F1 and NASCAR Swap

Lewis Hamilton and Tony Stewart will swap rides. I watched the special where Jeff Gordon and Juan Pablo Montoya traded cars. JPM about ran the NASCAR off the track, while Gordon was breaking way too early while he got used to the technological marvel that is an F1 car. Gordon looked like the better, more adaptable driver that day.

Half-Off Depot - Buddy's Bar-B-Q

Fifteen bucks worth of food at Buddy's for $7.50. Not as sweet as the half-off Coal Creek Armory membership they had, but not a bad deal if you eat there anyway.

Sex Sells

Got lazy users that won't come up with complex passwords? Try using the code from Naked Password to encourage them to think a little harder. Check out the demo at www.nakedpassword.com.

I love my smart phone, but I don't "love" my smart phone. What's wrong with kids these days?

11% of Gen Y check their iPhone during "heavy petting."

Unreal.

Dilbert Hits Close to Home

Ouch. As an IT manager, I resemble this comic. Unfortunately.

Carbon Fiber Money Clip Knife

A Carbon Fiber Money Clip Knife for $200... proving once again that it is easier to have more money than sense.



Via Uncrate.

2000 Round Challenge

Introducing the 2000 Round Challenge.

Rules Summary - see link above for full details
1. Pick one gun and clean/lube it.
2. Shoot 2,000 rounds without cleaning the weapon.
3. Report results.

I didn't see this before I started the Dot Torture exercise, but I can use it to see that the CZ 75 won't make it through 2000 rounds flawlessly. I hadn't really thought about using the stats to measure the reliability of the gun in addition to the performance of the shooter. Duh, but that's the nice thing about being new at something - you learn everyday.

DT1 --- 50
DT2 --- 50
DT3 --- 50

DT4 --- 50
DT5 --- 50

DT6 --- 50
DT7 --- 50 (1 Fail to Feed)
Other - 18

I didn't make it very far. 368 rounds and already 1 failure.

Wrong Gas Station

Posted by Clay Travis. Clay says "Sign you picked wrong Mississippi gas station? This was on the door when I went to pay." I also thinks it makes the argument for an armed citizenry.

Morse Code

A neat little web app, Morse Code Translator, for turning text into audio.

Knoxville Bloggers Get Together

Turning cash into smoke and noise. Check.
Putting food in my belly. Check.
Hanging out with interesting people. Check.

Sounds like a good day to me.

Knoxville Blogger Get Together

Coal Creek Armory

I was out at CCA this week and renewed my range membership. They have a ton of pistols in stock right now. They are basically laying on top of each other in the display case. Also, don't bother leaving a guess for their "how many casings are in the fish tank" contest. I am very confident I nailed it - plus or minus a thousand.

Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380

Phil reviews and praises the 380 at the Guns for Sale Blog.

And another favorable review at the Survivalist Blog.

My neighbor has one and he says the double-action is hard for him to shoot. I've not shot it yet, so my comments are superficial at the moment. First, it is a tiny gun. The ergonomics weren't bad when I was playing around with the safety, mag release, etc. Both reviews mentioned that the laser was not worth much in bright light. I noticed the sights were plain, black. I'd rather see them with some nice dots - perhaps something that glows in the dark as a backup to the laser, too. Definitely on my list of things I'd like to try as I look to upgrade my Kel-Tec PF-9.

Software Agreements

I feel like this sometimes, too. I especially hate dealing with the giant companies like Oracle. You can play by their rules or go home.

I killed Myspace!

From Brick O'Lore

Okay, so not really, but it is dying.

Time to Hunt and The 47th Samurai

Well, I ended up reading, not one, but both of the other Stephen Hunter books about Bob Lee Swagger.

First up is a Time to Hunt which is really several stories in one. It tells the story of Donny, Bob Lee's partner, and how he ended up as part of the sniper team. It also describes the events surrounding Bob Lee and Donny's heroics in Vietnam. For me, the intertwined stories worked a lot better than in the previous novel. Conspiracy theory lovers will enjoy this one. It is my favorite book in the series so far.

