Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967

Well, effective January 01, 2028, the disposable bottles are banned in california*. We will only be allowed the "official" refillable bottles. Stock up now! *Joining the list with grocery bags, turpentine, and a whole host of other things we all grew up with.

I use mine all the time. 😊

On the subject of black bears... they even come in blonde!

A bit of trivia: "The Enemy Below" was the inspiration for the Star Trek episode "Balance of Terror" (season 1, episode 14). A tense, psychological 'cat-and-mouse' battle between the Enterprise and a Romulan 'Bird of Prey.' Kirk, in the Robert Mitchum role, and the Romulan captain in the Curd Jurgens part, develop a grudging respect for each other. A fairly decent parallel story.

Ms Helen Brimstone, Half-Breed Pete, and I just watched it two days ago! Pete and I tended to be a mite critical of "techincal issues" at times... but all in all, definitely a good film - from back in the day when they really used film! 😊

My circa 1910 English Mousehole anvil is stamped "0 - 3 - 18" The "0" is for hundredweights, and it's less than a hundredweight (and, as the man said, to the Brits, a hundredweight is 112 lbs). The "3" is for quarters of a hundredweight. So a quarter of a hundredweight is 28 lbs; therefor 3 quarters is 3 X 28 = 84. And the "18" is pounds. So, 84 + 18 = 102 lbs. A small but really sweet old anvil. Bought it a number of years ago from Bernhard Heer, a marvelous artist and craftsman... and a really cool dude! "And yonder stands old Mousehole Forge, "In dingy honours dres't, "Famed in the days of good King George, "For anvils, England's best.” Mousehole Forge ~ 1632 - 1933

Correct. Technically, you can notify your bank and request it not be cashed before the date written on it... essentially placing a "temporary stop payment" on the check. Good luck with making that work! Like "check signature verification." I was once given a tour of one of Bank of America's vaults. And no, it did NOT resemble Scrooge McDuck's Money Bin (darnit)! But during the tour, someone asked about "signature verification." Well... they had an algorithm; every so many checks that the algorithm would select were to be verified. I was taking notes, and when I got back to my office, I worked out that algorithm - it was as bogus as a certain aforementioned bank's reputation. The only time a check would be "signature verified" was if it was challenged. Oh - and those movies and TV shows where they stuff ten million bucks into a briefcase...? Uh... no. One million; maybe two, if it was a large one. With $100 bills, a single million would take 10,000 bills, which would be nearly 700 cubic inches. Maybe if that briefcase held a post-dated check for a few million dollars...? Edit: One million dollars, in $100 bills. Weight about 22 lbs

A bit of FYI trivia... in some circles, the "little line" is known as the "Courtesy Field": The "courtesy field" on a check is the small box where the amount of the check is writtin in numerals. It is called this because it exists as a convenience, or courtesy, for automated check processing systems. The legal amount is the value written out in words on the line below the courtesy field, and it is the official amount of the check in case of a dispute. In other words, if you wrote $150.00 on the "little line" and accidently wrote "Two Hundred Fifty and 00/100" on the "big line," you could be in for a bit of a surprise when you check your account balance. (In a former life, ol' Hardpan was a career banker. 'Til he came to his senses! )

I'm sure it was. Doesn't mean that it is right. And, keeping in mind the character of those who made the statements, some are not known for their veracity; others perhaps not known for their keenness of original thinking. And a quick review of the group of which these individuals are members of have had quite a number of their legal challenges overturned of late... and in the very arena they are attempting to "interfere" with. I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of unofficial scolding... which will prob'ly make 'em proud.

