It’s coming up on two years since I uploaded my first MSW post. The process seemed a bit confusing, but the post went up after some help from Tim. It’s now a cakewalk. (The post was about shooting and lead “poisoning” hazards, HERE. If you haven’t read it, please do. It could use some more FB likes. 🙂 I even obtained permission from a well-known artist/chemist to include one of his nifty cartoons). There are now almost 700 MSW posts; more than 40 are mine.
The internet is a great source of information. Too often however, I find myself wading through the boring, silly, contentious, ugly, and even downright stupid. Writers and readers need to continually remind themselves to keep their wits while everyone around them loses theirs. (Hat tip: Rudyard Kipling). I try to write precisely and hope readers uphold their end of the bargain. Yes, it requires mental discipline, but that helps avoid the unpleasant, and maybe keeps everyone “in their lane.” I like that MSW posts and comments are always informative and candid, but remain civil, unlike many blogs and forums dealing with similar topics.
I recognize that readers think some of my posts have left them in the lurch. Truth be known, my posts are not intended to answer all of the questions I pose. It’s not that I don’t know the answers; I do. But I only “know” them for me, or what I have advised a client (LEO or non-sworn) based on their specific situation. The unanswered questions usually pertain to the SHOULD. Not for me to tell you the reader what to do, only what I think you might consider. Same holds true for purely legal questions (MAY), where laws differ state-to-state and the reader is not a client. Your gun, your gunfight, your life, your freedom, your job, your future, your family, your fortune, your reputation, your conscience. Not for me to determine for you. With the gun, you have half the power of G-d on your hip, in your pocket, or stuck in your appendix. Learn, train, practice, and proceed with care. Hopefully, MSW posts helped you get to the right place (on the CAN and MAY). Then use your best judgment.
When I lectured to federal agents (in the previous century), my mantra was “don’t be cute, be right.” I try to follow that mantra in my posts and comment replies. I’m having “fun” here and learning every time I open MSW in my browser (now more than 17,000 times). Hope all of you do as well.
Hat tip: Hilton and Tim for the invite to participate, and for tolerating me; the other MSW contributors, they are dedicated professionals and experts from whom I have learned a thing or two; MSW readers, those who just drop by occasionally, those regulars who take the time to comment, and those who share our posts. And yes, I like/use the products of our advertisers and those featured in my “Made in the USA” posts, without any special discount or consideration.
Stay 10-8. Maybe there’s a post just around the corner that will be 1911 friendly. 🙂
MSW is certainly a good resource, but in all honesty I strongly preferred the old 10-8 Forums format, as it allowed more give and take between different individuals and seemed to foster better discussion of topics.
Duly noted, but since the traffic on that site dwindled, there wasn’t much give or take left.
Hilton, I thought the 10-8 forums would still be searchable and able to be viewed as an archive of info. Did you decide not to go with this idea?
That was our original plan, but the forum software did not have any simple way to simply turn off posting but still allow reading and searching. We instead opted to shut down the forum to promote a cleaner transition to this site.