Memorial Day 2013 and Wounded Warrior

Hello everyone.  

I make it no secret that I am an Army Veteran.  Many of my friends are as well – plus some have served in other branches.  Hell, one of my best friends in the world, dating all the way back to Basic Training, is still in – and just offered me the honor of pinning his CW4 on him next year (Congrats again Gordie).

It is for that reason, plus as a way to show my humble thanks to others, that I will continually support many of the organizations that assist or Military and its Veterans.

We have done so several times in the past

• Sobieski Vodka and the Fisher House
• Jim Beam and Kid Rock
• 50 Back Beer
• Crown Royal
• Miller High Life
• And Many More…….

but this Memorial Day Weekend, I wanted to focus on the Wounded Warrior Project.

Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP)  serves veterans and service members who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound, co-incident to their military service on or after September 11, 2001 and their families. On that date, America watched in horror as approximately 3,000 people died including hundreds of firefighters and rescue workers. Many warriors note a sense of duty to volunteer for the military following these tragic events.

Sept. 11 also served as a stimulus for Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and New Dawn. Operation Iraqi Freedom refers to military operations in Iraq that began March 19, 2003 and officially ended August 31, 2010. Operation Enduring Freedom refers to combat operations in Afghanistan and other regions in support of the Global War on Terror. Operation New Dawn refers to the conclusion of operations in Iraq beginning September 1, 2010 and ending December 15, 2011.

For WWP, there is a distinct difference between members and alumni; the term alumni indicates a mutual shared experience and denotes your place in an organization was earned. There are no dues here - those were paid by wearing the uniform and on the battlefield.  Read More Here…..

I get it folks – Times are tough.  But imagine how much tougher it is for these brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines – these same people who have sacrificed so much.

If you can spare even a few bucks – it goes a long long way.

Please visit HERE and Donate Now.

Besides, if my son (James Bell) can support the Wounded Warrior Project, then you can an least throw a dollar their way.  Another great friend (and fellow Veteran) once showed me how far a few dollars can go.

Have a Safe and Fun Memorial Day Weekend – and thanks to all who have not been forgotten.

Me – it looks like James will be taking me to the CoMO Hooters…..he says “I earned it”

Cheers

Contest - 7th Anniversary of StogieGuys.com

 

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Congrats to StogieGuys.com for SEVER years.

7th Anniversary of StogieGuys.com

This month marks the seventh anniversary of the founding of StogieGuys.com and we decided to thank you, our readers, with our biggest giveaway ever with seven great prizes with a total retail value of over $2,000.

We’ll be announcing each of the seven prizes over the next week.

To enter, use the form below (either by entering your name and email, or though Facebook). You’ll get additional entries for following StogieGuys.com on Twitter and Facebook. You can also get more entries by Tweeting about the contest (once per day) and by commenting on the posts announcing the prizes (one entry per day).

In addition, in order to be eligible you must be signed up to our free email list, where we’ll be announcing the winners. (Standard StogieGuys.com contest/giveaway rules apply.)

Superman likes Cigars, not Cigarettes

June 14th is quickly approaching, and I for one am really looking forward to the new “Man of Steel” release.  Everything about this movie feels “Right’.

It was while watching the trailer (embedded at the bottom) that I saw, for a fleeting second, the Heat Ray Eyes. 

In all the superman movies, this is never done right…..but once again, I think they pulled it off.

This also reminded me of some old Superman stuff I had seen in the past.  If you know me, you know I am OCD and can remember the craziest trivia BS out there….so it set me on the search…..the search for Superman and Cigars.

You see – I recalled seeing Superman lighting cigars with his heat vision….and it took me forever to find them again.  But here they are:

 In the first one, we have a young Clark Kent (as Superboy) lighting his father’s cigar for him.  This plays well to an interesting Superman rumor I found on the internet, that the Kent farm was actually a Tobacco Farm, and at some point in the past, there was a tie-in to Kent Cigarettes.  I would love it if someone else could find out the truth….because that really does show how times (and social norms such as smoking) have changed. 

