Shah: GOP budget would kill 70,000 children

It must have been an amazing amount of research to determin exactly how many little children will die because of our budget deficit. Do you think this shah guy has their names? I mean if he can give the exact numbers, he must have their names and addresses too.

I may be wrong here, but I think our budget deficit has a negative impact on our economy. Which in turn has a negative ompact on our job market. That might explain why so many people in our Country are out of work. democrats 100% refuse to stop spending money, no matter what the cost to our own Country. I don't want to see little poor children die in any country, especially not in ours. Wouldn't it be in the best interest of the entire world for us to fix our broken economy so more people can find a job? A strong United States is in a much better position to help out the countries who need assistance.

By Josh Rogin - FP

As Congress struggles to negotiate a budget deal to keep the government running, the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) told lawmakers Wednesday that the GOP version of the budget bill would result in the deaths of at least 70,000 children who depend on American food and health assistance around the world.

"We estimate, and I believe these are very conservative estimates, that H.R. 1 would lead to 70,000 kids dying," USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah testified before the House Appropriations State and Foreign Ops subcommittee.

"Of that 70,000, 30,000 would come from malaria control programs that would have to be scaled back specifically. The other 40,000 is broken out as 24,000 would die because of a lack of support for immunizations and other investments and 16,000 would be because of a lack of skilled attendants at birth," he said.

The Republican bill, known as H.R.1, was passed by the House, and would fund the government for the rest of fiscal 2011. It would effectively cut 16 percent from the Obama administration's original fiscal 2011 request for the international affairs account.

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) pointed out that H.R. 1 would provide $430 million for the International Disaster Assistance (IDA) account, which is 50 percent below the president's fiscal 2011 request and 67 percent below fiscal 2010 levels.

Shah said that such a cut "would be, really, the most dramatic stepping back away from our humanitarian responsibilities around the world in decades." The IDA account supports 1.6 million people in Darfur, so halving the account would place 800,000 people at risk, he said...

Read the rest at the link above...

Shh! Obama gets anti-secrecy award

If this doesn't describe the obama regime perfectly, I don't know what does. He accepted a "transparency" award in secret.... hahahahahahahahaha, omg, hahahahahahaha. What a crock of shit. Transparency award? You have got to be shitting me! This is the most secret, backstabbing, underhanded, crooked administration in the history of our Country. We are talking about the same administration that screens freedom of information requests and actually does background checks on people requesting the information. The very same people that bribed and extorted congresscritters for their votes on obamacare. The very same administration that went to war with libya without consulting with the American people or congress.

I guess he can hang this on the wall right next to his nobel prize. That's going to be the wall of shit he didn't deserve...

By Abby Phillip - Politico 44

President obama finally and quietly accepted his “transparency” award from the open government community this week — in a closed, undisclosed meeting at the White House on Monday.

The secret presentation happened almost two weeks after the White House inexplicably postponed the ceremony, which was expected to be open to the press pool.

This time, obama met quietly in the Oval Office with Gary Bass of OMB Watch, Tom Blanton of the National Security Archive, Danielle Brian of the Project on Government Oversight, Lucy Dalglish of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and Patrice McDermott of OpenTheGovernment.org, without disclosing the meeting on his public schedule or letting photographers or print reporters into the room.

“Our understanding going into the meeting was that it would have a pool photographer and a print reporter, and it turned out to be a private meeting,” Bass told POLITICO. “He was so on point, so on target in the conversation with us, it is baffling why he would not want that message to be more broadly heard by reporters and the public interest community and the public generally.”

Just hours before the White House put off the original event, White House press secretary jay carney was defiant in his defense of obama’s transparency record against criticism that it might have been premature.

“This president has demonstrated a commitment to transparency and openness that is greater than any administration has shown in the past, and he’s been committed to that since he ran for President and he’s taken a significant number of measures to demonstrate that,” Carney said in a testy exchange with Fox News reporter Wendell Goler on March 16.

The transparency advocates who presented the award to obama say that the recognition is important, because despite the work left to be done, obama has done a lot to change the government’s posture toward openness issues.

Read the rest at the link above...

Just a reminder...

