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Friday, May 24, 2019

May 24, 2019 -- A Quick Run Around the Web

"Advanced Patrol Tactics: Satellite Patrolling"--Max Velocity Tactical (16 min.)

          So, the first lesson in teaching kids to shoot is to accommodate them. Don’t try to play out through them what you want them to be or do. That’s a good life lesson on raising kids for any situation.
           When it comes to shooting, you want them to really enjoy what they are doing, whatever they’re shooting.
             For those of us who are avid adult shooters, we know a range session can be anywhere from a few hours to infinity.  When teaching kids to shoot, don’t overdo it.
               When you take them out to the range, consider their attention span, interest level and especially comfort. If it’s too hot or cold, that factor alone can make your time with your kid at the range a one time only affair.
                 NOTE: They will associate the activity with the worst common denominator of the trip, not the best.
                   And the next time you ask them if they want to go shooting, they will make their decision on that basis.
                     When you take them, go for them, not you. Go with their needs in mind, not yours. If it’s cold outside, have a portable heater for their hands. If it’s hot, go someplace with shade and bring plenty of cold water and snacks.
                      This is counter intuitive, but stop shooting before they are ready to go. Why? Because you don’t want to stop when they are completely worn out. You want them to anticipate a future trip.
                       My experience with my kids (and my own memory from growing up) is that if you make each trip (particularly early on) a lecture on proper stance, etc., it will suck the joy out of shooting and they won't want to return. Similarly, shooting a firearm with too much recoil. But nothing builds confidence (and brings smiles) more than seeing positive results, which, as I've mentioned before, may mean using paper targets and bringing up the targets close enough that the novice shooter can actually make some good hits. 
                       Also, with kids, just keep in mind that sometimes it may just be something that doesn't interest your child ... at least right now. I have a son who is extremely sensitive to loud, sharp, noises. No matter what I do, he probably will never enjoy shooting firearms, and so I don't force him to go. Looking at my own childhood, I always enjoyed going out to shoot, but I didn't truly fall in love with shooting until my early 20s.
                  • Related: "When should you start teaching kids to shoot?"--Aegis Academy. The author, in my opinion, is a bit too paranoid about safety. I mean, locking up toy guns separate from other toys...? Anyway, the author of this article explores introducing or teaching kids within different age brackets, so discussing young children, older children, and teens separately. Wrapping up, the author advises: "Teaching kids to shoot is as much about the gun as it is about the responsibility that goes along with it. Firearms are a great way to spend time with the family and you can start demystifying guns very early. Take the fear & curiosity out of the equation as soon as possible." 
                  • With summer weather, more of us will be out and about for recreation. A couple good articles on carrying while bicycling:
                  • In his "New Article Published In Concealed Carry Magazine!" (scroll down a bit when you go to the link), Greg Ellifritz sets out some excellent points on self-defense while biking, not just how to carry concealed, but pointers for not getting "ambushed" while riding, and how to use your bike in a self-defense situation. One point that I can personally attest to is his recommendation to use a fanny pack to carry a concealed weapon while riding. In fact, if you go to my article on concealed carry and scroll down to the first photograph, you can see the fanny pack I use when biking. I've never had an issue with the fanny pack or losing my firearm, even after a couple violent accidents that had me flying over my handlebars. It is intended for a very small auto, but, with some judicious modifications, I was able get it to work with my revolver. But the point is that it is small enough that even people who themselves carry firearms don't identify it as a fanny pack for a handgun.
                  • "Concealed Carry For Bicycle Commuters And Recreational Cyclists"--Alien Gear Holsters. This article focuses on just the methods for concealed carry. While I disagree, as noted above, the author suggests going "with an inside the waistband gun holster that you can position to a 5 o'clock position. That's just above your left or right buttocks depending upon which hand you carry with." I just think that it is too easy to print or expose a firearm worn on the waist when biking, but inside the waistband might not be too bad.
                  • "The Truth About Bicycle Carry"--The Truth About Guns. Another perspective on this issue, with some other thoughts and a recommendation for a different belt pack designed for motocross that straps around your waist and your leg. 
