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Greetings, Quotaholics:
I
grew up around guns. My grandfathers had guns. My father had guns. So
by the time I was 6 years old I had begged enough to get my first BB
gun. At the age of 8, I got a 410 gauge shotgun and a .22 when I was
about 13.
All the adults in my life made sure I knew the rules about their guns,
and later, my guns. I learned safety first and any infraction would
have gotten the guns taken away.
But guns are dangerous and in spite of our rules and guidance, accidents
can, and do, happen. The results of these accidents often are tragic.
Last weekend in Westfield, Massachusetts the Westfield Sportsman’s Club
held it’s annual firearms expo which includes a machine gun shoot.
As reported at masslive.com,
the event has been held since 2002.
The event is held in cooperation with COP Firearms & Training of
Amherst. That company is owned by Pelham Police Chief Edward B. Fleury.
The company operates machine gun shoots and provides firearms training
and sales, as well as gunsmithing and other services.
“COP’s Web site says it is looking for ranges where it can stage
machine gun shoots, saying the activity provides a good opportunity
‘to liven up the shooters in your area, add membership to your
organization, or a good fundraiser.’” (The website, www.copfirearms.com
seems to have been removed.)
“Flyers promoting the weekend event stated ‘It’s all legal
& fun - No permits or licenses required!’ ‘Full Auto
Rock & Roll’ and ‘You will be accompanied to the firing
line with a certified instructor to guide you.’”
Apparently there is no age limit on who can shoot the fully automatic
weapons and an assortment of them are available. With a parent’s
permission even young children are allowed to shoot. All of this is,
of course, under strict supervision.
I’m sure by now you know where this is going. On Sunday “Christopher
Bizilj, of Ashford, Conn., was firing a 9 mm Micro UZI machine gun at
a pumpkin around 2 p.m. when he lost control of the automatic combat-type
weapon and shot himself once in the head.”
“He died at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.”
Christopher was 8 years old and in the third grade. His father had given
permission for him to shoot and witnessed the accident.
As I parent I can’t even imagine the pain this family is going
through. Christopher was buried on Thursday.
The question remains though, what the hell are people thinking??
I’m all for hunting. I believe that if you own guns you damn well
better show your kids how to treat them. But fully automatic guns, machine
guns, are illegal to own in this country without special permits. These
are not weapons that the average person will ever encounter. To hold
an event where shooting one of these is the major attraction and advertising
with slogans such as “Full Auto Rock & Roll”, seems
to me to be the height of irresponsibility.
Of course the politicians have to jump into action first. “State
Rep. Michael Costello, the Newburyport Democrat who co-chairs the Joint
Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, said Monday that he
plans to draft a bill that would ban anyone younger than age 21 from
firing an automatic weapon.”
“‘This isn’t a knee-jerk reaction; it’s a common sense reaction,’
he said. ‘We should take swift action to provide some reasonable
restrictions on this type of unreasonable practice. It’s almost indescribable
that within a year of leaving a booster seat, an 8-year-old can be holding
a submachine gun.’”
Well Mr. Costello, I do think it’s a knee-jerk reaction. If you
allow these events to be held, and you allow children to attend there
is still danger. Not only to children, but to everyone attending.
I think the only people who need to be shooting these are people who
have gotten the proper permits to own them. And really I don’t
think there is much excuse for anyone owing one. You can’t use
them to hunt with. I suspect the only reason for holding this type of
show is to try to sell the guns by making them look fun. Expensive toys
for rich boys.
What about you? How would you feel if you knew this sort of event was
being held in your area? Do you think gun clubs should allow just anyone
to shoot a high powered military type weapon? Should the law allow ownership
of these guns? Should children be allowed to attend an event where automatic
weapons are being fired? Do you think banning anyone under 21 from firing
them is sufficient, or are more drastic restrictions needed?
Tragically,
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"You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes
full power to taxi to the terminal." - Anonymous pilot
"As the test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having
torn off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives,
the rescuer sees a bloodied pilot and asks ‘What happened?’
