Mountaineerfan's Blog

Great news.An act of Congress to stop D.C. from snubbing their nose at the Supreme Court.This new bill labeled the "Second Amendment Enforcement Act" already has the backing of over half of the House of Representatives.That's a clear statement if nothing else.

Gun Rights Dean Anticipates National Support for Capitol Hill Effort to Torpedo Washington, D.C. Assault on United States Supreme Court Heller Decision

From The Wall Street Journal:

Oh,I just couldn't walk away from this one without sharing.This is a perfect example of a government which forbids and even criminalizes you for defending yourself,yet makes no real effort to protect you either.Welcome to liberalville!

By GRAEME WILSON,Deputy Political Editor

The Sun

7/16/08

3 hours for 999(Brit 911) cops to turn up

COPS may get three hours to respond to 999s – and THREE DAYS for “less urgent” calls.

The targets, to be unveiled tomorrow, were last night blasted as an insult to crime victims.

They are more than 60 times longer than those now used by some of the UK’s biggest forces.

Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve raged: “This shows this is an exhausted Government on its last legs.

“It has neither the vision nor the resolve to design and deliver the much-needed reform our police need.”

The targets were in a leaked draft copy of the Government’s new Green Paper on Policing.

Under a section on national standards, it says the police must “respond appropriately” to incidents. This includes telling crime victims when an officer will turn up.

The document says the target should be “within three hours if it requires policing intervention, or three days if there is less immediate need for a police presence”.

Neighbourhood police units will get 24 HOURS simply to return a phone call from the public.

Currently, the Met aim to respond to 90 per cent of urgent calls in just 12 minutes — and 90 per cent of non-urgent ones within an hour.

Greater Manchester Police has a ten-minute target for emergency calls and an hour for less urgent ones.

The Green Paper also includes proposals for a new “Police Pledge”.

This will involve sending every household the names and contact details of their local neighbourhood cops.

Officers will be encouraged to spend 80 per cent of their time out “on their patch”.

Forces will also be told to publish “local priorities”, such as tackling drug dealing or stopping gangs loitering.

Last night the Home Office said: “We do not comment on leaks.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1428
033.ece

A quick news blurb from the Virginia Citizen's Defense League.

Member Amy McVey makes history.  She sent me this email:

"I went downtown yesterday with my revolver in a blue grocery bag and 
managed to walk right past the press...I didn't fit the profile!

I thought that the rush would be over by the time I went to police 
headquarters, but as it turns out, there was no rush! I was it! It was 
quite comical. I have the "01" property ticket that all the news 
channels were showing as being unclaimed by midday on Thursday. It has 
been suggested I put it on e-bay.

So my revolver was the first to be tagged and tested and I came home 
with the first legal handgun in DC in 32 years. I am one happy camper!"

We're happy for her, too!

More from the land of "gun control will cure all crime".How's that workin' for ya Brits?

I especially love the part about the President of the Police Superintendant's Association's solution to the problem.According to him "'We must get back to the time when members of the public accept that even if they have done nothing wrong, and are not carrying a knife, they must not object to a police officer questioning them and in some cases searching them,' he said."

In other words random search and seizures.Guilty until proven innocent.Thanks goodness we have a thing called The Constitution.And I'll bet y'all thought liberals hated this sort of thing didn't ya?This is why you need to tell the cops in Trinidad where to get off at.This is what it leads to.

Another part I liked is about how they consider mandatory minimum sentences to be a 'radical idea".

While you're reading this remember that those 350 knife assaults don't include actual murders either.

By Stephen Wright and Nicola Boden for The Mail Online

July 17th,2008

Thugs are committing more than 350 knife assaults every day across England and Wales, latest crime figures reveal.

Results from the British Crime Survey showed nearly 130,000 attacks took place last year - a figure which does not include those against under-16s.

Separate figures recorded by police forces reveal 22,000 serious knife assaults including 231 attempted murders, almost 14,000 robberies and more than 8,000 woundings.

Ministers welcomed the annual figures which showed a nine per cent drop in overall crime last year, and claimed the steady downward trend in recent years was the most impressive in modern times - including a 12 per cent fall in all violent crime last year.

But they acknowledged serious public concerns over knife crime, following a spate of horrific murders in recent months, many involving young victims in inner city areas.

Firearms offences recorded by police rose 2 per cent last year to reach a total of 9,803, while homicides were up three per cent to 784.

The latest figures show how the shadow of 'Blade Britain' has spread from urban areas to the shires.

Hundreds of knife offences are being committed in county force areas including Devon and Cornwall, Hampshire, Kent, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Northumbria.

Crime statistics released by the Government today show the overall crime rate has fallen nine per cent, but for the first time the number of serious violent offences involving blades is broken down.

What emerges is a national map of knife crime across England and Wales which demonstrates how provincial areas are being hit by the problem.

As first revealed by the Daily Mail this morning, 22,151 serious crimes involved knives and sharp instruments in the financial year to March 2008.

This figure, equivalent to 60 offences a day, does not include an estimated 250 fatal stabbings, which are counted separately by the Home Office.

There were 231 attempted murders, 13,887 robberies and 8,000 woundings where the offenders used blades to some degree.

Young victim: Ben Kinsella, 16, was stabbed to death in June

Ian Johnston, president of the Police Superintendents' Association, said: 'The public needs to understand this is not just a London or inner-city problem. It is a serious problem all over the country.

'While we welcome many of the initiatives which have been announced, they are mainly for the medium or long term.

'There is now a need for radical, short-term solutions. Serious consideration should be given to the idea of introducing a minimum prison sentence for carrying a knife. I believe this would have a dramatic impact.'

Enlarge  

 
Mr Johnston called for more robust stop-and-search tactics.

'We must get back to the time when members of the public accept that even if they have done nothing wrong, and are not carrying a knife, they must not object to a police officer questioning them and in some cases searching them,' he said.

'The police need the public support from all communities to do that.'

Recorded crime figures show firearms offences increased two per cent to 9,803, drugs offences rose 18 per cent and murders rose three per cent to 784.

