Miss 10's Letter

As part of Miss 10's homework this week she had to write a letter to the author of the book she's reading.  As I previously posted she is current hooked on "Eats, Shites and Leaves".  Here is her letter:

Mr A. Parody

Author: “Eats, Shites and Leaves”

February 29, 2012

Dear Mr Parody

I have taken your advise and I will not never use double negatives.  I will not repeat myself and avoid being repetitive.  I will no indulge in sesquipedalian lexical constructions.  I will not over use exclamation marks!!! And again I will not repeat myself or say again what I have said before.

I know a man with a wooden leg named Smith too!!!

Have you ever asked yourself “Why when the stars are out they can be seen but when the lights are out they can’t be seen?”

The Inglish language iz annoying that’s a guarantee becoz it cause koass for foreners and not foreners.

Has it ever occurred to you … that feet smell and noses run?  Why the human race will not win the race against time?

Why is it that you can walk down a road even if it does uphill? Why people sit down in the day and sit up in the night?

Yes, exaggerating is a million times worse than understatement.

Always employ the vernacular!!!

Regards your loyal reader,

[Redacted]

(Note: All misspellings and incorrect grammar are from the book)

I was impressed.

Who would you want to have dinner with?

This question is often tossed around and I've never really had a good answer.  I mean if we're talking about dead people then there are quite a few who interest me (maybe a topic for another post), but when considering only the living (and eliminating all my 'on-line' friends as that's cheating) I struggle.

But not any more. Sunday night I watched '60 Minutes' - something I don't normally watch - they had an interview with the latest Victoria Cross recipient - Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith.

What a NICE GUY!  He was seriously impressive in the interview - he came across as a real genuine Aussie who believes in what he is doing and doesn't shirk from what he considers to be his duty.

Sir, you are welcome at my dinner table any time you like and bring your gorgeous family too!

What about you, who would you like to invite to dinner?  (Let's limit it to currently living people).

Does this answer the question:

After my long phone calls yesterday I decided to email the airline on their customer support email asking the same question so that if I did decide to bring back the mag I would have something in writing.

My question:
"Hi, I'm booked to fly from Brisbane to Perth next week and I would like to pack a magazine for a pistol in my checked luggage. Are there any requirements that I need to fulfil to do this? Please advise."


Their response:
"Thank you for your email.

When checking-in firearms and ammunition, we recommend that you plan to be at the airport early, so that your check-in can go as smoothly as possible.

To ensure you do not encounter anything that you were not aware of in your travels, please read through the below information so that you are fully aware of the travel requirements you will have to adhere to.
You must satisfy all conditions of the following procedures or the firearms will not be carried by Virgin Australia:

*       You will be required to make written or verbal declaration at the time of check-in advising that the firearms are unloaded and suitably packed for carriage. You are permitted to carry both the firearms and ammunition within one case, as long as they are separated by some form of partition.
*       The firearm must be packed in a lockable case
*       The ammunition must be in its original factory packaging. Alternatively, in the opinion of the Guest Services Leader, it must be safe to travel, that is, loaded in a magazine away from the firearm, in an ammunition storage box/case/compartment. (Please note, if a gun case has been manufactured with an ammunition compartment and is clearly separated by an inbuilt partition when the case is closed, that then constitutes the items as being safe to travel)
*       You may only carry up to 5kg of ammunition

Firearms and ammunition are considered as "Restricted Items", therefore after you have completed check-in for your flight, they will have a "Restricted Items" tag attached which will have to be signed by yourself.

A description of the item and your flight details will be recorded on this tag and attached to the items. A perforated section will also be attached to your boarding pass and the items will then need to be transferred to the baggage sorting room by hand.

These items will not be placed on the baggage carousel at any time for safety & security reasons, and must be signed for and collected from the oversized baggage counter. It is important that you keep your boarding pass with the perforated restricted items tag attached until the items are collected, otherwise the items will not be released.

If your boarding pass is misplaced then you will be required to quote the reservation number in order to claim your restricted items.

I hope this information has helped. For further clarification on this matter or any other queries, please don't hesitate to email us again or call our Guest Contact Centre on the number listed below."

Not sure if this actually answers the question.  Does the magazine have to be in a separately locked box in my locked luggage?  I'm thinking having it posted is going to be easier.

PS Just found out the magazine costs less than $35USD in the States, might see how difficult it is to import a couple.

Sometimes I wonder why I bother ...

I want to get another 10round mag for my Springfield 9mm.  My other 10 round mags are Chip McCormack 38super mags and they work just fine.  They were ordered from a shop in Brisbane a couple of years back.

I'm going to Brisbane next week, so I thought that I would pick up another one while I was there ...

I emailed the store to check that they have them - they do; I also asked what paperwork I needed to purchase it - none apparently; and if they knew whether I could fly back with it - they suggested I ring the airline.

I check the airline's on-line page.  They say that they will allow the transportation of firearms and ammunition under some circumstances and to phone the service centre for details.

I ring the airline's service centre after the "press 27 numbers in a row" process I get to speak to a woman:

AW (Airline woman): "How can I help you?"

Me: "I would like to know if I can pack a magazine for a pistol in my checked luggage when I fly from Brisbane to Perth next week"

AW: "Can I have your booking number?"

