Whats going on and why I haven't been posting.

    I have been very busy, the overtime spigot is open at work 

   And What little time I have when I get home, I have been working on my "Precious", A.K.A the Workbench, or my mobile phone charger that happens to look like an F150.

 

      Well a few weeks ago My son was using my truck because it gets better gas mileage than his truck while he was saving money to get a economical car (He since bought a 2013 Ford Focus and paid cash for the car and is very happy with it, but I digress.  He was using my truck and the "Check Engine" light came on and was flashing, and the truck was running rough.  I told him to park it and he did.  I did some digging and pulled some codes and the truck was misfiring.  Basically time for spark plugs and wires.  So I started that process..

 Set up the table. and started removing the cold air intake system to better give me access to the block

  I already pulled the first boot, it was easy, but I I had to wait a couple of weeks to get my "Spark Plug wire pliers" from the Mac truck.  I have had spark plug wires come apart on me before so I waited for the proper tools so I wouldn't tear the boot trying to get them off the spark plugs.

    It got filthy by the grease in the engine...

  the cleaner hand,the other one was black, LOL

The First Spark Plug......It is nasty....no wonder the truck was misfiring.   I since removed the ones on one side only......So far.  I had shot a bit of "Kroil" into the cylinder after removing the spark plug wire, I wanted to make sure that the spark plug came out also and not sheer off inside the block....that would really suck.

       This is what has my occupied right now, so blogging is suffering.  my birthday is coming up and I have to get the truck running and pass emissions that is the priority......and of course the damm mosquitoes......Grrr.

     I will post as soon as I am able.

Monday Music "Lido Shuffle" by Boz Scaggs

This is loaded into my scheduler thingie that I have to srop when it is supposed to (I Hope).  

I am continuing with my all time favorite music, the stuff that I can listen to over and over again, this is another one of the songs that I can do that with if Sirius/XM would ever let me host a show for an hour. 
      I first heard of "Lido Shuffle" in the mid 70's, this song was put out on the "Wolfman Jack" show that I would listen to late at night while we were living in Germany when I was suppose to be asleep to go to school but had the radio behind my head playing softly as to not disturb the parents....and bring their wraith kinda stuff.  "Lido shuffle" ranks up there in my top 10 favorite songs, to me it is a good driving song when you are on the road and watching the blacktop roll under your wheels.

Silk Degrees is the seventh album by Boz Scaggs, released on Columbia Records in 1976. The album peaked at #2 and spent 115 weeks on the Billboard 200. It has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA and remains Scaggs's best selling album. Silk Degrees spawned four singles, of which "It's Over", "Lowdown", and "Lido Shuffle" all made the Top 40, while the fourth, What Can I Say, peaked just outside the top 40, at #42.

    

"Lido Shuffle" is a song written by Boz Scaggs and David Paich and introduced on the 1976 Boz Scaggs album Silk Degrees.
Scaggs recalled: "'Lido [Shuffle]' was a song that I'd been banging around. I...took the idea of the shuffle [from] a song that Fats Domino did called 'The Fat Man' that had a kind of driving shuffle beat that I used to play on the piano, and I just started kind of singing along with it. Then I showed it to Paich and he helped me fill it out. It ended up being 'Lido Shuffle'."
Members of the backup band on "Lido Shuffle" - including David Paich - later formed Toto.
Released as the album's fourth single, "Lido Shuffle" reached #11 US and #13 UK. In Australia the track spent 3 weeks at #2 as a double A-side hit with "What Can I Say". 

 

I like to use video's from the time that the song was released, it is a while different video experience than seeing the singers on some remembrance tour, if that makes sense.  Back then, they have more "soul" than the stuff that has been put out in the last few years.

 

The Men and Guns of "D-Day", the 101st Airborne.

Still working a lot of "overtime", I ain't complaining, but I am tired,  I am off today, but I plan on piling it on all next week if I can get it.  (Momma wants a new pair of shoes*rolling dice*, lol).  I have a rant or two that is perculating, but it may be a bit before I post it.  

      I snagged this off "American Rifleman" it was sitting in my "almost ready" post that I didn't upload sooner.  I thought it was pretty cool.

