Month: July 2009

Brock Lesnar

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

Watched the Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir (2) fight from UFC 100.

Brock Lesnar is just awesome. People might look at his time in the WWE, that is “fake wrestling”, and scoff at him. Go ahead, scoff. He’s the UFC Heavyweight champ and proved last night he’s no fluke champion. You cannot deny his NCAA wrestling history, how he dominated there. Even when he did pro wrestling, he was a dominant figure demonstrating high athletic ability and showmanship; he sold tickets, he sold merchandise, he was a main event draw. Out of the blue he opts to leave and try his hand at pro football and while he didn’t make the final cut, that he got as far as he did and received the complements that he did shows something about his will, determination, desire to learn, desire to improve and excel at whatever he sets his mind to. He’s very strong willed. Then he opts to go into MMA, which was a natural place for him to now, and here he is now, on top of the world.

Lesnar is a beast, plain and simple. He is huge, strong, powerful. He is amazingly athletic and dexterous for a man of his size; again, look at things he did in pro wrestling (e.g. a “shooting star press“). He’s smart and willing to be a student of any game that he works at. Watching the UFC 100 fight, it’s evident that Brock is relying less upon his brute strength and is improving his overall game. He obviously respected Mir’s jiu jitsu skills and looked better on the ground (tho he still has a way to go). He took his time, didn’t just go in blazing fists. Nevertheless, he knows his strengths and used them well (e.g. staying on top of Mir, chest-to-chest, kept Mir’s hands tangled up, kept his head grinding against Mir’s head, and kept popping Mir hard in the face). He also knows his weaknesses and his opponent’s strengths (e.g. start of second round, Brock got the takedown on Mir but was too far away to capitalize on the takedown and he wasn’t going to play Mir’s ground game so he let Mir get back up). He’s still a young guy, and as long as he continues to listen and learn from his trainers, he’s going to continue to dominate.

But what does Lesnar really know how to do well? Work the crowd. He knows how to be a “heel”, a “bad guy” if you will. You can love me or hate me, doesn’t matter, so long as you care about me — the worst thing is to have the crowd indifferent to you. Lesnar primarily worked as “the bad guy” in WWE, he knows how to do it well. Last night he played the crowd well right from the opening (refused to touch gloves with Mir) to the closing (flipping the crowd off after the fight, getting in Mir’s face throwing the “talk all the shit you want now” back at him); they hated him. What makes this great? Because you know when you see Lesnar fight, you’re going to get an awesome fight. You know the action will be good, you know the hits will be strong, you know it will be exciting. And the best part would be if you could see Lesnar get his ass kicked. That’s the appeal of the “heel” character, that you want to see them get their ass kicked. It probably won’t happen to Lesnar any time soon, but if Dana White books future fights for Lesnar correctly, they’ll be good opponents that will challenge Lesnar and offer that chance of being able to kick Lesnar’s ass. While the may give him a fight, they won’t win. But when that match comes that does get the win over Brock, the crowd will go nuts for it (and the rematch). Bottom line: it’s all good business.

Updated: Lance Storm put it well:

One reporter [at the after-fight press conference], who was very offended by Brock’s comments about Mir post fight, pointed out how others who trash talk seem to be able to hug at the end of the fight and show sportsmanship. Dana [White] pointed out that UFC was real and we didn’t want any of the fake hype and pro-wrestling antics that Brock showed in his post match promo including flipping off the crowd.

I see things the exact opposite. Brock was the real deal and all the other guys are the fakers. How many times have we seen fights hyped with guys trash talking an burying their opponents only to see them touch gloves before each and every round, hug at the finish and then put over their opponent after the fight claiming all the trash talking was just hype to sell the fight. Brock genuinely (at least in my opinion) hated the fact that Frank Mir beat him in the first fight and wanted to kill him in the second one. He believed everything he said, and Frank’s cocky trash talking really pissed Brock off. Brock’s emotion was REAL, and he was so jacked up after the fight that he likely spoke, not from his head or likely even from his heart, but from that pure competitive rage that fuels a competitive combat athlete of that caliber. Brock sent a message, a simple and clear one: “If you mess with the Bull, you get the Horn” end of story.

