We the People of the United States, In Order to form a more perfect Union...

1st Inning.

American History Lesson...Constitution Day.  September 17th is designated as Constitution Day which is also the date the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The law that created the holiday in 2004 mandates that publicly funded educational institutions provide educational programming on the history of the U.S. Constitution.  We as a Nation have become ignorant regarding this great document and how it provided the foundation for our country and our system of government that has lasted longer than was probably intended or expected.  The folks over at the Media Research Center interviewed folks at the National Mall and found many people that couldn't name 3 of the amendments.  What may be even worse is this story about a college student trying to handout copies of the Constitution on the holiday on his campus.  That was a no-no.  The Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves.  For more information on the Founders and to view a copy of the Constitution (I keep a copy on my desk always) and the Amendments please check out http://www.constitutionday.com.   

2nd Inning.

Movie I want to see...X-Men: Days of Future Past.  If you saw 'The Wolverine' this past summer and stayed until the credits were over for the extra scene then you saw there was a lead-in to another X-Men movie.  That movie is X-Men: Days of Future Past.  This storyline is taken from the comic books and was one of the most popular plot lines that hit the comics world in its day back in 1981. 

 

 

A picture of a Sentinel.

This new film will be the seventh in the X-Men movie series.  It will be a sequel to both the 'X-Men: Last Stand' and 'X-Men: First Class' along with taking place after the events of 'The Wolverine'.  There will be plenty of mutants in this one in addition to new villains, in particular the Sentinels which are mutant hunters.  Per Wikipedia the plot is: "The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-Men: Days of Future Past. The beloved characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from X-Men: First Class in an epic battle that must change the past – to save our future."  For additional plot lines/spoilers check out this article over on Screenrant.com. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over on YouTube, MovieBytes put together a cheat sheet to keep track of all the characters to be included in this jam-packed sequel or inbetweenquel.   

3rd Inning.

Articles of the week...



• Stargate Reboot...I am a big fan of the original movie and all the tv shows and hearing this has got me nerdcited!
• An obituary...A great obituary for what sounds like a very interesting man.
• Private Property or Government Property..."Diligently protecting the right to privacy and property guarantees religious, journalistic and political experience, as well as a free market economy and sound money. Once a careless attitude emerges with respect to privacy, all other rights are jeopardized."  A good little piece from Ron Paul.
• Professor Embarrassment?..."One conservative college professor’s support for traditional marriage was enough for one online commenter to brand him 'the biggest embarrassment to higher education in America.' "  His response is awesome!
• Time to secede..."A group called the Western Maryland Initiative, incensed that their heavily conservative part of Maryland is ignored by the rest of the largely liberal state in the state’s legislative process, is calling for the five counties of Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick and Carroll to secede and form their own state."  This is not just limited to Maryland.  There are other movements in Colorado and California.  I support these efforts and I think it would be a positive movement for our nation.
• Wedding Dead...An interesting wedding photo shoot...not like shooting zombies but sort of...
  
• Poverty, shmoverty... "Americans who live in households whose income is below the federal  'poverty' level typically have cell phones (as well as landline phones), computers, televisions, video recorders, air conditioning, refrigerators, gas or electric stoves, and washers and dryers and microwaves, according to a newly released report from the Census Bureau." And tattoos, cigarettes, alcohol, and a new iPhone!
• Public Ignorance Department..."We have to ensure that our citizens are well informed and prepared to face tough challenges," she said. "If there is a single child not learning about civics or not being exposed to what they must do as citizens, then all our lives are poorer for that."  A great woman and American. 
  
  Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/09/06/201376/retired-justice-sandra-day-oconnor.html#.UjnusyEo7IV#storylink=cpy
• High-Tech toys...Christmas is right around the corner and this list has plenty of ideas for that hard-to-buy for person.

  

  A hunting bike and great gift for that hunter that has everything or a flat tire on his atv.

4th Inning.

Uncle Jeremy's Tips To Getting The Nation Back On Track...Starting with my generation let's begin replacing Social Security with 401Ks...Let's eliminate government-backed student loans which will bring down the cost of college tuition...Provide school vouchers to everyone and let capitalism and the schools compete by providing the best education...Conduct an audit of Fort Knox and let the public know if the gold is still there then let's get back on the gold standard...Sell government assets to help with debt such as commercial land, underused buildings, valuable parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and financial assets...A member of Congress collects a salary each year equal to that of the U.S. median household income which according to Census Bureau data for 2012 would be around $50k, oh, and no pension once they leave office...Move all Congressional retirement funds into Social Security and make all past, present, and future Congressional members use Social Security or the 401K plan mentioned above...End drug prohibition and reduce gang violence and murder as was seen when we ended alcohol prohibition and saw Al Capone and the mob lose influence and murder rates decline...Encourage entrepreneurship and reduce government interference through deregulation...

5th Inning.

Funny Videos...

Ben Affleck playing Batman while in Good Will Hunting.


An inspirational and motivational video from Obama supporters!




6th Inning.

