The March 12, 2007 match at Albany Rifle and Pistol club -- the "Mothers Day" match.
Stage 6: Emmit's Best (Click the link to see the Stage Procedures and design.)
The videos for this and all other stages in this match are available at Jerry the Geek's Video Shooting Gallery.
Mr. Mike McCarter is not only the Match Director but also is the designer of this 18-round Comstock stage, which includes 8 IPSC targets and 2 Pepper Poppers.
Shooter starts at the forward vision barrier, shoots through a low port and then backs up while engaging 3 IPSC targets. At the uprange edge of the large shooting box, 3 other IPSC targets may be engaged after moving to the other side of a fence which breaks the box into 2 lanes. Finally, having moved back to the downrange vision barrier, complete the stage while shooting through the other low port.
You can see the original YouTube video here.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Pistol Caliber Carbine Match - TCGC May 5
Tri-County Gun Club in Sherwood, Oregon, has lately been attempting to put on either a "Practical Shotgun" or a "Pistol Caliber Carbine" during most months. This month was a "Carbine" match on the first Saturday of May - Cinco de Mayo.
I had planned to shoot the match with my Mech Tech in .45acp caliber, but my Tasco Pro-Point I scope came up croppers the morning of the match with dead batteries. I had used it last month to show off to a co-worker, and neither of us had thought to turn the scope completely off when we were done. This is illustrative of the One Good Reason why battery-driven sights are Not Good.
When you really need them, they are invariably Toes Up.
I realized this at 7am on the morning of the match, and spent 2 hours driving 85 miles because I stopped at every convenience store on the way looking for a place which stocked these very different batteries. I didn't find one -- ONE -- on the trip.
What the heck, I decided to complete the trip so I could at least watch the match, maybe even get some pictures.
When I arrived at 9:30 am (a half-hour after the match was scheduled to start), I discovered that they were still setting up the six VERY challenging stages and nobody had started shooting yet.
I talked to The Hobo Brasser and explained my quandary. He replied: "I have plenty of ammunition, why don't you just use my gun?"
I accepted his generous offer before he had a chance to change his mind, and signed up for the match (and paid my $17 fee ... which included a 'tear-down' charge) immediately.
The 'tear-down' charge deserves comment.
In the Columbia-Cascade (CCS) Section of USPSA, match fees typically run about $15. Recently, the three clubs (ARPC, Dundee and TCGC) have established crews to tear down the stages and put away the targets and props. They charge an extra (not optional) two dollars to the match fees, adn when you're done shooting ... you can go home!
As it turned out, only about a dozen shooters showed up for THIS match, so the tear-down crew only shared $24 for their half-hour extra labor. But it encourages shooters to come out to the NEXT match, when they know that they don't have to work after the match has finished.
(Note that the last match in CCS, which was a Classifier match at Dundee, there were 70 shooters. This provided $140 to be shared among the two people who volunteered to tear down the stages. Not bad wages for a half-hour's work.)
The idea of a Pistol-caliber Carbine Match is that it provides a venue where you can use a notational rifle to shoot what is essentially an IPSC match, which is in turn an excuse to buy another gun.
Works for me.
I bought the Mech Tech last year just so I could shoot these matches. But I didn't count on the gun being hors de Combat in the actual event, which leads me back to the borrowing of Hobo's Beretta "Storm" CX4 9mm carbine.
The Beretta is currently available in 9mm, and is (supposedly) also available in several other calibers as well. To my surprise, the 9mm version using commercially loaded ammunition is entirely adequate to knock down plates and pepper poppers at 30 meters distance, and is still accurate at 50 meters distance.
Several of the people in my squad were using AR15 variants in 9mm, and although they had to modify their hi-cap (30+ round) magazines to fit the magazine well, they found that their carbines functioned reliably and got accurate hits at the distances involved in the stages designed by Gary "The Tool Man".
Note that Gary has been MD of several matches of this type in the past six months, and they are typified by high-round-count and accuracy-intensive designs. As an example, he puts a lot of bowling pins on the stages, at sometimes extreme distances. He also includes 4" square plates at distances out to 50 meters. This is an extreme challenge, and most of the competitors opted to use the electronic dot-sights to provide quick acquisition of tiny targets at extreme ranges.
Of the many minor events which (as is typical of IPSC matches) made the day interesting even for knowledgeable spectators, I note that Norm the Ungrateful quit after 3 stages. His own Beretta Storm was not retaining magazines reliably. The Hobo brasser faced the same challenge, but he had already learned from David (no nickname) that there was a 'fix' for this design oversight. The specifications for this are available at a previous post, here.
Ultimately, the story is that I not only got to shoot the match, but I now hunger for a 9mm Beretta 'Storm' of my own. The carbine is quick, accurate, reliable and user friendly.
It's also Star Wars sexy.
To illustrate what the Beretta "Storm" (CX4) can do in the hands of a Fat Old Man (in which category I definately claim membership), I offer this video of The Hobo Brasser shooting it in the first stage of the day:
This makes more sense when you realize that the Theme of the match was "Miami Vice", the 1980's Television show.
I had planned to shoot the match with my Mech Tech in .45acp caliber, but my Tasco Pro-Point I scope came up croppers the morning of the match with dead batteries. I had used it last month to show off to a co-worker, and neither of us had thought to turn the scope completely off when we were done. This is illustrative of the One Good Reason why battery-driven sights are Not Good.
When you really need them, they are invariably Toes Up.
I realized this at 7am on the morning of the match, and spent 2 hours driving 85 miles because I stopped at every convenience store on the way looking for a place which stocked these very different batteries. I didn't find one -- ONE -- on the trip.
What the heck, I decided to complete the trip so I could at least watch the match, maybe even get some pictures.
When I arrived at 9:30 am (a half-hour after the match was scheduled to start), I discovered that they were still setting up the six VERY challenging stages and nobody had started shooting yet.
I talked to The Hobo Brasser and explained my quandary. He replied: "I have plenty of ammunition, why don't you just use my gun?"
I accepted his generous offer before he had a chance to change his mind, and signed up for the match (and paid my $17 fee ... which included a 'tear-down' charge) immediately.
The 'tear-down' charge deserves comment.
In the Columbia-Cascade (CCS) Section of USPSA, match fees typically run about $15. Recently, the three clubs (ARPC, Dundee and TCGC) have established crews to tear down the stages and put away the targets and props. They charge an extra (not optional) two dollars to the match fees, adn when you're done shooting ... you can go home!
As it turned out, only about a dozen shooters showed up for THIS match, so the tear-down crew only shared $24 for their half-hour extra labor. But it encourages shooters to come out to the NEXT match, when they know that they don't have to work after the match has finished.
(Note that the last match in CCS, which was a Classifier match at Dundee, there were 70 shooters. This provided $140 to be shared among the two people who volunteered to tear down the stages. Not bad wages for a half-hour's work.)
The idea of a Pistol-caliber Carbine Match is that it provides a venue where you can use a notational rifle to shoot what is essentially an IPSC match, which is in turn an excuse to buy another gun.
Works for me.
I bought the Mech Tech last year just so I could shoot these matches. But I didn't count on the gun being hors de Combat in the actual event, which leads me back to the borrowing of Hobo's Beretta "Storm" CX4 9mm carbine.
The Beretta is currently available in 9mm, and is (supposedly) also available in several other calibers as well. To my surprise, the 9mm version using commercially loaded ammunition is entirely adequate to knock down plates and pepper poppers at 30 meters distance, and is still accurate at 50 meters distance.
Several of the people in my squad were using AR15 variants in 9mm, and although they had to modify their hi-cap (30+ round) magazines to fit the magazine well, they found that their carbines functioned reliably and got accurate hits at the distances involved in the stages designed by Gary "The Tool Man".
Note that Gary has been MD of several matches of this type in the past six months, and they are typified by high-round-count and accuracy-intensive designs. As an example, he puts a lot of bowling pins on the stages, at sometimes extreme distances. He also includes 4" square plates at distances out to 50 meters. This is an extreme challenge, and most of the competitors opted to use the electronic dot-sights to provide quick acquisition of tiny targets at extreme ranges.
Of the many minor events which (as is typical of IPSC matches) made the day interesting even for knowledgeable spectators, I note that Norm the Ungrateful quit after 3 stages. His own Beretta Storm was not retaining magazines reliably. The Hobo brasser faced the same challenge, but he had already learned from David (no nickname) that there was a 'fix' for this design oversight. The specifications for this are available at a previous post, here.
Ultimately, the story is that I not only got to shoot the match, but I now hunger for a 9mm Beretta 'Storm' of my own. The carbine is quick, accurate, reliable and user friendly.
It's also Star Wars sexy.
To illustrate what the Beretta "Storm" (CX4) can do in the hands of a Fat Old Man (in which category I definately claim membership), I offer this video of The Hobo Brasser shooting it in the first stage of the day:
This makes more sense when you realize that the Theme of the match was "Miami Vice", the 1980's Television show.
Guest Blog: CX4 Beretta Storm Magazine Adaption
Guest Blogger: The Hobo Brasser
(Click on the Image for link to Defense.com review of the Beretta CX4 Storm Carbine.)
It appears by disassembly and close examination, that Beretta may have forgotten a small bend in the magazine catch spring. The hole that the short end of the spring goes into is actually molded on an angle, and it appears that they forgot to bend the spring in the same approximate angle, and is not correctly seating into the hole.
I made a slight adjustment bend to the spring, and everything is working perfectly, and now has a very strong and smooth button, and NO slop and the mag is now being held properly. This will now let the catch properly grab the magazine for a sure grip.
When everyone's mag catch is not fully catching, the mags slip out and end up bending the catch.
While you have everything disassembled, slide out the little metal catch and turn it around for a NEW START.
Who Needs To do this?
Anyone who feels any lateral slop in their magazine catch button. Even if your magazines are staying in the gun at this time, eventually (soon) you may experience the dropping problem.
