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Nathan is ill

24 Sep 2018
@ 01:42 pm (GMT)

Steph Foster

Nathan is really ill at the moment. He has been really struggling for some months now, chronically fatigued and really laboring to get through a day. It has culminated in a severe virus coupled with an abscess in his jaw. He is tired, in pain and has hit the wall physically, mentally and emotionally. I myself have now taken on more of the computer work to ease his work load while nursing him along as best I can.

I have decided that it is a time for a change.

I have to tell you guys right now that I am really angry - at Nathan and myself mostly.

The website that so many people cruise on so casually has been built through years of sacrifice, of our time, our money and our life experiences. In 15 years Nathan and I have had one weekend away together - that was to New Plymouth our home city and one trip to Las Vegas which was a business trip sponsored by (and mostly paid for by) Manson Reamers. We don't get out much.

We have made our own decisions and choices and we own them. The motivation behind everything that we have done has been to create something of real value for people all over the world. We thought if we went forward with a willingness to be open with our findings, to give honest unbiased information, to save people the same time and expense that we have expended in our research - that ultimately it would all be worthwhile.

To this end we have never bombarded you with pop ups and spammy, shitty adverts, we have never let you be trolled or accosted when you are on our website. The products that we have created to give us an income are the VERY, VERY best that Nathan has to give! His years of frustration and learning through trial and error, his real knowledge and experience encapsulated in easy to read step by step guides that if given the chance will save a hunter thousands of $$$ and still ensure they are one of the best shooters in their area. All the way through the creation of Terminal Ballistics research Nathan has wanted to help people by helping them to help themselves.

Long story short; Nathan is one of the most kind and considerate people I have ever known. It is not in his nature to ever take advantage of others nor short change them. To this end, I have to tell you that I am done.

I am done watching Nathan have his life sucked away by life vampires. I am done watching him rewrite his books on a weekly basis because people are too cheap and stupid to value his work. I am tired of people coming to him fishing for free info - "I have just spent $500 on a suppressor for my 6.5 shitmoore and now it doesn't shoot - help me!" You know what? Go fuck yourself. How much more free information do people need from us? Apparently the largest body of cartridge research on the internet is not enough.

We had a very curt email form a person who visits our forums. Apparently it is offensive for Nath to remove things from our website - it is censorship and the curtailing of peoples freedom. Well here is my opinion on this subject. This is NATHAN and MY website. This is NATHAN and MY space! Yes, you may enter and look around, you may use whatever information you like. But do not for one minute presume to have any right to post random crap which undermines everything that we believe in on our space. Do you think that if you go into a "Public" museum that you have the right to rearrange the exhibits? Do you think that a "Public" art gallery should exhibit your stick figure drawings because you have declared it art? If you do not like or respect what we do - go away. Our website and forums are not your personal facebook page for you to go sticking what ever shitty links to what ever dark hole of the internet you may find yourself in.

There is a reason a person who enters a website is called a VISITOR - think about it!

In this world of PC bullshit gone crazy, Nathan has felt that it is important that men be empowered. To be allowed to embrace the ability to literally put food on the family table and to be proud of their natural instincts as hunters and protectors. Unfortunately while trying so hard to empower others he has given away too much of his own power - worried endlessly about whether he is being too hard or too unsupportive. Lets just say he has worried a lot more about the majority of peoples feelings than they have worried about his!

Things have to change for us. We have tried our best to be helpful and supportive to all who have come our way and we have learnt the invaluable lesson that the majority of people will take more than they will give. The reward for digging the best hole is a bigger shovel.

To the people who have become our friends - thank you so much for your kindness and support. I am going to impart a most valuable lesson to you all - this is the hardest won lesson Nathan and I have ever come to. Being kind and giving to other people is a wonderful and noble endeavor but ultimately fruitless. Trying to make other people happy is a black pit that can never be filled.

It is time for Nathan and I to be kind to ourselves. We need to make some changes in our life.



Replies

30 Sep 2018
@ 08:39 pm (GMT)

Francis Saunders

Re: Nathan is ill
Hey Guys
Nathan good to hear your feeling better.
Mrs Forster and you now deserves a weekend away if not 10days! And not bloody New Plymouth.
Steph I hope you to can get some rest.
Kindest regards
02 Oct 2018
@ 04:32 am (GMT)

Stuart Talbot

Re: Nathan is ill
Nathan, great to hear you're feeling better. Hoping to continue to hear good things coming from NZ regarding your health.
03 Oct 2018
@ 04:45 am (GMT)

bryan long

Re: Nathan is ill
Good to hear,
if you're feeling a bit weak I read somewhere that the T3 lite in 7mm08 is good with a Soy Latte?

rest up!


