Quote of the day—Brad R. Torgersen

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Sarah Hoyt — born in Portugal, naturalized to the U.S. — has seen this kind of thing before. It’s the old Stalinist-Marxist mentality which Sarah got to see up close and personal. It’s the mentality my former boss (who was a refugee from Soviet-era Poland) knew all too well, too. Frankly, any time I talk about the 21st century American fascination with political correctness, refugees from the Marxist countries recognize it instantly: the collective effort to control and dictate what is and is not permissible to say, or to think, or to feel, including who you can and cannot associate with; lest you be hauled before the commissars to be tried for guilt-by-association.

Fear is their weapon.

Brad R. Torgersen
April 12, 2015
Flaming rage nozzles of tolerance
[Solzhenitsyn has written about this too.

This mindset must not be allowed to dominate politics. The body count racked up by this mindset during the 20th century was in the hundreds of millions. We must prevent a repeat performance in the 21st century.

This is why I do Boomershoot.—Joe]

Quote of the day—John Hinderaker

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How can you tell which minorities it is proper to satirize? By whether they are likely to shoot you, apparently. Trudeau spent his career unfairly attacking Republicans, so he never had to worry.

John Hinderaker
April 12, 2015
Punching Down and Shooting Back
[As Glenn Reynolds said, “I keep warning people about this incentive system, and they keep not listening.”—Joe]

Boomershoot prep

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I arrived on site about 2130 on Sunday night. I unloaded the stuff out of my vehicle into Boomershoot Mecca and reloaded it with my tent, sleeping bags, blankets, pads, pillows, and other stuff. I set up the tent using the headlights to see and I was finally in bed by 2340. The next morning I assembled some shelves and tidied up a bit until it was time to start work. I considered working from “home” at Mecca but reconsidered when my fingers went numb. It was 34F in there so I went to brother Doug’s house and spent the morning working from there.

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The afternoon and evening at Mecca was nice. I rearranged a few things for a better work flow (the computers are for work and personal use):

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I then made the test targets for the experiment I completed last night.

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Yesterday morning while it was still to cold to work I went for a walk and take rubber bands and empty milk jugs to the Taj. I discovered a squatter in the explosives magazine:

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It was ejected from the premises and the carpet cleaned up as best I could with a hand broom:

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I left some treats in case they or some relatives decided to visit again:

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I then proceeded on to the tree line where most of the Boomershoot targets are placed and put up some steel targets:

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We will paint them before the event.

Today I discovered one of the scales we use for measuring the chemicals for Boomerite was having problems. Putting in new batteries and banging it around didn’t help any. I probably paid $20 for it something like five years ago and it has had problems before. I set it aside and ordered a $300 scale just like the other scale I have from Amazon for next day delivery.

Today I’ll tidy up the work benches in Mecca more and move the ATV and trailer here. I might also turn some of the clumpy (basically fist sized rocks) Potassium Chlorate into powder too. I have a new shipment coming in on Friday but if I can use the old stuff that would be better. The stuff I used for my experiment this week was made from the old stuff so I know it is chemically active if I just reduce it in size appropriately.

Boomershoot is looking good for this year. Even the weather is looking great. No chance of rain and highs in the upper 60s. There will be some winds to make things a little bit challenging but probably nothing that will be insurmountable. The winds start out low and build to a peak about 4:00 PM every day. Plan accordingly.

Flash Sale on InSights Classes!

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Via email from InSights. Highly recommended. I’ve spent thousands on their training over the years. Both for me and my family.

20% Off Selected Classes for the Whole Family

Limited time to sign up — April 29 – May 1, phone orders only:

  • Handgun Fundamentals: $180 only for the next 3 days
    Get better with your semi-auto and get tuned up for GDH!
    May 2, WCA Bellevue
     
  • General Defensive Handgun: $360 only for the next 3 days
    Get the information, skills, and mindset to carry and use a handgun for self defense.
    May 9-10 WCA Bellevue
    June 13-14 WCA Bellevue
    June 20-21 WCA Everett
     
  • Glock Maintenance: $72 only for the next 3 days
    Keep your firearm in fight-winning condition.
    May 12, WCA Bellevue
     
  • Unarmed Self Defense II: $320 only for the next 3 days
    Build on your USD skills and gain fight-winning techniques against single and multiple attackers.
    May 30-31, WCA Everett
     
  • Defensive Folding Knife: $180 for the next 3 days
    If you can’t have your handgun, have your knife. Great jiu-jitsu repellent!
    June 6, WCA Everett
     
  • Pepper Spray Seminar: $72 only for the next 3 days
    Easy to use, easy to carry, legal to have with you nearly everywhere.
    June 9, WCA Bellevue
     
  • Kids Safety School I and II: $60 only for the next 3 days
    Through games, drills, and discussions, your children will learn how to recognize potential dangers and get to safety.
    May 30, Redmond
     

    • Limited Time 20% Off Flash Sale — Train and Save!
    Call the office and talk to Jenna to register: 888-958-0884.

