Every year around here the power company comes out with a crew of men to cut the trees away from their power lines.
It makes for some really ugly trees in the utility easement along the back of the yard.
Why do they do this?
Because we live in HurricaneLand!
We don't get even so much as a tropical storm every year, let alone a real live hurricane.
But if they know that if the power isn't flowing, the meters aren't turning and if the meters don't turn the money stops flowing.
It's pure rational self interest for them to keep the grid maintained and up in rather extreme wind conditions.
Doing this maintenance also absolves them from negligence should critical infrastructure lose power.
Critical infrastructure like an assisted care living facility (ACLF) with people depending on that electricity for their very lives. Air conditioning being the most important life support system for a Florida summer and the elderly.
Because even the most well designed and maintained electrical grid can sometimes succumb to hurricane strength winds; ACLF's are required to have back-up power generation on site.
A couple of facilities didn't and are having their testicles sued off as I type. People died.
Something else the clearing of trees and vegetation from the lines does is keeps them from sparking. We don't normally have the kind of dry weather that leads to this sparking causing fires; but it seldom matters because the lines are kept clear.
Our rampant wildfires from a few years ago were traced to heat lightning, not power lines. We've had a couple recently from campfires getting out of hand.
Remember how this clearing makes for ugly trees?
Something we don't have in Florida is any traction whatsoever for saving the appearance, or even existence, of a tree that's encroaching on a power line.
We also have extensive fire breaks cut into our wilderness to keep a fire from spreading too far.
In 2007 this system was sorely taxed, but it did contain the damage.
All of the above is why Floridians have scant sympathy for California's fire problem. Not only are they doing nothing to keep the fires from happening, they are actively making the situation worse by preventing the prevention action.
Click here to submit $0.00 US for a lifetime subscription
Posts
All Comments
15 January 2019
Deliberate Misinformation
Chili isn't from Mexico, though I often attribute it to Mexico on purpose.
It's from a part of Texas that's predominately Mexican rather than Anglo.
It's original form didn't have beans. Beans just don't grow there.
But if you're going to get all "traditional" and demand that chili not have beans because they didn't use beans in the 1850's... Your base stock had better include suet. And dried beef.
Chili was poor folk food. It's got simple ingredients that aren't prime, marketable cuts.
Lots of staple foods start here.
Starting with fresh meat, skipping suet, adding tomatoes and beans... allowed.
My grandmother would object to all manner of things which are called spaghetti in restaurants today. She refused to call MY spaghetti sauce "spaghetti". Why? Meat. To her, spaghetti sauce was meatless (also distinct from the similarly meatless marinara). But she did say it was very tasty and allowed that I could call it anything I wanted.
There's a story there too.
HER sauce wasn't spaghetti sauce to her neighbors back in the old country. Why? Because her sauce was associated with a different noodle than spaghetti with them. They both made the same sauce, but used different pasta and thus used a different name.
The thing is, both my Grandma and Texas have lost this naming war.
When you ask someone to describe chili, you're going to get a bean and meat dish not a base sauce with some meat in it. The fact that you have to say "Texas chili" to describe a base chili sauce without beans or tomatoes says everything about how Texas has lost this war. Don't feel bad, Texas, Italy lost the war over what pizza is too.
Texas takes far too many things to religious fervor levels that really don't matter.
It's from a part of Texas that's predominately Mexican rather than Anglo.
It's original form didn't have beans. Beans just don't grow there.
But if you're going to get all "traditional" and demand that chili not have beans because they didn't use beans in the 1850's... Your base stock had better include suet. And dried beef.
Chili was poor folk food. It's got simple ingredients that aren't prime, marketable cuts.
Lots of staple foods start here.
Starting with fresh meat, skipping suet, adding tomatoes and beans... allowed.
My grandmother would object to all manner of things which are called spaghetti in restaurants today. She refused to call MY spaghetti sauce "spaghetti". Why? Meat. To her, spaghetti sauce was meatless (also distinct from the similarly meatless marinara). But she did say it was very tasty and allowed that I could call it anything I wanted.
There's a story there too.
HER sauce wasn't spaghetti sauce to her neighbors back in the old country. Why? Because her sauce was associated with a different noodle than spaghetti with them. They both made the same sauce, but used different pasta and thus used a different name.
The thing is, both my Grandma and Texas have lost this naming war.
When you ask someone to describe chili, you're going to get a bean and meat dish not a base sauce with some meat in it. The fact that you have to say "Texas chili" to describe a base chili sauce without beans or tomatoes says everything about how Texas has lost this war. Don't feel bad, Texas, Italy lost the war over what pizza is too.
Texas takes far too many things to religious fervor levels that really don't matter.
14 January 2019
Brewing
Today I'm going down to Big Top Brewing Company to watch/assist a friend make a one-off batch of beer!
Should be informative.
Should be informative.
13 January 2019
Rate Reduced
Two things.
First, a bumpstock is a rate reducer for Mr Miculek.
Second, he's more accurate without a rear sight than most of us are with optics.
First, a bumpstock is a rate reducer for Mr Miculek.
Second, he's more accurate without a rear sight than most of us are with optics.
Picking Up Speed
CMP has, week over week, managed to speed up from 80 requests for payment to around 160 in the past week.
If they keep at the 160 a week pace then I will get the call in early Feb.
It's getting exciting!
And scary.
