October 30, 2017 -- A Quick Run Around the Web

"Azure Arctic Glow, Norway Spiral | What Are They?"--Suspicious Observers (3 min.)

This is what a failed missile test can look like.

Firearms/Self-Defense/Prepping:

• I had a busy weekend, so I'm getting to this late, but ... Active Response Training's Weekend Knowledge Dump for this past weekend. A bunch of good articles, including one on the proper grasping of a revolver (it's a bit different from semi-auto), the speed of reloads while holding the muzzle in different directions, and gun-related ER visits based on type of firearm.
• "Warnings of ‘GLOBAL OUTBREAK’ of Black Death as PLAGUE continues to spread"--Daily Star. The article indicates that the pneumonic plague outbreak in Madagascar has now spread South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Comoros, the Seychelles, Mauritius and Reunion. However, the virus has only  killed 124 people and infected around 1,300. This is no where near what the Medieval Black Plague was like.
• "A Brief Survey of Shooting Slings" (Part 1 and Part 2)--The Firearms Blog. A look at some of the slings issued by the U.S. Army during the 20th Century, and some newer slings intended for use with AR style rifles.
• "Board Games as Boredom Relievers"--Survival Weekly. Board games generally at the top of the list when it comes to relieving boredom in a grid-down scenario. The author relates how he and his wife have accumulated a large number of games from second-hand stores and the like, and offers the following suggestion:

Last month, my wife set out a goal for our family that we’d play one game every day for at least a month. After all, what’s the point of having all these games if we never play them? This is something I suggest you do as well if board games fit into your plans. See, you might find that a game that looked really fun turns out to be a dud. Or, you might learn that you’re missing several key pieces. Or the instructions are so poorly written or confusing that you immediately lose any interest in attempting to play the game. You might also rediscover fun games you haven’t played in years and maybe make a few new favorites, too.

You might also want to pick up a Hoyle's book of games (rules for all sorts of card games) and several decks of cards, and learn some different card games. Or you can consider a post-apocalypse role playing game. 

• "Warning Signs That a Criminal Attack is Imminent"--RMACTSC. The list of warning signs he provides are for predatory attacks. There is a lot more--enough to fill a book. Such as Rory Miller's Facing Violence which I reviewed here. 
• "Troubleshooting Rifle Accuracy"--American Rifleman.
• "Couple Discovers Cache of French Resistance Guns and Ammo"--Guns America. According to the article, the cache included "three Sten guns, three pistols, over a dozen grenades and well over a thousand rounds of ammunition." 
• "Bump Fire Stock Ban: DOA?"--The Truth About Guns. The author indicates that a bill to ban the stocks hasn't picked up any Republicans in the Senate. He also relates that the NRA had contacted the ATF to make sure they wouldn't administratively ban the stocks before publicly calling for the matter to be addressed by the ATF.
• "When You Can Legally Shoot Someone: Guns for Beginners"--The Truth About Guns. It is worth reading the comments to this one. In the comments, there was a discussion of disparity of force which was ignored in the article, and a debate on when or if you should call the police to report an incident where you displayed a firearm, but didn't have to use it. See also this article from Ammo Land--"Reporting Self Defense with a Gun To Law Enforcement"--discussing the pros and cons.

Other Stuff:

• "Severe storms batter the Northeast leaving Amtrak service between Boston and New Haven, Connecticut, SUSPENDED, schools closed and hundreds of thousands without power"--Daily Mail. 
• "Catalonia crisis: Spain takes over regional parliament, calls elections after independence declaration"--Deutsche Welle. The main point is that, per a never before invoked provision of the Spanish constitution, the central government has essentially revoked the autonomous parliament of the region and called for new elections. It should be noted that the Spanish government has used a very heavy handed (and amateurish) approach to dealing with an issue that was largely symbolic, and turned it into a real crises. One of the interesting things about this independence movement, however, is that the secessionists want to stay in the E.U. I don't remember where I read this, but one pundit pointed out that Catalonia doesn't mind being taxed and regulated by the E.U., they just want to eliminate the middle-man, Spain. 

• Related: "Catalonia Declares Independence and Deserves Support"--David P. Goldman at PJ Media. Goldman notes that "[t]he critical point about the Catalans is that their incorporation into Spain was never cultural or organic." The region is not just the economic powerhouse of Spain, but it has its own language, culture, cuisine, and history apart from Spain.

• Related: "When Rich Places Want To Secede"--Hot Air.

• Luke 12:3 alert: The revelations of Hollywood sex abusers is beginning to spread to the pedophiles: "Kevin Spacey accused"--Vox Popoli. The young actor he is accused of sexually assaulting was 14 years old at the time. Spacey claims he can't remember the incident, but has admitted that he is a homosexual.

• Related: "COREY FELDMAN: ‘I WILL RELEASE EVERY NAME I HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF ... NOBODY’S GOING TO STOP ME’"--Grabien News. 

• (Update) Related: "The Next Big Hollywood Sex Scandal Is Already Breaking…At Nickelodeon"--Red State.

• "Cops handcuff crying nine-year-old autistic boy at school, then arrest and CHARGE him after teachers call the police to handle 'fight with bullies'"--Daily Mail. The boy lashed out at bullies. Instead of handcuffing him, they should have congratulated him on standing up to the bullies. I hope the boy's parents express how proud they are of him.
• China was stupid to have allowed North Korea to develop nuclear weapons. Now they are looking at getting a lesson in karma: "'This Is A Big Problem" - North Korea Nuclear Test Site Headed For A Devastating Collapse"--Zero Hedge. From the article: "A group of Chinese scientists have joined their North American peers in warning that North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear site could be on the verge of a dangerous collapse that could send a dangerous bloom of radiation floating over the border into Northern China."
• Yes: "Is there a civilization war going on?"--Orange County Register. Although the author includes the "obligatory" anti-Trump rant, he actually makes the case for nationalism over open borders, and defending traditional Western values.

• Related: "HOW CHURCHES DIE"--Powerline. By what Vox Day terms convergence: being taken over by SJWs. The example in the article is Christ Church in Alexandria, of which George Washington was a founder, which organization has decided to take down a plaque commemorating George Washington lest it trigger someone.

• "Average global IQ = 86"--Vox Popoli. To be frank, I see this as a possible solution to the Fermi Paradox--that we don't see advanced extraterrestrials because advanced technology means that the stupid will survive to breed and outbreed the more intelligent, thereby preventing a civilization from ever attaining a level of technology that could be detected from another solar system. The article suggests that China has the highest IQ at just over 106. I wonder if the Chinese are really that smart, or if the use of an ideographic language gives them an advantage when taking IQ tests.
• "Exponential industrialization of space is more important than combat lasers and hypersonic fighters"--Next Big Future. The basic argument advanced by the author is that China, Germany, and Russia are near peers on advanced avionic systems and weapons, but that the United States (despite not doing anything useful for several decades) still has an edge as to space craft and space technology, and that we need to protect and enlarge the technological gap.
• A reminder that we live in the 21st Century: "AI vs Doctors"--IEEE Spectrum. Links to stories noting areas where AI and robotic systems have equaled or excelled human doctors.