

http://www.moxiemae.com/

You're Damn Right!

"Obama’s goal of permanently renewing the ban appears to be a longshot"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30389664

Stupid laws are a waste of time and taxpayers' money.  Enforcing laws already on the books should be where our government spends it's time, effort, and our money. 

Great Information

   This is a blog I've been following for a few weeks now. This guy knows what he's talking about and is one of the many people on the internet that are speaking their minds about what the mainstream media doesn't report. Our government is up to no good, and people like Mr. Denninger can make a difference in making the general public aware of some of the things going on in our country. I hope something more significant comes of this before our newest administration takes even more money from us. 

Pay particularly close attention to the post "Again: Government Lawlessness". It's very enlightening. 

http://market-ticker.org/authors/2-Karl-Denninger

Here is the letter from Attorney General Cuomo to the SEC, Senate Committee on Banking, etc.;. It's a very interesting read, indeed. Quite a few illegal things going on in our government. Failure to disclose during a major bank merger? Are you kidding me? This should be a cut and dry case.

 

 http://www.oag.state.ny.us/media_center/2009/apr/pdfs/BofAmergLetter.pdf

CZ

Earth Day

Propaganda:  The spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person. 

The word idea is fitting and appropriate in this definition from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary. Hypothesis also comes to mind. It is Earth Day in many places across the globe today, and unfortunately, it’s also a day for media outlets to disseminate stories about something many of them refer to as “Global Warming”. This term, in the general use, is an inaccurate term. Any meteorologist worth his degree will tell you it’s impossible to get a general temperature for the world as a whole at one given point in time. You can get an average temperature for many places, over a long period of time, but who determines what places are used to get these temperatures? How many places and sources for these temperature readings would it take to get an accurate average? With a little thought, one begins to see the enormity of the problem of proving this particular hypothesis. 

To determine whether the globe is warming or cooling over a relatively short period (decades or even centuries) is a huge problem. It has been possible for years for modern scientists to study ice and sediment across the globe that shows, without a doubt, that there has been climate change. There have been long periods of very cold temperatures and very warm temperatures, generally, across the entire world. The Ice Age is a very obvious period that is known to most everyone with even a basic education. The earth has had several of these cycles and it can easily be “seen” by scientists now that study the earth and the climate on earth at given points in its history. (I encourage everyone to read that link for Ice Age.) The terms global warming and climate change have become synonymous in the minds of many people, but unfortunately, they are not the same. They’re not even close. 

Personally, I think it is the responsibility of everyone to educate themselves on what is hypothesis, theory, and fact. These are all very distinct terms in relation to our current environmental state, and to arbitrarily believe, without education or scientific process, is a failure on our part as members of the human race. Our success and survival as a people rests on our abilities to educate ourselves and make informed decisions. I think our efforts to be “green” and to think about our impacts on our planet are mostly genuine and sincere. I also think that many good things do come from our efforts to avert actions that can negatively affect our world and environment. Also, obviously good things like recycling and utilizing wind power for electricity have shown to minimize our negative impact on our environment. 

The one thing I would like to one day see is the end of the promulgation of stories and information not backed by scientific fact or processes. Stories and the compilation of information based purely on emotion is often the product of indolence. This lack of impetus to procure fact is our scourge and can, ironically, lead directly to everything that people try to avoid in the first place.

The following link is a story that's an unfortunate example of this, emblazoned on MSN.com’s front page today:

http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/living-green/staticslideshowgreenchan.aspx?cp-documentid=18995580&GT1=34129

 Education is progress.. Editors at MSN would be wise to heed this.

THANK YOU!!, Mike Knuble!

  His cross-check on Brooks Orpik toward the end of the overtime gave the Pens a 5 on 3 advantage that gave Bill Guerin the opportunity to put the puck into the back of the net for the winning goal last night. Man, what an exciting game. I LOVE playoff hockey..

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09108/963857-61.stm

Good Start

There's nothing that quite comes close. Yeah, the Steelers playoff games are awesome, especially Super Bowl games, but there aren't quite enough of them. Playoff Hockey just started, and it reminds me every year how much I love it. The Penguins had their first game tonight, against the cross-state rivals and much-hated Philadelphia Flyers. It wasn't exactly a nail-biter, but it sure was pretty. The Pens prevailed 4-1 in dominant fashion. I just hope we can reel off three more just like it to take the series.