But overall, the survey shows crime has fallen leaving people two per cent less likely to be a victim of crime - now at 22 per cent.

This is the lowest level recorded since the British Crime Survey began in 1981, according to the Home Office.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was 'extremely pleased' with the figures and that the Government's priority was to build on it for the future.

Ian Johnston, president of the Police Superintendents' Association(and all around jackazz) called for more robust stop-and-search tactics

But the reduction belies people's fears of knife crime after a spate of stabbings across Britain since the start of the year.

Roughly a third of non-fatal knife offences, 7,409, were committed in London, which has recently been hit by a series of horrific stab murders involving teenagers. Greater Manchester (2,294) and West Midlands (2,303) have the next biggest knife crime figures.

But of particular concern to detectives, politicians and parents is the extent of Britain's knife problem in provincial forces.

For the first time, the Home Office has collated data on categories of violent crime where a knife has been used, including attempted murder, wounding with intent, grievous bodily harm and robbery.

Of the 22,151 knife crimes in England and Wales last year, 231 related to attempted murders; 5,248 were cases of wounding with intent; 2,785 were cases of grievous bodily harm; 2,359 related to robbery of business property and a further 11,528 were connected to the robbery of personal property.

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary recorded 288 offences where a blade or sharp instrument was used to stab, to cut or in threat.

Avon and Somerset had 360 such offences last year, Kent 327, Hampshire 388, Staffordshire 219, Cheshire 224 and Northumbria 351.

Dorset, with just 43 knife crime offences, had the lowest figures for a provincial force.

Although the statistics cover only England and Wales, they are mirrored by a similar pattern in Scotland, where knife crime has spread beyond major cities such as Glasgow.

 Paul Gilligan, left, 31, who was stabbed to death in Manchester on Sunday, and Londoner David Idowu, 14, who died on July 7 of stab wounds

Officers have become increasingly concerned about the way blades have become a weapon of choice for a new generation of teenage thugs.

Casualty doctors believe knife crime is far more widespread in the country than official figures suggest because scores of victims who seek treatment in hospitals leave without making a formal complaint to police.

Alf Hitchcock: Calling for cross party efforts to find a long-term solution to knife crime

Knife attacks ended six lives in 24 hours in London last week, leading to an unprecedented statement from Scotland Yard aimed at reassuring the public.

As part of a crackdown on knife crime, Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alf Hitchcock has been appointed national knife crime czar to oversee police efforts in eight 'hotspots'.

In an exclusive interview with the Mail on Monday, Mr Hitchcock called for cross-party efforts to find a long-term solution.

'We've seen the problem of violence among young people getting worse,' he said. 'But it's not just knife crime. Knife crime is just symptomatic of larger issues.

'Of course we in the police are doing what we can to crack down  -  but policing cannot be the whole answer. After all, if we were able to stop and search every youngster estimated to be carrying a knife today, and they were all to be sent to prison, we'd be talking of tens of thousands.'

Gordon Brown called Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, to Chequers on Saturday for urgent talks about the knife epidemic.

The Prime Minister urged him to make full use of new police powers to make pubs and clubs search customers for knives and guns.

Dominic Grieve, Tory Shadow Home Secretary, said the figures proved that knife crime affects the whole country and that targeting hotspots was inadequate.

Detectives expect the murder figures to be similar to 2006/2007, when a sharp instrument was used in 258 of the 734 unlawful killings recorded by police.

Now let's wrap up with a quick guide to stuff y'all might wanna read or check out on the net regarding binocs:

On-line Binocular Tutorials

Some web guides to binocs and binocular astronomy:

Night Sky Info's guide to binoculars: http://www.nightskyinfo.com/binoculars/

Bigbinoculars.com is the sales division of Oberwerks.Cool website to check out even if yer just curious.Here is ther Q&A page:

http://bigbinoculars.com/faq.htm

One man's list of bino visible night sky objects: http://www.lightandmatter.com/binosky/binosky.html<
/a>

Here's a pretty good page on binocular astronomy with some other projects too: http://www.astronomyinyourhands.com/activities/jewel
softhesky.html

Another "how they work" page: http://www.chuckhawks.com/binocular_basics.htm

Here is the cool site of a British astro equipment dealer named Monk Optics.Here is their binocs tutorial:http://www.monkoptics.co.uk/aboutbinoculars
.html

Here is the Wiki article on binocs.I know some people bust on Wiki because they say it can't be trusted due to the fact that anyone can write an article.The way I see it you should always cross reference anything.Also,if you see something inaccurate on Wiki you have the option of disputing it which is why I always check the "Discussion" page too.Overall I've found it to be very accurate considering it's potential not to be.Anyways,here's the article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binoculars

Here is an article from Sky & Telescope magzine on binocs for astronomy: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/howto/howtoequipment/
3389576.html?imw=Y If you're just getting started in astronomy consider a subscription to this rag.

Here are a couple of very good tutorials from a company called Opticsplanet: http://www.opticsplanet.net/how-to-buy-binoculars.ht
ml#ch01

Here is another from them specifically regarding astronomy binocs: http://www.opticsplanet.net/binastro.html

Here is an absolute ton of binocular reviews: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/section.php?sectionid=21
&/index.html

A whole bunch more reviews here: http://www.cloudynights.com/category.php?category_id
=48&pr=2 

Binocular and Astronomy Books

Now for some informative books on the subject of binos and binocular astronomy:

Binoculars and All Purpose Telescopes written by Dr. Henry Paul in 1980.Published by American Photographic Book Publishing.This book,despite being from 1980,is still one of the best I've ever seen.I landed this many moons ago at the Harrisonburg Book Fair for about a buck.You can find this one on Amazon.This book goes into quite a bit of technical details about binocs but not so much that it can't be understood by the layman.Hell,even I can understand it so what does that tell ya?Great chapters on checking optics alone make it worth whatever you pay.

Touring the Universe Through Binoculars:A Complete Astronomer's Guidebook by Philip Harrington.This is a great book from 1990.Our local library had this one and I read it a couple of times and highly recommend it.

