Shitehawks & "RaasClaats":

Funny how the mind works sometimes eh 😁 I suddenly thought "What is a "shitehawk"?"  .. well you don't hear it used at all nowadays but it used to be common abuse in post-war times (when maybe as a kid I was one!)

Wikipedia says it's the military slang name for scavenging birds of prey & vultures - originally the BLACK KITE  or Kite Hawk met by British troops in the 'Middle East'.

"At the transit camp the British soldier normally made his acquaintance with the kite-hawk [i.e. black kite], known familiarly as the 'shite-hawk'. 'There used to be thousands of them,' remembers Charles Wright. 'When one drew one's food from the cook-house and went to take it across to the dining room to eat at the tables underneath the sheds, these kite-hawks would swoop down and take the lot off your plate if you weren't careful. So you had to walk waving your arms above the plate until you got it under cover.' "

— Charles Allen, Plain Tales from the Raj

The term "shitehawk" was also used as a derogatory term for an offensive or unpleasant person, equivalent to the word "shit-head".

• The Senior Rates’ mess at RNAS Culdrose is called the 'Shy Talk Inn'.

_________________

While thinking about toileting(!) - in the late '50's & early '60's me as a young white boy working with some immigrants from Saint Kitts, Caribbean islands - I got to know a few of the guys quiet well. And I miss that side of London life more than any other aspect - that Jamaican music, reggae & 'ska' is great stuff ..

- Sitting on the underground train in the rearmost carriage- homeward bound, late night London - the young Jamaican Guard closing the train's doors at each stop before signalling it clear to pull-out - 

" MIND THE DOORS YOU RAAS-CLAATS"  - He saw me (white boy) laughing with him and we exchanged grins ...

Etymology

1950s. From Jamaican Creole: raasclaat, from English arse + cloth. Compare English arsewipe, asswipe. -"arseholes".

Marty K.

TSS WAHINE 1913-1951 And TEV WAHINE 1966-1968:

Everyone in New Zealand should have heard of the tragic 1968 Wreck of the WAHINE ferry after striking Barrets Reef in Wellington Harbor.

51 lives were lost while abandoning the drifting, sinking ship - operating as a roll-on, roll-off car-passenger ferry between Lyttleton (Christchurch) and Wellington.

Strange to tell, but this fine, large still very new ship - on 10th April 1968 - struck the reef while travelling 'full astern' backwards after being knocked off course by the wild sea conditions.

Link to a full history:

http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/wahine.htm

1966-68 TEV WAHINE on a much better day.- At That Time She was The Biggest,
 Newest Modern 'Roll on - Roll off' Ferry in The World.

A very short working life of only two years for TEV WAHINE (wahine is the Maori word meaning woman or wife) - but the previous TSS Wahine worked long and hard through both World Wars and met her end when carrying New Zealand troops to the Korean War.

  TSS Wahine was launched in 1912 from Dennys shipyard, Dumfries Scotland - while the second WAHINE was also Scots built in 1966 - at Govan.

TSS Wahine. 1913-1951

The early TSS Wahine was also built as a ferry to run Lyttleton to Wellington but she saw war service as a mine-layer, and troop carrier in both wars - working as fleet messenger for 8 months at the Gallipoli campaign - where she astounded observers at Malta by regularly reversing at speed through crowded harbors using her bow rudder to avoid the other shipping.

Link to detailed history:
http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/wahine1.htm

- Sad to say but after 38 years hard work - this earlier Wahine also ran onto a reef - shortly after leaving Darwin Australia on August 15 1951 loaded with New Zealand troops and 25 pounder

artillery guns for the Korean War - she ran onto a reef called Masela Island in the Arafura Sea east of Timor. - TSS Wahine was a total loss - but all on board were rescued.

It would be my guess regarding naval tradition and superstition ... but I doubt that any senior administrator will hurry to again choose WAHINE as the name for a future New Zealand vessel.

Subsequent to both ships foundering .. extensive salvage was conducted. TEV WAHINE broke-up in Wellington Harbor and was removed - but TSS Wahine remained stuck high & dry off Timor.

