'We Gotta Play Them One Day At A Time..."

1st Inning.

Highlights of the Brew Crew...After a VERY disappointing deer hunting season that ended before I could harvest a deer due to breaking the fibula bone in my right leg, I lay about my house, unemployed and broken, but with my wife there to take care of my every need!  It wasn't but a week later that we were once again loading up the ole RV and heading south to the southeast Arkansas town of Rohwer to spend a few days over the Thanksgiving holiday with my wife's sister and her family.  After a delicious lunch of turkey breast, cornbread dressing, green beans, 7-layer salad, and sweet potato casserole, we settled in for a day and a half of movie watching because, well, I couldn't do much on crutches.  The kids played outside taking turns driving their cousins' Polaris Razr utv around the yard and making up an entertainment extravaganza for Friday night.   

Movies watched and recommendations are as follows:

Let's Be Cops--Starring Damon Wayans, Jr. (did you know Damon Wayans had an adult son...makes me feel old), Jake Johnson (star of the tv show 'New Girl' and oddly the principal from the 21 Jump Street movie), Rob Riggle (the man who shot Bin Laden--YouTube it), and Andy Garcia (looking good in a beard).  Per IMDB.com, "Two struggling pals dress as police officers for a costume party and become neighborhood sensations. But when these newly-minted "heroes" get tangled in a real life web of mobsters and dirty detectives, they must put their fake badges on the line." A funny 'copycat' to the 21 Jump Street franchise in my opinion but still full of laughs.  Recommendation is 3 out of 5 Pumpkin Pies. 

22 Jump Street--Starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, and Ice Cube.  Per IMDB.com, "After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt and Jenko when they go deep undercover at a local college."  Using many of the same gags from the first installment this one still brought laughs but you could see them coming. A great movie for the college crowd but I am glad I didn't pay to see it in a theater. Recommendation is 2 out of 5 Pumpkin Pies.  

The Expendables 3--Starring (get ready for this ensemble) Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Harrison Ford, Kelsey Grammer, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Jet Li, Kellen Lunz, and the beautiful Ronda Rousey. How's that for a cast?  Per IMDB.com, "Barney (Stallone) augments his team with new blood for a personal battle: to take down Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), the Expendables co-founder and notorious arms trader who is hell bent on wiping out Barney and every single one of his associates."  This movie suffered at the box office due to a hack and leak of the movie online prior to it being released.  I saw somewhere that it had been illegally downloaded close to 200,000 times.  I would definitely have paid money to sit in a cushy theater seat and watch this action-packed movie.  Great cast and a plot that delivers for guys like me.  I look forward to the next installment. Recommendation is 3 out 5 Pumpkin Pies.

A Million Ways to Die in the West--Starring Seth McFarlane (famous for 'The Family Guy' and 'Ted'), Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Sarah Silverman, Giovanni Riobisi, Neal Patrick Harris, and a collection of cameos from other stars.   Per IMDB.com, "As a cowardly farmer begins to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, he must put his new-found courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival."  Funny scenes throughout the movie had me laughing and if you liked the humor from 'Ted' then you will like this movie. This is definitely a RedBox or PPV type movie.   Recommendation is 3 out 5 Pumpkin Pies.

2nd Inning.

American History Lesson...Washington Monument completed, December 6th, 1884.  On December 6th in 1884, workers finished the construction of the monument named after our nation's first president.  Those workers placed a nine-inch aluminum pyramid at the top of the tower of the grand monument in our nation's capitol, Washington, D.C. on that day to complete the construction.

Per History.com, "As early as 1783, the infant U.S. Congress decided that a statue of George Washington, the great Revolutionary War general, should be placed near the site of the new Congressional building, wherever it might be. After then-President Washington asked him to lay out a new federal capital on the Potomac River in 1791, architect Pierre L'Enfant left a place for the statue at the western end of the sweeping National Mall (near the monument's present location)."

In 1832, long after Washington's death, a private Washington National Monument Society was formed. They held a design contest which was won by architect Robert Mills.  Per the National Park Service, "The Washington Monument, designed by Robert Mills and eventually completed by Thomas Casey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, honors and memorializes George Washington at the center of the nation's capital. The structure was completed in two phases of construction, one private (1848-1854) and one public (1876-1884). Built in the shape of an Egyptian obelisk, evoking the timelessness of ancient civilizations, the Washington Monument embodies the awe, respect, and gratitude the nation felt for its most essential Founding Father. When completed, the Washington Monument was the tallest building in the world at 555 feet, 5-1/8 inches."

