Moral-Flexibility.Net

Long gone are the days that I can throw a rifle and a handgun into a hardcase, check them as baggage and fly down to Texas to see my brother and his wife, enjoying some friendly competition at his range (Well, technically my range too, I’ve a lifetime membership around here somewhere). We really only got to do that once before 9/11, and the administrivia involved in doing it these days is more than a bit of a headache.

Piet has suggested more than once that we should get a postal match going so that we can compare our toys, and get some more of that friendly competition going. I kept dragging my heels, until the other day when we decided on the spur of the moment to just go ahead and do it.

Piet provided the target and after agreeing on a complicated drill involving rifle/pistol transitions, time limits and all sorts of stuff singularly unsuited for a postal match, we decided we’d just shoot 5 rounds at 20 yards with a 9mm (Piets Glock vs. My Beretta) and 5 rounds at 100 yards (AR15s with iron sights). A few miscommunications later, and we both found ourselves on our ranges 1600 miles apart, shooting at the same targets.

Now, I had decided in advance that I would bring 3 targets, one each for the agreed upon firearms and an extra for my Smith and Wesson Model 14 (which I was curious to see in this sort of test). Not too suprisingly the Revolver was a reliable little zombie killer.

(Smith and Wesson Model 14 - 20 yards)

While scoring what appears to be three killing hits, It clearly doesn’t count, and for two reasons. The first is that we agreed on semi-auto 9mm handguns, the second is that I put 6 rounds into the zombie (that bottom one is actually two holes) instead of five. Still, nice to know the old S&W can hold it’s own when the zombies come knocking.

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So, Ambulance Driver, Matt G and Babs have put together a three part collaborative story called “Perspectives” that gives you, the reader, the big picture. First from the POV of the responding Police Officer, then the Paramedic that attends and finally the ER nurse that receives the patient (you don’t have to read it in that precise order, but that’s the sequence).

So go here, here and here, then let them know what you thought.

Piet has a bunch of them posted, go give’em a read.

I’m always late to these parties. I typically come across a series that I enjoy a few years after it’s debut, apex and cancellation. That’s precisely the case with the series Firefly, a sort of space-western following the adventures of a the small crew and passengers of a smuggling ship running around the ‘verse.

I’d seen the movie Serenity when it was released to video, and had enjoyed it even though I was unfamiliar with the back story, but it wasn’t until recently when a co-worker loaned me the original series that I really became a fan. The series (and the movie for that matter) is visually pleasing, and a good deal grittier than most sci-fi space shows you’re likely to find. The space-western idea appeals to me (Outland being one of my favorite examples of this blend) and both the writing and acting were excellent.

Sadly Firefly was cancelled after 15 episodes (all of which I have now watched over the last week), and I’ll be stopping by the video store while running errands today to rent Serenity one more time.

I’m late, I know I’m late on this one.

On July 21st, 2007 at 0001hrs the latest (and lastest reportedly) Harry Potter book was released. I admit that I was present in the crowd at midnight when the book went on sale. Now before a flood of mocking comments arrive, I’d like to point out that I was there involuntarily, wearing my polyester crime-fighting outfit and mentally willing all sorts of horrible accidents upon my boss who felt that an experienced security guy should be there in case…. uh, in case of geek riots I s’pose.

So, I stood inside the front entrance of Chapters for 5 hours suppressing both common sense and sarcasm (almost completely), and offering those entering directions to the assortment of lines that were swelling as midnight approached.

Now, I should pause here to point out that I have “listened” to the first four Harry Potter audio books during my 9 months of 4 hour commutes, and I’ve seen the movies. I would not describe myself as a fan, but I don’t see any harm in the stories (or movies), and they are entertaining in their way.

That said, if one more “fan” yelled “Avra Cadabra!” as they entered the store, I was going to accept my fate and enter into an extended game of “Punch face”.

Asked and Answered:

Question: Are you here for the Harry Potter release?
Answer: No Ma’am, We’re here for former Prime Minister Paul Martin, he’s here to promote his autobiography in the true crime section.

Question: (Whispered by fan) Are you here to prevent anyone from yelling out spoilers?
Answer: Yes sir, if I so much as hear someone whisper that Harry accidentally kills Hermione they’re… oh damn, I’ve said too much.

Yesterday I took my daughter to the hospital.

She had been playing “ring around the rosey” with my sister at daycare and had crashed head first into a corner causing a nasty 1cm long gash on her forehead. When I arrived I found Jilly in good spirits, but on taking a peek agreed that this was likely going to require stitches and braced myself for a trip to the ER. Stopping off at our house long enough to grab Jillys health card we drove down to the local hospital and prepared to wait a while.

Three and a half hours, two stitches and one freezie later we stepped back out into fresh air just in time to meet Lisa, who had been driven down by a co-worker at the end of her shift.

Jilly is fine. She was a trooper through the entire ordeal, tears only surfacing when it was time to lie down on the stretcher and let the strange man in scrubs wave stainless steel objects in front of her eyes. Daddy did ok too, but while this was hardly the first time I’ve restrained a patient, it was significantly more taxing this time around.

I know I’ve been a little absent this last week or so, been working a little more than usual and it’s cut into my “internet” time. I’ll try to dig up some real posts and maybe even a few movie reviews on these few days off.

Hang in there, I am.