Cubans and Countefeits

     A few years ago I was given a sampler of good cigars.  I enjoyed the occasional cigar but I had no idea how to keep them fresh.  In fact, I knew very little about cigars.  I was quick to learn that cigar snobs are very prone to writing articles, so I did my research.  Several years later, I have my own humidor and a separately vented smoking room.  It’s the perfect place to meet with friends, talk about how awesome we are and burn some good smoke sticks.

      The lore of the infamous Cuban cigar is the next thing a cigar fan wonders about.  Are they really that good?  Why are they illegal?  It was on a beach in Manzanillo, Mexico where I learned the hard truth about the “Cubans” I’d bought.  They were fake.  I was disappointed, but it also explained why they tasted like lawn mower scrapings and cost so little.  I thought everything was cheaper in Mexico and maybe I hadn’t yet developed a taste for the good stuff.

     I went back to the “dot com machine” to figure out what’s going on with Cuba.  The reason they are illegal is that the U.S. has a trade embargo against Cuba.  Apparently we still have the red-ass over the missile crisis and it is illegal for a U.S. citizen to drop any bucks in Cuba.  They’re sold all over the world, especially in Europe and Canada.    Some countries, such as Switzerland, sell them online.  It’s still unlawful for us to purchase them even through another country.  After more study, I was saddened to learn that the vast majority of Cuban cigars in Mexico are fake.  Some are very good fakes where they use premium Dominican cigars.  The best explanation I’ve read is that it’s all a matter of economics.

     Cuban cigars are produced in state-run factories and sold through state stores.  This makes for a tightly controlled market where the price doesn’t vary due to competition.  This fixes the bottom-line price worldwide.  This means that if a Cohiba Siglio VI is being sold for $6, it’s fake.  The real thing is at least three times that much, so it’s impossible that a distributor bought it from a Cuban state store, shipped it to Mexico and put it in the Puerto Vallarta shop for one-third the market price.  It’s more likely he bought a mule-load of San Andreas rolled corn silk wrapped in a band that just came out of his laser printer. 

     Making matters worse, there are fake Cubans from Cuba.  Remember the state stores?  Sometimes people manage to grow tobacco outside of the state farms and somehow get them to market with fake bands.  They’re still from Cuba, but the brand is misrepresented.  I’ve heard that they’re not as good.  I do understand that the seed and processes used in producing the big brands are all closely guarded secrets.  I doubt small counterfeiters could produce equivalent products.

     Cigars are an interesting study in economics.  After the embargo, many growers fled to the U.S. with their seeds and secrets.  That’s why there are legal, high-quality cigars on our shelves that bear the same names as the Cuban bands.  There were some trademark infringement claims, but our government decided that our laws didn’t apply because of the trade embargo.  It sounds a little like twisting the knife.  This led to a competition driven market that produces great cigars at modest price.  Products of Nicaragua, The Dominican Republic, Brazil, and similar countries rival Cuba in craftsmanship and flavor.  Unlike a state cigar mill, these companies have competitiors and strive for a better product than the other guy. 

     To make matters worse, Cuban cigars are very easy to fake.  They're not remarkable in appearance.  While they're well-made, they don't stand out from their premium legal versions.  If the buyer is uninformed, as I was, a good box and band will pass.  One clever trick I picked up was to ask the store if you can keep the box if you buy the remaining cigars inside.  Reputable cigar shops sell sealed boxes and individual cigars from an open box.  They're happy to give you the box so they don't have to throw it away or store it.  If they're selling fakes, the boxes may be real and they won't part with them.  Learning the labels is fairly easy, and it's pretty easy to spot a printer job.  Now I have fun going to fake shops asking for boxes.  So far, 100% are not willing to part with their boxes.  Some simple checking would have saved me the trouble.  They'll often try to pass the same cigar off with different bands in the same store.  They'll all be the same size and color.  Mexican stores, airports and seemingly high-end shops offer gift package tubos and other products that Cuban makers have never produced.  Also, the display boxes are often odd-sized compared to the cigars. 

