Author Archives: Joel

The “Hearing Protection Act?” Couldn’t they just call it the “We’ve Been Wrong About This For Eighty Years Act? A bill entitled the Hearing Protection Act would remove a $200 tax stamp requirement for gun suppressors, more commonly known as … Continue reading →

Kid’s got style.

Did something rather foolish this morning. Day dawned overcast, having rained a bit overnight, but started to clear before nine so I decided to go do a gig for Former Neighbor J, the neighbor formerly known as Geiger Counter Guy. … Continue reading →

Rain and then more rain. Woke up at 2:30 to a furious thunderstorm, then after that passed there were several more stints of rain heavy enough to wake me up, my nose positioned as it was about two feet under … Continue reading →

Cloud cover is as heavy as I’ve ever seen it, and storm cells keep passing through. Looking up at the voltage monitor I see a big blue 12.1 which means that, in addition to there being nothing whatsoever going on … Continue reading →

Via Instapundit, I happened upon a piece about a random old guy who died a random old death. And it took me back to something that happened to me when I was Mr. Suburban Man. When I was married with … Continue reading →

“Mommy, am I going to die? — *unless you’re just legally required to do so because you have to report a body or something. h/t to Claire.

When I was much younger. Without the steampunk. Or the mansion. And with about that much chance of ending up with the girl.

Okay, maybe I’m getting old. Used to be, exposure to concrete and its varieties never bothered me. But in 2009 I had a very bad experience. Then in 2012 it was somewhat repeated. We’re talking hands without skin here. Pain. … Continue reading →

Maybe USGS has been giving away topo map downloads since the dawn of ENIAC, but I never heard of it before. Topos are a great aid to getting familiar with a particular area, with emphasis on topology (of course) and … Continue reading →

Did you know that the National Rifle Association is exactly like the Anti-Saloon League of Prohibition fame, and will inevitably suffer its fate? Must be true, I saw it on the Internet. This is how the NRA loses He made … Continue reading →

I got bombed by a hawk today. The weapon – upon which I sincerely hope our benevolent government will impose common-sense controls without further delay – was about 30% of a rabbit. The rabbit did not offer an opinion of … Continue reading →

It’s pretty bad when I have to go elsewhere to learn that my buddy Ian, who was just in the neighborhood for several days and could have told me, got an article published at the Popular Mechanics site less than … Continue reading →

Seriously, I’d like to know. Not saying it isn’t possible, but I can’t think of one. I’ve never really studied the ‘sovereign citizen’ thing in any detail though I’ve bumped into a few here and there, usually in association with … Continue reading →

On this day in 1947 a Bell X-1 experimental rocket plane exceeded the speed of sound in level flight. Contrary to the legend it wasn’t the first time a plane had gone that fast, nor even the first time it … Continue reading →

If Obama says it’s easier to buy a gun than a book, I want to know where he’s been buying his guns.

It’s official, the word now means anything, and thus nothing. Courtesy of Thirdpower, a loverly quote from a loverly guy: “This is not a negotiation with the NRA,” [Brady Bunch president Dan] Gross said. “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.” Terrorists. … Continue reading →

Landlady and Ian are done with their planned projects and decided to go their various ways a day early. So, last thing before they left, they wanted a dump run… I produce as little dumpable kitchen garbage as possible but … Continue reading →

Okay, everybody knows – because I go on and on about it – that my steppin’ out pistol is a beat-up Taurus 431 with which I have had a … complicated relationship… The marriage still has its ups and downs. … Continue reading →