Wreck of TSS Wahine 1951.

Marty K.
P.S. - I'd like to post more about the 1950's "Korean War" (UN 'Police Action') - but it's so involved and swung back'n'forth so much .. with so many different nations involved - Do your own research 😏. - Terrible things & massive casualties were conducted by both sides.

'Home-Made' Guns: NEW RESTRAINING ORDER:

One small current excitement - is all about the possibilities of 3D Printed GUNS .. but of course anyone with a hack-saw, file and a length of pipe has always been able to make something that will go Bang or KABOOM (at least once!).

Governments have been scrambling to impress by being seen DOING SOMETHING about it .. as if this technology will lead to the end of the world as we know it .. I read that neighbor-across-the-ditch Australia actually banned private ownership of the needed computer machinery or some such nonsensical new legislation. - Politicians are attracted - like flies to dung - to whatever the newspaper millionaires put on their front pages.

No doubt these designs will all go bang at least the first time they work - the issue here is one of mechanical, tensile  strength.

- As a smart Londoner once told me "Every practical problem has a practical solution - Your only REAL problem is people."

Affordable 3D printing machines use plastics about as strong as Chedder cheese.

 - A plastic (POLYMER) gun needs to be formed from high strength engineering plastics with metal re-enforcing in critical areas and will then function as required.

Of course it can be done .. check-out GLOCK and all the copies.

Meanwhile .. in USA
Link:
https://www.ammoland.com/2018/07/defense-distributed-victory-for-first-and-second-amendments/#axzz5Lvjq3hIq

.. Cody Wilson has won his argument with the Feds and can again sell you plans on how to build his LIBERATOR  3D Printed gun designs.

CANCEL THAT !! U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik issued a temporary restraining order order Tuesday afternoon..

- Don't make one out of "chedder cheese" .. have you ever considered holding a 12 gauge shotgun cartridge in one hand while you hammer the back-end with an ice-pick? 😆

DON"T DO IT.

Marty K.

(Talking about 'Chedder Cheese' - The UK's Somerset Chedder Gorge and the Wookey Hole Caves used to be a lovely place to visit 50 years ago - I guess that it's now crawling with "Grockles' and costs 20 pounds an hour to park!

M.K.

I'm told that cannon don't require any licence ?? - So what about a model black-powder 45 caliber miniature fitted with a percussion cap?

An offensive weapon is anything that can be used to cause injury. - Under the Crimes Act

(link is external)- an 'offensive weapon' should only be carried with a lawful, proper and sufficient purpose. ?

Armed Police Responses UP 19% in UK:

 British newspaper The Guardian yesterday (Thursday) reported that police firearms operations in England & Wales rose by 19% in the past year - as the number of armed officers was increased and they took to the streets more often amid a growing threat from terrorism and violent crime.

West Midlands police said: “We now have more armed patrol vehicles out and about on the streets than ever before keeping people safe and, as a result, we have the capacity to respond to more incidents.”

The UK Home Office said the number of authorized firearms officers in England and Wales increased to 6,459, a rise of 181 or 3%., following a decision to increase the number to better cope with the threat of an armed terrorist attack. - The vast majority, 84%, of armed operations were carried out by officers in special gun cars called armed response vehicles, which drive around ready to be deployed.

____________

- I really think this rise in UK's dangerous crimes is yet another indictment that the social policies of some main Western nations are failing .. There are signs that  Bethlem Royal Hospital - usually known as BEDLAM - has taken over the Palace of Westminster.

- Kiwis - proud to be British?

Marty K.

Gun-Free Crime & Corrosive Substances:

In UK currently 2,500 victims every month are being attacked by 'Moped', scooter, & even push-bike riding youths.

These yobs are using knives and 'box cutters' to slash their victims and cut bag straps .. but they aren't fussy about what they slice when in a hurry. - Smartphones & 'Tablets' are popular targets with these misguided youths - while the target users are likely not at all alert or focused on their surroundings.

