Category: Guns & Ammos

The Boxhead Games are a somewhat original series of zombie survival games created, published in flash and available to play free online at many gaming websites. Currently there are 5 games in the series with the latest and most successful being Boxhead The Zombie Wars. They were created by Sean Cooper, published by Crazy Monkey Games and can be categorized as 3rd person shooters or zombie survivals.

The first addition, Boxhead A Halloween Special varies to the rest in relation to the game objectives. You must guide civilians to safety through Zombie infested streets using whatever means necessary to defend them against flesh eating attacks. Your task is aided by a variety of powerful weapons, with the first being a pistol with unlimited ammunition and upgrades including an Uzi and a shotgun.

The first Boxhead game is fairly simple to play and does not provide the player with any sense of urgency or a challenge. It is still quite fun to go around shooting the sluggish flesh eating specimens with all sorts of weaponry, but I’d recommend playing one of the other superior sequels.

The 2nd game, Boxhead The Rooms scraps the whole idea of protecting others and moves onto self preservation as the main aim. Choosing one of 5 rooms, you must avoid the zombie attacks and dispose of them using one of many different means including powerful weapons such as the shotgun, grenades, explosive barrels and proximity mines.

The 2nd game has been polished up nicely compared to the first and is much more aesthetically. New weapons and upgrades are gradually obtained by killing a certain amount of zombies. One of the best weapons is the rocket launcher which is extremely powerful, however with power comes great caution and shooting it too near you can lead to a major loss of health.

Although the aim of the game is self preservation, the real aim is gaining a high score. Shooting one zombie down gains you 100 points, for everyone zombie disposed of in an allotted time afterwards your score exponentially increases. Should you fail to kill your next zombie in the given time, your next score will be less than your most recent. Obviously with the more powerful weapons it is much easier to gain a high score per kill.

The 2nd game is worth a play or two but can get a little tedious after a while and this also goes for the 3rd addition in the series – Boxhead More Rooms.

The title says it all; it’s the 2nd game all over but with more rooms. There are some additional features other than new levels such as difficult settings that weren’t available in the 2nd game.

You can choose between 4 difficulties, Beginner, Intermediate, Expert and Nightmare, with Nightmare proving insanely impossible.

Boxhead 2 Play adds more weaponry, new upgrades, a choice between 4 characters, specific level settings and more levels. This all just about compensates for the poor main additional feature to More Rooms – the multiplayer options.

Although playing against each other or in a cooperative mode, runs smoothly, there is an extreme lack of level variety and space. The cooperative mode doesn’t even have a split screen, which means that both players are left battling away in a static one screen environment.

Boxhead The Zombie Wars is not surprisingly the best of the bunch, with the 2 play option scrapped and focus being exerted on better game play, wider monster variety, superior graphics and improved sound effects.

I recommend playing this addition the most out of all 5. It will give you a true feeling of how far flash shooting games have come, with flash developers and publishers now designing high quality free flash games that are rivaling paid games.

Game Verdict

To conclude, The Boxhead Game series provide a twist on the zombie survival genre, but that twist isn’t quite enough to bow down in awe to the games creators.

However the graphics will delight, especially in the final addition and coupled with great game play and sound effects plus very challenging difficulty levels, Boxhead Zombie Wars will certainly satisfy your thirst for shooting masochism.

o Playability: 9/10

o Graphics: 8/10

o Originality: 6/10

o Game Detail: 8/10

o Addictiveness: 7/10

o Final Score: 76%

For those of you that don’t know Redfield scopes have been manufactured for almost 100 years now. This is a long time for any company to exist – regardless of what they actually produce. Originally the scopes from Redfield were produced in Colorado; however, a few years ago the company was bought out by Blount and the line was actually discontinued for a time.

While Redfield had enjoyed a popular history and was at one time known as one of the best known and most popular brands in the industry by the 1990’s Redfield was finding it hard to keep up with the competition in the industry. Companies like Leupold were putting increasingly intense pressure on others in the market and Redfield was finding it difficult to stay afloat. There seemed to be no other choice but to pull the Redfield scopes line from the market altogether and lick their own wounds.

