100 To 1, The Freakin Gun Did Not Discharge In The Holster

Soap Box Ravings understands that a US Airways pilot who "accidentally" discharged his handgun in the cockpit at 8,000 feet as the flight approached Charlotte, NC has been suspended from flight duty.

As an retired military firearms instructor and retired police firearms instructor my first thought is the pistol in question was not stored in the holster at the time of firing. I think the pilot in question, since no emergency was declared prior to the discharge, was playing with the weapon.

I can see it now: Yo pretty flight attendant, does my large pistola impress you?

KAPOW, now everybody is impressed.

And this from the #1 or #2 man flying the plane. If the suspended pilot is in fact the #2 pilot, then the #1 pilot should also be suspended for allowing a member of his/her crew to unholster a weapon in the cockpit.

If these folks are playing in the cockpit, who is actually in charge of the aluminum missile hurtling through the air at 8,000 feet. As I recall, more than one incident has happened during the time the flight crew was not paying attention.

Lest ye think I am to hard on the crew, I learned my attention skills in the US Navy Submarine Force. Submarines also require constant and immediate attention, otherwise they have been known to turn into mud seeking missiles; from which there are no survivors.

Also, most modern weapons, such as the H&K pistol in question only fire when the trigger is pulled. By definition, if you pull the trigger, it is not an accidental discharge. It would either be stupidity or lack of knowledge related to the pistol in question.

I keep reading there was no danger to the passengers, speaking of the weapon only that is probably true. However when the flight crew is distracted at 8000 feet and approaching a landing there is a problem which may eventually be hazardous to passengers.

The bullet hole in the top picture appears to be about in the middle of the picture. The bullet hole in the bottom picture is the white mark in the middle where the red and blue colors come together.

Soap Box Ravings does understand, he worked as an officer and firearms instructor for a Chief of Police who was always drawing his pistol to show somebody his firearm. By the Grace of God, he luckily never fired it but he sure set a very poor example to the rest of the Department.

Pilot Suspended After Gun Fires on Flight: Soap Box Ravings loves this CNN headline, it makes it sound like the gun fired itself. I would have wrote "Pilot Fires Gun On Plane, Suspended" but CNN is normally way more liberal than I am.

My Kind Of Daughter

Little Melissa comes home from first grade and tells her father that they learned about the history of Valentine's Day.

"Since Valentine's Day is for a Christian saint and we're Jewish," she asks, "Will God get mad at me for giving someone a valentine?"

Her father thinks a bit, and says, "No, I don't think God would get mad. Who do you want to give a Valentine to?"

"Osama Bin Laden," Melissa says.

"Why Osama Bin Laden," her father asks in shock.

"Well," she says, "I thought that if a little American Jewish girl could have enough love to give Osama a Valentine, he might start to think that maybe we're not all bad, and maybe start loving people a little bit. And if other kids saw what I did and sent Valentines to Osama, he'd love everyone a lot. And then he'd start going all over the place to tell everyone how much he loved them and how he didn't
hate any one anymore.

"Her father's heart swells and he looks at his daughter with new found pride and he says "Melissa, that's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard."

"I know," Melissa says, "and once he is out in the open, the Marines could blow the son-of-a-bitch away."

Admiral Fired For Lying About An 18 Year Old Affair

A photo of Vice Admiral Stufflebeem.

The Navy fired a Vice Admiral John Stufflebeem after a Pentagon investigation concluded he'd lied during questioning about whether he had an inappropriate relationship while working at the White House in 1990.

The Pentagon Inspector General's investigation was based on an anonymous letter accusing Vice Admiral Stufflebeem of an inappropriate relationship while serving as a military aide to President George H.W. Bush in 1990.

A Navy spokesman, stated that the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) has lost confidence in Admiral Stufflebeem’s judgment and his continuing ability to lead in the office of the CNO.

Besides his total amazement at an investigation over an 18 year old affair, Soap Box Ravings wonders if new standards are being set for those in Washington, D.C. or is it still only the United States military who are upholding standards.

