I am going to try and be objective about this without offending you because the gals bring a lot to the blog and are good people. At the same time I am about to say some stuff that deep down you know is true.
When it comes to physical stuff women have to work harder then men. Nature being what it is men tend to be bigger, faster (speed and endurance) and stronger. I know that some women are amazing athletes and show up plenty of fellows but we are talking about broad trends. If you look at an competitive physical event just go ahead and compare the performance for the top 5 men and the top 5 women. 99% of the time the guy who placed first was significantly faster (or whatever) then the girl who placed first.
This means that you are going to need to be in better (relative) shape then the fellows to keep up with them. If hanging with the guys is part of your plan then you've got to work harder then them beforehand to make it possible. Running and rucking are the only good way to get good at running and rucking.
When it comes to climbing stuff most of you have a hard time because of smaller upper bodies. This is harder to get around then speed on foot but it can be done. Climbing stuff (walls, ropes, etc) is more probably then the need to do pull ups which is good for you. There are definitely technique components to climbing these things but raw strength is still a big factor. Learn the technique first and continue working on the strength. If you don't see climbing a rope ninja style as realistic then imagine the need to climb into a window and pull yourself up. Being able to move your body weight is pretty important and just can't be gotten around.
When it comes to physical confrontations I suggest you keep a gun and a knife with you at all times and know how to use them. To be fair I suggest this to men also but it is more important to you gals. By all means learn a tough and realistic martial art, but realize that SIZE MATTERS (yes less then will to win or skill but still a lot) and it is not generally on your side.
I do not mean to get you all down by telling you this stuff. Maybe I will start thinking about a post on advantages in survivalism that women have.
Good Night and Good Luck
Monday, November 17, 2008
A Good Article To Read
Investing in Skills (or Fear of an Apocalyptic Economy). This article was suggested by Someone You Know @ www.gsiep.blogspot.com.
-Thanks for making my job a little easier
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Oh My Gosh Barack Hussein Obama Is Going To Ban Every Gun
There has been lots of discussion about preparing for a potential gun ban. I sort of think it is fear driven and often out of bounds with reality. Here are my thoughts on the matter.
It is almost a catch 22 situation. Buying something you have no desire to own because it might get banned doesn't make any sense. I have not heard a single case of someone who has never had the desire to own a gun buying an AR-15 with a dozen 30 round mags because they could be banned. If pianos were about to get banned I would not run out and purchase one, because I don't play or have any desire to play the piano.
To be able to make a purchase you need to have the money. In today's uncertain economy lots of jobs are far less secure then they used to be. Reaching to make a purchase is probably not a great idea if you could face a pink slip next month. Having a rifle is great but being able to make rent or pay your mortgage is probably more important. Even if you live in a trailer on junk land it still costs something to live. I would have a hard time justifying buying guns with a credit card at all let alone nowadays.
If you have the desire to own an AR or an AK or a Glock (the most common purchases it seems) and the money to genuinely afford it then why haven't you gotten it already? I don't know why someone would have enough cash to buy a couple guns, dozens of mags and a few cases of ammo sitting in a special place allocated for that purpose and not go out and buy them. If you have lots of cash to spare and like guns then why didn't you just buy the guns?
So for most people going out and purchasing three new weapons and boxes full of mags is not a realistic option. Maybe you have some cash that can be shifted towards firearms and their accessories, maybe picking up a little side work or postponing some other planned purchases. For most people this is going to be (to throw out a number) $2,000 or less. None of us know what exactly could happen in the future. All sorts of stuff is possible and I don't have the inclination to talk about it.
My first priority in this situation would be getting a rifle and full capacity magazines for it. I would go somewhat light on ammo because it is less likely to be targeted in potential future legislation. A grand will get you (more or less) an AR, a decent stash of mags and a couple hundred rounds of ammo. For around $750 you can get a comparable setup for an AK. If you have cash left over getting a pistol would be my next move. For somewhere around $550 you can get a brand new Glock. Mags for that Glock will be around 25 bucks a piece, maybe cheaper but that is a safe price to use in figuring. So for somewhere around $750 you can get a Glock with a good stash (10ish) of high cap mags. I can not speak to every gun shop or internet vender but AR's, AK's, Glocks, etc and their magazines are out there. Finding great deals on stripped lower recievers or mags that were out there 6-12 months ago is going to be hard or impossible but if you want something and have the cash it can be bought. So if you are just getting into guns (sorry but your timing is not ideal) or able to free up a decent amount of cash go out and buy what you want. I would not suggest waiting because the combination of higher sales and fear mongering are going to drive prices up or do worse.
Now lets say you have no guns and not very much money. To be honest there is no easy solution to this problem. I would be very hesitant to use credit to purchase guns. If you can afford to pay off the balance in a month or two and have a secure job then weighing that option vs. raiding the savings account could be an option. Making minimum payments is a poor idea. If you have minimal savings and are living paycheck to paycheck this option is not for you. Lets say for the sake of discussion that you are in a reasonable financial place. If you have a modest amount to put towards this problem each month (say $100) then putting together a gun from parts MIGHT be a decent option for you. This would let you get the reciever and mags right away and put the rest together as finances allow. I am not exactly sure how I feel about this and would keep in mind that a baseball bat is a far better weapon then a stripped lower reciever or part of a rifle. Also a layaway plan could be a potential option to give you 90 days or so to put together the rest of the cash. If you have a relatively modest lump sum (few hundred) then I suggest an SKS and some wolf ammo.
If you have just a few bucks and the sort of cash needed to buy a gun is a long way away then buying some mags for weapon (s) you intend to purchase might not be a bad idea. I am hesitant to suggest this as an "investment" because of the high risk involved. In any case investment is not what I am writing about. Sticking to popular (lots of mags and guns out there) weapons would be wise. Particularly focus on stuff that has seen significant military service (easier with rifles). These guns will be easier to find and if nothing else their mags can be readily sold or traded. Example, you buy a stack of AK mags but end up getting a great deal on a PTR-91. It is going to be your only rifle and you need mags. Selling or swaping the AK mags and getting HK91 mags should be pretty easy. Trying to find someone at a gunshow who wants mags for a Galil or AR-10 would be harder though if you can move then the prices would probably be high. Swapping Glock 9mm mags would be far easier then S&W Sigma mags.
The biggest thing I suggest is to make sure you can afford to get the gun(s), mags and ammo without breaking the bank. Spending 400 bucks on half an AR and then having a heck of a time finding the Upper and mags would suck, far better to buy an SKS and leave other purchases for later when funds allow. If you can not realistically afford to make any purchases then take a deep breath and relax. Baring any truely crazy legislation you will be able to buy most guns when finances allow. I currently have a couple of revolvers, a pump shotgun and a Garand with me and would not feel bad at all if that was my basic battery. Absolute worst case (IMHO) a pump shotgun, a revolver and a bolt action rifle or 30-30 winchester would be a decent collection in its own right.
