Dammit.

This really, really sucks.


link 1.

link 2.

Both links are in regards to a recent event in a city just north of me. To make a long story short, a cop stopped to assist a disabled motorist. Officer Keith Laughlin, 26, was apparently between his squad car and the SUV when a drunk driver crashed into the SUV, pinning the Officer between vehicles.


Laughlin, despite having what would most definitely qualify as a Pretty Bad Day, was able to call in to, you know, request some help for his crushed legs.


I don't care who you are, that takes some big brass ones, right there.


It has been reported that the Turd-in-Question had the smell of alcohol on him and, (surprise, surprise) has been arrested for DWI as recently as Christmas Eve.


Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, asshole.


The few 'good' things about this story, I suppose, is that it sounds like Officer Laughlin is going to be ok. I don't know if the man is going to be able to resume his career in Law Enforcement that he started in friggin' April (on patrol for only 2 months!), but at least he'll be able to eventually go home to his wife and 7 month old child. As it happened on duty, I trust that Keith's expenses are going to pretty much be taken care of, but there are a few drives set up and hats being passed around for him and others here and here.


The timing of this will hopefully impress upon those that need it the importance of planing ahead. Walk, get a ride, call a cab- hell, sleep it off somewhere if you have to. In this day and age, there are even organizations that will give folks a free ride home, if all else fails.

Holiday Hangover, pt 1

Everybody have a good holiday?

I know, I know, too short and too expensive.

Perhaps the best thing that we did, starting a few years back, was the 'gifts fund'.

I had been at the time perusing the on-line bank accounts funds withdrawn and- debating between razor-blades, exotic poisons, or high-buildings- decided that we needed to do something about overspending during the holidays, without going back to putting everything on credit cards... it was getting outta control.

We made a list.

We checked it twice.

*bleurgh*

Immediate family got an amount penciled in for gifts spending. Extended family and some friends got another. A calculator and a few choice words later, and the amounts eventually got down to a somewhat manageable level. We took this final number, divided it by the number of paychecks, and we had an amount that we'd take out of every paycheck, in anticipation of future purchases. We weren't always successful with taking the intended amount out from every paycheck (still learning), but fairly close and we usually made up for it when the next one rolled around.

It wasn't all that much, but it added up.

What made it real interesting was, when the Gifts Fund started to add up (along with other accounts and funds), I started noticing more and more deals on my Man-Toys. Talk about torture! Fortunately, I was able to suppress the urge(s), (more or less), and continue to save up.

Now, last Christmas wasn't all that great due to a non-financial situation, so this year was the first where we were able to utilize the 'buying gifts from the Christmas Fund' plan. After thoughts... I'm going to need to increase the amount taken out per check, but only by a little bit. When it comes to planning gifts for female kin that are 'in a family way', I'm going to take a large step back (read: run like hell) and let someone else handle the actual purchasing.


Some friendly advice re: (any) guy shopping for a (pregnant) woman.


1: Be very, very, very, careful.

2: Wear protection.

3: Yes, 'protection'.

4: (if applicable) No, not that type, horndog - too late.

5, 6, 7, 8... 101, 102, 103... : Be prepared to apologize. Profusely.

1,346,233: You are wrong.

1,346,234: Hell hath no fury like a woman. (yes, that's a period) ((no, not that 'period'))

fin: Eventually, you'll figure out the benefits of staying out of sight and out of mind...


Hmmm, sounds kind of like a good start for Rules of Marriage, actually...

merry... christmas.

Only 365 shopping days left...

One More Day

Less than, actually.


I just got back from the super-wallymart for a couple of gallons of milk, and I damn near killed 12 annoying people, 3 shopping carts, and an overhead music system....


...'in a pear tree'. (<---there's my Christmas Spirit, drink it up, y'all.)


Justifiable homicide, I'm certain.


It's also a rough time if you tend to have a news channel on somewhat regularly, as I do. Like now, for instance, just tippity-tappiting away on my laptop, I can almost guarantee hearing the following upon flipping through the channels...


"...the world's most perfectly cut diamon-"

*click*

"... [orgasmosigh & flashing ring] he went to Jarro-"

*click*

"... so come to America's number one jewelry sto-"

*click*

"[woman, sitting on bench] ...but I don't remember this spot. [man, kneeling] you will..."

*bleurgh*

"... every 'kiss' begins with-"

*sigh*


Almost makes me long for ole Billy and whatever crap he's selling nowadays, as weird as that sounds... well, not quite.

Things That Make You Go, 'HHHhmmmm'

I'll be the first to admit, there's some stuff that I've done shooting-wise that aren't dancing-through-the-daises safe, in both training and deployed 'festivities'.

I was joking about the forward roll thing, from the last post...

(Quite Obviously) Volk &/or Tam, I ain't.

Like I said before, rode hard & put up wet a time or two, but still...

...shoots pretty good.

Take your pick of shooty info:

a) One (1) full magazine, emptied rapid-fire (weak hand), after first leaping from a moving vehicle, executing a forward roll, dodging flaming arrows from ninjas, shooting behind the back and blindfolded. Ready for movie roles, $$$, and groupies.

b) From a distance of .5 yds, supported kneeling, 1 rd/min (approx), utilizing spotter, windflags, and jerry-rigged scope. Ready to invade internet forums with mah awesomeness.

c) Shooting from a distance of, "bout here's good" and at a medium pace. Having fun w/every shot.

Good times.

Inter-Service Moto

Schweet!

A couple of posts ago, I linked to Big Tobacco's blog, regarding a vid he did.


Motivator noticed the awesome swell of (near) double-digit traffic, and graciously sent me the embed.


I've heard that Army song a couple of times since seeing his clip, and it's made me chortle every time. Probably will too, for awhile.


Watch, then go and be snarky.

Speaking of Gifts...

Not funny.



I mean it.



Nuh-uh.



No, not even as a joke.

Bah. Hum. Bug. (part doh!)

Guess what I'm getting as an early Christmas present?




























Four new car tires!



Yaaay.

Semper Hooah.

The War on Big Tobacco: Burn Before Reading

Click play and feel the motivation wash all over ya.


Outstanding.