This Is The Way: 270 Trucking Schools Shut Down

The New York Post reports that "Trump admin orders 270 trucking schools to shutter in crackdown on licensing of illiterate, illegal immigrant drivers." 110 schools were shut down because they "had been found to have trained 5,000 enrollees later found to be unable to speak English" in violation of long standing federal law. "Another 160 schools were suspended for failing to meet training facility standards — sometimes claiming a single truck or small parking lot comprised their training center." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in announcing the closures, "said 239 people died in crashes caused by non-English speaking truck drivers since the start of Trump’s term in January 2025, with California issuing most of the licenses used by operators involved in the smash-ups." 

Important Lesson On How Not To Be Shot

Don't hold house parties at 6 a.m. on a Sunday. Per the report, "[a] woman was killed early Sunday after someone fired multiple gunshots into a vacation home in Boise’s West Bench neighborhood, according to police," with officers responding just before 6 a.m. 

    A large number of people were inside the home when police arrived, and officers initially did not know the identity or location of the suspect, according to Boise police. The area was secured, the home was evacuated and officers cleared the residence while interviewing witnesses.

    Boise Fire Department crews and Ada County Paramedics attempted life-saving measures, but the woman died at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

    Investigators said evidence indicates a party was taking place when an unidentified suspect drove by in a sedan and fired multiple shots at the home before leaving the area. 

    The home was being used as a short-term vacation rental at the time of the shooting, police said. 

Update:  Police have released the names of the victim and one of the two suspects. Victim is Hispanic and the named, adult suspect also appears to be Hispanic. No information on the juvenile suspect. The local media referred to the two suspects as "teens" following the trend of media elsewhere to conceal the race of criminals. 

Gun & Prepping News #96

 Some links that may be of interest: 

• When you don't trust your students or trainees to carry a loaded gun: "Carrying with an Empty Chamber"--Recoil Magazine. The article delves into the origins of this strange practice:

    There’s a reason why carrying with an empty chamber is also called “Israeli Carry.” This form of carry has been a standard in Israel for so long that many instructors don’t even know why they initially started doing it. A goodly portion is due to the fact the Israeli military has always had a smattering of different pistols. This continues into the 21st century, to say nothing of when the nation was founded so many years ago.

    There are modern American pistols that aren’t as drop-safe as we’ve been led to believe, so imagine what the wide world of pistols looked like at the end of the 1940s. If you’re carrying a pistol that can potentially pop off if you drop it, and you have one in the chamber and you drop it … what then? Carrying on an empty chamber effectively negates that risk.

    Furthermore, different pistols have different manual safety mechanisms located in different places, and so for a fighting force with a mishmash of pistols, “rack the slide, then shoot” can be a universal answer, with the other safeties (if they even exist) staying disengaged.

    Another issue aside from the pistols themselves were the holsters. Available holsters ranged from homemade affairs, coat pockets, and those adapted from other platforms. Modern Safarilands they were not.

    Coming along for the ride of this tapestry of equipment was an early and persistent problem of gun grabs at checkpoints. Sometimes those that were stopped would take their chances, lunging for the gun of a guard to use it against them. The chamber being empty added an extra step, giving the checkpoint worker an additional ounce of reaction time in the event of an attack.

    Finally, the level of training always comes into play. A young conscript army may still be quite motivated, but the general level of proficiency will be lower than a fully professional force. This means less experience and more accidents.

• Some historical fiction for those of you that like that sort of thing: "Packing a Punch: A History of the M14"--The Firearm Blog. Rather than focus on what is wrong with the author's "history", including skipping entirely some of the shenanigans that led to the adoption of the M14, I want to focus on one point which is accurate:

The post-war era saw the U.S. military looking for a new rifle that could replace not only the M1 Garand but also the M1 Carbine, the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), and the Thompson submachine gun.

[snip] 

The development of the M14 began with the search for a weapon that could fulfil multiple roles: as a standard battle rifle, a light machine gun, and a replacement for several existing firearms. This led to the concept of a "universal rifle," which would be capable of firing in both semi-automatic and fully-automatic modes. ...

And there lies the problem with the M14 from the onset: it was intended to fill too many roles. The Garand was a primary battle rifle. The M1 carbine was a light weight weapon intended to supplant the handgun as a weapon for support troops--not as big or heavy as a rifle but offering better fighting capabilities over a handgun. The BAR and Thompson (and M3 "grease gun") provided weapons capable of full automatic suppressive fire in an era where the primary cartridge used by troops was too powerful to use in a light weight automatic weapon. So how did the M14 do? It was a fine replacement for the Garand, but too heavy a weapon for support troops, and used too powerful of a cartridge for automatic fire from that light of a weapon. Something had to give, and that was the selection of a smaller, lighter cartridge with substantially less recoil, which gave us the M16.

As a side note, I would note that Italy was able to successfully convert the M1 Garand to use box magazines and added select fire, resulting in the BM59 rifle.

• "G3 vs World: Trials of Modern Battle Rifles in Pakistan"--The Firearm Blog.  The author was involved in a weapon trial conducted by Pakistan to replace the locally produced G3 rifles and Chinese AK rifles. And although the test were supposed to be only among the weapons that Pakistan was considering as replacements, at the last minute they decided to include the G3 to act as a "baseline" to compare against. The G3 compared very well against the modern battle rifle offerings from various arms manufacturers. The author's conclusion:

    What can we learn from this experience? Nobody is claiming that the G3 is better than any modern battle rifle, but if we look at the core of the firearm, what matters is the cartridge, barrel length, and action. You cannot expect a drastic difference between two rifles chambered for the same cartridge with similar barrel length.

    If a rifle is reliable and can be used with modern sighting systems, it doesn't matter whether it was invented in 1959 or two years ago. When it comes to the G3, there is a lot of room for improvement, but with proper modernisation, the G3 certainly fits the formula of ‘old, but not obsolete’.  

• "PSA Olcan Review: Why the 300 Blackout Bullpup Actually Makes Sense"--Ammo Land. The Olcan takes the upper from PSA's JAKL and marries it to a bullpup lower. Thus, it has a long-stroke gas piston system, side-charging handle, and adjustable gas system. The barrel is 14.5" with a pinned and welded muzzle device that appears ready to accept a sound suppressor. It cannot switch ejection from the right to the left, however. 
• "Is the H&R Retro M16A1 the Most Authentic Colt M16 Clone?"--Shooting Times.  From the article:

    NoDak Spud is one of the most recognizable names in the retro rifle game, and it plays a role in the H&R rifles. Like the H&R brand, NoDak Spud was also acquired by Palmetto State Armory’s parent company, and they made NoDak’s founder, Mike Wettleland, H&R’s CEO. To say the company was in good hands would be an understatement.

    The finished result is a really nice looking rifle. Chambered in 5.56 NATO with a 20” chrome-lined pencil barrel, the H&R M16A1 upper receiver is made from NoDak Spud’s proprietary dies, and it has all of the iconic cosmetic features that denote an M16A1. The muzzle device, buttstock, front sight, carry handle, teardrop forward assist, and the triangular handguards with the heat shields are all there – you know exactly what it is upon first glance.

    The finish on the upper and lower receivers is even the correct gray color. Now, I would be remiss not to mention that some people have complained about the color of the small parts. On some guns, the parts are a glossier black and they clash terribly. On the gun I received, the parts are most certainly not glossy black, and they blend in with the rest of the rifle’s coloring. Not sure why there is a difference between some, but I thought that it was worth mentioning.

It also is available with either the period correct 1:12 twist or 1:7 for those who want to shoot heavier bullets. MSRP is right around $1,200. 

