The AnarchAngel

Educating those outside the gun culture who've been defrauded

2012-01-26T17:21:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned the other day, my post "Defending yourself, for those outside the gun culture" was a repost of something I wrote in another forum.

It received several responses, one of which was generally positive, but included these lines:

"I would hesitate to advise one to carry a gun only because many people do not fully understand the reality that if not prepared to use the weapon and possibly kill a human being, one risks having that weapon taken from then and used on them...

I am not up on current statistics but I believe from past classes that the statistics were pretty high on injuries and deaths from ones own weapon."

I wasn't going to do this, because as I said, this can be an emotional issue for many; and because of the huge infodump required.... But I really hate to see it when a fraud is unknowingly perpetuated by someone, who doesn't know any better.

To the point about injuries; actually the reference being made, is to a fraud perpetrated by gun control groups, and then repeated by a media who don't bother to verify facts, so long as the fraud fits their spin on the story.

There are two specific fraudulent claims that were frequently made by gun control advocates, and then endlessly (and mindlessly) repeated by the media, and by defrauded people who don't know better.

"You are 14 times more likely to be injured by a gun in your own home, than if you don't have one"

and

"Thousands of children are killed by guns in the home every year"

Let's talk a bit about those claims.

First of all, neither are remotely close to true, or have any basis in fact. They were essentially entirely made up on the spot by gun control advocates; and have been thoroughly and publicly disproven. Thus, most gun control organizations no longer make specific claims like that, only saying "much more likely", "many times more likely" etc...

However, media reports very frequently reference those two claims even today; as they are very easy to find in a quick google search.

The reality is very much different.

Excluding suicides, injuries or deaths among the general population from their own firearms are very rare; almost always self inflicted, almost always while abusing drugs or alcohol, and in the majority, with firearms that are possessed unlawfully; which even then constitute a tiny fraction of a percent of all gun owners.

When taking only lawfully possessed firearms, by clean and sober people, the incident rate drops to even tinier fractions of a percent... Essentially so close to zero as to be statistically insignificant, and well within the margin of error of any statistical analysis.

There are perhaps a few hundred incidents a year total; the majority of which are from hunting accidents, the police (yes, the police in this country have a very poor firearms safety record), and from firearms owners who are not properly educated about safety.

Most commonly the incidents with police and with poorly educated gun owners; occur when someone pulls the trigger on a loaded gun either while holstering the gun, or with a gun they thought was unloaded, but didn't properly unload; either before cleaning the gun, or while at a range or shooting spot. Most commonly the individual shoots themself, usually in the foot, hand, or leg. Very rarely, they shoot someone else.

Incidences of criminals using the firearm of someone who was defending themselves with it, by "taking the gun away from them" are almost non-existent; again, so close to zero as to be statistically insignificant and well within the margin of error of any statistical analysis.

In fact, police officers are shot with their own weapons FAR more than the general public.

Of the 200,000 or so sworn law enforcement officers in the U.S, about 40-60 are killed by gunfire in the line of duty every year (of 125-175 total annually). Of those, approximately one out of 8 is killed with their own gun.

The FBI and DOJ estimate that at least 60% of the 150,000 or so people shot annually in this country (some years as many as 200,000, some years as few as 125,000), are one criminal shooting another; and at least 95% of shootings occur during the commission of a crime.

Only about 1 in 20 shootings is accidental, or about 7500 a year (some say it is as high as 15,000 in some years); and of those, only about 1500 die (again, some say as many as 4000 in some years).

Oh and, in general, 80% or so of people shot in this country, don't die from it.

Given that there are 300 million people in this country, and about 3 million of them die every year; even including the 95% of shootings that occur during a crime, gunshot wounds don't make the top 25 causes of death. When you take into account just the accidental shootings, they don't make the top 100.

Similarly, incidents of children injuring themselves or others with firearms are incredibly rare; and almost always involve children involved in criminal activity, or parental negligence (usually due to drug or alcohol abuse, and funny enough most often in states with very restrictive gun control).

Kids in "gun friendly" states, generally don't shoot themselves or their friends; because their parents teach them properly about gun safety, and because their parents handle firearms properly.

Gun control groups post hugely inflated numbers, with no basis in fact. When they are forced to fall back to something with statistical validity, they then inflate the numbers further, by counting from birth to age 24 as "children"; when in fact nearly 100% of the incidents they cite occur among young men, age 16 to 24, and nearly 100% of the incidents they cite occur during criminal activity.

Funny enough, more than half of all violent crime is committed by young men, age 16 to 24 (according to the FBI and DOJ about 56%). Most drugs are dealt by young men age 16 to 24. Violent crime is a leading cause of death among young men 16 to 24 etc... etc... etc...

The problem isn't guns, it's young men, mostly those from broken homes, mostly those who come from severely economically and educationally depressed or deprived backgrounds.

Once again, and I'm sorry to be repetitive but it bears repeating; when you exclude young men age 16 to 24, and criminal activity, the incidents of children being injured by firearms falls to a near statistical invisibility.

There are about 60 million children under the age of 16 in this country. Something like 400 a year are shot accidentally by lawfully owned firearms, outside of criminal activity, and less than 1/4 of those die (it's very hard to get exact numbers because every state, and the CDC records things differently, and age and criminal breakdowns are hard to extract). That's a rate of .000006, 6/10,000ths of 1 percent, or 1 in 150,000 being shot, and 1 in 600,000 being killed.

Even if we add back in all the criminals, and the drug use, and the unlawfully owned weapons, and we include all "youths" (meaning from birth to age 24); even the New York times concedes that the number of accidental deaths by firearms is only 300 per year.

Out of the more than 100 million "youths" age 0-24 in this country, about 300 die per year through firearms accidents or negligence. That's a rate of .000003, 3/10,000ths of 1 percent, or one in 333,000.

You can say that "Oh my god thats DOUBLE the rate!!!!" which of course is what gun control advocates and the media do... but you're doubling from "almost zero" to "a little bit more, but still almost zero".

There are at least 300 million guns in this country (there are no reliable statistics, but guns pretty much last forever, and we make or import at least 10 million a year - in 2009 it was 14 million - so most people guess that number is low); and about 50% of the households in this country have guns (some say as low as 40% some as high as 60%).

About 40% of the population of the country lives in the 11 states where there is both restrictive gun control, and comparatively little private firearms ownership: California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Hawaii, and Michigan (Michigan is an odd one, since almost everyone in rural michigan has guns, and almost no-one in urban michigan does; but the population of Michigan is mostly urban).

Outside those 11 states, it's more like 75% or more of households have guns. In many states, it's pretty damn close to 100%.

Funny enough, in those states where almost everyone owns guns legally, almost no-one gets shot accidentally (or in crime for that matter. All 11 of the states with restrictive gun control have very high rates of violent crime, most of the 39 states that don't -30 or so of the 39-, have pretty low rates of violent crime).

The vast majority of incidents of people injuring themselves, or injuring children, accidentally or negligently with firearms, occur in those 11 states with restrictive gun control, or in the urban islands of the gun friendly states where lawful gun ownership is comparatively rare.

The best way to avoid these accidents though, is not to avoid firearms... frankly, in this country, you can't, and it's futile to try. By doing so, you are simply elevating the gun to an object of mystery, desire, and power (something television and movies do a pretty good job of anyway); and when your child does come across one, they're going to want to play with it.

The best way to avoid a tragedy, is to educate yourself, and your children, about firearms safety.

Even if you don't own guns, you should have a responsible gun owner you know teach your kids; or find a range or call the NRA, and they will let you know when and where a session of the award winning Eddie Eagle gun safety for kids program is being held.

The fact is, although these tragedies do happen, they are vanishingly rare.

The use of firearms to defend ones self, ones family, and ones property, is not rare at all.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of defensive firearms uses in this country every year (the best estimate is between 150,000 and 200,000). The vast majority (between 80% and 90% any given year) do not involve firing a shot, and many don't even involve drawing a weapon. Merely showing a potential offender that you have a firearm and are prepared to use it is often sufficient.

Of course, don't count on it. If you have a gun, you must be prepared to use it... or the bad guy WILL take it away from you and use it on you, and on others.

For sources you can reference http://gunfacts.info/, "More guns, less crime" by John R. Lott, Lott and Mustards various academic works, Gary Klecks various academic works, "Shooting Blanks" by Alan Gottleib, the CDC, DOJ, and FBI reports on causes of death, and violent crime. Most of these are available either in full or in extract form online.

Defending yourself, for those outside the gun culture

2012-01-24T17:12:00.000-08:00

Almost all my readers are "gun people", in that they own guns already, are interested in guns, guns are a hobby and form of recreation for them etc...

However, I'm also a part of several other communities or subcultures if you will, where guns are an uncomfortable subject, or just a mystery.

For example, I teach basic self defense, to women, and to gays, for free. I fully and firmly believe, armed women don't get raped, and armed gays don't get bashed.

I have a lot of friends in what you might call "alternative sexuality" or "alternative lifestyle" communities. These folks often engage in what you might consider fairly risky behavior; in that they meet strangers in private places etc... Basically, a lot of the necessary conventions of these communities, because they require discretion, privacy, secrecy etc... are the exact things the self defense classes and books tell you NOT to do.

I used to have a lot of friends who were escorts, strippers, in porn, or some combination of all of the above (I did security for them. You make friends pretty quickly in those situation). They have all those same risks, only turned up to 11.

I'm involved in gaming, both casual and hardcore, both tabletop and video gaming; and a lot of gamers and geeks just don't know a damn thing about guns or self defense... or worse, what they "know" is dead wrong... meaning it will get them, and others, dead.

We in the gun community or the gun culture if you will, understand that there is a hell of a lot of just plain bad information out there in the non-gun world; and we should, when we can, try to help others to get GOOD information, and to learn how to defend themselves safely, and responsibly.

To that end, I'm going to repost something I wrote on a forum for one of those groups I mention above.

-----------------------

The best way to protect yourself is to avoid being in danger in the first place, absolutely; but when that plan fails, the best way to defend yourself is a weapon.

Less lethal weapons are always an option if you feel you can't carry a gun, or can't kill someone who is trying to hurt you. Stun guns and chemical irritant sprays CAN be useful and effective if used properly.

Though I have seen far too many cases where they were not effective enough, to trust them as a primary means of self defense, any advantage you can give yourself in a life or death situation, is one you should tale. Also, unfortunately, in many places, these may be your only lawful means of self defense.

If you do choose to use a contact stun gun, a taser (they are two very different things by the way, and the difference is important), or a chemical irritant; you NEED to get training in how to use them safely, and effectively; and you ABSOLUTELY must practice with them at least once.

The time to say "huh, that didn't work the way I thought it would" is in training, NOT when someone is about to rape you to death.

Now, lot of folks in this community are not comfortably with firearms, but they carry knives; and they believe they will defend themselves with a knife if the time comes.

Let me tell you right now, you want to think of a knife as your absolute last resort in a defensive situation.

Unless you are an expert martial artist, trained for years in self defense with a knife, you are unlikely to be very effective in doing so; and you are likely to hurt yourself badly if it ever happens.

Even knife experts, and I'm one of them; hurt themselves badly, when defending themselves with a knife... and I'm one of them.

I've been in a couple of knife fights. Trust me on this, you REALLY want to avoid a knife fight under any circumstances. Next time you see me, ask me to show you some of my scars.

The two things most people don't understand are:

1. It's VERY hard to defend yourself with a knife. It's pretty easy to hurt someone pretty badly, but it's very hard to STOP them from attacking you, which is your goal; and it's very easy to hurt yourself in the process. Plus in order to use a knife effectively, you have to be close enough that they can grab you, and really, you should avoid that if there's any way you can.

and

2. You are far more likely to die or be permanently disabled or disfigured by a knife wound, than by a gunshot.

That's counterintuitive, but ER statistics prove it out. You are far more likely to die from a knife wound, because you are likely to lose more blood, have a greater chance of shock, and are more likely to suffer more severe infections, and more secondary infections.

So, while I won't say knives are useless for self defense, or not to grab one if it's your only weapon (any weapon you can use, is better than no weapon at all, if you're defending your life)... don't make it your plan to defend yourself with a knife, and don't carry a knife for self defense, unless it's your only option, or it's a backup to your other self defense methods.

My personal recommendation is, if you are able to deal mentally and emotionally with the concept of killing someone (and you need to be 100% able to deal with it, otherwise you are going to be a bigger danger to yourself and others than a rapist or killer is. If you can't, stick to less lethal weapons) you should carry a firearm.

Nothing stops a rapist so well as a bullet... or five.

Again, I want to stress, you shouldn't carry a gun unless you are entirely comfortable doing so; and have accepted the idea that you may, no matter how much you dont want to, need to use the thing on another human being, and you are safe, mature, stable, and responsible enough to do so.

If you are bi-polar or depressive, and your illness is not well controlled with medication you take religiously, you probably shouldn't have a gun. If you're an addict who is not doing well in recovery, you probably shouldn't have a gun (if you are an addict who is not in recovery at all, it is illegal for you to have a gun). In general, if you're someone who has great difficulties with mental or emotional stability... you probably shouldn't have a gun.

I won't say you definitely shouldn't, because everyone is different, as are everyones individual issues... but in general, unless you are sober, and stable, you shouldn't have a gun.

Also, you shouldn't carry a gun if you are not physically safe and secure (crackhead roommate? No guns til you move, which you should do immediately), responsible and conscientious about your possessions (if you lose your purse every week... don't carry a gun), and you have received training in self defense shooting, and the legal issues surrounding armed self defense in your state.

Note, I'm not saying it should be illegal for you to own or carry a gun without training in firearms safety and the legal aspects of self defense. What I'm saying is that unless it's a life or death emergency, you shouldn't, you're an idiot if you do, and I don't want you carrying a gun around me or mine.

You should also train with your defensive firearm at least once a month; both to ensure that your skills in shooting are adequate and safe for self defense, and to ensure that the firearm is still functioning properly.

Finally, when you decide to own and carry a gun, you accept a burden to behave in a safe and responsible manner.

People who carry guns for lawful self defense, can't allow their anger, or their depression, to get the best of them. They can't get into bar fights. They can't get into domestic disturbances. They can't get drunk or high.

Carrying a gun for lawful self defense means you always need to be the better man or woman in any situation. You need to turn the other cheek, and exercise restraint and caution, even further than those who don't carry.

Now, if I haven't scared you off after all that heavy stuff, here's my offer.

I am an NRA certified firearms instructor; and have additionally been trained in firearms use and instruction by Gunsite Academy, Frontsight Academy, Massad Ayoobs Lethal Force Institute, and several other firearms training facilities. I have acted as a trainer for several law enforcement organizations, security contractors, and for private clients; for almost 15 years.

If anyone in my region, wishes to learn how to shoot a gun for the first time, wants to learn about firearms safety, want's their kids, or family to learn about firearms safety; want's advice about firearms for defending themselves, or wants to get back into shooting; I will give them free instruction, and use of my firearms and safety gear, any time I'm available.

The only thing I ask, is that if you can, you pay for the ammo. If you can't afford it, I've got a fair bit, and I'm glad to share it with you... but ammo isn't free, and these days, it isn't particularly cheap.

Just had to share this quote...

2012-01-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

From Richard Kadreys "Sandman Slim":

"I hate Glocks. Guys who love Glocks love Corvettes. Not because it was a hot car, but because it was cool forty years ago and they once saw a picture of Steve McQueen in one. Their dad probably had a Vette when he was young, but he was never cool. But if they have a Vette, maybe they can forget the fat man who made them mow the lawn when they should have been out with their friends sneaking into R-rated movies, and who embarrassed them in front of their girlfriends. Maybe their dad was the guy driving fast and locking lips with Faye Dunaway in The Thomas Crown Affair. Maybe their dad was cool after all and maybe that made them cool, too. That’s what Glocks are. High-precision killing machines that scream “Daddy Issues.”

Note: This is coming from the mouth of a character who carries a knife, a collapsible spear/naginata type thingy, THREE single action revolvers, a 1911, and a sawed off shotgun all at the same time.

Ok, I don't hate Glocks at all, never mind for that reason (don't like how they feel in the hand, or their triggers, even when very well massaged), but I think that paragraph is just funny as hell.

Also, given the association with fat men, and corvettes, I think Kadrey is basically saying "Glocks are for douchebags".

Much as the corvette is now permanently tainted with douchebag stench from all the douchebags who bought them (these would be the douchebags who bought vets at 40... they owned Iroc Zs when they were 20...), the Glock is permanently tainted with douchebag stench from all the douchebags who bought them because of rap videos and action movies.

Though... I think there's a much stronger case to be made that the douchebag gun of the last 30 years is the Desert Eagle...

The Greatness of America

2012-01-22T02:11:00.000-08:00

It's 2am.

I'm sitting here, in my underwear, looking out at the most beautiful snowscape, 50 miles from nowhere.

Eating leftover Sichuan chicken (extra extra hot)...

Drinking ice cold cream soda...

Watching old punk videos, streamed over the net...

This is why we win.

It didnt...

2012-01-22T01:18:00.000-08:00

...Except to gay men who care more about how the clothes look, than the women.

An Explanation... for almost everything really...

2012-01-22T00:59:00.000-08:00

"Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm-but the harm does not interest them. Or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves."

-- T.S. Eliot

We don't go black... we try to turn on lights

2012-01-18T15:12:00.000-08:00

We're not going black today, over SOPA or PIPA.

In case you by some miracle hadn't noticed it yet, tens of thousands of web sites around the country and around the world, are "going black" or putting up banners explaining that they are not available or there is no content today etc... In protest against the "Stop Online Privacy Act" and the "ProtectIP act", which are currently (or were recently), being promulgated in congress.

We don't have a problem with anyone who does. It's important that people understand what SOPA and PIPA are (or were), and most folks are sadly unaware of the kind of stupid and harmful things that our government does.

Google and Wikipedia are two of the most important and most used sites on the net; and by participating in this protest, they will very certainly make a lot more people aware of this issue.

But "going black" isn't what we do here.

We talk about political and social issues here; in particular about liberty and freedom. We try to inform people about the important issues, events, and principles of liberty and freedom; and then talk about them in as free and open a way as we can.

I personally think that going black would be entirely against what we are about here; and while it might help to draw more attention to the problem, it wouldn't help us inform you, or help us begin the conversation about the issue.

... and of course, you can't go to wikipedia today to find out about it...

Note: actually, you can. All other searches are redirected to a "Stop SOPA" page, but you can research SOPA all you like... but it was too smartass not to say.

So, I personally, would like to do something that is in the spirit of protesting the idiotic and harmful nature of these pieces of industry lobbying masquerading as legislation...

...And share a few things:

That's the best explanation of why the freedom to share (within fair use of course, copyrights ARE important) is important; and why legislation like PIPA and SOPA are not only stupid and harmful, but entirely antithetical to the American system of ordered liberty.

And then there's this piece by my friend (and bestselling author, buy his excellent books please) Larry Correia:

"for all of the people out there on the internet having a massive freak out about the government potentially damaging something they love… WELCOME TO THE PARTY.

You think this is something new or unusual? Nope. This is just about a topic that you happen to be familiar with. If you fall into that camp, I want you to take a deep breath, step back, and examine all of the other issues in the past that you didn’t know jack squat about, but your knee jerk reaction was to say “there’s a problem, the governement has to do something!” Well guess what? The crap the federal government usually comes up with to fix these problems is similar to SOPA. In other words, the legislation addresses a perceived problem by instituting a bunch of stupid overregulation and taking away someone’s freedom.

You think people need access to affordable medical care and shouldn’t be denied coverage? Well, you got used and we got the bloated ridiculous mess that is Obamacare. You saw a news report about how big business defrauded people and said congress should do something? Well, everyone in the business world got screwed because of Enron by completely useless new arbitrary crap laws, and a few years later we got into an even bigger financial crisis which the arbitrary crap laws we spent billions conforming to did nothing to prevent. No, because that financial crisis was caused by people saying that there was this huge problem that needed to be fixed, so more people who couldn’t afford to pay mortgages could still buy houses, and the government simply had to do something to fix this problem!

Any crisis… Any problem… You ask the feds to fix it, you get this kind of answer. Almost never do the laws fix the actual problem. Instead the government gets bigger and gains a few more powers and it doesn’t fix the issue. When the problem gets bigger, then the government gets bigger and gains a few more powers that actually make the problem worse. Oh look! Despite all of these laws the problem has gotten even bigger? Whatever should we do? Why, I know! Let’s pass an even bigger law that takes away more individual freedom and gives the government more control!
Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Any topic, any situation, any problem.

They address it, you lose freedom and they gain more control. Some of you are only offended today because this particular law hurts something you enjoy. The rest of the time? Screw it. You can’t be bothered to pay attention. Or worse, people like me who are up in arms over an issue are just cranks or anti-government crackpots."

I was going to write something roughly similar to this, but Larry beat me to it... and I'd rather share what he wrote, because it's good, and because I can.

At least for now...

Missed another milestone

2012-01-17T03:41:00.000-08:00

Huh... looks like sometime in November I passed the 2.5 million unique visitors, and 3.5 million page views.

I've kinda stopped paying attention to the numbers.

I'm also coming up on my 7th anniversary as a blogger in about a month.

So... what would you Irish that up with?

2012-01-17T03:13:00.000-08:00

Everclear, or 151?

7 years on... "Why I carry and gun", and "Superiority Complex"

2012-01-16T17:04:00.000-08:00

Just about 7 years ago, I wrote a pair of posts, about why I carry a gun, and how I feel about carrying; titled "why I carry a gun" and "Superiority Complex".

I thought this would be a good time to republish those posts. Unfortunately, in the great Haloscan purge of 2010 I lost most of my sites comments before 2009 (Haloscan comments prior to some point in 2009 were unreadable by the import engines of other commenting systems. Thousands of bloggers lost their comments); so you can't read the literally hundreds of comments, both good and idiotic, on these posts.

I'm republishing these now; first because Kevin reminded me of the posts by linking to "superiority complex" in a recent link chain (to a post from 2010 actually); but also because the world has changed a lot since 2005.

I think it would be interesting to see how comments run these days.

So, here we go (note, I updated the dates, fixed typos etc...):

Why I Carry A Gun

My favorite anecdote about Bill Jordan goes a little something like this:
Now Ol' Bill, he was a direct man, and a big one at that, so most of the folks he put away were willing to chalk it up to "just business", and leave it at that.

Well Bill heard this feller was raisin' a stink about comin' round to get some back at him for, but he didn't think too much of it.

A few days later, Bills sittin' out there on his porch, and he's got his trademark combat magnum in his lap. His neighbor walks by and says to bill "See ya got yer pistol there Bill, you 'spectin trouble?", So says Bill "Nope, if I was expeting trouble, I'd have my rifle"
I carry a gun whenever it is legal, and not impolite for me to do so (I respect peoples property rights). When I am entering the home or place of business of someone I don't know, I will inform them I am armed, and ask them if they would prefer I not carry a gun while there.

It's just polite.

A lot of people ask me "Why do you carry a gun, do you expect trouble?"

No, I carry a gun not because I expect trouble, but because I can...

If I was expecting trouble I'd carry a 12ga.

The practice of carrying a weapon is a clear assertion that I am a man. By that I'm not talking about macho bullshit; By saying I am a man, I mean that I am an adult, responsible for my actions, and willing to accept the consequences of them.

When you carry a gun you have in your hands (or on your hip), the ability to end any mans life. This is a massive responsibility, second only to that of raising children.

Many people are uncomfortable with that responsiblity. They believe that they can't be trusted with it, and by extension, neither can anyone else. They fall back on saying "the police" or "the government" should take care of that. Someone with special training, and the blessings of the state should be responsible, but not me, or you, or anyone else.

I can think of no clearer way of saying "I am immature, and not to be trusted".

When I carry a gun, I accept the fact that I may kill someone. I don't ever plan on doing it, I hope it doesn't happen, but it may. I am prepared for this possiblity, and I accept the consequences should it happen.

A few years ago, I broke up with a girlfriend over this. She asked me what I would do to someone if they tried to rape her. I told her flat out that I would kill him. No hesitation there at all. She told me later that from that moment, she was afraid of me.

I asked her what she would do if someone tried to rape her. She said she wouldnt fight. "What if you had a gun, would you shoot the guy to stop it", no she wouldnt do that. "ok what if I was there and I shot him, would that be OK", no of course not. Finally I asked "What if a cop came along, and he shot the guy would that be ok" well of course, he's a cop.

That attitude frankly baffles, and disgusts me, yet there are so many people who hold it. They feel morally superior because they would never "sink to that level".

Personally I would consider that pretty clear evidence of moral bankruptcy.

The same applies to people who would never fight in a war, but are OK with soldiers and cops defending their rights. Oh, they'll protest, and march in the streets, but actually doing anything? No they're all above that and have disdain for everyone else who isn't, calling us savages, and rednecks, and barbarians etc...

I carry a gun because it is my right, and because I am responsible enough to excercise it. I feel nothing but pity or contempt for those who are not.

And the second post:

Superiority Complex

In my essay "Why I Carry a Gun", I explicitly state some thing that either piss people off, make them uncomfortable, or provoke irrational emotional reactions.

To wit:
When you carry a gun you have in your hands (or on your hip), the ability to end any mans life. This is a massive responsibility, second only to that of raising children.

...

When I carry a gun, I accept the fact that I may kill someone. I don't ever plan on doing it, I hope it doesn't happen, but it may. I am prepared for this possiblity, and I accept the consequences should it happen

...

I carry a gun because it is my right, and because I am responsible enough to excercise it. I feel nothing but pity or contempt for those who are not.

Responses from the left have come in many varieties, most often I get the arguments "Why do you need a gun", "Wouldnt the world be a better place without guns", and "arent you worried you'll shoot someone". Further, many insults are directed my way, calling me immature, accusing me of needing a gun as a phallic replacement, saying that I was clearly psychotic, and asking how I can possibly have such a superior attitude because of something that is so obviously wrong (carrying a gun that is).

The basic thread running through all of this, is that there must be some special jsutification for having, owning, or carrying a gun.

Here's the thing, pro-gun and anti-gun people are arguing from a different set of first principles. There can be no useful debate betwen two people with different first principles, except on those principles themselves.

More in the extended entry...

ProGun people believe that the gun is a useful tool with no inherent motive, and no inherehnt dangers, excepting misuse. Additionally, guns are examples of elegance in mechanical engineering, which many take pleasure in. Finally they are a source of enjoyment through the practice of the skill of marksmanship. But guns are jsut inanimate object; dangerous if muisused, but so are knives, screwdrivers, chainsaws, cars.. well really just about anything. A gun is an inanimate object, just like any other two pound chunk of metal.

Anti-gun people operate from a completely different principle. They believe guns are inherently wrong. They equate guns with assault and murder, and conflate a causal relationship. They believe that if anyone would have a gun, they must have a valid justification for it, and that they (the anti-gun people) must judge the validity of this justification. They believe that the desire to carry a gun is in iteslf a pathology, and therefore no-one who wishes to carry a gun should be trusted to do so.

Personally I think this position is ridiculous. It's an inanimate object. It has not intent. It has no will. It has no magical properties. Picking up a gun does not turn you into Rambo, or Gary Gilmore.

I have asked a girlfriend to pick up a gun and hand it to me from my work bench, and they actually shrunk back from it, as if it would hurt them.

I carry a gun because I can, and because it is a useful tool. I never explicitly stated that a gun is a useful tool in my original essay, because anyone who isn't an idiot, or blinded by their emotional reaction to an inanimate object should be able to see that a gun is useful. I also carry a pocket knife, a flashlight, and a multitool, because I can, and because they are useful tools.

Does carrying a gun make me feel better? More secure? Absolutely. I know that no matter who might try to harm me or those around me, I have an advantage in stopping them. I know that I won't necessarily have to rely on the police, or the people around me to help. I know that by merely having a gun I am more likely to be able to stop an assault from happening because most defensive uses of guns do not involve any shots being fired.

Am I supposed to feel bad because carrying a gun makes me feel better?

Do I take pleasure in the fact that I can kill someone with it? Of course not. I can almost as easily kill someone with my bare hands, or a knife, or even easier with my car.

Only those that impute some mystical power to guns could ever make these arguments without realizing how ridiculous they are.

What I do appreciate, is that carrying a gun is a greater responsibility than not carrying one. I have a greater capacity for harm with less effort, (though no greater responsiblity to not harm), and should act accordingly. THis is no different than a large and strong man appreciating that he must be more careful than a small man in how he moves, to avoid breaking things around him.

Does this somehow make me feel superior to everyone around me? No of course not, but I do feel superior to those who believe they are not responsible enough to carry a gun, because I AM superior to them. I have control of myself, and I do not impute irrational properties to inanimate objects. I dont think that merely posessing an object will make me a killer.

Damn right I'm superior to those who do not have the moral courage to simply own an inanimate object.

Damn right I am superior to those who feel that since they aren't responsible, neither is anyone else.

Damn right I am superior to those who refuse to take responsibility for their own safety.

I am superior to them, because I am not dependent on them, or anyone else, to defend myself; and yes, I feel contempt for those people who do not have the will to do so. It's not about ability, its about will.

Saying you don't have the physical ability to defend yourself is nothing but an excuse, because weapons are the great equalizer. What you really don't have is the will necessary. You are saying that if someone tries to kill you, or rape you, will do nothing to stop them but flail your arms and scream. Worse, you are not only saying it isn't your responsibility to stop them, but that it IS everyone elses responsiblity.

Yes, I have contempt for you, and I pity you, because no matter what age you are, you have wilfully reduced yourself to no more than a helpless child.

Just in case there was any confusion, I feel exactly the same way I did seven years ago.

I have no problem with you if you don't want to carry a gun. Lots of people don't want to, for any number of reasons.

But if you believe that you are not responsible enough to carry a gun, what you are saying to me is "I am irresponsible, and cannot be trusted".

If you can't be trusted with a gun, you can't be trusted with a car, or a knife, or gasoline, or household cleaners... You certainly can't be trusted around my kids.

You are saying that the only thing preventing you from doing wrong, is that you don't have the tools to do so; and I don't want you around me.

All that said, you and I don't have a problem with each other. You live your way and I'll live mine... just stay away from me, and my kids.

If you think that because you are not responsible enough, no-one is; you are simply dead wrong. You may not be responsible enough, but plenty of us are.

Perhaps you can learn for yourself that you are wrong.

Talk to a responsible gun owner. Go out shooting with them. It's fun, and maybe you'll learn something. Guns aren't magic, they're just inanimate objects. Two pounds of metal, with no will, and no intent. They're tools; and just like any other tools, they can be used or misused.

