The FBI has arrested an "alleged" white supremacist for attempting to modify an AK-47 to full-auto for the coming societal collapse and whatnot. The guy stated that he wanted to retire Obama and Holder "with a 30.06".
So here's what I don't get about Americans who want to save America for Americans: why are they always doing it with Soviet-designed weapons? If you want to save America for Americans, use a $%@! American rifle for Adolph's sake! Jeepers. Could they at least divine some consistency in their cockamamie conspiracy schemes!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
blogjam #29 - Squirrels getting in through the Chinese backdoors and whatnot
1. Squirrel holds up DisneyWorld mono-rail. (VIDEO) Eric Shelton, of the Handgun Show Podcast fame, shot this video of a squirrel holding up the mono-rail train at DisneyWorld.
2. Chinese Backdoors in Hardware. Bruce Schneier has a post up about some researches in Britain discovering a backdoor in military-grade computer chips manufactured in China. YIKES! And why are our military chips manufactured in China? That seems like problem #1 right there.
3. Greek Mythology: they work harder than the other Europeans. A new survey of Europeans reveals that the Greeks think they are the hardest working of the Europeans, while all the other Europeans think the Germans are the hardest working of the Europeans.
2. Chinese Backdoors in Hardware. Bruce Schneier has a post up about some researches in Britain discovering a backdoor in military-grade computer chips manufactured in China. YIKES! And why are our military chips manufactured in China? That seems like problem #1 right there.
3. Greek Mythology: they work harder than the other Europeans. A new survey of Europeans reveals that the Greeks think they are the hardest working of the Europeans, while all the other Europeans think the Germans are the hardest working of the Europeans.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
This Just In!
Time for me to start reading. The finish on the lower isn't all that. Any advice on applying a new finish before I start mangling things is appreciated.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
blogjam #28 - A Purchase Order for Clandestine
1. VIDEO: WORLD'S SMALLEST FIRE TRUCK PUTS OUT WORLD'S ADORABLE FIRES.
2. Another VIDEO: The real lyrics to The Safety Dance. (h/t to Borepatch). If you are not or never were into 80's music this probably doesn't make sense.
3. Pestering MSgt B: I now have his cell phone number if anybody wishes to send him lewd texts while he is at work. The correct timing of a salacious message is sure to make him drop a wrench or strip a nut or something.
4. Operation AdWords: Secretary Hillary Clinton touted a clandestine US cyber operations that turns out to have merely been the US government buying anti Al-Queda online advertisements.
2. Another VIDEO: The real lyrics to The Safety Dance. (h/t to Borepatch). If you are not or never were into 80's music this probably doesn't make sense.
3. Pestering MSgt B: I now have his cell phone number if anybody wishes to send him lewd texts while he is at work. The correct timing of a salacious message is sure to make him drop a wrench or strip a nut or something.
4. Operation AdWords: Secretary Hillary Clinton touted a clandestine US cyber operations that turns out to have merely been the US government buying anti Al-Queda online advertisements.
Your Network Reachable IP
I have to admit, this is one clever little trick to allow a program to get the local IP address of an interface that is network reachable (i.e. not localhost).
In one line in Ruby:
UDPSocket.open {|s| s.connect(’64.233.187.99′, 1); s.addr.last }
Of course, it can be done in other languages too. The trick is to setup a socket connection to something real that requires no handshake (UDP) and then look at the socket address given back by the OS. You could do this with TCP too, but then you'd be sending packets and trying to setup a connection and all manner of nonsense could occur.
In one line in Ruby:
UDPSocket.open {|s| s.connect(’64.233.187.99′, 1); s.addr.last }
Of course, it can be done in other languages too. The trick is to setup a socket connection to something real that requires no handshake (UDP) and then look at the socket address given back by the OS. You could do this with TCP too, but then you'd be sending packets and trying to setup a connection and all manner of nonsense could occur.
Monday, May 28, 2012
The Last Full Measure of Devotion
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| Korean War Memorial, Washington, DC |
"But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." -- President Abraham Lincoln; Gettysburg, PA; November 19, 1863
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Amazing Grace
If this doesn't bring a lump to your throat and a tear to your eye, well...
Everyone have a safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend. Take it in and remember.
Everyone have a safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend. Take it in and remember.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Five Guns That Changed History
A Girl is continuing a blogmeme about the five guns that have changed history. I don't always go in for the blogmemes, but this one I cannot resist.
5. The AR-15. The standard infantry arm of the U.S. military for 50 years now, this rifle makes the list and edges out contenders such as the AK-47 because it is the very definition of a "firearms platform". While people have been customizing firearms since their invention, the AR-15 ecosystem of parts, add-ons and customizations is unparalleled.
4. The M1 Garand. Named for its inventor, John Garand, this rifle was adopted by the U.S. military after decades of conceptual designs and trials. At the time of its adoption, it was the most advanced infantry battle rifle. We would know this firearm as being chambered in .276 today if it were not for the insistence of Gen. Douglas MacAuthor that only a .30 calibre round was good enough for U.S. troops. Today, direct descendants of the M1 Garand serve in the Afghanistan theatre of war with U.S. troops.
3. The Colt Single Action Army (Colt Peacemaker). This iconic firearm of the "Wild West" gave rise to the saying, "God created man. Samuel Colt made them equal." A popular civilian firearm, it was used by the U.S. Army until 1892 when it was replaced with a Colt revolver of a smaller calibre. The replacement for the Single Action Army was unsatisfactory and led directly to the development of the Colt 1911, another iconic firearm.
2. The Colt Paterson Revolver. It was not the first revolver, but it was the first successful and commercial revolver. A decade later it was the inspiration for the Colt Walker, putting into motion the Colt firearms company we have today.
1. The Kentucky Long Rifle. An American invention of necessity, these rifles made snipers out of backwoodsmen. So feared by the British, Gen. George Washington gave to outfitting his regular troops in backwoodsmen buckskins both for protection and extra psychological punch.
Yes, it is a very U.S. centric list. So sue me, I'm American!