The second picture is from Superman #163, “The Goofy Superman.  This is a silly story where Red Kryptonite exposure turns Clark Kent into a mental case, he is institutionalized. The Red K wears off, and he decides to teach a super-lesson to the cruel attendant in the asylum.  Needless to say, if jumps right out of 1963 Comics for kids.

My final piece of evidence for Supes being pro-Cigar….another frame from the Silver Age of Comics, one that Kal-El is just the kind of friend you really want to have around.  If you lay dying, on Oxygen, he’ll light your deathbed cigar for you…..to me (no joking aside) that is a hero. 

As you can see…in all the above, Superman seems to be portraying Cigars in a positive way…..so how does he feel about Cigarettes?

Or how about this screen grab from Superman II?

What I particularly like about that picture, is that I found an interesting bit about how it satisfied a contract between Warner Brothers and Phillip Morris to feature Marlboro.  While that is not unusual, the fact that I found the contract is…..you can read it HERE.

As you can see – when it comes to Cigarettes – The Man of Steel is not a supporter….but as far as he is concerned, Cigars are OK and I like that.

Smoke’m if you Got’m Folks.

The Color of Wine

Ever wonder what the various colors of wine mean?  After checking out this handy/dandy chart – head over to Wine Folly to learn even more.

Cheers -

My faith in humanity is restored

Its when I see videos like this, that I know the human race has evolved to its highest point.   

SHOCK VIDEO: Flaming shot trick goes horribly wrong

Alexey Ponamarev, 28, is suing a bartender after a bar party trick gone wrong resulted in his face being set on fire. The bartender, Alex Bykov, 34, was apparently trying to impress his guests with a flaming shot trick, which he says he’s done dozens of times before without injuries, the Sun reports.

The dangerous stunt failure was captured on video and is now spreading across the Internet. In it, the bartender can be seen tilting the flaming shot into Ponamarev’s mouth and flames quickly streak across his face, sending the bar into a panic. The accident reportedly happened Sunday at Harat bar in Novosibirsk, Russia.

The woman heard screaming in the video is reportedly Anfisa Kirillova, Ponamarev’s girlfriend.

Ponamarev was rushed to the hospital and treated for severe burns.

He is now demanding thousands of pounds in compensation and has turned the video over to police as evidence, according to the Sun.

But the bartender is claiming that it was the victim’s fault because he asked for a different liquor that he usually uses.

“It was also his fault because he put his hand over his mouth and that splashed the liquid everywhere,” he said.

Watch the video below:

Read more: http://www.967stevefm.com/articles/wtf-news-471312/shock-video-flaming-shot-trick-goes-11263527/#ixzz2SjornzCs

How about some German Ingenuity

Star Wars Beer 2013

Lets go ahead and kick off the Star Wars Pics of May the 4th 2013 with a selection of Beer related items

First, we have two new fictitious Beer Labels, three bottles and a T-Shirt

Of Course, if Storm troopers have beer…..it would be brewed from the 501st

When Star Wars fans start drinking, they also get creative -           

 

 

 

 

How about a cameo?

Finally – Words of Wisdom

Cigar City Brewery on May the 4th

I’ve never been here (or had their beer) – but props out on this day to Cigar City Brewery.  If anyone is in Tampa and wants to write a guest review (or can tell me where to get some here in MO) – I would be happy to publish.

Cheers and May The Fourth Be With You

 

What does the Empire think of May the Fourth?

Why the Originals are better than the Prequels

I could go on for days as to why the Original Star Wars movies are better than the Prequels.  Better Acting, wittier dialog, Sir Alec Guinness (love the last name), less Blue Screen work, ect….  But what it all boils down to one thing…..Smoking.

You see, smoking is a bad habit.  We all know it, and we all relate to it (in one way or another).  Its ingrained in our world.  And it is that connection that makes the Universe of the Originals believable.  People smoked!

