DIve the USS Oriskany

http://www.divemightyo.com/



Finally, another blog about the outdoors.
For the SCUBA divers among us, I offer this, The U.S.S. Oriskany.
The "Mighty O" had her keel laid in 1944, but she wasn't completed until 1950. She is, or rather was an Essex Class, AIrcraft Carrier. She was commissioned in 1950, and served proudly through two conflicts, Korea and Vietnam, earning battle stars in both. She was officially decommissioned on the 30th of September, 1976 and her name struck from the Naval Vessel register in 1989.
The ex-ship Oriskany is serving again, this time as an artificial reef off of Pensacola, FL. Sunk in 2006, her keel rests on the bottom, at a depth of 211 ft. That's a bit too deep for the average recreational diver, but an excellent training venue for technical divers. The hangar deck is at a depth of 150 feet, with nice wide open ingress and egress points. The Flight Deck is 130 feet, and the Tower is in 70 feet of water. 70 feet makes it a nice leisurely dive with a lot to see for wreck divers. The hull has been stripped and gutted, and it makes the Mighty "O" a nice training area for Divers wanting to become Wreck certified. Even if you never go inside, having a chance to see, so much history in a new venue, is not something to pass up. Click the link above to learn more.

Chrysler's Going Out Of Business Sale

Is it just me, or does anyone else see a problem with the Chrysler takeov,,,er,,,um,,,I mean Bailout? I'll give Obama credit for one thing, he sure does know how to drive. A corporation right into the ground, that is. Two months since the bailout, and now the federal government is the C.E.O. of Chrysler Motors. The same federal government that can't seem to balance a checkbook is now running a multinational corporation. Obama and company have never actually held a private sector job in their entire lives. Most politicians haven't. The folks over at G.M. better be paying attention, because they're next.
That bunch of leeches in Washington couldn't manage a One-room outhouse, but they thin they can run a business like Chrysler of G.M. This mess is going to make 1933 look like "the Good Ol' Days". I would have thought that a Constitutional Scholar and historian, Editor of the Harvard Law Review, would have been smart enough to learn from historues failures and NOT repeat them, step by bloody step. Mr. Obama, do you actually read this crap before you sign it? Do you actually know what is in your speech before you read the teleprompter? DO you have aCLUE about what your job actually IS? Do us all a favor, get yourself a tutor, before you get us all killed.
You see folks, I not only fear the loss of my second amendment rightsl, I also fear the loss of use of the land that I hunt and fish and camp on. I'm waiting for the announcement that my ATV is damaging the environment for the two headed hrny toad owl, or some other B.S.
Oh, by the way, I certainly hope that everyone can get their money out of the banks that are going to fail,too. If the Government touches it, it breaks. And for anyone reading this that thinks I'm being too harsh on Saint Barry, just take a quick peek at the bonuses that these clwns have paid themselves since Jan 20th, 2009. Start with the bankers, just for fun. But don't forget to look at the politicians, too. That bunch of greedy a&$%@($ have mede millions from their ability to mold the Gumby in Chief to their will. Well, you people asked for him, now you have him. Change we can Believe in, yeah, change my address to "Hoover..." Um I mean "Obamaville", Oregon. I'm in the third lean-to on the left.

Gun control; here we go again?

