There are several instances in the Army where the troops use a piece of equipment in its intended role, just to show them that it works.
The gas mask in a small building choked with CS (tear gas) being the classic example.
Some parachute drops are the same thing.
We were treated to videos and films (remember film?) of our tank be subjected to and surviving all manner of abuse to prove that we'd survive the experience.
It just hit me...
Not a single video, film or photo of our body armor taking a hit. Almost as if they knew the PASGT helmet and vest weren't very useful. As tankers, the CVC (combat vehicle crewman) helmet had even less protection than the steel Helmet, M1 (with ballistic liner).
We knew to be cynical about the old M1 pot, they perforated one for us live on rifle range day.
I know, now, that the old M59 vest and the PASGT armor wasn't intended to stop bullets. It's intended to stop fragments. Fragments are much easier to stop than bullets. Because there are so many of them, artillery being the king of battle after all, fragments account for a lot of casualties.
I find it odd we never got shown that the vest would and would not stop.
I wore mine religiously because it stops the hatch coaming in the loader's hole from breaking ribs.
31 July 2016
Premier Shotgun
Anyone out there know anything about Premier shotguns?
Marv's got his grand-dad's.
It's a 12ga SxS double with exposed hammers. The hammers are non-rebounding.
His grandfather paid "about $30 in the '20's." Marv now thinks that Grampa was remembering a different gun.
My gun value book claims that Premier starts in the late 1950's, and might show Marv's gun.
I'll throw up a pic of the whole gun when I have it.
Pics of the whole gun now that I have them.
Marv's got his grand-dad's.
It's a 12ga SxS double with exposed hammers. The hammers are non-rebounding.
His grandfather paid "about $30 in the '20's." Marv now thinks that Grampa was remembering a different gun.
My gun value book claims that Premier starts in the late 1950's, and might show Marv's gun.
Pics of the whole gun now that I have them.
Stupid Stuff You Can Do
I was curious about how the breech ring worked on the Model 12.
The barrel and chamber clamp down against the breeching ring, and the ring is between the barrel and the shell's rim.
Headspacing is provided by this ring.
With the bolt holding it in place, you could, in theory, fire this round.
I think that would be a little messy. I shan't make the attempt.
The barrel and chamber clamp down against the breeching ring, and the ring is between the barrel and the shell's rim.
Headspacing is provided by this ring.
With the bolt holding it in place, you could, in theory, fire this round.
I think that would be a little messy. I shan't make the attempt.
30 July 2016
A Conversation With A Florida State Trooper
At the scene of a car accident where Harvey was not at fault.
According FHP we are not allowed to shoot, stab, bludgeon, strike, garrote, choke, flay, whip, draw OR quarter the person who rear-ended Harvey.
Kidding aside, I am certain I heard that traffic accidents would turn into blood-baths if we allowed just anyone to carry a gun in public.
Harvey had hers and when I arrived to help, I had mine. For all I know the guy who rear-ended her had his too.
Yet the situation was handled in a civilized manner by everyone.
According FHP we are not allowed to shoot, stab, bludgeon, strike, garrote, choke, flay, whip, draw OR quarter the person who rear-ended Harvey.
Kidding aside, I am certain I heard that traffic accidents would turn into blood-baths if we allowed just anyone to carry a gun in public.
Harvey had hers and when I arrived to help, I had mine. For all I know the guy who rear-ended her had his too.
Yet the situation was handled in a civilized manner by everyone.
29 July 2016
Добро пожаловат!
Так как более половины хитов в своем блоге, были из России на прошлой неделе, я чувствую, что должен сказать что-то плохо переведенную Google!
Я надеюсь, что вы наслаждаетесь мое письмо и получить острое представление о сознании американского пушечного владельца.
Я надеюсь, что вы наслаждаетесь мое письмо и получить острое представление о сознании американского пушечного владельца.
I Have An ITAR Suggestion
How's 'bout we only charge the idiotic tax if someone actually tries to export a listed item.
I am fed up with "potential energy" laws.
You might do something, so we're going to act like you did it already.
Gun control is just rife with this crap too.
With the ITAR rationale, every woman needs to pay the solicitation fine because, well, they MIGHT charge for sex.
I am fed up with "potential energy" laws.
You might do something, so we're going to act like you did it already.
Gun control is just rife with this crap too.
With the ITAR rationale, every woman needs to pay the solicitation fine because, well, they MIGHT charge for sex.
Choose One
I love ballistic calculators and comparing cartridges as much as the next guy.
But you should stick to one measuring system or the other.
Going to use inches for drop and drift? Feet per second for velocity? Grains for bullet weight? Don't use meters for range or joules for energy!
If you're going metric, don't fuck around use them centimeters, meters per second and grams!
But you should stick to one measuring system or the other.
Going to use inches for drop and drift? Feet per second for velocity? Grains for bullet weight? Don't use meters for range or joules for energy!
If you're going metric, don't fuck around use them centimeters, meters per second and grams!
Endorsement
No objections to Hillary Clinton's nomination have been raised by J Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone S Woods or Glen Doherty.
A Letter To My Congressman
I recently read this article: https://blog.princelaw.com/2016/07/25/ddtc-issues-guidance-on-itar-registration/
I am unable to politely express my outrage at this.
An outrage that stems not only from the idiotic application of this tax, but from reading the actual ITAR laws.
An outrage that stems from a regulatory body setting taxes. That, Sir, is YOUR job and you aren't supposed to delegate your legislative authority to the executive branch.
An outrage that stems from a law about exporting military technology being meticulously and retroactively applied to persons who are not actually exporting anything from their home county let alone state or the nation.
An outrage that comes from redefining manufacturing to ever smaller activities that one expects the next threshold for having to pay the ITAR taxes will be owning an item that's listed.
An outrage that, once again, a regulation is promulgated in violation of the laws concerning public comments.
An outrage from seeing that, once again, these rules are put into place over firearms.
An outrage from noticing that my representative talks a good game, but doesn't seem to actually represent me on issues such as this.
I am furious about this unjust law and its everyday infringement of my rights.
I pray to you to do something, this election year, about this. Convince me that I am not disenfranchised and that my vote, and the vote of other gun-owners, matters.
DO SOMETHING!
I've written my congress critter, have you?
Show Us The Data
It's not science unless you can replicate the experiment!
Refusing to let others see the data nullifies your conclusions!
Refusing to let others see the data nullifies your conclusions!
28 July 2016
Profiling
You know this story is bullshit.
We're expected to believe that a cop cannot tell donut from drugs?
A COP who isn't familiar with donuts?
I've some swampland to sell just south of here too.
We're expected to believe that a cop cannot tell donut from drugs?
A COP who isn't familiar with donuts?
I've some swampland to sell just south of here too.
Actually The Opposite
While talking, in general, about our service a pilot aviator friend once opined that "tanks just seem so pedestrian" compared to aviation.
I had to object to him there.
One of the points of armor is you're NOT a pedestrian.
Breaking track and cleaning the sub-turret suck, but they beat walkin'.
I had to object to him there.
One of the points of armor is you're NOT a pedestrian.
Breaking track and cleaning the sub-turret suck, but they beat walkin'.
HA!
The Model 12 feeds those cute little 1-3/4" shells!
With the duckstick plug removed that should give it a 11+1 capacity. 4+1 with the plug installed.
Pretty impressive for a 104 year old design, huh?
By the way, did you know that a 2-3/4" 12ga round is just 2-7/16" long? The 1-3/4" shells measure 1-5/16" and a 3" is 2-9/16"...
The stated length of a shell is the length with the crimp unfolded after firing.
With the duck
Pretty impressive for a 104 year old design, huh?
By the way, did you know that a 2-3/4" 12ga round is just 2-7/16" long? The 1-3/4" shells measure 1-5/16" and a 3" is 2-9/16"...
The stated length of a shell is the length with the crimp unfolded after firing.
27 July 2016
For The 19 Series MOS People Out There
It's not the women in combat that's the problem, it's the lowering of the standards to let them enter combat arms MOS's.
There's no women's league war, sorry girls.
The hard wall of reality about humping gear that's crippling fit young men will hit home right fast.
Never mind chores like breaking track or loading heavy cannon and howitzer projectiles.
Combat MOS tasks are 90% strong back and weak mind. In the 10% that needs a sharp mind, where women are equal to men, it's not a problem. But it's not most of the task, is it?
Extrapolating that since woman are successful at the combat aviation job they'll be good at infantry just doesn't add up.
I'd also like to bring up the cost-benefit of separate berthing and plumbing that always accompanies mixed sex units. It costs more to have and it forces a fixed percentage mix of sexes based on the available facilities rather than eligible candidates.
If 15% of your bunks, for example, are for women; then if your unit has less than 15% women it will be undermanned (pun). You can't put men in those bunks if there's only 10% women available. So you overbuild your barracks and bunkroom capacity to make sure there's enough people to do the job regardless of the gender ratio. That costs more.
I guess we could say "full equality" and go back to single bays and one latrine (head). But we're also going to have to address another cost of the mixed sex mil, that we're studiously avoiding every day from when we first decided women could serve non-combat roles. Tab A fits into slot A and everyone wants to complete assembly because they're going to be young, mostly fit, and hormonal.
Bing up "olympic village condoms" for another example of mixing the young and horny.
Tab A fitting into slot B and slot C is far less a problem because there's no pregnancy from that. Score one for gays in the military here, homosexual sex doesn't typically result in babies.
Cost-benefit.
Do the benefits offset the costs?
Are we being told what the costs and benefits are honestly?
There's no women's league war, sorry girls.
The hard wall of reality about humping gear that's crippling fit young men will hit home right fast.
Never mind chores like breaking track or loading heavy cannon and howitzer projectiles.
Combat MOS tasks are 90% strong back and weak mind. In the 10% that needs a sharp mind, where women are equal to men, it's not a problem. But it's not most of the task, is it?
Extrapolating that since woman are successful at the combat aviation job they'll be good at infantry just doesn't add up.
I'd also like to bring up the cost-benefit of separate berthing and plumbing that always accompanies mixed sex units. It costs more to have and it forces a fixed percentage mix of sexes based on the available facilities rather than eligible candidates.
If 15% of your bunks, for example, are for women; then if your unit has less than 15% women it will be undermanned (pun). You can't put men in those bunks if there's only 10% women available. So you overbuild your barracks and bunkroom capacity to make sure there's enough people to do the job regardless of the gender ratio. That costs more.