    See you in class!

    Quote of the day—Frank Easterbrook

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    If a ban on semi‐automatic guns and large‐capacity magazines reduces the perceived risk from a mass shooting, and makes the public feel safer as a result, that’s a substantial benefit.

    Frank Easterbrook
    Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge
    April 27, 2015
    BREAKING: Bans on “Assault Weapons,” Firearm Magazines Can Be Based on Feelings, Rules Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
    [So does that mean if people feel safer if all blacks are kept as slaves would it make slavery constitutional?

    Of course not. But by Easterbrook’s “logic” it would seem so.

    I would feel safer if Easterbrook were to lose his job as a judge and spend the rest of his life scrubbing toilets.—Joe]

    This is a clue

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    Last night I mixed up some Boomerite for more tests. I wanted to answer the question as to why it goes dead after some time has passed. I did some tests in January without getting a conclusive clue. Tonight I performed the experiment I suggested in the previous post. I put some of the targets in a cooler and kept them at ice temperature and I kept other targets warm. The targets in January were kept at about 70F for 26 hours. This time the hot targets spent the night wrapped up in two coats on top of a hot water bottle then put out in the sun for the day. I didn’t measure the actual temperature because I just wanted to see if the temperature made a difference.

    Another thing I did was that for some of the targets I used plastic baggies for the Boomerite of instead of the shrink wrap on the outside of the boxes. Unfortunately the targets in cold storage got completely soaked when the ice bag leaked. Only the cold stored targets that used zip lock baggies could be tested.

    The total storage time from mixing until testing was about 23 hours.

    In the results below the number represent the range in yards using my .22 with Stinger ammo that the given result occurred. The estimated velocities for the various ranges at the altitude and temperature I was experiencing are

    • 11 yards => 1455 fps
    • 15 yards => 1429 fps
    • 20 yards => 1397 fps
    • 23 yards => 1378 fps
    • 25 yards => 1366 fps
    • 30 yards => 1335 fps
    Stored Sealed In Result
    Hot Shrink wrap 23 pop
    Hot Shrink wrap 13 dud, 11 pop
    Hot Shrink wrap 11 dud
    Hot Baggie 23 dud, 12 boom
    Hot Baggie 20 pop
    Hot Baggie 11 boom
    Cold Baggie 23 boom
    Cold Baggie 25 boom
    Cold Baggie 30 boom

    It is very clear the cold storage preserves the Boom. There are also some strong hints the baggie storage may preserve the Boom better than the shrink wrap storage.

    One conclusion that could be reached is that I need to make the Taj Mahal into a walk-in refrigerator. As brother Doug said, “That’s inconvenient.” Another is that there is a chemical reaction going on that is accelerated by temperature and that perhaps I should change the recipe such that no such reaction takes place.

    As always, more tests are needed.

    Quote of the day—Bruce Schneier

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    It’s an attitude I’ve seen before: “Something must be done. This is something. Therefore, we must do it.” Never mind if the something makes any sense or not.

    In reality, this is CYA security, and it’s pervasive in post-9/11 America. It no longer matters if a security measure makes sense, if it’s cost-effective or if it mitigates any actual threats. All that matters is that you took the threat seriously, so if something happens you won’t be blamed for inaction. It’s security, all right — security for the careers of those in charge.

    Bruce Schneier
    April 15, 2015
    Metal Detectors at Sports Stadiums
    [Gun control outside of a stadium is of the same mindset but multiplied by some very large factor. It’s stupidity at a governmental scale.—Joe]

    Quote of the day—Bacon @Baconmints

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    The paid nra trolls, better known as the #tinycockclub can’t get enough of me. Remember kids, guns are for cowards. #bokbok #gunsense #yup

    Bacon @Baconmints
    Tweeted on December 23, 2014
    [It’s another Markley’s Law Monday!

    Via a Tweet from BFD‏ @BigFatDave.—Joe]

    Quote of the day—Roberta X

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    Don’t kid yourself that you’re in the clear because of your ancestors; it wasn’t just Jews, and the others weren’t all gay or gypsies, either: the politically unpopular got one-way trips, too.  Once a nation starts down that path, each step into evil is easier than the one before.