Look to the left on your screen, look to the right on your screen. Did you notice anything? I don't have any sponsors or advertisers and I don't ask for donations. I don't try to make a single nickle of off this, I do it for me and for you. I hope that you find something interesting here once in a while and it is therapy for me.

Being able to vent my political frustrations in a non-destructive way is good. The pictures of guns, cars and Beautiful Women enhance my calm.

I appreciate each and every one of you who follow my blog, and those that don't too. If you just stop by once in a while for the pictures, that's ok too. You are always welcome.

I hope some of you are enjoying the new Firearm of the Week feature by Big Mullet. He enjoys doing them. He has an extremely fine collection of firearms. If you haven't noticed that yet, you haven't been paying attention.

Feel free to comment on posts if you want. Even if your opinion is different than mine or some of the other commenters, it will get posted as long as it is respectful and not mean spirited. I wouldn't treat you like that and I just ask for the same in return.

Good night everyone, see you all tomorrow...

Crisis getting deeper in Syria...

As the crisis in Syria deepens, we once again see obama sitting on the fence. He will wait until someone chooses a side for him or until the outcome is determined and then claim that was his team the whole time.

While he let the u.n. decide a course of action for our Country in Libya, once that decision was made he jumped on board with both feet, pretending to have a plan and a new policy. So will that policy apply to Syria? Can we expect to see cruise missles on the Syrian horizon? Or will our course of action be dictated by the u.n.?

Has any other president in the history of our Country let the u.n. decide when we do or do not act? It is a sign of weakness on the part of obama. He has shown many of those signs. His inability to deal with foreign policy issues is scary. What if there is an actual threat to our Country? Will we have to wait four or five weeks for a decision from the u.n. on how we should deal with that threat? By then it may be too late? Is that a chance we should be willing to take?

When bashar assad starts mudering his own people wholesale for protesting mistreatment, will obama call for his removal but then refuse to target him? Will he say that assad has to go but then claim we are not advocating for regime change? This is exactly how obama has treated qaddafi in Libya, why would we expect anything different if it comes to blows in Syria?

It's surprising how easily obama's complete disregard for the Constitution was deflected after the action in Libya. Dennis Kucinich was about the only person I heard calling for impeachment. For once I actually agreed with the guy. It should have been John Boehner or harry reid, but nothing from reid and only an idle threat from Boehner. I sometimes wonder if obama has some sort of dirt on every single member of congress. Why are none of them willing to stand up to obama? Even when he shows total disregard for our Constitution and our laws. Will he be so bold if the u.n. orders us into Syria?

2012 can not come soon enough. We need to rid our Country of this obama cancer at our earliest opportunity. If we don't, there may not be much of a Country left...

How about that Top Shot last night?

Ok, the Ruger 10/22 was as cool as it gets. Wouldn't it be a blast to be able to do that carnival shooting? It kind of reminded me of when I was a kid, setting up cans and bottles and plinking away.

Once again Jay proved unwilling to listen to advice on shooting style. Normally he comes out ok with that, last night I think it cost his team the win. He was to slow to line up his shots and took too much time moving from target to target. I guess it all worked out ok for him in the end.

The elimination challenge was also about as cool as it gets. For all the cool and historical weapons as these guys get to shoot, you can't can't beat a good old .22.  I was shocked and amazed that Daryl was tripped up by something as basic as seating your magazine. Especially from a retired Marine. I mean that's day one stuff. The stress of the competition must have really gotten to him. He knows better.

For as much as I feel Jay doesn't deserve to be on the same firing line as these guys, I have this sinking feeling that he is going to win it all. It's hard to say, but dang, the guy just keeps coming back.

It's tough to see Daryl go. He was a great competitor and seemed like a genuinely good guy.

Adios Daryl...

Wisconsin Judge Orders 'No Further Implementation' of Budget Law

The judge ordered "no further implementation", just about the same thing the judge ruled about obamacare. Hmmm, the obama administration decided to ignore the judge and continue forcing obamacare on us anyway. At least in the Wisconsin case, the law in question will actually be of benefit to the State and the non-public union citizens. And actually, the public union members still won't have to contribute as much to their health care and retirement as their non-union counterparts, so they still come out pretty good too.

