It's Patriot's Week... Again...

I dread this week EVERY. YEAR.

Concerns and alerts for copycats, follow-ons, protest actions, and other criminal activities come out, have to be tracked and vetted, and lead to publicized activity. Today, tens of thousands of school children were kept home as the result of a fangirl from Florida (really, "A Florida Woman" was involved?). She went to Colorado as part of a roadtrip to commemorate the 1999 Columbine Shooting... with a shotgun...

This week would be sunshine and moonbeams if it weren't for some of the asshats who have popped into the timeline. Our nation's history kicked into high gear with events in Massachusetts nearly 250 years ago. And now every Tom, Dick, and Adolf wants to get in on the act. They have turned Patriot's Day (and Week) into a shitshow of anti-government, white-supremacist, and worship of teen angst.

The Story So Far

1775: April 19 - The Battles of Lexington and Concord - remembered by most of us as the opening shots in our Revolution; Remembered by 3%ers and other miscreants who purposefully misremember history as the rallying point behind which we once overthrew the yoke of tyranny... and we can do so again...

Just your regular, everyday militia members wearing bullshit gear, having done bullshit training, and believing in, you guessed it, bullshit. (photo PBS)

1889: April 20 - Birthday of a certain person with a tiny mustache, a penchant for blaming the problems of his country on an entire segment of the population (and later murdering them), and the target of lampooning by british comedians. Some of his followers are referred to later as "really nice people" by an American President.

1985: April 19 - Siege of The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord begins in Arkansas; The CSA surrenders 2 days later. White supremacists, Christian Identity, AND anti-government? From an organization with the initials "CSA"... hunh... never would have guessed.

1993: April 19 - Siege of the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas, ends.

1995: April 19 - Murrah Federal Building Bombing in OKC. This event led me to begin following and studying the related subjects of White Supremacy, Christian Identity belief, and anti-government activity more than anything else. I had stayed in OKC just a couple nights before this happened and I wanted to understand why.

1999: April 20 - Columbine - I could have been one of these kids in another life - on both sides of it. I knew kids like the shooters. One of my best friends has kids who have graduated/will be graduating from Columbine. This date ALWAYS ratchets up her blood pressure.

2000: April 22 - Elian Gonzalez Raid - A surprisingly large number of anti-government activists look to this event as Federal overreach, an evil government interfering in parental/family rights, and the last gasp of the Clintons kowtowing to a Communist Cuba (seriously? we are still worried about the evils of Communism?). It's not as if we would want another country to return a child removed from America or anything...

2007: April 16 - VA Tech shooting. Yes, Virginia, there are shooters on college campuses.

2013: April 15 - Boston Marathon Bombing; Bomber killed 4 days later. Take note - this is the only thing on this list that doesn't involve Christian Americans. Yes, I am using the term "Christian" loosely... but it stands out. Oh, and before you call me out on Item Two on this list, check some of his current followers... especially those who showed up in Charlottesville...

I still don't get it.

I really want to, but I don't understand. I really wish I did. Then we could move towards working on these issues...

May this week be quiet.

It's Not Achmed

No, he doesn't actually look like me... 
except for the chromosomes... 
and the pigmentation... 

The Issue At Hand

Again. It's not Achmed I worry about.

And, for the first time, I feel I need to add I'm not worried about Jamaal - I only use that name as it is likely Black/Urban/African-American enough that "not-racist" racists will get the point.

I am worried about the pissed-off white guy who looks like me. The guy who doesn't like the direction the country is headed and worries about "what it's going to be like in 18 years". The mechanic who plans to join a militia and states, in no uncertain terms, there will be a revolution to take the country back when "your patriots overthrow the government" after HRC is elected.

A Faulty Premise

OK, First: Take it from what? Or from whom? No one took anything from you.

You handed it over in a gift-wrapped package when you decided the you wanted to be afraid of a world that didn't look like the one portrayed on Leave It To Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show, Gilligan's Island, or The Brady Bunch.

You tied the bow as soon as you didn't want to acknowledge there was change occurring around you.

The problem with the worlds created for these shows is that they are one-dimensional. I'm not talking about the empty building fronts and thin plots. I am talking about the lack of interaction between people of color and the main characters. Each of these shows creates a false universe from the viewer's perspective. The main characters are all white, straight, and unoffensive.

Few characters smoke or drink and no one has bodily functions beyond eating. Sex is right out. Sexy can be OK, though, but not too much (just ask Ginger). Even those with problematic traits (Otis on Andy Griffith, for example) are seen as lovable comic relief figures and are treated with patience by all.

The Brady Bunch's Peter meets sportsball star Deacon Jones. 
Peter is not frightened because Fox News hasn't begun broadcasting. 
(That and Deacon Jones was forced to wear a cardigan sweater) 

This artificial world has the camera looking at a specific view - and it is not the view from the other side of the tracks. You know, the side of the tracks where 'they' know 'they' need to stay - because that is where 'their' churches, schools, stores, restaurants, bars, and homes are located. And that world doesn't leave much room for non-white role models. Well, there are the Harlem Globetrotters... but they fall outside of this made-up world. They are part of the real world. The public world.

