Armed Canadian

Clear Him a Space

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:50:00 +0000

We've been having fun. Two quick notes:

Being without power for 30 hours sucks. 50 degrees is cold. Dog kept looking at us funny since he doesn't understand we don't have fur.
My backyard looks like the Somme.

That second one bears elaboration. It is what happens when my wife asks me to clear a space in the yard for Foster to do his thing away from the house. We have icicles hanging down from the roof some 30 feet above us and they're big enough to kill him if one was to impale him on the way down. We had originally let him run under the overhang but all of the potentially lethal ice missiles above, she asked me to clear him a space out in the yard.

So I dug out a trench about ten feet and then took a dogleg to the left and cleared a 4-5 foot circle. Understand we have 2 1/2 feet of snow so that trench is pretty deep. So Foster comes trotting out, head held high and started running back and forth in his new path.

I was on to something here so I picked up the shovel and kept digging. Since he loves running in the snow, why not give him a place to run?

End result is a trench system looping around our trees, cross trenches and three puppy foxholes to hunker down in, use or explore. Plus a couple of dead ends just for fun. He's an Aussie on the Western Front.

My wife looked at it and shook her head. Apparently her definition of "clear him a space" and mine vary. I needed something do since we lacked power and frankly the thought of him running puppy crazy through the backyard in his own private trench system was too good to pass up. The other neighborhood dogs are looking on in jealousy right now. He can run down to the fence and their owners didn't even have the common decency to clear them a space on the porch.

We've had great fun watching him run and go crazy. Often the only thing we see is his tail moving sharklike across the backyard.

I'm hoping tomorrow I can get to the snowmen in the front yard. A little Bill Watterson inspired artwork ought to be useful in managing traffic flow. I'm thinking my Toyota Executive snowman aka Seppuku Snowman complete with sword will be a hit.

There are good aspects to snowstorms.

Thank you, America. Signed, Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:07:00 +0000

I know I haven't posted anything this year so I thought I'd start.

With the disaster in Haiti the USA is sending aid. As usual in any international crisis one of the first questions asked is "Is a carrier available?". Fortunately, there was: USS Carl Vinson. Within a day or so of the earthquake, she sortied from Norfolk, VA and arrived off the coast of Haiti this morning.

Obama, in the day after the earthquake, had the front to demand why things weren't moving faster.

The Commander-in-Chief needs better aides. Apparently our articulate, light-skinned President couldn't understand in an English dialect that a 24 hour turnaround for an docked US aircraft carrier is AMAZING. She probably left port with whatever crew they could get aboard on short notice and let supplies catch up via the air wing as they flew out to meet the ship (carrier air wings stay ashore when the carrier is in port). Similar praise for the Navy goes to getting a 'Phib with a full complement of Marines on the way at the same time.

The Air Force had cargo birds in by the end of the first day and Special Forces had established field-expedient air traffic control services at Haiti's primary airport since their control tower and associated facilities had been destroyed.

I'm waiting to hear condemnation from Europe and other "enlightened" nations about American Imperialism by going to help Haiti with military forces. Oh wait! We are going to help people with the fruits of our evil capitalist ways and social inequity but since it is aid, that's ok. Anything else and we're evil. Except for money, of course. Food and money are ok by them.

Yet if we didn't go those same people would be condemning us for not doing enough to help Haiti in its time of need. Talk about a double standard. But I want it known that those grey ships with hospital facilities, clean water and food pallets being flown into that country via helicopter are all flying the Stars and Stripes. And when the country is back on its feet and the United Nations has taken credit for American efforts, they will leave peacefully the same way the came.

One bit of trivia: The USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, costs around $4.5 billion dollars to construct. Minus her running expenses but add in the cost of a 64 plane air wing with an average cost of $50 million dollars per aircraft, her total value is around $7.7 billion dollars.

Haiti's GDP is around $7 billion dollars.

In other words, we could buy the country outright. So why don't we? Call it a port expansion for the Navy. We buy Haiti, make it a territory of the United States like nearby St. Thomas and rebuild. I'm sure they'll be a sight more appreciative of having their standard of living raised immensely, rampant corruption largely eliminated under US government control and more future freedom and opportunities than they've ever enjoyed in the past two centuries under the thumb of French colonial rule and onwards.

That's what American Imperialism looks like. I'd say right now the Haitians would readily accept such a deal. Then the enlightened nations of the world can condemn us in one breath and breathe a sigh of relief with the other of not having to foot the bill. Or maybe not since if the UN isn't involved, they can't skim off the aid relief funds. Just another reason why we should consider it.

I'm thrilled to see the "star and bar" painted on aircraft grey in background on news reports. It is what this country does. We'll worry about the accounting later. If ever. But when there's a crisis, we are to whom the world turns for help.

They just can't bring themselves to spit the glass out of their mouths and admit it and say "Thank you.". They aren't be man enough to do so so I will:

Thank you, America. Signed, Haiti.

Doesn't Fit the Narrative

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Two days ago, there was a shooting at the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) in Woodbridge, VA, a suburb of Metro DC. Fortunately, no one was hurt. The gunman, a pathetic loser whose name shall not be mentioned by me, walked into a math class and took two shots at his instructor. Both missed. He was unable to get off additional shot due to the good fortune of his rifle jamming.

Now he is facing charge of attempted murder. Good. Here's hoping this guy enjoys his long-term occupancy at one of Virginia's fine correctional institutions.

What you're not likely going to see is this incident being splashed about by the Brady Campaign outside of a hearing room to demand for more gun control. The reason why is this incident doesn't fit their narrative. Let us count the ways...

No one was killed. Automatically disqualifies it right there since without blood to dance in, how can guns be blamed?
The firearm used was a bolt-action Marlin .30-06. A regular old hunting rifle. Worse, it likely lacked optics so it couldn't even be demonized as a "sniper rifle". So the "assault weapon" and "automatic rifle" memes can't work here.
The crazed student bought the firearm at Dick's Sporting Goods, a national chain. He didn't get it a seedy gun store or a gun show. So the "gun show loophole" meme is right out.
The student based the Federal and State background checks. The Virginia State Police does a state check in addition to the NICS check. See "gun show loophole" above.
The student was disgruntled because he was going to likely get an "F". Not under treatment for mental issues and no paperwork sitting in some administrator's file at home instead of being entered into NICS. So the cries of keeping mentally troubled people from getting guns is likely going to fall flat.

The only possible weak peg the Bradys can hang their hat on is "If there was a waiting period for guns, this crime of passion/'heat of the moment' wouldn't have happened!". It is true the student bought the rifle and ammunition the day before he decided to do this. Fortunately, his lack of experience with firearms probably saved lives.

But even this weak link fails since the Brady's can't prove that a waiting period wouldn't have stopped him. Even if there was a 3 or 5 day waiting period, what's to say he wouldn't have stewed, planned it out better and maybe practiced with his rifle to exact his twisted revenge properly? From where I sit, a waiting period may well have gotten people killed.

I would point out there is evidence for my assumption in the fact the Virginia Tech shooter acquired both of his pistols by passing background checks and the mandated 30 day waiting period between handgun purchases that exists in Virginia. He had a minimum of two months to get proficient and practice, which he did, before going on his shooting spree.

Waiting periods aren't so great now, are they?

I don't expect this one to make the rounds of the Huffington Post. It can't. It doesn't fit the narrative. The only tragedy I see in this incident is the fact if someone was carrying concealed in violation of school policy (it isn't illegal), millions of taxpayer dollars could have been saved. There was no doubt in this case who the bad guy was and had things gone worse, being expelled is far better than being dead.

Poor Bradys. Can't even use a non-tragedy to their advantage.

What's Going On

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:57:00 +0000

This is post 500. So a small milestone in my tiny corner of the world.

First, upcoming events. I am planning to attend the Metro DC Gun Blog Meet in Sterling, VA on December 5th. Should be fun!

Now onto fun stuff...

I've been working on the boat. Boy, has this become a project! She's not a project boat but rather just getting my elbows into the things that need to be done. I have more news on the issues front.

We've decided we will be repowering the boat with a four-stroke engine. After investigating various options, it is simply the most cost effective way to go. We'll be looking for motor deals through the winter and into the spring. It is a safety and comfort thing for my wife.

What I expected to come to pass has. The rigger did the rig inspection and the results were what I expected. We need to replace our standing rigging. The rigger reports it is probably original to the boat and his exact words were "you're running on borrowed time". Ten years is the normal service life for saltwater exposed standing rigging. I've gotten quotes for replacement ranging from reasonable to heart attack. Highest was $3100. Uh, no.

Looking to go one size up (7/32" from 3/16") in wire to gain a little safety margin but will stick with swaged fittings. I'd like to go with swageless fittings but the cost is extravagant. If we're not planning to keep the boat for 10 years, the extra cost isn't worth it.

Rigger's report was no surprise. Lifelines are corroded and vinyl covered. No longer servicable. So that became my first big order. Took advantage of a clearance sale at West Marine and ordered 100 feet of 3/16" uncovered 7x19 wire at 79 cents a foot. 3700 pounds breaking strength. For those, I did go with Suncor swageless fittings. A bonus was I can reuse my existing gates since they're threaded so that saved us $160. Under $300 for double lifelines for a 27 foot Catalina. That's a good deal.

