Little Putins

These are politicians who have adopted Vladimir Putin's method of dealing with term limits. What they do is serve in the state house of representatives until they hit the term limits. Then they shift over and run for the state senate and they serve there, well, until they hit the term limits. Then it's back to the house and the cycle repeats itself.[1],[2]

In a way, it shows the anti-democratic aspect of term limits, for the Little Putins are popular enough with the voters to be returned to office time and again. The only thing that term limits do is somewhat reduce the power of those politicians as they cannot amass seniority. But they can, in a way, for they are the ones who have the experience to master the rules and procedure of their legislative body. Then they can exert outsized influence.

What it comes down to is that term limits are an anti-choice provision, a belief that the voters don't know what they are doing. Which is probably true, since term limits are often enacted by referendum.
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[1] Or they serve a term in a local job, such as Killer of Dogs, until they can run again for the state house. Unless they end up serving a term in the big house.
[2] If the politicians have lots of money, they can buy enough influence to override term limits, as Billionaire Mike did.

Fifty Years Ago

During the night of June 11, 1962, Frank Morris and two brothers, Clarence and John Anglin, broke out out of Alcatraz. They were never seen again.

Did they make it to shore? The Mythbusters tested the raft (parts one, two and three), concluding that they could have made it safely to the Marin Headlands.

My gut feeling is that most career criminals would, if they got free, eventually commit more crimes. Morris was certainly smart enough to figure that out, I don't know about the Anglin brothers.

Still, imagine if, a few years from now, an elderly man who is dying tells his doctor to have the cops run his prints after he dies, and it turns out to be one of the three escapees from the Rock. Most people would probably cheer for him, including cops.

Rmoney's Ideal HR Department

From Non Sequitur, of course.

Spaying and Neutering

It has worked so well in parts of Oregon that they are flying in animals for adoption.

School Administrator "Doesn't Want to Overreact"??-- zOMG, STOP THE PRESSES!!!1!

It's true. Some kids put some goats onto the roof of a school and the principal doesn't want to "overreact to the incident".

Somebody want to tell this guy that he is violating the Most Holy Code of School Administrators? Overreacting is what they do!

The Transit of Venus

In 1882. The movie was made from a set of photographs, which were taken every two minutes during the transit.

An Elegant Weapon for a More Civilized Age

Smith & Wesson Model 19.

This particular weapon is a Model 19-4, the last variant made with recessed cylinders and pinned barrels.[1] This is a target model and it is very accurate.

This revolver dates back to the time when concealed carry was permitted in very few states.[2] Civilians purchased handguns for target shooting, hunting and home defense. Handguns tended to be larger, as larger meant less recoil. Other than J-frame Smiths, Colt Detective Specials and PPKs,[3] I don't recall there being much of a selection of concealable handguns.

Automatics tended to be either .22s or Colt 1911s. Revolvers were preferred because they were less messy, they didn't throw brass casings hither and yon. That was of special interest to those who reloaded their own ammunition.

The 4" barrel Model 19 was popular with police, as it was not as heavy to carry as a heavy-frame Model 27.[4] Legend has it that the stainless steel variant, the Model 66, was used for a time by Navy SEALs, because that model was resistant to the corrosive effects of salt water.

The knock against the Model 19 was a reputation for developing cracked barrels with aggressively-loaded .357 cartridges. The Model 19 was built on the Smith & Wesson "K frame", which was designed originally for .38 Special revolvers. Fitting a .357 magnum on a K frame may have been, for the time, pushing the limits of metallurgy.

Smith & Wesson introduced a slightly heavier frame for its .357s in the early 1980s, the "L frame". Still, the Model 19 remained in production until the end of the 20th Century, the Model 66 continued on for several more years.
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[1] S&W made that change to its line of revolvers in the early 1980s to cut costs.
[2] CT being one of them.
[3] PPK and PPK/s probably sold more for the tie-in to a certain fictional spy, than anything else.
[4] The Model 27s and the less-expensive Model 28 were built on the "N-frame", which originated with the famed "Triple Lock" .44.

Zero 3 Bravo

If you are a pilot, you may have heard of the book Zero 3 Bravo, by Mariana Gosnell. The book was her account of flying her Luscome, N803B, across the country in 1977.

The airport she flew from, Spring Valley Airport, is long gone. It was sold off to developers ("developers" being one of the most evil words in aviation) in the 1980s.

As of a few years ago, Mariana Gosnell still owned 03B, though I don't know where she kept it. She died early this spring.

Tailwinds forever, Mariana. May N803B fly on.

That Had to Hurt Some

Caturday; Guest Species Edition

At least the camel was smart enough to point its ass into the slipstream.