A prediction that doesn't take much prescience to realize.

As bad as 2015 was, 2016 is bound to be worse. Perhaps much worse. Perhaps catastrophic.

"The collapse in the price of oil is a challenge to the old world order."

The West will be hoping that the existing Gulf regimes aren’t replaced by something worse, while also hoping that the collapse in the price of oil will reduce flows of cash to extremist Wahhabi and Salafist groups around the world. If radical Islamist terror groups end up being the biggest losers, the collapse in the oil price could yet end up achieving more than sanctions or Western military intervention ever could; but a successful uprising in somewhere like Saudi could also risk turning a bad situation into a catastrophe. . .

As for Scotland, the nationalist electorate will eventually have to wake up to the new reality of a world awash with oil. The SNP’s plans for independence didn’t even come close to adding up even when the price of Brent crude was over $100 last year.

At current prices and with output sliding, an independent Scotland that sought to retain the NHS and the welfare state would face immediate bankruptcy.

Forget about politics and slick campaigns: if anything keeps the UK together over the next few years, it will be cheap oil and the latest, abject failure of Malthusianism, one of the most wrong-headed ideologies of the past 200 years.

Codrea: "California Gun Seizure Edict a Naked Power Grab that Ignores True Danger."

Back to the point I’m trying to make: So they take his guns away but leave him to stalk among us, and that somehow makes everybody safer? That will do nothing about access to other means of mayhem, plus, it’s not like bad guys can’t get guns if they want them. If some maniac is too dangerous to have on the loose with a gun, he’s too dangerous to have on the loose, period. And no, you don’t need to wait until he starts piling up bodies to act.

Codrea: "New Year’s Gun Rights Resolutions Require Willingness and Commitment."

"Here’s one that’s effortless to keep, and frees you up to take on more: Don’t be that guy whose sole contribution to the cause is to submit 'Molon Labe' comments under blog, forum and social media posts. Many of us feel that way, but realize it’s going to take a lot more than that, and require actual efforts on all our parts if that sentiment is going to have any deterrent value."

It's 1774 all over again. How are your logistics?

Stoodley's Tavern, Portsmouth NH, as it appears today. Here, on 13 December 1774, after a miserable day's ride of 65 miles through a snowstorm, is where Paul Revere delivered the news of British troop movements which led to the seizure by local patriots of the powder and arms at Fort William and Mary.

Politico promises us that: "Obama set to unveil curbs on gun sellers: Executive actions expected next week will be part of the president's new year push to make progress on long-stalled problems before the 2016 presidential election heats up."

In addition, we are told -- "Coming Soon: Legislation To Heavily Regulate Ammunition In New York."

Charles C.W. Cooke writes: "Of all the ill-considered tropes that are trotted out in anger during our ongoing debate over gun control, perhaps the most irritating is the claim that the Constitution may indeed protect firearms, but it says “nothing at all about bullets.”

". . . To propose that a government could restrict access to ammunition without gutting the Second Amendment is akin to proposing that a government could ban churches without hollowing out the First. If a free people are to enjoy their liberties without encumbrance, the prerequisite tools must be let well alone."

All of these maneuvers are a reminder that we have been here before. In "Encroachments of the Crown on the Liberty of the Subject: Pre-Revolutionary Origins of the Second Amendment" by Stephen Halbrook in 1989, is this transcript of King George the Third's diktat that sparked our fight for independence:

As reprinted in the Conn. Courant, Dec. 19, 1774, at 3, cols. 2-3:

At the Court at St. James's the 19th Day of October, 1774.
PRESENT,
The KING'S most excellent MAJESTY in Council,
Earl of Rockford, Lord Viscount Townshend,
Earl of Dartmouth, Lord Mansfield,
Earl of Suffolk, Lord North.

WHEREAS an Act of Parliament has passed in the Twenty Ninth Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the Second, intitled, "An Act to empower his Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Saltpetre, and to enforce the Law for impowering his Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Gunpowder, or any sort of Arms or Ammunition, and also to empower his Majesty to restrain the carrying coastways of Saltpetre, Gunpowder, or any sort of Ammunition."

And His Majesty judging it necessary to prohibit the Exportation of Gunpowder, or any sort of Arms or Ammunition, out of this Kingdom, doth therefore, with the advice of his Privy Council, hereby order, require, prohibit and command that no Person or Persons Whatsoever (except the Master General of the Ordnance for his Majesty's Service) do, at any time during the space of Six Months from the date of this Order in Council, presume to transport into any parts out of this Kingdom, or carry coastways any Gunpowder, or any sort of Arms or Ammunition, on board any Ship or Vessel, in order to transporting the same to any part beyond the Seas or carrying the same coastways, without Leave and Permission in that behalf, first obtained from his Majesty or his Privy Council, upon Pain of incurring and suffering the respective Forfeitures and Penalties inflicted by the afore mentioned Act....

Signed, G. Chetwynd.

The decree was published in 5 Acts Privy Council, 401, and was renewed from time to time until 1783.

This action, reinforcing an earlier British raid to seize colonial gunpowder from the Powder House in Somerville, MA, on 1 September 1774, led to the colonists' response in what became known as The Powder Alarm. The Crown had surprised the colonists by beating them to the powder. It would not happen again.

In the current issue (January/February 2016) of Muzzleloader magazine, is a description of the next moves in a cold war that would end at Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775.

On October 19, an Order in Council confidentially issued by King George prohibited the export of 'powder, arms, and warlike stores' into North America. The secret order also called for the immediate securing of all arms and munitions that were stored in the colonies. Within this one order, the British Crown would not only stop arming the colonists, but it would also begin to secure the arms and ammunition that were already in the colonies.

It did not take long for news of the order to reach the ears of the many patriot spies that prowled the gutters, back alleys and countryside of New England. Central in this interception of this order was the prolific patriot and insurrectionist Paul Revere. This intelligence came into his hands in early December, about the same time that British Admiral Graves was seen in Boston preparing four warships . . . to depart, loaded with troops, for a yet unknown destination and mission. While none of the ships were heading directly to Portsmouth (NH) to secure the powder (at Fort William and Mary), the news of their movement created nervousness and anxiety. Quickly, Revere and his agents went into action . . . With the stores of powder and arms at Fort William and Mary being so sizable, the people of Massachusetts and New Hampshire naturally assumed that this would be one of the first targets of the departing vessels.

Paul Revere took it upon himself to warn his brethren in Portsmouth, NH. The winter in New England was already off to s miserable start since before Thanksgiving, the roads and trails were thick with snow and ice. On the morning of December 13, despite a snowstorm blowing, Paul Revere saddled his horse and began the 65 mile ride to Portsmouth . . . On a day when most stayed indoors, warm with drink in hand by the fire, Revere slogged north to deliver the news of the assumed impending seizure . . .

Late in the day of December 13, Revere arrived in Portsmouth. . . Before he took time to care for himself and his horse he set out to find Samuel Cutts, a high-ranking leader n the Portsmouth resistance to the Crown . . . Following a 15 minute meeting in Stoodley's Tavern, Revere then departed, anxious to begin his trip home. -- "A Most Unhappy Affair: The Portsmouth Powder Alarm of1774, Part One" by Vincent C. Spiotti, Muzzleloader, January/February 2016, pp. 37 - 44.

The next day, 14 December, after failing to trick the small garrison into surrendering the powder, the patriots in New Hampshire under arms marched to the Fort and seized 100 barrels of the precious "Unum Necessarium" as Sam Adams called it -- "the one thing needful." And the day after that, says Wikipedia:

The next day, additional rebel forces arrived in Portsmouth from across the colony, as well as from Maine. Led by John Sullivan, the rebels returned to the fort late on the night of December 15, overran the post without gunfire and removed muskets, military supplies and 16 cannon marked as the property of the King. British authorities declared the raids - for which Sullivan later received a stipend from the Continental Congress - high treason.

Of course that was then, and this is now. Exactly who today should be charged with high treason for their actions in attempting to disarm the American citizenry is open to debate at the muzzles of our loaded rifles. And we, today, are far better armed and supplied with ammunition than the Founding Fathers ever dreamed. The only question is, do we have the guts and determination to use those instruments to defend our liberty, our property and our lives as they did?