So, in this artificially produced world, there are a few speaking roles for people who aren't white. There is one in Leave It To Beaver (a maid), one on The Andy Griffith Show (a football coach), three on Gilligan's Island (a Hawaiian cast as a Pacific Islander, an American Indian cast as a Pacific Islander, and a Japanese/Hawaiian cast as an Asian Indian - not counting any of the later one-offs), and three on The Brady Bunch (sportsball star Deacon Jones and two children - Asian- and African-American adoptees). Even I Dream of Jeannie cast a Burmese actor as an Arab. (if I missed any - please let me know!)

Not the minority you were looking for... 
Italian-American Vito Scotti playing a Japanese Sailor on Gilligan

There are minorities if you look hard enough, but they are cast as set dressing with only a handful of speaking parts. There are no interactions outside of crowd scenes (so long as they stay to the back) and occasional nods of recognition. There are no issues with someone trying to drink from the wrong fountain, go to the wrong movie theater, try to get your hair cut at Floyd's, or sit in at the Five and Dime. There is no friction, no protest, no MLK, much less BLM.

At least those hippies on Scooby Doo and The Partridge Family came into contact with minorities... Scooby and the gang encountered minorities as both good guys and bad guys - and as white guys in costumes. The Partridges were really inclusive. They had people of color AND non-Christians... They even showed up in Detroit to help out Lou Gossett and Richard Pryor (with the help of the Black Panthers).

The Times, They Are a'Changing (Maybe)

There are still issues with how television hasn't changed much. For a long time, the minority roles were often the main family portrayed as "all-Americans" - The Cosby Show, The Jeffersons, etc. Not much room for a modern day Chico and the Man or Sanford and Son. There are some outliers with Modern Family, Glee, and others. Surprisingly (or not), the Disney Channel may be one of the best in this area as they recognize the marketing need to be more inclusive. I won't even touch blackface/whitewashing here as others have covered that far better than I could.

Wizened Elder AND Environmental Activist 

Either way, I can't help but think that this mental creation of a pre-racial America can only come from the segregated world of popular TV. In other words, a world in which minorities are seen and not heard. It was a world with no BLM. A world in which American Indians were seen as a lost people, at worst, or wizened elders and environmental activists, at best. A world in which everyone went to the same church.

We all were good citizens. Authority had a purpose. Order was there for a reason. Alphas were better than Betas. In many ways (and as a parent), I see parallels to the Isle of Sodor, a place where anything other than solid, serious, diligent work and putting order first results in "Chaos and Delay."

And how would Sir like his Topham Hatt? 

This is a world in which everyone could be happy and have little in the way of strife and disagreement. A world in which we didn't have to ask, "Can't we all just get along?" Because we were already getting along.

The Reasoned Response... no, wait... the Opposite of That

But just in case we aren't getting along and it appears that someone is trying to change the camera placement, I can think of no better way to fix it..., er, defend the Constitution... than to have an armed insurrection. It's not like there is a mechanism to modify/throw out the Constitution... Oh, wait... that would be Article V...

And maybe that is the thing. By the clarity of the complaints about how "They" are supposedly destroying the Constitution (in ways that the usual suspects can't actually do things), I can only assume that the militia member, the white supremacist, and the sovereign citizen don't recognize that in order to change things, they have to have a SOLID majority. Nationally. Of course, many sovereign citizens don't believe the current form of government is legitimate.
Either way, maybe this is part of why the Bundy Family, the 3%ers, the Oathkeepers, and others feel the only way to affect change is to haul out their AR and act offended. They act offended because they do not understand the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and History. They act offended because their view of the world is incorrect, based on a one-dimensional view.

Editorial Restraint

Part 1 - In Which I Recognize My Limits

For regular readers of my Facebook feed (Because I know this blog is anything but regular...), you may be wondering why I have recently covered Kaepernick, the Election, LGBTQ issues, Anti-Islamic sentiment, minority rights, and women's rights issues and NOT DAPL (other than the one link related to something totally different but in the same vein), the reason is simple. 

I don't feel qualified to do so. 

Part 2 - In Which I Place Matters Into Context

While an ally of the tribal members attempting to safeguard their heritage and history (two different things) while protecting their (and our) environment, I do not feel comfortable speaking to the issues as a whole. 
Why? because I am a white guy in the West. I have spent most of my adult life within a short drive of various tribal lands - Northern Arizona, El Paso, Montana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and now Arkansas. I have seen people treat tribal members poorly. A much more ignorant me treated tribal members poorly once upon a time. 
With time has come the knowledge and respect of the various cultures and the importance of giving them the right of refusal regarding corporate work on tribal lands. 

Part 3 - In Which You Find Out The Upshot

I will say I support the collective voice of any tribe when someone attempts to take the tribe somewhere it does not want to go. I support their right to control what occurs on tribal lands. I support the right of activists to prevent damage to their sites of importance - religious, historical, and archaeological. 
I do know that as a white guy in the West, I do have a voice. I also know that I am far enough from tribal politics that I should censor myself for fear of misspeaking and saying something that is culturally insensitive. 

And so I leave it to You, Dear Reader

I have many friends who are tribally-affiliated or have worked with the tribes across this country. I will let their voices speak loudly and clearly as I know that my own voice will not add clarity. 
Now. Go and Speak.

