Cosplay Chicks

A lot of cosplay chicks sell posters on Storenvy:

• Linda Le (Vampy)
• Abby Dark-Star
• Ani-Mia
• Kelly Jean
• Amie Lynn [currently down]

What can I say, I'm a sucker for boobs.  Apparently cosplaying has become a lucrative business for women with...assets.

Random

Topics from last week's breakfast:
Trombe wall - for passive solar heating
SIPs - a pre-fab sandwich of OSB around a rigid foam core
Militec - weapon lube; apparently several products are called Militec...

リンクアップ

The wife had sent me a link to this shop LINK UP that seems to have some pretty cool stuff.

Olde Tyme Skillz

Via someone's post on Facebook, two schools in the upper Midwest that teach skills some would consider obsolete: North House Folk School (in Grand Marais, MN) and Driftless Folk School (in Viroqua, WI).  Very intriguing.

Lanterns

I've been ogling the oil lanterns in Garrett Wade for prep purposes.  However, GW seems to charge a large markup, at least on certain items.  So I looked to see if I could find a better deal.  Apparently the GW lanterns are made by Feuerhand, which I found on the W.T. Kirkman site.  They actually aren't much cheaper (the same in quantities of 3 or more), but Kirkman offers replacement parts also.  Lehman's also sells the Feuerhand lanterns for the same price as Kirkman.

Kirkman sells Dietz lanterns, which are made in China.  The price difference against the German lanterns is noticeable.  In any case, the #2000 model has a grill attachment that can be used to boil water.  That looks like a useful feature.

As a result of looking for other sources for the Dietz #2000, I found Survival Resources, which has a lot of cool gear.

USB Charging Basics

Somewhere I came upon a link to Maxim IC's page on USB battery charging.  Pretty interesting info, albeit containing sections specific to Maxim's hardware.

More Bitcoin Info

The Genesis Block's dashboard shows the difficulty level increase.

btcinvest.net has a profitability calculator that takes into account USD/BTC appreciation.  Of course this is immaterial, since in the case where appreciation matters, buy and hold would be a superior investment method.

The Bitcoin wiki has a list of mining pools.  Eligius looks like the one to pick since it doesn't have any fees.

Chronys

Market research.

• Shooting Chrony F1 Master [Midway]
• Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital [Midway]
• MagnetoSpeed V1 [Midway]
• CED Millenium 2 [Midway]
• PACT Model 1 XP [Midway]

The Big Government Religion

Response to a FB post, which I shan't link to here....

This might've been addressed in the prior 462 comments, but my understanding is that LDS hasn't allowed polygamy for a long time; it's just the "fundies" (fundamentalists) who won't drop it.

Religion prescribes a moral code, and people can't seem to stop applying it to others. Kind of like how many Christians still judge others even though that's supposedly reserved for the man upstairs. ("Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" and all that.) This is also why libertarians are so few, because not many people can keep their opinions in their respective pockets; and why we have Big Government: to force the majority's judgments on everyone else. Personally, I believe that Big Government is worse for the human condition than even religion, although I'm not sure I'd get many who agree with me on that. We're conditioned now to condemn old-time religion and worship the capricious god of majority rule.

Smash!! I'm an agnostic of sorts, myself, but sometimes atheists and hardcore anti-religion people really piss me off.

AR-15 Pistols

Looking into building an AR-15 pistol, but don't want to have to use a modified bolt carrier.  Phase 5 Tactical appears to have a pistol buffer tube (receiver extension) that works with a standard BCG, unlike the GSE setups.  However, it looks like 7.5" barrels require special considerations with the gas tube.  Their quad rail looks neat too.

Arfcom has an area specific to AR-15 pistols.  The section on ATF letters is interesting and useful.  Apparently the Franklin Armory pistol can have a vertical foregrip because its OAL is over 26", and thus falls into a gray area where it's not an AOW.  Supposedly an 11.5" barrel will result in that OAL.

Garden Stuff

This recipe for tomato jam has been languishing in my iPhone browser for months...saved here for posterity.

Plus the info for "Gordy the Gourd"....

Hybrid Gas Water Heater

The wife's been complaining about the limited hot water from our ancient (ca 1996) tank-type water heater.  In Japan, of course, they use tankless heaters, which is evinced by the major manufacturers being Japanese: Rinnai and Noritz.  Anyway, recently when talking with a builder-type dude, he mentioned hybrids as being the favored type now.  When I looked into it, most hybrids are electric, except for the Eternal GU120.  The size of the tank isn't clearly specified, but from one of the documents it's implied that it's 2 gallons.  $1400, with a $300 tax credit for 2013.