 

 

On June 6, 1944, in conjunction with the naval landings of Operation Neptune, the U.S. Army sent in two airborne divisions to land behind enemy lines in Normandy, France, as a part of the overall D-Day landings. One of these two divisions was the 101st Airborne, who wore the now legendary "screaming eagle" patch. The 101st Airborne Division was tasked with capturing a series of beach exits and enemy strongpoints directly inland from the shores of Utah Beach. The division would parachute in with 6,928 men, ferried by numerous C-47 transport aircraft.

Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division geared up and sitting in a C-47 transport aircraft.

As recalled by 101st Airborne Division veteran, Donald R. Burgett, the force took off from airbases in England just before dark on the evening of June 5, and by the time they arrived in Normandy and began to parachute in, it was 1:14 a.m. The aircraft flew in through a fog bank, which caused them to scatter a bit. The C-47s were flying so slow that, as Don recalls, he felt the opening sock, looked up to see machine gun tracers fly through the canopy of his chute and then hit the ground. They had been dropped from merely 300' off the ground, much lower than the 700' minimum they were supposed to jump at.

A photo of Donald R. Burgett in uniform during World War II.

Another 101st Airborne veteran, Raymond Geddes Jr., recalls jumping only to see a farm house in the distance for a brief moment, before hitting the ground. It was the lowest parachute jump he ever made. His watch broke when he landed, freezing the hands at the time of 1:25 a.m. Many lesson were learned during these jumps that should have been worked out during training.

One example of these hard-learned lesson involved the jump gear. The paratroopers carried more than 60 lbs. of equipment each during the jumps, with much of it, including weaponry, attached with less than ideal tiedowns. As a result, many paratroopers on D-Day lost their important equipment when the tiedowns failed. This led to paratroopers having to run around in the dark trying to find their drop bags and weapons on the landing zone, all while behind enemy lines.

An aerial photo of the flooded plains behind Utah Beach, with causeways pointed out with arrows.

Just behind Utah Beach, the Germans had flooded the Normandy countryside, making the open ground impassable for the invasion forces to head inland off-road. There were, however, a series of causeways headed inland from the beach into various towns and cities inland. These causeways and their intersecting points became vital for moving forces inland, so the 101st Airborne was tasked with capturing the hubs.

On one of the causeways, leading from Saint Côme Du Mont into the outskirts of the city of Carentan, was a house on an intersection with a knocked out M5A1 Stuart tank on the side of the road. The body of the tank's commander was left hanging from the top hatch, leading to the place earning the nickname "Dead Man's Corner," a term coined by Don Burgett.   

"Dead Man's Corner" as seen in June 1944.

Ray Geddes recalled the site as his last combat experience of the war. Geddes was transmitting the orders of a superior over the radio to an observer while his group was at the "Dead Man's Corner," until the superior took the radio mic to talk for himself. Geddes moved off and was standing around with some of his comrades when an artillery round came thundering in. 

A display of items brought back from the war belonging to Raymond Geddes Jr., along with a photo of him in uniform.

Geddes was hit by shrapnel from the shell, with one piece hitting him in the eye. Wounded, he went down into the basement of the house full of surrendered Germans, where a German medic looked over his eye and gave some first aid. He was then evacuated on a jeep to the landing beaches and then taken to England by ship for medical treatment.

One of the most storied actions of the 101st Airborne on D-Day took place on the afternoon of June 6, as the U.S. Army forces landing on Utah Beach received an unwelcome surprise from the Germans in the form of 105 mm howitzer shells bracketing the beach. The howitzers were inland, hidden in a hedgerow near Brécourt Manor, in a location that was not known to the Allies prior. Elements of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 101st Airborne were tasked to silence the German artillery. 

A photo of Richard Winters while in service.

Lead by Lt. Richard Winters, the acting commanding officer of "E" Company since the actual company commander was missing, a group of paratroopers found the positions of the German Howitzers and prepared an assault. Winters himself scouted the positions before formulating a plan of attack. A base of fire was set up, with an assault team that would move in and take out the individual gun positions.

A M1A1 Carbine (top) and M1A1 Thompson submachine gun (bottom) displayed with a 101st Airborne uniform.

Two other men were tasked with climbing a tree and taking shots at the Germans with their M1A1 carbines. Over the course of the action, which ended up lasting several hours in total, Winters and his men successfully drove the Germans from the gun positions and Brécourt Manor, ending the howitzer barrage onto Utah Beach. For his leadership in the action, Richard Winters was awarded the distinguished service cross. This action was recreated in the HBO series Band Of Brothers.

