June 14, 2017 -- A Quick Run Around the Web

"Fermi Paradox Apocalypse How"--Isaac Arthur (35 min.)

The Fermi Paradox, for those of you who aren't familiar with it, is the question: if there are so many planets throughout the universe that could give rise to intelligent life, why don't we see evidence of other civilizations? One of the responses is to surmise that there is a "great filter" that prevents a civilization ever reaching a technological point where it could be detected from other star systems. So what has this to do with prepping? Well, the "great filter" is generally postulated as being some global disaster that occurs to destroy civilization. In this video Isaac Arthur looks at the hypothetical disasters--spanning everything from nuclear war to a climate disaster to "grey goo"--and discusses why the majority of them wouldn't would only delay, not destroy the spread of a technological civilization. 

Firearms/Self-Defense/Prepping:

• "How To Zero A Rifle Like A Marine Corps Gunner"--Task & Purpose. More specifically, the article is on how to zero a rifle sporting an ACOG telescopic sight. The answer, of course, is to use a collimator and then fine tune on paper, if necessary. There is supposed to be an embedded video that explains the process, but I couldn't get it to work. However, here is a link to Bushnell's bore-sighting guide for its collimator (PDF).
• "The Truth About Gun Violence"--Ammo Land. The author warns readers that the facts he discusses will get you called racists. First fact: "53% of all firearm-related murders are by black men under 30. That’s 3% of the population doing more than ½ of the killing." Second fact: "80%+ of all FRM (Firearm-Related Murders) are gang or drug related. (Most current numbers are 86%)." Other facts go on to show that this violence is concentrated in Democratic controlled cities. 

• Related: "The Inevitable War"--Chateau Heartiste. Some thoughts from a reader who was stabbed while experiencing diversity in a gentrified area of Baltimore.

• "The Glock 19 Undergoes The InRange Mud Test – 1 Round Fired"--The Firearms Blog. Another of InRange TV's infamous mud tests, this time on a Glock 19. As the headline states, the weapon was only able to fire once (the initial round chambered). Not too surprising, since any exposed ejection/operating system has done about the same in past tests. 
• "The Act of Killing: Not So Easy; Is It Something You Can Live With?"--More Than Just Surviving. (H/t Survival and Self-Reliance). Some thoughts on the psychological aspects of killing another in self-defense. I think this topic is important, but I am cautious because of the author's citation to the book On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, which has largely been debunked because of the poor and unreliable data on which it relies.

• Related: "Dad, it hurts"--Modern Survivalist. FerFal recounts a recent news item from Argentina. It involved the mugging of a man walking his young son. After taking their money and starting to walk away, one of the muggers turned back and, maliciously, shot the boy who died from the wound. FerFal writes:

When we talk about survival and specifically armed self-defense the idea of killing is glorified as a transcendent event. Experts debate about people being able to pull the trigger or not and being able to live with taking another life. Those experts never lived in Lomas de Zamora. How I wish someone had shot those two scumbags. I’m sure the family of Agustin wishes so too. There’s no remorse in killing these beasts because they aren’t even people, they are worse than savage animals. This is why killing one of these bastards isn’t a solemn event but a celebration, a service to society.  One less animal out there to murder, rape and destroy lives.

• "Are Trekking Poles the Answer?"--Loadout Room. The author discusses trekking poles and reviews a pair. As the author notes, trekking poles provide additional stability which makes hiking/backpacking easier on your knees and back. However, there is another benefit: it improves circulation to your hands. My experience, at least--particularly when wearing any sort of pack with shoulder straps--is that if I'm hiking with arms down to my sides, blood tends to collect in the arms, which causes some slight swelling, and reduced manual dexterity. Using trekking poles, my arms and hands are held up and there is more movement, which prevents the issue.
• "JTT: A Treatise on AK-74 Mods" by Tom Marshall at Breach Bang Clear. Some ways to bring your AK into the 21st Century.
• "How To Maintain A Concealed Carry Gun."--Alien Gear Holsters. Cleaning, lubricating, and touching up the finish on your carry handgun.
• "#DontDigTheRig- Part 9"--Active Response Training. This time, Greg Ellifritz is critiquing a double, middle-of-the-back rig (two 1911s, set up so one can be drawn from each side: left and right). I've previously noted problems with middle-of-the-back carry, but Ellifritz gives a useful summary of why its not a good idea:

To begin with, small of the back carry is quite possibly the worst position in which to carry a gun, let alone TWO guns.

