"Now Brett steps in...Gossage ready, the pitch."

1st Inning.

Highlights of the Brew Crew...This past Memorial Weekend the family and I took the RV out on its maiden voyage.  We headed to Truman Lake about 1 hour southeast of the Kansas City area.  It is a lake that I visited during my youth where we would go camping and fishing at the Bucksaw Campground.  My grandpa would drive his RV and many of my uncles, aunts, and cousins would show up and grandpa would take us out on his pontoon boat to go fishing or just a ride around the lake.  Now I have my own family and we are creating new memories with our RV.  Well, we headed south on Friday a little after noon and stopped at the Flying J in Peculiar, Missouri to fill up with gasoline (first fill up for us in that guzzling beast) and propane (much cheaper than I thought it would be) and get signed up for the Flying J RV Rewards card.  While filling up the gas tank, it gave me a chance to inspect the dump station/water station for future reference.  After getting fueled up we were back on the road headed towards the lake.  We stopped briefly in Clinton, Missouri at the Wal-Mart to stock up on groceries (that place is a madhouse on a Friday during the summer) then onto the campground.  Just outside the campground entrance their is home that sells firewood $5 a stack and we picked up two (gotta have firewood!!!). 

 

We arrived at the campground and were told they did not have any hook-up sites so all that remained were primitive sites.  That lead to us taking a tour of the C Loop of the campground and choosing the last site we stayed at on our previous trip a couple of years ago.  Upon making it back to the gate to pay for our site we then needed to dump the black and gray tanks and fill up the fresh water tank.  These resources are right next to the campground entrance kiosk and provided another first in our RV adventures.  I hollered at Gina to get out of the vehicle and follow along as I went through this process for the first time.  Every thing went smooth (apparently I bought a used RV full of $hit as the black tank was showing 2/3rds full).  Making it back to the campsite we backed her in and unloaded the firewood, chairs, and some coolers.  That was it. No unloading a van/truck/car to figure out which tote had what or unrolling a tent and yelling at each other on which pole went where.  Smooth.  We had a great night.  The next morning saw a storm come through with thunder, lightning, and rain. But no worries as we were safe and dry in the RV.  Hearing the thunder I just rolled over and went back to sleep.  You have to understand that the last time we visited that campground in a tent and at the specific site we had a helluva storm roll through that had the wife and girls terrified as we wondered if the tent would stay staked down and would not leak too bad. 

About mid-morning the campground attendants came by to tell us that an electric hook-up site had come open and we had first choice so we jumped at that chance.  Loading up what little we had out we drove over to the B Loop and found our site lakeside and just over from the swimming beach.  Due to using too much of the freshwater I saw a chance to fill it up with a community water spout but even with 3 hoses I still didn't have enough length to reach across the road.  Thankfully our across-the-road-neighbor let me borrow his and we were back in business.  With the freshwater tank full again and electricity running through the RV, I kicked back in my chair and opened a cold one while the kids headed off to the beach.  We woke up the next morning and again, not much to clean up or pick up. We were off and gone with no trouble.  Let the adventures begin.... 

2nd Inning.

American History lesson...Memorial Day.  From www.usmemorialday.org, "Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service...(It) was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery...It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all." It began to be celebrated on the last Monday in May when Congress passed the National Holiday Act of 1971 which lead to it becoming the unofficial start to summer. 

 

I watched the National Memorial Day Concert this year and it was hosted by Gary Sinise and Joe Montegna.  They have been hosting it for several years now and they really do an honorable job of reminding us of why we celebrate the day. This year they shared the story of the Granville brothers.  It is shown below.



God Bless all of you that put on the uniform to do what many of us can not do.


3rd Inning.

Random Thoughts...Being a homeowner sucks at times, especially when it rains and you get water in your basement... Banana pudding should be the National Dessert...It is okay for your family to go out to the car while you finish the 2nd of your 2 for $7 margaritas at a restaurant...A walk-off hit to end a ball game should always be celebrated with teammates at home plate...I always have the fear of getting a poop pain while sitting in the dentist's chair...Would it be a good gift for my wife's birthday if I got a picture of me made doing the George Costanza couch pose?...Does anybody from the KC area remember Crematia Mortem?...Maybe during a rain delay they could have the MLB players from each team try to perform the best slide across the tarp on the infield Rick Dempsey style...Sheldon Cooper would get this country back on track within six months...

