Gooooood Morning, Kansas City!

1st Inning.
Articles of the week...

• Remember...we the people are the boss in this country:  Kurt Schlichter--"Americans were born a rebellious, nearly ungovernable bunch of independent individuals, and we need to reclaim that honorable heritage. We have to decide once and for all whether we are going to remain free citizens who answer to no one but God, or become a sad selection of submissive serfs living out our collective political daddy issues."
• We need more politicians that are statesmen like ole George: Chuck Norris--"With Feb. 18's being Presidents Day and Feb. 22's being the actual day George Washington was born, I thought there would no better time to honor the man I consider to be one of the greatest leaders ever born."
• As a father of three daughters I know if I was faced with the choice of whistle or gun to give them for protection it would not be a whistle: Michelle Malkin--"If radical gun-grabbers have their way, your daughters, mothers and grandmothers will have nothing but whistles, pens and bodily fluids to defend themselves against violent attackers and sexual predators."
• To right this ship called the United States, we must understand how the economy works and that government intervention is more likely to slow down than speed up recovery:  John Stossel--"The Federal Reserve says that U.S. manufacturing output is up from 2000, and up almost 50 percent from 1990. Yes, manufacturing employment is down because automation and government's labor rules led companies to automate and produce more with fewer employees, but that's OK."
• Time to wake up and understand that forces are at work to disarm our society by any means necessary:  Bob Barr--"The chips are down, and the opponents of the Second Amendment are going all in."
• A topic that is rarely addressed by leaders on the Left but is obviously a core root to the problem of violence in our inner cities:  Larry Elder--"Most gun murders in America are committed by people of color, with the victims almost always people of color. Whites have the same access to firearms, listen to the same "urban" music and play the same violent video games. Why, then, do the murders disproportionally involve racial minorities, principally blacks and Hispanics, usually young men in urban settings, many with gang ties?"
• I'm all for immigration, legal immigration that is...the comedian Ron White has a pretty good idea on how to fix our border issue but less politically correct:  Michael Reagan--"Mexico has become one of the most dangerous places in the world. Deadly criminal cartels effectively control the U.S.-Mexican border, trafficking in drugs and humans."
• It has been said by many in the firearms industry that President Obama is the best gun salesman ever and the fact that in the last 4 years one of the only industries to not see a downturn is the firearms industry and now his administration is attacking it:  Michelle Malkin part 2--"But while he pays lip service to supporting businesses that build their products on American soil, Obama and his left-wing operatives are hell-bent on driving a key sector of the U.S. manufacturing industry six feet under: the American firearms and ammunition industry."

2nd Inning.

American History lesson this week...Iran Hostage Crisis.  The date was November 4th, 1979.  On that day Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took more than 50 Americans hostage.  They would be held hostage for 444 days and finally released on January 20th, 1981, the day President Carter's term ended.  This incident is, of course, a black eye on our nation.  Our dealings, both governmental and private sector, with the Iranian government during the 20th century are a perfect display of the warning President George Washington gave in his farewell address in response to permanent foreign alliances.  In this example our support of the Shah lead to the turmoil that erupted in the embassy takeover and the United States forever being called the 'Great Satan' by too many in the Middle East.  The hostages, or 'guests' as they were called by Iranian propaganda, were originally held in buildings at the embassy but after the failed rescue mission by U.S. military (Operation Eagle Claw), they were scattered around Iran to hinder any further rescue attempts.  Their captors treated them to beatings, theft, fear of bodily harm, being bound for extended amounts of time, and solitary confinement.  Upon their release and after they were out of Iranian airspace the freed hostages were described as going wild with happiness and erupting into shouts of cheer along with crying, clapping, and embracing each other.  The 1970s was a horrible decade for the U.S. State Department that not only included the Iran-Hostage Crisis, but it also was an era of ambassadors being murdered in/around the Middle East.  Adolph Dubs, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, was killed in Kabul in 1979; Francis E. Meloy, Jr., U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, was killed in Lebanon in 1976; Rodger P. Davies, U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus, was killed in Cyprus in 1974;  Cleo A. Noel, Jr., U.S. Ambassador to Sudan, was killed in Sudan in 1973.

3rd Inning.

Movie I want to see......A couple of weeks ago I learned that my wife had never seen a Die Hard movie.Ever.  It was later discovered that she had seen Die Hard 4: Live Free or Die Hard but didn't realize it was a Die Hard movie or part of a movie franchise or that Bruce Willis was in it.  Well, I searched frantically that night on our cable provider's pay-per-view and found the original and we watched it.  I found myself quoting the movie throughout the night as we watched(much to the annoyance of my beautiful bride).  If you are one of the few people that have not seen any Die Hard movies check your local listings, run to Wal-Mart/Target, or call Netflix and watch them, you will not be disappointed with John McClane kicking some butt and killing bad guys.  He is the everyman hero.  With that said, there is another Die Hard movie currently in theaters that I want to go see..A Good Day to Die Hard.  This one picks up with John travelling to Russia and getting into another mess with terrorists but this time along with his son, Jack.  Yippee-Ki-Yay, Motherf#$%&*! 

