I was trying to find some old documents in an old drive, I came across this EBay auction I had saved.

Here is the story as per the seller:
RARE VINTAGE CIVIL WAR ERA HOLSTER
FOR 1911 COLT AUTO Once OWNED AND
WORN BY BILLY THE KID. Two years ago at this
time I was privileged to offer at auction a magnificent antique
holster previously carried by Union Army Major General
Ardell “Butch” Bucheimer. This year I am pleased to be able
to offer an equally magnificent specimen of museum
quality. The story of my acquisition of this rare historical
artifact begins in 1999. I was touring Europe with friends
during September of that year, and happened to stay for the
night at a remote French village by the name of Bonne, on the
way to Geneva, Switzerland. At the Hotel bar, I struck up a
conversation with an odd looking buck-toothed local, and
though I had some difficulty understanding everything that
was said, an answer to my query regarding the origin of the
name of the place astounded me. I was told that the village
was named after “Zee American outleau, Billy zee Kid” and
that the village was actually founded by Billy’s wife in the
early 1880’s.
The remainder of the story I heard that night was even
more incredible, but over time and extensive historical
research, I have come to believe it is true. It seems that
contrary to popular belief, Billy Bonney was not a single man
at the time of his death by the gun of Pat Garrett on July 14,
1881. He had, in fact, married a woman by the name of
Maria Magdalena, in Santa Fe, NM, in March of 1881. The
marriage ceremony was said to have been secretly performed
by New Mexico territorial Governor Lew Wallace. I was told
that Billy’s (now pregnant) wife fled to France in the months
following Billy’s death at Fort Sumner, and eventually found
her way to this area of France to gave birth to a son. It seems
that to this day many of the residents of the village are direct
descendents of William H. Bonney, although over time the
name was Francofiled to drop the “y”.
I struck up several friendships that night and
continued to correspond with residents of the town over the
years, eventually obtaining from one of them this fine holster
reputed to be one of the last remaining possessions of Billy
belonging to the actual descendents of William H. Bonney. I
despair to tell you what I had to give for this remarkable find,
but suffice to say, I paid dearly. Although this holster is not
Mexican carved or tooled in any way, it is beautifully
embossed with the unmistakable “US” in oval (meaning
“Union States”), as opposed to “CS” (meaning “Confederate
States”) It is also marked on the back with the historical name
of Catney Enterprises. Louden Jacinto “Cat” Catney, whom I
am given to understand was a noted saddle maker in Lincoln,
New Mexico territory from 1852-1879, was rumored to have
been awarded a contract by the US Government to produce
holsters prior to and during the Civil War. Apparently this
was an over-run or possibly a prototype that was given to
Billy by Catney, to carry the prized, pearl handled 1911 Colt
Auto Pistol that Billy wielded so effectively during the
Lincoln County Wars. Catney soon after tragically lost his
life in a mule shoeing accident.
Had he lived, would “Cat” Catney have achieved the
fame and high reputation of noted leatherworkers like H.H.
Heiser, Frazier, Gallup, F.A. Meanea, S.D. Myres or George
Lawrence? We will never know. Does the fact that New
Mexico finally became a state in 1912 lend further credence
to the provenance of this wonderful example of 19th century
leather-craft? You decide. This important historical holster
is in remarkable condition for its age and would be a worthy
addition to any collection. Up here on the Turquoise Trail,
we believe in truth, justice and the American way. Please email
any questions you may have before bidding.

This was the best offer IMHO:

Q: Dear Sir- I am desperately interested in this most unique opportunity to actually acquire a piece of our Southwest History- I was born and raised in Texas and have been an avid Western artifact collector for some 35 years- Unfortunately, at this time, I am rather,how should I say, financially under the weather- However, I would be willing to trade- One bird dog pup, a little gunshy but I can almost guarantee that she will outgrow it- One Jack mule, standing 17 hands, partially mooneyed but has sound teeth and keen ears- 2 mostly grown children and a 3 legged Rhode Island Red rooster- I know you will probably require a little Boot in order to make this trade fair- Please let me know what you allow on this offer- Kind Regards- Robt.
Mar-26-07
A: Robt. – By Golly, this sounds like the best trade offer I have received yet. Just give me a few days to check with ebay to see if I can cancel this listing prior to the end date of this auction and you may have a deal!

The comment section was a hoot on its own right. I don’t recall if he sold it but it gave many people plenty of laughs.

PS: This is the official 3,000th post.. yay me!

Don’t complain now because the company had to make a business decision to make their customers and workers feel more comfortable and/or safe. Remember that YOU are responsible. YOU forced their hand. YOU are the reason they made this choice.

We have turned the debate into a joke. Yes, we are all responsible.

