[Ba-Dump Tissssh - Memes]

["Goat Guns"]

So there's a company called "Goat Guns."  They manufacture cool little miniature firearms - non-firing, of course.  Cute li'l things; what I call "desk toys."

 

Well, Sportsman's Warehouse evidently now sells 'em, according to this morning's email ad.  But as I look at it, goodness - a surprise:  "This Product Is Restricted In This Area."

 

Good grief.  

 

 

[It's Not the Size, It's How You Use It]

I'm wondering how many of us used vernier calipers, depth gauges, micrometers and the like before being "spoiled" by the dial and now digital versions?  

 

Prob'ly the same number of us who used to use slide rules.  

 

Speaking of which, thank God for Texas Instruments, Hewlett-Packard, and others!  Heck... the original "Bowmar Brain," which had only four functions, retailed for $240 in 1971... nearly two grand in today's dollars.   

 

But back to calipers ~ heck, I remember how excited I was when I bought my first DIAL caliper.  Think I bought it from Sears, and it took a painful chunk of my paycheck.  I don't know who marketed the first digital models back in the late 1970's or how much they cost, but it was a LONG time before I could afford one.    Nowadays you can buy a perfectly servicible digital one from a big box store for around forty bucks.  

 

 

[A world gone nuts]

4 hours ago, bgavin said:

Scary part… they are voters.

 

Even after convicted and incarcerated, if a certain bunch gets their way.  

[Winchester stock refinished]

How 'bout a picture of the beast so we can see what you're working with?  

[Question for LEOs]

31 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

That's in TX. In PRK, back when I was Po-Po. The plate could not be blocked from view in any way.

 

Indeed.

 

Two or three years ago I got pulled over one night after ten pm after some late grocery shopping.  Seems the bumper-mounted hitch ball on my '01 Dodge Ram "could possibly obscure the license plate."  Mebbe... if someone was behind me in a Miata or a luge.  From any regular automobile a person behind me might have to move their head an inch or so to see around the ball.  In a full-sized SUV such as the CHP and sheriff department like these days, no problem.  This CHP officer was in one.

 

Well... I'm not sure what he expected, but it wasn't some ol' grampaw-ish dude with a bag o' groceries and a Scoutmaster uniform hanging behind the seat.  Clear-eyed, alert, sober and smiling.

 

"Dangit, I was hopin' you'd be Peter!" I said, after motioning him to open my passenger door (no electric windows and WAY too far to reach).

 

Fella was startled, and blurted out the bit about my hitch ball.  Then he asked "Peter?"  

 

"Yeah... Peter ******."  Peter's an acquaintance, and the son of an old Scouting friend.

 

Anyway, we chatted for a bit, then he smiled and said that yeah... the hitch ball was just an excuse to pull me over and check me out; don't worry about it.

 

I pulled it off when I got home - never used it anyway; preferred the hitch mount.  And don't need to be trolling for bored LEO's.  

 

 

[Grumman C-1a Trader]

The C-1A "Trader" is a variant of the S-2 "Tracker," which was used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

 

One of my writing class colleagues was an S-2 driver "back in the day."  Dennis has some fun stories, and actually just published a collection of his memoirs a few months ago.  I recommend it ~ it's a good, fun read, with plenty of subtle humor.  

 

After his active duty, Dennis continued flying with an airline, and remained a reservist until he eventually retired as a Commander.  He once told me the story about giving a Captain a check ride in an S-2 out of Lemoore NAS, when an engine stopped.  Just plumb up and died.  Which was bad enough, I s'pose, but the when the second (and last!) engine decided to quit too, life became a whole new level of interesting.  Anyway, Dennis said that he selected a cotton field and put the plane down, wheels up.

 

"Dang, Dennis!  Wha'd ya do then?"

 

"Well, we radio'd the base, and they sent out a crane and a big ol' flatbed truck.  We folded the wings and they put it on the flatbed and just hauled it back to the base!"

 

I pondered a moment, then asked what the farmer had to say.  "Dunno!  He never even came out!"

 

Anyway, he said that there was an investigation, it was found to be a "million-to-one" mechanical failure, and the plane was back flying not long after.  

 

Don't recall if that particular one was in the book or not, but it has lots of smiles.  

 

Link:    I'm Still Alive, by Dennis Sniffin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

 

 

[Tilting]

What... no windmills~?    

[Donate your unwanted pet]

2 hours ago, Dantankerous said:

Could be the answer to prison overcrowding...

 

Didn't the ancient Romans do that for a while...?  

[A world gone nuts]

6 hours ago, Alpo said:

I was expecting her to spit on it.

 

Just might get 'er punched.  

[What’s Next Australia, Ball Bats?]

Good Lord~!  

[Australian toilet vs American toilet]

On 7/30/2025 at 5:50 PM, Buckshot Bear said:

 

One thing we're short of down here is water, so everything has water saving devices fitted into them. First thing people do when they install a new shower head is to get rid of that #%^$& water saving device!

 

 

And then you have california.  All toilets here must limit flushes to an absolute max of 1.28 gallons per flush.  No matter HOW many flushes it takes.  

 

Most people don't realize that you can bypass this restriction by holding down the flush handle ~ my late contractor uncle told me that, but they're not allowed to advertise this nugget of knowledge.  I've had to "train" out-of-state visotors after massive plug-ups.  

 

I wrote this li'l ditty, and have it framed and hanging on the wall in my "guest bathroom."  

