Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Installing New Hard Drive

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It's Not That Hard to Do
Just a quick note.

I went and picked up a new Western Digital 500GB hard drive this morning. It took me about ten minutes to pull the face piece off the tower, pull the old drive, and put the new one in. I unplugged the slave drive and put the box back together again. I unplugged the slave just in case; that's my back up drive with all the pictures and some program files. The computer started right up when I hit the on/off switch, but without any software it just stopped dead in its tracks.

The installation disc for Ubuntu was close at hand. CD player open, drop disc in, close, restart machine, and viola! The installation process for Jaunty Jackalope began!

Now it's just a matter of configuring my dual monitors, and downloading the updates.

Then it's back to blogging!

Mostly I have quite a few pictures to crop down to size using Gimp, the Linux based version of Photoshop.

Come to think of it, those of you that wish you could afford Photoshop, (What is it like $600?), could instead download a windows version of Gimp, or spend $20.00 for the disc and magazine which comes with Ubuntu (OS), OpenOffice (As good as MS Office), Gimp (Photoshop), Scribus (Publisher) and dozens and dozens of other programs. All and I mean all of them free.

I've used Photoshop, and now using Gimp has been relatively pain free.

Anyway, something for you to consider.

Now back to fixing the computer...

UPDATE: Ok the installation went without a hitch, the downloads smooth, the updates - up to date, and the software operating properly. Posting will resume on a regular basis again!

UPDATE II: Gimp for windows http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html
Albert

Coming tomorrow:

Shooting the SeigeWorks Creation American Longbow
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Monday, August 31, 2009

I'll Need Two Camels and a Quart of Yak Milk... The Mongol Rally

© 2009 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
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The Mongol Rally
Team SBW/TROC Vies for Slot in 2011!
Image Cred: PunjabPortal

Thanks to the The Suburban BushWacker's uncanny sense to post things mostly uncommon, usually unheard of, and of life-threateningly fascinating interest, to say nothing of the encouragement of many of my blogging friends, the plans for the Mongol Rally continue to move forward.

As undoubtedly many of you have far more sense than I probably can't indulge in this kind of adventure, I feel that it is only fair play and good turn about to ask for my fellow bloggers to help with advice. Perhaps a good idea or product recommendation will result in saving the Rally Team's hide!

Imagine, if you will, this scene:

SBW- I say now Albert, it's been three days now and I really have had enough of this! I mean seriously I have two wives now and we are no closer to getting to Ulaan Baatar...
TROC- Shhhh! Don't upset them! We need the damn camels, and two wives are better than... Shit, SBW if you have to, give the old one to The Northern Monkey... Wait a minute, hold on. Yes, yes, tell the chief that I'll throw in a bottle of Bookers, and a copy of "Goats Gone Wild:Uzbek." But that's it. The cafetera is out of the question!

Stuff like that could really happen, and losing a bottle Bookers because we were under-prepared could spell doom for your intrepid adventurers!
Image Cred: JacobGP

What I would like from as many of you as possible, is suggestions of things that you think we should take. Nothing is off the table except for firearms and explosive materials. This is a charity event after all, not an excursion into a war zone. Though with my luck who knows. And anyway, I can McGuyver my way out of that if need be.

Since NorCal brought up the Starbucks Coffee, the first thing in the kit will be a "cafetera" to make Cuban coffee in. Obviously we'll need a couple of pounds of Cuban ground coffee.

My inclusion will be a Swiss Army Knife and SOG S62 tool.

What do you say folks? Kit us up!

Albert
Logistics Officer
Team SBW/TROC

Other Links:

The Mongol Rally Official Site
The Suburban BushWacker

National Hunting and Fishing Day

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National Hunting and Fishing Day
Saturday, September 26, 2009

With National Hunting and Fishing Day quickly approaching, I am going to have several posts concentrating on tips and ideas that you can use to help celebrate our sporting heritage.
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I urge everyone to do something along the way and especially on the 26th to further our mutual love for the outdoors. It can be something as simple as taking someone who has never fished out on a shoreline, lake, or pond, to perhaps giving a talk to school children on the conservation and preservation work that outdoor sportsmen do for the benefit of all.

Remember, it is all up to us to do what we can, because even the smallest thing you do, pays off in huge dividends!

