Couldn't Roll Me A Seven If You Gave Me Loaded Dice...

1st Inning.

Highlights of the Brew Crew...Over the Easter holiday we loaded up the ole RV once again with Mother-in-law in tow (this is becoming a pattern) and headed south down the interstate to the southeast Arkansas town of Rohwer to spend a few days with my wife's sister and her family.  We made it down on Friday just in time for supper then as the kids played I retreated back to the RV for an early bedtime.  On Saturday, the kids decided the weather was not too cool and they spent the day in the pool.  They had a bucket of water balloons ready the entire weekend and made many attempts to get me to come outside to ambush me with them.  I spent most of the day inside watching movies with my brother-in-law (movies and reviews below) but did make it to the grocery store with my wife where I finally photographed evidence of the different types of pork products sold in southeast Arkansas versus the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri.   Anyone in the mood for pig ears, pork tails, pork neck bones, or pigs feet?  

Pig Ears!  Yum?

Sunday came and went with a morning Easter egg hunt, lots of candy, and an afternoon dinner of ham, cornbread dressing, green beans, 7-layer salad, and sweet potato casserole.  After dinner we settled in for a an evening of getting everything gathered up for our drive home on Monday.  There were plenty of Reese's Peanut Butter eggs consumed along with a few Moon Pies! 

Movies watched and recommendations are as follows:

Anchorman 2--Ron Burgundy is back!  Ron gets the news crew back together for a new 24 hour news channel in New York.  Per IMDB.com, "With the 70s behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy, returns to take New York's first 24-hour news channel by storm."  To be honest it was not as funny as the first one but it had many laughs nonetheless .  Recommendation is 3 out of 5 Easter Eggs. 

Delivery Man--Starring Vince Vaughn and Chris Pratt.  Per IMDB.com, "An affable underachiever finds out he's fathered 533 children through anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years ago. Now he must decide whether or not to come forward when 142 of them file a lawsuit to reveal his identity."  A cute, little movie.  Recommendation is 3 out of 5 Easter Eggs.  

Ride Along--Starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart.Per IMDB.com, "Security guard Ben (played by Hart) must prove himself to his girlfriend's brother, top cop James (played by Ice Cube). He rides along James on a 24-hour patrol of Atlanta."  A great ode to the buddy-cop genre!  Recommendation is 3 out of 5 Easter Eggs.  Lots of action and laughs!  

2nd Inning.
Politics...Pork Barrel Spending.  With tax day this past week I felt it was a great opportunity for another inning of wasteful government spending. When examining these items we need to ask a few questions such as 'Can we afford this at this time?' and 'Could this money have been better spent or not spent at all?' and 'Is this a national priority or is this something benefiting a special interest?' and 'Does this fit the role of the federal government, as outlined in the U.S. Constitution?'.  This week's entries:

1. One federal agency has charged other offices and taxpayers $50 million to provide government reports that are largely available free of charge on the Internet. It is essentially the “let me Google that for you” office of the federal government.  Home to more than three million records, the Department of Commerce’s National Technical Information Service (NTIS) collects “government-funded scientific, technical, engineering, and business-related information” and reports and sells them to other federal agencies.  Only it turns out most of what it sells can also be found for free on the Internet with little effort.  Established more than 60 years ago, NTIS is a vestige of the pre-Internet era when a lot of the reports the agency collects were not widely available; however, as times have changed agency has not.  Required by law to be largely self-sustaining, NTIS charges other federal agencies to access its collection of reports. However, a November 2012 review of the office by GAO uncovered that about three-quarters of the reports in the NTIS archives were available from other public sources. Specifically, “GAO estimated that approximately 621,917, or about 74 percent, of the 841,502 reports were readily available from one of the other four publicly available sources GAO searched.”
2. Here is a status update no one will “like” – one of America’s largest companies avoided paying
   
   federal or state income taxes, and is poised to do so again this year. In fact, they will likely receive a check from the federal government in the form of a tax refund. Despite bringing in more than $1 billion in U.S. pretax profits last year, the social-media giant Facebook reported a combined $429 million refund from their federal and state tax filings.  Uncle Sam cut a check to Facebook for roughly $295 million in 2012, according to one analysis of the company’s 10-K filing.  Facebook’s first annual 10-K report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for 2012 details the company’s use of the employee stock option tax deduction, which lowered the company’s income taxes owed to federal and state authorities by $1.03 billion last year. By providing stock options as a major form of their compensation, to date, Facebook has claimed $3.2 billion in federal and state stock option deductions, $1.03 billion of which was used to offset their total U.S. pretax profit of $1.1 billion in 2012, and $429 million was refunded from its 2010 and 2011 tax bills. The remaining $2.17 billion in stock option tax deductions can now be carried forward by the company and used to offset future tax liabilities. This rollover, in addition to currently outstanding employee stock options, may once again make this year’s tax bill disappear. 
3. Sometimes working in the Senate is stressful and means staying up all night to get your projects done. Fortunately, overworked and under-slept staffers can take one of dozens of lifestyle coaching classes offered by the Senate to ensure they’re okay. The Senate Office of Education and Training offers Senate employees a wide variety of free courses on everything from the “Benefits of a Good Night’s Sleep” to “Pressure Point Therapy Workshop,” in which students are taught “how to locate and relieve active pressure.  For its efforts, the office was provided $1.9 million in 2013 according to information provided by the office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms. 
4. When Americans borrow money from banks, they are usually also required to pay them back
   
   with money. When U.S. sugar producers borrow money from the taxpayer, however, they can pay it back with sugar. It’s all part of a convoluted, money-losing scheme to sweeten sugar producers’ bottom lines – known as the U.S. Sugar Program. In 2013 alone, the government lost $171.5 million because sugar companies could not pay back the government for money it borrowed.  The 2008 Farm Bill created the Feedstock Flexibility Program (FFP) to increase the use of ethanol and biofuels. Under this program, the government is required, in times of surplus, to buy sugar from processors and to re-sell the sugar to ethanol plants.  Since the 2012-2013 sugar harvest season is the first to yield a surplus, taxpayers are witnessing the program’s wastefulness for the first time. In August, the first use of the FFP, the USDA bought only 7,118 tons out of 100,000 tons of sugar offered for resale. USDA then sold this sugar to an ethanol maker at a $2.7 million loss.

3rd Inning.

Random Facts About Me (Jobs I have held during my 39 years on this planet--with commentary)...Mowed Junior Teague's lawn every week (that guy had the most trees in one big ass yard)...Dishwasher in my mom's restaurant (never eat out of the bus cart, even on a bet unless you are a girl from Ruskin)...Short-order cook in my mom's restaurant (I made the best damn dinner cinnamon rolls!)...Waiter at Ponderosa Steakhouse (I applied as a cook but did every other job there but cook)...Ice Cream man (for a day my buddy, David, and I rode around in a crappy van ringing a bell)...

