No second nap.

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I am in a phase where I can neither truly wake up nor go back to sleep. I remember these well. It has been some time since I have been like this. There were times when this was more of the normal than any other phase though, weeks and months and years of this have been a part of my life. While I hate it just as much now I am pretty sure it is of a much shorter duration. I doubt if it will last more than a day or two. Hmm, the zombie shuffle might be a good name for it. My heart is feeling odd, too. I think I just pushed things a little too far. Hopefully taking a little down time will patch things up.

As I consider things, when ever I actually do get my application for conceal carry in, I consider whether I should buy another pistol or a rifle first. While I already have an AK, it isn't the best hunting, dual purpose, or ranged arm out there. Neither do I have a decent hunting rifle nor do I have what I would call a main battle rifle. So I have been watching the used sections at various places and going over a number of new arms options. Some of the used rifles would be great, say a .35 pump, for hunting. The problem with many of the lower priced used hunting rifles is that their caliber is odd. What you don't pay up front you pay the rest of your rifle ownership in ammunition. If, sometimes, you can even find it. On the other hand, paying $1,200 or more for both a good hunting/range firearm and similar for a very basic main battle arm is out of the question. Sure, a Nagant might work for both, but you find yourself back at ammunition problems (I suspect). Then again, I don't particularly care for the 30-06 caliber. It might be okay, but it simply isn't 'fine' (for either long range or mbr, and to my mind). Still, as women like to shop for clothes and other things, if they also like to complain about both nothing they like being offered and having nothing to wear, menfolk like to shop and complain about shopping for our fururms, durned things anyway. *grins*

Now for some articles which interested me. The first highlights the problem with modern group public education. What happens when neither a teacher nor principal has the will, full faith of parents, or legal authority to discipline children? Two things, chaos in the class and the criminalization of minor bad behavior. And both, not one or the other. Oh? Don't believe me? Then read this. I couldn't imagine why a kid, taken in by the police, then having to go to court and stand in front of a judge... for carrying a soda where it is prohibited would ever consider quitting before graduation! Idiots, the lot of them. And, yeah, that will break a kid down. Gun? Sure. Even a knife if the kid is a problem child (not the boyscout that just forgot though). But a can of pop? Fucking NAZIs who can't control turn to extreme force when their obvious incompetence is glaringly shown.

Most believe the recovery, if we ever start on the path to it, will be a long and brutal road, and I agree with that. I, however, completely disagree that it has to be slow or painful. I do believe we still have enough spit and enough industry and enough capital to come roaring back. What has to take place is a crippling of government interference in the forms of taxation, regulation, and through tort reform. It simply isn't worthwhile to hire people who are a risk to hire regardless if they are kept on OR let go. American workers have priced themselves out of work, only unions don't seem to understand this. It doesn't have to be a long hard road, save that socialists, communists, and their apparatchik have too many unelected and unaffected by political change appointees in place to halt any reversal of government harassment. Recovery could start gangbusters tomorrow. Look to Texas for an example. It's real, it's here, it will never be tried. One caveat, if we take the gloves off, the economic highs and lows will be severe (but short lived) again. Which, actually, is the way it is supposed to be. Think of rivers which have been volume controlled. Their valleys die. There is a reason for these things. They are more honest, as well, and money more closely maintains it's actual true worth. Never... mind... if you don't understand.

This is just a 'what if', but one with some possible legs. It is one I like. I do believe college, much like medicine, has become a capital eating road to nowhere. Now that so many people are educated, two things become perfectly clear. Education is what it always was, almost nothing and if everyone can do it, few should. I would honestly love to see a bunch of 'just-made it's' and 'secure fat and lazys' get bumped into the real markets, especially in these times. Most professors, honestly, shouldn't be trusted to flip burgers let alone teach kids (anything). Oh, sure, there are some fine professors who knew their crap and could tend the minds of students to learn it. The problem with even that is, much of what is taught is never used. Adding to that, as I mentioned, even those are rare professors indeed. No, I would love to see this what-if come to pass. Truly. A delight. "Hey professor Smartass! Uhrm, no cheese or pickle on that, meal deal, large size, with Coke. Still jogging every morning? Where is the Beemer?" Pricks.

And here is proof the world is about to swallow it's own... Well, if not a family site, I do have some restraint, usually. The whole notion that hardware companies are turning to software is a very bad sign indeed. Have you seen what passes for software on much of what you use? Even as a passive light user of many technologies, I can tell you the weak side is programming. Systems have become so miniaturized and complicated that a computer can't honestly track what is going on in those little toaster brains. Add in an arm, and an eye, and toss in stupid users and you get... a mess. China has competed out quality engineering and production so that what is left isn't worth fighting over. Hewlett-Packard going to software? Yeah, who woulda thunk?

Well, that's enough for now. It beat just sitting doing nothing, which I will return to after this post. Hope you enjoyed!