JAB

Yeah, DACA is a bunch of horse malarky. I understand that those folks didn't come here illegally on their own but so what? As young adults they have stayed here illegally. If a kid's parents rob a bank, use part of the money to buy their kid a car and then get caught does the kid get to keep the car and benefit from the parents' crime just because he or she wasn't actually involved in the robbery? Further, when people bemoan that several hundred thousand DACA members - many of whom have received an education here - could be deported rather than being allowed to stay and get jobs I say, "Good. That is several hundred thousand jobs for the people who are here legally." These aren't the (mostly fictional, I believe) illegals who are going to be doing jobs that legal citizens supposedly won't do. By the way the media (which is very sympathetic to their cause, in general) describes them, these are people competing with legal residents and citizens for good jobs, many that require college degrees. So removing them as competition for American jobs is a good thing. Further, maybe having a large influx of American educated, motivated young people coming into their countries of origin (and, let's face it - most of them are probably from Mexico or Central America) can help those countries fix their own problems so people don't need to illegally invade our country. As far as the freebies, etc. I saw something recently that said 80% of immigrant-led households receive some type of government assistance. I don't remember the source that was reporting the number but I do remember being amazed because it was a source that was supportive of illegals staying, etc. I figure we have enough poor people in this country - many who are 'working poor' - who need help. We don't need to import them and we certainly shouldn't be rewarding people for coming and/or staying illegally..

Well, here is where I say something to which some - maybe even a lot - may object. I believe that Constitutional protections should apply only to those who are legally in the country. Illegal invaders should have no, such protections or rights. Basic, human rights - sure but not the same rights under the Constitution as citizens or legal immigrants. Illegal aliens should be considered to be outside the standard justice system which should be reserved for people who are here legally. They should be considered to be exactly what they are - foreign invaders who have illegally breached our borders. As such, they should have no standing for them or their representatives, supporters, etc. to even attempt to bring a case to the courts, period, let alone the Supreme Court.

Deport them? Nah. Arrest them, bring back chain gangs/work gangs and put them to work doing the grunt work of building the wall. That would be one way to make Mexico help build the wall. People who come to the U.S. legally to make a life for themselves and families should be lauded. Those who illegally invade should be punished - and just because someone gets away with it for years or even decades doesn't mean they should not be punished when caught. The current attempts to equate opposition to illegal immigration with opposition to all immigration as well as racism in order to present those who oppose illegal immigration as racist are disgusting to me. I also get tired of hearing about 'non-criminal' illegals. There is no, such thing. Illegal means just that - they are criminals by being here. Treat them as such.

I would like to see a double whammy - the state, city, county, etc lose federal funding and the family of the victim win a case in which they sue the city and county, at least, into oblivion. We always hear how it is the taxpayers who are footing the bill when someone gets a big payout in such a case. Well, maybe this will inspire the local taxpayers to elect officials who know what the word 'illegal' means - especially if the lawsuit depletes coffers to the point that the city/county can't afford to pay for the law enforcement to protect them from said 'illegals' and other criminals - the same law enforcement that let Zarate go so he could be on that pier in the first place.

It is okay not to agree. Everything does not have to be a concensus. As for 'collecting', well, if my bet is right then I will have a greater chance of still being alive and keeping those about whom I care alive. That's a pretty good payout, I think.

To each their own. I'd rather be primitive and alive - and help my friends and family stay alive - than civilized and dead or watch my loved ones die. You can bet that most other people who survive the initial days will quickly let go of the illusion of social nicety. In the end, when the fetters of social norms come off, the stark reality is that might most often is right - or at least needn't be concerned with what others believe to be wrong.

Awesome! Good luck! Just from the way you talked about Kasey and your relationship with her I think whatever dog you end up with will be one lucky mutt!

If your energy levels don't match then better to let Obi go to a family that can match his energy. I think that was a pretty clear-headed and responsible thing to do. Honestly, it sounds to me as if you may have a rare opportunity. I know that many people want young dogs and puppies and I understand why. At the same time, there are surely lots of older dogs - perhaps like Marilyn - who may be wonderful, loving dogs but who might have trouble getting adopted because, again, many people want young dogs and puppies. You might be in a position to adopt and love such an older dog while reaping the benefits of a companion who is already settled down and ready to take things a bit easier. Of course, for practicalities sake, I can understand that you or anyone else would be hesitant to take on a dog that is potentially only going to be around for a few years - especially when that could mean rather quickly increasing medical expenses, not to mention possibly setting oneself up to lose another companion so relatively soon. At the same time, your Kasey lived to be sixteen, if I recall correctly. Given good, overall health and so on that means even a dog that is already six or even eight years old (like Marilyn) could potentially be with you for another decade or close to it. On the other hand, if you do decide you want a puppy perhaps your best fit at this stage would be more of a 'lap dog' type breed of a type that doesn't really want to be out of your sight. Just something else to consider. Whatever you decide - puppy, adult dog or no dog, at all I think you have your head on straight about the whole thing and what you can handle.