The pilot’s reply: ‘I don’t know, I just got here myself!’"
- Attributed to Ray Crandell (Lockheed test pilot)
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The Juggler
[Thanks to Bonnie in Louisiana]
A Georgia State
Trooper pulled a car over on I-95 about 2 miles south of the Georgia/South
Carolina state line. When the Trooper asked the driver why he was
speeding, the driver answered that he was a magician and a juggler
and he was on his way to Savannah to do a show that night at the Shrine
Circus and didn’t want to be late.
The Trooper told
the driver he was fascinated by juggling, and if the driver would
do a little juggling for him that he wouldn’t give him a ticket.
The driver told
the Trooper that he had sent all of his equipment on ahead and didn’t
have anything to juggle. The Trooper told him that he had some flares
in the trunk of his patrol car and asked if he could juggle them.
The juggler stated that he could, so the Trooper got three flares,
lit them and handed them to the juggler.
While the man was
doing his juggling act, a car pulled in behind the patrol car, a drunk
good old boy, from South Carolina got out and watched the performance
briefly, he then went over to the patrol car, opened the rear door
and got in.
The Trooper observed
him doing this and went over to the patrol car, opened the door and
asked the drunk what he thought he was doing.
The drunk replied,
"You might as well take my ass to jail, cause there’s no way
I can pass that test."
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"It
is in the moments of decisions that your destiny is shaped. - Anthony
Robbins
"It is better
to die than to do some things.” - Mahatma Gandhi
"Do not hesitate to be decisive when necessary. You cannot cross
a chasm in two small jumps – Anonymous
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E-Mail
the Imp
There are two basic types of men when it comes to fixing things.
There are the ones who spend a fortune on tools and tool kits and who
repair or fix very little around the house. Usually, they call in a
professional for most repairs, claiming they don’t have the right
tools or weren’t confident that they can accomplish the repair.
When they do tackle a job, they spend hours if not days studying the
problem before making the decision to start. They buy repair parts before
beginning, more parts while the repairs are in progress, and usually
have enough spare parts left over to perform the same repair a second
time.
Then there are the ones who will try to repair anything and have a tool
box consisting of two screwdrivers, a hammer, a can of WD-40, and a
roll of Duct tape. They’ll tackle almost any repair job regardless
of their skill and can get most things working again. Their fixes are
“temporary” of course, just until they can get around to
making more elaborate repairs. This jack-of-all-trades will also end
up with a lot of spare parts, but he doesn’t do that by buying
more than he needs. Whether the repair is safe or not is questionable.
Repaired items look like they were put back together with, well, Duct
tape. The professionals are called in here too, but the repair jobs
are much more difficult because of the “temporary” repairs
made by Mr. Fixit.
Both handymen suffer from cuts and abrasions during their repair actions.
The first type because he isn’t used to all the tools he has,
or doesn’t really know how to use them. The second type gets cut
up trying to use his claw hammer as a chisel or his common screwdriver
as a pry bar.
Thankfully there is a new product out that will benefit both these throwbacks
to Homo habilis. Duct Tape Bandages. Check out the website.
Now they need to combine Neosporin with WD-40 for an antiseptic and
healing mechanics spray. They need to develop hose clamps that can double
as tourniquets. A battery charger that can double as a defibrillator
would be a nice touch.
Some doctors, particularly sports doctors and trainers are already using
Super Glue in lieu of butterfly bandages and stitches in some cases;
so mechanics can add that to their combined tool kit/first aid packs.
Liquid Bandages
are made with several compositions, but Band Aid Single Step Liquid
Bandage is just high priced Super Glue.
I just love products that can do more than one job. Viagra can be used
to treat hypertension and is marketed as Revatio for that purpose. Come
up with a mechanical use for it and the man of the house can be healthy
as well as handy and randy.
The Bad Sied 
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Speak
right up!
