We’re in the money!
Hi Brit,
As you’ve probably heard by now, our economy has slowed down a bit, mostly due to high oil prices that are mostly due to our weak currency. While this news is really not that bad, seeing as how even a small recession would leave us with tremendous gains over the last eight years, the Politicians are reacting in predictable fashion in an election year and promising the Government will save the day. President Bush has suggested another Stimulus Package, like the one that helped get us out of the Clinton Recession that was waiting for him when he first took office. Last time we got a $500 check, which was nice, but now, what with the Democrats actually believing they have a chance of winning the White House, there’s talk of $800 for single folk and twice that for married people. That last sentence would be longer, but we still don’t recognize polygamy. It’s also interesting to note that even the Liberals in Congress are falling all over themselves to make this one time tax cut, even though this act proves that their core belief in Big Government powered by Big Taxes is wrong.
Thus, we should, as tax payers, be receiving a nice bonus from the Government in the not too distant future. Which brings up the question of what to spend it on? My dear wife, I strongly suspect, will want to save it to blow on our son’s wedding next year. That, as I see things, is fine for her half of our wind fall but, being a true Patriot and knowing that the money needs to be spent quickly for the sake of our Country, I have other plans for my share:
Yes! I want a new pistol. In this case a Glock model 21 which chambers a .45 ACP round, nestling 13 of them in the warm bosom of its magazine, while managing to weigh less than my old favorite, the M1911 Colt .45 Auto. In case you’re not familiar with guns and ammo, the .45 is the caliber of the bullet, which is its diameter in inches, meaning that this is almost half an inch across. While that may not seem very large, unless you’re looking down the barrel of one pointed at you, you have to keep in mind that it’s also the diameter of the hole said bullet will punch into your body. Here’s a picture:
While I’m sure some are going to wonder why I’d pick this old cartridge over something newer and more flashy, like the 9mm, I have several reasons that support my selection.
On one hand, I just like the round. I grew up shooting a M1911, and at reasonable ranges was consistently more accurate with it than my friend who was using a .357 magnum. There’s something about a large slow moving bullet that just suits me.
On the other hand, the .45 ACP has a better one shot kill percentage than the 9mm. Thus, even though the G21 has a smaller magazine capacity than the G17, their main 9mm model, this isn’t really that important since I hit what I aim at more often than not and, out of consideration for my neighbors, don’t plan on using the movie approach to any future gun fight, that being firing as fast as possible in the general direction of your enemy and hoping to either get a lucky hit or scare them away.
On the gripping hand, and related to the above, the .45 ACP round, moving at only 850 feet per second as opposed to the 9mm which moves at 1,200 fps, delivers almost as much energy on impact, but has much less chance of passing through the target and injuring someone on the other side. This is very important in a house like ours with antique furniture all over the place and neighbors almost all around. There’s also the advantage that, on those rare occasions when I miss, the bullet won’t carry as far, making things even safer for people in the general area. Oh, and there’s also the fact that slow moving bullets penetrate water better and have less chance of skipping off the surface. Since most of the things I shoot at regularly are swimming in our lake, beavers and poisonous snakes, this is another plus for the .45.
Now, as to why I picked a Glock, that’s mostly a matter of price, although the reputation of the gun is not to be dismissed. I can pick up a G21 for a bit over $500, while a similar quality American pistol would run me well over $800. Thus, I can buy the pistol, a holster ($35,) some extra magazines ($25,) a cleaning kit ($30,) and enough ammunition ($0.50) to eat up all of my $800 gift from the Government.
Thank you President Bush! Thank you Congress! Thank you Wife!
the Grit
Barbara (Xerraire) says:
January 19th, 2008 at 12:43 am
I will be quite curious as to how that works out.
I can still see the money going to the wedding as the missus wishes.
the Grit says:
January 19th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Hi Barb,
Something tells me you’re right, but one has to hope.
the Grit
Lord Crimson says:
January 21st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Hi Grit
So the wedding will be short a few flowers that will wither and die in a few days. The Glock, if used properly will last a lifetime.
Sounds like a good time to deploy the wife-muting feature.
Lord Crimson
Barbara (Xerraire) says:
January 21st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
But a wedding launches a couple’s lifetime commitment, can’t be treated lightly.
the Grit says:
January 21st, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Hi y’all,
Fortunately, being the parents of the groom, we don’t have to shell out for the wedding. Unfortunately, someone has snuck in a new custom, requiring us to invite all of the out of town guests to the rehearsal dinner and, since almost all of the guests will be from out of town and this will take place in New Orleans, we’re expecting it to be quite expensive. At least the food should be good.
