Mowed The Inner Yard

Above, after mowing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

About a half hour ago, I finished mowing and weeding the inner yard around the house.

I had to open the back gate next to the utility road to get the mower into the yard. Weeds had grown to about 2-3 feet tall from the monsoon rains we've been getting. I had to be careful as there were many obstacles in the way (such as rocks) of the zero-turn mower. 

Above, kicking back after the yardwork. 

But once I got it in, it was an easy task to get the yard mowed. After I was done with that part, I got out the weed-whacker to clean up the areas the mower couldn't get to.

When I finished about a half hour later, I relaxed over an Alien Amber Ale and a cigar. 

Above, the front yard after mowing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was a good thing I did the yard when I did, it started clouding up and it is likely we'll have a thunderstorm or two within hours.

Guide To Zion National Park

Above, Checkerboard Mesa at Zion National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My first visit to Zion National Park was in August 1969 with my parents. We camped in an umbrella tent that was my grandfather's at the Watchman Campground. It was there we heard on the radio of the Sharon Tate murders in L.A.

Back in those days, there were no crowds and getting a campsite in the park wasn't difficult.

USA Today has posted a guide to Zion National Park as part of their yearlong series on national parks.

They begin it with:

It’s no secret. Zion National Park is one of America’s most spectacular national parks.

It’s also one of the most popular, coming in second or third in visitation each year in recent years, according to National Park Service numbers. And it’s easy to see why.

“Zion National Park encompasses some of the most scenic canyon country in the United States,” said Jorge Hernandez, education supervisor at Zion.

Unlike the Grand Canyon, which most visitors approach at rim level, visitors begin exploring Zion from the canyon floor.

“You look up, and you see these massive Navajo Sandstone cliffs on either side of you. And as you start going into the canyon, you start to see those walls becoming narrower and narrower, which I think is really fascinating,” Hernandez said. “Also, Zion National Park is located in the juncture of the Colorado Plateau, the Mojave Desert and the Great Basin ecoregions, and that creates a very unique environment for a variety of lifeforms and ecosystems here at Zion. Zion also preserves a plethora of human history.”

Here’s what else travelers should know about visiting Zion, the final park in USA TODAY’s yearlong series.

To read more, go here.

Rumination of "The Fly"

Above, David Hedison as The Fly. 20th Century-Fox photo.

Jay's Crypt of Horror Facebook page posted this about The Fly four days ago:

'The Fly' was released on 16 July, 1958 

I knew that I saw the movie during its first release with my parents and I remembered it. This made me realize that I was four years old at the time. I thought it was a little later. It is amazing that I never had nightmares over this and other horror/science-fiction movies at the time.

Actually, being taken to see these made me a lifelong fan. I was lucky that my parents liked to go to the movies and brought me along.

Above, yours truly with actor David Hedison at the 2010 Monsterpalooza.

I did interview actor David Hedison about this movie (along with his other work such as Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea television show and his stints as Felix Leiter in two James Bond movies for G-FAN magazine. I got to actually meet him the 2010 Monsterpalooza convention later.

Hedison was billed as "Al Hedison" for The Fly.

Tulsi Slams Kamala (Again!)

 Tulsi Gabbard posted the following at X:

Laptop Rebuild

Above, the rebuilt laptop. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

About an hour ago, I returned from home from Gallup after picking up my laptop from the shop and having dinner at Genaro's.

I basically had my computer rebuilt. It got a new hard drive, casing and screen. I was thinking about getting a new laptop, but this was way cheaper.

At Genaro's, I had the two chile rellenos. I ordered the two rellenos plate and ate one there and took the other home for tomorrow's breakfast. Their rellenos are much bigger than the ones at Jerry's Cafe, so it is not unusual for me to bring one home. 

I got home in time before any thunderstorms decide to come into the area. It was starting to get cloudy on the way home. 

Mowed Yesterday

Above, yesterday after mowing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I mowed the field (dubbed Barking Spider Acre). 

I spent most of the morning Gallup dealing with a computer issue with my main laptop. It needs a new hard drive. So now its getting one. I am using my back-up laptop now.

After getting home, I decided to mow as it appeared a thunderstorm was approaching (part of our usual monsoon season). Sure enough, I was right. It hit when I started watching the Republican National Convention.

It us amazing how quick brush grows when it get rain. I last mowed two weeks ago and already it needed another mow.