No reply from my inquiry about finding my old issue pistol. I can't find it, but I recall they once said there would be no requests for serials in the 1911 sale. C'est la vie if so.
Barring getting 1164935, I'd be pleased as punch to get a Colt frame, Remington-Rand slide like my old gun was. There've been some pictures posted of some matching Colts that put the condition of Marv's to shame.
He's indicated he'd be jealous if I got one of those.
If they keep at the 160 a week pace then I will get the call in early Feb.
It's getting exciting!
And scary.
No reply from my inquiry about finding my old issue pistol. I can't find it, but I recall they once said there would be no requests for serials in the 1911 sale. C'est la vie if so.
Barring getting 1164935, I'd be pleased as punch to get a Colt frame, Remington-Rand slide like my old gun was. There've been some pictures posted of some matching Colts that put the condition of Marv's to shame.
He's indicated he'd be jealous if I got one of those.
Forgot A Step
The brake bleed procedure for a Corvette says to use a "new, sealed container" to fill the reservoir.
Pray tell, if it is sealed, how can I extract the contents thereof?
Asking for a friend.
Pray tell, if it is sealed, how can I extract the contents thereof?
Asking for a friend.
You Don't Know What You're Talking About
Hey, Mr Millennial, when you're comparing a wall to defend our southern border from illegal entry by foreign nationals with The Berlin Wall...
I know something you can't know.
Because The Berlin Wall is gone. Gone before you were born.
It was still there when I was stationed in Germany. West Germany, something else that was gone before you were born.
The Berlin Wall was not built to keep East Germans OUT of West Berlin; it was made to keep the IN.
The fortified, mined and manned inter-German border was not made to keep East Germans OUT, it was made to keep them IN.
That might seem to be similar to the US/Mexico border. We want to keep the Mexicans and South Americans IN Mexico and OUT of The USA... In both cases the wall marks the divide between a better place and a shitty place.
The difference is in whom was building the wall.
The Communist nations built their wall to prevent escape from the shitty place, and anyone who managed to escape was welcomed. They were never unwelcome in the west.
South Americans and Mexicans have worn out their welcome here. They take jobs away from citizens, they drive down wages, they commit crimes... We don't want them any more.
We want them to go home and not come back.
We're becoming OK with the idea of them getting killed for being here. That they aren't already shows our restraint and respect for our own laws... but patience is wearing thin. It won't be too long before we start asking, "If we can't have a wall, can we at least have some cluster bombing?"
Yes, that would be an invasion of Mexico. We've done it before. More than once, in fact.
Maybe we should roll the border down to Guatemala. It'd be a shorter wall and we could take care of several other festering problems in Mexico while it is under military governorship. I'd like to see what the cartels do with a real military shooting back.
I know something you can't know.
Because The Berlin Wall is gone. Gone before you were born.
It was still there when I was stationed in Germany. West Germany, something else that was gone before you were born.
The Berlin Wall was not built to keep East Germans OUT of West Berlin; it was made to keep the IN.
The fortified, mined and manned inter-German border was not made to keep East Germans OUT, it was made to keep them IN.
That might seem to be similar to the US/Mexico border. We want to keep the Mexicans and South Americans IN Mexico and OUT of The USA... In both cases the wall marks the divide between a better place and a shitty place.
The difference is in whom was building the wall.
The Communist nations built their wall to prevent escape from the shitty place, and anyone who managed to escape was welcomed. They were never unwelcome in the west.
South Americans and Mexicans have worn out their welcome here. They take jobs away from citizens, they drive down wages, they commit crimes... We don't want them any more.
We want them to go home and not come back.
We're becoming OK with the idea of them getting killed for being here. That they aren't already shows our restraint and respect for our own laws... but patience is wearing thin. It won't be too long before we start asking, "If we can't have a wall, can we at least have some cluster bombing?"
Yes, that would be an invasion of Mexico. We've done it before. More than once, in fact.
Maybe we should roll the border down to Guatemala. It'd be a shorter wall and we could take care of several other festering problems in Mexico while it is under military governorship. I'd like to see what the cartels do with a real military shooting back.
Hurray I Helped!
Helped JT do his brake upgrade on his Corvette.
This is a C7 rim with C6 Z51 brakes on a C5!
Highlights of the day...
His son coming out and seeing the rear wheels off the car the first time ever. "Wow! Those tires are WIDE!"
Me trying to put the rear wheel back on the hub. To use the C7 rears on a C5 you have to use a spacer hub. I had the wheel lined up perfectly with the studs holding the spacer, and the correct studs were hitting the back of wheel keeping me from putting the wheel on... Here's my sign.
The test drive was a bit dramatic. There was a scraping noise when we pulled out to set the pads. Initially we weren't too worried since we were using the pads that were on the car from before. C5 and C6 use the same pads, so no worries. We theorized that the old pads just hadn't been set into the new rotors yet...
The scraping got MUCH worse as we got some heat into the brakes.
JT pulled over and I gimped alongside to see if I could see where the noise was coming from. The pads had left a concentric pattern on the new rotor that looked like gouging, but was smooth.
I suggested we drive down to Tampa anyway, "If they're fucked, they're fucked already and that won't make it worse. If this is because the old pads have the old rotor's wear to shed, then the drive will help." JT liked my reasoning and off to Tampa we went. We had dinner at Eat's American Grill (we highly recommend it!) and by the time we got there. No scraping noise. On the way out on cold brakes, not scraping noise.
