NOV-DEC 2006 

Friday, Dec 29, 06:  Christmas was well with us in the Ogre Clan. I hope it was with The Horde. Good and thoughtful gifts were exchanged and everyone got things they enjoyed and appreciated. The Boyz (Ogre has 5 Sons in his Assault Element) were horribly spoiled with new overpowered pellet rifles, bows and arrows, camouflage suites, and other such things as required of adventuring for young boys. The best thing about Christmas though... is that it is over. I love selling guns, but when it's the day before Christmas Eve, and I tell you I can't get you a thumbhole-stocked Pro Hunter in 7MM Rem Mag in time for Christmas... you whining like a bitch isn't going to get you the rifle. And then the day after Christmas... don't ask me if one has come in yet. Especially when I gave you an estimated time of “February”. For the love of Pete, I'm good... but I don't build Thompson Centers by hand in my Garage after the store closes.

Gift Cards. I heard a lot of talk about Gift Cards. Lot's of people saying they don't want to give them because they are impersonal. That's bull pucky. You are letting someone pick out something they want rather than impose upon them a selection that they didn't make for something that they didn't want or need. Gift Cards are fantastic. Gift Cards let the person get exactly what they want. If you think they might be less than personal, give them more value on the card that you would have otherwise spent on them and put the card in a nice Christmas Card. There you go. They will love it and love you for it. Gift Cards ROCK. Especially to stores that sell guns and ammunition. A small token gift card to the store that I work at... turned into a spare Kimber Pro Tac magazine. That was a great Christmas Gift. I loved it. I appreciated it. Thank you.

We got a rifle into the store that I had not seen in person before. Now, I don't mean to do another Browning vs Benelli debate again, but it looks like that's what this is going to be. I really think Browning has a hit with their Short Track BAR, rifle. It looks slick, feels great, and balances nicely. It is a great rifle. Then the Benelli R1 came in. All the sudden the ST-BAR looks a little chunky and feels a little clunky. The R1 is sleek and smooth. Looking at the guns in photos or while the guns are up on the racks, you don't really see it. Once you get the guns in your hand and feel them side by side, the R1 is heads and shoulders above the ST-BAR. Browning is close... but the R1 nails it. It is gorgeous. It is one of the sexiest rifles on the planet – period. The R1 we got in is in .270 WSM. I know a lot of guys are skeptical of the Short Mags. Don't be. The .270 WSM is a fantastic cartridge. Velocity is up there, energy is up there, the accuracy is outstanding... It is a great all round caliber capable of doing anything in North America and most of the rest of the world. It would be a bit light for several of the African Big Five, but anything short of that, it would do it just fine. I would really like to see the R1 shoot. The accuracy, if it is acceptable, would make the R1 one of the best rifles in the world. The only question is how would you define acceptable. The R1 is a hunting rifle, not a Bench Rest target rifle, so it doesn't have to be MOA... but 1.5 would be great.

Update on the R1. Just got in the synthetic stocked R1 in .300 WSM. I like it even better. It sports the new Comfort Tech stocks. Outstanding.

Another gun update: STOEGER COUGER. Just like everything else from Stoeger, the gun is high quality... very well made... but the finish sucks. Someone needs to buy them a buffing wheel.

The Guns of Miami Vice is now in the works. The Mrs got the DVD for me... great movie. Stark. Lots of guns. Lot's of guys like the .50 cal rifles, but the real groovy gun is Tubbs' 40MM grenade launcher with buckshot loads. Dayum. It's going to take a few before I have the time to really review this one... there are just so many guns in this one. Everyone is packing a different gun and I'm going to ID and examine each one.

Sunday, Christmas Eve:  Kimber: Yup, the Night Sights were there from Kimber when I got in to work the day after my last post. It took about 10 minutes to get them installed. I used a couple pieces of wood and a hammer. Gotta love the simple tool requirements. After I was done I found that we had a sight push tool. Crap. Oh well... Who needs finesse when you have a brute force option? The sights installed fine and I got the positions in the same spots as the original sights so it's all good. Kimber's Mepros are great night sights. Very bright. Twice as bright as the units on the Wilson Combat ADP. One thing is for sure, Kimber's finish is delicate as hell. I've got scrape lines on the finish from 1 presentation from a kydex holster. I put it in a clean and new kydex holster and pulled it back out again. That was it, that was all I did. The finish was ravaged. What the hell? Clean holster, no grit in it, and the finish looks like a tied it to the back of a newlywed's car. Other Kimber's don't have this problem. Some are stainless... some, like their high dollar “Desert Warrior” have a tough poly-coat finish. Not the Custom II. I've seen better finishes on Hi-Points. But that doesn't matter. Because the Custom II is a 1911; which means they are like a pair of Levi jeans... they look better with a worn in look and they look good with everything. Wear a button down collar shirt, tuck it in and leave the collar open and you can still go to church. Wear a black turtle neck with your jeans and you can run Apple Computers. You also have to give credit to the simple and almost elegant lines and proportions of the 1911. They always look good, because the look right. Even the 1911 Taurus came out with. They just look good. But Kimber's do look better than most other 1911's and that means Kimber's are some of the best looking handguns you could ever hope to get. The beauty is something that I always considered to be only skin deep with the Kimber. This is one of the main reasons I got one. I've been shooting the hell out of mine. There is a spot one the way home that I can pull off the high way and stop to pop off a box of rounds or at least a couple mags full. I've been doing this every night since I got it. I still don't know what it looks like with a jam. So I have to say that I am impressed so far. Knock on wood. Before I got the Kimber I was considering getting a High Power. I'm glad I got the 1911. The High Power is European gun for fit Europeans. Specifically the British. Like the British, the High Powers are different enough to thought of as clever, but not too bright once you spend time with them. They have the right idea, but lack the power to carry it through. This is not a problem with a .45ACP. The .45 was designed by Americans with the intent on killing the enemy. It is roughly the same size and shape as a fire hydrant. It has power to spare. The 9mm seems like it was designed by a German file clerk. Efficient and swift, but overestimating it's significance. Yes, we know the High Power was a John Moses Browning design, but it was done to the request and specifications of the Belgians and finished by the Belgians. I'm pretty sure that before he finished it, JMB would have said “Screw it, we're making it a .45.” And then we would have had the CZ-97B years earlier. The 1911 is America forged in steel, carried in a holster. We used it in World War I, II, Korea, Nam, the Gulf War, and now it continues fighting in the War on Terror... It is fantastic. No other weapon system has continued so long. Closest second is the .50 cal machine gun that Browning also designed. Every regular MadOgre.com reader should get a 1911. Make that your New Year's Resolution for 2007... to buy a 1911. Either for yourself, or for someone else who doesn't have one. It can be which ever make and model you chose. A GI from Springfield or a high end Wilson Combat or Ed Brown, I'll leave that to you. Lots of guys complain to gun magazines because of all the 1911's getting editorialized. There is a good reason for that. They are all so good.

More thoughts on Liberals: One of the more annoying things about dealing with Liberals is that they are never – ever – willing to listen to or study something coming from a counter opinion. They refuse to look at both sides. Now, I don't know about you... but I do look at things from both sides. I'll listen to talk radio... Rush or Hannity, then I'll listen to NPR and consider their opposite view point. That's just what I do. Now, Liberals would never do that. Rush is just a stupid big fat drug addicted idiot and they just say that without even hearing more than 30 seconds of anything he says. Such a shallow, elementary school level attitude, but a pervasive one on the left. It's not just Rush. It's anything that puts out any idea that is counter to their own. That's just they way they are. Frightened that they might be wrong. For example, we had a liberal Congressman say that anyone who is skeptical of Global Warming be treated like a terrorist and be denied access to the media. Free Speech is one of the Bill of Rights items that they want to get rid of along with the Second Amendment. Lots of other “Scientists” want to censor other scientists who question Global Warming or anything that suggests that maybe it isn't just Man Made. Wait a second... are not scientists supposed to be skeptical? Isn't that their job? Not if you are a Liberal Scientist. See, Liberals don't want to hear things that they don't like. They pitch fits, stick their fingers in their ears and yell “la la la, I can't hear you”... and then they try to silence you by whatever means they can muster. Nice.

Wed, Dec 20th, 2006:  Kimber: The Kimber Custom II is a pretty damn good straight up 1911. Not spendy, not fancy, and a good step up from an ol'Sproingfield GI. Reliability out of the box is awesome. I just dumped (as fast as I could reload in cold weather) 4 boxes of Blazer Brass and one box of Winchester 230 grain SXT's through it with not a single hint of a problem. Accuracy wasn't tested here, but it seemed to be throwing them out there right where I was pointing it. I'm pleased enough with it. It's on my hip right now and will be most of the time for some time to come. The Wilson ADP remains a fantastic carry gun, and carries a heck of a lot easier than the Kimber, being so much smaller and lighter... but there is just something about a good old .45 that makes it feel just right.

