Cool videos...Superhero time! The first video is a fan-made flick that is a follow-up to the blockbuster 'The Dark Knight Rises'. It showcases the characters Red Hood (violent vigilante that in the comic books was actually the second Robin, Jason Todd, who was killed off by the Joker and a call-in vote by readers) and Nightwing (who is the John 'Robin' Blake character). The second video is another fan-made trailer for a possible Wonder Woman movie. It has a nice '300' feel to it and I really like how they modernized her costume although I still appreciate the traditional one worn by Linda Carter back in the '70s. Enjoy!
Nightwing/Red Hood.
Wonder Woman.
2nd Inning.
American History Lesson...
Battle of Yorktown.
On September 28, 1781, (per History.com) General George Washington, commanding a force of 17,000 French and Continental troops, begins the siege known as the Battle of Yorktown against British General Lord Charles Cornwallis and a contingent of 9,000 British troops at Yorktown, Virginia, in the most important battle of the Revolutionary War. With Marquis de Lafayette commanding 5,000 American troops, General Washington ordered him to block Cornwallis' attempt to escape by land while French naval forces prevented Cornwallis from escaping by sea. During the next three weeks, Continental and French forces bombarded the British day and night by both artillery and cannon. This ultimately lead to the surrender of Cornwallis on October 17, 1781. Upon Cornwallis' surrender, the Revolutionary War in the American Colonies had come to an end. There would be continued fighting at sea but on September 3rd, 1783 the Treaty of Paris would be signed and a formal recognition of a free and independent United States. For more information, check out this page.
3rd Inning.
This ole...hunting rifle. I don't recall the exact year but it was shortly after getting married in 1999. That is when I bought my first deer hunting rifle. I had been taken hunting a few times during my youth by uncles and cousins but growing up in the suburbs south of Kansas City I only saw the country when I went to visit those relatives down in Arkansas. So, I get married and my new sister-in-law's husband wants to start taking me hunting down where he lives in southeast Arkansas. Well, the only rifle I had fired up to that point was my grandfather's old Winchester single-shot bolt action .22LR which lead to him taking me to the local Wal-Mart in Jonesboro, Arkansas to purchase my first deer rifle. 
Since he had one chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum we decided that it would be good for me to have the same so we could share ammo and maybe buy a bulk quantity someday. There in the little long gun turnstile cabinet sat my Winchester Model 70 chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum. Now some will tell you that particular caliber is way too much for shooting deer but when contemplating what all I would hopefully be using it for throughout my lifetime, and elk hunting out west or maybe someday bear hunting are on my hunting bucket list, the 7mm Rem Mag would be a useful all around cartridge.  |
| LtoR: .223Rem, .243Win, .260Rem, .308Win., .270Win., 7mmRemMag, .30-06, .300WSM, .300WinMag, .300RemUltraMag |
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| This is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine. |
4th Inning.
Scary Movies I want to see...again. My Top 5 Scary Movies Countdown Part 1...Halloween. I believe I was in elementary school the first time I saw this movie but I can't recall if it was on network television or on cable but I do know that Michael Myers is one scary SOB! For those not born on Earth here is the plot per IMDB.com: "The year is 1963, the night: Halloween. Police are called to 43 Lampkin Ln. only to discover that 15 year old Judith Myers has been stabbed to death, by her 6 year-old brother, Michael. After being institutionalized for 15 years, Myers breaks out on the night before Halloween. No one knows, nor wants to find out, what will happen on October 31st 1978 besides Myers' psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis. He knows Michael is coming back to Haddonfield, but by the time the town realizes it, it'll be too late for many people." Donald Pleasance plays the character, Dr. Loomis, and plays it very well. His freaked out emotion over what it is transpiring in Haddonfield is what keeps you on the edge of your seat as he tries to stop Michael. But why is Michael back in Haddonfield??? Well, he is there to kill another sister, Laurie (played by Jamie Lee Curtis). But ends up killing her friends instead. A great scary movie with many sequels and recent re-boots. I look forward to watching it each year but one of the main reasons it is still so popular is the theme song written and performed by the movie's director, John Carpenter. Trivia--The mask worn by Michael Myers is actually a Star Trek mask of Captain Kirk that they painted white, cut out larger eye holes and teased the hair. Trailer is below. Enjoy!
5th Inning
Firearms Corner...Combination guns. It is not so much a recent fad as there have been combination firearms manufactured in the past but mainly in the rifle/shotgun line. But today if you go to any gun shop or big box sporting goods store that sells handguns you are likely to find one or all of the firearms I have listed below. By definition, a combination gun can fire more than one type of projectile, both a rifled bullet and a shotshell. For the long gun category this usually entails having two barrels--one for the bullet cartridge and one for the shotshell. In the handgun category, specifically revolvers, you can place any of the rounds within the same cylinder. My list below of such examples is in no way an exhaustive list but is one compiled through reading many articles among my many gun magazine subscriptions.