Random Facts About Me...I have walked across the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado...I have consumed an entire Silky O'Sullivan's Diver buckets by myself...I prefer a campfire and a cooler of beer over any bar...One of my favorite tv shows is 'Mysteries at the Museum'...It is my belief that aliens will make contact with our civilization before I die...I like Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band...I believe the Football Pro Hall of Fame did the right thing and Derrick Thomas does belong in Canton...I believe that my wife watches Law&Order/CSI-type shows so she can off me and be free and clear (if I disappear, this is my warning!!!)...I once played on a men's slow-pitch softball team called 'The Young Guns'...

7th Inning.

Firearms corner...Obama Gun Control Executive Action #14.  On January 16, 2013, President Obama issued 23 Executive Actions in response to the tragedies of Sandy Hook.  One of those actions, #14 in his list, provided $10 million to the Centers for Disease Control(CDC) to research gun violence in the United States.  This was a significant move due to the fact that in 1996 Congress passed a ban on research by the CDC to advocate for or promote gun control.  Much of the mainstream media started doing a touchdown dance at this news.  It was a chance to stick it to the NRA who they blamed for the ban's implementation.  Well, after 17 years of a ban on research what did the CDC find?  Kyle Wintersteen with Guns and Ammo magazine compiled seven major bullet points and they are as follows: 

1.  Armed citizens are less likely to be injured by an attacker:
   “Studies that directly assessed the effect of actual defensive uses of guns (i.e., incidents in which a gun was ‘used’ by the crime victim in the sense of attacking or threatening an offender) have found consistently lower injury rates among gun-using crime victims compared with victims who used other self-protective strategies.”
2. Defensive uses of guns are common:“Almost all national survey estimates indicate that defensive gun uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals, with estimates of annual uses ranging from about 500,000 to more than 3 million per year…in the context of about 300,000 violent crimes involving firearms in 2008.”
3. Mass shootings and accidental firearm deaths account for a small fraction of gun-related deaths, and both are declining:“The number of public mass shootings of the type that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School accounted for a very small fraction of all firearm-related deaths. Since 1983 there have been 78 events in which 4 or more individuals were killed by a single perpetrator in 1 day in the United States, resulting in 547 victims and 476 injured persons.” The report also notes, “Unintentional firearm-related deaths have steadily declined during the past century. The number of unintentional deaths due to firearm-related incidents accounted for less than 1 percent of all unintentional fatalities in 2010.”
4. “Interventions” (i.e, gun control) such as background checks, so-called assault rifle bans and gun-free zones produce “mixed” results:“Whether gun restrictions reduce firearm-related violence is an unresolved issue.” The report could not conclude whether “passage of right-to-carry laws decrease or increase violence crime.”
5. Gun buyback/turn-in programs are “ineffective” in reducing crime:“There is empirical evidence that gun turn in programs are ineffective, as noted in the 2005 NRC study Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review. For example, in 2009, an estimated 310 million guns were available to civilians in the United States (Krouse, 2012), but gun buy-back programs typically recover less than 1,000 guns (NRC, 2005). On the local level, buy-backs may increase awareness of firearm violence. However, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for example, guns recovered in the buy-back were not the same guns as those most often used in homicides and suicides (Kuhn et al., 2002).”
6. Stolen guns and retail/gun show purchases account for very little crime:“More recent prisoner surveys suggest that stolen guns account for only a small percentage of guns used by convicted criminals. … According to a 1997 survey of inmates, approximately 70 percent of the guns used or possess by criminals at the time of their arrest came from family or friends, drug dealers, street purchases, or the underground market.”
7. The vast majority of gun-related deaths are not homicides, but suicides:“Between the years 2000-2010 firearm-related suicides significantly outnumbered homicides for all age groups, annually accounting for 61 percent of the more than 335,600 people who died from firearms related violence in the United States.”

As you can guess, this research has not been given much airtime considering the way it was flaunted after President Obama's announcement it would occur.  The fact that it dispels many of the myths of the anti-gunners should be noted and should be used every time one encounters an individual that wishes to take away our 2nd Amendment rights.  The complete research can be found here. 

 
8th Inning.

FFL Factoid...Continuing with the 'Top 10 Frequently Asked Firearms Questions and Answers' per the ATF.

5. Does ATF issue a Concealed Carry Permit (CCP) that authorizes a person to carry a firearm throughout the United States?
Neither ATF nor any other Federal agency issues such a permit or license. CCPs may be issued by a State or local government.

9th Inning.

Baseball video..."It was like coming this close to your dreams...and then watch them brush past you like strangers in a crowd."--Archie 'Moonlight' Graham.

I'm a Devil on the run, a six gun lover, a candle in the wind...

1st Inning.



My daughter, Lucy, playing with gravel.  So easily amused.