Disassembly pictures can be found at http://www.tacticalexcellence.com/ in the Gallery section.
http://home.wi.rr.com/drdanke/magproblem1.jpg
(http://svr20.thump.net/1190199/drdanke/images/magproblem1.jpg)
Geek Visual Additions, from the cited webpage:
Here's how the spring can be seen in the assembled state.
Here's how it looks in the removed magazine release
Click on the images for a close-up view.
(Click on the Image for link to Defense.com review of the Beretta CX4 Storm Carbine.)
It appears by disassembly and close examination, that Beretta may have forgotten a small bend in the magazine catch spring. The hole that the short end of the spring goes into is actually molded on an angle, and it appears that they forgot to bend the spring in the same approximate angle, and is not correctly seating into the hole.
I made a slight adjustment bend to the spring, and everything is working perfectly, and now has a very strong and smooth button, and NO slop and the mag is now being held properly. This will now let the catch properly grab the magazine for a sure grip.
When everyone's mag catch is not fully catching, the mags slip out and end up bending the catch.
While you have everything disassembled, slide out the little metal catch and turn it around for a NEW START.
Who Needs To do this?
Anyone who feels any lateral slop in their magazine catch button. Even if your magazines are staying in the gun at this time, eventually (soon) you may experience the dropping problem.
Disassembly pictures can be found at http://www.tacticalexcellence.com/ in the Gallery section.
http://home.wi.rr.com/drdanke/magproblem1.jpg
(http://svr20.thump.net/1190199/drdanke/images/magproblem1.jpg)
Geek Visual Additions, from the cited webpage:
Here's how the spring can be seen in the assembled state.
Here's how it looks in the removed magazine release
Click on the images for a close-up view.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
My Generation!
A remake of The Who's hit, by "The Zimmers".
The average age of the band is 78 years.
Hat Tip: Kim Kommando
The average age of the band is 78 years.
"Hope I die before I get old!"
Hat Tip: Kim Kommando
Trigger Fingers: 1 is good, 2 is not-good
Somebody doesn't know much about guns.
Ian Rankin is not a bad writer. He's very big in the UK, I understand.
Well, they haven't had legal handguns there for ... what, a decade?
In the process, they've become even more out-of-touch with the principles of gun-handling than the American Main-Stream Media.
For those of you who are at a loss when presented with the question "What's Wrong With This Picture", the answer is -- if you need two fingers to pull the trigger, give it up. You won't hit anything anyway.
Oddly enough, this was the cover illustration for Rankin's 1993 book "Witch Hunt", about a female assassin. (This is actually the cover for the 2004 republished edition.)
Ah my, The Brits. I love 'em, but they don't have much of an IPSC program there any more, y'know.
Ian Rankin is not a bad writer. He's very big in the UK, I understand.
Well, they haven't had legal handguns there for ... what, a decade?
In the process, they've become even more out-of-touch with the principles of gun-handling than the American Main-Stream Media.
For those of you who are at a loss when presented with the question "What's Wrong With This Picture", the answer is -- if you need two fingers to pull the trigger, give it up. You won't hit anything anyway.
Oddly enough, this was the cover illustration for Rankin's 1993 book "Witch Hunt", about a female assassin. (This is actually the cover for the 2004 republished edition.)
Ah my, The Brits. I love 'em, but they don't have much of an IPSC program there any more, y'know.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
It's a Whole Lot More Important
The Hobo Brasser sent me this video, and I'm including it here because ... well, the title says it all.
The story line of this ABC Television video is that a Texas man has made it his priority, "300 days a year", to go to the DFW airport every day with as many people he can talk into accompanying him, to meet the plane carrying American military service men and women as they return from active duty in a combat zone.
This video struck an intensely personal note in my heart, because when I returned from VietNam in 1969 the only person present to gladly greet me was my wife. Not that I didn't appreciate her welcome, but I remember thinking about the ticker-tape parades and brass bands of World War II veerans, and wondering whether there was something about my service which was less honorable than theirs.
At least these military men and women will not be haunted by this doubt, that their military service is unappreciated, for the rest of their lives.
This is also available in the original 6mb download here.
The story line of this ABC Television video is that a Texas man has made it his priority, "300 days a year", to go to the DFW airport every day with as many people he can talk into accompanying him, to meet the plane carrying American military service men and women as they return from active duty in a combat zone.
This video struck an intensely personal note in my heart, because when I returned from VietNam in 1969 the only person present to gladly greet me was my wife. Not that I didn't appreciate her welcome, but I remember thinking about the ticker-tape parades and brass bands of World War II veerans, and wondering whether there was something about my service which was less honorable than theirs.
At least these military men and women will not be haunted by this doubt, that their military service is unappreciated, for the rest of their lives.
This is also available in the original 6mb download here.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Target Control
We're all aware of the ongoing "Gun Control" movement. That is, an organized effort (at levels from municipal to the United Nations) to deprive private citizens from owning, possessing and [gasp!] carrying firearms.
But how many of us are aware of "Target Control"?
Well, those of us who are members, however removed, of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) are aware that some targets are just NOT acceptable to some individuals, some NGOs ("Non-Governmental Organizations"), and some governments.
As an example, there are governments in this sad world which WILL allow its citizens to shoot at paper targets ... reluctantly, and with many restrictions ... but will NOT allow its citizens to shoot at 'humanoid targets'. That is, any target which however vaguely represents the human profile.
And as a consequence, IPSC several years ago designed and published the design for a "Classic" target (left), which looks much like a stop sign, for use in countries where it is illegal to shoot at a "Metric" target (right), which looks much like a Human.
In point of fact, in IPSC it's not only a matter of human-shaped targets, it's also a matter of 'perceptions based on scale. There are two metal targets in common use at IPSC matches which have a vertically rectilinear shape with a circular extrusion in the top third of the target.
These are called "Pepper Poppers". They come in two sizes: large, and small. The small target (called the "US POPPER") was advocated to represent a (larger) Pepper Popper as it would be seen at a greater distance.
It's not "politically correct" to present the two sizes together on the same stage.
Why?
Because someone commented that it "looks like a momma and her children", and as soon as that comment became widely known, IPSC Management (either International, Regional or Local) began to make rules forbidding their consanguinity.
Or should that be "Propinquity". I often get these big words mixed up.
Apparently, IPSC Management doesn't know the difference, either.
__________________________
Now that we have established the tendency of IPSC Management to concern itself with Political Correctness, let us discuss the legitimacy of the Texas Star.
I've recently been featuring a new variant on that target, which I have dubbed "The Evil Oregon Star". It's a shameless steal from "Some Other Folks", you can see the trail of controversy in recent posts and the link to the original design is found here, with due credit to the original post found at the Brian Enos Forum.
This design was noted by local mad-man Evil Bill, who immediately set out to build his own version. It was featured in an article here called Evil Bill's Oregon Star, featuring a YouTube video of ten seconds duration.
I checked my blogstats the day after that article was posted. In the first 24 hours, I had over 600 hits on that article as the entry point. Over 520 of those entries came from a forum called Canadian Gun Nutz (registration required) under the title " The most Evil IPSC traget array to date" (sic).
In a word, IPSC people are "interested" in a new, challenging target.
Early comments mentioned favorably the challenge of shooting what is essentially a Texas Star, with a 'windmill' array tacked on the back with four paper targets ... rotating in the opposite direction.
Within 9 hours, someone posted a reference to "carnival" stages, which I assume is a slightly derogatory reference to stages which are not purely 'practical' in nature. (Give that I've been competing in IPSC matches since 1983, and in the intervening years I have watched the sport veer wildly from the original 'practical' stages such as the venerable "El President" stage, I can only assume that this term refers to any stage which looks more like a carnival shooting gallery than a representation of the scenario which a person might reasonably engage when, for example, meeting the President of a South American Country and his two bodyguards and having to engage each with two rounds and then inexplicably having to reload even though I may have started with a race-gun loaded with a 25-round magazine.)
I know, that parenthetical comment was a run-on sentence. I don't care. The artificial restrictions on run-on sentences are discouraged because they are difficult to read, and the goal of good writing is to be easy to read.
But it does illustrate the difference between good writing and good shooting. Good shooting is not suppose to be easy. Whether a stage is colorful, challenging or looks like a small-scale Ferris wheel doesn't necessarily detract from the value of the stage.
Here's the deal:
As the dialogue continued (over 50 posts so far), the tone of the conversation changed from a tentative awe at the complexity of the shooting problem to the question of whether this target array or, in fact, the TEXAS STAR was legally permissible according to IPSC.
I posted to the forum, and mentioned my surprise that someone may question the acceptability of the Texas Star as a legal target. The first response:
The next day, the only response I had received was:
Another member replied:
You've got to question whether this is just local/section level decisions based on 'expectations', or whether someone is talking to IPSC Management. I know that's the big question in MY mind.
So I'm signing on to the IPSC Forum to see if I can find some reference to Texas Star.
I find "The Official IPSC Forum" is called "Global Village" with the URL of http://ipsc.invisionzone.com/
The progenitor of this forum?
Vince Pinto.
Here is the sequence of "authoritative" comments from The Official IPSC Forum. The topic:
Texas Star, Can I Use It In Level III Competition: (Registration Required)
Source: Velilzar, 4 Apr 2006
Response from An Authoritative Source (IPSC Canada):
Here's another thread from the Official IPSC Forum, only coincidentally started on 10 APR. 2006:
What makes a "Legal" target array?
Wait a minute, Vince Pinto (in his capacity as Official IPSC World Forum Moderator) quoted Vince Pinto (in his capacity as Official IPSC Secretary) as his justification for closing the thread.
Can he do that?
Well, I guess so.
Vince Pinto apparently not only owns the OFFICIAL IPSC World Forum, but also owns IPSC. It's his Forum, it's his International Practical Shooting Confederation, and it's his Big Dick. He can do anything he wants.
Three words immediately occur:
Even Vinny can't find a rule which will support his position, but still he seems comfortable with Rule by Fiat.
