The Countertop Chronicles

This ridiculous story:

Vegansexuals are people who do not eat any meat or animal products, and who choose not to be sexually intimate with non-vegan partners whose bodies, they say, are made up of dead animals.

Reminded me of this great Nine Inch Nails song:

Closer
Lyrics and Music by Trent Reznor

You let me violate you, you let me desecrate you
You let me penetrate you, you let me complicate you

Help me I broke apart my insides, help me I’ve got no soul to tell
Help me the only thing that works for me, help me get away from myself

I want to fuck you like an animal
I want to feel you from the inside
I want to fuck you like an animal
My whole existence is flawed
You get me closer to god

You can have my isolation, you can have the hate that it brings
You can have my absence of faith, you can have my everything

Help me tear down my reason, help me its’ your sex I can smell
Help me you make me perfect, help me become somebody else

I want to fuck you like an animal
I want to feel you from the inside
I want to fuck you like an animal
My whole existence is flawed
You get me closer to god

Through every forest, above the trees
Within my stomach, scraped off my knees
I drink the honey inside your hive
You are the reason I stay alive

Excuse me while I go eat some bacon and eggs.

I don’t blog about work, but give me a moment to gloat.

On the single most important legislative issue for my main client this year, I just spent the last week engaged in a heated duel with with Madame Pelosi.

I won!!!

Life is good. (Though this was only one battle in a larger war)

Killing In The Name Of

Music and Lyrics by Rage Against The Machine

Killing in the name of!

Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Huh!

Killing in the name of!
Killing in the name of

And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
But now you do what they told ya
Well now you do what they told ya

Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites
Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites

Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses
Uggh!

Killing in the name of!
Killing in the name of

And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya, now you’re under control (7 times)
And now you do what they told ya, now you’re under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you’re under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you’re under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you’re under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you’re under control
And now you do what they told ya, now you’re under control
And now you do what they told ya!

Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites
Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites
Come on!

Yeah! Come on!

Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!
Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!
Motherfucker!
Uggh!

I childproofed my house,
But they still get in.

As we end this, the last weekend in July, thoughts quickly move on to the coming fall - and with it here in Virginia we have ever increasing opportunities to put Bambi on the dinner plate (even if we can’t hunt on Sunday).

As such, I have been playing with loads and starting to get things in order.

Over the next couple of weeks - with August being a rather slow point in DC - I hope to get out in the field and begin detailed scouting for the upcoming season. I’ve been loading like a champ over the last week, and look forward to testing out new loads (as well as a new box of LEVERevolution at the range this week.

My primary hunting rifle is a Marlin 336.

While Teddy Kennedy hates the dreaded “30 caliber cop killing sniper round” it actually has a legitimate use as some many many many millions of deer cannot attest (cause their dead).

At 7 pounds, with a 22 inch barrel and a 38.5 inch overall length, its pretty much the definitive rifle for the steep, thick, hilly Northeastern (and now, mid Atlantic) woods that I’ve always lived in. No 500 yard shots here (normally), most deer are taken at much closer distances - well within 150 yards. For that, the Marlin is ideal.

One complaint that Marlins always carry though, is that out of the factory they have pretty tough triggers. Mine was pulling at about 7 1/2 pounds, and had a real detrimental impact on my accuracy with it. Even after shooting with it for the last 5 years, it still was an unpleasant ordeal. Now, being a cheap ass bastard, as much as I wanted a trigger job, I never got around to getting one. I came close, sure, but only after I procrastinated and was facing the start of hunting season in a week. And of course, at that time, there was no chance of getting it back by opening day.

Enter Jim West and Wild West Guns, purveyors of finely designed custom Marlin’s outfitted for the Alaskan back country. In addition to developing the Alaskan Co-Pilot take down design for Marlin lever actions - which no less an authority than Col. Jeff Copper called one of three forward steps in rifle design

It is interesting to note that in this age of the scientific revolution relatively little improvement (a part from the mighty Garand) has been brought forth in the rifle itself, this in opposition to the enormous changes which were seen in the 19th century. Now as the 20th century winds down and we look forward to the future, I consider that there are three noteworthy forward steps in the design and fabrication of the rifles themselves. These steps are embodied in three rifles: the Blaser R93, the “Co-pilot” of Jim West, and, of course, the Steyr Scout.

they have also developed West’s Trigger Happy Kit.

