There's a lot I want to say.
I don't really have the words.
It's the timing of some things that's really bugging me.
We have someone who seems to always have been a racist, but that racism was ignored for years; and whom even received accolades from groups he apparently despised.
Yet on the word of an estranged lover, he must NOW be punished?
Why now?
Why refuse the money offered or return the money given now?
For years these offerings were accepted despite the man's attitudes being reasonably well known.
For years these gifts were received and gratitude and recognition were given in return.
The man did not suddenly change, he did not suddenly reveal a long and well hidden secret hatred. He is the same person he was, and has been, for years.
Yet now he must be punished because an estranged mistress surreptitiously (and possibly illegally) recorded his well established prejudice.
It occurs to me that even the damned police can't use illegally obtained evidence to secure a conviction. Doesn't that mean we have to let him walk?
30 April 2014
29 April 2014
Thousand Dollar Nine Millimeter
A brand new Browning Hi Power Mk III, blue, runs about $1,000.
"Made in Belgium, Assembled in Portugal" is rolled on the slide.
Why is it $1,000 when a S&W M&P runs about $550 and is lighter and holds more shots?
It's all finish and labor.
It's also why it's not completely made in Belgium, Portuguese labor is cheaper. Even so, there's a lot of cost involved in the finishing.
The M&P, being a much newer design, is made without much fitting or finishing needed with human involvement stripped to the bare necessities.
I'd think this was obvious, common, knowledge; but some people genuinely don't know it. They agree it makes sense once you explain it, of course.
"Made in Belgium, Assembled in Portugal" is rolled on the slide.
Why is it $1,000 when a S&W M&P runs about $550 and is lighter and holds more shots?
It's all finish and labor.
It's also why it's not completely made in Belgium, Portuguese labor is cheaper. Even so, there's a lot of cost involved in the finishing.
The M&P, being a much newer design, is made without much fitting or finishing needed with human involvement stripped to the bare necessities.
I'd think this was obvious, common, knowledge; but some people genuinely don't know it. They agree it makes sense once you explain it, of course.
The Lack Of Content
It can be summed up best by saying that my natural tendency to be an asshole ruins friendships and creates enemies.
When I try to not be an ass, I am suddenly rendered mute.
That "don't be a dick" rule is what I aspire to, but habits are well entrenched.
There'll be more once I learn not to be an asshole.
Looking at the stats, nobody cares about world design notes, so there will be no more of them. In fact, kerflush, they're gone.
When I try to not be an ass, I am suddenly rendered mute.
That "don't be a dick" rule is what I aspire to, but habits are well entrenched.
There'll be more once I learn not to be an asshole.
Looking at the stats, nobody cares about world design notes, so there will be no more of them. In fact, kerflush, they're gone.
Frustrated
To E-file a Form 1 you need to attach your documents to the application.
Not more than 10 files, totaling not more than 30mb with no single file larger than 3mb.
The 18 pages of my trust scans to 34.2mb as a 300 dpi pdf.
The 5 pages of the certification is 3.3mb...
Head, desk, we meet again.
Not more than 10 files, totaling not more than 30mb with no single file larger than 3mb.
The 18 pages of my trust scans to 34.2mb as a 300 dpi pdf.
The 5 pages of the certification is 3.3mb...
Head, desk, we meet again.
27 April 2014
Old Guns
Marv's 16ga Model 12 left the factory in 1947; it stands to reason that there's a bit of wear.
The cartridge cut-off was releasing the next shell prematurely, so Marv ordered a new one from Numrich. Naked eye worn out! It popped right in and now it feeds properly!
He also changed the hammer spring on his "new" FÈG Hi-Power clone. Someone had already replaced the FÈG hammer and strut and sear spring with Browning parts and they're almost the same. So the sear spring needed a tab cut down and the hammer strut needed straightened (although we can't honestly say that we didn't bend it getting the hammer spring changed). All's well that ends well, I suppose.
The cartridge cut-off was releasing the next shell prematurely, so Marv ordered a new one from Numrich. Naked eye worn out! It popped right in and now it feeds properly!
He also changed the hammer spring on his "new" FÈG Hi-Power clone. Someone had already replaced the FÈG hammer and strut and sear spring with Browning parts and they're almost the same. So the sear spring needed a tab cut down and the hammer strut needed straightened (although we can't honestly say that we didn't bend it getting the hammer spring changed). All's well that ends well, I suppose.
26 April 2014
Need Better Insults
When you're a college graduate with two associates degrees and a bachelor's degree being called "uneducated" by someone with a GED or a mere high-school diploma has no sting.
Being called a moron when I have a tested IQ well into genius likewise doesn't have a lot of bite.
Explict Apology
I was a dick to Erin about her posts on Blue Collar Survival.
While I don't think I was wrong about the superiority of a rifle over a shotgun; just about any way of saying besides how I actually said it would have been better.
Except for that one thing, I am in the wrong and deserve what punishment could be meted out.
A related note. I cleaned up the disclaimer at the same time this was going on and moved the support image down below the blog-roll. That gave the appearance that I no longer supported Erin's coming-out and that was not what I intended to do.
I apologize fully and don't expect to be forgiven because I am not deserving of such.
While I don't think I was wrong about the superiority of a rifle over a shotgun; just about any way of saying besides how I actually said it would have been better.
Except for that one thing, I am in the wrong and deserve what punishment could be meted out.
A related note. I cleaned up the disclaimer at the same time this was going on and moved the support image down below the blog-roll. That gave the appearance that I no longer supported Erin's coming-out and that was not what I intended to do.
I apologize fully and don't expect to be forgiven because I am not deserving of such.
Idle Threat
The name removal is what is called a "courtesy retraction."
Literally defuses the defamation proceeding.
The statute of limitations for defamation in Florida is two years, so any post from midnight April 26, 2012 or earlier is not actionable regardless of harm done.
Your lawyer will tell you that too. The post that generated all of the drama on The Lovely Harvey's Facebook page was from 2011.
Literally defuses the defamation proceeding.
The statute of limitations for defamation in Florida is two years, so any post from midnight April 26, 2012 or earlier is not actionable regardless of harm done.
Your lawyer will tell you that too. The post that generated all of the drama on The Lovely Harvey's Facebook page was from 2011.
25 April 2014
Just Talked To A Lawyer!
Nice to have friends from the Corvette world...
The topic was defamation, slander and libel.
Truth and opinion are positive defenses and a blog is protected speech; so there isn't a real worry.
I mentioned some people disparagingly by name.
Their names have been removed on his advice.
What I said about them was my opinion colored by what were presented to me as factual information provided by their friends and relatives and were primarily intended to be illustrative of the abuses of the welfare system by people who are able bodied and otherwise employable.