VICTORY!
While JT was cleaning up some clutter to let him actually park cars in his garage I had a look at the old rotors. Sure enough the pattern we were seeing on the new rotors was there. It was from the face of the pad being worn into the old rotor. That means it will pass as the new rotors mate with the pads.
11 January 2019
Criminal Negligence
I just got done reading this.
Scot Peterson's lack of action is nearly to accomplice after the fact.
Sgt. Richard Rossman sitting on the fact that there was a tape delay to the video feed... Why would you do that unless you were helping the shooter to evade?
I am beside myself here.
Scot Peterson's lack of action is nearly to accomplice after the fact.
Sgt. Richard Rossman sitting on the fact that there was a tape delay to the video feed... Why would you do that unless you were helping the shooter to evade?
I am beside myself here.
Evil Should Be Punished
Even if Evil has worshipers.
It is now former-sheriff Israel of Broward County.
I care not if it martyrs him.
In fact I hope it does, it will mark our opponents and bring them into the light.
It is now former-sheriff Israel of Broward County.
I care not if it martyrs him.
In fact I hope it does, it will mark our opponents and bring them into the light.
Military Features
Like on a weapon of war?
There's not a single advance in firearms which is common on everyday civilian guns which wasn't used in war.
In fact, most advances in firearm technology were explicitly for military firearms.
The prosaic bolt action in particular.
The Lebel 1886 and Gew.88 were the AK-47s of their days.
As was the Garand.
Personally, I ain't skeered of my fellow man possessing any and all manner of military features.
If such things were really an issue, there'd be no denying it.
There's millions of the things out there now, there weren't back in 1994.
There's not a single advance in firearms which is common on everyday civilian guns which wasn't used in war.
In fact, most advances in firearm technology were explicitly for military firearms.
The prosaic bolt action in particular.
The Lebel 1886 and Gew.88 were the AK-47s of their days.
As was the Garand.
Personally, I ain't skeered of my fellow man possessing any and all manner of military features.
If such things were really an issue, there'd be no denying it.
There's millions of the things out there now, there weren't back in 1994.
It's Official
Not quite the pin, patch and decal of joining the NHRA, but close!
I feel so lordly now!
Now, to live long enough to make it a bargain...
I feel so lordly now!
Now, to live long enough to make it a bargain...
I Hate Doing The Bills
I suspect that few people enjoy doing this particular chore.
I hate, almost as much, balancing the checkbook.
The anxiety over, "did I forget to record something?" and spent the money twice looms large because it's something I've done before.
Accounting might be fairly simple, but it eluded me for a long time. Math has never come easy to me, but once learnt, it's learnt.
I hate, almost as much, balancing the checkbook.
The anxiety over, "did I forget to record something?" and spent the money twice looms large because it's something I've done before.
Accounting might be fairly simple, but it eluded me for a long time. Math has never come easy to me, but once learnt, it's learnt.
Iconic 1911 Ammo
.45 ACP
.38 Super
10mm ACP
I excluded 9mm on purpose.
The first gun that pops into my head when I think about these three rounds is a 1911, that's not true of 9x19mm.
Short List
I am continually struck by how ineffectual millions of people are in the face of such a short list of rich people.
We know the gun grabbers by name, it's not hard to learn the names because there's less than a score of them to memorize.
You'd think we could get more done, outnumbering them like we do.
We know the gun grabbers by name, it's not hard to learn the names because there's less than a score of them to memorize.
You'd think we could get more done, outnumbering them like we do.
Idle Hands And What
I put Tonya back to her "as issued" state.
The fixed stock is objectively better, but it's not right.
Besides, the folder gives Dianne the hives.
A Camel Is Not A Horse
No matter how many things are similar between a horse and a camel, nothing makes the camel a horse.
Just because it has tracks, a turret and armor; it doesn't mean it's a tank.
I've been seeing a lot of "worst tank" lists on youtube where more than half the vehicles on the list aren't even tanks.
No shit it's a bad tank; IT'S NOT A TANK AT ALL!!
That's like saying a cat is the worst dog.
Or a list of "5 worst predators" and then listing deer and manatees.
Just because it has tracks, a turret and armor; it doesn't mean it's a tank.
I've been seeing a lot of "worst tank" lists on youtube where more than half the vehicles on the list aren't even tanks.
No shit it's a bad tank; IT'S NOT A TANK AT ALL!!
That's like saying a cat is the worst dog.
Or a list of "5 worst predators" and then listing deer and manatees.
Brrrr
It's 51˚ out there.
It seems cold.
The reason it seems cold is it was 80˚ two days ago.
A near thirty degree drop in a couple days seems cold.
If I were still living in Iowa, a 51˚ day in January would seem like it was time to break out the shorts and sandals because it'd be a thirty degree spike!
It's all relative.
All in all, I'll take Florida.
While we might get the occasional hurricane, Iowa has had winter every year since I moved.
It seems cold.
The reason it seems cold is it was 80˚ two days ago.
A near thirty degree drop in a couple days seems cold.
If I were still living in Iowa, a 51˚ day in January would seem like it was time to break out the shorts and sandals because it'd be a thirty degree spike!
It's all relative.
All in all, I'll take Florida.
While we might get the occasional hurricane, Iowa has had winter every year since I moved.
10 January 2019
Wrote An Email
I would like you to support Representative Hill's HB 175.She's avoiding her local office.
