Emul8

What I would like to think I would do is, prepare, as much as possible for the event at hand, get my BOB in order, pack up my essentials and any of the things that I really feel I need to keep nearby and then stay where I am to weather the storm, so to speak. Once the event occurred, and I'd survived it, I would then evaluate the situation and make my decision to bail or stick it out for a few days. But I sure wouldn't wait for anyone to come along to disarm me...I would hope that I had developed the resources, or whatever was needed to assure a timely exodus on my own terms, and with the items I feel are critical to my continued sense of well-being, whether guns, photographs, computer backups, my pets or a bag of hammers if I am so inclined. Of course, this little plan really only considers an idealized situation, if one can say that about something catastrophic, but that's what I would hope that I could manage in a tough scenario like that in New Orleans right now!

fritz -- The trick you guys were pulling on your foreman would have worked on me repeatedly as well! And I have nothing like his excuse to explain my reactions! Like I said, I don't really have a problem with snakes as long as they just stay in their little snake places...but once they venture over into my territory, the respect ends. I am certain that I would feel very much as you do, considering what you had to deal with around your bite...hay cutters, bullets, lawn mowers, whatever works! In the moment, I wouldn't be inspecting the snake to see if it's a viper or not...I would just kill it, and of course, craft it into a hatband! LOL!

Yeah, and as long as that way doesn't point to Mecca, it's fine, is that it? I have never heard of something so absurd as this, honestly. Are these grown people or what? What can one think of a religion that won't allow someone to point their excretory apparatus in the "wrong" direction? You know, when you think about it, it really is pretty silly -- sorry, but it is -- what about purity of the heart and soul, about one's love of G-d? Do people really think that G-d is worried about how they go for a slash? And finally, even if G-d cares about this, I would somehow tend to think that G-d cares more about the fact that these people are in PRISON, and have led lives that clearly include law breaking of all sorts, more than likely breaking laws that are expressly prohibited in the Koran as well as in the areas where the offenses occurred. Unbelievable!

I wonder if these troops are made up of some "undesirables" not unlike the Cubans that were "allowed" to leave Cuba in the early '80s...so that Fox, like Castro will have the last laugh when these people stick around and make a mess of things. That's not as racist a comment as you might think, BTW. I personally don't care what their race, creed, color, language or even sexual orientation is, I just prefer that people come to our nation legally, or at the very least try to be here legally...otherwise, don't bother coming. It makes no difference to me if these folks are white, black, brown or 30 shades of purple! TwistJG26, have you eaten authentic tacos in Mexico? I have...and sorry, but I prefer our adulterated versions...at least there are less flies and more actual identifiable meat on ours! Which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy eating in Mexico, I did...very much...but in my opinion, authentic Mexican food is vastly different than much of what we call Mexican food here in the United States.

Doble Troble -- I don't disagree with the ideas around blame and fault...it is truly an amazing phenomenon...particularly in the case of a natural disaster, where the real "culprit" is something that can't be blamed without people seeming insane, so, in the throes of finger-pointing fervor, people almost always start blaming each other. And you're right, it seems to be a trend that Americans are getting far too comfortable with...almost like a national pastime! I don't think that we as the constituencies can afford to be lax in living the example of personal and political responsibility to our politicians and demanding that they do the same...it MUST be reciprocal. And it's going to require patience to allow for the inevitable stumble...however, we should all hold each other's feet to the fire around this, because it's going to be very difficult to reverse the trend. As you said, whenever there's a convenient target for blame, it seems that people will naturally take advantage of the opportunity to shrug off any culpability whatsoever.

Thanks for the encouragement, MorgansBoss...I am going to consider giving dove hunting a try. As for the patience part of the equation, that's no problem, during my first hunt since being a teenager, last fall, I hunted pheasants, and when the guys who were working a dog for my hunt flushed a bird for me, it seemed like a great shot, until I realized that it was over their heads! They kept yelling for me to take the shot, but I didn't because I felt it was unsafe. At first I felt sort of stupid as I was out in the field at least twice as long as others, and the guys didn't say much to me after I refused the shot. But after I got my two birds, on the way back to the vehicle, one of the guys said that he was impressed that I didn't shoot BECAUSE it was a questionable shot, and that I basically had the sense to know that on my "first" hunt. The guy said that he and his buddy had gotten used to people just firing like crazy while hunting pheasants...I told him that he should never get used to that! The pheasant hunt I went on was a women's hunt, and it was pretty much a canned hunt, which I wasn't all that thrilled by, but since I was there anyway.... Let me tell you, I really feel that patience can pay off in a big way at times, particularly around hunting! I remember seeing a woman in the field adjacent to "mine", when her bird flushed -- not more than 10 steps into her hunt, BTW -- she brought her gun up and fired. I saw a cloud of feathers since that pheasant wasn't more than 8 feet in front of the muzzle of her gun! I thought "now THAT'S going to be some fine eating!"! LOL! I don't take your observations of women dove hunting as stereotyping at all...frankly, I can see myself dove hunting far more readily than I can see myself duck hunting...and I can almost see that! I expect to miss WAY more than I expect to hit, but if I can get in with some other hunters, I think it could be seriously fun!