If, after learning a little bit about guns and safety, and gun ownership, you still decide that you are not personally responsible enough... I respect your decision, and your self awareness; but you should understand that just because you are not mature or responsible enough for gun ownership, doesn't mean I am not.

If you believe that YOU personally are responsible enough, and police and the military are responsible enough, but the rest of the law abiding citizens of this country are not...

...Well then there's no help for you.

Haven't really been able to write for over a week now

2012-01-13T23:34:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I wrote a post on Tuesday, but it was one of those "I'm still alive, and really frustrated" things...

I'm on the horns of a dilemma...

There's a couple of things I really want to write, but also don't want to write... and they're not letting anything else come out until I finally figure out what I'm going to write... or decide not to write at all.

The first thing is about California and politics. The second is about the upcoming election, and our "choice" of candidates.

Those are fairly predictable topics for this moment. What I'm going to write isn't going to be predictable, and will probably piss people off...

On the other hand, I'm not sure I even want to get into it.

I'm so worn out on politics right now... hell, I have been since what, 2008?

When was it that I wrote about being tired of making the same arguments over and over again, and already having said it all?

The other thing though...

The other thing is what's really freezing me up.

My brother died a year ago this last Monday...

Sunday, January 9th, 2011, my not quite 32 old brother died; of a combination of a severely weakened immune system due to cancer, an untreated septic infection, and the effects of both prescription and illicit drugs.

I really don't know what to write about that.

I really don't know HOW to write about that.

I NEED to say something, and I can't; and I can't seem to say anything else until I do.

... and I... just... can't.

Not now.

Maybe later.

Finally recovered (mostly)

2012-01-10T20:23:00.000-08:00

I've been sick since the week before Christmas. Upper respiratory infection and sinus. It's had me flat on my ass most of that time.

About half way through, I decided I was better, and resumed a few days of regular activity; which, of course, made me even sicker.

I'm FINALLY, mostly, recovered.

In the meantime, I missed a review appointment with the Idaho department of Labor, which caused me to miss a week of unemployment. Yay. Got that sorted out yesterday; and because I couldn't get it sorted til yesterday I actually miss two weeks (a little under $700). Not good.

No, they don't pay back benefits either (some states do), they just tack the extra two weeks onto the end of my eligibility.

Yay.

Oh and the IDOL are actually great, and this wasn't their fault in any way.

Because I was sick, I missed the notice that they sent me saying I needed to go to the review (apparently they sent it the wednesday or thursday before christmas. I was already sick when it got in the Monday after christmas, and didn't notice it). I got the second notice, saying my unemployment was suspended, last Friday, after close of business. It was automatic based on my not showing up, or responding to their initial notice.

First thing Monday I called them up and we were able to do the review over the phone; it was only because of the holidays messing with mail delivery timelines etc... that things got so screwed up. They were extremely helpful, courteous and professional; and they view their job as helping me return to gainful employment, not to try to catch me cheating.

Meanwhile, theres a $700 hole in my already limited budget for the month.

Again, yay.

It's 51 frikken degrees out...

2012-01-05T12:17:00.000-08:00

In January.

In North Frikken Idaho.

And it's GOING to be 57 before the day is done.

IN JANUARY IN NORTH IDAHO...

What the hell?

So, you know what happens...

2012-01-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

When you're sick, and you feel a lot better, so for a couple days you resume your normal activities... only you weren't actually better?

Of course you do, because, like me, most of my readers do the same thing.

You get a HELL of a lot sicker than you were before.

That's what I've been for the last week. A hell of a lot sicker than I was the week before last.

Still am actually, probably will be for another few days.

Blargh.

On the desk right now...

2011-12-29T23:40:00.000-08:00

Glock: The Rise of Americas Gun by Paul Barrett

I met Mr. Barrett earlier this year, at the Gunblogger Rendezvous, and had a great time taling about guns with him, and shooting with him.

Ill be reviewing the book next week. I got this review sample for free from the publisher; so, if I like the book (and I think I will, based on the discussions I had with the author, and on the earlier reviews I've read - not coincidentally all by friends in the gunblogger community) I'll be buying my own copy, and passing this one on to a reader.

The title of the graph alone explains a hell of a lot...

2011-12-27T20:38:00.000-08:00

In case you don't understand my comment in the title, let me explain.

First, let's get the surface argument out of the way.

It's rather obvious to anyone with the slightest knowledge of economics (sadly, that excludes much of the general population)... or even basic math; that for a given level of productivity, someone with twice as many days off, is producing far less value for their employers.

That IS the point of employing someone after all... Obtaining economic value from them. While leftists seem to believe that business should exist solely to provide employment to people who want it; thankfully businesses still exist to make money (at least in the U.S. ... for now anyway).

While some may argue that more time off makes employees more productive, that is only true to a certain point (though that point is different for everyone). Once you pass that point, that employees gross productivity is reduced.

Frankly, I'm pretty sure that point is something lower than 35 days, for almost everyone, in almost every job.

Now, this is just me... but I don't see how I could take that much time off.

At my last job I got 25 days a year paid time off, plus 11 company holidays (and if a holiday fell on a non-work day, we got a compensatory time off day either the next week, or as a floating holiday). Every year, I hit my maximum carryover of five days. So, I actually had a total of 41 paid weekdays off per year, and of course, 104 weekend days a year; for a total of 145 days off. 365 days a year, 145 days off... That's one out of every 2 and a half days.

I just couldn't take that many days. In November and December, I had to take extra WEEKS off, just to get down to the five day carryover point. That is not enhancing productivity.

But the bigger point is one of basic principle, illustrated by the graphs title...

No-one is ENTITLED to ANYTHING in the course of voluntary employment, including wages; and at the most fundamental live, including you job itself. Your job isn't "yours", and you have no right or title to it.

Paid time off (other than government mandated paid time off) isn't an entitlement, it is a benefit provided by employers, as an incentive to attract and retain employees; and to improve productivity (a happy and well rested employee is far more productive).

Health insurance, is also not an entitlement. It is a benefit provided to attract and retain employees, and to improve productivity.

In fact, just about everything employees receive from their employers (excepting wages and soul crushing stress) are benefits; most of which are of benefit to your employer as well (as it is very expensive to find and train new employees, and unhappy or sick employees are not productive).

You are not ENTITLED to wages either. Both wages and benefits, are consideration provided in exchange for your labor and business benefit in the course of your employment.

Oh and by the way, you DO have an employment contract, even if it's not written down, even if you're an at will temporary employee etc... The requirements of your employment are the consideration you provide, and the wages and benefits are the consideration they provide, in fair exchange. That's the definition of a contract.

Once you have provided your consideration according to the conditions and requirements of your employment, you are not ENTITLED to your wages and benefits; they are YOURS, and your employer is contractually required to give them to you.

The difference?

Wages and benefits are part of a contractual exchange of consideration. You provide your labor and business value to your employer, your employer provides you with wages and benefits.

An entitlement, is something which you have been granted by "authority", as yours to claim by right and without consideration required in exchange.

Remember your Heinlein: TANSTAAFL... There aint no such thing as a free lunch.

By granting you something (if you take it anyway), "authority" is exerting control over you in many ways. There are ALWAYS conditions, and just like anything else authority grants you, what they grant, they can take away whenever they want; for any reason, or no reason at all.

Personally, I'll take property rights and consideration, over being "given" an "entitlement" any time.

For this day, is born to you a Saviour

2011-12-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

"And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled.

This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.

And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:

For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying:

Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will."

--Luke 2:1-2:14

Sing Glory to god in the highest:

and come all ye faithful:

For christ is born.

It's not about elites or idiots

2011-12-23T16:42:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years, there has been a constant drumbeat from "progressives" (and even some non-lefties) that conservative anti-elitism is effectively "anti-science", "anti-education", "pro-stupidity" etc...

This is partially in response to the fact that many conservatives use the terms "elitist" or "the elite" (in the political and social context, not in the context of achievement... though that distinction is lost on leftists) as a pejorative.

Their basic comment comes down to "Well, if you don't want intelligent, well educated people running things who would you rather run them, idiots?"

Thus, completely missing the point.

Conservatives and libertarians aren't against smart well educated people; in fact many of us ARE smart, well educated people.

...We're against people who want to run things.

This idea is so utterly foreign to the leftist mind, that they literally cannot conceive it, or believe it.

You see, to a conservative or libertarian, it's inherently obvious... axiomatic even:

The world runs better, when everyone runs their own lives, and their own business, with as little interference as possible; save that which is absolutely necessary for the common good, or to prevent harm to others.

No government official or lawmaker can know more about your life, or your business, than you do; therefore, they cannot run your life or you business as well as you can.

No matter how smart, or well educated they may be, and no matter how many of them there are; they will always be working with less information then you have. Their information will always be less current. They will always have less experience in dealing with the conditions unique to your life and your business.

Since no-one can run your life as well as you can; no-one should.

Note: Economists call the idea that if you’re just “smart enough” “well educated enough” etc… you can make everything run right, the “perfect information fallacy”. If you could have perfect information (that is all information about all conditions and factors that could possibly effect the outcome of a decision) and perfect reason (that is, the ability to analyze all factors correctly at all times), then you could make perfect decisions. However, it is impossible to have perfect information in a complex system (never mind perfect reason) thus all decisions will necessarily be imperfect. This is the primary reason why communism or socialism… or in fact any kind of “managed economy” could never possibly work on a large scale; even if every person participating in that economy were a perfect communist, acting only for the benefit of the collective.

To a leftist, that is simply ridiculous... Impossible even. Someone has to be running things. It simply cannot be any other way.

You have to understand, leftists fundamentally and fully believe, that nothing (or at least nothing good) can possibly happen, without "someone running things". No matter how "free" or "unregulated" something may appear to be, in reality, there is always someone behind it, really in control, and making sure it goes the way they want it to; favoring some parties and punishing others; exploiting some for the benefit of others.

Note: Conversely, this also means that whenever anything happens, it's because of the person in charge. Everything good that happens is to their credit, and everything bad that happpens is their fault.

It's called the "daddy" philosophy of government.

As with all leftist ideas, the basic principle of the daddy government is based on what children learn during kindergarten. All money, power, control, and guidance comes from "the people in charge", like your daddy, or your teachers.

Daddy has authority, and money. From that money, he gives you your food, housing, education, medical care etc... With that authority, he sets rules, rewards you with things when you do well at what he says you should do well at; and punishes you for doing badly, for doing things he doesn't want you to do, or for not doing the things he thinks you should do.

When you need something, daddy makes sure you get it. When you want something, you ask daddy, and if he thinks you should have it, he gives it to you.

Daddy enforces "fairness". Daddy makes sure you share, and play well with others. Daddy protects you from the bad people hurting you, or taking advantage of you. When things are bad, daddy will make them all better.

I should note, some people prefer to call this the "mommy" philosophy of government... which may be closer to appropriate, given most leftists have no idea what a father is , or what they are good for anyway.

When you're five years old, daddy controls the entire world; and there's nothing daddy can't do.

Leftists have never really advanced in economic, social, or moral maturity beyond that point. They believe that the world continues to work that way as you grow up; only instead of daddy, the one in charge is "government".

In fact, they not only believe it's the way it should work, they believe it simply IS the way it works, and there can be no other possible way.

Since there is no other possible way, and someone has to be controlling things; it's absolutely critical that we get the smartest, best educated, most "elite" people to be in charge. If you're against that, it must be because you want someone in charge who is going to favor you.

Or rather, because they have such a low opinion of the common man, they believe that the people themselves are idiots, being deceived by the people who secretly want to control everything. The people who want to control everything have convinced the "common man" of the lie of the "free market", and of "equal opportunity" and "the American dream". They're all just lies the secret controllers tell the "common man", so that the controllers can rig things to favor themselves, and their cronies. Those people are anti-elitist, anti education, pro-stupidity, and want idiots to run things, because they can secretly control the idiots for their own benefit.

Note the assumption there that anyone who is smart and well educated MUST know that the leftists are right; therefore anyone who disagrees with them is either stupid, or evil.

This isn't some far out conspiracy theory by the way; this is exactly what leftists think was behind the Bush presidency. Not only do they freely and publicly admit it, they write books and make movies about it.

They completely miss the point.

They don't understand that conservatives and libertarians have a completely different idea about what government is, and what it should do.

They don't understand...

We don't want idiots running things....

We don't want ANYONE running things.

Medium Raw

2011-12-23T15:30:00.000-08:00

"I've heard it said that for a proper steak, one should heat a cast iron skillet red hot, hold it at an angle, drop the steak into it, and catch it with a plate as it exits the skillet."

Ok, I'm going to have to go off on a little rant here.

Rare steak, is undercooked steak.

If you like rare stake, that's fine. Taste is personal and subjective after all. But you have to know, when you eat a rare steak, you are eating a tougher, less flavorful, piece of meat than one which has been cooked properly.

The entire idea that extra rare or rare meat is superior to properly cooked meat in any way is provably false.

Rare meat, is unquestionably tougher, and less flavorful; with a chewier, more rubbery, more fibrous texture and mouth feel; than properly cooked meat.

note: This leaves aside preparations that mechanically or chemically alter the meat, without cooking it; like pounding meat paper thin for carpaccio, bathing it in acid for ceviche or curing it with salt or smoke as in charcuterie.

Why?

Four things:

1. Fat
2. Connective tissue and cell wall integrity
3. Fluid migration and concentration
4. Thermal conversion of proteins and sugars

The proper temperature to cook any meat (presuming it is cut and served as a steak, filet, cutlet, or dry roast); for maximum flavor and tenderness, is ALWAYS medium rare.

Let me repeat, and rephrase slightly...

Any meat, if properly cut to be cooked and served on it's own as a piece of meat on the plate (a steak, filet, cutlet, or slice of a roast; as opposed to ground, cubed, stir fried, pulled, chopped etc...), and cooked using a high temperature dry cooking method (dry roasted, broiled, seared, sauteed, grilled, or fried); will be both most flavorful, and most tender, when cooked to medium rare.

I rephrased it, because sometimes you don't want the most tender or most flavorful piece of meat they can get. In particular, you might want meat to be firmer, or crispier; or you may want it to take on the flavor of a sauce etc...

"Meat" is what we call the fluid filled fibrous muscle tissue of animals. The fibers of meat are constructed from relatively strong, relatively thick walled cells (which themselves are mostly proteins), bound together in bundles with weaker proteins, fats, and a mixture of relatively weaker, and relatively very strong connective tissues (also mostly proteins).

Proteins are entangled together in tightly twisted and curled shapes, in what scientists call "folding". To my mind folded proteins bound up together look like a tangled mat of hair, but that's a messy analogy.

When we cook food, we're doing is "de-naturing" the proteins with heat (denaturing can also be done with acids, strong bases, and organic solvents like alcohol). De-naturing partially breaks proteins down, causing them to "unfold", losing their secondary and tertiary structure; but leaving their peptide bonds intact (vs. enzymatic breakdown, which dissolves peptide bonds).

This almost always makes something made from proteins mechanically weaker, but also more solid, firmer, and less flexible. That's why eggs get hard when they're boiled, and meat gets firm when it is cooked; and when cooked too much, either become crumbly.

Basically, the less flexible something is in general, the easier it is to break into pieces with mechanical force. Flexible stuff bends and stretches, inflexible stuff doesn't.

With meat in particular, you get a fairly complex reaction to heat. When you denature the proteins in muscle fibers, they lose flexibility, and become firmer and tougher (until they lose structural integrity entirely that is, far beyond well done stage in dry cooking). However, muscle fibers are bound up together into bundles with binding proteins and connective tissues; and when those proteins denature, the bundles loosen up, allowing the fibers, and fiber bundles, to move relative to each other.

Medium rare is defined rather simply as the temperature at which muscle fibers, connective tissues, and fats; break down and weaken enough (through rendering, fluid migration, and protein denaturation) to allow them to move relative to each other; causing interstitial spaces in the fibrous muscle tissue to widen and fill with fluid, which in turn allows the fibers of the meat to move relative to each other easier.

Medium rare is a different temperature, for every different type of meat; because meats all have slightly different composition and structure. In addition to different protein composition; different meats have different water content, different fat content and composition, and different connective tissue content and composition; all of which respond to heat at different rates and temperatures.

Medium rare for beef isn't quite the same as for venison. Duck isn't quite the same as goose, which isn't quite the same as chicken; and none of them are the same as beef.

Ok, so why is medium rare meat both more tender, and more flavorful, than rare? After all, if overcooking makes meat tough and flavorless, shouldn't cooking the meat less, make the meat more tender?

Up to a point, yes; but in rare meat, the processes of protein denaturing, fat rendering, and fluid migration, haven't yet worked enough, to allow the meat to become tender and more flavorful.

At medium rare temperatures, the relatively weak connective tissues and binding proteins between muscle fibers soften enough to allow the fibers to move relative to each other; making the meat more tender.

At medium rare temperatures, the relatively strong connective tissues between hard fats and muscle fibers, and between different muscles in the same cut; also break down a very small amount (it takes a very long time for them to break down completely; thus, stewing and barbecuing), allowing those hard fats and connective tissues to be more easily separated from the muscle.

At medium rare temperatures, soft fats liquify; becoming part of the flavorful fluids in the interstitial spaces, and lubricating the fibers of the muscle making them slide past each other. At temperatures below medium rare, they do not.

At medium rare temperatures, hard fats (which are actually fats bound up with connective tissue) start to soften enough to loosen their bonds with muscle fibers and other connective tissues, making it easier to separate.

At medium rare temperatures, after the soft fats have liquified and connective tissues have weakened; the cell walls in the muscle fibers also weaken enough, that the fluid pressure inside them becomes high enough to force some of the fluid out of the cells, and into the interstitial spaces, between the fibers. This forces the fibers apart further, widening the interstitial spaces making more room for more fluid, and loosens the structure of the meat even more.

That is what makes for tender, juicy meat.

At temperatures below medium rare, none of these happen; or at least not enough. At temperatures above medium rare, it all happens too much.

In case you missed it, that means meat is both more flavorful, and more tender, at medium rare; than it is at rare, or at any temperature above medium rare.

Conveniently, with most common meat cooking methods (hard searing, sauteeing, high temperature roasting, broiling, or grilling), on most cuts of meat; medium rare is also about the lowest temperature you can get a well cut piece of meat that has been properly prepared, to get protein and sugar conversion on the outside surface and outer 1/16"; creating flavorful compounds, and a pleasing mouth feel.

Oh and by well cut, I mean properly cut for the muscle, properly trimmed of fat and connective tissue (which varies for the dish, and for the cooking method); and the right thickness (which again, varies for the meat, the muscle, and the cooking method).

Generally speaking, for the type of cooking and the type of dishes we're talking about, this means 1/2"-3/4" thick for chicken breast, 3/4" to 1-1/4" for pork chops and tenderloin, and 1-1/4" to 1-3/4" thick for beef steaks.

Much thicker and you can't get relatively even doneness across the whole piece of meat, without using two cooking methods (sous vide and searing, or searing and low/medium temperature roasting for example). Any thinner, and it's hard to get the outside of the meat browned, without overcooking the interior.

Also, again with most cooking methods on most cuts of meat; reaching medium rare temperatures drives off enough moisture from the meat that flavors are concentrated and intensified, but the tissues still have enough integrity to hold the majority of the flavorful fluids and liquified fats in. Any lower, and this intensification doesn't happen; any higher and the tissues lose too much integrity, and give up too much fluid, making the meat drier and tougher.

To simplify:

Any temperature lower than medium rare, fats remain solid, connective tissues and muscle fibers remain tightly bound together, and muscle tissues do not break down to allow fluid into the interstitial spaces. Any higher and you are driving off more moisture than you need to; therefore making the meat tougher, and drier.

Now that doesn't mean you can't cook a piece of meat to a higher or lower degree of doneness; it just means it won't be as flavorful or as tender.

For example, in the case of chicken, even without regard to the food safety issue; most Americans don't like the texture of it when served medium rare. Because chicken is already a very tender meat to begin with (because it has a larger relative volume of liquid, and both weaker connective tissue (the fibers of the muscles are looser), and weaker muscle fibers compared to beef; it's perceived by most Americans as TOO soft, or mushy, when served medium rare. For the most part, we would rather have a firmer, slightly less flavorful piece of meat, than a "mushy" one.

Most Americans would prefer their chicken served medium well (completely white, completely clear juices, very firm texture, slightly dry); than have even the slightest bit of pinkness to their chicken, never mind medium rare. I personally prefer my chicken medium (slightly pink meat, with slightly pink juices, firm but tender texture, and very juicy).

On the matter of pork... well that's a real tragedy.

The majority of Americans for the last 100 years have grown up falsely believing that pork had to be cooked to medium well, or well done; to avoid foodborne illness.

In fact, up until recently, USDA guidelines for cooking pork recommended it be cooked to an internal temperature of between 160 and 165.

This produced several generations of people who believed they didn't like pork; simply because they were being served dry, stringy, tough, overcooked garbage.

Thankfully, even the USDA has finally recognized they were wrong, and now recommend that pork be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees (still higher than it needs to be, but a lot better).

That said, most people are still not willing to accept medium rare pork (130 to 135 degrees); again, because it's texture is "too soft" or mushy (and for the same reasons as with chicken).

If you asked most Americans what they would prefer their pork to be done too, they'd probably say "no pink", which is medium well or well done. However, if you did a blind taste test, most would actually prefer medium (135-140); because it is both tender and juicy, while being firm enough to not be "mushy".

Now, if you like your steak done to higher than medium rare... Frankly, it's either because you don't like beef very much; or it's because no-one has ever served you a steak that had been properly cut, and properly cooked.

If you like steak well done, you were probably served a lot of bad beef or badly cooked beef as a child, and learned that it didn't taste as bad or it wasn't as chewy or rubbery, if it was cooked more (and probably served with a sauce). Now, as an adult, the "fact" that beef that isn't overcooked tastes bad is imprinted on your brain.

Bad quality beef, badly cut, and improperly cooked for the cut, WILL taste better if done to medium well or well... Frankly it can be completely inedible otherwise; whereas if you cook it to well done, you've driven off all the liquid fat and all the moisture, and all that's left is bland fiber to act as a delivery mechanism for salt and steak sauce (and in some cuts, particularly if left untrimmed; the fat that's left is super crispy, and very tasty, like a beefy potatochip... what you like there is the crispy fat, not the overcooked meat).

Unfortunately, poorly cut, poorly trimmed, and improperly cooked steaks are pretty much all you'll get at most places that don't specialize in steak (and in most home kitchens, and at most home barbecues).

As to poorly cut and poorly trimmed, there's two reasons for that. First, because they just don't know any better; and second, particular to restaurants, it's because not properly cutting and trimming their steaks lets them claim what would be a 10oz steak if properly cut and trimmed, is a 12oz steak.

As to improperly cooked... well, most people just have no idea how to cook a steak; or what rare, medium rare, medium, and medium well actually ARE (everyone knows well done).

I confess, often at restaurants I don't know (or ones I know can't properly cut, trim, or cook a steak), I will order my steaks medium rather than medium rare.

I do this because if a steak is poorly cut, or if it's not trimmed properly before cooking; cooking it to medium will mask some of the problem.

Also, because most cooks have no idea how to properly cook a steak, and pay at best minimal attention to each individual steak being cooked (they've got a line of orders as long as your arm waiting); you have a slightly better chance of them not screwing up your steak too badly, if you order medium.

Why?

Because it's in the middle. If they screw up to one side or the other, the steak isn't likely to be inedible; and if they overcook it too badly, they'll make you another one.

Usually, it's easier to tell when something is overcooked rather than undercooked; and because they are always under time pressure and cost pressure, most GOOD cooks are going to err on the side of underdone rather than overdone. An underdone steak takes less time, and you can always re-fire it if you need to. If you over cook a steak, you have to throw it out and make a whole new one, taking both more time, and more product.

Of course, there's another risk to ordering medium, which I'm going to talk about in a minute...

Now, if you like a rare steak, or extra-rare steak, why is that?

For one thing, it's probably not true; because you've probably never had an actual rare steak.

First, in many states it's actually a health code violation to serve a rare steak. If you order rare, and they cook it to the minimum health code standard, what you'll actually get is something on the low side of medium rare.

Second, even where it's not illegal, most places don't serve a truly rare steak, because they literally can't cook one.

Most places that aren't steak specialists cut their steaks too thin to be served at much less than medium rare (because thinner steaks cook faster, and because they look like "more" meat on the plate for a given weight of steak). Unless you cut your steaks to well over an inch thick, it's very difficult to get a steak to "look done" on the outside, before its cooked to above true rare temperatures.

To get a steak thinner than 1" to rare at all (never mind it being a matter of skill), while still looking nicely browned on the outside (or with good grill marks), you need to have a special high output searing burner, and get heavy pan (a standard thin steel or aluminum sautee pan or skillet won't do it. You need heavy thick steel or cast iron skillet) literally smoking hot (about 500 degrees); or use a special high temperature grill (over 700 degrees). Most restaurants that aren't steak specialists, don't have either; and steak specialists don't cut their steaks thinner than 1".

Without that special equipment, a thin cut steak will still be a sickly grey color when it reaches rare temps internally.

Third, again, because most people have no idea how to properly cook a steak, and because most places that aren't steak specialists cut their steaks too thin, and because most places don't have the right equipment; most of the time if you ask for medium rare, you actually get medium.

A medium rare steak, is unquestionably better than a medium steak (most of the time).

Oh and all of those things I mentioned above apply to home cooks as well, only more so.

So most people who think they like rare steak, actually like medium rare steak.

There are a few out there who like their steaks "Pittsburgh rare", "Chicago style", or "black and blue"; who really do prefer rare steak... but not many.

The other risk I mentioned in ordering medium, is actually because of that issue specifically.

If a cook knows what they are doing cooking a steak, but they aren't in an actual steak specialty place, they will often deliberately cook a steak a half a degree of doneness above what you order.

They do this because they know, if they give most people what they ASKED for (and think they want), it will often as not be sent back for a re-fire as underdone.

Because people are so used to steaks cut too thin, and cooked improperly; they internalize what is actually medium as "medium rare", what is actually medium-well as "medium" and so forth.

Most people who order a rare steak, if they actually got one, wouldn't eat it.

Blech...

2011-12-22T23:57:00.000-08:00

So, as is not all that unusual for me, I haven't slept properly in days.

Unfortunately, I've also been on the edge of being sick the entire time.

Not any more.

This morning I managed to sleep for about two hours (from 8:30 to 10:30), and woke up full blown sick; fever and all, with the added bonus of my eyes being all burny and swollen, and glued shut with gunk.

Yay!

I've been laid up in bed all day, and probably will be laid up the next couple.

At least maybe I'll get some damn sleep.

It's not exactly flying cars but...

2011-12-21T01:05:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we forget how amazing the world we live in today is; and frankly, for all that sucks about life (and god knows, there's plenty of that to obsess over). just how great it is to be an American today.

This Louis C.K. video (or similar vids from Adam Carolla and Patton Oswalt) has been linked so much it's beyond viral and into the cliche zone (I would insert the ironic trademark symbol here, but that would be even more cliche)... but the reason it's become cliche, it's because it's so completely and obviously true:

There was a great commercial back in 2000 (for IBM actually), narrated by the incredible voice of Avery Brooks (a.k.a. Hawk from Spenser for Hire, and Captain Sisko from DS9 ) where he says "where are the flying cars. I was promised flying cars":

That commercial is so popular, when I typed in the name "Avery Brooks" into my youtube search box, the very first thing the auto-complete came up with was "Avery Brooks flying cars".

God knows, I'm a geek, a futurist of sorts... hell, I'm even, literally, a rocket scientist (well... an airplane and rocket engineer. I have a degree in aerospace engineering) by education; so yeah, I've quoted that commercial about a billion times.

Anyway, the whole thing above is about the expectations we set for ourselves 40 and 50 years ago. Where we thought we would be, and how we would be doing things... how much we thought the world would have changed.

We thought that by 2000 we'd be the Jetsons. Instead, it's now almost 2012, and in a lot of ways, things haven't really changed.

Oh that isn't to say I'm discounting the many fundamental and revolutionary changes that have occurred in society, and in technology in that time... but life today would be MOSTLY recognizable to someone from 1962.

Mostly...

It's actually pretty amazing to see what we got right, what we got wrong... but more interesting to me, is the things we never even thought of; and how those have changed our lives, and the world, in ways we never could have predicted.

Forty five years ago in "Star Trek"; Gene Roddenberry looked into a world 300 years in the future, and he saw interstellar travel, and a post scarcity society (with instantaneous rearranging of bulk matter into whatever you want, no substance is rare or scarce, except those few we cannot manipulate; and with near limitless energy... the only scarcity is on the periphery of civilization)... but computers still took up rooms, and we all still accessed big central mainframes by remote links from essentialy dumb terminals and i/o devices.

He reasonably accurately predicted cell phones and pervasive communications technologies; but completely missed mobile computing, pervasive computing, and mobile data networks.

The most amazing thing is though, in America, even the periphery has access to the comforts and conveniences that our technological society has afforded us.

Two years ago, my wife and I decided to move someplace, and live full time, where we would want to vacation. Someplace beautiful, quiet, peaceful... someplace away from everything. We chose to move to, EXTREMELY rural, Bonner County, in north Idaho.

This is where we live:

You might note, there isn't any urbanization anywhere near the middle of that picture. I live on the shore of that big lake, in the middle of those big woods, in the middle of those big mountains (in between the Selkirk and Cabinet ranges of the Rockies), in the middle of... nowhere.

The nearest city of more than 100,000 people (Spokane, WA) is about 65 miles away. That picture represents about 100 miles square, bounded at the top by the Canadian border, at the bottom by Coeur D'Alene, on the west by Spokane, and on the east by Libby, Montana.

Although about 750,000 people live in the area shown on this map (which, given that's 10,000 square miles is actually almost nothing. It's 75 people per square mile; about half the average population density of the earth, and about 10% less than the U.S. average) about 675,000 of them live in that bottom corner, between Spokane and Coeur D'Alene.

From the Bonner county line, just north of Athol Idaho, to the Canadian border, and in between those two dark lines representing the WA and MT state borders; is 3300 square miles (about 70-75 miles high depending on where you are, and exactly 45 miles wide). That area has a total population of less than 50,000; almost all of whom live in the dozen or so small towns (the largest is 7,000, most are under 500) and unincorporated townships (including us) within 5 miles of the two US highways (us95 and us2) that run north/south, and roughly east/west.

There are more remote, and more sparsely populated areas in the lower 48 of course; but not many. We are very definitely "away from it all", "in gods country" etc... We are Rural with a capitol R.

I'm not saying it was a hardship, by any means. In fact, I think it's among the best decisions we'ver ever made, and I honestly believe it has saved my life. It simply means we had to give up, or accept lesser quality or variety of; many of the luxuries and conveniences we had become accustomed to in the modern American Urban Island.