I guess we could say "full equality" and go back to single bays and one latrine (head). But we're also going to have to address another cost of the mixed sex mil, that we're studiously avoiding every day from when we first decided women could serve non-combat roles. Tab A fits into slot A and everyone wants to complete assembly because they're going to be young, mostly fit, and hormonal.
Bing up "olympic village condoms" for another example of mixing the young and horny.
Tab A fitting into slot B and slot C is far less a problem because there's no pregnancy from that. Score one for gays in the military here, homosexual sex doesn't typically result in babies.
Cost-benefit.
Do the benefits offset the costs?
Are we being told what the costs and benefits are honestly?
I Can't Do It
I cannot bring myself to find a Winchester shotgun collector's site, post a pic of the Model 12 and ask, "Where can I get a pistol grip stock and flashlight grip for when I have it shortened to 18" and cerakoted?"
Coming Up A Little Short
Missed a couple, Google.
It's OK, Bing has your back...
I have lived to see Microsoft become less evil than a company with "Don't be evil" in its motto.
26 July 2016
They Look The Same
But they aren't.
Mass is not weight.
A kilogram only equals 2.20462 pounds in one g.
At two g a kilogram is 4.40924 pounds, but still one kilo.
It's a distinction without a difference here at standard temperature and pressure (or close damned enough if you're not uncomfortable from the temperature and pressure) and one g.
Mass is not weight.
A kilogram only equals 2.20462 pounds in one g.
At two g a kilogram is 4.40924 pounds, but still one kilo.
It's a distinction without a difference here at standard temperature and pressure (or close damned enough if you're not uncomfortable from the temperature and pressure) and one g.
25 July 2016
Mind Fuck
I am eagerly awaiting a friend of Harvey's extolling the virtues of Hillary.
I can't wait to ask, "What did she do when she had the power to do...?" and watch him short circuit when his only possible out is that she was overridden by his favorite president of all time.
Either she's useless or the source of goodness and light, Obama the Healer, is as evil as I've long held.
Going to be expensive keeping a bag of fresh popcorn on me until November, but it'll be worth it!
I can't wait to ask, "What did she do when she had the power to do...?" and watch him short circuit when his only possible out is that she was overridden by his favorite president of all time.
Either she's useless or the source of goodness and light, Obama the Healer, is as evil as I've long held.
Going to be expensive keeping a bag of fresh popcorn on me until November, but it'll be worth it!
Analogy
Banning modern semi-automatic rifles because they only had muskets in 1789 is like...
Banning tractors because they only had horses and slaves back then.
Banning tractors because they only had horses and slaves back then.
Nice Try
One thing that Colt is almost infamous for is never producing a mid-length gas system AR.
Today on a pawn-shop rack I saw a Colt lower with a middy upper.
For $1,149.
Maybe for a complete Colt, but not for a parts gun.
Today on a pawn-shop rack I saw a Colt lower with a middy upper.
For $1,149.
Maybe for a complete Colt, but not for a parts gun.
Russia?
My blog is suddenly quite popular in Russia.
I wonder why that might be.
Are they checking up on their rifles they lost to Finland all those years ago?
I wonder why that might be.
Are they checking up on their rifles they lost to Finland all those years ago?
Elegant Luggage For A More Civilized Time
The Winchester shotgun has a travel case!
It's a Red Head brand 32" 175 FD case.
It's a Red Head brand 32" 175 FD case.
Broken Windows Theory Expansion
Broken Windows Theory.
With that in mind: Could the cops shooting dogs when it's not necessary be a reliable harbinger that department will use excessive force in other ways?
Is it an indication that your local po-po no longer serve the public trust?
Oh, how I yearn for the police to return to being peace officers rather than law enforcement.
The first step would be to get their funding clipped of all the federal monies.
The second step would be to strip about 90% of the laws and their associated regulations; we will be amazed at how small and cheap a police force can be if it doesn't have to deal with the endless morass of bullshit laws they're being asked to keep track of.
The third step is educating the people about their rightful role in law enforcement.
With that in mind: Could the cops shooting dogs when it's not necessary be a reliable harbinger that department will use excessive force in other ways?
Is it an indication that your local po-po no longer serve the public trust?
Oh, how I yearn for the police to return to being peace officers rather than law enforcement.
The first step would be to get their funding clipped of all the federal monies.
The second step would be to strip about 90% of the laws and their associated regulations; we will be amazed at how small and cheap a police force can be if it doesn't have to deal with the endless morass of bullshit laws they're being asked to keep track of.
The third step is educating the people about their rightful role in law enforcement.
Feed Rate
I've decided that the reason that Marv is 6'-6" tall is that he's part ogre.
I've come to this conclusion watching him finish two 80% lowers.
He's managed to slay two 4-flute, 1/4" end-mills now.
When you use a router to hold the mill you've got to have a deft hand on the mill and only move as fast as the mill is cutting. Marv is putting too much pressure on the router and it causes chatter and breaks the mills.
In more positive news, his second lower is the one we drilled way to deep on the rear shelf. Some 1/4-28 all thread rod and a nut have replaced the pistol grip screw and there seems to be enough thread to hold the grip on! We did have to relieve the inside of the grip for tool-clearance so you can get a socket down there, but it works.
I've come to this conclusion watching him finish two 80% lowers.
He's managed to slay two 4-flute, 1/4" end-mills now.
When you use a router to hold the mill you've got to have a deft hand on the mill and only move as fast as the mill is cutting. Marv is putting too much pressure on the router and it causes chatter and breaks the mills.
In more positive news, his second lower is the one we drilled way to deep on the rear shelf. Some 1/4-28 all thread rod and a nut have replaced the pistol grip screw and there seems to be enough thread to hold the grip on! We did have to relieve the inside of the grip for tool-clearance so you can get a socket down there, but it works.
24 July 2016
What Could Go Wrong?
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2016/07/20/stuntman-to-attempt-knievel-launch-over-snake-river-canyon/
Well, what can go wrong that didn't in the previous attempts?
Well, what can go wrong that didn't in the previous attempts?
23 July 2016
More Parts To The Story
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article91406042.html#storylink=cpy
h/t Miguel
Around 50 yards with an AR and he "missed" hitting Kinsey by mistake?
Pull the other one, it has bells on it.
This has every earmark of a bad shoot and both the shooting officer and his suspended supervisor should be looking through gray steel curtains for a while. Felony a while.
Shit like this is why cops who aren't fucking up get blamed and this is the teensy kernel of truth lurking inside theBureau of Land Management Black Lives Matter's protests. That the police can shoot whomever they want with impunity.
It's not true, but if these officers walk, then who's making whose point?
Jonathan Aledda has shown he cannot be trusted with a firearm at the very least. What's the charge if you or I pop off a negligent round and hurt someone? I seem to recall Florida having a 10/20/life law...
And there you are. Except, once again, there's an exception for cops. Laws for me and not for my government employees are the very root of tyranny; no matter how light the chains.
Emile Hollant has betrayed the public trust, however, and he needs to be incarcerated for a good long time. Yes, I consider his actions worse than Mr Aledda's. Mr Aledda might have made a mistake, Mr Hollant did it deliberately.
Fuck him.
h/t Miguel
Around 50 yards with an AR and he "missed" hitting Kinsey by mistake?
Pull the other one, it has bells on it.
This has every earmark of a bad shoot and both the shooting officer and his suspended supervisor should be looking through gray steel curtains for a while. Felony a while.
Shit like this is why cops who aren't fucking up get blamed and this is the teensy kernel of truth lurking inside the
It's not true, but if these officers walk, then who's making whose point?
Jonathan Aledda has shown he cannot be trusted with a firearm at the very least. What's the charge if you or I pop off a negligent round and hurt someone? I seem to recall Florida having a 10/20/life law...
And there you are. Except, once again, there's an exception for cops. Laws for me and not for my government employees are the very root of tyranny; no matter how light the chains.
Emile Hollant has betrayed the public trust, however, and he needs to be incarcerated for a good long time. Yes, I consider his actions worse than Mr Aledda's. Mr Aledda might have made a mistake, Mr Hollant did it deliberately.
Fuck him.
Compare Contrast
Just how long is a 30" barreled Winchester Model 12 Heavy Duck?
A lot longer than a tacticool Remington 870 with a 20" barrel.
Nearly as long as a Mosin-Nagant model 1891.
Update:
But it's shorter than a 14.5" barreled AR when broken down!
A lot longer than a tacticool Remington 870 with a 20" barrel.
Nearly as long as a Mosin-Nagant model 1891.
Update:
But it's shorter than a 14.5" barreled AR when broken down!
You Have To Show Up
When you ask your gun-owning friends for help picking out a gun and ask to stop by and coon-finger as many as they can...
Yeah, show up when you say you're going to.
Call if something unforeseen happened that prevents you from coming.
Respond to attempts to contact you...
Yeah, show up when you say you're going to.
Call if something unforeseen happened that prevents you from coming.
Respond to attempts to contact you...
22 July 2016
Degrunging
The Model 12 is now clean.
There was some serious funk up inside that receiver, including a large dead and desiccated winged ant.
Did a detail disassembly, took off all the gunk, gave a nice light coat of oil and all is once again as it should be in the universe.
By the way, I've seen NEW bores that didn't look this good. Despite the build up of crud in behind the bolt, the bore was meticulously maintained.
There was some serious funk up inside that receiver, including a large dead and desiccated winged ant.
Did a detail disassembly, took off all the gunk, gave a nice light coat of oil and all is once again as it should be in the universe.
By the way, I've seen NEW bores that didn't look this good. Despite the build up of crud in behind the bolt, the bore was meticulously maintained.
A Teeny Little V
Took my DD214 down to the driver's license station today and had the veteran's endorsement added to my license.
Not sure what that does me, but what the heck!
Might be good for a couple of discounts at some stores.
Not sure what that does me, but what the heck!
Might be good for a couple of discounts at some stores.
¡Viva La Socialism!
“McDonald’s Venezuela is working to resolve this temporary situation,” Daniel Schleiniger, a spokesman for Arcos Dorados, tells Bloomberg. “Together with our supplier, we are evaluating the best options that will allow us to continue serving high quality food to our customers.”
See, Venezuela isn't so bad, their McDonalds serve high quality food.
Socialism makes McDonalds better than Capitalism!
Shotgun News
Willard presented me with a puzzle today.
His father's Winchester Model 12. Update: The 30" barrel and the 3" chamber with a full choke indicates that this is a "Heavy Duck" model. Willard did say it was a goose killer, those are heavy ducks to be sure!
He was unable to get the magazine tube to move one way or another, thus was unable to break it down.
Two hours later I figured out what was binding and got it apart. All is now well!
