The Skin Song; same song, different verse

For three and a half years I've been whining here about my crappy hands.

Admittedly, while SWMBO was slowly dying of cancer,  I tried to ignore my eczema;  it seemed to be (and it was) exceedingly self-centered of me to complain about what was essentially 'dry skin' while her lungs were rotting away.   It was worse when I came home from work and she asked me 'how are your hands?'.  It seemed graceless to complain .... and it would have been.

But she's gone now, and I've decided to go back to whining.

It's nothing more than an inconvenience, but it's debilitating to a "slightly" lesser degree than cancer;  when I try to do anything more strenuous than type on a computer keyboard, or read a book, the skin on my fingers dries out and splits.  And bleeds.  It's like getting paper-cuts, grasping nettles, or a severe sunburn ... often all at the same time.  Oh, and sometimes the skin on my hands just peels off, and I get these open bleeding wounds which make it really hard to do something like ... uh, shoot a pistol?  Even dimpled plastic grips get slippery.

So last month I went to my doctor (for the first time in a year), and HE asked me "how are your hands?  Still got the same problem?"

I admitted that I've adopted ways to cope with the problem.  I put ointment (Clobetasol, which is a 5 % steroid compound in a petroleum jelly base) on three or four times a day, and the rest of the time I just use vaseline petroleum jelly to keep my hands from drying out.  And I wear vinyl gloves about 12 hours a day to keep the stuff from drying out.  Still, it makes it awkward when I can't wash my hands with soap unless I immediately put that greasy crap all over my hands, and cover them with gloves.

My doctor, bless his heart, suggested that I see a Dermatologist.  I explained that the last one I saw did nothing more than prescribe clobetasol ointment and tell me to avoid washing and especially avoid soap.   And then last year, he retired ... mostly, I suspect he's living high on the extravagant fees he gets for telling people to quit washing.

To my surprise, my family doctor told me that there were now new dermatologists in town, and would I like him to refer me?

Would I?   Oh, HELL yes!

I went to see Dr. Vandergrift, and he didn't even look at my hands.  Not an auspicious start, from my perspective, but apparently he had been discussing my 'case' with my family doctor (who spent 9 months trying to eliminate the problem as being a fungus infection) and he understood that the only thing which had EVER helped was semi-annual massive infusion of Steroids ... which worked for a week at best.

(Then it came back, just as annoying and aggressive as ever.)

Dr. Vandergrift decided that since nothing else had been discovered to explain the situation, it must be an "acquired" allergy to some substance which had never been an issue until recent years.   He has referred me to the Oregon Health Science Unit (a division of the Oregon University System, and the Major Hospital facility in Oregon).

I made the appointment, and in subsequent phone calls to Doctor Pamela Norris I agreed to submit myself to a Patch Test.  This is the process where they scratch the skin on my back in about fifty places and deposit various substances, to see if my body reacts to them. I filled out a questionnaire, and after a couple of phone conversations with Dr. Norris's office, it turns out that they will be testing 150 substances, simultaneously.  It makes me feel like a Drunken Sailor getting his first tattoo during an extended shore-leave, and I haven't even had the tests yet!

On Monday, June 18, I'll show up at the office and they'll inscribe "MOTHER" on my back in 150 different languages.  In two days I'll come back, and they'll evaluate the results.

The next Monday, June 25, I go back for the 7-day evaluation.  Lord knows what that's going to be like.

In the meantime, I can NOT get my back wet until the testing period is completed.

There are a lot of benefits to living alone; when I say something funny, everyone in the room laughs at my jokes.  Everything stays just were I put it, and if I can't find it, it's my fault.  And if my dinner tastes crappy, I don't have to smile and say "It's delicious, Dear .. can we have this again next week?"  Instead I can just spit it out and phone for a pizza delivery.

Now there's another benefit to being a hermit:  when I haven't bathed for a week, I have nobody to offend but myself.

But, still ... Yuck!

   It isn't easy, being Geek.

A Clean Gun is a Happy Gun .. not!

I was cheerfully shooting the "El Presidente" stage as a demonstrator on today's (okay, yesterday's) "Introduction to USPSA" class, when my 2011 STI Edge in 10mm ... just didn't feel right.

I did the "Tap Rack Bang" and charged on.  A couple of shots later, it failed to go into battery, so I had to perform the same remedial exercise again.

