There are a lot of reasons that people choose to go camping when they’re hunting for ducks: they get to get out of the house for a while, they enjoy some beautiful scenery, and there’s a ton of fresh air to go around. Before you head out however it’s important to get yourself properly prepared and make sure you’ve got all the proper equipment in place so that you can actually enjoy yourself while you’re hunting.

As with any kind of camping trip, make sure you’ve got some kind of canopy or tent with you to not only give you a centralized location, but to also protect you from the elements as best as possible. The fact is that sometimes the weather can be unpredictable and even though the forecast calls for clear skies, you might find yourself in a bad situation if you haven’t got housing with you. You can find some great canopies and tarps at CanopiesAndTarps that will do quite nicely while you’re duck hunting.

Secondly, you should make sure that where you’re planning to hunt will allow you to do what you’re looking to do. A great deal of states have an open policy on waterfronts, allowing people to hunt ducks freely throughout the daylight hours, but you’re going to want to make sure that you’re allowed to camp out there overnight. You can talk to the gaming commission or check the laws online.

While it might seem like common sense, make sure that you’ve got enough supplies to last your entire camping trip. There’s nothing worse than finding out that you haven’t got enough stuff to last you and you have to cut your trip short or run into town, breaking the atmosphere completely. It’s recommended that while you bring only what you need, try to bring a little extra with you to ensure that you won’t be caught in a compromising situation.

If you plan to stay for a few days, bring a small cooking stove with you. A grill will work too if the laws permit that you use one. You can’t live off rations for a week long trip, so it will be nice to have something to actually cook the ducks with rather than just eating crackers the entire time. Again – make sure the laws permit it.

Although you’re probably going to be right near water, bring some fresh water with you so you can properly clean the ducks before you cook them while you’re camping. If you plan to catch fish while you’re out, the water will come in handy for them as well. Never use the lake or river water to rinse off your food as it could be too dirty and mar the meal; always bring plenty of fresh water from home and don’t automatically assume that fresh water will be provided.

If you don’t want to hunt in a public gaming area, you do have the option of setting up camp in a private land. Always ask permission before you do this from the owner of the territory and make sure they understand that you’ll be camping there and not just spending the afternoon. Likewise, make sure you inquire about parking; you’ll need to know if they let you park on their property or you’ll need to find a public lot to stow your car.

Camping out while you’re duck hunting is a lot of fun and a great experience, but without the proper tools or information available, you could find that it can be quite less enjoyable. Make sure that you have everything ready and prepared before heading out so you can make the most of your hunting trip.

Here’s a great shot of Maya Rochelle in Costa Rica wearing a sexy dress as the wind blows and reveals her amazing booty in a thong.

Britney looks pretty damn hot in her bikini flashing her cleavage by the pool.

Apologies for this week’s lateness and last week’s lack of a post. Things have been hectic due to finals and graduation. As a result, here’s a special double post for the last two episodes. Regular Monday postings will resume tomorrow. 

SPOILER WARNING: Whether you’ve read all five books or only watch the series this post is for you. I have read the books (multiple times) but I will not go beyond the scope of the TV series (save a wink or a nod every now and then that only my fellow readers will catch on to). All events that have occurred in the TV show up to and including yesterday’s episode are fair game.  You’ve been warned.

Note: With the biggest cast in television it can be hard to keep all the names and faces straight. Thus the first mention of each character contains a link to a picture of them which will open in a new tab.

Dracarys

We only saw Dany for a short time in “And Now His Watch His Ended,” but what  a time it was. She hands the slave master Kraznys the chain holding Drogon, the largest and most fearsome of her dragons. He in turn hands her the whip which symbolizes control of the thousands and thousands of Unsullied before her. Once the whip is in her hand, the Unsullied immediately follow her various simple orders: march forward, stop. Kraznys finds himself in much the opposite scenario, though he holds Drogon’s chain, he does not hold Drogon. He complains to Dany in High Valyrian, who turns to tell him “A dragon is not a slave,” revealing in one line both facets of Dany’s deception: First, she’s understood Kraznys all along. The Targaryens are of the blood of Old Valyria, and Valyrian is her mother tongue. Second, she agreed to hand Drogon over knowing full well he would never submit to another master. Unlike slaves, bond and ownership can not be transferred with a chain or whip. She then commands the Unsullied to “slay the masters, slay the soldiers, slay every man who holds a whip, but harm no child. Strike the chains off every slave you see!” Finally realizing his blunder, Kraznys attempts to regain control of the Unsullied, commanding them to kill her, but they belong to Dany now. Once again, she turns to say that word of great destruction, “Dracarys.” Boom. Roasted. Thus were the slaves of Astapor freed and the city burned, with Dany losing nothing and gaining an army in the process. Perhaps she’s finally on her way to Westeros?