Paul Revere

"Populist Parties Are Rising Because Mainstream Conservatives Have Failed."

"Our political commentary is confused because it conceives of the Republican Party as a top-down entity. It’s not. There are two Republican parties, an elite party of the corporate upper crust and meritocratic winners that sits atop a mass party of whites without college degrees whose world-views and experiences and ambitions could not be more different from their social and economic betters. The former party enjoys the votes of the latter one, but those votes are not guaranteed. What so worries the GOP about Donald Trump is that he, like Ross Perot, has the resources and ego to rend the two parties apart. If history repeats itself, it will be because the Republican elite was so preoccupied with its own economic and ideological commitments that it failed to pay attention the needs and desires of millions of its voters. So the demagogue rises. The party splits. And the Clintons win."

And the Washington Post wants the rest of US -- as in you and me -- to unilaterally disarm?

"Before slaying of pastor’s pregnant wife, alleged gunman went on ‘unprecedented’ 8-day crime spree."

Outrage.

Melissa and Aaron Klein have paid approximately $144,000 in court-ordered damages to a pair of lesbian women despite their appeal of the Oregon discrimination case. The Kleins own a bakery, Sweet Cakes, in the Portland area. The damages came about after the Kleins refused to create a cake for the 2013 nuptials for Laurel Bowman-Cryer and Rachel Bowman-Cryer. . . It was after the owners of the bakery refused to bake the cake for the two women that the state determined they had violated anti-discrimination laws when it found that their shop was not a designated religious institution.

Slouching towards civil war in Kalifornia.

"Police May Confiscate Guns without Notice to Owner Starting January 1."

KPCC reports that “California law already bans people from possessing guns if they’ve committed a violent crime or were involuntarily committed to a mental health facility.” And now, with GVROs, California law allows judges to bar people from possessing guns even if they have not committed a violent crime or were involuntarily committed. Because of this, Gun Owners of California Executive Director Sam Paredes warns that GVROs “may create a situation where law-abiding gun owners are put in jeopardy.”

The NRA wants you to think they're on top of the fight against the "Red Herring" Ruling.

"NRA-ILA Working to Fight Recent Actions by Virginia Attorney General."

Here's the gist of it:

In response to Attorney General Herring’s action, NRA-ILA is currently working on legislation for the 2016 Virginia session to address the reciprocity issue. This legislation will require Virginia to recognize valid permits or licenses from every other state. Due to NRA’s past efforts, 18 states already have such a “total recognition” law. The Virginia legislation would further require the attorney general to enter into a reciprocity agreement with any state that requires an agreement in order to recognize Virginia concealed handgun permits. As the legislative session begins to unfold, we expect additional legislation to be filed in response to the Attorney General’s actions as well as the Governor’s previous Executive Order 50; however, we will continue to work with pro-Second Amendment legislators on viable solutions to solve the problems that this administration has caused.

Bovine excrement. The Lairds of Fairfax bloody well know that any bill they get passed in the near term will still be vetoed by the equally anti-firearm Clintonista governor.

"ATF Changes Rules for Dealers Importing Firearms."

The chicken excrement from ATF continues to pile up.

The return of the pathological liar/provocateur Ryan Payne.

"Militiamen, ranchers in showdown for soul of Burns."

Why the Bundys continue to trust this absolutely untrustworthy POS is beyond me. Some of my own posts from the time of the Bundy standoff:

"Discernment, or lack thereof."

"Stolen Valor: Ryan Payne Exposed as a Fraud."

"Fake Ranger sociopath becomes the new poster boy."

"Southern Preposterous Lie Center strikes again, shaping the propaganda battlefield, trying to excuse future government violence against the Bundys. (And all with the help of the sociopath Ryan Payne.)"

U.S. Spy Net on Israel Snares Congress

"National Security Agency’s targeting of Israeli leaders also swept up the content of private conversations with U.S. lawmakers."

The "hate crime" that wasn't.

"Worshipper Arrested In Arson Fire At Houston Mosque."

See also: "Man charged with setting Houston mosque fire was a devout attendee."

Yes, I'm still here. No, it hasn't been fun. Will try to catch up.

Pretty rough, still, actually. However, I can see from the multiplicity of off-topic, racist and threatening posts that many of you continue to burden me with unnecessary work. This even further delays getting real content work done. For some of you, it's obviously your intention. Others appear merely thoughtless and unteachable. So, for the stupid, the neoNazi and the malevolent, the delete key will still be employed.

"The criminal-justice system in Waco, Texas, continues to boggle the mind."

"Waco Blunders Through Its 'Biker Shootout' Investigation: At least four of the victims appear to have been shot by police—and the criminal charges some bikers face are highly dubious."

Sorry for the absence of posts, but I've just spent two of the worst days I've had back-to-back in quite a while. And then there is the veritable plague of deleted comments. . .

As for you wonderful folks who have volunteered to come down and help with gutter-clearing and chopping down the forest in the over-grown backyard, let me see if I can find a date that works for most of you. Many hands make light work, and we could have ourselves a real Threeper barbecue.

And it seems I have to repeat my comment policy. I spend more time deleting off-topic, racist and violence-threatening posts than the process is worth. Also, I delete off-topic links that I cannot immediately verify as benign from the address. After clicking on links in the past that took me to a malware infected site, I no longer bother. Easier to instantly delete them, but it always takes time and effort that frankly I don't have. Also, I delete any links to disinformation artists like Alex Jones. So do me a favor and don't post any of the above. It is just a waste of time -- yours and mine.

Nothing particularly new under the collectivist sun.

"The Riot Ideology, Reborn: Baltimore, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and the new racial politics."

In the wake of the 2014 riots in Ferguson, Missouri, and the 2015 West Baltimore riots, a new riot ideology has taken hold, one similarly intoxicated with violence and willing to excuse it but with a different goal. The first version of the riot ideology assumed that not only cities but also whites could be reformed; the new version assumes that America is inherently racist beyond redemption and that the black inner city needs to segregate itself from the larger society (with the exception of federal welfare funds, which should continue to flow in). This new racial politics is not only coalescing around activists claiming to speak for urban blacks—represented publically (sic) by groups like Black Lives Matter—but is also expressed in the writings of best-selling author Ta-Nehisi Coates. And Baltimore is once again center stage.

"What's Next on Gun Control: Obama and the Loophole."

The next shoe to drop on gun control may come by mid-January, when President Barack Obama is expected to issue an executive order requiring everyone "in the business" of selling firearms to perform background checks.

An ironic twist is that many of the attendees at SHOT each year are federally licensed bricks-and-mortar gun dealers who sometimes concede privately that they have no real problem with all gun sellers being forced to do background checks. These full-time retailers resent competition from casual unlicensed sellers at gun shows.

But the National Rifle Association's orthodoxy—that any additional gun control is merely a first step toward bans and confiscation—holds sway in the firearms world, making outward expressions of support among gun sellers for Obama's proposal unlikely. While the enormous gathering in Las Vegas isn't technically an NRA event, the group's strong anti-Obama stance will almost certainly be evident there, and a fresh proposal to stiffen regulation may have the effect of pouring gasoline on a fire already burning hot.

There will probably be calls to challenge Obama's authority to broaden the background check mandate without congressional involvement. Lawsuits and objections from pro-gun Republicans on Capitol Hill will likely follow, as has happened with other efforts by the administration to use executive authority in the environmental arena.

See also: I've got 12 months left to squeeze every ounce of change I can while I'm still in office. And that's what I intend to do.'

George Soros doesn't like Trump or Cruz. No, not one little bit.

"Soros: Trump and Cruz want you to be afraid."

David Codrea: "Subversive New ‘Assault Weapon’ Ban More for Show than Effect."

The primary “author” of this latest bit of subversion is Rhode Island Red David Cicilline. It’s no surprise that he’s a career politician, or that he’s long partnered with Michael Bloomberg. What also doesn’t come as any great shock is that his old man was a mouthpiece for the mob and his “prohibited person” brother was convicted in a sting that included charges of lying to federal authorities and setting up a drug deal.

"I see what your church security plan is trying to do, but you lost me at 'Throw your Bible at the shooter.'"

Why not just shoot the sons of Beelzebub?

