Wednesday, January 23, 2013
It's a restraining order Charlie Brown
So heard on the radio this morning and found a news story that the voice of Charlie Brown was arrested for stalking and making a threat of bodily injury. And the title is what came out of my mouth. Just thought I'd share.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Sunday, December 16, 2012
It's called personal responsibility folks
In the last couple days I have had a number of "conversations" with people claiming that since a gun belonging to a lawful gun owner could be taken by a criminal and used to commit a murder, That somehow makes owning a gun a privilege not a right. Horse Hockey!
The right to self defense including the right to keep and bear arms is just that a right. However, with rights come responsibilities. Gun owners have a responsibility to exercise their right to own guns in a safe a prudent manner.
When some monster commits an atrocity like happened Friday, it is all about personal responsibility. That person is responsible for their actions. That person alone.
If they needed psychiatric help and haven't gotten it, that is something that needs to be addressed. How often do these things happen and people come out and say "I knew something was wrong but didn't do anything or didn't know what to do."? Yes we need to have a serious discussion but it is about personal responsibility. Kids are being taught and it is reenforced as adults that you are not responsible for your actions or what happens to you. It is always someone else' fault. Be the persons parents or teachers or the cities fault or the road designer or building owner or someone else. It is never the fault of the person who actually committed the act.
It is called personal responsibility. YOU are responsible for everything that you do! If you screw up and do something that gets someone hurt, it is YOUR responsibility. YOU hurt them. Whether it is getting behind the wheel of a multi ton vehicle and driving into someone while you are impaired or by your inattention, or taking a gun and shooting without adequate backstop and killing some innocent child blocks down the road, or you purposely attack someone with the intent to do them harm, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE!
It's called personal responsibility.
The right to self defense including the right to keep and bear arms is just that a right. However, with rights come responsibilities. Gun owners have a responsibility to exercise their right to own guns in a safe a prudent manner.
When some monster commits an atrocity like happened Friday, it is all about personal responsibility. That person is responsible for their actions. That person alone.
If they needed psychiatric help and haven't gotten it, that is something that needs to be addressed. How often do these things happen and people come out and say "I knew something was wrong but didn't do anything or didn't know what to do."? Yes we need to have a serious discussion but it is about personal responsibility. Kids are being taught and it is reenforced as adults that you are not responsible for your actions or what happens to you. It is always someone else' fault. Be the persons parents or teachers or the cities fault or the road designer or building owner or someone else. It is never the fault of the person who actually committed the act.
It is called personal responsibility. YOU are responsible for everything that you do! If you screw up and do something that gets someone hurt, it is YOUR responsibility. YOU hurt them. Whether it is getting behind the wheel of a multi ton vehicle and driving into someone while you are impaired or by your inattention, or taking a gun and shooting without adequate backstop and killing some innocent child blocks down the road, or you purposely attack someone with the intent to do them harm, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE!
It's called personal responsibility.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Subaru Nation
So months ago I wrote about trading in my 2001 3/4 ton 4X4 crew cab diesel truck for a new Subaru Outback. Well, yesterday was the rounds of Christmas parties. We drove over to Mordor on the Colorado to have lunch with the family. Imagine my giggle at pulling back into the ranch and looking at the Trip Information Display and see 33.0MPG Average! That's twice the mileage on gas that costs $0.60 ($369 vs $3.09)/gallon less. That was a big reason why we made this change. We still have misbeHavens truck to pull horse/stock/flatbed trailers but 90+% of our driving does not include pulling those.
However, when we bought the Outback, the salesman welcomed us to the Subaru Family. Yeah OK every car maker wants to have their fan base and assorted devoted followers. Well, on our way back, as we were driving along the highway with the cruise set, there was a small dark spot that was slowly gaining on us. As it got closer I saw it was dark blue and eventually that the grille showed it was another Subaru. As it got closer, the rate of closure slowed until he was right next to us and pacing along side. He looked over, waved and smiled, then sped back up to resume his trip. As he pulled away we saw that it wasn't just another Subaru, it was an older Outback. As misbeHaven pointed out, this is the first time someone stopped to wave just because of the car we were driving. Subaru family indeed.
