I'm a confirmed skeptic about many things. When I needed to get the dust off my DSLR sensor, I followed the instructions in this video, and had fairly decent results. I still had a couple of specks on my camera's sensor, so I gave it another go, and the results were the same.
I had made a substitution for the recommended blower though. I was using a bulb off a blood pressure cuff as a homemade air blaster. I decided the price of a Giotto Rocket Blower ($12.95) might be a risk worth taking. I placed one on order. It arrived today.
This rubber rocket ship moves more air than a Rush Limbaugh at a burrito festival. One pump of the bulb is enough to send my daughter's hair flying. One quick squeeze is enough to make Ilsa stop in her tracks and slick her ears back. A few puffs of this thing and my camera's sensor was spotless. I suppose the Giotto Rocket Blower could be used for a lot of things, but for this purpose it is the cat's meow.
I received my Moo cards today in the mail. I have to say that these are a well done and well packaged product. Moo cards are available online, with your own photography or artwork on one side, and your blog or web URL on the other. I had mine made to direct people I meet and photograph to my flickr account.
It only takes a couple of hours to set up a series of ten or more cards. Less if you intend to only have one photo used. I chose the "Mini Cards" primarily due to the cost. $19.95 per 100. They come printed faithfully on a thin plastic. Logos and typography are available for the reverse. For ease of ordering and set up, it's hard to beat these cards.
My wife just brought home a jar of these from the Brookshires. I had a hankering for pickles, so I opened the jar and got a fork.
What I found was the most delectable, perfectly made pickle I have ever savored. I have eaten pickles canned at home by many little old ladies. That's a fringe benefit of doing home care nursing in the South. Some were, I dare say, better than the memory of my own Grandmother's pickles. Believe me, I am a connoisseur of fine pickles.
This store bought product whoops them all. It is crispy candy to the palette, with just a hint of twang to the senses. You can not eat just one. No way. Tomorrow, we are going back and buying ten jars. If they are available at your grocer, buy and try them. If they are not, ask why.
Laffittes Foods is located at 506 N Front St Converse, LA. Phone: 318-567-9731
My wife-mate had a surprise for me this morning........If you like great coffee, and are sick of Starbucks (what is that overpriced crap anyway?) talk to your grocer. It's been thirty years, but a Cajun classic is back.
I received a package from the other side of the world today. Back on May 8, I pondered an email from Mr. Vu Kim Son of Vietnam, who wondered if I might like to try and possibly review his 1911 grips. I wrote him back, and stated my conditions. On May 10, Mr. Kim Son agreed, and said he was sending a package my way. Fourteen days later, two sets of grips were in my hands, sandwiched between two styrofoam slabs inside a rigid box from the Saigon post office.
It is understandable that some people would be skeptical of grips hand crafted and shipped halfway around the world. In a thread on The High Road, Mr. Kim Son admitted that he did not have a 1911 handgun to use as a pattern to make his grips. Such is life in countries where firearms are restricted or banned from the public. He was trying to work from blueprints, but the blueprints were confusing in translation to a man who had never held a 1911 pistol in his hand. Mr. Kim Son was not to be deterred, however. One of the High Road's members offered to send a pair of Alumagrips for Mr. Kim Son to use as a guide. Mr. Kim Son then had all he needed.
Both sets of grips sent to me by Mr. Kim Son appeared to be crafted from buffalo bone. I immediately noted the high polish on the grips. Inside the screw holes were brass inserts to prevent undue stress on the grip itself. That is a very nice idea, I think.
The real question, though, is how do the grips fit? I pulled my Colt Commander off the rack, and removed the grips that had long adorned it's exterior. I breathed a small "wow" as I dropped the grips into place. They fit so well I would have sworn they were crafted for my specific pistol. Even without the grip screws in place, there was no wiggle. Yet when I inverted the pistol sans screws,the grips fell right into my hand. For a hard, but organic product such as bone, a perfect fit like that is remarkable indeed.
