iPad Beer at Hofbraeuhaus - Simon Pierro - YouTube
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.".
- Arthur C. Clarke .. the third of Clarke's Three Laws
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2. - YouTube
Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2. - YouTube
http://youtu.be/njos57IJf-0
Thanks to the G-man .. I think it's funny as heck!
http://youtu.be/njos57IJf-0
Thanks to the G-man .. I think it's funny as heck!
Skin Song: Day 2
This is a really boring post, unless you're into medical crap.
I went to the Dermatology folks at Oregon Health Science Unit in Portland yesterday. They spend 2 hours taking medical history, asking questions about my life style and health-care habits, and eventually got down to the Nitty Gritty; putting the patches on my back to check for allergies.
So far, nobody has made any statements about what they think may be cause of the skin peeling off of my fingers. Well .. nothing new. Over the past four years, various medicos have suggested, and failed to support, their theories of stress, fungus, yatta yatta yatta. That's their way of saying they have NO idea. Now they're working on the theory that I've acquired an allergy to some substance. I didn't believe it then, I don't believe it now, and if they find the cause as a result of this "Patch Test" (and if it leads to a successful treatment) I will be thrilled to admit that I was wrong ... as long as the skin quits rotting away, and my hands quit bleeding.
I mentioned before that they were going to do about 150 patch tests? The technician corrected me, saying that they were going to do "only" about 115. But when she finished applying the patches, she noticed that she had room for more, so we said "WHAT THE HELL?" and she found some more substances to test for.
Then she covered my entire back with tape, to make sure the patch-arrays (there are 8 substances in each array) wouldn't rub off in my sleep.
The common comment from other people who have been tested is "it feels like my back is covered in cardboard". They're right.
There was a movie called "The Tingler" starring Vincent Price; aliens affixed themselves to human spinal columns and controlled them. Now I think I know how they might have felt .. the humans, not the Tinglers.
Tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, June 20) I make the 80 mile drive back to Portland to get the first evaluation. They take the patch arrays off, and see if there's any reaction to any of the substances. I don't expect them to find much, because nothing is even tingling, let along itching.
I'm very much looking forward to the event, because they have all of this tape and plastic plates affixed to my skin with glue. Think of it as having extensive very-sticky bandages covering 100% of the skin on my back. Are they going to go to the slow, excruciatingly painful method of removing the tape? Or will they use the fast, excruciatingly painful method? I'm sure that, in the future, when I'm feeling bored, I can look back on that event to remind myself that boredom is not always the worst thing that can happen.
Well, it IS something to look forward too.
I had asked the technician to take pictures, so I can see what my back looks like. I told her I wanted to put the pictures on my blog.
Bad idea. I have an ugly back, and the pictures do not flatter. Maybe I'll edit them down to smaller photos of the details, in case anyone is that much interested. But I won't do it tonite.
I'll be getting to bed soon, so I can be rested and make it to my 3pm appointment tomorrow.
What a life, eh? When the most interesting thing I have to talk about is getting tape ripped off my back.
I went to the Dermatology folks at Oregon Health Science Unit in Portland yesterday. They spend 2 hours taking medical history, asking questions about my life style and health-care habits, and eventually got down to the Nitty Gritty; putting the patches on my back to check for allergies.
So far, nobody has made any statements about what they think may be cause of the skin peeling off of my fingers. Well .. nothing new. Over the past four years, various medicos have suggested, and failed to support, their theories of stress, fungus, yatta yatta yatta. That's their way of saying they have NO idea. Now they're working on the theory that I've acquired an allergy to some substance. I didn't believe it then, I don't believe it now, and if they find the cause as a result of this "Patch Test" (and if it leads to a successful treatment) I will be thrilled to admit that I was wrong ... as long as the skin quits rotting away, and my hands quit bleeding.
I mentioned before that they were going to do about 150 patch tests? The technician corrected me, saying that they were going to do "only" about 115. But when she finished applying the patches, she noticed that she had room for more, so we said "WHAT THE HELL?" and she found some more substances to test for.
