The only way to make sure the gun will always be there when you need it, is to always carry it.
Category: Personal Defense
I’ve Got a Bad Feeling About This
The Wife and I had a situation that raised our “this is odd” instincts. Essentially, a car was following us in our neighborhood. When we parked at our community center, it ran through the parking lot and drove around the surrounding area. Could there be an innocent reason? Maybe, but it was odd enough that The Wife and I returned home instead. After making sure that said car was not following us.
The Wife also agreed that maybe it was a good idea for me to bring along my little Beretta for our jaunts up to the community center.
Listen to your instincts folks. If something feels odd, then leave the area.
Monday Links
Let’s start with Reason links.
Confirming some of my priors, a new study finds helicopter parenting is detrimental to kids’ mental health.
An interesting piece on how Congress has not learned the lessons of high interest rates. They also haven’t learned that pumping money into an economy causes inflation, so why should anyone be surprised?
Going on to other news sites.
Related to the last Reason item, the deficit hit $1.7 trillion driven by – surprise! – higher costs for entitlements (Social Security and Medicare/caid).
A new threat to LLM’s from an old technique – prompt injections. As these LLM’s become more prevalent, we’re going to find all sorts of unexpected benefits and threats.
Via Erin Palette, comes this blog post about why Jews may be looking at others with some suspicion. I’ll admit, it hit me wrong. I dislike the whole “I can only trust people in my identity group” attitude. I understand how it arises, and that we’ll see more of this as America transitions to a low-trust society. I will still extend my hand – if you feel threatened and want to learn the basics of gun handling feel free to contact me.
Some gun news from TFB.
CSG – owner of CZ, maker of my beloved Bren – is now the proud owner of Vista Outdoors’ collection of ammunition brands. Including Speer, which makes the ammo I tend to use for my defensive purposes.
If I’d known Smith and Wesson was going to come out with this PCC, I might have not purchased my FSC. I prefer the “AR” rifle configuration over the FSC’s more “Uzi”-style configuration.
Steyr announced a new version of their Scout rifle. The original Scout debuted right when I was getting into guns, and it’s always had a place in my heart. Something about that integrated bipod and the mag holder in the butt. The new one looks like a worthy successor.
Time for light items.
Disney is developing a live-action version of Gargoyles. Well, that could be either very good or very bad. I should really introduce The Wife to the series.
And because I’ve had this song pinging around my head for some indiscernible reason.:
Monday Links
I normally start out with Reason links, but I always believe that when faced with a horrific event, it’s important to look for the heroes. After Hamas’s murderous rampage in Israel, I have a couple of links to heroes.
A paramedic (who happened to be Arab) who gave his life tending to the injured at a music festival.
An Israeli couple who protected their twin infants. The couple died, but the infants were rescued.
I don’t have a link for this one, but heard on the ACP podcast about an Uber driver who dropped people off at that big music festival, saw the attack, raced back in, crammed nine people into his car, raced them to an IDF base, found the base under Hamas control, escaped to another IDF base, and then waited with his passengers for a couple of hours before soldiers showed up to help. Unfortunately, he was hit during all of this badassery and lost his life. If anyone has a link to this story, please let me know so I can add it here.
Now it’s time for a couple of Reason articles.
This may be considered by some to be in bad taste after the protests seen in the US, Australia, and others in support of the Palestinian cause, but it’s an important point. We can’t hold protest organizers liable for violence done by people not under their direct control/authority. Fight back the protests with counter protests. Resist violence with proportional force.
No, Matthew Sheppard wasn’t killed because he was gay. Were the murderers homophobes? Yeah. But the more I read this case, it more reads like if Aryan Nation did a meth deal with a black dealer, and then killed the dealer in a horrific way after the deal went bad. It was more about the deal than the hate.
On to other stories.
Ammoland has an article about four questions you should ask during your next gun control debate. A lot of good points about effective discussion and debate as well.
From The Record comes an article about the largest DDOS attack ever recorded.
Ground News (which is a service I use to get a bunch of news stories) has a collection of them on 17 Broward County deputies arrested for stealing $500K worth of COVID funds. Shocked face emoji that it came from Broward.
