gunbloggers.com (Tor Mirror): 108 items from 89 feeds

Right here. I have my own theory. There are points in time when the psychopaths try to take over, when psychopathy and disordered anarchy become fashionable in the mass media. The 60s were like that. Riots, burning of inner cities, "police brutality." Even the popular songs.... "Grandpa stole whatever he could," "and every lock what ain't locked when no one's around." Convention seen as hypocrisy. What did we get, a huge rise in violent crime that lasted until the 1990s.

We seem to be heading there again. BLM, antifa (which can't figure out if it's communist or anarchist, but in reality are people acting out the anarchy in their hearts), "mostly nonviolent" riots and arson becoming fashionable. Some cities responding by giving over control to the rioters, some by disarming or arresting those who try to defend against it.

Like, if I had this level of frustrated apathy in a video game, I'd throw the controller down and go look for something more fun to do.

— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) June 20, 2021

Great! You have a few million in an IRA or 401k.  What can you do with all that money?  When you take a distribution after retirement age, you owe both federal and state income tax on it.  You could take out a couple million and pay 35% in taxes.  With that you can buy an estate in Wyoming, a nice house in Boise or Maui or a shabby townhouse in San Francisco.  But the tax consequences are substantial.   It is not like having several million in a savings account. You should have no problem borrowing money with that lump on your assets sheet but it is not quite as convenient as a huge savings account.  You can move assets from one mutual fund to another without it being considered a distribution. 

The Macy Gray flag.

Sharing the same country with a large percentage of black Americans is very much like having a dangerously crazy ex-girlfriend constantly boiling your rabbit.

African Americans are frequently exceptionaily gifted in musical or athletic ability, but their greatest talent clearly lies in a different direction. No other known group could possibly compete with them in vanity and in the ability to fabricate grievances. They are what? 12% of the population? but everything, all the time, is entirely about them and how they have suffered. They always have to be the center and focus of it all. It’s racist injustice that they didn’t found the country and are...

NYT:

In order to “imagine a new art, one must break the ancient art,” the French author Marcel Schwob wrote more than 100 years ago. Today, that c...

 A bunch of folks in Texas entered a sweepstakes for free energy for a year. 

Apparently they didn't read the fine print, because just by entering the sweepstakes, they also had to opt-in to a program that allowed power companies to control web connected smart thermostats. 

And now they're whining because their temperature in their houses were upped to 78 degrees without their knowledge.  

It seems that ERCOT doesn't know much about power grids and/or the ephemeral nature of sun and wind power and are fucking up by the numbers.

But that doesn't take the idiocy of the people involved out of the equation either.  A while back there was a study that had students signing up for a fake social media sight--the Terms of Service required them to give up their first-born children and said that all of their information would be given to the NSA.  Police run stings by con...

...

I have friends who own AR-15 rifles; they enjoy shooting them at target practice for sport and fervently defend their right to own them. But I cannot accept that their right to enjoy their hobby supersedes my right to send my own children to school, a movie theater, or a concert and to know that they are safe. Can the answer really be to subject our school children to active-shooter drills — to learn to hide under desks, turn off the lights, lock the door, and be silent — instead of addressing the root cause of the problem and passing legislation to take AR-15-style weapons out of the hands of civilians?

Toni Wellen
June 18, 2021
Why AR-15 Assault Weapons Must Be Banned
[So ma...

 Saturday dawned bright and pleasant in Wichita, KS.  However, the heat soon began to build and we were fortunate to have shade and an occasional breeze.  

I didn't realize until after I snapped the picture, but both gals in that photo have the same last name.  The lady in the hat is the inimitable Texas Rose.  She is the better half of Gentleman George, my first cousin.

Belle and I had a good time yesterday, but didn't shoot as well as we would have liked.  We both went out in the 6th round, and took that as karma to seek more hospitable temperatures.  We finished the day in a craft brewery.  Me with a French dip sandwich, and she with a b...

That is, when we are considering how low their corporate (and individual) intelligence quotient is.

Most of us recall from the days of IQ tests that the “normal” human intelligence, taking into account culture and education, is 100. (Genius level is argued: some use 145, others 155, and so on. “Borderline intellectual functioning” is 70-85, and severe or profound mental retardation is found with IQs of less than 35.

Supposedly, the US average is 102. That is for Americans in general. Texas, according to another study, is exactly 100. Congress’ level? Read on!

