High Noon Life...

A young Marine, CPL Richard W, lost his life in the most honorable manner...on the battle field, along side his fellow Marines... It has been 9 years...though his life was cut short...he left an indelible mark on many of us! You fulfilled your obligation, selflessly giving of yourself and though you were taken before your life had truly begun, ...before you fully carved out your own place in this world, ...your sacrifice has NOT been forgotten... The impact of your life and death...still affects us....today you're not here but your memory lives as strong as you did!! Semper Fidelis Marine!

http://www.playbuzz.com/larak10/what-country-in-the-world-best-fits-your-personality

It says New Zealand

You are an adventurous individual who enjoys being outdoors and spending time being active. You are a risk taker and have no problem striking up a conversation with a total stranger. When you travel you love to get to know the locals, and their customs, and are always up for a challenge. You thrive in a culture where others share your deep appreciation for land, and believe life is best lived outdoors. You love a hard hike, but also love the water and are happy to spend a day beach side. You thrive in a society with diversity and appreciate a simpler way of living. You are keen of learning about cultures and customs that are different than your own, and enjoy a deep conversation, whether it be philosophical or spiritual. You are not a city dweller by any means, and definitely believe that life is something to explore and experience firsthand. This country gives you endless opportunities to live both an active lifestyle and enjoy the company of new found friends

KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

Some of you may have noticed the site has a new URL... the highnoonlife.COM url expired and the autorenwal feature was directed to an expired card. OOOOPS....I caught it two days after the deadline to restore it.

So....the new URL is www.highnoonlife.us. Please update your bookmarks....LOL

For the last three years, I have been working diligently at earning my Master's Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. I have been unsure for the better part of the last 20 months, if this path is the right one for me.

I'm thinking I need a break from higher education and this pursuit of the whole therapist thing.

I am not sure. Personal issues have been changing my perspective and ideals about what I want from life, what I want for my family, and in which direction I should be heading. I personally feel my efforts at maintaining my own personality while nurturing my own personal relationships is more important to me right now than investing my time and efforts into helping strangers.

I think I will continue to progress...but I’m not sure in which direction.

Perhaps, I need to reconsider my aptitude and whether or not being therapist is how I can best serve others, or whether it is what's best in serving my family.

I want my kids to enjoy their father...not be on egg shells. I want to be free to engage in activities that make me happy and those that include my sons...I want not to be the client or the clinician, but the real American, rough neck, war fighting, protector I have always been...able to enjoy the spoils of my labor.

I think upon graduation, I am going to consider another path.I dont know...maybe Barber School...Welding & Fabrication...cars and motorcycles, Repo Business, Bail Business, Security/Firearms Instruction full time....no clue yet where this will take me so stay tuned! Hell I may just take a few months off and write and finally publish this damn book!!

Dianne Feinstein.

United States Senate

331 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

My name is John Bright. For nearly 17 years I served my country, both as a US Marine and US Soldier. I am a certified classroom instructor, a range coach, and marksmanship instructor, Master Trainer, and I’ve performed duties as a Military Police Road Supervisor, Combat instructor, Personal Security Detail (PSD) Operator, Squad Leader, and Platoon Sergeant. I lead and served on details protecting the Iraqi Prime Ministers, Prosecutors for Central Criminal Courts of Iraq (CCCI), as well as former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and Lt.General H. Steven Blum, then National Guard Bureau Chief, during their 2006 visit to Iraq. I was assigned to an Immediate Response Force (IRF) team attached to Abu Ghraib Prison and as a Compound Shift Leader at Camp Bucca Detention Facility in Umm Qasr, IZ. During my time at Camp Bucca, I was responsible for management of manpower and logistics necessary to provide for the care, custody, and control of over 880 detained insurgents. I hold a Secret Security Clearance and have had much responsibility, trust, and confidence bestowed upon me throughout my career.

On the civilian side, I currently work as a Master’s level trainee and school site therapist with a local county Behavioral Health Department. I work on campuses where the students generally have probation, and/or emotional disturbance concerns, or both. I possess a Master’s level education in Psychology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social and Criminal Justice. Additionally, I’m a Department of Justice certified firearms instructor and have been a licensed firearms instructor for the CA Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. I am a member of National Rifle Association and I vote.

At age 12, I attended an approved Hunter’s Safety course and earned the money to purchase, with the help of my mother, my first Winchester Ranger 120 pump shotgun-which I still own. I was an avid hunter for the next several years….until joining the service. At the age of 18, I swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States …against all enemies foreign and domestic. I earned and defended the freedoms afforded me by the constitution and I’m proud of my service to my country and its citizens.

By culture and heritage, I am an American and a firearms owner. In my time, I have acquired numerous firearms (all legally) which I continue to use for sport and defense. I have enjoyed sharing my time and enthusiasm, while teaching and mentoring my three sons. My oldest boy is now serving in the United States Marines, and proudly I feel it was my mentoring and guidance that influenced that young man to take on the commitment to serving his country like his father, grandfather, uncles, and cousins have all done. As for my other boys, they each hold a varying love of firearms...but undoubtedly they also hold a common respect for firearms and firearms safety.

