Monday, September 15, 2008

The Airport Nacho Chronicles

You know, there should probably be some sort of caveat on Blogger about blogging after airport nachos — in this case, the Phoenix airport, but, hey, they do all run together. It is Monday and, in fact, a scary Monday if you're of the financial analyst persuasion. I used to live right off Wall Street in NYC (across the street from the South Tower of the World Trade Center, as a matter of fact), so I suspect you can right now feel the angst in my old building.

As you know, I'm more-or-less paranoid, so it probably won't surprise you that I'll be bumping up my awareness level while the U.S. economy is smacking the rocks. Here's the quickie rationale...any period of social tension, for lack of a better word, puts additional stress on the ole social fiber...bad karma can roll forth like hot molasses over biscuits and just about as fast. So I want to be paying a bit more attention to things going on around me, what's up in the ole home turf, for example. A word to the wise...

BTW, since we're sort of on the subject, I wanted to recommend the sanest preparedness book I've ever read, Cody Lundin's WHEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE. Lunden's not nearly as reflexively paranoid as I am, but this book may be the best overall text I've ever read on the subject...and it's funny, too...hard trick to pull off! Lunden's a wilderness survivial instructor, and he walks the talk, which is rare. I learned a bunch of stuff I didn't know, and that's the measure of any book for me. Go buy it before Hurricane Whatever turns your back yard into a waterpark.

On gunstuff, I too am a little worried about NSSF's 20/20 Task Force...according to their own study, hunting and shooting are at this point equal partners in terms of market size...I would much rather have seen a Task Force splt down the middle between hunting and shooting folk. Yet of the 26 members on the task force, only four (five, if you include the NRA) come from the sport shooting side of the equation.

I'm sorting through the NSSF report's action items to choose my 10 most important, as per my marching orders. Once I get them sorted out, I'll post them on the blog. Unfortunately, a lot of the action items when you start burrowing into them fall under the heading of "Encourage the Weather not to Rain on Weekends," no doubt a good idea but hardly the basis for intelligent planning.

And speaking of intelligent planning, check out MD Arms 20-round drums for the 12-gauge Saiga shotguns.

It's enough to make you buy a Saiga, which seem to be getting more and more popular among 3-Gun shooters. Sign up to get on their mailing list if you want one!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you have trouble looking the book up by author, I did, his last name is spelled "Lundin".

Anonymous said...

"Bumping up your awareness level"....what the hell does that mean?

Are you a crazy like that "Mel Tappan" dude who used to write the "Survive" column for G&A in the 70s? The DOW lost 500 points today. The world ain't gonna end tomorrow Mr. Bane. And when it does your awareness level probably won't mean diddly squat.

Michael Bane said...

Pay close attention, Anon...

Of course the world isn't going to end!

However, YOUR world might end if you're not paying attention and walk your smug butt into an urban riot.

So like I said, pay a little extra attention when times are unsettled!

Mb

Michael Bane said...

PS...sorry on the spelling...it was the nachos...

mb

Anonymous said...

I don't quite get why the National Shooting Sports Foundation seems to be "dis'ing" on the action pistol sports and/or 3 gun.

Is that the vibe I am getting, really?

Or am I reading way too much into things?

Didn't USPSA publish some sort of survey results that said us USPSA'er spend gazillions of dollars each year?

There used to be some little gal who worked for S and W at one point and then went to work for the NSSF. She shot IDPA Nat's last year.

IIRC, she is or was buddy buddy with a dude from CorBon ammo I think. He was at IDPA Nat's last year too.

Anywhooo.... back on topic... if the NSSF is giving the action shooters the cold shoulder am I NOT supposed to read into that somehow... that some higher highers at NSSF think that if the political situation goes south, us pistoleros are gonna be the first ones offered up, sacrificed, in order to appease all the hunters (Fudds) so they can keep their grand pappy's ol' deer gun.

Please, Michael, tell me it ain't so???

Anonymous said...

You really are paranoid. Maybe a tad touched as well?

Now, if Nov 4 or 5 we learn that B. Hussein has lost the election, then I would be worried about the possibility of urban riots.