A precision EDM sear and trigger that is hand polished to produce a crisp, clean 2-3 pound trigger pull on ALL Marlin centerfire lever rifles. Unique patent pending design eliminates the infamous and annoying Marlin trigger flop. Now anyone can have the crip, light trigger that has made our custom Marlin rifles well known all over the world. It’s a trigger job in a package! Gunsmith fitting required. Available in Blue or Nickel.

If you know what your doing, just disregard that “Gunsmith fitting required” crap. Thats right, just pop it in and all of a sudden you get a very respectable 2-3 pound trigger pull. While the instructions say you need to have a gun smith, installation of a trigger - for anyone with even my level of handiness - is a pretty easy task. It takes basically ten steps to go from factory trigger to fully functioning accurate deer slayer.

1. Take off stock.
2. Take out the lever and bolt, like you would to clean it.
3. Push off the mainspring retainer clip (carefully, the spring will shoot it across the room) either left or right and remove both it and the spring.
4. Take the screws (3) holding the reciever together off and pull the lower receiver out
5. Pull out the factory trigger and replace.
6. Reverse these five steps.

After doing so, I’ve test fired it on snap caps (well, used brass) and have to say the difference is incredible. I can’t wait to get it out on the range tomorrow night!

If you want one, you can pick it up at Cabelas, or Brownells, but MidwayUSA is $10 bucks cheaper at $79.99.

My only complaint is that the factory trigger on my Marlin was a gorgeous brass, and this is blued steel. Its a minor detail, but one I hope they consider fixing in the future.

The other netflix flick that came in this week was The Shooter with Marky Mark

Best Line:

Welcome to Tennessee, patron state of shooting stuff.

As I’m sure ya’ll know, its the updated screen version of Stephen Hunters terrific Point of Impact. While the political overtones are typical hollyweird trash, the gun play and action are superb.

Turns out, Wahlberg trained at Front Sight in advance of making the film, and the DVD special features includes a detailed look at that experience.

If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it

It just arrived from Netflix

Aliens who appear human arrive on Earth in a fleet of 50 huge saucer-like motherships, which hover over key major cities. They appear to be friendly, seeking the help of humans to obtain chemicals needed to aid their ailing world. In return, the Visitors promise to share their advanced technology with humanity. The governments of Earth accept, and the Visitors gain considerable influence with authorities.

However, strange things are soon noted. Scientists find themselves facing increasing media hostility, and government restrictions on their activities and movements. Others, particularly those keen on examining the Visitors more closely, begin to disappear or face discredit. Noted scientists confess to subversive activities; some exhibiting other unusual behavior, such as suddenly demonstrating an opposite hand preference to the one they are known to have.

Stellar Mini Series from the era of the major network Mini Series.

Series creator Kenneth Johnson has said that the story was inspired by the 1935 novel It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis. Also, several scenes from the original TV pilot resemble the Bertolt Brecht play The Private Life of the Master Race. A short story entitled To Serve Man (later adapted into an episode of The Twilight Zone) had a similar theme of deceptively friendly aliens secretly cultivating humans for food.

In a commentary track on the DVD release of the first miniseries, Johnson reveals that V was originally intended as a straightforward political thriller, charting the rise of a fascist movement in the United States. NBC was interested in a sci-fi hit, to capitalize on the success of films such as the Star Wars trilogy.

The story remains a Nazi allegory, right down to the Swastika-like emblem used by the Visitors and their SS like uniforms. There is a Visitor youth auxiliary with obvious similarities to the Hitler Youth and Visitor broadcasts mimic Nazi era propaganda. The show’s portrayal of human interaction with the Visitors bears a striking resemblance to stories from Occupied Europe during the Second World War with some citizens choosing collaboration and others choosing to join underground resistance movements.

Go at it gun blogger, spread the word.

There are two gun owners who VCDL is trying to get in touch with ASAP; both were arrested at a National Park and Philip Van Cleave can’t find their names or email addresses anywhere. He asked that I cross post this.

If you are one of them, or have otherwise had trouble at a National Park, please contact him at president@vcdl.org

One person was carrying on the Blue Ridge Parkway. His car had some kind of trouble. He fixed the problem and was getting back into the car when a Park Ranger pulled up behind him with his blue lights flashing.

