Ok, Who Had

From Walmart, no less.

LiveScience: FDA issues warning over possible radioactive shrimp

 The FDA is warning consumers not to eat certain frozen shrimp products sold at Walmart after other products from the same company tested positive for a radioactive substance  

The bad shrimp was imported by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati aka BMS Foods. 

While at least one shipment contaminated with cesium-137 was caught upon insoection, the FDA is warning people not to eat BMS shrimp they may have bought from Walmart at this time.

Nope, I did not have Radioactive Indonesian Shrimp on my list of concerns for August, but  "Radioactive Indonesian Shrimp" would make a great name for a midget heavy metal band.

Keep Your Seat Belts Fastened

Seat belts save lives and prevent injuries on the road and in the air.

The Detroit Free Press: 'Significant' turbulence on Delta flight sends dozens to the hospital

The people injured in the turbulence, which as recounted in the article was indeed severe, with 25 people injured severely enough they needed to be taken to a hospital.  Those severely injured were the ones not wearing their seat belts.

In short, if you're seated on a plane or on the road, keep your seat belt fastened while the vehicle is moving.

Why Do You Need A Gun In A Park?

Gun banners often ask why someone would possibly want a gun with them in a park.

Well, the presence of feral dogs is certainly one of many good reasons to do so, with the presence of feral humans being another good reason:

The Detroit Free Press:  Sheriff's deputies chased by pit bull dogs in Hines Park, shoot one as it neared officer

Wayne County and Detroit especially, due to irresponsible dog owners, have quite the feral dog problem with multiple instances of feral or just plain badly owned dogs attacking people.

As such, having "your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks" is as good advice today as when Thomas Jefferson gave it back in 1785.

Good Security Move By Anchor Bay Schools

It's long past time to guard our kids with as least as much effort as we use to guard a jewelry store or bank. After, all the contents of a bank or store are covered by insurance.  Our kids' lives are not.

The Detroit Free Press: Anchor Bay schools to hire 5 armed security guards

The Anchor Bay School District Board of Education voted 6-1 Wednesday evening to hire multiple armed security guards for the upcoming school year in a quarter-million dollar contract.

Certainly a good step to deter potential whackos trying to rack up a score.  Publicizing it makes it even more of a deterrent. Not a guarrantee, but better than doing nothing by far.

But, it is clear the school district has a lot more to be done to ensure at least a basic level of security:

In November, Anchor Bay residents will vote on whether to approve a $168 million bond issue that includes security measures such as a video surveillance system, replacing entrance intercoms, and installing emergency alert systems.

Long past time to have had all of that done as well. 

Of course Doofuses in the comments at the Freep are already going on about how the money would be better spent on education, or its a bad thing to have security. I wonder if they would also be against fire extinguishers and fire alarms in schools as well - after all school fires are a very rare occurrence and fires should be left for only professionals to handle, right?

Maybe First Alert Meant It In Dog Years

So at 4am one of the fire alarms began to chirp, randomly, and loudly.

This led to a game of which *%^! one is it? As there's one in every bedroom, every floor, and the kitchen, so it's quite a game to figure it out.

This ius especially fun as it doesn't keep chirping consistently as that would be far to easy to find. It's a random annoying chirp that's hard to track down as it goes off unpredictably and on a weird delay that's designed to have you walk to every alarm, listen, hear nothing, then try and chase it down again. A damn low battery indicator light or flashing or soemtghing would be nice, ya know?

Well after much trial, error and vocabulary expended, it was the one in the basement, that was near a vent of course so it threw its chirp all around the place. I should have know - after all it was the replacement for the First ALert alarm that died in December 2018.

A First Alert smoke alarm installed and turned on in December 2018, dated manufactured in September 2014 and now deader than a door-nail, even with a promised 10-year lifespan.

Of course, they also had to change the mount for its replacement model of the same type, because, why not annoy homeowners?

So, I had to unscrew the mount and replace that as well. At least the drywall screw holes lined up on the new mount, so there's that.

Considering this one replaced the one that died in December 2018 I am less than impressed with First Alert 's touted 10-year lifespan.

Special Sirens For Special Weather Awareness

Didja know that this week is Severe Weather Awareness Week?