• Speaking of retro: "Five of the Best Factory Loads to Try in Your M1 Garand"--Guns & Ammo. The operating system of the M1 Garand cannot handle the hot loads commonly found in .30-06, so some companies have developed and market loads specifically designed for the Garand. This article looks at the following offerings: Creedmoor Sports CMP Load; Federal American Eagle For M1 Garand; Hornady .30-06 M1 Garand Match; Underwood M1 Garand; and Winchester M1 Garand. Of note:

One of the newest of the batch, Winchester undoubtedly did the best job of duplicating the original M2 ball. I write this because, thanks to their control of the Lake City ammunition plant, they were able to recreate the appropriate “LC” marked cases, and the first ones the market has seen in quite some time. Built to be rough and tumble like classic military munitions, they aren’t much to look at. However, they proved to be the spiciest load of the day in each rifle. Consistency was above mil-spec in both rifles, and despite being hotter than the others, I didn’t perceive any additional recoil. This is a terrific load for general target practice, or if you’re looking for a faithful reproduction of issued ammunition. 

Given the cost of .30-06, you might want to consider handloading ammo.  

• "Reloading 101: An Introduction to Loading Your Own Ammo!"--Ammo Land. The author makes his argument for why you should invest in the equipment and learn to reload your own ammo, as well as providing basic instructions. He also explains the different types of reloading presses and other equipment you will need.
• "Handloading .38 Special: Allan Jones' Deep Ballistic Lessons"--Shooting Times. Lessons learned to make handloads more consistent and accurate. 
• "Cross Draw Holsters"--Active Response Training. Greg Ellifritz discusses the pros and cons of the cross draw method of carry: the primary advantages are ease of the draw from a sitting position while the primary issue is a gun grab from the front. He comments:

Although the crossdraw position has some merits, the potential downsides make me hesitant to recommend it.  Almost all the benefits from the crossdraw position can also be found in the appendix draw without having nearly the number of disadvantages.  I only recommend crossdraw to folks who have a shoulder injury that prohibits them from drawing from behind the hip or from the appendix position or for outdoors people who are carrying long barreled revolvers when hiking of hunting in the woods.   

I would go farther than that. If you are sitting a lot, the cross draw is still, IMHO, more comfortable than an appendix carry. Additionally, those with larger guts will find cross-draw carry more usable than appendix carry. And for those suffering from sciatica aggravated by carrying on their strong side, moving the firearm to the opposite side of the body can in some cases be better tolerated.

• "Commerce Dept: There’s No Evidence at All Showing Microstamping is Reliable"--Shooting News Weekly.  Key bit:

    The determination by NIST officials, after reviewing the compendium of data examining microstamping, is that the existing studies show a microstamping cannot produce repeatable and legible codes. That’s for a couple reasons. Even the microstamping patent-holder, Todd Lizotte, got involved in the research that ultimately concluded that “…legitimate questions exist related to both the technical aspects, production costs, and database management associated with microstamping that should be addressed before wide scale implementation is legislatively mandated.”

    ... The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTME) and the New York State Firearms Technical Working Group (TWG) observed that firing pins wear over time.

    That makes sense. Firing pins striking metallic primers naturally wear over time. NIST noted that adding in the fact that firearms produce residue from gunpowder (as any recreational shooter can attest). That gunpowder residue can accumulate in the microscopic laser-engraved microstamp, obscuring the code.

    That doesn’t take into account that different firing pins are used in different firearms. That variation of make and model, metallurgy and even lacquer coatings on ammunition can affect the ability of a legible code to be present on spent cartridges. On top of that, it doesn’t work at all in rimfire ammunition, since there’s an entirely different primer in the rim of the cartridge and not a separate primer. Manufacturers’ branding on the cartridge can affect legibility too.

    How the firing pin strikes the primer can affect legibility too. Repeated strikes and drag marks can mar the microscopic microstamping code. 

• I like the idea of a safari, but my wallet can't afford one. This article explores another option: planning a hunt in Texas: "How to Plan a Domestic Safari: Hunting Exotic Species in the US"--Shooting Times. The author writes:

Many Americans have hunted a lot in the Northeast, the Great Plains, and some of the other areas of the country and would like to go on “safari,” but various constraints prevent that. However, a hunting trip to Texas can be accomplished within most of our budgets of time and money. It is one of the most accessible and varied hunting venues available to us. It is within driving distance for most of the country, and driving to Texas avoids being at the mercy of the haphazard air traffic control system. In Texas, both native and exotic game species abound, and they are accessible through many means. So, let us consider planning a Texas safari. First of all, make a checklist of what to take, preparations to make, and such. 

•  "Best Emergency Food to Keep in Your Car Year-Round"--Modern Survival Blog. The author begins by laying out the issue:

    For a true year-round vehicle stash, I would use a two-layer system: one heat-tolerant emergency ration that stays in the vehicle, plus a small supply of normal snacks that you rotate and actually like to eat.

    This general two-layer method has been my approach for many years and has proven reliable.

    One problem is heat. A snack that lasts a year in your pantry may not hold up nearly as well inside a parked vehicle. Cold creates its own problems too, especially with water and canned food.

    That gives you dependable backup calories without turning your vehicle into a rolling pantry. It also avoids relying on ordinary granola bars, nuts, jerky, or canned food for years at a time. 

For a heat stable emergency ration, he recommends S.O.S. Rations 3600-Calorie Emergency Food Bars. This (or something similar) is what I also used for an emergency food supply in my car kit back in my college days when I was frequently traveling long distances in winter. The author additionally discusses what other snacks to have and carrying water. Interestingly, his selection of water pouches is also similar to my choice long ago. Basically, what I did was look at food and water packets that were primarily intended for small water craft and life boats. 

•  And another from Modern Survival Blog: "How to Check If a Product Has Been Recalled." Unfortunately, there is no single website or government agency to check--it depends on the type of product. But the author details what information to look for on a product and several different sources to check. 
• "American Heirloom Project: How would you rebuild it all?"--Tilting At Windmills. The author begins with a thought experiment: what skills would you need to rebuild society and survive if all our technology--the grid, long distance trade, etc.--disappear. He encourages readers to learn a skill, as a hobby, that would be valuable in such circumstances; preferably one that can be done without power tools.

     I don’t use hand tools because I’m too pure for power tools. It’s just a preference for me. I don’t like the noise or the health risk. I might still bleed from a chisel being rammed into my thumb, but I’m not likely to lose a finger to the table saw.

    That’s where you can come in.

    Find yourself a niche. Learn to fill it. Even just growing your own vegetables or herbs is something. You’re building resiliency that might save lives or, at a minimum, put a really nice tomato on your burger; one you can’t get at the grocery store because you are the one who grows that particular kind.

    We need to stop trusting a system to keep us safe when that system actually doesn’t care about you, the person. Governments don’t have to protect you as a person, just society as a general concept, and if we’ve learned anything since 2020, it’s how little we should probably trust that.

    I remember the empty grocery store shelves in the early days of COVID, after all. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather not depend on just-in-time delivery systems that can’t always deliver just in time. I’d rather not go to get meat for dinner and have the clerk tell me I can’t have it all because there’s rationing.

    I experienced it all, as did many of you, and it sucked.

    Building the skills so, at least in part, you won’t have to is good. Doing it so someone else doesn’t have to is better.

    Raise chickens.

    Spin fibers into thread.

    Turn it into fabric.

    Make pots and fire them in the backyard using a method that is cool as hell, and completely irrelevant.

    Find your craft. Find your apocalyptic profession. Find your thing.

