Heroes: Louis Zamperini

Louis Silvie “Lucky Louie” Zamperini was born on January 26, 1917 and died July 2, 2014. He was an Olympic distance runner, World War II prisoner of war survivor and inspirational speaker. His story was told by Laura Hillenbrand who wrote the best-selling book, Unbroken; which was adapted into a film that will be released December 2014, directed and co-produced by Angelina Jolie. Hillenbrand also published another best seller, Seabiscuit: An American Legend. The stars of the film are: Jack O'Connell, Garrett Hedlund, and Domhnall Gleeson.

Philo T. Farnsworth

We use it at least once per day. Some homes have more than one. It became a status symbol in the early 1950s. People have been entertained and informed for generations since. The inventor's first name was used by actor Clint Eastwood in the film, Every Which Way But Loose – by accident or on purpose. It is television.

However, I bet few know who invented the technological marvel that changed the world, for better or worse. His name is Philo T. Farnsworth. Unfortunately, he did not get historical attention until recently. Indeed, encyclopedia, under the entry electronic television, will read:

Vladimir Zworykin invented the Ionoscope for RCA in 1923 …

William F. Cody: Buffalo Bill of the Wild West

William Frederick Cody who became known as Buffalo Bill, was a buffalo hunter (thus the name), United States Army scout, and an Indian fighter. He is best known in history as the man who brought the Wild West to the eastern United States and major European cities. The colorful show was called Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World – a long name that created a long historical reputation.

His life story is mixed with legend and fabrication, but it provided an insight for people who did not live in the West during the height of its notoriety and hailed a way of life that was disappearing in the Victorian and Industrial period of American history.

Adrian von Zieglar: Epic Neoclassical Composer of the 21st Century

I enjoy Celtic music along with Scottish bagpipes immensely, as well as some of the Neoclassic Gothic style music that have been used in the film/video game genre; as well as great film soundtracks like Braveheart  [ James Horner] and Dances with the Wolves [ late John Barry ].

American Historical Figures: Shirley Temple Black

Shirley Temple Black famed child star and diplomat, died on February 10th, 2014. She was 85 years old. Surrounded by her family and friends, she passed in her Woodside, California home.

She was born on April 23^rd, 1928 in Santa Monica, California, her birth name was Shirley Jane Temple, her mother, Gertrude Temple. Her father was George Temple, a banker. Shirley began her film career at age 3 in 1932. By 1934 she had gained international fame after her film Bright Eyes. In 1935 she received an outstanding contribution award for the 1934 films Curly Top and Heidi. 

Stephen King, Contemporary Horror Author, Joins Progressive Movement to Ban Firearms

First his biography and his accomplishments:

Stephen King is a contemporary author of horror fiction that includes science fiction and fantasy genre, whose books have sold more than 350 million copies and he continues to write more. Many of those stories became adaptations of films, television movies, and comic books. To date, he has written fifty novels that include early works written under a pen name Richard Bachman (seven books) and five non-fiction titles. He has written 200 short stories that have been put together to make nine collections. Most of his stories occur in his home state of Maine. He will go down in the history of American literature in the ranks of Poe and Lovecraft; along with the Gothic horror style of Anne Rice. He is well-known in the academic world of literature and has taught university classes and given lectures. His renown is international. I have a complete collection of his works that I passed on to his family; and despite his skewered look at the liberties of the Second Amendment, I admire him as a writer and intellect.

Theodore Roosevelt: Naturalist, Cowboy, Author, Politician, Statesman, Soldier, Explorer, Adventurer, and 26th President of the United States

Prolific Life of Theodore Roosevelt Jr

Much is written about Theodore Roosevelt Jr, the 26^th President of the United States and leader of the famous Rough Riders of the Spanish-American War in Cuba. He was an historian who wrote while attending Harvard University entitled The Naval War of 1812. Theodore was a state assemblyman, a member of the Republican National Convention from 1882 to 1884. He was a rancher and cowboy whose herd got wiped out in the severe winter of 1886-1887, when he returned to the state of New York building the Sagamore Hill estate in Oyster Bay.

Roosevelt built a second ranch named Elk Horn, 35 miles north of Medora, North Dakota on the banks of the Little Missouri River where he practiced riding western style, roping and hunting from horseback. He said of the cowboy:

...few of the emasculated, milk-and-water moralities admired by the pseudo-philanthropists, but he does possess, to a very high degree, the stern, manly qualities that are invaluable to a nation.

Samuel Colt

Samuel Colt [July 19^th 1814 to January 10^th 1862] was an American inventor and successful industrialist from Hartford, Connecticut, founding Colt's firearms manufacturing company that is known today as Colt's Manufacturing Company making the revolver a mass production.

Mr. Colt's first business venture was producing firearms in Paterson, New Jersey and making underwater mines, which ended in failure; however, his business expanded quickly after 1847 when the Texas Rangers ordered 1,000 revolvers during the American war with Mexico. During the American Civil War, his factory in Hartford, Connecticut supplied sidearms to both the North and South and later used during the settlement of the western frontier. When Colt died in 1862 he was one of the wealthiest men in America.

Ambrose Bierce

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret ...

