Ramblings of an American Citizen

My Disease Continues!

2010-08-09T01:32:00.000-07:00

Starting last fall I rediscovered my love of motorcycles. As all who own them know that you are always doing something with them that takes either your money, time, or both! Well, I must be a glutton for punishment as I picked up a new project.

What I picked up is a 1987 Yamaha YSR50. For anyone not familiar with theme they are 50cc mini sport bikes made from 1987 through 1992. I always had wanted one just to play with when they were new but just couldn't justify the cost. Here are a couple of pics and the specs on these awesome little bikes.

The one I bought is a total basket case and will have to be completely gone through but it should be a fun project for my son and I to work on together.

BOYCOTT...California!

2010-05-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

That's right, I'm calling for a boycott on California! They want to hurt our economy, which in turn hurts all Arizona residents, so we must fight fire with fire!

All Arizona residents should not do any business with, or in, the state of California until such time they change their policy to hurt our state's economy. That means to vacations trips to San Diego, no Sea World, no Disneyland, etc.

Come on people, let us send a message across the United States and even the world! Let us show them that we will stand together and weather the storm of their economic terrorism!

Gary Pierce of the Arizona Corporation Commission...You 'Da Man!

2010-05-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

The waves that SB1070 started are still rolling! HA! Maybe we finally have got everyones attention.

Anywho, Commissioner Gary Pierce of the Arizona Corporation Commission has threatened to fight fire with fire over the socalled boycott that Los Angeles has enacted against us. Here is a copy of the letter Commissioner Pierce sent to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles...

Here is also a news article from Fox News covering the response from L.A.:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/19/arizona-official-threatens-cut-los-angeles-power-payback-boycott/

Naturalized (former Mexican) citizen speaks out!

2010-05-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a good video featuring Gabriella Salcedo, a lady who is a naturalized citizen who came from Mexico in 1986, and everything good about legal immigration.

This vid is her addressing the Tucson City Council about whether to sue the state of Arizona over SB1070. All I can comment is that I'm proud to call her a fellow American!

I support 1070!!!

2010-05-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

Look at all the hoopla that 1070 has created around the world. Even the U.N. is against Arizona standing up for it's citizens. What part of the illegal immigration problem do these morons not understand? Eh, I'm not even going to go into why as you either already know or your one of those people whose mind is closed to rational thought and have no common sense.

So, forget illegal immigration. Let's talk about legal immigration. As things stand currently, it is a problem all by itself. Don't get me wrong as I am not against immigrants in any way. Some great Americans citizens came from other countries. I welcome all immigrants as long as they do it legally and that it doesn't hurt the U.S. However, I digress...

Here is a somewhat dated video on legal immigration and the problem it is causing for our great nation. If you haven't seen it before then you really should.

If the embedded player below doesn't work, here is a direct link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5871651411393887069

2010-05-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry, not much to say lately. Due to this I am just going to regurgitate some great writings and speeches.

"There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. This is just as true of the man who puts "native" before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or English or French before the hyphen. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance. But if he is heartily and singly loyal to this Republic, then no matter where he was born, he is just as good an American as any one else. The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English- Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian- Americans, or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality than with the other citizens of the American Republic. The men who do not become Americans and nothing else are hyphenated Americans; and there ought to be no room for them in this country. The man who calls himself an American citizen and who yet shows by his actions that he is primarily the citizen of a foreign land, plays a thoroughly mischievous part in the life of our body politic. He has no place here; and the sooner he returns to the land to which he feels his real heart-allegiance, the better it will be for every good American."

Theodore Roosevelt
October 12, 1915

2010-04-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

The Gun is Civilization

by Marko Kloos

(this essay has been wrongly credited to Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret) on many occasions. This essay is completely the work of Marko Kloos and no one else)

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception. Reason or force, that's it.

In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force.

The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single guy on equal footing with a carload of drunk guys with baseball bats. The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender.

There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force equations. These are the people who think that we'd be more civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes it easier for a [armed] mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger's potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative fiat--it has no validity when most of a mugger's potential marks are armed.

People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the young, the strong, and the many, and that's the exact opposite of a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly.

Then there's the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser.People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don't constitute lethal force watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level.

The gun is the only weapon that's as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply wouldn't work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn't both lethal and easily employable.

When I carry a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn't limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation... and that's why carrying a gun is a civilized act.

The author's website: http://munchkinwrangler.wordpress.com/

2010-02-14T23:00:00.000-08:00

Well, unfortunately my Colts didn't win the Superbowl. Oh well. They will be back next year! Plus, they lost to a team that played great and had never been to a SB before. Congratulations go out to the New Orlean Saints!

Now, today was a great day. I got to take my son out on his first official offroad outing. We didn't hit the hardcore trails as he isn't ready yet but it won't be long before his is. I swear, this kid is going to be way faster than me and a helluva lot more ballsy!

I'm thinking about going out to shoot ACTS this month. I'm actually starting to get the desire to go shoot again. We shall see...

BTW, a couple of cheap cell phone pics while we were out. He rides blue and I ride green.

2010-01-22T19:12:00.000-08:00

Our Peyton, who art in Indy, Hallowed be thy arm. Thy Bowl will come, it will be won, in Miami as it was in 07. Give us this Sunday, our weekly win, And give us many touchdowns, but don't let the evil Jets score against us. Lead us not into frustration; But deliver us a Super Bowl, for thine is the dynasty, the NFL's best, and the glory of Indy..forever...

Go COLTS!!!

(For the record, I did not write this little piece. It was written by a fellow fan over on the official Colts website)

Last Ride...

2010-01-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

Well, went for the last ride of my vacation today. I was out by myself just enjoying the desert and riding my butt off. Ended up riding for a little over 3 hours in some of the nastiest terrain I have ever had the chance to put two wheels on and it was great! I'm tired as hell and need a bath from all the dirt and sweat from it. Ah...good times.

BTW, here is a crappy cell phone pic I took while taking a little breather. You can't tell in the pic but I'm at the top of about a 40ft hill with a wash below. This pic makes it look easy where I ride but let me tell you, it isn't!

What is up with me?

2009-12-17T23:04:00.000-08:00

Since giving up the reigns of match director for the AZ chapter of ACTS, I have only been to one match. What is up with me?

I really like all the guys still running the group. Karl, the current match director, was the right man for the job and continues to prove it each month. Jake, Russell, and Aaron are still there helping to design stages and run things. The matches appear to better than ever, so, why don't I go?

The only thing I can think of is that I was more burnt out running things than I thought originally. That is the only logical explanation I can come up with. I think I'm just not going to worry about getting to a match for now. Just take this time to get away from it totally and wait until the desire finally comes back to me.

Know Your Rights!

2009-12-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

This has been around for a while now but felt it worth bringing up here. If you are ever involved in a self defense shooting please remember the info from this vid and shut your mouth!

As if things are not rough enough...

2009-11-22T01:26:00.000-08:00

...now I have two ear infections. Ugh!