Whether you are an (A) “in your face activist” as previously mentioned, or a (B) gun owner who doesn’t agree with them but remains silent and thereby complicit, we are all responsible. Own it.

via Practical Tactical Podcast:  This Is Why We Cant Have Nice Things – Starbucks.

Silence gives consent. I know I am guilty of (B) because I did not want to add to the rift that was building up between CCW and OC since we are all supposed to be on the same side. The problem is that the favor was not returned by a group of Exhibitionists that screwed it up for both sides of the carry equation.

And you will hear “But it is my Right and Fuck You!” probably coming from people who have done nothing for the Second Amendment cause or just maybe hit the Pay Pal Donate button in a website….if that. Ours is a war of attrition against 60 years of encroachment and that is not solved in between commercial breaks of Gun Stories or Top Shot. You do not change the perceptions of people brainwashed for over decades on the evils of guns overnight. It takes time, patience and politeness. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not erase all the racial problems by 1965 but yet some in our culture firmly believe that the Heller and McDonald decisions cured all Gun Control ailments because it said so in some Internet Gun Forum.

Lets see if I can make it more clear: If you decide to fight for the rescue of our Second Amendment Right, you are not doing so for what you can get NOW but what we can get for our descendants. That means that like Moses, you ain’t gonna see the Promise Land of resetting the clock back to 1933 or at least in my lifetime I don’t expect it and probably in yours too. But just because I will not see the profit, it does not mean that I will stop working for it or sabotage the cause by acting like a dick.

Now stop acting like Occupy Wall Street idiots with a better grasp of personal hygiene and lets keep the BS to a minimum.

The city of Chicago registered more homicides than any city in the nation in 2012, surpassing even New York — despite the fact that the Second City has only one third as many residents as the Big Apple.

In new crime statistics released Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported 500 murders in Chicago in 2012, up sharply from the 431 recorded in 2011. New York reported 419 murders last year, compared with 515 in 2011.

via FBI: Chicago passes New York as murder capital of U.S..

Shocked, I am telling you. Never saw it coming!

Severe allergy alert.

Hat tip to Bob G.

I wish I’d come up with this one. 😀

They are returning to DC after their spectacular stealth tour that nobody went to see.

My guess is that they will be looking for leftover blood in which to tap dance as they are the Yankee Vulture Bus. A warning when you read names, make sure you don’t mention Aaron Alexis as it is in bad form. KTHNX!

Warning: No idea if the memo is true or a fake, but argument’s sake let’s say is the real thing:

Lets go by parts, shall we?

Clear? You can still Open Carry (and for that matter Conceal Carry) and you will be served. Just don’t act like a jackass because you will be asked to leave as it is their right to do so.

Don’t let yourself be baited by a Mom Demanding Lemonade. Behave, be polite and ask the manager to remove the taunting/offensive idiot. Let the other jackass make the scene and get the bad reputation.

Subtext is important here. Being a firm from Hippie Town U.S.A. Starbucks is probably not very Pro-Gun. At the same time and during tough economic times, it would be idiotic to shoo away people with extra cash when you have investors that will expect a return. Since the first “buycott” Starbucks shares have risen almost double and they’d be fools to garner the ill will of Gun Owners since they are the majority. At the same time, no company wants bad publicity and the Antis do know how to be squeaky wheels. Also I think that the legal team examined the issue of enforcing a ban on all guns and found it somewhat complicated. You have states that have very few restrictions to carry a gun (concealed only) like Florida where you pretty much can ignore any No Guns Allowed sign since they carry no legal weight. Then you have states that allow business to ban guns but with specific signage and this is pretty much different from state to state. So it is a mess to have a corporate policy on gun banning that may not come back to bite them in the corporate ass or the local franchisee.

My very humble and non-legal opinion? This is a cover-yer-butt document that will be issued to the Media who will go and chant that the Gun Control Activist won a round against the NRA and everybody is happy: We still get to carry and the Anti Gun Squeaky Wheels get a dose of Slipstream Weapons Lubricant.

We still win. Go get your double shot espresso.

UPDATE: An open letter from Howard Schultz CEO of Starbucks.

I still stand on my analysis. They just don’t want the undue attention. And this next bit kinda reinforces what I said about the legal crap:
“authorized law enforcement personnel.” Law Enforcement cannot authorize the carrying of a weapon, only the enforcement of the laws as written by the legislature and signed by the Governor. They either consulted the junior partner of the legal firm or this was driven by the PR people (most likely.)

So, don’t act like jackasses, let the other side be the jackasses. Leave the Mosin Nagant at home.

PS: Sorry Joe, I could not help myself. 🙂 Slipstream is a great lubricant!