Assault Weapons, Bullet Buttons & Thumb Holes

What the hell is going on in Harrisburg and this gun show?

Now a huge event for Harrisburg has been cancelled because so many vendors boycotted the gun show.  They boycotted because:

“Initially, the company that stages the annual Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg said it decided to ban the sale of “certain products” (semi-automatic weapons) to avoid attracting attention, given the current debate over gun control and gun safety.” (Harrisburg Patriot)

So people are all fired up at this foreign company for forbidding us American’s to tote whatever gun we choose.  American’s have it in our Constitution that we can bare arms and no one is going to take that from us, especially some British owned company.  How dare they tell us we can’t have assault weapons and huge magazines to load with shells?  Not two bullets, not five bullets, but twenty or thirty or a hundred bullets.

Well, I guess they can because the show is cancelled and may or may not be rescheduled.

When I think about all this, it’s not like the British can say, “Oh we never have someone get trigger happy and take innocent lives.”  There are people all over the world that go off their rocker and shoot-up schools, churches, movie theaters, restaurants, etc.

So I’m a bit wishy-washy.  I know guns don’t kill people, people kill people.  I grew up around guns.  I’ve shot rifles, shot-guns and handguns.  I even owned a handgun at one point.  I’ve never had the urge to shoot anyone my entire life.  And I didn’t even know what a bullet button or thumb hole was.  I do now.

Then, there are those ‘”others” who want to shoot people just for fun or attention or because they are mentally ill.  Sure, they can get a gun illegally, if anyone tries hard enough, they can get a gun too.  It’s the person who kills, not the gun.

Come on, let’s be honest with ourselves.  Do we really want assault weapons available to citizens?  Does anyone not fighting a war or crime need a gun that holds a magazine of shells?  I imagine shooting targets, plastic jugs or if you’re in the Amish Mafia, watermelons, would be a blast with an AK-47 but the reality is we have police and military to carry that type of firearm.

I definitely don’t see a need for assault weapons to be displayed and sold at a giant gun rally held less than an hour from my home.

Wait…it’s cancelled….oh well, I wasn’t attending anyway.

It seems strange to me that vendors would boycott the show, especially companies that didn’t even sell guns to start with.  Yeah, you vendors and speakers were all standing up for our second amendment, I get that.  But now no one is selling anything…not bows, arrows, shotguns, gun cases, scopes, trigger guards, nothing.

I’d give up my second amendment in a heartbeat if it would stop this country from being the most likely place to be killed by a gun.  Think about it.

~P.

USA #1 at what?

What is the United State of America #1 at?  I just posted about death sentencing in Pennsylvania but now I’m curious about the USA’s worldwide ratings.  What I found is not promising.

USA rated #1 in these areas by NationMaster.com:

car theft

murder with firearm

most prisoners

most adults prosecuted

highest crime rate

Ironically, the USA also was #1 in belief of police efficiency at 89%.

How is that possible?!

~P.

 

Guilty of Murder

Cocktail for one

Cocktail for one

I’ve been doing some thinking about the death penalty in Pennsylvania.  Why have the death penalty if it is no longer carried out?

The last person PA executed by injection was in 1999.  Gary Michael Heidnik was found guilty of kidnapping, imprisoning, torturing and murdering women in Philadelphia.  Two women, Deborah Dudley and Sandra Lindsay, were raped, tortured, their eardrums were punctured and eventually murdered by electrocution while chained in the basement of Heidnik’s home.  His home at 3520 North Marshall Street was only a few blocks from my mother’s family.  My mother moved away in 1970 but her family remained there in 1986 when Heidnik began collecting women in the name of God to impregnate them and bear his children.  Heidnik had established his own church and invested $1,500 in Playboy stock turning a huge profit of over half a million dollars.

Heidnik was caught on March 24, 1987 when one of his prisoners escaped and went to the police (who initially didn’t believe her) and they found the bodies of Dudley and Lindsay inside the house.  They also found a rib cage in the refrigerator.  Three women were still alive in the pit he dug in his basement.  Heidnik freely admitted to murdering several other women.  When found guilty he requested immediate sentencing.  He was ordered to pay the victims family’s $34,000 each and $30,000 to his son from a previous marriage.   His son stated, “I hope he gets the chair, I’ll even pull the switch.”  The electric chair was no longer in use as it is considered unconstitutional to use to enforce the death penalty.  Thirteen years after committing such heinous crimes, Heidnik was injected with a lethal cocktail.  Had he not requested immediate sentencing, he may still be alive today.

In 1993 Hubert Lester Michael murdered the daughter of a close family friend.  Michael admitted guilt in the murder of Trista Eng yet twenty years later he is still alive on death row.  He also stated he wished to be sentenced immediately.  Regardless of his request, his stay of execution has been held over and over.  The most recent stay was in November of 2012.  I’ve been following this case because I can’t wrap my head around why strangers would support saving Michael’s life.  Trista’s life was cut short at sixteen at the hands of a man who left her body near Ski Round Top.  What would be the purpose to keep this heartless killer alive?  The Eng family deserves justice and closure yet it is denied over and over.