So a smart person or persons just might be tempted to have enough supplies stocked up to weather the immediate event so he/she/they will not even have to go out at all in the early aftermath. Such a smart person could, hypothetically, let the less prepared and more confrontational or desperate members of society fight it out over what is left at the store, etc. Then, after those confrontational and desperate individuals, with assistance from starvation, accidents and disease have thinned each other out (and the survivors among them have potentially expended much of their ammo, taken losses and casualties and received injuries doing so) said smart person or persons could potentially come from a position of having been well supplied, well fed and well rested to pick off said survivors and reap the benefits of all that stuff having already been scavenged and so conveniently brought to a few, well stocked places. Theoretically.

I have generally come to prefer the temperament of female dogs, as well, but that is a face that would be hard to resist. It looks like he is thinking, "Okay, boss - what trouble do we get into, now?" Congratulations on the new friend. I have never met you in person and never got to meet Kasey but based on all the things you have told us about her in the past and the relationship you already seem to be forming I have a feeling that she would approve.

Recently - as in last month - went to an event at the Civic Auditorium (same building) with my girlfriend. Had uniformed officers as security, had tables for people to empty their pockets and we were wanded. She had me put her cash and I.D. in my pocket so she didn't have to carry a bag but I imagine they would have searched it if she had.

You might be a prepper if... Whenever you try a new canned or shelf stable item you reflexively consider 1. How well it would work as part of your food stores, 2. How economical it would be for stocking vs other options, 3. How easily it could be heated/prepared without access to electricity, 4. How 'edible' it would be if there were no option for preparing/heating it, at all. 5. Rather than stocking up on dog food you evaluate these things partly based on the ability to share them with the dog (and you have made the decision ahead of time that not only will you not eat your dog but you will shoot anyone else who attempts to do so - and if things are really dire consider eating THEM, and sharing with the dog, to be a possibility. 6. Part of the evaluation is also very much how the product impacts your digestive system because toilet paper stocks are limited, not to mention that potable water might be at a premium, intestinal upset can cause dehydration and dehydration kills so you don't want to stock anything that will cause intestinal upset. You might be a prepper if... Rather than throwing away that can of food you find on the back of your shelf that has a 'best by' date of two years ago you inspect and then eat it - again, so you will know what impact (if any) it has on you that 'in date' cans do not. After all, even if you are the type that is more concerned with prepping for possible, short term situations if there were a long term event eventually ALL of your cans would be out of date. Might as well get confident in eating them after the date, now.

I agree. I also think that maybe the impact of online sellers like Amazon is evening out. Further, I have noticed that, just in general and on a daily basis, Amazon doesn't always undercut everyone else on prices, anymore. For instance, I was just looking at prices on the Schrade SCHF 36, 37 and 38 and was surprised to find that Smoky Mountain Knife Works (which, of course, also offers online ordering in addition to their brick and mortar presence) had the best price on all three in comparison to Amazon, Knife Center and Walmart Online. Now that many of the traditional brick and mortar stores have developed stronger online presences - and because special relationships with the manufacturers and wholesellers or just plain, huge buying power allows them to sometimes sell for a little less - I am beginning to wonder if Cyber Monday isn't becoming the real measure of sales and good deals. Speaking of Walmart, they have their Black Friday (and pre-Black Friday) specials up on their own website, now. https://www.walmart.com/cp/black-friday/1076614

I agree - and I don't think it is just from natural price increase. I wonder what happened to the idea that gun sales are down since Obama left office. With that idea in mind I was hoping to see some really good deals on firearms, ammo and related items this year. Even on non-firearms related items and sales at more generalized department stores (as opposed to specific sporting goods stores) I am surprised not to see better deals, in general given that places like Amazon, etc. are supposedly putting such a hurting on brick and mortar retailers. Maybe with all the closings of KMart, Sears and JC Pennys stores over the last year or two some of the brick and mortar competition has eased for the moment so they don't feel the need to offer such impressive deals. Likewise, maybe the shuddering of Gander Mountain, altogether (pretty much) and the planned closing of some Cabela's stores after the Bass Pro buyout has taken some of the stress off of the big box sporting goods stores, as well, and - again - is confounding our desire for good deals.