The initial fundraising effort for construction of the monument was lead through a drive by the country's schoolchildren.  Their efforts saw $230,000 raised of the $1 million needed for complete construction. On July 4, 1848, the private monument society laid the 24,500 pound white marble cornerstone to begin the construction.
Later in 1854, construction was halted due to low funds. Progress did not continue until 1876 when President Ulysses S. Grant ordered the monument be completed.

The monument is comprised of 36,000 blocks of marble and granite. At the time of completion, the structure was the tallest in the world.  Originally, stairs were needed to ascend the monument but eventually an elevator was installed. In 1910, a law was passed to restrict the heights of any new buildings to keep the monument the tallest structure in Washington, D.C.

Per the National Park Service, "At the dedication of the Washington Monument in 1885, a speech by then-elderly Robert Winthrop, who had attended the opening ceremony in 1848, was read by Rep. John D. Long of Massachusetts. He said of the Washington Monument, 'The storms of winter must blow and beat upon it ... the lightnings of Heaven may scar and blacken it. An earthquake may shake its foundations ... but the character which it commemorates and illustrates is secure.' "

For more information, check out the National Park Service's web page for the monument here.

3rd Inning.

Firearms Corner...Field Dressing a Deer.  Since it is the fall season and still deer hunting season around the nation, whether it be with/without a rifle or bow or muzzleloader or shotgun (there are soooo many varying hunting laws & rules around this great nation), I felt it was a good opportunity for some deer hunting education in regards to field dressing a deer. Now I'll be honest, I've only been hunting regularly each season since my mid to late 20s and I hit 40 next month so I don't have a lifetime of experience when it comes to this topic as opposed to those folks that have been hunting since they were old enough to walk.  But I have made sure to pay attention when others have and through my experiences hunting in south Arkansas and western Missouri I've noticed some different techniques but it all comes down to the same process.

The goal is to remove the inner contents so the deer can start to cool off and keep from spoiling the meat that you hope to take home and enjoy.  I have seen folks hang the deer first, either by the head or by the hind legs then proceed to field dress it.  I have seen folks just do it while the deer is on the ground which is the option I choose where I hunt due to not having the proper equipment to hang it first.  You will need a good, sharp knife (preferably a fixed blade) and either a small hatchet or bone saw.  Some folks like to use latex gloves to keep from getting too messy which is always good if you don't have running water and it is really cold outside.  There is also the rib spreaders which help to keep the rib cage open to help it cool off and then there is the infamous 'Butt Out' tool which is always useful for some fun around your deer camp! Bass Pro put together a really good web page listing safe and best practices which I recommend.

For a good tutorial check out this great instructional video brought to you by the fine folks at RealTree.  Enjoy and good luck hunting!




4th Inning.

Sports...2014 Royals Season.  So, it is the baseball off-season.  I figure my mourning period is winding down now as the playoffs concluded back in October and my Kansas City Royals came up short after making it to the World Series to face the San Francisco Giants.  After going on a sweeping tear through Anaheim and Baltimore, they ran into a National League 'Dynasty' team as the Giants had recently won the World Series in 2012 & 2010. There were heroes and there were goats...there was Billy Butler and there was Madison 'Every Sports Announcer Wants to Make Love To Me' Bumgarner...there was good pitching and there was great pitching...there was outstanding outfield catches...there was the freakin' Marlins guy behind home plate at every game...there was a panda and there was a moose...and in the end there was a magical season that finished after seven games in the World Series with a Royals loss.  I will go to my grave saying that 3rd base coach, Mike Jirschele, should have sent Alex Gordon home in the bottom of the 9th of Game 7 down 3-2 after he caught the outfield with their thumbs up their butts.  But after 29 years this city deserved this either way.  Hopefully they can keep the momentum going and return to the playoffs on a more regular basis (2015 would be a good start, please!). As I write this, Billy Butler has moved on to the Oakland Athletics; James Shields is gone; Luke Hochevar will be back and maybe in the starting rotation; and Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, and Salvador Perez each received Gold Gloves.  The Major League Baseball winter meetings are currently ongoing so we shall see if the Royals are players in any capacity to try and get back to the World Series.

Here's to you, Royals, for making this a year to remember!



5th Inning.
Cool Videos...

Thomas Jane as the Punisher...One of my favorite comic book characters is the Punisher and this short-film by Thomas Jane (who played the character in a full-length feature) screams 'Make a Sequel With ME!!!'.  Enjoy!



If you have seen those hilarious bad lip reading NFL videos (heck, if not then I might have to post one of those for you) AND if you are a fan of The Walking Dead like me then you will appreciate the humor in this video.  Enjoy!