When Ray Geddes went into the army on Dec. 11, 1942, he was issued a M1 Garand rifle. Even decades after his training, Geddes could still recall the serial number of his Springfield Armory M1, 987078, manufactured in November 1942. Geddes took good care of his first M1, which he carried during training and maneuvers in the United States before shipping out to Europe. After spending so much time with his rifle, he got attached to it. So, it came as a bit of a shock and disappointment for Geddes when they were told to turn in their rifles before shipping out.

A reenactor dressed as a U.S. Army infantryman shooting a M1 Garand.

He was issued a new rifle when he made it to Europe, and admitted that he remembered nothing about the M1 that he carried for his short time in combat, other than the fact it was a rifle. Don Burgett was also issued a M1 Garand, and praised it as what he believed to be the "best rifle made." He noted that some would claim that the M1 had a tendency to jam, which he renounced from his own experience.

Instead of jamming, Burgett noted that sometimes the operating rods would crack at the 90-degree angle where the rod body meets the charging handle. When this happened, the charging handle part of the operating rod would separate from the rest and fall off, resulting in a useless rifle. Yet this issue wasn't overly common, and such a failure is was usually what would stop a M1 from working in combat instead of a jam. This issue was addressed after the war with the addition of a radius cut to the operating rod at the 90-degree intersection. 

Don Burgett with his M1 and M1911 shortly before his passing.

In the case of such a failure, Burgett noted that a soldier didn't have time to try and fix his rifle, so typically they would be discarded and another one retrieved off of a dead or wounded comrade. Burgett remained an enthusiast of the M1 Garand for the rest of his life and was a NRA life member. 

This article is dedicated in memory of Raymond Geddes Jr. and Donald R. Burgett, who were kind enough to leave their stories for future generations to learn from. Don Burgett passed away on March 23, 2017, at the age of 92, just a week short of his birthday. Ray Geddes passed away on Oct. 31, 2020, at the age of 96. Their heroism will not be forgotten

 

Really Busy

 I have been really busy at work, they have been offering me "Overtime" and to work my off days.....so Guess what I am doing.....LOL

 I have a couple of post in the works.  I like blogging, but I like sleeping more,  Hope y'all don't mind.   I will post one on Sunday and of Course "Monday Music".

Insurrection in America- An Analysis

 I Pulled this off the Security Studies Group website, I read the analysis and it is provocative.  I figured my readers would like it also.

 

There has been a considerable difference in how the January 6th riot at the Capitol and the 2020 Black Lives Matter/Antifa riots were treated by law enforcement, media and our political leaders. Security Studies Group (SSG) did an analysis to determine what actual crimes were committed in each case and whether any of them deserved to be properly called Insurrection, Domestic Terrorism or Conspiracy Against Rights.

If you only follow the major media outlets you might be surprised to learn that January 6th was not an insurrection, but the seizure of six blocks in Seattle last June by BLM and Antifa was. Or that the Black Lives Matter riots constituted Domestic Terrorism according to the definition in the Patriot Act, but the groups involved with the Capitol riot did not meet that standard.

In order for the country to properly evaluate and determine fixative measures, we have to first properly classify the organizations and events. This paper does that and can serve as a tool for determining what changes we should consider.

The over-arching recommendation we make is that using the Patriot Act to designate groups involved with political dissent as domestic terrorists is a dangerous path. It is too easy for the party in control of the security apparatus to use this tremendous power against political opponents. There are plenty of available criminal charges to cover any crimes committed. The Patriot Act should be amended to apply additional controls to ensure it cannot be abused in this way. Download and read the report here

Executive Summary

One of the biggest dangers our Founders tried to avoid was the ability of the state to criminalize dissent and political speech and activities. That is why the First Amendment is first. We must ensure that protected speech is not punished but also that actual violent activity does not enjoy unwarranted protection. The reactions to the recent politically-motivated violence has shown we are in danger of failing on both of those counts.

There have appeared to be two different standards applied to the violent acts of the political Right and Left in the 2020/2021 time frame. All Americans must be able to count on the guarantee of equal protection under the law and there is a growing impression that is not the case. This analysis will not take the political leanings or causes of the groups and actions evaluated into account, except to identify when those cause unwarranted disparate treatment.

The potential damage of the tremendous power of our security apparatus being used in the service of partisan political efforts is incalculable. If the citizenry no longer believe they will be fairly treated, the integrity of the Republic is at risk.

