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Quote of the Day – Liberals & Muslims Edition

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Via Mad Mike Williamson on Facebook:

You can see the similarity between liberals and Muslims.

Only a handful of each are violent, but the peaceful ones won’t do anything to stop them.

They both believe in religions that have long since been debunked by reality.

They both want the entire world to embrace their faith, by force if necessary.

They both have large elements who believe that the rule of law shouldn’t apply to them, only their own internal law.

They both think it’s okay for famous people to molest kids.

THAT should leave a SCAR.

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

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So, I like to watch those car restoration/modification shows.  You know:  Restoration Garage, Overhaulin’, Detroit Muscle, Engine Power, Counting Cars, etc.  My wife has asked me on more than one occasion why I watch that stuff when I don’t do any of that.

Well, I’ve always kinda wanted to.

Long, long ago when I was but a lad, my brother had a book on popular engine swaps, and one of them stuck with me – a Pontiac 215 cubic-inch aluminum-block V8 into an MGB.  Not quite twice the displacement, more than double the horsepower, and with a Muncie 4-speed, 50 lbs less weight.  My dad had owned a Triumph Herald with a 1500cc Spitfire engine equipped with dual Weber carbs.  I was too young to drive it, but I remember that car even now.  My brother rolled it.

But the idea of stuffing a V8 into an MGB has always stuck with me.  Turns out, it’s a very popular thing.

So I bought an MG to stuff a Ford 302 and a 5-speed into.  And, because I need the garage space and cubic dollars to restore & customize the MG, I sold my Mustang.

Here’s what I had, a 2011 GT 5.0:

And here’s what I bought:

It’s a 1970, with all the niggling problems that you’d expect from a 47 year-old British sports car, but it does run fine.  As I described the experience of getting it home from across town:

That was exciting. No brake lights, no turn signals, one mirror that vaguely worked, no instrument lights, a speedo that doesn’t even vaguely work, it was dark, and thankfully I forgot my sunglasses.

Don’t think I’ll be taking it to any car shows soon.

Rust issues appear to be minimal, but we’ll see once all the paint comes off.

Now I’ll have even less time for blogging.  But you’ll get progress reports here.

UPDATE, 2/8/17, @3:14AM MST:    OK, while I can be a fool, I am not a complete idiot.  I don’t fit in this car.  Literally.  Getting into and out of it is (if you’re watching me do it) a comedic act. My size 13 feet and six-foot corpulent frame just aren’t designed to bend in the ways necessary to climb behind the wheel of this thing.  After two pretty much sleepless nights (see the time stamp of this update) I’ve come to a conclusion – I’ve made a mistake. Given my size, I’m not too small of a man to admit to a mistake.  Now to minimize the cost of that mistake.  Further updates as I try to dispose of this white elephant.  Dammit.

Superbowl Commentary

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There are some damned clever people out there.  Best I’ve seen this evening:

A) Rome, groceries, Piers Morgan

Q) What are “Things that have been sacked fewer times than Tom Brady?”

Tamara Keel

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This wouldn’t be the first time a bunch of yanks burned Atlanta to the ground at the end of a long conflict.  – Traci Simer

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 Falcons applying to change their name to the Atlanta Hillarys… – John Ross

I’m sure there will be more and possibly better tomorrow, but in the immediate aftermath, not bad!

I Understood (and Appreciated) that Reference

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I’m about halfway through the novel Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey, the sixth in The Expanse science fiction series.  In this one the “inner planets” – Earth, its moon, and Mars are in conflict with the Free Navy, made up of warships operated by “belters” – the humans that live and work in the “outer planets” area – the asteroid belt and the moons beyond Mars’ orbit.

I’ve enjoyed the series so far (and the first season of the TV series on the SyFy Channel).  But this Easter egg got my attention in the current novel:

In the middle column, the colony ships she and her fleet had taken:  The Bedyadat Jadida, out of Luna.  The John Galt and the Mark Watney, out of Mars.

Nice nod to Andy Weir there.  Would have been neat if one of the ships had been named the Rich Purnell.

This is the Kind of Person “Reasonable Regulation” Would Disarm

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On January 12, an Arizona Highway Patrol officer responding to a rollover wreck was attacked by the driver of the vehicle in the incident.  The officer was shot in the shoulder and chest, and then the assailant physically assaulted him, trying to bash his head on the pavement.