But Congress? According to a 2012 Weekly World News story, citing a Harvard University study, Congress is subnormal. “The Kennedy School of Government did a longitudinal study over the last 30 years (1982-2012) that looked at the average IQ of members of Congress – the Senate & House of Representatives. The study found that, despite the many advanced degrees from prestigious universities, and despite the fact that many in Congress are millionaires, the average IQ of U.S. Representatives is 101.   The average IQ of U.S....

I have a neighbor who’s going through a round of chemo. She started losing her (beautiful long) hair, and so decided to beat chemistry to the punch by buzzing it down to the scalp like I do.

This had both positive and negative unintended consequences, on the hottest week of the year so far. It’s easy to cool yourself off with a wet washcloth, for one. The other can sneak up on you and make you suffer for days. She didn’t want to wear the stereotypical ‘cancer patient’ scarf and I didn’t blame her; actually I think she has a very handsomely-shaped skull*. But speaking from long experience with male pattern baldness I strongly suggested she keep it covered in the sun except for very brief exposures, because see the post title.

—-
*She expected me to be shocked this morning by the change in her appearance. I told her I’d been around the block more than that, and anyway I found the effect kind of attractive on her.

 Starts out with "this scientific study says..." brace yourself, you are about to be lied to.  Especially if it is trying to poop on something pleasurable.

I remember the article telling me processed meats were going to give me bowel cancer.  I don't remember the counter article telling me that first study was really sketchy.

And other people were running with it on the first saying there should be a health insurance surcharge for anyone that eat more than one hotdog and 4 slices of bacon a year.  As I was dining on scrapple and corn beef hash every week.

Your local journalist knows as much about journalism as I know what Passenger Pigeon tastes like.  The last time I trusted a 'science' article that told me something pleasurable was bad for me was when they said cigarettes might be unhealthy.

---

"But T-Bolt, you got that counter-factual about baloney science popular media organ from another popular media organ!"

Quiet, you!  (also, get it?&...

June 20th the anniversary of the 2013 death of novelist Vince Flynn. (Born April 6, 1966, died June 19, 2013.) His death at age 47 was a loss to the literary world. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their …

The post Preparedness Notes for Sunday — June 20, 2021 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

When someone says the word ‘orchard,’ most people begin to immediately conjure images of fall and vast acres of fruit trees, hayrides, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, apple harvests, making cider, and so forth. But to those with a preparedness mindset, the word ‘orchard’ also implies benefits like self-sufficiency, the attraction of wild game for hunting/trapping, diversified protein sources, fur for blankets, boots, hats, coats, and gloves, as well as bartering. The term ‘orchard’ can have broader connotations beyond your typical fruit tree acreage. For many, myself included, the term ’orchard’ stretches beyond fruit trees and includes nut trees, berry bushes, …

The post Planting Productive Orchards, by David K. appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

The latest meme created by JWR: To share this, you can find it here: https://kapwi.ng/c/ClOK0IhA Meme Text: Hunter Biden’s Artworks are Expected to Fetch $500,000 Each But of Course, Those Payments Have Nothing To Do With Buying Influence Related News Link:  Hunter Biden’s abstract art to sell for $500K to ‘anonymous’ and ‘confidential’ collectors says his ex-con agent, raising serious questions about WHO the buyers are.  

The post JWR’s Meme Of The Week: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the …

The post The Editors’ Quote of the Day: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

It is a lovely evening.  The atmosphere is clear and calm.  I started with the 85mm eyepiece (23x and about a degree field of view which I will use when hunting for galaxies and went up to 4mm (500x) which is just a bit too much for the conditions.   The image starts to fuzz.  At 5mm (400x) the image is still crisp.   I am glad that I spent the extra money for a dual speed focuser with both a coarse and a fine focus knob.  

Kimber 82G and Winchester 52D Battle it out at 50 yards with Lapua Midas+

Shoot 3/4in Target at 50 yards no one piece lead sleds allowed, 10 shots per target.

Leader Scoreboard Mr. Revolverguy Winchester52D 100-9X Mr. Revolverguy Kimber82G 99-5X      

 

...

Above we have a U.S. Marine AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter flying over the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California earlier this year. It uses a 20 mm M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in an M97 turret with a 750 rounds ammo capacity, plus whatever you have fitted to the side pods. Below […]

Read More …

The post ...

Hello everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the YHM R9 multi-caliber suppressor. Last week we held our breath and suppressed some full-power 10mm rounds. This week we take away one millimeter to honor the silencer gods and check out the SIG Sauer MODX-9 modular, […]

Read More …

The post ...

This time, a case of 40mm dual-purpose grenades.

1977 Chevy Nova Concours coupe. The traction bars and the orange-painted front drum brakes peeking out through the slots in the mag wheels really tie the piece together.

