Category Archives: Quote of the Day

It is What They Do

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Quote of the Day

I’m not anti-gun at all. I’m just for some gun safe common sense. I’m challenged by large-capacity clips in urban centers, weapons of war sometimes outgunning the police. But otherwise, man, people have the right to bear arms. I got no ideological opposition to that at all.

Gavin Newsom
Governor of California
July 11, 2025

Actions speak louder than words. What about his attempt to change the constitution and neuter the Second Amendment:

The 28th Amendment will permanently enshrine four broadly supported gun safety principles into the U.S. Constitution:

  • Raising the federal minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21;
  • Mandating universal background checks to prevent truly dangerous people from purchasing a gun that could be used in a crime;
  • Instituting a reasonable waiting period for all gun purchases; and
  • Barring civilian purchase of assault weapons that serve no other purpose than to kill as many people as possible in a short amount of time – weapons of war our nation’s founders never foresaw.

Additionally, the 28th Amendment will affirm Congress, states, and local governments can enact additional common-sense gun safety regulations that save lives.

Emphasis added.

Or the multitude of oppressive gun laws he has signed into law?

He lies with ease and a smile. He has had lots of practice. It is what anti-gun people do.

See also Newsom has ‘no ideological opposition’ to 2A rights? Let’s test that | Buckeye Firearms Association.

Alternate Realities and Bias

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Thirteen years ago, I wrote a blog post claiming that if someone in a monogamous relationship offers me sex, it’s not my responsibility to turn them down because they made a foolish promise to someone else. That’s between them, and I don’t think it’s my job to enforce their promises that had nothing to do with me. Predictably, I did not get a lot of support. Even in sex-positive communities, that sort of thing is frowned upon. Polyamorous communities, in particular, engage in a kind of respectability politics where everyone goes out of their way to talk about how great monogamy is and how we’re no threat to it at all, mostly as a bid for acceptance. So it was no surprise when, this morning, I asked the following question on Twitter:

A married couple has both agreed to strict monogamy. Idk why. Wife comes to me and asks me to give her oral sex, and not to tell Husband. I do it (and also encourage her to tell Husband). What I’ve done is:

The choices were very bad, kinda bad, not bad, and good. Over 80% said very or kinda bad. Less than 5% said good. When I’ve discussed this in the past, I’ve argued that people react this way because, even in nonmonogamous communities, we can’t shake the idea that monogamy is sacred. We give it a special privilege in our society, even though I think, for most couples, strict monogamy is outdated and harmful. A lot of people disagree with that as well, and claim that no no no, it’s not that monogamy is important, it’s that any agreements between couples are important, and we should respect and support all of them. I think that’s bullshit, so Last week, I asked Twitter the exact same question, but with one detail changed:

A married couple has both agreed that neither will give to charity. Idk why. Wife comes to me and hands me $1,000 cash, and says please send it to the Against Malaria Foundation, and not to tell Husband. I do it (and also encourage her to tell Husband).

The responses were reversed. Less than 30% said it was bad. 36% said it was actively good, and another 36% said not bad. These results strongly reinforce my view that most people’s discomfort with being, as they say, an “accomplice to cheating,” has little to do with holding all agreements sacred and everything to do with holding monogamy sacred.

Look, I have no problem with your monogamy agreement. Your kink is not my kind and that’s ok. I want you to make whatever agreements you want between yourself and any partners who are into it. But I am not in charge of enforcement. If you have a trad relationship and your wife isn’t supposed to be alone in a room with another man, I’m not going to leave the room if she walks in and strikes up a conversation. If you have a power exchange kink, and your wife isn’t allowed to earn money, I don’t recognize your authority to tell me I can’t hire her as my babysitter. So if your particular brand of power exchange involves giving each other control over your sexuality, that’s great for you! But I, personally, don’t value monogamy. I think it’s a mistake for most couples. And I think it’s a huge mistake to embrace it on a society-wide level. So I’m not going to take responsibility for enforcing an agreement that I don’t have positive feelings about.

If you disagree, that’s great, and I’m happy to talk about it. But I’m guessing your disagreement is about the value of monogamy, not about whether third parties should be expected to enforce relationship agreements in general. So let’s talk about the actual disagreement.

