The Blazing World: Full of Amazing Stories

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-06-22T18:38:16Z

P. 361 tells how Edmund Halley calculated the total acreage of England at the close of the 17th century. He took the most recent map of England, cut it out and weighed it.  Then he cut out a circle at the center of the map and weighed it. The area of that circle adjusted by relative weights gave a pretty accurate total acreage. Yes, mountains works render this imprecise until you consider how few mountains England has 

6/22/26 KABC:

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District resigned Sunday night, nearly four months after the FBI served search warrants at his home and the LAUSD's headquarters as part of an ongoing investigation.

An LAUSD spokesperson confirmed to Eyewitness News that the district received a letter of resignation from Carvalho...

On Feb. 27, two days after the FBI conducted searches at Carvalho's home and LAUSD offices, the district's Board of Education voted unanimously to place him on leave pending the outcome of the probe.

"Mr. Carvalho remains confident that the evidence will ultimately demonstrate that he acted appropriately and in the best interests of students," said a statement released in March, attributed to a spokesperson for Carvalho. "We hope the school board reinstates him promptly to his position as superintendent."

Authorities have not charged Carvalho with any crimes.

The FBI also searched a third location near Miami. The Miami Herald reported the Florida property belonged to Debra Kerr, who previously worked with AllHere, an education technology company that had a contract with Los Angeles schools before it collapsed and its leader was indicted for fraud.

 In 2024, Carvalho heavily touted a deal with AllHere for an AI chatbot named "Ed" designed to help students. But about three months after unveiling the technology and paying the company $3 million, the district dropped its dealings with AllHere, which collapsed into bankruptcy. Months later, founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was charged with securities and wire fraud, along with identity theft.

At the time, Carvalho denied personal involvement in the selection of AllHere, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Do you wonder why Los Angeles city schools perform so much worse than the standard? Perhaps less money spent on "Ed" and more on "Education."

 

6/18/26 The Hill:

(NewsNation) — China has alleged marine life is being weaponized by foreign intelligence agencies for espionage.

China’s Ministry of State Security released an article Friday on social media platform WeChat, saying an “invisible secret war” is ongoing.

 “In recent years, the work of national security organs has found that overseas spy intelligence agencies continue to collect and steal sensitive data from our ocean through a variety of new spy devices,” the ministry said. 

he article named a variety of measures allegedly taken by foreign agencies to collect information, such as buoys, unmanned submarines, wave gliders and marine life.

“Spy turtles” and “spy fish” are existing in the China sea, according to the ministry.

Have those Chinese fishing fleets devastating fisheries around the world caused those who identify as aquatic to make common cause with us?

Your Collection of College Hate Crime Hoaxes

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-06-22T17:43:45Z

 6/19/26 College Fix has a collection of college hate crime hoaxes. Among the more interesting stories: 1/16/26 College Fix:

A red cross and a reference to a 15th century French duke has caused an uproar at Northwestern University as LGBT students and professors fear for their safety.

Around Jan. 6, someone painted a “Cross of Burgundy” and wrote “CHARLES THE BOLD DUKE OF BURGUNDY 10 NOV 1433 — 5 JAN 1477” over a “trans flag” on campus. Students regularly paint over “The Rock” with various messages....

“It’s one thing to go repaint the entire rock white with a red (symbol) and take away the trans memorial,” Yarberry (pictured) told the student newspaper. “But to use the trans memorial as the backdrop for a symbol associated with Nazism and fascist ideologies, that is a very political statement.”

While Yarberry and others were painting over the X, “a student approached them and took responsibility for painting the cross.”

“[T]he student mostly defended the decision as solely expressing interest in the duke of Burgundy. The person did not identify themself,” the newspaper reported.

Yes, X is definitely a fascist symbol.  Remember these?

Products 

Kudos to the student sufficiently interested in history to do homage to a Duke of Burgundy. I suspect most Poison Ivy League students think this is about a wine.

 

 

 

Falco Holsters  is a company known for crafting high-quality holsters with an assortment of materials - everything from real Kydex to leather and more - but now they have announced an entirely new product to add to their vast portfolio in minimalist wallets  and an everyday carry (EDC) tray  for your nightstand.

It’s all a “you problem”.

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-06-22T15:30:33Z

Is there a claimed issue with a type of pistol action… whether DA/SA, DAO, cocked and locked single action, or safetyless striker fired …that isn’t actually just a lack of training and practice on the part of the end user?

