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Columbia County Sheriff's Office CHL and Fingerprinting page. Download application.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Oregon CPLs at WAC Gun Show 31 October-November 1
Get there early, be prepared to stand in line. For a long time.
Home - Washington Arms Collectors
Columbia County Sheriff's Office CHL and Fingerprinting page. Download application.
Home - Washington Arms Collectors
Columbia County Sheriff's Office CHL and Fingerprinting page. Download application.
Friday, September 25, 2015
Excellant review of the Westgate Mall attack
‘Close Your Eyes and Pretend to Be Dead’ | Foreign Policy
And I am reconsidering the easy way we dismiss so many of the techniques learned in classes like I wrote about in "Urban Defensive Tactics" class, 12/14/14 as being "inappropriate for non-LEOS or military."
Still highly unlikely we'll ever use them. And the conventional wisdom is that, in a case like that, even a trained, armed citizen should hunker down and defend self and other citizens, not go hunting the bad guys, if for no reason than to avoid being confused for a bad guy by the first responders, but...
And another scenario skills learned in classes like the one described in Shooter Self-Care Class @ NRA AM2015 (Update) would be invaluable.
Also, had not heard that al-Shabab had launched another attack in Kenya, in spring of this year, on a University, where they killed even more.
Far from a dramatic three-day standoff, the assault on the Westgate Mall lasted only a few hours, almost all of it taking place before Kenyan security forces even entered the building. When they finally did, it was only to shoot at one another before going on an armed looting spree that resulted in the collapse of the rear of the building, destroyed with a rocket-propelled grenade. And there were only four gunmen, all of whom were buried in the rubble, along with much of the forensic evidence.An attack on a crowded shopping mall is a nightmare scenario everyone with a piece of the counter-terrorism role, or just an interest in it, has sweated over. It's easy to say it'll go better "here" than it did "there", but however it goes, it's not going to be pretty.
During the roughly three-and-a-half hours that the killers were loose in the mall, there was virtually no organized government response. But while Kenyan officials prevaricated, an unlikely coalition of licensed civilian gun owners and brave, resourceful individual police officers took it upon themselves to mount a rescue effort. Pieced together over 10 months from more than three dozen interviews with survivors, first responders, security officers, and investigators, the following account brings their story to life for the first time since the horrific terrorist attack occurred exactly two years ago.
And I am reconsidering the easy way we dismiss so many of the techniques learned in classes like I wrote about in "Urban Defensive Tactics" class, 12/14/14 as being "inappropriate for non-LEOS or military."
Still highly unlikely we'll ever use them. And the conventional wisdom is that, in a case like that, even a trained, armed citizen should hunker down and defend self and other citizens, not go hunting the bad guys, if for no reason than to avoid being confused for a bad guy by the first responders, but...
And another scenario skills learned in classes like the one described in Shooter Self-Care Class @ NRA AM2015 (Update) would be invaluable.
Also, had not heard that al-Shabab had launched another attack in Kenya, in spring of this year, on a University, where they killed even more.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Brilliant!
On the drive home from work today I counted at least 3 people standing at the side of the road holding cardboard signs of the "Anything helps" variety within about a quarter mile.
So this does not strike me as a Good Idea:
Kerry: US to accept 85,000 refugees in 2016, 100,000 in 2017 - The Washington Post
So this does not strike me as a Good Idea:
Kerry: US to accept 85,000 refugees in 2016, 100,000 in 2017 - The Washington Post
Friday, September 18, 2015
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Just to be clear...
This is illegal in the US: The Enigma Event | Southgate Amateur Radio News
Members of the ARI Fidenza will be activating special callsigns IO4ENG and IQ4FE during the 'Enigma Event'.
The Enigma Event consists of exchanging ham radio messages over the air encrypted with the Enigma code of WW II memory to commemorate its importance in the history of communications and encryption.
Isn't that special...?
Anyway, it is illegal for amateur radio operators to send messages that are encoded or encrypted. Maybe Europe has different rules. Maybe the Italians have different rules. A club member's daughter was an exchange student in Italy, and her host was an Italian amateur operator, and according to him, all Italian hams are military veterans. I dunno.
Anyway. Considering it's origins, I find "commemorating" the Enigma code to be a little...creepy.
