JAB

I don't have cable and watch The Walking Dead with some friends at their house.  I don't need to get interested in another show to keep me out even later on Sunday night so I purposefully avoided sticking around to watch it (not sure if they did or not.)  Maybe I will catch it later when/if it comes out on DVD if the overall verdict from folks whose opinions I trust is that it is worth watching.    The whole, "Absolutely no guns," thing didn't sit very well with me, either.  As Caster said, I will believe that Rick Grimes' group can make 100 yard head shots on walking corpses with rifles that have no sights before I will believe that there are no firearms in a society where they did, at one point, exist.  My first thought on hearing that was, "Bull****.  You're telling me that they don't have pipes, wood, matches or lighters and the basic materials to make gunpowder just like the Chinese did thousands of years ago?"  I mean, I could buy that there are no ARs or that sort of thing.  I can even accept that there might not be any 'repeaters' such as autoloader pistols/rifles, lever actions and so on (even though having seen videos about black market gun makers in Pakistan who create pretty good forgeries of modern firearms using mostly hand tools even that is a bit of a suspension of disbelief.)  But they expect me to believe that no one has put together a "smoke pole" or a pole cannon with simple touch holes or wicks?  Maybe even something like a Brown Bess?  I saw in the previews that one character (the main character?) was riding a motorcycle.  If they have the technical and mechanical knowledge/skills and equipment to build a motorcycle or even to build parts to maintain a motorcycle then they can darn well build single action revolvers and could certainly build flintlocks (which wouldn't even require being able to manufacture cased ammo.)   Of course, the possible 'good' side of the idea of 'no guns, whatsoever' is that the show appears (based on the previews) to be set in a pretty violent, dystopian society so the message could, I suppose, be, "Guns are a means to an end, not the source of violent behavior.  People can and do slaughter each other just fine without them."

  Maybe they had an extra fill in for Glenn and call for help.  That way they could honestly say it wasn't Glenn on the walkie.   As for the dude who stole Daryl's bike (possible spoiler, but not a huge one)   I think that guy was Dwight.  In the comics, one of the Saviors (Negan's group) is a guy named Dwight.  He is actually ends up becoming one of Negan's right hand henchmen but also completely hates Negan and comspires against him with Rick's group, acting as their 'man on the inside' as much as he can.  I think it was the Saviors who were the 'mystery antagonists' who shot at Daryl et. al. and who were after the three folks in the woods.  I think those are the folks who Dwight and the girl are going back to on the bike they stole from Daryl.  Of course, that isn't how the Saviors are introduced in the comics because there is no Daryl Dixon in the comics.  In other words, not only do I think that guy will be back as a recurring character but believe he will be a somewhat pivotal one in the upcoming story line.

  Spoiler alert:   In the comics, Abraham does cheat on/break up with Rosita - who is just as hot in the comics as in the show - although it is in favor of a blonde chick from Alexandria.  Rosita ends up with - believe it or not - Eugene.

I have had my 6.5 inch barrel .22 combo for a few years, now so have no experience with them since Taurus bought the company.  That said, I like my .22 and find it to be pretty accurate and reliable as long as I do my part.   That said, would the .22 version be what you would choose for silhouette shooting or would you need a centerfire?  I ask because the two are not necessarily the same animal or at least they weren't in the pre-Taurus days.  Last I knew (again, pre-Taurus and my still be this way) the rimfire revolvers and the .32 version (which, to my knowledge, is no longer offered) were made by Heritage at their facility in the U.S.  I am pretty sure that most of the parts were made there.  That is, IIRC.  The centerfire versions, however, were (again, to my understanding) assembled at Heritage from parts made entirely or at least mostly by Pietta in Italy.  So, the rimfires were Heritage products while the centerfires were, for all intents and purposes, Pietta revolvers.

  Thanks for the link.  Funny the article brings up some of the same points that I voiced as concerns - such as dropping f-bombs being such a big part of Negan's characer and even part of his strange charm and wondering how the show would deal with that.  They also compared him to the Governor in almost exactly the same way I did.  Heck, maybe I should be writing those things!