I've not packed a 1911 for some time and it really and truly feels like I've come home. I love guns... I'm a total Gun Slut... and I will have meaningless short lived relationships with many different guns... but I always come back to the 1911 platform. Friends of mine will tell me that I need to make a commitment. That is a very real possibility with the Kimber. I've got night sights for it on order and they may have already arrived... I'll find out tomorrow. Packing “Kim” in a G-Code rig and loving it. I need a good stealthy IWB for it. I've got all the others I'll ever need. Bianchis and G-Codes and FISTs and Mitch Rosen's, etc. There is always one more you need, right? The one you don't have? Yeah, holsters suck that way.

Hotties: The Miss America was almost dethroned for getting wasted and making out with Mrs. Teen USA... so she blamed her inner demons. I'm sorry, but THAT is my inner demon.

Windows Vista: Lots of questions about upgrading to Vista. I'm going to let you make up your own mind on that one. Here is something that might help you. The five best things about Vista and the five worst. The Beta I tried out sucked to a shockingly high degree... but it did look cool. Looks are not important to Ogre. Function is. Security is. Speed is. And based on those things... I'm taking a pass on Vista. $399 for the OS? You've GOT to be kidding me. There is no way in hell I'm shelling out four Benjamins for an OS. Especially not for a Windows OS. The next system I'm buying is going to be an Mac of the Lappy variety, but that is not for awhile. I'm still well pleased with my wee little HP with 512 Meg Nvidia graphics card and GIG of RAM acting like a supercharger for the Centrino Duo CPU. It says the Lappy is Vista Ready. The lappy might be, but I'm not. Ever. I'll roll with a MEAD and PILOT before I'll shell out for Vista. I'll post my MadOgre.com updates with scotch tape on the front window of Ogre Ranch before I do that. I could be happy enough with a Mac. I might even like it. After all, I do like romantic comedies based in San Francisco and I do drink green tea... so I could be a Mac Guy very easily. I'm only a Windows guy right now because I like FrontPage and Games. Of course, those are very solid reasons. I'm thinking maybe I'm conflicted... maybe I'm just kicking and screaming because the cost of Vista is so freaking high. That's what I paid for my damn Kimber! You can roll with Vista if you want too. Let me know how that works out for you. And if you have a copy of Vista with a spare valid key – hook an Ogre up.

Blogging Rights: Read this. I've got too words for this: “Make me.” If you think I should... screw you. This is Free Speech, Raw and Uncut. (and unedited due to time constraints... your getting this as a First Draft and only draft) Not that I have any sponsored posts... this isn't an issue with me... but I'm open. ;)

This is probably going to be my last post before Christmas... If it is – I wish all my readers around the world a very merry Christmas. Even if you don't celebrate it – I wish you the very best of the season. No, I did not play Grandfather in the Nutcracker like I did last year... they didn't do it this year. Thank God!

Sunday, December 17th, 2006:  Funny Liberal: There are few things more annoying that a person who claims to not be a Liberal, yet quotes every Liberal talking point about everything. Denial is evidently a river running through the Uintah Basin. The guy is a good guy, generally speaking... but he gets way too hostile and worked up when politics comes up. Liberals are like that. They quote a lot of things as facts but none have any foundations in reality and are counter to what happened in history. Of course he's not Liberal. And I'm a Senator from South Carolina. This guy has given me crap about snagging a soda for 2 quarters instead of 3, after I came back after getting the third quarter. He says that is typical Republicanism. Which is funny because that would be called “Credit” by anyone familiar with economics. Something Liberals really don't understand all that well. This is especially funny because he is a Dance Student of my wife – and after several months of classes, he's never once paid for one of them. That's called Theft of Services. My wife is too nice to demand payment and tolerates his shit. She's nicer that I am. I would have turned his ass out on his ear a long time ago.

Compare: Watch these video clips. Clip one, Japanese urban war fighting. Clip two, American MOUT. The Japanese win hands down on the dynamic entry. They are more ready to "Go to War" as in war as a state of mind. The American's tactics are clean and designed to be as safe for the operators as possible... security is the priority over the Japanese priority on speed. Whish one is better would really depend on the METT. If the enemy doesn't know your coming, the Japanese method is the way to roll. Get in, hit hard. Once the enemy knows you have arrived, it's best to switch to the US method to keep your people alive.
However, overall... I think the Japanese have an edge. SIG handguns and a rifle that is NOT an M-16 variant. Force on force, I think the Japanese might have an edge. The ARMY has become too cautious since Mog and Iraq because the US puts too much emphasis on individual casualties rather than the results of direct action. Kudos to Japan's warriors. Share your observations.

More thoughts on the Gun Review Score sheet. This week I'll post a Beta form for your review and feedback. Hopefully... Maybe next week. The idea for this uniform rating system is to avoid bias as much as possible. Of course because of human nature, bias will exist. We just hope to minimize it and highlight it when it happens. Give me a little time on this, as I am a heck of a lot busier this next week. I've been doing 12 hour days day at the gun store and will continue that schedule through next week... on top of that is a couple deadlines, one past due, one right around the corner. Shooting spots are not accessible due to recent heavy snow that forced me to break a topless Brutus out of the garage and force him into service. He did very well in the snow, but the heater couldn't keep up with the cold. In fact, it died on me. The heater, not the truck. I also found that I really need to get some lockers installed. I came very close to getting stuck for the first time... I had to rock it back and forth until I could punch out of some snow that had hung me up. Crazy. Anyways, busy like crazy for another week or so then I can chill out.

Speaking of chilling out. We did get the satellite TV hooked up. Direct TV rather than the Dish Network I thought we were getting. I think I like the Dish Network better... I think.

Tuesday, Dec 12th, 2006:  I'm trying to come up with a uniform rating system for guns. We have seven general categories. Reliability. Accuracy. Caliber. Capacity. Size & Weight. Looks. Ergonomics. Balanced with the gun's purpose or “class”. I need to form this up into a way quantify a gun's qualities into a more substantial, objective and less shear opinion. Opinion is great, but I'm going to roll out something better. You know how Car and Driver rates cars with points to compare different cars together to see which one wins? I want to do the same thing with guns. Anyone thinks this is a good idea? Any suggestions?

This Wilson Combat ADP. Man, I have to hand it to Wilson... they transformed the old Stealth into a pistol that is actually worth having. It's smooth and it hits. I've been packing it around... it carries like I left it at home. The gas system allows the slide to be pulled back easily and smoothly. Smooth because there is no mechanical hitch from a barrel disengagement and light because the gas system doesn't need a heavy recoil spring like a straight up blow-back action. This gun is good for those looking for a decent CCW option that is small... for women who can't jack the slide on a regular auto... for those with small hands... for those who like Wilson Combat... or for those who just like cool guns. Because the ADP is a very cool little gun. If you are a petite woman with small hands who likes cool guns and wants a full power 9MM with decent mag capacity – the ADP is your next gun. Being a full sized male, the ADP feels like a toy in my hands. But man... it shoots! I love this pistol. I shot it again today... Slick little bastard.

I've got a little game I've been playing at work. Let me give you some background. Man, I've been busy guys. Very busy. Like a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. Lot's of stuff going on. Anyways, at the gun shop we've been selling tons... by the freight load. Now to the game. A lot of guys have wives that want to buy them a new rifle for Christmas. Many of these wives know nothing about guns. These customers have become a sort of specialty. They want to buy a gun that they think their husband would like. If they have any shred of information, I can use that directly. Or if they have none, I play a little game. I ask them what kind of car their hubby would like, if they could have any car regardless of price... dream car. I take that, examine the general qualities of the car and apply that to a rifle with similar attributes. I wont give examples because they are too numerous and time consuming. Once I establish these qualities, the sale is made. It works every time. The reason it works is because I am not convincing the wife that these are the guns that the husband would want, but I am reinforcing the wife's mental image of their husbands. That's all it takes. Cars I've been given to work with have been: Mustangs, Camaros, Porsche, Hemi Cuda, a Jaguar, a Cobra 427, Hummers, various trucks, and a '34 Ford. I do try to make as good of a guess as I can as to what the guy would like. The only hard part is connecting the wife to the husband who has been coming in frequently to drool on the guns. If you are observant, patterns emerge and it becomes less guess work and more of an exercise in filtering data.

