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Post by howler on May 15, 2018 1:58:37 GMT
With all the nut jobs running around out there shooting and even swords from time-to-time, the PC crowd is watching. You might ask what can they do? Well, I work for the government and was joking with a co-worker in private about firearms. Another co-worker thought I was a threat and turned me in. The local police and my agency security people were at my house at midnight pounding on my door. Filled out a report, was on paid leave for over a week while I had to go through 3 different 3-hour sessions with security, a 3-hour interview with psychologist and then a 3-hour poly. They were not only interested in my gun collection but my sword collection as well. When it was finished, I was back at work but treated differently by some people. I looked at a gun review on the tube on my break (not illegal) a couple weeks later. Was turned in again, computer confiscated and had a 5-hour interview with security. Psychologist interview will be in a couple weeks as she is off at a conference. They dig deep wanting to associate you with some type of hate group or whatever just because you own weapons (any type of weapons). Humiliating experience for a 25-year Army veteran with combat tours. Just received my latest evaluation and they rated me a 2 out of 5 for Leadership and Integrity. Of course there was no mention of why. So - I will say there is a hard core movement against anyone who collects weapons. They did not find anything on my computer but it does not matter. Once reported, you are singled out as long as you work there. There are other guys in my office who check out firearms on their breaks but they were never reported. Just me. They dig deep wanting every make and model of firearm you own. Any you have on order. How many swords you have. Deep personal questions about from the day you were born. Marriage questions and everything you could think of. I called the FBI once, to ask if they had a file on me. After a brief pause, the response was; "We do now!" ````````````` With most of my stuff twenty minutes away and now as another apartment dweller, cutting has been limited to events and other invites. I should be more active, after two foot alterations but age has somewhat caught up with me as well. I could be cutting up books instead of reading them, then shelving them for reference. My enthusiasms were greater a decade or so ago and still have some euro repros and a couple of cats. Some sabres I cut with but it has been a more historical interest for a dozen years or more. I haven't cut anything with a sword for a couple of years now. With the ever expanding market, I would hardly call the interest a drought. Rather, it is the discussion boards themselves. A friend just posted yesterday of the Hurstwic group feasting, doing some archery and some cutting but it was all on Facebook. None of them at all regular on discussion boards. Yes, co-workers and companies can be a fickle bunch. Once labeled, it can be impossible to shake that tag. Not just a few have asked to have profiles changed and even entire texts removed from "public" boards and profiling anything but an old practice. While impossible to be anonymoys in my current situations, it seems most prudent to run a little lower in profile. In a complex of some hundreds in this building, simple hellos suffice for the most part. I di need to relocate the bat cave to be closer at hand. "We do now"...a response simultaneously funny and scary. Indeed, watch your six regarding comments, particularly about the "bat cave", as a lot of people just don't understand "collections" and hobbies regarding certain items.
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Post by howler on May 15, 2018 2:01:43 GMT
Unfortunately the US has turned into a police state. Well, certain areas at any rate. Relativity being what it is, there is/can be far worse.
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Post by howler on May 15, 2018 2:14:44 GMT
The problem is, you get the opposite scenario sometimes where investigations aren't done into credible threats. Parkland Florida shooting being a very recent example. FBI had reason to suspect the shooter was unstable and dangerous, didnt follow up on it, 17 dead kids later they realized they screwed up. Obviously owning weapons doesnt mean your a bad person or should be treated like it, but the government has a responsibility to its citizens to try and protect them if they have reason to suspect there's a threat. Heck, go a Hobbs route and we could argue thats the only reason we form governments at all. There were SO many signs, when friends and family got involved, there were multiple complaints and arrests...usually it is the involved community who deals with the issue in a common sense fashion. Many historical bonds in various communities have been lost over the decades. Used to be that everyone in a neighborhood knew when something bad was going on. And, of course, the feds screwed up and didn't do the job. When "The State" becomes substitute for family, community, parish, local town, etc...that is a big danger and problematic because how can a centralized entity thousands of miles away micromanage efficiently, and without the threat of the oppressive boot?
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Post by elbrittania39 on May 15, 2018 2:18:47 GMT
The problem is, you get the opposite scenario sometimes where investigations aren't done into credible threats. Parkland Florida shooting being a very recent example. FBI had reason to suspect the shooter was unstable and dangerous, didnt follow up on it, 17 dead kids later they realized they screwed up. Obviously owning weapons doesnt mean your a bad person or should be treated like it, but the government has a responsibility to its citizens to try and protect them if they have reason to suspect there's a threat. Heck, go a Hobbs route and we could argue thats the only reason we form governments at all. There were SO many signs, when friends and family got involved, there were multiple complaints and arrests...usually it is the involved community who deals with the issue in a common sense fashion. Many historical bonds in various communities have been lost over the decades. Used to be that everyone in a neighborhood knew when something bad was going on. And, of course, the feds screwed up and didn't do the job. When "The State" becomes substitute for family, community, parish, local town, etc...that is a big danger and problematic because how can a centralized entity thousands of miles away micromanage efficiently, and without the threat of the oppressive boot? Good points. No the state is definitely not a fix all, and I don't think shootings have one root cause to even be fixed. I only brought that up as a counterpoint to the previous discussion because I still think the government does have some place in contributing to the reduction of gun violence.