The report on the Parkland shooting says much of what was passed in last years SB 7026 would have done nothing to stop the shooter and will be ineffectual to prevent future shootings.
We'd be better served with less gun-control and with more good-guys with guns who will actually act in response to such horrifying situations.
A bill which puts a legal responsibility to act on school resource officers would do far more for student safety than punishing innocent gun owners.
The long list of local government officials and law enforcement professionals who, at best, nothing to stop the shooting from places of safety and, at worst, enabled the shooter by not enforcing existing laws in the years leading to the shooting is a list of people who should suffer some form of punishment.
That Sheriff Israel is still the sitting sheriff after such an abject failure in his duty to his community is telling; but that the SRO, Scott Peterson, who cowered outside while the students in his charge were murdered is still eligible for his generous retirement benefits is appalling!
That we cannot expect SRO's to be compelled to do the task they were explicitly hired to do is unbelievable. Yet, it is so.
Since we do not conscript law enforcement personnel, it's high time we demand that they are required to do their duty. To be the heroes they constantly tell us they are.
Thank you for your time.
Gun Jeebus Speaks
Forgotten Weapons has put out on their FaceBook page to spend your money elsewhere with regards to Classic Firearms.
The funny thing is I was kinda interested in the gun shown. The link in the sales email I got from them goes to a 404 page. This is unusual for them because out of stock normally dumps to the item with "out of stock" in place of the order link.
They're not what I'd call a top tier vendor, but the number of competitors in the C&R and surplus market is getting smaller every year. Who's left? J&G and Apex? I know SOG is gone and one other whose name escapes me in the past year.
The funny thing is I was kinda interested in the gun shown. The link in the sales email I got from them goes to a 404 page. This is unusual for them because out of stock normally dumps to the item with "out of stock" in place of the order link.
They're not what I'd call a top tier vendor, but the number of competitors in the C&R and surplus market is getting smaller every year. Who's left? J&G and Apex? I know SOG is gone and one other whose name escapes me in the past year.
Well That Sucked
I augered in about 8 pm last night.
I got up to make The Boy's breakfast and take him to school and I had a very difficult time staying standing up.
My inner ear was thoroughly convinced the house was flipping end over end.
I managed to nuke a breakfast burrito for The Boy and I crawled back into bed.
I think Willard called somewhere in here too. Well, I know he did, it's in the call list, but I don't really remember talking to him.
This damn cold just will not let go!
I don't really feel that bad, I'm just run down tired with sinus drain. Yesterday I would have predicted I'd be all better today. I had been feeling better day over day since last week.
Maybe I'll feel better soon.
I got up to make The Boy's breakfast and take him to school and I had a very difficult time staying standing up.
My inner ear was thoroughly convinced the house was flipping end over end.
I managed to nuke a breakfast burrito for The Boy and I crawled back into bed.
I think Willard called somewhere in here too. Well, I know he did, it's in the call list, but I don't really remember talking to him.
This damn cold just will not let go!
I don't really feel that bad, I'm just run down tired with sinus drain. Yesterday I would have predicted I'd be all better today. I had been feeling better day over day since last week.
Maybe I'll feel better soon.
09 January 2019
Other Implications
"[A] conversion
kit, a tool, an accessory, or a device used to alter the rate of fire of
a firearm to mimic automatic weapon fire."
Jerry Miculek is banned in Florida.
Jerry Miculek is banned in Florida.
08 January 2019
IANAL
There's a school of thought that thinks that Florida's bumpstock ban also, somehow, applies to NFA registered machine guns like drop-in auto sears and lightning links.
Despite them doing what the bumpstock law says it bans...
FS 790.221 explains it all.
Machine guns are illegal in Florida.
790.222 Bump-fire stocks prohibited.—A person may not import into this state or transfer, distribute, sell, keep for sale, offer for sale, possess, or give to another person a bump-fire stock. A person who violates this section commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. As used in this section, the term “bump-fire stock” means a conversion kit, a tool, an accessory, or a device used to alter the rate of fire of a firearm to mimic automatic weapon fire or which is used to increase the rate of fire to a faster rate than is possible for a person to fire such semiautomatic firearm unassisted by a kit, a tool, an accessory, or a device.
Despite them doing what the bumpstock law says it bans...
FS 790.221 explains it all.
Machine guns are illegal in Florida.
790.221 Possession of short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or machine gun; penalty.—(1) It is unlawful for any person to own or to have in his or her care, custody, possession, or control any short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or machine gun which is, or may readily be made, operable; but this section shall not apply to antique firearms.(2) A person who violates this section commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.(3) Firearms in violation hereof which are lawfully owned and possessed under provisions of federal law are excepted.
Wait... What's that subsection (3)?
Don't read into the law things which aren't there while ignoring that which is.
Lightning links and DIAS are not accessories, kits or devices that mimic automatic weapon fire. They create actual automatic fire and are already defined and regulated as machineguns.
The devil is in the details.
I suspect that 790.222 is going to, eventually, be struck as constitutionally vague from a lack of objective definitions.
Park Dark-Red-Wood And JMB
The Hi-Power is sporting cocobolo. Colt calls the wood I have on the Springfield rosewood.
Both cocobolo and rosewood are from genus dalbergia, so it stands they should look similar.
Seven Weeks?
CMP is averaging 100 guns a week shipped on the M1911A1's.
I'm about 700 spots behind the most recent number shipped according to the forums.
