Recently, time has flown by, but I suppose it’s a normality around this time of year. Seldom do we stop and think of how the days pass until an event reminds us just how fast the calendar days go by.

I stood before a number of art entries of various mediums: pastels, acrylic, crayon, marker and watercolor. It was then I was reminded of how fast time flies, this year marked four years which Calhoun Air Center hosts an aviation art contest. I look forward to this contest and frankly as do the pilots and aviators; this year’s theme was “My Favorite Air Sport.”

Currently there are eleven categories of air sports competitions: aerobatics, gliding, aeromodelling, hang gliding, paragliding, amateur built and experimental aircraft, astronautic records, microlight and paramotor, ballooning, parachuting, general aviation and rotorcraft.

We invited all students in Calhoun County to participate and received nearly three hundred entries. They are categorized into three age groups.

The entries were judged by the Port Lavaca Art Guild; winners were awarded ribbons and prizes such as art kits. The students look forward to winning the art kits and work diligently to refine their artwork. A handful of students have even work several years, for instance Drake Dyes of Travis Middle School who placed first last year and second this year. The art guild also enjoys judging the contest. They take into account the theme, composition, medium and creativity.

Following the local contest, Calhoun Air Center will submit all of the entries to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) International Aviation Art Contest. In addition, TxDOT sends each and every child a participation certificate to their school.

The winners of the TxDOT International Aviation Art Contest will be announced by February 2013; winning contestants along with their family and teacher are invited to TxDOT’s Texas Aviation banquet which will be held on May 13-15 at 6:30 pm at The Hilton Austin in downtown Austin, Texas. Following the state-level contest, winners will have their entries sent to be judged nationally.

Thus far we have had a winner at the state-level contest the past three years and can’t wait to hear this year’s results. The winning entries will appear in the 2014 TxDOT calendar.

As a graphic designer, this contest is very dear to me. Here’s to four years of aviation art! On behalf of myself and Calhoun Air Center; thank you to all of the students who participated, Calhoun County teachers, the Port Lavaca Art Guild, TxDOT Aviation Division.

Aviation Art Contest Winners

Category I – Age 6-9

First Place: Emme O’Donnel, HJM Elementary

Second Place: Meghan Sparks, HJM Elementary

Third Place: Stephanie Solis, HJM Elementary

Honorable Mention: Jessica Zhang, HJM Elementary

Honorable Mention:
Ariceli Granados, HJM Elementary

Category II – 10-13

First Place: Benito Cantu, Travis Middle School

Second Place: Drake Dyes, Travis Middle School

Third Place: Logan Evans, Travis Middle School

Honorable Mention: Gigi Cheng, HJM Elementary

Honorable Mention: Rocky Hernandez, Travis Middle School

Category III – 14-17

First Place: Moriah Guzman, Calhoun High School

Second Place: Jocelyn Garcia, Calhoun High School

Third Place : Kathleen Fullerton, Calhoun High School

Honorable Mention: Tristan Quintanilla, Calhoun High School

Honorable Mention: Wendy Hernandez, Travis Middle School

The Port O’Connor Visitor Center and PortOConnor.com will be participating in the 38th Annual Houston Fishing Show in March to promote our area to fishing enthusiasts and tourists. Dozens of area guides, vacation rentals, hotels, restaurants and other businesses will be represented for the purpose of encouraging fishermen to consider Port O’Connor as a fishing destination.

“We’re excited to have this opportunity to showcase Port O’Connor at the largest consumer fishing show in the country,” said Leah Richter-Griffin, Executive Director of the Port O’Connor Visitor Center. “Our goal will be to help show attendees realize the advantages of choosing Port O’Connor over other possible fishing locations.”

The Visitor Center will have a large, strategically located booth at the show. Participating businesses will be actively promoted to attendees and PortOConnor.com will provide sponsored giveaways each day of the show to help generate lead inquiries to share with businesses.

“We want to remind attendees that they can find a full range of resources at PortOConnor.com to help them with the planning of their trip to POC,” explained Bret Williams, President/CEO of novusweb llc, owners and operators of the Port O’Connor Visitor Center and PortOConnor.com. “The featured businesses on PortOConnor.com enjoy premium exposure to the online audience. The Houston Fishing Show allows us to extend this exposure in face-to-face conversations with potential visitors.”

The 38th Annual Houston Fishing Show will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center from Wednesday, March 6th through Sunday, March 10th, 2013. Thousands of people attend the show each year to examine the latest in fishing boats, gear and travel destinations.

Port O’Connor businesses that are interested in participating in the Visitor Center booth should contact Leah Griffin at (361) 550-9624 as soon as possible. Due to space limitations, there are only a limited number of available participation opportunities remaining. In addition to active representation at the show, participants will receive a list of all booth visitor registrations for marketing purposes.

Up to date show information regarding participating businesses, show schedules and more will be included on PortOConnor.com in the near future.