The Almost God-Like Power of AI

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-06-22T15:00:57Z

Or is that of the BBC? 6/18/26 Houston Chronicle:

International visitors to Houston this summer are enjoying the full splendor of the Bayou City, from Houston's iconic stadiums to its sprawling gas stations, to its delicious beer and barbecue.

One international news outlet added one other feature to Houston during its broadcast of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday: majestic mountains.

No, that's not a typo. BBC, the British news outlet, hosted a World Cup studio show on Wednesday shortly after the completion of DR Congo's 1-1 draw against Portugal in the second 2026 World Cup match held at Houston Stadium. The studio show broadcast an AI-generated image of Houston's skyline in the background as analysts discussed the match, featuring a largely accurate depiction. One issue with the AI image? The left side of the screen was adorned with rolling foothills and mountains, depicting a scene more fit for Los Angeles, Salt Lake City or Phoenix than Houston.

This is a problem at two levels: the misuse of AI (although an ordinary green screen can also be manipulated to have this effect) and a reminder of how little BBC, often considered a good standard for news media, cars about truth. 

My wife's great concern about AI is is power to deceive.  If young people were receiving adequate educations, this would be less of a problem.  Seeing the Apollo 11 footage with a tiny set of McDonald's arches, or more realistically with a microphone boom shadow in the foreground, will deceive many 

When a soldier takes a round to the shin or catches a blast that fractures the tibia, the traditional response pulls two to four additional service members off the line to haul a litter, plus a security element to cover them. That's a significant combat power cost for a single casualty. The U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command has been working on a better answer since 2020, and the result is IBEX, the Intrepid Battlefield EXoskeleton.

Gordian Knot Problem

by Joe in The View From North Central Idaho on 2026-06-22T13:50:49Z

Quote of the Day Bruen pushed states away from discretionary permit systems, but it also triggered a wave of new sensitive-place restrictions, revised training requirements, and fresh litigation. States such as New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and California rewrote laws … Continue reading
Today we are back with Val Forgett and another story about the history of Navy Arms. When his father was making reproduction sidelock percussion guns, he wanted to prove that they were still viable hunting [...]

The post Hunting the African Big 5 with Percussion Muzzleloaders (w/ Val Forgett) first appeared on Forgotten Weapons.

The new SIG Sauer Cross Bronze gives the platform its most visually distinctive treatment yet. Chambered in .308 Win, the Bronze Cerakote-finished Cross pairs the same field-tested engineering with a finish that's hard to miss on the rack and harder to ignore at the range.
Babbs didn’t know if she could trust her kitchen waste to another electric composter, but voila! She highly recommends the Vego Kitchen Composter for a whole host of reasons.

Alaska, Skilak Lake, Black Bear, 9mm Glock 43, June 7, 2026

by Dean Weingarten in GUN WATCH on 2026-06-22T12:38:21Z

Lori Price recently successfully defended herself from a black bear attack in Alaska. Her dog was severely wounded by the bear.  Then the bear came after her. She used a 9mm Glock 43 to defend herself. Joe Allgood interviewed her for In Depth Alaska (video link). 

On Sunday, June 7, 2026, Lori Price was hunting mushrooms, near Skilak Lake. Skilak lake is south of highway 1 on the Kenai penninsula, about 20 miles east of Soldatna, Alaska. She was almost ready to go home. She had two dogs with her, a chocolate lab, Liz and Chaos her German short-hair. The dogs were not very far away, but the woods was very dense. Both dogs wore bright colored GPS collars.

Lori heard a yip, an expression of alarm and fear from Chaos, then a loud roar from a bear.   Immediately, she hears yelps of pain and fear from her dog. Lori charged into the woods, a dense combination of alder, Devil's club and other trees to get to her dog. As she dashed in she was screaming for her dog. In a tiny opening, she looked up, and a black bear, with the blood from her dog dripping from its face and teeth, was coming at her.  Lori always carries a pistol and bear mace with her. The bear was only 4-5 feet away as Lori drew her Glock 43 and fired. The bear dropped. 