    You may have already. You might be sitting there thinking, “I’ve been knitting since I was 12,” and I’ll say, “Dope. You were already there,” and move on.

•  In a similar vein: "The Manual for Civilization Begins"--Long Now. The author writes: "We have named this collection the Manual for Civilization, and it will include the roughly 3500 books most essential to sustain or rebuild civilization. Using this as an curatorial principle is helping us assemble a very interesting collection of books." The article then links to lists people have compiled of supposedly useful books. Unfortunately, many of the lists seem more about what academics think is necessary rather than what is necessary. I haven't gone through all the lists, but they seem heavy on fiction and social sciences over practical guides to machining and manufacturing. I didn't even see a single reference to the classic set of books, How Things Work, which provides brief descriptions of so many machines and how they work. So while the concept is sound, they seem to be compiling lists from the wrong sorts of people.

RPG Saturday: Top Secret (TSR)

 

Top Secret was a role playing game first published by TSR in 1980 in which players took on the personas of secret agents a la James Bond, The Saint, George Smiley, Jason Bourne (of the novels), and other famous spies and secret agents of popular fiction and films. In fact, since it would probably be groups of people working together, television shows such as The Avengers and The New Avengers television programs from the UK, I Spy, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., or, most especially, Mission: Impossible (the television series) might be better inspirations. Since the game lists at least 100 real world intelligence organizations, plus any that the game master (called the "Administer") might dream up or take from fiction, there are no shortage of organizations for which the characters might work. 

    It was a popular game with me and my friends. It is because of this game, and its cover, that I actually associate the Beretta 84 more with spies than the PPK! And it was one of the games that did the most to spark my life long interest in firearms. 

    There have been a couple of subsequent editions of the game. In 1987, TSR released a revised version called Top Secret/SI, but the rules were completely revamped from the first edition, and the characters worked for a specific fictional spy agency (ORION) against its evil adversary, WEB. I also understand that in 2017, the original author of Top Secret released an updated version of the game entitled Top Secret: New World Order, with the characters working for yet another transnational intelligence agency. I've never played these versions and don't know much more about them than what I read on Wikipedia. 

 

The Game Books

    Top Secret was published and sold as part of a boxed set that included the rule book (on the right in the photograph, above) and an introductory adventure entitled "Operation Sprechenhaltestelle". 

    The rules were in a soft cover book running 64 pages including an example character sheet at the back of the book. The introductory adventure ran 27 pages, not including a 4 page removable "mission briefing" in the center fold of the booklet. 

    I believe that the game also shipped with two 10-sided dice needed to play the game.  

The Setting

    The setting is modern day ... at least, the modern day when the game was released. There was still the Cold War, no cell phones or World Wide Web, and computers were only just making their way into small businesses and people's homes. However, it would be easy enough to update the game by adding additional gadgets and more modern weapons, and including a "hacking" area of knowledge.  

    As noted earlier, the characters are not from any particular intelligence agency, nor do they belong to a fictional agency like UNCLE. In fact, they could be brought together from different agencies to form a special team, which might give it a more international flavor.

    Likewise, the characters are not facing off against any particular foreign intelligence agency or crime organization (such as SMERSH as in the James Bond novels or SPECTRE in the Bond movies). The characters could be snatching defectors out from under the noses of SMERSH or the STASI in one session, and fighting the IRA or PLO in the next. Or the game master could create a campaign where the characters work for a fictional secret agency facing off against fictional super-criminal organizations like KAOS, THRUSH or SPECTRE. 

The Rules

    Character creation begins with determining the value of six (6) basic traits--Physical Strength, Charm, Willpower, Courage, Knowledge, and Coordination. These traits are determined by rolling a d100 (the two ten sided dice, reading one as the tens digits and the other as the single digits) and adding a bonus provided by consulting a table. This is intended to boost characters with low scores. 

    The basic traits are then used to determine other traits such Offense, Deception, Evasion, Deactivation, Life Level, Movement Value, Hand-to-Hand Combat Value, and Surprise Value. The player next determines his character's height, age, and other personal statistics; the number of languages the character speaks; and specific areas of knowledge the character possesses in various scientific, technical, or scholarly fields. 

    Finally, the player decides the "bureau" his character works for: Investigation, Confiscation, or Assassination (and almost everyone picks the latter); and then is provided a specific sum of money ($400--it was the early 1980s) to purchase starting equipment. Characters are paid for each mission, which gives them the money to purchase additional equipment or upgrade equipment they already have. Of course, that doesn't stop the characters from getting cash by other means during the game. I'm sure that James Bond didn't turn his gambling winnings over to MI-6.  

     Like other early offerings from TSR, there is no unified game mechanic as typical for most games today. Sometimes the game requires rolling dice hoping for a result below a certain number, and sometimes the results are determined by consulting a table.

    For instance, if the character is making contact with someone where a reaction must be determined, the player determines what type of contact will be made (e.g., using force, attempting to fool the person, dazzle them, bribe them, etc.) and consult a table which tells which trait must be compared against a value for the target and cross-references those two numbers on a Contact Reaction Table. But even that reaction result might require further rolls of the dice. For instance, if the player decides his Player Character (PC) will attempt to Fascinate a contact, he would compare his Charm trait against the Non-Player Character's (NPC's) trait. Assuming that the PC has a 75 Charm and the NPC's trait is 50, we would cross index those numbers on the Contact Reaction Table, which would give a result of "E". Looking at the key for the table, it states for "E": "Contact will listen to the agent, then (Admin's die roll) will walk away (01-33); will as the agent to leave (34-66); or will has the agent to shut up (67-00)."

    There are tables to roll for random locations, what weapons guards or enemies might carry, for how police will respond and how they will be armed, and even police might secure a prisoner. 

    Combat is divided between "projectile combat" (pretty much using of firearms but also a few more primitive weapons) and  hand-to-hand combat. The projectile combat can be quite complicated because it has rules (and modifiers) as to who gets the first shot, a detailed weapons chart (essentially setting out the characteristics of a plethora of firearms), rules on movement during combat, determining whether you hit, and damage to the PC or NPC from a hit. There are also rules covering the damage to a weapon if it happens to be struck by a bullet. Combat is mostly worked out, however, by determining your "to hit" number modified by various factors, and then rolling less than that number on a 1d100. 

    Hand-to-hand combat works differently. Generally, the characters will determine what fighting style they are using (untrained, knife fighting, boxing, swordplay, judo, martial arts) followed by the attacker selecting a type of attack and the defender a type of defense, and consulting the appropriate table to determine the result. For instance, using the boxing table, the attacker might select a "Hook: Head" and the defender might select a "slip" to the same side. The result is a "Y" which indicates "Severe Damage" ranging from 5 to 10 points. 

    There are additional rules on disabling locks and alarms (including using lockpicks), explosives and grenades, underwater combat, using explosives or bullets against a vehicle, gambling, fencing purloined goods, disguises, the effects of alcohol, incapacitating gases and smoke, and much more. Even an execution table for how the evil villain will do away with a PC in an especially fiendish way. And, of course, examples of secret devices worthy of James Bond's Q branch. 

    Strangely, however, there are no rules for car chases. Fortunately, the Dragon Magazine published rules for car chases ("Pop the Clutch!") in its October 1983 edition, and I believe you can still find these rules online. And fans of the games have published additional lists of weapons and equipment.

Tuning Your Rifle To Work With A FRT

I came across the video below on using different strength recoil springs and different weight of buffers to tune an AR so the FRT works. And the very next day, I saw a post from Big Country Expat dealing with the same issue. So this seems to be an issue with the FRTs, resulting in too light of primer strikes to set off a round and just the overall cadence and operation of the weapon if the weapon is not correctly tuned.  