One of those compromises, was in communications.

Internet access is much more difficult and expensive here than it was in Scottsdale; and smart phones, less useful; because you don't have the pervasive high speed networking you do in the urban island, and because connectivity in general is spotty in the region (both because of the lack of sites, and because of the terrain; which is pretty rugged once you get off the main road).

When we moved up here we were both on AT&T (with iPhones), and we had to change to Verizon; because although AT&T offers service in region, that service was (and still is) poor, with extremely iffy coverage.

Of course, the fact that in a community 50 miles from an interstate highway, you could get both wireless voice, and data service, AT ALL, is an amazing thing; we've grown pretty spoiled and lazy and expect everything everywhere... but again, that's Louis C.K.s rant above.

Also, it turns out that moving to Verizon was great; because we moved on to the Android platform, which we much prefer to the iPhone (for many reasons, as I've gone into many times here before).

At any rate, when we moved here we switched to Verizon.

When we switched, they had good voice coverage but marginal data coverage and speed. However, within a few months they had upgraded the 3g coverage and speed in our area, such that our smart phones were once again the useful little limpets we had become addicted to living in the metroplex.

Our primary internet access was (and still is) a different story however.

Where we live, in an unincorporated area a few miles south of the county seat (Sandpoint, population about 7,000) there actually is some DSL and cablemodem service; but it doesn't extend as far south as we are. Our options were dialup, satellite (completely unacceptable), and microwave (expensive, but high bandwidth and low latency).

We chose to go with microwave; and for the most part we've been happy with it. The kicker is, the cost: We pay $180 a month for a business class 5Mbit synchronous connection, two static IPs, and two VOIP lines.

That's a lot.

Most people in this country pay $50 or less for their internet access (admittedly, slower than us. The average DSL speed is 512k and the average cablemodem is 1.5Mbit; but also the low end service rates are usually $30 or $40 a month); and in most major urban areas in this country, you can get a 10Mbit or even 20Mbit connection at home with your cable company, for $49 to $79 a month.

We could be paying a lot less for non-business class service; but that would be at 512k bandwidth, no VOIP capability, and no quality of service guarantee. With the business class service, what I'm really paying for is the guarantee that I'll get the bandwidth and the latency I've been paying for (or I don't pay).

I need that guarantee, to run my business, and to be able to work from home for my corporate masters; as I did for most of the last two years.

It's also why we won't be changing any times soon; even though it is so expensive. No other service locally, can give us the guarantee that we're going to get the bandwidth, latency, or uptime that we need.

We looked at the possibility of using the Verizon 3g service as our primary internet; but the combination of limited bandwidth, monthly data caps, and no quality of service made that impractical and a poor value for us.

But this post is about how much we have, even though we ARE so rural; not what we don't have.

As of this morning, what we have, is 5 to 12 megabit 4g wireless service.

A few months back Mel and I upgraded our 18 month old Droid Xs, to Droid Bionics, with 4g capability. I also got a 4g MiFi router for when I travel (it looked like I was going to be doing a lot of travel at the time... I probably will be again too).

They've been great, but we only had 3g up til today; with a theoretical bandwidth of about 2Mbit, and realistically a couple hundred Kbit of actual bandwidth (it's not nothing sure; but it's not really enough for everything you might want to do).

I did a speed test from my phone earlier... 8Mbit a second.

In Sagle Idaho, the middle of nowhere, I get 8Mbps... Enough to live stream HDTV, or download a full DVD... on my PHONE.

It's not flying cars, but it's something.

Improperly prohibited from exercising my rights, and from conducting my business

2011-12-20T18:33:00.000-08:00

I operate a small, independent gunsmithing shop. I am also a firearms instructor. I write a gun blog, and run a gun forum. I have written for many other gun web sites. Firearms are a huge part of my life every day. They're a big part of my work, a big part of my play, just a big part of me.

A couple months back, in preparation for opening up Crispin Arms, I applied for my 01, 06, and 07 FFLs; to become a dealer in and manufacturer of, firearms other than destructive devices, and ammunition for firearms other than destructive devices (I'll be applying to be an SOT for Class III items after the FFL comes through).

That's the basic FFL status required to build, sell, and repair firearms and ammunition; and it's about $400 in fees (non refundable fees by the way).

The Class III fees work out to about $1000 to start (on top of the other fees); and as a low volume dealer, about $500 a year after that(under $500k gross they cut the $1k fee in half); but I won't be paying those for a few more months.

Just after I announced Crispin Arms, I tried to buy a new firearm, and I was denied on my NICS check.

This has happened before, as my father is a convicted felon with the same name as me; and I was able to correct it with a phone call each time; so I wasn't worried. I figured I'd have it sorted in a few days.

Coincidentally, the next day, I got a letter from the ATF (the ATF doesn't handle NICS, the FBI does) saying that I was denied in the standard NICS check they run on FFL applicants; and that I would need to reapply after appealing my denial and correcting any condition which caused it (oh and they were keeping my fees).

This time I made my phone call to the NICS bureau, and they told me I'd need to go through the written process; they couldn't clear up the problem over the phone (or of course, tell me what the problem was).

Thankfully, they've set up a web page to submit the form now, so you can submit the forms directly, and not have to go get your forms certified by a local law enforcement official then mail them off into the bowels of the federal beast (you still need to do that if they need your prints to verify your identity. In this case they didn't).

Ok, so I sent in my appeal form and letter, which I will copy (redacted) here:

Sirs,

I am not a prohibited person, but was improperly denied permission to proceed with a firearms transfer on a NICS check, transaction id number XXXXXXX.

I am a natural born U.S. citizen. I have never been dishonorably discharged from the military; indicted, charged, or convicted, of any offense classified as a felony; or involving substance abuse, or domestic violence, or punishable by more than one year in prison. I have never been committed, or judged mentally ill, or incompetent. I am not a fugitive from justice. I am not an addict or illegal user of controlled substances.

I am a concealed weapons permit holder in ID, UT, and AZ (licensing me to carry concealed weapons in 38 states). I also undergo full background checks several times annually as part of my employment; most recently eight weeks ago.

When I was denied, I paid a professional service to conduct a full background check; including a full court records search, federally and for all my previous states of residence. I also had my local sheriff (Bonner county Idaho) conduct a criminal background, and "wants and warrants" check. I found no information to cause me to be denied.

I can think of three possible reasons for having been denied:

1. Prior to 1993 I used my mothers maiden name, Dinsmore. My SSN XXX-XX-XXX was issued under Dinsmore, but has been corrected to Byrne (I included it on the form 4473). Since 1993 I have had serious problems with multiple incidents of identity theft, under both names.

2. My father, Christopher Byrne III, is a convicted felon. I have been denied before because of this, several times over the past 15 years; but each time I have been able to resolve the problem over the phone.

3. My wife and I have been involved in a custody case; during which her ex-husband has committed fraud and perjury; and filed false reports of child neglect, abuse, and kidnapping against us (we were fully cleared). I have never been served with a restraining order, nor to my knowledge has one ever been issued against me; however he (or someone involved with him) may have done so fraudulently.

Thank you,

Christopher J. Byrne IV

A few days later, I received a letter from the FBI; with the reason for my denial, the record identifiers associated with the denial (3 of them); and the process for appealing my denial further, or for correcting the records which caused my denial, at which time I can re-apply.

The reason...

According to the FBI, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting me to them as a fugitive from justice!

Oh... It gets better...

They are, in theory, reporting me as a fugitive, over three unpaid civil traffic violations, from 1999.

Not even misdemeanors, civil traffic violations.... or rather, failure to appear citations, on bench warrants, issued for not paying the fines on those civil traffic violations.

Now the thing is, I knew about all of that. I have attempted to resolve this several times over the past twelve years, and it's caused me no end of trouble.

The most irritating part of that is, the fines aren't even valid. They are for unpaid violations which occurred while I wasn't even in the state; and then all the fines, fees, hearings, orders, court costs etc.... that piled on because I was never notified of these fines, for these traffic violations I didn't commit.

It made the state of Arizona repeatedly suspend and/or cancel my drivers license for example, because every 6 months Masachusetts would report that I had a Massachusetts license that was suspended.

I ended up having to go to court over this several times, and have spent thousands of dollars fixing it; but I thought that I finally had it fixed. My driving record is now clean and clear; and I haven't had a problem with my Idaho drivers license at all.

Apparently, I was wrong.

You see, Massachusetts has stopped screwing with my drivers license; but now they're screwing with my livelihood directly... but not intentionally because...

According to MASSACHUSETTS, they are NOT reporting me as a fugitive!

I contacted the the state DOJ, the three courts associated with the records, and the Massachusetts state police the day I got the letter from the FBI. According to every law enforcement agency and relevant court in MA, I am not a fugitive.

In fact, according to all their computer systems, searching by name and by SSN; I don't even have any current, outstanding, active indictments, charges, warrants, orders, or fines. That's why I came up clear on the criminal background check I had done in MA after I was denied.

The three courts in question did have paper records of the original issues from 12 years ago; but they were all in the "dead" files. The only thing in the active computer records was a pointer under the case record number where to find the record.

So, obviously, I'm not a fugitive from justice. I am not a criminal, I haven't been charged or convicted of anything; and I've passed a couple dozen criminal background checks (including a top secret security clearance renewal) since 1999.

In fact, after I talked with Massachusetts, I went back to the FBI and the ATF; and both acknowledged that I am not a prohibited person under the law; only that I need to correct an improperly categorized record.

Seriously, why in the hell does the FBI have me listed as a fugitive?

In 2001, after 2 years of not paying the fines associated with these civil infractions (at which time I lived in Ireland by the way), three different courts in Massachusetts, issued three bench warrants. Then after 90 days, those courts cited me for failure to appear on the bench warrants.

Oh... It gets better...

Any lawyers reading this, or anyone who has dealt with warrants, or fugitive retrieval, or is a cop... I'm sure you're all scratching your heads right now, because this shouldn't be happening.

Now technically, there is a legal definition of "fugitive from justice". The federal fugitive database (part of the NCIC) is only supposed to accept a report of you as a fugitive if you meet that definition, which boils down to:

If you are actively fleeing a felony trial, indictment, charge, prosecution, warrant, or arrest (some states handle things a bit differently from others, thus the laundry list).
If you are actively fleeing from criminal trial, indictment, charge, etc... (as above) on certain categories of misdemeanor (mostly domestic violence, mental health, drugs, alcohol, and financial fraud stuff).
If you have escaped or absconded from or failed to report for parole, probation, incarceration, or other judicially ordered custody, detention, or supervision (including non-custodial detention like house arrest)
If you are CURRENTLY in violation of an ACTIVE court order requiring your presence at a certain time or date (summons, subpoena to appear, material witness order etc...).

Moving out of a jurisdiction is not the same as fleeing by the way. Fleeing prosecution or arrest is a crime in and of itself, and requires intent, and deliberate action to avoid.

At this point I feel it's important to note, a failure to appear citation on a 12 year old bench warrant for an unpaid civil fine is not any of those things.

Interstate non-felony warrants are only supposed to be active for 24 months (technically it's a "reasonable time"; but that is conventionally presumed to be within the statute of limitations or maximum term of imprisonment for the offense in question; which for a misdemeanor is presumed to be 24 months), unless there is an outstanding active indictment, or the warrants are reissued; or there is specific cause to believe the offender fled the jurisdiction to avoid prosecution (leaving the jurisdiction lawfully is not fleeing the jurisdiction to avoid prosecution).

I have never been indicted or charged with a crime (other than failure to appear), and these warrants have never been reissued.

Since none of those things apply, every law enforcement agency in the country OUTSIDE of Massachusetts considers me to have a clean and clear criminal record. I've had my local sheriff do a wants and warrants check on me, and nothing shows up, even from Massachusetts. As far as he's concerned I'm clear.

Not only that, but because the bench warrants are on civil fines and failure to appear for a civil hearing, even in Massachusetts I would not be subject to criminal detention on warrant service. Technically the failure to apear is a criminal offense, so I could be arrested (optionally at the law enforcement agencies discretion); but on arrest I would be booked, criminally cited for failure to appear, and released on either a payment of the citation ($500 fine plus $80 in fees) or ROR with a promise to appear (at the discretion of the duty magistrate); and a new summons for another hearing date (I verified this with the MA state police).

Basically, it's only slightly more serious than a glorified speeding ticket; and as I said, even the Massachusetts state police doesn't list me as having any active warrants.

But it gets better...

There's three quirks of Massachusetts law that make this so screwed up:

Massachusetts law makes no distinction between felonies and misdemeanors; and therefore there is no difference between a felony warrant and a misdemeanor warrant.
Bench warrants in Massachusetts never expire (even for misdemeanors and civil infractions); the warrant must be discharged, or a judge has to vacate it. In many states, non-felony bench warrants expire after 2 or 3 years, and need to be reissued to remain active.
In 2010, Massachusetts changed their criminal records privacy regulations and reporting policies, in response to some MA supreme court decisions from 2004-2009. As a result of these changes, they do not include detailed offense or charge information (or even the date of offense, or the date of the warrant) in their reporting to other organizations or agencies, except under certain conditions. They require a court order; a specific, signed and approved record request by an authorized individual or agency; or a certified request in person, or with notarized and LEO agency signed off proof of identity, of the individual whose record it is (or their legal guardian, spouse, child, or next of kin). Without such a request, the record has no detail; only that it exists, the type of record (only 10 types: criminal charge, criminal indictment, criminal conviction, criminal commitment, criminal warrant, custodial order, probation order, parole order, medical/psychiatric order, or order of protection) and a CJIS record number (not even a case number; though the court, year, and case number, are actually embedded in the CJIS number).

As the fedgov doesn't consider a non-felony warrant active after 24 months unless the warrant is reissued, this still shouldn't be an issue. It should have been reported in 2001, and by 2003 the warrant would have been classified as inactive, and not popped up in the system (and again, most misdemeanors, are not disabling, and no civil infraction is disabling).

And from 2003-2010 that was the case. I hadn't been denied on a NICS check in years; and as I said, I have always been able to correct the problem over the phone.

But, because Massachusetts doesn't report any distinction between felony and misdemeanor, or any charge or offense date, or even a date of warrant or date of offense; any warrant reported from Massachusetts is counted as if it was an active felony warrant, by the FBI system (because it may be, and they have to treat every warrant as if it were, since they don't know any better).

But it gets better...

A few years ago, Massachusetts basically went broke (or rather, they had to admit they were broker than they could easily cook the books to cover); and they went through a desperate revenue drive. During this drive, they resurrected all the old fines and fees, all the old child support and uncollectable back taxes, all the old summons and old bench warrants etc... they could find; basically to maximize the fines and fees they could collect.

At the same time, the state was centralizing and computerizing their court records, warrant records etc... into something they call the "Massachusetts Criminal Justice Information System", or CJIS (most states have built a CJIS at this point, in order to exchange information with the FBI, NCIC, Homeland Security etc... Many got funding from the fedgov to do so).

The CJIS processed years of back warrants and fines as a result of this funding drive; and they now automatically report all "active" records to the FBI databases every 180 days. Since in MA a bench warrant never expires, they consider it an active warrant.

It was the CJIS that improperly reported me to the FBI as a fugitive, with three active warrants.

Their system makes no distinction between a 12 year old bench warrant for a civil fine, and a felony fugitive warrant; and because their system makes no distinction, when they report it to the FBI, the NICS makes no distinction.

From 2003 to 2010 this wasn't an issue; because the warrants aged out of the federal system. Now that Massachusetts is re-reporting them every six months though; they appear in the FBI automated system to be active, valid, current, felony fugitive warrants (though a 90 second look from a human being will show that is incorrect).

The NICS is supposed to have a records of all ACTIVE warrants, indictments, convictions, orders of commitment and protection, and active pending charges only; along with the charges and offense dates associated with any such records. Part of the NICS is correct for me: it doesn't show any active felony or misdemeanor arrest warrants, charges, or indictments etc... But because Massachusetts reports a failure to appear bench warrant on a civil traffic violation the same way it reports a felony murder warrant; the NICs can't tell that I'm not on the damn 10 most wanted list.

Now, if you do a wants and warrants or criminal record check on me in any state INCLUDING Massachusetts, I come up clean. I've never been charged with, or convicted of, anything more serious than a traffic violation. I've passed multiple criminal background checks for employment purposes, I have multiple CCW permits, I've been buying and selling firearms for years...

I am NOT a prohibited person. During this process, the FBI has acknowledged that I am not a prohibited person. The ATF has acknowledged that I am not a prohibited person. However because one state is reporting me as a fugitive in their systems, they cannot simply correct the record and process my paperwork.

Oh, they could; but unless I go through "the process", they won't.

But it gets better...

At this point, I can either get Massachusetts to correct their record and re-apply, or I can go through the secondary appeal process with the NICS bureau.

I called the Massachusetts CJIS and they said that they can't correct the records without a court order. Their position is, as far as they're concerned the records are correct. I have an undischarged bench warrant, that has not been vacated, and there is no such thing as a felony or misdemeanor warrant in Massachusetts; so they can't exactly report a difference between the two. It's not their fault the FBI interprets them as they do.

Because MA is so screwed up, so desperate for money, and because they recently changed the way they report warrants; I can't be an FFL until I fix their BS.

Said BS is spread across three different courts, in three different cities by the way...

...and here's the crowning glory...

As I mentioned above, I didn't actually commit these violations. I was never cited, given a ticket, or given a summons. I wasn't even in the state when they happened, nor was I in the state when the bench warrants were issued, or when the failure to appear cites were issued.

In fact, I wasn't even in the country when the warrants and cites were issued; and I certainly wasn't served with anything.

If I get in front of a judge, with a lawyer, and they actually decide to listen and not just rubber stamp the states fines and fees (usually they don't listen, no matter what your proof is); then all this should just be dismissed immediately.

Of course, they'd still make me pay all the "costs" and "fees", including a fee just to have a hearing instead of them rubberstamping the fine. That "fee" by the way, is as much as the fine for the violation, PLUS the court costs and fees; and for some things there's even a bond that you have to put up, and that you forfeit if you lose.

Yes, the ACLU is actually suing Massachusetts over this practice by the way; as it is rather clearly a denial of due process. Unfortunately, a denial that many states have emulated, as they try to resolve their own budget issues, and overcrowded courts.

But it gets better...

Because they are bench warrants, with a failure to appear cite; I can't resolve the issue from home, unless a judge specifically decides I can have a lawyer act for me in absentia. Which means I need to pay a lawyer to go to court for me, ask the judge to allow him to appear for me in absentia, and hope the judge agrees (they usually don't).

I've been through this before by the way, on the bogus suspended license issue. It cost me $2500 in fines and fees, and another $3500 in legal fees, but I was finally able to get a lawyer to act for me.

If not, I'll have to go to Massachusetts, be arrested in three different jurisdictions, be processed in three different jurisdictions, pay three citation fines and fees ($1740 worth), get three new summons for a date some time in the future (usually 30-90 days; but almost certainly on different days) and go home; then 30-90 days later come back for the hearings, just so I can have the judge vacate the warrants.

Oh and of course, I have to pay the court costs, fees, fines etc to have the warrants vacated, no matter what. Then I have to go through the second hearing on the fines and fees; which, if I am lucky, they will have right then; but most likely they won't, because the attorney representing the agency which issued the fine wont be there, with their records, and another hearing will be set for another 30-90 days after that.

In the best possible case, I can be arrested and processed in one jurisdiction the day before they are holding traffic hearings, then come back the next day and ask to have my hearing that day at the convenience of the court; wait all day to see if they hear me; get heard, and have the warrants vacated, then ask to be heard on the fines that day, or the next morning, or the next day they are holding traffic hearings.

Then I would repeat that two more times over the course of two or three weeks (since each one would take at least two days, maybe three, even if the judge did decide to expedite the hearings; and the courts may have conflicting schedules), hoping the judges all agree to hear me on a walk in, and then agree to hear the fine the same day or the next day.

And, as I said above; even if I can get them to do that, they're still going to charge me costs and fees at least equal to what the fines were anyway.

Frankly, I just don't have that money. Not even close to it.

Ok... so as I said above, I can appeal for a supplementary hearing from the NICS bureau, get them to purge that record from the NICS database "permanently", add a note to my record, and give me a unique ID number to keep me from being denied again because of it.

If I go that route, because there is a "valid" record being reported by a state, and the state won't correct it; I have to pay for a federal investigation, then pay for a federal hearing, get that hearing, argue my case that the MA records should be purged as non-disabling (as they clearly are not), and have the presiding official decide that is what they should do.

Oh and the time to do that is anywhere from 9 months to 2 years by the way; and thousands of dollars

Yeah... I don't have that money either; or that time.

Oh and if I go that way, and MA changes how they report the records at any time, I'll have to go through the whole thing all over again...

So, to Massachusetts it is.

For now, a lawyer friend of the family (my attorney in Massachusetts recently retired) is looking into trying to get all this sorted for me remotely, and for as little money as possible. Otherwise, it could be six months or more before I get my FFL.

Now, let's be clear; both the FBI and the ATF acknowledge that I am not a prohibited person; that this is just a paperwork problem, and that I am legal to own and possess firearms. I'm legal to obtain a firearm through a private intrastate transfer.

I'm even legal to repair and customize firearms, under someone else's FFL, because you don't have to actually permanently transfer a firearm to an FFL or gunsmith who is repairing or servicing it (including modifications, but not "remanufacturing" or manufacturing a new firearm). I have a partnership arrangement with a local FFL until my own FFL comes through; and I am never transferred a firearm to perform gunsmithing work on it. The FFL receives the firearm for repair or service, and writes it into their bound book as such. I take the firearm offsite for repair or service without transfer, which is allowed, under the auspices of the FFL holder. When I'm done, the FFL writes the firearm back out to the original owner, without a permanent transfer occurring (I simply cannot manufacture a new firearm, until my FFL comes through. I can assemble an AR from already manufactured components, but I can't make a new custom 1911).

And yes, I have confirmed all that with the local ATF inspector; it was necessary for my deal with the local FFL.

...But they won't fix the NICS without going through the official process; and because the NICS is "the system" for an FFL to obtain clearance to transfer a firearm, even though I am not a prohibited person, no FFL can transfer a firearm to me right now, and I can't be granted my FFL.

You might have noticed, the whole thing is pretty much arbitrary and capricious, from start to finish.

I have been improperly denied the exercise of my constitutionally guaranteed rights. Rights which the supreme court acknowledges pre-exist our nation and our constitution.

I have the right to obtain a firearm for any lawful purpose. That right is independent of our constitution, and our government; and is supposed to be legally protected by both. However, because of a paperwork issue, which everyone acknowledges is just that, a paperwork issue, not an actual condition of disability or prohibition; I am prevented from acquiring a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer.

This, is why background checks are always going to be a problematic issue with gun rights. The idea of a background check to prevent prohibited persons from having firearms transferred to them is OK; but what happens when the background check is wrong?

Is it ever acceptable to deny someone the legitimate and lawful exercise of their rights, simply because others may be prohibited? Or because of a computer error? Or because of a dispute between the way one agency keeps records, and another agency interprets them?

Those who strongly defend free speech will say "Of course not", when they're talking about speech...

Funny enough though... most of those same folks change their tune when we're talking about guns...

Apparently, JayG has been a Knight of the Republic this whole time...

2011-12-20T03:41:00.000-08:00

... and neglected to tell us:

I swear to god that was not deliberate. I opened up the character editor and set a couple parameters, and all of a sudden, there he was the spitting image of our favorite northern Massachusetts blogger.

Star Wars, The Old Republic arrived on Friday; and on saturday I got my early access validation. I've been playing since Saturday night (in between trying to sleep off a nasty head and chest cold).

Oh and this is the avatar I eventually chose for my first character:

Look a little familiar?

Anyway, at the moment I'm playing a Human Jedi Sentinel on Wall of Light; and I've reached level 15 playing through up to near the end of the first Coruscant phase.

This might be the first MMORPG since City of Heros I've actually liked, and wanted to play for more than a few minutes.

Faith, Hope, Love

2011-12-19T22:06:00.000-08:00

One of my extended family members is having a hard time and reached out to some of us for understanding. This is my open letter to him.

When I received your email I wasn't quite sure what to think. For one thing, I'm not one of your kids, and that's who it was addressed to. But in many ways I might as well be one of your own, in the way that you have been emotional support for me since my mother passed away.

You said you've been emotional and you don't know why, and that you've been crying and you don't know why. You've been reliving old memories and seeking to share them with your family. I may know why you're experiencing all of this emotion, but first you'll need to hear me out.

This year, for my birthday and our anniversary, I specifically asked Chris to buy me this:

I'm not a big jewelry person, but this struck me in a way that I can't explain. I've worn it every day since. I'm sure you recognize the symbology, as it stands for Faith, Hope, and Love.

1Cor.13
[1] If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

[2] And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
[3] If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
[4] Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful;

[5] it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
[6] it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.
[7] Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
[8] Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

[9] For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect;
[10] but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.
[11] When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
[12] For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.
[13] So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Abide is such an odd word. This is the best definition I can find:

a·bide
v.tr.
1. To put up with; tolerate: can't abide such incompetence. See Synonyms at bear¹.
2. To wait patiently for: "I will abide the coming of my lord" (Tennyson).
3. To withstand: a thermoplastic that will abide rough use and great heat.
v.intr.
1. To remain in a place.
2. To continue to be sure or firm; endure. See Synonyms at stay¹.
3. To dwell or sojourn.

I've learned the truth of faith, hope, and love enduring all. I've also learned that sometimes, that's all that remains.

* * *

I've recently returned from a very dark place. That shouldn't be a surprise to you; I've dropped off the radar and withdrawn from pretty much everything. There was a point I reached where I wondered how much more I could take and how many "just one more day"s I would have to endure.

My kids are gone and that's left a big piece of me missing while I worry about them every moment of every day. There are times this year where I feared for my husband's life and waited in absolute terror for test results. Friends and family members have passed on or are going through hard times themselves. We've lost our major income stream, with no dependable replacement as of yet. Chris's health is so up and down I'm not sure what to expect any given day, and my health has been going through some massive changes. We've dealt with lawyers, IRS agents, a dozen or more major crises, and serious life uncertainty and upheaval.

There was a point at which I could not take it anymore.

It's amazing what happens when you reach the point of too much. Some of what you've stored inside starts coming out to make room for what endures.

Faith, hope, and love.

At some point, the fire becomes so hot that it starts melting away the impurities inside, the dark spots that lay hidden. This is what happened to me, and I believe that's happening to you. Every trauma never dealt with, every buried pain, every repressed memory starts bubbling to the surface. Your soul seeks release so it can make room for what you really need.

Faith, hope, and love. The alloy that forms a much stronger you.

In my case, that meant finally finding the source of my pain and trauma, and being able to start clearing it out. My trauma turned out to be shame, which I cultivated and grew to the point that it severely infected my life and made it difficult to function. Shame does that, if you don't let it out in the open. Shame shared evaporates like so much mist.

I don't need to know what pain is hiding in you that is attempting to release itself. I have suspicions as to what led my mother to commit passive suicide by not taking care of herself; I know just enough of what went on in the family to know that whatever secrets she held were shameful indeed.

She passed on that sense of shame to me. It's taken me this long to rid myself of it. She hid her shame, and I'm convinced it contributed to her death.

I know that whatever secrets she held back, you most likely witnessed in one way or another. I also know that there's other reasons for your pain, even if I don't know the details.

What matters is this: your pain is no longer lying dormant, and while you go through the process of letting it out, the world will look dark indeed. The pain obscures your vision, and it feels like you're lost in darkness.

The darkness is temporary.

* * *

I used to think of faith as a nebulous concept that I couldn't really grasp. I heard it spoken of, but never understood. Faith can only be truly understood in the midst of hardship and darkness. Now I understand.

Faith is knowing there's a light at the end of the tunnel, even if you can't see it.

Hope is the trust that when you find that light, things will be better.

Love is what keeps you from doubting your faith and giving up hope. Love is what keeps one foot moving in front of the other, even if you don't know where you're going.

If you keep walking forward, you will eventually find that light.

* * *

At the darkest part of my tempering, I desperately needed reminding. That weight around my neck is enough of a reminder to keep looking for the good, the silver lining. With some work, the good in any situation can be found.

Soon the custody issue will be decided, and hopefully the world will return to normal. Finding Chris's cancer was painful, but because we know what is wrong we have hope that he will soon be healthier than he's been in a decade. That experience also tapped us in to a medical community where much more than the cancer is being treated, to the point that he can walk again, think again, and otherwise be himself again.

From the deaths of friends and family, new life is springing up. Adapting to the changes meant life improvement for many of us, while we re-examined life and what we wanted before we're gone ourselves. Losing the income stream ending up being a very good thing for Chris; with me covering our medical insurance, he is free to pursue new endeavors on his own terms. Working for MegaBank made him miserable; now he is working for himself.

Chris's health and work status unpredictability has forced me to adapt and be flexible in new ways, as has my new job. I like my job, I like the people I work with, and I've found a very good support network there. I've also been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and ADHD, and treatment for both has drastically improved my life and my outlook.

Most of all, learning to deal with the varied curveballs thrown to us this year has made me stronger and my marriage stronger. If we could get through this, we can get through anything.

Increased strength, increased adaptability, and increased flexibility has also enabled me to be much better at kicking ass and taking names, not to mention opened pathways for me to follow my dreams.

I don't think any of those very positive changes would have come about if I hadn't gone through this dark period and come out the other side. If I hadn't been forced to deal with my pain and trauma, and let the fire of life burn it off, I would not be this strong.

Let the pain come up. Figure out what it's trying to teach you. Share it with someone. The moment you bring the pain out in the daylight and let the impurities out, you will start to heal and feel better. Then you will find the reason, the good that will come from fighting through the darkness.

We will all be here for you while you go through this. Listen to that instinct to share the past; it will help you uncover the reason why it is coming back to you so forcefully.

It will also draw you closer to your family, and create a place of safety where they can share their pain with you.

The pain, anger, and grief you're going through is temporary. Faith, hope, and love will endure, and grow.

Mel

Project Hal - Part 2: Space

2011-12-14T23:16:00.000-08:00

This is the second post (the first post was the introduction and announcement, here) in my series on setting up the shop for Crispin Arms and Crispin Fabrication (an endeavor that I have decided to call Project Hal; a Shakespearean pun).

The first step in setting up any shop, is acquiring, and readying, your shop space. Depending on where you live, this can actually be a difficult, and potentially expensive; proposition.

Thankfully, when we chose our home here in north Idaho, we were thinking ahead. We chose a home in an area that is zoned multi-use (residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural use are all allowed in my zoning area; within certain, fairly loose, limits). Not only that, but we chose a home with fairly large pre-existing shop space.