I have been meaning to post for about a week now, but have been pretty busy around here. I had all weekend to work on the Jeep since Karen was in Pittsburgh visiting her sister Marie. They're not twins, but they are, if that means anything. We'll see her again this summer when we go up for a week. I'm hoping to catch a Pirates game, too, in the new ball park. It's beautiful, and I can't wait to chill out and enjoy a Pirate game, a beer, and a hot dog there in the mother land.


The Jeep is coming along really well. I actually got everything but the dash and the headlights wired up while I was home by myself. I was able to get both batteries hooked up, everything else wired, and the steering shaft and column installed so that I could turn on the power. I'm really proud of myself that I managed to wire an entire vehicle by myself, especially marrying a modified harness for a fuel-injected Vortec engine from a Chevy Silverado to a chassis harness for a CJ7. It's perfect, really. One of the highlights is this dual battery setup. I have a main battery on the left there, then another battery as backup that powers a few small things and is controlled by a microprocessor solenoid mounted there behind it where the red power cables converge. If my main battery goes dead while I'm in the wilderness, far from anyone, all I do is flip a switch on the dashboard to activate the solenoid and switch over to my backup battery. I'm drooling. Finally powering up was a big moment, falling only short of actually firing up the engine. Nothing burned, melted, and there were no other catastrophic events. Just the whirring of the little electric motors cycling a few sensors. She's getting closer.

The radiator is mounted, and I even got the hoses cut and positioned. I had to cut and place both radiator hoses (they were modified original 5.3 Vortec hoses) and transmission hose for the built in cooler in the radiator. Heat kills an automatic tranny faster than anything, so I did my homework and bought the nice four core radiator with the built in trans cooler. It also has a sweet electric fan that I wrapped up mounting and wiring. I'm going to get busy with the headlights and dash this weekend.

I've also got to mount the shifter indicator down on the transmission so that I can wire that part of the dashboard. Those few things and putting the fuel tank in the rear is all that is missing. I'm hoping for an initial drive time near early summer. I think I can make it.

I've been watching closely the economic woes of our country, but it's too disheartening to constantly blog about it. If there was a good thing that came of it, it was the fact that we were able to do a streamline refinance on our mortgage. It isn't final yet, but there shouldn't be any hurdles to us closing at the end of the month. After all is said and done, we won't save any money on a monthly payment (well, $14, but who's counting), but our note was cut from the initial 30 year to 25, effectively saving us thousands. We were already on a plan to pay it off in 23 or 24 years, now that should be cut to just under 20 with diligence on our part. I'm looking forward to being house payment free in my early fifties.

CZ
CZ

Inexplicable

  Really? Let me get this right. You’re going to ask the destroyers how to fix what they destroyed. This is the unfortunate state of our country’s leadership.

 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090327/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_economy

  I don’t get it. Common sense would tell most rational people that you don’t ask a mechanic how to fix a transmission if he was the mechanic that supposedly assembled it correctly right before it fragged itself on the highway, a hundred miles from help.

 Why would CEOs, CIOs, and CFOs all agree to new regulations that Timmy G has come up with to control the credit default swaps and derivatives market? The CDS market is a very large, if not THE reason, we are in this current financial mess. Timmy G thinks that we can expand government regulation and start managing these derivatives deals like stocks, options, and commodities. Well, the problem with that is that the big boys that got us into this mess won’t go for it.

  I was talking about something similar with the family at dinner Tuesday night. You see, credit default swaps and other exotic derivatives trades have been the bread and butter of the banking industry for almost twenty years now. Take Sonic as an example. Their products that make them the most money (the biggest margins) are the beverages. One 44oz. drink, in the cup, with the ice, costs them about 7 cents. Yes. $.07. They sell those drinks for anywhere from .99 to 1.79 depending on the sale they happen to be running at the time. That’s a huge margin by any business standards. This margin, and the resulting profits, make up for products with a smaller margin like the smaller and less expensive burgers.  

