Random Nuclear Strikes

Surviving

Posted on April 18, 2015 by Phil Kadath

My first full week at the new job is done and I would say that I’m doing well.

They aren’t really giving me much feedback other than to give me more things to weld up, and to train me on more of their equipment, like the overhead cranes. So I have that going for me.

I put in 55 hours this week so far (9 Mon, 10’s Tue-Fri, and likely another 6 or so today) and have been asked to give 5-10 hour days next week with another voluntary 6 or so Saturday.

People who say that they don’t believe earning a paycheck helps you mentally have probably never worked for a paycheck.

On Wednesday we completed the Big Bertha project that I mentioned previously (with a pause on Monday & Tuesday for some “quick get it out the door” work). Here it is again, this time standing.

No one here is still quite sure what they’re going to do with it, but we reinforced the crap out of the 1x12x18 I-beam, so whatever they’re going to put into it must be very heavy. These weight over 5K each.

Anyway, I’m starting a new project today reinforcing more pieces of I-beam and will try to get some pics while no one is watching.

Posted in Kewel!, Life in the Atomic Age | 1 Comment

Happy

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Alaska

My first MOA Maximum handgun, handcrafted by Rich Mertz himself, fulfilling a very long-held dream….

16″ barrel sans brake, .260 Remington. Should have enough retained velocity at 700 yards to explode a boomer — we’ll see. Prior owner shown above with deer. Some of you may recognize him from Handgun Hunter magazine, and elsewhere. I’m almost as stoked about owning this gun as I am about Sgt. Bierkle’s.

(Oh yeah, here is the Boomershoot Bierkle Fireball video, in glorious slow motion).

It’s been a while since I did any specialty pistols posts. Here’s a roundup of clicky goodness. And a video.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Just feel guilty already, whitey

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Phil Kadath

So now, some of the folks who thought “teachable moments” were just the best thing evar, are now tired of teaching your racist ass how hard their lives are because you are racist.

The problem with those teachable moments is that the same people always end up doing all the teaching.Â In matters of race (and sex, disability, gender and sexuality, but letâ€™s stick to race right now), the marginalized are tasked with being educators. That is, people of color (POC), are expected to be patient and polite racial and cultural ambassadors who provide white people new to this whole â€œthinking critically about raceâ€ thing with a â€œway in.â€Â The role entails charitably and unselfishly engaging questions, assertions and doubts from white people whoâ€™ve previously done precious little thinking about racism and privilege, but often have quite a bit to say on the topic.

When POC refuse to take on this dual role of spokesperson and resource library, theyâ€™re often accused of having shirked an assumed responsibility. The idea seems to be that weâ€™ve missed an opportunity, that itâ€™s our duty to hold white peopleâ€™s hands and educate them, that weâ€™re condemning some poor white person to a continued life of ignorance.

How about we just do away with these teachable moments and stop worrying about how hard some people think their lives are because they see themselves as victims and just get on with our own lives?

If they’d just stop making people worry about how racist they might be, these folks wouldn’t be asking to be told how racist something seems.

These “ambassadors” actively put themselves into the lives of others and are now complaining that it is too much work to explain things they think are wrong.

There, problem solved.

Posted in Dare To Be Stupid | 2 Comments

Well, it is a big event

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Phil Kadath

With the NRA convention happening in Nashville, you know the progressive hoplophobes had to partake in the festivities “for the children”.

In one day, the Crooks and Liars blog posted three NRA convention pieces:

Here they use their rewritten history to cry about AlGore losing in 2000 because his gun control stance turned off even the people in his home state.

A little later they twisted Wayne LaPierre’s single mention in a 10 minute speech about how we don’t need another demographically symbolic chief executive to mean that he hates women.

Then, around lunch time, they took Ted Cruz’s invite to go shooting with him to make assassination suggestions.

Don’t bother scrolling into the comments section. Yesterday was Markley’s Law Monday, so the progressives partook and there are pages and pages of short pecker jokes.

In reality, they are simply jealous that no event on any politically active topic could draw 70,000 actual living citizens, let alone voters.

Posted in The Left is Never Right | 1 Comment

Riding the Rails

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Phil Kadath

OK, not so much riding them as hunched over all day welding them.

You have to be careful welding thin stuff, because the only thing keep it from distorting as you weld along it is its own weight at the ends.

This was number two of four. I finished the third one and a corner section on Saturday and will likely finish number four and the hand rails today. Then the fun part of having to get these 22 to 25 ft long sections out through a 20ft wide door on a forklift.

Yes, my back was killing me by the end of each day last week. Hoping that stops happening soon.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Tis a Pity

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Phil Kadath

They won’t be made to reimburse taxpayers for the gigantic waste of time they are pushing on the courts

A Lane County judge will hear arguments today in the case of two Oregon teens who sued the state for failing to act on climate change.

Kelsey Juliana and Olivia Chernaik, both of Eugene, filed suit in 2011, arguing that the Oregon government’s failure to follow through with its pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 constitutes a violation of the public trust doctrine.

Future “Social Justice” majors at work.

My guess is that they have very little to say in favor of those who collect rainwater for personal use on private land and, when the government finds out, get fined.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Guess Who: Updated

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Phil Kadath

Starts his new job today!?!

I went old school. Called, sent the resume, interviewed and tested on Monday Accepted the offer yesterday afternoon.

I have two dozen or more resumes still floating in the ether at other companies. When they call, and they will, I’m going to, as nicely as possible let them know that I’ve already accepted an offer from someone who doesn’t believe it takes 2-3 weeks to even invite someone in for an interview.

As for where I’m working, it is a fab shop that makes some very interesting architectural stuff. Mostly stairs and railings, but also some heavy structural balconies and fascias. Mostly mild steel, but also stainless and aluminum.

Pics when I can get them.

The best part is that they are less than 5 miles (as the crow flies) from my house. No more commute into Bedlam.

I have a physical therapy appointment for my hand at 8 and I go to work right afterwards. I’m also going to see how much of the Boomershoot weekend I can request off without pay before I start signing paperwork. I would at least like the Monday after so that I don’t have to leave as the sun sets on Sunday.

Wish me luck.

UPDATE:

Well, so much for starting out at a measured pace.

I walked in, filled out the necessary paperwork and was shown to this monstrosity.

And told to weld it up.

I welded some of the verticals and about 2/3 of the available flats. I’ll finish the flats tomorrow and we’ll use the overhead crane to turn it over so I can get to the rest.

At lunchtime I was told what it was for. They’re going to set a very large and heavy part of Big Bertha on a pair of these while Bertha is disassembled for repairs. Locals will recognize that name. Non-locals should hit the link.

I’m impressed with how much I must have impressed them in the interview. Getting back to work after lunch was humbling. I was asked if I could work Saturday and agreed to a full shift.

I was also given the Monday after Boomershoot off so that I can drive at a leisurely pace and not have to make a midnight run back home Sunday night. Friday and the Thursday before, were denied. They are very busy.

It’s hard to sleep when you’re this happy. And I’m afraid that I look stupid walking around during the day.

Posted in Kewel!, Life in the Atomic Age | 12 Comments