The Model 12 is definitely from a different era. Iron and wood. 9 lb. loaded with six shots, 8.5 lb. with 2 and the magazine plug.
Speaking of wood!
His father's Winchester Model 12. Update: The 30" barrel and the 3" chamber with a full choke indicates that this is a "Heavy Duck" model. Willard did say it was a goose killer, those are heavy ducks to be sure!
He was unable to get the magazine tube to move one way or another, thus was unable to break it down.
Two hours later I figured out what was binding and got it apart. All is now well!
The Model 12 is definitely from a different era. Iron and wood. 9 lb. loaded with six shots, 8.5 lb. with 2 and the magazine plug.
Speaking of wood!
Extra Work
Going through LBB Traveller, GURPS: Traveller and checking them against Ultratech...
Yeah, I'm going to have to make a G:T4e weapons table.
Yeah, I'm going to have to make a G:T4e weapons table.
88
I guess you have to pay attention to the font to decide if that '88' tattoo means they're a neo-nazi or an Earnhardt Jr. fan.
Even 14/88 could mean they like Tony Stewart too.
Life's too complicated all of a sudden.
Even 14/88 could mean they like Tony Stewart too.
Life's too complicated all of a sudden.
Get On With It!
There is no topic so interesting that an inept videographer on YouTube can't make it tedious and dull.
I am so entirely sick of 30 seconds of content packed into ten minutes of video.
I am so entirely sick of 30 seconds of content packed into ten minutes of video.
Metal
Linie Aquavit is about the most metal hard liquor I've found.
Brutal, it is!
Make a Viking of you. Or let you stand alone against the Russian hordes. On skis.
Drinking a beverage that's a shellback!
Brutal, it is!
Make a Viking of you. Or let you stand alone against the Russian hordes. On skis.
Drinking a beverage that's a shellback!
21 July 2016
Bitter
Oh, I will be bitter for years over it.
I can see I practically dared you to do it, because you couldn't encompass that I'd seriously do what I said I'd do.
Well, I did what I'd said I'd do if you crossed the line I drew in the sand.
Which you crossed just to see if I'd keep my word.
I'm going to be bitter about this for a long time.
I can see I practically dared you to do it, because you couldn't encompass that I'd seriously do what I said I'd do.
Well, I did what I'd said I'd do if you crossed the line I drew in the sand.
Which you crossed just to see if I'd keep my word.
I'm going to be bitter about this for a long time.
I'm Gonna Keep An Eye On This Case
http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2016/7/21/police_shoot_caretak.html
As the caretaker of my retarded son, there could be a lot of similarities in situations.
The Boy has been known to go off and I can see the police being called to help.
I'd hate to get shot for just trying to collect and calm my son.
First reporting is almost always wrong, but this looks like a bad shoot at this time.
As the caretaker of my retarded son, there could be a lot of similarities in situations.
The Boy has been known to go off and I can see the police being called to help.
I'd hate to get shot for just trying to collect and calm my son.
First reporting is almost always wrong, but this looks like a bad shoot at this time.
I Wonder
I wonder if attacking assault weapon bans on "bill of attainder" grounds has some merit.
Most of them call out a specific manufacturer and model.
Most of them call out a specific manufacturer and model.
20 July 2016
Where Do I Order?
Tam says that 5.11 makes a man purse! That'll go great with my kilt...
I don't see it in the catalog, is this a special order item?
Who's Flying This Thing Anyway
Traveller...
Most of the time the computer will be "flying" the ship from inputs given by the navigator rather than the pilot.
Just like a modern commercial aircraft and surface ship.
The autopilot steers far more often than the pilot or helmsman.
The position is still retained because something can go wrong and there's situations where the computer isn't flexible enough to handle it.
Any starport of Type C (GURPS: Traveller class III) or better will also have a space traffic control feed that can slave the navigation console and autopilot to.
Most of the time the computer will be "flying" the ship from inputs given by the navigator rather than the pilot.
Just like a modern commercial aircraft and surface ship.
The autopilot steers far more often than the pilot or helmsman.
The position is still retained because something can go wrong and there's situations where the computer isn't flexible enough to handle it.
Any starport of Type C (GURPS: Traveller class III) or better will also have a space traffic control feed that can slave the navigation console and autopilot to.
Not A Slippery Slope
With Mass-ass-chew-shits (you spell it your way, I'll spell it mine) going the extra mile to ban what they call "assault weapons" there's been some cries that this proves the slippery slope.
Never mind that incrementalism in passing law isn't the same thing as the slippery slope fallacy from debate... Incrementalism is provably real.
But gun control isn't a slippery slope.
It's an item on a punch-list.
I honestly don't know how many boxes there are to check, but once you get a certain number checked off, you've got nothing between you and tyranny.
Guns are a box on that list.
Never mind that incrementalism in passing law isn't the same thing as the slippery slope fallacy from debate... Incrementalism is provably real.
But gun control isn't a slippery slope.
It's an item on a punch-list.
I honestly don't know how many boxes there are to check, but once you get a certain number checked off, you've got nothing between you and tyranny.
Guns are a box on that list.
This Is How It Should Be
Gotta love Switzerland!
Lots and lots of those guns being casually toted around are the real-deal selective fire guns.
Polling
Reading political blogs is sometimes interesting.
I've noticed a trend concerning Trump.
If the writer used to be a Republican, they think he's going to lose big.
If the write is still a Republican, they think he's going to win big, but be a disaster.
They both agree that Hillary will be a disaster.
Personally I think Trump has an excellent chance of winning and he's going to be as effective as Gov. Jesse Ventura as both parties gang up on him in Congress.
I've noticed a trend concerning Trump.
If the writer used to be a Republican, they think he's going to lose big.
If the write is still a Republican, they think he's going to win big, but be a disaster.
They both agree that Hillary will be a disaster.
Personally I think Trump has an excellent chance of winning and he's going to be as effective as Gov. Jesse Ventura as both parties gang up on him in Congress.
No It Isn't
Dear Mr Vickers,
No, the FAL does not have an SVT gas system and tilting bolt.
The FAL is derived from the SAFN (aka FN49) which was being designed at the same time as the SVT and in isolation from it.
Tokarev and Saive weren't in communication and there was this whole nazi Germany thing in between them.
Saive actually started work before Tokarev.
Neither gun can be properly described as using the others systems at all.
Wanna know something telling about this?
Who invented the tilting locking system? Who invented the long stroke gas system using a separate, spring loaded, gas piston?
Did you google that? Find an easy answer?
We could say that both the SVT and the FAL use a Lee style tilting bolt.
We should say that both designers came up with similar ideas on their own, independently from one another.
Larry should learn the correct terms for a tilting bolt rather than make simplistic comparisons with the assumption that the viewer is more familiar with one gun over the other.
No, the FAL does not have an SVT gas system and tilting bolt.
The FAL is derived from the SAFN (aka FN49) which was being designed at the same time as the SVT and in isolation from it.
Tokarev and Saive weren't in communication and there was this whole nazi Germany thing in between them.
Saive actually started work before Tokarev.
Neither gun can be properly described as using the others systems at all.
Wanna know something telling about this?
Who invented the tilting locking system? Who invented the long stroke gas system using a separate, spring loaded, gas piston?
Did you google that? Find an easy answer?
We could say that both the SVT and the FAL use a Lee style tilting bolt.
We should say that both designers came up with similar ideas on their own, independently from one another.
Larry should learn the correct terms for a tilting bolt rather than make simplistic comparisons with the assumption that the viewer is more familiar with one gun over the other.
19 July 2016
Coming Out
Erin mentioned that someone who's LGBT has a second coming out when they reveal they're a gun owner. (I can't find where she said it or there'd be a finely crafted link here).
I had (note that past tense) a whole passel of gay friends because a lot of my gamer buddies were gay.
Because I was straight the gaming was the overlap on the Venn diagram.
Being a flaming liberal was another overlap. But outside the overlap I was also reading history and debating my positions with people like FuzzyGeff. Geff too, was a flaming liberal when I first encountered him. He was ahead of me on the reading and understanding the philosophy; but I got there; eventually.
Where I stopped being a flaming liberal was when I joined the Army. Seeing East Berlin. Seeing what it took to be a US Serviceman and get into Poland to see Auschwitz first hand, not to mention a couple of other camps still preserved.
It takes the shine off of Communism right quick. Seeing where the history happened made me make the connection that Communism, Fascism and National Socialism were all different flavors of the same shit. Once you see that the fucking nazis are left-wingers, the shine of flaming liberalism tarnishes too.
When I came back from the Army, I got back into gaming and my friends were mostly right where I'd left them.
I discovered that while I wasn't a flaming liberal anymore, I was also not much of a conservative. I didn't care how many babies were aborted and I didn't care what consenting adults did with their genitals, even if those genitals matched. I didn't care what imaginary friend people supplicated themselves to, as long as they didn't demand I did as well.
I am not a good conservative, but my conservative leanings didn't affect my friendships.
Until I bought a gun.
They seemed to put on a game face and attempt to wait out this new phase in their friend. But I discovered that being a gunowner is something of a lifestyle change. A change that was too large for my gay friends to accept because it came with criticizing politicians who were anti-gun and pro-gay.
They didn't want to hear that all that history, philosophy and politics I'd been reading lead me to wonder why THEY didn't own guns themselves, being a vulnerable minority and all.
I stopped getting calls to come hang out. Games were rescheduled for when I'd be busy.
Pretty soon I didn't have many gay friends at all. And my loss is teeny compared to the scope that a gay person would endure. I lost some of my friends, not almost everyone I knew.
I had (note that past tense) a whole passel of gay friends because a lot of my gamer buddies were gay.
Because I was straight the gaming was the overlap on the Venn diagram.
Being a flaming liberal was another overlap. But outside the overlap I was also reading history and debating my positions with people like FuzzyGeff. Geff too, was a flaming liberal when I first encountered him. He was ahead of me on the reading and understanding the philosophy; but I got there; eventually.
Where I stopped being a flaming liberal was when I joined the Army. Seeing East Berlin. Seeing what it took to be a US Serviceman and get into Poland to see Auschwitz first hand, not to mention a couple of other camps still preserved.
It takes the shine off of Communism right quick. Seeing where the history happened made me make the connection that Communism, Fascism and National Socialism were all different flavors of the same shit. Once you see that the fucking nazis are left-wingers, the shine of flaming liberalism tarnishes too.
When I came back from the Army, I got back into gaming and my friends were mostly right where I'd left them.