In the Randy Couture fight, Couture was a total pro and so was Brock Lesnar. You treat Brock Lesnar with respect and as a professional, he acts like one. If you run your mouth, disrespecting him and do everything you can to piss him off, expect to see a very pissed off angry man come fight time.

Sunday Metal – Opeth

/ hsoi

My buddy W introduced me to Opeth. He’s a big Opeth fan. Me? Not so much, at first.

Opeth is unique. They have an amazing musicianship. The songwriting, the composition. It’s unequaled. It’s not the sort of music I’m normally into (I’m not that into death metal), but the “Damnation” album really struck me. It actually took me to listen to their later albums such as “Ghost Reveries” and “Watershed” to get into them (then I went further into the back catalog). It’s the sort of thing where I had to force myself to listen to them (or was just over at W’s house and he was always playing them), and the constant exposure helped me to appreciate them. I do think “Watershed” is an incredible album.

I always told W that if Opeth came to town I’d want to see them live (even before I was a fan). That the albums are as complex as they are, how well do they translate live, y’know? I managed to see them in Austin on the “Watershed” tour and was blown away. The show was incredible. They can pull it off live. Singer, guitarist, and main creative force Mikael Åkerfeldt has an interesting wit about him, so calm and serene yet the songs that come from him… it’s difficult to describe, but worth experiencing live.

There’s a beauty in the music, but also something dark and disturbing. Powerful and emotional. Complex yet understanding basic compositional sensibilities. Dynamic. Combining elements of metal, jazz, folk, blues, grooves, blast beats, but nothing seems unnatural or contrived like they’re trying too hard to be different. Yet, they are different. I know of nothing else like them.

I asked W for something that showcases Opeth. Here’s his recommendation:

I’ve decided on a snub nose

/ hsoi / 3 Comments

Another thing I got to do today was some snub nose revolver comparison.

I got to shoot a steel-frame snub and an “airweight” aluminum frame snub side-by-side. I would load them both up (5 rounds each), then I would shoot 5 rounds out of the steel-frame, then 5 rounds out of the aluminum-frame. Reload. This time I’d shoot 5 out of the aluminum then 5 out of the steel. Reload. 5 steel, 5 alumium. Reload, 5 aluminum, 5 steel. Lather, rinse, repeat until I was out of ammo. My intent was to see what I thought of the airweights, if I really wanted one.

No, I don’t. I want steel.

The 2 revolvers were almost identical. The main differences were the frame material (of course), and the airweight also had a different set of grips on it, with a Crimson Trace laser. I shot the same ammo out of both (Magtech 158 grain .38 Special, lead round nose). Thus, I was able to just compare how the 2 handled based upon their frame characteristics.

The recoil difference between the two? Really, there’s not that much difference, but there is a difference and it is noticeable. I don’t know how to describe it in a way that can really convey it in words — you have to feel it for yourself, which is why I wanted to do this. While I knew a lighter gun would produce more “felt recoil” I wanted to feel it for myself. So that said, again it’s not that much difference, but it’s there. The airweight “bites” or “snaps” or “stings” your hand just a bit more. I bet I could shoot the steel-frame all day and not care; my trigger finger would probably peed out first from dealing with the long heavy pull. But that airweight I’m sure would come to a point where my right hand will say “no mas.”  I’m sure if I was using +P ammo, I’d feel it even more and like it even less. The fact I would switch back and forth between the two guns, shooting one first then next cycle shooting the other first, I did get to feel that really they both do bite/snap/sting, but you just feel it less with the steel.

I also noticed that I did not shoot the airweight as well. The recoil was a bit harder to manage, so it was harder to get all shots on target. I’m sure with practice and getting used to the airweight I could improve. But to improve, that means you have to shoot it a lot, which then leads to your hand getting beat up, and the vicious circle. What good is a gun that you don’t want to shoot because it hurts and/or is no fun to shoot? If you’re not going to practice with it, why have it unless you’re a collector?

