RECCE ROOM

In 2011, the state of Iowa will join the Light Side and become a "Shall-Issue" state . In addition, they decided to retain current laws, side with 45 other states, and permit the carrying of firearms where alcohol is served, provided the person carrying does not drink. Of course, liberals will claim there will be blood in the streets. Fact is, there will not be. There is not in the other 45 states.

This guy was evidently a police officer, and worked in a morgue. This gives for some interesting insight on the ballistics of fatal gunshot wounds.

Evidently, people doing interviews between Christmas and New Years have been drinking too much of the spiked Egg Nog. Yet another hiring manager had a scheduling error. I arrive today at 3 pm and he said he had expected me at 11 am. We had originally set 11 am, but he had contacted me later, needing to change to 3, as he had a meeting from 10-2. I removed myself from candidacy. I have a new conjecture: Companies wanting to interview between Christmas and New Years are to be avoided. Bad JuJu

For an interview, I saw a truck bed-liner. No truck. Just a bed liner, propped up against the concrete retaining wall in the middle of I-40, around mile marker 216 - near the Briley Parkway exit. Also, a 10-point buck that had fallen from the bed of a pickup. It had been harvested this morning. The driver had failed to put the liftgate up. He was struggling to get the deer up into the bed of the truck again. The buck looked to be well in excess of 120 pounds.

This time, the Stupid Games Award goes to ServPro . Case 1: In March, just when I started my current position, I had an interview lined up with them on a Wednesday. The Friday prior, the HR associate (who was obviously new), sent another email. This one seemed as if she had forgotten entirely the first one which scheduled me for Wednesday, and now she wanted me to meet them on Monday. I had a meeting on Monday, and would never have been able to make it. So I responded as such via email. Since it was now after hours (her email came at nearly 5:00 pm), she did not respond. So I left a voice mail message, too. Monday came, I called her twice, but she did not respond... until after 12:00 pm, that is. She then sent an email and called my phone (during the meeting I'd advised her of!) and left a message asking if we had gotten "mixed up." I called her back, and emailed, advising her that there had been no mix up. I had never confirmed Monday at 12 pm. I had, however, c...

Tonight, I went with Pops, his wife, Mrs. Usagi, my son, and my sis and her new husband to a UTC Mocs Basketball game. My alma mater (UTC) dominated the squad from Montreat in the opening round of the Dr. Pepper Classic  - a Holiday basketball classic in the Chattanooga area for the past 21 years. In years past, I've witnessed great play by the Mocs (winners of 13 of the 21 Dr. Pepper Classics held to date). The format is simple - three opposing college basketball teams, and the Mocs. Opening round winners play the next day for the Dr. Pepper Classic Championship. Teams that lost in the first round get a second chance with the consolation game. The Mocs always play the later game the first day. If memory serves, this is the first UTC game I've seen in person in over 12 years. When I attended, I rarely missed a game - seeing all home games my final three years. Tickets were (and still are) free for UTC students. Being an alumni earns me a discounted price. I disappointed...

An opinion article in " The Chattanoogan " about traffic cameras prompted some responses. While a major publication might not be able to say what they will about the responses, I certainly can. And as my readers know, I am most certainly not afraid to do so. One reader said to plant trees in front of the cameras (instead of breaking an agreement with the company), and another said use duct tape. I favor both of those ideas. Here are two other responses: "Or how about just driving the speed limit and not trying to speed through an intersection when the light is red? Jeremy Allen North Chattanooga" ... and ... "I have a novel idea: don't speed.  Kevin Boone Red Bank" Problem is, Kevin and Jeremy, that these cameras regularly photograph people that are breaking no law. Tickets are sent that are not deserved. Further, Tennessee required an officer sign a citation as a witness, and these cameras do not provide such a signature. Even if an off...

Christmas is a time of giving. I would like to acknowledge those who have given to me and my family this year. Here are my words of appreciation, in no particular order: Family: Pops - gives so very much to us. Particularly to the grandkids. My sister - she has given us a reason to celebrate this year with her wedding. Moms - she gives to people until she has nothing left to give. She also gives us funny stories and occasional drama! My brother- he gives of himself to us. He also gives me hope, as he secured four significant job offers in 2010. Mrs. Usagi - she gives so much of herself for the family. The inlaws - They give so much to us, and particularly the kids! The kids - for providing me with joy eternal! Friends: A friend from Sunday School who has lunch with me occasionally. We will call him "R." I have enjoyed the discussions we have had, and look forward to more. Right Minded - also from my Sunday School class. I am thankful for his lessons. He is also ...

