Friday, December 14, 2012

Guns... Huh. What Are They Good For?


I've generally stayed on the Amendment 2 side of the gun control debate, even though I'll never own a gun personally. This is mostly for the same reasons as illegal drugs... making them illegal is impossible to enforce and creates a profitable black market for organized crime, only ones with guns are criminals etc. And having camped in the Rocky Mountains many times, I can definitely understand the desire for carrying a firearm there.

However, a friend on Facebook provoked the question how often do guns actually have a positive effect? Googling shows a few pages claiming relatively high incident rates (>100K) of gun use in self defense, so one could theoretically say there are some number of related saved lives due to guns. But no one really knows as it is very what-if, and the large majority of those seem to be petty robbery defense cases.

Then, as another friend from the UK and his limey kin will point out, there are virtually never handgun deaths/violence in the UK. This link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate shows almost 2 orders of magnitude difference in firearm death between the USA (~9) and UK (~.2), per 100K population per year.

The UK as far as I know does not have a terrible black market gun problem, nor have I ever feared getting shot on many visits and many drunken nights through various cities and streets and alleys there. Mugged? yes. Shot? no.

I can't count the number of times I've feared being shot growing up in Alabama and Colorado (any of my high school friends from Aurora can sympathize), and in fact have had guns pulled on me two times, including once pointed at me from a foot away, and I know several people who have actually been shot.

So now I'm pondering...

Can anyone explain the difference between the US and the UK on this topic, if it is not gun control? I have a few theories on other factors that contribute (namely illicit drug policy and religious atmosphere), but I suspect they are marginal compared to simply not having 270 FUCKING MILLION guns laying around their country (http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/united-states#number_of_privately_owned_firearms).

And finally, what's the point of owning a gun anymore? 

Sorry hunters: I don't give a shit anymore about your joy of killing an animal with a tool that you had nothing to do with inventing, unless your name is Smith or Wesson and you're over 150 years old.
Sorry militia men: If the world's most well funded military wants to oppress us all someday, your fucking Glock isn't going to stack up against a $700B annual budget. Seriously. It's not 1776 anymore folks. We have lasers that will put a pin hole in your heart from a mile away, insta-kill.
Sorry inner city: I know there are cops that are bad people and assholes just like any other line of work. But maybe they'd be somewhat less on edge if they didn't think every small time asshole they have to deal with is more likely than not packing heat.
Sorry self-defense advocates: Learn kung-fu, kraw-maga, gymnastics, or get in shape so you can run zig zag patterns if you're that paranoid. The couple of times I've had guns pulled on me, there was zero chance if I would have been armed with a gun I could have done anything but got myself or someone I cared about killed. Had I known close quarter physical combat techniques however, in both cases I might have had a realistic option.

Guns don't kill people, people with guns kill people... but guns make killing a lot of people quickly really easy. Try to demonstrate how any of the 3 major incidents in the last year are even close to the same magnitude with a non-firearm weapon.

So yeah. I'm pretty much done with guns.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Never, Ever Give Up

Watch this and I dare you to not be amazed: Arthur's Inspirational Transformation

This guy's story basically sums up the title of my blog and my ideal life philosophy. You are exactly who you think you are, no matter what anyone else tells you. Humans are incredible creatures and so few of us reach our true potential. Watch this and think about what you can do in your life if you believe in yourself and really try.

Arthur's story is highlighted from the beginning, in the upcoming documentary, INSPIRED: The Movie. http://www.inspiredthemovie.com and he used Diamond Dallas Page's yoga instruction.

(originally saw this via Jessica Brown on Facebook)

Thursday, April 19, 2012

To My Boys

I know none of you can really read this right now (well maybe Brody can), but I wanted to tell you a few things, in case of tidal wave.  I believe placing this information in the hands of google is the safest way to make sure this message survives until the Earth crumbles.

Nothing makes me happier than looking into each of your eyes.  I know now that I never experienced true love until I met each of you.

In each of you I see a unique person so amazing it stuns me.

Brody, you are a kinetic joy.  Like me, I think you will never be comfortable if you are not in motion.  I'm sorry that I constantly ask you to sit back down when we eat dinner, it's just that I don't want you to choke.  Don't ever let anyone stop you, including yourself. Your potential is boundless, explore it.

Clyde, your mind is a laser.  I am constantly in awe of your ability to focus, problem solve, and organize.  I'm sorry that I have to limit your time with the iPad, it's just that I want you to find balance.  Never stop asking questions, and you will never be bored.  And never stop telling those knock-knocks, because life's a laugh and death's a joke. It's true.

