Smoke on the Water

The Bastidge

Writing like this is what hooked me on reading blogs, and in no small part, why I started blogging lo those many years ago.

Don't stop there however.  Keep reading each preceeding link.  I think you'll like what you read.  I also think you'll like the man behind that keyboard out there.

Meet The Bastige.  And welcome to the blogroll, Larry.  This former USAF cop, salutes you.

This Memorial Day, 2007

Looking back over the past four years of Smoke on the Water, this remains my favorite post.  I believe in it, and I stand by every word.  Then, as now.

Sadly though, traitors who seek vainglory and high political office today betray our fallen heroes, all in the name of personal gain, political advantage and a sick, twisted belief that all that is wrong in this world can be laid at the feet of the United States of America.

They are wrong.

The brave men and women who served our country, and who now lie at eternal rest, are not to be cast aside as mere pawns by those who betray their very sacrafice.  Not deny it; betray it.

A few days ago, the United States Senate passed the bill fuding the troops engaged in the Iraqi Theatre of Operations.  The vote was 80-14.

Of those fourteen; I no longer consider them worthy of the sacrafices made by our warriors.  Regardless of party, they have in my consideration, forfeit that which has been won for them by the blood and lives of the men and women I write about in the following post. 

The honor due our fallen soldiers can be upheld in large measure, by seeing to it that those fourteen traitors who at present, bear the title United States Senator, do so no longer at the first electoral opportunity.  I'll deal with them later.  They don't even deserve to have their names mentioned in this same article which is dedicated to heroes felled in the cause of freedom.

Our troops; past, present and future, deserve better.

They deserve our all.

And now, please let me once again give to you what I'd first written and posted on May 28, 2004.

For Love Of Country

And of our fellow man.

In the face of this electoral season's acrimony, it behooves us all as Americans to every now and then declare a truce, step back from the brink and to take stock of this awesome Nation of ours.

Of all of ours.

Be you Raving Liberal or Vast Right-Wing Conspirator, this time is not about you. Or about me.

It is about Them.

It is for The Fallen.

Each year the soldiers of the Third United States Infantry Regiment ("The Old Guard") take part in the ceremony called "Flags In." Just before Memorial Day, each grave in Arlington National Cemetery is decorated with a small American flag.

The flags remain in place until the conclusion of the Memorial Day Weekend when they are all removed. It is the only time during the year when American flags are permitted at all gravesites in the Cemetery. The "Flags In" detail took place this year on Thursday, 27 May 2004.

Personally, I believe deeply that we lose something vital to our survival as a Nation when we forget the blood of patriots.

Words, symbols, heated rhetoric and clever argument all pale when measured against the brilliance of the white of marble, the emerald carpet of living grass borne over they who rest beneath, forevermore.

And the fields and fields of flags upon each, bearing quiet witness to the precious, eternal value of that sacrafice.

Dignity, honor, respect and a day of rememberence is all that they ask now of us.

Especially, rememberence.

So, this weekend, set aside if only for a day, thoughts of (D) or (R). Rail not against your fellow American, nor wish harm to him, his party or his creed.

Not on this day.

The men and women in those graves are no longer Democrats or Republicans. They are still and eternally though Americans, and are forevermore worthy of this day given but to them.

Honor the Day. Honor Them.

From their dark and silent graves, they give more honor to our Nation than any one politican, party or officeholder dares ever imagine.

Dignified beyond words, with nobility above the highest offices of government, these silent warriors speak loudly of what it is to be American.

They did not die for the Republicans. Nor for the Democrats, Greens or Libertarians.

Whether in combat, or fifty years later surrounded by only the memories of comrades long since passed, the men and women resting forever under those flags once marched proudly under that banner. They have earned nothing less than the unqualified respect of a grateful Nation, and her grateful people.

The last full measure of devotion is an awesome, terrible thing. Yet, magnificent; and it is upon the altar of their sacrafice that we enjoy the freedom of the greatest Nation in the history of the world.

Stand and salute, and remember them.

For our own sakes, and especially for theirs.

REMEMBER THEM!

Smoke off the Water

Far too much time has passed since a cigar post has been featured here at Smoke on the Water.  What!?  You thought this blog was named for the song!?  Think again!