I also broke my hand at work. The CO2 fill station for paintball... let's just say that a valve was opened under full pressure that shouldn't have been and the fill line with the attachment and fill valve swung like a rocket and smashed my hand like a mace, crushing bone. This has been two weeks ago now and still the hand is swollen. Hurt like a sumbitch but it wasn't anything as bad as what I've had before so I delt with it, sucked up the pain, popped some aspirin and kept going. That's what I do. Had some guns to sell. Including a .50 BMG. Booyaah.

Yes, Lord of War is my favorite movie of all time.

Harvard: I heard report that Harvard is going to be changing up the way they set general education requirements. Students are all for it and of course the Profs are all against it. Students want to study subjects that have relevance while the Profs want to have their obscure subjects made mandatory. Their argument is that learning bullshit obscure subjects is an exercise in academic thought and the actual subject is less than important. Using the Prof's argument, then why would it matter if they took course that are more relevant to the student's desired program? It would be interesting for a school to adopt a full “free market” approach. I think we would find a lot more unemployed profs while others are packed to the gills with students.... and students would be able to spend more time on core courses than BS filler courses. Image all the more hours spent on studying their main focus than a wide span of courses that have nothing to do with their degree? I think Harvard is on to something. Something I've been arguing for for years. And anyone who has to pay for all those credits. Obviously that is the key right there. On a streamlined program you can save hundreds of thousands of dollars on unnecessary classes that the school would have otherwise earned by wasting your time and money.

Rummy & War: I find it interesting that Donald Rumsfeld in the last couple days of his time in office as SecDef takes the time to fly to Iraq to give his farewell to the troops. It would be a hard thing to be Rummy these days. I think out of all of his booboos, his biggest mistake was belief. He believed that the people of Iraq were ready to stand up and grab and embrace democracy. To fight for it. And he was partially right. Remember all the smiling Iraqis with purple stained fingers and big smiles. Rummy underestimated the power of hate and the grip it had on the frightened and those willing to kill and die for hate. I do think Rummy had the best of intentions.

How come it is so clear that a weak America gives power to evil, and the Democrats are either so blind to it or so willing to give it up? With every sign of weakness, Iran grows bolder. I think it is a little late for the US to try to be Mister Popularity. We have to one of two things and Congress is not willing to do either. We have to either pull back and reinforce our defenses at home and prepare for the worst... or we have to follow the more difficult path and go do what has to be done. You can't wage a half ass. If you are going to go to war, go to fucking war. People die and it isn't pretty... but the US needs to do it. The US needs to roll hard into Iraq, squelch shit there hard and in a fast and all the sudden move on Iran and squelch the shit there. If Russia has a problem with that, if China has issue... if the UN does... we just give them the finger and do what needs to be done and let the chips fall after the dust settles. Because look what is going to happen if we don't. If we don't go all the way... Iran is going to be supplying nukes to anyone who wants to pop one off in any of the G8 nations with the biggest ones coming to the USA. That's just the way it is. I'd rather be right and unpopular than wrong and still unpopular just because we are still Americans and watch our friends die in a fission blast. But that's just me. I don't think we are going to be able to maintain peace. If we can't have peace, let's have war on our terms. If we pull out of Iraq, the liquid that fills the void is going to be blood. Blood of the innocent. I'd rather spill the blood of those that would spill it of the innocents. People in Iraq and in Iran do not want to cause massive amounts of death. And neither do I. But those in power in Iraq want to do spray nuclear fire like a gardener sprays his garden with water. We can't allow that to happen. If we stand down and let that happen, we are accomplices. With this new SecDef who seems to be a huge pussy, and the white flag waving Democrats who are now in the majority... it looks like we are going to be sitting back, watching the fireworks and putting on sunscreen with SPF 39 Million.

F'N Pistol: I'm just about finished with the review of the FN FNP9m and I am going to spill the beans on it right here... It's positive. The gun is not without some warts, but in the end, I'm very pleased with it and think it is one of the better polymade guns out there. While I didn't mention it in the article, any polygun has to be faced off against the Springfield XD which represents the best of the species. If it can compare well to the XD, then you have a good gun. If not, then there is no reason to buy it. The FN compares very well. I'm saying that it is an 8 out of 10. This for a gun that I actually disliked when I first got it for review. This is kind of odd because usually guns start out in the positive and slowly or all the sudden work their ways into the negative. Or there are some guns that I kinda like but would never ever actually acquire... like a Ruger P345. It's a fine gun with nothing wrong with it, but I'm not going to get one. Ever. I don't think I could actually explain why.

Email from Hordeman Brad. Late due to a lack of Wireless in Lapoint, Utah... but still worth posting. “Dec. 7, 2006, 0515... I woke yesterday morning thinking about something that I usually don't think about on a daily basis. I sat back for a moment, thinking about what our country was going through 65 years ago on the eve of one of the worst attacks on our country, I think about my Grandfathers. I think about what it meant to truly believe in what our country stood for back then, and then question what the general public thinks now, given the liberal fodder spewed from the idiot box on a daily basis. I served my country, as did my father, as did his father. Every day it seems the political shitstorm swirling around our latest conflicts chips away at the very core of our younger generations of Americans.
I grit my teeth and clench my fists, as I listen to my fellow Gen-ZZZ classmates bitching about how they didn't get their hands on a PS3 or Wii this Christmas, while they fail their college classes because they're too busy with their fucking MySpace e-life. Fucking little ungrateful maggots. Mandatory 2-year stint serving your country? You bet your ass. Maybe after serving this great country of ours, we just might be back to what being an American is all about. It's a whole new world when your head is removed violently from your ass.
I see red, as the liberal media does its damned best to throw U.S. casualty statistics out with enough spin to make it sound like Bush himself pulled the trigger.
I finally shed a tear and whisper a prayer, thinking about those who are still serving our country in godforsaken places away from their families who would give anything for a hot shower and a hug from their loved ones.
I thank you O mighty Ogre, for giving us the platform to perhaps influence just one more person to realize what being an American is really about.
God Speed to those who continue to serve, and know as long as I draw a breath, there will always be someone back home who is behind you 110%, thinking of you, and praying for your safe return. - Brad”

Amen, Brad. 

Hot

Miami Vice is now out on DVD.  Along with a package that has the first (best) season.  Mrs. Ogre wont let me rent it or buy it.  Looks like it's already under the tree.  If it is, look for a Guns of Miami Vice article coming soon.

Sunday, Dec 3rd, 2006:  Taken to task: One of the easiest things that I can do to piss a lot of people off is to simply state my opinion. While I will address three issues I've been rebuked for, I promise with a solemn vow with my hand on a Hornady Reloading Manual and a copy of the movie “Grand Prix” that I will always be opinionated.

First off, someone who reads Concealed Carry Magazine ripped on my review of the S&W CS9 Chief's Special. Either I failed as a writer or he failed to understand it. Considering all the emails I got from other readers saying that they loved the article, agreed with me, and understood where I was coming from... I think I'm going to chalk this one guy up to “not getting it”. You see, he thinks that in my article I said that you have to save up loads of money to buy a really expensive 1911 handgun. No, that was not what I was getting at. What I was doing was responding to the several emails I got saying that they didn't like reading articles about unobtainable guns. That is rubbish. It's like reading a car magazine's review of a Ferrari Enzo. The Enzo articles are rather masturbatory in that such a car, even if you had the million dollar funds, is unobtainable. Ferrari sells those only to who they deem worthy. A pistol that is available to the general public for under two grand is simply a matter of putting some money aside every pay check and saving up for it. There is a difference there that this one individual did not get. Like I am not telling you that you have got to buy a spendy 1911... what I was saying is that if you really want it you can get one. They are obtainable. I was also saying that you don't have to get one to get a worthy gun for self defense and as an example I showed you the Chief's Special which turned out to be an outstanding self defense option. The fellow's post on the CCM forum sounded like some bitter sour grapes and he was lashing out at me for his own failure to comprehend or acquire.

