What the HELL is "Net Neutrality"

The FCC Just Voted to Regulate the Internet Like a Utility - Hit &; Run : Reason.com:

In a 3-2 vote today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to radically overhaul the way Internet service is regulated. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and the commission’s two Democratic commissioners voted to move forward with the rules. The agency’s two GOP-appointed commissioners opposed them.

"Net Neutrality"

"Obvious Reasons"

I've watched this dialogue, and have NO idea what the issues really are.

Am I "The Only One" who doesn't understand the issues?

It seems to me that somewhere there must be a "Net Neutrality For Dummies" primer which gets past the jargon and actually describes the effect of one side of the dialogue vs the other.

And BTW ... what ARE the dialogue, the positions, and the roots of the controversy?

For myself, I just want to take advantage of the data-streaming provided by ... I don't know, Comcast?

That's my IP  (Internet Provider ... thank you for defining that small piece of jargon!)
... and I also like that I can stream movies, besides email.

Is that the crux of the controversy?  Is one "availability" (Broadband Streaming of Videos) contesting with another "availability"  (Email?)

Surely there's somebody who understands the issues, and can define them in terms which are not jargon-filled.

Someone?

Any one?

ISIS and END OF DAYS

Quotes of the day  Hot Air:  (allapundit)

But people don’t join ISIS, or the Islamic State, because they want better jobs with more benefits. ISIS is one of a long line of anti-Enlightenment movements, led by people who have contempt for the sort of materialistic, bourgeois goals that dominate our politics. These people don’t care if their earthly standard of living improves by a few percent a year. They’re disgusted by the pleasures we value, the pluralism we prize and the emphasis on happiness in this world, which we take as public life’s ultimate end…

The more I hear about ISIS, the more I want to re-read Tom Kratman's "A Desert Called Peace" series.

Again,

Corvair! The Love and the Bane of my life!

As "Unsafe at Any Speed" marks 50 years, Corvair values hit all-time high | Fox News:

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Ralph Nader’s book “Unsafe at Any Speed," in which the young Harvard-trained lawyer/activist did a serious hatchet job on what was a very interesting and unconventional American car. But the Chevy Corvair is clearly having the last laugh. Ironically, as the book turns 50, Corvair prices have reached an all-time high.

I owned a 1963 Corvair Spyder (the high-performance model) in College.

After I graduated, and after I came home from the Army, I bought a 1965 Corvair Corsa.  Also the high performance model.

Both were the convertible models.

Both were hot, sexy, and when they ran right they ran with the power of the Elk and the grace of the Gazelle!

Unfortunately, they didn't run that well, that often.

Both had the endemic problem of the rear-mounted engine:  when you pushed them too hard, it threw the fan belt and you had to stop RIGHT THEN and re-install the fan belt.

        If you didn't fix that RIGHT THEN .. in the words of RoboCop ... "...There Will Be Trouble!"



I carried a 1/2"  open wrench and a 5/16" socket wrench, which were the tools necessary to to loosen the idler wheel so I could put the fan belt back on track.

I also carried a spare fan belt, just in case; but it was never needed.  The fan belt was not damaged by the experience;  it just fell off into the rear-deck engine well.

The front end was the trunk.  In the winter (in the 1960-1970 period) in Oregon, we got some fearsome winters with snows six inches or more.  The snow lasted for weeks, to months.  The front of the Corvair was so light, I couldn't steer the car.  I had to put a hundred pounds or more of sandbags in the front-trunk of the Corvair so I could make it around a corner.

But I loved those cars!

162 Years In Prison For Owning A Cell Phone

Quartavious Davis, First-Time Offender With 162-Year Prison Term, Gets Appeal - NBC News.com

Amendment IV: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

What if you wrote to your girlfriend every day, and you were a thief, And what if the postmarks on your letters proved that you were in the towns where your thefts occurred on those days?