Insurrection, Domestic Terrorism, and Conspiracy Against Rights

First, we must get the proper definitions in play.

Insurrection

The actual crime under 18 U.S. Code Chapter 115, §2383 Rebellion or insurrection:

If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

Domestic Terrorism

Domestic terrorism’s definition is derived from the Patriot Act, and is as follows:

“[A]ctivities that involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.”

Our analysis is that the Patriot Act provisions are ripe for abuse because of the political advantage of being able to define political opponents as “terrorists.” There is no specific crime of domestic terrorism defined. The main purpose of the definition’s inclusion in the Act was to allow additional investigatory and surveillance techniques. Any indictments must be based on existing underlying crimes.

We propose that any terrorist designations under the Patriot Act include all of the following:

• A conspiracy of two or more
• Communicated intent to influence or intimidate civilians or government
• Violent felony acts directly connected to the first two requirements

This is not currently included in the language of the Patriot Act and consequently it is too readily available for use against individuals and groups who are disfavored by whatever party is currently in power. This is a dangerous concession of power and should be rectified by amending the Act.

Prosecuting Americans as domestic terrorists for crimes related to political activity heightens the danger that the United States government will lose the consent of the governed and come to be seen as an illegitimate entity. This is especially true if prosecutions on this score appear to be handled on a partisan basis.

Conspiracy Against Rights

This is a crime defined by 18 U.S. Code § 241 – Conspiracy against rights.

If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same; or

If two or more persons go in disguise on the highway, or on the premises of another, with intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege so secured—

They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.

This statute was designed to allow prosecutions of civil rights violations where intimidation or violence was used to stop full participation of some groups in Constitutionally-protected rights. It has been successfully used when violence stops use of public accommodations which could include roads and highways.

Conclusions

January 6th Riot — This stemmed from a political rally that was clearly protected speech. The violent actions that followed were not planned and consequently should be treated as simple crimes. Those who committed violent acts should be charged under relevant criminal statutes. The numerous charges of impeding an official proceeding are unwarranted and should be amended to trespassing.

This does not meet the criteria for: Insurrection, Domestic Terrorism, or Conspiracy Against Rights.

Black Lives Matter and Antifa (George Floyd Riots) — These began as clearly protected political speech that led to violence that spread quickly. Had this been a one-time event it would not have met the criteria for any of the three designations. However, when the protests continued and the violence was essentially incorporated into them this changed matters.

BLM/Antifa used the violence and threats of violence to extract concessions and changes of policy from numerous governments. They also intimidated civilians across the United States. Just because the majority of the protests were not violent does not change the fact that planners of events in major cities included those who conducted violent attacks.

In addition, BLM/Antifa specifically planned and executed events designed to block roadways and highways and threaten and intimidate persons exercising rights guaranteed them under law. They also injured numerous persons during these actions.

These factors meet the criteria for: Domestic Terrorism and Conspiracy Against Rights.

Black Lives Matter and Antifa (CHAZ/CHOP Occupation)— During the 2020 riots there was a violent seizure of a six-block area of Seattle where a government building was taken by force. The combined BLM/Antifa militants declared it free of U.S jurisdiction and they created a quasi-government for several weeks. They called this the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) or the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP).

They opposed by force the authority of the United States, state and local government and by force prevented, hindered, and delayed the execution of the laws of the United States.

These factors meet the criteria for: Insurrection and Conspiracy Against Rights.

Unequal Treatment— The charges including Conspiracy against participants in the Jan. 6th Riot are significantly more severe than those for the 2020 BLM/Antifa Riots. Even the FBI now admits it has “scant evidence” of any conspiracy to commit violence on January 6th at all. This appears to show a biased and unequal application of prosecutorial discretion based on the political persuasion of the groups and individuals involved.

 

Some goings on at Casa De Garabaldi

 A few things that transpired here for the past few weeks.

I Finished working a project on the The Spousal Units Edge, she loves her Edge but the car is a 2009 with 215,xxx miles on the car. 

 

 The car has been ultra reliable, just tires, brakes, gas kinda thing. But the car has developed an issue, namely Headlights, yeah they are hazed up and polishing don't work, plus one of the reflectors inside one of the lights broke, so it just "wobbles" around. Well I decided to replace them. First thing was put the car on a ramp, 

 

Then set up my tools, and replacement headlights and bulbs( since I was changing the headlights, why use the old bulbs).