Missing Things

Wow... this has been an intense few weeks... 

After finally allaying the fears of my friends that something was wrong, I started to slowly dip my toe back into the pool of Facebook.  It was a good, albeit weird, few weeks. I stepped back, took a few breaths, and realized that I don't have to do Facebook. Especially at the level I had been Facebooking. Keep in mind that I am someone who - for several years - had been telling friends in the museum field, "You HAVE GOT to be on Facebook!"

What an ass.

You don't have to be on Facebook. You don't have to be on any social media if you don't want to. Yes, these things can help to get certain things done. But they are tools. Tools have purposes. They vary from platform to platform. They vary from user to user. Figure out what you want and then use it.

Once I got over that, I relaxed a bit. I now log in, look around, like, comment, maybe post, and then log out. I can get more done of other things now. Yet I get to stay in contact with those who are important to me (Sometimes that contact takes the shape of simply lurking your posts).

That doesn't sound so intense!

Only because it's not.

It was/is everything else. I would say nothing much, and then I stand back and look at the whole. I am feeling that the big exhale is coming up but that is just because I feel like I have been holding my breath for the last few weeks.

Something that has been a spectre during this time of year is the anniversary of my mom's passing. We lost her to ALS four years ago (until recently, my most-viewed blog). As close as I was to her, I felt that I was dealing well. Until this year. There have been a few moments these past few months when I caught myself finally realizing I miss my mom. So with the anniversary coming up, there are thoughts. Time does not heal all wounds. Good huevos rancheros help. That or magnums of Berenger while eating taco chips...

---

Compounding this was the passing of our cat, Merley (мурлыкать). We had this little guy for most of 20 years. He was the youngest of our '50 pounds of cat'. Merley allowed us to live in his house for the last six years, having lost his buddies Caramel and Tigger to diabetes and cancer.

As much as they were all our cats, Merley was mine. I was the one who brought him into the house the first time. I named him, I was the one whose lap he went to. When I moved to the new job in November, he came with me as my roommate (well, he and the fish). He was the only thing that got me through living alone for two months. He was my little buddy. He flopped on my chest. He groomed my beard. He woke us at all hours with what one friend referred to as "The Cry of the Demon Cat." And he was my furry little buddy.

The last couple of weeks saw age catch up with him. One night last week, Merley passed away in his sleep. He is now somewhere annoying Caramel and Tigger with his pouncing and cuddling. But I can still hear him messing around in the house. That or we think of the doors we no longer have to close, the litter box that is no longer in the way, or the food and water we no longer have to refill. It's the small things, but that still fails to lessen the hurt.

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While this was going on, my soccer fandom expanded by one team. Through watching John Green's FIFA 16 series playing the Wimbly Womblys, I was introduced to the story of AFC Wimbledon. With all of the attention on Leicester's rise from near relegation to champion of the Premiership, AFC Wimbledon's tale has received short shrift.

Fourteen years ago, the local community created AFC Wimbledon in response to the previous home club being moved to the town of Milton Keynes (46 miles as the crow flies). Starting with tryouts in the city park, the locals took pride in their 'phoenix' club. Starting in the 9th tier of the English Football League System, the Dons were promoted 5 times in 9 seasons. Finally arriving in League Two of the Football League, they saw a few rough seasons, near relegation, and a brilliant run of great play this past season.

Two weeks ago, AFC Wimbledon finished their regular season in 7th place on the table. This qualified them for a four-team playoff to determine the final club to be promoted to League One. After a win and a draw against Accrington Stanley, they received a date with Plymouth Argyle at Wembley Stadium. FREAKING Wembley Stadium. A club with a home grounds capacity of 4,850 (half standing) playing on a pitch surrounded by 90,000 seats...

@malls_co @johngreen @AFCWimblyWombly Nerdfighters singing he's big, he's round. And Akinfenwa scoring. Coincidence? pic.twitter.com/ujJzJ3R76Z

— Klara (@chestofbooks) May 31, 2016

This week, the club formed in 2002 beat Plymouth Argyle 2-0 and earned their promotion to the same league with the MK Dons - the team that used to be the team from Wimbledon. Being in the States, I had no easy way to watch the match. Twitter and several news feeds gave me the lowdown - but I still yelled out when Lyle Taylor scored - eliciting a "Daaaaaaad!!!" from TheGirl - and sang John Green's "Akenfenwa" song after the PK in 90'+10', laughing and crying as I did so.  John Green - the guy who piqued my interest in the club was at the match and shared his experience in his vlog. At the end, I again started laughing and crying.

The Upshot

With the downs come a few ups.

I guess that is the point here. Nothing about guns. Nothing about being a liberal. Nothing about history - well except that bit about the Dons and their phoenix-like rise from the ashes.

This has been a weird Spring. Some house cleaning - mental and otherwise. Some drama - at home, online, in the world.

But there is good. Good for all of us. We just have to look for it. It doesn't just show up. Don't be lazy. Be active in seeking it out. Huevos rancheros, kitty hugs, or Cinderella stories. Be welcome to shed tears.

Just make sure to look for and embrace the happy.

Schrödinger's Social Media

Leaving Facebook (without actually leaving...)

So.

A few weeks ago, I left Facebook. Well, I didn't. But I did. 

After many, many years of being on Facebook (July 2, 2008), I think I am good with stepping away.

And, yes, I know some of my friends and family have called it ‘Davebook’ in the past - and for good reason. I am a chronic Facebook poster, sharer, over-sharer, linker, liker, etc. I have maintained a few pages related to my personal interests and politics. I created and managed a group related to Military Music. I connected and reconnected with people I have worked with, grew up with, and played with (music, games, whatever). And now I think I am good.

---

Now. What's all this about NOT actually leaving...

Well, several things came up as I was thinking about getting away from Facebook. Part of this is tied to Facebook's insane hold over EVERYTHING on the internet. Whether it is UPS or gaming sites, signing in via Facebook will get you in the door. So there is that.

The main reason is I don't want to lose contact with my people. Yes, I said 'My People'. Most of the people on my page are people who want to come into contact with me - or at least are willing to put up with my nonsense. And by nonsense, I mean anything from Star Wars to video games to K-Pop to politics.

There are some people I have only known through Facebook. I am closer to some of these people than people I have known since childhood. One of these close friends recently posted the following:

So do you all have "sacred" people?

I know. That sounds weird. 

But what I mean is, there's family. There are friends. But beyond those levels of intimacy, there are a select few people who could do no wrong you would find unforgivable. People you're intensely protective of and loyal to. Yes? No? 

Is there a term for that? Love is insufficient. I've thought a lot about this, over the years. Despite my lack of religious leanings, the best word I've come up with is sacred.

A number of these folks have become my sacred people. Several of them know who they are. That said, yes, I am Terry. You can be Wayne or you can be Garth. I won't judge.

---

So, why are you leaving then? 

There are a few reasons.

Primarily, Facebook itself, and my inability to not browse, comment, link, browse, link some more... wash, rinse, repeat. I will be the first to admit I have a bad case of FOMO. But then I also have the insufferable need to tell everyone what I have learned. That and I have limited self control. Basically, I am a monkey with clothes and no tree to live in. I am working on that. I put a down payment on a tree.

A second reason is that it is getting mean. Not just run-of-the-mill mean. This is getting to be a full-bore, GIFT-esque assault on anyone who even slightly disagrees with you. I have seen otherwise sane people turn into complete asshats for the simplest reasons. I used to be one of those people. A friend called me on it. I thought I was being funny but I realized I was being a dick. I am tired of calling people on it. I'm not a cop and I am done thinking I need to be a referee (online, anyway).

Finally, I am looking for a change. I am getting rid of the comfort. As I was thinking about why I wanted to get away from FB, I came across this video from Linn/Darbin Orvar, one of my fave YouTubers. She states it much better than I feel I could.

There are other reasons - Not wanting to filter yet not wanting to offend; Disappointment with humanity; Election malaise...  But nothing I need to go in to here (at least right now). In general, I feel I can't be who I want to be online. 

---

So what HAVE  you been doing?

Work, mostly. Coaching soccer. Playing a variety of games. Getting to know western Arkansas.

My online socialising has seen me getting more into Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tumblr (links below). My online education has seen me going to YouTube, picking one topic, and letting it roll from one video to the next. Ted Talks one day, Video Game Design another. Soccer Laws of the Game; K-Pop; Prop Modeling; Carpentry; Gaming...

It is amazing what you can get done while listening to people who know more than you about a subject.

---

The Upshot:

Less stress. I feel like I have time for other things. It's not interfering with other aspects of my life. I don't feel like I have to check my phone every five minutes to see what is going on. I take more of an active role in what is going on around me. I get to realize that there are other things I can do other than scrolling interminably through a newsfeed of what Facebook wants me to see - not the newsfeed I want.

To top it off, I get to do all of this without feeling like I am missing out on the latest 'big thing'.

The downside is that I don't feel as if I am involved in the lives of my friends out there in the big blue world. From Atlanta to Portland - with side trips to Canada and Europe - many of my favorite people are only accessible through FaceBook. I now miss their lives. And I am sad.

So. If you want to contact me but you are not currently a friend on Facebook (I won't be accepting friend requests for the foreseeable future), You can reach me at the following:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Tumblr
• Snapchat (mtkgamer)

And for all of you - be good to each other. It's a short life. Don't piss it away. 

Liberal Gun Stores

I just responded to someone who had a question for me: 

"Are there any Liberal Gun Shops you know of?"

The short answer: No.

The long answer: Yes, but you will never find them.

As with a number of the folks - People on the Political Left who like our guns - I learned a long time ago that there are times it is better just to bite my lip, nod, and say, "Yep, you got that right." or similar when someone refers to how "Libtards", "Hillary and all of those other lesbians in government", and "Obummer" are ruining America. Why did I suck it up? Well, a wife and two kids... and a job that was GREATLY tied to the firearms world (Lots of gun show trips - including to the Shot Show). I lost track of the number of conversations I was party to in which I had to hear comments suggesting armed insurrection, assassination of government officials, guns buried in back yards, etc., ad nauseum. About as far as I went was to reply to chain emails with, "You know, that story doesn't sound totally accurate... You might want to doublecheck that..." As a case in point of what can happen, I offer Dan Cooper of Montana. Mr. Cooper started his company in Stevensville, Montana, building custom bolt-action firearms that most shooters can't afford. If you read the history of the company, you will notice a change in ownership in 2009. This change in ownership came as a result of Cooper making the conscious decision to support a political campaign. The kicker is that he donated to the presidential campaign of then-Senator Barack Obama. When this became public knowledge, the company was inundated with phone calls, faxes, emails, and letters demanding that Cooper be separated from the company he started (and that most of these people had never heard of and would not buy from in the first place). There is also the case of Jim Zumbo, but I will let you research that one yourself. So. What does this have to do with the question? Only everything. As a result of the gun community's willingness to eat their own, Liberal-leaning folks in the gun business have to keep it on the down-low. If you come out of the closet, so-to-speak, you threaten your own success. After leaving the gun position I had, I mentioned my thinking to a few friends who were still in the business. They agreed with me that if the secret had gotten out, I would likely have lost my job. From one friend: "No doubt. You would have been gone in a heartbeat." So as for Liberal Gun Shops? They are there. You just don't know it. And they won't tell you. You can make a good guess, though. Go visit some places and look around. 

Warning Signs:

• Do you see any pictures of the President with a Hitler mustache?
• How about a target reticle on his head?
• or in some sort of Middle-Eastern costume?
• How about targets with non-descript Middle-Eastern men on them?
• Targets with Democratic politicians on them (including the sitting President)?
• Confederate Flags?
• Tea Party ("Don't Tread on Me") flags? 
• Racist jokes about the president taped to the counter or posted on the bulletin board?
• Misogynist jokes about Hillary Clinton taped to the counter or posted on the bulletin board?

Now. If there is a lack of these, it may infer a lack of Conservative leaning. However, a store with a lot of this may be attempting to overcompensate. You will have to be the judge. Just keep in mind that regardless of the owner's politics, most of the staff and most of the clientele will not be voting a straight-ticket for the Democrats. So if you drive up in a Prius with a Hope sticker on the bumper while wearing a 'Feel the Bern' shirt and making comments deriding the Stars-and-Bars behind the counter, prepare to be given a hard time, refused service and told to leave, or even escorted off for trespassing. You are the enemy to a lot of these folks and part of why their country is having problems. Or you can just go to Cabela's or Bass Pro and avoid all of the overt politics (while having to endure walking past the Southern Kitsch decorations).

Before You Hit Enter...

While checking one of my favorite webcomics, Terminal Lance (not for the faint of heart), I was reminded of the two ways people seem to celebrate this weekend.

Drunken barbarian or keyboard-enabled douchenozzle? You decide!

As a result, I would like to offer a small suggestion/request.

Even though this is Memorial Day weekend, and not "drunken-gorge-myself-on-hot-dogs-and-cheeseburgers" weekend, please refrain from spending a passive-aggressive weekend on Facebook trying to make people feel bad because of the following:

• they did not serve in the military, 
• people died in uniform somewhere, 
• someone wants to actually enjoy their time with family and friends, 
• Someone in our government, another country, or both "hates the flag", or
• 'Murica

Please DO remember. Simply that. You don't have to feel bad about it. You don't need to make others feel bad about it. Just remember that someone else (who likely had no intention to do so) gave their life in the service of their country. I bet most of them would think it is awesome that someone is eating a cheeseburger on a back porch instead of carrying a rifle somewhere overseas. I would also bet that they would not think it is awesome that you are sharing your internalized guilt by making others feel bad.

While I was in the Army, I never went to war. I never went overseas. I never carried a weapon except in training. The closest I got to hazardous duty was one gig we played in New Jersey (I wish that was a joke).

I did participate in more memorial ceremonies than I would care to count. I get it. I have seen what we are remembering. I have seen the families, the friends, the fellow service members, the survivors. They remember much more than they want to.

This weekend, shoulder a little of that for them.

Pedantistry

Is that a word?

No, but it should be.

Intersections

My last post mentioned some of my interests. Based on the title of the page (and this post and this post) you can guess I am into guns, as well. I'm also into cars. I'm not a gearhead or grease monkey, by any means. I just like cars.

Well, I like cars I can't afford. And I like listening to bumbling, sarcastic Brits prattling on about said cars I can't afford. So, naturally, I watch Top Gear.

And while Jeremy Clarkson may take the piss out of James May for getting overly pedantic regarding cars, engineering, physics, and design, it is entertaining because they DO IT TO BE ENTERTAINING. They are in on the joke. They expect you to be in on the joke. They expect the audience to understand the humor of a scraggly-haired car nerd at a white board describing the innards of a hovercraft.

Another example of Top Gear acknowledging their personal foibles is Clarkson going on about power, speed, and guns in his exuberant, pseudo-jingoistic manner (imagine a twelve-year-old with a monster truck fitted with rocket launchers and you will have a good idea).

Where I come to the point

So, I happen across a Top Gear video of Clarkson and May racing sport wagons on a biathlon course because of course they will. As part of this race, they do the shooting element of the course, firing the prone targets from inside the back of the car because of course they will. Clarkson, however, forgoes the standard Anschutz for a Heckler & Koch MP5 submachinegun because of course he does. 

Let the theatrics commence. I can wait. 

I showed the video to a friend. This led to questions about biathlon rifles. This led to biathlon, itself. I then happened across a great video produced by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Featuring Annelies Cook from the US biathlon team, the video shows a typical biathlon rifle and the use of it, including the unslinging and slinging (watch all of the various manual checks and manipulation a of covers).  There is some awesome footage of the shooters, proper form, and discussions of how they do what they do.

Really good stuff there.

Abandon hope, all ye who enter here...

A mantra of mine regarding YouTube: 

do not read the comments.

do not read the comments.

do not read the comments.

After viewing this video, I accidentally neglected my mantra. And this one time, it was gold.

Gun Guys in the audience will recognize some incorrect usage (clips, bullets, shells, and the like). As can be expected, some of "those guys" make an appearance on the comments lamenting the use of perceived incorrect terminology, America's lackluster biathlon performance in the Olympics, and what can only be described as a cross between "kids these days" and "get off my lawn!"

One of my fave Gun Guys - Steve Fjestad from Blue Book Publications

During my time as the Curator of the Cody Firearms Museum, one of my favorite activities was talking to Gun Guys. One of my least favorite activities was talking to Gun Guys...

The following dialogue from the YouTube comments on the Biathlon video (screen-capped for posterity) made my day. It involves BOTH types of gun guys.

David W. is my new Hero of the Interwebz.

He used his wittiness, knowledge, and snark to defend against the demons of pedantistry. As another associated the woman's use of firearms terminology with reasons behind how America sucks at biathlon, David W. kept his calm and poked the troll in such a manner that he started using all sorts of unrelated arguments (the supposed wealth of Olympians, his military experience, and the use of the word 'Libtard' - the hallmark of all well-planned defenses).

David W. won the internet.

In search of a common language

While watching this discourse, I began to ask myself why we cannot progress beyond this argument of pedantic terminology. I remember getting into arguments about this more than three decades ago - as a GRADE SCHOOLER!

I think we are at a point in the shooting world at which we can recognize that language is malleable. Language changes. Language moves. Language bends. Language becomes new.

Yes. A magazine and a clip are, pedantically, two different things.

Yes. A bullet and a shell and a cartridge are all different things.

But people (most people) use them interchangeably. Most of us (students of firearms history and related esoterica) prevent ourselves from getting the vapors when we hear someone describe how they load bullets into a clip. We stop ourselves from hollering at people "It's a Magazine!!!"

You should too.

So. I have lots of interests...

Here is another: Theater

Some of my earliest musical experiences involved pit bands for two different high school productions of Fiddler on the Roof and a run of Guys and Dolls (I can still say almost all of the lines along with either). One of my sisters was in Oklahoma and a couple other shows. Throw on the usual attendances at Shakespeare productions and a viewing of the 1980s televised production of Mister Roberts and you have someone who has a healthy respect for the stage. I haven't had a chance to tread the boards, yet, but there is always time.

Favors

So.

Something that comes out of knowing people and letting them in on who you are is the opportunities that arise when you share mutual interests.

Some folks I know have been involved in the local theater for quite a while. And, as you likely know, I work at a museum. In the name of cooperation and mutually beneficial partnership, we partnered with the theater to run a production of The Rainmaker. As a known nerd of the music, A/V, and technology variety, I was asked to run the PA as a favor.

A couple great weeks later and I was hooked (and a known entity).

Down the Rabbit Hole

I don't even think it was a month later I received a phone call asking if I was free over the dates of a run of August: Osage County. After checking my schedule (poorly, as it turned out) and with my better half, I accepted.

Two weeks into my participation - a week of tech runs and 4 of the 6 performances - and I definitely see more involvement in the future.

The Upshot

During this last two weeks, I compiled a list of observations (see number 7). Take from them what you will. Keep in mind that I am an outsider starting to move inside. Catch me in a year and I may take issue with some of this myself.

1. The play (like the book) is often better than the movie.
2. Spending three hours in a dark room isn't the best thing to do if you are tired...
3. No two performances are the same.
4. No two audiences are the same.
5. Forgetting to unmute an audio channel is only funny after it is fixed...
6. Watching the WHOLE CAST eat fried chicken and apple pie during the whole run while you watch them from the booth brings on an interesting response...

Sorry. This is the only pic you get - no GIFs for you! 

7. Sixteen pages without a light or audio cue make Dave a dull boy...
8. It's pretty cool being in the category of "Authorized Person"
9. It's neat when you receive the head tilt people give when they learn that you do this and they never suspected.
10. It's fun to watch actors relearn a part on the stage as they interact with the space, lights, and audience
11. Watching actors pick themselves up when they realize they borked a cue, line, or mark can be a good light on their character.
12. Watching audience members attempt to sneak in after a missed intermission also shine light on their character...

So.

All in all, it has been a fun couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to more. 

Manliness and California

OK. I have stayed silent on this long enough.*

I have known too many women who have been the recipient of mistreatment, negative attention, slut-shaming, and harassment, at best; abuse, violence, and rape, at worst. This is not the result of their actions as people. This is the result of the choices of others. These choices deriving from a belief that women should bend to their will and be the object of whatever attention the others choose to give.

I have known too many 'men' who act like this because we are still raised that women are chattel and somehow become our property once we enter into any sort of a relationship. (I use 'men' in quotes simply to denote that I do believe 'manliness' is very much a concept that drives a lot of this behavior)

I am hacked off at any of the attempts I have seen to make it sound like all men are guilt-free because "it wasn't us, it was him" (check out #notallmen on Twitter). Bullshit.

It was us. We may have not pulled the trigger, but it was us who allow others to act this way. The same self-perpetuating nonsense allows white men (of which I am one) to continue to fail to realize that we ARE a privileged group. This is not a case of white guilt, male guilt, or any other guilt. This is an acknowledgement that there are differences within our society - differences in how we are treated.

I have never been singled out by a cop, a clerk, or anyone else because of my skin, my sex, my dress, or my mannerisms. I have never had to be in fear of my safety because someone had any sort of intentions, sexual or otherwise. I never had to worry about how I dressed and how that would make others perceive me other than in a business sense.

I have been guilty of ogling and making assumptions of women due to their dress and actions. I have been guilty of making advances that were unwanted. After reflection, I realized I was in the wrong. That may have been years ago and miles away, but there are still people who still may feel the effects of  my actions and words. That is where my guilt lies.

What I can do now is show others that it is not OK to let this slide.

A boy in California (yes, I will call him a boy) was turned down by girls. In response to this, he decided he had to go on a shooting spree.

I know he had issues. I know he needed help. However, despite what some pundits have proposed, he didn't need to get laid - or, interpreted in another way, none of the women in his life needed to give in to his desires and give him what he apparently felt he deserved.

If a woman says she does not want you in that way: Let. It. Go.

If she wants to be 'friends': Be. Her. Friend.

Just because you want something and you do not get it, whether a look, a word, a kiss, a feel, or more, it does not mean she is a bitch, a tease, or any of a number of worse words. She is being a person with every right to control what happens to her being. If you choose to act in a manner that forces her to unwillingly give up this control, you are the one in the wrong.

If you are preventing someone from exercising their control over themselves (or you are enabling this), you are part of the problem. You do not have the right to someones agency. You have not "put in the hours". You have not "earned it".

You only have to acknowledge that the issue may not be with them. The issue may be with you.

Either way, driving around town with a gun and bad intent is not an appropriate response.

---

* Although I do discuss a male-female power relationship in this post, this type of situation can be present in any type of relationship, whether straight, gay, or otherwise. In all of these relationships, believing others are less can only lead to bad things. All of this article is a poorly-written attempt to straighten out some of this view in my own head. I can't guarantee any logical clarity or simplicity of view.

Mosin-Nagant Humor

A friend posted me this one from Urban Dictionary:

mosin-nagant

The Mosin-nagant is an old school bolt action rifle from Russia. Originally designed by a drunk Russian engineer and an even more drunk Belgian gunsmith, who drew up blueprints on napkins in the back of a pub somewhere in Siberia in a vodka-induced stupor. The Mosin-nagant fires the 7.62x54r cartridge, which can kill a polar bear at a thousand yards and keep going right through the tree he was standing in front of. The Mosin-nagant was used by the Russians in both world wars, so it's killed more Germans than collisions on the autobahn and under-cooked sauerkraut combined. Surplus Mosins can be found at gunshops in the States for like a hundred bucks on sale, and ammo is cheap surplus, so this is what real men shoot who don't want to drop $1299.99 on an AR-15 which fires a .22 round and that's made out of recycled milk jugs and Legos. Many of them come with a bayonet that's roughly the size of the sword William Wallaceused in Braveheart. In the absence of gun oil, you can clean a Mosin by pissing down the barrel and wiping the bolt off with a dirty rag that you found on the floor in a Grease Monkey. Try that with a rifle that was designed less than 50 years ago.

Joe: " I need a rifle that is ten feet long and fires anti-tank rounds, but Ive only got 200 dollars!"

Ivan: "Amerikan comrade, you need mosin-nagant . Spend 100 on the rifle, fifty on case of ammo, use rest for vodka!"

In Soviet Russia, rifle fire you!!!

by Realmendrinkbeer94 June 19, 2011

I have a SAKO-rebuild that was dropped during the Winter War... nice gun...

Museum Professionals Who Aren't

One of the concerns across the museum field is the hiring of a person with specialist knowledge for a specialist position - for example, the job I had awhile back as the Curator at the Cody Firearms Museum.

This is a position that requires some specialty knowledge. Yes, the person in that job needs museum experience and understanding of the responsibilities of museum staff. It also needs knowledge of firearms.

Granted, you will find people who can take care of the collection without knowing the subject, but they cannot deal knowledgeably with patrons. They will not know where the collection gaps are. They cannot be a success going out and talking to Rotary about what they do. Positions above and below can do this, but they don't make a living as the subject expert.

The concern comes in when an organization is hiring. The organization needs the specialist. Who typically fits the mold? The enthusiast, the collector, the hoarder? It can be all of the above.