Our last story is from Variety about Michael Caine retiring at the age of 90. Thank you for decades of wonderful performances.
Monday Links
This is going to be a little light – volume, not tone – this week. Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday.
First, from CNN, the mayor of Uvalde is calling on the DA to resign because she’s blocking their investigation into the school shooting. One hopes that someone actually suffers real consequences for the pathetic police response.
WaPo reports that DC is to pay $5.1 million to citizens for violating their Second Amendment rights. It would be nice if they could force the lawmakers who passed these laws to cough up the cash instead of passing it on to the taxpayers.
The Hill has a “Republicans pounce” article on DOE proposing new efficiency rules for ceiling fans. Do you want Florida to secede? Make it harder for us to get/afford ceiling fans. Because that’s how you get Florida to secede.
The Volokh Conspiracy discusses if Floridians can shoot looters in the wake of a hurricane. While I do not want people to run afoul of the law, the misfortune of looters doesn’t exactly move me. You help scavengers, you stop looters.
For our light item this week, we have a listicle of the 20 top female-fronted metal bands.
Monday Links – Catch Up Edition
It’s been a bit since I’ve done the Monday Links. So, this might be a little scattered.
Of course, I have some Reason links.
First, an article about how JAMA purports to track COVID misinformation while still claiming that the lab leak theory is “misinformation.” You keep using that word like that, and it will become completely worthless as anything but political rhetoric.
Continuing on pandemic related issues, millions of students vanished from school rolls during the shuttering of schools. Since reopening, they haven’t returned. Of all the carnage wreaked upon society from the pandemic, the over-extended school shutdowns may have the most lasting impact.
Following in educational trends, Arizona’s public universities have dropped their requirements for DEI statements for job applicants. Because compelled speech is bad.
Also in education, it’s amazing how well the movie “PCU” stands up, even after 30 years. It’s still one of my favorite movies – and I find it was more prescient than people think “Idiocracy” was.
Going on to other news sources.
From the Financial Times, we have an article that criminal hackers are targeting and attacking cyber security professionals IRL. Considering some of the folks I know in that field (cough, cough, Borepatch), that might not be their best course of action.
WaPo is reporting that a “record number of children were killed by guns.” Yes, I use the scare quotes. Why? I give you two quotes from the article. The analysis, which looked at children and adolescents from newborn to age 19, found nearly two-thirds of the deaths among children in 2021 were homicides. (snip) Adolescents between 15 and 19 years old accounted for most of the gun-related deaths. Can anyone say “gang activity”?
Staying with guns, Greg from Active Response Training debunks the oft-repeated idea that the sound of a shotgun being racked will scare off intruders. Yes, I believed this myth many a moon ago.
More guns, an article from NSSF on Philly suing gun retailors. Y’know, instead of locking up violent criminals.
The Atlantic has an article examining dissatisfaction with The Wirecutter in recent years. Particularly since its purchase by the NYT. Admittedly, The Wirecutter is still my go-to site for most things – and I enjoy their coverage of the big sales, so this was kind of a shock to me.
Finally, from Car and Driver is an article on the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser. I am intrigued. This may be a contender when we need to replace the Ward Wagon in the future. Unless these maintain their prices like the FJ Cruisers do. Forty grand for a ten-year-old car with more than 100K miles? Really?
Monday Links – Tab Clearing
This is going to be a bit long and scattered. That’s what happens when I have a couple weeks’ worth of links.
Let’s get the obligatory Reason/Volokh Conspiracy links out of the way.
The FDA is lying about vaping. Is it better than not smoking? Nope. Is it better than smoking? Oh hell yes.
CBO is projecting huge deficits. This is my shocked face.
Welcome new rent control, same as old rent control. I swear, it’s like no one understands how this is a bad thing.
Let’s go on to some gun-related articles.
First, Tam has a post about psychologists and guns.
TFB has one about a federal judge slapping down ATF – on how it defines what constitutes a firearm.
Gun Digest has an article on debunking revolver myths.