Me: "I don't have it handy, I just need to know if I can pack a magazine for a pistol in my checked luggage."

AW: "A pistol?"

Me: "Yes a gun."

AW: "You want to pack a gun in your luggage?"

Me: "No just a magazine - a gun part."

AW: "When did you book your flight? Did you pay for it by a credit card?"

Me: "I didn't, the company that I will be working for did and I don't have any details with me, I just need to know if I can pack a magazine for a pistol in my checked luggage."

AW: "A magazine for a pistol.  Is that a gun or ammunition?"

Me: "It's the magazine that goes into a gun that holds the ammunition."

AW: "So it's ammunition?"

Me: "No, it's a part of the gun that holds the ammunition."

AW: "What's your surname? Let me see if I can find your booking."

Me:  "I'm not sure what name it would have been booked in."

AW: "Please hold I will see if I can find your booking".

Me: "Actually I can't hold I'm late for a meeting.  I will call back."

..........................

Take 2 ....

New AW: "How can I help you?"

Me: "I would like to know if I can pack a magazine for a pistol in my checked luggage when I fly from Brisbane to Perth next week"

AW: "Can I have your booking reference please."

Me: "I'm sorry I don't have those details to hand I just need to know if I can pack a magazine for a pistol in my checked luggage."

AW: "You have a booking?"

Me: "Yes, well I think so, the company I am going to work for are organising that."

AW: "The flight is a domestic one?"

Me: "Yes from Brisbane to Perth."

AW: "Please hold I will need to check"

...... 5mins pass ....

AW:  "Sorry for the delay we haven't had customers wanting to pack just a magazine for a gun before we need to find out.  Please hold."

....Another 5mins pass ....

AW: "How many magazines are you wanting to travel with?"

Me: "Just one."

AW: "One?"

Me: "Yes, just one."

AW: "Will it be loaded?"

Me: "No, unloaded"

AW: "Please hold"

... Yet another 5mins pass ....

AW: "Sorry for the delay, yes you can pack it in your checked luggage. You will need to take your luggage to a service agent at the airport and declare it."

Me: "Thank you.  So I just pack it in the bag and take it to a service desk at the airport.  Do I need to fill in any forms or anything?"

AW:  "You will need to complete a declaration form.  They have them at the airport."

Me: "Thanks and goodbye".

OMG!!!!  Seriously are you telling me that NO ONE has ever asked the question before?  I am now very very nervous about how the conversation at the airport will go ... Maybe it will be easier just to get the shop to post it!

[Update]Said magazine is $75, not sure I want to risk having it confiscated at the airport[/Update]

I love my kids

This conversation has just taken place with Miss 8:

Me: "Can you put the kettle on for me."

Miss 8: "Sure"

Few minutes later ...

Me: "Do you need help?"

Miss 8: "No, I'm perfectly fine ... I'll tell Dad if I need help, I don't want to disturb you watching 'My Kitchen Rules'."

Few minutes later a cup of tea arrives ...

Honest Gun Owner Meme

OldNFO tagged me for this meme ...

The rules are : "I will write down five things that indicate to me that a gun owner or shooter maybe is an honest one.  Then I will tag five other gun owners who are also bloggers and I hope will participate."

Honest gun owner or shooter?  I'm not sure whether it's because there aren't that many gun owners around or whether or not we don't have the 'gun shows' but I've never actually had to ask myself is this person an 'honest gun owner/shooter?'.

However, there ARE people who I will and won't share a range with - so I'm going to equate "honest gun owner/shooter' with someone I would share a range/beer with:

1. They handle guns safely AT ALL TIMES.  All four rules are strictly followed AND they practise the "alcohol and guns don't mix" maxim.  They also clean up after themselves on the range.

2. They can discuss various aspects of guns rationally.  They acknowledge that their favourite gun / ammo / caliber / make isn't the only one in existence and may actually not be the best.

3. They are polite to newbies and let them have a go with their guns after explaining clearly how to hold the gun and how much recoil to expect.

4. They don't assume all women are idiots who only like pink guns!

5. They're willing to pay their way on shooting trips and return invites when they can.

Who to tag that hasn't been tagged yet?

Bob over at The Drawn Cutlass.

DB at DaddyBear's Den.

Scribbler at Scribbler Scrawls

Barron at The Minute Men.

And lucky last is ....

and FarmDad at Looking out over the South Section.

Range Report

The club committee has decided that Wednesday shoots no longer count as an "attendance" for the purposes of gun support :(  So I now have to shoot on either a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning.

So today Shooting Buddy and I decided to head up for the Saturday afternoon shoot.

We were pleased to see that the range wasn't crowded out (it can get busy on weekend shoots). We ended up squading with the other Wednesday Captain, four ex-students (well three for me, 5 for Shooting Buddy) and one other guy.  (Total of 8 people).  The other squad also had 8 or 9 people.

There were four stages set up all were fun to shoot, however the last stage we shot was the best.  There were 6 targets to be taken from the first shooting position, one target through a portal, two off to the other side of the range and then a set of stairs and platform with three targets visible AND a flying fox target!!!  Apart from having two jams :( it was a really fun shoot!  Most of us emptied the mag on the flying fox!

Oh and the weather was "just right" for shooting (about 26C with a gentle breeze).  If all the shoots on Saturday are like this maybe it won't be so bad.