The 47th Samurai moves Bob's Excellent Adventure to Japan as he stumbles into trouble (surprise!) as he is pulled into his father's past. A samurai sword that Earl brought home turns out to be much more important to than he ever suspected. (And I have no idea why Bob's wife puts up with him.) To be honest, it was more of the same with some Asian seasoning. I liked it and it was an easy read, but I might let other books jump ahead of it in the queue. My lack of excitement may be partially due to some Bob Lee overload. I typically enjoy reading a series of books, so that I can follow a character in depth, but it might be too much of a good thing in this instance.

Passionate Purchases

"People buy guns in a moment of passion," Verge said. "I think if you're going to kill someone, you'd better make sure you take the time and make sure you're prepared to take someone's life."

She is absolutely right. Just take a look at this video and see proof that is the way it happens!

"Five Days?!? But I'm mad now."

I don't think people buy guns in a fit of passion or even rage. Going to buy a gun involves time and some measure of planning - perhaps it could be called premeditation. Now, I've seen guys make impulse buys, but that's not the same.

Verge quote from Santa Monica Daily Press via The View from North Central Idaho

New Bills Proposed to Enhance Gun Rights

New proposals in Tennessee would allow permit holders to be exempt from background checks and the second paves the way for employees to have weapons on company property.

SB 0306
I don't buy a lot of guns, but it would be nice to skip the fee and paperwork. I don't know that this would aid in the privacy front, but it shouldn't hurt.

SB 0519
I'm ready for some legislation that protects my rights to carry any where. It makes my head spin that people thing little signs will keep the bad guys from bringing guns into a building.

Skype Illegal in France

So France may declare that Skype is illegal, because it isn't a registered telecom. Since it isn't registered, they aren't paying taxes. Taxes which support things like phone books and payphone booths. (I've added those last links for my younger readers that may not be familiar with antiques from the early days of telephony.) Nothing like disruptive technology to mess with tax codes and morals! For technology is no longer disruptive once people have figured out how to regulate and tax it.

Keeping an eye out for a Walther PPS

When I'm out and about in Knox Vegas, I'll have to keep an eye out for someone open carrying a Walther PPS in an exotic stingray holster.

Amazon Prime adds On-Demand Streaming at No Extra Cost

If you already use Amazon Prime, this is a great deal. I am cheap, so I usually just order my stuff on the slow boat that is free. And, with my toddler running around, I don't watch as much TV as I once did. Amazon on Demand is available on your PC, Roku, TiVo, and others - but not the Wii.

For TNJeff

First, some information so he can start working on his General license.

And, an automated chicken coop door! Technology is amazing!

Condredge Holloway Story

I watched the Condredge Holloway Story last night.

I'm not sure this is the same highlight, but they showed one video where he was touched by all eleven players on the opposing team and still could not be stopped. Ridiculous.



Holloway gives Bear Bryant a lot of credit for being honest about the fact that Alabama was not ready for a black quarterback. The editing almost sound like being up front about that fact was a bigger deal than having a university that could accept him as the leader of their team.

Definitely worth the hour I spent to watch. Check your local listings for future showings.

Happy Birthday Zelda!

The Legend of Zelda is 25 today. Here are some interesting bits of Zelda trivia. The Japanese get all the good stuff - like microphones in their controllers. I remember playing the first one with my brother when we were younger. And I sunk way too many hours into Twilight Princess on the Wii.

A Study in Contrast: President's Day

United Methodist links to POTUS.

"They served lemonade to guests at the White House in an age of temperance. They had roles in inaugurations and extended spiritual advice to presidents on justice issues, ranging from slavery to war."

Five Badass Presidents on Cracked via Gun Nuts Media.

"I have only two regrets: I didn't shoot Henry Clay and I didn't hang John C. Calhoun."

President's Day

I thought there would be more than eight. Happy President's Day.

How to Straighten Wire

Can it really be this easy?



Via Instructables.

Baby Monitors aren't secure.

Baby Monitors aren't secure.

Really? Is anyone surprised by this? I just don't see it being a huge risk. Without intercepting the monitor transmissions, you can pretty well assume that my kid is bed at night.

Karma

Karma is a bitch.

Coal Creek Armory: Gun Prices Are Too Damn High!

Some sale items, plus they are giving away two Glocks. No details on the give-away. They say you need to go by. I was thinking about shooting tomorrow if I can get a kitchen pass, so maybe I can learn more.

Coal Creek Armory: Gun Prices Are Too Damn High!

