I thought about posting on this subject yesterday and resisted the urge. Yet here I am doing it today instead. Entering acronym hell--and that's the least of it. But first a modest disclaimer.
Disclaimer: VFTD is in no way opposed to the efforts of individuals and industry to secure paintball's place in the state of California as a recreational & competitive activity.
If you hadn't figured it out yet the title refers to the freshly minted special interest group and lobby, the California Paintball Safety Coalition. (A link to the latest info at ProPaintball is in the title.) What disgusts me in this process is (the apparent) default to automatically playing their game. If the title of the group reflected reality it would the Coalition to Keep Paintball Safe from California. Instead it's "1984" quality doublespeak wherein everyone pretends we all share concerns about safe paintballing and want to work together in the best interests of all Californians when in fact businesses and industry dependent on paintball are scrambling for their very livelihoods. With no immediate redress other than to hire some parasitical "lobbyists" in order to gain access to some (moronic) politicians the whole thing bears the imprimatur of law but as a practical matter is little different from the local thugs selling "insurance" to neighborhood businesses.
Frankly it makes me want to puke and probably means I don't have any future career options in politics.
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ABOUT
About Baca:
Baca Loco is the forum name I first used at P8ntballer.com and kept when I starting writing for PGi magazine, the late, lamented Paintball Games International. At various times I did gun reviews, event reports, the occasional feature, How-To’s & a monthly column entitled, View from the Deadbox. At one time or another I’ve done most everything you can do in paintball other than own a field or run a tourney series. For the last several years I have coached a number of pro teams and generally made a nuisance of myself whenever possible.
About VIEW FROM THE DEADOX:
One purpose of this blog is to encourage a dialogue about competitive paintball and permitting commenter anonymity is intended to encourage the participation of those who actually know what they are talking about. The rest of you are also welcome, even encouraged, to comment as well. (I don't really need any encouragement.)
The other purpose of this blog is to provide a focus for my attention deficit disorder and hold boredom at bay.
About my views:
Brilliant, visionary and almost always correct. Get used to it. Oh, and I'm humble too. Feel free to disagree as long as you are prepared to be wrong.
Baca's email
VFTD Overview
Blog Rules
Baca Loco is the forum name I first used at P8ntballer.com and kept when I starting writing for PGi magazine, the late, lamented Paintball Games International. At various times I did gun reviews, event reports, the occasional feature, How-To’s & a monthly column entitled, View from the Deadbox. At one time or another I’ve done most everything you can do in paintball other than own a field or run a tourney series. For the last several years I have coached a number of pro teams and generally made a nuisance of myself whenever possible.
About VIEW FROM THE DEADOX:
One purpose of this blog is to encourage a dialogue about competitive paintball and permitting commenter anonymity is intended to encourage the participation of those who actually know what they are talking about. The rest of you are also welcome, even encouraged, to comment as well. (I don't really need any encouragement.)
The other purpose of this blog is to provide a focus for my attention deficit disorder and hold boredom at bay.
About my views:
Brilliant, visionary and almost always correct. Get used to it. Oh, and I'm humble too. Feel free to disagree as long as you are prepared to be wrong.
Baca's email
VFTD Overview
Blog Rules
FAQ
How is paintball like golf? Golf is played outdoors on nice, well kept grass or, if something goes horribly wrong, off in the woods. Same with paintball.
How is a paintball made? What am I, Wikipedia?
Who are your sponsors? Who hasn't been one of my sponsors? I won't be trying to promote current sponsors on this blog nor will I take shots at non-sponsors. I don't give gun, goggle or gear advice so it really doesn't matter.
What's your view on cheating? It's wrong and has no place in the game. That's why I don't play scenario or Big Games.
What's your favorite marker? The free one.
Where did that awesome photo come from in the blog header? It is the work of photographer extraordinaire, Brandon Showers or the vixen with a Nikon (or maybe a Canon) Meagan Foster.
What's your favorite team? Grow up.
Who started the Rec vs. Tourney war? Some will say that's just the way it's always been. Others claim it's natural for the sides to be at odds. I say, aren't we all brothers under the goggles? I'm not sure but ask yourself who benefits? Follow the money. Could it be a covert plot of the Military Simulation Industrial Complex? As long as the war rages on there will be a demand for more paint, more markers and Big Paintball will continue to count its profits instead of the cost. Give peace a chance. That's all that I'm saying.
How do I get sponsored? You don't.
Will you send me any free stuff if I tell you what a big fan I am? No.
Is agg dead yet? Yes, it's time to move on to some new uber hip trendiness that everyone can follow to demonstrate their individuality.