     Now for the big question: Do the Cuban labels live up to the hype?  For me, the cheaper, less-known names were the more impressive than the big brands with the exception of Montecristo.  There is a distinct natural flavor in all of them.  It's similar to how a Pecos cantaloupe compares to the others.  Reviews are best left to another article by someone with more knowledge than me.  Remember, they're illegal to purchase, not to smoke.  Enjoy one if you get a legal chance. 

     So what’s a cigar fan to do?  My best advice would be to enjoy in moderation the good, legal cigars that a free market economy has produced.  Go to your local cigar pub and light one off.  Pub prices are double the internet box price, but it’s a chance to sample before taking the plunge.  Beware any “Cuban” someone picked up on a cruise ship stop.  It may be good, it may even be Cuban, but the chances that it’s a real Cuban are dismal.

A Personal Facebook Policy

               The rumors vary, but someone at work did something stupid on Facebook.  I have no idea what it was, but the popular story involved a stripper pole and a uniform shirt.  This led to a very broad policy that prevents us from discussing any connection to work on a social networking site. 

                My day job supplies a full day’s supply of frustration and anger.  FaceBook, in general, is a positive experience.  Since I’m not a super-social butterfly, it’s nice to keep up with friends and family and take on some good vibes.  I have a strong tendency toward being an arrogant prick, so this is an effort to keep that off my page unless it’s in good humor.  With a 500+ friend list, there’s a downer in the bunch every once in a while.  I decided to take measures to NOT be the downer.

I began researching other agencies’ policies and those of the private sector.  It occurred to me that these policies all serve a purpose:  Keep the entity from looking stupid.  I do plenty of stupid things, so maybe a few guidelines are in order to help me along.  This is also a simple step of emulating the people who do it right. 

Remember, employers often use social networking sites to make decisions on hiring, and often they are used by competition and opposition to monitor the “other side.”

                These are a collection of things I picked up along the way.  Unfortunately, some are lessons learned from my own social networking blunders.  Most of it is an extension of what my parents taught me:   If you can’t say anything nice…

1.       Keep all Facebook contact positive.   

2.        No politics or religion.  Yep, Grandma was right.  I have my own opinions based on 41 years of walking on this rock.  As I said in the first post on this blog, I find politics extremely frustrating and negative.  I’ve found ways to exercise my freedoms in the political arena and it’s not on FB.  Political posts tend to be erroneous, emotional and often maddening.  Religious postings are so voluminous and repetitive that they are read very little. 

3.       Never “unfriend” anyone.  If someone is a FB friend, we’ve had some positive contact.  We’ve shaken hands, shared something or maybe have some common ground but never met.  Whatever the case, we’ve chosen to align.  The “unfriend” option seems pretty childish to me.  When a “friend” posts negative, stupid nonsense on their page, I choose to “unsubscribe.”  This has recently (I think) become available on band pages.  When a “liked” band toured or released an album it would bombard you with comments.  You can now turn it down a bit.

4.       No Facebook Suicide.  Take a break instead of cancelling an account.  I recommend unplugging from the grid completely for days at a time.

5.       Remove negative comments made to your posts.   

6.       Use the family and friends groupings that allow posts to be visible only in certain groups.  The less you post, the more you’re read.  If you’re like me and sometimes use your page for advertising, this is a plus.

7.       Use a blog for venting unless it’s funny venting.  Friends will laugh at the story of the lady with back cleavage and a tube top but hearing about how “some people should mind their own business” violates rule #1.  Never make a passive-aggressive attack against anyone on your friend list. 

8.       No cries for attention.  This means not posting, “OMG, this is terrible!  It’s the end of the world, the worst news I’ve ever gotten” which is followed by twenty posts from readers asking what happened with no reply from the poster.

9.       If there is any possibility that a post may be pushing the limit, don’t post it.  It’s only Facebook.

10.   Feel free to violate any rule if it will be seriously funny.

So there it is.  May your FaceBook experience be regret-free. 

Do You Need a Concealed Handgun License?

I taught the Texas concealed handgun class for over 10 years.  In that time, the laws and administrative rules relaxed.  This reduced the amount of work for the DPS, instructors and CHL holders.  More recently the laws for carrying a gun have relaxed to the point that the vast majority of Texans don’t need a CHL.

