Monday, January 31, 2011

SHOT SHOW Recap

So, it almost over for another year
I am talking about the laryngitis and broken ankle here.

SHOT has been over for a week now.
Now to spin up for the Airsoft Expo in High Point.

But 1st lets recap SHOT 2011

Setup was better this year and it was easier to find your way around the floor
The numbers on the floor in front of each booth was very helpful.

I think the attendance by airsoft companies was down a little, 
was it due to the crackdowns on trademark infringements, the economy?

All the airsoft booths I made it to were top notch in display and professionalism,
You can't tell any difference between airsoft and real steel anymore.
(Gone are the days of my pegboard display at SHOT 1986, crap like that just won't cut it anymore.)

I am happy to see there is a lot more acceptance of Airsoft as a whole.
We still have some die-hard haters, but looking at the big picture, we have come a long way.

The new bloods in the airsoft media are surprising me every day.
The quality of the video's, interviews and print media I have seen come out so far has been astounding.
The Real Steel media could learn some new tricks watching these guys products.

As always SHOT has posted numbers that show that this year was the best one yet.
I always take that with a grain of salt, but I think this year they were right.

If you are going to Las Vegas and want a tip, here it is,
eat at the Treasure Island Buffet.
For 20 some bucks they have the best food on the strip.
( come on, you've seen pictures of me, you know I can eat)

Other than that, I can't help you.
every time I am in LV it's for a show, so I see the convention center and the hotel, that's it.

Now, here is a video that my fellow NC buddy Thumpy posted
Make sure your stomach is steeled and there are no small children watching,
there are images of me in it.


Next, the big boss of the company I work for riding the bull at Gilly's  
Somehow I can't see any other CEO of a lighting companies doing this.

(And no, I did not ride it. 
If you have read the blog at all you know i can get hurt crawling out of bed)
On a strange note,  a flying monkey bobble head appeared from UPS today.
Doug got one too, with no idea has to who sent them.
Never tell your friends your fears, they will haunt you




 I knew there was a reason for him

A tough looking biker was riding his Harley when he sees a girl about to Jump off a bridge
so he stops.

 
"What are you doing?" he asks.
"I'm going to commit a suicide," she says.
While he did not want to appear insensitive, he didn't want to miss an opportunity and he asked,
"Well, before you jump, why don't you give me a kiss?"
So, she does.
After she's finished the biker says, "Wow!  That was the best kiss I have ever had!  That's a real talent you are wasting!  You could be famous!  Why are you committing suicide?"
"My parents don't like me dressing up like a girl....."

 Rest in peace number 1885724


 Some times you need to take off the cool shades.


Till Tomorrow
Stay thirsty my Friends.
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Sunday, January 30, 2011

SHOT SHOW Part Duh,

This was a great year for airsoft media at SHOT show.
Looking over the offering that have been posted from the last few days has been eye opening.
I think in most ways the Airsoft community has surpassed the old "professional" gun media.

Bravo, gentlemen, Bravo.

I on the other hand, I did what I normally do, 
I fell down on the job and SUCKED at bringing you any scoops or great insights.
Here are some pictures I took , just so I can delete them from my camera.



 The "sky" in the Venetian hotel restaurant area, very classy.





 Myself and a man that has saved more lives than Superman and Batman combined, 
Richard Davis.
Mr Davis is the father of soft body armor.
He has shot himself ( with a vest on) more than 300 times 
( I think that was the figure) 
Because of this man there are many people still walking the earth that wouldn't be.
Still a true gentleman, even at the end of a long show, he took the time to talk with me about a armored bag project I am fiddling with. 
What a guy.


 View from my room on the 30th  floor of the TI


 Ares new Grease Gun, look forward to shooting it next month.


 Close up of the grease gun, very nice work on this one.


 Cyberguns "Blackwater" logo non blowback co2 GSR 


 Inakotsu 1911 GBB, wwwooowww, this is as nice as all the hype for it has said it was.


 I kept coming back to the Spartan Imports booth just to pick this one up.
very well made


 Cyberguns Blackwater logo 1911 GBB, KJ works made.