Unfortunantly for our entire Country, the further implementation of obamacare will affect all of us in a negative way...

By Mike Tobin - FoxNews

A Wisconsin judge on Tuesday ordered "no further implementation" of the Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill that limits collective bargaining rights.

Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi said that her earlier restraining order saying the law shouldn't be enacted had either been ignored or misinterpreted.

Sumi stopped short of saying the law was not already in effect. She said she will take more testimony on that issue.

The Legislative Reference Bureau posted the law on a legislative website Friday, leading Walker's administration to declare the law was in effect.

Sumi revised her original March temporary restraining order blocking the secretary of state from publishing the law, which is typically the last step before it becomes effective.

Sumi's ruling delivers a setback to Walker and his administration while Democrats rejoiced.

Earlier Tuesday, debate raged from Wisconsin state Supreme Court justices to law professors, on whether Walker is law and is in effect.

It states the obvious to say Wisconsin is now a big convoluted, partisan mess, but it is. Here is the skinny on what is happening: Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, who is a Democrat, and Assembly Minority Leader Pete Barca, also a Democrat, filed a court challenge to the budget relief bill. The challenge argues that Wisconsin Republicans violated the open meetings laws but since that has not entered into the argument, set that aside for the moment.

As the open meetings suit was pending, Circuit Court Judge Maryann Sumi issued a temporary restraining order that prevented Secretary of State Ken LaFollete from publishing the law, now known as Act 10. Publication of the law is the last step to putting a bill into effect, and Democrats argue that the law is not in effect until LaFollete issues the publication.

However, another outlet can publish the law: the Legislative Review Board. That is exactly what it did last Friday, leaving Wisconsin Republicans to argue that the law is in effect. The Department of Administration has even begun implementing the part of the law where deductions for health care and pensions are made from the paychecks of state employees.

Sumi ordered a hearing Tuesday morning to decide if LaFollete should be enjoined from publication until the open meetings case is decided. But if the law is already in effect, the injunction is moot. So the focus of the hearing was changed to answer the question of whether the law is in effect.

Read the rest at the link above...

Raquel Gibson is a Scorching HOT and Drop Dead Gorgeous Goddess!

Schumer coordinates Dem budget attack on GOP

I'm sure that Republicans do some of this themselves, but I just can't see them being as devious and underhanded as democrats. democrats spend millions of dollars doing focus groups and studies to find these hot button words. These are words that are supposed to make us angry. Actually these words do make me angry, angry at the democrat thugs who try to play stupid mind games and manipulate us into believing what they say. Don't fall for the stupid games people. And when you hear these people speak, remember that they are trying to use tricks to twist your thinking, then judge their words on that...

By: Susan Ferrechio - The Washington Examiner

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., a member of the Democratic Senate leadership, got on a conference call with reporters Tuesday morning without realizing the reporters were already listening in. Schumer thought he was on a private line with four Democratic senators who were to talk with reporters about the current budget stalemate.

Schumer instructed the group, made up of Sens. Barbara Boxer of California, Tom Carper of Delaware, Ben Cardin of Maryland and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, to tell reporters that the GOP is refusing to negotiate.

He told the group to make sure they label the GOP spending cuts as "extreme."

"I always use extreme, Schumer said. "That is what the caucus instructed me to use."

Someone must have finally told Schumer that the media were listening and he stopped talking midsentence.

Here's a bit more of what he said about House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, according to my notes.

"The main thrust is basically that we want to negotiate and we want to come up with a compromise but the Tea Party is pulling Boehner too far over to the right and so far over that there is no more fruitful negotiations," Schumer said on the call. "The only way we can avoid a shutdown is for Boehner to come up with a reasonable compromise and not just listen to what the Tea Party wants. "

Read the rest at the link above...

Has John Boehner forgotten why he is in washington?

I have to tell you, with each passing day, my faith in John Boehner fades. He is much too willing to compromise in situations where he has no need to. And what that boils down to, is Boehner doing exactly what the democrats want him to do. I'll hand to to the democrats, they are very devious. They use the tools they have at their disposal better than the Republicans do.