Binocular Highlights:99 Celestial Sights for Binocular Users from Gary Seronik and Sky & Telescope Magazine.This is a small format book with spiral binding(to fold flat)and coated pages to protect them from moisture.This book has many rave reviews and is on my own wishlist.

Stargazing with Binoculars by Robin Scagell and David Frydman.A brand spanking new book with no reviews yet.Looks promising though.

Binocular Stargazing by Michael Reynolds.Another one on my list with great reviews.

The New Astronomer by Carol Stott.This is one of those DK books from the Brits.It just so happens I'm reading this one right now.What can I say?I love the layout of these books.

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide by Terence Dickinson 2nd Edition from 2002.I had the priviledge of reading the 1st edition of this book from `91 and am reading the 2nd edition now.This is the end all book of beginning backyard amateur astronomy if you don't count the next one on the list.Pretty much everything you wanna know about any facet from eyeballs to eyepieces and everything else.This book is a bit pricey( around $35) and I would also recommend waiting until September when the 3rd edition is due out.

NightWatch:A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe also by Terence Dickinson,from 2004 this is the 4th edition and is updated through 2018.While I haven't had a chance to read this book yet it is on my list of "must have" books.This book has almost a hundred five star reviews on Amazon which is why I wanna read it and why I'm including it here.This book supposedly comes with some excellent star charts which are easily readable by red light and is spiral bound to lay flat.

Concise Atlas of the Stars by Surge Brunier and Akira Fujii.This is supposed to be an awesome star chart book.It has actual night sky photos of each constellation with a transparent overlay showing the constellations and star names.Spiral bound to lay flat.

Astronomy Magazines:

Anyone new to astronomy could really benefit from a subscription to these two rags:

The first is Sky and Telescope and their wed addy is here: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/

The second is Astronomy Magazine and they can be found here: http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx

Binocular Dealers:

Now for some online binocular dealers.These are the most reputable ones I know of.This first one is the only one I have personal experience with and,so far,they've treated me well on top of getting rave reviews from many,many others:

http://www.binoculars.com/ or http://www.telescopes.com/ these are both owned by the same people and are pretty much the same dealer.They both belong to Netshops.com.

Both of the following netsites are both the same also.They are both the sales division of Oberwerks: http://www.bigbinoculars.com/ and http://www.giantbinoculars.com/ Yes,they do sell other brands like Fujinon.These people are binocular freaks.Personally these are the folks I'll probably be dealing with from now on.Here is the Oberwerks home page: http://www.oberwerk.com/products/default.htm>

I've also heard very good things about these people: http://www.astronomics.com/main/Telescopes_and_Teles
cope_Accessories.asp/catalog_name/Astronomics/category_
name/Home/Page/1

If you live in the Northern Va.,D.C. or Maryland area you might wanna drop in on these next folks.The company is called Company 7 and they're located in Montpelier/Laurel,Md.Their phone number is (301) 953-2000 and their web addy is: http://www.company7.com/home.html  This company not only does astronomy equipment sales but also does service and even full restoration work.In addition they also design and build professional/military scopes/cameras/optics.It's worth hanging around their wesite for a while because there's tons of info on astronomy products that you won't find anywhere else,including the manufacturer's own sites.

Binocular Forums:

Here are a few bino and/or general astronomy message boards you can and should join if you're interested in learning more about binoculars,astronomy or both.

Here is just about the best forum site which goes by the name Cloudy Nights.Not only that but there's tons of info and reviews here: http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.ph
p?Cat=  

here is the reviews page: http://www.cloudynights.com/index.php

If you go over to Yahoo.com and sign up as a user there are dozens of astronomy and even astronomy equipment groups you can join.Visit all of their homepages and look for the ones with the most posts per month.The most active groups are usually the best and most informative.Also,if you're wise,you'll already be over at Yahoo anyways using the search engine.It can be a valuable tool to both beginner and pro.Also,for another good source of astronomy info first try going to Yahoo.com.Next look to the left hand column and click on the "More Yahoo! Services" link.A menu will open from the left.Choose the link named "Directory" then,again in the left column,choose "Astronomy" which is under "Science".Tons of links there and you don't have to be a member to use them,just the forums.

Fun Stuff and Just Because It's There:

Feel cocky?Here's the article I mentioned about collimating your own binocs.Don't say I didn't warn ya: http://rchamon.iies.es/collimation_methods/sun_image
s_method.htm

Here's a neat page on how to hand hold binoculars for max comfort: http://www.astunit.com/tonkinsastro/binoculars/binho
ld.htm

Last but not least,here is that neat method for finding your own dark adjusted,diolated pupil diameter in this cool review of the book Astronomy Hacks.It's on page 25: http://tinyurl.com/6og52d  Don't poke yer eye out because I'm not writing a "how to chose a telescope" article just for you and your one eye.

Let me wrap up by saying that I was gonna include some info on different mounts for binoculars but thought I would include it in my next article on Giant binos instead.The main reason being that it really does apply more to them.Look for it.`Till then!

Now are y'all ready to turn all of that jibberish into a working plan geared towards shopping for a good pair of astronomy binocs?Most of the following will assume you're either in an actual storefront examining different models personally or that you've just recieved a set in the mail.Most of it will also seem a bit redundant but that's o.k. because some of these points can't be expressed too loudly or too often.It will also give me a chance to cover a few points that I haven't mentioned yet.Let's just tackle this by first summing up what makes a great pair of astronomy binocs in terms of features.

1)You need to take a good guess,following the above criteria,of your approximate maximum dark viewing pupil diameter or just try the allen wrench method I link to below.For me I figure mine is around 6 mm given my age and all.It may be wider because I have always had great night vision.If you really wanna go whole hog you can have this checked by an eye doctor.If you're having them checked anyways,then.......

2)Next you need to figure which combo of main objective aperature and magnification will give you the approximate exit pupil diameter.It's o.k if the figures aren't exact although a tad bit narrower a beam coming from the binocs than your pupil diameter would be preferable to one wider than.Like I said before my ideal is around 6 mm so some binocs,like 8X56's with it's 7mm exit diameter,might be a bit large.Given that I might opt for something like a pair of 10X60's or 12X60's with a bit smaller an exit pupil diameter and more magnification to boot.In addition,with the same main objective diameter,a higher magnification will also help in planetary and lunar observations.

