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Friday, May 8, 2020

A Quick Run Around the Web (5/8/2020)

"1815 Eruption of Mount Tambora"--The History Guy (16 min.)

  • First up, Greg Ellifritz has a new Weekend Knowledge Dump available. Topics covered by the articles he has linked to run the gambit from counter-ambush tactics for drivers of urban vehicles (the article is aimed at police, but may have relevance to the civilian), and from the other side an article on urban snipers, what the Tactical professor calls the Mr. Happy/Frowny Face Decisional Drill using a couple faces drawn on a couple paper plates and a deck of playing cards (to introduce some randomness to the shoot/no-shoot decision), Mas Ayoob's discussion between carrying a semi-auto pistol versus a revolver, an article for preppers discussion the stockpiling of building materials, why owning a firearm is a completely rational response to crime, and a lot more. The latter article explains:
     Prepping for improbable events isn’t necessarily irrational; it is often wise. Consider this: In 2017, more than 2.7 million people were injured in 6.4 million car crashes. With 327 million people in the United States, this means the baseline probability of you getting injured in a car accident each year is slightly over 0.8 percent.
         Now, a 0.8 percent chance might be perceived as pretty good odds. After all, that’s a 99.2 percent chance you won’t be injured. But .8 percent of 327 million still comes out to 2.7 million people each year, which is no small number. Are you willing to bet you’ll never be one of those unlucky few? Probably not.
            Although your chances of getting into an accident are small, consider what you stand to lose if you do get injured. Making preparations, such as buying insurance or carrying road flares, isn’t irrational, despite statistical improbability.
              With that point in mind, let’s look at the odds of violent criminal victimization. In 2018, 3.3 million people ages 12 and older were victimized in 6 million violent crimes. There were 23.2 violent victimizations per 1,000 U.S. residents ages 12 and older, meaning 2.3 percent of Americans 12 and older were victims of violent crime in 2018. This is much greater than the baseline odds of injury from motor vehicle accidents, for which preparation is rational.
                If you have a 1-in-50 baseline chance of being violently victimized each year, wouldn’t it be rational to take prudent measures to protect yourself? I think so.
          • It's been a busy week for me, and so I somehow missed the Woodpile Report posted earlier this week. He cites a lot of articles from different thinkers who do not believe that things are going back to normal because of this pandemic, but think that we are headed into the boogaloo. 
          • "More Dangerous-Animal Ammo: 45 Colt and 45 ACP Loadings"--Gun Tests. Not a comparison of the two calibers against each other, but the best loadings for each caliber. For their test, they deliberately avoided using "hunting" handguns built to take the most powerful loads. Thus, for instance, one of the revolvers used was a Colt Single Action Army (SAA). The author found that the following loads met their evaluation criteria (which is heavy on deep penetration):
          • .45 Colt Buffalo Bore 255-Grain SWC 3E/20.
          • .45 Colt Buffalo Bore Standard-Pressure 225-Grain Wadcutter No. 3L/20
          • .45 ACP Buffalo Bore 230-Grain No. 45230FMJ Flat Nose
          • .45 ACP Buffalo Bore 230-Grain +P FMJ No. 45230
            This not cheap ammunition. Given the information in the article, you are looking at over $1 or $1.50 per round for the .45 ACP and about $2 per round for the .45 Colt.
            • This looks like an interesting product: "JMac Customs M4-AKM Stock Adapter"--The Firearm Blog. Most adapters allowing you to use an AR stock on an AKM rifle simply attach to the existing rear trunnion via two existing screws. This one also has a projection designed to replace the small block that the pistol grip screws in to, making that a third point of connection.
            • I had recently linked to a documentary on the 535-536 cooling event that postulated it was due to a volcanic explosion of Krakatoa. I decided to look to see if I could find some additional articles on the topic and discovered that the science is far from settled. While there is agreement that something (probably a volcanic explosion) caused the cooling event, there is disagreement as to which volcano was responsible, or even in what hemisphere it might have been located. In addition, the cooling period lasted for years, perhaps as long as a decade, and might have been the result of multiple volcanic eruptions or a combination of volcanic event and a strike by a meteor or bolide. Anyway, here are some more articles:
            • For you handloaders out there: "Handloading the AR-15 .223" (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)--LoadData.com. The links are all to PDF copies of the articles. Part 1 looks at loads for a rifle with a 1:12 twist rate; Part 2 is for 1:9 twist rate; and Part 3 discusses loads for the 1:7.
                    PIT stands for pursuit immobilization technique, a manner of disabling a vehicle that originated with the California Highway Patrol in the 1970s. The PIT was later perfected by an advanced driving and police pursuit academy based in West Virginia. Thereafter, police agencies across the United States have adopted and viewed the PIT as a relatively safe technique for ending a pursuit.
                     The PIT technique requires approaching the fleeing vehicle diagonally from behind. The pursuing officer must match the speed  of the fleeing vehicle as closely as possible. With a slight impact, the officer maneuvers the vehicle to gently push the suspect’s rear bumper, with the intent of sending it into a spin. The officer’s vehicle continues forward as the suspect’s vehicle is disabled.
                        The abrupt change in thrust direction of the fleeing suspect’s vehicle will typically stall the powertrain, which essentially ends pursuit. The often stunned suspect can then be taken into custody.
                  • Related: Video: "What is a PIT maneuver?"--Cleveland.com (35 sec.). A real quick video explanation of how it works. 
                  • Related: Video: "Pit Maneuver"--Jennifer Martin (1 min.). Helicopter footage of a car chase where the perpetrator successfully recovers from a PIT maneuver 3 times (set to the theme song from Dukes of Hazzard, of course).
                         For almost the next two and a half minutes, there was a stream of near uninterrupted gunfire between the officers and Mătăsăreanu. The bank robber survived a direct “double-tap” to his vest and continued to fire at officers after catching his breath. Eventually, a swat officer chose to fire underneath the vehicles at Mătăsăreanu’s unprotected lower body which eventually wounded the bank robber and caused him to surrender, Mătăsăreanu put his hands up to indicate this.
                           Just seconds after his surrender, police officers rushed to pin the man down and cuff him. Officers questioned him about his own name and if there were any other suspects and Mătăsăreanu reportedly retorted with a vulgar “F*ck you! Shoot me in the head!”
                             Ambulance personnel, following standard procedure, refused to enter “the hot zone” where Mătăsăreanu was as he was still considered dangerous and there were reports that a third gunman might be on the loose. EMTs were not allowed to reach the scene until almost 70 minutes later after police radioed for an ambulance and Mătăsăreanu died at the scene from excessive blood loss. In total, he was shot over 20 times in the legs although the two fatal shots were from his left thigh.
                          Turns out, he [Trudeau] doesn’t think hunters need a 12-gauge shotgun either. Or 10-gauge guns for that matter. Gone too are big-bore rifles. Right now, the order bans much more than Prime Minister Trudeau advertised. That’s got to be a big surprise to Canada’s moose, bear, deer, upland bird, duck and goose hunters.