I missed two days from work this week due to massive headaches, fever, nausea, dizziness, and aching. Everyone kept trying to tell me I had the flu but I knew better. (I haven't had the flu since I was a kid!) Went to the doc and confirmed it wasn't the flu but two serious ear infections. My right ear is so bad that the ear drum has torn away from the ear canal to relieve the pressure and the left one is ready to go. Doc said it is nothing to worry about since we are taking care of the problem with antibiotics and some medicated ear drops. He said it should heal up fine.

Man, I feel like I have been cursed lately. It seems every time I turn around I'm either getting hurt or sick. Yea, me. Eh, things will get better. I'm only two weeks away from (hopefully) being cleared to ride my bike again! (see previous post)

Been busy!

2009-11-16T21:44:00.000-08:00

Wow, I kind of got away from the blogging thing for a while.

Anyways, been busy with the family for the most part. I haven't gone to an ACTS match in (I think) 3 months. I have been spending a lot of my time riding dirtbikes with my kids. They are growing up so quick and they will leave for college soon so I'm getting as much quality time as I can.

Unfortunately, I have been down for the past three weeks. I took a nasty spill on my KDX and broke a bone in my right hand along with two ribs on the same side. Bad thing was I was in the middle of nowhere and had to ride my bike out in excruciating pain. One thing I have figured out is that I'm not a kid anymore. Get hurt really sucks...BAD!

BTW, a few pics!

My street legal '90 Kawasaki KDX200...

My son's '02 Yamaha TTR125L...

My daughter posing on her '79 Honda XL75...

My son tearing up a friend's yard on the little Honda...

Man, I wish I could heal quicker. I have at least another 3 weeks before I can ride again. (sigh)

CARS.gov website...scary sh*t!

2009-08-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

Please, what ever you do, do NOT visit the cars.gov website unless you wish to allow the Feds unrestricted access to you computer! Watch the vid and pass it on!

New Time & Money Consumers

2009-08-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

As most have probably noticed I haven't been online much at all lately. Well, I have been busy with another hobby of mine. That hobby would be motorcycle riding.

Now, I have been riding MC's since I was a kid but sold my last bike ('74 Yamaha RD350) when I moved to AZ 12 years ago. I have been itching to ride ever since so I decided to do something about it finally and purchased me a new (to me) toy.

What I picked up was a '90 Kawasaki KDX200 "enduro" bike. No, it is not a street bike but for fun in the dirt. I have about $550 in it as it sits (trade deal) and it is a great running bike. At the same time I managed to score an old '79 Honda XL75 to teach my kids how to ride! Now if I can just find good (and legal) places to go riding in the desert!

My hero, Uncle Ted!

2009-07-02T23:56:00.000-07:00

Straight and to the point. You just gotta' love Uncle Ted!

What did you do today...

2009-06-26T04:44:00.000-07:00

...for Freedom?

ACTS Match - June '09

2009-06-21T02:20:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a great time at the range today! We had a whopping 28 shooters today and everything ran pretty smooth except for the Stage I props being blown over repeatedly due to the wind. The temperature (94°) wasn't too bad suprisingly.

The best parts of the whole thing was that I didn't have to worry about running things and I actually shot the match for once. Now, I didn't do great but I know it was my handgun skills that let me down. I had a couple of large penalties on one stage that put me near the bottom of the pack. Oh well, I'll be better next match!

One last thing of note. I shot the match today using the wife's AR instead of my usual HK93 clone. Her rifle shot extremely well and functioned perfectly all day. On Stage II, in which you had to engage a target 5 times in 7 seconds at 175 yards, I managed to get 3 shots on paper out of 4 fired. Yeah, I ran out of time before I could fire the 5th shot. Stage II had a second string to it that required 2 targets to be engaged with 5 rounds each at 100 yards in 7 seconds total. On this string I got 10 out of 10!

I'll shut up for now. Here are a few pics from todays match.

(EDIT: Here is a link to 213 pics from the match! June '09 match pics - full set)

It is done!

2009-06-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

Yep, the AR kit I have been waiting on since January 30th finally arrived on June 12th! I assembled it that night and it passed all function tests. I will be shooting it this week to sight her in and then using it at this months ACTS match.

The kit was ordered through J&T and I must say I am very happy with the kit. My only complaint is that the front handguard does not match well to the buttstock, PG, and mag. The buttstock color is off a bit also but not as bad as the handguard. If someone knows where to purchase one that matches well with P-mags please let me know.

As for the specs...

16" Lightweight, 1x9 chrome lined barrel, 5.56 NATO chamber, A2 flash suppressor
A3 Upper w/Tac-Latch, chromed bolt and carrier
Sun Devil billet lower with HK type pictogram markings
M4 six position stock, CAR handguards, A2 pistol grip - all in Coyote Brown
I will be using P-mags and have already mounted my Fakepoint to it. No BUIS at the moment as I haven't decided on which one.

The complete rifle with scope and empty mag weighs in at extactly 7lbs! That was the reason I ordered this rifle in the first place. My wife and kids said my HK93 clone was too heavy to shoot for more than a few rounds unless using a shooting rest. I thought it would just be cheaper for them to get stronger but they didn't go for that idea! My rifle weighs in at only a pound heavier but I know the bulk of the weight is further forward than an AR which makes it feel even heavier.

Here is a really crappy pic for now. I plan to take some better ones this week.

Woohoo!

2009-06-06T06:21:00.000-07:00

Just got an e-mail from J&T Distributing that the AR-15 kit I ordered is ready to ship! Hopefully I will have it assembled and ready to try out at the next ACTS match! More to come after it arrives!

Personal Vaporizers (a.k.a. E-cigs)

2009-05-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

I have been a cigarette smoker for far too many years and have tried to quit many, many times. However I am weak when it comes to beating this addiction and always seem to relapse. Yep, being dumb in your youth still can haunt you in your adult life. -sigh-

Low and behold a new product comes on the market to help people get away from cigarettes. Enter the personal vaporizer (PV) otherwise known as an E-cig (electronic cigarette).

Here are a few pics...

An "E-cig" is an electrical device that creates a vapor to be inhaled which contains varying strengths of nicotine or even none at all. They come in many sizes and color configurations. Some look like real cigarettes and others that look like something from your toolbox! No, they are not the asnwer to nictine addiction. Just a safer, arguably cheaper, and public friendly way of receiving the nicotine that one is addicted to.

Now, the first thought everyone has is "What is the point? You are still feeding a nicotine addiction!" Well, that is true. However, by using a PV you are eliminating the other 400+ chemicals you were putting into your body. That includes carbon monoxide, tar, arsenic, formaldehyde, and many other known carcinogens. I think simple logic would indicate this has to be healthier than any tobacco cigarette on the market.

I have decided to give these things a try to just see if if they can get me away from the real thing. I suggest that if you know a smoker that wants to quit and has tried all the different methods without success that this might be something for them to look in to. For more info they can check out the E-cigarette forums. The one piece of advise I can give is to do as much research as possible on the subject before just jumping in.

Time To Move On

2009-05-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, I was the match director for the Arizona chapter of ACTS. The operative word there is "was".

