SSCC #318–TSA

Omer Petti, 95, said he believes an airport employee stole the cash that he was told to remove from his pocket and place in a bin on his way through security on March 29. He and his girlfriend, Madge Woodward, 85, were headed home after a family vacation in Palm Springs.

This doesn’t surprise me one bit.  While some would say yeah right, it’s a great way to rip people off if they listen to you.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 318: San Diego TSA

Because being a TSA agent means that many people will think that what you tell them to do is a good idea.  Then you take their stuff while your buddy molests them.

via Uncle

Boomershoot 2012–A Quick Rundown

I got home and finished unloading my stuff from the rig.  I’m now beginning to unpack.

Here’s a quick rundown with some pictures from each day.  I’ll be coming back over the next couple days and filling in detailed posts of the major items.

Day 1:

Soaking wet.  Trudging through mud.  Lots of boxes to be assembled.  After which we decided to eat warm food in town.  I loaned Joe the shower in my hotel room so he could warm back up.

Day 2:

Filled boxes with explosives, arranged boxes in the mud for the PRC shooters.

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After which we stood out in the cold and wind to run the high intensity event.

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I cleaned up after high intensity at entertainingly close distances, evidently the ESS guys filmed my stupidity.  Again more on that later, last night it turned into a two part series.

The minute in-laws were running a bit late.  We were going to meet a group in town for dinner and were running late.  Way late since I looked like I had been rolling around in the mud.

We didn’t have a single seat left in the room we were in.  It was like the pre-Boomershoot dinner that was just a social hour.

Day 3:  I was instructed to guard the pot of gold, Paul Barrett, and ensure he had a good time and enjoyed himself.  He told me that mission was accomplished even with one minor hiccup.

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I got both of them on steel at 400 yards and he just barely missed the steel at 630 when it all went south.

I helped with the high intensity again.  After which I stuck around since there was handling of firearms on the range to ensure safety while the ESS folks did some model shooting with Shelly and Anette.

I was chatting with the photographer and he ended up taking some pictures with me as well since I had one box to clean up afterwards.

Day 4:  Woke up way too early, so we could be on the berm setting up targets at 0700.  I was starting to feel all the walking, bending, and repetitive motions associated with the shoot.  I trudged through tossing boomers and getting them staked out.  We did a quick interview with one of the ESS videographers explaining some of the physics, and then Rolf gave an impressive show by juggling the explosives.  Yes this is the same Rolf of “Entertainingly Close”.

We get the boomers laid out, a bunch of guys are working up on the hill and then we get read for the fireball.

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Yes that is Ry in the lower right.  His post on the fireball is here.  I will be doing a separate post with TMW’s video here in the near future.  I love that picture because Ry just looks like a bad ass in it.  He lost hair this weekend, I bled a bit.

There were a few exciting events, which I will blog about later.  The most exciting of which however could have ended the event permanently.  Luck prevailed and it didn’t go boom.

After the shoot was over we began the staff cleanup.  There was a lot leftover this year.  It 3 waves of a full high intensity event to get everything cleaned up.  We were exhausted, but I headed down the hill to grab dinner and then go visit with the RNS guys.  As exhausted as I was, we finally left their place about 0100.  I only see them once a year normally so it was worth it.

There were a few other side stories that I’ll be pushing up in the next couple days.  I’ve got a large pile of video and pictures for gun porn too!

So With that I’m going to go continue decompressing.  If I saw you this weekend and looked exhausted, in a rush, or like a man on a mission, it’s probably because I was.  Yes this is a “vacation” but it’s a lot of work and it’s exhausting.  So if you were looking forward to chatting with me more and didn’t get a chance, it’s not because I don’t like you.  It’s because those down times are actually pretty rare and usually done in parallel with stuffing our face.

I know there were a few people who asked me questions, and I’m very glad they asked, I was a little curt and blunt with the answer.  Again, I wasn’t trying to be or sound like a dick, at that point I was starting to seriously shut down.  I would much rather if someone thinks a target is questionable or doesn’t make sense that they ask instead of just shooting at it.  So to the man that asked me about the targets down on the end, hope this helps explain my curt response.

Quote of the Day–Paul Barrett (04/30/2012)

“Before we continue let me just say one thing.  That was fucking amazing.”

Paul Barrett – On the Boomershoot Firing Line

April 28, 2012


[I spent the day with Paul and his wife Saturday on the firing line at Boomershoot.  I teamed up with some support from Gene Econ and some of the instructors to ensure that Paul had a good time.

The above was the quote out of his mouth after smacking some steel at 400 yards.  Then we did it again and again.  He was ready to stop after his first hit because his ratio was 1 for 3 on hits.

There is no question though with that comment he had a good time.  Even with what happened later, he shrugged it off and said, “It’s another story.”  I’ll write up details on that one later.  He was also looking forward to telling the story in the office on Monday. –B]

Quote of the Day: Anonymous – 04/26/2012

Joe: Well we have an ATT microcell at Mecca if you want to call your wife.