It is almost a catch 22 situation. Buying something you have no desire to own because it might get banned doesn't make any sense. I have not heard a single case of someone who has never had the desire to own a gun buying an AR-15 with a dozen 30 round mags because they could be banned. If pianos were about to get banned I would not run out and purchase one, because I don't play or have any desire to play the piano.
To be able to make a purchase you need to have the money. In today's uncertain economy lots of jobs are far less secure then they used to be. Reaching to make a purchase is probably not a great idea if you could face a pink slip next month. Having a rifle is great but being able to make rent or pay your mortgage is probably more important. Even if you live in a trailer on junk land it still costs something to live. I would have a hard time justifying buying guns with a credit card at all let alone nowadays.
If you have the desire to own an AR or an AK or a Glock (the most common purchases it seems) and the money to genuinely afford it then why haven't you gotten it already? I don't know why someone would have enough cash to buy a couple guns, dozens of mags and a few cases of ammo sitting in a special place allocated for that purpose and not go out and buy them. If you have lots of cash to spare and like guns then why didn't you just buy the guns?
So for most people going out and purchasing three new weapons and boxes full of mags is not a realistic option. Maybe you have some cash that can be shifted towards firearms and their accessories, maybe picking up a little side work or postponing some other planned purchases. For most people this is going to be (to throw out a number) $2,000 or less. None of us know what exactly could happen in the future. All sorts of stuff is possible and I don't have the inclination to talk about it.
My first priority in this situation would be getting a rifle and full capacity magazines for it. I would go somewhat light on ammo because it is less likely to be targeted in potential future legislation. A grand will get you (more or less) an AR, a decent stash of mags and a couple hundred rounds of ammo. For around $750 you can get a comparable setup for an AK. If you have cash left over getting a pistol would be my next move. For somewhere around $550 you can get a brand new Glock. Mags for that Glock will be around 25 bucks a piece, maybe cheaper but that is a safe price to use in figuring. So for somewhere around $750 you can get a Glock with a good stash (10ish) of high cap mags. I can not speak to every gun shop or internet vender but AR's, AK's, Glocks, etc and their magazines are out there. Finding great deals on stripped lower recievers or mags that were out there 6-12 months ago is going to be hard or impossible but if you want something and have the cash it can be bought. So if you are just getting into guns (sorry but your timing is not ideal) or able to free up a decent amount of cash go out and buy what you want. I would not suggest waiting because the combination of higher sales and fear mongering are going to drive prices up or do worse.
Now lets say you have no guns and not very much money. To be honest there is no easy solution to this problem. I would be very hesitant to use credit to purchase guns. If you can afford to pay off the balance in a month or two and have a secure job then weighing that option vs. raiding the savings account could be an option. Making minimum payments is a poor idea. If you have minimal savings and are living paycheck to paycheck this option is not for you. Lets say for the sake of discussion that you are in a reasonable financial place. If you have a modest amount to put towards this problem each month (say $100) then putting together a gun from parts MIGHT be a decent option for you. This would let you get the reciever and mags right away and put the rest together as finances allow. I am not exactly sure how I feel about this and would keep in mind that a baseball bat is a far better weapon then a stripped lower reciever or part of a rifle. Also a layaway plan could be a potential option to give you 90 days or so to put together the rest of the cash. If you have a relatively modest lump sum (few hundred) then I suggest an SKS and some wolf ammo.
If you have just a few bucks and the sort of cash needed to buy a gun is a long way away then buying some mags for weapon (s) you intend to purchase might not be a bad idea. I am hesitant to suggest this as an "investment" because of the high risk involved. In any case investment is not what I am writing about. Sticking to popular (lots of mags and guns out there) weapons would be wise. Particularly focus on stuff that has seen significant military service (easier with rifles). These guns will be easier to find and if nothing else their mags can be readily sold or traded. Example, you buy a stack of AK mags but end up getting a great deal on a PTR-91. It is going to be your only rifle and you need mags. Selling or swaping the AK mags and getting HK91 mags should be pretty easy. Trying to find someone at a gunshow who wants mags for a Galil or AR-10 would be harder though if you can move then the prices would probably be high. Swapping Glock 9mm mags would be far easier then S&W Sigma mags.
The biggest thing I suggest is to make sure you can afford to get the gun(s), mags and ammo without breaking the bank. Spending 400 bucks on half an AR and then having a heck of a time finding the Upper and mags would suck, far better to buy an SKS and leave other purchases for later when funds allow. If you can not realistically afford to make any purchases then take a deep breath and relax. Baring any truely crazy legislation you will be able to buy most guns when finances allow. I currently have a couple of revolvers, a pump shotgun and a Garand with me and would not feel bad at all if that was my basic battery. Absolute worst case (IMHO) a pump shotgun, a revolver and a bolt action rifle or 30-30 winchester would be a decent collection in its own right.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Saturday and the Livings Easy
I did not get drunk last night nor did I stay up ridiculously late so waking up at 11 not hung over was kind of nice. I caught up on reading while Wifey slept. Being a stay at home wife lets her keep the schedule she wants which tends to be late. I checked on my M1 Garand accessory purchase from J& G sales and it is processing. Guess things are pretty busy because usually stuff has shipped in 5 days. I can't speak accurately on availability of Glock, AK or AR mags (tend to be the 3 biggest buys right now) but they seem to be out there if not at the best prices. I can't see Garand en block clips or bandoleers having an issue in availability but they sure seem backed up.
I went through the treasure today and figured out exactly how much silver it contains. I figure it is good to keep up on these things. I sent the check to APMEX for 1/10th ounce Gold Eagles today. We can use some more gold (who can't?) and the prices are pretty decent these days. I haven't dealt with APMEX before but their shipping was far cheaper then bulliondirect. I will be able to talk about their promptness of delivery and such later on. Sure I will do that.
After date night we went to walmart to pick up a few things and I got 100 rounds of .38 ammo along with the necessary beer, cereal and stamps. What I thought would be comfortable (for me) levels of ammo back at home when I was packing stuff up (ammo, guns and such) and putting it in the warehouse turned out to be far below comfortable levels now that I am here. That is ok I will keep getting more here and just send it home to go into the warehouse when we are about to leave. I figure two more of those hundred round packs, some more buck and slugs then just .30-06 ammo.
Don't have much more to say so I will wrap this up. Got a good one for tommarow.....................
I went through the treasure today and figured out exactly how much silver it contains. I figure it is good to keep up on these things. I sent the check to APMEX for 1/10th ounce Gold Eagles today. We can use some more gold (who can't?) and the prices are pretty decent these days. I haven't dealt with APMEX before but their shipping was far cheaper then bulliondirect. I will be able to talk about their promptness of delivery and such later on. Sure I will do that.
After date night we went to walmart to pick up a few things and I got 100 rounds of .38 ammo along with the necessary beer, cereal and stamps. What I thought would be comfortable (for me) levels of ammo back at home when I was packing stuff up (ammo, guns and such) and putting it in the warehouse turned out to be far below comfortable levels now that I am here. That is ok I will keep getting more here and just send it home to go into the warehouse when we are about to leave. I figure two more of those hundred round packs, some more buck and slugs then just .30-06 ammo.
