Sabre22 will be the proud new recipient of the Ruger! Congratulations to him and all of the winners in Operation Tamalanche.

Of course, the biggest winner is Tam, and that’s a damned good thing.

— the full winners’ list is here.

Over at Jennifer’s. Go check it out.

And here I was starting to wonder if anyone is going to claim some of the prizes!

This is probably one of the reasons I don’t really hunt much… squatters…

Successfully avoided going to any stores on both Friday and Saturday. But ultimately had to go out today and pick up some important things — like wire staples… to tack up Christmas lights for the wife & kids:

And also a few minor things: oil for the VStar, another inexpensive toolbox for some garage stuff, and because I was out anyway: kerosene lamps, lighter fluid, and flints (no, not the kind of flints that will use — it sadly hasn’t arrived yet).

Fortunately, some things are easy to find.

Others, not so much.

The most significant things I was reminded of today while seeking out some simple things is that

• Based on the items I was looking for and the responses I received from four clerks at two stores — I must be an anachronism. Are lighter fluid, flints, kerosene lamps and parts that effing antiquated? Just antiquated enough to require stifled laughter toward the customer?
• Companies don’t hire the best, brightest, nor even the most sociable people to have public contact at most stores. It’s almost as if they want customers to go elsewhere.

The only conclusion one can draw — unless you’ve given yourself a terminal case of cranial rectitus — is that weapons in the hands of the common citizenry equals safety and security.

Or, put another way: an armed society is a polite society.