3 Ways an Asian War Could Erupt

Most revealing, though, was hearing about the knife’s edge on which northeast Asia rests today. Indeed, in talks with prominent thinkers and practitioners, the issue that came up more than once was that the relatively stable regional situation could change—and change quickly—if a few scenarios go the wrong way. Part of the U.S. strategy for the rebalance should be first to understand these flashpoints and then to prevent any rising tensions in northeast Asia from leading to war. So, what might cause Asia to fall off the knife’s edge?

Elites whistle past the graveyard, full of fear and loathing of the "Trumpkins."

"Elites and media really hate Donald Trump’s voters."

See also: "Trump’s fans are excited to rally — but they’re not sure they’ll show up to vote."

H.R. 4269: Collectivist tyrant wannabes short stroking all over themselves.

"Short stroking: Stroking a small penis." -- Urban Dictionary.

Collectivists in Congress declare their appetites for more of our essential liberty and private property at the threat of our lives. Good luck with that: "H.R.4269 - Assault Weapons Ban of 2015."

A fascinating blog: Forgotten Weapons.

"2nd Lieutenant L. J. Barley of the 1st Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), watching as a rifle grenade is prepared for firing from trenches at Grande Flamengrie Farm on the Bois Grenier sector of the line during February 1915."

White commies and black racists make a fuss.

."Black Lives Matter protesters disrupt Mall of America, airport."

Why Hilaire Belloc Still Matters

As with many writers who write a lot, his output was a mixed bag. Undoubtedly, too, he holds no interest for those who imagine European history and European culture began in 1789 with the French Revolution. But for people with an appreciation of Europe's Christian roots, he matters. Readers who wish to tackle Belloc a little at a time will find a helpful introduction in The Essential Belloc, a St. Benedict's Press compilation edited by Fr. C.J. McCloskey, Scott Bloch, and Brian Robertson.

"This World War II Hero Still Leads By Example 70 Years After He Served."

Witness accounts confirm that Williams cleared a number of Japanese bunkers that Feb. 23, which also happened to be the same day the flag was raised on Mount Suribachi. For at least four hours, he braved intense hostile fire as he ran back and forth between concrete and steel-reinforced emplacements and the explosives and fresh flamethrowers that awaited him at his own lines. Earlier in the day, the Marines were having a difficult time clearing lanes of travel for tanks and infantry. All the other flamethrower operators that had been on hand — men Williams had trained — were dead. It would be up to him to get the job done. He did. On Oct. 5, 1945, he would stand in front of President Truman to receive the Medal of Honor.

So of course my basement floods on Christmas.

Whenever we have a huge rain (like now) the cracks in the foundation blocks plus the gutters I haven't been physically able to clean conspire to dump water in a flowing sheet over the basement floor, soaking the carpet. Zoe and I are working to mop it up but now we're out of towels and working with blankets. Unfortunately the rain doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon. Gonna be a long night.

"Remember what's important on this night."

And for everyone who keeps hold of what is truly most important about this night. It is a message brought to us by the perfect child born in a manger in Bethlehem so very long ago. He came to light the world. He is the gift. And it is all about love. And I hope it comes to you, and comforts you, and remains.

Preparing the battlespace for a race war of extermination: "White men must be stopped: The very future of mankind depends on it."

Collectivist "intellectual" demands: "For 500 years, they've exploited their fellow man and plundered the planet. It's time they reign themselves in." Of course the logical conclusion to this is that if we don't "reign ourselves in" somebody is going to rein us in for the good of the borg. May I remind this anal sphincter of something I told a "Black Lives Matter" supporter:

"And I'll tell you something else . . . when I see these black racists of Farrakhan's bunch talking about wanting a race war I'd say they haven't looked at how the numbers stack up. Because let me tell you something about white folks at their worst. When they get scared that people are trying to kill them just because of who they are, when they get pissed off along racial lines, they don't tear up their own neighborhoods or burn down their own communities like y'all do. They come to the neighborhoods of the people who threaten them and burn THEIR communities down and kill THEM. They have burned down whole CONTINENTS. And if you don't believe me, just ask the Indians. So before you wear a slogan like THAT," (and I pointed at his shirt), "you'd better think this sh-t through."

Task Force Faith: "The Forgotten Task Force of the Forgotten War."

"On the night of 30 November, LTC Faith, who had become the de facto commander of the force, realized that he couldn’t hold out another day. There was no reserve to speak of at all. Cooks, and headquarters personnel were holding the line. There would be no help coming from the Marines, who had problems of their own. Ammunition was in critically short supply, many troops with only one magazine left. He ordered a breakout attempt to begin at noon on the next day 1 December. . ."

Almost immediately when the break out started, things started going horribly wrong. Napalm was dropped on advancing elements of 1/32 which lead the formation, stalling the progress, and demoralizing many of the troops. Road blocks halted the column, as well as blown bridges. Trucks died, wounded were being shoved in ever more crowded trucks. Then the Chinese began firing on the trucks killing and wounding many.

By the time the convoy made it to hill 1221, where the medical company had been destroyed, darkness had fallen. 3/31 had essentially dissolved as a fighting formation leaving the truck column open to attack. Majors were now leading squads. Many riflemen didn’t have any ammunition, or their weapons wouldn’t fire in the -30 degree weather. With the darkness another problem arose, the air cover, which had been so essential, was gone. Hill 1221 was held by the Chinese and had to be taken if the convoy was to continue. It was attacked several times by groups with almost no coordination.

Now, try to imagine it at this point, if you’re one of the troops in this formation. You’ve been fighting for 5 nights and 4 days almost non-stop. You have almost no ammunition, almost everyone is wounded. All the officers and NCOs who you recognized as part of your chain of command are either wounded or dead. You’ve probably got frostbite, very little actual training, and you’re probably scared as hell. You’ve still got several miles to go to get to Hararu-ri where the Marine perimeter is, and officers are trying to organize units to attack this Chinese held hill in the dark.

The bear sharpens its claws.

Russia Rearms for a New Era

VDH: "The Death of Gratitude."

Must our ancestors be reduced to villains of the past who do not fit our model of political correctness? Or were they just folks who had it far rougher than we citizens of the 21st century, and sacrificed their all so that we would not have to endure everything they did?

David Codrea: "VA AG Reneging on Concealed Carry Reciprocity Highlights Evil of ‘Permitted’ Rights."

And if Michael Bloomberg, or Terry McAwful, or Mark Herring say you can’t cross this invisible border line with your gun, because if you do, and if one of their enforcers catches you, the full power of the state will be used to force you into submission, humiliation, and whatever else they want to do to you, assuming they don’t just kill you. All because when those who are willing participants in tyranny raised their hands and took their oaths, they either had no idea what they were getting into, or they knew perfectly well, and had no intention of being faithful. All because politically active gun owners accepted the infringement of permits in the first place.

Collectivist tyrants get what they wanted with Seattle weapons and ammo tax scheme.

As you may have heard, we have lost the first round of legal challenge against Seattle Gun "Tax", and while we will, of course, appeal, this will cause some changes at Precise Shooter in the short to medium term. On January 1, 2016 sales of guns and ammunition will cease at our Aurora location. We will continue doing transfers and sales of accessories, cleaning and reloading equipment while the licensing at our new location outside the city is in process.

"For the First Time, Chinese UAVs Are Flying and Fighting in the Middle East."

Although not as good as their American counterparts, they can be purchased quicker and with fewer strings.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Egypt have all purchased the CH-4. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are using them in their campaign against Yemen's Houthi rebels, while Iraq has used them in action against ISIS forces operating in the country. Earlier this month, as part of an operation to retake the city, a CH-4 drone was used against an ISIS position in Ramadi.

T

he use of these drones in combat will bolster China's credibility as a supplier of high-tech weapons. Chinese weapons have previously had the reputation of being crude and inexpensive, but companies such as Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, which produces the CH-4 drone, have been catching up.

Critics charge that China's four Middle Eastern customers for the CH-4 would rather have American equipment, but that Washington's arms export approval process is painfully slow. Chinese arms exports are approved quickly and are increasingly turning out to be an affordable alternative.

"Naval Special Warfare adopts the Glock 19."

Scott Witner gives us a love letter about the Glock 9mm.