Has anyone besides myself, and Fox News Channel, been paying attention to what Montana is doing? I know that Texas and Utah are. For those of you that have no IDEA about this subject, let me enlighten you. House Bill No. 246, State of Montana legislature. (J. Boniek, Bennet, Butcher, Curtis, Randall, Warburton, 2009) reads:
An act exempting from federal regulation under the commerce clause of the Constitution of the United States a FIREARM, Firearm Accessory, or AMMUNITION manufactured and retained in Montana; and providing an applicability date.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Montana:
The title of this bill for the still uninformed is "The Montana Firearms Freedom bill. And it passed the legislature and state senate. It currently sits of the Governor's desk, who has promised to sign it.
Cutting through the "legalese", Helena just slapped Washington D.C. in the face. The bill basically says that any firearm, firearm accessory(suppressor, bolt, pins, etc), or ammunition, that is made in Montana, and that will remain in Montana is no longer going to be required to have a serial number, registration paperwork or any notification to the Federal government that it even exists. They have gone so far as to remind the Feds about the last time that states decided to re-assert their sovereignty as interpreted from the 10th amendment. That took place in 1861. I don't think that Montana is threatening secession, at least not yet. The state is, however hinting around it.
To be honest, I don't think that the courts will allow this law to stand. Mainly because there would be no way to verify that a purchased firearm, manufactured in Montana, would remain in Montana. The folks are not walled in, up there. It's really too bad, too(about the law). Both Texas and Utah are watching this one, VERY closely. Both states have similar legislation written and ready to go. I have also heard it reported that South Carolina is considering a similar bill. Watch this one close, boys and girls. It's liable to get very ugly, before all is said and done.
To be fair, the Federal Government does need to be reigned in. They have been overstepping their constitutional authority since the Adams administration, and I don't mean John Quincy Adams, I mean his father. Our US Constitution was meant to be the floor. Any rights guaranteed therein are the minimums and not to be messed with. Of course, the only administration to adhere to those standards was Washington's. THe Constitution says that those first ten amendments, that "Bill of Rights" is supposed to be sacrosanct, untouchable, set in stone. From the beginning of this country, as soon as the Constitution was ratified, legislators, hungry for power, in the name of the public good(emphasis on name, only), have attempted the circumvent every one of those rights, at one time or another. Some worse than others and I'm not going to point fingers, they have all engaged in that behavior at one time or another. So, maybe a little seccesionist thought might be good for us, after all. It just might give the Fed's a wake up call. It sure did last time. Four years, 350,000 lives, and an entire region of the country, that is just now seeing recovery, 164 years later. And what did the wake up call cause the Fed's to do? Federalize, everything they could. Washington, under Lincoln, made the biggest power grab that this country had ever seen, up to that point. The Federal power consolidation of 1865 made European potentates envious.
I'm just saying, Montana, Utah, Texas and South Carolina, be careful what you wish for. You just might get it. The problem that I have with that is, I know which side I'll be on, and I know that side can't win. No matter how much public support that my side of this might have, their side has Tanks, and Assault Helicopters and Strike Aircraft, and the backing of the Constitution, which every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Coast Guardsman, swore an OATH to support and defend, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Even when the administration in power is wrong, the Constitution is not. Thomas Jefferson wrote "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of Patriots and Tyrants alike". I can see the direction of the winds, I know they're destination. I just don't like it.
Mister Obama, are you paying attention? Your proposed Social agendas will put the punk to the fuse, if you're not. At this moment, you have to overcome a LOT of doubt about your loyalties. If you guess wrong, you really will have a mess on you hands. Good luck, bro'.

What was I thinking?

After reading my last post, I have come to the conclusion that computers should come with a sobriety check meter. I am going to leave it up, if only to remind myself that I am human, and not all knowing. In other words, I can make an ass of myself, quite easily. I have known for years that it is never ok to drink and drive. I suppose it should have been unnecessary to mention that drinking and posting was also a bad idea. WOW. Well live and learn.

San Diego, Earthquake.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef011570901929970b-pi
According to the L.A. Times, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake shook the Greater Los Angeles area, earlier today. The epicenter was located near the town of Lennox, CA. a community located in the south bay area of L.A. Not a huge one as California quakes usually go, but enough knock down a few pictures off of the walls and give everyone a short wake up call.
The over abundance of seismic activity was one of the reasons that I moved out of the state of my birth, so many years ago. That, and the over abundance of socialist, nanny-state, politicians and the sheep that vote for them. Honestly, with the policies that are coming out of Sacramento, and the ground shacking, why would anyone want to live in that "Hell-Hole"? Ok, they have great weather. most of the time, and contrary to popular opinion, California do'es enjoy all four seasons: Wind, Fire, Flood and Mud. What more could anyone ask for? It sure sounds like paradise to me.
I wonder how long it will take to get real aid down to the area. That aid should consist mainly of building inspectors, of course. It won't be that, because that would make sense, and we are talking about California, after all. Knowing that bunch of over educated morons in Sacramento, they'll probably send Traumatic Grief coucilers and emergency rations down, on the double, and on the taxpayers dime. Maybe they can get Sean Penn on his rowboat, again. If they do, he had better leave his shotgun at home. he'd get arrested for it there. Oh,,, maybe not. We are talking Sean Penn, after all. One of the "Elite" citizens of California, to whom the rules don't apply.
As a card carrying member of the "Un-washed Masses", I'm glad I moved out of that state. I kind of like making decisions about my life, myself. Thinkng like that does not go over too well in the " Democratic Peoples Republic of California". To anyone who was actaully hurt by the quake, I say, dont worry, your booboo will heal. If anyone is seriously claming that they're hurt worse than something that can fixed with a band-aid, then they should be locked up for fraud.
Is it becoming clear that I don't have a lot of respect for California, yet? If not, Get your eyes checked. 4.7, sheesh. I can't believe that they even bothered to report that. I am glad it was a small one, but seriously, you live on a FAULT LINE! MOVE AWAY!