5. The AR-15. The standard infantry arm of the U.S. military for 50 years now, this rifle makes the list and edges out contenders such as the AK-47 because it is the very definition of a "firearms platform". While people have been customizing firearms since their invention, the AR-15 ecosystem of parts, add-ons and customizations is unparalleled.
4. The M1 Garand. Named for its inventor, John Garand, this rifle was adopted by the U.S. military after decades of conceptual designs and trials. At the time of its adoption, it was the most advanced infantry battle rifle. We would know this firearm as being chambered in .276 today if it were not for the insistence of Gen. Douglas MacAuthor that only a .30 calibre round was good enough for U.S. troops. Today, direct descendants of the M1 Garand serve in the Afghanistan theatre of war with U.S. troops.
3. The Colt Single Action Army (Colt Peacemaker). This iconic firearm of the "Wild West" gave rise to the saying, "God created man. Samuel Colt made them equal." A popular civilian firearm, it was used by the U.S. Army until 1892 when it was replaced with a Colt revolver of a smaller calibre. The replacement for the Single Action Army was unsatisfactory and led directly to the development of the Colt 1911, another iconic firearm.
2. The Colt Paterson Revolver. It was not the first revolver, but it was the first successful and commercial revolver. A decade later it was the inspiration for the Colt Walker, putting into motion the Colt firearms company we have today.
1. The Kentucky Long Rifle. An American invention of necessity, these rifles made snipers out of backwoodsmen. So feared by the British, Gen. George Washington gave to outfitting his regular troops in backwoodsmen buckskins both for protection and extra psychological punch.
Yes, it is a very U.S. centric list. So sue me, I'm American!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Gun deaths in Virginia
The Violence Policy Center has scored a pretty good coup with a recent press release of data showing "gun deaths" surpassing vehicle deaths, toaster oven deaths, death by chocolate, etc... They have broken it up by state, and various lapdog media outlets are simply regurgitating the VPC press release with sensationalist headlines such as "Gun Deaths Surpass Car Deaths in Indiana Race When Drivers Fiddle With the Radio", "Arizona Gun Deaths Up EleventyBillion", and "Gun Deaths, Blood In the Streets, Wild West in Nevada: Please For the Love of God Buy Our Newspaper Because We Are Going Broke!"
This is an old, tired trick as "gun deaths" is a nebulous term intended to mix in all sorts of death rates, not just gun homicides by criminals. Anyway, Virginia as usual is one of the targeted states. Stranger at Extrano's Alley does the debunking so you don't have to: The Lying Liars At The “Violence Policy Center” Are At It Again. So if you get into an argument with anybody, just point them over there.
Also over at Extrano's Alley: The WaPo Does Not Seem To Understand Why Americans Get Upset At “Internment Camps”. Yup, that whole Trail of Tears is just a knee slapper for the libs at the WaPo. But heck, they're justjournalists opinion writers, they are not exactly suppose to know about this thing the rest of us call "history".
This is an old, tired trick as "gun deaths" is a nebulous term intended to mix in all sorts of death rates, not just gun homicides by criminals. Anyway, Virginia as usual is one of the targeted states. Stranger at Extrano's Alley does the debunking so you don't have to: The Lying Liars At The “Violence Policy Center” Are At It Again. So if you get into an argument with anybody, just point them over there.
Also over at Extrano's Alley: The WaPo Does Not Seem To Understand Why Americans Get Upset At “Internment Camps”. Yup, that whole Trail of Tears is just a knee slapper for the libs at the WaPo. But heck, they're just
The Mash Potatoes are Gone Too
I gotta a busy day today, so no time to post anything meaningful. So if you have nothing to do, watch this:
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
No Stuffing Today
Anyway, my boss and I are taking one of the chicken sacrificers shooting at Clark's Brothers afterwards. Yeah, I know... its a tough life, hard job, and all that but somebody's got to do it.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Book Review: To End All Wars
Last month I found myself about to hop a transcontinental flight with a major problem, I forgot to buy any reading for the trip. Popping into the "book store" at IAD's C Concourse can be depressing because the selections are so bad, but I did find Adam Hochschild's To End All Wars.
I have to be honest in that I know very little about World War I, probably because I'm American. In comparison to WWII, "The Great War" doesn't play on the American psyche as much because the United States entered the war very late nor was it a major factor in the Allied victory. Though To End All Wars doesn't come right out and say it, WWI was won by the British and more specifically their naval blockade which led to the collapse of Germany from within.
Now if you are looking for a book about military tactics or how the battles played out or even how the overall strategy of the major powers worked out, this is not the book for you. Instead, Horchschild track's many individuals, almost all British, through the war and shows the connections they have with other. The connections are interesting in that some are ardent socialists or suffragists related directly to the imperial war establishment figures, brothers and sisters and husbands and wives on opposite sides of the political fight.
And while there is some writing about the general misery and hardship of the soldiers on the Western front, a good bit more of the book is spent on the hardship of the conscientious objectors imprisoned in Britain. Of the specific plights of soldiers, perhaps the books most tragic story is that of the British Bantam soldiers Joseph Stones, John McDonald, and Peter Coggins. Each was a victim of shell shock convicted by the British army for dereliction of duty and sentenced to death by army generals, most of whom had never witnessed shelling or even been to the front. But the story of these soldiers only enters into the web of connected individuals through the conscientious objector Albert Rochester, made to dig the holes for the execution posts.
The importance of World War I is probably understated in the narrative of modern world politics. Not only did it setup the circumstances for World War II, but of more importance it directly led to the introduction of communism on the world stage (by the time WWII broke out, Stalin had already killed more of his countrymen than all the victims of the Nazis). If you are interested in "The War to End All Wars", then this book is a great companion to other material. But as a single read on the subject, I do not find it compelling.
I have to be honest in that I know very little about World War I, probably because I'm American. In comparison to WWII, "The Great War" doesn't play on the American psyche as much because the United States entered the war very late nor was it a major factor in the Allied victory. Though To End All Wars doesn't come right out and say it, WWI was won by the British and more specifically their naval blockade which led to the collapse of Germany from within.