Now, I've been shooting this pistol with NO maintenance for the past year, in classes and in matches.  It probably has 1,000 rounds fired from it (based on my orders from vendors, where I bought new reloading components), and it has performed flawlessly.  But I cleaned the gun, and  oiled it (using medium weight oil appropriate to the weather) last night, and today ... well!

I'm not sure whether to claim that "The Gun Let Me Down",  or "The Sweet Old Girl Just Isn't Accustomed To Shooting 'Clean'", bu the one thing I DO know is that I was surprised at the failure of the slide to go into battery during a speed-shoot stage.

Or, it may be to a kind of "Psychic Shock" (if such is possible with an inanimate object like a pistol).

Well, that, and I'm not willing to consider that it might have been something that (_I_) might have done.

... other than cleaning the gun, of course.

Never mind ... that's the last time I'll clean THIS gun until this winter, when I have to change to a lighter oil.

"Does the fastest shooter win the stage?"

The "Introduction to USPSA" classes run for three hours (at ARPC, the First Saturday of every month).  One of the challenges is to present a HUGE body of information within this very limited time span, without boring both the student and the instruct staff.

The question which invariably comes up is:  in the balance between Speed, Power and Accuracy, which is more important?

The answer is, and always should be:  "It Depends:".


This was the essence on the final question on the test: Question Number 20:

20:  Does the fastest shooter win the stage?

The textbook answer is:   No.  After all, the purpose of the course is to shoot SAFELY, and shoot ACCURATELY.  (We always tell our students:  "Shoot for Accuracy: speed will come to you, as your experience increases".)

My comment was, and always has been:
"Well, sometimes the fastest shooter DOES win the stage.  It depends on the stage, and the shooter.  Fast shooters are often more experienced, and they CAN shoot quickly without sacrificing accuracy."

So instead of a drill about shooting behind a Bianchi Barricade, today I substituted shooting an "El Presidente" stage as the final exam.

I did this because about half of the students, during the Live-Fire Exercise, started competing among themselves to see who could shoot a teaching stage fastest, and still shoot all (or mostly) "A-zone" hits.  Surprisingly, they were doing a good job of it!

They were ready to learn a lesson that not every class could handle, so we gave them the opportunity to learn about DVC .. .with emphasis on the difference between the three factors of Speed, Power and Accuracy.

For those who aren't familiar with El Presente, here is a short description.

Shooters start out facing uprange in a shooting box, pistols loaded and holstered, and the starting position is Facing Uprange  with toes touching the back of the shooting box, wrists above shoulders.  On the start signal, turn, draw, and engage each target  with two rounds each.  Perform a mandatory reload, and re-engage each target with two more rounds each.  The targets are positioned 7 yards downrange of the forward edge of the shooting box, positioned on the supporting stakes about 40" at the shoulder, and about a foot apart".  Twelve rounds required, sixty points possible.

That may not be the perfect description of the stage, but that's the description we adopted.

All nine students attempted the stage, and for the first time we recorded both score, and time.  We had deliberately avoided recording Stage Time before, because we are trying to teach an emphasis on Accuracy.

The lesson we taught here was an education to all of us.

Here's a summary of the most salient scores on El Presidente, a 60-point stage:

Highest Score: 59 points in 19.78 seconds.  Hit Factor: 2.98   (9th Place)
Second Highest Score (highest time): 57 points in 14.61 seconds.  Hit Factor 3.90 (7th Place)

Fastest Time: 50 points in 7.03 Seconds.  Hit Factor 7.11 (1st Place)
Second Fastest Time: 56 points in 10.47 seconds.  Hit Factor 5.35  (2nd Place)


ALL scores sequenced by hit factor (place of finish)
(place)=(score/time)=(HitFactor)

1 = 50/7.03 = 7.01
2= 56/10.47=5.35
3= 46/09.57=4.81
4= 54/33.24=4.08
5= 56/13.91=4.03
6= 54/13.69=3.95
7= 57/14.61=3.90
8= 54/17.68=3.05
9= 59/19.78=2.98

What this taught the shooters  included:

1. sometimes, the fastest shooter DOES win; and
2. sometimes the most accurate shooter tanks the stage

Did I teach the wrong lesson here?  I spent the day teaching them to shoot for A-zone hits, and suddenly I show them that strong hits don't ALWAYS count as much as shooting faster?

