Took Ya Long Enough!

This is part 2 of a 2-part post.

 
Recently, I applied for a position with a company, and was made an offer. As part of the offer, they hired a 3rd party to perform a background check. Nothing out of the ordinary. If you want to read about "out of the ordinary" hiring practices, here is a good link. The company performing the background check called me a week later, and told me that the University I attended verified different dates than I had indicated. 

My actual dates at that institution were August 1993 to May 1998. That's what I had indicated. However, the company performing the background check was told August 1995 to May 1998. They now said it was my responsibility to prove my claim! My options were a diploma or transcripts. 

I never had received my diploma, and my transcripts were long since misplaced. A quick search online and I was able to purchase a copy of each. I sent the .pdf file of my transcripts to the employment verification company, and that was sufficient. I also ordered a copy of my diploma, since I had never received one. 

For all of those people now writing a comment furiously, it was par for the course for me to not receive something I should have during that time in my life. Plus, no employer had ever asked for my diploma. Looking back, my mom probably took it, based on yesterday's post. Life took over, and I never questioned it. 

Well, on December 10, 2020, I ordered a copy of my diploma. Paid for. The email confirmation said it would be shipped within 3-5 business days. In my mind, shipping might take 3-5 more business days. Again, life took over and I forgot about it. 

On February 2, 2021, I received a package in the mail. It was my diploma. It was postmarked January 29, 2021. So much for 3-5 business days to ship it off. It did, however, only take 3 business days to arrive once my university finally decided to send it. 

Race for the Grades

This is part 1 of a 2-part post. When I was in college, I still lived at home. This brought about some interesting situations. Particularly with a mom who was a major-league shit-tester. One of those things is that my mother was incessant about seeing our report cards. 

One might point out that for a minor child, the parent has a right to see the report card. This is true, and is enshrined in the FERPA act passed in 1974. However, When a student turns 18 years old or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, all rights afforded to a parent under FERPA transfer to the student, with only a handful of possible "workarounds." 

When mail would come at the end of the semester, it was often a race to the mailbox to get the report card. I won more often than not. But not always. Some days, one simply cannot be there because of other commitments. 

Yes, she would open mail addressed to me. 

She did the same with my siblings. 

Phony Tickets For Sale!

Humor Week, fourth entry:

This individual claimed she had 4 tickets to one of my classes that she wouldn't be able to attend. There was just a small problem: tickets had not yet been released for that class. I reported her, blocked her from the page, and informed the authorities. 

Shooting at Houses

 Humor week - third entry. 

Still not sure what this person was smoking. Here is the photo he was commenting on: 

That was Savage!

Humor Week, second entry. 

Yes, Savage replies are part of a winning business strategy. 

Steel In AR15 Story

 As a firearms instructor, one deals with the public. As anyone who deals with the public will tell you, it can be "interesting." This week, this blog will entertain you with 5 actual tales of dealing with people in the gun community. 

For the first installment, let us do some preliminary setup. Here are the four stages of learning: 
1. Unconscious Incompetence — You don’t know what you don’t know and live within unconscious incompetence.
2. Conscious Incompetence — You become aware of what you don’t know and live in conscious incompetence.
3. Conscious Competence — You know and you consciously make the corrections and, therefore, live in conscious competence.
4. Unconscious Competence — This is essentially mastery. You’re not conscious but you’re doing the proper things. It is integrated into who you are and you have become unconsciously competent to the point where you become the thing.

Many funny stories spring forth from the first stage: they just don't know what they don't know. 

A person who was inquiring about a rifle class: "Why can't I use steel casing?" (for an AR15 in a rifle class) "I've shot plenty of it, no problem."

Me: "Absolutely no disrespect intended in this statement.
1. You *may* use steel in an AR.
2. I've seen it on the line many times.
3. Only one rifle ever made it thru the day without malfunctions.
4. I've seen hundreds have malfunctions when using steel.
5. EVERYONE says the same thing - "I've shot thousands of rounds of it without a problem." Yet we still consistently see problems. Every time.
6. Even if you have mastered malfunction clearing, why would set yourself at a disadvantage?
7. It is not accurate. Outside of Hornady steel (the only brand I saw make it thru a class without failure), the best you will see is 6 MOA. This class is designed to teach people to 4 MOA.
8. EVERY major tactical school gives the same warning.
9. ARs were designed for brass. AKs were designed for steel.
But feel free to bring the steel. It will not help you have a good day."

In case you are wondering, here is the verbage from my class equipment suggestions:
"AR15 shooters - AVOID Steel cased ammunition.

AK shooters - USE Steel cased ammunition.
Hand loaded ammunition is best left at home."