Armored Facilities Manager

Ye Lovers of Felines...

2008-07-18T11:05:14Z

Law Dog has another tale of humor and woe. This one about cats....

_{Lori, you can probably sympathize.}

From Cicely to New York....SVU...

2008-07-17T03:12:11Z

Offshore drilling to start...

2008-07-14T22:11:20Z

President Bush just signed an executive order allowing the drilling to begin (this lifted a similar and previous executive order prohibiting such). I'm curious, where does one track oil futures markets? One should expect this will cause a drop and adjustment of sorts. Especially as those contracts go out 5 years.

BabyBats...

2008-07-10T16:32:00Z

Nathan! Get out of that woman's bra! You're a married man!

Lots of rain.

2008-07-09T14:18:44Z

We got a sprinkling of rain yesterday around town. Last night, around 11 or so, we had a VERY heavy downpour that wasn't just for 5 minutes. I measured a good solid 2 inches of rain in my rain gauge this morning. VERY good for the garden and the plants. I think the willow tree will be a bit happier.

Nonexistent nuke program...

2008-07-07T18:05:54Z

550 metric Tons of Yellowcake uranium has been shipped to Canada from Iraq. This was from the stored material in Iraq from a facility 12 miles from Baghdad. No program at all my left foot.

F2 Camera Bodies and Lenses...

2008-07-06T05:46:43Z

I have my grandmother's old camera gear. It's old Nikon F2 camera bodies and lenses with a LARGE range of lenses. I'm not a serious enough photographer to really want old film gear and it's just going to sit in the closet as it has for the past 15 years since my grandmother died. But I know there's some serious value in a good selection of Nikon hardware.

The cameras are apparently functional from a mechanical standpoint. One of the bodies needs some new foam gasket material between the shutter mirror and the viewfinder port. They have some handling and use wear but are in good order. I did find corrosion products in one of the body's battery port but some alcohol and a cotton swab cleaned it right up. There is also some small amount of guck on some of the lenses, mold perhaps, small amounts that does appear to clean up with lens cleaner and tissue.

Anyone interested in some F2 Camera hardware?

List of cameras and parts behind the cut:

Cameras are:
x2 Nikon F2 System Camera bodies.
DP-1 (minor ding on the front still appears functional), DP-2 and DA-1 Viewfinder
MD-1 Motor Drive
MB-1 Cordless Battery Pack for MB-1 Unit (missing small component)

Lenses (All Nikkor unless stated)
16mm f3.5 Fisheye lens
24mm f/2.8 wide angle lens
28mm f/3.5 lens
45mm f/2.8 GN lens Lens for flash photography
50mm f/1.4 lens
55mm f/3.5 close up lens w/ M2 Ring
43-86mm f/3.5 Zoom lens
80-200mm f/4.5 Zoom lens
Vivitar 70=150mm f/3.8 Close Zoom lens
Lens

52mm Lens attachments and filters
Hoya Macro lens attachments +1, +2 and +4 magnifications
Hoya NDx4 Polarizing filter
Hoya Y-2 yellow filter
Toshiba Polarizing filter
Asanuma Multiple image prism
Alan Gordon Multiple image prism
Kalt Multiple image prism

In ur city, wastin' ur tax dollars...

2008-07-01T23:41:00Z

So, our fine Mayor, DA and Chief of Police are wasting the tax dollars that we pay either directly or indirectly. The city is in a budget crunch. The city is cutting workers. Does the city have time to piss away money in a lawsuit trying to count the number of angels on the head of a pin where it concerns firearms at the Airport?

State Law trumps City Law. Cities/towns and counties cannot pass firearms related laws where it concerns their carry. Federal Law trumps State law (see the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution). Plain restaurants are not public Gathering (State v Burns. That is established Case Law. HB 89 changes restaurants from being classed as a Public Gathering. The Lawmaker who drafted and sponsored the BILL says that it was never meant to include the airport.

Now where in this mix does the CITY get to pass laws or enact them by fiat of the Mayor. The best they can do is have their City Attorney make an opinion that is non-binding under law, that the Airport is a public gathering. Their saying it is does not make it so. Even the state AG cannot issue a binding opinion. What carries weight of law is a court opinion.

Sure, you cannot carry a firearm into the secure areas past the metal detectors. BUT prior to those, the state law allows this. Federal Law does not bar it otherwise you couldn't get to the ticket counter with your firearm. But the public areas where anyone can go, as far as I can tell, that's a public transportation area.

Does the City really have enough problems sorted out that it HAS to push a test case on some citizen? I guess South Side and West Atlanta are all cleaned up now? No crime in down town anymore?

Besides, what does this mean to the City Attorney?
HB 89 SECTION 9.All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

Frankly, I'm waiting with baited breath for John Oxendine to take the Airport from the City and have it managed by a separate authority. It is not a golden goose for city officials to mismanage for their own personal gain. I want to see the bad APD cops gone from the Airport and I want to see a state authority in charge.