Still chasing a single leak in the V-berth with the head plumbing. Sealed some additional deck ports and we'll see if there's water in there next weekend after a couple days of rain.

I've been frustrated since I can't do a whole lot right now so I decided to change that. In restoring a sailboat, you need to do little projects to give you a sense of progress. An easy way to do that is cosmetic.

So this weekend I decided to refinish some exterior wood.

While this may seem pointless with 3 months of winter ahead, it will give me a little practice and I can get the wood sealed before snow settles in and always do touch-up in the spring. So out came my orbit sander and some good teak tung oil.

My exterior teak is weathered and gray. I ran the sander over the companionway drop boards to smooth the raised grain and then applied the teak oil.

Here are the results:

The dark portions are where the sander didn't get down into the grain. The contrast and color, in my opinion, is beautiful. Contrast the finished wood with the gray teak of the hatch directly above and you can see what a little elbow grease and oil can do to really improve the look of your wood. I took this picture before I finished the hatch wood, so here is the final result for an hour's worth of work:

So one project accomplished! Many more to go including:

Disassemble, service and lubricate the winches.
Replace running rigging (waiting for a sale to order it).
Replace standing rigging (sometime in the next month).
Wax mast and boom.
Glass in and reinforce transom and install new motor mount (next spring).
Redo head plumbing.
Finish exterior wood refinishing and seal it.
Clean and refinish interior wood.
Replace freshwater hoses.
Install new outlet bronze seacock in V-berth.
Clean sediment from freshwater tank.
Scrub storage lockers and repaint.
Install new fixed mount VHF.
Install new GPS chartplotter.
Install solar panel.
Install new knotmeter.
Paint bottom.
Install new lifelines and lifeline netting.
Install single line main sail reefing system.
Dry out wet core on forward hatch, reinforce and install new polycarbonate window.

These are the projects that are intended for completion by launch time. Most of it I can do myself. The motor mount and standing rigging we are having contractors perform for peace-of-mind and warranty purposes. Our priorities are safety-related which means motor, standing rigging and thru-hull replacement. I'll skimp in other areas or put them on hold.

One "nice to do" project is cutting a drop board and supports to fill the space between the berths to create a double berth. It's a cheap project only requiring a sheet of marine plywood and some bolts. Nice thing with this is a double size futon mattress will fit the space almost perfectly (need to squeeze it up against the galley cupboard). We'll see where we're at come the springtime.

I think you'll like the "before" and "after" pictures. It won't be the same boat. Then a fun sailing season to look forward to!

Criminals Will Just Steal Your Gun...

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:07:00 +0000

Remember kids, according to the VPC and Brady Campaign, having a gun to defend yourself is bad because the uber-skilled, smart, professional gun using criminal will simply wrest it away from you and shoot you with it. Better to leave it to "professional protectors" like the police who know the secret skills of keeping their guns and using them correctly.

Apparently this shopkeeper in Prince Georges County, Maryland didn't get the Brady or VPC memos.

The headline: Man killed in attempted robbery at convenience store

The unpossible...

Two men entered the Food Zone in the 12500 block of Livingston Road around 9:24 p.m. and announced a robbery. One of the men was armed with a gun.
The store owner proceeded to wrestle the gun away from the man and then shot him. The man died on the scene.

It can't be! And this happened in Maryland. FYI, Prince Georges County is one of the most violent places to live in the state outside of Baltimore. So extra kudos to the shopkeeper for removing a violent criminal permanently from threatening other citizens. I hope he's ok and will be ok going forward.

I wonder what Senator Frosh thinks about this? Especially given his stance we don't need things like "shall issue" CCW or a castle doctrine since he doesn't believe criminals (or their families) sue their victims. I expect silence.

It's the will to fight back that counts.

Life with a Sailboat

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:13:00 +0000

Ahh, the cold water phase of a new boat. It occurs after the purchase euphoria wears off and you're faced with the reality that you have an older boat needing the attention of your bank account. We're tackling a number of issues.

Big surprise was the mechanic telling us after winterizing our outboard that he wouldn't trust the engine with his family on the water. This type of thing tends to get my negative attention and got my wife into the "we must replace this!" mode. When we pressed him, he said the engine had good compression and seems to run fine. So this appears to boil down to his opinion rather than a solid reason.

I don't like that sort of thing.

If the engine is on its last legs, give me a reason why. Blow-by in the pistons, bad compression, pumps not working right, transmission issues, etc. Instead I'm getting basically a variation on "It's an old engine and I don't trust it.". Sorry, I'm a little more practical than that.

Yes, it is an old outboard. 27 years old. Mercury two-stroke. But if the engine starts reliably and runs reliably, I have no issues. My wife and I expect to have to replace the engine during the time we own the boat. We acknowledged it upfront before making the offer. We just weren't expecting to have to do it in the first season.

The engine is going to see another mechanic for a second opinion and then we'll make a decision on repowering.

If we repower conventionally, it would be a 9.8hp four-stroke engine. Alas, our Catalina 27 was designed in an era when two-stroke outboards ruled the earth. So the transom hole to mount the engine can't accommodate the larger four-stroke. And because the four-stroke is heavier there's a question of whether the existing mount can take the stress.

Thus it is more than buying an new engine. We're looking at the new engine, the remote controls we had planned on originally, a new motor mount and some fiberglass work to reinforce the transom and glass in the existing hole to allow for the new, larger motor and mount.

Price tag to do this is somewhere north of $3000. That's a significant chunk of our post-purchase budget.

Given I also have the possibility of needing/wanting new standing rigging, we can wipe out our preferred refit budget on those two items alone. The other things like repairing the leaky hatch, new cushions, new running rigging, bottom paint and woodwork we can do ourselves or cheaply. But won't leave much for needed/desired electronics, extra equipment and comfort items.

So I'm looking into options. During my research at repowering with an inboard engine (and the subsequent horrified screaming that ensued), I stumbled across electric propulsion.

It's very appealing.

One option is a kit that bolts onto the top of a Yamaha 9.9hp long shaft lower. Basically an electric motor and throttle control. Wire up to your batteries and away you go. Outboard propulsion without the gas or noise. Downside to this option is cost. The kit alone is $2500 not including the Yamaha lower unit and batteries. I can easily see that option equaling or exceeding the cost of a new four-stroke.

But electric has its appeal. It's quiet. It require no gas. It's renewable with a battery charger and most importantly, it's instantly available. Turn it on and go. Few moving parts means less stuff to break.

Bear in mind I'm looking at this as a sailboat auxiliary and not for long ranges. Low-end, I want enough power to get me 2-3 miles in and out of dock with some reserve for emergencies. High-end, I'd like a 30-40 mile cruise range at 2/3rds hull speed (4 knots). Enough to motor home from the middle of the Bay or from a distant port if the wind dies or is blowing the wrong way to get home. Fairly reasonable expectations.

Which led me to discover propulsion options that replace an inboard with an electric motor and controls. The basic kit is advertised for 3-12hp for boats up to 32 feet and 10,000 pounds displacement. More than enough to push a 27 foot Catalina. The beauty of this is the higher end kit features regenerative charging. Which means under sail, the prop freewheels and charges the battery. Yes, you pay in extra drag but this is like having a Prius on the water. The act of using the wind for free also yields free energy for motoring.

Is that Green or what?

I'm still researching it since the kit also needs you to add a prop, shaft, reduction gear, batteries and extra circuitry such as charging controllers, cockpit controls and so on. I'd need to have the stuffing box and prop shaft holes opened up in my hull to fit it but that is what a mechanic or hull specialist is for. But I'm starting to think we could repower the boat with this option for the same cost or less compared to the new four-stroke outboard. With the added bonus we'd have an inboard "engine" and no fuel bills. Not that fuel is a great expense but eliminates a lot of the hassle and cost associated with an inboard engine such as fuel lines, tankage and so on.

I can easily see this route being a very appealing resale option when we go to sell the sailboat a few years down the road. Who wouldn't want an electric-powered Catalina 27? Even if someone doesn't, I like the idea nonetheless.

We'll see how it plays out.

I'm using this time to plan everything out and get started on the smaller projects. I got the hatch off the boat this past weekend and sealed the hole with two layers of plastic sheeting. Batteries are off the boat as are the cushions. I've taken the bilge cover out so I can restore it and use it for wood finishing practice. Sails are off and stored indoors in a cool, dark place. Gouges on the hull itself have been filled and are ready for sanding. The hull is a very empty and lonely shell at the moment.

Next week, I should have the rigger's and mechanic's reports and we can begin planning the real work. Clock is also counting down to January when we have to chose and arrange for a slip. We're hoping we can keep the boat right where it's at.

I'm having fun. March and April can't get here soon enough.