I don't think so.

I think I provided a valuable lesson, in that if the shooting problem is "easy" (3 targets at 7 yards, for instance), shooting fast without a miss may ultimately score MUCH higher than slow, careful, ACCURATE shooting.

The exercise, hopefully, drove home the lesson that in ANY shooting problem, the competitor must always balance accuracy vs speed + power (shooting Major results in higher scores for a C-zone hit).

Yes, we want them to shoot safely, and that IS the primary purpose of this class.  But we also want them to be as competitive as their own personal skill-set allows, and sometimes we need to DRIVE this lesson home by allowing each to focus on the potential of their skills to perform well on a certain kind of stage.

---

I think I threw them a curve.  I taught them accuracy all day, and them I made them shoot a Speed stage.  I should have taught them the other side of the equation, as well.

In retrospect, I should have also included a stage where the same targets were presented at a range of, say, 15 yards.  Or better, 20 yards.  With about the same round count.  This would have allowed the shooters whose greatest skill is ACCURACY rather than SPEED to demonstrate their forte.

So you see, I learn as much from my students as they learn from me.

The next class I teach, I'll include TWO "Real Live" stages which focus alternatively on SPEED, then on ACCURACY.

Has anyone a suggestion on which Classifier stage would best present this contrast?  And which should I present first?  The ACCURACY stage, or the SPEED stage?

Anyone?

Chronograph: War Stories!

In 1998, I (and SWMBO) traveled to my first Major Match, which was the Area 1 match in Reno, Nevada.   I was shooting The Beloved Kimber (.45ACP) in my 200gr SWC load,, and I was entirely confident because it had chronographed consistently in Major Power in my own Chrono Tests, and in the Chrono Tests which my Home Section (Columbia Cascade Section) provided during the Section Match.

So it came as a complete surprise when Doctor John and the Chrono Crew in Reno found that my loads were just a little too slow to prove Major Power!  What's this?  I'm shooting a .45 .. how can it NOT be Major Power?

This was the first Surprise Event in my competitive career, so I wasn't sure how to handle it.  But they shot six rounds, and I was still decimal-points short of the speed I needed in my ammunition to make Major Power.

Chrono Man gave me the option; should I re-weigh the last bullet, or shoot it for speed?

Since my original bullet weight had been measured within one tenth of the declared weight, I  was reluctant to expect that the last bullet would be anonymously heavier.  I asked them to shoot it for speed, and fortunately it was much faster than all the other rounds which I had submitted for testing.  I ended up shooting in Major Power .. but just barely!

The thing is, I was using Hercules Unique powder, which is notoriously coarse-grained.  It did not measure accurately from one round to the next; it was only dumb luck that it had tested 'faster' in the last round.

I finished in the lowest 5% at that match .. in at least one stage, I was the lowest non-zero scoring range.  I wasn't very good, but I was still having fun!

Since then, I have changed to fine-grain powder (Vihta Vourhi 330 or VV 320) for the .45 ACP loads, which weigh much more accurately.  And I quit shooting the .45 ACP in competition, for that reason.

(I use only fine-grain powders in competition, even in Level I matches where the ammunition is unlikely to be choreographed.)

I've said this before, and I won't go to the bother of looking up the links to previous posts, but if you expect to compete in a Major Match, you would be well served by using a fine-grain powder which measures more consistently and accurately in most reloading presses.

BTW, I used the same coarse-grain powder in my next Major Match; the Limited National match at Las Vegas later in 1998.  I overloaded the rounds, and ended up with a Power Factor of 198.  It was a bear to shoot, but I managed to do well enough to jump from C-Limited to B-limited based on my scores at that match.

Knowing the limitations of my ammunition, I was careful to shoot for accuracy, not for speed.  This may serve as an object lesson, as my scores in the National Match were just barely high enough to jump me from C-Class to B-Class in Limited.  That, using a single-stack Kimber (cost: $238) with borrowed 10-round magazines and untested ammunition.

I've got the best job in the world!

Last month I squadded with some of the students from my previous "Introduction to USPSA class", and as usual I was treated to the rewarding demonstration of people who are experiencing their first match.


I had a Father and Son pair show up at the class.  They were shooting reloads, but toward the end of the class they began to experience squib load.  The first time was an anomaly; the second was a trend, and so I was reluctantly obliged to discontinue the class; there was only one other shooter in the class, and it would not have been fair to anyone to complete the class with only one shooter.

