It Is Sonoma County Weather Today

70s, blue sky. Wind blowing,  but unlike Sonoma County,  the air is dry.

If You Really Want to Avoid Becoming a Suspect in a Mass Murder

Ellsworth, Kan. (1911)

Oct. 6, 1912, William Showman, his wife, and three other family members were murdered with an ax, perhaps as revenge by Charles Marzyek, who had been convicted of stealing grain, in part based on evidence provided by William. [1]  Later accounts blamed a Bohemian who had registered in a local hotel as the imaginatively named “John Smith,” and left a blood-stained shirt behind.[2]

Category: Residential non-family.

Suicide: No.

Cause: revenge

Weapon: ax. [3]

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[1] “Think One Man Did Three Jobs,” Democratic Banner [Mt. Vernon, Ohio], Oct. 20, 1911, 1; “Brutal Killings Laid at His Door,” Time-Dispatch [Richmond, Va.], Oct. 19, 19122, 1.

[2] “Posse on Trail of Butcher,” Chickasha Daily Express [Chickasha, Indian Terr.], Oct. 19, 1911, 1.

[3] “Think One Man Did Three Jobs,” Democratic Banner [Mt. Vernon, Ohio], Oct. 20, 1911, 1; “Brutal Killings Laid at His Door,” Time-Dispatch [Richmond, Va.], Oct. 19, 19122, 1.

What Not to Hit on the Freeway

The real explosions start a couple minutes in.

Took My Son-in-Law and His Brother Shooting Last Saturday

Yes, both transplants from Washington.  What I have read tells me that a properly designed 9mm JHP (like the Winchester Silvertips, I carry in my Browning Hi-Power)  gives up very little to a .45 ACP JHP in defensive use; the .45 ACP FMJ has very impressive consequences on milk jugs because of the diameter.  If you are limited to FMJ by the Hague Convention, larger is definitely better. 

I was both function testing the Wilson-Rogers 8 round magazines for the .45, and testing American Reserve Munitions .45 ACP FMJ.  Both fed, fired, and ejected perfectly.  Compared to some Winchester white box my son-in-law;s brother brought, I could see no difference in accuracy; although this was a very undemanding test: do bullets mostly hit their target? 

We were also playing with the Colt/Walther .22LR "Government Model."  It functions just like a M1911A1; looks nearly identical; and has only one annoying field stripping quirk which I mentioned a few days ago.  Of course, recoil is much less and racking the slide is far easier; this is a strictly blowback design for a wimpy little cartridge.  Loads of fun to shoot, and likely a good practice gun for the .45.

Where's the Punch Line?

The College Fix reports on a grad student whose Ph.D. is being withheld because he allegedly defended his advisor from a rape allegation.  This gem:

One of her allegations against Vengalattore included that he left her “middle initial” off her name in an author list, which constituted “sexual harassment,” according to his email to a colleague.

Those Fuses That Pop on the CNC Controller Box

I fear that heat buildup may be shortening their life so I bought a USB powered fan which far exceeds my expectations.

To Quote the Professor on Gilligan's Island, "If You Want Something Done Right, Do It Yourself."

The spider and diagonal holder I bought was inexpensive, and for good reason.  It was supposed to be for a 4.5" OD tube.  It was closer to 5", because one of the legs was substantially longer than the other two.  The diagonal holder was made of some unrecognized black plastic, likely nylon.  Its design was essentially identical to my aluminum diagonal.  I could probably have modified to meet my needs, but much of that time and frustration can be used to finish machining my design which is quite similar, although easier to make.  Why pay for sloppy work?