Sunday, February 28, 2016

Less than optimal.

Finally got to see the wound care doc late last night and learned that the right foot is now gangrenous. Will be the subject of a conference of docs this morning and they will come up with a treatment plan. Fortunately my good friend Aaron was visiting when I got the news and we prayed, invoking Psalm 91. Will let you know what the plan is later on.

 Psalm 91New King James Version (NKJV)

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.


I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.

He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.

Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

Friday, February 26, 2016

Finally back on-line.

Room number is 820. Grandview Medical Center.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

The Mike Vanderboegh Papers. Finished (almost) with donating my papers to collections at Brown University.

Forty eight boxes, more or less, covering the period 1993 to 2016. Brown gave us the most advantageous proposal. Dr. Robert Churchill flew down to help with the transfer. There is perhaps another five or six boxes remaining to be gone through. I postponed the hospital stay in order to accomplish this herculean task and am checking into Grandview Medical Center tomorrow morning early. I will have a laptop so that I can post and catch up on some writing tasks, I will let y'all know what room I'm in sometime tomorrow.

"The DP Machine Gun Looks Funny, But Spilled a Lot of Blood."

A U.S. Army soldier (probably of the 1st Cavalry Division) rests next to a DP light machine gun on Hill 902 in South Korea, September 1950. Note also the Soviet bloc hand grenade, the M2 carbine with grenade launcher attachment and the BAR in the background. Spare drums indicate that it is ready to be used against its former NKPA owners. U.S. Army photo.
Dubbed 'Stalin's Phonograph,' the weapon played the swan song of thousands on the battlefield

Army advertising pimps the XM25.

"Biggest Change For Infantry Since WWII: XM25."
Buried in a bleak Army budget is a bright nugget of revolution: a precision-guided grenade launcher called the XM25. In difficult development for over a decade, the XM25 will finally enter limited production in 2017. It will be the first radically new small arms technology since 1943.
“This has the potential to be a huge game changer for infantry combat. Once it gets into the hands of more troops, they can start experimenting and adapting tactics,” military futurist Paul Scharre believes. . .
The XM25 now entering production is 14 lbs and will only go to select soldiers as a specialist weapon. Scharre expects its weight and cost to come down over time.

Praxis: Army Touts Improved Lube for Rifles, Machine Guns

The U.S. Army is touting a new and improved lubricant for small arms ranging from the standard M4 carbine to the M240 machine gun, officials said. Unlike the conventional “wet lubricant” known as CLP (for cleaner, lubricant and preservative), the new product uses a dry surface treatment known as durable solid lubricant, or DSL, according to a press release on Tuesday from officials at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. The push to develop the new technology dates to 2003, when engineers realized soldiers were experiencing problems with weapon stoppages in sand and dust environments, including in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, if cleaning procedures weren’t followed, the release states. The new durable solid lubricant developed by engineers at the U.S. Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, or Ardec, uses a dry surface treatment that’s applied during the manufacturing process and has the potential to improve performance on any number of small arms while decreasing maintenance, according to the release.

Now that's just funny as heck.

Second Amendment Supporters Drown Out MSNBC Report With Gunfire

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

A slight change in plans.

A visit to my wound care doc revealed today that I have a pernicious infection working its way up my right leg. Old timers called things like this "blood poisoning." This had a sudden onset of about 48 hours ago and the doc wanted to put me in the hospital for treatment with IV antibiotics immediately. (It will be the new Grandview Medical Center on US 280.) This did not fit my plans as I have an academic flying in this afternoon to help me go over my papers still at home and to evaluate those that have been donated to BPL Archives. A major archive in the northeast is interested in the collection and has offered to preserve all the hard copies plus the electronic record (the blog, the John Doe Times, and the emails relevant to the early days of the Fast and Furious scandal). I must be present to coordinate this.
Because of this long-scheduled activity, I put off the admission until Friday morning and I will be taking some bridge antibiotics orally until then. What this does mean is that I am going to miss the Oneonta Gun Show this weekend, due to being flat on my back in the hospital tied to an IV pole. At present I'm trying to find someone to work the tables for me, or, failing that, I will just let some other deserving folks have them since they are already paid for. I thought of postponing the admission until Monday but I am not suicidal. I need to move the military surplus to deserving folks for cheap but it is not worth dying over. I will let you know the room number and probable length of stay when I have more information. Keep me in your prayers.

Speak no evil of Richard Shelby.

This sounds like a regular cluster coitus. Alabama Senate debate canceled after Hoover Tactical owner bars candidates from attacking Shelby
A scheduled debate between Republican U.S. Senate candidates descended into chaos and was abruptly canceled Thursday night at Hoover Tactical after the establishment's owner, a self-described "strong supporter" of U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, said the candidates could not speak ill of the sitting senator because he had a prior commitment and couldn't defend himself from attacks.

David Codrea: "No Upsets Expected in NRA Board Election despite Controversy."

"What I can tell you is who I will NOT vote for, and this list may expand the more I learn about the nominees. I won’t be voting for Sandra Froman due to her support of Grover Norquist. The same goes for why I won’t vote for Joe M. Allbaugh. Ditto for Bob Barr, who merits the additional disqualifier of having supported the Lautenberg and Kohl gun bans and a so-called “terror bill” with anti-gun provisions."

Traitorous dog and renegade former Army officer Robert Bateman chooses to lecture the Three Percent on history.

Readers may recall LTC (retired) Robert Bateman has graced these pages before: "Current-serving Army LTC and Small Wars Journal contributor, having taken an oath to defend the Constitution, solicits a very large and bloody civil war upon the nation he swore to protect." Now Bateman chooses to lectures the Three Percent on history of the Founders.