Yes, this article was something of a revelation, and to be completely honest, I found it somewhat refreshing contrasted to the same old stuff that has been copiously flowing from the major news agencies, blogs, etc. I was impressed that the writer of the article had done her homework and didn't blame the poor and elderly victims of the whole Katrina episode. And while I feel that she may have, in her clearly Republican zeal, set about picnicking on both Blanco and Nagin...her assessment of them, though oversimplified and harsh, nonetheless illustrates what many of us have come to believe, that many, MANY people in positions of political power will stop at nothing to keep their spin going. Thanks, roscoedoh, for posting the link!

Well said, fritz...you expressed my sentiments about this far more eloquently than I did. That said, I hope that odies dad is having a good time eradicating a few dogs in SD!

karlunity -- LOL! Excellent story! Poor Peter...I can just see him tearing across the desert with his tent flapping behind him like the parachute on a dragster! Yeah, snakes, along with a fear of the dark and heights seem to be the universal fears from every known culture and spanning all demographics. I'm not sure, but I think spiders are in that group too. I am not afraid of the dark or heights, I'm not even that afraid of spiders...but living hatbands can scary the poo out of me!

I like snakes fine as long as they aren't anywhere tricky or sneaky. Which, quite frankly, doesn't leave a lot of places. And as I am screaming upon sight of most of them in the outdoors, I can't bloody tell if they are poisonous or not, so basically, unless I clearly know differently, they should all be hatbands. Unless they are in aquariums or herpetariums, they should all be hatbands. In fact, we should start calling snakes in the wild "living hatbands".

I have seen those video clips, and to be honest, I personally disagree with the necessity of having all those clips packed into a video...I mean, what's the point, it's just one more tool in the arsenal of the anti-hunting/anti-gun, tree-huggers to justify the creation of laws against varmint hunting. Maybe if there were some tips on ways to eradicate problem animals on one's property, this video would make sense, but as it is, with as many as 30 graphic kills in the first 90 seconds, it's just a way to make hunters look bad. I mean, there is no way with the near-vaporization of these prairie dogs that enough would be left for a hunter to make the claim that he or she is eating these animals. One of the hunters in the very first clip mentions, with a few expletives mixed in that it was "sick"...well, while he may have been joking, there are plenty of people out there who would not find this video any laughing matter. I'm sure not anti-hunting myself...I have been taking some tentative steps toward hunting over the past year or two, and I think I will enjoy it...but I am also of the mindset that I don't want to hunt animals that I, or people that I know, won't eat. BTW, tanglewood16137, this isn't about you having posted the link. I saw the site well over a year ago, and had forgotten about it until I saw that you had posted it. I thought the same things before...just never really got the chance to mention them. odies dad -- I hope that you heal up quickly and completely! Enjoy your hunt, but try not to over-stress anything...it's just make it take that much longer to heal! Take particular care of your trigger finger...don't waste your trip!

You're right, we live in a culture of blame...and it's all your fault! Sorry...just kidding, I couldn't resist. But we do, and at this point, I am getting sick of it. This is the same lame crap that people I have worked with pulled when they were just being lazy or whiny and didn't want to handle their jobs...the would point their fingers up the chain of command, while I was pointing my finger at the door, telling them to get out there and get the job done. And that's what we need to see happen in the south. Stop the finger pointing and the laying of blame and get out there and pitch in to fix stuff. From pumping water out of the city of New Orleans to the distribution of food and water...just get it done and deal with the rest of it later...I mean, why not, a similar plan of (in)action seems to have been good enough before the catastrophy.... A lot of you folks here have a good reason to detest Sean Penn, for his overactive liberalism disorder, his commiserative trip to Iraq or maybe even his role in "I am Sam", but I do have to give him a little credit for taking his own boat out into the flooded streets of New Orleans and helping to rescue people, and then challenging others who own boats to do the same. Naturally, somewhere along the line, Penn will likely start in on the Bush Administration and what he perceives as it's inadequacies, but until then, Penn is shutting up and putting up, because there's more to be done in this situation than this blame game.

