The Gauss Mini-Needler (it's so CUTE!) does a whopping 1d(3) pi-.
It goes through armor like nobody's business, the target getting only 1/3 the listed protection.
But 1d pi- still sucks!
Body: minimum, 1; average 1; maximum 3.
Vitals: minimum, 3; average 10; maximum 18.
Skull: minimum, 4; average 14; maximum 24.
Eye: minimum, 4; average 14; maximum 24.
Because of that armor divisor, someone needs at least 18 DR to be immune to it.
30 June 2018
It Makes A Terrifying Amount Of Sense
Watching a video on cutting threads.
He's talking about the 60˚ angle of the cutter.
Metric threads use centigrade degrees.
Inch threads use Fahrenheit degrees.
He's talking about the 60˚ angle of the cutter.
Metric threads use centigrade degrees.
Inch threads use Fahrenheit degrees.
29 June 2018
GURPS And Underpowered Ammo
Shooting the bad buys with inadequate rounds.
The average Joe Mook is a 10 HT, 10 HP schmoe.
A .25 ACP round fired from a pocket pistol does a whopping 1d pi-. Anything what penetrates the DR gets halved.
Shooting someone in the torso deals a minimum of 1, a maximum of 3 and an average of 1.
Getting them in the vitals does a minimum of 3, a maximum of 18 and an average of 10.
Getting them in the skull adds DR2 to the Mook and makes the minimum damage 0, maximum 16 and average 6. Plus there's an extra consciousness roll for the head shot.
Going for the eye bypasses the skull DR making the minimum 4, maximum 24 and average 14.
Shot placement is everything! Also, on average, you're going to need more than one shot to kill someone.
.22LR from most any pistol does 1d+1 pi-.
On the body that's minimum 1, average 2 and maximum 3.
On the vitals it becomes minimum 6, average 13 and maximum 21.
Against the skull it's minimum 0, average 10 and maximum 20.
The eye yields minimum 8, average 18 and maximum 28.
.22LR from most any rifle does 1d+2 pi-.
On the body that's minimum 1, average 2 and maximum 4.
On the vitals it becomes minimum 9, average 16 and maximum 24.
Against the skull it's minimum 4, average 14 and maximum 24.
The eye yields minimum 12, average 22 and maximum 32.
All three rounds against something important, like the vital organs or brain, are more than capable of rendering the Mook unconscious by delivering the requisite 10 points of damage, and occasionally getting a death roll by doing 20 or more points.
Under no circumstances should any of these rounds be considered enough medicine for a T-Rex. Unless you're very patient, brought lots of ammo and have a very secure firing position.
The average Joe Mook is a 10 HT, 10 HP schmoe.
A .25 ACP round fired from a pocket pistol does a whopping 1d pi-. Anything what penetrates the DR gets halved.
Shooting someone in the torso deals a minimum of 1, a maximum of 3 and an average of 1.
Getting them in the vitals does a minimum of 3, a maximum of 18 and an average of 10.
Getting them in the skull adds DR2 to the Mook and makes the minimum damage 0, maximum 16 and average 6. Plus there's an extra consciousness roll for the head shot.
Going for the eye bypasses the skull DR making the minimum 4, maximum 24 and average 14.
Shot placement is everything! Also, on average, you're going to need more than one shot to kill someone.
.22LR from most any pistol does 1d+1 pi-.
On the body that's minimum 1, average 2 and maximum 3.
On the vitals it becomes minimum 6, average 13 and maximum 21.
Against the skull it's minimum 0, average 10 and maximum 20.
The eye yields minimum 8, average 18 and maximum 28.
.22LR from most any rifle does 1d+2 pi-.
On the body that's minimum 1, average 2 and maximum 4.
On the vitals it becomes minimum 9, average 16 and maximum 24.
Against the skull it's minimum 4, average 14 and maximum 24.
The eye yields minimum 12, average 22 and maximum 32.
All three rounds against something important, like the vital organs or brain, are more than capable of rendering the Mook unconscious by delivering the requisite 10 points of damage, and occasionally getting a death roll by doing 20 or more points.
Under no circumstances should any of these rounds be considered enough medicine for a T-Rex. Unless you're very patient, brought lots of ammo and have a very secure firing position.
Favorable Mention In Parliament
I can't bring myself to mourn the deaths of five people who worked for a newspaper in Maryland.
Maybe it's the incessant cries from such institutions wishing me dead for being... the list is long and ofttimes isn't true or even applicable.
Plus there's their hypocrisy. They're simultaneously going to call for more gun control and calling for men with guns to stand out front to guard them.
In short, fuck 'em.
Maybe it's the incessant cries from such institutions wishing me dead for being... the list is long and ofttimes isn't true or even applicable.
Plus there's their hypocrisy. They're simultaneously going to call for more gun control and calling for men with guns to stand out front to guard them.
In short, fuck 'em.
Not Being Replaced
The death of Harlan Ellison underscores something in science fiction for me.
With the current social justice warrior gatekeepers forcing authors to toe the line or publishing, awards, recognition and publicity will be withheld.
With this structure in place, that means we won't get stories which challenge or assault the established way of thinking of things...
My generation isn't going to have a Stranger In A Strange Land moment.
With the current social justice warrior gatekeepers forcing authors to toe the line or publishing, awards, recognition and publicity will be withheld.
With this structure in place, that means we won't get stories which challenge or assault the established way of thinking of things...
My generation isn't going to have a Stranger In A Strange Land moment.
28 June 2018
Best Commentary On Waiting Periods Ever
How do violent criminals keep track of all this?
oh, wait
Makarov on Arfcom
This is from the confusing mess that is waiting periods in Florida.
27 June 2018
Pop The Popcorn
Justice Kennedy is stepping down before the mid-term elections.
What will the cry be about his replacement, since appointing Gorsuch was a "violation of democratic norms to capture the judiciary"...
Violation of Democrat norms, perhaps, in that the GOP actually stood up to them.
I can't wait to see what tactics and procedures the GOP uses that had been used on them for so many decades by the Democrats and watch the liberals lose their everlovin' minds about it.
What will the cry be about his replacement, since appointing Gorsuch was a "violation of democratic norms to capture the judiciary"...
Violation of Democrat norms, perhaps, in that the GOP actually stood up to them.
I can't wait to see what tactics and procedures the GOP uses that had been used on them for so many decades by the Democrats and watch the liberals lose their everlovin' minds about it.
Beam
Found my notes... Trying to reconstruct.
Beam diameter is (0.61*[distance to target in m]*[wavelength in m]/([lens diameter in m]/2))*2
So a 1m lens firing hard x-ray beam at a target 17,000 miles away makes a 0.33m diameter spot.
A 250MJ hard X-ray laser fired from this aperture gives...
[beam power in watts]/π*([distance to target in m]*Tan([Theta]/2))^2)
Theta = 1.22*[wavelength in m]/([lens diameter in m]/2)
So... our 250mJ laser at 17k miles, firing a 1 second pulse is putting out 2851.46 MW/m2/sec
Put another way, that's dropping 250MW on a 0.33m diameter circle.
That's enough to vaporize 1.87" of steel that diameter.
In GURPS terms 17,000 miles is the 1/2D distance and the 130.97 points of damage represented by the penetration aligns with the 5dx50(2) burn damage given.
Beam diameter is (0.61*[distance to target in m]*[wavelength in m]/([lens diameter in m]/2))*2
So a 1m lens firing hard x-ray beam at a target 17,000 miles away makes a 0.33m diameter spot.
A 250MJ hard X-ray laser fired from this aperture gives...
[beam power in watts]/π*([distance to target in m]*Tan([Theta]/2))^2)
Theta = 1.22*[wavelength in m]/([lens diameter in m]/2)
So... our 250mJ laser at 17k miles, firing a 1 second pulse is putting out 2851.46 MW/m2/sec
Put another way, that's dropping 250MW on a 0.33m diameter circle.
That's enough to vaporize 1.87" of steel that diameter.
In GURPS terms 17,000 miles is the 1/2D distance and the 130.97 points of damage represented by the penetration aligns with the 5dx50(2) burn damage given.
26 June 2018
BRN-10 Update
Brownell's says that this is essentially a production gun. The gas-port area on the barrel will be slightly different and the magazine release will be changed.
Should be ready in the proverbial "two weeks"!
Should be ready in the proverbial "two weeks"!
Aperture
Back in Focus Focus Focus I discussed how the aperture size and frequency of a laser affects the range it is effective as a weapon.
The math that governs that is inflexible and clear.
Something about the rules as written is a set of lasers that gets increased range without increasing the size of the weapon or changing the frequency.
Since the size of the aperture is limited to about a meter by the scale of the turrets, how can you extend the range without increasing the size of the lens?
One avenue is to assume that at TL10-11 it becomes possible to create a phased array laser in the x-ray bands.
Another, given Traveller's insane control and manipulation of gravity could be to use gravity lensing to compress the aperture physically while making it effectively larger.
The math that governs that is inflexible and clear.
Something about the rules as written is a set of lasers that gets increased range without increasing the size of the weapon or changing the frequency.
Since the size of the aperture is limited to about a meter by the scale of the turrets, how can you extend the range without increasing the size of the lens?
One avenue is to assume that at TL10-11 it becomes possible to create a phased array laser in the x-ray bands.
Another, given Traveller's insane control and manipulation of gravity could be to use gravity lensing to compress the aperture physically while making it effectively larger.
Therm-Melt
One of the local pawn shops has a couple large boxes of Thermold magazines.
Your choice of 20 or 30 rounders.
Since these were state-of-the-art for Twilight: 2000, I had to have one for photographic purposes.
I ended up with two and a Twin-Mag coupler.
You can even flip one magazine over into "jungle" mod so you can drag the mouth of the spare magazine in the mud and crud!
A loaded Thermold is 16.6 oz. The coupler is 2.1 oz. An assembly is 2 lb. 3.3 oz. (2.2 lb. for GURPS).
One of them doesn't lock Andrea's bolt to the rear.
$15 for two magazines and a coupler, even if they don't work they still cause the right people to twitch and sweat.
Your choice of 20 or 30 rounders.
Since these were state-of-the-art for Twilight: 2000, I had to have one for photographic purposes.
I ended up with two and a Twin-Mag coupler.
You can even flip one magazine over into "jungle" mod so you can drag the mouth of the spare magazine in the mud and crud!
A loaded Thermold is 16.6 oz. The coupler is 2.1 oz. An assembly is 2 lb. 3.3 oz. (2.2 lb. for GURPS).
One of them doesn't lock Andrea's bolt to the rear.
$15 for two magazines and a coupler, even if they don't work they still cause the right people to twitch and sweat.
It's No Wonder Custer Couldn't Get Away
You wouldn't be able to escape all the angry Indians in the world if you'd been carrying 24 folding chairs, 6 large tents, five compasses...
25 June 2018
Be Quick Bring Packs
142 Years Ago:
George Armstrong Custer made two gross errors in estimation.
First, he grossly overestimated he and his men's capabilities.
Second, he grossly underestimated the size and resolve of his foe.
It's a speedbump on the expansion of the United States from Atlantic to Pacific.
George Armstrong Custer made two gross errors in estimation.
First, he grossly overestimated he and his men's capabilities.
Second, he grossly underestimated the size and resolve of his foe.
It's a speedbump on the expansion of the United States from Atlantic to Pacific.
I Don't Say Infestation
Some muscle bound bully on Twitter is going off.
I don't dehumanize illegal immigrants with the term infestation.
The phrases I've been using for decades now are "colonization" and "enclaves".
