Jicama

Last week a coworker told me about jicama (pronounced "hicama"), an edible root.  Funky.  If I can get ahold of some, it'd be interesting to try.  (And what's up with that scientific name, "Pachyrhizus erosus" ?! Sounds...cool.)

Much Ado

I'd commented on a post by David Codrea regarding the ATF open-bolt decision and the recent semi-furor that one of the "Threepers" is trying to stir up.  To be honest, I still don't get what the big deal is all of a sudden, as we've lived with this ruling for like 20 years.  Well, other than as Mr. Codrea states, the discussion of "shall not be infringed" being chucked out the window.  But I felt special that Mr. Codrea responded to my scrawl!

Hi, I also commented on Mr. Vanderboegh's blog post in a similar vein to note that it seems that the critical distinction is that the disconnector and "trip" must be modified. From the ATF ruling that you quote:

"The disconnector and trip are designed in the SM10 and SM11A1 pistols and in the SAC carbine (firearms) in such a way that a simple modification to them, such as cutting, filing, or grinding, allows the firearms to operate automatically. Thus, this simple modification to the disconnector or trip together with the configuration of the above design features (blowback operation, firing from the open bolt position, and fixed firing pin) in the SM10 and SM11A1pistols and in the SAC carbine, permits the firearms to shoot automatically, more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The above combination of design features as employed in the SM10 and SM11A1 pistols and the SAC carbine are normally not found in the typical sporting firearm."

So the guns in question aren't MGs out of the box any more than an AR-15. I mean, I can easily REMOVE the disconnector from my AR-15 and I'd have an unregistered MG according to the ATF: with one pull of the trigger, it'd dump the mag. (And poor engagement surfaces on the disconnector is what screwed David Olofson and landed him in the pen.) Now I'm not one of the prags arguing for compromise or restraint. However, with regard to the last statement of the ruling ("The above combination of design features as employed...are normally not found in the typical sporting firearm."), I could see the Brady bunch using the existing ATF ruling to attack semi-automatic weapons of any kind, particularly "evil" black rifles. Or is forcing their hand what Mr. Vanderboegh had in mind?

Someone else had posted this excellent quote from Frederick Douglass. The dude knew what he was talking about.

"FIND OUT JUST WHAT THE PEOPLE WILL SUBMIT TO AND YOU HAVE FOUND OUT THE EXACT AMOUNT OF INJUSTICE AND WRONG WHICH WILL BE IMPOSED UPON THEM; AND THESE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THEY ARE RESISTED WITH EITHER WORDS OR BLOWS, OR WITH BOTH. THE LIMITS OF TYRANTS ARE PRESCRIBED BY THE ENDURANCE OF THOSE WHOM THEY OPPRESS." — FREDERICK DOUGLASS, AUG. 4, 1857

Claire Wolfe

I don't know why I didn't find this sooner, but Claire Wolfe has a blog.  At Backwoods Home, no less.

I'd searched a year ago.  Apparently she only started that particular blog this year.

Emergency Funds vs. Debt Payoff

This doesn't really apply to me per se, since I have a cash cushion, but some folks I know would do well to consider the points in the article.  I would argue for building up an emergency fund at the same time as paying off debt.  True, there is an impact due to the cost of the loaned money that's not being paid off, but there's no guarantee that the credit line won't be cut off, so the emergency allocation needs to be there.  Similarly, it doesn't make sense to put all your available capital into payments on a house loan because there's no guarantee that you'll be able to get a home equity line of credit when you need it.  "A bird in hand is worth two in a bush," as they say.

Barry isn't a lawyer?

An article came up in my reader about Sarah Palin considering a run for president in 2012 (ugh).  One of the comments was the following:

Consider this:

1. President Barack Obama, former editor of the Harvard Law Review, is no longer a "lawyer". He surrendered his license back in 2008 in order to escape charges he lied on his bar application. A "Voluntary Surrender" is not something where you decide "Gee, a license is not really something I need anymore, is it?" and forget to renew your license. No, a "Voluntary Surrender" is something you do when you've been accused of something, and you "voluntarily surrender" your license five seconds before the state suspends you.

