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Gladeite

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Posts posted by Gladeite

  1. My office was just around the corner on Shoal Creek when this happened.  I remember going over there to get a bagel next door and seeing the cars, crime scene tape, etc...  Brings back memories.  

  2. The SRO's reaction to this emergency situation is common for untrained or poorly trained human beings who are placed in a life/death situations.  Without repetition and muscle memory built in, most people will react poorly.  Under severe stress, the human body will shut down.  Blood will first leave the fingers/feet resulting in a loss of fine motor skills.  As the stress continues, the blood will leave the arms/legs resulting in a paralysis.  There will auditory exclusion which is the brain attempting interpret sounds differently than they are actually happening.  The brain wants the sound to be anything but something deadly or scary and will work to make that logical.   The ability to make even the simplest rational decision goes away.  I believe this is what happened to this guy.  He was a bottom of the barrel level police officer who was poorly trained and completely overmatched for the event that took place.   

    I am a big fan of training school teachers, administrators to be first responders.  They have a built-in care for the students that you will not find with a rent-a-cop who only took the job because nothing else was available.  I am also in favor of sentries/teachers/administrators at controlled entrances to the campuses.  I am in favor of them being armed but I am sure not everyone wants that.  No problem with that.  They still need to be trained to profile, and sound the alarm to shut down the schools.  Electronic locks on every door that can be centrally controlled will be a great help.  

    • Like 2
  3. 22 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

    When I did ups driver helper in December, one of the pickups was the gunwerks facility. Every day we’d grab 2-15 rifles, plus other boxes with parts and ammunition. These rifles aren’t cheap, either. Some of the boxes may have just been cases I guess. Could have been ordered by a person or by a dealer. 

    Gunwerks is a custom rifle builder that specializes in long range weapons.  Their rifles are $1,500 to $7,500 without the glass.  You can order one online, have it built to your specifications and pay for with a credit card.  The rifle must be shipped to a FFL for the transaction to be completed.  

  4. 2 hours ago, henrygandorf said:

    i think it's great they're taking steps, and shitty and sad that they're forced to in the first place.  if it helps identify and address mental health in young people, maybe that part could be a positive takeaway.

    the main issue i think many are having with these measures (or at least i am) is that there's really two reasons to do it (according to you):

    1. to stop the shooter once it starts

    2. to make the shooter think twice about even trying it in the first place

    i think there are plenty of obvious concerns about #1, but i think you're drastically overestimating the power of #2.  sure, maybe the shooter is required to plan a little bit more, but if this is something he's become obsessed with and fixated on for months/years, then he'll likely take that into account.  he's likely not a criminal mastermind, but he's also likely mentally unstable, and not prone to have his actions dictated by logic.

    robbing an old lady on the street is much easier than robbing a bank, but people still rob banks.

    Surprisingly, banks are not very well defended.  There were abut 3000 bank robberies last year.  Only about 150 of these banks had guards.  About a 5% chance of there being any resistance.  

  5. 45 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

    the gymnastics (not to mention the cost) involved in bending in such a way to invent these jobs so people can be posted somewhere near a school (or at the school?), considering there are what, 150,000 schools you would need to monitor?  nbd.

    and arming teachers, training school security, etc.  so what happens when someone tries to execute a school shooting, and before he gets a shot off, he is killed by one of these sentries?  will that mark the end of school shootings as we know it?  does foiling a shoe bomb at an airport make it more or less likely that there will ever be another terrorist attack involving air travel?

    and what happens when one of these sentries/armed math teachers is slightly out of position when the shooter arrives?  if duck hunt has taught me anything, it's that i can probably get a number of shots off at innocent 5th graders before they get to me.  and once they do, what are the odds that this "trained" newly armed stopgap shoots me without endangering the dozens of children that are near me? 

    if my kid was killed in a "friendly fire" incident like that i would lose my fucking mind.  i'm also guessing insurance for these sentries is all baked into the cost?  since someone is going to have to back up a brinks truck to my house the day after it happens.

    all this so that people feel safe on the off chance of a home invasion or really really like to shoot [overpopulated] animals.  seems reasonable.

    I do not have all of the answers to keeping kids safe.  I do know that school districts across the U.S. are becoming much more safety conscious.  From Denver:

    "Here in the Denver suburbs, the district has built what is likely the most sophisticated school security system in the country: installing locks that can be remotely controlled and cameras that track suspicious people; setting up a 24-hour dispatch center and a team of armed patrol officers; monitoring troubled students and their social media; getting training from world-renowned psychologists and former SWAT commanders; researching and investing, practicing and re-practicing, all to ensure that when the next significant threat comes, it is stopped before the worst happens again."

