Facebook Ridiculousness

Facebook is getting very ridiculous!

I just posted about next week's Nassau, Bahamas weather for next week on my blog and I shared it on my Facebook account. A friend and I are going to take a cruise there next week.

Within minutes, they removed it saying it violated their rules on spam. I then requested a review. It isn't selling anything, it is just talking about the weather forecast for an upcoming trip.

This is one of many such acts Facebook had taken against my posts. They are getting ridiculous. If it weren't for all of my photos and my means of contacting family and friends, I'd leave Facebook. 

The insanity continues at Facebook! The First Amendment doesn't exist there.

Next Week's Nassau Weather

Above, the Norwegian Sky cruise ship.

We're only days away from a cruise to Nassau, Bahamas aboard the Norwegian Sky.

Unfortunately, at this time, it appears the weather during the cruise isn't the most optimum. At least there's no chance for a hurricane. 

According to the Weather Channel, this is next week's weather forecast for Nassau:

It'll be interesting to see how things work out.

Harris Walks Back On Calls For AR-15 Confiscation

Above, target-shooting with an AR-15 at the gun range. Photo by Armand Vaquer,

When politicians change their stands on issues to be more appealing to voters, one must take these with a grain of salt.

This is flip-flopping.

They may say they changed on some issues, but what's to stop them from changing their stances again once they get elected? In other words, don't trust them! They may say one thing one day and then change it to another the next.

According to The Reload:

The Democratic candidate for President no longer wants to force millions of Americans to sell their AR-15s and similar firearms to the government.

At least, that’s the line her campaign is taking. Unnamed officials with the Kamala Harris campaign told the New York Times on Monday that the Vice President no longer supports many of the progressive policy stances she took during her first presidential run in 2019, including a mandatory buyback of civilian-owned “assault weapons.” Instead, her campaign said that she merely supports banning the sale of those guns moving forward.

The Harris Campaign confirmed the position change in an email to The Reload.

“Correct, the VP will not push for a mandatory buy back as president,” Lauren Hitt, a Harris spokesperson, told The Reload. “She has expressed support for red flag laws, universal background checks and an assault weapons ban.”

The about-face on gun confiscation and retreat to the more politically palatable, though still controversial, stance of an assault weapon sales ban signals the Harris Campaign will more or less track with President Joe Biden on gun policy. It comes amidst a broader shift by the Harris team to pivot back towards more moderate political stances with an eye toward a general election contest against former President Donald Trump this November. In addition to walking back her call for gun confiscation, the Harris campaign also told the Times that she no longer supports banning fracking, eliminating private health insurance to shift toward a single-payer system, or abolishing immigration enforcement.

To read more, go here. 

Fireball over Albuquerque

 

KOB Channel 4 News posted a video of a fireball meteor over Albuquerque on July 28 by Richard Spinello. The above is a screen capture of the meteor video.

The meteor looked like the fireballs in the 1953 War of the Worlds. 

NRA-ILA: Kamala Harris An Existential Threat To the Second Amendment

His Fraudulency Joe Biden was bad enough on Second Amendment rights, but his soon-to-be-coronated Kamala Harris hold even more extreme anti-gun rights views. After all, she is from the San Francisco Bar Area political machine.

NRA-ILA posted an article on her existential threat to the Second Amendment and her support for gun confiscation.

The begin it with:

Since President Joe Biden unceremoniously dropped out, or was forced out, of the 2024 presidential race on July 21, Vice President Kamala Harris has been effectively coronated as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Gun owners should understand that Harris poses the gravest threat to their Second Amendment rights. In fact, Harris’s record suggests that she does not believe the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms at all. Moreover, Harris has repeatedly called for government confiscation of some of America’s most popular firearms.

To read more, go here. 

Election Interference Is Beginning, Folks!

The New York Post reported:

Through false labels, confused artificial intelligence and strange search results, Big Tech has been suppressing coverage of the assassination attempt against Donald Trump, The Post has found.

Meta’s AI assistant claimed the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was a “fictional” event — but had plenty to say about Democratic rival Kamala Harris’ run for the White House.

The head-scratching results from what Mark Zuckerberg’s tech giant bills as the most intelligent AI assistant comes after Google’s dominant search engine failed to bring up the July 13 shooting when prompted on its search bar.

And Meta’s Facebook acknowledged that it mistakenly censored the iconic image of Trump with his fist raised in the immediate aftermath of the July 13 shooting in Pennsylvania.

To read more, go here. 

Remember, the New York Post was right about Hunter's laptop.

Elon Musk's Kamala Harris Video

 Satire, but still hits home. Shared by Elon Musk at X.

Commiefornia Gov. Gavin Newsom didn't like this video and wants to make parody illegal and threatened to sign a law outlawing it (or audio manipulation on parodies). 