Out of the corner of Lori's eye she sees the GPS collar for her dog. She saw Chaos lift his head and he was a bloody mess.  In that instant, the bear got up. Lori reacted and shot again. The bear went down again. Lori's chocolate lab was trying to push past Lori, to get between her and the bear. Lori was holding her back. The German Short-hair, Chaos was dragging himself to Lori. Lori was gathering herself and the dogs to get away. The bear rose again, and Lori fired again She is sure she hit the bear the first two times. She is not certain about the third time. The bear took off as Lori ran down the hill with her dogs. She gets out of the woods, not far from where her 4 Runner is parked. Lori   tries  to call 911with some success, but the connection was patchy.  She flagged down Captain Shawn and his wife Sandra from Homer, telling them she needs first aid for her dog. They grab their first aid kit. They jump into action. She asks them to hold Chaos as she grabs her 4 Runner to take Chaos to veternary care. Chaos is bleeding profusely. Lori had been able to get ahold of her husband. Her husband arranged for aid to be ready on standby, and to meet her to help get their dog to the vet. They get Chaos to vet. Then Lori drops off the chocolate lab and goes back to Skilak Lake to coordinate with Fish & Game. Lori tells them Chaos is petrified of bears, and never would have initiated an attack. 

On the way back from Skilak Lake, the veterinarian called and said Chaos would live, and they could take him home that night.

 

Lori went on to thank her husband for insisting she practice drawing and firing her Glock pistol. She said she learned things such as it was necessary to have a good belt, wear it snug so she could confidently draw the pistol without fumbling for it. She said it was important to practice drawing bear spray as well. She practiced at home with a laser practice system. 

Analysis: Lori Price's practice is what saved the situation. The bear was very close. She may not have had two seconds from the time she saw the bear to the time she fired. In an emergency, you do what you have trained to do. She shot the bear, saved herself and her dog. The bear was not found, but the odds are it will not recover. Lori's experience is a good lesson for other Alaskans to follow. Practice and be prepared.  Laser systems are good ways to practice drawing and firing, with little expense.  The system allows safe practice while drawing, and shows where the first shot would land. Fast recovery from recoil is best practiced on the range. Do not practice with a loaded handgun in your home, or anywhere you do not have a safe backstop. Do not practice with live bear spray inside a building, or where other people are likely to be affected. 

©2026 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch
  


Scanning the humidor for an interesting smoke on a cool, almost-summer evening, my eyes settled on a Black Label Trading Company Bishops Blend in the Corona Larga vitola. I knew the cigar had been resting there for quite a while, and when I checked my inventory in the Cigar Scanner app, I discovered I had acquired it exactly one year ago. I took that as a sign.

My thoughts immediately turned to the bottle of Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond sitting on the nearby shelf. I knew it would make a fitting companion.



The Bishops Blend has earned frequent mentions in these Musings. It’s one of my favorite cigars when I’m in the mood for a full-flavored smoke. The Robusto is usually my preferred vitola, and I make a point of picking up a few from each year’s release, setting some aside for long-term aging.

The blend features an Ecuadorian Habano Maduro wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder, with fillers from Nicaragua complemented by Connecticut and Pennsylvania Broadleaf tobaccos. Medium- to full-bodied, the cigar delivers rich notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, pepper, and espresso, balanced by a touch of sweet earthiness.

The closed foot and pointed cap are among the cigar’s distinctive features. They also add a bit of complexity to the lighting process. With the sharply pointed cap, it can be difficult to judge the draw before the foot is fully lit. On this Corona Larga, the draw remained somewhat snug even after the foot burned open. Annoyingly, the resistance persisted through much of the smoke, requiring frequent double puffs to coax out the cigar’s full flavors.



Despite the draw issues, I was able to enjoy the cigar’s rich profile, which paired wonderfully with the Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond. This reasonably priced bourbon is aged seven years and bottled at 100 proof. From the first pour, aromas of caramel, vanilla, and oak rose invitingly from the glass.

On the palate, robust oak and baking spice lead the way. Sweet vanilla and hints of dark cherry arrive early before giving way to a lingering caramel sweetness on the finish. The 100 proof stands up well to the dark richness of the Bishops Blend. I found the bourbon’s caramel and vanilla notes softened the cigar’s bitter espresso and pepper while still asserting its own oak and spice character.

The balanced robustness of the pairing perfectly complemented the cool evening. Even after the cigar was reduced to ash and the bourbon glass stood empty, I lingered on the screen porch, listening to music and savoring the quiet relaxation.