Dare we mention that he can't even agree with himself?
Vinny, my dear friend ... it isn't easy being you, is it?
__________________________________
Note: I offer my most abject apologies for not having noticed this situation earlier. I'm not doing my job. Fact is, I have avoided The Official IPSC World Forum for YEARS, because it is the love child of ... Vince Pinto.
But how many of us are aware of "Target Control"?
Well, those of us who are members, however removed, of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) are aware that some targets are just NOT acceptable to some individuals, some NGOs ("Non-Governmental Organizations"), and some governments.
As an example, there are governments in this sad world which WILL allow its citizens to shoot at paper targets ... reluctantly, and with many restrictions ... but will NOT allow its citizens to shoot at 'humanoid targets'. That is, any target which however vaguely represents the human profile.
And as a consequence, IPSC several years ago designed and published the design for a "Classic" target (left), which looks much like a stop sign, for use in countries where it is illegal to shoot at a "Metric" target (right), which looks much like a Human.
In point of fact, in IPSC it's not only a matter of human-shaped targets, it's also a matter of 'perceptions based on scale. There are two metal targets in common use at IPSC matches which have a vertically rectilinear shape with a circular extrusion in the top third of the target.
These are called "Pepper Poppers". They come in two sizes: large, and small. The small target (called the "US POPPER") was advocated to represent a (larger) Pepper Popper as it would be seen at a greater distance.
It's not "politically correct" to present the two sizes together on the same stage.
Why?
Because someone commented that it "looks like a momma and her children", and as soon as that comment became widely known, IPSC Management (either International, Regional or Local) began to make rules forbidding their consanguinity.
Or should that be "Propinquity". I often get these big words mixed up.
Apparently, IPSC Management doesn't know the difference, either.
__________________________
Now that we have established the tendency of IPSC Management to concern itself with Political Correctness, let us discuss the legitimacy of the Texas Star.
I've recently been featuring a new variant on that target, which I have dubbed "The Evil Oregon Star". It's a shameless steal from "Some Other Folks", you can see the trail of controversy in recent posts and the link to the original design is found here, with due credit to the original post found at the Brian Enos Forum.
This design was noted by local mad-man Evil Bill, who immediately set out to build his own version. It was featured in an article here called Evil Bill's Oregon Star, featuring a YouTube video of ten seconds duration.
I checked my blogstats the day after that article was posted. In the first 24 hours, I had over 600 hits on that article as the entry point. Over 520 of those entries came from a forum called Canadian Gun Nutz (registration required) under the title " The most Evil IPSC traget array to date" (sic).
In a word, IPSC people are "interested" in a new, challenging target.
Please don't assume that ANY of the following comments are intended as a reflection on the members of this forum. I've been a member of this forum since January, 2005, and while I haven't been a regular 'contributing' participant I have enjoyed 'lurking' until the discussion focused on this article which I posted in my own blog.
Early comments mentioned favorably the challenge of shooting what is essentially a Texas Star, with a 'windmill' array tacked on the back with four paper targets ... rotating in the opposite direction.
Within 9 hours, someone posted a reference to "carnival" stages, which I assume is a slightly derogatory reference to stages which are not purely 'practical' in nature. (Give that I've been competing in IPSC matches since 1983, and in the intervening years I have watched the sport veer wildly from the original 'practical' stages such as the venerable "El President" stage, I can only assume that this term refers to any stage which looks more like a carnival shooting gallery than a representation of the scenario which a person might reasonably engage when, for example, meeting the President of a South American Country and his two bodyguards and having to engage each with two rounds and then inexplicably having to reload even though I may have started with a race-gun loaded with a 25-round magazine.)
I know, that parenthetical comment was a run-on sentence. I don't care. The artificial restrictions on run-on sentences are discouraged because they are difficult to read, and the goal of good writing is to be easy to read.
But it does illustrate the difference between good writing and good shooting. Good shooting is not suppose to be easy. Whether a stage is colorful, challenging or looks like a small-scale Ferris wheel doesn't necessarily detract from the value of the stage.
Here's the deal:
As the dialogue continued (over 50 posts so far), the tone of the conversation changed from a tentative awe at the complexity of the shooting problem to the question of whether this target array or, in fact, the TEXAS STAR was legally permissible according to IPSC.
I posted to the forum, and mentioned my surprise that someone may question the acceptability of the Texas Star as a legal target. The first response:
"No suggestion. Fact. Try and submit a match with it to IPSC (NOT USPSA) for approval. You'll find out pretty quick.My reply was a request for someone -- anyone -- to cite the rules by which IPSC had made this determination.
USPSA picks and chooses which IPSC rules they want to use; so in the US, you're probably GTG."
The next day, the only response I had received was:
I suggested that the source was not as definitive as a citation to the rule book, and subsequent responses indicated that they were not acceptable in Level III matches. Eventually someone stated:
There was a big discussion about this on the IPSC World forum. Vince Pinto had said that any L3 with a Texas Star would not be sanctioned.
I just received the word from our section coordinator. No t-star in any match above level 1 ( He just received the official notification)So the t-star must be pulled from the match.
Another member replied:
I'll double check my email when I get to work in the morning...but I'm pretty sure Level 1's would be out as well (any IPSC sanctioned match)At this point (five days after the original post), nobody has been able to cite a rule which would ban the Texas Star (let alone the Evil Oregon Star) from IPSC competition.
You've got to question whether this is just local/section level decisions based on 'expectations', or whether someone is talking to IPSC Management. I know that's the big question in MY mind.
So I'm signing on to the IPSC Forum to see if I can find some reference to Texas Star.
I find "The Official IPSC Forum" is called "Global Village" with the URL of http://ipsc.invisionzone.com/
The progenitor of this forum?
Vince Pinto.
Here is the sequence of "authoritative" comments from The Official IPSC Forum. The topic:
Texas Star, Can I Use It In Level III Competition: (Registration Required)
When looking through some stage designes (sic)I have often come accross (sic) a target called Texas star. As I have never seen it in our region I would like to know something more about it.For example what is it like,how does it react when hit,is it still or moving,how can I construct such one ?
Source: Velilzar, 4 Apr 2006
- Nobody Important, from Bulgaria
Response from An Authoritative Source (IPSC Canada):
I understand that Texas Stars can be great fun to shoot.Source: Neil Beverly - 4 Apr, 2006
However, they are unlikely to be approved for IPSC matches because they are more of a gimmick than a true IPSC "practical" target.
Certainly as the IPSC Shotgun Course Reviewer I wouldn't approve a stage that included a Texas Star.
If you want want a Texas Star for fun shoots at your club I'm sure you will get some useful feedback from other members.
- IPSC Shotgun Rules Chairman
- Resident of "UK"
- IPSC President's Council
- IROA Executive Committee
- USPSA member
- ... and other citations
I urge you, especially being a new Region, not to bother spending time and money making a Texas Star. Some people might think it's fun to shoot but, as Neil Beverley has already cautioned, you won't get IPSC Level III or higher sanctioning for any match which includes a Texas Star, because it's considered to be a "carnival" prop.Vince Pinto, 6 APR 2006, responding to an IPSC member from Bulgaria
- IPSC Secretary
I can assure you swingers and gravity turners are found at Level III + Matches .. WSXIV had an assortment of movers, single swingers, double swingers, gravity turners ..Kevin, 7 Apr., 2006
I shot a Level III Match in Feb, which had a total of 24 Swingers in 12 stages ..
In the context of an IPSC Stage, what does the Texas Star simulate ?
- Nobody special, just Member #63 from Singapore
Hey Kevin,Source: Vince Pinto, 7 Apr. 2006
Did you notice how the Texas Star is being defended by ....... Texans?
Of course they're also responsible for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, so I guess they're not all crazy! Must only be the ones from Austin & Houston?
- IPSC Secretary, from Hong Kong
Here's another thread from the Official IPSC Forum, only coincidentally started on 10 APR. 2006:
What makes a "Legal" target array?
The question put before this bunch of stalwart and true gentleman and gentlewomen is this:Source: Alex, 20 APR 2006
What makes a legal target array?
In another thread the question was raised, but not answered beyond the famous American politician quote about pornography ("...I will know it when I see it").
Some think that a target array has to be "practical" (vice "carnival") to be legal. However, there is no definition of "practical" (or "carnival") target arrays to be found in the rule book. Either the one half the world's shooters use, or the amended one that the other half of the world's shooters use (sic)
- Nobody (apparently) important. Sorry ... Important! (From Ankara, Turkey)
.....the moderators edit fast around here.Source: Mike, 10 APR 2006gif" border="0">
I thought Alex had a good question before his post was cut to 1/10 of what he wrote.
My reply to this thread is below as this issue has been bubbling for a while and I am no nearer understanding it.
I am sure I will be the unfortunate victim of some more swift moderatinggif" border="0">
---------------------------------------------
I think I am just as confused as some others here to be honest about what EXACTLY is an IPSC suitable way of thinking, as compared to one that would not be in the 'SPIRIT' of IPSC. This is not written down or taught anywhere. We hear from our well informed and experianced (sic) Moderators as to their views, but without this being documented its very hard trying to gauge the mentality or the methodology behind this ethos.
On one hand IPSC is trying to distance itself away from non PC self defence scenarios but on the other hand phrases are used where we are trying to still use this basis: hence I am confused.
- Nobody "Important" (from UK)
The thread was closed because the IPSC Secretary stated the official IPSC policy in respect of the Texas Star, namely that proposing use of such a target will cause Level III or higher sanctioning to be denied, and a further statement was made explaining the procedure necessary for that policy to be reversed.Source: Vince Pinto, 11 APR 2006
If you (or anybody else, for that matter) think the subject target is so fascinating, you're free to use it to your heart's content, but IPSC is also free to deny any application for Level III sanctioning. By the same token, if you want to host a match requiring that blackpowder (sic) guns be used exclusively, you're also free to do so, but that match will also be denied IPSC sanctioning.