Background Investigator with my current employer (Classified)...Information Booth attendant at the Reng Center (We gave directions, sold newspapers, and made popcorn), Arkansas State University...Picture framer assistant (Got to help frame some very cool items including some historical documents from before the Civil War)...Park Maintenance worker with the City of Grandview and also with the City of Leawood (I was the guy that got to hose out the park bathrooms where apparently toilets were optional and got to dump the trash cans full of maggoty meat from your weekend picnic)...

4th Inning.
American History Lesson...Income Tax.  As another April 15th comes and goes and too many of us cross our fingers that we understood the tax forms and completed our returns correctly, do we know the origin of this infamous ritual?  Per the Library of Congress, "The origin of the income tax on individuals is generally cited as the passage of the 16th Amendment, passed by Congress on July 2, 1909, and ratified February 3, 1913; however, its history actually goes back even further. During the Civil War Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1861 which included a tax on personal incomes to help pay war expenses. The tax was repealed ten years later. However, in 1894 Congress enacted a flat rate Federal income tax, which was ruled unconstitutional the following year by the U.S. Supreme Court because it was a direct tax not apportioned according to the population of each state. The 16th amendment, ratified in 1913, removed this objection by allowing the Federal government to tax the income of individuals without regard to the population of each State. April 15th has not always been the filing deadline. March 1st was the date specified by Congress in 1913, after the passage of the 16th amendment. In 1918 Congress pushed the date forward to March 15th, where it remained until the tax overhaul of 1954, when the date was again moved ahead to April 15th."

The problem with the current tax system is all the loopholes that special interests have lobbied for and received that allow for confusion among most and favorable reception among few.  This was designed from the beginning and has continued to the present as the tax code gets more complex and is written by old and new special interests.  Per the LatterDayConservative.com, "The tax bill which the Sixteenth Amendment authorized was introduced as House Resolution 3321 on October 3, 1913. It turned out to be somewhat of a legislative potpourri for tax attorneys, accountants and the federal courts. In the ensuing years, untold millions of dollars have been spent trying to figure out exactly what this tax law, and those which followed it, were intended to provide. However, tucked away in its inward parts was that precious key which safely locked up the riches of the super wealthy. Here are the magic words under Section 2, paragraph G: 'Provided, however, that nothing in this section shall apply…to any corporation or association organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific or educational purposes.'  All of the foundations of the super-rich were designed to qualify under one or more of these categories." 

If you take a moment to study the history of this amendment and the chaos it has left in its path, as well as, the political football that gets thrown back and forth between the Democrats and Republicans over how "they are going to fix it" or how "they are going to make (enter political/socioeconomic class) pay their fair share" you should know the game is fixed.  What we need is a replacement of the tax system.  There are others out there and we should be able to do better than our current one.  For more information on the history of the amendment you can click here.   

A good little video explaining the history of the income tax and what could be done or not done in today's society is below.  Enjoy!


5th Inning.

Music...Lost Country Stars of the 90s Top Ten countdown #5.  The next entry into my Top Ten review of country artists from the mid-1990s that came and went is Doug Supernaw.  After moving to Nashville in 1987 to be a session songwriter, he moved back to his home state of Texas in 1991 and founded a band called 'Texas Steel'.  In 1993, Doug would go on to release his debut CD after being discovered by an RCA Records executive and signed to BNA Entertainment.  His debut CD, 'Red and Rio Grande', saw hits with 'Reno' and 'I Don't Call Him Daddy'(#1 Single).

Per Wikipedia, "A series of injuries nearly ended Supernaw's career after his first album's release. After recovering from a broken neck suffered while surfing, he was involved in a head-on car collision. Finally, he was hospitalized after a nearly-fatal case of food poisoning. Once he had recovered from the food poisoning, he recorded his second album for BNA, 1994's Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Mind. Of the album's three singles, only the Dennis Linde-penned "What'll You Do About Me" (previously a single in 1984 for Steve Earle, and in 1992 for The Forester Sisters) entered Top 40 on the country music charts."

In 1995, Doug signed with another record label and recorded his 3rd CD, 'You Still Got Me'. That CD saw a #3 hit on the Country Singles chart with, 'Not Enough Hours in the Night'.  Supernaw ended up with a third record label and released 'Fadin' Renegade' in 1999. The CD saw some success on CMT and GAC with the video for the single, '21-17'.

Supernaw has seen some issues with the law in recent years.  He was committed to a mental institution in 2007 after making bizarre statements in court, with claims of a "political economic conspiracy" against him, international kidnapping, and being subjected as a marijuana"test monkey" by the government, along with other wild accusations.  Doug's hit, 'Reno' is my favorite. The video is below. Enjoy!



6th Inning.
Articles of the week...

• REPEAL 16..."It is time for the FairTax and Flat Tax supporters to unite behind a plan to eliminate the IRS, repeal the 16th Amendment, and start over."  I am a supporter of the Fair Tax and I believe we can do better than the current tax system.
• Prepping..."Water is the most crucial and diverse aspect of preparing for the breakdown of our society. Where do you get your water now? Is it from the city? Is it from an artesian well? A shallow well? Do you have lakes or streams near your house? Are those your sense of water security? Is your swimming pool an ever-available water backup? All of these pieces mesh into a fairly large body of possibilities, and points of failure." Just because I prep doesn't mean the aliens won't invade Earth...
• Unions on the Right Side..."A construction trades union is jumping into the 2014 midterms. While it isn't surprising when a union engages in politics, this particular union is going against the usual grain for union political expenditures by using its campaign dollars to threaten Democrats. The union is going after those who oppose the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline."  Now there has been much discussion in the media about the political infighting on the right between the Tea Party folks and the GOP establishment but let's not forget the left has its own internal mess.
• Tesla..."Governor Chris Christie’s administration blocked Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA), the
  