I recently saw reports that this year’s release of the Black Label Trading Company Bishops Blend will be shipping soon. With another release just around the corner, I suspect I’ll once again be setting aside a few for future evenings like this one.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

MO: Blue Springs - Homeowner Shoots, Kills Burglary Suspect

by Dean Weingarten in GUN WATCH on 2026-06-22T11:53:13Z

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A person is dead after being shot by a homeowner during a reported burglary early Friday morning in Blue Springs, according to police.

The Blue Springs Police Department says officers were sent to a house on Little Garden Lane, just north of Colbern Road, for a burglary after a homeowner called saying someone had broken into their home.


More Here


McDonald chased Breland to the upstairs bedroom.

Breland then armed himself with a handgun and a gunfight ensued. He was struck multiple times, and died from his injuries, police said.

McDonald was also wounded during the incident.

McDonald fled from the house, leaving a trail of blood through the house and into the street.


More Here


DOJ on the side of the nuns

by Midwest Chick in Midwest Chick's Place on 2026-06-22T10:30:00Z

You may remember the nuns in New York who have run a hospice for those with no family for over 100 years and their fight against the state who wants to force them to put mentally ill people who ‘identify’ as the opposite sex, in with biological men and women, regardless of the religious beliefs […]
Adamiak's family does not know what will happen next.
In This Episode Erin is taking a mental health day, and again Weer’d is joined by Daivid to discuss: the DOJ suing the Philadelphia police for their “Good Cause” restrictions on carry permits; the successful lawsuit by the Gun Owners … Continue reading

Incremental Progress to GOTO

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-06-22T05:33:47Z

Every night, I learn something new. Tonight, it was that having adjusted the polar axis to the right latitude, the locking bolts need to be tightened.  These are either M8 or M10 Allen wrenches and my garage is too chaotic preparing to move to find my metric Allen wrenches at this hour. 

UPDATE: While the screw threads might be metric, a 3/32" Allen head wrench fits perfectly. Or it needed a 2.38mm metric Allen head wrench. As much as most of the world is supposedly metric, the reality of a U.S. market prevents getting too far off our standard.

From The Blazing World

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-06-22T05:33:35Z

This history of the English Civil Wars is approaching the end as we approach the Glorious Revolution. A brief mention of Seth Ward: "he studied at Cambridge where, in fulfilling the rather bizarre role as official university jester, he so offended the vice chancellorthat he was temporarily suspended." (p. 355)  

I do not know if this is bizarre. Many professors at Poison Ivy League schools are hard to distinguish from jesters already. 

The Longest Day...

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-06-22T00:25:51Z

Happy summer solstice!

Sunset in Indianapolis today is at 9:17 and some seconds. While it will be a little later tomorrow, sunrise will too, as the days begin contracting again.


Balancing the Budget by Dealing With Fraud?

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-06-21T22:38:27Z

6/21/26 New York Post:

A fugitive accused of running a $1.2 billion Medicare fraud conspiracy has been captured overseas and returned to the United States, becoming the second suspect taken into custody from the FBI’s new “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list.

Federal officials said Herbert Leon Kimble, 60, was arrested in the Philippines after allegedly evading authorities for nearly two years.

Prosecutors said Kimble operated a healthcare fraud scheme that generated more than $1.2 billion in Medicare charges and affected thousands of beneficiaries, many of them elderly.

Authorities said the operation used call centers to steer patients toward medically unnecessary orthopedic braces.

Kimble pleaded guilty in 2019 to multiple federal offenses, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, healthcare fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, making false claims and offering kickbacks and bribes.

Okay, I know it is only a billion dollars, but to paraphrase Sen. Dirksen, "A billion here, a billion there, after a while it adds up to real money." 

Solstice

by Pawpaw in PawPaw's House on 2026-06-21T14:57:46Z

 June 21st, the longest day of the year, and that is just an astronomical fact.  Something to do with the tilt f the axis in our yearly orbit.  The ancients noted this day in their observatories (think Stonehenge).

The beginning f summer. Tomorrow, the sunlit portion of the day will be a bit shorter, culminating on December 21s when the cycle starts again.

Today, through a fluke of the calendar is also a Hallmark holiday.  Fathers Day.  It's a holiday that I truly don't care about.  I've never seen the  utility.