The other thing I was called to the carpet for was for my recent post here on MadOgre.com about the Taurus PT1911. After I had posted that, our store got in a couple more examples of these Brazilian .45's. Everything I said about the first example I looked at when I made that post was completely true. The next examples however were a solid step up from the first. The frame to slide fit actually fit and show about the same amount of play as do regular production Springfield and S&W 1911's. Meaning that they are pretty average. This time I disassembled the PT1911 and examined the internals... the machining and the parts. You know what? I think I was a bit harsh on the Taurus, maybe unfairly so. I would like to now publicly apologize to Taurus. Sincerely. I was harsh and unfair. My bad. You will have to forgive me, I am an ogre. The PT1911 does fill a nitch. When you consider the price point... for the money... the Taurus is not a bad buy. For under $500 you do get a lot of pistol for the money. They are a bit more than a GI Springfield, but you do get the features a lot of guys are looking for these days. Ambi safeties, front strap checkering, widened ejection port, etc. They are also well under the price of any other gun stocking these features. By a couple hundred bucks. So they represent a very good value if they perform. And that is the big question that I do not have an answer for. Mike in Kansas City reports on this for us: “As far as its reliability and shooting potential goes, it has met and exceeded my hopes. While I have not conducted any kind of scientific accuracy tests, I can say that it hits anything I aim at and has never, from 0 to 500+ rounds now, had a single problem, no matter what kind of ammo I feed it.” Interesting. So they are shooters... Mike, please keep us informed as you rack up the miles... every 500 rounds or so. I am interested in seeing how these go over the long run. Up to this point, if you wanted a cheap 1911 you only had 3 options: Argentine guns which look and feel like 1911's but are not. Philippine 1911's which look like decent knock offs but are made from castings out of melted pot metal and tire weights... or the no frills GI Springfields which are fantastic Old School shooters, but lack the things most shooters today want – like decent sights. The GI pattern did help save the free world... but unless your shooting at Huns, most guys want better sights at least. Let's look at it this way, For the same amount of money, you could get a Springfield with the same features as the PT1911, or a S&W 1911 with the same things... or you could get the PT1911 and 2 cases of .45ACP to train with. That is an advantage for Taurus, real, clear, and tangible. I've got 300 rounds of hard ball at Ogre Ranch waiting to be shot up for a gun review... but this wouldn't be enough to even get started on a PT1911... because I would want to shoot it to failure just to see where that point is and what is going to fail. I want to to do this so much that I have been extremely tempted to buy one just so I could abuse the hell out of it. But I am not going to do this... Thanks to Mike's head up I am going to do something different. Allow me to explain as this takes me to the next item that I've been taken to task over.

Kimber 1911's. I've never ranked Kimber 1911's very high. I've always preferred the strength of Springfields and considered the Kimbers to be a “Pretty Boy's Pistol”. More concerned about their looks that their actually qualities as hard core shooters. Well, it has gone around and come back to me... and now I am going to put that to the test myself. I'm getting a Kimber, which will be my designated shooter for some time until it fails or I find something better. Kimber has a lot of flavors of the 1911 to choose from. The Tactical Custom II is my favorite, but I am going to get something more representative of the whole line. I've selected the Custom II with night sights. In fact, as I type this, the pistol is actually sitting in my In Box at work. (Along with a pair of Charter Arms revolvers for CCM Review) By the time I actually get this posted, I'll have done the paper work and transferred it to my ownership and it will be riding on my hip in a Galco scabbard or my trusty twelve dollar High Desert slide (that I've had for over a decade now and it's never failed me). No, I'm serious, Ogre is hooking up the Kimber and I'm going to roll with it and see if Kimber makes serious 1911's or not.

Clothes: Many of my readers are avid readers of gun magazines, gun related web sites, etc. You guys are undoubtedly aware of a 5.11 Tactical, and the similar line of Woolrich Tactical lines of clothes. The Woolrich stuff is fantastic. But you know what? Woolrich's “civilian” line of clothes are even better. Looking cool at the range is fine and dandy. I know a lot of guys that dress like that all the time. Bully for them, but I don't like to dress that way. I don't like looking like a guy that most likely is packing heat. While you might avoid a conflict by not looking like an easy target, there is a flip side to that. You make yourself a target by looking like someone the badguys should take down first. What's the point of carrying concealed, if you single yourself out by advertising it? Anyways, Woolrich makes a large line of clothes for men (and ogres) that look great, feel great, and are made well enough to survive in Ogre's wardrobe. What I like best about them is that they have a certain look to them that looks classic, classy, smart and tasteful. Unlike other clothes lines that make you look like a tourist or a highschool student. I bring this up because of another line of clothes that have become very popular even out here in the Uintah Basin. Skin Industries. You might have seen them before, if not you will recognize them by the naked stripper in high heels silhouette. Often with the slogan “Show some” or other phrase indicating a desire to engage something lacking any morals. Ogre is not a prude by any means. I can engage in serious debates of locker room logic with the best of them. A skill picked up in the military... I am also not offended by scantily clad ladies should they pop in movie. Hell, i even laughed at the donkey show in Clerks II, taking it for what it was. However when I see (and I did a few evenings ago when i took my family ice skating) a virginal sweet girl of 12 or 13 who looks like an angel with a smile that could stop the sun wearing a sweatshirt with a stripper logo with the word SKIN behind it and “SHOW SOME” under it... I'm thinking “Who the hell are this kid's parents?” When I was 12 or 13 yeah I flirted with girls... but I was more engaged in being a kid. I had a childhood. What are these kids having? This girl was flirted with not boys her own age, but boys 5 to 10 years older than her. Where and when did this sort of thing become acceptable? The biggest crime in the country are the Liberals theft of Childhood. Yeah, this is a political issue, not just parental. Thanks to Bill Clinton getting blow jobs in the White House from young stupid interns, Banana Condom demonstrations to 6^th grade classes and all the new Sex Education the liberals have pushed along with “you don't have to tell your folks when you get an abortion” it looks like the future of America will be exporting ever younger and younger porn stars. Fantastic. With a new dawning of the Soviet Union and China becoming the biggest world economy... the US can at least survive its own dumbing down thanks to Liberals being in charge of education, by selling drugs and sex. (Funny, I just heard on the News that Richard Dryfus says that education is abysmal... no shit. Even the Liberals are complaining about it!) Let's see ourselves in the eyes of the globe... Americans are now fat and stupid and have nothing left but to go into porn to get their fix. Isn't this what we used to say about Anna Nicole Smith? Guys, we need to clean up our act. We can't let our kids slip down this path. We can't let ourselves slip down that path either. If I see one of my kids wearing something like Skin Industries, I'm taking a pair of scissors to the shirt right then and there. You want to Show Some? Let me help you! How many of The Horde know what your kids are being taught in school? We need full curriculum disclosure, accountability, and I'm also supporting school uniforms. That might be a bit British, but I think US schools are becoming less and less education centers and more and more mandatory camps for indoctrination. People used to dress respectfully. You know the expression that the Clothes make the man. Well, I think they make the student as well. Schools that have Uniforms do tend to have higher average grades and test scores. For God's sake, have some dignity people. Okay, I'm done preaching.

Wednesday, 11-29-06:  The bleak days of winter have finally settled on Ogre Ranch. There is a thick and cold blanket of death laying over my little valley, and most annoyingly it is also across the roads. As much as I love my BFG Traction T/A tires, they are totally shiat in snow. Luckily snow does not last long on the roads around here. This means trips up into the mountains are going to have to wait. Mrs Ogre's Pontiac Montana is having no problem at all in the snow, thanks to her “All Season” rubber. Typically “All Season” tires give poor performance all year round, but I would almost be willing to trade poor performance for No Performance. The Traction T/A does great on dry or wet pavement... but snow... the tires have the same personality that I have. “Snow on the roads? Fuck it, I didn't want to go there that badly anyway.”