LC, as to wife muting, I’ve discovered that I can do that almost at will. I got her a full length massage mat for her favorite chair, it even heats up, and after a minute or three with it on she falls asleep. Now, if only the mat wouldn’t make so much noise.
the Grit
Next Stop Lauderdale says:
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:29 am
Hi Grit,
I just had to comment on you post on the tax “rebates.” You know that a rebate is a refund out of taxes paid, much like a refund on the purchase of a product from the manufacturer. Well in this case don’t look for that to be the case. You can assure yourself your taxpayer status will ultimately not rely on your payment of income taxes…….just my opinion….but,
I wanted to comment on the views from our friends accross the aisle when the words of a “stimulus package” started to eminate out of the White House. The first comments I heard fromt the Democrats was that they would support an extension of the Unemployment pay from 26 to 52 weeks. Now, just think about this… the Democrats want to have a stimulus package to avoid a recession, but the peg the action to a dependence on increased unemployment (which seems to conceed the fact of recession) and then add the stiumlus to the second 6 months of that unemployment period. Doesn’t seem to me that such a component of the package would have much role in averting a recession or provide much assistance to those most affected until they have been in the soup line for over 6 months………just one mans opinion…..steve
Barbara (Xerraire) says:
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Left you a present on my blog……
http://www.xerraireart.com/blog/2008/01/22/excellence/
the Grit says:
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Hi Barb,
Many thanks!
Hi Steve,
Excellent point. It’s even more interesting in light of the fact that we, as in the US, are still at full employment. This means that the liberals are pandering to a minority that doesn’t exist, which is insane even for them. On the other hand, there’s nothing the Democrats would love more than another Great Depression, since, as history shows, desperate people are much more likely to fall prey to their socialist agenda.
the Grit
in2thefray says:
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:50 pm
It’s not fair I tell you ! I live in Mass. so my check will just get taxed and they won’t let me have a Glock. I’m jealous. On a serious note I too like the .45
the Grit says:
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Hi I,
What, guns are banned in Mass. ? You can probably still pick one up at a gun show
Of course, it’s so crowded up there that you’d have to go to an indoor range to shoot it.
Gotta love the big bores. I checked out the .40, but I don’t see the point. Sure, a couple more rounds will fit in the magazine, but once I figured out that the ammunition is twice as expensive, that no longer seemed like an advantage. Of course, a .44 mag would be nice, but having to wait until you put ear plugs in before shooting is a serious disadvantage where self defense is concerned.
the Grit
Anonymous says:
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Hey Grit……….would you recommend a 9mm Baretta for a rookie? ……….steve
Next Stop Lauderdale says:
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Hey Grit……….would you recommend a 9mm Baretta for a rookie? ……….steve
oops for the double post (I messed up, you can delete the above)
the Grit says:
January 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Hi Steve,
For a rookie I recommend going to a gun store that rents pistols and, after taking their safety course, trying several before making a choice. The object is to find one that fits your hand, making it easier to become proficient with that weapon. For instance, while I was perfectly accurate with my first shot from a Ruger .44 magnum, I never could hit anything with replicas of old fashioned six shooters. Of course, you also need to consider the purpose the gun is to serve. If you’re going to leave it in the bedside table in case of intruders, then the size won’t matter, but if you’re planning to carry it around frequently, a smaller pistol may be more suitable. The people at your local gun shop should be able to offer some help as well.
As to the 9mm Baretta, I haven’t fired one, but I’ve heard that it’s an excellent pistol. Baretta has a lengthy and excellent history so it’s difficult to believe they’d make anything except a good product. 9mm isn’t my favorite caliber, but many people swear by it. That ammunition is easy to find, there are plenty of choices in bullet weights and such, it doesn’t kick much, and it’s not too loud. On the other hand, it has a tendency to go all the way through the target, meaning that you have to be very exacting as to what is behind the thing you intend to hit, and also that a significant portion of the bullet’s energy is not transmitted to the target. You should check the Guns & Ammo web site.
Good luck and good shooting!
the Grit
Next Stop Lauderdale says:
January 24th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Well the announcement is in by Bush/Pelosi/Reid and they have cut the deal on the tax “rebate.” Just like I said above, it isn’t dependent on you actually paying taxes to get it, as a matter of fact if you have paid a lot of taxes you won’t get it at all because you are the filthy rich. At least they gave up their demand to lengthen the Unemployment period from 26-52 weeks. The Democrats don’t inherrently understand that the whole purpose of an emergency “stimulus” is to make something happen now. They always want to turn something into another entitlement and social service plan so they can primarily get votes out of it. We are doomed as long as this is the pervailing thought in Washington……………………steve
Next Stop Lauderdale says:
January 24th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Oops, I guess Reid is not on board yet and he wants to insert a number of “improvements.” Can’t wait to see his improvements……………….He’s a crook……….steve
the Grit says:
January 24th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Hi Steve,
Check the End Of The World Countdown Clock above and to the right. We’re doomed anyway
Seriously, three things popped into my mind while I was listening to those bits of news:
1. our economy is doing just fine, 3% growth and full employment, so this “stimulus” idea is just politics in an election year.
2. Reid is just making noise because Pelosi gets more press.
3. if this is an example of both sides of the isle coming together in the spirit of compromise to do the People’s Business, I don’t think we can afford it.
the Grit
Next Stop Lauderdale says:
January 26th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Ah yes, the Mayan Calendar. I better get that Baretta or something, might need it………..steve
the Grit says:
January 26th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Hi Steve,
Don’t forget lots of ammunition.
the Grit