Kennedy Half Dollar Sparked Interest In Numismatics

Above, Franklin and Kennedy silver half dollars. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in the early 1960s, my dad got me interested in coin collecting.

Those were the days when they contained silver (except the Lincoln penny) and were worth saving. 

When the Kennedy half dollar came out, we, like so many others, collected as many as we could. I have quite a number of them. They were in a strongbox that I had for years but had no key. I had a locksmith open it (and make a key) and the treasure trove of 1964 Kennedy half dollars were inside.

According to Numismatic News, Kennedy silver half dollars sparked interest in numismatics for many people. This is the topic of an article they posted.

They begin it with:

Public reaction to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963, led to a massive surge in the number of coin collectors. One of the ways that the nation commemorated his death was the replacement of the Benjamin Franklin half dollar with a new one featuring Kennedy.

Within a month of Kennedy’s death, Congress passed, and President Johnson signed a bill into law for the new half dollar. Mint sculptors Gilroy Robers and Frank Gasparro had already done work on designs, which led to the quick preparation of master dies. The first coins were offered to the public on March 24, 1964. This may be a record for the shortest time, at least in recent decades, between the introduction of legislation in Congress and the resulting coins being released to the public.

To read more, go here. 

2024 RNC Ends On High Note

Above, Donald Trump delivering his acceptance speech. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The 2024 Republican National Convention is now in the history books.

By all appearances, it was the best-run convention in years, probably dating back to the Reagan conventions (I should know, I attended them as part of the California Delegation). It was well organized and all of the speakers kept to the script. 

Former President Trump's acceptance speech was probably one of the longest speeches ever, around 90 minutes, but it was never dull.

Above, the Trumps and the Vances following Trump's acceptance speech. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Trump recounted the shooting of July 13 and paid tribute to Cory Comperatore, whose firefighting jacket and helmet were on display on the stage. He kept to his themes of making America great again. He only said Biden's name once.

There's no way the Democrats can put on a convention comparable to the GOP's. They don't even know who they are going to nominate. As days pass, it appears more likely the Joe Biden will withdraw, perhaps this weekend.

G-FEST XXIX Write-Up

Above, inside the G-FEST Dealers Room. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

An email came my way this morning with some news articles pertaining to Godzilla. One of them was about G-FEST that took place last week.

This came from Journal & Topics.

The article starts out with:

Since G-FEST XVIII last year, it’s been the biggest year for Godzilla since his 50th anniversary in 2004.

“Godzilla Minus One” from the original Japanese film studio was released in late 2023 and won Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards. Hollywood’s “Godzilla X Kong The New Empire” came out this year as one of the highest-grossing films, making Legendary Pictures’ “Monsterverse” a billion-dollar film series.

On top of all that, this year marks the 70th anniversary since the first Godzilla movie was released in 1954.

G-FEST XXIX was held this past weekend from July 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare to mark these milestones, as well as continue what is now a tradition in Rosemont and the foremost  out.meeting of Godzilla, Gamera, King Kong, Ultraman, and other monsters’ fans in North America. G-FEST continues to be independently held by Daikaiju Enterprises Ltd. — the Lees family from Manitoba.

Previous G-FEST attendance was reported to be more than 3,500. This year, around 5,000 made it out.

It was my guess that 7,000 attended. But since the reporter spoke with J. D. Lees, I would say he would be the one with more accurate data.

To read the full article, go here. 

Butler, Pennsylvania

 

Yellowstone: June Visits Up 8% From Last Year

Above, bison grazing with thermal activity nearby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one wants to visit Yellowstone National Park, they should do so during the off-season.

There's a very good reason for this. The park is very crowded during the summer months of June, July and August. In fact, the park is seeing more visitors this year than last year.

NBC Montana reported:

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY — Yellowstone National Park hosted 914,612 recreation visits in June 2024, up 8% from June 2023.

The park has hosted 1,633,739 visitors this year, which is up 9% from 1,492,843 in 2023.

The busiest time to visit the park is June, July and August.

To read more, go here.

Lever Guns Making A Comeback

Above, my Winchester 94 .30-30 rifle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It seems that after I bought my 1962-vintage Winchester 94 .30-30 rifle, everyone else is clamoring to get one or other lever-action rifles. 

I had been on the lookout for a pre-1964 Winchester 94 and finally found one at right price in April 2019. It is my favorite rifle.

According to Guns Magazine, lever-action rifles are making a big comeback.