As for the firearms we own….what I own, how many, and where I store them is no one’s business…I assure you, they are properly secured and safely stored, however a published list of gun owners is an atrocious risk to the security of the individual and the communities in which we live. My firearms belong to me. I worked hard to obtain them and I will also work hard to retain them until I die, when they will be divided up between my own sons and daughters. They have been legally bequeathed to my sons in the will drafted before my first combat tour. So your new legislation is outright unacceptable... to deny my children their rightful inheritance.

Furthermore, the sour and bitter facet of this situation is that those like you that would try to disarm the American people ARE the very same that the second amendment intended to afford the citizens the rights to keep and bear arms against. You are a tyrannical government representative. You intend to usurp the rights of the citizens through unreasonable means. I swore that oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic…I’m not sure which one you are!

Not that I want to argue with you, but I have done some research. Not to debate, but to demonstrate that I as a citizen am invested in this cause and preserving my rights. Through my research, I learned that in 2011, an estimated 1,203,564 violent crimes occurred nationwide (FBI, UCR 2011) and according to the Brady campaign 100,000 people in the US were “shot or killed” WITH firearms. Based on those numbers approximately 8% of ALL violent crimes are committed with firearms. Either LEGALLY OR ILLEGALLY obtained…..

Now let’s look at the Brady campaign closer….of the 100,000… (These are verbatim stats),

In one year, 31,593 people died from gun violence and 66,769 people survived gun injuries (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)). That includes: 12,179 people murdered and 44,466 people shot in an attack (NCIPC). Let’s agree THESE ARE VICTIMS OF GUN CRIMES…however my guess is some of these were also perpetrators engaged in MUTUAL combat or gang violence!!!

18,223 people who killed themselves and 3,031 people who survived a suicide attempt with a gun (NCIPC). I cannot see blaming legally obtained, and possessed guns being the cause for suicide. If an individual truly desires to take their life, they will…gun or not. In 2010, 38,364 suicide deaths were reported nationwide (American Foundation on Suicide Prevention). Less than ½ of suicide deaths are by firearms…we cannot BLAME guns for mental illness.

592 people who were killed unintentionally and 18,610 who were shot unintentionally but survived (NCIPC). These are ACCIDENTS. In 2011, 4609 deaths occurred nationwide that were “work related” (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Occupational related deaths…these were ACCIDENTS. Almost FOUR times the number of fatal firearm accidents. However I’ll concede that the majority of firearms accidents occurred within the underage or untrained or poorly trained population.

So of the 100,000 – the suicides 18,223, - the accidentals 592, -the survivors 21,642= 59,542 people who were SHOT…not just killed but SHOT!

In the total number of violent crimes REPORTED, not taking into account that MANY crimes go unreported…whereas most MURDERS do not!

According to all of these statistics…..it is 4% of violent crimes that are caused by FIREARMS!!! Guns are not responsible for CRIME or the mentally ill.

In 2007, diabetes was listed as the underlying cause …or… contributing factor in a total of 231,404 deaths (diabetes.org). In 2011, 311,591,917 auto related deaths occurred NO ONE WANTS TO BAN SUGAR OR CARS!

Firearms have SAVED more lives than they have taken. Personally, I have used firearms to defend myself, my unit, my property, and my business. I have personally thwarted two attempted robberies and two car-jackings with the use of a firearm in the last 20 years. I am a responsible gun owner, a combat veteran, and a proponent of moderate regulation and weapons safety, however, I can clearly see that creating more gun regulation will only criminalize law-abiding citizens and you are an idiot if you think criminals will comply…therefore, neither will I.

Do what you will, but your actions will only create strife across the nation and turn law abiding citizens such as myself, into criminals as I will NEVER surrender my firearms to you, your agents, or anyone else. I swore an oath and I am prepared to uphold it until the day I die. The responsibility for the deterioration of our rights as a nation is yours. I, and many like me, believe that you and those that would support your cause are contrary to the spirit of the constitution and your efforts will not be accepted. I fear you and your agenda.

I encourage you to focus on criminals and social change, not law abiding citizens. Also though it is likely in vain, I humbly ask that you explain what your plan is for me and others like me who refuse to comply with your efforts to outlaw our firearms we once legally obtained. Will you send armed men to do your bidding?

Respectfully and humbly,

John C. Bright,

CPL, USMC 1988-1996

SSG, CA ARNG 2003-2012

Operations Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom IV, V, VI

I want to clarify that I am 100% totally and completed devastated by the thoughts of what the families in Newtown are going through..it's unfathomable and my heart goes out to all of them...but the media and the left re on the bandwagon about guns or "assault rifles"...when clearly GUNS are not the problem. This should not be the legacay that those children and their families have...unfortunately

, it was/is about MENTAL ILLESS. All of these from a generation who got time out instead of the belt.

Now Im not saying violence in our homes is better than violence in our streets...but parents being parents and families being families is far more important than banning firearms. I AM PRO GUN and those of you who know me...also KNOW I am also PRO MENTAL HEALTH and a huge proponent of people helping people..NOT blaming others!

Would you take my guns from me? Thats what the push is and will end up being!!!

I apologize for my rant but FUCK, people!