Me neither.

Of course, Severe Weather Awareness Week is now being held when the weather this week has been pretty much the opposite of severe. There's been sun, it's been warming up, and no severe weather event of any kind has happened so far nor is it likely to occur this week.

Why they don't hold it during actual severe weather-worthy weeks like during the recent polar vortex is beyond me.

So today, for a special treat to raise awareness, the tornado sirens went off. To raise awareness. We're now aware the sirens work not just on the first Saturday of the month at 1pm but now on a Tuesday too. I am now much safer from this awareness moment.

Which leads to the next confusing severe weather point - without looking it up does anyone know the difference between a Storm/Tornado Watch and a Storm/Tornado Warning? Which one is worse? Who thought that using two similar W-words to distinguish the possibility versus the actuality of a dangerous event was a good idea?

Interestingly enough, for those who didn't know, a Tornado Warning is worse than a Tornado Watch.

One would think that if someone tells you to watch out for something it would be more severe and pose a greater danger than just getting a warning about it maybe happening, but that is not so.

Speaking Of Mid Air Collisions . . . .

The below picture is what happens when a Daddy Cirrus SR22 loves a Mommy Cirrus SR20 very much:

Picture from @wjxt4/Twitter and Flying Magazine.

No, in 9 months there won't be a Cirrus Vision Jet created.

Nobody was killed or seriously injured during the crash that happened last week and the SR20 had a pilot and flight instructor on board and the SR22 that landed on top of them was allegedly flown by Rob Meier, a former player with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That's a nice million dollar plus accident right there, and another reason to spend more time looking outside the airplane and to be careful out there.

Calling For A Study Of Locks After The Horse Has Already Left The Barn

You'd think the military and the politicians controlling the military, after the Ft. Hood shooting, would have realized that having insufficient security coupled with the occupants of their bases being defenseless in gun free zones was an invitation to massacre.

It seems to have taken yet another incident for the politicians running the military to call for action, or in this case, a study to determine if they should call for action.

The Detroit Free Press: Navy secretary calls for more security at bases

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus on Tuesday ordered a review of security procedures at Navy and Marine bases following the shooting at the Navy Yards in Washington that killed 12 employees. It is to be completed by Oct. 1.

"Our Sailors, Marines, and civilians are familiar with the dangers of service, but our security is something we can never take for granted," Mabus said in a statement. "I ordered a review of every Navy and Marine Corps base in the United States to ensure that we live up to our responsibility of taking care of our people. "

Note that he's not even ordering security to be enhanced immediately, only calling for a review of base security.

It should be noted that should the funding and the will to implement be found, the Navy already has people called Marines.

Marines are rather good at guarding things, and ordering them to implement effective guard procedures and rapid reaction forces at each Navy base in case of armed assault would not be outside their area of expertise. That this hasn't been done already is inane.

Let's hope they wake up before another barn door is left wide open, and our military personnel and the civilian support staff in these facilities deserve much better.

Firearms Safety Rules Are Not Optional

Remember the rules:

1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

—Jeff Cooper


This story is an example of what happens when you blithely disregard them.

The Detroit Free Press: Commerce Township man ordered to stand trial in shooting of teenager

A-22-year-old Commerce Town­ship veteran accused of a shooting a teenag­er in the face dur­ing a house party in December was bound over for trial today in Novi after waiving his preliminary examination.

Robert Lanzilotti, 22, who served 14 months in Afghanistan, didn't re­alize his pistol was loaded when he shot Cameron Bock, 19, at point blank range Dec. 27 in the 2000 block of Nacona in Commerce Town­ship, police said.

He faces charges of as­sault with a dan­ger­ous weapon, care­less dis­charge of a firearm caus­ing injury, felony firearm and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He has been released on bond.

Oh, and alcohol was likely a factor, as well as some bad, likely alcohol-induced advice:.

Police initially said the shooting appeared to happen as Bock handed the gun to Lanzilotti and it went off. Witnesses later told police Lanzilotti in­tended to scare Bock when the gun went off, and it wasn’t the first time he tried to scare a per­son with a gun.