Illegal immigrants are not coming to America to be Americans, they are coming to America to remain whatever nationality they were before they came here.
They don't learn local customs. They don't obey local laws (in fact breaking the law is their very first action in America). They don't learn the local language.
Once a certain concentration of unassimilated foreigners is reached, it's an enclave. Inside an enclave there's no need to do anything that's not native to their place of origin.
When such enclaves expand with the intent of eliminating the existing culture and nation; it becomes colonization.
Enclaves do exist where there's no attempt a colonization. Waves at the Cubans in Miami!
But that's not what we're getting with the illegal immigrants from other Latin American nations, they're setting up colonies.
I don't dehumanize illegal immigrants with the term infestation.
The phrases I've been using for decades now are "colonization" and "enclaves".
Illegal immigrants are not coming to America to be Americans, they are coming to America to remain whatever nationality they were before they came here.
They don't learn local customs. They don't obey local laws (in fact breaking the law is their very first action in America). They don't learn the local language.
Once a certain concentration of unassimilated foreigners is reached, it's an enclave. Inside an enclave there's no need to do anything that's not native to their place of origin.
When such enclaves expand with the intent of eliminating the existing culture and nation; it becomes colonization.
Enclaves do exist where there's no attempt a colonization. Waves at the Cubans in Miami!
But that's not what we're getting with the illegal immigrants from other Latin American nations, they're setting up colonies.
Herr Trump ist kein Nazi!
Dear Mr Fonda,
In case you're curious about what happens to someone peacefully protesting actual National Socialists;
Die Weiße Rose.
A sure fire way to tell that you're not dealing with real Nazis is what happens when you vocally and publicly denounce them.
If you're still alive and at large and not in hiding: not Nazi.
If you're dead, imprisoned or running for your very life: Nazi.
I hope this little guide helps you from further embarrassing effluence of shit from your mouth.
In case you're curious about what happens to someone peacefully protesting actual National Socialists;
Die Weiße Rose.
A sure fire way to tell that you're not dealing with real Nazis is what happens when you vocally and publicly denounce them.
If you're still alive and at large and not in hiding: not Nazi.
If you're dead, imprisoned or running for your very life: Nazi.
I hope this little guide helps you from further embarrassing effluence of shit from your mouth.
They're Obviously Not Saying It Publicly
Dear Democrats and Liberals (brought to you by the department of redundancy department).
The reason that your "we can't separate parents from children" ploy failed is because a great many people who're opposed to illegal immigration simply don't care if those children ever see anyone they know ever again, let alone their parents.
We're damn close to shoot, shovel and shut up on the borders already; can't separate the kids from the parents simply means more shots fired and larger graves. Same silence.
The whole "illegal" portion of this is being blatantly ignored and misrepresented by the mainstream press. It's as if the modifier "illegal" is silent and meaningless to them.
I'm willing to bet that if we made re-entry after deportation a capital offense with very limited appeals we'd see a lot less of it.
I don't know why we lost the will to punish the people who break the law. (Yet there is ample will to punish people who don't.)
Never mind that, philosophically illegal entrants don't have rights like citizens, legal entrants and legal immigrants.
It's often overlooked, but we could just claim they're spys and do a summary execution right there in the desert. Remember all those congressional authorizations of war-like power right after 9/11? Those evoke several of the "in time of war" rules. Including espionage.
So, Democrats and Liberals (I repeat myself again) we're OK with killing each and every one of them regardless of age and sex. What that means is you're not going to make us feel too guilty by showing compassion for a child and locking them in a fairly comfortable detention area (even if it looks like a kennel) and putting their "parents" in an uncomfortable cell.
We compromised already by not shooting them in the desert.
The reason that your "we can't separate parents from children" ploy failed is because a great many people who're opposed to illegal immigration simply don't care if those children ever see anyone they know ever again, let alone their parents.
We're damn close to shoot, shovel and shut up on the borders already; can't separate the kids from the parents simply means more shots fired and larger graves. Same silence.
The whole "illegal" portion of this is being blatantly ignored and misrepresented by the mainstream press. It's as if the modifier "illegal" is silent and meaningless to them.
I'm willing to bet that if we made re-entry after deportation a capital offense with very limited appeals we'd see a lot less of it.
I don't know why we lost the will to punish the people who break the law. (Yet there is ample will to punish people who don't.)
Never mind that, philosophically illegal entrants don't have rights like citizens, legal entrants and legal immigrants.
It's often overlooked, but we could just claim they're spys and do a summary execution right there in the desert. Remember all those congressional authorizations of war-like power right after 9/11? Those evoke several of the "in time of war" rules. Including espionage.
So, Democrats and Liberals (I repeat myself again) we're OK with killing each and every one of them regardless of age and sex. What that means is you're not going to make us feel too guilty by showing compassion for a child and locking them in a fairly comfortable detention area (even if it looks like a kennel) and putting their "parents" in an uncomfortable cell.
We compromised already by not shooting them in the desert.
Secrets
Now that I have an active player...
I can't just post my campaign ideas to the blog!
I know he reads it.
I can't just post my campaign ideas to the blog!
I know he reads it.
24 June 2018
What Would The Czech Republic Know About Fascist Or Totalitarian Governments?
I mean what happened to them?
It's not like they got annexed and invaded by Nazis or something....
Oh, wait...
It's not like, after the Nazis were defeated, they were invaded by The Warsaw Pact and Soviet Union...
Oh, wait...
I'm sensing we might have a Czechit soon if Brussels doesn't start backing off the gun control nonsense.
It sounds like Poland is getting fed up with The EU too. And Hungary...
Interesting times.
It's not like they got annexed and invaded by Nazis or something....
Oh, wait...
It's not like, after the Nazis were defeated, they were invaded by The Warsaw Pact and Soviet Union...
Oh, wait...
I'm sensing we might have a Czechit soon if Brussels doesn't start backing off the gun control nonsense.
It sounds like Poland is getting fed up with The EU too. And Hungary...
Interesting times.
23 June 2018
Other Big Game Cartridges
Greener 8-Bore:
6d+2 pi++
Minimum damage on the body is 12. Average is 42. Maximum damage is 72 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 18, average 63 (consciousness) and maximum of 108 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 16. Average is 76 (consciousness). Maximum is 136 (1 death rolls.).
.500/450 Magnum Nitro Express:
8d pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 9. Average is 39. Maximum damage is 69 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 18, average 78 (consciousness) and maximum of 138 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 16. Average is 96 (consciousness). Maximum is 176 (2 death rolls!).
.470 Nitro Express:8d+2 pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 12. Average is 42. Maximum damage is 72 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 24, average 84 (consciousness) and maximum of 144 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 24. Average is 104 (consciousness). Maximum is 184 (2 death rolls.).
.375 H&H Magnum:
8d+2 pi
Minimum damage on the body is 8. Average is 28. Maximum damage is 48.
Against the vitals it's minimum 24, average 84 (consciousness) and maximum of 144 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 24. Average is 104 (consciousness). Maximum is 184 (2 death rolls.).
.458 Winchester Magnum:
8d pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 9. Average is 39. Maximum damage is 69.
Against the vitals it's minimum 18, average 78 (consciousness) and maximum of 138 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 16. Average is 96 (consciousness). Maximum is 176 (2 death rolls!).
.577 T-Rex (if anything works, this one should!):
5d+2x2 pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 18. Average is 55 (consciousness). Maximum damage is 93 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 36, average 110 (1 death roll) and maximum of 186 (2 death rolls!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 40. Average is 140 (1 death roll). Maximum is 240 (3 death rolls!).
.460 Weatherby Magnum:
5d+1x2 pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 15. Average is 52 (consciousness). Maximum damage is 90 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 30, average 104 (consciousness) and maximum of 180 (2 death rolls!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 32. Average is 132 (1 death roll). Maximum is 232 (3 death rolls!).
.700 Nitro is the same as .600 Nitro as far as GURPS is concerned.
.585 Nyati is the same as .577 T-Rex.
6d+2 pi++
Minimum damage on the body is 12. Average is 42. Maximum damage is 72 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 18, average 63 (consciousness) and maximum of 108 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 16. Average is 76 (consciousness). Maximum is 136 (1 death rolls.).
.500/450 Magnum Nitro Express:
8d pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 9. Average is 39. Maximum damage is 69 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 18, average 78 (consciousness) and maximum of 138 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 16. Average is 96 (consciousness). Maximum is 176 (2 death rolls!).
.470 Nitro Express:8d+2 pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 12. Average is 42. Maximum damage is 72 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 24, average 84 (consciousness) and maximum of 144 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 24. Average is 104 (consciousness). Maximum is 184 (2 death rolls.).
.375 H&H Magnum:
8d+2 pi
Minimum damage on the body is 8. Average is 28. Maximum damage is 48.
Against the vitals it's minimum 24, average 84 (consciousness) and maximum of 144 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 24. Average is 104 (consciousness). Maximum is 184 (2 death rolls.).
.458 Winchester Magnum:
8d pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 9. Average is 39. Maximum damage is 69.
Against the vitals it's minimum 18, average 78 (consciousness) and maximum of 138 (1 death roll!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 16. Average is 96 (consciousness). Maximum is 176 (2 death rolls!).
.577 T-Rex (if anything works, this one should!):
5d+2x2 pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 18. Average is 55 (consciousness). Maximum damage is 93 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 36, average 110 (1 death roll) and maximum of 186 (2 death rolls!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 40. Average is 140 (1 death roll). Maximum is 240 (3 death rolls!).
.460 Weatherby Magnum:
5d+1x2 pi+
Minimum damage on the body is 15. Average is 52 (consciousness). Maximum damage is 90 (consciousness).
Against the vitals it's minimum 30, average 104 (consciousness) and maximum of 180 (2 death rolls!).
Go for the brain! Minimum is 32. Average is 132 (1 death roll). Maximum is 232 (3 death rolls!).
.700 Nitro is the same as .600 Nitro as far as GURPS is concerned.
.585 Nyati is the same as .577 T-Rex.
Darwin Never Sleeps
Reading all these stories about a child being left alone in a hot car and dying.
Back in the stone age, we could roll down the windows by turning the handy cranks. Assuming the windows weren't already down, what with hardly any cars having AC back then.
Even so, the door handles on all but a few cars work even if there's no power; and those cars have emergency releases with pictograms to save the illiterate from Father Darwin.
Darwin is saying that if your kids are too stupid to open the door when it's getting too hot in the car, then He wants to keep them from getting old enough to breed.
He's also saying that if you're so stupid that you locked your spawn in a sun-powered oven; then a retroactive application of birth control is fine by Him.
Your going to jail for killing your kids is gravy.
Back in the stone age, we could roll down the windows by turning the handy cranks. Assuming the windows weren't already down, what with hardly any cars having AC back then.
Even so, the door handles on all but a few cars work even if there's no power; and those cars have emergency releases with pictograms to save the illiterate from Father Darwin.
Darwin is saying that if your kids are too stupid to open the door when it's getting too hot in the car, then He wants to keep them from getting old enough to breed.
He's also saying that if you're so stupid that you locked your spawn in a sun-powered oven; then a retroactive application of birth control is fine by Him.
Your going to jail for killing your kids is gravy.
Sunspot Baby
Unsupported with max-digital zoom! I managed to catch a sunspot!
With the intermittent clouds, I didn't bother getting the tripod out. That might have gotten a sharper image.
Supply Demand
If sales of firearms slumping is an indication that gun control is winning... then...
Profit?
But it ignores the record sales when the fear of a ban was in place.
It ignores that despite the market cooling somewhat, that sales are still higher than before the Obama scare(s).