6th Inning.

Random Thoughts...Never, ever trust a fart after taking a laxative...The day I am folding my daughters' clean socks while doing laundry and I have a complete set I am buying a lottery ticket...Would women that hunt buy a bra with pockets in the cups for those Hot Hands warmers?...There should be a bar & grill called 'Racks' with a hunting theme and a waitstaff to rival Hooters with gals wearing a little camo...
We have officially entered a world where 11/12 year olds are
getting busted at school 'smoking' e-cigs...The motorized carts at Sam's Club are the slowest and have the worst battery lives...Citizens should get an annual opportunity to line up and punch a politician like the scene out of 'Airplane'...I need a job that pays me to go on vacation in my RV...World War III will probably happen during my lifetime--Wolverines!!!...





7th Inning.
Articles of the Week...

• Annabelle..."On the night Hollywood released the horror movie, “Annabelle,” a sell-out audience at Lauralton Hall was spellbound, hearing about the real Annabelle — a demonic doll — from paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren, who cracked the real-life case, along with her late husband, Ed Warren." Creepy dolls scare me.  That is all... 
• Tea, Crumpets, & Violence..."Gun control in Britain passed in stages, beginning just after World War I and continuing in a reactionary fashion with increasing strictness through the 1990s." An eerie preview for where certain parts of our nation are headed with their gun control measures. 
• Hacker Dawn..."The Obama administration has faced a larger threat of cyber attacks from foreign enemies than any administration before it, yet has demonstrated a continuing de facto policy in dealing with the onslaught of cyber attacks against our nation: doing nothing. Not only does our current administration mostly ignore the intrusions and sabotage entirely--they carry on like nothing ever happened." I have a bad feeling about this.  Everyone is gunning for us and our cyber networks are vulnerable no matter what we tell ourselves.
• Too Many Damn People..."A new report from UN statisticians says their earlier predictions about global population stabilization are wrong and that we are on the cusp of major and dangerous growth." Get ready for some population control. Soylent Green is people!
  
• Presidential First Class..."The story of Columbine II, a Lockheed Constellation, which was the very first aircraft designated as Air Force One."  A great little piece on the history of the first Air Force One.
• Beware of our Betters..."Jonathan Gruber's several videotaped remarks about the gross deceptions that got ObamaCare passed in Congress should tell us a lot about the Obama administration. And the way that the mainstream media hesitated for days to even mention what Professor Gruber said, while they obsessed over unsubstantiated charges against Bill Cosby, should tell us a lot about the media."  When Thomas Sowell speaks, it's good to listen.
• What Would You Do..."Last night at 92Y, our favorite Robert F. Kennedy Junior-High-Schoolers — Kevin Arnold, Winnie Cooper, and Paul Pfeiffer — waxed nostalgic before 200 fans during their “first public appearance together in front of a live audience,” promoting season one of The Wonder Years on DVD."  One of my favorite tv shows when I was a kid. Some good behind-the-scenes/trivia stuff!
  
• Put The Trash Out, Please!!!..."Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) on Wednesday released a grim report that finds the federal government guilty of wasting billions of dollars of taxpayer money each year — in many cases, the report argues, because federal agencies have completely lost sight of their missions."  A highlight reel of government waste brought to you by the retiring Senator from Oklahoma, Tom Coburn.
• BILLY.BUTLER.BILLY.BUTLER..."In the annals of sports, many players who joined a new team have gone to great lengths to get the jersey number they had with their previous teams. There have been instances of cash changing hands, as well as a motorcycle, an autographed Babe Ruth ball, a Rolex watch and even a baby nursery for another player’s house."  Billy Butler's adventures post-Royals begins!
  
  
  Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article4273454.html#storylink=cpy

8th Inning.
FFL Factoid...From the National Shooting Sports Foundation's ATF Q&A page:

Q:How many firearms must be sold to be considered "engaged in the business"?

A:The Gun Control Act (GCA) does not identify or define a specific number of firearms that a person can sell or transfer before they must obtain an FFL. If a person is devoting time, attention and labor to engaging in firearms sales as a regular course or trade of business with the principle objective of livelihood and profit, they would be considered 'engaged in the business" and would consequently be required to have an FFL. Neither the ATF nor the courts have identified a specific number of firearms that would establish a need for a license. However, if the intent underlying the sale of firearms is predominantly one of obtaining livelihood and pecuniary gain, then a license must be obtained or the unlicensed individual will be in violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(a)(1).


9th Inning.
Baseball Video..."People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." - Rogers Hornsby.  Well, while you are waiting, practice your cliches!