The Sweet Spot . . .

First off, I want to thank everyone for their many kind birthday wishes. I was trying to fly under the radar this year, but my beautiful wife went on Facebook and announced it to the world.




Thanks a lot, Jan.

Jan’s always happy when my birthday comes around for another reason. We’re now in that 20 day sweet spot period every year where Jan and I are the same age. So I can no longer accuse her of robbing the cradle. But just wait until Oct. 25th comes along.

I’m one of those people who think that the best way to get what you want for your birthday is to buy it for yourself. I don’t normally buy T-Shirts with pictures or patterns on them but I just had to get this one for my birthday.

Now Leaving New Mexico T Shirt

You can get yours here: You’re Now Leaving New Mexico T-Shirt

About 4:45 we headed out for dinner at Asian Grill, a favorite of ours, and where we haven’t eaten since last year. We were going to eat here back in August but forgot that they don’t open for dinner until 5pm.

We started out with an order of their delicious Shrimp Spring Rolls, made to order, as well as their homemade peanut sauce.

Asian BBQ Spring Rolls 2

Really good and fresh. You can always tell when they’re not fresh, because the wrapper gets tough and chewy.




Next up was a couple of their Vermicelli Bowls. Jan got hers with Grilled Chicken and Shrimp, and I got mine with Grilled Pork and Shrimp.

Asian BBQ Grilled Pork and Shrimp Bowl 2

We sauced it with Sriracha, Hoisin, and Dragon Sauces, and wall as the last of the peanut sauce. Jan and I both thought that the Dragon Sauce wasn’t as hot as in the past, so I warmed mine up a little more with a few shakes of my Volcanic Pepper Flakes.

Volcanic Dust

All really, really good.



This is a Bump Stock.

Bump Stock

I’m sure you’ve heard about them being used by the Las Vegas shooter. He had twelve of them installed on twelve different semi-auto rifles. For what its worth, they don’t make a semi-automatic a fully automatic weapon. They really just make it easier for you to pull the trigger faster.

Maybe a distinction without a difference to most people. But it is to the ATF who approved bump stocks in 2010. And they are legal in every state except California.

The ATF says that since they do not change the actual function of the rifle, they are legal, just like adding a scope or a laser sight.

The way they work is that when you pull the trigger the first time, the recoil of the rifle pushes it back against your shoulder and compresses the spring. The spring then pushes the rifle body forward. Since your finger is still on the trigger, the fact that the rifle is moving forward essentially pulls the trigger again. And again. And again.

The rifle operates the same as if you could pull the trigger really, really fast.

Of course after Las Vegas, the calls are out to ban bump stocks so something like this can never happen again. But would that accomplish anything? Take another look at the bump stock photo above.

It’s a SPRING!

That’s all it really is.

There are plans all over the Internet on how to make your own. I could probably make a trip to the nearest ACE Hardware, buy a selection of springs and a couple of other parts, and cobble together one right here in the rig. The only thing that makes the store-bought ones really better is cosmetics. They look like they’re actually part of the rifle.

So now we’re banning bump stocks and springs.

What’s next?

How about rubber bands?

Here’s a video of rapid fire using a rubber band.

Rubber Band Bump Stock

So what to ban next?

Really fast fingers?

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The Word of the Day is: Ensconce



Thought for the Day

The only thing worse than an intermittent problem, is an intermittent, intermittent problem. – Bill Lear 

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