However, when we bought the Outback, the salesman welcomed us to the Subaru Family. Yeah OK every car maker wants to have their fan base and assorted devoted followers. Well, on our way back, as we were driving along the highway with the cruise set, there was a small dark spot that was slowly gaining on us. As it got closer I saw it was dark blue and eventually that the grille showed it was another Subaru. As it got closer, the rate of closure slowed until he was right next to us and pacing along side. He looked over, waved and smiled, then sped back up to resume his trip. As he pulled away we saw that it wasn't just another Subaru, it was an older Outback. As misbeHaven pointed out, this is the first time someone stopped to wave just because of the car we were driving. Subaru family indeed.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
What A Day on the range
So, we had two Grad Students and two Undergrads out to the house for some shooting and ceremonial charring of dead mammal flesh. Finally winding down. Got some housekeeping and setup done this morning before they arrived, then did a short session in the house about safety and basics of how to shoot. The we moved out to the range shooting everything form 1911 w/.22 conversions to Colt Anaconda in .44Mag and everything we could throw out in between. Everyone seemed to enjoy and helped pick up so breaking down the range was a snap. Then we retired to the house to char mammal flesh and sit around reliving the day and discussing life. Now we have fed the livestock and are ready to wind down for the day. We need more of these days!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Deer Delinquents
On the drive in this morning, we had to brake heavy for a 4X4 buck that started standing on the shoulder of the road and as we got closer, started walking into the lane of travel while looking at us. All I could think was hearing the other deer in the trees saying, "Go on, they'll stop." and "Chicken!"
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Busted wing update
Appointment with the Orthopedic Surgeon today. Got the first cast off. I was so swollen when they put t on that now the cast was seriously loose. Fresh x-rays show it is healing nicely and got to wash my arm so I am not offending myself for now either. Fresh cast and a bit of manipulations made for a painful morning but all good news. Have a picture of the x-rays but they really don't have enough detail of them to see the fractures Also doesn't show the swelling and discoloration of my hand. Now off to eat and drug.
Latest Update: Bills have started to arrive. Even with pretty good insurance, the copay will be more than we got for the cow damnit. Now on to the important stuff, like taking care of one of our own. Tam is without insurance as selfunemployed writer. So the gun blogesphere is helping out with her medical bills. So go help out already.
Latest Update: Bills have started to arrive. Even with pretty good insurance, the copay will be more than we got for the cow damnit. Now on to the important stuff, like taking care of one of our own. Tam is without insurance as selfunemployed writer. So the gun blogesphere is helping out with her medical bills. So go help out already.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Your TLA is not my TLA
Acronyms have become so ubiquitous in our language that conversations with people in other fields can get confusing. Sometimes it's just funny. Not too long ago, one of my best friends and I were agreeing that we were both doing a lot of PCRs lately... except that in her job (EMT), that's Patient Care Report, while in my job, it's Polymerase Chain Reaction.
Sometimes, though, it's just downright disappointing. Once a month I get an email from HR inviting me to attend EOD* training... but they won't ever let me blow anything up!
*Employee and Organizational Development. Much less exciting than Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
Sometimes, though, it's just downright disappointing. Once a month I get an email from HR inviting me to attend EOD* training... but they won't ever let me blow anything up!
*Employee and Organizational Development. Much less exciting than Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Thank you...
...to all veterans for your service, and your sacrifice.
Yes, I know that Veteran's Day was yesterday. But yesterday, we were holed up at the ranch, with zero opportunity of seeing a veteran. So, like the fed.gov, I choose to observe it today, when I am out in the world.
Yes, I know that Veteran's Day was yesterday. But yesterday, we were holed up at the ranch, with zero opportunity of seeing a veteran. So, like the fed.gov, I choose to observe it today, when I am out in the world.