They are no longer named and it is extremely doubtful that any actionable harm came to them as a result of being so named.
The topic was defamation, slander and libel.
Truth and opinion are positive defenses and a blog is protected speech; so there isn't a real worry.
I mentioned some people disparagingly by name.
Their names have been removed on his advice.
What I said about them was my opinion colored by what were presented to me as factual information provided by their friends and relatives and were primarily intended to be illustrative of the abuses of the welfare system by people who are able bodied and otherwise employable.
They are no longer named and it is extremely doubtful that any actionable harm came to them as a result of being so named.
Sum Math
Check this link out.
This is why I don't consider a 12ga slug or a pistol caliber carbine a suitable replacement for a rifle.
Stomps a pistol pretty hard though...
Pay particular attention to the energies...
This is why I don't consider a 12ga slug or a pistol caliber carbine a suitable replacement for a rifle.
Pay particular attention to the energies...
24 April 2014
Public Record
If you don't want people to know things you've done; don't do things that get your name put into public records.
If you don't like what you've done that's part of the public record... well I can't advise you there.
What you can't effectively do is pretend that they never happened, because they are a matter of record.
If you find that you don't like people talking about those records, the time to consider that was before you did what got your name entered into record.
The villain never sees themselves as the bad guy, I suppose.
Regret, like the internet, is forever.
PS: It's just as easy to change the names to protect the guilty as well as the innocent.
If you don't like what you've done that's part of the public record... well I can't advise you there.
What you can't effectively do is pretend that they never happened, because they are a matter of record.
If you find that you don't like people talking about those records, the time to consider that was before you did what got your name entered into record.
The villain never sees themselves as the bad guy, I suppose.
Regret, like the internet, is forever.
PS: It's just as easy to change the names to protect the guilty as well as the innocent.
Been Shootin'
Willard just got a Ruger Vaquero in .44 Magnum and invited me to pop off a few.
Surprisingly pleasant even with the "hunting" loads that came with the sale of the gun.
Where the gun becomes downright placid and fun was with the .44 Special rounds that also came with the gun.
It reminds me that I've been half wanting a Schofield for a while now... But a Vaquero in .45 Colt will suffice (and is cheaper and more readily available).
He also dug out his Taurus 441 in .44 Special. It's a very large double action gun for just five rounds, and is oddly much less pleasant to fire than the Ruger was with Magnum rounds.
Grip shape is the culprit. There's an almost hollow where the web of my hand hits the frame at the top of the stocks on the Taurus, and that lets the gun slap my hand there. Irksome and my web is now sore.
Surprisingly pleasant even with the "hunting" loads that came with the sale of the gun.
Where the gun becomes downright placid and fun was with the .44 Special rounds that also came with the gun.
It reminds me that I've been half wanting a Schofield for a while now... But a Vaquero in .45 Colt will suffice (and is cheaper and more readily available).
He also dug out his Taurus 441 in .44 Special. It's a very large double action gun for just five rounds, and is oddly much less pleasant to fire than the Ruger was with Magnum rounds.
Grip shape is the culprit. There's an almost hollow where the web of my hand hits the frame at the top of the stocks on the Taurus, and that lets the gun slap my hand there. Irksome and my web is now sore.
23 April 2014
Toys
I collect toys.
I'm a brony.
There's a Venn diagram for this, I am sure.
McDonald's has MLPFIM toys presently.
Ebay is definitely healthier than Happy Meals...
A quick check of the local Mac Shacks has revealed that the most popular character of the eight they released this year is Fluttershy!
Then Princess Twilight then Princess Luna.
Of the eight, five are of the Mane Six, Applejack is MIA. Celestia, Luna and DJ Pon 3 round out the set.
Get them while they're hot.
I'm a brony.
There's a Venn diagram for this, I am sure.
McDonald's has MLPFIM toys presently.
Ebay is definitely healthier than Happy Meals...
A quick check of the local Mac Shacks has revealed that the most popular character of the eight they released this year is Fluttershy!
Then Princess Twilight then Princess Luna.
Of the eight, five are of the Mane Six, Applejack is MIA. Celestia, Luna and DJ Pon 3 round out the set.
Get them while they're hot.
22 April 2014
Automatic Shut Off
I was reading the manual for the Vortex SPARC II and it has the line, "Note: If you forget to turn off the SPARC II, it will automatically shut down in 12 hours."
Nice feature, but all I can think is, "Note: If you forget to turn off the Aimpoint M4, it will automatically shut down in 12 years. Replace the battery."
20 April 2014
Inheritor
Marv inherited a Winchester Model 12 in 16ga.
It is NOT a Remington 870.
It is NOT a Mossberg 500.
I say that because all three are pump shotguns with internal hammers. That's just about where the similarity ends.
Being familiar with an 870 leads to making mistakes on something as simple as loading the gun. On an 870 the ready round is held in the magazine completely. On the 12 the ready round is held by a tab on the bottom of the bolt and the next round is stopped by the cartridge stop while the elevator is presenting the ready round to the chamber. When you close the action, the cartridge stop moves and releases the round against the tab on the bolt.
Here's a vid.
Another interesting bit is the slide lock not disengaged by firing, but by either pushing the slide forward or using the latch behind the trigger guard.
It is NOT a Remington 870.
It is NOT a Mossberg 500.
I say that because all three are pump shotguns with internal hammers. That's just about where the similarity ends.
Being familiar with an 870 leads to making mistakes on something as simple as loading the gun. On an 870 the ready round is held in the magazine completely. On the 12 the ready round is held by a tab on the bottom of the bolt and the next round is stopped by the cartridge stop while the elevator is presenting the ready round to the chamber. When you close the action, the cartridge stop moves and releases the round against the tab on the bolt.
Here's a vid.
Another interesting bit is the slide lock not disengaged by firing, but by either pushing the slide forward or using the latch behind the trigger guard.
19 April 2014
Answered!
Dan Howard had answered my query about Low Tech armor, but I'd skimmed past it in his reply about other things!
At TL1, if you're buying scale armor, you are NOT getting iron scales.
You're getting copper or bronze.
Copper doesn't change the cost or weight, but drops the DR by one.
Bronze doesn't change the weight or DR, but the price is x4 (minimum because it's CF+3 and there are other things that could add into the CF before you're done like fitting).
Thus while a generic set of standard medium scale armor covering the torso is $550, DR 4 and 28 lb. this only applies to iron armor and isn't available until TL 2.
Copper is $550, DR 3 and 28 lb.
Bronze is $2,200, DR 4 and 28 lb.
And they're still -1 DR vs crushing attacks regardless of material.
