Another Hero Gone…

(stolen borrowed from Old NFO – because our history IS important! – Guffaw)

The final four survivors are Lt. Col. Cole of Comfort, Texas; Lt. Col. Robert Hite of Nashville, Tennessee; Lt. Col. Edward Saylor of Puyallup, Washington, and Master Sgt. David Thatcher of Missoula, Montana.

RIP Major, know that you were an example to an entire country and gave America hope!

To the Major and his memory!

h/t JP

February 23rd – 24th, this year…

(for my Jewish friends)  is the celebration of PURIM!

Miss Cellania links us to BuzzFeed Food and

32 Crazy Hamantaschen For Purim

Marked by costume parties and copious drinking (who knew that Jewish folk got crazy?), Purim is a raucous Jewish holiday that celebrates a foiled plot to kill all of the Jews in ancient Persia.Go to the link above and see all the delicious Jewish cookies!  (NO, not Elizabeth Banks) along with a history of the holiday and many recipes!TWO of the highlights…(well, three —–> )Try this Reese’s-esque cookie interpretation.

Gluten-allergic folks can celebrate not only Uncle Mordechai’s heroic rescuing of the Jews, but also this rice and coconut flour variant on the classic shortbread Hamantaschen dough.

Great.  Just like Brigid’s food posts, I’m craving some.  Hoist on my own petar’.  Sigh.

You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy!  L’Chaim!

Molly is 30, Today.

Today, my daughter is 30.  The same age I was when she was born.

By age 30, I was married, beginning my own PI business, and scared to death about the prospect of fatherhood.  Then she arrived and made it easy

Here it is 30 years hence, and by all-that-is-holy she should have been married, and had children.  She aspired to be a veterinarian.  I never had the privilege of walking her down the aisle or holding a grandbaby.  Or proudly watching her get her degree.  Or even her diploma.

She was taken from us in 1985.  In a stupid car accident.

So she’ll always be age 12 in my heart.  Or just born.

Molly & Dad

Happy Birthday, Molly!  I Love You.

God Bless John Moses Browning!

One of the most prolific and innovative inventors in history, JOHN MOSES BROWNING was born on this date in 1855.

The next time you rack your semiautomatic pistol, remember the slide mechanism was invented by Mr. Browning.  Otherwise, we’d be stuck with Georg Luger’s toggle top!  Seen many of those designs, lately?

Every time I first touch off my one remaining prized 1911, I try to intone, “God Bless John Moses Browning!”

For a succinct biography of the man, please go to 1911.org

Today…

NOT tomorrow…

(borrowed from Theo Spark, because it made me cry…)

Please remember.  And shake hands and thank a Veteran to day (or tomorrow).  If you are able.

h/t Parker and Hart

“Dogpile on the Rabbit! Dogpile on the Rabbit!”

(c) Warner Bros.

Walls Of The City addresses the recent kerfluffle of Robert F***** and his blog, The T**** A**** G****.  He is the latest of a number of bloggers incensed that Mr. F***** just received an award from a prestigious Gun Rights organization.  Other blogs have gone on to conclude that this portends the end of gun blogging as we know it.

(By my count five or more blogs posted about him, thus far…)

The reason for the anger has to do with Mr. F*****’s alleged copyright infringement, misrepresentation, lies, exploitation, abuse, negative interaction with others and other miscellaneous literary and personal crimes and torts.

If you wish to view Walls Of The City’s evidence, please adjourn to the above link.

While I philosophically agree with the general reaction of the gun blogging world to this guy’s actions, I do not see it as an end of anything for me.

You see, I blog because it is a way for me to contribute, to reach out educate and inform.  And sometimes atone.  I won’t say I don’t care what others think, but, I AM surprised people stop by.  After one and a half years!

Thanks, again.  You know who you are.  Being a libertarian (small L) I won’t request you not visit Robert F*****’s site.  You are educated enough to make your own choices.  Most of you are smart and principled, though.

h/t Linoge

The Devil’s Brigade

Stormbringer links to a Helena Independent Record story about The Devil’s Brigade.

This past Sunday, Mark Radcliffe and Joe Glass — the State of Montana’s last surviving members of the FSSF — died just 12 hours apart.

“Mark and Joe were two of the original members of the First Special Service Force, and it’s appropriate that they were the last two survivors in the state,” said FSSF aficionado Bill Woon, whose father was also a member of the elite unit. “It’s also appropriate that they were an American and a Canadian.”

Go and read about their amazing exploits.

Honor and remember them.

h/t Sean Linneane

REMEMBER…

The Oldest and Youngest living Medal of Honor recipients, together…

REMEMBER

Medal of Honor recipients – Wikipedia

h/t Facebook, Judy

A Hero – Both Foreign and Domestic

STORMBRINGER tells us of  a true hero.  CW2 Ed Cantrell, who successfully served 5 TOURS in Afghanistan and 1 in Iraq, returned home to die in a house fire attempting to rescue his two daughters.

Sadly, all perished.
Please remember Chief Cantrell and his children as you go hug yours today.
Because, you never know!

h/t Sean Linneane