 Glad to see the "bear Paw" logo is not totally dead, 
but I would imagine that this could drive a Liberal right up a tree.
I truly hope that Jeremy Scahill has children, 
and he catches one of them in the backyard playing with one of these.



 Right side of the Cybergun GSR Blackwater


 King Arms AR with Blackwater logo

Thats all for tonight, my final thoughts in the next post.
If you get a chance next year, beg borrow or steal the money and get to SHOT.
Make sure you come in early and stay for the whole show.
If you have any love for things that go boom, you will not ever regret the experince.

Just ask Thumpy, 
I think it will take 6 months for him to come down from 
the SHOT Show high.


Now some stuff I found you might chuckle at.




This picture showed up on Gizmodo for some kind of "show us your computer set up" contest.
It was hilarious to read the comments. 
The screen shot is Japanese, so I am sure the guns are airsoft
( that and the mini gun in the right corner of the shot) 
I promise to never take a picture of my storage warehouse, 
I would hate to be responsible for liberals everywhere dropping like flies with heart palpitations.

I love the second patch.

Little Ralph was 7 years old and was staying with his  grandmother for a few days.  
He'd been playing  outside with the other kids for a while when he came into the house and asked her:
'Grandma, what's that called when two  people sleep in the same room and one is on top of the other?'
   She was a little taken aback, but she decided to tell him the truth. 'It's  called sex, darling.'
   Little Ralph  said, 'Oh, OK,'
and went back outside to play with the other kids.  
   A few minutes later he came back in and said angrily,  
'Grandma, it isn't called  sex.  
 It's called Bunk Beds.  
 And Howie's mom wants to talk to  you.'



Till Tomorrow
Stay Thirsty my Friends.
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

SHOT Show 2011

RECAP

Ok, so it seems like this year was the best for SHOT show coverage by the Airsoft media.
You can find extensive reports all over the web,
information and pictures that even on my best day I could not have achieved.
Check out Thumpys site for some great video.
I got to meet a lot of the guys in the new airsoft world, Tim from Airsoft GI, the coolest media guys in the podcast market (of course I am talking about Airsoftolgy),
Dr Airsoft and many more than I can name.
(give me a break, there was free Budweiser in the Media room!)

It is always great to see old faces too, Wallace and Andy from Ares and Pantac respectively, Alex from NAM magazine, John Steele with CyberGun, Sam from X Caliber Tactical and many others.

After so many years in the Firearms and Tactical field, SHOT show is like old home week, a 20 minute trip away from the booth can turn into 2 hours if you try and catch up with everyone you run into.


The trip out was better than I hoped for, of course any time you put me in an airline seat it is like trying to stuff 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag, but I made it.
 
Got to stay at my favorite hotel in LV, the Treasure Island.
Not the most flashy, but it's right across from the show and you don't have to walk a mile to get to your room.
Rooms were great, clean, beds did what they were supposed to and the shower was hot.
I don't ask for much.
I did find that on Tuesday night my room had a infestation.
 
Let set up this story,
Here is the backstory from a blog post years ago

Everyone asks, what's with the Flying Monkeys 

Why I carry a gun



Ok, everyone always asks, " so, why do you feel the need to carry a gun with you?"
After they get up off the ground, after falling there from the head smack I gave them, I tell them, "it is because I read the newspaper every day.'
 But............ That is not the whole truth
Now, here is the the real truth, you ready


Flying Monkeys,
that's right, I saw the Wizard of OZ when I was very young and saw what those Godd#$@! things can do, they are hideous, and real damn scary.

So that's it, I carry a gun because of those Flying Fuc%&!# Monkeys. ( FFM's for short)

I also carry a backup gun, just in case I get some monkey juice on my primary one.
 
Ok, so the guys I have run the shows with over the years always seem to have found humor in this, 
I get stuffed FFM's, plastic FFM's and such whenever we cross each others path at a show.
 
So, Tuesday night I celebrated my 50th birthday, 
small group at the TI, lots of fun.
 
As the evening wore down my great pal Doug announced he was heading to the room we shared to grab some shuteye.
 