"Christians in China feel full force of authorities’ repression."

The slight and soft-spoken Protestant preacher is no stranger to surveillance. Su has worked for years in China’s unregistered “house churches,” and he said he has been interrogated more times than he can count. But even Su is surprised by what has happened in Guiyang this month: a crackdown that has led to the shuttering of the thriving Living Stone Church, the detention of a priest on charges of “possessing state secrets,” and the shadowing of dozens of churchgoers by police. A local government directive leaked to ChinaAid, a Texas-based Christian group, and reviewed by The Washington Post advises local Communist Party cadres that shutting down the church is necessary to “maintain social stability”— a catchall phrase often used to justify sweeping clampdowns.

David Codrea: "GOP Presidential Candidates’ ‘Terror Watchlist’ Positions Important to Gun Owners."

If you have a candidate you favor, you owe it to yourself to find out where he or she stands on it, and to press them to reconsider if you find their stance objectionable.

You know, these guys' appetites are going to get them in deep, deep trouble one of these days.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, constitutional criminal.

"Brooklyn lawmakers seek to tightly restrict sales of ammo statewide."

State lawmakers from Brooklyn announced on Monday new legislation aimed at tightly restricting the sale of ammunition in New York. The Senate and Assembly bills were drafted in an effort to keep potential terrorists from stocking up on ammo, according to sponsors state Sen. Roxanne Persaud and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon. The twin bills are backed by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who worked with Persaud and Simon to craft them. The legislation would place a strict limit on the number of bullets a gun owner could purchase over a 90-day time period, and prevent gun dealers from selling ammunition for a firearm to anyone unauthorized to have such a weapon. . .

While the measure is aimed at owners of assault rifles, the language contained in the draft legislation would also affect owners of handguns with much smaller capacities, such as six-shooters. Since the measure would cap the amount of ammunition to no more than twice the amount of the capacity of the weapon every 90 days, these gun owners would be limited to buying a dozen bullets every three months.

NOTE: Check out the photo that goes with the story. Where in the name of Beelzebub did the Brooklyn Eagle find those old, moldy 9mm NATO rounds?

From Herschel Smith: "Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring Versus The Right To Self Defense."

"God expects men to defend themselves and their loved ones as a corollary to being created in His image. Second amendment or not, men must act to preserve life, their own and that of others. It is an obligation that attends being servants of the most high God, the only potentate and eternal ruler of the universe. Your actions, Mr. Herring, go to the heart of God’s expectations for man, and thus there is a deeply moral element to your seemingly political actions."

"Americans Boycott Sam’s Club After CEO’s Racist Comments About White Males."

Sam’s Club CEO Rosalind Brewer outraged customers after she admitted to openly discriminating against white males in an interview. Brewer openly admitted to institutionalized racism at Sam’s Club during an interview with Yahoo.

Chinese Military Using Blinding Laser Weapons

China’s military has equipped its forces with blinding laser weapons in apparent violation of an international agreement signed by Beijing. “China has been updating its home-made blinding laser weapons in recent years to meet the needs of different combat operations,” the official military newspaper PLA Daily reported Dec. 9.

Keep talking, Obama. Just keep talking.

"Guns topping Christmas lists thanks to terrorism concerns, fear over restrictions."

Now that's just falling down hysterical right there.

Bill Clinton Stars As ‘Fornicator’ In Islamic State Propaganda Video

And what, exactly, are the Lairds of Fairfax, Virginia going to do about this infringement? Is the NRA going to just stand there and bleed?

"Virginia to stop recognizing concealed carry gun permits from 25 states."

After 2,000 years, Christians disappearing from Gaza

And (of course) it's all Israel's fault. Hamas has nothing to do with it.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Fast and Furious tactics being used against firearm dealers in West Virginia?

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. -- 1 Peter Chapter 5, Verse 8.

"ATF Lets Straw-Purchasing Violent Criminal Walk In WV." The only real question is, who are these sons (and daughters) of Beelzebub working for?

Here we go again. The latest round in the eternal terminal ballistics argument.

"A former Special Operations doctor explains why he would rather be shot with an AK-47 than an M4."

Of course, the more pressing question if you are a member of the collectivist political elite currently seeking civil war in this country is, "Am I more or less likely to get shot in the brain pan with a thirty caliber projectile through the window of my living quarters in a "safe" green zone from a garden-variety deer rifle at five hundred meters range?" Arguments about the varying effects of 5.56 NATO versus 7.62x39 or 5.45x39 are likely to matter only to the grunts they send to do their tyrannical dirty work. The elites could care less about those who do their bidding.

AEP: "Political uprising in Spain shatters illusion of eurozone recovery."

Spain voters smash their two party system.

Spain risks months of political paralysis and a corrosive showdown with Germany over fiscal austerity after insurgent movements smashed the traditional two-party system, leaving the country almost ungovernable. The electoral earthquake over the weekend in one of the eurozone’s ‘big four’ states has echoes of the shock upsets in Greece and Portugal this year, a reminder that the delayed political fuse from years of economic depression and mass unemployment can detonate even once the worst seems to be over. . .

Podemos, a child of the ‘Indignados’ revolt against austerity, is led by young university professors steeped in the theories of Italy’s former Communist guru Antonio Gramsci. They have learned a lesson watching Syriza make blunders in Greece, but they are no less radical.

Redmond arms importer sues ATF over ammo ban.

"P.W. Arms Inc. says ATF gave it permission to import more than 100 million rounds of the Russian- and Eastern European-made ammunition known as 7N6. But when the first shipments arrived early last year, ATF deemed them “armor-piercing” and barred their importation for civilian resale."

Did Israel Just Start Another War with Hezbollah?

"There were plenty of people who wanted Kuntar dead. Still, it's most likely that it was an Israeli airstrike that took him out. It’s been a common move for the Israelis as the civil war intensified. One strike in January near the border of the occupied Golan Heights killed Jihad Mughaniyeh, the son of famed Shia militant mastermind Imad Mughaniyeh, along with four other high-level Hezbollah members."

Sportsman's Guide steps in it, again.

"Sportsmens Guide Won't ship 10 Rd mags to CA claiming ATF restriction."

"The people at Sportsman's Guide are terminally stupid. Over the years they have refused to ship all sorts of things based on imaginary laws, codes or just key words. At one point they wouldn't ship a flatware set to Ventura County because the set included butter knives, which they thought were restricted. Want a buffalo hide? Nope, California has restrictions on the importation of live bison. How about a nice generator? Sorry, CARB restricts some makes/models that don't have an EO number, even thought the generator at SG was an approved model. I ran this pretty high up their corporate ladder when they wouldn't ship something that my wife wanted only to find out that they rely pretty heavily on key words in laws, codes and ordinances, and make no attempt to actually interpret the actual intent."

Nothing can be allowed to threaten the Fast and Furious conspiracy/cover up.

"The interim leaders of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will stay in their posts through the end of the Obama administration next year, the Justice Department said Monday. Neither U.S. Marshals Service Acting Director David Harlow nor interim ATF head Thomas Brandon will be submitted by the White House for Senate confirmation to lead their respective agencies, the Justice Department indicated, potentially frustrating lawmakers seeking to exercise their role as overseers of the executive branch."

Meanwhile, the narcissistic manchild in the bubble pretends to understand our alternate worldview - and fails.

Obama: Trump exploiting fears of 'blue-collar men'

A rational response to irrational times. Thank you, Obama.

"Local gun retailers seeing record number of people buying guns, training."

See also: "Sioux City area gun stores report sharp increase in sales."

Three from Herschel Smith.

On the embarrassing revelation that he doesn't know crap from breakfast: Josh Horwitz of CSGV On the Evil Inherent in Pistol Grips.

Preparations For Texas Open Carry

Really, folks, this has become a silly, exaggerated, inflated, dramatic, overly-complicated, hysterical fit. I can say that because my home state is a traditional open carry state, and I have opened carried, and seen others doing the same. It’s just not the problem you are making it out to be. When it’s time for open carry to be legal, some men will decide to open carry, and life will go on. Business will occur, and the only crimes that may spiral out of control would be SWAT call-outs from politically motivated callers who use the cops to drive their points. Here’s a note to Texas police departments. If you don’t want to be used, don’t oblige. Don’t do it. Just say no. Stand up for yourself. Be men.