Is it true the inside of Ollie Lang's gearbag smells like roses? No, strawberries and cream.
You don't really know any Pro players, do you? Rats, you caught me out.
What makes your opinion so important? It's my blog, d'oh! And has already been noted I'm almost always correct. There's quite a lot to be said for being right.
How is a paintball made? What am I, Wikipedia?
Who are your sponsors? Who hasn't been one of my sponsors? I won't be trying to promote current sponsors on this blog nor will I take shots at non-sponsors. I don't give gun, goggle or gear advice so it really doesn't matter.
What's your view on cheating? It's wrong and has no place in the game. That's why I don't play scenario or Big Games.
What's your favorite marker? The free one.
Where did that awesome photo come from in the blog header? It is the work of photographer extraordinaire, Brandon Showers or the vixen with a Nikon (or maybe a Canon) Meagan Foster.
What's your favorite team? Grow up.
Who started the Rec vs. Tourney war? Some will say that's just the way it's always been. Others claim it's natural for the sides to be at odds. I say, aren't we all brothers under the goggles? I'm not sure but ask yourself who benefits? Follow the money. Could it be a covert plot of the Military Simulation Industrial Complex? As long as the war rages on there will be a demand for more paint, more markers and Big Paintball will continue to count its profits instead of the cost. Give peace a chance. That's all that I'm saying.
How do I get sponsored? You don't.
Will you send me any free stuff if I tell you what a big fan I am? No.
Is agg dead yet? Yes, it's time to move on to some new uber hip trendiness that everyone can follow to demonstrate their individuality.
Is it true the inside of Ollie Lang's gearbag smells like roses? No, strawberries and cream.
You don't really know any Pro players, do you? Rats, you caught me out.
What makes your opinion so important? It's my blog, d'oh! And has already been noted I'm almost always correct. There's quite a lot to be said for being right.
Blog Archive
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2011
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June
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- The EPBF Strikes Back
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- Cut From the National Enquirer
- What Was the PSP thinking?
- The Monday Poll
- You Call That A Grind?
- Back on My Hobby Horse
- CBXL Event #2
- Deadbox Puppet Army
- CAPSC
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- Calls to Action (Paintball Edition)
- Support CFP
- Rules of the Game
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- The Virtue of Numbers
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VFTD's Lost & Found
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22 comments:
Baca for President!
Glad the group made progress and paintball can be played another day. Sorry to see a bunch of undeserving folk (read lobbyists and politicians) had their palms greased to make it happen. Its only a matter of time until they come back for more..
My issue with the group is a large part of them are ready to throw in the towel now that "paintball has been saved". This will leave airsoft, a budding industry and game like our own, standing by themselves and circled by the sharks looking for a kill. This is both short sighted and selfish.
We need to be working together. Closer with our own industry/fields/etc. to see that this doesn't happen again, and closer with other shooting sports. This anti-airsoft/paintball bill should be seen as a great opportunity for paintball to work together with the airsoft group as well as the NRA in fighting anti-gun legislation. At the end of the day, we are all in this together. Lots of airsoft players play at paintball fields and are exposed to our game/sport. They not only add additional revenues to the field owners but they are alot closer to becoming customers of our industry. Think about it -- they play a game where cheating is rampant (honor system, no mark left when you get shot). We play a game that leaves a mark. Its a logical progression that eventually they will want to give paintball a try.
We are all in this together.
Why do you hate freedom?
Baca says,
Hey Justin. I'm not convinced aligning with the 'real' gun crowd does paintball any favors nor do I think we want to be in this together if the result pairs our markers with real guns in the public consciousness.
And when it comes to Airsofters it's hardly a gateway to paintball--the gateway to paintball is acceptance of the potential pain involved. Airsoft is Mil-Sim and I'm not particularly excited about the idea of either further encouraging or strengthening that element of paintball. I'm just not.
Fortunately I don't think the NRA needs paintball's assistance.
I'm with Baca on this. Aligning ourselves with real guns or even Airsoft is not necessarily in our best interest. I do however believe Baca does have a future in politics even if he doesn't and still think he would make a great President (or at lease Czar of Paintball).
Its not the presidency Baca would have to worry about, its the assasination. Cause all honest politicions are eventually done away with.
The above poster assumes that such a species actually exists.
The purpose of the California Paintball Safety Coalition was to change the proposed legislation to not affect paintball. If you're going to name your group something, you might as well name it something that fits with the message you are trying to send.