  I have also posited (can't remember if it was on here, on another forum or both) that they might have Glenn survive this just to give fans the false sense of security that Glenn is 'untouchable' just so it will be an even bigger shock when they kill him off in the second or third episode of next season.   I hadn't read that Negan had actually been cast but I had read that a casting call had gone out (according to the rumor I read, they used a different name for the character in the casting call - probably as at least an attempt at hiding which role they were really casting - but there was little doubt that Negan was the character being described) and that it looked like he would make his appearance at the end of the current season.  Don't know how reliable that is but if, as Kirkman says, they are going to stick closer to the comics that would make more sense as Rick's group and the people of Alexandria still have to encounter and interact with the other settlements, first.   My concern with the Negan storyline is that they let the Governor storyline go on for far too long.  If they had stuck closer to the comics timeline, the Governor would have been introduced in the last, couple of episodes of one season, the conflict with him would have started at the beginning of the next season and he would have been dead - with Rick and his group on the run from the prison - before the end of that season.  Instead, they dragged him out, had him come back and generally made him the primary antagonist for most of two seasons instead of just one season.  In the comics, the conflict with Negan and his bunch did last for quite some time - probably at least long enough for two seasons of the show, maybe more (I actually haven't read all the way to the end of the Negan storyline, yet.)  My fear is that - because they dragged the Governor's presence out for far too long and because some of the things that define Negan's character likely can't be done on the show (for instance, in the comics, it is actually a big part of Negan's character that he drops the f-bomb at least two or three times in almost every sentence he speaks, no matter to whom he is speaking - it is partly what makes him a darkly funny, strangely charismatic character - much more charismatic than either version of the Governor while at the same time being even more ruthless and insane.)

  Not just keeping a rattlesnake as a pet but keeping it as a pet in a box with a bunch of puppies underneath a baby's crib.

I posited the theory to my friends last night that it was Deanna's sons blood that was running down the wall.  It would be a pretty good juxtaposition if just as Deanna decides to get good and mad and start actually doing something, her son gives up and offs himself with her right below where he is on the wall.

  FWIW, Maggie was pregnant/had a baby in the comics, too.  I can't remember if she was still pregnant or had just had the baby when the comic book version of Glenn bought it.  So, not really a cheap ploy but really (as Kirkman has said they will do) an attempt to more closely follow the comics as the show continues forward (unless, of course, you consider Maggie being pregnant in the comics to have been a cheap ploy, too.)   In fact (possible spoiler alert for those who haven't read any of the comics), after Glenn dies in the comics Maggie ends up leaving Alexandria and going to live with her baby at one of the other (as yet unencountered in the show) settlements because she feels that it is safer for the baby so her having the baby was a pretty big plot driver for her storyline in the comics.

Looks pretty cool but I honestly think I would like it better if you had just wrapped the shaft all the way up to the bottom of the hammer head and left the hammer head, itself, exposed. In some ways, I also think that would be a little more 'stealth', believe it or not, as someone seeing it might think 'neat idea for a cane' rather than 'he is trying to hide that hammer head for some reason.' Plus I think that bright, shiny ball peen hammer head makes an attractive handle. Someone with engraving skills (meaning someone other than me, for sure) could really make such a handle look super nice - and much less 'weapon like' - with just a few, traditional type details. Looks like I am not the only one to think of engraving a hammer head. I was envisioning something exactly like this and was a little surprised to find that someone had done it (found on the Internet - not my pic.) Now, imagine this as a walking cane handle (not sure but I think this one is still simply on a hammer type handle.)

May be a little obvious what the cane is intended for.   :)   Maybe but then, again, people use all sorts of things for cane/walking stick handles.  Check these out:   Parrot head cane - talk about a 'hammer'!   http://www.fashionablecanes.com/85150.html   Double eagle cane - now that would seriously ruin someone's day.   http://www.fashionablecanes.com/80299.html

  Heck, S&W created the .40 in collaboration with the FBI as a direct result of the Miami shootout because the agency wanted to blame the 9mm for the tragedy and some of their agents couldn't handle 10mm.  I don't know, however, if this is so much about not being able to handle the .40 as it is about modern 9mm ammo being every bit as good performance wise with less recoil and (although I didn't see it specifically mentioned) higher capacity in the same sized pistols.