I always opened my CHL classes with the participants introducing themselves and explaining why they are there.  The most popular answer was “I want to legally carry a gun when I travel.”  Carrying a handgun while travelling has been legal in our state for some time, but it was often clouded by circumstances that placed the burden on a citizen to prove they are traveling.  Once they established residence in another county by renting a hotel room they were no longer a traveler. 

Throughout my career as a firearm instructor I have always preached that a firearm should be carried on the body in a quality strong-side holster.  This is the safest, most secure means of carrying a weapon.  It is the fastest to draw, easiest to conceal and most comfortable to wear.  There are a few other circumstances where this may not be the case, but for the average cop or armed citizen there is no better option.  Guns should NEVER be carried in a purse, briefcase or stored in a vehicle.  These are all things that are frequently stolen.  One of the reasons we arm ourselves is to protect against robbery.  While handing the guy your property, why not hand him your weapon at the same time?

My point about the holster is to illustrate that many concealed handgun licensees don’t carry a weapon on their person.  Citizen’s guns most frequently live in glove compartments, consoles, between seats and in door pockets.  They’re often in a holster that hasn’t been strapped to a belt since their last trip to the range six months ago to fire the proficiency course.  Don’t laugh, most cops shoot about that often.  For lack of comfort or confidence, most don’t carry the weapon on their person.

The most recent changes to our gun laws implemented what is popularly called the “Castle Doctrine.”  This means that a person may carry a firearm in their home, vehicle, and places under their control.   The weapon has to be concealed and they can’t be criminals or do criminal things in the mean time.  Check out Section 46.02 of the Texas Penal Code.

So what does this mean?  Unless you intend to strap the weapon on your body, cover it with a jacket, outer shirt or conceal it in a “fanny pack” holster and carry it in public places, there’s no point in getting a concealed handgun license.  Depending on your age and other conditions, you’ll be out over $300 to get the license, and then on the hook to renew every 4-5 years at $70.  This may be well worth it to someone in the right circumstance, but experience says that most will rarely if ever use the privileges given by the CHL except for the shortened wait time in purchasing a handgun. 

When the Midland Shooter’s Association became a bad place to take customers I stopped teaching public CHL classes because it didn’t make enough money to rent or buy my own range.  I visited MSA this summer to qualify the Midland College Police and found that it hadn’t changed at all.  If you’re one of the few who could really use a concealed handgun license, I recommend Dennis Morris or Tom Vannaman.

The History of La Belle Fencing Club

The first thing most people say when they hear about our fencing club is, “I didn’t know we had that in Midland.”  While fencing isn’t the most common sport in these parts, the Permian Basin is surrounded by it.  There are clubs in El Paso, Amarillo, Lubbock , Austin, DFW, San Antonio, etc.  It’s a sport enjoyed by people of all ages, from kids to the 70+ crowd.  It’s often misunderstood and confused with reenactment swordplay.  Olympic  fencing is a sport.  So how did it wind up in Midland?

An article appeared in the January 10, 1983 Midland Reporter-Telegram that first announced La Belle Fencing Club’s existence.  Robert Walter, Gilbert Garcia, Mike Husband and Orlando Temple were the first members.  Robert was an import to Midland.  He had fenced in college and joined Gilbert’s fencing class at Midland College.  Mike was  the Plains Division President at the time.  Orlando, who worked for the City of Midland, had fenced for his home country of Panama in the Olympics.  The article also announced their first beginner’s class which took place in the old Parks and Recreation building behind Dennis the Menace Park.  It also explained that the club's name referred to a situation in a fencing bout where both fencers are tied at a score one touch short of winning the bout and the next touch decides the winner.

My mom showed me the article and I was immediately interested.  I was 12 years old at the time and found a book my Michel Alaux (which I still have) and started studying.  I took the class and stuck with the club for a couple of years.  The club moved around, meeting at the MAF National Guard Armory, the old Alamo YMCA, and even a few times in a day care.  A West Texas bust blew through and the membership dwindled to the point that insurance through the U. S. Fencing Association couldn’t be met and the club stopped meeting.