 VIDEO: "So you bought an FRT... But it won't work, now what?"
Juicey Media (14 min.)

Ceuta--The Citizens Strike Back

From the European Conservative: "More Violence In Ceuta: Clashes With Residents, Ambush On Soldiers." After the Spanish government did nothing to stop tens of thousands of invaders bum rush the border of the Spanish enclave, the citizens are fighting back. The article reports:

    More than 2,000 Ceuta residents took to the streets again on Wednesday to demand a solution to the crisis that began with the mass entry at the end of July. Some of the demonstrators later broke away from the march and headed towards El Trampolín, the beach where dozens of invaders remain despite previous evictions and the opening of temporary reception facilities.

    Once there, they attempted to dismantle part of the encampments themselves. The Police Intervention Unit deployed a large number of officers and riot-control equipment to prevent a direct confrontation between the two groups.

Translation: the Spanish government is aiding and abetting the invaders. The article continues:

    The police intervention against residents has added another source of irritation in a city where a growing part of the population accuses the state of enforcing public order only when Ceuta residents themselves decide to take matters into their own hands.

    The problem is not a complete absence of police action, but an increasingly reactive response to a crisis that continues to generate new outbreaks of violence.

    The most serious incident came at around 5:30 a.m. in Benzú.

    According to police sources, a group of between 30 and 40 immigrants surrounded a vehicle carrying four soldiers from the 54th Regulares Group towards a surveillance post and began attacking it with large stones. The soldiers were forced to abandon the vehicle and flee on foot towards Calamocarro while being chased and continuing to come under a barrage of stones. All four were injured. 

However that didn't stop some of Ceuta's residents from setting fire to part of an illegal immigrant beach encampment and blocking the Red Cross from resupplying the invaders. Meanwhile, the invaders are acting like ... well ... invaders:

A local woman in Ceuta has described how she and her mother rescued a 12-year-old girl from being raped by five Moroccan illegal migrants, as the confirmed number of sexual assaults has risen to 16 since the mass invasion at the end of July.   

(Although another source says it was a 10-year old girl).  

Military Uses Laser To Shoot Down Cartel Drones At Border

The Hill reports: "Laser used to shoot down cartel drones near Mexico border." The article indicates the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser system was used to shoot down three cartel drones on Tuesday and early Wednesday this week. 

    Officials described the drones, though exact locations were not disclosed, as “hostile” and that they posed a “physical threat” to U.S. service members and Customs and Border Protection personnel.

    “Cartel networks are increasingly employing unmanned aircraft systems to facilitate illicit human-smuggling and actively spy on our personnel and law enforcement partners,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, who serves as the commander of the border task force, in a statement. 

Weekend Reading #71

Some longer or more involved reading:

• Greg Ellifritz has a new Weekend Knowledge Dump at his Active Response Training blog.  Some of the more notable items:
• Greg links to the most recent Range Master newsletter, which itself has several items of interest including the drill of the month, some comments about the importance of institutional memory (i.e., history of techniques), and why 00 buckshot is the best buckshot size for self defense.
• Speaking of institutional memory, Greg notes that over the course of his career, he has "seen how the events encountered in historical police gunfights have completely changed training doctrine and equipment use for both police and armed citizens alike," and indicates that he is going to start a series discussing some of the most important law enforcement shootings and events that changed police training, gear and doctrine. In that vein, he links to an article about the Norco Bank Robbery. 
• Something that we may need to think about is whether to get involved in the defense of a stranger. Greg links to a piece that raises the issue of whether we are best serving our family if we do so.
• A historical article on combat using a Bowie knife. In the 19th Century, there were schools of fencing across the United States that specialized in teaching how to use this weapon.
• A review of Federal Punch in .22 LR as a defensive round. Short take: "But the .22 LR Federal Punch round stands above [other .22 LR rounds] in terms of performance and delivers penetration approaching the levels of .22 Magnum or even .380 ACP."
• Lucky Gunner's testing of ballistics from varying barrel lengths shooting .300 BLK. The testing didn't show much gain from using a longer 16" barrel over the short barrels. Conclusion: "The real advantage of .300 Blackout is flexibility rather than raw ballistics. You get solid performance inside 150 yards, it’s easy to run in a suppressed, short barreled rifle, easy to switch between subsonic and supersonic ammo without changing anything else about the gun, and there’s no shortage of factory loads for either." 

• John Wilder muses about "The Passing Of The American Empire?" First he lays out his case that the United States really does preside over an empire. Then he provides thoughts on whether we are in an empire in decline and where we are at on that path. 
• A long video (41 min.) rather than a read: "How cartel drug smuggling actually works, according to a trafficker"--Business Insider. 
• "Jim Corbett: Eradicator of Man-Eating Tigers & Conservationist"--Shooting Times.  If you like reading about the great dangerous game hunters, you've probably heard of Jim Corbett. If not, Corbett was tasked with hunting man-eating tigers and leopards in colonial India and became a bit of hero. But he also championed preservation of the big cats, with a national park in India named after him. And his caliber of choice was the 7x57mm Mauser (aka, .275 Rigby)--something that would probably be considered underpowered for hunting the big cats in this era. This article give a short biography of his life.  A couple more articles about Corbett:
• "Edward James Corbett - Hunter Turned Conservationist"--Nature Safari India. 
• "Inside Hunter Jim Corbett’s Legendary Showdowns With History’s Scariest Man-Eating Big Cats"--All That Is Interesting. 
• "Inside the disappearance of Hollywood starlet Jean Spangler that saw Kirk Douglas dragged into investigation... after mysterious note bombshell"--Daily Mail. An interesting article if you like true crime stories:

    In Hollywood's golden age, Jean Spangler was just one of countless young starlets dreaming of a fairytale rise to fame.

    With her porcelain doll looks and willowy 5ft8 frame, along with a resume of film bit parts, Spangler seemed destined to make some kind of mark in Tinseltown - even if it was not with her name in lights alongside darlings Betty Grable or Olivia De Havilland. 

    Tragically, the fame Spangler would so desperately seek would not come from her onscreen appearances, but her haunting disappearance in 1949.

    All Spangler left behind was a ripped purse, a mysterious note and a young daughter who never knew why her mother failed to come home. 

    The vanishing of the 26-year-old even saw megastar Kirk Douglas dragged into the fracas.

    Theories swung wildly - from her death during a botched abortion to Spangler leaving LA with gangsters.  

The article also notes that "Spangler disappeared just two years after the heinous murder of Elizabeth Short, who is immortalized in true crime history as the Black Dahlia. Spangler's striking resemblance to Short, combined with her work at Florentine Gardens, owned by Short's acquaintance and murder suspect Mark Hansen, saw police wonder if she was another victim of the killer." Unfortunately, Spangler's case has never been solved and remains open.

The Good News Story Of The Day

 “ICE arrested 50,000 people in July – quietly the biggest month in Trump’s second term”—The Guardian. 

Birds of a Feather…

 “Police raid home of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's son as guns and ammunition are seized”—Daily Mail. 

Law enforcement sources told Alpha Newsthat a search warrant was carried out at the home of Omar's son Adnan on Tuesday night. 

According to the outlet, they recovered guns and ammunition from the home and arrested his roommate Abdulrahman Abdi, 22.

No Surprise Here

From the New York Post: “Shocking study shows link between transgender ideology and left-wing violence.” The article indicates that the researchers found “that those normalizing transgender beliefs were more likely to be supportive of political violence.”