Bottom line: Your "rights" do not trump IPSC's "rights".
- IPSC Secretary
Wait a minute, Vince Pinto (in his capacity as Official IPSC World Forum Moderator) quoted Vince Pinto (in his capacity as Official IPSC Secretary) as his justification for closing the thread.
Can he do that?
Well, I guess so.
Vince Pinto apparently not only owns the OFFICIAL IPSC World Forum, but also owns IPSC. It's his Forum, it's his International Practical Shooting Confederation, and it's his Big Dick. He can do anything he wants.
Three words immediately occur:
- Arbitrary
- Unilateral
- Autocratic
Even Vinny can't find a rule which will support his position, but still he seems comfortable with Rule by Fiat.
Dare we mention that he can't even agree with himself?
Vinny, my dear friend ... it isn't easy being you, is it?
__________________________________
Note: I offer my most abject apologies for not having noticed this situation earlier. I'm not doing my job. Fact is, I have avoided The Official IPSC World Forum for YEARS, because it is the love child of ... Vince Pinto.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Evil Oregon Star 0 - Presenting the Evil Oregon Star
The Evil Oregon Star is a new event on the horizon of Practical Pistol Competition in the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA), so you may have some questions about it.
This short video (also available as a 6mb download from Jerry The Geek's Video Shooting Gallery) may be a first step in understanding what's so Evil about this Star.
The first segment depicts the Match Walkthrough in the April 28, 2007, match at Dundee Oregon where it is first presented as a 'fun stage' in Dundee's annual Classifier match. Note the "Quote of the Day":
The second (short) segment shows the response when it is first presented to the squads.
The third segment shows how to reset the target array, in its present configuration.
Note that this video is not only available through You Tube, but is also available in its full (6mb) WMV format at Jerry the Geek's Video Shooting Gallery.
Other links to this target are:
Evil Oregon Star 1: Geek's Bane
Evil Oregon Star 2: The Movie
Evil Bill's Oregon Star
.
This short video (also available as a 6mb download from Jerry The Geek's Video Shooting Gallery) may be a first step in understanding what's so Evil about this Star.
The first segment depicts the Match Walkthrough in the April 28, 2007, match at Dundee Oregon where it is first presented as a 'fun stage' in Dundee's annual Classifier match. Note the "Quote of the Day":
"Is this because too many new shooters are staying with the sport?"
The second (short) segment shows the response when it is first presented to the squads.
The third segment shows how to reset the target array, in its present configuration.
Note that this video is not only available through You Tube, but is also available in its full (6mb) WMV format at Jerry the Geek's Video Shooting Gallery.
Other links to this target are:
Evil Oregon Star 1: Geek's Bane
Evil Oregon Star 2: The Movie
Evil Bill's Oregon Star
.
Evil Oregon Star 1: Geek's Bane
An earlier article (Evil Oregon Star 2: The Movie) showed how ten competitors handled the Evil Oregon Star, creative brain child of Evil Bill.
The video below shows the entire stage. The purpose is to provide a context in which the Evil Star is only one element.
The competitor is Jerry the Geek, who hasnt' hit the plate on the first shot in six out of the last ten stages in which it was presented. Still, it's a short video.
This video is also available as a 6mb download from Jerry the Geek's Shooting Gallery, as are all videos and phots from this match and ANY video or picture displayed here.
Other articles in this series are:
Evil Oregon Star 0 (Presenting The Evil Oregon Star)
Evil Oregon Star 2 (The Movie)
Evil Bill's Oregon Star
(Note: links available at the last location will provide a deeper exploration of the Genesis of the Evil Oregon Star)
The video below shows the entire stage. The purpose is to provide a context in which the Evil Star is only one element.
The competitor is Jerry the Geek, who hasnt' hit the plate on the first shot in six out of the last ten stages in which it was presented. Still, it's a short video.
This video is also available as a 6mb download from Jerry the Geek's Shooting Gallery, as are all videos and phots from this match and ANY video or picture displayed here.
Other articles in this series are:
Evil Oregon Star 0 (Presenting The Evil Oregon Star)
Evil Oregon Star 2 (The Movie)
Evil Bill's Oregon Star
(Note: links available at the last location will provide a deeper exploration of the Genesis of the Evil Oregon Star)
Evil Oregon Star 2: The Movie
It has been four days since I posted the 'breadboard' video of Evil Bill's Texas Star ... arbitrarily designated (by me) the "Evil Oregon Star". As anticipated, Evil Bill set it up as a 'fun stage' during the Dundee Annual Classifier match, we shot it, and we were indeed intimidated.
In truth, there are no significant differences between the Evil Oregon Star and the Texas Star, except that the Evil Star provides serious penalties for missing the plates.
Those of you who say the original post have already postulated the problems inherent in the design, and you have been proved right in many of your cautionary notes.
The lessons provided by the experience have been carefully noted, and the designer ("Evil Bill") was kind enough to stop by during the match and discuss them with me.
Early in the match ... while the second squad was shooting that stage, Bill mentioned:
"Yes, we're getting a lot of splatter from both the angle-iron on the part of the arm that holds the plate, and it's tearing up the paper targets in the background. We're also seeing a lot of hits on the two rods (leading from the axle to the plate) and that also tears up the cardboard IPSC targets. So far, we haven't had any problems with the plates hitting the cardboard. They're dropping clean to the ground. As for the weight (the blue-painted cylinder that initiates the movement), I never thought it would be a problem and it isn't."
By the time we got to that stage ... we were the fourth squad to shoot it, Bill's evaluation had changed significantly. Note that there were about 70 shooters distributed into six squads in this Club Match, so he had a lot of information from which to draw his conclusions. The product of this testing is an entire new design, which Bill was able to evolve while he was watching other people shoot the stage.
Bill said he will re-engineer the target so he has the new (version 2.0) design ready for the May match. If he says so, it will happen.
He also said that if anyone wants to build a similar target, they can "EM" (E-Mail) him and he will send them the parts list.
He said that before he realized that it required an extensive re-design, so if you are inclined to build your own Evil Oregon Star, you may email him but don't be surprised if it takes him a while to evolve an updated parts list. This is a project in development, and sometimes it takes a lot of field testing before the best design is available. (Bill didn't say that; I said that.)
I plan to provide three articles based on the Evil Oregon Star.
Evil 00: Presenting The Evil Oregon Star
This features a video of the Match Walk-through, including comments from the competitors (note especially the "Quote Of The Day". Also, there is a short vignette when the squad I was in walked through the stage, and a third part where the squad is taping targets, replacing plates and setting up the initiating mechanism on the star.
Evil 01: Geeks Bane - The Evil Oregon Star Stage
This is a short video showing the entire stage in which the Evil Oregon Star is only another target array. It provides a perspective for those who wonder how important the Star might be compared to the other targets. In the actual event, you may decide that this is not the part of the stage which slows the shooter down.
Evil Oregon Star 2: The Movie
That would be THIS article. I've included a (YouTube) video which suggests that some people can get past this stage without many more problems than would be presented with just a Texas Star. Others may find that the Evil Oregon Star is ... I hesitate to say "more intimidating", but at least "more confusing" than the Texas Star.
Now that you've read the preamble, here's how ten competitors fared on The Evil Oregon Star.
Note that this video is also available as a 15mb download from Jerry the Geek's Shooting Gallery. The other videos presented in part 1 and part 2 are also available there.
These videos, and accompanying still photos, may not be available for a couple of days due to the delay in editing and publishing them.
.
In truth, there are no significant differences between the Evil Oregon Star and the Texas Star, except that the Evil Star provides serious penalties for missing the plates.
Those of you who say the original post have already postulated the problems inherent in the design, and you have been proved right in many of your cautionary notes.
The lessons provided by the experience have been carefully noted, and the designer ("Evil Bill") was kind enough to stop by during the match and discuss them with me.
Early in the match ... while the second squad was shooting that stage, Bill mentioned:
"Yes, we're getting a lot of splatter from both the angle-iron on the part of the arm that holds the plate, and it's tearing up the paper targets in the background. We're also seeing a lot of hits on the two rods (leading from the axle to the plate) and that also tears up the cardboard IPSC targets. So far, we haven't had any problems with the plates hitting the cardboard. They're dropping clean to the ground. As for the weight (the blue-painted cylinder that initiates the movement), I never thought it would be a problem and it isn't."
By the time we got to that stage ... we were the fourth squad to shoot it, Bill's evaluation had changed significantly. Note that there were about 70 shooters distributed into six squads in this Club Match, so he had a lot of information from which to draw his conclusions. The product of this testing is an entire new design, which Bill was able to evolve while he was watching other people shoot the stage.
"There are two big problems with this target. First, we're getting way too much splatter from the rounds which hit the supporting arms. I'm going to take off the angle-iron and replace it with a mild steel plate. This should cause the bullets to bounce off instead of splattering the target. In fact, I'm going to weld this plate the length of the supporting arms so the bullets don't hit the rods, either. Most misses which hit the support arms should not hit the targets behind them."
"Second, I was wrong about the way the plates drop. I solid center-hit from a major-power bullet can push the plates back so they hit the targets behind them. This is tearing up the cardboard. I'm going to move the (windmill array, which supports the cardboard targets) back another foot. This will keep the plates from hitting them, and may reduce the effect of 'splatter', too."
Bill said he will re-engineer the target so he has the new (version 2.0) design ready for the May match. If he says so, it will happen.
He also said that if anyone wants to build a similar target, they can "EM" (E-Mail) him and he will send them the parts list.
(You can email him here: billmarrs at verizon dot net ... replace the "at" with "@" and the "dot" with ".")
You can also reach Evil Bill by sending an email to me, at the address shown at the bottom of this page, and I will forward your mail to him. But I really hope you contact him directly!