Ha! Thanks but not sure if I could do it again, now. That was from 2009, if I recall correctly, and the past eight years have taken their toll on both my eyesight and the steadiness of my hands - plus I think the stars were just aligned right that day or something. I hope to make it back down to Spring Creek one of these days, though, so maybe I will try it just to see.

Thanks to y'all for posting these. It is appreciated. I have to say that the 'deals', themselves, look pretty disappointing this year - at least to me - but it is good to know that there is no need to try and shake off the turkey coma before the butt crack of dawn to try to get any 'deals' at those stores.

I really like mine a lot. Like any inexpensive gun I suppose they can be hit or miss but mine is definitely a hit, especially for what it is. That said, I bought mine before Heritage was bought out by Taurus so I can't speak to any changes, if there have been any, since then. I did notice in the Black Friday ad that someone posted in another thread yesterday that Cabela's is supposed to have a 9 shot version with 'black pearl' style grips and with the .22LR cylinder only for $129 (used to be able to order WMR cylinders directly from Heritage but, again, I don't know if that is still the case.) This was from a few years ago at the Spring Creek Shooting Range. As a lark - and because I had been consistently hitting hanging metal plates that were at 50 yards - I emptied a cylinder at a (large) target at 100 yards. Walked out to get the target and realized I had managed to put two holes in the paper, at the edge. As I and the folks I was shooting with were the only people there at the time I decided to try and 'dial it in' to see what I could do. The colored circles and the legend that interprets them tells most of the rest of the story. I was shooting off hand (I stink at shooting from a rest) in more or less a Weaver stance with a two hand hold using the factory iron sights. We didn't have a spotting scope so I was walking 100 yards out and 100 yards back between each cylinder full to check the target and trying to remember my POA relative to POI from the previous cylinder full so I could make 'Kentucky windage' adjustments. I only shot three cylinders full partly because I was tired of walking out and back and partly because I decided to quit while I was 'ahead' on the third cylinder. This is the only handgun I own with which I have ever attempted a 100 yard shot. In the hands of a better shooter I think the results could be downright impressive. For perspective and to give an idea of target size, my Rough Rider is a 6.5 inch barreled model. Mine is also a 6 shot model (they weren't even making the 9 shot at the time.)

I am sorry to hear of your loss. But you know, something sent Rosco your way all those years ago. He was probably out, lonely and alone and without a friend in the world, and he went to the right place to be loved, taken care of and, when the time came, missed. I would say his life was a whole lot better - and longer - for having found you. I think I might have related this, before, but even Napoleon is said to have commented on the loyalty of a good dog. The story goes that he was on the battlefield one day after a battle and came upon a dog whining, maybe even howling, over the corpse of its master. Obviously the dog had accompanied the young soldier into battle and had been there when the man fell. Napoleon commented that surely there were other people from the same town or village as the fallen soldier who were around when he died. Some of those people, in Napoleon's mind, had probably known him - probably had been friends or even kin. And yet, here he lay on the battlefield alone and deserted by all except for one, loyal companion - his dog. In closing out the tale, Napoleon commented that he had knowingly and without regret made decisions that meant men going to their deaths in battle and yet he was moved to tears by the love, loyalty and grief of a simple dog. If a stranger's dog can make Napoleon cry then you certainly have nothing to be ashamed of in shedding tears for your friend, Rosco.

Donate, huh? I'll give them a dollar (collectively, not each) and a stick of gum if they will shut up and go away.

I TRY not to let that be the main, motivating criteria. I can't say that it hurts the chances, though.