Update - I guess I'm going to have to become a fan on their Facebook page. Apparently they are going to have more content there - including the details of the give-away. You have to guess how many casings are inside an aquarium.

Tonight I'm Frakking You

I really wanted to like this video. It wasn't as funny as I hoped, but I'm posting it for a couple of reasons.



1. Alessandra Torressani (Zoe from Caprica) in the Princess Leia outfit is pretty hot.
2. I had not seen the Interactive Transcript feature on YouTube before today. It scrolls through the lyrics in sync with the video. You'll have to view the video on YouTube to see this feature.

Why Ham Radio Endures in a World of Tweets

Wired discusses "Why Ham Radio Endures in a World of Tweets." The article talks about the magic of talking to someone many miles away and the personal connection that is made. While I agree, I still say the cool part is not depending on someone else's infrastructure to make the connection. I think there has been a resurgence of people wanting to understand how to do things for themselves and not depend on Chinese imports at your local Wal-Mart. We see it in the popularity of DIY shows, Make Magazine, and the preppers. Ham radio is a fun way to learn a useful skill.

Via W2LJ's Blog - QRP - Do More With Less

Guns - A Response

I had previously posted an exchange between me and friend on Facebook discussing the topic of guns. Here is her response:

"Brick - thanks for the offer, but I think I would cry and run away at the site of a gun. Not ever interested ever. Sorry.

If God's will is for me to be gone tomorrow because I couldn't protect myself in a bad situation and the lesson that other's learn from my death is strong that I would be completely at peace with my life and the blessings that he provided along the way.

Again - this is a long time stand. Nothing recent has changed or grown my statements from last week. My statement to my husband 13 years ago was that I could never live in a home with a gun - ever.

I value my friends' opinions and everyone's rights to carry as the laws allow today. Everyone has an opinion and a right to feel safe.

Thanks for sharing everyone -"

My previous response employed the traditional tools of rhetoric (logos, pathos, and ideals). I tried to appeal to her sense of right/wrong, attempted to tug at her emotions, and reason with her.

But it is hard to argue with faith. I understand her point, but I can't believe God wouldn't want me to protect my family if I had the option. I went so far as to look for Biblical support for my stance. I found several verses and interpretations that support my view. Being fair and balanced, I searched for counter-arguments and found several including the official position of the United Methodist Church on guns. (More on that in a later post.)

I decided that I would not reply to her. I appreciate that she did, but I felt like we were just in two different places in our beliefs and faith. Neither one of us is ready to be swayed. I will continue to study this issue.

Good enough for cops, good enough for the NFL

Cops are using iPads and so may the NFL.

I still want to check out the NoteSlate I mentioned earlier, but I coming around to the idea that the iPad is a tool and not just a toy.

Via Slashdot.org.

How many rounds does a man need?

Stephen Hunter says a bunch.

John D/Mad Duck says if you need even one you are having a bad day.

During the Super Bowl, a commercial for the "Justified" TV series ran and included a parody of Dirty Harry's are you feeling lucky punk scene, but with semi-auto instead of the .44 magnum. I'm surprised it aired given the recent events in Arizona. I guess 17 doesn't count as high capacity.



On the subject of high capacity magazines, here is a video that shows how little difference a reload can make.

Software Defined Radio in a USB Package

Another SDR, but in a USB package - the FUNcube Dongle. How could you not like a radio with that name?

Via AA6E Station Log.

DreamPlug ARM Plug Computer

I don't need one. I don't even have a use for one. So why do I think I should buy a plug computer every time someone releases a new one - like the DreamPlug.

Via Thinq.

Bonus:
Unbrick a plug computer via Slashdot.org.

Pomplamoose

TNJeff pointed me to this NPR article about a group making a living on the internet. Maybe some day I can turn my 1's of 1's of readers into a career. In the mean time, I'll enjoy their success and hope you can as well. Without further ado... Pomplamoose covers "Single Ladies."

Who e-watches the e-watchmen?

I love themes in the news.

Internet "Kill Switch" Worries People

Clinton calls for Internet protections

From whom you might ask? Maybe our government - as it shuts down 80,000+ websites by mistake.

Via Slashdot.org, Slashdot.org, and Instapundit.

Socialnomics

I've seen this before, but they've updated the video. Amazing stats. Forget consumerism, think of the power social networking has in aiding change in Egypt, Tunisia, and elsewhere.

