Rob Boudrie

My favorite was always "If .... registers, put me in his squad".

I wouldn't be surprised if he was offered a deal - sign a document agreeing not to sue and you'll get your guns back and the charges dropped, or prepare for trial and you don't get anything back without a court order.

There are some fundamental differences with the nationals that present challenges for on-line squadding: Nationals registrations are processed in huge batches. On-line squadding works best if you add people to the on-line system every few days, rather than in huge batches. On-line squadding works best if you assign competitors to an initial squad upon registration, and let them change if they wish. That way, everyone in a single envelope starts out together, and you've taken care of the people who will never get to their computer. The 2005 nationals did not assign everyone to an initial squad, but that would not have worked since all registrations were released for squadding at the same time - so "initial squadding" would not have allowed any room for movement. The inability to set an initial squad meant users who previously simply enclosed a note with their registration had to coordinate squadding with their compatriots. If the nationals did allow competitors to squad as registration arrived, many people on the waiting list would find it impossible to get squadded with their buddy who registered weeks earlier with an earned slot, since that person's squad may already be full. It has been said that if you have a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. The on-line squadding system has worked wonderfully for many major matches, but I can certainly understand the decision to not use it for the nationals. I decided to create the on-line squadding system when I had index cards representing competitors spread out all over my living room floor making up the assignments for an Area 7 Championship. By the time I was done, I had decided that I never wanted to go through that process again. One of the big advantages of on-line squadding is "no surprises" - everyone gets what the system says they should get, and the match director does not need to deal with a competitor who arrives at the match and finds out he did not get his squadding request honored. Fortunately, the nationals match staff has the competence to do a great job processing requests, and thick enough skin to deal with the rare competitor whose request they are unable to honor.

Self squadding for the nationals is definitely one for that file labeled "seemed like a good idea at the time"

You're right about the timeliness of results, and I am confident this will be addressed in 2009. I believe you are completely off base with the allegation that the single glitch in the process, posting scores on-line on Wednesday rather than Sunday indicates some sort of a "lack of respect" for the Steel Challenge on the part of USPSA.

I've uploaded the scores Burce provided to the USPSA Major Match results area, and expect they will be added to an appropriate place on www.steelchallenge.com once the staff is back at HQ.

Dillon - the next time you need a computer doodad, order it from www.newegg.com. You'll get an excellent demonstration of how order tracking should work - direct integration into UPS tracking, and an automated email at each step of the ordering process. You could even give your software provider a spec "Make it work like newegg" and save the cost of a requirements analysis.

Plus Oakley has a dealer price protection plan - anyone offering ANY discount off of full retail will be discontinued as a dealer.

I'd suggest you consider he Bilsom Thunder T3 ($22.90), NRR 30db, over EAR disposable plugs ($51.70 for 200 pair), BRR 33db. NRR ratings of plugs over muffs are not additive (you won't get 64db) , but they combination still provides better protection that one alone. Also, safety glasses can reduce the NRR by making it harder to seal the muff to the skull, and plugs provide protection if you adjust your muffs. Lab Safety Supply, www.labsafety.com has a huge selection of all sorts of personal protection equipment (except firearms). You may need to ask the RO to hold the timer right by your muffs when wearing plugs + muffs, but that's a small price to pay for better protection. You can also consider the custom molded in the ear plugs (http://www.earinc.com/p1-nonelectronic-instamold.php).

Pro-gun states with shall-issue often have more restrictions on carry than anti-gun states with may-issue licensing systems. Most of the places off limits in OK law are not excluded in (of all places) the DPRM (Democratic People's Republik of Massachusett)s. Remember, if you carry to the nationals venue you MUST either utilize an unloading station outside the range, or report immediately to a match official to arrange gun clearing (rule 2.5.1/2.5.2). I don't know if the nationals will have a designated unloading station, or if the procedure is to report to a match official to unload. Probably about as likely as my employer needing the AED kept at the front desk during the same time period, or of needing the fire extinguisher I keep in the reloading period during any particular week. I know a case where a member would have been 100.00% justified in shooting two attackers when he was engaged in lawful behavior (walking on a public street) while in town for a match (no, it was not a USPSA nationals). He prevailed without a firearm, but only through a combination of luck, intestinal fortitude, and luck. Will it happen to you? Almost certainly not. But, as Walt Rauch said, one thing that leaves people unprepared is the "It won't happen; if it happens, it won't happen today; if it happens today it won' t happen to me" mindset.

