Category Archives: Current News

This is about stuff in the mass media that generally has a short interest life span. Speculation about an election outcome a few days before the election is an example.

The Odds of Civil War Just Increased

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Remember what I said last October:

Another “interesting” scenario, made more likely by the current high emotions on both sides of the political fence, are that the candidate for one party or another is assassinated. Then, before the election, the other major candidate is assassinated.

Today:

Former President Donald Trump was wounded on a Pennsylvania campaign stage by a sniper’s bullet Saturday night in an apparent assassination attempt that nearly claimed his life, law enforcement sources told The Post.

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The pictures from some angles look like a bullet hole through the upper right ear.

If you look at this flag you can see there was a fair amount of wind:

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The linked articles says, “Law enforcement sources said that the bullet may have been deflected by glass before Trump was struck in the face.” I would like to throw my hypothesis into the pot and say the sniper misread the wind.

As I told daughter Jaime after she sent me a text message about the attempt:

It will take at least two days for the rumors to fade and something resembling the truth comes out.

The conspiracy theories will last for decades.

An assassination does prevent the target from obtaining office. A failed assassination attempt probably increases the chances the target will obtain office.

Attempted or successful, it increases the odds of more political violence. The odds of civil war just increased.

I want my underground bunker in Idaho.

BRICS Gold-Backed Currency to Launch at 2024 Summit?

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Game changer:

BRICS aims to launch a new currency that will be backed by gold as a counter to the US dollar. A common currency will make the alliance usher into a new financial era and become a cornerstone for further developments. The upcoming summit in 2024 will shed more light on the policies that are aimed to topple the US dollar.

We live in interesting times.

Russia Versus America and NATO

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I think I found this on X or Gab. I’m just not sure where:

A Russian wife turned to her husband and asked, “What’s this special military operation our glorious leader keeps talking about?” Her husband replied, “It’s a war to stop America and NATO.” “Oh, right” she says “How’s it going?”

“Well” he replied “so far we have lost over 20 generals, 100,000 troops killed, countless injured, 3000 tanks, 300 aircraft, hundreds of helicopters, countless armoured vehicles, artillery and trucks, our flagship along with other naval ships, our army is being defeated in most areas and we have had to resort to conscripting 500,000 Russians including murders and rapists to replace our losses”.

“Wow” replied the wife “what about America and NATO”?

“They haven’t turned up yet”

While not entirely true, there is probably a little too much truth to be funny to the top Russian politicians and the military.

Gold Price Rally is a Complete Mystery

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Quote of the Day

The rally is defying a lot of normal thinking, especially when it comes to still-elevated rates. I think the narrative is changing towards sticky inflation and perhaps a hard landing, spiced with a lot of geopolitical uncertainty and de-globalization driving central bank demand.

Ole Hansen
Head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank AS
April 7, 2024
Gold price rally to record highs is a complete mystery | Fortune

I’m concerned it is not actually a mystery. I suspect it is a reality nearly everyone does not want to believe.

More Good News From California Courts

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Judge blocks California from suing makers of ‘abnormally dangerous’ guns (msn.com)

I welcome these outrageous laws which are clearly unconstitutional on multiple levels. What I don’t think they understand is that by creating relatively easy wins for us we create a wedge on a slippery slope.

In addition it makes it all the more obvious to the general population that these people do not have the best interests of society in mind. They are mean spirited and likely evil people.

They will make their prosecution more likely to occur and more likely to result in conviction.

It is a Miracle in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals!

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SAF HAILS 9TH CIRCUIT DENIAL OF EN BANC HEARING IN JUNIOR SPORTS CASE – Second Amendment Foundation

The Second Amendment Foundation is cheering the decision by a 9th Circuit Court panel to deny the State of California an en banc hearing in a case known as Junior Sports Magazines, Inc. v. Bonta, in which the state tried to prohibit firearm advertising which it claims, “reasonably appears to be attractive to minors.”

SAF is joined in the case by Junior Sports Magazines, the California Youth Shooting Sports Association, Redlands California Youth Clay Shooting Sports, California Rifle & Pistol Association, CRPA Foundation, Gun Owners of California and Raymond Brown, a private citizen.

“It seems like forever since the 9th Circuit has refused to hear a gun case en banc,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “Hopefully, this is a new trend.”

SAF attorney Donald Kilmer noted, “This means that our win before the three-judge panel will become the case law on this issue in the Ninth Circuit. It means the trial court’s denial of a preliminary injunction remains reversed and that court will be required to enter a preliminary injunction, preventing enforcement of this law while the case proceeds to final judgment.”

SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut said the court’s decision is a victory for the First Amendment as well as the Second.

“The state was determined to regulate the First Amendment as well as the Second,” Kraut stated, “and we prevented California from continuing to enact unconstitutional laws. We’re pleased the 9th Circuit has decided to leave the panel’s decision undisturbed.”

This is a ground-breaking First Amendment case, which defends the right of Junior Sports Magazine and other periodicals to publish Second Amendment-related material in California.

It is a miracle! The 9th Circuit Court of appeals is allowing a court ruling in favor of gun owners to stand.

Seattle Is Paying BLM $10M for Trashing the City

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There is a lesson to be learned here:

City of Seattle just settled a $10 mil lawsuit related to BLM riots during the 2020 “Summer of Love.” City admits no wrong doing and says it’s the best move right now since the litigation has been such a time and financial drain. Otherwise, this basically signals to anarchists and FAR-LEFT activists that they can trash the city and now be compensated for their unruly behavior. It’s still upside down.

What did you just learn?

Rats Leaving the Burning Ship?

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NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre is resigning.

For a more toxic views see:

From the Wall Street Journal article:

LaPierre and the NRA have said the group has embarked on a major “course correction” by terminating certain vendors, promoting a whistleblower to its top financial job and eliminating virtually all related-party transactions with board members. Since the New York investigation began, LaPierre has repaid the NRA nearly $1 million for some of the private-jet flights, gifts and other “excess benefits” he received, legal filings show.

It is probably was far short of the compensation he and many others should have given but it is worth something. Perhaps the organization can rebuild itself with a better focus on the important principles.

Via text from Mike B.:

Rats leaving the burning ship?

Another One Bites The Dust

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Via X:

Mike Beard, a leader and pioneer in gun violence prevention, has passed away after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. In 1978, Mike founded the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, which helped to form [Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions].

His family has my sympathy, but gun owners will express some relief that another enemy has left the scene and will not be returning. Some of his harshest critics, such as Neal Knox, thought well of him as a person. And Beard thought well of Knox too. Give Beard credit for that.

In 1974 he became the founding President of the National Coalition to Ban Handguns and its sister organization Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. The.National Coalition to Ban Handguns later became the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence when they added “assault weapons” to their list of guns to ban. That is nearly 50 years of advocacy of the elimination of a specific enumerated right. In addition to advocating for the banning private ownership of handguns.they also advocated:

He, as nearly all anti-gun rights activists, regularly used deception and outright lies to further his agenda.

As I suggested a couple years ago, I would have preferred we could have enjoyed his trial. But outliving your enemy and knowing that he knew as he was dying his long held dreams were crumbling into dust does provide a certain amount of satisfaction.

On the Death of Henry Kissinger

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As you probably know, Henry Kissinger died on Wednesday.

I remember when he used to be mentioned, what seemed like, daily in the newspapers.

What I will always remember the most is one of his quips I used as a quote of the day:

The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a bit longer.

At least he was honest about this. Almost all other politicians subscribe to this behavior without admitting it.

Update: Citation for the quote.

The Courts are Busy

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Things are really jumping in the firearms legal world. These are just a few of the things happening in the last few days:

When I think back to when I first got involved in the gun owner rights activism in the mid 1990s… there were seldom more than one or two gun cases per year which made the news. Now it probably averages about one per week.

We live in interesting times.

In related news from yesterday, my company gave all employees some money to donate to charitable causes. I gave all of mine to the FPC. I also donate a lot of money to SAF who also does good work in the courts.

The End of Times

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Quote of the Day

The biggest elephant in the room is the US Fiscal Doom Loop. To refresh: US Government spending is out of control, and there appears to be very little political will to stop it. As the chart below shows, Government spending is up 14% yoy and tax receipts are down 7% yoy.  Fiscal year ended September 2023 is projected to have a deficit of over $2 Billion (or roughly 8% of GDP). In the past, deficits of this magnitude only materialized during significant downturns like the bursting of the Dotcom Bubble, the 2008 GFC and the COVID crisis. It is unprecedented to have deficits of this magnitude with the economy and employment being relatively strong.

Lawrence Lepard
October 2023
This “Unprecedented” Fiscal Doom Loop Is Getting Worse

A volcano in Iceland is expected to erupt in hours or days and destroy a town of 4,000 people, Japan has a new island, a super volcano is flexing, U.S. military bases are being attacked almost daily, and the U.S. debt is over 33 trillion and rapidly increasing.

We live in interesting times. Some might even claim it is the end of times. Prepare appropriately.

I want my underground bunker in Idaho.