On the lower right of this picture, is my house. On the upper left, my shop:

My office/mancave/hobby/electronics/fine work/computer work space is about 3/4 of the bottom floor of the house by the way (the main living floor of the house is the second row of sliding glass doors, with the elevated deck running around two sides).

I've got about 800 square feet of space down there (under 8 foot suspended ceilings. Convenient for the wiring). My wife has her own 256sq foot craft room, with a bunch of worktable and storage space; separate from my workspace.

My main space is split into about half workspace, with desks, benches, bookcases and shelving, a water cooler, and a beverage fridge; about half "lounge" area, with a large "8 person" sectional sleeper sofa/double recliner, coffee tables, big screen TV, stereo, PS3 etc... I've also got a private 3/4 bath, a kitchenette (microwave, toaster oven, small flattop griddle, hot plate, small food fridge, electric tea kettle, and a french press) and a 64sq ft "secure" gun room. Honestly, the only reason to go into the rest of my house, is to be with my family.

At 28 foot wide by 32 foot deep (interior floor space), the shop is a pretty decent overall size of just about 900sq feet; but it has some... eccentricities...

As you can see from the picture, it has an extra-wide (24 foot x 8 foot) garage door on the main floor. There are also a decent sized windows on each wall (large windows on the side walls, small windows upstairs and down, on the back walls), and a side entry door on the left side of the building.

Oddly, on the second floor, there's a sliding glass door opening out onto 10 feet of air. It was intended to allow for large items to be passed in (reminiscent of the classic hay loft door for a barn), as well as to provide a lot of natural light (the original owner used the space as a painting studio).

Out of that 28x32, it only has a 26x26 fully clear square. There's a 36" wide stairway, with a 36"x36" 90 degree landing at 36" off the floor; descending to a 36"x72"x12" concrete footing/concrete steps in the back right corner; taking up about 1/4 of the width of the back wall, to 72" depth (and restricting the height of another 1/4). There are also built in 2 foot deep workbenches and cabinets along the full length of the left wall; and it's got 9 foot ceilings (8 foot clear of the garage door hardware and lights).

Basically, it's not quite a 3 car garage, but it's a lot bigger than a standard two car garage.

A note: This "two car garage" thing is actually a small point of irritation for me.

The American standard 2 car garage has a "minimum" size of 18x20 (by home appraisal standards); but in the age of the SUV, 24x24 has become the convention. There is no standard for a 3 car garage, but by convention, it would have around 36 feet of clear interior width.

At 28 feet wide, my shop would technically be wide enough (though a bit of a squeeze by conventional standards) for a 3 car garage; with only 26 feet of clear width though, it would be a bit tight.

Why do I say that though, when most cars are less than 6 feet wide? Or, put another way, why has the convention become 24x24 for a two car garage?

Even my bigger than full size pickup (Dodge megacab 2500), including the mirrors, is only 79.4" wide (6 feet 7.4 inches) unless I unfold the built in towing mirrors at which point it expands to 96" wide (8 feet). Its also one of the longest production vehicles in the world at just over 22 feet (including the stinger on the receiver hitch), and one of the tallest at almost 7 feet tall (It's 8" taller than a "standard" half ton pickup. That includes a 2" factory lift for being a 2500 with the heavy duty towing package; 4" more for being a 4x4; and a 1.5" lift from upgrading to 35" tires).

I personally don't think my HUGE truck should be what the "standard" is based on; but even if it were, my truck is longer and wider than any SUV currently sold, and you could still fit three of them in a 24x24 "standard" 2 car garage. A Chevy suburban is 19 feet long and 6'7" wide, and the same three would fit in the "standard" garage.

My actual passenger car (a Cadillac STS) is only 72.4" (6'0.4") wide and 196.3" (16'4") long; and it's a bigger than "average" car.

In fact, of the top 20 best selling passenger cars in America, the Chevy Impala is both the longest at 200" and the widest at 73" (The Camry is 190" long and 71" wide. The Accord is 195" long and also 73" wide). So ALL of the best selling passenger cars are under 17 feet long (and all but one is under 16 feet long), and all but two are 6 feet wide or under.

At 28x32 I could fit 8 "average" cars in my floor space. Even in my 26x26 clear square space, or in the 24x24 American "standard" 2 car garage; you could still fit six "average" cars.

Of course, no-one would be able to park, get out of, and unload a car, without a few feet of clearance to the sides and rear; but the idea that a two car garage needs to be 24x24 is ridiculous. You don't need six feet of space between two cars, three feet to either side of the two cars, and 8 feet behind their trunks.

My personal opinion, is that the two car garage "standard" should be a clear floor space of about 22x22; which still gives plenty of clear space between and around your vehicles, and room for cabinets and wall hanging storage. I think you could comfortably get away with 18x20 and still have more space than you do parking at the mall. The three car garage "standard" should be a clear floor space of about 32x22, and you could get away with 26x20.

What the "standard" really reflects, is that our garages aren't used for vehicles. Mostly, they're used for workshops and storage space; and the vehicles are an afterthought...

Frankly, even in cold states, most people I know with a "two car garage", don't use their garage for cars at all. Most of the time, if there's a vehicle in the garage, its a motorcycle or a quad.

The shop also has about half the main floors usable space (with 6 foot or higher ceilings) on the second floor, with a very large amount of storage space under the rafters (behind the six foot walls).

Really, it was never built as a garage, and was always intended to be a shop, and office/work space on the second floor. As I noted above, the original owners even built in cabinets and work tables along one wall; and they deliberately built the stairs very wide, with a wide landing and clear entry zone, to allow for large items to be brought up and down.

Even with the eccentricities though, I've got enough space for all my shop tools, workflow and walkaround room, materials storage etc... Particularly since all my shop tools are on mobile bases. I can just reconfigure things as I need, for the project that I am working on.

It's not ideal; but ideally I'd have 10000sqft of climate controlled space, with 24 foot ceilings (to fit a tall tail on a plane) a 48 foot hangar door (to fit wings), and my own landing strip.

Ideally, I'd also have an unlimited budget. This shop is included in my house payment. It'll do.

The bigger issue, was that, by the time I actually started this project; we'd had over 18 months of crap accumulating in the shop.

I started cleaning it out a couple months back; but up 'til a few days before the announcement, about half the clear floor space was taken up with "crap".

A few weeks ago, this is what the shop looked like:

It's not clear from this angle, but basically, there's about 200 square feet, piled a solid 5 foot high (some spots 7 foot), of nothing but (mostly flattened) cardboard boxes:

This was MOST OF the first load (we closed the tailgate and packed some more in):

And what was still left after the first load... probably two more loads:

Again, it's not really clear from the pic, but that pile is STILL 5 foot or more high, 10 foot deep, and probably 14ft wide.

That would be most of the boxes we moved with, plus most of the MANY MANY boxes we get from mail order (probably 1/2 our monthly shopping comes from Amazon. Thank god for Prime); and of course, a large percentage of the boxes from all the tools bought for the shop.

I'mna leave you hangin here though; because I'm not going to be showing pics of the whole shop, until I'm ready for some of the tool and storage posts.

Failure in the Victim/Location/Everything Identification Process

2011-12-13T23:25:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Robb Allen, I found this little gem today:

Man to be sentenced for racial incident

Posted: Friday, December 9, 2011 12:00 am | Updated: 10:45 am, Tue Dec 13, 2011.
By DAVID COLE/Staff writer
COEUR d'ALENE - Self-proclaimed skinhead Daren C. Abbey got knocked out with one punch by a black man on July 3, after telling the man he didn't belong inside J.D.'s bar or in Bayview at all because of the color of his skin.
On Thursday in 1st District Court, Abbey, 28, agreed to be sentenced on a felony charge of malicious harassment from the short-lived confrontation with Marlon L. Baker, who at the time of the incident was wearing a Spokane Boxing Club Champion T-shirt.

Robb calls this a failure in the victim selection process. There is so much more fail that that going on here.

We just had to find the report of the initial incident, as we live on the north part of Lake Pend Oreille, and Bayview is at the south end. Also, we're familiar with the sheriff's office, local color, and cultural idiosyncrasies of the area.

Let's just get this part out of the way. North Idaho has a rather undeserved reputation for being full of white supremacists. Yes, a few were here and were VERY vocal (kind of like the OWS types) but the community made a concerted effective effort to make them feel... unwelcome. Also, there's a lot of North Idaho Rules in play here (comments in italics of course).

Neo-Nazi harasses wrong guy

Thanks, CDA Press, for stating the obvious.

Posted: Saturday, July 23, 2011 12:00 am | Updated: 11:06 am, Fri Jul 29, 2011.
By MAUREEN DOLAN/Staff writer
COEUR d'ALENE - When a Kootenai County Sheriff's deputy informed Daren Abbey that he was under arrest in Bayview over the Fourth of July weekend, Abbey's response was, "What, you're arresting the white man?"

Kootenai County sheriff's deputies are unfailing polite. Unless you say something this stupid of course.

Abbey, a 28-year-old transient whose body is covered in white supremacist tattoos, had just been knocked out by Marlon Baker, 46, whom Abbey is accused of confronting and threatening to stab because of his skin color.

Transient = fail. Confrontation = fail. Everyone knows confronting someone up here is a good way to get your ass kicked.

Abbey remains in Kootenai County jail under a $75,000 bond, charged with malicious harassment, a felony.
Events leading up to Abbey's arrest began when both men were inside J.D.'s Bar in Bayview.

J.D.'s? Really? Well it's not like there's that many options in Bayview, but still, it's very dive-y.

Abbey approached Baker and told Baker he was not welcome at the bar because he is black, reports the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office.

This is not a good way to start out. Most people are still a little sensitive about being perceived as racist. However, just being an asshole isn't enough of a reason to break the universal rule of the area: don't get involved.

Abbey told Baker he would stab him if he did not leave.
Baker left the bar to avoid a confrontation and walked down to the marina, but Abbey followed him and continued threatening him.

At this point we were asking why no one followed them outside (turns out they did). Rural man rules state that when two men decide to take a confrontation outside, they are allowed to work it out themselves without interference. The corollary to that, of course, is that you go out to watch. Especially when you notice a clue the dumbass somehow managed to miss (like, for example, a t-shirt). Bring popcorn, or your beer.

Baker told investigators that Abbey told him blacks were not welcome in Bayview, and "he had better leave before something happened."

1. No blanket statements for the community please. 2. Threats are universally stupid.

Abbey then poked Baker in the chest, and Baker, feeling threatened and fearful he would be stabbed, delivered a single, closed-fisted punch to Abbey's face.
Baker reported to law enforcement responders that Abbey immediately fell to the ground and did not get up.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Several witnesses support Baker's version of what happened.

See? Rural man rules. No intervention necessary. Right guy won without assistance.

When sheriff's deputies arrived, Abbey was laying on the ground unconscious.

They're used to that. Probably took at least a good 15 minutes for them to show up, IF they happened to be patrolling that area. It's not like there's a lot of them. That's okay, residents are pretty self-sufficient, as shown.

Details of the arrest continue to spread across Internet news sites because Baker was wearing a Spokane Boxing Club shirt when Abbey began threatening him.

.... Moron.

Of course, as if choosing the wrong victim, the wrong location, AND the wrong culture in which to do something so stupid wasn't enough, this little detail in the later article is proof of terminal stupidity:

Abbey, who was from Sacramento, Calif., and was living in Coeur d'Alene as a transient...

The moron's from California? And he thought somehow HE would get the sympathy?

...suffered facial fractures because of the blow from Baker.

and the numerous unreported kicks from the witnesses on the scene, upon learning he's from California. Honestly, I'm surprised he wasn't thrown into the marina.

For God's sake, if you decide to pick a stupid fight with an ill-chosen victim, at least ATTEMPT to learn the cultural rules of the area you're in. Also, consider that in a small rural county there's a rather high likelihood your intended "victim" is either 1. carrying, 2. heavily muscled and knows how to use it, and 3. might be related to or friends with someone in the Sheriff''s office. Or possibly all 3.

Misundertanding the Problem

2011-12-13T21:32:00.000-08:00

The "Republican Establishment", consisting mostly of the RNC (and particularly the finance committe) essentially chose Mitt Romney as "Their Guy", during the last presidential election.

You know... the one they lost.

If they'd had their way, Mitt would have been the nominee in 2008... and if he was, the swing wouldn't have been 3 points, it would have been 10 (of course, the media have ACTED as if it was a 10 point swing from day one... more shilling for "their man").

The problem is, the "Republican Establishment" is so deluded, they actually believe they would have WON with Mitt. They're dead certain of it in fact.

It's not quite that they're completely insane... Though it may seem so...

It's that they don't understand the problem

For the last several months, they've been pretending to allow other "candidates" to vy for the nomination; however, at this point, they've made it clear that Romney WILL be the Republican nominee for president, that we have nothing to say about it; and that anyone who challenges this edict will be DESTROYED.

They've already done it to Herman Cain, Michelle Bachmann, and Rick Perry (though Perry is somehow still operating under the delusion that he is a candidate); and as of a few days back, they've let loose the destruction machine on Newt Gingrich.

Now... I'm not a big fan of Mr. Gingrich, and I don't think he'd be a great choice for president... but of the current field I'd take him (or Rick Perry), over Romney; and certainly over Obama.

As I've written before, there's a lot that Gingrich and I disagree on; but on base principles, we're about 75% with each other.

Seriously... If I thought that Newt wasn't one of the few guys who could actually get Obama re-elected by taking the Republican nomination, I'd be happy to support him for president. I'd certainly take him over "their guy".

Frankly, I'm very concerned at this point... damn near terrified in fact... because I believe the RNC have VERY badly miscalculated.

I believe they have made the same improper calculation they made in 2000; only this time, it may result in an actual electoral defeat, rather than just a near defeat and moral empowerment of those who would destroy our nation.

What do I mean by that?

In 2000, the RNC turned John McCain; a previously honorable man, who I had great respect for, and who (while not perfect), was generally a solid moderate conservative, with a very reasonable legislative record (no he wasn't perfect. No senator is); into a RINO enemy for life.

They did this, by taking the man who would have otherwise relatively easily captured the Republican nomination, beat Al gore handily, and most likely have been re-elected without too much difficulty after four years; and used the RNC machine to utterly destroy his campaign (particularly in the south), with personal slurs and Nixon style ratfucking.

They did this, because they believed (correctly) that they could handle George W. Bush better than they could handle McCain; and because the people around Bush were already "their people".

I've mentioned this before, but I haven't, and can't speak in detail about it, because I am under lifetime NDA; but I did information security work for the McCain campaign in 2000.

At this point, a it was now almost 12 years ago, and as I am no longer primarily attempting to earn my living in information security; I feel comfortable saying that I know a lot more than what has been publicly disclosed (or can be disclosed) about dirty tricks in the campaign, and that it was a lot worse than what is publicly known.

At this point, December 2011, the "republican establishment" understands that they made a mistake with Bush; but they do not understand what mistake they made.

The dangerous part, is that they believe they DO understand the mistake they made... worse, they believe they have a solution.

The mistake they THINK they made, was in Bush's presentation, handling, and image; and they believe that by choosing Mitt Romney as their standard bearer, they have corrected that mistake.

In reality, the error they made with Bush was in choosing a man with the wrong type of personality, and the wrong type of mind....

Unfortunately, it was exactly that personality and type of mind, which made them choose Bush in the first place.

It's what they want; and it's wrong both for winning this election, and for being the president of the united states from 2013 through 2017.

To explain this, I need to talk about who our former president is, as a man, for a minute (a man who, to be clear, I am not a big fan of as a president; though I believe him to be a good man, who sincerely tried to do what he believed was the right thing when he could).

George W. Bush has a particular type of personality; which has advantages and disadvantages for high level leadership, but which is also one of the most important factors in why Bush was such a target of hatred; and why he was ultimately, not a very successful or good president (though not nearly the failure or awful president he has been portrayed as).

It isn't that Bush is stupid; no matter how much a (large) portion of society (particularly the media) would love to believe it (and love to portray him as such).

What Bush is, is unfacile with verbal communications. He is largely inarticulate in self expression, and he does not process or respond quickly to the words of others.

What drives certain people to spittle flinging, is that the intellectual and artistic institutions of this nation, and those who exist within them; use verbal facility as a proxy both for intelligence, and for personal moral worth (though they would not express it in those terms).

When these people see someone who is verbally unskilled (and therefore, in their emotional context, unintelligent and morally unworthy), in a position of greater subjective value or power than their own; it causes great resentment, sometimes to the point of rage.

Although it's true that Bush is not particularly articulate, and often has difficulty expressing himself (by the by, part of that is real; part is cultivated as part of his image of being "a guy you could have a beer with... if he still drank"; and part is simply the structure of his brain. Bushes malapropisms, and difficulty in extemporaneous formal/semi-formal speech; are actually a symptom of a fairly common learning disability, and have little to do with his intelligence or education); in reality, he's actually very intelligent.

Bush's IQ, based on his ASVAB, AFOQT scores, and SAT scores, is approximately 125. Bush is also EXTREMELY well educated, both formally and personally. He graduated from Philips Academy (an EXTREMELY rigorous prep school in Massachusetts); and with a BS in history from Yale (he had a c+ average most of his college years, but improved to a B+ his senior year). He also earned an MBA from Harvard Business School (which does not give "gentlemans C's"); and by all accounts, he's a HUGE reader, mostly of history and biographies.

Frankly, he's almost certainly more intelligent, and better educated; than the vast majority of the people who hate him for being "stupid".

Bush's memory for fine detail is poor, not from any lack of ability, but because he doesn't see details as particularly important; he's a big picture kind of guy. He believes in understanding, and wisdom, over knowledge and detail.

In some ways, Bush's raw intellect and analytical ability is actually quite impressive. He has a spectacular capability to understand and set priorities, filter through large amounts of information to get to the core of issues, and make decisions based on those priorities and core problems. He trusts instincts over detailed analysis, and he trusts men over facts. He believes fully in making decisions based on the man, not on the information... and he's a hell of a poker player.

But there's another side to Bushes intelligence... his moral certainty, and intellectual certitude.

Bush doesn't change his mind... basically ever. He doesn't doubt himself, or his decisions... basically ever. Yes I know, this is not literally true, but it is apparently true to the outside world.

That particular aspect of his personality enrages those who hate him even further. Nothing drives a man who's ego is wrapped up entirely in their intellect; as a man who fundamentally disagrees with them, and who will not even allow the smallest possibility that they may be wrong.

Bush is the type that, once he gives his loyalty, or once he makes a moral decision; he keeps to that no matter what. He is also someone who relies on advice, and on advisers. When he trusts someone, he trusts them completely; and will delegate things within their scope, entirely to that person, without oversight. As I said above, he trusts the man, not the facts.

Reagan had a similar type of personality.

This is... convenient... for a certain type of bureaucratic machine. This personality, is what convinced the Republican machine (mostly correctly), that they could largely shape the Bush presidency, by controlling the advice he got, and the people around him.

At this point, the RNC believes that if they could just have Bush, without the "rage" against him; that everything would be perfect.

In Romney, the RNC believes they have their "perfect" guy.

Romney has that same tractability, reliance on advisers and advice, and most of the loyalty to individuals and the organization that Bush had (though not as absolute by any means); without the unfortunate tendency to use the wrong word at the wrong time, or piss people off just by opening his mouth... or for that matter... breathing.

They could not be more wrong...

Oh, they've got the guy they want; and he is exactly that. They're completely right about that part. They're getting exactly what they think they need... Exactly what they want...

The problem is, they want the wrong thing.

They're firmly convinced that so long as they can shape the image, and the message, of the Romney campaign (and later, the Romney administration); and they keep "their guy" on message, they've got a guaranteed winner.

In this, they are DANGEROUSLY incorrect.

What the RNC don't understand, is that the American people don't want, what the Republican machine wants.

They believe that, because Americans elected Republicans in preference to Democrats in the midterms; that somehow, this is a blanket approval to continue their default program "business as usual".

Oh sure, "their guy" will make the right noises about changing things, and fixing things and rolling things back... at least in the primaries; but come the general, he'll be selling himself as "the moderate" to get the center left (who are very uncomfortable with the Obama administration AND the current congress). He won't need to court the social or fiscal conservatives, or the libertarians because... after all... it's not like they're going to let Obama stay in office.

The thing is, we know this.

We're not stupid.

We're not fooled by Romney, or by their "message".

We don't want it.

In 2000, the moderate was who the American People wanted; and we got the "compassionate conservative" instead. We know that story. We're not going to repeat it.

What the American people want now, is a man of principle, and guts, who WILL reverse the current collision course with the dumpster we're on, and roll back the idiotic excesses of the current congress and administration...

...but not someone so radical that they're going to try to end social security (or for that matter change it in any meaningful way) or put in a flat tax or... well, anything radical or transformative at all really.

Note: That's not what I PERSONALLY want. I want someone who WOULD scrap social security, medicare, medicaid, and the entire tax system. I'm smart enough, self aware enough, and politically astute enough; to understand that what I want, isn't necessarily what the people as a whole wants... or even necessarily what is best for the country... though I believe it is.

They want the guy who will put things back to the way they were around 1992 or so; just, you know, winning this time.

Unfortunately for the RNC... that guy isn't running.

Operation Fast and Furious Hits Too Close to Home(town)

2011-12-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

Chris and I have stayed pretty silent about the whole ATF/Gunrunner/Gunwalker/Fast and Furious issue. This is due to a mix of factors, from lack of time to not wanting to to go down that particular angry rabbit hole. Other gunbloggers have covered the issue far better than we have the time or inclination to.

That being said, we are incredibly pissed off. But pissed off isn't always enough.

Turns out Fast and Furious hit a little closer than we originally thought.

So literally a few days before we moved to the great free North, we took a few of our friends / menial packing labor to dinner. One of our friends, known to the internet as a whole as Kommander, asked Chris if he knew about this blogger that lived near us who runs the Spoony Experiment. Chris knows everything on the internet right?

When the name Noah Antwiler came up, Chris didn't have a clue, but my best friend and I knew exactly who they were talking about. After all, there can't be more than one person with that name in our hometown. We went to high school with Noah, and shared many of the same honors-level courses.

I never really followed up though, as following the blog of someone you went to school with a decade ago seems like the blogosphere equivalent of finding all your old buddies on Facebook and talking about the good ole days until your kids want to kill you.

But anyway fast forward a few months and this comes up:

MCSO: Man shot by deputy in Mesa was undocumented immigrant

Posted: 01/17/2011
By: Erisa Nakano

MESA, AZ - Authorities say a man who was fatally shot by a deputy after pointing a weapon at the deputy in a threatening manner in Mesa was an undocumented immigrant.
The suspect died Monday morning from his injuries, said spokesman Jeff Sprong with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
Sprong said the deputies responded to a call of shots fired around 10:30 p.m. near Ellsworth and Broadway roads.
It was determined that 47-year-old Felipe Ramirez Castellanos was in an argument with his wife and was leaving the residence in a vehicle. Castellanos reportedly fired several rounds from his vehicle in an unknown direction.
When deputies arrived, they stopped a vehicle backing out of the driveway of the home driven by Castellanos, Sprong said.
As a deputy approached the driver’s side door, Castellanos rolled down the window and pulled out an AK47 assault rifle and pointed it at the deputy in a threatening manner, Sprong said.
The deputy then reportedly fired his handgun at Castellanos and struck him in the hip and head.
Castellanos was taken to the Maricopa County Medical Center with life-threatening injuries where he later died.

The deputy in question? Noah's brother Miles. Where? In an area of Mesa that was within our high school's boundaries while we were in school. Also a handful of miles south of where my best friend used to live, and literally 5 minutes away from where I lived when Chris and I first got together.

Oh, but it gets better.

Kommander forwarded me this tweet of Noah's while Chris and I were out and about last night:

@TheSpoonyOne Noah Antwiler

The man my brother shot in the line of duty was carrying guns provided by Operation Fast and Furious. Bravo, ATF, for handing him an AK-47.

The effects of Operation Fast and Furious. In my hometown. 130 miles north of the border.

That's. Just. Bloody.Wonderful.

Firearms mythbusting part... I can't remember at this point... Why 4lbs?

2011-12-09T17:37:00.000-08:00

Rob Allen just put up a post on using the Apex Competition trigger (which gives the gun an appx 3lb trigger pull) in his carry M&P40.

In comments, several people said that they weren't comfortable with the idea; because their general concept of a "safe" carry trigger, is a 4lb trigger weight; and Apex themselves (basically for liability reasons) insist the trigger kit is for competition use only.

A four pound or heavier trigger pull for carry guns is the conventional wisdom around the gun world; but it seems everyone has a different explanation as to why... if they have an explanation at all, other than received wisdom.

The "lore" is that 4lbs is the point where you won't accidentally trip the sear if you put your finger on the trigger when gripping the weapon, or moving around.

Unfortunately, that's a myth; and a dangerous one.

In actuality, the trigger weight that will prevent most negligent discharges under normal conditions (never mind under great stress) is MUCH higher. Something like 12lb to 16lb in fact (several studies have been done over the years, and their conclusions have varied, from under 10lb under "normal" conditions, to well over 20lb under high stress).

Under high stress, reflexive or sympathetic gripping, can be extremely powerful.

Let me explain what that means.

Reflexive motions, are motions that happen involuntarily, in response to stimulus. They are "reflexes".

Sympathetic motions are a particular type of reflexive motion that occurs in one part of the body, when we move or perform an action with another part.

Our grip (the relevant bodily function to handling and actuating the trigger on a firearm), is subject to both sympathetic motion, and other types of reflexive motion.

When you squeeze something with your left hand, your right hand will tend to squeeze slightly, involuntarily, in response (actually, if you are left handed, the right hand will tend to respond quite strongly, and vice verse. The dominant hand more strongly influences the off hand). Unless you are actively looking out for this and attempting to stop it, you simply can't... and even then, you often can't stop it entirely. It's a twitch response.

That's called a sympathetic contraction, and it's the proximate cause of a lot of folks negligently discharging their firearms (the true cause is poor trigger discipline; but even very well trained people can and do screw up sometimes, through complacency, or under great stress... I speak from experience).

Unfortunately, a lot of people develop the very bad habit of lightly resting their finger on the side, or face, of the trigger; or of putting their finger inside the trigger guard. Even if your finger isn't on the trigger, if it's inside the trigger guard, sympathetic (or other reflexive) motion can cause you to actuate the trigger unintentionally, causing a negligent discharge.

The other type of reflexive motion I'm going to address is also the proximate cause of a lot of negligent discharges... In particular, a lot of cops have shot themselves while chasing suspects because of it.

If you stumble, lose your balance, or fall, while holding something in your hand, you WILL grip that object VERY hard, with all your fingers; and you will tend to try to bring the object in close to your body. It's called reflexive contraction, and you CAN NOT STOP IT.

Literally thousands of tests have been done on this; and even if you are prepared to fall, it's simply not possible to prevent yourself from gripping hard when you fall with something gripped in your hand; unless, as you notice you are falling (IF you notice you are falling), you deliberately discard the item in your hand (or unless you train to do so for tens of thousands of repetitions, creating new muscle memory. No-one sane is going to do that).

How many people are going to deliberately toss their gun out of their hands when they fall?

Unless your finger is indexed firmly outside the trigger guard, and unable to slip into the trigger guard under strong reflexive motion; there's a pretty good chance that you're going to unintentionally actuate the trigger when these reflexive motions come into play.

Studies have been done many times over the years, and the results are inconsistent; but the general consensus is that an "average" subject will tend to grip with a range of between 20lb and 40lbs of force when reflexive motion under stress comes into play; and the higher the stress they are under at the time, the more force they will grip with.

I think we can agree, having to draw your firearm defensively would qualify as a high stress situation.

That said, no-one would accept a 40lb trigger pull on any normal gun. Hell, most people wouldn't even be able to pull it unless they WERE under extreme stress (I am a very large man, who regularly does grip exercises as physical therapy; and although I CAN pull 40lb with my index finger, I wouldn't want to do it very often. Or 20lb for that matter).

You design for the common case, not for the extreme edges; and you design to balance considerations. One consideration in trigger pull weight is comfort, another is accuracy; and unfortunately, these days the one given the most weight, is legal liability.

In the common case, a 10lb to 20lb trigger, will keep someone with poor trigger discipline, from negligently discharging their weapon during the draw cycle, or while moving about with the weapon on the range.

Sadly, this will not keep the firearms manufacturer or police department from being sued; but it will generally mean the manufacturer or police department won't lose because they had too light a trigger.

This liability issue is why the Glock New York II trigger (designed for the NYPD) is a nominal 11.5-12lb weight.

An aside: Actually, in most guns, it isn't; or even close to it. It varies from between 10lb and 14lb at the face of the trigger; because of inconsistencies in spring tension, pistol wear, slight differences in the connector angles, and differences in friction of the mating surfaces.

Also, trigger weight measurement will vary based on where on the trigger the measurement is taken, and the design of the trigger. Tilting triggers like those in Glocks and S&W revolvers, have much more leverage at the trigger tip than the face; but people squeeze the trigger from the face).

The New York trigger was designed in response to officers (many of them transitioning from S&W revolvers), not being used to the much lighter weight of the standard Glock trigger, and negligently discharging their firearms. In response, Glock just made their triggers as heavy as the DA trigger pull of the departments old S&W revolvers; which were nominally between 11 and 12lbs.

The negligent discharge issue is also why "traditional" double action revolver trigger pulls are at around a 12lb standard (lately they've been going up. Current S&W production revolvers run something like 16-18lbs), and why military arms were often designed to have 12lb triggers etc...

In fact, I believe that number was arrived at during the adoption of a modified version of the Smith & Wesson model 1889 hand ejector, as the S&W military and police revolver, in 1899; but I believe the 11-12lb nominal DA trigger pull of the revolver, was simply the result of a series of manufacturing decision, that had the happy accident of reducing the impact of private dumbass's bad firearms habits.

At any rate, like most things, it became the "Traditional" revolver trigger weight by an accidental and coincidental combination of factors; but once that was established as the standard, people resisted or rejected any variation from it. Millions of soldiers and policemen were trained on revolvers with 12lb double action trigger pulls for decades; and that's the way they "should" be.

The 4lb carry trigger on semi-auto handguns has a similar story.

Really, the 4lb number came about because of 1911s, small metal trigger parts, gunsmiths, and bubbas.

4lbs, is about the lowest you can take the trigger pull on a stock 30s through 70s manufacture 1911, without having to replace the trigger parts with higher quality, lighter weight, better heat treated pieces that have never had any stoning done on them; and still have the gun be "safe" (actually, a safe and clean 4lbs is pushing it on a lot of guns, but 4.5lbs is doable on almost any 1911).

