Dinner with my brothers
Last night, I had the pleasure of dining with two friends of mine, Cedric Credle and Kenny Parker. Cedric and I have known each other for years. We both got to know Kenny about five or six years ago at the same Christian fellowship group we attended. For a few years, both Cedric and I were out of touch with Kenny, since we both ended up leaving that fellowship within about a year of each other. Some time later, Kenny eventually left, as well.

I have been hoping for the chance to get together with people I once knew in that fellowship, knowing what would have to happen first, ie, their forsaking that group. Many people have come and gone at that fellowship. Ironically, Cedric and I were two of the three men who started that group.

Anyway, Cedric and I have both been blessed to be able to renew our friendship with Kenny recently. We got together at the new Buffalo Wild Wings last night in Garner. I really enjoyed their company.

At first, I had intended to not discuss the fellowship we were all in. However, considering the different circumstances we all left under, we cleared the air for a while, compared notes, learning experiences, and caught up on old times.

I thank God for being able to renew old friendships and continue in others. Here is a picture of my two brothers that I snapped while we were in the parking lot after dinner.

The Shooting Range
I took Teresa to the shooting range again today. I offered that as a possibility for today and she wanted to go. She has taken a real liking to my Buckmark .22 target pistol. I am afraid that I may not be able to shoot it any more, since she has pretty much taken it over. I guess that I will just have to go and buy another pistol.

Teresa did some shooting at anywhere from 3 to 25 yards today and did really well. We snapped a few photos after getting back from the range. Unfortunately, the bullet holes don't show up real well in these photos. The entire center ring is just about shot out. She did great.

Posted by troylaplante at 3:16 PM EST

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News update
A nation wide web site has picked up the story

News article in Monday's News and Observer
Boy has a lifelong sentence

By RUTH SHEEHAN, Staff Writer

Howard Hunichen walked out of prison a week ago Saturday.
For those of you who didn't live here in 2000, Hunichen was the street preacher who so brutally disciplined 7-month-old Zachary Fortner that the boy suffered permanent brain damage.

Hunichen was convicted of felony child abuse for shaking, stomping and hitting the infant, supposedly to force him to crawl and walk. He told the boy's parents that Zachary was "a crybaby."

The baby suffered two skull fractures, four broken ribs, a broken right wrist and arm, two broken legs, a fractured pelvis, bruises on his abdomen and buttocks and brain-stem injuries from the shaking.


The case was sickening to all of us -- but to no one more than Becky Holt, the assistant district attorney who prosecuted it.

Holt has a daughter close in age to Zachary. She was keenly aware of the future Hunichen had stolen from the boy.

As the trial progressed, Holt watched with pain as her daughter blossomed into a chattering toddler -- and Zachary did not.

At the time of Hunichen's conviction, Holt told me, the most optimistic prognosis for Zachary was that one day he wouldn't recoil at human touch.

That one day he would be able to smile.

"We went for, and got, the maximum sentence [under law at the time]," Holt said. "But there isn't enough time for someone who did what [Hunichen] did to this child."

I tried to track down Hunichen last week without success.

His mother told me she wouldn't help. "Sorry, I'm not giving out anything," she said. "Bye-bye."

I wanted to ask Hunichen whether he'd come to regret what he'd done to Zachary. During the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim in the case.

The parents, who had been living in Hunichen's home -- and in his thrall -- at the time of the injuries, pleaded guilty to felony child abuse for allowing this to happen. They served no time. Instead, they moved back to Tennessee with their two older daughters; the wife was pregnant with another child during the trial.

Zachary was left behind. He remains a ward of the state and will be institutionalized for life.

The boy's lucky break came in the form of Hilltop Home, a Raleigh center for brain-damaged children. By all accounts, it is a wonderful place.

Holt visited him there about a year ago to see how he was doing.

I asked whether this was typical, for her to follow a victim so long after a trial.

No, she said. But in 15 years as a prosecutor, this is one case that has stuck with her.

"It was just one that hit real personally," Holt said. "It pretty much stands alone."

