The Replica Prop Forum

The Replica Prop Forum
Very cool site I am also a member of

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Hmmm maybe this is why I'm having problems with my back




Between the spinal fusion I've had, the herniated disc in my neck, and all the other bits of metal in my body, I was wondering why my back goes snap - crackle - pop and most movements.

Texting while driving, please watch this.



Mark

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The 6th Gun



This is an awesome comic, you can get the first issue HERE for free.

Here is the order page for the other comics in the Series.

Check it out.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Welp, 43 years ago

I was born in St. Mary's hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. I am what and who I am today, because of my parents and family. I have always known that I was loved by my parents, no matter how stupid a thing I did. They always supported me even when they thought I was nuts because of some of the things I did. I owe them more than I could ever hope to repay.

My father passed away in February 2004, after a fall on some ice. His brain was badly damaged. And rather than letting him suffer, possibly as a person trapped inside his own head, my mother, brothers and I decided to let my father go. My mother and I were with him when he finally let go and left his mortal, fragile body behind. The brilliant mind that had once inhabited it was then free to join his mother and father in Our Lords Grace. I miss my father every day. His intelligence, his conversational skills, his unflagging love I know he had for me.

My mother still lives. She lives about 3 streets over from me. After my father died, I saw her trying to put together a life for herself without my dad. I know it was hard for her. And even with a few missteps here and there she has built a new life, and has found someone to share her life with again.

Her fiance isn't my father, but he is a good man. A man I know my father would approve of. He like my father has worked hard all of his life, and he treats my mother with the love and respect she deserves. I'm glad he is in her life, and I proud to know him as a friend.

On this, the start of the 44th year of my time on this great creation of our Lord's. I find myself glad with the way my life has gone, and sad at the heartbreak within it. But I wouldn't change it, because it is what has made me what I am today. A father of 7 kids who I love with all my heart even though there are time I want to strangle them. I wouldn't give them up for anything. Not even my own life. I just hope that my children know that I love them as much as I know that my mother and father have always loved me.

So now I start another year of my life. I am broken in a few places, but I will carry on as best I can. So my children will know that I love them, and I will always love them.

God Bless everyone in this creation that the Lord has provided for us. My his blessings be with you in your life and your family's lives always.

Mark

Sunday, May 8, 2011

What is wrong with this picture?

Is President Obama even relevant any more?

With leaks about how Leon Pannetta, Hillary Clinton, Robert Gates and Bill Dayley, did an end run around President Obama and the interference of his advisor Valerie Jarrett. To the flubbed time line of events. To the various gaffs over the protests in Egypt. To his actions and comments on the Libyan revolt. President Obama is so far out of the loop and realm of reality, it is no longer even funny. Alienating our allies, real and putative. And even his own supporters are more and more disappointed with him.

Is he relevant any more?

When his own cabinet, goes out of it's way to present him with a fait accompli in the assault to kill or capture Osama Bin Laden, something is seriously wrong with the picture. His own putative allies are marginalizing him, and going and doing their own things in such a way he cannot interfere with them. Does he even know what is supposedly being done at his direction? What about the layers over oversight that is supposed to keep things like that from happening? Well if the over-seers are the ones doing the deeds, there will be no oversight. That's right, the people Obama hired to help him run the country are doing everything they can to go around him. Shows you the kind of trust that's going on in the cabinet.

So President Obama has to take a good long hard look at what is going on around him, and decide a few things. Is he going to continue to be marginalized by the members of his cabinet by listening to bad advice from people who have an agenda which is their own? If not, he needs to decide how he is going to change the equation and take back control of his cabinet and this country.

Unfortunately, I don't see President Barrack H. Obama as having the guts to do what needs to be done. If he did his cabinet would never have had to resort to the means they did to take out Osama Bin Laden. They would have gone in his office, said, "We know where Bin Laden is" And he would have said, "Take him out, NOW." We now know that it did not happen that way, and it makes me very sad to think that soon this great country of ours is going to feel the effects of his lackluster performance of his duties.

Valerie Jarret - Traitor?

If this is true, then Valerie Jarret is more interested in being the power behind the throne, than in allowing the President to do his actual job. She needs to go, and possibly to be charged with Treason, for aiding and abetting terrorist actions through intentionally interfering or delaying matters of National Security. For every person who is killed by terrorists because of her interference, she should be charged as an Accessory and for Conspiracy . Our Government does not need an "Advisor" who thinks they know more than the elected official they are supposed to advise, and to constantly negate the authority of those who are entrusted with our Nation's security.

Either way, Ms. Jarret needs to go. That way she can no longer interfere with the running of this nation, and it's security.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Osama Bin Laden is dead.

I feel relief that his spectre is no longer around as a boogie man, making our country's intelligence services jump at shadows trying to find the information on the next terror attack.

At the same time I feel dread at the possibility of renewed assaults on us and our allies in the fight against terrorism and extremism. I worry now about rushed attacks on our servicemen and women, in revenge for his death. A rushed attack is one we cannot prevent as we cannot determine patterns or develop intelligence about it. It is too sudden for that.

And yet even more so I find myself praying. Praying that maybe someone will look and see the ultimate futility in attacking innocents. The futility in terrorism for terror's sake.

Islam is supposed to be a religion of peace. And yet it has become known as an instrument of terror and subjugation. What happened? When did Islam turn away from peace? From tolerance?

I fear Osama Bin Laden's death will be used by many of his followers and many who do not follow him as a means to perpetrate atrocities on others. And for those atrocities to be held up as "following the tenets of Islam"

Whose agenda does that follow?

Killing, maiming, raping and torturing someone because they do not share the same beliefs as yourself?

I'm sorry, I disagree with many people over many things. Religion included. But I would NEVER, EVER, EVER think of causing harm to someone over it. To do so, is selfish, unthinking and just plain RUDE behavior.

I happen to have several friends back up in Missouri who are Muslim. And when 9/11 happened they all like me were shocked and saddened by what happened. My friend Syd actually went to the FBI office in downtown St. Louis and asked them if he could help, or if they needed to speak with him as he had just the week before returned from Pakistan visiting his parents. I was at his job talking with him when 2 FBI agents asked to speak with him and showed him some photographs. He was always helpful to them. The only thing I recall him asking was if it wasn't an emergency, could they wait for his lunch break which was in 20 minutes.

Syd always told me that he wished he could join the Army or the FBI to catch the terrorists. His health precluded him joining the military, they don't allow people with heart problems in the service, but I do know he would go to the FBI office any time they called and asked him to.

Syd died last year. His heart finally gave out. It was a very large heart, both physically and spiritually. And because of him I know that not all Muslims are bad people.

Maa’ Assalama Sayeed Ali