Besides, it's always better to quit than to reinforce negativity in competitive shooting.

The next weekend, the Father (Chris) and the son (Dominic) showed up with Factory Ammunition.  Sure, they had reloading problems; but they were not about to miss the fun just because of that!


They both did well during the match, but at the last stage it was clear that Dominic, at least, was determined to have his 'best stage ever'.  He was working hard to get through the stage in a minimum amount of time, and we could all see the big grin on his face as he double-tapped every target on the stage.

At the end of the stage, I approached Dominic and said: "Hey, Dominic ... the stage is over, you can calm down now."

He was still grinning like a Cheshire Cat, so I continued:

"Hey, you're still excited?  What is it?  Do you like this stuff?"

He replied breathlessly:

"YEAH!"

The only one there with a bigger smile than Dominic was his father, Chris.    Well, I was pretty happy for him, too!  He had completed his first match safely (it was my privilege to present him with his Certification card), and from now on he can shoot at any range in the Columbia Cascade Section, and compete at any match safely.  He has proven himself.

That's what it's all about.  

When you can prove your ability to compete in the toughest, most rigorous competition shooting venue in the world; when you can stand up in front of your father and your friends and demonstrate that you are not only competent, but "Safely Competent" ... then you have shown that you are the moral  and competitive equal of any man.  They may be 'faster', and 'more accurate'... but they are not 'better'.

And when your own parent beams with pride at your accomplishment .. well, nobody else really counts quite so much.

Not everyone can do that.  Many of us need a couple of tries before we meet the challenge.  Some of us never meet the (deliberately difficult) challenge at all.    I've known grown men, with a lot of experience, who just couldn't meet the test.

But when you do, then that's the truest test of all, of your ability to be fast, accurate, and safe.

I'll squad with Chris and Dominic anytime, and I'll be confident that they can both perform safely and competitively every time.  I can't say that about everyone I've hosted in my classes.  It gives me special pleasure to work with people who can allow themselves to reach for the maximum.  Perhaps they may not achieve it, but they do not falter in their attempts to be ...


"Faster.  Stronger.  Better."

Chrono Questions

I recently received a technical question from a friend and viewer (Rock):

Will a change from our close-to-sea-level altitude here in the valley, to Bend/Central Oregon, approx. 3300’, have an effect on 9mm ammo that is normally about 127 power factor? 1110 fps X 115 Gr?

This is a reasonable question, and one which has plagued competitive shooters since IPSC was invented  (shortly before Christ was promoted to Corporal).  After serious reflection, I decided to address this important technical question.

Taking into consideration all of the salient factors, this was my reply:

Altitude difference will influence measured power factor inevitably, and usually to the detriment of the shooter.

Other factors which may lower a competitors power factor include, but are not restricted to:

• Humidity
• Ambient Temperature
• Time of day
• Exposing your ammunition to the heat of the sun
• a dirty barrel (always clean and oil your firearm before going to the Chronograph Stage!)
• Different brass, powder, primer or bullet .. not just weight (bullet and powder charge), but lot and brand
• Length of time since your ammunition has been loaded
• The number of times you have reloaded your ammunition
• Your religion; are you "Good With The Lord"?
• How long since you have bathed?   [Whew!]
• The cost and importance of the match
• Travel time and inconvenience of timing of the match
• How long since you have chronographed your load
• The physical characteristics of your firearm
• Your personality: "jerks" never chronograph as Minor
• If you  squad with your spouse or child, one of you will be Minor Power (or under!) with the same ammunition
• Your financial situation:  have you slipped a ten-spot to the Chrono Crew?

Hope this helps.


Jerry

Don't thank me ... it's my job to be helpful.

Tennessee Football Coach fired for making Obama so

Tennessee Football Coach fired for making Obama song. He'll make more money when this song becomes a big hit than he would teaching school. Tennessee middle school assistant football coach, age 26, fired for a song he wrote and played! This could be the next number one hit country song. It's the best effort yet at encapsulating the outrage at the oversteps of this government in an entertaining song. Apparently, the guy was fired over the song because some parents complained. If you like it, help it go "viral" by passing it along to everyone you know. Click for a Great Song!!! x Tennessee Football Coach fired for making Obama so Not saying ... .... well, yes I am.

