More Zen and cleaner Weapons...
I sit down with the M-14 and begin the process again. Flip it upside down, pry the trigger guard out and lift the trigger mechanism out of the stock. This allows me to pull the receiver and stock apart...
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff testified that obesity in young people is a national security issue. Too many youngsters have to be turned away when they try to sign up for military service because they can't make the weight standards. This will create a shortfall in recruits in the near future affecting the readiness of the military worldwide. Huuhhh???
I went to basic training in the summer of 1964. I wasn't worried about my waistline at that time, quite the opposite. But there were a huge number of fellas in my company who were pretty chubby; the training, the NCOs, the hours, the stress, and the lack of decent sleep all combined to melt those pounds away. And this was before the PC cops attacked the mess hall's meal plan. In basic training, if you took everything that was available to you at each meal, you would consume in the neighborhood of 4000 calories per day...PER DAY...and almost everyone lost weight. So what is the deal, Admiral? We are not allowed to treat the inductees to the rigors of the "real deal" anymore...gotta treat 'em nice, no yelling, no abuse, no kicking in the butt, must use our "inside voice" and "mentor" our newbies.
The ridiculousness of the whole weight control program in the military is monumental. If you are built like an NFL linebacker and can never be under the "screening weight" for your height, you will be constantly harassed and cajoled about your weight...in fact...most NFL players would not be "acceptable" for military service. But if you are a beanpole and a drunk and a heavy smoker who is below the screening weight...well, then you're our boy...can you run two miles? The whole mess goes back to the seventies when General B. Rogers got embarassed by a South American General while reviewing a Parade. The SA General laughed and said that in his army all the generals were fat and the sergeants were skinny but in the American Army all the generals were skinny and the sergeants were fat. The next year Rogers became the Chief of Staff of the Army and changed all the weight standards, and PT standards while he was at it. So anyway, we are not in the business of trimming down the fatboys even if they want to be soldiers. Scenario: You are in a foxhole and the Russian Army has just crossed the line; they will be at your position in a matter of minutes...who do you want in your foxhole with you? Warren Sapp or Mick Jagger?
Lay the receiver on its top and press the recoil spring keeper forward, pull the keeper pin out, and carefully relax the spring. Pull out the charging rod, spring, and keeper.
Having saved us from the perils of saturated fats, the City of New York wants to further save us from another deadly substance: salt. They are not only after eliminating shakers of salt and salt packets on the table, but also want a reduction in the amount of salt used in cooking and processing. The justification is that salt is not good for us. Never mind that a pork chop just cannot attain its true potential without the aid of salt. It is matter of health. We want a healthier population. And if you don't want to be on that bandwagon with us...well...you will just have to pay higher premiums for your insurance...if you can get insurance at all. Salt eaters will fall into the same high-risk category as smokers, sky-divers, and fat-burger lovers. Didn't these do-gooders study basic biology? Salt is a necessary nutrient; our bodies need a certain amount of salt to stay alive. But that isn't even the point here...who the heck's business is it if I eat salt on my fries or not? If it has an effect on me...that is why I pay for insurance. Dam gument.
With a slight twisting motion, pull the charging rod out of the guide ring and pull the bolt out of the top of the receiver.
The Powers-That-Be have not ruled out the possibility that if Israeli jets cross into Iraq on their way to destroy the nuclear facilities in Iran, they will be shot down...by us. There is still a no-fly zone over a lot of Iraq and we are sworn to keep everyone out. Even the Israelis. That would be a mistake spelled with a Capitol Stupid.
Squirt Break-Free liberally on a patch and wipe down all the interior surfaces of the receiver, especially around the breach and locking lugs. Run a Break-Free soaked patch up a down in the barrel.
Some of our "dip"-lomats have called for "crippling sanctions" on Iran. Just until they stop making nuclear bombs. This is the same Iran who has sworn to wipe Israel off the map, destroy the western way of life, will have ICBMs (that is Intercontinental Ballistic Missles for those too young to remember the good old Cold War days) inside of five years that would be able to reach the US of A; the same Iran who has promised and lied and sworn out of one of their faces while continuing to develop nukes and called us Great Satan and everything else out of the other side. Crippling Sanctions? How about "Crippling Airstrikes"? I like that better.
Loosen up the cap on the gas cylinder and remove the piston; wipe with Break-Free. Use a tooth brush to scrub all the tiny places; in the really hard to reach areas you can use an ice-pick or flat-tip screwdriver wrapped in a cleaning patch to get at the carbon deposits. Especially in the trigger mechanism; it has a lot of parts that move around and make it hard to get to every spot...be patient and thorough.
Finally, there is an uproar about the new laws in Arizona. People are upset that police will have the authority to stop them and check their status. Hey! Cops can do that now...without any new law. And all this crud about infringing on our rights and our freedoms...did you know that you have to have a passport now to get back into the US if you cross into Canada or Mexico? Law abiding US citizens have to produce valid ID to get into the US and we want to throw a hissy because the authorities in Arizona want to be able to identify immigrants? Legal or illegal? There is no infringement on anyone's rights to identify oneself. If the US government would do their job we wouldn't need individual states making their own laws about immigration. But our Executive Branch is too busy with more important stuff...
Run clean patches through the barrel until they come out as clean as they went in. Wipe all the Break-Free off and apply a very thin coat of oil on all the parts. Re-assemble in reverse of the dis-assembly. Perform a function check: work the action of the bolt by sliding it back and forth several times; then pull the trigger to hear that very sweet "thock" sound.
Ahh...that's better. I have got to stop watching the news.