winsor

Sriracha is great, but Dave's is my all-time favorite. You really have to watch it, since it gets in your bloodstream and really changes things. If I put more than 6 or 7 drops in scrambled eggs, it hurts to PEE the next day. I was told that an equivalent amount consumed by a nursing mother gave her baby diaper rash. Apparently it tinged her milk slightly pink. I have regular Dave's on hand, as well as his Ultimate Insanity and Special Reserve sauces. It takes a couple of years to go through a bottle. Blue skies, Winsor

In that I'm in Serbia as I write this, I suppose I can say "yes" to having been places other than the US of A. Asking what is the best in any group requires some standard against which to measure. If you want to know whether a Ferrari is better than a minivan, it depends for what purpose it is intended. For picking up Cub Scouts and schlepping around suburbia, the Voyager is the choice hands down. For wailing around curves at significant Mach numbers, the Quattrovalvole is the way to go. Where I am in Serbia (Vrsac) is a case in point for why our standards are not at all universal. Despite the economic damage inflicted by Wesley Clark's NATO alliance, this place has a lot to recommend it. People are well educated, well groomed, phenomenally hospitable and extremely family oriented. Booze is a part of the culture, but drinking to excess is not. The quality of life has it all over many more upscale rat-race locales. By some standards I would pick Vietnam, by others the South of France. I would settle in Southern Germany in a heartbeat if I could pull it off, and might go for Switzerland if I ever had more money than God. There are things about the US about which I am entirely chauvanistic, but I think some Americana is downright horrid. Then again, I've yet to be anywhere that I thought was 100% together. In any event, I don't think any place is all things to all people. Blue skies, Winsor

I have like 3 or 4 CYPRESes and 20 some-odd rigs. Actually, two CYPRESes aren't even installed at the moment. Which rig I use is entirely independent of whether it's AAD equipped; if it's there, nice, I'll turn it on, if it isn't, too bad. I have at least one hook knife and usually two on every sport rig. I avoid the cheapo Zak type, and go for a Jack the Ripper at a minimum. I had one jump where I really needed a hook knife and didn't have one (NOT CRW), and very nearly died. It made a believer out of me. The AAD is a nice touch, but a hook knife is a fundamental tool. As far as CRW goes, there's no way I will do CRW with someone who doesn't have a hook knife. If you're in a wrap with nothing but teeth and fingernails, you have a real problem on your hands. This is not like whether I'd jump with someone who's AAD-dependent. In a wrap, my life may be dependent on the actions of the other person. As an aside, on the ride to altitude at the Convention, I overheard a couple of low timers planning to do some CRW after opening. Since only one of them had a hook knife, I had the other guy put on my spare Jack knife, and he was on his way to buy one when he returned it after the jump (it was uneventful). Blue skies, Winsor

A) I never undo any straps. I loosen them to take the rig off, and tighten them when I put it on. B) I always request that everyone on the load perform a final gear check two minutes before jumprun. I have had a number of improperly attached chest straps and inaccessible handles show up when I asked people to check their gear. I really don't give a rat's ass if the truly hip people roll their eyes when I ask them to do so (actually, most don't). I know of too many cases where people were maimed or killed, and would have been just fine if they had performed that final check. Thus, I request that people do so every time I'm on a load. Actually, if Orly King is on the load he usually beats me to it and gives his standard safety briefing. Since his is more elaborate than is mine, I'm more than happy to defer. Sometimes being reminded of what you already know right before the jump can make the difference between pulling it off and being hosed. Having others look out for me has saved my ass on more than one occasion. Blue skies, Winsor

Since it will be a cold day in hell that I voluntarily watch a football game, I really don't care what goes on at half time. Since my interest in hip hop/rap is identical to my interest in football (less than zero), I consider it fitting that someone chose to put the two together. Blue skies, Winsor

CAMEL/IA 5,500+ hrs, 2,300+ skydives. First took the stick of a Cessna Skymaster in 1965. First jumped out of an airplane in 1971. I have a Piper Cherokee and over 20 rigs of various descriptions. I'd rather jump than fly. I've flown for a living, so I can see it as a job. I stick to recreational parachuting. Blue skies, Winsor