It's Just Like That
Only in this case it's "I HAVE MADE IT FIRE!!!!"
A month or so ago I scored a SureFire DSF-500/590 Forend Weapon Light for my Mossberg 500 in an Amazon Lightning Deal.
Then I had to look up YouTube videos on how to replace the forend.
Most of them have the demonstrator's hand is in the way.
So I ordered a book on how to do it. Then I ordered another one, to fill in some blanks.
So I got started, then I realized I had to order a new action tube, since the old forend turned out to be (contra what I thought) one of the ones where the forend and slide tube are integral. Then I had to order a new slide tube nut, because the old forend was a 7.5" one, and the new one is the shorter 6.75 incher, which takes a different nut.
Finally got it assembled yesterday, and it seemed to dry-fire OK, but I didn't want to try it too much, lacking snap caps. (Which are on order, and due to arrive on a week or three...) Dinking around with it we established that the light on it's lowest setting is pretty darned bright. On the highest setting, I felt like I could send Morse Code messages to the International Space Station, if I remembered how to send Morse code messages.
By the time I had time to put it all together, well, lets just say that, when I went to the friendly neighborhood gun range and store to test fire it today I was fully expecting to step off the range and into the store and leave it with the gunsmith to put together for me properly.
I managed not to do a happy dance or to carry on like an idiot when I was able to put several magazine of slugs down range without a problem.
Well, except for recoil; not unanticipated, slugs not being known for being gentle on the shoulder, and the range being restricted to slugs for scatterguns. Still, ow. (Also, in all modesty, kudos to me for not adding any of the extensions to the Magpul SGA stock; I am convinced that having it set up for a shorter pull helped.)
Tried it from 3 to 10 yards, two handed, strong hand only, and
Friday, September 11, 2015
The Day After...
So, yesterday today* was September 11th.
Which, among other things, is Mrs. Drang's birthday.
My blogging friends, including those I have yet to meet, mostly posted... something.
Mind you, the whole thing still chokes me up, and makes me see red. Thus, in past years I posted videos which expressed the anger that Americans felt on September 11th,and many of us still do today.
However, it seems to me that the date has turned into yet another one on which we mark a box on the obligatory expression on whatever it has been deemed appropriate. (SEE: Christmas, Thanksgiving, et. al.)
Bobbi summed it up pretty well in her post, 11 September.
It does not help my attitude when our so-called "national leadership" seems bound and determined to sell us out to the adversary.
So, we were going to celebrate Mrs. Drang's birthday by going to the fair, ditched that, sent the morning doing not much, did some grocery shopping.
I installed a Surefire fore-end on my shotgun, then cooked dinner. Managed not to give either of us food poisoning
Just to show that I am not a complete curmudgeon, though, here is a Feel Good Video with a 9/11 tie-in: This Search and Rescue Dog and New York Hero Gets to Have the Best Day Ever Exploring New York City
*EDIT: Harummph, this was supposed to be scheduled to post in the wee small hours of 9/12. Oh, well.
Which, among other things, is Mrs. Drang's birthday.
My blogging friends, including those I have yet to meet, mostly posted... something.
Mind you, the whole thing still chokes me up, and makes me see red. Thus, in past years I posted videos which expressed the anger that Americans felt on September 11th,and many of us still do today.
However, it seems to me that the date has turned into yet another one on which we mark a box on the obligatory expression on whatever it has been deemed appropriate. (SEE: Christmas, Thanksgiving, et. al.)
Bobbi summed it up pretty well in her post, 11 September.
It does not help my attitude when our so-called "national leadership" seems bound and determined to sell us out to the adversary.
So, we were going to celebrate Mrs. Drang's birthday by going to the fair, ditched that, sent the morning doing not much, did some grocery shopping.
I installed a Surefire fore-end on my shotgun, then cooked dinner. Managed not to give either of us food poisoning
Just to show that I am not a complete curmudgeon, though, here is a Feel Good Video with a 9/11 tie-in: This Search and Rescue Dog and New York Hero Gets to Have the Best Day Ever Exploring New York City
*EDIT: Harummph, this was supposed to be scheduled to post in the wee small hours of 9/12. Oh, well.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Interesting...