Some Lesson Details

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To support my assertion that there was a clear lesson which should have been learned I give you this, also from The Times of Israel on October 9th:

A failed attempt by terrorists on Saturday to enter Nir Am, a kibbutz situated some 500 yards (457 meters) away from the border with Gaza, ended with the death of two perpetrators, a local defender says.

“The terrorists appear to have tried to penetrate a large chicken farm next to Nir Am, possibly mistaking its fence for the kibbutz’s fence,” says Ami Rabin, 70, the previous security coordinator of Nir Am, who is also the uncle of his successor, Amit Rabin.

The kibbutz’s guard detail, whose members took up forward positions upon hearing gunshots, shot two of the terrorists as they entered the factory, Rabin tells The Times of Israel. Blood trails around the scene indicated a third sustained a serious injury, he adds.

And this from October 10th:

One tale of bravery involves a handful of men and women who, with only two rifles and a few handguns, prevented a detachment of heavily armed terrorists from setting foot in their community of Ein Habesor.

None of the defenders died in the 20-minute-long gunfight, in which they employed subterfuge to make the terrorists believe they were up against a more formidable fighting force.

…

Another is about Noam Tibon, a reserves general from Tel Aviv who, within an hour of the terrorist incursion, led a hastily assembled intervention team to the home of his son — Amir Tibon of the Haaretz newpaper — in Kibbutz Nahal Oz.

The team killed several terrorists outside several homes, including that of his son, Amir, who was holed up inside with his wife and daughters.

A third account revolves around Inbal Rabin-Lieberman, the 25-year-old security coordinator of Kibbutz Nir Am. She and her uncle Ami led a guard detail so alert that it killed two terrorists as they were trying to enter a nearby chicken farm. This response was so effective that it made the dead invaders’ entire detachment lose the appetite for entering Nir Am.

…

Back in Ein Habesor, local resident Noam Gotliv says, “We’re only hearing the tip of the iceberg of the bravery that Israelis showed over the past two days.” Gotliv used a handgun to fire from close range on terrorists armed with rifles. Another resident armed with nothing but an axe stayed with Gotliv’s wife, Julie, and three children inside their home shelter in case the terrorists breached the gate.

Lesson Not Learned

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You would think with such a vivid example less than a month previous they would understand why the right to keep and bear arms should not be infringed.

From The Times of Israel:

Coming to a public space near you: Guns. Lots of guns.

Weapons should only be distributed to citizens if common sense precautionary measures are applied, including extensive background checks before issuing a license and monitoring of license holders.

We may have to wait until the state of emergency ends before public debate can take place over these risky new regulations, meanwhile, we can only hope it won’t take a tragedy for the national security ministry to take measures that ensure deadly weapons don’t end up in the wrong hands.

Are these people just mind bogglingly slow learners? Or is there some sort of motivation I cannot fathom?

Damning Evidence of Corruption in U.S. Politics

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Quote of the Day

Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight.

And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.

Hunter Biden
July 30, 2017
WhatsApp message to Hery Zhao, CEO of Harvest Fund Management
A Second American Civil War Has Begun

Never before I have seen such damning evidence of corruption in U.S. politics.

This has a very good chance of leading to interesting times.

Prepare appropriately. I want an underground bunker in Idaho.

Why?

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This is unheard of:

US halts exports of most civilian firearms for 90 days

The U.S. has stopped issuing export licenses for most civilian firearms and ammunition for 90 days for all non-governmental users, the Commerce Department said on Friday, citing national security and foreign policy interests.

The Commerce Department did not provide further details for the pause, which also includes shotguns and optical sights, but said an urgent review will assess the “risk of firearms being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activities.”

The Commerce Department declined to comment beyond the posting on its website.

The halt covers most of the guns and ammunition that could be purchased in a U.S. gun store, said Johanna Reeves, a lawyer who specializes in export controls and firearms with the law firm Reeves & Dola in Washington.

Reeves said she had not seen the Commerce Department take such a sweeping action like this before. “For sure they have individual country policies – but nothing like this,” she said.

Export licences for Ukraine and Israel, as well as some other close allies, will be exempted from the temporary halt in exports.

Why would they do this now? A concern about guns and ammunition getting into the hands of Hamas? An attempt to hurt U.S. manufactures?

A Change in the Direction of the Wind

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Quote of the Day

If it’s clear that the last two weeks have been a wake-up call, the next question is: Why?