He said that before he realized that it required an extensive re-design, so if you are inclined to build your own Evil Oregon Star, you may email him but don't be surprised if it takes him a while to evolve an updated parts list. This is a project in development, and sometimes it takes a lot of field testing before the best design is available. (Bill didn't say that; I said that.)
I plan to provide three articles based on the Evil Oregon Star.
Evil 00: Presenting The Evil Oregon Star
This features a video of the Match Walk-through, including comments from the competitors (note especially the "Quote Of The Day". Also, there is a short vignette when the squad I was in walked through the stage, and a third part where the squad is taping targets, replacing plates and setting up the initiating mechanism on the star.
Evil 01: Geeks Bane - The Evil Oregon Star Stage
This is a short video showing the entire stage in which the Evil Oregon Star is only another target array. It provides a perspective for those who wonder how important the Star might be compared to the other targets. In the actual event, you may decide that this is not the part of the stage which slows the shooter down.
Evil Oregon Star 2: The Movie
That would be THIS article. I've included a (YouTube) video which suggests that some people can get past this stage without many more problems than would be presented with just a Texas Star. Others may find that the Evil Oregon Star is ... I hesitate to say "more intimidating", but at least "more confusing" than the Texas Star.
Now that you've read the preamble, here's how ten competitors fared on The Evil Oregon Star.
Note that this video is also available as a 15mb download from Jerry the Geek's Shooting Gallery. The other videos presented in part 1 and part 2 are also available there.
These videos, and accompanying still photos, may not be available for a couple of days due to the delay in editing and publishing them.
.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Book teaches boys how to be 'Dangerous'
Book teaches boys how to be 'Dangerous' - CNN.com
I want to get me one of these!
In fact, I'll get one for each of my children.
They will have it, then, to share with THEIR children, as they get old enough to appreciate the lore.
But I don't think it's just for boys. My grand-daughters are going to enjoy it just as much, I bet.
In the meantime, maybe they'll let me borrow it.
It is available May 1 from Amazon.com for $14.97
I want to get me one of these!
In fact, I'll get one for each of my children.
They will have it, then, to share with THEIR children, as they get old enough to appreciate the lore.
But I don't think it's just for boys. My grand-daughters are going to enjoy it just as much, I bet.
In the meantime, maybe they'll let me borrow it.
It is available May 1 from Amazon.com for $14.97
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Evil Bill's Oregon Star
Last Week (in "Geek's Bane") I warned my fellowIPSC shooters in Oregon's Columbia Cascade Section that our good friend and competitive benefactor, Dundee's "Evil Bill", had taken to heart my warning against the "Evil Star". (NB: this video does NOT show up inNetScape browser, but seems to work in Firefox and IE browsers.)
In return, Evil Bill vowed to modify an existing Texas Star to include added Evil Features.
Okay, it's a done deal and here is what it looks like in Evil Bill's workshop.
You can see the original video provided by Evil Bill here.
(3.02mb download) After this weekend's IPSC match at the Dundee range, I'll set up a sub-album in Jerry the Geek's Shooting Gallery showing how the Evil Oregon Star actually works in a
match.
I note in passing current (IPSC Handgun Competition Rules, USPSA Version, January 2004) USPSA rules include this restriction on target presentation:
This was proposed by IPSC (and subsequently accepted -- egregiously, I think) because the "Classic" target is roughly symmetrical in outline although the higher-scoring zones (eg: the "A-zone" are vertically asymmetrical.
This rule was imposed to the benefit of the competitor, who is often unable to determine the placement of this higher-scoring zone at a sufficient distance from the target. The "Metric" target, typically used inUSPSA competition, does not suffer from this design flaw.
For those who are wondering whether this target is legal under current IPSC / USPSA rules: yes, it is. As presented here, it is not a "static" target. That is, because the targets are moving, the rule does not apply to this target array. (One wonders what outrage would be generated if this target array were presented in anIPSC match when fitted with "Classic", rather than "Metric", targets.)
We in USPSA are encouraged by the recent publication of the draft 2008 USPSA rule book, which corrects this flaw as well as several others which are in the 2004 rule book and which have caused so much confusion and discord inUSPSA matches.
In return, Evil Bill vowed to modify an existing Texas Star to include added Evil Features.
Okay, it's a done deal and here is what it looks like in Evil Bill's workshop.
You can see the original video provided by Evil Bill here.
(3.02mb download) After this weekend's IPSC match at the Dundee range, I'll set up a sub-album in Jerry the Geek's Shooting Gallery showing how the Evil Oregon Star actually works in a
match.
I note in passing current (IPSC Handgun Competition Rules, USPSA Version, January 2004) USPSA rules include this restriction on target presentation:
2.1.8.4 - Static paper targets must not be presented at an angle greater than 90 degrees from the verticle.
This was proposed by IPSC (and subsequently accepted -- egregiously, I think) because the "Classic" target is roughly symmetrical in outline although the higher-scoring zones (eg: the "A-zone" are vertically asymmetrical.
This rule was imposed to the benefit of the competitor, who is often unable to determine the placement of this higher-scoring zone at a sufficient distance from the target. The "Metric" target, typically used inUSPSA competition, does not suffer from this design flaw.
For those who are wondering whether this target is legal under current IPSC / USPSA rules: yes, it is. As presented here, it is not a "static" target. That is, because the targets are moving, the rule does not apply to this target array. (One wonders what outrage would be generated if this target array were presented in anIPSC match when fitted with "Classic", rather than "Metric", targets.)
We in USPSA are encouraged by the recent publication of the draft 2008 USPSA rule book, which corrects this flaw as well as several others which are in the 2004 rule book and which have caused so much confusion and discord inUSPSA matches.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Liberal Americans Think ....?
Liberal Americans think Harry Reid is a Great American, when he's really just a cheese-eating surrender monkey.
Liberal Americans think Alec Baldwin is a fine actor, when he's really a child abuser.
Liberal Americans think Partial Birth Abortion is a legitimate birth-control measure, when it's really murder of a child in the very act of being born.
Liberal Americans think Sheryl Crow is an entertainer, when she's really a barking moonbat who believes using a single sheet of toilet paper to wipe your bottom should be enough for everyone.
(BTW, does anyone know her shipping address? I would like to send her a year's supply of toilet paper - in a #10 business envelope. What? It will only hold 150 sheets of Charmin? That's okay, as long as she doesn't offend herself.)
Liberal Americans think ....?
I think not.
Liberal Americans think Alec Baldwin is a fine actor, when he's really a child abuser.
Liberal Americans think Partial Birth Abortion is a legitimate birth-control measure, when it's really murder of a child in the very act of being born.
Liberal Americans think Sheryl Crow is an entertainer, when she's really a barking moonbat who believes using a single sheet of toilet paper to wipe your bottom should be enough for everyone.
(BTW, does anyone know her shipping address? I would like to send her a year's supply of toilet paper - in a #10 business envelope. What? It will only hold 150 sheets of Charmin? That's okay, as long as she doesn't offend herself.)
Liberal Americans think ....?
I think not.
Monday, April 23, 2007
A Case for Fruit Control
San Mateo Daily Journal
In keeping with my unfortunate tendency to equate gun-control messages with those which support ANY kind of 'hateful' weaponage, I give to you the Case for Fruit Control.
The two high-lighted sentences are probably the most telling:
Pacifica police reported finding asparagus in Adler’s purse at the time of arrest.
Of course, that's prima facea evidence of intent, or ... uh ... something.
“We definitely think this is a hate crime,” he said. “This one is pretty offensive.”
Oh, dear! This one isn't a cross-burning, it's an ingenue with an itch.
"Pretty offensive"?
Please, spare me. The recent events (the VT massacre) provides a standard by which 'offensive' actions may be compared. This one event doesn't even deserve mention, let alone criminal prosecution. I'm sure the Pacifica police department has better things to do.
A Babe with Broccoli ("... and I'm not afraid to use it!") is a joke.
Why do I think that Zero Tolerance has gone mad in Pacifica?
In keeping with my unfortunate tendency to equate gun-control messages with those which support ANY kind of 'hateful' weaponage, I give to you the Case for Fruit Control.
(Emphasis added)Tiffany Adler, 20, appeared in court Friday for the first time since being arrested on two misdemeanor counts of each crime. She pleaded not guilty and asked the court to appoint an attorney. She and her lawyer return to court July 2 for jury trial and she remains free from custody on her own recognizance.
On March 4, Adler reportedly lobbed apples and asparagus at a gay couple walking on the 500 block of Esplanade Drive. The van in which she was riding then turned around and Adler yelled “faggot” at the men, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Pacifica police reported finding asparagus in Adler’s purse at the time of arrest.
Adler reportedly said the couple frequented the grocery store at which she works. She told police she was unaware the victims were gay and her actions were based on a prior conflict rather than discrimination.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe sees it differently.
“We definitely think this is a hate crime,” he said. “This one is pretty offensive.”
If convicted, Adler faces possible jail time and probation.
The two high-lighted sentences are probably the most telling:
Pacifica police reported finding asparagus in Adler’s purse at the time of arrest.
Of course, that's prima facea evidence of intent, or ... uh ... something.
“We definitely think this is a hate crime,” he said. “This one is pretty offensive.”
Oh, dear! This one isn't a cross-burning, it's an ingenue with an itch.
"Pretty offensive"?
Please, spare me. The recent events (the VT massacre) provides a standard by which 'offensive' actions may be compared. This one event doesn't even deserve mention, let alone criminal prosecution. I'm sure the Pacifica police department has better things to do.
A Babe with Broccoli ("... and I'm not afraid to use it!") is a joke.
Why do I think that Zero Tolerance has gone mad in Pacifica?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Mossberg 590: "Buy A Gun Day" 2007
Yeah, I bought the Mossberg ("Security") 590 rather than the Remington 870 shotgun last week, because of the comparisons which I cited in my original post. After a couple of range sessions, I've learned a LOT about this gun and about "Practical Shotgun" issues in general. I have a lot yet to learn, but as of today (my second Range Session with the shotty), I have some new information to bring to the table.