JBLM* hosts Indian Army troops | The Seattle Times
I can't help but ponder the fact that the US military is said to be forming closer relations with the Indian Army even while the CINC seems to be bound and determined to piss off all nations that are, have been, and should be friends and allies.
(I note that US-Indian relations showed great improvement under His Imperial Majesty Barack Hussein Obama's predecessor...)
(Daniel Hannan has pointed out that, having thrown off the Yoke of Perfidious Albion and dabbled in a form of Marxism, that India has been gradually moving closer to the Anglosphere.)
Also, check out this photo:
The Color Guard is armed with an M4... with some sort of optic sight attached...
Also wondering if the Indians will have an opportunity to have a meet and greet with the local Indian community.
*JBLM=Joint Base Lewis-McChord, FKA Ft Lewis and McChord AFB, the local example of the fad to merge certain administrative and logistic functions of military installations that are in close proximity. I don't have a problem with that, but the naming convention is ugly and cumbersome.
I can't help but ponder the fact that the US military is said to be forming closer relations with the Indian Army even while the CINC seems to be bound and determined to piss off all nations that are, have been, and should be friends and allies.
(I note that US-Indian relations showed great improvement under His Imperial Majesty Barack Hussein Obama's predecessor...)
(Daniel Hannan has pointed out that, having thrown off the Yoke of Perfidious Albion and dabbled in a form of Marxism, that India has been gradually moving closer to the Anglosphere.)
Also, check out this photo:
The Color Guard is armed with an M4... with some sort of optic sight attached...
Also wondering if the Indians will have an opportunity to have a meet and greet with the local Indian community.
*JBLM=Joint Base Lewis-McChord, FKA Ft Lewis and McChord AFB, the local example of the fad to merge certain administrative and logistic functions of military installations that are in close proximity. I don't have a problem with that, but the naming convention is ugly and cumbersome.
Interesting article
Ancient shoulders show signs of humanity’s ape-like past - The Washington Post
A new study puts the burden of humanity's evolution on our shoulders. Like, literally on our shoulders. By examining the shoulder blades of two early human Australopithecus species, researchers believe they've found further evidence that humans and apes shared an ape-like ancestor.And now it seems that our ancestors backtracked somewhere along the way, devolving, if you will, returning to some monkey-like physical characteristics.
A new study puts the burden of humanity's evolution on our shoulders. Like, literally on our shoulders. By examining the shoulder blades of two early human Australopithecus species, researchers believe they've found further evidence that humans and apes shared an ape-like ancestor.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Deal Alert!
Amazon Deal Of The Day is on "Select Kershaw Knives", by which they mean variations on the Cryo.
You have about fifteen hours and forty minute from when I hit "Publish".
You have about fifteen hours and forty minute from when I hit "Publish".
Is History Rhyming Again?
Migration Period - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The search term I used was "Volkerwanderung." The term seems to have fallen out of favor among academics, as it tends to emphasize racial tendencies that are viewed with alarm in Europe...
Anyway. The Wiki article turns into something a tail-chasing exercise, discussing dueling eggheads who want to argue over cause to the neglect of effect. (As opposed to the kind of egghead that wrote the OpEd I posted a link to yesterday, that spends so much time hand-wringing over the effect on part of the populace that they ignore the possibility of prevention and mitigation altogether.)
Anyway, let's hope Europe can get it's act together.
And us.
The search term I used was "Volkerwanderung." The term seems to have fallen out of favor among academics, as it tends to emphasize racial tendencies that are viewed with alarm in Europe...
Anyway. The Wiki article turns into something a tail-chasing exercise, discussing dueling eggheads who want to argue over cause to the neglect of effect. (As opposed to the kind of egghead that wrote the OpEd I posted a link to yesterday, that spends so much time hand-wringing over the effect on part of the populace that they ignore the possibility of prevention and mitigation altogether.)
Anyway, let's hope Europe can get it's act together.
And us.
Friday, September 4, 2015
More on the Cascadia Fault
Route Fifty - A Pacific Northwest Megaquake Will Test Government Response in Ways Katrina Never Did
While this article covers a lot of familiar ground, it also has some interesting new data, and a somewhat unique perspective.