Court documents say Lanzilotti told investigators different versions of how the shooting occurred before reportedly admitting to pulling the trigger. He told police Bock wanted the party to keep going, but he wanted everyone to leave the house where he lived, and another partygoer suggested he scare the victim with the gun, the documents said.

Yeah, it sure scared him off all right.

Lanzilotti, who joined the U.S. Army Reserves in 2008 and returned from Afghanistan in June 2011, told police he's an expert trained in pistols and teaches gun safety, court records said.

And this guy claims to be an expert trained in pistols and a firearms instructor? Oy Vey.

Is It Safe? A Review of Two Bedside Gun Safes

As everyone knows, owning a firearm for personal defense is not only a right but also a big responsibility.

Preventing the firearm from falling into unauthorized hands, especially if you have kids is a high priority. However, you also want to be able to quickly access your firearm in case of need. So what to do?

There are numerous potential solutions but having a gun safe that can be opened quickly by the bedside certainly fits the bill.

1. The Gunvault GV1000C-DLX Mini Vault Deluxe





Interestingly enough, you can get the Gunvault Mini Vault Deluxe on Amazon right now for less than the Amazon price for the standard Gunvault Mini.

The Good:
Quiet operation, excellent manual and easy to make operational. Setting the code was a breeze as was silencing the beeps when entering the code. It has a crossbar to keep the batteries in place and was not bad to install them.

The Gunvault Mini holds a Glock 23 and Kahr PM9 and a folding knife rather tightly without much room for anything else, but the size form factor doesn't take up a lot of real estate on or in your nightstand. If you need more room than that, get the GunVault -Double Gunvault Safe.

The foam is thick and nicely cushions the firearms.

Operation of the safe is vewy, vewy quiet. Elmer Fudd would approve while hunting rabbits quiet. This is good for quickly and quietly getting access to your firearm if you need it.

The Gunvault Mini deluxe comes with an external AC adapter so you don't have to rely on the batteries, and two manual keys to open the safe if all else fails.

The Bad:
No negatives to report so far. I like this one quite a lot. The finger grooves give quick access in the dark and the silent operation is a nice contrast to the DAC Sportsafe.

2. The DAC Sportsafe




The Good:
Very roomy, inexpensive and works quite well, at least for awhile.
At 11.5 X 6.75 X 8.5, the DAC Sportsafe is a heavy and roomy safe indeed. Easily holding a Glock 23, a Kahr PM9, a spare mag for each and other accessories with room to spare for keys and other items it is quite large and certainly takes up some space on or in a nightstand. The DAC also comes with 4 keys to open the safe should the batteries run out or you forget the code.

The DAC appears to be a cheaper Gunvault knock-off, even the manner of resetting your keycode is the same, but it doesn't have the finger channels, only raised buttons that worked well enough in the dark once you index on them.

Battery life is decent, which is good, as changing them is a pain.

The door opens quickly and with authority when the proper code is entered.

The Bad:
The interior is a thick neoprene-like material but it seems rather cheaply made and is not as thick nor cushioning as the Gunvault. The beeper unit fell off the side of the safe early on, and there is no crossbar to ensure the batteries stay wedged tight against the top of the safe as you go to install them. Changing the batteries is not easy. You have to empty the safe and then remove two wing nuts by feel, pull down the battery pack and replace the batteries and reinstall.

The DAC Sportsafe is very noisy. There seems to be no way to silence the beeps when using the buttons to open the safe, which certainly makes enough noise to alert all and sundry that you're awake and doing something. Further, the operation of the safe itself is very noisy with a heavy and loud clunking noise as the motor draws the locking bar back to let the door spring open.

To make matters more interesting, DAC's website conspicuously fails to have any support or documentation available for the safe. Heck, it doesn't even mention the safe exists, so if you lose the manual and need to reset the password, you're hosed. It doesn't sound like they want to promote that they are associated with this safe.

My DAC Sportsafe safe provided about 4 years of solid use and required only a few battery changes in that time. However, it finally whirred its last whirr and has now failed to engage the lock even with fresh batteries and a newly reinstalled code. The lock mechanism failed to close even with the keys and just clicks with the locking bar remaining in the drawn back position. Basically, it was a solid safe but with a one year warranty only it is a heavy but disposable item. It would cost more to it ship off and repair, assuming such a repair could even be arranged, than to just buy a new unit.