The first thing I have to offer is actually something of a revelation to me, although it shouldn't be.
Even though I've been shooting guns of all types (name a type ... I've shot it, if it was invented before 1970 and it's a man-personal firearm) for fifty + years, I've just learned that I don't know much about what I will henceforth refer to as "Practical Shotgun".
Last Monday, April 16 (the day after I bought the shotgun) I spent about an hour on the range with SWMBO and the 590. First thing I learned is that when you're shooting Buckshot (#4, #00 and #000), that stuff makes a helluva kick. SWMBO said it was 'fun' and I wasn't about to contradict her since it was the first time she ever shot a shotgun and I didn't want to contradict her. But it kicked me around pretty good. I didn't have a bruise, but I had a lot of aches that I couln't account for otherwise.
Today, I met The Hobo Brasser at the Albany Rifle & Pistol Club range and gave the Mossberg a good workout. I shot the 590 with two loads of birdshot ... my #7-1/2 downloaded from 1-1/2 oz to 1 oz of shot, and his #6 birdshot. I also shot his 1100 in 20 gauge, and his autoloader (sorry, I hope The Hobo will tell usthe make and model) 12 gauge semi-auto "Practical Shotgun".
The FIRST thing I learned was not news to me: when you have a shotgun with a rigid stock, and it's too short fora physiognomy which only can be described as a "Beer-bellied Spider Monkey", a slip-on rubber recoil pad can make a HUGE difference!
The second thing I learned is that a shotgun which is sold as a 'security'
shotgun (ie: home defense) with a 20" barrel is NOT to be compared to a Winchester Model 12 "Featherweight" with a 28" + barrel and Birdseye Maple stocks. At least, not in terms of perceived recoil and definately in terms of indexing between targets and MOST definately in terms of pellet pattern when the Model 12 is a Full Choke and the 590 is a smooth-bore no-choke "cylinder" barrel.
I'm minded of the Star Trek movie "Undiscovered Country" here, if only because everthing I thought I knew about shotgun shooting just went out the window.
The Model 12 was set up for bird shooting. It was a fine trap-gun, because with the long full-choke barrel I could take my time shooting Clay Pigeons and pick up the last bird of a double ... often a triple ... when it was no more than 4' off the ground. Back in the '60's I was pretty smug about keeping up with my father's Beretta over/under with modified/IC choke on the trap range. If my fathere was still alive today, he would be chuckling about my new-found modesty. In fact, I can't help but think that he's looking down on me and smirking about my humiliation when the parameters of shotgun shooting have changed so dramatically .... although the word "parameters" would never have occured to him.
What he would have said was: "Kicked your butt, did it? 'Bout time, Boy!"
Yeah, it kicked my butt and it was all my fault.
I wasn't PREPARED for this kind of stuff, darn it!
[whine!]
The thing is, the pump on the 590 is lighter than I was accustomed to (years back, when I used shotguns much more frequently than I have recently) with a much heavier forward slide grip.
With the massive Birds-eye Maple forward slide grip, it was enough just to overcome inertia and get it moving. By the time it got to the end of its travel, it just naturally always locked into battery.
With the much lighter material, you have to muscle the pump to get it to reliably lock into battery, and I haven't got into the habit of SLAMMING the pump forward.
As a consequece, I 'very often' don't have a round completely chambered when I pull the trigger.
And it shows.
The Hobo Brasser was very patient about filming me as I took on a six-plate rack, and I have to say that the first run through worked perfectly. I hit every plate just right, and my trigger speed increased from the first plate to the last.
Unfortunately, there was a 'wardrobe malfunction' with the camera so I don't have a video of a good, clean run.
What I DO have is a whole series of videos where I either missed a plate, or (more frequently) I short-stroked the slide and while I was ready to shoot, the shotgun was not.
No, it's not the fault of the gun. It's just something that I don't consistently do right. Someday I'll get it right, every time. But today, it's just an exhibition of what NOT to do with your Practical Shotgun.
Ultimately, the 'last thing' I learned (but really the 'thing' I should have already realized) is that I need to find a spot on my loading bench where I can install my antiquated Lyman Versa-Mec Progressive Shotshell Reloader.
Lucy, you gotta lot of 'splaining to do.
The first thing I have to offer is actually something of a revelation to me, although it shouldn't be.
When you buy a new gun, you have to practice with it before you can claim any degree of expertise.
Even though I've been shooting guns of all types (name a type ... I've shot it, if it was invented before 1970 and it's a man-personal firearm) for fifty + years, I've just learned that I don't know much about what I will henceforth refer to as "Practical Shotgun".
Last Monday, April 16 (the day after I bought the shotgun) I spent about an hour on the range with SWMBO and the 590. First thing I learned is that when you're shooting Buckshot (#4, #00 and #000), that stuff makes a helluva kick. SWMBO said it was 'fun' and I wasn't about to contradict her since it was the first time she ever shot a shotgun and I didn't want to contradict her. But it kicked me around pretty good. I didn't have a bruise, but I had a lot of aches that I couln't account for otherwise.
Today, I met The Hobo Brasser at the Albany Rifle & Pistol Club range and gave the Mossberg a good workout. I shot the 590 with two loads of birdshot ... my #7-1/2 downloaded from 1-1/2 oz to 1 oz of shot, and his #6 birdshot. I also shot his 1100 in 20 gauge, and his autoloader (sorry, I hope The Hobo will tell usthe make and model) 12 gauge semi-auto "Practical Shotgun".
The FIRST thing I learned was not news to me: when you have a shotgun with a rigid stock, and it's too short fora physiognomy which only can be described as a "Beer-bellied Spider Monkey", a slip-on rubber recoil pad can make a HUGE difference!
The second thing I learned is that a shotgun which is sold as a 'security'
shotgun (ie: home defense) with a 20" barrel is NOT to be compared to a Winchester Model 12 "Featherweight" with a 28" + barrel and Birdseye Maple stocks. At least, not in terms of perceived recoil and definately in terms of indexing between targets and MOST definately in terms of pellet pattern when the Model 12 is a Full Choke and the 590 is a smooth-bore no-choke "cylinder" barrel.
I'm minded of the Star Trek movie "Undiscovered Country" here, if only because everthing I thought I knew about shotgun shooting just went out the window.
The Model 12 was set up for bird shooting. It was a fine trap-gun, because with the long full-choke barrel I could take my time shooting Clay Pigeons and pick up the last bird of a double ... often a triple ... when it was no more than 4' off the ground. Back in the '60's I was pretty smug about keeping up with my father's Beretta over/under with modified/IC choke on the trap range. If my fathere was still alive today, he would be chuckling about my new-found modesty. In fact, I can't help but think that he's looking down on me and smirking about my humiliation when the parameters of shotgun shooting have changed so dramatically .... although the word "parameters" would never have occured to him.
What he would have said was: "Kicked your butt, did it? 'Bout time, Boy!"
Yeah, it kicked my butt and it was all my fault.
I wasn't PREPARED for this kind of stuff, darn it!
[whine!]
The thing is, the pump on the 590 is lighter than I was accustomed to (years back, when I used shotguns much more frequently than I have recently) with a much heavier forward slide grip.
With the massive Birds-eye Maple forward slide grip, it was enough just to overcome inertia and get it moving. By the time it got to the end of its travel, it just naturally always locked into battery.
With the much lighter material, you have to muscle the pump to get it to reliably lock into battery, and I haven't got into the habit of SLAMMING the pump forward.
As a consequece, I 'very often' don't have a round completely chambered when I pull the trigger.
And it shows.
The Hobo Brasser was very patient about filming me as I took on a six-plate rack, and I have to say that the first run through worked perfectly. I hit every plate just right, and my trigger speed increased from the first plate to the last.
Unfortunately, there was a 'wardrobe malfunction' with the camera so I don't have a video of a good, clean run.
What I DO have is a whole series of videos where I either missed a plate, or (more frequently) I short-stroked the slide and while I was ready to shoot, the shotgun was not.
No, it's not the fault of the gun. It's just something that I don't consistently do right. Someday I'll get it right, every time. But today, it's just an exhibition of what NOT to do with your Practical Shotgun.
Ultimately, the 'last thing' I learned (but really the 'thing' I should have already realized) is that I need to find a spot on my loading bench where I can install my antiquated Lyman Versa-Mec Progressive Shotshell Reloader.
Lucy, you gotta lot of 'splaining to do.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Geeks Bane
I never thought I would be grateful to Evil Bill for designing another "Evil Bill stage", but I am so sick of talking about National Tragedies that I find myself in that awkward position.
Do you recall the Evil Texas Star stage I discussed a few weeks ago? It was a Texas Star backed (or alternatively, 'fronted') by a windmill of penalty targets.
You can see the original here (note: may be viewable only on IE, perhaps on FireFox, definately not on Netscape.)
As if the Texas Star was not sufficiently difficult (read: "Evil") taken in combination with a windmill of Penalty Targets it's downright diabolical.
I accept the blame for having thrown the gauntlet at the feet of Evil Bill. As soon as he saw this incredibly ugly target array he declared "I'm gonna make me one of these!"
Apparently, he has done so. He sent me this stage design file this evening, and we can expect to see it at the regularly scheduled Croc Dundee club match on April 28.
It's a dark, dark day when we find ourselves confronted by this.
(Click on the image for full size)
If I understand Evil Bill correctly, we can look forward to engaging this stage design at the nex Dundee Club Match. It's a 21 round, 105 point stage and I suppose we should feel grateful that there are enough points in the stage that a couple of hits on the backing 'penalty targets' just MIGHT not lead to a zero-points stage. That's right. This stage is so Evil that, even though I haven't seen it yet, I'm already in a state of dread.
Shouldn't be this way, right? I mean, all you have to do is hit the target (the plates) and no rounds will impact a penaly.
One things for sure:
It's not going to be boring.
I'll keep you posted.