When I held the pistol, the grips were just the right width. The extended thumb safety did not contact the grip when snicked off. The edges of the grip ran exactly along the round of the grip frame. The screws were perfectly flush across the top of the grip, not sticking up above the surface nor snugging up a quarter inch below the surface like you see with some popular grips. The bevel on the bottom met the edge of the grip frame perfectly, about 1/64 of an inch short to help prevent chipping. The edges of the grips were straight, and the corners sharp without being "pointy". The bottom of the grip did have a small gap where the interior of the bone would have been (see the picture at left). Many grip makers would have filled this gap with polymer. I like the fact that Mr. Kim Son chose not to. These grips are made from the real deal, natural bone. One must accept that there will be a few imperfections. The only imperfection in the manufacture of the grips is the magazine release indentation in the right grip was a frog hair too shallow. The magazine release rubbed the grip just a bit. A couple of passes with a round jeweler's file though, and that issue was put to rest.
I did not like the second pair of grips as much as the first. They were no less well made, but they had a swell at the bottom. I suppose this is to assist a shooter with hanging onto his gun while shooting. Rather than bulges, I would prefer a rougher surface for that purpose. Perhaps I am too much of a traditionalist. I know I have seen shooters competing with similar grips on their race guns. For me, the concept just doesn't transfer well into bone, ivory or horn as a material. It just looks and feels funny to me. It makes the sidearm less conducive to carry.
Even though I do not like the bulged bottom idea, I have to say that these grips are also impeccably crafted. They drop right on and off the pistol with no wiggle. The lines of the grip are arrow straight. The screw holes (at least the top ones) are the perfect depth for the screws I had. It is hard to believe these grips were not fitted to my specific pistol. When one considers the obstacles Mr. Kim Son faced bringing these grips to market, they are amazing indeed.
Mr. Kim Son also makes 1911 grips from buffalo horn. He has them priced from $23 to $35, depending on the material used. Along with the handgun grips, his company makes many items from horn and bone, from intricate hair pins to eyeglasses frames. You can find Mr. Kim Son's grips and other items at his website, Kim Son Handicraft Co. Ltd. I salute his efforts to produce beautiful and affordable exotic grips for the 1911. He has achieved a nearly irresistible product and a price that cannot be beat!
I finally broke down and bought myself a leather desk chair to blog from. I should have done that a long time ago. It's worth it. Coming home to shearling houseshoes, a Golden Retriever and a leather chair is luxury.
I have been giving some thought to trading my Grand Cherokee in on a Jeep Wrangler. Today I found a suitable Wrangler and test drove it in the rain. Little Darling and I had a blast running down flooded streets, through alleys and across a cow pasture.
The Wrangler performed fine, but I just could not see taking it in the shorts both money wise and space wise. It looks as if I will stick with my Grand Cherokee. It's almost paid for anyway.....
Xavier is a Registered Nurse who specialized in complex wound care. He has practiced for over fourteen years in his community. He often provided nursing service in areas where law enforcement refused to enter without back-up. Xavier now works in surgery.
Xavier has been an avid shooter for over 30 years. He strongly supports the 2nd Amendment, opposes gun control of any sort, and carries a weapon 24 hours a day.
Xavier is known on various internet gun forums as XavierBreath. He is married with three children, and is moderated by an apathetic one eyed cat, a goofy Golden Retriever, and a stalwart German Shepherd Dog. One day, he hopes to be deserving of them all.
Domari Nolo
Xavier can still be emailed at
treatmewithbenignneglect@gmail.com
He might read your email.
He might delete it on sight.
He might publish it and comment on it.
The Five Rules of Concealed Carry
1. Your concealed handgun is for protection of life only.
2. Know exactly when you can use your gun.
3. If you can run away -- RUN!
4. Display your gun, be prepared to go to jail.
5. Don't let your emotions get the best of you.
I'm a confirmed skeptic about many things. When I needed to get the dust off my DSLR sensor, I followed the instructions in this video, and had fairly decent results. I still had a couple of specks on my camera's sensor, so I gave it another go, and the results were the same. 