I linked The Earthquake That Will Devastate the Pacific Northwest - The New Yorker when it was published; here is a follow-up: How to Stay Safe When the Big One Comes - The New Yorker. This one explains the dangers in more scientific terms, without getting so technical that you need a PhD in Geology to explain it.
Also, note this key quote:
And here is an OpEd from a recent Seatle Times about those two articles above: When disasters strike, poor, minority communities face greatest risks | The Seattle Times
Author is a socialjustice warrior scientist who can't help but see natural disasters in terms of people. Which is good. To a point. When you start denying that there is any such thing as a natural disaster, because the natural elements (wind, water, plate tectonics. etc.) "interact with social environments to produce social outcomes", I think you're missing the point about preparedness.
For example, she bemoans the advice to bolt your home to it's foundation, because poor people live in apartments or rent, or own a home but can barely afford to live in Seattle, let alone make seismic upgrades.
Anyway. Related: Three Years After Japan’s Tsunami - The New Yorker
While this article covers a lot of familiar ground, it also has some interesting new data, and a somewhat unique perspective.
I linked The Earthquake That Will Devastate the Pacific Northwest - The New Yorker when it was published; here is a follow-up: How to Stay Safe When the Big One Comes - The New Yorker. This one explains the dangers in more scientific terms, without getting so technical that you need a PhD in Geology to explain it.
Also, note this key quote:
“You’re not overdue for an earthquake until you’re three standard deviations beyond the mean”—which, in the case of the full-margin Cascadia earthquake, means eight hundred years from now. (In the case of the “smaller” Cascadia earthquake, the magnitude 8.0 to 8.6 that would affect only the southern part of the zone, we’re currently one standard deviation beyond the mean.) That doesn’t mean that the quake won’t happen tomorrow; it just means we are not “overdue” in any meaningful sense. The odds I cite in the story are correct: there is a thirty-per-cent chance of the M8.0–8.6 Cascadia earthquake and a ten-per-cent chance of the M8.7–9.2 earthquake in the next fifty years.
And here is an OpEd from a recent Seatle Times about those two articles above: When disasters strike, poor, minority communities face greatest risks | The Seattle Times
Author is a social
For example, she bemoans the advice to bolt your home to it's foundation, because poor people live in apartments or rent, or own a home but can barely afford to live in Seattle, let alone make seismic upgrades.
Anyway. Related: Three Years After Japan’s Tsunami - The New Yorker
Another item from the inbox
Is N. Korean airline world’s worst? It may be the quirkiest | The Seattle Times
...North Korea’s airline has earned a singular distinction: It’s been ranked the world’s worst airline for four straight years.
Air Koryo is the only carrier to have been awarded just one star in rankings released recently by the UK-based SkyTrax consultancy agency. More than 180 airlines are included in the five-star ranking system, which is widely considered the global benchmark of airline standards.
Some experts and frequent Air Koryo passengers disagree with the “world’s worst” title. The airline is a definitely a unique ride, but fairly reliable, they say. The SkyTrax ratings are focused on service and not safety.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Inboxing
Some things that have been gathering electronic dust in my inbox...
Source: Instapundit.
Story: Global eavesdroppers: In World War II, dozens of radio operators in Scituate dialed into enemy conversations worldwide - News - providencejournal.com - Providence, RI
In case you ever wondered how a US Army unit that never left the Continental United States could win a Presidential Unit Citation for the battle of the Atlantic, this related story gives a clue, although only part of one. (I thought I'd posted this one before, but I guess not...)
Source: Dunno.
Story: Why Science Fiction Pioneer Hugo Gernsback Matters 131 Years Later | Inverse
Could be more fact-heavy, and the author is pretty clearly in the CHORF camp of the Sad Puppies controversy (if you don't understand, congratulations!), but, while I'm not sure Hugo Gernsback invented Science Fiction As We Know It, he sure laid the groundwork.
Bit of a change-up in this article from The Atlantic: How JSOC Became a Manhunting Machine, From Panama to Iraq - The Atlantic
Speaking of which, Insty pulls a few related pieces fom the archives: Instapundit » Blog Archive » AS WE FIGHT THE WAR ON TERROR DOMESTICALLY AGAIN, A FEW RELEVANT PIECES FROM OVER A DECADE AGO…
Sometimes coming back is pretty much the point: A ‘monumental’ rescue: Coast Guardsman swims a mile in choppy seas to save four fishermen, one at a time - The Washington Post
A further change of pace: How to reclaim your privacy in Windows 10, piece by piece | PCWorld (Beware auto-play!)