A photo of Hillary Clinton under sniper fire.

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a speech last Monday on Iraq, said of her Bosnia trip: "I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base."

A photo of Senator Obama and Pastor Wright, the Senator's long term Pastor.

Presidential candidate Barack Obama claimed to have never heard any of his Pastor's rants in church, even though he has been a member of that church for over 20years. Senator Obama knew his Pastor and he knew his Pastor's teaching; which is why the night before he announced his candidacy he called his Pastor and uninvited the Pastor from giving an invocation. Senator Obama knew then of Pastor Wright’s teachings, which his own handlers, among others, believed were overly Afrocentric to the point of excluding whites.

According to the Pastor Wright, Mr. Obama told him, “You can get kind of rough in the sermons, so what we’ve decided is that it’s best for you not to be out there in public.”


Neither candidate was under oath but if you lie when you are selling yourself what does that mean. Once a person has lied to me, I know they are a liar. How about President Clinton and his statement about relations with that woman, Monica Lewinsky, another lie and another liar.

As a retired Master Chief Petty Officer, USN, Soap Box Ravings believes as does the CNO, if they lie, their judgment and continuing ability to lead are questionable and they need to be fired. Think about this for a moment, a candidate for President is basically doing a series of employment interviews. Employment interviews are normally terminated immediately if the future employee determines you are lying.

If that sounds harsh, in the military it is mandatory that you believe in and trust those you work with. Your life and many others are in their hands.

Oh golly, I guess you could say that about the President of the United States of America.

It's The Old Camels Nose Under The Tent, Again

IN December 2007, less than two (2) months after the California Legislature banned the use of center fire rifle and pistol ammunition containing lead when hunting big game or coyotes in the habitat of the California Condor, the California Fish and Game Commission expanded the ban by regulation.

Soap Box Ravings says "Once a legislative body passes any law, the controlling organization whether it be IRS, BATF or the California Fish and Game Commission then uses their authority to expand on the power legislators have granted them. Power granted to a government agency is power taken from the public."

Unlike the State law, the REGULATORY ban will now include 22 rim fire ammunition, muzzle loader projectiles, and shotgun shells that contain one (1) percent or more lead.

Additionally, the increased regulatory ban also prohibits the mere possession ammunition containing lead while not just hunting big game or coyotes but also ground squirrels and other non-game species as well; an addition added by the regulators not the legislators.

The Department of Fish and Game says enforcement is effective and could include seizure (by the government) of projectiles (private property) in the field for testing.

The complete article is available for reading, pg 72, American Rifleman magazine, April 2008 edition under the ILA report.

Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguements In DC v. Heller

Soap Box Ravings believes America's Founding Fathers provided in the First Amendment the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.

They also provided the Second Amendment to secure "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms" to guarantee to themselves and their posterity the blessings of "a free State."

By entrusting the nation's sovereignty to the people, the Second Amendment breaks the government's military monopoly by guaranteeing to the people such firearms as would be necessary to defend against the sort of government abuse of their inalienable rights the British had committed prior to the revolution of 1776.

The amendment's "well regulated Militia" encompasses all citizens who have the right to form their own government, not just those who would enlist in the National Guard.

No government deprives its citizens of rights without asserting that its actions are "reasonable" and "necessary." However, A right that can be regulated is not a right at all, it is only a temporary privilege which is dependent upon the good will of the very government officials that such right is designed to constrain.


Herbert W. Titus and William J. Olson, are Gun Owners of America attorneys, who filed a brief representing GOA in the Second Amendment case the Supreme Court presently sitting on.

Their full article "2nd Amendment bars regulation of people’s ability to bear arms" can be found at: http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/03/opposing-view-3.html#more

DILLIGAF

Soap Box Ravings learned two totally useless facts today from his local radio station.