Obama’s Kalamazoo Blood Dance Reveals End Game Disarmament Goal

All this talk about “common sense gun safety laws” is just that. None of it is common sense and none of it makes anyone but criminals—both freelance and those working for the government – any safer. The end game is citizen disarmament and those imposing it will take it in pieces when they can get it, and then move on to the next target of opportunity.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Oh, my aching ass. What a wonderful advertisement for the Three Percent.

12-year-old girl shot through the stomach during Idaho militia meeting
The daughter of a militia member was shot and wounded Sunday after a local meeting of the III% Idaho group. The 12-year-old girl, whose name was not released, was taken by helicopter to a hospital for treatment after the shooting at the Rupert Gun Range, reported the Twin Falls Times-News. . .
Curtiss said a militia member’s gun accidentally fired while cleaning the weapon, and the bullet struck a metal table beneath a shelter and ricocheted. The bullet struck the girl, who is the daughter of a militia group member, in the stomach and then exited her side.

I dunno. With both eyes closed in a self-induced willing suspension of disbelief? The Trump "magic show."

Herschel Smith: "How Can A Christian Vote For Donald Trump?"
I have to hand it to Trump. He knows how to perform a magic show. It’s like the magician who shouts “Look here, Obamacare is a disaster …,” noise and flashing lights, and in the other hand he is hiding what he doesn’t want you to see, that he wants a single payer health care system just like Obama. “Look here, A WALL, and it’s going to be big and beautiful and we’re going to get Mexico to pay for it …,” the people go wild, flashing lights, and in the other hand he holds the truth, that wall has a gigantic door through which they can all pass back in. “I’ll tear down the system …” flashing lights, and in the other hand he holds the truth, he wants to meet with these people in the oval office and make deals. Oh, on that last one, it isn’t hidden. He said so. Well, to be honest, he said so about the other two as well. But the idiots didn’t see it for the flashing lights, or they didn’t want to see it because they are members of a religious cult. But on the biggest one, “Look here, I think abortion is horrible …,” flashing lights, but I’m pro-choice and Planned Parenthood has good people and does good things.

Hey GOP Senators, This Is It - No Hearings No Votes

GOP senators, if you give whichever Constitution-shredding libfascist Obama nominates a hearing, much less a vote, we are gone. Out of the GOP. Finished. And that means you’re finished too.

Apologies for my absence, but I just spent four of the worst back-to-back days since this process began.

To call this "tumor fatigue" doesn't do it justice. It leaves me so debilitated that I cannot drag my carcass up and down the stairs. I have hundreds of emails to process, so if you sent me one do not be surprised if it takes a while to answer. I'll try to have a few posts later today.

Friday, February 19, 2016

LTC Bob Brown's list of endorsement for NRA board of directors.

I received this email:
Below are the individuals SoF is endorsing for election to the NRA Board of Directors:
1. Mark Humphreville
2. Tom King
3. Richard Kussman
4. Sean Maloney
5.James Porter
6. Steve Reichert
7. Robert Sanders
8. Steven Schreiner
9. Cpt. Robert Thornton
10. Lt. Col. Allen West
I am voting for the recall of Grover Norquist.
Lt. Col. Robert K. Brown, USAR (Ret.)
Editor, Publisher, Soldier of Fortune Magazine
NRA BOD

"The Battle of Singapore, the Massacre of Chinese and Understanding of the Issue in Postwar Japan."

Shortly after British forces surrendered in Singapore on 15 February 1942, the Japanese military began operation Kakyou Shukusei or Dai Kenshou, known in the Chinese community of Singapore as the Sook Ching ("Purge"), in which many local Chinese were massacred. Although the killings have been investigated extensively by scholars in Malaysia and Singapore, this article draws on Japanese sources to examine the events.

I have been challenged on the existence of the Trump documentary whose American broadcast rights have been purchased so as to release it at the worst possible time when the shape shifter wins the GOP nomination.

So, here it is: In this exclusive clip from the film, Baxter questions Trump about his "bullying" of Scottish locals, including the aforementioned 90-year-old and Michael Forbes, a farmer who refused to sell his land to Trump. The billionaire later called Forbes "an embarrassment to Scotland" who "lives like a pig."
See also: "Donald Trump lawyers tried to stop BBC showing Scottish bullying film," and "Donald Trump denies allegations of gender-based discrimination from former employee."

No doubt it will come on line about the same time that Germany joins the Caliphate.

"Get Ready, Russia: This European Power Has Plans For a Lethal New Tank."

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Of Donald Trump, tooth fairies and unicorns crapping golden skittles.