4th Inning.

Vacation Destination...This week I came across this exciting theme park news.  If you have ever been to Universal Studios-Orlando then you know that it is a great amusement park destination for the family (but wait until your kids are upper elementary IMO).  The wife and I went way back in 2000 and at that time the big addition to the park was the Spiderman 3-D ride (which after riding it I threw up while doing a quick exit upon the ride ending...I blame the Incredible Hulk roller coaster I rode prior to the Spiderman ride).  Anyway, after 20+ years on tv and a small presence at Universal Studios, The Simpsons will now be given a larger section at the park which should be a blast!  So stop by Springfield and enjoy a Duff beer at Moe's then head over to the Kwik-E-Mart for a snack then get your picture taken in front of the statue of Springfield founder, Jebediah Springfield, then finish the day off with dinner at KrustyBurger!  Video promo is below. Enjoy!

5th Inning.

Articles of the week...

• Drink a beer have a good time, drink 200 beers and piss off Cardinals fans!...A Kansas City Royals fan moves to St. Louis and decides to cause a ruckus and tick off Cardinals fans through a beer drinking contest.
• One of the best post-game interviews in MLB...If this was about a Yankee or Cardinal I wouldn't bother posting it but it's not so here you go.  I love baseball and this fella loves baseball.  Gotta love a player that shows his enthusiasm for the game!
• A popular NFL quarterback gets fan love...Robert Griffin III is emerging as one of the more popular players in the NFL and fans in Redskin nation showed their love for him recently.  Must be nice to have a popular QB...
• This IRS mess is getting U-G-L-Y...In a former job position with my current employer I conducted National Security background investigations for a Federal customer and I can guarantee that if I conducted those investigations with the same criteria and scrutiny that the IRS used in this Tea Party mess I would be fired and facing jail time.
• Choose your Kryptonian Ancestral House...With the upcoming release of  'Man of Steel' they have posted a site that decides what Ancestral house on Krypton you would belong to after a few personality questions.  I am a member of the Dar House. Jeremy-Dar.  Which is very weird because my middle name is Darrol.  Hmmm...

•  The Queen meets a dying boy...There are not enough feel-good stories to remind us of the good that humanity possesses.  This one involves a Hollywood actress that has class.
• The oldest living American Veteran...With Memorial Day recently passed it was nice to read this article about a WWII veteran. 
• Marvel Superhero trivia & a 4 year old girl...Stan Lee would be proud of this little girl and her knowledge of the Marvel Comics Universe.
• More guns, diminishing gun crime rates...If we were to believe the gun control fanatics you would think are nation is/has been suffering from ever increasing numbers of gun crimes. Not so...says the Federal Government. Say what? Yeah, the DOJ released new statistics that re-confirm what the NRA and a plethora of gun rights organizations have been saying.  The problem is not a gun problem it is a cultural and moral problem with too many people in this this country.

6th Inning.

Movie I want to see...again.... My top 10 Teen Comedy Movies of the '80s Countdown Part 9....One Crazy Summer.  My countdown continues with another entry by John Cusack.   In this Cusack installment he plays Hoops McCann, a recent high school graduate that wants to become a writer/illustrator.  His buddy, George (played by Joel Murray, brother to Bill) invites Hoops to spend the summer on the island of Nantucket with him and that's where the crazy summer begins.  Enter another friend on the island played by Curtis 'Booger' Armstrong and another played by Bobcat Goldthwait and a little known actress by the name of Demi Moore.  Demi's character, along with Hoops and his buddies, is out to save her grandfather's home from demolition so the rich family on Nantucket can develop it.  Good fun and lots of laughs.  Add this one to your rainy day dvd collection.  Trailer is below.  Enjoy! 

7th Inning.