    You don’t have to like politics, but you’ve gotta keep an eye on it.  No matter who you are.

    Roberta X
    April 15, 2015
    Holocaust Remembrance Day
    [The German people of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s are best known for their evil behavior but the Russians while Stalin was in power easily eclipsed the German body count. The Chinese killed millions at various times during the 20th Century. The Rwanda genocide wasn’t on the same scale in absolute numbers but may have account for as much as 20% of the population. The examples are incredibly and depressingly numerous.

    There is one thing governments, of any type of people, do very well and that is killing people. We have lots of government in this country and it going to require lots of attention until we can get it back down to the originally designed limits. The stakes are incredibly high if it goes totally malignant.

    This is Why Boomershoot. It’s next weekend. Be there if you can. You can be part of the solution if things go really bad.—Joe]

    Quote of the day—Barb L.

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    Rifles are fun!

    Barb L.
    April 24, 2015
    WP_20150423_18_03_12_Pro
    [This was the first time she had shot a .22 rifle. It was also the first time she shot a scoped, suppressed rifle. And the first time she had shot a rifle from a “bench”. It made it much easier than kneeling and standing like her first rifle experience.—Joe]

    New shooter report

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    Barb’s nephew Jeff wanted to learn to shoot so Barb reserved the training bay at the local indoor range and I brought a bunch of guns and ammo.

    I started him out with the safety rules, then grip, stance, sight alignment, trigger prep, squeeze, follow through, and finally dry fire. Once he had that all working pretty good he shot a .22 scoped rifle with a suppresser. Then it was the Ruger 22/45 while sitting, then while standing.

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    Then it was the .22 revolver:

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    Then the AR-15. And finally the Ruger P-89 (9mm).

    Quote of the day—Tim Svenson

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    SB 941 will not provide any additional protection of Oregon citizens against violence.

    …

    SB 941 will create new layers of legal barriers to already law abiding citizen.

    …

    My fear with SB 941 is that these citizens will now be at risk of being charged and prosecuted for acts they have done several times before with no negative effect on our community.

    As with many of these laws, it becomes very difficult for law enforcement to enforce, and there’s no consideration of the financial impact on the already stressed court system and background check process already in place.

    Tim Svenson
    Sheriff, Oregon’s Yamhill County
    April 22, 2015

    [I have nothing to add.—Joe]

    Quote of the day—Michael Z. Williamson

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    Take your statements about “ultraconservative,” “right wing,” “Read less white males” and “privilege,” and shove them up your ass.

    Then write the story where that was a pleasurable and positive learning experience for you.

    Michael Z. Williamson
    April 21, 2015
    Challenge Delivered
    [Williamson’s post is worth reading for the facts presented but the last sentence, above, is what gives it the punch of humor.

    I’ve read a couple of his books and enjoyed them immensely. The points he makes are indicative of something I’ve written about before. Although these type of people will seldom directly admit it, it is very clear they believe they know what you are thinking without regard to your words or actions. In this case they believe they know the contents of his book without reading them.

    What more evidence do you need to conclude these people have mental problems?

    No matter. There will be a lot more evidence provided. I directly experienced it for decades and no matter how much I coached them they could not change. The problem, as they saw it, was always me.—Joe]

    Grandson pictures

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    I had dinner with my grandson Bryce last night. The lock screen picture on my phone was of him from December 21st, 2013:

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    I decided I needed to update the picture so I took a few pictures with my new phone:

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    WP_20150421_19_04_19_Pro__highresWP_20150421_19_04_47_Pro__highres

    I selected the first one for my new lock screen.

    Quote of the day—SquareForceOne

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    I’m not in favor of banning handguns or hunting rifles, but I am in favor of banning or seriously restricting access to weapons that have no purpose other than to kill a large number of people in a short time.

    SquareForceOne
    July 23, 2012
    Comment to The NRA claims 4.3 million members. The Brady Campaign might have under 29,000.
    [Don’t ever let someone get away with telling you that no one wants to take your guns.—Joe]

    Overheard

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    My lead and I went to lunch with three representatives from a vendor today. One had spent many years in law enforcement and the other two really enjoy hunting.  At lunch we spent a lot of time talking about the outdoors, shooting, hiking, hunting, and climbing mountains.

    While returning from lunch and walking through the parking garage:

    Vendor Rep: Nice Kydex holster for your flashlight. I suppose <company name> has a policy against fully loaded magazines to put in the slot next to it.

