An excellent short story, by Matt Bracken

This short story, dare I call it "fiction", is an excellent piece written by an excellent author, Matt Bracken. Please read it all, and then go to his blog, https://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com and read more. He's one of the good guys.

http://gatesofvienna.net/2016/01/the-alienork-way/

On the AR vs AK subject matter.

This article is well written by a special operations physician detailing his experiences that have led him to feel that it might be preferable to get shot with an AK-47 as opposed to the M16/M4 platform.

As far as my own input, I spoke with a general/vascular surgeon who routinely performs trauma surgery on people with gun shot wounds. He stated that the wounds produced by the 5.56 are more devastating and difficult to repair in surgery due to the multiple pieces of metal scattered throughout the body after the projectile occasionally shatters. He stated that this is not the case with the 7.62 projectile.

From Orwell.

"Threats to freedom of speech, writing and action, though often trivial in isolation, are cumulative in their effect and, unless checked, lead to a general disrespect for the rights of the citizen."

-George Orwell

From Churchill.

"Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result."

W. Churchill

10,000 Syrian refugees being settled in the US. And 10,000 is just "the floor", not "the ceiling"...

This from a gleeful mainstream outlet, MSN:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/first-syrians-arrive-in-us-under-surge-resettlement-program/ar-BBrqZmM?li=BBnb7Kz

An official states that 10,000 is the lowest number of people who will be brought here. They also say they'll be brought here at breakneck speed. The process usually takes between 18-24 months, but these refugees will be relocated in about three months.

How are we allowing this to happen after seeing Europe set ablaze? In a couple of years time, maybe less, Europeans will wish for the good old days of Bataclan and Molenbeek.

Do you see what happens to the women caught by even small groups or pairs of refugee men? There are thousands of military age males (MAM) in these refugee hordes, young and healthy enough to go anywhere in the Muslim world and make a life. But instead they are being shuffled to Europe and the US.

Do we care about the horrors our young women will be subjected to, like some have been in Europe? Do we not have the spine to intercede and stop the fires that are being set? This is self destructive behavior.

It's this type of behavior that is being accelerated in the nine months we have before a new President comes to office. Whoever that person is or whatever they do may have no effect, or if it's Hillary or Bernie, may have a negative. In both cases, the following by Bracken is again true:

"America is dead. Your community is your country. Act accordingly."

In praise of the AR-15 as a home defense weapon.

You can go online to any firearms based website or blog, ask any firearms "expert" or enthusiast, "what's the best option for a home defense weapon?" and you'll receive a huge array of responses. You'll get input on weapons, brands, ammo types and calibers, weapon accessories, state and federal laws, ballistic performance, physiological effects, psychological effects, etc. You'll even get some people recommending good attorneys to hire if you get into a shooting situation. The people you ask will morph into lawyers, cops, doctors, engineers, physicists, salesmen and Army Rangers right in front of your eyes, and all at the same time.

I'm not here to flood you with that and I'm not here to make your choice for you. I'm going to let you know what I choose and why it works for me. You can decide if it works for you. Obviously the best weapon for home defense is the weapon you have when the time comes for you to use it.

My personal choice is a Colt M4 Carbine chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition. I installed quad rails and put a government issue pop-up iron rear aperture sight on the flat top receiver. I installed a Streamlight TLR-1s flashlight (300 lumens) onto the left quad rail using a Magul mount. There is an EOTech XPS 2-2 Holographic Weapon Sight and an EOTech G33 swivel magnifier. I use Magpul 30 round PMags. I replaced the standard grip with a Blackhawk grip with finger grooves. I currently have my two home defense magazines loaded with Black Hills 77gr OTM ammunition.

My reason for choosing this weapon is that I prefer having a weapon that requires less "fine motor" skills and more "gross motor" skills to operate properly. When you're jarred awake by someone beating your door down at 0200, your fine motor skills aren't always going to be there ready to go. You'll still have your gross motor skills, and that's why I currently choose a long gun over a pistol. A pistol is a fine weapon for home defense, especially if you're skilled in pistol shooting, but it does require that you keep your fine motor skills with you through any amount of combat stress, which is easier said than done.