This all changed, almost at he last moment, when Meade stepped into the picture and took over Redfield. Meade themselves have become well known for their excellent quality telescopes over the years and moving into rifle optics made perfect sense. Several other companies were acquired by Meade at the same time and Redfield now has its home in Georgia; where the 4 Redfield lines of scopes are now produced. They are Golden Five Star, the Tracker, the Widefield and the Illuminator.

Some of the current Redfield scopes are actually nothing truly “new”. The Widefield scope, for example, was in production long before Redfield found themselves in difficulty. This particular scope features an oval ocular as well as objective lens that allows you to mount the scope lower on your rifle while providing a much wider view that you would normally be able to obtain.

While the design itself certainly looks a bit strange and is a step away from the normal design of many scopes, there is no denying the fact that this unique design delivers perfectly. When hunting in close range, you can’t ask for a better image delivery. In tests, the Widefield produces images that are some 30% larger than similar scopes. In addition to a design that truly does deliver, Redfield is continuing to produce high quality pieces built with a rugged aluminum alloy tube that can withstand some fairly rough terrain and treatment.

With Meade now running the show Redfield will not now honor warranties on older Redfield scope models. The company does, however, offer a lifetime warranty on all new scopes manufactured and sold under the direction of Meade themselves.

From Personal Struggle, to the Conflict of Battle, to a Changed Life

“Hired Guns in Iraq” is an eye-opening revelation of the aftermath of war. Brogan Kessler, an ex-military family man, found himself failing in a dream to build his own business in South Africa. In desperation he realized that he could no longer justify the sacrifice and hardship he was putting on his family. A former friend from military days, Peter, enticed Brogan to take a job with a security detail contractor working to rebuild Iraq. The job offered high pay which provided Brogan with the opportunity to be able to resume his dream and get out of debt in a very short time.

Shaun Schutte graphically articulates the carnage of war in Baghdad, Iraq. He describes how ignorance of the local language and culture, and the difficulty in differentiating between combatants and non combatants often leads to offensive behavior by multinational forces, security contractors, as well as mercenaries. The tragic deaths of innocents oblige insurgents to attack coalition forces to avenge the deaths of their relatives. Through incidents of irrational decisions and careless actions, Brogan and his team learn the critical need for teamwork as the key survival tactic in a country where religious zealots and avenging family members wage a holy war against infidels and occupational forces.

Brogan miraculously escaped from an exploding vehicle only to be taken hostage by insurgents. As a result of these circumstances he learns to listen to the voice of God through life or death struggles as a target of insurgents who are intent on his destruction.

Schutte incorporates the essence of his personal faith throughout the story as he relates the message of God’s love for sinful man, His redemptive plan of love and grace in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for those sins.

Schutte’s writing is riveting, packed with suspense right up to a surprising climatic finish. Striking word pictures left me with an ineradicable glimpse into the frailties of man. Schutte powerfully describes the repercussions of war, the fear, courage, and anger. He understands, from personal experience, the drive for survival in the life and death struggles of an environment where little value is placed on the life of an individual by opposing ideologies. “Hired Guns in Iraq” exposes the cost and sacrifice of rebuilding a country destroyed by bloodshed and war. The book is timely and relevant.

Pleasant Word, A division of Winepress Publishing Group, 978-1414111360

As reviewed for Midwest Book Review

A “martial art” is known typically as a fighting style that emphasizes certain techniques, training methods, and philosophies. That means that there are a lot of different types of martial arts in the world, since virtually every country has developed at least one form of combat throughout history. Some martial arts are thousands of years old, and others were created in many of our lifetimes. Here’s a short list of fighting styles that aren’t as well known as karate or boxing, but are worth knowing just as much. Whether you’re just getting into martial arts or been at it for years, it’s good to brush up on all the styles out there.