Highlights of the Brew Crew...Over the Labor Day weekend the wife and I loaded up the RV and along with our three daughters and friends of the oldest two we headed back to the Bucksaw Campground at Truman Lake.  We were expecting a scorcher of a weekend and we were not disappointed.  Our plan was to get a campsite with electric & water hook-ups but we failed to make a reservation online (you have to make one two weeks out before you arrive) and so it was first-come, first-serve to get a site with hook-ups.  So, as we barreled down the highway to try and beat the holiday lake crowd we were crossing our fingers.  We arrived at the park attendant's booth about 6pm and wouldn't you guess, they had one spot with electricity left and it only came available about 10 minutes prior to us pulling up due to a last-minute cancellation.  After paying we drove on to find the site and much to our delight it was right next to the swimming beach (a bonus for all the kids packed in the RV).  As we unpacked and set up our site and I got us hooked up to the electric the kids ran off to the swimming beach for an evening swim.  It wasn't too much later when the power went out and the wife came out of the RV with a confused look on her face.  I figured she had been running the microwave while the A/C was running but that was not the case.  She then pedaled her bike up to the attendant's booth to alert them to our predicament and arriving there they were well aware of the issue as it was affecting many sites in our campground loop.  The problem persisted for the next couple of hours with power coming on and going off as the electrician they called tried to solve the problem (I strongly believe that some yahoo had a bunch of crap plugged in at his site and was blowing the breaker).  Right at dark the campground attendant came by and asked us to only run the essentials if at all possible so we could make it through the night. 

My beer of choice during a weekend
with 6 females in an RV.

We did make it through the night and the rest of the weekend with only one more instance of power going off on Saturday morning which was followed up shortly by a visit by a few park rangers that advised us to only use the essentials.  The weekend was a hit as all the kids got plenty of beach and swimming time and no one got sun burned too badly.  Lots of hot dogs, bratwursts, and smores were devoured along with a bit of beer (that was for me not the kids!).       

View from my room overlooking Little Italy.

 

 

 

 

 

Upon returning home after the holiday weekend I had to travel to Baltimore for a business meeting/trip.  It was a quick team 'meet & greet' with group presentations.  Lots of boring stuff for the normal person.  I only mention the trip due to staying at a very nice hotel and eating at a couple of really nice restaurants.  We stayed at the Homewood Suites by Hilton down in the Inner Harbor area.  The first night we ate at Phillips Seafood and I enjoyed some delicious crab cakes.  The second night we ate at Aldo's Italian Restaurant where I had a filet mignon that was 'slap your mama' good.  I highly recommend the hotel and restaurants if you ever find yourself in Baltimore.

2nd Inning.

Baseball stadium bucket list...I have a goal that before I die I will catch a ballgame at every Major League Baseball ballpark.  I have already made it to a handful of the thirty stadiums and I will review them over the upcoming weeks.  The first on my list is my hometown team, the Kansas City Royals and Kauffman Stadium.  Formerly known as Royals Stadium (name changed on July 2, 1993 in a nod to the original and former owner Ewing Kauffman).  I went to many games a kid at this stadium back when it was a turf field and all the chairs were orange.  It, along with many stadiums over the years, has gone through a few renovations since I was a kid.  All the seats are blue now and they have a grass field.  There used to be a Jumbotron beyond the left-center wall but it is gone now.  As you sit in your seat, Interstate 70 can be seen out past the outfield areas.  One of the iconic things that has not changed since the stadium opened on April 10, 1973 is the big crown scoreboard behind centerfield.  Now the scoreboard did change when the stadium underwent the major renovations leading up to the All-Star game in 2012 and it was turned into a modern high-def CrownVision board and was the largest in the world until ole Jerry Jones in Texas had to make one bigger for his new stadium.  Also, another iconic feature is the outfield fountains.  You will love sitting in those outfield seats on a hot summer day when the wind is blowing and those fountains are flowing.

Prior to the renovations there was really nothing beyond the outfield walls except for some General Admission seating in the corner outfield areas next to the bullpens.  But with these new renovations came extra seating where grass once grew behind the outfield wall and a whole new outfield experience that is really nice if you have kids that need to get up and burn some energy.  The Royals Hall of Fame is also a nice recent addition and showcases all sorts of historical stuff that us baseball nerds love.  In addition to the outfield changes they also widened the concourses around the stadium.  I remember as a kid (back when the stadium was always packed) you were always shoulder-to-shoulder with people when going to get a hot dog or drink or when filing in for a game or trying to leave when the game was over.  The stadium now has resolved that 'personal space' issue.  The best deals for kids and food is out in the outfield experience area where they can get a kids meal.  The best size-for-price deal on beer is the 24 oz cans found at the small concessions stands around the main concourse.  Overall, there is not a bad seat in the entire stadium, especially with all the renovations.  If you ever find yourself in KC during the summer take a night and go see the Royals, you won't be disappointed...in the stadium.  For more on the history, check out this Wikipedia page.   

A few bullet points of interest:

• Seating capacity--37,903
• Hosted the 1973 and 2012 All-Star Games
• Shares a parking lot in the Truman Sports Complex with the NFL's Chiefs

3rd Inning.

Sports...Fantasy Football.  Over the past couple of weeks I participated in 3 Fantasy Football Drafts.  I'm going to list my drafted teams and then compare how many original draftees are still on my roster at the end of the season.

