http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSXb809jVSs  From last weekend’s pistol class. For a 300 pounder, that’s as close as I’ll ever get to ballet. Only mine is a ballet of BULLETS.  Or Danger! Or something. I don’t know.  Okay, I’m not graceful, but most ballet dancers won’t shoot you 42 times either. (and out of 275 rounds, I only missed a handful of shots all day, so at least my accuracy was good).

Looking at that video though, I’ve really gotten rusty over the last year. Lack of practice has made me slow and clumsy.  And it is a mark of shame for an experienced shooter to have to look at his holster to put his gun away, but in my defense, all my good range equipment was accidently buried in storage for the move, so I was using a nylon POS Uncle Mike’s. Making it through the day with that floppy hunk of junk without shooting myself in the left = WIN.

http://www.amazon.com/Citizens-John-Ringo/dp/1439133476

Citizens is a new sci-fi anthology just out from Baen.  Do you ever read Mil SF and say to yourself, this author has obviously never been in the military? Yeah, bugs me too.  I’m a cake eating civillian but I’ve spent enough time in the world of guns & military contracting that somebody pontificating about a life that they obviously don’t understand gets really annoying. That won’t be an issue here. Each story is military SF, and every author is a veteran.

I’m plugging the heck out of this anthology because some of the authors are friends of mine, and they’re a talented bunch.  Here is the list of stories that I stole from a review on Amazon.

– Field Test (Analog, 1976) by Keith Laumer relates the first use of a Bolo Mark XX Model B.

– Allamagoosa (Astounding, 1955) by Eric Frank Russell tells of the trials of a navy ship returning after a long voyage to find that the Inspector General will soon be visiting them.

– Exploration Team (Astounding, 1956) Murray Leinster concerns an illegal colony on a planet that receives an unexpected visit from a Colonial Survey officer.

– Superiority (F&SF, 1951) by Arthur C. Clarke considers the risks of new technology. This seems to be a recurring theme in military and naval SF.

– The Horars of War (Nova 1, 1970) by Gene Wolfe illustrates the comradery of war.

– Fireproof (Astounding, 1949) by Hal Clement shows the strange effects of a weightless environment.

– Peace with Honor (Analog, 1971) by Jerry Pournelle relates an incident in the history of the CoDominium.

– Under the Hammer (Galaxy, 1974) by David Drake presents an untrained recruit with a situation.

– Time Piece (If, 1970) by Joe W. Haldeman talks of Heaven and Hells in the Forever War.

– Neither Sleet, Nor Snow, Nor Alien Invasion… (first publication) by Dave Freer reveals the power of Political Incorrectness.

– Light (first publication) by Kacey Grannis recounts a mysterious intervention within Iraq.

– The Question (first publication) by Patrick A. Vanner gives the response to an innocent question.

– The Price (first publication) by Michael Z. Williamson examines the thoughts of a small group of dedicated warriors.

– Earth’s First Improved Chimp Gets a Job as a Janitor (Cosmic Tales, 2004) by John Ringo introduces a genetically modified human to another — but older — genetic mod.

– The Long Watch (American Legion, 1949) by Robert A. Heinlein presents a serviceman with a conflict of loyalties.

Here are some samples and the intro by John Ringo. http://www.webscription.net/chapters/1439133476/1439133476.htm

After the Wikipedia hullabaloo, reader Rainy Day Ninja started an MHI TV Tropes page.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MonsterHunterInternational

He requested help from anybody else who wanted to link or fill it in. I’m all in favor of anything that gets me more readers. Yay!  Thanks, Rainy Day Ninja, and I apologize for killing so many of your ninja bretheren during the events of Hard Magic.

Dan Wells posted these to Facebook today. This guy makes custom action figures as a hobby.

http://www.sillof.com/C-CUSTOMS-Main.htm

I’m amazed. I want MHI custom action figures made. Then I need Grimnoir and Dead Six too.  Ryk Spoor, another Baen author, saw this, and right away started thinking of which characters of his he’d have done.  I don’t know if this guy realizes it, but he could probably make a really good living just off of authors. 

I wonder what he charges?  I grew up with GI Joe, having a complete Team Harbinger, would be like being eight years old again, only more awesome, and probably a whole lot more expensive.

I didn’t know Kevin James was a judge!  I’m very excited for him. He was great in Hitch, and who could forget his performance as Paul Blart, Mall Cop? 

Note, I didn’t read the article. I just copied the picture.  Congrats, Kevin!