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On
this day in history, October
31, 1912: The Musketeers of Pig Alley is released. The movie is
credited with being the first gangster film. It is 17 minutes long and
filmed at 16 frames per second or 16,320 frames. It was directed by D.W.
Griffith and written by him and Anita Loos. The short starred Elmer Booth
as the Musketeer gang leader and Lillian Gish as The Little Lady. Lionel
Barrymore had a supporting role.
The silent movie is about a poor married couple living in New York City.
The husband is a traveling musician and while on the road, he is robbed
by a gangster. Later, he recognized his assailant during a shootout. He
wants his money back. The movie was shot on location and is rumored to
have used actual street gang members as extras during the filming. D.W.
Griffith is credited not only with starting a new film genre but of using
"follow focus" for the first time as well.
"I’m not bitter about Hollywood’s treatment of me, but of its treatment
of Griffith, von Sternberg, Buster Keaton, and a hundred others."
- Orson Welles
"The movies are the only business where you can go out front and
applaud yourself." - Will Rogers
"Separate together in a bunch. [And don’t] stand around so much in
little bundles!" - director Michael Curtiz to movie extras
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Email Kirsten
“The
Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless that for some people it
is a complete substitute for life.”
~ Andrew Brown ~
I usually enjoy reading letters to the editor. My reactions are as varied
as the content. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I’m indifferent, and sometimes
I think, “What an moron”. A letter I read today had me shaking my head
in disbelief. This guy wanted to know why people never talk about adults
being safe on the Internet, but focus all their attention on teens.
Um, because they’re teens, Dillweed. Because they are younger than they
let on, they are vulnerable, and they are easy targets for twisted people.
As the adults in society, we have a responsibility to protect our youth.
Why someone would begrudge teens of this basic right is beyond me.
The online safety of teens has received a lot of publicity in Ontario
recently, ever since 15-year-old Brandon
Crisp went missing almost three weeks ago. He had stormed out of
his house following an argument with his parents about his online gaming
habits. His father, concerned that the mighty X-Box was taking over
his son’s life, had confiscated the device. The last person who saw
Brandon was a neighbourhood lady who said he’d been having trouble with
his bike. The bike was later found abandoned; Brandon has not been seen
since.
A thorough investigation has made it clear that Brandon is not hiding
out with friends in a typical teenage huff. The prevailing theory -
one which is being very seriously pursued - is that Brandon has gotten
into trouble with someone he met in the online gaming community. His
parents report that they had been concerned about his apparent addiction
to gaming; bets and money may have been involved.
Internet and gaming addiction is recognized by CAMH
as an increasingly serious problem, and like any other addiction, it
can have severe physical and mental repercussions. We cannot stop our
kids from going online - nor would we want to - but there are things
we can do to ensure their safety. It’s a tricky age, of course.
I have a relatively easy time, being Mom to very young kids. I feel
completely justified in looking over my boys’ shoulders at all times
while they are surfing the Net, and I have no problem with just reaching
over and closing a web-site that I don’t want them seeing. You cannot
do that with teens, though. The fastest guaranteed way to shut them
out is by invading their privacy. If a parent watches every online move
they make and reads their email, they will just start using the Internet
in private, away from their parents’ prying eyes. And that, of course,
increases the danger.
First and foremost on the safety list is open communication. Teenagers
are far more likely to exercise due caution on the Internet if they
have open dialogue with parents who they know are looking out for them.
Kids of all ages - whether they are four or fourteen - have a greater
sense of security if they know they can go to their parents for advice
or information at any time. It also pays to establish web browsing rules
early on in the teen’s life. As soon as kids start using the computer,
they should know that they have a limited amount of time each day, on
a computer that is in a common area of the house. Computers in kids’
rooms are not advisable, at least until they have demonstrated they
are safe Internet users. Even then, online activity should be monitored
- a task that will be a lot easier if the open communication is there.