By "safe", I mean that the pistol won't have hammer pushoff (where you can push the hammer forward off the sear), hammer follow (where the hammer follows the slide forward, or falls forward off the sear when the slide locks into battery), trigger doubling (where the inertia of the trigger -or the trigger and your finger- under recoil causes the sear to trip), or runaway (where the disconnector fails to cause the sear to reset); under heavy recoil.

4lbs is also about the lightest a "bubba", without the proper tools and fixtures, can get a 1911 trigger with freehand stoning; and not have it be TOO dangerous. Frankly, part of the whole 4lbs thing, is what one might consider "defensive disinformation"; in that if the bubbas got the received wisdom that they could get to 4lbs but anything lower was likely to kill somebody, maybe they wouldn't be so stupid and screw up their (and other peoples) guns so much trying to go lighter (in which, it had mixed success).

An important note: As I have said here many times before, never let someone who isn't an expert, with proper tools, training, and experience, work on your firearms, ESPECIALLY your triggers; including yourself. No-one who doesn't know exactly what they are doing, and have the right tools to do it, should ever work on a firearms trigger.

With an ultralight trigger, ultralight hammer, good springs, and good high quality trigger parts; that are properly fitted, properly stoned and polished, and properly heat treated; it's certainly possible to get a much lighter trigger in a 1911 and still be mechanically safe.

You can actually get down to less than 2lbs (if you use VERY high quality parts, and replace them frequently) and be mechanically safe; but that discounts human factors (also, the parts will have a much shorter service life).

Anything under 3lbs on a short pull single stage trigger (like a 1911), and I worry about inertia and reflexive motion causing doubling under heavy recoil; even if you are extremely well trained in resetting and getting off the trigger (I speak from experience).

Some competitive shooters have their race guns set up with as light as 1.2lb triggers, but those are highly tuned guns, highly trained shooters, and they replace the parts of the gun LONG before they wear out.... and frankly, I still think it's a silly idea.

There are some folks who brag about 12oz triggers on 1911s; but for one, I've never see a 1911 trigger lighter than 18oz that I would consider safe, and honestly, I really don't see the point.

Anything less than about 3lbs or so isn't going to make a bit of difference in competitive accuracy (it's basically a bragging rights issue). It's really the clean break, without any stacking or creep that's more important, and going so light actually makes it harder to get that break perfect. I'd rather have a 6lb trigger with a perfect break, than a 2lb trigger with anything less than a perfect break (and honestly, with a perfect break, that 6lb pull is going to feel, subjectively, lighter than the 2lb without it).

Plus, the parts wear out so much faster (particularly for a competitive shooter, who may shoot 50,000 rounds a year), you're having to constantly do new triggers; and you're always carrying extra risk of getting a procedural or technical (because, as I said, even a well trained shooter can screw up).

Other firearms designs have their own limitations.

An N-Frame Smith and Wesson revolver, with a good smith, can get down to about a 7lb DA trigger pull and still be reliable with most ammo (though a trigger under 8lbs may have a problem with hard primers).

That same gun can be tuned down to an under 1lb single action trigger; but I recommend against it because the trigger parts will wear down very quickly, and the hammer may push off if hit hard, or dropped. My personal 625 has an SA pull of just under 2lbs, and it breaks with a hard wish.

With a Glock, the limits are determined by the geometry of the transfer bar, striker, trigger connector, the springs in the trigger system, and overall friction in the trigger system.

The practical limit on a 100% safe and reliable, and reasonably crisp, trigger for a Glock is about 2.5-3lbs or just a bit under (every gun is a little bit different); and most other striker fired auto pistols are somewhere around there as well.

Because the Glock in particular has a long travel trigger, with a semi-cocked striker (with the trigger in its neutral position, the striker doesn't have enough energy to ignite a primer, even if it falls without a trigger pull); the weight of the trigger itself isn't much of a safety factor.

The important thing is to have sufficient engagement between the components, and sufficient spring pressure; that inertia, metal fatigue, or small pieces of grit, wouldn't cause doubling (or worse, a runaway) under heavy recoil.

Also, with Glocks (and again, most other striker fired auto pistols), very light trigger weights can actually feel worse than heavier weights; because the very light springs required, make the trigger feel "soft", "mushy", or "spongy" rather than crisp. This can actually hurt accuracy (as I said above, the break is more important than the weight).

My personal opinion, is that any trigger that is mechanically safe and reliable; is TECHNICALLY suitable for carry.

The real problem though, isn't technical, it's legal.

A 4lb or higher trigger weight, is the conventional wisdom and "industry standard" for a carry trigger.

If you deliberately act to carry a firearm with a trigger lighter than that (particularly if it's against the manufacturers strict recommendation), then you are taking on a huge potential legal liability in the event you have to use your firearm defensively.

First of course, is being portrayed as having an "unsafe" modification, or "hair trigger" in the event of a jury trial.

As to how much impact this will have... Ask Harold Fish. He carried a modified 10mm, and the prosecutors successfully argued that because he did so (both the light trigger, and the fact that he carried such a powerful round) he was "looking to shoot someone".

Most of the time, juries aren't that stupid (prosecutors on the other hand...), but sometimes... That said, it doesn't stop me from carrying my 10mm 1911 (with a 3lb 12oz trigger by the by).

Second, most shooters are not used to such light triggers. If another shooter picks up your gun, and has poor trigger discipline; with a very light trigger, even when you warn them, it's entirely possible they may ND during draw or presentation.

I've had this happen with several different shooters, and several of my guns (including those with over 4lb triggers); mostly Glock shooters who weren't used to 1911s.

Finally, there's you. Are YOU, personally, safe with a 4lb or lighter trigger.

If you aren't well trained, and well practiced (or, even if you are, and your fingers just aren't that sensitive), it can be VERY easy to unintentionally trip a very light trigger.

A lot of folks assume that 5lbs is a fair bit of weight; after all lots of people exercise with 5lb dumbbells. With your grip though, it's different.

I'm a guitar player and a bass player. Finger strength is rather important to folks who do that. I use a 50lb whole hand grip exerciser, and an "extra heavy" Gripmaster pro five finger exerciser, with 11lb of tension on each finger; and I feel barely any resistance to my index finger squeeze.

Even my wife, who has comparatively little grip strength, can squeeze the 11lb index finger pad easily enough, and she has no problem with the trigger pull on my J-Frame 340pd ( so it's not actually a matter of trigger finger strength.

Some folks can't feel any difference between a 2lb trigger, and a 6lbs trigger, simply because their proprioceptive sense just isn't fine enough, or isn't trained enough.

And of course, there's simply a matter of what you're used to, and what you're comfortable with. 4lbs of trigger weight seems EXTREMELY light, when you're used to 6 or 7 or 12lbs; never mind 3lbs. Also, most people are used to some takeup, some creep, and some stacking in their triggers. When presented with a trigger that has none of these things (or very little), even if the trigger is hev peoples "surprise break" can be more like a "whoa, how the hell did that thing go off" trigger break.

So, if you want a lighter than a 4lb trigger, I'm perfectly OK with it, and it's most likely perfectly mechanically safe; so long as you are personally safe, and comfortable with it, and so long as you accept the potential liability issue.

This promises ill...

2011-12-08T12:31:00.000-08:00

For both my health, and most likely, my sanity....

That, is Liquid Caffeine, from Get5150.com; sitting next to my first experiment with it.

Yes, I double caffeinated a cup of coffee. It worked out quite well actually. I could definitely feel the extra caffeine (or rather, I could feel that there was some. I don't generally notice the caffeine from a single cup of coffee).

You see, Mel and I quite enjoy energy drinks... anything caffeinated really... But we're not really crazy about the flavors they offer; or the price for that matter. Your typical price for one of the big 20oz cans, even from Costco, is over $1 each.

And, sad as it may seem, on occasion I find myself missing flightline coffee (tasted like shit, but I swear to god they cut it with benzedrine or something. Thus the experiment above).

Another thing we (well, mostly me) are fans of, is carbonated beverages; but again, not such a big fan of the price; and frankly, most of them are oversweet for me.

So, a few weeks ago, Mel and I bought a Sodastream system (they were on special at Costco. 130 liter starter kit for $110). This one in fact:

At first glance, the sodastream system may seem a bit expensive at $100 or so for 130 liters worth of carbonation; but the refills are only $30 (or a hell of a lot less if you have a friendly local welding or brewing supplier. I've got both).

When I have an unlimited supply, and I'm being active, I tend to drink about 12 liters a day of plain soda water (because I drink it in preference to plain water); or about six liters a day of the fizzy flavored stuff (I prefer Fresca, diet ginger ale, diet Coke, or diet Mountain dew), and six liters of plain water. About 3 gallons more or less, either way.

Supermarkets tend to charge about $1 a liter, or between $1.25 and $1.50 for a two liter (on sale of course. I think the list price is $1.89).

We've had a soda siphon forever, but it just doesn't taste the same for some reason (I think it's because the Co2 they use is both a lower volume and at lower pressure; and doesn't permeate the water as well), plus the 12 gram co2 cartridges (you use one 12 gram per liter) end up costing more than the supermarket soda.

Speaking thereof, and addressing the sweetness issue, as I said, I rather like "club soda" or plain soda water; but for some reason, they actually charge MORE for unflavored fizzy water, than for flavored fizzy water (I also like unsweetened tonic water... I find the bitterness refreshing, but it's hard to find the stuff). Most places only carry the 1 liter bottles of plain soda water, and they usually charge as much for them, as they do for a 2 liter of coke products (on sale of course. They go on sale constantly, it would be silly to pay full price for them).

Given how much I drink of the stuff, a cylinder pays off 4 times over; and the $110 they charge for the carbonator itself (which comes with the first cylinder) pays off on the first fill; or presuming you get the lowest price on supermarket soda, the second.

Never mind the price, I love the stuff. The fact that it's cheap too is just sweetening on top.

The one thing it's missing though, is caffeine.

Enter "Get5150.com".

For $40, you get 1 gallon of their colorless, flavorless, caffeine solution:

One gallon of their solution, has 64,000mg (64 grams) of caffeine, the same as 800 cans of Red Bull (or 800 cups of coffee).

Normally, Caffeine has a horribly bitter flavor. I have no idea what they've done to this stuff to neutralize it; but one ounce of the solution (500mg of caffeine), in one liter of water, has no discernible flavor.

That gives you 125mg of caffeine per 8oz.

For comparison, regular brewed coffee has between 80 and 125mg of caffeine per 8oz (Starbucks regular brewed coffee has about 50% more caffeine, because of how they blend it and roast it); Red Bull has 80mg per 8oz, and Mountain Dew has 55mg per 8oz.

Traditional espresso has 75-100mg per shot; or about 400mg per 8oz (a Venti Starbucks iced espresso drink has three shots).

This bottle of soda water:

Now has as much caffeine as six cans of Red Bull.

Wooo hooo...

Now, one of the main selling points of the sodastream, is that with flavor syrups, you can make your own simulated Coke, Mountain Dew etc...

I do actually like Sodastreams flavor syrups; particularly their pink grapefruit flavor (in diet. The full sugar version is too sugary). I use them half strength, so a $5 bottle makes 24 liters, instead of the 12 listed on the bottle. Also, their diet flavors use splenda, which I prefer over nutrasweet; and their full sugar flavors use cane sugar (they even do "organic" if that's your thing).

That said, you can use whatever flavor syrups you like, or flavor essences, or fruit juices, or whatever other flavoring methodology you prefer; and of course, you can adjust the sugar content and/or sweetness to suit, and the acid to suit (I like my flavored drinks a fair bit more tart than most commercially produced fare).

There are also a number of bulk beverage service companies out there, that will sell you whatever syrup or flavor concentrate you like (including real Coke, Mountain Dew etc...); and concentrated unsweetened flavor essences you can use to mix up your own syrups.

Mel decided to buy a bunch of those, and try mixing up our own:

This vaguely nuclear waste looking jug, is 32oz of what one particular soda supplier bills as their "lemon lime" soda concentrate, mixed into a syrup (in theory, 16 liters worth), plus 5120mg of caffeine (80mg per cup of finished soda).

And this:

is what it produces. That lighting doesn't quite how it off right though...

Ever see the movie "the Manhattan Project"? Remember the Plutonium gel?

Yeah, it does look exactly like that (or like Prell shampoo).

It doesn't taste at all bad, though it definitely leans more on the "lime lollipop" side of things (which, frankly, Mountain Dew does as well). A couple squirts of real lemon juice, and real lime juice did it some good.

Hmmmm.....

The caffeine didn't do a bit of harm to the soda, or the coffee...

Hmmmm.....

I have a cunning plan

Remembering

2011-12-05T21:37:00.000-08:00

15 years ago today, the most important man in my life, the man who I owe more to than anyone... the man who made me who I am... died.

My grandfather, Robert Emmet Dinsmore (for whom my uncle, brother, and cousin were all named), died December 5th 1996, of complications arising from cancer.

Robert Emmet Dinsmore of Quincy, an attorney who ran for the US Senate in 1976, died last week in his second home in Floral City, Fla. He was 65.

Mr. Dinsmore was born in Boston. He graduated from Brandeis University and New England School of Law and earned a master's degree in education at Suffolk University.

A veteran of the Army during the Korean War, he taught in the Boston public schools before becoming a lawyer in practice in Boston and Quincy. Mr. Dinsmore's clients included antibusing leaders Louise Day Hicks and Albert (Dapper) O'Neil. He twice ran for the Boston City Council before unsuccessfully challenging Edward M. Kennedy in the 1976 Democratic primary for the US Senate.

He leaves his wife, five daughters, three sons, his mother, a sister, and 10 grandchildren.

He actually had 11 grandchildren at the time of his death (sadly, he never got to know his granddaughter Christina). Of those 11 grandchildren, I was the oldest. He unfortunately did not live to see the birth of his 3 youngest grandchildren (or any of his great grandchildren, now numbering 8 I think); my aunt Maureens daughters, the oldest of whom will be 15 next year. He passed on a few months after Maureens wedding.

He was only in his mid 40s when I was born, and most of his kids were still at home; then I lived with him from age 2 to 5 , and later about two more years altogether (my mother was ill much of the time while I was growing up). As a result, he always treated me more like his youngest son, rather than a grandson. As my actual father was in prison most of my life growing up, I felt much the same.

I never got a chance to say a final goodbye to him, but I like to think he would be proud of what I've done, and where I am today.

Of course... he always though it was a waste of my mind that I didn't want to be a lawyer (he most certainly taught me how to argue a position).

Not a day goes by that I don't think of him. There's not an hour that goes by that I don't feel the impact he had on my life. There's not a second that goes by that I don't miss him.

Papa, I love you and I miss you.

Crispin Fabrications first product

2011-12-01T06:46:00.000-08:00

So, on Monday, I said that on Tuesday I would be posting a product that would be quick and easy for me to sell.

Since I slept through Tuesday, I figured it was time to post our first product up now.

Williams Sonoma, Pampered Chef, and a bunch of different "design houses" etc... all offer high end wood and metal pot racks.

They're not bad products, but I've never really liked any of them; plus, the big ones often run to $600 or more (some as much as $2,000). The little ones can be had for as little as $200 (or their east Asian and south American copies as little as $100), but what's the point of a little pot rack. You can only fit a couple of pots on the little ones.

Even worse, all of them, even the $2000 ones; use substandard hardware. They're scrap metal quality, with iffy finishes, and tropical woods no-one has ever heard of.

I just don't get the appeal frankly. I wouldn't buy one.

So, I decided I'd build my own, of solid oak, and high quality stainless.

I started off with an 8 foot length of 1x6 red oak. I trimmed it to six feet, and quarter round routed the edge; then finish sanded the whole piece.

After wiping it down, I hand rubbed three coats of a light "gunstock" stain, and then three coats of a thinned out hand rubbed poly. That gave it a nice neutral gold, semi-gloss finish; to nicely match my kitchen woodwork.

All that was in the shop, and unfortunately, I didn't have my camera out with me while I was doing it.

Then I brought the piece inside, to mount the hardware, and hang it:

I started out by setting the three screw-eyes I chose to use as hangars, in the top of the ledger.

I chose to attach them to the anchor eyes (same as the hangers) with a single threaded quicklink, because I didn't need much drop from the beam; but I could have used any length of chain I wanted, to set the drop as low as I needed to. I also could have used a simple set of hooks for about 1.5" less drop if I needed to (or opened the eyes up, hooked them together, and reclosed them for that matter).

The hooks themselves are a decent grade stainless, and rated for 600lbs each; so I'm not exactly worried about the load carrying capacity of the thing (unlike some of the commercial models, whose hardware leaves me doubting their capability to hold a full load of heavy stainless or cast iron pots and pans).

Continuing in that theme, I used four of the same eyes as the anchors and hangars for the suspension chain.

You can see there, I chose to tighten the chain with a center turnbuckle. This keeps the chain nice and tight, and allows for as much adjustment as necessary. I also chose to use quicklinks to anchor to the ends of the ledger, and to thread through the hangars.

This allows the chain to slide through the hangars up to about 1.5" on each side (more than enough to tighten the chain up) without binding up.

The point of using the chain, is to give you infinite flexibility on the number of pots, and their positions. Most of the commercial models are somewhat limited. I don't know about you, but I have a lot of different pots and pans of wildly different sizes and shapes, and I need that flexibility.

The pots themselves hang from heavy duty "S" hooks, which are inserted into the individual links.

I could have used a cable, or a steel rod (and several commercial models do); which would let you slide the hooks (and pots) up and down etc... but I like the fact that the chain holds the hooks into one position. You still get the flexibility of moving the pots wherever you want, but without having them move on their own if for example, one end of the rack were to fall (or one end of the cable or rod etc...).

The hooks at the ends are angled out to reduce swaying by the way.

I think it looks pretty good up there don't you? And at six feet long, it's got enough capacity for as many pots and pans as I could want (I put 18 hooks up there, but I don't think I'll use all of them).

I can build this design, a variant with a cable or rod instead of a chain; or a variant with individual hooks and eyes. I can build a variant with a broader ledger, and hooks or a chain etc... on both sides of the ledger.

For the ledger, I can use just about any wood you like; though the wood selected does have a structural impact. I can make the ledger deeper (higher as it were), thicker, shallower... I can even use square section wood.

I you like, I can change the form of the rack from a straight bar, to a mitered square, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, or octagon.

I can also make the rack out of solid or tubular (circular, square, rectangular, or triangular section) steel, aluminum, copper, brass, or wrought Iron; with the hardware either threaded or welded (or brazed or silver soldered) into the bar.

As to hardware, I can make it with stainless hardware, galvanized, plain steel, painted steel, powdercoated steel, or brass (understandably, brass will have a little less load carrying capacity). I can also add a utensil grid, or some baskets pretty easily.

If you'd like the piece decorated, I can carve or rout decorative designs or lettering into the wood, inlay contrasting woods (that would be a very large upcharge. Inlay work is slow and painstaking), woodburn designs or lettering, even paint or tint designs or lettering into the ledger.

And of course, I can make it any length you want; with any length of hangar hardware you want (though I recommend keeping to six feet or under, to avoid excess shipping charges).

These are true custom pieces, so I can't quote a stock price. Each piece will be made and sold on a materials plus labor basis.

I can tell you that at todays material prices, a linear red oak rack (from 2 to 8 feet long) with a plain hand rubbed finish, no additional decoration, heavy stainless hardware, and a heavy stainless chain, as pictured here; would run you about $200 (plus shipping and handling).

Excuse the quality of the pictures, but I took them in poor light, with a compact point and shoot. I'm going to take some better ones with my "real" camera when I get some good light.

So, if you're interested, drop us a line:

Crispin Fabrication 1-855-CrisEnt (1-855-274-7368)

info@crispinarms.com (I haven't set up the Crispin Fab email or website yet).

Http://www.CrispinArms.com is now live

2011-11-30T15:03:00.000-08:00

The website for Crispin Arms http://www.crispinarms.com is now live.

It's just a placeholder for now, but it has our description, and our contact info.

Which, by the way, I'm going to list here as well.

Contact Hours (all times Pacific):

10am-6pm Mo-Fri

Available weekends (please call and leave a message, we'll get back to you as soon as possible).

Shop Hours:

10am-6pm Mo-Fri - Shop visits by appointment only

Toll Free: 1-855-CrisEnt (1-855-274-7368)
Local/Intl: 208-265-2404
FAX: 1-855-239-9291
E-Mail: Info@crispinarms.com

Crispin Arms
Sagle, Idaho 83860

Remember, it is only a placeholder. IT won't look like this, this won't be the content; but with an announcement out there, I felt I needed to put a placeholder site up.

24 hours in bed

2011-11-30T10:32:00.000-08:00

That's how I spent yesterday, and part of today.

After a couple... months really... of sleep deprivation (excepting a few days where I collapsed in exhaustion and slept for 6 to 8 hours; I haven't had more than 4 hours of sleep in any given 24 hour period in about three months... most days, less. Yes, it's because of the cancer. No, there's nothing I can do about it. Medications either don't work, or they work way too well, nothing in between); which has been particularly bad the last few weeks (I've been doing cycles of 40 hours awake, 2-4 hours asleep the last few weeks); unsurprisingly, my body gave out on me.

I collapsed into bed 8am yesterday with a moderate fever. Minus a few minutes waking up here and there, and a couple hours of half wakefulness overnight; I slept until about 8am this morning (thankfully, with no fever).

I don't know if you've ever slept 24 hours straight. It sounds great, restful and all that. It's not. You actually feel incredibly groggy, stiff etc... and it's a sonofabitch to get up and going into full wakefulness and productivity.

That said... god, I needed that.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Back to the docs again, for the roller coaster ride

2011-11-29T03:04:00.000-08:00

So, when I checked in on this issue last, I had managed to break down as far as 380lbs, and was holding steady under 395 most days; that being 117lbs weight loss in 9 months.

Unfortunately, a couple months back, my peripheral neuropathy began to get worse... much worse.

By about six weeks ago, I got to the point where I couldn't actually feel my fingers or toes, could only partially feel my palms; and had tingling and shooting pain from my fingertips and toes, to my elbows and knees.

It was a matter of good days and bad days; some days it wasn't all that bad, somedays I couldn't make a fist.

My docs didn't really have any idea what was up. There was no obvious reason for the problem; except for the swelling caused by the edema, and that shouldn't have been enough to cause neuropathy that severe (though some was expected).

One rather nasty possibility, was pernicious anemia; which is the loss of ability to absorb b12. B12 deficiency is the second most common cause of peripheral neuropathy.

At the same time, my diuretics also stopped working; however my kidney function was OK.

That was an indicator, that I was severely deficient in something; but we couldn't figure out what, because my blood serum levels were all in the "normal" range.

As a last ditch measure, we decided to stop all my medications for a week, to see what would happen.

What happened, was that my neuropathy improved dramatically.

What also happened however, was that I gained 48lbs in a week; shooting up to 428lbs.

We also did a series of blood tests before and after, and again everything seemed normal (except my cholesterol is up from 160 to 180 in three months; which is odd since I haven't been eating as much red meat or fatty foods lately). My a1c was 5.6% (the most common cause of neuropathy is elevated blood sugar). My b12 level was 470pg/ml, which is right in the middle of normal (though they prefer to see levels around 700).

Of course, that B12 level was after me taking megadoses of the stuff every day for months (megadoses in the range of 100,000% RDA); so it really should have been higher.

That was an indication that I wasn't absorbing B vitamins properly; but since I've managed to get my potassium and magnesium under control, it was somewhat odd.

We added my medications back one at a time to see if we could induce a problem again; we couldn't.

So... what happened?

Excess vitamin B6 is what happened.

Or rather, I made an idiotic mistake is what happened.

When my neuropathy started becoming more than just an annoyance, and I started having some problems with B vitamin absorption, I started taking large doses of the various B vitamins. At first, that made the neuropathy much better, but after a couple weeks, it started getting worse again.

Apparently, a side effect of large doses of B6 is severe neuropathy.

The funny thing is, that's also an effect of being deficient in b1, b2, b3, b5, and b12; and prior to taking the high levels of supplementation I was experiencing the effects of too LITTLE B6, which include seborrheic dermatitis (really bad dandruff, acne, and skin rashes).

So, I had to supplement all the B vitamins, but I was taking too much of the b6.

So, we switched from a b complex (which is all the B vitamins mixed together), and cut way back on the B6 supplement; and my neuropathy is back to a tolerable level. Now I'm back on my normal ridiculous dose of diuretics and anti-inflammatories.

The only problem is, I may have suffered some permanent nerve damage. We'll know in a couple months whether things go back to "normal", or whether there is going to be some permanent pain and loss of sensation.

In the mean time, I've lost pretty much all of those 48 pounds since Wednesday (when I got the last of my test results); weighing in at 382 yesterday morning (yeah, I know, 46lbs in five days isn't healthy).

The funny thing is, I'm still bloated with excess water (and my weight is still fluctuating as much as 16lbs per day)... I'd estimate at least 16lbs worth; so my "Real" weight is probably something between 360lbs and 370lbs.

Oh and my sleep apnea stopped as soon as I dropped under 400lbs (and was very much reduced when I went under 420).

My endocrinologist is recommending to my surgeon that she conduct the surgery as soon as possible, that I don't need to lose any more weight before she does it (when we spoke a few weeks ago, she wanted to wait 'til I was at 360lbs).

So, we'll see. Maybe I can get the tumor out this year (and under this deductible). If not, I'll have another $16,000 in medical bills I can't afford in the first few months of next year.

Mean time, this is what I look like today:

I have a jaw and cheekbones again. Compare that picture to this picture from my brothers funeral in JAnuary:

or even this picture in August:

The difference is huge. For one thing, I have a chin and cheekbones again.

So, what exactly is Crispin Enterprises?

2011-11-29T01:19:00.000-08:00

Simply put, Crispin Enterprises is the umbrella for the business efforts of the Byrne Family.

What was originally several different small companies, with diverse names, was combined under one name when we reincorporated in Idaho in 2010, and of course, has just been added on to with Crispin Arms and Crispin Fabrication.

Those companies are:

Crispin Consulting -

This is masthead for my consulting activities; primarily including information systems; physical, electronic, and information security; storage, archive, and HA/DR; architecture, administration, engineering, management, managed services consulting, and training.

Crispin Press -

A small, special interest, and short run; publisher and printer. Offering editing, layout and pre-press, publishing, and distribution services on both a shared venture, and a custom published or contract published basis.

Crispin Press offers specialty printing, formatting, and binding that conventional publishers and printers can't, or that they charge prohibitively high rates for; as well as offering authors with a very small potential audience, an opportunity to publish and be distributed; that a larger publisher, with higher overhead, otherwise could not offer.

Crispin Fabrication -

A custom fabrication, repair, restoration, and finishing shop for wood and metal.

Services including custom machining, custom sheetmetal work, welding, custom electronics and electronics repair, wood and metal finishing and refinishing, wood and metal repair and restoration, and antique repair and restoration.

Crispin Fabrication has particular expertise in automotive, powersport and motorsport applications; aviation applications; boating and marine applications; guitar repair and fabrication; and furniture repair and restoration.

We also manufacture specialty tools and fixtures, and custom and reproduction parts, for all of the industries and interests above.

Crispin Arms -

Crispin Arms is a small gunsmithing shop, and soon will be an FFL dealer, Class 3 SOT, and manufacturer of firearms and class III items (paperwork is pending on those); maker of custom knives; and manufacturer of high precision, custom loaded ammunition.

We specialize in custom gunsmithing, ammosmithing, bladesmithing, custom fabrication in metal and wood, and firearms repair and refinishing; including repair of class III items, and fabrication and fitting of hard to find and out of production parts for firearms and class III items.

Crispin Arms has particular expertise in 1911 type pistols, and long range rifles.

We specialize in custom gunsmithing, bladesmithing, custom fabrication in metal and wood, and firearms repair; including repair of class III items, and fabrication and fitting of hard to find and out of production parts for firearms and class III items.

Crispin Arms has particular expertise in 1911 type pistols, and long range rifles.

Why? ...and what's the history?

Basically... I prefer to work for myself, and I have a diverse set of skills and interests.

I'm an engineer by nature and by education; and a trained and experienced metal fabricator, finish carpenter, and cabinet maker (both by interest, and by periodic employment).

I have periodically worked professionally in firearms since I was 21, and in fabrication and restoration of metal and wood since before high school (I was 13 when I first apprenticed at my uncles furniture restoration shop, and 16 when I learned welding and machining at a local custom bicycle maker). I started my first computer business when I was in high school. I've been doing all four since, on both a personal, and a professional basis.

Basically, the reason I haven't worked in gunsmithing or fabricating (or guitar repair, or publishing) full time; is because I can make a lot more money in IT consulting, for a lot fewer hours worked, and a lot less effort in developing new business. It has just made more sense.

My wife and I have these businesses, because they align nicely with our interests, and our passions.

We have all of them, because it gives us more opportunities for revenue; and frankly, because other than IT consulting, none of them individually can generate enough revenue to support our family at the scale we want to operate on (small home based or small shop based; with no, or very few, employees).

Why Crispin?

That's easy. I'm a big Shakespeare fan, and as it happens, my favorite piece of dramatic prose in all of history happens to be Henry V; Act 4, Scene 3:

This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

The eventual goal of my wife and I, is to have a ranch and farm, as close to self sustaining as possible (not self sufficient, that's impossible these days. But self sustaining. We want to sell to everyone, and buy as little as possible, from as close as possible); up here in north Idaho.

When we made the decision to move here almost three years ago, we decided to figure out the name for our enterprise. The name we came up with, was Crispin Ranch. From there, it was a simple extension to Crispin Enterprises as the overall name for our business, and Crispin Press for our publishing company.

Project Hal

2011-11-28T21:56:00.000-08:00

This little 400lb crate:

Is what I was waiting for to arrive, before I made the announcement.

Inside said 400lb crate, is a Seig SuperX3 Mill drill; the best of the Chinese made benchtop mills, here in the guise of the Grizzly G0619 "small mill drill" (it's also available from Jet, and from Shop Fox):

It's one step up from the "mini mills" and "hobby mills" out there, and one step down from a freestanding vertical mill. I've got a power feed for it, and it's got a built in DRO on the quill, and for the spindle RPM. I just need to put a multi-axis DRO on the table and head (and I may CNC it. There's a number of CNC conversion kits out there for it).

Significantly though, it's the smallest mill I would consider adequate for general gunsmithing; with a 1hp motor, a 21"x6" table, 16"x6" table travel, and a no-retram 90 degree rotating millhead. With a 6" rotary table, a 6" cross slide vise, a 6" tilting vise, and a full set of clamps and blocks (all of which I've also purchased) that's enough mill capacity and capability for any gunsmithing operation I can think of short of milling a full stock, or an entire precision shooting fixture.

