The Magnificent Seven

Some very alluring ankles here.

I can't find enough resolution to say much about the rifles.  They look Mauser-y. The knockout on the  second from left bears one with a finger-grooved stock.  Third from left, a lady sports a chic fabric forearm  accessory.

EDIT: Pardner JohnW found a much better repro. 

Oh For Gawd's Sake, Another One

George Pataki has been background noise for a while now, even as he digs his toe into the dirt and aww schuckses that he ain't about to try to be president. Jist yet, anyhoo.

 But today he spat on his hand and patted down the cowlick.

He's here. He's making a speech. He also narrating a new Iowa cable teevee ad saying we're spending too much money. And he's having breakfast with Governor Branstad tomorrow. Reporter Jennifer Jacobs made me smile with:

 He delicately expressed some discontent with the current lineup of candidates.


Just like us. We often express delicate discontent with nose warts, don't we?


(Dr. Paul and Gov. Johnson are excepted, of course.)


We'll watch the George show a while before we put him on the official candidate list.


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One of the dynamics here is deep concern by the Iowa political class is that that our caucuses are beginning to produce more yawns than a Joe Biden speech. I think I see a quietly desperate move by the GOP pros to do anything they can to return to those thrilling days when Iowa was the center of the universe. Padding the candidate field is one way to do that, and I'm thinking of having New Dog Libby call a presser to announce that she will make a decision in July.  

Pretty Horses

... but they don't come with the property.

The post is motivated mostly by Stranded who has recently found his land, an idyllic spot with timber, a stocked pond. and room to shoot.

I'm still looking for a detached annex to Camp J.  I already have fish and timber, but the neighbors would probably bitch if I set up a shooting range or if I decided to take my morning coffee on the deck in my delicate things.

This one is nice, but the odds of actual purchase are about 69-1 against.  It's 100 miles too far away, near the land of my extreme youth.  If it were closer, I would be in city clothes right now,  negotiating with the real-estate doowops.

---

The horses remind me of some survivalism matters. I've previously unloaded my opinion that the best bugout bag is one you can live in and roam on. But if some  extended social upheaval required me to take to the hills,  I'd want a sturdy gelding  and a pack mule far more than I'd want a Land Rover. For one thing, they're more fun to talk to. For another, they don't strand you with an empty tank . For still another,  they rarely fail from a blown digital whazis.

Sarah Palin note

The media orgasm over Michelle Bachmann's debate performance at St. Anselm's  has made Sarah a little less likely to run. After all, how many ammo girls can one campaign support?

(Michelle didn't stimulate my base instincts. Far as I could tell all she did was avoid having George Washington free the slaves.)

When Perry finally stops being coy, his official presence will add another challenge to any thoughts Palin might have of running.

But she remains on the list of caucus possibles. This woman is a genius at keeping her name recognition at a Paris Hilton level, and I think she harbors a secret dream.

The GOP caucuses and primaries run their course and result in political chaos, leading to an actively contested 2012 Republican National Convention. She emerges    as the compromise nominee. Then she goes to Alaska to shoot a moose and look at Russia.