[EDIT]
Link to GCO's Section 1983 Lawsuit Complaint against the City of Atlanta, the Mayor and the GM of the Airport.

Background material behind the cut.

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-173M
(b)(1) No county or municipal corporation, by zoning or by ordinance, resolution, or other enactment, shall regulate in any manner gun shows; the possession, ownership, transport, carrying, transfer, sale, purchase, licensing, or registration of firearms or components of firearms; firearms dealers; or dealers in firearms components.

State law allows firearms to be carried into public transportation facilities. See the just now effective law covered under HB89.

16-11-127.
(e) A person licensed or permitted to carry a firearm by this part shall be permitted to carry such firearm, subject to the limitations of this part, in all parks, historic sites, and recreational areas, including all publicly owned buildings located in such parks, historic sites, and recreational areas and in wildlife management areas, notwithstanding Code Section 12-3-10, in wildlife management areas notwithstanding Code Section 27-3-1.1 and 27-3-6, and in public transportation notwithstanding Code Sections 16-12-122 through 16-12-127; provided, however, that a person shall not carry a firearm into a place prohibited by federal law.

Federal Law allows the interstate Transport of Firearms via the airlines AND it IS Legal to carry a firearm to the airport under federal law to fly. It must be declared and it must be locked in the checked luggage.

18 USC Sec. 922
(e) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to deliver or
cause to be delivered to any common or contract carrier for
transportation or shipment in interstate or foreign commerce, to
persons other than licensed importers, licensed manufacturers,
licensed dealers, or licensed collectors, any package or other
container in which there is any firearm or ammunition without
written notice to the carrier that such firearm or ammunition is
being transported or shipped; except that any passenger who owns or
legally possesses a firearm or ammunition being transported aboard
any common or contract carrier for movement with the passenger in
interstate or foreign commerce may deliver said firearm or
ammunition into the custody of the pilot, captain, conductor or
operator of such common or contract carrier for the duration of the
trip without violating any of the provisions of this chapter. No
common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag,
or other written notice to be placed on the outside of any package,
luggage, or other container that such package, luggage, or other
container contains a firearm.

functional Sword

2008-06-30T16:10:44Z

Does anyone know of a maker that actually has steel that can be used live for real knockdown drag out fighting?

Starfire makes good stage swords that are clearly tough and take a beating. That at least indicates that the steel is properly forged and is tough. But does it take and edge and keep it reasonably well?

I have a side project I'm working on for a soldier who I think would like one in theatre.

Got planning?

2008-06-29T20:13:40Z

Does anyone find it ironic that a newly appointed Field Organizer for the south half of a major metropolitan city is begging for a car the day (a Sunday) before they start their new 'job' working for Obamassaia campaign?

Good footage....

2008-06-29T06:19:52Z

I'm watching a movie I recorded a few weeks ago on AMC. It's "The Men of the Fighting Lady". It has LOTS of good footage from Korea and WWII. The carrier operations footage is even better than the Bridges at Toko-ri. Launch sequences of the F9F Panthers is really neat.

5-4 DC's handgun ban is struck down.

2008-06-26T15:54:49Z

Not the resounding defeat (6-3 or 7-2 or better) that I was looking for. But it's better than the crap for stare decisis we've had for nearly 100 years all based on either mis-reading of Miller or worse foundations on United States v. Cruikshank. I'm working on physical installs today so I can't sit down and read the decision right now. But lunch and dinner will likely have that in the fore.

Friday Afternoon Gather?

2008-06-26T00:39:28Z

Anyone in the Atlanta want to gather at Carroll St Cafe for a gather to discuss the pending Heller vs DC decision. We can either drink coffee to toast the death of a lot of gun control OR drink ourselves under the table at the death of the republic.

Want to meet say at 6pm?

Schadenfreude....

2008-06-25T20:16:11Z

Just when you thought it was safe for to go back into the Democrat's water...Ralph Nader speaks up...

Apparently, he says Obama is trying to "talk white".

This DNC convention is going to be fun to watch...from a few hundred miles away...

Workshop flamables storage

2008-06-25T18:19:48Z

So I've been working in the backyard trying to rectify some neglect and last year's drought damage as well as spruce it up a bit. I've also been working in the garage on the organization and integrating in some storage that I bought from a small hardware store that went out of business.

One of my problems is I have a lot of spray cans of paint and tins of thinners and the like that are all flammable. I'd like to get a fire resistant cabinet like this. For storing flammable materials like paints, thinners and fuels, they're ideal. They have vents that are flame proof and you can conceivably vent them to the outside so any fumes inside escape.

Anyone have any ideas for where else to find one of these cabinets? Problem is $300 is a bit over my budget.