In response to Newsom, Elon Musk replied:

I checked with renowned world authority, Professor Suggon Deeznutz, and he said parody is legal in America 

The Cavalry Ain't Comin'

 

$15/Hour Minimum Wage Hurting Colorado Rafting Outfitters

Above, yours truly rafting the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming in 2019.

Another factor of inflation these days (that doesn't get as much coverage as it should) is the raising of minimum wages in different states. 

Everyone is aware of the high prices at fast food restaurants due to higher minimum wages, but there are some businesses that are suffering which are not on anyone's radar.

One such business is the river rafting industry in Colorado. Colorado is a blue state dominated by radical Democrats.

A Colorado rafting company recently lost a court battle over the state's $15.00/hour minimum wage.

MSN.com reported:

GRANITE, Colo. (KKTV) -A recent federal court ruling could increase the cost of rafting on the Arkansas River. Colorado river outfitters, including Arkansas Valley Adventures, have lost their legal fight to avoid paying state-mandated minimum wages to their raft guides.

The decision, handed down on April 30 by the federal court, upheld a $15 per hour minimum wage, following an appeal to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year.

The outfitters argued that the wage increase would escalate their operating costs, potentially leading to higher prices for customers and fewer available trips. The government contends that higher wages will boost worker productivity and improve service quality.

“You know, we’re going to pay you twice as much but guess what, we don’t have any work. It wouldn’t help us. We didn’t want that. We wanted an exemption. We wanted to understand our situation, and that just didn’t happen,” said Arkansas Valley Adventures owner Duke Bradford.

A $15.00/hour minimum wage sounds lovely, but that won't do anyone any good if companies have to cut back or even go out of business. The river rafting industry is especially hurt since it is seasonal.

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, the last week of July, we have The Leaves, a garage rock 'n roll band from the San Fernando Valley with their 1966 hit "Hey Joe". This version predates the version by the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967. Although revered as the Hendrix version is, The Leaves' version has a better kick to it. 

Back in 1966, this version was covered instrumentally at a talent show during the 1966-67 school year at Richard Henry Dana Intermediate School in Hawthorne, California by Susie Klingenhagen on lead guitar and Jerry McGuire on drums. They killed it. Susie later became a member of the country-rock girl group Sweethearts of the Rodeo. Funny thing, Susie couldn't remember what they played at the talent show until I told her. That's the benefit having a mind like flypaper, I guess.

According to Wikipedia:

The Leaves were an American garage rock band formed in the San Fernando Valley, California, in 1964. They are best known for their version of the song "Hey Joe", which was a hit in 1966. Theirs is the earliest release of this song, which became a rock standard.

The band was founded by bass player Jim Pons and guitarist Robert Lee Reiner, who were inspired by hearing The Beatles while students at Cal State Northridge (then known as San Fernando Valley State College) in Los Angeles.

Here's two videos of The Leaves performing the song. One is a live television performance and the other a stereo version. 

 

Sunday Drive

Above, the Jeep on Maverick Road in Mesa Ridge Ranch. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before it gets hotter out, I took a Sunday drive up Maverick Road in the neighboring (and new) subdivision of Mesa Ridge Ranch. It has been a few months since I was last there.

Above, a windshield view looking north towards the mesas. The longhorn cattle are at right. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to my count, there are now 6 residences there, one of which consists of a Coleman travel trailer and tent. The rest are double-wide mobile homes.

I stopped to see and take some pictures of the longhorn cattle. They were relaxing in a shady section of their lot next to the road. There was one calf.

After the stop, I headed down the road to our subdivision.

Here's the longhorn cattle: 

Lassen National Park Closed Due To Park Fire

Above, Manzanita Lake Campground store in 2017. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It seems that just about every year there's a wildfire at Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California.

I visited there in 2017 during my Great American Eclipse trip. I also visited Crater Lake National Park.

During my 2017 trip, I stayed at Lassen's Manzanita Lake Campground. Now that campground is threatened by the Park Fire.

According to YubaNet:

MINERAL, Calif. – Three years after the Dixie Fire consumed much of the eastern portion of Lassen Volcanic National Park, the massive Park Fire is approaching the park’s western edge, prompting National Park Service officials to close the park. 

Visitors have been evacuated from all campgrounds, and reservations have been canceled. All park employees have been evacuated from park housing and their homes in the community, most staying in hotels. 

Fire officials speculate that the fire has potential to reach both Manzanita Lake and Mineral Headquarters. These are areas that were not hit during the Dixie Fire. 

The historic district at park headquarters in Mineral in the southwest portion of the park includes structures built by the California Conservation Corps in the 1930s. On the northwest side of the park is the pristine Manzanita Lake campground and historic district that was spared by the Dixie Fire during the summer of 2021. Staff are scrambling to save historic artifacts stored in the 1927 Loomis Museum.