I've scrupulously avoided mind-altering substances since 1987. I gave up cigarettes in 1990, and sugar last year. I lost 15 pounds when I knocked off the booze, gained 15 lbs when I quit cigarettes and lost 18 pounds when I laid off the simple carbs. I have nothing against alcohol in general. I expect I'll bring back another load of firewater when I come back from Serbia again (Slivovitz & Grappa are plentiful & cheap here). I'm rarely around when people are pounding it down anyway. I go to sleep early, and see the antics on video the next day. Blue skies, Winsor

Aw, hell, the best I can do is an LAR Grizzly Big Boar. Then again, after giving it much thought I decided that going for a magazine-fed semi-auto really didn't make economic sense. I shoot my .458 Ruger No. 1 at about an identical rate as my .460 Weatherby, so the magazine-fed repeater part of the bolt action is wasted. Also, I have a little more latitude in what kind of reloads I assemble without affecting functionality. Most of the handloads I've assembled have pretty much duplicated factory/MilSpec ballistics, since I have rather a few lesser rifles around if I'm not in the mood for full-throttle entertainment. I have never had anyone complain that my .50 BMG was a single-shot. Usually comments are along the lines of "holy fuck!" Having said all that, I think the Barrett is too cool for school. Have fun! Blue skies, Winsr

Hmm, stated goals: Progessive system of taxation. Realistic, historically consistent national security policy. Support for public education. Realistic consideration of family planning. Not sending our troops to war unless absolutely necessary. What part of that agenda do you object to? The progressive taxation bit is particularly offensive. If I were to, say, spend a decade in poverty working my ass off to get a bunch of degrees, my reward would be to pay a higher percent of my resultant income NOT to repay debts incurred in getting so situated, but to subsidize "unfortunates" and their progeny. I'm not buying it. This socialistic concept that you should only have so much money after taxes, regardless of how much you make, is criminally stupid. With a flat tax, someone making twice as much pays twice as much. They still don't get more services for their money - in fact, they are likely to receive less. They are more likely to send their kids to private schools and colleges, while the offspring of indigents are likely to get a free ride from Head Start to Grad School. This is why I see that bastion of the Liberal ethos, the Democratic Party, as the natural choice for losers, deadbeats and parasites. Physicians are predominantly Republican, Attorneys are predominantly Democrat. Blue skies, Winsor

we welcome you too, after all the policies of GWB could hardly be called libertarian No, but voting Democrat to address the shortcomings of Republicans is like a dog rolling in particularly fragrant excreta to get rid of that "wet dog" smell. It's a change that is hardly an improvement. Blue skies, Winsor

Are you suggesting there's anyone who jumps without at least a walkman? Don't be ridiculous! If you didn't have SOME kind of entertainment available, the jump would be, well, BORING! Jeez.... Blue skies, Winsor

If you try to make something idiot-proof, they will build a better idiot. The goal of doing so is fundamentally flawed. The lowest-common-denominator mentality is repellant. I prefer to limit the effect that stupidity has on my life, rather than treating it as a driving force. You can live in a Nerf world if you choose. I try to avoid people who seek to do so, and do not grant them voice in my affairs. Blue skies, Winsor

Half a dozen of each. I prefer the .45 for social purposes, but they're both fun for recreation. Blue skies, Winsor

I don't. It didn't agree with me.

Based on the stance you took and your explanation for why you did so, it seemed a waste of time trying to convince you of anything. I have given you the benefit of the doubt in that your misconceptions were the result of ignorance,which is correctable with education, instead of stupidity, which is inherent. It is not my job to set you straight for free. As I said, if you want to attend the course you are welcome to do so. If you do, check everything you think you know at the door, since it is all wrong. You somehow expected to be taken seriously after demonstrating repeatedly that you know less than nothing about the subject. I can't bring myself to humor you in that wish. Blue skies, Winsor

Would that you had maintained your silence before completely obliterating your credibility. I wish I was left with some basis for respect, but I can think of none. Blue skies, Winsor

Wouldn't that be the Beretta "M9"? Trivia: the Italian gun manufacturer Beretta, is the oldest continually operational business in the entire world. What's that? Do you mean the M1 Garand, the WWII service rifle? Gen. Patton called the Garand "the greatest battlefield implement ever devised." When all the other armies of WWII were still using bolt-action rifles for their standard issue, only the Americans had a semi-auto - the M1 Garand. yup the Beretta M9 and yup again. it is the garand. the damn thing has such a kick that i refuse to fire more than 10 rounds with the thing because i don't want to risk a dislocated shoulder. You should try a range session with my .460 Weatherby (the .458 Ruger No. 1 Tropical is also none too shabby in the recoil department). I have a Browning BPS 10 gauge that I use for skeet and trap upon occasion. 2 1/4 oz. of shot really powders targets. Any of these make my Garand seem like a popgun. 200 rounds of .30-06 through the M-1 in a range session is no big deal by comparison. With a National Match barrel, the M-1 is a joy to shoot. Shooting apples at 100 meters is no challenge at all. Yeah, it does kick, but it's easy to put into perspective. Blue skies, Winsor