And what if those letters were seized by the police, and were used to convict you of crimes (of which you were certainly guilty although perhaps not provably), and you were sentenced to prison for 162 years on that basis?

Even though you had never been convicted of a crime before?

And what if the police didn't have a warrant to seize those letters?

Isn't that an infringement on the defendant's constitutional rights?

Sterile Guns, Sterile People!

1) All guns are always unloaded2) Unloaded guns are “safe.”  When  around “safe” guns, you can relax!3) When handling “safe” guns, never be  concerned with the direction inwhich they’re pointed.  After all, they’re  not really guns anymore, arethey? There is no reason to even look!4) When  handling “safe” guns, have your finger constantly on the trigger,for good  control

Last week (February 11, 2015) John S. Farnam posted an article - "Sterile Guns, Sterile People" - on his Defense Training, International "QUIPS" website.  In this commentary (which has not yet been added to his website, as of this date), Farnam criticized gun clubs which use the "WEAPONS COLD" range rule.

His postulate is that the COLD RANGE rules lead to the assumption of the mindset which he exemplifies with his (very critical) Range Rules above.


HOT RANGE vs COLD RANGE:

This COLD RANGE rule imposes a requirement that all firearms remain unloaded until the (active shooter) is actually on the firing line, and the firing line is declared "HOT" by the Range Officer/Safety Officer.  At that time, the shooter(s) may load his/their weapon(s).

[At the completion of the exercise, on a Cold Range, every shooter is required to 'unload and show clear'; each individual is inspected by the Range Officer, deemed unloaded and clear, and weapons may not be reloaded again until the shooters are once again on the firing line and under the direct supervision of a Range/Safety Officer.]

This is in direct contrast to a "HOT RANGE", where all weapons are loaded at all times.   At the end of an exercise, shooters are expected to insure that their weapons are loaded before they leave the firing line.

DEEMED UNLOADED: FARNAM IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!

The condition with which Farham takes issue is typical of the lax safety measures which most of us have witnessed often at the range.  People who are inexperienced, who have no training, are all too willing to learn how to be ALWAYS safe on the range.  They take safety for granted, and they assume that their friends are just as alert and aware of the safety rules as they are.

And accidents do happen, 'anyway';  that's why they call them "accidents".



How about ... deliberately being shot at?

Winston Churchill once said:
"Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result."

I've been shot at, and missed, in Viet Nam. In those circumstances, one tends to hug the ground while cursing the thickness of one's uniform buttons which prevent one from melting into the earth.

That's still not quite as frightening as having a gun pointed at your belly, close up and personal; even if you are absolutely certain that the gun is unloaded.

That's why I trained as a Chief Range Officer in USPSA, so I could help people to understand that pointing a firearm ... even one which is demonstrably unloaded ... is A Bad Thing.

I've still had a few unloaded firearms pointed at me.  It's still a frightening experience.  Most of those people learned from the experience.

And so have I.

IT ISN'T ABOUT GUNS; IT'S ABOUT CONTROL!

Judge Has Yet To Rule On CA’s “micro-stamping” Law | Gunalizer:

The Second Amendment Foundation, and Calguns Foundation, await a ruling from California Eastern District Judge Kimberly Mueller. On whether she will prevent the state of California, from its eventual ban, on all new pistol sales in the state. No new pistols meet the requirement, to non-existent “micro-stamping” technology, that’s required for them to be legal for sale. This case was originally filed in 2009.

GUNALIZER provides an update to this important test case about Microstamping.

I spent a large part of my blog hours in 2008 . (that link may not work *).. from February  through July ... in a dialogue with Todd Lizotte, the developer of the concept.  During the actual interview process, I raised a lot of doubts about the ability to modify the manufacturing process from the industrial standpoint, and the reliability of the 'microstamped' data to survive and be viable for investigators of crime.

The viability of the output was secondary; the main problem then, and now, is that manufacturers find it technically unsuitable .... and legally.  If  microstamping' does not work in the real world, the onus goes to the firearm manufacture, not to the 'developer'.