  electric-car maker that doesn’t have franchised retail dealers, from direct auto sales in a move the company said could shutter its only two stores in New Jersey."  I'm torn on this subject as I don't want the government picking winners and losers in the free market but come on you New Jersey idiots!
• Yelling 'Fire'..."Every time there’s a discussion about gun laws in the United States, someone invariably brings up the old line about how you “can’t yell fire in a crowded building” as the example of a reasonable restriction on rights. But where does that phrase come from? What does it mean? And what’s the appropriate parallel for gun rights in the United States? I’m no lawyer, but having read the applicable case law and possessing a modicum of common sense, I think I finally have a handle on this."  A great piece on the 1st and 2nd Amendments.
• Movin' South..."In the past six months, three preeminent firearm manufacturers—Ruger, Beretta, and Remington—announced plans to build new gun factories, and it’s no coincidence that all three chose not to expand at current locations."  I always wondered why some of the oldest and major firearm manufacturers still operate in some of the strictest gun control states...I am also amazed at how those same states are where the American Revolution began.
• Star-Hunters...A cool little pictorial on Hollywood stars that like to hit the outdoors and hunt!
• Searching for ballplayers..."Cam Perron was Googling himself (hey, we've all done it) when he came across an Internet article about the death of his friend, John Dawson.  Though Perron is only 19, this happens every so often. He finds out another one of his pen pals or phone buddies is dead and gone, and he is reminded of the shelf life that accompanies his peculiar-yet-impactful passion for tracking down former Negro League players and learning about their history in the game."  A very cool kid doing a very cool thing!
• Right to Bear Arms...A very cool national GIF image on the right-to-carry in every state since the 1980s!
  

7th Inning.
Firearms Corner...To follow up on the article above...As more and more people make their first firearm purchase with plans to get a conceal carry license, it is important to know how misrepresented the statistics are against those pro-2nd Amendment legislation and how much the scare tactics play a part in limiting our rights, especially when it comes to where/when we can take our concealed firearm.  Dom Raso with NRA News has a good video to set things straight.  You can check out more of his videos here or here.



8th Inning.
FFL Factoid...Top 8 Questions Asked by FFLs on the ATF website.  #4: How do I add responsible persons to my FFL?

• Neither the Gun Control Act (GCA) nor its implementing regulations specifically define the term “responsible person.” ATF derives its interpretation of that term from 18 U.S.C. § 923(d)(1)(B), to mean an individual who has the power to direct the management and policies of the business entity for which the Federal firearms license is being applied. Reference the March 2006 FFL Newsletter: http://www.atf.gov/files/publications/newsletters/ffl/ffl-newsletter-2006–03.pdf.

• An existing responsible person (RP) under the applicable Federal firearms license must request the addition of the new RP in writing. Written correspondence can be addressed directly to the appropriate Federal Firearms Licensing Center (FFLC) examiner on letterhead or by email. The addition of a new RP does not have to be submitted on a Form 7. Photographs and fingerprint cards (FPC) must be submitted in addition to all required personal information. This required information includes full legal name, position, social security number, home address (including addresses the person has had for the last five years), country of citizenship (list more than one, if applicable), place of birth (City and State or Foreign Country), date of birth, race and ethnicity, sex, and home telephone number. If the RP being added to the license is currently an RP on an existing license, no new photographs, or FPCs need to be submitted, however a new background check must be completed before approval of the addition can occur.

• To find your FFLC examiner, please visit http://www.atf.gov/files/contact/service-centers/fflc-distribution-map.pdf. Corporate account examiners and a staff directory can be found at http://www.atf.gov/contact/service-centers/index.html.

• To delete an existing RP under the applicable license, each licensee must also request this deletion in writing to the FFLC.

9th Inning.
Baseball Video...Royals top ten highlights over the years...This week's entry--Justin Maxwell Game-Walk Off Grand Slam 2013 to end the season's homestand...

Neon lights draw me like a moth to a flame...

1st Inning.

Highlights of the Brew Crew...Day at the Zoo.  This past weekend, the Brew Crew visited the Kansas City Zoo for the first time in 2014.  It was the first time my 2 year old had the chance to visit where she knew the animals and what they were called so that made it fun as we made our way around the zoo. It was a Sunday during the Royals first home stand and the weather was hovering in the 60s (not much of a crowd to worry about).  Even though it was not a 'Free Day' at the zoo I was still packin'.  Everyone had a good time and many people were impressed with our red wagon with a trailer.  We packed a lunch and enjoyed it in the Australia section while watching kangaroos and wallabies.  The kids wanted to ride the train but we decided not to on this trip but instead we rode the skylift chairs across the Africa section.  We wrapped up the day with a march from Africa back to the entrance that had the kids pouting because we didn't get tram tickets.

A few observations on this trip to the zoo:

• A wagon is an essential when taking young kids to the zoo and a trailer for that wagon comes in even handier
• That trailer is pointless if your 2 year old won't sit in the wagon
• I understand the KC Zoo is in the middle of a multi-year remodel so I hope there is something in the plans to make long walks between sections enjoyable with animal exhibits
• Beware of single-toothed moms/grandmas on that skylift that may be yelling at their kids/grandkids to quit horseplaying in the seat
• Sometimes you will be going through the penguin exhibit and while going through the auto-circular doors your wife will break them and blame it on the 2 year old
• You can try to dare your kids to run out on the kangaroo field and touch one but they will chicken out
• No matter how many times you tell them to hush, your 9 year old will continue to make loud observations about how big the chimp's butt is
• It was nice of one of the employees driving by in a golf cart to stop and chat with me (while wearing my Royals pullover) about the Royals game going on while we were there
• At least once before I die I want to sneak into the polar bear exhibit and catch a ride on the polar bear while it swims and pretend I am Bastian riding Falkor
  

2nd Inning.

American History Lesson...Benjamin Banneker.  Recently, I was reading an American History book, 'Don't Know Much About American History' by Kenneth C. Davis, and I came across a section on Benjamin Banneker.  Born in 1731 to former slaves, Banneker grew up free in Maryland.  A self-taught man who had interests in astronomy and mathematics, he published almanacs from 1792-1797.  Two of his great achievements involved a clock and the nation's capitol.





Per BlackInventor.com, "One day his family was introduced to a man named Josef Levi who owned a watch. Young Benjamin was so fascinated by the object that Mr. Levi gave it to him to keep, explaining how it worked. Over the course of the next few days, Benjamin repeatedly took the watch apart and then put it back together. After borrowing a book on geometry and another on Isaac Newton's Principia (laws of motion) he made plans to build a larger version of the watch, mimicking a picture he had seen of a clock. After two years of designing the clock and carving each piece by hand, including the gears, Banneker had successfully created the first clock ever built in the United States. For the next thirty years, the clock kept perfect time"

After becoming friends with the Ellicott family that lived nearby and who had built mills along a local river, Banneker continued his studies of astronomy by borrowing books from George Ellicott.  Through the Ellicott family connection he was hired by Major Andrew Ellicott to assist with surveying the land that would become the nation's capitol.  Per BrookhavenNationalLaboratory.com, "After a year of work, the Frenchman hired by George Washington to design the capital, L'Enfant, stormed off the job, taking all the plans. Banneker, placed on the planning committee at Thomas Jefferson's request, saved the project by reproducing from memory, in two days, a complete layout of the streets, parks, and major buildings. Thus Washington, D.C. itself can be considered a monument to the genius of this great man."