Turkey Cookin'

Fine Cooking has a few tips on how to cook a juicy turkey.  One of the tips is brining, which seems like something to try.  Lastly, there's a video on how to make gravy.  Mmm, turkey fat.  I'm reading up because I'll have to make this stuff in a couple days.

Container Guest House

I've thought about making an in-ground shed out of 20' shipping container.  A house would be neat, too.

Addendum: considerations for container projects.

Another Metals Shop

Gainesville Coins, found via an LPC Survival contest on FB.  Will have to check their prices relative to APMEX.

Bolt-Action AR-15 Upper

I thought it might be neat to have an AR-15 upper that is bolt-action, so I went looking.  Apparently there's not much in the way of real bolt-action uppers.  However, a forum post directed me to White Oak Armament's site, which has a modified upper with a modified BCG with bolt handle.  On one hand, leverage for extraction is likely limited.  Furthermore, odds are good that the action isn't sub-MOA.  Still, it's an interesting concept.

One could build something similar by using a switched gas block and a side-charging upper.

White Oak's sells an interesting adjustable stock that requires a side-charging upper.  I like the steel buffer tube, but it's got aluminum parts as well.

Garage Curtain

In the winter, the garage gets pretty cold, even though it's insulated.  I'd like to be able to work out there, but it bleeds heat too fast because of the north-facing door.  The thought occurred to me that if I could partition an area with an impermeable curtain, that it might be feasible to use part of the space.

Well, I did a quick search and found something that looks like what I was considering: curtain wall partitions.  It ain't cheap, but the more capable solution, a "climate curtain," is even more expensive!

Finex Cast Iron Skillet

Wired had a post regarding the Finex Cast Iron Skillet that's on Kickstarter.  The skillet looks pretty cool.  Incidentally, apparently Siemens VAI has an ironmaking process also called Finex, which is a registered trademark.  It's unclear if there's any relation...seems unlikely.

Heating with Tealights

M.V. posted a link on FB to a video describing how to use 4 tealights in a ceramic tray with a couple terra cotta pots to heat a room.  The cost works out to 30 cents a day, supposedly.

One of the comments on FB was also interesting:

Truckers in Alaska have used coffee cans with a roll of toilet paper inside that is drenched with rubbing alcohol. Burns clean puts off heat. Whatever works.

I'll have to give both these methods a try.  Also, the Knowledge Weights Nothing site looks quite intriguing.

Deodorant Recipe

Interesting read; being able to make one's own deodorant might be useful post-SHTF!

Solar Power

I've been looking into solar power for prepping purposes, since in the short-term, having comms, non-flammable lights, and such would be useful.  Longevity of such devices in an adverse environment is another matter.

The conclusion I drew after a bunch of reading is that I need a monocrystalline solar cell with one or two AGM 12V batteries and a bunch of AA/AAA Eneloop LSD batteries for buffer.  The monocrystalline solar cells last 10-20 years (some say up to 30) and have the best output.  The absorbed glass mat batteries are deep-cycle, don't leak, and are best to use with solar panels.  (Gel batteries might be better still.)  Lastly, the Eneloop low-self-discharge batteries, 2nd-gen and later, will retain 80% of their charge for 2 years, making frequent refreshes unnecessary.

I'd like to run a smart charger directly from the 12Vs, but that would require an adapter cable with a voltage regulator.  In that case, having an inverter that can provide AC could be useful; the size would depend on the 12Vs.

A gas/propane generator could also be used to recharge the 12Vs, so a charge controller capable of running off of AC would be useful as well.

Another interesting application for prepping would be to buy 12V thermoelectric modules and make a rig to generate electricity from heat sources, i.e. from a cooking stove's waste heat, to recharge 12V batteries.  That's a bit more involved, however.

In my quest for knowledge, I ran into a site where the cyclist describes his setup.  Certainly, Goal Zero makes the best portable solar panel, but it's spendy.  You can get a 100W (monocrystalline) panel for just a hair over twice as much as the 7W GZ panel; however, it won't be very mobile.  The Nomad 7 (v2) is just right for a go bag.

Dual-Fuel

AD at work mentioned the DuroMax hybrid generator that runs on both gasoline and propane: the XP4400EH.  3500W rated, 4400W starting, with electric start and 240V output for $650.  The downside is that it's made in China, and apparently has some build quality issues.  (Link to softcopy of manual.)  The Honda EU2000i is $1000 and is 1600W rated, 2000W starting, with recoil start and only 120V output.

There's also a site, US Carburation, linked from the DuroMax page which sells propane adapters for other generators.  I'm almost more inclined to spend the money on the Honda and get the adapter, although I need to verify the power requirements for the devices I want to run.