In the books, this was one of those moments you stood up, paced around, puffed out your chest, and pumped your fists, and it translated in the show. In the books especially, it felt like the first time Dany had done anything, let alone anything awesome, in forever. The writers did what they could to inject some life into her season two storyline, but it still often felt like a distraction, time wasted in Qarth that could’ve been spent in Westeros. So seeing Dany say dracarys and the chaos that followed had much the same effect.

Furthermore, the scene symbolized both of the episode’s major themes. The first being rising up against one’s oppressors (at times a variation of the hunter becoming the hunted), and the second being the dangers of underestimating and/or misreading people. In this case at least I don’t think either requires much explanation (which is why I chose to begin with it). In the former case, slaves kill their masters. Done. In the latter, Kraznys thought he was conman when in fact he was the victim. That’s got to, ahem, burn.

Read the rest of this entry »

The track was sloppy, so we can only imagine how messy things got as people partied in the infield. The Kentucky Derby is an event that everyone should experience at least once.

Orb emerged victorious coming from behind with a hard charge down the stretch. Now we can all root for the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, as Orb seems to have what it takes to at least compete. This win wasn’t a fluke.

Orb Jockey Joel Rosario discusses the race in the video above. We’re hoping they can keep this up for the Preakness.

Developer: Star Command LLC.

Compatible with: iPhone 3GS and up (optimized for iPhone 5), iPod touch 3rd gen and up, iPad

Requires: iOS 4.3 or later

Price: $2.99

Available here

Captain’s Log Stardate 90946.8

After years in development following a successful Kickstarter campaign, “Star Command” is now available for the app store, and provides a universe spanning strategy title, that offers the chance to chart the unknown and boldly go where no game has gone before.

Well…ok that’s an exaggeration.

In fact, “Star Command” has a lot in common with the PC indie hit “FTL,” right down to the Kickstarter origins, as both games task you with the same objective of traversing different galaxies and defeating some of the toughest scum in the galaxy through ship to ship battles, and onboard scuffles, all as captain of your very own space ship.

While the games may share a similar product description, where “Star Command” differs, and ultimately shines, is in the number of little things.

For instance, the graphics are exceptional. Whereas “FTL” was all about minimalism, “Star Command” looks similar to old PC games like “XCOM” or “Syndicate” and gets the most out of its perspective thanks to a bright and detailed style. The cutscenes are also straight out of a Lucasarts adventure game, and really drive home the humor, danger, and even frights of the game based on the current situation.

As for the gameplay, there is a lot of it. After you’ve customized your captain, you are now responsible for hiring a crew, and assigning them to three different job classes, as well as building and customizing your ships weapons and systems, which are all acquired by using tokens that are earned along the way. Once everything is eventually in place, the game mostly revolves around combat, for which you are responsible for the command of every single aspect of the ship. When it’s time to fire the plasma beams, that’s up to you. When a team needs to be organized to fend off a boarding party, that’s up to you. And when all hell is breaking loose and no hope seems to be available, it’s again down to you.

That last one is important, as things can get out of control very easily. This is not an easy game by any means, as “Star Command” requires your complete concentration, and the ability to multitask like a machine, if you are ever going to have a chance of surviving. Your survival is the key too, as once the captain goes down, the game is over.

Don’t let the doom and gloom keep you away though, as even at its most frustrating “Star Command” is an ambitious and extremely entertaining title that does a great job at promoting an atmosphere where anything can happen at any turn. Exploring the universe truly feels like you’re doing just that, since the variety of enemies and scenarios present at each location rarely, if ever, repeats, making each new adventure feel like some lost episode of “Star Trek.”

In fact it’s probably no coincidence that this game is coming out so close to the new “Star Trek” movie, as if you are a fan of that series, or of anything sci-fi, this app is a beam down from the heavens. It’s a complex, yet accessible and rewarding, adventure that requires several levels of active and passive strategies. Every effort proves worth it though, as it all contributes to a title that lets you experience what it’s like to be at the helm of your own sci-fi ship.

“Star Command” is the perfect type of strategy game for your phone, and with any luck will be the start of a franchise that will live long and prosper. For now though, this game proudly serves as my app of the week.

Elizabeth flashes her nice rack as she opens up her sexy shirt.

We photographed the lovely Kaya in a park in Chicago. Her amazing eyes are mesmerizing!

After a great vacation to Hawaii five years ago, my wife and I decided to move to the pacific island. We decided there is no better place to be – we loved the warm weather and great views.

After moving to the island we found that there were several things that were different about living in Hawaii than on the mainland. Such differences include choices in clothing, language and family rites of passage. However, my favorite difference; almost everyone in Hawaii owns a truck.

