“What makes the green grass grow?”

“Blood, blood, bright red blood makes the green grass grow, Drill Sargent!”

Such was part of my Basic Training. I memorized the serial numbers of my M16A2′s. Then years I was in, and likely over a thousand rounds I shot, not one in anger, nor anybody killed. This is despite many deployments. I am glad of that. The M16 use 5.56mm ammo and can use .223 ammo. The A2 version has a three round burst. The A1 version was not used by most soldiers in my time. The A1 version had full automatic. The reason they moved to the A2 was to conserve ammo. In Vietnam, soldier got scared, put it on full auto, and emptied there magazines in  to the brush, hitting only ghosts. If I wanted to take my weapon to the range to practice, I was told to buy .223 long ammo. We were always cleaning the weapons. The good thing about the M16 is it uses cheap ammo, and is US made. The bad is it jams easy. A less prone to jamming is the AK weapons. I can still field strip the M16, though they are easy. The basic load for soldier is 210 rounds, or seven 30 round magazines. A perfect score on the rifle range is 40 “kills” on torso shaped targets, using 40 rounds.

In typical knee-jerk fashion, people spout things off.

“who needs 500 round magazines?” I have never seen a 500 round mag. Have you tried holding up that much ammo, even if it is small caliber?

“Three states banned the .223 for hunting.” Only because the .223 is a bit on the small side to effectively kill large game. Though that was never tested.

“Ban the .233 ammo, it is only used in assault rifles.” Actually, it is the most popular round in the US. There is a shortage on it right now because of the talk of gun control.

“Assault rifles are made to kill at a distance.” All guns are made to kill at a distance. Some are for game(animals), some for Geneva class 1 humans, other for criminals.

The larger the caliber, the more force it can impart on a target, and longer distance the bullet will travel. A magazine is just a box with a spring or two to push the ammo towards the gun. A clip holds the ammo from the manufacture for orderly, and fast loading in to magazine.

With that out of the way, gun bans do not work. Case in point, Sandy Hook, Ct. The idiot and coward who slaughtered all those children and adults, was too young to carry a gun. It is illegal to murder. Connecticut has gun control in place, including assault weapons ban. Things are still a bit murky. However he planned that horrendous act, murdered his own Mother, destroyed his computer hard drive to the point of unable to retrieve info off it, drove to the school, and slaughtered those people.

Despite only one legal place to buy guns in all of Mexico, thousands die from guns. Mexico is very strict about guns and ammo. Do not get caught even bringing ammo in to their country.

New York, Chicago, D.C., all have bans, yet they still have gun problems. Harvard did a study which showed banning does not work. Russia banned guns long ago, and has a higher rate of murder by guns than the US.

At airports we have cameras that determine suspicious behavior, why cannot we have these at our schools? Why isn’t out mental health system better? What is causing so many mental health problems?

The problem with gun control, is the stupid, insane, and criminals do not follow it. However our law abiding citizens are negativity affected. With the speed of information flows now, machining, and 3d-printing a gun ban is ineffective anyhow.

We cannot prevent another one from happening. That was a lie you were told.

Thompson, D-St. Helena, a hunter and gun owner, was appointed chairman of the Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force in the wake of the Dec. 14 massacre at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school.

He opened the public forum by declaring that it is “not a hearing on the Second Amendment” and noting that there is “no magic wand that can be waved” to prevent another such tragedy.

By six delegates or so. Or wins two of four races last night.

With CNN showing a difference of three and six percent for the two southern sates, did the win really matter? For the delegate count it did not count for much. For keeping Santorum going it did.

I will not vote for Santorum.

How Mitt Romney Still Won the Night

Then you can go with insightful headline such as

Mitt’s Big Owie!

Sent from my iPod

Begin forwarded message:

From: “Heather Lindsteadt” <ncra.heather>
Date: March 8, 2012 11:12:42 AM PST
To: “‘Heather Lindsteadt’” <ncra.heather>
Subject: NCRA Board Meeting Cancellation

NCRA NOTICE OF MEETING CANCELLATION MARCH 2012.pdf

Enjoy yourselves if you can. I wish those who have to work, our armed forces, and the less fortunate the best. May your burdens be lightened.

gCaptain article

Interesting article on the proper way to do so.

Sent from my iPod

Begin forwarded message:

From: “Heather Lindsteadt” <ncra.heather>
Date: July 8, 2011 8:30:37 AM PDT
To: “‘Heather Lindsteadt’” <ncra.heather>
Subject: NCRA Meeting Cancellation

The North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) Regular Board Meeting scheduled for July 13, 2011 has been canceled.

The next Regular NCRA Board Meeting will be held at the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Chambers on August 24, 2011 – 10:30 a.m.

Please contact the NCRA office if you require additional information.

Thank you,

Heather Lindsteadt

North Coast Railroad Authority

419 Talmage Road, Suite M

Ukiah, Ca 95482

Phone 707-463-3280

Fax: 707-463-3282

NCRA NOTICE OF MEETING CANCELLATION July 13, 2011.pdf

Just need City of Novato to approve modified agreement. In the attached PDF it lists materials the railroad will haul.

NCRA Press Release 062111.doc