2. Michelle Obama "voluntarily surrendered" her law license in 1993.

3. So, we have the first black President and First Lady - who don't actually have licenses to practice law. Facts. Source: http://jdlong.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/pres-barack-obama-editor-of-the-Harvard-law-review-has-no-law-license/

4. A senior lecturer is one thing. A fully ranked law professor is another. Barack Obama was NOT a Constitutional Law professor at the University of Chicago.

5. The University of Chicago released a statement in March, 2008 saying Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) "served as a professor" in the law school-but that is a title Obama, who taught courses there part-time, never held, a spokesman for the school confirmed in 2008.

6. "He did not hold the title of professor of law," said Marsha Ferziger Nagorsky, an Assistant Dean for Communications and Lecturer in Law at the University of Chicago School of Law. Source: http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/03/sweet_obama_did_hold_the_title.html ;

7. The former Constitutional senior lecturer cited the US Constitution the other night during his State of the Union Address. Unfortunately, the quote he cited was from the Declaration of Independence . not the Constitution.

8. The B-Cast posted the video: http://www.breitbart.tv/did-obama-confuse-the-constitution-with-the-declaration-of-independence/

9. Free Republic: In the State of the Union Address, President Obama said: "We find unity in our incredible diversity, drawing on the promise enshrined in our Constitution: the notion that we are all created equal..

10. Um, wrong citing, wrong founding document there Champ, I mean Mr. President. By the way, the promises are not a notion, our founders named them unalienable rights. The document is our Declaration of Independence and it reads: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

11. And this is the same guy who lectured the Supreme Court moments later in the same speech??? When you are a phony it's hard to keep facts straight. The only ones that haven't seen through this clown and the band of idiots that surrounds him are those that are fleecing this Country for all it's worth. I hope and pray that common sense will prevail in the next election or this great Nation is finished! This is amazing! I checked the Illinois Bar site and this is absolutely true. Both voluntarily gave up their licenses. How in the HADES did the media not report on this?

Other than the goofy numbering of the points, whoa. I'm not at all surprised that the media didn't report on his surrendered law license.

Edit: Ah, it sounded too good to be true.

Dot Torture and Reasons to Own Guns

Tamara's blog had a couple interesting posts yesterday.  One was a pointer [her blog] to a pointer [Guns & Coffee?!] to a funky course of fire called "Dot Torture".  3 yards, 50 shots, some one-handed including some weak-hand, some from the holster.  I'd love to try it, but my range doesn't allow presentation from the holster (argh).

Then there was a vector to a thread, circa 2000, on The Firing Line that lists 23 reasons to own guns.  I'll reproduce the list here, 'cause it's awesome!

1. So that you can call yourself a "collector" instead of a gun nut.

2. Because the notion of "the right gun for the job" can be interpreted any way you see fit.

3. Because each of your great-great-great-great-grandchildren should have something to remember you by.

4. Because when Armaggedon strikes, and you rush to the gunstore, and the only box of ammo they have left is 6.5 x 55 mm, and you have nothing to shoot it out of… well, aren't you going to feel pretty darn foolish.

5. Because diversity is our greatest strength.

6. Because you owe it to your fellow gun nuts to make them look reasonable by comparison.

7. Because every gun teaches you something.

8. Because you can.

9. Because every time you buy a gun, you're keeping it out of the hands of a bad person.

10. Because you want to be able to identify with the hero in any action flick.

11. Because Elvis would.

12. Because if time travel is ever perfected, and you can bring all of them back to the Alamo, Davy Crockett, Bill Travis and Jim Bowie are going to think YOU THE MAN!

13. Because one day, when you're famous, every gun you ever owned will be worth a fortune.

14. Because when the government makes a list of every kind of gun you're not allowed to own anymore, you'll have a few that they never even thought of.

15. Because when the cops lay all your stuff out on a sheet, take a picture of it, and publish it in the local paper, you want all the other gun nuts to be envious.