League 1--The Brokeback Boys:

• Tom Brady, QB
• Arian Foster, RB
• Maurice Jones-Drew, RB
• Antonio Brown, WR
• Reggie Wayne, WR
• Jason Witten, TE
• Chiefs, D/ST
• Stephen Gostkowski, K
• Phillip Rivers, QB
• Knile Davis, RB
• BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB
• LaMichael James, RB
• Vincent Brown, WR
• Steve Smith, WR

League 2--Mean Machine (work league)

• Tom Brady, QB
• Trent Richardson, RB
• Ryan Matthews, RB
• Randall Cobb, WR
• T.Y.Hilton, WR
• Antonio Gates, TE
• Fred Jackson, RB
• Chiefs D/ST
• Mason Crosby, K
• Jake Locker, QB
• Pierre Thomas, RB
• Dallas Clark, TE
• Donnie Avery, WR
• Benny Cunningham, RB
• Brian Leonard, RB
• Ryan Succop, K

League 3--Mean Machine (college alumni league)

• Colin Kaepernick, QB
• Jamaal Charles, RB
• LeSean McCoy, RB
• Vincent Jackson, WR
• Randall Cobb, WR
• DeSean Jackson, WR
• Antonio Gates, TE
• Chiefs D/ST
• Stephen Gostkowski, K
• Darren Sproles, RB
• Kenbrell Thompkins, WR
• Sam Bradford, QB
• Jermichael Finley, TE
• Michael Bush, RB
• Donnie Avery, WR
• Roy Helu, RB

4th Inning.

Cool Videos...

Paul Harvey recorded a great piece on the "Policeman".  I was very close to becoming a police officer and I have worked with many retired or former officers.  I grew up with a tremendous amount of respect for those that have worn the badge and being around my coworkers they have reinforced that feeling. 


He also recorded a great piece on the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  It's always good to listen to Harvey because you are bound to learn something new no matter the subject.



5th Inning.

Movie I want to see...Thor: The Dark World.  On November 8th, the second installment of Marvel's Phase 2 projects will hit the big-screen with the sequel to Thor.  Per JoBlo.com, "Marvel’s 'Thor: The Dark World' continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel’s 'Thor' and 'Marvel’s The Avengers,' Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos...but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all."  I wasn't much of a Thor comic book reader but when I picked up some of the recent titles over the past few years I started to like his character more and more.  Now the first movie was basically an introduction into who he was and was a challenge for Marvel Studios on how to integrate him and Asgard into reality and I think they did an excellent job.  I really liked Loki and how he played the primary villain in the Avengers.  This one looks like it won't disappoint (as none of the Marvel Phase 1 or 2 projects have yet to fail).  The trailer of the movie is below along with a video by Bat in the Sun productions that pits Thor vs. Superman.  Enjoy!

 

"Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."

6th Inning.

American History Lesson...Labor Day.  The annual end of summer holiday.  Per History.com, "Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894. Labor Day also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans, and is celebrated with parties, parades and athletic events."  I tend to lean anti-union but let it be know that I do recognize and appreciate what they accomplished during the early industrialization period in our country.  I just feel that their time has come and gone.  Anyhow, I do believe the American workforce can be the greatest contribution to the world when it is in full force.  Someday we will fix our tax system and companies will bring back some of those jobs but in the meantime our workforce needs to adapt and overcome and prepare for the future. 

7th Inning.

Firearms Corner...1911.  The Model 1911 pistol is as some have called the 'perfect firearm' if not the most respected handgun of all time.  Sitting around the campfire at deer camp there have been many discussions on the pros/cons of the M1911 since two members of the camp carry one while I carry my 'plastic' pistol (Springfield XDm).  I have learned a great deal on the history of this handgun and John Moses Browning (greatest gun designer of all-time) from those fireside chats and while working tables at various gun shows.  I have sold them in both the .45ACP and .22LR versions yet I don't own one...yet.  If you visit YouTube you will find many 'vs' videos as folks pit the 1911 versus every major pistol out there.  The fact is that no matter the popularity of modern polymer pistols, the M1911 has sustained prominence for over 100 years and shows no sign of letting up. 

 

A summary of the need, design, and adoption per Browning.com, "Any complete history of the Model

1911 must start a decade or more before that legendary year, and half a world away in the Philippines. It was here in the tropical heat of those islands that US Soldiers and Marines found themselves locked in combat with fanatic local insurgents and the immediate need for an effective, large caliber defensive pistol became sorely evident.  In the wake of the sinking of the battleship USS Maine in Havana harbor in February of 1898, the United States went to war with Spain. Along with an invasion of Cuba, US Navy forces engaged, routed and destroyed the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay in March 1898, in one of the most lop-sided victories in naval history. US ground forces then went ashore to overthrow the Spanish colonial government and occupy the islands.  Continuing the armed resistance they had previously shown against the Spanish, the Moro tribesmen of the southern islands (reportedly fueled by a dangerous combination of religious zealotry, ardent tribalism and potent opiates) engaged the American forces in a long bout of guerrilla warfare that ultimately lasted nearly 15 years. Much of the combat was at close quarters, where the Moros’ long-bladed kris knives were used to lethal effect.  At the time US troops were armed with either .30 caliber Krag or Springfield bolt-action rifles and .38 caliber double-action revolvers. While the .30 caliber rifles proved effective in stopping the attackers, the US troop’s handguns demonstrated an unnerving lack of stopping power, resulting in numerous reports of Moro warriors absorbing multiple pistol bullets while they continued to hack away at the Americans. Obviously the US troops’ morale suffered badly in this situation.  The combat pistol situation became so acute that old stocks of Model 1873 Colt revolvers in 45 caliber, many of which dated back to the Plains Indian Wars were returned to active service, where they quickly demonstrated a much better track record of stopping an attacker with one well-placed shot.  The battlefield experience against the Moros resulted in the famous Thompson-LeGarde tests by the US Military in 1904. In these tests a variety of military cartridges of the day were tested for their penetration, ‘stopping ability’ and energy transfer, using both live and dead cattle at the target medium. While somewhat subjective by modern standards, the tests resulted in an official recommendation “…that a bullet, which will have the shock effect and stopping effect at short ranges necessary for a military pistol or revolver, should have a caliber not less than .45."  About this time two new armament technologies were also emerging - smokeless powder and the autoloading pistol.