3)Once you figure out which size and "strength" binocs you wanna own then you need to start looking at other qualities.The one I'd start with is what kind of prisms do they employee.Like I said earlier you wanna avoid the BK-7's and go with the BaK-4's,period! While this info should be clearly marked somewhere on a product there is a way you can tell the difference if not.While holding the unit at arm's length point them towards a bright area.Now look at the eyepieces.The image you see will be perfectly round if they are BaK-4's.However,if they are 7's the image will most likely have a square or diamond shape.This odd shape can also be cause by undersized prisms which is als something to avoid.During daytime viewing,when the pupil is contracted,this might not be apparent while casually observing but at night,with the more expanded pupil,it would be.

4)Next you wanna examine the degree of coatings and their quality.Check the explanation above for definitions.Frankly,full broadband multi-coated is the only way to go.Remember that sometimes simply coated or multi-coated optics can create false colors.Once again you can pay a little to have it now or wait and pay more later and enjoy your purchase much more.Also remember to stay far,far away from anything "Ruby" coated.One quick test you can do to tell wether binos might have quality coatings is to hold the units at arms length and look into the main objectives.At most you should be able to see a faded outline of yourself with total darkness of the face.No detail should be visible whatsoever because if it is then it means the lenses are throwing light back at you intead of letting it pass through.Still,just to be sure,read the official product description.

5)Stay away from fixed focus binocs.Go with either central focus or independant focus.Ditto for zoom binocs.

6)One of the most important things to try and figure out about a new pair of binos is wether or not they are properly collimated,or in other word,wether both barrels are in perfect alignment with each other and wether or not the internal optics are properly aligned.When you first pick up a pair of binos raise them to your eyes and spread them open and closed.Everything should be nice and tight with no looseness or rattling whatsoever.If there is any then pass.This is also a good time to check the interpupilary distance or how well the eyepieces line up with the width of your eyes.Upon looking through both barrels so to speak you should see one single unsplit circle and none of the movie and TV double circle,"Mickey Mouse ears".If you can't pull this off then you may need a narrower pair.
Next try looking through both sides seperately at a small and/or distant object.It should appear as a single sharp,crystal clear image.If there is any double imaging whatsoever then pass on them.Another sure sign of out of whack binos are,upon spending a few minutes looking through them,they give you a feeling of seasickness or dizziness.The best time to check all of this is at night on a well defined pinpoint star.Since many chain stores and mall vendors won't think too keen of you borrowing binocs to try out at night then a good alternative might be hitting an astro dealers show or a star party near you.Even if there are no vendors there might at least be people to talk to and who will let you try out their stuff.Always be sure of a vendor's return policy either live or online just in case you recieve a defective unit.
Collimation problems are the number one reason for binocular returns and unhappy customers.As I stated earlier some models are adjustable(prisms)by the buyer but most are not.Either way don't count on it.Hell,the first time they come to you a pair of binos should be properly aligned IMO even if you do expect them to go out of whack later.

7)If you wear glasses or just have small pupils don't foget to pay attention to eye relief.Does the amount of relief allow you to wear glasses and still get a clear,unsplit,singular picture?Remember too that if your glasses are just for near or far sightedness you may be able to remove them.However,if you're astigmatic then you'll probably need them.For the curious amongst us people who are astigmatic have partially blurred vision due to a mis-shapen cornea.Also,if you have small pupils do you find yourself having to hold the binocs far away from your eyes in order to get a decent picture?Some shopping around will yield binocs of various eye relief distances.As a general rule with the same main objective diameter lower magnification will generally yield more eye relief.Let's use Oberwerks brand 56mm units as an example.This series is available in either 8X or 11X magnification.While the 8X provide 24mm worth of eye relief the 11X's only provide 19mm.

8)Pay attention to the amount of FOV you have.More FOV will give you those rich field sky views that are so pleasant with binocs.Remember that higher magnifications with any given aperature will yield less FOV but will put you closer to what you're viewing.It's all personal choice of course.

9)Make sure you check for waterproofing.IMO this is a major point.You can get away with just waterproof rated but you should really splurge for the Nitrogen purged option as they also resist fogging.Like I said before it's a matter of pay now or pay later.If you're all like "well I don't have much dough and I really want a pair of binocs now" then take my advice and just stick to naked eye observing for a bit longer while you save some extra moolah.Trust me,you won't regret it.This applies to all areas of excellent vs. marginal in the choosing of quality optics for any purpose.

10)Speaking of fogging,one thing you can do to help aleviate it from happening is to keep your binocs at the same temperature as they will be used in.For instance I leave mine out on my enclosed back porch which is pretty much the same temp as the outdoors at least to within a few degrees.

11)One other thing to watch for in a pair of binocs is what's known as Chromatic abberation which causes a viewed object to appear to have green or purple edges.While they say this isn't a big deal with astronomy binocs,I'll be dambed if I'd want it.It can also result in fuzzy and/or poorly focused images.Chromatic abberation is usually the result of either bad optics which transfer different color of light through them at differnt angles(like a prism)and is usually solved by the use of compound mirrors or lenses.It can also be caused by a short focal length which is remedied by simply using a longer scope.

12)When examining binocs with a wide FOV you might notice some blurriness,or distortion,near the outer edges of the image.This is normal just so it isn't too severe.

13)On any binocs with more magnification than 10X or more aperature than 50mm consider a good tripod.In fact for anything larger,and therefore heavier,than 50mm it's pretty much a given that you'll need one so count on it now.Ditto for anything over 10X because remember that magification magnifies everything including the shakes.I've heard a lot of talk about how hand holdable 60mm's are vs. 70mm's and what not but it's all just wasted words to me.Not to brag but I have fairly large shoulders and I can attest that even 10X50's are hard enough to hold.Even if you can hold them steady it won't be for long.Look for a link in the bibliography to a web page on how to hold binocs.