  Actually, the Miami shootout was ENDED by an agent using .38 Special.  Agent Mireles had a .357 loaded with .38 Special (+P, maybe) and that was the gun that finally ended the gunfight.  That was because Mireles had cajones the size of church bells and, although wounded, walked toward the car in which Matix and Platt were trying to escape, firing his revolver the whole tim - hitting Matix two or three times in the face - until he was finally beside the car and reaching into the window to shoot Platt.   I am of the opinion that no handgun caliber (short of possibly full-on .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum) would have fared any better than 9mm with the ammo available at the time.  I seem to remember reading that the perpetrators received 9mm wounds that would have eventually been fatal but nothing that would have caused an immediate stop.

Morgan is an arrogant, self-centered SOB.  He is attempting to find his own redemption by 'saving' the member of the Wolves that he has locked up under the guise of believing that 'every life is precious'.  At the same time, he is willfully risking the lives of every person in Alexandria without so much as discussing it with them.  Did you all notice that he even went so far as to consider not locking the gate where he is keeping the Wolf?   Because of the way he is callously risking the lives of everyone else at Alexandria I would go so far as to say that, on the whole, human lives mean no more to Morgan now than they did when he was 'clearing'.  What matters to him is his so-called 'philosophy' of not directly doing the killing himself.  Instead, he sticks his head in the sand and lets others do the killing for him.  Case in point:  when Carol gave him and the preacher each a pistol he handed his to the preacher.  He didn't unload it and chuck the magazine to prevent anyone from being killed with it but, instead, put the responsibility of using it on the preacher.   Now Morgan might not be threatening to directly kill anyone in Alexandria but he is risking all of their lives just so he can stroke his own philosophical ego and prove that he can 'save' the Wolf.  This shows a complete lack of concern for the lives of all the residents.  In other words, Morgan recovered from his psychotic break by becoming a sociopath, instead.  The Morgan we knew (and liked) from the first season died when his son was bitten.

  Sounds pretty good but I think I'd like it better stuffed with the mixture I use for stuffed mushrooms - sausage, browned and crumbled (I sometimes use Italian sausage when doing mushrooms), bread crumbs, a little parmesan cheese and an egg (as a binder.)  Stuff it into the mushrooms (or jalapenos as Garufa's great idea suggests), top with a little more shredded parmesan cheese and bake until filling is set, giving time for the egg in the mixture to fully cook.

  I don't have cable and so I watch TWD with friends at their house.  My first comment as Morgan was heading out the door to leave the cabin was, "Be danged if I'd leave that place behind to go wandering around among walkers, again.  He wouldn't have to stay there alone, as Eastman cautioned him against doing.  Instead, I'd use it as a base to start a community.  The first thing I'd do is go and find those two people he saved and bring them back there."    I know they wanted to get Morgan back with Rick and his group but I think it would have been more interesting if Morgan had ended up bringing a few people to the cabin and training them in Aikido just as Eastman trained him before he left.  They could have expanded the gardens, etc. and - once they were established and he knew they could protect themselves and that Eastman's cabin wouldn't be going to waste - then Morgan could have told them one day that he was leaving.  Even if he had only brought those two people he encountered in the forest back and helped them get set up to feed and defend themselves it would have been more satisfying.  Instead, it was like, "All life is precious but not precious enough for me to postpone my walkabout for a few weeks to save those two, obviously good people who I just ran across in the woods and possibly even start a safe haven/community that could be here even after I am gone."

