10X

I’d start by working some penetrating oil into it, with a lot of soak time.

That's when you really appreciate a wireless temp probe with alarm function, like this one. smoker temp probe Monitor both smoker and food temperature from up to 300' away, with the ability to set high or low temperature alarms. I've used mine on overnight smokes to wake me up when the smoker temp falls below a preset level.

Not a pellet smoker, but the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker has a lot of fans, including myself. They're fairly inexpensive, burn charcoal, with a lump or three of smoke wood. They will hold temp pretty well for several hours at a time, then just throw in a few more handfuls of briquettes. It comes in three sizes, I’ve got the middle one, which will smoke a whole turkey in the 12-14 lb range, or a whole medium-sized brisket. I’m smoking baby back ribs and two kinds of wings on mine today. Your wife might like this rib recipe--the honey BBQ comes through in the final step, and it's one of the simplest 'competition' recipes out there. Best Ribs in the Universe I'm trying this recipe today; it's a little more involved. Competition ribs I was supposed to be attending a BBQ cooking/competition school in RI next weekend, but it just got postponed indefinitely. Their own fascist governor prohibited all outdoor gatherings of more than 15 people, even if masks and social distancing are observed.

I favor standing, with a lightweight .22 and iron sights (so as not to magnify the muzzle movement). Prone, using a sling, is even better, but hardly anyone seems to do that anymore.

Look three posts up! :-)

Instant karma.

"It depends." The summer after Trump took office, there were 130+ intercepts over the Bedminster golf course within the first couple of months. Too many pilots were remaining clueless, so the Secret Service invited all local private pilots to a seminar in Bedminster. It was fascinating. The head of the presidential protection detail, one of the coast guard chopper intercept pilots, the head of the Allentown TRACON (the big cheese for that sector of airspace) all spoke. There may have been one of the fighter pilots present as well. Normal intercept procedure for a 'slow' private plane is to scramble a coast guard chopper they base at Somerset airport during presidential visits. It can catch most light planes, but has no trouble slowing down to match their speed. It's got a big lighted sign board on the side, and when it pulls along side it first displays 'tune 121.5' the emergency frequency the pilot should have been monitoring in the first place. They can give instructions over the air, but if that doesn't work, they can also use the sign board to give heading instructions and tell the plane where to land. If that doesn't work, or if the chopper can't get there in time, they scramble the fighters from one of the NYC area airports. They might be F15's, F16's, or F35's depending on the weekend--they rotate deployments. The lead fighter will slow as much as possible, pull along side to eyeball the trespasser, and try to establish radio contact or use visual intercept procedures Intercept procedures . If those don't work, they can perform a head-butt maneuver (pass under the target aircraft, then make an abrupt vertical climb in front of the target's nose) or fire flares. So far, one of more of those steps have always worked, but so far they've only been dealing with idiot pilots who weren't paying attention to the Temporary Flight Restriction. The Secret Service guy did say that a shoot-down authorization could only come from one of a handful of people in Washington, one of whom was always available for an instant consult. There is no local authority to shoot down a civilian aircraft. Once the pilot lands, they are met by local law enforcement (dispatched as soon as the landing location is known), and local law enforcement holds the pilot until the Secret Service arrives. The plane is inspected, and the pilot is taken away for a lengthy interview. The enforcement action taken depends on the severity of the infraction (Nicked the outer edge of the TFR? Barreled directly through the inner 10-mile no-fly zone?), the pilots history (Previous violations? Records show pilot normally gets a flight briefing but didn't today for some reason?). Were there any mitigating circumstances? (GPS satellite out of service? Electronics problems in the plane?) Penalties range from a temporary certificate suspension (perhaps with a requirement for some re-training), to a much longer certificate suspension, to permanent revocation. I think there is also a provision for substantial fines, but I'm not positive about that. If criminal intent is shown, that's a whole different thing... Interestingly, a lot of the violations the first year were guys just going up to practice take-offs and landings. Pattern altitude at some of the airports in the TFR is below radar coverage, so guys figured they could stay in the pattern for practice, and never be spotted on radar. The Secret Service guy made clear to us that airborne radar always follows the president. "Taxi around all you want, but if your wheels leave the ground, we'll know it" was the way he put it.

