Insert Godfather Quote Here...

Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in...

Sooooo... Anybody still reading this silly blog? Just in case I have any viewers left, after a stint in the Gulf of Mexico, I'M BAAAAAAAACK... working overseas again.   Little different place, little safer in some ways, little more dangerous in others. How will it all play out? Guess we'll just have to see.

Stick around here though, and I'll try and share some of my Middle East adventures with you guys if, or rather when, they happen.

About Gun Control...

Looks like I'm on a roll today.  I've been tossing around and working a post about the whole mess going on back home right now, but I kept getting sidetracked, frustrated, and just plain tired of explaining the same things over and over again to people, and never got it finished.  Luckily for me though, Larry Correia (A pretty darn good author you should check out too btw) beat me to it, and wrote it out a lot more eloquently than I ever could have.  It's well thought out, with just about every argument I've heard touched on and dissected, and I highly recommend it.

Larry Correia - An Opinion on Gun Control

For the TL;DR... gun control won't work for a multitude of reasons and is bad, mmmkay?

Again, Merry Christmas! (or your winter holiday of choice)

Shhhh I see stupid people...

Ok, lately I've been avoiding the whole Pro-gun/Anti-gun thing like a live third rail after swimming in the ocean.  We're hearing enough about it as it is, and my Facebook friends are getting bitchy.  But I have to point out some stupidity from some 31,000+ of my countrymen.

Pro-gun rights US petition to deport Piers Morgan

You are aware that there is a Constitutional amendment that comes before the 2nd that says something like: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." (emphasis mine)

This means that, just like they have to listen to us remind them that "Assault Weapon" isn't the same thing as "Automatic Weapon" every chance we get, we have to listen to their sanctimonious drivel too... orrrrrr, you could turn off the TV and go to the range and actually enjoy your day instead.

Merry Christmas To All! ...even the militants.

Well, Christmas has found it's way here to Nigeria, and as I look at the weather outside it's definitely less than frightful.   It's a balmy 82º and there are dust storms in the air here (Harmattan season you know).  Sadly, over here this is also the prime season for kidnappings and hijackings at sea, since one good ransom can feed a village for most of a year.  In the past week there have been at least four vessels attacked with crew taken hostage.  If it were any other time of year, I'd say that the pirates were stepping up their game, but this is about average for the "Silly Season."

Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all, and I'll be thinking of you as I wear flip flops and shorts here while you're bundled up for the worst weather winter can throw at y'all. ;)

Shameless Blog Advertising

Ok, I try and avoid shamelessly plugging other blogs, but I'm rather fond of this one after just having found it today.  If you're like me, the terms "Republican," "Democrat," "Liberal," and "Conservative" have no relevance in your political leanings.  Calling us "Moderates" kind of feels like a slap in the face though, since most of us feel rather strongly about political issues.  We just can't get pigeonholed into any simple category, and that frustrates the people that make studies.  So when I find a blog that's very like minded, I'm rather elated.  In fact, it makes my whole day.

So here's Classically Liberal to make you happy or mad, I don't give a rip, but I hope it makes you think.

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaack!

After several months now with no internet (aside from what I could get with my phone) I'm finally back... and guess what? I've got another "fun" experience from here in Nigeria to get things started right.

So the other day, we were on standby for the rig, when I hear a really disturbing radio call of, "What do you mean they're shooting at you?" Well of course, being a sailor (we're all nosy by nature btw) I had to turn up the radio to hear this one.  Apparently, a supply boat was refuelling a security boat (names withheld to protect both the innocent and guilty) and started bumping into it in the heavy seas.  This "upset" the Nigerian Navy detachment on board and they shut down the operation.  Then, the supply boat was halfway untied and "wasn't moving fast enough" so they decided to hurry them up by firing rounds off to get them moving.  What happened next? Well, of course they all ran inside to get away from the hail of gunfire, leaving the boat tied up, at which point the Navy detachment sent a few rounds past the wheelhouse.  Needless to say, the Navy guys had to toss off the lines themselves at that stage, and there's a lot of paperwork and reprimands going around now.

So on that note, anybody know a good supplier for bullet proof vests and strike plates to stop AK-47 rounds?

Wanted Dead or Alive? Really people?

Ok, I've really been trying to keep out of the whole Martin / Zimmerman thing, but this one... I've got to step up to the plate and say that there are going to be serious repercussions if this line of thought continues: 

Wanted Dead or Alive Poster Issued for George Zimmerman by New Black Panther Party

That's from the caring and loving people of the New Black Panther Movement.  I don't really have much to say on this, other than America as a whole needs to get their head out of their collective ass and deal with this case.  One way or the other, get it settled, due process it, put it before the grand jury, let them throw it out or try it (which, with all the media attention, Zimmerman's going to have to get a trial outside of the US to manage to get an untainted jury now).

The more I hear about it, the less I'm sure of either side's story in it.  Which, if I was Dictator... errr, President Obama, I'd do my best to pull the plug on the media in this case before we wind up with a full fledged race war here in America.  But then... it's an election year.  Nothing better to polarize voters than a little racial violence.  [sarcasm intended]  Far be it for me to pull a race card since I'm a true all American mutt (literally a bit of every race in my blood) but why has this been a black/white issue in the first place???  Frankly I'm rather amazed that the conservative press haven't tried to paint Zimmerman as an illegal alien or some other ridiculousness like that.  And the liberal media... they're too busy with the "Guns are bad... m'kay?" line right now to get beyond that. 

So here we are, left with a 17 y/o boy that may or may not have attacked Zimmerman, was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and is now dead.  Let's take a moment and remember, the gun didn't kill him, the man behind the gun did, and whether it was self defense or not, remains to be determined by the courts.  Let's just all take a deep breath and go from there...