The club existed in pockets for a few years.  I began my career in law enforcement and didn’t fence for a long time.  I lost touch with everyone in the club.  One day I was talking about fencing and heard the name Lan Powers.  Lan became involved in the club in the late 80’s and early 90’s when I wasn’t in the picture.  He attended the USFA Coaches College around 1989.  I looked up Lan’s number and called him around 1991 but the hours of our jobs made it impossible for us to establish a regular workout together.  The club continued to exist in small pockets and eventually stopped meeting.

Sometime around 1996 I bumped into Robert Walter.  He had become a minister and I started attending his church.  Again, work schedules prevented any serious fencing but we did manage to work out a time or two.  In 2005 I was accepted into an investigator slot at work which meant I was to work banker’s hours for the first time in my life.  I called Robert and Lan and the club was up and running.

I went to the USFA Coaches College in 2006.  We already had a beginner’s class scheduled when I got back.  We were having a blast.  We started competing again and, although it wasn’t pretty, we were hip-deep in modern fencing.  Oh my, how it had changed.  The sport was faster, more competitive and popular.

By 2008, Robert had taken a job in Virginia. Lan’s successful family business (Scully Stone) and Aikido study pressed him out of coaching but he managed to come cross blades once in a while.  He is currently a Sandan (Third Dan.)

Jim Geitgey called me one day and asked about our club.  He was new to Midland and had studied under Coach Andrey Geva in Houston.  Jim is an outstanding epeeist and once brought Andrey to Midland for a clinic.  I still use notes from that clinic!  Jim started a fund for the club’s coaching development which pays tuitions for us to attend clinics and coach schools.  An unfortunate joint injury put fencing aside for Jim but his help with the club has ensured the club a long life.

We’ve experimented with various beginner’s courses from once-weekly classes to weekend clinics.  Members come and go but the club maintains a roster of about 20 members with a core group of about six who can be found at most practices.  The club met at the Martin Luther King Center until we were offered space at the Cole Theater's basement.  We were thrilled to have air conditioning and wood floors! 

We've been going strong for five years without hiatus.  The skill level and enthusiasm is still high.  We'll be announcing more beginner's classes soon!

Visit our website at www.lbfcmidland.com and friend us on FaceBook!

Please comment if you have any additions or corrections to the club history.

J Street Radio 1610: How to Take a Simple Project Completely Over the Top

This is how to take a simple project completely over the top.

As mentioned in my last post, I built an AM transmitter that allowed me to play music on the old Zenith from an audio source like an mp3, CD, etc.  After some research I picked the SSTRAN 3000.  It took an evening to build the kit.  I’m very impressed with the audio.  It sounded like the commercial broadcast stations.  In all the research I did on transmitters I learned about FCC Part 15 regulations.   Part 15 allows anyone, without a broadcast license, to transmit on the AM or FM broadcast bands under certain restrictions.  It’s the same type of system used by drive-in theaters, road information stations and people who play Christmas music from their house to accompany their lights.  It turns out that there are a lot of “microbroadcasters” out there.  The transmitter instructions included a modification for a base-loaded antenna which gives the maximum amount of coverage while staying within the regulations.  I had most of the materials in my shop already, so what the hell.

Shannon White of BJ electric in Midland was kind enough to provide me with some 16ga magnet wire which was the most difficult part to find.  Everything else came from local hardware stores or my scrap pile.  I followed the instructions for the modified antenna shown on SSTRAN’s website and followed some hints I found from various other sites.  The result was a strong signal for about a half mile and some satisfactory signals as far as 1.25 miles. 

I put together some music with some station ID in between and called it “J Street Radio 1610.”  Tune in if you’re in the “Old Midland” area.  The best reception is between Garfield, Cuthbert, Neely and C Street.  Power lines seem to randomly help and harm the signal and I’m sure all the trees in the area aren’t helping.  I've heard the signal as far as Midland College and the hospital

I’ve read about other low-power stations and some in big cities have quite a cult following and run a mix of live and automated formats.  I really don’t want to invest too much time in this, but it’s an interesting pursuit.  It takes about 30 minutes at the computer to put together a loop of interesting materials and mix in an ID message here and there.