I'm just going to 'replay' my post from another forum.  I usually agree with the 'choices' the writers, producers, etc. make on the show but I have to say that not only could Morgan's story have been told in 45 minutes, tops, but I wish that they had done so. Telling the character's stories is one thing - and a good thing, IMO - but letting the story drag and get boring is another. With all the action of the last, couple of weeks I can see a desire by the showrunners to slow things down a bit but last night's episode was too slow. The characters were interesting and the actors did a great job but doing a special, 90 minute episode (other than the season opener) of a normally 60 minute show should mean that there is a lot going on not that your are going to allow a 45 minute story to go on for 45 minutes too long. I really didn't expect to find out anything about Glenn in last night's episode and I don't know how they could have worked elements of the rest of the current action in. I guess mostly I just think they should have done the episode in an hour and left it at that. Now, I have to ask - does anyone else find themselves not liking Morgan very much? I mean, I want to like him but don't know if I can. For one thing, I see a strong correlation between Eastman and the people of Alexandria. To my thinking, it is easy to do the whole zen, "I don't kill because all life is precious," thing when you live by yourself in a cabin in the woods where you are never faced with having to kill other people to survive. Sure, like the folks of Alexandria he has dispatched a few walkers but that was it. Morgan was trying to kill him but, honestly, wasn't a "real" threat as Eastman put him out easily. Further, we find out that - when push came to shove and someone harmed people he cared about - Eastman is a killer - and a stone cold one at that. Again, it is easy to say that, "After that I decided never to kill again," and stick to it when there is no one around to kill and you aren't facing people who are hell bent on killing you and everyone you care about. Honestly, I found Eastman's philosophy to be a cop out. Still, as he never had to live 'out there' I can sort of forgive Eastman for his rather naive world view. Morgan, on the other hand, has lived 'out there' so - while he definitely needed to make the return trip from Crazytown - he should also know that sometimes you have to kill, if not to protect yourself then to protect others. For Morgan to wholeheartedly adopt the philosophy of a guy who has lived a life that is sheltered from what is really going on when Morgan should know better is downright disingenuous on Morgan's part. Now, add on that Morgan is keeping one of the Wolves locked up inside Alexandria. When Eastman made the choice to try and help Morgan he was endangering only himself (and the goat) and then not as much as it might have seemed because he could obviously handle himself against Morgan. Morgan, by contrast, is endangering every, single person in Alexandria - including (just as the crazy Wolf guy, himself, said) all the children and others who cannot defend themselves to try and 'save' a (probably irredeemable) psychopathic killer. That is unacceptable. Further, Eastman was a freakin' forensic psychiatrist whose profession had been working with violently insane people on a daily basis. This gave him an expertise in being able to recognize who could be helped - and possibly even to what extent - and who would never be anything but a cold-blooded killer. It also meant he had training and experience in giving said help. Morgan has none of that background, training or experience and no such skills. For him to risk all those innocent lives (which should be 'precious' to him) just to make some ham-handed attempt to redeem one nutjob is about as stupid as it is arrogant. Yeah, I'm really starting to dislike Morgan. If Rick finds out, he'll probably put a bullet in the brain of the psychopath and he would be right to do so. If Rick thinks the Wolves took Judith and finds out about the guy Morgan has locked away then Rick will do whatever it takes to find out where the Wolves would have taken Judith, even if it means torturing the guy. If Morgan got in his way, well, we'd probably find out how well a stick would fare against a Colt Python at thirty yards. Even Daryl - who seems to be trying to soften up a bit - would be behind Rick if Judith were at risk. Heck, for that matter forget Rick or Daryl - to save his sister Carl would drop Morgan and get medieval on Mr. Psychopath in a heartbeat.

I don't think Glenn is dead.  I do think Glenn will be dead by the end of the seventh season.  If he ends up dying the way I think he will, I actually think it is a pretty cool move, writing wise, to have the audience think he is 'untouchable' because he lives through this only to really kill him off in the early part of next season.  I think that would do even more to turn expectations on their heads than simply killing off such a 'main' character as Glenn right now.  Personally, I would see that more as an interesting 'twist of the knife' than a cheap shot.

