So I held off speaking about the Paris attack last month, because I didn't want to be another person commenting and throwing in my two cents on such a tragedy. There were plenty of people doing that, both horribly, and blaming the victims (see Christian pastor Kevin Swanson), and those that come from a place of reason and compassion, assigning the blame where it belongs (Noah Lugeon's diatribe on episode 144 of "The Scathing Atheist"). And it was a subject that was being beat into the ground, and as stated by Noah in his diatribe, "I don't want to be yet another voice standing atop 129 corpses to say 'Hey, you know that thing I'm ideologically committed to, that thing I've been saying for years? That's the real issue behind these Paris attacks'." It's been done and better than I probably would have.
That brings us to the recent shooting at Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The shooter, as described by his own ex-wife is a conservative, anti-abortion, Christian. And already we have fucktards like Glenn Beck rushing in to shout down the fact that he's Christian with the old rhetoric of that's not a thing that "real" Christians do. Immediately attempting to separate his religion from his actions, where, if he were a Muslim, Beck and his ilk would have no problem embracing that fact and shining a giant fucking spotlight on it.
This was an act of violence was at the very least had some basis on his religious beliefs, if not the sole factor. To divorce this attack from the Christian religion would be the same as removing the Muslim influence from the Paris attack. To do so, to me, marks you as someone that lives in state of delusion and ignorance that makes me wonder how you are able to function at all. And I've noticed that when it comes to the Colorado shooting, the media is being amazingly quiet about his faith.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Amateur Gunsmithing II: 1911 complete
So a while ago I wrote about amateur gunsmithing and mentioned a 1911 build. Whelp, I finished it recently and took it out for a test fire. And I still have all my fingers, so it didn't blow up on me which is nice. So that being the result I'll go a little in depth about the process of completing a build like this. Again as with my AR-15 build I garnered everything I needed to know from the internet, Youtube videos, and various forums online were overflowing with knowledge.
To start it wasn't that difficult, just a few places that took some patience and a little elbow grease.
I began with a stripped Rock Island Armory frame and Para Ordnance P14.45 slide from Sarco, both at a respectable price of about $120 each.
To start it wasn't that difficult, just a few places that took some patience and a little elbow grease.
I began with a stripped Rock Island Armory frame and Para Ordnance P14.45 slide from Sarco, both at a respectable price of about $120 each.
These are the two main pieces of the build which house all the moving and make go bang parts. The frame, according to the BATFE, being the actual firearm I had shipped to a local FFL dealer so all the legal paper work could be done and have it registered to me. The slide itself, as well as all the other parts, were able to be shipped straight to the house. The slide to frame fit was a bit too tight for my liking so with a little bit of fine grain sanding on the top of the frame rails I was able to obtain a nice smooth, yet still tight fit with no wobble. This consisted of a few strokes on the sandpaper, brush off the dust, and test fit over and over again until I got it to where I wanted it.
Then came the frame internals, sear, trigger, disconnector, mainspring hammer safety and all the associated springs and pins. Some of these parts required minor fitting, a little light filing or sanding here and there but it all worked smooth like butter. I unfortunately didn't take pictures of this process as I was to engrossed in the process and lazy. I really need to get better at documenting these things as I go along, but it's hard to break concentration once I get going.
Still missing at this point are the grips, plunger tube, slide release, barrel, grip safety, and the rest of the slide internals. After receiving these parts it was probably the easiest part of the build as I've played with 1911's a little in the past and was familiar with how to take them apart. the barrel link pin needed a bit of fitting as well, and a little light hammering to get it in place but it fit nice and tight and pivots without any binding. The same can be said for the barrel bushing which I admit that I may have over done a little as it fits and functions just fine but a little looser than you would expect on a new 1911, more like one with a few hundred rounds through it. And at this point I'm pretty much done, aside from the rear sight, which being a Para Ordnance slide (the dovetail cut they use is a bit different from other slides) can be a bit difficult to source, and or pricey. So this is what I ended up with. and I love it. It's mine, I made this to my liking and I probably have a much better appreciation for it than I would having gotten one off the shelf.
So, there you are, a second entry into amateur gunsmithing. With hopefully more to come. Still in the works is a .300 AAC Blackout upper for my AR-15, which admittedly won't be difficult at all but still fun. Again for those of you out there that are looking to get a 1911 at some point I would highly recommend doing a build, the outcome is very satisfying.
Mr. Angry Beard
The issue with education in this country
Today's education system in the US seems to be a bit lacking. From some brief research I was able to learn the we are pretty low on the totem pole when it comes to overall education when compared to the rest of the developed world. I'm sure partially due to the fact that while other nations have increased their spending on education the US has actually cut spending. This aspect alone could prompt a long diatribe on the national budget and federal spending in general, but I won't go down that path today. I'm more focused on the 'how' of the current system. The methods of teaching and the stick and carrot methods used to encourage better results.
It seems today, and even when I was in school it was already headed this way, that students are being taught to the test. Which is an absolute horrible way to teach. In effect giving the students only the instruction that will be covered in the test, and drilled in memorizing dates and snippets of facts. And in the science based classes memorizing formulas and not really worrying about the actual application of them, just enough to figure out the correct answer. In an age now, when all these things are available to damn near anyone on a whim, wouldn't it be more prudent to not have students memorizing? But show them how to apply these things and stimulate critical thinking and problem solving. The availability of knowledge is only gong to become more and more easy to come by as time goes on. Hell, at this point I'm pretty certain that you could gain a decent grasp of advanced math, world history, and even electrical engineering from Youtube.