 

John M. Browning

In 1906 the US Military, under the direction of General William Crozier of the Ordinance Department, began evaluating several pistol designs along with the suitability of a new cartridge that was designated the .45 Automatic Colt Pistol (or .45 ACP for short). As these military tests continued over the next several years, the Colt pistol began to emerge as the clear favorite.  The Colt pistol that was submitted for these military tests was designed by John M. Browning. Without a doubt the most innovative and visionary firearms designer of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, John M. Browning earned the lasting reputation as “The Father of Automatic Fire.” Browning’s design genius was not limited to pistols. Among his other military inventions were the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), numerous .30 caliber and .50 caliber Browning machine guns and the legendary Browning Hi Power, the first successful high-capacity autoloading pistol that soon became a worldwide standard for military sidearms.  Based on the short recoil principle of operation, the John M. Browning design for the US Military pistol trials was a magazine fed, single action semi-automatic pistol with both manual and grip safeties that demonstrated a level of durability, simplicity and reliability that no other pistol design of the era could match. In fact, during a 6,000 round test fired over two days in 1910 that was personally supervised by John M. Browning, his sample pistol became so hot that it was simply dunked in a pail of water to cool it for further firing. Browning’s sample reportedly passed the test with no malfunctions.  Since cavalry troops were going to be the primary combat users of the pistol, several specific design features, like the grip safety and lanyard ring, were mandated by the horse soldiers. (Nothing will turn a cavalry trooper into an infantryman faster than shooting his own horse by accident.) The Browning pistol design was formally adopted by the US Army on March 29, 1911, and thus became known officially as the Model 1911. The US Navy and US Marine Corps adopted the Browning-designed pistol in 1913."

Currently just about every gun manufacturer produces a M1911 in either the .45ACP or .22LR chambering and they come in many sizes due to the conceal carry need.  This American Rifleman article details the many calibers that have been used in what is most commonly known as a .45.  A video of the Colt manufacturing process for the M1911 is below.  Enjoy!

8th Inning.

FFL Factoid...Continuing with the 'Top 10 Frequently Asked Firearms Questions and Answers' per the ATF.

4. How do I register my firearm or remove my name from a firearms registration?
There is no Federal registration requirement for most conventional sporting firearms. Only those firearms subject to the National Firearms Act (NFA) (e.g., machineguns, short-barrel firearms, silencers, destructive devices, any other weapons) must be registered with ATF. For information on the registration and transfer provisions of the National Firearms Act, please refer to the ATF NFA Handbook at http://www.atf.gov/publications/firearms/nfa-handbook/ or contact the ATF NFA Branch at 304-616-4500. Firearms registration may be required by State or local law. Any person considering acquiring a firearm should contact his or her State Attorney General’s Office to inquire about the laws and possible State or local restrictions. A list of State Attorney General contact numbers may be found at www.naag.org.

9th Inning.

Baseball video...This past weekend AT&T U-Verse had a free HBO weekend.  This allowed me to have a Season 3 marathon of 'Eastbound & Down'.  If you have never heard/seen this show it is hilarious!  The video below is from Season 2 and it is NSFW.  Enjoy!

And with the 1st pick in the draft...

1st Inning.

Highlights of the Brew Crew...Jury  Duty.  Over the past two weeks I was called downtown to the Federal Courthouse for jury selection.  A day of jury selection involves the following:  Prior to arriving at the courthouse you will have called the jury hot line after 5pm on the previous Friday during your month of potential duty.  If you are instructed to show up you will need to be there by 8am on Monday.  Arriving downtown you will need to find a close pay-to-park lot (I found one right across the street for $4/day).  Once you are in the courthouse you need to go through the security checkpoint.  There are no cellphones allowed past the security checkpoint but you can give it to the security guards and they will hold it for you and give you a nice shiny coin with a number on it for when you leave the courthouse and need to retrieve the phone.  You then make your way to the juror room and check in with their staff.  They will provide you doughnuts and coffee/soda/water while you wait and watch a short video on jury duty.  About 9am the judge requests the potential jurors to come to the courtroom for selection. Jury selection involves having all the jurors line up in a particular order and as you enter the courtroom you are given a sheet with a number on one side and a list of questions on the other side(the questions are as such: Name, City/County of your residence, Employer/Employment, Education level, Spouse's employer/employment, and number of children). 