 The bigger banks (and insurance companies/hedge funds like AIG) all make their fattest margins on these exotic derivatives trades. It’s their Route 44 big drink, if you will. Credit default swaps, collateralized debt obligations, all of that buying, selling, and insuring debt produces no real tangible product. It’s all a big gambling ring. That’s basically what it all boils down to. One company is betting on either the success or failure of another to make good on their debt, with the only underlying value being the quality of their name. That’s why you have Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s. Bigger money-makers (Lehman Bros., Merrill, etc.) can call the rating companies and convince them (pay them-yes, S&P and Moody’s are paid by the very institutions they rate) to apply a certain rating to a certain debt, allowing the broker (seller of a CDS) to convince a buyer that a AAA-rated derivative is a great buy while pocketing huge money for “fees”. You can see where money could easily influence decisions on these matters. Greed eventually kills. We’re seeing it now. The market is being killed because money that we thought was there is now disappearing. Money that isn’t backed by services or tangible product will always disappear. 

  Therein lies the problem I’ve always talked about with the fiat money system. You can print all you want, but you then have to be prepared to deal with the resulting roller coaster ride of deflation and inflation. We have obviously been in a deflationary period since oil went down to $40 a barrel, but I also believe we’ll soon be the victims of inflation like nothing we’ve seen in our country's short history. With a government that is as seemingly clueless as ours, all we can do is look out for ourselves and prepare. I’m not sure how well that’s going to work out for the increasingly apathetic population that thinks they are "entitled" to everything.

CZ

Seeing the Light?

I can't decide whether this is a good thing or bad thing. Here's a very recent quote from our fearless leader, President Obama:

Obama said that while the U.S. dollar remained a haven because of U.S. economic and political stability, he cautioned that if the federal government didn’t reign in spending, foreign investors would stop purchasing U.S. Treasury Bills.

“The dollar is still strong because people are still buying Treasury Bills,” he said. “They still think that’s the safest investment out there.”

“If we don’t get a handle on this, and also start looking at our long-term deficit projections, at a certain point people will stop buying--those-- Treasury Bills,” he said.

Well, No S*#$, Sherlock!! The fact that he is just now seeing the fact that we can't print money out of thin air and not have to worry about foreign countries buying our debt is absurd. Why would it take this long for him to see it? His advisers are only telling him what they think he should know. Telling him what they think he should tell the American people. Of course they don't want to have him talking about Dollar weakness prematurely. That could spark a worldwide selloff, and that's the last thing they wanted. The fact that this is coming out now, though, is somewhat frightening, for the very reason I just stated. Now that it may be common knowledge (because the President said so) that we need to reign in spending because of the threat to the Dollar, that could be the spark for other countries to see this weakness and start selling their Treasuries. I spoke of this a few blogs ago, about this distinct possibility, and now it appears to be coming to fruition. Ugh.

The only good I see coming of this is that maybe it isn't too late, and this realisation is just hitting the public as a whole. Maybe there will be a way for people in power to stop the spending of money we don't have. Maybe... Oh, the times, they are a changin'.

Here's the full story from Bloomsberg:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=amI5dRA9njjE&refer=home

CZ

Failure to Engage

I started golfing right around ten years ago. I still golf, but not nearly as much as I'd like to or can afford to. It's a great sport, and anyone that golfs at all can relate to the feeling you get when that one ball is struck so well and so cleanly that it sails to the exact point on the fairway or green that you envisioned. There is a distinct tactile difference in your hands and the club when that ball is struck. Every minute mental and physical detail coming together perfectly results in a euphoric feeling that is often referred to as being "in the zone".

A few people that know me well also know that I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to proper grammar, spelling, and the use of words in our daily lexicon. I think my second job could easily have been editor in any capacity, really. "In the zone" is one of the many overused phrases in our world today, and like "thinking outside the box", or the use of any word purposely misspelled annoys me to no end. I have recently discovered though, that I can't readily replace the phrase "in the zone" with anything that would get my intentions across to the reader as much as that single phrase.