This Is Funny

 And it illustrates why the wealthy are opposed to immigration enforcement: “Hamptons yacht club forced to cancel restaurant service after kitchen staff kicked out of US.”

A Practical Axe Manual

Happened across a useful resource: "An Ax to Grind: A Practical Ax Manual" published by the U.S. Forest Service. It covers the basics of using an axe, including chopping techniques and cuts, as well as covering topics of felling a tree (just the axe use, though, not correctly judging how a tree will fall and other safety issues), limbing a log, cutting pinned down saplings, bucking (cutting a log into usable lengths), splitting wood, and hewing (shaping a log). 

Safest Countries To Hide From The Apocalypse?

The researchers that looked into this issue, according to the Daily Mail, were looking only at global disasters, which fell into three broad categories: 

    First are 'Abrupt Sunlight Reduction Scenarios' (ASRS), in which events like volcanic eruptions, nuclear winter, or asteroid impacts suddenly block out the sun with dust.

    Second are events known as 'Global Catastrophic Infrastructure Loss' (GCIL), which lead to mass disruptions to electricity, transport, and food production systems.

    These could come from powerful geomagnetic storms caused by solar flares, high–altitude electromagnetic pulses from nuclear weapons, or massive cyberattacks.

    Finally, the researchers identify Global Catastrophic Biological Risks (GCBRs), where natural or man–made biological hazards lead to mass casualties and disruption on a continental or global scale.

I find it interesting that they do not consider a full-scale nuclear exchange. It would have been at the top of the list when I was a teen.

    In any event, the safest countries: 

    Different countries have a range of factors that make them more or less resilient to each category of risk.

    Likewise, a factor that can be a bonus in resisting one challenge can actually make a nation more vulnerable to another.

    For example, being an island makes it easier for Australia to shut itself off from the world and isolate against pandemics.

    But this isolation can also make a country more vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions or fuel shortages.

    However, in the overall assessment, Australia still comes out on top as the most resilient against the widest range of threats.

    Other resilient nations include New Zealand, Japan, Switzerland, and Argentina, but all of these are exposed to specific threats.

    New Zealand, Japan, and Argentina all have long coastlines which are exposed to tsunamis caused by asteroid impacts. 

    Likewise, all of these nations besides Switzerland are dangerously close to one of the several volcanoes that could erupt in Southeast Asia and South America. 

What I don't see is any consideration of refugees or even invasion subsequent to a global disaster. For instance, Australia is only a short distance from Indonesia, population 288 million; the population for the whole of Southeast Asia is 706 million; and just a bit farther is India, population 1.47 billion. And since the Australian government has disarmed its people, that population would be helpless in the face of a massive influx of refugees and/or invasion a la "the Sea Peoples". 

Lies, Damn Lies, and Mass Shootings

You may have noted over the years that the number of mass shootings widely varies and this is because of the various definitions of mass shootings floating around, and the media just picks the one that advances their narrative. Kevin Downey Jr. raises this point in an article at PJ Media where he points out:

The Rockefeller Institute of Government, a left-leaning "think tank" affiliated with the State University of New York (SUNY), has a different definition of a mass shooting (I added the bold again and will explain why):

A mass shooting is an incident of targeted violence carried out by one or more shooters at one or more public or populated locations. Multiple victims (both injuries and fatalities) are associated with the attack, and both the victims and location(s) are chosen either at random or for their symbolic value. The event occurs within a single 24-hour period, though most attacks typically last only a few minutes. The motivation of the shooting must not correlate with gang violence or targeted militant or terroristic activity.

The commie progs at the Rockefeller Institute have taken it upon themselves to declare that mass shootings "must not correlate with gang violence or targeted militant or terroristic activity." Why? Because they don't want black people or Muslims involved in the mass shooting statistics. The drooling MAGA redneck needs to be their mass shooting boogeyman. If you subscribe to the Gun Violence Archive's definition of a mass shooting, black people, mostly males, are responsible for no fewer than 70% of mass shootings, and that is a conservative figure. Then there are the Muslims. And don't get me started on the transamabob mass shooters... yet.

He goes on to note that other leftist groups have different definitions, but those definitions are still intended to make it appear that whites are responsible for the majority of "mass shootings" and to downplay the role of blacks, Muslims, "and Decepticons who shoot up, among other things, Christian schools." 

Flashflood Kills Hundreds In Nepal

The Daily Mail reports: "At least 54 Americans and hundreds of tourists missing in unstoppable floodwaters in Nepal." Per the article, "A total of 579 people are missing, according to figures from the Nepali police," of which "54 people are from the US and 33 are from the United Kingdom."

    The office of Nepal's prime minister confirmed that 157 bodies have so far been recovered. Massive rescue efforts have continued into Wednesday evening. 

    Harrowing footage from the scene showed fast-flowing floodwater ripping through the streets and destroying everything - including homes and bridges - in its path.

    River banks burst as walls of water came rushing through the densely populated areas, sweeping people underwater as others sought safety on higher ground. 

    Aerial footage showed floodwater completely consuming land near the Nepal-Tibet border, sending people running for their lives as buildings collapsed in seconds. 

    A landslide hit Nepal at 8.37am local time, which then triggered an avalanche after a colossal glacier snapped, and debris then caused the horror flooding. 

    The water carved up nearly 30 miles of land from China-controlled Tibet down into the Nepali town of Trishuli, leaving a path of near total destruction in its wake.  

RIP: Tim Curry Dead At 80

From the New York Post: "Tim Curry, ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ and ‘It’ actor, dead at 80." 

    The actor died Tuesday night, his rep, Sean Katz, confirmed to USA Today, 14 years after suffering a major stroke that left him partially paralyzed.

    “Tim Curry, the iconic actor and entertainer globally beloved for his dynamic contributions to the stage and screen, passed away peacefully at his home in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, on Aug. 25, 2026, confirmed by his longtime manager and friend Marcia Hurwitz,” the statement read.

    “Though widely known for his inimitable, flamboyant characters and colorful stage performances, his greatest legacies to those who knew him were his curious, expansive mind and generous, gentle heart, both of which remained open and filled with anticipation until his final breath.”   

Muzzle Climb and FRTs

Colin Noir warns that failure to control muzzle climb when shooting a forced reset trigger (FRT) leads to dangerous situations at the range, which may result in ranges banning FRTs or worse. If you go to about the 11 minute mark, he provides some instruction on controlling the weapon. 

The second video is from Vickers Tactical on how to control a weapon when shooting full auto, which has application for shooting semi-auto, particularly when using an FRT. 

VIDEO: "We’re Going To Lose FRTs If People Keep Shooting Like This"
Colion Noir (17 min.)

 

 VIDEO: "BCM Training Tip - Full Auto Recoil Control"
Vickers Tactical (4 min.)

Massacre Inside Church In Haiti - 40+ Dead

The Daily Mail reports: "Massacre inside church leaves 40 dead with victims 'executed' during 'night of terror' in gang-ravaged Haiti." An excerpt:

    'The bandits raided a displaced persons camp located in a church. They executed several people. There are fatalities and dozens of wounded. Some people were abducted by the criminals.'

    Jean added that among other places the assailants targeted a site housing people who had already fled violence. 

    The UN have estimated a total death toll of at least 47 victims and 22 more injured in the overnight gang raid. They added that figures could change.   

Also:

    Powerful gangs under a broad alliance have for years cemented their influence over Haiti's capital ​and expanded to nearby regions, despite attempts by foreign nations to reinforce the country's outgunned police. 

    Attacks in Kenscoff over two months in early 2025 ​saw more than 260 people killed and 200 homes destroyed or set on fire, forcing 3,000 people to flee, according to U.N. ​estimates.