I think that there are a couple of good, honest and non 'trickery' ways that Glenn could be rescued.   1.  I do not believe that Enid was working with the wolves.  Also, the actress who plays her has said in an interview that Enid will return and she thinks fans will like the way she does it.  Glenn and Nicholas couldn't use the fire escape to get away because it was partially blocked but if Enid were to open the door from the inside, step out onto the landing and create a diversion to draw the walkers to the other end of the alley then that could give Glenn time to get away in a very believable manner.   Possible Spoilers:   2.  Jesus saves.  No, not that Jesus -  the character from the comics who folks call Jesus (much to his chagrin) because he looks like the classic representations of Jesus.  That dude makes the television show's version of Morgan look overly dependent on weaponry.  He will wade into a group of walkers with no weapons and with his hands literally tied behind his back and prevail - and rumor has it that an actor has already been cast to play that character.  He might have some other people with him, too - people from Hilltop who are a little more 'clued in' on fighting zombies than the people of Alexandria.  Hey, if the story line is going to be anything like the comics from this point on then the main group and the folks of Alexandria have to be introduced to the other two settlements of 'good guys' somehow.   3.  Along the lines of meeting the people of the other communities - and I have to admit I would love to see this - if a dude with a group of knights in armor who are experts at swordfighting and a pet Bengal tiger can't save Glenn's butt in a 'believable' manner then I don't know what could.  Too much for the show?  Well, Robert Kirkman has gone on record to say that Ezekiel and Shiva (the afore-mentioned tiger) probably will appear on the show at some point.

I will actually be disappointed if Rick getting cut and getting zombie blood in the wound does end up with him having to lose the hand because THAT would be a major inconsistency, not the other way around.  I mean, is there any object in the show that is likely to be more tainted with zombie blood than one of Daryl's crossbow bolts?  Well, remember when he got thrown from the horse while looking for Sophia that one of those bolts went clear through his side (and he later confirmed his genuine badass status by pulling that bolt out and using it to take out a walker?)  Even before that, remember how when Glenn was being kidnapped Daryl shot one of the guys who was grabbing him in the ass with a crossbow bolt?  That guy didn't die, turn or even get sick.  So, getting walker blood in a wound is clearly not a big deal, unlike getting bitten.   Also, I don't believe that RIck is 'over the edge'.  Instead, I think he has finally come to grips with the world that they live in and the fact that he can't be 'Officer Friendly' any more if he wants to survive and keep his friends/family/the people of Alexandria alive.  Remember waaay back at the prison when Carl gave Rick a (much needed and well deserved) verbal smackdown about how Rick had told Carl he would have to grow up and how Rick needed to do the same, reminding him that almost every time members of their group had died since coming to the prison it was because Rick let someone go that he should have killed?  Well, Carl wasn't wrong - and I think Rick finally realizes that.   Further, Rick's current point of view is in stark contrast not only to Morgan's but also to...   1.  Dale's.  And he's dead.   2.  Andrea's (yeah, I know a lot of folks didn't like her but her biggest fault was wanting to believe in the Governor's humanity and trying to broker peace between the groups.)  And she's dead.  Not only is she dead but she was intentionally killed by a living human (well, it was murder by zombie but it was the Governor who actually killed her.)   3.  Herschel's.  And he's dead.  Also intentionally killed by a living human.   4.  Beth's.  And she's dead.  Also killed by a living human (I guess it was more negligent homicide, manslaughter or maybe second-degree murder than per-meditated, first-degree murder.)   5.  Tyreese's.  And he's dead.   6.  Noah's.  And he's dead.   7.  Deanna's.  And her husband is dead - killed by the guy she refused to let Rick kill when he told her the guy needed killing.   8.  Glenn's.  And he's ????.  All because he was trying to save Nicholas when he should have just capped him after Nicholas attacked him in the woods.   Further, just as Carl was right when he chastised Rick for letting people live when he should have killed them, more than once since his return Morgan has shown mercy only to have that same person come back and kill or try to kill people in his group (in which I am including the Alexandrians.)   One popular definition of insanity is repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting a different result.  Therefore, Rick - who has learned through experience that you have to kill those who need killing - meaning anyone who poses a threat to you or yours -  and that you have to cut loose anyone who is endangering your group through their inability to accept reality - is not the one who is insane.  A bit overly hardened and jaded, perhaps, but not insane.  The people who repeatedly refuse to see the world as it is - and repeatedly try to 'save' people who can't be saved, 'redeem' people who can't be redeemed or just generally give a person who tries to kill them a second chance so that person can try to kill them, again, are the ones who are insane.