An anonymous future Trump chump takes issue with my post Meanwhile, the Trump cult of personality claims the reputation of another unprincipled useful idiot, saying "Keep bitching about Trump and you better get ready to say hello to president Hilary."
My reply:
Hillary will never make it past the indictments. The Obamanoids are already pimping without any subtlety the Biden-Warren "savior ticket." This I predicted some time ago. Hillary will be a footnote to the history about to be manipulated. When that happens, look for Warren in particular to attack Trump's vicious and shameful treatment of women. He makes Bill Clinton look positively saint-like in comparison. In addition, his appetites for other people's property will be put on vivid display by the collectivist media machine -- eminent domain here, his rapacious treatment of the Scots who sit in the way of his golf course across the Atlantic, his sucking up to various dictatorial regimes to build stuff -- you name it. They will make him look like a cross between Simon Legree and the robber barons, which is uncomfortably close to the truth. (The moron actually let himself be videoed sitting out front of a Scottish home owned by a couple of pensioners telling the camera that he doesn't give a shit about their distress -- this is on a full length documentary that is being held until the moment he becomes the GOP candidate.)
The failed Trump run will in the end look like a set-up stalking horse for the Dems when that happens and YOU, not I (for I will be dead by then) will be stuck with the death of the Republic and civil war. I have endorsed no one, including Cruz, but that doesn't mean I don't see the future of this about-to-spectacularly-fail demagogue clearly. Believe in Trump's so-called principles if you like, but you might as well throw in devotion to Santa Claus, the tooth fairy and the notion that unicorns shit golden skittles. Look in the mirror then and you will see a Trump chump staring back in regret.
LATER: The comment above was one of the cleaner, less threatening ones. (Ironic isn't it to threaten violence to a guy with one foot in the grave already?) It is evident that Trump believers are just that -- BELIEVERS -- religious acolytes with a desperate need to think that they are actually going to get to vote their way out of this mess and do so without violence or sacrifice. Aren't any of you Trumpsters capable of thinking three moves ahead in this struggle? Can't you see the bigger board this is being played out on? Boy, I'd like to play chess with any of you at fifty bucks a game. I'd clean up. Might even earn enough to pay for my wake. ;-)

From Dr. Richter's reading list. Milovan Djilas.

I have been trying to understand where we are going as a country and what the worst case scenario for a civil war without limits will look like. In doing so, the case of the former Yugoslavia leaps out and demands careful study. An artificial construct of a nation of vastly different competing ethnic regions, religious faiths and competing economic tensions, Yugoslavia was the template for a civil war waiting to happen when the rule of kings, strong men and dictators finally failed. In other words, the kind of nation that the United states is becoming thanks to the political correctness of collectivisms over the past century. We were once one nation, now we are, at best three, divided by fundamentally incompatible ideologies.
I discovered rather quickly that it is impossible to understand the tragedy of Yugoslavia without reference to its most famous historian and dissident, Milovan Djilas. This sparked a memory cell or two and I recalled that Dr, Richter recommended reading "Anything by Milovan Djilas." Born in 1911 Djilas outlived most of his former friends and enemies, dying on 20 April 1995). He not only was a Communist Party of Yugoslavia politician, theorist and author, but he was a key figure in the Partisan movement during World War II, as well as in the post-war government. In addition, this remarkable man became one of the best-known and most prominent dissidents in Yugoslavia and the whole of the Eastern Bloc.
Currently I am reading Djilas' history of the Partisan campaigns, Wartime.
Wartime didn't come out until 1980, almost four years after Dr. Richter suggested "Anything by Milovan Djilas." Somehow, I never read it after its release. What I am certain was on the list was his 1957 work The New Class: An Analysis of the Communist System,
and Conversations With Stalin.
I'll be revisiting those as well as the fundamental guide to Yugoslavia and her dissimilar peoples at the beginning of world War II, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West. If, that is, God gives me the time.

Rat me out, why doncha? Secret political police want more money and power to cultivate on-line snitches.

"See Something Suspicious Online? Homeland Security Wants to Know About It."

VDH: The West Is Repeating the Mistakes of the 1930s.

The answer is obvious. British and French appeasement, Soviet collaboration, and American isolation had together convinced Hitler and his Axis allies that the victors of World War I were more eager to grant concessions at any cost than were the defeated. The world of 2016 is eerily beginning to resemble the powder keg of 1939 Europe.

Do Bundy Ranch Standoff Indictments Mean More Arrests are Imminent?

The indictment lists nine United States Code violations, including: “Conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States: Conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer; Carrying a firearm in a crime of violence; Assault on a federal officer; Threatening a federal law enforcement officer; Obstructing justice; Interfering with interstate commerce by extortion; [and] Interstate travel in aid of extortion.” It also presents five forfeiture allegations leveled against “property obtained from the proceeds of their crimes, totaling at least $3 million, including cattle [and require the defendants] “to forfeit firearms and ammunition used in the April 12, 2014, standoff with federal authorities.” This action is leading to justifiable speculation and worries that others who assisted in security operations and who were at Bunkerville to show solidarity with the cause of resolving western land disputes may now find themselves rounded up. Some have seized on that and are issuing strident warnings that are long on alarm but short on corroboration beyond unsubstantiated claims of having “intel.” It may be that a massive operation is in the works, but to react imprudently without actual intelligence is a good way to escalate things to the favor of those who wish to discredit the Patriot movement.

Rejecting the Mandate of Heaven. Sorting out the ideological conflicts that will lead to civil war.

In distinct ways, each of these movements reflects the loss of public confidence in our political system and, more fundamentally, the eroding legitimacy of American democracy. When history writes its chapter on the 2016 election, it will record how three revolts roiled our politics. In truth, this may not be the winter of our discontent; it may be the start of something that lasts much longer.

Meanwhile, the Trump cult of personality claims the reputation of another unprincipled useful idiot.

You may now count John Snyder as the latest victim of Trumpchumpery. Gun Dean Defends Trump Candidacy as Second Amendment Proponent
Snyder said that, "Criticism of Trump on the right to keep and bear arms issue seems to have come about at least partially because his pro-gun rights position represents a reversal of previously-held attitudes.
No shit, Sherlock. Trump is a shape shifter, a demagogue who says what he thinks the crowd wants him to say AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT. Is this not what we have always condemned other RINO politicians for? And so why would we apply a different standard to Trump? To do so is to embrace a willing suspension of disbelief and represents the triumph of wishful -- if not magical -- thinking over documented fact. It is the enthusiastic embrace of horseshit over experience and common sense. Trump is who he is, not what useful idiots like Snyder wish him to be.