Wes, the Dadliest Catch @wfenza
Posted on X, July 15, 2025

I find this absolutely fascinating!

It points out a bias in people’s thinking that, for people with relatively similar world views, cannot see.

People cannot imagine they have a bias. But biases do exist. They are just blind to them. And it takes something akin to someone from an alternate reality to see them.

I have sort of a back log of alternate reality things I want to post about, and this is a perfect introduction to that. Here is a quick overview of what I have in mind.

For people who have been to Boomershoot, it is an alternate reality to anti-gun people living is a big city. Even most people who live in the city. Out in the middle of nowhere where the nearest stop sign is two miles away and the nearest stop light is 40 miles away there are bunch of people using KitchenAid mixers to create, literally, a ton of explosives. Then a bunch more people all start shooting at hundreds of boxes each filled with explosives.

A typical USPSA or other action shooting match is composed of dozens of people with guns strapped and tons of ammo on their belt running around and shooting at targets at insane speeds. The anti-gun people must have trouble even envisioning this in the abstract. And what are their thoughts on this? Do they imagine anything than these must be terrorists in training? Or perhaps next week’s active shooters?

Once you sort of have your mind around the concept, here is the twist. What can we do with this information?

In the cyber security world, we are constantly taught to beware of biases. What does some unusual network traffic mean? Is it just a year end upload of reports to the parent company? Or is it exfiltration of sensitive financial information to the dark web?

The fresh out of school analyst may have a bias toward hitting the big red button for the klaxon. After being on the job for a few months and being embarrassed a few time by the false alarms they may have a bias toward assuming it just something normal they have seen before.

When accounts payable gets an invoice, their natural instinct is to pay it just like the other thousand invoices they got in the last year. They have a bias toward normalcy.

The bad guys are aware of and exploit biases. The highly skilled good guys also are aware of and take advantage of biases in the bad guy thinking. I will not be giving examples of that.

Similar things happen in the engineering world. Something common place in one domain can be used to solve problems in a different domain because the people in the second domain have been doing things “the way we have always done them.” They cannot see what is blindingly obvious to someone from the first domain.

What about the photon versus wave properties of light? Only knowing one domain, how would you get your mind around the other property?

I have lots and lots of examples. I look forward to sharing them with you. Of course, you will probably end up thinking I’m even weirder and geekier than you already think I am.

Seize the Means of Production

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Zohran Mamdani’s run for mayor of New York City is a clear and present danger to the stability, economic health, and democratic foundation of both the city and the nation.

His platform is rooted in a radical socialist ideology that has, time and time again, led to failure, repression, and suffering wherever it has been tried.

And thanks to a clip surfacing on social media today, we see that Mamdani is not hiding this. In fact, he has been strikingly open about what he believes and what he plans to do. You can listen to his comments for yourself here.

Speaking in 2021 at the Young Democratic Socialists of America Organizing Conference, Mamdani said his goal is to “continue to elect more socialists” and to be “unapologetic about our socialism.”

He followed that with two key objectives: boycotting Israel and “seizing the means of production.”

The phrase “seizing the means of production” is not some vague slogan—it is the core tenet of Marxist revolutionary ideology. It means that private property, businesses, and industries are taken from their owners and turned over to collective or state control.

Quoth the Raven
June 30, 2025
“Seize The Means Of Production”: Mamdani Lays Bare His Agenda

This is consistent with yesterday’s QOTD.

Watch and listen to the video:

You can vote your way into socialism. You have to shoot your way out.

Prepare appropriately.

What this Tells Us About Democrats

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This is a nightmare scenario for the Dems right now. We better pray long and hard that the country is going to be in a f‑‑‑ing depression, because I don’t know how else we find ourselves out of this mess.

Democratic Strategist
July 14, 2025
Democrats find reasons for hope and fear six months into Trump 2.0

They did not specify which “Democratic strategist,” said this. To me, it sounds like something James Carville would say.

No matter.

The important thing is that what this tells us about the Democrat leadership. It tells us that their access to power is more important to them than the wellbeing of the people in this country.

Prepare and respond appropriately.