You’ve probably heard of a more popular variant of Tang Soo Do. Tae Kwon Do sprung from Korean Tang Soo Do in 1964. Lots of Tang Soo Do masters frown upon that because they believe a lot of modern Tae Kwon Do is too sport oriented. Tang Soo Do’s history stretches back as far as two millennia, and there were many, many different types of it before it was unified under one name. The art is influenced by some dance-like forms, and you can think of it as a Tae Kwon Do that’s focused on more damaging forms of combat, and less oriented towards competition.

Russia’s military has a reputation for having some of the toughest, iron-skinned soldiers in the world. Due in part to what is now Russia’s national sport, Sambo. Like many martial arts styles, Sambo has branched into the sports world since its founding in the 1920s, created as a very lethal system of hand-to-hand combat for the Red Army. The sport version is very similar to MMA, emphasizing grappling, locks, and chokes, as well as many types of striking. Fedor Emelianenko is a Sambo fighter who until recently was undefeated in his professional career, and to this day is considered by many to be the top martial artist in the world.

Silat is the primary martial art of Malaysia. It’s also an older art and branches off into forms that are too many to count. Silat was developed from military styles and hunting methods, and has remained a very lethal and self-defense oriented martial art. Throws and take-downs are among the most common techniques, and are always followed up by strikes to sensitive areas and pressure points, like the throat or gut. The idea is to always have your next move planned, until your opponent is dispatched.

As fun as it looks, Hapkido does not teach you how to jump upside down. Well, maybe advanced students do. Those guys aren’t jumping, though. They are being thrown to the ground by a Hapkido master. This is another Korean martial art, and it focuses heavily on self-defense and varies in techniques from strikes and jump kicks to joint locks and throws. A main principle of Hapkido is effectively taking control of your opponent and using circular, efficient motions. This is a good art for people who want to learn a good variety of martial arts techniques.

Everyone knows a bit about ninjas, but a lot of people are surprised when they find out there’s actually a martial art called “ninjutsu.” As the name implies, it’s the martial arts system created by ninjas. Today, it is no longer taught as a style in which to sneak around assassinating people, and has evolved into a self-defense system. It stays true to the unconventional techniques used by ninjas, and weapons skills are still passed down to students. The man you see in the picture is Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, the 79 year old last living Grand Master of Ninjutsu who is the founder of the Bujinkan dojo in Japan, where martial artists from around the world train. The art itself is as mystical as ninja legends, with a focus on drawing power from your spirit ( also known as “chi”) and the Earth.

Most Mississippi sportsmen who go small game hunting for birds and rabbit use a modern shotgun and the appropriate sized shot and it has been this way for nearly three centuries. More than 357,000 Mississippi hunters aged 16 years of age and older take to the woods each year, a force larger that the peacetime army of Germany, Great Britain and France combined. However, of those hunters, only about 25 use a bird of prey instead of a firearm or primitive weapon to harvest game.

What is Falconry?

Falconry is taking wild game in its natural habitat with the use of a trained falcon. In past times, the term austringer or hawker was used for a hunter who did the same thing with a hawk or eagle, however today the term falconer and falconry is used for practitioner and the sport as whole. The hobby originated in the ancient world as far back as 2000 BC and predates the use of firearms for hunting by more than a millennium.

Do you have what it takes?

Falconry is time consuming and expensive. One must begin as an apprentice to the sport to and work up to being a general or master level falconer. Alan Mumbower, the regional biologist and guru of the MDWFP’s Falcon Program puts it like this on the states website to see if falconry is for you:

“Will you, can you, commit part of your waking hours to a creature who at the very best of times will merely tolerate your presence, is as affectionate as a stone, and at the worst of times will cause you heartache and puncture wounds? Can you commit to an average of a half-hour a day, every day, and two to four hours on a hunting day, regardless of school, family, or job — for as long as you have your bird?”

Being a falconer is more time consuming that many other hunting disciplines and it is a lifestyle change that affects you 365-days a year. Let’s face it, no matter how dedicated a hunter you are, you still don’t have to feed and take care of your rifles, shotgun or bow everyday no matter what. With a bird of prey on the payroll, you will.

