Fun Fall Activities

This nice little 1 1/2 HP John Deere engine was running a cider press at the fall Pinckneyville show. Lots of fun to watch!

Ruger Firearms Begins A New Video Series!

Ruger's newest series will show us many tactical tips using carbines. Dave Spaulding does a great job as a presenter in these videos, and if you like what you see, bring up Ruger's videos on YouTube to leave comments. Even though you see Ruger firearms being used in these videos, I think it is important to note that the instruction given is applicable to all brands. These videos are not advertisements for Ruger's products, but are meant to help shooters no matter whose firearms they are using. Thank You, Sturm-Ruger!

That Was A Short Weekend!

Back To The Old Grind!

Not My Victrola: Early Jazz Classic

Leona Williams and her Dixie Band - That Teasin', Squeezin' Man Of Mine (1923), posted by EdmundusRex: Leona Williams was born in New Orleans. She was an early jazz singer and she is represented by 16 sides cut for the Columbia label during a series of recording sessions that took place from January 23, 1922 through February 5, 1923. The quintet that backed her, billed as her Dixie Band, also made quite a number of fine recordings under the name of the Original Memphis Five.

Quick Cal Gives Us A Shooting Lesson!

Quick Cal is one of the fastest quick draw artists around, and he graciously donated his time to teach the newbies at the Gun Blogger Rendezvous.  I saw over on Mr. Completely's blog that Cal was injured in a fall, and will have a fairly long recovery because of some broken vertebrae.  You can send Quick Cal your get well wishes at; QuickCal (at) cowboyfastdraw (dot)com.   

Weekend Steam: Commitment

How much are you willing to spend on your hobby?  I figured out long ago that steam traction engines will cost you approximately the same as a nice new car (not a plain Jane).  This has stayed pretty constant for the last forty-five years that I have been watching old engines, and listening for clues to the value.  Showing these old behemoths isn't cheap, either.  This engine belongs to a big farmer, so he would have had the Diesel rig for moving equipment, but this trailer may have been built just for moving steam engines.  These machines sort of get into you blood, and folks pull out all the stops to have a good time with them.

You never know when you may need a boost to get out of a mudhole; that looks like a mighty handy helper to keep in the toolbox.  Models don't come cheap, either.  They must have a coded boiler, and the castings and machine work to build one push the cost up out of reach for most people.  Luckily, steam hobbyists are happy to let the rest of us look for 'no charge.'

Crankin' It Up

Selvin's Novelty Orchestra recorded this lively dance number on May 14, 1920. This was made during the acoustic era, during which you often heard lots of percussion, which recorded well through a megaphone.

How Are We Doing?

Here are the totals for the Project Valour-IT Veterans' Day Fundraiser, as of midnight last night.  So far, a little over $86,000 has been contributed to buy laptops for wounded warriors.  Many Thanks to all who have contributed to help our heroes.

This photo from the Valour-IT website shows  Major Chuck Ziegenfuss using his voice activated laptop while he was recovering from his wounds.  These men and women lay their lives on the line for us every day, so please show them a little love, and make a contribution. Thank You!

Take A Moment At The Eleventh Hour!

Soldiers' Angels Project Valour-IT Fundraising Competition

"WHAT IS VALOUR-IT? (From BLACKFIVE)
Project Valour-IT began when Captain Charles "Chuck" Ziegenfuss was wounded by an IED while serving as commander of a tank company in Iraq in June 2005.

During his deployment he kept a blog (an online personal diary, opinion forum, or news analysis site-called a milblog or military weblog when written by a servicemember or about military subjects). Captivating writing, insightful stories of his experiences, and his self-deprecating humor won him many loyal readers. After he was wounded, his wife continued his blog, keeping his readers informed of his condition.

As he began to recover, CPT Ziegenfuss wanted to return to writing his blog, but serious hand injuries hampered his typing. When a loyal and generous reader gave him a copy of the Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred software, other readers began to realize how important such software could be to CPT Ziegenfuss' fellow wounded soldiers and started cast about for a way to get it to them.

"At that time I had no use of either hand. I know how humbling it is, how humiliating it feels. And I know how much better I felt, how amazingly more functional I felt, after Soldiers' Angels provided me with a laptop and a loyal reader provided me with the software. I can't wait to do the same, to give that feeling to another soldier at Walter Reed." - Captain Chuck Ziegenfuss at TC Override (wounded in Iraq)
Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss (Captain Chuck Ziegenfuss' father), provides voice-controlled software and laptop computers to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand and arm injuries, amputations, eye or brain injuries, at major military medical centers. Operating laptops by speaking into a microphone, our wounded heroes are able to send and receive messages from friends and loved ones, surf the 'Net, and communicate with buddies still in the field without having to press a key or move a mouse."





Project Valour-IT is doing great work helping our wounded warriors, and they need your help. Click the buttons to read more about Soldiers' Angels and Valour-IT, and please make a contribution!

This announcement will be kept at the top of this column until Veterans' Day, so be sure to roll down the page to see the latest posts.