These lightweight scooters are ideal for apprentice criminals .... they can be ridden most anywhere - up & down pavements, along walkways and down alleys - even through shops - while the riders are nicely covered with helmets, gloves and "hoodies".

There's a further deviant breed of attacker out there. - UK ACID ATTACKS - throwing acid into the victims face and eyes - have tripled since 2012 to over 500 last year - that's ten a week.

Criminologists reckon that raised penalties being applied to gun and knife crime are resulting in this increasing use of corrosive substance assault in UK's cities.

Horrible as is the use of any tool or weapon by tattooed-crazy-creeps - you can't just keep-on lengthening the list of BANNED items while giving plastic ankle bracelets for the nutters to wear at home.

Of course the Headline 'Acid Attack' may not have been made with one of the concentrated acids at all - as caustic cleaners like Drain-Cleaner may be strong alkali based and equally damaging when thrown or squirted from a plastic soda bottle.

.. Whatever happened last year in USA - this year in UK - will likely be all the rage here next year.

_______________

Of course - Just about anything can be used as an offensive weapon ... try frozen kangaroo tails:

https://sites.google.com/site/ntpmhsociety/home/citation-magazine/articles/frozen-kangaroo-tail-attack

_________________

Marty K.

Say NO to "Passive Acceptance":

London's Metropolitan Police Service and other 'modern' police authorities around Western societies (including ours in NZ) have assumed to advise likely victims of violent assault and armed robbery not to resist ... RUN & HIDE. This repeated instruction technique has a brain-washing "conditioning" effect.

- If you are told something repeatedly (around ten times is viable) - even if the conscious brain disagrees - the sub-conscious accepts & complies with what is suggested.

(This is how television advertising, religions, military training, and politics all seek to influence us .. repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat .....)

__________________

Some years ago a female relation expressed her concern that a prospective Employer was part of a group involved in "Defense Contracting" .. This impacted on her deeply held 'pacifist' anti-gun sentiment and she asked for comment on-line. - My contribution was for her to inquire as to what discount she might be offered on purchases of personal self defense equipment for her family.

This suggestion was in no way critical of her pacifism - as ANY sentient being with an IQ above a slug's will oppose the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

I too am a pacifist - and someway like the Swiss Nation - I strongly choose to never aggressively attack anyone - but will mightily and decisively defend myself & family when threatened.

- My issue is with anti-gunners who avow that they would rather be killed than use a weapon to defend themselves ! - Perhaps like some submissive dogs they would roll-over onto their backs and hope to be loved - rather than be struck again.
- Maybe there is a police phone 'App' for telling attackers that you want to be loved?😁

Perhaps their 'fear center' - the brain's amygdala isn't triggering enough emergency Cortisol to strengthen their muscles for fight or flight.

- Or perhaps they have been fed so much bullshit and deliberate lies that they now think that they can choose a "belief" or a comforting opinion to adopt & follow - rather than address life with a reality based plan.

Personally I manage (mostly) to differentiate between someone offering an opinion & someone presenting a fact.

FACT: - "Unarmed" NZ Police Use Glock 17 9mm Pistols.

 - This is very much like marketing people selling you "The Sizzle" rather than "The Steak".

Those people who voted for "Brexit" or Donnie Trump - claiming to make their lives "Great Again" - sucked in a pack of millionaire's lies - offering dreams to the underprivileged who were already rolling on their backs in financial difficulty.

WHEN someone is kicking you and robbing you blind ... you need to fight back - before you are dead.

- Physically you need to be as fit and as skilled as you can manage .... Politically you need to be as informed and realistic as you can be - to recognize liars & to vote sensibly.

(US Bureau of Statistics finds that people now read 30% LESS than they did in 2004)

pol·i·ti·cian

  (pŏl′ĭ-tĭsh′ən)

n.

1. One who is actively involved or skilled in politics, especially one who holds a political office.

2. One who deceives or outmaneuvers others for personal gain: distrusted him as the office politician.

We seem to be living through the most corrupt era ever. - Politicians (of all parties,) who by definition are corrupt - are spending their time and our money endlessly debating false issues - to distract us while picking our pockets and 'lining' their own.