How much does it cost?

The good news is, the most priceless item and the one that you could not perform the sport without is free. You cannot legally buy a bird of prey for hunting, and must trap your own in the wild. However, before you head out to the woods to capture your new feathered friend you must first file as an applicant for an apprenticeship. In the application you must pass a certification review and inspection where you have to show your Mews (indoor facility for your raptor), your weathering area where the tethered raptor can fly, your jesses (anklet) for the bird, swivel, leash, gloves, bath containers, perches, scales and other equipment needed to care for and train your animal. This equipment is very specialized and like all good hunting gear costs money. Before you even go shopping for your equipment however you have to pay set up with the MDWFP to take your written falconry exam based on Federal and State regulations, and pay your permits and fees of no less than $100 (good for five years) plus the cost of your regular hunting license.

Your apprenticeship.

Current Mississippi State regulations only allow the apprentice falconer, who has to be a minimum of 14 years of age, to trap their new bird humanly during approved times after all of the above tests, fees and inspections have been taken care of. An apprentice can only possess a red – tailed hawk (the most commonly used for new falconers) either a red-shouldered hawk, or an American kestrel. The new falconer must train their first animal and use it for a complete hunting season before they move on to becoming a general falconer after two years. During this time you must work and be sponsored by a Master Falconer, by definition a sportsman with at least eight years of experience in the sport. General Falconers may possess two raptors and hunt without the tutelage of a master. Master falconers may possess three birds.

The payoff.

The two dozen Mississippi falconers that pursue this ancient sport would largely have it no other way. For their time, effort and money invested they are modern day beast masters who are literally one with nature. Many Mississippi falconers practice this most extreme of all bird hunting and use their raptors to take duck and dove as well as squirrel and rabbit effortlessly and with great majesty that must be seen to be appreciated.

Many people often wonder what the differences are between gas airsoft sniper rifles and spring airsoft rifles. Besides the obvious fact that one is powered by a spring, and one is powered by gas, there are actually some other important factors as well. But above all else, it is fair to say that the biggest difference between gas and spring powered airsoft rifles is usually the price. For example, a good spring airsoft sniper guns usually costs about $100 – $125, while a good gas airsoft guns generally costs about $175 or more in most cases.

Also, another important thing to consider about gas airsoft guns is the fact that they almost always shoot at a higher velocity than a spring airsoft sniper rifle. Generally the higher end spring airsoft sniper rifles shoot at around 450 FPS, while the gas airsoft rifles usually shoot at 500 to 550 FPS. It is also worth noting that a bolt action gas airsoft gun is much easier to cock than a spring powered rifle; this is because with a gas airsoft gun there is no heavy duty spring to cock back for each shot. You still have to pull back the bolt with a gas powered rifle, but it is much easier to operate.

Another very important thing to consider is the fact that all spring rifles are single shot only, meaning that they have to be cocked for each and every shot, while a gas powered airsoft sniper rifle can be semi automatic. However, many of the gas sniper rifles are still made as single shot bolt action rifles, which makes them much more realistic. And again, the single shot gas powered airsoft rifles are much easier to cock than the spring airsoft rifles. This may not seem very significant, but it can definitely make a difference in airsoft games where you end up doing a lot of shooting. You would not want your arm to become tired during an airsoft battle!

As far as accuracy goes, most people will agree that the accuracy of a spring airsoft rifle is pretty much the same as gas airsoft sniper rifles, but there may be a few that disagree. There isn’t much evidence to really support any differences in accuracy between the 2 types of airsoft rifles, but it is safe to say that you should most likely be using slightly heavier airsoft BBs with a gas powered airsoft sniper rifle, due to the fact that they usually shoot at a significantly higher FPS than the spring powered airsoft rifles. The faster an airsoft gun shoots, the heavier the BB you will want to use, to achieve maximum accuracy. This is especially true at longer distances.