I had been wanting my assistant to take things over for the past 4-5 months but he wanted no part of it. Frankly, I don't blame him. For the most part it is a thankless job and a lot of responsibility and headaches. The very reasons I wanted out myself. I am happy with and proud of what I accomplished for our chapter. It has survived and grown in every aspect but it was time for me to move on.

Anyways, a situation arose that allowed me to pass the torch to another of the core members. I know the match is in good hands with him. We already have a great crew in place and he, the new MD, has the vision to see what makes a match good. Over the past 15 months of me being the MD ACTS has grown more than I had hoped for and I see this trend continuing under the new leadership. I think we are in for some great matches here in the very near future!

The Unreasonable Man

2009-05-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the conditions that surround him...
The unreasonable man adapts surrounding conditions to himself...
All progress depends on the unreasonable man."

George Bernard Shaw

FREE NRA Membership

2009-05-11T23:34:00.000-07:00

If you haven't joined the NRA because you don't have the money, now is your chance to do it for free! Yep, a free 1 year membership.

Now I'm not a huge NRA supporter but they are the largest organization out there for firearm owners. Maybe if we get enough of us "no compromise" people in we can change them for the better!

So, join up and let your voice be heard by clicking the link below!

FREE NRA Membership

2009-05-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

This was posted by a member on a musician forum I visit but figured it could help plenty of other people when doing transactions on the internet. Hope it helps someone!

I get about 2 or 3 requests a month from people asking me to help them track down someone who has ripped them off on a transaction on eBay, HC, Bassgear, etc. I'm more than happy to help out, but the one thing I have noticed is that a lot of people don't protect themselves as much as they could. Here's a little checklist to go through that I posted over on the Dudepit that can help you guys avoid a lot of grief when doing a deal with someone you don't know.

In the future, I hope everyone here checks out people before they do business with them. A lot of you guys here buy and sell a lot of gear, and if you know the person...great. But if not make sure you get a home phone# a work phone # a cell phone# home address etc. check out the info too. Call the person. If you think they gave you a cell# as a home or work # - check it out here:

http://www.fonefinder.net/

It will tell you if it's a land line or a cell and what city it goes to.

Reverse the phone#s and addresses they gave you to see where they go. Argali is really good for this. You can also reverse the address.

Just go to http://www.argali.com/ and download their program.

If you think the address is a mail drop you can check that out as well at http://www.finaid.com/scholarships/maildropsearch.phtml

If you want to find out who owns the address they give you to send payment to you can also go to http://www.skipease.com/property.html

Select the state and county of the address. A lot of them have online databases, but you can call the tax assessor as well and find out who owns that property. These are just a few of the free online resouces you can use to protect yourself and verify the information the seller gives you is accurate. Ask for references from other people they have done business with. If I'm shelling out $100 for an effect pedal or $3000 for a bass, I want to know if the person is honest or not, Make sure the info they give you checks out before you give up any of your hard earned cash. An honest seller won't be offended in the least when you ask them for this info.

Also, using https://www.escrow.com/index.asp is a good idea on any large purchase.

Sorry

2009-04-22T23:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry but I have been rather busy lately. I promise I will post up something that is almost readable in the near future!

Help The Little Guy!

2009-04-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most don't know that I'm also a musician. I have several works that are protected by copyright and the following story really bothers me. For any author, musician, graphic designer, videographer, etc. this is your worst nightmare coming true! It is a long read but I think it is worth it.

If you would like to help a legal defense fund has been set up for Jon. I have linked it at the bottom.

Today has turned into a real-life nightmare. I wish I could wake up. This nightmare started 9 months ago and has been recurring ever since.

First, a little background. I’ve been designing professionally for 11 years. I started by designing for my church and before long I landed my first design job with Bill Gordon & Associates, an Albuquerque law firm. In January 2000 I formed Relevant Studio as an umbrella for all of my freelance work. I was able to find consistent work through sites such as elance.com, guru.com and designoutpost.com. I began freelancing full-time December 2002.

I’ve known since I was a little boy that I wanted to be an artist. I knew from the first time my preschool doodle went up on my great-grandma’s fridge exactly what I wanted to be. I was introduced to graphic and web design in high school and fell in love with it. I went on to attend The Art Center Design College and The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, all while freelancing on the side to pay the bills.

My first big client was the Warner Brothers TV network (now The CW). They gave me a chance to work on the Smallville launch. Being a comic book geek and TV junkie, I couldn’t have been happier! Because the posters and ads were successful, I was contacted to work on the launch of Birds of Prey as well. That show barely lasted a season, but I enjoyed designing for it anyway. Those ads opened new doors which led to ad work for Alias, CSI and Lost among others. Those jobs were a dream come true for me.

More than anything, the TV ads were a validation for me. They were a sign that I’d picked the right career for me. I haven’t doubted for one moment that I was destined to be a designer. Until today.

This morning I received a message from a friend alerting me to a discussion about me on one of my favorite sites. I tried logging in to see what was going on to find out I had been banned. I emailed the site owner to see what the issue was. His response was that someone had contacted him to inform him I was being investigated for copyright infringement. One of the logos I’ve been accused of stealing was for a client of this site. In order to protect himself from a lawsuit, he had to boot me off the site and distance himself from the problem. I’m not happy about it, but I understand. He wasn’t left with much of a choice.

This morning’s shocker is just a sympton of a larger problem, a HUGE problem, that I became aware of July 2008. I’ve been quietly dealing with it for the past 9 months and thought I was making some headway. Today they crossed a line and have done irreperable damage to my business and my reputation.

I was first contacted by a stock art site in July of last year. They hit me with a bill for a whopping $18,000! I had an account with the site. Years ago I purchased an illustration of a chef’s hat for a client’s project. So, I thought this was some accounting mistake. Nope. This was a bill for new images. Very familiar images. They were images from several of my logos; 65 of them in fact. That breaks down to about $275 per image. They actually wanted me to pay them $275 for each one of MY images!

Once the sticker shock wore off the obvious question came to mind. Where the hell did they get these from? It seems as if most or all of them were lifted from my LogoPond showcase. They especially seemed to favor the ones that made it to the gallery.

My theory is that someone copied my artwork, separated them from any typography and then posted them for sale on the stock site. Someone working for the site either saw my LP showcase or was alerted to the similarities. They then prepared the bill and sent it to me. The good thing is that the bill gives me a record of every single image they took from me. That helps me gather dates, sketches, emails, etc to help me prove my case. The bad thing is that despite my explanations and proof, they will not let this go.

When I refused to pay the bill they hired a law firm specializing in copyright infringement. The attorney called and offered a settlement of $18,000. How is that any different than the bill? I refuse to pay THEM for work I created. That is the epitomy of ridiculous. The attorney didn’t like my response. He threatened to sue. I say BRING IT ON! I have no doubt I can win in court.