Justice Served

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:25:00 +0000

I heard on the radio over the weekend in discussion of John Allen Muhammad's execution tonight how it was necessary to try him in Virginia for a capital crime to ensure that he would actually be executed because Maryland wouldn't have carried it out. The commentator was a politician in Maryland so I found that an accurate and sad reflection on justice between the two states.

I lived in Virginia at the time of the sniper shootings. One of the shootings occurred less than a mile from my apartment. I remember stopping and getting gas, looking around to see where the shot might come from. So I fully understand the terror and fear that swept the area at that time.

Shame on anyone who would defend this piece of shit and argue he does not deserve death for his crimes because of an abusive childhood or that he was "misunderstood". To do so is to engage in sophistry and trying make yourself feel superior or more "civilized" than others out there. There is no excuse you apologists can come up with to justify not executing this piece of garbage.

In my worldview, he's getting off easy. Barbituates, a needle in the arm and off to sleep he goes. Nowhere near the compassion he showed his victims. They got shots to the chest walking down the street, out of a Home Depot or pumping gas. Not places you expect to receive a bullet. Just going about day-to-day activities before they got to endure the shock, pain and realization they had been shot. The unfortunate ones may have even realized they might not make it and had to endure that terror and realization in their last moments.

So to argue that it is not "civilized" to execute him as mercifully as we are is an abomination against reason, in my opinion, and something you should think about with a good, long look in the mirror and consider your own moral failings should you feel that way.

What he should get is a brick wall, a dozen volunteers from the Metro DC area with their own AR-15s and no blindfold. Hang a target on this chest and allow the citizens he terrorized to return the favor and test their aim. With luck, one of them might show a minor amount of mercy and hit his heart or go for a head shot. But let him see the muzzles being leveled at him and make sure he gets to see the flash and feel the pain on his way to Hell.

It's more than he gave his victims.

Any by the way, I think Malvo should join him. Anyone of mid-to-late teen years who can't make the determination that it is wrong to pull the trigger on a rifle from the trunk of a car onto a stranger wheeling a shopping cart to their parking space is beyond rehabilitation or reason.

"He was brainwashed!" you argue! "He was abused!" you scream.

"I don't care.", I respond I have as much compassion for his plight as I do a violent gang member slashing innocent people walking down the street with a machete or doing a drive-by on passersby to gain street cred. When caught, I think they should be punished swiftly and surely.

The real tragedy in this episode of justice in America is Muhammed got seven years of breathing privileges when he should have had them revoked immediately following a review of his case showing no misconduct during his trial. There shouldn't have been seven years of procedures, appeals and motions. In this circumstance, that's swift justice. He could have continued to fight and appeal and probably drag it out had he a mind to do so and deciding to mewl beyond having a rough childhood.

Spare me. I had a rough childhood. I was bullied and teased mercilessly for years. Kids can be very cruel to other kids that don't fit in and I fit that mold perfectly. Despite a few bumps, I didn't come out of it into adulthood and decide to go on a random killing spree. So I have a hard time buying the excuse that the reason a sociopath or psychopath did what they did is because they were bullied. It may be a motivation but it shouldn't be used as a reason to avoid having justice served.

No matter how badly one might have been abused, teased, bullied or assaulted, the decision to take up a weapon and use it against individuals not even remotely responsible for your torment is ultimately theirs. Muhammed and Malvo didn't have to do what they did. They chose to do so. Their motivations become secondary to the fact they inflicted untimely deaths on others for no legitimate reason. There was no self-defense, no justifiable homicide, no rushing to save others. They did it for purely selfish reasons and they should pay the price.

So John Allen Muhammed is getting what he deserves albeit not in the manner he should receive it. Better later than never I guess.

And to paraphrase Heinlein, "It is the one sure way to ensure he'll never do it a second time.".

I hope the ground in Potter's Field is cold and unwelcoming and that his resting place be ignored and forgotten and that his last meal taste like ashes in his mouth today knowing that he will not see another. I hope he struggles and weeps all the way to the gurney.

It's better than he deserves. May Satan have a special place warm and ready for him.

Real Reality TV

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:48:00 +0000

Kevin has a quote of the day up on his blog regarding Reality TV. Call it a quiet day but I'm going to jump on his coattails on the subject and ride along.

I don't watch "reality TV" because, frankly, it isn't "real". At least not "real" in the sense of "real life". Kevin's quote highlights the difference. I'd like to expand on it.

My wife loves reality TV. Regularly watches the various Survivor and Amazing Race incarnations. I don't. To me, they are glorified games. Now, admittedly, if I got chosen for either game, I'd play but I have no illusions about it being anything other than that. They only interact with reality as in terms of day-to-day life in matters of travel, food and sleep. Everything else is scripted and constructed to entertain the masses.

Who serious believes assembling an over-sized puzzle on a sandy beach or digging through a pile of manure to find a coin constitutes reality? I've been to many places where these shows could be and I have never seen an over-sized orange puzzle piece being carried by a woman in a do-rag running from one place to another.

Amazing Race is simply travel hassles writ-large. Any business traveler, especially a salesman worth their salt, should be able to whip the asses of any of these couples handily. What these people on this show stress over is par for the course in any busy world business traveler on a weekly basis.

Then there's Survivor. Other than the locations, which can be beautiful, this show holds no attraction to me. The utter fakeness of it just turns me away. First, who in their right mind decides to spend 40 odd days living on an island in a pair of shorts or a bikini, a pair of sandals and a do-rag and somehow think that's enough? End result is the highly entertaining aspect of watching these idiots shiver in the rain hiding under large leaves.

Right. It's why lots of people can't take it seriously as some kind of life challenge. Do you honestly believe these people are going to experience anything beyond mild discomfort? Sure, the players complain about hunger and lose weight over the play time but the studio isn't going to let them starve. Or get into distress due to dehydration. They're just griping and whining like spoiled children.

Hell, I'd go on the show just as a weight loss exercise. At least it would be peaceful and have good scenery. Kind of hard to take it seriously as "Survivor" in the commonly understood meaning of the term when there's no serious threat of harm or death.

Anyone who's been a Boy Scout would have had shelter built, a fire pit dug and a fire burning and some kind of water source identified before the sun set on the first day. These people sit and shiver for weeks on end and somehow think they're tough and "surviving".

If I landed on this show, I'd be bringing a rain poncho, a good set of military fatigues (for durability), a pair of broken in boots, a pair of shorts and a long sleeved white shirt, suntan lotion, a good sized pocket knife and a flint or a 9 volt and some steel wool (to start fires). It might be hot but long pants and long sleeves will make you infinitely more comfortable over the long haul and keep the worst effects of the sun off. Then I can play the game properly. I suspect a lot of readers and other bloggers would be doing similar things. A lot of us have been Boy or Girl Scouts, been in the military and/or have been raised with practical skills.

Alas, I think the studio arranges it so these people are more photogenic and deliberately suppress such intelligence. Wouldn't look good on TV to see a guy sitting by a fire in a floppy hat shrugging off the rain as "no big deal". And where would the ratings be if male viewers didn't have an abundance female skin to look at? Screw practicality, this is Reality!

The best part of it is the players have such low expectations when they say the game changes them fundamentally. Apparently these folks have never had the pleasure of doing a Boy Scout camp or survival weekend. Or done a forced march for 6 or 8 hours in 100 degree heat wearing a wool uniform. Yet these folks think they're doing something extraordinary.

Pussies, the lot of them. They need to get out more.

Here's my version of "Survivor"....

Find an old 70-100 foot wooden schooner. Equip it with sails, charts, GPS, tools, spares, manuals on boat handling, navigation and seamanship and a full set of provisions for a dozen people for 2 weeks. But no engine or generator but a battery bank and human-powered charger. Then we sail or tow said schooner into the middle of the Atlantic off the coast of Florida half-way to the Cape Verde Islands in the middle of the hurricane season. The boat will be equipped with remote cameras and satellite tracking for the viewers. No life rafts but one life vest per person and a water-activated 406Mhz EPIRB bolted to the topside in a floating breakaway box that cannot be opened but will let water into when immersed.

Then you fly our lucky "Survivors" out to the schooner and drop them into the water with a simple set of instructions: Get the schooner back to Florida. Then fly off, tune into the cameras and watch the fun! If they make it back, they win.

Now that's a proper game of Survivor!

No contrived contests, no pecking order, no voting people off unless you count throwing them overboard. They'll learn the proper meaning of "Reality TV" the first time they encounter a tropical storm at sea and 20 foot seas. Then they'll understand the meaning of the word "reality". If the boat breaks, they'll have the means to repair it and keep it afloat. If they fail, the EPIRB will activate and give them a fighting chance at being rescued assuming they stay together and hold onto the EPIRB. No guarantees of a successful rescue but very few things in life are guaranteed either. So it will be a natural reflection of reality as the rest of us perceive it.

If they get low on food or store it improperly, better learn to fish quickly or ration what's left. Freshwater supply gets contaminated? Learn to catch rainwater. Rudder breaks? Brush up on your jury rigging and swimming skills. Lights or GPS go dark? Learn to pedal.

