analog_kidd

A lot of people don't know that you can make free outbound calls from your PC with a GMail account. Can't recieve, though. I could probably live without the cell. They are forbidden at my work, so most of my day I can't even use it. I do like having it for the emergency aspect, especially for my wife. I don't care if anyone else can't get in touch with me, but I do like the fact that she and I can reach each other no matter where we are. My dad uses one of those prepaid phones and loves it. He never gives out the number, except for family, so he never runs out of minutes. I think he leaves it in the truck.

For me, there is nothing better than a nap on the couch with a football game on.

A 9-volt battery will cause a piece of steel wool to ignite. Jumper cables connected to a car battery and then shorted on the other end by touching the clamps together will make some nice sparks, which can be used to light tinder. My favorite firestarting method is to take a soda can, cut it in half to make a cup, then fill that cup 1/2 way with gas. Put it in the firepit and stack up the kindling around it. Use another stick or long match to light the gas. It makes a nice 6" flame that burns for about 10 minutes, and will dry out damp wood, and pretty much catch any of the firewood on fire. It does not explode or make a huge fireball because the surface area of the gas that oxygen can get to is kept to a minimum. Just don't knock it over.

Fiddledog, I'll give your method a try the next time I light up. Thanks for that tip. I was reading that certain types of lighters are too hot. Is a standard Bic lighter appropriate? I was thinking of picking up a Zippo this weekend. I like them because they seem nostalgic, and they just have more character than a plain lighter. Something about the sound they make when you snap one closed just seems so cool.

I recently read an article in Popular Photography where the photographer was doing a series where he asked people to empty their pockets and arrange the contents in what the owners thoght was a pleasing arrangement. Made for an interesting series of photos. Your pocket contents would have made an interesting addition.

Yeah, I'm having that problem too. I hold the pipe in one hand and the lighter in the other the whole time I'm smoking it. Actually I found it stays lit a bit better if I pack it in real good, even though the guy at the shop said don't do it.

Thanks for the Palladin recommendation. I'll try to pick up a pouch of that. I'm looking for something that I can buy locally without having to go all the way downtown to get it. We have a couple of "tobacco" shops here in town, but it seems like they all specialize in cigarettes. My dad used to smoke a pipe when I was a kid. I remember him having Borkum Riff and Capt. Black, and maybe a few others.

I recently picked up a pipe and a blend called Wife's Delight from Leaf and Ale in Knoxville. I like the blend, it is fairly mild and aromatic. My wife really does like it too (to smell, not smoke ). I was wondering if any other TGO folks enjoy a pipe, and if so, what blends do you recommend? I saw that Leaf and Ale has a sample pack with eight of their most popular blends. May stop by and pick one of those up just to get some variety.

Just bought a nylon fabric holster to attach to my pack when hiking. Will be trying it out here in a couple weeks while on the AT for a few nights.

I admire gun shops that check the chamber every time they touch the gun, including just before they hand it off, and just after they get it handed back, even if it never left their sight. Always makes me feel like they put safety first. It's a good habit for them to be in. When I'm looking at a gun in the store, I always ask if it's OK to dry fire it, then if they say it's OK, I always aim it away from people before pulling the trigger. I don't care how many people just checked it, I always assume the gun is magic and can make bullets appear out of nowhere and load them by itself.

I pick up and keep brass from the range for calibers I don't have. I've got a gallon baggie stuffed full of .40, and another of .45. "One day", I'll own a .45, and someone will need the .40. My son has a .40 and I'm thinking that at some time he'll want to reload. So, I just keep collecting and saving.

I was wondering how this would play out if the tables were turned. What if the non-union execs got a bunch of folks together and started going over to the neighborhoods of the unionized workers, standing in front of their houses and making a specticle. 1. Blood would flow in the streets. 2. The media would focus on it 24/7 for a week.

A century or so ago, they were somehow introduced into Florida from Texas. Now, Florida is infested with them. They can really tear up a piece of land too.

A buddy of mine was telling at work today about a news segment over the weekend where Obama was trying to put the blame on everyone he could. He was saying how he inherited a bad economy from Bush. The talking head then said, well OK, but you also inherited a Triple-A rating from him. If you're going to dish it out you have to take it too.

You and a friend could probably do it yourselves. Vinyl gutters are pretty cheap at the big box stores, and they are pretty easy to install. Just need a cordless screwgun, a mitersaw (or hacksaw even) and two ladders. All the parts just snap together. I've put them up on my rentals. The vinyl is very forgiving, unlike the aluminum that creases if bent a little.

Sorry for your truck, buit I'm glad You're OK. Did the gun actually go off at the school, or did it happen before you arrived? If at the school, did you have any 'splainin to do?

