Well, there it went...I heard a big hahwhoomp! And Christmas had come, gone and left a big mess in it's wake. The funnest thing I got was actually for my 3 yr old son, an aircraft carrier complete with aircraft. We spent a long time getting ready for the attack of the mini-robo-sapien, planning our defense strategy and so forth. Then of course the actual repulsing of the mini-sapien took some time, as he kept coming back, despite our knocking him off the deck into the briny sea (he just would not sink) and tying strings around him with the jets then hooking the strings with the Chinook and Apache helicopters and carrying him off, he just kept coming back, grabbing the aircraft off the deck and tossing them into ocean. There was some initial confusion about whose stocking was which, and that caused a fight, but after I threatened (well actually my wife did the threatening, but I was thinking it too) to confiscate all the loot Santa had left, the kids sweetened right up and managed to work out their differences within about as much time as it takes a gnat to contemplate its own existence. I also learned a new and improved means of skinning and cleaning a pheasant, which instead of taking 20 minutes (as before) takes about 2 minutes. I think I could really enjoy shooting animals for food, if they were all so easy to process.

I find it amusing that any yahoo with a computer and internet connection can spend oodles of time spouting off whatever comes to mind with no rhyme or reason to it, and then think people around the world can’t wait to read it.

--“Angry” James

Last year some time I bought a Benelli 12 Ga Recoil-Operated Semi-Automatic Shotgun, and of course a gun safe to keep the results of my new burgeoning collection in. The safe was very heavy, and after bolting it to the floor and installing hanging file and ammo holders in the door, it doubles as a firesafe for all our very important papers, and I was very pleased with the great appearance and smooth operation of the gun/firesafe. But until last Saturday, I had never even shot the gun, despite having taken it with on several camping trips. (This is a whole different thing to shoot my mouth off about, but the reason I still could not shoot the gun even on my camping trips was that there were TOO MANY PEOPLE AROUND where we were camping). I digress, last Saturday I finally went pheasant hunting with my brother in law. That was really fun. His dog is the most incredible hunting dog I have ever known, we never did have to tell her what to do. We just started walking through the field and she (Kasey) went to work. She combed the field in front of us, never going more than 50 feet ahead, and when she caught a scent, her head would go down and you knew it was time to take the gun off safety and be ready. Sure enough within a few seconds, there would be the bird, taking flight. The shotgun also performed beautifully, by the way and the soft rubber compression butt absorbed the shock from the #6 shells I was using like a big pillow, I could barely feel the kick back. I took home three birds, two hens and a rooster, which were quite tasty after soaking in salt water for a day and then putting a nifty lemon pepper rub on them.

I find it a little disconcerting that what we refer to as "inhumane" behavior is not duplicated in nature by any other creature besides humans. Cruelty and deliberate causation of suffering, often in the most excrutiating and lengthy manner, is a behavior unique to humanity, why then are torture chambers etc. often referred to as "places devoid of humanity". Humanity itself is in fact the most disturbed, terrible, and incomprehensibly cruel race the universe has ever known. What we truly mean when we say "inhumane" is "ungodly". What we are referring to when we remark at the "beauty of humanity" is in fact "godliness". There isn't anything "natural" about the "natural man", that is not how we truly are. Deep inside we are children of god, and what happens the the children of a thing grow up? That's right, they become adult versions of the thing which they are children of, kittens become cats, puppies become dogs, guppies become fish, and yes humans become gods. The trouble is, not all humans grow up. Most, in fact get mired in their own humanity, they think themselves important or powerful enough that they feel that there is no more growing to do, and they do something that is also unique to humans, they will themselves to stop growing. Thus, their own assessment about them having reached their maximum potential becomes true, it has self-fulfilled. I propose that we stop maligning the beasts with our faults and call things as they are: cruel or deliberately mean behavior is humane treatment since no other creature can be described in those terms; beautiful acts of kindness or mercy are godliness, shining through all the humanity muck. And with these proper definitions, lets get on with the task of growing up, and becoming what engendered us.