Link to story . Story is about a girl who enjoys hunting. Of course, they can't help but insert something wild, and here it is: " There's a feeder off in the distance that occasionally spreads corn and protein pellets on the ground. Among hunters, baiting is controversial. It's illegal in some states but standard practice in Mississippi. " Baiting is illegal in some places because it is too effective.  It's use is not so controversial among hunters, though. Hunters will bait if permitted, and generally don't where it's illegal. Generally, hunters feel that baiting should be legal. Since baiting brings the deer into the area, it helps the hunter find the deer. This increases the chances of a successful hunt. In Tennessee, baiting during the season is not legal. However, deer in Tennessee are reaching pest proportions, and I would not be surprised to see this law changed in upcoming years. Our bag limits have been steadily...

Christmas is the main Holiday at this time of year. We celebrate on December 25 the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Though it is not likely Christ was born in December (most scholars say the spring, and some have argued early fall as his approximate dates of birth), it is a fixed date of celebration, and the memory of what He brought us is the main theme. Over the years, Christmas has picked up many traditions from many societies (Christmas trees, decorations, etc.) and incorporated those. Some years back, the politically correct term "Happy Holidays" was pushed as a replacement for the more traditional "Merry Christmas" greeting. Let's analyze that. The major Holidays this time of year are Christmas, New Year's day, and Hanukkah . Christmas, we have covered. New Year's Day is just that, the celebration of a New Year. Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is a minor Jewish Holiday celebrating a time when the Jews took back their temple. ...

No, I was never late on rental car fees or anything of the sort. But I almost got towed one day. Here's the scoop: Setting - spring 2006. I had just taken part in a miniature Iaido seminar, taught by my former karate instructor, Sensei Suarez , who was in from Kentucky, and we were both visiting mutual friends at the Nashville Aikikai . A small group of us went to a late lunch following the session. The place was a Mexican restaurant in downtown Nashville. When we arrived, the parking lot was full. So I parked in an adjacent parking lot. It was empty. That should have been my first sign. Speaking of signs, there were not any "no parking" signs visible to me, or the members of my party (I drove the owners of the Nashville Aikikai, Sensei Suarez, and Mrs. Usagi altogether). We went in and had a leisurely meal, recounting martial arts stories of old. Toward the end of the meal, the owner of the restaurant calmly approached us and asked if the Jeep across the street wa...

A new AR15 for under $500. Link to offer . Delt Ton is not the best manufacturer, but this price cannot be beat!

Only shoot at things you wish to destroy. This funny story sent to me by my brother. A man shot a cop car with a potato gun. My brother and I used to have a potato gun. We never managed to shoot a cop car, though.

Obama and company know that this line (keeping premiums low) was a complete fabrication as they pushed the healthcare package into our laps. Now, knowing they will have to do something about the fact that insurance companies will be forced to raise premiums, the HHS has proposed rules on when and how healthcare insurance companies can raise rates. Of course, if  the government can control the raising of premiums, then the health insurance companies can be driven out of business by the .gov.  This would enable complete socialist control - Obama's ultimate objective. They are looking for the little wins, folks, on their way to socialism.

So today was my son's last day of school before the Christmas Break. Yes, they call it the politically correct "Holiday Break"  - but we know that THE Holiday most celebrate at this time is Christmas. My Jewish friends celebrate Hanukkah. Kwaanza is no holiday. But, that's a different blog post altogether. Back on point. My son receives a gift from his teacher - a package of Power Ranger knockoff toys. The package said "Ninjas." As soon as my daughter (age 3) hears that, she asks to play with his "ninjers" (a really redneck sounding way to say "ninja" - for my northern friends). She's been calling them "ninjers" all day. Sounds hilarious.

From the Examiner : --- Prepare to learn how to answer any interview question with utmost confidence, and put yourself in the driver's seat in any interview. But, as with all things, this is not a miracle pill, or else everybody would already be doing it. This method involves work - making yourself a better candidate. 1. The Behavioral Interview Start with the hardest part - making your behavioral answers iron-clad. Keep to the format "STAR": - S ituation / T ask - A ction - R esult Write down several situations, actions you took, and the results of those actions. Have five separate situations written down. Three good situations, one situation that was less than positive (and what you learned), and one that is more neutral. Of course, write down the actions and results, too! Avoid generalizing: "I always..." or "I never..." are dead answers - telling the interviewer you did not listen to the instructions. Be specific in your responses - s...

