After the shooting in Aurora I’m seeing a lot of buzz among my friends about going about getting a CHL, which is understandable. This incident will create a fair amount of pull for both sides of the Gun Control debate. My personal opinion, jsut so its out there, is that criminals  can acquire weapons regardless of legality, that’s why they’re criminals. The law abiding citizen should have the ability to arm themselves against potential threats. 

“Ability”

Not a requirement. For the most part, the people I talk to who consider getting a CHL have been trained, if not raised, with firearms. They are confident and practiced with various weapon systems and, most importantly, can generally hit what they’re aiming at. 

The concern:

Yes, CHL courses require qualification and a class, but lets think about it a bit more deeply. Its not easy to get one, for sure, but do we really need 30 cowboys in a movie theatre with one gunman? I have no doubt that gunman would go down, but what about the unlucky individuals caught in the crossfire? In a crowded place like that, a .45 could make a clean hole in a baddie’s arm, and get stuck in the chest of the poor girl behind him. 

And keep in mind, there are only 25% of shooters in the top 25% of shooters. The average shooter is, well, average. Who has the time or resources to practice on the range for a few hours a day? That’s what it would take, at least for awhile, to hone those skills to the point where they could confidently wound or kill (at their own disgression) an aggressor without undue collateral damage. 

Just somehing to think about. 

Thoughts?

Lets be real for a minute. You can’t explain his man’s actions with normal logic. In all honesty, I think he got very much into the Joker character. Chaos for its own sake. This was an act of terrorism in the purest form of the word, and he got he exact results he wanted. 

Fear and recognition. 

He did this because he did not have the capacity to accept his own sad little life, or he just had fewer inhibitions than most people to go out of there way to accomplish what we all want to do: be remembered. That’s why he did it. So, all that news coverage? Its what he wanted. He wanted everyone around the nation to hear his name, for it to be on the tongues and fingertips of every person near a TV or a computer. By talking about this man you are playing right into his hands. You are creating his legacy.

How do you fight something like this? 

Its too late now. 

The real way to destroy something like this is to bury it. You destroy this man’s memory. you take this away and you take away his power. You want to torture him? You can’t do it with knives and bullets. If you want to break this man, you let him watch as the world goes on without him, completely ambivalent to his departure. Show him that he has no power over the world. 

Some men just want to watch the world burn, but what happens when they see they can’t light a match?

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) is fast becoming one of the most popular watersports, especially in locations with flat conditions and beautiful scenery.

To help you find an ideal spot for stand up paddleboarding, the members and editors of travel website VirtualTourist.com assembled a list of the best SUP’ing destinations around the globe.

While it’s not always easy to find a local beach town the supports the sport, SUP’s skyrocketing popularity means that it may become more and more available at most resorts. While competitions often feature waves and breaks, we’d suggest calm, flat conditions for your first paddling attempt.

New to paddleboarding? Check out our First Timer’s Guide to Stand Up Paddleboarding.

Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

Fantastic for both surfing and standup paddle boarding, Sunset Beach on the north shore of Oahu is legendary and with reason. If you happen to visit in the calmer summer months, you can paddle the 4 miles from Sunset Beach to Waimea Bay.

Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz, California

Our chosen spot in Northern California, Santa Cruz provides a range of great breaks for all experience levels, from beginner to experienced. In addition to the shoreline, Covewater SUP of Santa Cruz leads tours through Elkhorn Slough, one of two remaining salt marshes in California, which gives you the opportunity to spy sea otters, harbor seals, and numerous species of birds.

Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico

Located only 27.5 miles (44.3 km) north of Puerto Vallarta and just past Punta Mita, Sayulita is a quiet enclave with a big paddle following. The area hosts the Punta Sayulita Longboard & Stand Up Paddle Classic, which is becoming a big event for North American paddlers. However, if you’d rather paddle the Atlantic side of Mexico, Playa del Carmen is also a great spot to start.

Bali

In the middle of Indonesia, Bali has long been known for its lush vegetation and temples, but it also has a growing following as a surf destination. While many tourists flock to the Kuta area near the airport, we suggest some of the slightly calmer, but much less crowded, beaches to the north, like Balian and Medewi. On the opposite side, Sanur is a great spot to check out for SUP.

Malibu, California

Californians can debate for hours about which spots are the best, but votes were unanimous for Malibu amongst stand up paddle boarders. Gorgeous views, perfect weather, and miles of beaches to choose from exemplify why this city has been synonymous with surfing for years.

South Africa

With its wide variety of waves and gorgeous scenery, South Africa is a natural choice for those who want to try stand up paddle boarding while in Africa. If you’re visiting Cape Town, some ideal spots are Sunset Beach and Blouberg to the North of Table Mountain; to the South, Muizenberg and Strand are recommended. Langebaan Lagoon, located about an hour north of Cape Town, is a protected spot perfect for beginners and first-timers.

Chorrillos, Peru

While Peru might seem like an unlikely spot to catch some waves, Chorrillos hosted the World SUP & Paddleboard Championships this past February. Located just south of Lima (though still considered in the city proper), Chorrillos offers a number of great beaches and a fun option for paddle boarders who want to explore South America.

Namotu Island, Fiji

This island resort is uniquely located relatively close to all of Fiji’s best breaks, including the notorious Cloudbreak, making it a particularly apt spot for water sport connoisseurs. For a less risky ride, Swimming Pools is ideal.

Perth, Australia

While surfers looking for big waves head to New South Wales, the best spot on the Australian continent for standup paddle boarding is Perth, the largest city in Western Australia. VirtualTourist members recommend Cottesloe Beach for visiting enthusiasts, but also noted that any fan of watersports should take a day trip to nearby Rottnest Island.

St. Lucia

If you’re looking for a spot in the Caribbean, St. Lucia offers the perfect combination of calm waters, luscious scenery, and secluded bays for exploring by paddle board. The island’s twin pitons, rolling rainforests, and turquoise waters provide ample eye candy during one’s workout.

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) is fast becoming one of the most popular watersports, especially in locations with flat conditions and beautiful scenery.

The scien

read more

Everyone’s got a workout of their own—your “go-to” routine. But is your routine good enough?

read more

Explosive power and speed is an athlete’s best friend when it’s game time. Increased force coupled with quickness and speed is one deadly and intimidating athletic combination.

read more

Since we were kids, the fictious lives of superheros made us wonder what it would be like to have their powers.

read more

Face it: if you want to be lean and ripped then you’ll need to work hard. Reaching new heights in any aspect of life usually doesn’t happen in your comfort zone.

read more

Between track workouts, weekly pool sessions, and long bike rides, it’s easy for endurance athletes to forget all about the gym and spend the majority of their time working on their sport of

read more