To read more, go here.  

In-N-Out Burger Expanding To New Mexico

Above, inside the Lake Havasu City In-N-Out restaurant. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I posted about this last year, but this is from MSN.com. It is about In-N-Out Burger coming to New Mexico.  

Right now, the only places with decent burgers are Big Ass Burgers in Thoreau, New Mexico and Blake's Lotaburger at several locations in Gallup.

MSN.com starts with:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – In-N-Out Burger is officially coming to New Mexico, the California-based fast-food burger chain announced Tuesday.

In-N-Out Burger said that it will be serving burgers, fries, and shakes in Albuquerque in 2027. “We can’t wait to have smiling associates serving customers quality burgers, fries and shakes in such a unique, beautiful state,” Lynsi Snyder, president and owner of In-N-Out Burger, wrote in part on In-N-Out Burger’s Facebook post.

In-N-Out Burger did not say where the restaurants would be located in Albuquerque, stating in a news release that “Initial development plans are underway for locations in Albuquerque to open by 2027, with future expansion to other cities in the years beyond.”

In-N-Out Burger said it will utilize a company distribution facility in Colorado Springs to get its products to New Mexico.

Currently, New Mexicans have to travel out of state to eat at In-N-Out Burger. The closest locations are in Colorado, Arizona, Utah and Texas. The chain also has locations in California, Nevada and Oregon.

To read more, go here. 

Doug Hamlin New NRA Executive Vice President and CEO

The August 2024 issue of the NRA's American Rifleman magazine arrived in the mail.

The magazine reported that over 72,500 NRA members attended the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Dallas in May. This was a good sign. 

The NRA Board met on Monday after the show and elected new leadership. Doug Hamlin, who was the executive director of NRA Publications, was named Executive Vice President and CEO of the NRA, a position once held by Wayne LaPierre. 

Hamlin didn't waste time. He has announced new accounting practices that are transparent and they will be held accountable to the membership. 

Wienermobile Rolls Over On Chicago Freeway

 

An Oscar Meyer Wienermobile rolled over after the driver over-compensated and lost control on a Chicago freeway last Monday.

Too bad this didn't happen during G-FEST two weeks prior. It would have been something interesting to see.

Meanwhile, At The San Diego Comicon...

This is one of the most iconic Silver Age Superman covers. I remember my next-door neighbor having this issue back in the early 1960s.

According to Arlen Schumer on Facebook:

AS SEEN AT THE SAN DIEGO COMICON:

Only $145,000?

It's only one of--if not the--GREATEST single images of Superman ever rendered, by the magnificent pencils of the greatest single Superman artist ever, Curt Swan, and the to-this-day overwhelmingly, stunningly gorgeous black and white wash tones by the great head of DC Comics coloring during the Silver Age, Jack Adler (p.s. Howard Stern's cousin/uncle?).

It's priceless.

It was the first comic book I remember holding in my 5-year-old hands.

(A tip o' the cape to my Super-friend Steven L. Austin for super-spotting it!)

Here's the published cover: 

 $145,000 does seem to be cheap for such an iconic cover's original art.

RFK Jr. Discussing Trump Endorsement?

Above, Robert Kennedy Jr. campaign photo.

Sebastian Gorka posted the following:

 

I know Kennedy is not enamored with Kamala Harris. When she began her campaign after Biden dropped out, he said she "doesn't stand for anything."

Second Amendment: Harris Might Be Worse Than Biden

The withdrawal of His Fraudulency Joe Biden and the backing of Kamala Harris makes not much difference, policy-wise they are much the same. Same horrendous policies, just different packaging.

But, when is comes to Second Amendment gun rights, Harris just might be worse than Biden. At least that's according to the Buckeye Firearms Association. Small wonder, Kamala Harris has extensive communist ties, from her Marxist parents to her associations over the years.

They posted:

The forces pushing in on President Joe Biden and hastening him to quit the 2024 presidential campaign won. Now all eyes and attention are turned toward Vice President Kamala Harris to pick up the torch. She’s the presumptive Democratic nominee until things are finalized at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month, but all signs point to her coronation as the Democratic candidate to challenge Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump in November.

Sure, there are some significant differences between President Biden and Vice President Harris. Most notably age, gender and race, but on policies — specifically, the Second Amendment — Vice President Harris owns the entire failed and horrendous record she helped push along during the three and a half years of the Biden administration. And she could be even worse.  

From the president deeming the entire firearm industry — all 384,000 hardworking and proud Americans employed in it — as the “enemy” in 2019, to his gun control executive actions and the creation of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention (headed up by Vice President Harris herself) to push gun control propaganda and all the way to repeating his call to ban the most popular-selling centerfire semi-automatic rifle in the country following a failed assassination attempt on former President Trump by a disturbed individual not two weeks ago, Vice President Harris has been in lockstep with President Biden, with no daylight in between.

