bonedaddy

Flex-" How many ads/commercials have you seen...often...that you remember the neat commercial...but have no idea of the product or service?" Very often! A couple of nights ago a commercial runs by and Bonemomma looks at me and asks, "Were they trying to make a point, or are they just targeting stupid people who have credit cards?" I can't remember the commercial she commented on now, but it could have been one of several. The marketing ploy is too obvious for me: If you're cool, you will get the nebulous message. Un-cool people will never figure it out, dude! So, be cool and buy our product.

Pat, I was hoping to use epoxy too. Nolan, the initials are a nice touch!

Eric, thanks for the support. And I think Flex knows;) I may need to go to the Hate forum and do a good soul cleansing rant on the topic of corporate malfeasance later.

Before........... Pure, Ghost Dog, Gold! Travis, I would really enjoy seeing some pics, if it isn't too much trouble. Dang, I should have questioned why I have always used a long trigger! I'm planning to install a new Strayer tri-glide system after the holidays, so I can shorten the old trigger right away! Thanks!!!

Sorry for the rant everybody. (I have a pet peeve....it's complicated, OK?) But, Ayn Rand novels are excellent! I've been trying to get bonemomma to read "We the Living", I know she'd dig it.

I've read several Rand novels. Loved them too. The heros in Atlas Shrugged bore no resemblance what-so- ever to the real "looters" of the current age, many of Americas CEO's. It's simple. Rand's heros built companies because it was their purpose in life. They did what they did becaused they loved it. And everyone else profited by their ingenuity. The modern day list of Atlases is pretty short. Folks like Sam Walton, Bill Gates, Mike Dillon, and a few others. These people took all the risks! They mortgaged their own homes to make it happen. By contrast, many CEO's of large corportations are outright stealing other peoples money by getting insane salaries and sweetheart stock options. Then they totally gut the company and cook the book$ to get a temporary pop in the stock price and SHAZZAM! Instant multi-milionare. Friends, this little story is far, far, from over. I wish I could tell you it's going to end nice, but it ain't. PS: I guess I should tell you why it isn't going to end nice. Economies only function on trust. The medium of exhange doesn't matter, the base requirement is trust. (Edited by bonedaddy at 10:31 pm on Dec. 16, 2002)

Great comeback, Ron! PS: It's also a great time to buy new lingerie. DOH!.... No, no, I mean for the wife! Everybody's doing it this time of year, so a guy doesn't feel so awkward.

I totally agree SiG Lady. If one could identify the "paying of attention" in a demographic sense, shooters probably rank right up there at the top. (Brain fade does occur in shooters infrequently, and usually only on treacherous courses of fire.)

I totally agree SiG Lady. If one could identify the "paying of attention" in a demographic sense, shooters probably rank right up there at the top. (Brain fade does occur in shooters infrequently, and usually only on treacherous courses of fire.)

Pat- "Brian once told me on a past discussion about slapping (still not an accurate word to describe it) that it has to do more with your personality traits. I lean more towards gross motor control so slapping works for me." I know what you mean Pat, people who know me well have referred to me as being "slap happy" on several occasions. Travis, Pat, Brian, or anyone who does sub .10 splits, how "good" must my trigger job be to approach this amazin' feat? I see .16-.15 splits frequently, and my S_I has a 2.75 lb trigger that really ain't that good I've been told.

Whew! Thanks, Travis! I was wondering if I was missing the boat. I went back and read what Pat said again, it makes more sense now. Ron, I went over and blew away a few hundred rounds after posting my last question. I did feel my finger lift off the trigger several times while going pretty fast. (running the triple dog drill) I feel all better after reading Pat and Travis' explainations. Don't disturb the sights, that pretty much sums it all up. Once again, the be.com forum provides a life line to the geographically isolated shooter. Thanks All! -Sam

I heard this story from a friend yesterday and like so many things, it made me think of my shooting. It's probably been around for awhile, I'm often the last to hear things. There was a young Brave who felt a great turmoil in his spirit and so, he sought the wisdom of his Grandfather. " Grandfather" he asked, "why do I have all of this commotion going on inside of me"? The Grandfather replied, "Inside each of us there are two wolves. They are constantly engaged in battle with each other to see who will control our spirit. One wolf is filled with hate, envy, greed, and fear. The other wolf is filled with peace, hope, compassion, and love." "But Grandfather, which wolf will be the stronger and win the fight for my spirit", asked the young man ? "The one you feed", the old man replied.

Ditto Jack , great post! "While the occasional post regarding defensive shooting is not prohibited, this is not the place for lengthy discussions/debates regarding defensive shooting." - from the new members section, marked "please read". So far, I've resisted posting much, if anything, about this whole mess. Now, I guess it's time to comment. BRIAN HAS CHOSEN TO PROVIDE A FORUM ABOUT COMPETITIVE SHOOTING. This has been clearly communicated from the very start. If Joe and others want to operate sites that focus on defensive shooting, then more power to them. I truly wish them great success. We would be wrong to go to their sites and argue competitive shooting with them, they should not come here and argue defensive shooting with us. Let's respect our differences and realize that competition is about self improvement and defensive shooting sadly, is about having to kill other people. Does anyone lecture Barry Bonds about how to swing a ball bat in defense? Who is telling Tiger Woods that his golf club wielding technique will get him "killed in a real world fight"? A gun is only a tool, with no will of it's own. It yields to the intention of the user. Around here, the intention is self improvement through competition. Defensive shooters: Please, don't feel any burden to teach me how to save my own life. I admit to being something of a fool when it comes to looking after myself, and hereby release you of all responsibility in my certain demise. The time and place and circumstances of my death are all matters that my Creator is fully capable of dealing with. So, I freely choose to enjoy my life, and walk without fear all of my days. -Best wishes & enjoy life! -Sam Johnson A-19603

