A couple of months ago, I finally made a stop in to the Sprint store, with the intention of getting my cell phone replaced. Not even hell would stop me.
Nor a clerk who clearly didn't want to be there.
After a bit of *ahem* cooperation exercises, I finally got the rep to agree that my phone was defective, that it was indeed ridiculous that I should have to send the phone out to LGs support office for up to a month to have them tell me that the phone is not defective (even though it shipped with faulty firmware), and that from a service standpoint, a customer who can't depend on his phone being on when he wants it turned on will probably not remain a customer much longer than his contract requires him to.
So they replaced my phone, and I have a couple of observations. Number 1?
That's what I'm fucking talking about. This phone works, and it works well. Not so much now that it works well, but that it's actually a good phone. The keyboard is more responsive and accurate, the phone is actually faster in some operations, the phone is now 3G compatible, and it's already excellent battery life is even more excellent. Almost Bill and Ted excellent. Seriously, I recharge it every 4th day, when the battery meter drops 1 bar.
Ok, so I'm not popular enough to get phone calls all the time, but I do text a lot.
I also don't use bluetooth, but it's never been too important to me. I know that I turn it off, this probably helps with the battery life.
I won't write another full review, since they addressed the number 1 concern I had with it, it shutting off all the time, and while it bothers the hell out of me that I had to argue constantly for 6 months to get a replacement, I'm glad I finally did.
Seriously, if you have this phone, and you're having problems, go get that shit replaced.
12 August 2008
11 August 2008
Concealed for Your Comfort
This last Saturday, I finally finished what I'd been meaning to do for about 4 years now. I'm not sure what had delayed me to this point, but there it is, and here I am. I haven't actually finished the process, but the difficult portion is over, and I'm ready to finish it up. Oh, I forgot to mention. I finally finished my Concealed Carry Weapons training.
It seems that everyone in the wife's family is particularly against the idea, but experiences are the things that tend to shape our ideals. Even my father, who was particularly against the idea of concealed carry, seems to be warming to the idea these days.
It seems that whenever I talk to people about CCW, there are polarized opinions about whether or not people can be trusted to carry weapons, but I always wonder why every one is so extreme about those beliefs. Not to say I don't carry the extreme belief on the one side, but where do the experiences come from that say I can't be trusted to carry a weapon for my own, or your defense?
From an political standpoint, my views aren't terribly extreme. I do believe in the second amendment as an important factor of our lives as Americans, as both a constant reminder that our current "freedoms" were earned, and that the "price of freedom is eternal vigilance." But don't call me a vigilante. My intention is not to enforce the law.
Regardless of how the rest of the debate goes, I think it's important to note that no one is ever convinced of the other's viewpoint, so let's not waste our time. But I do feel it's my obligation and my duty to protect myself and my loved ones if I am able to. And while I'm a large person, and some might call me intimidating, that does nothing when an assailant has a gun or a knife.
The truth is, I don't look forward to shooting anyone (and to suggest otherwise is ridiculous), but I do look forward to not being shot. I'm not seeking conflict, but I am seeking my right to exist in peace. If you see me in public, you won't see my weapon, that's all there is to it.
The most curious logic question I have is the longest running NRA question. Where does preventing law abiding citizens from owning and bearing firearms fix the issue of crime? If handguns are banned, you wouldn't see me, or most any other permit holder (with the exception of activists) carrying them, but I'm pretty sure that won't stop a violent repeat felon.
Owning a weapon legally is sometimes a chore. Maintaining the weapon is the most important part of ownership, but the actual cost of the weapon is prohibitive. My brother convinced me to purchase a Sig (I chose the P226 9mm because of the cost of ammunition), which was expensive, but thanks to circumstance, was less expensive than it should have been. I remember a time when buying a handgun on the black market cost roughly 200 dollars. Of course, that might have been used in a murder.
Ammunition is definitely what gets you down. It's entirely possible to expend 60 dollars in ammunition in an hour (I know, I've done it), and that's just the cheap stuff. There a fantastic brand of ammo out there called "Extreme Shock", which is frangible ammunition. For 20 rounds, it's $35 dollars, needless to say, I wouldn't recommend it for target shooting.
I did have to apologize to my brother, my next weapon is a Glock 31. He hates Glocks with a passion, but my mind is more open to the possibility now that I've felt it in my hand. The angles are a little awkward, but as I've learned during the shooting qualification, less important is whether or not you can hit the target at 75 feet, but more important is whether or not you can reacquire the target at 15.
I have to apologize to the guy I met at the training, his name is Ron. Ron was nice enough to stick around to see whether or not I would qualify with my weapon, and to see how well I shoot. Truth is, I was a little nervous going in to the whole thing, and since I hadn't been to the range in a couple of months, I was a little worried about what distances we were talking about (one of the courses I researched had a 15 round 45 foot requirement).
I relaxed a bit when they said 10 rounds at 15 feet, since that doesn't seem very far. I relaxed even further when I saw the target in relationship to myself. My first round was a double action pull, it leaned down and left, to the middle of the 8 ring, I was disappointed so I reacquired and bulleyed. At this point, I just let the other 8 rounds go. The whole experience was about 2 seconds in total, and the rest of the 8 shots all 9 ringed. It was all muscle memory, I wasn't really aiming at all. Sorry, Ron, if you got the impression that I see that well. It was like cheating.
Of course, I wasn't the one who brought the laser to the party. Or 4 guns to choose from.
I already bought a concealed carry holster, and an open carry holster.