16. Because .25 autos need love too.

17. Because owning at least one of everything is the only known cure for that woozy feeling you get when you stare into the cases at the gun store.

18. Because the more guns you keep in your safe, the harder it'll be for a crackhead to load it onto a handtruck and cart it out the door.

19. Because your dot-com stocks may crater but you'll always be able to swap a Glock for airfare out of any Third World hellhole on the face of the earth.

20. Because unlike computers, the guns you buy now are not going to be available cheaper and more powerful in six months.

21. Because "number of deadly weapons owned" is an extra credit question on the entrance examination to Valhalla.

22. Because you don't want to be "out of it" when the merits of the Nambu Type 14 are discussed on the API list.

23. Because Bill Clinton doesn't want you to.

I'm rather partial to 5, 18, 19, and 20.  As for 4, well, I've got that covered....

Uncalled For

Brent at work sent me a link to a Post-Bulletin article detailing an exchange from one of the councilmen who I despise and a builder.  Since the P-B flushes articles over a certain age, here's the text:

A testy exchange between a Rochester City Council member and a spokesman for the Rochester Area Builders organization at a recent public hearing prompted a demand for a public apology.

"I feel that was uncalled for," said Jay Burke of the Nov. 1 exchange between council member Michael Wojcik and Tony Lehrman, who represents the builders group.

Lehrman had told the city council about the builders group's opposition to a proposed ordinance requiring streetside trees be planted in new developments. Wojcik peppered Lehrman with pointed questions for a few minutes before council President Dennis Hanson put a stop to the exchange. The ordinance eventually passed on a 4-3 council vote.

Burke, who owns a building company, Heartwood Homes, and has served on the city's Planning and Zoning Commission and Energy Commission, described Wojcik's actions as violating "proper decorum" for public officials. He sent a letter to the city Friday and spoke to the city council Monday.

Burke said the exchange left several audience members, and even a few city council members he said confided in him, feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed. Read about it in Tuesday's print edition.

Shooting Liability

In looking up info on police training, I came across a page that mentions two legal cases that shaped thinking on police training.  The cases were Popow v. City of Margate and Zuchel v. Denver.

EMS response time as reported by USA Today ("call-to-shock") was pretty lousy.  Rochester is mentioned in conjunction with a study of the survival rates based on "call-to-shock".  That's something of a guide to how long the cops would take to arrive.  Minneapolis apparently had an 8-minute police response time to 911 calls.

ATF Form 4590

I'd read that although Glock offers a pistol in .380 ACP that due to some law they can't import it into the U.S.  Well, apparently the limiting factor is an idiotic point system shown on ATF Form 4590.

Rhino .357

Guns & Ammo has an issue featuring the Chiappa Firearms Rhino revolver.  I skimmed the article at Wally World when I went to buy some ammo, but it had very little on the gun itself, particularly pricing.  So I did a search online and found a press release that mentions the U.S. distributor, MKS Supply.  Apparently they're based out of Dayton, Ohio.  Go figure!

The designer is the guy who came up with the Mateba autorevolver, Emilio Ghisoni.

Edit [2010.12.18]: There are some pictures on a thread on GlockTalk's forums.

LCP Upgrades

I found a forum thread discussing improved sights for the Ruger LCP, from an outfit called Innovative Arms.  The sights are raised, with the front sight being a Tritium dot and the rear sight being a plain notch with cocking serrations on the front.  $140 + $8 S&H.  They also make a .32 NAA barrel for $270 (almost as much as the LCP itself).  Apparently there's a .32 NAA barrel available for Makarovs as well.

There's also a dedicated LCP site called Elsie Pea Forum.  Cute.

At Elsie Pea there's a thread about a +1 mag extension from Impact Guns.  Sounds like the Wolff +10% spring for the Kel-Tec P3AT is a good idea for the larger capacity.

