Okay, now I've seen everything.

How is this right?



Seriously, how?

ETA: I've since read this was due to a frustrated father removing the boy's shirt "because the TSA kept trying to pat the kid down, but said kid wasn't playing. It was out of rage and frustration. The TSA agent put it back on him." I'm glad for some clarification, despite guaranteeing that child will end up scarred from this. It seems we have no escape from the bullshit, save not flying.

I suppose I'm one of the lucky ones - while I flew regularly before the attacks in New York, I have only flown a handful of times since then. Of those flights, only one encounter with TSA agents left me slightly annoyed...so I was unaware just how bad some of these agents really are. Now that they're given more liberty to abuse passengers, their true natures are coming to the surface, and it's appalling. C and I have elected to avoid flying as much as possible, and instead will invest in a camper for vacations. With that, we'll avoid both the TSA AND bedbugs while spending less in gas and lodging. I call that a win.

Other recent links regarding the TSA:
Rape survivors are having mental breakdowns over the patdown procedure. Next time someone says modesty shouldn't be an issue in this country, please, smack the shit out of them for me...then make them read that.
Thanks to an agent ignoring this man, he was forced to board a plane covered in his own urine.
Apparently TSA agents resent the enhanced patdown. Aww, poor babies. Maybe if more of them stood up to those enforcing these policies, something would happen. ...Not that I'd expect any of them to actually say anything to anyone about it. It's easier to whine to a reporter than it is to protest within one's agency.
The ACA wants improved screening procedures. as Breda has said, amputees have had constant issues with the TSA since their inception.
And the very best link of the day? Bruce Schneier, the gentleman who coined the term "security theater," says TSA Scans "Won't Catch Anybody". Imagine that.
If you or someone you know feels they've been abused while going through TSA screening, the ACLU has a complaint form here.

Hopefully someone will get a clue and actually do something to avoid the hell they're putting people through.



......Now if only that weren't wishful thinking.......

I really don't know how to respond to this.

It's been two days since I read this post, and I still don't know how to respond.

I find myself disappointed that someone can so wholly misunderstand the point of Veteran's day...and speechless at how selfish her comments really are.

Please, someone fill my head with kittens and puppies or something equally fluffy and pleasant.

To all of those who are currently in the military or are former military...

Thank you.


I have things I want to say about those who seem to misunderstand the whole point of Veteran's day, but I'll save those comments until tomorrow. Today is for all of you who have put your lives on the line for the rest of us.

Friends are mind readers!

This weekend, C and I had a party...Mike dropped by and decided to bring belated birthday pressies with him.

I swear, the guy can read my mind. He somehow *knew* I needed another mag for my Bersa. He also gave me a nifty Bersa tank top. In exchange, I gave him food and fun for a weekend. :D

Mike, I love ya. :D

Posts I'm writing but are nowhere near finished...

I'm going to corral one of my photog friends this weekend to get good shots of the +50 Purse of Awesome, and then I'll get my review posted.

I've also got a post started regarding the whole 10/20/10 purple thing. It's probably going to piss some people off.


I haven't gotten either of these posted because we're having a house party this weekend, and prep started for it about a month ago. Busy doesn't come close to describing just how insane the past month has been.

Well that's ONE good thing...

A Maryland judge has dropped wiretapping charges on a biker who caught a cop's ridiculous behavior on video. Sorry, Mr. Officer Person, but if you approach someone with a video camera STRAPPED TO HIS HEAD, it's pretty obvious you're being recorded.





Mind you, I think the guy on the bike should have been smacked with a ticket for speeding and reckless driving. He was riding like a moron, and should have been pulled over...he just shouldn't have had a gun pulled on him by an unidentified plainclothes cop for it.

I still have a small backlog of range posts, BUT...

My cousin and I met at the range tonight to try out a 1911 and a 9mm of some sort.

Can I say how much I continue to love a 1911 in .45? If it weren't for Breda, I probably never would have shot C's 1911...and now I'm infatuated.

So. Springfield 1911 with a few upgraded parts (full length guide rod, lightened trigger, extended beavertail) makes me happy in places it shouldn't. I'm pleased to say V enjoyed it as much as I did...I think he'll be getting into the pistol game come Christmas. I'm so pleased. :)

On the other end of the spectrum, I encountered the Sig P226. Again. And neither of us liked it. It must be the gun itself, because this thing rattles like an old domestic pickup truck...and I had one feed failure out of 50. Thankfully it was easily cleared, but...it doesn't speak well for it. On top of that, I could feel the slide every time I shot it, and that was more than a little disconcerting. It almost felt like the slide was going to fall off. I think, henceforth, I'll be shooting *other* 9mm options.

I have to finish the write-up from V's first-ever range visit, but I haven't had much time. I'll get around to it, though.

I am SO INCREDIBLY EXCITED...

because this is on its way to me (as of some point today).

So far, the purse is gorrrrgeous. I'll post pictures of it (plus a writeup) once it arrives, of course.

Ugh, I hate Baltimore.

This hits too close to home.

Particularly when friends work in that building. Thankfully, only one person has been hurt.

URGENT(ish) question for those of you in the know...

A friend intends to visit us in October, and he'd like to bring his pistol along. Problem is, he wants to send it to himself via UPS.

How does one go about doing this? I've checked the Google machine, and it seems the consensus is one MAY be able to ship to oneself. Maybe. Can anyone substantiate this?

Thanks!