1. 12 black robed protesters (you got it, that's twelve protesters) protested the Iraq War today in Washington, DC. ( I saw more protesters than that here in my hometown and ZipSkinny.com says our total population is 4669) and

2. On the day that President William Jefferson Clinton stained Monica Lewinsky's dress in the White House, his wife, Hillary Clinton was present in the White House all day long.

With all of the problems related to the economy, energy, the war in Iraq and a Congress that couldn't pour pi** out of a boot the media wastes their time and mine with the above facts. God help this country.

Obama "Says Now" He Condemns His Pastor's Remarks

Soap Box Ravings has attended a number of churches in the sixty plus years of his life. However, in order to attend a church for any length of time Soap Box Ravings must believe in the basic tenets being put forth by his Pastor.

A fire and brimstone speech by a Pastor trying to spread the gospel is expected and much different than a preacher saying "God Damn the United States" from his or her pulpit while preaching.

Soap Box Ravings notes the Senator Obama has attended the church with the same Pastor for a number of years. Based upon my thought patterns, since the Senator has donated large sums of money to the church, this indicates to me that the Senator believes in what his Pastor is saying and what that Pastor's church is doing.

Another interesting point is that this church is described as a "Mega-Church" so it would appear there are many others who feel the same way the Pastor feels. Even if the Pastor is just beating the drums to expand his flock and make money, the fact is people are joining and paying. One of those is Senator Barack Obama.

Additionally there is the statement by Senator Obama's wife that she was never proud of her country until her husband ran for the Presidential nomination. By the way, she also attends the same church.

Soap Box Ravings really doesn't care what that Pastor preaches or who believes him unless of course they are a politician running for President of the United States.

Soap Box Ravings almost forgot a couple of his MOST TELLING observations of Senator Obama's speech.



Look at the presentation, the Senator seems to have gone overboard on the number of flags used in his speech. But I guess if you can't really act like a patriot, surrounded by enough flags maybe some folks will at least think you look the part.



However, the second picture, the close-up is most telling. The Senator damn sure is not bothered with any of those US Flag lapel pins. And that folks is what happens when you pander to the crowd or try to play a role that really isn't you. It's not his fault, his aides let him come on stage again without a US Flag lapel pin so he could remind us of how poorly we have done, how his foul-mouthed Pastor is family, and how he, Senator Obama is going to save us.

God help this country!

The full article (Obama Condems Pastor's Remarks) is available at: http://news.aol.com/elections/story/_a/obama-condemns-pastors-remarks/20080318065409990001

Another Zealot Self-Destructs

NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer blew it but says his failure is a "personal" matter

Soap Box Ravings thinks perhaps Governor Spitzer's paid friend may have done that for him. I would almost bet that one of his "idols" is named "Slick Willy.

One Of Obama's Stories

This information below is taken from Obama's Curious Tale
By Jack Kelly published on February 23, 2008. The complete article may be found at Real Clear Politics: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/02/obamas_curious_tale.html.
The author, Jack Kelly is a former Marine who later went into the Army and became a Green Beret. After his military service, he was a Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force in the Reagan Administration. Mr. Kelly has the military background and experience to make this call.

Basically, this is the story:

During a debate with Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama referred to "an Army captain who was head of a rifle platoon which is supposed to have 39 men in a rifle platoon, Who "ended up being sent to Afghanistan with 24 soldiers because 15 of his soldiers had been sent to Iraq. And as a consequence, they didn't have enough ammunition, they didn't have enough humvees. They were actually capturing Taliban weapons, because it was easier for them to get Taliban weapons than it was for them to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief."

Soap Box Ravings says Obama appears to have the total story confused. Even if the unit was missing 15 soldiers how would that cause a lack of ammo, Humvees or weapons.

The author points out that Rifle Platoons are not commanded by a captain. They are normally commanded by a lieutenant, usually a second lieutenant.

The heart of Sen. Obama's charge is that the captain's platoon was cannibalized in order to send soldiers to Iraq. The Army does have a program called "cross leveling" where soldiers from units which are not deploying are sent to units which are to bring them up to full strength. But the Army emphatically denies taking soldiers from units which are scheduled to deploy to a combat zone to give them to other units. This would be insane.