Rejection Therapy

Twittered by Ray G.:

"We are all stopping ourselves from great opportunities when we're too afraid to ask for what we want." http://ow.ly/37W2y

I could've used "rejection therapy" way back in high school! [article] [site]

お米の保存法

嫁は米を保存する方法を探してリンクを送ってくれた。だいたい当たり前のことなんだけど。

Grain Mills

I found a couple of human-powered grain mills, for grinding grain into flour without the benefit of electricity.

One is the Wonder Junior Deluxe, which has the benefit of coming with both stainless steel burr heads and stone heads.  This sells for about $200; unfortunately, the place of manufacture isn't listed.

The other is the Country Living grain mill, which supposedly requires less work to grind grains, but only comes with stainless steel heads.  While it costs $400, it's also made in the USA.

I'll probably go with the cheaper solution, but if it turns out we use it a lot, I may upgrade.  The Ready Store and USA Emergency Supply carry various useful items.


Additions [11/13]: SG pointed me to the Family Grain Mill, which is a modular unit that has grain mill, flaker, food processor, and meat grinder attachments on interchangeable hand-grind and electric bases.  Apparently the base is Lexan, however.  I also couldn't find a website for the manufacturer, which is apparently German.  Pleasant Hill Grain also sells the Country Living mill.

Lehman's also sells the FGM and Country Living mills, as well as another hand mill made in Ohio.  Their made in USA page is interesting as well.

為せば成る

昨日の朝、「にほんごであそぼ」を見ていたらこの詩をやっていた：

為せば成る
為さねば成らぬ
何事も
成らぬは人の
為さぬなりけり

調べたら上杉治憲が書いたことが分かった。大名の時から、名前を上杉鷹山に変えたらしい。しかし、他の人がそれより早く、似たような詩を書いたようだ：

為せば成る
為さねば成らぬ
成る業を
成らぬと捨つる
人の儚き

鷹山がぱくったか、別で同じ発想をもったか。調べようがないね。

Why the gun is civilization

I found a great pro-gun essay at random on the interwebz titled, "Why the gun is civilization".  Apparently it was used and mis-attributed in an email advertisement from Front Sight at some point.  Sheesh.  The author, Marko Kloos, has a few other essays as well.

1984

This is loco.  If I were to find such a device on my vehicle, I'd leave it there till trash day and then chuck it in.  The Fubby can have fun chasing the garbage truck.  If they bill me I'll counter that it must've fallen off, and someone else disposed of it.  After all, I can't be held responsible for the whereabouts of their clandestine surveillance devices.  One judge's remarks on the case:

The needs of law enforcement, to which my colleagues seem inclined to refuse nothing, are quickly making personal privacy a distant memory. 1984 may have come a bit later than predicted, but it’s here at last.

I'm the Only One Professional Enough

Apparently the origin for the "Only Ones" referred to in David Codrea's War on Guns blog is a video of Lee Paige, a DEA agent who shoots himself during a safety demonstration at a school, right after he says he's "the only one professional enough" in the room to carry a Glock .40.  Brilliant.

Property Concerns

FEMA has a map service that lists areas at-risk for flooding, which should be checked prior to acquiring property.

Subdivision of property seems to entail: verifying the abstract to verify the absence of encumbrances (judgments, liens, back taxes, etc.), researching subdivision requirements and zoning, having the property surveyed, and filing the plats at the county records office.  Depending on the area, utilities to each lot may need to be provided.  One would need to involve a title abstract service, surveyor, the county records office, and potentially a civil engineer.  Then there's reading up on local laws and news, attending county meetings, and talking to people in the area.

Fillmore County has some property records online, as well as zoning ordinances.

Winona County also has property records online.  Apparently they're called "GIS".

Funky Eyeglasses

WSJ ran an article on some funky glasses that the wearer can change the focus on.  The company's now called Super Focus.  It'll be interesting to see how the market accepts their product.  If the glasses could correct for slight changes in vision, they'd make a good item to tuck away for emergency use....

Tab Dump

I have way too many windows open in Firefox, some of which have been open for multiple months.  Hence this "tab dump".