It seems today, and even when I was in school it was already headed this way, that students are being taught to the test. Which is an absolute horrible way to teach. In effect giving the students only the instruction that will be covered in the test, and drilled in memorizing dates and snippets of facts. And in the science based classes memorizing formulas and not really worrying about the actual application of them, just enough to figure out the correct answer. In an age now, when all these things are available to damn near anyone on a whim, wouldn't it be more prudent to not have students memorizing? But show them how to apply these things and stimulate critical thinking and problem solving. The availability of knowledge is only gong to become more and more easy to come by as time goes on. Hell, at this point I'm pretty certain that you could gain a decent grasp of advanced math, world history, and even electrical engineering from Youtube.
The point is that we're stuck in a mode of instruction that severely limits the potential of today's youth. And the current model of schools being rewarded or punished financially based on standardized testing. Leading to students being taught only what is on the test to try to bring those scores up. That's not saying that there are not teachers out there that try to go beyond and actually instruct students on the how and why of their specific subjects, but those teachers are few and far between.
Do I have the answers on how to shift things to provide a better education to the students of today? No. But I'm sure that there are people out there who have put the relative thought into it and have some damn good plans on how to implement it.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
The bravest man I ever knew.
Ten years ago SFC Alwyn Cashe took action during an ambush in Iraq that would cost him his own life in an attempt to save the lives of others. He knowingly rushed headlong, under and on fire into a burning vehicle to rescue his soldiers who were trapped inside. An act of complete selflessness that was definitive of who he was as a soldier and a leader. A man of courage and quick thinking, placing the needs of those he led before himself. A man, I had the privilege and honor, of serving with during my time in A Co. 1-15. He was the platoon sergeant of first platoon, while I was a team leader in third platoon. While I never fell directly under him in the chain of command, after a short time in the company I knew that he was a hell of an NCO. In fact he was the first person that I met when I was transfered from HHC of 1-15 to Alpha company, having had my sergeant stripes pinned on at the final formation the Friday before with orders to report to Alpha company on that Monday. Monday morning before PT I went to the CQ desk to report and SFC Cashe was the first person I ran into, he was waiting to talk to the 1SG about some unrelated issue, but he greeted me all the same. I can't recall his exact words to this day but it was something along the lines of 'good to see a young new hard charging NCO'.
The following is taken directly from his silver star citation, which is currently being worked on to be upgraded to the Medal of Honor, documenting his actions that night:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant First Class Alwyn C. Cashe, United States Army, for exceptionally valorous achievement following an improvised explosive device explosion on 17 October 2005, while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
Sergeant First Class Cashe's disregard for his own safety proved evident when he saved the lives of six fellow soldiers despite his serious injuries. His bravery is in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, Task Force DRAGON, the SLEDGEHAMMER Brigade, Task Force LIBERTY, and the United States Army.
Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy of the United States as a Platoon Sergeant in 1st Platoon, Alpha Company (HARDOCK), 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment stationed at Forward Operating Base MACKENZIE, Iraq, on 17 October 2005.
On the evening of 17 October 2005, Sergeant First Class Cashe's heroic actions saved the lives of six of his fellow soldiers. At approximately 1920 hours, 1st Platoon of Alpha Company, 1-15 Infantry departed FOB MACKENZIE to conduct a route clearance in the city of Daliaya, Iraq.
Along Route JAIME, the lead Bradley Fighting Vehicle, of which Sergeant First Class Cashe was gunner having just moved from a NMC vehicle, struck a victim detonated pressure-switch IED at grid MC 25357243. The blast ignited the fuel cell on the vehicle causing fuel to spew everywhere. The vehicle came to a stop and immediately erupted in flames.
Sergeant First Class Cashe was initially slightly injured and drenched with fuel. Despite his condition, he bravely managed to get out of the gunner's hatch, crawl down the BFV and assist the driver out of the driver's hatch.
The driver had been burned and Sergeant First Class Cashe extinguished his flames. The following minutes were crucial. Six soldiers and a translator were in the back of the Bradley. Flames had engulfed the entire vehicle from the bottom and were coming out of every portal. The squad leader inside the vehicle managed to open the troop hatch door to help the soldiers escape.
Without regard for his personal safety, Sergeant First Class Cashe rushed to the back of the vehicle, reaching into the hot flames and started pulling out his soldiers. The flames gripped his fuel soaked uniform. Flames quickly spread all over his body.
Despite the terrible pain, Sergeant First Class Cashe placed the injured soldier on the ground and returned to the burning vehicle to retrieve another burning soldier; all the while, he was still on fire. A crew from a trail Bradley arrived within moments and assisted with CASEVAC.
During all this and with severe burns, Sergeant First Class Cashe bravely continued to take control of the chaos. Within minutes, the company First Sergeant was on the scene and began to evacuate the seriously injured soldiers. One of which was Sergeant First Class Cashe.
In the end, the national translator was killed in action, and 10 soldiers were injured. Seven of the ten were very seriously injured.
Sergeant First Class Cashe stayed a hero through it all. His injuries were the worst as he suffered from 2d and 3d degree burns over 72% of his body. Sergeant First Class Cashe's heroic actions saved the lives of six of his beloved soldiers. He is truly deserving of this award. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, Task Force LIBERTY and the United States Army.