Laying in wait around the leg of a table at 3 in the morning.... Coiled inside a bird feeder.... These snakes are stalking you fritz...it's time to kill every one you see and start a little cottage industry making hatbands! Ya gotta show 'em who's boss!

jimranger4 -- I would be interested in the progress of your project with your 93. I have one with a hashed bore that I will hopefully one day work up the nerve to rebarrel in 6.5X55 myself. So anyone doing this piques my interest! Of the conversions I've read about, I don't think that most people have too much trouble with clearance on the boltface, though, it's a good point. Please post how it goes, if you think of it...I am looking for inspiration! Thanks, and good luck!

That's good to know, FC...I like dark meat very much, so maybe I would like dove. I had squab when I was a kid, but I don't remember much about the way it tasted...though, if I don't remember, it must have tasted alright...I usually only remember things that I didn't like. Like with so many things, I think that proper handling of wild game/birds after the kill makes a difference in the way the meals prepared from the meat can taste. Hmmm, maybe I will be able to get it together to go dove missing next time...I think I am too late for this part of the season, the next part is in early November. I think I just might go out and miss some doves then! LOL! I am not trying to steal y'all's Texas dove hunting thread...just wanting to contrast it and get the benefit of your advice!

Yeah right, you were just soliciting people for insults to try on me. With all the time you were gone, you should have a bunch stored up by now.... Well, I'm WAITING! LOL! It's good to see you posting again, Shooter Tom...it hasn't been the same without you!

I guess the orientation of the toilets there is the Muslim version of feng shui?

Jimro -- When I travel for any significant distance, like when I drive to visit out of state relatives, or go back to Oklahoma, I keep my BOB on the floorboard of the passenger side of the vehicle...the main reason being that should I have a vehicular accident, or be run off the road somewhere, if I am somehow pinned in the vehicle, I am going to need to be able to reach my BOB in order to use the contents...they won't do me a bit of good in the trunk, which is where I used to keep the bag. I would like to hope that it's not paranoia that fuels my efforts to kit my way to survival, but a sense of self-preservation. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that I am some gift to the world, but I would hate to be a victim of something gone terribly awry if I can help it...I don't want to put a strain on any resources that would possibly be forthcoming in a catastrophy. Besides, along with being "saved" by the police, National Guard, etc., comes the likelihood of being disarmed and sort of monitored. Well, I have already seen what comes of stuff like that in New Orleans, and I couldn't expect to be protected by the National Guard 24/7...so I will just take my chances on my own. In the case of a BOB to be used for travel or to be kept in a vehicle, it might be a good idea to get a flare gun and aerial flares, like those used on boats...if one were off the road somewhere and unseen by passersby, an aerial flare could save your life. Additionally, if someone did see you go off the road and had less-than-honorable intentions such as robbery or something, an aerial flare in the face would be no bad weapon! Man, our BOBs are getting pretty humongous, aren't they? LOL!

Hey Horsefly, thanks for the info around the Argentine hunts...that makes me feel MUCH better...and, it's a good plan, letting the hunters enjoy hunting, and feeding people to boot! So, are you and FC saying that dove actually does taste like liver, or is it just really strongly-flavored dark meat?

I am embarrassed that I didn't mention matches in my posts...but they are there in my BOBs...I actually have some of those 6 in 1 survival thingies in my kits...they are these orange, hollow-bodied whistles that have a built in compass, flint, mirror and, of course, a whistle. They came with some matches in them, but I put in some more...the waterproof kind. I wanted to get some of those massive "lifeboat" matches but haven't yet. A magnesium firestarter would be a good idea too. It'll probably never "wear out" if it's only used in the event of an emergency. As for fishing tackle, I do have a small kit of that stored in my survival knife. I also have one of those emergency reflective blankets in my first aid kit...I figured it belongs there since if someone is injured or in shock, they'll need the blanket more than anyone. Good knives are without question, one of the most basic elements of a kit. A few years back, I bought a bunch of knives off that Knife show and they are pretty decent...I still have many of them, and aside from my really good knives, I chuck a couple of the cheapies into my bags just to give a little more peace of mind. Jimro, if earthquakes are your biggest concern, then you should definitely assemble a BOB to whatever degree suits you. You may never need it, but if you do, you can be ready in moments. When the poo hits the fan, sometimes, moments are all anyone has.

Do you guys eat your doves? I don't think I would like them, I heard some people say that they taste a lot like liver, and I detest liver! The usual recipe, so I have read, for dove is to breast them out, skewer them with a slice of bacon and sliced jalapeños, and grill them. But if I am not mistaken, the real trick in eating dove is to shoot them! I watched a T. V. show where some dove hunters were in Argentina hunting, and even as seasoned as they were, they weren't hitting as many as they probably would have liked. But when they did hit them, there were a lot of doves going down...Argentina must have some high limits! I don't think that the doves were being collected to eat either, so that sort of irritated me. Aside from some obvious exclusions like armadillos and coyotes, I think that if people hunt an animal, they should eat it.