Why Heller Is the New Roe v. Wade

Justice Scalia’s decision on gun rights will be the one that conservatives care about most.
Sen. Ted Cruz is obnoxious. Sen. Marco Rubio is nice. That’s why so many Republican politicians, donors, and party leaders want the senator from Florida, not the senator from Texas, to be the Republican nominee for president. They think Rubio would attract more voters than Cruz in a general election, and polls suggest they’re right. But the polls and pols miss an important factor: Tactically, Cruz is smarter than Rubio. That difference is becoming clearer as the candidates grapple with the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. . .
It’s possible that Rubio will end up as the Republican nominee. But if he does, it will be on the strength of his charm, not his acumen. To win the general election, Rubio would need to think more like Cruz, choosing issues that fit the moment and serve his candidacy. When it comes to the Supreme Court, that issue isn’t marriage. It’s guns.

Reminder: I will be doing the Oneonta Outdoor Expo next weekend.

Reminder to all who are looking for deals on military surplus: I will be doing the Oneonta Outdoor Expo next weekend (27 and 28 February). The show opens at 9AM Saturday and closes at 5PM and opens again at 8AM Sunday and closes that afternoon at 4PM. Set up will begin Friday morning at 8:30 and will run until 8PM. Set up resumes the following day at 7:30AM. I have two booths so it remains to be seen how much product I can display and move. If there are any local volunteers who would like to help with set-up or working the show, please drop me an email at GeorgeMason1776AT10lDOTcom.

Sorry, but the oncologist calls what I am fighting "tumor fatigue."

I'll try to do better later today.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Betting the constitutional farm on a cult of personality. An interesting question: "Do you really want Donald Trump choosing the next Supreme Court justice(s)?"

"It is, by the way, impossible to imagine Trump writing a similarly erudite essay on President Obama’s abuse of executive authority, though it’s quite easy to imagine Trump engaging in similar and, indeed, much worse abuses."

Modern day Julius Streicher preps the propaganda battlefield for tyranny.

In over twenty years in this movement, I have never read anything more skewed toward the collectivist meme and its deliberate conflations, lies and distortions than this: "Right-Wing Extremists Are a Bigger Threat to America Than ISIS."

Southern Poverty Law Center – Manufacturing Hate for Fun and Profit

“Sometimes the press will describe us as monitoring hate crimes and so on. I want to say plainly that our aim in life is to destroy these groups, to completely destroy them…”

Headed for the oncologist this morning.

More later.

Leaping at all the wrong illusions.

Oregon debacle refutes 'armed citizen' fantasy

Praxis: Packboards And Cargo Shelves

Packboards were unit items and not individual issue. In some cases they were used to carry the barely man-portable radios of the day for artillery forward observers. Combat medical platoons used them to carry supplies necessary to establish aid stations close to the front. Communications soldiers would carry and rapidly deploy spools of telephone line to link front line positions. Engineers would carry demolition supplies and pioneer tools to support their mission. But in WW II the packboards were most widely used by units habitually operating in mountainous terrain where motor transport couldn’t easily move.
See also my post from 2009: Praxis: Mission Loads -- Sustaining Light Infantry on "Shank's Mare." The Packboard, the ALICE Cargo Frame and the Universal Load Carrying Sling

Monday, February 15, 2016

"Lessons From My Father: How To Run A Secret Agent."

"People always want to talk, you just need to make them think you're their friend."

The death of Antonin Scalia

Chaos, confusion and conflicting reports

Five from Herschel Smith.

Amateur Hour At Malheur
On the livestream, Fry was rambling almost incoherently about the government, abortion, the Middle East, nuclear power plants, drone strikes in Pakistan and his belief in UFOs. He railed against “monopolies” and “chemical castration” by the government. He was angry that he couldn’t “find a way to make an income without paying taxes for atrocities.” He complained that nobody would bring him any marijuana. He spoke about killing himself and said he had his weapon at his side.
Obama Unilaterally Confiscates 265 Million Acres
Oh how sad. They may as well read nursery rhymes and fairly tales to themselves. I’ve done my share of criticizing the tactics employed by the occupiers at Malheur, but relying on the black robed tyrants to protect you from the beltway tyrants is a bad strategy. No one has shown any proclivity for stopping anything this president has done, and they won’t start now.
Remembering Antonin Scalia
When I found out about Scalia’s death on Saturday, I yelled “No, No, No, No,” fifteen or twenty times at the top of my lungs. Much badness will follow.
Recall Grover Norquist
Mr. Rathner doesn’t want us to think two steps ahead. Or another way to say it would be that Rathner doesn’t want us to consider logical consequences, simple first order effects. We have gone to great lengths to make everyone understand that open borders, in addition to the other national maladies that would be involved, means loss of recognized rights to own firearms. It starts with the cultural milieu of Hispanics and Latinos.
Army MPs Train For Stability Operations On The Streets Of America

The GOP Sitcom Just Got Serious

Of course, if (when) McConnell sells out conservatives again to preserve the ridiculous prerogatives of his beloved debating society and lets Obama’s pick get a vote, it’s over. Sanctimonious little GOP trolls like the repellant Lindsey Graham will eagerly confirm whichever Che-loving creep President Fail sends up the Hill. And the GOP will be broken for good as we conservatives depart in disgust, half voting for Trump and ensuring his nomination and half simply checking out. Either way, that’s likely to mean a Democrat president, a Democrat Senate, a Democrat Supreme Court, and an inevitable rebellion (maybe merely political, maybe much worse) against the socialist blueprint liberals will attempt to impose upon a country left undefended by the Constitution progressives hate and will never enforce. No more games, no more clowning around. There’s no question Cruz and Rubio will nominate real conservatives. But The Donald? Donald Trump’s frivolous speculation about appointing his ultra-liberal federal judge sister to the Supreme Court was vaguely amusing when it was just a hypothetical; now we need real answers. We need the names of the real, committed conservatives he would appoint to replace Justice Scalia. “I’ll find the best people, brilliant people, fabulous people” won’t cut it. Who, Donald?