    Nearly a dozen more attacks have taken place since, including rapes, kidnapping, arson and livestock theft.

    Several locals accused the government of not doing enough to help protect residents amid the ongoing gang violence.

 This is what civilizational collapse looks like. 

RIP: Dolly Parton Dead At 80

The New York Post reports that Dolly Parton has died. An excerpt:

    Additionally, Parton starred in ... the all-female ensemble for 1989’s “Steel Magnolias,” featuring Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts.

    Roberts opened up about the impact Parton had on her while working on the “Steel Magnolias” set, which was filmed in 100-degree weather in Louisiana.

    “Everybody had ice on their wrists doing the whole thing,” the “Pretty Woman” star shared during a 1989 interview on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

    “Everybody was like, it’s hot, could I get some water? And Dolly never said anything,” she explained. “And I finally, I just had to say, ‘Dolly, you’ve got a wig, and the wool, I mean, c’mon. It’s hot, sweat a little. Just say, I’m hot, you know? This is a drag.’”

    Reflecting on what Parton said next, Roberts shared, “I remember we were sitting on the porch, and she said to me, ‘When I was a little girl, I wanted to be famous, and I wanted to be rich, and now I’m both of these things, I’m not going to complain about it.’”

    “And I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to be quiet for the rest of the day.’ I’ve never forgotten it,” the actress continued. “And every time I go to complain, or just kind of moan, I always hear Dolly sitting on the porch and saying that, and it kinda keeps you quiet.”

The Diversity Report #35

 A selection of articles showcasing the benefits of diversity, equity and inclusion: 

• "Make All of America Muslim?"--Tierney Real News Network. From the lede: "Most people are not aware that Hillary Clinton brought Huma Abedin and the Muslim Brotherhood into the White House in the 1990s and then shortly thereafter 9/11 happened."
• "California high school students given Qurans, encouraged to wear hijabs during class trip to mosque: suit"--New York Post.  
• "UK Gov’t Publishes Pamphlet to Inform Migrants That Rape is Wrong, Sex With Children Is a Crime"--Breitbart. It's hard for some to adapt to Western norms.
• "Italy: Vatican Says No — Removes Controversial pro-Migrant Priest Who Housed Illegals"--Breitbart. The priest, Father Massimo Biancalani, was housing up to 200 migrants at a time in the parish rectory and grounds. "According to the Florence-based Controradio, Biancalani also acknowledged to reporters that the Vicofaro parish has suffered from a decline in attendance and sacraments as a result of his housing of migrants, and affirmed, 'This has been known for some time because, unfortunately, welcoming migrants triggers fears.'"
• "Captain in fatal NY Harbor boat tragedy is illegal immigrant: ‘Criminal is off our streets’"--New York Post. From the lede:

    The captain of an illegal charter boat that flipped in New York Harbor, killing a mom and her baby, is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who is now in federal immigration custody, The Post has learned.

    Manuel Hernandez, 46, a limo driver without a boating license, was in the US illegally when he capsized the overloaded 21-foot vessel on Aug. 8, drowning Sara Sanchez and her baby daughter, Antonella Garcia, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday. 

• "Migrant boat smashes into girl, 17, leaving her with multiple fractures - then continues to Italian beach after men on board decide not to help her"--Daily Mail. They didn't even slow down. Per the article, "[a] 28-year-old Algerian man, who was allegedly at the helm of the boat, has been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration and causing extremely serious bodily injuries."
• Oh the humanity! "Illegal Migrants Lose Beach Vacations, Lake Swims Due to Trump Deportations"--Breitbart. 
• "Karmelo Anthony prosecutor reveals trove of evidence jury never saw — including disturbing texts: ‘Low key on the verge’"--New York Post. The specific evidence mentioned in the article are:
• He was stalking his ex-girlfriend and, hours before the stabbing, sent her a picture of a knife and stating: “I’m low key on the verge,” i.e., ready to commit a violent act.
• He was obsessed with fights, guns and knives.
• And a "juvenile criminal history, which included graffiti that included 'vile racist stuff.'"

A Daily Mail article on the same topic adds to the list:

Convicted killer Karmelo Anthony allegedly fantasized about stabbing someone and 'licking the blood off the blade' just hours before murdering Austin Metcalf, prosecutors revealed. 

And, "while living in Baton Rouge, his parents enrolled him in a special LSU program for children who struggled to control their aggression and 'keep their hands to themselves.'" So, basically, he was an incel who hated white people and fantasized about stabbing someone. 

• "Chucky-mask-wearing suspect unmasked as Zymire Hughes after allegedly asking jogger ‘are you ready to die?’"--New York Post.
• "Couple are mercilessly rammed down by speeding G-Wagon stolen by four teens who led police on hours-long chase, cops say"--Daily Mail.  According to the article, "[a] beloved couple were killed in a horrific car crash after a Mercedes G-Wagon, allegedly occupied by four teens who were fleeing police in New Jersey, smashed head-on into their vehicle." One of the teens was Nayshaun Brown, 18, with the seemingly mandatory tarantula head hairstyle. 
• "Suspect arrested in shooting rampage at Virginia State University days before classes begin"--Daily Mail. Could have been Obama's son. 
• "Chaos as THREE separate mass shootings erupt across the US, with terrified victims in Virginia, Kentucky and Chicago running for cover"--Daily Mail.  
• "Feral teen looting mob seen descending on Oakland 7-Eleven like plague of locusts"--Daily Mail.  
• "Wisconsin State Fair descends into chaos as brawl breaks out in final hours of annual festival"--New York Post.  "Dozens of unidentified brawlers — who appeared to be teens — raced through the food court to attack each other as the fracas got out of hand near the north end of the fairgrounds behind the grandstand of The Milwaukee Mile Speedway, according to video obtained by Fox6 Milwaukee."
• "ICE seeks to remove crazed mom who poured hot wax on her kids, started fire at home"--New York Post.  Meliza Campos-Sanchez is an illegal alien from Cuba. 
• "Somalian refugee honored by Minnesota charged in $4.5M Medicaid, sex-trafficking scheme"--ABCNews4.com. 

    Salman Ahmed Elmi, who was awarded the Outstanding Refugee Award for Entrepreneurship by the Minnesota Department of Human Services in 2021, was charged with a total of eight counts of aiding and abetting theft on Thursday, the National Review reported.

    Elmi and three associates — Frank Reeves, Viktoriya Komonash, and Andrea Sampson — ran Reva Health, Reva Autism, Helpful Housing, and Homefelt Assisted Living, which they used to bill more than $4.5 million to Medicaid since 2023.

    According to prosecutors, Elmi himself billed Medicaid for more than $1 million in unprovided or ineligible services.

    Elmi and his associates also allegedly recruited homeless and drug-addicted young women in a pay-for-sex scheme. The group rented apartments in the women’s names using fake pay stubs and began stealing victims’ identities to bill Medicaid in their name, according to court filings. 

• "NY woman busted in ISIS-linked plot to bomb state Capitol after converting to Islam, cheering 9/11 attacks: feds"--New York Post. Jessica Bowie converted to the Religion of Peace five years ago and adopted the name "Aisha Saif". She took her new religion seriously:

    “Blowing kafirs [non-Muslims] brains out is beautiful,” she told someone who turned out to be an FBI informant, the complaint said. 

[snip]

    A search of Bowie’s social media revealed many fanatical pro-radical Islamist and anti-American posts in the weeks leading up to her planned attack, according to the complaint.

    On May 28, an account linked to Bowie posted, “Praise be to Allah for September 11th,” according to the FBI complaint.