Other notable accomplishments per BannekerMemorial.org:

• Banneker was the first to disclose in his writings that the Star of Sirius is two stars rather than one. His hypothesis was not confirmed until the event of the Hubble Telescope two centuries later at NASA
• Banneker was the author of the first publicly documented protest letter. The letter was written to then Secretary of State , Thomas Jefferson , denouncing the Bill of Rights as disingenuous. Banneker questioned the rationale of the imperialistic position taken by the Founding Fathers, especially in light of their rebellion against the tyranny imposed on them by England as settlers seeking a better life in America.
• Banneker was the first to track the 17 year locust cycle, a valuable revelation to farmers enabling them to prepare for attacks by locusts on their crops.

3rd Inning.

Music...Lost Country Stars of the 90s Top Ten countdown #4.  The next entry into my Top Ten review of country artists from the mid-1990s that came and went is Wade Hayes.  Per Wikipedia, "Hayes dropped out of college in 1991 in pursuit of a career in country music, after seeing bluegrass musician Ricky Skagg perform on the 1991 Country Music Association awards show." Wade released his debut album, 'Old Enough to Know Better', in 1994.  That album saw hits with the title track along with 'I'm Still Dancing With You' and 'What I Meant To Say'.

His second CD (released in 1996), 'On A Good Night', saw success with the title track 'On A Good Night'. His 3rd CD, 'When the Wrong One Loves You Right' was released in 1998 limited success with a #5 hit, 'The Day She Left Tulsa (In a Chevy).

Wade's hit, 'Old Enough to Know Better' is probably my favorite with its honky tonk vibe.  Reminds me of a few nights in my youth with a six pack and some buddies out trying to get into trouble.  The video is below.  Enjoy!




4th Inning.

Cool Videos...With Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier arriving in theaters this week I felt it appropriate to have a couple of cool videos related to ole Cap.

Kid Captain America...It is a car commercial but pretty cool anyway.




Everything wrong with the first Captain America movie.




5th Inning.

Firearms Corner...Assault Weapons and High-Capacity Magazines.  I came across this video and other ones by David Kenik that do a great job of explaining the components and definitions of firearms that the anti-gunners love to demonize.  Take a moment to watch the video below and others by him over on YouTube and learn that much, if not all, of the words that come out of the mouths of people like Dianne Feinstein or Michael Bloomberg is pure nonsense aimed at driving fear.




6th Inning.

Movie I want to see...Guardians of the Galaxy.  In August, Marvel will release another installment of their Phase projects that expands their character universe to, well, the Universe with 'Guardians of the Galaxy'.  Per USA Today, "The movie teams five disparate personalities: Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), aka Star-Lord, was taken from Earth as a 9-year-old, possesses a mysterious orb artifact and pilots the Milano, a muscle car of a spaceship. Gamora (Zoe Saldana) is connected to Thanos, arguably the cosmos' biggest baddie. Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) is a muscular dude you don't want to upset. And then there are the aliens Rocket Raccoon and Groot (computer-generated characters voiced by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, respectively), who are best pals and potentially the biggest things to happen to pop culture since Chewbacca.  Their stories converge in the space prison Kyln. After the characters break out, they venture to Knowhere (the severed head of a celestial being that serves as a hangout for aliens) and visit the weird menagerie of the Collector (Benicio Del Toro). They also have to avoid two villains, Ronan (Lee Pace) and Nebula (Karen Gillan), who are in hot pursuit of Quill's orb, which has the power to destroy the galaxy."

The cast they have assembled for this 'Avengers in Space' ensemble looks really good.  I was not much of a reader of the Guardians comics but since the movie was announced I have been searching the Internet for information on them.  From what I have gathered in the comics, Iron Man eventually joins them on a few adventures which would be a good way to tie them into the rest of the Marvel/Disney Universe.  If you saw the end-credit scene of Thor 2, then you were introduced to the Collector which also ties them into the M/D Universe.  From the looks of the trailer (and the fact that I like Chris Pratt as an actor--hilarious as Andy on Parks & Recreation on NBC), this film should be a great sci-fi/fantasy adventure/comedy with comedic elements similar to what we have seen in the Iron Man and Avenger movies.  The trailer is below.  Enjoy!




7th Inning.

Hunting camp game...My perfect hunting camp guests.

With Spring Turkey season starting later this month and the fact that I yearn for the outdoors and hunting camp, I decided to list my perfect celebrity hunting camp mates.

• Davy Crockett (See Bio here).  The oldest of the bunch and the trademark hunter.
• Jim Bridger (See Bio here).  The next oldest and one of the hardest living men to ever live on the frontier.
• Teddy Roosevelt (See Bio here).  A president, a conservationist, and a hunter.
• Ted Nugent (See Bio here).  A rock star and hunter.
• Bo Jackson (See Bio here).  A sports star and hunter.
• Jim Shockey (See Bio here).  A hunting show star.
• Phil Robertson (See Bio here).  A reality tv star and hunter.
• Sarah Palin (See Bio here).  A political star and hunter. (I added her just to tick off my wife!)
• Hank Williams, Jr. (See Bio here).  A country star and hunter.

There would likely be some great stories around that campfire along with some great music.  Who would make up your dream hunting camp?

8th Inning.

FFL Factoid...Top 8 Questions Asked by FFLs on the ATF website.  #3: How do I maintain an acquisition and disposition (A&D) record compliant with Federal firearms regulations?

• If you are a licensed dealer or pawnbroker, the A&D requirements can be found at 27 CFR 478.125(e).
• If you are a licensed importer, your A&D recordkeeping requirements can be found at 27 CFR 478.122. Also, reference ATF Ruling 2011–1 (http://www.atf.gov/files/regulations-rulings/rulings/atfruling-2011–1.pdf).
• If you are a licensed manufacturer, your A&D recordkeeping requirements can be found at 27 CFR 478.123. Also, reference ATF Ruling 2010–8 (http://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/rulings/atfrulings/atf-ruling-2010–8.htm).

For those licensees listed above, you may maintain a computerized A&D record if the record meets the criteria outlined in ATF Ruling 2008–2 (http://www.atf.gov/files/regulations-rulings/rulings/atf-rulings/

atf-ruling-2008–2.pdf).

• If you are a licensed collector, your A&D record requirements can be found at 27 CFR 478.125(f ).

