Ugly Gun Sunday

Remington model 1100 12ga semi-automatic shotgun. It has a cutdown to 21 inch VR barrel that has a wide open choke (perfect for scatter shot), a Choate Tool Corp. pistol grip metal stock, a black synthetic forearm, and a Weaver Quick Point Sight.

Perfect for that meth lab in the backwoods, the crappy welding and chopped barrel ensures your neighbors/dealer competition knows you're serious about where you spend your money. Which isn't guns.

Coincidences

Part of being the primary medical resource for roughly two thousand people involves training. Training on equipment, on education, and on processes. One of the processes we train for is mass casualties. Having helicopters, fixed wing transport, and troop trucks moving about on a daily basis, it's reasonable to prepare for this. Our plan was to start with a simulation of three patients involved in a truck vs bicycle MVC, with the truck losing control and rolling over after striking the bicyclist. This would a "walk phase" exercise in the continuum of "crawl, walk, run". And it would be a suprise drill.

So when I was told at 1128 hours to stand fast, as we had a truck vs bicycle accident coming in, I wasn't very happy that the exercise would take place during the limited time available to get lunch. And I was even less happy that they had decided to use some of the larger Fijian infantry as patients.

Until the other medics started cutting of their uniforms and sticking 18 guage needles in their arms. Because one of the local nationals rode their bike straight out into the road without looking in front of a large troop truck. Which resulted in the four Fijians in it getting either thrown out of the truck, or going for a hell of a ride as the truck rolled three times when it took the ditch to avoid turning the local into roadkill.

End result: one local scared shitless, but unharmed; two Fijian infantry got a helicopter ride to Israel on backboards and in cervical collars; and two more Fiji infantry who are going to feel like someone worked them over with a bat when they get up tomorrow. And our MasCal plan works.

But if they start planning for a twenty patient mass food-poisoning incident for the next scenario, someone's training plan is going to disappear repeatedly.

Reciprocity

Welcome, amigo. "Blogroll of Doom"; it doesn't get much better than that.

In The Oddest Places

As I'm clearing away paperwork in my barracks room, I have the TV on. All programming is through the post television station. On one of the four English-language channels, World's Most Dangerous Places or something of that nature is on. Today, it's the host wandering about the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some of the things that drew my attention away from my paperwork:

This line from the host as he goes with some park rangers looking for mountain gorillas:

The first sign- a fresh turd.

Truly, something I have never heard on TV before. And delivered with complete earnestness.

Second, and more interesting to me, was watching the park rangers assemble. A short platoon of men, armed with M1 carbines. In what appeared to be very good condition. How long must those rifles have been sitting in Africa?

Ugly Gun Sunday

The extremely rare Ruger Limited Edition "Deadwood Pimp" Vaquero model.

"I Respect Your Intellect This Much"

A quick tour of personal character:

''My intent was not to deceive anyone,'' Mr. Biden wrote. ''For if it were, I would not have been so blatant.'' New York Times;

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.” Wall Street Journal;

"I've had a great relationship [with East Indians in America]. In Delaware, the largest growth in population is Indian Americans - moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking." MSNBC;

“Why is it that Neil Kinnock Joe Biden is the first in his family ever to go a university? Why is it that my wife . . . is the first in her family to ever go to college? Is it because our fathers and mothers were not bright? . . . Is it because they didn't work hard? My ancestors who worked in the coal mines of northeast Pennsylvania and would come after 12 hours and play football for four hours? It's because they didn't have a platform on which to stand.” Times Online;

Private gun ownership:

Keep assault weapons ban; close gun show loophole; Source: South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007

Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence; Senate vote

Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record; NRA

Immigration:

Voted YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities". Senate votes

Voted NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government. Senate vote

He's a real winner alright.

It's Supposed To Be Snark....

but it's not. Because I attended the University of Iowa, and it's pretty much reality with a slight bit of humor added.

To demonstrate, the group rings the doorbell of Debbie and Mike Lefko's split level ranch, whose tidy lawn features several John McCain signs. When the Lefkos emerge, the group treat them to a 7-minute performance of the campaign's official headbobbing hypnochant "O-ba-ma, O-ba-ma," punctuated by soulful, if off-key, glissandos.

Clearly moved, Debbie Lefko retreats into the house and gives the group a $10 campaign donation.

"I had heard that schizophrenic homelessness was on the rise, but I had no idea," said a tearful Lefko. "My God, those poor people looked like they got their clothes out of a Salvation Army dumpster."