Ken Jennings on Watson

Ken is smart and funny. Here is a link to his analysis of the man vs. machine cage match.

Some favorite bits:

"In the middle of the floor was a huge image of Watson's on-camera avatar, a glowing blue ball crisscrossed by "threads" of thought—42 threads, to be precise, an in-joke for Douglas Adams fans."

Ken obviously knows his pop culture as he used the Simpson's quote to welcome our new computer overlords in his Final Jeopardy answer.

"Watson has lots in common with a top-ranked human Jeopardy! player: It's very smart, very fast, speaks in an uneven monotone, and has never known the touch of a woman."

And he can play to the classic geek stereo-types.

"Just as factory jobs were eliminated in the 20th century by new assembly-line robots, Brad and I were the first knowledge-industry workers put out of work by the new generation of "thinking" machines."

Not a bad severance package - he gets $150,000 for coming in second.

And as a side note, good thing companies like 3LM are starting to implement Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics.

"The security company says 3LM stands for "three laws of mobility" that devices should follow: protect the user from malicious code or content, protect the device itself by securing data and communications, and obey the user unless this would cause a security problem."

Via Slashdot.org

Dungeons & Dragons meets Firefly

This is awesome.. Dungeons & Dragons meets Firefly!

From Brick O'Lore

Not sure if this is his image or where to give credit, but...

Via Walls of the City

[Update] - Confirmed - credit to Linoge of Walls of the City.

NoteSlate

I hope the NoteSlate isn't vaporware. I love the idea of a simple, single-function device that can replace my legal pads. This would be a lot better than the pens that record what you write, but require special graph paper. From $99... sweet!

From Brick O'Lore

Transparent Monitors

I don't know how this would work given different points of view, but the transparent desktop is nothing short of awesome looking.

The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story Trailer

EPSN is airing "The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story" on Sunday, February 20th at 8PM Eastern. Holloway was the first black quarterback in the SEC.

Coming out of the closet... politically.

This is why I have the blog... I don't feel comfortable discussing my politics with just anyone. I think it is part of my conservative nature that I don't want to be in anyone's face. This blog gives me an outlet and an on-line persona with which to play.

Quoting the letter that was quoted on the blog:

"I’ve just been watching the first series of Mad Men, and I’m struck by the gay guy Salvatore Romano, and how similar his behavior is to me, only I’m hiding my politics, not my sexuality. There are also the classic moments, whereby fellow believers in academia carefully try to work out if you are one of “us”. I remember one guy who heard me comment on how some architecture reminded me of something I read in The Fountainhead, which was enough to alert him. Later we went out for a drink. I remember the nervous moment (for both of us) where he finally came out and asked me, “so what are your political / economic beliefs?” I chickened out, tempered, and said, “well, perhaps more to the center than most academics” and countered, “what are yours?” Reassured, he was willing to admit to conservative leanings. Then I was willing to admit it too."

Maybe I am just more sensitive to it, but it seems that the liberals are more willing to start debates, make political statements on Facebook, and generally stir things up.

Crime Alerts

As a follow-up to my post on the Crime Reports website, I did get a report via e-mail when a crime was committed near my home. In this case, a vehicle theft. I'm pretty happy about this... if there is a local trend I can raise my threat level to code red.

From Brick O'Lore

Would you like to play a game?

No, not Joshua. Maybe it is SkyNet. In any case, the Jeopardy playing computer, Watson, is freakishly good at the game. As of this evening, he/it is leading Ken and Brad by over $25,000.

According to Wikipedia,

"Watson is made up of a cluster of ninety IBM Power 750 servers (plus additional I/O, network and cluster controller nodes in 10 racks) with a total of 2880 POWER7 processor cores and 16 Terabytes of RAM. Each Power 750 server uses a 3.5 GHz POWER7 eight core processor, with four threads per core."

It is one thing to store all the world's knowledge (295 exabytes), but it is another to access it in response to contextual clues in natural language.

Via Slashdot.org

A New, Smaller iPhone

According to this article, Apple may introduce a new, smaller iPhone that is less expensive than the current models. It would be around $200 without a contract. That doesn't sound like the Apple I know. Steve Jobs is losing his iron grip already.