If I'm betting on my (admittedly very dated) experience, this thing's got a 305 smog motor that's never had the heads off, a dual exhaust done at the local muffler shop, and way too much carb, possibly on the factory manifold. All bark and no bite.

This is the four-wheeled equivalent of a KZ650 with an unpainted fiberglass bikini fairing, factory suspension, a no-name 4-into-1, and intact chicken strips.

Did you know that if you flip a canoe over you can wear it as a hat?

Of course.  It becomes cap-sized.

(Hat tip: The Queen Of The World, so blame her) 

 I took several pictures of Vega at longer and longer exposures.  1/160th second.  ISO 100.

 I am not sure how many of you have a family Bible that records births and deaths.  Somehow I ended up with it.  It was published in 1876 and for several generations it was kept up to date.  I am filling in my family tree on 23&Me.

 I am a little disappointed at how hard it was to get a sharp image with my bigger reflector:
1/400th second ISO 100 with a little GIMP image enhancement.

 

 

NSS Magazine:

The house must not rest on the ground, but rest, it must come from the ground,” said Lloyd Wright, and these words must have echoed in Scarpa’s mind so much that he inspired Villa Ottolenghi. Located in Bardolino, on the eastern shore of Lake Garda, this 1974 building looks like an ancient ruin, which is born, “from the ground, itself a piece of land with its roof-terrace stretched out on the lake”. The morphological configuration of the area, bounded on the west by a steep slope, to the north and east by an embankment, has in fact suggested to the man to bury most of the house in the ground and to play with interesting design ideas. The most str...

...

Well, poverty won the war on poverty, and terror is still thriving…

I can’t wait for the war on guns.

Kevin Baker
Posted on Facebook June 18, 2021
[Drugs are consumables. So it should be as easy as, “Just ban them an they will all be gone in a few months.” Right?

There are, at most, a few hundred active terrorists in this country. So it should be as easy as, “Just put them on a list, watch them, then arrest them every time they do something as innocuous as littering and they get a hint and leave or flip out and the cops can shoot them?”...

 There's a kerfuffle in Texas because the power companies are using the internet connected smart thermometers to adjust the setpoints people have on their air conditioning units.

Well, duh-huh, as John Boy and Billy would say.

You signed up. It's in the FAQ on the website and it's in the agreement you signed. You agreed to it for the cost savings and the new equipment. 

Then they used it. There's not any reason to expect that they would do anything else. There's lots of companies, but here's an excerpt from Austin Energy's FAQ:

To be eligible to enroll, you must meet the following qualifications:

• You are an Austin Energy customer.

• You use your thermostat to control your central air conditioning.

• You have (or will purchase) a qualifying internet-connected thermostat.
  

...

Tomorrow is Father's Day.  There's a different take on this day than on Mother's Day, because there's a different take on fathers than on mothers.  The ideal of motherhood is unconditional love and nurturing; a common view of fatherhood is discipline.

As Robert Frost said, You don't have to deserve your mother's love, but you have to earn your father's.  That's a harsh way of stating the difference.  That view is as common as it is unfair.

Some men step up to that unconditional love, even when they still provide that discipline that children need.  Nowhere do you see this more clearly than with Step Fathers who raise their step ch...

 “The darker the night, the brighter the stars,

The deeper the grief, the closer is God!”

 ...

By Nathan Barton

Since Mama Liberty (Susan Callaway – Lady Susan) began publishing, this publication has had a few very solid principles.  As her successor (not replacement: I cannot replace her), I hold to these same principles.

One of these is the God-given right of freedom of self-defense.  We here in the Fifty States know it better as the right to keep and bear arms. It is simple.  Because you are a human being, you have certain liberties.  Whether others recognize them or not. One of those is the right to defend yourself and your family (and community) against aggression.  (Some of us believe it is not just a “right” but an obligation – a moral obligation.)

This right was not granted by the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.  It pre-existed that document and will continue on long after that document is null and void, overtaken by history.

Let me see if I can give a simple explanation.

You have the right to own a weapon. You do not have an absolute right to harm someone with a weapon. This goes far beyond guns. You have the right to own anything so long as you do no...

Thanks to Thomas for sending me a couple of these clips to try out, and sharing his STL files for them! Here are the files for anyone who wants to make themselves a few:

Clip body

Pusher block

If you don’t have access to a 3D printer, Thomas has made a few extras that he is willing to sell for $15 each plus $5 shipping. You can contact him at rothsteyrclips@gmail.com .

There are actual studies that smokers were impacted less than non smokers.  