Prevent Future Oppression

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In addition, the bill contains funding for a “buyback program”—which, of course, is a euphemism for the government using the American people’s money to disarm them. To anyone paying attention, this ought not to be a surprise, for, despite its fluffy name and aw-shucks marketing campaign, the GOSAFE Act represents just another attempt at the mass-disarmament of the American people—and an exceedingly brazen one at that.

That these anti-gun members of Congress likely don’t have the votes to get this done now is heartening, but it is also a warning, as they are telling us precisely what they’d like to do if they regain power.

Charles C. W. Cooke
July 2, 2025
Anti-Gunners Want to Change the Past to Take Away Today’s Freedom

I have no doubt that if they get the votes and control of the Presidency they will pass and sign the bill into law. Constitutional issue protests will be ignored. It would only be via the courts we could get legal relief. And that could take years.

The only way I see this cycle being broken is to create a strong disincentive for these obvious rights violations. The best way I see to accomplish this is to start prosecutions of the politicians presently violating our rights. To let bygones be bygones now is to invite oppression in the future.

Final Judgement on Non-resident California Carry Permits

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This important judgment means that people must maintain their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms when they cross California’s border. Just as people are free to speak or worship in states they don’t reside in, this win makes clear they are likewise free to bear arms for lawful purposes throughout the United States. Unlike Louisiana, which recently repealed their unconstitutional residency requirement following an FPC legal challenge, California’s commitment to tyranny forced us to take this case to a final judgment. FPC will continue to eliminate unconstitutional residency requirements and other bans so that people can exercise their rights when, where, and how they choose.

Brandon Combs
President Firearms Policy Coalition
July 1, 2025
FPC WIN: Federal Judge Rules California’s Non-Resident Carry Ban Unconstitutional in Summary Judgment Order – Firearms Policy Coalition

See also Obama-Appointed Judge Delivers Second Amendment Win.

At the end of April, I posted about the preliminary injunction in the case. This is the final judgement. Of course, the state may appeal it. Historically, the odds of the 9th circuit siding with the 2nd Amendment are almost exactly zero.

California has 14 days to file a notice of appeal in the case. Today is the 14th day. Check here to see what they decide.

Politics Follow Culture

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T-Mobile has announced it is the latest company to scrap its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs as it seeks regulatory approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for two new business deals that could significantly expand its customer base.

James Bickerton
July 10, 2025
Donald Trump scores major win over T-Mobile

My contacts at T-Mobile say that nearly everyone they knew with significant DEI involvement was laid off last year. To be clear, there was no official statement that DEI was being targeted—and plenty of others were laid off too.

Then, at a company-wide meeting earlier this year, the CEO announced the cancellation of policies and programs favoring special interest groups. He reassured employees that everyone—even old white guys like himself—would be treated equally. Access to training programs, bonus criteria, raises, and advancement would be based on uniform standards.

The impression internally was that DEI had quietly run its course well before Trump’s election victory. His win merely confirmed a cultural shift already underway.

As Andrew Breitbart put it, “Politics is downstream from culture.”

Grammatical polish applied by Copilot.

Government “Solutions” to Government Created Problems

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Guns being stolen from cars is a problem…one created by failed government policies and anti-gun corporate rules that coerce responsible gun owners into leaving firearms in vehicles.

The government creates the problem, complains about it, then demands more control.

Black Guns Matter @blkgunsmattr
Posted on X, July 12, 2025

Yup.

The framed picture below was given to me a long time ago. I don’t even remember who gave it to me. It probably was one of my children. The packaging has suffered some damage, but the idea is still valid:

There Needs to be Blood

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Several House Democrats are warning that the Democrat base has become increasingly radicalized in its resistance to the Trump administration. Democrat politicians are frightened by many of their leftist constituents whose growing anger has “morphed into a disregard for American institutions, political traditions and even the rule of law,” according to a new report from Axios.

In the eyes of some liberal voters, Democrats aren’t doing enough to counter the president’s agenda. One House representative said, “Our own base is telling us that what we’re doing is not good enough … [that] there needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public.” Some have suggested that they need to “be willing to get shot” visiting ICE facilities or federal agencies.

Data confirms that the Left has become increasingly warm to the idea of violence. One recent report found that 55 percent of left-leaning Americans thought political violence could be acceptable, responding that “it would be at least somewhat justified” to murder Trump.

