Re: Tinker, Tailor, General, Stud
"not the type that was going to rouse enough of the population to sweep Obambi out of the Whitehouse." Indeed. Has any other candidate in the last 100 years so obstinately AND successfully resisted releasing his tax returns? Even you must have wondered who some of the interest and dividend payers on Romney's unreleased 1099 were. Then there were the flip flops on Russia, when he had to send Number Two Son to Moscow to tell someone to tell Putin that Mitt was just kidding when he said Russia was so evil. He flip flopped on abortion, never wise with so many evangelical voters in the GOP. Finally, how many voters didn't vote for him in the primaries because he was a Mormon, and then didn't vote for him on Nov. 6 for the same reason?
Don't ambassadors (those who have been reappointed after a second term win) have to be reconfirmed by the Senate? Conceivably, if Ambassador Rice were merely renominated for the UN job, she could run into a lot trouble with the GOP (she flipped the bird at Holbrooke). What if everybody (including Matt Bryant) were talking about her as Secretary of State and then, let's say, Bill Clinton got the nomination? After a huge sigh of relief, Rice's confirmation for a second term for the UN wouldn't be a problem. The relief she didn't go to State would be palpable. Also Obama may not want to lose Kerry's Senate seat just to put him in State.
"Nothing brings out the real colours of politicians as when two from the same camp go for the same job. Remeber all the mud-slinging between Obambi's followers and Shrillary's in the 2008 Presidential nomination race?" Poppycock! 100 years ago the Repugs set the record when Roosevelt split the party, Taft lost and Wilson won. They tied the record again in 1992 when Perot split the GOP vote, Bush lost, and Clinton sneaked in.
" I would be surprised if the US authorities accept Manning's offer unless he has already agreed to provide testimaony against A$$nut, what do you think?" Manning's offer? Manning's offer? It's out of mind. Remind me of it again.
Here's what I want for Bradley Manning. I want him to tell the court the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It would sadden me to learn he withheld facts or embellished them at the behest of his jailers to get a cell with a view or an extra portion of Spam every week. I would not want him to diminish or exaggerate Assange's role in all of this. I'm sure you feel the same way.
Factoids:
"Nikolai Makarov was Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia and First Deputy Minister of Defense from 2008 to November 2012."
"The Makarov pistol or PM (Russian: Пистолет Макарова, Pistolet Makarova, literally Makarov's Pistol) is a semi-automatic pistol design. Under the project leadership of Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov, it became the Soviet Union's standard military side arm from 1951-1991."
"Anatoliy Eduardovich Serdyukov is a Russian politician and businessman who was the Defense Minister of Russia from 15 February 2007 to 6 November 2012. During his tenure as Defense Minister, he launched several major reforms of the Russian military."
"SR-1 " Gyurza" pistol,(designer Piotr Serdyukov) compared to the famous Makarov PM pistol
Type: Double Action
Caliber 9x21mm SP-10, SP-11, SP-12
Overall length 195 mm
Weight loaded 1180 g
Magazine capacity 18 rounds
Effective range: 200 meters
Muzzle Velocity: 420 m/s"
"Initially this gun was designed to meet Russian Army requirements for a high capacity pistol with effective range of no less than 50 meters. To achieve such characteristics, a new cartridge was developed - SP-10 (9x21) with AP steel core bullets, designed to deal with targets in bulletproof vests or hiding in cars etc (capable of near to 100% successful penetration of 30 layers of Kevlar plus up to 2.8mm titanium plate at 100 meters).
When, in the mid-1990s, Russian Army lost interest in this gun in the favor of the 9x19mm developments, some Russian Law-enforcement agencies picked up this gun, and in 1996 it was adopted by FSB ( Federal Security Service, a part of the former KGB) and some other agencies. The development of this pistol and ammunition for it continued into the 21st century, and, in 2003, its improved version was finally adopted by the Russian Government for military and police use as the SPS - Samozaryadnyj Pistolet Serdjukova - Serdyukov Self-loading pistol. Originally known as "Gyurza", or as SR-1 "Vektor" (in FSB service), this pistol had been developed by the designer Piotr Serdyukov at TSNIITOchMash (Central Research and Development Institute of Precision Machine Building, in Klimovsk city, Russia). At the present time this pistol is used by the various FSB and FSO (Russian state VIP protection service) troops.
The SPS is a short recoil operated, locked breech pistol. The slide to barrel locking is achieved by the tilting locking piece, located under the barrel, much like the Walther P38 or Beretta 92. The return spring is located around the barrel. Frame is made from steel upper part and the polymer grip and the trigger guard. Slide is made of steel. Double action trigger featured automatic Glock-like trigger safety, plus internal firing pin safety and the automated grip safety. No manual safeties are provided on the gun. Until the very recent production guns, SR-1 also lacked the slide stop. The external hammer can be put on the half-cock position for increased safety. It must be noted, that the DA mode will fork only if the hammer is on half-cock. The gun is fed using steel, double stack magazines that hold 18 rounds of 9x21 mm ammo.
9x21mm ammunition now available in basic Armour Piercing form, as well as with expanding increased stopping power bullets, non-ricocheting training bullets, and some other types. The one downside of this ammo is that it is very expensive, at least now, having cost several times more than of any commercially available 9x19mm ammo.
I had the chance to inspect this gun (pictured above), during September, 2003, but not fired it yet. In my opinion, the grip is just too big for shooter with average palms. The grip safety also may play a dirty trick with the shooter, since it may not be disengaged if the gun held improperly during the stress situation, so, many FSB field operatives simply block this safety off by some sort of scotch tape. Sights are somewhat tiny. But, otherwise, the SPS is a fine and very powerful close combat weapon, that could be used as well as defensive, and as offensive weapon, especially in the room and car search scenarios, where single-hand controllability and good penetration of the round are welcome."
Have you had occasion to fire either of these pistols? The Makarov is good looking and resembles the Walther. the Serdyukov has a frightening appearance. It looks like a side arm in 1984.
Picture of the Serdyukov
http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg/rus/serdyukov-sps-cp1-gyurza-e.html