The Great Primer Shortage of '09 - The Return

Talked to the FIL about primers. A few months ago I wrote that he had gone to a gun show in MT and there was a vendor from CA selling primers by the flat (5000). We pretty much decided at that point that the run on ammo and components really was coming to a conclusion and supply lines were starting to flow again.

Last weekend he went to the show again and the same vendor was there. This time selling only by the brick (1000) and even though he was part of the initial crowd in the door, they only had 3000 Large Pistol primers.

It would seem that the Governator signing the absolutely insane ammo and accessories restrictions / regulation in CA has started another run on ammo and components. CA shooters stocking up before the ban takes effect and makes getting ammo a huge pain in the rear in CA. I am sure the black market ammo pipeline will blossom soon. Unfortunately, this run by CA shooters is making it hard on teh rest of the country again. I just hope people all over don't think this is another EOTWaWKi and start another run on ammo and components nation wide.

I suspect as many others do, that the next step will be to crack down on "Illicit Ammo Manufacturers" as reloaders will be referred to soon.

If you can't ban the guns, ban the ammo.

Continued Red LIght Camera Stupidity

I covered the vote and lawsuit filed to keep the red light cameras going here in my previous post. Last night the city council voted unanimously to terminate the contract with ATS and have the City Manager give the required 60 day notice. So, regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit, the cameras are going away.

But Geek. you say, how can that be a bad thing?

The lawyer for the two "Concerned Citizens" who filed the suit made a statement after the city council meeting that the lawsuit is continuing because there are bigger issues at stake. His reasoning was that if someone got a ticket for speeding or turning left on a red light, they could just file a petition to have that part of city code invalidated.

WHAT. AN. IDIOT!

1) Running a red light is a violation of the Texas Motor Vehicle Code. Not a city ordinance.
2) The issuance of a civil violation from camera footage is in city code but the majority of voters said NO MORE!
3) Speeding and turning left on a red light (running a red light) is also a violation of Texas Motor Vehicle Code. No citizen petition putting a vote in a city election will invalidate these.

Red Light Camera Rant

So, many months ago, the city of College Station decided to install red light cameras. Much controversy followed. Administered by American Traffic Solutions the city got a portion of the extortion collected in return for letting ATS thugs terrorize citizens and visitors alike. The intersections chosen for the cameras where not the ones with the highest rates of red light related collisions but were high traffic areas.

During the last legislative session, the Texas Leg sought to ban them from the state. Part of the proposed legislation was that existing systems were grandfathered in for the length of their existing contracts. City of CS signed a new contract with ATS for not only an extended period but for more cameras as well.

Citizens rise up and a petition is organized. They guy behind it got a lawyer to write up the petition based on the city charter to make sure it would be legal and cross all the T's and dot all the I's. In only a few days there were more than enough signatures to force the issue on the ballot.

City lawyers rewrite the wording of the petition for the ballot to rename it a referendum. According to city charter, a referendum on a new law MUST be filed withing 60 days of the new law taking effect. The petition was specifically worded to be a ballot initiative not a referendum to prevent this argument. The city was called on this and the wording was changed back to what it was supposed to be according to the petition.

Election is held and as has been held in every other location where red light cameras have come up for a public vote, the initiative passed banning red light cameras.

Did I mention the the
Keep our streets safe PAC" was totally funded by ATS? Or that the coalition to ban the cameras was completely funded by local concerned citizens?

So, when the cameras where supposed to be turned off yesterday, they weren't! Two concerned citizens filed suit in district court to nullify the election based on it being a referendum and beyond 60 days and got a temporary restraining order preventing the city from turning the cameras off. The city attorney only half halfheartedly presented any kind of defense to the suit and the attorney for the petition organizer had to pick up the slack.

If I didn't know any better, I would say the city doesn't want to give up the cameras and is doing everything they can to force them on the people despite the majority who voted to take them down.

We won't even get into the lack of right to appeal the citations or the efficacy of red light camera's in general.

The sheer gall of the city council to thwart the will of the people at every turn and do all they can to subvert the effort to remove these cameras and keep the revenue stream open to ATS and the City.

Figured I'd add a link to one of the local reports about this.
As well as the local bird cage liner.

My very own Ft Hood Rant

I'll keep this simple. There were warning signs all over the shooter and the Army ignored them. Maybe for political correctness maybe out of incompetence. How do you get promoted after poor reviews and being ordered to counseling for anti war/Army/US rantings?

The money quote though is from an Spc who worked at the center.