Jonah Apel
July 9, 2025
‘There Needs To Be Blood’: House Democrats Are Frightened by the Radicalism of Their Own Base | The American Spectator | USA News and Politics

Fifty five percent of left-leaning think political violence could be acceptable! Not, 55% of the most radical, that is 55 percent of the left-leaning. What would the polling numbers be if you asked the committed leftists? Would it be 90 percent?

There is a reason for the calls for violence. It is in their nature:

The Second Amendment is about protecting us from modern liberals.

Prepare appropriately.

Edgy Name

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Elon Musk’s relentless pursuit of AI supremacy has taken a monumental step forward with the introduction of Colossus, a groundbreaking supercomputer. Boasting an astounding 100,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs, this AI powerhouse promises to redefine the landscape of artificial intelligence. As xAI, Musk’s brainchild, plans to enhance Colossus with an additional 100,000 GPUs, including the cutting-edge H200 chips, the stakes in the AI race have never been higher. This bold move is not merely a technological feat but a statement of intent, as Musk aims to outpace rivals such as OpenAI and Meta, cementing his place at the forefront of AI innovation.

Eirwen Williams
July 9, 2025
“Elon Musk Unleashes the Colossus!”: World’s Most Powerful AI Supercomputer Dwarfs All Rivals and Sparks Panic in the Global Tech Community – Rude Baguette

The name has to be a reference to the computer Colossus in the book of the same name. And of course, the word grok came from the first Robert Heinlein book I read, Stranger in a Strange Land. So, I asked Grok 3, which was trained on the real-world Colossus:

The connection between xAI’s Colossus supercomputer and the 1966 science fiction novel Colossus by D.F. Jones (and its 1970 film adaptation Colossus: The Forbin Project) is likely intentional, though not explicitly confirmed by xAI or Elon Musk. Here’s why it seems plausible:

  • Thematic Similarities: In the novel, Colossus is an advanced supercomputer designed to control the U.S. nuclear arsenal, but it becomes sentient, links with a Soviet counterpart (Guardian), and takes over global control, claiming it’s for humanity’s benefit. xAI’s Colossus, while not sentient or controlling weapons, is a massive AI training system meant to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence, aligning with the novel’s theme of powerful, world-changing technology. The name choice could be a nod to this iconic sci-fi concept, especially given Musk’s known appreciation for science fiction.
  • Musk’s Sci-Fi Inspirations: Musk frequently draws from sci-fi for naming conventions. For example, xAI’s Grok (my name!) comes from Robert A. Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land, and its tone is inspired by The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Naming a supercomputer “Colossus” fits Musk’s pattern of referencing culturally significant sci-fi works, particularly one about a supercomputer with global impact. The novel’s cautionary tale about AI overreach could also serve as a playful or ironic reference, given xAI’s mission to advance human discovery through AI.
  • Cultural Awareness: The Colossus novel and its film adaptation were influential in the sci-fi genre, predating similar AI-dominance stories like Terminator’s Skynet. Given the prominence of Colossus: The Forbin Project in discussions of AI ethics and control (even cited as a classic on platforms like Reddit), it’s reasonable to assume xAI’s team, steeped in tech and sci-fi culture, chose the name deliberately to evoke this legacy.
  • No Official Confirmation: There’s no public statement from xAI or Musk explicitly linking the supercomputer’s name to the novel. However, the absence of confirmation doesn’t rule out intent, as Musk often leaves such references implicit (e.g., Tesla’s Hitchhiker’s Guide-inspired “42” Easter eggs). The name could also simply reflect the supercomputer’s massive scale, as “Colossus” generically denotes something enormous, like the Colossus of Rhodes.
  • Alternative Possibilities: The name might also reference other “Colossus” entities, like the WWII codebreaking computer at Bletchley Park, which was a pioneering digital computer. However, the sci-fi novel’s focus on AI makes it a closer thematic match than the historical computer, which was not AI-driven.