There are some basic online safety rules that everyone should observe,
including adults. Not revealing your real name or address, exercising
caution before posting pictures to the Internet, and not agreeing to
meet someone from the Internet unless there is a very good reason. We
are all aware that people we meet on the Internet are not always what
they seem to be.
Of course, there are times when good can come from meeting someone online.
I don’t have the statistics at hand, but I’d be willing to bet that
plenty of people have struck up very satisfying long-term relationships
after meeting online. A great many job offers result from initial Internet
contacts. My own transition to life in Canada was made a lot easier
by someone I met online, who I still count as one of my dearest friends.
As of now, we don’t know what has happened to Brandon Crisp. We don’t
know if he’s alive and well, we don’t know if he is safe. We don’t know
the true reason for his disappearance. But if nothing else, his disappearance
has made many parents sit up and take note of what their kids are doing
on the Internet. All I can say is that I hope he is OK.
Kaleidoscopically yours,
Kirsten
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Have you ever been in a good mood but really upset at the same time?
That’s how I feel right now.
Remember in the last issue I stated that I sure hope I’m as good
as I think I am? Well, I am. The problems are all fixed, and the classes
they held yesterday (Thursday, I’m writing this on Wednesday) should
go smoothly. I’m not saying this will actually be the case, but I’ve
done everything I can do to make things go well. I’m going to visit
a couple of classes with a laptop just to make sure, but I’m pretty
confident the day will go smoothly barring any other emergencies.
I’m good. I’m damn good, and I don’t feel like I’m bragging when I
say that. I’m in a pretty good mood because of it, and it helps me
gain confidence in what I’m doing. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
However, I’m also pissed at the registrar. She told me she *had*
to send out an e-mail to the faculty and students explaining how to
use the my web page. I asked her to hold off until I fixed all the
problems. She said she couldn’t, this had to be sent out. I asked
her why she would even want to send it out if the e-mail explained
things that didn’t work. She said she had to send it out. I told her
I heard that part, but what difference would a couple of hours make?
“I have to send it out.”
Okay, well, I wasn’t going to win that one. So she explained how
she would put in a piece about not everything working, but it is being
worked on. I said okay, but send me the e-mail before you send it
out so I can check it for accuracy and to make sure it wouldn’t piss
me off (and I could delay her a bit). She assured me she would. I
got a copy of that e-mail when she sent it to the rest of the campus
community. It wasn’t particularly flattering to our department, and
it mentioned it by name, which is a no-no. We don’t deal with students.
So I’m pissed.
An hour after this unflattering e-mail was sent, I had everything
working, so I’m in a good mood again.
Well, there’s that, and I’m not in jail for smacking the face off
the impatient bitch. I think I’m happy about that, but I’m not really
convinced I am.
Tim a’Musing
Having a Ball with Yarns
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Drain deep fried foods on brown paper grocery bags as opposed to paper
towels to retain crispness. - Peggy in Tonawanda, New York
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Great turnout!
Next opening line…
The kids played a real nasty trick…
Hints:
Here’s a great new rhyming/composition tool. http://www.writerhymes.com/
There’s also a great rhyming dictionary at http://www.rhymezone.com/
Limerick rules. http://freespace.virgin.net/merrick.sheldon/limerickrules.htm
Submit
Opening Line
Submit
Limerick
My
Halloween costume will be
One which my girl won’t know is me.
Then if I get her in bed,
But she thinks that I’m Fred,
Then again I’ll be single and free! - Mike in Virginia Beach |
My
Hallowe’en costume will be
The scariest you’ll ever see.
It’s a horrible beast
That arose in the East:
The Bear of the N.Y.S.E.! - Stuart in Alabama |
My
Halloween costume will be…
A ghost or perhaps a Banshee
But I’ll remember one trick
It must be easy and quick
To get out of if I have to pee. - Rick in Roanoke |
My
Halloween costume will be
The best one you’ll ever see
All of you will behold
For it’s spun of fine gold. . .