Senator Obama also said, "As a consequence, they didn't have enough ammunition, they didn't have enough humvees..."

Soldiers on a mission carry a basic load of ammunition, typically seven magazines (210 rounds). It's possible to for undisciplined soldiers to burn through this quite rapidly in a firefight. Soldiers can run low on ammo until they are resupplied, but this has nothing to do with the adequacy of ammunition stocks in theater. There has never been a shortage of ammunition in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

The Senator further said, "They were actually capturing Taliban weapons, because it was easier to get Taliban weapons than it was for them to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief."

Soap Box Ravings feels the above statement by Senator Obama makes absolutely no sense from any angle. A soldier in an emergency will defend themselves with any weapon they can get their hands on. However, their supply system is not set up to provide ammunition or repair parts for enemy weapons. It would be crazy to try to use the enemies weapons for any extended period of time.

Units don't deploy to Afghanistan with their stateside vehicles. Afghanistan is 8,000miles from the U.S., in a mountainous region far from seaports. It's hard to ship stuff there. So unnecessary stuff isn't shipped. Units arriving in theater receive the equipment that was being used by the units they are replacing.

Even though he's a member of Congress, Sen. Obama seems to be unaware that it is him and his peers who fund the military. If Sen. Obama thinks the military is inadequately supplied, he should take it up with his Democratic colleagues, who routinely cut the president's defense budget requests.

Soap Box Ravings also feels that Senator Obama has really not thought out his position. He sounds like a lot of our population who want to point out problems that relate to others, while denying any personal responsibility or ownership of the problem that he has just identified. The truly scay part of this is the fact that Senator Obama is seeking the Democratic nomination for the Office of The President.

When ABC's Jake Tapper tracked down Sen. Obama's captain, he found out the Captain 's ammunition complaint was in regards to a shortage of ammo for his heavy machine guns and grenade launchers while training at Fort Drum before deployment, not in Afghanistan. This is a rather different story from the one Sen. Obama

Armed Citizens vs Armed Guards

OPINION IN BRIEF

“Which of these three options is more likely to prevent further murderous rampages:

a) making universities closed campuses and increasing the police presence on campus (as the president of [Northern Illinois University] has promised to do);

b) making guns much harder to obtain; or

c) enabling specially trained students and faculty to carry concealed weapons on campus?

Because political correctness has replaced wisdom at nearly all universities, colleges are considering options a and b.

But the only thing the first option will accomplish is to reduce the quality of university life and render the campus a larger version of the contemporary airport.

And the second option will have no effect whatsoever since whoever wishes to commit murder will be able to obtain guns illegally.

But if would-be murderers know that anywhere they go to kill students, there is a real likelihood that one or two students will shoot them first, and if in fact some would-be murderer is killed before he can murder any, or at least many, students, we will see far fewer such attempts made. Even though many of these murderers end up killing themselves, they don’t want to die until they have first murdered as many students and teachers as possible.

Of course, there is virtually no chance that the uniformly left-thinking individuals who run our universities will ever consider this option. To do so would mean abandoning what is essentially a religious-like conviction that guns are immoral rather than the people who use them immorally.” —Dennis Prager

Copied from the PatriotPost.US, 25 February, 2008

Soap Box Ravings agrees with Dennis Prager regarding college campuses. However, Soap Box Ravings believes the problem is broader and affects much more than just college campuses. The problem also includes shopping malls, worksites, and any other place where large groups of people congegrate. Historically, the majority of shooters in this country seem to have been seeking "suicide by cop." The reason they shoot others is to force the police into action. However, the arriving police do not know whether there is a "suicide by cop" action in progress or a terrorist action in progress and many people can be killed or injured while the police evaluate the situation.

A lawfully armed citizen only has to realize that his or her life, or the life of another is in mortal danger to react. They are on scene, have knowledge of what is going on and the means to stop or at least defect the concentration of the evildoer. An arriving police officer does not have that information and it takes time to gain information.