 To read more, go here.

RV SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR BURNING MAN: TIPS AND TRICKS

 

For those who have never been to the Burning Man festival, like me, an article from Do It Yourself RV could very well help one survive it.

If I were 20 years or more younger, I might consider going to it. I know of one person who attended (a fellow Clamper's son and girlfriend). and that was back in the 1990s.

For those who are not familiar with the week-long festival in the desert, in a nutshell, here's what it is:

Burning Man takes place in Black Rock City, a temporary community built in the Black Rock Desert of northwestern Nevada. The location is about 141 miles north of Reno and far from big cities.

Burning Man is a week-long counterculture festival that takes place annually in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. The festival is centered around community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance, and is named after the burning of a large wooden effigy called "the Man" on the penultimate night. The festival has been held since 1986, and has grown from a small ritual on Baker Beach in San Francisco to a large-scale event that draws tens of thousands of participants, known as "burners".

Do It Yourself RV begins their article with:

In 2007, I took my first trip to Burning Man. I went with a group of female friends and even took my 75-year-old mother. At the time, my mom and I were camping in a tiny teardrop trailer, and we had a group shelter made from PVC pipe and a parachute.

During that week, a 40-mile-an-hour wind ripped apart our shelter. I got trapped in a dust storm for several hours, miles from camp. And the largest structure ever built at the event was blown apart by 900 gallons of jet fuel.

Even after all of that, I fell in love with Burning Man and continued to go for more than a decade!

To read the full article, go here. 

RV Water Filters Explained

Above, the fresh water hose is connected to the water filter at the RV's water intake. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I camp, I generally drink, make coffee and cook with bottled water instead of the water available at the campground. You never know what you're getting.

But, there are those who drink from their RV's tap and it is important to make sure your fresh water tank has been sanitized. But if one drinks the water provided by the campground, having a water filter is a good idea.

That's the topic of an article in RV Life.

They begin it with:

We all need water, but many take it for granted. Open the tap at home and safe drinking water fills your glass, cooking pot, and coffee maker.

Most municipalities treat and ensure the safety of drinking water. Some people still choose to add filters to eliminate the bad taste that can come with treated water. However, the water is filtered and safe for drinking straight out of the tap.

When RVing, access to treated water isn’t always the case. This can result in water that’s unsafe for drinking and can cause issues with your RV.

The easy solution is adding an RV water filter to your RV water-supply system. Just like you may have a filter in your home at the main water supply or under your sink, the setup is similar for RVs.

RV water filters add a level of protection through the filtration of incoming water. They are an easy DIY add-on to any RV.

Canister-style round filters enclosed in a plastic housing direct water through the filter (or filters in some cases), and into the RV water lines. The most common installation location is between the water-supply hookup and the inlet for the water supply into your RV. 

To read more, go here. 

Kamala Harris Burdened By What She Had Been: Border Czar

The liberal media are tripping over themselves trying to rewrite history concerning Kamala Harris's appointment as "border czar". 

Their gaslighting lies are being led by Axios, who themselves reported that Harris was appointed "border czar" back in 2021. 

Well, social media is digging up plenty of "receipts" showing that the liberal media did report that Harris was appointed "border czar", a position she failed miserably.

As she herself has said, "What can be, unburdened by what has been." She doesn't want to be "burdened" by what actually was.

As President Ronald Reagan said, "Facts are stubborn things!"

George Lazenby Retiring From Public Life

Above, a photo autographed by George Lazenby.

One-time James Bond (On Her Majesty's Secret Service) actor George Lazenby is retiring from public life and will just concentrate on his family.

The 84 year old actor posted on X:

(1/3) This hasn’t been an easy decision but it’s time to announce my retirement from work. Therefore, I won’t be doing any more acting or making public appearances, doing any more interviews or signing any more autographs as of today. It’s been a fun ride but getting older is...

(2/3) no fun. I would like to thank my manager and friend, Anders Frejdh, for helping me since 2013 - the best representative I ever had. I can now concentrate on spending more time with my family. My sincere gratitude to everyone out there for your love and support over the...

(3/3) years. It has meant a lot to me. George xx

Lazenby took over the role of James Bond in 1969 from Sean Connery, but he didn't get along with the producers and got bad advice from his management and left the role after the one movie. 

He fell last December that caused a brain injury. Following treatment, he returned home to Los Angeles. 

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is considered by Bond fans to be one of the best movies in the series. It is one of my favorites.