Now if you are looking for a book about military tactics or how the battles played out or even how the overall strategy of the major powers worked out, this is not the book for you. Instead, Horchschild track's many individuals, almost all British, through the war and shows the connections they have with other. The connections are interesting in that some are ardent socialists or suffragists related directly to the imperial war establishment figures, brothers and sisters and husbands and wives on opposite sides of the political fight.
And while there is some writing about the general misery and hardship of the soldiers on the Western front, a good bit more of the book is spent on the hardship of the conscientious objectors imprisoned in Britain. Of the specific plights of soldiers, perhaps the books most tragic story is that of the British Bantam soldiers Joseph Stones, John McDonald, and Peter Coggins. Each was a victim of shell shock convicted by the British army for dereliction of duty and sentenced to death by army generals, most of whom had never witnessed shelling or even been to the front. But the story of these soldiers only enters into the web of connected individuals through the conscientious objector Albert Rochester, made to dig the holes for the execution posts.
The importance of World War I is probably understated in the narrative of modern world politics. Not only did it setup the circumstances for World War II, but of more importance it directly led to the introduction of communism on the world stage (by the time WWII broke out, Stalin had already killed more of his countrymen than all the victims of the Nazis). If you are interested in "The War to End All Wars", then this book is a great companion to other material. But as a single read on the subject, I do not find it compelling.
Mulligan on Tracy Thorne-Begland and Constitutional Rights
Elwood Sanders makes the case that the Commonwealth should reconsider the judgeship for Tracy Thorne-Begland, the former Navy pilot and openly-gay prosecutor denied a seat in the General District Courts. I agree, this is turning out to be nothing but a black-eye for Virginia. As Sanders points out, there's not a whole lot of acting to do in the General District Courts to become an activist judge, and if Thorne-Begland says he would recuse himself from gay issues then we have nothing but to take his word for it. Should he actually go off the reservation, well there's always the re-up in 6 years.
So far the only argument given for this denial, other than being gay, is that Thorne-Begland violated his oath when joining the Navy. I googled up the Oath of Enlistment and didn't find "I swear on my heart I'm not gay." I don't find this a compelling argument.
But gosh-golly jeepers haven't I learned something new today: sodomy is a Constitutional right. I thought unwarranted searches of my shithole were off-limits (I'm looking at you, TSA) but apparently its the other way around.
Ok. Ok. I get it. Our Constitutional rights are not all enumerated in the Constitution, but how is it that sodomy was ruled a Constitutional right FIVE YEARS BEFORE our individual right to keep and bear arms, something the Constitution actually does say!? One gay guy in a lowly state court can't possibly queer-up our legal system any more than it already is.
So far the only argument given for this denial, other than being gay, is that Thorne-Begland violated his oath when joining the Navy. I googled up the Oath of Enlistment and didn't find "I swear on my heart I'm not gay." I don't find this a compelling argument.
But gosh-golly jeepers haven't I learned something new today: sodomy is a Constitutional right. I thought unwarranted searches of my shithole were off-limits (I'm looking at you, TSA) but apparently its the other way around.
Ok. Ok. I get it. Our Constitutional rights are not all enumerated in the Constitution, but how is it that sodomy was ruled a Constitutional right FIVE YEARS BEFORE our individual right to keep and bear arms, something the Constitution actually does say!? One gay guy in a lowly state court can't possibly queer-up our legal system any more than it already is.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Bufferbloat
Ever get the feeling that this Internet thing isn't performing as well as it should, especially since you have faster computers and more bandwidth than you did just 5 years ago but things seem to be just as slow or even slower. If you have, you're not alone. In fact, some Internet gurus have noticed the problem too and they think they may have found the source: too many good intentions and the human ability to sometimes be too clever for our own good, resulting in this thing called "buffer bloat".
Over the years your PCs and laptops and smart phones have gotten cheaper while simultaneously getting more memory (RAM, FLASH, etc...). It's been a great thing. But the same has been happening to the network infrastructure; everything from your home WiFi router to big iron routers interconnecting huge networks have also benefitted from reduced memory prices resulting in more and more memory on-board.
As it turns out, this memory increase in network routing equipment might not be a good thing. Network routers have always had some sort of memory for buffering network traffic, but the answer for smoothing out network traffic flows and congestion has always been in the computers on the sending and receiving ends. The protocols have built in mechanisms for closing the valves when the pipes are overflowing, so to speak. When a computer sends out data, at some point it knows to shut up and send no more until it has heard from the other side. But with the network routers buffering more and more of that data, the computer and the router get into this game of waiting on each other to act.
Jim Gettys, the guy credited for finally articulating the problem, has a video demonstrating the problem. He can actually get better network performance by tuning down buffer sizes.
As he states in a blog post on the topic:
So there. It's not you. You are not crazy. Things are not as they should be. But don't worry, your friendly, neighborhood Internet gurus are working on the problem.
Over the years your PCs and laptops and smart phones have gotten cheaper while simultaneously getting more memory (RAM, FLASH, etc...). It's been a great thing. But the same has been happening to the network infrastructure; everything from your home WiFi router to big iron routers interconnecting huge networks have also benefitted from reduced memory prices resulting in more and more memory on-board.
As it turns out, this memory increase in network routing equipment might not be a good thing. Network routers have always had some sort of memory for buffering network traffic, but the answer for smoothing out network traffic flows and congestion has always been in the computers on the sending and receiving ends. The protocols have built in mechanisms for closing the valves when the pipes are overflowing, so to speak. When a computer sends out data, at some point it knows to shut up and send no more until it has heard from the other side. But with the network routers buffering more and more of that data, the computer and the router get into this game of waiting on each other to act.
Jim Gettys, the guy credited for finally articulating the problem, has a video demonstrating the problem. He can actually get better network performance by tuning down buffer sizes.