Anonymous: I’m good, she wants me to call but the thing is, I’m on vacation.

Anonymous – Dinner Conversation with Boomershoot Staff


[I was going to credit this individual but he seemed to think he would be in some sort of trouble with his significant other.  His justification is he spends all day on the phone doing tech support and his wife wants to talk on the phone with him constantly about nothing.  In other words his wife is wanting him to continue his job without pay. -B]

SSCC #314-#317 – TSA

The real reason for the war on nouns is to allow our fearless leaders “who know best” to create their own little enterprises in the illicit trades they create.

Two former and two current Transportation Security Administration
employees were accused of allowing large amounts of cocaine and other
drugs to pass through X-ray machines at security checkpoints in exchange
for cash, authorities said Wednesday.

I’m sure there was actually probably more involved, at least in the form of greased wheels.  I am by no means shocked or surprised by this.  At this point I don’t think that disbanding the TSA will be enough.  I’m starting to want someone’s head on a pike.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 314: Naral Richardson

315: John Whitfield

316:
Joy White

317: Capeline
McKinney

Because being a TSA agent means you can abuse the law abiding while getting pay offs to look the other way when criminals walk by.

Be careful what you wish for

I participated in the Worlds Jet boat Marathon as a HAM operator for emergency communications during the races.  Because of work I was only able to participate one day during the Snake River run of the marathon.  Last year I participated in the Thunder on the Snake and my position on the river was rather uneventful,  so I wanted to be in an area that would have more action so to speak.  Well, I got that alright and much more.

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Some of the boats were coming within 5-10 ft. of my safety boat, which I thought was pretty cool and we were located in a section of rapids known as the Captain John Rapids.  It was interesting to see the boats run the rapids and see the effects of the rollers on the boats.  That is, until someone was injured.  I wanted action and excitement, but I didn’t want to see anyone hurt from it.

One boat in the second leg of the race hit a roller in the rapids.  His nose went straight up, then the rear of the boat hit, followed by a slap of the front end, landing the boat back in correctly.  What I didn’t realize was that the seats in the race boats are bolted to the frame and have no suspension whatsoever.  This means the occupants of the boat feel every little bump on the river.  I continued to watch the boat, praying he would continue passed. That didn’t happen.  He slowed down and turned toward the area of beach where we were located.  The boat captain, EMT, and boat hands went flying out to the racer as I called net control about the disabled boat.  Next thing I knew, the EMT returned as the driver of said race boat requested medical attention.  I again relayed the update to net control.  Shortly thereafter, another member of the safety boat returned with more information to relay.  A backboard was needed and with that comes emergency crews, on the water and land.  I stayed at my post and continued with communications.  Another safety boat arrived along with the Asotin fire boat and the Sheriff boat.  An ambulance was called and my boat headed across the river to flag down the ambulance when it arrived.  Another ham eventually arrived on the road side and took over for flagging the ambulance and the fire and Sheriff boats arrived to wait for the ambulance.  When we saw that we were no longer needed we headed back to the other side by the race boat.  It was decided that the race boat would head down river to church camp and wait to be trailered.  I informed net control that we would be following to church camp.

Later I learned that the injured racer left the hospital around 1700 hours that evening.  I was happy to hear that he walked out, but I still didn’t know the extent of his injuries.  turns out he did fracture his back and that is something I can empathize with.  I’m glad he is okay and that he wasn’t injured any worse.

Apparently I did very well with my communications and stayed calm and collected.  I heard a lot of sincere expressions of appreciation after the races ended for the day.

Earworm Wednesday – 4/25/2012

Boomershoot is coming up fast.  So this was in my head all day.

Saliva – Click Click Boom

There’s going to be a lot of that this weekend.

SSCC #313 – Indianapolis

Via Roberta X (I double checked this time Tam), comes a story of drunk driving with the IMPD.  This is nothing surprising, but the story overall is just astounding.  Roberta does a great job synopsizing it.  Remember this officer killed two motorcyclists after crashing into them while on duty.

Today, he — or his peerstook out a police chief, too.
Seems two vials of blood were drawn and one of them was to be left
untouched by human hands; both were secured in Official IMPD
refrigerated storage…only in November 2011, Persons Unrevealed took
the untapped vial out of the so-secure IMPD property room,* and stuffed
it in a room-temperature room over at the Po-lice Academy. Perhaps as a
talisman of just how thick the ol’ Thin Blue Line really is — but I’m
speculating.

Think about that long and hard and what would have happened to any other civilian who had done what he did.  We’d be in jail at a minimum, he’s on paid administrative leave.  Like you and me, only better.  Given the fact the Chief didn’t fire his ass, I’m not really shedding a tear since to me that’s just like endorsing what he did.  Not to mention the buck has to stop somewhere and some of his subordinates obviously felt they could get away with destroying evidence.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 313: David Bisard

Because if you’re going to drink and drive, do it as a cop.  Not only will you get paid during your leave, your buddies will destroy evidence to protect you.