OK: Tulsa - Robbery Victim Shoots 1 of 2 Suspects.

by Dean Weingarten in GUN WATCH on 2026-06-21T13:35:29Z

Officers say the preliminary report is that two suspects, one armed with a knife and one armed with a firearm, tried to rob a man outside a convenience store near 36th St North and Lewis.

Police say the victim pulled his own gun and fired a shot, striking one of the suspects in the head. They say after the suspect was shot, he ran across the street and collapsed. That suspect was transported to the hospital in critical condition, according to TPD.


More Here


According to the investigation, the shooter was parked and sitting in his car when the man approached him and told him to leave. The shooter agreed to do so, but JSO said that when the shooter did not leave quickly enough, the other man reapproached him and pointed a rifle at him.

The shooter then shot the man several times before leaving the scene and calling police, JSO said. Investigators believe the incident was isolated and said there was no threat to the community.


More Here


Quote of the Day We have officially entered the spaghetti phase of gun control. This is when those in favor of reducing or eliminating Americans’ gun rights introduce all manner of legislative schemes to restrict law-abiding citizens from purchasing, selling, … Continue reading

Meme Dump!

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-06-21T11:20:03Z




Power of judges expanding, not being curbed

by TPOL Nathan in The Price of Liberty on 2026-06-21T01:00:00Z

Montana judge steals property rights in Wyoming and other States based on lies and fear about a bird that isn't even threatened by oil and gas production. Continue reading

Tanks and AK’s

by Commander Zero in Notes From The Bunker on 2026-06-21T00:58:48Z

Well, first off, here’s a little fella who I look forward to seeing real soon…. Todays trip was one of the more interesting ones. Hauling a 500 gallon Roth Multitank up there for future use. Managed to fit it into … Continue reading

Outrageous (Earned) Weslth Produces Outrageous Envy

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-06-20T22:17:11Z

People who type for a living and have never created anything technological are envious that someone who can getsabsurdly rich.

If they had not transed his son, he would not have broken their rice bowls. Immorality has consequences. 
This past week I attended a “Whiskey & Cigars” event hosted by Locovore, a new restaurant in downtown Fredericksburg. The gathering was held on the restaurant’s rooftop bar and, unlike the event I attended the previous week, the weather fully cooperated.

The local A. Smith Bowman Distillery was one of the featured participants. As Bowman is one of my favorite producers, I was especially looking forward to sampling some of their special releases.

As it turned out, the evening was quite different from what I had expected — less a whiskey tasting and more a rooftop cigar social with some excellent bourbon available at the bar. 



When I arrived, I joined a couple of other attendees at a table. While we waited for the event to begin, I ordered an Old Fashioned from the bar to ease into the evening. With no sign of the program starting, a couple of us wandered over to where Olde Towne Tobacconist had set up a table displaying a nice selection of cigars. Nearby, the Bowman representative was handing out an assortment of distillery swag.

We asked if there would be a presentation or guided tasting of the bourbons and were told there would not. We were simply to order whichever Bowman expression we wanted from the bar. The representative was available to answer questions, but he wasn’t there to lead a tasting.

At that point, I grabbed a couple of cigars to smoke that evening. My table companions decided to leave in search of food when they learned they could only order from a limited appetizer menu, although I later saw diners being served other dishes as well. As bourbon enthusiasts rather than cigar smokers, they seemed a bit disappointed that the evening lacked the guided tasting or presentation they had expected.



I lit a Padrón 3000 Natural to enjoy while I finished my Old Fashioned. The 5½ x 52 Nicaraguan puro is a mild-to-medium bodied smoke with notes of cocoa, coffee, and wood. It proved to be a pleasant companion to the cocktail. The cigar lasted only about 40 minutes, but that brief smoke was fine as I was ready to move on to something a bit more exciting now that I understood the evening was going to be more of a casual cigar gathering than a guided whiskey tasting.

The menu listed four Bowman products: John J. Bowman Single Barrel, Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished, Abraham Bowman Rye, and A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength. The first two are readily available expressions, but I was especially interested in the rye.

Abraham Bowman Special Release #26 Rye Whiskey is a new and limited release from the distillery. To my knowledge, it has only been available through the distillery’s lottery system. Unfortunately, I was not selected in the most recent drawing held in May. In fact, the rye does not even appear on Virginia ABC’s website.