    Joe: They just might.

    Vendor Rep: But it’s the only holster you have for the flashlight, right?

    Joe: That’s right.

    It was the law enforcement guy.

    I love this job and the people I work with.

    New phone

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    I have my new phone all updated and everything is working. You can forget about the backup number I gave the other day.

    Quote of the day—William Kirkland

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    Liberals today are wrong to see contemporary issues like gun control and climate change as surfing on an inevitable wave of progress. Rather, these issues are boats piloted by committed activists who steer them forward through a sea of indifference. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, with all its triumphs and tragedies, rested on the shoulders of thousands of activists who fought oppression in the streets, in courtrooms and on public buses. It emerged not from the progress of Reconstruction but from the backwardness of Jim Crow.

    William Kirkland
    April 20, 2015
    Kirkland: The progressive lessons of history
    [I find it absolutely fascinating that people can advocate gun control and then two sentences later praise the advancement of civil rights. And in this case a civil rights movement which was dramatically assisted by private citizens with guns. And this is by a person who prides himself on his knowledge of history!

    How does someone do that? It has to be something like Peterson Syndrome.—Joe]

    Midnight Rider Marksmen

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    Via frequent commenter Chris from Alaska we have this press release.

    SHOOTING SPORTS – AMERICAN HISTORY – CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
    Info@MidnightRiderMarksmen.org
    Midnight Rider Marksmen, PO Box 9571, Las Vegas, NV

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    ANNOUNCING THE LAUNCH OF “MIDNIGHT RIDER MARKSMEN”
    A non-profit dedicated to the Shooting Sports, American History, and Civic Engagement
    Las Vegas, NV, April 19, 2015

    I am proud to announce the launch of Midnight Rider Marksmen (MRM), a new national non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public in American history, supporting the shooting sports, and promoting civic engagement.

    MRM is named in honor of Paul Revere and the other brave riders who rode through the night to warn American patriots that “the regulars were out!” on April 19th, 1775.

    Midnight Rider Marksmen is about Shooting… We offer a variety of rifle, pistol and youth shooting programs at ranges throughout the country. We promote traditional American marksmanship skills with events tailored to a variety of skill levels.

    Midnight Rider Marksmen is about History… We promote awareness of American history, with a focus on the colonial period, Revolutionary War, and early Republic. Knowing our history is a way to cultivate an appreciation for American heritage and of the sacrifices made by earlier generations of Americans on behalf of liberty and freedom. MRM offers a variety of history presentations, programs and speakers for meetings, clubs, organizations, schools, and other groups.

    Midnight Rider Marksmen is about Civic Engagement… We encourage the general public to participate in civic life, educate the general public on civic participation, and foster an appreciation for the freedoms and liberties provided by American civic life. We are non-partisan and adhere to all IRS 501C(3) requirements.

    Midnight Rider Marksmen is affiliated with the National Rifle Association, Civilian Marksmanship Program and the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance.

    To join Midnight Rider Marksmen or to find out how you, your range or organization can become involved, check out Midnight Rider Marksmen on Facebook or visit us online at www.hitscount.org. Please email us at info@midnightridermarksmen.org.

    Your estimated wait time

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    My sales tax quarterly filing for Boomershoot stuff is due today. The Idaho State Tax Commission has a new website for E-filing and paying taxes and when I tried to file on Saturday (yes, I procrastinate, it’s where daughter Xenia gets it from, see also here) it wouldn’t let me file. Barb tried calling and got a message saying their hours were Monday through Friday. I tried again this morning and still couldn’t get the button to file like the instructions said would be there.

    Six minutes after they opened I called and pressed ‘0’ to speak with someone. The recorded messages said, “Your estimated wait time is four thousand, seven hundred and 60 minutes.”

    This is what you get when dealing with monopolies. I can’t wait, but everyone will, for single payer health care.

    As I had to take a shower and get to work sometime before midday Thursday I wrote them a letter with my story of woe*, sales numbers, and a check then mailed it on my way to work after I sent them an email saying the check was in the mail.

    * It is possible it is my fault. After I had the letter and check sealed up in the envelope I noticed a tiny field on the online form. It was where I expected to have a label saying “ID number” because my tax ID number was just to the right of it. But it said, “Annual”. It’s possible they switched me to filing annually instead of quarterly without me reading carefully enough some letter they sent a few months ago.

    But my guess is that the software vendor accidentally converted all the quarterly filing people to annual filing.