After TL 2 begins, there's just no reason not to change over to iron armor types unless you want plate.
A medium plate torso isn't available in iron. They become available in steel at TL 4. You can get them in bronze or copper from TL 1 though.
At TL4 it'd be $2,500; DR 6 and 20 lb.
Copper is $2,500, DR 5 and 20 lb.
Bronze is $10,000, DR 6 and 20 lb. By way of comparison, the Basic Set bronze corselet is $1,300; DR 5 and 40 lb. Clearly if you decide to use Low Tech for armor you'll have to forbid using the Basic Set.
Starting wealth is the killer here.
TL 1 is $500, TL 2 is $750, TL 3 is $1,000 and TL 4 is $2,000. So a corselet is 125% of starting wealth at TL 4 but 2,000% at TL 1 because you have to buy it in bronze and you have both less money and more expensive armor!
Low Tech offers all kinds of handy modifications for your armor...
If you're willing to take a 1 DR hit you can get a CF -0.6 for Cheap.
Fluting is available for our scale armor for CF +4 and reduces the weight by 10%. Tailoring can reduce the weight and give -1 to target the chinks. Expert tailoring gives a -15% in weight for CF +5 and masterful tailoring gives a -30% in weight for CF +29.
So a torso of TL 1 medium bronze scale that's fluted and expertly tailored is $7,150, DR 4 and 21 lb. Masterful tailoring gets us $20,350, DR 4 and 16.8 lb. Just 4070% of base starting wealth! With the 50 pt. filthy rich advantage you start with $50,000... It's doable as long as you don't have a settled lifestyle.
Strangely I seem to be able to apply that cheap modifier to the tailored modifiers. It doesn't help much. Cheap, fluted expertly tailored bronze medium scale comes to $6,820 DR 3 and 21 lb. Cheap, fluted masterfully tailored bronze medium scale is still $20,020 DR 3 and 16.8 lb.
Doesn't seem to be cost effective to lose that point of DR, does it?
Especially since light scale starts at DR 3... Iron is $320, 16 lb. So plain bronze is $1,280, Fluted expertly tailored bronze light scale is $4,160, 12 lb. Fluted masterfully tailored bronze light scale is $11,840, 9.6 lb.
Heck, fluted expertly tailored copper medium scale is DR 3 $5,500, 21 lb. Fluted masterfully tailored copper medium scale is DR 3 $18,700, 16.8 lb.
If you're going for fitting, skip the cheap construction.
At TL1, if you're buying scale armor, you are NOT getting iron scales.
You're getting copper or bronze.
Copper doesn't change the cost or weight, but drops the DR by one.
Bronze doesn't change the weight or DR, but the price is x4 (minimum because it's CF+3 and there are other things that could add into the CF before you're done like fitting).
Thus while a generic set of standard medium scale armor covering the torso is $550, DR 4 and 28 lb. this only applies to iron armor and isn't available until TL 2.
Copper is $550, DR 3 and 28 lb.
Bronze is $2,200, DR 4 and 28 lb.
And they're still -1 DR vs crushing attacks regardless of material.
After TL 2 begins, there's just no reason not to change over to iron armor types unless you want plate.
A medium plate torso isn't available in iron. They become available in steel at TL 4. You can get them in bronze or copper from TL 1 though.
At TL4 it'd be $2,500; DR 6 and 20 lb.
Copper is $2,500, DR 5 and 20 lb.
Bronze is $10,000, DR 6 and 20 lb. By way of comparison, the Basic Set bronze corselet is $1,300; DR 5 and 40 lb. Clearly if you decide to use Low Tech for armor you'll have to forbid using the Basic Set.
Starting wealth is the killer here.
TL 1 is $500, TL 2 is $750, TL 3 is $1,000 and TL 4 is $2,000. So a corselet is 125% of starting wealth at TL 4 but 2,000% at TL 1 because you have to buy it in bronze and you have both less money and more expensive armor!
Low Tech offers all kinds of handy modifications for your armor...
If you're willing to take a 1 DR hit you can get a CF -0.6 for Cheap.
Fluting is available for our scale armor for CF +4 and reduces the weight by 10%. Tailoring can reduce the weight and give -1 to target the chinks. Expert tailoring gives a -15% in weight for CF +5 and masterful tailoring gives a -30% in weight for CF +29.
So a torso of TL 1 medium bronze scale that's fluted and expertly tailored is $7,150, DR 4 and 21 lb. Masterful tailoring gets us $20,350, DR 4 and 16.8 lb. Just 4070% of base starting wealth! With the 50 pt. filthy rich advantage you start with $50,000... It's doable as long as you don't have a settled lifestyle.
Strangely I seem to be able to apply that cheap modifier to the tailored modifiers. It doesn't help much. Cheap, fluted expertly tailored bronze medium scale comes to $6,820 DR 3 and 21 lb. Cheap, fluted masterfully tailored bronze medium scale is still $20,020 DR 3 and 16.8 lb.
Doesn't seem to be cost effective to lose that point of DR, does it?
Especially since light scale starts at DR 3... Iron is $320, 16 lb. So plain bronze is $1,280, Fluted expertly tailored bronze light scale is $4,160, 12 lb. Fluted masterfully tailored bronze light scale is $11,840, 9.6 lb.
Heck, fluted expertly tailored copper medium scale is DR 3 $5,500, 21 lb. Fluted masterfully tailored copper medium scale is DR 3 $18,700, 16.8 lb.
If you're going for fitting, skip the cheap construction.
18 April 2014
Decision Point
A friend of mine is getting married.
I'm invited.
So is a former friend who went way out of their way to antagonize me into a fight which eventually escalated into their unfriending me. Never contact me again unfriending.
This leaves me in a pickle.
I want to attend and just pretend he no longer exists.
I don't trust him to not start shit.
I don't trust myself to not reply.
So I will be skipping the wedding and hoping my friend understands.
I'm invited.
So is a former friend who went way out of their way to antagonize me into a fight which eventually escalated into their unfriending me. Never contact me again unfriending.
This leaves me in a pickle.
I want to attend and just pretend he no longer exists.
I don't trust him to not start shit.
I don't trust myself to not reply.
So I will be skipping the wedding and hoping my friend understands.
NRA = No Rational Agenda
I can almost see that.
There's no real pattern to my acquisitions past, "oooh shiny!"
No rational basis to want as opposed to needs (where I can be coldly rational).
Oh, wait, they're not talking about the rationale I use for buying guns...
Never mind.
There's no real pattern to my acquisitions past, "oooh shiny!"
No rational basis to want as opposed to needs (where I can be coldly rational).
Oh, wait, they're not talking about the rationale I use for buying guns...