 

 Then closed the garage door and turned on the headlights and set up tape to ensure alignment. 

 

Then proceeded to remove the front fascia. 

 

                                                         Unplugging the Fog lights

The Fascia is finally off.  To change the Headlights, I had to remove the Fascia.

      The Edge looks "nekked", LOL

                       My "Tool Table", the hardware is grouped by location.

    Started Removal of the Headlights, it was easy, Only 3X 10 MM bolts and the whole fixture slides out.

                                            The Difference in the Headlights

I then switched out the lights and bulbs including fog lights. 

 

You will notice that I wore gloves while handling bulbs, your skin has oils on them if it gets on the bulbs, it can shorten the lifespan immeasurably and you have to change them out early.

 

 I then reversed the process and closed the car up. Verified all lights worked and alignment is good.. Since the car was on ramps, 

 

I decided to do an oil change. I drained the old oil, then grabbed the filter and got the gasket wet with new oil, 

 

then filled the filter with oil, so when the car cranks, 

 

it gets oil a bit quicker. Most cars now the oil filter is "up and down",

 

 you hand screw it on making sure not to crossthread, Then hand tighten. I then added the required amount of oil per the manual, proceeded to finish up. I cranked the car to verify "no leaks no mess" cleaned up and put car in garage. Man, I though I was at work, lol

    When I went out of town and went to California for 2 weeks, I made a bit of change.  my buddy Mack mentioned new pistol, so I hopped on the Motorcycle and rode the 1.5 hours to his establishment to eyeball said pistol.

   This was my Dads Helmet, I added the "Desert Storm" stickers and it is like my Dad is still riding.

  Yes I bought a "Range Officers" model and fired 100 rounds through the pistol before I took her home.

                                This was my first 50 rounds, I saw a bit of breathing issues and my glasses sucked.  But I still had a blast, I was stoked :)   I changed the target and fired 50 more rounds, and did a bit better. 

On the way home, I stopped for the blessing of "God's Chicken Sandwich", kept my riding vest on because I was "Strapped", LOL  I was carrying my Glock 19 and a couple of magazines and I didn't want to "scare " the mundanes.

     Well I was busy this weekend, I decided to do some work on the car and the mailbox,  My Mailbox door rusted off, so I had to attach a new hinge to make it functional again.

 

                                                          Work in Progress

                                                                   Almost done

                                Ain't Perfect, but it will work, with my mailbox built into the brickwork, replacing it would have been a trick.

    While I was outside, I decided that the Focus was due for an oil change.  I never changed the oil on that car before, so I got the ramps out...

   

Put the Focus on the ramps (Best yard sale find my Mom found :)  )   crawled underneath and discovered that there is a cover under the car to protect the motor and increase aerodynamics..so I had to get my Torx sockets......

         Cover under the motor

    Loosening the torx screws that held the cover in place, there were 8 of them.

                                       The Cover on the floor of my garage.

                              Loosening the oil pan bolt.  And yes I check them things for metal shavings :)

                                        "Black Gold, Texas Tea"

    Filter was next after I let the oil pan finish draining, then I closed it up, and snugged it.

   Finishing draining.....   I let it drain, then I will wipe it down to ensure that there is no oil filter gasket stuck on the rings.....Yes it has happened to me a long time ago, and made a hell of a mess.

                     Fresh oil in gasket, then filled the filter.

                 Screwed the filter in, then wiped the filter to make sure that there were no leaks.

    Filled the oil, then wrote the information on the radiator shroud so the next time I have to do it, I know what I have to grab.

        I also dug out some stuff for my .45 that I had for my old 45, the one that got stolen back in 1992.  I decided to see if the stuff "fits " and see how it looks.

   My Bianchi Holster I had when I was in the Army.

       Old MP holster I got from my Dad back when he was an MP back in the 1960's

   My GI Shoulder holster I wore when I was a "Track" crewman and a couple of extra GI magazines I still have.

Plus my cookie jar with ammo in it.   Most of it are hollowpoints, Winchester Silvertips  and others, I had bought this stuff back in the early 90's for my other 45(the stolen one, still pisses me off) before the salad days when I could spend money on good ammo

Plus a few regular ball ammo.  The wife commented, only I would have ammo in a cookie jar.  I will hold off shooting this stuff for a bit until I consult with Mack some more.how the new 45 would handle it or if I should shoot it at all.