What you did today

[Woldan]

Today I visited a private shooting range, took my scoped 22 precision rifle with me. It was very hot outside at the 50 meter range -I swear- the temperatures reached 40 /100F Celsius with very high humidity. I was shooting from prone from the bipod with no rear support and tested new ammo.

I had to quit after about 40 minutes, I felt dizzy and got a headache, my shirt was so wet it looked like I fell in a swimming pool and the sweat was constantly running into my eyes irritating them. If I haven't had my baseball cap holding off some sweat I would have drowned on the spot.   

 

Despite the suboptimal conditions it was still a successful trip, I found new cheap ammo showing promise. (middle target) The other brands weren't as consistent. 

(The shots are high because the scope is sighted in to compensate the drop out to 100, I didn't adjust the scope for 50 because I was only testing ammo) And yes, I drew the target myself.  

 

 

Now I can vaguely imagine what the snipers in 'Nam went through, of course without being in a life or death situations and without all the horrifying jungle animals. 

Edited July 18, 2015 by Woldan

[ManifestedISO]

In 2003, I was standing fifteen feet away, in the rain, from a streetside power pole struck by lightning, which severed the carrier cables, exploded the ceramic cap, set fire to the fire-proofed wood pole, electrified the chain-link fence surrounding the back yard, singeing dog Bruce's black and tan coat, blacking out the power to the neighborhood for hours upon hours until the fire department, police department, and cable company descended on the scene, in the dark, to remedy the situation, inconveniently directly overhead my vehicle parked in the street.

 

Since then, I've developed a low, low, very low opinion of lightning. This morning ... an unannounced, recalcitrant, bastardized tropical storm invaded my living space again, as I was sleeping, replete with lightning, thunder, rain, incredibly loud noises reminiscent of '03. My opinion remains negative.

 

On the literally bright side, today saw the 41st pride parade downtown, including marching-in-rain luminaries such as the mayor of San Diego, city councilmen, and our female Chief of Police. Thought that was cool.    

[Rosbjerg]

Went through neuro-pshycology this week, quite interesting - as some of you might remember, I had a quite serious case of bacterial meningitis in the winter - since its so rare for someone my age, I've been asked to participate in many tests, experiments etc to help further the field. And to determine if there are any long term effects.. The mix of psychology, neurology, chemistry and active MRI scans seems so very sci fi. So Its cool to be a part of.

 

The best news of course is that, unlike so many others, I've gone through this as well as I can - with no lingering side effects, some of which can be very disabling. So they are hoping to extrapolate if that is simply an age thing or if there something to be learned here for future care.

[BruceVC]

Went through neuro-pshycology this week, quite interesting - as some of you might remember, I had a quite serious case of bacterial meningitis in the winter - since its so rare for someone my age, I've been asked to participate in many tests, experiments etc to help further the field. And to determine if there are any long term effects.. The mix of psychology, neurology, chemistry and active MRI scans seems so very sci fi. So Its cool to be a part of.

 

The best news of course is that, unlike so many others, I've gone through this as well as I can - with no lingering side effects, some of which can be very disabling. So they are hoping to extrapolate if that is simply an age thing or if there something to be learned here for future care.

 

That is very  interesting, what have you noticed are any subtle side effects from the meningitis ? Maybe just minor effects if any ?

[Rosbjerg]

To begin with my ability to form and recall memories, cognitive abilities and general consciousnesses were pretty severely affected. But by now it's just a few glitches in memory every now and again and some disproportionate stress responses. I can easily live with this for the rest of my life (and most likely will have to).

[BruceVC]

To begin with my ability to form and recall memories, cognitive abilities and general consciousnesses were pretty severely affected. But by now it's just a few glitches in memory every now and again and some disproportionate stress responses. I can easily live with this for the rest of my life (and most likely will have to).

And I assume you remember how you consider me the most erudite, reasonable, admired and influential person on these forums...I always use to get a little embarrassed by this type of positive attention. But I have come to accept it...who am I to deny people there role models 

[Rosbjerg]

Well I did suffer brain damage

[melkathi]

That moment when you catch yourself about to say "Look love, when I first started roaming the internet you weren't even born yet." to a person twice your age, and then think "And in digital age that's even true."

[ManifestedISO]

Ambient temperature, it's unfit for living, in the middle of the night. This storm and its heat and humidity and rain and frightening lightening. I don't understand why humans have such a small, three-degree Fahrenheit comfort zone ... what kind of evolutionary advantage is that. The answer is, it isn't. It makes people crazy. The reason world wars exist is heat. People lose their minds. I want to end it all and open the fridge and the freezer door. 

[BruceVC]

Ambient temperature, it's unfit for living, in the middle of the night. This storm and its heat and humidity and rain and frightening lightening. I don't understand why humans have such a small, three-degree Fahrenheit comfort zone ... what kind of evolutionary advantage is that. The answer is, it isn't. It makes people crazy. The reason world wars exist is heat. People lose their minds. I want to end it all and open the fridge and the freezer door. 