In order to maintain computerized records, you must receive approval from ATF prior to doing so. Please reference the questions and answers (Q&As) related to the Firearms Accountability webinar for helpful information regarding entries in the A&D record: http://www.atf.gov/files/training/firearms/0924-webinar-firearms-accountability-questions-and-answers.pdf.

9th Inning.

Baseball video...Royals top ten highlights over the years...This week's entry--The infamous Pine Tar Incident of 1983.

I've always heard a Mustang flies...

1st Inning.

Articles of the week...

• Convention time is ahead..."Though a convention of states has not been held since the nation’s founding, it has grown increasingly popular as a response to what many see as overreach from the federal government. Through Article V of the U.S. Constitution, states can propose amendments to the Constitution if two-thirds of states submit applications for such a convention."  The time is now!
• Senator Tim Scott has something to say..."Growing up poor in a single parent household in North Charleston, South Carolina, Tim learned the importance of faith, hard work, and living within your means. By understanding the basic economic principles Washington so often forgets, and with the same determination he brings to advancing conservative principles in the Senate, Scott grew from his humble beginnings to build one of the most successful Allstate agencies in South Carolina." In my opinion, Senator Scott is a rising star on the political scene.
• Anti-Semites are among us..."On Tuesday evening, Loyola University of Chicago became the first Catholic institution, and the first from the state of Illinois, whose student government has passed an anti-Israel divestment resolution." It is becoming a bit alarming at the rise of anti-semitism on our college campuses especially at elite institutions.
• More robots..."The US Army is considering replacing thousands of soldiers with robots as it deals with sweeping troop cuts." Time to get Johnny Five locked and loaded! 
  
• Thomas Sowell has something to say..."If anyone wanted to pick a time and place where the political left's avowed concern for minorities was definitively exposed as a fraud, it would be now -- and the place would be New York City, where far left Mayor Bill de Blasio has launched an attack on charter schools, cutting their funding, among other things."  Mr. Sowell always has something enlightening to say.
• Voter ID please!..."There were voting precincts in Philly where the combined vote was Obama over Romney by about 30,000 to 0. In those precincts GOP poll watchers were forcibly removed for several hours, until judges ordered them back in."  If we can create a health care program to give everyone insurance why can't we have a program to give everyone an ID?
  
• We need more kids like this..."Like most 8-year-olds, Myles Eckert was already dreaming up ways he could spend a $20 bill he had just discovered laying in a Cracker Barrel parking lot earlier this month."  A fine, upstanding, young man!
• Insight from the inside..."A Health and Human Services official has resigned after dealing with the frustration of the “profoundly dysfunctional” federal bureaucracy, which left him “offended as an American taxpayer.” Government efficiency means less $$$ needed which means less power.
• Robert Duvall has something to say..."A century from now, when Venice is underwater, reality TV has gone the way ofThe Hunger Games, and Russia’s president is a dead ringer for Johnny Weir, a budding cinephile will enroll in an American Studies course entitled, “Legends of Cinema.” And an entire section of that class will be dedicated to the work of Robert Duvall."  One of my all-time favorite actors gives a great interview.

2nd Inning.

American History Lesson...Stamp Act.  On March 22, 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act on the American Colonies.  The motive behind passing the act was to raise money to pay off debts incurred to defend the colonies during the French and Indian War (1756-1763) where the British fought the French for control of territory on the American continent.   The result of the Stamp Act was a tax on all paper materials printed for commercial and legal use in the American colonies. Items that were taxed included newspapers and pamphlets to playing cards and dice.

Per History.com, "Though the Stamp Act employed a strategy that was a common fundraising vehicle in England, it stirred a storm of protest in the colonies. The colonists had recently been hit with three major taxes: the Sugar Act (1764), which levied new duties on imports of textiles, wines, coffee and sugar; the Currency Act (1764), which caused a major decline in the value of the paper money used by colonists; and the Quartering Act (1765), which required colonists to provide food and lodging to British troops."

"With the passing of the Stamp Act, the colonists' grumbling finally became an articulated response to what they saw as the mother country's attempt to undermine their economic strength and independence. They raised the issue of taxation without representation, and formed societies throughout the colonies to rally against the British government and nobles who sought to exploit the colonies as a source of revenue and raw materials. By October of that year, nine of the 13 colonies sent representatives to the Stamp Act Congress, at which the colonists drafted the "Declaration of Rights and Grievances," a document that railed against the autocratic policies of the mercantilist British empire."

"Realizing that it actually cost more to enforce the Stamp Act in the protesting colonies than it did to abolish it, the British government repealed the tax the following year. The fracas over the Stamp Act, though, helped plant seeds for a far larger movement against the British government and the eventual battle for independence. Most important of these was the formation of the Sons of Liberty--a group of tradesmen who led anti-British protests in Boston and other seaboard cities--and other groups of wealthy landowners who came together from the across the colonies. Well after the Stamp Act was repealed, these societies continued to meet in opposition to what they saw as the abusive policies of the British empire. Out of their meetings, a growing nationalism emerged that would culminate in the fighting of the American Revolution only a decade later."

So, as you can see our nation has deep-seeded roots towards over-taxation and taxation without representation.  Yes, we have elected representatives, but in today's world of rich lobbyists that have surrounded the District of Columbia and control much of the legislation that is either directly voted on or hidden in the 1,000 page documents that no one reads before casting their Congressional vote, you could fairly say that we are now in a new age of 'taxation without representation' as those in Congress are not representing us but the lobbyists and special interest groups that line their campaign coffers each election cycle.  Below is a short video on the Stamp Act.  Enjoy!



3rd Inning.
Music...Lost Country Stars of the 90s Top Ten countdown #3. Jeff Carson.
That era of the mid-1990s was busy producing country artists left and right. This week's entry into my personal Top Ten list of artists who were getting record deals and radio play time but ended up fizzling out of the national scene is Jeff Carson.  Jeff  got started in the music biz in Branson, Missouri before heading to Nashville and cutting his first CD in 1995.  He released 3 CDs over his career before retiring to become a police officer in Franklin, Tennessee.  He had the most success with his first CD, which was self-titled, 'Jeff Carson'.  That CD saw hits with 'Not On Your Love' and 'The Car'.

His second CD (released in 1997), 'Butterfly Kisses', saw limited success and included the title track (a track that was previously recorded by Bob Carlisle).  His 3rd and final CD, 'Real Life' was released in 2001 and saw limited success with a Top 40 hit, 'Real Life (I never was the same again)'.

Jeff's song 'The Car' was a favorite of mine and I really liked the video which featured an old Ford Mustang which was my first car.  The video is below.  Enjoy!




4th Inning.

Firearms Corner...Machine guns.  