From the Examiner : --- Interviewing is often treated like a game - sometimes by the employer, sometimes by the candidates. This is not a disparaging statement as much as it is a conditional statement. If interviewers or interviewees are treating the interview as a game, then how does one win? By knowing the rules, and playing better than the others. Remember, all interview questions are attempting to find out one of three things: A) Why does this candidate want the job? B) Why should the company hire you? C) What value do you add? By knowing that, and by preparing on how to answer interview questions,  the candidate can play the interview game better than others. But first, the candidate must identify which type of game the interviewer is playing: "American Idol" Interviewers sometimes are simply looking for "red flags" on the candidate. Just like certain judges on America's favorite singing competition look for imperfection, some interviewers ...

From the Examiner : -- The phone pre-screening interview is possibly the most unpredictable part of the interview process. Different companies do so many different things in this stage. In Nashville, not many companies will do this, but the reader is best advised to be wary of companies that call you, want to do the phone interview on the spot, and want you to know something of their company right then and there. If a job seeker has been seeking jobs properly, then they will have applied to numerous positions, and it would be difficult at best to keep them straight. A good company (and most do) will call and ask to set an appointment for the phone pre-screening. Interviews range widely. A company may try to simply lay out the job for you, and make sure that it will be a fit. The company may start straight into interview questions. Phone interviews may be anywhere from 15 minutes in length, to over an hour. To be sure, there are many types of initial phone interviews. The on...

Story here . Pot? Kettle? Anyone?

Here's a controversial topic. But this one has lots of momentum - particularly from folks in similar positions as martial arts instructors. ADD / ADHD is a relatively new condition. it is frequently "diagnosed" by teachers . (Funny - Mrs. Usagi is a certified teacher. She never had a class on diagnosis of mental disorders, nor did she become certified by a state board of medical practitioners for diagnosis of anything). All other known illnesses must be diagnosed by a medical professional. Why is ADD different? ADD / ADHD is not caused by any known abnormality - either physically or chemically. This is why experts say it is a myth . All known disorders / illnesses, diseases have an observable cause. ADD / ADHD does, too - but many simply do not wish to name the cause - poor parenting. "Poor parenting" in this case is the parents' lack of providing good nutrition and healthy outlets for play and exercise. Martial arts instructors have known for years ...

Good blog post on the recent FL shooting at a School Board meeting. Two main reasons the gun control (schools and school board meetings are "gun free" zones) failed: 1. Criminals do not obey laws. This includes signs, and gun free zones. 2. Relying on police to protect you is a good way to end up dead.

Then I don't know what is. An article on the " 12 hottest politician's wives ." The list is filled with women who are easy on the eyes, and then there's Michelle Obama, too. Unfortunately, these blind apes put her as #1 on the list - destroying any credibility they might have had. Some other thoughts: - It would seem that middle eastern politicians know how to select beautiful women as wives. - Biggest surprise for me? Socialist Dennis Kucinich's wife. Very beautiful lady. Article says she is 5" taller than him. I don't get it. - If you told me in advance that there was a wife on the list from Switzerland, it would not have surprised me. But the one listed was not what I pictured. - Shriver does not belong on the list, IMO. She is not bad looking, but the others are much better looking. - The comments at the bottom are hilarious!

The kids played in the snow. I worked from home. Right Minded gave me a ride to my car (most roads that were frozen over are now clear). Thanks! Life resumes back to normal tomorrow, except that schools are still out in Wilson county - meaning my son has tomorrow off, too. No ill effects at all from last night's short walk, save the bruise on my hip from the GLOCK. I hope that's the most action that this little gun ever sees. I work again tomorrow at the regular job, and at Target. All told, I'll start work at 8:00 am and end at 12 midnight. That and the walk last night have seriously renewed my drive to replace my primary employer. I'd never have been at Target on a Sunday afternoon had the primary place of employment not slashed pay.