Many people believe that the gun rather than the shooter is immoral. Many people also believe that any problems they have are caused by other people and it is up to the government to solve all of their problems.

If the government were to provide armed protection at all times and locations for all people, how would it be decided who carried the gun and who was protected. If your protected, does that make you elite. What happens when you guard doesn't come to work one day?



On duty, Soap Box Ravings Bodyguard poised for instant action

Why Does A Cycle Seem To Repeat Itself?

LIBERTY

"The massively cruel and ruinous communistic experiment of the Soviet Empire would not have been necessary if philosophers and intellectuals had not ignored a basic truth about human nature:

Human beings, as a derivative of the instinct to survive, are innately driven to act in their own self interest. Notwithstanding propaganda, conditioning or brute force, any government or institution which runs head on against the grain of this basic human drive is doomed to fail.

We seem not to have learned a basic lesson of history:

Capitalism harnesses human self interest; socialism exhausts itself trying to kill it. The bureaucrats, who seize and dole out other people’s assets, initially see themselves as humanitarians. Eventually, they conclude they are indeed superior to others, and treat themselves accordingly. They make laws to which they are not subject; they vote themselves and their wards privileges and benefits. Then, they no longer serve—they rule a nation of the government, by the government and for the government." —Linda Bowles

Copied from the PatriotPost.US, 25 February 2008 Patriot Vol. 08 No. 09

Todays Quote

"Capitalism and communism stand at opposite poles. Their essential difference is this: The communist, seeing the rich man and his fine home, says: 'No man should have so much.' The capitalist, seeing the same thing, says: 'All men should have as much.' " -Phelps Adams

Found in the U.S. Concealed Carry Armed American Report on 02-22-08

Problem Solved

Soap Box Ravings says Blogger appears to have solved their Spell Check problem. They have eliminated the Spell Check function. I, for one would prefer to have spell check than the ability to translate my blog into a foreign language. Perhaps words in foreign languages do not require proper spelling like English does.

WAY TO GO NAVY, FANTASTIC SHOT BY THE USS LAKE ERIE (CG-70)

The USS Lake Erie (CG-70), launched a SM-3 missile designed to knock down incoming missiles (not orbiting satellites) at 10:26 p.m. EST. The Lake Erie hit the school bus sized target about three minutes later as the spacecraft traveled in polar orbit at more than 22 times the speed of sound or about 17,000 mph.

Talk about wingshooting!

The three-stage SM-3 Navy missile has been very successful in a series of tests since 2002. The previous tests targeted short- or medium-range ballistic missile but never a satellite. The Navy had to adapt the SM-3 programming for this shot. Navy officials have said the changes would be reversed once this satellite was down.

Soap Box Ravings is proud of his shipmates. Taking out a target moving 22 times the speed of sound is some truly awesome shooting. The bad part of the shot is that it reveals a little more of our potiential to countries, who for whatever reason, worry about us. For example, I am sure we will soon hear comments from Russia and Communist China among others. They will use this feat to ratchet up their weapons requirements regardless of the fact that this was done to prevent possible injury to people on the ground.

Barak OBama Needs You To Believe

A Houston campaign office for Barack Obama displayed the Cuban flag with the murderous Che Guevara superimposed.

Soap Box Ravings hopes those who support Obama's idea of change actually spend some effort to figure out what his stated changes are going to be.

While researching, perhaps they could enlighten me on the actual accomplishments of Senator Obama or Senator Clinton for that matter. Senators Obama and Clinton seem to be fairly matched on their accomplishments which in each case seem to be minimal. Although Clinton may have actually slept with a President.

Read The Patriot Post

Some People Should Not Be Allowed Firearms

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin points an AR-15 pattern rifle at Chief of Police Warren Riley during a press conference on Tuesday, 12 February.

The rifle was part of $6 million in new equipment purchases for the New Orleans Police Department and fires a .223 bullet at 3300 feet per second.