About an hour later Co-conspirator Sam asked if he could retrieve a bag he had left in my room.
 
Not wanting to leave, but knowing that after 10 beers that were bought for me I should, 8 or 10 of us trucked up to the 30th floor to get said bag.
 
When I reached the door, I noticed in in my inebriated state that it was cracked open. 
 
Now I have traveled with Doug before, He stayed unshot as a cop for 24 years and a more ardent disciple of Jeff Cooper and Massad Ayoob you will not find.
 
So I knew something was up!
As I carefully pressed the door open,
my hand on the strong side carry holster thumbreak that I wasn't wearing, 
out of the door boiled this frighting visage that proceed to chase me down the hall,

 Re-staged for the photos, when it happened my drunk ass was stumble running backwards tactically moving rearward to a more advantageous position down the hall.

 Notice lack of bullet holes, 
they knew I flew in and the J Frame I shipped ahead was in the room,
 as I don't "drink and carry".. 
The wings were molting also.

I have seen it all now, a Tactical FFM!!!!!!!

The amount of work Sam and Doug went though to pull this off, getting in early to find the costume and rent it, clearing with TI security on their VIP floor so that the SWAT team and a zoo recovery unit were not dispatched, warms my heart. 
It is great to have good friends.
Of course I was not thinking those thoughts as I was laying on the floor in the hall having a massive stroke, but they did come later.

So, That's my story from Tuesday night, come back tomorrow and I will have some pics from the show.

Till Tomorrow,
stay thirsty my friends
 



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Saturday, January 15, 2011

Be your own "action Figure"

As SHOT show looms on the horizon, 
My good friend Sam has sent me the makings of my birthday present
(Pictures used for the head sculpt were deemed to horrifying by the Obama Commission for Internet Safety and can not be reproduced here for fear of mass panic and the overwhelming number of people missing work due to projectile vomiting,) 

Your welcome.
Now the issue has come up as to the appropriate body to place the head upon.
It has to match the awesomeness that is TIM, so I have been ranging far and wide for the best match.
I have rejected the terminator "action figures", Indiana Jones, Neo and the like as being too wimpy, but I think I have found the "one".
As always, I would love to hear your comments, 


Till Tomorrow,
Stay Thirsty my Friends.






Stay out of my way, I am heading to the buffet,
Drop the shrimp and step away.
I want to thank Sam for such a incredible job on the mock up!
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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Video for the KTW airsoft wincester 1873

OK, I hear you

You have been asking for a video ever since I posted a written review on the KTW Winchester 1873 ,
Here it is in all it's crappy glory.
 

11/01/2023,
 the embed is inop, I am trying to rectify the situation

Don't blame me if it gives you fits or something,
I bought a HD camera on closeout at the local Quick mart so give me a break.
See the write up on it here



Now, if they will just make these for airsoft

The CES show is going on this week in Las Vegas.
I always look forward to the reporting from it, as a huge gadget freak this week is second only to SHOT show.
I just saw a report on this new set of goggles.

Their press release, with some adds by me

Recon Instruments Announces Next Generation Technology
Recon-Ready goggles to boast buddy-tracking, integrated maps, and Bluetooth connection to wireless video camera and smartphone
Las Vegas, January 6, 2011 - CES Best of Innovations winner Recon Instruments has announced its next generation technology today. The new platform will fit into various established brands' Recon-Ready goggles frames and include even more game-changers than before. This comes on the heels of this season's immensely successful release of Transcend, the world's first alpine goggles with GPS data viewable through a head mounted display.
Transcend gives real-time feedback to the user via a micro LCD display including speed, latitude/longitude, altitude, vertical distance travelled, total distance travelled, chrono/stopwatch mode, a run-counter, temperature and time. It is also the only pair of goggles that boast GPS capabilities, USB charging and data transfer to the post-processing software, Recon HQ. Transcend was launched in October 2010 in collaboration with high-end optics partner Zeal Optics, and can currently be seen at resorts and in the backcountry around the world.
Recon Instruments' next generation of direct-to-eye communications technology will boast a number of additional groundbreaking features. Recon Instruments' award-winning technology will be available separately from the goggles and ‘snap fit' into a number of Recon-Ready partner brands including Uvex, Alpina and Briko.
Users will be able to navigate through the state-of-the-art interactive widescreen LCD in real-time with the use of a wireless remote which can be strapped, clipped, or fastened to the body in any number of secured and convenient positions.
Next generation Recon technology utilizes the Android operating system which will allow Recon Instruments, or other application developers, to create a suite of downloadable apps to personalize their goggles and entire alpine experience. An open API will be offered and Recon will host apps for free or at a low cost at Recon HQ Online later in 2011 (www.reconinstruments.com).
( now we just need someone that can write airsoft app's for it)