Ambrose Gwinett Bierce was born on June 24^th 1842 and his date of death can only be estimated to be after December 26^th 1913.

Among the list of classic American authors, famous for his short stories, he was also an editorialist, journalist and at the end of his life, an adventurer. He was a critical satirist, but was quick to encourage youthful writers which included George Sterling and W.C. Morrow. His writing style was unique and featured sudden beginnings, dark images with limited description and often depicting the theme of war.

Oscar Mossberg

Oscar Mossberg [center]

Oscar F. Mossberg was born in Sweden and came to the United States in 1886 and soon after his arrival he became an employee of the Iver Johnson Corporation in the bicycle manufacturing plant, owned by Norwegian-born Iver Johnson. His interests, however, were more in tune with the firearm part of the plant and his Hammer the Hammer he invented made Iver Johnson famous.

After about one year, Mossberg left Iver Johnson for a job as Superintendent of the Shattuck Arms Company that made palm pistols, revolvers, and shotguns.

In 1900, Mossberg joined Steven Arms Corporation, where he stayed for 14 years.

Marlin-Rockwell Light Machine Gun

In 1914, he joined the Marlin-Rockwell Corporation, a new manufacturer that produced light machine guns. He stayed until the company went bankrupt in 1919. That year he started a partnership with his two sons, Iver and Harold.

Mossberg was the first to produce an affordable rifle, first to offer a complete rifle with a telescopic rifle in one package, first to offer a rifle with necessary accessories like sling, swivels, peep sights, telescopic sight, etc.; first to drop the military finger grooved firearm style; first to produce a spotting scope with stand; and first to produce a range-finding telescopic sight.

In 1937, Oscar Mossberg died, but his sons continued their father's tradition and philosophy to offer reasonably priced yet quality firearms and accessories. [See O.F. Mossberg & Sons]

Mossberg firearms made Monte Carlo-style stocks the norm in the industry, as well as molded trigger housings that were spring-loaded with quick-release swivels and the first 3.5-inch barrel for his 12-gauge shotgun. Mossberg shotguns gained worldwide notoriety with guns like the Mossberg 935 Magnum, 835 Ulti-Mag, and the Mossberg 500 & 590 home defense and security weapons for military, law enforcement and personal protection.

It is the oldest family-owned firearms manufacture in the United States and the Mossberg pump-action shotgun is sold worldwide.

Oliver F. Winchester

Oliver Fisher Winchester was born on November 30^th, 1810 and died December 11^th, 1880. His surname became famous in the world of firearms when he manufactured and marketed the Winchester repeating rifle, a re-design from the Volcanic rifle that had not marketed so well years earlier.

Winchester began as a clothing manufacturer in New York City and New Haven, Connecticut and during that time he discovered that the Smith & Wesson firearms company was failing financially. A savvy businessman, Winchester put capital together and with other stockholders acquired the S&W division of the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company in 1850. Winchester was the principle stockholder and relocated the company to New Haven, changing its name to the New Haven Arms Company.

Christopher Miner Spencer

Christopher Miner Spencer was an American inventor [ June 20, 1833 – January 14, 1922 ] from Manchester, Connecticut, who invented the Spencer Repeating Rifle that was introduced in the Civil War used by the Union cavalry. He was also the inventor of a steam-powered vehicle called a horseless carriage, a silk winding machine, the first fully automatic turret lathe and 38 other inventions.

The Spencer rifle was developed in 1859, but was not used by Union soldiers until 1863 after Christopher Spencer walked into the White House carrying one of his rifles and some cartridges. Security was not at a high level because he walked past the sentries and into President Lincoln's office. 

Firearm History: Remington Arms Company

Remington Arms Company is the oldest firearm manufacturer in the United States, founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Llion, New York. It is also the only US company that produces both firearms and ammunition domestically and is the largest producer of shotguns and rifles. Its products are distributed to over 60 foreign countries. Remington is owned by Cerberus Capital Management. In 2013, the Model 1100 semiautomatic shotgun celebrated its 50^th anniversary. The Remington Model 700 bolt-action rifle celebrated its 50^th anniversary in 2012. After a 12-year absence from the market, Remington began producing Model 1911 R1 handgun in June 2010. Remington Arms stopped making handguns in 1998.

John Moses Browning: America's Most Famous Gunsmith

John Moses Browning, January 23^rd 1855 to November 26^th 1926 was born in Ogden, Utah and was an American firearms designer who developed military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms that are still used around the world. When it comes to automatic and semi-automatic firearms, he is still the king with 128 firearm patents credited to his name. He made his firearm at the age of 13 in his father's gun shop, and was awarded his first patent on October 7^th 1879 at the age of 24. Browning was a great influence in almost all categories of firearm design, inventing or improving the single-shot, lever-action, and slide-action rifles and shotguns; as well as pistol bolts and shrouds and pistol slides. He developed the first gas-operated machine gun, the Colt-Browning Model 1895. He also designed the M1911 pistol, the Browning Hi Power pistol, the Browning .50 caliber machine gun, the Browning Automatic Rifle, and the Browning Auto-5 that was an original semi-automatic shotgun. Most of these firearms are still produced today with some minor changes and cosmetics and his guns are the most copied in the world.