New Addition To The Den

Last week, I was perusing around and came across a Winchester firearms and ammunition sign.

It is metal and embossed. I checked with some Winchester enthusiasts and they say it is from the 1980s. 

Above, the Winchester sign in the den. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The only reason that I have doubts that it is a reproduction is that it is embossed, If it is original, it looks good for its age. I looked around for other examples of this sign but couldn't find any. 

Still, whether it is original or a reproduction, I am pleased with it. It only cost $11.00 and is now in the den.

2nd Amendment Rally Saturday In Santa Fe

Above, Zac Fort of the NMSSA addresses the 2020 Second
Amendment Rally at the State Capitol. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This coming Saturday, the Second Amendment Rally will take place at the State Capitol in Santa Fe at 10:00 am. 

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and plenty of concerned citizens will attend to support our Second Amendment rights.

Here's the official flyer:

 

NMSSA Legislative Update 1/30

 

Tomorrow, 1/31, the House Judiciary Committee will hear HB127, the under-21 gun ban, and HB137, the semiautomatic firearm and magazine ban and registry. Under HB127, those under 21 would not be allowed to keep their currently owned semiautomatic firearms and would be forced to sell or destroy them. HB137 would be the most restrictive ban on guns anywhere in the country if it is passed, banning the sale both semiautomatic rifles, semiautomatic handguns, and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. Current owners would be allowed to keep their guns and magazines under the bill, but they would be required them with the state. The meeting is scheduled for 1:30pm in Room 309 (zoom link). Here are pre-written emails to ask legislators to Oppose HB 127 and Oppose HB137. Also tomorrow, 1/31, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear SB69, the Senate version of a 14-day firearm waiting period. That meeting starts after the Senate afternoon floor session in Room 321 (zoom link). Another version of a tax credits for gun safe purchases has been introduced. HB266 will be heard in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee tomorrow, 1/31, scheduled for 1:30pm in Room 317 (zoom link) SB5 was voted on by the full State Senate today. The bill would ban firearms, both open and concealed, at polling places and within 100 ft. of a polling place, unless the carrier of the firearm was doing other business by the polling place. An amendment was offered to exempt concealed carry permit holders, but it was rejected. The final vote was 26-16 with Senator Hemphill joining with Republicans to oppose the bill. The bill now heads to the House side. HB144, which would create an "Office of Gun Violence Prevention" was passed on party lines by the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee this afternoon. We are certainly not opposed to collecting data on crimes in New Mexico, but the bill instead would give the governor another political weapon to use against lawful firearm ownership. We update the recipients of the following pre-written emails as the bills move through committees, so please continue to use them to contact legislators. Oppose HB27, Oppose HB129, Oppose HB114, Oppose SB5, Oppose SB69, Oppose SB90, Oppose SB204, and Oppose SJR12. House Judiciary Committee Christine Chandler - (D) christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4411 Andrea Romero - (D) andrea@andrearomero.com 505-986-4243 William "Bill" R. Rehm - (R) bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4214 Eliseo Lee Alcon - (D) eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4416 Gail Chasey - (D) gail@gailchasey.com 505-986-4777 Ryan Lane - (R) RYAN@LANEFORLIBERTY.COM 505-986-4758 Javier Martínez - (D) javier.martinez@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4782 Matthew McQueen - (D) matthew.mcqueen@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4423 Representative Jared Hembree - (R) jared.hembree@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4758 Andrea Reeb - (R) Andrea.Reeb@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4215 Reena Szczepanski - (D) reena.szczepanski@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4777 Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Joseph Cervantes - (D) joseph.cervantes@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4861 Senator Katy M. Duhigg - (D) katy.duhigg@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4270 Senator Cliff R. Pirtle - (R) cliff.pirtle@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4369  Senator Gregory A. Baca - (R) greg.baca@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4877 Senator Daniel A. Ivey-Soto - (D) daniel.ivey-soto@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4267 Senator Mark Moores - (R) mark.moores@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4877 Senator Bill B. O'Neill - (D) BILL@BILLONEILL4NM.COM 505-986-4260 Senator Mimi Stewart - (D) mimi.stewart@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4734 Senator Peter Wirth - (D) peter.wirth@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4727 House Commerce and Economic Development Doreen Y. Gallegos - (D) doreen.gallegos@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4329 Linda Serrato - (D) linda.serrato@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4243 Joshua N. Hernandez - (R) joshua.hernandez@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4221 Janelle Anyanonu - (D) Janelle.Anyanonu@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4464 Mark Duncan - (R) Mark.Duncan@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4214 Derrick J. Lente - (D) derrick.lente@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4420 Charlotte Little - (D) Charlotte.Little@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4254 Patricia A. Lundstrom - (D) patricia.lundstrom@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4249 Alan T. Martinez - (R) Alan.Martinez@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4220 Jimmy G. Mason - (R) Jimmy.Mason@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4226 Marian Matthews - (D) marian.matthews@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4438