I discovered that while I wasn't a flaming liberal anymore, I was also not much of a conservative. I didn't care how many babies were aborted and I didn't care what consenting adults did with their genitals, even if those genitals matched. I didn't care what imaginary friend people supplicated themselves to, as long as they didn't demand I did as well.
I am not a good conservative, but my conservative leanings didn't affect my friendships.
Until I bought a gun.
They seemed to put on a game face and attempt to wait out this new phase in their friend. But I discovered that being a gunowner is something of a lifestyle change. A change that was too large for my gay friends to accept because it came with criticizing politicians who were anti-gun and pro-gay.
They didn't want to hear that all that history, philosophy and politics I'd been reading lead me to wonder why THEY didn't own guns themselves, being a vulnerable minority and all.
I stopped getting calls to come hang out. Games were rescheduled for when I'd be busy.
Pretty soon I didn't have many gay friends at all. And my loss is teeny compared to the scope that a gay person would endure. I lost some of my friends, not almost everyone I knew.
Hate Crime
When we get corresponding Love Crime sentence reductions, I'll think about hate crime sentence enhancement being valid.
For fuck's sake, nobody is going to do anything covered by hate-crime statutes because they like someone much. I reject the concept that making something that's illegal MORE illegal has any deterrence value at all.
Adding the cops to the list of protected species covered by those statutes is a bad plan on top of the hate-crime bad idea.
The list of things that cops and ex-cops get that we normal folk don't is already rather large. It's also been a wedge issue for people like me who want to see many fewer differences between cops and everyday citizens.
The thing that the cops have over normal folks is cop shootings don't go unsolved. Ever.
As I mentioned before, there really aren't a lot of cops getting shot. Yes, there's a spike, but it's far too soon to call it a trend. It is not yet time to DO SOMETHING with the concurrent THIS is SOMETHING - we MUST do THIS!
Never mind that if it is a trend, if it's caused by what it appears to be caused by, making the shooting more illegaler isn't going to slow it down even a whit. Nor will banning guns.
If you really want to talk about hate legislation, let's not make the definitions of bigotry subjective.
It doesn't matter what the race of someone is if they hate another race.
It doesn't matter what the sex of someone is if they hate another sex.
It doesn't matter what the sexual orientation of someone is if they hate another sexual orientation.
Yes, that means that black people will be called out on their racism, women will be called out on sexism, and homosexuals will be called out on hetrophobia.
They're currently protected classes and have a safe haven to hate from. Especially galling for women, because they are not a minority group.
A safe haven to hate from isn't something I imagine the police wanting or needing.
I know, I'm some kind of racist misogynist homophobe for thinking that equal means equal and that everyone should have the exact same rights as anyone else. Silly me.
For fuck's sake, nobody is going to do anything covered by hate-crime statutes because they like someone much. I reject the concept that making something that's illegal MORE illegal has any deterrence value at all.
Adding the cops to the list of protected species covered by those statutes is a bad plan on top of the hate-crime bad idea.
The list of things that cops and ex-cops get that we normal folk don't is already rather large. It's also been a wedge issue for people like me who want to see many fewer differences between cops and everyday citizens.
The thing that the cops have over normal folks is cop shootings don't go unsolved. Ever.
As I mentioned before, there really aren't a lot of cops getting shot. Yes, there's a spike, but it's far too soon to call it a trend. It is not yet time to DO SOMETHING with the concurrent THIS is SOMETHING - we MUST do THIS!
Never mind that if it is a trend, if it's caused by what it appears to be caused by, making the shooting more illegaler isn't going to slow it down even a whit. Nor will banning guns.
If you really want to talk about hate legislation, let's not make the definitions of bigotry subjective.
It doesn't matter what the race of someone is if they hate another race.
It doesn't matter what the sex of someone is if they hate another sex.
It doesn't matter what the sexual orientation of someone is if they hate another sexual orientation.
Yes, that means that black people will be called out on their racism, women will be called out on sexism, and homosexuals will be called out on hetrophobia.
They're currently protected classes and have a safe haven to hate from. Especially galling for women, because they are not a minority group.
A safe haven to hate from isn't something I imagine the police wanting or needing.
I know, I'm some kind of racist misogynist homophobe for thinking that equal means equal and that everyone should have the exact same rights as anyone else. Silly me.
What A Bother
The Lovely Harvey's dearly beloved 15" MacBook Pro (mid 2007) took a dump Sunday night.
The hard drive utterly failed. Complete data loss.
Happily, she's keeps her files backed up and she lost very little.
Also happily, because I have the carcasses of my mid-2007 and early-2008 15" MacBook Pro's here I have parts! What's dead on both of mine is the logic board.
So she got a less worn keyboard and a new hard drive.
To let you know how long my mid-2007 has been dead, the drive was a fresh install of 10.5.8 that I did when I made it my spare machine.
I put the new drive in, updated to 10.6.8 then updated to 10.11.6.
Then ran two rounds of updates, installed Chrome and Thunderbird and that's where we are for the newly named "Revenant".
This machine is probably going to end up spare and we're going to transition her back to Windows 7 and a refurbished Lenovo T420. She uses Win7 at work, so it will basically be a smooth transition.
The hard drive utterly failed. Complete data loss.
Happily, she's keeps her files backed up and she lost very little.
Also happily, because I have the carcasses of my mid-2007 and early-2008 15" MacBook Pro's here I have parts! What's dead on both of mine is the logic board.
So she got a less worn keyboard and a new hard drive.
To let you know how long my mid-2007 has been dead, the drive was a fresh install of 10.5.8 that I did when I made it my spare machine.
I put the new drive in, updated to 10.6.8 then updated to 10.11.6.
Then ran two rounds of updates, installed Chrome and Thunderbird and that's where we are for the newly named "Revenant".
This machine is probably going to end up spare and we're going to transition her back to Windows 7 and a refurbished Lenovo T420. She uses Win7 at work, so it will basically be a smooth transition.
18 July 2016
Revived
If you recall, back in December I posted that the phosphorescent night sights on Portia weren't quite dead, but they weren't far from it.
Marv bought some phosphorescent paint and he revived his.
I begged him to borrow some of the paint and he just revived mine for me. Thanks! It needs at least two coats and it takes like five hours to dry. I didn't have time to wait for the drying so he borrowed the gun for a couple of days and did three coats.
Sights repainted, not charged:
Charged:
Charged with a 1.5 second exposure instead of 10 seconds, same room lighting. Also more to the side for the shot.
On a ten second charge with my 7w LED light, they are bright for about ten minutes and visible for much longer with all the lights out.
Marv bought some phosphorescent paint and he revived his.
I begged him to borrow some of the paint and he just revived mine for me. Thanks! It needs at least two coats and it takes like five hours to dry. I didn't have time to wait for the drying so he borrowed the gun for a couple of days and did three coats.
Sights repainted, not charged:
On a ten second charge with my 7w LED light, they are bright for about ten minutes and visible for much longer with all the lights out.
17 July 2016
Wanna Bet?
Black Lives Matter organizer Ashleigh Shackelford claims that "Nothing you have is yours. Let me be clear: Nothing you have is yours."
First off, nice cultural appropriation of a European name.
Second, we don't owe you anything.
Why not?
Because 360,000 people, nearly all of them white men, paid the ultimate price to give blacks the ultimate gift: Freedom.
They didn't even ask to be paid back when they made that sacrifice.
So, Ms Shackelford, nothing you have is YOURS, it belongs to those who died so that your ancestors could live free from the yoke of slavery.
Again, the person you should be mad at is Lyndon Baines Johnson, not me. He's the asshole who convinced your grandparents to sign away your freedoms in exchange for the straight-jacket of welfare and dependency.
You own what you earn ma'am. What have you earned here?
You squandered a precious gift and now regret it so much that you demand it back from those who didn't.
Look in the mirror to see the person to blame for your not having the things you want; or is shame of knowing what you gave away too much to bear looking in the mirror?
By the way, that freedom I mentioned, it's still there and yours for the taking. Come! join me! Yes, earning your way is hard work, but you will be able to look at yourself in that mirror and see someone who is actually proud of who they are.
First off, nice cultural appropriation of a European name.
Second, we don't owe you anything.
Why not?
Because 360,000 people, nearly all of them white men, paid the ultimate price to give blacks the ultimate gift: Freedom.
They didn't even ask to be paid back when they made that sacrifice.
So, Ms Shackelford, nothing you have is YOURS, it belongs to those who died so that your ancestors could live free from the yoke of slavery.
Again, the person you should be mad at is Lyndon Baines Johnson, not me. He's the asshole who convinced your grandparents to sign away your freedoms in exchange for the straight-jacket of welfare and dependency.
You own what you earn ma'am. What have you earned here?
You squandered a precious gift and now regret it so much that you demand it back from those who didn't.
Look in the mirror to see the person to blame for your not having the things you want; or is shame of knowing what you gave away too much to bear looking in the mirror?
By the way, that freedom I mentioned, it's still there and yours for the taking. Come! join me! Yes, earning your way is hard work, but you will be able to look at yourself in that mirror and see someone who is actually proud of who they are.
Already Lost Where I Got The Quote
A drawback to being the father of a mentally retarded son is he often loses it while you're composing.
Most of the time I have to start from scratch and can't even remember what I was going to write about.
This time I remember the quote, but not the attribution.
"If a well regulated militia is necessary for the security of a free state; then a state which lacks one is either not secure or not free (or both)."
Most of the time I have to start from scratch and can't even remember what I was going to write about.
This time I remember the quote, but not the attribution.
"If a well regulated militia is necessary for the security of a free state; then a state which lacks one is either not secure or not free (or both)."
16 July 2016
Grenade Sight Restoration
I repainted the markings on Jasmine's rifle grenade sights.
Testors Model-Master Insignia Yellow, some thinner and a Q-Tip and all "restored".
Testors Model-Master Insignia Yellow, some thinner and a Q-Tip and all "restored".
A Cynical Lot
Reading a thread about if Glock will offer their new FBI version for commercial sale.
Someone replied, "Glock likes making money so I don't see [them not selling them]. If it did just frequent restaurants near their office. One will be left in a bathroom soon enough."
Someone replied, "Glock likes making money so I don't see [them not selling them]. If it did just frequent restaurants near their office. One will be left in a bathroom soon enough."
Undergunned
At one time the fact that the people outgunned the police was irrelevant.
How could this ever be irrelevant?
Because the police force was tiny if it existed at all, with many places having just a single person filling the role we think of as law enforcement today. Definitely fully embedded and vested in their communities.
One traditional role of the militia is the posse. The idea seems so corny today, thanks to westerns, but it was once a cornerstone of American law enforcement. Even places with cops had more reliance on the citizens in their locale than we see today.