Don't have much more to say so I will wrap this up. Got a good one for tommarow.....................
A Guide to a Good Protest
"An unconditional right to say what one pleases about public affairs is what I consider to be the minimum guarantee of the First Amendment."
Justice Hugo Black
I am a firm believer in the right to protest, but not of protesting for the sake of protesting. When protesting something, it is important for a person to do so with two things in mind. First, and most important, is what they are protesting and why. Second, the effectiveness of the protest.
As an example of the importance of both, I will use an example I witnessed today. I was walking to the undergrad library (the law school library gets too stressful this close to finals) and encountered a group of protesters, protesting the now infamous Prop 8 ban on gay marriage (I am not going to take this opportunity to discuss gay marriage, although that might come later). They were carring signs saying such things as "Dont H8, Repeal Prop 8", "Respect Diversity", and "Marriage is a Fundamental Human Right".
Lets examine the first requirement to protest, the requirement that you know what you are protesting and why. They did know what they were protesting, Prop 8. Good for them! Why becomes a little more tricky. Lets deal with the first sign, "Dont H8, Repeal Prop8". This sign embodies a false dichotomy. There are lots of reasons to support a ban on gay marriage (again, this is not a discussion of my views on the subject, so please dont leave comments talking about how I am not a "real" libertarian, what ever the fuck that is). Off the top of my head, morality (which is a legitimate government interest), retaining economic structure, religious objections (which dont have to involve hate), social disapproval. None of these involve hate, but are reasons people might vote for Prop 8. However, rather than making a rational argument about Prop 8, the protesters decided to create a false dichotomy to guilt people into agreeing with them.
The second sign said "Respect Diversity". I am not sure what that means, but there might be a rational argument there. What I take that to mean is that people, who have different lifestyles should not be treated differently than others. Prop 8 is a reaction from a California Supreme Court case saying, under the California Constitution Equal Protection Clause, it was unconstitutional for gays not to be able to marry. One of the key points made by the court in that decision (I dont know the name of it) was that under California law at the time, gays in domestic partnerships had all the same substive rights as married people. Prop 8 doesnt change that, gays still have all the same rights, just not the title. In other words, with or without Prop 8, we are respecting diversity.
Finally, there is the marriage is a fundamental human right sign. This sure does sound nice, but it doesnt hold water as an argument. I am assuming that they are not referring to a constitutional right, but rather as a human right outside the constitution. Marriage is a religious construct, with its definition set by various religions throughout time. This cannot be the basis for a fundamental human right. On that basis, slavery is also a fundamental human right, while premaritial sex is not. Furthermore, at least in this country, there is a fundamental human right of rule through majority, unless that rule harms the minority in an egregious manner. Here, however, there is really little if any harm, as discussed above.
Basically, these protesters didnt think through their arguments, which are pretty easily swept aside. On of the points of free speech is to allow people to make arguments, but when you dont think through your arguments, you arent really protesting, you are just annoying me.
Now the second prong, the effectiveness of their protest (dont worry, this will be much shorter). To recap, they are protesting Prop 8, the California gay marriage ban. Did I mention, I am not in California? They are protesting, basically publicly making arguments in order to change the beliefs of the population, to people who have no control over what they want changed. If they convince everyone and their mom that their stupid fucking arguments are correct (good luck there) nothing changes. No matter how we feel about it, we cant change it, only people in California can. The whole point of a protest is to change something, so protest to the people who can change it, otherwise you just look like an asshole.
Justice Hugo Black
I am a firm believer in the right to protest, but not of protesting for the sake of protesting. When protesting something, it is important for a person to do so with two things in mind. First, and most important, is what they are protesting and why. Second, the effectiveness of the protest.
As an example of the importance of both, I will use an example I witnessed today. I was walking to the undergrad library (the law school library gets too stressful this close to finals) and encountered a group of protesters, protesting the now infamous Prop 8 ban on gay marriage (I am not going to take this opportunity to discuss gay marriage, although that might come later). They were carring signs saying such things as "Dont H8, Repeal Prop 8", "Respect Diversity", and "Marriage is a Fundamental Human Right".
Lets examine the first requirement to protest, the requirement that you know what you are protesting and why. They did know what they were protesting, Prop 8. Good for them! Why becomes a little more tricky. Lets deal with the first sign, "Dont H8, Repeal Prop8". This sign embodies a false dichotomy. There are lots of reasons to support a ban on gay marriage (again, this is not a discussion of my views on the subject, so please dont leave comments talking about how I am not a "real" libertarian, what ever the fuck that is). Off the top of my head, morality (which is a legitimate government interest), retaining economic structure, religious objections (which dont have to involve hate), social disapproval. None of these involve hate, but are reasons people might vote for Prop 8. However, rather than making a rational argument about Prop 8, the protesters decided to create a false dichotomy to guilt people into agreeing with them.
The second sign said "Respect Diversity". I am not sure what that means, but there might be a rational argument there. What I take that to mean is that people, who have different lifestyles should not be treated differently than others. Prop 8 is a reaction from a California Supreme Court case saying, under the California Constitution Equal Protection Clause, it was unconstitutional for gays not to be able to marry. One of the key points made by the court in that decision (I dont know the name of it) was that under California law at the time, gays in domestic partnerships had all the same substive rights as married people. Prop 8 doesnt change that, gays still have all the same rights, just not the title. In other words, with or without Prop 8, we are respecting diversity.
Finally, there is the marriage is a fundamental human right sign. This sure does sound nice, but it doesnt hold water as an argument. I am assuming that they are not referring to a constitutional right, but rather as a human right outside the constitution. Marriage is a religious construct, with its definition set by various religions throughout time. This cannot be the basis for a fundamental human right. On that basis, slavery is also a fundamental human right, while premaritial sex is not. Furthermore, at least in this country, there is a fundamental human right of rule through majority, unless that rule harms the minority in an egregious manner. Here, however, there is really little if any harm, as discussed above.
Basically, these protesters didnt think through their arguments, which are pretty easily swept aside. On of the points of free speech is to allow people to make arguments, but when you dont think through your arguments, you arent really protesting, you are just annoying me.
Now the second prong, the effectiveness of their protest (dont worry, this will be much shorter). To recap, they are protesting Prop 8, the California gay marriage ban. Did I mention, I am not in California? They are protesting, basically publicly making arguments in order to change the beliefs of the population, to people who have no control over what they want changed. If they convince everyone and their mom that their stupid fucking arguments are correct (good luck there) nothing changes. No matter how we feel about it, we cant change it, only people in California can. The whole point of a protest is to change something, so protest to the people who can change it, otherwise you just look like an asshole.
quote of the day
"At an absolute minimum, I would suggest four guns for the backwoods home. These would be a .22, a shotgun, a defensive-type handgun, and a high-powered rifle."