I've been working really hard to teach myself to NOT slap the trigger. (and making good progress too) Now I find out that guy's who are light years ahead, are slapping it. I would love to be able to slap the trigger and still get my hits! Now I'm wondering, is there a level of acceptability? Is there a time to slap and not to slap? Do they also slap at long distances and where high presicion is required? I'd really like to hear Ghost Dog's insights on this one. Brian, please? -Sam

Tommy, absolutely! One of my favorite sensations is feeling the trigger reset after the shot fires. I really think that feeling for the little reset "click" keeps me from slapping the trigger on the next shot.

Emelda Marcos, eat your heart out!

SiG Lady, I think your friend was very wise. A whole lot of people seem to be breathing. But, who really pays attention any more?

Some folks say competition is all about winning. And for them, maybe it is. I'm not saying that's a wrong attitude, I just think there's alot more to it than that. Competition teaches us how to do what we love to do, only better. When we answer the challenge to put it all on the line, to stand and deliver.......then either we can or we can't. This is the place where the "can't" should be identified and discarded and then only the "can" should endure. So how do we identify the "can't"? If we don't approach our shooting (or life) with humility, it is very hard to see what attitudes, habits, sacred cows, are holding us back. If we shoot out of pride, because WE want to, then each win re-enforces that pride and each failure gets blamed on the circumstances, and that's the cycle we stay in. What if we finally realize that it isn't really up to us? What if we shoot because we need to, because we're made that way? Then there's nothing to be proud of because it isn't up to us, or about us, or as a result of anything we've done. Maybe then, the whole point of shooting becomes learning to deal with and remove the obstacles.......so we,"can"???

One day last week at work, the conversation went something like this: "Mornin' Bob, how you doin'?" Bob, the Welder: "Well....any day I wake up and there ain't a chalk line around me, I figure it's gonna be a pretty good day. "

Kyle, LOL! Jake, sometimes I seem to interpret all sorts of "life inputs" in a shooting context too. The question about "being on the right road" is a question of unfocused concern. Unfocused concern is the very same thing as worry to me, so I'd rather rephrase the question as "Are you where you want to be?" Sometimes I know I'm definately "on the right road", but not going in the right direction or going nowhere at all. By setting clear goals that can be easily tracked and evaluated, we can avoid that "lost feeling". If the goal is to become an "A" class shooter, there are alot of subordinate goals that will identify exactly where the improvements need to be made. Accept the strengths, and target the weaknesses by setting goals to improve them. Reaching these goals will provide confirmation, and act as the sign posts that show us the way. -Sam Johnson A19603

Awesome Brian! The "edge" of the motorcycle was a place of great beauty and peace that I could peer into for a second or two. No thinking, just action. The door was found somewhere after the bike left the ramp and before it touched down. But, I had to quit looking there. I was going to die looking there, and it wasn't my time. Now, I've found the door again. It opens somewhere between the sound of the fourth popper being struck and the first one beginning to fall. It's out there on a stage when the gun simply appears where I "will it" to and fires crisply and accurately. Several two second doses of this feeling that I can only describe as "joy" are enough to leave me feeling relaxed and smiling for the rest of the day. That is the mountain top for me. Hangtime........... In the movie, "Chariots of Fire", the character that portrays olympic runner Eric Liddell says " I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel God's pleasure." ....."To give up running would be to hold him in contempt". I'm back on the track now. Evel Kenievel makes sense again.

Thanks Kyle, I figured you would understand. (I don't have a hard time at all, picturing you cartwheeling through the air.) And I know from some previous posts that there are quite a few others who have spent time pushing their limits. But, how can we not push our limits? It's probably written in our genetic code. This is a mental aspect we need to explore with others who are similarly wired. Know thyself......

Back when I was 15 years old I thought Evel Kineivel was totally brilliant. Of course, I had a few hard "get offs" trying to imitate him. When I was 26, there was a "sure 'nough absolutely shoulda' been fatal crash" that for some reason just didn't kill me. That's when I discoverd gun racing and left bikes alone for a few years. I went to the dentist last week and she got to looking at my x-rays and reminiscing about all the ways they had rebuild my teeth in the last 20 years. So, that set me to thinking about the broken bones, concussions, separated shoulder, and my early infatuation with the ways of Evel. You know, after a few days I was still thinking about it. I wasted alot of good years thinking that Evel Kineivel was crazy, all because I got my butt stomped by riding beyond my own ability. But now I realize that I've been looking at it all wrong. He knew the odds, if anybody ever did. I guess he just felt like there was nothing else he could do. Ol' Evel really WAS brilliant.................even when he crashed.

Kyle, man I hear you! I've gotton to the point where I'll trade a tow sack and two bushel baskets full of "fast" for a half-ounce of "consistent" and walk away grinnin'.