a) Sell my rifle.
b) Buy a Mossberg 590 w/ ghost rings for $275
I'm kicking myself repeatedly for that last one; I was halfway expecting the first. Actually, it's probably better I didn't sell my rifle at the show. Being the uninhibited person I am, I would instantly have splurged on beanie babies and beef jerky. Or so said vendors would wish. As much as a gunshow is a family sort of event (no, really, it is), I've yet to have seen anyone (kids included) patronize those tables. Maybe someone should kindly explain that it's a gunshow.
Oddly enough, the National Alliance had a table this time. With publications like "Is there a future for white children in America?", they do manage to catch people's attention. The question is what sort of attention... Usually event organizers ban these folks because they're bad press.. Though I myself am probably on the periphery of their derisiveness, I'm totally supportive of their right to free speech. Regardless the truth of their views, though, one recognizes that the organization is viewed dimly by the general public. This further carries over with what impact this will have on gun owners in general, when the local news, hungry for a story, shows up with their hidden cameras and paints gun owning America as a subset of this organization. God bless media whitewash. (play on words unintentional)
Other topics, though..
Since the holidays finished, I've been slowly processing my haul of gifts. One of my giftcard purchases at Best Buy was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Though I hate doing such a totally common thing of reviewing a movie, I will say (briefly) that this is a pretty good movie. It's also a perfectly good example of an exotic fad that sweeps the country in a wave of "I'm hip, too". The movie has good fights and nice filming, but viewing it in English (dubs especially) isn't nearly the same experience as watching in Chinese. In Chinese, the movie is a mostly plot-less kung-fu movie. In English, it's a mostly plot-less kung-fu movie. Any review that praises its "awesome" story line is full of shit, frankly.
Overall the movie was good, but some very boring people make it to be some sort of cinematic messiah so that they can make themselves look sophisticated/international. Something comes to mind about molehills/mountains, and a particular Nietzsche quote about muddying puddles to make one's points seem deeper.
Interestingly enough, both Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh had to both memorize Mandarin for the movie. Even though they both already speak Cantonese, it still seems like an insane burden to make an entire movie in what amounts in some degree to a foreign language. At least it didn't come out the same as William Shatner in the slightly obscure Incubus. My opinion of that film would otherwise be good, were it not for good ol' Will Shatner. Even though it's in Esperanto, he still. speaks. like. every. word. is. its. own. goddamn. sentence. If you want comedy, listen to the audio they have on the Incubus website. It's hilarious, in a multiple car pileup/numerous fatalities sort of way.
Before I vector totally off Crouching Tiger, though, I'd like to mention that the movie is the subject of the stupidest quote that has ever gracedcursed my ears. That being "Wow, I didn't know Chinese people could fly!"
Thoughts and idiots available; inquire about bulk quantities.