I don’t know the exact weight of these particular guns, but I can say that a S&W 640 is 23 oz. and a 642 is 15 oz: 8 oz difference. Half a pound, and yes that’s significant. You do feel that difference in the carry weight. I slipped the airweight into my front pant pocket and I couldn’t tell it was there. I put the steel into the pocket and I could feel the weight. Was it that much to concern myself with? No, because if you carry it often enough, you’ll get used it it and it won’t be that big a deal.

The thing is, these lightweight snubs are made for carry, and I mean that: for carry. The main design concern is carrying it, not shooting it. If you’re going to have the gun, if you’re going to carry the gun, then you need to be proficient with the gun and that means shooting it a lot. If the gun isn’t going to be any fun to shoot, or beats your hands up so much that you have to stop shooting before you get in enough practice… is that worthwhile? Maybe for some, but not for me.

So, I want steel.

Trouble is, it’s going to be hard to find steel.

I’ve decided what I want is:

  • all steel construction
  • J-frame snub-nose size, 2″ barrel max
  • no snag designs, in terms of how the sights are, and anything else on the frame or gun overall
    • Having a higher visibility front sight would be welcome, tho that can always be handled afterwards by a gunsmith
  • a “hammerless” design, such as the “centennial” frame with fully enclosed hammer or the “bodyguard” frame with the shrouded hammer. I think I’d prefer Centennial, but at this point either is fine.
  • Chambered for .38 Special +P
  • No frills, including integrated/internal locks. I want this as simple as possible.

Trouble is? Finding this will be quite difficult.

What does the market bear? Airweights. Any time I go out to stores, if there’s a snub geared towards carry it ends up being an airweight (e.g. S&W 642). If there’s one in steel, it’ll have an exposed hammer. Yes there are some new models, like the 640, but I can’t find them for sale. So, this is a bit frustrating. What’s my plan?

  • If I want something now, I’ll probably have to get an airweight (like the 642). Or I’ll have to get something like a 640, chambered in .357 Magnum. And then, I’ll probably have to order it… which would be OK since I’d like to have a model without a lock.
  • If I want what I truly want, I’m going to have to wait. Just keep looking at the stores, looking at the shows, searching online (e.g. Gunbroker), and then as soon as I see what I want, buying it.

Not a big deal. Just how it goes. At this point, I’m content to wait and get what I want (or as close as I can get to it).

On a quick side note, the Crimson Trace. Meh. Not for me. It’s nifty for sure, but then I feel you’re looking at the wrong things. It puts your eyes on the target and searching for the little red dot. It breaks proper sight picture, no looking at the front sight, and so on. It’s just another gadget that you have to maintain, that can fail when you need it most. Interesting for sure, but not a gadget I feel is a necessity. I guess if you never or rarely practice it might be useful, but I think it’s better to practice.

Another class – post mortem

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

Helped out with another Basic Pistol 1 class today.

There were 10 people in the class, 6 were female. Wide range of ages of folks too.

The class was good. People got to learn a lot, set a solid foundation, and try out a bunch of handguns to figure out what worked best for them. One of the best things about this course is the smorgasbord of handguns you get to shoot, because it helps you figure out what works right for you. The biggest issue is gun fit and being able to find a gun that fits you, thus you’ll be able to shoot well. You walk out of that class with the knowledge of how to be able to shop for a gun, how to buy ammo for it, and the basics of how to shoot it with good technique.

In today’s class, I happened to have my Springfield XD-9 Subcompact with me. I let people shoot it next to a full-sized XD-9 so they could compare and contrast. My point? I wanted them to see that you will shoot a large gun better than a small gun (all other things being equal, but for size). Larger guns have more frame to grip so you can get more  hand on them and better control them. Larger guns have a longer sight radius, so you can be more accurate. Larger guns are a little heavier, so they will absorb recoil better. This isn’t to say you can’t shoot a small gun well (more in a moment), but as a beginner you’ll find more success if you start out with a larger gun. Smaller guns are more concealable, but with the right strategy you can conceal a full sized gun without much problem.