Sincerely, your friend,
Albert A Rasch

Join Us in a Nationwide Celebration:
Hunt. Shoot. Fish. Share the pride!
With permission from NHFD

More than a century ago, hunters and anglers were the first to recognize that development and unregulated uses of wildlife were threatening the future of many species. President Theodore Roosevelt, a very active hunter and angler, supported the call for the first laws to restrict commercial harvest of wildlife. While enjoying National Hunting and Fishing Day, it may be worthwhile to consider the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation's seven basic principles, which enable you to have such great hunting and fishing opportunities:

  • Fish and wildlife are public resources. Throughout the United States, wildlife is held in common ownership by the state for the benefit of all people.
  • Markets for trade in black bass and other wildlife and sportfish are carefully restricted, removing a huge threat to sustaining those species.
  • States allow sustainable use of sport fish and wildlife by law, not by market pressures, land ownership or special privilege. The public has input into how these resources are allocated.
  • The democracy of hunting is emphasized. In North America, anyone in good standing may participate.
  • Hunters and anglers fund conservation, including protections for wildlife species that are not harvested, by purchasing hunting and fishing licenses and paying excise taxes on recreational equipment.
  • Many fish and wildlife species are an international resource. Species, such as migratory fish, transcend boundaries, requiring cooperative management.
  • Science is the proper tool for developing fisheries policy. This is a key concept of fish and wildlife management emphasized by Theodore Roosevelt, Aldo Leopold and many other conservation leaders.

  • In the 37 years since Congress formalized National Hunting and Fishing Day, a variety of celebrities have volunteered to serve as honorary chairman, lending their fame to help build public support for sporting traditions. Sports pros, actors and other personalities have served (see list below). But history shows that country music/entertainment has produced the most flag-bearers for the hunting, fishing and conservation community.

    That’s no surprise, according to a marketing exec with Capitol Records Nashville. She says country music, like hunting and fishing themselves, reflects a lifestyle. Other genres are more about emotion and instrumentation. Luke Bryan, the country sensation proudly presiding over the Sept. 26, 2009, celebration of NHF Day, is a case in point. Bryan’s hunting and fishing passions helped shape him as an artist, and continue to influence his path to stardom. “I feel very proud to be a part of this,” said Bryan. “I’m looking forward to the coming year. I hope to help grow awareness of what hunters and anglers do for conservation, and just promote hunting and fishing overall. "

    Wonders of Wildlife, in Springfield, Mo., is the official home of National Hunting and Fishing Day. The museum coordinates public education and awareness campaigns to promote traditional outdoor sports.

    The growing list of sponsors for National Hunting and Fishing Day 2009 includes Wonders of Wildlife, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Bass Pro Shops, The Sportsman Channel, Realtree, GunBroker.com, Hunting Heritage Trust, Cabela’s, Boone and Crockett Club, Smith & Wesson, Field & Stream/Outdoor Life, Woolrich and Yamaha.



    Related posts on The National Hunting and Fishing Day:

    National Hunting and Fishing Day
    Three Big Reasons
    Hunting Facts and Figures
    Hunter's Contributions Exceed 5 Billion Dollars

    Regards,
    Albert A Rasch
    Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
    The Hunt Continues...


    The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles

    HSUS Files Amicus Brief Against Sportsmen

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    HSUS Spends Big Money That Isn't Theirs... Really...

    In typical HSUS fashion, they have filed an amicus brief in the US Supreme Court against the makers of hunting and fishing videos. The original case could have ramifications as far as print!

    This is their standard modus operendi, divide and conquer. Destroy a viable business model and got o the next area where they think they can win.

    I know I am preaching to the choir, but it is imperative that you always think about these groups, and in your circle of acquaintances you make an effort to educate and elucidate on the issues!

    Washington, DC -(AmmoLand.com)- The U.S. Supreme Court is slated to hear oral arguments in U.S. v. Stevens on Oct. 6. NSSF alerted conservation, sportsmen and outdoor media groups to this case previously and filed an amicus brief with the court. The case centers around a 1999 federal statute used to prosecute a Virginia man on animal cruelty-related charges that could similarly be used to prosecute retailers for stocking and selling books, DVDs or art depicting hunting scenes.

    In the 2004 case, the defendant was initially convicted, but the decision was later overturned by the Third Court of Appeals as a violation of the First Amendment. NSSF opposes animal cruelty which is illegal in every state, but hunting scenes — which date back to cave drawings — are not representative of such criminal behavior.

    The Humane Society of the United States has filed an amicus brief for the government.

    Let's keep an eye on this!

    Regards,
    Albert A Rasch
    Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)


    The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles

    The Hunt Continues...

    Related Posts:

    Giving Conservation a Bad Name
    Game Reserves, High Fence Hunting What are the Facts?
    Sometimes it is Hard to See the Forest...
    High Fence Hunting

    Sunday, August 30, 2009

    Hard Drive Finally Gave Up

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    The Hard Drive Blues

    The hard drive in my Compaq finally gave up the ghost. I'm left with the office laptop for the time being which means I don't have access to Gimp, my Ubuntu based photo editor. So some of the posts I had scheduled for the beginning of the week will have to wait until the latter part. I'll need to pick up a new hard drive, and since I tend have archaic computer equipment, I'll have to figure out if the newer drive will work in current system.

    This should be fun...

    Albert