This past week I came across an article from TheTruthAboutGuns.com that discussed opening up the machine gun registry to allow for new production items that have a full-auto switch along with the semi-auto one.  Would I  like to own a full auto firearm?  Sure.  Why not? But with ammo shortages these days I would probably be conservative on flipping that switch while at the range.  It is interesting to note that the system is rigged in a certain class-warfare method which is how it is in most gun control crazy cities where the poor are priced out of being able to afford the necessary licenses/permits/firearms to protect themselves or their families.  

The article mentions items that have been invented to get around the registry and one of those is a bump stock item by Slide Fire.  This is a simple designed rifle buttstock and pistol grip that allows you to get a full auto feel from your regular semi-auto rifle.  These popped up on my suppliers website in the last part of 2013 and I have been interested in them but to be honest they are still a bit pricey with a stock for an AR-15 running around $300-400.  A regular collapsible stock can run in the $50-150 range depending on the manufacturer.

It is an interesting topic that really needs more discussion/debate.  But I can tell you this, I would be for opening the registry even if it came with an NFA tax stamp.  A video review of the Slide Fire stock by Hickock45(one of my favorite Youtube celebrities) is below.  Enjoy!

5th Inning.

Random Thoughts...Sometimes I want to park my truck down the block and then hide in our attic and make weird noises while my family is home...There is always a EXTREMELY loud couple at Wal-Mart debating the most mundane items like vacuums...When playing miniature golf there is always that one moment when you want to chuck the putter across the course...Cookie butter is the Devil...When you smell bacon in the morning you know it's going to be a good day...You are never too old to go down a water slide, well, unless it is the one in the baby pool...A cold beer is the perfect compliment to an end of the work day...When a two year old makes you a sandwich you eat it...There are very few things more cute or funny than when that same two year old farts, looks at you, and says, "I fawted"...


6th Inning.

What I'm Watching...True Detective.  Per IMDB.com, "The lives of two detectives, Rust Cohle and Martin Hart, become entangled during a 17-year hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana."  A few weeks ago, and after seeing too many folks brag about how good 'True Detective' was, I decided to watch it.  I borrowed an HBOGo password and had a mini-marathon to watch the first 6 episodes of the 8 episode season.  Then I caught the last two episodes like many fans on those Mondays after the new episodes aired.  WOW!  This show had everything a fan of crime drama could want.  A serial killer...partners that play off each other...great scenery, and a story that twists every episode.  The acting by Woody Harrelson, who plays Detective Marty Hart, and Matthew McConaughey, who plays Detective Rust Cohle, is superb. Both detectives are assigned to the Louisiana State Police Criminal Investigations Division and the story follows them over 17 years as they hunt down the serial killer.  I would describe this show as a mix between 'Seven' and 'Law & Order: SVU'.  If you are looking for a tv marathon to watch on a rainy day then definitely catch this one.  You will not be disappointed.  The trailer is below.  Enjoy!




7th Inning.

These ole...Patriotic pictures.  A couple of items that have been in my possession for the last 12 years are two framed pictures that are very recognizable for many Americans. One is of 'Washington's Crossing of the Delaware' and the other is titled 'Spirit of '76'.  I purchased these while working at an old fraternity brother's picture frame shop right after I graduated and he framed them for me. These pictures showcase my interest in American history and particular the American Revolution.

At the time I got them framed, the wife and I were living in faculty housing at Arkansas State University in a small 3 bedroom house. The master bedroom was for us, the smallest bedroom was a office/guest bedroom, and the third we turned into a themed guest bedroom.  We decorated it with Americana with these pictures, framed replicas of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Gettysburg Address.  Other furnishings included many pieces we picked up at local flea markets/antique shops in and around Jonesboro, Arkansas: commemorative plates featuring scenes/paintings from the Revolutionary War, mini busts of presidents and Ben Franklin, and porcelain figurines of Continental Army soldiers.  Along with those flea market items we took an old desk/vanity table that my wife had and painted it all white then painted the top in the pattern of the Betsy Ross flag.  The themed room traveled with us as we moved from Jonesboro to both of our apartments in Memphis, Tennessee but unfortunately as we started expanding our family with children the themed room was no more.  I then moved these pictures into my home office where they have been hanging the past 9 years.  I see them everyday and appreciate being immersed in American patriotism on a daily basis.



8th Inning.

FFL Factoid...Top 8 Questions Asked by FFLs on the ATF website.

What fees are required for obtaining an FFL?

9th Inning.

Baseball video...Royals top ten highlights over the years...This week's entry--Frank White, anything and everything.
 

It wasn't the books that I didn't read...

1st Inning.

On a personal note...Me and Batman.  This past week an old college friend and fraternity brother celebrated his 12th anniversary of the day he gave up financial security and familiar surroundings to move to Nashville and become a professional songwriter.  He then asked his Facebook friends to post their stories of taking a risk and letting go for their dream.  Well, I didn't post a comment on his page but I did think about it all week and I would like to share it here on my blog.

You see my dream was to have a happy marriage that lasted forever, have kids that loved and respected me, to have a nice roof over our heads to make memories in, and to have a decent job that allowed us to enjoy our lives and years together.  I can proudly say that I have achieved that dream (well, I think my kids love and respect me but the jury is still out) but I have to confess that I wouldn't be here to live out that dream if it wasn't for Batman.

Batman you say?  Yeah, The Dark Knight.  You see as a child of divorce there is a lot of anger...a lot of sadness.  One way I escaped that was in comic books with Batman being my favorite character.  His loss as a child is not something I experienced obviously but his ability to distract himself from that reality is what I believe we had in common. As an elementary school/junior high kid I made it my goal to try and buy every back issue of Batman and Detective Comics, along with the new titles that were emerging at that time.  The new movie was on the horizon and you could find me wearing Batman t-shirts and a Batman hat on too many occasions.  I was a comic book geek before they were cool.  As my junior high years went by I started thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up and I started to center on something in law enforcement/investigative work.  Then the 9th grade came...



Like most kids in their early teen years, I was self conscious about my appearance (the Batman gear probably didn't help) and I had horrible self esteem (something that still lingers with me to this day) and add to that my first year of wearing glasses.  Well, the time of year came for yearbook pictures and I took mine then they came in and I thought I looked horrible and I would be the butt of too many jokes.  As the days went by I feared when the yearbooks would come in and be disbursed to the students.  I feared that humiliation so much I thought hard and long about suicide.  I thought about it every day as the end of the school year approached.  I would rather kill myself than face my fellow students and deal with any teasing.  But one day I was in the basement of the apartment building we lived in and something just came over me.  Batman came to me.  I stopped in my tracks and told myself I would not let that stupid picture kill me.  I would move on with my life and I would work hard, study, go to college, and be the world's greatest detective just like him either as a police officer or private detective or whatever, but I would do it I told myself.  So, the yearbooks came out and I moved on thanks to Batman.