The Ranger ran the person’s name through the computer as a matter of course, saw he had a concealed carry permit and asked if the person had a gun in the car.

The person answered truthfully that he had a gun in a fanny pack on the floorboard.

The officer said he couldn’t have the gun and wrote the person a ticket and let him go.

–

The other person, a Virginia resident, was in California at a National Park and, as I recall, notified a Park Ranger that he had a
handgun when asked. The officer confiscated the handgun and wrote the person a ticket.

If you are either of those two individuals OR if you have a similar story at a National Park and have not contacted me about it within the last two months, please do so ASAP by emailing president@vcdl.org.

When The Musics Over
Music by the Doors
Lyrics by Jim Morrison

Yeah, c’mon

When the music’s over
When the music’s over, yeah
When the music’s over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights, yeah

When the music’s over
When the music’s over
When the music’s over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights

For the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end

Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside

The face in the mirror won’t stop
The girl in the window won’t drop
A feast of friends
“Alive!” she cried
Waitin’ for me
Outside!

Before I sink
Into the big sleep
I want to hear
I want to hear
The scream of the butterfly

Come back, baby
Back into my arm
We’re gettin’ tired of hangin’ around
Waitin’ around with our heads to the ground

I hear a very gentle sound
Very near yet very far
Very soft, yeah, very clear
Come today, come today

What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down

I hear a very gentle sound
With your ear down to the ground
We want the world and we want it…
We want the world and we want it…
Now
Now?
Now!

Persian night, babe
See the light, babe
Save us!
Jesus!
Save us!

So when the music’s over
When the music’s over, yeah
When the music’s over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights

Well the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end!

Bud Selig is managing the impossible - making cycling look good!

There’s now more proof of Barry Bond’s guilt.

The man credited with creating the performance-enhancing drug known as “the clear” said in an HBO Sports interview that Barry Bonds and Gary Sheffield took the drugs provided to them by BALCO, reports the New York Times.

And that just means Bud Selig should be even more ashamed of himself. He is a disgrace to America, daring to show up and supporting this bullshit.

Selig attended San Francisco’s weekend series in his hometown of Milwaukee, then traveled to the Bay Area for a surprise visit and said he will try to attend the record-breaking game. Selig watched from a box on the broadcast level with Giants executive vice president Larry Baer as well as owner Peter Magowan.

”Throughout this season, I have watched Barry Bonds ‘ pursuit of the home run record. Now that he is on the verge of tying the record, the time has come to announce that I will make every attempt to attend the record-setting moment,” Selig said in a statement Tuesday.

”Out of respect for the tradition of this game, the magnitude of the record, and the fact that all citizens in this country are innocent until proven guilty, I will attend Barry Bonds ‘ next games to observe his potential tying and breaking of the home run record, subject to my commitments to the Hall of Fame this weekend.”

As much of a mess as the Tour de France has become, even it holds the moral high ground to the specter of cheating thats sweeping over baseball.

A second team withdrew from the Tour de France on Wednesday after one of its riders tested positive for the use of a banned performance-enhancing drug, as a still-expanding specter of doping spread over the Tour, threatening the future of the race and the entire sport of cycling.

Cristian Moreni, an Italian rider for the French Cofidis team, was led away by police following the 16th stage after it was announced that he had tested positive for manufactured testosterone after the end of an earlier stage of the race. Moreni declined to request a follow-up, confirmatory test and was expelled from the Tour.

As I said yesterday, the solution is to kick the Giants out of baseball (at least for the duration of Barry Bond’s career).

Perhaps we should kick Bud Selig out too!

UPDATE!

Rasmussen is out!

Michael Rasmussen has been sent home for violating (the team’s) internal rules,” Rabobank team spokesman Jacob Bergsma told The Associated Press by phone.

The expulsion, which Bergsma said was ordered by the Dutch team sponsor, was linked to “incorrect” information that Rasmussen gave to the team’s sports director over his whereabouts last month. Rasmussen missed random drug tests May 8 and June 28.

The 33-year-old rider, who won Wednesday’s stage, had looked set to win the race, which ends Sunday in Paris. But Tour officials had questioned why he was allowed to take the start on July 7 in London, England

In something similar to Bond’s current position, Rasmussen was all but guaranteed to win on Sunday. There’s the precedent, winners get tossed too.