We can change all of this .. train & practice - AND select some ordinary honest person to vote for (Pick a candidate's name out of the Electoral Role or 'phone book!) - who is not another millionaire politician.

.. How about a working nurse, - a teacher,  or an engineer for a 'term' - they'll get plenty of policy advice?

- Just for starters: Replace the 800 member unelected "House of Lords" or 'Upper House' with a Citizens Assembly with it's 101 members drawn by lottery - and trust them to think & speak as fair-minded responsible adults.

(- The same way that we trust 12 only Jurists in court to decide on serious criminal matters).

Gun Banners should note that a current study by The Small Arms Survey has determined that there are now over 1 Billion firearms on our planet - some 155 Million are in Military and Law enforcement hands - while 857 MILLION are held by civilians.(400 Million in USA).

"Participating in a gun buy-back program because you think that criminals have too many guns is like having yourself castrated because you think your neighbors have too many kids."

- attribution allegedly Clint Eastwood

Marty K.

NZ Police Arms Code .. Unavailable:

If you seek to refer to the current New Zealand Police policy on firearms use, licensing and their interpretation of  'THE LAW' - you may be disappointed to find that they have still not been able to publish a corrected version of their 'Firearms Code' since having been forced to withdraw the most recent 2017 edition. That glossy pamphlet having been found to contain several erroneous statements of law. (I still have a couple of copies for reference.)

The Police website says:

The Code is currently being reviewed and updated in consultation with members of the Firearms Community Advisory Forum and other subject matter experts.

http://www.police.govt.nz/advice/firearms-and-safety/arms-code

MY understanding of their dilemma is that:

 a/- They don't like the law as it currently exists .. and would like to tell everyone again that "Self Defence is not a valid reason to possess firearms."

and

b/- They can't force themselves to admit that there is a basic CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to SELF DEFENSE whether the victim is armed or unarmed.

- My post from a year ago refers to the RIGHT TO ARMED SELF DEFENSE and to the withdrawn 2017 version of The Arms Code:

https://flicense.blogspot.com/2017/04/changes-to-nz-police-arms-code-local.html

.. Worth reading and remembering this stuff as knowledge is strength.

Marty K.

Le Gaulois / Mitrailleuse - Squeeze Cocker Pistols:

The French town of Saint Etienne became a center for firearms manufacture back in the 16th century. Indeed this became so important that for a while - during the French Revolution 1789-1799 it was even briefly renamed ARMEVILLE !

 12,000 weapons were being produced each year when the French Revolution began. The city was renamed Armsville during that revolutionary period and production increased to arm the Revolutionary Army.

Made in St. Etienne and originally marketed (1893 -1912) as the 'Le Mitrailleuse' - then as 'Le Gaulois' (from 1897) - these "handy" five shot squeeze cockers were made in four grades of finish - and fired an 8mm 'Special' (Turbiaux) caliber round which is of a similar form to the .32" EXTRA SHORT rim-fire cartridge.

I read that this 8MM pistol (with a 2 1/8 inch barrel) was designed for a NITRO? cartridge but also accepted a more powerful Black Powder loading ?

- Often Sold With a leather pocket holster that looks like it holds a hip-flask of cognac. - A modern iteration should be possible to adapt to a magazine feed in .22" L/R or 32 ACP.

Marty K.

BISON & Birds - On The Pigs Back:

What's the difference between a Buffalo and a Bison? .. You can't wash your face in a buffalo.

I recently saw this image for the first time:

Mountain of BISON Skulls - 1870.

Bones For Grinding Into Meal-Fertilizer

The 'experts' say that when Europeans first arrived in North America there were some 50 / 60 Million Bison roaming free - but by 1884 they were reduced to maybe only 325 left.

Bison Image Thanks To Wikipedia.

It was slaughter driven by profit .. for $3 a skin - but also by Political greed - as stated by General Sheriden .. to "allow civilization to advance.”  .. Remove the "Buffalo" and starve the Indian - while reducing the cost of damage to the new railroads and to also cheaply feed their Iron Horse workers.