Never mind.
17 April 2014
Vz.2008
Willard replaced the abysmal folding stock on his Vz with a nice surplus fixed item.
It shoots much better with a stock you can get a cheek weld on.
Plus, muzzle blast!
He'd had a double feed problem when he first got it, a problem that seems to be cured now that we've put a couple hundred down the pipe.
Oh that handguard gets plenty toasty!
Update:
This is where the ergonomics of the AR are greatly appreciated. Getting your eyes down on the sights means the back of the top cover smacks you in the cheek (via your shooting glasses). We fired about 200 rounds divided between the two of us and my cheekbone is sore from it.
Even the FAL which will tap the glasses with the rear sight doesn't HURT after a couple hundred rounds.
It shoots much better with a stock you can get a cheek weld on.
Plus, muzzle blast!
He'd had a double feed problem when he first got it, a problem that seems to be cured now that we've put a couple hundred down the pipe.
Oh that handguard gets plenty toasty!
Update:
This is where the ergonomics of the AR are greatly appreciated. Getting your eyes down on the sights means the back of the top cover smacks you in the cheek (via your shooting glasses). We fired about 200 rounds divided between the two of us and my cheekbone is sore from it.
Even the FAL which will tap the glasses with the rear sight doesn't HURT after a couple hundred rounds.
16 April 2014
Being Rather Than Feeling
I think I would rather be safe than feel safe.
I think that feeling safe leads to complacency.
When I feel unsafe, I am more careful and cautious. I tend to take steps that actually make me safer rather than feel safer.
Here's to fear!
I think that feeling safe leads to complacency.
When I feel unsafe, I am more careful and cautious. I tend to take steps that actually make me safer rather than feel safer.
Here's to fear!
15 April 2014
So Old My Dice Have Gray Pips
An exchange with Siege about knives and GURPS smacked me in the face.
I've been GURPSing since it was Man-To-Man in 1985; even longer if you consider that we were dabbling with the lineal ancestor to GURPS, The Fantasy Trip in about 1980 or so.
In the intervening 29 some odd years I've accumulated a lot of inside baseball information about what the rules mean when they say something like "large knife" that's not actually stated in the published rules.
It's easy to forget that not everybody knows this stuff!
When I forget it makes what is meant to be an amusing aside a condescendingly snide remark.
Back to knives...
The knife classifications were not defined well in the original game and the names were sometimes at odds with historical names.
You can infer some of the inconsistency by noting that a machete uses the knife skill, not shortsword or axe-mace. A kukri uses axe-mace and is treated like a hatchet...
Knife bayonets are usually given large knife stats, but fit the published definition of small knife better... Sword bayonets actually fit the description of large knife, but as far as I know there's no published stats on any sword bayonet yet.
Jim Bowie's cutlery actually matches the published definition of short sword (or a falchion if using Low Tech) better than large knife...
The good news is 4e has fewer places where these contradictions occur... The bad news is they didn't fix them all.
I've been GURPSing since it was Man-To-Man in 1985; even longer if you consider that we were dabbling with the lineal ancestor to GURPS, The Fantasy Trip in about 1980 or so.
In the intervening 29 some odd years I've accumulated a lot of inside baseball information about what the rules mean when they say something like "large knife" that's not actually stated in the published rules.
It's easy to forget that not everybody knows this stuff!
When I forget it makes what is meant to be an amusing aside a condescendingly snide remark.
Back to knives...
The knife classifications were not defined well in the original game and the names were sometimes at odds with historical names.
You can infer some of the inconsistency by noting that a machete uses the knife skill, not shortsword or axe-mace. A kukri uses axe-mace and is treated like a hatchet...
Knife bayonets are usually given large knife stats, but fit the published definition of small knife better... Sword bayonets actually fit the description of large knife, but as far as I know there's no published stats on any sword bayonet yet.
Jim Bowie's cutlery actually matches the published definition of short sword (or a falchion if using Low Tech) better than large knife...
The good news is 4e has fewer places where these contradictions occur... The bad news is they didn't fix them all.
I'm Your Huckleberry
Today is April 15; or Buy-A-Gun Day!
Up top, I give you Valentine. The $100 a month 6.8 AR. Just a tad over $900 total. The first $700 had been spread over the past six years... Underneath, I give you Tabitha the ever changing M16A1 clone.
These two guns were one gun last year. The $100 a month for the past six or seven has been going towards making them separate. The purple furniture didn't go with the retro receivers and the retro parts had been purchased with the intent of making an M16A1 clone back in 2008!
Up top, I give you Valentine. The $100 a month 6.8 AR. Just a tad over $900 total. The first $700 had been spread over the past six years... Underneath, I give you Tabitha the ever changing M16A1 clone.
 |
| Valentine's selector markings. |
To finish Tabitha I needed a new barrel and a bolt carrier assembly sans bolt. For Valentine we needed an upper, lower, lower parts kit and a rear sight. All the rest was in the parts bin. Selling off the parts that weren't going to be used in these two guns and weren't properly considered spares funded nearly all of it. Retro parts have gone up in value a lot since I started accumulating parts in 2008!
Tabitha wore a lot of cast-off parts from other builds for while just to get her lower in use. The barrel that's on Valentine was Dottie's original, for example.
While I say it's an AR on $100 a month; we spread the $1,850 total over a period of more than five years. And no, shit; if you can't finish an AR in five years you don't want to. No matter what you tell people.
You can tell from some of the other posts that these guns have been done for a while before today, but it counts as a BAG purchase because I didn't order the lower from Aero until we got our tax return deposited.
You can tell from some of the other posts that these guns have been done for a while before today, but it counts as a BAG purchase because I didn't order the lower from Aero until we got our tax return deposited.
Officially No Longer Winter
The clear top has been placed into storage and the solid top put into service.
I love being able to see out, but the sun makes it miserable once the temps are consistently higher than 77 or so.
I love being able to see out, but the sun makes it miserable once the temps are consistently higher than 77 or so.
14 April 2014
Buggin'
I forgot to take a picture of it, but I washed off at least a pound of dried insect paste off the nose of The Precious today.
Many Corvette owners don't understand what I am talking about because they never drive their dang cars. I'm going to make 100k miles in the next week or so. All this since October 2007.
Still a completely enjoyable trip to Pensacola on the back roads more or less following the west coast of Florida up through the Apalachicola National Forest and past/through Tyndall AFB. We even saw an F-35A doing touch and goes and some parked F-16's and F-22A.
The lower speeds of the back roads yielded an average fuel economy of 32 miles per gallon (Em Pee Gee in ad speak) and 29 mpg over all taking the interstates back down to Tampa.