Here’s the link to the newly revived LogoPond discussion from August 2008: Copyright Lawyer

However, the new tactic I discovered this morning is so much harder to fight. They are calling or emailing every one of my clients they can find. They inform the client that I’m being investigated for copyright infringement and that the logo I designed for them may have been stolen from their client. After discovering my ban from Design Outpost I began contacting clients to see exactly who they’ve been in touch with. So far, I’ve heard back from three. In every case so far my client is furious with me. They took the lawyer’s warning at face value without bothering to contact me. I understand their reaction to an extent. I’m sure they’re worried that they may be sued as well for using ’stolen’ artwork and the best thing they can do is distance themselves from me.

I feel like this is nothing more than an underhanded campaign meant to demoralize me and destroy my reputation. If you read through their website you can see they work on contingency. This means they don’t get paid if their client doesn’t get paid. I’ve also made it very clear there’s no way in hell that I’ll ever pay up. I’ll declare bankruptcy and go to work for McDonald’s before that happens. Are they thinking they can beat me into submission? Do they think I’ll agree to a settlement to make it all go away? Guess again. I have the truth on my side and I will NEVER pay a rip-off artist or their extortionist lawyers.

Thankfully, I have a lot of incidental proof. I would never have thought to plan for something like this, but now I wish I had. Beyond timestamps this becomes my word against theirs to a degree. The logos on LogoPond have a date stamp showing when I uploaded them to the site. This is good, especially if the designs were stolen from my showcase. My submission date will always be earlier than theirs. Even if its only by a day, first is first. Kode ( @kodespark) suggested looking at the meta data in my source files. I didn’t know about meta data before today, but there are timestamps on the files as well. All of the meta timestamps pre-date my LogoPond submissions.

What do they have? A bill and a bulldog lawyer. They refuse to give me upload dates for any of the images in question. If they believe they’re in the right, then why would they hide that from me? I have asked time and again for the name of the artist who uploaded the stolen work. I finally received an email which is less than helpful:

“Sir, it is not a question of one artist, but several. It is quite obvious you’ve been using the site as your personal reservoir of stolen works.”

I find that extremely hard to believe. I don’t believe it. I don’t believe that a group of people came together to form a cartel of logo rips. They are skirting the issue and won’t give me a straight answer about anything.

So what do I do now? How do I fight back? I hope that making the issue public will help. If they’ve done this to me, they could do it to any one of us. It seems that every day one of us finds a new rip-off artist displaying our work as their own and I’m absolutely sick of it! If you don’t have any artistic abilities, then please find a legitimate line of work. I just don’t get it.

I know this is a long post, so I’ll wrap it up. I hope the issue is resolved soon and will be sure to keep everyone updated with my progress. Big big thanks to everyone who’s shown their support on Twitter, Logopond and Facebook! I love you guys and would have given up the fight without your support.

A lawsuit I can handle, but this has hit me hard. If they were shooting for demoralizing, then mission accomplished. I was so upset about this that I almost threw in the towel. I wanted to shut down my site and delete my LP showcase and go find a job doing anything else. If it hadn’t been for my friends, Mike and Kode, I probably would have. They started a #SaveJon campaign on Twitter that showed me now is the time to fight, not walk away.

Story: http://digg.com/d1nxBm

Maricopa County Sheriffs Speak Out!

2009-04-06T00:51:00.000-07:00

These Sheriff's deputies have my respect. They have had it with the racical accusations directed at them and the political slant put out by their own leaders. All I can say is more power to them and I hope they stay safe! We at ACTS are with you!

http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-phoenix-531-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=videopage&maven_referralObject=1081143832

Looking For A Cool Gift For Your Youngster? - Shameless Plug!

2009-03-31T22:35:00.000-07:00

I have never pimped anything I have professionally worked on before but, with our upcoming "Old West" themed ACTS match, I just had to! It fun for kids. Even the "big" kind!

Hotshot's Gunslinger School

* HOW TO SPIN TOY GUNS *

GUN TRICKS FUN AND EASY TO LEARN

This fun and instructional video for kids and adults shows and explains how to perform over twenty gun tricks in detail. It features a cap-gun safety lesson, two mini-movies, a special action-packed stunt-filled shoot out, original music, hilarious out takes and more. This is gun spinning made fun. If you ever wanted to be a gun spinner, this is the one for you. All the gun spinning tricks are the real thing, just done with toy guns. Now you can learn gun spinning with your kids at home.

Buy it here HotshotPerformer Store -or- SASS Mercantile

I have audio engineering, composition, and arrangement credits for this DVD. The first link has audio that plays when you visit it. That music is from the DVD and sounds much better than the compressed version used for the website. BTW, Volume II is in the works!

ACTS Is Going Cowboy Tactical!

2009-03-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this. Yep, we are actually doing an ACTS match based on real world events from the "Old West" and it should be a blast. Hope to see you guys and gals there!

My New Millet DMS-1 In Action!

2009-03-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

Even though I didn't actually shoot the ACTS match this month (what else is new?) I did shoot one stage to try out my new Millet DMS-1 scope.

(For a full review of this month's ACTS match please click here: Cowboy Blob's March ACTS Match Review)

For those not familiar with the Millet DMS-1 scope the "DMS" stands for Designated Marksman Scope. It is a 1-4 x24 variable power scope with illuminated reticle. Some complain that the reticle illumination is not visible in bright sunlight and I must say they are correct. However, I didn't in the slightest find that it slowed me down or create any problems for me. Unlike a traditional red dot, the DMS still has the reticle even if the battery is dead. I consider that a huge bonus over an Aimpoint/EOtech. IMO, the lighted reticle is more for use in low light conditions and, in that it role, I do believe the lighted reticle would be an excellent choice for precision shooting. Here is a graphic of the reticle. For actual pics of the scope and the lit reticle see my earlier post titled "Hmm, Maybe Change Is Good?".

I must say that it was a big change from using an Aimpoint type red dot. Eye relief and alignment are something you have to pay attention to with the DMS. However, I did find that on the 1x setting I could shoot with both eyes open like a red dot and I was quite happy about that.

OK, enough of my rambling. Here is a vid of my first ever action with the Millet DMS-1.

(BTW, my setup consist of Vector HK93 clone, American Defense AD-SCOUT mount, Millet DMS-1 w/Butler Creek flip up lens caps)

So, Am I A Terrorist Now?

2009-03-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

I guess when I drive through Missouri each summer I had better keep my head down and remove any patriotic/pro-American bumperstickers from my car according to these documents. I guess the 1st and 4th Amendments really don't mean anything anymore.

Anyways, read it for yourself and make up your own mind.

Finally, Something To Shake Off The Funk.

2009-03-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

I have not felt like posting anything here lately but something I have been waiting for has finally arrived to help chase the blues away.

What is it you ask? Well, I had an order in for a custom walnut grip for HK93 clone. My plan has been to not only have the forend and buttstock like some HK's have but to have the grip as well. Hell, you won't even see HK93's with would forends as they are really hard to find. My forend is a bastardized G3 forend that I had to cut down to work.

Anyways, here is the grip. It was made by John Downey and cost me $60 (with no finish applied) to my door. He offers them finished for $75.

BTW, here are a few grips he did for other people. Sweet lookin' grips, huh?