                          "Tucker: The unraveling of the Michael Flynn case"--Fox News (9 min.)
                          If the FBI conspired to lie and alter evidence to put one of the elites away, how often do they do it to the little guys?

                          • "Ex-Trump adviser Michael Flynn charges of lying to FBI dropped"--BBC. Just remember it wasn't just malfeasance on the part of the FBI and DOJ in altering key documents and failing to disclose exculpatory evidence, but also Flynn's first legal team which had also failed to turn over exculpatory evidence to Flynn's new lawyers. I suspect that the next thing we may see is a civil rights lawsuit being filed by Flynn. 
                          •  There seems to be some objections coming from both sides of the aisle about protesters against the Wuhan virus lockdowns carrying firearms. For instance, Harry Litman, a columnist at The Los Angeles Times, calls such protesters "Second Amendment thugs." He writes:
                                  The Lansing mob, however, didn’t show up at the Capitol because gun stores were closed (Michigan didn’t deem them essential but it didn’t close them either), much less to engage in traditional free assembly and free speech. They were there to intimidate, a function gun-rights types see as not only consistent with the 2nd Amendment but its real rationale. Their ultimate article of faith is an ominous (and arguable) reading of Thomas Jefferson’s famous quote: “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
                                   In other words, Americans’ right to bear arms is really the right to violently overthrow a government we don’t like. Thus the sign prominently displayed in Lansing: “Tyrants get the rope.”
                                A Michigan state senator, Ken Horn, similarly wrote:
                                        Last week’s rally at the Michigan Capitol was intended to be a peaceful event. It was meant to  demonstrate the power of the First Amendment, and maybe even the Second. The people own this government and they should have a say in it. They have the right to assemble, and they have the God-given right to tell us what’s on their minds.
                                          The problem, as I see it, is that you will never remember what the message that frustrated Michiganders were trying to convey, because of the ugly nature of some of the protesters. Honestly, I’m not afraid of guns and open-carry, I grew up with guns in the house and on the farm. 
                                            The problem quickly reveals itself when you combine guns, anger and ignorance. When you see people with long rifles screaming at the top of lungs, it shows the ugly side of civilization.
                                             Some of my colleagues felt unsafe. I truly regret that part of it. Honestly I didn’t, because I trust the men and women we ask to protect us and the public. Having said that, what they put our Senate police, the House sergeants and the Michigan State Police through is an outrage. Our guys handled this day with poise and grace. But as an old bar owner, I know exactly how on-edge they must have been.
                                               What is unforgivable, however, is the fact that the frustrated voices of the average citizen-demonstrator will go unheard, because of the noise these ready-for-violence protesters stirred up. To anyone reading, can we say that this rally served its purpose as you see photos of nooses and screaming people? To those that shouted angry messages at us from the Senate gallery, do you think you changed any minds?
                                                 I’ll tell you what I’ve told several Lansing leaders; if you want to lead, if you want me to follow you, you don’t need to give me something. Don’t ever threaten me, ‘cause that’s when the ‘ol bar bouncer comes out in me. If you want me to help you or follow your lead. .. inspire me!
                                                   I was not inspired by the senseless, ugliness of the few angry-mob types.
                                                Of course, the Woke leftists went ballistic and CNN's Don Lemon was outraged. On the other side of the aisle, Sean Hannity told his television audience: 
                                                        "I'm the number one supporter [on] radio and television, that I know of, [of the] First Amendment and the Second Amendment. Now, no one is a bigger defendant of the Second Amendment than yours truly," Hannity said Monday night on his televison [sic] program.
                                                         "Everyone has the right to protest, protect themselves and try to get the country open," the host said as video rolled of Thursday's protest in Lansing. "This, with the militia look here, and these long guns, uh... no. Show of force is dangerous. That puts our police at risk. And by the way, your message will never be heard, whoever you people are."
                                                           "No one should be attempting to intimidate officials with a show of force, and God forbid, something happens," the host continued. "Then they're going to go after all of us law-abiding Second Amendment people."