Going through some emails I found some reoccurring themes. For starters, there is a growing interest in the Ruger Mini-14 rifle. For another, there is a growing interest in 1911 style pistols. Let's talk about the Ruger Mini-14 first. I've said all this before, and I'm saying it again because I've got a ton of new readers now and they don't know how to Advance Google through the Archives yet. (Check this out, go to Google, click advance, type in MadOgre.com and then what you want to search for... and there you go.) Some of you are aware that the Mini-14 has been shunned almost unfairly because it was the rifle of choice for The A Team and mullet wearing troglodytes who drove Firebirds with flaming turkeys painted on the hood. That is probably as a valid reason as any for avoidance. Other reasons included that because the pencil thin barrel would heat badly when fired more than once a day and this would cause a shift in the point of impact. The upside is that the Mini-14 has always had something the AR-15 series just doesn't have: Near perfect reliability. Reliability is a No Compromise quality. Your gun either is, or it isn't. There is no in between. AR Guys will argue that their AR is reliable and that they can also pleasure 6 women at the same time and did just last Friday night. (Truth is that they can, just by leaving the room) The Ruger has never been a popular rifle. As such it never has the desire or maladjusted psychological requirement to be the center of attention. The design is simple, scale down the M-14 to .223 and call it the “Mini-14”. While some guys say they hate the Mini-14, they often say that the M-14 was one of the best rifles ever built. They might also say that the M1 Carbine was a fantastic weapon as well... yet they scoff the Mini. The guns are all very similar in action and layout. The detractors do have a point, to a point... there is something missing about the Mini. That sense of history... the sense of patriotism... the caliber... the balls... whatever you want to call it, the Mini seemed to have misplaced it. Ruger then redesigned the Mini to take away the main criticisms. Ruger went and changed the barrels for one thing. While there is still some impact shift when heating, there is a huge improvement... and if I was to hazard a guess that if the shooters were completely honest and if you asked them about their other guns, they would tell you that their other rifles would do the same thing if you fired them more than once a day. The Mini has earned the right to be a little smug as it remains extremely reliable. Yet the gun does have one major drawback. The gun looks like it was cast out of zinc alloy. The weird raw metal finish is about as attractive as Mickey Rourke's ass. The Mini's need to be refinished, even with just a cheap spray and bake finish process. Better yet, Ruger needs to be do this right off the bat at the factory. The other reason for avoidance is that Ruger is the source for reduced capacity magazines... Bill Ruger is the dude that came up with the idea. He said no one needs more than 15 rounds. Politicians took hold of that and reduced it further to 10. Ruger likes to sell guns, but they only like to sell guns that they are comfortable with. Where is the Ruger Compact Auto? Where is Ruger's high capacity magazine for the 10-22? Where are the factory folding stocks? Anyways, there are a lot of reasons many shooters are not down with Rugers. If you get past the bias and into some aftermarket, the Mini-14 comes into its own. Much like the AR-15, the Mini-14 can play dress up too. They can be made to be very accurate. Dollar for Dollar, you can build a great automatic rifle that will compete with the AR. For example, you can buy a rather basic AR, such as a Rock River (the only one worth buying in my opinion) for under a grand, buy some upgrades for it and be into it about 1500 bucks. Well, for the same amount of cash, you can get a new Mini for under 600 bucks, upgrade the hell out of it, and you will have a rifle that can go toe to toe with the AR with the advantage that it isn't an AR, wont be hygiene sensitive, doesn't foul like the AR, and doesn't get those unique AR jams, and it wont take over an hour to clean properly like an AR. The AR's success is like a mass delusion. How anyone was ever convinced it was a great weapon is an amazing achievement is selling bullshit. With all the rifle's bad qualities, it is topped off with a seriously wussy caliber but I'm not going to get into the caliber. .223 has become a very fun (if not all that effective) caliber thanks to low ammunition costs. Not to bag on .223 but it is a round that does nothing very well except sell for some reason. It's a freaking .22 with bigger case volume. It uses bullets with weights under a hundred grains... it's been outlawed for hunting scrawnyass white tail deer in most states because it isn't effective enough but .Mil Wannabees brag up it's killing power? Bullshit. It's cheap and abundant and that is .223's only saving grace. If it was as much as any other rifle cartridge... or if every rifle cartridge cost the same shot for shot, say ten cents a pop – no one would use it. Everyone would step up into .243 or .25WSM or above. The .223 would disappear like .218 Bee or .22 Hornet. Sure it would still be around, but harder to find. People might reload for it. Well, not like .218 or Hornet, because those rounds are seriously fun little plinkers... maybe like .30-40 Kraig. Anyways.

Another thing I want to touch on today is the new 1911 from Taurus. When it comes to touching the Taurus PT1911, I recommend you don't. When I saw it at SHOT I had hopes. It seemed like a decent attempt. But after seeing a production unit and put it into the gun case... just forget they exist. The parts fit together in a way that would have made John Moses Browning cry. The guns are easily the ugliest 1911's I've ever seen and I've seen a lot of them. After almost a hundred years of development (the 1911's development started in 1907 btw) you would think that Taurus would have a basic understanding of what it might take to build a decent one, but they don't. The have a general idea of what a 1911 looks like, but the actual part about building of one seems to have escaped them entirely. Much like myself trying to build my own Lotus Exige. I've seen them. I've driven one. But I wont try to kid myself into thinking I could build my own. Not even from a parts kit. Taurus thought they could. The result is a rattle trap piece of crap. I tell you this because I'm not sponsored by advertising money from Taurus like other Gun Writers. I don't say this lightly... I WANTED to like Taurus' new 1911. I really did. I want them to do well, I really and truly do. Taurus deserves some cheerleading... but they are not ready for it yet. I like many Tauri products... and I would not have a moments hesitation at buying them with my own money... but their PT1911 is not one of them. I don't know, maybe I am being unfairly harsh on them. Maybe in some way the loose fitting barrels and slides somehow mesh together in the instant of firing that allows them to be both reliable and accurate... but I don't see how. Okay, I can admit that I have been wrong. I've always before thought of Kimber as being a Pretty Boy's 1911 maker. Kimber guns, especially all their newer guns with the “II” designation, have impressed me as of late. The Tactical Custom II gun especially. I could buy a Kimber now. I really could. Even their basic “Custom II” gun is a solid and decent example of a 1911 that is worth the price. They are a few bucks more than the Taurus PT 1911, but unlike the Tauri, they are worth the investment. I'm not all that found of their “Raptor” series... I think the styling is a bit too “Riced Out” for my taste. Hey, speaking of Ruger, it looks like they are going to be releasing their M77 Frontier rifle in .338 Federal. Booyah! That is one new caliber that I am eager to try out.

I was asked what I thought about the new Short Mags. Let me put it to you this way. I think the .270 WSM cartridge is one of the best cartridges ever made – period. For a medium caliber, it is just about ideal. Now if only Hornady would make ammunition in that caliber... but the Winchester stuff is just fine. Especially the rounds that come in the black winchester boxes. Outstanding cartridge. Now, even though the round is outstanding, it does not put your old .270 into the back of the gun vault to be forgotten. Your old .270 is just fine. Gun makers have to put forth some great effort to make people think that their old rifle is not good enough. This is why we have deer rifles and elk rifles and mountain rifles and so on and so forth... because if they didn't we would all be packing grandfather's old .30-06. You know what? We would be just fine with that. But we do like variety... and can appreciate the subtle differences between calibers even though they are within 10 grains and 100 FPS different... Just like a cigar aficionado can tell the difference between a Cuban cigar and a Haitian or Honduran cigar... or a wine taster can detect the nuance between vintages. Different calibers have different tastes, different flavors. Some flavors go better with others... like white wine with prime rib just doesn't work. Some calibers are better suited to certain tasks than others, some don't. A lot of guys think .308 is the ultimate sniper cartridge. No freaking way is that true. It's an adequate caliber for that task. Oh, now don't even bitch at me about saying that, you all know it's true. Why else did HK work on development of their 9MM sniper rifle? Why is the SF using .300 Magnums? Israel using freaking 12 gauge slug guns? Why? Because they need more power to reach out and lay the smack down on shit. .308 doesn't quite measure up. It's a fine caliber... granted. But the idea behind that was to just scale the .30-06 down to make it better for a lighter and more assaulty flavor of the M1 Garand. It was never imagined to be a full blown sniper caliber. But like so many things... its biggest advocates are not the soldiers behind the triggers, but the fan boys that think they are the coolest and want to be like them. A real grunt would, if offered a more powerful weapon, not turn it down. Unfortunately soldiers use the weapons they are issued.

Just watched Clerks II. FBMG needs to change their name to FDMG, that's all I'm saying. Looking back on all of Kevin Smith's flicks and realized something... Kevin Smith has been one of my very favorite directors. I'm not just saying that because I really digged Clerks II. No, I was into Kevin Smith's flicks with the first Clerks, Mall Rats, Chasing Amy, Dogma... not so much a Jersey Girl fan, but everything else was groovy. Okay the Donkey scene... for the love of all that is holy, it is awful and I don't recommend it to anyone, but damn if I didn't laugh my ass off because the guy looks just like Larry Correia... oh my hell I laughed so hard I got hiccups and a side ache. Clerks II is a great flick... adult and horrible, but funny and you don't want to laugh because it is awful and wrong, but you can't help it and that makes you laugh even more. That and it has some great dialog.

So here it is, my top Directors List: Robert Rodriguez, Michael Mann, Kurt Wimmer, and Kevin Smith. Hell yes. I find that I've been following directors more than actors or what is “new”. Following actors, you see the same characters in different situations... for example any Kevin Kostner flick, it's just Kevin Kostner in a different situation. But following Directors you get great new stories and movies you didn't expect. I have to say that I admire directors more than anything... especially directors that write. Those cats, these four that I've named, write and direct. They are able to take their visions and make them how they want them. I love that. I just wish they could avoid the Studio oversight and let the directors RUN with it. The Studios should give them their budget, there you go, and that's it. Stand back and then promote the film when it's done. If the movie is crap, it's crap and they don't get as big a budget the next time... or in the case of Ewe Boll, never again are they allowed to touch even a still camera.