The zone. That familiar, warm, and endorphin-producing place was a destination again yesterday, but this time it did not happen on a pristine and green golf course. It was in a place of perfectly controlled chaos. The shooting range is filled with several targets, both reactive steel and paper. The targets are part of a game which I've started to play on a semi-regular basis. I've talked about it here already, but the USPSA competitions at the local range have grabbed me and taken hold of my psyche. I was "in the zone" yesterday on the last three or four stages of a six stage course of fire. The scores are not available yet, but I'm sure I was near the top of my capability on the last few stages. Pushing the envelope (yeah-there's another one) is the name of the game, and the faster you get, the higher you rank. It is as much mental as it is physical, and therein lies the appeal to me. Of course, misses, failures to engage (overlooking and skipping a target), and other mistakes count against you as penalties, so a perfectly constructed and executed bit of twenty or thirty second controlled fury is what gets you "in the zone". If you get the chance, I recommend you become a frequent flyer to this special place.

Fall In

  Even though I'm not happy about it, people need to be aware that there may be really bad things just around the corner.  I am seeing a few articles that back my opinion of what I thought we would see: 

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/treasurys-down-china-voice-worries/story.aspx?guid={EEB9E030-EE0E-492E-8120-8C88CF7912C2}&dist=msr_8

I talked about it below in Coming Around, and I think we'll be seeing more rhetoric like this from leaders of countries all over the world. As the paper money being printed by The Fed starts to make its way out of the banks and into the hands of consumers, look out for higher prices on everything. This small bit of inflation will likely start to show itself later this spring and during the course of the summer months in everything we buy. Groceries, gas, everything we need in our daily lives. This little rally we have seen on the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq this week, will likely be slammed by reality within a few short weeks. I hear analysts talk about how everyone should beware of "bear market rallies", but I haven't heard any of that this week. Hmm. People should be learning from history, but hope is blinding. 

Amendment: This one popped up on the Yahoo front page not even thirty minutes after I saw the Wall Street Journal post and posted this entry. Everyone may actually start seeing the big picture now.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090313/ap_on_bi_ge/as_china_us_economy

CZ

SixBurgh

And I thought I might get away with only ordering a copy of the NFL Films DVD of Super Bowl XLIII. This six ring thing could get out of hand pretty quickly. Ugh. I love my Stillers.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09063/953114-34.stm

Here's the full story from my favorite source for all Steeler news from Steeler Nation.

CZ

Free Lunches

  It always cracks me up when people say that the government should "take care of it". Unfortunately, our government can not be expected to do everything. It was never designed that way, and our founding fathers knew it all too well.  The sheeple have become more and more reliant on the government over the years, by fault of their own and by fault of the government itself, and we are now in a place where the government alone can not save us from every threat posed to the well-being of the United States of America. Each of us has to take the initiative and do things for ourselves. Taking the bull by the horns will be the key to recovery, not an apathetic reliance on Big Government. This is a great article from the Mises Institute that paints a very clear picture of how duplicitous our supposed "leaders" have been in our obese government machine. 

http://mises.org/story/3351

Pop, Pop...

            Traffic on the floor this morning is looking positive. As many of you know, I work in an industry where discretionary income is the driving force. I’ve worried about what the national economic problems will do to my source of income. The cold, wet, nasty winter days eventually give way to the bright, somewhat warmer days of spring. Since the beginning of February, we’ve had several warm days with temperatures in the sixties. With these warm days come customers swarming the shop because they are ready to ride again.  I get tired of the slow days of inventory and “finding” things for my crew to do in the winter, and I always welcome the change that brings customers through the door. This translates directly to a positive impact on my income, and in this situation, the more the merrier.

            Locally speaking, the economic impact has not really been seen yet in my line of work. I am still seeing customers come in to spend their hard-earned dollars on everything from tires to windshields. Tax time is always a nice boost to our business and this year has proven no different so far. I can only hope it stays this way.

  Sitting on the couch last night, breaking open the new boxes of Girl Scout cookies, the wife chimes in.

"Baby, why do you do this? Why are you bringing things like this home?", as she bites into the new Dulce de Leche.

 I'm not as impressed with it as she, and I finish chewing one as she asks for another. I crack open the box of Tagalongs.