We’re not talking small trucks either. I’m talking huge four-wheel drive monster. Four-wheel drive monsters that can take on anything from pavement to jungle or even climbing the side of a mountain. Consequently, I was so happy to trade in our compact car for a monster four-wheel drive truck that that alone could have sold me on living in Hawaii.

It was one of the best purchases we made living on the island. It enabled us to experience the greatest parts of the island – and these parts are most certainly not accessible by car. The following are just a few reasons why (whether you’re visiting or living in Hawaii) you need a truck.

Rain, rain – go away!

Living on the island was amazing but there was one thing that was very difficult to get used to; the rain! Some of our funniest truck-inspired memories were caused by rain, or more specifically, trying to navigate flooded or muddy roads in the new truck. Hilo, in particular, is the rainiest city in the nation and gets over 120 inches of rain every year.

That presents a problem at times if the only vehicle you have isn’t a truck. There were several times we were in town and had groceries; a birthday present, or even bags in the back of our truck and it started raining. We found out over time the greatest solution to our problems was to get one of those truck bed covers. These covers can be left snapped on or rolled back to leave the truck bed open.

Get to all the great beaches

Some of the greatest beaches on the island are not accessible without a truck. The trails out to the beach would entail a long walk or a four-wheel drive truck to get you to the sandy coast. Having a truck also enables you to drive your cooler and other beach props right to the place you want to set up your site without the arduous task of carrying them down seemingly un-ending jungle paths.

Waipio Valley

This breathtaking valley has one that most only see on postcards or travel shows. The road driving down into the valley however, is impossible to reach unless you have a truck with four-wheel drive. After we made the steep and windy drive down to the valley, it was well worth the trouble. At Waipio valley we were able to set up camp and stay for two nights right there on the beach. There were great adventures to be had once we got down there. Bike trails, hiking, horseback riding, snorkeling or stand up paddle surfing were just a few options we had to choose from.

Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes on the island, and this one also happens to be the largest volcano on the planet. At the top of this amazing volcano is an observatory for stargazing at night, or just getting a “feel” for the volcano up close, during the day. Unfortunately, because it is also the tallest volcano, it almost always has snow on the ground. Having a truck to climb the snowy terrain is absolutely necessary to get where you’re going.

As I said before, a four-wheel drive truck isn’t a luxury in Hawaii. If you ever want to be able to take in even a small percentage of what this beautiful land has to offer, you’re going to need a way to get there. Besides, I can’t think of a better way to spend the day than cruising the island with the windows down, and my beautiful wife by my side.

Can you feel the excitement in the air? Or, maybe it’s just the sound of boxes of bourbon and tequila being shipped all across the country as we approach Cinco de Mayo this Sunday and Derby Day tomorrow. If you’re both a devout Southwestern partier and a horse racing fanatic, you’ve got a busy weekend ahead.

I, however, have a decision to make. As a native Southern Californian, I very definitely would have been a son of Mexico had I been born, say, 115 years earlier. So, this year, the Mexican-American holiday defeats Derby Day in terms of which big day gets highlighted here on DOTW.

I therefore present a Cinco de Mayo treat that has benefit of being really, really simple and containing some truly outstanding booze. In fact, this is a rare case where I might like one of our featured freebie boozes a bit more than the actual cocktail, which is a very minor variation on a latter day mixological masterpiece.

Award winning and widely acclaimed, Casa Noble Tequila isn’t new. We’re told it’s history goes back to the 1700s, though Lord only knows exactly how long the modern day brand of Casa Noble Tequila Crystal — their white or “silver” tequila — has been on the market. Nevertheless, at any age I can tell you it’s delicious, with vegetable and pleasantly mineral notes that make this tequila pretty delightful straight up. That might have little to do with the fact that Casa Noble is one of three organic tequilas in the world, or that it’s partially owned by rock  legend and lifelong (Baja and Northern) Califorian Carlos Santana, but it sure doesn’t hurt.

The Casa Noble Margarita

2 ounces Casa Noble Crystal
1 ounce Grand Marnier
1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass. Toast the nation that gave the world the world not only tequila, tacos, and Santana, but Cantinflas, Salma Hayek, Carlos Fuentes, Anthony Quinn, and the world’s most interesting form of professional wrestling. No salt rim required

****

The first time I tried this drink, I hadn’t gotten the memo about not adding salt to the rim, and so I did as one would usually do with a Margarita. I have to admit I liked it better that way, but salt is still not a part of the official recipe. Aside from substituting Grand Marnier for the usual orange liqueurs, triple sec or Cointreau, the lack of salt is about all that distinguishes this margarita from the classic margarita, which I wrote about back in 2011 and I still think absolutely requires salt.

In any case, I have to admit that I actually prefer the standard version, what with the salt and triple sec, to this classier but somewhat standoffish variation. On the other hand, I can’t wait to try a standard margarita with Casa Noble, maybe for actual Cinco de Mayo, because that stuff is very, very good.