Before he gave us the devil horns, Ronnie James Dio was in other bands with uh… different sounds.
I’ve always loved do-wop, so this is pretty cool to me. 🙂
Month: January 2010
At Your Doorstep
A quip from John Farnam. Seems a couple guys robbed a bank. Police give chase, the 2 robbers split up in a residential neighborhood. One cons his way into a house and even manages to get the homeowner to drive him out, but they are stopped by the police. The other walks into an unlocked house, finds the car keys, steals the car and off he escapes.
Lessons for me:
Keep doors (home and car) locked! Keep your electronic security system turned on when you’re not there. Be armed, even at home. Don’t engage strangers at your doorstep in conversation, and don’t unlock the door! Tell them that you can’t help them, and that you’re calling police.
Be aware that dangerous, criminal suspects are everywhere, including your doorstep!”
People wonder why I carry my gun, even at home.
Because… shit happens. And when shit does happen, it happens in seconds.
It this being paranoid? No. Paranoid would be thinking everyone was out to get me, the boogeyman was around every corner. I don’t think that. The world is full of good people who mostly go about their day and leave me alone. But there are exceptions to the rule… like those two bank robbers.
Rather, it’s about being prepared. Boy Scouts aren’t paranoid, they are prepared. It’s about making preparations beforehand, so we’re ready when needed.
Brock’s a Republican
Listening to a media call with UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar.
He flat out states that he’s a conservative Republican.
When his medical issue came to a head, he was hunting in Canada. He gets taken to a local hospital, then high-tails it back to the US because the medical care is so much better here than there.
Give it a listen. Brock doesn’t mince words, and no he’s not hip to Obamacare.
Heh heh heh.
Capitol Security
And of course, everyone freaks out and there’s a call for more security.
I’m not going to excuse what the guy did.
But clamping down on the Capitol Building is not the way to make it more secure. It won’t stop anything. Look at the “high level of security” that goes on at the airports and it doesn’t stop things.
Governor Rick Perry thinks metal detectors is the wrong way to go about it.
But other Texans do, and “criminals have to think twice before they draw a gun because there is a good chance that they are going to end up outnumbered by law-abiding citizens who are not only armed, but screened and trained properly in firearm use … (which) keeps us all safer,” Perry said.
Even Austin’s Democrat Representative, Mark Strama, says:
Rep. Mark Strama of Austin is open to security changes, but doesn’t want to lose the connection Austinites feel to the building.
“My bias, if there’s not a compelling case coming from the security experts, is to keep the Capitol as open as possible. It’s a jewel to this community,” he said.
However another one of Austin’s Democrat Representatives, Eddie Rodriguezsays:
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez of Austin said metal detectors should be put in place at entrances. He also thinks the open carry law within the capitol should be revisited next session.
“I think after yesterday and what could have happened, it might be something people change their minds about,” Rodriguez said.
Setting aside the fact there isn’t open carry in Texas (I assume this was a journalistic mistake), I don’t see how that would make any difference. As it is, someone with a concealed carry permit can carry concealed into the Capitol building. Why should that change? This guy didn’t have a license, and either way well… he was already breaking the law in numerous ways. How would more laws stop him? Do tell. Could a metal detector have stopped him? Probably so. But it would also stop a lot of legally carrying law-abiding citizens as well.
Please don’t disarm and disable us law-abiding citizens, especially if we’re participating in our state’s political process. It won’t make you safer.
Lockhart BBQ on TV
Yeah, I’ll watch it.
Lockhart has truly some of — if not the best — BBQ in Texas. Of course, I’d say best in the world, but I’ll concede this is Texas-style BBQ… it’s not ribs from Memphis or pulled pork from the Carolina’s. It’s a different style. Nevertheless, it’s damn good stuff.
Personally, I prefer Smitty’s over Kruez’s; I just like how they do things. Plus I often get my BBQ on Sunday and Kruez’s is closed on Sundays (I respect that, but it’s a bummer sometimes… like when you crave for Chick-Fil-A). Chisholm Trail BBQ is alright, and there’s a nostalgia about dining in their restaurant. However the best pleaser for my whole family is Blacks because they have great Angus beef brisket and a healthy variety of sides.