Coal Creek Armory

With the recent posts on the CCA blog, I've started wondering if this is part of a plan to better engage customers. (They are looking for a new General Manager, too.)

I've been going to Coal Creek for over a year now. I took the Basic Handgun and my Carry Permit course there. I've been shooting on the range and even got the membership.

Generally, I'm pretty happy with them. I'll point out some of the bad experiences below, but other than the Lane 2 problem, these were things that happened quite some time ago. Coal Creek does seem to be trending in the right direction.

You occasionally get less than stellar customer service. It's strange, too, because the same person can be extremely nice one day and condescending the next. I know that those of us that are new to guns can ask some dumb questions and it can get tiring, but we are still the customer.

A friend inquired about transferring a gun from Buds and he got a very rude response about the rates they would charge if it was something they had in stock. I have no beef with the policy; they are out to make a buck, but the delivery was uncalled for.

When I took my Basic Handgun course, they changed the time, but didn't bother to tell the people that had signed up. We all had rushed there after work only to wait 30 minutes. We were told that we should have checked the website. Really? You couldn't have called?

And the target carrier on Lane 2 moves like a glacier. It's been this way for a long time and they should really get it fixed.

Oh, and did I mention I was a new shooter? One day we were shooting a rental Glock .40 and were given a box of 9mm for it. Nobody got hurt, but it could have been nasty.

I don't mean to focus too much on the negatives... I know several people that had good experiences - from making purchases to attending classes and I'm still planning on renewing my membership. It is always a good day when I can shoot a few rounds and swing by Bojangles for a cajun filet biscuit.

How to Lube Your Glock from CCA

As a follow-up to the AR-15 How-To, Coal Creek has posted an article about how to lube your Glock.

New Kicks

I had been looking for some boots. With all the snow around here, my trainers just weren't cutting it. On the advice of a friend at Mast General Store, I picked up a pair of the Keen Targhee II Mid boots. Also based on a recommendation, I grabbed a couple pair of Smartwool socks to try out. I'll report back after I've put them through their paces. (Pun intended.)

From Brick O'Lore

Your Kind(les) Aren't Welcome Here

When I think of coffee houses, I think of hipsters. Apparently I should think of Luddites with no business sense.

From Brick O'Lore

Via Slashdot

Guns in Switzerland - Follow-up

A follow-up to my post about proposed gun restricts in Switzerland... Swiss voters reject anti-gun initiative. I guess I can keep using the Swiss in my pro-2A discussions.

Via Snowflakes in Hell

Atlas Shrugged

I bought the book a while back, but I've not started the 1,000+ page journey... looks like I need to get going.



Via Instapundit

Multiculturalism Fails

From Wikipedia: "In a political context the term has come to mean the advocacy of extending equitable status to distinct ethnic and religious groups without promoting any specific ethnic, religious, and/or cultural community values as central."

I really don't have a problem with diversity, multiculturalism, or whatever you want to call it - assuming everyone brings an open mind to the table. Unfortunately, some cultures want to convert those in their host countries.

Multiculturalism Fails in the United Kingdom

Multiculturalism Fails in Canada

Multiculturalism Fails in France

Multiculturalism Fails in Germany

Testing Blogger-droid

Just a test post from my phone.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

Guns in Switzerland

I had seen this video and always thought it was a great argument for the 2A side... and now it appears that some Swiss citizens may lose their right to possess a gun.

470 Amateur Radio Net - FlexRadio and Echolink

Paul, W4PGM, gave an overview of the FlexRadio, Software Defined Radio. He runs the FLEX-3000 and really likes it. He compared it favorably to many other HF rigs he has run. Since it is software based, he says it is easy to apply the updates that come out every 6 months or so. The updates may change the tuner from a 5-to-1 to a 7-to-1 or improve the noise blanker. Even without the customary buttons or dials on the radio, it is very configurable - you just use the PowerSDR software from your PC. It sounded like any fairly recent computer would be sufficient as long as you have or can add a Firewire port. Paul really liked its abilities in digital modes. On the band scope, you can pick a peak, representing a signal, and click it to tune to that frequency.

From Brick O'Lore

He mentioned a couple of issues with the CW and notch filtering, but says the company is working to resolve those issues. He also said that contesters may not like the software, because it doesn't integrate into the popular logging programs - you have to manually change the focus of the windows to switch between apps.