So, gun control people, it would appear that your very best tactic to reduce gun sales is to stop talking or be seen to have no power to affect the gun laws.
Speaking of gun laws, remember this picture from the other day?
A convicted felon amassed that collection in California. Someone who's not supposed to be able to own a gun anywhere in the nation acquired all of that, in the state with the strictest gun control.
This is why I keep harping that gun laws only affect the law abiding, because it certainly doesn't slow down the criminals.
Profit?
But it ignores the record sales when the fear of a ban was in place.
It ignores that despite the market cooling somewhat, that sales are still higher than before the Obama scare(s).
So, gun control people, it would appear that your very best tactic to reduce gun sales is to stop talking or be seen to have no power to affect the gun laws.
Speaking of gun laws, remember this picture from the other day?
A convicted felon amassed that collection in California. Someone who's not supposed to be able to own a gun anywhere in the nation acquired all of that, in the state with the strictest gun control.
This is why I keep harping that gun laws only affect the law abiding, because it certainly doesn't slow down the criminals.
22 June 2018
I Know Why
Why would an airline allow one weight for a bag going one direction and less for the return?
Oh, there's a fuck ton of reasons why.
Prevailing winds, distance to clear mountains, etc...
If there's mountains close to the destination the plane will be lighter when it gets there, but might be too heavy to go over them on the return leg. Winds that help one direction hurt in the other.
You know something else?
It's not the airline's gorram fault.
Yes, you should have paid attention to the weight limits and that super high price for carrying your overweight bags is what we call a teaching moment. You're damn sure going to remember to check the weight restrictions both ways next time, aren't you?
It's shit like that is why you're in the penalty box blogroll, you Bombastic Idiot.
I still can't figure out why you're held in such high regard.
PS, you're damn lucky they didn't put you on a scale and charge for a second seat for the each of you. I remember family pictures from that era, and you weren't exactly small people.
Oh, there's a fuck ton of reasons why.
Prevailing winds, distance to clear mountains, etc...
If there's mountains close to the destination the plane will be lighter when it gets there, but might be too heavy to go over them on the return leg. Winds that help one direction hurt in the other.
You know something else?
It's not the airline's gorram fault.
Yes, you should have paid attention to the weight limits and that super high price for carrying your overweight bags is what we call a teaching moment. You're damn sure going to remember to check the weight restrictions both ways next time, aren't you?
It's shit like that is why you're in the penalty box blogroll, you Bombastic Idiot.
I still can't figure out why you're held in such high regard.
PS, you're damn lucky they didn't put you on a scale and charge for a second seat for the each of you. I remember family pictures from that era, and you weren't exactly small people.
Here's A Drive You Nuts Thing
The total outside volume of an M855 round is 0.1778 cu/in.
The total outside volume of the LSAT I drew from a picture is 0.2075 cu/in.
Yet it's definitely a more compact round than the conventional one.
More compact doesn't always mean less volume.
This is what we call an illustrative example.
The total outside volume of the LSAT I drew from a picture is 0.2075 cu/in.
Yet it's definitely a more compact round than the conventional one.
More compact doesn't always mean less volume.
This is what we call an illustrative example.
Roughly And In A Nutshell
Top to bottom...
Textron's 5.56 LSAT cased telescopic round.
Standard 5.56x45mm NATO.
5.56x45mm case with the bullet shoved back flush with the mouth.
5.56x45mm case with the bullet shoved back and walls extended to the mouth.
5.55x45mm case with the walls extended to cartridge overall length.
Any dimensional errors are mine! There's a few dimensions that are assumed on all the drawings I've found.
The standard round has 0.1044 cu/in of volume with the bullet in there.
Telescoped it drops to 0.0648 cu/in.
Extending the walls with the same case length doesn't change that.
Extending the case around the bullet gives 0.1069 cu/in, but the round ends up bulkier!
It doesn't seem like you're gaining much, if anything by shortening the round, huh?
Actual cased telescoped rounds, like the 5.56 LSAT, are not based on the 5.56x45mm case, it's fatter at the base and doesn't have much or any visible taper. The LSAT round is a "push-through" extraction design with the following round shoving it forward out of a rotating chamber. Textron has a video.
Edited to fix some assumptions.
Utlra Tech Acronyms
For some reason they didn't include explanations of the abbreviations and acronyms for conventional and electrothermal guns in GURPS: Ultra Tech for 4e.
CL = caseless telescoped, C for caseless option, L for the light option both from page 164 of GURPS: High-Tech 4e which was published AFTER Ultra-Tech! Missing is the T for telescoped option, which has not been detailed, just mentioned. Also note, these options are the default state and the modifications and weight reductions have already been applied.
Because they have three different 10mm caseless rounds listed, they needed to differentiate them from each other without getting too detailed. Remember this is supposed to be fairly generic. If these were real rounds it'd be "10x20mm CLT, 10x30mm CLT and 10x45mm CLT" or some such.
CLP = Caseless Pistol, shorter than the normal 10mm CL.
CLR = Caseless Long Rifle, longer than the normal 10mm CL.
PC = Polymer Cased
PLB = Pre-Loaded Barrel; this is like a MetalStorm barrel.
CL = caseless telescoped, C for caseless option, L for the light option both from page 164 of GURPS: High-Tech 4e which was published AFTER Ultra-Tech! Missing is the T for telescoped option, which has not been detailed, just mentioned. Also note, these options are the default state and the modifications and weight reductions have already been applied.
Because they have three different 10mm caseless rounds listed, they needed to differentiate them from each other without getting too detailed. Remember this is supposed to be fairly generic. If these were real rounds it'd be "10x20mm CLT, 10x30mm CLT and 10x45mm CLT" or some such.
CLP = Caseless Pistol, shorter than the normal 10mm CL.
CLR = Caseless Long Rifle, longer than the normal 10mm CL.
PC = Polymer Cased
PLB = Pre-Loaded Barrel; this is like a MetalStorm barrel.
20 June 2018
Is .45-70 Enough Medicine?
Remember this?
A T-Rex is a 53 Hit Point, DR2, size mod +5 critter.
Miguel Points out Marlin is saying their new M1895SBL in .45-70 is good for T-Rex.
In that short barrel, .45-70 does 4d+2 pi+.
Minimum damage on the body is 6. Average is 21. Maximum damage is 36.
Good thing you get 6+1 shots!
Even against the vitals it's minimum 12, average 42 and maximum of 72 (consciousness roll!).
Damn, even if you're a good shot you're still needing multiple rounds!
Go for the brain!
Minimum is 8. Average is 48. Maximum is 88 (consciousness roll).
Huh.
Good thing you have seven shots and it has short arms.
A T-Rex is a 53 Hit Point, DR2, size mod +5 critter.
Miguel Points out Marlin is saying their new M1895SBL in .45-70 is good for T-Rex.
In that short barrel, .45-70 does 4d+2 pi+.
Minimum damage on the body is 6. Average is 21. Maximum damage is 36.
Good thing you get 6+1 shots!
Even against the vitals it's minimum 12, average 42 and maximum of 72 (consciousness roll!).
Damn, even if you're a good shot you're still needing multiple rounds!
Go for the brain!
Minimum is 8. Average is 48. Maximum is 88 (consciousness roll).
Huh.
Good thing you have seven shots and it has short arms.
Have A Plan
If your plan is to rely on divine intervention, you should consider a different plan.
Sure, if you receive divine intervention, you're assured success; but it's more likely that a plan that doesn't rely on it will succeed.
Sure, if you receive divine intervention, you're assured success; but it's more likely that a plan that doesn't rely on it will succeed.
19 June 2018
Big Junk On Bunk
 |
| From: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/06/19/more-than-500-guns-seized-from-southern-california-homes.html |
This guy might be an example of someone who's harmless, despite all the guns and the felony conviction.
18 June 2018
Bug Bomb Day
Time to mess with the teeny black ants that have managed to get everywhere.
Take The Boy to school, come home, pack the cats in the carriers, sit on the back for a couple hours while the house is transformed into the insect version of Ypres!
Thank goodness for wifi and laptops!
Take The Boy to school, come home, pack the cats in the carriers, sit on the back for a couple hours while the house is transformed into the insect version of Ypres!
Thank goodness for wifi and laptops!
Getting Fed Up
A new development in the curse of the Corvette.
The HVAC cut out a couple of times returning home from taking The Boy to school.
Checking the fuse, I discovered you could get the power to flicker to the controller by wiggling the fuse.
This makes me think I have a bad fuse holder.
No biggie, fuse holders and boxes are normally relatively easy and cheap.
GM: "Hold my beer!"
The fuse box is integral to the body control module (BCM)! The fuse holders are sealed into the plastic case of the BCM.
Bad fuse holder, replace entire unit!
WHAT!
THE!
ACTUAL!
FUCK?!?
Now I'm staring at buying a BCM and hoping my buddy's programmer can calibrate it.
They're $100 used and $250 new. I dislike the idea of buying a salvaged one because who knows if it's messed up in some subtle way, and what's a warranty?
If this was a normal fuse block, I could just buy a fuse holder and fix it!
I am loathe to break the thing open to get at the fuse holders without a spare standing by.
I am sick of careening from from unplanned expenditure to unplanned expenditure. I'm tapped out for a few months and staring at an intermittent AC problem entering summer in Florida. Joy.
Hitting the tip jar now would really help me stop whining.
The HVAC cut out a couple of times returning home from taking The Boy to school.
Checking the fuse, I discovered you could get the power to flicker to the controller by wiggling the fuse.
This makes me think I have a bad fuse holder.
No biggie, fuse holders and boxes are normally relatively easy and cheap.
GM: "Hold my beer!"
The fuse box is integral to the body control module (BCM)! The fuse holders are sealed into the plastic case of the BCM.
Bad fuse holder, replace entire unit!
WHAT!
THE!
ACTUAL!
FUCK?!?
Now I'm staring at buying a BCM and hoping my buddy's programmer can calibrate it.
They're $100 used and $250 new. I dislike the idea of buying a salvaged one because who knows if it's messed up in some subtle way, and what's a warranty?
If this was a normal fuse block, I could just buy a fuse holder and fix it!
I am loathe to break the thing open to get at the fuse holders without a spare standing by.
I am sick of careening from from unplanned expenditure to unplanned expenditure. I'm tapped out for a few months and staring at an intermittent AC problem entering summer in Florida. Joy.
Hitting the tip jar now would really help me stop whining.
WHY?
I'm updating some apps on my phone and get a message that Google Pay needs access to my contacts as part of the upgrade.
Why?
I mean, no shit, WHY!?! At no point in any financial transaction between me and whomever should whom I know be a factor.
I'm getting very sick of "this app needs access to..." without any explanation of why it needs that access.
I know that privacy is effectively dead... and it's shit like this what killed it.
Unless they tell you what they're using the access for, you can't make an informed decision about allowing them access. My default is, "No!"
One gets the feeling that they don't want to define what they're doing with the access, so when they're caught being deeper into it than promised they can't be held to any sort of liability standard.
Why?
I mean, no shit, WHY!?! At no point in any financial transaction between me and whomever should whom I know be a factor.
I'm getting very sick of "this app needs access to..." without any explanation of why it needs that access.
I know that privacy is effectively dead... and it's shit like this what killed it.
Unless they tell you what they're using the access for, you can't make an informed decision about allowing them access. My default is, "No!"
One gets the feeling that they don't want to define what they're doing with the access, so when they're caught being deeper into it than promised they can't be held to any sort of liability standard.
A Different Perspective
Before we started burning things, Marv took the drone up to see if he could see the new house he's buying.