As he states in a blog post on the topic:
The buffers are confusing TCP’s RTT estimator; the delay caused by the buffers is many times the actual RTT on the path. Remember, TCP is a servo system, which is constantly trying to “fill” the pipe. So by not signalling congestion in a timely fashion, there is *no possible way* that TCP’s algorithms can possibly determine the correct bandwidth it can send data at (it needs to compute the delay/bandwidth product, and the delay becomes hideously large). TCP increasingly sends data a bit faster (the usual slow start rules apply), reestimates the RTT from that, and sends data faster. Of course, this means that even in slow start, TCP ends up trying to run too fast. Therefore the buffers fill (and the latency rises).It has been a particularly devilish problem to diagnose because isolating the variables, something any good scientists would do, actually exasperates the problem. The more you try to take out interference and noise and other things that are hard to account for, the worse the problem gets. Again, Jim Gettys:
Ironically, I have realized that you don’t see the full glory of TCP RTT confusion caused by buffering if you have a bad connection as it reset TCP’s timers and RTT estimation; packet loss is always considered possible congestion. This is a situation where the “cleaner” the network is, the more trouble you’ll get from bufferbloat. The cleaner the network, the worse it will behave. And I’d done so much work to make my cable as clean as possible…And its not just your home route that has the problem. The problem is everywhere, even in the big iron in your ISP's data center and the even bigger iron used to connect your ISP to other ISPs. Here's a video where researchers isolate the problem and show that backing off the buffer size actually makes things better.
So there. It's not you. You are not crazy. Things are not as they should be. But don't worry, your friendly, neighborhood Internet gurus are working on the problem.
Community
I had lunch with JB Miller yesterday. He's a very fun guy to talk with. In the course of the conversation, he mentioned that our very own Nancy R. is mentioned in one of the Monster Hunter International books. How cool is that! (also, they are available on the Kindle all for only $6... another reason to get a Kindle)
BTW, Nancy is hosting a kids shoot in a couple of weeks. If you are interested, drop her a note. And JB Miller has a blogmeet scheduled to coincide with the Nation's Gun Show in September.
And seeking some help from CTone, I exchanged email with him yesterday in which he gave some rather detailed help to me about ARs, all done ad-hoc. Very generous of him to take the time to do that.
All of this makes me think... wow, don't we have a great little gunblogger community around here.
BTW, Nancy is hosting a kids shoot in a couple of weeks. If you are interested, drop her a note. And JB Miller has a blogmeet scheduled to coincide with the Nation's Gun Show in September.
And seeking some help from CTone, I exchanged email with him yesterday in which he gave some rather detailed help to me about ARs, all done ad-hoc. Very generous of him to take the time to do that.
All of this makes me think... wow, don't we have a great little gunblogger community around here.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Kindle Bleg
So I'm leaning toward the Kindle Touch 3G, though the color Kindle Fire looks cool too. One thing I don't know about is how I might get clippings or quotes from the Kindle over to my computer, such as if I'm reading something and want to highlight a passage that I will later put in email or a blog post or something.
Anyway, if you have any advice on the subject I'd welcome it.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Nothing Much Today
I was up late last night working on a presentation, so I don't really have anything today.
Many thanks to A Girl for the link love yesterday. She's also working to be an NRA instructor. There's so much awesome in that, it just can't be stated.
Inspired by Proud Hillbilly getting out to the range in the rain on Monday to shoot her new Glock, I put my new 1911 and range bag in the car yesterday. Sadly, a range visit wasn't in the making, as one meeting bled into another.
Remember to hit the Gun Blog Blacklist. And if you need an installment of gun porn, Bob S. has his & hers boom sticks.
Many thanks to A Girl for the link love yesterday. She's also working to be an NRA instructor. There's so much awesome in that, it just can't be stated.
Inspired by Proud Hillbilly getting out to the range in the rain on Monday to shoot her new Glock, I put my new 1911 and range bag in the car yesterday. Sadly, a range visit wasn't in the making, as one meeting bled into another.
Remember to hit the Gun Blog Blacklist. And if you need an installment of gun porn, Bob S. has his & hers boom sticks.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
blogjam #27 - Crap (literal) about Tech
- "We saw reports saying that besides the flu, researchers have found staph, E. Coli, and MRSA living on our cell phones! In fact, people are using their phones even before they leave the stall, which led researchers to find that 1 in 6 phones have fecal matter on them." PhoneSoap: Simultaneously Charge and Sanitize Your Phone. Actually, it uses UV light and not real soap. And if you see/hear somebody using their phone on the shitter, make a mental note to NEVER, EVER use their phone.
- On the Facebook IPO, comparing Ford to Facebook. Ford has 36 times higher revenue, 8x profits, 8x assets... so what gives?
- Never create Ruby strings longer than 23 characters. Huh? A detailed explanation of how Ruby 1.93 uses the space to point to character strings in the heap as a simple array for short strings. Interesting optimization.
Brogrammer Culture
CNN notes the rise of the "brogrammer" culture: In tech, some bemoan the rise of 'brogrammer' culture.
Gotta say that last year I had one of my top talent software engineers leave to go to a company that had beer on tap at the office. That concept has always struck me as odd, as I generally have a hard time staring at computers after having an adult beverage or nine. Well, there was that one time in college at one of our house parties that I wrote a program in assembler on my roommates PC while totally plastered. Of course, I didn't notice him making out with some chick on his bed the whole time too.
Dude, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, "bro" programming culture! The rise of such a thing amongst the rank and file tech workers should not come as a surprize to anybody paying attention. It's certainly been around the executive tech wings for fifteen years or so, easy (oh the stories I could tell).
But here's a knee-slapper from another CNN article on it:
Dude, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, "bro" programming culture! The rise of such a thing amongst the rank and file tech workers should not come as a surprize to anybody paying attention. It's certainly been around the executive tech wings for fifteen years or so, easy (oh the stories I could tell).
But here's a knee-slapper from another CNN article on it:
The tech industry's testosterone level can make the thickest-skinned women consider a different career.That's comedy gold right there, because I know people in other industries and let's just say that they have much more active gonads. I kinda wonder what people like Vernice Armour think of all this.