Of course it also helped a lot that there were many fewer laws and they made sense to those under them.
Another thing complicating the relationship today is many places have given the police the exclusive power of law enforcement, and made it clear that the citizen's assistance is unwanted beyond reporting the crime. Ever notice that those places have a lot of crime too?
How could this ever be irrelevant?
Because the police force was tiny if it existed at all, with many places having just a single person filling the role we think of as law enforcement today. Definitely fully embedded and vested in their communities.
One traditional role of the militia is the posse. The idea seems so corny today, thanks to westerns, but it was once a cornerstone of American law enforcement. Even places with cops had more reliance on the citizens in their locale than we see today.
Of course it also helped a lot that there were many fewer laws and they made sense to those under them.
Another thing complicating the relationship today is many places have given the police the exclusive power of law enforcement, and made it clear that the citizen's assistance is unwanted beyond reporting the crime. Ever notice that those places have a lot of crime too?
Civil Disobedience
Can anyone think of any reason why mailing the CLEO a "copy" of a Form 1 you aren't submitting to ATF would be illegal?
Since The 90's
For over 25 years I have been listening to pundits bemoaning that the police are outgunned.
I just realized something.
They're supposed to be.
That's the whole fucking point of the 2nd Amendment, that the people can topple the government through force of arms.
We're supposed to outgun the government by design.
I just realized something.
They're supposed to be.
That's the whole fucking point of the 2nd Amendment, that the people can topple the government through force of arms.
We're supposed to outgun the government by design.
Combat Robots
In Traveller canon the Zhondani make extensive use of combat robots.
I remember a player objecting to their presence because such robots would be in violation of "The Three Laws".
I replied that it was unlikely the Zhodani had read Asimov.
Then I had to explain that the three laws were from a series of science fiction stories written by Issac Asimov.
They really didn't know!
I remember a player objecting to their presence because such robots would be in violation of "The Three Laws".
I replied that it was unlikely the Zhodani had read Asimov.
Then I had to explain that the three laws were from a series of science fiction stories written by Issac Asimov.
They really didn't know!
Snobbery
I have, on occasion, dismissed the M14 as just a Garand converted to take 7.62x51mm and a 20 round detachable magazine.
I should consider that an FAL is kind of an SAFN converted to take 7.62x51mm and a 20 round detachable magazine as well.
I should consider that an FAL is kind of an SAFN converted to take 7.62x51mm and a 20 round detachable magazine as well.
Actually Black America Is Failing To Deal With It
Henry Rollings, a known dancing monkey, says "White America couldn't handle what Black America deals with every day."
Henry, there's nothing a black person is going through that didn't happen to white people in America. (Hint: In 1860 is it better to be a black slave in Georgia or a free Irishman in Boston?)
That includes slavery. Bigotry. Ghettos. Violence. All of it.
The difference is there's nobody nursing a grievance generations after the offense if you're white.
Blacks came ever so close to putting it behind them just like all sorts of European immigrants. You may thank LBJ for fucking that up for them, and he predicted they'd be grateful for the fucking as well. He even used the dread n-word to describe his prediction.
What Mr Rollins doesn't seem to know is that every ethnic group dealt with what blacks deal with today. He doesn't seem to know that this is at least the second time that blacks have been going through it.
This is how America treats people who claim to be American, but haven't wholeheartedly joined the culture.
What changed is too many blacks don't want to be part of the culture, but wish to have full access to the benefits that membership affords. They want all the pluses and none of the negatives.
Henry, there's nothing a black person is going through that didn't happen to white people in America. (Hint: In 1860 is it better to be a black slave in Georgia or a free Irishman in Boston?)
That includes slavery. Bigotry. Ghettos. Violence. All of it.
The difference is there's nobody nursing a grievance generations after the offense if you're white.
Blacks came ever so close to putting it behind them just like all sorts of European immigrants. You may thank LBJ for fucking that up for them, and he predicted they'd be grateful for the fucking as well. He even used the dread n-word to describe his prediction.
What Mr Rollins doesn't seem to know is that every ethnic group dealt with what blacks deal with today. He doesn't seem to know that this is at least the second time that blacks have been going through it.
This is how America treats people who claim to be American, but haven't wholeheartedly joined the culture.
What changed is too many blacks don't want to be part of the culture, but wish to have full access to the benefits that membership affords. They want all the pluses and none of the negatives.
15 July 2016
Awwww Shucky Darn
Missed the Day of Rage on the Hillsborough County Courthouse steps.
Seems a shame to miss the chance to be called a racist by racists, don't it?
Wait, it's Anonymous doing the rage and not theBureau of Land Management Black Lives Matter?
I suspect that the racists will show up and despite Anonymous asking for a peaceful demonstration of rage... yes that's what they say... thatBureau of Land Management Black Lives Matter is likely to be counter protesting and being counter peaceful.
Seems a shame to miss the chance to be called a racist by racists, don't it?
Wait, it's Anonymous doing the rage and not the
I suspect that the racists will show up and despite Anonymous asking for a peaceful demonstration of rage... yes that's what they say... that
Still Not Interested
Alien 5 with Sigourney Weaver? Don't care. She's held the story back since Alien 3.
I'd like to see that universe advance, and it can't as long as we keep revisiting Ellen Ripley.
Nor will it work to keep making a movie about the evil scientists.
Dark Horse Comics had a couple of promising story lines for Aliens and Predator, including an excellent Alien vs Predator (some vestiges of this ended up in AvP).
Maybe I could get excited by a reboot replacing Ripley with a male lead, just like I was excited by gender-swapping Ghostbusters... oh, wait.
I'd like to see that universe advance, and it can't as long as we keep revisiting Ellen Ripley.
Nor will it work to keep making a movie about the evil scientists.
Dark Horse Comics had a couple of promising story lines for Aliens and Predator, including an excellent Alien vs Predator (some vestiges of this ended up in AvP).
Maybe I could get excited by a reboot replacing Ripley with a male lead, just like I was excited by gender-swapping Ghostbusters... oh, wait.
Oh Wait
We should require anyone who owns a truck to register that truck before they take it out on the road.
We should only let people who pass a driving test and obtain a license drive trucks.
Oh wait...
I guess all we can do is ban trucks.
Because we damn sure aren't going to crack down on the common denominator of these attacks.
We should only let people who pass a driving test and obtain a license drive trucks.
Oh wait...
I guess all we can do is ban trucks.
Because we damn sure aren't going to crack down on the common denominator of these attacks.
14 July 2016
Indentity
I think that in April we're going to file our taxes with $0 reported income.
Although Harvey has a job, I think we identify as unemployed and therefore should not only not have to pay taxes, we should also receive full welfare.
Although Harvey has a job, I think we identify as unemployed and therefore should not only not have to pay taxes, we should also receive full welfare.
Not Mutually Exclusive
You most certainly can be a reprehensible human being and also be a hero.
The two things overlap a lot more often than most people want to believe.
However, there's a long standing tradition that your sins are washed clean and forgiven if you die a heroic death. This makes it unseemly to drag said hero's name through the mud with accusations posthumously. Even if the accusations are true.
Where was your investigatory prowess before he died?
The two things overlap a lot more often than most people want to believe.
However, there's a long standing tradition that your sins are washed clean and forgiven if you die a heroic death. This makes it unseemly to drag said hero's name through the mud with accusations posthumously. Even if the accusations are true.
Where was your investigatory prowess before he died?
13 July 2016
Pretty Light Show
For about a week we've watched some pretty impressive thunderstorms get almost to us or go right past us.
The lightning is pretty though.
The lightning is pretty though.
Baffling
There's gunborker seller in Colorado who's got two SKS's listed.
One's a Norinco, the other is a beat to shit Yugo. (Links will be dead after a few months).
Both them are:
There's not a whit of explanation as to WHY they're not for sale to those untainted by government employment.
They sell AR's to the unwashed, so it's baffling.
One's a Norinco, the other is a beat to shit Yugo. (Links will be dead after a few months).
Both them are:
LE/MILITARY PURCHASE ONLY
You must provide LE/Military Credentials at time of purchase.
You must be one of the following:
Sworn LEO (Law Enforcement Officer) State, County, or Local
Federal LEO - F.B.I, US Marshal, DEA, DHS, et cetera
Corrections Officers, including Parole and Probation Officers
Retired LEO with “retired” credentials including Federal, State, County and Local
State Licensed Security Companies and State/City Licensed Security Officers
Federal Flight Deck Officers
Court Judges, District Attorneys and Deputy District Attorneys
First responders including firefighters and rescue personnel with appropriate I.D. and letterhead with verification of duty purpose
Military: Active, Retired, Active-Reserve. Active - Nat’l Guard
There's not a whit of explanation as to WHY they're not for sale to those untainted by government employment.
They sell AR's to the unwashed, so it's baffling.
Sometimes Things Connect
The husband of a friend came very close to making a complete donation via donorcycle several times.
Notably these attempted donations have the same mechanism in common: he slammed on the brakes and went over the handlebars.
In our litigious society it was baffling to me that Yamaha would make a bike that could do that when just anyone can buy one and attempt a panic stop.
Turns out that the bike was no longer stock.
The click moment happened when watching the film, "Hitting The Apex".
There's a scene where a very small contact is made between two bikes and the outside cycle careens out of control. The contact severed a small wire and that disconnected the rear wheel speed sensor, which made the engine management computer unable to detect wheelspin and retard throttle input.
What my friend's husband, and his crotch-rocket buddies were doing was buying race-spec tires, brakes, and engines, but not adding the race-spec sensors and controllers; so when he grabbed a handful of front brake, the stock Yamaha ABS basically said, "nope, that can't be" because the change in wheel speed was too far out of its parameters to deal with and let him lock up the front because the BACK was stopped too (being in the air and all). Add in the reaction speed of the system being matched to much smaller brakes slippier tires and you've got some disaster looming.
I'm led to believe that the race ready ABS and traction system has a wheel speed rate change system that would detect that the wheels had simple slowed down way too fast for it to be a legitimate stop and pulse the brakes.
Notably these attempted donations have the same mechanism in common: he slammed on the brakes and went over the handlebars.
In our litigious society it was baffling to me that Yamaha would make a bike that could do that when just anyone can buy one and attempt a panic stop.
Turns out that the bike was no longer stock.
The click moment happened when watching the film, "Hitting The Apex".
There's a scene where a very small contact is made between two bikes and the outside cycle careens out of control. The contact severed a small wire and that disconnected the rear wheel speed sensor, which made the engine management computer unable to detect wheelspin and retard throttle input.