Once a thief, always a thief. Ankle-biter Kerodin strikes again.

I am reliably informed by email this morning that Sammy has a new business venture: http://www.caccolube.com/. He expects you to send money to an anonymously registered website, using a YouTube video that has been taken down for copyright violation. Of course, when you get to the pay-pal page, guess what? 'III Percent, LLC.' Where did he get the idea? From the same guy he stole the idea of the III%: http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2009/07/praxis-supplying-saboteurs-caccolube.html

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Tanks inside the wire: The battle of Lang Vei.

Sgt. Nickolas Fragos couldn’t believe his eyes. North Vietnamese PT-76 tanks were moving on the Lang Troai Road, heading straight for the Special Forces camp at Lang Vei. Fragos dashed to the TOC (Tactical Operations Center) to report his observation. The 24 Americans at Lang Vei knew the odds were stacked against them. Seven would die, along with 309 Montagnard mercenaries and Vietnamese CIDG soldiers.

Codrea: Rathner Response Would Be More Respectful if It Didn’t Dismiss Objections to Norquist.

Grover Norquist’s amnesty efforts on behalf of the cheap labor Republican establishment are helping to pave a pathway to citizenship that will add millions of new voters that all credible polling shows favor anti-gun Democrats. That means unchallengeable majorities in the legislatures, with carte blanche for court appointments How is that not an issue for NRA to consider when assigning political grades and endorsements?

"Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon. . . " McConnell channels Major Strasser. "Of what value is that? You may recall what RINO guarantees have been worth in the past."

"Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us". -- Wisdom of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) Chap. 44, verse 1.)
I learned yesterday afternoon in a spate of panicked phone calls from friends and fellow freedom fighters that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia had been found dead at a West Texas ranch.
A long-time friend sent along the links with this anguished comment and accompanying verses: "As for me, I can think of no adequate epitaph other than David's lament for Saul and Jonathan."
 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:  “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!  How the mighty have fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. 
21 “You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. 
22 “From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back,
    and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 
23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions. 
24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
    who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 
25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! “Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26     I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me;
    your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women. 
27 “How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”
Almost immediately we had this announcement from the spaghetti-spined Mitch McConnell: "No vote on Scalia replacement under Obama." Yeah, right. To paraphrase Ilsa in Casablanca, "Of what value is that? You may recall what RINO guarantees have been worth in the past." Indeed. Does anyone over the age of five believe that McConnell, Ryan and Company won't contrive to sell us out once again?
A friend and long-time DC observer writes:

"The death of Justice Scalia will significantly exacerbate social divisions and conflict, but it is a good thing in the sense that it will ABSOLUTELY resonate with voters--and brings fresh meaning to the notion that one is not only electing a President, one is electing a person who will fill vacancies on the Supreme Court, something I think most people have realized given the age of the Justices. It also demonstrates how fragile some of the recent gains, i.e., in 2nd Amendment are. It is fairly well agreed upon that had Heller come up before a differently composed Supreme Court, the decision could have been different. It seems, by definition, that his death will significantly impact the 2016 Presidential election, regardless of whether Obama nominates a replacement or not. On another level, I believe Justice Scalia's death is a significant movement towards the social chaos that is inevitably going to descend upon the entire population of the United States, because of the reach of the Supreme Court and the notion of a new balance arising within it."

As for me, Scalia's death is merely one more portent of the civil war soon to come.

Friday, February 12, 2016

Army Paratroopers Testing New Airborne Ruck

U.S. Army airborne and Ranger units are testing a new, jumpable pack with a built-in equipment harness. The MOLLE 4000 is the Army’s new airborne rucksack, designed to satisfy requests from paratroopers for a pack that’s smaller than the large MOLLE ruck but with more capacity than the medium MOLLE that the Army introduced in 2009 for up to 72-hour missions.

Fibbies pat themselves on the back.

'Strategic Patience' Pays Off For FBI During Wildlife Refuge Occupation

Are the Feds screwing up their courage for new Palmer raids over original Bundy stand-off?

In an exclusive interview with Jason Van Tatenhove, media director for Oathkeepers, he told Freedom Outpost that there have been reports of 68 warrants against Americans who stood alongside Cliven Bundy in Nevada in 2014 and several involved in standing between the Bureau of Land Management and the Sugar Pine Mine. Van Tatenhove said that Oathkeepers were in the process of seeking to confirm the number of indictments.

Mounting Evidence Putin Will Ignite WWIII

By letting Putin get away with whatever he likes in Syria, Obama has created a deeply dangerous situation

The continuing global war on cash money,

Austrians Need Constitutional Right to Pay in Cash, Mahrer Says

ABC tries to explain Malheur to the straights.

The Oregon siege is finally over. What actually happened?

Uh, huh. Religion of peace strikes again. Why don't you just conclude that this was a terrorist attack?