You know, I put rosettes in the corners of my window trim at my last home in northern CA, mostly as a quick-and-dirty way of getting the trim in and getting the house on the market. I never expected that little effort to pay off so well, every person who came to look at the house fawned over the rosettes as wonderful little details. I acted like it took some serious deliberation on my part, but it was the easiest thing in the world! I had no idea that the use of rosettes is coming into vogue...though, I guess I understand it, given the somewhat lifeless quality of most window trim anymore...if there even is trim! However, like most people view the meat they buy at the supermarket, I view rosettes as one of those things that were only found at home improvement centers, I never even thought that anyone would make the things! That's pretty nifty, FC...particularly when one considers the cost of each rosette, and the multiples needed for each room's windows! I know it was a hefty chunk of change for me to get enough of them for my house! So, is this cutting done on a lathe? Don't laugh...I know nothing about this!

Yeah, on my Romanian M44, the wood was nothing to write home about, but the stock did look a bazillion times better after I finished it...and that was when I was a complete dummy about such things! I didn't want to sand the finish off my very first stock refinishing project as I was hoping to get a smoother finish out of the wood...my mistake, if you want to call it that, was in washing the stock off to get the flakes and crusties off...it raised "whiskers" and I had to sand a bit anyway...still, the experience was valuable! If I refinish any more M44s, I will probably do something similar, only without getting the stock wet with water-based solutions. I really like the effect of burnishing to smooth the wood.

karlunity -- I agree that this is a disgraceful state of affairs. And I don't care how hard people want to spin this into a race issue, it's not, this is simply a matter of right and wrong and stopping the looting. In my opinion, anyone who uses race issues as a way of facilitating their point is completely lacking in imagination or intelligence. This goes for the late Johnny Cochran or the lowliest member of the Ku Klux Klan. It might be clever to play the race card, it might even be convenient, but it isn't correct. It seems to me that in the current matter of potential looter-shooting, what playing the race card does is create a little of that old magician's trick of sleight-of-hand...if the media trains it's cameras on people like Kanye West and other folks who want to say this is about race, then we won't see the fact that the majority of looters are in fact black (but when New Orleans has such a high concentration of black people, that would stand to reason), or we will forget what we have seen in light of the "righteous indignation" of those who say it's merely about race. What those who are playing the race card REALLY seem to want is for us to believe, unequivocally, that it is in fact about race merely because they say so. Sorry, but the day I believe the words of Kanye West over what my own eyes take in, I will eat a bullet myself. As for the military troops being shot at, I think it's time for Kathleen Blanco to issue a statement that judgement day is upon us, and that our trained fighters need to do their job. It is, to me, just as repugnant for our military to shoot Americans as it is for Americans to shoot at our military, the distinction is, the looters and criminals know that what they are doing is wrong, and they need to be punished/held accountable/prosecuted/shot if they do not cease and desist. Man, I get so riled up with that race issue crap!

I have always seen it spelled: Criminy. That's how I looked it up and here's what I found, not that dissimilar to what you found, FC: Criminy, which has also been spelled crimini or crimeny, is indeed a real word. The OED says it's 'a vulgar exclamation of astonishment: now somehwat archaic' and that it might be related to Italian crimine 'crime'. Whatever its origin, criminy is one of those mild, old-fashioned euphemisms for "Christ," like crikey, cracky, cripes, Christmas, Christopher Columbus, and G. Rover Cripes. Criminy goes back at least to the 17th century: "O crimine! Who's yonder?" (Otway, 1681). In 1865 E.C. Clayton wrote in Cruel Fortune: "Criminy! – Raymond tight. I am astonished." That gives you some idea of the mildness of the oath by the middle of the 19th century! The situation was more serious in a 1700 quotation cited in Slang and its Analogues: "Murder'd my brother! O crimini!" A similar euphemism is jiminy, as in Jiminy Criminy or Jiminy Cricket (which did not originate with Walt Disney), also meaning 'Jesus Christ'. Scholars speculate that jiminy, which has been spelled gemony, geeminy, jimini and gemini, derived through Low German from gemini, which was a corruption of the Latin Jesu Domine 'Jesus Lord'. This also goes back to the 17th century. Dryden in 1672 wrote "O Gemini! is it you, sir?" Byron played with the words in 1816: "Crimini, jimini! Did you ever hear such a nimminy pimminy Story as Leigh Hunt's Rimini?" And we find the following in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876): "'Oh, geeminy, it's him,' exclaimed both boys in a breath." My Mother used to say criminy frequently, and many of my friends use those "old-fashioned euphemisms" as well. I just use proper cuss words myself, why try to pretty things up? LOL!