Oh, I almost forgot. I also got one of the much needed metal endcaps so that I may mount a wood buttstock to my rifle. I'm getting very close to having my rifle the way I have envisioned it. Now I got to get some tung oil and do some sanding!

Eh...

2009-03-01T00:12:00.000-08:00

Sorry but I haven't felt much like posting anything lately. I lost a very close family member and it has been hard to be interested in just about anything.

What's Scares Me More Than Zombies?

2009-02-16T17:44:00.000-08:00

As you already know, we are putting on our first zombie themed ACTS match this weekend. Well, I'm a little scared right now because if everyone shows up that says they are we will have about 60 shooters! YES, 60 SHOOTERS!!! It would be the largest match in AZ ACTS history and make for one helluva long day at the range.

Man, I'm going to be one worn out puppy! :)

Z-WAR Standing Orders!

2009-02-15T23:00:00.000-08:00

Situation

Enemy Forces

At this time, information on the enemy is scattered at best. The enemy seems to be people previously thought to be dead.

Friendly Forces

Friendly forces are limited. There seem to be few people available who are both prepared and trained to engage these hostile forces.

Mission

All units receiving will rally at Pima Pistol Club (32.458360N, -110.906789E) NLT 0830 21FEB09 to defend prescribed area against incursion.

Execution

Commander's Intent - At this time, survival is our primary goal. Stay tuned to receive more information.

Concept of the Operation - Again, to stay alive. As we receive more information from intelligence, we will have a more concrete plan.

Service Support

Administration - We will take no prisoners. Since it appears to be a contagion, at this time, we will not have any CASEVAC plans.

Logistics - Each individual will be responsible for arriving with at least 200 rounds of ammunition for their rifle, and 75 for their pistol. Water is also suggested.

Command/Signal

Signal
http://tinyurl.com/9nggqe
arizonaacts@gmail.com

Zombies? Yes, Zombies!

2009-02-14T23:16:00.000-08:00

That's right, we are throwing a zombie inspired ACTS match! It should be a lot of fun and not everyone will survive!

Hmm, Maybe Change Is Good?

2009-02-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

Since our new President has said it was time for change I figured I would do my part. I ditched my Fakepoint and and my HK93 clone is now sporting a brand new Millet DMS-1 1x4 scope!

Yeah, change can be good!

That Wise Old Bird

2009-02-09T23:14:00.000-08:00

A wise old owl lived in an oak.

The more he saw the less he spoke.

The less he spoke the more he heard.

Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?

I Think I'm Going To Puke!

2009-02-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

Wow. Just...wow.

Newsweek: We Are All Socialists Now

"In many ways our economy already resembles a European one. As boomers age and spending grows, we will become even more French."

Read it if you dare! Now excuse me while I go puke my American guts out!

P-Mags Found!

2009-02-04T22:58:00.000-08:00

It seems like it is almost impossible to find P-mags anywhere unless you want 20 rounders. Well, just a heads up that Adam Weber of HKparts.net has them in stock. Black or Dark Earth, windowed or not. They are listed on the HK416 page near the bottom if you are looking for some.

RKBA - The Right To Self Defense - Part 5

2009-02-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

Around 5:30 p.m., two armed robbers entered Grand Market convenience store in Tucson, Ariz. and fired at the employee on duty. The employee retrieved his gun and fired back at the robbers, striking one, and causing both to flee. The injured robber made it outside the store, but died in the parking lot. Police are still searching for the other robber. The employee was also wounded in the exchange of gunfire, but is recovering at a local hospital. A frequent customer of Grand Market, Margarita Grajeda, noted that the store had been the target of robberies in the past and that at some point the store would be forced to fight back. Grajeda also expressed her sympathy for the owners of the store and said that “they’re such nice people.”

The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Ariz. 01/27/09

The Wait...

2009-02-01T01:47:00.000-08:00

I have finally ordered the AR kit from J&T and now it is the waiting game. It sucks bad enough with the barrel delays but they were also hit by that brutal snow/ice storm in the Midwest. They are currently without power so nothing is getting done. Yeah. :(

This is basically what it will look like when it is done. BTW, this "rendering" of what her rifle might look like when completed was made using Brownell's AR-15 Builder. It isn't 100% accurate but it is close enough to get a good idea on what your rifle will look like.

A Course Of Action Has Been Decided!

2009-01-30T09:13:00.000-08:00

I have decided to build my wife an AR instead of an MP5 clone. This helps in the stocking ammo department and she can customize it until her heart is content.

The start of her AR is a Gen III Sun Devil billet lower with HK style pictogram markings. The rest of her rifle will be coming from J&T. It will be a 16" CAR type rifle. Chrome lined, lightweight barrel on an A3 upper and Coyote Brown furniture.

Anyways here are a couple of pics of the lower and I'll update as things progress.

I Just Had To Show This One Of Bob!

2009-01-18T17:45:00.001-08:00

This is from the January match as well. For those that know Bob, and check out my blog, I thought you guys might enjoy it.

January ACTS Match

2009-01-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

First match of the new year! We had four very challenging stages this month and they frustrated a lot of shooters! Generally, the match ran pretty well other than some construction the range was doing during our match. Why they scheduled construction at this time I have no clue but it did not make me happy.

Anyways, here are some vids from the match.

STAGE I

STAGE III

STAGE IV

RKBA - The Right To Self Defense - Part 4

2009-01-13T19:06:00.000-08:00

A right-to-carry permit holder was at a carwash in Orlando, Fla. when two men, one carrying a sawed-off shotgun, approached him. When the men demanded money, the right-to-carry permit holder pulled his gun and fired at the robbers, striking one. The wounded robber died about 50 feet from where he was hit, while the other robber fled the scene.

Orange County Sheriff’s Office Commander Paul Hopkins noted that there had been a number of similar robberies within the past week. The Commander also stated “For the bad guys out there, you never know who you’re dealing with… When you go out to commit this crime, you might be the one who’s lying dead in the parking lot.”

(WESH, Orlando, Fla. 01/12/09)

2x4 Tuesday

2009-01-11T01:02:00.000-08:00

This is a cool idea that I thought I should share in the hopes that more people might jump onboard to help the cause. It is a campaign to help remind our elected officials that they took an oath to protect the U.S Constitution and in particular, the 2nd Amendment.

Take a look and see if you want to join the team! 2x4 Tuesday Please pass the info and link on to anyone you think that might appreciate it!

Gun Ownership UP & Violent Crime at 30 Year LOW

2009-01-05T18:23:00.000-08:00

Guns.
The number of privately owned guns in the U.S. is at an all-time high. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) estimates that there were about 215 million guns in 1999,1 when the number of new guns was averaging about 4.5 million (about 2%) annually.2 A report for the National Academy of Sciences put the 1999 figure at 258 million.3 According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there were 60.4 million approved (new and used) NICS firearm transactions between 1994 2004.4 The number of NICS checks for firearm purchases or permits increased 3.2% between 2003-2004.