Black Powder

An online shop, Track of the Wolf, has black powder for sale as well as firearms and accessories.  The catalog looks intriguing.

AR-15 SBR

So I'm jonesing to have an SBR.  Not like I can really afford to do it, but I want to.  In the worst way.

I was thinking it might be easier to buy a registered receiver.  However, apparently that's not the way it works: even though the receiver is the registered part, there are certain requirements on ATF Form 1 or 4.  There's a thread on Arfcom on this subject, with a link to the ATF FAQ on SBRs.

Well, and then there's the issue of whether or not I'd need law enforcement approval if I were registering under my LLC.  The Interwebz say no, but the Form 1 instructions doesn't specifically say this.

I also found Tactical Innovation's AR-15 lower receivers, the T15BDX.  I think I'd have to pick up one of those if I ever decide to pull the trigger on an SBR.  Nice looking hardware.

HK Doesn't Hate You?

In the past there've been multiple references to HK's attitude toward non-MIL/LEO customers as "Because you suck. And we hate you."  But apparently that's not the case, according to one article.  The claim in the article is that HK was one of the few voices to respond to the ATF's request for comments regarding sporting purpose use of "evil black rifles".  Such a shame.

Bill Watterson's Advice

I really wish I could say that I have the kind of passion depicted here in this Calvin & Hobbes-esque homage to text by, and the ethic of, cartoonist Bill Watterson.  Nevertheless, it's a beautiful ideal.

Augh! Link Dump

Weapons

• Arms imports in China from 1960 to 2011 (I was probably looking for from China)
• Embargoed countries from the State Department website
• Lahti ammunition from Anzio Ironworks—would be neat to have!
• What are suppressors made of? (Shotgun News)

Other

• Making a dehydrator from the Ready Store
• Time perspective therapy on WSJ

The Selam

EW posted a link to the mini-album an acquaintance of his released recently.  Apparently it's "bounce-worthy"; I listened to it, and it's not bad.

Custom AR-15 Lowers

ASA posted on FB a picture of the selector switch on a "Pirate" lower, showing Arrgh (safe), Parley (semi), and Plunder (full).  The manufacturer's mark wasn't visible, but I searched and found that it was done by Tom Sawyer MFG in Woodbury, MN.  A thread on The High Road noted that Tom Sawyer MFG is no longer doing firearms engraving, and are referring people to Orion Arms.  Apparently they'll take a blank AR-15 receiver and engrave whatever on it.  Unfortunately, they have no blanks at the moment.

Antoine Doinel

While visiting family earlier this month, the TV was on an we caught part of this horrible French movie called The 400 Blows.  Apparently AMC was having a marathon showing several films by the director François Truffaut following the story of the character Antoine Doinel.  It was kind of depressing.

MAIL

For people interested in chainmail, there's the Maille Artisans International League, or M.A.I.L.  Cool.

Stratospheric Welsbach seeding for reduction of global warming

Is this what those chemtrails are?

Ken Ota

Ryohei Ota posted an article on his father Ken on FB a while ago.  And apparently Bloomington-Normal is called the Twin Cities, too.

Politically True?

Found this on Facebook, actually attributed to Jeff Foxworthy.  Apparently it wasn't him, but a post on a site called Politically True:

• If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without a license, but not for being in the country illegally … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If you have to get your parents’ permission to go on a field trip or take an aspirin in school, but not to get an abortion … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If the only school curriculum allowed to explain how we got here is evolution, but your government stops a $15 million construction project to keep a rare spider from evolving to extinction … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If you have to show identification to board an airplane, cash a check, buy liquor, or check out a library book, but not to vote for who runs your government … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If your government believes that using steroids or other drugs will ruin your life, but throwing you in prison for years will not … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If your government wants to ban stable, law-abiding citizens from owning gun magazines with more than ten rounds, but gives 20 F-16 fighter jets to the crazy new leaders in Egypt … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If, in the largest city, you can buy two 16-ounce sodas, but not a 24-ounce soda because 24-ounces of a sugary drink might make you fat … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If an 80-year-old woman can be strip-searched by the TSA but a woman in a hijab is only subject to having her neck and head searched … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If your government believes that the best way to eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions more … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If a seven year old boy can be thrown out of school for saying his teacher “cute,” but hosting a sexual exploration or diversity class in grade school is perfectly acceptable … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If children are forcibly removed from parents who discipline them with spankings while children of addicts are left in filth and drug infested “homes”… you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If hard work and success are met with higher taxes and more government intrusion, while not working is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks, Medicaid, subsidized housing, and free cell phones … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If your government’s plan for getting people back to work is to incentivize NOT working with 99 weeks of Unemployment checks and no requirement to prove they applied but can’t find work … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If you pay your mortgage faithfully, denying yourself the newest big screen TV while your neighbor buys iPhones, TVs and new cars, and your government forgives his debt when he defaults on his mortgage … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

• If your government believes that the way to make a school of unarmed children safe is to pass another law, this time with the illusion that three 10-round magazines in a rifle is safer than a 30-round magazine … you might live in a country founded by geniuses and run by idiots.