This Ain’t Your Grandfather’s Armed Forces

This ain’t your grandfather’s or father’s army or marines. They’re a shell of what they once were, and destined to become worse. And the Air Force is focused on how to stop their football team from praying before games. If you had as your intent to destroy the armed forces of the U.S., what would you have done any differently?

"The List of Modern Assault Rifles in the World."

Written by someone whose translation into or command of English is somewhat stilted, still, it is a useful list.

David Codrea: "Dallas ‘Swats’ Deadly CSGV Advice on Open Carry."

Question: "Does DPD have a strategy to detect fake 911 calls? For example, there is a group that has told its members to call 911 and report that persons openly carrying are committing a crime to get a police response. Answer: "911 will be trained to handle these types of calls."

What group might they be referring to? One that’s been pointed out numerous times over the past several months is the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. . . After doubling down on their stance in September, CSGV repeated the invitation to disaster last week. . . The dangers of the CSGV approach should be clear. Both citizens and police are unnecessarily placed at heightened risk by hysterical and/or malicious 911 calls. As even The New York Times — no friend to gun owners — has reported, “Internet trolls have learned to exploit our over-militarized police. It’s a crime that’s hard to stop — and hard to prosecute.”

"Donald Trump may talk like a brownshirt, but the Democrats mean business."

"The Democrats’ Theme for 2016 Is Totalitarianism."

The Right cannot be indifferent to this, because we simply do not have that option: It is our speech that they intend to prohibit first, and it is us that they are attempting to imprison for our political views. But the Left should not be indifferent to this, either. There are at least a few (and, one suspects, more than that) liberals of the old-fashioned variety in the Democratic party, and it is not at all clear that they are going to wish to remain part of a political organization that is seriously attempting to create a class of political prisoners, to ban books, and to drive people from their jobs and communities for their political beliefs. John Kerry cannot quite answer the question of whether one of his political rivals should be declared “an enemy of the state.” Between now and November 2016, Americans might want to think a bit about whether they wish to invest an openly totalitarian political party with the power of the presidency.

McConnell demands GOP elect more RINOs.

Leader McConnell warns GOP voters: We need candidates 'who can win'

"Virginia High School League issues statement regarding Liberty University president's statement on guns, Muslims."

Government school collectivists seek economic vengeance for violations of political correctness at Liberty University: "Recent highly publicized comments by Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr. encouraging Liberty students to carry concealed weapons to “end those Muslims” have raised alarm among VHSL members. Some schools have expressed concern regarding the safety of their students on Liberty’s campus, and some have threatened to boycott the state debate championship in protest of the comments by Dr. Falwell. VHSL staff and leadership take those concerns seriously and, together with appropriate law enforcement officials, will initiate a process of evaluating the safety of students when participating in VHSL events in light of these controversial comments."

"Connecticut Supreme Court rules confiscation of firearms legal and constitutional."

"This is a stunningly arrogant display of contempt for the inalienable right of Connecticut residents to determine and GUN CONTROL 3provide for their own well-being."

Daily Mail -- "The Doomsday plan: Military bosses reveal survival system that is in place if America's power systems are wiped out by cyber attacks."

Even IF it works, that will be one LONG week. "Plan is dubbed Rapid Attack Detection, Isolation and Characterization. It will include automated systems that will help restore power within 7 days."

"FAA Finally Admits Names And Home Addresses In Drone Registry Will Be Publicly Available."

The FAA finally confirmed this afternoon that model aircraft registrants’ names and home addresses will be public. In an email message, the FAA stated: “Until the drone registry system is modified, the FAA will not release names and address. When the drone registry system is modified to permit public searches of registration numbers, names and addresses will be revealed through those searches.” I’ve been trying to get to the bottom of whether names and home addresses of model aircraft or hobby drone owners – including children as young as 13 – will be made available by the FAA to the public once the FAA’s new unmanned aircraft registry goes live on Monday. It seems a simple enough question. But it took a while to get a straight answer.

The dirty GOP sellout bastards . . .

"Gun control in GOP-passed budget, cheers Bloomberg group."

An anti-gun group applauded the GOP approved $1.8 trillion end-of-the-year spending bill and tax package Saturday, claiming that it will boost gun control efforts and expand background checks. "The final version of the funding bill demonstrates the steady progress we are seeing to reduce gun violence in this country," said Everytown for Gun Safety. The group said increased law enforcement spending will help limit gun violence, President Obama's top agenda item in his last year in office. Everytown is backed by Bloomberg, who started Mayors Against Illegal Guns while mayor of New York.

The next rush to buy weapons and ammunition is already in progress. (And us brass scroungers want to thank Obama for the bountiful harvests!)

Rob Morse writes: "Yes, This is a Clue We Have New Gun Owners."

This tracks with what anecdotal evidence I've been able to gather. My local ranges are packed (especially the pistol ranges) on every day they're open. Self-defense instructors at those ranges report a strong uptick in demand from first time shooters, with backlogs for class openings. Brass generation that I see also reflects new shooters who are burning up the ammo but not yet familiar with the money they can save by saving their empties and trading it in or reloading it themselves. As long as Obama keeps trumpeting his insatiable appetite for our liberty and property, the rush will continue. And just when .22 Long Rifle supply was starting to catch up to demand. . . Oy vey!.

Soliciting civil war. Seattle Times editorial board volunteers for next Julius Streicher Memorial Award. Making a list and checking it twice.

"It’s time to ban assault-style weapons, high-capacity magazines."

"Editorial board members are editorial page editor Kate Riley, Frank A. Blethen, Ryan Blethen, Brier Dudley, Mark Higgins, Jonathan Martin, Thanh Tan, Blanca Torres, William K. Blethen (emeritus) and Robert C. Blethen (emeritus)."

He was naughty.

The end of the line? Or the start of the fight to restore the Republic? Your choice.

We are incredibly thankful for what we have had, for the sacrifices our parent’s generation made for us. And we ask, is this it, is what we had gone forever? Has darkness fallen over the great West and this blessed land of America? Pray that we have our day again, that we have the strength and will to recover that shining moment in world’s time. We must fight as our forefathers did to keep liberty secure and to maintain the blessings that He has bestowed upon us.

Codrea: "Spending Bill Betrayal by Establishment Republicans Confirms Contempt for Base."

That just means they personally are prepared to surrender, and speaks more of their character than it does of anything else. Some of us do not consider the “popularity contest” winner the last word on our unalienable rights, and will not go gentle into that good night.

Dump the chump.

Movement to Primary Speaker Paul Ryan Out of Congress Picks Up Steam

Comes the dawn. "How Dinesh D’Souza Became a Victim of Obama’s Lawless Administration."

Dinesh D'Souza figures it out: After his harrowing adventure . . . D’Souza has changed. Progressives, he now perceives, are engaged in a massive scheme to “steal America,” meaning all of its wealth and traditions. Their ideas and the foibles of their interest-group politics are often incoherent because they are not actually meant to cohere. They are, instead, a Machiavellian ploy, a pretense to morality (because the public expects it) that camouflages the remorseless acquisition of power needed to rob the public blind.

Hagel: The White House Tried to ‘Destroy’ Me

In an exclusive interview, Chuck Hagel said the Obama administration micromanaged the Pentagon, stabbed him in the back on the way out — and still has no strategy for fixing Syria.

China and the 'Three Warfares'

Beijing is increasingly exploiting information operations for influence in areas of strategic competition.

Sorry for the lateness of the posts.

Today was a particularly rough day.

"Open-Borders Money Backs Marco Rubio."

Cruz kept his promise to voters. He voted against the Gang of Eight giveaway. Period. Rubio broke his promise: He paid lip service to border security and the American Dream, while scheming with Sens. Schumer and Durbin on the 180,000-word, 1,200-page Christmas tree for Big Biz, Big Tech and ethnic lobbyists. Rubio didn't just vote for the bill. He and his staff were integral to crafting it, shilling for it, and cashing in on the legislative boondoggle dubbed a "permanent pension plan for immigration lawyers." When you need the truth about which Beltway crapweasels are selling out America, always follow the money.

Americans. Something to remember about the original Three Percent.