Sully, you are as determined as a bulldozer.  You may actually be more persistent than me, which you will find is both a gift and a curse.  I'm sorry that I repeatedly carry you back into your bed, it's just that I want you to get some sleep, you need it at this age.  Keep laughing insanely not only when you take things apart, but also when you put them back together in new ways.  You will succeed in whatever you decide to succeed at, because I know you will never give up.

All three of you are so smart, so talented, and so ... tall.  I am so proud I can call myself your dad.

I've taken a few trips around the sun, and I've learned life can be anything you want it to be.  You will have rough times, you will have smooth sailing; you will be sad, you will be happy; you will face tragedy and you will celebrate. Through all of this, remain true to yourself, and you will triumph.

Here are some things I have gathered that I hope will help you get through easier, like during those cold winters when the corn is all gone and nobody feels like talking:

  • Sunshine makes you happy; Rain makes you sad.  Use both of these as needed.
  • A good chef keeps their workspace clean; mop up your messes as you go.
  • When you are walking, keep your chin up and an eye in the sky.  Most people miss a lot because they forget to look up and around.
  • You don't stop running because you get old; you get old because you stop running.
  • Reversing any statement makes it sound wiser; but wisdom cannot be reversed.  Holy shit, I just made that up, pretty good right?
  • Fear is a mind killer.  Fear is the little death that obliterates. You must not fear. Fear will pass through you and around you, and when it is gone, only you will remain.
  • Hug like you mean it, but only if you mean it.
  • One drink, one water.  (This will make more sense when you are older)
  • If you decide to travel the world some day, for the love of Hank go somewhere tropical and not to a place with 10 months of rain per year.
  • If someone hits your car and says not to call insurance because they have a friend that will fix it, call insurance.
  • Don't do heroin.  Don't take any opiates if you can avoid it.
  • Do some hallucinogens in high school so you can understand how easy it is for your brain to believe in things that don't exist.
  • When you are eating a meal, don't multi-task.  Focus on smelling and tasting your food.  Apply this to all quality life experiences.
  • A Lannister always pays his debts. 
  • Learning Chinese would be a really good idea.
  • If you have an opportunity to visit outer space, take it.
  • Don't look for happiness from other people or things; Happiness comes from experiences and starts within yourself.
  • Massages are real; Chiropractic is not.
  • Diets are ridiculous. Eat whatever the hell you want, just eat lots of different stuff and go run and swim and bike and stuff.  
  • Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.
  • Play to win, but always respect your opponent.
  • Even though mom will want to sell them at a garage sale, keep your best toys at all costs.
  • Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy fast cars. Driving fast can definitely make you happy.
  • Be safe if you drive fast.
  • People that can dance are great in the sack.  (This will make more sense when you are older)
  • While we're on the subject, learn to play the guitar.  It's so clear to me now...
  • ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS. ALWAYS. Anyone that asks you to accept something on faith is selling something that you don't want to buy (whether they know it or not).
  • Nothing lasts longer in human relationships than memories, for better or worse.  Refresh them often.
  • Scuba diving is TOTALLY RAD.
  • Take risks. Be bold. Make mistakes. Get hurt. Fail often.
  • Call your mother.  Tell her you love her.
  • The one good piece of advice I got from my own dad: When you take pictures, take them with people in them.  You won't care about beautiful but empty landscape & architecture photos years later.
  • Chase your passions to the end of time.
Well, that's just a few things off the top of my head.  I sincerely hope it helps.  If I think of any more, we can discuss out on the trampoline or something.

You each walk an infinite path; all of life's challenges are feathers before you.  

Remember each other, never leave your brothers behind.  Good luck on your journeys.

And know this: No matter what, I will always love you. Absolutely and without condition, I love you.

I love you.
I love you.
I love you.

Love, Dad

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

3D Printing for the Everyman

One of the coolest little doodads I stumbled across at CES was Cubify's 3D Home printer "Cube". Looks like they are listing it for about $1300, and for that you get your own mini manufacturing facility at home.  It can create a pretty impressive array of 3D designs, anything you can imagine pretty much up to 5.5” x 5.5” x 5.5”.  





Of course you can design components to make objects much larger than that.  At the show, one of the reps was wearing a chain-mail glove and a fully flexible backpack strap made out of tons of smaller pieces.  I'm imagining loads of practical and entertainment uses for this thing... lose a boardgame piece?  Just remake it.  While you're at it, make up your own board game.  Kids break off a piece of a toy?  Just make another one.


While probably too spendy still for the average consumer today, the trend here is pretty exciting for making small scale physical creation a reality for the average Joe.  I wonder how disruptive this will be to traditional toy industry, when these things get good enough and cheap enough for everyone to have them.  


Here are some other services that offer similar capabilities, mostly via uploading to them for manufacturing (thanks END Games team for pointing these out):