Somehow, I don't think any networks will like my idea. Too raw and dangerous. Yet, many people sail off over the horizon and do such things with some regularity. Not a lot of people but enough. It isn't an extraordinary feat or a game. It is merely one path in the journey of life. Yet some of the so-called "Survivors" would find it life changing and at least then, they'd be somewhat correct from their perspective. If nothing else, it would be a true challenge with real consequences for failure or due to a simple intervention of Fate against them.

In other words, true reality. And that would never sell. But I bet a lot of people would tune in to watch. I would.

Stuff Going On

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:42:00 +0000

Here's what's going on....

Getting the Catalina ready for the winter. I'm having a rig inspection performed this week and the mechanic coming by to pull the outboard, service it and store it for the winter. Assuming the rig passes inspection and doesn't require the mast to be dropped (unstepped in sailing terminology), we'll pull the batteries off and have the boat shrink-wrapped for the winter. Then we'll pick back up in the Spring with the restoration work for a March or April launch. And there will be much rejoicing.

I'm tinkering at home with some new toys. I love eBay. $50 or $100 and I can be entertained for months. However, I think most regular folks would question my desire to tinker with older computers to not constitute "fun". In this case, a pair of Netra X1s, a Netra T1 105 and a Netra T1 AC200 accessed via a Cisco 2509 access router and a Cisco 3620 router so I can play with network routing because I can. Plus, the 3620 can run Linux so I simply may use that to tinker with embedded Linux on known hardware.

Yup, I'd say weird definitely covers it. And it is cheap. Plus I learn new things. Always useful in a technical field.

Trying to get my post(s) done on Canadian gun laws. I keep reworking it. Sigh.

If anyone in the Washington DC area attending the Smithsonian "Air and Scare" event at the Udvar-Hazy Museum, I hope you enjoyed yourself and had your picture taken with the Star Wars characters. I was one of the two TIE Pilots there. So odds are very good if you spotted a TIE Pilot with a Stormtrooper and a Clone Trooper, it was me. Fabulous event overall!

Glad to hear that Olympia Snowe (until next week) has stepped away from assisting the Democrats on health care "reform". While her motives are certainly not pure, it does now make the issue solely belong to the Democrats and her departure from the table doesn't allow Obama the ability to claim a "bi-partisan solution" on this issue even though only one Republican defected. It's all on them. Remember that come next year's mid-terms.

I hold out hope this issue will collapse under the weight of competing ideologies and power grasping. It's the best we can hope for.

Lastly, trying to get a couple chapters of writing done. First chapter for my sci-fi novel and another for another work I've been nursing along for a long time. Feeling inspired so I'm trying to get the words down while I can. I suspect it will be one of my winter activities along with boat planning.

Baby Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Since posts are worthless without pics, here are the "baby pictures" I promised yesterday.

This was taken Sunday before I went aboard. A worn but solid looking Catalina 27. Bimini, dodger and roller furling are clearly visible. The name will go, of course. But it was prophetic.

Yesterday morning. You can see they've started to wax the hull already. This gives you a good profile of this classic 27 footer. Note the front of the keel is solid lacking the "Catalina Smile". I want to keep it that way.

Close up of the aft hull where the waxing has started. You can clearly seen the waxed portion versus the rest by the faded bootstripe. She's going to clean up nicely. You can also see the fiberglass gouges above the rub rail. These will be filled and gelcoated.

Now some interior shots...

Looking forward from the companionway hatch. The 80s called and they want their interior back! Take special note of that classic folding screen on the bulkhead to separate the main salon from the head and V-berth. My parent had a bathroom door that looked like that. That will be coming off the boat.Looking aft in the main salon. Wood needs some cleaning, the stove is going over the side and the icebox needs new insulation. But everything is serviceable. The hatch for the inboard engine compartment is visible. Since there is no inboard, that is open space for storage.

Looking forward into the V-berth. You can see the extra sails in their bags and a close-up of the hanging locker. V-berth cushions are out of the way along the hull. Head is to the right behind the folding door.

Looking into the head. Clean and functional. The extra sink is a nice addition.

Looking aft into the cockpit. Tiller steering and you can see the top of the bimini, tiller extension in its well and the mainsheet traveler. You can see how worn the running rigging is by its rough and faded appearance. All of this will be replaced. Double lifelines (at left), a Lifesling 2 and the cockpit operated bilge pump (silver panel right of the tiller extension) round out some of the safety items aboard.

That's all I can post for now. Just wanted to let you see the new addition to the family. She's a pretty girl and will be beautiful when we're done with her.

It's Official

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:56:00 +0000

Funny for a "gun blog" that I haven't written about guns in a while. I have plenty of material but honestly just haven't been in the mood to get it all down.

I'll have to fix that. A conversation with my best friend "back home" has inspired a couple of things. Unless you live in New Jersey, Illinois or NYC, thank your lucky stars. You'll understand hopefully later when/if I manage to explain the difference between the United States and Canada when it comes to gun laws. It'll blow you away, figuratively speaking. Even the hellhole of Maryland is a downright gun owners paradise compared to Canada. Seriously.

On other news, we closed on the Catalina 27 this morning. She's officially ours. When we arrived at the yard, the broker had his crew waxing her hull. She's going to shine up nicely.

Stunningly, we (the broker and myself) managed to get my wife aboard. She has an issue with being on boats that aren't in the water and being on a sailboat raised 6-8 feet off the ground concerns her. But she managed and was quite happy to see our new boat in person. She likes her. "Fat and roomy" is her description.

I had the chance to address some additional inspection points that have been bothering me. The main halyard was snagged around the roller furling and we managed to work it free. The furler works fine and the jib appears to be new. I am going to arrange a rig inspection for my own peace of mind to give me a baseline for future maintenance. Doing a visual inspection with the broker, we were please to see that the upgrades recommended by Catalina have been done. Most critical of these is the replacement of the aluminum spreader sockets with stainless steel. The older aluminum ones had a tendency to crack and if not caught in time, you can dismast the boat.

And since we are no longer in the range of petty cash like the O'Day 22 but rather "real money", this is serious stuff. I'm not taking chances.

Immediate items are to replace a leaking vent forward, possibly fix the cosmetic gouges, arrange for the rig survey and start taking stuff off the boat for the winter. By end of October, we'd like the boat to be tented under tarps for the winter and we'll begin addressing the other maintenance items in the Spring.

It's real now and I'm giddy for a lot of reasons. One, we got a solid boat at a very decent price. If we can keep total expenditure under $10K total including purchase price and services we've already contracted for, we'll be very happy owners by the time we commission the boat.

Two, I've dreamt of this moment for almost 10 years. Life and other things got in the way. My first boat, a Clipper Marine 26, was an absolute disaster. It served a purpose to teach me, rather expensively, what not to do and that experience serves me well now. But it aborted plans to be on the Bay and subsequent events never allowed me to think about a return to the water until this past year.

Now, I'm here. It's no longer abstract. We have the boat and we will be on the Bay next year. I have had some fond experiences on the Bay on other people's boats and finally, I am free to have my own at my own pace.

That is what sailing represents for me: Freedom. The freedom to look at the horizon and know, if desires and courage allow, to point the bow towards it and not look back. This boat is the first real step towards that ultimate dream. Time will tell if that dream can be realized.

Sailing is my form of escapism. The problems of the world and the issues on land cease to be an issue on a boat. I've been anchored on a sailboat in coves not a mile from a busy marina and might as well been 1000 miles from civilization. Other than the other boats present relaxing in the late summer sun, we had no intrusion of the world beyond. We could have been moored off a island in the Carribbean for all we knew.

I desperately want to experience that again and show it to my wife. Our little Catalina will make that possible.

For me, I finally get to explore things I've wanted to experience. There are points on the Chesapeake Bay where you can be in the middle of the water and not see land. I want to see what it is like to be on a small boat alone on the water like you would be on the ocean. Call it a form of ocean training. Still in semi-protected waters (a wide definition when dealing with the Bay) but for the first time, truly "at sea" and all that entails.

Little things like wanting to see St. Michaels for the first time by coming in from the Bay. Sail up to Baltimore and see the Inner Harbor from a water perspective. Hell, given Baltimore's crime rate, being on a sailboat in the Inner Harbor is probably one of the safest places to be. Especially at night.

We definitely made the right decision. While my wife is still questioning "what's wrong" given our purchase price, I'm not questioning it. Someone wanted to donate a boat and we simply happened to be in the right place at the right time asking the right questions. Although the C&C 29 we were after is a good boat and someone should snap up, I think we did the right thing by us.

So far, all I have been told is "Don't go crazy". I have a list of items I want to do and safety related top that list. Standing and running rigging top the list followed by engine maintenance and remote controls. Luxuries like an enhanced electrical system, electronics, sails and so on will be determined as we move down the list. Accommodation work is in my wife's hands. Making the boat safe for us to sail is my problem.

I'll try to get "baby pictures" up soon. The spring launching pictures will make a very nice contrast.

With that in mind, I expand my standing offer above to include sailing. Should any of my four readers or their friends ever wish to meet up and spend a day on the water, drop me a note. If you're an experienced sailor, by all means do so. I'm a novice and always happy to have help. As they say, "the best boat is someone else's". Here's your chance.