He sure can!
He sure can!
Father's Day
I had an excellent Father's Day!
The Boy got me a new beer mug.
Filled with Escape Brewing's Trois IPA.
We burned off some yard waste and Marv used the drone to film it.
I grilled some steaks and had a few beers down the road with friends.
In addition, we didn't have to use our AKs...
The Boy got me a new beer mug.
Filled with Escape Brewing's Trois IPA.
We burned off some yard waste and Marv used the drone to film it.
I grilled some steaks and had a few beers down the road with friends.
In addition, we didn't have to use our AKs...
17 June 2018
It's A Gazebo
Listen, and understand. That gazebo is out there. It can’t be
bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or
remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are
dead.
Inspired by.
Inspired by.
Winnah!
Marv and I figured out a chili recipe.
It's in this book!
Substitute one pound of burger with a pound of Jimmy Dean's sage sausage.
Marv is spice intolerant, so it's a very mild chili; but it's flavorful!
I entered it into a charity chili cook-off yesterday.
It won.
Two of my competitors brought the stuff they serve in their restaurant.
I beat two restaurants!
WOOT WOOT WOOOOOOOT!
It's in this book!
Substitute one pound of burger with a pound of Jimmy Dean's sage sausage.
Marv is spice intolerant, so it's a very mild chili; but it's flavorful!
I entered it into a charity chili cook-off yesterday.
It won.
Two of my competitors brought the stuff they serve in their restaurant.
I beat two restaurants!
WOOT WOOT WOOOOOOOT!
16 June 2018
Practically By Design
The acoustics of a theater are supposed to be arranged so that the performers can be heard by the people in the back row.
Turns out, they're also excellent echo-chambers.
Robert Dinero, a known dancing-monkey, gave us a great demonstration at the 70th Tony Awards at The Beacon Theatre.
So, dance, monkey, dance.
Dance in the echos and indulge in the group-think.
Turns out, they're also excellent echo-chambers.
Robert Dinero, a known dancing-monkey, gave us a great demonstration at the 70th Tony Awards at The Beacon Theatre.
So, dance, monkey, dance.
Dance in the echos and indulge in the group-think.
Black Panther
I just realized why my first viewing of Marvel's Black Panther was, "meh".
It was from all of the reviews by conservatives who see SJW everywhere they look.
I think we need to remember that it's a comic book movie.
Based on a Marvel character from the late '60s created and fleshed out by a Jewish author living in New York City.
Can't get more multi-culti than that, can it? Amiright?
The "we see SJW all around us!" crowd really didn't sit back and watch the movie.
There are certainly better entries into the Marvel Universe. There are also worse.
The very idea of Wakanda and how it does or doesn't make sense is also a problem, or not, in the comic. It stems from hence it came and that was an attempt to be jarring about how dismal post-colonial Africa was.
A "what if" where an African nation hadn't been colonized and its leaders were able to thrive without European influence and assistance. Then the convolutions that make that outcome plausible show exactly how implausible the idea really is. Part of the "what if" was giving the nation of Wakanda a decidedly American cultural perspective, and making them isolationist racists! Showing American faults through this negative image proxy.
But it really starts with, "we want a super-hero from Africa," then, "What's his back-story?"
I liked Black Panther, the comic. He was a neat character.
I recall his powers being more training and heart-shaped-herb-magic than technological though. The vibranium angle wasn't as fleshed out when I was reading, and it was fleshed out in books I typically didn't read.
But I gave the film a rewatch.
It's not near as bad as my first time through thought it was. Because I stopped looking to be offended and just let it be at face value.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
There's a couple of issues that do stand out that bug me.
Killmonger is the son of a Prince of Wakanda and an unnamed American woman. He puts on the oppressed African-American mantle, but... There's no Wakandan descended African-Americans who are descendants of slaves. Remember that technological superiority, isolation, racism and lack of colonization? No Wakandan ever had to make the choice between death and chains.
The melange of styles appropriated for the various sub-tribes of Wakanda come from all over Africa. Distinct and UNIQUE styles from other parts of Africa. It was over-simplistic of the people doing the costuming and set-design to just lift these "African" stylistic elements and plop them into Wakanda. Remember, isolation? Wakanda should be distinct from the neighbors.
It was from all of the reviews by conservatives who see SJW everywhere they look.
I think we need to remember that it's a comic book movie.
Based on a Marvel character from the late '60s created and fleshed out by a Jewish author living in New York City.
Can't get more multi-culti than that, can it? Amiright?
The "we see SJW all around us!" crowd really didn't sit back and watch the movie.
There are certainly better entries into the Marvel Universe. There are also worse.
The very idea of Wakanda and how it does or doesn't make sense is also a problem, or not, in the comic. It stems from hence it came and that was an attempt to be jarring about how dismal post-colonial Africa was.
A "what if" where an African nation hadn't been colonized and its leaders were able to thrive without European influence and assistance. Then the convolutions that make that outcome plausible show exactly how implausible the idea really is. Part of the "what if" was giving the nation of Wakanda a decidedly American cultural perspective, and making them isolationist racists! Showing American faults through this negative image proxy.
But it really starts with, "we want a super-hero from Africa," then, "What's his back-story?"
I liked Black Panther, the comic. He was a neat character.
I recall his powers being more training and heart-shaped-herb-magic than technological though. The vibranium angle wasn't as fleshed out when I was reading, and it was fleshed out in books I typically didn't read.
But I gave the film a rewatch.
It's not near as bad as my first time through thought it was. Because I stopped looking to be offended and just let it be at face value.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
There's a couple of issues that do stand out that bug me.
Killmonger is the son of a Prince of Wakanda and an unnamed American woman. He puts on the oppressed African-American mantle, but... There's no Wakandan descended African-Americans who are descendants of slaves. Remember that technological superiority, isolation, racism and lack of colonization? No Wakandan ever had to make the choice between death and chains.
The melange of styles appropriated for the various sub-tribes of Wakanda come from all over Africa. Distinct and UNIQUE styles from other parts of Africa. It was over-simplistic of the people doing the costuming and set-design to just lift these "African" stylistic elements and plop them into Wakanda. Remember, isolation? Wakanda should be distinct from the neighbors.
The Coward Will Win
Miguel has more details about the court case.
Yup, the Coward of Broward is going to win and Mr Pollack is going to be on the hook for all the costs.
BUT.
What this is doing is finally informing people that the government is under zero obligation to do the things We The People constituted government to do for us.
Most everyone I've talked to about this is surprised that the police didn't have to respond to the shooting and cannot be held accountable for anything they do, or don't do in response to it.
Not for Pulse, not for Parkland, not for YOU!
People are sitting at home right now thinking, "When I hired you to do this, I bloody well expect you to DO it!"
Wanna bet there's going to be some changes to 768.28 soon?
By the way, Officer, you don't get to put on the mantle of how dangerous your job is when you can simply refuse to do it, then retire with a pension comparable to the income of a CEO of a successful medium sized company.
I'm thinking that, very soon, people are going to remember that the government is supposed to work for US rather than itself.
Yup, the Coward of Broward is going to win and Mr Pollack is going to be on the hook for all the costs.
BUT.
What this is doing is finally informing people that the government is under zero obligation to do the things We The People constituted government to do for us.
Most everyone I've talked to about this is surprised that the police didn't have to respond to the shooting and cannot be held accountable for anything they do, or don't do in response to it.
Not for Pulse, not for Parkland, not for YOU!
People are sitting at home right now thinking, "When I hired you to do this, I bloody well expect you to DO it!"
Wanna bet there's going to be some changes to 768.28 soon?
By the way, Officer, you don't get to put on the mantle of how dangerous your job is when you can simply refuse to do it, then retire with a pension comparable to the income of a CEO of a successful medium sized company.
I'm thinking that, very soon, people are going to remember that the government is supposed to work for US rather than itself.
15 June 2018
Need To Kill Five Hours
This is a really thorough analysis of character creation and storytelling.
Something I've been part of as a roleplayer and gamemaster.
I was struck by a realization that if I'd played my character or my NPC's in such a slip-shod manner, the players would have revolted or stopped playing.
Yes, I said it, a multimillion dollar movie failed to live up to the standards of a table-top role playing game played by college and high school students.
Gorram Computer
I'm generally good with computers.
I'm generally good with fixing things when they go wrong.
I'm lost at this one.
Last night Windows Update was doing its thing on the laptop.
Restart.
Got to 100% complete and instead of going to the enter-the-password screen, it restarted again.
Got the "Windows failed to reboot, would you like to try safe-mode" screen.
Booting to safe-mode got me a "update failed to install restarting".
Windows Update can see the update I am trying to install: KB4284826.
When I try to download and install it gives error KB80073701.
I've since found that's the "something wrong we don't know what" error code.
So far, nothing has fixed it and I can't find the manual download for the update in question.
Joy.
I'm generally good with fixing things when they go wrong.
I'm lost at this one.
Last night Windows Update was doing its thing on the laptop.
Restart.
Got to 100% complete and instead of going to the enter-the-password screen, it restarted again.
Got the "Windows failed to reboot, would you like to try safe-mode" screen.
Booting to safe-mode got me a "update failed to install restarting".
Windows Update can see the update I am trying to install: KB4284826.
When I try to download and install it gives error KB80073701.
I've since found that's the "something wrong we don't know what" error code.
So far, nothing has fixed it and I can't find the manual download for the update in question.
Joy.
14 June 2018
So Much For That Plan
Traveller defines a radius equal to 100 diameters of an object for the minimum safe jump distance.
It normally mentions it being because of gravity.
Last night, with help from FuzzyGeff, I did the maths for various objects in our solar system.
It doesn't come out.
The 100D distance from Earth gives a pull of 0.000025g.
The 100D distance from the Sun gives a pull of 0.000700g. Almost 30 times stronger than the Earth distance, yet still safe?
If 0.000700g is the safe distance down the well, then 19D is the safe jump altitude for Earth.
If 0.000025g is the safe distance down the well, then 525D is the safe jump altitude for The Sun. That's 4.9 AU, y'all. That's getting near to Jupiter's orbit. Jupiter needs about a 160D distance.
I want more elegant double-talk for what's going on.
Update: Fixed an error on my spreadsheet!
It normally mentions it being because of gravity.
Last night, with help from FuzzyGeff, I did the maths for various objects in our solar system.
It doesn't come out.
The 100D distance from Earth gives a pull of 0.000025g.
The 100D distance from the Sun gives a pull of 0.000700g. Almost 30 times stronger than the Earth distance, yet still safe?
If 0.000700g is the safe distance down the well, then 19D is the safe jump altitude for Earth.
If 0.000025g is the safe distance down the well, then 525D is the safe jump altitude for The Sun. That's 4.9 AU, y'all. That's getting near to Jupiter's orbit. Jupiter needs about a 160D distance.
I want more elegant double-talk for what's going on.
Update: Fixed an error on my spreadsheet!
Making You Go Hmmmmm
Willard and I disagree with how to set the gas system on the FAL.
He says to crank the thing closed and let 'er run max-gas.
It worked for him in the field.
Being an overeducated, intellectual STEM type...
I follow the instructions. Which are essentially set it two clicks more closed than where it will lock to the rear on an empty magazine.
It worked for me in the field.
With Magtech NATO spec ammo, that was "5.5".
"5.5" won't cycle with ZQ1 "NATO" spec ammo.
So it got cranked down to "4".
Then we did the NATO rifle challenge with Malaysian M59 ball.
My beloved seemed to be hitting me harder than I'd grown accustomed to. Thumping harder than the PTR G3A3 clone, which was the opposite of my prior experience.