Trayvon Targets
JB says he's fine with the Trayvon Martin targets:
But the politically correct crowd being who they are, they want another witch hunt: this time the guy who created these targets. They are asking Virginia Attorney General Cuccinelli to prosecute the Hilleramco dude under VA Code § 8.01-40. Being the geniuses that they are with understanding the nature of Florida's stand-your-ground law, they failed to realize that VA Code § 8.01-40 is civil law.
I am completely ok with this. In fact I am sick of Political Correctness.Not only am I sick of political correctness, I think that whitey pussy-ass cracker George Zimmerman is the target of a witch hunt. But given that this target is very much suppose to be the likeness of Trayvon Martin, I think it goes over the line. Not that I'm for stomping on anybody's right to sell this crap, but I don't care for it either.
But the politically correct crowd being who they are, they want another witch hunt: this time the guy who created these targets. They are asking Virginia Attorney General Cuccinelli to prosecute the Hilleramco dude under VA Code § 8.01-40. Being the geniuses that they are with understanding the nature of Florida's stand-your-ground law, they failed to realize that VA Code § 8.01-40 is civil law.
Monday, May 14, 2012
blogjam #26 - War Porn, Obama, and Boobs
- The Air Force's F-22s are flying again, and it appears the solution to pilots not getting enough oxygen was to train them to not get enough oxygen. How does that work?
- Photos from the First Chechen War.
- Bayou Renaissance Man ( you are reading his blog, right? ) rounds up the Time magazine cover parodies. -->
- Monday morning has been ruined! No gratuitous boob pictures. Welcome back to town, MSgt B.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
This Day, Mother's Day
Then I took her (and the kids) out to North Gate Winery in Purcellville. My wife mistakenly took a tasting glass for me, but I couldn't partake as I was packing. So she had my share, and then tasted some more. She was pretty happy, all before noon. We ended up bringing home 5 bottles of wine. Two of the bottles were the new Petit Verdot, which North Gate won awards for the last time they bottled it. I highly recommend North Gate wines.
We stopped for a late lunch at Magnolia's at the Mill in "downtown" Purcellville. They had brick oven pizzas and I got a burger. Good stuff. On our way out of town, I did think about stopping by Purcell Guns but the store was closed. Seriously, nobody was buying guns for their dear Mums on Mother's Day?
Zombies Do Exist: Man Awakens at his Funeral
Egypt funeral turns celebratory after dead man awakes
The funeral of a 28 year-old waiter in southern Egypt turned into a celebration when he woke up after being declared dead.And they celebrated with a big helping of brains.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Say Goodbye to the 19 Inch Equipment Rack
My first introduction to the 19 inch equipment rack was with telco patch panels, sitting next to the network patch panels I often had to fiddle with in some electrical closet. It never occurred to me these things began life as relay racks for the railroads. But since computers quit being the rack and started being a thing that goes into the rack, data centers are now wall-to-wall with 19 inch equipment cabinets.
Well, it looks like Facebook is trying to put an end to that with the Open Compute Project, which is standardizing a new, slightly wider computer rack and mounting hardware. The slightly wider width allows for servers with three 3.5 inch drives, bigger motherboards, and better ventilation. And by putting 3 of these things together, they can get more compute space out of same foot print of three 19 inch cabinets. That's called the triple.
The other cool thing is that all the specs are available on-line for free, and under royalty-free licensing.
Well, it looks like Facebook is trying to put an end to that with the Open Compute Project, which is standardizing a new, slightly wider computer rack and mounting hardware. The slightly wider width allows for servers with three 3.5 inch drives, bigger motherboards, and better ventilation. And by putting 3 of these things together, they can get more compute space out of same foot print of three 19 inch cabinets. That's called the triple.
The other cool thing is that all the specs are available on-line for free, and under royalty-free licensing.
Friday, May 11, 2012
blogjam #25
- VIDEO: How Young Libertarians are Saving Conservatism. I don't know about this, but it is an interesting theory. And I don't think it is just the young. I think a good many older people who use to think they were conservative have had an epiphany or two.
- MSgt B endorses Romney. Or at least I think that's what he's doing. I can never really tell.
- BloombergBusinessWeek on Marion Hammer: Pistol-Packing Grandma Helps NRA Push State Pro-Gun Laws. Considering she refused their interview, I think it reads pretty even-handedly.
- Göring, Albert. From Bayou Renaissance Man, a must read blog.
- The Floppy Disk means Save, and 14 other old people Icons that don't make sense anymore.
- If Ayn Rand was a computer scientist, the language she would have invented would have been Objectivist-C.
18 Shot Revolver
From "one revolver made in Spain, 3 barrels, 18 shots, 3 firing pins, 6.35mm pistol cartridge"
Is this thing an odd duck or what?
Looks to be a one-of-a-kind revolver made in Spain. It's a top-break, 18 shot, 3 barrel gun in 6.35mm.
More info here.
Is this thing an odd duck or what?
Looks to be a one-of-a-kind revolver made in Spain. It's a top-break, 18 shot, 3 barrel gun in 6.35mm.
More info here.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
She Continues to Amaze Me
My little Kindergartner, E1, was talking about what to do for Mother's Day this morning as I was taking her to school. "Maybe when you pick me up today we can brainstorm about a present for Mom."
"Brainstorm?" What, are they playing buzzword bingo in Catholic school these days?
Without skipping a beat, she says, "Yes, it means to talk over ideas."
Part of me doesn't want her to ever grow up.
"Brainstorm?" What, are they playing buzzword bingo in Catholic school these days?
Without skipping a beat, she says, "Yes, it means to talk over ideas."
Part of me doesn't want her to ever grow up.
September Blogmeet
JB is putting together a blogmeet to coincide with the Nations Gun Show in Chantilly, VA. The date is September 29.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
blogjam #24
- VIDEO: Forget zombies! How to survive a robot uprising.
- Suck it, Dick!