With this, and the 26" metal lathe (and other tools of course) I've acquired; I feel that I can make my announcement.

I have set up a full machine shop, and wood shop; and I am becoming a full time (or at least most of the time) gunsmith, metal fabricator, and woodwright.

I'm an engineer by nature and by education; with degrees in aerospace engineering, and computer science. I've got almost 20 years employment in some type of engineering work (mostly in IT), and more than 10 years in technical management. I also build and repair computer systems, storage, and networking equipment.

What most don't know (though I have mentioned it here before several times), is that I'm also a trained and experienced metal fabricator, finish carpenter, cabinet maker, and furniture restorer and refinisher (both by interest, and by former employment).

I've been fabricating in wood and metal both professionally, and as a hobby, since I was a teenager. I've also been working professionally with computers and networks since I was a teenager.

I started my first business while I was in high school, building computers and networks for doctors and lawyers offices etc... I've been working in IT ever since.

From the age of 13, I was also employed part time (and occasionally full time) at my uncles furniture restoration and refinishing shop; where I learned fine carpentry, cabinet making, and furniture finishing and restoration. On the side, I built and finished a couple of boats, more than a couple of guitars, a lot of furniture... basically anything in wood that I felt like messing with.

Other jobs I had as a teenager and during college included an apprentice fabricator at a custom bicycle shop, where I learned to weld and braze (including aluminum and titanium), and where I first learned machinework; and as an auto and motorcycle mechanic.

I've been making knives and swords since I was 17; when a friend of mine in the SCA introduced me to forging, and stock removal knife making. Right now I have several knives that I either made, or heavily modified from stock blades (regrind, reshape, refinish, new grip scales etc...); and I have given several as gifts over the years.

I started gunsmithing... (or more accurately, armorer work since I at the time I didn't do any firearms machine work. Just fitting and filing) when I was 21; working mostly on ARs, AKs, SKS's, and 1911s.

Again, I've never stopped doing that, both as a hobby, and periodically as a business. Over the past 15 years or so, I've done hundreds of trigger jobs and action jobs, and a lot of parts fitting; on Glocks, SIGs, 1911s, and various rifles; and built dozens of ARs, and Remington 700 type rifles (as well as a few other types of guns here and there). I've also been a firearms trainer (I was NRA certified), and a shop armorer and class III armorer, for several different businesses.

Recently, I've built a number of full custom 1911s, and several precision long range rifles, on the TC Encore, Remington 700, and Winchester model 70 platforms. I've also done a few Saiga conversions, and some rebuilding and refinishing work.

The reason I haven't referred to myself as a professional gunsmith before, was because as far as I'm concerned, you aren't a gunsmith if you don't have the shop and tools necessary to build a gun from bare metal (minus rifling the barrel, which almost no-one has the machines for anymore); and I haven't ever had the space, time, and cash, all at the same time, to have such a shop.

This is the same reason why I haven't referred to myself as a cabinetmaker or furniture restorer. Without a shop to work with, you're just another carpenter.

I've done gunsmithing work for years, using other peoples gear, and using hand tools and light power tools (the dremel tool can be your friend, as well as your enemy); but I haven't been able to do the kind of work I wanted to do.

I've been doing light finish carpentry, making furniture, and restoring antiques for years, using whatever home grade tools I had at the time. Again, I haven't been able to do the work I wanted to do.

As of now, that is no longer true. Now I have the tools, and the space, to do what I want to do.

I have spent the last few months, and about $30,000; building a custom wood and metal fabrication shop, here on my property in Sagle Idaho.

The last tools to purchase were the mill, and the metal lathe (I've had a wood lathe since last year). I ordered them a few weeks ago, and the Mill arrived today (the lathe hasn't shown up yet, but it was supposed to be here today as well).

So, in this post, I am formally announcing the formation of Crispin Arms, and Crispin Fabrication; joining Crispin Press and Crispin Consulting, as subsidiaries of Crispin Enterprises.

Crispin Arms -

Crispin Arms is a small gunsmithing shop, FFL dealer, Class 3 SOT, manufacturer of firearms and class III items (paperwork is filed and pending on all of those requiring federal licensing); maker of custom knives; and manufacturer of high precision, custom loaded ammunition.

We specialize in custom gunsmithing, ammosmithing, bladesmithing, custom fabrication in metal and wood, and firearms repair; including repair of class III items, and fabrication and fitting of hard to find and out of production parts for firearms and class III items.

Crispin Arms has particular expertise in 1911 type pistols, and long range rifles.

Crispin Fabrication -

Crispin Fabrication is a fabrication, repair, restoration, and finishing shop for wood and metal.

Services including custom machining, custom sheetmetal work, welding, custom electronics and electronics repair, wood and metal finishing and refinishing (including spray and chemical finishes, but not plating or heart cured finishes), wood and metal repair and restoration, and antique repair and restoration.

Crispin Fabrication has particular expertise in automotive, powersport and motorsport applications; aviation applications; boating and marine applications; guitar repair and fabrication; and furniture repair and restoration.

We also manufacture specialty tools and fixtures, and custom and reproduction parts, for all of the industries and interests above.

So, what's next?

Well, I've got the tools, and I've got the building.

I have a 32' x 32' fully insulated and heated shop space; with a second floor, heated, clean air, spray booth (I have both HVLP and high pressure systems. I spend the money to get a Japanese made professional turbine; because you can't cheap out on HVLP setups) , and a storage loft.

I've also got a dedicated 400 square feet in my finished and climate controlled basement; for office work, clean work, and benchwork, and for a secure storage space.

It's small, but with the way I've got things set up (everything is either on a wall, or on rolling stands) it's enough, and it's cheap to run.

The only thing space wise I don't have, that I'd really like, is a space for a vehicle lift (I have a bike lift, and an overhead hoist, and enough clear space to get a truck up on stands; but not enough for a lift), and a loading dock for truck deliveries. Frankly, I can live without them.

Now I need to finish putting the shop together, setting the tools up, setup the storage and organization etc... That's going to take me a few weeks.

I have local resources arranged for plating, anodizing, powdercoating, engraving, and anything else I can't do in my shop (including whatever machining or welding I can't do on my own).

I'm already setup to do stock removal knife making; excepting that I haven't built a heat treating oven yet (and yes, I'm going to build one, not buy one. You can build one for a hell of a lot less than the $2500 they charge for even a small 1500 degree setup).

I will also be building a forge, and hand forging implements, tools, and blades; but that is a ways down the road.

I've got the paperwork in on my dealers and manufacturers FFL right now. That will take anywhere from a few weeks, to a couple months to clear. I don't plan on focusing on sales of new or used firearms ( I want local shops to send me business, not see me as a competitor); but I will conduct transfers, group buys, and other FFL type stuff. In the mean time, I have an arrangement with a local gun shop to do transfers, to sell my custom guns, and to act as their shop gunsmith.

Once my FFL comes through, I will file as a Class III SOT; which will take another couple months.

I'm hoping that within the next six months, I'll be able to manufacture, customize, and repair, any kind of firearm I choose, or my customers choose to send me.

Not only that, I'm creative, and I'm skilled mechanically and in materials. I don't just copy and fix, I design new things; and new ways of doing things. I can create original designs, and I can execute them. I plan on doing any type of custom fabricating people want to pay for, and I have the skills to execute.

I'm currently taking advanced machining and advanced welding classes locally, to refresh and expand my skills. I know how to do both, but I am by no means a master at either; and I can always use more practice time, and new skills and techniques. I may become a certified welder, and get a machinists certificate in the process, simply to have as points on my resume.

Of course, I'll be working locally, through the blog, and through my contacts in the gun world, to generate business. There are a lot of folks out there who have seen my work on 1911s and precision rifles; and a lot of people who have felt my trigger work. I am willing to bet you that many of them would say they've never felt a better trigger than on one of my 1911s, or on my S&W 625.

There's also a few folks who have seen (or own) my custom furniture and wood working pieces; and they'll tell you they've never seen a better piece, with a better finish, than I make.

Tomorrow, I'm going to post an example of a product I intend to sell, made by hand, in wood and metal; and that I can make and sell many of, with relatively low overhead.

As I mentioned in the other post, we've got a few months worth of living expenses banked; but until I can get the shop in full swing, I'm going to be taking IT contracts, and possibly a full time position locally if I can find one worthwhile. I'm actively looking as of now.

Frankly, getting out of debt and then setting up the shop were both FAR more expensive than I thought they would be, totalling almost $80,000 altogether. After the IRS took its share of my severance, I paid off our debt, and I paid for the shop; there is a lot less left over than I am happy with (I originally intended to have a full years worth of bills and expenses banked).

The fact is, until I can book between $5,000 and $7,000 a month in revenue, I'm not going to be able to do this full time. In fact, I may never be able to drop IT consulting entirely; but I see the value in having the tools, and keeping up the skills, for these pursuits.

Every good gunsmith I know has a multimonth (or in some cases multi-year) backlog of work of course; but it took them years to get to that point. I expect it will take me some time to get to the point where I have as much gunsmithing and fabricating work as I can handle; if I ever get to that point.

Over the next few years, I think it's going to be very valuable, to have the skills and tools to work locally, on things that need to be built and repaired locally. I think having those skills, tools and equipment, will, long term; provide at least as much value as I could provide with the much higher revenue I would be generating in IT consulting.

Plus, it's just something I want to do.

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be doing a number of posts about setting up the shop, the tools, the costs, the services well be offering etc...

Oh and of course, I need to setup the web sites for Crispin Arms and Crispin Fabrication. Haven't done that yet.

I'll also be doing tool reviews, and posts about building the shop fixtures, furniture, some of the projects I've done lately, and items I'm offering for sale.

Also, I'm going to get back to real gun blogging. I have a lot of content queued up and ready to go; with a bunch more partially written waiting for me to finish. I plan on having at least three major updates or substantive posts every week; and I'd like to get one out every day if I can.

So... why am I doing this, AND computer work, AND publishing?

The fact is, it's tough for a small business owner out there.

The only single one of these businesses that could (at least for now) provide enough revenue on it's own to be self sustaining, and to provide my family with the standard of living I want (at least without working more hours a week than I'm happy with) is the IT consulting; so that's what I've spent most of my time and effort on over the past 15 years.

Even under the best of circumstances, I don't think I could provide for my family with nothing but gunsmithing and gun sales revenue, or publishing revenue, or local computer systems building and repair; or even all of them combined.

It's just not viable at my scale.

To keep the lights on here, costs us about $4500 a month; between rent, utilities, bills, food, and gas. That's a net income requirement, just to pay the bills, of about $54,000 a year. That doesn't account for any savings, any vacations, any recreation etc... That's just paying the bills for the house and shop, two cars, and eating.

If we add in say, 20% on top of that to account for "extras" such as savings, retirement, emergencies, eating out occasionally etc... that's another $10,800 or about $65k a year total net, to maintain our standard of living.

In a normal salaried job, that means something like an $85k a year salary; which isn't exactly nothing, but I've been making far more than that working in IT for the past 15 years (at least 50% more than that most years, double that in some years).

I'm just not going to be able to make that much, or anything near it; in the other businesses.

For the fabricating and gunsmithing; at an $85/hour shop rate, and $65 per hour bench rate (presume 1920 hours per year to account for sick time and vacations), if I presume I can maintain 50% billable hours in a year (a very big assumption) at 3/4 bench and 1/4 shop time, thats a gross of $67,200. Net... maybe half that after taxes and expenses. I would have to maintain something between 1200 and 1400 billable hours a year to reach the income levels we need. I can ever get to that point, it will be years from now.

The same goes for publishing. If we were lucky, and managed to attract say, six reasonable selling books a year, and another six contract publishing jobs, we MIGHT manage to GROSS $60k a year. Net... half that or less (materials costs are much higher as a percentage than in gunsmithing).

I don't know if this is going to work. I know I can do it, but it's also a huge risk, and there may be no payoff... but I'm working at it as hard and as smart, as I know how; and I'm going to do my damndedst to make this a success.

Because I want to build things, and make things again; and because I want control of my own destiny.

Keeping a Promise

2011-11-25T17:25:00.000-08:00

In 2008 and 2009, we found ourselves in a horrible situation. We were going to lose our children, because we were running out of money to fight the legal battle.

You all saved us.

I still... what I feel about that I can't even say. I literally tear up thinking about it... I just can't deal with it still.

In 2009, we raised some of the money we needed, by taking pre-orders for a cookbook of me and Mels recipes. Unfortunately, shortly after that, our legal and financial issues became... let's just say they became much more difficult, and much more complicated.

The upshot of it is, the book hasn't come out yet. It's been over two years, and the book isn't out.

Over the past two years, Mel has refunded the money of anyone who asked for it. Not many did, and a large number of folks have contacted us and told us to just keep the money, that they were happy to help out with the custody case; but we were happy to refund the money of anyone who asked.

We appreciate that greatly, and it's important that you all know, that without that money, we would have lost the kids simply by default.

There was never any intent to deceive or mislead, and frankly, the fact that we haven't published it, printed it, and shipped it has killed me these last two years. I put my name behind something and made promises, and I couldn't keep them. I HATE that.

We weren't conning anyone, we weren't acting in bad faith, and we weren't cheating anyone, and I knew that... but I HATED not delivering on the promises we made.

Let me be clear about something: In 2009, we bought all the materials, all the equipment, all the EVERYTHING we needed to publish the book. The book was written, photographed, laid out, typeset, and pre-pressed. We were in fact ready to push the button and print for a long time, but for the very irritating legal hangup that I can't talk about. Then, unfortunately, the drive the working files on died, and my backup of it was corrupted. Legal issues are no longer preventing us from publishing the book, though I am still legally prevented from talking about what it was. We also need to start over on everything but the equipment and the text.

I wish I could refund everyones money. I can't. I can't afford it personally, and even if I could, it would be a big legal problem if I did so.

We can't refund the money. What we are going to do, is fix it.

Over the next couple months, we're going to get a bunch of other things fixed; and as soon as we are able, the cookbooks will be published and shipped. It is going to take several months, and a lot of work, but we're going to ship the book.

I give my personal promise, that unless some catastrophe prevents it (I have to caveat it after the last few years), we will ship cookbooks by the end of April. I'd like to commit to an earlier date, but we've got a lot going on, and we simply can't do that.

If we could, we'd ship the cookbooks, AND give everyone their money back. We can't.

...But everyone is getting their book, with all new pictures, taken in our much nicer kitchen in Idaho, with a professional camera and lighting, and the highest quality printing and binding etc... etc...

That's one of the things we're going to be doing. The publishing company has already been set up properly in Idaho (something we had a problem with in Arizona actually, and part of the legal issues I can't really talk about), and the equipment is ready to go.

The BIG Change...

2011-11-25T15:25:00.000-08:00

On July 28th, at 8am, I received my midyear performance review from GigantoMegaBankCorp.

GigantoMegaBankCorp reviews employees on a 1-5 integer scale, on 5 major categories, each weighted differently. Each category make up as little as 5%, and as much as 35% of your overall score. Each category consists of between 3 and 15 weighted subcategories, scored, averaged and rounded down to the absolute value' to reach the score in the major category. The overall score is also then giving a weighted average, and rounded down to absolute value. 1 and 2 indicate unacceptable performance and minimum acceptable performance respectively, 3 indicating "good" performance, 4 indicating "exceptional performance" and 5 indicating "outstanding performance".

Performance reviews are used or a lot of things; but from a tangible standpoint, your performance review is used as a multiplier for your annual bonus, your profit sharing award, and your stock option grant (these are all substantial portions of your annual compensation in the financial industry, frequently more than half; but in my case, all of those things combined make up about 1/3). In order to get any "incentive based" or "performance based" compensation, you must average at least 3.0 overall, AND receive no score on any major category lower than 3 (though you can be rated 2 or 1 on any given subcategory. If you make an average of between 4.0 and 4.9, you get 125% of your "target" bonus, and baseline stock options and profit sharing. If you make an average of 5 (for which, obviously, you have to receive nothing but 5s), you get 150% of your target and baseline.

The first four years I was with GigantoMegaBankCorp, I was never rated less than a 4 on any category, always received 5 ratings in several categories (in fact, one year I got all 5s and got 150% bonus); and I received multiple sizable bonuses, and several promotions. I started off as an Architect 4 on contract, with no title other than "Systems Architect" and no direct management responsibility. I ended up as an Architect 6 {the highest architect rank that is actually still an architect and manger, and not purely a manager} and "Chief Architect" of the biggest division of the bank, leading a team of 8 senior architects, and managing project teams of dozens, even hundreds).

For 2010 I received mostly 3s and 4s in the major categories, but I received one 2; and therefore I didn't get any bonus or stock options. As most people reading this probably know, 2010 was a bad year for me, and yeah, it had a negative impact on my performance. In 2011 though, I've generally been turning it around pretty well, now that I'm receiving the proper treatment for my health problems (among other things).

The midyear review is generally just a "guidance" number, intended to give you an idea of where you are for the year, and any changes you may need to make for your end of year review; however, if you received a lower year end review score, the midyear also replaces it as your "current review" score, for internal job applications, promotions, transfers etc...

From 800am to 830am, I went over my review with my manager. I got a 4 overall on my midyear review, with very positive comments, plus some additional suggestions about how I could make sure I get a 4 or better for the full year, which my manager was confident I would reach.

At 830am, there was a mandatory meeting for nine members of my department plus their managers, including me. The director of my department, the chief architect of GigantoMegaBankCorp over all, announced that subsequent to our recent major re-organization (following our purchase of another major bank 18 months ago), an analysis of our "senior technical and executive staff" had been conducted, and we would be taking a manadatory 15% across the board staff cut (9 people), with specific cutting targets in the three highest grades; and that the positions of the staff members in that meeting were being eliminated, and we were being "displaced" as of October 3rd.

He then opened the bridge to the rest of the department, and made the announcement to everyone.

Under the terms of my "displacement", I worked my position from the announcement until August 3rd, when I went to "transitional leave"; where I was still paid, but did not have any active duties or position; the purpose of which is to allow you to try to find another job within the company.

From October 3rd on, I could either remain on "continuation leave", and be treated as an employee for most purposes, including benefits, employment verification, internal positions etc... for six months, or I could take a lump sum payment for the amount of base salary I would have received for that same period.

Also, because I was an active employee for ten months of the year, if I was bonus eligible, and a bonus is distributed for 2011 (it would be distributed between the last two weeks of February and the first two weeks of March), I will receive 83% of the bonus I would have received; and my stock options and grants that would have matured, will mature.

In theory, those two things combined should be worth about $30,000 pre-tax come March, on top of the severance; but it's very uncertain.

I decided to take the severance package. My wife works for GigantoMegaBankCorp as well, with the same benefits eligibility, so we just switched benefits around so that she's the primary member, and I'm the spouse; so our benefits are covered.

As of October 3rd, I have been officially laid off from the job I held for more than five years; as chief architect of the retail division of a major financial institution.

Unfortunately, since that time, I have been contractually prohibited from speaking about it publicly, or in any detail.

It was a great job in some ways, a horrible job in others... just like any job...

...but the thing is, it was a job I was doing for someone else.

It was a job that, fundamentally, I was never happy with; because it wasn't getting me (or my family), where we want to be.

On the other hand, it was also a job that gave me a reasonably large severance package...

...Big enough, that my family and I could have lived on it for at least a year; maybe as much as two years if we cut back to the absolute minimum, and you include the PTO payout, and the cashout of my 401k... Or at least it was big enough for that, before the IRS got ahold of it.

Just an aside, the IRS took about $37,000 in regular taxes from me this year so far (that's January to October 7th. Actually, it's a bit less than usual; the last few years they've taken around $50k to $60k per year, but I didn't get a bonus this year, which they withold at a higher rate), then they took about $27k out of my severance package. I decided to cash out my 401k rather than roll it over {I don't like the market for the next two years, and I honestly think the prepayment penalty is less than I'm going to lose, between inflation and market losses. I think I have better uses for that money} and AFTER the prepayment penalty, they took another $7k . That's a total of about $71,000 in tax withholding.

From that $71,000 in withholding, I estimate my actual tax liability for the year from all the compensation I earned from GigantoMegaBankCorp, to be about $40,000; so in theory I've got a pretty damned big tax return coming.

The funniest thing...

Since I entered the ranks of the "unemployed", I've been busier than I ever was when I was "employed" (which, yes, is part of why I wasn't particularly happy with the job).

First, on July 28th at 830, I was laid off... On July 28th at 1130, I got my first phone call with a job offer. I didn't take it, for several reasons; the first of which being that if I accepted another job before October 3rd, I wouldn't get the severance package.

At the same time, I also got a couple of temporary contract gigs, that were providing me with significant outside income; and of course I had offers pending from October 3rd on.

Anyway, even after the IRS took damn near half (ok... not quite that much, but a hell of a lot), my "displacement settlement" was enough to live on for at least a year, presuming we made some cuts etc...

We've decided to go a different way.

I'm not very happy with the way things are right now... in a lot of different ways.

I love my wife and family, I love where we live...

...but....

Lot's of other things though... I'm not really happy with.

Yes, I could make a lot of money continuing what I have been doing the last 10 years; moving back into consulting again or taking a similar position at any number of other companies in the finance, medical, or technology industries.

Frankly, there aren't a lot of people who can do what I do, and there are a lot of companies that need it.

But...

I am tired of either working for another big company, or being dependent on them as a contractor or subcontractor; and in my primary field, that's where the money is.

My wife and I have thought a lot about this, done a lot of research, weighed a lot of options, and done a lot of soul searching...

A LOT of thinking, researching, and soul searching.

About three months worth in fact...

We've decided to do something different.

Instead of going for another big money contract gig, or laying back for two years, or just banking the money...

We've decided to do something different.

The first thing we've done is, Mel has transitioned to full time employment with GigantoMegaBankCorp, and will be earning a reasonable amount of money (plus our medical benefits).

The second thing we've done, is get out of the hole we've been put in by the last five years.

All my personal debt excepting our car loans, all my medical bills, all the remaining legal bills, all my credit cards... everything... and a bunch of Mels debt (not all unfortunately, she owes a hell of a lot because of the custody case, and we wouldn't have anything left to live off of) is now paid off.

It was a deep hole, and because we've been in it for several years, our credit getting worse every day; it was a high interest hole. We were rolling loans over periodically at high interest rates (including pawn and payday loans at times); so, that we were paying about half interest and half principal on the majority of those payments to the tune of several thousand dollars a month.

No, that's not a good situation to be in. It was also a situation we didn't have a choice about. Our savings went entirely into the legal and medical bills; and we needed that money, right then, for things that couldn't be put off, and that was that.

No, we're not stupid... we were left without options. I would pay off as much as I could, when I could, in the background; but it was repeatedly two steps forward three steps back.

The last two years also put either Mel or me, or both of us together; into about $30,000 worth of collections, some for Mels stuff, but a lot for medical bills my insurance didn't cover, and which because of the those other things, we couldn't always pay or couldn't pay in a timely manner (for example, in January and February of 2011, I had $16,000 in un-covered medical expenses, $3000 for my brothers funeral, $5000 in legal bills, $3000 in medical bills for the kids relating to the custody issue. That $27,000 screwed us up until like September); screwing up our credit rather badly.

Note: One major point of irritation there. My insurance company has this irritating habit of paying a bill, then six months later, they do a "payment review" and they charge back a part of what they originally paid from the original service provider. Then, the original service provider bills me; and, not knowing this, or missing it in the FLOOD of paper I get every day (there's a lot of medical bills associated with being a cancer patient. Often hundreds of pages a week) I get sent to collections after 90 days... very irritating.

That's in addition to about $20,000 worth of other unsecured or high interest debt (personal loans, payday loans, pawn, credit cards etc...) ; for a total of about $50,0000

It's all paid off now.

The entire remainder of our debt is either secured, low interest, or personal on a no interest basis.

As of today, we're completely out of the hole, but for the cars, and Mels remaining personal debt.

By the way: relating to that, part of Mels personal debt is all the people who ordered cookbooks that were never delivered. There's actually a very good reason why that happened, having to do with legal issues as well as financial issues; it sucks, it's wrong, but there wasn't anything I could do about it; and there's an even crappier reason why we are legally prevented from talking about . The next thing I post is going to be about that, but I don't want to interrupt this post for that info.

Also as of today, including Mels pay, and my unemployment benefits ($336 a week for six months by the way), we now have about 6 months of living expenses banked. If we get the tax return and the bonus etc... it's more like 12 to 18 months.

On Monday, presuming what I've been waiting for happens, I'm going to write about what we did with the rest of the money and what I'm planning on doing for the next few years.

Note: I was wanting to post this on Tuesday by the way, but events overtook me again, and I wasn't able to say the things I wanted to be able to say until today, and I didn't want to say anything else until I was able to say this. The reason I'm not posting the rest today, is for the same reason. I should be able to do so on Monday.

See, I told you I wasn't QUITE dead... yet...

2011-11-22T09:50:00.001-08:00

... though I admit, it turned out to be "a week from tomorrow" instead of tomorrow" as I thought it would be on the 14th; I intend to make up for it. This should be the first of at least three posts today.

...

...Which will almost certainly jinx it and i wont be able to write for another month... ...but Ill proceed on the notion my plan will reach frution this day.

However, it's 0945 and im in a cafe in Sandpoint; and i need to dump a bedful of frozen trash at the refuse station 5 miles south of town, so I can be ready for my "big thing" of the day, which is coming in via truck freight between 10 and noon...

...Or it would be if it weren't for the 6 full inches of mixed ice, slush, and snow alternately melting and refreezing; on the roads from the state highway to our house. Theres no way in hell a semi is getting into our road, never mind our driveway (a 7% grade).

I talked with them yesterday and asked if there was any way the could send up a city truck or box van, but no. So, instead of the white glove service I paid extra for, I'm going to need to meet them in a clear parking lot off the state highway, and do a liftgate transfer into my truck bed. Then I need to figure out how to get an unbalanced 500 pound pallet out of my truck bed, without a loading dock, forklift... even a pallet jack.

In freezing rain, onto ice and snow.

Fun.

(I'm thinking of rigging a cradle hoist under the pallet and lifting it with my 3 ton shop crane and engine hoist/leveler)

Oh and did I forget to mention, I'm in the middle of a severe bout of insomnia and haven't slept in 75 hours? It's oing to be an interesting day.

Still not dead

2011-11-14T23:52:00.000-08:00

And I believe I will be able to start writing again tomorrow.

I'm hoping and trying for it anyway, since I've got a backlog like you wouldn't believe, and a list of "posts to write", many already partly written, with at least marginally interesting content... about a mile long (over 100 anyway).

I'm not ACTUALLY dead...

2011-11-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

...I've just been busier than hell these last couple weeks.

Several VERY BIG THINGS are afoot here, and I will be writing several very long posts about them, when I finish what is taking up so much of my time right now.

Oh and good news, there is less of me to be busy, once again. I've managed to get down as low as 380; though I'm still bouncing around the entire range between 380 and 400.

So Much For Close Your Bank Account Day, At Least Here

2011-11-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

So supposedly Saturday was close your bank account with the EEEEVIL big banks day. I will not grace the morons with a link to this supposed nationwide protest.

My bank is the only bank in town open on Saturdays of course.

So as a company we decided on a policy of quickly and politely closing their accounts and giving them cash for the balances. We ordered more cash in all denominations just to be prepared. We were all prepped for what might happen through an all-hands meeting a few weeks ago, during which the manager somehow managed to not use any swear words (it was a mighty effort for her).

I was working the full shift yesterday. How many accounts did we close?

None. Absolutely none. Opened a few though.

However, I did spend all day taking cash in. Approximately three times as much as a usual Saturday. The irony hit us all pretty hard.

Evidently "close your bank account day" didn't reach North Idaho.

However, I would like to note that we are an odd branch. As my immediate supervisor said yesterday, "this is probably the only branch in the company where if a man walks in wearing camo and a ski mask while carrying a rifle, our first response is "What did ya get?"

Woo hoo, stayed under 395 all week

2011-10-29T17:58:00.001-07:00

394 this morning in fact.

Every couple of days now...

2011-10-27T03:25:00.000-07:00

I think "hey I ought to write something about these OWS morons"... and then I realize, I can't even take them seriously enough to write a snarky blog post about them.

Honestly.. I just couldn't be arsed.

Besides, they're already their own best joke.

They've so thoroughly beclowned themselves at this point, isn't it just cruel? Like kicking a mentally retarded kid?

So, how well did I handicap the NFL this past week

2011-10-27T02:08:00.000-07:00

Last week, I laid out my picks for the upcoming weekends NFL games.

Let's see how I did shall we? If I got the game right, I'll mark it green. If wrong, red.

Chargers over Jets:

I think this is a no brainer. Top ten rushing AND passing offense of the Chargers, against a bottom five rushing defense on the Jets (good pass defense though). On the other side, the Jets are a bottom ten passing and rushing offense (31st in rushing) vs. the second best pass defense (only mediocre on rush defense though).

I was surprised by this one. The Jets really played a great game offensively (though a sloppy one).

Chicago vs. Tampa Bay:

Honestly I'm having a hard time calling that... maybe a slight edge to Tampa Bay because their offense is better.. but something gut level says Chicago.

Skins over Panthers:

Two mediocre teams (Carolina isn't as bad as their record suggests. They've got a solid offense, but a crap run defense); but Washington has a little less negative and a little more positive.

This really could have been a redskins win. Stupid mistakes, turnovers, not capitalizing on good drives; turning good drives into field goals not touchdowns...

Detroit over Atlanta:

Not even a question. Detroit is just playing better than Atlanta by far (even after Sundays RIDICULOUS loss to one of the worst teams in football).

Wow... there could have been worse third down conversion... somewhow... Every detroit drive ended up a 3 and out so... can't really win that way.

Cleveland over Seattle:

On the pure numbers they're almost even... But I think Cleveland has a small edge on offense, and Seattle has a crap pass defense.

6 to 3? Was this a football game or a soccer match? No touchdowns for either team, with Seattle going 2 for 12 on 3rd down, and 12 for 30 on pass attempts.

Denver over Miami:

Shit vs. Shit, but Miami is stinkier shit.

An epic, battle royale of shit vs. shit, into OT. They went toOT not because of great play, but because of how bad both teams are.

Houston over Tennessee:

I realize that Tennessee is technically ranked over Houston, but I think Houston is the better team (barely). Tennessee has NO rush at all; while Houston is decent on both the pass and the run. Tennessee has a solid defense though.