Warmer Then Rain, Snow This Week

Above, four days ago on Whispering Cedars Road. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that we will be enjoying warmer than normal temperatures for the next two days in Jamestown-Gallup, New Mexico area.

But, Thursday night will see rain and snow showers through Saturday.

According to the National Weather Service:

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night

Increasing clouds, with a low around 32. South wind around 5 mph.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Thursday Night

Rain showers likely before 11pm, then rain and snow showers. Low around 34. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Friday

Snow showers, possibly mixed with rain, becoming all snow after 11am. High near 38. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Friday Night

Snow showers likely, mainly before 11pm. Patchy blowing snow between 8pm and 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday

A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy.

Nice Day

Above, after the drive. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After this morning's gathering down at Denny's at the Flying J, I got the Jeep out and did some driving around the subdivision. It is a nice sunny day in the upper 50s.

Supposedly, we're to get more snow starting Thursday. If this is the case, attending the McKinley County GOP convention at Sammy C's Thursday may be questionable. We'll see.

Above, with a bottle of Alien Amber Ale.

Otherwise, after today's drive, I settled down on the deck with a bottle of Alien Amber Ale and a cigar.

Retirement is grand!

Japan: An Ideal Destination For Elderly Travellers

Above, yours truly at the Kinkaku-ji "Golden Pavilion" in Kyoto in 2015.

It is hard to believe that in less than a week I will be saying goodbye to my sixties. 

For my age, I am in reasonably good shape. My weight is down (I am around 160 lbs.). I am following my cardiologist's instructions on getting exercise. I am regularly taking my medications. I still travel. 

For those still in middle age, don't laugh. Before you know it, you will be reaching retirement age.

One place that is an ideal destination for those in their "golden years" is Japan. I have been there eight times and plan on heading back.

Outlook Retirement has an article on why Japan is so ideal for seniors.

They begin it with:

With its harmonious blend of ancient traditions and cutting-edge modernity, Japan emerges as a perfect haven for elderly travellers seeking a unique and enriching experience. From serene temples and historic gardens to efficient public transportation and age-friendly amenities, Japan offers a multitude of reasons why it stands out as an ideal destination for those in their golden years.

 To read more, go here.