I am constantly impressed with 436 horsepower getting 30ish miles per gallon.
Many Corvette owners don't understand what I am talking about because they never drive their dang cars. I'm going to make 100k miles in the next week or so. All this since October 2007.
Still a completely enjoyable trip to Pensacola on the back roads more or less following the west coast of Florida up through the Apalachicola National Forest and past/through Tyndall AFB. We even saw an F-35A doing touch and goes and some parked F-16's and F-22A.
The lower speeds of the back roads yielded an average fuel economy of 32 miles per gallon (Em Pee Gee in ad speak) and 29 mpg over all taking the interstates back down to Tampa.
I am constantly impressed with 436 horsepower getting 30ish miles per gallon.
Of Hunters
I'm with Tam.
The Hawker Hunter is very nearly the prettiest of the '50's jets.
The Douglas F4D Skyray is also very attractive.
The Hawker Hunter is very nearly the prettiest of the '50's jets.
 |
| Hunter F.5 of No. 56 Squadron |
The Douglas F4D Skyray is also very attractive.
 |
| F4D-1 of VF-74 Bedevilers |
13 April 2014
Did Any One Else Notice
That with the calls to increase minimum wage to unrealistic levels, there was no hue and cry to change the tax code to let the poor downtrodden min-wagers actually keep more of what they'd be getting?
It's almost an admission that if the economy is doing better, people make more money and when they do revenues go up even if the tax rates remain steady.
Almost...
It's almost an admission that if the economy is doing better, people make more money and when they do revenues go up even if the tax rates remain steady.
Almost...
What I Did Today
 |
| F/A-18A-12-MC 161955 and 1G1YY-3LT-Z51-MZ6 |
There is not a single complete F-8 or F-4 in the entire place. That just shocks me. I am willing to believe that we walked right past them without noticing, the place is HUGE and I was definitely in plane-geek sensory overload. Like the Ford Tri-Motor in the background. We literally walked UNDER THE WINGS to see something and didn't notice it until we got up on the mezzanine and saw this wider view.
I also sat in an F-4B cockpit familiarization trainer.
Marv attached a camera to my rear window...
10 April 2014
Squeeeeee
Hasbro has finally released plush My Little Pony dolls. In two sizes!
The vinyl ones with the Barbie hair were teh suxxor.
To their credit, fan favorite Derpy Hooves was available.
I think you can tell which characters are most popular by what's missing from the giant bin at Wal Mart.
In the large scale there was not a single Princess Twilight. The most common was Apple Jack.
Neither scale had a Rainbow Dash.
I got the single Princess Twilight that was in the small scale, she now guards Valentine on the M12 rack. (Another BAG Day teaser!)
I got a Fluttershy in each scale and Pinky Pie and Derpy in the large.
I am happy they had the three in large that I bought because it's a bit personal. I present a Pinky Pie persona to the world to overcompensate for feeling like Fluttershy and end up accomplishing Derp.
The vinyl ones with the Barbie hair were teh suxxor.
To their credit, fan favorite Derpy Hooves was available.
I think you can tell which characters are most popular by what's missing from the giant bin at Wal Mart.
In the large scale there was not a single Princess Twilight. The most common was Apple Jack.
Neither scale had a Rainbow Dash.
I got the single Princess Twilight that was in the small scale, she now guards Valentine on the M12 rack. (Another BAG Day teaser!)
I got a Fluttershy in each scale and Pinky Pie and Derpy in the large.
I am happy they had the three in large that I bought because it's a bit personal. I present a Pinky Pie persona to the world to overcompensate for feeling like Fluttershy and end up accomplishing Derp.
Say It With Me
Swords are not made from castings.
Melting a steel sword down to the point where it is liquid and pourable doesn't yield the same metal as you started with.
HEADDESK Game of Thrones!
Melting a steel sword down to the point where it is liquid and pourable doesn't yield the same metal as you started with.
HEADDESK Game of Thrones!
08 April 2014
Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been A Republican
I'm in an odd position.
I support gay rights. Gay people are people and people have rights.
My position on gay marriage is that the government has no business defining what marriage is. If two people want to be married, it's between them and their church and God. If they want it to be legally binding, then make a contract. More than two people want to try their luck, let them have at it.
It makes it hard to have a solid opinion about what happened to the CEO at Mozilla.
Tam compares it to Zumbo and Metcalf. There's certainly some parallel there.
Robb takes an opposite stance in the comments.
I am uncertain.
I think that the capacity you made the statement under matters. McThag as an employee of Lovely Harvey Ind. cannot make statements that are harmful to LHI and expect to keep my job. McThag as a private citizen can say any damn thing I want. But where is that line drawn and who decides what hat I was wearing when I said what I said?
A gigantic part of the problem here is Eich's political speech was made public because of California's laws requiring publishing who donated what to whom. That's an issue that concerns me. Mr Eich didn't have his CEO of Mozilla hat on when he donated $1,000 towards Prop 8. Mr Zumbo and Mr Metcalf were wearing their Outdoor Life Writer and Guns and Ammo Columnist hats respectively when they offended the customers. I think that distinction should matter.
It bothers me that Mozilla has taken an advocacy position about an issue that has nothing to do with the product they are selling; the same as it bothered me when McDonald's donated to Handgun Control Inc. What does the political position have to do with your product? Metcalf and Zumbo both took positions related to the product actually being sold by the magazines they worked for.
I think that it also matters that Zumbo and Metcalf were fired within days if not hours after they took their contrary positions. Eichwas let go resigned YEARS later and Mozilla had been aware of his donation for some time, it appears to only have become an issue because OK-Cupid had a snit in the last few months.
Are these distinctions without difference?
In all three cases the statements and donation have an effect on the employer's business.
But it seems clear that we are now free to discriminate based on political position. I can't discriminate against age, race, sexual orientation, sex or religious affiliation (unless they're Christians), but I can discriminate on party affiliation! I don't think that's right.
It further bothers me that if Mr Eich had donated $1,000 in opposition to Prop 8 we would not have heard a fucking peep from anyone!
Update: I want there to be a fair and consistent way to resolve this. I don't think that there is one.
I support gay rights. Gay people are people and people have rights.
My position on gay marriage is that the government has no business defining what marriage is. If two people want to be married, it's between them and their church and God. If they want it to be legally binding, then make a contract. More than two people want to try their luck, let them have at it.
It makes it hard to have a solid opinion about what happened to the CEO at Mozilla.
Tam compares it to Zumbo and Metcalf. There's certainly some parallel there.
Robb takes an opposite stance in the comments.
I am uncertain.