 

For my first week of being called for selection, the judge, U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips,  had all the potential jurors sit in the audience section during the questioning.  The case involved an attempted bank robbery, using a firearm during a violent crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon.  Over a length of about 3-3.5 hours (with a short recess or two in between), the judge asked many questions pertaining to any relationship we might have with members of law enforcement, the legal community, and anyone that had committed a crime or had been a victim of a crime as well as questions regarding any relationships with parties/witnesses involved in the case.  After all the broad questions to the jury pool had been asked we where then instructed to stand one by one and give responses to the questions on the back of our juror number sheet.  Upon everyone giving their information the attorneys were allowed to ask follow-up questions.  The Public Defender in the case asked me a follow-up question regarding my employment (I had stated I work in the investigations field) and what kind of investigations I worked and whether they were criminal or civil.  I responded by stating that I worked National Security background investigations.  Once all the follow-ups were asked there was another recess for the attorneys to settle on a final jury list.  We were called back into the courtroom an hour later and has they read the jury list and sat the jury in the jury section I did not hear my name called and therefore was sent home for the week.    

 

The second week that I was called for selection there was a case involving possession of a firearm by a felon.  After rounds of the same questions from the week before by the judge, U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, I found myself needing to respond again regarding my employment.  During the last recess before they chose the jury the judge informed us that if anyone had a private matter to discuss about their background or eligibility to serve then we were to line up outside the courtroom door and they would call us in one by one.  Since the charge involved a firearm and I have a Federal Firearms License I felt that they might need to know about that.  At the podium between the attorneys and in front of the judge I explained my part-time side business as a firearms dealer.  The judge had a few questions about what types of firearms I sold then asked the attorneys if they had any follow-up questions.  The U.S. Attorney did not have any but the Public Defender asked if I had any training to which I replied that I was a member of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (trade association) and that they provided online resources for retailers and had a seminar recently in Kansas City with retired ATF agents to explain best practices for area retailers.  I then went back out of the courtroom and waited for them to call us all back in.  As we filed back in and prepared for the seating of the jury I had a feeling I was not going to be picked this week either but lo and behold they called my name and I took my seat in the jury section.  Once the remaining jurors were called out and seated, the judge excused the remaining potential jurors and he called a brief recess.  We were then escorted back to the jury room and given notebooks so we could take notes during the trial.  In the jury room was a long table with chairs, a dry-erase board, a fridge full of soda and bottled water, and a table of snacks. 

 

The trial began that afternoon and proceeded as follows:

• Opening statements from both attorneys
• A witness that had called 911 the night of the incident (U.S. Attorney witness) 
• One of the first Kansas City, Missouri police officers on the scene the night of the incident involving the defendant (U.S. Attorney witness)   
• Evening Recess
• A second Kansas City, Missouri police officer that was the officer in charge at the scene (U.S. Attorney witness) 
• A third Kansas City, Missouri police officer that discovered the firearm in question  (U.S. Attorney witness) 
• A representative from the Kansas City crime lab (U.S. Attorney witness) 
• A police officer from the Gladstone, Missouri Police Department (Defense witness)
• A second officer from the Gladstone, Missouri Police Department (Defense witness)
• An ATF Agent that specializes in import firearms (U.S. Attorney witness)
• Closing Arguments 

A summary of the incident from the U.S. Attorney's website:

"Thibeaux (defendant)  was arrested on Feb. 22, 2013, after Kansas City, Mo., police officers were called at about 2 a.m. to investigate an outside disturbance involving a party armed with a gun. The officers were given information that there were two males and a female fighting and one of the males was waving a gun around. As the officers arrived, they observed a maroon Dodge Durango apparently stuck in the snow in the middle of the street. Two males and a female were apparently trying to free the vehicle from the stuck position in the snow. The officers asked the individuals to show their hands, but Thibeaux failed to comply with the officers’ orders. Thibeaux moved to the back of the vehicle, reached into the pocket of the vest he was wearing and threw a black object towards the driver’s side of the vehicle.  The object thrown by Thibeaux was recovered and determined to be a loaded Bersa .380-caliber, semi-automatic pistol. Thibeaux was determined to be a convicted felon and placed under arrest."

The Public Defender's argument was, of course, that the gun recovered at the scene didn't belong to the defendant and that it belonged to the other male suspect at the scene.  He had the two Gladstone police officers testify about an incident a few weeks after the initial incident where the 2nd suspect was pulled over in a vehicle then sped away while the Gladstone officer was standing next to the driver's side door.  The vehicle was recovered but the 2nd suspect was not.  In the vehicle was a non-Missouri driver's license with the 2nd suspect's name, a vial of PCP, some court papers with the 2nd suspect's name, and a Bersa handgun chambered in 9mm.  I believe his goal was to make us think that Bersa firearms are a rare thing and that the 2nd suspect is a Bersa collector.  The ATF agent brought in by the U.S. Attorney testified that Bersa handguns are not rare and can be found in gun shops all across the nation. 