For instance, everyone knows the democrats have the media in their pocket. If the Republicans appear unwilling to budge on an issue, the media is alerted and the Republicans are front page news as being obstructionists or the party of "no".

Right now we need some "no". No to obamacare, no to more spending, no to anything that isn't pointing our Country back to the right path. We have been on the road the democrats have laid out for us and we have seen that it ends in the destruction of our values and our Country.

Boehner needs to man up. He needs to refuse to budge on the debt ceiling and the continuing resolutions until the senate agrees to repeal obamacare or to reduce spending by a significant amount. These two billon dollar cuts are worthless. We accrue more interest in the time they spend arguing than the actual reduction.

Boehner has options. He has tools. He needs to remember why we put him in his current position. We put him there to be our voice. The person to stand up for the American citizens who are against obamacare and against the out of control spending. But in my opinion, the most important job John Boehner has is to end the corrupt, business as usual way washington operates. Chicago politics are an embarrasment to our Country, it is an even bigger embarrassment when it is brought to the National level...

A couple of Soundgarden tunes this evening...

Melissa Marie Gonzales is a Smoking Hot Latina/Asian Goddess!

Obama Administration Under Mounting Pressure for Botched Gun Trafficking Investigation

Something you will probably never hear is that two bloggers got this whole ball rolling, Mike Vanderboegh from Sipsey Street Irregulars and David Codrea from National Gun Rights Examiner. Without these two guys this entire government abuse of power would have continued. The atf would have kept right on allowing guns into mexico that would find their way back here to kill more Americans. All the while the atf would have continued to pad their numbers and then used those numbers to steal more of our gun rights.

There is no possible way that eric holder was unaware of this operation. I would be willing to bet that obama was aware as well. Lie and deny. We can only hope that someone is able to uncover the evidence that links these two to this mess. It would be more than ironic if these two anti-gun scumbags were brought down over a gun case...

By William La Jeunesse - FoxNews

Congress and the Department of Justice appear to be headed for a showdown this week over documents detailing Operation Fast and Furious, the botched gunrunning sting set up by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that funneled more than 1,700 smuggled weapons from Arizona to Mexico.

The Justice Department has until Wednesday to deliver to congressional investigators a stack of records and emails naming the individuals responsible for the gun trafficking operation that may have killed dozens, if not hundreds of Mexicans, and is becoming a growing embarrassment for the Obama administration.

Under Project Gunrunner and the Phoenix off-shoot, dubbed Fast and Furious, the ATF encouraged gun store owners to sell to straw buyers -- consumers who they suspected of working on behalf of Mexican drug cartels.

Project Gunrunner purposely allowed the straw buyers to illegally buy and export guns only to see where they surfaced in Mexico. Using this investigative technique, the ATF hoped to take down the entire gun trafficking organization. Instead, records show it allowed more than 1,700 guns, including hundreds of AK-47s and high-powered, armor-piercing .50-caliber rifles to be trafficked to Mexico

Buying guns for non-personal use is illegal. Yet gun store owners were assured by ATF agents the buyers were under investigation and the guns were being intercepted before crossing into Mexico.

Instead, whistleblowers say the guns were allowed "to walk."

President Obama, speaking for the first time about the growing scandal, conceded last week Fast and Furious may have been "a serious mistake," but he claimed, "I did not authorize it; Eric Holder, the attorney general, did not authorize it. He's been very clear that our policy is to catch gunrunners and put them into jail."

But an investigation by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, could show otherwise.

The ATF operates under Justice Department, and two assistant U.S. attorneys in Phoenix authorized virtually every wiretap, affidavit and investigation conducted in Operation Fast and Furious.

Some, like Issa, wonder how Holder could not have known about an investigation that size...

Read the rest at the link abve...

Happy Birthday Vince Vaughn...

Vince Vaughn is a badass. Happy Birthday Vince.

Firearm of the Week - Posted for Big Mullet

Greetings Liberty Lovers,

This week’s FOTW is the Model 1909 Colt .45 Revolver.

To appreciate this weapon, we must go back in time to the Spanish American War.

On April 21, 1898, the United States declared war against Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in the Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. The U.S. also supported the ongoing struggle of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines for independence against Spanish rule.