Today I realized something. I'd swapped out the Austrian gas plug for an FN plug with grenade sight.
Small differences in those plugs could change how much gas is getting to the regulator and thus to the piston.
Time to hit the range!
Awwww, gee darn, an excuse to go to the range?
He says to crank the thing closed and let 'er run max-gas.
It worked for him in the field.
Being an overeducated, intellectual STEM type...
I follow the instructions. Which are essentially set it two clicks more closed than where it will lock to the rear on an empty magazine.
It worked for me in the field.
With Magtech NATO spec ammo, that was "5.5".
"5.5" won't cycle with ZQ1 "NATO" spec ammo.
So it got cranked down to "4".
Then we did the NATO rifle challenge with Malaysian M59 ball.
My beloved seemed to be hitting me harder than I'd grown accustomed to. Thumping harder than the PTR G3A3 clone, which was the opposite of my prior experience.
Today I realized something. I'd swapped out the Austrian gas plug for an FN plug with grenade sight.
Small differences in those plugs could change how much gas is getting to the regulator and thus to the piston.
Time to hit the range!
Awwww, gee darn, an excuse to go to the range?
Ha! Beat You To The Post Ian!
Today Forgotten Weapons posted:
But in July last year, Willard and I played with one.
Add Astra
It's predecessor
And Holster.
Kinda cool to be ahead of Forgotten Weapons with a forgotten weapon!
But in July last year, Willard and I played with one.
Add Astra
It's predecessor
And Holster.
Kinda cool to be ahead of Forgotten Weapons with a forgotten weapon!
13 June 2018
Wrong Causal Relationship
Dancing FBI Shooter To Be Charged
It wasn't that he dropped the gun, it's that his booger hook pulled on the bang switch when he tried to recover it.
If he'd kicked it across the room, nobody would have been injured.
It wasn't that he dropped the gun, it's that his booger hook pulled on the bang switch when he tried to recover it.
If he'd kicked it across the room, nobody would have been injured.
4-8-8-4 Big Boy
This is a BIG engine!
I love that the railroads are restoring these old girls to running condition and running them.
I love that the railroads are restoring these old girls to running condition and running them.
12 June 2018
EULA
By viewing this blog you agree to abide by the Laws of the United States and the State of Florida.
You agree that you have traveled to Florida to view this blog and the laws of other nations and states do not apply.
You agree that you have traveled to Florida to view this blog and the laws of other nations and states do not apply.
Ought To Be
Just like Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be the name of a convenience store:
Active Shooter should be the title of a fitness magazine aimed at gun owners.
Active Shooter should be the title of a fitness magazine aimed at gun owners.
Prisoner In My Own Home
The Boy is trying to control everything about his environment.
He's got a pretty effective veto method.
He throws a fit like a three year old and he's effectively getting out of anything he doesn't want to do.
For a long time we've been laboring under the theory that he wasn't able to control it.
Thanks to many, MANY stays under Baker Act evaluations at the hospital, we now know that he's in complete control of his fits.
Just like anyone else.
So I can now, guilt free, apply methodology that works on every single spoiled brat teenager since time immemorial.
Child, do what I say or you don't get anything fun to do.
He wants his electronics, he can start giving me good days at school and home.
All we have to give him is food and shelter. There's no reason at all for food and shelter to be entertaining.
Simply put, we're creating a situation where it's more fun to go to school than to sit at home.
He's got a pretty effective veto method.
He throws a fit like a three year old and he's effectively getting out of anything he doesn't want to do.
For a long time we've been laboring under the theory that he wasn't able to control it.
Thanks to many, MANY stays under Baker Act evaluations at the hospital, we now know that he's in complete control of his fits.
Just like anyone else.
So I can now, guilt free, apply methodology that works on every single spoiled brat teenager since time immemorial.
Child, do what I say or you don't get anything fun to do.
He wants his electronics, he can start giving me good days at school and home.
All we have to give him is food and shelter. There's no reason at all for food and shelter to be entertaining.
Simply put, we're creating a situation where it's more fun to go to school than to sit at home.
11 June 2018
They're Getting Closer
Without YouTube to distract them for the weekend, it appears that Brownell's has been busy.
That's getting very close...
09 June 2018
Brownell's Turn
It would appear that YouTube has nuked Brownell's channel.
And they did it on the weekend.
And they did it on the weekend.
Μαγεία οκτώ μπάλα μαντεία
Is a 12-sided die floating inside a over-sized billard ball a great way to predict the future?
The Best Lies
The best lies, especially the best big lies, have a kernel of truth to them.
Anti-Semitic racist, Louis Farrakahn's wee little diatribe about Jews in Hollywood enjoys the kernel of truth that there ARE a lot of Jews in Hollywood and many of them are involved in running the place.
I think that just about exhausts the verifiable facts in his rant.
There are also a shit-ton of Canadians in Hollywood.
Honestly, I'm more concerned bout the Canadians than the Jews because it seems like the instant someone from Canada makes it big in acting they get very political and very liberal.
That alone would be enough to consider closing the border to Canada's actors. Justin Bieber being a supporting argument to ending diplomatic relations with the place altogether.
Truth be told, I've never really worried about Jews as a whole.
There's some specific Jewis people who worry me, but it's because they're Congresscreatures. The fact that Charles Schumer is Jewish is akin to Charles Schumer wears glasses with regards to why he worries me. Howard Metzenbaum and DiFi are likewise in the same boat. Howie worrying me a lot less now that he's dead (he died in Florida so he continues to worry me by voting).
The Jews I know personally, with a single exception, are just folks. The exception seems to revel in being a stereotype, so I can't tell if that's how he really is or if he's just so deep into his front his true self was long ago lost.
Wait, I just checked the narrative, I'm not supposed to know Jewish people or like them. What with me being white, straight and conservative.
Anti-Semitic racist, Louis Farrakahn's wee little diatribe about Jews in Hollywood enjoys the kernel of truth that there ARE a lot of Jews in Hollywood and many of them are involved in running the place.
I think that just about exhausts the verifiable facts in his rant.
There are also a shit-ton of Canadians in Hollywood.
Honestly, I'm more concerned bout the Canadians than the Jews because it seems like the instant someone from Canada makes it big in acting they get very political and very liberal.
That alone would be enough to consider closing the border to Canada's actors. Justin Bieber being a supporting argument to ending diplomatic relations with the place altogether.
Truth be told, I've never really worried about Jews as a whole.
There's some specific Jewis people who worry me, but it's because they're Congresscreatures. The fact that Charles Schumer is Jewish is akin to Charles Schumer wears glasses with regards to why he worries me. Howard Metzenbaum and DiFi are likewise in the same boat. Howie worrying me a lot less now that he's dead (he died in Florida so he continues to worry me by voting).
The Jews I know personally, with a single exception, are just folks. The exception seems to revel in being a stereotype, so I can't tell if that's how he really is or if he's just so deep into his front his true self was long ago lost.
Wait, I just checked the narrative, I'm not supposed to know Jewish people or like them. What with me being white, straight and conservative.
Theft Of A Firearm
Man keeps gun he found in Burger King bathroom.
Well, he ditched it later.
But note the headline at the article.
"Pasco Deputy Leaves Gun"!
I think I want Mr Deputy charged with creating an attractive nuisance. He should at least have to write on the whiteboard, "I will not leave my gun in the restroom." a thousand times.
Among the things I decided when I got my carry permit was, "Always leave the restroom with as many guns as you entered with."
I also wonder if there'd have been a legal problem if the suspect had taken the found gun straight to the nearest cop-shop.
Well, he ditched it later.
But note the headline at the article.
"Pasco Deputy Leaves Gun"!
I think I want Mr Deputy charged with creating an attractive nuisance. He should at least have to write on the whiteboard, "I will not leave my gun in the restroom." a thousand times.
Among the things I decided when I got my carry permit was, "Always leave the restroom with as many guns as you entered with."
I also wonder if there'd have been a legal problem if the suspect had taken the found gun straight to the nearest cop-shop.
Things You Have To Explain When You GM A Space Setting
Why suction cups don't work in a vacuum.
Why magnetic boots won't hold to aluminum.
And so much more...
Why magnetic boots won't hold to aluminum.
And so much more...
It's Actually Proof Of Something Else
For a year conceal carry permits applicants in Florida weren't undergoing the required background check.
About 275,000 applications were made during this timeframe.
An audit discovered the problem and the required checks were made.
345 were found to have some kind of problem.
Of those, 291 were then revoked because the applicant was found to be ineligible.
291 out of 275,000...
Fewer than 300 people got a permit they weren't supposed to have while the State of Florida wasn't doing its job.
What this really means is hardly anyone who's forbidden from owning a gun or getting that permit bothers to apply for one.
I'm willing to bet that the 291 people who had their permit revoked were genuinely unaware they're prohibited people; especially with the change that makes misdemeanor domestic violence a prohibiting offense.
About 275,000 applications were made during this timeframe.
An audit discovered the problem and the required checks were made.
345 were found to have some kind of problem.
Of those, 291 were then revoked because the applicant was found to be ineligible.
291 out of 275,000...
Fewer than 300 people got a permit they weren't supposed to have while the State of Florida wasn't doing its job.
What this really means is hardly anyone who's forbidden from owning a gun or getting that permit bothers to apply for one.
I'm willing to bet that the 291 people who had their permit revoked were genuinely unaware they're prohibited people; especially with the change that makes misdemeanor domestic violence a prohibiting offense.
Secondary Effects
Another reason to start thinking about ending bans on things because it's good for the people who're using them is the secondary bans which pop up from the criminals who rise to supply the banned good.
The National Firearms Act was sold to the public on the coat tails of breathless reports of the violence of the organized criminals who were lavishly funded by illicit liquor importation, sales and distribution.
The long gone booze ban led to a still present gun ban.
The National Firearms Act was sold to the public on the coat tails of breathless reports of the violence of the organized criminals who were lavishly funded by illicit liquor importation, sales and distribution.
The long gone booze ban led to a still present gun ban.
Small Amounts
This is arsenic trioxide. Commonly known as just arsenic.
It's cheap and readily available.
Arsenic is sometimes used to cut cocaine because it's texture is extremely similar to cocaine powder.
Arsenic is extremely poisonous
If you find arsenic in your aspirin, you can sue Bayer.
Where's your recourse for finding it in your cocaine?
There's reasons that many people advocate the legalization of drugs that have nothing to do with being unconcerned about people dying from overdose and misuse.
The two main factors for me are both related to the behavior of the criminals who make, import and distribute the products that are banned.
As above, they can mess with the quality of the product in dangerous ways to stretch the amount of actual product being being sold. You can sue Winn-Dixie for selling you a dozen eggs and only getting 9 and three ping-pong balls. You can't sue MS13 if they sell you a kilo of Similac and tell you it's coke.
Then there's all the outright murdering.
One reason Americans are getting willing to try legalization is the fact that we've done this before. We banned alcohol. The ban had almost no effect on the supply of liquor available to consumers. But it did cause the prices to go up and smuggling liquor became lucrative enough to murder someone over sales territory.
People died from methanol being substituted for ethanol. People died from poisons being substituted for the actual booze they thought they were buying. People died from drinking booze which was tainted by unsafe manufacturing processes. People died from unsafe practices in the production of alcohol, including fires and explosions. Does any of this sound familiar yet?
Eventually it was relegalized.
And the murders stopped. And the quality improved. And people still drank themselves to death, just like before and during Prohibition. The ban had no positive effect on the people who were most at risk of the dangers of alcohol.