The coward Scot Peterson has been acquitted. Which, to those of us who know that the cops have no duty to protect, is unsurprising.
Here’s a couple of think pieces.
From Mike Munger, an article on the good versus the perfect. It’s not what you think.
From Ben Thompson, an analysis of the latest kerfuffle between the FTC and Amazon.
Our final link is from Active Response Training on medical care for cats.
Monday Links
Surprisingly, this week only has one Reason link.
An article on how insurance – both government and private sector – are driving up the cost of healthcare. This is my surprised face.
And now for some random tab clearing.
From Active Response Training, Greg presents the “bag trick.”
From Bearing Arms, an article about an Indy defense attorney blaming gun owners for criminals not getting charged. Cam is skeptical, and so am I.
Heard about this on the “Word and Numbers” podcast. Pew has a calculator to see where you stand in global income rankings.
I was concerned what would happen to the 1632 universe with the death of Eric Flint. Apparently, there’s a new online magazine to continue the franchise.
The Brother sent this my way. An article on how maps shape how we see the world. It’s always surprising just how big Africa is.
Monday Links
Y’know, there are weeks I think I should just rename this feature the Monday Reason Links and Other Stuff. Yeah, it’s going to be that kind of week. As long as you count the Volkh Conspiracy (since they’re publishing under the Reason banner).
First, California is killing fast food jobs. This is my surprised face.
Second, on the Free Range Kids front, an article about a mom confused how her kid made friends with another kid she didn’t know. Or, as us Gen X folks used to call it – summer vacation day.
While the Florida legislature was busy playing right-wing social justice this past session, they also decided to play the crony capitalism game with their dealership friends.
I first heard this story over at Borepatch’s place, but now it seems the esteemed Eugene Volkh is asking Amazon some pointed questions about booting a guy off his account and making him unable to use all of his Echoes. This is of some concern due to the fact that Ward Manor’s smart home environment is Echo-based. However, I also have a backup – read “manual” – system if Amazon decides to play silly buggers.
Last Reason article explains that over half of Protestant churches have at least some reliance on armed citizens for their security. While I am not a church-going person, I do want parishioners to be safe in their chosen house of worship. I will always recommend churches, synagogues, mosques, little storefront pagan meeting spaces to discuss and have a security plan. It needs to be more than “call 911 and wait for police.”
Semi-switching gears as we leave Reason territory:
Massad Ayoob has some thoughts on Daniel Perry’s indictment in New York.
Also, Rand has a meta-analysis on studies regarding effectiveness of firearms safety training requirements. TLDR; not enough rigorous studies to make a determination.
And for our light item this week? A new Babylon 5 animated movie is coming out. I should really introduce The Wife to B5.
Monday Links
Happy Memorial Day! We’re going to start off with several Reason articles.
First, the face of teachers’ unions during the COVID pandemic only taught for three years, but is expected to get a full pension. I’m of the opinion that if you’re working for the union, the union should be dealing with your benefits.
Next are a couple items on the reshuffling of the political parties. I’ll let the headlines speak for themselves. The left-right spectrum is mostly meaningless and the rise of right-wing progressivism. Just as the labor market is in flux, the political market is similarly in flux. Fun times.
Finally, an article from The Volokh Conspiracy discussing a recent Florida Supreme Court decision that loading and openly carrying a gun on your property is not criminal use of deadly force. Although, if you’re having to face multiple attackers on your property, it may be more prudent to have your weapon already loaded. Or get behind cover to load and wait for the police.
In the vein of self-defense, we have an article from The Hill about a “prank robbery” going horribly wrong when the pranksters came across an armed civilian. And this kind of outcome won’t slow down these kinds of pranks. Because the dumb fucks think it won’t happen to them.
Now for our light items.
I think this is probably vapor-ware, but this Extreme Tech article depicts a “laptop” with six monitors, dual AMD Epyc “Genoa” 96-core CPUs, and 24 DIMM slots for up to 6TB of DDR5 memory. And it weighs 55 lbs. Um, yeah. There’s part of me that wants one in a kind of morbid fascination way.
Finally, we have a Variety article on Weird Al. Because Weird Al.