MacGyver

Cool. Thanks for those suggestions. While I'm quite comfortable on the SUP in Class II-III, since the kids are little, we're probably looking at Class I-II for the next little bit. That's a good suggestion on the Sipsey. Looking at a September trip right now. I'll check out Clear Creek as well. Any idea on the total distance? I'm looking at the NPS.Gov map, but they somehow think that they're still useful without displaying any type of scale.

Any of you east Tennesse guys float any longer sections of the Hiwassee?

I've paddled Caney Fork plenty of times. Is there a place where you can camp?

So about every three months or so, I get the urge to do a float trip - canoe, paddle board or really anything that floats. It's kind of like a treehouse - if you're a treehouse person, you look at any tree for its potential for hosting a treehouse. I drive over a creek or river on the interstate and think, "I wonder where that goes?" Most of my paddling the last couple of years has been one day outings, as I have small kids, and it's simply hard to get away for longer. That said, my kids are getting old enough now that I think they could really enjoy riding along. I was having a discussion with some friends this morning about overnight trips, and how difficult it is today to put one together due to land rights and other private property concerns. In a recent copy of Paddling Tennessee, there's not a single overnight outing. I'd like to put together a two-day or even three-day trip. Something with some mileage and a place to camp. Ideally, we're looking at 20-30 miles total mileage with a good place to set up camp. I'm having trouble finding a place that meets these requirements. For those of you who paddle, where are you going these days if you want to paddle and camp. I'm really pretty open to anything within several hours. Suggestions?

How terrible! Knew him when I was a kid. He was good friends with one of my dad's friends whose workshop I hung out at all the time. He was a true pioneer in the modern semi-custom knife movement.

I've been meaning to put up a thread. I'll see if I can do it in the next day or so.

That's great.

When people shoot the suppressed 10/22 I built last winter from an 80% receiver specifically to shoot Aguila SSS rounds, it takes days to wipe the smile off of their faces.

Hollywood has not really been honest in showing their use over the years. Additionally, unless he was using 147gr ammo, he was still shooting supersonic which is loud. If he goes back with some subsonic ammo, it won't be as quiet as the movies, but it will be both earsafe and a lot quieter.

James Taranto of the WSJ wrote an interesting piece a couple of years ago on the "Roe Effect", that is the effect Roe vs. Wade has has on our national politic and dialogue via the simple number of eligible voters, or put another way, the future belongs to those who show up. Interesting observations, and certainly worth a read. The Roe Effect While I disagree with abortion personally, I don't realistically believe that we'll ever get rid of it. It's like trying to put Pandora back in the box. It's not going to happen. Our best hope may to be to work to find ways to make them truly "rare". That said, I find that the conclusion of the above article summarizes my feelings on the political aspects of it fairly well. That is that the overturning of Roe vs. Wade would be one of the best things that could happen to our national politic. It would be a states rights issue, and thus representatives both Republican and Democrat could form solutions in their own states that meet their constituents beliefs. And, then we could move the national debate away from this issue that really detracts from other important stuff.

There is certainly room for a lot of improvement/streamling in our domestic procecss. I think a major part of the problem is that it has become such a huge revenue stream for both the government, the agencies and the lawyers involved. The way the system is structured right now, the barriers are extremely high - Even when everything works out perfectly.

To separate my moderator post, from my personal post above, here's my post as a moderator. To paraphrase the Dread Pirate Roberts in The Princess Bride: "Good job today keeping it on topic. I fully expect to have to close this thread tomorrow".

I think you're probably wrong there. I have three kids. My wife's and my first, third and fifth pregnancy all ended in miscarriage after we had heard or seen a heartbeat. I've got family that has adopted because the felt called to do so, regardless of their difficulty in conceiving on their own. I disagree with abortion from a moral, ethical and political standpoint. That said, if you're going to talk about abortion, you have to be intellectually honest in the debate, and we're not there right now. Feelings override data, and people get entrenched quickly. Bill Clinton famously said that abortion should be "safe, legal and rare". A lot of people assume it is rare. It's not. In New York City last year, there were 87,273 in New York City's five boroughs. If you look at the numbers like the CDC does, that's 688 abortions per 1000 live births. If you look at it as a ratio of abortions per every 100 pregnancies ending in either an abortion or live birth, that comes out to 41%. 41%! That's not rare. I would argue that in New York City, abortion has become a form of birth control of first resort, not last ditch effort after all other alternatives have been exhausted. That number alone would exhaust the rolls of every adoption agency in the county, and then some. There were 1.21 million abortions in the US in 2009. That's one for every 250 people in America. Every year! I'd love to see a lot fewer abortions performed every year. But, if we're going to talk about solutions, I don't think we can really apply the "there are people who would love to have those children and would pay for it" argument. The numbers have simply become to overwhelming.

That case is making it's way through the courts, but unfortunately even at its best outcome will not affect us for a couple of years at least. Currently, and for the foreseeable future you are required to purchase the suppressor, fill out the Form 4 from the dealer, submit the paperwork and a check for $200 to the ATF and wait 2-6 months for the paperwork to clear and your stamp to come back at which time you may take delivery of your suppressor. I hope it changes one day for the better.

Good for him!

I EDC a Maratac AAA. It's super small, super bright and lightweight. Three brightness settings fit about any need I have. And it's cheap. Warning: Do not click on the link for County Comm unless you are fully prepared to spend $50 on stuff that you need that you had no idea even existed. Here's the light: Maratac AAA

You know...I thought I was pretty clear on Friday about threads like this. I'll leave this thread open for now. If you guys can discuss it intelligently, great. But, if and when it devolves, there will be reprocussions.

Yes, they seem to be working fine. Neat trip!

The Argentinian clones have gotten a lot of favorable reviews over the years. Congrats. V

Out of all the ways that I believe our country has changed for the worse over the last 4 decades, seeing someone shake a soldier's hand in the airport and simply say thank you brightens my soul a bit. I know this is in stark contrast to how my dad and many of you other Vietnam vets were treated coming home, and gives me some hope that it is possible to change for the better.

Be who you are, and be proud of it.

Just to be clear, that comment on banning someone wasn't directed at you Punisher. Threads just seem to head south around you sometimes.

You'll be a part of a small, select group if you master it. I know plenty of accomplished woodsmen who can't do it.

Dave actually makes a fair point. While this is a great skill to have in your bag of tricks, it's a bet I wouldn't necessarily want to take in a true survival situation.

Oh, and by the way, this isn't a practice makes perfect skill that you can kluge your way through. It's a practice or you'll die in the woods tired with blisters on your hands skill. Let me know if you need some help.