Perhaps a Spring Blog Meet-and-Sail should be something worth planning? Any interest (that means you CTone and JTBolt as well as Sebastian & Bitter and Denise & Sam)?

Here to good wind and full sails!

Finding That Great Boat

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:48:00 +0000

It is said that you will know the boat for you when you find it.

I think we've found it.

We went out to the boatyard yesterday to narrow down our choices. There were two boats I wanted to take a look at. A Hunter 27 that we had taken a look at previously and I wanted a second look at and a Watkins 27 that seemed to look good.

So I find myself on the Watkins and low and behold there's a lock on the companionway. FYI, this boat broker operates a very liberal policy of access to his boats. They aren't really locked and he encourages potential customers to grab a ladder and climb aboard at will. It's the little things and I like a broker who's laid back. So while I'm standing on the boat, my wife call the broker to ask if someone has a key and some basic info on the boat.

From 20 feet away and 6 feet down I hear, "WHAT'S wrong with it?!?". This gets my attention and my wife shouts out to me, "It has a cracked keel!". I was off the boat before she was finished getting the details.

Later inspection showed a foot long vertical crack on the front of the keel. Given the keel on the Watkins 27 is encapsulated (inside the hull), an external crack is serious business. Either a very bad grounding or a sign of serious internal hull damage. Even if the boat was a good deal, I'd never be able to shake a bad feeling on the structural soundness of the boat from that point forward. Wrote it off immediately.

Then we go check the Hunter 27. Not too bad but more of a "settle" type of boat. I don't want to settle.

Then we went back about the C&C 29 Mk.II for a detailed inspection. This is what we were there for. Sadly, we found water down below and learned later that the sons of the owners were doing work and left 20 odd screws off the upper duck that held rails in place and were off for recaulking. So that explains the water. Still a concern. One of the reasons we chose to go out yesterday was we had just come off three straight days of heavy rain and going aboard would be a good indicator of any leaks down below.

So we called the broker to express our concern and explained how we needed to be sure this wasn't a sign of other issues. In doing so, my wife asked if he had anything we should look at in the meantime. He stated he had just gotten in a Catalina 27 that he hadn't even had a chance to go aboard yet. He directed us to where it was and told us to take a look and call him back and let him know what we thought.

Initially look shows a somewhat worn Catalina 27, standard rig with fin keel. Needed bottom paint and wax. Had bimini, dodger, roller furling and exterior teak in need of oil. Outboard motor in a transom well. I popped the hatches and showed a dated but dry interior, two extra sails and clean fiberglass. A small leak in the head. I poked around and checked the deck. No soft spots and everything felt solid. Running rigging could use replacement.

Overall, a boat in need of a makeover but sound. So we called the broker back and asked our now-standard question: "What's wrong with it?". Which the broker couldn't answer since he hadn't been aboard. So he told us to sit tight and 10 minutes later he showed up and joined us.

That began a 3 hour odyssey with us going from one end of the boat to the other.

The boat's stock rose steadily as we did so. All of the electrics were functional. The outboard had electric start. Two batteries onboard and charged. All of the pumps and drains were fine. The original gate valves (very bad) had been replaced with nylon and bronze seacocks. The head had a macerator pump, a nice addition. Bilge had a cockpit gusher pump fitted with removable handle (something that is highly recommended for any boat). Separate chain locker for the anchor well. Double lifelines. Keel joint was tight and lacked the "Catalina Smile" (a crack at the front of the keel) that occurs on older 27s. Only real issues that we identified were the leaking vent in the head and the drain hoses needed new clamps.

By the end of this back-and-forth, we were quite impressed. And we learned some history. The boat had been donated to a charity and was being sold to raise funds. It had been sailed from Solomons Island not two days prior and had been out of the water only for a day.

As we began to talk cost, we really began to smile. The price was beautiful at $5000. I indicated I needed to run some rating numbers to determine how the boat compared to others. But as my wife and I talked and began to list what we would need to do to get her up to our desires, the more appealing she became. Understand we were looking at spending north of $12,000 plus the expense of a survey, winterization and anything we needed to add or change before launch. With a $12K budget, we realized we could afford to sink $2-3K into a $5000 boat, get it set up perfectly and leave us much happier in the end and with a lot more money in the bank.

While the C&C 29 was well-kept, any good boat can be brought up to that standard and in the Catalina 27, all of the basics were there. What pushed us over the edge was the realization that we had gotten $4000 for our O'Day 22 and that essentially we were buying the 27 for $1000. Since we had already banked that and then some, the decision was made and we wrote a check for $5000 as our initial offer.

Our offer was accepted this morning. Our boat has found us.

Photos will be forthcoming and now we have a slew of planning and prioritization to manage between now and before winter sets in. First priorities are new bottom paint, hull waxing and some topside repair work for gouges above the rub rail. We are having the broker do for us since it is cheaper for us to pay him than it is to hire the yard to do it. Same goes for winter storage. He's cheaper than anyone. So we're set for the winter.

When I ran the numbers and did some research on this model, the Catalina 27 comes out very nicely. It is really hard to go wrong with a Catalina since they are the most popular sailboat brand in the United States and there are probably more 27s in the world than any other model out there. So support and information aren't an issue.

Things happen in ways you don't expect. A boat we hadn't glanced at or wrote off as being trashed turned out to be a jewel and not a very rough one at that. The boat never even reached the market. In a month, the original owners won't recognize her.

We close on the paperwork this week and start getting things in order. It is going to be a very exciting couple of months and we're thrilled.

Sweet sailing lies ahead! April can't get here soon enough.

The Great Boat Hunt has ended. The Great Marina Hunt begins!

The Great Boat Hunt

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:41:00 +0000

It's possible that the Great Boat Hunt might be ending this month. We are considering making on offer on a C&C 29 Mk.II.

She's a pretty sailboat. A fin keel cruiser/racer drawing 5'3". It has all of the features we are looking for in a sailboat which include:

Roller furling
Inboard auxillary propulsion
Short-handed rigging configuration
Bimini
Wheel steering
6 foot headroom (for me)
Icebox
Sink w/freshwater storage
Stove
Double berth accomodation (port side berth folds out to a double berth)
Marine head with shower sump

The last four are "nice to haves" but most boats we've been looking at possess them. If you click through the link above, you'll see photos of the various features. The big items are the rigging setup and inboard engine.

Since it will mostly my wife and I sailing, a rig set up for short-hand or singlehanded sailing is important. Which this boat has. Having gone forward to raise and lower sails, this is a very nice feature. This boat has all lines routed back to the cockpit so we don't need to leave its safety to raise/lower/furl any of the sails. A very nice feature.

The name will go, of course. Traditions must be followed.

I'm in the process of getting survey estimates. A pre-purchase survey is a critical item that anyone should do (and most reputable brokers will recommend) if you are looking to buy a boat that you don't consider a "project boat" and expect to do considerable work on to make seaworthy. Costs varies on a survey and most surveyors charge by the foot. Quotes I'm receiving are in the $500-$600 range.

When you're spending $10K or more, this is a worthwhile investment. It might seem like a lot to some folks since it is adding a significant percentage to the cost on cheaper boats but as my wife has been asking on the cheaper vessels: "What's wrong with it?". The survey answers that question in detail.

All it takes is something to be wrong with the inboard engine, hull or standing rigging to make a cheap boat suddenly become very, very expensive. A car mechanic is positively cheap compared to a marine mechanic. You can easily spend $2000 or more to repair serious problems with a marine diesel. Or even have to replace said engine at costs that can easily exceed $5000. Or not catch a corroded stay or shroud that hold the mast up that carry the immense wind loads and suddenly your rig snaps and is over the side. You want to scream like you're in a horror movie? Call up a rigger and ask how much it will cost to replace the mast and associated rigging on a 30 foot sailboat sometime. This, of course, assumes the dismasting doesn't cost you the boat in the process.

So a survey is good insurance. Plus, it is usually needed by insurance companies in order to insure a vessel for loss. If you don't do a survey, they may insist on one otherwise they won't cover you beyond operator liability. Most purchase contracts also reserve the right of the buyer to walk away from the deal if they aren't satisfied with the survey results so it is also buyer protection. Which is totally subjective, by the way. If I feel something in the survey such as the condition of the running rigging, doesn't meet my standards, I can argue for a reduction in price to replace it or I can decide to walk because it isn't worth my hassle to deal with the extra expense post-purchase.

I expect we'll be making a decision this week. I plan to head out to the yard this weekend to do a detailed inspection and then make an offer if we're happy. From there, we make a deposit, sign the purchase contract which includes our right to have the boat surveyed and take it for a test sail. All of these things are at our expense so you only do this if you're serious. If we aren't happy after either of these, we walk and get our deposit back. This assumes our offer will be accepted.

A test sail is one of our requirements. My wife has to be happy with the feel of the boat on the water before we'll commit. She does not want a light boat like our O'Day 22 was. Based on pure numbers (which tells nothing about how the boat will actually behave), the C&C 29 is quite favorable and compares very well to the Beneteau First 376 we were out on a few weeks ago. She liked the Beneteau so I expect a positive reception to the C&C. It should feel very similar to the Beneteau and to the 12 Meter America's Cup boats we've been on in the past.