Legalizing alcohol did have positive effects on the crime rate. To put it in perspective: When was the last time you heard about Total Wine shooting up an ABC Liquor? Or a B21 hijacking a shipment destined to a bar?
We pretend that drugs are somehow different from booze.
The physical amounts needed to get euphoric are smaller is all, but there was once a time when drugs were legal and over the counter. Ever hear of laudanum?
Legalizing drugs won't keep people from dying from overdoses. But it's likely going to save many lives from murder and poisoning. If, say, cocaine or morphine were readily available and cheap, would people be seeking stronger opiates which are easier to OD on?
But never forget, though, by banning these things you are NOT saving the users. No prohibition on sinful things has ever saved the people addicted to it, and those bans always make it worse.
 |
| https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Arsenic_trioxide.jpg |
It's cheap and readily available.
Arsenic is sometimes used to cut cocaine because it's texture is extremely similar to cocaine powder.
Arsenic is extremely poisonous
SMALL amounts of Arsenic are REQUIRED for normal operation of the body. However, larger doses can be fatal. An ACUTE FATAL DOSE of Arsenic is in the range of 2-20mg/kg body weight/day. Thus, a relatively healthy person who weight 160lbs, about 72.6kg, may die if he ingests between 0.145gm and 1.45gm Arsenic in the form of Arsenic Trioxide, As2O3. i.e. 0.192gm to 1.92gm of Arsenic Trioxide. (Arsenic Trioxide is probably the most commonly available Arsenic compound). Considering the high density of the oxide, less than 1/8 of a tea spoon can be fatal. Smaller amounts may be fatal if unhealthy people, elderly or children are exposed. The symptoms of poisoning by SMALL amounts of Arsenic are not always distinguishable from symptoms of other afflictions.The reason that arsenic is sometimes used to cut cocaine is because cocaine is illegal.
If you find arsenic in your aspirin, you can sue Bayer.
Where's your recourse for finding it in your cocaine?
There's reasons that many people advocate the legalization of drugs that have nothing to do with being unconcerned about people dying from overdose and misuse.
The two main factors for me are both related to the behavior of the criminals who make, import and distribute the products that are banned.
As above, they can mess with the quality of the product in dangerous ways to stretch the amount of actual product being being sold. You can sue Winn-Dixie for selling you a dozen eggs and only getting 9 and three ping-pong balls. You can't sue MS13 if they sell you a kilo of Similac and tell you it's coke.
Then there's all the outright murdering.
One reason Americans are getting willing to try legalization is the fact that we've done this before. We banned alcohol. The ban had almost no effect on the supply of liquor available to consumers. But it did cause the prices to go up and smuggling liquor became lucrative enough to murder someone over sales territory.
People died from methanol being substituted for ethanol. People died from poisons being substituted for the actual booze they thought they were buying. People died from drinking booze which was tainted by unsafe manufacturing processes. People died from unsafe practices in the production of alcohol, including fires and explosions. Does any of this sound familiar yet?
Eventually it was relegalized.
And the murders stopped. And the quality improved. And people still drank themselves to death, just like before and during Prohibition. The ban had no positive effect on the people who were most at risk of the dangers of alcohol.
Legalizing alcohol did have positive effects on the crime rate. To put it in perspective: When was the last time you heard about Total Wine shooting up an ABC Liquor? Or a B21 hijacking a shipment destined to a bar?
We pretend that drugs are somehow different from booze.
The physical amounts needed to get euphoric are smaller is all, but there was once a time when drugs were legal and over the counter. Ever hear of laudanum?
Legalizing drugs won't keep people from dying from overdoses. But it's likely going to save many lives from murder and poisoning. If, say, cocaine or morphine were readily available and cheap, would people be seeking stronger opiates which are easier to OD on?
But never forget, though, by banning these things you are NOT saving the users. No prohibition on sinful things has ever saved the people addicted to it, and those bans always make it worse.
But I'm Not
The thing is, I'm not a libertarian.
I never really have been, not since I learned that war is the killer app of the state.
Libertarianism is utopianism. With the same possibility of success and occurrence.
So I don't subscribe.
There's some things contained in libertarian dogma that do make sense.
Such as not being responsible for the actions of third parties you have no control over.
This is why I am not responsible for someone getting killed by a car that I sold.
This is why I am not responsible for the people murdered with a gun that is stolen from me.
I literally did not do it.
That's not libertarian, that's simple common-law liability. It's in Blackstone for crying out loud.
It's a boilerplate item going all the way back to Jolly-Ol'.
It spares us from the endless cycles of feud and vendetta.
Let's accept that I am only responsible for the things that I cause to happen, and not things that are out of my control.
It means that anything I make cannot be held against me if someone else misuses it. Even if they die.
It doesn't matter what it is.
It means that anything I sell is now owned by the buyer, and what they do with it is on them. Even if someone dies.
It doesn't matter what it is.
To say, "except for..." is saying that everyone is responsible for anything they make or sell forever.
Even if you think it doesn't say that, it doesn't mean you're right just because you're specifying an exception.
Once you've made someone responsible for the actions of others in one instance; you've created precedent to make them responsible for the actions of other in other instances and with other items.
Learn how the legal traditions of the Anglosphere work!
I never really have been, not since I learned that war is the killer app of the state.
Libertarianism is utopianism. With the same possibility of success and occurrence.
So I don't subscribe.
There's some things contained in libertarian dogma that do make sense.
Such as not being responsible for the actions of third parties you have no control over.
This is why I am not responsible for someone getting killed by a car that I sold.
This is why I am not responsible for the people murdered with a gun that is stolen from me.
I literally did not do it.
That's not libertarian, that's simple common-law liability. It's in Blackstone for crying out loud.
It's a boilerplate item going all the way back to Jolly-Ol'.
It spares us from the endless cycles of feud and vendetta.
Let's accept that I am only responsible for the things that I cause to happen, and not things that are out of my control.
It means that anything I make cannot be held against me if someone else misuses it. Even if they die.
It doesn't matter what it is.
It means that anything I sell is now owned by the buyer, and what they do with it is on them. Even if someone dies.
It doesn't matter what it is.
To say, "except for..." is saying that everyone is responsible for anything they make or sell forever.
Even if you think it doesn't say that, it doesn't mean you're right just because you're specifying an exception.
Once you've made someone responsible for the actions of others in one instance; you've created precedent to make them responsible for the actions of other in other instances and with other items.
Learn how the legal traditions of the Anglosphere work!
08 June 2018
Two Weeks Notice
A local staple is closing.
The German Restaurant is closing its doors after almost 20 years in business.
It had a real name once, but since it's the only German cuisine in the area...
And it will be gone on the 23rd.
Wow.
While I liked the place, they sure didn't make it easy to eat there. The hours were seemingly random and short.
Still, I will miss them.
The German Restaurant is closing its doors after almost 20 years in business.
It had a real name once, but since it's the only German cuisine in the area...
And it will be gone on the 23rd.
Wow.
While I liked the place, they sure didn't make it easy to eat there. The hours were seemingly random and short.
Still, I will miss them.
Only Police Are Qualified To...
Own fake Glocks?
Wait...
Lemme quote this:
Can't have irresponsible and untrained civilians owning things that LOOK like Glocks, but buy all the real guns they want.
I...
I...
I don't get it.
Bear in mind, this is GLOCK making the demand, not Blue Guns.
Wait...
Lemme quote this:
GLOCK has recently issued a New Contract with Ring's Manufacturing Inc. (BLUEGUNS) to manufacture GLOCK Blueguns as we have been doing for the past 10 years. This new contract states that GLOCK restricts the sale of GLOCK Blueguns to the Public. We are restricted to selling GLOCK Blueguns to the Police, Military, Trainers, Police Distributors, or Holster Manufacturers. We ask that our customers abide by these rules and refrain from offering GLOCK Blueguns to the Public on the Internet, Publications or General Catalogs. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your support.What?
Can't have irresponsible and untrained civilians owning things that LOOK like Glocks, but buy all the real guns they want.
I...
I...
I don't get it.
Bear in mind, this is GLOCK making the demand, not Blue Guns.
It Just Won't Die
I ask again, "How many rounds are you carrying right now?"
If your gun can fire that many without barfing... YOU ARE GOOD TO GO.
Full stop.
"But, Thag, I can't shoot an entire 1,000 plus round training class without cleaning my gun or breaking something!"
So what?
Let's assume you're carrying 1,000 plus rounds on you every day.
Where the fuck do you live/work where you're actually worried you're going to NEED that much ammo to survive?
Here's a hint. The places where you might need that kind of loadout don't let people carry. Heck, most of them try actively to prevent mere ownership of guns.
Just as the map is not the terrain, the class is not the battlefield.
The high round counts are not supposed to be there to test the gun.
They are supposed to be to teach the student through repetition.
Now that I've got THAT out...
The guns that seem to fail to make it through these classes without breaking also trend on the expensive side of the pistol spectrum. When a used Glock makes it, why waste the money on a Kimber?
The next thing that needs pointed out is those classes ain't cheap. The tuition, plus travel, plus lodging, plus board, plus ammo... It adds up. The time factor matters here too.
It's contradictory.
Nearly any gun will survive the fight you're likely to encounter. If we're honest with ourselves, a Blue Gun® will suffice for almost all of your daily carry needs.
So a gun that can go 600-1,000 rounds isn't NEEDED for carry. It's needed to take an expensive class without losing class time you're paying good money to attend.
Where it becomes a "why are we arguing about this" point is the guns that will go the distance in class are also in the very affordable category. Like I said, used Glocks make it to the end readily.
Another point here, even if your carry gun won't go 600 rounds between maintenance sessions, there's really no reason you have to use THAT gun for the class. The fundamentals don't change with the make and model. If a school is demanding you bring a Glock to class and tells you that your Colt 1911 or Browning High Power cannot be used with their training when you get home: don't give them your money.
If you can afford the class, you can afford the spare plastic fantastic even if you don't plan on carrying it.
If your gun can fire that many without barfing... YOU ARE GOOD TO GO.
Full stop.
"But, Thag, I can't shoot an entire 1,000 plus round training class without cleaning my gun or breaking something!"
So what?
Let's assume you're carrying 1,000 plus rounds on you every day.
Where the fuck do you live/work where you're actually worried you're going to NEED that much ammo to survive?
Here's a hint. The places where you might need that kind of loadout don't let people carry. Heck, most of them try actively to prevent mere ownership of guns.
Just as the map is not the terrain, the class is not the battlefield.
The high round counts are not supposed to be there to test the gun.
They are supposed to be to teach the student through repetition.
Now that I've got THAT out...
The guns that seem to fail to make it through these classes without breaking also trend on the expensive side of the pistol spectrum. When a used Glock makes it, why waste the money on a Kimber?
The next thing that needs pointed out is those classes ain't cheap. The tuition, plus travel, plus lodging, plus board, plus ammo... It adds up. The time factor matters here too.
It's contradictory.
Nearly any gun will survive the fight you're likely to encounter. If we're honest with ourselves, a Blue Gun® will suffice for almost all of your daily carry needs.
So a gun that can go 600-1,000 rounds isn't NEEDED for carry. It's needed to take an expensive class without losing class time you're paying good money to attend.
Where it becomes a "why are we arguing about this" point is the guns that will go the distance in class are also in the very affordable category. Like I said, used Glocks make it to the end readily.
Another point here, even if your carry gun won't go 600 rounds between maintenance sessions, there's really no reason you have to use THAT gun for the class. The fundamentals don't change with the make and model. If a school is demanding you bring a Glock to class and tells you that your Colt 1911 or Browning High Power cannot be used with their training when you get home: don't give them your money.