I don’t expect much to come of this but if nothing else I have a nice strong signal around my house where we can hear anything we want from an AM radio!  

I got a lot of good tips from other people’s blogs, so here are some notes for anyone looking into a radio project who finds this page on a search engine:

1.       My antenna was built from SSTRAN’s modified in-line coil plans.  The main antenna section is ¾” and the base is 1” copper pipe.  This is said to increase bandwith and it will certainly stand up to the west Texas wind better than the smaller stock.  I recommend cutting the clamping notches as wide as 1/8” with an abrasive wheel.  This made a much more solid connection than a hacksaw kerf.

2.       I used 13 random length radials to 15’.  I used scrap Romex and didn’t remove the insulation.  I did encounter a buzz when connected to the ground.  I’m eventually going to add ground rods for my ham radio antenna.  That may solve the problem.  The antenna base is about 10’ off the ground on top of my shop.

 

3.       When I adjusted the gain, modulation and compression EXACTLY as the manual says, my range increased.

4.       There’s little data about the voltages across T1 and T2.  All the manual says is to keep it under 13v.  With the wire antenna and even the base-loaded antenna UNGRONDED the voltage was 6v max.  When connected to a good ground, voltage went to 13 and the range shot out to what I described above.  Ground is everything! 

5.       Instead of soldering connectors to the audio and power, I soldered lead-outs for them.  It saved money and gives a better connection anyway.  Since I had plenty of lamp cord and 4-conductor telephone wire, all I was out was a 1.8” audio plug.

The Old Zenith

A few years ago my wife came home from visiting her mother’s house and brought back a pile of faded wood and wires that was once a console radio.  It was currently a high-rise wasp apartment building.  I have some electronic experience and quite a bit of woodworking under my belt.  I thought that the innards were probably shot and I might end up using it as a retro-looking MP3 player.

A little research of the model number indicated that it was a 1937 Zenith Farm Radio.  It was originally sold with a wind charger and ran on a battery.  It made the large burn on the bottom shelf make sense.  The battery must have leaked.  The radio belonged to my wife’s great-grandparents and has remained in the family.  

One evening I started taking it apart.  The first thing that caught my attention was the workmanship.  It was built by hand.  There were no circuit boards.  The components were hand soldered.  The knobs are made of wood with set-screws holding them in place.  The tuning belt was leather.  I couldn’t imagine something built today looking that good after 70 years in a living room and four generations of kids.

I had no concerns about taking on the wood work myself.  All of the major parts were there.  As for the inside, I wasn’t too sure.  The old capacitors were shot and much of the cloth-insulated wiring needed to be replaced.  After more research, it appears that the radio didn’t originally run on regular house current.  It was battery only and the AC power feature was added later.  I decided it best to farm out the electrical work so I called Retro Audio Lab in Midland.  I can’t say enough about them.  They did amazing work on the radio and have a passion for restoring old gear.  They ran a build log here listed under “6B164.”  It was playing Craig Anderson’s radio show when I came in to pick it up.  The old grill cloth was a memory at this point.  I was able to find a small patch of the original cloth inside the frame.  I taped it to my computer monitor and surfed the catalog of some antique grille cloth manufacturers.  The rest was some basic stripping, cleaning, sanding and lacquer.  Car pin-striping did the trick in replacing the gold inlay.  I tossed a long-wire antenna out the back door and fired her up.  It works like it did in 1937.

We found a place in our living room for the old Zenith and fire it up from time to time.  It’s amazing to think of all the history that sounded from that speaker.  There is nothing like vacuum tube warmth and the glow of incandescent bulbs on an old dial face!  One of my next projects is an AM transmitter that will allow us to play anything over an unused frequency on the Zenith; mp3, satellite, etc.  We’ve already planned to listen to the original “War of the Worlds” when the transmitter is up and running.

This was one of my favorite shop projects.  It led to my interest in amateur radio and I understand what Rick Dale of American Restoration says about craftsmanship.  I’ve also come to appreciate the “boutique” electronics industry that is keeping this sort of thing alive.  There are guitar amps, amateur radio, stereo and do-it-yourself kits out there for the googling.    Sometimes it’s nice to turn all of the mass-produced Chinese digital stuff off and listen to the 70 year old analog tubes.