- VIDEO: Remember when flash mobs didn't incite violence and instill fear. A Classical Flash Mob in Denmark.
Kiddie Kiddie Boom Boom
Nancy is hosting a blogshoot for kids. I plan to take my sassy one and my crazy one.
I think it is really something of her to host a kid romper-fest at her abode. It will be EPIC! Hmmm... perhaps thats not encouraging. Anyway, should be a good time.
I think it is really something of her to host a kid romper-fest at her abode. It will be EPIC! Hmmm... perhaps thats not encouraging. Anyway, should be a good time.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
blogjam #23
- Remember that "militia" member that was more connected to the #Occupy movement and Nazis, JT Ready? Turns out he was far from law abiding before he snapped and killed his family. The FBI was already investigating him as a terrorist, and found in his home after his murder/suicide were munitions and arms stolen from the US military.
- Manny Ruiz, another pussy-ass Cracker... err... white hispanic... err... white guy doing neighborhood watch while armed. Interesting how the columnist is trying to drum up drama. Two unnamed neighbors are complaining but refuse to file police reports, but the guy has 40 signatures to reinstate the neighborhood watch program and even the endorsement of Carl Wright of the local NAACP chapter.
- Arlington, VA, man arrested for taking a handgun through airport security at BWI. His first mistake: flying out of BWI.
- According to the Washington Post, Northern Virginia is a beer drinkers paradise. The WaPo is late to the game... all of us reading Musings Over a Pint have known this for awhile.
- Forbes: Why U.S. Gun Sales Are Shooting For The Moon.
- Maurice Sendak, RIP. Where the Wild Things Are is a hauntingly great children's book.
Is America Preparing for "Massive Civil War"
According to this article, the DHS is preparing for a massive civil war. Given that the DHS has released reports in the past about identifying homegrown terrorists by their NRA stickers and gatherings at veterans events, there might be some truth to this. Or there might not; the article is poorly sourced and without anything more than "anonymous sources" this is more conspiratorial than actual.
But as NFO and others have observed, America's gun stores are packed to the rafters with customers. For the past few months, every time I've gone into a gun store I've had to wait for sales staff to free up, many times giving up after half an hour or so. Ammo prices are going up. Smith & Wesson is adding a third shift. And Ruger, America's largest manufacturer of civilian firearms, has simply stopped taking orders because they haven't enough inventory to fill them.
So who knows what the DHS is doing, but it would appear the American citizenry is preparing for something.
But as NFO and others have observed, America's gun stores are packed to the rafters with customers. For the past few months, every time I've gone into a gun store I've had to wait for sales staff to free up, many times giving up after half an hour or so. Ammo prices are going up. Smith & Wesson is adding a third shift. And Ruger, America's largest manufacturer of civilian firearms, has simply stopped taking orders because they haven't enough inventory to fill them.
So who knows what the DHS is doing, but it would appear the American citizenry is preparing for something.
Monday, May 7, 2012
My Wife Rocks
So here's the deal. Neither my wife nor I were brought up in gun owning households, though her dad was career Army. She's been pretty good about this whole gun hobby I've developed. It's not her bag, but she has no reservations about any of it... other than the expense.
She's between semesters right now, and so I took the day off so we could finally get some husband/wife time instead of the usual mom/dad time when the kids are around. Nothing special, just a day for us to relax together. After swimming at the rec center, other odd things, and lunch at our favorite Indian restaurant, I asked her if she wanted to see NOVA Firearms since they are now open on Mondays. She said sure.
Well, one thing led to another and next thing I know she sees me eying the 1911s and says, "One time offer. You can get a 1911 today since you have always wanted one."
BOOYAH!
Again, my wife rocks!
She's between semesters right now, and so I took the day off so we could finally get some husband/wife time instead of the usual mom/dad time when the kids are around. Nothing special, just a day for us to relax together. After swimming at the rec center, other odd things, and lunch at our favorite Indian restaurant, I asked her if she wanted to see NOVA Firearms since they are now open on Mondays. She said sure.
Well, one thing led to another and next thing I know she sees me eying the 1911s and says, "One time offer. You can get a 1911 today since you have always wanted one."
BOOYAH!
Again, my wife rocks!
Officer left gun in bathroom, fell asleep, but kept her job
That's Headline of the Day material! The story isn't as bad as the headline would make you believe. First, it wasn't a cop, but a corrections officer. Second, the incidents didn't happen together, though the falling asleep thing happened while she was guarded prisoners doing road work. They even had to wake her up at one point.
Strip Mall Ninja Store, F3 Tactical
Are you a mall ninja in need of ballistic plates and vest carrier? Is your 5.11 wardrobe incomplete? Are you running low on paracord? If you are in NoVA your dream one-stop-shop has opened: F3 Tactical.
I stopped in there for a brief minute during lunch Friday and looked around. It's got more mall ninja per square foot than any place in the area I've seen. My five minute browsing impressions:
I stopped in there for a brief minute during lunch Friday and looked around. It's got more mall ninja per square foot than any place in the area I've seen. My five minute browsing impressions:
- Could be a 5.11 factory outlet store.
- Most impressive Aimpoint and others optics counter in the area!
- Not an FFL, but they sell Daniel Defense uppers.
- Knife counter could use some more knives (and I'm not a knife guy... just sayin'...)
Check 'me out. They're in Chantilly.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Turn the Reverb Down
Nancy pointed me to the Squirrel Report, a sorta gun-bloggers Internet call-in show. In the latest episode, Breda mentions she quit blogging because the gunblogosphere has become an echo chamber. Is that true? I think it is, somewhat. Breda is not being critical, in fact she notes it's a good thing and it means "we're winning".
So what is to become of this gunblogosphere? I don't know, but I'm thinking the best thing to do for my itty-bitty corner of it is to just be me -- no more compartmentalizing the other parts of my life, and what better way to show that Hoplorati are normal people. Which means at some point I'm gonna shut down Bus Error and start doing the tech blogging over here (in addition to everything else). That blog hasn't been getting the love for some time anyway.
