Mark Him Down As #1 On a Particular List.

"Rep. Eric Swalwell Thinks Gun Confiscation Will Work Out Fine Because Government Has Nukes."

It shouldn't be necessary, really, to say that Rep. Swalwell is both a Democrat and from California. He's a gun grabber, and ready to kill deplorable gun owners, or actually to have others do the dirty work for him.

Lafayette, the Debt Is Paid.

One of the oldest allies of the United States - - France - - has decided that the US under President Donald Trump is to be treated as an enemy:

Emmanuel Macron has called for the creation of a “true European army” to allow the EU defend itself from threats ranging from Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin.

The French president has pushed for closer EU defence union since coming to power last year but has been so far met with limited success amid foot-dragging by other member states.

“We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America,” Mr Macron told France’s Europe 1 radio in an interview.

I've been less scornful of France in the past than other Americans because of the tremendous debt that our budding country incurred when France came to our aid during the Revolutionary War. It's quite probable that without that aid the Revolution would have failed, and we would still be subjects of the Queen of England. Even going to their aid during WWI and WWII didn't repay that debt, at least in my mind. Now, though?

Lafayette, the debt is paid. You're on your own from this point on, as far as I'm concerned.

Meanwhile, In Maryland...

...family members call on police to execute grandpa, who had become a bit of a nuisance.

Now that Grandpa is taken care of, we can divvy his stuff up, and we don't have to go broke putting him in a nursing home a few years from now.

Oh, you don't think there's potential for abuse in "red flag" gun confiscation orders? Just fell off the turnip truck, did you?

Musical Interlude

NC native Tift Merritt's paean to a dying mill town:

Arrival

Ordered Friday, arrived Monday. Fender Sonoran electro-accoustic guitar, $289. This one is in a color described as "surf green," which was the same color as a house I grew up in as a boy in Florida. I can't play a lick, but I'd like to at least learn a few early Jimmy Buffett tunes to strum, if nothing else.

Hurricane Day!

Hurricane Florence has washed ashore in North Carolina near Wilmington, and will be crossing the Carolinas throughout the day. I'll make updates throughout the day as long as power stays on. I'm also available on Facebook and on Twitter (@drawncutlass).

Update, 4:40 p.m.: woke from a nap. No rain, wind is gusting but not blowing steadily.

Update, 6:10 p.m.: rain finally arrives. Wind still mild.

Update, 3:00 a.m.: It's now the 15th, I woke up a half hour ago. We still have power, currently no heavy winds or rain. Checked on the cars outside, they are undamaged.

Update, 3:45 a.m. Sunday 16 September. Nothing much to report in the last 24 hours. We had gusting winds but not sustained wind conditions, and rain has been mostly moderate. Florence apparently spent herself slamming into the NC coast, and has been downgraded back to tropical depression status. Crossing my fingers and touching wood and saying a prayer that it stays that way.

Update, 12:01 a.m., Monday 17 September: *at work* So the hurricane weekend is now over, and I'm back at work. I violated the Union County curfew by driving around after 9:00 p.m. tonight, but no one stopped me, so...

We made it through well at the house. Never actually lost power, although it flickered at least once, my sister reports (I was asleep at the time). The storm itself came through our area on Sunday, with heavy rains but little wind. A lot of areas in the county flooded, and I was worried about our rental house, with it being bordered by a creek; but the creek provided enough quick drainage that our house was never in serious danger of flooding. A neighbor's house down the street required sandbagging to avoid damage, however.

This will be the last storm update.

Musical Interlude

Chris McDermott, Even the Devil Gets Right Someday. He's sort of goofy-looking, but it's a great song. Sounds like it would be fairly easy to learn on guitar: