Teach a lady to shoot

Because 'people' like this exist
http://jezebel.com/lessons-from-a-day-spent-with-the-ucsb-shooters-awful-f-1582884301

Idolization of mass killers, pent up stupid anger, talking about how it should be their right to rape whoever they please revenge for "oppressing" them, the whole deal. Those in places without guns available just casually pass it off with "eh, bombs are easy". These things theoretically still count as human, but I'd much prefer they get ventilated if they ever work up the nerve or imbecilic narcissistic fury than someone who might actually amount to something get hurt.

People like these are why I go out of my way to teach every woman and girl that I know who's willing to learn the basics of safe gun use. To be fair, I try to teach just about everyone who wants to learn, but I specifically prioritize ladies and gay/bi folks.

Net Neutrality

Kind of a big deal. You know, thinking about it, I can't think of any other thing that's more likely to trigger Americans to go all French Revolution on the people responsible. Even if they manage to kill net neutrality, I don't really see it ending well for whoever had a hand in it.

Weekend wrap-up

Had a fantastic time paintballing. Scenario paintball is much different than regular games, it's a great big stand up brawl. This year our team The Horde's entire strategy was CHAAAAARGE, but we curbstomped the New Empire competition by 1340 to 145. Whenever they'd try to push to take territory, it was always a silent charge, no shooting, no yelling. Us? We roared and fired like madfolk, and the enemy VERY often ran when faced with a massed charge of maniacs. Sometimes there's nothing for it but quantity and crazy.

Nothing will test your fitness and how well you have your gear set up like running and fighting for 8 hours nearly straight. At least this year it was only in the 70s instead of 90s. I'm still pondering my big post on the training applications of paintball, but I'll get to that later when I can be bothered to do so.

I got to see the billboard that caused such a fuss, the slidefire one. Also got to try proper Chicago style hotdogs in the vicinity of Chicago. All in all, not a bad weekend.

Gun Belt

Picked up a 5.11 tactical gun belt, because I usually destroy belts in nothing flat (even web belts get ripped to shreds in nothing flat). Had to tweak my holster to fit it, but it fits SO nicely now. The angle is even better, and it's in there with absolutely no wiggle or slip.

Basically, if you don't have a gun belt? Go buy one, totally worth it. Gotta order one of these for my dad for Father's day, he has the same problem with belts (still need to get him to actually pick out a concealed carry gun, he took the course for the permit with me)

Well then

That event was lots of fun, but right at the very end I broke the only belt I presently have handy. No belt, no pistol carry. Also, none of my pants fit properly/at all without a belt.

Time to see if there's anywhere nearby I can pick up a gunbelt instead of just a regular leather belt, which will be destroyed in between 1 week and 1 month.

More on the big game/scenario when i'm not on the verge of collapse due to exhaustion.

Tactical Staplegun and SBR AR-15

I'm going to a paintball war this weekend. Generals, squads, the works. Just got my guns upgraded to be magazine fed, great big helical drums instead of just a bucket on top of the gun. Behold!

I have words planned regarding why you should go paintballing to practice, but right now I'm busily packing. 

Fitness

In preparation for a major event that I'll be writing about when I can actually be arsed to do so, I've been running a mile and biking 2-5 every day for the past few days, and will be doing so right up until Thursday.

I just ran a mile, and biked 2, in business casual. After having surgery just over 2 weeks ago. I'm bound and determined to get my fit/very fit advantage back.

Tech tuwhateversday: even more space and medtech

Apparently space tech and medtech are the only main things anybody pays attention to, so that's mostly what I find.

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/nasa-reveals-its-next-generation-tron-spacesuit-1569954877 A new spacesuit. Not a compression spacesuit that isn't huge and bulky, but it looks like something of an improvement over present tech, kind of. Can't really see making a militarized version of it at all, too goofy looking, but the "badass posing" picture at the bottom is highly amusing.

http://gizmodo.com/what-it-will-take-to-farm-sunlight-from-space-1567164014 Space solar power would be a fantastic resource, if we actually had the means of getting it set up. Still, fun to think about if only for particularly ultra-tech campaigns in games.

http://www.iflscience.com/space/us-air-forces-secret-space-plane-continues-mystify and now for a solar powered spacedrone. Nobody's quite sure why it's there, but it appears to be working. Still, spacetech.

http://gizmodo.com/this-billboard-sucks-nasty-pollution-right-out-of-the-a-1570880007 Not particularly space related, but a reasonable solution for planetary maintenance. Still kinda neat.

http://www.iflscience.com/brain/coming-soon-brain-implant-restore-memory
http://www.iflscience.com/brain/tooth-derived-stem-cells-make-brain-cells Get yourself a better brain through Science.

http://emotiv.com/
http://interaxon.ca/ neural interfaces for stuff. Handy as a jumping off point for no-surgery brain-controlled implanted computers (if you can just put the headband electrodes on/under the skin, rather than cracking the braincase open to stick wires in it? Waaay more consumer friendly), or mentally linked cyberware, or just the next step in game controls. Found these while talking about simsense and other such things with a friend.

Sci-Fi Friday; Space Military Command

Ahh Space Marines. It just makes sense, right? All the landing style operations, close quarters ship-to-ship combat, and generally being a smallish force of highly trained day-ruiners. Except... space combat involves a lot of shiny new gear, which, if the US military is any indication of, flows to everyone but the Marines first.

When you step back from established tropes, it raises a few questions. Who takes charge of space combat ships? Does the Air Force get to call dibs because we've already got a few planes that go right at the edge of space already? Or does the long term nature of space ships get them treated like the capital ships of the Navy? Do we establish an entirely new branch of the military for handling space operations (USSF= United States Space Force?).

For worldbuilding purposes, let's look at a transitional spacefaring culture. The concept of fighting in space is new and untested, but the technology and potential need to do so exist.

Let's imagine that the United States Interstellar Combat Initiative goes through, and calls for the creation of a space combat force using elements of the current military forces.

Air Force: Specialized starport based spacecraft. Interstellar bombers, near-orbit fighters, their craft tend to be purpose built for one or two jobs, and designed for short stints. Very fast, relatively lightly armored, they're meant to go from spaceport to spaceport, or spaceport to target and back to spaceport.

Navy: The big guns and cargo boats. These are the starships, space battlecruisers and interstellar carriers, the landing craft and minesweepers. Life on board is pretty much the same for the crew as it ever was, but with a substantial drop in strolling around on the deck without a full face helmet.

Marines: Exactly what it says on the tin. Space Marines. They still probably wind up with less fancy gear than everybody else, but they make do with grit and training. Drop pods and dropships will probably be their calling cards. A few light vehicles and good old fashioned guns aplenty will do the job.

Army: The sledgehammer of the Interstellar Combat Force. These are the guys you want to dig in and build a base, then fill that base with more planetary defenses than you can shake a spacefleet at. Even with space combat a thing, the old fashioned ground war is unlikely to go the way of the buffalo.

All of these forces would likely initially be rolled into a single group, which would gradually expand as either it got reabsorbed into the various branches, or the various branches were rolled into the new USSF, which then split back into the subdivisions.

Fighty Folding Knives

When does a knife go from "tool" to "weapon"? Not in terms of legal definitions, which are as varied as they are arbitrary, but in hearts and minds? I shop for knives based on the size of my hand, and how well the grip fits into said hand. I've had more than a few people comment on the size of my knives when I use it to get them out of a bind, but invariably they all kind of shrug and accept "it's not a weapon, it's a pocket knife. It fits my hand comfortably so I have a good grip and can use it safely"

First knife I ever really carried regularly was a S&W Powerglide. It was a reasonable knife, and cool, but the one I got came without the pocket clip it was supposed to, and was slightly obnoxious to carry.

Next was an S&W HRT from a very early run, that I won in a raffle on new years. Served me well for many years, until the screws that held it together stopped doing so very well. The big thing it had was a pocket clip, and a nice slender profile that fit easily into the pocket despite all the other crap I carried in that same pocket. It was a fairly standard skeletonized tactical folder, complete with black/grey mottled camo on it. Also, I can't find a picture of it and don't have it handy to take one myself.

Finally I upgraded to a Cold Steel Ti-Lite. Fantastic knife, great value for money, but unless you're after the switchblade styling, I'd point you to the Counter Point. Same slender blade, available in a slightly smaller size, and it doesn't have the sharp quillions to shred your pockets and thighs.

As I browse for more knives, I only consider those that I know will fit my hand, which is 3.5" to 4.5" of blade. The leading contender remains the Spartan, because I like the little tab for it to auto-deploy when drawn from the pocket. I'm not particularly worried about the actual answers to the question of where people draw the line, but it's interesting to ponder and ask about.