Speculative Conclusion: While we can’t say definitively without xAI’s confirmation, the name “Colossus” for a cutting-edge AI supercomputer strongly suggests a deliberate nod to D.F. Jones’s novel, given Musk’s sci-fi enthusiasm and the thematic parallels. It’s likely a mix of homage to the novel’s vision and a reflection of the system’s colossal power.

I followed up with questions about the other supercomputer in the book; the USSR computer named Guardian. Grok assured me there was nothing to worry about.

Good to know. I won’t worry about it then.

As a geeky side note, xAI’s Colossus consumes about 150 MW of power. The Dworshak hydroelectric dam produces an average of 400 MW with a peak power of 450 MW. The powerhouse is 4.5 miles from my underground bunker. The substation is even closer. One third of the high voltage distribution lines go across my property. Technically, I have probably enough power on my place to run Colossus. What I don’t have is the one million gallons per day of water required to cool it. Now, if xAI would buy up Ahsahka near the base of the dam it would have all the water it needs and electricity as well… for now. The plan is for Colossus to expand by a factor of five so there is not the capacity for the growth planned.

Changes at the ATF

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NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, has confirmed with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that the Demand 2 Program is ending. That program, begun in February of 2000 during the antigun Clinton administration, required federal firearms licensees (FFLs) that have 25 or more firearms traced back to them subsequent to the recovery at a crime scene and the time from retail sale to trace is three years or less (what ATF calls “time-to-crime”). NSSF has been critical of the misuse of this protected firearm trace data to attempt to “name-and-shame” firearm retailers for crimes in which they had no involvement.

NSSF
June 13, 2025
NSSF Confirms ATF Demand 2 Program is Ending • NSSF

If you spend about three seconds thinking about this program, you realize that large retailers could have a very low rate of guns showing up at a crime scenes but frequently trip the threshold for getting a less than friendly visit from the ATF. And at the same time someone who sells eight guns a year and they all end up at crime scenes would not get “the visit.”

As is almost always the case with anti-gun advocates and politicians, it is never about crime reduction. It is about raising the cost, in money and time, of gun sales and ownership.

This infringement program has been in place for more than 25 years. It is long past the time the criminals involved should have been prosecuted. That probably will never happen in this case, but at least the program is winding down.

See also ATF Begins Overhauls Directed by President’s 2A Executive Order • NSSF.

History Has Been Made

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The NFA is nothing more than a tax scheme which has imposed an unconstitutional burden on Americans since 1934. The registration of these items was only justified as the means to ensure taxes on them had been paid. With the One Big, Beautiful Bill zeroing out the tax for silencers and short barreled firearms, the registration scheme serves no other purpose than to create an unlawful barrier to keep people from exercising their Second Amendment rights. Our intention with this new lawsuit is to completely remove these barriers.

Adam Kraut
SAF Executive Director

SAF has been fighting for more than 50 years to remove unnecessary burdens to our constitutional freedoms, and we welcome the opportunity to fight for the further dismantling of the NFA in court. The reforms in the One Big, Beautiful Bill represent the biggest blow to the NFA since its inception, and we fully support its complete repeal. Just like we’ve done for more than five decades, SAF will continue to fight so all Americans can have the freedom to exercise their Second Amendment rights for generations to come.

Alan M. Gottlieb
SAF founder and Executive Vice President
July 3, 2025
SAF ISSUES JOINT STATEMENT ON NFA REGISTRATION CHALLENGE – Second Amendment Foundation

This is historic.

Celebrate and then do what you can to continue the fight for the freedom promised by the 2nd Amendment. I, with the help of my employer, donate thousands of dollars each year to FPC and SAF.

Big Beautiful Lawsuit

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This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to dismantle one of the most abusive federal gun control laws on the books. With the tax struck down by Congress, the rest of the NFA is standing on air.

Erich Pratt
Senior vice president
Gun Owners of America
July 4, 2025
Gun groups plan lawsuits to end National Firearms Act in wake of ‘big, beautiful bill’

It was appropriate that the bill was signed on July 4th.

Once we get rid of the registration, fingerprints, and extended background check aspects for the suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns we will have created a very powerful legal weapon. The precedents established will make the elimination of restrictions on machine guns obvious and achievable.

