DavidCBaker

I would think that earning a 2.7 GPA at Monroe is like earning a significantly lower GPA at the average school. I'll be she took out student loans, too, so you and I will be stuck with this, too.

Welcome! I'm also in Nashville.

I've purchased a boatload of stuff online, especially from Optics Planet, and for the first time ever an order was flagged as "regulated by the Export Administrations Regulations (EAR), and export is restricted by the US Dept of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security." I'm not which of these scopes triggered it (or maybe both), but there doesn't seem to be much logic to it: Leupold VX-II 3-9x33mm Rimfire EFR Matte Rifle Scope ($399) Leupold FX-II 2.5x20mm Ultralight Rifle Scope ($269) More specifically, I've purchased nicer, more expensive scopes, and none of them have been flagged. Is this just a random process, or is there something about these items that raises a flag to some bureaucrat? Optics Planet handled it well and quickly, keeping me informed of the delay and sending me the proper paperwork to complete and return. I sent it back the same day and the items shipped that same day, too.

On the return trip, the pilot kindly let me sit right seat, so here are some more pictures. The panel is strikingly simple. Notice the Garmin 296 (I think it was): Sheepskin seat like a BMW. Flip-over yoke: Look how high we are above the water. The pilot knew exactly when to flare on the approach. That was pretty impressive, and must come from a lot of practice. This thing has a wide wingspan (and serious dihedral angle), but I wonder if he ever gets into ground effect? I didn't have a chance to ask: Even though this bird is equipped for IFR, they only fly VFR, down to 2 miles and 300 feet. Not sure why, unless there aren't any certified approaches to the harbors? I guess that makes sense. He said that the most common condition that causes a flight cancellation is high winds. Even as we taxied out, the winds were at 8 kt but he still had to keep the rudder on the float fully deflected. Here are the floats, which double as luggage compartments: This baby was first launched in 1959, before I was born. Here's a twin turbine moored at the same dock:

I'd had my fixed wing for years, including a few add ons, and I was honestly humbled at the process. I figured: how hard can this be? I soon found out the the hardest part (hovering) is what you have to do first in order to go anywhere, and I'm sure I must have looked drunk from a distance until I got the hang of it. But helicopters made me interested in aviation again. After the initial thrill wore off, it was setting the autopilot and waiting for something bad to happen. The only fun parts were IMC landings to minimum. But in a helicopter, I felt a lot of freedom again. I'm very grateful for having the opportunity.

One thing I thought cut down on my interest was how dang hot it was at the Nashville Fairgrounds and even the Smyrna show. And after going to a few, I got the distinct sense that it's same ol' guys selling the same ****ty stuff for too much money. I felt like they were selling timeshares or something. The narrow aisles were an issue too. Still, I always go and wander, so I do enjoy it.

What's the shortest period you've ever owned a given handgun? Say, a week on the one end--you bought it and hated it. Or whatever. I thought this might be interesting. If you want to protect the guilty, you could just tell us about "your friend" who owned one for three days.

The Grand Caravan is a terrific bird, especially when you consider how much of FedEx's remote traffic they haul every night to Memphis, in all sorts of weather. I also have my helicopter ticket, though it's pretty darn expensive to stay current. Mostly I've stayed current in the Schweitzer (sp?) 300 line, as well as the "M.A.S.H." chopper over at Cornelia Fort.

Yeah, I used to joke that I never needed to do a W & B on the Lance--if you could close the doors, you were good. That, and 6 hours (96 gallons) of fuel! Great plane. I understand they use it for drug running in Mexico because of the capacity and "tractor" nature of that model.

I'm with you on that. I sold my portion of the Piper Lance I owned for years. My dream has been to get a Maule, which strikes me as a very affordable, utility, all around capable aircraft. Very workable on shorter and unimproved strips; hauls a lot; fast enough cruise speed; full IFR when needed. And they are appropriately ugly! I spent a lot of time in a STOL-equipped Cessna 185 with luggage pod as a kid, and that's a true utility aircraft, albeit on the smaller end of the spectrum.

I wish. But if there was only one spot, I'd take it before I told you about it.

I've always admired the DeHaviland Otter Turbo Single. Got to take a trip in one today.

That's pretty cool. That's how I got the shot in my avatar, too. It's my XD(m) 9mm.

My mistake--you're right. I was thinking of my .204 Ruger. The rest of it is correct, though. Sorry about that.

If you plan on keeping it a long time, I'd go with the HMR. I have both a Cooper and a Volquartsen in that caliber. It's a really fun round to shoot. Flatter trajectory than many big-boy rounds (like a .308), less recoil, cheaper, etc. It's really a target/varmint round, though, as it's typically found in 32 grain or 40 grain, the difference being in a bit of speed but mainly impact of the wind. It's quite a lot of fun to shoot a round that arrives at the target before the sound even does.

I'm not trying to be rude, either, and I certainly don't want to pick a fight with you. It just seems recently that conservatives are LOOKING for things in the shadows, and I don't see some of the stuff they are seeing. I do see a terrible path we're on, and I'm disgusted about where we're heading, but we've got to get our heads on straight if we hope to convince other people of the dangers. Otherwise they'll dismiss us as nutjobs. A relative of mine is like this. Every time he talks with me he wants to point out all the conspiracies he's seeing. Most of them seem to be from talk radio and his own distorted reading of events. This may be a huge power play with deep social implications. Or it may just be somebody acting on their own and not phrasing things very well. I don't have any idea, frankly. There's a difference between being wary and being paranoid, and to me it seems like there are plenty of things to legitimately make us wary without trying to see snipers behind every bush.

Yeah, that's sort of the point. You really think someone trained in communications would put that out on a public, White House website if it was some deep, dark liberal ploy?

I'm with Mustang Dave on this. All this conspiracy stuff might lower the credibility a bit.

That's correct--see you there.

I'm at a CIS course on Sunday, but I'd sure like to attend one of these. I voted for Saturday.

I was thinking an EOTech, in a 1 MOA like you said.

Just curious. What distance in yards would you consider the outer limit of effective range for a quality red-dot scope, presumably letting an traditional optical scope take over from there? I'm guessing maybe 50-75 yards? No real reason for asking--just curious.

I've been very happy with the estate work this firm has done for us: ICS Law Group, P.C. 370 Mallory Station Road Suite 512 Franklin, TN 37067 (615) 224-1290

Congratulations! You did great, helping her enjoy the experience. Good work.

I get 20-22 on my diesel truck, which is pretty good. Believe it or not, I get 13 fully loaded, with the truck tipping the scale just under 10,000 lbs and the trailer right at 10,000 lbs.