    On May 8, another account believed to be Bowie told another user in Arabic, “I will poison these infidels,” the complaint alleges.

• "Kids as young as 11 among the illegal vendors swarming Brooklyn Bridge: ‘They are everywhere’"--New York Post. An excerpt:

The illicit vendors — many of them immigrants — have been a nuisance on the historic bridge for years. By 2023, the span was jammed with so many peddlers that one frustrated local described it as a “disgusting, mile-long souvenir shop and flea market.” 

• "Virginia mother stabbed to death on jogging trail 'by teenage migrant coworker' who was caught entering US illegally two years ago... then released"--Daily Mail.  
• But it's perfectly legal in India! "Vile woman caught dumping huge bag of trash into stunning lake filled with ducks... before being extremely rude to onlooker who confronted her"--Daily Mail. 
• But that's how its done in Africa! "Outrage after man is filmed doing LAUNDRY in scenic Maine river and filling its waters with detergent that's toxic to nature"--Daily Mail. 
• "Outrage as school shows kids as young as 14 extremely graphic abortion, sex and transgender art"--New York Post. They've told us for years they were coming for the kids. 
• "North Carolina Trans Activist Has a Modest Proposal for the Children of 'Bigots'"--Town Hall.  According to the article, a "transwoman" going by the name Katerina Day went to a school board meeting in Wake County, North Carolina, to demand that parents opposed to the grooming of their children be named and their children expelled from schools. 

How To Video: River Crossings

Instruction and a demonstration of river crossing for a small team, including security during the crossing.  

 VIDEO: "Tactical River Crossing"
Prepared Pathfinder (13 min.)

Wilder On Jason Arday's Demise

John Wilder's latest is "Narcissism And Jason Arday." If you don't know who is Arday, he was appointed as the youngest black professor in the history of Cambridge University based on what turned out to be plagiarized academic papers and an unbelievable background. And after it was all exposed, he committed suicide. Wilder goes into more detail on all this, but I think he hit the nail on the head in his explanation of why Arday was able to pull the wool over eyes of Cambridge, the BBC, et al.: "... it appears that the only impact [Arday] had, at all, was in allowing liberal white ladies over the age of 40 to virtue signal when they were around him." 

    But we are not supposed to notice any of this because Arday was black, and, therefore, to notice his fraud was racist. Thus, we have this headline from Breitbart: "Cambridge Scandal: American Academic Who Exposed Alleged Jason Arday Plagiarism Suspended by Own University Over ‘Discrimination’ Probe." The Breitbart article relates:

Philosopher Dr Nathan Cofnas has been suspended by Ghent University in Flanders, Belgium as they launch a “preliminary disciplinary investigation” and decide whether there are sufficient grounds to refer him “to the competent disciplinary body” after the death of former Professor Jason Arday, who died last week at his London home days after he resigned from the University of Cambridge over a plagiarism scandal.

Making the University’s position clear, Ghent said:

    Over the past few days, Ghent University has received many enquiries following the death of Cambridge professor Jason Arday… we wish to be clear about the values we uphold as a university.

    Ghent University stands for respect for human dignity and opposes discrimination, hatred and racism. We attach great importance to academic freedom and to open academic debate, even when views are controversial. However, that freedom is not unlimited. It goes hand in hand with responsibility and may be restricted in order to protect the rights of others.

While the allegations of academic misconduct including plagiarism, embellishment, and even claimed authorship of non-existent books are understood to have been reported to Cambridge years ago, from the time in 2023 when Arday was proclaimed as the University’s youngest-ever black Professor, they weren’t widely publicly known until they were published by Cofnas this year. It is alleged that until the matter entered the public sphere Cambridge had moved to prevent discussion about their hire, that those looking into the matter were smeared as racists, and that police were even set onto journalists working on the story. 

Arday is the archtype of DEI--"Didn't Earn It"--where his research and backstory was a complete fabrication, but we were all supposed to ignore that the emperor had no clothes. Except in this case, rather than the conmen perpetrating their fraud because no one wanted to be thought a fool for pointing out the obvious, the conman here succeeded because no one wanted to be thought "racist" for pointing out the obvious. 

    Thus we have articles like this op-ed by Afua Hirsch at the Guardian entitled "Jason Arday is now the stick the right will use to beat back racial equality. Don’t let that happen." Hirsch acknowledges that Arday fabricated much of his qualifications, and that it had already raised concerns with other scholars, but still blames the press for noticing:

The media cannot conceal its excitement about his transgressions. Arday doesn’t need to be a fantasist to be the kind of man commentators would rather not see at a university like Cambridge – being black is enough. For them, the fact that he made stuff up is simply a massive bonus. Which explains why they have moved so quickly from identifying mistakes he has made to indulging in an orgy of delight at the prospect of smearing all black academics. 

This is a theme picked up in other media. For instance, this article from Al Jazeera: "Thousands mourn Jason Arday in London, blaming ‘racist’ press for his death." The BBC reports that Cambridge University's chancellor, Lord Chris Smith, also condemned what he described as a media "feeding frenzy." It also relates that  more than 90,000 people "signed a Good Law Project petition seeking an inquiry into media coverage of Arday." In other words, make sure that the media never again reports on something like this. 

Gun & Prepping News #95

Some links that may be of interest: 

• No. "Shot Placement: Is the Pelvic Girdle Really the Best Self-Defense Solution?"--Shooting News Weekly. An excerpt:

    However, for the sake of argument, let’s accept that a handgun bullet does indeed fracture the critical bone structure of the deadly human animal and they lose the ability to run, walk, or even stand. Keep in mind that the stated reason for the pelvic girdle shot was a failure to stop from impacts to the torso area. 

    That puts us in the Type 3 physiological stop attacker category, an attacker who’s not psychologically inclined to surrender. If said attacker is armed only with a melee weapon — a machete, bat, or kitchen knife — they can no longer get to their victim(s). If they have a distance weapon — a rifle or handgun, even from the ground — they’re still deadly threats to any target they can see. This is akin to blowing the track off of a T-80 tank with an AT4. The tank can no longer maneuver, but the turret with that big gun can still take aim at you.  

The author notes that there are times where you will be forced by circumstances to shoot the attacker in the groin or pelvic area. "However, we also train to break contact, create distance and then get our guns back up to the TT area in order to rinse, lather, and repeat as necessary to force the attacker to stop trying to kill us. We don’t just shoot them in the balls and then retire for the day."

Related:

•  "Pelvic Shooting, the Best Worst Option"--Moderno Blog. The author discusses the medical aspects of pelvic shooting but concludes that "[t]he pelvis is on the bottom of my list of priority targets unless the situation puts it at the top, which I think is how it should be looked at when we consider the facts." Those situations that put it on top? "when it's the only part of the bad guy you can see (extreme angle shooting), the initial rounds in extreme close quarters such as a hip fire situation, or when fire to the chest is ineffective and a head shot is not possible."
• See also my post from 2013, "The Pelvic Shot".  

• "Sling Manipulation for Home Defense: Making Slings Work Around Corners"--Ammo Land. From the article: 

    A rifle sling is often treated as little more than a carrying strap. For a gun owner relying on a rifle, shotgun or pistol caliber carbine for home defense, that is a mistake.

    A properly set-up sling helps retain the rifle, frees a hand when necessary, and gives the shooter more control in hallways, doorways, and other confined spaces. A poorly adjusted sling can bind the rifle, slow a shoulder transition, or leave the gun swinging around when the shooter needs both hands.