RPNM Statement On Biden's Address To Nation

 

RPNM Statement on Biden's Address to the Nation Since Announcing Withdrawal from Presidential Race

ALBUQUERQUE, JULY 24—This evening, President Joe Biden addressed the nation in person after being absent from the public eye for multiple days and since announcing via social media that he was dropping out of the presidential race. "Tonight, President Biden did not address why he decided to step down from the presidential race or assure Americans that he is fit to carry out the rest of his term," said Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce. "President Biden attempted to solidify his legacy tonight, but it fell flat for New Mexicans, many of whom find themselves worse off than before he took office. What was particularly dishonest was Biden's talk about saving democracy after the Democratic Party discarded New Mexicans' primary vote to install a new presidential ticket." The questions we're still left with are: Was Biden's mental and physical fitness the reason for his sudden withdrawal, despite his consistent claims that he was staying in the race? Why is Biden withdrawing from the race now, just 100 days before the election and after the primary? Why won't Biden step down from his presidency if he is not physically and mentally fit to run for president? How do the NM Democratic candidates justify staunchly supporting Joe Biden and lying about his fitness for office until his disastrous debate performance sunk his rating in the polls?

Delta Airlines Issues Apology To Passengers Over Outage

Above, a Delta jet at the Twin Falls, Idaho airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Next month, I am to go with a friend on a cruise to the Bahamas. The package includes flights to and from Miami via Delta Airlines.

Currently, Delta and other airlines are canceling flights. This is fallout from a massive IT outage that took place last Friday.

According to ABC News:

Delta apologized for its widespread cancellations and delays over the last several days, issuing a new message Wednesday to customers affected by the fallout from the global IT outage last Friday.

The airline also says it plans to issue 10,000 bonus miles and offers to reimburse "reasonable expenses."

“Please accept our sincere apologies for the disruption to your recent travel plans caused by a vendor technology outage affecting airlines and companies worldwide,” the airline said. “Delta teams have been working tirelessly to restore our operation to get our customers safely to their final destinations. We understand that unexpected disruptions like this are difficult for everyone and do not reflect the operational reliability and experience you have come to know and expect from us.”

Delta also said that if passengers incurred “any hotel, meal, or transportation expenses while in transit resulting from this flight disruption,” they may submit a claim to the airline for a reasonable expenses reimbursement.

“Please note that we do not reimburse prepaid expenses, including but not limited to hotel reservations at your destination, vacation experiences, lost wages, concerts, or other tickets,” Delta said.  

Thousands of flights were canceled in the U.S. after American Airlines, United and Delta asked the FAA for global ground stop on all flights.

We are keeping an eye on further developments along with weather conditions. After all, we're in hurricane season.

To read more, go here. 

Gun Controllers Line Up Behind Harris

The Democrats and their media toadies are having orgasms over the selection by His Fraudulency Joe Biden of Kamala Harris. The gushing by the media over Harris reminds me of the "tingling legs" of Chris Matthews over Barack Obama. This is all fraudulent. They are trying to present the illusion that she has widespread support. 

The gushings are phony as Harris hardly made a dent in 2020 when she was a candidate for president and dropped out before even a single vote was cast. 

One major problem with Harris is that she will continue the anti-Second Amendment policies of Biden and would likely make them worse. 

Already the gun controllers are lining up behind Harris.

America's 1st Freedom posted:

As Biden and Harris formed the most anti-Second Amendment ticket in history, it should come as no surprise that anti-Second Amendment groups that supported Biden now move to Harris. Here is what these groups had to say of the presumptive nominee.

“Following President Joe Biden’s announcement today that he will not seek reelection, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention group, endorses Vice President Kamala Harris to be the next Democratic presidential candidate,” wrote the gun-control group Brady.

The group also touted this administration’s passage of the misleadingly named Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the establishment of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention (which Harris heads) and the confirmation of Steve Dettelbach to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

If you value your Second Amendment rights, it is imperative that you get out and vote against radical leftist Kamala Harris.

To read more, go here. 

Democrat Election Scam Broken Down

Copied from X:

Here is the Democrat election scam broken down:

They create the illusion of support for a candidate by pumping them up in the media apparatus that they fully control.

They use billionaires to launder money to the candidate through straw donors on ActBlue. $3,300 max per person? No problem! Just funnel a billionaire’s $$ through hundreds of thousands of names. Wow look how “popular” they are!

Polling companies work for them so that’s no issue either. Just show the “transformational” candidate with strong numbers based on imaginary data. Now the public believes they “have a chance”.

Then they register 8+ million illegals to vote. They don’t need them to actually cast a ballot and risk getting caught. They just need that name on the voter roll so they can pump out a fake ballot and throw it in a dropbox undetected in a few key swing states. 

The Deep State FBI and DOJ won’t even open an investigation so no issue there, and if any judges start getting a little too close to allowing an actual trial showing evidence, that judge gets a very threatening phone call. Then boom, every single case is dismissed on standing - what great luck for them!

Then when they steal it, they ban anyone on social media calling out their scam, put up barbed wire around the Capitol, use thousands of troops to keep the public away, and start new wars across the globe for years on end. 