This issue goes beyond New Jersey's "SMART GUN" laws.  At least the Garden State tried to tie it into a commercially available product.   California has not bothered to obfuscate their attempt to ban guns in that state for a variety of 'safety issues', which are thinly vieled measures deliberately designed to drive suppliers out of the state.  The goal, of course, is to dry up the source of firearms to their citizens.

*See below for a summary of the dialogue, and some commentary.

SNARK ALLERT! (Reloads)

Endo Mike offers a video which demonstrates the need to remain "heads up" while reloading, during a defensive firing drill.

Okay, there's a lot of Snark in the comments about using live ammunition while your partner is downrange.  Consider that emphasis on safety to be a valid criticism, and let's move on, shall we?

Seems like the people criticizing the safety issues have a point, but they're missing ignoring the point of the lesson, which is that we need to learn to reload without looking at the gun.

My experience is instructing folks for IPSC/USPSA competition, and it's just as important (though arguably not as vital) to learn to reload while watching the field, rather than the reload, in competition as it is IRL (In Real Life).

IRL, if you can't reload without watching the gun, you're going to potentially miss movement of your 'target' .. which IRL is your opponent in a gunfight.

In competition if you're looking at your gun during a reload, you're going to lose track of the targets (which are steel and cardboard cutouts).   Thankfully, they're not going to shoot back at you .. but they may be moving.  Or, the target array may be so dense that the constitute a Target-Rich Environment, and it's all to easy to lose track of where you left off shooting.  So the best thing to do is to continue focusing your visual attention on the targets, so your attention doesn't wander.

Why is that important?

This is Socialized Medicine

Anger has hearing aids are rationed by the NHS: Hard of hearing patients given only one device to be worn on left or right ear | Daily Mail Online:  (January 25, 2014)

 The NHS has started to ration hearing aids for the deaf – with thousands of people being offered only one device when experts say they need two. Specialists recommend that patients who are losing their hearing in both ears should be offered two aids, but some NHS authorities have started to offer just one to such people, in a cost-cutting exercise that saves a modest £90 per person. The charity Action on Hearing Loss, formerly the RNID, has found four hospital trusts in England and two health boards in Wales now initially offer one aid. 

That's "The Brits", today.

It's America, tomorrow, under ObamaCare.

Tuesday in Oregon

Is it still Tuesday?

check the clock .. yeah, 11:35pm, I can still talk about "Today".

We have a saying in Oregon:  "If you don't like the weather .. just wait 5 minutes.  It'll change!"



I love Oregon.  Here it is, February 17, and at 3pm I was enjoying a smoke break on my patio and looking up at Venus in the Western sky.

I had to shade my eyes with my hand to make sure it was really a planet, because the sun was really bright.  I made a note to look up Venus to make sure it was really called the 'morning star'.

The thing is .. it's February .. one week before my birthday ... and I'm standing out here in shorts, sandals and t-shirt admiring a planet.  Enjoying a sunny day.

I've been watching the news about the blizzards and such in the Eastern states, and I admit to feeling just a little bit smug.

People here were out on their front porches, chatting with friends and neighbors.  Dogs were barking,, running around in their fenced yards.  Sparrows were chasing the bees.  It's spring!

Okay, I know it's still winter, but I was thinking about my friend, the Hobo Brasser, who is currently snow-birding in Texas with the lovely Spicey O'Shea (his wife, who always introduces The Brasser as her "First Husband" .. they've only been married about 600 years but she's keeping him in his proper place of respect. ( And Mark, I know you're reading this.)   They left to avoid the winter, but honestly .. winter was last year.  This year ... winter is still last year!

Here's a picture from February 11 of last year:

... you can see, we can't always tell what the weather in Oregon will be like, just by the date.

I lived a couple of years in the Bay Area (California), and I couldn't stand it.  The weather was always the same!  GREY!