Friday, October 26, 2012
One handed shooting
Do you practice it? How about one handed off hand shooting? You never know when an angry cow is going to break your arm, wrist and thumb and you may have to operate one handed. When it happens is not the time to learn. It should just be reinforcement of why it's a good idea to practice those skills. Just a helpfull int from your drugged up uncle John. I'd post the x-rays but they're really not all that impressive.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Stuffings for your mags
See it every class. People stuff as many rounds as they can into a mag then stuff one more. Middle of a drill, they reload, press the trigger and while the gun fires, the mag decides to exit stage bottom. Usually we see this with double stack standard capacity mags. This past Saturday we had someone with an EMP that if the mags were filled to capacity they would not seat unless you sat on the mag with the gun on the bench underneath it. Loading one round down did the trick. Before discovering that, they had basically beat their palm senseless trying to seat mags during class.
So, if your mad holds 11-20 rounds, load one down, if it holds 21+ load two rounds down. This will save you much grief and embarrassment and who knows, it could even save your life some day.
Next minor gripe, know your gun. practice with it enough to know if it has quirks. Don't buy something new and expect it and you to perform flawlessly together right out of the box.
So, if your mad holds 11-20 rounds, load one down, if it holds 21+ load two rounds down. This will save you much grief and embarrassment and who knows, it could even save your life some day.
Next minor gripe, know your gun. practice with it enough to know if it has quirks. Don't buy something new and expect it and you to perform flawlessly together right out of the box.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
What a weekend
The weekend started early as some moron called in a bomb threat to TAMU. the response was a prudent evacuation of the entire campus. The UPD, CSPD and BPD along with bomb squads and other outside experts did their very best to clear the campus and get people back to their normal routine. Normal, that's a laugh. This weekend was A&M vs LSA football game. Tailgaters from not onlu TAMU but also folks form LSU were streaming into town for the game and pregame festivities. Huge crowds and LSU were just evacuated last month when they and UT both got bomb threats. So, they strolled into town just in time for the threat and evacuation.
As was pointed out to me late Friday,"Terrorists don't call in threats ahead of time!"
We ended up back on campus late Friday night to get into MisbeHavens lab so she could secure DNA samples that were left out on the lab bench as she was herding students out of the building under the evacuation order.
That bit was after going to the Odyssey Academy fundraiser. These folks are doing a fantastic job educating our future engineers and scientists. They deserve all the assistance that we can give them and I was more than happy to help out in my own small way.
After that long Friday, Saturday was a a long day out at KRTraining. We started the day with Defensive Pistol Skills 2. This is all about equipping students with the skills they need to survive and win a gunfight on the streets. We then played through the afternoon with AT-2 Scenarios. This is what really separates KRTraining form all the other trainers in armed citizen self defense. We have been trying our best to take students form HOW to shoot and move them to WHEN and WHY to shoot as well as developing the mindset or "what else should / could I be doing instead of shooting." This is the closest you can get to being in a gunfight without actually being exposed to possibly dieing. Or at least this is a brief introduction to the beginnings of starting to develop this mindset and thought process. While I really get a tickle out of Basic Pistol 1 classes where we introduce new shooters to the world of handguns and have them try a huge variety of handguns (some good, some bad) so they can gain their own understanding of gun fit and function so as to make a sound and informed decision about purchasing a handgun for themselves, the joy of seeing the light go on for people who actually think about self defense in this way for the first time is what keeps me coming back for these loooonnnnggggg days of work. The "First time shooter grin" is a massively powerful motivation. If you have never experienced it, you should go out and introduce someone to safe shooting. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Seeing a first time shooter turn around grinning and giggling is more addictive than any drug. Now take that feeling and turn it up to 11. When people who have chosen to take their defense and the defense of their loved ones seriously enough to come out and go through scenarios to get a better understanding of what they should and should not be doing and add an extremely important mental skill of learning to think on their feet and plan ahead before the fur flies, the point where the light goes on and they finally click to seeing how important this is and how much sense it makes to think this way is a really satisfying experience. When stressed under scenarios, peoples brains will overload sometimes adn they will realize afterwards that thinking about having a plan and thinking through situations before they happen puts them well ahead of the curve when it come to defending themselve. Better to screwup here where the only injury is to your pride than to screw up on the street where the consequences could be much graver.