Taurus Judge... The Taurus Judge line is pretty much the standard bearer with regards to today's line of combo revolvers. Per their webpage, they have listed twelve different models ranging from short-barreled options to long-barreled options to stainless steel options to blued steel options. Per Taurus, "The 'Taurus Judge®' is so named because of the number of judges who carry it into the courtroom for their protection. Capable of chambering both .410 2-1/2" shotshell and .45 Colt Ammunition, this amazing combo gun is ideal for short distances - where most altercations occur, or longer distances with the .45 Colt ammo. We have finely tuned the rifling to spread the shot pattern at close quarters or to guide the .45 cal. bullet to the target. Fully customized with fixed rear sights, fiber optic front sights and Taurus Ribber Grips®, the "Taurus Judge" is one decision-maker that lays down the law."
- Smith & Wesson Governor... The Smith & Wesson Governor came out after the Taurus Judge and upped the ante by allowing you to also shoot .45ACP. Per Smith & Wesson, "The Smith & Wesson Governor revolver puts six rounds of customizable response under your control. Load with .410 2 1/2" shotshells, .45 ACP or .45 Colt - alone or in combination - and hit your target in every situation. Plus, it's from the leading expert in revolver manufacturing over the last 159 years. Now that's confidence.
| 1. | Superior Low Light Tritium Night Sight |
| 2. | Patented, heat-treated scandium alloy frame for superior strength and reduced weight |
| 3. | Shock Absorbing Grip (Optional Crimson Trace® Grip) |
| 4. | Six round capacity - 2 round/6 round moon clips included" |
- Savage Model 42... Savage Arms has updated one of their old classics, the Model 24 which was an O/U (over/under) long gun, with the new Model 42 which is also a O/U. This is a break-open action type gun. The Model 42 comes chambered in either .22LR/.410GA or .22WMR/.410GA. The fellas over at GunsAmerica Blog describe it as such, "The stock on the new Model 42 is polymer, and the forend is grooved for your fingers. The buttpad is fit clean to the buttstock, and overall the fit and finish of the gun is nicely made, tight and neat. The Model 42 weighs in at just under 5 lbs. loaded and the barrels are 20 inches. Any 2 1/2″ or 3″ shotshell fits the .410 barrel."
- Rossi Circuit Judge... Another choice in the long gun category is the Rossi Circuit Judge. Employing a similar design in the Taurus Judge, Rossi has created the long gun version. Rossi's website shows 3 versions that allow a combination of ammunition in the same cylinder and 1 version that allows you to shoot both .22LR and .22WMR but requires swapping out cylinders. The Circuit Judge comes in stainless steel or blued steel version along with wood stock and polymer stock versions. Per Rossi, "The new Circuit Judge takes the most overwhelmingly successful revolver in recent history and has extended its range for incredible hunting and shooting. Now you can fire .410 GA. 3-inch Magnum shotshells, .410 GA. 2.5-inch shotshells and .45 Colt ammunition. In any order you please, without switching barrels. The Circuit Judge delivers amazing versatility, accuracy and simplicity. It comes finished in a beautiful hardwood stock and includes the latest in modern features like a red fiber optic front sight, yoke detent, transfer bar and the Taurus Security System®."
6th Inning.
Articles of the week...
- Mind Control..."The world of mind-control zombie armies may have gotten just a little closer: Scientists say they've hooked up one person's brain to the Internet, to control the finger of another person playing a video game." FREAKY, FREAKY, FREAKY!!!
- Old Enemies, New Friends..."A 94-year-old veteran from southeastern Minnesota plans to return a sword he took from Nagasaki, Japan, as a token of his time during World War II." A very noble thing to do after all these years.
- Obamapocalypse... " 'Comprehensive' (bill) today is a euphemism for interminably long, poorly drafted, and entirely unread — not just by the people’s representatives but by our robed rulers, too (how many of those Supreme Court justices actually plowed through every page of Obamacare when its 'constitutionality' came before them?). The 1862 Homestead Act, which is genuinely comprehensive, is two handwritten pages in clear English. 'The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act' is 500 times as long, is not about patients or care, and neither protects the former nor makes the latter affordable." Hey! Where's my exemption!
- Anarchy in Detroit..."...Tom Nardone is tired of seeing Detroit's public parks go unmowed by the city government. He thinks that children should have a place to play. So, he hops on his mower and does it himself. Then, he invites others." A great little piece on how those left in Detroit are banding together to make the best of their situation.
- Deuce Bigalow, Republican..."Just a few weeks shy of his 50th birthday, movie and TV star Rob Schneider has announced that he is switching his lifelong political affiliation from Democrat to Republican." I keep finding articles where Democrats are changing to Republicans and not the other way around...not sure what to make of that.