In a 41-7 blowout, Tennessee makes me a liar; because their defense didn't even show up... and neither did their offense. Lessee a 5-1 first down advantage, 3 to 1 (almost 4 to 1) third down conversion advantage, 3.5 to 1 total yardage advantage, 2 to 0 turnover advantage... Frankly it's a wonder it was only a 34 point victory.

Oakland over KC:

Two good rushing teams with crap pass offense and mediocre defenses... It's going to come down to morale, and it's a hell of a lot harder to play in Raider nation; and that Oakland has better run blocking.

Lessee... don't score any points at all... that's bad... Get two touchdowns scored on you off of the SIX interceptions you throw... that's worse.

Pittsburgh over Arizona:

Not even a question. Good team vs. crap team. Best defense in the NFL vs. crap offense. Solid offense vs. mediocre defense. Not even a question.

Arizona played surprisingly well; fighting back and forth much more than the score suggests... they just couldn't produce, and Pittsburgh did.

Green bay over Minnesota: Great team vs. Crap team.

This one isn't even a question either. Though Green Bay is a weird team. Spectacular passing record, great run defense; but they have no rush, and the worst pass rush in the league. Minnesota on the other hand has no passing at all (second worst in the league), but a great running game, and a great run defense. Unfortunately, they have one of the worst pass defenses, against one of the best passing teams.

Surprisingly close. If it weren't for the 91 yards in penalties and two interceptions...

Dallas over St. Louis:

Yeah... St. Louis is quite possibly the worst team in football, Dallas is... not. I'm not going to say they're great, but they did almost take the Pats, and their three losses this season have all been by less than a toughdown.

Nothing surprising here at all

New Orleans over Indy:

Uh... yeah, not even gonna bother explaining this one.

Wow... 62-7... That's.. epic suck. 11 first downs to 36. 252 total yards to 557. 12 completions to 31. 49 yards in penalties to 10... and that's hard to do when you have so little time of posession (only 22 minutes vs. 38)... Oh and 3 turnovers. What a perfect example of how an NFL team can't play without an actual NFL quarterback.

Baltimore over Jacksonville:

Again, one of the best teams, vs. one of the worst teams. There's nothing particularly outstanding about Baltimore, but they do everything pretty well, and don't do anything particularly badly. They've got a top ten defense, a top half offense... one of the best run defenses in the game. J'ville on the other hand doesn't do anything well but run (worst passing game in football this year).

I think this one was a shock to everyone; with the Jags defense holding the Ravens to just one score; and with four offensive fieldgoals... Both teams going worse than 20% on third down conversions. Both teams with less than 20 first downs. Total yards combined from both teams under 350... I'm not sure what this was exactly... It was a win though and that's what counts.

So, I went 8 for 12... not bad; and three of those games were... freakish outliers shall we say?

Actually, this whole season is kind of a freakish outlier. Week 8, and there are still three teams with 0 victories... And one of them is the Colts... And given the schedules, and the teams performances thus far, it's entirely possible any of them... perhaps even all three... go winless for the whole season.

Meanwhile, Green Bay who have been very inconsistent in the post Favre era (going from 6-10 in 2008, to winning the superbowl last year on a 10-6 record)... they're 7-0 coming into a bye week, and then what should be three breezers against San Diego, Minnesota, and Tampa Bay. They don't have a hard game coming until thanksgiving vs. Detroit. We may see them go undefeated into week 12, or 13. Hell... It's possible, given the rest of their schedule, that they may run the table this year. It's unlikely, but it's possible.

What a season

Whedon Fans of the World, Rejoice!

2011-10-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

When we first heard about this, we just had to check it out and make sure it's for real:

Yep. It's real.

More info, including interview, here.

Now to find an indie film festival where it will be playing, somewhere within oh, 500 miles or so.

I only do this two or three times a day...

2011-10-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

Long live Neil Schon and Arnel Pineda

2011-10-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

I just caught the DirecTV concert series live recording of Journey in Manila; with their new lead singer Arnel Pineda.

For those of you who don't know; in 2007, on the strength of many youtube videos, Journey brought Philipino singer Arnel Pineda (who was well known in Asia for his spot on covers of Steve Perry Journey songs) into the band.

I was initially doubtful about it; thinking that he would just be propping up the corpse.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Pineda is amazing.

He has far more energy than Perry ever had. He has all the range Perry ever had... and his presence in the band spurs them on to really incredible performances.

I've seen Journey live, and listened to their music for most of my life; and they have never been as good as they were in this one concert in Manila.

During much of the 80's, people forgot how great a guitarist Neil Schon is (he was playing with Santana, and Eric Claption, at the age of 15). Playing off against Pineda, he was every bit as good as he ever was in the 60's and 70s.

Unfortunately, I can't find any good quality clips from that concert; but you can see just how good a performer Pineda is from this 2008 clip:

Back under 400, for a minute...

2011-10-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

Well, good news, i have dipped back down to my four year low level of 396lbs.

For a minute.

Saturday I was under 400. Sunday I was back up to 412. Monday back down to 403 etc... etc...

Unfortunately, my weight volatility continues unabated; going up 18lbs one day, down 12 the next and so forth.

If there was some kind of logic to it, I would be less irritated; but it seems to happen no matter what dosage of medication I'm on, how much I eat or drink, what I eat or drink etc...

It's a pain, literally. Gaining 18lbs in one day means tissues are swelling rather dramatically. Usually tissues in my fingers, toes, large joints, and face. Very uncomfortable.

But it means I am, once again, making progress.

Another 40 or so pounds, and I can have my cancer surgery... probably 60lbs actually, just to make sure that my weight fluctuations don't put me back over 360. At this rate, that'll be 4-6 months.

Well There's Your Problem

2011-10-23T20:31:00.001-07:00

see more Very Demotivational

For which I am grateful

2011-10-21T15:51:00.000-07:00

I am grateful for...

My life... in so many ways. I never expected to make it this far; I have no business having done so, and that I have is a miracle

My wife, who puts up with me, who loves me, who holds me up, who needs me as much as I need her

My kids, even though they aren't here right now; without them, what's the point?

My family, who have made me much of who I am; good and ill, strong and sensitive, cruel and kind, hard and loving...

My friends, who are no less my family; and to whom I owe so much... who keep me alive and vital and here

My mind, for all it allows me to be and do; think decide and act; to listen, to read, to speak, to argue, to learn, to know...

My heart, which allows me to give, love, and endure. Love given without condition doesn't deplete, even if unreturned, it grows

My strength, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and mental. I have needed them all, so much... tested them all, so much

My will, the foundation of all that is inherent to me. Without my will I could not stand up, walk, or carry my load.

My nation, which I have proudly served, and which has served me in so many ways. I have received far more than I've given

My god, for enlightening my soul, strengthening my will, for wisdom and acceptance; for mans nature, both free and striving

My experience; hard, and easy, good and bad; which came from of all the above. I wouldn't trade it, any piece, for any thing

I could not live without any of them. I wouldn't be here without all of them.

Thank you all, for being you, for being with me... for being.

Been Busy Bitching... It's time for something else

2011-10-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

This health stuff has, in some ways, made me into someone I don't like.

Frankly, I don't have the energy to blog a lot of the time. I've got plenty to say, plenty to talk about... and on the forums I run or participate in, and mostly in conversation, I'm still keeping up my end; but for me, blogging is a little different.

See, I've always treated blogging as real writing. Yes, it's me having a conversation with you all, in many ways; and yes, I mostly write as I speak... MOSTLY.

But the thing is, it takes a lot of mental energy to do this, at least to do it well and consistently; and lately, the only time I've had that energy, I've been using it to get things done in my life that really need to be done. I haven't had the spare energy for blogging, unless it was bitching... bitching has it's own energy to it.

So, I've spent a lot of the last few months... hell, the last year... bitching, and moaning, and not really participating in life.

Damn.. I just realized, it was a year ago now that I had the health crisis that precipitated the discovery of my cancer.

Yesterday was exactly 12 months from the day I ended up in the hospital with pneumonia, which lead exactly one month later to the hypertensive crisis, which finally got me to the right specialist endocrinologist; who discovered my cancer.

Kinda convoluted, but that's pretty much how my life goes.

.. anyway, I've been bitching a lot, and I'm not really happy with that.

And before anyone says it, yeah I've got a lot to bitch about, legitimately. Don't care, that's not who I am. I solve problems, I don't just bitch about them. This just isn't me.

So, first thing, I want to say out loud, what I'm grateful for... and there's a lot.

And I'm going to do that in my next post, because I want it to stand alone.

The morning fix

2011-10-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

I probably shouldn't make fun of this with a junkie reference; but I went from no medication (excepting vitamins) two years ago, to a ridiculous amount of medication now, and sometimes it makes me feel like one.

Anyway, this is my current morning medication load, which I'm supposed to take around 8am; but my stomach generally doesn't allow me to until I'm awake for a few hours (if I do, my stomach gets really disturbed, and it sometimes makes me vomit).

There's a similar load for the afternoon, and then a smaller one in the evening (both of which also make me want to puke, so I take them well after lunch and well after dinner):

So, from the top proceeding clockwise (plus dosages, and purpose):

Fluticasone Propionate (Flonase): 2 pumps per nostril, twice per day.

It's a nasal steroid that stops histamine reactions in your nose and sinuses. Without it, the CPAP, and mold spores, both make my sinuses fill up. 2 pumps in the morning, and two before bed, let me use the CPAP without my sinuses and nasal passages clogging constantly. It also counteracts the tendency of my airway to swell and become restricted (Esophagitis, with multiple causes. It's caused by my reflux, my allergies, the same reaction that causes my seborrhea, and by the airway irritation caused by the impingement of the tumor) makes me feel like I'm choking or drowning). The only problem is, like any corticosteroid, it causes additional water retention and bloating, particularly if inhaled through the lungs; though the nasal version reduces that effect.
Sublingual liquid vitamin B complex: 2cc, twice per day. Each 1cc squirt is in theory 100% of B1, B2, B3, and B6, plus B5 at 400% and B12 at 20,000% (yes, 200x RDA)
Gummy Vitamin C: Four each, twice per day I get C deficient if I don't take a lot (I also drink a bunch of OJ, for the C and for the potassium). Theoretically one is 100% of RDA.
Gummy multivitamin: Four each, twice a day. Each one is supposed to be 100% RDA on about 20 vitamins (including the C and B vitamins I take above). I take four, twice per day, which is just about enough to keep me from becoming deficient in everything except vitamin D (which I take four of in the evening).
Etodolac (Lodine): (big pink pills) 400mg each, three times daily (two in the morning, one in the evening). It's one of the strongest anti-inflammatories on the market. I take it for all the inflammation; but particularly for my knees, ankles, and fingers. Without it, I'm pretty much crippled. We're switching to 500mg twice per day, because I don't need the full 1200mg, and the more you take the more side effects there are. It can also cause water retention, stomach problems, and other unfun stuff
Magnesium Oxide and Zinc: (medium round white pills) 2 each, 400mg/15mg, once per day. In theory each is 100% of the RDA for magnesium and zinc; but again, if I don't take this much, the other meds make me deficient
Omeprazole: (white capsules) two each, 20mg, once per day: To control my ulcerative colitis and GERD; and to prevent the other medications from upsetting my stomach worse (particularly the etodolac, and the little brown oval pill)
Little brown oval pill: I'm going to write a whole separate post on that one later. It needs it's own post, and I haven't talked about it on the blog yet.
Bumetanide: (medium round pink pills) Four, 2mg each, once per day. The strongest diuretic on the market. The normal dosage is 2mg, I take 4 times that every day. It strips the body of minerals, vitamins, electrolytes etc... but it also keeps my edema mostly under control. In the afternoon I take 4 each 80mg furosemide (lasix), also four times the "normal" doage. Between them, they keep my edema MOSTLY under control... but my weight still varies as much as 16lbs per day.
Potassium Chloride: (HUGE oval pill) 2 each, 1500mg, three times per day. Plus I drink a quart of OJ (which has another 1800mg of potassium), and I also mix some potassium chloride powder in with my drinks during the day (usually another 3000mg worth during the day). I need to take all that (yes, 17 grams... At 20mg per kg - I currently weigh about 185kg, for 3,250mg - it's more than enough to stop your heart if it hit your blood stream all at once; but most of it doesn't get into your blood stream), just to keep enough potassium in my body to not be paralyzed (among other negative consequences). They're so big they trigger my gag reflex, and I actually half-puke just about every time I take one, and have to swallow it down to keep from .
Not pictured: In the afteroon I take my second dose of potassium, and my furosemide, as I mention above; plus a second little brown oval pill. In the evening after dinner, I take my second set of vitamins, including my vitamin D, my third etodolac, my third dose of potassium, and 100mg of levothyroxin (a thyroid supplement).

It's a hell of a lot... but it mostly works, most of the time.

Sick and tired of being sick and tired

2011-10-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed, I haven't posted very much lately.

Simple reason for that. I've got a lot of content queued up to post (including a ton of photos, some reviews of gun products, some instructional stuff); that I just haven't had the energy to work on, because basically, I've been too sick and/or too tired since I got back from Gun Blogger Rendezvous this year.

Basically, the last six weeks have sucked. Too much going on, with too little time and energy to deal with it.

I spent two weeks down with the flu, another week recovering from my little nutritional issue; and through it all, when I wasn't sleeping 14 hours because I was sick, I've had chronic insomnia.

In the last ten days, I've had less than 30 hours of sleep; and 8 of those were last night.

Last night I was finally so exhausted, after spending the last two weeks sleeping 2 hours out of every 40 (yes, that bad), that I managed to get a full nights sleep.

Let's hope this starts a trend.

Oh and no, it's not my medications. One, this has always happened to me periodically throughout my life, since I was a little kid; it's just that I haven't been this bad in about two years. Two, I stop taking the stimulants when the insomnia hits.

Also, sleeping pills just don't work for me. Either they literally knock me out, and the sleep isn't restrful and I'm groggy as hell; or they just make me woozy and actually make the insomnia worse.

It's just something I have to gut through.

That said, I have content today... but right now I need to go to the dentist. Yay.

Football is finally getting interesting this season

2011-10-17T22:26:00.000-07:00

This was a weekend full of interesting games, including one hell of a performance by Dallas, coming just short of beating the Patriots at home.

The Cowboys offenses didn't really step up, but their defense... On the other side, the Pats defense sucked ass; and Brady compensated for it.

Such is the way of things.

The cowboys defense played INCREDIBLY. No-one has held Brady to under 30 points in TWO SEASONS. Not only that, but they pulled two interceptions and three sacks (and two of the three forced a punt), and this was on a day when the Pats line was playing well. That was one hell of a defensive performance.

The problem was, Brady played up to his level; while Romo didn't.

The Cowboys didn't capitalize on the poor performance of the Patriots defense. Plain and simple. Too many 3 and outs. Not enough clutch conversions. Too many little mistakes.

The interception count was certainly unusual. Brady is historically one of the least intercepted quarterbacks; particularly among the heavy passers... but you have to actually capitalize on a turnover to win a game.

If you want to know exactly why the 'boys lost Sunday, look at the stats. On most thing the two teams were either in a dead heat, or Dallas was a bit ahead... but the critical issue was third down conversions. Cowboys were 4/12, Pats 8/13. Take that with the Cowboys 10 penalties for -77 yards...

On those third and fourth down situations, Brady makes it happen in the clutch. Romo... sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Two interceptions, two fumbles, and three sacks... but 'boys offense still couldn't make it happen.

The next two weeks are really going to be interesting.

Since the Pats are on a bye week (but I think they're going to spank the Steelers in two weeks) I'm thinking:

Chargers over Jets:

I think this is a no brainer. Top ten rushing AND passing offense of the Chargers, against a bottom five rushing defense on the Jets (good pass defense though). On the other side, the Jets are a bottom ten passing and rushing offense (31st in rushing) vs. the second best pass defense (only mediocre on rush defense though).

Chicago vs. Tampa Bay:

Honestly I'm having a hard time calling that... maybe a slight edge to Tampa Bay because their offense is better.. but something gut level says Chicago.

Skins over Panthers:

Two mediocre teams (Carolina isn't as bad as their record suggests. They've got a solid offense, but a crap run defense); but Washington has a little less negative and a little more positive.

Detroit over Atlanta:

Not even a question. Detroit is just playing better than Atlanta by far (even after Sundays RIDICULOUS loss to one of the worst teams in football).

Cleveland over Seattle:

On the pure numbers they're almost even... But I think Cleveland has a small edge on offense, and Seattle has a crap pass defense.

Denver over Miami:

Shit vs. Shit, but Miami is stinkier shit.

Houston over Tennessee:

I realize that Tennessee is technically ranked over Houston, but I think Houston is the better team (barely). Tennessee has NO rush at all; while Houston is decent on both the pass and the run. Tennessee has a solid defense though.

Oakland over KC:

Two good rushing teams with crap pass offense and mediocre defenses... It's going to come down to morale, and it's a hell of a lot harder to play in Raider nation; and that Oakland has better run blocking.

Pittsburgh over Arizona:

Not even a question. Good team vs. crap team. Best defense in the NFL vs. crap offense. Solid offense vs. mediocre defense. Not even a question.

Green bay over Minnesota: Great team vs. Crap team.

This one isn't even a question either. Though Green Bay is a weird team. Spectacular passing record, great run defense; but they have no rush, and the worst pass rush in the league. Minnesota on the other hand has no passing at all (second worst in the league), but a great running game, and a great run defense. Unfortunately, they have one of the worst pass defenses, against one of the best passing teams.

Dallas over St. Louis:

Yeah... St. Louis is quite possibly the worst team in football, Dallas is... not. I'm not going to say they're great, but they did almost take the Pats, and their three losses this season have all been by less than a toughdown.

New Orleans over Indy:

Uh... yeah, not even gonna bother explaining this one.

Baltimore over Jacksonville:

Again, one of the best teams, vs. one of the worst teams. There's nothing particularly outstanding about Baltimore, but they do everything pretty well, and don't do anything particularly badly. They've got a top ten defense, a top half offense... one of the best run defenses in the game. J'ville on the other hand doesn't do anything well but run (worst passing game in football this year).

From the Long-Suffering Wife of a Dream Theater Fan

2011-10-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

This is a little familiar:

When you offer your younger brother the chance to play ONE song in the car during a road trip, rethink your kind offer. I WILL dig through my Dream Theater music, and I WILL choose my favorite 42 minute song. #LFMsister'sF

Making flavored salts

2011-10-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

So, on another site, someone asked me today, how to make some of the fancy flavored salts you can buy at a gourmet store (for a stupid amount of money by the way... sometimes over $80 a pound).

It really couldn't be easier. There's a few basic ways of doing it, none of them particularly difficult unless you're using a touchy flavorant.

These are the methods ranked in GENERAL (there are some exceptions for some flavorants) order of intensity of flavor imparted per unit of flavorant used:

Passive infusion: Place the flavoring agent(s)(or an extract or distillate of the flavorants) in a sealed container with the salt itself. You can put one or the other in a sachet to avoid mixing.. or to maximize flavor transfer, maximize the surface area, spreading them out in a thin layer each, separated by cheesecloth. Allow the natural diffusion of volatiles in the flavorant to gently infuse the salt. If using fresh herbs or spices, it's more effective to crush them, or grind them (and in the case of hard seedpod based spices, toasting them) before the passive infusion.
Air infusion: Same as the above, but instead of passively letting the flavors float out naturally into a sealed container, you layer the salt and flavorant in cheese cloth (including a cover layer for both... so at least three sheets of cheesecloth), and blow air over or through them (perhaps using a food dehydrator or a furnace filter and box fan), pushing the flavors out of the flavorant, and through the salt. Hot, moist air will be more effective at infusing most flavors into salt, and can be rigged pretty easily depending on the method used. A convection oven set to 150 degrees with a pan of water in the bottom would work just fine. If using dry air, you can start with fresh flavorants (particularly fresh herbs and spices), and as they dry out, you can then grind them up and mix them into the salt (presuming the flavorants aren't too bitter, grainy, woody etc... when eaten thus).
Vapor infuse the flavor: use a smoker, a vaporizer of some kind (rotovap, steam vaporizer, teakettle etc...), or if the flavors are susceptible to vaporization with low heat without extra water, use a pot and a hot plate etc. Pass the vapor through the salt in a cheesecloth bag (or something similar). You can also create a flavor extract or distillate out of your flavorant, and vapor infuse with that
Mix method: finely grind, shred, mince, cut, or otherwise powder the flavorant(s), and mix them into the salt directly until evenly distributed (I do not consider this to be a flavored salt so much as a spice mix, but it still works just fine to get the intended effect... at least for most flavorants)
Slurry method: Makle a slurry with the flavorant (or an extract or distillate of the flavorant), the salt, and a liquid that the salt AND the flavorant are both soluble in (I recommend a mixture of vodka and water. The mix will liberate more flavor from the flavorant than water alone, and evaporate faster). You can also use a flavorful liquid in and of itself, to add further flavor to the salt (or make a flavorful liquid infusion out of a dry flavorant). Use just enough liquid to create an evenly mixed slurry, then spread the slurry out on a silpat, baking sheet lined with parchment paper, dehydrator rack etc. Dry out the slurry, and regrind the salt to the desired texture
Hot water infusion aka the "Stewing" method: Simmer the salt and your flavorant together in an unsaturated solution with a liquid they are both soluble in (again, I recommend vodka and water). This will liberate the most possible flavor from most flavorants; however some flavorants don't tolerate heat well, as boiling will drive off the volatiles in them. Boil the solution down into a slurry, then handle as above

Which method you use, is really dependent on your flavorant, and your desired effect.

The pretentious gourmet types seem to like truffle salt (actually, I do too; but only if it's subtly done. Most "truffle salt" tastes funky, in a bad way, not in a good "bleu cheese" kind of way); which is actually ridiculously easy to make by finely shredding the truffle with a microplaner, mixing it into the salt (about 1/4 ounce of truffle to 4 ounces of salt), and allowing it to passively infuse for a few weeks in a sealed jar.

Mel and I make our own smoked salt in our big smoker, using one pound loose weave bags of salt. Smoked salt is really great in soups, and spectacular on popcorn or french fries. I also recommend trying rosemary, thyme, and garlic together as a flavor combination (it will work with all the above, and each method is a little different).

...And of course, there's always Bacon Salt.

Null pointer #54 in array #4B3854; Null pointer #54 in array #563854

2011-10-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

/* Goodbye World program */

#include<stdio.h>

main()
{
    printf("Goodbye World - Rest in Peace, Dennis Ritchie");
}

Illegal procedure, malnutrition, half the distance to the goal, repeat first down.

2011-10-11T22:44:00.000-07:00

So, over the weekend, after figuring out my vitamin and mineral deficiency (to be confirmed via blood test shortly); my diuretics once again became effective, and I immediately began losing weight again.

Yay.

I've stayed off my stimulants and anti-inflammatories for the last few days, to help give my body time to recover; and I've been awake for about 40 hours at this point; to help me sleep through and get back on a normal schedule.

As of today, I've re-lost 27lbs of the 45lbs I gained in the week I was sick.

I felt pretty good today for the first time in about two weeks; and thought I even looked decent, if a bit disheveled (and obviously from my face, still a bit bloated):

Yes, it's so sad... I have been reduced to the internet mirror/arms length self portrait... or rather Mel was busy, and I was too lazy to set up the tripod so...

Anyway, from today, I've got just about 130lbs to go... Hopefully before this time next year (and another 60lbs or so before the oncological surgeon wants to operate.

Pats Jets... one hell of a game

2011-10-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well, as a lifelong Patriots fan, I was very much looking forward to the pats/jets game today, and I was not disappointed; it was a hell of a game.

I have to give the Jets a lot of credit. Their linebackers and ends really did a great job at pressuring Brady on the outside (4 sacks... that NEVER happens); but the Pats o-line (Solder is really turning out to be a huge asset, as I'd hoped) just killed the jets inside.

Benjarvus Green-Ellis may have one of the stupidest names in the NFL (and frankly, that's saying something); but he's an incredible player, and he showed just how good he was today. He's averaging just under 5 yards a carry career, and 6 yards a carry this season; and he's NEVER fumbled the ball in over 800 career carries.

NEVER

It still amazes me Green-Ellis was undrafted in 2008. I mean his draft reports weren't spectacular, but they weren't bad either; and he was an all SEC runningback his junior year, and alternate his senior year. It just goes to show how much of a judge of talent Bellichick (and staff of course) is.

Overall, I'm really impressed with the Jets this season. Sanchez... I said last year I thought we were seeing the birth of a star, and it looks like I (and just about everyone else) was right. This kid really has the goods... now he just needs some better receiver support. The talent is actually there, but I think the coaching and the coordination isn't.

Meanwhile... Pats defense was certainly much better this game, but this season as a whole... I'm really not impressed guys.

The next two months are the hardest schedule in the NFL. If we can't get our defense where it needs to be, we're in serious trouble.

Deer Time

2011-10-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

AD's latest attempt at hunting with a truck reminds me of the joy that is living in the oddity that is the Sandpoint area.

Friday night, due to the wonder of the internets, I found myself running errands at 11pm. 10:50 being about the time Chris exclaims "oh shit, that's why! I'm vitamin deficient!" and 10:55 being the time I determine it's much faster and less irritating for me to go to Wally World then instead of before work in the morning.

Yes, our county of 40K in the middle of North Idaho has a 24/7 Wally World. Yes my bank is open on Saturdays, we're the only bank in town that is. But I digress.

So I climb into the caddy and head out into a night so dark I can't see past the end of the driveway. There's deer and moose and elk in the neighborhood, so I don't drive outside of my headlights. There's drunks leaving the various bars in downtown Sandpoint, so I don't speed up when I get into town.

I pick up the stuff for Chris (which miraculously works) and make my way home. About a mile from Wally World I stop completely on Hwy 200 while a fat whitetail doe and her two fat fawns stroll across the highway (not dart, stroll). Our wildlife expects us to stop for them.

Chris: What took you so long? You should have been home 15 minutes ago.

Me: You forgot about deer time didn't you?

Chris: Oh, you hit a deer?

Me: Nope, it was AVOIDING hitting the damn deer that took so long.

We've gone from an area where the excuse for being late was "traffic" to the middle of North Idaho, where the excuse is "deer".

Still a really good move.

Interactions: 45lbs gained in 9 days; 11lbs lost in 90 minutes

2011-10-08T04:12:00.000-07:00

Well... that was an interesting week.

9 days ago, I became ill, with what seemed to be a mild flu. At the same time, I started retaining water pretty badly, and my joints swelled; I was severely fatigued, had a lot of pain, digestive disturbances, severe insomnia etc... None of which really alarmed me, because that's pretty much what happens to me when I'm sick these days.

After a few days, most of the flu-ish sickness was gone, but the other symptoms remained, and were worsening. In particular, the peripheral neuropathy (mostly paresthesia) was pretty bad, as was the water retention; and it was pretty clear that my medication was not only not working, it was making things worse. I was also having pretty bad muscle weakness, aprticularly in my hands, and I was ridiculously fatigued.

This happens sometimes too; because several of my medications (my anti-inflammatories, my omeprazole, my testosterone, the stimulants for my excessive sleepiness, my diuretics etc...) can cause pretty severe vitamin and electrolyte deficiencies, and when they do, they stop working.

Usually when the edema gets out of control, and the non-inflammation type pain gets bad; stopping the diuretics, stimulants, and anti-inflammatories for a couple days helps; particularly when I make sure to keep my potassium intake up (using potassium chloride supplements twice a day, and drinking lots of OJ).

Instead, things kept getting worse. By yesterday, I had gained 40lbs (by this evening, it was 45lbs). My blood pressure went up from my 115-125/170-185 normal range, to as high as 160/95 (which I attributed to my edema being crazy this week).

Two days ago, I couldn't make a fist, and I slept for 14 hours.

I called my doc and scheduled an appointment and blood test for next Monday (the earliest I could get non-emergency).

Today (well, yesterday now) things got a little bit better...

My edema was still awful, but the neuropathy was a bit better, and I wasn't really sure why.

I don't think it was from stopping the medication... I think it might have been from what I was eating. Between Thursday and Friday, other than my "normal" things, I had eaten some dark chocolate, some almonds, cashews, peanuts, some dried fruits and raisins, some black beans, some milk, some goat cheese, some quinoa...

All foods high in magnesium... and mostly high in B vitamins.

As it happens, while I was sick I hadn't been taking my vitamins, because I couldn't stomach them. I could barely force my potassium down my throat without vomiting (I heaved up when I swallowed it each time, but I forced it down). I also had diarrhea, and I didn't eat much for four or five days; but I did drink plenty.

I had thought I was keeping up on the electrolytes, between the gatorade, the OJ, and the chicken broth (besides the obvious benefits of OJ and chicken broth, I always drink full sugar gatorade when I'm sick, and add some powdered potassium chloride to it, plus taking my potassium pills; because at the very least it keeps me hydrated, and stops me from becoming electrolyte depleted; and hopefully between all three gives me enough calories to keep some strength up when I can't eat); but I forgot about two really important things.

Magnesium, and B vitamins.

You see, without magnesium, and B vitamins, it doesn't matter how much in electrolytes and minerals you consume (in particular potassium) your body won't be able to use them (and may in fact, void them out).

It's actually a vicious circle; because becoming deficient in any one of them, causes the others to become more deficient; and that causes the others to get worse etc... etc...

Low magnesium also causes muscle weakness, pain, pins and needles, excessive sodium build up (and thus excessive edema),

I was in fact consuming enough potassium; but apparently I have been living on the edge of hypomagnesemia and probably systemic magnesium deficiency, probably for months, without realizing it. My diet often has a lot of magnesium in it; but I'm on a number of drugs (listed above) that in addition to causing potassium deficiency, and various vitamin deficiencies, also cause magnesium deficiency.... and again, there's that vicious circle thing I mentioned above.

Gatorade doesn't have any magnesium.

... and apparently, neither does my normal multivitamin; which I hadn't realized. I supplement the other vitamins and minerals that I get deficient in, but I didn't think of magnesium. I assumed my multivitamin covered it, and since I hadn't had a problem before...

When I got sick, and my diet shrunk down to crap for a few days, and the fact that I stopped taking my vitamins for a few days; I must have slipped over into full magnesium deficiency and hypomagnesemia; which then made me hypokalemic and B deficient, even though I was taking the supplements again. No matter how much I took it didn't matter, because I didn't have enough magnesium to use what I was taking in, and the body just excretes out unused potassium and B vitamins.

So, I had Mel grab me a magnesium supplement, took a max dose, along with a big dose of B1 and B6, and my potassium supplement; and I waited for a while and took my diuretics.

After 30 minutes, I started peeing.

After 90, I had peed six times, and lost 11 pounds. After 120, I had lost 15 lbs.