Firearms Corner...This week I wanted to showcase one of the new faces over at the NRA News...Colion Noir.  He is another example of the diversity of gun owners.  We are not all crazy, old, white, right-wing extremists!  You can check out his NRA News contributions here and his YouTube channel here. 

8th Inning.

FFL Factoid...This week's FFL Dealer type: Type 09.

· Dealer in Destructive Devices--Dealer in firearms, including destructive devices, ammunition for destructive devices, and armor piercing ammunition. Requires payment as a Special Occupational Taxpayers (SOT) Class 1 (can act as an NFA Dealer). To deal/broker any destructive device with an explosives content (e.g. flash-bangs) requires an additional Federal Explosives License as a Dealer of High Explosives.  Fee is $3,000 for three years.

9th Inning.

On May 15th, the Kansas City Royals nation lost a great member...Fred White. I grew up during the Royals glory years in the late '70s/early 80s and always remember Fred's voice along with Denny Matthews calling the games on the radio.  Even after he left the booth for the Royals you could still turn on the AM side of the radio dial and have a chance at hearing him call Big 12 basketball.  I did have the chance to meet Denny and get his autograph in his book (along with seeing his World Series ring up close) and I wish there would have been the opportunity to meet Fred.  R.I.P., Mr.White.

"I want...a keg...of beer..."

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

"Take my hand and we'll make it I swear..."

1st Inning.

American History Lesson..."Give me Liberty or Give me Death!".  This past week saw the National Rifle Association hold its annual meeting in Houston, Texas.  This annual convention draws various members of society from the firearms/ammunition manufacturers, to 2nd Amendment enthusiasts, to members of the law enforcement/military community, and many politicians and celebrities.  Well, this year Patrick Henry showed up to give his famous speech. 

2nd Inning.

Movie I want to see...again.  My top 10 Teen Comedy Movies of the '80s Countdown Part 7--"Ferris Bueller's Day Off".  So, I was perusing the Netflix selections this past weekend and what do I find?  You guessed it...Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  I had not viewed this movie in several years and this time my oldest was interested in watching one of old dad's '80s comedies too.  The movie takes place in the Chicago area where high school senior, Ferris Bueller (played by Matthew Broderick), and his buddy, Cameron, and girlfriend, Sloane, decided to skip school and enjoy the day in downtown Chicago.  To get there, Cameron is persuaded to borrow his dad's prized Ferrari.  Their adventure finds them dining in a fine restaurant and almost being caught by Ferris' dad; going to a Cubs game; and Ferris singing 'Twist and Shout' in a parade.  All this while the principal, Ed Rooney, is out to prove Ferris is intentionally missing school and bust him.  A side plot point is Ferris telling his parents he is sick to get out of going to school then everyone in school and around Chicago wishing Ferris to get well.  This is a running joke throughout as Ferris' sister, Jeanie (played by Jennifer Grey in between starring in 'Red Dawn' and 'Dirty Dancing'), knows he is faking his sickness and she is also out to prove it.  Well, the movie ends with everyone pretty much getting what they want from that day...even Rooney finally catches Ferris only for Ferris to be saved by Jeanie at the last moment.  Special cameo by the one and only, Charlie Sheen, as a drugged out 'Boy in the Police Station' (per the credits).  I'm making a habit of this while chronicling this list but I don't have this one in my dvd collection either and it is a 'must-have'.  The trailer is below.  Enjoy!  

3rd Inning.

Sports...Ballpark beer/concession prices.  Last year my wife bought us a half-season ticket package for the Kansas City Royals to ensure my ability to get All-Star game tickets last summer.  Well, taking 3 children to the game can be very expensive if you don't know the best deals in the ballpark and we quickly learned what those were after a few games.  As you can imagine drinks are always expensive, especially the beer.  At Kauffman Stadium there are, of course, many vendors selling beer and it takes awhile to figure it out (I enjoyed the research on this).  You have the vendors walking the stands (no-no), you have the food concession areas in the concourse (no-no), you have a Boulevard Beer bar next to the Diamond Club behind home plate (bleh), and you have the little beer vendors in the concourse that sell draft and canned beer.  This is where I found the best deal--24oz Coor's Light for $10.  Expensive but overall the best deal and one usually lasts me most of the game.  The folks over at MSN.com put together a top-ten list of 'priciest ballparks for beer', check it out and my fellow Kansas City fans should rest easy, we didn't make the list.  If you have found a better deal at the K, please leave your tips in the Comments section of the blog! 