Thanks to the folks at Hilltop, and surgeries on his skull, Zachary seems to be doing better. When he hears the voices of the people who deal with him most closely, he smiles.

Holt explained that it's hard for his brain to make sense of what he's seeing.

So Howard Hunichen has served his time and is walking the streets, while 6-year-old Zachary Fortner remains locked inside a broken mind and body.

From that prison, I'm afraid, there is no release.

Ruth Sheehan can be reached at 829-4828 or ruth.sheehan@newsobserver.com.

I guess that it has been about three weeks since I have been able to sit down and compose an entry in this blog. I have been fairly occupied with things like working the book business, doing my taxes, working overtime, and attempting to get in some relaxation.

I have been able to complete some projects at work, which gives me just a little bit of satisfaction. The satisfaction I get with work as of late, however, isn't a big amount. None the less, I press on, since the job pays a much better wage than before.

I attended my second Johnston County Local Emergency Managment Planning Committee meeting today. It didn't last a long time, but is my civic duty.

Today, I had to buy a new washing machine. We finally called a repair man for our old machine. It was leaking water and we have been putting up with that for a while. We were told that it may take more money to fix it than it would be worth and we were advised that we were better off buying a new one. Fortunately, we had enough money in the checking account to get a basic model at Lowe's. It isn't anything fancy and has a smaller capacity than our last one. Our old machine was purchased used some eight or nine years ago. So, I can't complain. I have the third load running through the new washer now.

It seems that our internet issues have been solved, finally. We were having cable modem problems for weeks. Finally, it looks like the cable company (my employer) found the issue and fixed it. That is a good thing. I rely on that internet connection for work.

Things have been fairly quiet around here. A pastor I know died a few days ago. I haven't heard anything regarding funeral arrangements. I am waiting to hear from a friend of mine about that. Another friend of ours is in the hospital again with a foot infection. It almost caused amputation about a month ago. I visited him in the hospital on Sunday.

That is about all there is. Not much else going on.

40 Reasons to Support Gun Control
This list is soooooo good...and true. I love the sarcasm.

Also, I love this picture.

U.S. geography game
This little geography game is worth playing. I was off by a few miles of exact state placement in "fly over country" at the outset, but did OK. I got 94% and averaged 21 miles off when I made a mistake. It would be good for teaching children about U.S. geography. It sure beats the old "Uncle Gus Show" I watched as a child.

This is coming in America
This could happen. It is self explanatory. Just watch and listen.

Operation of a pistol
For those who have wanted to learn how an automatic pistol operates, I saw a cool animation on a web site. Check it out. Remove some of the parts to see how other parts work together. Neat.

New toy
Mood:  a-ok
For months, I have been looking for a good deal on a target pistol in .22 caliber. I have looked at the Ruger MKII, priced several models, and made a choice as to what I wanted. The Ruger is highly recommended by target shooters. To quote a "bullseye" gunsmith and competitor, "...the Ruger MK-512. The stainless pistols don't give you anything for the money and the 6 7/8" barreled pistol are too heavy with a scope. The balance with either iron sights or a scope is better with the 5 1/2" pistol. More master shooters have started with a Ruger than any other pistol." I found this to be good advice.

I have also looked at the Browning Buckmark, to a lesser degree. The Buckmark has its fans, as well. It is a quality pistol. I have seen some good deals on new ones, and good deals on used ones. Many people have won competitions with Buckmarks, too.

I like the Buckmark better as far as how it feels and the balance of the pistol in my hand. The Ruger, although highly popular, didn't feel as good in my hand but is known as a high quality piece. I had found a great price on the Ruger I wanted and was planning on getting it eventually.

Today, I found a fantastic deal on a "used" Buckmark with a 5.5 inch barrel. It looks to have never been shot. There is NO wear on the pistol at all. It looks like someone bought it but never used it. The original receipt is still in the box, and shows an original purchase date in October of 2003. There looks like a military ID number written in where the address would go on the receipt. So, it may have been purchased by someone at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base who had to relocate or just needed money. Either way, I got an incredibly clean pistol at a great price.

To the gun range I go on Friday or Saturday!