Well, that last one is weaker than the rest.  Otherwise, yeah, it's apparent that things are pretty fucked up.

Trusses Again

Well, back to this.

To get the terminology, diagrams help.  The same site implies that sistering the bottom chord is sufficient to reduce sag: "Undersized bottom chords should be stiffened to prevent ceiling sag and cracking of ceiling finishes. Adding a second member to the bottom chord would normally be satisfactory."

A FH blog post had some conflicting advice.  The solution I thought was most sensible was in the comments: "run a beam under the joist,no post needed, create a beam pocket at one end with double 2x4 cripples and 2x12 double simpson hanger at overhead header. Use 2x12 and 1/2 plywood glued with PL400 and your done."  Except that's probably to reduce the span; my issue is that running something cross-wise isn't an option.  It could work for the shelving, perhaps.  I'd have to remove the drywall to install the trimmers for the beam pocket, though.

A JLC article suggested a composite beam along the lines of the above.  Sounds expensive.

Perhaps I should go find myself a structural engineer to bother regarding my problem.  Expertise ain't free.

Alodia as the Baroness

This came up in Alodia's feed on Facebook, which I must say is a cosplay subject I wasn't expecting.

There are more images on Flickr.

MLPs

I was looking at picking up SDT to put in an IRA account, but when I went to the trade page, my brokerage displayed a warning that SDT is an MLP (Master Limited Partnership), which may have tax consequences for my account:

Investments in publicly traded MLPs involve risks and considerations that may differ from investments in common stock.

Tax complexity risk: Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) are generally considered passthrough entities for tax purposes and have special tax considerations. Pass-through entities may generate unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) that may have undesirable tax consequences for retirement accounts and other tax-exempt investors. If you hold MLP units, you are generally treated as a partner for tax purposes and will be issued a Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) rather than a Form 1099 form for use in filling out your tax return. A K-1 lists the partner's share of income, deductions, credits, and other tax items. If the MLP has operations in multiple states, you may need to file a separate tax return in each state.

An MLP that is treated as a corporation in the United States rather than a pass-through entity for federal income tax purposes would be obligated to pay federal income tax on its income at the corporate tax rate. In this case, the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP would be reduced and part or all of the distributions made could be taxed entirely as dividend income. In this case a Form 1099 would be furnished rather than a Schedule K-1. Please see the MLP’s website, SEC filings, or most recent shareholder report for further details about tax treatment of your investments.

A search turned up a page on the National Association of Publicly Traded Partnership's site regarding MLPs and retirement accounts which has some useful information about UBIT (Unrelated Business Income Tax).  BusinessWire also has information on SDT, including a link to their tax information page.

Kumquats

I found a place to get a kumquat plant, for almost $100, if one can't wait to grow one from seed....

Hot Shots 2013

I have the calendar hanging in my office.  Hell yeah.

The videos are amusing, though, because the models are quite different when not 'shopped.  And personality counts too, right?

There's a behind the scenes video as well as three other mini-interviews with two models each: Rosie Jones & India Reynolds, Kelly Hall & Sam Cooke, and Holly Peers & Emily O'Hara.

[Links NSFW] I have to say that Kelly Hall (!) looks the best non-pinup, and has the least obtrusive accent!  Followed by perhaps Emily O'Hara (!) and India Reynolds (!).

Edit [2013.06.29]: Rosie Jones isn't bad after all.  Must've been her makeup in the above YT video.

Massive Link Dump

This is one dump sitting in my browser that needed to be taken.

A video of Alan Gura's comments on 2A rights, post-Newtown.

6 Harsh Truths That Will Make You a Better Person, a profanity-laced tirade that actually will make one a better person:

#6. The World Only Cares About What It Can Get from You (Skills, which lead to results, are everything)
#5. The Hippies Were Wrong ("If you want to work here, close"--your job is who you are)
#4. What You Produce Does Not Have to Make Money, But It Does Have to Benefit People
#3. You Hate Yourself Because You Don't Do Anything (Self-loathing originates from uselessness)
#2. What You Are Inside Only Matters Because of What It Makes You Do (History remembers deeds, not potential to do deeds)
#1. Everything Inside You Will Fight Improvement (Happiness takes effort)

In the comments of one forum thread was a stupid gun-control rant that did have one interesting point about having unrestricted weapons use at ranges.