Scooters and motorcycles

2008-06-20T18:39:28Z

More people are getting scooters and motorcycles for two wheeled transportation. People are hopping on them and aren't getting good and proper training or practice. This is a problem.

Last week, I watched a newbie on a scooter stall out at a light, then get going with out too much fluttering. Then, he got down the road, saw a bump braked for the bump AS his little front wheel went into the bump and then proceeded to do an endo over the handlebars right in front of Spoon. I checked my six for traffic, tossed out the anchor, kicked on the hazard lights and jumped out of the car to get to him to check his condition. He was already up and trying to pick up the scooter but was mostly shaken. Very lucky. He could have had a broken jaw, road rash or worse given the trajectory he managed to take. The scooter was slightly bent up and scraped up on one side.

After I moved my car to the Engineer's book store the three of us (a cyclist also stopped) talked about safety equipment, training and survival on the streets of Atlanta.

The point of this is safety.

If you get a new 2 wheeled motorized vehicle, get some training, get some practice and wear some protective gear. If it's a matter of taking an MSF course (Worth every penny) then do so. If you have motorcycle and scooter knowledgable friends get them to give you a good solid day's worth of training and supervision in a parking lot where it's safe so you can get over a lot of the mistakes ahead of time. Then ride with them in a quiet area to get more practice.

Be mindful of the differences and the problems of your scooters or motorcycles. All vehicles are not created alike and their handling characteristics are different as are their behavior when you're trying to brake on a wet plate covering a pothole.

Also, protective gear. Full face helmets are hot. Bandages, surgery and broken jaws are hotter, more uncomfortable and are painful. Wear a full face helmet. Wear jeans, some good solid shoes that lace or zip up over the ankle and a good solid jacket. A Denim jacket is a bare minimum. Wind breakers and other thin clothes don't do a damn for you if you're sliding down asphalt at 30 miles per hour. Gloves are also very important. New denim will resist pavement at 60 mph for about 2 feet. Older denim protects for considerably less distance. You'll slide considerably farther at that speed. The gear is hot, but bleeding sucks more.

On a 2 wheel vehicle, you WILL crash. It happens. The question is if it's going to be one you walk away from, limp away from or are carried away from. Improve your odds with training and equipment, it could help a great deal.

And hey, lets be careful out there.

And in local news....

2008-06-14T03:30:46Z

Friends of the woman murdered in North Georgia, Meredith Emerson, will be providing hikers with a "panic button" of sorts that they can press if they feel in danger. This will transmit the location and an alarm signal presumably to local law enforcement.

From the article...

"It'll make a hiker feel safer, but also speak to predators, telling them we are armed with things that can deter you from this," Karrenbauer said."

The key thing here is that the people carrying this little device (that I'm sure will have false alarms) will "feel" safe. They won't actually be safer because pressing an alarm button up there isn't going to make police or park rangers appear out of thin air or come rapelling down from a helicopter. I've been up there when I needed Cops and EMS. Specifically because of a motorcycle accident. It took probably 30 minutes for the local police to get to our location. I think it was around 15 minutes before a park ranger (the closest law enforcement) was actually on the scene. That's on the road (Ga 129) and not off the road up some random trail that's 1 hour in by foot.

I can't really see that a dangerous monster like Gary Michael Hilton will do anything other than take the given device from a typical victim and toss it into the nearest ravine. Where, if it stays there transmitting will tie the searchers up into rappelling down into the ravine to rescue a victim that's not there.

I will much rather have a side arm. I would much rather my female friends who hike up there have a side arm....

The pager is good for calling the cavalry, but you have to survive for them to get to you. Otherwise they're likely to just going to know where to come find your body.

Parallel with this, I'll offer my time up to anyone who wants some entry level firearms education. I've taught friends in the past and I'm pretty good at it. This includes range time, sitting in a living room at a table going over details, theory, handling how to clean the firearm and all the usual details and minutia. If you know someone who's interested in being taught, I can show them the basics and get them on track.

RIVER FRONT CONDOS....

2008-06-14T02:43:25Z

This is what a friend of mine says when it comes to the United Nations Building. It needs to be used for that. Every so often they pretty much stick their foot in their mouths or worse.

The latest bit of idiocy is that the UK should hold a referendum to see about abolishing the Monarchy. Never mind that Britain has been in the vanguard of proper treatment of it's subjects as a nation and as a monarchy and was generally getting over it's problems when MOST of the rest of the member nations of the UN were still treating it's own citizens as so much dogmeat.

_{ITN - Friday, June 13 05:01 pm}
The United Nations has said that the UK must consider whether they should keep the Royal Family.

The UN's Human Rights Council said the Government should 'think' about holding a referendum on the issue, to see if people would prefer to live in a Republican state with a written constitution.

The monarchy costs each adult in Britain around 62p a year - but even groups representing taxpayers said there was no case for getting rid of it.