• Obama gives Interpol free hand in U.S. [Washington Examiner], which I probably found on the War on Guns blog
• Signing sub-key cross-certification [GPG]: a sub-key needs to sign the primary key
• Berdan primers - large rifle [Sniper's Hide]: a forum thread on reloading Berdan-primed cases
• Griffon Industries produces a girls-with-guns calendar (er, it was linked off of Sniper's Hide) 
• Berdan primer suppliers and dimensions [Dave Cushman's] has a ton of useful info Berdan primers, especially the types and dimensions
• Reloading Berdan-primed brass [Surplus Rifle]
• Southern Minnesota Sportsman's Club Civilian Marksmanship Program (SMS CMP) group
• Neal Knox - The Gun Rights War: often referred to in Shotgun News
• Mad Ogre, a gun-blogger who seems to be pretty cool

M10

In looking for information regarding head-separation in pistol rounds, one forum's discussion contained a reference to "Lage uppers", apparently an upper for M10 (aka MAC-10) and M11 machine pistols.  Those guns are some of the cheapest MGs one can get, probably because of the cheap sheetmetal construction and the high rate-of-fire that makes them difficult to control.  The strength of the Lage uppers, then, is that they reduce the ROF from over 1000 RPM to 600 RPM.

I hadn't realized that the M10s had "upper" and "lower" halves, like an AR-15—that has me wondering if the registered part is the lower.  If so, that would make the gun more attractive, since the non-firing part is unlikely to wear out (except for the mount points of the upper).  Very interesting, except that those aren't C&R yet, and thus aren't legal in MN.  The only cheap C&R MG that I've found is the H&R Reising.

Modern Valiance

An ATF agent off-duty caps a guy armed with a flashlight for having an intoxicated argument with his girlfriend.  Brilliant use of force, Agent Clark.  I hope they burn you.

Crucify this "agent". Shooting a guy armed with a flashlight 5 times is justifiable force? What a tough guy. Why not just drive away, since he was in his car? Why didn't he have a non-lethal weapon like OC/CS to use instead? A regular citizen with a permit to carry would be in deep guano if he were in this situation. Why should Clark receive special treatment? Because he's a "federal" agent? Of the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms), not the FBI! A thug with a badge is still a thug.

Shove It

Apparently a Rhode Island Democratic candidate who failed to receive Obama's endorsement has said that Obama can "shove it".  Nice.

My comment:

Mr. Jones: Since WSJ was acquired, I've noticed that a number of more liberal viewpoints have been added. I don't particularly favor this change, but that's the way it goes. And I can't help wishing that WSJ would ditch their pervasive hoplophobic biases.

The comment under discussion was crass and definitely is a case of sour grapes. Funny? Yes. Newsworthy? Marginal.

 Is this the fable behind the expression "sour grapes"?  That's good to know....

Driven by hunger, a fox tried to reach some grapes hanging high on the vine but was unable to, although he leaped with all his strength. As he went away, the fox remarked, ‘Oh, you aren’t even ripe yet! I don’t need any sour grapes.’

The Original Instructor Belt

At the Front Sight Pro Shop they were selling instructor belts, which unfortunately were made in China.  While flipping through a recent Blue Press catalog (the cover model, Mallory, was pretty hot!), they listed a belt from The Wilderness.  I looked it up to see where it was made and indeed it's made in the USA!  Hallelujah!  It's actually cheaper to order it from Dillon than from the manufacturer's site, at least for the black 1.75" 5-stitch belt.  Plus, that way I'll receive 6 months of girls with guns on the cover of the Blue Press, which is definitely a factor!

The Sonoran shirts by The Wilderness are also made in the USA.  They're a bit spendy, though.  The Ching Sling looks interesting.

Ruslana Korshunova

I happened to see a page with pictures of model Ruslana Korshunova, who had some amazing hair.  I'd seen some of her ads before, but never knew who it was.  Too bad she was killed.  (Suicide my ass!  Sounds like she was thrown out of the building.)