Conclusion? If you have the extra money you may want to consider a gas airsoft sniper rifle, as they shoot a bit faster than the spring airsoft sniper rifles, and are easier to cock as well. However, the spring airsoft rifles are certainly an excellent choice if you don’t want to spend the extra money, and it is arguable that they are a bit more durable than the gas airsoft rifles. Also, if you want a semi automatic airsoft rifle, then spring airsoft sniper rifles are not for you, as they are single shot only.

There are many applications in which you need fasteners that are quick, convenient, and rapid fire. When you are facing such construction projects as subflooring, pallet manufacturing, roofing, upholstery, wiring, carpet installation, wall sheathing or any number of other projects or work requirements, you may want to consider a staple gun to make your fastening jobs quick, convenient, and dependable. A staple gun delivers hefty, metal staples into a variety of materials, including plastic, wood, or masonry. The benefits of using a staple gun is its use with heavier, more sturdy staples that will hold material better, and the rapid action you get from a continuous ejection of staples at the touch of a trigger. The Hitachi N5008AC 1 inch to 2 inch 7/16 inch medium crown 16 gauge stapler can take your fastening project to a quick and efficient level in no time flat.

Description

This is an automatic stapler driven by pneumatic force, featuring a ¼ inch air inlet that draws air in at 0.040 cubic feet/cycle at 100 psi, making it a powerful tool that is still lightweight and comfortable. Weighing in at just 4.4 lbs, with a soft rubber grip, the comfort and balance of the tool enables you to operate the tool with one hand while still maintaining accuracy and precision. You will be able to use the Hitachi N5008AC for continuous stapling jobs with very little fatigue.

The light and user-friendly Hitachi N5008AC gauge stapler is still durable and tough. Made of heavy duty plastic with stainless steel plating, you will be astounded at the power this unit puts out. You can fit up to 150 staples in the high capacity magazine, which also allows an unobstructed view of how many staples are left, so you are not caught off guard. The top-loading magazine allows you to quickly replenish staples when you are running low. We all know that stapler are never jam-free, but the Hitachi N5008AC is furnished with a quick-clear jam release mechanism to clear the staple guide quickly and easily so you are able to get back to the job at hand. There is also the inclusion of an exhaust muffler to cut down on the noise output.

Versatility

The Hitachi N5008AC stapler not only allows you to flush mount staples, but you can use the depth of drive adjustment feature to countersink your fasteners as well, and choose the right deepness for your particular project. Also included in its versatility are the firing options you get for triggering the staples. You can toggle between two firing selections, intermittent or continuous. If you require a sustained action to fire the staples along a piece of material, you can fire in an unbroken seam using a bouncing action using the continuous mode. The intermittent mode allows you to fire the staples one by one via use of the trigger.

Specifications

The Hitachi N5008AC weighs in at a mere 1.4 kilograms and measures 36.5×7.6×25.4 centimeters for easy transport. Included in the package are safety glasses and a 4mm hex bar wrench to adjust the depth of drive.

In short, the Hitachi N5008AC 16 Gauge Stapler is an excellent tool if you are looking for something light in weight, but loaded with features. Be it for your professional needs or home use, this stapler is the solution for you.

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Unfortunately, these days those words and goals are still not implemented and probably never will be. There are too many interests involved in establishing such an ideal government. Too much ego, prejudice, and economic, social and many other and conflicting interests are involved in the basic ingredients for melding such a government. Maybe it should be like this in the name of democracy and freedom of choice; maybe the people don’t deserve such an ideal government.

The major problem is generating the desired balance among all those ideals and desires. The two extreme possibilities are a government with too much power and a weak, divided government that is unable to make crucial decisions. A government or an organization with enough resources can do almost anything. Not only that, they can even publicly justify their actions in the name of preserving and protecting the democracy. They will support their actions, which may be illegal, immoral or even criminal in the name of justice, for the people and nation. To balance between a completely open society where everything is transparent, visible and known to everybody and a closed society where certain actions and information are known to few is a very difficult task. “People don’t have to know everything,” may have justification in certain cases. Polls have already proved that the mood of people can be easily manipulated and change directions with time, events and publicity.