4th Inning.

Funny Videos...

• Will Sasso driving...I came across this little video of the actor/comedian, Will Sasso, doing a great Arnold impression while driving.  Will was a regular on the old MadTv show (which in my opinion was funnier than SNL). 

• Another funny video starring Patton Oswalt as the Penguin in a Batman sketch where Batman has an issue understanding death.

5th Inning.

This ole...baseball game.  Several weeks ago the wife and I were cleaning out our basement storage to prepare for our annual spring garage sale.  As we were cleaning I came across one of my old 'memory' boxes where I kept old elementary/junior high/high school items along with a few college ones.  In that box was a story I wrote about a baseball game played during one of my summer league years and I've decided to include it in this week's post.

"It was late in the summer of 1992 and the summer baseball league was almost over and we were playing in a tournament in Oak Grove, Missouri.  The tournament was double elimination so we had to lose twice to be out and go home.  Our team had beaten all the others so it came down to one game between us and a team from St. Joseph, Missouri...." (Continue)


6th Inning.

Random facts about me...I still believe Ross and Rachel were on a 'break'...I love a good bock-style beer...I take every opportunity to sneak up on Gina while she is in the laundry room and can't hear me and yell 'BOO'!...I believe that if a pitcher is throwing a no-hitter you DON'T talk about it...I have mini-bust statues of Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Franklin, and Teddy Roosevelt that are actually old perfume decanters...I have 3 bookshelves here in my basement office and each one is organized for a different genre--History/Government, Comics/Fantasy/Sci-fi, and Sports/Yearbooks...I have lived in the following cities: Grandview, Missouri; Raymore, Missouri; Belton, Missouri; Kansas City, Missouri; Timbo, Arkansas; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Cordova, Tennessee; and Memphis, Tennessee...The first CD I ever bought was Doug Stone's "From the Heart" (big hit on that CD was

'Why Didn't I Think of That') to be played on the cd player I won the night of my high school graduation at the official after-grad party...If you were to view my spam folder for my personal email account you would think I have a 'size' problem, an erection problem, weight problem, but there are plenty of females ready to have a good time with me...only after I send my bank account information to those government fellas in Nigeria so they can wire me $12,000,000...

7th Inning.

Firearms Corner...How ammo is made.  With the craziness of the current ammo shortage I thought it would be good to post a video about how ammo is made in order to highlight the components used in the process.  Many sources in the industry have stated that it is a complete supply line chain issue starting with the basic components that are at the root of the shortage issue.  So, it's not just the government buying up all the ammo or Joe-Bob driving to every Wal-Mart in the city to buy it all up and turn around to sell it at gouge prices. 

8th Inning.

FFL Factoid...As we continue with the FFL Dealer types, this week is Type 07.

• Manufacturer of Firearms/Ammunition other than destructive devices and Dealer in firearms other than destructive devices (includes: rifles, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, gunsmith activities, and National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons if you apply for and purchase a Class 2 License).  Application fee and the first three years is $150.  Renewal every three years is $150. 

9th Inning.

Baseball Sports related video...If you don't ever get choked up when this is played then you need help.  I've stood up took my hat off and placed my hand over my heart down here in my basement office when it is played on tv before the Royals' games.  Let this anthem play on...forever...

I hear the train a comin', it's rollin' 'round the bend....

1st Inning.