Someone needs to buy out the nail salon that sits between the other two stores in the following picture.

 

And then put a liquor store in it's place.  Now that would be a perfect Trifecta.  How sweet it would be to go one-stop shopping for Alchohol, Tobacco and Firearms!

Coming from Houston's Reliant Center after enjoying the rather large gun show there, I ventured over to Richmond Avenue Cigars.  Which convienently happens to be two doors down from the fabled Collector's Firearms.

Woe is me; I've already spent too much at the gun show, now I've leapt from the frying pan and have lit the fire on one helluva fine cigar.  The Edge, which carries cigar legend Rocky Patel's name.  A fine maduro wrapped cigar in the size he calles The Missle.   It's a 5"x48 ga. product, which would usually bring it in as a short Corona, but for the torpedo-type taper at the head.

More on this fine cigar later, after I've smoked more than the first inch which I've quite enjoyed thus far.

Glad Tidings of Great Joy

I left this comment over at Bill Whittle's place, roughly, 'bout ten minutes ago:

Welcome back, from just one of the countless blogs you directly inspired.

Please accept my sincere thanks for all that your blog was then, and even the moreso for your return now.

The trite thing would be to say that the timing of your return is splendid, and not a moment too soon. Truth is though, the time is always right for your voice to be heard.

Always.

Welcome back. Hopefully, evermore.

Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX

I mean every word of that.  If you're not familiar with Rachel Lucas, hie thee hence and go visit, and read.

Often.

Very often.

It'll be worth your time, or your money back!

Temple of Doom

So, Senators Kennedy and McCain come up with a pig of a plan which will by any measure, afford amnesty to some twenty million illegal soon-to-be-voters of the (d)emocrat ilk.

All, of course, blessed by a President who, having lost all semblence of what it is to be Conservative, now sells out the very Soverignty of the Nation he was elected to serve.

Indeed, now that the Republicans in the Senate have pulled the lever; as the Republicans in the house correspondingly begin the long and accellerating spiral aound the porcelain bowl of voter discontent, I now pause to offer a humble admonition from this insignificant blog.

The passage of this bill may well sound the very death-knell of the Republican Party.

Now, I don't mean the death of Conservatism.  Fact is, this bill will also surely ignite a fire of passion for National Sovereignty and territorial security such as hasn't been seen since World War II.  Which frankly, could be a good thing.  By good, I don't mean happy, sunshine and light.  I mean good in the following sense:

The Gospel of Mark, Chapter Eleven.

v. 15. And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the MONEYCHANGERS, and the seats of them that sold doves;

v.16. And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

v.17. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. 

v.18. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

The long-established leadership of the Republican Party has succumbed to the same virus which infects the left; the confusion between what is nice, and what is good.

Jesus was not nice to the moneychangers.  I mean, flipping over their tables and chairs, laying down the Law, berating them even while teaching them the Hard and Honest Truth.... well, that just wasn't polite, now was it?

You might even say he hurt their feelings!  He harmed their self esteem! 

To liberals, deadly sins both.  But, knowing that Christ was and is without sin, that just doesn't wash.  So, what is the lesson here, after all?

What Jesus did was GOOD, which is a Biblical attribute of God.  Niceness never figures in, unless you count that as an inclusive aspect of his longsuffering, mercy and forgiveness.

The Republicans in the Senate seem to be all wrapped up in Playing Nice.  Which, in the case of immigration, just as in the case of moneychangers in the Temple, just isn't Good.

Funny allegory, that.  Seems the moneychangers have just moved their operation from the Temple, to the halls of Congress.

Not good.  Not good at all.

Somebody, get a whip.

Soon, please!

In Praise of Greatness

Kevin would disagree, but I really don't give a damn.

Greatness.

Not measured only by his prolific output of posts ranging from the pithy link to the epic dissertation, nor by the thousands upon thousands of comments on those twenty-four-hundred some-odd articles.

Instead, measured by the billions upon sheer billions of neurons fired in this most worthy of causes.  Meausred by the hundreds of thousands of extraordinarily well reasearched and even more well-spoken words of the author.