You know, the weather has been so good here lately I was thinking about going for a motorcycle ride tomorrow morning. Now I may just have to take that ride to Lockhart and bring some BBQ home.
Rick Perry and guns
So Robbie got to spend the afternoon shooting guns with Texas Governor Rick Perry. And all at the local indoor range. Dang. I wish I had known I would have loved to have run over there and seen this.
Texas State Rifle Association PAC has also endorsed Rick Perry.
NRA endorses Rick Perry. Note here that while Perry has a good track record, it’s also policy of the NRA-PVF to endorse the incumbent unless there’s strong reason not to. To compare, the last time Kay Bailey Hutchison was graded by the NRA-PVF was in 2006 and she received an A+ rating.
Does this mean I’m voting for Rick Perry or endorse him? No it doesn’t. I just think it’s cool to see our Governor at the local gun range, hanging out with the people, giving instruction. Plus a little political and gun-related details about him.
I will say this. I will not vote for Kay.
Enough already
OK… the “Hilter discovers” meme is played out. In fact, it’s overly played out.
Enough already.
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard
So Smith & Wesson released a new line of pistols at SHOT called The Bodyguard.
The intent seems to be making small pistols, able to be deeply concealed, and with an integrated laser. There’s a semi-auto version chambered in .380 and a revolver in .38 Special +P.
One thing I can’t tell but am curious about is frame construction. The semi-auto looks like it might be a polymer frame, but I can’t tell about the revolver. The revolver did talk about a “smooth trigger” so I wonder if there are different/reengineered internals for the revolver. Basically, is S&W working to directly compete against the Ruger LCR?
I does look like the semi-auto has a mechanical thumb safety, akin to a 1911’s. Consequently, I wonder what the trigger pull is like on that. By adding the mechanical thumb safety, could that mean they gave it a better trigger (i.e. gun doesn’t need a long and heavy pull to counteract the lack of a manual external safety)? Or could it be to have some sort of 1911-ish ergos so if one carried this as a backup or deep concealment gun your 1911-using-muscle-memory would apply just the same? I wonder.
What really perked my interest however was the snub. This snub is made with an ambidextrous cylinder release. Granted the cylinder still has to swing out to the left, but I wonder how an ambi-release will change things for snub users. I’m not a lefty so this isn’t an issue for me. However, their integrated laser is up there on the right side. Does it interfere with operating the cylinder release from the right side? If so, that’s kinda defeating the point. I’d have to be able to see and fondle one to find out.
Certainly tho my interest is peaked. I doubt I’ll buy one, but certainly I’ll keep my eyes open for either gun — the snub especially — when I’m at the stores. I’d like to get a closer look at them.
The snub vs. multiple attackers
What’s interesting about Michael’s response isn’t so much addressing the hardware as addressing the software. That whole “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog”. It comes down to you and your ability and will to fight and prevail.
I may not be high on things like .380 Auto pocket guns or using a .22 for home defense. But I maintain that something is better than nothing. Everyone’s situation is different and there’s no “one perfect recipe” that suits everyone. I do think Micahel provides a reasonable guideline:
My advice on self-defense handguns comes down to this: Pick out that “minimum” gun you are absolutely certain you will be carrying when it is absolutely impractical and uncomfortable to carry any other make/model/style gun. Train with it like you will be facing three attackers. Learn to draw quickly, hit what you are aiming at quickly, learn to shoot on the move and learn to reload quickly with the spare ammo and the ammo carrier you actually carry. Train hard – its fun to do so it anyway. Then if you have to face one guy followed by one guy followed by one guy all one-after-the-other then you might just pull it off.
Figure out the hardware, then train train train practice practice practice.
@compatibility_alias
Apparently there’s an obscure gcc compiler directive to help resolve Objective C namespace conflicts.
It’s called @compatibility_alias.
Never knew that, and so far I’ve been fortunate and haven’t encountered many conflicts in my career (had a couple, easily remedied). Neat.
Stuff From Hsoi 