Notice that I haven't said anything about lightweight binocs?This is because,to me,that is a low priority.Sure there are lightweight models but personally I wouldn't consider them if it meant sacrificing anything else.If you can find all of the other attributes you desire in a pair of lightweights then by all means have at it.Otherise get a tripod.Hell,get one anyways because it'll enhance your viewing regardless.

14)If you're shopping for binocs in person don't forget to look them over well.Most of all don't forget to check both the lenses and eyepieces for scratches or worn off coating.You will know it when you see it,believe me.

15)Once you purchase a nice set of binocs be sure to get a good cleaning kit made specifically for binocs and telescopes.Cleaning kits and cleaning solution refills can be found at any optics/camera or eyeglass dealers.Here is a tutorial from THE world's formost optics expert and holder of the world's most patents(including those Craftmatic adjustable beds),Dr.Nagler: http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=143 

16)Even if you're shopping live still walk away from your first instinct.Wait a bit.Write down your observations then go online and research what you fancy.Especially be sure to read those reviews.Do plenty of Yahoo and Google searches for your exact model(s).I will include a bunch of links at the end of this of good dealers,several of which allow customers to leave reviews of products they've bought.Let me say again...READ THOSE REVIEWS! Also,don't be afraid to join an astronomy and/or binoculars forum or two and ask lots of questions.I'll link to some in the bibliography.

17)While I'm at it I may as well mention a couple of neat accessories you will surely want to aquire if you're gonna get serious about binocular astronomy observation.The first thing you may wanna nab up on is a good star atlas or at least a good source of sky charts.Many of the books and magazines I mention below are good sources.The magazines have usually both a monthly skychart within their pages as well as having them for sale on their website.
Another handy dandy little item you might want to consider will be a red flashlight which is just what it sounds like,a flashlight which emits a red light instead of white.The purpose behind this trick is to keep you from losing your nightvision while reading star charts.Good ones can be found in all of the same places as telescopes.

Well y'all there it is,my own version of what you need to know to get the best out of your next pair of binoculars.Hopefully they'll be for stargazing.I'm sorry if you were expecting more of a guide to what to look for or a "how to observe" guide.That subject could and would cover way more than even the subject of chosing binocs.Also,there are a bunch of other books and stuff out there that focus more closely on that subject,some of the best which I cover in the bibliography.
One thing I will do is try and provide regular observation reports regarding what I'm able to see.Truth is that I'm sorta getting into astronomy a bit more seriously now than I have been in a while and this way you all can learn along with me.Like I said earlier I just landed myself a set of huge,honkin' fat glasses and they are super cool.I plan on using them a lot to say the least.Don't forget that I'll not only be doing a review of them next but a whole rant about those huge,overblown,bulky,impractical,way too heavy to be practical but way too cool for school binocs that fall into the catagory of Giants.Look for it very soon.If you have any questions then please feel free to ask and I'll help any way I can.
Before I go you're probably wondering what I've decided to do regarding my own search for a good pair of general purpose,but mostly astronomy,binoculars.Well,I think that what I'm gonna do is go with a set of Oberwerks 10X60mm from the Mariner series.I would have really liked to have gone with the 12X60's but unfortunately they're not waterproof.Here is an example of what I meant about waterproofing adding to the cost.Both series of binocs are fully broadband multi-coated and use BaK-4 prisms and are about the same size,quality and complexity.However the waterproof and nitrogen purged Mariner series cost almost twice as much.Besides the fact that they're waterproof I like the 60mm main objectives too.They're just the right balance of size and weight for both daytime terrestrial and night sky hand-held viewing.
On top of that I have been doing a lot of research into Oberwerks over the last few months and I must say I'm impressed.Right off the bat everyone who's ever dealt with them has had nothing but great things to say.Also,unlike many companies the show is run by a very small group of total bino nuts.One of these is a fellow named Kevin Busarow who is personally in charge of quality control as well as being the owner.This does not mean he oversees a team of people but rather that he himself checks every bino that leaves the warehouse for maximum optical quality and collimation allignment.Every unit,bar none from the lowly 8x40's to the massive 150mm Fujinons.Now THAT'S personal service.On top of that if you are actually willing to travel to their showroom in Ohio Kevin will personally spend as much time as needed with you showing you whatever binocular/tripod/head combinations you want until you're satisfied.Then,like I said,he will fine tune your new binos to within a millimeter of their lives.Also,if you later find any optical abnormality or even just something you're not happy with they will fix it for free.Heck,there was even this one fellow in Wisconsin who carried his brand new Oberwerks out on a sub-zero night and found the focusing mechanism starting to stiffen.Well,apparently Kevin had his out too because before this fellow could call and complain Kevin was on the phone warning him of a potential future problem.Imagine being called by a manufacturer to warn you about a potential problem with something you bought.Simply put,if you're an Oberwerks customer you WILL be 100% happy with your purchase,period!
Another thing about Oberwerk binos is that they are incredibly well made to start with.Check their sales sites,which I've linked below,and check the News & Events,the Info & Support and the About Us sections for some very cool vids.Especially check out the "Why So Heavy" video for a quick lesson in why their stuff is top quality.Since they are my new fave manufacturer and also one I hope to deal with in the near future they are the only actual manufacturer I'm gonna link to.Frankly there are way too many bino makers to include them all anyhow.Like I said,read those reviews and ask those questions.

Just one more case of Britain gone mad.Remember that this is the country where handguns are totally banned,knife crimes there are starting to exceed gun crimes in the U.S. and killing someone is considered "fashionable" by British youths.Welcome to liberalville!

By Nigel Bunyan

08/07/2008

The Telegraph

Sydney Davis, 65, a father-of-two, dialled 999 when his home in the Pinehurst area of Swindon, Wilts, came under attack.

But when police failed to turn up over the next two hours he decided to take action himself.

He grabbed a section of wood from a broken-up sofa lying in his front garden and chased the youths down the street - just as police officers finally arrived.

Mr Davis, a retired builder, was astonished when police arrested him while allowing the gang to run to safety.

The householder now faces a court appearance and a potential prison term of six months if convicted.

Mr Davis, whose windows have been smashed five times in the last eight months, branded the law "a colossal ass".