On the small gun note, I actually did some shooting with my subcompact today and was quite pleased with the results. I don’t shoot that gun a lot, but because I’ve been improving my skills on the larger guns, all that came back down here. The only thing that wasn’t fun about shooting the subcompact was it has the factory sights: big fat front sight that fills up most of the rear notch (little light on the sides, harder to get things lined up), 3 white dots although I did black out the back 2 dots. I just like my Dawson Precision sights. Nevertheless, I was shooting some timed drills and did quite well because while I knew I had to shoot fast to make time I didn’t sacrifice good form for time… I didn’t rush just to get the shots off in time. I even recall a few times distinctly withholding the shot until I had the proper sight picture, my eyes focused on the front sight.

Speed is important, but I’d say accuracy is more important. No one cares about the first person to get the wrong answer, to miss, to screw up. Use good technique. Watch that front sight.

And I got to ride my motorcycle to and from the range. Gosh it’s hot out. 🙂  I’ve been having thoughts about selling my bike, but I enjoyed the ride too much today. I may not ride as much as I used to, but I think I’d be unhappy if I sold her.

Mmm… sausage

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

Just got back from Johnny G’s Butcher Block, where they processed my pigs from my last hunt.

Got about 30 lbs. of sausage made. Got their “regular” sausage, smoked. As soon as I got home I put one link in a frying pan to heat it up and finish cooking it (it’s about 75% cooked).

My my my.

That was tasty. I like that they season things well, flavorful but not so strong that it’s overpowering. It’s very well balanced. Then the smoke… it was just a perfect smoky flavor. Not too much, not too little. As soon as I opened the pouch I smelled the smoke. It was heavenly.

So far, I’m liking the service and end-product coming out of Johnny G’s. Satisfied customer, willing to keep going back.

It’s not about guns, it’s about liberty

/ hsoi / 4 Comments

Howard Nemerov examines if the Second Amendment to the US Constitution actually works.

But he goes further than that:

According to some, every crime victim must successfully use a gun to fight off an intruder, and every criminal must be unable to use a gun in furtherance of their enterprise, or else the Second Amendment is a failure and should be removed from the Bill of Rights.

Curiously, these complainers never apply the same criterion against other rights. Since their comments seem to consistently evoke counter-points from other readers, it would seem their exercise of free speech isn’t getting them anywhere, so are they going to lobby for repeal of the First Amendment?

OH! They already have!

McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform.

Fairness Doctrine.

Old Media coverage of the civil right of self-defense.

Their actions identify them as anti-Liberty. It’s not about guns.

Feminist hate

/ hsoi

Suzi brings up an article by a Feminist on Feminists hating Sarah Palin.

Regardless of my or your feelings in Sarah Palin, there’s no question the way she was handled and portrayed during her time in the national spotlight during the 2008 US Presidential election was just … well … mindboggling.

I did think it was most curious how the feminists were all up in arms and probably her biggest bashers. I guess Sarah Palin wasn’t “female enough” for them.

Anyway, give the article a read. It even acts as a bit of a microcosm for the whole election itself:

None of these characters are real, of course. Yet, weirdly, people were much more interested in these fictional beings than they were in the real individuals who were vying for political office last year. There were times in 2008 where I felt that the entire national discourse had become one of those scripted faux-reality shows, where nothing is real and the producers edit everybody into barking stereotypes. And the people at home just watch and point and snicker. We’re actually having an election here, I kept wanting to say. These are the people who want to run the country. Don’t you want to know who they really are?

Where to begin?

/ hsoi / 2 Comments

Foo.c points to this Washington Post article on Obama’s tax pledges:

President Barack Obama promised to fix health care and trim the federal budget deficit, all without raising taxes on anyone but the wealthiest Americans. It’s a promise he’s already broken and will likely have to break again.

The article contains all sorts of money gems on how to pay for the healthcare proposals:

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Learning from my dream

/ hsoi

When I woke up this morning, it also woke up my wife. She asked me why I was breathing short and fast. I shrugged it off because I was dealing with my dream. I’d like to share it with you because there’s something I learned (at least reinforced) and maybe you can learn from it too.

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