Obama slashes budeget.

On the surface this might sound like a good idea. That is until you hear what budget he'e slashing. The Obama administration is cutting the Public Safety Officers death benefits program from $110 million to $60 million, according to the Associated Press. The move was made because the number of poilice and safety offer deaths in the line of duty is decreasing, according to the budget documents. A spokeswoman for the Justice Department said that " Any families that are eligible for benefits under this program, will receive them".
Why dont we take a look at this story, a little closer? "The budget for this benefit is being cut because the number of officer deaths in the line of duty is decreasing". Actually, the number of deaths of public safety officer in the line of duty is up 21% over the same period for last year. Is President Obama claivoyant? Does he know through intuition that these numbers will drop suddenly? Has his administration been made promises from the DIRTBAGS that have been killing cops, that now they'll be good boys and girls? NO, of course not.
It really is just Barry, the annointed one, showing his true colors, once again. Public Safety officers are not a big favorite in the "Community", so why should there be any benefit for their families after they die? "I mean, hell, if they weren't down there harrassing them innocent crack dealers in the first place, they wouldn't have gotten killed, right?"
Barry, Barry, Barry, you are not going to foster much support from the people that you need to laytheir lives on the line for you, by diong things like this. Who is next on the budget block? Firemen, E.M.S. workers, Secret Service? We al know from your past performance that the Welfare Budget is in no danger. Let's increase expenditures for health care for illegal alien immigrants and their extended families, we'll just take the money from the fallen officers fund.
What a way to lead, Mr. President.

The Space Shuttle launches, again.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519609,00.html#
Well, the shuttle launches, one more time. To the crew members, we wish you a safe and successful journey. This posting however is not about that. It's about the government finally trying to end the virtual monopoly that NASA has had on manned spaceflight. This idea was proposed back in 2003,and approved by Pres. Bush. Congress finally got around to it this week, and it's about bloody time. The savings in gov't spending alone make this a good idea. Putting orbital flight into the hands of the private sector, a competitive marketplace, should reduce costs and improve safety. As long as NASA maintains final inspection oversight, this should do well. The fact is that, gov't contractors have learned over the decades that they can milk a contract for years, and millions of dollars in cost over runs, and the gov't happily whips out the Ol' public money checkbook. Then we, that's you and I folks get stuck with the bill, AGAIN. The exploration of space, and eventual basing on the moon, are probably a very good idea. ord knows, we need the room. Let's allow for the free and open discussion of ideas, for real. Take it out of NASA's control and give to private companies that can do the job.
The congress has used the term "Outsourcing" for this, and that is truly the only part of this that makes me nervous. I mean, it's bad enough when the radio call begins with "Houston, we have a problem", but how bad is it going to get is that call has to begin with "New Delhi, we have a problem,, I need to speak to a technician, please"? That scenario would not be good.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519609,00.html

Alices Restaraunt

As the memorial day weekend approaches I'm reminded that, once again we'll get to be treated to the legendary, Arlo Guthrie's riveting "Alice's Restaraunt", all 27 minutes and 34 seconds of it. It's like watching a marathon. You know it's a big deal, or was at the time. It does have a tradition behind it. You just don't want to sit through it all. The story in the song is humurous, but what a set-up.
Now I'm usually someone who loves tradition. I really do. Traditions are something that reminds all of us, just who we are. Some traditions are familial and they can be modified through the generations of family members. Like my families tradition of camping on Mother's day, and Thanksgiving. These have been modified a bit lately, because my parents are not as yhoung as they used to be. We'll probably get back to the old way, just not too soon, I hope. Some traditions are national. The fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Memorial day, you get the idea. These tend to stay pretty much unchanged at the "Big Picture" level. Some small changes do occur over time, but usually only with individuals or small groups. The other category of traditions is religious or spiritual. Chistmas, Chanukka(sorry for the misspelling), Easter, Passover, etc. These don't change except by crisis. Literally. Nor should they.
I am not a big fan of telling others how they should observe their traditions. Don't thrust them on me, and you can do what you want. If it has been determined over time that a traditional day is now a holiday, so much the better. Everyone likes a paid day off. If it is a traditional day that you don't personally observe, that's fine. Just shut up and don't ruin it for everyone else. The freedom to do all of this was bought and paid for, long ago, and is still being paid today. By the men and women that we remember on Memorial day. If you don't want to honor them and their sacrifice, ok. But at least show a little respect. Don't ruin it for everyone else.
Let's all try to remember, that although we all have the right to express our opinions, not everyone is going to agree with them. Face it, an opinion is a lot like a rectum. Everybody has one. Oh, and as for "Alice's Restaraunt", can we have the edited version, PLEASE?