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Post by howler on May 15, 2018 3:06:29 GMT
There were SO many signs, when friends and family got involved, there were multiple complaints and arrests...usually it is the involved community who deals with the issue in a common sense fashion. Many historical bonds in various communities have been lost over the decades. Used to be that everyone in a neighborhood knew when something bad was going on. And, of course, the feds screwed up and didn't do the job. When "The State" becomes substitute for family, community, parish, local town, etc...that is a big danger and problematic because how can a centralized entity thousands of miles away micromanage efficiently, and without the threat of the oppressive boot? Good points. No the state is definitely not a fix all, and I don't think shootings have one root cause to even be fixed. I only brought that up as a counterpoint to the previous discussion because I still think the government does have some place in contributing to the reduction of gun violence. I agree. Suppose the big question is what level of "state" involvement, as it can get ugly fast, so we, as individuals, should get more involved in our own families, groups, communities (which is easier said than done). No easy fix.
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christain
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Post by christain on May 15, 2018 3:44:44 GMT
Okay...between Swiger and a few others, I'm weirded out. My official statement: I only own one stainless-steel SLO, bought for me by my dad in the early '80's. It hangs in my old room and is so corroded I can't even draw it. But, then, I live in TEXAS.... ...So....
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2018 4:31:19 GMT
Fer cryin' out loud, a lot of us were growing up by the time Nixon was elected. At this point, being paranoid because we know they're out to get us should be anything but unusual a feeling.
The big boxes listen for keywords, watch what gets watched, with the hypothetical all too easily triggering/flagging further investigations. With the tensions only growing expotentially, I am not at all surprised by this stuff anymore.
Long ago being headed off by security when approaching a building. Being shaken down when I show up with a golf umbrella and someone shouting "watch out, he's got a sword in there". LOL, then by security being unconvinced that there really was no blade in it. Leading to all umbrellas then needing to be parked at the security office because even an umbrella might be a weapon. That was more than a dozen years ago. There, in virtual vacuum, in a world full of box cutters being concerned by a manager that I had a Swiss Army trooper folder in my pocket, along with a much smaller folder immediately labeled a weapon. True stories shortly after 911.
Double standards amongst co-workers sometimes never fair. Now it is double standards amongst my co-tenants. Life goes on.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2018 14:29:00 GMT
I used to cut bottles in my backyard, but since my new neighbor cut down her trees, my yard is now visible from the other houses in the neighborhood. So I've stopped cutting. Last thing I need is a call to the police and instead of getting a professional officer, I get a steroid cowboy who comes around the corner of the house with gun blazing. Not worth the risk.
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AndiTheBarvarian
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on May 15, 2018 15:44:26 GMT
I think even if I'd have a private garden some day I'd be cautious. Are there many children in the neighborhood? (Helicopter of death, fears) Should I better inform the police first, in case someone makes a call there?
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on May 15, 2018 19:52:36 GMT
Here's the true Lazy.
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Post by zabazagobo on May 15, 2018 23:37:07 GMT
I know but we all work for the Department of Defense. The bottom line is I was around like minded people in the Army. My first 10-years civil service in Germany, worked with military and 95% prior service military civilians for the most part. My latest assignment is working with a majority of civilians with no military service or any type of weapons training of any kind. Welcome to the Washington, DC area workforce......... I think that's the crux of it. It's really troubling the kind of culture that's brewing in D.C., maybe that neurotic/fanatical anti-weapon mindset could be prevented if there was mandatory military training/service for a short term like in many other countries. But I'll zip it on the subject as that's likely too much politics for this board.
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Post by zabazagobo on May 15, 2018 23:39:54 GMT
But to answer the original thread question, tatami's just expensive. Would rather spend the money on other things. I don't really dig cutting bottles much anymore since they're just not much of a challenge and it uses a ton of water. I guess I should maybe check out soaked newspaper, could be a fun change of pace.