Saw this all over the talking heads channels and NO ONE mentioned a terrorist link: Cops kill man after machete attack at Ohio deli
Pegues reports the suspected attacker has a Somali background, and officials believe he may have traveled to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in 2012. Pegues reports that law enforcement is concerned that this incident has the hallmarks of the type of so-called "lone wolf" terrorist attack that they have been working to stop.

Four from Herschel Smith.

Sheriff Says Texas Open Carry Is Not A Problem
Dear Sheriff Jim Arnott, I’m Not Sure I Believe You’re Being Honest With Us
General Motors Fires Employee For Using A Gun To Stop A Knife Attack
Donald Trump: “I Always Carry A Gun”

Two from David Codrea.

Santilli Prosecution a Tyrannical Assault on Free Speech and Press
VOTE YES on the Recall of Grover Norquist from NRA Board

Remainder of house views, post-clean up. God bless you all.

New front view.
New garage doors.
Cleared back yard, all the way to the back fence.
New back deck and steps.
New back-of-the-house view showing new deck, repaired wall and new back gutters.
We still have small jobs to complete. We ran out of time to install the security system for Rosey (it entails running power to the cameras, although the system was advertised as "wireless," that meant only the sign from cameras to main unit); some minor plumbing like relocating the faucet on the back outside wall and fixing a leak in the tub in the main bathroom; final pickup and disposal of non-burnable items in back and side yards, etc.
Even so, the transformation of the old place is stunning and Rosey and I cannot thank all of the volunteers and supporters enough for your kind help. May God bless and keep you all safe through the coming storms.

Sorry folks, but it's been a pretty rough-as-a-cob last three days.

I'll try to get some posts up today.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Podcast on the subject of what's next for the liberty movement.

FO Podcast Episode 034 – Liberty Thought Leader Round Table
In this week’s podcast, we have a round table with the following most prominent liberty thought leaders: Peter White, Western Rifle Shooters Association; Matt Bracken, former SEAL and fiction author; Mike Vanderboegh, III% Founder and Sipsey Street Irregulars; Stewart Rhodes, Oathkeepers; David Codrea, War on Guns; Bob Wright, New Mexico Militia.
Direct download

"Obama's budget proposal includes billions for gun control."

President Obama doubled down on his commitment to gun control Tuesday in the 2017 budget proposal he sent to Congress. The $4.1 trillion budget request, which represents President Obama’s wish list, was met with sharp Republican criticism. The proposal calls for funding increases at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI to fight gun violence. The ATF budget request is $1.3 billion, of which more than $35 million will be spent hiring 200 additional agents to reduce gun violence. The FBI is also requesting more money to hire an additional 230 employees to speed up the process to background checks on gun sales.

Collectivist cannibals eating their own.

Bloomberg gun-control group launches new ad against McAuliffe
If anyone has a right to be upset, it's us at the sellout NRA:
The bitter back-and-forth stems from the deal that McAuliffe’s administration quietly hammered out with the NRA and Sen. Bryce E. Reeves (R-Spotsylvania). The resulting legislation, now making its way through the Republican-controlled General Assembly, would expand the rights of concealed-carry handgun permit holders in Virginia and across the country in exchange for tighter restrictions on domestic abusers and voluntary background checks at gun shows.

Photos of Clean Up Day -- before and after.

View of the rotten garage doors (one frozen in place, the other falling apart).
The New Mexico boys beneath one of the new garage doors with a very grateful old man. (Left to right: Steve Studley, Bob Wright, old man, John Hassen.)
Before: vegetation, right front.
Before: vegetation, left front.
Before: Left side yard vegetation.
Before: Lower back deck wreckage as viewed from upper deck.
Before: Wall rot and squirrel holes to left of back door, upper deck.
In process: front vegetation removed.
Volunteer parking lot. The vehicles filled up the front yard and extended down the street.
Some of the volunteers.
In process: backyard jungle gradually removed.
In process: The dump closed unexpectedly early so we only got three loads hauled off.
In process: with the wreckage of the above-ground pool hauled off the previous weekend, the sandy floor made an excellent firepit.
So, we began burning the brush and it made an ever more glorious bonfire.
I'll have more pictures of the new deck, back wall and completely bare backyard in a later post. God bless the volunteers and supporters who made all this possible. Afterward, Rosey and I wept at the results. Things like this make you truly humble.

"Rebellion in California: The dissidents from the northern counties who want to secede from the Golden State are 'a bunch of Bible-thumpin’, gun-totin’, wild-eyed pistol-wavers.'

“People who feel helpless are taking matters into their own hands. If that means violence, they’re ready for that. You can only push people so far."

She Approves Of Dead Mexicans, Gun Running, And Murdered Federal LEOs

Hillary Clinton is one of the most shameless politicians of this era or any era. If an endorsement or ad will get her just one more vote, she'll go for it. It doesn't matter if the person making the endorsement was the most partisan, the most contemptible, the most brutally corrupt Attorney General since the founding of this Republic. A man whose fingerprints were all over an operation to run guns to Mexican cartels so as to build support for gun control. A man who was found in Contempt of Congress. A man who said he supported voting rights but dismissed charges of outright voter intimidation against favored groups. A man who used the Department of Justice as a shakedown machine against corporate America. Of course, I'm referring to former Attorney General Eric Holder.

VDH: "America’s Balkan Values."

White liberals and black careerists vigorously reject the MLK ideal of a color-blind society.

A numbers game played for comfort, complacency and self-deception.