This would be the first war fought overseas by the United States and it involved campaigns in both Cuba and the Philippine Islands.

In December 1898, the U.S. purchased the Philippines from Spain as part of the Treaty of Paris for the sum of $20 million, after the U.S. defeated Spain in the Spanish-American War. The U.S. government made plans to make the Philippines an American colony. However, the Filipinos, fighting for independence from Spain since 1896 had different plans and already declared independence on June 12, 1898, and had considered the Americans allies.

On August 14, 1898, 11,000 American ground troops were sent to occupy the Philippines; they were successful in defeating the Philippine Army in just over three years time, though sporadic fighting continued on to 1913.

Now, it is my understanding the standard issue sidearm was not adequate for jungle fighting and fighting the Moro’s people. The Moros were Muslim and for the most part not part of mainstream society in the Philippines.

The US realized the standard issue .38 Special was not adequate to bring down the jungle people who were often chewing the nut of the Areca palm. The locals would wrap the nut around a betel leaf and would become a mild stimulant. They needed a different weapon. John C. Browning had developed the Colt 1911, but it was being tested and had not been officially adopted by the Army.

The War Department placed initial orders for 6000 New Service revolvers Caliber .45, on December 17, 1908. These revolvers were intended as an interim solution to the lack of pistols created by the trials for the 1911 pistol and to provide for immediate needs in the Philippine Islands. They were officially designated as" Colt's Double-Action Revolver, Caliber .45, Model of 1909". The marking "U.S. ARMY MODEL 1909, No (Serial Number)" The serial number marked on the butt was the same number as was stamped under the crane on the receiver as well as on the crane. The cylinder latch was marked on the rear with the last 4 digits of the serial number. The stocks were hand numbered inside as well as marked on the butt with the inspectors initials "RAC" (Renaldo A. Carr.) The right side of the receiver was also marked with the initials of the inspector as well as with those of the "Army Inspector of Ordnance". Additional orders were placed in 1910 and 1911 for a grand total of 19,503 pistols. The pistols were serial numbered from 30001 through 49503. Pistols through serial number 42800 were accepted by the "Army Inspector of Ordnance" Colonel Frank Baker (F.B.) and the remaining pistols were accepted by Major Walter G. Penfield (W.G.P.) 350 of these pistols were shipped to Springfield Armory and the remainder (19153 pistols) were shipped to the Manila Ordnance Depot in the Philippine Islands. This revolver was designed to fire a cartridge similar to the "Caliber .45 Long Colt" but with a wider rim to insure extraction.

Here’s a few pictures of my US Army 1909.

Enjoy, Big Mullet

I Will, I Am

If you don't read anything else this week, at least read this. Once again T.L. Davis is willing to put his ass on the line for all of us. Please, go to the link below and read this, please. Leave a comment there in support of T.L., he deserves it. He has done more for you than you can imagine. He has been willing to say and do the things most people will only think. He is a true Patriot.

By T.L. Davis - TL in Exile

I have been thinking about this for a long time. Ever since I wrote The Constitutionalist and recognized that most of our liberties had been given over by the Supreme Court to the legislature, I have tried to figure out a way to regain them. At times that has not been understood to be a peaceful means. What power has any government relinquished just because it was right?

Shortly after writing the book the Tea Party began to take shape and build influence. I realized that most of what I thought needed to happen could be done through the Tea Party. But, I have never joined a real Tea Party. I am a member on some of the websites, but I attend no particular meeting. I go to a number of events and have attended meetings of a number of different organizations, often as a speaker. Yet, I have not taken part. The reason is I have never quite believed that they would accomplish the task. They were too timid of conflict and conflict is the only means of securing power that has been taken away.

I am not content to sit by and watch the continued destruction of liberty in this nation. It is time for action. We must, as a people, understand that there is no vote that we will ever be given that will secure liberty. There is no person we can elect that will return liberty to the people. Too many are dependent upon the way things are to go messing around with freedom. We saw in Wisconsin what happens in America when politicians try to do the right thing. They are mobbed and threatened by the moochers and parasites living off the carcass of liberty.