Likely having read the same article that you likely read, I'm inclined to say that those clowns should at the very least be ashamed of themselves, and possibly could be themselves considered guilty of any number of things just short of treason... like "activities affecting armed forces." "'Activities affecting armed forces' can be a crime, and it is defined in the United States Code as either a general offense or one that occurs specifically during wartime. These activities include actions intended to interfere with military loyalty, morale, or discipline, or to promote the success of an enemy during wartime. The specific penalties, such as fines and imprisonment of up to 10 or 20 years, depend on whether the activity occurred during a time of war." Edit: At least some of those individuals are former commissioned officers. That said... "...former military officers are still subject to certain military regulations and law, most notably the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). While they are generally not bound in the same way as active-duty personnel, they can be subject to recall to active duty, can be court-martialed for certain offenses, and have restrictions on political and commercial activities."

I'm still grousing about the 12 oz pound of bacon and the three pint half-gallon of ice cream.

Harbor Pilot, done with his assignment.

Me too. I'm kinda fond of the Weaver K4-W... have a couple, including one on my sportered Yugo Mauser. Just gave the Kid a K-2.5 (with post "German Sniper" reticle) for his Sears Model 50.* *FN Mauser, .30-06 ~ early 1950's production... looks like it just came off the new rack. 🙂

Good magazine. Excellent magazine, actually, in my not-so-humble opinion... been enjoying it since back in the 70's. I've always liked that the articles get into some of the more technical aspects of firearms, and never have the "feeling" of being sponsored by someone's marketing department.

Yup ~ an apt description. I drive part of 99 in the Central Valley several times a week - it's dicey at best! Here's "my" section... the intersection where I usually exit or get on "The Ninety-Nine," as the locals call it; I don't give it the "the." Anyway, we call this part "Hallelujah Corners." Why? 'Cuz when you make it across, you're inclined to shout "Hallelujah! I made it!"

Well heck ~ while on the subject, here's my favorite "receipt": FIRST Place 2 cups of raisins in a small pot. Add water until raisins are covered. Boil until the water is absorbed. SECOND Combine the following ingredients in a large pot. - 1 gallon pure apple cider (not apple juice) - 4 whole cinnamon sticks (broken up) - 1 teaspoon allspice - 1 teaspoon whole cloves or 1/2 teaspoon crushed cloves - 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract - 2 cups raisins from step one - Bring to a slow rolling boil and let boil 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool, then strain with cheese cloth or coffee filter. A cotton dish towel works best. THIRD Place strained liquid back on burner and add the following ingredients. - ½ cup brown sugar - 3 table spoons maple syrup Bring to a boil again, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from fire and allow mixture to cool. FOURTH ADD THE BOOZE -3 cups Bacardi* 151 Rum (or more) or use Everclear 150 or 190 if you have it. NOTE: Bacardi no longer makes 151; can sub Don Q with acceptable results. Other kinds of booze can be used, but for best results use one of the above. Pour it into your jug. For best results let it age from overnight to two weeks. Or longer. You can drink it right away, but it only gets better with time. *Bacardi no longer makes 151, due to a plethora of lawsuits by knotheads setting themselves afire with it. There are alternate brands available at Bevmo.

Well, "Apple Pie Season" is upon us! With that established, I'm lookin' for suggestions on handy bottles for sharing the wonderful golden libation. Undoubtedly my best experience was a number of years ago, when I managed to buy a case of "factory second" Platte Valley Corn Whiskey jugs. They were perfect! Capacity 750 ml (a shade over 25 ounces), cork stoppered... dangit, I wish I coulda bought a dozen cases! Anyway, I have but one left, and I ain't a-gonna part with it. A few years ago, Ms Helen Brimstone bought a bunch of stainless steel hip flasks, and we gave 'em out at Christmastime filled with Pie. They were okay, but much smaller (less than half the size), and even being stainless not the best material for keeping Pie ~ "drink it soon!" So - if y'all were gonna be giving out Apple Pie for the holidays, what would you bottle it in~? The "Jug!"

If I ever find myself with some free time, I'd like to get some light canvas (painter's drop cloth?) and make some "grocery" bags. And stencil an abstract of THIS guy on the things!

If Dave's in the Panhandle, there's not much between him and the North Pole other than a few strands o' "Bob Wahr..."

So @Buckshot Bear, do y'all gots any bears down that-a-way...?