This is not to mention how much powder & lead were expended on eliminating the 3 billion Passenger pigeons. New Zealand too has lost species of unique birds - even our national bird the Kiwi is endangered .. but so too is our own native pigeon the Kereru (fairly stupid) and our Alpine Parrot the Kea - said to be the worlds most intelligent bird.

Sharps Buffalo Rifle.

KEA 
& NZ 'Kea Gun' - .410 Shot gun Pistol

Wanting to stick with the familiar - people replaced the American bison and African elephants with cattle - kangaroos with sheep, cows and rabbits  - & again introduced cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, deer, possums & rabbits to New Zealand.

The pioneering logic is obvious: Kill the bison & elephant herds $$$, shift the natives & take their land $$$$, - cut and sell the trees $$$ to make more farmland $$$ - rear cattle & sheep $$$$ - sell 'developed' land to more immigrants $$$$ - become a politician $$$$. 😅

"On The Pigs Back"

If you think about it - every 'man-made' disaster is caused by some business leader type seeking profit by exploiting a resource to increase their personal wealth and power.

Marty K.

Want To Be A Billionaire. - Serious?:

There is an old joke down here .. What's the best way to own a small gun-shop business? Answer: Start a large one and just wait.😊

- It appears that there are around 2,300 BILLIONAIRES in our world (Forbes & Business Insider) - worth a total value of 9.1 trillion .. and it seems that 40% of them became BILLIONAIRES after reinvesting inherited wealth - in other words they did NOTHING useful or productive to earn that money.

The next 40% hustled their billions in "finance" and / or by investing in "corporate CONGLOMERATES".

That means that a full 80% of the worlds billionaires are simply shrewd ambitious MONEY MANIPULATORS.

They likely will have a single-minded focus on their own importance wealth - and any benefit to industry or society that emerges from their activities will largely be incidental.

.. You can call them any rude names that you fancy - but if you're serious about this acquisition lark - that's just wasting your time eh.

 Link to US Wealth FACTS video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM

- Forget about education and university .. forget about learning a trade or skill - cut across all that crap and go straight to being a MONEY MANIPULATOR as quickly as you can. It helps a heap if you start early with money - but if you weren't so blessed ... beg, borrow, or steal some now to lift up off the bottom.

It seems that the truth is - all you need to learn is how COMPOUND INTEREST works and then do it.
.. That's interest on interest.

Start with reading this Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compound_interest

INTEREST (and other unearned income like  profit, rent, & dividends, etc) is simply taking money from somebody stupid who gives it to you - and then keeping it.

Note: the charging of interest - 'USURY' used to be held to be an ABOMINATION by both Islam & Christianity - but most Christians and Muslims manage currently to ignore the ethics (refer to lack of principles in Capitalism * ... if you have financial principal - you don't bother with principles).

Read all about it and then start - as soon as possible - with as much capital as possible - at the highest rate of accumulation that is prudent - and try earn some easy cash while you're waiting .. I'd recommend employment in 'Real Estate' and maybe picking your friends - get close to the rich & 'royal' to study their habits. That's all you need - plus some luck ..

It really is simple - * Right wing capitalism has the constant advantage in society of never being held-back by any matter of principle .. your only principle is to win.

- Every Christian grocer knows that - you NEVER do anything that doesn't make a profit.*

Remember - For every dollar you gain .. somebody looses a dollar - so don't be squeamish.

Pretty Luger .. So Affordable Now. (just another investment)

It strikes me that there are two ESSENTIALS that they neglect to teach properly to us ordinary folk in school .. CIVICS & FINANCE (greed).

So that's easy eh - but do try also to eat carefully and keep fit & healthy too - so that you can enjoy your wealth for longer..

*e.g You don't own a car .. you have a tax deductible & profitable car rental business.

- It took years to learn this ..

A Bank-Manager friend who's kids went to the same play group as mine once told me that there was a guy# started work at his branch many years ago - working as a messenger from leaving school at 15 - who lived at home with his mum and saved (invested) all his wages .. His was the biggest single account of all in that bank branch.