Do you recall the Evil Texas Star stage I discussed a few weeks ago? It was a Texas Star backed (or alternatively, 'fronted') by a windmill of penalty targets.
You can see the original here (note: may be viewable only on IE, perhaps on FireFox, definately not on Netscape.)
As if the Texas Star was not sufficiently difficult (read: "Evil") taken in combination with a windmill of Penalty Targets it's downright diabolical.
I accept the blame for having thrown the gauntlet at the feet of Evil Bill. As soon as he saw this incredibly ugly target array he declared "I'm gonna make me one of these!"
Apparently, he has done so. He sent me this stage design file this evening, and we can expect to see it at the regularly scheduled Croc Dundee club match on April 28.
It's a dark, dark day when we find ourselves confronted by this.
(Click on the image for full size)
If I understand Evil Bill correctly, we can look forward to engaging this stage design at the nex Dundee Club Match. It's a 21 round, 105 point stage and I suppose we should feel grateful that there are enough points in the stage that a couple of hits on the backing 'penalty targets' just MIGHT not lead to a zero-points stage. That's right. This stage is so Evil that, even though I haven't seen it yet, I'm already in a state of dread.
Shouldn't be this way, right? I mean, all you have to do is hit the target (the plates) and no rounds will impact a penaly.
(Note: if the penalty targets were in FRONT of the five Texas Star plates, and you shot through the penalty targets and hit the plate behind it, this would constitute a Range Equipment Failure which would mandate a reshoot. Uh huh, like I want to shoot this stage more than once in my lifetime.)I'm not sure whether I'm looking forward to this for the challenge, or whether I'm dreading it for ... being a Survival Stage.
One things for sure:
It's not going to be boring.
I'll keep you posted.
LiveJournal dot Com, and Friends
Looking at my readership statistics, I see an amazing amount of traffic from websites which typically appeal to young people who are interested in reading my original post about the Virginia Tech Massacre.
I've backtracked them, I see no links on ANY of the cited blogs. But still, they come here to read even though their websites don't mention the article.
I have no idea WHY they come here, but I am glad they came to share the story.
Many of them, however, comment independently about the question of HOW could this Slaughter of Innocents could have been controlled.
Not 'avoided' ... Evil stalks the land and there is no way to prevent it.
The word is "control", and sometimes these students demonstrate a wisdom beyond their years.
For example, MapGirl (who actually published a comment on the article) offered her own experience in School Shooting:
The money quotes are:
... and ...
When you read the 'whole thing', disregarding his embarrassment at having posted such a 'Geek length' article, you get the sense of someone who has travelled far in the past few years, and in the process arrived at an understanding which was previously denied him due to a simple lack of experience.
As has (perhaps erroneously) been attributed to Sir Winston Churchilll:
But I can say that I was a Registered Democrat until well into my forties. I only changed my political affiliation upon the advent of The Clinton Era. It's personally embarrassing to admit that I couldn't admit to the error of my ways until the wrong-thinking of Billary had manifested itself in the egregious Social Medicine plan.
So when I congratulate these folks for their logical courage, you can take it as given that they are far, far smarter than I am.
Apologies to the subjects of this conversation if that seem like damning with faint praise. It wasn't intended that way.
I've backtracked them, I see no links on ANY of the cited blogs. But still, they come here to read even though their websites don't mention the article.
I have no idea WHY they come here, but I am glad they came to share the story.
Many of them, however, comment independently about the question of HOW could this Slaughter of Innocents could have been controlled.
Not 'avoided' ... Evil stalks the land and there is no way to prevent it.
The word is "control", and sometimes these students demonstrate a wisdom beyond their years.
For example, MapGirl (who actually published a comment on the article) offered her own experience in School Shooting:
During my senior year of college there was a shooting on campus where one student who recently graduated had shot another. It was very sad.Another person who read the article was "airynd", who later wrote a HUGE (to his embarrassment) article of his own which discussed brilliantly he concept of personal defense as a civil liberty. I've already read it a couple of times, and will read it again. I encourage you to read it for yourself, here.
[...]I had met the perpetrator and ... he gave me the willies. ... it was an anomaly and precipitated by the relationship of the victim and killer.
One of the witnesses was friends with both parties and a friend of mine from our freshman year and from the on-campus Catholic community. That friend turned into a gun control advocate as part of his later work. I am so proud of him for turning this defining moment into a powerful motivator for positive change.
The money quotes are:
Years ago, in another life, I thought that gun control laws would help to protect people from getting accidentally shot or shot by bad people on purpose. I thought that registering guns was a good idea, and that making people wait to buy their guns was also a good idea. Currently, I think both of those are really bad ideas. Background check? Those are great - those are perfect. Check the hell out of some one's background before they buy a gun. Still, as I mentioned, if a criminal wants a gun...well, they don't need a background check in Vinni's basement.
... and ...
I kind of hate it that I'm making the same arguments that, a decade ago, I thought were asinine.... and ...
"A well-armed society is a polite society." I'm not sure how accurate that saying is, but I think it might be on the right track. We see it all the time in the animal kingdom; if two animals both have the capacity to seriously kill or injure each other, they don't do it unless there is a sincere and pressing need to do so. There's too much at stake. Too, when an animal's life is at stake, it will fight back. A seal in the jaws of a great white bites at its attacker, even though it is usually futile. A rabbit will bite at the nose of the fox as the fox attacks, and sometimes, the bunny gets away because the fox is so surprised at being bitten by a fucking rabbit that it has no response for that situation. Animals fight to survive with whatever tools they have when their lives are threatened. I think, were I faced with a maniac wielding a shotgun, I'd like to have another gun as my tool. Then I wouldn't have to be helplessly and powerlessly blown away.I think this young man, as did MapGirl, does actually 'get it'.
When you read the 'whole thing', disregarding his embarrassment at having posted such a 'Geek length' article, you get the sense of someone who has travelled far in the past few years, and in the process arrived at an understanding which was previously denied him due to a simple lack of experience.
As has (perhaps erroneously) been attributed to Sir Winston Churchilll:
"Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains."I cannot attest to the accuracy of either the quote or the citation. I just vaguely remember the thought, and Google what I remember. What comes out the other end may only be compared to Sausage Making to the detriment of an excellent sausage.
But I can say that I was a Registered Democrat until well into my forties. I only changed my political affiliation upon the advent of The Clinton Era. It's personally embarrassing to admit that I couldn't admit to the error of my ways until the wrong-thinking of Billary had manifested itself in the egregious Social Medicine plan.
So when I congratulate these folks for their logical courage, you can take it as given that they are far, far smarter than I am.
Apologies to the subjects of this conversation if that seem like damning with faint praise. It wasn't intended that way.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
VT Massacre: Gun Control Advocates Are Revolting
We're starting to get the 2nd level reaction to blogger assertions that allowing concealed carry on campuses might have lessened the number of victims in the Virginia Tech Massacre.Oleg Volk is the source for the above ugly bloodsplatter image, which I personally think is disgusting.
Not because it is ugly, but because it is probably a reasonable representation of the scene in Room 204 at Noble Hall at Virginia Tech, and the massacre which occured there is disgusting.
Oleg Volk performed a service by giving us a graphic of the probably crime scene. It's something we can relate to, and provides a reminder of just how ugly the scene of a murder ... in this case, multiple murders ... will invariably be.
You can see Oleg Volk's article here, and I encourage you to visit it if only to read the comments. These are a curious mixture of people who suggest that the policy of disallowing carry of weapons for personal may have contributed to the horrible death toll, and people who are unable to re-evaluate their conviction that the only reason folks would choose to carry a concealed handgun is (I assume) because deep down inside they really want to shoot somebody.
As nearly as I can tell, this last group rejects the concept of personal defense, and would rather trust in such urban myths as 911 and "Police Protection".
Before we go any further, I would like to mention to this group that the police have no mandate to protect you or to prevent crime. Their job is to arrest people who may have committed a crime and present them for trial ... AFTER someone has been victimized.
This means, gentle reader, that if someone comes after you with a gun, you're on your own. The police may find, capture and present for judgement the guy who killed you, but you may find that scant comfort in your present circumstance (which is to say, in the hospital at best; six feet under in the "Worst Case" scenario).
As you read Volk's article (another sly reminder), pay attention to the two sides of the question which are vigorously espoused.
One side, call them SIDE "A", think that there is no legitimate reason to allow people to carry firearms on a university campus.
The other side, call them SIDE "B", think that there IS a legitimate reason to allow people to carry firearms on a university campus.
(You may pick the venue in which it either is or is not reasonable to 'carry concealed', but let us restrict the scenario to one which immediately comes to mind this week.)
As you read Volk's article, you might consider the comments section the most informative. Here, the SIDE "A" folks generally identify themselves as "Anonymous". Some of you (particularly those who tend to agree with SIDE "B" contributors) may think this is a cowardly way to make a statement without 'owning' it.
I don't think so.
I think these are the contributions of people who don't generally read RKBA websites, but who are daunted by the VT Massacre and have searched the Internet for references. When they happen upon a blog which supports Concealed Carry, they are outraged not only because it goes against everything they have been taught, but also because they are so appalled by the massacre that they reflexively reject ANY reason to have a firearm.
In other words, they have just had The Power of The Gun demonstrated to them, catastrophically, and they are in no mood to consider that there is a GOOD reason to Have A Gun.
I can't blame them for that. People who shoot People are the sorriest people in the world. It's not easy to distinguish between those who WANT to shoot people, and those who are WILLING to shoot people. Either way, the results are sad and nobody who has a modicum of social responsibility is willing to put himself in the place where the only choices ... kill or be killed ... are both bad. Generally, we just go about our daily lives and hope that we will not be called upon to make this choice.
In fact, there are people (trust me on this) who, presented with these two unpalatable choices, would submit to being murdered rather than to defend themselves by killing their aggressor.
Some of you may find it difficult to believe this, but I again point you to the evidence which we see on Volk's Blog.
