Timestepper

A man is driving down the road and his car breaks down near a monastery. He goes to the monastery, knocks on the door, and says, "My car broke down. Do you think I could stay the night?" The monks graciously accept him, feed him dinner, even fix his car. As the man tries to fall asleep, he hears a strange sound. A sound unlike anything he's ever heard before. The Sirens that nearly seduced Odysseus into crashing his ship comes to his mind. He doesn't sleep that night. He tosses and turns trying to figure out what could possibly be making such a seductive sound. The next morning, he asks the monks what the sound was, but they say, "We can't tell you. You're not a monk." Distraught, the man is forced to leave. Years later, after never being able to forget that sound, the man goes back to the monastery and pleads for the answer again. The monks reply, "We can't tell you. You're not a monk." The man says, "If the only way I can find out what is making that beautiful sound is to become a monk, then please, make me a monk." The monks reply, "You must travel the earth and tell us how many blades of grass there are and the exact number of grains of sand. When you find these answers, you will have become a monk." The man sets about his task. After years of searching he returns as a gray-haired old man and knocks on the door of the monastery. A monk answers. He is taken before a gathering of all the monks. "In my quest to find what makes that beautiful sound, I traveled the earth and have found what you asked for: By design, the world is in a state of perpetual change. Only God knows what you ask. All a man can know is himself, and only then if he is honest and reflective and willing to strip away self deception." The monks reply, "Congratulations. You have become a monk. We shall now show you the way to the mystery of the sacred sound." The monks lead the man to a wooden door, where the head monk says, "The sound is beyond that door." The monks give him the key, and he opens the door. Behind the wooden door is another door made of stone. The man is given the key to the stone door and he opens it, only to find a door made of ruby. And so it went that he needed keys to doors of emerald, pearl and diamond. Finally, they come to a door made of solid gold. The sound has become very clear and definite. The monks say, "This is the last key to the last door." The man is apprehensive to no end. His life's wish is behind that door! With trembling hands, he unlocks the door, turns the knob, and slowly pushes the door open. Falling to his knees, he is utterly amazed to discover the source of that haunting and seductive sound...... But, of course, I can't tell you what it is because you're not a monk!

I bought a virtually indestructible Casio from Verizon in July of '09. Believe me, I've put it through more hell than a phone should ever have to go through - from being dropped (more than once) off the top (12 - 13 feet) of a load onto concrete and into mud puddles, to keeping it on my belt for several hours of submersion while fishing in waist deep water and even dropping it out of the canoe into 10 feet of water (I now have a float that I attach to it when I fish) and having to strip down and dive for the darn thing. (Not to mention more dust and dirt and crap than even my boots can tolerate.) I'm more than eligible for an "upgrade" but I LOVE this phone and I'm not giving it up until it completely gives up on me. (Oh, plus it keeps a signal better than any other phone I've ever had!) Don't have the 22 1/2 hour talk time, but I'm satisfied nonetheless.

Had a tough time with terrible unexplained headaches after the initial switch - cured that by digging out an old pair of "Blue Blockers" flip-up sun glasses. I now keep them handy and wear 'em whenever I'm on TGO. Problem solved! (Although I still look forward to the eventual return of the dark theme.)

I honestly don't know who to feel sorrier for - the poor dogs or us sick barstewards who are laughing at this...

Yep, one of the incontrovertible facts of life is that every now and then, no matter hard you try to avoid them, you're gonna' come across someone who turns out to be a poster-boy for retroactive birth control.

Okay, first off, I had to look twice to make sure the title said Hardcore PAWN (Phew!). Second, from everything I hear about shows like this I'm REALLY glad we don't have cable (but we DO get The Andy Griffith Show!).

Oh, and by the way - I don't mind sharing information and ideas and postulating on this 'n' that. In fact, I find it down right enjoyable. BUT, if anyone thinks for half a heartbeat that I'm going to reveal accurate, detailed information regarding my exact gear, plans or location in the event of SHTF/TEOTWAWKI scenario, they're just plain nucking futs. But hey, it's nice to know that others will have neat stuff I can use if I see them first.