In most discussions about gun control, the pro-gun advocates like to pretend a technical superiority, which they believe entitles them to decide the issue. They know the jargon, they understand the mechanical design, they're really into ballistics and product specifications, and they believe this somehow makes their opinion more informed, and therefore correct.

Hi. I'm a gun nerd, from a time when "nerd" meant something. I'm intensely interested in the history, design, and application of firearms. I spend an inordinate amount of my time going through formal and informal studies of various small arms and munitions. That includes their effects on society. I now firmly, irrevocably, believe in gun control.

These are some ideas for effective regulation and legislation based on technical and practical and psychological criteria, and refutations for common pro-gun arguments:

The most stupid pro-gun argument is that the press and gun control advocates mistake "automatic" with "semi-automatic." In gun-enthusiast jargon, "automatic" means the firearm will fire for as long as the trigger is pulled, like a machine gun, and "semi-automatic" means the gun will fie as fast as the trigger is pulled. So, when people describe a Glock as an automatic, the gun-nuts will scoff, as "automatic" firearms are already illegal save for those with very specialized licenses.

Well, they're wrong - the technical term for any self-loading weapon, that is, a weapon that ejects the spent round and loads a new round from a magazine or clip using energy from firing the weapon, is "automatic." Full automatic or semi automatic weapons are both automatic. Take this simple test - ask them if a Glock is a revolver or automatic. They will instinctually, without hesitation, tell you that a Glock is an automatic pistol… regardless of whether or not it has a full-auto mode or not. (It doesn't in the US.)

More, the real problem is semi-automatic weapons. You can't hit shit with a pistol or assault rifle set to full automatic.

The technology that enables mass murder, more than anything else, are high-capacity magazines. It allows the murderer to keep shooting and shooting and shooting and shooting. You can purchase a 33 round magazine for a 9mm Glock autopistol. You can point-and-shoot 33 times before needing to reload… and you reload by ejecting the spent magazine with a single button, and sliding in another 33 round magazine. Under heavy stress, maybe a 10 second operation, if you fumble a bit.

So. Here's a 5 point proposal that is simple, incremental, and respectful of hobbyists who spent thousands of dollars on murder/suicide machines instead of a bass boat or cruise on the Mediterranean or something.

1) Ban on the sale or manufacture of any magazine or clip larger than 6 rounds, for rifles and pistols. You can own them, you just can't buy or sell them anymore. This is enough, as the Amok in America prefer to buy new equipment at retail prices.

2) Ban the manufacture or sale of any other repeating firearm with a capacity larger than four rounds. If you can't take the turkey with four rounds, it wasn't meant to be.

3) Limit the sale of ammunition. You can buy four rounds a week, heavily taxed, and after a month, can only buy more when you bring back the brass. For those who like to load their own ammo, this means they're limited to 16 casings. This restriction is completely lifted for those shooting at registered and licensed gun ranges… shoot as much as you like. No taxes, either! Load as much as you like… so long as it stays at the range.

4) If you want to keep a gun at home, even a .22LR bolt action, a police officer will come to inspect how you're keeping it twice a year, and you will pay the police for this service. If you're being stupid about gun safety, you will be fined, and your license to own a gun revoked. If you want to keep a M2 heavy machine gun or any other firearm at the range… this is permitted, and cheaply. No tax, and the range deals with all of the inspections. Also, you need to pay a tax on the guns at home that covers the social cost of gun ownership in your community... no tax if you keep the gun at the range. The range needs to immediately report to the police if someone takes a gun off-site for any reason, legal or not.

5) Private gun sales need to be registered, just like auto sales. If you sell your gun to someone, and you don't register the sale after a background check, you get to keep paying the gun tax on it, and when the cops show up to see how you're storing it, and it's not there, you will go to jail. If your gun was stolen and used in a crime, and you were negligent in its storage, you will go to jail, and be on the hook for civil damages.

These points allow enthusiasts to keep shooting and hunting, and the living to keep breathing.

I don't believe for a second that this jackass actually knows much about guns.  He fails to notice the obvious point that it's not impossible to manufacture guns or ammunition at home, none of which would be registered.  But Big Government liberals are fucking stupid and don't think things through.  If I had a place to shoot it, though, it'd be neat to have a Ma Deuce....

From Jen, an article on where the GOP goes from here.

A blurb from the Republican Liberty Caucus of Minnesota about DMC.

Comparisons by "Food Babe" of junk food in the U.S. versus the version overseas--the U.S. versions have more crap in them!