Measured by the hundreds; maybe thousands, of individuals who've made the transition not only to citizen, but to Armed Citizen, due in no small part to the selfless efforts of (in my opinion) the man most tenacioiusly responsible for fighting the good fight.

Measured by Four Years of incredible dedication in the incessant struggle for:

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

I have no doubt, that one day, well into the indeterminate future, that Kevin's visage will take it's place among the Great Men of this Nation. 

Thomas Paine lives forever as the firebrand pamphleteer who gave us Common Sense.  Patrick Henry is immortal in our history for his bold challenge to the throne:

As a member of the Congress, Henry was an outspoken advocate of strong measures of resistance. At a meeting of the Virginia assembly (right) in Richmond on Mar. 23, 1775, he called on the colonists to arm themselves, with the words:" . . . as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"

Soon after, he led the militia of Hanover to force Governor Dunmore to
surrender munitions belonging to the colony.

Our Nation was born of such men as Kevin Baker.

I have no doubt......  Absoultely no doubt whatsoever, that our Nation shall survive in no small part, due to Kevin's inspiration to many the freedom loving Patriot. 

Count me to be numbered amongst them.

And to those who discovered their latent patriotism due to Mr. Baker's thoughts and words.

Count me in, Mister Baker.  I shall be proud to stand the line by your side.

The Well Raised Cat

As any long time reader of Smoke on the Water would know, my cat Harley is  not only the pride o' the fleet, but not only  'cause he's so damn good looking.

The big reason is, he's really the lovingest cat on the planet.

Now, in case you're wondering how to get your cat to also be so very affectionate and good natured?

Make sure they're brought up right.

When I die, I think I wanna come back as my cat.

salute to friend Dennis (Yellowlegs, USMC) for the kitten pic!

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Well, that's where it was this past weekend.

The Blogmeet, that is.

After having been involved in the blogosphere since late '03, I finally managed to find my way to an actualy, by-golly Blogmeet.  Now, I've met quite a few bloggers in the past few years, what with shooting events, hangin' with the DuToits and entertaining a few blog writers as they drifted through Galveston County on their journeys.

Met a few non-blogging blog readin' people, too.  (Hi, Recondo & Georgia!) who made time to see me as they ventured from this adventure to the next.

So, as Iris and I rolled over the miles t'ween here and Kerrville, I had no doubt that we'd be meeting some good folks.  Of course, I'd met Denny once at Kim's, and having written and yakked with him over the phone with some frequency, it wasn't a stretch to say I knew I'd have at least one friend a'waiting.

Well, I was wrong.

There were plenty of friends.....just ones I hadn't met yet!

That's been rectified, and in fine style let me hasten to say.  And that style wasn't just 'cause we were at The Inn of the Hills in Kerrville, Texas....which is one of the most well-established, and yet still one of the very finest venues one could ever wish to visit.  Being in such a lush and beautiful location provided the perfect backdrop to a meeting of a dozen or so expositors of the written word, all of whom give life to their thoughts via the keyboard and flying electron. 

And what a mix of writers this was, varying from myself, a rabid gunbloggin', politic pickin', bourbon sippin and cigar ravin' cranky old keyboardist, all the way across the scale to a lady who personified the most genteel of spirits, lovingly tending to both her garden of plants, and her thoughts, harvested fresh to her screen.

Now, rather than me trying to write one-by-one profiles, (which from me, would probably not even resemble the real people involved), let me just point y'all to their own blogs, and you get to know 'em your own self. 

I think if you do, you just might want to end up attending the next Blown Eyed Blodger roundup.

The Confabulator
Erica
Charming, Just Charming
Jerry
Walrilla
Hammer
Leslie's Omnibus
Nancy's Garden Spot
Parkway Rest Stop
Richie
Grouchy Old Cripple
Shoe
Tall Cool Drink O'Water

Update:  You'd think that since I stole that list from El Capitain, that I'd at least have the good sense to have included him in my efforts?

You'd be wrong.  Damn, sorry there Pirate....next time, put your own blog in your lists so when I steals 'em, I don't have to bemember quite so hard now, hear?   shuffles off muttering to self..........