Highlights of the Brew Crew...Last week saw the Brew Crew celebrate Dixie's First Communion at the local Catholic Church.   It was a special ceremony for her and we are very proud of her.  Leading up to the event she was very nervous and she had us practicing with her with saltine crackers here at home.  She said the wine was okay.  She loved dressing up in the new dress and getting new shoes and having Gina paint her fingernails white to match.  My little tomboy is going all girly-girl.  Well, six more years and it will by Lucy's turn...After the First Communion we headed to Kauffman Stadium for our first Royals game of the year (thanks to the Nugen clan for the free tickets!).  The weather was perfect but the Royals were not as they laid a rotten egg in game two of a Sunday doubleheader.  But the kids had fun and little Lucy kept the folks around our seat entertained with a little booty shakin'... The previous day, Saturday, had us in the gym watching Kylie play volleyball.  She has really enjoyed playing and she is now organizing a neighborhood league for all the kids.  The one thing I noticed at her game Saturday morning was the opposing team's coach wearing knee pads throughout the match.  Not sure if she wanted to play or if she was a possible substitute if needed because some of the 5th graders on her team were taller than me...After reading/hearing about several friends/colleagues/acquaintances ending their cable/satellite subscriptions and turning to Netflix/Hulu for their tv viewing I decided to check out Netflix.  I was once a subscriber to their dvd-in-the-mail service 14 years ago when Gina and I bought our first DVD player and we received a free intro subscription but eventually it wasn't worth it because you could never get the new release movies in your queue.  Well, turning the streaming service on for the first time through the Wii and through the girls' Nooks I found a plethora of old tv shows that I have been wanting to see again such as 'Buck Rodgers of the 25th Century' and the original 'Battlestar Gallactica' along with many other modern shows that I missed during their original runs on tv but I always wanted to see like 'Supernatural'.  The kids have enjoyed it during their first week and they have watched several cartoon shows/movies...Over the last week I have been noticing on my Facebook account a few interesting things and had a few interesting thoughts.  I have joined a few 'swap & shop' pages local to the KC area and they are mostly 'Manly' pages where 'Manly' things are to be bought/traded.  But as I see things posted and discussed it has been entertainment to see people get upset or comical when folks respond to their asking price (price gougers will not be tolerated) or for some of the less 'Manly' things that show up (see purses and ladies shoes).  So, fellas, if you are looking for some easy laughs or some 'Manly' items for your man-cave you should look into joining a local 'swap & shop' Facebook group, you won't be disappointed. 

2nd Inning.

American History lesson...Among many groups of people on both sides of the political spectrum there have been various uproars about the Federal Government and its power to imprison people in camps for being of a certain ethnicity, political belief, etc.  This type of thinking fuels many conspiracy theories that just won't go away.  But recently I came across an article about George Takei and the Japanese Internment camp in Rohwer, Arkansas during WWII.  I have been familiar with this former internment camp and his connection to it since I married my wife 14 years ago.  She is from McGehee, Arkansas which is right down the road from the camp and my in-laws live just a few miles in the other direction of the camp.  I have seen this place up close and come to understand the disgraceful circumstances that go with it. 

 

To sum it up--people of Japanese descent were rounded up at gunpoint during WWII and sent to internment camps around the United States where they lived during the war years.  This was all done through Presidential Executive Order 9066.  Do I hope that this never happens again?  Of course and I don't mean to imply that our Federal Government is evil and is always out to get us.  The government is elected by and run by humans and if there is one thing we have learned throughout human history it's that humans are nowhere near perfect and another lesson we see in our history is that if we don't learn from it we are always doomed  to repeat it.      

3rd Inning.

Build your own survival team...Hmmm...Here we go with my team.  Who is on yours?

• Leader/Brains-Me
• Brawler-Cousin David(former HS wrestler/bar bouncer; loves the phrase "I thought you'd be bigger")
• Weapons Expert/Supplies-My buddy Big Rob(comes from a military/intelligence family and knows his weapons, knows how to gather intel on sales through his kids' Facebook accounts, and knows to bring his wife to an ammo sale when there is a customer limit per box so she can buy some too!)
• Craftsman-My Stepdad(mechanic and all-around fix-it guy)
• Medic-Cousin Michelle(nurse)
• Car Guy-Uncle Randy(mechanic, all-around fix-it guy, and weapons expert--can't have too many of those around)
• Mascot/Bad Things Happen But Remains Alive-Brother-in-law Stephen(Southern redneck...hello-that cries out Zombie Survival team mascot plus he is the King of 'hold my beer and watch this')
• Wonders What's Happening-My wife(the reigning 'Miss 20 Questions' champ)
• First to Die-The first people we find that don't have anything we need I'm slapping a red shirt on them(if you know what that means)
• Bites Zombies-Samson(German Shepherd/my little brother/parent's dog)

4th Inning.