Since many of us are heading to OK for the nationals in a few weeks, I'll add OK handgun laws to the "like" thread (with all the usual disclaimers of not being legal advice, etc.) It's also worth noting that calibers larger than .45 are prohibited in carry guns (I suppose I could start a hate thread on that one) and there is a ban on carr in establishments the primary purpose of which is the sale of alcohol. From http://www.ok.gov/osbi/documents/SDA_Lawbook_NOV_2007.pdf TITLE 21 § 1290.26 Reciprocal agreement authority RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT AUTHORITY The State of Oklahoma hereby recognizes any valid concealed carry weapons permit or license issued by another state. Any person entering this state in possession of a firearm authorized for concealed carry upon the authority and license of another state is authorized to continue to carry a concealed firearm and license in this state; provided the license from the other state remains valid. The firearm must be carried fully concealed from detection and view, and upon coming in contact with any peace officer of this state, the person must disclose the fact that he or she is in possession of a concealed firearm pursuant to a valid concealed carry weapons permit or license issued in another state. Any person who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older having a valid firearm license from another state may apply for a concealed handgun license in this state immediately upon establishing a residence in this state. TITLE 21 § 1272. Unlawful

What if the legitimate drug gave an real advantage - someone being treated for a medical condition would have an edge. Consider the case of beta blockers - the meal winner presents with normal blood pressure and a letter from a government employed MD in the eastern bloc host nation stating that he had hypertension before taking the Rx. Does the IOC take the MD's word, or require the winner to go off medication for a few days to prove the hypertension returns and verity the Rx was for a legitimate medical need?

One issue discussed way back when some were deluded into thinking IPSC was on the verge of getting IOC recognition was the anti doping policy, and the fact that anti-doping policies are so strict that many drugs commonly used to treat chronic conditions such as hypertension are banned - even if you suffer from the malady the drug is used to legitimately treat. Beta blockers are falling out of favor as a first line anti-hypertensive due to an English study showing that long term use is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing diabetes.

There is no TSA or other governmental requirement that ammo be declared just because it's in your luggage, though there may be requirements when traveling across the border.

The "personal exemption" allows individuals to take the ammo in their luggage when traveling. This does not necessarily cover handing the ammo over to a shipper for delivery to another person in the destination nation, even if you assert they will give it to you when you arrive. If you were asserting that 123.17c allows you to ship ammo to Indonesia by common carrier, you would also have to conclude that you could ship up to 3 handguns there as well without an export license - and it should be pretty obvious that isn't the case. So, please be careful about statements like "So our team could've had their handloads exported" when the authority you cite for that statement does not address the core complication - the 11 lb airline limit combined with the logistical difficulty of having ammo shipped overseas via commercial carrier.

Look at the bright side - if you marry her, just get a dial combination lock on your safe and she won't even know if you've given her the correct combination.

With all due respect, you are demonstrating innumeracy and a misunderstanding of what the term "relative risk" means. The relative risk is "what is the chance of a terrorist attach at the locations I will be visiting?" not "how many dead in the country I am visiting?". The US is much larger than Indonesia, both in terms of population and venues. The risk is further increased in foreign countries when the targets have historically been events or venues hosting international visitors. None of the major US terrorist incidents, to date, have specifically targeted venues with persons visiting from overseas - so the risk in visiting the US is generally the same risk that the resident US population is subject to. Based on news reports, such would not appear to be the case in certain other countries. To put it in perspective - a 10% increase in the highway fatality rate in a year would result in more deaths than the US has experienced in any one year from a terrorist attack. Omit the 9/11 attacks and that drops to well under 1%. Of all the risks one encounters in the US, terrorism is actually pretty small compared to highway accidents and non-terrorist crime.

Care to enlighten the forum on the logistical and legal aspects of exporting an individual exporting a relatively small amount of this regulated commodity from the US to Indonesia?

I'll be working both.

If you were a big name shooter, would you make the time and investment necessary to shoot with unfamiliar ammo that may or may not work well in your equipment?

You missed a summary of "disappearing " vs. "non-disappearing" targets.

On that topic.... I just got back from a 70 shooter/5 stages match that used the new version with the "_" instead of "0" as George Jones suggested (it worked flawlessly). I am grateful to the folks at the Harvard, MA club who installed the upgrade so we could have it fully field tested in time for the nationals - and to Peter who honored my request to not put some other pending improvements into this code drop (since I value stability over new features heading into the nationals).

I'll give you 2:1 odds that you'll find your contract has been extended if you call them after they ship this new phone .

If it's not a JP, then someone has put a JP stock with the bar across the bottom of the gun. If you look carefully, you will see subtle clues as to the identity of a JP rifle, most notably th emanufacturer and model number engraved on the lower receiver

623 and 684 are JP CTR-02 rifles in .223. 664 looks like a Sig P230SL, but it could be anothe rP230 model if the frame is Al alloy rathre than stainless 662 is a High Standard or a clone of one, not sure about the exact model.