A lone voice crying from the Sonoran desert.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Romney Rally



Saturday we went to a Romney Rally in north Phoenix. It was very cool as we had several members of our state Legislators there, along with our very own Maricopa County Sherriff, Americas Toughest Sherriff Joe!

About three hundred people hung out for about three hours, watching Romney ads, picking up materials to hand out to friends and coworkers. I really think Romney is going to do better in Az than a lot of people believe. I think that he'll give McCain quite the fight, he may not win but I think he'll be within 12 points.

There is a huge groundswell of people realizing just how full of crap McCain has been. We've just never had a viable alternative. I think once people start to realize McCain has a viable challenger in Romney, and the Dems and mods realize they have to vote for Baccarat to beat the shrew McCain loses his "base".

This is Heather, my littlest one (for the next week or two) proudly showing she could wave signs as wells as the adults!

Last note Romney is supposed to fly in on Super Tuesday for a couple of hours to pump up supporters.

Tommorows Florida's Primary! Give Em Hell Mitt!

Friday, January 25, 2008

What's in Your Pockets!?

Like a lot of guys I’ve walked around with a bunch of stuff in my pockets since reaching adult hood and leaving college. How many times have you gone to carry something else and realize that you’re almost out of space? Or worse you’re walking around carrying stuff in your hands? I can’t count the times I’ve torn pockets of pants from sharp edges on pocket knives, keys, and other assorted pocket flotsam.

Most guys I know carry quite the load!

Wallet
Cell Phone
Keys – Car, House, Office, Desk, Trunk, Shed, Storage Unit and more
Pocket Knife
Leatherman
Planner/Calendar/Address Book
Handkerchief
Gum
Flashlight
Extra Batteries
Gun (where legal)
Extra Magazines

Does this sound like your daily load? I realize not everyone carries a gun, but much of this probably sounds like some of the crap you cram into your pants, or try carrying with you everywhere you go. Worse, how often does one find them-self in the situation where they DON’T have what they need, even with all the crap they are carrying around?

My wife finally suggested I do something about it. I think she was suggesting I leave more than a few things behind. Instead I did one better, I got a purse. Or murse. A man-bag. A tote. Messenger Bag. Courier Pack. Info Camel. Whatever name you prefer. I went with the Maxpedition Versa pack, specifically the Colossus.

Now instead of just carrying the above, I can also carry a small first aid kit, hand sanitizer (I’m not a germ-a-phobe but do you know how many people don’t wash after dropping a dukie?), Ibuprofen (those with gout know what I’m talking about- a good size bottle of Ibuprofen is a life saver), I also carry an extra note pad, a camera, as a dad I’ve tucked in a couple of diapers and wipes, an extra pocket knife, pepper foam.

Now I won’t lie my buddies gave me hell for a while, still do on occasion. But nothing is more satisfying than a buddy saying damn does anybody have any…? And being able to supply, whatever, from the depths of a well organized pack. Shuts them up pretty well.

And best of all I have semi empty pockets. Check out the full review in the summer issue of PCO’s newsletter.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Monster Hunter International

For the uninitiated, check out Larry Correia's MONSTER HUNTER INTERNATIONAL. It's Larry's first novel and I could not put this down! I blew a Saturday afternoon, evening and night blazing through this. If you've ever liked a monster movie but thought the people in it deserved to die simply for stupidity, this is your book!

Check out Larry's Blog! Monster Hunter Nation

and if you like that check out my own online serial novel @:


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Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Cloverfield: Movie Review

I was anxiously awaiting this movie since the awe inspiring preview in front of Transformers this summer. I fully hoped to be blown away by this movie. Friday night after work I sped to my local cineplex. Found a decent seat in a VERY crowded theater, and waited for the lights to dim.