Personally I don't think a few popups ads offering me the usual Russian girlfriends, cures for baldness etc. would take for my enjoyment of this site. B
06 Oct 2018
@ 10:59 pm (GMT)

William Score

Re: Nathan is ill
I’m very glad to hear that you are feeling better Nathan. Appreciate everything you and your family does for the shooting/hunting community. Thoughts and prayers to you and yours from Nebraska.
07 Oct 2018
@ 06:32 pm (GMT)

Luke Schmidt

Re: Nathan is ill
Glad to hear you are feeling better Nathan. I don't post much but I've really enjoyed rhe site and benefited from it.
Without your advise i would not have understood how stock design affects recoil, i would not have had the confidence to buy the 375 Ruger that I'm happily hunting with (just got in today ). Without your knowledgeable base I would probably still be hunting with the silly short barrelled 338 (lousy gun, it kicked worse then my 375, the stock was hard to hold and ballistics would have been bad out of the short barrel) and i probably could not have nailed my first caribou (good story for another time). I'm currently chasing brown bear and loving it. There is a serious "pucker factor" when you go looking for one of those hunks. Honestly I probably wouldn't be doing it solo if I didn't feel so good about my gun and load.
Hope you are able to recover and start shooting again soon. In the meantime don't sweat the site. It's a great contributor to the sport as is. If you neer changed a thing it would be useful for a lonnnngggg time to come.
07 Oct 2018
@ 06:45 pm (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: Nathan is ill
Hey Nathan, Steph & Riley,

Sorry for the delayed post. Relieved to read Nathans is recovering.

My sympathy for the rough time that you are both enduring.

Believe me I understand how these trials can be. And if there is any way I can help beyond some words of support, please let me know.

That aside, thank you all for your work, kindness & support over the years. You have a huge amount of support here which is really great to see.

This too shall pass...

Kia kaha,

Jon

07 Oct 2018
@ 09:36 pm (GMT)

Paolo C.

Re: Nathan is ill
For many of us hunting is life, it is the comparison of man with the elements but it is also the comparison with oneself and one's own limits.
We can not live without hunting: is like breathing.

Nathan, Stefh, hold on: in your heart there is the hunt, you will win on all the elements.
08 Oct 2018
@ 07:26 am (GMT)

Nathan Foster

Re: Nathan is ill
Hi Guys, thanks again for all of your kind comments. Its been really heart warming to read your posts and emails.

I guess I have underplayed this a bit. Did not really realize how run down I have been or how dangerous this infection has been. 3D scans last week, surgery shortly. Am told I won't know myself in a few weeks. I hope so because I have slowed down these past months. I could not hold food for a few months, could not get through dinner and when I tried to do my usual wake up routine after heavy email help sessions (jump in the river mid winter) I just about passed out.

Thanks again, you guys make this all worth while.

08 Oct 2018
@ 08:33 am (GMT)

JOHN HAYS

Re: Nathan is ill

Nathan,

We used to read about guys who come back from Africa or the Arctic “in broken health”. Well that is not some pre-modern-medicine thing. It can happen right here right now. Diet, exercise, lots of sleep, and MOST OF ALL stop the stress!

Little sleep and lots of stress open our bodies to killer diseases. Nip this in the bud now. Nothing is more important for you and the ones you love.

Take care, and take our prayers with you always. You have friends all over this planet.
10 Oct 2018
@ 08:02 pm (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: Nathan is ill
Good man Nathan.

Take some time out brother. Your health is your best friend.

Besides, Steph's pretty damn good at posting stuff too... ;-)

He he, just joking... humor is always good.

Take care man, keep us all informed,

Jon
12 Oct 2018
@ 01:26 am (GMT)

Randall Meston

Re: Nathan is ill
Nathan,

We all love and appreciate all your efforts here, and the groundbreaking research and support of long range shooting.

That said, you have to put yourself and your family first. Simply saying "no" can be very powerful indeed.


Randall
12 Oct 2018
@ 01:13 pm (GMT)

Aaron Peterson

Re: Nathan is ill
Wow, I guess it's been a few weeks since I've been on here, and I missed the news. I'm so glad you're on the mend Nathan. I hope you're still on a good path towards recovery. I'm sure this has taken a toll on the whole family. My prayers are with you all.