When the right person comes in, great success is had. Friends are made, gifts of money and objects come to the museum, and visitors come away better for the experience. When the wrong person comes in, things look great for awhile, but eventually the bill comes due...

I was reminded of this today when I saw an article out of France... This was a bad hire. Things likely looked tip-top. I'll bet everyone loved him. Granted, I don't know the ins and outs, but we have seen it done here in the US - moon rocks on ebay, guns walking out doors, and other outright thefts are the usual. The big stuff, though, is the use of museum funds to purchase materials for private use (embezzlement).

The case here is pretty bad. Most World War II armored vehicles sell in the range of $40-50,000. Most full-on tanks sell for a $150,000 or more... (And, yes, I know the M18 is not technically a tank...) Add in "arms and jackets" and we are talking something in the realm of $200-300,000 or more...

And people ask why audits are necessary.

As an aside, this also touches on a related subject - and one that can be almost as bad. Sometimes, a collector/museum employee is offered something for the museum that they want for themselves. They refuse the gift, but make an offer to purchase it privately. Don't know about you, but I consider this to be a conflict of interest, at least, and highly unethical... For more on this, take a gander at the American Alliance of Museums' Curatorial Code of Ethics as developed by the Curator's Committee (CurCom). (disclaimer - I was a member of the CurCom board at the time of the Code's creation and I am still on that board at the time of this writing)

Have a great weekend! (and don't embezzle anything from your museum!)

Hot Fun in the Summer

Ok...

This is awkward... Six months with no post... And the last one was about Christmas music and movies... Nice.

I can make some excuses about why I haven't posted about Colorado's 30-round magazine ban (boo), Illinois finally allowing concealed carry (yay), or nonsensical political posturing on both sides of other attempts to (de)regulate gun ownership or use (double boo).

I'll get there, but a lot of my time lately has involved blowing up armored vehicles, taking over the world, or catching up on various TV shows on Netflix...

I have also been trying to hook up other professional opportunities... This August, I will FINALLY get a chance to expand my one day "firearms and museums" presentation.

Thanks to an invite from the Campbell Center for Historic Preservation Studies in Illinois, I will teach a three-day class in firearms conservation. This is intended for museum professionals and related folks, but can fit just as well for collectors.

If the course description doesn't do it for you, feel free to look at the instructor's LinkedIn profile...

I understand that it may seem a bit expensive, but there is lots of good stuff in the class. If you have questions, give me a holler or shout at the folks at the Campbell Center!

Cheers! (and I'll try not to be such a stranger...)

All Things Christmassy

Is that a word?

Even given the insanity that was the NRA's response to Newtown, I can't bring myself to comment on it at this time. Instead, I will focus on the season and a conversation at work this last week.

As with a lot of folks, we had a Christmas potluck at work. During it, we had a discussion of favorite Christmas music, movies, etc. A few of my choices were out there and a bit non-traditional. In order to enlighten, I'll offer the following lists for your listening and viewing pleasure.

Favorite Music: 

My favorite traditional Christmas song will always It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, the Nat King Cole version. This one has a special meaning to me as I will always think of my Grandpa Al walking around the house whistling the title phrase with his Characteristic emphasis on the last two syllables. Christmas to me has always, for some reason, brought back memories of my Grandpa Al's rather than memories of my own home. Odd, that.

Anyway, one person mentioned that it was a shame there were no "newer" Christmas songs. I told her that there were a bunch of them - they just had to compete with our collective memory of the old favorites.

Number 5 is at Daily Motion - the rest are on a YouTube Playlist...

5. Baby, It's Cold Outside, Buster Poindexter and Sigourney Weaver

"Baby It's Cold Outside" Sigourney Weaver&Buster... by alienfan

4. All I want for Christmas (is You), the Love, Actually version
3. Snoopy's Christmas, The Royal Guardsmen
2. I Believe in Father Christmas, Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer)
1. Christmas Must Be Tonight, The Band

Favorite Movies:

5. Die Hard - Yep. Die Hard. The reason they are at Nakatomi Plaza, the Santa on the Elevator, and "It's Christmas, Theo. It's the time for miracles."
4. The Ref - A cat urine-soaked burglar, an overbearing family matron, and a family in chaos... makes your holiday seem normal and somewhat boring.
3. Scrooged - Hilarious retelling of the old classic. Bob Goulet chased by a gator, Bob Goldthwait with a shotgun in his pocket, and Bob Mitchum kicking a cat are just a few of the highlights in this cameo-filled bit of holiday cheer.
2. Love Actually - Oh, you like cameos? You will love this one. Connections, Relationships, and Forgiveness abound in the inspiration for later holiday-based enseble productions.
1. It's a Wonderful Life - I know. This isn't a new one. In fact, given it's original failure, it is amazing it is still around. Not only is it still around, it has become a classic and has spawned numerous imitations in TV, in movies, and on the stage. My personal favorite was the Stick Figure Theater treatment on MTV's old Liquid Television show (remember Aeon Flux?).

And for all of them in a Playlist:


Now. Stop reading this and go back to your family and friends and give them all a hug and wish them whatever you choose to wish them.

Be good.