I did as well. 10:40 am. I didn’t even try to get outside for a visual-knew they’d be gone before I could get to the door, but it sure wasn’t bizjets flying overhead.

Yep, the pilot screwed up. It's so easy to check the NOTAMS, and also a legal requirement to get a briefing before each flight. I'd heard from another pilot (though I haven't seen it in print anywhere) that the last time Trump was in town, someone penetrated the 10 mile inner core of the TFR, and it progressed to the point where the lead fligher was firing flares. They only do that after all of the other options have failed (the coast guard chopper intercept with the 'tune 121.5' signboard, the fighter fly-by, the second fighter fly by, the head-butt maneuver). If you're seeing flares from the lead fighter, it's time to be very concerned about what the trailing fighter is up to. The TFRs go right down to the ground. There is no 'under controlled airspace'--it's not like being under a class C or class B shelf where the controlled airspace starts a thousand or more feet overhead.

xkcd

That's a lot to ask of a .22 LR, but I admit I have no direct experience trying to stretch one out that far. Nor am I likely to try. I've seen the occasional 200 yard .22 LR match advertised, but they seem rare. 100 yard a bit more common. Lots of 50 yard and 50 meter events, at which the .22s do fine.

They'd get the hell out of NJ. Millionaires leaving NJ at an unprecedented rate

I dunno...a few months ago where there wasn't a roll of toilet paper to be found in the tri-state area, it was because some bastards were hoarding!

If you are moving for work, and the commute is doable, living in PA will get you lower taxes and better gun laws.

Quite true. It's legal to ship it to yourself, because no transfer is taking place. You sign to ship, you sign to receive on the other end, and at no point does anyone else own the gun. That said, it can be really hard to find a place that will do this. When you describe what you want to do to the counter clerk, and then to the clerk's manager, they may both assume that can't possibly be legal and will dig in their heels. I've experienced this. Or you may be fortunate to find a place that understands the law, and you'll have no problem. Some years back, both USPS and UPS, by policy, allowed shipping guns to yourself. If that hasn't changed, it may be useful to find and print out the relevant policy (and relevant federal law) and take it in with you. A printout from the internet may not change their minds, but it might just get them to look it up for themselves. Good luck.

FTFY

Seems like for sniper use, you'd want a MUCH longer bayonet,

Others have noticed. I've seen a few articles like this one, all remarking on the sudden abundance of chipmunks. Chipmunk population explosion

I thought I did, but apparently the 'Air' button on the center console doesn't do what I'd hoped.

I do not want to go there. There is no group more opposed to the notion of flying cars than are pilots. It's a terrifying concept.

We were promised flying cars.

For handgun, earmuffs with the highest noise reduction ratio I can find. Howard Leigh electronic if I need to hear range commands, otherwise I’m fine with passive. Foam plugs for rifle and shotgun, as earmuffs keep your face off of the stock. Glasses always! I’ve yet to find plastic ones I really like, but it seems impossible to find any made with safety glass anymore. I love my old Bushnells.

I generally check Craigslist for such things. Facebook Marketplace (or whatever it's called) and NextDoor may be useful as well, though I've not actually used either, nor searched for a piano. We have a family piano that kind of migrates from house to house depending on who at the moment has kids interested in learning to play. The moving and tuning fees for a 'free' piano may make you suggest clarinet lessons as an alternative.

Oh, No! A casualty of the new range design? I'd wondered if the club was still going to allow matches like that now that the fancy new target carriers are in, sorry to hear they aren't. I'm hoping to get down there this week for one of the 're-opening re-orientation' sessions.

Ya know, a .22 short fired from a bolt action rifle is really quiet. Just sayin...