A message from the "terrorist in chief" (that would be me). Collectivist lies pick up weight rolling downhill. "We have our own radical groups."

A new volunteer for the Julius Streicher Memorial Award: Devin Rokyta, Moscow-Pullman Daily News Editorial Board.

The "Three Percenters" like to describe themselves as armed "patriots." We think a more apt description would be terrorists. How else would you describe masked and heavily armed men who routinely gather with the sole intent of intimidating others, most often Muslims? Men who call for an armed uprising and the overthrowing of the government? Men who want the people in an entire religion expelled from the country? . . .

The group formed back in 2008, after Barack Obama was elected president, to fight back against their own government, which they believe wants to disarm them, strip their constitutional rights and take their property. Its members, not surprisingly, are mostly white, conservative men who own guns. While for years they have been routinely patrolling the nation's borders to keep illegal immigrants out, they've recently turned the full force of their hate and ignorance toward Muslims, nearly all of whom are peaceful and valuable members of our society. Unfortunately, their hateful message and bigoted beliefs are being emboldened by Republicans who are pandering to their far-right, extremist viewpoints.

This guy doesn't know crap from breakfast, and it is apparent he got all his disinformation from the recent AP story. For example: "The group formed back in 2008, after Barack Obama was elected president." Bovine excrement. I developed the concept of the Three Percent movement back during the Dubya Bush administration in response to his stances on the PATRIOT Act, the border crisis and his compromises on firearm rights. Bob Wright (who dropped by the other day) recalls talking to me about the Three Percent as early as 2005. I had been working on the concept for a few years prior to that, when it became obvious that the GOP was not going to defend the Constitution but was actively assisting Dubya in selling us out. And describing us as "conservative" does a disservice to the many libertarians, even anarchists who embrace the the discipline of the Three Percent. Further, saying that we were "emboldened by Republicans" is total crap. We pay no attention to those sellouts, as both they and the NRA have to be dragged kicking and screaming into every fight by folks like us. If anything, we "embolden" them, not the other way around.

Then this collectivist puke concludes:

It's all very dangerous, and it is likely just a matter of time before one of these "patriots" does something more than spew hate from his mouth. It's time to start paying attention to our homegrown radicals and start calling them what they are - terrorists.

I guess that makes me the terrorist in chief. Perhaps, in their alternate world. But I don't think that the Founders would regard me as such.

Julius Streicher, Hitler's favorite "journalist," after dancing the executioner's jig at Nuremberg.

The New York Times, which previously proposed civil war to facilitate arms confiscation, now whines that the GOP refuses to seriously discuss our unilateral disarmament.

"An Appalling Silence on Gun Control."

"Iran's military bulks up with new Russian tanks."

Prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian armor was considered to possess a higher operational capacity compared to those of the country’s regional rivals. Following the Islamic Revolution and the ensuing 1980-1988 war with Iraq, a great portion of this armor was lost. The international restrictions placed on Iran after the eight-year war with Iraq worsened the situation, making it difficult for the country to quickly upgrade its military technology to an acceptable level. In recent years, Iran has made numerous attempts to become self-sufficient in the production of armored equipment — none of which have been very successful. This is while countries such as Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Pakistan have succeeded in designing and producing a large part of their modern armored capabilities.

VDH: "Families of Terrorists See No Evil, Speak No Evil."

"It seems inconceivable that family members could be oblivious to the radicalization of a loved one when it transpires right under their noses -- particularly in the cases where a parent's U.S.-born children visit the Middle East and come back radicalized, with the change noted by friends but supposedly not by immediate family. The idea that close relatives do not know about the Islamic extremism of their kin is as absurd as it is dangerous to the security of the United States."

Limbaugh: "GOP Sells America Down the River."

"The country was just sold down the river again by your very Republican Party. I have a headline here from the Washington Times: "White House Declares Total Victory Over GOP in Budget Battle." That headline's a misnomer. There was never a battle. None of this was opposed. The Republican Party didn't stand up to any of it, and the die has been cast for a long time on this. I know many of you are dispirited, depressed, angry, combination of all of that. But, folks, there was no other way this could go. Because two years ago when the Republican Party declared they would never do anything that would shut down the government and they would not impeach Obama, there were no obstacles in Obama's way and there were no obstacles in the way of the Democrat Party.

"Obama meets with Bloomberg to talk guns."

President Obama on Wednesday met with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an ally of the White House on gun control. The meeting, which was not on the president's public schedule, comes as he is weighing new executive action on guns in response to a series of mass shootings that have marred his presidency. . . Senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, a close Obama confidante who has spearheaded the White House's gun-control push, also attended the meeting.

Jonah Goldberg warily circles around the truth of things without getting there. "Why The War On Guns Has Failed."

From Herschel Smith: "Guns were never really the issue. It was always all about control, as it is today. Guns give the power of self defense, against home invasion, muggings, beatings, active shooter situations, and yes, against tyrannical states. Nuclear weapons (to answer the usual critic of this position), which no one knows where to detonate because enemy and friend are intermixed everywhere, are no match at all for fourth generation warfare in the neighborhoods, streets, hollows, valleys, highways and mountains of America. Don’t ever underestimate the power of guns to hold tyranny at bay, and since the gun controllers don’t, they always try to change the subject to safety, righteousness, or anything else. Jonah is on the right track, but he just isn’t quite yet there, and hasn’t quite completed his journey."

Maybe because they're ALL bad? "Feds Urge Crackdown On Bad Cops, But Agencies Haven't Gotten The Message."

"ATF managers routinely failed to report allegations to the Internal Affairs Division at headquarters and broke policy by handling sexual misconduct allegations on the local level."

Tea Party Anniversary, 16 December 1773.

Today is also the anniversary of the opening of the Battle of the Bulge.

Finland files reservations about EU semi-automatic firearm ban

The European Union has proposed amending its Firearms Directive to limit online weapon acquisition and ban certain semi-automatic firearms from private use. Finland has registered its reservations about the move with the European Commission, saying that its reservists currently use semi-automatic weapons in their military exercises.

Gun Control Group Tells Followers To “SWAT” Gun Owners

The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) is a radical gun control group with a long history of considering gun ownership to be near treasonous, and who routinely refers to gun owners as “insurrectionists.” Twice this year they called upon their followers to “SWAT” gun owners.

Ben Shapiro: "How Many Americans Must Die For The Left’s Gun-Grab To Work?"

"Truthfully, the left would like a full-scale gun confiscation. That’s why Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have both suggested that the solution to gun violence would be a regime like Australia’s or Great Britain’s – both countries that seized large numbers of weapons from private owners."

But one thing is guaranteed: if the government wants a lot of people to get shot, all they’ll have to do is try a mass gun-confiscation.

According to the Congressional Research Service, as of 2013, there were 357 million guns in private hands. That’s 1.45 guns for every American. According to a Pew Research poll that same year, 37 percent of Americans say they or someone else in their home owns a gun. Gallup says that 43 percent of Americans say they have a gun in their home. Even if we take the lower number, that’s well over 100 million Americans with a gun in the home. So what sort of bureaucratic monster would be necessary just to identify gunowners and confiscate guns from a hundred million people?

And seizing those guns won’t just be a matter of asking politely. Americans have a longstanding opposition to government tyranny embodied in the Second Amendment; as the text suggests, gun ownership was meant to be an obstacle to those who would encroach upon the “security of a free State.” That includes members of the government. In fact, Americans widely believe that seizure of guns would be the ultimate manifestation of an attempted government tyranny. . .

Try telling those people that it isn’t tyranny to have a man with a gun come to their house and demand they turn over their weapons.

Try to imagine the carnage that would ensue, not in Connecticut or Washington, D.C., but in Texas or Arizona or Oklahoma. How many people would die for the government to prove its ability to save one life by seizing weapons from law-abiding citizens?

The left doesn’t care about those people, however. If Americans had to die in order to prove the superiority of the federal government, the left wouldn’t shudder. That merely demonstrates just how little the “save one life” argument actually matters to them. It’s merely a ruse for another power grab. As always.

Who shot who in Waco biker clash? Answers expected soon.