NMSSA Legislative Update 1/29

Today in the House Judiciary Committee, both HB27, the red-flag law expansion, and HB129, the house version of a 14-day waiting period, passed on party-line votes. HB129 was amended to change it from 14 business days to 14 days, but that was the only substantive change made to the bills. Both of those bills now head to the House Floor where HB114, the bill that would make the firearms industry an easy target for litigation that could put them out of business, already sits. Tomorrow 1/30, the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee will be hearing HB144. The bill would allow the state to funnel taxpayer dollars to gun control organizations. That meeting is scheduled for 1:30pm in Room 317 (zoom link). On Wednesday 1/31, the House Judiciary Committee will be hearing HB127, the under-21 gun ban, and HB137, the semiautomatic firearm and magazine ban and registry. HB137 would be the most restrictive ban on guns anywhere in the country if it is passed. The meeting is scheduled for 1:30pm in Room 309 (zoom link). Here are pre-written emails to ask legislators to Oppose HB 127 and Oppose HB137. We update the recipients of the following pre-written emails as the bills move through committees, so please continue to use them to contact legislators. Oppose HB27, Oppose HB129, Oppose HB114, Oppose SB5, Oppose SB69, Oppose SB90, Oppose SB204, and Oppose SJR12. House Judiciary Committee Christine Chandler - (D) christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4411 Andrea Romero - (D) andrea@andrearomero.com 505-986-4243 William "Bill" R. Rehm - (R) bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4214 Eliseo Lee Alcon - (D) eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4416 Gail Chasey - (D) gail@gailchasey.com 505-986-4777 Ryan Lane - (R) RYAN@LANEFORLIBERTY.COM 505-986-4758 Javier Martínez - (D) javier.martinez@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4782 Matthew McQueen - (D) matthew.mcqueen@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4423 Representative Jared Hembree - (R) jared.hembree@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4758 Andrea Reeb - (R) Andrea.Reeb@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4215 Reena Szczepanski - (D) reena.szczepanski@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4777 House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee Representative Joanne J. Ferrary - (D) 505-986-4844 joanne.ferrary@nmlegis.gov Representative Angelica Rubio - (D) 505-986-4210 angelica.rubio@nmlegis.gov Representative Stefani Lord - (R) 505-986-4453 info@lord2020.com Representative John Block - (R) 505-986-4453 John.Block@nmlegis.gov Representative Andrea Romero - (D) 505-986-4243 andrea@andrearomero.com Representative Elizabeth Thomson - (D) 505-986-4425 liz.thomson@nmlegis.gov

 

3 Best Hotels In Honolulu

Above, a view of Diamond Head from the Sheraton Waikiki. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Previously, I had blogged that hotels in Hawaii have hiked their prices around 70% since the end of the pandemic. Some say that this may ease the "overtourism" that has been reported.

Those who are undaunted about going to Hawaii, particularly Honolulu, The Manual has posted what they consider to be the three best hotels there.

As it turns out, the first one listed is the Sheraton Waikiki, which recently completed a massive renovation. I stayed there in 2016 and, even then, it was quite a nice hotel.

The Manual starts with: 

Honolulu is home to some 47,000 hotel rooms. And while it’s virtually impossible to have a bad time in paradise, some of these establishments are in an elite league of their own. Like the very best wines or a timeless rock ‘n’ roll record, the superiority lies in the details.

The following three hotels in Honolulu not only offer prime locations and unmatched service but also go the extra mile by way of unrivaled experiences like high tea or immersive luaus. Some are teeming with incredible history, while others get bonus points for being highly sustainable. Together, they capture the incredible brand of hospitality genuinely unique to Hawaii and allow visitors to absorb legendary Waikiki and Honolulu, Hawaii’s largest metro area and a delightfully diverse one at that.

To read more, go here. 

Silver Rises 1.65%

The spot price for silver has been in the doldrums for the past several weeks. It was in the $22.00/toz range last week. This was enticing enough for me to buy some 2024 American Silver Eagles.

However, silver has gone up 1.65% (at this writing) today. It is now at $23.250/toz.

Much of the increase in silver's spot price (and gold's) is attributed to the recent drone attack in Jordan that killed three U.S. servicemen.

According to Kitco News:

(Kitco News) - Gold and silver prices are mildly higher in midday U.S. trading Monday, but down from daily highs, on some safe-haven buying after a terrorist strike in Jordan killed three U.S. soldiers. February gold was last up $6.90 at $2,024.00. March silver was last up $0.248 at $23.12. 

Risk aversion is keener to start the trading week after an Iran-backed Houthi drone strike against U.S. troops in Jordan killed three U.S. soldiers. President Biden said the U.S. would respond.

Will it go even higher or fall back down? We shall see.

 

RV Life: Discover Lake Havasu City

Above, jet skiing on Lake Havasu. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the past several years, it has been somewhat of a pattern for me to go to Lake Havasu, Arizona. It is usually to visit friends and spending holidays with them. I usually average 2-3 visits per year.

Some of the things I've done in Lake Havasu includes boating, jet skiing, skeet shooting, camping and restauranting. I usually camp at Crazy Horse Campgrounds in my motorhome.

Above, camping at Crazy Horse Campgrounds. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Life has posted an article on the things one can do in Lake Havasu.