I hope Glenn isn't dead because I want to see some really kickass, non-lame explanation for how he got out of it.  Anyone who has read any of the comics knows that Glenn is not 'safe' in the overall story arc.  Further, there have been some indications that Neven will be introduced at the end of this season.  I could see...     POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT   ...the writers saving Glenn now, through some seriously hardcore actions on his part, just to purposefully ramp up the feeling among viewers that Glenn is 'unkillable' - only to have Neven and Lucille do their thing on him in one of the early episodes of next season.

    I happened to come across this the other day - something called Utah Ready-Quick Mix.  Apparently there is a government extension office in Utah that publishes the recipe along with a pamphlet/small booklet which includes recipes in which the Ready-Quick Mix can be used.  Here is a link to the .pdf of the full booklet:   http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FNP_102.pdf   I guess the booklet is intended to be printed and then folded in half because the recipe for the actual Ready-Quick Mix is on page 3 of the booklet (which happens to be the right hand side of page 3 of the .pdf - with page 38 on the left hand side.)  I hope that helps.   Just to throw this in, they also have a publication for a mix they call SOS (soup or sauce) that is meant to be a substitute for cream-style soups in recipes, etc.   http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FNP_101.pdf   I am generally not really a fan of sausage balls, myself.  I think a lot of them have waaaayyyy to much of a 'bread' quality (not that I don't like bread) and not enough of the sausage/cheese quality.  If I were to make them, I'd probably use as little of the flour/Bisquick type ingredients as possible.

Rossi .357 snubnosed revolvers are in that neighborhood, brand new.  I liked the one I had and would still have it if I hadn't traded it toward a S&W 642 (because I wanted a pocketable revolver and didn't have a S&W revolver.)  I would have no qualms owning another,  6 shots of .357 in a snubnosed revolver for around $300 brand new.  The only problem I ever had was finding 'off the shelf' fitted holsters made for them.  No big deal - just make your own.   Hi-Points are another good answer.  I bought my mom a (barely used, like new) Hi Point in 9mm just so she could try out something in 9mm and I wouldn't be in it for much if she didn't like it.  Figured she could trade up if she did like it.  Nope, that was several years ago and she loves the Hi Point so it isn't going anywhere.  She likes it so much, in fact, that she eventually bought one in .45, as well.   As said, with the P-series Rugers you'd be talking used but they are really good pistols.  I was given a P-95 (9mm) decocker only model by a now deceased friend.  I really liked it and thought I would like to carry it but didn't want to because of sentimental value so I ended up getting another one - a safety/decocker model.  I would have preferred decocker only but took what I could find - I think they stopped offering the option of decocker only quite some time ago and went to all P95 pistols having safety/decockers.  P95 pistols are DA/SA (which I like) so I never use the safety, anyhow. The safety/decocker model I have has a light rail while the decocker only model is older and has no light rail.

  Oh, I think that the knives and sheaths involved here are nice enough that there is plenty of credit to go around for all involved.

  Back in the '80s and possibly early 90's there was a patrol car that was always parked along a side street, facing the main street, right as you came in to Lenoir City from the Loudon direction here in East Tennessee.  It sat there for years on and off and although it looked like a 'speed trap' - I suppose to get people to slow down as they came over the hill and into town - everyone knew it was unoccupied.  Apparently, one time when the police went to move that cruiser they found that it had been partially stripped (the police radio was missing along with a few, other parts that wouldn't have been obvious just by looking at it as you drove by.)  Yep - some enterprising person had not only committed a theft with a police cruiser nearby but had actually stolen parts off of the cruiser, itself.