Governments can, if they wish, eliminate certain groups or individuals who, in their opinion, oppose and are hostile to their policies. The elimination of a terrorist or a political opponent is as easy to achieve as it is easy to hide from the public. The death or disappearance of such people is explained under categories such as natural causes, accidents, mental hospitalization or death during emergency surgery.

All agencies, unofficial and official, such as the CIA, MI5/6, KGB and the Mossad, were and will be doing “it” in the name of national security. The popular public reason may be: “In order to protect, preserve or even enforce Democracy.” In certain cases those actions might be truly justified; the problem is where to set the limit. Many people have disappeared worldwide in the name of national security.

The reason of national security for not disclosing certain information or imprisoning an undesired subject is used too often by many countries and organizations.

Governments operate mainly at three levels. While level one is the clean and white level of activities, reserved for heads of states and highly exposed political figures, level two is the gray area. This is an unethical area of activity which smells bad but is still legal. Killing, eliminating, removing and falsifying are part of level three. Normally, “we the people” are exposed to level one and occasionally to level two, but rarely to level three.

At level three, I can mention for example, Gerald Bull, the Canadian engineer who developed the Babylon or “super-gun” long-range artillery for the Iraqi government. Bull was assassinated in Brussels, Belgium in March 1990.

It is quite interesting to note the language evolution with regard to using politically correct terminologies. The word-laundering is quite fascinating. Terms such as “Terrorists” or “freedom fighters,” “guerrillas”, “political assassination” or “removing from power” all depends on which side you ask or talk to.

The USA is a super-power with worldwide presence and intervention. In general, they are a stabilizing factor. Many Americans don’t understand the importance of their support for certain countries and at the same time many supported countries simply hate their presence.

To better understand the above, try to imagine a world without the U.S. involvement. Let’s assume that the U.S. is not a super-power or they evolved from an Empire to a regular Republic interested mainly in their internal affairs.

What would the world look like without U.S. intervention?

Oil is one of the major energy resources of most modern countries. Oil was one of the main reasons for wars and the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein. It was not a territorial dispute; it was about oil. The Americans are one of the largest oil consumers, so it is obvious why the U.S. was interested in assisting Kuwait.

However, this is not the whole picture. The U.S. involvement all over the world is not only for oil and monetary interests. Most people believe that there are other reasons. In the era of a globalized economy, world stability is essential and according to the Chaos theory, even a small problem in the Middle-East, for example, can generate a chain reaction which affects the U.S. in many areas. Most people believe that the global American intervention is also because they care. They care about establishing and maintaining Democracies and enabling freedom for everybody everywhere possible. Obviously there are other reasons and interests; so what are they?

China is becoming a major player in the world arena. They are the second largest oil consumers. The route of oil to China is secured and enabled by the U.S. Navy. China’s long term goal might be to be equal the U.S. and they can achieve it.

Without the U.S., Taiwan would cease to exist as a Democracy and may be annexed to mainland China. Without the U.S., Japan would have to get nuclear capabilities if they wanted to remain independent. They have had a continuing dispute with China since 1937, and the Chinese will never forget the Japanese invasion. The U.S. assisted Iran indirectly by eliminating Saddam Hussein, who had fought Iran over a border dispute for eight years. Saddam Hussein was interested in making Iraq an influential power in the Persian Gulf region. He invaded Iran not only because of the long history of border disputes, but also to enlarge Iraq’s oil reserves. Europe wants and needs oil, but they are not willing to pay the full price to get it. They hate the American presence and will not acknowledge that without the U.S., they wouldn’t get the oil they need.

Europe’s attitude toward Israel is extremely hypocritical. They have a short memory; however what unites Europe against Israel or the Jews is Anti-Semitism.

Since March 2003 when Recep Tayyip Erdogan became Turkey’s Prime Minister, their policy toward Israel has changed. Erdogan was unhappy with Israel’s reaction to Hezbollah’s kidnapping of soldiers in 2006; he was critical when Israel conducted the Gaza War; he asked to inspect Israel’s nuclear facilities under IAEA inspection; and he has criticized Israel for its many defensive actions.