I won't speak to how reliable the study was.  Maybe yes, maybe no.  Been wary of  'science' even outside ignernt Newsweek articles espousing it.

And if I was still worried about catching Covid I wouldn't take up my Lucky Strike habit, again.  Fought too hard to bat that down.

But I might smoke a pipe at my desk and dare management to say boo about it.

(I've been disappointed with management and how they reacted to the pandemic from day one of this thing.  But for them to say anything to me about smoking a pipe indoors they'd have to actually come into work where I have been since the damn thing started.  Those chickenshits.  Paid more than me to stay home for a year and a half and mismanage me for much longer.) 

June 19, 1834 was the birthday of Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon, who died 31 January 1892. He was a British Particular Baptist preacher. — Today’s feature review article was too short to be included in the judging for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Round 95 of the contest ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.  Thanks! – JWR

The post Preparedness Notes for Saturday — June 19, 2021 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Back in January of 2020, SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor  Pat Cascio reviewed the Blackhawk 6-inch Trident Ultralite Boots, and caught my attention. I am wary of buying gear online without physically holding something in my hands and trying it on. But I have used many Blackhawk products over the last 10 years and have been pleased with the price point and quality of their items. I had my boots picked out waiting in my shopping cart on Blackhawk’s website for several months until they went on sale for Father’s day in June of 2020 and I purchased them for right …

The post One Year Review: Blackhawk Trident Boots, by Desert Al appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in this column, in …

The post Editors’ Prepping Progress appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

“In order to get power and retain it, it is necessary to love power; but love of power is not connected with goodness but with qualities that are the opposite of goodness, such as pride, cunning, and cruelty.” – Leo Tolstoy  

The post The Editors’ Quote of the Day: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

 Today was Day 1 of Kansas State, under a hot, breezy sky.  We had shade, and plenty of cool water.  But it was hot, in the low triple digits.

Really, a beautiful venue.

I managed to find a ...

 

The motion, filed by NRA Board of Directors candidate by petition, Frank Tait, and member Mario Aguirre, president of Brock’s Gap Training Center, seeks to ensure that the membership is not held accountable for the actions of association officers and “to protect their rights as individuals and as NRA members under the U.S. and New York constitutions as well as applicable New York statutes.” [More]

Protect the members and say goodbye to Wayne & Co.? That seems a lot fairer of a resolution ...

Appellate court order is a win for gun owners, a loss for Nikki Fried - NICS entry alone NOT sufficient to deny carry license [More]

Florida Carry shares some positive news about a gun owner who wouldn't take "No" for an answer.

A few weeks ago while doing some research in the UK’s Imperial War Museum online archive I came across a couple of intriguing photos that sent me down a rabbit hole. The STEN gun is undeniably one of the iconic weapons of World War Two but most of its variants were severely lacking in the […]

Read More …

The post WW2 Makeshift Front Grips for STEN Guns appeared first on ...

The World moves faster and faster, and the number of images produced with it. But rest assured that TFB’s Photo Of The Day will keep its focus on firearms. And man’s best friend of course. Above you can see Norwegian Tyri from the K9 unit in the Quick Reaction Force Claymore in HV-16 (Norwegian Defense). They […]

Read More …

The post ...

It is Friday night and you know what that means. Friday Night Lights is brought to you by ATN Corp, manufacturers of night vision and thermal optics like the THOR LT. As with all of our sponsored series, Friday Night Lights will continue to bring you unbiased news and reviews from a variety of companies. […]

Read More …

The post Friday Night Lights: DIY Build Your Own Quadtube – AN...

…things can get awfully aggravating.

I bake bread every five days or so, and my recipe makes two standard-sized loaves. I have no complaints with the taste and consistency of my recipe, which I’ve made so often that by now I do it on autopilot. In fact after all this time any slightest change creates quite a disturbance in the force.

And I’ve been contemplating experimenting with a very serious change, because the one complaint I have always had with my recipe is the paltry way it rises. I want higher loaves, and for quite some time it has seemed to me that there was one suspiciously simple way to get that: Don’t divide the bake into two loaves.

That was almost certainly going to turn out to be a bad idea, and I hate waste. But in summer I usually don’t get through the second loaf before it molds anyway. So this morning I decided to give that a try.

Like I said, disturbance in the force. I had already automatically rolled out the dough and cut it in half when I remembered that I wasn’t going to do that. Even kneading it back together meant that loaf wasn’t going to be so great, slices would probably break in...

It’s grassfire season, as even a glance at the horizon would tell anybody.

We in the Gulch aren’t in danger from wildfires, for fairly obvious reasons. You can’t throw a stone without hitting a lightning-struck juniper, and her...