A passing motorist saw the assault, stopped and exited his vehicle with a handgun, ordered the attacker to stop, and upon his failure to respond and the officer’s cries for assistance, the motorist shot the assailant, killing him, and possibly saving the life of the officer.

In a statement given today, the emotional shooter described the incident.  Rambo he is not:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56YVIBxTkDE?rel=0&showinfo=0]
DPS Director Frank Milstead discusses the incident in more detail:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g64i9cl1mco?rel=0&showinfo=0]
Not an off-duty cop. Not ex-military. Just a guy who goes shooting “three or four times a year.”

Moreover the Samaritan, Thomas Yoxall, had a felony conviction in 2000 that would have rendered him a “prohibited person” under 18 U.S. Code § 922 (g)(1). However, “In October 2003, a Superior Court judge vacated Yoxall’s guilty judgment and restored his right to possess a gun.”

We’re told that dangerous criminals like Yoxall can’t be trusted with a firearm. Trooper Ed Anderson, I’m sure, is glad that he was armed.

Quote of the Day – Bubble Edition

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From a Brian Eno interview in The Guardian:

My feeling about Brexit was not anger at anybody else, it was anger at myself for not realising what was going on. I thought that all those Ukip people and those National Fronty people were in a little bubble. Then I thought: ‘Fuck, it was us, we were in the bubble, we didn’t notice it.’ There was a revolution brewing and we didn’t spot it because we didn’t make it. We expected we were going to be the revolution.”

No, mate, you were the Establishment. 

Nice that somebody finally noticed.

This is an Optimistic Piece

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Found at Blue’s Blog:

One 82-year-old lady loves Obama and she may have a very good point. She says that Obama is amazing, and is rebuilding the American dream! She gives us an entirely new slant on the “amazing” job Obama is doing, and she says that she will thank God for the President. Keep reading for her additional comments and an explanation. When discussing Obama, she says:

1. Obama destroyed the Clinton Political Machine, driving a stake through the heart of Hillary’s presidential aspirations – something no Republican was ever able to do.

2. Obama killed off the Kennedy Dynasty – no more Kennedy strolling Washington looking for booze and women wanting rides home.

3. Obama is destroying the Democratic Party before our eyes! Dennis Moore had never lost a race. Evan Bayh had never lost a race. Byron Dorgan had never lost a race. Harry Reid – soon to be GONE!

These are just a handful of the Democrats whose political careers Obama has destroyed. By the end of 2016, dozens more will be gone. Just think, in December of 2008 the Democrats were on the rise. In two election cycles, they had picked up 14 Senate seats and 52 House seats. The press was touting the death of the Conservative Movement and the Republican Party. However, in just one term, Obama put a stop to all of this and gave the House and the Senate – back to the Republicans.

4. Obama has completely exposed liberals and progressives for what they are. Sadly, every generation seems to need to re-learn the lesson on why they should never actually put liberals in charge. Obama is bringing home the lesson very well: Liberals tax, borrow and spend. Liberals won’t bring themselves to protect America. Liberals want to take over the economy Liberals think they know what is best for everyone. Liberals are not happy until they are running YOUR life.

5. Obama has brought more Americans back to conservatism than anyone since Reagan. In one term, he has rejuvenated the Conservative Movement and brought out to the streets millions of freedom loving Americans. Name one other time when you saw your friends and neighbors this interested in taking back America!

6. Obama, with his “amazing leadership, “has sparked the greatest period of sales of firearms and ammunition this country has seen. Law abiding citizens have rallied and have provided a “stimulus” to the sporting goods field while other industries have failed, faded, or moved off-shore.

7. In all honesty, 4 years ago I was more afraid than I have been in my life. Not afraid of the economy, but afraid of the direction our country was going. I thought, Americans have forgotten what this country is all about. My neighbors and friends, even strangers, have proved to me that my lack of confidence in the greatness and wisdom of the American people has been flat wrong.

8. When the American people wake up, no smooth talking teleprompter reader can fool them! Barack Obama has served to wake up these great Americans! Again, I want to say: “Thank you, Barack Obama!” After all, this is exactly the kind of hope and change we desperately needed!!

9. He has saved Carter’s legacy and made Jimmy Carter happy, since Jimmy is no longer the worst president we’ve ever had. Credit goes to where credit is due. I feel better now!

THANK YOU OBAMA

Actually, I can’t argue with any of that.