I think that the capacity you made the statement under matters. McThag as an employee of Lovely Harvey Ind. cannot make statements that are harmful to LHI and expect to keep my job. McThag as a private citizen can say any damn thing I want. But where is that line drawn and who decides what hat I was wearing when I said what I said?
A gigantic part of the problem here is Eich's political speech was made public because of California's laws requiring publishing who donated what to whom. That's an issue that concerns me. Mr Eich didn't have his CEO of Mozilla hat on when he donated $1,000 towards Prop 8. Mr Zumbo and Mr Metcalf were wearing their Outdoor Life Writer and Guns and Ammo Columnist hats respectively when they offended the customers. I think that distinction should matter.
It bothers me that Mozilla has taken an advocacy position about an issue that has nothing to do with the product they are selling; the same as it bothered me when McDonald's donated to Handgun Control Inc. What does the political position have to do with your product? Metcalf and Zumbo both took positions related to the product actually being sold by the magazines they worked for.
I think that it also matters that Zumbo and Metcalf were fired within days if not hours after they took their contrary positions. Eich
Are these distinctions without difference?
In all three cases the statements and donation have an effect on the employer's business.
But it seems clear that we are now free to discriminate based on political position. I can't discriminate against age, race, sexual orientation, sex or religious affiliation (unless they're Christians), but I can discriminate on party affiliation! I don't think that's right.
It further bothers me that if Mr Eich had donated $1,000 in opposition to Prop 8 we would not have heard a fucking peep from anyone!
Update: I want there to be a fair and consistent way to resolve this. I don't think that there is one.
Expertise
I mentioned it before.
Professionals get paid for it.
Amateurs don't.
Neither state makes one an expert.
Because I don't have a job, I am not a professional anything, yet I am still an expert in several fields.
A professional is also someone doing something as a profession, you know doing it for a living... That implies some sort of monetary compensation.
The thing here is that being paid for something seems to make people think you're an expert when all that means is you've convinced someone with money that you should be paid for what skills you have.
It doesn't actually make you an expert.
It sometimes leads to a situation where someone knows a lot more about it than you and will be unable to explain why your position is false because you're not an expert at all. If you were, then you'd not need to told you were in error, would you?
I'd have prolly not pointed out the error, except someone following your "expert" advice will get themselves killed.
The truly hilarious part is I've mentioned it repeatedly in post after post and people never seem to register that really is my position on the willfully ignorant. Ignorance is worse than stupidity because there's a cure for ignorant.
Professionals get paid for it.
Amateurs don't.
Neither state makes one an expert.
Because I don't have a job, I am not a professional anything, yet I am still an expert in several fields.
A professional is also someone doing something as a profession, you know doing it for a living... That implies some sort of monetary compensation.
The thing here is that being paid for something seems to make people think you're an expert when all that means is you've convinced someone with money that you should be paid for what skills you have.
It doesn't actually make you an expert.
It sometimes leads to a situation where someone knows a lot more about it than you and will be unable to explain why your position is false because you're not an expert at all. If you were, then you'd not need to told you were in error, would you?
I'd have prolly not pointed out the error, except someone following your "expert" advice will get themselves killed.
The truly hilarious part is I've mentioned it repeatedly in post after post and people never seem to register that really is my position on the willfully ignorant. Ignorance is worse than stupidity because there's a cure for ignorant.
Bullshit Tag
Important note for the reader...
The bullshit tag might indicate that I am full of shit, not that the topic at hand is figuratively bullshit.
I apply it to myself as often as I do to the topic.
The bullshit tag might indicate that I am full of shit, not that the topic at hand is figuratively bullshit.
I apply it to myself as often as I do to the topic.
Gone
Nuked about twenty of the posts I am least proud of.
They're not too far gone since they were on the internet once, they'll be out there forever.
If you really feel the urge to find them, they're just things that confirm what a loser that I am and show zero redeeming qualities.
They're not too far gone since they were on the internet once, they'll be out there forever.
If you really feel the urge to find them, they're just things that confirm what a loser that I am and show zero redeeming qualities.
Dead Projects
Ain't gonna be no STEN or E4A silencer made here.
Got the plans all drawn up, parts dimensioned...
Interest evaporated.
If interest returns, I am jake to get tax-stamps though.
It's just been a sargasso of blah around here lately and I can't really get enthused about things that used to invariably make me happy.
A decent part of the funk is from the unintended. I think I am doing one thing while in reality doing quite another; which much negative effect.
Got the plans all drawn up, parts dimensioned...
Interest evaporated.
If interest returns, I am jake to get tax-stamps though.
It's just been a sargasso of blah around here lately and I can't really get enthused about things that used to invariably make me happy.
A decent part of the funk is from the unintended. I think I am doing one thing while in reality doing quite another; which much negative effect.
Thirty Four
Michigan might just have crossed the line towards a states requested Article V constitutional convention.
There may or may not be 34 active requests from the states for such a convention, and it seems that it's all about getting a balanced budget amendment going.
The terrifying thing about such conventions is there's no limitation whatsoever about what can be proposed and submitted as an amendment that is then sent to the states for ratification.
I have modest proposals...
No rule or regulation promulgated by any agency of the executive branch shall go into effect until approved by both houses of congress and shall be void if not so approved within a year of proposal. (Congress should be forced to legislate and not just leave it to the regulatory agencies; this should also return some damned accountability for those regulations).
No elected or appointed official or agency shall be made exempt from any law that shall affect any common citizen.
No employee of the government, elected, appointed or hired may be a member of a union nor shall any department or agency of the government be unionized. (Working for the government is a civic-trust not a means to financial success. Government should serve the citizens not force the citizens to serve the government)
Law enforcement shall be limited to what arms and methods of carry available to the citizen at large via the same markets. (If I can't have it, they can't have it. If I have to spend $32,000 on an M16 and wait a fucking year to get it, so should officer friendly; which should be fun for him without his union).
I don't know how to word it... But elected officials have to spend an equal time out of office that they spent in office once they leave that office.
There may or may not be 34 active requests from the states for such a convention, and it seems that it's all about getting a balanced budget amendment going.
The terrifying thing about such conventions is there's no limitation whatsoever about what can be proposed and submitted as an amendment that is then sent to the states for ratification.
Article VIt's a blank check.
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.
I have modest proposals...
No rule or regulation promulgated by any agency of the executive branch shall go into effect until approved by both houses of congress and shall be void if not so approved within a year of proposal. (Congress should be forced to legislate and not just leave it to the regulatory agencies; this should also return some damned accountability for those regulations).
No elected or appointed official or agency shall be made exempt from any law that shall affect any common citizen.