I write a lot about action. Those who have read my posts over the past several months and even years, know that I do not counsel that which I will not do. I do not pretend to make sacrifices and brag about my accomplishments. If I were not now actively engaged in what I am about to suggest, I would not put it forward for comment.

A few things have become completely clear to me over the past several months, things I always knew about myself, but they have now been confirmed and strengthened. 1) I am no leader; 2) I cannot prescribe actions for others; 3) I do not have the patience for political evolutions; 4) I am much too willing to be a martyr for my own good...

Napolitano: US Border Towns with Mexico Are Safe

I'm willing to bet there are a lot of people along the border that will disagree with napolitano's assessment.

What do you think? It seems like every few days we hear of some violence related to smuggling of either drugs or people. There are areas of our own Country that are off limits to us due to these activities. And we keep hearing how safe it is.

It's so bad in South Texas, the Texas Department of Agriculture has developed a website where ranchers can document and share their stories about encounters with drug cartels and other other illegal aliens.

Protect Your Texas Border

And we hear how safe the border is. Who is it, exactly, that napolitano and her flunkies are trying to fool? We are being treated like idiots. This administration thinks we are too stupid to see what is going on in this Country. The sheeples may believe what NBC, ABC, MSNBC and CNN tell them. Those of us with the ability to think for ourselves know the truth, and it's not what we are hearing from obama, biden, pelosi and napolitano...

By Juan Carlos Llorca, Associated Press

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said Thursday that security on the southern U.S. border "is better now than it ever has been" and that violence from neighboring Mexico hasn't spilled over in a serious way.

Napolitano spoke at the Bridge of The Americas border crossing, after a meeting with the mayors of the border towns of El Paso, Nogales, Ariz., and Yuma, Ariz. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sanchez and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin also were present.

Napolitano said the Department of Homeland Security will deploy 250 more border agents and expects to have 300 more under their next budget if it's approved. She stated that Homeland Security is investing "millions of dollars in the side of commerce and trade" to improve infrastructure and technology along the border.

However, she added that there is a need to correct wrong impressions about the border region. Napolitano said border towns are safe for travel, trade and commerce. She noted that the total value of imports crossing the Southwest border was up 22 percent in fiscal year 2010, she said.

"There is a perception that the border is worse now than it ever has been. That is wrong. The border is better now than it ever has been," she said.

The perception that the violence in Mexico has spilled over to bordering U.S. cities is "wrong again," Napolitano said. Violent crime rates have remained flat or decreased in border communities in the Southwest, she said. However, she recognized that "there is much to do with (their) colleagues in Mexico in respect to the drug cartels" that are largely responsible for the unprecedented wave of violence in that country.

Read the rest at the link above...

Dakota Rae is a Smoking HOT Gorgeous Goddess!

Another survival tool...

I have a couple of nice .22 caliber rifles. They are accurate and reliable and relatively cheap to shoot. I have built up a nice cache of .22 shells and continue to buy more when I catch them on sale and the budget permits.

But another tool I have is a good pump pellet rifle. This thing is deadly accurate out to 50 yards and very quiet too. For small game this is really the way to go. I can take out birds, rabbits, snakes and squirrels with one shot and the noise is minimal. If a situation ever arose where I was hunting to feed my family this would be my weapon of choice, especially if I wasn't sure who else might be in the area.

I wouldn't attempt to shoot anything of any size with it, but smaller critters are no problem.

I've seen people going back and forth on the usefulness of a pellet rifle. Some people claim they are useless and that a .22 is far more effective. Others, like me, know they are well worth the price. Granted, in a situation where I am forced to hunt to eat, I would supplement the pellet rifle with a sidearm or possibly a shotgun.

Survival and the Bug Out Bag...

As you know, there are a lot of crazy things going on in the world right now. The earthquake, tsunami and now nuclear disaster in Japan, the uprising in Libya, the recent events in England, other various uprisings throughout the middle east and Africa as well as the political climate here in The United States are all reasons for us to think about a need for survival gear.

