Comments

Episode-464- Listener Feedback for 6-28-10 — 21 Comments

  1. Just ordered two of the 59G rain barrels . The big ones are already sold out!

  2. Jack, concerning the use of “clip” and “magazine”- I would like to address that, both directly in a general form.

    The purpose of language is communication. That’s the long and short of it. Some people, shall we say, misuse language, for selfish purposes. So, my opinion is this- if you and I sit down, and you say that you have 3 clips for your semiautomatic hand gun, I know what you mean, and language has served its purpose. There has been no attempt to mislead anybody, and you and I would be good to go. However, if you call an AR15 an “assualt weapon”, I would speak up, as I believe that there are those that use such terminology in order to gain a particular response in those who aren’t familiar with the specifics. For me, the AR is a semiautomatic rifle/carbine, different only in aesthetics over various hunting rifles. So, there are times when I am concerned with particular terms, and times when I am not. I do try to avoid confusing those who are less knowledgable, but other than that, communication is the key. After listening to you for a couple years, I suspect you hold similar convictions. Best wishes!

  3. @Bob I think we are over sensitive about the term assault weapon as well. Instead of fighting it we should accept it and say what it is.

    The term assault rifle is a translation of the German word Sturmgewehr (literally “storm rifle”, as in “to storm a position”)

    So accurately an assault weapon is a “close quarters combat weapon”, some of our favorite brands of fire arms market with the term “close quarters combat”.

    So the lefty gun grabber uses this term and instead of explain it we deny it? Then we all sit around and gripe when the term is injected into every crime drama on the TV?

    When someone tells me a gun is an “assault weapon” if it indeed is, my response is “so what?” why does that matter? Is a weapon designed for close quarters combat not the perfect weapon for home defense? Given my home is close quarters and anyone meaning me harm inside of it creates a combat environment.

    When someone says well you don’t need it, I tell them they don’t NEED a nice car, they don’t NEED a watch, they don’t need many things they choose to have. The law however protects their right to own property and the law protects my right to own “arms”. Is an assault weapon any less an arm or any less protected by the constitution than a “regular weapon” what ever the hell that is?

    The constitution doesn’t protect the right to keep and bare all arms except “assault weapons”, an assault weapon when we use the term as it is intended is nothing but a weapon that is optimum for a close quarters scenario, so with that being the case why not simply state the truth rather that fight one lie with another lie.

    When we say a AK isn’t an assault weapon we are just as wrong, of course it is an assault weapon. Is it not designed for close quarters combat? Is that not exactly what the entire concept came from? Is the AK not a direct reflection of the German StG 44 that started the entire concept?

    I simply believe we should stop trying to redirect on this issue and simply point out what an assault weapon is, what it is for and that those that want to ban them are simply trying to ban guns. A decision we got today from our supreme court says what we all already knew, that it is unconstitutional to do so.

    See the issues is “joe no gun guy six pack” thinks he knows what is meant by the term, instead of saying the term isn’t real, we should be stating what the term really means.

  4. I ordered 2 of the 59 gal rain barrels before you even stopped talking about them. All weekend I tripped over the five gallon buckets and “washed out cat litter bottles” filled with rain water on my deck and in my back yard.

    I really like the idea of draining them and folding them away for winter.

  5. Jack, thank you for the reasoned response. Historically, you are correct- I believe the StG 44 was a full auto weapon, which has been a defining characteristic (from what I have read) of a true “assualt weapon.” This includes the AK47 (fully automatic versions.) Now, the AR15 is obviously built on the same pattern as the M16/M4 line-up, no question there, and the semiautomatic version of the AK47 is patterned after its original form.

    But, some folks think because it LOOKS like an M16, or looks like an AK47 it MUST be a fully automatic weapon. Or, that it is a ‘terrorist’s weapon.’ As you state, we should explain (here is where communication comes in- something I feel very strongly about.)

    I also agree with you, concerning “wants” and “needs”, as well as the Constitution. My post was to point out how the use of language can be used in a positive, neutral, or negative ways. We all communicate on a daily basis, with varying levels of success. With the Survival Podcast, you do so with considerably more people than I do, and that is why sometimes folks ask you to clarify or expound on topics. For them, the communication was perhaps not as complete as or perfect as we would hope.

    I am also pleased with the decision that was announced this morning- but, the fact that something like this would need to be taken to the Supreme Court indicates other issues.

    Thanks again- please don’t take my comments as criticism, just sharing my opinion on the topic. I am joing the conversation, so to speak.

  6. Depopulation will come with poison GMO food, geoengineering aerosol spraying,FEMA Camps, and man made viruses. Get you gear together and bug out like yesterday!

  7. Dang Jack, I carry a .40 and hunt with a .270, what the heck.
    Ok, really I am not offended in anyway, and think it’s funny that people would be, about something like that.
    Unless someone is making an unethical choice in their choice of caliber, I am pretty silent about what they choose.
    Now if you want to head to the range and debate calibers and fling lead all day long, I am there buddy.

    God Bless

  8. @Modern Survival:

    Your comment post was epic. I enjoyed reading that comment more than listening to the podcast (which was also great). I’ve never heard that argument made before and it was uniquely thought provoking. If you aren’t already planning to, that one comment would make a great show topic.

    Thanks for addressing the Vacation Time question BTW. I have some individual circumstances (don’t we all) that influence my thoughts, but your comments were very helpful.

  9. I have not listened yet (that will be tomorrow morning on the way to work, but I look forward to hearing the answer on Cowboy Action Shooting. I am a life member of SASS, and though I have not shot a match in a year and a half, I can tell you that it made me a better shooter, especially under stress or on the move. Throughout my police career, I was a low-mid 90% pistol qual kind of guy. Not shabby in anyone’s book. After I started shooting SASS, my police qual scores went to the mid-high 90’s range. My last police qual before moving on to greener pastures, I finally shot 100%. That was after transitioning to the gunfighter style in SASS (two revolvers at one time, alternating shots right & left). I also had noticible improvement in my tactical shooting on the move.