Gun Owners.
The number of gun owners is also at an all-time high. The U.S. population is at an all-time high (294 million), and rises about 1% annually.5 Numerous surveys over the last 40+ years have found that almost half of all households have at least one gun owner.6 Some surveys since the late 1990s have indicated a smaller incidence of gun ownership,7 probably because of some respondents` concerns about "gun control," residually due, perhaps, to the anti-gun policies of the Clinton Administration.

Right-to-Carry.
The number of RTC states is at an all-time high, up from 10 in 1987 to 38 today.8 In 2004, states with RTC laws, compared to other states, had lower violent crime rates on average. Total violent crime was lower by 21%, murder by 28%, robbery by 43%, and aggravated assault by 13.9%.

"Less Gun Control."
Violent crime has declined while many "gun control" laws have been eliminated or made less restrictive. Many states have eliminated prohibitory or restrictive carry laws, in favor of Right-to-Carry laws. The federal Brady Act`s waiting period on handgun sales ended in 1998, in favor of the NRA-supported National Instant Check, and some states thereafter eliminated waiting periods, purchase permit requirements, or other laws delaying gun sales. The federal "assault weapon" ban expired in 2004. All states now have hunter protection laws, 46 have range protection laws, 46 prohibit local jurisdictions from imposing gun laws more restrictive than state law, 44 protect the right to arms in their constitutions, and 33 prohibit frivolous lawsuits against the firearm industry.10

Studies by and for Congress, the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress, the National Institute of Justice, the National Academy of Sciences, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and even researchers who support "gun control," have found no evidence that "gun control" reduces crime.11

Crime.
The FBI reports that the nation`s total violent crime rate declined every year between 1991 2004.12 In 2004, the violent crime rate fell to a 30-year low, lower than any time since 1974. The murder rate fell to a 39-year low, lower than any time since 1965. The 2004 robbery and aggravated assault rates were lower than any time since 1968 and 1984, respectively. Since 1991, total violent crime has decreased 39%; murder and non-negligent manslaughter, 44%; rape, 24%; robbery, 50%; and aggravated assault, 33%.13 Between 2003-2004, the violent crime rate declined 2.2%.14 Concurrently, the most recent Bureau of Justice Statistics crime victimization survey found that violent crime is lower than anytime since 1973, when the first such survey was conducted.15

Notes:
1. BATF, "Crime Gun Trace Reports (1999) National Report," Nov. 2000, p. ix (www.atf.gov/firearms/ycgii/1999/index.htm).2. BATF, "Firearms Commerce in the United States 2001/2002" (www.atf.gov/pub/index.htm#Firearms).3. National Research Council, Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review, National Academies Press, 2005.4. BJS, "Background Checks for Firearm Transfers, 2004" (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov./bjs/pub/pdf/bcft04.pdf).5. Bureau of the Census (http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html).6. Gary Kleck, Targeting Firearms, Aldine de Gruyter, 1997, pp. 94, 98-100.7. E.g., BJS Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics 2002, Table 2.58, (www.albany.edu/sourcebook/).8. See NRA RTC fact sheet (within www.nraila.org/Issues/Filter.aspx?ID=003).9. See FBI, Crime in the United States 2004 (http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm#cius) for state crime statistics.10. See NRA-ILA Compendium of State Firearms Laws (www.nraila.org/media/misc/compendium.htm). Also, note that in October 2005, federal legislation prohibiting such lawsuits was signed into law.11. Federal "assault weapon" ban: Roth, Koper, et al., Impact Evaluation of the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act of 1994, March 13, 1997 (www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=406797); Reedy and Koper, "Impact of handgun types on gun assault outcomes: a comparison of gun assaults involving semiautomatic pistols and revolvers," Injury Prevention 2003, (http://ip.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/9/2/151); Koper et al., Report to the National Institute of Justice, An Updated Assessment of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban: Impacts on Gun Markets and Gun Violence, 1994-2003, June 2004 (www.sas.upenn.edu/jerrylee/jlc-new/Research/Koper_aw_final.pdf); Wm. J. Krouse, Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, "Semiautomatic Assault Weapons Ban," Dec. 16, 2004. "Gun control," generally: Library of Congress, Report for Congress: Firearms Regulations in Various Foreign Countries, May 1998, LL98-3, 97-2010; Task Force on Community Preventive Service, "First Reports Evaluating the Effectiveness of Strategies for Preventing Violence: Firearms Laws," Morbidity and Mortaility Weekly Report, Oct. 3, 2003 (www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5214a2.htm); National Research Council, Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review, National Academies Press, 2005 (http://books.nap.edu/books/0309091241/html/index.html).12. Note 9 and BJS (http://bjsdata.ojp.usdoj.gov/dataonline/). See also FBI (http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel05/crimestat101705.htm).13. Note 10. Condensed at www.nraila.org, click on "Research," then "Crime Statistics."14. Note 12.15. BJS (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov./bjs/pub/press/cv04pr.htm).

RKBA - The Right To Self Defense - Part 3

2009-01-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

Around 6:45 P.M. a pair of armed robbers entered Christopher Diamonds in Chandler, Ariz. As the robbery began, the owner of the store heard the commotion and retrieved his firearm. When the owner confronted the criminals, gunfire was exchanged, resulting in one of the criminals being hit, as well as the store owner. The wounded criminal fled to a stolen truck and drove off. He was later found by police and taken to the hospital where he died. The unwounded robber also fled and was found by police in a neighborhood close to the jewelry store. The storeowner is recovering from injuries that are not life-threatening.

Chandler police Detective David Rahmer praised the storeowner’s actions, stating, “You have a right to defend yourself, and he did a good job of that. ” (The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Ariz. 12/21/08; KTAR, Phoenix, Ariz. 12/21/08)

Peyton Not So MVP'ish Anymore

2009-01-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

Yes, my Colts lost to the San Diego Chargers yesterday. I'm disappointed but at least it was one helluva game! The Chargers deserved the win as they played their hearts out. Good luck to them in the playoffs!

Peyton = MVP!

2009-01-03T03:49:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm going to be posting a lot of Colts related stuff until they get elimated from the playoffs. That is, IF they get eliminated!

This is what the big man had to say...

"I know it's an individual award, but ... truly, in my opinion, a team award,"
said Manning...

Manning called the award emblematic of what others, including Colts owner Jim Irsay, president Bill Polian and coach Tony Dungy, did to help rally the team from a 3-4 start to make the playoffs for a seventh straight season.

"I really accept this award on behalf of the team and the organization because there is no way we would be in the playoffs and bounced back without those three people creating a winning environment," Manning said after receiving the award.

Full Story: Third time's a charm: Colts QB Manning again wins NFL MVP award

Can't wait for the game tonight!

RKBA - The Right To Self Defense - Part 2

2008-12-31T01:49:00.000-08:00

A 22-year-old uniformed security guard who was buying gasoline at a Murfreesboro Pike station on Sunday shot and killed a robbery suspect carrying an air gun. Metro detectives are ruling the death of Jamie L. Sullivan, 37, a justifiable homicide. Wearing a mask and carrying what appeared to be a pistol, Sullivan entered the Mapco market at 2101 Murfreesboro Pike at 1:45 a.m. Eric Gordon, 22, was also in the market. Sullivan pointed his pistol at Gordon's head and threatened to kill him. Sullivan told Gordon to surrender his holstered gun and a struggle ensued. Gordon drew his 9-millimeter weapon and shot Sullivan once in the face. Sullivan died at the scene. Shortly after, detectives discovered that Sullivan's gun was a BB pistol that looked like a real gun. Metro police had charged Sullivan with 146 offenses since June 1989. His last arrest was for trespassing Nov. 20.