Kosmo Kramer's blow up. Yeah, you guys have heard of this... the guy gets pissed and calls a couple black guys niggers... and all the sudden Richards is a bad guy. Hello, I have two words for you: Chris. Rock. I'm tired of the double standards that some people can be racist but others can't be. You got guys like Al Sharpton who are Professional Racists, Chris Rock that makes his living off it... It's time to get real about Racism. It's time to end it. All of it. No more all black only schools, no more affirmative action, no more hate laws, and more more gay rights shit. No more blacks, no more hispanics, no more native americans, no more homosexuals... none of that. It's time that we all become Americans. Race should no longer be a census question unless it's asking about hobbies. Racing is a fine hobby. Racism is something that should be officially put into the past instead of maintained, protected and supported by the government.

Some of my political rants of late have raised valid questions and concerns. What if you don't know who to vote for? What if you talk to someone and they say that because they don't like either candidate, they are not going to vote at all. Well, let me simplify this down for you. If you have an official in office and you don't like him or her because they are not doing a good job – Vote For The Other Guy. If the person in office isn't doing the job – Fire them. That is my policy. You might not like the other guy so much, but fire the guy that isn't doing the job. That sends the message and it gets the Good Old Boys out. Simply not voting is in effect maintaining the status quo. By not voting you are saying that you like things the way that they are and no change is made... the people in office remain in office. No one cares if you get 10 million voters to actually cast a vote or only 5 million... they only count the votes that are cast. If you don't vote – then you are a part of the problem and not the lack of worthy candidates. As such – I'm sorry but you don't have the right to bitch about politics or policy. If you didn't vote, shut the hell up. If you did vote – great. Good for you. You exercised our greatest liberty. Now ask yourself this; did your vote matter? Yes. It did and it always will. That is how we keep our liberty. That is what makes the USA so different from other countries. Like I said, if you can't decide who to vote for – fire the bastards in office already. Why? Because if you can't vote for them, then they are not doing the job so vote against them. Vote for change. And keep voting for change until we get people in office that can do the job right. I've said in the past that I believe in the system but not those that are in the system. So lets use the system to effect the needed change, to get good people into office. I'm not into this V for Vendetta bullshit. That is no way to effect good and stable progress. We need good people in office. People who believe in The American Dream. That is the only way – by voting.

Sunday 11-26-06: Last week, a local Detective in the Sheriff's Department was killed when the helicopter he was riding in during a search for a missing person, crashed into the Green river. This rocked my community. Kevin Orr was a member of my church, my ward, my community... our children play with his children... he was a loving father of four children and a good husband to his wife. He was also one of the very very few law enforcement officers in this area that I respected. He was cool too... when he caught me racing a Mitsu Eclipse (and I was owning that Mitsu hard), he could have totally busted me. I was doing over 115. He didn't even pull me over... just wig-wagged his lights at me and I slowed my roll... that was it. He was a good man. He will be missed by more than just his family. I wish the other Officers around here were as solid of men as he was.

The reason he was up in the helicopter in the first place was a missing girl. She was recently found... brutally beaten to death and dumped in an area that had just been searched. The suspicion of foul play is kinda there, aint it? The fucknozzle that is the suspect, the boyfriend, is from what I understand, already in custody. I hope this bastard fries slowly and painfully. I'm upset at this, but I have heard a lot of other folks who are even more upset. Let's just put it this way: The Sheriff had best keep him in Level III armor. Moving on. The funeral was on 11-25-06. Mrs. Ogre attended but I was occupied. She said there were full honors, and full media coverage.

Black Friday... we did over 41 thousand in our little store. Hell yeah. Lots of guns... Sold lots of guns... 35 it was crazy. Constantly having background checks running. It was awesome. Probably the funnest day I've had. Booyah!

I've been looking at GM cars lately. I've got to admit that I am liking one that I never thought I would like... the new Pontiac G6, especially the almost hot GT version. This is basically the latest “Grand Am”. The last Grand Am was killed off, the platform redesigned, and christened with a new but unimaginative name. The G6 as a result is a different car. Smooth lines, better engine in the GT package according to spec numbers. It's not that special of a car... it is common as dirt... but the G6 is a great looking car by Pontiac standards. I especially like the fact that Pontiac dropped the Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper body cladding. The G6 is handsome in a way that does not exactly attract attention. Or in other words you can say that “at least it is not ugly”. Not being ugly or overtly attractive is a good thing for a car... it means you can go faster in it without getting the annoying and expensive red and blue lights in your rear view mirror. Unfortunately in reading the online reviews, I see that the G6 GT is still not one to bother with the whole “handling” department. Vehicle dynamics is important to me... so I am not going to hold my breath on a G6 GT to be all that wonderful. I looked closely at one... I like the interior layout, but it leaves a lot to be desired. Materials seem to be the same stuff as Happy Meal toys. Build quality evidently remains a downside. Clunky transmissions, irregular gaps in between panels, windows whistle and side mirrors that shake. You know... come to think of it, why bother? It's like they are daring you to buy one. In the same price range that the G6 GT resides in, you can get a lot of better car options. This is kinda sad because Pontiac comes so much closer at making decent cars these days. The G6 is good enough to at least have drawn my attention. The GTO is blessed with a fantastic engine and chassis. It's all about potential... but remains potential unrealized. Come on, guys... You can be so much better!

No, I'm not even going to comment on Ford. I've given up on them just as they have given up on Americans. As long as they still have one single manufacturing job in Mexico and Canada – screw them. Fark Ford. I'm putting my hopes into GM but as of yet, I'm not putting my money into one. Still the best vehicles are the so called foreign ones. Japanese and German rides built in the US are the way to go. They are built to higher standards while at the same time still employing US workers. I like that.

Turkey Day 2006:  The Wilson Combat ADP. I didn't feel like doing my normal lunch hour routine, so I took the time to run to a close by shooting spot and popping off rounds through this new little pistol. Freaking Awesome. The ADP is a sub-compact 9mm. Narrow, especially for a double stack, 10 rounds. Nightsights. The action is a gas-delay system similar to the HK P-7. This allows for a small gun that shoots like a bigger gun. Before I fired it, I expected a sharp snappy recoil. This didn't happen. The recoil was negligible. Not that 9MM is all that sharp, but it was just very soft even for a 9. I mentioned before that the trigger system is odd. It feels strange.. the trigger is a long smooth pull all the way to where the sear just drops off... There is no crisp break... there is no break, it just “falls off”. If I could, I'd put this trigger pull on all my double action handguns. Now here is the best thing. These guns are accurate! I had some other ammo rolling around in my trunk... Federal, UMC, Remington, WWB, Blazer Brass, Blazer silver, SXT, Corbon, Hornady, Speer, Black Hills... pretty much a little of everything. The ADP fired it all and I didnt have a single malfunction. 115, 124, 147... the ADP ran flawlessly. At 15 paces I put all the rounds through a single ragged hole. Take a box of Blazer Brass... the B on the box... yeah, a whole mag full of rounds through the B. I'll have a photo of it in the magazine article... I was surprised. I was tickled. I have already sent word to Wilson Combat that this pistol is not going to be returned to them and they will just have to accept a cashier's check in its place. I'm keeping this one. Not only that, but it has just replaced my P-01 as my carry gun. Yeah, it's that good. It impressed the shit out of me.

I have recently upgraded my Lappy's defenses. AVG's latest and Webroot Spysweeper's most current. I actually purchased Spysweeper this time and did a full scan after it was all updated. I was surprised to see that I did have a bit of spyware in the system. I run mostly Opera and Firefox, so I don't have the vulnerabilities of IE. But it looks like these browsers are not immune. The bright side is that had I been running IE, I am sure the situation would have been much nastier. I've not spent a lot of time with the latest IE, and I don't plan on it either. I see no use for IE at all, save for giving you a way to download something better without having to install it from a disk. The latest AVG is very good and I have noticed that it is a lot more than just a cosmetic freshening of the GUI... there are some strong upgrades under the hood. Not just in the way it finds viruses, but in the way it removes them. Spysweeper remains the single best game in town for anti-spyware. If you don't have them, I suggest getting them. I like it better than Norton because Norton has a huge footprint in your system and is too invasive. It slows your system down, and just like McAffee, it gives you a false sense of security. These three things... AVG, Spysweeper, and a different browser other than the big blue E or the butterfly... you will be in pretty good shape. Oh, and one more thing – don't freaking use Outlook Express for your email! The full version of Outlook is fine, Thunderbird is great too... anything but OE.