Last year I was trying to keep my car from freezing up; this year I'm catching some rays and working on my tan.

I don't know why everybody doesn't live in Oregon, but I'm glad they don't.  I resent the folks from California who move up here after they retire:  We call this the "Californication" of Oregon.

I would have shown you some pictures of the beautiful, warm February day in Oregon THIS year, but then you would all be moving here.  My rent is too high already, so please stay where you are.  I'm sure you're all very nice people, but I can't afford you as neighbors.

Please stay away.  And envy me .. that's A Good Thing To Do on a Tuesday in Oregon.

Four Minutes of Terror

Not EVERYBODY reads gunbloggers.com on a daily basis; if you read THIS blog, you should read that blogfeed.

Here's why: I call it Four Minutes of Terror

Hard to watch | Cornered Cat: In the video below, you’ll see an incredible event: a machete-wielding attacker literally hacks his way through a locked apartment door. The resident does what he needs to do to protect himself and others in the home. It’s like a scene out of a horror movie — but most directors wouldn’t use the footage, because what audience would believe that a door could be so flimsy? Or that someone with a machete would hack his way through it? Nevertheless, this really happened

(The video is embedded in the linked website; click on "Cornered Cat".)

Unfortunately, the Liberal Press contends that home invasions are rare, to the point of 'never happen'.  The video embedded in the above proves otherwise (as does this video link).

Fortunately, the family situation depicted by Cornered Cat turned out .. um, not well (the invader was shot), but the family was uninjured.  Traumatized, of course, but physically unharmed.

The police described this as a justifiable self-defense shooting.

Some anti-gun folks contend that there is no reason why anyone should have a gun.

This shows one reason why people might choose to have a gun.
It may make the difference between being a victim, or a being a survivor.

PS: I need a stronger door.

What is this "Sporting Purpose Exemption" thing of which you speak?

To protect the lives and safety of law enforcement officers from the threat posed by ammunition capable of penetrating a protective vest when fired from a handgun, the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), as amended, prohibits the import, manufacture, and distribution of “armor piercing ammunition” as defined by the statute. The GCA, however, allows for the exemption of ammunition that would otherwise be considered armor piercing if the Attorney General determines that the specific ammunition at issue is “primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes.” Interpreting the meaning of this statutory language, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has developed a framework that will apply to requests seeking a determination that certain projectiles qualify for this “sporting purpose” exemption ,,,,

There is no "sporting purpose" Exemption.

Except in the 1968 Gun Control Act (GCA):

The 1968 Gun Control Act added a "sporting purpose" test which barred imports of military surplus rifles (a goal of many domestic gun makers) and a "points system" for imported handguns which barred from importation handguns based on penalizing features (short barrels, small caliber, short overall length or height, non-adjustable sights, etc.) believed to define the Saturday night special class of handgun.

Domestically produced firearms .. not so much.

The same test can be used to define "Saturday Night Specials"  (also known as "inexpensive handguns which are affordable to the people who live in ghettos").

Actually, that definition accurately describes the Kel-Tec .380 I bought as my backup defensive handgun a few years ago. I don't see anybody trying to take that away from me. What's the difference between that, and a very expensive handgun which will accommodate  "armor piercing ammunition".

So what's the big deal?  Is my Kel-Tec a "sporting purpose" handgun, but a more expensive (and more effective) pistol requires a "sporting purpose exemption" .. because it is more effective?

"They" are still trying to limit our availability to firearms.

First it was cheap pistols, now it's pistols that can penetrate a "bullet proof vest".

Oh, and of course there's the problem of knives, which will penetrate a "bullet proof vest".  Just ask the Brits about how well Knife Control legislation works!   (see also HERE)


How many of you have a clip knife in your pocket now?  I know MY hand is up!

Just how far IS our government willing to go, to deny its citizens defensive weapons to its citizens?