Now please someone buy it for me. - Anne Onimous |
My
Halloween costume will be
A mermaid from under the sea.
A zipper please include,
It shouldn’t be eschewed -
In case if I should need to pee. - Anne Onimous |
My
Halloween costume will be
Of a dancer at the Brown Derby.
The audience will roar
As I take the floor
For in it I shall dance the Lindy! - Anne Onimous |
My
Halloween costume will be
That of a gargantuan flea
But my silly groom
Will chase me ‘round the room
Dressed as a can of spray for a flee. - Anne Onimous |
My
Halloween costume will be
That of a nun from the abbey.
I’ll walk proper and prim
With not a trace of sin -
Except for the bump from my baby. - Anne Onimous |
My
Halloween costume will be
That of a person who likes to ski.
But then people will pause
Seeing me wrapped in gauze
For I’ll be a skier who hit a tree. - E. Cole Aye |
My
Halloween costume will be
One that no body can see.
It’s invisible
From head to sandal
In fact, I’ll strut most nudely. - E. Cole Aye |
My
Halloween costume will be
Just me - not a stitch of clothes on me.
This may offend some folk
But, you see, I’m broke.
At least the costume is free. - E. Cole Aye |
My
Halloween costume will be
Me dressed up like a zombie
I’ll walk and drag my feet
Tell folks their brains I’ll eat
Don’t you think that sounds fun and creepy? - E. Cole Aye |
My
Halloween costume will be,
Something resembling a tree.
Made from leaves and bark,
And other things from the park;
The best part of all, it is free! - Bonnie in Louisiana |
The
Halloween goblins do scare
Those who sogourn at night unaware
of the paths where they’re walking.
The ghouls are out stalking,
So I tell you be careful, beware. - Lola |
My
Halloween costume will be…
A bumbling big honey bee.
With legs ’round my middle
With which I can fiddle
While begging for candy for me. - Lola |
Most
men have not got a clue…
The diff between gnu and stew.
Though they might use a book
The clods cannot cook.
Eat it? You’ll feel like the flu. - Lola |
Women
just don’t want to know
Where hubbys most surely do go.
When left on their own,
To ramble and roam,
It’s an x-rated picture show. - Lola |
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Re: Nebraska’s Unsafe Haven
I find that this law has alot of bugs in it. I do not think that they
intended for these people to be dropping off teens, and what is up with
any of this? There are government and state help programs for overwhelmed
parents, and did any of these people try and get help from these services
before doing this? That’s the question some one best be answering, cause
if they did not and these kids that are getting dropped off are not coming
from young parents with small babies and small children, then these people
ought to face at the very least abandonment charges. This law is being
grossly abused. - Patty, Celine Kitty, the Rowdy Dog, and the Tazz
I don’t know about all the kids dropped off in Nebraska,
but the first three were left at hospitals because their behavior was
so outrageous the parents/guardians could no longer deal with the kids.
Perhaps the father of 10 without a mother to help, was worried about something
different. But, TEN KIDS? What in the world was he thinking during the
last several years? Planning ahead works.
I
read about the trauma this is causing kids, as opposed to little brats
who threaten to call Social Services with made up complaints if they don’t
get their way. Now parents can threaten to take their kids to Nebraska
if they don’t get THEIR way. I believe parents are not rearing their
children properly.
The
law was questioned before it passed because of this exact loophole. Most
states with a Safe Haven law limit the age of the dropped off infant to
a few days or weeks. Nebraska omitted that little bit of restriction.
If the parenting is that poor, if the parents/guardians have no control
over a child, then perhaps they are better off somewhere else. I’m
not sure who would take a surly teen who has been such a problem, but
… there are consequences to all our actions whether we are children
or adults. The adults are paying for not socializing their young children
who grow up to be not so nice big children. The big children are paying
the price for making choices they know are detrimental. Everyone loses.