We rounded out the night with AT-1A Low Light Shooting. Most if not all of the students that come out for this class have never before shot in the dark. This is a fantastic chance for them to experience everything from low light and ambient light shooting to pitch black shooting and more importantly, positive target identification, while using a flashlight and protecting themselves. We also throw in a night scenario to again get them into the habit of thinking things quickly before applying their ballistic hammer to the problems at hand.
5AM to midnight makes for a long day on the range.
This morning MisbeHaven got a surprise call from a long time friend who she hadn't seen in a couple years that is in town. So she has a visitor for the day. meanwhile, whatever bug has been stewing around in my sinus's' decided to take advantage of me being tired to flare up and kick my butt.
Still a good weekend. We shall see how things play out after some good rest and lots of hot tea. Of course the tea is made with extra Love, that's what makes it so powerful.
As was pointed out to me late Friday,"Terrorists don't call in threats ahead of time!"
We ended up back on campus late Friday night to get into MisbeHavens lab so she could secure DNA samples that were left out on the lab bench as she was herding students out of the building under the evacuation order.
That bit was after going to the Odyssey Academy fundraiser. These folks are doing a fantastic job educating our future engineers and scientists. They deserve all the assistance that we can give them and I was more than happy to help out in my own small way.
After that long Friday, Saturday was a a long day out at KRTraining. We started the day with Defensive Pistol Skills 2. This is all about equipping students with the skills they need to survive and win a gunfight on the streets. We then played through the afternoon with AT-2 Scenarios. This is what really separates KRTraining form all the other trainers in armed citizen self defense. We have been trying our best to take students form HOW to shoot and move them to WHEN and WHY to shoot as well as developing the mindset or "what else should / could I be doing instead of shooting." This is the closest you can get to being in a gunfight without actually being exposed to possibly dieing. Or at least this is a brief introduction to the beginnings of starting to develop this mindset and thought process. While I really get a tickle out of Basic Pistol 1 classes where we introduce new shooters to the world of handguns and have them try a huge variety of handguns (some good, some bad) so they can gain their own understanding of gun fit and function so as to make a sound and informed decision about purchasing a handgun for themselves, the joy of seeing the light go on for people who actually think about self defense in this way for the first time is what keeps me coming back for these loooonnnnggggg days of work. The "First time shooter grin" is a massively powerful motivation. If you have never experienced it, you should go out and introduce someone to safe shooting. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Seeing a first time shooter turn around grinning and giggling is more addictive than any drug. Now take that feeling and turn it up to 11. When people who have chosen to take their defense and the defense of their loved ones seriously enough to come out and go through scenarios to get a better understanding of what they should and should not be doing and add an extremely important mental skill of learning to think on their feet and plan ahead before the fur flies, the point where the light goes on and they finally click to seeing how important this is and how much sense it makes to think this way is a really satisfying experience. When stressed under scenarios, peoples brains will overload sometimes adn they will realize afterwards that thinking about having a plan and thinking through situations before they happen puts them well ahead of the curve when it come to defending themselve. Better to screwup here where the only injury is to your pride than to screw up on the street where the consequences could be much graver.
We rounded out the night with AT-1A Low Light Shooting. Most if not all of the students that come out for this class have never before shot in the dark. This is a fantastic chance for them to experience everything from low light and ambient light shooting to pitch black shooting and more importantly, positive target identification, while using a flashlight and protecting themselves. We also throw in a night scenario to again get them into the habit of thinking things quickly before applying their ballistic hammer to the problems at hand.
5AM to midnight makes for a long day on the range.
This morning MisbeHaven got a surprise call from a long time friend who she hadn't seen in a couple years that is in town. So she has a visitor for the day. meanwhile, whatever bug has been stewing around in my sinus's' decided to take advantage of me being tired to flare up and kick my butt.
Still a good weekend. We shall see how things play out after some good rest and lots of hot tea. Of course the tea is made with extra Love, that's what makes it so powerful.
Friday, October 19, 2012
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