USPSA Announcements - United States Practical Shooting Association

USPSA Announcements - United States Practical Shooting Association: USPSA - Announcements

For those of you who want to go to the Nationals this year, and either haven't made up your mind for SURE or didn't get a "Slot" from your Section, you need to be aware of this announcement from USPSA:

Slot Deadline Is Approaching


The deadline for slots to the 2012 STI USPSA Handgun Nationals is coming up June 18. All slots not received by end of business on that day will unfortunately have to be voided and *CANNOT* be replaced. The unreturned slots will be rolled over in to the wait list, which opens June 4th.


Make sure that you don't wait until the last minute. Things can and have happened to delay receipt by USPSA HQ of a signed slot with payment by the deadline. Once the deadline passes there is nothing that we can do. Mail your slot with payment as early as possible to make sure there is adequate time to correct any unexpected issues!

Trust me, if you haven't shot the Nationals yet, you cannot claim to be a "competitor" in the largest sense.

I've been to a few Nationals in my time, and it's my personal opinion that they are the "Biggest Bang For The Buck" available .. even though they are outrageously expensive in terms of time, money, effort, heartbreak, and thrills. 

The first time I want to the Nationals (Limited, in Las Vegas, 1998) I met Jerry Barnhardt in the Vendor tent.  I told him: "Hey, My name is so much like yours, the guys I shoot with kid me about beating Jerry Barnhardt, and I can't live up to the name.  So ... lose a match for me, will you?"

Okay, it was dorky, but just YOU meet your Idol and try to make an intelligent conversation!

In my first national, I was lucky;  I was TWO places away from the bottom of the pack ... not just in my Division, but Overall.   Could have been worse; I could have been at the very bottom (I think my overall percentage was insignificantly about 4%).  Still, it was worth the money and the travel and the inglory ... I got to shoot with some of the greatest shooters in the world.

I don't care if it IS your very first year competing, you owe it to yourself to got to the match and see just what IPSC is really about.  You'll meet people you've only heard about (and perhaps not even that), they will kick your ass, and you will consider it money well spent.

How many times in your life can you say that you have pitted yourself against the best in the world?  And if you're really lucky, as I was, you may find yourself shooting mano-a-mano against the world's champion shooters.

Go do it.  You will rue the expense today, but you will never forget the experience.

'Stand Your Ground' Law Repeal Proposed

'Stand Your Ground' Law Repeal Proposed:

It's called the "Stand Your Ground" law. More than a dozen Michigan lawmakers want to get rid of it. They're afraid that the current law will lead to vigilante justice.


More than 24 states, including Michigan, have some version of the "Stand Your Ground" law. Michigan's went into effect on October 1, 2006. Now, these politicians say they're not aware as of yet that this law has lead to any unnecessary violence, but they want to prevent it from happening. ...

Well, that sounds like a good reason for preventing people from defending themselves from predators.

Not!

Crimson Trace® to Host World's First And Only Midnight 3-Gun Invitational

Shooting Wire: (Wilsonville, OR)   May 18, 2012 Crimson Trace, maker of the industries finest laser and lighting systems for personal defense, is hosting the world's First Annual Midnight 3-Gun Invitational this summer. This three night competition will take place just outside of Bend, Oregon in the high desert. What makes this 3-Gun Event so unique? The entire shooting competition will take place at night, in complete darkness. Competition will kick off just after sunset July 16 and continue into the wee hours of the morning each evening, with the closing ceremony the afternoon of July 18. The top 3-gunners in the nation, such as Jerry Miculek and Juli Golob, are registered and scheduled to compete.

For more information, click this link.

Lawn-mower guy gets Fired for Turning in a Gun He Found on Street

(Wayne County, Detroit county worker John) ... Chevilott found a gun while mowing the lawn [ed: ... on city property]. The gun was in the way of him doing his job ... so he picked it up with the full intention of handing it over to police. He eventually handed it over to police. Then, he got fired for picking up a loaded firearm off the street and handing it over to police. 

Words John Chevilott isn't likely to say in the immediate future:

"I LOVE THIS JOB!"

Nobody Is Perfect

I checked my results from last weekend's ARPC match (sent from USPSA.ORG) and ... as much as I appreciate the great statistical-reporting we now enjoy, I was appalled to read that I had got major penalties in almost every stage.