    In a recent training video, Travis Haley of Haley Strategic demonstrates how sling configuration affects shoulder transitions, body exposure around corners, and the shooter’s ability to keep a rifle in action after an injury. Haley discusses those techniques primarily through the lens of close-quarters operations, but several of the underlying lessons have direct value for civilian gun owners who keep a carbine for home defense.  

The article goes on to relate the main points from the video and discusses more about sling options, so be sure to read the whole thing.  

• If you've been wondering if you can take advantage of the recent decision declaring certain portions of the NFA unconstitutional: "NSSF Explains Who Can Actually Use the New NFA Injunction"--Guns America. 
• Getting into the DA/SA debate:
• "DA/SA: Not the Best Choice for Newer Shooters"--Civilian Gunfighter.  The key part:

The other major issue with DA/SA pistols is the fact that the user must practice the two different trigger presses.  That DA first shot, in a self-defense scenario, will probably be the most important shot the user takes.  As Paul Howe said in that article linked above, many shooters of DA/SA pistols throw away that first shot.  The two different trigger presses also means that the user must be able to transition from the one press (DA) to the other (SA) seamlessly.  Many shooters cannot do so.

•  On the other hand.... "Striker-Fired vs Double-Action/Single-Action Pistols: Which is the Best?"--Firearm News. 

    ... The above instances are accurately called negligent discharges, but most striker-fired pistols are like the Glock in that they have no manual safety. The only external physical safety they have is the lever on the trigger, or in the case of the S&W M&P, the safety lever is the pivoting hinged trigger. This prevents the gun from being fired unless the trigger is pulled. 

     The only problem with that? If something gets wedged inside the trigger guard of your striker-fired pistol, the gun is going to go bang. This doesn’t get talked about a lot, but there have been a huge number of true accidental discharges involving striker-fired pistols because foreign objects find their way inside the trigger guard. These objects range from leather straps on thumb-break holsters to drawstrings of windbreakers activating the trigger. Some ADs involved people just forgetting to move their finger fully out of the way as they re-holster. Or people stuff small CCW-sized striker-fired guns inside bags or purses to bounce around, something gets wedged inside the trigger guard, and … .

    What does this have to do with DA/SA pistols? The double action trigger pull on DA/SA pistols acts as an additional safety on the pistol. How many of the ADs and NDs in the above paragraph wouldn’t have occurred if the person was using a DA/SA pistol will never be known, but I’m guessing an accurate guess would be most of them. Appendix carry is hugely popular right now, and while I am not a big fan, I know a lot of people are. I also know for a fact that some of those people will only carry a DA/SA pistol in an appendix holster, to reduce the chances of incurring a SIFV (self-initiated field vasectomy). They’re called “family jewels” because they are both valuable and irreplaceable.

Of course, this passive safety of a DA trigger pull only works if you remember to decock the hammer before holstering or putting the weapon down. For most Glock users, you can also get the Striker Control Device from Langdon Tactical which can aid in preventing accidental discharges when holstering or drawing the weapon.  

• "Charter Arms Walker… A Pound Of Protection"--The Truth About Guns. The article gives a history of Charter Arms before moving on to the review of the Walker--an 8-shot .22 LR revolver weighing 15 ounces and with an MSRP of $462 according to the article. It also mentions that the Walker is offered in other calibers including .22 Magnum.
• "HK G3 Clone Review: PTR-91 Brings the Cold War Back"--Guns America. From the article:

    You might ask yourself why the H&K G3 matters. Here in the U.S., we sometimes have AR myopia and forget there are other rifle designs besides the AR. The G3 is one of those designs, and once you get outside the AR bubble, its influence is impossible to ignore. Over 70 countries equipped their forces with a G3, and some 8 million G3s have been produced to date. The rifle has been in service since 1959 and is still very active in countries ranging from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.

    The G3 has made its presence known in conflicts since the 1960s. The design is modular, easy to manufacture with a stamped steel receiver, and reliable, so much so that other HK weapons morphed from the G3, including the MP5, HK33, and an arsenal of others. At the heart of it all is a roller-delayed blowback action. If you want to continue the Cold War shooting experience, then the H&K G3 is next on your list. These are the rifles to shoot. Let’s start with the Heckler & Koch G3. 

See also my 2018 post, "Survival Weapons: The CETME/G-3/HK 91."

• "Fudd Friday: Your Allegedly Outdated Shotguns Are Still Usable"--The Firearm Blog. An argument that older shotguns that are limited to 3" or 2.75" shells, with fixed chokes, can still be used for hunting. Really, it should only be an issue with those hunting waterfowl as that is where the long range and non-lead shot (which can damage older shotgun barrels) comes into play. For upland birds, old shotguns are fine. 
• "New D910 L Light Bearing Kydex Chest Holster from FALCO"--The Truth About Guns. They have over 160 lights and laser modules that can be selected. 
• "Warning that mammoth nationwide blackout could last 18 MONTHS as power grid's appalling weak spots exposed"--Daily Mail. From the lede:

    The United States is at risk of a nationwide blackout that could last 18 months, according to the former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

    Jon Wellinghoff became aware of the alleged vulnerability after a shooting at a Pacific Gas and Electric Company's San Jose substation, according to the The New York Times Magazine.

    He conducted a power flow analysis that modeled the large-scale effects of knocking out the most critical substation in each of America's three power grids: the Western, Eastern and Texas interconnections. He said this led him to discover just how easy it would be to cripple America's power supply. 

• "Trauma Kit List: Essential First Aid Gear for Severe Bleeding"--Modern Survival Blog.  Here is the list:

• Nitrile gloves
• Quality tourniquet
• Hemostatic gauze
• Compressed or plain packing gauze
• Pressure dressing
• Trauma shears
• Vented chest seal
• Medical tape
• Emergency blanket

The author goes on to discuss each of the items, so be sure to read the whole thing. He also discusses the difference between a trauma kit and a regular first aid kit. He adds:

    There is always another medical gadget you could put in a trauma bag.

    I would rather have a smaller kit containing equipment I understand than a large tactical medical pouch filled with things I have never practiced using.

    The ACS Stop the Bleed program teaches three very practical skills: applying direct pressure, packing a wound, and applying a tourniquet. Red Cross first aid training is another good option.

    I would stop the civilian trauma kit at that level rather than adding advanced airway equipment, decompression needles, or other gear intended for people with appropriate medical training.

    Practice with your equipment before an emergency. 

• "Farmers' Almanac releases winter weather predictions warning millions to brace for heavy snow"--Daily Mail. 

    The Farmers' Almanac made its official Winter 2026-2027 predictions this month, calling for a season full of coastal storms and snow in the Northwest and bitter cold and snow in the Midwest and Northern Plains.

    Overall, 150 million people across 29 states, from Maine to Montana, in the northern half of the US are expected to experience periods of snow and freezing temperatures between December 2026 and March 2027.

     The West, Northern Plains, Upper Midwest and Great Lakes are predicted to see 'fast-moving clippers, sudden cold snaps and brief snowy periods.'

    In the Northeast, a so-called 'complicated' winter forecast is unfolding, with the 200-year-old publication predicting coastal areas receiving more rain or mixed sleet and ice.

    However, inland areas, such as Pennsylvania, western New York and parts of New England, could get several rounds of heavy wet snow, especially in January and February. 

• "New tech adds phone tracking to license plate readers, associating devices with identifiable cars"--The Conversation. 

SignalTrace, a system marketed by the security company Leonardo, is designed to work alongside automatic license plate readers. The company says it can recognize groups of consumer devices that regularly move together, then associate them with license plate records and time-stamped locations. The pattern can then be searched even when a police investigator does not know the plate number.