Some composting tips...I need 'em....

Comparison of cross-platform VMs on Wikipedia (?!)

Adult ADHD

Perhaps this explains why I procrastinate.

At its core, ADHD is a disorder of impulse control. Adults with ADHD were very impulsive as kids, and they continue to be that way in what they say, do and feel. They don’t think about future consequences.

Adults with ADHD also have great difficulties with time management and organization. They end up wasting a lot of time and procrastinating.

This is why they’re ill-prepared for deadlines. Adults with ADHD are chronically late for work, appointments and dates.

They’re often inflexible. An ability to reprioritize on the fly and shift to whatever is important at the moment is difficult. Whenever they get involved in an enjoyable activity they find it very difficult to get away from it. They often quit if there is no immediate payoff for what they’re about to do.

Adults with ADHD often can’t keep a job or sustain a relationship for more than three months.

No particular issues with jobs or relationships (any more than the usual, anyway), but the lateness is a struggle.

Economics

In case one were wondering about the money supply....  There are claims that the money supply is under-reported.  Apparently there are several measures of the money supply, such as M1, M2, and M3.  Well, it turns out that the Federal Reserve stopped reporting M3 in 2006.  Indeed, the FRB website doesn't have such data available.  M3 includes the repurchase agreements that are what the government expands for "quantitative easing", and thus would be the number to look at to figure out the number of dollars, electronic or otherwise, that are available.  Supposedly, M3 is extraneous and can be calculated from other public data; but finding such information doesn't appear to be so easy.  One report projects that from 2007-2009 the money supply was in double-digit growth.

MWCA Show in January

P-B article regarding turnout at the January MWCA gun show.  I forgot to post it here.

On Using Silk Road

An interesting guide; but perhaps you'd be wise to read it via Tor!

Melissa Harris-Perry

The Interwebz are afire with the fallout from an ill-advised MSNBC ad featuring one Melissa Harris-Perry.

We have never invested as much in public education as we should have, because we've always had kind of a private notion of children. "Your kid is yours, and totally your responsibility." We haven't had a very collective notion of "These are our children." So part of it is we have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents, or kids belong to their families, and recognize that kids belong to whole communities. Once it's everybody's responsibility and not just the household's, then we start making better investments.

Personally, I find the big-government ideology behind that drivel to be offensive.

Shooting Mask

One of the learned gentlemen noted that he's taken to using a mask when shooting at the SMSC indoor range due to the lead residue from the primers.  He indicated that a 3M 7500 with filter 2097 P100 is most suitable for minimizing lead absorption, the latter being the chief reason that I no longer attend the indoor sessions.  Supposedly the 8233 N100 filters also cover lead exposure, but the lack of a tight seal around the mask makes this a less desirable solution.

Epigrams

Apparently many famous epigrams that are used in everyday English derive from the writings of one John Heywood.  To wit (from Wikipedia):

• What you have, hold.
• Haste maketh waste. (1546)
• Out of sight out of mind. (1542)
• When the sun shineth, make hay. (1546)
• Look ere ye leap. (1546)
• Two heads are better than one. (1546)
• Love me, love my dog. (1546)
• Beggars should be no choosers. (1546)
• All is well that ends well. (1546)
• The fat is in the fire. (1546)
• I know on which side my bread is buttered. (1546)
• One good turn asketh another. (1546)
• A penny for your thought. (1546)
• Rome was not built in one day. (1546)
• Better late than never. (1546)
• An ill wind that bloweth no man to good. (1546)
• The more the merrier. (1546)
• You cannot see the wood for the trees. (1546)
• This hitteth the nail on the head. (1546)
• No man ought to look a given horse in the mouth. (1546)
• Tread a woorme on the tayle and it must turne agayne. (1546)
• Many hands make light work. (1546)
• Wolde ye bothe eate your cake and haue your cake? (1562)
• When he should get aught, each finger is a thumb. (1546)

Some are phrased in outdated English, but it's amazing how these epigrams endure some 470 years later.

Cast Iron

I've read many different ways to season cast iron pans, but this method using flaxseed oil sounds the most promising.

Turns out that highly acidic ingredients like vinegar or tomato sauce will strip the seasoning off pans.  The author of the article above also mentions that boiling water is a no-no, but then recommends boiling water to loosen baked-on gunk.

Other Silver Shops

Via a liberty-minded individual, I'm now aware of another couple shops selling silver: Amagi Metals and Agorist.

At Amagi, the Freedom Girl, Unite or Die, Ron Paul, and Minuteman rounds look neat.  The Silver Bullet "rounds" are cute, but I'd rather have cast projectiles that I can actually handload!  And what's up with the 1 gram coins?!  31.1 to the troy ounce....