I just wanted to say that I'm so very fortunate to have stumbled upon your work, and I can't express in words how grateful I am for everything you've dedicated your life to provide the hunting/shooting community- worldwide. It's absolutely not all for not. Your books are amazing (I own and have read them all, and am starting to read through them all again). I've learned so much from you, and can't thank you enough for sharing all your wisdom so selflessly. Thank you too Steph for being an amazingly supportive wife. I wish my wife was a quarter of how supportive of you are for Nathan. It's obvious he's not done this alone.

I hope you get back to 100% very soon, and I hope your family makes the changes needed for all your wellbeing. I support you 100%, and I completely understand how you all would need to take a step back and make significant changes.

I wish I could take over for you! I've mentioned before how I believe you're living my dream life. I'd love to be doing the same things as you, and to be where you're at with the amount of knowledge and wisdom. I try all the time to share the things I've learned from you, and pass it along when I can. I give you credit as much as possible, and always post links to your website. I'm always recommending your books every chance I get.

Get well soon, and please don't let all the assholes in the world get you down!

13 Oct 2018
@ 09:18 am (GMT)

Anthony carter

Re: Nathan is ill
Hi Steph and Nathan,
I hope that the opperation went well and that they managed to get rid of all the crud that was causing the poisoning, hopefully you are both getting at least a little rest to help with the recovery. I can recomend a realy good and informative book set to read in your downtime ;-) , my thoughts are with you all and hope that life becomes easier for you guys.

Take care
Anthony
16 Oct 2018
@ 09:04 am (GMT)

Nathan Foster

Re: Nathan is ill
Hi all, just an update. Have not had any surgery yet, surgeon vs dentist still debating. Dentist has had a dig around, root canal. Hoping the infection will clear itself, not sure yet. More xrays etc. More dental visits.

I am walking around the house now. Eating a bit more finally. Lost so much weight.

Discovered our rain water tank (and others locally) contaminated with ecoli. No wonder I was hit so hard, a double infection. Tank now treated.

So - a mixture of resting and walking around house, hunting the offending starlings (ecoli) with an air rifle. Not exactly my usual hunting. The only work I am doing is going over the Manson / Foster reamer designs but I get foggy which poses a risk of mistakes. So its a case of do a bit of math for an hour, then come back the next day and check it again.

I have had a few guys email wanting make sure I am taking plenty of Vitamin C. Yes, I am doing so and thanks for your concerns. I have some giant Vit C pills supplied by the chemist. Also, plenty of Colloidal Silver which seems to be accepted here in NZ by the medical and vet community but still appears to be considered a bit psuedo in the U.S. Also taking manuka honey but its easier to just cut a small branch and boil it. Also Ginger and tumeric, fresh roots, chopped and boiled.

Thanks for your ongoing support guys.
16 Oct 2018
@ 09:53 am (GMT)

Warwick Marflitt

Re: Nathan is ill
Hey guys check out this UV rural water filter and purification process.

https://daveynz.co.nz/at-home/whole-house-water-treatment.html
16 Oct 2018
@ 10:02 am (GMT)

Warwick Marflitt

Re: Nathan is ill
Video of water treatment options
https://youtu.be/8AESZAlv94E
16 Oct 2018
@ 07:15 pm (GMT)

Richard Butler

Re: Nathan is ill
Hi Nathan, just another suggestion to add to the mix. Have you checked out Tank Vacs? May be of some value even on rain water supply.
16 Oct 2018
@ 08:18 pm (GMT)

Mike Davis

Re: Nathan is ill
dentist/doctor/root canal/infection......been there and done that.... wasnt feeling well at work and had brain fart ,drove landcruiser into workshop pit!!!! went home and to bed,wife woke me 3 hours later and face looked like Id been hit with shovel....into doctors,sent to dentist up the hall....emergency lot of antibiotics....into dentist next day,they cut hole in gum and he actually used the words"weve got a gusher here" cleared the waiting room!!!! my tooth got ripped out and bunged back in 4 times that week before absess drained away.Xray showed hole/infection about the size of a golf ball in top gum so not too far from eyes and grey matter.
it was a wake up call,a couple more hours and I wouldve been in deep dooh doohs.
5 years on still got the tooth and havent looked like having repeat issue.
get your self sorted Mate,take care all three of you.
17 Oct 2018
@ 08:25 am (GMT)

Nathan Foster

Re: Nathan is ill
Thanks Mike, very interesting, same sort of thing but I am still not sure yet what is going to be done.