As we enter into the last days of the most destructive legislative session in Oregon history, the pace of the destruction is not slowing. [More]

Oregon Firearms Federation members are up to their necks in it and on their own. 

This is where beneficiaries enlist and allies help.

 Trump Endorses Lisa Murkowski’s GOP Challenger Kelly Tshibaka For 2022 [More]

I've seen him endorse far too many squishes and outright enemies over the years.

Good riddance if it works. 

Tshibaka looks promising:

I will be a strong voice in opposition to illegal immigration and, as the proud descendant of Americans who fought in virtually every major American conflict from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War, I will be a tireless advocate for our military and our veterans. I will fight to preserve our Second Amendment right to bear arms and, as an unapologetically pro-life Alaska conservative, I will be a voice for the unborn. And I’m for America first, always.

Naturally, ...

LEAKED AUDIO OF SEN. JOE MANCHIN CALL WITH BILLIONAIRE DONORS PROVIDES RARE GLIMPSE OF DEALMAKING ON FILIBUSTER AND JANUARY 6 COMMISSION [More]

This looks to me like someone is trying to discredit him and set him up on an ethics charge so they can kill the filibuster. If so, I think revolver came to the wrong conclusion.

Am I reading things right?

 Smith & Wesson: Ammo shortage shows no sign of improving [More]

That's one form of voting that can't be faked.

 Biden Is Cracking Down On Guns Again With AR-15 Pistol Ban, And He’s Using Heller To Do It [More]

Here's how.

And more...

[Via Mack H]

Pentagon to train departing service members to shun recruitment by 'anti-government' extremists [More]

You know, like VCDL...

[Via Jess]

 Rabid rock fans looking to celebrate a return to normalcy by taking in Bruce Springsteen’s Broadway show later this month will be on the outside looking in if they’ve received the AstraZeneca vaccine, which hasn’t yet been authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration. [More]

So it hasn't been authorized yet it's still being administered?

What if they promise to use the wrong bathroom?

 Black Americans laud Juneteenth holiday, say more work ahead [More]

Actually, doesn't another holiday for government trough-feeders mean less work?

And just like with disarmament edicts, "it's not enough." Once a beachhead is attained it's used as a base from which to launch the next incursion.

UPDATE: Think of this as "repurposing":

 I needed to go to Sipsey Street earlier today to check on something and experienced something I never have before: Searching for it on Google produces plenty of hits about it, but I'm not seeing a link to it, at least on the first page of hits.  Just a few days ago, the very first link that would come up would be the one that goes to the blog.

UPDATE: I guess I didn't make myself clear.  A link to SSI still exists, it's just that anyone searching for it on Google won't see it come up, at least on the first page of returns.

 CRT Can KMA [More]

Bravo!

 Six white female academics have posed as scholars of color in recent years [More]

That's OK-- as Ralph Northam proved, if you're a Democrat you can get away with blackface.

[Via Michael G]

UPDATE: What is it about crazy broads and academia?

 Texas is now the 15th Second Amendment Sanctuary State [More]

And as noted yesterday, he finally signed permitless carry.

And some other stuff, too.

[Via Michael G]

 Brady Center Gets Second PPP Loan [More]

Them and a bunch of other grabbers.

Anybody else see the similarities of making all of us pay for it?

...

Organizing your guns and gear while on the road and out in the field is a hard thing...

Goose Hunting is something that I’ve never participated in but would probably get into if not for my irrational hatred of Canadian Geese. EAA has just introduced a tool specifically for that job with the MC312 Goose shotgun. The new shotgun is a semi-auto 3-1/2″ cartridge-capable lightweight option for the avian hunter that sports a […]

Read More …

The post EAA ...

I already have the right to bear arms wherever I choose

its the criminal state and the police that prevent me from doing so

Tim Pool @Timcast
Tweeted on April 26, 2021
[And so is in most of the world for many decades. The people, world wide, have a lot of work to do once we set the example and have the criminals in our country taken care of.—Joe]

"Kim Foxx's Office Says CPD Is Arresting The Wrong People To Curb Gun Violence."

"Foxx's office this week held a webinar for journalists with data visualizations about a steady increase in Chicago police arrests of people who have no prior convictions but are caught illegally carrying a gun. It's an approach that dragged more than 1,400 people into the criminal justice system last year. Those that are convicted get a label that dims job and life prospects and arguably decreases public safety in the long term.

"The evidence doesn't show that the drivers of the violence are the people who've been arrested for nonviolent gun offenses," wrote Sarah Sinovic, a spokeswoman for the office, referring to illegal possession of firearms. "State's Attorney Foxx has long said we need to invest more in violence prevention and a more holistic approach to address the root causes of violence.""