The following is taken directly from his silver star citation, which is currently being worked on to be upgraded to the Medal of Honor, documenting his actions that night:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant First Class Alwyn C. Cashe, United States Army, for exceptionally valorous achievement following an improvised explosive device explosion on 17 October 2005, while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
Sergeant First Class Cashe's disregard for his own safety proved evident when he saved the lives of six fellow soldiers despite his serious injuries. His bravery is in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, Task Force DRAGON, the SLEDGEHAMMER Brigade, Task Force LIBERTY, and the United States Army.
Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy of the United States as a Platoon Sergeant in 1st Platoon, Alpha Company (HARDOCK), 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment stationed at Forward Operating Base MACKENZIE, Iraq, on 17 October 2005.
On the evening of 17 October 2005, Sergeant First Class Cashe's heroic actions saved the lives of six of his fellow soldiers. At approximately 1920 hours, 1st Platoon of Alpha Company, 1-15 Infantry departed FOB MACKENZIE to conduct a route clearance in the city of Daliaya, Iraq.
Along Route JAIME, the lead Bradley Fighting Vehicle, of which Sergeant First Class Cashe was gunner having just moved from a NMC vehicle, struck a victim detonated pressure-switch IED at grid MC 25357243. The blast ignited the fuel cell on the vehicle causing fuel to spew everywhere. The vehicle came to a stop and immediately erupted in flames.
Sergeant First Class Cashe was initially slightly injured and drenched with fuel. Despite his condition, he bravely managed to get out of the gunner's hatch, crawl down the BFV and assist the driver out of the driver's hatch.
The driver had been burned and Sergeant First Class Cashe extinguished his flames. The following minutes were crucial. Six soldiers and a translator were in the back of the Bradley. Flames had engulfed the entire vehicle from the bottom and were coming out of every portal. The squad leader inside the vehicle managed to open the troop hatch door to help the soldiers escape.
Without regard for his personal safety, Sergeant First Class Cashe rushed to the back of the vehicle, reaching into the hot flames and started pulling out his soldiers. The flames gripped his fuel soaked uniform. Flames quickly spread all over his body.
Despite the terrible pain, Sergeant First Class Cashe placed the injured soldier on the ground and returned to the burning vehicle to retrieve another burning soldier; all the while, he was still on fire. A crew from a trail Bradley arrived within moments and assisted with CASEVAC.
During all this and with severe burns, Sergeant First Class Cashe bravely continued to take control of the chaos. Within minutes, the company First Sergeant was on the scene and began to evacuate the seriously injured soldiers. One of which was Sergeant First Class Cashe.
In the end, the national translator was killed in action, and 10 soldiers were injured. Seven of the ten were very seriously injured.
Sergeant First Class Cashe stayed a hero through it all. His injuries were the worst as he suffered from 2d and 3d degree burns over 72% of his body. Sergeant First Class Cashe's heroic actions saved the lives of six of his beloved soldiers. He is truly deserving of this award. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, Task Force LIBERTY and the United States Army.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Who the fuck am I?
Hey there again random readers on the internet. It dawned on me that before I took a that long break for no reason that I had planned to do an about me post. To kind of let you all know who I am and how I view things. Give you a little step inside my mind as it were. And I never actually got around to writing it. So strap on your stupid and let's get at it.
Well, let's start off with the basics I'm a 33 year old guy who lives in a rural area of Indiana near somewhat close to Chicago. As well as being a medic who currently works in an ER. I am also a U.S. Army veteran, (infantry for those who care), with two tours in Iraq, once in '03 for the invasion and again in '05. Current hobbies and fun ways to pass the time include some PC gaming, amateur gunsmithing, shooting, and general tinkering with shit. I'm also a big fan of sci-fi books and TV, a giant Star Wars fan, a passable Star Trek fan. As far as TV goes I really don't watch a lot, it's usually on as background noise while I do other shit on the computer. But for the shows I do watch boils down to a pretty short list, to include The Walking Dead, Archer, and the now defunct British Top Gear (although I look forward to the new Amazon show with Clarkson). As far as movies, I dig a lot of sci-fi stuff, action, comedies, and the comic book adaptations (really waiting for Deadpool), although not too big a fan of horror flicks, they tend to bore me. That previously mentioned PC gaming usually consists of Diablo III, WoW (although I haven't played in months), DayZ, and maybe a shooter or two.
On a more personal level I am divorced, I got married when I was young and stupid at 19, and after being cheated on while in Iraq well, that was the end of that. I have been more or less single since that time, me and relationships don't work to well apparently. Most recently I'm not too sure why it ended although I have some ideas. I'm mostly sure that it has to do with the fact that I am an unapologetic atheist. I can't fault her for it as her religion is important to her, and I abhor religion in all forms. But oh well, I'll get by like I always do. I tend to keep a small circle of friends, a lot of which I work with.
I also have a pretty damn twisted sense of humor, I hold nothing sacred and nothing is out of bounds to me, although I am aware of those around me and hold back a bit for them. As I am aware that humor is subjective and not everyone will find the same shit I do hilarious. On the subject of humor some of the best comedians for me are Louis C.K., Bill Burr, Patton Oswalt, and Lewis Black, among others.