Here's a snippet of a new article they posted:

Back in the 1970s, it seemed as though lever-action rifles were about dead. The Winchester 94 still sold well but most were “commemoratives” of one sort or another, intended to be collected and stored away untouched and unused. Those who bought Marlin or Winchester .30-30 hunting rifles were either old timers or nostalgic youngsters who figured they should get one of the classics before they were discontinued. Lever-actions for “modern” cartridges were not faring well — the Winchester 88 and Sako Finnwolf were discontinued, the Savage 99 was barely hanging on. Only the relatively new Browning BLR seemed fairly secure. Big-bore lever-actions chambered for cartridges such as .444 Marlin, .45-70 or .375 Winchester had fans who certainly helped keep lever-actions alive. Such shooters never wavered in their devotion but hardly constituted a mass market.

Nonetheless, in recent years the lever-action has shown a remarkable comeback. Although it isn’t a development I expected or would have predicted, as one who grew up in an era of lever-actions, it is a development I welcome. Looking back, several elements came into play.

To read more, go here. 

The Mirage Hotel Now History

Above, The Mirage's sign on Las Vegas Blvd. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas is now history.

It had been acquired by and will be transformed into the Hard Rock Las Vegas, which will be a two-year project.

Above, The Mirage in January 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to PR Newswire:

LAS VEGAS, May 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hard Rock International (HRI) today announced its plans to cease operations of The Mirage Hotel & Casino as of July 17, 2024, to begin the transformation of the property into the highly anticipated Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas (HRHCLV).  

Hard Rock will develop a new integrated resort featuring a nearly 700 ft. guitar-shaped hotel towering prominently in the center of the famous Las Vegas Strip. 

Above, yours truly in front of The Mirage in April 2015. Photo by Amber Vaquer.

I stayed at The Mirage once, which was over New Years in 2015-16 and saw "The Beatles Love" show. I had been there once before when my daughter applied to work in the hotel's dolphin show. We stayed in the motorhome at Circus Circus RV Park on that trip, which was the first for the RV after I bought it. 

To read more, go here.

The Beast Put Away

Above, The Beast in its garage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning, I had some business to take care of in Gallup. I figured I'd best get it done before the temperature gets too high.

After that was all done, I headed back home to put gas in the Mustang (it is $3.25 at the Flying J and $3.44 in Gallup). Obviously, I went to the Flying J.

I noticed that storm clouds are starting to move into the area. Before the rains start to make a muddy mess out of Barking Spider Acre, I'd best put the motorhome inside the GOCO Beast Barn. I just finished doing this.

Now it can rain all it wants and I can kick back and relax. 

NRA Applauds Selection of Vance

Above, Sen. J. D. Vance (with beard) last night at the Republican National Convention last night.

Yesterday, a friend called me to ask about former President Donald Trump's selection of Sen. J. D. Vance to be his running-mate. He had not heard of Vance before and I gave him what little information about him I had.

The National Rifle Association applauds the selection of Vance.

The NRA-ILA posted the following:

Following President Donald J. Trump’s announcement of his selection of U.S. Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) released the below statements:

“Now, more than ever, freedom and liberty need courageous and virtuous defenders,” said Doug Hamlin, NRA Executive Vice President & CEO. “President Trump and Senator Vance have the guts and the grit to stand steadfast for the Second Amendment. On behalf of millions of NRA members, I wish them Godspeed as we head toward this historic election in November.”

“President Trump has made an outstanding choice in selecting Senator Vance as his vice presidential pick and running mate in the upcoming election,” said Randy Kozuch, Chairman of the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF). “Senator Vance has been an unwavering supporter of constitutional freedoms, especially the right to keep and bear arms. In the U.S. Senate, he has consistently stood against the Biden-Harris gun control agenda. Between now and November, the NRA and its millions of members will engage with America’s gun owners about the importance of electing the Trump-Vance ticket.”

To read more, go here. 

Flight Delays, Etc.

Above, Saturday at G-FEST.

It is strange that during the past few years whenever I have flown to a destination for a vacation trip, those flights have been without any problems. But when returning home, my flights have either been canceled or delayed. Usually, they have been weather-related. I had to stay overnight twice due to flight cancelations. It happened at G-FEST in 2019 and Salt Lake City in 2020.

The trip going to G-FEST in Chicago has been the same. The flight there was on-time and without any problems. But coming back, my flight was delayed for three hours. I don't actually know the reason for this, but it would be safe guess it was also weather-related. I had a 10:00 flight on Sunday. 