 I took a picture of the printout: this was sent to me at 1:50 pm after the match.

(Right-click on the image to see full-size image in a new tab)

Yes, that was my USPSA member number all right, and the right class, division, power factor ... but down in the lower right corner under "Pistol Statistics" it says:
Total Penalty Points: 140

... according to this, I shot only one stage clean.  Gee, I know I haven't been practicing much for the past few years, but I could only recall two stages where I got penalties!  (Wow!  I must be getting Sudden-Onset Alzheimers since last weekend)

A little explanation; I haven't read my email for a week, and I always read from the oldest unread email to the newest.   So the next email was ALSO from USPSA, sent at 2:00 pm.  It told a slightly different story:

 (Again .... right-click on the image to see full-size image in a new tab)

 Same identification info as the last time, but this version has my competitor number as #79 ... which I recall as being correct since I was almost the last to sign up for the match, and I saw guys in line ahead of me with numbers between 49 and 78 ... so I know I wasn't competitor 48.
and the actual stats were a lot closer to what I remembered, too:
Total Penalty Points: 20

... Except these (a) were the stages for the APRIL APRC match, not the MAY ARPC match, and (b) it shows me as DNF on the last stage (classifier: "Melody Line"), and I shot that match complete, including the classifier. And I strongly doubt that my competitor number was "79" in April, because there were not that many competitors for that match.   Since the email identified it as the results for the MAY ARPC match, and I dispute the reported results for that match, I have no confidence in any of the match results I receive.

...

It has been a long time since I really worried too much about being competitive.  In fact, it has been since I was no longer able to reload .38 Super ammunition, so I could compete in OPEN division (in which I can still see the sights AND the target clearly).   Consequently, I'm not concerned that my reported statistics from ... well, either or both matches .... don't meet my very low expectations.

However, if YOU are competitive, and you want honest accurate reporting on the results of your matches, I strongly advise you to record your own stats from the match before you leave the range, and compare them to the results you receive from USPSA.

TEAM X-T.R.E.M.E. & Cpl Todd Love

TEAM X-T.R.E.M.E. & Cpl Todd Love - YouTube Thanks to SCOTT for pointing out this extraordinary story and video. (I especially liked the Seal Suit!)

No Dundee Match for May

Bill Marrs  sent out an email announcement to all Columbia Cascade members earlier this week.   If you're not a member of the Section, or if you must missed it, here it is:

There appears to be some confusion as to whether there will be a match at Dundee on 5-26.

NO.   There will be no match at Dundee this month.  I'm headed to Bend to shoot the Oregon State match,
and so it everyone else that I could think of to do the Dundee match!

See you at the points match at Dundee in June.

Bill

Enough said, and thanks to Bill for letting us all know.

Oregon Primaries

If God had wanted us to elect our leaders, he would have given us candidates.

I'm trying to fill out my ballot for the current election (which includes Presidential Primaries), and all I can say is that the local issues are more interesting --- and I can be more "hopeful" about them --- than anything on either the state or national venue.

I would have (albeit reluctantly) voted for The Newt as the Republican Presidential Candidate,  until I learned he had been found guilty of "Jumping the Shark", and was no longer a viable candidate.

At the ARPC match yesterday,  I asked The Hobo Brasser if he could tell me for whom he planned to vote, as the Republican Presidential Candidate.   He told me .... but was unable to complete the discussion without reverting to the most foul anglo-saxon terminology.  I think he may even have mentioned the word "D*m*cr*t" once.  (I probably should not have said this; I hate to embarrass my friends.)   (Oh, that's right, I don't, do I?)

What I'm thinking is that the ballot should include the category "ANYONE BUT ______" (name your choice, I know who my "Anyone But ____" choice would be on the Presidential election).

So what we're left with is Montrose's Toast:

 "He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

Translated:  "You pays your money and you takes your chances"

Not very comforting, is it?

And I thought *_I_* had too much drama in my life!

[HAT TIP to The G-man, who is recovering nicely from his surgery according to his latest email)

GO FULL SCREEN ON THIS ONE                 – with sound!

FANTASTIC!  You just never know what might happen next time  you go out for a quiet cup of coffee! Press the red button and find out........

How to rip off the IRS for Big Buck$

"Undocumented Workers" from Mexico are claiming ... and receiving ... BILLIONS of dollars of exemptions on their tax returns (and receiving tax refunds) for "Dependent Children Who Live In The Home", for children who live in Mexico.