"That is the one", I said, as I chomped down into the chocolaty peanut butter goodness.

"Give me one".

 "Oh, these are mine", I retort. "Why do you gripe about me bringing them home in one breath, and ask why you can't have any in the next?"

 "Baby, come on", she replies.

 "I'm hiding these, and you can have the others", I say, obviously testing the waters.

 "Baby! That's not right. I'm your wife!"

 I reluctantly gave her another and then took the precious commodities into the other room for “safe keeping”. Hah.

 They really are ridiculous, and I’m an instant buyer when anything with chocolate and peanut butter is offered.

 Last weekend, I finally took the plunge and entered the local pistol shooting competition at the gun range. While I didn’t place last, I didn’t do as well as I expected or hoped. I was toward the bottom of the standings at the end, but it wasn’t the end of the world, and I’m officially hooked on pistol shooting again, even though I had to pick up my ego and throw it in the back of the truck on the way out.

  I go back and forth, with interest (and “me time” spent) bouncing from pistols to rifles and back again. Getting to shoot with good friends makes a difference, and it’s a ton of fun. Having most of the equipment I needed to get started also helps. The Glock 22 in 40 S&W is my tool of choice, and the Production (watch the cool video) class of USPSA is the game. It mixes real-life scenarios in with just plain fun. Targets are both paper silhouettes and steel plates, all shot while being timed. Rounds sent down range in any given stage can vary from 20 to 50 or more, depending upon one’s skill with a handgun and the amount of ammo one carries on hip. There are no limits to how much ammunition one can carry, but in Production class, magazines are limited to ten rounds each, and most competitors carry six magazines at the most. I’m sure next weekend will involve some more practice, because it was obvious I need it. I’m not a bad shot, but when the buzzer goes off on the timer, it changes the game more than you might think. Adrenaline and the pressure of being timed plays a part, and the quickest shooters with fastest times are usually at the top of the leader board at the end of the day because they learn to control what the body does naturally.

In Decline

   One of my best friends sent a text to me last night that put a smile on my face. It was a sign that I'm making a difference, even if it is in my own little world.

"Have u seen cover of latest Newsweek? I thought of u."

Of course, I'm not a subscriber, so no, I have not seen it. I will get to read it after she's finished, though. The cover basically states that we are all Socialists now because of the latest government bailout. Of course, I've known this all along, and have pointed out socialists and their agendas a few times in the past while hanging out with friends. This is what made Jen think of me when seeing the cover. It usually revolved around Clinton and his life partner Clinton. 

Of course, Pelosi is the worst of the active politicians, not to mention a complete imbecile, and she is one of the biggest supporters and compilers of this latest "Tarp II" or whatever the PR rhetoric is today. It's comprised of mostly pork and spending for specialist groups and will do little to help the economy. Unfortunately, there isn't an easy answer, but the path along which we're currently being led by the uneducated and ignorant in office is a path to destruction. Whether that destruction will be mild or catastophic has yet to come to light, but I am among the Austrian School thinkers that hope we can steer away from catastrophy. 

I read a good article this morning that clearly explains my thoughts. It's not nearly as heavy as some of the stuff I've tried to explain to my wife and good friends. Everyone can benefit, even if they don't agree with said viewpoint.

http://mises.org/story/3321

This website has tons of good articles, and if you have time, I recommend browsing. 

Coming Around

A month, almost to the day. A mere 24 hours short. That's how long it's been since my last post. Sure, a lot has happened, but I haven't really had anything to say, to put out there on the world wide internets. I haven't figured out whether I'm just not into it anymore or if it's a passing phase.

We (the wife and I) were at Angie and Jason's this weekend, having a blast, when something came up that prompted Angie to fetch the laptop. Oh yeah, we were watching, and freely commenting on, a show about the forty greatest metal songs of all time when Marilyn Manson came up. Of course, no discussion (with liberal assistance of adult beverages) of the guy is complete without mention of his hot wives (by Jason and I mostly), and Dita Von Teese prompted Angie to Google it all. Anyway, before finishing with said laptop and continuing our conversation about hot, famous chicks, Angie proceeded to travel to my blog and mention that there was not a recent post. Hmm. Yes, I know. At that point, with little prodding from Sailor Jerry, I said, "I'm done with the blog".