Fast forward to shortly after my 21st birthday.  I was living with my cousin in a run down apartment...had dropped out of college after a few semesters at the University of Missouri-Kansas City(UMKC)...and was living paycheck to paycheck (if there was one) and job to job with no stability.  Pile on the fact that I was dating a rather evil woman that was tormenting my very soul with her psychotic habits of sleeping with other men.  It was during that time that I lost hope.  I literally hit rock bottom.  I had lost my focus on what I wanted in life.  With no money, no job, no love, and no hope for the future, I decided to end it.  I swallowed  a bottle of prescription pain killers along with a bottle of hard liquor and laid down to die.  

Thankfully I woke up.  It was at this time that Batman returned to guide me.  You see he always has a plan and that was what I needed.  The days and weeks after that night I started to gain clarity on what I needed to do.  I moved back in with my parents and into their basement; found a temp job working park maintenance for a local city; and started to put that plan together.  I spent a few afternoons at the local library going through college admissions books and searching for a college and a program of study.  My focus was on Arkansas due to having family in that state.  At UMKC, I was an Administration of Justice major but for this new venture I wanted to focus more on theory and like Bruce Wayne I wanted to be a criminologist, so I looked for a school with that major and found it at Arkansas State University.  The next step was how to get down there.  I didn't have much money but thankfully I kept my comic books because I ended up selling a bunch of Batman comics to help fund my trip down to Arkansas.

So, after all that, there I was on the road headed south on 71 highway leaving everything and everyone I knew behind.  All I had was the money in my pocket from my last paycheck and from selling comic books and a loaded down Ford Escort.  I was on my way to live in another state 7 hours from my parents and my hometown, and going to a college where I knew no one.  I believe everyone back in Missouri was expecting me to come running back after a few weeks or months but I did not.  I studied hard (not taking any semesters off even during the summer), kept a campus job throughout my time on campus, met my wife at one of those jobs, made some lifetime friendships, and graduated with a degree in Criminology and a Master's in Political Science.  I turned those degrees into a career with an investigative company where I will be celebrating 12 years this August.  I have a loving wife and great kids and will be celebrating 15 years of marriage this year.  We moved into a great home that has given us some great memories.  The ability to go from nothing to gaining everything while emerging from some very dark times and still living out my dream is something  I credit to the inspiration of the Caped Crusader...Thanks, Batman...

     

2nd Inning.

American History Lesson...How fitting that my American History Lesson installment is the Iron Curtain speech by Winston Churchill in Fulton, Missouri.  Churchill delivered the speech at Westminster College on March 5th, 1946 with President Truman at his side on the stage.  It is fitting due to the current state of international affairs with Russia invading parts of Ukraine.  Per History.com, "In one of the most famous orations of the Cold War period, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill condemns the Soviet Union's policies in Europe and declares, "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent." Churchill's speech is considered one of the opening volleys announcing the beginning of the Cold War."

In the speech,  "Churchill began by praising the United States, which he declared stood 'at the pinnacle of world power.' It soon became clear that a primary purpose of his talk was to argue for an even closer 'special relationship' between the United States and Great Britain—the great powers of the 'English-speaking world'—in organizing and policing the postwar world. In particular, he warned against the expansionistic policies of the Soviet Union. In addition to the 'iron curtain' that had descended across Eastern Europe, Churchill spoke of 'communist fifth columns' that were operating throughout western and southern Europe. Drawing parallels with the disastrous appeasement of Hitler prior to World War II, Churchill advised that in dealing with the Soviets there was 'nothing which they admire so much as strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect than for military weakness.'"

The speech was received warmly by President Truman and other U.S. officials as they knew the Soviets were bent on expansion throughout the world and only a tough American stance would keep them deterred. After his speech, the use of the phrase,'iron curtain',  immediately entered into the mainstream vocabulary of the Cold War.

In a sort of  behind-closed-doors response to the speech, U.S. officials were not enthusiastic about Churchill's call for a 'special relationship' between the allies for they saw it as an attempt to use the U.S. as a weapon to keep or support their crumbling British empire in the post-WWII era.  Stalin's response to the speech was one of denouncement and described it as 'war mongering'.  Below is a short piece of the famous speech.   




3rd Inning.

What I'm watching...Lone Survivor.  A few weeks ago I went to see 'Lone Survivor' starring Mark Wahlberg.  The movie tells the true story of Marcus Luttrell and his fellow Navy SEALs in 2005 as they took part in the counter-insurgent mission Operation Red Wings.  The operation took part in Afghanistan and involved Luttrell and 3 other members of a SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team.  Their mission was to track Taliban leader Ahmad Shah.  As one who has watched my share of military movies that have been made during my lifetime, this one is probably the best.  

The intensity of the the Seal Team's situation as they encounter trouble and are ultimately gunned down as they try to escape is upsetting as an American.  Especially when we are a nation with some of the best technology and in the end it was the failure of  their communications system that lead to the deaths of the three members on the team.  The pain and fear can be felt as you watch the movie.  The heroism displayed even as they began to fall one by one was inspirational but as soon as you are inspired by their actions something else happens that leaves them worse off.  

I HIGHLY recommend this movie.  Just be smart and, unlike some of the folks in the theater that night, don't let your young children watch this movie.  The trailer is below.  Enjoy!




4th Inning.

Music...Lost Country Stars of the 90s Top Ten countdown #2.  That era of the mid-1990s was busy producing country artists left and right. This week's entry into my personal Top Ten list of artists who were getting record deals and radio play time but ended up fizzling out of the national scene is Rick Trevino.  Rick had success with 3 of his first 4 CDs, those being 'Rick Trevino', 'Looking for the Light', and 'Learning as You Go'.  From his CD, 'Rick Trevino', came hits such as 'Honky Tonk Crowd', 'She Can't Say I Didn't Cry', and 'Doctor Time'.  His follow-up CD, 'Looking for the Light', saw limited success with the lone hit, 'Bobbie Ann Mason'.  His CD, 'Learning as You Go', saw hits with 'Running Out of Reasons', 'I Only Get This Way With You', and the title track, 'Learning as You Go'.

Rick had additional CD releases with the most recent being in 2011 but those had literally no success on the radio or national scene.  Per Wikipedia, "Trevino has charted a total of fourteen singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and recorded seven studio albums. His highest-charting single, "Running Out of Reasons to Run", spent one week at Number One in 1997."