(December 1, 2008 Nashville Tennessean)

Anybody Need Any Professional Video Done?

2008-12-31T00:04:00.000-08:00

If you are in the market looking for someone to do professional video work for your business or event be sure to to check out Taylore Studios. The man is a true professional and great to work with. The owner is Hawke Taylore and is a personal friend of mine. If anyone goes to "Dillinger Days" in downtown Tucson you will see him heading the video production crew each year.

I know most that will read my blog will be firearm enthusiasts. I can tell you that he is pro 2nd Amendment and even did the 2007 ACTS Promo video (which is on his site). If you want to do an instructional, promo, or any other kind of video he can do it. BTW, if you give him a call make sure to tell him Kelly sent you!

Almost forgot, here is his Myspace page! Myspace - Taylore Studios

RKBA - Civilian's Exercising Their Right To Self Defense

2008-12-29T22:18:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a regular feature here on my blog from now on. I plan to show the civilian use of a firearm in stopping a crime. Some of you may be familiar with "The Armed Citizen" that is in the "American Rifleman" magazine which publishes accounts of everday citizens exercising their right to "Keep and Bear Arms". Some of these examples will come from there and from the "Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog".

If you happen to come across such stories in your area please forward them to the sites linked above and to me for publishing on this blog.

Today's story is from my home town.

Around 8:50 p.m. an armed robber entered the Teinda Suarez grocery store in Indianapolis, Ind. The criminal ordered all of the customers into a single area of the store, while brandishing a handgun. The robber then pointed his gun at a woman and her baby. An employee, who saw the armed criminal point his gun at the woman and her child, retrieved his gun and fired at the robber. The robber was struck by a bullet and taken to a local hospital where he died. The police have not filed charges against the grocery store employee.
(The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Ind. 12/22/08)

Stadium Blown To Bits!

2008-12-28T23:46:00.000-08:00

(Sorry, I tried to embed the vid but for some reason it won't work. Here is a direct link to the vid: The Hoosier dome being imploded)

The former home of the Indianapolis Colts, the "Hoosier Dome" (yes, I did say Hoosier Dome!) is no more. I wish I had been there to see, hear, and feel the demolition of this once great stadium.

Just about everyone knows I am a huge Indianapolis Colts fan and I'm happy to say that my Colts have made it into the playoffs yet again! They finished the season beating the Tennessee Titans 23-0, winning their 9th straight game, and with a record of 12-4. They started the season 3-4 and everyone said the Colts time had passed and they were a dying team. Their run, which started mid-season, just goes to show that you can't ever count the Colts out!

Go COLTS!

STICKY Post: December ACTS Match

2008-12-22T23:59:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally had an ACTS match in December. The first year in AZ our group was without a range. Second year the weather killed it. I guess the third time is the charm as we had one helluva match today!

We had 28 shooters in all and I was truly shocked that we ended up with such a heavy turnout only 5 days before Christmas. I also think this was one of the most fun and challenging matches we have ever done. I hope all the shooters feel the same as I do and, by the few I was able to talk to, it appears so.

We ran three stages this month. Here are vids from each one of our stages.

Stage I was called "Boxed In!". Basically you are trapped in your vehicle and must defend your position.

Stage II was titled "Officer Down!" You come to the aid of a downed officer while fighting through BG's.

Stage III was the "Bug Out Truck" This was a very challenging stage for everyone who shot it. Oh, yea, it was fun as well!

Now, I'm freakin' exhausted so I'm going to bed!

He Knows Who Has Been Naughty and Nice...

2008-12-22T18:02:00.000-08:00

...and you better hope you are on the right list! Here Santa is packing a G36C and is ready to do get busy on the naughty list.

Pic was taken from the HKPro.com forums. If you are a serious HK fan then this is the forum for you!

Help Out A Pretty Girl - Hey, She Likes Guns Too!

2008-12-21T12:45:00.000-08:00

One of the Cavalry Arms girls has entered in an online modeling contest and needs our help to win this thing. If you feel you can help out a pretty girl who actually likes to shoot then do the following...

Step 1:
Add myspace.com/hornshalos to your friends list

Step 2:
Vote for her in the 2009 Horns-n-Halos flyer girl contest.
(all you have to do it go to the album, and hit comment and post something under her picture!) Its marked "Ali Crimson".

These first two pics are typical promo type pics. (click to view fullsize)

I like these next pics better as she is more "real" looking if that makes any sense.

'Tis the Season for...Ice Storms!

2008-12-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

It looks like the eastern part of the country has been getting hammered with ice storms recently. I love ice storms for the most part. Just not when they would knock out the power.

Anyways, a member on a musician forum I am a moderator of (yes, I am a musician) posted up some great pics of the ice storm in New Hampshire and thought I would share them here.

White Castle = Heaven

2008-12-15T08:56:00.000-08:00

Mmm...White Castle. I grew up loving White Castle cheeseburgers. If you have never had one then you just wouldn't understand. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground when comes to them. You either love them or hate them.

Being as that I live in Arizona and the nearest White Castle restaurant is in Missouri, my only option is the frozen ones available in grocery stores that are frozen. Yea. (sarcasm) They just are not the same from a microwave. Well, I got an idea and tried it last night.

What I did was take some of the frozen cheeseburgers like this...

...and thaw them overnight. Then seperate the meat from the bun. Get yourself a nice vegetable steamer and get it steaming. Throw the meat on until the meat is warm and then toss the top and bottom sections of the bun (inside down) on there as well. Give it about 15 seconds and then pull the bottom bun half off and put on a plate. Then the meat and lastly the top half of the bun. Now, you have as close to a fresh White Castle cheeseburger as your going to get on this side of the country! I hope this helps out some of you easterners that have transplanted like myself to get their fix for a true slider. Enjoy! Now if I can just figure out how to make their shakes and fries!

HEADS UP! - Weapons Confiscation in Wisconsin

2008-12-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

Need I really go in to how wrong the action taken by the police was in this situation? Read and heed and then pass it along.

http://www.jpfo.org/alerts02/alert20081212b.htm

Today Was A Good Day

2008-12-07T20:31:00.001-08:00

Yeah, woke up and got myself prepared for the meeting of the ACTS Rules Committee to do all our rules amendments and changes for 2009. I had to conference call with the rest of the committee which live in Michigan. We spent over two and half hours working on them and this doesn't count the discussions we had online between us. There was some tough debating but it never got nasty. We did get the rough draft of the rules changes done and now we just have to go over how each must be worded to ensure clarity. It seems as if the work is never done but I like it anyways!

So Long Nappy!