He went on: "This is Britain gone mad. Just what in the world is this country coming to when the police arrest people like me for protecting their own property?

"The police say they want to reduce crime, yet they let evil little toe-rags like this off. Then they prosecute hard-working, upstanding residents like me.

"There is simply no way we can shake off this problem of 'Yob Britain' if the legal system fails to protect the everyday person".

Mr Davis' difficulties began on July 2 when a gang started throwing stones, stick, mud and eggs at a number of homes.

His wife, Pauline, 42, and their sons, Peter, seven, and James, five, cowered behind the sofa as the windows were hit by a flurry of missiles.

"My wife called the police at 6pm, but they just kept on throwing stones through my back gate.

"I left the back door open to stop them smashing it. Suddenly a really big rock came crashing into the kitchen. I just grabbed the wood, which was the nearest thing I could find, and chased them off.

"The police turned up just as I was chasing them. As a result I was arrested, but they didn't arrest any of them."

Mr Davis was handcuffed, taken to a local police station and later charged.

Wiltshire Police confirmed both the charge against him and the fact that no one else had been arrested in connection with the incident.

The householder is expected to appear before local magistrates later in the month.

Great article written from a woman's point of view.

By Allison Kasic

Townhall.com

Citizens in the District of Columbia had plenty of reason to celebrate over July 4th weekend. In addition to our nation’s birthday, countless barbeques, and a fabulous fireworks display, citizens of D.C. could finally enjoy their rights as set forth in the Bill of Rights.

For more than thirty years, D.C. has robbed its citizens of their Second Amendment rights through a draconian handgun ban. And D.C.’s gun restrictions don’t stop at handguns. D.C. also requires shotguns and rifles to be bound by a trigger lock or kept unloaded and disassembled. So much for home protection.

The justification for forbidding law abiding residents from owning weapons was that making guns illegal would lead to a reduction in violent crime. D.C.’s history is a vivid illustration of the folly of this presumption. Despite the nation’s strictest gun control laws, D.C. has one of the nation’s highest murder rates. Unfortunately for D.C.’s lawmakers and citizens, when you outlaw guns, only criminals have them.

In contrast, states with relatively loose gun rules, such as Vermont, New Hampshire, and the Dakotas, have the lowest murder rates in the country. States with high gun ownership rates (over 40 percent), such as Utah, North Dakota, and Iowa, boast firearm death rates below the national average. When criminals know that would be victims could be prepared to defend themselves, committing a crime becomes less attractive. That’s why, counterintuitive as it may seem, more guns often mean less crime.

Gun bans like D.C.’s aren’t only bad policy; as the Supreme Court decided last week in a landmark 5-4 decision that will be studied for years to come, they are also unconstitutional. In District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court struck down the ban, further stating that the Second Amendment confers an individual right to bear arms. Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia wrote, “We hold that the District's ban on handgun possession in the home violates the Second Amendment, as does its prohibition against rendering any lawful firearm in the home operable for the purpose of immediate self-defense."

And as Justice Scalia pointed out in his opinion, “the American people have considered the handgun to be the quintessential self-defense weapon.” All citizens of D.C. should rejoice at their new found freedom. But for women especially, guns are the ultimate equalizer in self-defense.

Much to feminists’ dismay, men and women are different. For better or worse, men tend to be taller, stronger, and weigh more than women. So when it comes to physical confrontation, women don’t have the best odds—especially when they are sitting ducks, as they were under D.C.’s gun ban. If nothing else, the ban emboldened criminals with the knowledge that their victims would be unarmed. But not anymore. Now women can finally rest assured that if, God forbid, there is a confrontation in their home, they will have a viable means of self-defense—regardless of the size of the intruder.

There are countless examples of women warning off intruders with the help of a gun. In June, a gun-packing mom-to-be scared off two would-be burglars who kicked in the door to her residence early in the morning. Luckily, Kristen Holbert knew how to react. She grabbed a gun, hid in a closet, and when the opportunity arose, surprised the intruders. Holbert said of the incident, “I pointed [the gun] right in their face. They turned around, seeing a pregnant woman holding a gun. …They knew they needed to get out.”

Holbert is not alone. It is estimated that law-abiding citizens use guns to defend themselves as many as 2.5 million times per year. Often times, such incidents prevent serious, violent crime against women. Take 72-year-old grandmother Jean Zamarripa, for example. When a serial rapist broke into her home, Zamarripa wounded the intruder, ending a string of violent attacks and sexual assaults on elderly women in her neighborhood.

Hobert and Zamarripa are just two of many brave women who have defended themselves and their homes against intruders, with the help of a gun. Women in D.C. will finally be given a chance to follow suit, should the circumstance arise.

D.C. v. Heller was an important first step in the battle for the individual right of self-defense. Women around the country should hope that gun bans continue to fall and afford citizens the peace of mind that only a gun—and the knowledge that you are prepared to defend yourself--can provide.

http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/AllisonKasic/20
08/07/07/dc_gun_ban_lift_empowers_women

Well,here is is y'all.Pretty much anything you'd wanna know about chosing a set of binocs.I have to break this into four parts due to it being 16 pages long.Every other day I'll post a new segment.