My experience with the DAC Sportsafe may be atypical and if yours lasts longer than it would not a bad if noisy safe for the job, but just not a great one.

Conclusion: I'd recommend the Gunvault Deluxe model (either then Mini or standard) over the DAC Sportsafe. Operation is quieter, the signature finger grooves really work, it seems to be better put together, and the included AC adapter is a definite plus. For the minor price difference its worth going with the name brand so to speak.

However, while they last, either one will keep firearms out of unauthorized hands yet allow quick access to them if needed.

Michigan's Lakes are Still Cold and Lake Safety Matters

While the ice is off the lakes, that doesn't mean its safe to be casually jumping in the water, nor nonchalantly boating either:

Commerce Township man drowns after saving father in canoe accident

A 24-year-old Commerce Township man who helped save his 60-year-old father after their canoe tipped over in an Oakland County lake on Saturday drowned after the father got to shore.

Oakland County Sheriff's officials aren't releasing the man's name but said he was taking a canoe ride with his father around 5:15 p.m. in Hawk Lake in a newly purchased 17-foot aluminum canoe when he stood up in it about 100 feet from the shore and the boat flipped.

Sgt. Brian Lippard said the man helped his father hold onto the partially submerged side of the canoe until a neighbor on the lake heard their cries for help and helped get the father to shore. When the neighbor returned to help the 24-year-old, he had slipped below the surface of the 50-degree water. Divers recovered his body about 45 minutes later, Lippard said.

Neither man was wearing a life jacket and alcohol may have been a factor, along with the son's swimming ability, the sherriff's office said.

The weekend was nice and sunny and great for boating, and its likley many boaters didn't consider that the water is still darn cold. If you weren't wearing warm clothing and a life jacket you were in deep trouble if you fell in, as happended in this case.

Boating safety matters and life jackets are essentially safety gear, especially in small boats. Considering the temperature of the water, falling in the water can be a massive shock to your system, and hypothermia is a real possibility.

In 50 degree water, in under 5 minutes without protective clothing you will lose manual dexterity, including your ability to hold on to things. You'll be totally exhausted in thirty to sixty minutes and dead from hypothermia in one to three hours.

This was a sad but very avoidable tragedy, all the worse considering the safety was a short 100 feet away -- but after the system shock your body gets when hitting such cold water, and if the report is right about a lack of swimming ability and possible alcohol use, 100 feet may have been miles for all the help it could be. Darn shame, and even worse that if this was a new boat they mayn ot have known any better about the local conditions, and the basic fact that you don't go standing up in a 17 foot canoe unless you want to go swimming.

Especially now that the Oakland County Sheriff is suspending its marine patrols due to budget constraints, there's going to be both less help available for distressed boaters and less of a lid kept on the yahoos that contribute to unsafe boating, likey leading to more incidents this year.

Be safe out there on the lakes.

That's Gotta Be Embarrassing: Montana School Superintendent Has A Negligent Discharge of A Musket in School.

The Detroit News: Superintendent accidentally fires gun during class

The superintendent of a rural Montana school district says he was showing students his black powder muzzleloader when he accidentally fired the weapon into a classroom wall during a history lesson.

Dwain Haggard, who used to be a Civil War re-enactor, was showing the gun to five students in Reed Point High School's American history class Friday when it fired.

No one was injured, and Haggard says he can't explain how the weapon was loaded.

He says he usually fires a cap during the demonstration, but this time there was a loud bang and the room filled with smoke.

The ball shot through the "o" in the word "North" on a wall map.

Perhaps it was a Confederate Musket then?

The only real way to tell if a civil war era musket is really loaded or not is to take it to a safe place, point it in a safe direction and pull the trigger. Just putting a rod down the barrel is not enough as you could possible miss the bullet.

Luckily no one was hurt as the Superintendent, while violating Rule #1, remembered the other rules of gun safety and kept it pointed in a safe direction on firing the "unloaded" gun.

Remember the Rules Of Gun Safety:

1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.