I did a little research this morning in response to a friends post...

In 2011, an estimated 1,203,564 violent crimes occurred nationwide (FBI, UCR 2011) and according to the Brady campaign 100,000 people in the US were “shot or killed” WITH firearms. Based on those numbers approximately 8% of ALL violent crimes are committed with firearms. Either LEGALLY OR ILLEGALLY obtained…..

Now let’s look

at the Brady campaign closer….of the 100,000…(these are verbatim stats),

In one year, 31,593 people died from gun violence and 66,769 people survived gun injuries (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)). That includes:

12,179 people murdered and 44,466 people shot in an attack (NCIPC).

Let’s agree THESE ARE VICTIMS OF GUN CRIMES…however my guess is some of these were also perpetrators engaged in MUTUAL combat or gang violence!!!

18,223 people who killed themselves and 3,031 people who survived a suicide attempt with a gun (NCIPC). I cannot see blaming legally obtained, and possessed guns being he cause for suicide. If an individual truly desires to take their life, they will…gun or not. In 2010, 38,364 suicide deaths were reported nationwide (American Foundation on Suicide Prevention). Less than ½ of suicide deaths are by firearms…we cannot BLAME guns for mental illness.

592 people who were killed unintentionally and 18,610 who were shot unintentionally but survived (NCIPC). These are ACCIDENTS. In 2011, 4609 deaths occurred nationwide that were “work related” (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Occupational related deaths…these were ACCIDENTS. Almost FOUR times the number of fatal firearm accidents. However I’ll concede that the majority of firearms accidents occurred within the underage or untrained or poorly trained population.

So of the 100,000 – the suicides 18,223, - the accidentals 592, -the survivors 21,642= 59,542 people who were SHOT…not just killed but SHOT!

In the total number of violent crimes REPORTED, not taking into account that MANY MANY MANY crimes go unreported…whereas most MURDERS do not!

According to all of these statistics…..it is 4% of violent crimes that are caused by FIREARMS!!! Guns are not responsible for CRIME!!

In 2007, diabetes was listed as the underlying cause …or… contributing factor in a total of 231,404 deaths (diabetes.org).

In 2011, 311,591,917 auto related deaths occurred NO ONE WANTS TO BAN SUGAR OR CARS!

GET OFF THE DAMN GUNS!!

I refused to fly my flag at half-mast this year!!! Screw those assholes....I'm a stand and fight type of guy, not the mourning type. But, this year I had a different reason....today was the first day of my son's Marine Corps career. He arrived at MCRD yesterday and certainly today, was a living hell for him...but he's been conditioned to succeed there. In his honor, flying high in the sky in front of my house is a sturdy embroidered American flag I carried and flew in Iraq, flanked by the Marine Corps colors...neither of which ever run!

Semper Fidelis! Always Faithful to my Corps, my Country, my Family, and MYSELF!

Thinking-talking-considering an MC... Trouble Makers MC...conceptualized by a couple friends of mine and at the present we're working through the political side of it all...

more too come...

So, I bought this 1955 4 door in September 2011...These pictures were taken March 2012. Quick flip, but a great project to spend time with my kids building!

Woke up this morning before the rising sun...

You can call me "Mister", cause my time is done.

Ain't wearin no more o those Army greens,

From here on out - it's just blue jeans!

Today, I am out after 16 yrs 8 months and 14 days of service.  

I've had a great experience with the military and they were there to take care of me when I needed them to. I worked hard to accomplish what I wanted to and I've found my self ready to move on. I'm looking forward to looking back on my military service with pride and integrity. My service to my country continues though, as my academics and licensure progress, I hope to serve the Veteran population and help others like me.

Coming home is a struggle and a fight, though we make it home from the war, does not always mean the battle is over.

My road to recovery starts today.as a PFC-Proud Fuckin Civilian!

I wish you a Happy New Year in 2012!

May all of your dreams come true

 and your desires come through!

I am looking forward to a great many things this year, including my completion of graduate school,

the writing and hopefully finishing of my book,

 my son's graduation from high school and his entry into the Marines,

 and of course getting to spend more time with my family, riding with friends and cruising my '55!

I dont think I'm asking for much, either way...

love to you all and wishing you the best in 2012!

Happy New Year!

       I ordered the Dragon speech recognition/ dictation software, which will enable me to write more freely. Aside from that HUGE technical advancement, I submitted the High Noon Life teaser, previously published here on High Noon LIfe.com, to an editing company.

       I was very pleased to receive the feedback from them regarding my writing. Hear it told, my writing is "engaging". I'm sure they butter everyone's bread in the same fashion though. Well, we'll see! The total estimate for services is a pretty hefty chunk of change, but the entire 280 page manuscript will get cleaned of grammar, spelling, sentence structure, flow of thought errors and more. I think it will be worth it, in that I'll take all the help I can get.

        At the present with the publishing and book sales market being so soft, self-publishing may be my only option at this point. So, I will be doing some research on that to prepare myself for the completion of this adventure.

       I appreciate all of you who have joined HNL, and the continued support I receive from each of you. I feel positive abut my efforts so hang in there, I think we're underway!