End of February.
I'm about 700 spots behind the most recent number shipped according to the forums.
End of February.
07 January 2019
I Am Not The First To Notice
I am intensely fortunate that none of the ignorant things I said when I was 15-24 have a forever record on the internet like people who were 15-24 when social media started to become commonplace.
Couple that with the zero-tolerance, no-forgiveness culture we're breeding and soon there won't be anyone who can do anything because they said something stupid twenty years ago.
Couple that with the zero-tolerance, no-forgiveness culture we're breeding and soon there won't be anyone who can do anything because they said something stupid twenty years ago.
OK Preppers What's Your Plan For THIS?
Large Magellanic Cloud to impact Milky Way!
We're all gonna DIE!!!!!
Um...
We're all gonna be dead unless a truly remarkable advance in medicine happens.
We're all gonna DIE!!!!!
Um...
We're all gonna be dead unless a truly remarkable advance in medicine happens.
Quoted For Truth
“Am I the only one who realizes that landmines would be cheap, easy, and definitely not a wall?” from Facebook via Instapundit.
Additionally, completely within the military's budget!
Additionally, completely within the military's budget!
06 January 2019
Race Fantasy And The Old West
I've repeatedly toyed with making a world set about 1875 or so in the American Old West with fantasy races and magic.
This is where the elf-human-orc genetic discussion came from.
Originally I was trying to shoe-horn the fantasy races into historic slots, with orcs taking the role of blacks...
Yeah, I spotted how bad that looked as fast as you did.
I've made an orc character from a world where orcs were the African slaves in The South, and The Confederate States of America won. That's William Jenkins.
It was the placing of other races where everything fell apart. Orcs naturally fit the role of the hated race that everyone hated. But what if I made Jews elves? Scots seem to fit dwarves well, when was the last time a dwarf wasn't depicted as Scottish? Does that make Germans gnomes?
The shoe horning wasn't working.
But what if humanity was Elf-Human-Orc? I need to find a place for dwarves, gnomes and halflings. Maybe for goblins too.
Inserting dwarves into some cultural memes works well. The English oppression of their Celtic people and their gravitation to mining lends itself to the Scots/Welsh/Irish miner being a dwarf. Other Celts could be gnomes.
The mechanically inclined and inventive dwarves and gnomes mesh well with how many inventions stem from Scots too.
The scary part of using GURPS Fantasy races for cultural stereotypes is the Jews = goblins thing. Goblins are the racially inclined traders in both Fantasy Folk and Banestorm. That meshes with the stereotype of Jew, but... It's a bit on the nose... Especially as it meshes well with Arab traders too.
But my Gohds the racist implications...
It gets to be very difficult to pull off.
Not that there's anything in the racial template that's particularly insulting to Jews or Arabs, except for their physical description that plays like a Nazi newspaper editorial cartoon description.
Ugh.
Best to make religion independent of race. And it's fairly easy to fit goblins into non-Jewish templates by putting them at the head of other famous trading ventures. East India Company being goblin helmed would do it. The Jewish propensity to head for education, science and medicine doesn't match well with the goblin template either.
Then, for The Old West... who are the Chinese? In the orc=African idea I toyed with making them all elves. Chinese, after all, are sometimes referred to as celestials.
But who will play the Indians?
Thus was the elf-human-orc Humanity idea was born. These three races are most of the population with the others taking the place where especially appropriate to individual example.
One thing that clings is associating elf with royalty. You see a poor, indentured or enslaved elf; you're looking at someone who's been dispossessed. Insert dark-elf template for 31 points, Wink.
This is where the elf-human-orc genetic discussion came from.
Originally I was trying to shoe-horn the fantasy races into historic slots, with orcs taking the role of blacks...
Yeah, I spotted how bad that looked as fast as you did.
I've made an orc character from a world where orcs were the African slaves in The South, and The Confederate States of America won. That's William Jenkins.
It was the placing of other races where everything fell apart. Orcs naturally fit the role of the hated race that everyone hated. But what if I made Jews elves? Scots seem to fit dwarves well, when was the last time a dwarf wasn't depicted as Scottish? Does that make Germans gnomes?
The shoe horning wasn't working.
But what if humanity was Elf-Human-Orc? I need to find a place for dwarves, gnomes and halflings. Maybe for goblins too.
Inserting dwarves into some cultural memes works well. The English oppression of their Celtic people and their gravitation to mining lends itself to the Scots/Welsh/Irish miner being a dwarf. Other Celts could be gnomes.
The mechanically inclined and inventive dwarves and gnomes mesh well with how many inventions stem from Scots too.
The scary part of using GURPS Fantasy races for cultural stereotypes is the Jews = goblins thing. Goblins are the racially inclined traders in both Fantasy Folk and Banestorm. That meshes with the stereotype of Jew, but... It's a bit on the nose... Especially as it meshes well with Arab traders too.
But my Gohds the racist implications...
It gets to be very difficult to pull off.
Not that there's anything in the racial template that's particularly insulting to Jews or Arabs, except for their physical description that plays like a Nazi newspaper editorial cartoon description.
Ugh.
Best to make religion independent of race. And it's fairly easy to fit goblins into non-Jewish templates by putting them at the head of other famous trading ventures. East India Company being goblin helmed would do it. The Jewish propensity to head for education, science and medicine doesn't match well with the goblin template either.