Want to Lose Weight?

                I’m still being asked how I lost weight.  Some people have wondered if I had gotten sick or divorced.  Months after reading Tim Ferriss' The Four Hour Body and following the program, I’m maintaining my target weight.  Not only has it been successful for me but several friends have had excellent results.  I’ve made notes throughout the process that will hopefully be of benefit to others.

                The first thing to understand is that most “diets” are intended to make one drop excess weight and are not designed for long-term sustenance.  Tim Ferriss’ program is no different, but it does make after-care simpler by helping understand where your excess pounds came from.  Nothing in his program is new.  It is simply a combination of other systems that worked perfectly for me.  It involved cutting things from my diet rather than adding new foods.  It fit my life perfectly.  It may not be for everyone but it has worked for me and several people around me. 

                Next, make the decision to drop the weight now.  Don’t look for excuses, wait until after your trip or until your spouse is ready to go on the same program.  DO IT NOW!  It’s possible to maintain this program anytime, anywhere.  I’ve stuck to it while hiking in the back country, on motorcycle trips, vacation in foreign countries, a week in Vegas, etc.  I’ve stuck to it while my wife is on an entirely different regimen.  There is no reason to not get started NOW!

                BUY THE BOOK!  Yes, part with some actual U.S. currency and buy the book.  Trust me on this.  You’ll spend more on your next trip to the movies and this will pay off.  Don’t try to shortcut and find the highlights of the diet online.  You won’t have to read the entire book.  There are some minute details and explanations that you won’t find anywhere else.  I bought it on Kindle and would flip through it in my spare time in order to keep fresh on the details.  It will explain the expected results, tips and tricks you won’t find on blogs.  It’s an easy, common-sense system but you still need all the information.

                Understand that you are changing habits.  You may be breaking some addictions.  I had to give up sugar in my coffee.  I mainline the stuff every morning but the additives had to go.  I still get my morning caffeine shock but it’s black these days.  If you’re not willing to take these measures, you’ll have no success.  If you can’t live without pasta, you’re screwed.  The first thing I learned was that our lust for carbs in the form of pasta, bread, beer and tortillas is the biggest source of love handles.  Get ready to miss your starch fix.  The good news is that you can pound all you want on your cheat days.   I re-introduced reasonable carbs after I hit my target weight to boost energy before endurance training.  We take in an enormous amount of calories in liquids.  You’ll be down to water, unsweet tea or coffee, one Diet Coke per day and a couple of glasses of red wine for a nightcap. 

                While the diet claims do drop 30 pounds in 30 days with no exercise, I still worked out.  Others did no exercise and still dropped.  I have severe exercise ADD.  Fencing is the only exercise I do with regularity.  Everything else comes and goes.  I hate running or cycling year-round and I won’t keep a strength regimen for more than a couple of months.  I have to rotate training to keep interest.  I’d suggest some sort of light exercise along the way.  My main purpose was to get as light as possible for fencing.  It was exciting to see my athletic abilities climb as I dropped about 20 pounds.  Even with a reasonable diet and high exercise before, I was still able to lean out that much on this plan.   There are several strength programs mentioned in the book.  Try the abdominal and kettlebell workouts.   I also added some medicine ball drills that worked pretty well.  They’re quick and beneficial.  I’m prone to back problems and found these exercises to be perfect for keeping the back in line. 

                When I hit my target weight of 195#, I stayed close to the diet for about another month.   Afterward I managed to maintain as mentioned earlier.  I drift within a few pounds of my target weight but will lean out quickly before a tournament, long hike, SWAT PT test day, etc.  I still don’t eat out much and keep the program in mind when I do.  I learned that white carbs are my biggest enemy and I’m very mindful of my intake. 

                You will drop weight if you stick to this program.  Your greatest chance of success will be had if you read the book.  Don’t be cheap and don’t be half-assed.  Read and follow the program and you’ll get there.  Remember that your current diet and exercise regimen dictates your current weight.  Once your target weight is reached, you’ll have to create a program to maintain.  Good luck!

http://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Body-Uncommon-Incredible-Superhuman/dp/030746363X