Then she covered my entire back with tape, to make sure the patch-arrays (there are 8 substances in each array) wouldn't rub off in my sleep.
The common comment from other people who have been tested is "it feels like my back is covered in cardboard". They're right.
There was a movie called "The Tingler" starring Vincent Price; aliens affixed themselves to human spinal columns and controlled them. Now I think I know how they might have felt .. the humans, not the Tinglers.
Tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, June 20) I make the 80 mile drive back to Portland to get the first evaluation. They take the patch arrays off, and see if there's any reaction to any of the substances. I don't expect them to find much, because nothing is even tingling, let along itching.
I'm very much looking forward to the event, because they have all of this tape and plastic plates affixed to my skin with glue. Think of it as having extensive very-sticky bandages covering 100% of the skin on my back. Are they going to go to the slow, excruciatingly painful method of removing the tape? Or will they use the fast, excruciatingly painful method? I'm sure that, in the future, when I'm feeling bored, I can look back on that event to remind myself that boredom is not always the worst thing that can happen.
Well, it IS something to look forward too.
I had asked the technician to take pictures, so I can see what my back looks like. I told her I wanted to put the pictures on my blog.
Bad idea. I have an ugly back, and the pictures do not flatter. Maybe I'll edit them down to smaller photos of the details, in case anyone is that much interested. But I won't do it tonite.
I'll be getting to bed soon, so I can be rested and make it to my 3pm appointment tomorrow.
What a life, eh? When the most interesting thing I have to talk about is getting tape ripped off my back.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
CCS asking for Equipment Donations!
Okay, it's not the Columbia Cascade Section asking for equipment donations, it's just me.
And it doesn't have to be a donation; it may be a loan, or a sale.
Almost every month, when I teach a new class of "Introduction to USPSA", I find students who don't have sufficient equipment to compete in matches. Usually, it's a matter of crappy holsters; as often, they don't have enough magazines, or enough magazine carriers, to provide them with sufficient reloads to shoot some of the "Hi Round Count Stages".
Many of the folks who are really interested in competing want to shoot their first match as soon as possible, but they just can't afford, or can't receive the extra equipment necessary to shoot in their declared Division.
I try to help them out by offering what equipment I have, but often it doesn't fit their pistol, or their magazines.
Some of the equipment I have is not needed (because it's redundant, or not appropriate to the Division in which I expect to compete, so I offer it to the students. But I'm concerned that these folks may not compete at all, because of the high start-uip costs.
If YOU have equipment which you don't use any more, I am hoping that you might be willing to donate it to the Introduction to USPSA Equipment Fund (which I just now established), so new shooters have what they need to decide whether they sufficiently enjoy the sport; if not, they can return the equipment. If they want to continue competing, they can buy their own, or use what is available until they can afford to replace it with something that is more appropriate to their basic gear.
My thought is that they can buy the equipment (belts, magazine carriers, even magazines) from you at a "Used" price, which would save them money AND get the equipment to them in the week between the Introduction class, and their first match.
Of you want to to sell your gear at a reduced price, that's fine. The new shooter will pay you what you ask, or decline the bargain.
If you want to just contribute the gear, it will be used by several shooters until they can get their own gear.
Do you want to sell it, but are willing to wait until they decide they want to keep it? Okay, they can have the loan of it until they decide to buy their own, and return your gear; or they can pay you for it, and continue to use it.
The basic choices are:
Okay, it can be complicated or simple. It's your choice.
I don't care HOW you want to make the deal, as long as we can get usable (if dated) equipment to new shooters. My only concern is that we encourage new people to TRY the sport, and if they don't like it, then they haven't spent a lot of money just to learn that it isn't for them.
Please contact me (contact me in the COMMENTS section for this post) and we'll work something out. I won't be giving a July class, so there's at least six weeks for you to make a decision, set a price (if necessary), and arrange for the exchange of merchandise.