There's also the HnH Coins store; someone gave me one of their copper rounds at an Appleseed last September.  HnH's prices on pre-'65 silver aren't bad, either.

VNC over SSH

Apparently it's possible to use local port forwarding with SSH to secure a VNC connection.  I can't imagine it'd be very fast, though....

The Case for Silver Outpacing Gold

Interestingly enough, this article claims that the gold-silver ratio isn't out of line with changes in utilization and production.  With regard to the latter, the article claims that silver production has increased 25% in the past decade, whereas gold only increased 6%.  Another article is referenced, which claims the price of each metal relative to production cost indicates that silver only has a 10% premium, whereas gold has a 20% premium, therefore silver has more upside.

Practicing Suturing

Apparently, banana peels are good for practicing suturing.  Who knew?

ぼく、おいしいよ。

This is horrible: what sicko would make such a graphic?  But bacon is too tasty to resist....

Tcl Hacks

Some interesting Tcl hacks that redefine procedures: tracking procedure calls and guarding procedures so a warning shows up when a redefinition is attempted.  By the way, I still don't like Tcl.

MN RKBA Gear

Minnesota gun culture, represent!

Republicans and New Media

Article from JJ regarding how to save the GOP from obsolescence.

Weak Mayor System

From the liberal Post-Bulletin regarding the election for City Council President:

Rochester has what's known as a "weak mayor system," which means the city council president is the most powerful person in town. This person doesn't represent just one ward: He or she represents everyone in a city of more than 100,000. That's more constituents than a member of the Minnesota Senate has.

Great. I hope the most powerful person isn't the leftist dumbass who's running.

Shiba

My wife and I have wanted to get a Shiba-inu for a while.  Recently, a friend of my wife's recently got one, and since our kid likes dogs, the thought has crossed my mind.

Some breeders in the state: Spitfyre, Buffalo Ridge, Mar Brees.  There's also the adoption route with MSIR.

E-Book on Milling an AR-15 Forging

For those with the time and the talent, there's a free e-book on how to machine an AR-15 "0%" forging into a finished lower receiver.  Also on the site is an interesting label format for brass prep and loading.

Hot Shots

Tasty (store).  The playing cards will be good for SHTF.

RAV4 Stuff

覚え書き。全てトヨタ純正品。

Tow Hitch Receiver

Tow Hitch Wiring Harness

Rubber Floor Mats

Rubber Cargo Mat Tray

Cargo Tote

Machining AR-15 Lowers

Found an interesting forum post describing the advantages of machining from a forging as opposed to a billet.  45 min to machine a forging vs. over 2 hrs for a billet?

 Also, I found another place (Stillers Precision Firearms) that sells funky billet lowers for nearly $400.  If they have any in stock, that's about what regular lowers are going for these days....

DEW (ETF) Components

Someone told me that I should look into an ETF called DEW, as I have an interest in securities that pay a high dividend.  This is WisdomTree's global equity income fund.  The annualized yield is only 3.7%, with an expense ratio of 0.58%.  They list all the components of the fund, so theoretically one could pick out a few promising ones and mimic the fund with lower overhead.  It's good for mining a few ideas, anyway.

Barrel Lust

In this political environment, parts for "black rifles" are in short supply.  I've had a barrel backordered for a couple months; it was on order prior to Sandy Hook.

So AIM Surplus posted on Facebook that they have a Spike's Tactical Lothar-Walther barrel in stock.  Stainless steel, polygonal-rifled, 1 in 8" twist.  They only have the 16" model, but Spike's website has the 18" model in stock.  The price is the sticking point: $340 (16") or $355 (18") plus S&H.  Ouch!

I haven't seen any other AR-15 barrels with polygonal rifling, so this is way cool.  In stainless, you could probably shoot 100k rounds through the thing!

Bitcoin

Of course I'd heard of Bitcoin, but Joe B. at work pointed out that there were ASICs coming out that are supposed to crank the mining hash rate.  Butterfly Labs is one of the companies producing specialized machines.  (The FPGAs are more interesting since you could repurpose them later, but they have higher power consumption and lower hash rate.)

Seems pretty risky, though, since a bunch of ASICs will probably be coming online at the same time.  BFL's FAQ has an entry on this that seems to imply that one could break even in about 6 mo, but that calculation may lowball the impact of the additional computational power; then again, the exchange rate has also risen about 60% since that calculation.  In other words, it's a total crapshoot.  Another site has a profitability calculator.