Well, I'm obviously not, as I sit here and write this, but it did get me thinking. Why blog? Why put it out there when it will just have to swim against the current that is the ocean of blogs already out there? I don't have an answer for that one. I think maybe it was a way to keep in touch with friends at first. I don't have many readers, though, so it's morphed into something more for myself. Something that lets me put my thoughts down on paper, if you will. While not really anything highly entertaining, and nothing really informative, it is something that allows me to vent. A release.

Over the past several months, and several blogs, I've chosen to stay away from talking about the economy. The reason for that is because of the fact that it is all completely petrifying. I am absolutely awestruck at how many so-called analysts and experts there are in this great country of ours that are absolutely clueless when it comes to basic economics. It is completely beyond me why these 'experts' seem to think that printing more fiat currency (i.e. government paper) will supposedly stimulate the economy. This country is already in an unprecedented amount of debt, and The Fed chairman and the appointed board think that they can always just sell more T-Bills and Bonds to subsidize this crazy "Federal Bailout". Basic economics, a class available to most in Junior High or High School, tells you that it is ludicrous to pay off one debt with more debt. Why does the federal government of the United States of America think it's possible for them? Because ever since the Bretton Woods agreement, our ego as the "world leader" has grown more and more every year, to a point where it is now getting us all (as citizens and taxpayers) in trouble. The complete detachment from a gold standard in 1971 started what will ultimately be, in my view, the destruction of the U.S. Dollar as the currency the world aspires to own, and maybe the destruction of the dollar as we now know it. If foreign countries continue with a plan to slowly remove themselves as buyers of U.S. T-Bills, T-Bonds, and U.S. investments in general, we will be in big trouble. This, to anyone that has even a modicum of economic knowledge, will lead to unprecedented inflation. Inflation of the likes we've never seen, and a U.S. economy in shambles. Goodbye government entitlement plans (ie Welfare, Medicare, etc). Goodbye government as we know it to be a controlling national entity. State governments would be your rulers in this world, many of which would likely secede from the union if that were to happen.

I know, I know, that's crazy talk. It really is, and I'm not sure I still have a complete grasp of what's happening. I hope it gets turned around, I really do. Unfortunately, buying a turnaround, labeled as "TARP", "Stimulus Package", or whatever, for something that amounts to several trillion dollars, is not the yellow brick road to an answer we all seek.

Nutty

I have talked about our friends many times already on this relatively young blog space on the world wide web. We have great friends all over the country. The Martins live in St. Louis, and just had a little boy in October named Trevor. We haven't been able to visit yet, but we hope to soon. We got a surprise gift in the mail the other day that put a huge smile on our faces. Being a part of our very close group of friends means appreciation for the finer things in life, and appreciation for the many good times we've had. We've always joked about a particular metaphor for girls being squirrels. Well, as our housewarming gift, the Martins sent us the perfect gift. A couple of nuts and a couple of squirrels. Memories are grand, and when something small like this puts a huge smile on our faces over and over again, it just makes us realize how lucky we've been to have such great friends. Love you K and C.

I'm finally starting to slow down a little this evening. The whole day was spent trying to stay busy. I was trying n0t to think about the huge playoff game the Steelers had this afternoon against the San Diego Chargers. Whew. It's all over now, and the Steelers looked great. There were a few plays here and there where they were less than spectacular, but Fast Willie Parker was like his old self, running all over their defense and helping us control the ball, the clock, and the tempo of the game. This opened up the passing game for Big Ben, and the rest is history. Now we get our arch-rivals, The Baltimore Ravens, next weekend at home. I can't wait for the battle. Of course, it's the late game again, so that means another Sunday of killing time until the big showdown. Maybe that's a good omen.

