For those Slovenian beauty queens, and for those who aren't...

Cowboy Blob's weekend photoshop/caption contest features President Bush with two...ah, lovely Slovenian girls in on his arms. In a fatherly way, of course. It seems almost as if President Bush is steering the girls away from a possible pitfall. Or pratfall...with those hats, you just can't tell.

In other Slovenia news, Anamarija Avbelj was crowned Miss Slovenia Universe 2008 on May 17, 2008.

Anamarija Avbelj will represent Slovenia at the Miss Universe 2008 beauty pageant, which will air live from Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam, from the Crown Convention Center, on NBC July 13, 2008.

Click on this Blogger-hosted image for the best view. Blogger always sucks them in...

And best of luck in July, Anamarija.

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Heather's Shooting Academy...EAAcorp (Friday Photo...)

The folks at EAA knew how to attract a crowd at the NRA Convention.

I've a t-shirt and this poster.

Note the autograph.

Explanation to my wife? Well, Serr8d who?

;D

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This post inspired by Cowboy Blob's creating of "National Cheesecake Gun pRon Day". Or "National Gun Safety Day".

I think I've got both covered right here...

In Heather's grasp (note the correct finger placement)

WITNESS ELITE GOLD
The "Gold Team" pistol is the signature model of 1999, 2002, 2005 IPSC World Champion Eric Grauffel. Every "Gold Team" pistol is carefully hand built by Tanfoglio's master gunsmiths. Special features of the "Gold Team" are an 8 hole ported, match grade polygonal rifled barrel, 3 chamber compensator, lightened slide, single action trigger with over travel stop, square trigger guard, checkered front and back strap, extended beavertail, ambidextrous custom shop safety, hart hammer, custom shop magazine release, extend magazine well for speed reloading, and one piece aluminum grips. The full length dust cover frame is drilled and tapped to allow the use of various styles of optic mounts. Standard features include:

* Competition Ready "Out of the Box"
* 12 Hole Ported Polygonal Barrel
* 2 Chamber Compensator
* Full Length Dust Cover
* Optics Ready - Drilled and Tapped
* 9mm, .38 Super, .40 SW & .45 ACP
* MSRP $1,879

Cheesecake. yep.

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This makes up for last Friday's lack of a Friday Photo. Is it a true photo, you ask? I'll tell you what, you try to take a picture of a flat poster and make it come out right.

This episode involved two photos ('upper' Heather and 'lower' Heather); both first adjusted for size then color level using my old Photoshop 6.0. Oh, the shots required me to bounce the flash off of a white ceiling to avoid any hotspot glare. The two monster photos (6X4 @ 576 dpi) were stitched together using the Canon Photostitch program that came bundled with my camera.

Then the GIMP was called into play to change the perspective (since I couldn't very well shoot straight down, blocking the bounced flash, now could I?). Finally the whole image was adjusted again for color balance. And to the small sizes you see here.

Oh, the top pic was uploaded to Blogger (click to embiggen). I used the Gimp's 'softglow' filter for that nice effect. The lower image is fed directly from the my Photobucket account, without the softglow filter effect but adding the thin frame.

In all, none of that was near as much fun as actually conversing with Heather at the show.

For some other pics of Heather, see my earlier NRA Convention post.

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Hey, I just noticed....100K visitors to this here blog

A ripple, barely noticeable in the large intrawebs. But thanks for stopping by, if you did stop by.

#100,000 from Quincy, Massachusetts; here to visit my "Canadian Snipers take out the Taliban" video. An uploaded e-mail (reminds me to see what else I can throw in here!) Then, he or she from Quincy was caught by the thumbnail in the margin...The Scream from a 9/11 Truther. That was a poignant pshop if I say so myself.

So, how long am I going to keep this blog thing going? Good question. At least through the election I suppose. Sometimes it's a pain in the ass.

I still want to post photos--that's why I started this thing in the first place, as a repository for some boating pictures; then the Titans pictures. Politics crept in slowly.

Then, with the help of Cowboy Blob, I found that I had some talent for photoshopping. Now, that's what keeps me interested in blogging.

There was the time I accidentally pshopped teh Instapundit; thinking he was that little squirt who runs Knox Views, R "Bubba" Neal. Looking back, that was my top 'noob' error. I won't get any Instalaunches here. Heh! But my pshops have gotten a couple of Insty glances at Protein Wisdom.

PW is another reason I keep on blogging. There's a pretty good crew there right now, with Dan Collins and Karl (and several other guest posters as well) keeping the hearth warm for Jeff Goldstein, who is in and out. Jeff has a remarkable talent, writing, and is the best writer on the internet. Because of his style.

So, if you came and visited and never came back, that's fine, because I don't care for that sort of pressure. If you are a regular reader, Thanks!

Drop a comment or send me an e-mail if you have a pshop idea; I'm always open for some sort of challenge. Dan Collins regularly solicits pshops. I'm happy to oblige.

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Oh. My first (I think) photoshop, for Cowboy Blob.

;D

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Memorial Day: Reposting: SPC Raymond N (Neal) Mitchell III honored in Smyrna

Memorial Day...to commemorate those who have died in Military Service to our country.

In particular, I want to repost this from April 9, 2007.

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On a cold Saturday morning, Smyrna honored hometown Fallen Hero Neal Mitchell, with a ceremony unveiling an inscription in stone. In attendance were Rolling Thunder, local officials, the Smyrna High School ROTC Color Guard, and family. Taps were sounded.

SPC Raymond N. "Neal" Mitchell III was born Dec. 30, 1985, in Smyrna. SPC Mitchell died Jan. 6, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds sustained during routine security operations.

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Friday Photos: NRA Convention Gun PRON~!

From the NRA Convention last weekend. I've posted three earlier posts on the convention; be sure to see those.

Click on these pictures to get some massive enlargement.

Firstly, we have three Bushmaster offerings. From top to bottom...

• Precision Marksman Rifle (PRM) in .223/5.56mm
• Bushmaster Custom Sniper Rifle in .308 Winchester
  
• Urban Interdiction Rifle (UIR) in .223/5.56mm
  

Now, three Colts.

• Colt Carbine A3 16 M4 MT6400C
• Colt Rifle A2 MT6601C
• Colt Flattop Accurized Rifle CR6724
  

Heh. Evil black rifles. Didn't mean to scare you.

How about some nice Roy Rogers commemorative pistols, gold plated?

This is a 'stiched' photo; there's obvious seams visible. Sorry, but the guy was nice enough to open the glass display case for me; I couldn't really ask him to do any more. I'll have to practice with these close-up stitch shots.

Click for a big image.



More next week.

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NRA Convention, Part III (where I consume Adult Beverages, Kentucky Limestone Bibb Lettuce with Spiced Walnuts, and hobnob with the Glitterati)

Well, in defense of the Bibb Lettuce, there were several thousand souls on hand for this banquet. Quite a task to feed and satisfy all of these bitter Americans, clinging to our guns and our conservative politics (and there was a prayer as well, can you believe that?) But I'll tell you this... we were the NRA. There's some good people who came together in Louisville for this Celebration of American Values Banquet. Good people with the core values that are needed more than ever today, at this strange time in our country's history, where so many phenomena seem to be directing us towards a perfect storm, one that will surely try this nation as it's never been tried before.

Well, on to the photo recap.

Dick Cheney wasn't there in person, but was there in the spirit of a video, toasting the NRA's successes. Always good to hear from Vice President Dick Cheney. A good man.


The presentation of the Colors. Everyone stood, and placed hands over hearts. Presented by the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Bobby Jindal, Conservative Governor of Louisiana, received the Harlon B. Carter Award for his post-Katrina pro-gun legislation, the "Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act" (H.R. 5013) introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last year. This legislation later passed the Senate, and was signed into law by President George Bush. No need to fear the U.S. Government or it's agents seizing guns from law-abiding citizens after a natural disaster.

Rising star, indeed.



Glenn Beck gave the primary speech (sorry, the address). This guy has it going on, folks. Polished, intelligent, independent, not afraid to challenge anyone in our government, in either party. He laid the wood to all of our elected (elitists) politicians, for turning their backs on America as we knew it. Fear for our republic, for our Constitution; that's a slim document and a thin veneer that keeps us from becoming just another sorry socialist state. There's signs everywhere, if we would pay attention.

Look closely at this picture...post-address, note the unusual finger placement (middle and index fingers) and that...cumberbund. The gentleman on the left is David A. Keene, 2nd Vice President.


I'm not sure who the lady to the right of Glenn is, but the fellow to his left is Wilson H. Phillips Jr., Treasurer of the NRA.


Glenn, you sly dog.


Oh, Glenn was presented an official NRA Flintlock rifle; I didn't catch that in action but I did note the fellow carrying it off for safekeeping. Nice hat, Fess.


Here again is the mystery lady with M. Phillips.


Well, Executive Vice President of the NRA Wayne R. LaPierre (the most visible of the NRA Officers and the Master of Ceremonies) poses for a picture with Blake Myers. Great shot, here, Blake; how did your toy camera's picture turn out? Click this one for a bigger version.


OK, this one needs a caption. An outthrust hand elicits a...look from Wayne. What do you suppose that look signifies?

A great evening, enjoyed by all.

I'll try to put up some more gunny pics tomorrow.

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Part I, the NRA Exhibition Hall (Saturday)
Part II, the Bling

From the NRA Convention in Louisville: The Floor Show part 1, featuring Gun Pr0n, Bling, and the EAA (un)exhibitited t-shirt toss

I spent this morning it the Expo hall, at Louisville's excellent State Fair/Convention Center, located just north of the airport. Louisville is such a compact city...everything is just where you think is should be. I've always liked this town.

These pictures taken on the floor. Tonight, Glen Beck at the Celebration of Values Banquet. In 2 hours.

Did I mention I hate laptops??? Ornery things...





This is a 1000-Diamond Beretta. For what purpose I don't know, but I did get this nice shot.


OK, this EAA lady demonstrates how not to handle fake firearms (no, not the 50 BMG pictured in this shot, but the holstered semiauto that later hit the floor...nice trigger finger, ma'am. I did get a tossed shirt, as well as these pics.


Then she was forced to pick up the dropped pistol. Hmmm...we may have witnessed a stage performance there. Lots of whoops I'm afraid. Can't say the crowd was disappointed.

How do I always manage to get these great shots? ;D


The tramp stamp is a disappointment. That's two for me.


I should have had time to give more descriptive accounts of these pics, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. Later, maybe.

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Oh, I'm not all goofing off. Here's the video of John McCain spanking Baracky's "foreign policy" and his abysmal gun control record...



And, the story of Huckabee's nonsensical joke that (fortunately!) will keep him out of McCain's VP consideration.

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The "Man Cave" (actually, just the Gun Vault; the rest of the place is just window dressing and curb appeal)

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