First let me say this, except for the new Star Trek teaser Hollyweird is really reaching for new ideas. All the other previews but one were just rehashes of other older movies. I saw an updated karate kid only this time with MMA, that's just sad, as much as I love Djimon Hounsou (Amistad) he's no Mr. Miagi. I saw a conglomeration between Dawn of the Dead and Escape from New York. this movie is not even out yet and it looks like it was bred for another generation of film. While the chick in the movie is hot, in black leather she looks too much like she's channeling Beckinsale from Underworld it's scary sad. And unfortunately she's not as much fun to watch as Kurt Russel and the bad freaky guys look like wannabe villains from John Carpenters fun ride.

Back to Cloverfield.

First when someone tells you to take dramamine before watching this movie, they probably aren't referring to the action scenes. Once the big monsters shows up the camera works really well. No you'll need dramamine for the first 24 minutes during which a going away party bores you to death. You probably won't care waiting for the monster to show up but you'll feel it later in the movie. If I were to go see this flick again (maybe...) I'd show up about 17 minutes late, just so I could miss all that crap.

For those of you who saw the preview they could have doubled the length of the party AS SHOWN in the preview and still conveyed everything they needed to without wasting time and giving you a hand-held hang over. And for a movie that clocks in, including credits, under an hour and twenty minutes, 25 spent on a party that I wouldn't have shown up to in real life, is just sad. The whole 25 minutes introduces the main character Paul or Ron or something or other, his brother, his girlfriend who he slept with four weeks before the movie starts just before he's supposed to leave for Japan. His best friend HUD ( thought that was a display) and his brother and his brothers girlfriend. Names are really not important because frankly you won't care. They could just as easily be guy 1, guy 2, guy 3 and it would work just as well.

Once the monster gets there though, this movie was actually a lot of fun. I'm not going to give much away, but this movie went from simple "the godzilla movie" to incredibly original, fast. The turning point for me, was when watching CNN and the military is up close to the big guy and "things" start falling. WOW! Did not see that coming.

I would like to take a minute and address the bridge scene. Everyone whose seen the preview has seen the bridge collapsing. No biggie. Now we've seen bridges fall in the last few years in War of the Worlds, I AM LEGEND, X-Men3 and dozens of other films. What the heck was the point of this one? Visually it wasn't impressive since we were POV on the bridge and guy 2 dies (or is implied dead).

I know they were trying to escape but you never know what brings down the bridge, it's only assumed it's the big monster, and it causes people to wander around like cattle until the authorities tell people where to go and what to do. Maybe I'm too independent but that bugged the hell out of me. It's like Katrina and N.O. I'd have corraled my family and boogied outta dodge folks! Why wait? Is that why they were on the bridge? Ok I'll give you that, but then why would they head back in and stumble around. It's like the director wasn't sure how much time to give them to get the ball rolling again.

Props though, watching our military go to work right over the top of our intrepid camera guy was awe inspiring. We've seen things like that on the evening news with imbeded photographers, but rarely in a movie, JJ Abrahms and the director get big props, because that was terrifically done.

To get away from the battle and monster the wander down into the The subway scene, holy crap, i'm not excited about being trapped undergound, no way I would have stayed put in the subway for that long but I understand they needed a breather but be real, dust is falling on you because of a big monster above and the military dropping bombs and your going to stay in that exact spot? But when they head into the tunnel! WOWZA! leapt out of my seat! For those of you who've seen it, were those "things" different that the things fighting the military? Oh and girl 2 gets chewed on trying to save jackass camera guy, or guy 3. She starts to get woozy from loss of blood, then things get wierd.

Now being a monster movie fan, I was really excited to see the familiar bitten person falls victim thing. But victim to what?!? Answers I want them now!

I was glad to see something different in the next scene. They intrepid foursome find their way into a ?Department store where the military has setup shop. And unlike so many movies of late they don't paint the military as the bad guys, again props JJ.

Finally when they go into the skyscrapper, I was excited. I thought that was pretty cool, again not saying anything for folks who haven't seen it, but building to building rock climbing. But I desperately wanted them to find a working elevator just so the camera guy would stop moving! ug. (If I ever meet that camera guy hud I'm going to kick his @$$!)

At that point, no elevators and having to climb 49 floors, I would have told the others, "i'll wait here!" But they all climb and they do it in just a few minutes. These people make Lance Armstrong seem like a pansy. Running and stairs etc. I know adreneline does crazy things but DAMN!

Lastly I loved the helicopters and the park. The stealth bomber was a nice touch. There was at least one shot that was straight out of Jurrassic Park, and the blow sacks were freaking cool!~

But after that, eh. It just didn't have an awe inspiring ending, but was still a rather good movie.

When the lights went up I heard dozens of people talk about going home and making a better movie than that. However if this challenges people to try making their own movie, we all win, except of course for the bad ones. Over all I disagree with those that think this was a bad movie, it was an amazing experience. I think this was a truly innovative and original movie, we bitch about Hollyweird and how dumb the movies coming out are, and now we get one (like the matrix) and people pan it.

I hope people recognize it for that, that this was a more original movie than most anything they've seen in a long time. I probably won't buy the DVD, but I'd happily pay to see a sequal, a real movie this time though, with pans and dolly's and sweeping vistas and more military action. I want answers this time though! Answers damnit! What is it? Where did it come from? How do we kill it? What are the little things? What about the things in the subway? What happened to the bleeding girl? Did she blow up? WTH!?

JJ Abrahms your a mad genius and until I get more, I hate you, but I want to see what you can do with Star Trek!

Friday, January 18, 2008

Responsibility

I saw on the news this week about the guy who tried to jump, yes JUMP as in peter pan right off the freaking Empire State Building! No sane person (you may argue the parachute issue, I retain my statement) JUMPS off a building!

But worse, this ass hat now is SUING, as in demanding money because he was traumatized by the security guard. WTF?!?

And people say we don't need tort reform.

I read about the two 13 year old boys who were molested by a 13 year old girl, so they are all the same age, in Alaska. The girl was arrested, and unless I'm mistaken, she'll be tried as a sex offender. When I was 13 if a girl molested you, one of two things were happening. 1, you were really excited about it! Or 2, you chased the hag away. DUH! I can understand "protecting the kids" from adults, that's what we should be doing. But "protecting" 2 thirteen year old boys? Man up!

And people say we don't need tort reform.

I read about the founder of NO GUNS being charged with and pleading no contest to possesion, manufacturer and transport for sale of an unlawful assault weapon. While I think that any restriction of our 2nd Amendment right is bunk (I do believe ciolent criminals should not have them) but I do believe that the people should respect the laws that we have. So it's easy to assume then that the founder of NO GUNS did this whole program simply as a cover for his "homies?" After all he was providing weapons to a violent street gang.

It's just too bad they didn't get Sarah Brady for reckless endangerment with her piece.

And people think anti-gun organizations are just out to protect the kiddies.

Ok, I'm pissed. I was going to leave the Tiger incident at the San Fran zoo alone. But I can't. These idiots taunted this animal, one of the greatest predators in the world, and um yeah, all three got mauled and one died. WELL NO SHIT! You TAUNTED A FREAKING TIGER! I've known I didn't want to mess with a tiger since I was a kid and I saw THE JUNGLE BOOK! I'm no Mowgli, I'm not going there! Screw that! And these punk kids from a punk town that thinks it can outlaw pain and suffering and um yeah bad people too, got what they freaking deserved! Social Darwinism. Idiots die, the smart survive! But I'm really pissed that San Fran PD killed the damn tiger over it. There are only a few hundred left world wide and we KILLED it because two jerkoffs that were prime candidates for retro active abortion were getting eaten? They should have stayed away, let the tiger get good and full, fall asleep and shoot it with a tranq! Then while happy big cat is snoring contentedly, we wheelbarrow his orange striped self back inside where he belongs. GEEZ! Kill the tiger for an idiot that's a trade the world came out on top!

And people say that kids have it to hard these days.

Osama Bin Ladens son want's to be an ambassador for peace. Great! I'm all for peace! Get your dad to surrender! Hell I'd be happy if he surrendered to Saudi Arabia, England, he he, or Israel! Usama Bin Laden on behalf of the American people I accept your request to be an ambassador for peace, on one of two conditions. Either get your dad to surrender, or go kill him. After all it's in the name of peace, for peace with the religion of peace. Better that one man should perish. Hell I'll have you over for dinner within one week of you fulfilling your mission!

And people say I have no sense of humor!

To close, I'm sick of a beautiful world of people that will not stand up for themselves, and worse they are afraid of you and I standing up for OURSELVES!

I'm sick of the election already. I wish that each party would bring back the arena and let the candidates fight to the death, then we'd have Jon Edwards or Obama (I don't know who'd win except they'd team up to kill hillary) versus Fred Thompson. Of course I'd want Fred Thompson to start a caffeine drip because his lackadasical approach is really wearing me out.

What are you doing with your tax return this year? I'd really recommend buying something related to excersising your 2nd Amendment rights. Even if that's not your bag, because I believe that if 100 million Americans go buy a gun this year, 100 million NICS checks would send a message to every politician in America, don't mess with our Constitution! Of course that only works if those 100 million DON'T go dumb and vote for a swine who will set out to destroy our fundamental freedoms.

MAN UP!

Monday, January 14, 2008

2nd Amendment


My friends know my feelings on government so at this point I don't intend to launch into any tirades. However I did want to share this with any who are interested.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Heroes

My first Blog/Post:

What to write about?

Ogre suggests Bloggers post about what they know and to post often. We'll see about often, but I want to write about what I know.

I know my heroes. My hero, as every boys first hero should be, is/was my dad. My dad was the coolest. He had curly white hair that he kept long (not crazy hippie long), long enough it would blow around outside when he took his hat off. My dad was older than my buddies dads. He was sixty three when I was born (and I have 2 younger brothers).

My dad creaked when he climbed stairs, that arthritis was getting to him good. He popped sometimes too. But as a boy I watched him build our house, climbers ladders to shingle the roof, laid tile on his knees, placed doors and windows (usually after they'd been broken by boys playing ball). Every night he'd tuck my brothers and I in bed, he'd climb the stairs to our room, we'd hear popping and clicking as he climbed upwards. Then he'd sing to us, tuck us in, and we'd hear him snap crackle and pop as he descended the stairs (stairs he put in by the way).

My dad was a patriot. I remember once seeing him cry in church when we sang the star spangled banner. I can still hear his voice tremble over those beautiful strains as he moved through the chorus.

My dad was a veteran. He fought in WWII. Growing up in a mostly retirement community he introduced me to all his veteran buddies, including a couple of british ex pats. I heard stories from guys who stormed Normady. I heard stories of guys who fought at Guadacanal! I heard my dads stories, stationed in Kunming in China flying with the Chinese Air Force. Listening to these brave old souls tell about seeing friends killed for something they believed in, stirred within me something deep. A love and understanding of the importance of love of this great country.

Since then I've had many heroes, guys in movies (Indiana Jones!), guys in books, guys in history (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Carlos Hathcock, Audie Murphy, Alvin Yorke). But I wanted to talk about heroes I've had the priveledge to know.

My best friend growing up was and is a goofy guy by the name of Gordon. He was crazy in the fifth grade, introduced me to the xmen and aliens. Arnold Schwarzenneger and SPEED. We read comic books, listened to rock and roll and later heavy metal. We grew into young men, his dad was in the Army and so he too had respect for this country (he grew up in Europe at the height and fall of communism). At 18 fresh out of high school he joined the Army Reserves. I sat in the recruiters with him while he filled out the paperwork. This was the spring before 9/11 that fall everything changed.

For the first few years members of his unit got called up and he waited for his number.
Even his beautiful sister served her time in Iraq as did her husband.
Eventually he got called out as well and spent his time in Iraq.
He came home, safe, unharmed.

This February you'll be able to see him in the Army ad during the Super Bowl. Check it out, because there you'll see my hero!

So more than anything this post, is one of respect, appreciation for all our armed men and women in our armed forces, past, present, and future! It is my pleasure to call some of you friend. It is my honor to call myself an American and much of that is because of you. Thank you for your sacrifices, thank you for your service.

Because all of you are Real American Heroes!