Also, Rick Sr., N4JTQ, explained the problems they were having getting the Echolink working on the KJ4HPM/443.225 repeater. I was glad to find out it wasn't just me.

Clean your AR-15

A guide from Coal Creek Armory for cleaning your AR-15. I think they need a copy editor. (Not that I'm perfect!)

The Cost of Faith

Powerful faith... I don't know if my faith is that strong. I can't help thinking about my family and not wanting to miss a minute.

Encrypted Google Search

I just noticed that my Google search defaulted to an encrypted page. Strange. I've never see that before tonight. It shows the "Beta" and a "SSL" tag.

https://encrypted.google.com/

From Brick O'Lore

Old Mobile Phone for 911

Not a bad idea... keep an old mobile phone charged to use as a back-up for 911 calls. He recommends using a timer to keep the phone from sucking juice all the time. I would suggest looking at the phone to see if shows that it is getting an SOS signal of some sort.

Home Defense Experiment

A friend sent me the link to Legion's Fate blog and an experiment for shooting through drywall. They test the conventional wisdom that a shotgun is preferable to a rifle or handgun for self defense in the home when there is a risk of an errant round passing through a wall and hitting a loved one or neighbor.

The conclusion...

"For fun, we also shot a .38 Special MagTec frangible round, a .357 magnum Glaser Safety Slug, and a Black Hills 124 grain +P 9mm at the walls, and all of them went straight through the five walls and into the woods. High velocity small mass bullets hitting something hard like drywall makes them break up and slow down, and low velocity high mass bullets just keep going."

Nifty Guide for the Wouxun KG-UVD1P

The Nifty Guide for the Wouxun KG-UVD1P is now available. I guess this means the Chinese radio is now officially a player.

From Brick O'Lore

Top Shot 2 - T-minus 24 Hours

Catch Top Shot 2 tomorrow night at 10:00.

Echolink near Knoxville

From the 470 ARG Newsletter:

"Hopefully we will have our ECHOLINK up and running by this WEDS going through our club repeater of 443.225, thats one reason the news letter is a little early.. the link will be KJ4HPM-R on the search bar at ECHOLINK."

As I mentioned earlier, I think that EchoLink is a good way to get into the hobby without a lot of expense. We are just waiting for TNJeff to get his ticket, so he can sign-up. The air waves will never be the same. I believe both my IC-7000 and the KG-UVD1P will work on 70 cm.

Also, Paul (W4PGM) will be talking about the Flex Radio on Thursday night. And, they are thinking about doing an Extra class. I'd really like to do that, but I'm not sure I have the time.

N6R - Fail

Well, I never did get N6R, but at least I was out there and learned a little about the radio. I think finding these special events may be a good way for me to get going with HF. Since I know where they will be, it takes some of the randomness out of the process.

N6R - Playing with HF on the IC-7000

Well, I've been listening for N6R on 20M at 14.255 MHz. I can barely make out some activity. As I mentioned, they are celebrating Reagan's 100th Birthday. I can't really hear N6R from Thousand Oaks, CA. I have heard a couple of stations from Oklahoma City and somewhere in Colorado working him.

I've been playing around with a lot of the settings on my IC-7000. I'm taking my best guess with:

Noise Reduction (NR) - it does eliminate some of the noise, but it keeps me from hearing N6R at all.

Pre Amplifier (P.AMP) - the Pre Amp does help me hear him as it magnifies the weak signal. According to the manual, it improves the signal to noise ratio and is useful for weak signals.

Attenuator (ATT) - The attenuator blocks undesired signals, which doesn't help me at all.

Noise Blanker (NB) - The noise blanker did not help and given the description in the manual (eliminates pulse type noise such as from a car ignition), I'm not surprised.

IF Filter (FIL) - I tried the IF Filters, too, but none of the 3 default passbands filters seemed to help either. There are some step size adjustments, but I didn't understand them enough to play with them.

IF Filter Shape - I did try the "soft" and "sharp" filter shapes, but they didn't seem to help.

And now, some Net has started on 14.255 MHz and run off the special event station. I'm spinning the dial to see if I can find him again.

Looks like I need to check out the Reagan Library website, too.

Congrats

Congrats to TNJeff for passing his Tech exam!

For the people...