If you can afford the class, you can afford the spare plastic fantastic even if you don't plan on carrying it.
Bummer I Guess
It appears we're in another burst of celebrity suicides.
On the whole, it just doesn't affect me.
Even when it's one whose work I enjoy shuffles off into the clearing, it doesn't really affect my life much at all.
That show I don't watch won't be one any more? I guess I can keep not watching it more easily?
Those albums I didn't buy? I guess I can keep not buying them?
Those movies I didn't go see?
You can see the trend here, right?
On the whole, it just doesn't affect me.
Even when it's one whose work I enjoy shuffles off into the clearing, it doesn't really affect my life much at all.
That show I don't watch won't be one any more? I guess I can keep not watching it more easily?
Those albums I didn't buy? I guess I can keep not buying them?
Those movies I didn't go see?
You can see the trend here, right?
07 June 2018
Where Are All The LGBT Bakers?
I keep reading about bakers who refuse to bake cakes for same-sex weddings on religious grounds.
Are there no gay bakers?
Finding an unfilled niche is a sure path to business success.
You'd think someone would be setting up to fill it rather than wasting time forcing the unwilling to fill it for them.
Are there no gay bakers?
Finding an unfilled niche is a sure path to business success.
You'd think someone would be setting up to fill it rather than wasting time forcing the unwilling to fill it for them.
Translative
Making a character for a setting is not the same as making a character for a campaign.
My Interstellar Wars Terrani navigator Dahveeie needed tweaked for the specifics of the campaign rather than just generic for the setting.
I hope she plays well.
My Interstellar Wars Terrani navigator Dahveeie needed tweaked for the specifics of the campaign rather than just generic for the setting.
I hope she plays well.
06 June 2018
05 June 2018
Is It Summer?
Despite not being near the solstice yet, I think it's summer.
Been wearing shorts for weeks now.
It's hot out there like it's summer.
Time to start using the spiffy holster that I had custom made!
I've even mown the lawn wearing it now!
Been wearing shorts for weeks now.
It's hot out there like it's summer.
Time to start using the spiffy holster that I had custom made!
I've even mown the lawn wearing it now!
Did I Wish Death On Someone?
Yes.
When someone wishes me dead, I wish it right back at them.
Thanks to the SWATing of Reichsminister Hogg, I can see that he's from wealth and privilege.
He's never encountered the world much past the thin veneer of civil society.
This is why he's so entirely freaked out by someone he and his Parkland Kids bullied decided to kill them all.
All his short life, his actions have been devoid of consequences. Much like the person they bullied, whom then proceeded to commit murder.
Having never lived inside that isolated bubble, I never had the luxury of thinking that I could do things or say things with impunity.
David lives in the isolated world where there's second and third second chances. Where he can take greater risks than I could with being outspoken and political because he's not particularly concerned about his attitude costing him his livelihood.
It's why he's not a particularly good student, he knows he doesn't need good grades.
It's why he's taking a year off to wish death upon me, mine and those like me. He's got the luxury of wealth to afford him this time.
I do know that if I see him drowning I will alert the coast guard. By first class postage.
When someone wishes me dead, I wish it right back at them.
Thanks to the SWATing of Reichsminister Hogg, I can see that he's from wealth and privilege.
He's never encountered the world much past the thin veneer of civil society.
This is why he's so entirely freaked out by someone he and his Parkland Kids bullied decided to kill them all.
All his short life, his actions have been devoid of consequences. Much like the person they bullied, whom then proceeded to commit murder.
Having never lived inside that isolated bubble, I never had the luxury of thinking that I could do things or say things with impunity.
David lives in the isolated world where there's second and third second chances. Where he can take greater risks than I could with being outspoken and political because he's not particularly concerned about his attitude costing him his livelihood.
It's why he's not a particularly good student, he knows he doesn't need good grades.
It's why he's taking a year off to wish death upon me, mine and those like me. He's got the luxury of wealth to afford him this time.
I do know that if I see him drowning I will alert the coast guard. By first class postage.
Sirhan Sirhan Was Unavailable
David "Media Bully" Hogg got the Robert Kennedy Freedom Medal?
Pity that Sirhan Sirhan wasn't available to present it.
The manager of my local Publix appreciated me taking the time to let him know that I was shopping there because of Reichsminister Hogg.
He agreed that the 15 minutes of disruption from the bullies and the media (or did I repeat myself) is being more than offset by customers "counter-protesting" with their wallets by buying groceries.
Pity that Sirhan Sirhan wasn't available to present it.
The manager of my local Publix appreciated me taking the time to let him know that I was shopping there because of Reichsminister Hogg.
He agreed that the 15 minutes of disruption from the bullies and the media (or did I repeat myself) is being more than offset by customers "counter-protesting" with their wallets by buying groceries.
The Purge
I started blogging on LiveJournal.
Weer'd convinced me to move over to Blogger.
FuzzyGeff and Technomad stayed on LiveJournal, so I kept my account to comment on their blogs.
Then one day FuzzyGeff actually reads the EULA from LiveJournal's new ownership.
It's so bad that he won't even agree to it for the minutes it would take to delete his account.
I'd already, unthinkingly, clicked OK...
It's almost literally, "I agree to let Russian gangsters have my whole computer."
So I deleted my journal and account.
They give a warning that if you don't reactivate it in a certain period of time it will be deleted forever.
I already copy-pasted my posts over to here... so...
Удалите! Товарищ!
Удачи, штурмуя замок!
Today I got the email telling me I have three days to reactivate my account or they're going to purge it.
Могу ли я рекомендовать слабительное?
Weer'd convinced me to move over to Blogger.
FuzzyGeff and Technomad stayed on LiveJournal, so I kept my account to comment on their blogs.
Then one day FuzzyGeff actually reads the EULA from LiveJournal's new ownership.
It's so bad that he won't even agree to it for the minutes it would take to delete his account.
I'd already, unthinkingly, clicked OK...
It's almost literally, "I agree to let Russian gangsters have my whole computer."
So I deleted my journal and account.
They give a warning that if you don't reactivate it in a certain period of time it will be deleted forever.
I already copy-pasted my posts over to here... so...
Удалите! Товарищ!
Удачи, штурмуя замок!
Today I got the email telling me I have three days to reactivate my account or they're going to purge it.
Могу ли я рекомендовать слабительное?
04 June 2018
Figured It Out
The twitch is really from me unconsciously locking my right elbow!
I just noticed changing back and forth between my Glock 17 and the M&P that I was doing it.
I relax that elbow, even slightly, and the twitch goes away.
I don't get a twitch shooting lefty because my shoulders don't match. The shoulder mismatch also makes push-ups 150% harder for me than it would otherwise be as well.
I'm glad/disappointed it took spending the money on the trigger to find the problem.
Glad I found it.
Disappointed the cure didn't need the gun worked on.
I like the feel of the new trigger better, so it's not all bad. The hinge in the middle trigger S&W has used since Sigma never really sat well with me.
I just noticed changing back and forth between my Glock 17 and the M&P that I was doing it.
I relax that elbow, even slightly, and the twitch goes away.
I don't get a twitch shooting lefty because my shoulders don't match. The shoulder mismatch also makes push-ups 150% harder for me than it would otherwise be as well.
I'm glad/disappointed it took spending the money on the trigger to find the problem.
Glad I found it.
Disappointed the cure didn't need the gun worked on.
I like the feel of the new trigger better, so it's not all bad. The hinge in the middle trigger S&W has used since Sigma never really sat well with me.
Dry Fire
Did some dry firing with the new trigger.
The twitch to the right is better, but not gone.
But that was with the small back-strap installed.
With the medium back-strap it's GONE!
With the factory trigger there wasn't really a difference between the straps.
Now I just need some hot trigger time to see if it helped.
The twitch to the right is better, but not gone.
But that was with the small back-strap installed.
With the medium back-strap it's GONE!
With the factory trigger there wasn't really a difference between the straps.
Now I just need some hot trigger time to see if it helped.
Trigger Alert
Installed my Apex Polymer Action Enhancement Trigger!
First you take it apart.
Then you move the trigger bar from the old trigger to the new one.
Then you use the provided slave pin to tie the trigger, trigger return spring and slide stop into one handy package.
Then you reassemble and enjoy! Then you notice you put the trigger assembly back in and forget that the trigger pivot pin also ties in the front locking block. Take apart. Reassemble and enjoy! Then you notice that despite the instructional video warning you about six times that you dropped the take-down latch retainer spring. Take apart. Reassemble and enjoy! For reals this time!
I didn't have to adjust the candy-cane on the trigger bar. That was probably because I knew where my feeler gauges were. If I was unable to locate them, I'd have had to adjust it and been wanting my gauges.
I opted to retain the stock sear spring.
First you take it apart.
Then you move the trigger bar from the old trigger to the new one.
Then you use the provided slave pin to tie the trigger, trigger return spring and slide stop into one handy package.
I didn't have to adjust the candy-cane on the trigger bar. That was probably because I knew where my feeler gauges were. If I was unable to locate them, I'd have had to adjust it and been wanting my gauges.
I opted to retain the stock sear spring.
03 June 2018
Sexism
I wonder what feminists would do with the Aslan?
The race has significant sexual dymorphism and a culture that accounts for and embraces it.
They have cultural "women's work". Like commerce, finance and technical roles.
They have a cultural mechanism for a female to become legally male, and yes that's important!
To quote GT: Alien Races 2,
I think that an SJW Feminist would find themselves on the wrong side of Fteir in short order.
Both sexes have a role in Aslan society and are considered complimentary and necessary.
The race has significant sexual dymorphism and a culture that accounts for and embraces it.
They have cultural "women's work". Like commerce, finance and technical roles.
They have a cultural mechanism for a female to become legally male, and yes that's important!
To quote GT: Alien Races 2,
Gender is much more important in defining Aslan behavior than it is for Humans.
Male Aslan are warriors, concerned with owning land, and the combat and political skills needed to get it and keep it. Those of high status already own land, and are obsessed with gaining more; those of low status scheme constantly to acquire their own land.
Female Aslan are concerned with trade and knowledge; they are engineers, technicians, traders, teachers, scholars, and managers. A common female goal is to amass enough money to marry well – a large fortune both gives her the wherewithal to support a high-status male and demonstrates her capability to run his estate.
I think that an SJW Feminist would find themselves on the wrong side of Fteir in short order.
Both sexes have a role in Aslan society and are considered complimentary and necessary.
Race
One really nice thing about Traveller is the matter of race, as we know it, is completely dead.
So your skin is darker and your hair is very curly? And what, Human?
The difference between Caucasian and Negro becomes utterly meaningless in a universe where there's Hominid descendants from planets around other stars who are genetically incapable of interbreeding with Terran stock.
Humaniti as a whole is a totally different issue than our petty squabbles.
There's the three major races of Humaniti: All are descendant of Homo Sapiens.
Vilani
Solomani
Zhodani
Then there's lots and lots of minor races (49, maybe 50). Most are descendant of Homo Sapiens but some may be descendant from Homo Erectus, the scientific jury is still out in IY 1109.
The ones I have stats for:
Acheron
Anakandu
Answerin
Azhanti
Darrian
Dynchia
Floriani
Geonee
Iltharan
Irhadre-Habbrut
Kargol
Luriani
Nexxie
Otrai
Suerrat
Sylean
Yilean
With all this variety, minor variations in skin color matter much less. A Terran is likely to get a, "So you're black? At least your a major!" in response to discrimination.
So your skin is darker and your hair is very curly? And what, Human?
