Month: May 2011

The Myth of the Shoot-Me Vest.

“Don’t wear a Tactical/Photographer Vest! Bad Guys may recognize it and will shoot you first!”

We all read & heard comments like this all in many gun forums and even on TV shows. Yet I have not seen anywhere a single solitary case where a vest had anything to do with somebody’s criminal-related death or even injury.

Yes, some people may realize you might be carrying a gun, but usually they are either civilians that carry or understand concealed carry (and that you are a good guy) or police officers that know the same thing. Both types are not into revealing to the world that you are legally armed so there is no problem there. 99% of those who see you wearing a vest have no idea that your vest might be an indicator of firepower at all.

I’ve been carrying for a over decade now and my cover garment has been a vest in almost all cases. The most common question asked is if I am going fishing to which I answer yes. I’ve been asked twice if I am a photographer and said no, just a fisherman which pretty much ended the conversation.

I do wear a vest because it is a great way to carry wallet, light, bandana, cell phone, smokes, lighter and whatever else I might need. It is basically a Manly Man Purse that has no point reduction for the Man Card. I don’t have to chase individual items or spend 10 minutes loading and unloading anything: I just put on and take off my vest and all items will be there. It is comfortable up to 90 degree & 80% humidity weather, after that it gets a bit nasty in the South Florida climate.

So, wear your damn vest with pride and ignore the Gun Forum Experts.

PS: Some people actually support Open Carry and oppose wearing a vest. Go figure.

VPC: Gun = Madness.

Apparently I am insane if I kill somebody defending myself. Or defending my loved ones. Or if a Police Officer saves their miserable lives. And we already know what they think of our Military Service Men and Women.

UPDATE: The most hated piece of software for VPC and CSGV has to be Snipping Tool. VPC removed the Peter Druat’s comment….but a wee bit late.

Dear VPC: Just because you shooed away the flies, does not mean the turd is less disgusting.

A friend died.

Her name was Tina and truth be told, I never had much interaction with her. But she was the loving partner of Rob whom I known for a long while now. Rob was (and he think he still is) this curmudgeon young whippersnapper who had the southern version of the Steppenwolf meets Florida Cracker pat down. His “I don’t give a fuck” attitude would rub many people the wrong way and some of us found it endearing as one would see a tiger cub playing with a dead rabbit: He is just what his nature intended him to be.

All of the sudden we found some microscopic bits of “niceness” in Rob’s attitude, very few and far between. Sort of like finding ice in the planet Mercury. For a while I was wondering what the hell was wrong with him till one day and by happenstance I bumped into him waiting for her where I used to work. She was a delightful charming young lady who was all smiles. As I shook her hand, I stole a glance over Rob and saw in his face a mixture of pride, love and embarrassment for feeling the way he felt about her and me finding out. I thought “This is good. Very Good. Apparently he is human after all.”

I might have seen Tina maybe four times after that but I saw Rob many times and the changes she made on him, all for good. So, even though we never shared what is traditional known as Friendship, somebody who loved so hard and cared so much for a friend will ever remain a friend of mine.

Rest In peace Tina.

Kristina (Kraker) Blum Obituary

CSGV: What Are Those Freedoms You Speak Of?

What Freedoms do you speak of Mr. Everitt? We have not threatened you and yours even when your ilk have planned on destroying our families. We are not forcing you into anything, yet you demand we must be disarmed because we make you feel “uneasy” as if were Negros attending a lunch counter in the 50’s. Your concept of right to be safe is to demand our women to be powerless and to fall victim of sexual predators. We must be powerless against intruders that invade our homes but that makes you happy and cheerful. You demand the right to tell lies, distortions and assassinate our characters and try to force us to be silent and not to confront our accusers.

We celebrate independence and that makes you mad since Victimhood is your banner. After millions and millions of bytes of “information” you have sent through the webs, I have yet to see one single item where you criticize or condemn a criminal for attacking a law abiding citizen of this country. But you had no qualms on assailing peaceful common folks whose only “sin” is to own a gun.

You recently celebrated a letter sent to Salt Lake Tribune in which one of your kind asked Why Not Dueling? Well, Duels were done to restore Honor and Honor is something you lack and therefore you cannot claim.  Duels were held among gentleman which you are not. Duels required valor and were never held cowering under a desk.

So, we shall continue fighting you and yours under the banner of Ideas with the Rights enumerated in our Constitution as our weapons. Our fight is the Noble One and will continue to triumph till all restrictions to Free and Law Abiding Citizens are gone.

CSGV: Blister in the finger.

In Spanish there is a saying that goes “Tapar el sol con un dedo” meaning to “Block the sun with a finger.” It refers to the futility of ignoring the inevitable.

That blister has to hurt.

PS: Jason, this weekend we are introducing some 20 women to the fabulous world of handguns, self-defense and independence. I’ll post pictures just for you.

UPDATE: I was just informed that we will have a grand total of 30 (Thirty) ladies taking the class. Ask me if I am proud as hell.

Light Blogging for a While.

I am not a good or even prolific writer. But I am supposed to be doing some writing for monies (not very much) and I am delayed as hell. Four articles in the works and none finished!

CSGV has been sucking up my few writing neurons so I have to re-target them to other things. Unless they piss me off way off the scales or the Zombie Apocalypse finally happens, I’ll be a bit scarce in the blog.

Other than that…carry on!

PS: This weekend is Memorial Day weekend and while most of the nation honors those who fell in defense of our country, down here we celebrate gansta “culture” while invading Miami beach with Crips & Bloods wannabes.

If you are coming down for the Weekend, stay the hell away from Miami Beach. Safer that way.

Bloombergtown (A.K.A. NYC) murders are up.

According to the FBI Uniformed Crime Report, murders and non-negligent manslaughter cases rose from 471 to 536, up 13.8 percent.

We in the Redneck States of America, Home to The Bible Reading, Gun Clinging Crowd, saw the biggest drop in violent crime with 7.5%.

All those anti gun initiatives are working so damn good in NYC that Pasha Bloomberg has the urge to export them to all the country. But you just wait, NY’s Murder increase will be blamed on us soon enough.