So what is to become of this gunblogosphere? I don't know, but I'm thinking the best thing to do for my itty-bitty corner of it is to just be me -- no more compartmentalizing the other parts of my life, and what better way to show that Hoplorati are normal people. Which means at some point I'm gonna shut down Bus Error and start doing the tech blogging over here (in addition to everything else). That blog hasn't been getting the love for some time anyway.
blogjam #22
- VIDEO: Stormtrooper Shuffle
- Borepatch endorses Barack Obama. NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Aratae has a much, much, much, much, much better idea if you can bring yourself to vote for Romney: vote Libertarian.
- Another Mayors Against Law-abiding Citizens (MAIG) mayor has been defeated, this time by an NRA endorsed candidate. Congrats to Quantico, VA's new mayor, Kevin Brown.
- At Bayou Renaissance Man, the story of George Vujnovich and WWII Operation Halyard: The end of the line for an unlikely savior.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
An Apology to the Falls Church Police
The father of one of Michael Gardner's victims has commented on my posts here and here to correct the record about the Falls Church Police detectives who worked the case. He states that the police who worked the case did a very good job and were under a lot of pressure in this politically charged affair. The delay in the search warrant does not rest on their shoulders. Given he was far closer to the case than I and most anybody else, I feel I must apologize for any aspersions cast upon the hardworking rank & file of the FCPD. Sorry.
He also agrees with me regarding WUSA9 and Peggy Fox. They did an outstanding job covering this case.
He also agrees with me regarding WUSA9 and Peggy Fox. They did an outstanding job covering this case.
Friday, May 4, 2012
We Have a Problem, Virginia
John Lott, the famous economist, notes that Virginia's Department of Social Services has adopted new rules that require adoption agencies to deny adoption if the parents have firearms that are not locked up unloaded and safeties on, and ammunition locked up separately (you know, like in the crime-free District of Columbia). As Lott points out, the research actually shows it makes families less safe, not more.
I'm not sure how this snuck by, but I think we need the legislature to override the anti-rights folks at the Department of Social Services. The rule should simply be that no minor shall every handle a firearm without the supervision of an adult.
I'm not sure how this snuck by, but I think we need the legislature to override the anti-rights folks at the Department of Social Services. The rule should simply be that no minor shall every handle a firearm without the supervision of an adult.
Headline of the Day: Gun-toting clown robs nursing home
Gun-toting clown robs nursing home
Some people have a fear of clowns. I've never understood that until now.
Some people have a fear of clowns. I've never understood that until now.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
22 Years for Gardner and My Final Thoughts
Looks like the jury has recommended 22 years in prison and a $15,000 fine for Michael Gardner. A judge won't make that final sentence determination until September. But if he gets 22 years, his children will be in their mid-30's when he gets out. He'll have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, looses his right to vote and own a gun, but there is a bright side for him... at least he can still run for political office in the District of Columbia.
Here are my final thoughts on this case and few tidbits I've uncovered.
The Gardners Are Destitute. According to this Washington Post article, Robin Gardner took the stand yesterday to discuss the hardship this case has had on the family. She claims that Michael Gardner, who has not been allowed to see their children since his arrest, lost his job. That's not surprising. But according to the Falls Church News-Press, she states that both she and her husband have lost their jobs over this trial. Is that true? As we've learned through this case (and in my research on the Brandon Gotwalt case), the FCNP is not exactly a reliable or unbiased source.
But with a $15,000 fine and what could easily be a $100,000 defense and down to one or no income, its likely the Gardners are in dire straights financially. I feel for their kids. Life as they know it is completely gone, in more ways than one. I'm far less sympathetic for Robin Gardner, as she had no compunction going after Brandon Gotwalt, a young Navy vet who responded to a woman's cries for help in the middle of the night and ended up having his life ruined financially.
More Irony. One of the longer controversies going on in Falls Church is the proposed building of a Hilton Garden Inn. Opponents of the project have stated that the hotel would be too close to St. James Catholic School, thus providing a base of operations for pedophiles to prey on children. Michael Gardner, on his Blueweeds blog, made lots of jabs at this argument and the people making it. I guess the project opponents may have been onto something.
The Commonwealth's Prosecution. Patch.com ran a fairly interesting piece on Nicole Wittman, the Loundon prosecutor especially assigned to this case. Wittman was assigned to prosecute Gardner because the Arlington/Falls Church Commonwealth Attorney-elect, Theo Stamos, knew the Gardners and had done political fund-raising at private parties in their house. While there is no indication Wittman did anything but prosecute this case with the vigor the people of this Commonwealth demand, there still needs to be an investigation into the Arlington prosecutors office and the Falls Church Police Department regarding the delayed search warrant.
WUSA9. People of my tilt tend to be very cynical of the media these days. And the Falls Church News-Press only confirms our bias. However, one local outlet, WUSA9, was on the story from the very start and never let it go. They even pulled down some of Gardner's racier Blueweeds posts, before Gardner demolished the blog, and read excerpts on the air. These same posts were used by Prosecutor Wittman to rebut some of the character testimony for Gardner. So I think WUSA9 deserves a pat on the back for keeping this story in the light and not letting the Falls Church News-Press be the only source.
Here are my final thoughts on this case and few tidbits I've uncovered.
The Gardners Are Destitute. According to this Washington Post article, Robin Gardner took the stand yesterday to discuss the hardship this case has had on the family. She claims that Michael Gardner, who has not been allowed to see their children since his arrest, lost his job. That's not surprising. But according to the Falls Church News-Press, she states that both she and her husband have lost their jobs over this trial. Is that true? As we've learned through this case (and in my research on the Brandon Gotwalt case), the FCNP is not exactly a reliable or unbiased source.
But with a $15,000 fine and what could easily be a $100,000 defense and down to one or no income, its likely the Gardners are in dire straights financially. I feel for their kids. Life as they know it is completely gone, in more ways than one. I'm far less sympathetic for Robin Gardner, as she had no compunction going after Brandon Gotwalt, a young Navy vet who responded to a woman's cries for help in the middle of the night and ended up having his life ruined financially.