Politically, I wouldn't consider myself a member of either the Republicans or Democrats, or even a Libertarian for that matter. I tend to have leanings to either side of the aisle depending on the subject. To me a lot of the issues plaguing this country are more complex than the hard lines drawn by the two major parties. A lot of things are not black and white, but large swaths of gray that consist of multiple smaller aspects that each side tend to overlook. Like gun control, there are many different aspects that need to be addressed individually and not as one issue, I personally think gun control should fall under a federal jurisdiction alone and the entire set of laws needs to be thrown out and redone, although that's for another post by itself. Then again there are some that are, for me, easy to decide on, like marriage equality. If two consenting adults want to get married, let them.
When it comes to music I'm a bit stuck in the past, a huge fan of mid '90s to early 2000s rock and alternative, with a little hip hip/rap sprinkled in there. Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Seven Mary Three, is where I tend to live. The majority of new music I just cannot get into, not sure what it is but I don't like it. That being said there are a few artists that I like but it's a very short list. I'm a huge fan of great vocalists like Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, Brandon Boyd, and Aaron Lewis. Something about how they pour themselves into the art is amazing. That being said, get off my lawn!
I'm not to big a sports guy, I mean I root for the Cubs, Bears, and Blackhawks, but I couldn't tell you shit about other teams. I've never really been into even playing sports, as a kid and up until I graduated high school I studied Tae Kwan Do, but that was about the extent of it.
Well, that's me in a nutshell, if you want to know more ask away in the comments. Oh, and those that do read this and other posts please leave some comments, or questions. I would like some feedback, or some ideas for future posts. Just some general discussion, but I won't be dragged into an internet argument or flame war so try to be civil, so if you want to use profanity feel free, but not as an attack on someone else.
Until Next time,
Mr. Angry Beard
Well, let's start off with the basics I'm a 33 year old guy who lives in a rural area of Indiana near somewhat close to Chicago. As well as being a medic who currently works in an ER. I am also a U.S. Army veteran, (infantry for those who care), with two tours in Iraq, once in '03 for the invasion and again in '05. Current hobbies and fun ways to pass the time include some PC gaming, amateur gunsmithing, shooting, and general tinkering with shit. I'm also a big fan of sci-fi books and TV, a giant Star Wars fan, a passable Star Trek fan. As far as TV goes I really don't watch a lot, it's usually on as background noise while I do other shit on the computer. But for the shows I do watch boils down to a pretty short list, to include The Walking Dead, Archer, and the now defunct British Top Gear (although I look forward to the new Amazon show with Clarkson). As far as movies, I dig a lot of sci-fi stuff, action, comedies, and the comic book adaptations (really waiting for Deadpool), although not too big a fan of horror flicks, they tend to bore me. That previously mentioned PC gaming usually consists of Diablo III, WoW (although I haven't played in months), DayZ, and maybe a shooter or two.
On a more personal level I am divorced, I got married when I was young and stupid at 19, and after being cheated on while in Iraq well, that was the end of that. I have been more or less single since that time, me and relationships don't work to well apparently. Most recently I'm not too sure why it ended although I have some ideas. I'm mostly sure that it has to do with the fact that I am an unapologetic atheist. I can't fault her for it as her religion is important to her, and I abhor religion in all forms. But oh well, I'll get by like I always do. I tend to keep a small circle of friends, a lot of which I work with.
I also have a pretty damn twisted sense of humor, I hold nothing sacred and nothing is out of bounds to me, although I am aware of those around me and hold back a bit for them. As I am aware that humor is subjective and not everyone will find the same shit I do hilarious. On the subject of humor some of the best comedians for me are Louis C.K., Bill Burr, Patton Oswalt, and Lewis Black, among others.
Politically, I wouldn't consider myself a member of either the Republicans or Democrats, or even a Libertarian for that matter. I tend to have leanings to either side of the aisle depending on the subject. To me a lot of the issues plaguing this country are more complex than the hard lines drawn by the two major parties. A lot of things are not black and white, but large swaths of gray that consist of multiple smaller aspects that each side tend to overlook. Like gun control, there are many different aspects that need to be addressed individually and not as one issue, I personally think gun control should fall under a federal jurisdiction alone and the entire set of laws needs to be thrown out and redone, although that's for another post by itself. Then again there are some that are, for me, easy to decide on, like marriage equality. If two consenting adults want to get married, let them.
When it comes to music I'm a bit stuck in the past, a huge fan of mid '90s to early 2000s rock and alternative, with a little hip hip/rap sprinkled in there. Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Seven Mary Three, is where I tend to live. The majority of new music I just cannot get into, not sure what it is but I don't like it. That being said there are a few artists that I like but it's a very short list. I'm a huge fan of great vocalists like Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, Brandon Boyd, and Aaron Lewis. Something about how they pour themselves into the art is amazing. That being said, get off my lawn!
I'm not to big a sports guy, I mean I root for the Cubs, Bears, and Blackhawks, but I couldn't tell you shit about other teams. I've never really been into even playing sports, as a kid and up until I graduated high school I studied Tae Kwan Do, but that was about the extent of it.
Well, that's me in a nutshell, if you want to know more ask away in the comments. Oh, and those that do read this and other posts please leave some comments, or questions. I would like some feedback, or some ideas for future posts. Just some general discussion, but I won't be dragged into an internet argument or flame war so try to be civil, so if you want to use profanity feel free, but not as an attack on someone else.
Until Next time,
Mr. Angry Beard
Why I'm an atheist.
