NRA - National Rifle Association

When I was a young teen I was a Junior Member of the National Rifle Association.

I attended firearms safety classes, marksmanship classes and a few years later when I entered military school I was on their shooting teams.  A few years after that I entered military service and was a member of the Navy Rifle and Navy Pistol Team.  In 1984-1985 I was a member of the Sheriff pistol team.  But .... I had let my NRA membership lapse.  Until 2012.

I wonder if our elected officials look at the percentages of letters, calls and communications they receive each day and compare those that say well done versus those with complaints?  One reason I re-joined the NRA is to add one more voice to an organized group and support them financially as well.

The actions by our government at the State and National level were of growing concern for me on many subjects, not just firearms.  Budget changes can take years to make a change but how our elected representatives respond and act on firearms legislation gives an immediate picture of their views.

I joined the NRA in 2012 as I stated about and now spend time as a very active member writing our representatives on a regular basis, calling their offices and posting on social media such as facebook, twitter, reddit and on this blog which has been read almost 15 million times.

You can read more of what I have posted on social media and learn my own thoughts by clicking on "read more" below.

Homelessness in Los Angeles Increases

Recently the Los Angeles Times printed a story showing that in spite of the economy improving for some, perhaps the wealthy more so than the general population, the number of homeless on the streets of Los Angeles has increased.

I applaud the story from the Times.

This is the first story I have seen that agrees to what I personally see on the streets each week.  My counts of the homeless which have been documented and which I have posted in real time on social media are also in agreement with this Los Angeles Times story.

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Here we go again. Syria.

Here we go again?

One of my friends on facebook posted some commentary on the possible strike on Syria.  I have my own thoughts on the subject and won't even bring up the issues of getting involved on foreign soil while we have so many issues here at home.  I did comment on the history of the subject.

When I was very young I was told that the reason they teach history in the school system is so we can learn from our mistakes. 

Click on "Read more" for the complete piece.

March Against Corruption

If you are not comfortable with the actions of our government take a few minutes to watch the video.  You may find it interesting.

A last act of consideration

A last act of consideration.

The decades pass yet if I could change my age or the year I was born I would not give the thought a moment of consideration.

Growing up in the sixties I drove my 1958 MGA down Sunset Blvd from the strip to the ocean more times than one could count.  I bought the car when I was 16.  It was used in actual years but new to me in 1966.  LSD was still legal and the worst consequence of fooling around with the wrong person was a side trip to the Venice Free Clinic.

The only bad aspect of the era was Vietnam perhaps but even during that period we had Woodstock in 1969.  Woodstock had it's downside I suppose.  From my own personal point of view there was Joan Baez.  Some thought she was a genius and talent.  I thought she stunk.  In August of 1969 she talked about her boyfriend David and wrote an album about him as he sat in prison for draft evasion.  She tried to make a hero out of him.  My personal belief was that he burned his draft card in front of authorities to get tossed into the big house to get away from Joan Baez rather than try to explain to her why he wanted to get away.

This decade was a great one for me even with military service.  Most reading this were not even born yet.

The following decades I sailed the sea and lived on my boat for years.  Again, most reading this were not alive.

Where did all this thinking come from?  Just dusting my place and came across a few of the things I have saved over the years other than a few vacuum tubes, guitars and amps.  As I age I toss stuff that is just "stuff" with little purpose.  I suppose that in the back of my mind I feel that my family and friends will have less stuff to throw away when it comes time to throw what is left of me away.  A last act of consideration.

Dish Network - Next on the list of bad customer service?

The screen snapshot here pretty much sums up the issue so far....

The story at this point ....

(click on "read more" to continue)

JENN-AIR: Bad equipment, even worse customer service

I will be adding to this blog by inserting a write up from a close friend in regard to Jenn-Air products and their customer service at a later date.  I will give a bit about my own point of view on these folks as a preface.

I have a friend who is a wonderful chef and has fed me more meals than I can begin to count.  Her joy in life is cooking.  Two years ago she totally remodeled her kitchen as the focal point of their home.  Island, custom counters, built in furnishings.  The works.  No expense spared.  It was a gathering place for family and friends.

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Gun Control

Our state government in California continues to propose, pass and enact one law after another as they follow an agenda to ban firearms of any type.  Most of these proposals are never put on a ballot or voted on by the public.  New restrictions are enacted.  New taxes are implemented without representation of the residents of our state.

I wrote this in response to legislation such as Assembly Bill 187 (Bonta) imposes an additional ten percent sales tax on ammunition and Assembly Bill 760 (Dickinson) imposes a sales tax of .05 cents per ammunition component (complete cartridge, bullet or case).

In a few cases individual citizens have proposed legislation which has been placed on the ballot for the people to vote upon.  Same sex marriage.  Legalization of marijuana.   Some people use the system to take action in perhaps the only way that our elected representatives in California understand.

I am asking for somebody to write up the following concept to place on the next ballot.  This is my proposal but I have no experience in Constitutional Law and this may need a work over by somebody with that sort of expertise.  I would think that the NRA may be helpful in collecting signatures that may be necessary to make this happen.

Please read this and if you agree, please share the link on every social media application you can even if they do not live in the State of California.  It could be an example for your own state to follow.

click on "read more" below

Skid Row Los Angeles, a URM story

A short video from the folks at www.urm.org

Firearms Problems in California - Not the obvious type

There are three gun stores on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank.  Gun World is one of them.  The focus of this piece is on Gun World.

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