4th Inning.
This ole...Ford Mustang.  1967 Ford Mustang to be exact. My first car was a 1967 Mustang.  

This is not my Mustang but one that is very similar.

Here I was cleaning one day and came across a photo album and flipping through it I found some pictures of my first car.  I first spotted the one I would eventually purchase sitting in a car lot off the outer road along 71 Highway in Grandview, Missouri.  I was 15 at the time but I had been working in my parent's restaurant in Grandview as a dishwasher for a few years and saving money.  I washed sooooooo many dishes to earn enough money to buy it.  I remember being in California at the time on a vacation with a friend visiting his dad and getting the call that my parents had withdrawn the money from my account and went and bought the vehicle for me (they did not front the money--this car was purchased with MY money).  If you can imagine the excitement in a 15 year old boy knowing he owns a car then, well, you know I was EXCITED!   After returning home to Grandview we stored it in the garage of my step-dad's brother (I grew up in an apartment complex).  It sat there until I turned 16 and received my driver's license (I took my driver's test in my parent's El Ranchero).  Once I got behind the wheel of that car, which had a 351 Windsor motor, I felt like one BMF.  I instantly became the official chauffeur for my friends.  I know that many fellow students back in high school thought I was conceited and I may have come across as such but when you go to school with kids that have their parents buy them their car which just adds to their snootiness and I bought my car with my hard-earned money, well the pride in my accomplishment just shined through--tough noogies. 

This is my Mustang the day after the wreck.

I owned the car until July 1992.  On the  night of the 17th I drove out to Olathe, Kansas with my cousin and a couple of his friends to cruise a strip.  We got into a heated exchange with some young adults in another car and they began threatening us with knives and throwing beer bottles at my car.  With my cousin behind the wheel (it was his birthday and he wanted to drive) we tried to get back to Missouri without any trouble.  But in our attempt we ran a red light and hit a car coming from our right.  Both vehicles were totalled while the young adults that were the aggressors in the situation drove off never to be seen again.  I was sitting in the passenger seat when we collided with the other car (one really weird note-the young lady we collided with shared the exact same birthday as me).  We were very lucky no one died.  The intersection is at Santa Fe and Murlen.  I still get chills even to this day when I drive through that intersection. 

I can honestly admit on that night when the tow truck driver dropped me off at home, I went to bed and cried.  One of the things that bothers me to this day is that I didn't take any pictures of it prior to the wreck.  In today's society where everyone is taking pictures of everything that would be unheard of but it was the early 1990s and teenagers with cellphone cameras were nowhere to be found.  Now my wife has heard this story numerous times and knows how I want another 1967 Mustang and she has promised me that I can purchase another one someday.  Hopefully if I wash enough dishes here at home I can earn the necessary Gina points to buy one!    

5th Inning.

Firearms corner...Winchester Model 94.  This iconic lever-action rifle is one that is very recognizable.  You have seen this American Classic in any number of Western movies/tv shows through the years.  It is one of the most popular rifles (if not THE most popular) to have ever been sold.  It is typically found chambered in .30-30 but can also be found in other calibers, to included handgun calibers.  At a couple of gun shows last year I encountered a fella selling a Bicentennial version made in 1976 at a very good price and I ran across a John Wayne commemorative edition also at a good price and didn't 'pull the trigger' on either one (even though the wife would've killed me when I get home but the secret is to just put it in the safe before she finds out and pretend you have always had it).  Anyhow, I do not own one but I plan to in the near future and I hope it is a Pre-'64 model.  Post 1963, Winchester re-evaluated the cost of production of the Model 94 and found cheaper ways to make the rifle which lead to an outcry from Winchester traditionalists.  You can find a brief history & explanation of the specific changes of the rifle here.  Now, when perusing the tables at a show or at the local Cabela's I always check to see (and they are usually marked) if it is a Pre-'64.  Winchester ceased production of the rifle in 2006 then reintroduced it in 2010 with limited edition models but they are now in regular production, although they are pricey (even at dealer cost).     

