May 1, 2017 -- A Quick Run Around the Web

"Learning The Take Off Footwork"

Suarez International (6-1/2 min.)

Firearms/Self-Defense/Prepping:

• "Review: Century C39v2-U.S. Manufactured Milled Receiver AK"--The Firearms Blog. The author gave it a pretty good review. MSRP is $910, though.
• "How To Tie A Shemagh"--Willow Haven Outdoors. Both step-by-step photos and a video. This is apparently the method that military members had developed. The author points out that "shemagh" is pronounced "Schmog". However, I always call it a "shmeg"--probably from watching Red Dwarf where "shmeg head" was used as an insult for someone that was empty-headed or foolish.
• "The Best Gloves for Survival"--Modern Survival Online. This is not so much a list of the best gloves--e.g., go buy brand "X", model "Y"--but more of a review of common types of work and tactical gloves and discussing the advantages and/or disadvantages of each. I like the thin sport gloves (such as these Head running gloves) because they fit tight to my hand, but are warm enough (if I'm wearing a good hat) in weather down to freezing, but not too hot for more clement weather, and have a patterned tacky coating on the palms and fingers that give a good grip. The downside is that if they get wet, you might as well not be wearing them.
• "A Few Notes on using Ring Knives for Stabbing"--Loadout Room. Although more nuanced that this, the basic takeaway is "don't."
• "Have You Been Following the BATFE’s Flip Flops on Pistol Braces? Here’s the Real Story"--Imminent Threat Solutions. Probably one of the best explanations of the ATF's various letters concerning pistol braces. Essentially, though, the ATF has not changed positions, but merely made a couple clarifications on the original ruling that braces were okay. These clarifications are that you can't modify a brace to use as a stock (e.g., removing straps) but shooting a non-modified brace from your shoulder won't be a "redesign" of the brace to make it a stock.
• "Jagemann Polymer Glock Magazines | NRA 17"--The Firearms Blog. I hadn't heard of this company before, but apparently Jagemann make polymer magazines of various colors for the Glock 17, 19. 42, and 43. The Glock 17 magazine uses a slightly extended base-pad allowing it to carry 18 rounds instead of the standard 17. Also, it has the holes similar to a factory Glock magazine to show how many rounds are loaded. MSRP is $15, but the author says that he has seen them as low as $11.
• "Should You Add a Gas Mask to Your Survival Kit?"--Gun Carrier. A discussion of why you might want a gas mask, features to look for and brands available to civilians, and some drawbacks or limitations. A good read if this is a topic that interests you.
• In the country, no one can hear you scream: "Couple Camping at Bear River Campground Receives Disturbing Threat"--Fox 40. A couple that were camping in the Bear River Campground near Colfax, California. was threatened by a group of men to leave the campground or the woman would be raped. While officials say that this is not usual, the report cites other persons who also report being forced to leave the campground. (More at The Daily Mail). I always make sure I'm armed in case I have to deal with either 4-legged or 2-legged predators. Nevertheless, having been given the warning, it probably is better to heed it (and complain to authorities) than to unnecessarily be the victim of an "educational beat down" or worse. One thing to keep in mind is that this behavior--hostility to letting someone camp in "their campground"--will probably be common during any serious post-SHTF situation.

Other Stuff:

• White privilege--top headline today in many news outlets: "Pictured: The white man with 'a beer in one hand, a gun in the other' who shot black pool party guests at the luxury apartments where he lived - leaving one dead and seven hurt before cops kill him in San Diego"--Daily Mail. 
• Black privilege--crickets: "Police: 4 dead, 17 wounded in Chicago weekend shootings"--Chicago Sun Times. 
• Coming soon to a location near you: Borderland Beat reports: "The criminal families of Los Arzate and Los Uriate have united in a bid to contain the expansion of the CJNG in the East zone of Tijuana, which has resulted in a war, 443 people have been asassinated [sic] in four months. Operating with impunity, the cartels have initiated a campaign of intimidation against Police Chiefs, which they have done publicly with narco mantas.  The protagonists in this criminal struggle have no arrest warrants against them, even on the part of the PGJE of Baja California." 

• Related: "Massacre in bar in Veracruz"--Borderland Beat. 5 dead and 4 wounded.

• Related: "Three policemen are executed in Ixtapa"--Borderland Beat. 

• Related: "At least 35 killed in drug violence across Mexico: officials"--Borderland Beat. 

All of the foregoing stories are from just last week.

• "1 in 8 children in California schools have an undocumented parent"--Daily News. That statistic does not include "dreamers".
• Maybe the civilians should object when ISIS uses them as human-shields: "US-led air strikes on ISIS have killed 352 civilians, says the Pentagon as it admits 'regret' - but critics claim the number is at least THREE THOUSAND"--Daily Mail.  
• "Muslims Don’t Like Vaccines"--Anonymous Conservative. Discussing the measles outbreak among Somoli refugees, the author notes that Muslims consider vaccinations to be haram. 
• Socialists being socialists:

• "Chaos in Paris as annual May Day march turns into mass riot in protest against Marine Le Pen"--Mirror.

• "The Latest: 100 arrested after clash with police in Germany"--Sacramento Bee. 

• "Political correctness might get you killed"--Bayou Renaissance Man. He reports that: "The NYPD has ... censored an anti-terror handbook to appease offended Muslims, even though it has accurately predicted radicalization patterns in recent 'homegrown' terror cases. Rank-and-file NYPD officers, detectives and even intelligence and counterterrorism units are officially barred now from referring to the handbook or the scientific study on which it was based." The author has links to where you can download the handbook if you should so desire.