"Overseas you are ready for it. But here you can't even defend yourself."

That right there covers it all. We trust these fine men and women to defend our country and to help bring freedom and democracy to the rest of the world, but we don't trust them with the same tools to protect themselves here at home?

Maybe I'm just a stupid redneck bitterly clinging to my God and Guns but there is much about this whole situation that I just can't seem to understand.

More Road Rants

Maybe I'm a bit of a fuddy duddy but,

When it is lightly raining out and the speed limit on the road is 65, I shouldn't have pretty much everyone passing me as I do 70 in the slow lane.

That might explain why in a 20 mile commute from hotel to class, I saw no less than 6 wrecks. 2 bad enough to block more than 1 lane and require ambulances. I just don't get it.

Observations from the road

Traveling today afforded me the opportunity to people watch and generally get out in public. At DFW airport I stopped for a bite to eat between flights and boy are some people assholes! The guy in front of me at the sandwich shop went off on the counter help because he didn't feel they put enough fixin's on the sandwich. I mean went off to the point of the poor woman behind the counter excused herself from the line and went in the back to compose herself. This guy was just being an ASS. No politeness or common courtesy at all.

Do people not realize they are traveling? I'm sorry women but even though you may look good in high heels, like in serious spikes, if you are traveling and have to catch a connecting flight in a massive airport complex while lugging a massive purse, backpack and rolling bag, maybe you should consider shoes that are made for walking. And when you slip while trying to wear heels and run to catch a flight, do not blame the airport floor for causing you to fall.

TSA exists and has for a while. The procedures are pretty standard and suggestions are available form all over. Don't wear clothes and accessories loaded with metal the make you have to practically disrobe to get through and complain that the line is taking too long and moving too slow.

Enough ranting for tonight. Must find restaurant and kill food.

On the Road Again.......

Got word late yesterday that I am headed to Raleigh NC for training. Like Now!

Gonna miss this weekends classes, fortunately there are enough instructors that I can slide and the class will still go on. Should be perfect weather like it was last weekend so everyone should have a good time. Just hate to miss out. I really do enjoy seeing shooters progress and learn new skills. Especially the smiles on their face when it finally hits them the difference between arrival performance and that during later parts of class.

So, any dining suggestions for the Raleigh area?

Range Weekend AAR

Saturday was a long day, started with Basic Pistol 2 at 9AM, Defensive Pistol Skills 1 in the middle and ended with Introduction to Low Light / Night Shooting at 9:30PM. For me that meant leaving the house at 6:30A and getting home around midnight. The cats were not terribly happy.

Long but good day. Lots of new people and a few actually learned something. Really everyone said they had a good time and learned so it was a great day. Saw a few people who made it to the end of the day much improved. That is the goal after all, get better. A few learned that the gun they had was not really the right gun for them. Now they know how their gear works under lots of stress and how they work under stress. Even the scenario force on force drills at night went well. Everyone already got the message that if there is nothing in there worth dieing for, Don't go there! They still got to learn why trying to clear a house at night just flat sucks. Especially if you are trying to do it alone.

Ah what a day

The Anointed one has decided to grace us back woods inbred rednecks with a visit so things around here are a bit weird. USSS has been in town for a few days checking things out and informing us of the modified schedules that we are going to have to work around. WOOOOHOOOO, leave work early today!

I do not envy the USSS officers their duties. With the current climate of resentment towards the Socialist agenda that BHO is pushing and this being one of the last bastions of conservative secondary education, their job is tough. I will say they very much appear to have their act together. I have the greatest respect for the men and women who serve on the presidential detail as well as all the local agents that have been brought in to compliment their ranks. They are definitely professionals doing a tough job.

On the aircraft front, while having a C-17 come in is an awesome sight, there is nothing like the feeling of a flight of heavy Helo's coming in together. During preparations for this visit, a group of Marine Helo's came through to check the area out and deliver people/stuff. When the ground shakes and the building rattles and you can feel the pounding in your chest, there is definitely some work being done by the Helo's to try and beat the air around them into submission. I would have posted pictures but the USSS folks asked us not to be taking pictures when we came out to watch them approaching. Sorry. Besides, pictures are no where near as impressive as the feeling!

Just Flew In

And boy are my arms tired!

Spent a couple days at a customers facility going over equipment for an upcoming test. Fun to get away for a couple days. Much better than living on the road like I used to.

Hectic at work now and going to get busier for the rest of the year. What a problem to have in this economy.