Like I said earlier.  I am inded, truly honored to have met y'all!

Here's to next year!

Lest I Forget

Not a chance!

Lest I forget the BlownEyes, that is.

I enjoyed one helluva good blogmeet this past weekend, in Kerrville, Texas.  And I had the pleasure...the distinct pleasure, of meeting a damn good buncha people I'd never met before, and more than a few blogs (and bloggers) new to me.

Believe me, I've got a lot of catching up to do, and lot of new blogs to get to know.

I'll post more on the blogmeet soon, but the previous post was one in the works for a while,  and I wanted to get it tended to and posted before the topic grew stale.  And now that that's done, I can (hopefully?) catch up with the tiny slivers of the blogosphere that my constrained time allows me to pursue.

But I am glad to........no, honored to have met some damned fine people in Kerrville.

The pleasure was mine, entirely.

Open Carry in Texas

Last week, Kim DuToit posted the rare bit with which I disagree.

On the subject of the carriage of handguns in Texas, Kim leans towards being against Open Carry.

"I know, I know: I’m generally not in favor of the precautionary principle when it comes to laws, because I believe that people, by and large, will tend to do the right rather than the wrong thing—and for those who do the wrong thing, we in Texas have excellent jails and a marked affection for the death penalty."

"But this is one situation where it seems to me that experience and common sense of ”a lot of assholes” rub up against the unfettered idealism of ”shall not be infringed”.  The compromise (concealed carry) seems to be not an unreasonable one, under the circumstances."

Conversely, I strongly favor Open Carry.  For several reasons.

First among these is that this is the basic, free excercise of an enumerated right under the Constitution.  It is said that a right unexcercised is a right forfeited; which saying has more potential for truth as applied to the First and the Second Amendment than to perhaps any of the other eight of the original Bill of Rights.

That's just one reason.  Another of course, is that our habitually unarmed friends and neighbors would benefit by being accustomed to being in the presence of armed, peaceable members of a free society.  Another quote, this one from Heinlein: "An armed society is a polite society".  And it is mostly true.  Mostly.  I suppose it's in the area's that aren't mostly experienced wherein the problems lie.  But, as those are the exceptions and not the norm, I would greatly prefer that policy and law be cast in favor of the norm, i.e; the majority.  The majority of the time, with the majority of the people, I trust that the calmative effect of the presence of a responsible citizen who is visibly armed would be of direct benefit to his circumstance, and society as a whole.

Now, Open Carry isn't without it's issues, and certainly the suitability of who might be so carrying is paramount amongst them.  I can think of innumerable louts and miscreants who about as well suited to the responsibility of being an Armed Citizen as Rosie O'Pig is to teach construction stress-failure analysis.  Which tends to parallel Kim's concerns.

Unlike Kim though, I suppose I approach the question with a more optimistic outlook regarding my fellow Texan.  Which is why I diverge from Kim's suppositions regarding the reactions of the average Texan to an openly armed citizen; that is, once some form of Open Carry legislation were to wind it's way through the twist and turns of the Austin Statehouse, finding itself signed by the Governor and subsequently attaining the force of law. 

Jail Bait

As would be expected for me, I'm probably the last to comment on the delightful prospect of poor, spoiled liddle Paris Hilton having her seriously overexposed ass hauled off to the L.A. slammer.

Couldn't be helped.  I was outta town attending a rather enjoyable meeting of bloggers up the road a' piece in Kerrville, Texas.  Six hours each way is quite the jaunt.  I'll write more on that in the days to come.

Having spun the rolodex of my blogroll a bit, I thought I'd set this up as a bit of a point-in-support to what friend LawDog so aptly wrote about regarding the trollop in question.

Her parents -- who expressed their opinions most firmly during the hearing, a kittenish act which usually results in getting escorted out of court and/or contempt charges -- feel most strongly that their daughter is being singled out because of who she is.

*snort*

They got that one right.

Seeing that the sleazier this young floozy of a lass gets, the more support she gets from her giddily rich parents.  A viscious cycle, as it were....or in Paris' case, a vacuuous one.