From time to time I get asked why I am an atheist. I am in no way in the closet about it, but neither am I outspoken or confrontational about it. Although the reaction I get when people find out that I am an atheist is almost always the same. A bit of shock at first but then they usually just go about their day.
Now as for the answer to that question, it's just usually a quick "religion never really stuck" and I move on. Now while that's true it's not the complete story. as it would take entirely too much of my time and would probably piss off people way more than it would satisfy their curiosity. The longer answer revolves around logic and reason.
We'll start with Christianity, in all it's forms, as that is the one that was taught to me. Catholicism to be more specific. The Bible is probably one of the most horrific books in existence, but touted by its adherents as beautiful. How that's possible I'm not too sure, a book that not only allows for but endorses murder, rape, genocide, slavery, and misogyny is somehow described as an inspiration for a good way to live. Then we take into account all of the things that just plain wrong scientifically wrong, rabbits that chew cud, the sun being different that other stars, a geocentric universe, the list goes on and on.
But the biggest reason is the events of the world on a daily basis. Natural disasters, mass murders, starvation. All under the watch of a supposedly omniscient, omnipotent, and all loving god. Much of the time the victims are those that are his followers in some form or another. It leads me to wonder how such a being can allow events like this to happen. Not only happen, if everything that happens is according to his great plan and he knows everything that is going to happen long before it ever does, he is directly responsible for every horrible thing on the planet. Now even if you were to say that those things are the work of the devil, you would have to ask who is responsible for the devil's creation. Yep, that same all knowing, powerful and loving god, who knew well before his creation all the things he would do and made him anyway. Thousands of starving children daily, cancer slowly and painfully turning peoples own cells against the body. Thousands killed in natural disasters for the supposed sin of a small percentage of the population, you would think, being all powerful, would be able to eliminate them in a more precise manner.
Ah well, the origin of all this sin goes back to Adam and Eve, when they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The two original people kicked it all off by doing something wrong that they couldn't possibly have known was wrong until they did it. Kind of a catch 22 isn't it, almost as if the whole thing was intended to be based off of initial failure, that again due to that pesky all knowingness had to have been forseen. So it's either all a bunch of bullshit, or if that god is real he is either amazingly incompetent or a complete psychopath.
Or we can look at logic and reason, which brings us science, which has the ability to explain all we see. From the formation of the universe billions of years ago to me sitting here typing this blog entry. A way of thinking that doesn't require us to think that we are broken imperfect beings that need to beg a creator for forgiveness for not being perfect because he made us incapable of being so.
Monday, July 13, 2015
The Moto 360, a wrist full of meh.
I've been wearing the Moto 360 for about a week now, and it's well designed and comfortable. Not being a fan of watches with large faces this suits me just fine. It's larger that what I normally wear but not by enough that it bothers me. The display is crisp and responsive, as well as the interface being intuitive and easy to use and navigate. I really liked the various watch faces that shipped with it, as well as the almost endless options available online, make easy to change the look of the watch on a whim. The fitness tracking that comes built in is pretty neat, keeping track of activity at a glance can help someone keep on track with fitness goals. A lot of the built in functionality of the 360 is pretty cool, and for some be damn useful for some.
All that being said, for me, the Moto 360 seems to be more of a novelty item. While it allows you to check incoming text messages and email easily, this can already be done with the phone that it's already tethered to. I really don't see any real function it serves that justifies putting the money down for it. Given time the smartwatch could become a thing that is as useful as a smartphone on its own, but that will take some time and refining before that becomes a reality.
I'm not saying that it's a bad product, or doesn't have a place in the market. Just that to for it to be a product as common as the cell phone there is still some development to be done. So if it seems like something that you will get use out of or just want one because it's a neat gadget, by all means please do. Doing so will encourage further development and refinement of smart watches into better and better iterations.
Mr. Angry Beard
All that being said, for me, the Moto 360 seems to be more of a novelty item. While it allows you to check incoming text messages and email easily, this can already be done with the phone that it's already tethered to. I really don't see any real function it serves that justifies putting the money down for it. Given time the smartwatch could become a thing that is as useful as a smartphone on its own, but that will take some time and refining before that becomes a reality.
I'm not saying that it's a bad product, or doesn't have a place in the market. Just that to for it to be a product as common as the cell phone there is still some development to be done. So if it seems like something that you will get use out of or just want one because it's a neat gadget, by all means please do. Doing so will encourage further development and refinement of smart watches into better and better iterations.
Mr. Angry Beard
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Weighing in on the SCOTUS marriage equality decision.
It's been a couple of weeks now since the supreme court made a ruling on marriage equality, that is for the right of same sex couples to be married. There has been a shitload of feedback from all sides of this decision, those that are happy to see equal rights for a segment of the population that has been marginalized for decades. And of course those that are convinced that this the absolute worst thing that has ever happened in the history of the country, and those in between. Regardless of what side you happen to fall on it's a landmark decision for equal rights.
That term should be all that needs to be said on the matter. "Equal rights", it's pretty damn self explanatory, each person has rights that are equal to any other. That's it, end of argument, but of course it wasn't that easy. We had a bunch of folks that were so scared that the redefining of marriage to include same sex couples was going to destroy the traditional family, and lead to all sorts of other horrible things. The vast majority of these idiots came from the Christian right, shocker I know.
