Call me Ahab

posted by Caleb on May 16

Just arrived in Louisville, all checked in at the Hyatt Regency. Nice hotel, although I had serious flashbacks to my dark Hyatt days.

We’ll be over in the expo center around 2:30, if you see a short guy with a green shirt and a Red Sox hat, it’s probably me.

posted by Caleb on May 16

Light blogging today, as I’m leaving for the NRA Annual Meetings this morning. The Google tells me it’s 2 hours from Indy to Louisville, which should put us there around noon…assuming we leave at 10am as planned.

See you there!

posted by Caleb on May 15

For the NRA Annual Meetings/2ABlogBash in Louisville, KY.  Got to get all packed up tonight, and make the tough decision on which carry gun to bring down with me.  In the meantime, here’s my short list of things I’m looking forward to at the Bash/Meeting.

1. Drinks and dinner at Bass Pro in southern Indiana with Michael Bane.
2. The Celebration of American Values banquet
3. Getting to actually meet the blogger’s that I’ve been corresponding with for months.
4. The list really does go on, but that’s all I can think of right now.  I’m like a kid right before Christmas, and I can see the presents under the tree.

Mrs. Ahab and I are staying at the Hyatt Regency Louisville, if any of the other attendees of the BlogBash are staying there, drop me a note in the comments.  If you see me tomorrow, I’ll be the short guy in the Boston Red Sox hat.

posted by Caleb on May 13

Just got this email from NRA regarding security for John McCain’s speech at Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum on Friday the 16:

By mandate of the U. S. Secret Service, no firearms will be  allowed in Hall A of the Kentucky Exposition Center, the location of the  Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum, on Friday, May  16.        Please be prepared  to go through security screening to enter the venue. We look forward to  seeing you at this outstanding event!

This wasn’t NRA’s decision, or Sen. McCain’s decision - it seems that the Secret Service is pretty intractable on this issue.

You can still carry on the convention hall floor, just not if you’re going to be attending the Leadership Forum on May 16th.

posted by Caleb on May 12

The 2ABlogBash and NRA Annual Meetings start this week.  Because I have a Real Job(tm) and no one pays me 60k a year to blog about guns (yet), I’ll be leaving early Friday, Mrs. Ahab in tow to head down to Louisville for the Bash and Meetings.

My only regret is that I couldn’t get down there in time for the NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshop on Friday, unless I leave at like 0600 which I’ll never be able to convince Mrs. Ahab to do.  However, I will be in attendance when Sebastian is part of the “In their own words” Special session on Saturday.

posted by Caleb on May 8

To the NRA Annual Meetings!

One of Louisville’s biggest conventions, the National Rifle Association, begins Friday May 16th with most events at the fairgrounds. The NRA is advising its members to feel free to bring along their own firearms if they are so inclined. And apparently even to a speech by the republican presidential candidate John McCain.

When McCain appears at the NRA convention in Louisville next Friday, not only will his security detail be armed, but so will the audience.

The national rifle association’s Ashley Varner says it’s “a treat” that the Kentucky Exposition Center, unlike previous NRA convention sites, allows concealed weapons.

This is neat on multiple levels for people attending the Annual Meetings and the Blog Bash. First off, since the convention center is allowing carry guns, that means you don’t have to worry about leaving your gun in an unsecure hotel room while you go gallivanting around the convention. Secondly, like Sebastian I’m very pleased that McCain has called off the Secret Service and will allow said permit holders to attend his speech while armed. It shows a tremendous amount of respect for law-abiding citizens, and is an excellent way to start his courtship of the gun owner vote that he will need come November.

Remember, Kentucky honors all carry permits, so it doesn’t matter where you’re from, as long as you have a permit you’re good to carry in Kentucky. Of course, it creates the other question of what carry gun to bring with me to Louisville. Sure, I could just bring my Beretta 92D, but that’s not sufficiently snazzy enough. A good Bar-B-Que gun might be in order to carry to NRA Annual meetings, something with a little bit of class and panache to it would obviously be the order of the day. Maybe my ‘37 Brazilian S&W? On the flip side, I’m going to be doing a lot of walking, and I don’t know if I want to be weighed down by a heavy carry piece - I could always go old school and pack a .32 ACP Beretta from WWII, that would be neat-o. Oh, decisions decisions.

Clarification: It seems that the reporter got a little carried and took a bit of “creative license” (I know, I know, a reporter making a mistake - will wonders never cease).  You can carry at the convention center on the convention floor, however security details for McCain’s speech are being kept confidential.

posted by Caleb on Apr 1

You can register for the NRA Grassroots workshop at the annual meetings at this link.  A lot of good information is going to get passed around.

Also, in 2A Blogbash news you can now buy your tickets for the Banquet with speaker Glenn Beck.  The best part is that you get to sit at a table with all the other cool bloggers.

posted by Caleb on Mar 13

Mix and Mingle with NRA-ILA staff!

Bloggers are invited to come out and join the NRA-ILA Public Affairs staff for a kick-off meet and greet on Thursday evening, May 15.

It’s too bad that it’s Thursday, as I don’t arrive until Friday.

Although I’m looking into changing my plans.

posted by Caleb on Mar 11

Attendees of the 2a Blog Bash will get to enjoy happy hour with Michael Bane on Friday the 16th, at the Bass Pro Shop in Clarksville, Indiana.

If you’ve got a good cable provider, you can check out Michael’s show on the Outdoor Channel, as part of their Wednesdays at the Range TV package, which also includes Shooting USA, and American Rifleman TV.

You can also find Michael online at his blog, or at Downrange TV.

I’ll be there, and a lot of other bloggers will be there.  If you’ve not already confirmed your attendance for the 2A Blog Bash, do it now.   One link for bloggers, and another for readers.

posted by Caleb on Mar 8

The NRA is hosting a grassroots workshop during the annual meetings, Friday the 16th.

Your attendance at this year’s NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshop in Louisville is critical toward ensuring the future of our gun rights. This Workshop has been a staple of NRA’s Annual Meetings for more than a decade. It is one of the most popular events of the week, attended by hundreds of freedom-loving NRA members.

Since I’m not arriving until Friday, I won’t be able to make it to the workshop, but I strongly encourage you to attend. I would also like to point your attention to an additional free panel session, which is being hosted by Sebastian. Correction: Sebastian is one of the panel speakers at the Saturday session, it’s being hosted by Glen Caroline of NRA.  It’s what I get for typing while I was all excited for him.

Please also plan to attend the “In Their Own Words” Special Session. This session will consist of a panel of your fellow NRA Members discussing their personal grassroots experiences. There is no registration for the “In Their Own Words” Special Session, and as with the Workshop, it is FREE to attend! The “In Their Own Words” Special Session will be held Saturday, May 17, at 2:00 p.m., in Room B104, of the Kentucky Expo Center, located at 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, 40209.

I’ll definitely be in attendance for that.