We did have a thunderstorm come through Chicago Saturday night and it rained Sunday morning.

It looks like others who attended G-FEST had travel problems as I did. Yesterday, one was diverted to another Florida airport due to weather. Another had a flight delay going to North Carolina.  

Next month, I am going on a cruise to the Bahamas. Hopefully, the flight from Albuquerque to Miami (and back) will go without incident. I'm not counting on it.

Trump Attends RNC Opening Night

Above, former President Donald Trump with Tucker Carlson (left) and Sen. J. D. Vance. Screenshot by Armand Vaquer.

Last night, I watched the opening night of the Republican National Convention. This brought back memories as I attended three of them as a member of the California Reagan Delegations.

Former President Donald Trump attended the convention with a bandage on his right ear. He sat with his Vice Presidential running mate Sen. J. D. Vance and Tucker Carlson among others.

From The Japan Times:

Former U.S. President Donald Trump made his first public appearance in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, since an assassination attempt — with a large white bandage covering the right ear that a bullet pierced — as Republicans gathered to nominate him as their presidential nominee for the third time in the last eight years.

Trump entered Fiserv Forum on Monday to a standing ovation that lasted several minutes, during the Republican National Committee’s convention.

He walked to a box near his family and stood next to U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, whom he tapped earlier in the day as his 2024 running mate.

To read more, go here. 

Newt Gingrich On Assassination Attempt

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the week we have Free and their 1970 hit, "All Right Now".

From Wikipedia:

Free were an English rock band formed in London in 1968 by Paul Rodgers (vocals), Paul Kossoff (guitar), Andy Fraser (bass, piano) and Simon Kirke (drums, percussion). They are best known for their hit songs "All Right Now" and "Wishing Well". Although renowned for their live performances and non-stop touring, their music did not sell well until their third studio album, Fire and Water (1970), which featured the hit "All Right Now". The song helped secure them a performance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, where they played to an audience of 600,000 people. In the early 1970s they became one of the best-selling British blues rock groups; by the time they disbanded, they had sold more than 20 million records worldwide and had played in more than 700 arenas and festival concerts. "All Right Now" remains a staple of R&B and rock, and has entered ASCAP's "One Million" airplay singles club.

Home Again

Above, yours truly and friend.

I finally made it home to New Mexico yesterday.

My flight was supposed to take off around 10:00 yesterday morning, but it was delayed for three hours. It seems that getting to a place from home has been effortless, but getting back home has been a different story. This happened several times in recent years.

After landing in Albuquerque, I drove the motorhome from there to Jamestown. I made two stops: one for fuel and the other for food. 

After unpacking, I decided to go to bed. I was worn out and ended up sleeping for 10 hours.  

As for G-FEST, I had a good time. It looked like it already outgrew the Hyatt Regency O'Hare. My guess is that we had around 7,000 attending.

Former President Trump Statement

 

- July 13th, 2024 - I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA! Donald J. Trump 45th President of the United States Paid for by Trump National Committee JFC Inc., a joint fundraising committee composed of and authorized by Donald J. Trump for President 2024, Inc. and the Republican National Committee.  You are receiving this email at amvaquer@aol.com Trump National Committee JFC Inc., PO Box 509, Arlington, VA 22216 If you'd like to change your subscription status follow this link. Privacy Policy

TRUMP SHOT!

 This is what Democrat hate has caused.

God bless the Secret Service.

AP: Shooter dead. Trump rally attendee killed.

Report: AR style weapon involved.

Fox News: Two attendees critically injured.

Jason Chaffetz: Secret Service failed to secure area where shooter was located.

Report: Shooter had no i.d. on him.

G-FEST Day 2

Above, Jessica Tseang, Toshio Miike and interpreter Mariko Horikawa. Photo by Armand Vaquer. 

Right now, I am taking a breather from walking around G-FEST and attending this morning's sessions on the 60th anniversary Mothra vs. Godzilla (also known as Godzilla vs, The Thing), an interview with production designer Toshio Miike and an interview with Rie Ota, who played Baragon in Godzilla, Mothra & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. 

While attending the Toshio Miike interview session, J. D. Lees and I caught up on the latest happenings in the world of kaiju and other stuff.

Naturally, I took some photos of the various proceedings, most of which are for G-FAN.

Above, the Mothra vs. Godzilla session attendees. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Jessica Tseang and Rie Ota. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Friday Night At Red Bar

Above, last night at the Red Bar.

