Baker Company – Coming June 6, 2013

June 6th is Baker Company Ep 1 Cover Blogthe anniversary of one of the most significant days in modern history.  Commonly referred to as D-Day, June 6th, 1944 is the day the Allied troops landed in Normandy, France and began the 11 month drive towards Berlin and the defeat of Hitler and his Nazi Party.  The day saw heavy losses on both sides along with unparalleled heroism as the men of the Allied Expeditionary Force laid down their lives to stop tyranny and literally save the world.

I’m a big World War II buff and I have expressed the affinity I feel for those events, especially the battles surrounding D-Day, in writing.  On June 6th, 2013 I am releasing Baker Company – Episode 1: Day of Days. Read more »

Tax Reform Now!

As Rahm Emanuel likes to say, never let a a good crisis go to waste.  Unless you live under a rock or work in upper management at the IRS – that’s a joke – you have no doubt heard that the Internal Revenue Service has been targeting conservative groups and individuals for extra scrutiny when filing for tax-exempt status.  Many of these groups have never been granted status seriously impeding their ability to exercise their First Amendment rights on a level playing field with other groups expressing other view points.  Ah, isn’t big government grand?

I’m not going to hash out the whys and wherefores or try to explain how this activity threatens everyone’s liberty and freedoms.  I mean if you can’t figure that out, you’re either stupid or you voted for Obama (sorry, couldn’t resist).  But this situation goes to show what big government and punitive tax law can do.  It can be used to hurt, to ruin or to silence individuals.  The tax code is full of loopholes that benefit all manner of different constituencies and is so complex it is difficult not to file incorrectly.  The tax code is used to coerce individuals and businesses into acting certain ways, engaging in certain activities or avoiding others.  It’s a freaking mess and not the kind of tax system that should be used in a free and open society.

So, you are no doubt about to ask, what can we do that is more fair, more equitable and makes this kind of scandal less likely to occur?  Well here’s a few ideas to ponder: Read more »

The Nymph Kit – A Better Way

Nymph KitI’ve been carrying around what I call a nymph kit or a nymphing kit for a few years.  I fish nymphs a lot and to do so, you need a lot of little things.  Weights, indicators, etc.  I also use a system for adding weight called Toobies.  I love that system and it’s not-toxic to boot.  Just Hevi-Shot pellets and tubing.  I used to carry all of that separately.  A box for the Toobies system, a handful of small zip-lock bags for indicators, plastic lead sinker holders, you name it.  What a CF!

So, in the name of sanity and efficiency, I consolidated.  I put all that stuff into a single box that I call my nymph kit.  I used to use the box the Toobies came in, but recently I’ve switched to a small fly box with individual doors for each section.  Before without individual doors for each compartment, one slip and the whole works would be all over the bank, or worse, in the water.  My, don’t all those indicators look pretty floating downstream?  Now, I will only lose the contents the open compartment. Read more »

2013 Fishing Season has Officially Begun

The Yellow-Headed Blackbird.  World's most annoying bird!

The Yellow-Headed Blackbird. World’s most annoying bird!

Yes, hard to believe, but I finally got my butt out of the house and put it in some water.  Notice the word “fishing” was conspicuously absent from that sentence.  Oh, I whipped some water and drowned some flies but fishing usually involves some participation on the fishes’ part.  That did not occur today in any shape, form or fashion.  But I did get to put the new Dave Scadden Outlaw Escape through it’s paces (except I forgot the oars) and also tested my new vestless fishing rig (is vestless a word?)

Finally, things are back to normal here at the homestead.  I’m done fiddling with my back and though it’s not fixed, it is manageable.  My wife,Jen, is also feeling much better. Read more »

ACTION ALERT: SB221 and SB277

Don’t let them take away your rights!!!

Two bills restricting gun rights are making their way through the Nevada Legislature.  They are SB221, a bill claiming to change mental health provisions but is really universal background checks, and SB277, a law making it easier to strip your Second Amendment rights if you refuse mental health treatment.  Neither bill will do anything to stop violent criminals or insane individuals from breaking existing laws and using firearms to kill others.  Go to https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Opinions/77th2013/A/, search for SB 221 and SB 277 and indicate you are against the bills.  You may also leave a comment but if you do, keep it to the point, polite and respectful.  Please pass this on to your friends, family and coworkers!

This fight is not over.  There are people at all levels of government who want to strip you and I of our rights.  If your Senators and/or Assemblymen are Democrats, write or call them to let them know you do not support these bills and they cannot expect your vote if they support them.  Make your voice heard!

Gun Control or Gun Safety?

Yesterday, April 17th, the U.S. Senate defeated every amendment to the gun control bill under consideration.  One was a pro-gun amendment (nationwide concealed carry recognition) and one would have recognized veteran’s due process rights when having their 2nd Amendment rights considered.  Notably, the Manchin-Toomy background check amendment was defeated and without that, the larger bill is likely dead in it’s current form.  Also defeated were the “assualt weapon” and magazine bans.  As I wrote this, Harry Reid (and I could write a whole post about his treachery) pulled the legislation from the Senate floor.  All in all, it was a good couple of days for liberty.  [By the way, Dean Heller, voted to preserve our rights and deserves your support]

Black Guns

Scary, huh? They are only tools in the hands of law-abiding citizens.  It the criminals and the insane, not the guns, you need worry about.

However, this could drag on as proponents seek to massage the bill with further amendments or work backroom deals with fence-sitting senators.  Reid promised we would revisit this.  The Democrats in the House are looking at pushing their own version of gun control legislation.  Wait, I mean “gun safety” and “gun violence reduction” measures.  Notice the language.  Gun control is a dirty word.  You ask the American public if we need more gun control and they usually say no.  However, if you ask them if we need to reduce gun violence or enhance gun safety, they will say yes.  Wouldn’t you?

I would.  Reducing gun violence and increasing gun safety is a good thing.  The difference between me and those like me and the gun control crowd is we aren’t willing to give up our rights to accomplish these lofty goals. Read more »

BOB – Bug Out Bags

Example of a BOB from Discovery News

I’ve been thinking about making a BOB, a bug out bag, and emergency kit, whatever you want to call it.  The most obvious reason to build one is to have all the stuff I might need in an emergency all together, ready to go at a moments notice.  The other is I get to buy a lot of cool stuff ;)   No, really, it’s a good idea to have at least a basic emergency kit and I’ve put it off for too long.  We all think these are for hurricanes, social unrest, zombie attacks and all that, but those things don’t happen all that often.  What these are really good for is a prolonged power outages, getting stuck away from home or out fishing and hunting.

Don’t get me wrong.  Depending where you live, severe natural calamities can be a way of life.  If I lived on the Gulf Coast, in the Midwest or maybe even on the San Andreas fault in California, I’d have a bug out bag and a serious one.  Part of the reason I don’t is not much happens here. Read more »

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