Ring on the Sun

A guy at work mentioned something he'd seen in the news—a ring developing on the sun.  Dunno what it is, and to someone who generally ignores sunspots and flares, I have no comment.  Weird, though.

Pistol Training

On Tamara K.'s blog (in my Google Reader) she mentions taking a pistol training class by Todd Green.  Looks interesting, and there's one class in Ohio in the middle of next year.  Hmm.  It'd be good to train with various instructors and pick out what works for me, like mixed martial arts only with handguns, haha!

Bi-Metal Jackets

So I have some Brown Bear .223 that have steel lacquered cases.  I fired nearly 500 through my M4gery with no cleaning and it kept running.  The only downside was a bit of carbon buildup on the tang of the bolt.

Well, I found out that BB also has bi-metal jackets.  That is, a thin steel jacket plated with copper (to about 0.005", or so it says on the interwebz).  This was something a concern for me, although with the AR-15 platform, changing the barrel is relatively easy, so it's better than hosing the barrel on my .308, which requires a hydraulic press.  A post on XDTalk has a couple links to Arfcom: a ComBloc ammo FAQ and people's experience with Wolf black box.

In general, it sounds like the steel used in the jacket is extremely mild, so the additional barrel wear would be negligible relative to the wear from firing.  For expensive rifles, then, it'd be best to not use el cheapo bi-metal jacketed ammo, but for typical plinking purposes it's fine.  Kind of what you'd expect.

Nagant Revolver

Turns out that my first C&R gun will be a novel revolver, the Nagant M1895.  I had been kicking myself for not getting one when they were available a year or two ago, and then several shops, such as AIM Surplus and J&G Sales, got shipments in again.  Sweet!  One of the tricky things is the ammo, 7.62 Nagant, aka 7.62x38R.  The bullet is completely seated in the brass, since the mouth of the cartridge forms a gas seal with the chamber, eliminating loss of gas in the cylinder gap.  Since ammo is in relatively low supply, and is thus expensive (200 rds of ammo costs as much as the gun), reloading is a must.  One site has a few loads for the 7.62 Nagant reformed from .32-20 brass using Lee dies, and .32 ACP for use with the replacement cylinder that Century sells.

Of course Surplus Rifle has some useful pictures on how to remove the cylinder.  Yet another site remarks that .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R Magnums can be fed through the revolver.  That'd be interesting to try out—if I can find those cartridges (and have faith enough to hazard it)!  The site also presents this bit of poetry:

I know, with certainty
that in that lacquered purse of yours
nestled against powder case and mirror
sleeps a black stone; seven deaths

Vladimir Nabokov,
in a poem to his fiancee, Vera Slonim

Brings a tear to the eye.

And THR has a forum post detailing quite a handloading ritual for brass made out of .32-20:

I have joined the ranks of those who use the re-sized .32-20 brass homebrews in my Nagants, albeit after a bit of a ritual. I obtained 200 new Starline .32-20 cases and first sanded ~ 10 thousandths off the headstamp with 320-600 grit Si/C paper on a flat. This permits the thicker rims to work well with a stock breech block in all Nagants. I then turn ~ 24 thousandths off the rim diameter, using a Taig micro-lathe, to permit self-centering of the rounds in the chamber bores when loading. I size the brass through a Lee carbide M1 Carbine size, then bell and drop powder with an M1 Carbine powder funnel, and seat and crimp with a .32-20 Lee die from the special 'Nagant' set made by Lee for Midway & Graf's (It uses .32-20 brass...). I hold the cases with a .32-20 shellplate in my Dillon 550B. With Meister 100gr DEWC .312" lead over 2.3gr TiteGroup, I get better results than with either the yellow boxed Russian target or the $50/box Fiocchi ammo. I have just started experimenting with the Berry's clad 85gr .311" DEWC's.

Well, one would really have to like handloading to go through all that!

Update [2010.12.14]: Since the Lee/Midway dies are for re-forming .32-20 brass, an RCBS shell holder is necessary for using the dies with original 7.62 Nagant brass.