I'm excited. Now it's getting serious. Here's hoping for a few good weeks ahead and with positive results, a great season of sailing next spring!

Will keep you posted.

Just a Thought

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:07:00 +0000

Tam points out some issues with the horrible excuse making that is occurring by various members of the Hollywood set excusing Roman Polanski's behavior because of what he has gone through and how long ago it was.

So let me ask this: Would you defend Roman Polanski for drugging and raping a 13 year old girl back if his wife hadn't been killed by Charles Manson?

I suspect if you take away the tragedy of that event from his life, Roman Polanski would be just another dirty old man who deserves to go to jail. I suspect a lot of people who should know better are excusing this act because of this and it shows, as Tam points out.

Just a thought.

Countdown

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:18:00 +0000

Greg asks when I become an "honest-to-God Yankee", as he put it.

Answer: Just getting the paperwork together and waiting for some answers to some specific questions on the N-400 "Application for Naturalization".

If you want to appreciate what you were born with, click that link. Page 5 is one of the fun ones. I need to list all of the times I have been out of the United States in the past five years, the dates, how long I was gone in days and what countries I visited.

Thank God for travel agents and the fact I don't travel much. Same goes for employment and residence history. Since I only need to provide the last five years, I can keep that information in my head without having to dig into old files.

Most of us can't remember the exact date we went to the grocery store last let alone exactly all the times we left the country, where and when.

The really fun questions are in Part 10 starting on Page 6. Question #1 is "Have you ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen (in writing or any other way)?". I think it is safe to say among my small number of readers that I have been quite emphatic in answering that question "No".

The one section I am waiting for an answer on is the "Affiliations" section. I don't know whether or not to answer "Yes" to this question: "Have you ever been a member of or associated with any organization, association, fund foundation, party, club, society, or similar group in the United States or in any other place?".

Somehow, I think the answer to that question hinges on the definition of the terms "club" and "society" in relation to immigration and US law. I don't think those terms have the meanings we commonly associate with them in day-to-day usage. Much like the meaning of the word "intent" as it relates to immigration. Because if they do, then I'm guessing I'm writing in "National Rifle Association" and the names of the shooting clubs I belong to.

Somehow, I don't think that is what USCIS is after here. Especially given the very next sections asks the fun questions about being a member of the Communist Party, any totalitarian party or a member of a terrorist organization. Not to mention whether or not you've ever persecuted someone because of who or what they are (i.e. committed genocide) or been a Nazi.

Can you imagine the fun at the interview if you answered "Yes" truthfully to any of those questions?!?

Part D of the same section are more of the fun ones. I scratch my head at D.15 "Have you ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?".

Wouldn't "Yes" be the standard answer for every adult in this country regardless of immigration status? Don't we all commit some crime or offense out of simple ignorance or pack herd survival imperatives (e.g. speeding) every single day?

Again, I think they're looking for something a little deeper here than someone doing 65 in 55 on the Capital Beltway here. But it's one of the questions I want an opinion on before answering it.

22.g I most definitely get to answer "No" to. I'm meticulous about paying my alimony.

Alas, no question on whether I've committed an act of moral turpitude. That is hands-down my personal favorite from the background information I submitted with my green card application. I guess the criminal background history here is sufficient to answer that. But asking about moral turpitude is so much more fun!

There is one question in section E I am likewise waiting an answer on. I suspect I'm probably going to have to "Yes" to it but it is easily explained and now long in the past. I'm not sure the USCIS even has the paperwork on it anymore but I'm not taking any chances.

Filling out this application should be treated like applying to be a police officer or hold a top secret clearance. Err on the side of caution and answer "Yes" to things that might remotely require it, explain the reasoning later and let the officer performing the investigation make a determination of its validity rather than say "No" and have them find out about it after the fact. Bad things tend to happen when you lie on stuff like this.

I get to skip sections F (Military Service) and G (Selective Service Registration). Never served in the US military and I was too old for selective service when I became I a permanent resident.

Interesting bit of trivia: Did you know that a male permanent resident between 18 and 26 is required to register for Selective Service? This despite the fact that they are not a citizen, it is still expected of them to register for the draft and bear arms in the defense of the country if necessary.

When I talk about a permanent resident essentially being a form of "citizenship probation", I'm not far off the mark. That little tidbit I found quite interesting when I became a permanent resident. It was actually cited as one of your responsbilities as a PR in your welcome letter than came with your Green Card.

Once I get this form filled out properly, I get to write some checks to the government. One for the filing fee, one to have my fingerprints taken again. They run an FBI background check as part of your naturalization process and for that, I shrug my shoulders. They did it once when I became a permanent resident and again when I applied for my VA CCW. Quite literally nothing to see there so that will be a real easy thing for USCIS to check off. Nothing has changed in the past five years.

Then get photos taken, copies of supporting documents and ship the whole thing off to the USCIS lockbox. From there, I wait for letters in the mail and for a notice to request to appear for an interview. Assuming the interview goes well, I will be scheduled for the next available swearing-in ceremony (they don't make you wait once you pass the interview) where I'll get to raise my hand and take the Oath. Much celebration will then ensue.

If the interview doesn't go well, well, you'll probably hear about it. The question is whether it will be from an immigration detention cell in the District or from Canada after they've finished deporting me. I am more than reasonably hopeful that this won't come to that. When it comes to immigration issues, I am quite careful to make sure everything is done the way they want it done.

To answer Greg's question of how long it will take to get to that point is unknown but based on what I've read and my circumstances (Canadian, no criminal history, long-time resident, pays taxes, speaks English, no waivers or exceptions), I expect the process once the application lands in the lockbox and receive notice of receipt that I should be swearing in 6-9 months later. With luck, right around this time next year at the latest, just in time to register for the 2010 mid-terms.

I'm into my countdown. We'll see how long it takes to reach zero and my next great adventure!

P.S. All of the bold formatting in the questions above from the N-400 application are present in the application itself. They really do mean "ever".

Yom Kippur Fun

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:39:00 +0000

I got the pleasure of going to my first Jewish services with my wife and mother-in-law for the Jewish New Year with culminates with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement in Judaism.

While not a religious man myself and having issues with organized religion in general, Judiasm has some nice point as compared to Christian denominations I grew up with. As it was explained to me, Judiasm doesn't subscribe to the notion of submission before God the way some other religions do. It is very people-centric in acknowledging God's role in life living alongside him rather than being a constant servant.

I certainly enjoyed the various kiddishs and poems being sung by the cantor. While I don't understand Hebrew, it was very nice and some of the more beautiful religions songs I've heard. Catholics are free to disagree.

What I did not enjoy was the Rabbi and her sermon during the middle of the service. She was making a case for health care reform and as a former resident of Massachusetts and supporters of Ted "Frogman" Kennedy, you can imagine where her views on the subject lay. She wasn't hiding them and admitted her politics but made the point, several times, that this wasn't about her politics or her views. Right. Making the connection on the Day of Atonement in striving to do better as a people and a nation and relating that to health care reform wasn't a political statement.

What stood out was her statement during this little sermon was how she wasn't trying to force her views upon us and that what was most important was, if we disagreed, to make our views known to our representatives. Good advice on the latter but a complete lie on the former.

By being in a authoritative position as a member of the clergy and speaking from the pulpit, you are forcing your views onto others. Because we don't have a podium we can rise and speak to in order to counter them. It is a one-way communication and I was not pleased by this at all. My wife could tell I was getting supremely pissed off at this.

I wasn't the only one. More than a few folks got up about five minutes into this and walked out. And you could tell it wasn't because they needed to get home to give their pets insulin. We eventually followed suit partially for the same reasons.

Rabbi, you're entitled to your views but save it for a Hebrew school debate or after services. Subjecting your fellow worshippers to an unchallenged diatribe about the need for health care reform is an insult and abuse, in my opinion, of your Rabbinical position.

Moving on to other interesting things...

Here we have Bill Clinton accusing the issues many in this country have with President Obama and the Democrats agenda as "a vast right wing conspiracy".

Sigh. Is this the childish level one has to stoop to? Apparently those on the left simply can't recognize that regular people can be upset with them. It has to be the result of vast right wing marching orders to smear and destroy. Fools. I think they have their playbooks mixed-up.

But what is interesting is this little tidbit from the article:

Clinton was asked whether he is concerned that the 2010 midterm elections could resemble those of 1994, when Republicans took control of the House and Senate two years into his first term.

"There's no way" that could happen, Clinton said, adding that "the country is more diverse and more interested in positive action." Also, he said, Republicans had control of Congress for several years under President George W. Bush, "and they know the results were bad."

And, he said, "the Democrats haven't taken on the gun lobby like I did."