Authorities still do not know who shot who among nearly 200 bikers caught in a deadly melee at the Twin Peaks in Waco but expect to soon have the scientific evidence to answer questions that for seven months have eluded them. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigators are nearly finished with ballistics and other tests on 151 firearms, as well as 29 bullet fragments and 30 cartridge cases recovered from the scene that was especially complex given the number of people and guns involved.

DHS "deployed hi-tech spy plane which scoops up tens of thousands of phone calls at one time above San Bernardino for days after massacre."

Single engine craft flew over the California city and was ordered to make repeated circles overhead. It was equipped with 'Dirtbox' technology which can scan tens of thousands of phones in one go to identify suspects. The Pilatus PC-12 plane that was used - was similar to the craft deployed by the military on missions over Africa.

One of the ATF thugs who entrapped Randy Weaver gets to draw a pension check -- which is more than you can say for Vicki and Sammy Weaver.

In January 1991, another ATF agent, Herb Byerly, asked Hart to join him in arresting Randy Weaver, who was suspected of illegally selling two shotguns to an informant. Hart and Byerly posed as broken-down motorists on a bridge below Weaver’s cabin and made the arrest after Weaver stopped to help them. Hart said at the time he had no idea Weaver’s arrest would lead to a 10-day standoff that would leave a U.S. marshal and Weaver’s wife and son dead. “He felt taken advantage of,” Hart said of the original arrest. Hart joined other federal agents on the hill during the Ruby Ridge standoff and said they worked to find moments of humor in a tense situation. At one point, the ATF agents put up a “toll bridge” sign, pretending to charge FBI agents for crossing the bridge ATF was holding. “It was very stressful because it was a waiting game,” he said.

Poor baby.

Marine Corps Times: "Small-arms modernization aims to boost lethality, mobility."

In its push for small-arms modernization, the Corps reached a milestone in 2015 with the formal adoption of the M4 carbine as the universal weapon for Marine infantry, but further changes are in the works for the year ahead.

"Liberal Hispanic activists assail Rubio, Cruz as ‘traitors’ to their culture."

Liberal Hispanic groups have launched a campaign designed to turn Latino voters against the two Cuban American Republicans who have risen to the top tier of the GOP presidential field — assailing Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz as traitors to their own culture.

It's been five years since Brian Terry's murder and still no justice for the conspirators of Fast and Furious.

Five years ago today, Marine and Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed in a firefight by Mexican bandits. The firearms used by the criminals who killed him were part of the Obama Justice Department's Operation Fast and Furious. As a reminder, ATF agents allowed more than 2500 AK-47s and other firearms to be purchased and trafficked by known Mexican cartel members through Fast and Furious. Hundreds of people have been killed as a result of the program, which was secret until ATF whistleblower John Dodson exposed it after Terry's death in 2010.

David Codrea: "So-called ‘Terror Watchlist’ Gun Ban Poses Greatest Danger of Any Current Proposal."

We are the people the totalitarian lobby is itching to disarm. And that’s why this latest bit of “official” domestic terrorism masked by the noble-sounding goal of keeping us all safe is so insidious, and has the potential to get extremely dangerous for everyone. Especially considering the confiscations being called for, and what that means to those who will not surrender their property or their rights to oath-breaking usurpers.

To quote poet Dylan Thomas, some of us will “not go gentle into that good night.” I’ve actually had repeating that line held against me before. But it’s true, particularly for original Second Amendment intent advocates smeared as “insurrectionists.”

As things stand, the immediate danger is being intensified by prominent Republicans siding with the concept of watchlist prohibitions, notably by some of the presidential candidates, including one who’s been forgiven for past betrayals and supported by the “terrorist” NRA. Barring unforeseen developments taking precedence, I expect to address that inexcusable sellout, along with a developing potential disappointment, in my next offering.

"A Genuine Conservative Wouldn't Go After Cruz This Way"

Rush Limbaugh Goes After Trump

Who hath measured the ground? "Alabama among the most heavily-armed states; research says that makes us safer."

20 NFA weapons per thousand? How little they know.

Alabama is among the most heavily-armed states in America, according to a CBS News analysis of ATF gun registrations in accordance with the National Firearms Act (NFA). Weapons regulated under the NFA include short-barreled shotguns or rifles, machine guns and so called “assault rifles.”

WHOA! Wait just a second there, pard. I thought semi-auto rifles were "assault rifles," and they're not covered on the NFRTR that is the official list of NFA weapons. They can't have it both ways.

Gun control becomes a litmus test in Democratic primaries.

"Liberals across the country are challenging fellow Democrats on guns in primaries, opening up divisions within the party on one of the most volatile issues of 2016."

David Codrea at the Arizona Citizens Defense League.

Link.

"The Next Culture War Front."

"This is not primarily a culture war over political power. This is spiritual warfare, as the Soloway piece makes plain for those with eyes to see. A political response is necessary, but a political response alone is radically insufficient, in part because it’s nothing but a delaying action. This Weimar America madness has to run its course. We religious conservatives had all better do everything we can to protect our institutions and our families from it. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s not going to get any easier as the years go by, no matter who sits in the White House, and we had better prepare ourselves."

In addition to this article, I suggest that folks get a copy of Takedown: From Communists to Progressives, How the Left Has Sabotaged Family and Marriage by Paul Kengor.

Here's a two-part interview with Kengor about the book: The “Takedown” of Family and Marriage: V&V Q&A with Dr. Paul Kengor on his latest book

Part Two.

Well, I guess he can't blame us if we return the favor.

In my humble opinion, it appears as though Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri may be ready for the rubber gun squad. The good sheriff said Thursday that law abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights will be “thrown down on the ground with a gun pointed at them — or worse.” He also said if a concealed carry unknowingly enters a bank during a robbery, the citizen is “going to take one in the chest because he’s a threat.”

Trump Derangement Syndrome.

ACLU board member resigns after Facebook post about shooting people who would vote for Trump

Loring Wirbel has resigned as co-chair of the Colorado Springs chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado after facing mounting criticism for a Facebook post that said people voting for Donald Trump should be told "I will have to shoot you before election day."

"The Islamic Dilemma."

Devout Muslims watching current Western debates, for instance, might notice that some of the same cosmopolitan liberals who think of themselves as Benevolent Foes of Islamophobia are also convinced that many conservative Christians are dangerous crypto-theocrats whose institutions and liberties must give way whenever they conflict with liberalism’s vision of enlightenment. They also might notice that many of the same conservative Christians who fear that Islam is incompatible with democracy are wrestling with whether their own faith is compatible with the direction of modern liberalism, or whether Christianity needs to enter a kind of internal exile in the West.

See this link for an interesting discussion of THAT concept: The "Benedict Option."

Tiny Estonia uses a force of volunteer unpaid citizens– equipped with their own military arms– to hold the line.

The Estonian Defense League, a militia independent from the government, is made up of over 15,000 members, making it several times larger than the 6,500-member official Estonian Defense Forces.

Famed ‘Memphis Belle’ undergoes painstaking restoration

In 1987, a canopied exhibit site funded through public donations was dedicated on Mud Island, where the plane remained until being moved to a former Navy facility in Millington in 2003.

Rosey and I attended the dedication and, more importantly, the fly-in at West Memphis airport, when all of the B-17s still airworthy (9 of them if I recall correctly) came in and then went out to fly in formation in a salute over Mud Island. The throaty roar of all those Wright Cyclone engines was something to experience.

Kurt Schlichter: "Trump Is Going To Break Your Heart."

"As a young man, I learned that sometimes that hot chick you're dating is also completely crazy and, as much fun as it is to go out with her, it's going to end badly. That's Donald Trump, the super hottie of the "I Hate the GOP Establishment with a Burning Passion That Has Rendered Me Insusceptible to Reason" crew. He's sexy, he likes to party, and he certainly puts out – in the sense that he fulfills your fantasies about giving it to the RINOs good and hard. That intensely troubling metaphor aside, the point is still valid. Donald Trump is not a keeper, not the one you want to marry. He’s never going to make you happy. For now, he's going to say what makes you happy, and for now he's going to make a lot of the right people go nuts, but if you get hitched he’ll cheat on you with the liberals. At the end of the day, you’ll walk out of the courtroom wearing a barrel while Trump and the pool boy jet off to Tahiti on your dime."

