As part of my emergency preparedness setup, I was looking at getting a water filter, specifically the Big Berkey. While many of the reviews on Amazon and elsewhere are positive, I read one that claimed the test results were faked. Indeed, I found two different versions [1, 2] of a test report that raised my suspicions.
Regardless, if the filter works as well as Brita, as is claimed in other reviews, then it'd be worth getting since given the claimed 3000-gal element life for $50 is much cheaper than Brita. Another thing that bugs me is that there's no description of the difference between the older Super Sterasyl elements and the newer Black Berkey elements.
Anyway, one guy made his own filter unit using the Black Berkey elements and a couple 5-gal buckets. Now that's ingenuity!
2011-02-15
2011-02-14
Iron Law of Bureaucracy
In reading a comment regarding the NRA on a gun blog, I became aware of an concise statement by author Jerry Pournelle regarding how bureaucracies end up:
That perfectly describes why the NRA is so ineffective. I'm a member because of their useful functions (like education). However, I no longer support the PVF or ILA, because in many instances they back the wrong candidates. I'd rather pick the candidates I support. So these days I think of my NRA membership as if it were a magazine subscription to American Rifleman, with a few gun club-like benefits on the side.
On the other hand, the Gun Owners of America (GOA) is an excellent force to protect gun rights: no compromise, as it should be. Donation dollars that would've otherwise gone to the NRA will be going there. The Jews for the Preservation for Firearms Ownership (JPFO) organization is similarly excellent. (Rest in peace, Aaron Zelman.)
"Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy states that in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people: those who work to further the actual goals of the organization, and those who work for the organization itself. Examples in education would be teachers who work and sacrifice to teach children, vs. union representative who work to protect any teacher including the most incompetent. The Iron Law states that in all cases, the second type of person will always gain control of the organization, and will always write the rules under which the organization functions."
That perfectly describes why the NRA is so ineffective. I'm a member because of their useful functions (like education). However, I no longer support the PVF or ILA, because in many instances they back the wrong candidates. I'd rather pick the candidates I support. So these days I think of my NRA membership as if it were a magazine subscription to American Rifleman, with a few gun club-like benefits on the side.
On the other hand, the Gun Owners of America (GOA) is an excellent force to protect gun rights: no compromise, as it should be. Donation dollars that would've otherwise gone to the NRA will be going there. The Jews for the Preservation for Firearms Ownership (JPFO) organization is similarly excellent. (Rest in peace, Aaron Zelman.)
2011-02-04
Patches
While trying to find out the origins of the Nyberg Battle Flag, I found that in the past Sipsey Street has collaborated to offer IIIer patches. The seller is Raven's Wood Enterprises. Another store is apparently selling IIIer gear as well.
I'd always thought patches were more expensive, so I looked online for patch manufacturers. One that came up high in the search ranking was Butler Patches. In small quantities they're not very cheap at all, but at 50-100 the price comes down considerably. Another place, Custom Patches, offers a digital prototyping, which would be helpful before placing an order of 100!
Incidentally, I couldn't find info on how the Nyberg flag was conceived, only that a Gayle Nyberg out of NM is credited with it. Also, Mr. Vanderboegh states that he doesn't mind if people create IIIer merchandise.
I'd always thought patches were more expensive, so I looked online for patch manufacturers. One that came up high in the search ranking was Butler Patches. In small quantities they're not very cheap at all, but at 50-100 the price comes down considerably. Another place, Custom Patches, offers a digital prototyping, which would be helpful before placing an order of 100!
Incidentally, I couldn't find info on how the Nyberg flag was conceived, only that a Gayle Nyberg out of NM is credited with it. Also, Mr. Vanderboegh states that he doesn't mind if people create IIIer merchandise.
2011-02-02
Howa M1500
So after reading Kopel's article on gun control in Japan, I developed a renewed interest in the Howa rifles I've seen advertised. My Browning shotgun has a Miroku barrel, and their stuff in Japan is crazy-expensive. Some people don't dig Japanese-manufactured parts, but the Japanese have probably forgotten more about metallurgy than the West ever knew. That's hyperbole of course; still, Japan knows steel manufacture.