    Now is SASS better than say, IPDA or IPSC? No, the key is getting out, shooting on the move, shooting under time or target sequence pressure, and shooting against yourself or your competitors. Is SASS more fun than those others? Try for yourself, but where else can a grown man dress up and play cowboy for an afternoon and not get looked at funny?

  10. Jack,
    The story behind the story, regarding the 95 year old guy….

    The story behind the story has to do with our cultures “personal mythology”. The stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.

    What does it say about “us” and how we see ourselves that this sort of thing gets taken seriously?

    What does it say about our confidence in our abilities, our “purpose” on the planet?

    For contrast, could anybody have convinced, say the Hopi, 500 years ago that they would all be extinct in 100 years? They would have laughed you out of town!

    How directionless and Nihilistic we’ve become as a world society when we even entertain the notion that its all so meaningless, and that we’re so short-sighted, feeble, and unresourceful, that we’re going to wipe ourselves out in 100 years, and theres nothing we can do about it.

    So much for the pep-talks on “hope” eh?

    PEOPLE need to wake up NOW to the fact that culturally they are being brainwashed into a mentality that I can only compare to cattle in line for the slaughterhouse. Its over. Just accept it.. Go back to your televisions and wait for them to call your number.

    So the story behind the story is that the “new message” is that your life is meaningless, pointless, doomed, and theres nothing you can do about it. Just go back to feeling guilty and consuming to make yourself feel better. The story behind the story is that people have been “cowed” metaphorically and literally into believing it.

    Ancestors, Grave, Turning.

  11. That was great advice on what to do with my wife and getting her to the range. I’m sure when I dangle a nice bribe of a botox session or Coach handbag she will go for the instructor led sessions… I will keep everyone updated on the progress.

  12. @ Beachwalker:

    I had to bet my wife a large screen TV that she wouldn’t get a bruised shoulder if she took a 15 min shotgun instructional (covered basic shooting platform and 4 rounds of 00 Buck into steel silhouettes). No bruise, but the TV would have been worth it. Not only did she do well, she was able to articulate what it was about my shotgun she didn’t like. I’m still split on modifying mine or getting a second for her, but her being willing to pick up a shotgun is priceless.

  13. @Inbox485

    I stand in awe of you! You mean you got your wife to go shoot a shotgun with an instructor and IF and only IF she got bruised up you were going to HAVE TO SUFFER AND BUY A NEW BIG SCREEN.

    Dude you need to write a book, I thought I was badass for getting my wife to go to our BOL on our anniversary and spend most of it doing weed eating and bush crafting and may I add making her think it was here idea. But to make a wife think any man doesn’t want a big screen and one day have to “loose a bet” and buy one, MAN you are the friken master! I thinkin some time before the next Super Bowl you might just set yourself up to “loose”, un-B-leave-able!

    In my best Wayne’s World voice, “we’re not worthy”

    Jack

  14. Re your comments about the 95 year old and rabbit control in Australia – Jack I’m not sure you realize the situation with rabbits over here. They are an imported feral species that has multiplied to plague levels in some areas. Shooting for control, tried and failed – way, way too big a problem over too wide an are to be controlled by hunting. Natural predators – yes, dingoes and predatory birds; no dent in rabbit populations. Foxes, feral cats, feral dogs – yes they take some, but much more of a problem in destroying the more vulnerable native wildlife. The guy who introduced rabbit-specific diseases to improve rabbit control is a hero who is protecting both farmland and the native environment, not a wacko playing god.

  15. @Cave, I understand how the problem could be in a place were they are an invasive. That said, genetically engineered viruses are not the answer. You call him a hero, I call him a maniac. I wonder though do we agree about his prediction?

  16. I think his prediction is off track… I agree we are going through an “extinction event” with the loss of many species, I agree we have exceeded the natural carrying capacity of the earth in some areas, I agree we are depleting resources, but not that we’ll all be gone in 100 years. Even if industrialised agriculture starts to fail and we start to see significant resource wars, with a population collapse, there will still be some of us hanging on!

  17. Jack,
    I thought I heard something about a potential Civil war in the intro monolog but I must be dense, Which issue was it ? I listened three times and could not determine a match up !

  18. I have a warning to all of those who think that they will get their sick pay and vacation pay in the event of a layoff, firing, or quitting a job. I live in Texas and I’ll tell you how it works here. If you live in another state, the laws may be different and you will need to verify your state’s laws. If you are an employee or an employer, it is always a good idea to be familiar with the laws regarding employment in your area.

    In Texas, vacation pay and sick leave pay are payable to an employee upon separation from employment only if a written agreement with the employer or a written policy of the employer specifically provides for payment.

    A personal story: I had been laid off from a job several years ago and had not been paid my vacation pay. The employee handbook specifically said policy was to pay the employee for it. I could not find my handbook and ended up losing that money. So always keep your handbook in an easy-to-find place!

  19. @texasmufflerman:

    Sorry to hear about the bad break. Individual circumstances are always a critical part of decision making. I’m not really familiar with my state’s labor laws since I’ve never worked for a company that set their policy to the minimum standards, but in my state (and a lot of states from what I hear) vacation time is deferable income the moment it is awarded and sick time is use it or loose it.

  20. @Inbox485
    the good thing about my situation was that at the beginning of that year, I had 5 weeks of vacation time. I was lucky enough to get to burn up 3.5 weeks of accrued vacation time in the first half of the year. Thankful that I didn’t lose all 5 weeks.