They begin it with:

The sunny desert town of Lake Havasu City offers RVers a welcome respite from the winter weather up north. Located 150 miles south of Las Vegas, Lake Havasu City is a stone’s throw away from the Nevada border. The destination offers something for everyone. Centrally located and a popular choice with RVers year round is Lake Havasu State Park, set along the shores of picturesque Lake Havasu. The lake, which is actually a reservoir, was created when Palmer Dam was constructed on the Colorado River in the 1930s. The reservoir created nearly 450 miles of shoreline.

To read more, go here. 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the week, we have Atlanta Rhythm Section with their 1977 hit, "So Into You". This is a live version from 1978 in London.

From Wikipedia:

Atlanta Rhythm Section (or ARS) is an American Southern rock band formed in 1970 by Rodney Justo (singer), Barry Bailey (guitar), Paul Goddard (bass), Dean Daughtry (keyboards), Robert Nix (drums) and J. R. Cobb (guitar). The band's current lineup consists of Justo, along with guitarists David Anderson and Steve Stone, keyboardist Lee Shealy, bassist Justin Senker and drummer Rodger Stephan.

Cowabunga!

Above, the longhorn residents of Mesa Ridge Ranch. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since today is a nice clear day at about 50°, I took the Jeep out for a drive around our subdivision and the neighboring Mesa Ridge Ranch subdivision.

The roads were a little muddy, but it was still an enjoyable drive.

At Mesa Ridge Ranch, I saw that the longhorn cattle were fairly close to their barrier fencing, so I pulled over to take a few pictures.

There is another occupied home at Mesa Ridge Ranch since the last time I drove through. 

Cleaning and Oiling Winchester 1894 Rifles

A couple of months ago, I found that cocking the lever of my Winchester 1894 .30-30 rifle wasn't pushing the trigger all the way back into firing position. I had to manually do so for it to fire.

Thinking that it was a worn out sear or some other internal problem, I brought it to a gunsmith in Thoreau, New Mexico to find out what the problem was.

It turned out that it only needed a "deep cleaning". After he did so, the trigger was pushed correctly into firing position with the lever. 

For my future reference (and for helping others) for cleaning the Winchester, I looked up videos on YouTube for correctly cleaning the 1894 and posted a couple of them below.

As the old saying goes, hope this helps!

Open Letter To The New Mexico Legislature

An open letter to the New Mexico legislature (I already sent an email version):

Don't be stupid!

There are several bills that infringe upon New Mexicans' Second Amendment rights that are before you during this legislative session. With the exception of the proposal of tax credits for buying a gun safe (a good idea), none of the bills before you are worth voting for. They will be either ineffective, unconstitutional, a gift to the trial lawyers or a gross infringement of rights.

I must remind you that this is an election year. If you vote to pass anti-Second Amendment laws this year, angry citizens will be out to the polling places in droves this November and they will remember your treasonous vote against their rights. You will be jeopardizing your political future if you vote to pass these bad bills.

Don't be stupid, vote no on these bills!

Dinner At Jerry's Cafe

Above Jerry's Cafe in Gallup. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the best Mexican restaurants (New Mexico style) in Gallup is Jerry's Cafe. 

The menu has a mix of Mexican and American foods and they are reasonably priced. The restaurant is a small one and quite often there are lines of customers waiting. 

Above, the cheese enchilada and chile relleno combo I had last night. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I headed there last evening for dinner and it was crowded as usual. But I was able to get a table right away. I was not in the mood for cooking at home after being somewhat cooped up at home due to snow storms, I decided to go to Jerry's.

I decided to try their cheese enchilada and chile relleno combo with red sauce. Red sauce is supposed to be milder than green sauce, but I started sweating after only a few bites. 

NMSSA Legislative Update 1/27

 