The pain and weakness in my feet and hands is going away. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be able to sleep normally tonight... or as normally as I can while my body is doing its best to expel the extra 45lbs of water it accumulated over the last week.

Amazing how a couple hundred milligrams of a single mineral can make such a difference...

Update: by the time I woke up for the day (after not actually sleeping until 9am, since I was up every 20 minutes to pee all night long), I was up to 22lbs lost in about 11 hours. Actually 26lbs if you count the fact that I drank about 4lbs worth of water in that time.

396... for about a minute...

2011-10-06T22:15:00.000-07:00

Up until I got sick last week (almost better now, thanks), I was doing pretty damned good on the weight loss.

As it happens, I managed to lose 101 lbs, getting down to 396:

Unfortunately, since then I managed to swell up another almost 40lbs... I hate being sick, and for some reason my diuretics aren't working worth a damn right now; and yes, 40lbs in a week is screwed up, but that's the way it is with endocrine cancer... but I got there once, I'll be able to get back there again.

You know what really sucks?

2011-10-03T23:29:00.000-07:00

When you are very forcibly and painfully reminded, that no matter how good you felt the day before, how mobile you were, and how able you felt; in reality, it was just the medication making you feel that way; and you are, in fact, still a fucking cripple.

Yeah, that was my morning yesterday, and I've only been worse since. I have the flu (which is always great fun when you have joints that swell up VERY painfully), AND my edema is in overdrive. I gained 24 pounds in three days, and the pain and swelling are so bad, I couldn't sleep at all last night.

I've managed a few 20-30 minute snatches of sleep for the last three days... maybe a total of about 8 hours in the last 72.

Then all day today, I just kept retaining more and more water, and enjoyed my low grade fever, photophobia, and general pain to the touch.

Bah... sucks.

Overheard in my household...

2011-09-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

On viewing (unintentionally. Restarted the DVR too soon) an offensively stupid commercial:

Chris: Lord... I SO hate...

Mel: Marketers? Advertising writers?

Chris: Well... I was thinking "Fucking Idiots"... but those would work just as well

Brazenly Stolen from Mad Mike's Wall

2011-09-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

Michael Z. Williamson:

You live in a city. You don't know how to change a tire or oil. You don't know how to build a fire. You can't communicate without a cell phone. You can't fix your plumbing. You can't set up your own wifi. You're untrained in basic economics, chemistry, physics and history. You can't prepare food without packages, and aren't even aware that food has to be processed from root or bone before that. You only know and get paid for one very specialized task.

Yet you call me a "hick."

Every. Damn. Day.

A Little Speedshooting

2011-09-28T03:03:00.000-07:00

For a number of years, I've been doing speedshooting demos at events, just for fun. My normal demo is Jerry Miculeks "machine gun finger" demo (he doesn't call it that, but it's been referred to as such on a few TV shows etc...). I empty a magazine into an 8" plate at 7 yards.

Jerry does it with a 625 (6 rounds of .45) or 627 (8 rounds of .38spl). I've done it with a lot of guns, but I generally shoot the drill with my slicked up 625, one of my 1911s (I particularly like doing it with my custom 10mm), or a Browning Hi-Power. The low recoil, fast slide cycle time, and high magazine capacity of the BHP make it particularly fun to speedshoot, as people really do think you're firing a machinegun.

Unfortunately, we've never managed to get one of the demos on reasonable quality video, until a few weeks ago.

I did a little speedshooting at this years GBR, and we got it on high quality video:

This is first, and the slowest of the runs. Unfortunately, it was also the only one I got on my camera, vs. one of the other guys cameras. I'm trying to get the videos from the other guys.

We did runs on two 1911s, an S&W model 686, a 459, an M&P 9, and a BHP. I'm not sure who got what on video unfortunately. Instead of my usual 8" plate at 7 yards, we used an 8.5"x11" target at 10 yards.

For this run I was using Skip's (a reader) Kimber custom II, loaded up 7+1 with Win white box 230gr fmj, from a Wilson mag.

8 rounds, 1.16 seconds timed off the video (10 runs timed from the video, all of them hit within .02 of 1.16 which was the median) first bang to last bang, for a 0.165s average split (recorded on Android Shot Timer Pro android app).

The timer recorded the following times:

1 -> 2: 0.11s
2 -> 3: 0.22s
3 -> 4: 0.16s
4 -> 5: 0.09s
5 -> 6: 0.22s
6 -> 7: 0.08s
7 -> 8: 0.28s

I think there's a good chance the pairs of long/short splits are timing inaccurately. I can believe the 0.11s... I'm pretty fast... but I'm not sure that gun, with that ammo, and that recoil spring; could physically cycle fast enough for a 0.09 or 0.08s split; and the followup round from each pair is much longer than the average.

0.08s is the fastest I have ever timed a single split from my 625 (I'm sure of that one, because I've done it in the middle of strings over and over again, along with 0.09s and 0.10s.. but I can't get my averages that low. I've been told it's the fastest a 625 with a standard cylinder and ratchet will cycle; but with custom work and a lightened cylinder you can get down to 0.06s); and I know that under perfect conditions my 625 will cycle under my finger faster than a 1911 will.

I think it would be more accurate to average the long/short pairs and round up:

1 -> 2: 0.17s
2 -> 3: 0.17s
3 -> 4: 0.16s
4 -> 5: 0.16s
5 -> 6: 0.16s
6 -> 7: 0.18s
7 -> 8: 0.18s

On the other hand, when I slow the video down to 25%, some of the shots seem significantly faster than others... so I don't know.

That's still pretty quick, but not ridiculously so. Most good competitive USPSA shooters can get single target average splits on a string below 0.18s; some below 0.14s, and a few below 0.12s (remember, that's averages for a string. Fastest single target split time on a doubletap, from a top competitor with a prepped race gun, could run as low as .06-.08. It's just that most folks aren't that fast on every shot).

Also remember, that was on 10 yards not 7... but the difference isn't all that much.

I'm absolutely sure that on my fastest run with the BHP, I managed to get my average split below .14s on 17 rounds (from a KRD mag); because I'm dead certain I got down below 2.24s. My feel was that it was around 1.8s or maybe under (under .12s avg split), but I didn't have a timer on it. If I can get the video, I'll time it and see.

And yes, I'm a hell of a lot faster with my 625.

Jerry Miculeks fastest 8 shot run, from low ready, is 1 second, for an average split time on the string of a bit over .12 (.125 actually). If you consider reaction time, the average splits are probably a bit under .11. His fastest five shot string from low ready is .57, or .114 avg split.With reaction time that's probably an average split of .08 or.09.

I can run a Bill Drill in well under 2 seconds when I'm drawing well (not usually...my average first shot is around 1.4. Best I've ever managed was .84. Most of my Bills end up 2.5 or over); and a FAST drill in well under 5 seconds when my presentation and reloads are on (my reloads generally just aren't as fast as they need to be to be competitive, and I usually end up in the 7 second range); but when I manage it, I do it with split speed, not presentation or reload speed.

Or rather I COULD do all of those things, when I was shooting 500-1500 rounds a week in practice; which hasn't been in a few years.

The way things are today, and have been the last couple years (between the kids, work, and the cancer, I haven't shot very much... I doubt I've shot 1,500 rounds total in the last three years, and 300 of that was at GBR this year, and another 300 at boomershoot)... I have no clue. GBR (second weekend of September) was the first time I shot anything at all since Boomershoot (last weekend of April). Prior to that I hadn't shot since October 2010, and prior to that, February 2010.

I've been telling people for years that I was only a couple hundredths slower on the trigger than Jerry... Not that I was anywhere near as good as Jerry, or as accurate, or could ever get close to Jerry on target transitions, presentation, or reload (and that's where competitions are won, not in trigger speed. I'm nowhere near that good, or that fast)... Frankly, Jerry's reloads are just plain unreal... just that I was pretty close to Jerry's speed on the trigger.

Most of the time people don't believe me. Even after I do it in front of them (and I've done it dozens of times), they usually think it's a timing error... and it may very well be...

...but that was a cold string, from somebody elses unprepped gun, after not having shot handguns at all in a year, and not speedshot since GBR in 2009; and I still managed at least .16s, maybe better...

...I'm pretty sure that with a properly prepped gun, when I'm properly trained up and practiced up... I think I can match Jerry on split times (again, not on reloads, presentation, or transitions; just on splits). I don't think I can beat him, but I'm pretty sure I can match him.

I know I damn sure want to try.

A Monster Hunter goes "Contracting"

2011-09-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

Let's get this out of the way right now. This, is Larry Correia and Mike Kuparis new book "Dead Six":

If you read this blog, you will want to buy this book. It's officially out today, but I read it a couple months back with an advance readers copy. It's great. You should go and buy ten copies now and give them to everyone you know.

This link will let you go and do that: "Dead Six" at Amazon (paper only. Baen does not sell ebooks through Amazon because of Amazons DRM)

This link will let you choose an independent book store to buy from: Baens book store listing for "Dead Six"

So will this one, in DRM free ebook format: "Dead Six" from Baens "webscriptions"

You should go buy it now. Really, seriously, before you read another sentence.

Ok... if you need more convincing, here's the first 8 chapters: Baen books sample chapters for "Dead Six"

Let me repeat: If you like reading this blog for reasons other than "know thy enemy", you want to buy "Dead Six". And you want to buy it today, because best seller lists are all about velocity of sales, not total sales. We want to see Larry with another New York Times Bestseller now don't we?

Larry Correia should need no introduction in this crowd, being the former proprietor of Fuzzy Bunny Movie Guns, once one of the coolest Class III dealers in the country; and the author of the bestselling SFF/F/Adventure novels: "Monster Hunter International", "Monster Hunter Vendetta", "Monster Hunter Alpha", "Hard Magic", and of course the near future bestsellers "Dead Six" and "Spellbound".

Mike Kupari, most of y'all probably don't know. He's a good guy, a veteran who was doing his time in the guard and decided to re-enlist in the Air Force, to volunteer to be an EOD tech. He's over in Asscrackistan right now keeping other guys from getting their asses blowed up, by risking getting his ass blowed up instead.

Let me repeat... Mike had already served. He had already done some time as a PMC too... He was free and clear, and no-one could say he hadn't done his part... but he volunteered, to go BACK, and do one of the most dangerous things we do (under THIS president no less). Yeah, he may not be so bright ;-) but he's one of the good guys.

Oh and there's one other thing...,

I'm in the book... and if you're a Guncounter member, so are you:

If you can't read that, the portion relevant to the guncounter reads:

"We would like to thank Chris Byrne and the Gun Counter for fixing the computer situation. Their generosity is much appreciated."

And of course, Larry and Mike, we were all glad to help.

There's a small story behind that, but we don't talk publicly about what we do for our servicemembers, veterans, and familys and friends in need. If someone else wants to tell it, that's fine... people think I blow my own horn too much as it is.

That said, it would be disingenuous to not mention I'm in the book in another way as well.

After we helped out with the computer situation, Larry told me he was redshirting me...

Instead of just your basic redshirting though, he made me an actual (minor) character, with a pretty interesting death.

...Just a bit more than your basic redshirting.

Oh and yeah, there's no way you're not going to be recognizing me there... Next time I go to a con, someone is going to recognize it.

Cool. Very cool.

GO, NOW, BUY THE DAMN BOOK!

Whipping it out for Og

2011-09-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't suddenly gone all "black plastic mack" flasher... I'm responding to Ogs meme about pocket knives:

Take the knife out of your pocket and take a picture of it, and post it. Or post a picture of the same knife from a brochure or whatever.

No, not your favorite knife, or your prettiest, but the one that never leaves your side.

This is my most common daily carry pocket knife:

It's a first production run Mel Pardue Ambush, made by Benchmade in mid 2003, when they were still making these in the U.S.

I've probably carried it in my left front pants pocket 8 days out of ten since I bought it in early 2004... and it certainly shows.

That said, the blade is great, I keep it incredibly sharp, it handles well... I love it. In particular I love the size of it.

Most pocket knives are too small for me, this one most definitely is not; with a 4.25" plain edge blade (4" sharpened length), and a 4.75" hilt, .5" thick and 1.25" wide at the widest, it's one of the few pocket knives out there that actually fills my hand, and gives me a blade long enough to balance properly. Also the action is so smooth I can flick it open quick as an automatic, and flick it closed faster.

Unfortunately, the Ambush has been discontinued by Benchmade (Mel Pardue will still make you one if you want though, with any decoration or hilt you want... but he aint cheap, and his backlog is I think about two years at this point), as most people seem to think it's too big for a pocket knife. The "mini ambush" was also offered up until recently, but it only has a 3" blade, and a polymer hilt.

I have plenty of other pocket knives; from expensive high end custom pieces, to $10 "superknife" utility blade type folders, and I do carry them sometimes... but the ambush is my default knife to pickup and clip to my pocket every morning.

One Cup at a Time

2011-09-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

Recently, someone asked me what I would recommend for brewing coffee for one... for someone who didn't drink a ton of coffee, and who didn't want to obsess over the details.

Then a few days later, a forum reader asked for recommendations for making coffee on a liveaboard boat.

I figured I would set my rather long response down here in blog post form.

So a little background, for those of you who may not have followed my blog obsessively for years, as to why someone would be asking me for coffee advice:

I am a coffee fanatic. I was at one time an 8-12 POT, not cup a day drinker. Through my late teens and twenties, I was so caffeinated, you could have distilled my blood to make energy drink concentrate.

There was a collectible card game called netrunner, that had a card with the quote "There's too much blood in my caffeine system". I lived by that quote religiously, and had a framed copy of the card up on my office wall at one point.

Over the past six years, I have written six posts, specifically about how to make coffee; never mind the literally hundreds of references to or mentions of coffee.

I have cut my coffee consumption WAY down over the past few years; but as it is, today I still drink anywhere from one to four, 12oz mugs of coffee a day, most days (usually just one or two though now).

I only drink GOOD coffee.

Starbucks, is not good coffee...

....and fritalian is ridiculous to order coffee in anyway; plus it's overpriced crap.

I had a technivorm drip brewer, which makes the best drip coffee there is... Because it's the ONLY drip coffee maker that brews at the proper temp.

I have a 15 bar pump espresso machine, with a dual boiler; and a conical burr grinder.

I have several different French presses, and an electric kettle that gets me a full pot of just under boiling water in about 90 seconds for said presses.

I have or have had, a classic Bialetti moka pot, a vacuum pot, and a Chemex brewer.

All of these make spectacular coffee. All of them take a fair bit of time and effort to do so.

I break out one of these brewing methods (usually my thermal carafe and my double walled stainless French press. Less heat loss) when I want the best possible, truly excellent coffee.

However, as I no longer drink pots of coffee at a time, and my wife drinks far less coffee than I do. Unless I'm entertaining, I have no need for brewing more than 4 cups (we drink 12oz mugs, so thats 2 6oz "cups" each right there by coffee measure) at a time anymore.

Also, the biggest problem with drinking good coffee, is keeping coffee good for more than a few minutes. There are a lot of tricky, or expensive ways of doing that, and they work quite well... but they're tricky or expensive.

The best way is to just brew good, hot, fresh coffee; as many cups as you need right then and no more; and drink it immediately.

To my mind, there are about six good ways of doing that.

The first is to use a single cup drip filter. These work pretty well, but can spill easily (especially on a boat) and be a bit messy. Also there is a lot of heat loss during the brewing process. On the plus side, you control the water very precisely; the temperature, volume, and steep rate.

The smallest two sizes of chemex brewer and french press also do pretty well; but you really need to brew at least 4 cups (coffee "cups", so 24oz) at a time to get proper results. any smaller amount of grounds, and the wetting and brew times aren't quite right.

There's something called the "aeropress", that makes really excellent coffee, one cup at a time. It's a bit less messy than the other methods here, and makes about as good quality coffee, but of a slightly different character and flavor.

There's also the cold brewing process; where you brew in cold water, overnight, and VERY strong, to make a coffee concentrate. Then when you want a cup of coffee, you either mix the concentrate into an iced coffee with ice water and adulterants (cream, milk, sugar etc...); or you mix it with just under boiling temp water.

There are a couple of elements to take note of, that these methods share.

First, they all require you to grind your own coffee for best results. So does every other brewing method of course, but each one requires a different grind to brew properly.

You shouldn't grind more than a few days worth of coffee at a time at worst, and it's best if you just grind a days worth, or even a pots worth, at once. However, I don't recommend you grind coffee one cup at a time, as such a small quantity tend to grind suboptimally. You want to grind as much as you'll consume for the morning, or all day, and just keep it in an airtight container.

Second, all of the methods I listed above require an external source of hot water. I personally prefer an electric boiling kettle. Most U.S. branded kettles aren't very good, because we aren't major tea drinkers in the U.S. The UK and EU brands are generally better, but also considerably more expensive. The best of them can boil a quart/liter of water in under 90 seconds (some in as little as 30).

Unless you're cold brewing, you need to brew coffee at over 190 degrees, and under 210 degrees; with an ideal temperature of 195-205 degrees. A good boiling kettle will get you there quickly. Just let it come off the boil, and by the time you get the water into the brewer, it'll be at 206 or below.

Actually, if you want to know why your drip coffee maker produces crap coffee, that's probably why. Most of them don't get the water near hot enough; and most of the ones that do drop the water onto the grounds while still boiling (which extracts much more bitterness and off flavors from the grounds).

So... all of that is a bit fiddly... and a bit messy, and all require a multistep process etc... etc...

I think they're worth it for really great coffee, but they can be a pain in the ass. And I think that they're a bit impractical for a boat, unless you have a lot of room, and stay docked all the time.

Even mediocre coffee making methods like drip and percolators, leave a lot to be desired on a boat. There's still the glass carafe, or the relatively unstable percolator etc... and of course the mess of grounds.

About 18 months ago, recognizing that my wife and I no longer drank a pot of coffee at a time, that we ended up throwing away more coffee that we were drinking, no matter what we did to keep the coffee "fresh" and tasting good (and we tried everything)....

And recognizing that "really good" coffee was acceptable most of the time, instead of "spectacular" coffee...

...We bought a Keurig machine; this one in fact: Cuisinart Keurig Brewing System

We brew one cup at a time, each cup takes about 30 seconds to brew (including the time to heat the water), each one is hot and fresh exactly when you want it.

More importantly, it's really good coffee. Some of the k-cups (the single serving coffee packs) verge on excellent. Yeah, I can make better coffee with a French press, but this is almost as good, and a hell of a lot more convenient.

There are four disadvantages to the Keurig: One, at retail, it's about $0.40 a 6oz cup for coffee (a lot better than starbucks, but still more than the standard "1 tablespoon per six ounces" Folgers at $6 a pound {appx. 64 tablespoons per pound}, or about $0.09 a cup; or the local whole bean roasters at $9 a pound for about $0.15 per cup). Two, there is a bit more waste per cup to dispose of. Three, you are limited to the coffee that k-cup makers decide to give you. Four, you have to have k-cups, and they aren't widely available everywhere.

On the other hand, there are a couple of mitigating factors here:

We found that compared to when we were brewing full pots, we wasted so much less coffee, that we were spending less on the K-cups as we were on the coffee we were brewing. Also, we were throwing away about the same volume of trash as we were before (though admittedly, the keurig trash involves non dumpable/digestable/compostable plastic). Finally, buying mailorder is much cheaper, and more convenient; to the point where through Amazon we can get each cup down into the $0.20 range (or $0.40 since we brew a double into a large mug), with free shipping (free two day shipping in our case, since we're prime members).

Oh and as to general availability, I have found k-cups in every supermarket, Target, WalMart, Costco, and Sams Club I have been in, in four different states, over the last two years.

Further, there are three direct solutions for these problems:

Firstly, there is a filter pod accessory, that lets you grind and use your own coffee, on a single cup basis. Our Cuisinart came with one, but third party models are available from Amazon for $10-$15.

You simply load your coffee up to the line (first line for "normal' second line for "extra bold"), drop it into the machine just like one of the disposable kcups, and brew. Just rinse out the filter when you're done.

This reduces the cost to whatever you pay for coffee normally. There no additional waste, no additional cost, over and above whatever brewing method you were using before. It also lets you use whatever type of coffee you want, whatever roast you want, and gives you some flexibility in grind (though not too fine or too coarse, or it won't brew properly).

What you lose of course, is the sealed k-cup convenience. You still have to grind your own coffee, and you clean up one at a time etc...

The second solution is a little tool and filter papers, that lets you make your own disposable filter coffee pods. You grind and seal the coffee in the filter papers, then drop the sealed filter paper into a reusable kcup holder.

The filter papers are a few pennies a piece (the current amazon price is $10 for 50, or $0.20 a piece; but if you buy by the case, it goes down to something like $0.02 a piece), and are compostable. You don't throw away any plastic. Also, the plastic reusable kcup holders can often also hold coffee pods from other brands like Nepresso and Senseo; so you aren't just limited to the brands that offer K-cups.

It's still less convenient than the k-cup, because you have to grind the coffee and load up the filters; but its no more inconvenient than any conventional coffee brewing method.

The third method also uses a little tool and disposable filters; but the disposable filter is part of an entire disposable kcup. Instead of using a resuable filter holder, you just seal the coffe in and discard the whole thing, just like the original kcups.

Oh and for our machine, there's an added convenience, in that it will give you up to 12oz of 195 degree water on demand, for tea, hot chocolate, instant soup etc... And then 30 seconds later, another 12oz.

When we want coffee that isn't offered in a k-cup, sometimes we break out the french press... but more often than not we're just loading up the filter pod, because it's so easy and convenient.

Of course, there's always instant....

I'm not dead...

2011-09-26T02:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't been kidnapped, and I haven't converted to anti-gunism.

I've been nearly silent for days at a time lately, because, as it is wont to do; life has been very busy getting in the way of me doing anything but what was right in front of me.

Hopefully, as of today, that will be changing somewhat. I should have a flurry of posts out this week, including my gunblogger rendezvous report, and some product reviews, and announcements about my life... LOTS of stuff.

I just need to actually get it done, and not have life get in the way again.

This is, literally, my life...

2011-09-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

And not just games, but pretty much all my hobbies and interests.

When I have the money, I don't have the time. When I have the time, I don't have the money...

Though, I'm trying to change that. More on that later.

The mere fact that someone made this movie makes me happy

2011-09-20T13:07:00.001-07:00

No Kidding...

2011-09-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

A little truth from Calvin's Mom:

This occurs to us every bloody day.

Time is Money... and so many people forget that in so many ways...

2011-09-13T22:16:00.000-07:00

The alt text reads: "And if you drive a typical car more than a mile out of your way for each penny you save on the per-gallon price, it doesn't matter how worthless your time is to you--the gas to get you there and back costs more than you save".

When I was growing up (and before she lost her license for good when I was 14... though she got it back again ten years later in Arizona) my mother used to go LITERALLY miles out of her way, to avoid having to make a left turn across traffic, or at a busy traffic light; or to avoid a few lights. Not only were we traveling a much longer distance, but it was taking longer and wasting more gas, just so she didn't have to wait for traffic.

She would also drive three towns over for gas that was three cents a gallon cheaper, when she was buying six or seven gallons. 21 cents? For an extra 30 minutes, and an extra gallon of gas (at the time about $0.90), to save $0.21

But she FELT that she was "saving". She was "getting a better deal".

Well... No... she wasn't. But she FELT she was, and of course, there's millions out there just like my mother on this issue.

One of the things I run into a lot of the time in my business, is the idea that someone is "saving money", buy doing things that take hours and hours (at $100 per hour per man or more) to save a few hundred, or even a few thousand dollars.

When it takes four guys, 20 hours each, to save $5,000 once... that's not saving, that's losing $3,000 (for guys like me, it's a lot more, as my internal cost is something like $145 an hour, for a loss of almost $7,000).

Now, if it takes four guys, 20 hours each, to save $5,000 every week for a year... That's saving money. Hell, if it's eight guys, 100 hours each, it's saving money.

Travel and expenses are one of the biggest areas I see companies nickel and diming things; trying to save money by choosing crap flights, remote hotels, not renting cars... when they cost tens, or even over the course of a year, hundreds, of hours of their employees time.

One company I deal with is a perfect example: They have a policy that you must always book the lowest cost flight with less than two stops, on the lowest cost carrier. Now, I don't know if you're familiar with airline schedules, but I'll use one I'm familiar with directly to illustrate my point.

United has two direct flights from Spokane to San Francisco a day, and the reverse route; an early morning flight, and a late night flight, with a flight time of 1:45 to 2:05 (it's 730 miles), at a price of between $370 and $490 dollars for more than 24 hour but less than 30 day booking (most business flights are booked less than 10 days in advance).

Delta services the same route, twice a day, for $249 to $369 dollars, and thus under policy they must always book the Delta flight.

Great, every time they fly they're saving $120 to $240 right? If they fly twice a week every week, that's as much as a $24,000 savings...

Well... on the flight, sure... but what AREN'T you seeing?

The United flight arrives in SFO before 9am, or leaves after 8pm (which means you don't need to be at the airport 'til 6pm). The Delta flights depart at 10:30am, and 6:30pm, meaning you have to be at the airport by 4:30pm, giving you only a half work day on the return flight day.

Not only that but they're one stop flights, through Salt Lake City. It's 1:45 from GEG to SLC, then a 2 hour layover, then another 1:45 from SLC to SFO (and the reverse is true), a total enroute time of over 5.5 hours. Adding the time to transit to and from the airport, and clear security, and that's one full work day.

So, your $24,000 savings over the course of a year, is actually 75 man days of lost work (vs 0 man days, since the United schedule allows a full work day on each travel day). In my case, that means a $90,000 loss.

Not providing remote data networking (air cards, mifis etc...) same thing. $80 a month enables a $140 an hour staff member to work anywhere, anytime, with security. Sadly, though airports and hotels often have wifi available, that WiFi is frequently insecure, slow, and often doesn't support the VPNs and secure authentication methods that most companies require for remote access; and of course, most vehicles (cars, busses, trains whatever) don't have network access. A wireless 3g/4g hotspot costs $80 a month, and enables data access at a minimum of 512kb, and up to 10mb, for up to five people, anywhere you can get signal (which is most any major urban area or along most interstate highways). The first HOUR I spend working from an airport pays for that MiFi every month. Even a $40k a year guy costs the company $65k a year (or more); and so it takes two and a half hours to pay the cost back.

If you consider again, that hourly rate, and we presume 100 workable travel hours a year (and there have been years where I was running more like 500 workable travel hours)... $8,000 lost vs $960 paid...

Save money where it makes sense, sure; but do the cost benefit analysis.

Prepping my GBR posts

2011-09-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

But I've got a LOT of them coming, or at least a lot of pictures and videos to edit, and I'm working remotely right now. I'm probably going to start posting them tomorrow, maybe later tonight; but I probably won't be done til after Thursday or Friday... or maybe even next week.

3652 days

2011-09-11T05:46:00.000-07:00

September 11, 2001, 8:46am Eastern Daylight Time:

3652 days, 9040 dead,
and we will continue
until the mission is complete

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge—and more. -- John F. Kennedy

We Will Never forgive

We Will Never Forget

We Will Never Stop

Blogging from the road to Reno

2011-09-07T19:42:00.001-07:00

Stopping outside of Travis AFB for dinner. It took me 90 minutes to get from the parking lot at the SF end of the Bay Bridge to Fairfield... and yes, for those of you not familiar with NorCal geography, that's a long time.

ProTip: never trust that the quadruple dose (my normal dose, but quadruble for most people) of extremely strong diuretics you took at 1pm has worked its way out of your system by 6pm just before setting out on a long drive in heavy traffic. You will be very, very unhappy if you do.

Yes I'm on my way

2011-09-07T16:14:00.000-07:00

Though in this case, I do actually know where I'm goin.

I'm going to Reno, to the Gun Blogger Rendezvous, and I'm leaving in about an hour.

Unfortunately, I'm driving up from San Francisco, so no shooty goodness with me; but there's always plenty to play with there anyway.

If you're coming, see you there. If not... YOU SHOULD BE.

Speaking of the UPS Guy

2011-09-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

Went to see UPS guy this morning because Chris ended up boarding a plane without a necessary medication (irritating mix-up) which I then needed to overnight to his super-seekrit temporary work location (yes he still needs to write a post).

Now I work in a bank and I had the extreme fortune (i.e. lowest seniority) of being scheduled to work the last open day before Labor Day and the first open day after Labor Day. All the people who were smart enough to avoid the bank on Tuesday came in Saturday. Everyone else came in today.

North Idaho, particularly north of the Coeur D'Alene area, is a sparsely populated place yet bank of my employ has 3 different branches in the area. We end up seeing the same people day in and day out because that's our customer base and they don't like driving very far to bank. Or really, do anything.

Everyone sees everyone else all the damn time. It's like a small town spread across a bunch of townships and CDPs.

After a certain amount of times taking care of the same person, not only do you stop checking their id (because we know them after all) it's actually a bank policy. You know them personally, under id you get to choose "known" and you get to greet them by name and make their life easier.

So today, while overnighting said necessary medication, the UPS guy goes through all of the hoops and asks for payment. I swipe my card, and somewhere between the swipe and the signature the screen says something like "show identification". I don't know exactly what it says, because in a split second it's gone.

"UPS wants me to get id from everyone," he says, "but it's a small town and I know everyone and it's just a big hassle. And some people get outright offended."

Every merchant in the area feels the same way.

This is why big government policies and procedures fail. The business climate in DC or NY is not the business climate in North Idaho. Just like when you hear a shotgun in downtown LA the police get called but if you hear one in North Idaho you just assume someone's hunting (fairly safe assumption).

Rifle rack in the back of a teenager's truck? Either its a dangerous situation or they're going hunting this weekend. All depends on where you are.

One-size-fits-all policies don't work in this country, and the more they get shoved down the throats of everyone outside of DC the more discontent in flyover country grows.

It's a good thing for DC that us rural folk aren't near as violent as they'd like to pretend we are...

BTW, unemployment may be up here, but the cash economy is still going strong. Something about avoiding all of those taxes...

Mel

Quote of the Day, Ben Stein Edition

2011-09-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

From Ben Stein, whose summer home I passed literally 4 times today:

Even so, this summer in Sandpoint is life the way it is supposed to be lived. As my pal Jane said long ago about North Idaho, "This is the America we pledge allegiance to when we pledge allegiance to the flag."

Yeah, that's about the way we feel about it too.

It's odd reading about the town you kinda live in from the eyes of someone who only lives here part time. The UPS guy? Saw him today before work. Ivano's in town? Went there Friday night and saw the magician while we were there (he came into the bank the next day and saw me since he remembered who I was). Ivano's Del Lago? Did a post on it. The same Burlington Northern Santa Fe train that runs past his summer home runs past our house.

Now if only I could stop barely missing the guy...

Mel