                  • Since we are on the subject of bicycles: "BRACKEN: THE PATROL BIKE"--American Partisan. The author notes that some of the advantages of the bicycle: its faster than walking, it can go places a motor vehicle can't, it is actually pretty stealthy (the author notes situations where he was even able to surprise wild-life, and I have had similar experiences). As for self-defense, he indicates:
                            A pistol can be carried and fired one-handed while riding, but in my opinion it will almost always make more tactical sense to use the bike to rapidly move to cover or to egress a danger area. During a time of collapsing civility a slung carbine can be carried on your back, but again, a rider will be better off using his bike to escape a danger area or get to cover. And of course a bike can rapidly squirt through a pedestrian gate or between bushes and trees where a car or truck cannot follow. Once the rider reaches cover or concealment the bike can be laid down, so both bike and rider will be invisible to observation. These “bikes-only” escape routes will be discovered during routine patrols and while running errands.While we’re on the topic of escape routes, consider bringing a compact set of wire cutters (“dykes”) along on your outings. They can be used to trim small branches or even clip out sections of old fencing to create new secret gates. Old chain link or wire fencing concealed behind brush is particularly good for making covert escape gates. Wire cutters make this an easy job.
                           For stealth carbine carry, wrap your long gun in a towel, (big rubber bands will work for this), and tie it just below the top frame bar with the barrel on one side of the handlebar fork, and the stock on the opposite side of your saddle post. This will keep it out of the way of your knees while you pedal. I carry a carbine to my local range this way, and nobody looks twice. (In fact, a boomer on an old bike is just about last on anybody’s list for looking twice. This includes the local sheriff’s deputies in their patrol cars.)
                      The Fort Wayne Police Department reports that it responded to the incident around 5:30 p.m. After arriving, officers found one man at the location with serious injuries. The officers called medical personnel, which transported the man to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police believe that the wounded man pulled his own gun and fired at the robber, but the robber fired back. In fact, the pair exchanged several shots before the robber fled, either on foot or possibly a bicycle. It is also possible that the robber was wounded in the gunfight.
                      Unfortunately, there isn't a lot more detail, but the author surmises that the customer may have tried to draw when the gunman was either pointing a firearm at him (the victim) or at least in plain view of the gunman. This is probably one of those situations where the victim tried to "white knight" by stepping in to be the hero. As the author notes: "Robber are typically more interested in getting the money than keeping an eye on multiple victims. So, it is better to wait until his or her attention is elsewhere before trying to draw."
                      • "Q Releases The SUGAR WEASEL Pistol – The Affordable Honey Badger"--The Firearm Blog. Q's "Honey Badger" AR pistol rightly gained a lot of attention because of its, what I believe is proprietary, short buffer tube and collapsible stock that allowed you to have a very compact package for stowing away in pack, although you might question the $2,400 MSRP. Now Q has released a "budget" version for $1,600. The issue I see is that the "Sugar Weasel" is that it looks pretty standard for its components, including a standard forged upper and lower receiver and standard carbine length tube. There is no mention about the trigger, so I presume that it is a standard AR trigger. The front hand guard looks pretty standard, and it uses an SBA3 arm brace.
                      • Wah, ha, ha!!! "Why You Should Consider Buying a Tactical Sword"--Ballistic Magazine. Not only does the author ignore the fact that effective use of a sword takes more training than a firearm, he picks a sword that would in fact require a higher degree of training to use effectively: the U.S. Model 1913 Cavalry Saber. This weapon is not a saber in any sense of the word. It is straight bladed sword intended for combat using a modern fencing style of thrust and parry. While there are occasions where someone has effectively used a sword to drive off an attacker, I can't recall any instances where the swordsman has beat someone with a firearm--at least, not any of the encounters I've read or watched between police and a sword wielding miscreant. I think the only time a sword might be of any consideration for self-defense is where you cannot obtain firearms. Skallagrim, an experienced swordsman, actually produced a video discussing this scenario, and I agree with him that the best might be a short, thrusting sword like the gladius, paired with a shield that could be used to block a household hallway or doorway. For goodness sake, don't pick a katana: not only does it require a lot of training to use to any real effectiveness, but most that are sold are cheap, ornamental swords unsuited for actual use. And don't ever get a sword that has a stainless steel blade, as stainless steel is too brittle and lacks the flexibility needed of a sword blade. Stainless is great for knives, but not long bladed weapons.