My concealed carry holster is a Nick Matthew's special, here a picture:
He's a great guy, it's a fantastic build, great quality, and the best prices in the business. www.nm-holsters.com
You'll notice that the Sig P266R is actually a full sized handgun. I have trouble with compacts because I have such big hands. It's heavy, but it's an incredible weapon. And you really won't be able to see it.
My other holster (the open carry), is the large and unwieldy Blackhawk Serpa CQC. It's an awesome holster, and nearly impossible to break. I won't be using it often, but in the winter time, under a large coat, you won't want to fumble with your layers of clothing.
At the end of the day, if you shoot someone, you're going to jail. I think a lot of people lose sight of this. You'll have to prove you were justified, which is more difficult than say... casting doubt that you are guilty. You've admitted to the event. But it's better than being a victim.
I'll make you a deal though; if I see you in trouble, and you want me to put the gun away and not help you, I will.
It seems that everyone in the wife's family is particularly against the idea, but experiences are the things that tend to shape our ideals. Even my father, who was particularly against the idea of concealed carry, seems to be warming to the idea these days.
It seems that whenever I talk to people about CCW, there are polarized opinions about whether or not people can be trusted to carry weapons, but I always wonder why every one is so extreme about those beliefs. Not to say I don't carry the extreme belief on the one side, but where do the experiences come from that say I can't be trusted to carry a weapon for my own, or your defense?
From an political standpoint, my views aren't terribly extreme. I do believe in the second amendment as an important factor of our lives as Americans, as both a constant reminder that our current "freedoms" were earned, and that the "price of freedom is eternal vigilance." But don't call me a vigilante. My intention is not to enforce the law.
Regardless of how the rest of the debate goes, I think it's important to note that no one is ever convinced of the other's viewpoint, so let's not waste our time. But I do feel it's my obligation and my duty to protect myself and my loved ones if I am able to. And while I'm a large person, and some might call me intimidating, that does nothing when an assailant has a gun or a knife.
The truth is, I don't look forward to shooting anyone (and to suggest otherwise is ridiculous), but I do look forward to not being shot. I'm not seeking conflict, but I am seeking my right to exist in peace. If you see me in public, you won't see my weapon, that's all there is to it.
The most curious logic question I have is the longest running NRA question. Where does preventing law abiding citizens from owning and bearing firearms fix the issue of crime? If handguns are banned, you wouldn't see me, or most any other permit holder (with the exception of activists) carrying them, but I'm pretty sure that won't stop a violent repeat felon.
Owning a weapon legally is sometimes a chore. Maintaining the weapon is the most important part of ownership, but the actual cost of the weapon is prohibitive. My brother convinced me to purchase a Sig (I chose the P226 9mm because of the cost of ammunition), which was expensive, but thanks to circumstance, was less expensive than it should have been. I remember a time when buying a handgun on the black market cost roughly 200 dollars. Of course, that might have been used in a murder.
Ammunition is definitely what gets you down. It's entirely possible to expend 60 dollars in ammunition in an hour (I know, I've done it), and that's just the cheap stuff. There a fantastic brand of ammo out there called "Extreme Shock", which is frangible ammunition. For 20 rounds, it's $35 dollars, needless to say, I wouldn't recommend it for target shooting.
I did have to apologize to my brother, my next weapon is a Glock 31. He hates Glocks with a passion, but my mind is more open to the possibility now that I've felt it in my hand. The angles are a little awkward, but as I've learned during the shooting qualification, less important is whether or not you can hit the target at 75 feet, but more important is whether or not you can reacquire the target at 15.
I have to apologize to the guy I met at the training, his name is Ron. Ron was nice enough to stick around to see whether or not I would qualify with my weapon, and to see how well I shoot. Truth is, I was a little nervous going in to the whole thing, and since I hadn't been to the range in a couple of months, I was a little worried about what distances we were talking about (one of the courses I researched had a 15 round 45 foot requirement).
I relaxed a bit when they said 10 rounds at 15 feet, since that doesn't seem very far. I relaxed even further when I saw the target in relationship to myself. My first round was a double action pull, it leaned down and left, to the middle of the 8 ring, I was disappointed so I reacquired and bulleyed. At this point, I just let the other 8 rounds go. The whole experience was about 2 seconds in total, and the rest of the 8 shots all 9 ringed. It was all muscle memory, I wasn't really aiming at all. Sorry, Ron, if you got the impression that I see that well. It was like cheating.
Of course, I wasn't the one who brought the laser to the party. Or 4 guns to choose from.
I already bought a concealed carry holster, and an open carry holster.
My concealed carry holster is a Nick Matthew's special, here a picture:
He's a great guy, it's a fantastic build, great quality, and the best prices in the business. www.nm-holsters.comYou'll notice that the Sig P266R is actually a full sized handgun. I have trouble with compacts because I have such big hands. It's heavy, but it's an incredible weapon. And you really won't be able to see it.
My other holster (the open carry), is the large and unwieldy Blackhawk Serpa CQC. It's an awesome holster, and nearly impossible to break. I won't be using it often, but in the winter time, under a large coat, you won't want to fumble with your layers of clothing.
At the end of the day, if you shoot someone, you're going to jail. I think a lot of people lose sight of this. You'll have to prove you were justified, which is more difficult than say... casting doubt that you are guilty. You've admitted to the event. But it's better than being a victim.
I'll make you a deal though; if I see you in trouble, and you want me to put the gun away and not help you, I will.
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