One of the problems is that a few decades ago we tranistioned from a society where most employees expected to get a pension to one that utilizes a 401k style savings plan. The pension plus SS may have been enough for many to live of of. Now, most employers are dumping the pensions adn providing 401k. Most Americans have not transitioned away from the idea of someone else taking care of them, to thinking about providing for themselves. I worry that SS will dry up, and there will be millions of people retiring and they have not saved at all. Then what really worries me about that is the Government (and the citizens whou didn't plan) will say "it's not fair that all of the wealthy people have 401k's and IRA's and I have nothing." The government will then decide that those who have saved have more than enough and should share. We see that happening in our society right now. Work hard, start a business, and you get taxed heavily to pay for the benefits of those not willing to take the risks. Part of the problem we have today is proper education. Kids leaving high school these days know all about the basics, but ask any of them how compound interest works, or what a 401k or IRA is, and they'll give you a blank look. Sad think is, most folks probably don't figure that out until they are 35-40, which by then is too late. They have missed the most powerful stage of contribution. Here's an idea I think would be a great one. On average, a well invested IRA will double itself every 7 years. Not always, but generally speaking this has been the case. The idea is, at birth, open an IRA for the child. Instead of friends and family buying toys and what not, contribute to the IRA till it is worth $1000. Here's how that would play out for that child over the course of their life: Age Value 0 $1000 7 2000 14 4000 21 8000 28 16000 35 32000 42 64000 49 128000 56 256000 63 $512000 !!! So by the time the child retires, they have half a million dollars in savings, and nobody has added a single dollar since the initial contribution. Now, who know how the economy will turn out in the future, but what if I'm only half right? It's still a good investment.

I've always thought that novelty things (like cigarette lighters) that look like guns is a bad idea. I mean really, who comes up with an idea where you point something that looks like a gun at your mouth and pull the trigger.

7/28/11 10:00am

Their gunsmith seems like a pretty good guy. He helped me out once and did me right. Usually the staff is helpful, especially one guy in particular. But the last time I was there the guy who helped me thought he was a real comedian. I didn't find him funny at all! In fact I walked out because of him and will buy the gun I'm looking for elsewhere.

I'm no expert, but I've heard that plasma TV's have a great picture, but are notorious for dieing after a couple of years. You'll definitely want one with a few inputs. HDMI for sure, which it most likely will have, but RCA, and component too depending on your devices. Don't get one if it only has DVI, which only carries video. HDMI carries video and audio. If your reciever does not handle the switching for you, then you'll need to plug each device into it's own port on the tv, so count them up and make sure the TV can connect each device up with the type of connection each device requires. Think about the future too. If you only have a DVD player now, with RCA jacks, you may want to upgrade to a Blueray, which will use HDMI or component, so make sure there are extras. I upgraded to a switching reciever a year or so and love it. The reciever has more inputs than I can count. Everything plugs into the reciever, adn then there is one connection to the TV. The reciever handles converting my RCA outputs from the DVD player to the HDMI connection that goes to the TV. Makes selecting the device really easy. All I do is hit the button on the reciever/remote for the device I want to use adn it start playing on the TV. +1 on upgrading to DVR. It is a total game changer on the way you watch TV. You will definitely want the Digital upgrade for DirecTV. Watching low def stations on a hi-def TV will make you wish you had your old tv back. It just looks aweful. Everything gets stretched out and looks wierd. On the other hand, the hi-def signal will look fantastic. You can also pick up hi-def for free over the air now with some very reasonable priced antenna's. Good luck

I've been thinking about getting one of these too. Apparently everyone has, because I can't find any around Knoxville. My local shops are always sold out. May have to wait till the next gun show in August.

I think real estate is a good option right now. If we are headed for hyper inflation, real estate could be a good shelter. Lets say you have $100k to invest. Put it in a bank account and it's still $100k, but if hyper inflation hits, that $100k will have the same purchasing power of $50k today. Put it in stocks adn the $100k turns into $50k after a crash and has the purchase power of $25k today. But if you buy a $100k house and hold on to it, when the inflation hits the house may be worth $200k. Sell it and you have $200k of purchase power which would be equal to what you could have bought for $100k before inflation. Plus, in hyper inflation, salaries will surely rise to adjust. Now instead of making $50k a year, you'll be making $80k. You'll be making a lot more money, with less buying power, but your mortgage was set up when you were making less, so it will be easy to pay it off. If you make the property rentals, you can even have someone else pay your morgage for you. Houses are cheap right now. The market is perfect for buyers. By the way my numbers above are totally made up. Pulled them out of the air for talking points. They could be higher or lower, but you get the point.

That looks like Upper Potters Falls. If so, I've been right there in that spot too. I get on that creek about once every year or two. Missed it this year though. My last swim was on lower Potters. Not my finest hour My absolute favorite run in the area is Island Creek. Ran that at 2.5 feet this year. Won't do that again. I have a friend that leads an Easter trip every year on the Upper Clear Creek section you mentioned. I've never been, but I hear the trips are always epic. Of course in the summer it wouldn't run, so the OP will have to wait till next spring.

I think you can do overnighters on the Big South Fork. Put in at the Leatherwood Rd parking lot and paddle down to somewhere I'm not sure of. There is one rapid you will want to portage, Angel Falls created by blasting rock. I think it is easily portaged. The rest of the run is very easy, class I-II so I've heard. I'm pretty sure you can camp anywhere inside the Big South Fork Natl Recreation Area, but you want to confirm with a ranger.