Touting that this flew in the face of God and was not consistent with 'traditional marriage', or what they decided was traditional. But traditional, according to their own book includes polygamy, does not allow for divorce, and commands that rapists must marry their victims. A classic case of cherry picking, ignore all the shit that I don't want to apply to me and demonize those that disagree. The thing of it is, what these people don't realize, is that the only way that same sex marriage will have any effect on their lives, at all, is if they go out of their way to make it effect them. To somehow see that two other consenting adults that love each other would want to have access to the same rights and privileges as them, is in someway is an attack on them, or threatens their way of life. That is a level of stupidity that is beyond me.
The majority of the arguments against this decision are based in religion, that in itself should be automatic dismissal for the argument. But sadly there are those in power that like to use the argument that the United States is a "Christian nation". No, it's fucking not, not in any way. The establishment clause of the first amendment is actually a safeguard against it. To keep religion out of the government, being a nation of various different cultures and ideologies is why it's necessary. To elevate one belief system over all others by default marginalizes those that don't share those same beliefs, makes their views less because they believe in a different deity, or version of that deity. If you are the type of person that believes that your religious liberties allow you to deny others the same rights you enjoy because of vague interpretations of an out dated bronze age book I have nothing to say to you as a person, ever.
Then we come to the slippery slope fuck wits. The "Next people will want to marry their dog" or horse, want to be able to marry children, and open the door to child molesters. This argument is in no way valid, it is simply a scare tactic, usually used by those same religious right ass bags. There is one simple thing stopping any of the mentioned worries and others from even becoming an issue. Consent mother fuckers, plain and simple, consent. Those previously mentioned parties cannot by law give any kid of lawful consent. End of story, there is no rebuttal to this.
Now there are those, who are not nearly as verbal about it, that choose not to be judgmental what someone does with another consenting adult in privacy. Because they recognize that it is of no business of theirs, and does not have any impact on their life, isn't bringing about the end of civilization, will not usher in the end of days, or destroy the foundation of humanity.
In short all those out there decrying the SCOTUS decision, and calling for christians to take a stand against this abomination. You took that stand and lost, and if you want to be taken seriously about your objections provide a valid argument. Not one that cites an book of ancient mythology full of morals that are either questionable or downright horrific, but provide evidence based arguments, facts and reason. Without those your voices will continue to be ignored.
Mr. Angry Beard
That term should be all that needs to be said on the matter. "Equal rights", it's pretty damn self explanatory, each person has rights that are equal to any other. That's it, end of argument, but of course it wasn't that easy. We had a bunch of folks that were so scared that the redefining of marriage to include same sex couples was going to destroy the traditional family, and lead to all sorts of other horrible things. The vast majority of these idiots came from the Christian right, shocker I know.
Touting that this flew in the face of God and was not consistent with 'traditional marriage', or what they decided was traditional. But traditional, according to their own book includes polygamy, does not allow for divorce, and commands that rapists must marry their victims. A classic case of cherry picking, ignore all the shit that I don't want to apply to me and demonize those that disagree. The thing of it is, what these people don't realize, is that the only way that same sex marriage will have any effect on their lives, at all, is if they go out of their way to make it effect them. To somehow see that two other consenting adults that love each other would want to have access to the same rights and privileges as them, is in someway is an attack on them, or threatens their way of life. That is a level of stupidity that is beyond me.
The majority of the arguments against this decision are based in religion, that in itself should be automatic dismissal for the argument. But sadly there are those in power that like to use the argument that the United States is a "Christian nation". No, it's fucking not, not in any way. The establishment clause of the first amendment is actually a safeguard against it. To keep religion out of the government, being a nation of various different cultures and ideologies is why it's necessary. To elevate one belief system over all others by default marginalizes those that don't share those same beliefs, makes their views less because they believe in a different deity, or version of that deity. If you are the type of person that believes that your religious liberties allow you to deny others the same rights you enjoy because of vague interpretations of an out dated bronze age book I have nothing to say to you as a person, ever.
Then we come to the slippery slope fuck wits. The "Next people will want to marry their dog" or horse, want to be able to marry children, and open the door to child molesters. This argument is in no way valid, it is simply a scare tactic, usually used by those same religious right ass bags. There is one simple thing stopping any of the mentioned worries and others from even becoming an issue. Consent mother fuckers, plain and simple, consent. Those previously mentioned parties cannot by law give any kid of lawful consent. End of story, there is no rebuttal to this.
Now there are those, who are not nearly as verbal about it, that choose not to be judgmental what someone does with another consenting adult in privacy. Because they recognize that it is of no business of theirs, and does not have any impact on their life, isn't bringing about the end of civilization, will not usher in the end of days, or destroy the foundation of humanity.
In short all those out there decrying the SCOTUS decision, and calling for christians to take a stand against this abomination. You took that stand and lost, and if you want to be taken seriously about your objections provide a valid argument. Not one that cites an book of ancient mythology full of morals that are either questionable or downright horrific, but provide evidence based arguments, facts and reason. Without those your voices will continue to be ignored.
Mr. Angry Beard
Sunday, July 5, 2015
My journey into amateur gunsmithing.
Guns, I like guns. I like to shoot them and I like to modify/build them. I took up the hobby of amateur gunsmithing a couple of years ago. Now, it can be a bit of an expensive hobby, but you can get exactly what you want and spread the cost of a very nice custom firearm out over a longer period of time. You also get a greater appreciation of what goes into making a gun, as well as a better understanding on how it works and being able to trouble shoot issues should they arise. I started my journey into amateur gunsmithing with an AR-15 build.