What I'm watching...The Office.  So, May is upon us and so is the 'May Sweeps' period on tv where the show seasons end for their summer break and some shows end for good.  One of the shows signing off for good this May is 'The Office' on NBC which is an Americanized version of a British show of the same name.  Per Wikipedia, "The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. To simulate the look of an actual documentary, it is filmed in a single-camera setup, without a studio audience or a laugh track. The show debuted on NBC as a mid-season replacement on March 24, 2005, and features Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B. J. Novak and Ed Helms among the main cast. Series star Carell, who portrayed Michael Scott, left the series near the end of the seventh season. Since its debut, the show has aired 196 episodes and is currently airing its ninth season, which has been confirmed to be the series' last.  The series is scheduled to conclude with a one-hour finale on May 16, 2013." 

I have been watching this show since it debuted and it has been a hilarious show to watch (if you can catch reruns on syndication-DO!).  The cast of characters has in that little office in Scranton have kept me and my family entertained for many years.  From Dwight Schrute and his many odd quirks and fascinations with beets, bears, and Battlestar Galactica to Jim pranking Dwight at every turn (see video below) to Phyllis and her husband Bob Vance 'of Vance Refrigeration' to Stanley and his crossword puzzles and stubbornness to the accountants-Kevin, Oscar, and Angela and their many debates/quarrels to Meredith and her inability to stay clothed or sober to Creed and his clueless yet always illegal behavior to Pam and her innocence as she tries to always do what's right among all these lunatics to the ever popular and totally inappropriate behavior to his subordinates, this show delivers.  But I will be honest, when Steve Carrell left the show it did lose a huge player that made the show even more enjoyable.  Well, if you get the chance check it out and until then here's a couple of videos to sample! Enjoy!






5th Inning.
Movie I want to see...again...My top 10 Teen Comedy Movies of the '80s Countdown Part 6--'Can't Buy Me Love'.  This is a classic and during my junior high/high school years, seemed to always be on at my buddy's house when his sisters were at home.  Here we have another nerd/geek that wants to be popular (I think this was the only plot scheme for '80s teen movies) so in an attempt to save the most popular girl, Cindy Mancini (played by Amanda Peterson who other than having a few minor roles on tv never acted professionally after 1995), in school from a sure death by her mother for ruining her valuable dress, Ronald Miller (played by Patrick Dempsey) works out a deal with her in which he will pay her $1000 (so she can buy a new dress) and she will agree to act as his girlfriend for one month...all to make him popular and accepted in the 'cool' crowd at school.  They end up connecting emotionally but then Ronald gets greedy and sees greener pastures beyond Cindy with other popular girls and just living up the life of a popular high school kid.  Well, as is expected his world comes tumbling down  when he shuns his old friends that were part of the nerd/geek crowd and then later when it is revealed that he paid Cindy to 'like' him.  He becomes an outcast and nobody from either clique wants anything to do with him.  But there is a message in the movie at the end about ending the cliques of the high school caste system and everybody being treated with dignity and respect.  Side note-Ronald's little brother is played by a young Seth Green.  Another 'Brewer Must-Have'  that I need to officially add to my DVD collection.  The trailer is below.  Enjoy!   



6th Inning.

Music...Country music.  This week saw the death of George Jones and the birthday of Willie Nelson who turned 80 and with that I thought I would comment on the country music genre.  I've talked about growing up with rock and roll oldies but I also grew up with country oldies and during the Urban Cowboy craze.  I didn't really care for the music until my high school years when I began wearing cowboy boots and wearing button down shirts and bolo ties (dork alert as my wife would say).  I do remember visiting my grandparents house in Arkansas and on nights when my dad would visit with a new album we would go into my Papa Brewer's room where the record player was kept and listen to the record.  Old tunes by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard, and Waylon Jennings could be heard those nights in my Papa's room. 