Then, for The Old West... who are the Chinese? In the orc=African idea I toyed with making them all elves. Chinese, after all, are sometimes referred to as celestials.
But who will play the Indians?
Thus was the elf-human-orc Humanity idea was born. These three races are most of the population with the others taking the place where especially appropriate to individual example.
One thing that clings is associating elf with royalty. You see a poor, indentured or enslaved elf; you're looking at someone who's been dispossessed. Insert dark-elf template for 31 points, Wink.
GURPS By Request
Lets take the average infantryman from Die Duetsches Heer and the US Army.
WW1 German grunt: DX 11, Guns/TL6 - Rifle 13.
Modern US 11B: DX 11, Guns/TL8 - Rifle 13.
That's an even match, no?
Comparing the guns.
The Gew.98 does 7d+1 pi with an Acc of 5 with ranges of 1,100/4,600. It carries 5(3) shots with a RoF of 1. it needs a ST of 11 to operate without penalty, which our Soldat has. Rcl is 4 which shouldn't matter because of the low RoF.
An M4A1 does 4d+1 pi with an Acc of 4, but the Aimpoint gives a +1 to Guns/TL8 skill. Range is 750/2,900 and needs a ST of 9. There are 30+1(3) shots with a RoF of 15. Rcl is 2, which is going to come up.
Now... what range do we put the fight?
How about the 200m "typical" engagement in a rural European setting?
218 yards is a -13 penalty. Nobody is hitting anything without aiming.
If they spot each other at the same time and go prone... -2 to hit, but you get to brace if you aim for a +1.
Aiming for one round, German: 13 - 13 + 5 - 2 + 1. 4 to hit.
Aiming for one round, American: 14 - 13 + 4 - 2 + 1. 4 to hit with a single shot. 7 to hit by dumping 15 rounds at the German.
The German would need to roll a 4 for a single hit. The American, firing semi-auto and three shots still needs a 4, and a 3 would still give a single hit. In full auto a 7 lands 1, a 5 lands 2 and a 3 lands 3. The chance of rolling a 7 or less is just 16.2%, but better than 1.85% for the 4 or less.
Aiming longer can give up to +2 more. Still not great.
How about 50m then? -9 for range now. Effectively a +4 to the 200m engagement. 8 to hit with single shots and 11 with the full-auto (on average the American can hit every time now).
The German has a 25.92% chance of scoring one hit.
The American in semi-auto has the same 25.92% chance with one hit, 9.25% for two hits and 1.85% for three. In full-braaap the odds of a single hit are 62.5%, two hits is 37.50%, three hits are 16.2%, four hits are 4.62% and five hits are 0.46%.
You might notice there's a lot of missing in combat.
Let's say they finally connect!
7d+1 pi to the torso is 8-43 points of damage with an average roll of 25. The American will be wearing the Improved Outer Tactical Vest with E-SAPI plates. DR 12/5 +35; which will be DR 47 against the Mauser. Ping. The plate is ablative so it will lose 2-14 (avg 8) points of protection per hit here.
4d+1 pi to the torso is 5-25 points of damage with an average roll of 15. On average the aimed full auto burst at 50m is going to knock our HT 11 German to conscious rolls.
How about urban combat where 25 yards is long range? The 2-gun example seems to be shot at about this distance. Nobody goes prone and nobody is aiming in GURPS terms. Using the sights and aiming aren't the same in game terms.
We're now -7 for range. No bonus for aiming or bracing, no penalty for target posture.
7 or less for one hit for the German. 8 or less for one hit for the American in semi and 11 or less in full-auto. The M4A1 is about a third more likely to get a single hit in semi and better than 2/3 as likely to score two hits than the Mauser can score one.
There's still going to be a lot of missing.
But what the American can do that the German cannot is flip the switch to full and let the RoF bonus be cancelled by the penalty to go for vitals. That triples the damage done to 15-75 (avg. 45).
To do damage at all the German must either whittle down the frangible ESAPI plates or aim for something unarmored. The Skull is protected by a DR 20 Enhanced Combat Helmet and DR 2 of bone. And it's -7 to hit. The Face is less protected and -5 to hit. He'd need to aim for a full second every shot to have a chance at 25 yards!
The German could also not bother calling their shot and let the dice decide where the hits fall. Odds are you hit the torso, but you might also get a crippling injury to a limb that takes the American out of the fight.
WW1 German grunt: DX 11, Guns/TL6 - Rifle 13.
Modern US 11B: DX 11, Guns/TL8 - Rifle 13.
That's an even match, no?
Comparing the guns.
The Gew.98 does 7d+1 pi with an Acc of 5 with ranges of 1,100/4,600. It carries 5(3) shots with a RoF of 1. it needs a ST of 11 to operate without penalty, which our Soldat has. Rcl is 4 which shouldn't matter because of the low RoF.
An M4A1 does 4d+1 pi with an Acc of 4, but the Aimpoint gives a +1 to Guns/TL8 skill. Range is 750/2,900 and needs a ST of 9. There are 30+1(3) shots with a RoF of 15. Rcl is 2, which is going to come up.
Now... what range do we put the fight?
How about the 200m "typical" engagement in a rural European setting?
218 yards is a -13 penalty. Nobody is hitting anything without aiming.
If they spot each other at the same time and go prone... -2 to hit, but you get to brace if you aim for a +1.
Aiming for one round, German: 13 - 13 + 5 - 2 + 1. 4 to hit.