Yesterday, it snowed hereabouts. The snow did not start sticking to the streets until around 4 pm. I was working my part time gig at Target. I asked the boss if I could leave early. Permission was denied. So I walked home after driving to certain areas, and seeing roads blocked off and realizing I wasn't driving home, I decided to walk home. Some things I witnessed: At least a dozen cars and trucks in ditches. I walked home, so mine wasn't one of them. As I walked home, I passed several vehicles that were having great difficulty getting to where they wanted to go. Including a 4WD truck. I was proud of myself for walking 5.76 miles (according to Mapquest) in just over 2 hours in the snow and ice. I always keep extra clothes, boots, and other supplies in my car - just in case. Worked out quite well last night. I slid and fell once - on my GLOCK. I have a bruise. The GLOCK does not. I flagged down at least three cars and warned them not to go further. They did, and the...

"The ability to learn how to actually Think.  Separate facts from opinion.  Analyze all facts .  Arrive at a conclusion.  And then be ready to adjust that conclusion if new facts are learned.    There is a large difference between reaching a well thought out conclusion, and reacting.  A well thought out conclusion takes time.  Reaction does not.  One of the curses of the internet, the very net we must work through here, is the reactions , as opposed to conclusions , that all of us have a tendency to reach.    Ironic, that unlike spoken word, the internet has safeguards against this very activity, and yet reactionary statements happen much more here.  The safeguard is the "enter" button.  When we write something here, we all must press "enter" for others to ever know we wrote it.  We have the chance, no, the opportunity , to go back and digest what we have written, to be sure it was thought out, that a c...

From the Examiner : --- When searching for a job, many people use a recruiter. Recruiters , and opinions on them, vary a great deal. Some people - usually those who have been placed by a recruiter - swear by them. Others - often folks who have not been helped by the recruiter - are either ambivalent, or worse, dislike recruiters. As with anything in life, one must understand the basics to get the full use out of it - and recruiters are no different. Basic rule with recruiters - they are being paid by the company, so their loyalties will be with their client , not the job seeker. Once a job seeker understands this, and takes the personal aspect out of it, expectations of recruiters will be more appropriate. Some good suggestions, when dealing with recruiters: - Don't tell them something you would not tell the employer. - Do try to sell yourself as being the best fit for the job. - Don't use recruiters for career changes. - Do use recruiters if you've been lai...

Today, Florida football coach Urban Meyer announces he will resign from the head coaching spot. I have some speculation: When Meyer came to Florida, he made popular the " spread option " offense. At the time, this was a new, if somewhat gimmicky, offense. Few teams had the defensive athleticism and coaching to overcome it. Then, enter Tim Tebow - a perfect quarterback for the spread option offense. With Tebow at the helm, Florida experienced tremendous success. However, people learned the gimmick. Coaching caught up with the times, and the spread option is not what it once was. Tim Tebow graduated, and was drafted into the NFL. Urban Meyer is left with a gimmick in its twilight, and not enough talent to make it work. But now enter a wild card fact. Tim Tebow was drafted to the Denver Broncos. Two days ago, the Broncos fired their coach , Josh McDaniels. Throw in the fact that Tebow jerseys are among the highest selling paraphernalia in the NFL. Add to that the fact ...

Recently, a friend was hit by a deer while driving. Though he and family are OK, they will be having a difficult couple of weeks while their car is being repaired. Why? They did not have car rental reimbursement. His insurance company is a top tier company, and pays claims well and in a timely manner. They have very good coverage. However, my friend opted out of the car rental reimbursement. So I have two bits of advice (and remember, I have a Tennessee Property and Casualty License): 1. Purchase car rental reimbursement. It is around $40 per year through most carriers. 2. Purchase insurance through an agent.  I know many out there think insurance rates are higher when purchased through an agent. By law, this is not permitted (though one major insurer tries to get around it with an "internet discount" - and they are being litigated against for it). Another point to ponder, with regards to agents and commissions - an insurance agent would have made a whopping $...

I work at Target again tonight. Some more thoughts and observations on retail: - Target seems to have more happy people than most retail establishments. - A customer the other night, drove her motorized scooter to the front, left it, then got in line. While in line, she complained of having to push the scooter around the store, and back to the front. When asked by a separate customer why she pushed it, and didn't just leave it, I added: "is that the same scooter you just drove to the front?" The customer responded "I did not drive it, I had to push it with my legs." I replied "I saw you driving it." Two other customers said the same! The one customer left without saying a word. - If something ever happens such that I am no longer married, Target is a good place to go to find attractive females. Many more than one would find in a Wal Mart. - Sometimes machines decide not to enter scanned merchandise. Folks get stuff free. Some people are hone...

