Saturday, November 03, 2007

USPSA survey: Win a Shotgun!

USPSA recently emailed this survey to members:


In 2005 USPSA conducted a member survey that helped the organization present an accurate profile of the practical shooter to the media, the firearms industry and USPSA partners and sponsors. The data gathered in 2005 was extremely valuable and response from the industry was excellent.


We are once again conducting a survey to measure the impact our members have on the firearms industry. This 2007 survey will allow us to track any trends and provide an updated profile of the USPSA member to dealers and manufacturers at the 2008 SHOT Show.


Please take a moment to complete this survey. The information you provide will be vital in our efforts to expand our sponsor base and build the sport. As a thank you for completing the survey, you will be entered in a drawing to win a brand new Mossberg shotgun. Although the survey will continue, the eligibility deadline for the Mossberg shotgun is 11/09/2007.


As with the last survey this online polling system gives USPSA the ability to collect data through a protected, anonymous online system. This system also ensures the integrity of the information by preventing individual members from filling it out more than once. It won’t tell us what you said on the questionnaire, only that you completed it. Your personal information will be protected, but USPSA will benefit from knowing more about our members.


We appreciate your participation and encourage you to act quickly to complete the survey in order to be eligible to win a brand new Mossberg shotgun.

Pretty cool, eh?

The only problem is, the survey requires you to register by submitting your USPSA member number and your PIN.

PIN?

What the heck is my PIN?

Do you know what your USPSA PIN is? I don't. I've never had to enter my PIN for USPSA access before.

I know what my USPSA number is, and I know what the UID and password is to enter the MEMBERS area. (Come to think of it, I don't know this: it's in my PASSWORD area for Microsoft XP. But that doesn't work, either.)

Come on, USPSA. I guess you know what my PIN is, but I don't. Is it one of the magic numbers published in the Front Sight magazine? I can't even find the magazine, and you expect me to know my PIN?

I'm thinking, this is one survey that isn't going to get a lot of responses.

Dave, email me. Okay?

(What, you can't find my personal email address Dave? Okay, I feel your pain.)


UPDATE: November 4, 2007
Comment from Evil Bill:
Jerry---It's on your Front Sight mailing label.

Look for PIN: followed by a string of seven numbers. Probably just to the right of your name.
Once again, Evil Bill is right.

I used the PIN I found on my Front Sight mailing label and was able to take and complete the survey.

I'll let you know how much I enjoy my new MOSSBERG shotgun as soon as they ship it to me. It may be a companion piece to the new MOSSBERG shotgun I bought in April.

Thanks, Evil Bill!

Meaningful Blogging Hiatus

I've had the flu for the past 4 weeks, SWMBO is recovering from major surgery, and neither of us have been to an IPSC match for over a month.

In the meantime, I'm running BlogMeat, Ugly Betty and "Plastic Greaves".

Can you see it's time for us to get back on the range?

I thought you could.

Armor All!

An excellent case for Shovel Control!

Friday, November 02, 2007

Ugly Betty


I never thought I would find myself linking to STYLE.COM ...

.. but here we are. Must be a slow news day, eh?


The thing is, I have from time to time found myself at SWMBO's house watching television, and actually enjoying Ugly Betty. I don't like their politics, don't like most of the people, but like millions of Americans I am totally charmed by Ugly Betty.


Imagine, then, my chagrin at learning that she 'cleans up good'.

(Click! Wait for it!)

TAS: "Ambush In Samarra"

The Longest Morning


From The American Spectator (h/t Donovan at Castle of Arghhh!)

Yes. This is what Combat is like. No "End Plan", no politics. Just hours and hours of boredom punctuated by minutes of terror and Doing The Jobs Only Americans Will Do.

This is "The Elephant" in its most terrifying aspect. If your admiration for America's warriors has grown tepid ... prepare yourself to be convinced all over again.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

National Ammo Day

Kim du Tuit has just declared that the 2007 National Ammo Day will be November 19; National Ammo Week will be November 17 - 25.

The goal:
At least 100 rounds of centerfire ammo, or at least 500 rounds of rimfire.

Let me see ....
According to the calendar, the 17th is the 3rd Saturday of November. That means the 19th falls on Monday. Nope, no matches that day, so I won't be likely to shoot 100 rounds. Well, I get off work at 6pm and Sunset is calculated to be at 5:05pm.

Okay, this is too analytical. The point is, I work all day and can't get to the range in time to shoot 100 rounds before it's too dark to shoot.

But the day before National Ammo Day is Sunday, and that's the Tri-County Gun Club IPSC match (third Sunday of the month.) Yeah, I think I'll be shooting 100 rounds on THAT day. Probably more like 150 - 200 rounds, depending on the stages.

The day before? I'll be loading ammunition. And I'll cleave to the spirit of National Ammo Day by loading 500 rounds on Monday the 19th. After all, I'll need it for SWMBO and I to compete at the Dundee match the next Saturday ... the last day of National Ammo Week.



x

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Geek Length!

Texas has too many reports
State agencies issue too many reports, a new 668-page report says.

Well, I thought it was funny.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Gun Free Zone

As much as I hate to steal from the blogger who originally did the research, for the sake of brevity I'll embed this Gun Free Zone parody here.



H/T Xavier

So .... in the interest of including 'value added' content (also from the Fox 1/2 hour News Hour), here's another skit on Gun Control: