Random Picture Friday - Atta Boy

July 2, 2010

Will usually isn't nice to Haden, but I caught him giving Haden an "Atta Boy" in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

See the rest of our Lincoln Memorial pictures.

Random Picture Friday - Sea World

June 25, 2010

Random Picture Friday - Disney World

June 11, 2010

From our 2006 Disney World trip

Central Park

April 6, 2010

Trip to NYC

I bit the bullet and went ahead and bought some Internet time.




taking a break at baggage claim in Newark

This Should Be an Adventure

March 6, 2010

When we go to New York in April, we are flying into Newark and taking a train into Penn Station in Manhattan. It looks like it's going to be a circus in there.

Bring it on!

Stone Mountain, Georgia

February 21, 2010

We climbed Stone Mountain in 2007. Great exercise and great views!

As we were approaching the mountain, Will said, "I'm not climbing that!" They had a blast, though. I certainly want to do it again... matter of fact, let's do that. We'll go sometime this Spring.






the run-up


taking a break at the top

Mel's 30th -- Key West

January 23, 2010

We're taking a road trip to Key West for Mel's 30th birthday this summer. I booked the Casa Marina Resort.




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Las Vegas 2007

December 22, 2009

Here are some pics from our Vegas vacation in 2007



supper in the Venetian



me in a poker tournament




riding the gondolas in the Venetian






in the game room at Treasure Island


the Bellagio. Josh saw the guy from NYPD Blue in there



Vince Neil Ink on the Strip




in the cab on the way to the Hard Rock Hotel to see Willie Nelson

Concealed Carry at Biltmore Estate

July 23, 2009

Mel and I are going to Biltmore for our 11th anniversary, and I checked into whether or not I would be able to carry concealed there. I asked the North Carolina Department of Justice if it's legal for CWP holders to carry at Biltmore since it is private property; They deferred to the Biltmore Police.

So, I emailed Biltmore and received this response from the Director of Police Services:

Thank you for your recent email inquiring about our policy on CWP holders carrying concealed on our property. For safety and security reasons we do not allow weapons of any kind on Biltmore Estate property. If you have any further questions concerning the matter feel free to contact me directly. Thanks again for your interest in Biltmore Estate and we hope you will find time be one of our guests in the future!

All The Best,

Larry Rankine, CPP
Director of Security & Police Services
(828) 225-1418 office
(828) 225-6186 fax

In other words, Biltmore Estate is a victim zone for violent criminals.

Of course, since I'm responsible and obey the law, I'm not going to walk around with a gun at Biltmore. Sadly, though, criminals don't care what the policy is and they know that if they're looking for a place to go crazy, then schools and places like Biltmore are easy targets.

When is the last time you heard of someone shooting up a gun store or a police station?

I've never heard of that. Tim Roth said it best in Pulp Fiction when discussing robbing a restaurant:

Why not? Nobody ever robs restaurants. Liquor stores, gas stations... you get your head blown off sticking up one of them. Restaurants on the other hand, you catch with their pants down. They're not expecting to get robbed.

Most dangerous criminals aren't stupid and this is how they think. They will shy away from places where people might be armed and gravitate towards gun-free victim zones. It's common sense.

Schools have the same nonsense policy as Biltmore "for safety and security reasons". How has that worked out? I can't remember anyone ever shooting up a school. I mean, they don't allow weapons in schools, so schools are safe and secure. Oh wait... oops.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_shooting#United_States

May 21, 1998
Springfield, Ore. Two students killed, 22 others wounded in the cafeteria at Thurston High School by 15-year-old Kip Kinkel.

April 20, 1999
Littleton, Colo. 14 students (including killers) and one teacher killed, 23 others wounded at Columbine High School in the nation's deadliest school shooting.

Dec. 6, 1999
Fort Gibson, Okla. Four students wounded as Seth Trickey, 13, opened fire with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun at Fort Gibson Middle School.

March 5, 2001
Santee, Calif. Two killed and 13 wounded by Charles Andrew Williams, 15, firing from a bathroom at Santana High School.

March 21, 2005
Red Lake, Minn. Jeff Weise, 16, killed grandfather and companion, then arrived at school where he killed a teacher, a security guard, 5 students, and finally himself, leaving a total of 10 dead.

Oct. 3, 2006
Nickel Mines, Pa. 32-year-old Carl Charles Roberts IV entered the one-room West Nickel Mines Amish School and shot 10 schoolgirls, ranging in age from 6 to 13 years old, and then himself. Five of the girls and Roberts died.

April 16, 2007
Blacksburg, Va. A 23-year-old Virginia Tech student, Cho Seung-Hui, killed two in a dorm, then killed 30 more 2 hours later in a classroom building. His suicide brought the death toll to 33, making the shooting rampage the most deadly in U.S. history. Fifteen others were wounded.

Feb. 14, 2008
DeKalb, Illinois Gunman killed five students and then himself, and wounded 17 more when he opened fire on a classroom at Northern Illinois University. The gunman, Stephen P. Kazmierczak, was identified as a former graduate student at the university in 2007.

It's a good thing those schools didn't allow guns.

Do people need to carry guns for protection? I'd say there's no need. But, there's also no need for anyone to drive. Buses work just fine. Imagine if drunk people couldn't drive because NOBODY was allowed to drive. Think about how many lives would be saved. It's not like driving is protected by the United States Constitution (it isn't). But it would be insane to say nobody could drive because a few people can't handle it responsibly. Why should we be forced to depend on bus drivers when most of us are perfectly capable of safely driving ourselves? Why should we be forced to completely rely on police for our protection? Besides, courts have ruled that police have no obligation to protect you; their job is to enforce laws. There is a difference... think about it.

“Law enforcement agencies and personnel have no duty to protect individuals from the criminal acts of others; instead their duty is to preserve the peace and arrest law breakers for the protection of the general public.”
—Lynch v. N.C. Dept. of Justice, 376 S.E. 2nd 247 (N.C. App. 1989

“...a government and its agencies are under no general duty to provide public services, such as police protection, to any particular individual citizen...”
—Warren v. District of Columbia, 444 A.2d 1 (D.C. App. 1981)

If anti-gun people were concerned about saving lives, they'd be anti-car, anti-knife, anti-ax, anti-fork, and anti-baseball bat, but they're not. Their problem with guns is based on an unfounded stereotype of trigger-happy, Wild West movie characters. They love to hypocritically point out shootings while conveniently ignoring other causes of death like vehicular manslaughter.

In 2004/2005, I carried an assault rifle with me every place I went for 12 months, 24 hours a day. The other 20,000 soldiers around me at LSA Anaconda did the same thing, and none of us ever accidentally shot anybody.

So, I'll go to Biltmore and enjoy myself thoroughly, while hoping some day business owners and lawmakers will really take a step back and examine some of the policies and laws they enact.





Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC does not allow concealed weapons

We Have One Tour Lined Up

March 25, 2009

I got confirmation from Jim DeMint's office today that we're lined up for a tour of the US Capitol while we're on our D.C. trip. The White House tour is still pending.

from Gaal, Rebecca to "willsenioratgmail.com" date Wed, Mar 25, 2009 at 1:34 PM subject Your Visit to Washington, DC mailed-by demint.senate.gov

1:34 PM (6 hours ago)

Reply

Dear Tai,

Thank you for contacting Senator DeMint’s office to schedule tours for your upcoming visit to Washington, DC. My name is Rebecca Gaal, and I will be handling your tour requests. Please see the following information regarding the status of your tour requests:

· White House = *See below

· U.S. Capitol = Scheduled for Thursday, April 16^th at 3:00 PM

Please see the following details:

The White House:

White House tours are offered Tuesday – Saturday, from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM and the White House Visitor’s Office recommends submitting your request 3-6 months in advance in order to obtain a public tour. Because there is such little time between now and your trip, a White House tour cannot be guaranteed. Please keep in mind that our office only facilitates these requests. All decisions for tour acceptance are made by the White House Visitors’ Office on a first-come, first-serve basis. Due to security concerns and a high number of requests, a White House tour cannot always be guaranteed.

If you’re interested in being placed on a waitlist should spots open for a tour, please fill out the attached Excel spreadsheet with each member of your group’s security information so that I can send it in if you are approved for a tour. I will need the following information: full name (with middle initial), date of birth, social security number, and country of citizenship. (If anyone in your group is not a U.S. citizen, please provide the passport number for that person).

I will contact you if I am able to fit your family into a White House tour during the dates you are visiting.

You may also wish to take advantage of the White House Visitor Center, located at the SE Corner of 15^th and E Streets in the Department of Commerce Building, or the National Park Service at the White House Visitor Center for information on guided walks, talks, films, and lectures. For more information, you may reach the White House Visitor Center by calling (202) 208-1631.

U.S. Capitol Tour:

I have scheduled your U.S. Capitol tour for Thursday, April 16^th at 3:00 PM. Please plan to arrive at Senator DeMint’s office (Room 340 in the Russell Senate Office Building) no later than 2:30 PM. There, a member of the DeMint staff will meet you to begin your tour of the new Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) and the U.S. Capitol. I have attached your confirmation to this email.

PLEASE NOTE: The time on your ticket – 3:00 PM – indicates the time you must be present to be seated in the Orientation Theatre, where you will begin your tour. Please arrive at our office at least 30 minutes before your scheduled tour time to allow for the additional security screening necessary to enter the CVC. Our office will provide your Capitol tour tickets when you arrive. If you are late, you must wait until the next available film showing to begin your tour.

Directions: Since parking around the Capitol is very limited, the most reliable and recommended ways to get to our office are by cab or metro. By metro, take the Red Line to Union Station, where you will exit the metro above ground in front of Union Station. Take a left to proceed along the front of Union Station. Take a right to walk thru the plaza in front of Union Station, passing the large statue/fountain of Christopher Columbus. Continue straight, to walk down Delaware Avenue, NW toward the Capitol Building, until you come to Constitution Avenue. This is the main entrance to the Russell Building, and once inside you may proceed to Room 340, Senator DeMint’s office. You should allow 10-15 minutes for this walk and to get through security in the Russell Building.

Important Security Information: To enter the Russell Senate Office Building, the CVC, and the U.S. Capitol, you will need to go through two security checks: one to enter the Russell Building and one to enter the CVC. Please note that bags, purses, food, water, lotions, perfumes, pocket knives, cans, and bottles are expressly prohibited in the CVC and Capitol and should be left on your bus or at your hotel. However, you are allowed to bring cameras, video recorders, and strollers into the CVC and Capitol.

If you have any questions, please let me know – have a wonderful afternoon!

Sincerely,

Rebecca M. Gaal

Office of U.S. Senator Jim DeMint

340 Russell Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Direct (202) 224-6121

Can't wait!

Washington, D.C.

January 27, 2009

I'm taking the family to D.C. on Spring Break this April.

I requested tickets to tour the White House and the Capitol through Gresham Barrett's office. However, I'm sure that will just be a formality since the President and I are "like that".

Random Pictures

September 23, 2008

Will fell asleep while reading, but he will swear that he was just resting his eyes.




Here they are in the library a couple of months ago:





Will with a crab in Edisto:



Will in a tree in Edisto