What my friend's husband, and his crotch-rocket buddies were doing was buying race-spec tires, brakes, and engines, but not adding the race-spec sensors and controllers; so when he grabbed a handful of front brake, the stock Yamaha ABS basically said, "nope, that can't be" because the change in wheel speed was too far out of its parameters to deal with and let him lock up the front because the BACK was stopped too (being in the air and all). Add in the reaction speed of the system being matched to much smaller brakes slippier tires and you've got some disaster looming.
I'm led to believe that the race ready ABS and traction system has a wheel speed rate change system that would detect that the wheels had simple slowed down way too fast for it to be a legitimate stop and pulse the brakes.
Extreme Restraint
I only ordered a 200 pack of earplugs from Amazon's Prime Day.
Most of the deals weren't anything I wanted anyways, luckily.
Most of the deals weren't anything I wanted anyways, luckily.
Day One Of 41Fpocalypse
The old rules are dead, long live the new rules.
Which if NFA had an NRA would be overturned because BATFE broke the rules promulgation rules several times.
I'm finding that I have an urge to submit under the new rules just to show that it didn't stop me. That I am not dissuaded from getting new NFA stuff.
The problem is what to do?
A suppressor in 6.8?
Saw off a Winchester Model 12?
Win the lottery and get an MG?
Go back to building the STEN SBR semi?
Which if NFA had an NRA would be overturned because BATFE broke the rules promulgation rules several times.
I'm finding that I have an urge to submit under the new rules just to show that it didn't stop me. That I am not dissuaded from getting new NFA stuff.
The problem is what to do?
A suppressor in 6.8?
Saw off a Winchester Model 12?
Win the lottery and get an MG?
Go back to building the STEN SBR semi?
12 July 2016
Zastava M70ABM
Willard has a new toy and we tested it out.
Although we knew from firing a single shot that it was absolutely reliable for all time, we ran a couple mags anyways just for fun.
The Tapco trigger is unlike anything I've played with before. Being used to AR triggers it took a few rounds to get the hang of it.
I don't have a lot of AK trigger time under my belt because I've found them to be uncomfortable. Willard's fixed stock Zastava M70 was not uncomfortable at all. The Serbs must be American sized and the stock is sized appropriately, something I noticed about the M59/66A1 (Yugo SKS) as well.
Now I know what kind of AK I want when I grow up!
Although we knew from firing a single shot that it was absolutely reliable for all time, we ran a couple mags anyways just for fun.
The Tapco trigger is unlike anything I've played with before. Being used to AR triggers it took a few rounds to get the hang of it.
I don't have a lot of AK trigger time under my belt because I've found them to be uncomfortable. Willard's fixed stock Zastava M70 was not uncomfortable at all. The Serbs must be American sized and the stock is sized appropriately, something I noticed about the M59/66A1 (Yugo SKS) as well.
Now I know what kind of AK I want when I grow up!
A Hearty Fuck You
To...
John Brown, of Northpoint Response Group.
Curt Wolf, of US Armament Corp.
Jeff Folloder,
Robert Landies of Ohio Ordnance Works.
Wayne Weber of H&K USA.
Robert Segel of Small Arms Review.
This is the board of NFATCA. They are why eFile is down and not coming back. They are why we're going to have to engrave the tube of the silencer rather than end-caps.
They are meddlers who are not on our side.
Starve them if you can.
Their responses to inquiries as to WHY they meddled sure echo the thought processes attributed so negatively to one William Ruger Sr. Thoughts that led to boycotting Ruger, thoughts that some have not forgiven even years since his death and a complete change in the direction of the company.
Why on earth should we not treat these "people" the same way?
Never, ever, trust someone who justifies a law or regulation with, "No honest person," verbiage. They're setting you up.
John Brown, of Northpoint Response Group.
Curt Wolf, of US Armament Corp.
Jeff Folloder,
Robert Landies of Ohio Ordnance Works.
Wayne Weber of H&K USA.
Robert Segel of Small Arms Review.
This is the board of NFATCA. They are why eFile is down and not coming back. They are why we're going to have to engrave the tube of the silencer rather than end-caps.
They are meddlers who are not on our side.
Starve them if you can.
Their responses to inquiries as to WHY they meddled sure echo the thought processes attributed so negatively to one William Ruger Sr. Thoughts that led to boycotting Ruger, thoughts that some have not forgiven even years since his death and a complete change in the direction of the company.
Why on earth should we not treat these "people" the same way?
Never, ever, trust someone who justifies a law or regulation with, "No honest person," verbiage. They're setting you up.
11 July 2016
Carousel Begins
RENEW! RENEW! RENEW!
Got my letter from BATFE telling me to renew my Type 03 FFL today.
Right on the heels of CBS getting it wrong.
Is it any wonder I don't believe anything they say about anything anymore?
Every time they talk about something I do know something about, they're flat wrong. And wrong so frequently about the same things over and over that it cannot be error. It simply cannot be anything but deliberate.
Wasn't it Mark Twain who said, “If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.”
Hardly a new phenomenon, huh?
Got my letter from BATFE telling me to renew my Type 03 FFL today.
Right on the heels of CBS getting it wrong.
Is it any wonder I don't believe anything they say about anything anymore?
Every time they talk about something I do know something about, they're flat wrong. And wrong so frequently about the same things over and over that it cannot be error. It simply cannot be anything but deliberate.
Wasn't it Mark Twain who said, “If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.”
Hardly a new phenomenon, huh?
All Zastava All The Time
Two are Serbian, four are Yugoslavian.
Top pistol is an M99, the Tokarev is an M57. Of note is the M57 lacks any manual safety whatsoever past the magazine disconnect. A real live battlefield pick-up.
Top to bottom on the rifles.
Century imported M70ABM.
Mitchell imported M70.
PW Arms imported M59/66A1.
Century imported M48A.
The M70 has dead tritium night sight inserts and is pre-Bush imported!
Ship Ownership
The standard GURPS: Traveller paradigm is paying 20% down and making 480 payments of 1/240 of the sale price.
For a Type A this is a Cr 28,855,200 vessel. It's Cr 5,771,040 down and 480 payments of Cr 120,230.
Total outlay after 40 years is Cr 63,481,440. GURPS: Traveller: Far Trader says that's a 5.57% APR.
This is fine for GURPS: Accounting, but how do you get a ship for your character in GURPS: Traveller?
Since starting wealth at TL10 is G$50,000 the full price of the ship is 577.104x starting wealth. That'd be one level of Multimillionaire or 75 points to own a ship outright (Cr 50,000,000 starting)
Filthy Rich for 50 points just barely falls short of the down payment with Cr 5,000,000 starting.
Remember how we calculated the payments? The Debt disadvantage lets you assume a monthly payment up to 20% of your starting wealth. Cr 120,230 is 12.023% of the Cr 1,000,000 starting wealth that comes with Very Wealthy [30]. So Debt 13 [-13]. The value of the down payment is balanced against repossession if payments are missed and the down-payment is forfeited. This also assumes you've got 480 payments in your future. Buy equity and subtract payments due with wealth normally.
An A2 Far Trader's Cr 156,917.50 payment is Debt 16 [-16].
Ownership of a Subsidized Merchant is very different. The government is making your payment in exchange for 50% of your profits for 40 years. This ends up being a Patron/Duty relationship.
For a Type A this is a Cr 28,855,200 vessel. It's Cr 5,771,040 down and 480 payments of Cr 120,230.
Total outlay after 40 years is Cr 63,481,440. GURPS: Traveller: Far Trader says that's a 5.57% APR.
This is fine for GURPS: Accounting, but how do you get a ship for your character in GURPS: Traveller?
Since starting wealth at TL10 is G$50,000 the full price of the ship is 577.104x starting wealth. That'd be one level of Multimillionaire or 75 points to own a ship outright (Cr 50,000,000 starting)
Filthy Rich for 50 points just barely falls short of the down payment with Cr 5,000,000 starting.
Remember how we calculated the payments? The Debt disadvantage lets you assume a monthly payment up to 20% of your starting wealth. Cr 120,230 is 12.023% of the Cr 1,000,000 starting wealth that comes with Very Wealthy [30]. So Debt 13 [-13]. The value of the down payment is balanced against repossession if payments are missed and the down-payment is forfeited. This also assumes you've got 480 payments in your future. Buy equity and subtract payments due with wealth normally.
An A2 Far Trader's Cr 156,917.50 payment is Debt 16 [-16].
Ownership of a Subsidized Merchant is very different. The government is making your payment in exchange for 50% of your profits for 40 years. This ends up being a Patron/Duty relationship.
10 July 2016
Statistics
By the way...
While we're talking about it...
Hardly anyone is killed by a cop (990 in 2015 and mostly white people).
Hardly any cops are murdered. 129 died in the line of duty in 2015, 55 to some sort of assault (maybe not all murder).
The numbers are almost small enough to be statistical noise.
Sure, if it's YOUR anyone or YOUR cop, it's big news. On a national scale with 300 plus million people going about their lives, it's machts nichts.
To theBureau of Land Management Black Lives Matter crowd, if you want to save black lives; stop shooting each other.
14,429 people were murdered in the US in 2014. So 14,374 people who aren't cops.
What are the rates?
There are over 900,000 sworn officers in the US. So the attacked and killed rate is less than 6.11 per 100,000.
There are 318.9 million people in the US. So the murder rate is 4.52 per 100,000. The killed by the cops rate is 0.31 per 100,000.
We've a shit load more to fear from our fellow citizens than we do the cops. Even if we don't like or trust the government.
While we're talking about it...
Hardly anyone is killed by a cop (990 in 2015 and mostly white people).
Hardly any cops are murdered. 129 died in the line of duty in 2015, 55 to some sort of assault (maybe not all murder).
The numbers are almost small enough to be statistical noise.
Sure, if it's YOUR anyone or YOUR cop, it's big news. On a national scale with 300 plus million people going about their lives, it's machts nichts.
To the
14,429 people were murdered in the US in 2014. So 14,374 people who aren't cops.
What are the rates?
There are over 900,000 sworn officers in the US. So the attacked and killed rate is less than 6.11 per 100,000.
There are 318.9 million people in the US. So the murder rate is 4.52 per 100,000. The killed by the cops rate is 0.31 per 100,000.
We've a shit load more to fear from our fellow citizens than we do the cops. Even if we don't like or trust the government.
Uncomfortable Feeling
The Dallas Police used a bomb-disposal drone armed with a remote detonated explosive to kill off the shooter.
He'd barricaded himself in and they made the decision to kill him.