On Monday 1/29, the House Judiciary Committee will be hearing both HB27, the red-flag law expansion, and HB129, the house version of a 14 business-day waiting period. The meeting is scheduled for 1:30pm in Room 309 (zoom link). On Tuesday the 30th, the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee will be hearing HB144. The bill would allow the state to funnel taxpayer dollars to gun control organizations. That meeting is scheduled for 1:30pm in Room 317 (zoom link). Yesterday, HB114, the bill that would make the firearms industry an easy target for litigation that could put them out of business, passed the House Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote. The bill now heads for the House Floor. We need everyone to contact their representative and ask them to oppose the bill. The next vote on it is likely our best shot if we are going to stop this from becoming law. Here is a link to a pre-written email to Oppose HB114. SB69, the senate version of a 14 business day waiting period bill, passed out of the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee on a party-line vote yesterday. The bill now heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Bizarrely, the bill's sponsor Senator Cervantes, who is also chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, claimed that the Bruen decision from the Supreme Court will be overturned soon and "won't last six months" during the committee hearing. The bill now heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, SB5, the polling place gun ban passed out of the committee on a party-line vote. The bill now heads to the Senate Floor. Here is a link to a pre-written email to Oppose SB5. While it is frustrating to see gun control bills seemingly roll right through committees, participation from gun owners and Second-Amendment supporters has been noticeably lighter this year. If we are going to stop bad legislation in Santa Fe, we are all need to step up and advocate for our rights. HB81, the gun safe tax credit bill, was unanimously passed in House Commerce and Economic Development Committee on Friday. The bill now heads to the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. Here are links to pre-written emails to send to legislators asking them to oppose gun control bills. Oppose HB27, Oppose HB 127, Oppose HB129, Oppose HB137, Oppose SB69, Oppose SB90, and Oppose SJR12. We put these together with our partners at Better Together NM. House Judiciary Committee Christine Chandler - (D) christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4411 Andrea Romero - (D) andrea@andrearomero.com 505-986-4243 William "Bill" R. Rehm - (R) bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4214 Eliseo Lee Alcon - (D) eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4416 Gail Chasey - (D) gail@gailchasey.com 505-986-4777 Ryan Lane - (R) RYAN@LANEFORLIBERTY.COM 505-986-4758 Javier Martínez - (D) javier.martinez@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4782 Matthew McQueen - (D) matthew.mcqueen@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4423 Representative Jared Hembree - (R) jared.hembree@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4758 Andrea Reeb - (R) Andrea.Reeb@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4215 Reena Szczepanski - (D) reena.szczepanski@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4777 Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Joseph Cervantes - (D) joseph.cervantes@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4861 Senator Katy M. Duhigg - (D) katy.duhigg@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4270 Senator Cliff R. Pirtle - (R) cliff.pirtle@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4369  Senator Gregory A. Baca - (R) greg.baca@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4877 Senator Daniel A. Ivey-Soto - (D) daniel.ivey-soto@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4267 Senator Mark Moores - (R) mark.moores@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4877 Senator Bill B. O'Neill - (D) BILL@BILLONEILL4NM.COM 505-986-4260 Senator Mimi Stewart - (D) mimi.stewart@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4734 Senator Peter Wirth - (D) peter.wirth@nmlegis.gov 505-986-4727 House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee Representative Joanne J. Ferrary - (D) 505-986-4844 joanne.ferrary@nmlegis.gov Representative Angelica Rubio - (D) 505-986-4210 angelica.rubio@nmlegis.gov Representative Stefani Lord - (R) 505-986-4453 info@lord2020.com Representative John Block - (R) 505-986-4453 John.Block@nmlegis.gov Representative Andrea Romero - (D) 505-986-4243 andrea@andrearomero.com Representative Elizabeth Thomson - (D) 505-986-4425 liz.thomson@nmlegis.gov

Hawaii Hotel Prices Up 70%, May Stifle Overtourism

Above, the Sheraton Waikiki in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The "powers that be" in Hawaii are talking about stifling overtourism by adding fees lately.'

However, that may not be necessary since hotel room rates have risen 70% since the end of the pandemic. They may take care of the overtourism "problem".

According to Beat of Hawaii:

With the nightly cost of Hawaii hotels, the state may not need to worry much longer about over-tourism. Between high prices and the pressure on vacation rentals, the issue could become self-regulating. Regular commenter John W. said today that “Hawaii hotel prices are outlandish.” And we concur. The December numbers speak for themselves.

BOH editors will be in West Maui in February to bring you more on-the-ground coverage. What we found, no matter how hard we tried, or where we looked, was what we deemed to be just too high pricing. In the end, given the cost, we chose not to book yet, waiting until the last minute. In addition to costs, the cancellation notice and penalties were too much to feel comfortable.

To read more, go here.