- This #young guy was/is an obvious mental freak - as a normal young brain has an underdeveloped pre-frontal cortex (locality for executive planning, sense & reason) .. and an advanced development of the nucleus accumbens area that seeks immediate pleasure rewards.

Breath through your nose, - exercise & meditate, get 8 hours sleep .. you can do it - be greedy at every opportunity and you'll get there.

Marty K.
 .. some joker called Jeff Bezos is worth 112 BILLION according to Forbes (Now,- July 18th 2018 - said to be 150 BILLION).

Weapons of Churchill's Bodyguard:

When I bought 'CHURCHILL'S BODYGUARD' by Tom Hickman - I was expecting it to be very censored & "p.c" ... WRONG ... It is EXCELLENT.

Detective Thompson was from London's East End and very useful with his fists.

For more than twentyfour years Detective Sgt. Walter Thompson (later Det. Inspector) worked very closely guarding Winston Churchill - through worldwide events that wrote the history books.

The book records Winston carrying his own Colt 1911 and being well able and prepared to use it - and to him having a high-backed tapestry chair at home fitted with a bullet-proof heavy steel plate fitted in the back.

Winston is often linked with a Mauser M 1896 pistol - and also with photos handling a "Tommy Gun"
- Churchill's C96 Mauser pistol was left on the train when he was captured in 1899 near Frere, Natal - and he dumped two clips of 'dum-dum bullets' at the roadside (witnessed by Camillo Ricchiardi of the Boer army).

Read more https://stateofguns.com/how-mauser-almost-killed-ww2-2181/

and:

http://revivaler.com/mauser-bolo-broomhandle-semi-automatic-pistol/

Churchill commented that "the individual Boer, mounted, in a suitable country, is worth four or five regular soldiers."

 - However - once Churchill discovered Colt’s M1911 he purchased one in London in 1916 and had a holster custom made for it to fit his Sam Brown belt.

 - That 1911 pistol was possibly not chambered for the .45ACP but may have been one of the rare Colt M1911’s chambered for the British .455 Automatic cartridge as was used in the Webley Automatic pistol and in the specially made Colt 1911’s used by British forces personnel.

Churchill's Colt 1911 Held in The Imperial War Museum, London.

Serial no. C15566 ? (He may have owned more than one.)

(One source says that His Mother bought him a Colt Pistol)

In 1925 Detective Walter Thompson Owned A 1,000c.c. BSA G25 "10 H.P." Side-Car Combination.- Commuting To Downing St, Chequers, & To Chartwell Manor (with His Webley Revolvers.)

When in 1931 they sailed to USA on the German vessel Europa - there was a shooting range on board. "You must get some practice, Thompson" - "We spent some time on the range. In the ten years I had known him I had never seen him fire his Colt 45. I got a surprise. His marksmanship was deadly."

Note: As with other period writings - the word "revolver" seems to be used for any handgun including semi-auto pistols.

In early March 1943 Walter accidentally shot himself:

He was in the habit of shoving his Webley .32" auto pistol into his waistband when not wearing his jacket. He answered a direct-line phone call in Whitehall calling him to duty, and stretched over a settee to replace the telephone receiver .. the 'Webley automatic' slipped down his trousers, hit the floor, and fired.

Webley Model 1906  .32"acp Metropolitan Police pistol.

" firing a bullet through the calf of my left leg - diverted into my right thigh and, as I was in a crouching position, went upwards into my pelvis, lodging against my hipbone. My right leg collapsed. I began to bleed severely ... Scotland Yard had an ambulance for me in seven minutes."

- Months later as he recovered, Walter ascertained that "the catch" of his Webley .32" and several others in the armory was faulty.  - He picked-out a larger caliber surrendered German LUGER and was granted permission to use it in future. (US Presidential security men had annoyed him by laughing at his 'thirty-two').(Walter observes that he often carried Churchill's Colt .45" as well as his own pistol).

This book has fascinating & rare inside information - bloody interesting.

Marty K.