• The drawstroke is slow, awkward and can be easily fouled by a resisting opponent

• You muzzle everyone on the range when practicing your draw

• The holster prints every time you bend forward

• It’s easy to be disarmed in an attack from behind

• If you fall and land on the gun(s), you may injure your spine.

• It’s very difficult to draw from a seated position when your back is up against a chair

 Other Stuff:

• Signs of the times: "Border Patrol Agent Kidnapped And Mutilated"--Anonymous Conservative.
• Jerry Pournelle has some thoughts on the Deep State:

Mr. Trump is the elected president of the United States. It is no secret that many holdover officials were explicitly not loyal to the President, and some were proud of dragging their feet or even sabotaging Mr. Trump‘s action. Why should the President not expect loyalty from the Director of the FBI? Is the top investigating agency not subject to control by elected officials? This insistence of Administrative Independence is the very essence of the deep state, of the experts who have a right to rule not subject to the elected officials; it is a resurrection of the old divine rights, only the deep state is superior to everyone else: they and only they have a right to rule.

• "In Small and in Large"--Author John C. Wright discusses his son's ejection from his Boy Scout troop because he (the son) had allegedly made an anti-Muslim remark in a private conversation. Wright is not surprised, really, but his son is learning a hard life lesson:

       But my son is not prepared for betrayal by people, such as Christian pastors, such as his own scoutmaster, whom I taught him to trust, respect and obey.

       The world where chaplains will denounce you for being Christian, or Boy Scouts will expel you for being patriotic, is a new world to him.

        When a Leftist Christian has to decide between Leftism and the teachings of Christ, he goes Left. When a Leftist Scout has to decide between Leftism and the teachings of Robert Baden Powell, he goes Left. Leftist put Leftism before all other loyalties.

        Perhaps the lesson with toughen his spirit.

        The lesson may be useful for my friends and readers as well:

        The corruption is everywhere. To judge from their acts rather than their words, the corrupt wish not only to cow you into silence, dear reader, they wish to rob your children of innocent happiness.

 He also mentions the Long March Through The Institutions:

       They have control over the courts, the press, the schools, the entertainment industry, Wall Street. They are rapidly gaining control over the remaining uncorrupted Protestant denominations, over the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

       They want control over the Boy Scouts, and over what opinions a child expresses in private.

        Between Christ and Leftism, the war is a religious war, a crusade. The Left is not a political group with political goals, but a Jihad. Their goals are spiritual. Only a Crusader can defeat a Jihadist.

• "Rehabilitating Pat MacNamara’s Image"--Captain's Journal. MacNamara, as you might remember, is a tactical firearms trainer (supposedly ex-Delta Force) how indicated on a Comedy Central clip that he supported waiting periods and universal background checks (i.e., elimination of private sales). Many in the gun community believe that MacNamara should be given an opportunity to explain himself or otherwise rehabilitate his image. Smith's not having any of it:

 I see no need to wait – [MacNamara] clearly said he supported what he said he supported.  There was no mistake, and there is no mistaking what he said.  He said what he thought, and he thought what he said.

• The decline of civilization: "I do, I do and I do! Colombia's first THREE-man marriage between a 'polyamorous family' is legally recognised"--Daily Mail. I recognize that Colombia is only nominally within Western civilization, but it is a portent of where things are headed. And what is the purpose to this, other than to mock Christian marriage?
• The Daily Mail reports on some research that shows that stars generally form in pairs, suggesting that our Sun might have a "twin" somewhere out there. The headline is over the top, but the research and its conclusions as to stellar formation are interesting.