ANSWER:
The federal government is not beyond any treasonous act to disarm its citizens, if they think they can get away with it.  And until we stand up and say something like "MOLON LABE"  (as states are beginning to do this year), the elected representatives of the people will keep pushing to outlaw any defensive tool available by technology.

When you have to shoot ... shoot! Don't talk!

View From The Porch: Dirty pool.: As the great Jewish bandito warrior poet spoke from his bathtub, "When it's time to shoot, shoot; don't talk." The corollary to that is "When it's time to talk, talk; don't shoot your mouth off."

Uh ... if you're going to quote The Good The Bad and The Ugly .. do it right!  (it deserves to be precisely quoted!)

When you have to shoot .. shoot. Don't talk!

Doctor No Has Left The Island

Statement from Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber announcing his resignation | Fox News:

I am announcing today that I will resign as Governor of the State of Oregon.

Personally, I'm delighted that Dr. John Kitzhaber has left the Oregon political scene. The reasons for his oh-so-timely retirement are unimportant compared with the resumption of good government to this state.

Why do I assume he will be replaced by "good government"?

It couldn't possibly be any worse.

(Expanded Fox News background available here)

Grin and Bear It

Video: Grizzly vs. Electrified Deer Carcass | Field & Stream: If you've ever considered electrifying your meat pole to keep bears off your deer, this video will make you think twice. For the Grizzly, a Youtube channel dedicated to grizz clips, posted this video of a bruin outsmarting a test set up by researchers. From the video description: "A Montana grizzly bear attempts to retrieve an electrically charged, road-killed deer. The deer is electrified as an experiment to protect hunters’ game kills and, in turn, to minimize bear-human encounters."

URL: http://youtu.be/pdM9YOYrcbs


(Hat Tip: Gary the T-Man)

Well .. isn't it?

CT Senator Says Anyone Wanting A High-Capacity Magazine Is ‘Arming Against The Government’ - Downtrend:

 It is absolutely irresponsible to even suggest that wanting to exercise one’s Constitutional right equates to a desire for armed insurgency. He’s saying that having a 30-round mag is the same thing as joining ISIS. The truth is nearly every gun owner in America is a responsible citizen, including the millions who own modern sporting rifles (AKA assault rifles) and 30-round magazines.

"Minute Men Much?"

I take exception to this blogger's suggestion that the Second Amendment completely disregards the possible need to take up arms to resist a dictatorial government.

(No, I'm not suggesting that firearms owners are ipso facto insurgents, or that equipment equivalencies are unconstitutional;  I'm just saying that quibbling about technical details are just one way of taking public attention away from Constitutional Rights and pointing that attention toward Political Differences .. which are nothing more than a lot of hot air.)

"Pay Per Mile" Vehicle Tax

Central Florida leaders to vote on pay-per-mile study | www.wftv.com

 ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Paying to drive may one day become a reality in central Florida. MetroPlan Orlando board members are considering a new pay-per-mile tax system. It’s a controversial proposal that’s getting attention from lawmakers. Instead of being taxed at the gas pump, drivers would pay a mileage fee.

Oregon tried to enact a similar tax plan several years ago.

It failed .. miserably!    And for many good reasons, not the least in that the vehicle owners objected to the intrusion and the fiscal overhead imposed on vehicle owners.

Oregon and New Jersey are (or were, last time I checked) the only two states in the Union which do not impose a State Sales Tax.

Legislators were desperate for new tax revenue, in addition to the State Income Tax.

The bill was defeated in Oregon, partly because it looked a LOT like a Sales Tax.  These taxes hit the low-income earners hardest, because their personal daily mileage are often a larger percentage of migrant, agricultural and low-income earners than of those whose "commute" is often off-set by urban transport.  Taking the bus to work may include the same amount of mileage, but is not taxed at the same level as these new 'personal vehicle mileage' measures.

Buy-A-Gun Day came early this year

I found an ad on my local gun club website offering a Marlin Model 60 rifle.  Ten-round tube fed magazine, offered at $195.