This NYT article , talks about the increasing dangers to park rangers across America. Sadly, and errantly, they mentioned the 2009 law allowing law abiding citizens to carry in National Parks (provided State or Local ordinances permit carry) as a contributing factor. If anything, armed good guys would be helpful to law enforcement. And for the record, the two unfortunate losses mentioned in the article did not happen at the hands of a person who was legally carrying.

Seems that the Congress has made a deal to pass an extension of the Bush tax cuts. Except for those earning $200K per year. Link to story.  But only a 2-year extension? Give me a break. --- UPDATE: Link to story Looks like the entire package of tax cuts was extended for 2 years. And unemployment extended for 13 more months. Not a win at all. The tax cuts need to be permanent, and unemployment is too long as it is.

From the Examiner : --- "You gotta know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em," is the famous line from the song "The Gambler," made famous by Kenny Rogers. This song contains some shrewd advice for those who gamble. The same advice is true of people who are in the middle of  the interview process. Some positions are just not a good fit, and there is no sense in wasting more of your time - or the prospective employer's time. A major source of imperfect fit is in the salary department. There are many reasons prospective employers might pay lower than the norm for positions in Nashville. Some employers have a business plan based around the lower paying end of the scale. Some are trying to take advantage of the poor economic conditions. Some employers are unaware of how much they should be offering. Still other employers are trying to see if the candidate will accept lower pay (for any number of reasons). Regardless of the company's reason fo...

Link here to story .  As if we actually needed more proof. Thanks wikileaks!

In Nashville, a couple of robbers ordered a pizza and decided they would try to rob the delivery driver. Bad move. The delivery man had a valid Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit, and drew his weapon and fired. One bad guy down, the others fled in fear. Link to news clip on the story. For those who think that staying in nice areas will keep you safe from crime, know that this is mostly true. However, this particular incident happened in Brentwood - one of the safest areas in the state. It is also one of the top 10 wealthiest ZIP codes in the nation.

Last week, I was at a Wal Mart in Chattanooga. I needed some rice for the Thanksgiving gumbo I was going to cook on Thanksgiving. My wife was looking for other merchandise, and I had the kids. When I found what I needed, I texted my wife to meet me in the sporting goods section. She happened to arrive at the same time I did. We both got to witness something cute. My daughter, who just turned 3, looks at the gun case, and then sticks out a pouty lip - obviously saddened by something. I asked her what was wrong. Her reply? "There's no pink gun." Immediately, the nice gentleman behind the counter started telling her that he could order a pink gun! We politely declined, as we will not be getting her a gun for at least two more years. The day of Thanksgiving, the same gentleman was behind the same counter. I was there getting ammo for the in-laws as we went shooting later that day. Another customer asked the man behind the counter if he could order a gun that was...

From the Examiner : When it comes time to negotiate salaries, there are several effective methods employed by job seekers. Those in sales and management should aggressively negotiate. After all, who would want a sales superstar that can't sell you on why you should pay them $5000 more per year? For Nashville job seekers in less aggressive roles, there are a few suggestions to be had so that the candidate does not come across as pushy or greedy. First, understand the lingo. A recent job seeker wrote in of applying online to a Nashville job. On one screen of the online application, there was a question: "what is the minimum salary for which you would work in this position?" On the very next screen, the computer had changed the wording to state "desired salary: $xx,xxx." Prima facie evidence of what recruiters have known for years - ask the minimum salary, and use verbal gymnastics to turn that into the desired salary. Second, understand the rules. Since th...

As published in the Examiner . --- A resume is a one-page summary of one's work experience. It can be compared to fishing bait: the purpose is to land a specific fish - in this case the "fish" is actually an interview with a promising employer. A good resume contains career highlights, accomplishments, and relevant certifications. A good resume never contains derogatory information. Length In Nashville, employers generally like to see a one-page resume. A smart job seeker has a longer Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a summary of it - their resume - on hand at all times. Custom Crafted Resumes: Nashville employers like to see a resume that is tailored to the job they have open. Most hiring influences look at the average resume for about 15-20 seconds. In that time frame, it can be a difficult task to decipher whether a person's skills can transfer to the job at hand. The candidate should follow the steps below to make sure they stand out to the employer. Format: ...