One piece of survival gear everyone should have handy is a Bug Out Bag (BOB). Properly equipped, this can provide you with the means to survive for a few days. Let's say you had to get from work to home on foot, a BOB in the trunk of your car could make this trip much easier. I live about 35 miles from work. Getting home on foot could turn into a 2 or 3 day trip depending on weather conditions or the need for stealth.

There are about a million sites on the internet with lists of gear to pack in a BOB, so I'm not going to create another one. I'll give you a few links to some I think are the most useful. I want to touch on a few things that may be helpful and a couple of points to keep in mind.

Don't pack more gear than you need. Trying to carry a 100 pound pack for an extended period of time is going to wind up getting you injured or worse. Consider the terrain you may have to traverse. Consider the time of year and possible weather conditions. BOB's should be outfitted seasonally. You don't need winter gear in the middle of summer. A regular review of contents will help you keep only those items needed packed up. Also consider that this is a tool to keep you alive for a short period of time until you are able to make other plans.

Don't pack a bunch of gear you don't know how to use. If you are going to pack it, learn it. A fancy GPS will do you no good if you don't know how to turn it on. If you are packing a firearm, be sure you are familiar with its operation. It's a good idea to spend a little time at the range with this weapon. Also, if you are including a weapon in your BOB, are you prepared to use it? If  a situation came up, could you actually pull the trigger? If there are any doubts about that, you might opt for a can of pepper spray. Uncertainty when it comes to a gun can get you killed with your own weapon.

Go overboard on firestarting equipment. Most gear for starting a fire is small and light. Don't be afraid to have 3 ways of starting a fire, or more. In my BOB, I have a steel firestarter, a waterproof tin of matches and at least 2 Bic lighters. Never underestimate the importance of fire in a survival situation. If you are wet and cold, as well as scared and lost, fire can save your life. There are all kinds of suggestions out there to help you get a fire started. All of them are good, some not very practical. Making a spark or an initial flame is great, but keeping a fire going can be a challenge sometimes. If your kindling is damp or wet, you may have a hard time. One thing I keep in my BOB is a ziplock bag full of pieces cut from a Duraflame log. I cut these logs into small pieces with a saw and bag them up. One log can make several decent bags. These pieces light fast and burn for long enough to catch even damp wood on fire. Duraflame also makes some firestarting sticks. I haven't tried them yet, but they look like they will work well.

Another item I like to keep a couple of is the P38 can opener. These are very small, inexpensive and one of the easiest to use items you will find. Trying to open a can with a knife is dangerous and takes forever if you aren't familiar with the process. You can get these at gun shows, military surplus stores, I think Walmart even carries them now. They are worth their weight in gold. Having more than 1 is a good idea. Having 10 wouldn't be overkill.

Paracord is another item I would never leave home without. It is strong and light and has hundreds of uses. I keep 200 feet of it in my BOB. Be sure to get the good stuff, there are imitations out there, but if you are counting on a piece of gear to save your life spend the extra buck or two and get the best. There are lots of places to pick this up.

The number one thing to pack is water. You can live for several days without food, but water is a deal breaker. If you are having to hoof it, your need for water is even greater. Once again, consider the terrain you will have to cross. Will you have access to any fresh water along the way? If not, what you are carrying may be all you have available. There are other things I am willing to sacrifice to carry more water. It's also a good idea to have some sort of water filter or purification tablets just in case.

The options for Bug Out Bags are almost limitless. You can spend $50 or $500 and everything in between. My BOB is a military ALICE pack that I gave about $65 for. It is well made, rugged and holds everything I need it to. Mine has the metal frame and I wouldn't have it any other way. It is fairly easy to carry and with the waist strap it doesn't bounce all over the place. A bouncing pack will get uncomfortable in a hurry, and can even cause blisters and bruising. Keep this in mind when picking out a pack.

Here are a few links to BOB lists and illustrations that I found useful. Remember, there are a many opinions about BOB contents as there are people packing them. You are the only one who can decide what is best for you and your situation. Keep the bag as small and light as possible while still being properly prepared.

34 Essential Items For Your Bug Out Bag

The Survival Podcast Forum

Bug-Out-Bag (BOB)

One other very useful link I will give you is to the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force Survival, Evasion and Recovery Manual. If you can, print it out and/ or save a copy to your emergency thumb drive. If nothing else, give it a read. There are some excellent tips in there for everyone. At least read the parts that may pertain to your particular area.