                      • "7 Critical Bugging Out Mistakes"--The Survivalist Blog. The authors seven are: (1) not keeping a low profile; (2) thinking that their loved ones will know what to do; (3) not considering that their bug out location might be compromised; (4) being out of shape; (5) having a BOB that is too heavy; (6) being too locked into a certain plan; and (7) bugging out when it is inappropriate. Obviously, the author is considering a TEOTWAWKI situation, but realistically, the most common bug out will be vacating before or immediately following a disaster that might be regional (such as a hurricane, extended loss of power) or more personal (a house fire) or economic in question. I think in such situations, the mistakes are more prosaic. Just a few examples: not having cash on hand; not keeping vehicles adequately fueled (i.e., at least half-full); not having a "tribe" to turn to for assistance; and not having adequate travel documents. On the latter point, I would note that FerFal has repeatedly advised having up to date passports, but we are now at a point in the U.S. where will have to shift to the Real ID in order to board a commercial aircraft or enter any federal buildings or facilities that have secured or limited access (e.g., a court house). So, even if you don't think you will have to travel to another country, you need to get an updated driver's license or state identification card that complies with the Real ID requirements.
                      • Speaking of FerFal, he suggests carrying an IMCO lighter over a Zippo. He lists 8 advantages it has over the Zippo, but the most important in mind is that he claims that while "[a] Zippo dries up in about a week or two ... an IMCO with its smaller wick lid can keep running for about a month." I've never had a Zippo last even a week or two.

                      "Colin Flaherty: How to ignore black mob violence in downtown Minneapolis" (7 min.)

                             People are getting dumber. That's not a judgment; it's a global fact. In a host of leading nations, IQ scores have started to decline.
                               Though there are legitimate questions about the relationship between IQ and intelligence, and broad recognition that success depends as much on other virtues like grit, IQ tests in use throughout the world today really do seem to capture something meaningful and durable. Decades of research have shown that individual IQ scores predict things such as educational achievement and longevity. More broadly, the average IQ score of a country is linked to economic growth and scientific innovation.
                                 Even children born to high-IQ parents are slipping down the IQ ladder.
                                   So if IQ scores are really dropping, that could not only mean 15 more seasons of the Kardashians, but also the potential end of progress on all these other fronts, ultimately leading to fewer scientific breakthroughs, stagnant economies and a general dimming of our collective future.
                                According to the article, this effect has not yet been seen in the U.S. In any event:
                                       One potential explanation was quasi-eugenic. As in the movie “Idiocracy,” it was suggested that average intelligence is being pulled down because lower-IQ families are having more children ("dysgenic fertility" is the technical term). Alternatively, widening immigration might be bringing less-intelligent newcomers to societies with otherwise higher IQs.
                                         However, a 2018 study of Norway has punctured these theories by showing that IQs are dropping not just across societies but within families. In other words, the issue is not that educated Norwegians are increasingly outnumbered by lower-IQ immigrants or the children of less-educated citizens. Even children born to high-IQ parents are slipping down the IQ ladder.
                                      According to the article, many of the cognitive abilities tested in an IQ test "can actually be sharpened by environmental factors such as higher-quality schools and more demanding workplaces." Things which are anathema to the left. I suspect that there are a lot of factors in play, from immigration from low I.Q. to high I.Q. countries, environments that favor low I.Q. (or, at least, don't encourage intellectual development), to a "brain drain" from some countries.
                                               The FISA court identified and quantified tens-of-thousands of search queries of the NSA/FBI database using the FISA-702(16)(17) system.  The database was repeatedly used by persons with contractor access who unlawfully searched and extracted the raw results without redacting the information and shared it with an unknown number of entities.
                                               The outlined process certainly points toward a political spying and surveillance operation; and we are not the only one to think that’s what this system is being used for.
                                            Also:
                                                   There is little doubt the FISA-702(16)(17) database system was used by Obama-era officials, from 2012 through April 2016, as a way to spy on their political opposition.  Quite simply there is no other intellectually honest explanation for the scale and volume of database abuse that was taking place.
                                                     When we reconcile what was taking place and who was involved, then the actions of the exact same principle participants take on a jaw-dropping amount of clarity.