I bought it, and I'm glad!

I know the gun retails for $170, but it also included a Simmons 3-9x Variable scope (over $130), mounted and sighted in.  And a like-new soft case to carry it in.  The owner threw in a half-brick (500) rounds of Remington Thunderbolt HS ammunition.  Total value over $350, so it looked like a bargain.

When I actually saw the gun, it looked like new out-of-the box.  Bore was shiny, finish was perfect, the stock showed no signs of dings or dents, scrapes or scratches.  (It actually had some figure, which was a pleasant surprise to me!) As far as I could tell, I was the first one to actually fire it.

I met the seller at the range and shot five rounds of my own (Thunderbolt) ammunition at a tennis ball which happened to be propped up on the berm 50 feet away.  The scope was set at about 4.5x, so I took an offhand stance and nailed the ball first two shots.  It disappeared.  So I spent the next three rounds on shards of clay pigeons I could see.  Broke them all.  Off-hand.   It wasn't necessary; I had already decided that I had to have this pleasant little rifle.  It shoots better than I do; it was a bargain I couldn't afford to pass up!

Yes, I've read reviews which gave the M60 (unforgivable gun-pun) thumbs down on the trigger.  This one broke true and crisp.  No, it didn't compare with the STI pistols I use for USPSA competition, but it was crisp and non-creepy, and the trigger-pull weight was lighter than I had expected.  Apparently, SOMEONE had shot it enough to 'break in' the trigger, at least a little bit.

It has been 40 years since I shot a Model 60, and I had forgotten how much damn fun it was to shoot a scoped semi 22.

This one goes into the gun safe, and I'm hoping that The Hobo Brasser and I can go for a Sage Rat hunt this spring.  We had to cancel the one last year, due to Honey-Dew issues.

I've got a new bush-bunny gun, 1500+ rounds of high-speed ammunition, and a blood-thirst for varmints like I haven't felt for decades.

It isn't easy being Geek .. but it's a helluva lot of fun!

You know what I like about my "Smart Phone"?

Nothing.  Not a damn thing about Smart Phones is worth the hassle.

Yes, you can access the internet, including your email, even while you're miles away from your computer. BFD.

This morning I took my StupidPhone off its charger and discovered that it didn't work.

Just ... Did  Not Work.

What I've learned is that when this happens (which is not an infrequent occurrence), I need NEED to take off the cover, pull the battery, and re-install it.  Then it works just fine.

Well, isn't that special.

My father had a '49 Chevy Pickup and I loved that old truck. But once in a while, the column-mounted gear shift mechanism would lock up.  I had to open the hood and  use a pry bar (kept under the seat, for convenience) to jimmy the linkage back into alignment.  It was inconvenient, and often embarrassing, while I was 'cruising the gut' downtown .. but HEY!  It had character.

I don't like "character" in expensive electronics .. especially when they are priced at more than that old Chevy truck was worth.  I want them to work all the time.

Hasn't technology advanced in America since 1949?

Apparently not.

Almost a half-century of technological advance ... doesn't speak well for American Engineering.  (Okay, so it's Japanese Engineering.  Didn't they lose the war?  Is this their subtly asiatic way of spitting in our face?)

Walk a mile in my shoes

Lagniappe's Lair: Cop-Basher Gets Police Shoot/Don't Shoot Training.: In Missouri City, Texas, police put a local loud-mouthed cop-hating professional protester through some of the same "Shoot/Don't Shoot" training that their officers go through, and it looks like he got a bit of a wake-up call.


I'm VERY impressed with this video essay.

Things look a lot different from the OTHER side of a Violent Confrontation.

The Magic Bullet

I just want to know ... how did the kid manage to shoot his father in the ass and his mother in the shoulder with a single shot?


We're all glad that the sister was unhurt, and wondering whether the brother was revenge oriented or merely morally offended..