This comes barely a month after Joe Mancin calls due process an obstacle.
I am uncomfortable with this.
He'd barricaded himself in and they made the decision to kill him.
This comes barely a month after Joe Mancin calls due process an obstacle.
I am uncomfortable with this.
09 July 2016
Disappointed
NASA makes a lot of press about the arrivals of their probes around other heavenly bodies, but they sure don't keep us updated.
The Ceres mission didn't get any fanfare at all once it'd made orbit.
Juno doesn't actually start its mission until October, the arrival the other day is just the first orbital capture.
The Ceres mission didn't get any fanfare at all once it'd made orbit.
Juno doesn't actually start its mission until October, the arrival the other day is just the first orbital capture.
08 July 2016
Awwwww Too Bad
Corrine Brown has been a carbunkle on the ass of Florida for a long while.
She was in the sit-in.
She's also being indicted.
Hopefully she'll go away for a good long time. Or will they say she didn't intend to commit fraud?
She was in the sit-in.
She's also being indicted.
Hopefully she'll go away for a good long time. Or will they say she didn't intend to commit fraud?
Still Can't Name The Real Cause
Obama dances in the blood.
I say again: Wasn't me, didn't do it. I refuse to be blamed. I refuse to be punished for the actions of others.
I say again: Wasn't me, didn't do it. I refuse to be blamed. I refuse to be punished for the actions of others.
Ain't That A Hoot
Schedule several rants about the police and size of government and a racist goes and shoots up some cops.
If it weren't for bad timing, I'd have no timing at all.
Edit to add...
It's possible and rational to be both against racist murderers and the creeping leviathan which law-enforcement has become.
If it weren't for bad timing, I'd have no timing at all.
Edit to add...
It's possible and rational to be both against racist murderers and the creeping leviathan which law-enforcement has become.
Grudging Acceptance
I've noticed in a couple of gun and political blogs that they hate the government, but love the cops.
Dears, the cops ARE government.
Just like government, I want the smallest number that actually gets the job done and I want that job narrowly and clearly defined.
Because it's such a position of trust, when those narrow boundaries are exceeded I want the punishments to be swift, severe and irrevocable.
I understand the nature of government and two things are certain about it. It always seeks to grow. It always uses any capability it has access to.
It will break the law to grow and use those capabilities.
To keep the growth in check, the citizenry must be vigilant. They've got to vote the issues. They've got to be involved in the candidate selection process, not just the election.
When the government (and police) exceed their narrow boundaries in a republican government, it's the people's fault for letting it happen.
If the world was a perfect place, we wouldn't need any cops (or government for that matter). But the world isn't a perfect place. Anarchy is a world of might-makes-right and endless vendetta.
The thing to always bear in mind is that our government exists to secure our unalienable rights and nothing more. Always remember that it does so only with our consent. You'd think that four days after Independence Day I wouldn't have to sit here and remind people of that.
Dears, the cops ARE government.
Just like government, I want the smallest number that actually gets the job done and I want that job narrowly and clearly defined.
Because it's such a position of trust, when those narrow boundaries are exceeded I want the punishments to be swift, severe and irrevocable.
I understand the nature of government and two things are certain about it. It always seeks to grow. It always uses any capability it has access to.
It will break the law to grow and use those capabilities.
To keep the growth in check, the citizenry must be vigilant. They've got to vote the issues. They've got to be involved in the candidate selection process, not just the election.
When the government (and police) exceed their narrow boundaries in a republican government, it's the people's fault for letting it happen.
If the world was a perfect place, we wouldn't need any cops (or government for that matter). But the world isn't a perfect place. Anarchy is a world of might-makes-right and endless vendetta.
The thing to always bear in mind is that our government exists to secure our unalienable rights and nothing more. Always remember that it does so only with our consent. You'd think that four days after Independence Day I wouldn't have to sit here and remind people of that.
Non Combatant
Dear Law Enforcement,
Though it appears that racists have declared war on cops, try to remember that most of us have not.
Promulgating policies that treat every citizen like the racists who've declared war on you will not make you safer. Treating the innocent exactly like the guilty never has and never will. It simply breeds further animosity at a time when you really should want more citizens on your side.
Sadly, as a citizen and voter, I cannot simply transmit my wishes to my elected officials and expect to be listened to.
I did not declare war on cop, I'm the proverbial law abiding citizen; but I do have a long standing policy that if you punish me for something I didn't do then I might as well be doing what I am being punished for.
Don't punish me for the actions of others and we'll never come into conflict.
Thanks, Thag.
Though it appears that racists have declared war on cops, try to remember that most of us have not.
Promulgating policies that treat every citizen like the racists who've declared war on you will not make you safer. Treating the innocent exactly like the guilty never has and never will. It simply breeds further animosity at a time when you really should want more citizens on your side.
Sadly, as a citizen and voter, I cannot simply transmit my wishes to my elected officials and expect to be listened to.
I did not declare war on cop, I'm the proverbial law abiding citizen; but I do have a long standing policy that if you punish me for something I didn't do then I might as well be doing what I am being punished for.
Don't punish me for the actions of others and we'll never come into conflict.
Thanks, Thag.
Note To Self
"Save As Draft" is what you want to save your free-form un-coalesced thoughts on a topic not "publish".
The free form includes the Devil's advocate side and is there to form a reply to rather than be the thought I express.
Especially important when on a touchy subject.
The free form includes the Devil's advocate side and is there to form a reply to rather than be the thought I express.
Especially important when on a touchy subject.
Can We Finally Name It
Can we finally say that bigotry is egalitarian and that anyone can hate?
That being a member of a minority group does not absolve you of being a bigot?
Can we now say that there are black people as racist towards white people as any Klansman ever was the other way?
Used to be the charge of racism was deflected by saying that blacks had no power, therefore their hatred couldn't be racism. With a black president and attorney general, can you actually say blacks have no authority and power?
Be honest.
Never mind they admit to the hate while deflecting the label of racist.
If you cannot name the problem, you cannot fight the problem. Well, five cops are dead now because of the racism that cannot be named. Six more are wounded because of a the racism that cannot be named.
Bonus: Racists continually show how stupid they are too: Cops in Dallas, TX being shot over something that happened in Minnesota. To get farther from the triggering event he'd almost have had to leave the country.
That being a member of a minority group does not absolve you of being a bigot?
Can we now say that there are black people as racist towards white people as any Klansman ever was the other way?
Used to be the charge of racism was deflected by saying that blacks had no power, therefore their hatred couldn't be racism. With a black president and attorney general, can you actually say blacks have no authority and power?
Be honest.
Never mind they admit to the hate while deflecting the label of racist.
If you cannot name the problem, you cannot fight the problem. Well, five cops are dead now because of the racism that cannot be named. Six more are wounded because of a the racism that cannot be named.
Bonus: Racists continually show how stupid they are too: Cops in Dallas, TX being shot over something that happened in Minnesota. To get farther from the triggering event he'd almost have had to leave the country.
07 July 2016
Überpost Of The Day
"We've got a populace that knows something is wrong, but has been robbed
of the education necessary to grasp exactly what and then reason
themselves out of the problem by the same forces that are intent on
building that Utopia." - Kevin
06 July 2016
Salvage
The lower we ruined by over-drilling the rear pocket pilot hole might be salvageable.
There's enough thread left to hold a pistol grip, but no sure way to get the screw into the hole because it wants to skip out into the mistake.
But a stud threaded from the other end once we have the milling done should work, with a nut to secure the grip.
Stay tuned.
There's enough thread left to hold a pistol grip, but no sure way to get the screw into the hole because it wants to skip out into the mistake.
But a stud threaded from the other end once we have the milling done should work, with a nut to secure the grip.
Stay tuned.
Distrust
Prosecutorial discretion is a huge factor in why people don't trust the cops anymore.
Look at the FBI refusing to charge Hillary, for example.
It's not prosecutorial, per se, but Selective enforcement is another place to look and a good example is speeding tickets. We've all seen someone going the same speed as us get the ticket while we blithely continue on (or been the one to get the ticket).
It's a real problem.
I'm a believer in the Peele maxim that "the police are the people and the people are the police." When the relationship between the people and the police is an adversarial one based on mutual distrust, the wheels are already off the cart.
We might already be there.
If you haven't seen this video, go watch it now.
Do you know a lawyer? Show them that video and see if they contradict the advice.
The wheels are off when the best advice you can get is to clam up and not speak to the police at all until you've got your lawyer there to speak for you.
It sometimes feels like we're approaching The Jigsaw Man point. If you're not familiar it's a Larry Niven story where increasingly minor crimes get the death penalty to feed the organ banks. A traffic offender temporarily escapes and breaks into the body banks and ruins much of the harvested stock and is recaptured at peace with himself that he's finally done something worth the death penalty he'll receive for running a red light.
The increasing sentences from arcane and obscure laws and the surety that we lowly peons will be convicted (and get the maximum sentence) is reaching a point where some might be tempted to say, "if I'm going to jail anyway, I might as well stand and fight." Because the bullshit, obscure and arcane laws don't create a feeling in the mind of the "perpetrator" that they've done something wrong.
That makes things more dangerous for everyone!
Sadly the solution is to get off our asses and spend as much time canvassing to unfuck the government as we spend watching television. To look at the world as it is rather than as we wish it to be and focus on what can be done rather than what cannot.
To demand a legal system where we don't need a lawyer to navigate the obscure and arcane before we build a shed in our own back yard.
Guess what we're not going to do?
But we're probably going to have violators of the environmental protection act shooting it out with the cops over cutting down a tree that once had a nest of animal on the protected species list.
Look at the FBI refusing to charge Hillary, for example.
It's a real problem.
I'm a believer in the Peele maxim that "the police are the people and the people are the police." When the relationship between the people and the police is an adversarial one based on mutual distrust, the wheels are already off the cart.
We might already be there.
If you haven't seen this video, go watch it now.
Do you know a lawyer? Show them that video and see if they contradict the advice.
The wheels are off when the best advice you can get is to clam up and not speak to the police at all until you've got your lawyer there to speak for you.
It sometimes feels like we're approaching The Jigsaw Man point. If you're not familiar it's a Larry Niven story where increasingly minor crimes get the death penalty to feed the organ banks. A traffic offender temporarily escapes and breaks into the body banks and ruins much of the harvested stock and is recaptured at peace with himself that he's finally done something worth the death penalty he'll receive for running a red light.
The increasing sentences from arcane and obscure laws and the surety that we lowly peons will be convicted (and get the maximum sentence) is reaching a point where some might be tempted to say, "if I'm going to jail anyway, I might as well stand and fight." Because the bullshit, obscure and arcane laws don't create a feeling in the mind of the "perpetrator" that they've done something wrong.