                                                       All of the action taken by CIA Director Brennan, FBI Director Comey, ODNI Clapper and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter make sense.  Including their effort to get NSA Director Mike Rogers fired.
                                                         Everything after March 9th, 2016, was done to cover up the weaponization of the FISA database. [Explained Here]  Spygate, Russia-Gate, the Steele Dossier, and even the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (drawn from the dossier and signed by the above) were needed to create a cover-story and protect themselves from discovery of this four year weaponization, political surveillance and unlawful spying.  Even the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel makes sense; he was FBI Director when this began.
                                                            The beginning decision to use FISA(702) as a domestic surveillance and political spy mechanism appears to have started in/around 2012. Perhaps sometime shortly before the 2012 presidential election and before John Brennan left the White House and moved to CIA.  However, there was an earlier version of data assembly that preceded this effort.
                                                             Political spying 1.0 was actually the weaponization of the IRS.  This is where the term “Secret Research Project” originated as a description from the Obama team.  It involved the U.S. Department of Justice under Eric Holder and the FBI under Robert Mueller. 
                                                          Read the whole thing. There is a lot more in the article, including information about the NSA's reaction when it learned of the unauthorized use of its database and what it did to secure the database from being accessed directly by the FBI and CIA. In my mind, this tends to lend credence to the theory that what we are seeing is part of a larger conflict between the NSA/DOD and other intelligence agencies, including that "Q" is the NSA's internal affairs-type investigative group. And as for dealing with the people that were involved in this soft coup against the American people, this tutorial may be helpful.
                                                            Inventor and software designer Dennis Montgomery, a CIA/DOD/DHS/NSA/FBI  contractor-turned-whistleblower, alerted FBI Director James Comey’s office in 2015 that President Obama’s CIA Director John Brennan and Obama’s Director of National Intelligence James Clapper had turned the super-surveillance system that Montgomery designed for foreign surveillance, known as THE HAMMER, into a domestic surveillance system.
                                                                     The U.S. attorney from Connecticut assigned by Attorney General William Barr to look into the origins of the Obama-era “Spygate” probe is reportedly examining documents generated by a “fusion cell” of officials established by former CIA Director John Brennan.
                                                                     John Durham, who specializes in official corruption cases, has been looking into the origins of the Spygate probe for several weeks now. In a tweet Wednesday, investigative reporter Paul Sperry noted, “According to Main DOJ sources, Durham’s portfolio for looking into the provenance of CH includes examining docs generated by an interagency ‘fusion cell’ Brennan set up in mid-2016 on Russian election interference + pre-election briefings Steele gave to UK intelligence”…
                                                                  Research published online Monday in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people in higher social classes tend to think they are more adept at certain tasks — even when they are not — than their lower-class peers. And that overconfidence is often seen by others as competence, which can help them in situations like job interviews, the research reveals.
                                                                    Students who attend wealthy high schools appear more likely than those who attend low-income high schools to get extra time on the SAT and other exams, according to a new analysis by The Wall Street Journal. At some wealthy high schools identified by the Journal, one in four students is permitted to have extra time on tests by virtue of having claimed a disability. At low-income high schools, the total is 1.4 percent on average, the Journal found.
                                                                    • Secret Combinations: "The cult behind the coup?"--Eyes on the Ties (h/t Anonymous Conservative). This is an interesting article from June 2009, discussing how and why some Democrat defections in the New York State Senate delivered power to the Republic wing. From the article:
                                                                           The cast of key players was also extraordinary: a turncoat who has been charged with felony assault; another under investigation by the AG; an Erie County Democratic operative turned party-less power broker; a tax-dodging fat cat with an axe to grind.
                                                                             On top of all that, Tom Golisano actually watched the takeover from a backroom. Unelected and unaccountable, he and political operative Steve Pigeon apparently bankrolled and guided the coup. Pigeon is now in line for the top staff position in the Senate, according to the Buffalo News.
                                                                               Upon hearing of Golisano’s role in the coup, we (Aaron & I) were reminded of a recent article in Artvoice, Buffalo’s alt-weekly, which linked the Rochester billionaire to a cult-like organization called NXIVM (pronounced “Nexium”). NXIVM classifies itself as an “executive success” program, and has managed to develop a long list of wealthy and powerful clients since its founding ten years ago.