 

It sounds horrendous...you should wet a towel and use that over your pillow 

 

That will help you sleep as it keeps your face cool ?

[ManifestedISO]

I do, and have done, certainly, repeatedly. The wet washcloth is my new personal jesus. Someone to hear my prayers. Someone who cares. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1xrNaTO1bI

[BruceVC]

I do, and have done, certainly, repeatedly. The wet washcloth is my new personal jesus. Someone to hear my prayers. Someone who cares. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1xrNaTO1bI

  

[Woldan]

Ambient temperature, it's unfit for living, in the middle of the night. This storm and its heat and humidity and rain and frightening lightening. I don't understand why humans have such a small, three-degree Fahrenheit comfort zone ... what kind of evolutionary advantage is that. The answer is, it isn't. It makes people crazy. The reason world wars exist is heat. People lose their minds. I want to end it all and open the fridge and the freezer door. 

Yeah, I too have troubles sleeping in this heat and it makes daily weight lifting pretty hard.

The last three weeks temperatures were around 33 Celsius, with some days being even hotter with 37-38 Celsius with high humidity and zero wind. And the weather forecast just said there is another even hotter heat wave inbound, there seems to be no end to this hot weather, not even a single day. 

 

I've never experienced such a long and potent heat wave.   I'M the last person to b!tch about weather extremes but now I really wouldn't mind a couple of cool rainy days. 

Edited July 20, 2015 by Woldan

[Tale]

Saturday I asked for a raise and got it. I fully intend to be gruntled this week.

[BruceVC]

Saturday I asked for a raise and got it. I fully intend to be gruntled this week.

 Nice, well done 

[Keyrock]

I got back from my trip to Charlotte today.  That trip served 2 purposes: 1) Vacation 2) Determining whether it's an area I could see myself living in.  To answer the question posed by item #2: Yes, definitely.  I'm stuck in Connecticut until at least March (lease), but after that I have every intention of getting the **** out of this God forsaken state.  With that in mind, I have plenty of time to make up my mind and start looking for work and a place to live before my lease is up, but the Charlotte area is the top contender at the moment.  It ticks pretty much all the boxes for me:

 

• Lower cost of living.  
• Lower taxes.  
• Mild, short winter.
• Friendly, polite people.
• Far enough from the coast to have no fear of hurricanes, but close enough that I can drive to go to the beach for a weekend.
• Close enough to the mountains to drive there for a weekend but not close enough to get a legit winter.
• Not in tornado alley.
• Not in earthquake country.
• Plenty of attractions.
• Gorgeous downtown area.

Yeah, I could see myself living in Cackalacky.  With any luck, I will be this time next year.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Keyrock

[Amentep]

There's actually East Coast fault lines, one (New Madrid Seizmic Zone) that is around New Madrid, Missouri and one (Eastern Piedmont Fault Zone) that's in the middle of South Carolina, IIRC.  Occasionally the South East feels earthquakes from these (although most are so small to never be noticed).  New Madrid I think is the most active.

 

Nothing like the Pacific coast, though.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Amentep

[Keyrock]

Well yeah, no place is completely immune from earthquakes.  Heck, we've gotten a couple in Connecticut in the almost 30 years I've lived here, but we're talking small tremors that, as you wrote, you might not even know about if you weren't told about them.

[ShadySands]

Even though we don't check many of those boxes you're more than welcome to come out to Denver

 

I spoke with the mayor and he said it's ok

[Keyrock]

Thanks Shady, good lookin' out.

[Lexx]

God damnit. It is summer and I got a cold... feel so weak and destroyed, it's really no fun. Can't remember if I ever got a cold in this time of the year...

[Malcador]

Realizing that all this excessive reporting I have to do is just due to managers' inability to think all that much.

[Woldan]

I'm in hell.  The heat is annoying as F and I have to draw goddamn CAD sketches for stupid people because they're too mentally challenged to read and understand the simplest instructions. This wouldn't be so sad if didn't happen all the freaking time. The people I have to work with, both customers and suppliers, are single digit IQ individuals, I'd have better luck trying to communicate with rabid antbears. 

I don't know how they can stay in business like that, I was as incompetent and dumb as a loaf of bread I'd go out of business in a matter of weeks or worse, get sued back into the stone age. 

 

If there was a virus killing off 90% of the population in an instant I would not object, no sir, not today. 

Edited July 22, 2015 by Woldan

[Woldan]

Oh and I made some lightning pics on a completely exposed hill top when suddenly the thunderstorm changed direction right towards me.

I grabbed my camera and ran, ran like a goat on fire! 

 

 

 

 

 

[Malcador]

Read a bit about serial killers, wish I hadn't real Dean Corll's story as that was pretty messed up - the photo of his unidentified victim is also pretty disturbing. Same thing with Ben Rhoades and his photo of one of his victims, no gore or anything but just watching a terrified person. Ah, the stuff I my curiosity exposes me to.