– Patti
I think part of the problem here goes back to the Foster Home programs
used these days. Years ago there were orphanages where children were taken
when the parents couldn’t care for them. As I understand it children
of all ages were accepted and the parents weren’t punished for making
the decision to leave their children where they would receive better care.
During
the depression my wife’s grandmother was taken to one with her sister.
They lived there for a few years until the parents could afford to care
for them again. The girls had food, shelter, and clothing which the parents
couldn’t provide. They also had each other.
These days children are taken into foster homes where, from my observation,
they are primarily a source of income for the adults. I’ve read
many accounts of siblings being split up and sent to different homes.
With children scattered among so many homes, it is difficult for state
welfare workers to properly supervise their care, so we read about many
of these children being abused.
I think a return to the old style orphanage would provide a safer place
for children of all ages. Plus, when I was young it was a great tool for
parents. I don’t know how many times I heard, “If you don’t
straighten up we’re going to take you and drop you off at the orphanage!”.
- Mike
Re: Hydrogen Cars
My husband works for a subsidiary
of Linde Gas, Inc. They, in concert with BMW (both are German companies)
have tested the hydrogen cars. BMW drove cars all across the US this summer,
using hydrogen. There are hydrogen fill stations being planned for California,
which is being used as a testing study. The by-product of combustion is
water vapor. It’s here. Can we accept it? - Patti
Re: What Did You Say?
Okay, after reading more comments I have something else to say. First
off I still think bad language ought to be kept away from children, and
secondly, where do you think those kids on the play ground learned this
language they’re using? They were not born with it in their vocabulary.
They are copying it from the adults that do not know when to keep their
mouths shut. That’s where they’re learning it. In no way would I appreciate
some one saying go get fucked in front of my two year old grand daughter,
and in absolutely no way would I allow her to tell me this, or any one
else. Neither would her mother. The whole family is trying now, to relearn
their decent word policy, and why is that? Because we forgot how to talk.
We’ve become so acceptant of every thing, and so numb to all rudness and
such in this world that here we are defending something that ought not
be allowed in the first place. Any of you who are writers know that words
are powerful, and thus so are bad ones. - Patty, Celine Kitty, the Rowdy
Dog, and the Tazz
Re: Limericks
I guess I didn’t care
about the sexist limericks because I have 1) a sense of humor and 2) a
thick skin. It takes a little more to insult me than a dashed off 5-line
poem. - Patti
To Rick in Roanoke,
Thanks for coming to the defense of women although I don’t know what The
Phantom wrote. I very seldom read the limericks, they just don’t interest
me. There are other sections of RGQ I usually skip over because, again,
not interested.
I’ve found that if I read something in RGQ that offends or bores me, I
just move on to the next section. <sigh> Wish I could do that during
my typical work day! - Pam in Arkansas
Reader
Submission
I just heard on the news that Mervyns, the low end department store that
filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in June has finally decided to close
its doors forever, after the Holiday season final sellout. What really
pisses me off is that in their plan is to sell out all their merchandise,
PAY THE CEO’S their BONUSES (for screwing up the entire company?), and
NOT pay the employees their accrued vacation time or sick leave. Shouldn’t
the court have something to say about this? Or is it another way for the
working class to get screwed while the idiot CEOs make 100 times the working
class wages for driving the company this far underground. - NorCalKat
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Disclaimer- All quotes printed in this publication are believed to be accurately
attributed, but no guarantees are made that some incorrectly attributed,
or even outright false quotes won’t get in here from time to time.
I assure readers that I will do my best to weed out incorrect quotes, and
will print a retraction as soon as I become aware of any errors. |
Click here to see the archives of past issues, or go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/reallygoodquotes/messages.
If you run across something really outstanding when perusing the archives,
I’d appreciate it if you’d mail me at TheBestOfRGQ@yahoo.com
and point it out to me. I’m in the process of compiling an e-book
called, not surprisingly, The Best of RGQ, and I’d like to hear from you
which pieces impacted you the most. |
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