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Ouroboros
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Post by Ouroboros on May 16, 2018 4:59:10 GMT
But to answer the original thread question, tatami's just expensive. Would rather spend the money on other things. I don't really dig cutting bottles much anymore since they're just not much of a challenge and it uses a ton of water. I guess I should maybe check out soaked newspaper, could be a fun change of pace. My fav targets are wet newspaper around old discarded pool noodles. Slip a thin 1/2 " softwood in there and you've got something that ( in my humble opinion) can be constructed to suit any target requirement from upright straight sticks to t shaped to odd shaped ronin figured. I use the 1/2 inch to support say and outstretched limb holding a stick to represent having to move around an enemy and strike (block at a distance, close, counter, strike and finish). It's a bastatdization of anythingb ive seen on the tube and sometimes its not pretty but it works for me 👍 next time I construct and demolish I'll have a buddy take some vid (God I hope those hakama pants fit...i wanna look the part) Keith
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2018 13:01:47 GMT
Empty bottles and jugs a good step up from water games. When I had begun with my first reproduction, it had been empty pasteboard cartons (crackers, cereal, etc). That was indoors with a high ceiling. I don't enjoy that abode anymore. It was during an afternoon of thick cardboard tubes and bundled lengths of rubber hose that we went to empty 2ltr and gallon jugs.
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Post by brotherbanzai on May 16, 2018 13:09:03 GMT
Huh, this thread took a weird turn. I'm pretty firmly centrist and opposed to both the far left and far right on some key issues. I believe safety is important but freedom is more important and with that comes certain risks which have to be accepted in order to be free. That's all I'll say on that subject.
On what keeps me from cutting...
I used to cut fairly often and also trained German Long sword for several years. When I moved to my new location, I built a huge deck off the back of the house partially with the idea that it would be a good place for training and cutting. At first, time was just too short a I had to set up shop, work, and get a bunch of things done around the house/property. Then I injured my shoulder and could no longer lift any weight with my left arm. The shoulder is somewhat better but still messed up, and time is still a bit short. Currently, when I do have a bit of free time, I'd rather go out and shoot (now that I can do that in my back yard) as it doesn't aggravate my shoulder. Maybe by next year.
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ChrisA
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Post by ChrisA on May 16, 2018 16:48:53 GMT
Torn rotator cuff a couple of years ago and recovery from the surgery is slow makes it difficult to swing. It's not impossible, but it is discouragingly painful.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2018 18:58:01 GMT
I know but we all work for the Department of Defense. The bottom line is I was around like minded people in the Army. My first 10-years civil service in Germany, worked with military and 95% prior service military civilians for the most part. My latest assignment is working with a majority of civilians with no military service or any type of weapons training of any kind. Welcome to the Washington, DC area workforce......... After all that, I would transfer out. No way would I stay in that work environment. No way. ....cutting helped me rehab after my illness. I am much stronger now. I slowed down on cutting because I have pruned all the small low tree branches on my place.
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Post by William Swiger on May 16, 2018 20:19:45 GMT
I know but we all work for the Department of Defense. The bottom line is I was around like minded people in the Army. My first 10-years civil service in Germany, worked with military and 95% prior service military civilians for the most part. My latest assignment is working with a majority of civilians with no military service or any type of weapons training of any kind. Welcome to the Washington, DC area workforce......... After all that, I would transfer out. No way would I stay in that work environment. No way. ....cutting helped me rehab after my illness. I am much stronger now. I slowed down on cutting because I have pruned all the small low tree branches on my place. Put in for a transfer to another branch in a different building.
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Post by Faldarin on May 17, 2018 15:39:29 GMT
Right now, it's only the soaking rain making my backyard like a slip & slide. That will clear up soon. Also, I was hoping to have my newest acquisition to kick off my cutting for the year, but it's late in coming.
I do live in a rented ("It's not an apartment!" -All my Friends) half of a duplex, with a small backyard. I'm probably in clear view of... five or six neighbors. The one I share the duplex with, and the neighbor on the side closest to me know me pretty well, and both have been interested enough to watch a couple of times. I've not gotten any other complaints or the police called or anything though... but then again, I'm not in the suburbs of a big city somewhere either.
I did have one scare with an ATrim that I sheared part of my stand off - but that didn't stop me cutting for long.
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Post by Lukas MG (chenessfan) on May 17, 2018 20:23:51 GMT
For me it's that since I moved my workshop, I haven't got around to build a new stand. I could cut there (on occasion anyway) though it wouldn't be as comfortable as it was at my parents house. Obviously can't cut in the apartment. I don't miss it that much, I do HEMA twice a week and that is much more important than cutting as far as training swordmanship goes. And we do organize a big club intern cutting event twice a year. Still, would be nice to be able to just step outside and have at it.
Oh and Bill, I'm very sorry to hear about that huge hassle. Hope you manage to transfer someplace nicer...
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