And, with regards to the stated purpose of the legislation, paintball guns *ARE* safer. Unlike the replica airsoft handguns that prompted this legislation, kids are not just running around their neighborhoods playing paintball. Cops are not going to come across a group of kids paying paintball and not know what's going on. That's not true with airsoft guns sold to the general public, and we shouldn't try and act like the two are the same when they are not.
Were the airsoft community smart, they would take the time to create policies that address the problem. For example, they might only sell "replica" airsoft guns to commerical facilities that rent them, or to people who agree not to provide them to minors. But right now, airsoft is choosing to put these devices out there in the market, and AIRSOFT needs to be responsible for the consequences of that, not us.
Raehl,
Almost all of the major manufactures on the save paintball coalition sell or try to sell "replica" style guns at big box retailers. KEE, Tippman, Kingman, etc. Google it. Your argument about airsoft community being smart easily applies to us the paintball community.
The heart of the issue for me is that you can not legislate common sense. Painting your gun -- bet it paintball or airsoft, will not fix the problem of "Johnny" walking into 7/11 or a bank and being a dumb ass. Thats what parenting is for. And if that fails, then darwinism. Its about education and common sense.
A bad law is a bad law. This time we lucked out. Next time who knows. The trick these days seems to be a strong lobby that handles these types of issues before they reach the legislative floor and or before its too late.
But none of the paintball manufacturers sell replica-style guns that can be used outside of a designated paintball field/course. The issue with the bill wasn't "things that look like guns", the issue was "kids playing in the street with things that look like guns". And paintball guns have nothing to do with kids playing in the street with things that look like guns. Paintball guns shouldn't have been in the bill, and now are not. The bill, which is now only about things kids play in the street with that look like guns, can now continue through the legislative process. Those who are opposed to requiring things that kids play in the street with that look like guns to be brightly colored can continue to work against the legislation.
Do airsofters normally play in the streets? I did not know this. I only know them to play in forests and at proper facilities, such as paintball/airsoft fields. We are so behind the times up here in Canada.
Reiner, do you think that a kid who buys a 15$ 9mm replica goes and plays it in a facility? For what purpose, to pay more? To play in shitty scenario setting? To play under parental control?
They play it in abandoned houses, industry parks, streetcorners or where ever they might find it fun.
Reiner,
It's because it's too cold in Canada for kids to play in the street. LOL
Seriously, I probably have more BBs on my front yard than the local airsoft shop has on the shelves.
Here school is over and kids do play on the streets of the community I live in. And most don't have orange tip...
Am I the only one noticing that Baca and Chris agree on this? Am I the only one concerned about the ground shaking and the skies darkening? Am I the only one gathering canned goods and my short-wave radio?
Baca said,
You live in Cali, Don--you should be doing that anyway. A Walmart Ruger wouldn't go amiss either. :)
I think hey only appear to agree. I am sure that once they gain clarity on each-others position, they will find that they hate each other even moore than before, and normal service will be resumed. Those canned good will come in useful when the Chinese force up the price of corn in the US (already happening) and you can't afford your burger anymore.
Baca said,
C'mon, Missy, if the Feds allowed corn to be a food crop again and removed the restrictions on Brazilian sugar for Ethynol production we'd be okay -- for a while.
Frankly it's a near miracle we haven't seen an explosion in commodity prices except of course for all the QE this and that the Western world economy still hasn't deleveraged all the bad debt in the system.
Watch Greece and see the future.
Whats with all of this talk about bad debt, systematic failure, radios and canned food. Sounds like y'all are preparing for some interesting times.
Got my attention, please, continue. ;)
The think I picked up on was that China have progressed from a food exporter to a food importer, for the first time. This is effecting the price of Corn, and through corn, the price of meat, and any corn derivative food. Also bear in mind that the US government already pays farmers 150% of the value of their corn crop (because they really want them to grow corn).
so, Coming soon - The 'Corn-War'
My republican uber-christian-god-fearing midwestern in-laws already sent me 30 days worth of dried food, "for when the inevitable happens". I wouldn't mind, but they delivered it in the form of a Christmas Present....
Baca said,
Missy, you lucky whore. The first ever Christmas gift I got from my mother-in-law was FOL tighty-whiteys I opened, of course, in front of all the relatives. Sometimes you just gotta laugh. :)
The Army wants to know: did you model them for her?
I think most paintball enthusiasts may come to regret throwing airsoft under the bus. Giving anti-gun legislators a sacrificial lamb is no way of protecting your sport in the long run.
Many paintball companies have already given in to the the mil-sim bug, as you can buy any number of Rap4 or military style paintball guns online that do not have a bright orange tip just like the ones airsoft guns are legally required to come with. Take a look at rap4.com if you don't believe me.
United we stand, divided we fall.
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