I'll keep the gear, on trust. I'll entrust the gear to the students; if they rip us off, I won't be able to pay you. Folks who know me, know that I won't be keeping the gear for myself.
Please think this over, and let me know if you're willing to make your gear available to new shooters. But remember ... the more competitors there are, the more people who will show up at matches and Build The Sport!
(Also: they will tape targets, pick up brass, and tell you what a GREAT shooter you are!)
Well, maybe not the last part. but the more shooters we have, the better the sport gets.
____________________________________________________________________
Mac has promised me that we can store them in the ARPC Club "Vault", so they'll be readily available. And in the future, contributions can be turned in at either the Stat Shack during Match Days at ARPC, or at the Pro-shop.
They will be disbursed to shooters on the basis of need. No strings attached, except that they will be encouraged to return them to the club Vault when they are able to replace them with gear which they can now afford, after they determine that they are committed to the sport.
Then they will be made available to other shooters.
I plan to keep track of which specific items are contributed by each donator. I think that feedback should be available, although there is no requirements imposed on the recipients. However, I don't plan to institute any major tracking program. My experience has always been that people are more than eager to contribute to the sport, and to encourage new shooters. The recipients of these donations will likely want to keep the Gear Box full, if only because they realize how helpful it may be for the New Shooters who follow them. And if they don't? Then the program will be discontinued. Any system which becomes too cumbersome to administer will fail, so we'll make this one as 'unofficial' as possible and count on the good will of both donators and recipients.
If you donate, and later decide you want your gear back? If we still have it, just ask for it. Thanks for the loan, no problem.
Other clubs who also offer a Certification/New Shooter Safety Training Program might consider instituting a similar equipment repository. As time goes by, and if unexpected situations occur, I'll keep you informed of any negative consequences of this program.
And it doesn't have to be a donation; it may be a loan, or a sale.
Almost every month, when I teach a new class of "Introduction to USPSA", I find students who don't have sufficient equipment to compete in matches. Usually, it's a matter of crappy holsters; as often, they don't have enough magazines, or enough magazine carriers, to provide them with sufficient reloads to shoot some of the "Hi Round Count Stages".
Many of the folks who are really interested in competing want to shoot their first match as soon as possible, but they just can't afford, or can't receive the extra equipment necessary to shoot in their declared Division.
I try to help them out by offering what equipment I have, but often it doesn't fit their pistol, or their magazines.
Some of the equipment I have is not needed (because it's redundant, or not appropriate to the Division in which I expect to compete, so I offer it to the students. But I'm concerned that these folks may not compete at all, because of the high start-uip costs.
If YOU have equipment which you don't use any more, I am hoping that you might be willing to donate it to the Introduction to USPSA Equipment Fund (which I just now established), so new shooters have what they need to decide whether they sufficiently enjoy the sport; if not, they can return the equipment. If they want to continue competing, they can buy their own, or use what is available until they can afford to replace it with something that is more appropriate to their basic gear.
My thought is that they can buy the equipment (belts, magazine carriers, even magazines) from you at a "Used" price, which would save them money AND get the equipment to them in the week between the Introduction class, and their first match.
Of you want to to sell your gear at a reduced price, that's fine. The new shooter will pay you what you ask, or decline the bargain.
If you want to just contribute the gear, it will be used by several shooters until they can get their own gear.
Do you want to sell it, but are willing to wait until they decide they want to keep it? Okay, they can have the loan of it until they decide to buy their own, and return your gear; or they can pay you for it, and continue to use it.
The basic choices are:
- Sell it outright to whomever needs it, with no returns.
- Loan the equipment (it's still your), and when the student gets his/her own, it will be returned to the pool.
- Loan the equipment, with the possibility of selling it at a reduced price.
- Loan the equipment, with the understanding that it will be returned to the "pool" for use by the next student who needs it.
Okay, it can be complicated or simple. It's your choice.
I don't care HOW you want to make the deal, as long as we can get usable (if dated) equipment to new shooters. My only concern is that we encourage new people to TRY the sport, and if they don't like it, then they haven't spent a lot of money just to learn that it isn't for them.