Dom DeLuise, The Passing of a Legend.

I'll keep this short and not too overly sweet. The Washington Post reported this morning that, Actor/Comedian Dominick "Dom" DeLuise died at 75.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2009/05/05/GA2009050502218.html. All that I am going to add to this is, Thank you, Mr. DeLuise. I had a ball watching you on screen. You provided a needed relief from the everyday world, and you will be remembered, well. Safe Journey, God Speed.

Mother's Day

It seems that another year has passed. I know this, because my wife just reminded me that Mother's Day is nigh. I don't know about the rest of you, but I sort of like this one. Mothers around the globe have really earned it. One special day that is all theirs. Of course we guys still expect them to cook and clean and take care of us like every other day of the year, but on this day, we remember to say "Thank You". I don't know for sure, but I think my Mom is hoping that Dad will kick down some cash, instead( to be perfectly honest, I think she's got a point, there). All B.S. aside, my folks have been making it work for 61 years, come this July, and I still have no idea how they've done it.
Now, what does all that have to do with outdoor living, you must be asking about now. Well, for the bulk of my childhood, this weekend was spent in a campground. Not always the same one, they changed over the years, but camping just the same. It was for a time , a big family get together, Dads sister and her family, and his parents(sadly my mothers family had passed by then or lived out of state). We would take over one large area of the campground for the lot of us. I often ask myself, whatever happened to the old traditions? Part of the answer is, we grew up. We grew up and apart, and moved on with our respective lives. We had families of our own, and we made new traditions. We still talk, or more appriate for the modern age, e-mail. We still think of ourselves as close. And we are, I suppose, by modern standards, anyway. But, I kinda miss the whole physical contact thing.
Well, enough of that, I've got some phone calls to make. Mom, happy mother's Day. Oh,,,and , you might wanna put the leaf in the dining room table. I have a feeling there are going to be a few extra people to seat, this year. Bye .

Modern Politics and Foriegn Policy

Checking out the news, I've noticed that St. Barry, The Annointed, is beggining to get favorable press again. The reporters no longer have to lament his blunders on foriegn policy, due to his lack of experience. Not that he's gotten any better with it, no. It's just that they can concentrate on his pursuit of the trivial. http://rothkopf.foreignpolicy.com/node/17023 As long as all he has to do is stand before a bank of microphones, read his speech from the teleprompter, and make it look like he's thinking on his feet, they're golden. He says nothing he can be nailed down on, and they report whatever the hell they think it means. Perfect storm. He says nothing, they report something, and we, like good little sheep, graze on it. No questions asked. Not that they'd be answered anyway, but I digress.
I really would like to know if any one has a clue, about where this guy wants to take this country. I wonder if he knows, yet. I have a pretty good idea about what he wants to do to us, but not a clue about what he wants to do, for us. I think I'll just sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy the show. I mean, it's not like any of us can do anything about the important stuff, anyway. We don't have much of a voice anymore. There's way too much stacked against anyone with, true, common sense, getting heard. If congress get their way with that farce of a "Fairness Doctrine", there won't even be blogs that disagree with them. NO NO, you can't say that. "Thought Police" here we come. Oh...wait. We already have the "Thought Police". I completely forgot about "Hate Crime" legislation. Silly me. Yup, I'm just gonna sit back in my bunker, with my too many guns, and watch the whole world go to hell in a handbasket. I may even reach out and tie a bow on the basket's handle as it goes by, just to show that I really do have compassion and a sense of style. Well, coffee's done and the iron door hinges are freshly oiled, so, bye bye for now.