Part of the answer is the sheer depravity of Hamas’s terrorism. That depravity has made the justification and celebration of their acts by those who police pronouns that much starker. The contradictions and moral bankruptcy of a worldview that spends years worrying about microaggressions and tone policing, but can’t decide what side it is on after the beheading of babies, aren’t exactly difficult to spot.

Bari Weiss and Oliver Wiseman
October 23, 2023
A Political Reawakening? A mass emergence from the woke slumber.

I detect a change in the direction of the wind. We live in interesting times.

Luxury Beliefs

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Quote of the Day

Their worldview includes fixed positions on race, gender, decolonisation, sexuality, slavery and the Palestinians. Although much of this causes real harm, particularly to teenagers and Jews, these ideological positions are signifiers of social status rather than authentic moral positions. They are luxury beliefs.

It is striking how closely this group adheres to these orthodoxies. Because it is a question of identity, it is almost unthinkable for devotees to hold some of those views but not others, and very hard for them to change their minds. Last week, Jeremy Corbyn appeared unable to revise his vision of Hamas as “friends” even in the aftermath of the massacre.

Jake Wallis Simons
October 15, 2023
Why liberals have ended up cheerleading for jihadism

I like the label, “Luxury beliefs.” That describes the beliefs of gun control advocates as well. The people advocating for gun control will not be materially affected by the banning of guns and they like pleasure of feeling morally superior in ridding the world of the yucky guns.

Beautiful and Inspiring

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Quote of the Day

Yesterday was a victory. For freedom fighters to break out of a 15-year blockade so successfully under the inhuman genocide of Israel was so beautiful and inspiring to see. It shows the world that we will always fight and always resist and we need to celebrate these acts of resistance because this was a success. Revolutionary violence initiated by Palestinians is not terrorism – it is self-defence…

Hanin Barghouti
October 7, 2023
Pictured: Activist who called Hamas attacks ‘beautiful and inspiring’

It has been said that one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter. In this case I think the more applicable adage is that in war the truth is the first victim.

Even if you were to accept the claim Hamas is a group of freedom fighters, Israel gets a vote on what to call them. There is probably some Yiddish phrase that I am clueless of but is the rough equivalent of “dead meat”.

My guess is that the leaders of Israel have a thought process something like, “What price did Hamas think they would have to pay for this evil treachery? Okay, now multiply that price by 1,000. We are now going to deliver that price it as quickly as possible.”

By the time the IDF has finished with Hamas, people like Ms. Barghouti will no longer call Saturday’s attack “beautiful and Inspiring”. She will realize what she called “genocide” on Saturday will soon be “the good old days.” And the most positive name for Saturday’s attack will be “The Great Mistake.”

Dianne Feinstein

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U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein died Thursday night.

To gun owners she probably is best know for her famous quote:

If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States for an outright ban, picking up every one of them, Mr. and Mrs. America, turn them all in, I would have done it.

Diane Feinstein
February 5, 1995
CBS-TV’s 60 Minutes

She is also well known as willing, perhaps even eager, to lie to advance her unconstitutional gun banning agenda:

One could claim there is a silver lining to Senator Feinstein’s hatred of our specific enumerated right to keep and bear arms. Her activities were a motivational factor in the creation of Boomershoot.

Many people, who will remain nameless, have been saying things like:

DING, DONG, THE WITCH IS DEAD!

Dianne Feinstein has been the primary pusher of gun control since I was just out of college and the 101 California law-firm massacre happened. Good fucking riddance.

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I will not speak ill of the dead.

Diane Feinstein is dead. And that is good.

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A very small number of people are telling us we should be praying for Dianne Feinstein and that our celebration of her death is in poor taste.

Fuck that. Forgiveness is between her and God, and she had zero remorse for her actions while alive.

People like her are responsible for disarming thousands of Americans and putting them into positions where they can’t defend themselves or their families.

We’ll celebrate in exactly the same way when Nancy Pelosi, Beto O’Rourke, Michael Bloomberg, or anyone else of that ilk finally keels over.

Can’t happen soon enough.

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Good people celebrate the death of tyranny. Be good people.

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As a general rule of thumb you shouldn’t celebrate people’s deaths just because you disagree with them. With that being said it goes way deeper than just disagreeing with her. She was a genuinely awful human being. I’m only sad she didn’t croak sooner.

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Why should we mourn or speak highly of a tyrant that had been destroying our country for 50+ years?

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I see nothing wrong with rejoicing in the demise of a tyrant.

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All I can say about Diane Feinsteins passing is, “Good riddance”.

Those thoughts do not match mine. I did not smile or celebrate the hearing of her death.

Her death saddened me. I wanted her to live long enough to be prosecuted and spend her last years in prison.