The tension between the countries has escalated following the Gaza flotilla raid.

The question is what his motives are and if he has a hidden agenda that may explain his overzealous attention to Israel. His reactions have gained Turkey influence and sympathy among his Arab neighbors. Particularly, he may have gained certain advantages among his domestic political parties. His special collaborative attention and meetings with Syria and Iran should worry the West and particularly Israel.

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK, founded in 1978, is a Kurdish organization which fights against Turkey. Their goal is to establish an independent Kurdish state.

There is a claim by Germany that the Turkish military has used chemical weapons against members of the PKK.

Lebanon is a puppet country controlled by Syria and Iran. Hezbollah or “The Party of God” is a Shi’a Islamic organization involved in Lebanese politics, supported by Syria and Iran. Actually, they are viewed by most of the world as a terrorist organization.

Their forces are trained and organized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Their main goal is to eliminate the colonial entity in Lebanon and to establish an Islamic regime.

To achieve that, the Iranians with their supporters all are united under the hatred towards Israel and their desire to eliminate the Zionist entity from the region.

A top secret CIA document released on April 2004 lists the many possible suspects for the assassination of Elie Hobeika, former Lebanese Forces Commander.

Possible culprits include fellow Christians, other members of the Lebanese elite, Palestinians and Israelis.

According to a Western news agency, a previously unknown anti-Syrian group, “Lebanese for a Free and Independent Lebanon.” has claimed responsibility. The claim may be associated with rightwing Maronite Christians, who bore a grudge against Hobeika because he betrayed the Lebanese Forces and the Israelis by switching allegiance to the Syrians in the mid-80. Hobeika also was active in Christian infighting during Lebanon’s civil war.

Palestinians despise Hobeika because he allegedly directed the massacre of approximately 1,000 Palestinians in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla in 1992.

An Israeli commission in 1983 accused Hobeika of carrying out the massacre and held then Defense Minister Ariel Sharon indirectly responsible for the attack.

Many Lebanese suspect Israeli involvement because Hobeika had said he would testify against Sharon if the Belgians went forward with a trial accusing Sharon of genocide and crimes against humanity for his role in Sabra and Shatilla.

A Belgian court next month will rule on whether a judicial investigation into Sharon’s role can proceed.

President Lahud claims Hobeika was killed to stop him from testifying, according to press reports, a sentiment echoed by other government officials.

There is no direct evidence of Israeli involvement in the assassination, but highlighting an Israeli connection could help the Lebanese avoid the internal friction that would arise if a Lebanese group were blamed.

Anybody who thinks that the Israel-Palestinian conflict is over territories is totally wrong.

Israelis are willing to give back certain territories and make peace in exchange for a piece of paper… Unfortunately, based on history, those signed agreements have a very short life time. In the volatile region of the Middle-East Israel will face many difficulties without U.S. support. In the 1980s Soviet military forces in Afghanistan faced a different type of war than they had experienced in the past. The resistance forces fighting them were the mujahedeen.

The Makhtab Al-Khidamat (MAK) was founded by Osama Bin Laden and Abdullah Azzam, which led to the establishment of Al-Qaeda in 1988. At the end of the Soviet occupation they wanted to extend and justify their operations, so they tried to include other Islamic causes. It is quite obvious that Al-Qaeda benefited from the U.S. funding and training given to the Afghan mujahedeen fighting the Soviet invasion.

There are many Al-Qaeda cells which are operative worldwide. Without united cooperation they will continue their terrorist operations including their attempt to get nuclear related weapons.

To Get Started:

Duck hunting is one of many passions that I enjoy, but out of all of them it is the most complex and time-consuming to do correctly. While it may seem easy from watching T.V. there are many minor details that if not done well can absolutely ruin a hunt or worse ruin a season. The hunters season starts about three months in advance of the legal hunting season. The hunters job during that time is to get an idea of where the ducks or geese will be flying. It’s a mixture of past season knowledge and also observing the local ducks that are already there for the year. You want to be on the ‘X” in order to have the best chance during the season.

