Winter Wind Therapy

Yup. Got out on The Beast this afternoon. Roads were 99% dry, it was partly cloudy, and temps close to 60.

"The Beast" taken in the driveway during warmer weather.

 

Even in the above freezing weather we've had the past few days, the iceberg at the bottom of the driveway was persisting. I really did not want to attempt crossing it especially while turning. When I got home from my morning errands, I stopped at the bottom of the driveway and attacked it with the shovel I keep in the truck bed. I easily removed more than half of it, which was plenty of room to get in and out safely on the bike.

I figured I'd take a ride out to the big shopping area in the Dayville section of Killingly on RT. 101, but first I had to stop at the firehouse to torment my normal shift partner who was working today. I received the expected response from him because he was stuck inside and I was riding. Anyways, I needed to go to Lowe's to get some batteries for my stockpile and figured I would grab lunch too. I also wanted to get an LED headlamp that clips on the visor of my ball caps. First lunch at Taco Bell, or so I thought. They have the dining room closed with only the drive-thru open. Yeah, that doesn't work on a bike, so FUCK YOU! I decided to try my luck at the McDonald's next to Lowe's. I have not eaten anything there except coffee or breakfast (a McGriddle and hash brown) in many years. I got a 10 piece chicken nugget meal. OMG! it was sooooo good I couldn't believe it and it came out piping hot! I saddled up without my helmet or gloves to shoot across the parking lot to Lowe's.

I have stated previously that I do not normally park in the "Reserved For Veteran's" parking spaces at Lowe's or anywhere else that has them, leaving them for a vet that may be elderly or otherwise disabled. Three out of four of those spaces were open, so because I was on the bike and wearing my leathers with my military stuff on it, as well as the PGR and military decals on the bike I parked in one. I wasn't going to be there very long to grab what I needed anyway. I went to the only open register with a cashier, got my 10% military discount and got out of there. FYI... until retail outlets give me a discount for scanning and cashing myself out, I refuse to use it... BFYTW!

The ride home was nice and uneventful. The outside temp on the bike said "61." I saw a handful of other bikes out and waved to them all. I got home and put it back into full storage mode; topping off the stabilized fuel, putting it on the center and front stands, plugging in the Battery Tender, and putting on the cover. I am hoping to get out on Sunday New Year's Day for the traditional ride, but it depends on how quick the rain we're supposed to get Saturday night clears out. At least if I don't get out the bike is ready for a winter slumber.

I Have Made My Decision

In this post from October 9th, I had received my C & R renewal forms and was contemplating not renewing. I asked for reader advice and got lots of comments, mostly in favor of ditching it. There is a mechanism for non-renewal that requires the FFL holder to send in the form and all their records. Since I have never used my C & R, I have no records. Therefore, I will simply let it lapse, making it no longer valid as of January 1st.

Fuck 'em! As I have stated before, there us no alphabet agency I hate more than the BATFE. So the less I have to do with those assholes the better.

The Reason Is F.N.!

So the indigenous population of the Demon-Crap controlled shithole city in the Demon-Crap controlled shithole state that is Buffalo, NY have decided that a dangerous winter storm is the perfect opportunity to go on a looting spree.

 

I mean why not, right? They deserve to get what they want, because as Hizzoner Da Mayor pointed out, they are not stealing essentials to survive.

 Funny, why der no whypeepo in that store? 

"F.N."... THAT'S WHY!

 

What does "F.N." mean? I think you can probably figure it out. Here's a hint: a shithole city's violence and crime problem is directly proportional to the percentage of F.N.'s that occupy it. 

If there is a "Korea Town" in Buffalo, they need to get to the rooftops.

 

Ten Years Ago Tonight

We were awakened at 01:00 by some undesirable individual beating on our front door. He was told repeated to leave as his story kept changing. He finally left when he saw I was armed and not fucking around.

Read the whole story here.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a SAFE night.

#TBT - From The Days When They Were REAL GOOD

Because now they are total CRAP!

Of what do I write? Why modern Duracell copper top batteries MADE IN FUCKING CHINA of course.

What I have found time and again in anything that still has these P.O.S. batteries in it

I am not the only one. Read the reviews about Duracell batteries at PissedConsumer.com

Once upon a time, Duracell copper top batteries were made in the USA, and you could leave them in anything battery powered and not ever worry about them leaking and damaging devices. Even after they were long dead. Now you can find them looking like those pictured above when your devices suddenly stop working as well as while STILL IN THE PACKAGE and well prior to the use by date.

What prompted this post are what I found on my wife's night table when I was examining her failing alarm clock the other day. A decent 2 D-Cell halogen flashlight that was half dim when turned on. I pulled the batteries and found these inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two like new D-Cell batteries dated 2010 that still had a little life in them and looked like brand new. The versions made 17 years ago (because the shelf-life was at least 5 years back then) that held up like I remembered. I have swapped out all Duracell batteries in my battery powered anything for Energizers and have not had a single problem. In the fire service, there is a bulletin from our equipment provider about NOT using Duracell copper top batteries in any life safety equipment, particularly SCBA packs.

I had been buying the large multi-packs at BJ's for my emergency supplies. I now buy the slightly smaller multi-packs of Energizers at Lowe's. There has not been one instance of leakage in any of my devices since.

UPDATE 19:10 - When I wrote earlier about the bulletin to not use copper top batteries in our Scott SCBA air packs, I did not mention that Duracell "ProCell" batteries were supposed to be OK. HA!

We had a late day fire call for an electrical problem in a single family residence, and DAMMIT! my flashlight on my bunker coat was dead. Convenient to have but they always get accidentally turned on and ya find it dead when ya need it. It is a right-angled head high-intensity LED unit made by StreamLight, and uses four AA batteries. When I got back to the station I grabbed some fresh ProCell AA batteries, and look what came out of the box:

Yup... brand new and all crusted up HARD!

Duracell ProCell, "For Professional Use Only." Fuckin' joke!

Well, whaddya know.... MADE IN CHY-NA!

 

 

 

 

The rest of the batteries in the box were fine, and this is the first ProCell battery I have come across doing this. Apparently the FD is just going to have to get away from Duracell completely.