Emphasis mine. And just in case the article suffers from subsequent editorial revision, here's a screenshot for posterity:

While I disagree with Clinton on the possible outcome of next year's mid-terms, he is absolutely correct on one of the reasons the Democrats lost in 1994. Apparently they have different editors at CNN because the last time the raised the spectre of 1994 was raised, it was health care reform failure that cost the Democrats their majority not gun control.

Credit to former President Clinton on being honest and consistent about why the Democrats lost the House back then. He hasn't tried to whitewash or revise that history like many in his party and the media have attempted to do.

But please, left wing Democrats, keep on believing that the anger and resistance you're seeing is the product of some organized "right wing conspiracy". It will help keep you even more off-balance when you hopefully get thrown out of the majority in 2010 in Congress. Nothing will please me more than to see Nancy Pelosi froth raving mad and blaming Republicans and forces of evil in this country at dethroning her as Queen of the Administration, er, Speaker of the House.

Progress being made on the Great Boat Hunt. More to come.

Sweet Sailing

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:58:00 +0000

My wife and I had the opportunity to go sailing on the Chesapeake Bay aboard a Beneteau First 376 owned by a friend of hers. I'm never one to turn down an opportunity to crew for others and this trip was to serve two purposes. One was to give us a feel for a Beneteau under sail. Two was to let my wife experience sailing on the Bay, which is very different from the Potomac.

We got exactly what we hoped for.

Frankly, if money was no object, I would have already plunked down the money and bought a Beneteau Oceanis. They are gorgeous boats. The First family are intended as racers but with cruising amenities. In other words, an Oceanis with more expensive bits like racing instruments, adjustable backstay, racing sails and so on.

In layman's terms, add another $30K or so to the cost of the boat. Down below, a First is almost the same as an Oceanis.

All I can say is this boat handled beautifully. We had 10-15 knots of wind, light 1-2 foot chop and the boat loved it! Perfect conditions. We had this boat running close-hauled beating to windward (heading in the direction of the wind) at 7.2 knots and hitting near 8 in the gusts. The boat was rock-solid the whole time. When we caught a puff, she'd heel over a little more and it required some adjustment on the wheel to counteract it.

This boat is very sensitive to wind speed and that's not a bad thing. You could easily feel the wind speed pick up as the boat immediately wanted to head up into the wind (as all sailboats will do). However, it only required a slight twist of the wheel in the opposite direction to balance it out and keep the boat heading in the same direction but going faster. Overall, weather helm (the need to steer against the tendency of the boat to turn up into the wind) was minimal but I think the nearly six foot wheel using to steer helped make it feel very managable. Very easily to anticipate and deal with.

Most of the time, I was sitting on the windward rail and steering with a couple fingers on the wheel. It was that smooth.

There are lots of worse ways to spend a day.

We would up staying out for several hours just sailing from one side of the Bay to the other. Passed between a couple of freighters at anchor outside the shipping channel, made the opposite shore and then turned around and headed back to Annapolis. The winds cooperated and allows us to sail to right back where we started. Literally. We dropped the sails at the entrance to the marina channel. Can't ask for anything better.

If this is indicative of the sailing qualities in ideal conditions, a larger Beneteau may well be a serious contender for boat #3. As it stands, we just might be able to find an smaller 30-32 foot older model in the top end of our price range. We both really liked how it felt. We've found older Beneteau Firsts in the $15-$30K range. If we find the right equipment and the boat is in good condition, we just might pull the trigger on one.

My wife got to see and feel what a modern performance sailboat is capable of. I think she's very keen on the idea of owning something like it since it fits her idea of what a sailboat should feel like on the water. However, the purchase price of $130K is enough to give anyone pause.

This would be example of what my wife and I are calling "the 10 year boat". Ten years for both the expected period of ownership and the length of the note we'll need to take out in order to afford the payments. Not something we want to start out with because if we aren't happy with it a few years down the line, we're locked in unless we want to take a huge loss.

So we are looking for our "5 year boat". Something we want to keep around for around five years but we'll own either outright at time of purchase or with a very small loan equivalent to a car payment on a 5 year note or less. Personally, I prefer owning outright since it makes the ownership equation easier, it's a tangible asset we own and can dispose of if need be and from a finance perspective, if we want to make a payment, it is easier for us to borrow money from ourselves, as it were, and pay it back as if we had a bank note. Assuming 8.25% interest, we'd be paying ourselves back an extra $10K over five years. Better to pad our savings account than the bank's books.

With the added bonus that if we ever need the money, we can stop the "payments" without finding ourselves featured on Operation Repo.

Still, the First 376 was a really sweet boat. Fit and finish were exquisite. I'm glad we had the chance to go out on it.

As I said, there are worse ways to spend a day.

Will keep you posted on the Great Boat Hunt.

The Great Boat Hunt

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:40:00 +0000

They say the two happiest days of boat ownership are the day you buy it and the day you sell it. I was actually a little depressed when we sold our O'Day 22 because she really was a good boat. It's tough giving up something that has been good to you. So I wasn't as happy as I should be.

If the day you sell is the happiest, the hunt for its replacement will frustrate and try you. Fortunately, it is a frustration you can at least enjoy. Sometimes.

We've been to the boat broker for the past two weekends. My wife likes this broker as do I. He's being very realistic with us and understands nothing is getting signed today. He's taking us to different boats that might suit, letting us tromp around, take pictures and get a feel for what works and what doesn't. Over time, he is quickly getting a feel for what we are looking for and steering us to suitable boats.

"Suitable" covers a wide range of options. Part of the problem is a conflict between old and new. The first two boats he ever showed us were a Beneteau Oceanis 351 and a Catalina 320. Both late 90s models with lavish interiors and private aft cabins. The aft cabin has been a major driver because, quite simply, we like it. We like it a great deal. The downside is you don't tend to find those on older boats so what we are finding that feature on is priced north of $40,000. $60,000 in the case the two boats mentioned.

But, my God, are they gorgeous!

And it's only gotten worse. We saw several boats this past weekend but three stuck out in our minds. The first was a Hunter 295. Although small, she sure didn't feel small. This boat stood out because it had an aft cabin layout like the larger boats but in a smaller package. Like the Beneteau and Catalina, she had a wide beam and lots of room below. A tempting boat but at $40,000, she rests outside of our desired price range.

Not the other two we saw and here's where the frustration part comes in. The first boat we saw was a Bristol 32. An older boat and newly listed, she was, in the broker's word "neat as a pin". And she was. All the topside wood had been refinished, deck and rigging were excellent for a 30 year old boat and she was tidy and neat down below. But for me, I liked it a great deal and the boat was in excellent condition. But as a older boat, she had a "dated" layout and narrow beam (not quite 10 feet) that didn't move my wife. But as a heavy cruiser, her slow, solid motion at the dock appeals to me. I like deep keel boats. This would be important on the next boat.

The next boat was a very attractively priced Catalina 30 "Tall Rig". This boat is priced to move and one of the boats we had specifically traveled out to see. Last time out, the owners had her out on the water much to the annoyance of the broker. This time we got to see her. My wife liked it immediately.

The Catalina had the beam of the newer boats, which is important for my wife. More room equals more pleasure aboard and in this I agree. We poked around, taking a close look at everything, seeing what we liked and what we didn't. Asking questions, stomping on the deck, probing about. Which ended with us sitting in the salon and the broker asking "What do you think?".

Our assessment was mostly positive. My wife likes this boat. We were probably looking at $3-5K in upgrades and work to get her up to our desired standards (new stove, some electrical work, wood replacement and AC). Certainly doable. The problem was with me.

I get seasick. While you absorb the incongruity of someone who loves to sail being prone to motion sickness, it was this fact that is bringing me into conflict. While we sat there, I was keenly aware of this boat bobbing and swaying while tied up at the dock. Which leads to my concern that if this boat is doing this in calm water at dock, what is she going to be like at anchor in a cove somewhere or worse, under sail in six foot chop that is typical of the Chesapeake Bay?

The Catalina 30 is a light boat. A good coastal and bay cruiser for semi-protected waters. My wife doesn't get seasick so the sprightly motion of a boat like this won't bother her. She's after comfort and value. As am I but I am trying to find it in a seakindly hull that won't have me chumming the waters an hour after we cast off and begging for death while sitting at anchor and looking longingly at land to make the motion stop.

In fact, a fellow I used to sail with (he had two wonderful little trailer sailers) commented that such persistence was rare. Most people when they learn they are prone to seasickness generally swear off boating. But when I'm under sail, everything is balanced and things are right, it is one of the most relaxing and wonderful feelings in the world. But all of those experiences, for the most part, have been in medium to heavy boats.

So the Catalina 30 is probably off the list. Unfortunate because she had real potential. My wife liked it and I did too except for how she felt. Sadly, this might well be a characteristic of many of the newer boats we'll look at in this class.

Fortunately, we have time. It's early in the hunt. With the sailing season winding down in the next month or so, a lot of boats will be coming onto the market. So I'm hoping that as we begin to find that ideal mix of features that the right combination of price, condition and attractive layout mated to a heavier hull will find us. I'm hoping so.

