http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt The Pelennor Fields White Book: Red Book reincarnated Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:32:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Back home again for another weekend at last. This past week overall has been pretty light as far as homework goes, but the physical aspects are ramping up--or at least the physical *hazards* are ramping up. PT itself wasn't too bad (except for Monday), but both Wednesday and Friday we ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/10/11/10-down-8-to-go/ It turned out that the Radio Procedures class, far from being useful and applicable and whatnot, was a horrendous waste of time. The class was four hours long and we actually spent more time talking on the radio during our brief pursuit in EVOC several weeks ago than we did ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/10/09/stark-rooms-and-rubber-hoses/ We're now over the hump and on the downhill slide. The magic number is "11", as in "December 11". The other magic number is "10", as in "number of PT days remaining in the academy". Yesterday was probably the worst PT day yet, or at least a definite contender. Running ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/10/07/9-down-9-to-go/ In the past I've had or listened to various conversations about corporal discipline, when it is appropriate, and the horror stories of Child Protective Services (CPS) coming in and taking away your children. There have been plenty of rumors and also some disturbing "friend of a friend" stories. Therefore I ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/10/02/its-okay-to-spank-your-children-in-washington/ Last week was the end of week 8. We're over the hump of week 9, the halfway point, and trying to stay awake. I haven't been posting much here because to my view, nothing much interesting has been happening. I'm not sure if that's because this week is less interesting ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/10/01/8-down-10-to-go-and-mind-the-boots/ One of the students in my class taped his camera to the dashboard and took some videos of the EVOC driving course, including [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNWaJL1MJ3M "One lap around the course during daylight"). Look for me in my cameo appearance at the very end of the clip; I'm the dealer in ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/09/23/evoc-video/ Yes, it burrnnsss, precious. Today was OC-10 day, and a solid burst of oleoresin capsicum in the face has imparted unto me these wise words, which I now pass on to you: stay the hell away from OC spray, for verily it is of the devil. Alternatively, next time you ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/09/22/it-burns-us/ Spokane evidently doesn't have laws prohibiting panhandling, and in certain places it shows. It is particularly bothersome in the area of the Wal-Mart that I patronize on occasion for various little items. There are always beggars on the freeway off-ramps, and always the *same* beggar at the entrance to Wal-Mart ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/09/20/transience/ EVOC week is over. Day two (Wednesday) saw us on the raceway again doing more of the same from Tuesday, plus a braking exercise. The braking exercise consisted of approaching a series of cones at varying speeds from 30 to 50mph (both with ABS and without) and employing "threshold" braking ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/09/20/7-down-11-to-go/ One-third of the way through, and time can't fly fast enough. Yesterday we began the practical portion of our EVOC training with the skid car and some post-PIT maneuvers. The post-pit procedures are designed to prevent things like [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv3zaHkeaJY "Fruitiness!") from happening. In that video (at 01:50 or so), it seems ... http://www.pelennorfields.com/matt/2008/09/16/6-down-12-to-go-and-time-to-drive/