I don't have a regular barber, stylist, etc. but I generally do tip for a haircut. As for other tipping, I agree with Omega - sometimes it irks me to see a tip jar. If I stop into a 'sit down' restaurant but get my food to go I see no reason why I should be expected to tip someone for punching in my order, ringing it up, taking my money and then handing the food to me. I might toss a dollar in the jar if the person is especially efficient and friendly but a percentage tip isn't going to happen any more than I am going to tip the person doing the exact, same thing at McDonald's. When did the 'suggested' tip amount go to 25% or 30%? That also isn't going to happen. If a server does a fantastic job I will tip 20%, maybe a hair more if the bill is pretty low. With rising restaurant prices that is already a pretty penny, honestly - especially when (as others have said) all they have to do is take my order, drop off my plate and maybe refill my drink. I understand that servers don't get paid much but that sounds like an industry problem that needs to be addressed and not a problem that the customer should be expected to make up for with exorbitant tips. I believe that restaurants - especially 'casual dining' type restaurants and up - should be required to pay all employees at least minimum wage. I figure that if they are charging me $15 or so for a little bit of chicken and a side or two they can afford to pay the waiter/waitress who brings it to me (and who is taking in like amounts for the restaurant from other customers at the same time) a real wage. Don't expect me to pay that much for your food AND be responsible for paying your employees so you can pocket all the profits. Of course, I don't eat at that type of restaurant all that much anymore because they have raised prices while greatly reducing portion sizes. Even if the quality of the food is still there that quality and the experience generally doesn't warrant paying more money for half the food as what they served four or five years ago and then being expected to pay their staff, as well.

I am very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. There are days when one of the few bright spots is when I walk in the door and my Millie comes running to greet me or starts wagging her tail as I walk up to her. Kasey was fortunate to have you and you were fortunate to have her. If and when the time is right to get another companion and friend I am sure you will know. I had my last pup - Mia (a chihuahua - maybe the best, most atypical chihuahua ever) for 16 years and when she passed I swore I wouldn't have another dog for a long time. Well, a fairly short time later a lady at the Crossville Flea Market had pups to give away. She was giving them away early (about four weeks) because their mom was biting them and she was afraid the mom was going to kill them. I held one of them and she climbed up so she could brace her front paws on my chest and lick my face. That is when I knew that she - Millie - had already decided I was her human. You need time to grieve but when the time comes, don't feel bad as if you are trying to 'replace' Kasey. She can't be replaced in your life or in your heart. That doesn't mean you can't love a new four-legged friend, too, however. I am sure Kasey would want you to be happy and would probably want to know that she has a successor to help take care of you.

Nope. This article is from 2012 so maybe New York laws have changed. I doubt it, though. http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Teen-charged-with-slingshot-possession-3429903.php So this idiot police chief believes that a slingshot 'must' be a dangerous weapon not because he has rationally thought about the issue but simply because 'they' (lawmakers, I suppose) outlawed them. Notice how the article mentions that one of the slingshots was a "powerful wrist-braced slingshot" in an implied tone as if it were a fully automatic Barrett or something. Here is another article from 2015 about a New Jersey assemblyman attempting to change New Jersey law in order to decriminalize slingshots (I don't know if he was successful or not.) http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/05/the_bart_simpson_law_assemblyman_wants_to_decrimin.html It is also my understanding that in some states, even in instances where having a slingshot is 'allowed', slingshots with wrist braces are illegal. Even things like pepper spray is regulated in New York. My understanding (from looking into the law because of going on a cruise that left out of New York City a few years back) is that you can only carry pepper spray in New York if said spray was purchased in the state, among other things. So, yeah - such things are part of the mindset of people - probably such as Sachs - who think we should 'compromise' and accept 'reasonable' laws which restrict our rights. They can claim that they only want to regulate 'military' type arms (and what the heck gives them the right to do that, either, I don't know) but what they really want is to turn the entire United States into the sort of distopia as the states where they live - where even having a slingshot could be a felony. This mindset knows nothing about the word 'reasonable'.

Nope. It is a semiauto so you will have to store it at a 'registered shooting range or other registered depository.' Yeah, I know the guy was saying that about 'semiautomatic assault weapons' but the thing is (and you probably already know this) that the term 'assault weapon' was made up by the lefties to try and class semiautomatic weapons in a manner that they could be lumped in with true 'assault rifles' which, of course, are fully automatic. In other words, there really is no, such thing as a 'semiautomatic assault weapon' except that they exist within the minds and parlance of the lefties. So, as there is nothing that is truly an 'assault weapon' then any semiauto (or any, other weapon that they decide meets the nonexistent criteria) can be classified as such if they wish - and you can bet that they would. Maybe we all ought to learn to use slingshots so that, as you say, we can still eat when SHTF. Of course if the lefties have their way that might not be an option, either - slingshots are illegal (at least to carry) in New York, already.