Overall, I appreciated his music and still do.  A great singer with some latin flare!  Take some time and go Youtube him.  The video for 'Bobbie Ann Mason' is below.  Enjoy!



5th Inning.

Movie I want to see...Godzilla. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I grew up in the age of watching the old Godzilla re-runs on the Saturday night 'Creature Feature'.  This re-booting of the franchise looks to take us back to that old age and hopefully makes us forget that Matthew Broderick version from 1998.  Per Wikipedia.org, "This new film retells the origin of Godzilla in modern times as a 'terrifying force of nature'. The film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn and Sally Hawkins."  
  
After viewing the latest trailer for this movie there are glimpses of Godzilla and it would almost appear that other mega-monsters might make an appearance.  It has a good apocalyptic feel to it which with all the zombies and end of the world movies and tv shows that have been released lately it should fit in nicely. 

I took a moment and searched the Internet for a Godzilla toy that I had when I was a kid (see the picture to the left).  They are bringing $200+ on Ebay.  Holy cow!  This one came with the retractable tongue flame; had wheels on his feet so you could push him around, and had a spring loaded fist that could be shot at your other toy monsters or a sibling (which is why they were eventually taken off the market).  The trailer for this movie looks really good but you be the judge.  I can't wait for May 16th! Enjoy!




6th Inning.

Articles of the Week...

• When in Rome..."The Founding Fathers built this country with the Roman Republic’s model in mind and were even more concerned about what caused its fall than how it rose to prominence."  A good read regarding comparisons of today's USA and the last days of the Roman Empire.
• Respect the flag..."A garbage collector was working his route when he saw an American flag that had blown off its pole and landed on a trash can." Helluva respect for the flag by this young man.
• Code-crackers..."After 18 years of trying to decode a message left by her late grandmother, a woman turned to the Internet for help. At first glance, the series of index cards left behind appear to include just random letters."  Crazy how something can nag at you for so long then the Internet comes in to save the day.
• Give a man a fish..."When President Johnson launched the War on Poverty on Jan. 8, 1964, he pledged “not only to relieve the symptom of poverty, but to cure it and, above all, to prevent it.” Sadly, the half-century legacy of Johnson’s Great Society has not lived up to that noble goal." It is time to try something different in the fight against poverty in this nation.
• We can rebuild him..."Technology has the potential to augment, improve and even replace every aspect of our body, from our vital organs to our legs." I want a pair of bionic legs so when the zombies attack I can haul ass outta here! 
  
• Build it and they will come..."Add to guns and prosthetic hands something much bigger and heavier forming from the nozzle of a 3D printer — buildings “printed” out of concrete." An industry that has promise...Now to buy stocks in 3D printers...
• They're here..."According to Paul Hellyer, Canada's former Minister of Defense, extra-terrestrials have been visiting the Earth for thousands of years and they have a habit of bestowing technology upon their human inferiors."  I always knew they were here. Glad I now have a high government official to confirm it. 
  
• Population control..."Former Vice President Al Gore raised eyebrows last week when he suggested that “fertility management” was the key to fighting global warming and promoting economic development in poor countries."  Not that I agree with Gore on much but the Earth is not physically getting bigger but our population sure is and that is going to be devastating on our resources.  Time to look to the stars!
• A quantum leap..."A book titled “Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness Are the Keys to Understanding the Nature of the Universe“ has stirred up the Internet, because it contained a notion that life does not end when the body dies, and it can last forever." Time to get Sam Beckett on the line and start up the Project Accelerator as we have a multiverse to explore!
  

7th Inning.

Firearms Corner...New safes.  In the ever-evolving world of gun safes, there are a couple of new products that are now available that take technology and safety to the next level.  What we have here are two pistol safes that utilize RFID(radio frequency identification) technology.  The first is the RAPiD Safe manufactured by Hornady (the ammo company) and the second is The Gun Box which is manufactured by a company that sought fundraising through Indiegogo.
 
The RAPiD Safe is being built by Hornady's new security division, Hornady Security.  Per GunHolstersandGear.com, "Claiming the fastest unlock times in the industry, the RAPiD is most quickly unlocked using one of the provided RFID transmitters: a card, a key fob, or a wristband. To my way of thinking, wearing the wristband is the best method. If you were to wake up in the middle of the night and need your gun right away, the wristband is already on and the safe will automatically open as you reach for the pistol.  There are also backup ways to unlock the safe: an electronic keypad on the front, plus a manual key/lock. The RFID and electronic keypads are powered by AC household current with a battery backup. Loading some long life lithium batteries in the safe will give you plenty of assurance that you can access your gun when needed.  When accessed, the top of the RAPiD Safe springs up. A fully padded “rapid sleeve” presents the handgun for immediate access. The sleeve is large enough for nearly any size handgun, including the addition of a rail mounted light or laser."  To check out a demo video on this page.

The company behind the Gun Box used funds raised through Indiegogo to begin manufacturing their product. Their goal was $100,000 and they exceeded it with $139, 084.  Per Guns.com, "Not all crowd-sourced fundraisers wind up as success stories, but we’re pleased to say that the Gun Box is one of them. A “smart safe,” the Gun Box uses a fingerprint or RFID scanner to unlock and provide access to its contents.  The Gun Box also provides a lot of security through obscurity — it just doesn’t look like a gun safe. It looks more like a phone dock, well, because it’s that, too. As the Gun Box requires power to run the scanners, the designer, Ryan Hyde, included a powered USB hub for cell phones and accessories like Bluetooth speakers.  The Gun Box also has an internal battery to power the lock in case of a power outage. The battery has a 1340 milliamp-hour battery that can sustain the scanners for a very long time, weeks and even months." 

The folks behind the Gun Box are offering three different models for sale: 1)The basic version, Gun Box RF, which utilizes a RF scanner lock through the use of a RFID key (sticker, ring, or bracelet); 2)The Gun Box Biometric which utilizes a RF scanner and a fingerprint scanner; and 3)The Gun Box Premier which utilizes both scanner types and has a GPS unit that can be used to monitor and keep track of the safe.  The GPS unit will allow owners to be alerted if the safe is opened/moved or tampered with around the clock.  For a demo video please visit this page.

8th Inning.

FFL Factoid...Top 8 Questions Asked by FFLs on the ATF website.

Question #1: What is the process of obtaining a Federal firearms license?
Information about obtaining a Federal firearms license can be found at http://www.atf.gov/firearms/how-to/become-an-ffl.html, http://www.atf.gov/forms/download/atf-f-5310-12-notice.html, and http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/licensing.html.

9th Inning.

Baseball video...Royals top ten highlights over the years...This week's entry--Bo Jackson and 'The Throw'.