We, the jury, deliberated for about 4 hours between Day 2 and Day 3 when we returned a 'Guilty' verdict.  The Public Defender did a great job of placing doubt in our minds but the evidence presented by the U.S. Attorney prevailed and lead to our verdict.  After reading the verdict, the judge excused us back to the jury room where he joined us for a Q&A.  A funny part of that was when he looked at me across the table and said he was very surprised I was picked for the jury with my background.  It gave us a chuckle!   My final impression about jury duty is that it is a very important part of our free society and our justice system.  If you or I ever find ourselves sitting in the defendant's chair we would surely want someone like us sitting on that jury.

2nd Inning.

Politics...I came across the videos below and felt they needed to be posted as they are relevant in today's society.

Ron Paul is....Nostradamus??? Interesting how he saw what was coming...


Bill Whittle makes a great virtual President and makes a great point on how we can better our society...


Glenn Beck talks about the Syria mess and makes an excellent point for why we should avoid getting any more involved...



3rd Inning.

Random Thoughts...Jalapeno flavored chips are my 2nd favorite behind BBQ...There should be a national holiday for everyone to hold Fantasy Football drafts...Does boob sweat smell worse than other bodily sweat???...To say we need to do something militarily about Syria because of possible chemical weapons use against civilians then why have we not done anything about North Korea and the million more people that have been killed under that regime???...

Paper clips have many uses such as a replacement zipper tab and Bluetooth ear holder...Candidate Obama and President Obama should meet and realize they have very little in common...I would rather castrate a hog(and I have helped do it) than attempt to trim the wolverine claws-for-fingernails on my 2-year old...Why were there no black conservatives or any minority conservatives invited to the MLK March Anniversary???...I am ready for fall to get here--Halloween and Fall Hunting!!!...

 

4th Inning.

Articles of the week...

• Ron Paul...Superhero?..I didn't support him in the last Presidential election but I do like much of what he says and does.  Many of those traits are detailed in the link with some humor attached.

• Irritated Genie..."A Department of Homeland Security manager in charge of buying weapons and ammunition for the government is, on the side, running an inflammatory website that throws around gay slurs and advocates the mass murder of "whites" and the "ethnic cleansing" of "Uncle Tom race traitors," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center."  In the immortal words of one of my coworkers:  "Holy crappola, Batman!"

• Founding Fathers=Extremists..."Judicial Watch announced today that it has obtained educational materials from the Department of Defense (DOD) depicting conservative organizations as “hate groups” and advising students to be aware that “many extremists will talk of individual liberties, states’ rights, and how to make the world a better place.” The documents repeatedly cite the leftwing Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as a resource for identifying “hate groups.”  So, the SPLC properly labels the fella in the previous bullet point but then labels the Founding Fathers as extremists...hmmm, something doesn't seem right to me.

• Fall of the American Empire..."The Romans had an overextended military, they had debased their currency to pay off their debts, they had a bureaucracy that essentially was living as a parasite on the entirety of the Roman people…They also had a loss of control over their borders, Sexton said."  Interesting parallels and history always seems to repeat itself.

• Robo-taxi... "With all eyes on Google Glass and the recent launch of the new Nexus 7 causing something of a stir, it’s easy to forget that the Mountain View company is also on a journey – albeit a very long one – to launch its self-driving car."  If they pull this off, and my gut says they will, the opportunity for expansion into other industries is endless--pizza/food delivery vehicles, parcel delivery, over the road shipping, etc.

  

  Robo-taxi from the movie 'Total Recall'

• Dr. Ben Carson.."If King could be resurrected and see what was going on in America today, I suspect he would be extraordinarily pleased by many of the things he observed and disappointed by others. He, like almost everyone else, would be thrilled to know that there was a two-term black president of the United States of America and a black attorney general, as well as many other high government officials, business executives and university presidents."  A great message from Dr. Carson. 

• Walter E. Williams... "Western values are under ruthless attack by the academic elite on college campuses across America. They want to replace personal liberty with government control and replace equality before the law with entitlement. The multiculturalism and diversity agenda is a cancer on our society, and our tax dollars and charitable donations are supporting it." A great message from Professor Williams. 

• Thomas Sowell..."What was historic about that speech was not only what was said but how powerfully its message resonated among Americans of that time, across the spectrum of race, ideology and politics. A higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats voted in Congress for both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965."  A great message from Mr. Sowell.

• Herman Cain... "Today, equal opportunity is pursued in the trenches, in your community, in your place of employment. The promised land of equal opportunity did not promise equal results. That’s where the divisive people get it wrong." A great message from Mr. Cain.

5th Inning.

American History Lesson...On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous 'I have a dream' speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C..  His speech  during the 'March on Washington' to over 250,000 civil rights supporters was a call to end racism in the United States.  Per Wikipedia, "Widely hailed as a masterpiece of rhetoric, King's speech invokes the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the United States Constitution. Early in his speech, King alludes to Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address by saying 'Five score years ago...' ". 

 

The march did start off with disputes by some of the organizers over what the purpose of the march should be with different ideas coming from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference.  The competing groups settled on making the march's focus a support of President Kennedy's civil rights bill.  This was reassuring to President Kennedy who originally opposed the march and was fearful of it turning violent.  Due to the history of violence during previous demonstrations (usually by the authorities against the demonstrators) there was anticipation that this would be another instance of a violent confrontation.  In the end, the march was peaceful and there was not a single incident of violence.