“If every German Jew and anti-Nazi had possessed a Mauser rifle, twenty rounds and the will to use it, Adolf Hitler would be a footnote to the history of the Weimar Republic.” — Aaron Zelman, 1995.
"The Deerslayer, the Suburban Cowboy, and the Militia."
So, how would the 25 million militiamen fare against a land invasion from China? It seems that barring use of nuclear weapons by the Chinese, and assuming that we could muster up the willpower, America would suffer tremendous loss, but ultimately prevail.
I can now confirm that the email mentioned at the beginning is believable. Let those who would deprive Americans of their birthright as an armed warrior nation take a warning from Tenche Coxe, and we who support the right to keep and bear arms continue to voice his words that, “The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.”
I have seen these estimates from time-to-time since the early 90s but I have ever been suspicious of them. They are rolled out every so often as a numbers game played for comfort, complacency and self-deception by our side. The unstated conclusion is that we have nothing to fear since we have the evil bad guys outnumbered. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. As Aaron Zelman said, it all depends upon "the will to use it." And that is far more than a numbers game. That will is essential but then so is marksmanship, individual firearms training, team organization and proficiency, logistics, etc. That can only be developed by doing -- by getting your ass in the grass and developing the martial skills of a "well-regulated militia." If the recitation of statistics is taken as an excuse to do nothing, it will be a deadly self-deception.

Four from Herschel Smith,

Jihadist Shooter Was Going To Target A Church
Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association Position On Malheur Occupation
Do You Need To Break In A New Rifle Barrel?
Another Entry In The Annals Of Dumb Gun Laws

Bloomberg smoking the fascist nanny state weed of power again.

Michael Bloomberg says he is eyeing 2016 run for the White House

"Justice Department, US Attorney Meet with Muslim Leaders Linked to Hamas: Government agencies look to provide CAIR and friends with money. "

Fellow travelers in terrorism.

There is, of course, a third possibility. "Is Pete Santilli a free speech champion or just another loud mouth?"

So useful to the enemy that if he did not exist, they'd want to invent him.

Monday, February 8, 2016

After EOTech Stumbles, Optics Makers Vie for Market Share

In the months after EOTech Inc. settled a lawsuit over defective sights, competitors say they're vying for more market share amid a shakeup in the industry. Companies such as Trijicon Inc., based in Wixom, Michigan, and Aimpoint AB, based in Malmo, Sweden, say customers in the U.S. military and law enforcement markets are reaching out to them in large numbers to inquire about their products in the wake of EOTech's settling of a lawsuit that accused the company of knowingly selling optics that failed in extreme temperatures and humid weather conditions.

"Kicked in the Bowls: Beyonce sparks race row after controversial Black Power Super Bowl half-time show."

In front of a TV audience of one billion, her dancers paraded in outfits similar to controversial activists the Black Panthers. They also raised their fists in an apparent tribute.

"Operations Research Analyst Position at ATF - Open for Graduating Seniors."

Full time employee opportunity for graduating seniors with the federal government as an Operations Research Analyst at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Office of Strategic Management:

The position is located in Washington, DC.  The position is being filled at the GS-7 level (currently $43,684 per year) with promotion potential to the GS-12 level.  This position has been designed for and is tailored to undergraduate and graduate students with a concentration in criminology and statistical research who have completed their degrees and are ready to enter the workforce.  

The primary work of the position will be the generation of analytical products derived from our data warehouse that incorporates all data from our criminal and regulatory case management systems and licensing systems to generate performance data, provide oversight of operations, and develop management tools to “help run the business.”  

We are specifically looking for individuals who are proficient in developing queries and reports using Oracle Business Intelligence or similar analytical tools.  This is a full time paid position with the federal government.  Applicants will be required to pass a full background investigation and obtain a Secret clearance.  Applicants will need to meet ATF’s drug policy (summarized below).
The position is located in ATF’s Office of Strategic Management.  OSM serves as the strategic planning and performance management staff for the Bureau and is responsible for facilitating the development and communication of the Bureau's strategic plan and strategic priorities.  OSM serves as the analysis staff and liaison to directorates for coordinating and implementing the Office of the Director's priorities and initiatives.  OSM also performs administrative and budgetary functions and manages special projects for the Office of the Director.  OSM tracks and analyzes the Bureau's performance data and is responsible for all external performance reporting.  OSM supports directorate-level program analysis and evaluation activities, the results of which will inform Bureau-wide strategic planning. 
The position is being filled through the Pathways Program – Recent Graduates Program. For additional information on Pathways see:https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/students-recent-graduates/#url=Overview
The position will be posted on USAJobs later today as an Operations Research Analyst (Recent Graduate).  The link to the site is: https://www.usajobs.gov/StudentsAndGrads

Yeah, well, we'll see if they're able to meet their promises. There's very little that the military procurement system CAN'T screw up. "Soldier-Driven Bullet Innovation, Lighter and More Punch."

the engineers and innovators of Orbital Army Technologies as LCAAP have heard and responded to the requests of soldiers returning from Afghanistan and other combat zones. A new case for ammunition is in the early stages of development at Lake City. Rather than brass cased ammunition, cartridges will have new lightweight polymer casing. The switch from brass to polymer will reduce the weight of ammunition by approximately 20-30% but still have the desired effect on the enemy. However, the switch also comes with a number of complications that need solved before it is implemented. One of these complications is the use of polymer cased 7.62mm belts for the M240B machine gun. The current M13 links grip the polymer casing so tightly that the links shear polymer off the case. The amount of force required to de-link a round from a link, the stripping force, is set at 8.5-18 pounds. This standard is an Army regulation for ammunition used in training and operations. The current M13 link with the polymer cased ammunition has a stripping force in excess of 20 pounds. This causes problems when firing the weapon system because the round does not eject from the links. However, PCP Ammunitions out of Florida have developed a modified link that meets the standards of the Army. The modified links brings the average stripping force down to approximately 9 pounds, which is on the lower end of the spectrum. Although there have been several innovations regarding lightweight polymer cased ammunition, they are not scheduled to be mass produced until 2022.