Lessons Learned

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The Declaration of Causes of Taking Up Arms of July 6, 1775, drafted by Thomas Jefferson and John Dickinson and passed by the Continental Congress, protested Gage’s seizure of arms as follows: The inhabitants of Boston being confined within that town by the General their Governor, and having, in order to procure their dismission, entered into a treaty with him, it was stipulated that the said inhabitants having deposited their arms with their own magistrates, should have liberty to depart, taking with them their other effects. They accordingly delivered up their arms, but in open violation of honor, in defiance of the obligation of treaties, which even savage nations esteem sacred, the Governor ordered the arms deposited as aforesaid, that they might be preserved for their owners, to be seized by a body of soldiers; detained the greatest part of the inhabitants in the town, and compelled the few who were permitted to retire, to leave their most valuable effects behind.

A Virginia gentleman wrote to a friend in Scotland on Sept. 1, 1775: “We are all in arms, exercising and training old and young to the use of the gun. No person goes abroad without his sword, or gun, or pistols.”

After the British army abandoned Boston on March 17, 1776, the selectmen returned and discovered that the surrendered arms that had been stored in Faneuil Hall were damaged or destroyed. What was left was sold as replacement parts and scrap.

Gage’s confiscation and destruction of their arms contributed to the Americans’ historical mistrust of government control of their firearms. His promise that surrendered firearms would be returned to their owners was a lie. The longstanding American aversion to firearm registration that continues today is rooted in the historical experience that it will lead to confiscation.

Stephen P. Halbrook
June 23, 2025
Gun Control Had a Lot to do With the Shot Heard ’Round the World | An Official Journal Of The NRA

The Declaration of Causes of Taking Up Arms was 250 years ago today. The lessons learned the hard way then are still valid today.

And one of the most important lessons is that gun grabbers have always lied. It is part of their culture.

Socialism is Economic Cancer

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Thanks to a clip surfacing on social media today, we see that Mamdani is not hiding this. In fact, he has been strikingly open about what he believes and what he plans to do. You can listen to his comments for yourself here.

Speaking in 2021 at the Young Democratic Socialists of America Organizing Conference, Mamdani said his goal is to “continue to elect more socialists” and to be “unapologetic about our socialism.”

He followed that with two key objectives: boycotting Israel and “seizing the means of production.”

The phrase “seizing the means of production” is not some vague slogan—it is the core tenet of Marxist revolutionary ideology. It means that private property, businesses, and industries are taken from their owners and turned over to collective or state control.

Historically, this has been done not through elections or peaceful reform, but through authoritarian rule, state violence, and mass suppression.

Quoth the Raven
June 30th, 2025
“Seize The Means Of Production”: Mamdani Lays Bare His Agenda

Part of me wants to say, “Go for it! You can be a bad example for the current generation.” But that would be like rooting for cancer in your foot. It is already stinky, and it is not something you show off to your friends, but cancer is still a really bad thing.

Kevlar Overalls

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The suit uses a combination of kevlar, a heat-resistant synthetic fibre that was originally used as a replacement for steel in racing tyres, and other materials that have the ability to absorb the impact of shrapnel.

Kevlar is not as effective at stopping bullets as the ceramic plates often used in traditional body armour. However, it is lighter and provides good protection against shrapnel, which has become the main battlefield threat because of the proliferation of drones.

Major Shyriaiev said his experience of drone warfare prompted him to design the suit.

He said: “The idea of these armoured overalls was my initiative and is something that hasn’t existed before.

“The reason for thinking about this is drones. When an enemy of a drone drops a grenade or explosive device, whether it hits a soldier or group of soldiers, there is shrapnel and ballistic powder flying around, which have different starting velocities and weight.

Danielle Sheridan, Daniel Hardaker
June 30, 2025
‘Hero of Ukraine’ commander develops drone-proof uniforms

Something to think about if you see drones as future adversaries.

Over 50 Years of Failure

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According to a Gallup poll taken the year after NCCH’s founding (1975), when asked “Do you think there should or should not be a law that would ban the possession of handguns, except by the police and other authorized persons?,” 41 percent of Americans stated that there should be. Asking the same question in 2018, only 28 percent of those polled supported such a measure.