In fact, I point you to a comment on my own blog, where a reader of my initial comments on the VT Massacre reacted (anonymously) in the following fashion:
Let's just issue everyone an ak-47. That makes sense! Don't regulate weapons of death, why it's perfectly pratical [sic] to have a semi-automatic handgun that can fire 20 rounds in a matter of seconds...someone might steal my dvd player. Idiot.I assume that this outraged comment was in response to the transcript from the Lars Larson radio talk show, which discussed Concealed Carry as a legitimate self-defense measure ... even on a college campus. The implication is clear, if unexpressed, that I support the preposition of the Radio host: if faculty and staff (and students) at VT had been allowed to be armed, they may have been able to stop the murder of literally dozens of innocent victims.
But really, the issues go beyond this.
Professor Liviu Librescu ( Professor, Engineering Science & Mechanics), a 76 year old Holocaust survivor, heard the shots and screams from the classroom next door and realized what was happening. He used his own body to prevent the .... shooter (the only term universally acceptable) ... from entering while he encouraged his students to jump out of the windows of the second story classroom. Nine students successfully escaped; at this time, it appears that 3 or 4 or 5 students were still inside the room when Cho killed Librescu and gained entry to the room, killing everyone who had not yet managed to escape.
Librescu is a hero. He held he door as long as he could, interposing his body to save his students. The remaining students were killed, we still don't know if they were trying to escape when Cho entered the room, or what their actions were.
Again, at this point we don't know what the students were doing; they may have been trying to escape, they may have been attempting to hide, they may have been rushing Cho in an attempt to overwhem him.
Sadly, there is yet no evidence that any of the students attempted resistance.
I hope and pray that at least some of the students were resisting the murderer, and we are still waiting for forensic analysis of the crime scene for any suggestion that this was the case. Early reports have not addressed this question, but it would be a comfort to learn that not all students were submissive to their fate.
But Professor Librescu is the hero of the hour. He recognized Evil knocking at his door, and realized that the only way to resist evil is to stand up to it. Which he did, in the finest Horation at the Bridge style.
John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
In giving up his life for the lives of his students, Professor Librescu has taught the greatest lesson of this or any other university.
We can only hope that his students, and all of us, have learned from his example.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Hope and Healing
Forgive me, Father, for I have been listening to Larry King on the Radio.
Money Quote (from a Virginia Tech coed):
I know, I know, we're suppose to celebrate our strength and recuperative powers, and it's probably pretty shallow of ME to criticize our grief-process time frame. Still, if we were all that broken up about the death of THIRTY TWO of our fellow students, one might be forgiven for suggesting that going on the Larry King show to tell us all how we have already found HOPE AND HEALING is ... ah, never mind.
If we have to ask, we wouldn't understand.
I read Dennis Prager this afternoon, and while he wasn't there, at least he has a good understanding of the way the grief process works.
Sure, college students are definitively The Me Generation (I was, at that age), but one would like to think that they have enough sensitivity to view the slaughter of their fellow students in terms of someone else (for example, the dead kids?) for just a little while.
And what is it about mass murderers? They rampage through whatever venue they choose, kill a lot of innocents, and THEN they shoot their face off?
Why can't they take a short cut? Why don't they shoot their face off FIRST, and save us all this grief?
This Cho, this toilet paper to the rectum of humanity, had a lot of choices; but he was 'in pain' because of his, supposedly, suffering from romantic rejection and societal disillusionment.
What a piece of work you were, Cho. You sociopathic sick fuck.
Isn't that a nasty phrase? I've never used it before, never thought I would say that about another human being. But it perfectly describes the being, and perfectly expresses my feelings.
"You sociopathic sick fuck." I don't want to feel your pain. I just want you to be dead Dead DEAD for all eternity and may you rot in hell. I don't want to feel this angry toward another human being again.
Damn you to all eternity.
We have ALL felt his pain. But instead of getting over it, and instead of doing the decent thing and blowing his brains out at the first sign of dejection with his filed-off-serial-number (what's that all about?) Niner, he kills his One True Love and their 'mediator', takes two hours to gear up, and then trashes the lives, the hopes and the expectations of our most precious natural resource; our young people. The best and the brightest.
Kipling could have given him the nod, if the shit-for-brains idiot could have taken just a moment to get over himself:
Am I'm angry?
Yes!
There is NO sympathy for a baby-turd who is so full of himself that he can consider no higher calling than to make a big splash, and chooses the life of his fellow man as his canvas.
I am absolutely against suicide, but when the alternative is this sort of National Horror, I'm thinking it's a Good Thing to internalize your pain for the few moments it takes to eat your own gun, you self-centered idiot.
Yeah, I'm talking to Cho the Ho, may you rot in hell you insufferable egomaniac.
I do so wish I could find "Hope and Healing" today, but that's probably too much to ask.
Maybe I've been too hard on the poor dear who was so eager to express to her new best friend, Larry King, that she found what I so desperately crave.
Once I killed people. In battle, and for what I thought was a good reason. As I walked the battlefield and counted the bodies, I felt a deep and abiding sense of sorrow at the total waste which is violent death.
I swore to myself I would never put myself in that dark place again.
No avail.
Once again I find myself there through no fault of my own, and the sense of waste is not lessened by the passing of years. If anything, it is increased by time and distance, and the helplessness.
What a total waste.
Jesus wept.
Money Quote (from a Virginia Tech coed):
... I have found Hope and Healing ...To recap: yesterday, some ass-wipe murdered 32 of her friends and neighbors, and today she is finding "hope and healing"? May I suggest that it may be just the teensy-est bit shallow for us to find "hope and healing" in a short 24-hours?
I know, I know, we're suppose to celebrate our strength and recuperative powers, and it's probably pretty shallow of ME to criticize our grief-process time frame. Still, if we were all that broken up about the death of THIRTY TWO of our fellow students, one might be forgiven for suggesting that going on the Larry King show to tell us all how we have already found HOPE AND HEALING is ... ah, never mind.
If we have to ask, we wouldn't understand.
I read Dennis Prager this afternoon, and while he wasn't there, at least he has a good understanding of the way the grief process works.
Sure, college students are definitively The Me Generation (I was, at that age), but one would like to think that they have enough sensitivity to view the slaughter of their fellow students in terms of someone else (for example, the dead kids?) for just a little while.
And what is it about mass murderers? They rampage through whatever venue they choose, kill a lot of innocents, and THEN they shoot their face off?
Why can't they take a short cut? Why don't they shoot their face off FIRST, and save us all this grief?
This Cho, this toilet paper to the rectum of humanity, had a lot of choices; but he was 'in pain' because of his, supposedly, suffering from romantic rejection and societal disillusionment.
What a piece of work you were, Cho. You sociopathic sick fuck.
Isn't that a nasty phrase? I've never used it before, never thought I would say that about another human being. But it perfectly describes the being, and perfectly expresses my feelings.
"You sociopathic sick fuck." I don't want to feel your pain. I just want you to be dead Dead DEAD for all eternity and may you rot in hell. I don't want to feel this angry toward another human being again.
Damn you to all eternity.
We have ALL felt his pain. But instead of getting over it, and instead of doing the decent thing and blowing his brains out at the first sign of dejection with his filed-off-serial-number (what's that all about?) Niner, he kills his One True Love and their 'mediator', takes two hours to gear up, and then trashes the lives, the hopes and the expectations of our most precious natural resource; our young people. The best and the brightest.
Kipling could have given him the nod, if the shit-for-brains idiot could have taken just a moment to get over himself:
When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An’ go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Am I'm angry?
Yes!
There is NO sympathy for a baby-turd who is so full of himself that he can consider no higher calling than to make a big splash, and chooses the life of his fellow man as his canvas.
I am absolutely against suicide, but when the alternative is this sort of National Horror, I'm thinking it's a Good Thing to internalize your pain for the few moments it takes to eat your own gun, you self-centered idiot.
Yeah, I'm talking to Cho the Ho, may you rot in hell you insufferable egomaniac.
I do so wish I could find "Hope and Healing" today, but that's probably too much to ask.
Maybe I've been too hard on the poor dear who was so eager to express to her new best friend, Larry King, that she found what I so desperately crave.
Once I killed people. In battle, and for what I thought was a good reason. As I walked the battlefield and counted the bodies, I felt a deep and abiding sense of sorrow at the total waste which is violent death.
I swore to myself I would never put myself in that dark place again.
No avail.
Once again I find myself there through no fault of my own, and the sense of waste is not lessened by the passing of years. If anything, it is increased by time and distance, and the helplessness.
What a total waste.
Jesus wept.
The Shooting Wire
This week in The Shooting Wire, the most excellent Jim Shepherd provides a feature article on former UN Ambassador John Bolton's address to the NRA's 136th Members Banquet.
Mr. Bolton had a lot to say about the United Nations, especially in regards to the attempt to impose International restrictions on the ability of American citizens to own private firearms. He also addressed the problem of the "Internationalism" of American diplomats:
That would save me a LOT of trouble when I want to tell you about the fascinating articles available here.
http://www.shootingwire.com/subscribe_shooting.php
Mr. Bolton had a lot to say about the United Nations, especially in regards to the attempt to impose International restrictions on the ability of American citizens to own private firearms. He also addressed the problem of the "Internationalism" of American diplomats:
For an American diplomat to "abandon the United States Constitution" in order to "get along" with the diplomatic community, said Bolton was "a deliberate tactic of the leftists to shift firearms into a different political environment.I would love to cut&paste the whole article here, but instead I urge you to sign up for your own free subscription.
After all, Bolton says, "many nations of the world want the United States to keep footing the costs for the United Nations, " but are "looking for ways to reduce our influence around the world." Limiting the rights of U-S citizens to have firearms, said Bolton, would be one way that "diminishment" could be accomplished.
That would save me a LOT of trouble when I want to tell you about the fascinating articles available here.
http://www.shootingwire.com/subscribe_shooting.php
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)