    $3 million annual budget, 127 people and 85,000 students.  

     I also think schools should adopt apps that allow students to report suspicious activity to administration/security officials.  The Denver area schools use Safe2Tell and I have used CrisisGo.  They are pretty simple to use.  

  6. 1 hour ago, Bama Chick said:

    Yeah that line about a mass shooter won’t act if they will end up dead is laughable.

    They may very well end up dead.  Many of them commit suicide.  I would rather them do it at home, in the woods by themselves, and not after shooting innocent children.

    My point remains that the typical predator would not engage if he thought he would get shot/killed before he could complete his action.

    Columbine- psychopath and his suicidal/depressed sidekick.  Entered school during lunch hour when they knew officer left campus.  Resource officer coming back from lunch does not have his glasses and misses gunman.  Understandable since he had 20/300 vision.  Committed suicide.

    Virginia Tech-  No armed guards near shooter.  Shooter had free reign for almost 2 hours.  Committed suicide.

    Sandy Hook- Elementary school.  No resistance.  Committed suicide.

    Parkland- One resource officer paralyzed with fear.  Shooter ran out with other students.

    Sutherland Springs- No resistance.  Resident across the street shoots him as he leaves church.

    Santa Fe- Captured by resource officers after failing to commit suicide.  

    Highlands Ranch -  Private security guard captured 2 individuals.

    • Like 1
  7. 14 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

    1) What is an "entry sentry"? Who trains the teachers? Do parents get a say in this?

    2) The skills gap is a myth.

    3) What do smoking and marijuana have to do with this?

    A person who can spot/identify a threat approaching a campus.  Does not have to be a SRO/security.  Teachers, maintenance workers, bus drivers, anyone can have a radio and communicate to administration.  A 5A district near me just purchased a $130,000 radio system that connects administration with fire/police, teachers, maintenance workers and bus drivers so communication is easy across the system.  This makes sure a person can't get dropped off by Uber with a rifle case, walk up to the school and gain entry without someone noticing.  Same thing with taking guns from vehicle and walking across the parking lot.  The point is to have a perimeter early warning system with effective communication.  There are private companies that train teachers every day.  School districts hire these companies and they set up training days.  They implement lock down procedures, active shooter training drills, force on force training, handgun safety, retention and use, etc...  Parents should have a say in all this.  It is their children at risk.  Come up with a plan that they think works.  

    The internet is full of articles that support just about any position you can think of.  As a large business owner, father of two children in the workforce, security hobbyist and generally interested in the future, it is my opinion that there is a percentage of young males that do not see bright future, limited opportunities and have general apathy towards tomorrow.  I would like to see training alternatives that gives them a sense of hope and optimism about the future.

    Absolutely nothing.  I started typing about personal preferences and got carried away.  

    • Like 2
  8. The CNN article takes a position, then crafts the data to support the position.  Sound familiar?  

    Of the 288, the vast majority of these are one on one, essentially murder over territory, affiliation, affection, drugs, what have you.  These are young adults acting violently.  This study also left out large countries such as Russia, China, Brazil, and smaller South American and African countries that have much higher rates of violence.

    I personally hate statistics since they are crafted by human beings that are predisposed to a position and get a reward for having the greatest number of people agreeing with that position.

    The bottom line is that there are too many mass shootings at our schools.  A job guarantee is wrong.  Technical schools and learning a trade outside of college is a step in the right direction.  Our government has a hard time with the most basic of coverages: I don't see match making as a step in the right direction.  I would be all for a restriction on video games, pornography, violence on TV for our young people.  The brain is developing until the early 20s.  Smoking, drinking, sex addictions typically start during the brain development stage.  

    Personally, I am for:

    Hardened schools.  Electronic locks, armed teachers, entry sentries, etc...  A  predator is not going to attack a school in the U.S. if they think they will be killed in the process.

    Technical schools to gain the attention of young people that does not involve the challenging/unlikely prospect of college.  It is an argument for another day, but college is a waste of time/money and unaffordable for a large percentage of our population.  

    Restrict first person shooter/violent games to 18+.  Send all pornography to a restricted domains that require age verification to view.   Make the minimum age for smoking to be 21.  Legalize marijuana nationwide for the 21+ group.  

     

    • Like 4
  9. The above article  is well written and has interesting data, perspective and suggestions.

    It is a human being problem.  Controlling/limiting guns is not the answer to this rare occurrence.  Identifying/helping disaffected young men in this country can help lower the rate of violence.