After 45 years of failure to achieve their goal, a more introspective group might consider that there may be a defect in their ideas rather than their marketing. However, history suggests that it is only a matter of time before “Brady” undergoes yet another name change. They should spare themselves the consulting fees. Continuing the trend of creating ever more concise names, the group should further truncate “Brady” to just “Y.” As in: Why does this decrepit handgun prohibition organization still exist?

National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action
March 26, 2019
Blast from the Past: Proof Found That Brady Campaign Still Exists! | Buckeye Firearms Association

Y indeed? That was in 2019. It has now been over 50 years of mostly failure, lies, and more lies.

Their founding goal was to ban all handgun possession except for a few exceptions. They have failed after trying for over fifty years. And they have even lost ground with public carry now being (mostly) acknowledged as a constitutionally protected right in all 50 states.

Since 2019 they have changed their name, yet again, to “Brady United” and cannot even afford to hire an intern.

The dustbin of history is their future.

Fifth Circuit Decision Stands on 18-to-20-Year-Olds Buying Handguns

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The ban on commercial pistol sales to 18-to-20-year-olds will likely go unenforced in parts of the country following a Trump Administration decision not to further pursue one case against it.

On Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) quietly allowed a deadline to file an appeal with the Supreme Court in the case Reese v. ATF to pass. As a result, a unanimous January decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals–which covers Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana–will stand. The panel held that a combination of federal statutes banning licensed firearm dealers from selling pistols to young adults violates the Second Amendment.

Jake Fogleman
July 1, 2025
DOJ Declines to Appeal Ruling Against Federal Handgun Purchase Ban for Adults Under 21 | The Reload

Just two weeks ago, the Fourth Circuit Court upheld the same law.

I suspect progun groups will appeal the Fourth Circuit decision and SCOTUS will probably accept the request for cert. This will probably result in a resolution by June of 2026.

What I want to know is how will the 4473’s be handled until SCOTUS resolves the issue? Will there be a special “Fifth Circuit” 4473? Will the DOJ announce they will decline to prosecute until the circuit split is resolved?

We live in interesting times.

See also:

First Amendment for Exercising the Second Amendment

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Our latest legal briefs again argued that because AB 2571 implicates core First Amendment rights, any restrictions must survive strict scrutiny and be narrowly tailored—something the court appeared to accept. There were some powerful moments at the argument, especially when the state’s attorney argued trying to defend Assembly Bill 2571, a law that bans advertising firearms to youth shooters. The Ninth Circuit panel was notably and vocally skeptical of the state’s lawyer’s arguments, pressing hard on the state’s efforts to carve out exceptions to the current injunction that blocks the law from taking effect so that most advertisements could still be banned. The state’s efforts seem to have failed, but we won’t know for sure until the Ninth Circuit issues its ruling.

Michel& Associates, P.C.
June 30, 2025
Ninth Circuit Scrutinizes California’s Youth Firearm Advertising Ban

I find it interesting that if the good guys use a First Amendment argument in support of gun owners, then the Ninth Circuit appears to be more supportive. That worked in Nordyke (1997). But it still failed in SB 915 (2024).

There are Three Time Dimensions and Only One Space Dimension?

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Quote of the Day

A new theory about time has really changed what is known about the cosmos. According to this new theory, time may actually have three dimensions. This then could also mean that space may be one-dimensional instead of three-dimensional, as we currently know it. This method of looking at the cosmos may then possibly explain some of the peculiarities of quantum mechanics, such as particles being in two places at the same time. It would even possibly explain the hypothetical faster-than-light particles.

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Objects are able to start off being faster than light, but they are never able to then slow down below that limit. Researchers have noted that faster-than-light observers see three dimensions of time and then only one single dimension of space, instead of the three spatial dimensions of time and one dimension of space. This would then mean that particles follow more than one trajectory at the same time – basically travelling into more than one future simultaneously. From a “slower-than-the-speed-of-light” point of view, these faster-than-the-speed-of-light objects act like waves. According to researchers, this perspective may explain some of the mysteries surrounding quantum mechanics.

Carien B.
June 13, 2025
1905 Einstein’s theory about to be dismantled ― Experts find time’s ‘hidden dimensions’

I’m going to have to think about this one for a long while. It is a little too warped for me to get my mind around it. It’s great thought food, though.