Fuckin' A, that's esoteric shit. Ok, I'm not that much of a gun wonk . . . can somebody explain to me in plain english why the fuck anyone would even want such a weapon? I mean, I can certainly understand it from a criminal's perspective -- easily modified to accept high capacity magazines (and I'm pretty sure that's why they were banned -- no fuckin' duh!), but if you're using this thing for hunting . . . WTF? I can explain it in plain English, but "if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand," as the saying goes. Again, a little education is all that is required to alleviate all kinds of ignorance. Blue skies, Winsor

1) If it isn't worse than alcohol or tobacco, legalize it. 2) Nothing is worse than alcohol or tobacco. Blue skies, Winsor

Really? Since you seem to have pointed out these states in particular, maybe you know of something written by these states you can point me to stating that the ultimate goal of regulation is the eventual prohibition. I think it's a paranoid assumption. You are, as usual, wrong. Even if you are playing devil's advocate, your adherence to a standpoint that is beneath contempt is wearing thin. If you seriously think your arguments have merit, do your own homework and discover how baseless are your statements. In the meantime, speak not of what you know not. Blue skies, Winsor

I suppose you support a two-week waiting period to buy gasoline. How about a 5-gallon limit? Ignorance and cowardice are powerful forces. Blue skies, Winsor

I totally understand your thoughts. No further elaboration is required, but consider that for most other devices that have the potential for the instant lethality that guns do, we regulate them fairly heavily -- often requiring education and licensing. Cars, motorcycles, airplanes . . . just to name a few. Would you support that? If not, then why not? I can not for the life of me understand why anyone would be against this -- Winsor included. In fact, since he made such a big deal out of the education issues earlier, I'd be very interested in his comments. I'm entirely against it, because it is simply a tool to effect prohibition. If you hadn't picked up on that, you're not paying attention. If you are unfit to possess firearms, you are unfit to populate a free society. I do not wish to be around anyone I could not trust with a loaded gun. If you want to get to the root cause of the problem, regulate idiots. Stupid people shouldn't breed. With our touchy-feely safety-based society, we have geared our standards to the lowest common denominator - and worked long and hard to ensure that it becomes lower yet. Though specific implementations have given Eugenics a bad rap, we have effected proof by contradiction. I am appalled by those who embrace the dumbing-down of our society, and the anti-gunners are at the top of the list. To those who can't envision why making the world idiot-proof should not be a priority, I respond that I do not consider it to be admirable goal since I do not feel that idiocy is a lofty standard. Again, if you can't imagine a society that can shoulder the responsibility of firearm ownership without Government-assigned babysitters, that says a lot more about you than it does about the subject of firearm ownership in and of itself. Blue skies Winsor

Unfortunately personal attendance is required, both for the classroom and range phases. The focus is upon responsibility rather than rights, and everything students have "learned" from Hollywood is checked at the door. Responsible firearm ownership gets little press, since it is usually a non-issue. Like a seat belt, the goal is to have it available and never, ever need it. If you ever really need either, you have other problems that won't go away. In 25 years of being a Certified Pistol Instructor, I've never heard of one of my students abusing their responsibilities with a firearm. A couple have followed my advice (and example) by running like hell to avoid armed confrontation. I contend that lawful firearm ownership and use is anything but a panacea, but abolition of armament in the populace is fundamental to tyranny. If you do wish to take a Basic Pistol class, I can find a good instructor near you (shotgun and rifle are just as informative and challenging). I think you may be surprised by how different is your perspective after a thorough treatment of the fundamentals. Blue skies, Winsor

I see, it's far easier to elevate yourself to some lofty position above it all. Ok. Us swine will do just fine without you. BTW, if it's unworth of debate, then why did you even respond in the first place? Just to take the cheap shot and run away? Tsk, tsk. If you want to come up to speed on the subject, you are welcome to enroll in my next class.

Emoticons are often used in atypical fashions - yours was sanctimonious. You were neither joking nor in the right.