Hmmm... Well, since I'm kinda' sorta' already in "the hills" I don't guess I'll take anything. Or maybe I'll do just the opposite of the general trend and head to the city - boy, wouldn't that screw with people's heads? So, back to the OP: What will I take? Um, tumpline bedroll w/wool blankets rather than sleeping bag (wool retains its insulating properties when wet), fire starting stuff, something to carry water in, something to boil water in, hardtack, flour & cornmeal, tea, heavy bladed knife (to serve as both knife and small axe), whatever weapon/firearm I feel would best suit the situation at the time w/ammo, small brass compass and a deck of playing cards.

Yep. Maybe someone needs to explain to them that, while it's true that you don't need a parachute to skydive, you DO need a parachute to skydive TWICE...

Seems to me that they're just living proof that you're never too old to learn something stupid...

Don't get me wrong, it's not like we have a snake den under the house - and thank God, 'cause I'm not terribly fond of 'em either - but given the rodent problem we usually have in the winter, I just won't kill one that isn't poisonous. I figure that one "Ohholysh!t,it'safreakin'snake!" whiz my britches moment, is probably worth twenty "Awcrap,timetodigouthtemousetrapsagain!" moments. And the big (24 inches) copperhead we found in the driveway behind my wife's van in July of 2010 found out real quick that he wasn't welcome here. (Thank God it's ONLY copperhead we've ever seen on the place.) We live on the side of a heavily timbered ridge, so it stands to reason that there's gonna' be spiders and snakes (and lizards and ticks and ants and mice and wasps and squirrels and toads and turtles and 'coons and 'possums and the occasional skunk, bobcat and fox), so we kinda' take a "live and let live" attitude. We have to, otherwise we might as well move to some sterile apartment building in the city somewhere. And, last I checked, most apartment buildings won't allow goats, chickens and rabbits, so I guess we're <happily> stuck here. Now... where did I put my spider-proof, snake-resistant, ant-repelling, mouse-killing superman underwear??? :lol:

Guess it doesn't make any difference - he can obviously still go to gun shows. Evidently that's something he enjoys, so - contrary to his statement in the initial video in the thread - he hasn't "lost everything he loves." Personally, I wish him all the best. And if the rest of us have maybe learned something (even if it's only what NOT to say) from his trials and travails then I guess he's done more good than he thought.

What, and leave all the spider eating snakes behind? I'm tickled to have snakes under our house - cuts down on the mice and other undesirables!

So I guess he hasn't "lost everything he loves" after all? Super!

I know it's at the Nat'l Guard Armory on JD Yarnell Industrial Parkway, but haven't heard the cost - guessing admission will be about 10 bucks, since that pretty much seems to be the norm.

Nope, but if you make it to Clinton, give me a holler - I'm just down the highway from S. Clinton.

I seem to recall reading that they're also attracted to metal. Particularly metal with gun oil/lubricant residue. Since I'm not afraid of spiders (especially when I'm well armed!), I respectfully suggest that for your own safety you immediately package all your guns and send them to my address. Out of the kindness of my own heart I will selflessly take on the risks and absolve you from all further issues involving black and white spotted spiders. No thanks necessary, I'm just that kind of guy!

http://www.cabelas.com/stocks-grips-accessories-cabelas-leather-cheek-pad.shtml Took me less than 10 seconds to find this one on Google. Good luck!

So back to the O.P. (kind of). The last bumper sticker I bought (and I would buy another one if I happened to see it for a reasonable price) said, "My other car is a piece of sh!t, too!" I think this could be a viable business, but it seems there's a bunch of competition - seems like everywhere I go I see racks of bumper stickers. Most start out being priced at $3.00 - $5.00, but end up sitting and collecting dust until they get marked down to 3 for $.99 . I would definitely want to do some research and make sure I had a quality, custom product before I jumped in with both feet.

I'm sorry, I know what you meant, but the way you worded it made me . (I don't think it's legal to beat someone to death no matter how many of them there are.) I'm guessing that you meant that, from a legal standpoint, you could ASSUME they about to beat you to death and so respond accordingly, right?

Bummer! Hey, it could be worse, though. (It could be me!)

Would love to, but I can't even find the time to take myself.

I think my biggest problem is that the jobsites I've thought were spectacular enough to actually take pictures of wouldn't allow a camera on the jobsite - even phone cameras and the cameras we carry in our "accident kits" had to be surrendered at the gate and picked up on the way out.

All this technology and we still can't find a cure for stupid...

No, that's the Wicked Witch of the Left. (Or one of 'em, anyway.)