-Massad Ayoob
That quote came from this great post on An economic firearms battery that I suggest everyone reads. If you are just getting into guns this is an essential read. Even if your basic firearms battery is sitting with lots and lots of friends in the safe I doubt you will read something by Massad Ayoob and feel like it was a waste of time, I know I never have.
-Massad Ayoob
That quote came from this great post on An economic firearms battery that I suggest everyone reads. If you are just getting into guns this is an essential read. Even if your basic firearms battery is sitting with lots and lots of friends in the safe I doubt you will read something by Massad Ayoob and feel like it was a waste of time, I know I never have.
Weekend Linkage
Utah Preppers- Top 10 Tips To Prepare For A Depression. This is pretty darn commn sense stuff but sometimes that is better then very complicated.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Top 10 Gadgets For Survivalists
We love cool SHTF stuff and I decided to put together a list of the top 10 gadgets. I used the term somewhat loosely with a focus on low priced stuff that fits our needs very well or in a novel way. As most of you know I tend to attempt to quantify things that are labeled as such. The following are the criteria used to assess the gadgets:
-Cheap, obviously a cheap item is more likely to fit into tight budgets and thus get into our pockets, GHB's or Rucksacks.
-Useful, Something cheap is still a total waste if it is not worthwhile and able to fill a legitimate need. The best water filter in the world is useless no matter how cheap if your goal is to tighten a medium sized philips screw.
-Sexy, In this case the word is sononymous with cool, neat or awesome.
Each of these is rated with 5 as the best score and 1 as the worst.
Here are the gadgets that are going to be ranked:
P-38
Little key chain led light
tide to go pen
bore snake
bore illuminator flashlight adapter
magpul
the backup
glock plug
glow stick
There will be some discussion later on but now we will get strait to the rankings.
# 10-The Backup. It scored 2, 3.5 and 4.5 (I will just give numbers from now on but they will always be in the same order) in cheap, useful and sexy. Its biggest drawback was that it is relatively expensive and also that it isn't particularly useful.
#9- Tide to go pen. It ranked 5, 3, 2.5. It is dirt cheap and pretty useful. It is not particularly sexy though. It says soccer mom way more then SHTF Ninja.
#8-The bore snake. I love the bore snake and was seriously tempted to tweek the criteria afterwords to make it go higher. It ranked 3,5,3. It is relatively expensive because they are only useful for a certain caliber which means that instead of one working for all your rifles or pistols needing 3-5 for a relatively modest sized gun collection adds a lot to the cost. Also I can clean the bore of a gun quicker then most folks probably isn't a great pickup line or addition to a SHTF group meeting.
#7- The multi tool ranks 2, 5, 4. I definitely lumped this diverse category into a single unit. For the sake of this discussion I am talking about a standard multi tool from a major manufacturer at a cost of about 50 bucks. The multi tool ranked relatively low because of its high (relatively to the other gadgets) cost but makes up for that by being uuber useful and sexy.
#6- The bore light adapter for a standard flashlight. With ranking or 5, 4, 2 the bore light adapter is a solid if somewhat boring contender.
#5- The Glock backstrap plug is a novel invention that is probably more aesthetic then anything else. It ranks 5, 2, 4. It could be said this is a great solution to a nonexistent problem.
#4- The little led light. These things are the shit. I own a few and suggest everyone does the same. For me they have almost entirely replaced small flashlights for their traditional role. It ranks 5,4,3.
#3- There is no number 3. I wrote this yesterday and apparantly messed up because there are infact 9 gadgets on the list.
#2- The Magpul is cool. What was said about the glock backstrap plug goes double here. 550 cord or 550 cord in conjunction with 100 mile per hour tape seems just fine to me. If you want to look like a total badass or someone who at least shops at the same store as a total bad ass have these on your mags. I rated them 4,3,5.
#1- The Glowstick. They are dirt cheap, pretty useful and sexy. They ranked 5,3,5.
In retrospect I could have more narrowly defined the gadgets. The open ended nature lead to comparing an apple, a rock, a can of beer and an envelope. I should have had at least one more criteria for ranking. This criteria would be something to the effect of "improvement over old technology". Also I should have been somewhat more objective about the cost category.
-Cheap, obviously a cheap item is more likely to fit into tight budgets and thus get into our pockets, GHB's or Rucksacks.
-Useful, Something cheap is still a total waste if it is not worthwhile and able to fill a legitimate need. The best water filter in the world is useless no matter how cheap if your goal is to tighten a medium sized philips screw.
-Sexy, In this case the word is sononymous with cool, neat or awesome.
Each of these is rated with 5 as the best score and 1 as the worst.
Here are the gadgets that are going to be ranked:
P-38
Little key chain led light
tide to go pen
bore snake
bore illuminator flashlight adapter
magpul
the backup
glock plug
glow stick
There will be some discussion later on but now we will get strait to the rankings.
# 10-The Backup. It scored 2, 3.5 and 4.5 (I will just give numbers from now on but they will always be in the same order) in cheap, useful and sexy. Its biggest drawback was that it is relatively expensive and also that it isn't particularly useful.
#9- Tide to go pen. It ranked 5, 3, 2.5. It is dirt cheap and pretty useful. It is not particularly sexy though. It says soccer mom way more then SHTF Ninja.
#8-The bore snake. I love the bore snake and was seriously tempted to tweek the criteria afterwords to make it go higher. It ranked 3,5,3. It is relatively expensive because they are only useful for a certain caliber which means that instead of one working for all your rifles or pistols needing 3-5 for a relatively modest sized gun collection adds a lot to the cost. Also I can clean the bore of a gun quicker then most folks probably isn't a great pickup line or addition to a SHTF group meeting.
#7- The multi tool ranks 2, 5, 4. I definitely lumped this diverse category into a single unit. For the sake of this discussion I am talking about a standard multi tool from a major manufacturer at a cost of about 50 bucks. The multi tool ranked relatively low because of its high (relatively to the other gadgets) cost but makes up for that by being uuber useful and sexy.
#6- The bore light adapter for a standard flashlight. With ranking or 5, 4, 2 the bore light adapter is a solid if somewhat boring contender.
#5- The Glock backstrap plug is a novel invention that is probably more aesthetic then anything else. It ranks 5, 2, 4. It could be said this is a great solution to a nonexistent problem.
#4- The little led light. These things are the shit. I own a few and suggest everyone does the same. For me they have almost entirely replaced small flashlights for their traditional role. It ranks 5,4,3.
#3- There is no number 3. I wrote this yesterday and apparantly messed up because there are infact 9 gadgets on the list.
#2- The Magpul is cool. What was said about the glock backstrap plug goes double here. 550 cord or 550 cord in conjunction with 100 mile per hour tape seems just fine to me. If you want to look like a total badass or someone who at least shops at the same store as a total bad ass have these on your mags. I rated them 4,3,5.
#1- The Glowstick. They are dirt cheap, pretty useful and sexy. They ranked 5,3,5.