We no longer live in a free country.

We live under a communist regime masquerading as a Constitutional Republic. 

Trump is their greatest threat and they just tried to put a bullet in his head.

Secret Service Director Cheatle Resigns

 

JD Vance Is A True Second Amendment Champion

Above, former President Donald Trump and Sen. J. D. Vance at the
2024 Republican National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Anyone who has doubts about Sen. J. D. Vance's bonafides over the Second Amendment, an article posted at NRA-ILA should dispel them.

They begin with:

Last week, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), accepted the Republican party’s nomination for vice president at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, WI. Sen. Vance’s life story is well-known to many through his best-selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, which recounts his familial roots in Eastern Kentucky and his hardscrabble upbringing in Middletown, OH. True to form, President Trump choose a patriot with deep ties to Heartland America and to the values and struggles of its resilient, self-reliant people. JD Vance went on to serve with the U.S. Marines in Iraq, graduate from Ohio State University, and then distinguish himself at Yale Law School. He has not, however, forgotten where he came from. He has an unwavering voting record on Second Amendment issues as a U.S. senator, and his acceptance speech drew the most applause as he recounted finding 19 loaded handguns in his grandmother’s house after her death, which he said reflected her determination never to leave her loved ones unprotected. JD Vance is a solidly pro-gun choice for vice president and can be trusted to protect the rights of America’s gun owners.

To read more, go here. 

USA Today: Silver Is Up 20.38% This Year

Above, 1889 Morgan Silver Dollar BU. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those of us who have included silver in their investment portfolios, the metal is doing quite well this year.

According to USA Today (posted yesterday):

The price of silver opened at $28.80 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s down 0.86% from the previous day and up 20.38% year to date.

The lowest trading price within the last day: $28.75 per ounce. The highest silver spot price in the last 24 hours: $29.43 per ounce.

To read more, go here. 

Something Familiar At The Federalist Blog

Something familiar with a new post at The Federalist blog.

The above is easily applicable to the whole Democrat Party.

Keeping Political Polar Opposite Friends

Above, I found out recently that Jessica Tseang is opposite politically
 to me. We haven't ever discussed politics and I have plans to do so. 

In this polarized era where conservatives and liberals are practically at each other's throats over this election campaign and politics in general, one wonders how friends who are polar opposites politically can remain friends.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, of course. 

One can look back at actors James Stewart and Henry Fonda. Stewart was a conservative and Fonda a liberal. They both came from the same era of movies and were great friends, yet were very opposite politically. They managed to remain friends over the decades until death took them.

How did they manage to accomplish this? 

It was simple. They did not discuss politics at all. Each knew where the other stood but did not raise the subject of politics. 

I have some left-leaning friends. We manage to remain so because we don't discuss politics. We confine our conversations strictly to subjects that are shared interests such as movies, ECV, Godzilla, comic books, travel, etc.

So if one wants to keep the peace with friends who don't share one's views politically, just don't discuss politics. 

RFK Jr. On Biden Withdrawal

Above, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. campaign photo.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted the following on X:

I commend President Biden for stepping down. His infirmities were evident to any unbiased observer from the beginning. It was this progressive deterioration — and his abandonment of Democratic Party principles — that prompted me to enter the race and ensure American voters had a viable, vigorous alternative to Donald Trump.

Yet the response of the DNC was to try and hide President Biden’s degeneration from the American public and disable democracy to ram him through to his party’s nomination.

Many Americans fear that the same DNC elites are about to rig the nominating process again to get a monumentally unpopular vice president to step into President Biden’s shoes.

I call on the Democratic Party to return to its traditional commitment to democracy and exemplify it with an open process. Instead of anointing a candidate hand-picked by DNC elites, the party should use neutral polling to identify the candidate who can best beat Donald Trump. The delegates should then select a nominee based on this information.

If they had done this to begin with, I would not have had to leave the Democratic Party.

During his press conference yesterday on the Biden withdrawal, Kennedy said that Harris does not stand for anything.

It is also interesting to note that former President Barack Obama has called for an open convention. 

Monsoon Thunderstorm

Above, the Jeep on Saturday after I mowed the inner yard. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The monsoon continues.

Yesterday, while watching the news coverage of Joe Biden's dropping out of the presidential campaign, I saw that we were suddenly getting a downpour of rain.

I had to scoot outside to put the Jeep into the garage as I removed the window from the driver side door. I don't exactly relish sitting in a soaked seat. 

The storm progressed into a full-blown thunderstorm with lightning and thunder throughout the evening. One of my neighbors posted that we received about 1/2 inch of rain. 

We're expected to more rain this afternoon, about a 30% chance. 