“The Way I See It” is an attempt by the guest columnist to enlighten readers on a subject, as he views it, and does not necessarily reflect the views of this publication.

Happy New Year, 2013(?)

As the Socialist/ Progressives celebrate the re-election of Barack Hussein Obama, the most International Socialist president ever, and look forward to more and greater attacks on our economy and Constitution, we should remember that this is the Centennial Celebration of Socialist/Progressive victories that made the Obamunists’ victory possible. 1913 gave us The Federal Reserve System, the Income Tax and the Popular Election of Senators.

The Federal Reserve System was sold to the people as a way to prevent the “Boom & Bust” cycles of recessions, but was really a European style central bank that would create and control the issuance of paper currency, be a constant source of lending to (and thereby control of) the Federal government. The creation of the Federal Debt by the FED would provide a constant source of ‘interest’ paid to these elite banksters. Actually it gave them the power to create recession or recovery scientifically, and once they convinced the government to unconstitutionally issue money that was not backed by gold or silver but only by ‘the full faith and credit’ it gave them the power to inflate and debase the value of our dollar at will. Our current socialist administration needs the power to create debt money to buy votes from the ignorant and greedy. They can’t steal enough through taxes without destroying our shrinking economy to pay the bills for the programs they offer, so they borrow the debt-money, inflate the currency, destroy the value of money, savings, property, and investments. But it doesn’t matter, they don’t have to pay it back, YOUR KIDS WILL!

The Income Tax was unconstitutional and needed the 16th Amendment of Feb. 3, 1913 to make it ‘legal’. The Income Tax was sold to us as a small tax, originally capped at 3% on investment income, not wages or business revenue, and only on the wealthiest 2% of the people, those making $1500 per year or more. Since today’s inflated dollar has the equivalent purchasing power of 3 cents in 1913, that would be about $50,000 today. We taxpayers know how that government promise worked. The rates were raised, business profits were declared “income”, all interest and dividends were taxed as ‘Capital Gains’ (even when inflation destroyed the purchasing power of the dollar), and the WW II Victory Tax made wages taxable as income “for the duration of the war”. Congress has never declared WW II over, so wages are still taxed as income.

The Constitution is a contract between the States, the People, and the Federal Government that created the Federal Government and gave it specific limited powers. The People were given representation in the House of Representatives and the States were given representation in the Senate, the State legislatures elected the Senators, not the voters. This was because the Senate was “the senior House”, supposed to give mature consideration to bills and to protect the States from imprudent and uneconomical bills from becoming law. The Socialist/Progressives needed to change that, and the 17th Amendment of April 8, 1913 did it. Now Senatorial elections are billion dollar popularity contests that give us Senators like Elizabeth Warren and the States are stuck with huge Federal mandates that their citizens don’t want and the States can’t afford. A triumph for top-down socialism. Voted for by people that pay no taxes and are a constant drain on the taxpayers. It is “Free Stuff” for them, but killing the economy and the value of dollar, but “What the hey, take it while you can get it”. They are selling their birthright as Americans for a bowl of red pottage. (If you don’t understand this reference, ask your Pastor.)

For 2013, we can expect a constant increase in the Federal Debt as more people are forced into poverty and welfare programs by unemployment, bankruptcy, retirement, and the destruction of their savings and investments by inflation and government interference. But the most immediate threat is the Socialist/Totalitarian attempt to destroy the 2nd Amendment, The Right to Bear Arms. An armed citizen does not make a good slave. Every tyrannical socialist movement and government in history has disarmed their subjects as soon as possible. Any excuse is usable. The Sandy Hook school massacre is a tragedy and needs addressing. Like John Holmes in Colorado and Jared Loughner in Tucson, there was a Lunatic Control problem with Adam Lanza, not a gun control problem. The Liberal Media has twisted this so Liberal Socialist gun-grabbers like Diane Feinstein can again try to disarm the American people. She is a total hypocrite; she is a gun-owner and has a concealed carry permit (in California!); she has been preparing this anti-gun bill for “over a year”, waiting for an excuse. Never mind that the use of any rifles in homicides and other crimes is statistically very small, and police reported that his mother’s Bushmaster AR type rifle was locked in Lanza’s vehicle (?) which conflicts with reports that the children were shot with a .223. Lanza was known to be mentally disturbed, on medication (which he may not have been taking properly), and his mother had been trying to get him admitted for supervised treatment. Did he shoot the children with the rifle, then lock it in his car and return to the school to shoot himself with one of the two 9mm pistols he had also stolen from his mother after he killed her? We need honest investigation and reporting, not Media Lap-dog hysteria for Socialist Totalitarians.