In retrospect I could have more narrowly defined the gadgets. The open ended nature lead to comparing an apple, a rock, a can of beer and an envelope. I should have had at least one more criteria for ranking. This criteria would be something to the effect of "improvement over old technology". Also I should have been somewhat more objective about the cost category.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
No Top 10 Lists Today It Seems
Today at work we had a pretty boring afternoon. I wrote two top 10 lists. The one that is totally finished is in my notebook in the car. The other I just want to sleep on.
The bail out seems to be turning into an uglier and more disappointing thing as time goes on. On the bright side the price of gas is way down. I bought for $2.07 yesterday and that was pretty cool. Also though it is up today gold is generally down in price. That is good because tomorrow is Gold buying day. Also going to pick up some more ammo this weekend, not sure for what yet. Probably pistol and shotgun. It looks like the rifle shoot is getting postponed. I kind of want to hang out with Wifey for more then an hour or two while I scarf down dinner and watch a bit of TV before bed time. Getting to the range might be part of our Thanksgiving weekend plans. By then the en block clips and bandoleers will be here and I will have picked up some more ammo.
On the bright side I found a conservative talk radio station in town. Being able to listen to something semi educational on the way to and from work will be nice. Also we have lots of random breaks during the day in which I sometimes drive around post aimlessly or just sit in the car and listen to the radio. It looks like weekend posts will tend to be longer and more thoughtful for the foreseeable future. I do have a hum dinger for Sunday.
Anyway I am going to go to bed now. I promise a more on target post for tomorrow.
The bail out seems to be turning into an uglier and more disappointing thing as time goes on. On the bright side the price of gas is way down. I bought for $2.07 yesterday and that was pretty cool. Also though it is up today gold is generally down in price. That is good because tomorrow is Gold buying day. Also going to pick up some more ammo this weekend, not sure for what yet. Probably pistol and shotgun. It looks like the rifle shoot is getting postponed. I kind of want to hang out with Wifey for more then an hour or two while I scarf down dinner and watch a bit of TV before bed time. Getting to the range might be part of our Thanksgiving weekend plans. By then the en block clips and bandoleers will be here and I will have picked up some more ammo.
On the bright side I found a conservative talk radio station in town. Being able to listen to something semi educational on the way to and from work will be nice. Also we have lots of random breaks during the day in which I sometimes drive around post aimlessly or just sit in the car and listen to the radio. It looks like weekend posts will tend to be longer and more thoughtful for the foreseeable future. I do have a hum dinger for Sunday.
Anyway I am going to go to bed now. I promise a more on target post for tomorrow.
New Vid, and Quote of the Day
In The Know: Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole?
Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government.
Milton Friedman
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Communicating Without Modern Technology
First and foremost Wifey is awesome. She got the place completely unpacked in three days! I left this morning with giant piles of clothes and boxes everywhere and came home to a completely organized and clean house. She managed to successfully play tetris (except with lifting) with all sorts of stuff in the outside storage closet.
This post was somewhat inspired by a conversation with the MIL. Somehow we got to talking about cell phones and she mentioned how much simpler it was to make plans with her two middle children (now 22 and 18) then with her oldest (24) because of cell phones. The need for various contingency plans left with the cell phone. Imagine how much more complicated it would be to do this without home or pay phones and even CB's. Some of you have great alternative energy sources to power this stuff and even whole new setups in Faraday cages but if somehow your stuff keeps functioning will other people all have the same equipment.
You know how every Western TV show or movie that has a character go into town starts with them going to the Saloon? Aside from wanting a shot of whiskey or a cold beer and the writers need for them to get into some sort of a fight (fist if it was TV/PG or gun if it was PG-13 or R) they also needed information. When was the last time someone heard from Jim? Has Bob who is supposed to be coming to meet them came through yet? Etc, Etc.
I can't see a long term situation where (at least) local or regional mail service is not reestablished. That leaves us dealing more with real or near real time stuff. Leaving messages with someone in a central location is pretty basic. Generally speaking this means town. The person could be a trusty barkeep or store owner or a mutual friend who lives in town. Dead drops are also an option but for real safe stuff that would be a waste of energy.
Figuring out basic contingency plans for trips or other separations is important. The person leaving needs to give certain essential information to the party they are leaving. The way I have learned to deal with this issue is by using a GOTWA.
Going- Where you are going?
Others- Who else is going with you?
Time- How long will it take?
What to do if we don't return- Get help, come after us, call us (semi valid for this discussion)...On a side note wait is a common and stupid answer for this one. Figure out how long it will take, add a reasonable margin for error and tell them that time.
Actions on contact- What will you or I do if we recieve contact?
Here is an example. The situation is that I am going to buy some gold in a somewhat sketchy part of town.
Going- Jimbo's sketchy assed gold and silver shop with great deals
Others- None
Time- 1.5 hours (30 min there, 10 min in the store, 30 min back, 20 min margin of error)
What to do if I don't return- Call me, call Jimbo, contact police.
Actions on contact- Not really applicable (Me react within ROE (in this case state law), call authorities then you, You react within state law, call authorities then me.)
Obviously some parts of this (others, actions on contact) might not be valie but I suggest you use the whole format and just say none or not applicable as needed. Using the whole format every time makes sure you think the whole thing through.
I feel a top 10 list comming on........
This post was somewhat inspired by a conversation with the MIL. Somehow we got to talking about cell phones and she mentioned how much simpler it was to make plans with her two middle children (now 22 and 18) then with her oldest (24) because of cell phones. The need for various contingency plans left with the cell phone. Imagine how much more complicated it would be to do this without home or pay phones and even CB's. Some of you have great alternative energy sources to power this stuff and even whole new setups in Faraday cages but if somehow your stuff keeps functioning will other people all have the same equipment.
You know how every Western TV show or movie that has a character go into town starts with them going to the Saloon? Aside from wanting a shot of whiskey or a cold beer and the writers need for them to get into some sort of a fight (fist if it was TV/PG or gun if it was PG-13 or R) they also needed information. When was the last time someone heard from Jim? Has Bob who is supposed to be coming to meet them came through yet? Etc, Etc.
I can't see a long term situation where (at least) local or regional mail service is not reestablished. That leaves us dealing more with real or near real time stuff. Leaving messages with someone in a central location is pretty basic. Generally speaking this means town. The person could be a trusty barkeep or store owner or a mutual friend who lives in town. Dead drops are also an option but for real safe stuff that would be a waste of energy.
Figuring out basic contingency plans for trips or other separations is important. The person leaving needs to give certain essential information to the party they are leaving. The way I have learned to deal with this issue is by using a GOTWA.
Going- Where you are going?
Others- Who else is going with you?
Time- How long will it take?
What to do if we don't return- Get help, come after us, call us (semi valid for this discussion)...On a side note wait is a common and stupid answer for this one. Figure out how long it will take, add a reasonable margin for error and tell them that time.
Actions on contact- What will you or I do if we recieve contact?