No employee of the government, elected, appointed or hired may be a member of a union nor shall any department or agency of the government be unionized. (Working for the government is a civic-trust not a means to financial success. Government should serve the citizens not force the citizens to serve the government)
Law enforcement shall be limited to what arms and methods of carry available to the citizen at large via the same markets. (If I can't have it, they can't have it. If I have to spend $32,000 on an M16 and wait a fucking year to get it, so should officer friendly; which should be fun for him without his union).
I don't know how to word it... But elected officials have to spend an equal time out of office that they spent in office once they leave that office.
06 April 2014
Disaster!
Took FuzzyGeff's AR, Olga out to the range to finally zero her scope.
The laser bore-sighter I'd bought had the windage dialed in, so it just took a few clicks in elevation to get it dialed in at 25 yards. The 20" 1:9 Del Ton chrome lined barrel really likes the Double-Tap M855, by the way.
Then I dropped the rifle on the concrete floor of the range. The table was too short to set the gun on the bipod like I had it, and it fell. My fault for not securing it properly.
Put about a 15˚ kink in the scope tube on the objective end.
Well, shit! I owe Geff a scope.
It was a 4-12x40 Bushnell Sportsman. A discontinued 4-12x40 Bushnell Sportsman.
I guess I need input about what a good replacement would be. The 4-12x40 Bushnell Banner seems to be identical and still in production with mostly positive reviews.
The laser bore-sighter I'd bought had the windage dialed in, so it just took a few clicks in elevation to get it dialed in at 25 yards. The 20" 1:9 Del Ton chrome lined barrel really likes the Double-Tap M855, by the way.
Then I dropped the rifle on the concrete floor of the range. The table was too short to set the gun on the bipod like I had it, and it fell. My fault for not securing it properly.
Put about a 15˚ kink in the scope tube on the objective end.
Well, shit! I owe Geff a scope.
It was a 4-12x40 Bushnell Sportsman. A discontinued 4-12x40 Bushnell Sportsman.
If I recall correctly, this scope originally came from Wal Mart and was on Marv's 20" AR. When he decided he'd rather red-dot and have a 16" the scope was sold to Geff.
Double shit.I guess I need input about what a good replacement would be. The 4-12x40 Bushnell Banner seems to be identical and still in production with mostly positive reviews.
05 April 2014
Death Penalty
Pew says there's less support for the death penalty?
Betcha money it has a lot more to do with people not trusting the government to get the right person than a general spread of merciful good-will towards murderers.
Betcha money it has a lot more to do with people not trusting the government to get the right person than a general spread of merciful good-will towards murderers.
Sourcing Parts
I actually kept records of where they all come from.
It's something of a mess.
I'm very inconsistent about where I buy parts.
Del-Ton supplied a bunch of kits early on.
The defunct Anvil Arms is the source of several lower parts kits. That doesn't help anyone following me up...
Were I to start a build today I'd likely be back at Del-Ton and ordering a kit. They irritate me with their "screw you builders, we're a (toss head) rifle company!" attitude when a rush starts and they stop selling parts, but they do seem tomake have good parts.
Lowers are virtually a commodity item as the crappy makers have been culled brutally during the aforementioned panics. Aero-Precision has a sense of humor and their limited run lowers are fun, so I'd go there first.
CMMG has been the maker of the past couple lower parts kits. I like their trigger, but toss the 5/6 scale pistol grip and I prefer a properly sized flat-head screw to their socket head.
Stag is who made the 6.8 bolt carrier groups. The retro guns are running vintage Colt bolt carriers.
I hope that helps the new builder.
Bravo Company and Spikes are other companies I trust for their parts. Bravo is a bit more expensive on some items though.
It's something of a mess.
I'm very inconsistent about where I buy parts.
Del-Ton supplied a bunch of kits early on.
The defunct Anvil Arms is the source of several lower parts kits. That doesn't help anyone following me up...
Were I to start a build today I'd likely be back at Del-Ton and ordering a kit. They irritate me with their "screw you builders, we're a (toss head) rifle company!" attitude when a rush starts and they stop selling parts, but they do seem to
Lowers are virtually a commodity item as the crappy makers have been culled brutally during the aforementioned panics. Aero-Precision has a sense of humor and their limited run lowers are fun, so I'd go there first.
CMMG has been the maker of the past couple lower parts kits. I like their trigger, but toss the 5/6 scale pistol grip and I prefer a properly sized flat-head screw to their socket head.
Stag is who made the 6.8 bolt carrier groups. The retro guns are running vintage Colt bolt carriers.
I hope that helps the new builder.
Bravo Company and Spikes are other companies I trust for their parts. Bravo is a bit more expensive on some items though.
04 April 2014
Moody
Stupid is a mood.
Alcohol enhances the mood you are already in when you drink.
If you're happy, you get happier.
If you're angry, you get angrier.
If you're sad, you get sadder.
If you're stupid, you get stupider.
Stupid is a mood.
Alcohol enhances the mood you are already in when you drink.
If you're happy, you get happier.
If you're angry, you get angrier.
If you're sad, you get sadder.
If you're stupid, you get stupider.
Stupid is a mood.
Weapons Free
I've seen places blaming Clinton. I've seen places blaming Bush 41.
Way back when I was in, Reagan was president... And the only times we had guns and ammo together was when we went to the range or when we were on a real alert.
All other times we were kept separated from ammunition at nearly all cost.
This disarmed on post thing is not a new thing.
Way back when I was in, Reagan was president... And the only times we had guns and ammo together was when we went to the range or when we were on a real alert.
All other times we were kept separated from ammunition at nearly all cost.
This disarmed on post thing is not a new thing.
Fox Two
The Lightning F.1 is a thoroughbred.
Very fast. Very twitchy. You've got to think ahead of her or she'll depart and bite you.
Normal armament is two 30mm ADEN Mk 4 guns above the intake and two Firestreak heat-seekers on rails on the fuselage.
The Firestreak is a super advanced missile for 1957. It's IR homing and the seeker head can be cued to the target by the plane's radar. It's good for about four miles, but really that means launch within two. It takes a moment to gather its thoughts after launch, so minimum range is about one and a quarter miles. It was designed to blow up bombers, so these parameters are not too onerous (and slightly more generous than the US AIM-9B).
This is not to say that it cannot be used on fighters, you just need to pick your targets carefully; as that MiG-21F-13 discovered. The seeker head is just slightly better than the AIM-9B and I have better success with the Firestreak than a Sidewinder in 1962.
If missiles aren't working out for you, good news! The rails and part of the fuselage are part of a pack that can be exchanged for either two more ADEN cannon or a barrage of unguided folding fin 2" rockets!
It's one of my favorite planes and I did a comparison of the various versions here.
Very fast. Very twitchy. You've got to think ahead of her or she'll depart and bite you.