Back when I was a kid I used to love filling my summer days by picking up my machette and heading out into the woods to make paths to places I'd never been before.Over this hill,beyond this stretch of wood,to the top of this mountain or that.I loved to explore.I had plenty of help too via my many cousins.Not suprising though as a great deal of people love exploring places they've never been and things they've never seen before.I know I still do.I reckon this is one of the main reasons I'm such an astronomy buff is because I'm constantly wondering what's out there.
Every time new images are returned from some distant world by one of our latest mega cool hi-tech wonderbots it seems just as thrilling now as it did when I was sitting in front of the tube back in 1976 seeing,for the first time,the first pictures ever returned from the Martian surface courtesy of the Viking Landers.That was awesome wasn't it?
Well, stuff like that is all fine and dandy but very few of us have access to the kind of jack it takes to build us a rocketship capable of hunting down other worlds.I might add though that I do indeed know a whole bunch of crazy guys and gals who are trying very hard to do just that while on a budget.Anyhow,despite our empty wallets we all still have a desire to explore for ourselves.Like many endevors we have a desire to do it for ourselves and to not be simply satisfied with someone else having all of the fun,after all this isn't New Jersey.So what to do?
Now is the part where optics come in.I,myself,have always been a champion of fine optics.Wether it be a set of binoculars or even a nice telescope fine optics help bridge the gap between there and here wherever either may be.Looking out into the distance and saying to oneself "I wonder what's over there" all one has to do is peek into the eyepiece and suddenly you've arrived.
Now if you're a regular reader here on the Fox Weather blog you may recall that I have stated my desire as of late to land a new pair of astronomy oriented binoculars.Let me state for the record that I am indeed still in the market for a good set of all around astro binos even though I just recently purchased a set of giant sized 100 mm binocs.Look for a review of them soon after this is posted.We won't discuss them much here because they are a whole different beast.
So,wether you're new to astronomy or even an old hand at it binoculars have a place in your optics arsenal for several reasons.First off is that they provide a good "grab-n-go" visual aid.In other words something that can be carried anywhere at a moments notice with little weight,size and hassle.The are very good for doing a quick survey of the night sky to evaluate your "seeing" ability in prep for whipping out the larger optics.You may not be able to get the kind of up close images that you will with a telescope you might still be suprised though at how much detail comes forth in places where you just saw none with the naked eye.
Binoculars also offer several other characteristics which are available in no other viewing aid.One of these is that they offer a right side up non-inverted picture.Telescopes do not do that as they are either upside down or mirror image reversed or both.Another pleasantry offered by binocs,and which happens to be my fave plus point,is that binocs give you a realistic 3D view of the sky.Sort of like ViewMaster view if you will.This is due to the fact that you are taking in two seperate images just as nature intended.Overall it's much more like being there in person than a single image telescope can duplicate.
Now you may remember my commenting to Skyguy a couple of months ago having my eyes on,figuratively speaking,a pair of Leupold 10X50's.Well,I decided to give it a bit of time and to keep looking.Nothing against them or anything but just not wanting to do things in haste.I even found a set of Celestron 8X56's which I liked a lot which may actually be better suited for astronomy.What would make them better?Well,y'all I'm afraid that explaining that is gonna mean having to sit through another one of my science lessons again.Since I've gotta think about all of this stuff I may as well drag y'all along with me so sit back and soak up a lesson in binocular speak as I share with you what I know about them and especially how it relates to my search for a good pair of astronomy binoculars.Sure I could just post some links to some on-line guides and all and say "good luck!" but for the reasons I spoke of above I've decided to engage in this labor of love.First we're gonna do though is cover some "quick" lessons regarding the terms and definitions used in the world of binoculars and optics.
Now before we do anything let me try to give you a truely nutshell explanation of how and why binocs work the way they do.As you'll soon see it's one of those true scenarios where a picture really is worth a thousand words.Not having any pics of my own to illustrate the point I don't wanna have to lift someone elses from the net.Yeah,I know you're all saying "since when the hell do YOU care about that?" Well never mind that just rest assured I'll post some links to some good illustrations you can use to follow along.
Alright,let's see how much we can cram into that nutshell.Follow along while I try to fit a bulldozer into an outhouse.Binoculars,for all practical purposes,are really just two mini-telescopes joined together with a hinge.Light enters through the front lenses,or objectives as they're also called,where it is flipped upside down much the same way as the lens(not the cornea)in your eye does.The inverted light beam then travels down the tube of the binocs where it then enters one of two differnt types of prisms.Prisms are angular shaped chunks of glass which serve a couple of useful purposes.First they take the inverted image from the binoc lenses and switch it back to upright.They also allow the use of large and/or widely spread main objectives while still allowing the eyepieces to stay fairly close together for comfortable viewing.The two types of binocular prisms you will run into are either Porro prisms or Roof prisms.
Just so I can get them out of the way sooner I will cover roof-prisms first.Roof prisms are what you usually find in small,compact binocs.They are aranged inside of the optical tube in an in-line fashion thus the usual straight tubed shape of most compacts.While their simple layout does make them a bit more rugged than Porro prism binocs they do have some faults.First they have what are known as "silvered" surfaces.Second,their design causes what's known as a "phase shift" due to the light beam being split and then realigned.Both of these drawbacks combine to reduce the amount of light transmitted through a set of roof prism binocs as compared to a set of Porro prism units with all other things being equal.A set of roof prisms can be seen here: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/A
bbe-koenig-prism.png
The second type we'll cover is also the type we'll be championing for our purposes and they are the Porro prism design.The Porro style prisms sacrifice only one thing and I'll get to that in a second.For the most part they fit our need because their layout allows the use of big main lenses while still keeping the eyepieces close together.Ever wonder why most binocs have that unusual "kink" in them?Well,it's because of the shape of the Porro prism design/layout which can be seen here: http://www.nightskyinfo.com/binoculars/binoculars_di
agram.gif
The only real problem with Porro prisms is that they are a bit fussy about being perfectly aligned.As you can guess they are a bit easier to knock out of alignment.This alignment is called "collimation" and is important for proper,comfortable viewing.When collimation is out of whack,at a minimum you will probably notice a double,or split,image.Sometimes it may not even be noticable but will manifest itself in eye fatigue,dizziness or a slight headache.
Some binocs can be re-adjusted via screws on the casing of the binocs(usually under the rubber coating) or via eccentric rings in the main objective caps while some need to be sent to a technician.The eccentric ring style actually shifts the main objective and not the prisms.Frankly,I've never even seen a pair of binocs with this type adjustments.I'll try to provide a source for additional info on collimation adjustment by the consumer later.Just for note,collimation can also get thrown off when the two individual "telescopes" are out of alignment with each other.