    I am of the belief that in this population of 350 million, we are going to have a certain number of mass killings each year, at least one of which will be at a school.  My children are grown and own their own.  However, my oldest daughter(no pic) is a high school history teacher at a large campus with a high percentage of underperforming and disenchanted young men.  I have spent time with her principal and fellow teachers to discuss safety measures.  The school has 2 resource officers and one central entranceway.   One officer is outside and monitors the parking lots, walkways and entrance to the campus.  He is the early warning if a gun/case is spotted.  The second officer is inside the doors monitoring the entrance.  He has the ability to electronically lock the front door if he sees/communicated to that there is trouble coming.  In my daughters room, there is a blackout shade that can be pulled over the window, and when the door is closed, it is locked.  We have worked on fields of fire and where in the room she and her students can be safe from fire thru the windows.  The teacher across the hall is a relatively young male that has a CHL and carries daily.  A super ninja could probably find a way in and shoot up the school, but the average idiot will not be able to.

     

  10. I don't think gun laws are going to make a difference.  I am a gun owner, hunter, travel a lot, and have quite a bit of security experience.  This is a human problem.  Human beings are doing this all over the world.  In the U.S., we have round the clock news coverage and instant information via the internet.  These same types of killings or worse are happening frequently in Russia, China, India, Brazil and especially Africa, where the human life is pretty damn inexpensive.   It just does not dominate the news cycle in other parts of the world like it does here.

     I have AR type rifles and shoot them occasionally. .  If they were banned tomorrow, I would not care in the least.  They are not necessary for any type of shooting, but there are millions of them in the U.S. that are safely carried or stored every day without anyone being in mortal danger.  I am guessing, but less than 5 are used each year in a mass type killing here.  5 is too many, but I'm not sure gun control is the answer.  In a small country, yes it can be done.  In a country of 350 million, impossible.   A gun ban is not going to happen.  Gun control is trying to work and failing miserably.  There are just too many guns too many millions of rounds of ammo, and supplies from all over the world.   As a small example, semi-auto weapons are banned in many countries in Africa.  It is quite easy to by an AK-47 for $25 in a major city.  There are thousands of them laying around from internal and regional struggles.  China stamps them out of metal plate for a few dollars each.(As a side note, the natives prefer the .303 from World War I.  Bolt action, uses less ammo and more accurate.) 

    It is a fact that schools are a soft target.  Easy to penetrate, not much resistance and multiple targets.   Comparing them to Fort Hood is silly.  Any military installation is a hard target from the exterior.   No idiot is going to be able to storm a military base and carry out a mass killing in the U.S.   Hasan was in the military and killed within a no firearms zone.  It was an attack from within and is an exception in the world of mass shootings. 

    You can make it difficult to enter schools by limiting access, metal detectors, early warning sentries and other hard measures. It is expensive but the only realistic possibility.  Another way is to profile every white male, 14-20 years old, from a broken home, socially awkward, wears black clothes and spends an excessive amount of time playing first person shooter games.  This is not realistic, possible, lawful or worthy of discussion.   

    Having a security guard on site does not guarantee safety.  How well is he trained?  How will he respond to the 0.0007% chance that there will be a violent encounter?  Will he panic?

    It is imperative that our children are safe and secure.  Since we are not going to get rid of guns and can't seem to profile troubled youths who may mean harm to others,(even though there are plenty of warning signs), I see the only answer as harder perimeters.  

     

    • Like 2
  11. Having a poorly trained school resource officer on campus is not a deterrent.  Even a highly trained one is problematic due to the extreme levels of boredom that come with the job.  Being at the right place at the right time (Columbine), stress induced panic(Parkland) are contributing factors of resource officer ineffectiveness.

    You will not be able to get rid of guns effectively.  Too much resistance, too hard to control/monitor in a country the size of the U.S.

    Mental health is a huge issue.   There were huge warning signs available for almost all of the school related mass shootings.  There are studies that show that first person shooter games also have an effect on the development of the brain.  These young boys are desensitized to shooting/killing.  

    Schools do not have to be armed fortresses, but restricted and controlled access that eliminates the possibility of a shooter gaining access to the students along with deadly consequences of attempting this action will stop it.

    Col. Dave Grossman has an excellent seminar on school shootings and a book that is worth the read:  Assassination Generation: Video Games, Aggression and the Psychology of Killing.

    I spend quite a bit of time in the security arena and always looking for ways to stop this type of insanity.  

     

     

    • Like 1
  12. Unfortunately, schools will have to stop being soft targets.  All predators rely on the ability to hunt/hurt with little chance of getting hurt.  Look at all predators in the animal kingdom and they feed on the young, weak and old.  They will go out of their way to avoid confrontation with a similarly matched foe(pussy exception, it makes everything act crazy).  Same with almost all mass shootings.  Parkland, Sandy Hook, Sutherland Springs, Las Vegas, New Zealand, Columbine(to an extent) all were soft targets with easy access points and little/no resistance.  A poorly trained school resource officer is not going to protect a campus.