Although I don't own one, my uncle that hunts in our deer camp has been trying to get a tradition started where one day of camp is designated 'lever-action' day.  He has brought all of his Model 94s(and a Marlin) for us to use and it has been a fun experience.  If you are looking for a compact hunting rifle with a popular cartridge with a tolerable recoil then you have found your gun.  For those preparing for the Zombie-Apocalypse, this is recommended due to the ready availability of the .30-30 round and hey, who wouldn't want to Cowboy-Up and take out some walkers!

6th Inning.

FFL Factoid...Buying/Selling out of state at a gun show...As a Missouri dealer I'm required to only sell firearms at the address on my Federal Firearms License.  The exception to that rule is a gun show.  I am allowed to rent a table and sell firearms at a gun show within the state (Missouri) where I hold a license.  All rules apply the same no matter which location.  Since I live close to the Missouri/Kansas border I could rent a table at a Kansas gun show and take orders if someone wished to purchase from me but I could not transfer the firearm directly to them (I would need to wait until the show is over and meet with the FFL in Kansas they are using for the transfer and hand over the firearm).  Upon transferring the firearm to a Kansas dealer the customer would then complete the Form 4473 background paperwork before taking possession of the gun.  The typical transfer fee is around $15. 

7th Inning.

Random thoughts...We really need two new U.S. Constitution amendments--one for Congressional term limits and one for a Balanced Budget...Why is Shatto Root Beer milk so damn tasty?!?!?...There is a point at which you decide this was a bad idea as you fly down the hill at Mach 3 on a sled made of cheap plastic...It was 7 years ago this week that the Baseball HOF committed a heinous act and omitted John Jordan 'Buck' O'Neil from the ballot of new inductees...When your wife starts wearing your socks it's time to buy her some new ones...There is no cheaping out on toilet paper, EVER...I am thankful for snow days because I get to wear my 2000gram Thinsulate hunting boots...Whatever happened to the girl from Small Wonder?...Will the Royals ever cut Luke Hochevar?...

8th Inning.

What I'm watching...Over the weekend the wife and I watched the movie ARGO about the true story of 6 U.S. embassy employees that were rescued from Iran by CIA Operative,Tony Mendez.  I had originally learned about this story several years ago when I had ordered Mendez's book, 'The Master of Disguise', from The History Book Club.  I highly recommend his book as he is a very remarkable man with an interesting story about how he came to work for the CIA and his 'adventures' in the clandestine service of our nation. 

On to the movie...watching the movie and knowing how it ends might make you approach it with a bored mentality but don't fall into that trap.  This movie is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat.  The violence of the Iran Revolutionaries is always at the doorstep and the threat of being publicly executed is around every corner.  There is some humor in the movie and that lies with the outrageous Hollywood (in his book Tony tells the story of his history with Hollywood and their CIA connection prior to and after the Iran rescue) scheme devised by Tony as the cover to get the diplomats out of Iran.  If you are looking for a great movie to watch as well as learn some history then watch ARGO.  If you want to read an intriguing book on the CIA and one of its operatives then read 'The Master of Disguise'.  Either way you will not be disappointed.  

9th Inning.
Baseball is back...Who remembers the Baseball Bunch?


10th Inning. Extra Inning.

There are moments you can't explain that find you performing an action or doing something you would not otherwise.  Moments that just appear out of nowhere like a voice in your head giving you instructions.  This may sound weird but this week I had the urge to go online and search Facebook for an old teacher of mine from elementary school.  Her name was Mrs. Walton, Mrs. Charlene Walton to be exact.  She was my 3rd grade teacher at Conn-West Elementary in Grandview, Missouri.  Mrs. Walton was my all-time favorite teacher.  I wish there would have been more Mrs. Waltons as I moved through junior high and high school and I wish that my daughters have a Mrs. Walton as they go through school.  She was always pushing me to be my best and gave me some freedom to do that but was quick to keep me in line if I stepped outside her boundaries.  I remember playing 'Around the World' with flash cards in her class and never being beaten and I remember laughing and cutting up with my friend, David Peterman, one day and both of us being held out of recess to reflect on our behavior during class.  It may seem odd to search for old teachers but I can proudly say that I am Facebook friends with two of my graduate school professors, Dr. Charles Hartwig and Dr. Cathy Reese, that had a very positive impact on me when I was ready to quit and leave the program at Arkansas State University.  With Mrs. Walton it was a desire to show her that I turned out pretty good and to introduce her to my family, but most of all it was to just tell her 'thank you' for being a great teacher.  Well, I didn't find Mrs. Walton on Facebook so I did a Google search for 'Charlene Walton Kansas City' and there at the top of the search results I found her.  Charlene (Belser) Walton passed away two years ago on February 21 in Arizona and was laid to rest in Kansas City, Missouri on February 26th.  Rest in Peace, Mrs. Walton...and thank you for being a great teacher.