Can this be true?  Who knows?  At least one TV station in Indiana claims to have interviewed one such "Undocumented Worker" who confirms the story.

According to Indianapolis News, the Inspector General knows this is happening, has reported it, but the IRS is doing nothing to rectify the situation

Indianapolis News Video | Weather Video Forecast | Sports - 13 WTHR Indianapolis (Hat Tip: G-Man)

Travels with Hansel and Gretel

Travels with Hansel and Gretel The Hobo Brasser has started his own blog. There ... in a forum in which he proposes to share the merry adventures of his annual travels (decrepit pickup, dented fifth-wheel, spicey wife, and the dog and the dogette) he proves himself to be the master of understatement. The man is stealing my blog material!

Update-on-Fast-and-Furious-with-attachment-FINAL.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Update-on-Fast-and-Furious-with-attachment-FINAL.pdf (application/pdf Object)

The Seven Deadly Sins of USPSA Competition

When I teach the "Introduction to USPSA" class at the Albany Rifle & Pistol Club (ARPC), I recognize the importance of presenting the class material in a user-friendly, positive manner.

That's why I emphasize all the ways in which a competitor can "DQ" (Match Disqualification for violating a safety rule).

You can't do 'right' unless you know what is 'wrong'.   It's easy to say "Go, shoot, be safe".  But unless people know what are UNSAFE actions ... well, it's complicated.

The easiest way to teach people how to be safe, is to define the actions which are NOT safe.

I'm developing a teaching guide for instructors who are attempting to familiarize new shooters in USPSA competition (this almost exactly follows IPSC rules, as well), and in the process I've boiled the competition rules into a simple seven-element set of  "DO NOT" rules which will help the new competitor to shoot safely, over 90% of the time.  [I would say "100%", but nothing is all- right.

These seven deadly sins are:

1. Muzzle (180)
2. Finger (1 & 2)
3. Sweeping
4. Dropped Gun
5. D&D
6. Over The Hill
7. Cheating

Seven rules, ten words (more or less).  The "Four Basic Rules of Gun Safety" are:

1. Treat Firearms as if they are loaded;
2. Point the muzzle away from non-targets;
3. Keep fingers off the trigger;
4. Be sure of your target, and what is beyond it

Lots more words to remember.  And actually all of the rules are embodied in the USPSA rules which define "unsafe acts".    But competitors need to know the elements of these rules, and the even more esoteric rules which are elemental in a competitive environment.

Here are the Seven Deadly Sins again, with some explanations:

I:   Muzzle (180)

Face downrange, and extend your arms to each side.  Your arms define the 180 degrees in which it is 'safe' to point your firearm.  If you point your firearm 'behind' that 180 degree line, you are breaking the "180 Rule".   That is, you are pointing it uprange, where there may be people standing.  It matters not what you are doing or where people are actually located relative to your firearm; as the competitor, you are responsible for everything that happens with your firearm and breaking the 180 rule is ALWAYS unsafe.

II: Finger (1 & 2)

The rules say you cannot have your finger on the trigger unless you are actively engaging targets.  This breaks down to two general situations:

• You cannot have your finger on the trigger when you are loading, reloading, clearing a jam, or during any activity other than actively engaging targets.
• You cannot have your finger on the trigger when you are moving, except when you are actively engaging targets.

This last part is a bit complicated.

If you take ONE step, you may keep your finger on the trigger.   That's Part 1.

But when you are "actively engaging targets", you may have your finger on the trigger 'anyway'.
That means, your firearm is mounted ... it is raised so that you may see a sight picture with the target generally including the front and rear sights, and the target.  If your firearms is below the sight-line between your eyes and the target, the Range Officer may reasonably assume that you are not "actively engaging the target".  ("Engaging" means shooting at, or trying to shoot at, a target.)   That's Part 2.

III: Sweeping

The term "SWEEPING" include any motion of your firearm or your body which may result in the muzzle of your firearm pointing at any part of your body.

It (according to the rules) does NOT include such actions as are needed to holster, or un-holster, your firearm.  I'm not sure why this is true, except that with some holsters it's impossible to holster a weapon without using your 'off hand' to expand a pliable holster so you can place the muzzle of your firearm in the holster.  This may also be true when using a "gun rug' rather than a holster at the beginning or end of a stage.