You would need a heart of stone to not LOL at this dunk. https://t.co/IDq1bUVUN0

— Tamara K. (@TamSlick) June 18, 2021

 LeRae Umfleet, 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Report, May 31, 2006.  As the reports observes this was primarily a Democratic Party coup d'etat that removed Republican Part control of Wilmington city government.  Along with the 22 certain deaths (likely many others were not recorded) there is a detailed analysis of the economic consequences for African-Americans in Wilmington.

So despite the fact that the press insists that this 'holiday' is already celebrated in 47 states, I'd never heard of it until a couple of years ago.  It is the day that Texas abolished slavery, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.  Not really anymore a federal or multi-state thing any more than Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday.

 I've got a couple of issues with this new federal day off.

Firstly but not most importantly:  the rollout.  Signed on Thursday the 17th of June; all Federal employees get the 18th of June off.  With about an hour's notice.  So everyone who had appointments, were planning on calling the IRS, etc. are now SoL.  Expecting mail?  Nope.  You're SoL too.

The 'emergency' agenda item in the CDC's June 18th meeting. Not so much an emergency.  They're cancelling the meeting and will be moving this to their June 23-25 meeting.  So all of those young men with heart issues or the ones that could be avoided by pulling back o...

 Herb from WKRP:  Played his character to the hilt.  

 Louie Gohmert (R-TX) spoke on the House floor about the January 6th insurrection and promoted a conspiracy theory that federal agents, including the FBI, were involved in planning and instigating the attack, saying that they “egged on” rioters. [More]

They won't even tell us the name of "the officer" who murdered Ashli Babbitt (a "hero cop" per Eric Swalwell) and their apologists at Forbes (no surprise there) dare couch questions as "a conspiracy theory"?

[Via Jess]

UPDATE: "Regime enforcers with badges..."

 7 Questions David Chipman Still Needs to Answer [More]

I have an eighth, but no one in a position to ask it apparently wants to...

[Via Andy M]

UPDATE: 

 In April, a federal court categorically rejected that argument. It was already "clearly established," it said, that state actors may not beat an unarmed man hanging from a building and then tase him when he is unconscious. [More]

Who needs to have that pointed out to them, and are they really the "Only Ones professional enough" to carry guns?

[Via Michael G]

Illinois House passes new FOID bill, allows fingerprinted gun owners to have automatic renewals [More]

That's not without substantial controversy...

[Via Jess]

Rep. Ben Koppelman speaks on law allowing guns and ammunition to be sold out of homes, neighborhoods [More]

I'll bet the handwringers are fine with Mary Kay, Tupperware, and Amway...

[Via Jess]

 Soros Backs More Anti-Law and Order Candidates in 2021 [More]

So our choices are fascism or Marxism?

No one is interested in rights enforcement?

[Via Jess]

 Biden IRS Declares Christian Activism Too Political For Non-Profit Status [More]

That won't slow Snuffy down none. And speaking of that, I note the use of "Vindicated!" here is pretty much the same as it meant with Holder.

I wouldn't say they've learned nothing since Lois Lerner. They've learned with Democrats in charge they can get away with whatever they want. With Republicans, too, for that matter.

...

 For Less Policing, Black Communities Need More Married Fathers [More]

But...but...but Newsweek selectively presents data to argue that's a racist "myth"...

[Via Mack H]

 It is such an obvious attempt to try to crush political dissent, you wonder if they thought no one was paying attention. [More]

Probably because most aren't. And of the ones that are, few will actually do anything about it.

I even have a name for that.

[Via Mack H]

 The justices, by a 7-2 vote, left the entire Affordable Care Act intact in ruling that Texas, other GOP-led states and two individuals had no right to bring their lawsuit in federal court. The Biden administration says 31 million people have health insurance because of the law, which also survived two earlier challenges in the Supreme Court. [More]

Between this, punting on the election challenge, showing deliberate indifference to 2A, and other stuff, I'm starting to think the prime consideration here is to assess what would happen if they took the cases and the left lost, that is, to keep the cities from burning. 

Because they know disappointed "conservatives" have thus far not done that, as much as the Capitol set up is propped up as the benchmark for violent insurrection.

If the founders were alive today, I believe they would be very concerned – because the Constitution is clear that the only militias protected by the Second Amendment are “well-regulated” units authorized and controlled by state governments, not a private citizen militia. [More]

Would that those even existed!