Mayor Nagin is infamous for ordering the New Orleans Police Department to seize the guns of law-abiding citizens in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, supposedly to make the city safer.

Soap Box Ravings (who qualifed as a firearms instructor in the US Navy and again while a police officer) says this is another picture of an elite anti-gun person who feels that elementary safety precautions do not apply to them. Luckily he does not have his finger on the trigger. And, of course, the Chief of Police (who by definition is also a politician) is laughing at his bosses joke while there is a rifle muzzle pointed at his midsection.

Another infamous antigun line:
Only the police and military should be allowed to have guns!

There are more pictures at: http://patriotpost.us/news/nagins_got_a_gun.asp

"Brief, Rapid-fire Assault"

Soap Box Ravings says this is the description of todays (02-14-08) shooting at Northern Illinois State University today.

This is also the description of any shooting with malice incident anywhere, military or civilian. You are very lucky if you see the shooter and/or the gun before they start shooting. The name of their game is not to fight fair but to kill, terrorize and finally memorialize themselves in the evening news. Following that, they quite often kill themselves so they can avoid punishment.

The antigun folks want all firearms restricted to police and military. In last weeks shooting Kirkwood, Missouri was initiated when the gunman shot and killed a police officer in the parking lot. He then armed himself with the police officer's firearm which increased his firepower immensely. The shooter went from having a revolver to now having a revolver and a semiautomatic pistol.

As a police officer firearms instructor I trained my peers to realize every call, every interaction involved a firearm; at the very least theirs. I repeatedly told them if a bad guy wants a gun all he needs to do is call a police officer. The officer will be wearing one when he or she arrives. And often, they are not expecting someone to take it away from them.

By the time the police, university or anyone else could get the word out this shooter was done with his mission. Cell phone notifications, pa announcements and calling the police mostly take place in the time it takes to fire XX number of bullets and believe me you can not count that fast much less call or answer your cell phone.

I don't even have to ask, but my guess this is another "GUN FREE ZONE".

How is it working for you!

For Some The Learning Curve is Much Longer Than Others

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot lift the wage-earner by pulling down the wage-payer.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
by William J. H. Boetcker, 1916

Soap Box Ravings says these quotes are 92 year old secret information. Many folks in this country do not believe any of the lines quoted above. Actually non-believers prefer to operate either under the newer theory that if a big enough lie is shouted long enough and loud enough it will become true. Well not of course, if your talking about the Law Of Gravity. Or the other popular theory where you restate your past actions in the best possible light regardless of what they actually were.
Twist the facts loudly.

The Law Of Unintended Consequences, Again

From The Patriot Post, 02-08-08, more at: http://patriotpost.us/


In recent weeks, environmentalist groups are realizing Federal biofuel and ethanol mandates have the potential to do far more harm than good.

Initially the idea made a fair amount of sense; use a portion of our abundant corn crops to produce ethanol as an alternative to oil. Thereby reducing greenhouse emissions, in addition to reducing our reliance on foreign oil.

Pressured by the environmentalist folks and their allies, the federal government enacted a series of ethanol subsidies. Thereby causing market confusion with unpredictable and changing government mandates and subsidies.

Farm subsidies are sacred to politicians, but the consequences of this “solution” are now obvious, and even environmentalist groups have begun to complain.

Rising demand for ethanol means a rising demand for corn and a corresponding rise in corn prices, in and out of this country. Those who eat tortillas made from corn have been particularly affected.

The resulting increase in food prices have have caused farmers to increase their land useage and causing increased environmental damage.

If America’s entire grain harvest were devoted to ethanol production, it would replace only 18 percent of our automotive demand for oil.

Most importantly, the ethanol fiasco reveals the ineptitude of centralized government when it comes to running the market. Remember, the USSR used a centralized government to control their markets among other things.

The laws of supply and demand are enough to handle our energy troubles, so long as the market is free from government interference. Otherwise, we will continue to suffer from the Law Of Unintended Consequences.