The Ultimate Answer to Kings: This is the prettiest day we've had all year.

They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means "The Ultimate Argument of Kings," and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. "We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it's about: You'll do as I say or I'll send my goons to kill you."

I thought about that for a long time. If there's an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I've got bullets - he's got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that's not going to happen. So if there's an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain't bullets.

It finally came to me - and that's when I left the city, abandoned a goodly percentage of my goods, and gave all that was behind me a good, stiff Randian Shrug.

The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

This is the prettiest day we've had all year.

So naturally, after work but before Landlady and M headed back to the big city, we needed a shooting break.

Here's Landlady with Vera, world's most awesome personal weapon and her very favorite.

And here she is with the embarrassing pink AK M and I got her a couple of years ago - not quite so favorite.

5 comments:

KurtP said...: I admire the way use used sustainable resources for your rifle rests.

*Gaea nodding approvingly*; March 6, 2011 at 8:47 AM
Jac said...: That AK is just... You two ought to be ashamed of yourselves!

Nice Garand...; March 6, 2011 at 11:36 AM
Anonymous said...: The captcha this time is = affpitst.

Which is almost exactly my verbal response to the photo of that AK.
{Ten minutes lost cleaning monitor screen of coffee spray ...}

Fortunately flat black paint comes in spray cans and is fairly durable in most applications.

I'm guessing But ... it is my guess that Landlady keeps the AK pink just to embarrass the two that gave it to her ?
Then again the sight of such a thing would Probably send the bat feces types into uncontrollable laughter making then much easier to find. So ... I guess it works out in the end.

Weather sure has been Nice around here lately as well.
Enjoy it summer comes and Al G. [invented the interwebs remember ?] is sure this will be the beginning of the end of the start of the beginning of the end times preview. Or something like that.
I have a hard time understanding most of his drivel.

Stay Safe and ....
Leave No tin can standing or paper unpunched.

gooch; March 6, 2011 at 12:18 PM
Jac said...: Speaking of M, btw, are we ever going to see more of the dome?; March 7, 2011 at 9:14 AM
Joel said...: Jac:

Oh, yeah. Things'll pick up again when winter ends. Right now it's sort of weathering in.; March 7, 2011 at 11:11 AM