In Star Wars- A New Hope, we go into a BAR.  Not a Night Club (more on that in a minute), but a BAR.  Nasty, Seedy and No Droids Allowed.  It is here in Mos Eisley that we get our first glimpse of the Bounty Hunter Dannik Jerriko (bet you didnt know he had a name or back story) – and he’s smoking a pipe/hookah. That fleeting moment adds more realism than anything in TPM, AotC or RotS. 

Although there is no smoking in The Empire Strikes Back, they did put out two funny Smoking PSAs (I blogged about them HERE) between it and A New Hope.  You see, the at least acknowledge it.   In particular, I find it hypocritical that C3PO should put out that message, when he himself was a smoker.

Finally, while RotJ is the lesser of the Originals – it still has TWO instances of smoking – one in Jabba’s Palace and a second with a blink and miss it Ewok scene.

Jabba’s Palace has a hookah prominently displayed throughout, AND we get to see Jabba puffing on it.  AWSOME!  In fact, from all the smoke in that place – everyone there was firing up…not just or favorite Hutt. 

 

What makes this even funnier – is that when they made the toys for the movies….they included the hookah not once, but TWICE (for the Re-release).

 

And before we discount that only the “Bad Guys” smoke – what about race specifically targeting children….the Ewoks?  While C3PO is regaling the Ewoks with stories of the rebellion, we get a quick pan that shows “Smokey” and his pipe.  Again, it adds a bit of realism to the whole thing.

 

What is the best we can get in Prequels?  A Nightclub Scene in Attack of the Clones.  In this scene we have Obi-Wan and Anakin chasing an assassin into the club on Coruscant (starting at 7:33 in the clip below).  The club is clean, almost pristine.  The clientele are all “Pretty People” who are friendly to each other and seem to be enjoying this Galactic Buffalo Wild Wings.  We even have big screen TVs!   Not a hint of smoke in the air, but at lease they appear to have booze.  At the 8:85 mark is where we get our “Death Stick” remark (very clever George) – and, although we get to see a Jedi Mind Trick….its hardly a substitute.

It only works on May the 4th

Only on Star Wars Day can you have a Burlesque Dancer playing Star Wars Music on a Violin.  But it works.

Enjoy the Bourbon and Spice Burlesque Dance Troop.

A $1000 Mint Julep? On May The Fourth?

Whoever thought that the Kentucky Derby and Star Wars Day should be on the same…..should be shot.  Its almost as sacrilegious as a $1000 Mint Juleps.  At least you get to keep the cup (*Yawn*) and the money goes to Charity…..although, I would rather see the $$$$ going to a real charity – such as Wounded Warriors.

139th Kentucky Derby today, $1,000 mint julep being sold

     The 139th running of the Kentucky Derby is today.

More than 160,000 spectators are expected to attend.

Security is especially tight this year, due to the Boston marathon bombings.

All backpacks, and coolers are now banned. Women with purses larger than 12-inches will not be allowed inside.

The traditional drink for the Kentucky Derby also got an upgrade.

Woodford Reserve of Versailles, Ky. is selling a limited number of mint juleps for $1,000 each.

Besides the usual mix of bourbon, spearmint leaves, water, and sugar, the drink comes in a engraved sterling-silver cup.

78 of the drinks have already been sold online.

Proceeds will go towards Old Friends, a facility for retired racehorses.

Read more: http://wgntv.com/2013/05/04/139th-kentucky-derby-today-1000-mint-julep-being-sold/#ixzz2SKzSE1iZ

Back in the Saddle and May the 4th Be With You

Ok everyone, after a long hiatus – I am back and ready to review again.

What better day to kick this off than on May the 4th – The Unofficial “Official” Star Wars Day.  Stay tuned throughout for some very specific smoking and drinking posts from Star Wars Fandom, be safe….and of course……May the 4th Be With you, Always.