Aiming for one round, American: 14 - 13 + 4 - 2 + 1. 4 to hit with a single shot. 7 to hit by dumping 15 rounds at the German.
The German would need to roll a 4 for a single hit. The American, firing semi-auto and three shots still needs a 4, and a 3 would still give a single hit. In full auto a 7 lands 1, a 5 lands 2 and a 3 lands 3. The chance of rolling a 7 or less is just 16.2%, but better than 1.85% for the 4 or less.
Aiming longer can give up to +2 more. Still not great.
How about 50m then? -9 for range now. Effectively a +4 to the 200m engagement. 8 to hit with single shots and 11 with the full-auto (on average the American can hit every time now).
The German has a 25.92% chance of scoring one hit.
The American in semi-auto has the same 25.92% chance with one hit, 9.25% for two hits and 1.85% for three. In full-braaap the odds of a single hit are 62.5%, two hits is 37.50%, three hits are 16.2%, four hits are 4.62% and five hits are 0.46%.
You might notice there's a lot of missing in combat.
Let's say they finally connect!
7d+1 pi to the torso is 8-43 points of damage with an average roll of 25. The American will be wearing the Improved Outer Tactical Vest with E-SAPI plates. DR 12/5 +35; which will be DR 47 against the Mauser. Ping. The plate is ablative so it will lose 2-14 (avg 8) points of protection per hit here.
4d+1 pi to the torso is 5-25 points of damage with an average roll of 15. On average the aimed full auto burst at 50m is going to knock our HT 11 German to conscious rolls.
How about urban combat where 25 yards is long range? The 2-gun example seems to be shot at about this distance. Nobody goes prone and nobody is aiming in GURPS terms. Using the sights and aiming aren't the same in game terms.
We're now -7 for range. No bonus for aiming or bracing, no penalty for target posture.
7 or less for one hit for the German. 8 or less for one hit for the American in semi and 11 or less in full-auto. The M4A1 is about a third more likely to get a single hit in semi and better than 2/3 as likely to score two hits than the Mauser can score one.
There's still going to be a lot of missing.
But what the American can do that the German cannot is flip the switch to full and let the RoF bonus be cancelled by the penalty to go for vitals. That triples the damage done to 15-75 (avg. 45).
To do damage at all the German must either whittle down the frangible ESAPI plates or aim for something unarmored. The Skull is protected by a DR 20 Enhanced Combat Helmet and DR 2 of bone. And it's -7 to hit. The Face is less protected and -5 to hit. He'd need to aim for a full second every shot to have a chance at 25 yards!
The German could also not bother calling their shot and let the dice decide where the hits fall. Odds are you hit the torso, but you might also get a crippling injury to a limb that takes the American out of the fight.
Obsolete
InRange has demonstrated that bolt-action rifles are obsolete as main battle rifles.
I think people are wrapped around the axle over this because they've equated obsolete with useless.
I think they also take it as obsolete for all uses.
For pleasure shooting there's no such thing as obsolete.
If your goal is to go to a two-gun match with your Gew.98 and have fun, it's still serving its purpose. Not its designed purpose, granted, but...
I am not really certain that hunting guns ever really go obsolete. The rules, regulations and laws about hunting practically insure that even the most hoary antique still has a valid role in harvesting game and keeping their populations in check. For heaven's sake, even bows and arrows are still valid hunting tools!
But not so useful for war. Sure, any firearm can have a martial function even if long obsolete or unintended for combat. We've only to look at the Warsaw Ghetto and other resistance movements in World War Two. While you're looking, though, note that those inappropriate guns were used to seize state of the are military weaponry from dead soldiers. There have even been purpose built "worthless" guns made for such a role, such as The Liberator pistol.
I love my old guns, but I don't expect to prevail in a firefight using a Mosin or Enfield.
I think people are wrapped around the axle over this because they've equated obsolete with useless.
I think they also take it as obsolete for all uses.
For pleasure shooting there's no such thing as obsolete.
If your goal is to go to a two-gun match with your Gew.98 and have fun, it's still serving its purpose. Not its designed purpose, granted, but...
I am not really certain that hunting guns ever really go obsolete. The rules, regulations and laws about hunting practically insure that even the most hoary antique still has a valid role in harvesting game and keeping their populations in check. For heaven's sake, even bows and arrows are still valid hunting tools!
But not so useful for war. Sure, any firearm can have a martial function even if long obsolete or unintended for combat. We've only to look at the Warsaw Ghetto and other resistance movements in World War Two. While you're looking, though, note that those inappropriate guns were used to seize state of the are military weaponry from dead soldiers. There have even been purpose built "worthless" guns made for such a role, such as The Liberator pistol.
I love my old guns, but I don't expect to prevail in a firefight using a Mosin or Enfield.
05 January 2019
Anticipation
When you conceal carry, you end up with a box full of holsters.
When you own a 1911, you end up with a box full of stocks.
You can change them at whim.
Anticipating the arrival of my M1911A1 from CMP, I decided that my Springfield didn't need to be completely issue looking anymore.
These are the original grips off my Colt .38 Super.
Contrast to the USGI plastic models:
At one time I've even had rosewood smoothies and allen-screws:
I am not sure which set of stocks I like best on the Springfield, but it's fun to play Barbie with them.
When you own a 1911, you end up with a box full of stocks.
You can change them at whim.
Anticipating the arrival of my M1911A1 from CMP, I decided that my Springfield didn't need to be completely issue looking anymore.
