Jillian likes the mornings just as much as the rest of us residents of Casa Moral-Flexibility.
She’s definately our daughter.
Archive for February 19th, 2006
Vz.58 furniture redone…
Regardless of the outcome of the poll I had planned to do the stock in black. Yesterday being my first day off I raced over to my uncles to borrow his basement, and took a quick stab at refinishing it. I collected the assorted furniture today and re-installed them this evening.
The results, while not spectacular, are quite a bit better than the mottled and mismatched original finish.
Saying goodbye to old friends…
I’m not typically a very sentimental person, but today marked the retirement of some old friends. Friends that have been with me on duty and off for seven years. That were with me when I fell off the wing of a plane at 3,000 feet, when I had my sole opportunity for full-auto fun with Uzis in the Nevada desert, for almost every range trip I have made since 1999 and a host of scuffles, brawls and sprints too numerous to count.
I am speaking, of course, about my boots.
VZ58 Stock Refinishing
Ok, I’ve decided to go ahead and refinish the stock on the VZ58 as I’m not entirely happy with the faux-wood ugly furniture that resides on it now. Before I begin this minor project, I thought I’d ask you for your opinion. So chime in, and tell me why you think one color is better than the other in the comments below.
[At 51 votes I think we can call this finished, with Black being the winner. Now 'fess up, who voted more than once?]
‘Dems da brakes…
Bob: “What’s going on? Will you stop this thing? Come on!
Doug: “The brakes aren’t working!”
Bob: “Try the parking brake!
Doug: “Take off! The parking brake NEVER works! No point in steering now…”
Tonight, while travelling the 401 my brakes failed. At approximately 85km/h, with traffic stopped ahead of me and with my 14 month old daughter in the back seat. There was no impact, no rending of metal, no dramatic slow-mo shots of cars leaping over other cars. It was almost anti-climatic as I sat watching events unfold around me.
I’d like to bask in my superior driving skills, but I think a fair portion of the credit goes to the quick prayer I threw St. Jude as my hands and feet busied themselves with a series of tasks intended to slow the forward momentum of the car.
By way of background allow me to tell you exactly what transpired.
Range Report: VZ58
The trip to the range yesterday was more recreational than practical. After all the running around and sorting ourselves out we actually had about 60 minutes of shooting before the cold and the clock forced us to pack up and head back into town.
That said I did have a chance to try the VZ58 and it made an impression.
Road Rage Survey
I was sent a link to this article about a correlation between road rage and armed drivers.
GUN lobbyists like to repeat the quote often attributed to American writer Robert Heinlein, that “an armed society is a polite society”. But this is certainly not true for motorists.
A survey of 2400 drivers carried out by David Hemenway and his colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health shows that motorists who carry guns in their cars are far more likely to indulge in road rage – driving aggressively or making obscene gestures – than motorists without guns. Some 23 per cent of gun-toting drivers admitted making rude signs, compared with 16 per cent of those who did not carry guns.
Lies, damned lies and statistics, no?
Thankfully Bookmoth has taken a closer look at the report, and released a critique of it here. I’m no expert, but even I figured the study was biased.
[Hat tip: Says Uncle]
Range trip…finally.
Finally made it back out to the range with a few friends from work, and got a chance to put the VZ58 to the test.
I’ll post a proper range report later, but I thought this photo captured the spirit of the trip nicely.
Mobile terror…
Looks innocent doesn’t she?
Jillian, as you’re already aware, started walking over Christmas and has since progressed to climbing, running, tumbling, spinning and falling. An dizzying variety of moves specifically designed to keep her poor parents nervous and always half-hunched in their seats.
Her fascination with her new mobility is entertaining to watch, as she twirls, squats and slowly shuffles backwards. I’m not entirely sure where she is supposed to be at 14 months, but it seems to me that she’s clever, and figuring things out a little faster than I’d prefer.
She’s figured out how to circumvent our effort at baby-proofing the Stereo/TV/DVD stuff, and bored with that has resumed attempting to eat my books (I didn’t keep all that many books when I moved from Vancouver, and am rather attached to the hardcover history books that DID come with me). I suspect the books will be the next plexiglass abomination project.
Still can’t help but have a little parental pride in her mischief however.