 

The content of the speech is something that every American should know and admire and strive to live for.  The speech is captured in the video below.      

6th Inning.

What I'm Watching...42.  I recently had a proud moment as a father when my eldest daughter asked if we could rent the movie '42' on the U-Verse pay-per-view.  If you have paid attention to any of my blog posts you know I am a baseball fan so having my daughter ask to watch a baseball movie about a historic moment in the sport's history had me excited.  For those that are not familiar with the movie IMDB.com gives the following storyline, "In 1946, Jackie Robinson is a Negro League baseball player who never takes racism lying down. Branch Rickey is a Major League team executive with a bold idea. To that end, Rickey recruits Robinson to break the unspoken color line as the first modern African American Major League player. As both anticipate, this proves a major challenge for Robinson and his family as they endure unrelenting racist hostility on and off the field, from player and fan alike. As Jackie struggles against his nature to endure such abuse without complaint, he finds allies and hope where he least expects it."

 

Now I have read Buck O'Neil's book 'I Was Right On Time' and in it he tells about a young Jackie Robinson and an incident when the Kansas City Monarchs are travelling by bus and stop at a filling station to gas up the bus and Robinson walks over to the 'Whites Only' restroom only to have the station attendant holler at him to not go in there.  Robinson then tells the attendant to take the gas pump out of the bus and they will go elsewhere to fill up.  Seeing this scene portrayed in the movie set the stage for what kind of person Robinson was and the society he was going to deal with as he broke the color barrier. 

 

The movie did a really good job of capturing the life Jackie had to live during those first years as he worked his way from the Brooklyn farm team, Montreal Royals, up to the major league Dodgers.  There were some very despicable people in and around baseball and the actor who plays the Phillies manager becomes a centerpiece for the bigotry Robinson faced during his rookie season.  But my favorite part of the movie was seeing his teammates, especially Pee Wee Reese, rally around him.  Though, my wife and I had to explain the hatred and racism showed towards Jackie to our children while we watched the movie, we felt it was a good way to educate them on a bit of American history.  The fact that my girls didn't understand why Robinson was being treated in such a hateful manner makes me think that society is moving away from a racist nature and I am raising them right and blind to the color of one's skin and more focused on one's character.  Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this movie and I plan to purchase the dvd when it is released and add it to my collection.       

One other note and trivia tid-bit...I am a Kansas City Royals fan (no surprise there if you read this blog enough), and I am proud that Jackie Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs.  It is also neat that he played for the Montreal "Royals".  But did you know he also played for the Kansas City Royals?  Per KCRoyals.com, "That year (1945), Robinson, after playing for the Kansas City Monarchs, went to play in the California Winter League for a team managed by Chet Brewer, a former Monarch. Brewer wanted to label his California team the Monarchs but couldn't use the name, so he called his team the "Kansas City Royals" even though they played in the Los Angeles area. So you can bet somebody that Robinson played for the Kansas City Royals -- and win."

7th Inning.

Ammo for the .905 caliber rifle

Firearms Corner...I had a cousin point me in the direction of a video showing the largest caliber rifle produced, a .905 caliber rifle. Now first off, I hunt with a 7mm Remington Magnum rifle which packs a good little punch and I have shot a .300 Winchester Short Magnum that packs a good punch, but seeing the video of this .905 caliber and the fellas shooting it had me cringing in pain.  Some say shooting a large caliber rifle like the previous two I mentioned feels like being kicked by a mule, well seeing the look on these guys' faces I might rather be kicked by a real mule than take the punch of this .905 rifle.  Per Ammoland.com, "Ohio-based SSK Industries has produced the largest center-fire rifle in history.  It is a .905 caliber which produces recoil equivalent to shooting ten .30-06 rifles at the same time.  Each bullet costs $40 and comes in at a weight of 2400 grains.  For comparison, the bullet fired out of an AR-15 costs .50 to .70 cents and weighs approximately 55 grains.  The rifle itself is currently being produced at a weight of about 50 pounds, but the earlier prototypes weighed in at over 100 pounds." Per LiveLeak.com, "With a 2400 grain bullet, propelled by 240 grains of powder, it is comparable to a World War I-era tank round or a 20mm cannon in terms of kinetic energy. Estimates are that one of these rounds would easily pass through several human targets– even if each were equipped with full body armor."  So, if you find yourself needing to take down a rogue T-Rex in your neighborhood, you have found your rifle!  A video demonstrating the power of the rifle is below. Enjoy!

8th Inning.

FFL Factoid...Continuing with the 'Top 10 Frequently Asked Firearms Questions and Answers' per the ATF.

3. May I lawfully transfer a firearm to a resident of the same State in which I reside?  

Any person may sell a firearm to an unlicensed resident of the State where he resides as long as he does not know or have reasonable cause to believe the person is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under Federal law. There may be State laws that regulate interstate firearm transactions. Any person considering acquiring a firearm should contact his or her State Attorney General’s Office to inquire about the laws and possible State or local restrictions. A list of State Attorney General contact numbers may be found at www.naag.org.- 3 -

9th Inning.

Baseball video..."I'm Crash Davis.  I'm your new catcher and you got lesson number 1."  Baseball is full of wisdom.