If an adult (I stress adult because I don’t believe in death or life sentences for minors) pleads guilty and is sentenced to death then the sentence should be carried out in 90 days or less.  Not only would this save Pennsylvania a fortune in housing killers, it would no longer fund all the appeals the killer’s are “entitled to.”  This could also make criminals think twice about murdering someone.

I know this type of super-quick sentencing and enacting the death sentence will never happen.  The justice system is too soft.  The good old USA is out of control.  Don’t believe me?  Watch the movie “Bowling for Columbine” and by the end of the movie you too will realize what a mess our country is.

~P.

Davidsburg Rd & Admire Road Dover, PA ~~Fire Winds Down

The tires burning….gag.  Everyone in the home was safe.  The shed is cremated.  ~P.

Hubert Michael Jr. continues to seek stay of execution – The York Daily Record

Who the hell is assisting this man in a stay of execution?!  The man knows he is guilty of murder.  He admitted to it.  Just get this waste of a human off the earth PLEASE!  Stop lobbying to keep him alive.

Hubert Michael Jr. continues to seek stay of execution – The York Daily Record.

Frankenstorm Flooding 2012

Hurricane Sandy caused serious flooding in York County.  The Conewago Creek was at least three times its usual size.  Roads were closed, lines down, power out.  Hurricane Sandy left her mark.  ~P.

Elegantly Haunted Art

The glass begged to be drank from… the black stem branching out from its base erupting into black and white…naked, leafless trees.  Left exposed to shine through the blood red wine.  The guests draped in the ghoulish costumes; gushing over my beautiful stemware.

Brandy Boswell, is a local artist and business owner in York, PA. Brandy began hand painting glassware for her annual Halloween Party. After her friends and family discovered her distinctive talent the need for her art exploded.  Her website is easy to navigate to view all the art and how to care for it.  http://www.elegantlyhaunted.com/

If you have another holiday in mind or a theme to your dining room Brandy is your go to girl for any custom painting on glass.  Painting has been a form of art for over 10,000 years.  Think about it; the first painting was done by cavemen on his walls.

If you have an idea and can envision it on glass, contact Brandy Boswell at elegantlyhaunted@gmail.com for an estimate of your unique, custom painted piece of work.

Grady’s Memorial Service

A celebration of Barbara Grady’s life was held at Dover High School on Saturday, September 29th.

Laurie Heyer, Barb’s life friend of 32 years opened the service sharing how Barb touched her life in countless ways.

Dover High School principal, Bill Reinking, spoke next sharing his tale of starting at Dover in 1983 and Grady telling co-workers she knew him.  He had been her teacher in Intermediate School.  She remembered him, but he didn’t remember teaching her.

Kent James spoke next as Barb’s former student, coach and eventual co-worker and close friend.  He shared the story of his senior trip at Dover to the Poconos with Grady, and metal shop teacher, Mr. Harmon, as chaperons.  The students were asked to leave the resort early, and each walked by Grady with their head down as she gave them her “look” while shaking her head in disgust.  In the 1990’s James and Grady went on many adventures together.  Their trip to Costa Rica amazed the pair with active volcanoes, rain forests, natural spas, zip lines and monkeys swinging from trees.  They spent some time on the beach where Sports Illustrated had done a swimsuit photo shoot.  Barb was pestered to do her best swimsuit model pose and her response to their delight was “over my dead body.”  The highlight of the beach for her was the Miller Light, “buy one-get on- free” cabana.

James is also holding a 5K walk/run in honor of Grady on September 22, 2013 with the proceeds going to the Ovarian Cancer fund.  Anyone interested in participating can contact James at kjames@doversd.org.

Ashleigh Rhinert called Grady “a force of nature” who coached her when she was a student on the volleyball team.  It was the passion Grady brought to volleyball that inspired Rhinert to become a physical education teacher and volleyball coach in Red Lion.  Reinert also coaches the cheerleaders and finds that Grady continues to impact people.  Only now it’s through Rhinert’s coaching, and believes Grady “lives on through our lives.”

Sonya Guyer spoke about Grady being a person who was there for each and every student.  Guyer now, as a coach and teache,r strives to model her life with students after Grady’s ability to touch every person’s life and make them feel special.

The Dover High School Choir group “Renaissance” performed two songs dedicated to Grady, “In Remembrance” and “Benediction.”

Cassi Ney, an English teacher at Dover stated, “The simple and respectful acknowledgement from another human being goes a long way to the students in Barb’s life” and Ney wishes she had a laugh track of Grady she could play over and over when she needs a lift in life.

Bobbie Mitzel Strausbaugh came to Dover in 1986 and was the assistant coach to Grady.  Strausbaugh learned quickly that Grady’s goal was to major on people-her to do list was to make you feel like #1-and make a difference in others lives while we still have time.  Grady was also Strausbaugh’s Maid of Honor, after setting Strausbaugh up on a successful blind date.  Grady wore a dress, heels, and hose, sporting a fancy hairdo, but insisted on being called the Best Woman.

