Magpul Dynamics DVDs

I ordered the 4 series set of Magpul Dynamics DVDs (Handgun, Carbine I & II, Aerial) along with the new Magpul Shotgun videos from Brownells. They had a sale on the 4 pack and a coupon for 10% off.

I'm glad I ordered the Magpul videos now instead of waiting on the on the Daniel Defense/Larry Vickers training series. I agree with ENDO and don't think I could stomach much of "LAV."

Spectrum Dashboard

A slick tool to see who is using the spectrum in your area: Spectrum Dashboard

Via KB6NU

.500 and a Bowl Game

Congrats to the Vols who got back to .500 today with the 26 consecutive win over Kentucky.

Best quotes of the day:

Gerald Jones on a team that went from 2-6 to 6-6: "We're not champions, but we're not quitters, either. Nobody can ever call us quitters."
via @WesRuckerCTFP

Derek Dooley referring to his two catches when QB Bray was under pressure and had to get rid of the ball by throwing it out of bounds (with a jab at the punt return difficulties): "I was just showing them it's not hard to catch the football. I'm going to go catch punts next."
via @Josh_Ward

Radio Indecision 2010

My waffling continues...

I'm still trying to decide what radio I want to buy. I've been reading reviews, forums, and other websites. Paralysis by analysis! The Yaesu FT-450AT has been added to the HF list. Lots of folks like the Icom IC-718, but I think I'd like to have the option of 6M. If I go with two rigs, then I'm looking at the Yaesu FTM-350R or the Wouxun KG-UV920R for 2M. The KG-UV920R isn't available yet, but I have hopes for it (in both cost and performance) based on my experience with their HT, the KG-UVD1P.

Option 1: FT-857D
Option 2: FT-450 + FTM-350R
Option 3: FT-450 + KG-UV920R
Option 4: IC-7000

My father-in-law brought over some RG-8X coax, a dummy load, and some connectors. This is in addition to the FT-817 he has loaned me, the power supply, and the quarter wave ground plane 2M antenna. He's gonna have me all setup except I won't have bought my own radio!

Sports Grab Bag

Congrats to the Vols for winning the NIT tournament by beating Villanova today. This was a quality win over tough opponent in a tournament setting. I think it bodes well for the team this season - assuming the wheels don't fall off the bus because of Bruce's trouble.

Auburn pulled out a miracle comeback. Of course, their Cam problem may be worse than Pearl's.

Tactical .22 Rilfes

The American Rifleman has a review of the current lot of tactical .22 rifles. I bought the Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 a while back. It is my first rifle. I bought it as both a fun little plinker and to use as a trainer for a true 5.56/.223 EBR.

I've really enjoyed shooting it. I broke it in with a few hundred rounds of CCI Minimags and have been shooting the bulk Federal from Wal-Mart with no failures.

My only regret is that I didn't get the Magpul version. Here is the rifle before I went all mall ninja and added a ton of accessories. (It has a quad rail - it needs to be used!)

From Brick O'Lore

MetroPulse Article on Guns

I'm surprised I didn't see this MetroPulse article earlier given all the Knoxville gun blogs I follow. I'm also surprised by the fairly objective tone of the article. While I don't know the people who were interviewed personally, it still reminds me how small the gun community is.

OMG! Text your emergency to 911

The FCC is looking at SMS as an option for 911 contacts.

Options are good.

Via Slashdot.org.

Rules

Funny and a good point:

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

You cannot fix problems by adding more rules. This is as equally true for gun restrictions as it is for quality controls. If you have bad or lazy actors, the rules won't matter. Dhillon and Backhouse suggest in a 2000 paper, "Information System Security Management in the New Millennium," that we need to move beyond traditional rules based security. Focusing on CIA (confidentiality, integrity, and availability) of data is no longer sufficient. We need to recognize the human component of systems and think in terms of RITE (responsibility, integrity, trust, ethicality).

Responsibility of the individual to take ownership of a domain and work to guarantee a positive future
Integrity of the individual to do the right thing and report inappropriate use
Trust as a two-way relationship as opposed to the traditional command and control hierarchy
Ethicality behavior based on informal, shared ethical norms

I saw the comic first on Sharp as a Marble.

Social Networking - beyond friends and advertisements

A couple of reasons you should worry about your on-line persona:

Your on-line behavior could cost you some money (via Slashdot.org):
Insurers Test Data Profiles to Identify Risky Clients

Or it could cost your job:
Employer uses social media as cause to fire employee.