 

Ode to a Poop

~First, a Preliminary Flush, then~

A folder, not a “wadder” be

When using your after-poop T P.

Sheets no more than six per pad,

And flush after no more than three, my lad!

The flush must be thorough and gurgling and long

Hold down the handle ‘til the water’s ALL gone.

When the “paper work’s” done and your bottom feels pure,

One more looong flush, just to be sure!

Since water’s so scarce (thank yew, Gov. Brown)

We can’t have crappers that’ll wash it all down.

So instead of a good healthy flush that’ll work,

You gotta flush often ~‘cuz of Jerry, that poop-Brown jerk.

 

 

[The U.S. Army's 5.56 Krag of 1896 - Almost]

Here's a peekchure of the actual booger....  

 

I'm thinking that with modern propellents and bullet technology, this thing could have some interesting muzzle velocity potentials.  

 

[Prayers needed]

Absolutely, prayers up from these parts and will continue!

[If you was rich]

Not rich by any means, but back in the early 90's the Former Missus Hardpan and I had two homes for a couple o' years ~ a small bungalow in the Bay Area near (sorta)* where we both worked, and a 2,200 sq ft ranch style house we had built on a one hectare (2 1/2 acres) lot in the Central Valley, built and planned for an eventual relocation.  Which we eventually did!  Traded a high $$, super high stress career for a simple job and a life in the country.

     *The missus had an eight minute commute; my daily round-trip from Vallejo to the office in S F averaged a bit over 5 1/2 hours.  Every day.  With typical work-weeks of 50 - 60 hours.  

 

We'd spend about one weekend a month at our "country estate," holidays, and a week or so in the summer.  Had a tractor and tools there, non-perishible foods, some frozen stuff, and other fun items.  Not that there was much time for fun!  Actually, "hobby farming" was fun.  

 

Anyway, like @Stump Water, other than work boots, gloves, and such, we'd take our duds back and forth... much easier to do laundry at the "northern" home.

[BUGGER!]

Time to watch "The Right Stuff" again.  

 

 

[California State Route 41]

At one time or another I've driven every mile of 41, multiple times.  I still drive part of it several times a week, between Madera County and Fresno.

 

Much of it really is scenic, but the part I see mostly is as @Doug E Turtle describes - "golden."  In fact, back in 1998, I was active with a group of malcontents who decided to "secede" from the huge Madera Unified School District and form our own.  They said it couldn't be done; we did it, and created a very successful district.  And named it "Golden Valley Unified."  

 

                

 

 

 

 

[Rust-- I saw it for sale at Walmart today]

Fourteen dollars and ninety-five cents?  

 

I'm surprised it wasn't in the 50¢ "bargain" bin.  Mebbe next week.  But I still won't buy it.  

[The Ninth Speaks....]

12 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

So... I'm wondering when might this actually become effective?  I'm sure it's much to much to hope, much less expect, it to happen when some judge's gavel bangs.   

 

FWIW, I called Sportsman's Warehouse in Fresno today - the largest of the few remaining firearms retailers in the area.  Sadly, I was told that they were continuing to charge customers and do background checks, as they had received no instructions to stop from "headquarters."  

[The Ninth Speaks....]

So... I'm wondering when might this actually become effective?  I'm sure it's much to much to hope, much less expect, it to happen when some judge's gavel bangs.   

["Iron Feathers"]

11 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

Yep, as soon as I saw those feathers you make I thought of those buttons and conchos as enhancements. If you check out Amazon and eBay there’s a bunch of them, all different designs. That picture of the one with the turquoise heart looks really good.

 

Thanks, Yul!

 

The sad thing about the turquoise heart is that it's fake.  But what the heck... so's the feather!  

 

On a lighter note, I'd love to find a way to have a "touchmark" stamp made...  even if it was just the fire-breathing duck! 

 

         

 

 

[Ba-Dump Tissssh - Memes]

[The Ninth Speaks....]

9 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

Same old story. California AG will axe for an en banc.

 

9th en banc will overturn. 

 

Plaintiffs will go to SCOTUS. 

 

SCOTUS will deny cert.*

 

*If by some miracle SCOTUS does hear it and upholds the original decision, the quockerwodgers in our Sacramento Reichstag will either ignore SCOTUS, or change one word in the legislation, vote on it,  pass it,  and Emperor Newsom will sign it.

 

 

Oh!  Was that my inner cynic typing?

 

So... I wonder if we'll have a temporary "cease fire" (pun intended!) wherein we can buy ammo, kind of like the "magazine week" of a couple years or so ago, when we had that window where we could buy >10 round mags.  

 

Edit:  An additional thought ~ I'm wondering about the status of the 11% guns/ammo tax challenge... 

[The Ninth Speaks....]

Appeals Court Blocks California’s Background Checks for Ammunition Buyers

 

Oh, YAY~!!   

 

But, as a two - to - one panel decision, I'm sure certain "someones" will protest....  

["Iron Feathers"]

5 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

Very nice work Hardpan. I like them both ways. Since it is kind of a Native American themed creation I wonder how they would look with a buffalo nickel button mounted near the bottom or some of these others in the picture. PM me if you’d like some samples

 

Oh, DURN yore cotton' pickin' hide, Yul~!  You just sent me down a whole 'nother rabbit hole!!  

 

But what a cool ideal.  Sumpin' like this, maybe?  

 

 

 

I'm going to have to rifle through my leathworking stuff and see what else I might have "in stock;" otherwise, Tandy is but a short detour on the way home from my Monday and Tuesday classes in Clovis.