Switching Gears

Much time has passed, and many good times have been had since my last post. I’m going through stages in my short blogging history that have borne proof that I need start taking notes when I get ideas. One of the books I’m currently reading (one of four or five at any given time) is On Writing by Stephen King. He talks about how he comes up with ideas for his stories at random times, makes notes to himself,  and sometimes puts different ideas together to come up with the end result on paper. I think I need to start taking notes because it seems like every time I think about something being a great story, I’m not in a position to sit down at the computer and add it to my blog. That one problem, I’ve surmised after much introspection, is the main reason I have drifted into a pattern of going several days between posts. I’m not promising that I can rectify this immediately, but I will do my best to start taking notes and posting when I get a free minute.

The Browns were here briefly for the holidays because Jen and Scott finally said hello to their new pride and joy. Their daughter Paige entered the world on December 22^nd of 2008. Sean and Tammy came up from Dallas because we are all great friends (family, really) and they weren’t sure when they’d be able to make a return trip to see us all. They stayed with us here at the house for one evening of good times. In our group of close friends, which I think is currently at 13, we have often joked about living in a cul-de-sac when we’re all old enough to retire and resume our good times every day. I would love for this to happen sooner, and I get a great feeling when I see my good friends for times even as brief as twelve hours.

 Christmas was never really a religious experience for me as a child. My parents took us to church on Sundays when we were small, but after their divorce, it became an option. I opted out, of course, because my interest in things of the sort was already that of wonder. I have always been a leader and one to question authority. I’ve never blindly followed anyone or anything because I was told “this is the way”. I always managed to question it and back it up with my own discovery or research. This didn’t bode well for me at certain times in school, of course, but I think I turned out alright in the end. My mother may humbly disagree about my lack of belief in all things Christian, but I live a great life with far fewer complaints than millions of people in the world. 

Karen just so happens to go to church, and even though I don’t go with her, we manage to get along well enough because I see Christmas activities as a good tradition and a reason to get together with family and friends. The stories about Saint Nick are also something wonderful for millions of kids every year, I remember getting my first real BMX bike as a kid and getting my first Atari 2600. Those were big moments, and memories I wouldn’t trade for anything, so I will have no qualms in sharing some of these moments with children of my own, if that day ever comes to pass.

 I was bitten during the holiday break as well this year. Not physically bitten, but bitten by the bug to start shooting again on a regular basis. The last couple of years have seen months go by between my trips to the range, and I am always happier when I can go more often and put more copper and lead down range. Not too long ago I re-introduced a friend of mine to the wonderful world of firearms. He had a .22 rifle that was given to him by his grandfather, but had never really had anyone in his life that brought an interest in guns until we started hanging out. He’s the top technician where I work, and our mutual interest in all things motorcycle helped fuel a great friendship over the past eight years.

 JD has a fantastic shop behind his house where he works on everything from his motorcycles to his cars and guns. This shop was the place where he helped me rebuild an engine for my Yamaha TT500 flat track race bike, and also the place where we completely rebuilt the Dana 300 transfer case for my current Jeep CJ-7. Good times abound at JD’s. On a few occasions he would ask me about my guns, my interests, and after we both built nice custom rifles from old beater military Mausers, he was hooked. His purchases of old military arms are an investment as well as a source of enjoyment, so it’s always been justifiable. Recently, he forged a path toward competition pistol shooting. A mutual friend of ours got him fired up about shooting USPSA matches at the local range, and for a few months now, JD has done his best at trying to get me out there to join them. I’ve been reluctant because it isn’t exactly the cheapest sport, mostly because of the practice required. Shooting several thousand rounds a month is not uncommon, and I’m not in a financial position to take on a new hobby that could require so much time and cash outlay. After much rumination, I came to the conclusion that I already own much of the equipment required, and anything else can be readily borrowed from JD. He has toys galore already (after only three or four months of shooting) and has a spare of almost everything. Last weekend, I went out to the range with my guns and ammo to join JD, Butler, and Kevin for a few hours of steel popping and paper punching, USPSA style. I was caught- hook, line, and sinker-just like JD quietly suspected.

 I think I can start small and practice a little for now, just to see if it is at all feasible for me to join the fray. I could always liquidate a few assets from the collection if need be. I’m already looking forward to the match in January on the third Sunday. The only thing I thought may be an issue was the time away from the house on days when Karen is home. As luck would have it, matches are held on Sunday mornings, when Karen is at church. Perfect.