That said, Tench Coxe is probably a more reliable authority to gauge founding sentiment than left-wing Snopes, and everyone at the time (except the tyranny "loyalists") felt pretty good about Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys. More to the point, no branch of government is legitimately, that is, Constitutionally, authorized to forbid private gatherings and training of armed citizens, and to do so would be to infringe on their right to bear arms as well as to freely associate and peaceably assemble.

...

Entire Portland Police crowd control unit resigns after officer indicted on protest assault charge - The team consisted of approximately 50 officers. [More]

But they didn't really "resign" resign, if I can template off of Whoopi...

Wake me when that happens and I'll make popcorn.

Last chance today to get the purple cover edition!

To celebrate the last two hours of the Pistols of the Warlords launch, I have Shanghai’d my father into coming down to join me in a 2-hour livestream tonight! From 7pm to 9pm Pacific (10pm to midnight Eastern) we will be snacking on good Chinese food, talking about guns, and trying out some of the cocktails from the book. The link to the livestream will be posted when it starts.

If you have already backed the Kickstarter, you can check the backer-only update there to download the complete cocktail sheets. The cocktails are taken from a 1930s Shanghai nightclub, four originals and four modern reimagining. If you haven’t backed the Kickstarter, there are a couple of the recipes below that Dad and I will be try...

Smith & Wesson’s line of M&P handguns have sold phenomenally well since the first model was released in 2005. Over its sixteen-year history to date, the collection has expanded to include a vast array of variants and options covering a half-dozen calibers. It has spawned offshoot versions like the Shield and Shield EZ offerings (and […]

Read More …

The post New M&P Spec Series Kit I...

Accessories for the IWI X95 are rather limited. A lot of them are made by Manticore Arms. Well, Sven Jonsson, owner of Manticore Arms, has just released his X95 Optimus polymer forend. It is an extended handguard for your IWI X95 rifle. Manticore Arms @ TFB: New VENOM Suppressor for CZ Scorpion EVO 3 Pistols […]

Read More …

The post Manticore Arms X95 Optimus Polymer Forend appeared first on ...

In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves meets with John of RIA to discuss the new Rock Island Armory STK100 striker-fired, aluminum-framed handgun. This gun is, essentially, an aluminum-framed Glock clone that has about 90% parts compatibility with the Glock 3rd gen handguns. However, the STK100 has a number of features that aren’t featured on […]

Read More …

The post VIDEO: The NEW Rock Island Armory STK100 Striker Fired Handgun appeared first on The Firearm Blog.

As of the time of this writing, twenty US states officially recognize their residents’ inherent right to bear arms without the imposition of governmental permitting hurdles. Vermont led by example in this area, thanks to the particularly narrow wording of its state Constitution. Vermont’s legal language has never allowed for state-level restrictions on methods of […]

Read More …

T...

LED lighting has definitely allowed for some wild headlight and taillight schemes. Also, what's up with 1,850 horsepower? They couldn't find another 150 someplace for a nice round 2k? Somebody was falling down on the job if you ask me.

And a bargain at five grand!  A proper computer workstation for the home.

That would make gaming possible again.  I can't sit at my computer, still, for more than an hour.  An improvement over last month's 15 minute limit.

My bed is still comfortable enough.  So is the TV La-Z-Boy.  On bad days I can watch DVDs or whatnot.  Been last interested in TV by myself the past decade.   

I gave the chiroprocter the ol' college try.  My Brain Surgeon said "Try it, it can't hurt, and it might help."  The help was marginal, bu...

Knowledge to make your life better.  If you have some free time, check out some of these links this weekend.

 

Modern Holsters: Carrying into the Future

...

June 18th is the birthday of Pastor Douglas Wilson. Born in 1953, he is the pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. Wilson is a prodigious author of books and articles on Reformed theology. — Please take note that we are running short of articles to post for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. So, if you have an article that you’ve drafted but haven’t completed, then please finish it up, and e-mail it to us. That will put you in the running for the thousands of dollars with of prizes that will be awarded in the first week of August. …

The post Preparedness Notes for Friday — June 18, 2021 appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Most SurvivalBlog readers are aware that I’ve been an outspoken critic of Amazon.com’s business practices, their leftist agenda, and their blatant censorship. I even went so far as to very publicly resign from the Amazon Associates program. I did so on principle, knowing that it would cost me nearly $30,000 per year in sales commissions. But I didn’t hesitate, because I knew that it was the right thing to do. In this article, I will lay out some of the ways that Amazon has destroyed American book publishing, in their quest for monopolistic dominance. The Flood of Schlock Books To …

The post How Amazon Destroyed American Book Publishing appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at America’s aging cars and trucks. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: Gold and silver both dipped on Wednesday and Thursday (June 16-17, 2021) as traders responded to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s remarks. Gold’s 4% dip marks a good buying opportunity.  In percentage terms, silver has dipped more than …

The post Economics & Investing For Preppers appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

“Tyranny is the exercise of some power over a man, which is not warranted by law, or necessary for the public safety. A people can never be deprived of their liberties, while they retain in their own hands, a power sufficient to any other power in the state.” – Noah Webster

The post The Editors’ Quote of the Day: appeared first on SurvivalBlog.com.