I really didn't have any interest in the music for myself until those high school years which was around the early '90s when folks like Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, and Clint Black started emerging on the scene.  My first country concert was going to see Alan Jackson's 'Don't Rock the Jukebox' tour at Kemper Arena here in Kansas City, Missouri then a George Strait concert at the Missouri State Fair shortly after 'Pure Country' came out.  Well, after all these years, I've seen my interest widen and focus more on the older country and rarely on the new stuff.  I'll take Johnny Cash any day over Kenny Chesney and I'll take The Possum any day over Tim McGraw.  Give me some Bocephus over Jason Aldean and pass me a cold one while you're at it!  On my MP3 player you will find Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Mark Chestnut, Clint Black, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr., Travis Tritt, Alan Jackson, Charley Pride, Alabama, Vince Gill, Johnny Lee, Don Williams, David Alan Coe, Charlie Daniels Band, Ronnie Milsap, Mel McDaniel, Claude King, Faron Young, Jon Anderson, Joe Diffie, Randy Travis, Conway Twitty, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, George Strait, Toby Keith, John Michael Montgomery, Kenny Rogers, Loretta Lynn, and Shenandoah.  Country music is definitely playing in my truck, is playing around the campfire at deer camp, and will be playing when I dance with my girls at their weddings.  My interest in the music has passed on to them even with their Disney Radio stars competing for their attention.  I remember many parties in college where we would sing-a-long to 'Family Tradition' with those extra parts of the song we all like to add.  One of my favorite songs of all time is below in a video of Willie Nelson.  Enjoy!




7th Inning.

Firearms corner...AR15.  There has been tremendous attention paid recently to the AR15 due to the tragedy in Newton, Connecticut last December and along with that an enormous amount of misinformation by politicians, news people, and celebrities.  So, I'm going to devote this week's Firearms Corner Inning to discussing the AR15.

Eugene Stoner created the rifle while working for the Armalite Corporation during the post-WWII years.  Stoner also created the .223 Remington cartridge which is the standard round for the rifle , well, until the 5.56x45mm NATO round was developed (see the differences in those closely related ammunition cartridges here).  Colt ended up purchasing the rights to the AR15 design but there are companies in almost every state in the U.S. that make a rifle called an 'AR15'.

A common misconception is that the 'AR' in AR15 means assault rifle or automatic rifle which is false. The AR stands for Armalite.  With the widespread manufacture and use of this type of rifle it is now commonly known as an MSR or Modern Sporting Rifle.  It is used for hunting, self-defense, and competition.  WTNH News out of New Haven, Connecticut put together a very good piece on the facts about the AR15 and it can be viewed below.

 

Special Report: Firearm Facts -- the AR-15

What attracts many people to the AR15 is it's ability to be accessorized.  Literally this rifle is like the Barbie doll for adult men and women.  You can buy different kinds of buttstocks, pistol grips, forward handguards, foregrips, optics, lights, lasers...you name it and there is something new and different you can put on it.  You can also buy these rifles in either the traditional black or just about any color or pattern you can imagine.   

But try not to overdue with the accessories.

Another great video on the history, versatility, and reason the rifle is so popular.




8th Inning.

FFL Factoid...(Continuing previous weeks' factoid with more info on the different types of licenses.)

• Type 06--Manufacturer of Ammunition for Firearms other than ammunition for destructive devices or armor piercing ammunition.  Fee:  $30 for three years. 

9th Inning.

Calling a baseball game...Gotta love Bob Uecker calling a game.  With the way my Royals have played over the last 2 decades, me and my fellow fans have felt the thrill of defeat too often...




Extra Inning.
10th Inning.

Taylor Morris story.
I received an email last weekend like many of us do that has a message or tells a story and it has usually been passed around the Internet over and over.  Well, this was one that I had not heard or seen but it was one that I wanted to share and you can view it below.