RPNM Statement On Biden

The Republican Party of New Mexico issued the following statement on His Fraudulency Joe Biden's withdrawal from the campaign:

ALBUQUERQUE, JULY 21—Today, after weeks of consistently proclaiming he's not dropping out and will be the Democratic nominee, President Joe Biden announced in a statement that he is dropping out of the presidential race. Joe Biden also announced shortly after that he is endorsing Kamala Harris for President.

The Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce issued the following statement in response:

"New Mexico Democrats have been betrayed and lied to by the Democratic Party. Democrats have spent 3 1/2 years claiming Trump will destroy democracy. Now, by forcing Biden out without any legal framework to do so, Democrats have shown they have no respect for democracy and that their criticisms of Trump are simply projection and gaslighting.

"In a desperate bid to hold onto power, the elites have managed to undermine the votes of 111,049 New Mexicans who supported Joe Biden in this year's primary, only to install a new ticket. New Mexico Democrats have been cheated of their voice and the democratic process.

"Yesterday, we saw reports of big donors refusing to fund candidates, including Senator Martin Heinrich, if they didn't call on Biden to drop out of the race. What has become increasingly clear is the Democratic Party favors the opinions of billionaires and party elites over the voices of New Mexicans. This is not the party of democracy. There is nothing White House insiders didn't know about Biden's fitness and ability to lead for at least a year, which they know now. They simply couldn't hide it from the public any longer.

"Today, Biden's handlers also announced that they endorse Kamala Harris for president. Kamala Harris would be just as ineffective as President as she was in her role as the so-called Border Czar. What is clear is Republicans in New Mexico and nationwide are strongly united and enthusiastic about electing President Trump and every Republican up and down the ballot to get our state and country back on a prosperous and secure path." 

Tulsi Gabbard Knows Kamala Harris Well

Tulsi Gabbard knows Kamala Harris well.

She posted at X:

Biden’s out, Kamala is in. Don’t be fooled: policies won’t change. Just like Biden wasn’t the one calling the shots, Kamala Harris won’t be either. She is the new figurehead for the deep state and the maidservant of Hillary Clinton, queen of the cabal of warmongers. They will continue their efforts to engulf the world in war and taking away our liberty.

 https://x.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1815122213479276897/video/1

She also posted at X:

The same people running the country with Biden as their figurehead will continue to run the country with Kamala Harris as their figurehead — or whichever democrat may end up as their nominee. The people who have actually been running the country are the unelected power elite from the national security state, military industrial complex, with the giant propaganda media acting as their mouthpiece. 

Kamala Harris is completely unqualified to be commander-in-chief, whose responsibility is to keep our country safe and secure. She not only couldn’t protect our border—she didn’t even want to. And repeated lied claiming, “our border is secure!”

From the 2020 Democrat primary campaign:

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 the forerunner to Bachman-Turner Overdrive, The Guess Who from Canada and their 1970 hit, "American Woman".

From Wikipedia:

The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1965. The band found their greatest success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, under the leadership of singer/keyboardist Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman, with hit songs including "American Woman", "These Eyes", and "No Time".

During their most successful period, The Guess Who released eleven studio albums, all of which reached the charts in Canada and the United States. Their 1970 album American Woman reached no. 1 in Canada and no. 9 in the United States, while five other albums reached the top ten in Canada. The Guess Who charted fourteen Top 40 singles in the United States and more than thirty in Canada. In the early years before Canadian Content broadcast rules were enacted, unlike other Canadian acts who tended to downplay their nationality, the band made a name for itself by proudly celebrating it and they became hailed for that self-confidence.

The Guess Who officially broke up in 1975, although a nostalgia-oriented lineup organized by former bassist Jim Kale has toured and recorded under The Guess Who name since 1978, often performing without any original band members on stage. Bachman and Cummings have long been unhappy with the Kale-sanctioned version of the group, and have launched lawsuits over the use of the Guess Who name and repertoire. A recent legal manoeuvre by Cummings has prevented the group from playing any Guess Who songs (in a live or studio setting) that Cummings wrote or co-wrote -- this includes all six of the group's US top 10 hits. The group has consequently cancelled all of its scheduled appearances from April of 2024 forward. Further legal developments are expected.

Biden Drops Out

Too bad Theodore H. White is no longer among the living. If he were alive, he would be writing The Making of the President 2024 and it would be an interesting chronicle of a topsy-turvy election campaign.

So His Fraudulency Joe Biden decided to finally read the tea leaves and withdraw from campaigning for another term. He made his announcement about a couple of hours ago and, in a later message, endorsed Kamala Harris for president.

Well, she is no shoo-in by any means. She has no record of distinction, only failure. She's Biden's "border czar" and has done absolutely nothing to stem the invasion of illegals at the southern border. She has to answer for the cover-up of Biden's infirmity. Her poll numbers are lower than Biden's.