Four from Herschel Smith.

Watch this video: "Mark Steyn On How Our Enemies Take The Civilized World Inch By Inch."

And the contrast it with this performance: Josh Earnest On Guns And The No-Fly List

Psychopathic Police Chief Kills Caged Dog For Sport

Winchester XPR Rifle Recall

Another pus-filled, pathetic corner of the universe heard from. . .

A comment typical of many I get during the week (most get deleted, but this one was more or less clean, unlike the others): "Hey commie hiw (sic) is that cancer working for you? Please do tell." Anonymous, December 13, 2015 at 1:52 AM

You know, you've got to wonder what sort of sad little twisted soul of a creature initially made in God's image would sit behind a keyboard at almost two in the morning (no doubt in his underwear) and waste his time sending out personalized hate like this.

"C.S. Lewis Was a Secret Government Agent."

A recent discovery unveils an unknown chapter in the life the famous Oxford Don.

It's "tragic." It's "ironic." So far out of touch with reality that he can't be reached by a carrier pigeon taking a dump on his head.

Josh Earnest as a child. He didn't get it then and he doesn't get it now.

"Josh Earnest: White House Flabbergasted, Shocked by Rising Gun Sales."

"It’s tragic that in the immediate aftermath of a series of high profile mass shootings, that people feel like they have to go out and purchase a gun,” he said. “That ready access to guns and that proliferation of violent weapons of war has not led to fewer gun deaths. It’s tragic that even in the situation where we have lots of guns on the streets that lead to lots of innocent Americans being killed, that the response to that is that a whole lot more guns end up on the streets. That’s tragic and ironic."

Imagine that.

"4 bikers shot in Waco with gun type police use."

Four of the nine people killed in a melee between rival biker gangs outside a Texas restaurant were struck by the same caliber of rifle fired by Waco police, according to evidence obtained by The Associated Press that provides the most insight yet into whether authorities were responsible for any of the deaths and injuries. . . Hours of audio and footage and hundreds of documents including ballistics reports show that four of the dead and at least one of the wounded were struck with bullets from .223-caliber rifles - the only type of weapon fired by police that day.

Texas demonstration reactions.

"Texas Mosque Draws Protest, Counter-Protest Demonstrations."

About 20 people, half of them armed with rifles, rallied outside a suburban Dallas mosque against Islamist violence and Syrian refugee resettlement. The demonstration organized by the Bureau of American-Islamic Relations drew a counter-demonstration by about 50 people. An Associated Press photographer reported that while there were frequent discussions between both sides, they were peaceful and intervention by the dozen police officers wasn't needed. The protesting group included members of the "Three Percenters" who consider themselves patriots protecting the homeland from Muslims. They previously organized armed protests outside a mosque in Irving, another Dallas suburb.

LATER: The story was also picked up by Al-arabiya and no doubt is being used as propaganda in mosques around the Middle East right now: "Protesters with rifles rally outside Texas mosque."

"War In Europe: Why The Army Is Worried."

Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and seized control of Crimea, Pentagon planners have been trying to figure out how they could cope with further land grabs by Moscow. Their greatest concern is that Russia will move on the three small Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — the only former provinces of the Soviet Union that have joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and that other alliance members are therefore obligated to defend. Internal Pentagon estimates suggest Russia’s military could occupy the Baltic states in 2-3 days — well before NATO could organize a coherent response.

Praxis: "A Military Device That Can Plug Gunshot Wounds in 20 Seconds is Ready For Public Use."

"The XSTAT 30 is here. The military product that saved soldiers’ lives in the battlefield has been cleared for the general population by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration."

It’s a wonder product that can almost instantaneously stop bleeding from gunshot wounds. It does not heal the wound, but it plugs it temporarily to avoid significant blood loss until the wound is treated. The device looks like a syringe full of tablet-sized sponges that expand after injection to the wound. Within 20 seconds, the expanded sponge then fills the cut, preventing blood loss and giving the patient a higher chance of survival. Each sponge last for up to four hours and absorbs up to a pint of blood. . . XSTAT 30 is manufactured by RevMedX, Inc., in Wilsonville, Oregon.

No doubt he committed suicide out of an overwhelming sense of remorse.

"Man charged with killing 2 Hattiesburg officers dies after being found unresponsive in cell."

Praxis: Enter the "precision mortar."

"U.S. Marine Corps to purchase Raytheon PERM munitions."

Raytheon Missile systems has received a contract award for $98 million for the procurement of 120mm Precision Extended Range Munitions. PERM, a Marine Corps program, is a ballistic mortar launched from the Expeditionary Fire Support System, and can be guided to hit specific targets. Raytheon's PERM solution uses Global Positioning System Guidance to enhance the weapon's accuracy, and boasts twice the range of contemporary ballistic mortars. The contract with the U.S. Marine Corps has a maximum 60-month effective period, with five 12-month ordering periods. Work on the contract will be performed in Israel, Arizona, Iowa, and other locations. Raytheon's PERM team has partnered with Israeli Military Industries to provide the weapon systems.

"Armed 'Three Percenters' Movement Now Confronting Muslim Americans."

Sigh. I don't believe this guy has internalized the Three Percent Catechism. "We will interfere with every move they (Muslims) make towards taking over our country."

The reporter is accredited to the Associated Press out of Dallas. The link above was picked up by HuffPo. It also made The Washington Times.

Now, I received a demand late Thursday afternoon from the reporter for an interview, citing "deadline" pressures. I am quite familiar with the tactic and in any case was on my way out the door for the lecture. This is the email I received, with my reply:

From: Dunklin, Reese RDunklin@ap.org
To: GeorgeMason1776 GeorgeMason1776@aol.com; 
 Sent: Thu, Dec 10, 2015 2:46 pm
Subject: Trying to reach Mike Vanderboegh

Dear Mike,

I’m a reporter at the Associated Press here in Dallas. There is a group led by a guy named David Wright, who tells us he’s a Three Percenter in leadership of the Texas chapter. He’s been organizing the armed protests of mosques in Irving and Richardson, in suburban Dallas.

I’m preparing a story that takes a look at him and the Three Percenter movement. It’s not an exhaustive, historical look at the movement. But it’s meant to give people unfamiliar with it a basic sense of its ideology, its actions, what it’s protested and so on.

--I was curious whether you’ve known him, how long you’ve known him and how much contact you’ve had with him.

--I’d be curious to know your thoughts on the anti-Muslim protests led by some Three Percenters, including Jon Ritzheimer in Phoenix.

--I’m also curious to get your response to those who believe, with your roots in the militia, the Three Percenters are extremists. As I’m sure you know, you’ve been described as a fiery speaker whose rhetoric and provocative acts (mailing the state police in Connecticut to warn them not to enforce new gun-control measures) has been blamed for vandalism and threats against government.

You said a lot in the past and on video, so I’ll do my best to capture some of what you’ve already put into the public record for this piece. I tried your home phone, but the voice mail was so full I couldn’t leave a message.

I’m on a deadline for today.  If we can’t connect, perhaps we can later. Thanks in advance,

Reese

To which I replied: 

From: georgemason1776@aol.com
To: RDunklin@ap.org
Sent: Thu, Dec 10, 2015 3:31 pm
Subject: Re: Trying to reach Mike Vanderboegh

I am on the way to a lecture this evening and will not be available for interview until tomorrow.  Some general observations: All folks claiming to be "Three Percenters" are not.  To the extent that their words and actions differ from The Three Percent catechism, they must be looked at critically and evaluated accordingly.  The Three Percent Catechism can be found on my website and I reproduce it below.

Yesterday, after I felt well enough to talk to him, I offered:


From: georgemason1776@aol.com
To: RDunklin@ap.org
Sent: Fri, Dec 11, 2015 1:40 pm
Subject: Re: Trying to reach Mike Vanderboegh

Now, if you still want to interview me, reply to this email.  If you have already written the story, please forward a link.

 

To which he replied: "My deadline has passed. When I get a link, I’ll send along."

To which I replied: First the story, then the facts, eh?  No doubt your editor is the red queen?  Oh well, "off with their heads."

I will have a detailed critique of the article later today. In the meantime, feel free to weigh in on whether, or not, these fellows are in line with the Three Percent Catechism.