It’s that time of year when more people are spending time on the water boating. The following five tips, from BoatUS, may help speed up a search and rescue when an accident occurs. ~MC

ANNAPOLIS, MD., May 25, 2021 – “Do I know how to be found in an emergency?” That’s a question every boater should ask at the beginning of the boating season. The answer, however, is likely to go far beyond simply having a cellphone aboard. The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers five tips that can potentially speed a rescuer’s response to a boater in need of emergency help.

...

I received an email from Richard Douglas a few weeks ago. We exchanged a few more emails* and then on Monday he sent me the following guest post. All links in this post are to posts of his on other sites.

The 2nd Amendment is constantly under fire in the United States, especially with firearms and their control being one of the many political platforms that politicians use to capture votes. Politics being ‘war by other means’ means that nothing is off the table when it comes to a political campaign.

So, through means of propaganda, there has come to be a particular type of image of what a 2nd amendment activist looks like, often a bigot, belligerent, uneducated, and in some locales flavored with a criminal undertone.

These are tactics used to inspire fear because fear sells and buys votes. This is a difficult position that 2nd Amendment activists find themselves in, because of the rhetoric involved and the fact we are talking about guns, which are inherently dangerous tools for a reason.

This is why it is important for 2nd amendment activists to find new ways to support their cause and doctor their public image. Politics is an ever-changing battl...

If you’d asked me at the beginning of this week, “If it were all going to fall apart tomorrow, what panicked preparations would you take,” I would only have been able to think of one: I’d do something about all those empty propane bottles.

And now I have!

...

I mean he’s gone from panicked to resigned, which is pretty good progress in less than a month. He’ll get in on his own now – with sometimes quite a bit of prompting. He hasn’t tried to jump out lately. He’s making progress.

He seems to have overcome his digestive issues. He has been introduced to the su...

 We're in The Hotel at Old Town, in Wichita, KS.  We got here about 5:00 this afternoon.  Tomorrow morning, we begin the Kansas State Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw.

It's a nice hotel, in an old, historic building.  We were on the road for 19 hours today.  Just about what we expected.

This is a nice place, but like every other place in the country right now, they are short-staffed.  We'll get over it.  The weather is hot, and we're shooting outdoors.  When Belle and I crossed the OK/KS border the gauge on the dash said 102F.  Of course, the humidity is only 25%, so that's better than at home.

Back in 2018, SIG Sauer dropped the initial P365 at SHOT Show and took the concealed carry market by storm. They were the first to come out with a micro-sized double-stack striker-fired 9mm handgun that was accessible to the masses. I can still remember the excitement buzzing around the booth when they were giving interviews […]

Read More …

The post ...

Photo Of The Day, with ceremonial pictures from the French 35e régiment d’Infanterie as the unit changes command. Pictures of French soldiers with the old FAMAS rifles are getting rare as it’s being replaced by the Heckler & Koch HK416F, which was selected in 2016. The first batch of 400 rifles was delivered in 2017, and […]

Read More …

The post ...

With Father’s Day coming up this weekend, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at what my father has carried over the years. Most of these guns, whether it being good or bad, have taught me a number of lessons about carrying a concealed firearm growing up over the years. My father’s […]

Read More …

The post ...

 So, no more Victoria's Secret Angels.  Instead of the long and lanky supermodel types, they're going so woke that Victoria's Secrets will all be told in bankruptcy court.

In addition to the completely annoying Megan Rapinoe (who has pretty much made me swear off of eating Subway), they have ticked off all of the boxes on the Woke List:

17-year-old Chinese American freestyle skier Eileen Gu, 

size 14 model "and inclusivity advocate" Paloma Elsessor, 

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, 

Brazilian trans model Valentino Sampaio, 

model and South Sudanese refugee Adut Akech, and

Amanda de Cadenet, "the photographer and founder of #Girlgaze, the digital platform for female photographers."

Bear in mind that I think that some of these women are lovely--good on 'em for getting a new gig.  However, because I don't think that wokism and a...