More Irony. One of the longer controversies going on in Falls Church is the proposed building of a Hilton Garden Inn. Opponents of the project have stated that the hotel would be too close to St. James Catholic School, thus providing a base of operations for pedophiles to prey on children. Michael Gardner, on his Blueweeds blog, made lots of jabs at this argument and the people making it. I guess the project opponents may have been onto something.
The Commonwealth's Prosecution. Patch.com ran a fairly interesting piece on Nicole Wittman, the Loundon prosecutor especially assigned to this case. Wittman was assigned to prosecute Gardner because the Arlington/Falls Church Commonwealth Attorney-elect, Theo Stamos, knew the Gardners and had done political fund-raising at private parties in their house. While there is no indication Wittman did anything but prosecute this case with the vigor the people of this Commonwealth demand, there still needs to be an investigation into the Arlington prosecutors office and the Falls Church Police Department regarding the delayed search warrant.
WUSA9. People of my tilt tend to be very cynical of the media these days. And the Falls Church News-Press only confirms our bias. However, one local outlet, WUSA9, was on the story from the very start and never let it go. They even pulled down some of Gardner's racier Blueweeds posts, before Gardner demolished the blog, and read excerpts on the air. These same posts were used by Prosecutor Wittman to rebut some of the character testimony for Gardner. So I think WUSA9 deserves a pat on the back for keeping this story in the light and not letting the Falls Church News-Press be the only source.
Stuff
Looks like I won't be taking my daughter to the National Take Your Daughter to the Range Day. She wasn't that psyched to go in the first place, but as it turns out my wife is teaching that morning and, according to the authorities, I'm not allowed to leave my son unattended. Stupid authorities!
The other part of the reason is that it looks like I will just be stepping off a plane from Berlin a couple hours before hand. Yesterday I got an invitation to give a talk to a users group over there, and the powers-that-be green lighted it.
Last night was my first night back at Judo in nearly a month. I did pretty well, all things considered. But our sensei is getting frustrated with the low Wednesday night turn out. If you'd like to take Judo from a guy who is being asked to teach hand-to-hand combat to Navy Seals by the US govt. and you live in NoVA, drop me a line.
The Colt HBAR still hasn't been shot. It's calling to me from the gun safe. I hear it every night when I get home. Gotta do something about that.
The other part of the reason is that it looks like I will just be stepping off a plane from Berlin a couple hours before hand. Yesterday I got an invitation to give a talk to a users group over there, and the powers-that-be green lighted it.
Last night was my first night back at Judo in nearly a month. I did pretty well, all things considered. But our sensei is getting frustrated with the low Wednesday night turn out. If you'd like to take Judo from a guy who is being asked to teach hand-to-hand combat to Navy Seals by the US govt. and you live in NoVA, drop me a line.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Michael Gardner Found Guilty
Which shouldn't come as a surprize to anybody looking at the evidence. More here and here and here. WTOP notes that he could get life in prison for his crime.
It's good that we got a sexual predator off the street, but this is no time for gloating if you ask me. Lives have been ruined, not the least of which is the Gardner family, especially their children. My thoughts and prayers go out to the children victimized by Gardner, their families, and to Gardner's own children. This is a just end to terrible tragedy.
It's good that we got a sexual predator off the street, but this is no time for gloating if you ask me. Lives have been ruined, not the least of which is the Gardner family, especially their children. My thoughts and prayers go out to the children victimized by Gardner, their families, and to Gardner's own children. This is a just end to terrible tragedy.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The Air Force Gets 'Em Young
My wife and I took the kids down to the science and technology fair at the Washington Convention Center on Sunday. Here's what greeted all comers.
You could even walk up and look in the cockpit.
Gotta say the Air Force gets points for style. Between the F-16 and the "Command Center" the Air Force had lines wrapping around every exhibit.
Lockheed was there in force, too. They had an MH-60 Sea Hawk flight simulator and were letting the kids fly it over a simulated downtown DC. My son promptly nose-dived it into the reflecting pool.
You could even walk up and look in the cockpit.
Gotta say the Air Force gets points for style. Between the F-16 and the "Command Center" the Air Force had lines wrapping around every exhibit.
Lockheed was there in force, too. They had an MH-60 Sea Hawk flight simulator and were letting the kids fly it over a simulated downtown DC. My son promptly nose-dived it into the reflecting pool.
Hey Michael Gardner, There's Something Else John McCain Never Did
Let's go to the Wayback machine to look at the 2008 Presidential election and Michael Gardner's Blueweeds blog: McCain Has Never Used A Computer. No, That Is Not A Typo.
Gardner knew full-well that McCain doesn't have use of his hands because of that whole tortured-by-the-North-Vietnamese thing, but he chose to pile on attacking McCain for not using computers.
Which is all pretty funny since Gardner took the stand yesterday to show that he doesn't have full range motion of his arm as a reason why he couldn't have possibly molested those young girls. I guess disabling physical disfigurements are only excuses for Democrats, huh?
I take that back. Nothing about this case is funny. It's all terribly sad. It's sad those girls were assaulted. It's sad that Gardner's buddies at the Falls Church News-Press are running interference for him. And it's sad that the Falls Church Police Department didn't treat the case with the seriousness it deserved. The case goes to the jury today.
Gardner knew full-well that McCain doesn't have use of his hands because of that whole tortured-by-the-North-Vietnamese thing, but he chose to pile on attacking McCain for not using computers.
Which is all pretty funny since Gardner took the stand yesterday to show that he doesn't have full range motion of his arm as a reason why he couldn't have possibly molested those young girls. I guess disabling physical disfigurements are only excuses for Democrats, huh?
I take that back. Nothing about this case is funny. It's all terribly sad. It's sad those girls were assaulted. It's sad that Gardner's buddies at the Falls Church News-Press are running interference for him. And it's sad that the Falls Church Police Department didn't treat the case with the seriousness it deserved. The case goes to the jury today.
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