Screwed

Punitive taxation.

Oil companies don't pay taxes, they merely collect them. Forcing oil companies to "pay" higher taxes takes money out of our pockets. Gas costs plenty already.

Higher energy costs hurt the economy.

If Obama has any intelligence whatsoever, he knows this. Obama is either stupid or deliberately trying to hurt the economy.

Stupid or evil, libs. That's your guy.

Reaching the wrong conclusion

2. South Dakota

• Overall grade: (50)
• Public access to information: D+
• Legislative accountability: F
• Political financing: F
• Ethics enforcement agencies: F

South Dakota, which has the second-highest corruption risk score, has nine failing grades out of 14 categories, and three Ds. The state, which has among the lowest population density in the country, does not have “comprehensive state ethics laws,” an ethics commission or satisfactory transparency laws, as Denise Ross writes for the State Integrity Investigation. The state does little to require public officials, other than judges, to disclose their income and assets. State law features a loophole that makes it possible for individuals to make unlimited political donations. The state has made major improvements in its integrity by making many state records available online in recent years.

Of course, the the above quoted article is rating the laws that are in place, but the link to the article was entitled "the most corrupt states". I would submit that we don't have those laws in place because we are in fact one of the least corrupt states, and therefore have not needed ethics coded into law.

Does anybody really believe that New Jersey is the least corrupt State?

Wrongful Birth

Via Elusive Wapiti:

A couple from Portland is suing for $3 million because a prenatal test failed to tell them their daughter had Down's syndrome. They need the money because if they had known they would have killed her via abortion, but now they have to support her for the rest of her life.

1. The test has a 99.7% accuracy rate. Why should they get any money just because they are the 0.3%?

2. This sounds like a perfect opportunity for a post birth abortion. Unfortunately, the parents that are suing because they didn't get to kill her, now love their daughter dearly.

3. I wish both sides could lose. We have a company that sells a test that is responsible for the deaths of many children, versus a couple that wants money because they missed their window to kill their child.

We declined the test three times.

oops

Not the thing you want to say, when it comes to handloading.

I loaded 100 .44 magnum rounds for a hunting trip last fall. I didn't get a deer with the old .44, in fact, the only deer I got last year was a doe with the bow. I have shot all but about 15 of those rounds, plinking at various things.

I came across the other box of bullets that I bought at the same time. That is when I discovered the error. They were 200 grain bullets, not 240's like I thought. I used the data for 240's.

Generally, when you handload, you are supposed to start 10% below the maximum charge weight and work your way up. Not with Hodgdon 110, also known as Winchester 296. This powder is only supposed to be reduced 3%. The reason is, that this particular powder has issues, in that once the bullet starts moving, pressure drops, and that causes the burning to slow, which could cause the bullet to stop, thereby acting like an obstruction. That is one theory anyway, as they have not been unable to reproduce it in the lab, although there have been enough problems (detonations) to produce the warning. I figure by using the wrong data I reduced them 13%. And then fired most of them.

Of course, this is much better than using 200 grain data to load 240 grain bullets. That would have been readily apparent. Then again, the Super Redhawk is about the strongest revolver made, handling cartridges up to 50,000 CUP, so it might have been OK.

Now since I have not killed myself with the first 85 rounds, I am debating if I should just fire off the remaining ones, or try to pull the bullets.

Updated to add the relevant warning from Hodgdon:

For those loads listed where a starting load is not shown, start 10% below the suggested maximum load and then approach maximums carefully, watching for any sign of pressure (difficult extraction, cratered and flattened or blown primers, and unusual recoil). H110 and Winchester 296 loads should not be reduced more than 3%.

Reduce H110 and Winchester 296 loads 3% and work up from there. H110 and Winchester 296 if reduced too much will cause inconsistent ignition. In some cases it will lodge a bullet in the barrel, causing a hazardous situation (Barrel Obstruction). This may cause severe personal injury or death to users or bystanders. DO NOT REDUCE H110 LOADS BY MORE THAN 3%.

Quote of the day

I've got a 10-year-old at home. She's always saying, "That's not fair." When she says this, I say, "Honey, you're cute. That's not fair. Your family is pretty well off. That's not fair. You were born in America. That's not fair. Darling, you had better pray to God that things don't start getting fair for you." P-J O'Rourke

I have to remember this when my girls get older.

That's what we've been saying all along.

Killing Babies no different than abortion, experts say.

It's possible that we didn't mean it in the same way. There is no magic event or moment in time that transforms a "fetus" into a person. I've said that we should err on the side of caution, and assume that life and personhood begin at conception.

It seems that a couple of professors are arguing that we should take it the other direction. One supposes that personhood is conferred with a phd.

I get emails

Definition of Irony



The food stamp program, part of the Department of Agriculture, is pleased to be distributing the greatest amount of food stamps ever.

Meanwhile, the Park Service, also part of the Department of Agriculture, asks us to "please do not feed the animals" because the animals may grow dependent and not learn to take care of themselves.

The right hand doesn't know what is coming out the other side of its mouth.