Hieronymus Blogsch http://www.rjray.org rjray.org - Journal and Log for Randy J. Ray en Randy J. Ray (rjray@blackperl.com) Copyright Randy J. Ray Vote (To Silence) Nader in 2004 http://www.rjray.org/politics/nader2004.html (Thanks to Mactavish on LJ for the link)

Ralph Nader announced today that he really, really wants Bush to win in November.

Let me be up-front and direct about this: I think that Nader is largely to blame for Bush winning in 2000. That he steadfastly refuses to take any of the blame only underscores his egotism and disregard for the direction the country is going in. Yes, the political system is currently stacked against outsiders. Yes, this sucks stronger than a brand-new Hoover. But when you enter something as important as the race for the presidency, and you are pretty sure from the outset that you can't win, then what you are doing is trying specifically to make someone else lose (start at paragraph 17, the interview question that begins with "Is victory then a Democratic loss?").

So if you're going to support Nader, be in the closet about it. At least around me. I don't want to know, because it's my opinion that a vote for Nader is an indirect vote for Bush. And I'll respect you much more highly if you just vote for Bush outright.

]]> /politics Randy J. Ray 2004-02-23T09:11-07:00 (Thanks to Mactavish on LJ for the link)

Ralph Nader announced today that he really, really wants Bush to win in November.

Let me be up-front and direct about this: I think that Nader is largely to blame for Bush winning in 2000. That he steadfastly refuses to take any of the blame only underscores his egotism and disregard for the direction the country is going in. Yes, the political system is currently stacked against outsiders. Yes, this sucks stronger than a brand-new Hoover. But when you enter something as important as the race for the presidency, and you are pretty sure from the outset that you can't win, then what you are doing is trying specifically to make someone else lose (start at paragraph 17, the interview question that begins with "Is victory then a Democratic loss?").

So if you're going to support Nader, be in the closet about it. At least around me. I don't want to know, because it's my opinion that a vote for Nader is an indirect vote for Bush. And I'll respect you much more highly if you just vote for Bush outright.

]]> Not Yet Convinced I Was Wrong About Arnold http://www.rjray.org/politics/schwarz2.html Just after the recall vote was done with, I promised I would admit to being wrong if Arnold worked out. Well, to be frank, I don't expect to be dining on words, though there is still time for things to work out.

Just take note that equating gay marriage licenses with licenses to sell drugs isn't going to change my mind. Neither is trying to strong-arm the state AG into intervening in the SF situation directly, as opposed to following the normal course of these things through the courts. This isn't the movies, and catchy quips are no use to the citizen on the street. If you don't approve of committed couples getting equal rights under the law, start preparing your case and present it when your day in court arrives.

Until then, ask yourself how many hetero couples you know who've lasted 50 years or more, the length of time the first couple to get married have been partners. Don't try and fall back on the concepts of "threatening" or "devaluing" traditional marriage. Your hetero marriages are just as valid and secure as they were before this started. If they aren't valid or secure, you aren't going to save them no matter how many gay couples you thwart.

]]> /politics Randy J. Ray 2004-02-23T08:27-07:00 Just after the recall vote was done with, I promised I would admit to being wrong if Arnold worked out. Well, to be frank, I don't expect to be dining on words, though there is still time for things to work out.

Just take note that equating gay marriage licenses with licenses to sell drugs isn't going to change my mind. Neither is trying to strong-arm the state AG into intervening in the SF situation directly, as opposed to following the normal course of these things through the courts. This isn't the movies, and catchy quips are no use to the citizen on the street. If you don't approve of committed couples getting equal rights under the law, start preparing your case and present it when your day in court arrives.

Until then, ask yourself how many hetero couples you know who've lasted 50 years or more, the length of time the first couple to get married have been partners. Don't try and fall back on the concepts of "threatening" or "devaluing" traditional marriage. Your hetero marriages are just as valid and secure as they were before this started. If they aren't valid or secure, you aren't going to save them no matter how many gay couples you thwart.

]]> Ordnance QF 2 pr on Carriage 2 pr - Part 1 http://www.rjray.org/hobby/modeling/Two-Pounder/two_pounder.html [image] The title is the official designation for this petite weapon. The "Two-Pounder" was the general anti-tank ordnance for the British forces at the outset of World War II. Like the U.S. and German 37mm AT weapons (the 2lb was a 40mm calibre), it was practically out-classed against the armor of tanks before the war even started. By 1942, it was completely ineffective against German AFVs, but remained useful in the anti-tank role in the eastern theater, where the Japanese AFVs were still lightly-armored.

[image] This kit is a little jewel from the Kent, U.K.-based company, Sovereign 2000. I got the kit at the IPMS/UK National Convention in 2002. I paid £25.00 for it there, but I also bought the ammo set at the same time. I forget exactly what that was going for at the time, but the current price sheet has the gun for £27.00 and the ammo for £8.00. It's a somewhat high price to pay for such a small kit, but the quality of the kit makes it worth every penny, to me at least. And I will be getting another one to do after this one. There are some gotchas to watch out for, which I'll detail at a later time.

The only realy problem thus far is that the thing is so small, I can't get good in-progress photos, due to my digital camera's lack of a real depth-of-field. The shots above are from the first night's work, getting the basic carriage parts together. At this point, I have most sub-assemblies done, but haven't been able to get any more pictures to come out.

(For scale note, the keyboard it is sitting on is a laptop, not a full-sized keyboard.)

]]> /hobby/modeling/Two-Pounder Randy J. Ray 2004-02-12T01:30-07:00 [image] The title is the official designation for this petite weapon. The "Two-Pounder" was the general anti-tank ordnance for the British forces at the outset of World War II. Like the U.S. and German 37mm AT weapons (the 2lb was a 40mm calibre), it was practically out-classed against the armor of tanks before the war even started. By 1942, it was completely ineffective against German AFVs, but remained useful in the anti-tank role in the eastern theater, where the Japanese AFVs were still lightly-armored.

[image] This kit is a little jewel from the Kent, U.K.-based company, Sovereign 2000. I got the kit at the IPMS/UK National Convention in 2002. I paid £25.00 for it there, but I also bought the ammo set at the same time. I forget exactly what that was going for at the time, but the current price sheet has the gun for £27.00 and the ammo for £8.00. It's a somewhat high price to pay for such a small kit, but the quality of the kit makes it worth every penny, to me at least. And I will be getting another one to do after this one. There are some gotchas to watch out for, which I'll detail at a later time.

The only realy problem thus far is that the thing is so small, I can't get good in-progress photos, due to my digital camera's lack of a real depth-of-field. The shots above are from the first night's work, getting the basic carriage parts together. At this point, I have most sub-assemblies done, but haven't been able to get any more pictures to come out.

(For scale note, the keyboard it is sitting on is a laptop, not a full-sized keyboard.)

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