Lots of opportunities. I've been digging into motorsailers as well trying to find a compromise for getting somewhere when sailing just isn't cutting it. They might prove to be an ideal compromise as a 3rd boat to go afar on. Many of the 40+ footers in that category have enough cruising range to go 2000+ miles. Certainly enough to motor to Florida.

You'll know when the hunt has ended. And then much fun will ensue!

Truth About the Milky Way

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:28:00 +0000

For those of you enthralled by the recent new images from the refurbished Hubble, I offer you a tidbit of knowledge that you may not be aware of.

Generations of people have grown up with the subconscious knowledge that the Milky Way Galaxy where we live is a typical spiral galaxy. Not unlike our nearest spiral neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). It was also accepted that Andromeda was much bigger than the Milky Way but in other respects similar.

How wrong we were!

It turns out our own Milky Way Galaxy is, in fact, an SBc barred spiral galaxy! A 2008 artist's rendering shows what our galaxy probably looks like face-on. Not only that, it appears to be much heavier than previously estimated putting on a similar size and mass footing to Andromeda.

How cool is that?

Unfortunately, it means a lot of my old science fiction games and books have it wrong. I guess they'll need to be revised in the light of new knowledge

Thought you might want to know we live in a pretty interesting place.

Farewell O'Day!

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:49:00 +0000

Tomorrow my wife and I will take our farewell sail on our O'Day 22. Tomorrow afternoon she will belong to someone else.

Some of you are probably thinking "What? You've only had her a few months!".

We came to a decision last week that despite the 22 being a wonderful boat, we just aren't happy sailing on the Potomac. Observation has caught up to theory with my wife that the surface appeal of the Potomac has become too limiting.

Put simply: We lack freedom.

My wife's experience on larger sailboats has made her uncomfortable on the small daysailer and more importantly, the narrow river and shallow water just makes us both uncomfortable. As much as I enjoy just sailing for the sake of sailing, the freedom to go somewhere else has been getting to us.

We'd like to be able to set the sails and leave them for more than 5-10 minutes at a stretch. We'd like to not have our heads on a swivel all the time and dodging powerboat traffic. Most of all, my wife does not like our exit and entrance into the harbor channel due to the constant presence of small dinghys playing in the lagoon, forcing us to play "Dodge-a-Boat" constantly.

My wife wants to be on the Bay. As do I. We also want to be able to go out for a night or weekend with Foster and enjoy a boat properly. So we decided that it would be better to get out now and begin looking at what it will take to get onto the Chesapeake. To that end, we went to several boat brokers out on the shore over the weekend and had our eyes opened.

My desire had always been to acquire a nice, solid older classic sailboat. Then we saw some of the more modern designs and were totally blown away. By both layout and cost. While the $60,000 32-36 footers we were shown are out of our desired price range, they showed us features that we really like. Like a private aft cabin with a queen size bunk on a 32 foot boat.

That has me really reconsidering the features we are after.

So we've decided to get out and begin the slow, long hunt for the boat we really want. So the O'Day went on the market and we sold her today. She's going to a new sailor looking for his first boat so she'll serve him well.

We decided this was better than being unhappy. I can deal with six months or so of being boatless while we figure out what we want, what price range we want to work in and where we want to be.

So we'll host a toast to our O'Day and cavort with her one last time. Then move on and repeat this process all over again next year.

Yes, You Can Own Cannon! Without Paperwork!

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:01:00 +0000

Sometimes the media gets it right. Here we have a case of the Ultimate Dad making his 12 year old son a replica Civil War cannon as a birthday present. Serves as a nice public counter to the notion that people can, in fact, own artillery.

Of course, news editors can't help but spin this in a breathless "Oh My God!" sense:

Daugherty said he is not worried about the federal government coming to get his son's cannon because he has spoken to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the National Security Agency. Though Daugherty said he is still stunned that he had to get clearance from the NSA for the archaic artillery piece, it is legal to own such a cannon because it does not use a firing pin or is breach loaded. He said the government does not consider the weapon a threat.

Emphasis mine.

The article is correct that it is perfectly legal to own muzzle loading artillery since firearms laws do not consider them destructive devices.

Hey gun banners, wrap your head around that concept! That applies to any muzzleloading firearm. Cash-and-carry, no background check and can be delivered right to your door! In fact, I'd go as far to say that this cannon is larger than the dreaded, plane-downing .50 caliber size so often feared as the preferred weapon of terrorists everywhere.

By the way, the same also applies to antique breech-loading artillery (a recent episode of "Pawn Stars" being a case in point). In that case, the gun is unregulated but each shell is subject to NFA "Destructive Device" licensing, background checks and the $200 tax per round.

However, I am a little curious about the NSA involvement. I am unaware of any requirements that involve me having to get clearance from the NSA to build my own replica muzzle loading cannon. Can anyone enlighten me on that? Maybe they're confusing the BATFE with the NSA? Something in the PATRIOT Act perhaps? Otherwise, I wouldn't be calling them or the BATFE unless the law required it. Based on what I've read, neither agency needs to be informed as the cannon itself is unregulated for all intents and purposes.

Still, I am glad that a newspaper reported this. I'm sure this kid is the envy of his friends and will have some really cool weekend get-togethers! Maybe next year he can upgrade to mortars.

Brady Campaign and anti-gun Democratic politicians, you may now soil your panties. I love the smell of PSH in the morning!

Giving Back a Little

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Tomorrow, I get to embark on a very special privilege.

I am going to a troop at Walter Reed Hospital with the 501st Legion (covered here) for wounded soldiers and their families. They are holding a Star Wars movie day and we are going out to support them.

I cannot tell you how honored I am that I am going to be able to do this. Only four of us from the Virginia Garrison can attend in addition to four from the Maryland Old Line Garrison and myself and my friend Tom got two of the slots. So I will get the pleasure of getting into "uniform" to thank our wounded vets in uniform. Their families will love it. Only 8 of us and we're expecting upwards of perhaps 400 people there.

Yours truly, I am the TIE Pilot pointing menacingly...

Tom is one of the Stormtroopers above (I believe standing behind the black Stormtrooper).

Playing adult dress-up has some advantages. This is one of them. We thanks our vets in different ways and I'm pleased I can do this for them. Giving the children and families a smile like that kid has above makes every penny that goes into this worth it.

Not the Pitch He Was Expecting

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:41:00 +0000

I just got off the phone with my wife.

Piece of advice to salesmen engaging in cold calls: When the woman on the other end of the phone tells you not to call back, take her word for it.

You don't get pushy with someone when you don't state your business or who you represent. And when you do hand that information over, be truthful. Don't lie about who you are, who you're calling from and what you want.

And when you get called out on it, rebuffed and told not to call again, absolutely, positively do not call back on your personal cell phone, ask if this is the bitch he just spoke to and demand the owner of the company be put on the phone. And when you're told "No." in no uncertain terms, do not, I repeat do not, tell the woman you've just insulted to perform a certain sex act upon you.

Especially in this day and age of Caller ID and the woman you are speaking to is on the board of the company you are cold calling. It's so unprofessional.

Suffice it to say, my wife had enough information to call back said individual's company, asked to speak to the President of the company and laid out what had just happened to the very attentive and pleasant receptionist.

Fifteen minutes later, the President of said company was on the phone with my wife informing her said individual was being escorted to the door as they speak and begging her to please not report his firm to the Better Business Bureau or sic the lawyers on him.

Ahh, the sound of stupidity in the morning. My wife is in a very good mood now. And someone is out of a paycheck.

This was too good not to pass along.

Hypocratic Legacy

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:01:00 +0000

So the Frogman of the Chappaquiddick has gone for the Deep Dive.

Here's hoping Mary Jo Kopechne has his nuts in a vice and is turning the handle really slow. She's got 40 years of waiting for justice to make up for and I hope she savors it.

Have at him, Mary Jo. Cancer beats drowning any day of the week. And don't lecture me on speaking ill of the dead. In this case, the dead deserve it. Unlike Michael Jackson, we know what Ted Kennedy did.

I heard on the news this morning that he was a "liberal icon". There's truth in reporting for you in more ways than one.

Under "hypocrisy" in the dictionary, there was a reference to Edward Kennedy. How long do you think it will be before Massachusetts changes the law back to the way it was pre-2004 to honor Ted Kennedy's "legacy"? And then call it Kennedy's Law to honor him? It would only be fitting since double standards and being a weather vane in the political winds were his good points . Such a legislative reversal in his name would be highly appropriate.

The best favor Ted Kennedy did to health care reform was dying. The Democrats are mourning today but not for the reasons you think.

Enjoy your legacy, Ted! You've more than earned it.

Upside

noreply@blogger.com (The Armed Canadian) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:04:00 +0000

I wonder how many people are still afraid of checking their 401k's? There is one upside to continuing to invest in yours as the market tumbles: the market has to rebound. Probably the best time to throw money into retirement savings is when the market tanks.

It does wonders for your rate of return...

My 401k has been trending like this for several months now. Average has been around 12%. I've recovered the losses my account took in 2008 and then some. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm happy at least with what the recovering economy is doing for my retirement.

You might want to check your 401(k) balances. You might be pleasantly surprised.