Since last night was Friday night, I decided to head down to the Hyatt Regency's bar called the Red Bar for a little nightcap.

I ordered a Margarita and chatted for a while with a lady bartender.

Then, I succumbed to temptation and ordered another Margarita and an order of quesadillas. I have to say that the drink and snack were quite good. The buzz from the drinks would guarantee that I would not have to wait very long to fall asleep after I got back to my room.

Above, the quesadillas and the second Margarita. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As I was heading out, the hostess was talking to some people waiting to get into the bar. I said to them, "I wouldn't argue with her. She's hot!" (Well, she was.) She gave me a nice big grin.

Significance of Women Characters In Kaiju Movies

Above, Jessica Tseang and I had a reunion before the panel discussion started.

Before getting myself some dinner (necessary to take my meds with), I attended a panel discussion on the significance of female characters in kaiju movies. 

The panel was led by a friend, Jessica Tseang. She was the person instrumental in having me on some of her panels at Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo in Los Angeles. It is now known as the L. A. Comic Con. Before it started, she and I had a little reunion. I saw her last in 2019 at G-FEST.

Above, the panel discussion on women characters in progress. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The discussion was interesting, particularly when it focused on a female character in Godzilla x  Megaguirus (2000). I vaguely remember the character in the beginning of the movie. She was avenging a soldier comrade's death by Godzilla. It has been years since I last viewed the movie, most likely way before I moved to New Mexico.

It looks like I'll have to rewatch the movie.

Made It Into The G-FEST Dealers Room, Etc.

Above, yours truly with Roger Wyatt.

The line into the G-FEST Dealers Room finally died down, so I was able to make it in and browse around.

It is hard to believe that I was at the "ripe old age" of 45 when I attended my first G-FEST in 1999 in Burbank, California.

Although I am in relatively good health at age 70, the old stamina is not there anymore. I have to sit and rest periodically (especially my feet). 

The new convention hotel, the Hyatt Regency O'Hare, is much bigger than the Crowne Plaza, but it appears that the convention is getting too big for even it. I am only guessing, but it looks like 7,000 (or more) attended today. What's next? A football stadium? 

I would also guess that the attendance was helped by two Godzilla movies, Godzilla Minus One and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, in generating more interest and more fans. 

One thing I also noticed, in looking over the toys the dealers had on display, there are a lot of of them on the tables I already have. 

The photos herein are what I shot today. It is a good thing that my phone takes good photos as I found that Canon Powershot S3 camera is not working. I just get a black screen. It is known as the "Black Screen of Death". Maybe I can find a repairer. I decided to use it instead of my Canon Rebel as I have some downloading issues with my computer. 

Above, a fan-made Mecha-Godzilla.

Above, Boris Karloff as the Monster in the Dealers Room.

Above, yours truly and a friend.

Above, lots of toys at the Radioactive Toys tables.

Above, Lon Chaney Jr. as the Wolf Man in the Dealers Room.

Above, Dojo Studios Godzilla suit. 

First G-FEST Purchases

The lines for G-FEST registration and the Dealers Room are pretty long. The Dealers Room opens at 10:00.

But, thanks to "connections", I was able to get a couple of Godzilla Minus One figures.

Above, the Odo Island Godzilla from Godzilla Minus One. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For myself, I got the Godzilla Odo Island figure. It was the first time seeing it.

For friend Nandoh, I got him the G-1 Godzilla for helping with fixing my swamp cooler. I already have one of these.

Above, the Godzilla Minus One figure for Nandoh, Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Forbes: Worst Cities For Summer Travel

Above, the Redondo Beach pier. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With the Hyatt Regency O'Hare's restaurant opening in 40 minutes, I took a look at an article from Forbes.com about the worst cities for summer travel to kill time.

Chicago is not on the list, by the way. Neither is Los Angeles. But Albuquerque, New Mexico is number four on the list.

They begin with:

Summer vacation is a time to relax and take a break, but potential complications like flight delays, cancellations or car accidents can make the experience anything but relaxing.

Some cities have plagued unsuspecting visitors with increased air travel disruptions, traffic snarls, scant amenities and sky-high hotel prices during the summer travel season.

More than half of Americans plan to take a vacation before the end of September, according to the 2024 Deloitte summer travel survey. With this in mind, Forbes Advisor set out to uncover the worst cities for summer travel.

We compared the 43 most populated cities with available data across 16 metrics spanning three key categories: city experience, air travel experience and driving experience.

To read more to see what are the worst cities for summer travel are, go here.