Please contact me (contact me in the COMMENTS section for this post) and we'll work something out. I won't be giving a July class, so there's at least six weeks for you to make a decision, set a price (if necessary), and arrange for the exchange of merchandise.
I'll keep the gear, on trust. I'll entrust the gear to the students; if they rip us off, I won't be able to pay you. Folks who know me, know that I won't be keeping the gear for myself.
Please think this over, and let me know if you're willing to make your gear available to new shooters. But remember ... the more competitors there are, the more people who will show up at matches and Build The Sport!
(Also: they will tape targets, pick up brass, and tell you what a GREAT shooter you are!)
Well, maybe not the last part. but the more shooters we have, the better the sport gets.
____________________________________________________________________
UPDATE: June 19, 2012
So far I have received emails from FOUR people who have offered to contribute their old gear. Mostly, it's magazines, magazine pouches, and holsters. These are three of the most essential items for IPSC type competition, so I'm sure they will be very welcome by new shooters in the future.Mac has promised me that we can store them in the ARPC Club "Vault", so they'll be readily available. And in the future, contributions can be turned in at either the Stat Shack during Match Days at ARPC, or at the Pro-shop.
They will be disbursed to shooters on the basis of need. No strings attached, except that they will be encouraged to return them to the club Vault when they are able to replace them with gear which they can now afford, after they determine that they are committed to the sport.
Then they will be made available to other shooters.
I plan to keep track of which specific items are contributed by each donator. I think that feedback should be available, although there is no requirements imposed on the recipients. However, I don't plan to institute any major tracking program. My experience has always been that people are more than eager to contribute to the sport, and to encourage new shooters. The recipients of these donations will likely want to keep the Gear Box full, if only because they realize how helpful it may be for the New Shooters who follow them. And if they don't? Then the program will be discontinued. Any system which becomes too cumbersome to administer will fail, so we'll make this one as 'unofficial' as possible and count on the good will of both donators and recipients.
If you donate, and later decide you want your gear back? If we still have it, just ask for it. Thanks for the loan, no problem.
Other clubs who also offer a Certification/New Shooter Safety Training Program might consider instituting a similar equipment repository. As time goes by, and if unexpected situations occur, I'll keep you informed of any negative consequences of this program.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Gun Sales Up, Violent Crime Down (Again) | NSSF Blog
Gun Sales Up, Violent Crime Down (Again) | NSSF Blog: Preliminary crime statistics for 2011 released today by the FBI show a 4 percent decrease in violent crime–a continuation of a long-term downward trend nationwide. The report highlights that all four violent crime categories–murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault–declined in the country’s four major geographical regions and in all city population groups. The report also noted that violent crime decreased both in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties. The continuing decrease in violent crime comes at a time when firearms ownership has increased across America, a fact that utterly contradicts the mantra of anti-gun groups that that more guns equals more crime. “Every firearms owner should be armed with this information,” said NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti. Read the report. (opens in a new window)
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.
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!
Sunday, June 03, 2012
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.
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:
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.
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:
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?
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:
- sometimes, the fastest shooter DOES win; and
- sometimes the most accurate shooter tanks the stage
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?
Friday, June 01, 2012
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.
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."
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."
Monday, May 28, 2012
Chrono Questions
I recently received a technical question from a friend and viewer (Rock):
Taking into consideration all of the salient factors, this was my reply:
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.Don't thank me ... it's my job to be helpful.
Other factors which may lower a competitors power factor include, but are not restricted to:Hope this helps.
- 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?
Jerry
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
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.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
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:
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.
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:
Well, that sounds like a good reason for preventing people from defending themselves from predators.
Not!
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.
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!"
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.
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:
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 wanthonest 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.
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
Saturday, May 19, 2012
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.Enough said, and thanks to Bill for letting us all know.
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
Sunday, May 13, 2012
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:
Not very comforting, is it?
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:
Translated: "You pays your money and you takes your chances""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!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)