NRA Annual Meeting - As I went to talk to the protesters

My #2 Sprog and I met these 2 gentlemen who are active duty with our Armed Forces SOCOM.  They didn't mind having their picture taken they asked I not post their names however, so I didn't even ask for them.

I gave each of them one of my blog buttons and I and #2 Sprog thanked them for their service.  They thought the protesters were hilarious however.

Some photos from the NRA Annual Meeting

 Click to Embiggenate

Pictures from the NRA Annual Meeting and thanks

This is Marty, he told me he is a Vietnam Veteran, as you can see from his patch he has received a Purple Heart.  I and my daughter thanked him for his service, and he actually started to blush and said thank you back to us.

To All Veterans and those who have Fallen.  Thank you.

I have several posts scheduled for after midnight of photos from the convention.  1 of them I'm still not sure if I will post.  But they should go up a little after midnight central time.

Jay is Famous now

I got this link through Uncle, but I'll post the pertinent pic here if you don't want to go to Buzzfeed.

Photo Owned by Buzzfeed

The link to Jay's Blog is Marooned (Stuck in Massachusetts)

The link to the Buzzfeed article is 25 Message form NRA Members to Gun Control Supporters

Video of my encounter with the Anti-rightists

#2 Sprog ran the camera as I tried to ask a question of the protesters across the street from the NRA Annual Meeting.

My apologies,

I had several posts I wished to write about the various things going on at the NRA Annual Meeting, I took my small android tablet there with it own small keyboard, but no matter what I tried I could NOT get it to login to the Router at the meeting.  So please be patient with me as I get myself together and get these post written.  Plus I will be posting video of  my attempt to ask some questions of the Anti-Rightist protestors across from the convention center.

My travel setup isn't

That pic is of what I call my "Travel Setup" but it isn't really.  I have days at home when my back is messed up where I have that setup on my lap or stomach and I try to blog that way.  That is my second large type keyboard.  I hope this one will work right longer than the other one did.  What I need to find is one of the old IBM Click Keyboards that were built to withstand a Nuclear Strike that has been modified for a USB plug.  This keyboard doesn't really have the tactile feel of my old one, but the old one finally succumbed to three years of abuse by my ham handed typing.

I've found with this new keyboard I have much more spelling errors because I think I've hit the key hard enough, but when I look at my screen I see missing letters or incorrect letters on the screen.  And I still have a problem with ' vs" my finger aren't getting off the shift key fast enough I guess.

So if you don't follow me on Twitter, you are missing out on some stuff.  I tweet a bunch of stuff that never makes it here to the blog.  MY Twitter ID is @txfellowship and I just changed up the name so it's easier to identify me, the name is GreyLocke/Mark.  So you can click on my twitter thingamajaobbie over there on the right to follow me on twitter.

I'm going to give my pain meds 20 more minutes to work before I grab the flask of Clan MacGregor.  Right now my back is somewhat ok, it's my knee that is torturing me.  So good night folks, if you are at the NRA Convention in Houston, I will be wearing a Black Kilt tomorrow (Saturday)  the first person who finds me that hasn't been forewarned will get one of my Blog's buttons.  A pic of which I already tweeted.

See ya tomorrow.

In Houston, spent several hours at

the NRA Annual Meeting, before my back said, "NOPE!, YOU ARE NOT GOING ANY FURTHER!"  Even after a pain pill and a muscle relaxer it is still sore as all get out.  I'm going to wait for my food to settle before I take a Toradol and lay down.

However I managed to get 3 and half aisles done today.  If #2 Sprog hadn't been there I doubt I would have been able to get through 2 of them  I wanted to see how much I could do without having to grab my wheelchair out of the truck, and while I'm in pain, there would have been no way I would have been able to negotiate those aisles in my wheelchair.  So I'm glad Melissa was there to help me carry the cameras, and other assorted errata.

I did have some interesting conversations, there is one in particular I will relate.

Do you remember the Heizer Double Tap?  They had a series of issues with their manufacturer, delaying their products release, and causing other issues.  I spoke with Raymond B. Kohout at Double Tap's display and he was kind enough to give me his time and help explain a few things to me.  Right now they have a new manufacturer in Florida who is making the DoubleTap as fast as they can to get the product out to dealers.  He also gave me a thumb drive which I haven't gone through yet as I am too sore to go downstairs and get it out of the truck.  Mr. Kohout showed me on a cut away model of the DoubleTap its many design features, which actually impressed me.  He showed me how the trigger mechanism works which reminded me of a double barrel single trigger shotgun, how the grip holds two additional rounds on a special speed strip for quick reloading if necessary, how the barrel of the pistol can be changed by pushing out an AR-15 style pushpin to change the caliber from .45 ACP to 9mm Luger.  He even offered to have a T&E Pistol sent to my dealer down by Corpus.  On the last, I declined as I really don't have access to a proper range close to me.  However I told him that on my next trip to St. Louis where they are based I would love to take one to one of the ranges up there and wring it out with a box or two of ammo, in both .45 ACP and 9mm Luger.  I had also made mention of a problem many people who are getting older suffer from.  Night Blindness of one degree or another.  Mr. Kohout mentioned that they are working on a slightly tall front sight blade with a bit of tritium specifically for people with that problem.  That is what I like to hear from a firearm company.  They are looking out for as many of their customers as they can, and are preemptively looking for solutions for problems their primary customer base might have.

Granted right now their products cost is somewhat high, compared to other firearms and their product is currently a niche product.  As they get more of their pistols out into the marketplace, and as they can refine them, I believe they can bring their products prices down making them more affordable for more customers.

I hope they continue to improve their product and include more calibers.  I personally wouldn't mind seeing a DoubleTap in .38 Special/.357 Magnum, .32 ACP/.380 ACP or even .22LR/.22 Magnum.

If they keep innovating we may just see those other calibers at a price which almost anyone could afford for a quality pistol.

Charging Batteries

for cameras can be a bit of a pain.  Especially as I try to have 3 batteries each for my little IR NV Camera and 3 batteries for my Sony DCD DVR, which reminds me I need to buy some more DVD-R's.

Otherwise I am getting ready for the NRA Annual Meeting.  Sprog #2 and I, plan on leaving around 0500, and should be in Houston around 0930.  Right now I'm trying to get the boys to get my wheelchair out and put it in the truck.  I hope I don't need it, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.  Plus I don't want to put myself in pain because I over did it.

I'm hoping to be able to meet up with Cool Change in Houston, he and I have already exchanged phone #'s and he knows which Hotel we are going to be at.

Speaking of which, my reservations are at the Houston Inn and Suites on South Wayside about 30 yards from 45, which should give us a 15 minutes drive to the convention center.

So I hope to meeting some other bloggers there.  I will be wearing Jeans on the first day, but I will have my new "A Day in the Life of a Talk Radio Blogger" Polo shirt on and my Rubicon Hat with my handle GreyLocke on the back and Sprog #2 aka Melissa will have one of my blog buttons on so everyone knows who she is with.  Saturday and Sunday I'll be wearing my 5.11 Tactical Utilikilt's like I told Jennifer I would.

So if you are at the NRA Annual Meeting this weekend and see me or Sprog #2 give us a hollar.

Still very sore

and having a slight problem with both of my computers.  On the desktop which sits next to the bed on an old TV stand, one of the drives is being screwy.  I think I'm going to have to buy a new drive and clone this one. so I don't lose all my pictures, sound files or e-books.  On the netbook, I have a large, large type keyboard and several of the keys are feeling weird.  If I can find the old IBM type keyboard with a USB connector, I think I'll get one of those.  Also the mouse for the netbook is freezing up.  The touchpad on it works fine but the mouse seems to be messing up.  I don't know if it's the mouse or the driver for the mouse, so I'll dig a different mouse of the junk drawer and try it tomorrow.

Other than my back and legs being sore, painful and alternating between numb and throbbing, I'm not doing too to bad.

My daughter Melissa and I will be leaving for the NRA Annual Meeting in Houston about 5:00 am friday morning.  I'm not to sure my back will be recovered enough from my trip to St. Louis to be able to drive the 230 miles there and then try to walk around all day.  So I'm taking the wheelchair with me just in case I need it, although I hope I won't.  I have enough junk to carry already.

So if you are going to the NRA Annual Meeting in Houston, BOLO for a gray bearded man possibly in a wheel chair possibly using a cane in the company of a beautiful Flautist.  I haven't decided if I'm going to wear one of my 5.11 Utilikilts or not.  Speaking of the 5.11 Utilikilt, they are taking orders on them again.  Only until the 30th though.I just ordered 2 more.  If you haven't ordered yours their website is:  http://www.511tactical.com/All-Products/Shorts/Tactical-Shorts/Tactical-Duty-Kilt.html


I also need to decide which hat I'm going to wear.  I need to cover my shining cranial solar panel so as not to blind everyone, but my Pirate Skull and Bones ball cap is in really bad shape, but my brimmed safari hats make using the camera annoying at times.

So, any suggestions?  Black Utilikilt?  Khaki Utilikilt? Jeans? Pirate Cap? Khaki Safari Hat? Blue Safari Hat? Camo Safari Hat?  Or should I just buy a new hat and surprise everyone?

I'm going to get off and try to get some sleep.  So see y'all in the mornin.

NRA Annual Meeting May 3rd through the 6th

"Join us for the 142nd NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits at the George R. Brown Convention Center in the heart of downtown Houston, TX, May 3-5, 2013!

With over 550 exhibitors covering over 400,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, educational seminars, celebrities, and fun filled special events, bring the whole family- there will be something for everyone! Spend the day exploring the products from every major firearm company in the country, book the hunt of a lifetime in our exclusive outfitter section, and view priceless collections of firearms in our gun collector area. You'll also see knives, wildlife art, shooting accessories, hunting gear, ATV's, and much more!"

My #2 Daughter and I will be there.  We are only 3 hours or so south.  I just need to get my room taken care of.

Are you going?

For more information click that link above.

NRA National Convention

Well I just contacted their PAO again.  The first time I spoke to a very nice young lady, who was a temp.  She took my information, but evidently between her taking my information and getting it into the computer something happened.  The young lady I just spoke to put me in the computer while I was on the phone with her.  I asked if a second credential could be setup so one of my kids could help me.  I really can't walk too far, and I might have to use my wheelchair.  It's kind of hard to carry several cameras, a laptop and try to get good footage and write down notes in a wheelchair.  So hopefully they will set it up so I can get the extra credentials.  The young lady also was kind enough to inform me of the NRA's ILA website and their news and press release section.  If you don't have it bookmarked yourself the link to it:  http://nraila.org/news-issues.aspx  That page has all of the NRA's press releases and news postings.

My plans so far are to figure out my budget so I can afford a hotel room not too far away.  I live about 230 miles away, but just figuring things out it might be cheaper to drive up do the meeting then drive home and then drive back up the next day.  Since my daughter can drive the drive won't be too bad.  If I can swing it financially I'd like to get a room in the Hilton attached to the convention center.  It would be much easier to shoot any interviews I can wangle out of people sitting down at a table, hopefully with an outlet to plug in a couple of my clamp lights for proper lighting plus my netbook.

So if you are going to the NRA Annual Meeting, keep an eye out for the gray bearded guy with a cane or wheelchair.  I'll probably wear one of my kilts to be really memorable. 

NRA Annual Meeting

This year it is close enough that if I can get Media Credentials, I should be able to attend.  If you wish to attend the Annual Meeting yourself, go to:   http://www.nraam.org/  to get the pertinent information.

My only two real issues will be if I can afford it and if they will allow me to bring one of my kids as an assistant.  I can't walk very far because of all the steel in my body plus nerve damage, so carrying my cameras, tripods netbook etc and trying to walk will be difficult.  And I DON'T want to have to bring my wheelchair, for one thing it's disgusting looking and beat up, plus it's a pain in the butt to get in and out of the truck and to use.