Being an Army infantry veteran this seemed like a logical first step to me, already pretty familiar with the platform and how it functions, but wanting to go deeper into the fitment and process of the actual build intrigued me. So I bought myself a stripped lower and got started. I spread the build out over several months and made sure to do my research. Because as a grunt I used the rifle a lot, but was unsure about some of the smaller specifics of what went into the actual building of the rifle. So, I visited several forums and hit the AR-15 subreddit ( an amazing community stuffed full of knowledge) quite a bit and learned. How barrel length and twist rate mattered with the bullet weight you shot, various sight setups, gas systems, buffer weights, all that.
And then the actual building of the rifle was next, for that I actually found all I needed on Youtube. Multiple step by step guides on assembly, as well as little tips and tricks that veteran builders had figured out to keep some of the smaller pieces that are under spring pressure from flying across the room and getting lost forever. In the end, after a few changes I ended up with a rifle I could be proud of. Not the most high end of rifles but it suited what I wanted, and it was mine in a way that a store bought one could never be. And this is what I ended up with.
I've currently have two more builds in progress, a .300 AAC Blackout AR pistol, and a full size 1911. I'm really looking forward to getting into the 1911 and having some fun along the way. Coming in the next couple of days I will be posting a review of the frame and slide for that, although I'm not sure if it's going to be a video review or another standard blog post with photos. if you have a preference let me know. Until next time, enjoy your self.
Mr. Angry Beard
Being an Army infantry veteran this seemed like a logical first step to me, already pretty familiar with the platform and how it functions, but wanting to go deeper into the fitment and process of the actual build intrigued me. So I bought myself a stripped lower and got started. I spread the build out over several months and made sure to do my research. Because as a grunt I used the rifle a lot, but was unsure about some of the smaller specifics of what went into the actual building of the rifle. So, I visited several forums and hit the AR-15 subreddit ( an amazing community stuffed full of knowledge) quite a bit and learned. How barrel length and twist rate mattered with the bullet weight you shot, various sight setups, gas systems, buffer weights, all that.
And then the actual building of the rifle was next, for that I actually found all I needed on Youtube. Multiple step by step guides on assembly, as well as little tips and tricks that veteran builders had figured out to keep some of the smaller pieces that are under spring pressure from flying across the room and getting lost forever. In the end, after a few changes I ended up with a rifle I could be proud of. Not the most high end of rifles but it suited what I wanted, and it was mine in a way that a store bought one could never be. And this is what I ended up with.
I've currently have two more builds in progress, a .300 AAC Blackout AR pistol, and a full size 1911. I'm really looking forward to getting into the 1911 and having some fun along the way. Coming in the next couple of days I will be posting a review of the frame and slide for that, although I'm not sure if it's going to be a video review or another standard blog post with photos. if you have a preference let me know. Until next time, enjoy your self.
Mr. Angry Beard
"The Martian" a spoiler free review and personal impression.
So, I just finished"The Martian", a novel by Andy Weir and soon to be movie starring Matt Damon. As a book was pretty damn good, especially being his debut novel. And if the film stays true to the book, it's one I'm really looking forward to seeing it. I know there are those out there that don't really like Damon but it seems that he'll fit nicely into the role of the main character Mark Watney. Like a "Good Will Hunting" like intellect and attitude as stranded astronaut. Now on to the book itself which I will keep spoiler free.
The basic premise of the novel goes like this. The third manned mission to Mars is forced to leave the planet early,but in the scramble to get to the launch vessel during a massive dust storm one of the astronauts is lost. He finds himself shortly after alone and realizes what has happened. He now has to figure out a way to use the remaining supplies and equipment to survive until the next manned Mars mission which is four years away.
The majority of Watley's account is in the form of a mission log that details his predicament and how he plans to work through the problems he faces. His log, to me, seems pretty realistic on how someone trained properly would approach the problems. He states early in the book that should he not survive that he wants this log to be able to be read not just by those in NASA but the average person. He does so in a way that brings an well explained and understandable account to the most average person on what he is doing and often times in a humorous manner. I caught myself laughing out loud several times, and had to put the book down a couple of times to finish laughing because I couldn't keep reading until I had fully processed the statements.
Watley's accounts, via his log are told right along side with the goings on at NASA, and the crew of the ship, 'Hermes', that are traveling back to Earth. This secondary narrative paints a hell of a picture of the good folks over at NASA on how they approach problem solving. From the moment they realize that he is still alive they launch full bore into the problem solving on how to save this lone human millions of miles from home.
In short Andy Weir's first novel is an awesome example of story telling. Compelling, engaging, and draws you in to keep reading. He makes you care about the stranded astronaut and cheer for him as the story progresses, Even though there are a few spots where it slows down a bit, the book keeps you interested. As far as I'm concerned this is a must read for any sci-fi/science fan. And hopefully will translate into a spectacular movie. Go now and grab or download this book and get started, you will not be disappointed.
Mr. Angry Beard
The basic premise of the novel goes like this. The third manned mission to Mars is forced to leave the planet early,but in the scramble to get to the launch vessel during a massive dust storm one of the astronauts is lost. He finds himself shortly after alone and realizes what has happened. He now has to figure out a way to use the remaining supplies and equipment to survive until the next manned Mars mission which is four years away.