                                                        The real problem isn't that the protesters carried guns, but that the wrong type of protesters were carrying guns. Mike Muse at Medium writes that "Protesting With Firearms Looks Very Different Depending On Your Race." The basic thrust of his article is that no one is intimidated by white protesters carrying guns--especially for what he considers the trivial reason of lifting the lock down--as compared to when the Black Panthers did so fighting for black civil rights.
                                                                More importantly, why was America not more fearful of the displays? That’s not a rhetorical question, because it has an answer: Armed protest is a lot easier to swallow when it’s White and conservative.
                                                                  Ironically, the Second Amendment was the very ideal that formed the constitution of the Black Panther Party. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, young political activists in Oakland, California, were disappointed in the failure of the civil rights movement to improve the condition of African-Americans outside the South. They saw brutality against civil rights protesters as part of a long tradition of police violence and state oppression. In 1966 they organized young, poor, disenfranchised Black Americans into the Black Panther Party — and frequently carried guns and rifles with them during patrols and demonstrations, legally demonstrating their willingness to defend themselves against an oppressive police force.
                                                                    The following year, a bill was introduced to the California legislature that would have banned the open carry of loaded firearms in public. The bill, sponsored by a conservative Republican named Don Mulford, was clearly aimed at criminalizing the Black Panthers’ signature tactic — and it got the NRA’s support. So that May, 30 members of the Black Panthers headed to the California state house armed with pistols and shotguns; “the time has come for Black people to arm themselves,” Bobby Seale declared.
                                                                      The 1967 California bill and the Panthers’ subsequent protest are a significant part of the history of gun control in this country. However, the gun-control debate has shifted drastically. Today, that discussion has skewed away from the context of racial justice and collective self-defense, and toward individual self-defense, especially with assault weapons. Not surprisingly, the faces of those advocating for such weapons, far more powerful than the shotguns and rifles carried in the 1960s — and clearly unnecessary for activities like hunting and self-defense — have become whiter and more conservative.
                                                                  Look, the reason that governments and the Left are so deferential to Muslims is because they blow stuff up and cut off people's heads. Politicians (especially from urban areas) willingly kiss the rings of black leaders because blacks will riot and burn crap down. Whites haven't done that in large numbers since the early 20th Century. So politicians aren't afraid of white protesters--especially white conservatives. Heck, the Tea Party protesters even cleaned up after themselves and look where that got them. But it looks like some people are beginning to wake up to that difference and the why of it.
                                                                           You know what’s unsustainable? You know what’s illogical? The fact that some of our businesses are completely closed down with no concrete plans to reopen just yet in some states. The fact that ranchers are euthanizing livestock because production comes to a grinding halt. Want to talk animal cruelty and poor animals dying in vain? The fact that airlines are canceling thousands upon thousands of flights around the world because people are fearful of travel and/or just do not have the means to do so because their governor told them that he/she would slap a fat fine on their business should they decide to open up and work. The fact that domestic violence, child abuse and depression have all seen an uptick because people who think they know what’s better for us are messing with our livelihoods. And, let’s talk about hotlines where one can call and tattle-tale about their neighbors not “social distancing” while criminals are cleared out of prisons and county jails in the name of “good social distancing”. So yeah, let’s talk about “denying and devaluing life”, shall we? These illogical and unsustainable measures have been placed to “protect” us because our lords know what’s best and and it’s all maddening.
                                                                           The global economic collapse post pandemic is a far greater existential threat than these yacht-hopping elitists’ fabled ecological one.
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                                                                      Weekend Reading

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