There's also a mining hardware chart on the bitcoin wiki.  Some people build custom mining rigs using multiple graphics cards, but the hash rate doesn't even come close to the theoretical rate of the ASICs.  In that regard, investing in one of those might be more sound.  Or it could be better to have the lower rate now before the ASICs come online....

Power Switches

Sparkfun, an online hobby electronics store, is selling an AC power switch that can be controlled with TTL logic, as well as the Sharp optoisolated solid-state relay itself.

I kind of wanted to run a low-power server to make available lots of storage which I could switch off to save energy when not being used.  It could also be useful for security for preventing sensitive data from being accessed, should the server be exposed to the Internet.

Raspberry Pi seems like an ideal candidate for such a system.

Ice Fishing Safety

WMH at work sent me some YouTube links [1 2 3] on how to survive after falling through ice.

So Much Ignorance in One Article

One of my unfortunately liberal friends posted a link to an article making stupid anti-gun suggestions.  A retort:

It's hard to fit so much ignorance into one article! From the top:

- While I haven't fact-checked the statistic on deaths, these numbers typically include self-defense shootings and cops shooting bad guys, which I'd argue are good things. It'd also include suicides, which isn't good, but someone who really wants to kill himself will use the most efficient and available tool for the job.

- No license is needed for driving a motor vehicle on private property. (Permits are currently required to carry weapons in public.)

- My Minnesota license is good for concealed (and open) carry of pistols. It also allows for open carry of long guns. I'd get a license to carry a sawed-off shotgun if they made one (although it'd have to be an AOW since SBSes are illegal in MN).

- No title is needed for a transaction between private parties for use on private property. States use titling as a chance to rape the seller for sales tax on used property, which is unethical.

- Most states don't have smog testing. Besides, a malfunctioning pistol is primarily dangerous to the shooter (it could blow up in his face).

- The author confuses a magazine with ammunition to put in the magazine--7.62x39mm ammunition used to be found for under $0.20/rd (before the gun ban insanity), so a full 40-rd magazine would be $8. And taxing ammo is a stupid idea. Well, gas taxes go to roads, so ammo taxes could go to building more shooting ranges, right?

- Flammable materials most definitely can be shipped. Gasoline isn't economical relative to pumping stations due to the weight and hazmat charge, but you can order propane online and have the truck come to your house.

- All handguns are required by law to be shipped with a lock. Some newer models have integral locks. However, there's no law that says you have to lock a car door.

- A gun that shoots is functioning properly. A car that kills people in an accident is not functioning properly. The negligent discharges last Saturday were at gun shows, not at the rallies, where tens of thousands of people across the country carried loaded firearms without incident, me being one of them.

Wow, the author of that article is dumb. How about requiring licenses for publishing stuff, because otherwise you could spread ignorance too easily, which is damaging to readers' minds. Oh wait, that'd be prohibited by the 1st Amendment. Oh wait, all of the author's idiotic suggestions are prohibited by the 2nd Amendment.

It's exasperating having to deal with this crap. Why can't more people be logical?

Anti-Gun Madness

A WSJ article on the President's gun control remarks, a transcript of the speech, and the White House's press release via WaPo.

Reagan was for the AWB.  A deceptive poll claiming that most NRA members are for universal background checks (who was polled? how many were polled? what's the margin of error?).  Salon published a shitty article, as expected, last year on "gun owners vs. the NRA".

Medications have been linked to these crazy shootings.

Link Dump, 2013.01.09

These have been sitting in my reader for a bit....

Roberts's Real Long Game?
The Permanent Militarization of America
The Power of Negative Thinking

And more recently:
Ten gun bills on Congress's first day

Society of the Cincinnati

Apparently Cincinnati has roots leading back to the Revolutionary War via the Society of the Cincinnati.  How come all the neat parts of history are kept hidden from general public knowledge?  (I suppose it's because the general public doesn't care about history.)

Aeon Fawkes

Someone posted a link to this store on a PTR-91 forum.  They have some interesting stuff, like NBC gear.  The name sounds like a cross between Aeon Flux and Guy Fawkes....

Secession

For historical study.

Online Tools

GinzaMetrics' "lessons learned" for 2012 has a list of online tools that they use that's quite intriguing.  To wit:

• git / Github (repository & wikis, nothing else)
• WordPress (migrated from Jekyll in order to allow guest blogging / contributors)
• Dropbox
• Skype
• Google Apps
• DynDNS
• Stripe (payments)
• Tumblr (system status)
• HelloBar (system status)
• Wufoo (landing page management system)
• Trello (issue management)
• Google Doc
• Intercom (analytics)
• Mixpanel and KISSmetrics (analytics)
• Exceptional (bug reporting)

It's hard to keep up with all the stuff that's out there.