Here is an example. The situation is that I am going to buy some gold in a somewhat sketchy part of town.
Going- Jimbo's sketchy assed gold and silver shop with great deals
Others- None
Time- 1.5 hours (30 min there, 10 min in the store, 30 min back, 20 min margin of error)
What to do if I don't return- Call me, call Jimbo, contact police.
Actions on contact- Not really applicable (Me react within ROE (in this case state law), call authorities then you, You react within state law, call authorities then me.)
Obviously some parts of this (others, actions on contact) might not be valie but I suggest you use the whole format and just say none or not applicable as needed. Using the whole format every time makes sure you think the whole thing through.
I feel a top 10 list comming on........
Future of the GOP
Right now the GOP faces an identity crisis. What are their values, goals, views, and plan for the future? There are two possible ways they can go... They can try to be more like the liberals, pushing for big government, ignoring basic concepts of fiscal responsibility, and insane foreign policy, or they can actually stand on the principles the GOP was found on. Ron Paul has an opinion. I am not happy with the two party system, and even less happy with the one party system we have.
Anyway, here is the quote of the day:
We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.
Ayn Rand
Anyway, here is the quote of the day:
We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.
Ayn Rand
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Quotes from Theodore Roosevelt
"Wars are, of course, as a rule to be avoided; but they are far better than certain kinds of peace."
"The unforgivable crime is soft hitting. Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit softly.."
"The pacifist is as surely a traitor to his country and to humanity as is the most brutal wrongdoer."
"Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big."
"No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause."
"A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards."
"The unforgivable crime is soft hitting. Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit softly.."
"The pacifist is as surely a traitor to his country and to humanity as is the most brutal wrongdoer."
"Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big."
"No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause."
"A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards."
Getting Our Stuff
Today was the last big step in getting all moved in to the new place. We had electricity, hot water, cable and internet but our stuff finally came. That means last night is the last night sleeping on an air mattress in our place which is cool. The movers took about 2 hours to get all our stuff in and from there it was our madhouse. I filled up the 7 gallon water jugs so we now have 3 weeks of water for each of us and another jug for the cats or whatever. Our food situation is also a whole lot better now. Whilst unpacking the wife started to hate my stash of dried and canned food. She has a special hatred for the rice. Speaking of rice I need to take 40 pounds of it to the food bank this week as it goes bad in December. The rest I need to store more permanently or replace in a few months. More on that later. Also found some infant clothing that we intended to give to the nephews but forgot. It would be useless to them now (gosh they grow fast) but I am sure the food bank could use it. One thing the Mrs does which makes a lot of sense to me is to give targeted charity for children. Whatever life choices were made to get to the point of charity were not made by the kids. I am also a big fan of giving food, boring staple foods. The kind of stuff people eat if they are hungry or with lots of other stuff.
So now we have a heck of a lot more water and food which is a good thing. I am far more comfortable with the amounts of these things we have now. For the eastern arsenal we need to get some more ammo. Another 200 rounds of .38 ammo, 100 rounds of buck, 50 slugs and a few more boxes of .30-06 and we will be awful close to good to go. Not trying to get ready for TEOTWAWKI or Red Dawn here but having 200-300 rounds of ammo for each gun is just a good idea. I would like more for the rifle though.
The wife is sick of unpacking canned food, booze and baby wipes. Yeah we probably have a few months worth of canned food and rice and enough booze to stay halfway in the bag for a good chunk of that time. I had a well stocked bar at my last place and had inadvertently placed a good amount of sauce in storage beforehand. I just think it is good to have a bottle of everything you like to drink on hand and a spare or two can't be a bad thing. The odds that the world will end are slim but the odds we might want to make drinks and not have time to go to the package store (why they call liquor stores that I don't know) are much higher. Packing and unpacking the amounts of stuff needed to have reasonable preps just plain sucks.
Finally got the wireless internet working which is cool since the couch came today. Between that and the bigger TV coming the new place is working out quite well. With a bunch more food, water and a rifle with a couple hundred rounds of ammo I feel far more secure about our current situation today then I did a couple days ago. If you can say then then things must be going in the right direction.
So now we have a heck of a lot more water and food which is a good thing. I am far more comfortable with the amounts of these things we have now. For the eastern arsenal we need to get some more ammo. Another 200 rounds of .38 ammo, 100 rounds of buck, 50 slugs and a few more boxes of .30-06 and we will be awful close to good to go. Not trying to get ready for TEOTWAWKI or Red Dawn here but having 200-300 rounds of ammo for each gun is just a good idea. I would like more for the rifle though.
The wife is sick of unpacking canned food, booze and baby wipes. Yeah we probably have a few months worth of canned food and rice and enough booze to stay halfway in the bag for a good chunk of that time. I had a well stocked bar at my last place and had inadvertently placed a good amount of sauce in storage beforehand. I just think it is good to have a bottle of everything you like to drink on hand and a spare or two can't be a bad thing. The odds that the world will end are slim but the odds we might want to make drinks and not have time to go to the package store (why they call liquor stores that I don't know) are much higher. Packing and unpacking the amounts of stuff needed to have reasonable preps just plain sucks.
Finally got the wireless internet working which is cool since the couch came today. Between that and the bigger TV coming the new place is working out quite well. With a bunch more food, water and a rifle with a couple hundred rounds of ammo I feel far more secure about our current situation today then I did a couple days ago. If you can say then then things must be going in the right direction.
Monday, November 10, 2008
tip of the day
Always keep a frozen pizza in the freezer. I am partial to Digorno brand but will get store brands if they are sufficiently cheaper. I avoid Totinos or Red Baron because they are pretty knar knar. I Am sure this is where someone is saying we should only eat things made from wheat we grind ourselves and animals we shoot or raise. I know their diet is 100% stuff they grow and process themselves. That is awesome but just not realistic for most of us because we have jobs. The Pilgrims and Pioneers didn’t work 40+ hours a week then get home and grind some wheat to make their bread and neither can we.
I am not suggesting that you live on frozen pizza because it is relatively expensive and not particularly good for you. I am suggesting keeping a pizza on hand as an alternative to eating out on a weeknight. We all have that day where work goes two hours late and we are wiped out. Instead of spending 20+ dollars eating out (even McDonalds for 2 is around 15 bucks) when you just want something to eat throw that pizza in the oven and hop in the shower (take a beer in the shower with you). About the time you’ve cleaned up and relaxed a little bit there is a decent tasting relatively cheap meal to eat. Lots can be done to have normal food partially prepared in advance and that is great. I am suggesting that from time to time (once every week or two) a five dollar pizza is a decent cheap and easy meal. This will allow you to save eating out for date night or other special occasions.
Today our stuff came so it has been very hectic here. Frozen pizza for dinner it is.Quote of the Day
The honest politician is one who, when he is bought, stays bought.
~ U.S. Senator Simon Cameron (1862)
~ U.S. Senator Simon Cameron (1862)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Linkage fun
I stumbled onto a human right yesterday and kept the link open so I could check it out when time allowed. Today I looked through it and it is worth checking out. I don't know how often they update but in any case it is a beer or cup of coffee worth of entertainment. They made or at least had all the images on this post.