That makes things more dangerous for everyone!
Sadly the solution is to get off our asses and spend as much time canvassing to unfuck the government as we spend watching television. To look at the world as it is rather than as we wish it to be and focus on what can be done rather than what cannot.
To demand a legal system where we don't need a lawyer to navigate the obscure and arcane before we build a shed in our own back yard.
Guess what we're not going to do?
But we're probably going to have violators of the environmental protection act shooting it out with the cops over cutting down a tree that once had a nest of animal on the protected species list.
05 July 2016
Wrote My Rep
Name: Mr. Angus McThag
Address: My house
City/State/Zip: my town, FL
E-mail: me@there.com
Telephone: home-phone
Issue: WEBGOV
Message Subject: Defund the FBI
Message Text:
It's apparent that the Federal Bureau of Investigations no longer serves any useful function at all any more. Therefore it no longer requires funding. I eagerly await the word that this waste of money has been cut from the budget. At present burning the money spent on the FBI would at least warm the cold or cook food and we'd get some use of it.
Address: My house
City/State/Zip: my town, FL
E-mail: me@there.com
Telephone: home-phone
Issue: WEBGOV
Message Subject: Defund the FBI
Message Text:
It's apparent that the Federal Bureau of Investigations no longer serves any useful function at all any more. Therefore it no longer requires funding. I eagerly await the word that this waste of money has been cut from the budget. At present burning the money spent on the FBI would at least warm the cold or cook food and we'd get some use of it.
Idiots
If you are planning on voting for Hillary, you are a fucking idiot and I hope you get a lingering form of cancer that almost responds to decades of chemo-therapy where you're right on the edge of death from both the disease and the drugs for which there is absolutely no effective palliative care to alleviate your suffering.
Defintitions
It's not that we want terrorists to get hold of guns.
It's that what we'd call a terrorist won't match what will be a terrorist by law.
It's that what we'd call a terrorist won't match what will be a terrorist by law.
A Rather Advanced Form Of Firecracker
M16A1 clone (semi-auto, of course).
M15A2 blank adapter.
M200 blanks.
Let freedom ring!
M15A2 blank adapter.
M200 blanks.
Let freedom ring!
04 July 2016
Eastern Yellow Ratsnake
Found this charming fellow in my backyard.
He was resolutely unafraid of me, even when I got in close to get a shot of his head.
Rat snakes are good-life.
He was resolutely unafraid of me, even when I got in close to get a shot of his head.
Rat snakes are good-life.
Contrast
June gun sales crush previous records.
People are out there buying guns in the face of a threat of a ban. They're not expecting to hand them in a few months.
Contrast this with California. With fatalistic resignation they started looking for how they could be in compliance with the new tyranny, because they'd already surrendered the most important part of gun ownership... letting the government know exactly how many you have and where they are.
There was no mass purchase of anything that was being banned by the passed legislation in California. Because they knew they'd just have to hand them in... Never mind the 5th amendment violation of confiscation without compensation...
To gun owners everywhere.
Buy a gun that nobody knows you have. Push comes to shove that might be the only gun you're left with.
People are out there buying guns in the face of a threat of a ban. They're not expecting to hand them in a few months.
Contrast this with California. With fatalistic resignation they started looking for how they could be in compliance with the new tyranny, because they'd already surrendered the most important part of gun ownership... letting the government know exactly how many you have and where they are.
There was no mass purchase of anything that was being banned by the passed legislation in California. Because they knew they'd just have to hand them in... Never mind the 5th amendment violation of confiscation without compensation...
To gun owners everywhere.
Buy a gun that nobody knows you have. Push comes to shove that might be the only gun you're left with.
I Only Have Two Questions
For Loretta Lynch.
1. How much was the bribe Bill Clinton offered you?
2. Did you accept?
I think we can confirm that #2 was "Yes" when no charges are ever filed against Bill's wife.
All that remains will be deciding if Loretta was a cheap whore or not.
1. How much was the bribe Bill Clinton offered you?
2. Did you accept?
I think we can confirm that #2 was "Yes" when no charges are ever filed against Bill's wife.
All that remains will be deciding if Loretta was a cheap whore or not.
Oh Gods We've Africanized
Look at nearly any African nation as a colony.
Now look at the arc that nation took after the white foreigners left and the first African president was elected.
Look at the United States.
Now look at the arc our nation took after we elected our first African-American president.
It's not even racism. It's that Mr Obama wasn't raised as an American and brings decidedly non-American values to everything he does.
Just as the leaders of former colonies weren't raised as the colonial leaders were.
He's got the Socialist thing in common with most of them too. Considering the polling that's taken place about whether people would vote for him for a third term, one wonders if he'd like to adopt the "one-person-one-vote-one-time" paradigm too.
Now look at the arc that nation took after the white foreigners left and the first African president was elected.
Look at the United States.
Now look at the arc our nation took after we elected our first African-American president.
It's not even racism. It's that Mr Obama wasn't raised as an American and brings decidedly non-American values to everything he does.
Just as the leaders of former colonies weren't raised as the colonial leaders were.
He's got the Socialist thing in common with most of them too. Considering the polling that's taken place about whether people would vote for him for a third term, one wonders if he'd like to adopt the "one-person-one-vote-one-time" paradigm too.
Recurring Problem
When you make character templates for a points based character generation system, you often find that the players make the template with no variation or personalization.
I have yet to find the magic combination of words that explains that it's a guide rather than a command.
Well, at least for the people who need it explained.
The players that don't need it explained already knew it and made their character accordingly.
I have yet to find the magic combination of words that explains that it's a guide rather than a command.
Well, at least for the people who need it explained.
The players that don't need it explained already knew it and made their character accordingly.
Hope Nobody Missed Me
I took yesterday off to play with my favorite girl in the WHOLE world, Harvey.
We went out for lunch and strolled around beautiful Dunedin like tourists.
Had a great time!
We went out for lunch and strolled around beautiful Dunedin like tourists.
Had a great time!
Shame Shame Shame Shame
The instructions are clear about where to measure the depth from.
If you remember to read them, that is.
Marv now has a paper-weight.
His bare lower went better. But he's a bit, um, eager on the router so he exceeded the feed rate and managed to chip the tips of the flutes. New one ordered.
02 July 2016
Mother Of Invention
The banning of bullet-buttons has already been bypassed...
By the inventor of the bullet-button no less.
h/t Miguel.
By the inventor of the bullet-button no less.
h/t Miguel.
What A Deal!
Saved By The Digital Nanny
I believe myself to be a better than middlin' driver.
I have a couple of certificates to show that I've taken some classes and receipts for running in races and autocrosses (track day, Brah?).
I leave the active handling and traction control engaged.
Why?
Because when 436 hp breaks loose the rear tires they're LOOSE and I'm 45˚ off center before I can counter-steer. Then when you back off the tires grab and you're now 45˚ pointed wrong.
The traction control and active handling will cut the power for you and tap the brake on the offending wheels. Instead of a 45 degree fishtail, you get a thud of lost power then you can resume your travels.
It's faster than recovering from the drift!
I have a couple of certificates to show that I've taken some classes and receipts for running in races and autocrosses (track day, Brah?).
I leave the active handling and traction control engaged.
Why?
Because when 436 hp breaks loose the rear tires they're LOOSE and I'm 45˚ off center before I can counter-steer. Then when you back off the tires grab and you're now 45˚ pointed wrong.
The traction control and active handling will cut the power for you and tap the brake on the offending wheels. Instead of a 45 degree fishtail, you get a thud of lost power then you can resume your travels.
It's faster than recovering from the drift!
01 July 2016
Nothing Is Impossible Now
Saw Zootopia.
It hits me that CGI is absolutely capable of finally telling the story of Louis Wu and his motley crew.
Larry doesn't need the money from a movie deal, so he could keep creative control...
C'mon, Larry, make the deal.
Known Space is as big as the Marvel Universe, it needs to be told!
It hits me that CGI is absolutely capable of finally telling the story of Louis Wu and his motley crew.
Larry doesn't need the money from a movie deal, so he could keep creative control...
C'mon, Larry, make the deal.
Known Space is as big as the Marvel Universe, it needs to be told!
Opportunity Cost
It's a simple concept.
Maybe too simple.
I grokked opportunity cost in its fullness within minutes of the idea being given name to me.
The rest of the class in microeconomics didn't.
It took another week of the professor explaining it for a plurality of the class to get it, but I am certain we moved to the next topic with some still baffled.
Just in case you've never encountered the term...
If you spend something on something, you cannot spend it again on something else.
Most often this is expressed in terms of money.
If you have $5 and a hamburger is $5 and a movie is $5 you can only choose one. Buying the hamburger costs you the opportunity to go to the movie.
Money spent on expensive trips is money that cannot be used for home repairs.
Money spent on home repairs means forgoing expensive trips.
It's a matter of priority.
You will also find that people who grasp opportunity costs have little sympathy for your plight when you waste the opportunity to fix the essentials by taking the opportunity to neglect them.
Especially when they fixed the burst pipe and sucked up paying the water bill rather than go on the Hot Rod Power Tour.
It's truly the bed you made by being the grasshopper instead of the ant.
Maybe too simple.
I grokked opportunity cost in its fullness within minutes of the idea being given name to me.
The rest of the class in microeconomics didn't.
It took another week of the professor explaining it for a plurality of the class to get it, but I am certain we moved to the next topic with some still baffled.
Just in case you've never encountered the term...
If you spend something on something, you cannot spend it again on something else.
Most often this is expressed in terms of money.
If you have $5 and a hamburger is $5 and a movie is $5 you can only choose one. Buying the hamburger costs you the opportunity to go to the movie.
Money spent on expensive trips is money that cannot be used for home repairs.
Money spent on home repairs means forgoing expensive trips.
It's a matter of priority.
You will also find that people who grasp opportunity costs have little sympathy for your plight when you waste the opportunity to fix the essentials by taking the opportunity to neglect them.
Especially when they fixed the burst pipe and sucked up paying the water bill rather than go on the Hot Rod Power Tour.
It's truly the bed you made by being the grasshopper instead of the ant.
Priority
77% of Marine Air is grounded for a lack of spares and funding to work on the planes.
Good thing transgender folks can enlist!
HEADDESK
I am not opposed to transgender serving, but is that really the most important thing to be spending time on at this juncture?
Good thing transgender folks can enlist!
HEADDESK
I am not opposed to transgender serving, but is that really the most important thing to be spending time on at this juncture?