    To be come a hard target, schools will have to go to controlled access points, metal detectors and security guards at the entrance to stop a threat.

    Rounding up the semi-autos is a noble idea, but will not happen in my lifetime.  Hardening the schools can happen now.  Greater communication in the system about potential issues with students that are exhibiting irrational behavior(all school shootings) can be improved.   Make lethal consequences a realistic possibllity at the schools and these types of activities will cease.  

    • Like 1
  13. My S550 had the air suspension go out over time.  Had an independent shop do each corner for $800 per.  MBs are well known for this failure.  AMG package had 20" wheels that were 275 in the rear and 235 in the front.  Never got 15000 miles on a set.  So about every 1/1.5 years there went $2000 for tires.  Other than that, no real complaints.  It  has been my favorite sedan.  

  14. Limited Partnership guy here.  A substantial reduction in overall tax burden for 2018.  But I thought the 39.6+% marginal rate was too high in 2017 and damn near intolerable.  

     

  15. Last year I was hauling a deer out of the woods and after pulling it up out of a ditch, felt a slight burning in my crotch, off to the side and close to my belt line.  Next day, saw a small bump there.  A week or so later, the bump was bigger and I could push it in, feel the squish as the intestine went back in the wall, and all would be good.  It would go for a week or so, then bump out again.  Then it got to be an every day thing.  Called my cousin who is a general surgeon.  He told me over the phone that it was an  inguinal hernia.  Be at his office the next day at 7 a.m. and he would confirm, fix it and send me home by lunch.  He put in an internal rubber gasket that uses internal pressure to keep a seal and then sewed a mesh liner into wall.  Home by mid afternoon and felt ok.  Got pretty sore a couple of days later, then no problems.  Back in action with the wife in a week(no pic).  I am 57 and getting old does suck.

    • Like 1
  16. Jeffrey's has gone from overrated in my opinion to great again.

    Ate there 2 nights ago and meal was fantastic.  Deviled eggs with shaved truffles for app and wagyu tenderloin for main course.  Paired with a nice Malbec.  

    Been going there for many years and last several have not been fantastic, but seems to have regained its form.  Place was packed and a considerable amount of local talent.

    Will go again next week.

     

     

    • Like 1
  17. For everyday carry, no I do not carry an extra mag.  I carry a 30S or G19 every day, so 10 or 15 rounds is plenty for the statistically unlikely event that I will be involved in a gunfight.  

    If I am doing some sort of security related work, then an extra magazine is in the Tier 1 appendix holster, either 9mm or .45

    When traveling, I do carry an extra mag in the car or my backpack.  After throwing a couple of forgotten mags away at the airport, they tend to be in my car.

  18. Carried the Benchmade Mini-Presidio for 15 years with no complaints.  Still opens lightning fast.  All the black is worn off the blade from stabbing/slicing dummies(not human) in Krav classes for years.  Switched the clip since I am left handed.  

     

     

  19. My EDC is:

    Gen 5 Glock 19 carried in Tenicor Velo AIWB.  Alternatively, a Tier 1 AXIS Slim or T-Rex Sidecar.

    Or

    Gen 3 Glock 30S carried in Garrett Industries AIWB.  Or a Tier 1 AXIS Slim.

    or

    Sig p365 in Concealment Express tuckable AIWB.

     

  20. Kids are grown and out of the house, phasing out the work life and looking at moving to Austin.  Are there any good ranges for defensive handgun shooting?  I currently have my own range with IDPA style steel, 8" plates, 4" and 6" trees, 1/2 size IDPA, etc....   Do all of my training from concealed(AIWB) and with a timer.  I have inquired at a couple and they were no drawing, no timer, no rapid fire, etc...   For a hobby I do some personal protection, bodyguard type work and shoot/train 100 rounds per week because it's fun and I enjoy it.  We will be living on the west side, outside 360.  Any suggestions appreciated.  

    • Like 1
  21. I am traveling and just saw that I did not follow the rules.  When I get back I will upload a photo.

    Saw a mention of Bailey Bradshaw in Diana.  He has an interesting action that dangerous game hunters really like.  He has a horrible reputation for slow work.  Google is your friend.

     

     

  22. Speaking of single actions, I have a 1874 SAA with a 121XX serial number.  Letter from Colt says made 1874, so made during the first full calendar year of production.  .45 Long Colt, 5.5 inch barrel. It has stag grips that look right and have shrunk on the frame, but can't swear they came on the gun new.

    • Like 1
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