I also read this post about how the Dems Target Private Retirement Accounts. Hat tip to survival blog for this one. While some sort of a beverage was nice for the first link I suggest something about 80 proof for the second link. Scary stuff.
The M1 Garand
I got tons of awesome advice to the post on M1 Garand vs. FN-FAL. I am very honored to get a comment from Jim Rawles thought I did not end up going that way. I ended up buying the M1 Garand for a variety of reasons. First and foremost I just plain do not like the FN-FAL though I am not saying it is a bad weapon or anything like that. I put them in the same category as XD pistols, great product in every way except that I just don't like it. Last night when we went to dinner (date nite) I was quite confused and ended up talking it over a lot with the Wife. She doesn't know much about guns but she knows a hell of a lot about me and that probably proved to be more useful. She said one thing that really stuck out to me "You keep trying to come up with reasons to like it (FN-FAL) but you don't, get the one you like". Spending almost 800 bucks on a gun that I just don't like doesn't make sense. Now I have a pair of .30-06's instead of some new round and mag to deal with. Anyway it gets cut there is only one person who is going to be really happy or regretfull about the decision made this morning and that person is me.
So now there is a rifle in our appartment which is nice. The shop was selling en bloc clips for 5 bucks so I just got two and ordered 30 from J&G for a dollar a piece. Having a useless gun is completely unacceptable to me but I wasn't going to buy very many of those things for what the gun shop wanted.
So now there is a rifle in our appartment which is nice. The shop was selling en bloc clips for 5 bucks so I just got two and ordered 30 from J&G for a dollar a piece. Having a useless gun is completely unacceptable to me but I wasn't going to buy very many of those things for what the gun shop wanted.
And The Winner Is.......
In the pic is my new M1 Garand, two en bloc clips, a box of Yugo .30-06 ammo and 190 rounds of .30-06 Pakistani ammo and the can it came in. On the far bottom is the big pile of links from the Pakistani ammo.
Assuming I can make the time this old warhorse is going to the range next weekend.Saturday, November 8, 2008
Cross Your Fingers
Hermits Daughter is ill. She has been feeling blah and the docs ordered a bunch of tests to figure out what is going on. We at TOR household are crossing our fingers that the tests come out well. Hopefully it is one of those things that comes out of nowhere makes you feel like crap and goes away a couple days later with no after effects. The docs never seem to figure out what they are but since it is gone and you are fine that point is just academic.
Please cross your fingers, pray to whatever god (s) you believe in or just make a wish that she is OK and will feel better soon.
Please cross your fingers, pray to whatever god (s) you believe in or just make a wish that she is OK and will feel better soon.
My Brain Says FN- FAL And My Heart Says Garand- What do I do?
With the whole upcoming democratically controlled government coming up and that $1,000 in inheritance money just sitting around I am in thee gun market. This afternoon we went to a gun shop. It was hopping like one dollar beer and topless waitresses night at Hooters. People seemed to be buying semi automatic handguns and rifles, mostly Glock's and AR-15's. I checked out the AK's but don't really want to get another one.
They had a Century Arms FN-FAL and also a CEMTE. The prices were reasonable at about $800 but the furniture on the FN-FAL was total crap. Buying an expensive gun I immediately need to spend more money on to have it not suck does not appeal to me all that much, also .308 ammo is aweful expensive. That being said since I am doing better money wise now being able to eventually purchase reasonable amounts of .308 ammo (enough to make it worthwile to have the gun) is not the impossible task it was in the past. I know these guns are great but for some reason I've never bought one. Maybe the crap furniture on them just turns me off. That is a pretty superficial thing in the grand scheme of things and is easy enough to change. Once that is canceled out significantly higher ammo prices is the biggest single issue.
They had a couple of M1 Garands on the used rack. They were both Springfields and almost surely involved in WWII. At $699 they seem to be a pretty good price. I know someone is going to say it in the comments section but I am aware CMP sometimes sells them for cheaper. My desire to jump through a million hoops and fax all sorts of stuff around is nonexistent. I need another headacke like I need another hole in my head. I love the history of the M1a and that it is a hard hitting semi auto but doesn't need mags. Not needing to buy 10-20 mags is a big plus.
I almost bought the Garand today but I started having some doubt while waiting in line and decided to sleep on it. Now that I am home I'm really starting to lean toward an FN-FAL. My brain says FAL and my heart says Garand. What should I do?
They had a Century Arms FN-FAL and also a CEMTE. The prices were reasonable at about $800 but the furniture on the FN-FAL was total crap. Buying an expensive gun I immediately need to spend more money on to have it not suck does not appeal to me all that much, also .308 ammo is aweful expensive. That being said since I am doing better money wise now being able to eventually purchase reasonable amounts of .308 ammo (enough to make it worthwile to have the gun) is not the impossible task it was in the past. I know these guns are great but for some reason I've never bought one. Maybe the crap furniture on them just turns me off. That is a pretty superficial thing in the grand scheme of things and is easy enough to change. Once that is canceled out significantly higher ammo prices is the biggest single issue.
They had a couple of M1 Garands on the used rack. They were both Springfields and almost surely involved in WWII. At $699 they seem to be a pretty good price. I know someone is going to say it in the comments section but I am aware CMP sometimes sells them for cheaper. My desire to jump through a million hoops and fax all sorts of stuff around is nonexistent. I need another headacke like I need another hole in my head. I love the history of the M1a and that it is a hard hitting semi auto but doesn't need mags. Not needing to buy 10-20 mags is a big plus.
I almost bought the Garand today but I started having some doubt while waiting in line and decided to sleep on it. Now that I am home I'm really starting to lean toward an FN-FAL. My brain says FAL and my heart says Garand. What should I do?
A Priceless Conversation With My Wife
Today we were at Ranger Joes because I needed to pick up a mouth guard for upcoming combatives training. We were just kinda looking around and I saw Waterproof Survival Matches. The Mrs thought they were kind of cool and I offered to buy her some. She said "Why would I need that, I just don't go outside when it is raining." She was completely serious and I found myself with nothing to do but laugh.
These sort of conversations show how differently people look can think about the same thing. I did not get the matches for myself because for a nickel under 8 dollars they were way overpriced. Instead I got one of those .99 cent orange containers at Walmart which for me will serve the same role after I put some matches in it and throw it in my ruck.
I am very lucky to have a marital situation that is compatible with preparadness. She has consistently accepted my efforts and various impacts on our life. She figures I could have far worse hobbies then wanting us to be able to take care of ourselves. I can't imagine having the worst case scenario of a spouse who things this whole thing is stupid and is against me doing it. Obviously some logistical decisions must be made but few reasonable preparadness items which are subject to the spousal veto (I have a veto also so it is fair).