2008-12-06T17:55:00.000-08:00

That is right my fellow Arizonans, Gov. Janet Napolitano is leaving us! Unfortunately it is due to her being named President Elect Obama's appointee to the head of the Department of Homeland security but that is a whole 'nother discussion.

For us here in Arizona this could meen great things as far as getting some more of our 2nd Amendment rights restored. I see a busy time for AZCDL (http://www.azcdl.org/) working to get as much positive legislation passed during the next couple of years as possible. Please, if you live in AZ, and are not already a member of AZCDL, please join. It is worth every penny and then some as you just can't really put a price on your rights!

So long Nappy! Don't let the door hit 'ya where the good Lord split 'ya!

My New ACTS Video

2008-11-29T17:15:00.000-08:00

I made a new vid using still photos and vid mixed together and it is all put to Clutch's "A Shogun Named Marcus". I hope you all like it. If you would like to check out more of my vids then go to my YouTube page here: http://www.youtube.com/user/kuwi65

What happened to my America?

2008-11-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

Walking home from work today I was thinking about life and such when I began to think, what happened to my America?

I grew up in a blue collar family that was made up of down to earth folks who were from Kentucky, Texas, Virginia, and Indiana. The men in my family were farmers, tradesmen, and soldiers. They were my role models as a child and taught me how to be a man and, more importantly, how to be a good American.

How I learned to be a man was taught to me by their words and by their actions. It all boiled down to respect, honesty, loyalty, working hard, stand up for what is right, take care of your family, and take care of your country. I believe in these principles and they make up the core of my beliefs.

Well, what happened to my America? Where is the America my elders had spoke of and prepared me for? If anyone has seen it, please let me know. I would like to know it still exist somewhere.

This is only a TEST!

2008-11-22T17:56:00.000-08:00

Just a test to see if I can post a video.

Post Election Craziness and My Dilemma

2008-11-22T15:47:00.000-08:00

It's not new that Obama won the election and all of us gun owners are sweating what may lay ahead for us. Unfortunately, a lot of people are now in the "panic" mode and buying like crazy and driving the prices up beyond reason. I just checked out an auction for an AR lower and it was at over $700! WTH?!

Anyways, to my point. I had been trying to find a rifle/carbine that my wife and kids would enjoy shooting. They all say my V-93 is too heavy (8.0 lbs empty/9.2 loaded) so I had my wife check out MP5 clones and AR's. Yeah, I know there are lot of other options out there but I don't care for them or they are hard to get parts/mags for.

HK MP5 type clones share the same basic functioning as all 9x series of HK weapons. I'm very familiar with them so this was my first choice. The wife really liked the MP5 ergonomics and the weight was good with her. The bad side is they are very pricey and so are their mags.

So, an AR it is, I think at the time. More accurately a CAR version. They are about half the price and mags are about a third the cost of MP5 mags. So, I want to get an AR lower with the HK pictogram type markings. (hey, I am the HKfreak!)

POF's lowers look really nice but are about $250 total to your FFL so I kept looking and found Spike's Tactical. I did some research and read nothing but good things about them. The election was coming up so I told her she had to make a choice between the clone or the AR. She finally decides to go the AR route the night of the election. OK, no problem. I'll order the lower in the morning. Wrong!

The next morning I get up and go to order the lower and Spike's has already jacked their price from $115 to $180 overnight! Well, I won't go into how I feel about it as I will be labeled a whiner, or even worse, a socialist! Let's just say I was unhappy with the price increase. Honestly, it just turned me off of AR's at that moment. I never have been a big fan of them but they are good rifles and it was for my wife and kids and not for me.

Man, I'm going in circles here! Ha! I start looking at the MP5 options and see that Coharie is selling off some MP5/40 kits for $425! You literally have to assemble everything on them but the price is great. I figure I can buy the kit, swap out the bolt and carrier for genuine HK and have one fine running clone. I can even use genuine HK mags as it would only put me up to 5 parts that are not 922(r) compliant. Hell, I can even add real deal HK furniture and still be compliant! I believe now that this is the direction I'm heading in as I can build the clone for just about $1k and still have money to buy about 10 HK mags for it. This is what I see for the future...

I haven't made a decision on whether I will do an SBR or not. Something about putting a weapon I own on the NFA registry that just doesn't sit good with me.

EDIT: I had to include this vid of me getting the opportunity to shoot a real full auto HK.

OK, I have rambled enough for one post so I'll shut up now.

I Have Been Outed!

2008-11-21T19:17:00.001-08:00

Well, I guess the word is out that I have a blog now. Cowboy Blob has blown my cover. I was hoping to get the hang of all this layout crap before anyone found out but oh well. I guess everyone will just have to put up with me learning how this software, and it's little idiosyncrasies, work.

November ACTS Match

2008-11-16T04:41:00.000-08:00

It was a great day for a match. The weather was nice, we had a great turnout, and everything ran like clockwork. I had been sick for two days prior so I didn't plan to shoot (Heck, I didn't think I would make it through the day!) but I did get to squeeze off some rounds through a sweet Class III MP5. I can see why they are so popular now. It isn't just HK hype.

Anyways, a few pics from the day...

Halloween, Gear, and the Election

2008-11-02T21:54:00.000-08:00

Halloween, what a great holiday. I love it. It is the one day a year you can actually dress up and be a kid again. Unfortunately I didn't take advantage of it this year and instead just watched over my daughter and her friend while they got all the great candy and had a blast. Maybe next year I will get to play if I can get my costume done in time. (I might talk about it at a later date but it will show my inner nerd!)

Gear...

Well, I think I'm going to go with a bag setup for my "1st Line" gear. It is more for just making sure I can get myself home safely while maintaining a low profile if bad stuff goes down. I think I will, however, go for a vest system for ACTS matches and major SHTF situations where concealing my ready status wouldn't be much of a concern. Still liking that Blackhawk vest I looked at as well. Hmm...

Less than 48 hours until the election. Scary stuff. I truly believe that if Obama is elected it could spell the end of America as we know it. I don't want to lose the principles that our country was founded on. I guess we will see and I'm really hoping for a McCain/Palin victory.

Looking for gear...

2008-10-26T23:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm currently looking for a new rig for shooting ACTS matches, running around the desert, and general SHTF situations. It has been a confusing yet enlightening journey through the infinite amount of available gear out there.

I started looking at a Blackhawk STRIKE Elite vest and was kindly informed that there was better gear for the $. BTW, I got a serious feeling there are a lot of people out there who dislike Blackhawk for some reason. Eh.

Anyways, I was pointed towards Tactical Tailor, Eagle, and a number of others brands. I still haven't made up my mind yet but I might just go with one of the ATS "War Belts" and a set of HSGI suspenders. It would be a fairly cheap setup but I'm still not sure if it will hold everything I want. Argh! This is such a pain trying to decide. Oh well, bedtime for this crazy American.

Hello.

2008-10-26T19:31:00.000-07:00

My first entry to this blog. I have had an acoount for quite a while but have never really taken the time to mess with it so I guess I'm popping my blog virginity. I'll add some more here shortly.