The council has 29 members including Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Sri Lanka.

It was the Sri Lankan envoy who raised concerns over the British monarchy.

But a Royal spokesman has said the public haven't haven't displayed any appetite for a referendum.

The UN report was also critical of the UK's treatment of immigrants from Sudan.

Syria accused the UK of discriminating against Muslims and Iran complained about the UK's record on tackling sexual discrimination.

I say that the whole damn building needs to be bulldozed into the Hudson River and the site turned into a bloody park. The UN can find their own digs in someplace as egalitarian as Iran.

[Zombie] Preparedness...

2008-06-13T16:42:07Z

So, lessee, 3 semi auto rifles, cases of ammo. Shotgun, cases of ammo. Bolt action rifles, cases of ammo. Several pistols. 2 Batteries for a battery powered chain saw (messy but effective. Ladder for getting up on the roof. Fuel cans, water cans, dried food, canned food, fenced in back yard. And the key thing, an armoured car.

Move armoured car to back door, load armoured car with goods while someone else keeps watch on the roof. Load the armored car up to and including the extension ladder which can neatly go on the rear towards the back deck with fuel and water cans on the other side and on the engine compartment.

Destination. A Nice industrial lot for a museum. Water, some food, power, and a 12 foot tall chain link fence and LOTS of open clear space. Right on a rail line, right next to transportation and industrial equipment for making tools and weapons and fixing things.

It's all about the six Ps folks....

Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

http://myelvesaredifferent.blogspot.com/2007/05/blog-like-its-end-of-world-bliteotw.html

Opinion posted

2008-06-12T16:00:51Z

Here's the recent SCOTUS opinion in Boumediene et al v Bush, President of the US, et al. All 134 pages of it. Opinion, concurrences and dissenting opinions.

Buccaneers

2008-06-12T15:53:05Z

Sorry, not the Pirate type...The carrier strike aircraft type. The Blackburn Buccaneer. Old Fixed wing conventional carrier stuff that the UK doesn't have any more. Moreover, there's some air to air refueling from an old bomber turned tanker, the Handley Page Victor. The Buccaneers were retired in 1992 long after their carriers had disappeared.

SCOTUS Opinion...

2008-06-12T15:27:04Z

Color me surprised. I'm not a legal analyst other than by hobby (which doesn't make me an analyst). But I've taken the time to follow the court opinions on a number of topics over time (as a good citizen should). This most recent with regards to detainees at Gitmo has me surprised and a bit confused.

My understanding of how the law worked up to now was that illegal combatants, where not privy to a right of habeas corpus as it stands under civilian law. They in fact were subject to military law. This is based on an extant ruling by the Supreme Court in the 40's over two cases regarding German Saboteurs held IN the US and more german illegal combatants held in a prison in Asia after their capture. The basic argument being that US soldiers don't have a civilian Habeas Corpus protection under the UCMJ and therefore any militarily held illegal combatants don't either. To hold such would subject our soldiers to fewer protections than are available to those illegal combatants.

The Administration has had problems up to now with regards to their mechanisms for hearings and trials which is why they had two past setbacks. My understanding was that they detentions weren't illegal under the constitution, but rather that the mechanisms for determining their status and then subsequent trials was not in order under both international and constitutional law.

Apparently, the Detainees at Gitmo HAVE a Habeas Corpus right BUT 2 US Citizens held in a military brig in Bagdad do not. I can't find the opinion yet, but I'm intrigued to see where the departure line is and how it departs from Ex parte Quirin and Johnson v Eisentrager.

And now some music...

2008-06-10T19:40:05Z

Some old Dead Can Dance. There's a Peel Sessions recording of this and a few others...in the DCD Box Set.

We are of course more familiar with The Trial which was released on their Title Album.

[Edit] As I write this, I find that there's a whole cluster of recordings from the 80s on youtube from what I understand to be a VERY early stage performance back in 1986.

In Power We Entrust the Love Advocated is high favorite of mine.

Lovely stuff I think....

Tangential to odd music and John Peel, there's a Delia Derbyshire edit of a bunch of John Peel over on Delia-Derbyshire.org. Delia is of course mildly famous for her arrangement of a piece that fronted the longest running sci-fi series yet created....Namely Dr. Who....

I bloody well wish.....

2008-06-09T21:52:58Z

For the sake of not fixating on one target...

2008-06-06T21:11:30Z

Today is June 6th. Even by this time 64 years ago, US, Canadian, British, South African, Polish and Indian Troops have been fighting in Italy since September of 1943. Hard fighting up rugged terrain.

Most notabl, US Forces took Rome two days before D-Day on the 4th of June.

In the pacific, there's still a lot to be done in Burma and the other areas in the British sectors and the US Navy and Marines are neck deep in island hopping and fighting the Japanese. The Battle of Saipan kicks off in 9 days on the 15th of June.