Source: Instapundit.
Story: Global eavesdroppers: In World War II, dozens of radio operators in Scituate dialed into enemy conversations worldwide - News - providencejournal.com - Providence, RI
In case you ever wondered how a US Army unit that never left the Continental United States could win a Presidential Unit Citation for the battle of the Atlantic, this related story gives a clue, although only part of one. (I thought I'd posted this one before, but I guess not...)
Source: Dunno.
Story: Why Science Fiction Pioneer Hugo Gernsback Matters 131 Years Later | Inverse
Could be more fact-heavy, and the author is pretty clearly in the CHORF camp of the Sad Puppies controversy (if you don't understand, congratulations!), but, while I'm not sure Hugo Gernsback invented Science Fiction As We Know It, he sure laid the groundwork.
Bit of a change-up in this article from The Atlantic: How JSOC Became a Manhunting Machine, From Panama to Iraq - The Atlantic
Speaking of which, Insty pulls a few related pieces fom the archives: Instapundit » Blog Archive » AS WE FIGHT THE WAR ON TERROR DOMESTICALLY AGAIN, A FEW RELEVANT PIECES FROM OVER A DECADE AGO…
Sometimes coming back is pretty much the point: A ‘monumental’ rescue: Coast Guardsman swims a mile in choppy seas to save four fishermen, one at a time - The Washington Post
A further change of pace: How to reclaim your privacy in Windows 10, piece by piece | PCWorld (Beware auto-play!)
What Bugs Me About The NRA
It's not that it occasionally pursues a tactic (or strategy) that I disagree with, although sometimes I have to wonder what they see over there on the Least Coast.
No, it's that they keep sending me stuff urging me to join.
Not to renew -- although that would be irritating, as a Life Member for decades -- and not to upgrade my membership, but to join.
One would think that they would cross-check the various databases and notice that these variations on the same name all list the same address, so let's not bother sending this mailing. Maybe send the version of the "Great Gun Giveaway Contest" asking Patron Members to upgrade to... whatever is higher than that.
But, no. They have to waste money sending me a mailing urging me to sign up for the first time.
Not exactly like asking the Pope if he's been baptized, but...
No, it's that they keep sending me stuff urging me to join.
Not to renew -- although that would be irritating, as a Life Member for decades -- and not to upgrade my membership, but to join.
One would think that they would cross-check the various databases and notice that these variations on the same name all list the same address, so let's not bother sending this mailing. Maybe send the version of the "Great Gun Giveaway Contest" asking Patron Members to upgrade to... whatever is higher than that.
But, no. They have to waste money sending me a mailing urging me to sign up for the first time.
Not exactly like asking the Pope if he's been baptized, but...
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Overheard In The Salt Mines
"Operations"
"I'd like to report a suspicious object."
"Please describe the nature and location of the object." {Thinking: "Rattrap or fire extinguisher?"}
"It's round and a pale yellow in color, and it's emitting a blinding light and some heat. It's located about 40 degrees above the horizon due east of the Salt Mines."
"..."
"Hello?"
"Sir, that's the sun."
"The sun? Is that what it looks like? I'd heard of it... Look, my minions on the Public Level are complaining, can you get hold of Safety or Logistics or someone and get them some dark glass... Hello? Hello?
"Sorry guys, guess you'd better just squint."
"I'd like to report a suspicious object."
"Please describe the nature and location of the object." {Thinking: "Rattrap or fire extinguisher?"}
"It's round and a pale yellow in color, and it's emitting a blinding light and some heat. It's located about 40 degrees above the horizon due east of the Salt Mines."
"..."
"Hello?"
"Sir, that's the sun."
"The sun? Is that what it looks like? I'd heard of it... Look, my minions on the Public Level are complaining, can you get hold of Safety or Logistics or someone and get them some dark glass... Hello? Hello?
"Sorry guys, guess you'd better just squint."
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