An Alabama city wants to control what its employees post on their time, on their computers, using their personal accounts.

I love the quote in the stub on Slashdot:

"Anyone care to educate these clowns on the existence of the First Amendment?"

Via Slashdot.org

Oak Ridge Mayor Signs Mayors Against Illegal Guns Letter

Tom Beehan signed the MAIG letter. On the one hand, I think we are all against illegal guns. On the other hand, these guys are idiots for thinking we are idiots. Seriously, aren't we all against bad things?

Guns and Health Insurance

Say Uncle discusses South Dakota lawmakers' proposal that all adults have to buy a gun for self-defense. He then points to Glen's discussion on the topic.

Interesting stuff... State lawmakers propose requiring firearms purchase, but some don't believe they have the right to do it. The Federal government is trying to force healthcare on its citizens. Many don't believe that is Constitutional. However, some are saying that the Federal government may have the authority to require gun ownership through its militia powers. Now we are talking!

Dinner with Derek Dooley

I had dinner with Derek Dooley last night - with about a thousand of my closest friends - to celebrate the successful recruitment of the next freshman class for UT Football. He kept emphasizing the good character of these young men. Dooley seems to be a real class act himself. I hope he can win some games and stick around for a long time.

Why Multi Cam Works

Some neat pictures of Multi Cam/OCP.

"Extra" Special License

A discussion about the value of the Extra class license.

"Second, I don’t think many people can go through that memorization process without learning something. I have a friend who always claims that he passed the Extra test by memorizing all of the answers. He’s just playing dumb, though. He knows a lot more than he gives himself credit for, and I think that you’ll find the same thing is true for the clods who claim to have passed by simply memorizing the answers."

I'm not sure how much I learned as I passed my Tech and General in less than about six months. I have to agree that I learned something. The "doing" will teach me more than the studying ever did, but you have to start somewhere.

Android Market

Google has announced the Android Market. This seems like a no-brainer to me. I'm not sure why you wouldn't have released this sooner - if not at the same time as the Market app on the phones.

Liberals Aren't Experts on Guns

Anne gives us Chapter 217 on what liberals don't know about guns.

"On the other hand, for a homeowner who is a poor marksman, a large-capacity clip could be a lifesaver."

That's why my CZ holds 19 rounds.

NASA NanoSail-D Follow-up

NASA NanoSail-D Follow-up

"To get to this point is an incredible accomplishment for our small team and I can't thank the amateur ham operator community enough for their help in tracking NanoSail-D," Alhorn said. "Their assistance was invaluable. In particular, the Marshall Amateur Radio Club was the very first to hear the radio beacon. It was exciting!"

Hams Honor Reagan

Special Event Station for Reagan's Birthday

"To celebrate what would have been former President Ronald Reagan’s 100th Birthday, the Ventura County Amateur Radio Society will activate Special Event Station 'N6R' from Thousand Oaks, California. This, from Saturday, February 5th through Monday, February 7th."

Uncrate Prep

Uncrate normally posts when the latest Ferrari or Porsche is available.

Some recent posts have been a little more practical. TNJeffofAllTrades has the book and I keep thinking $12 is not much to pay for a nice reference for so many things I know nothing about. And who couldn't use another knife?

Book: Country Wisdom Know How


Knife: KA-BAR USMC Fighting Knife

China Won't Rule the World

I stumbled across this article on Esquire about China. It lists 5 reasons, China will fail to dominate the world.

No. 1: Demographics, or the Birth of a Nation of Selfish "Little Emperors" - individual egos demand more
No. 2: Accelerated Decrepitude, or Rapid Economic Development at the Cost of Environmental and Societal Breakdown - short-sighted obsession with instant gratification
No. 3: Resource Dependencies, or Creating the Most Vulnerable Economy in the World - growth changes demands which are unsupportable without foreign countries
No. 4: A Growing Defensiveness, or When Soft Power Isn't Enough - significant dependence on unstable countries with little willingness to secure their interests militarily
No. 5: A Bottom-Up Democratization, or What Constitutes Political Authority When the Party's Over - victims of their own success as the power of the middle class increases and poses threats to the single party status quo

I've been to China a few times. My company has a plant there. I've been struck by what seems to be either trust or, maybe, a complete disinterest in the government. I also believe that globalization and the Internet will continue to be factors in the evolution of China.