Does Bud Selig have what it takes???? Or is he soo integral a part of the conspiracy to ruin baseball that his judgment needs to be questioned??

A few weeks ago, I wrote the following

Since we were just talking about Barry Bonds (may he drop dead), it seems appropriate that I also mention whats occurring in another fascinating past time of mine, cycling.

While much of bicycling remains shrowded in controversy and disgrace, at least the sport is trying to do something to clean up its act (and I have no doubt that after all the appeals are done, Floyd Landis won’will neither be riding anymore nor carry the title of Tour de France Champ) which is far more than Bud Selig has done so far. And while cycling has yet to really shine the spotlight on Lance Armstrong (come on now folks, look at all the crap every other rider has gotten caught up in - and the problems all of Lance’s closest trainers are facing - and you can’t tell me with a straight face that Lance is nearly as clean as he wants us to believe) Barry Bonds is hardly the biggest star or fan favorite in baseball.

Well, it turns out that Alexandre Vinokourov - one of the Tour’s stars and winner of a tremendous stage victory yesterday - just got busted for blood doping.

he French sports daily L’Equipe, which first reported the positive test on its Web site Tuesday, said the analysis was conducted by the Chatenay-Malabry lab on the outskirts of Paris. It said two distinctive types of red blood cells were found in the A sample and showed that Vinokourov received a blood transfusion from a compatible donor shortly before the time trial.

A senior French anti-doping official confirmed to The Associated Press that there was a positive test for a blood transfusion taken from a rider at the Tour on Saturday. He said the test found two different types of blood, one from the rider, one from a donor.

And, while much of the attention will again shine on the persistent problems of steroids in cycling perhaps we ought to give the sport a show of support. For at the end of the day, they are rooting the cheaters out and their teams are taking the high road.

“Vino has tested positive having to do with a blood transfusion and the team is leaving the Tour,” team spokeswoman Corinne Druey said, using the rider’s nickname.

Yeah, I can accept that.

Short of Bud Selig doing the right thing (or Barry Bonds dropping dead), perhaps the Giants can just forfeit the rest of their games.

Works for me.

UPDATE

BVBigBro over at the Dummocrats has a modest proposal which is even better (and could also apply to the Barry Bonds situation)

The important thing now is for the Tour to establish an appropriate punishment. Namely all of Astana’s riders need to be banned from the Tour for life. Astana’s doctors need to be banned from the Tour for life. Astana’s management needs to be banned from the Tour for life. Anyone who has contact with “doctor” Ferrari needs to be banned from the Tour for life. The UCI needs to be told that they are no longer relevant for establishing standards of sporting conduct for the Tour de France

Oh, and that Doctor Ferrari he mentions . . . .

The Italian physician has been under investigation since 1998 on suspicion that he has relied on performance-enhancing drugs to help his most promising riders, including former world hour record holder Tony Rominger, Italy’s Mario Cipollini, Spaniard Abraham Olano and Armstrong’s former teammate Kevin Livingston.

He was one of Lance Armstrong’s “trainers” though Mr. Livestrong (and the Postal Service) have always denied anything fishy went on..

However Armstrong’s links with Ferrari - a former protégé and later competitor of disgraced Italian doping pioneer Professor Francesco Conconi - were played down by team director, Mark Gorski.

“From my perspective he (Ferrari) has done nothing wrong,” Gorski told reporters here.

“He worked with Lance in altitude training and I don’t see any problem with that. There’s always speculation about a lot of people, but here I don’t really think there’s any reason to be concerned.”

Yeah right. Ban Armstrong. Ban Bonds.

I hope Bud Selig suspends you (or lightening strikes you down).

Question - Why was Countertop late to work.

The Back Story - I had picked up two cases (500 rounds) of 12 gauge ammo to go skeet shooting with this weekend, but one thing led to another and we didn’t make it. In addition, had 1,000 rounds of 7.62×39 delivered to the house and put that in the back of the truck on Saturday.

Well, I took the guns out and locked them up when I got home from the aborted range trip (it was closed for a special event) but left the ammo, saying “I’ll get it later.”

Long story short, I was about 1/4 of a mile from entering DC when I realized later hadn’t arrived. Rather than risk 7,500 years in Gen Pop of the D.C. Jail, I turned around and hightailed it back to Virginia - causing me to run about an hour late.