Integrated Maps and Buddy Tracking
Recon Instruments will offer the first pair of goggles with a real-time navigational system. The user will be able to locate friends and family on the hill and also navigate their way through unfamiliar resorts across the globe with easy to use, direct-to-eye trail maps with the help of the world's largest backcountry and resort map bank from partners such as Mountain Dynamics.

Bluetooth Smartphone and Video Integration
The next generation technology will also incorporate Bluetooth capabilities allowing the goggles to connect to the user's smartphone, the first of its kind. Music playlists, caller ID and text messages will be viewable hands-free, direct-to-eye ( would this help with the lousy FRS como we use in the states, anything would be better)  on the hill. The Bluetooth feature will also connect with wireless video cameras so the user can utilize the micro LCD display within the goggles as a viewfinder for the camera, another first.
(just think, mount a cam on your rail, now you have a poor mans corner shot, one on your helmet facing back, now you have "eyes in the back of your head"

Recon HQ, the user's base of all activity, will play host to software upgrades and application downloads and will continue to be the log of all activity throughout the season.
Dan Eisenhardt, CEO of Recon Instruments said, "We are proud to follow the successful launch of our first innovation, Transcend, with our next generation technology platform for the Recon-Ready program. The market was crying out for navigational maps, buddy-tracking, smartphone capabilities, and wireless video camera capabilities for hands-free, safe, and fun use in alpine environments. Our answer is to revolutionize the way we use goggles and head-mounted displays, and we are delighted to bring all these features, and more, to fruition.
"Zeal Optics has been the perfect partner, introducing Transcend to the market with unprecedented success and we look forward to growing our family of world-class partners with Briko, Alpina and Uvex."


I have no idea as to the impact resistance of the lenses,  nor how they would take a shot to the frame and what that would do to the electronics.
Price has not been released, but it will be high, as you can guess.
If I don't come back from SHOT broke,
( like that's gonna happen, between "samples" I have to buy and slots and bottles of Jack Black I am usually in the poor house till June)
Then I will have to see about getting a pair to test out.
Stay tuned.

Remember to check in January 18-21 for SHOT show updates

Till Tomorrow
Stay Thirsty my Friends.

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Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Shot show, now less than two weeks away

If you care, then you know that the countdown to SHOT show is ticking down.
I might as well get this press release out of the way.


January 4 2011. For immediate release.
Foxfury lights to have Booth celebrity at SHOT 2011

Foxfury Personal Lighting Solutions ( www.foxfury.com) is hesitate to announce that
during the upcoming SHOT industry trade show
that celebrated airsoft, firearms and flashlight authority (sic)
Tim ( a legend in his own mind) Ellwood,
noted ( in a 7th grade summer vacation paper) author and
President of the award winning
( hey Obama won the peace prize, it could happen)
No Airsoft for Old Men Blog will be in our booth.
Tim will be signing copies of his latest article in Take Aim airsoft magazine.
Tim will be in booth 26206 through the duration of the show days
( if he's not gone fetching us coffee or emptying the trash) 
and can be found each evening 
at the buffet at the stupendous Treasure Island resort and casino trying to maintain his girth.
This will be Tim's 25th attempt to make a difference at SHOT show 
( the last 24 failed ) 
so please stop by and say Hi 

.

Seriously, we will have some great lights on display and some new lights never before seen 
come on over to the booth and give us a look.

Till Tomorrow,
Stay Thirsty my Friends.
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