I've been getting a lot more emails lately by new readers. Looks like MadOgre.com is getting more popular. This is somewhat unsettling. Even more so is when I meet people and they say that they actually read it. Sometimes it is cool to meet Hordemembers. Putting faces to names is always a plus. Well, most of the time. If it is you who are meeting me, buckle up and prepare for disappointment. I am not seven feet tall and can shoot lightning bolts out of my ass... that's my brother TC. No. I'm average, plain, soft spoken, and I listen more than I talk if you can believe that. My son was at school the other day and a kid in the hallway was working on a PSP or GB-DS or some such hand held gaming device that has built in wireless internet browsing. My son was surprised to see that the fellow was browsing MadOgre.com. That is very interesting. I don't write for young minds. I don't write for students. I write for myself mainly. Therapy, if you will. I don't mean to be selfish about it. The other day I walked into the local university to connect to the wireless access point they have in there. I was startled to see someone, a girl, reading MadOgre.com and occasionally chuckling. I was taken back when she got up to leave, saw me, and recognized me. Blogging can give you a very weird sort of ultra micro minor celebrity... something that I will never get used to. I don't know what this girl was expecting of me when she met me. I smiled, said thank you, and got up to leave quickly myself. It was very weird to have someone geek out on me like that. Standing there grinning at me waiting for me to say or do something... if I was Tom Cruise maybe I'd have jumped on a couch or something. I don't mind people coming up to me and talking to me... that's not it. It's just the way sometimes one of these folk look at you... you know... waiting for you to do a trick or something. It was also especially odd because this chick was freaking hot. Thin, tall, sharp featured Native American chick with a nice rack and an even nicer smile. Very pretty. That's not the sort of person who I would have expected to read MadOgre.com. The whole thing just took me by surprise I guess. So if you do see me, recognize me... say hi. Just don't geek out on me. And if you are the chick that stood there staring at me... I didn't mean to be rude when I picked up my bag and laptop and walked out. I just didn't have a magic trick ready. I don't think I'm going to go there anymore. Too many people know me and my train of thought gets derailed too often. That's why I like writing at Gandalfo's. While they know me there, call me by name when I enter and leave... they don't interrupt me. Distract me, maybe... the one chick is sexy as hell... but that's not her fault she is distracting. Anyways, moving on...

My Ford Contour is needing a slight tune up. I need new plugs for it. I've looked up all the online sources I could find about the best plugs for it and the general consensus is to use the Autolite Double Platinums because they are good plugs and not very spendy. That's fine and well, but I want a plug that will be the best performer. I was thinking about the new Bosch Ir Fusions. I have been told that these plugs rock the house. But what might be great in one car might not be in another. No one by chance has any experience with these in a Duratec V-6? I also need a cold air intake... does anyone in The Horde know of a joint that makes an intake kit for the V-6 Contour? I've asked this before but no one knew of anything. I've seen Tours with them installed, but they all look like home fabricated affairs and I don't have time to do such a thing. Well, maybe I do, but I don't want to. I would rather go with a commercial kit here.

James Bond. Ben and I went to watch the new James Blond movie. I went in to it thinking I was going to hate it... totally not like it... the era of Bond forever ruined. I am happy to say that I was wrong. This is the new era of Bond now. This latest movie is like Batman Begins for James Bond. Throw away every thing you know of Bond flicks, and any Bond movie you already own... toss it. This new guy owns Bond. He is Bond. All Bonds before him are cartoons. The new Bond is real, solid, gritty. But with depth of character never before seen in any Bond flick. This is the way they should always have been. I was blown away. He gets rather harsh with his Aston Martin DB9, but Bond is never careful with his cars. Which is too bad, but realistic. The gun play is slight, but when it is there, it is brutal they way a real gunfight is.

Friday, 11-17-06:  Email from a new Reader to which I respond inline: “Kent - Dear Sir Ogre, I discovered your web page some time ago and have enjoyed it greatly. My father was career military, and I am a gun collector - I live in California and have to deal with the gun control laws here. I couldn't agree more with you in a negative opinion of the Democrats. However, I am no longer that satisfied my party. I think the Republican party has failed in a lot of ways in the last six years, and is it too much to ask for more competent Republicans, while still being loyal?

OG -I left the Republicans years ago. I frequently vote that way, but I am not a member of The Party. I've also pulled my affiliation from the Libertarians. I also urge everyone reading MadOgre.com to drop all party affiliations. I'm now independent again. I'm not going to go along with any party anymore... they need to work to convince me if I'm going to cast a vote their way. Dropping affiliations also sends the parties a very clear message. They are losing us. I know Dems who can't stand their party anymore, but still claim to be Democrat. Why? I know most readers here are Republicans who are super pissed at the GOP. So why are you still Republicans? Makes no sense. If you are tired of the status quo then vote with your feet and walk. If you listen to the right wing talking heads they like to tie party affiliation with political spectrum standings... Republicans are conservative and Democrats are liberal. I even use this language even if it's incorrect. Let's not allow this to continue. I've not seen anything from the Republicans that is even remotely Conservative. And you know what? Being Conservative is not always the right path either. You have to take each issue on its own merit, look at all sides, apply your own filters to the ethics and the pros and cons, and decide what is best for America's long run.

Kent - Specifically: 1. Bush came in with the platform of less government spending - a noble cause. Currently the debt is $ 2 trillion dollars and climbing. This is $300 million dollars a day in interest alone. That money could purchase a new ship for the navy, or 6 ATF fighters every single day. And his public position is "what's the problem?"

OG – Not to get side tracked, but these new fighters... dayum they are badass. We need these things and we need a lot of them. We need their force multiplier ability if we are going to go head to head against China. And if China goes for Taiwan, then we are going to have to. But that's another subject. The National Debt is best used as an indicator that the .Gov's spending is so far out of control. The Dems want to raise taxes. Who on Capital Hill is saying that we need to Stop Spending? No one actually in an office with power. The Republicans like to pound their chest and claim victory about a roaring economy and tax revenues. What they are not talking about is the spending going on... totally out of control. Fiscal responsibility is something that the Dems like to take credit for under Clinton. You know what? They have a point. The republicans are spending a hell of a lot more than the so called “tax and spend” Dems.

Kent - 2. In the past six years we have lost 3 million manufacturing jobs to the damned Chinese (and more all the time), because they have unfairly kept their currency artificially low. They have the fastest growing military in the world, paid for with our dollars and our jobs. This is how the Russian and Spanish empires failed, is because they were stupid about their economies, and no longer had the money to support adequate defense. Bush has completely ignored this.

OG – Don't forget Mexico. The American Auto Industry has been making a run for the border for some time now. I was talking to one guy here in town that was proud of his history of always buying American cars. His Ford Fusion was sitting there while the guy was smiling. I pointed out the fact to him that they are built in Mexico... he called me an asshole. Sorry. I'm not the one closing factories and reopening them in another country. While we can't say this is all Bush's fault... The Bush Administration did help create the environment for the companies to see the attractiveness of shipping out while practically helping them pack their bags.... the real problem there is the unions that forced their hands. Labor is cheaper without Unions. But that is a whole other debate that is going to be tabled for now.

Kent - 3. The point of invading Iraq was to eliminate weapons of mass destruction, to get rid of extremist Muslim leaders, and eliminate extremist terrorist supporters. As bad as Sadam is, he was none of those things.

OG – Let's not forget the obligation to enforce the mandates that the UN placed on Iraq. Iraq was giving the world and America the middle finger. It was not our obligation to locate all the weapons of mass destruction, but Saddam's. Saddam failed to account for a full 20% of the documented WMD stockpiles. Remember Hans Blix? His team documented all the WMD's and tried to account for the disposal of them. 20% of the weapons went missing. I remember watching CNN live and seeing a convoy of trucks running to Syria. I don't know for sure, but I strongly suspect that these trucks carried WMDs. Why? Because the trucks were running out the back of a facility that the inspectors were entering through the front. It was like Keystone Cops it was so retarded... but it happened. We had to take care of business there in Iraq. It was necessary. Getting rid of Saddam had to happen. Lets also not forget that the terrorists trained in aircraft hijacking in Iraq. We found the airliner fuselage that they trained in. Wish it had been found in France or someplace else... but it was there in Iraq. As Gore would say, it was an inconvenient truth. Let's also not forget all the Democrats rattling the sabers harder and louder for the war than any Republicans. Let's also not forget that before the war, all the terror watch lists had Saddam up at the top of the “those who must be watched” list. He was on the To Do list for a long time and his check mark was overdue. His time ran out. Oh, I am well aware of the fact that most of the Tangos who killed folk on 9-11-01 were from Saudi Arabia. Most of the money came from there too. Global politics and economy can be a bitch.