                                                                                 New York Magazine once painted a colorful picture of NXIVM:

                                                                              It’s basically like Scientology masquerading as a self-help seminar, run by a man named Keith Raniere…NXIVM’s “executive success” program is designed to reel in alpha types who need someone to tell them that greed is good. Its big philosophy is that “human beings are born parasitic” (saying “I’m hungry” or complaining about pain, for instance, is parasitic behavior; the enlightened just take what they need). It also redefines “good” as “pro-survival” and “bad” as “destructive.” Students wear colored sashes and bow in the presence of the leader. You can see where this is headed.
                                                                                This appears to be a pro-coup philosophy, for what it’s worth.
                                                                                       The political clout NXIVM has developed over the years makes it both sinister and potentially a relevant player in this political drama.
                                                                                         “Why should we pay attention to this psycho factory?” NY Magazine asked in that same article, back in 2007. “Because it has well-placed, well-heeled members and appears to be actively pursuing an entrée into political fund-raising.”
                                                                                           Clare and Sara Bronfman, heirs to the Seagram’s fortune, have been major backers of NXIVM. (Their father, Edgar Bronfman Sr, was once a client of NXIVM, but has since distanced himself from the group and described it as a “cult.”) Over the past several years they have retained high-priced political consultants to help them navigate the state’s political terrain and direct fundraising dollars.
                                                                                      • "China Has Already Lost the Trade War"--American Conservative. The author notes that tariffs are hardly a blip on America's economic map, and we export so little to China that even a full ban by the Chinese won't have any significant impact on the U.S. economy. The author dismisses fears that China would try to sell off U.S. treasury bonds. The conclusion:
                                                                                             The truth is that China really has very few options to retaliate against the trade sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. Outside of the traditional approach of a currency devaluation, there does not seem to be any way for it to make up for lost exports to the United States. Yet a devaluation of the yuan would also bring with it the danger of a debt crisis affecting heavily indebted public and private borrowers in China.
                                                                                               “China needs the U.S. surplus more than the U.S. needs China’s trade and finances,” notes Spanish author and economist Daniel Lacalle. “And that is why the trade war will not happen. Because China has already lost it. China cannot win a trade war with high debt, capital controls and U.S. exports’ dependence. A massive Yuan devaluation and domino defaults would cripple the economy.”
                                                                                            I think the greater concern is a shooting war, possibly a proxy war between China and the U.S., or an outright, direct conflict. As I've noted before, the more closely countries are economically tied, the greater the chance of armed conflict ... at least for near peers. E.g., Germany and Britain prior to World War I.
                                                                                            Long term, Trump believes that if present trends are not reversed, China could in theory catch and surpass the US. And as an authoritarian, anti-democratic superpower, China's global dominance would not be analogous to the American-led postwar order, but would be one in which China follows one set of rules and imposes a quite different set on everyone else—perhaps one day similar to the system imposed on its own people within China.
                                                                                                    Zakir Musa, a top militant commander linked to al Qaida, was killed on Thursday evening by government forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir during a counter-insurgency operation.  
                                                                                                      The shoot-out took place in the southern Tral area of Kashmir after Musa refused to surrender and fired grenades at the troops after they zeroed in on his hideout in a civilian home, said police.
                                                                                                        Residents said troops destroyed the home using explosives, a common tactic by Indian forces in Kashmir. 
                                                                                                         Musa's killing triggered violent anti-India protests in many places with authorities imposing a curfew and cutting internet access to make organising anti-India protests difficult and discourage dissemination of protest videos.
                                                                                                            The curfew remains in place across much of the Kashmir Valley, including in the main city of Srinagar, in anticipation of more protests and clashes as schools and colleges remain closed.
                                                                                                      • A reminder that we live in the 21st Century: "Op-Ed | Time to go back to the moon, to truly stay"--Space News. The author argues that several missions used to establish a permanent moon base would be less expensive and safer than trying to do multiple Apollo style missions requiring the astronauts to immediately return to Earth at the end of each journey.
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                                                                                                      Weekend Reading -- A New Weekend Knowledge Dump

                                                                                                      Greg Ellifritz has posted a new Weekend Knowledge Dump at his Active Response Training blog . Before I discuss some of his links, I want to ...