Contrast to the USGI plastic models:
At one time I've even had rosewood smoothies and allen-screws:
I am not sure which set of stocks I like best on the Springfield, but it's fun to play Barbie with them.
04 January 2019
Another Shake?
Went to the local arms merchant.
I asked after the Glock Gen5 and M&P 2.0 to see if they fit and have the "twitch".
One of the 2.0's he had in stock was equipped with Apex Tactical's forward set, flat-face trigger kit.
Be still my heart!
I hate the way it looks, but I have to admit that it feels right.
The trigger kit is also substantially cheaper than a new gun.
It also scratches that hot-rodder itch we car & gun guys have.
Alas... I am putting away all of my spare pennies for the impending doom of M1911A1 from CMP so this will have to wait a couple three months.
Unless, of course, someone wants to stab that donation button. If that happens, then I'll take the time to detail every step of the install with a photo.
I asked after the Glock Gen5 and M&P 2.0 to see if they fit and have the "twitch".
One of the 2.0's he had in stock was equipped with Apex Tactical's forward set, flat-face trigger kit.
Be still my heart!
I hate the way it looks, but I have to admit that it feels right.
The trigger kit is also substantially cheaper than a new gun.
It also scratches that hot-rodder itch we car & gun guys have.
Alas... I am putting away all of my spare pennies for the impending doom of M1911A1 from CMP so this will have to wait a couple three months.
Unless, of course, someone wants to stab that donation button. If that happens, then I'll take the time to detail every step of the install with a photo.
Simple Genetics
Human + Orc = Half-Orc.
Human + Elf = Half-Elf.
Both kinds of offspring are fertile and can further interbreed with either parent's race.
Which begs the question: Orc + Elf = ??
Our traditional answer has always been Human.
It makes me want to make up the table with the dominant and recessive genes and see what mixtures give what odds...
Human + Elf = Half-Elf.
Both kinds of offspring are fertile and can further interbreed with either parent's race.
Which begs the question: Orc + Elf = ??
Our traditional answer has always been Human.
It makes me want to make up the table with the dominant and recessive genes and see what mixtures give what odds...
It Is A Video Screen After All
I just noticed that I can play movies on my phone.
This is such a "DUR!" moment I feel like I should start watching 60-Minutes for a nice assisted care living facility to keep an eye on me as my mind further slips intodemocrat dementia.
What makes it a DUR moment is I've loaded movies on my Kindle Fire and a Tablet and happily watched them, but for some reason never the phone...
Scratch that.
I know the reason.
This is the first phone I've had that's had expandable storage since movies stopped being primarily on DVD.
This is such a "DUR!" moment I feel like I should start watching 60-Minutes for a nice assisted care living facility to keep an eye on me as my mind further slips into
What makes it a DUR moment is I've loaded movies on my Kindle Fire and a Tablet and happily watched them, but for some reason never the phone...
Scratch that.
I know the reason.
This is the first phone I've had that's had expandable storage since movies stopped being primarily on DVD.
Continuity Of Care
My doc found out I had critically low vitamin D.
She prescribed a massive supplement for it.
Had an appointment to have that level checked.
No word since.
Does this mean I'm cured?
She prescribed a massive supplement for it.
Had an appointment to have that level checked.
No word since.
Does this mean I'm cured?
03 January 2019
I Think I Gave It A Fair Shake
I think I am going to be looking to trade in my M&P 9 for a Glock.
There's a lot I like about the pistol, but I just can't get it to shoot as well as I shoot virtually any other 9mm.
The Gen5 Glock 17's are looking pretty darn sexy and I already have a Gen2. I seem to recall that the newer guns need different magazines than the older ones (or not).
There's a lot I like about the pistol, but I just can't get it to shoot as well as I shoot virtually any other 9mm.
The Gen5 Glock 17's are looking pretty darn sexy and I already have a Gen2. I seem to recall that the newer guns need different magazines than the older ones (or not).
So Tired
It's been a very long time since I've been this sapped by a cold.
Just no energy at all.
Happily, I think I am through the worst of it now.
Extra bonus, I appear to have passed it on to Marv! He's about three days behind me on symptoms, with The Boy about three days ahead of me, as befits his status as Patient Zero.
Harvey is about a day ahead of me.
In fact, we did shots for New-Years!
BLEAH!
Just no energy at all.
Happily, I think I am through the worst of it now.
Extra bonus, I appear to have passed it on to Marv! He's about three days behind me on symptoms, with The Boy about three days ahead of me, as befits his status as Patient Zero.
Harvey is about a day ahead of me.
BLEAH!
02 January 2019
To The Gentle Minstrations Of Madame Curie
Getting my hip X-Rayed at Bay Pines this morning.
Long drive.
Ugh.
Long drive.
Ugh.
01 January 2019
Why Didn't I Think Of This Earlier?
I've been corresponding with a gentleman on Facebook about tracking down the history of the M1911A1 I was issued back in '89.
He's connected with someone who can dig in the computers and look things up.
Today he says:
It's worth a shot!
He's connected with someone who can dig in the computers and look things up.
Today he says:
Oh, call the CMP with the serial. See if they have it. If they do, they will flag it and you can actually buy it. Tell them you were issued it. If it's in their system, which it most likely is, they flag the serial and won't sell unless you tell them your don't want it. I've done this on others ones before.
It's worth a shot!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)