At all other times, though, if during the course of fire you combine the actions of your hand which holds your firearm with ANY other activity in such a way that the muzzle of your firearm points at any part of your body, that is an Unsafe Act.

For example:
You are required to open a door so that you can pass through it; if your free hand passes in front of your firearm, you have just "swept yourself".

Or:
You drop your magazine at the end of a stage.  If you reach down to retrieve the grounded magazine before holstering your firearm, you may "sweep yourself".

IV:  Dropped Gun

IF "during a stage" you lose control of your firearm ... it is not in your hand under circumstances which are not required by the stage directions or after you have drawn your firearm from the holster ... and the firearm hits the ground, you may be DQ's for having dropped your gun.  It matters not whether your firearms lands pointing safely down-range.  If you are not in full control of your firearm at all times, you are subject to a DQ.

The phrase "during a stage"   is significant.
If you are NOT an active competitor under the direct control of a Range Officer, and you drop your gun while you are not shooting a stage (eg: you are in the squad area or walking through a stage, and your pistol falls out of your holster and drops to the ground), you are NOT automatically DQ'd. Unless, that is, you touch your firearm. The thing to do under this circumstance is to protect the firearm, call for a Range Officer, and let the Range Officer do whatever is necessary to SAFELY retrieve the firearm and return it to a safe condition.

Of course, this does not obviate the rules which forbid you to handle your firearm other than when  you are at a SAFETY TABLE or under the direct supervision of a Range Officer.

V: D&D

The acronym "D&D" refers to "Drunk & Disorderly".
"Drunk" refers to any situation where the competitor is under the influence of substances to the point where he or she is incapacitated ... which is a very fine line, considering that this is a sport where the 'normal' competitor can be described as "running around with loaded guns".  Essentially, if you are under the influence of alcohol, or drugs, you should not be handling firearms.  This includes such situations as taking prescription medication under the care of a physician.  Any substance which undermines your ability to be entirely responsible for the safe handling of a firearm, including those which only have the warning "may cause drowsiness", is entirely incompatible with USPSA competition.

You're welcome to come observe, tape targets, reset steel targets, and visit your friends.  Please do us all a favor and leave your guns at home.

"Disorderly" refers to many ancillary activities, including coarse/foul language while arguing with a Range Officer.  An armed society is a polite society; one who allows him/her self to display belligerent behavior during a competition event may reasonably be defined as one who should NOT be allowed to "run around with a loaded firearm".  Disorderly conduct is, of course, defined by the Range Officer or other range officials.

These activities may fall under the general category of "Unsportsmanlike Conduct", which is complete in "Deadly Sin #7: Cheating".  (See below.)

VI: Over The Hill

This section refers to both negligent discharges (there is no such thing as an "Accidental Discharge", as we are all entirely responsible for anything which happens with our firearms) and shots which are so badly aimed that the bullet passes over the berm.  The berm is provided by the range to stop any fired shot; if you can't keep your shots low enough to hit the berm after they pass through the target, then you are not a safe shooter.

This also refers to any shot which impacts the ground within six feet of the competitor (or behind the competitor) unless it is obvious that the competitor is actively engaging a target which is close to the ground within that range

VII:  Cheating

This is a general catch-all phrase which envelops situations which may not have been defined previously.  Essentially, this is "unsportsmanlike conduct" or a deliberate attempt to obviate the rules.  This is presumably to gain a competitive advantage, but not necessarily so.

A good example is the rule which requires all competitors to wear both eye-protection and ear-protection.  If, during the course of fire, a competitor may lose either piece of competitive safety equipment, the Range Officer is obliged to stop the competitor, correct the situation, and mandate a re-shoot for that competitor.  There are no options available for the Range Officer; the competitor has, at last, lost time by the loss of safety equipment, and consequently has not been presented with an 'equitable shooting problem'.  The RO must mandate a reshoot.
This provides the competitor who is 'having a bad stage' with an opportunity to re-shoot the stage; by merely doffing ear muffs, the rules would mandate a reshoot.

However, the rules specifically forbid this under the "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" clause; it is cheating.

The number of categories is small, but the detail is large.  This approach doesn't pretend to simplify the rules of competition.  It only serves to present the rules in an easy to remember set of categories, and provide the instructor to bunch the most important safety rules in a simple framework for presentation.