Make a plan folks, you may need it sooner than you think.

A couple of Jackson Browne tunes this evening...

More Vintage Hotties for you this evening...

Check out more Vintage Hotties...

What's up with craigslist ads?

I love to browse the ads on craigslist. I stick pretty much to the cars/trucks and parts ads. There are some things I have noticed and that kind of puzzle me a little bit.

1. Dude, wash your nasty ass car before you list it. What the hell is wrong with you. I'm not suggesting a $100 dollar detail job, but a little soap and water would go a long way.

2. Maybe vacuum the car before you take the pictures? At least pick up the stray cheetos or something. If you don't have access to an actual vacuum cleaner, at least use a broom to sweep out the big stuff.

3. Take your pictures during the day. These evening/night time pictures are pretty damn worthless. I guess if you a selling a piece of crap you can hide most of it with pictures in the dark. If you are serious about selling your ride, wait till the next day and take a decent picture.

4. Turn your pictures before you post them. These neck crickers are a pain in the ass. If you don't know how to use a photo editing software, take the pictures right side up. Maybe it's just me, but I refuse to look at an ad with sideways or upside down pictures.

5. Holy shit. Camaro is NOT spelled with an "e". It's written on the car in like 10 places. Dude, wtf?

Actual listings...

Mar 23 - 1979 camero - $4200 pic


Mar 23 - 1980 Camero - $4500  pic

Mar 22 - 1970 1/2 Camero - $13500  pic

Mar 21 - 1979 camero - $5000 pic

Mar 21 - 2000 Camero black tee tops - $3500

Mar 18 - 1992 Camero - $2000  pic

Feb 25 - 1982 Chevy Camero - $1000 pic

CBO Sees Benefits in Taxing Motorists Based on Miles Driven

Let me see, the money I earn is taxed. When I bought my car it was taxed. When I put gas in the car it's taxed. And now these assclowns talk about taxing me for the miles I drive? Exactly how many different times do they need to tax the same money?

Maybe if the dumbasses in washington could control their spending we wouldn't be in this mess. It doesn't matter how high taxes are raised or how many different taxes they impose on us, if they spend far more than they take in, it will never be enough. Is this some kind of super secret thing that only a few of us know? You would think with all the "smart" think tank type people they have in washington some one would have caught on to this by now. Don't spend more than you have, it's not rocket surgery.

By Susan Jones - CNSNews

A new Congressional Budget Office study says taxing motorists based on the number of miles they drive would be a fair and "efficient" way to charge motorists for the real cost of using the nation's highways. "Vehicle-miles traveled" taxes (or VMT taxes) also would provide a strong incentive for people to drive less.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood floated the idea of a VMT tax one month after President Obama took office, but Obama’s spokesman immediately shot it down. "It is not and will not be the policy of the Obama administration," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters in February 2009.

But that was then.

The CBO study, released this week, says the federal government pays in part for about 25 percent of the nation's highways, which carry about 85 percent of all road traffic. Right now, federal spending on those highways is funded mainly by taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel, but those taxes do not raise enough money to support either the current federal spending on highways -- or the higher spending levels that some transportation planners advocate.

The CBO said most of the costs of using a highway, including pavement damage, congestion, accidents, and noise, are tied more closely to the number of miles traveled than to the amount of fuel consumed.

While raising fuel taxes would bring in more money, the CBO notes that a "fundamental" problem would remain: "By themselves, fuel taxes cannot provide a strong incentive for people to avoid overusing highways," the report said.

On the other hand, VMT taxes would have most motorists paying "substantially more than they do now -- perhaps several times more," the report said. "Such a system would maximize the efficiency of highway use by discouraging trips for which costs exceed benefits."

As for the costs of establishing and operating a nationwide VMT tax, CBO admitted that its estimates are "rough." Metering equipment would have to be installed in all cars and trucks, perhaps "under a mandate to vehicle manufacturers."

Read the rest at the link above...

A couple of Shooting Star tunes this evening...

More of the Scorching HOT Veronika Zemanova!