The difference between Caucasian and Negro becomes utterly meaningless in a universe where there's Hominid descendants from planets around other stars who are genetically incapable of interbreeding with Terran stock.
Humaniti as a whole is a totally different issue than our petty squabbles.
There's the three major races of Humaniti: All are descendant of Homo Sapiens.
Vilani
Solomani
Zhodani
Then there's lots and lots of minor races (49, maybe 50). Most are descendant of Homo Sapiens but some may be descendant from Homo Erectus, the scientific jury is still out in IY 1109.
The ones I have stats for:
Acheron
Anakandu
Answerin
Azhanti
Darrian
Dynchia
Floriani
Geonee
Iltharan
Irhadre-Habbrut
Kargol
Luriani
Nexxie
Otrai
Suerrat
Sylean
Yilean
With all this variety, minor variations in skin color matter much less. A Terran is likely to get a, "So you're black? At least your a major!" in response to discrimination.
It Was Copyright
Smade's Planet originally appears in Jack Vance's 1964 novel "Star King".
It was used without permission by GDW et al in 1977 and that Steve Jackson's scrupulous observance of said copyrights prevented its continued use in GURPS: Traveller.
It was used without permission by GDW et al in 1977 and that Steve Jackson's scrupulous observance of said copyrights prevented its continued use in GURPS: Traveller.
What About The Smades?
Looking through my old Traveller stuff on The Solomani Rim.
Smade's Planet (Gemini subsector 0803) Solomani Rim 2433 is listed as Demeter in GT: Rim of Fire.
My OG LBB Supplement 10: The Solomani Rim says the year is 1108 with the Smade family settling there, "a century ago."
UPP: 0803 D778200 5 Non-Industrial G
Type D port, 11,200 km diameter, standard tainted atmo, 80% water, hundreds of inhabitants, no government, no law, TL5 (1900 to 1939).
OG LBB Alien Module 6: Solomani agrees with Supplement 10.
UPP: 2433 D778200-5 Lo Ni 802Im M1 V
Same as Supp 10 but adding Low population, 8x10^2 population, no asteroids, 2 gas giants, Imperial aligned, red main-sequence star.
Rim of Fire gives the year as 1120 with an advance colony being established by the Solomani in 1117, with a rumor of prior habitation.
Stats: 2433 Demeter, Solomani aligned, Green zone, Type II starport, 6,900 mile diameter, 0.82g, Standard (tainted) atmo, 79% water, Warm climate, population 810, Corporate government, CR 1, TL 9 (2025+), WTN 2.0. Red main-sequence star, 2 gas giants, no asteroids and orbit of 0.31 AU, no moons.
It's these little changes to the GURPS Traveller universe that often trip me up and piss me off.
There was nothing wrong with Smade's World being unaligned and remote. It's a Jump-3 to get there from any of its closest neighbors.
So I am going to say that the Smade's are still there, unnoticed due to a beacon failure, and far enough from the current colony they're also unaware of the activity at the other colony.
Smade's Planet (Gemini subsector 0803) Solomani Rim 2433 is listed as Demeter in GT: Rim of Fire.
My OG LBB Supplement 10: The Solomani Rim says the year is 1108 with the Smade family settling there, "a century ago."
UPP: 0803 D778200 5 Non-Industrial G
Type D port, 11,200 km diameter, standard tainted atmo, 80% water, hundreds of inhabitants, no government, no law, TL5 (1900 to 1939).
OG LBB Alien Module 6: Solomani agrees with Supplement 10.
UPP: 2433 D778200-5 Lo Ni 802Im M1 V
Same as Supp 10 but adding Low population, 8x10^2 population, no asteroids, 2 gas giants, Imperial aligned, red main-sequence star.
Rim of Fire gives the year as 1120 with an advance colony being established by the Solomani in 1117, with a rumor of prior habitation.
Stats: 2433 Demeter, Solomani aligned, Green zone, Type II starport, 6,900 mile diameter, 0.82g, Standard (tainted) atmo, 79% water, Warm climate, population 810, Corporate government, CR 1, TL 9 (2025+), WTN 2.0. Red main-sequence star, 2 gas giants, no asteroids and orbit of 0.31 AU, no moons.
It's these little changes to the GURPS Traveller universe that often trip me up and piss me off.
There was nothing wrong with Smade's World being unaligned and remote. It's a Jump-3 to get there from any of its closest neighbors.
So I am going to say that the Smade's are still there, unnoticed due to a beacon failure, and far enough from the current colony they're also unaware of the activity at the other colony.
02 June 2018
Oh That's Where That Smell Was Coming From
The flame shields on my grill have all rusted out.
I took the most intact one out to measure before ordering (this time) and was hit with a rather nasty odor.
There was like a 1/4" of nasty under the burner tubes.
I have remedied that situation.
I took the most intact one out to measure before ordering (this time) and was hit with a rather nasty odor.
There was like a 1/4" of nasty under the burner tubes.
I have remedied that situation.
Traveller Mercs
Something else occurred to me about mercenaries in Traveller.
The Imperium tends to let individual worlds do whatever they want. Really.
A Nazi planet slaughtering its Jewish population would actually be ignored for a quite a while if interstellar trade was unaffected.
But the neighbors could object and mount a military campaign of their own to take-out Space-Hitler and free the Jews-Out-In-Space.
Again, as long as trade is unaffected, the Imperial Navy will not do much about this.
I pointed out, once, that mercenaries are a nice cheap way to get an experienced army on short notice.
I also mentioned that the Imperium subsidizes ships which are grossly unsustainable at the going rates for mercenary hires.
Why would they do that?
Ready availability of mercenary troops at cut rate prices encourages worlds to skip having a standing army of their own.
This comes in handy if the Imperial Marines need to apply a forcible correction to the planetary government's policies towards religious freedom, say?
No standing army, no resistance that can stop a Marine orbital insertion and then Imperial Army pacification landings.
The Imperium tends to let individual worlds do whatever they want. Really.
A Nazi planet slaughtering its Jewish population would actually be ignored for a quite a while if interstellar trade was unaffected.
But the neighbors could object and mount a military campaign of their own to take-out Space-Hitler and free the Jews-Out-In-Space.
Again, as long as trade is unaffected, the Imperial Navy will not do much about this.
I pointed out, once, that mercenaries are a nice cheap way to get an experienced army on short notice.
I also mentioned that the Imperium subsidizes ships which are grossly unsustainable at the going rates for mercenary hires.
Why would they do that?
Ready availability of mercenary troops at cut rate prices encourages worlds to skip having a standing army of their own.
This comes in handy if the Imperial Marines need to apply a forcible correction to the planetary government's policies towards religious freedom, say?
No standing army, no resistance that can stop a Marine orbital insertion and then Imperial Army pacification landings.
I'm No Electrician
I got home to The Lovely Harvey wanting to know which fuse shut off the wall plugs in The Boy's room.
"Why?" I ask, innocently enough.
"A plug broke off in the outlet!"
"Lemme see," I says.
She shows me.
The ground prong of a power strip had snapped off the plug and remained in its hole.
I grabbed a pair of needle nose's and plucked it out with the power still on.
She was shocked, but I explained the ground ain't got no power to it.
We're also surprised that the power strip we were using didn't actually have wires attached to the ground prong.
"Why?" I ask, innocently enough.
"A plug broke off in the outlet!"
"Lemme see," I says.
She shows me.
The ground prong of a power strip had snapped off the plug and remained in its hole.
I grabbed a pair of needle nose's and plucked it out with the power still on.
She was shocked, but I explained the ground ain't got no power to it.
We're also surprised that the power strip we were using didn't actually have wires attached to the ground prong.
Hitting The Apex
I've bit of a love-hate going on with my M&P.
I love pretty much everything about it, except I consistently pull the trigger wrong.
If I consciously place my finger differently, I can correct for it.
What happens when I don't is the gun twitches to the right, ever so slightly. It causes me to be a bit erratic and strings my shots left-right.
This is the only gun I have where I have this issue.
Apex makes a replacement trigger. I'm going to try that.
I'm a fan of Apex. Their kit to improve the trigger on my J-Frame really improved it.
Marv has done two different trigger upgrades in his M&P. First the Duty/Carry Action Kit then the Forward Set Sear/Trigger Kit.
Their trigger improvements kit for Sigma made a vast improvement for FuzzyGeff and Willard's guns.
Apex make a different trigger for Sigmas too... might have to try that!
I love pretty much everything about it, except I consistently pull the trigger wrong.
If I consciously place my finger differently, I can correct for it.
What happens when I don't is the gun twitches to the right, ever so slightly. It causes me to be a bit erratic and strings my shots left-right.
This is the only gun I have where I have this issue.
Apex makes a replacement trigger. I'm going to try that.
I'm a fan of Apex. Their kit to improve the trigger on my J-Frame really improved it.
Marv has done two different trigger upgrades in his M&P. First the Duty/Carry Action Kit then the Forward Set Sear/Trigger Kit.
Their trigger improvements kit for Sigma made a vast improvement for FuzzyGeff and Willard's guns.
Apex make a different trigger for Sigmas too... might have to try that!
Nerd Chic
I have noticed on my infrequent trips to the comic and game shop that there's not so many folks who are like I was.
I'd say like I am, but there's not so many late-40's early-50's folks just like when I was prime gamer age.
The Beautiful People are there.
Trim, fit, socially adjusted people go to comic shops now!
The female of the species is present in nearly equal ratios as well.
It freaks me out.
The Beautiful People were the source of about half of my bullies in the way back.
They've a gaming area, I know I've changed, I wonder if The Beautiful People have too. Maybe I should hang my GURPS GM shingle at a table and see if anyone comes to play. With Westworld being popular, there might be an audience for Sixguns and Spellcasters.
I'd still be twitchy. I'm still that 14 year old kid when it comes to pretty girls. Whom now abound in the comic shop. Couple that with a streak of old-fashioned gentleman, it's a wonder I can talk to anyone of the opposite sex.
I'd say like I am, but there's not so many late-40's early-50's folks just like when I was prime gamer age.
The Beautiful People are there.
Trim, fit, socially adjusted people go to comic shops now!
The female of the species is present in nearly equal ratios as well.
It freaks me out.
The Beautiful People were the source of about half of my bullies in the way back.
They've a gaming area, I know I've changed, I wonder if The Beautiful People have too. Maybe I should hang my GURPS GM shingle at a table and see if anyone comes to play. With Westworld being popular, there might be an audience for Sixguns and Spellcasters.
I'd still be twitchy. I'm still that 14 year old kid when it comes to pretty girls. Whom now abound in the comic shop. Couple that with a streak of old-fashioned gentleman, it's a wonder I can talk to anyone of the opposite sex.
01 June 2018
Being Handy
The lawnmower refused to run.
It'd start, run for a about ten seconds then die.
I took its simple ass apart!
Flushed all the old gas, added new gas and a fresh sparkler.
It runs well enough to mow the lawn now. Which I did.
It still bogs at random but a vigorous shaking cures that. So I think there's something in the tank that blocks the screen in the sump.
It was NOT happy about the knee high, wet grass, but if I didn't get it done today it'd be beyond what a push-mower could do.
It'd start, run for a about ten seconds then die.
I took its simple ass apart!
Flushed all the old gas, added new gas and a fresh sparkler.
It runs well enough to mow the lawn now. Which I did.
It still bogs at random but a vigorous shaking cures that. So I think there's something in the tank that blocks the screen in the sump.
It was NOT happy about the knee high, wet grass, but if I didn't get it done today it'd be beyond what a push-mower could do.