Now the next thing you'll need to know about prisms concerns what they're made of.For the most part prisms are made of two types of glass,BK-7 borosilicate flint glass or BaK-4 barium crown glass.We can uncomplicate this subject real quick like by just cutting to the chase and saying that the Bak-4's are what you want.....period! No arguements,no debate,just Bak-4's.While Bk-7's may have been nice at one time they no longer hold a candle to the 4's.Yeah,some will say that "if this is just right" or "if you're viewing under such and such conditions,then..." but just ignore it and opt for the Bak-4's because they're light years ahead in every way.The most simple explanation as to why is that they just flat out transmitt an image better in both quantity and quality.Plus,Bk-7's have a tendancy to carry less light out near the edges of the image resulting in a picture that is sharp and bright in the center and dull near the outside.Fewer and fewer binocs are coming from the factory with the 7's these days anyhow.The binocs I just bought are a good example being as how the factory just started using the 4's in their construction less than a year ago.
Continuing to travel onward through our binocs the next thing we come to is the eyepieces and our way out if we're a beam of light.This is the spot where an image gets maginified.Other that that there's not really a lot to say as this device is usually fixed and forgotten so to speak.However,that is not always the case when it comes to the subject of focusing our image.I think now would be a good time to "focus" on focusing.
Generally there are three different types of focusing mechanisms on binocs.These include fixed focus,a central mounted focus mechanism and what's known as independant focus.Once again we will take out the trash first by coving fixed focus first.What these do is comprimise by setting the focus permenantly on a spot somewhere between their minimum viewing distance to infinity and hoping everything works out.Usually it doesn't.In a word they're junk and should be avoided.
The next type of focus is the most common and that is the central focus.Those are the ones with the lever or the wheel on top.This type has a mechanical device which moves the eyepices in and out.Their number one advantage is being able to focus them quickly for other viewing besides astronomy.They usually have another feature which is called a dioptic adjuster.This is basically a right side eyepiece which adjusts free of central focusing mechanism.The way it works is simple.First you close your right eye and proceed to focus your binocs while looking through only the left side.Once the left side is in focus you close your left eye and proceed to,while looking through the right side only,rotate the right side eyepiece until it too is in focus.Once that is done you then open both eyes and you should see a perfectly focused image.
The third type of focusing system used is one which is employed on a set of binos I've recently aquired and that is the independant focusing system.This system uses a seperately focusing eyepiece on each side of the binocs.One major advantage of this style is that it is quite durable due to having fewer moving parts than a central focus system.This system also allows for quite a bit of fine tuning of each eye seperately.As you can probably guess though it is a bit slow due to it only being practical on tripod mounted binocs.For the purposes of astronomical viewing a good tripod will figure in anyways so it's not a big deal.
This also seems like an appropriate place to cover what are known as zoom binoculars.In fact I can cover them with one word......junk! or at least for astronomy purposes.They are all junk no matter who they're made by.In fact since there are exceptions to every rule it seems like there would be one to this one.There is...sorta.The reason they are all junk is that while variable magnification zoom binocs may be a good idea the level of precision and quality of workmanship involved in the proper construction would be astronomical.Seriously astronomical.Most zoom binoculars tend to go out of collimation and have a blurred or double image at the higher magnifications.Another downside is their incredibly narrow field of view even in large aperature units.While I have seen many a good review of zoom binocs they are almost exclusively from terrestrial(ground) viewers and even at that I'm not sure many of those people know the difference.Also,in almost all of those reviews there is a "but this" or a "but that" and more likely than not it's the narrow FOV or the blurry images at high magnification.
Now as we move on let's take a second to talk about a component which,hopefully,our beam of light has passed through several times.This component is an often overlooked one by many.I am refering to the anti-reflective coatings on the optics.The main purpose of coatings is to cut down on reflected light which leads to dull and fuzzy images.For instance notice at night when you look at a window in your house and you see yourself in it?That is because the light hitting the window is being reflected back into the room.The whole purpose behind coatings is to stop that from happening thus giving the optics a chance to use all available light as well as being able to keep the light focused.It also prevents stray light from bouncing around inside the binocs and creating a "wash' effect where the image is fuzzied up by light scatter.To understand that last one just think about what happens when you hit the high beams while driving in the fog.
There are generally three types of chemicals used to coat optics with.On the low end of the pole sits magnesium fluoride,or MgF,which is actually a good material.However,a better coating system is called broadband multi-coating.This coating system is fairly new and uses different chemicals(sorry,I don't know what they are) to prevent the reflection of different wavelenths of light.This helps nab stray light at the far end of the visible spectrum,ultraviolet and infrared,where it gets harder to tame.The third type is to beware of and it's called "ruby" coating.First,it has nothing to do with "rubys".Second it is nothing but a trick that involves filtering out the color red so that bad optics appear to give a better image than they do.It's bogus! Do not listen either to any manufacturer's claims of "magical night vision" without batteries as some makers claim regarding "ruby" coated glasses.Besides all of that they leave everything looking green.Trust me when I say avoid them at all cost.In fact,now that it comes up,good quality coating should never impart any sort of un-natural tint to the image regardless of the color of the coating.After all the whole purpose of good quality coatings is to help transmit as much of the visible light(white light) spectrum as possible.
When your shopping for binocs you will see the quality of coatings expressed in one of four ways.These terms may sound more like a casual description rather than an official industry terminology but they are so don't take them lightly.The four seperate classifications,in order of lowest to highest quality,are Coated,Fully Coated,Multi-Coated and Fully Multi-Coated.
Going from good to best we'll start with "coated".Coated optics mean that only some of the optical surfaces are coated with MgF.Fully coated means that all glass to air surfaces are coated with a single layer of MgF.Multi-Coated means that at least some of the optic surfaces have multiple coatings.Finally,fully multi-coated means that all air to glass surfaces have been coated multiple times.Preferably these have been coated with multiple broadband coatings which you will see listed as fully broadband multi-coated.These are your best bet but may be expensive.
The next thing you should know about is "eye relief".Don't worry,this one is simple.In fact if you're not shopping for a rifle scope or do not wear eyeglasses then this one will probably mean little to you.Eye relief is basically the distance your eye must be from the eypiece in order to see properly.To a person with eyeglasses this becomes important because if the "relief" is too short then you will never be able to get your eye close enough to the eyepiece while wearing glasses.If you do wear glasses then you wanna make sure the binocs you're interested in have enough relief distance.I cannot tell you what is g