The majority of Watley's account is in the form of a mission log that details his predicament and how he plans to work through the problems he faces. His log, to me, seems pretty realistic on how someone trained properly would approach the problems. He states early in the book that should he not survive that he wants this log to be able to be read not just by those in NASA but the average person. He does so in a way that brings an well explained and understandable account to the most average person on what he is doing and often times in a humorous manner. I caught myself laughing out loud several times, and had to put the book down a couple of times to finish laughing because I couldn't keep reading until I had fully processed the statements.
Watley's accounts, via his log are told right along side with the goings on at NASA, and the crew of the ship, 'Hermes', that are traveling back to Earth. This secondary narrative paints a hell of a picture of the good folks over at NASA on how they approach problem solving. From the moment they realize that he is still alive they launch full bore into the problem solving on how to save this lone human millions of miles from home.
In short Andy Weir's first novel is an awesome example of story telling. Compelling, engaging, and draws you in to keep reading. He makes you care about the stranded astronaut and cheer for him as the story progresses, Even though there are a few spots where it slows down a bit, the book keeps you interested. As far as I'm concerned this is a must read for any sci-fi/science fan. And hopefully will translate into a spectacular movie. Go now and grab or download this book and get started, you will not be disappointed.
Mr. Angry Beard
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Coming Soon
Coming in the next few days I should be posting a couple more reviews and maybe a couple of rants. As soon as I finish "The Martian" by Andy Weir I'll be putting up a spoiler free review of that. And as soon as I figure out some video shit I'll be giving my impressions on a 1911 frame and slide that is my current amateur gunsmith project. After I finish "The Martian" my next book is going to be "Seveneves" by Neal Stephenson. As well as some thoughts on the supposed upcoming shows "Ghost Brigades" a TV series based on the "Old Man's War" series by John Sclazi and "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. I may also weigh in on upcoming "Star Wars" movie and the still shrouded in secrecy "Warcraft" movie. That's all I can think of for now but I'm sure that something will pop up in the news that will piss me off and throw me into a rant. I would post something about the recent SCOTUS decision on gay marriage equality but it's been a a few days and most people have said enough about it. Just suffice to say that it's taken long enough for marriage to become legal to all those who want it, the fact that it was something that needed to be decided by the Supreme Court is fucking insane. I still may but if I do it will probably be a fairly long winded post and my go off topic a couple times.
That's all for now folks. I'm still figuring out how to work this site so give me a little leeway there, but after a little Google-fu I was able to add a twitter button up at the top. WOOO!
Mr. Angry Beard
That's all for now folks. I'm still figuring out how to work this site so give me a little leeway there, but after a little Google-fu I was able to add a twitter button up at the top. WOOO!
Mr. Angry Beard
First post, also a brief review of 'Terminator :Genysis'
Hello there Internets, I am Mr. Angry Beard, and welcome to my blog of randomness. There really is no plan or structure planned for this thing but that my change in the future. This blog will contain rants, reviews, and other assorted randomness that crosses my mind that I feel like documenting. I may even from time to time put up the occasional video. Like I said earlier there is no specific scope to this blog so you can expect to see stuff on here ranging from tech related reviews, guns, movies, random rants about whatever happens to be in the news that pisses me off at the time, or other randomness that strikes my fancy.
All that being said let's get started with a brief review of 'Terminator: Genisys'. Over all it was a pretty decent movie. The action scenes, of which there are plenty, are well done and make for good eye candy. So for that matter does the new Sarah Conner played by Emilia Clark. As I am not a professional reviewer, the acting for me was passable, and moved the story along for me just fine. There were a few instances though where the science of the film was just wrong, but I will suspend belief for the sake of entertainment. There were a couple plot twists that sadly were seen coming a mile away, but still helped the story. The addition of J.K. Simmons' character was a nice touch and provided some well placed comic relief for an action, blow shit up movie. And the inclusion of Matt Smith in a movie centered around time travel made me happy although I wish he could have had more on screen time.
All in all it was worth watching and is one of those movies that I will probably end up watching several more times when it's released for home viewing to try to pick out some of the more subtle plot points and Easter eggs.
I realize this is a pretty short post/review but I'm trying to avoid spoilers for the film as well as I like to keep things short and easy to read. That may or may not continue to be a trend, it all depends on the subject and how I feel about it at the time.
So, until next time, uh... do whatever I guess.
Mr. Angry Beard
All that being said let's get started with a brief review of 'Terminator: Genisys'. Over all it was a pretty decent movie. The action scenes, of which there are plenty, are well done and make for good eye candy. So for that matter does the new Sarah Conner played by Emilia Clark. As I am not a professional reviewer, the acting for me was passable, and moved the story along for me just fine. There were a few instances though where the science of the film was just wrong, but I will suspend belief for the sake of entertainment. There were a couple plot twists that sadly were seen coming a mile away, but still helped the story. The addition of J.K. Simmons' character was a nice touch and provided some well placed comic relief for an action, blow shit up movie. And the inclusion of Matt Smith in a movie centered around time travel made me happy although I wish he could have had more on screen time.
All in all it was worth watching and is one of those movies that I will probably end up watching several more times when it's released for home viewing to try to pick out some of the more subtle plot points and Easter eggs.
I realize this is a pretty short post/review but I'm trying to avoid spoilers for the film as well as I like to keep things short and easy to read. That may or may not continue to be a trend, it all depends on the subject and how I feel about it at the time.
So, until next time, uh... do whatever I guess.
Mr. Angry Beard
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