Michael Grady, the younger brother of seven Grady siblings, was touched by the Tweet campaign that helped his sister get through her last days.  The messages touched Grady and her entire family with overwhelming support during the difficult end time.  A few miscellaneous facts that others may not have known about his sister: she started at Dover as the football coach and athletic trainer, she played guitar, climbed several mountains, including Mt Washington, backpacked through Tasmania, and one arm was shorter than the other.  That shorter arm was the result of rough play with her brother Bill and her refusal to tell their parents, for fear of getting in trouble.  Grady loved Tab and Fresca and when she learned they were going to discontinue it, she stacked cases in her office to the ceiling.  Her favorite saying was if she won the lottery was she would start “Grady’s girls gym” and wouldn’t have to share it with boys.

A video highlighting Grady’s life from childhood through her amazing accomplishments as a teacher and coach was shown.  The video brought many (including myself) to tears.

Grady’s little sister, Cori, (the spitting image of Barb) closed the memorial service.  Cori thanked those attending and pointed out how one person can touch the lives of so many people.  Barb taught at Dover High School for 32 years, reaching several generations in the Dover school district.  “Barbra’s gift of always finding the good in people is a legacy that we all should carry on.  She would want us all to move through our lives striving to be ‘the best’ we can be.”

A memorial fund is being established in Barbara Grady’s name to support the students and school she loved so much.  Contributions can be made to:

Dover Dollar for Scholars

c/o York County Community Foundation

14 W Market Street York, PA 17401

or online at http://www.yccf.org.  Please designate Grady Memorial Fund

Barbara Grady  March 25, 1956 – September 2, 2012

Don’t cry because it is over.  Smile because it happened.  ~Dr. Seuss

Rest in Peace Ms. Grady.  Teachers like you touch the life of every student lucky enough to cross your path.

 

We’re Not Yams

What’s the difference between a yam and a sweet potato?

It is not the flesh.  Both vegetables have orange flesh inside.  That is the tricky part, flesh is on the inside, not the outside.

A yam is grown only in South America and it needs 300 days to reach harvest.

Sweet potatoes can be grown anywhere and take 120 to reach harvest.

If you think you’re buying yams and they’re not from South America, someone is pulling the potato over your eyes.

The Frey family is set up along Route 74 today and tomorrow (9-5pm) to celebrate this year’s sweet potato harvest.  Their potato tent is in the parking lot of The Brain Balance Center located at 2300 Carlisle Road, York, PA 17408.

The family is made up of the head potato, Larry, his wife Gwen, son Brett, daughter Lindsey and her husband, Jared.

The Frey family is from Wellsville, PA and has been in the sweet potato and sweet corn business for six years.  They like to stick to sweet foods as a hobby

Larry said, “Sweet potatoes are easy to grow.  They don’t need any chemicals or fertilizer.  We get our plants shipped in from North Carolina where the University of NC developed and patented the Covington species.  This breed grows to a nice size to use in making food.  My wife Gwen makes the sweet potato soup with her own recipe.”

I tried Gwen’s soup and it is delicious.  Also on the menu is fried sweets, baked sweets, sweet potato pie and raw potatoes to purchase in bulk.

Can’t make it to the sweet potato fest?
Give the Frey family a call at 717-432-2760

 

 

The Martini Bros at Kipona 2012

The Martini Bros. performed at the Kipona River Fest in Harrisburg, PA on September 1, 2012.  This was their first appearance in many years at the River Fest.

This Harrisburg based trio was formed in 1994.  Deuce Gibb is the lead vocalist and plays lead guitar.  Mike Mead is the bassist and Rej Troup is the drummer.  Both sing back-up to Gibb.  Joining them onstage was their sons and they referred to them as their “roadies.”  This group was great for a family event and there was a wide range in age of the people attending.

Gibb and Mead worked the stage and the crowd encouraging dancing and singing.  Troup was stationary behind the drum kit but did twirl his sticks and toss them in the air delighting the crowd. The Martini Bros. style is a mix of punk, rock-a-billy and classic rock and roll.  They dressed the part in skinny jeans, collared shirts and cowboy boots complimented by multiple tattoos and piercings.

Deuce Gibb

Mike Mead

Rej Troup

The original song titled “Spinning on an Axis” had a pop/punk sound to it.  They sang in three part harmony with a driving rhythm.   This high energy piece was about life, love and traveling as a band.  Mead captured the audience’s attention using a can of pressurized air as a slide on his bass.  I found that very amusing.

Canned air slide

Another original song, “Get your wheels shined up” was a mixture of punk and rock-a-billy.  The tune was catchy and easy to sing along to with the band.  The title was the only lyrics and at a medium tempo.  It was an easy song to rock to and pump my fist in the air to the beat.  It was also short in length but memorable, popping into my head long after the concert came to an end.

The Martini Bros. did a cover of Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs song “Wooly Bully.”  The blues song was quickly recognized by the crowd and soon a large group of people were dancing in front of the stage.  The band liven it up even more with guitar riffs and a drum solo.

Over all, as a three man ensemble, The Martini Bros. had the entire crowd at River Fest in the palm of their hands.  From their original songs to classic 60’s rock they enjoyed playing for us as much as we enjoyed listening to them.

Hear them jam!  Great show Bros!!  ~P.