Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967

The outfit I retired from did these surveys... mandatory, and guaranteed to be "totally anonymous." However, you had to indicate your gender and age and work site. We had a staff of about 350, scattered over perhaps two dozen sites. Of the total staff, only about 30 or so of us were men. I declined to participate in the surveys. Management attempted to reprimand me for said declination. I pointed out the reason for my lack of faith in the "anonymity" of the process. And I also pointed out that over the past five years, the less than 10% of the staff who were men had received about 90% of the disciplinary actions levied by management. Discussion ended.

Breathing? Somethin' I've grown kinda fond of. Not doing it well of late, though... asthma, bronchitis... likely triggered by the smoke and bad air of last week. Can't talk for more than a moment without breaking into serious coughing Renewed my inhaler prescriptions and wear a mask outdoors for real. Doc sent me for a Covid test. Passed!

I vastly prefer individual focus eyepieces... but for some reason, they're verrry difficult to find nowadays. That said, my favorite has long been a pair of rugged, individual focus Tasco* binoculars. Armored, 7x35 wide angle (525 ft/1000 yds, or 10°). BAK4 prisms, coated optics, nitrogen filled. Perhaps not of Swarovski clarity, but still very, very clear. Quite acceptable. The kicker is, I bought these from Emporium Capwell in San Francisco in 1983 at a closeout sale... for the princely sum of $35. Adjusted for inflation, just under a hundred of today's dollars. I actually bought several pair, and gave the others to buddies. Sadly, I misplaced them about ten years ago. Could not find any replacements I liked (no individual eye focus), including three pairs of Nikons I actually did buy. Happily, when I was working on my truck a few months ago, I found the old Tasco* set behind a seat belt reel! Nikons back to the gun safe! *Tasco never built anything.

There's a whole bunch of us out here prayin' as hard as we can... now, you get better, Allie! Still and always in our thoughts and in our hearts.

And, in the name of "Diversity," that's exactly what the Art Institute of Chicago did: Art Institute of Chicago fires [unpaid, volunteer] docents because there are too many white women in their ranks. Wow. Replacements will be properly inclusive, based on “an income equity-focused lens.”

Target...?

Lessee... 1974, I think it was - bought my first 7 1/2" bbl Ruger Blackhawk. I'd just visited my ol' pard Hank, in the hospital recovering from a .45 Colt ball through the shin, a result of dropping said Colt. I was so impressed I went right out and bought a .45 of my own. But not bein' one of those guys who has to pee on the 'lectric fence myownself, I bought a Ruger. Edit: Oh... I think it was about $120. Bought it from Stan's Sporting Goods in Serramonte Shopping Center in Daly City...

Huh! I was expecting a Bezos expose'...

The guy in the wizard suit...

Not completely... but they're working on it. Hard.

Hm. Sassparilla Kid had a moment of insight this afternoon ~ he calls these people "American Bolsheviks." He might be on to something there...

Is 1971 current enough...? Only fifty years ago this month! Edit: I still have the wizard suit.

Got 'em.

Found it.

I hate to think it, but you may both be correct.

Thanks a lot, Duff...

Sixty-six years ago my Pop made that for me... called it "One-Eyed Toast." One of my earliest memories. I did the same for my own kid.

Bee-Yoo-Tee-Full~!! I am particularly impressed with the target! My No. 1 has comparable wood; however, it's .270 barrel is in AB configuration - which means it's very thin. Downright whippy, even... the barrel walls are only 1/10" at the muzzle. Unless I let it cool between shots, it shoots a pattern instead of a group. Yours is MUCH more accurate than mine... But I still love it!

'Cuz...

Not that they are incapable of it... they're just above it. Someone raised in the "asphalt jungle" cannot be bothered to be concerned with the needs of people in the Central Valley or mountain or agricultural areas to remove or trim trees or brush. Hey, Politicos... ever heard of "fire control?" I wonder what the penalty will be for smuggling a chainsaw or weedeater...

He WAS~!! Sassparilla Kid had just for fun slipped it on the cat... and the darned cat strutted about proud as all get-out. He LOVED it!

No. But it will lighten the drain on the grid. Not sure if it's typical or not (likely close), but Ms Helen Brimstone just told me that her solar panels offset 85% of her electricity bill last year. California presently imports about a third of the electricity used. New hydroelectric dams in California are banned - "rivers must be allowed to run free!" There are plans to dismantle the one operational nuke, the state's moving away from natural gas, and there will NEVER be coal burned to generate electricity. Plus, wind power is bad - hurts birdies. The state currently imports about one third of its electricity. The power companies are required to shut down areas on windy days to prevent arcing to vegetation that could cause fires (clearing trees and brush is no longer allowed - 'tain't natural, don'tcha know). Hetch Hetchy? The O'Shaughnessey Dam was built 98 years ago - you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who ever saw the valley. I find it amusing that there are "greenies" in the Bay Area who lobby and demand that the dam be blown up to "restore" Hetch Hetchy - which provides about 20% of their electricity and most of their water. Water, by the way, which is considered to be some of the cleanest and best in the entire U. S.

I used to have a cat named Jack... There's your tie-in.