She was a lousy California attorney general and a lousy U.S. senator. 

Even though Biden endorsed her, the Democrat convention will probably be an open one. It is possible we may see more than one ballot taken before a nominee is selected. It has been said that 14 million Democrat voters have been disenfranchised over this withdrawal.

She is at a disadvantage concerning money. Biden's campaign coffers don't automatically go to her. There are some legal ramifications involved. 

I had a feeling that Biden would drop out this weekend. I almost said so in a blog post on Tulsi Gabbard and Kamala Harris a few days ago.

Things are really getting interesting. 

Latest G-FAN

Above, G-FAN #144. 

Ben Johnson and Scott Glenn in My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991):

Johnson: "You know the worst thing about gettin' old?" 

Glenn: "No Sir."

Johnson: "Gettin' old!"

Yup! That's about the way it is. If one is lucky to be in good health in their "advanced years", aging isn't so bad. It sure beats the alternative.

It has been a week today that G-FEST XXIX ended and I was waiting to catch my plane back to New Mexico (with a three-hour delay). I had a good time attending. 

But I did notice one thing, I didn't have the stamina like I did during past years. I had to pace myself more and sit down more often. My cardiologist wants me to do a lot of walking. There was certainly a lot of that, so much so that I had leg cramps the first night (Thursday) I was there. They were the first ones in years for me. 

Aside from the two coronary artery stents I have (since 2018), I feel pretty good. 

At G-FEST, J. D. Lees and I were talking about slowing down and taking things easier. He's a year younger than I (I'm 70) and has already handed the reins of G-FEST to his daughter Payton. From what I saw at G-FEST, she's doing a great job. The convention is in good hands.

The latest issue of G-FAN arrived in the mail Friday. In his "Dear G-Friends" column, he stated, "I intend to reluctantly end my editorship" with issue #150. Whether the magazine will end then or taken over by someone else is not known. A lot of work goes into publishing a magazine and it is remarkable that it has lasted over 30 years. He stated he doesn't want it to end and will be looking for ways to keep it going. As he said, he is entering "old age". I can certainly empathize with that. Even William F. Buckley Jr. took a similar path (stepping down from National Review and Firing Line) as he entered old age. J. D. also indicated that he might change his mind. 

Whatever happens, I, for one, am grateful for the years of work J. D. put into fandom and wish to take this opportunity to say "Thank You". He deserves some more relaxing quality time to enjoy his golden years and do some traveling. He earned it. He has an open invitation to come down here to "Indian Country".

RV Boondocking Myths

Above, boondock camping at Ashurst Lake dispersed campground in Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When one is out camping in their RV in areas such as BLM land or dispersed campgrounds, this is generally called boondocking or dry camping. There are no hook-ups such as electric, water or sewer available.

I boondock with the fraternal organization E Clampus Vitus every year. My motorhome is self-contained with its own battery power and water tank.

There are some myths concerning boondocking and RV Travel has posted an article discussing them.

They begin with:

There are many boondocking myths held by both new and seasoned RVers. Most so firmly believe them that they fear even trying boondocking for one night. Sadly, this keeps many limited to camping in overcrowded campgrounds, never to experience the freedom boondocking offers.

I quite often hear statements like, “I would boondock, but…

• I like to shower every day.”
• I don’t like the desert.”
• My RV isn’t suited to drive miles down a rough dirt road.”

While their statements are true, they have little to do with boondocking. They are boondocking myths.

In fact, those new to RVing may not even know what the term “boondocking” really means.

While there are many interpretations of what boondocking is, most dyed-in-the-wool boondockers (myself included) consider boondocking as camping outside of a developed campground on public land. Public land agencies refer to it as “dispersed camping.”

To read more, go here. 

RV Electricity: How To Install A 30-Amp Home Outlet

Above, making a trench from the electrical box to the RV garage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Four years ago, I had the RV garage (called the GOCO Beast Barn) built for my motorhome. A year later, I added 30-amp electricity to it. But I didn't do these things myself, I got a steel shed company to build the garage and an electrical company to install the outlet. 

A trench for the electrical line had to be made from the electrical box to the RV garage. 

Above, the electrical line to the RV garage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Travel has posted an article on the topic of installing a 30-amp RV outlet at home.

It begins with:

I received this inquiry (in the Comments section of RVtravel.com) from Cory. He’s wondering about installing a 30-amp RV outlet on a residential 150-amp service panel.

And the answer is…

Yes, you certainly can install a 30-amp RV outlet at home. That is, as long as you keep a few things in mind while discussing this installation with your electrician. Now, I’m not going to tell you that you can do this yourself if it’s your first electrical hookup project. And I am going to ask you to follow all local codes – that are different in each state and county. The safest way to do this to hire a licensed residential electrician, and get them to read this first.

Above, the outlet inside the RV garage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.