‘Strict Scrutiny’ Decision on Maryland Semi-Autos Still Leaves Dangerous ‘Common Use’ Threat Looming

Just as the military no longer uses yesterday’s technology, so too must that apply to the citizenry. When technology advances and the most effective “common use at the time” infantry weapon turns out to be a Star Trek-style “phaser rifle,” it’ll be the right of our Posterity to own one. Otherwise, we might as well try to defend our freedom with spears.

Black and Unarmed: Behind the Numbers

What the Black Lives Matter movement misses about those police shootings.
Without question, police officers must be constantly retrained in courtesy and respect; too often they develop boorish, callous attitudes towards civilians on the street. Some are unfit to serve. Some are surely racists. And if de-escalation training can safely reduce officer use of force further, it should be widely implemented. But the Black Lives Matter movement’s focus on shootings by police should not distract attention from the most serious use-of-force problem facing black communities: criminal violence. In 2014, there were 6,095 black homicide victims, more than all white and Hispanic homicide victims combined, even though blacks are only 13 percent of the population. The black homicide toll will be even higher in 2015. In over 90 percent of those black deaths, the killer was another black civilian. By all means, we must try to eliminate unjustified use of force by police. But as long as crime rates in black communities remain so high, officers will be disproportionately engaged there, with all the attendant risks of such deployment. Indeed, the incessant refrain that cops are racist could well increase the likelihood that black suspects will resist arrest, and that witnesses will be reluctant to cooperate.

David's Secret Weapon: The real message of the battle with Goliath is not that the underdog wins, but that things are not always as they are seen.

In this story, God is a constant, unseen presence, and faith in Him is a matter not so much of revelation and miraculous intervention than of proper conduct in circumstances where there is no manifest proof of God’s will. Armed with that view, David succeeds.

Be ready to download in three, two, one . . .

Hacker Plans to Dump Alleged Details of 20,000 FBI, 9,000 DHS Employees

Sunday, February 7, 2016

New York Times clucks its tongue in collectivist pique. "Obama’s Lofty Plans on Gun Violence Amount to Little Action."

The centerpiece of a plan for stemming gun violence that President Obama announced to great fanfare last month largely amounts to this: an updated web page and 10,000 pamphlets that federal agents plan to give out at gun shows. In a tearful display of anger and sadness in the East Room of the White House, Mr. Obama ordered a series of steps intended to limit gun violence and vowed to clamp down on what he called widespread evasion of a federal law requiring gun dealers to obtain licenses. But few concrete actions have been put in motion by law enforcement agencies to aggressively carry out the gun dealer initiative, despite the lofty expectations that Mr. Obama and top aides set. Obama administration officials said they have no specific plans to boost investigations, arrests or prosecutions of gun sellers who do not comply with the law. No task forces have been assembled. No agents or prosecutors have been specifically reassigned to such cases. And no funding has been reallocated to accelerate gun sale- investigations in Washington or at the offices of the 93 United States attorneys.

Miracles happened here yesterday by virtue of the hard work of friends and God's grace.

I am recovering still from yesterday's work day and barbeque. Folks came from near and far to help with the clean up of the house and yard and though much remains to be done the big tough jobs are just about complete. Later on I'll post some pictures from before and after. The ashes of the bonfire used to consume the brush after the landfill unexpectedly closed early are still smoldering in the back yard. We'll be working with Bob Wright's small crew today after church on some smaller but important jobs such as installing the security cameras for Rosey.
I cannot thank y'all enough for all the work and material support you have given us in this time of need. Words fail me.
I'll have more later.

Supreme Court likely to hear new “assault weapons” ban case

This apparent contradiction between the 7th Circuit Court’s ruling in Friedman v. City of Highland Park and the 4th’s ruling in Maryland has likely provided enough contrast for the Supremes to take up the question. This, as you might imagine, has liberal gun rights opponents in a state of panic, as a ruling agreeing with the rationale cited by the 4th Circuit Court would essentially kill off any similar rifle bans around the nation.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Good luck with that. Kollectivist Kalifornicator Kongresscritter: "Regulate homemade weapons."

"The alarming phenomena of homemade firearms and their ease of access without any scrutiny, has led me to introduce two pieces of legislation in the House – the Homemade Firearms Accountability Act and Home-Assembled Firearms Restriction Act. These two bills would mandate anyone who intends on legally manufacturing their own firearm to obtain a registered serial number to be affixed on the firearm and would block the sale of any form of do-it-yourself firearms parts or kits – especially those currently being sold over the internet. It is my hope to draw attention to the too often overlooked issue of homemade firearms and include these firearms in the national discussion on gun control."

Work weekend off to good start.

Bob Wright and a couple of his stout-hearted men came from New Mexico and we also had volunteers from Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi yesterday. They removed all the vegetation from the front of the house (Rosey was thrilled when she got home from work) and began work on the back. Will try to take some before/during and after photos today. We'll get going at 0800 hours Central this morning on the back yard and see how much we can accomplish, although I use the "we" with some imprecision because it is all I can do to stumble around giving guidance and encouragement. God bless you all for your support, one way or the other. It is humbling beyond belief.