- Undermine Uncle Sam..."The government is big and getting bigger. Last week, federal agents from the EPA heavily armed and wearing police uniforms raided a town of about 17 people. That will be one of about 80,000 SWAT style raids that will occur in the US this year. The national debt stands at around $16.7 trillion dollars and with the current debt ceiling debate, it doesn’t look like it’s going down anytime soon. So what’s the average citizen to do if they’re concerned about limiting government but don’t want to pick up a molotov ?" A libertarian list of ways to undermine the government at all levels.
- Maps, Maps, and More Cool Maps...I had a Facebook friend post this link last week. A very interesting look at the world through different categories. The one that struck me as the most interesting was this one:
Average lightning strikes per year.
- Mr.Smith spends like Washington..."The idea here seems to be that the U.S. government is taking on a lot of debt. True, the typical American family also takes on lots of debt through mortgages and the like — the median debt burden is about $70,000 — but U.S. government borrowing is even more massive than that." The Heritage Foundation put together 10 charts to show different perspectives on government spending. Yikes!
- Miss Outdoors..."If you haven’t yet found a reason to catch the 2013 Miss America pageant, would getting to know a contestant who’s a member of the Kansas Army National Guard’s Medical Detachment, a big-time bowhunter, and an expert M16 marksman pique your interest?" She finished in the top 10 of the Miss America Pageant. Someone I would hope my girls look at as a role model.
7th Inning.
Baseball stadium bucket list...Fenway Park. It was May 2004 when I had the chance to accompany my wife on one of her business trip conferences to Boston. As part of the conference, group tickets were purchased for those attending the conference that wanted to take in a ballgame. With my wife knowing how big of a baseball fan I am, it was a no-brainer for us. We were staying downtown so we ended up walking to the stadium which wasn't bad at all and just a couple of blocks away. Being used to the vast parking lots at the Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, I must say there was a bit of a different feel to the outside ballpark experience. Plenty of vendors surround the stadium along with sports merchandise shops and bars. Upon entering the stadium it does feel like you are entering a museum with the age of the ballpark and to see the Green Monster in person is a delight for any true baseball fan.
Brief history on the ballpark per Wikipedia, "The Red Sox moved to Fenway Park from the old Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds. In 1911, owner John I. Taylor purchased the land bordered by Brookline Avenue, Jersey Street, Van Ness Street and Lansdowne Street and developed it into a larger baseball stadium. Taylor claimed the name Fenway Park came from its location in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, which was partially created late in the nineteenth century by filling in marshland or "fens", to create the Back Bay Fens urban park. However, given that Taylor's family also owned the Fenway Realty Company, the promotional value of the naming at the time has been cited as well. Like many classic ballparks, Fenway Park was constructed on an asymmetrical block, with consequent asymmetry in its field dimensions. The first game was played April 20, 1912, with mayor John F. Fitzgerald throwing out the first pitch and Boston defeating the New York Highlanders (renamed the Yankees the next year), 7-6 in 11 innings. Newspaper coverage of the opening was overshadowed by continuing coverage of the Titanic sinking a few days earlier."
Well, that day in May we sat down to watch the Red Sox play the Mariners of Seattle. It was interesting to watch and listen to the crowd heckle the Mariners players, especially in that Boston accent. As you can see from the picture on the right, there are some obstructions to your view in this old ballpark. I do remember two female fans sitting a row in front of us. Both wearing Red Sox jerseys and probably my weight class, they kept the crowd in our section going with the heckling. Red Sox won that day and so did I by getting the chance to scratch this one off of my bucket list.
Brief history on the ballpark per Wikipedia, "The Red Sox moved to Fenway Park from the old Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds. In 1911, owner John I. Taylor purchased the land bordered by Brookline Avenue, Jersey Street, Van Ness Street and Lansdowne Street and developed it into a larger baseball stadium. Taylor claimed the name Fenway Park came from its location in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, which was partially created late in the nineteenth century by filling in marshland or "fens", to create the Back Bay Fens urban park. However, given that Taylor's family also owned the Fenway Realty Company, the promotional value of the naming at the time has been cited as well. Like many classic ballparks, Fenway Park was constructed on an asymmetrical block, with consequent asymmetry in its field dimensions. The first game was played April 20, 1912, with mayor John F. Fitzgerald throwing out the first pitch and Boston defeating the New York Highlanders (renamed the Yankees the next year), 7-6 in 11 innings. Newspaper coverage of the opening was overshadowed by continuing coverage of the Titanic sinking a few days earlier." |
| The view from our seats. |
8th Inning.
FFL Factoid...Continuing with the 'Top 10 Frequently Asked Firearms Questions and Answers' per the ATF.
6. May I lawfully ship a firearm to myself in a different State?
Any person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in the care of another person in the State where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner "in the care of" the out-of-State resident. Upon reaching its destination, persons other than the owner must not open the package or take possession of the firearm.
9th Inning.
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