These sort of conversations show how differently people look can think about the same thing. I did not get the matches for myself because for a nickel under 8 dollars they were way overpriced. Instead I got one of those .99 cent orange containers at Walmart which for me will serve the same role after I put some matches in it and throw it in my ruck.
I am very lucky to have a marital situation that is compatible with preparadness. She has consistently accepted my efforts and various impacts on our life. She figures I could have far worse hobbies then wanting us to be able to take care of ourselves. I can't imagine having the worst case scenario of a spouse who things this whole thing is stupid and is against me doing it. Obviously some logistical decisions must be made but few reasonable preparadness items which are subject to the spousal veto (I have a veto also so it is fair).
Friday, November 7, 2008
Physical Training
Far too often preppers are all beans, bullets and bandaids and flabby discussing bodies. For every one who is lean and mean from constantly walking the woods in search of wild game and assorted farm chores and assorted off grid living in the wilds of the intermountain west there are 10 (or more) folks who work at a desk and munch on doughnuts all day long while they sit in front of the computer. I’m not faulting folks because we’ve all got to make a living somehow. I also know firsthand how sedentary jobs can make the pounds pile on. I am restating the point of physical fitness because it is the field of todays post but also because it is far too overlooked.
I took a PT Test the other day. My score was decent but more importantly it TOLD ME WHERE I WAS. I need about a 10 percent improvement all around but a shade more like 15 percent in pushups. I am not saying that the APFT (2 minutes of pushups, 2 minutes of sit-ups and a 2 mile run) is the greatest test of fitness out there. I am not suggesting that you use it as your individual fitness test (though it isn’t a bad place to start) and if it wasn’t forced upon me it would not be my chosen test.
You need to figure out a test that will work as your own fitness barometer. I am going to slip into Army speak here but it is the best way I know to explain this. First you must develop a list of mission essential tasks. From that list you will figure out what sort of physical endeavors will be required and thus plan your exercise routine. From the routine you can then develop the test.
It is essential to BE REALISTIC. Consult your doctor before blah, blah, blah. Seriously though if your last pair of running shoes became relaxing shoes and then lawn shoes and then the shoes used to help the neighbor tar his driveway and the wife threw then out don’t plan on doing that 40 minute 5 mile run you used to do on a regular basis. Yes that was a super compound sentence but it got the point across.
Come up with the essential tasks you need to do and a plan to work towards being better at said tasks. Measure that ability on a regular schedule.
What Now?
Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are
I know I post lots of vids, but this one is too good to pass up.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
my writing
I am on the ground at Ft Benning and wanted to update everyone to what is going on with me and the blog. Today we finally got hot water which is awful nice. The net and cable were up yesterday but by the time we got it working and I got done checking back up on my social networking sites and surfing some porn it was bed time. I am going to use the positive sandwich technique for the rest of this post.
On the bright side I will have lots of new stuff to post about as I go through a variety of different training tasks with a new bunch of folks. The move also leads to prepping for a new situation and place which is interesting. The downside is that my writing which has been very prolific for the past couple of months is going to get tapered back considerably. I have been doing more or less two real posts a day with a quote of the day and sometimes a joke. That level of posting is going to stop for the foreseeable future. Also my reading of other blogs will be greatly decreased. I will probably do some surfing on the weekends but I will not be reading 6-8 blogs daily as I was. I will commit to posting as frequently as possible. I am not going to say every day because there will be days here and there where it just doesn’t work. Though I will do my best to schedule post to cover those times there is a limiting factor of hours in the day and to be honest if there is a choice between spending a bit of time with my Wife, sleeping or blogging they will happen in that order of precedence. Aside from an odd day here or there and a week or so at the end I will be posting continuously through the end of the year and beyond. After that it might have to go to 5 or even 3 times a week but that bridge will get crossed when it can be seen for what it is.
Different Constitutional Views
Recently, thanks to some of my various classes, I have been reading a whole hell of a lot of SCOUS cases. There are, beyond liberal and conservative, or textualist and living document, 2 themes which arise out of them, focusing on the scope of personal liberties under the bill of rights, and the power of federal government under Art. 1 Section 8.
In essence, the "liberal" justices believe that Art. 1 Sec 8 gives the federal government almost unlimited power, and that the scope of the bill of rights is very broad. The "conservative" justices believe that the federal government has very limited power, with a very narrow interpretation of the bill of rights. Taken together, these philosophies make sense. If the federal government doesn't have much power, than there is no reason to have very broad rights. If the federal government has broad power, than it makes sense to have expansive rights.
Here is the problem. Through the due process clause of the 14 Amendment, the federal constitutional rights apply to the states. Unlike the federal government, states have sweeping authority. This becomes problematic because if constitutional rights have a narrow scope, they impose few limits on the states, but if they have broad application, it infers expansive federal power. It is inferred because when interpreting the federal bill of rights, it is important to recognize how they relate to the constitution they amend. Expensive rights means that the government has the ability to regulate those areas.
I believe that to achieve the maxium liberty, we should follow the scheme created by the founders, that being, limited federal power, limited constitutional rights under the federal constitution. More liberty can be achieved through independent state constitutions, which are easier to amend, and have free range to create their own interpretations outside SCOUS. There would be some states which would have liberty, NY and California, but other states would be free to expand liberty to its logical extremes, creating a patchwork of system. This would allow the principle tenant of libertarian ideals, leave other people alone, alive and well. It would be possible for people to live in states with the system that suits them best, and stop running to the federal constitution when ever they have a grievance.
Now I think we have gone too far to have this actually happen, but this, in my not so humble opinion, would be the best system.
In essence, the "liberal" justices believe that Art. 1 Sec 8 gives the federal government almost unlimited power, and that the scope of the bill of rights is very broad. The "conservative" justices believe that the federal government has very limited power, with a very narrow interpretation of the bill of rights. Taken together, these philosophies make sense. If the federal government doesn't have much power, than there is no reason to have very broad rights. If the federal government has broad power, than it makes sense to have expansive rights.
Here is the problem. Through the due process clause of the 14 Amendment, the federal constitutional rights apply to the states. Unlike the federal government, states have sweeping authority. This becomes problematic because if constitutional rights have a narrow scope, they impose few limits on the states, but if they have broad application, it infers expansive federal power. It is inferred because when interpreting the federal bill of rights, it is important to recognize how they relate to the constitution they amend. Expensive rights means that the government has the ability to regulate those areas.
I believe that to achieve the maxium liberty, we should follow the scheme created by the founders, that being, limited federal power, limited constitutional rights under the federal constitution. More liberty can be achieved through independent state constitutions, which are easier to amend, and have free range to create their own interpretations outside SCOUS. There would be some states which would have liberty, NY and California, but other states would be free to expand liberty to its logical extremes, creating a patchwork of system. This would allow the principle tenant of libertarian ideals, leave other people alone, alive and well. It would be possible for people to live in states with the system that suits them best, and stop running to the federal constitution when ever they have a grievance.
Now I think we have gone too far to have this actually happen, but this, in my not so humble opinion, would be the best system.