So, though I agree with Officer Dog that indeed, young Miss Hilton has simply once again been reminded that she is to be treated differently.... better...than the rest of society, it's really hard to place all the blame squarely upon her all-too-often-naked shoulders.

[late Gov.Richards, on]

Poor Paris.  She cain't hailp it.  After all, she was born with a silver cock in her mouth!

[ /late Gov.Richards, off]

She best be thankful that LawDog wasn't the presiding judge over that particular courtroom.  Same for her pathetically indulgent parents, for that matter.

But that sure would have been most entertaining for the rest of us, for damn sure!

Maybe next time, eh?

Stoopid Bridge Troll

Haven't had a troll 'round here in ages.  And where do you suppose trolls are storied to live?

Under bridges, of course!  Guess the fire out in Oakland smoked this one outta his hole.

A few short days ago, the world was provided with an amazng public display of the effects of fire on steel, concrete and a structure comprised of these materials.  And though that proof came in the form of a major disruption of a public thoroughfare, I'd posit that the temporary but terribly expensive loss of a highway overpass may have been a fair exchange for the public proof that indeed, fire melts steel.

In response to my post mocking Rosie O'Pig, a troll calling itself Healthy Skeptic dropped by in the comments, leaving this dreck.

Now presented for your reading pleasure, the UnHealthy Skeptic, and some very damn healthy bits of information for his ridiculously misinformed self.

"Concrete overpasses are not reinforced with the same hardened steel girders that were in the Twin Towers. Apples and oranges."

Well, if the overpass is the type made of post-tensioned beams which are precast offsite, and then transported by heavy transport to the construction location, then the troll would have a point.

Unfortunately for him, the bridge in the Oakland incident simply wasn't made of such modular beams.

No, sadly for our troll, the Oakland overpasses were made of steel "I" beams which drwarfed the steel girders used in the Twin Towers.  The following photo is of a still-standing portion of the very Oakland overpass in question. 

Peter DaSilva for The New York Times

A fiery pre-dawn tanker truck accident caused the collapse of heavily used freeway overpass near downtown Oakland early this morning.

Look at the beams which underlie the bridge deck itself, and note that they appear to be about six feet tall at the web, and I'd guesstimate they'd be roughly two feet, maybe thirty inches at the flanges of the beam.

Uncommon Sense

I titled this Uncommon Sense for several reasons.

First, "Common Sense" is an overused phrase, descriptive of an underused charcteristic.

Second, because it's been a bit Uncommon, of late, for our vaunted Governor Goodhair to do or say all that many sensible things.

I mean, just consider his malfeasance regarding his (we knew they were bullshit all along) campaign promises to control the Texas~Mexico border, his championing of the Trans-Texas Corridor Great Texas Land Grab, his misguided, and terribly autocratic Executive Order directing the vaccination of young Texas women.

Not at all a sterling record of gubenatorial splendor, I'd say.

So, what did he to today that does make sense, you ask?  I'm glad you asked.

Via Alphecca, we find this artcile in the Ft. Worth Star Telegram:

Perry said he opposes any concealed gun-toting restrictions at all — whether it’s in a hospital, a public school, a beer joint or even the local courthouse.

“The last time I checked, putting a sign up that says 'Don’t bring your weapons in here,' someone who has ill intent on their mind — they could care less," Perry told reporters. “I think it makes sense for Texans to be able to protect themselves from deranged individuals, whether they're in church or whether on a college campus or wherever."

As reporters began clicking off a list of places where concealed permit holders face restrictions, Perry cut off the questioning and made it clear that he meant anywhere at all.

Under current law, secured airport areas, hospitals, courthouses, bars, churches and schools are among the places where weapons are or can be banned, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

People entering federal courts in Texas are routinely required to leave even their cell phones behind.

“Let me cover it right here," Perry said. “I think a person ought to be able to carry their weapons with them anywhere in this state if they are licensed and they have gone through the training. The idea that you’re going to exempt them from a particular place is non-sense to me."

Damn straight, Gov!

Now then, the next step would be to see some intrepid Texas Legislator introduce these thoughts into a House or Senate bill, and run it through the legislative grinder, poste-haste.

And after that?

Open carry, naturally. 

This is Texas, after all!