Richard, that looks quite nifty. Neighbors further down the line have been complaining about their filter system, blocks up too quickly, costs too much each year. This could be the fix. Thanks!
18 Oct 2018
@ 05:06 pm (GMT)

Richard Butler

Re: Nathan is ill
It is also possible to get a floating intake. It sits inside the tank and floats just below the surface so hopefully avoids the sediment which has fallen to the bottom.
25 Oct 2018
@ 09:11 pm (GMT)

Olly Agbebi

Re: Nathan is ill
Nathan, I'm really glad to hear that you're on the mend. It sounds as if its going to be a bit of a long road but it'll be worth it if it puts you back on an even keel. I'll keep every thing crossed for you.

I know I've only been on here five minutes and I'm a complete beginner but its been long enough to appreciate the truth behind Steph's words. In fact I was going to post my support when you talked about the lack of appreciation for quality education provided at reasonable rates. I didn't because well, I was brand new and didn't think it would hold much weight. Now I wish I had

You've provided a tremendous resource. I came here on the advice of a UK deer stalking forum, (where you're work is very highly thought of), to broaden my understanding of calibers, etc. I was immediately blown away by the quality of the info that you've made available, starting with "Effective Game Killing" along with much more. I've learned a tremendous amount, enough to get an inkling of how little I know and how much further I need to go. People are lucky to have access to your work.

I for one will be showing my appreciation in an appropriate manner as soon as I can manage it, (life and personal circumstances are giving me a bit of kicking too right now).

All I can say is, on the Ballistics Studies front don't lose heart, you are appreciated and on the health front, take some time out to get well and then take some more time out on a regular basis for your self and Steph. After all this isn't a dress rehearsal, we only get one go at this.

Fingers crossed for you mate.
26 Oct 2018
@ 10:07 am (GMT)

Nathan Foster

Re: Nathan is ill
Thanks for your kind words Olly, I really appreciate it. I did a little bit of work earlier this week, really knocked me over. I slept most of yesterday and then all through the night. So it is taking time to regain strength. Just have to take it slowly.
02 Nov 2018
@ 01:13 pm (GMT)

Frank Vallich

Re: Nathan is ill
Once the dental work is clear you will recover health!

For 18 years, 1990 to 2008 an abscessed tooth would flare with ear infections being too easily diagnosed by too many doctors. Too many hours on aircraft was one diagnosis. A specialist stated my escutcheon tubes were too small and I required surgery. Ha! While in Rovinj Croatia two days after 911 I received eye ear nose drops plus antibiotics at the hospital, my left jaw bone looked like I was cheeking an apple. I would be weak and then recover but never feeling 100% as the antibiotics would numb the bacteria.

Finally had a panorama x ray of my teeth by a new dentist is a new city.
BINGO! One molar pulled and one root canal later, aches and pains in neck and shoulders relived and health returned.

Once again I'm just a nasty man! Haha

To your new life as a bad man!!
08 Nov 2018
@ 09:25 pm (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: Nathan is ill
Hey Nathan & Steph,

Newer roof water catchment systems have a"first flush system that diverts the first bit of water off a roof to disposal rather than into the tank. Its like rinsing the roof of all the crap built up on it before you take it to the water tank for potable supply. Let me know if you want details. A drain layer should be able to help you with this.

Re water filtration & UV sterilisation of water for potable supply. New houses must have this these days for Dept of Health requirements. Let me know if you want info as I specify & supply these systems often for my clients.

Prob some cheaper Chinese ones around too.

Re dental pain & infection. Its the worst pain I've ever known so you have my sympathy. I too have been to hospital for as few days with a failed root canal & subsequent tooth extraction. Feels bloody good once it's gone! The tooth I mean. Sometimes that's the only reliable option for it to heal.

Cheers,

Jon
10 Nov 2018
@ 08:42 pm (GMT)

Hamish Gibbs

Re: Nathan is ill
Mmm when the codiene washed down with gargled whiskey just wont work and your halucinating thinking your a lego man trying to unplug the side of your face...
+1 for tank vac as well as floating out take. There sure are some nice first water diversion systems out there but real simple/cheap and effective is a length of pipe t'ed off in a low section before tank with a cap on the end with a small(maybe 1/4 inch hole in it) first water off roof with crap diverts down pipe then after rain slowly drains out hole in lower of cap, to flush remove cap during rain to flush out larger debris.
 

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