Some will ask about shotguns, and here's my only reason for choosing a rifle over a shotgun. I've got 30 rounds in my weapon while a shotgun likely has ammo in the single digits. I can also load up another 30 round magazine much fast than someone can load another handful of shotgun shells. A shotgun is a great option for home defense, but I have my own reasons for choosing the rifle.

I've personally used the Colt M4 Carbine to clear buildings in training situations and during a combat deployment. I've seen what the 5.56 NATO ammunition is capable of and trust me, it's ugly. I know there is always going to be some politics surrounding the decisions that are made by the higher ups, but we've been using 5.56 NATO since Vietnam. If it didn't do its job, it wouldn't still be in use by our military five decades later. Maybe it would have stuck around for a bit, but not for over fifty years. This round is more than adequate and I've seen it up close and personal.

I think the last complaint most people have is the possibility of over-penetration with this ammunition. But here is the point I make: ANY suitable self defense ammo is going to penetrate sheetrock like it's paper. Same for your home windows. Same for bedroom doors. No matter what you're shooting, you NEED to ensure that all family and friends are accounted for and preferably BEHIND your firing position. You can ensure this by strategically locating your bedroom between the common area of your home and the other bedrooms, if possible. It makes it easier to shoot an intruder if you have already secured your family in the bedrooms behind you. Again, any self defense ammo is going to penetrate the barriers in your home. I have personally witnessed a .25 caliber round negligently discharged inside a home, and it penetrated a bedroom door, two walls and then embedded itself into a third wall. This is why it's more important to have a weapon that will allow you to have the highest accuracy when fired repeatedly. The M4 Carbine provides that.

You obviously have to evaluate your own situation and obtain the weapon that best fits your needs and abilities. If your budget allows you to only purchase one weapon and you'd like to also carry it in your vehicle, then a pistol is surely more suitable than a long gun. If you like the idea of firing multiple projectiles at once,then you can get that in a shotgun. I've detailed my own choice and my reasons. What is your choice?

Chaos.

The race for the White House heats up every day that passes and all I can see for the future is chaos. I feel Ted Cruz is the only Constitutional Conservative in the race since Rand Paul dropped out. Donald Trump is a buffoon, but even worse he is the same type of statist we've been electing since Reagan's terms expired. Hillary is a Clinton, nothing more needs to be said. Bernie Sanders is a hardcore socialist, though I guess at least he's honest about it. The democrat party is one of socialist support anyway. I don't know who is going to win, if any of of those people at all. Maybe it could be someone else not yet named. 

Regardless, we may already be out of time. As bad as Obama has been, the real chaos may start in nine months. Our choices in the upcoming elections may be pointless, and if so, I'll leave you with something as stated by author and former Navy SEAL, Matt Bracken:

"America is dead. Your community is your country. Act accordingly."

More later.

Psalm 91

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High 
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 
2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, 
my God, in whom I trust." 
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare 
and from the deadly pestilence. 
4 He will cover you with his feathers, 
and under his wings you will find refuge; 
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 
5 You will not fear the terror of night, 
nor the arrow that flies by day, 
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, 
nor the plague that destroys at midday. 
7 A thousand may fall at your side, 
ten thousand at your right hand, 
but it will not come near you. 
8 You will only observe with your eyes 
and see the punishment of the wicked. 
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling- even the LORD, who is my refuge- 
10 then no harm will befall you, 
no disaster will come near your tent. 
11 For he will command his angels concerning you 
to guard you in all your ways; 
12 they will lift you up in their hands, 
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; 
you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; 
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 
15 He will 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 will I satisfy him 
and show him my salvation."

A prediction.

The republicans have said that they absolutely will not hold any confirmation hearings for Obama's recent SCOTUS nominee, Merrick Garland.

My prediction is that they absolutely will, possibly as soon as June or July.

Anarchism is not what they tell you it is.

"Anarchism is not a romantic fable but the hard-headed realization, based on five thousand years of experience, that we can not entrust the management of our lives to kings, priests, politicians, generals and county commissioners."

-Edward Abbey