Normal armament is two 30mm ADEN Mk 4 guns above the intake and two Firestreak heat-seekers on rails on the fuselage.
 |
| Lightning F.1 of No. 74 Squadron "Tiger Squadron" October 26, 1962 over Germany. |
The Firestreak is a super advanced missile for 1957. It's IR homing and the seeker head can be cued to the target by the plane's radar. It's good for about four miles, but really that means launch within two. It takes a moment to gather its thoughts after launch, so minimum range is about one and a quarter miles. It was designed to blow up bombers, so these parameters are not too onerous (and slightly more generous than the US AIM-9B).
 |
| Cheerio, old boy! |
If missiles aren't working out for you, good news! The rails and part of the fuselage are part of a pack that can be exchanged for either two more ADEN cannon or a barrage of unguided folding fin 2" rockets!
 |
| F.1A shown doing the firing. |
It's one of my favorite planes and I did a comparison of the various versions here.
01 April 2014
Two Years Moved
Got the first two years of posts from my LiveJournal migrated over.
Copy-Paste; Baby!
Plus much proving that I am not a robot to the Google servers.
Reading some of the old posts... Yeah, some people who apparently were shocked at some of my posts and comments in the past couple of years would not have been if they'd seen the evolution of Thag over the past eight.
I am still me; I am not what they thought I was.
Copy-Paste; Baby!
Plus much proving that I am not a robot to the Google servers.
Reading some of the old posts... Yeah, some people who apparently were shocked at some of my posts and comments in the past couple of years would not have been if they'd seen the evolution of Thag over the past eight.
I am still me; I am not what they thought I was.
Cow Farts
This is how you tell that the environmentalists are focusing on the mental part of it.
If global warming was man-made then the only emissions we need worry about are those outside the carbon cycle.
Anything alive is inside the cycle so the net emissions are zero.
So, cow farts won't. The methane produced will break down and be absorbed and used by plants, then animals... It's a cycle. Circle of life. Blah blah blah.
By the way, greenies...
It's looking like the permian extinction was caused by the atmosphere going all CO2 from volcanism. If CO2 is so completely bad... why is there life now? Where did all that carbon dioxide go? Even more fun: Where did it come from since Man had nothing to do with it?
If global warming was man-made then the only emissions we need worry about are those outside the carbon cycle.
Anything alive is inside the cycle so the net emissions are zero.
So, cow farts won't. The methane produced will break down and be absorbed and used by plants, then animals... It's a cycle. Circle of life. Blah blah blah.
By the way, greenies...
It's looking like the permian extinction was caused by the atmosphere going all CO2 from volcanism. If CO2 is so completely bad... why is there life now? Where did all that carbon dioxide go? Even more fun: Where did it come from since Man had nothing to do with it?
Other Side Of The Line
Looks like someone has made a 5.45x39mm pistol and that's gotten importation of cheap surplus ammo stopped at the dock.
We've been here before with 7.62x39mm. It looks like we'll be heading there again with 7.62x54mmR soon.
We're here because of NFA to be honest.
The people who are making rifle caliber "pistols" are essentially making short barrel rifles without the legally defining characteristics of a rifle. These people are also kind of lucky I wasn't in charge of ATF; my position is that a stockless rifle isn't a pistol, so an AK without a stock is an SBR because the law says "designed to fire from the shoulder" and omitting parts doesn't change the design.
So a ruling from ATF that "pistols" in rifle chamberings are actually AOW or SBR would let the taps remain open for steel-core surplus commie ammo.
I am OK with that ruling. Nothing is going to change with NFA until people get off their asses and make it an issue. The NRA only just barely cares about it because hardly any of the membership gives two shits. It's why 922(o) is still there; no peasants with pitchforks and torches at the castle gate.
The ammo rulings stand because the surplus shooters are still up against the majority. Altering 921 to make sense would take political capital that I am not sure we have. Look at how many A rated politicians are merely NOT anti-gun rather than actually pro-gun. Why would a politician do anything for us when lukewarm lip service is enough to get the best rating?
Of course, if that self same lip service starts getting the C rating it deserves, those politicians would probably start being lukewarm anti.
It's a tightrope.
It's possible to get exemptions put into place. M855/SS109 has such an exemption. The question is; are there enough 5.45x39mm shooters out there to force the issue?
We've been here before with 7.62x39mm. It looks like we'll be heading there again with 7.62x54mmR soon.
We're here because of NFA to be honest.
The people who are making rifle caliber "pistols" are essentially making short barrel rifles without the legally defining characteristics of a rifle. These people are also kind of lucky I wasn't in charge of ATF; my position is that a stockless rifle isn't a pistol, so an AK without a stock is an SBR because the law says "designed to fire from the shoulder" and omitting parts doesn't change the design.
So a ruling from ATF that "pistols" in rifle chamberings are actually AOW or SBR would let the taps remain open for steel-core surplus commie ammo.
I am OK with that ruling. Nothing is going to change with NFA until people get off their asses and make it an issue. The NRA only just barely cares about it because hardly any of the membership gives two shits. It's why 922(o) is still there; no peasants with pitchforks and torches at the castle gate.
The ammo rulings stand because the surplus shooters are still up against the majority. Altering 921 to make sense would take political capital that I am not sure we have. Look at how many A rated politicians are merely NOT anti-gun rather than actually pro-gun. Why would a politician do anything for us when lukewarm lip service is enough to get the best rating?
Of course, if that self same lip service starts getting the C rating it deserves, those politicians would probably start being lukewarm anti.
It's a tightrope.
It's possible to get exemptions put into place. M855/SS109 has such an exemption. The question is; are there enough 5.45x39mm shooters out there to force the issue?
Covered
Based on a letter I got last year from the VA, I don't need to enroll in Obamacare.
So I didn't.
The VA being my sole healthcare provider is terrifying enough. They've something of a reputation...
Especially since the last visit they mentioned hip replacement and likely knees too.
And thanks to Shineski, I have to start that process all over again.
Step one is getting the paper trail established to up my disability percentage. That's also the biggest and most time consuming one. A trail that just evaporated because unresolved cases made him look as incompetent as the worthless fuck is.
I hope I can still walk by the time this is resolved.
So I didn't.
The VA being my sole healthcare provider is terrifying enough. They've something of a reputation...
Especially since the last visit they mentioned hip replacement and likely knees too.
And thanks to Shineski, I have to start that process all over again.
Step one is getting the paper trail established to up my disability percentage. That's also the biggest and most time consuming one. A trail that just evaporated because unresolved cases made him look as incompetent as the worthless fuck is.
I hope I can still walk by the time this is resolved.