Anyway, Legacy Sports imports the Howa M1500 rifle. The 24-inch "heavy barrel" model is considered a sniper rifle. Unfortunately it doesn't take a box magazine. Weatherby, who uses the M1500 action in their Vanguard rifle, issued a press release in 2008 saying that they were to release an upgrade kit.
One interesting bit of info is Howa's recommended barrel break-in procedure. The proper method always seems to be debated amongst gun people, but my chief concern is from a metallurgical perspective, and they ought to know! Interestingly enough, they recommend cleaning with Windex, rather than powder solvent. Observing the copper fouling is interesting as well.
Davidson's has an M1500 with 24" stainless heavy barrel in a laminated stock for $768. The addition of a scope base, rings, and a good scope will certainly drive up the total cost.
There's a site online dedicated to the M1500 as well.
Anyway, Legacy Sports imports the Howa M1500 rifle. The 24-inch "heavy barrel" model is considered a sniper rifle. Unfortunately it doesn't take a box magazine. Weatherby, who uses the M1500 action in their Vanguard rifle, issued a press release in 2008 saying that they were to release an upgrade kit.
One interesting bit of info is Howa's recommended barrel break-in procedure. The proper method always seems to be debated amongst gun people, but my chief concern is from a metallurgical perspective, and they ought to know! Interestingly enough, they recommend cleaning with Windex, rather than powder solvent. Observing the copper fouling is interesting as well.
Davidson's has an M1500 with 24" stainless heavy barrel in a laminated stock for $768. The addition of a scope base, rings, and a good scope will certainly drive up the total cost.
There's a site online dedicated to the M1500 as well.
Kopel on Gun Control in Japan
The Wikipedia gun culture article linked to an online version of Mr. Kopel's research into Japanese gun control. It appears to be well researched. I do need to check a few of the details regarding ownership of guns in Japan, but unlike other pro-gun reviews of gun control in Japan, Mr. Kopel's article is plausibly correct.
Another interesting link in the gun culture article was to a paper published in the Harvard Law Review titled "The .22 Caliber Rorschach Test" by Erik Luna. It looks quite interesting.
Another interesting link in the gun culture article was to a paper published in the Harvard Law Review titled "The .22 Caliber Rorschach Test" by Erik Luna. It looks quite interesting.
2011-02-01
Hughes Amendment
David Codrea has a GRE article on the Hughes Amendment to the FOPA of 1986. In it, he links to a YouTube video of the Congressional session where the vote was taken. A transcript is available, but it's unknown if it's official.
My commentary on the War on Guns blog post:
My commentary on the War on Guns blog post:
My reading of Heller's reply: He says that many have discussed the possibility of repealing the Hughes amendment, and that he will vote to protect the Second Amendment, which implies that he would support legislation to strike down the machinegun ban. However, Heller doesn't say he will push such a bill himself. It's interesting that he mentions the amendment was passed under questionable circumstances, however.It's crazy that it took 25 years for the video footage to come to light.
With regard to the YouTube video on the vote, my interpretation is that the 6:25 recorded vote is on "the motion for the committee to rise", which I believe is to close discussion on amendments. This fails, and Hughes asks for five minutes to explain the bill. Then, despite the motion failing, Rangel calls for a vote on the Hughes amendment at 8:16. Only a voice vote is recorded. In the background you can hear someone telling Hughes, "let it go, let it go, let it go, you got it!" Obviously not even Hughes realized what the hell was going on. At 8:43 someone asks for the ayes and nays, i.e. for a recorded vote, and Rangel just smiles at him and proceeds. Subsequently, there's a vote on the Volkmer substitute as amended: the voice vote fails at 9:10, but the recorded vote passes at 9:45.
A transcript of the session (unknown if it's considered official) can be found here:
http://www.iwilldefendtheconstitution.com/Congressional_Transcript.pdf
Based on the transcript, some footage was omitted, such as the diatribe by Weiss after the recorded vote on the motion to rise but before the vote on the Hughes amendment.
::G
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