Aged for 11 years and bottled at 110 proof, the rye is exceptionally smooth and easy to sip. Notes of vanilla, butterscotch, and stone fruit are accompanied by a subtle sweetness. While there is a hint of rye spice on the finish, it remains gentle and supporting, allowing the butterscotch and fruit notes to take center stage.



I sipped the Bowman Rye while enjoying a Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro. I expected the cigar to pair well with the whiskey, as it has complemented a variety of spirits for me in the past. The Nicaraguan maduro wrapper is aged in bourbon barrels for about 14 months, while the binder and filler are also Nicaraguan. The flavor profile features cocoa and dark chocolate, espresso, and spicy cedar that grows more prominent toward the latter stages of the smoke.

My prediction proved accurate. The Abraham Bowman Rye paired beautifully with the Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro. The whiskey’s maple sweetness and mature oak intertwined with the cigar’s cocoa and espresso notes. Toward the end of the smoke, the cigar’s growing pepper spice might have challenged the rye, but I had long since finished the glass by that point.

The folks at the event seemed to be enjoying themselves, and the cigars from Olde Towne Tobacconist appeared quite popular. However, there seemed to be limited interest in the whiskey tasting aspect of the evening. I saw a couple of people order flights of the four Bowman expressions, but they were entirely self-guided. Most others appeared content to explore the bar’s cocktail menu.

While the lack of the advertised guided tasting was somewhat disappointing, I was especially excited for the opportunity to enjoy the hard-to-find Abraham Bowman Rye. Had I realized the format of the evening beforehand, I probably would have started with the rye, skipped the Old Fashioned, and tried the A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength as well.

The event may not have been the whiskey-focused experience I anticipated, but it did provide a rare chance sit with a pour of the elusive Abraham Bowman Rye while enjoying a good cigar. For that opportunity alone, the evening was worthwhile.

And now, Abraham Bowman Special Release #26 Rye Whiskey has moved to the very top of my wish list.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Belarus

by Clayton Cramer in Clayton Cramer. on 2026-06-20T14:36:30Z

6/26 Council on Foreign Relations reminding of the supposed incompetence of the Trump Administration in foreign policy:

For the past year, the Trump administration has been slowly renewing relations with Belarus, partly to enhance that country’s autonomy and thus diminish Russia’s ability to use Belarus to pressure NATO’s eastern flank. The warming fits a broader pattern of U.S. outreach to Armenia and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus and to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia, also with the goal of restricting Russia’s influence. But Washington needs to tread carefully. The challenge is to reduce Russia’s sway over Belarus without provoking Russia to formally annex the country, while preparing for that eventuality regardless.

Russian annexation would be an admission that Putin does not trust Lukashenko to be his puppet. Nor should he. Belarus' army is woefully inadequate compared to Ukraine. Belarussian reliance on Russian air defense systems after the last few days of wildly successful attacks on Russian petroleum refineries should be a hint that directly going to war with Ukraine might end badly for them. To quote Lukashenko:

In the interview, the leader went into great detail and spoke very frankly about this position.

“First, Belarus is highly vulnerable militarily should Ukraine begin attacking Belarus in the same manner it attacks Russia (we recognize this reality, so we have no desire to engage in war). Belarus is laid out like an open palm before the Ukrainian military. We are fully aware that our critical life-support systems, production facilities, and logistics hubs would come under attack. They have stated, they have already identified 500 such targets on the territory of Belarus.,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Second reason, the head of state continued, is that the Belarusian people hate wars: “We have already suffered enough throughout our history; we understand that many of our military personnel would die. For what? Why should they die?”

Third reason: if Belarus joined the war, the front line would be extended significantly. “If Russia were to attack Kiev from Belarusian territory, the front line primarily for Russia (and naturally for us) would be extended by 1,500 km along the Belarusian-Ukrainian border,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “We and the Russians would be unable to defend this sector.” 

FN MAG Tactical with Long Rail Upgrade Kit

by Ian McCollum in Forgotten Weapons on 2026-06-20T13:27:08Z

The full version with shooting footage is available on Pepperbox and to Forgotten Weapons Patrons: https://www.patreon.com/posts/160428945/ https://www.pepperbox.tv/video/13546 The FN MAG is one of those guns that is so durable and well designed that it continues [...]

The post FN MAG Tactical with Long Rail Upgrade Kit first appeared on Forgotten Weapons.