Location Is Key:

Once you have established a few places where you think they will be you have to set up your blind. This is where you will be sitting the early mornings waiting on the birds to fly in. It needs to give good coverage for the amount of hunters you plan on having. Each person will need adequate room to safely manoeuver a shotgun around in a hunting situation. It also needs to have a dry area to store things like shells, calls, and blind bag which can hold anything from bug spray to a cell phone. After the essential are taken care of extra equipment can be moved in for more comfort. We usually have cushioned chairs and a grill to cook hot breakfast in the morning. The blind needs to be in a position the ducks will feel comfortable landing in. Shotguns have a very limited range so the closer to the action, the better.

Getting Their Attention:

Once you know where the ducks are and you are well hidden its time to get them to come to you. The two main ways of getting them to fly to you are duck/geese decoys and calls. The decoys make it look like ducks are already there and it’s a safe place. The more movement and life you give the spread the more realistic it seems and the more success you will have. The second and more important tactic is calls. Ducks make a lot of noise while they are sitting on the water and if you want to be realistic then you have to replicate that. Every duck makes a different noise and so you have to be specific to each species as they fly in. The calls give a vocal call that tells them to come in even if they can’t see the decoys. But if you don’t practice with your call technique it can scare every duck away for a square mile so that is something that needs attention in the preseason.

The Hunt:

This is the time that all the hard work pays off. It’s a magical moment of outdoors, fellowship with friends, and life lessons learned from elders. It’s not only a way of providing food for your family, but it is a way to connect with so many people around your community that share the same passion. Taking someone on a hunt for the first time is such a positive influence in that person’s life and gives valuable morals that they will take with them for the rest of their life. Now its time to implicate calling technique, decoy placement, and marksmanship. Even with all those things present sometimes you just need some Blind Luck.

The interior of the PDO RG-22C Hollon Republic Series fireproof gun safe has interior dimensions of 56″ high x 27.5″ wide x 17 ¼’ deep providing 16.93 cubic feet of interior storage space. Adjustable shelving provides safe storage for 22 rifles inside the safe plus extra storage using the pocket door organizer.

The PDO RG22 gun safes are not only constructed to protect against fire, smoke and water damage but to protect against unlawfully entry by burglars. As with all safes in the Republic Series of fireproof gun safes, the contents are secured against being pried open. The first point of attack by a burglar is most often a pry bar attack on the safes door followed by punch attacks. The five-inch thick door has 3 gauge solid steel plate added to the entire door, drill/ballistic armored hard plate to protect the lock and an active spring-loaded re-locker to prevent punch attacks. Construction of the safe’s body is of nine-gauge seamless steel.

To allow a full 180-degree door opening the RG22 gun safe is constructed with external hinges. Additionally, external hinges allow for the easy removal of the safe’s door should it require repairs. It is much easier and more cost effective to ship a door than the complete safe. It is easier for a burglar to cut off external hinges and as is the case with poorly designed gun safes lift off the door. Having locking bolts on all four sides overcomes this problem.

All the Hollon Republic series gun safe cabinets are Torch Resistant Fire Rated fireproof safes providing for one-hour fire protection at temperatures of 1250 degrees Fahrenheit. Fire protection is provided by layers of fireboard built into the walls and door of the safe. Fireboard one inch thick provides fireproofing of the 1.25-inch thick body while the five-inch door has three layers of fireboard 1.5″ thick. In a fire, damage can be by way of fire damage but more often occurs when the gun safes door allows smoke and water, in the form of steam generated by the gallons of water used to fight the fire, to enter the cabinet. This problem is overcome in the RG-22 gun safe by the installation of a heat activated intumescent door seal.

Unloaded the PDO RG22 fireproof safes weigh 650lbs and are much heavier when fully loaded with weapons and accessories. A determined burglar with a pallet jack would still be able to remove the safe. To overcome removal the PDO RG22 comes with pre-drilled anchor holes to allow the gun safe to be bolted into position.