The Liberal Beltway Buffoons’ new gun-ban intends to outlaw anything that takes a detachable magazine if anyone ever made a magazine that held more than 10 rounds. The popular Ruger Ranch Rifle is specified as banned. If you already have one you can keep it if you register it under the 1934 National Firearms Act as a machinegun, including a $200 tax/per gun. Whereas legally registered machineguns are transferable (sellable), if the buyer can pass the investigation, and pays the $200 fee, under Feinstein’s new law the semi-autos are not. When the legal owner dies the gun must be surrendered to the Federal government. Hundreds of other sporting, competition, and collectable guns are included. Usually simply for looking like a military type gun, or having a magazine over 10 rounds available.

This is just another step. A stronger and broader Clinton Gun Ban with no “sundown clause” with a huge tax, registration, no resale, and eventual confiscation. The stated goal of the anti-gunners among themselves is to outlaw all pistols and all repeating rifles and shotguns, including pumps and lever-actions, not just semi-autos. Also they want to require people to show “a need” for a shotgun or rifle, and even then you will only be allowed one, like in Australia. If you live on a farm or ranch – maybe, if you live in town – forget about it. They know they must get the guns, because they are coming for your property and your children.

You may lose you freedom, but did you got a free ObamaPhone? And a bunch of promises? You and your children will get an unpayable debt.

What Is An Assault Rifle?

The first “assault rifle” was designed and built by the Nazis in WW II for the German paratroopers and SS. It fired a shortened version of 8mm standard German Army rifle and machinegun cartridge called the 7.92mm Kurtz (short). To differentiate the rifles and ammo from the standard, they were referred to as “assault rifles”. In 1947 the Russians followed with the AK-47 design. These were a more powerful and accurate substitute for the submachine guns that fired pistol cartridges.

The real and true definition, by our Dept. of Defense, of assault rifle is: it fires an intermediate cartridge (more powerful than pistol or submachine gun, but less than a battle rifle), select fire (full auto capable), and has a detachable magazine of 30 rounds or more. Also are included standard military features such as bayonet lug, muzzle break/flashhider, sling swivels, and multiple aperture adjustable sights. The “semi-auto assault rifle” is a Liberal Media propaganda invention to confuse the unwary, the most important feature of the “assault rifle” was full-auto fire capability that was easily controlled. Semi-auto are not capable of this, and commercial rifles are re-designed and built so they cannot be converted without extensive machining and using different parts.

The AR-15 platform has been copied, improved, and tweaked by dozens of manufacturers. The design is noted for light weight, ease of manufacture, accuracy, and low recoil. It is now offered in many calibers, 6.8mm, .300 Whisper, .50 Grendel, .204 Ruger, even .22 LR, and other cartridges, as well as the original .223 Remington. A beefed up version is sold by some manufacturers in .308, .243, 7mm-08, .22-250, and other traditional long-range hunting loads. Current commercial ARs often come with no sights; they are designed for use with telescopic sights for hunting. Many come with 5-shot legal hunting magazines which are much more expensive than the surplus 20 and 30 shot mags. Also, the ARs are cheap to manufacture; a good quality AR usually can be built cheaper than a good quality bolt action in similar hunting calibers. ARs are becoming the most popular rifle in the US for hunting, varmint control, and competition, as well as home defense. The would-be tyrants in Washington hate it. Industry estimates there are over 3 million in civilian hands and they are selling as fast as the gun stores can get them.

The semi-auto Kalashnikovs are similar to the original AK-47 in appearance only. The are sold by many companies, redesigned to fit US gun laws and are offered in the original 7.62X39mm (ballistically similar to the 30-30), 5.45X39mm (similar to the .223), 8mm Mauser, 7.62X54mm Rimmed, and .308, all suitable for hunting. Shotgun models in .410, 20ga, and 12ga are also available. These civilian AKs are generally more accurate than military models but have the toughness and reliability of the originals- a good choice for beating around in a ranch truck, ATV, or boat.

The whole “semi-auto assault rifle” is a Liberal Media propaganda invention; none are full auto. The Socialist/Totalitarians fear an armed citizen because if they can resist an attack by criminals, they might just resist an attack by a criminal govt. They must get your guns before they come for your property, savings, children, and churches. And they intend to.

-Bill Brayshaw AKA Longknife 21, Seadrift

We are inviting Vendors to join us and rent a booth or two!  Get your reservation in soon!  Food Vendors are also invited to participate.  Don’t delay – Call Now for your reservation!

TO BE HELD:     Saturday, March 16th, 2013

WHERE:     Port O’Connor Community Center Pavilion

SALE TIME:    Open to Public 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Booth Rental Information:

Under the Pavilion:  $25.00 with approx. 12’x12’ space which includes one 6’ table & 2 chairs.

Additional tables – $5.00 each up to a total of 3 in one booth, or you may rent 2 booths if additional space is needed for an additional booth charge.

Outside the Pavilion:  Bring your own equipment, awning, tables, etc. – the cost is $20.00 for an approximate 12’x12’ space.

Booths under Pavilion will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis – as there is a limited number of these booths and for any particular facility placement requirements.

For reservations and additional information:  Please phone Joyce Jordan, President, Port O’Connor Lions Club at Cell #361-655-7999