Quote of the Day Democrats in 2024 be like “we totally don’t want to ban all guns, Kamala Harris has a Glock!” 18 months later, several blue states passing bills to ban the sale of Glocks. Kostas Moros @MorosKostasPosted on … Continue reading

Automotif DCXXIX...

by Tam in View From The Porch on 2026-06-20T12:49:22Z


Here's a sexy ride you don't see very often. It's a 1966 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S. The color is not factory and the extremely ready-to-party backbeat throbbing from the exhaust said that whatever's going on under the hood isn't either.

.

Police said the bail agents positioned their vehicles to block the man's vehicle and exited their vehicles in an attempt to take him into custody. The man then got back into his vehicle and tried to escape by driving away. 

During that attempt, the man pinned a bail bond agent who was standing between the vehicles. The man then accelerated his vehicle, trying to push the bail agent's vehicle away. 

Another bail agent broke the front driver-side window of the suspect's vehicle and tried to shift the vehicle's transmission into park. Police said the bail agent and driver fought, and the agent fired one round, with the bullet striking the suspect in the arm. The bail agents then got the man into handcuffs.

More Here 



Country music for Father's Day

by Borepatch in Borepatch on 2026-06-20T11:31:00Z

Tomorrow is Father's Day here in the States.  I don't know where you are but this is what's Top Of Mind here.

From a musical perspective only Country Music really speaks to this.  But it speaks in different voices as your kids grow up.  Yeah, Country music takes you on that journey.

Three chords and the Truth. 

When they're young

This is the easiest time for fathers.  Trace Adkins sang about this better than anyone.  I posted about this a long, long time ago.  Reader Mark left a comment there:

The other day my oldest son, who is a freshman at UND (North Dakota, not that other 'ND') asked me if I remembered taking him, and a couple of his friends to Pizza Hut for lunch one day. He remembered it like it was yesterday. I lied to him. I told him I did, and I feel terrible about it.

Folks, it's not what we recall, it's what our kids do.

 

Amen, and amen.

The Queen Of The World likes this one.  I think it reminds her of the time her Daddy took her fishing and she won the tournament.

When they grow up

Yeah it sucks, but kids grow up, and have to find their place in the world.  Sometimes that means pushing back against The Man. As I posted at the time:

For years, Dad and I wouldn't talk.  I had a lot of anger in me then, and it came out in strange ways.  Bad ways.  Sorry, I won't talk about what happened with #1 Son, but that he came out right side up didn't have much to do with me.

This Father's Day weekend, I think on both of those.

Growing up, I knew that my Dad was a great father.  He set an example: he was a fine provider, although we didn't grow up with a lot.  Not wealthy, not weepin'.  He was someone who I could look up to, never doubting for an instant that we were everything to him.  He adored Mom.  And so it was a terrible shock to find out, in my forties, that he was made of flesh and blood.  For a while, I couldn't forgive him for that.

I like to think of myself as a smart guy, and I must confess that it's very nice indeed when someone refers to me as a "wickid smaht bahstid".  But I sure was an idiot when it mattered.  Like Dad, I found - perhaps for the first time - that I, too, was mere flesh and blood.  Full of Foolish Pride, and driving myself into a ditch.

I'll swallow my pride if you will. 

That post is worth reading. 


Sometimes they don't come back

We ask a lot of our sons.  Some times we we ask them to to go to far away places.  Sometimes they don't come back.


Reflections on Father's Day

I remember this being hard to write.  It's hard to read now.

What I remember the most about being a father is is this:

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The Archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the Archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

- Kalil Gibran, The Prophet

 So let it be written.  So let it be done.

He pulled out a gun and attempted to rob the store. However, the clerk working in the smoke store also brought out his weapon, and police said the two got into a tussle.

As a result of the fight, the suspect ended up shooting the store clerk in the leg, police said. He then took the employee’s weapon and ran out of the store. 

More Here


Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday, brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new Victra 20-gauge shotgun suppressor . This week, we have a full review of the Precision Armament TiTrex 300Ti  suppressor. It is a high-performance 3D-printed titanium can with an impressive feature set.
Justice cannot be even hoped for when corrupt and wicked, self-serving and twisted judges and court officials are not held accountable. Continue reading

Five O'Clock Friday: Happy Thoughts

by David in Musings Over a Barrel on 2026-06-19T21:00:00Z

A weekend state of mind. 


Thinking of cigars helps too.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

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