Kent - Iran is the epitome of those things. Bush invaded the wrong country, and Rumsfeld failed to consolidate the wrong country, taking more than twelve times the schedule he said it would. Rumsfeld failed to stop Osama in the first place, and failed to get him with the best military on the planet!

OG – 100% agreement. Iran is certainly a key member of the axis of evil. We see that all the more clearly today. But Iran was not under UN mandate to comply with inspections. Iran is a whole other problem that the next president is going to have to deal with... so let's not vote in a pussy. We need someone with balls who knows when to kick ass and how far to kick it. Rummy didn't know that. He underestimated the matter. We know the “Mission Accomplished” photo... and that part was a success. We toppled Saddam's government. Militarily it was a total success. But Rummy didn't account for the fact that a land war in the middle east is not a series of battles, but a full blown crusade. His explanation that “we go to war with the Army we have, not the Army we want” doesn't hold much water with me. Undermanned, and under equipped. Our boys – my own blood brothers and not just brothers in arms – rolled around in big jeeps when they needed APC's... and we had APC's sitting there waiting in Kuwait! Hundreds and hundreds of M113 APCs sitting there ready and waiting and fully capable of meeting all the mission requirements of the Stryker progam. All they needed was some light upgrades to bring them up to date with current com gear. But instead of using them and putting them in the field right then and there... they waiting for Strykers. This is the military equivalent of New Orleans not using all their school busses to help evacuate people. This is a giant blunder. I know a lot of guys who will berate the M113, but you know what? They are a hell of a lot better than Hummers when it comes to armor. And you can up armor the M113 Gavins if you need more. Took 3 years for the Strykers to hit the ground. And when they did, they did so impressing only a few easily impressed people. I know lots of Grunts who would rather have rolled in M113s. Anyways... Rummy was a dumbass. To many things I could point out regarding this... I don't have the time to get into. The new guy doesn't look any better. The SecDef needs to be someone who really knows Defense. I'm not still not seeing this.

Kent - My father, the senior master sargent, taught me that when you are in charge, you are responsible. What exactly have Bush and Rumsfeld succeeded at in defense? My dog could have done a better job, and taken more responsibility for the failures. Sorry to get carried away, but I have a national guard cousin fighting in Iraq, and my father fought in Korea. To have men of wealth and privilege, who never fought in war, who are draft dodgers, who's friends get rich off of this war, and who send thousands of our troops to their deaths in the wrong country, (while the oil companies, Haliburton and the Saudis make hundreds of billions of dollars in record profits) in a bungled effort, to say they "support our troops", really pisses me off. Don't misunderstand me - the last thing I want are Democrats. If our administration were to say we needed to bomb and invade Iran, I would be the first to agree, just as I did with Afghanistan. However, can't we demand of our party competence, leaders who actually get the bad guys, and leaders who actually fought for our country, and didn't use power, money and influence to stay safely home? Colin Powell showed incredible competence and dedication in the first gulf war, and they put him in the wrong position and ignored him. McCain actually fought in a war for America and was tortured for it. There are other great conservative leaders out there. How did we end up with Bush and Rumsfeld? If we don't get leaders in the White House who can be competent about the economy and defense, and have truly put their lives on the line for America when they say "they support our troops", then America will fail, and we only have ourselves to blame. What do you think - am I off base here? Can a movement be started to get good Republican leaders in the White house, and be honest about the failures of this administration, so they won't repeat the mistakes? Respectfully, Kent”

OG- Kent, thanks for the email... and thank your father and cousin for me for their service. I appreciate them more than I can say. As far as Iran goes... their time is coming very quickly. What I am really pissed off about is that while Iran is saying that they are going to bomb Israel off the face of the planet, Tony Blair sitting in London sipping his Earl Grey is saying that Syria and Iran can be partners for peace. What the hell are they putting in his tea over there? There is only one way to achieve peace... and that is to remove the hate. There is no fast answer to that... there is no way to remove the hate from people... It takes generations of education to wash it away. We will not see peace in our lifetime, but we can hope our children's children might. Getting a good Republican into office? Yeah, it's possible. But the problem is that the best man for the job is the type of guy that isn't going to want the position in the first place. It's a catch 22. We need a guy that the world can respect. That will inspire people to be better and smarter... who will inspire confidence and peace... who will be reluctant to use force while at the same time not be afraid to do so. An American President that will put America first and foremost yet be aware of our place in the world. Conservative values while not being afraid of new technologies, evolving and morphing social structures. This person can not be a career politician. A true leader. We need a modern Ben Franklin. I don't know anyone like this off the cuff.

Looks like S&W is going to be getting into Shotguns. SHOT SHOW is going to be where their premier a new line. Interesting. They did a great job on their 1911 pistols, the M&P rifles and pistols... S&W is really doing a great job lately. I am looking forward to seeing what they come out with. The downside is that these shotguns are being built in Turkey. It looks like when it comes to shotguns – Turkey is the new Germany. At work I can look at all the shotguns we sell, and pretty much if they are not from Japan, they are from Turkey. Great wood on the Turkish guns. I am not going to fault S&W for building their guns there... but I am deeply disappointed that they could not find a place in the USA. Note to the American Gun Industry: Utah could be the new Detroit of firearms... You have a very Gun Friendly State... the industry needs to reward such politics and not just with campaign contributions... but with jobs and participating in the community that will embrace them. Such a move as S&W has made, much like Ford, is one of pure Profit without looking at the long term. Sure they might make a buck now, but what about in 10 years? Or unfortunately now, in 2 years? Maybe that is why they went to Turkey? Still, American gun companies should be building their guns in America. Browning, Winchester, now S&W. Is nothing sacred anymore?

A few days ago I mentioned a band called “Nightwish”. Very cool music, very different. On a whim I looked up the band's website to see what other albums they had. I think they take themselves too seriously. The female lead vocalist that I liked – and the reason I liked the band in the first place – was fired for being too arrogant or something. Maybe she was a total biatch, but she made the band work. Funny how lots of Leads leave the band and go on to make a better career while the rest of the band evaporates... I am sure this gal will have a great new album in the future. But we with the rest of the group good luck.

On days when I write a long update, I often do so while sitting in a little New York style deli called “Gandolfo's”. There are not many places to get good food around here, but Gandolfo's is one of them. They know my name here, what I order, and are friendly. It's also a bonus is that one of the gals here is a gorgeous Jennifer Gardner look-alike with a great smile.

Wed, 11-15-06:  I have been considering another Gun Project. Pariah (The Black Marlin) was/is a complete success. I'd like it even more with an upgraded red dot sight. The TruGlo unit is great, but the dot is a bit large. I'd prefer a 2MOA dot, instead of a 5. 5 is usable and fast up close, but for longer range shooting, it's less than ideal. Well, regardless, it still works for the intended purpose and at this very moment within arms reach if needed and that is what it is all about. I think I'm going to hold off on a .35 caliber rifle. Not that they are not interesting... they are... but because Marlin isn't making the platform that I want yet. Basically an XLR in .35 Remington... or any other rifle in Stainless. They only offer it in a 20 inch blued gun. I'll wait... An Encore is very tempting, but I want a Repeater. My next project is going to be about hitting harder. Delivering Elephant stopping power at reasonable range, with reasonable accuracy. I'm thinking very seriously about a Shotgun Sniper. .45-70 was my first consideration as I am fond of that caliber, Marlin makes it in XLR, and Hornady's new Evolution stuff is in a word – fantastic. But 12 Gauge needs some more attention. Ammo for it is everywhere. (Slugs) The ammo is cheap. And it just seems to have a great deal of potential that get overlooked a lot. I remember that I used to have a link to an Israeli website about IDF snipers using a Mossberg bolt action shotgun as a sniper rifle. So I know it is possible. I just want to see what it is really capable of. Lots of guys hunt with slug guns... just about everyone that makes a shotgun makes a slug gun. The only question is where to start. What platform to begin with. Then how to make it more effective, properly Ogreish, and worth the time, effort, and money. A Bolt action would be easiest to make accurate, which is why the IDF went with that. But if I want to hit something far away, hard, with a bolt action... well, I have my 7MM Maggie. I want it to be different. Something no one has done before. Simple is as simple does, and a pump action might be a good way to roll. Lots of barrels out there for Remington. I'm very fond of the Marine Magnum 870, but it's pretty far away from being a Slugger. Maybe a semi. In a semi a good starting point would be Stoeger. The Benelli action in a cheap form. Not a bad starting platform... Soooo... we shall see. I'm going to have to think about this.

So Nancy Pelosi says to the President... “I'm looking forward to working in a non-partisan manor”